Elfen High 2: Gotterdammerung

[Condunum]

Jacob blinked at the dolls.

"Caspian, start moving. Now. I think we should just hurry to London."

And having said that, Jacob put his palm in the center of his satanic looking circle, which promptly began to glow. And then all of a sudden, the circle popped out of the wall, as if the chalk lines became alive, and three-dimensional. Their glowing shown from white to red, slowly fluctuating back and forth between the two colors. Jacob punched the center of the circle, which, hoping that Nat doesn't have some other plans that make just as little sense as tiny strawmen, would cause the tunnel to rumble, and shit to fall on the dolls.

[Nationstatelandsville]

Jacob blinked at the dolls.

"Caspian, start moving. Now. I think we should just hurry to London."

And having said that, Jacob put his palm in the center of his satanic looking circle, which promptly began to glow. And then all of a sudden, the circle popped out of the wall, as if the chalk lines became alive, and three-dimensional. Their glowing shown from white to red, slowly fluctuating back and forth between the two colors. Jacob punched the center of the circle, which, hoping that Nat doesn't have some other plans that make just as little sense as tiny strawmen, would cause the tunnel to rumble, and shit to fall on the dolls.

Congratulations, the universe replied sarcastically with a very tired sigh, you fell for the distraction. You're just a big, bad-ass alchemist, aren't you?

Jacob's ankles (and Caspian's too, because guilt is the most wonderful emotion in the world) were suddenly entangled with vines, which wrapped themselves around him up to his knees, five finger-like frayed ends clawing at his groin in an attempt to grow further.

Peering out of the ground in-between the two was a bundle of crisp, spring green leaves that looked a bit like a salad growing out of the ground. The vines extended from this plant.

There was a soft rustling sound. Some of the leaves cleared away.

A human face peered out from the foliage, veins pumping visibly chlorophyll, eyes stained a light green. From every orifice, leaf-covered branches sprouted and accumulated into a forest beard - from the its gaping open mouth, to its nostrils and ears, to its tear-ducts and from beneath the eyelids. The face was pulled open in a a soundless scream.

Eyes darted between the two. The face hissed.

The leaves began to secrete extremely corrosive acid - taking the form of clear, sticky sap - onto the two's pants. Their was a terrible sound, like gas escaping a broken pipe, as their pants melted into noxious white gas.

Once their clothes were destroyed, the acid would get to their flesh. Then the fun would really begin.

[Astrolinium]

Caspian didn't question it and started moving. This felt... weird. Bizarre. Different. Almost like someone far more dangerous was at the helm. Then he was grabbed by plants, at which point Caspian screamed and began to kick violently at them.

"Heeeelllll no! The fucking thing had some magician or what the fuck ever in it. Turns out, my Master had sent me to Detroit for that very reason. Bastard got what was coming to him, I tell you what," Said Jacob in an all too egotistical tone.

Rosalind punched Jacob in the balls and disappeared.

There was a mighty roar.

Caspian's eyes widened and he looked over at Jacob, taken somewhat aback. He said, in a small way, "I am an Englishman, and I should think I know how to use the bloody underground."

Meanwhile, in Hades...

Eric said, "Well, we were on a nice little tour of the underworld, you know, see the sights, say all the wrong verbs, end up kissing complete strangers, the works, when suddenly our flight suits malfunctioned and we found ourselves being attacked by zombies."

He smiled affably.

The soldiers blinked.

"Not a single word in that sentence made me want to shoot you less," their leader replied, "Most made me want to shoot you more. Give me a reason not to."

Eric shrugged and ventured, "We're gay and I'd wager there are laws against hate crime here too? I know a very good lawyer who would miss us dearly should we die."

[Condunum]

Jacob reacted more or less the same way Caspian did, but with a lot more yelling. "NO. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH PLANTS TRYING TO KILL ME. THE BLACK FOREST WAS BAD ENOUGH." Jacob began ripping at the vines that were wrapping around his legs.

