Cherinob (story)

Plot
Word gets out that Vliny Pitorsky has found all the relics to create Rickrod's weapon again. However, it's also discovered that Vliny's partner Yevghenny Mavoric may be Kritchobol in disguise. Cherinob arrives in Bucharest right as goons that are connected to Yevghenny assassinate the CEO of the construction company that one Boris Heminski, a crane operator, works for. Boris recognizes from a textbook picture he saw years ago one of the relics that would go into making Rickrod's machine, though he knows not the significance. For this, several manifested demons attempt to capture him. Cherinob intervenes, and the two forge a friendship after Boris endangers himself to stop an ordinary thug from planting a Nullinar on her.

She discusses her history with Boris, and helps him understand his own past - and present-day faith. She begins feeling sickly and in pain, warning Boris that Kritchobol has returned and that she can sense his return. The two decide to intercept a delivery of more relics, in spite the danger. She also informs Boris that some relics are in a forest outside of town near a science lab. Boris warns that the lab is controlled by Yevghenny's men, and that there's an inherent security detail that would notice them. As Cherinob's illness grows worse and her memories of the War in Heaven begin to torment her, she starts losing control of her mesh. She and Boris start falling for each other, but she asks permission to possess his tablet device to better shield him from her radioactivity. He reluctantly agrees.

The two of them spend several days looking for relics to destroy, as demon manifestations hunt them through the countryside. She explains her history - including in Brazil - and how it has made her long for companionship. However, she knows that companionship with a human will not work out long-term for her. She informs Boris that when the time comes, she'll be given insight into where Boris should go to find a woman who is right for him.

During one of their missions in town, the pair find themselves in a car chase. Boris' tablet is stolen by a demon, forcing Cherinob out of it. She is grabbed by the throat, but manages to escape her adversary's grip and begins fighting back. She screams at Boris to keep going. When taunted about her growing emotional attachment to Boris, she erupts with anger and destroys an abandoned ice cream shop to exterminate the hordes.

Boris flees into the forest, abandoning his car. However, it's not long before he ventures too close to Yevghenny's science lab in the forest. He is immediately captured by security personnel, and brought inside for questioning. Cavalore informs Cherinob that she needs to save Boris - but is given a small amount of choice in how she does so. She decides to approach the front door of the lab, and trade her own freedom for Boris'. She argues that Boris needs to be set free, and that she has the answers the staff seeks.

When an initial security detail dies in the attempt to battle her, the second wave heeds her commands and sets Boris free. She surrenders her sword to staff and deactivates her armor. Boris asks her why she doesn't fight back, in spite being easily able to incinerate everyone. She assures him that a greater plan is at work - and that he'll need to find Cavalore to complete it. They confess their love for each other, and Boris is thrown into the back of a van. The lab staff forces Cherinob to take most of her clothes off, and ten hauls her strapped to a restraining table into an improvised holding cell / science lab room while wearing in hazmat suits, heeding her warning after seeing the grass around her turn black.

However, a guard in the back of the van with Boris reveals that Boris knows too much and that he'll have to be eliminated. They aren't going to drop him off at his house as promised; but will instead try to play Cherinob for a fool. Boris, thinking quickly, lures the guard into making a blasphemous remark. Cavalore shows up and tears through the roof. Boris is set loose on the streets running for dear life both from the lab convoy and from police that were tipped off that he might have been seen spying on Vliny. Cavalore tears the van that was abducting Boris to pieces, and kills the driver and passengers. He creates a significant distraction for Boris to escape into the night; and Boris begins scheming how to save Cherinob.

After hours in the lab being tortured by the staff, Cherinob begins feeling strained by the need to maintain her mesh. They play on her relationship with Boris to stress her even more, curious at the spiking levels on their monitors. She warns them not to attempt to examine her in private areas; but they ignore her warnings. When one scientist dies attempting a cavity search, they call Yevghenny and alert him that they have her in custody. He arrives, betraying his true identity as Kritchobol. Cherinob and Kritchobol battle each other; but his ability to control the Shard combined with her weakened state of control allows Kritchobol to gain the other hand. He tortures her until she suffers a meltdown, destroying the lab and draining her energy until he is able to capture her inside a pendant similar to the one she once trapped Belay inside of. He forgets that he trapped several other angels in there before, and they offer some of their energy to help Cherinob rebuild hers sooner.

Kritchobol rebuilds Rickrod's invention, and the sky begins to rain demons. Residents of Bucharest fall into a state of panic as the city is pillaged by otherworldly invaders. However, Kritchobol underestimates Boris. Boris manages to locate Kritchobol and knocks Cherinob's sword out of his hand. Boris uses the sword to remove the pendant from Kritchobol's neck. Kritchobol shrivels up Boris' right forearm and tosses him aside, leaving him for dead. However, Boris uses his left hand to break the pendant open against the ground. Kritchobol realizes this mistake too late, and Cherinob ascends into the sky. She returns fully recharged and with her armor on. The two battle for the fate of Bucharest, while Cavalore heals Boris' right forearm and the two of them work with police to take out Vliny.

Kritchobol manages to detonate a Nullinar successfully as desperate measure, temporarily disabling Cherinob's armor but also making himself vulnerable to physical attack. He begins using his talons to pierce Cherinob's body, torturing her and taunting her as he dares to make her have another meltdown. He also begins licking her blood off her neck and licking her ears, invoking a rape threat. As he appears to have the upper hand, Boris challenges him to another fight. He grabs hold of Cherinob's twin "elven" daggers and the demon lunges forward. An unafraid Boris takes advantage of Kritchobol's arrogance and stabs Kritchobol in the left shoulder blade with one of Cherinob's blades. He then dodges when Kritchobol tries to launch a counter-attack, laughing at Boris' sense of irony. However, the stabbing results in the Shard inside Cherinob leaving her body, allowing her to revert to being Velithia. Free from the risk of killing everything with radiation, Velithia assumes her chimera form and sends Kritchobol back to Hell with extreme prejudice. She is called to Heaven for a meeting, and Boris sees her ascending in humanoid form as he passes out from his injuries. Cavalore carefully grabs hold of the Shard, and places it inside a case. He informs Filforth that it will need to be kept safe until Velithia will need to be reunited with it.

Boris awakes in his bed at home, and Velithia greets him. The two of them discuss what happened for a while. She assures him that the next time he boards a flight, a woman will be sent his way that will be right for him. The two of them passionately kiss goodbye, and they realize they must part ways. Boris asks Velithia before she ascends if he'll ever see her again - either as herself, or as Cherinob. She assures him that they will make contact again before Judgment Day - but to remember to find a real woman so he will not be hung up on her. He promises to honor her request, and she urges him to pray about it - so he won't have to rely solely on his own strength to keep his word.