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Gilda seemed fortunately to believe his story. Demons were known for their subterfuge and lies and she as a rule did not trust them when they stood to gain, but she was a good judge of character and could tell often from insight when someone was holding something or other back. To her Nuru seemed earnest in his statement that he had not been clued into what was happening.

Of course, ignorance was not an excuse and had she been another breed of angel she would have struck him down there and then. But she was not, and her domain bade her hold her wrath. She spoke slowly. "It was not a child." she said.

"At least, not a human child. Thor is known to be a devourer of children and deceiver of parents. He takes many forms but most renowned is his inclination to appear as a child. He tricked you, you were used. He used you to get within the bounds of the wards set up around this place, arranged in such a way that they would not arouse suspicion from Hell, permitting low ranked and low powered demons to move freely but restricting those greater or more potent. He may have found a way around it. "

And though she showed no emotion she suspected it may be too late to pull things back once more.

"People are going to be hurt Nuru, that is a guarantee, and it will be your fault. The decision which is truly yours is what comes after. As a demon I do not expect you to do anything but delight in the suffering of others and the increase of the stock of SIN, but there are rare demons, rare and unique ones who see what corruption is endemic to hell and choose to help heaven."

She looked away sadly in the direction of the housing estate where her charge was being guarded.

"You might wish to reconsider what sort of demon you are."

Gilda wasn't about to try and convince a potentially sceptical demon, if he didn't want to believe her she would let him continue down his forsaken path without hope of redemption. "Because they are demons." she said.

"And at this point, I don't think any distance is safe enough."

She closed her eyes and exhaled. "He is here. The truth will find you."

And without another word she seemed to grow tall and narrow and vanish in a sliver of gold, as if she had stepped through some invisible portal.

The snarl of the great animal returned briefly and faded to an ominous and wordless silence.

Then in the distance, near the quiet center of the town, there was an explosion that Nuru could all but feel in his chest and was enough to knock a human off their feet. Windows shattered and fire licked ferociously up at the sky.