"YOU. BIG FACE. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

[Nationstatelandsville]

Caspian didn't question it and started moving. This felt... weird. Bizarre. Different. Almost like someone far more dangerous was at the helm. Then he was grabbed by plants, at which point Caspian screamed and began to kick violently at them.

Jacob reacted more or less the same way Caspian did, but with a lot more yelling. "NO. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH PLANTS TRYING TO KILL ME. THE BLACK FOREST WAS BAD ENOUGH." Jacob began ripping at the vines that were wrapping around his legs.

"YOU. BIG FACE. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

The face did not answer, because face of leaves, mouth a bit busy. That said, the universe answered; It's hungry, you dumb-ass.

Jacob and Caspian managed to brreak through the vines (which were fairly weak) with only a few holes in their pants.

However, more vines immediately shout out of the face. Furthermore, six more identical plants burst from the groundf around them, shooting out their own, much stronger vines, that wrapped themselves around the two's waists and limbs.

Ah, yes, and remember Jacob's little spell from earlier? This had the side effect of weakening the tunnel's structure, which began to crumble around them, rocks falling randomly from the ceiling.

Rosalind punched Jacob in the balls and disappeared.

There was a mighty roar.


The soldiers blinked.

"Not a single word in that sentence made me want to shoot you less," their leader replied, "Most made me want to shoot you more. Give me a reason not to."

Eric shrugged and ventured, "We're gay and I'd wager there are laws against hate crime here too? I know a very good lawyer who would miss us dearly should we die."

"One," the soldier began to respond, "the courts here could not give less of a shit about foreigners. Two, as far as we know, you are spies. That means your trial would be a military tribunal. Hello. Welcome to your military tribunal. Three, human lawyers are inadmissible in the courts of Hades. Fourth and finally, you are armed intruders. I have every right to shoot you in the face right now. Absolutely no one will question me. In other words..."

The soldier smiled.

"Don't ask," he delivered his one-liner, "don't tell."

"Not to ruin that," D interjected, "not that it's possible to make that worse, but we are here on official business."

He removed his helmet slowly.

"Franklin Jameson of Taka-Jameson," D said, "Here to talk to Hades about sales. These aren't weapons, they're for transportation only. These are my interns, Gay Eric and Parnell."

D frowned and glanced at Eric.

"I should've brought Straight Eric," he added, "Straight Eric is an award-winning figure skater, is in the Peace Corps, and Red Cross. Simultaneously."

[Astrolinium]

You ever got little niggling thoughts out of nowhere that are wholly inappropriate to be thought of in the situation one is in? Caspian had one of those right now, and its was, 'This reminds me of that Japanese art I found on interweb using the Google.'

He shouted again, frantically struggling; he tried to bite one of the vines, hoping he could maybe gnaw through it or at least hurt the thing.

--------------------------

Eric frowned, "Yeah, well Mr. Goody Two-Shoes is busy accepting a Nobel Prize for cold fusion, so you're stuck with me and my better half."

Parnell smiled.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

The hologram nodded. "Ah, I see. In any case, Crowley isn't here. However, I can likely give you some other tasks or just let you explore around this school." Taka offered.

The chemistry professor sighed, dropping his shoulders in disappointment.

"A task? Sure, though it depends on what it is and who's giving it"

It'd be a cold day in hell when Moriarty obeys the commands of some slant-eyed banana. Depending on the weather there, that could actually be today.

Taka saw the other EHers appear around them. "Actually..." he sighed. "Never mind. Unneeded now. You may as well enjoy yourself in London for a while, classes won't start for a bit."

As Taka disappeared, Moriarty fell through a very useful reality hole and fell right between Jacob and Caspian in London.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

"Never mind then." Crowley replied. "Call me up when it is."

"Mr. Crowley," said a Slavic man who stood nearby.

