Few know of the story involving the man Shoubushi, his long lost son Gabriel Hammet, and the archangel Raziel. Of those that do only Raziel knows all of it. For only he was there for its entirety. Shoubushi was a wandering monk, his true name long left behind and forgotten in favor of the title his master gave him upon their meeting. It means Gambler and before his meeting with the man that changed his life that was exactly what Shoubushi or “Shou” for short was. Shou gambled with everything but mostly with his life. If it was dangerous and could get him a little money or a drink he did it. Whether or not this destructive lifestyle had anything to do with his missing son is unknown, though looking at his efforts throughout his life to find his family it is likely. His meeting with his future master changed him deeply and he gave up his self destructive ways. His propensity for drink however, never wavered. Those that knew him, knew him as Shoubushi the Drunk Monk.
Little else is known about the man other than he helped to raise Jade Saewin in her early childhood before giving her to another to raise and dissapearing again. They were not reunited until many years later at a bar/club known as Lo Soleil et La Lune. He died a few months later in a battle against the demon form of Fierce Deity.
Shoubushi often claimed that he was apart of a long line of reincarnated men who held the title “The Gambler” and were reputed to never lose at anything until their dying day. This was debunked however when he lost a fighting match within the club Lo Soleil et La Lune and did not die until many months later. The actual line of The Gambler, if one exists, is unknown. Shoubushi and Gabriel both also claimed that it was this lineage that allowed them to summon Raziel. This was also untrue. The true reasons for the coming of the archangel is known only to him.
Gabriel Hammet was Shou's only true child and like his father quickly “adopted” Jade as family. This time as cousin. Gabriel was much less of a drinker than his father and never gambled. He met with Jade and her lover named Deity sometime after the death of his father. Originally he blamed Deity and much fighting ensued. Eventually he came to realize that Deity and his alter ego were truly two different people and he made amends. However he always kept his eyes out for if and when Demon Deity reared his head again. His chance came nearly a year later when the demon once again managed to gain control.
Gabriel was not able to participate in most of the fighting. His contribution as a matter of fact was rather small. He walked calmly to what he knew would be his death, just as it was his father's. He called upon Raziel. However even Raziel's contribution to the fight could be considered small. While being the only being to really wound Demon Deity he was subsequently thrown from the battle by the Demon and did not return. It was revealed that he was uninjured from the battle so the reasons for his not returning are a complete mystery. It can be argued that Raziel actually made things worse, after being wounded Demon Deity went on an even worse rampage than before.
Shoubushi's and Gabriel's abilities were similar and focused around pushing and exceeding the limits of human capability with chi. Shoubushi managed this with his monk training, Gabriel was untrained in the monk arts and required outside assistance in the from of the Guyver bio armor. Both men exhibited capabilities in flight, energy projection, enhanced speed, and enhanced strength. Shoubushi also in his final months gained wings, claws, and the ability to travel small distances through the space time continuum. Both men favored the techniques of Asura Senku which allowed them to travel fast enough to leave an afterimage, Messatsu Gou Hadou a large beam of pure energy, Tenma Gou Zanku a bombing of fireballs, and Tenma Gou Hadou a bombing of large energy beams.
Raziel is one of seven archangels created by the Creator. Humankind has come up with many names and many different ways to worship this being that created everything in the infinite cosmos. If ever asked as to who has it right, Raziel is likely to respond with a grin that “Everyone is a little right, and a little wrong........though the Mormons are the closest.”
Though there are many angels that the creator made, the seven of which Raziel is apart of are the most powerful, with Michael and Gabriel being the two strongest and equally matched. Michael and Gabriel act as the Creator's Right and Left hands respectively. The other four archangels are Uriel, Raphael, Remiel, and Raguel.
Raziel's role was the archangel of knowledge. This was specifically of magic but extended to everything else. His primary duty was to safeguard the Book of Raziel and the knowledge contained within and to present that knowledge to mankind in bits and pieces as they became ready to receive it.
Raziel's knowledge of the workings of the universe are second only to the Creator. Although not the most powerful of the archangels Raziel's abilities to know anything and everything make him a dangerous opponent in his own right. His magics are such that he must keep a tight control of them lest he accidentally destroy many of his Master's creations with an errant gesture or syllable. In situations of battle he is likely to borrow the sword of the archangel Michael or use his own book. The more dangerous of these is the book. Once summoned the book gives Raziel immediate access to any piece of information at all. This includes the True Names of everything in existence, allowing Raziel to control anything that he has uttered the true name of. He refrains from using the True Names of creatures with free will however as this would break his Lord's order of “Thou shalt not interfere with the free will of my creations.” Instead he uses the True Names to augment his already impressive mystic abilities and control of universal forces. Some examples of his abilities include flight, energy projection, control over momentum and inertia, teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy, matter creation and breakdown, and when using the book the instant control of anything he has True Named.