He wore a Russian military uniform, and was decorated with hundreds of military medals and stars. He smiled, and approached the wizard. "My name is General Shank," he began. "I'm the head of an ISSR black ops battalion. I'd go into detail, but my superior - you're familiar with General Sanchez - doesn't trust you. I don't have feelings toward you one way or another. But I fought in the Abrahamic War as a grunt. Many of my friends died, but you saved my squad from death when you arrived. I respect you, Mr. Crowley. And I have some... concerns, let's say."

Behind the general, several black ops soldiers began digging through the wreckage. Gunships flew overhead, and some APCs rolled by. He sighed.

Crowley nodded and gave his own sigh. "Good to meet you, and I know Sanchez. Unfortunately. In any case, what are your concerns?" he asked.

[Nude East Ireland]

"Mr. Crowley," said a Slavic man who stood nearby.

He wore a Russian military uniform, and was decorated with hundreds of military medals and stars. He smiled, and approached the wizard. "My name is General Shank," he began. "I'm the head of an ISSR black ops battalion. I'd go into detail, but my superior - you're familiar with General Sanchez - doesn't trust you. I don't have feelings toward you one way or another. But I fought in the Abrahamic War as a grunt. Many of my friends died, but you saved my squad from death when you arrived. I respect you, Mr. Crowley. And I have some... concerns, let's say."

Behind the general, several black ops soldiers began digging through the wreckage. Gunships flew overhead, and some APCs rolled by. He sighed.

Crowley nodded and gave his own sigh. "Good to meet you, and I know Sanchez. Unfortunately. In any case, what are your concerns?" he asked.

Shank sighed. "You're related to Anton Crowley. Close to him, I'd say. I... feel as though perhaps you should distance yourself from his disappearance for a time. Take it easy for a while. Mr. Crowley, I know what it's like to lose a member of my family in a conflict. But you have a country to run. I will handle this conflict. With information from the Lieutenant Fischer in Argentina, my battalion will be engaged against the Thule across the globe. If we're lucky, they don't have bases in Hell or any other world."

He lowered his head for a moment, and licked his lips. He continued to think for a moment, before looking back at Crowley. "Sanchez wouldn't like it, but I'll keep you up-to-date on any information we find in the rubble. I'll also keep you informed as best I can about the engagements with the Thule. If I believe your grandson is somewhere, you'll be the first to know. You have my word."

[Nightkill the Emperor]

"My name is Orv." the dwarf replied. "And I understand your concerns, so..." he injected the vaccine into his arm, followed by another dosage to reassure the priest. "Now, let's begin. The virus will transform those it infects into mindless, shambling husks, minions of the Fae's commands. That horrific sound you hear is not only a way to weaken us, but also a way for it to give commands to its minions. I assume Aaron is hopefully fine- he seemed to be a powerful angel and reassured me by saying he would leave more audiotapes- he left one with me now, in fact." Orv said, pulling out a cross-like disk, which Horn took. Horn also took some of the vaccinations, injecting his team now and the Elfen Highers.

"As for what the status of the angels is, I cannot tell you for sure, but I do know they were building something down there. I heard the noise of infected dwarfs and angels working together and using construction tools or magic to build something. And as for how we get down there...well, that may be the easiest bit." the dwarf grinned. "There are several normal and orthodox means of entry, but I'm certain that those are quite well guarded. So we'll just blow a new hole in the ground, in an area I doubt they would have guards in."

Sisitu gritted her teeth. So now she was in the middle of a biohazard. How fun. Memories floated like pondscum on the surface of her mind. The Antonine plague back in Rome, the English sweating sickness, the black death that had ravaged Europe and Asia, of yellow fever in Peru and typhus in Italy. You could build a mountain out of the corpses she had seen fall to microscopic killers. And she had walked through it all untouched. Any infection she picked up was purged from her each day as her body remade itself. In the midst of death, we are in life. Endless bloody life.

She vaccinated her kappa before herself. She hoped it would have the same affect on their reptilian physiology. They were too valuable to lose.
"Any idea what the vector for this thing is?" she asked Orv while she waited for Horn to play the newly found audiopate "Is it airborne? Should we avoid drinking the water? Or do we have to touch one of the infected? I thank you for the vaccines, but there's no point taking foolish risks." For the same reason, she kept her crossbow loaded and ready in the dwarf's presence and stood behind her two kappa.
"If that tape doesn't tell us what they're building, we should find out. Even if it does, I would feel safer knowing exactly what we have waiting for us. The kappa are stealthy, but not that stealthy. I do have something that can likely come and go unnoticed."

"The virus, from what I can tell, is spread through biting and sexual contact- hopefully, you will not have reason to engage much in the latter. Simple touches may or may not help spread it- we can't tell yet. We do know the virus is constantly mutating, because that's what viruses do. As a result, we need to get this done quickly."

Daniel nodded quietly, rolling up his sleeve and injecting himself with the vaccine. As the others talked, he walked slowly up to the chancel. The priest pulled off one tactical glove and ran his weathered palm over the stone surface of the altar. People lived here. Daniel glanced up at the cross hanging over the stone table. Not people quite like me. Not people who worshiped quite like me. But people. Daniel's hand slowly clenched into a fist on the altar. They came into the unknown seeking a better life. They built and farmed and made love and fought and prayed. Here, they prayed. Not to my God, maybe. But I'm not so proud anymore as to think that I know for sure. Or to think that I know if it even matters. Daniel looked around the shadowy church, and he felt the slow burn of anger within him, of outrage. They lived and loved and prayed, and someone took them and tore their lives apart and turned them into slaves. There was no violence in Daniel's fury, no bloodlust; even now, the priest could feel only an aching pain at the thought of the death that had to come. But the cleansing fire of moral indignation, the unshakeable conviction that it should not be thus - that Daniel had. In spades.

"I'm going to get these bastards," Daniel said quietly, mostly to himself. He was still standing at the altar, bare knuckles resting on the stone. "Not today, maybe. But soon. I'm going to get them, and I'm going to cast them on the mercy of the God whose church they have defiled." The priest's words hummed with restrained fury. "We'll see what justifications they have to offer the Lord."

Daniel spun on his heel and walked back down into the group. "Let's hear Aaron's audiotape. If it gives us actionable intel about where to find him, we split up. One team goes to contact the angel, the other breaches the underground facility. If the audiotape is inconclusive, we all go down - I'm done with goose chases for the day. This is still a recon, so we want to blow our hole where we won't immediately be detected. We need more information - about what's happened and how to reverse it, as well as about what they're doing down there and how to stop it." The priest nodded to Sisitu. "We'll send your little spy on ahead once we make our breach - no harm in seeing what it can tell us. You need to make absolutely sure that it doesn't get spotted, though. We still have to assume that we're dead if anything detects us."

Daniel glanced around the group, his gaze intense. "People lived here," he said quietly. "Normal people, angels or not. People who just wanted a fresh start, a place to love and build and farm and pray in peace." You could hear, in this moment, the voice of the preacher whose sermons had electrified millions. "I hope that we can save them yet," Daniel said grimly. "But if not, then what we do today will be the first step in taking down whatever did this. Not for revenge. But so that we won't ever have to stand in another empty church, and wonder what families, what struggles, what triumphs, what sweet calm nights of love might yet have been - had we only gotten here in time." The priest flicked the safety on his assault rifle off; the click echoed in the silent church. "Let's hear the audiotape, Doctor. And then let's get to work."

They played the tape. Aaron's voice came over, quiet and calm. "By the time you hear this, I will be mad. The dwarf tried to help, but I believe I've already been infected. It is a grave situation, but I'm also working to find out how the virus could have spread to find a potential cure. Well, a..." a pause. "A traitor could have done it, angel or otherwise." the angel noted. There was a brief burst of static, which the dwarf seemed surprised by. "That static wasn't there when he first recorded it." he commented.

The angel's voice continued. "I decided to go underground through the tunnel under the Peter Church as we call it, as the builder was named Peter."

Ngani frowned. "This Church had the name Peter Church above it..."

"That's the one." Calliel replied.

The audiotape went on. "There is a ladder behind the mural of Christ. To get there, you must recite the Lord's Prayer, a relatively simple task. The mural will then retract up and the stairs will be there to use." Another burst of static, then the tape ended.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Alastor listened quietly to the tape, noting the dwarf's surprise at the static. He wondered if anything important had been said during that burst of static, but decided not to dwell on it for long. He also wondered if Aaron had ever found the cure, or if his endeavor had been in vain. Lastly he wondered what the stairs led to, since the angel that had recorded the tape never exactly specified that. Either way, amidst his wondering, Alastor looked towards the mural of Christ, which depicted the supposed martyr. The ladder was behind that.

However, the warlord did not move or make any motion that indicated he was going towards it. He simply stood in place.

"Someone should go see about those prayers." He said.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Cloning was a wonderful new field of technology,, as well as a rapidly growing one.

Subject DNA and corpse has been recovered. a robotic voice had said a year ago. The Corinthians Project will proceed as planned.

Since then, scientists had been hard at work trying to re-clone one particular battler who had died ten years ago. Many, many people had died, certainly- but this was the best recovered corpse of the more important people there.

The project cost a fortune- certainly a billion dollars. But Sanchez wanted to be sure he could do this- once this work had begun, who knew where they could go from here?

It took time and money and effort, but now they were nearly at a result and-

"Holy 'ell, the lass is awake." A British voice said, perhaps recognised as the same person who delivered baby Richard ten years ago.

"I noticed." Sanchez's voice said dryly. "Jade Gates, keep your eyes closed right now. Just stay calm right now..." he said smoothly. "Alright, you can open your eyes now."

When Jade opened her eyes, she would see Sanchez sitting in a chair next to her in his military uniform and dozens of doctors in the medical room around her. Wires were attached throughout her body, monitors also around her recording her blood rate, blood pressure, brain waves and so on.

There was something else that was odd for her though- Sanchez seemed older than he had when she had last seen him. His hair was grayer, he had more wrinkles and he seemed more tired. But he gave a grin. "Welcome back to the world of the living, Miss Gates." he said.

Jade blinked. What... she softly thought to herself. Even her thoughts seemed to echo. The last thing she could remember... traumatic. Her heart rate raised slightly, and she thought back to that fateful fight - merely a moment ago for her. The power of the Demon she had fought, the crushing pain of the expansion, the sinister cracking as her own body gave up on her. Her brain waves spiked, dropped, flatlined for a moment, then rephased as the neurons fought against the cold clutch of death. Her eyes slid closed again.

After a minute, she opened them. She blinked at Sanchez. She looked around the room, down to the wires, around to the monitors, then back at Sanchez. She blinked again, and thought. Mulled over her words. Then, blatantly - she has charisma, just not very much tact - said "You're older. What did I miss." It was not a question. Barely even a statement. There was an iron tone to her voice, almost compelling Sanchez.

But such were the perils of being Jade Gates. Some tried to contain her. Those who did, invariably died. She paused, heart accelerating once more as she thought of John and Damien, then settled again. Gone now. Not going to do anything.

Sanchez sighed. "John Calhoun got gay married to Raphael's son, Malikin. The two of them went off to Azazel's castle and then they had a weird gay moment. Calliel was there too. Then, out of fucking nowhere, Uriel shows up. Then Michael does too. Then some strange magical event happens and Azazel, Calliel, Uriel and Michael all get knocked out and dragged into some parallel dimension, but Calliel is dragged back, but with all of the above's powers."

"Now Calliel has an evil personality and tries to take over the Earth, recruiting both angels and demons to his side. Then, for some reason, we drag Calliel to Heaven. Sobek changes into his girl form and decides to drag all of Heaven into a black hole and-" Sanchez grinned. "Just dicking with you. It'd be incredibly stupid if that actually did happen. Shittiest plot ever."

He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Seriously speaking, it has now been ten years since you died. We defeated Azazel, he's dead. Hell is changing and modernising. But I'm assuming you have more specific questions?"

[Erinkita]

Sisitu opened her war chest and took out the most dangerous item she had packed, with the exception of her baby: a sharp, bony spine. It could easily be mistaken for a porcupine's, but creature that Sisitu had torn it from during her ill-adviced trip to the Philippines was one of the deadliest beings native to the earth. She didn't need an incantation to summon it, but it was a struggle. The creature enjoyed resisting her, forcing her to overpower it. It was a game. With a pained grunt, the tikbalang shimmered into the church. Crouched down, its knees were higher than its head, but once it unfolded its spindly limbs, it towered over everyone else present.

"Sumerian," the thing hissed by way of greeting, flashing its horsey teeth at her in what might have been a mocking smile. As long as she held its spine, it was bound to obey her commands. This was fortunate, because Sisitu doubted her ability to exert her will over the tikbalang in the same way she did with the kappa. The tikbalang took in its surroundings, sparing barely a glance for the other people present. "A church. In hell. Why am I here?"
"For your powers of invisibility. This is a recon mission only. There's been an outbreak of some kind of virus that affects people's minds. Infected angels and dwarfs are building something. We need you to scout their stronghold."
The tikbalang snorted. "Sounds dull. These plague-carriers are your enemies. Let me kill them."
"They're innocent people, infected with a virus. Infiltration only. No fatalities."
The monster bent double to bring its face parallel with Sisitu's, its fleshless snout inches from her nose. "Then what do you plan to do with them?"
Sisitu opened her mouth to answer, but found herself unable to. The tikbalang had shown her the sickening reality. She had no idea what they were going to do next.
The tikbalang gave a throaty, crackling snarl that was its approximation of laughter and wandered away to sit on one of the pews. "Tell me when you need me," it said, its gurgling voice rich in mockery.

Sisitu turned to her companions, Andreas, Horn, Calliel, Alastor and Orv. "Does anyone know what our plan is?" she asked "This was supposed to be a reconnaissance mission. We were told to find out what happened to the angels here, and we did. We need more information obviously, but what then?" She looked to the dwarf "You said we need to get this done quickly. What is 'this' exactly. Are we going to kill the infected? They're innocent people, but if this virus escapes... We don't have to equipment or the manpower to set up a quarantine. We could call in people who do, but if Orv is to be believed these infected have the capacity to build. Who knows what they're working on? Aaron said he was working on a cure. Did he finish? If not, can we finish it for him? We need to agree on a goal here."
Behind her, the tikbalang sniggered.

[Norvenia]

"What we need is more information," Daniel said decisively. He walked to the front of the church, studying the mural. A man dies in agony. A man rises in glory. Unbelievable, really; impossible, unnatural. Yet truer than anything on Earth.

The priest turned. "This is still a recon," he announced firmly. "Our primary objective is to find out what exactly has happened to the infected, what they are building down there, and whether they have the capacity to escape off-world. The non-negotiable goal is to find out how to stop this same thing from happening to other cities, other colonies. Everything else is secondary." Daniel paused. "Now, that said," he continued, "if we find a way to cure the infected, or to thwart their efforts, and doing so doesn't compromise our primary mission? Then believe me, I'm going to try." The priest glanced around the group, pausing on each face in turn. "But we have to assume that these people are already lost. That doesn't mean that they deserve to die, but it does mean that our primary goal cannot be to save them. Our primary goal must be to save the hundreds - thousands - millions - who might also be lost if we don't get the information which we need in order to nip this in the bud."

"So," Daniel concluded. "No fatalities, if you can avoid them. But if it's that or detection, we shoot first and pray for forgiveness later. We don't endanger the lives of millions for a chance at saving the lives of a few hundred, unless we're certain that we can do both and still get our information back to Heavensgate. We look for anything that can tell us what exactly happened here, what the infected are up to, and how to stop any of it from spreading. If God gives us the opportunity, we try to save these people; if we don't get the chance, we don't endanger the primary mission. And we all go home alive."

Daniel paused. "One more thing," he added quietly. "Before we pray." The priest cast a grim look around. "If you are bitten," he continued deliberately, "if you are even touched - then say so. Don't touch anyone else. Alert us if you start hearing voices, or feeling compulsions. Once we get back to Heavensgate, we will all need to go through quarantine and decontamination - but we need to know if anyone on this team becomes a risk." Daniel took a deep breath. "No one gets left behind. Period. No matter what. But we do need to know."

The priest let that hang in the air for a long moment, and then he nodded. "And now," Daniel announced, "unless anyone has any other questions, I'll invite anyone who feels like doing so to join me in prayer." The priest took a deep breath and closed his eyes, waiting not just for the familiar words to come, but for the feeling of them to come to, the still calm peace of faith. "Our Father," he murmured, "Who art in Heaven...."

[Nationstatelandsville]

"What we need is more information," Daniel said decisively. He walked to the front of the church, studying the mural. A man dies in agony. A man rises in glory. Unbelievable, really; impossible, unnatural. Yet truer than anything on Earth.

The priest turned. "This is still a recon," he announced firmly. "Our primary objective is to find out what exactly has happened to the infected, what they are building down there, and whether they have the capacity to escape off-world. The non-negotiable goal is to find out how to stop this same thing from happening to other cities, other colonies. Everything else is secondary." Daniel paused. "Now, that said," he continued, "if we find a way to cure the infected, or to thwart their efforts, and doing so doesn't compromise our primary mission? Then believe me, I'm going to try." The priest glanced around the group, pausing on each face in turn. "But we have to assume that these people are already lost. That doesn't mean that they deserve to die, but it does mean that our primary goal cannot be to save them. Our primary goal must be to save the hundreds - thousands - millions - who might also be lost if we don't get the information which we need in order to nip this in the bud."

"So," Daniel concluded. "No fatalities, if you can avoid them. But if it's that or detection, we shoot first and pray for forgiveness later. We don't endanger the lives of millions for a chance at saving the lives of a few hundred, unless we're certain that we can do both and still get our information back to Heavensgate. We look for anything that can tell us what exactly happened here, what the infected are up to, and how to stop any of it from spreading. If God gives us the opportunity, we try to save these people; if we don't get the chance, we don't endanger the primary mission. And we all go home alive."

Daniel paused. "One more thing," he added quietly. "Before we pray." The priest cast a grim look around. "If you are bitten," he continued deliberately, "if you are even touched - then say so. Don't touch anyone else. Alert us if you start hearing voices, or feeling compulsions. Once we get back to Heavensgate, we will all need to go through quarantine and decontamination - but we need to know if anyone on this team becomes a risk." Daniel took a deep breath. "No one gets left behind. Period. No matter what. But we do need to know."

The priest let that hang in the air for a long moment, and then he nodded. "And now," Daniel announced, "unless anyone has any other questions, I'll invite anyone who feels like doing so to join me in prayer." The priest took a deep breath and closed his eyes, waiting not just for the familiar words to come, but for the feeling of them to come to, the still calm peace of faith. "Our Father," he murmured, "Who art in Heaven...."

"Thy will be done in Hell,
As it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen."

Aziraphale unclasped his hands and leaned back in his wooden rocking chair, his eyes falling from the large wooden cross he had placed on the library walls to the fireplace beneath it. It crackled quietly, a soft comfort. He grabbed his teapot from the coffee table next to his chair and poured another cup, the clink of china resonating throughout the dark library, as if to ward off the demons inside. In reality, that was what the prayer was for. A simple few lines, learned in youth, to cling to in the storm of heathenish thought. A bunker to hide in while the fires lick the sin, burn it away and cleanse the mind. Purification within benediction.

He removed a small, silver cross charm from his pocket and cast it into the blaze. The fire leaped into the air and clawed at the air, ripping reality into shreds. An image of Lord Raphael gradually flickered into the fire.

"Lord Raphael..." Aziraphale said softly, terrified of his own master, "I would like to hold conference with you, please."

You ever got little niggling thoughts out of nowhere that are wholly inappropriate to be thought of in the situation one is in? Caspian had one of those right now, and its was, 'This reminds me of that Japanese art I found on interweb using the Google.'

He shouted again, frantically struggling; he tried to bite one of the vines, hoping he could maybe gnaw through it or at least hurt the thing.

Caspian's mouth filled with a trickle of acid - not enough to kill him, but enough to burn his tongue and damage his teeth, his mouth filling with toxic smoke. He gagged involuntarily, his lungs screaming for air.

Eric frowned, "Yeah, well Mr. Goody Two-Shoes is busy accepting a Nobel Prize for cold fusion, so you're stuck with me and my better half."

Parnell smiled.

"On my behalf," D noted, "Now, are we done here?"

The soldier frowned, "By virtue of arrival. Charon, take us down."

The helicopter lowered onto the grass, more soldiers rushing towards them to escort them inside. They were before a massive, four-story-tall palace down in an ostensibly Roman style, giving it the appearance of the Tower of Pisa. Rather than marble, is twas crafted from an obsidian-like mineral - not obsidian itself, far too flimsy. At the foot of the tower, approaching the trio, was its owner - Hades himself.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Once Daniel finished his prayer, the mural retracted upward and a stairway revealed itself, stretching down into the dark. "We have nightvision in our helmets," Gabriel said. "But I'm not sure about you guys-"

"As an angel, I am capable of seeing in the dark. I will assume the same of Alastor. I am unsure about the humans. My studies have shown that humans dislike darkness- they tend to stumble around and curse frequently in it." said Calliel.

"Well, I'm pretty sure we brought the goggles with us..." muttered Charles, who pressed a button in front of his suit, revealing a compartment with three nightvision goggles, just in case. He pulled two out and gave them to Sisitu and Daniel.

"Let's carry onwards-" Orv said, before a BWOOOOOOORRRRRNNNGH was heard once more, but even louder now. When their bones stopped shaking, Horn finished Orv's thought.

"Alright, we all safe and accounted for? Any last minute things or...?"

"We double-checked less than a minute ago, Horn. Let's just get going." said Gabriel. They began to walk down the spirling staircase, no enemies yet approaching. Gabriel walked up toward Daniel and spoke in a whisper. "Very good speech- encouraged the morale of the troops here. You're a good leader. I think these guys will follow you wherever you lead- but, forgive the insubordination, I do hope you lead us somewhere good. But we'll be with you regardless." he said before drawing back.

BWOOOOOOORRRRRNNNGH.

Then their nightvision was nearly blinded by the massive explosion at the base of the staircase, mere steps from they would arrive down there, sharpnel flying out everywhere directly at their bodies.

[Astrolinium]

Caspian was English, so his teeth were probably already pretty awful anyway. Yay, stereotypes! Anyhow, he immediately tried to spit out the vine and suck air into his lungs.

----------

Parnell whispered something to Eric as they approached Hades which made Eric smile.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

After Daniel had finished his prayer, Alastor walked forward and entered the dark stairway alongside all the others, ignoring the discussion about vision in the dark. He was a demon, and a master of black magic no less. Darkness was an old friend, an old comrade. An old accomplice, even. Thus, it was no surprise that he was not concerned in the slightest by the lack of light. Though he did chuckle at Calliel's rather accurate assessment of the relationship humans had with darkness.

When Orv said to move on, Alastor took a step forward, and then stopped, because the noise from before had returned. He waited until it and its unpleasant side effects had faded away (From him, at least), before continuing.

Then the explosion happened. While the demon warlord had expected traps, it was still annoying to be nearly blinded, but even without being able to see, he could still utilize his powers, and so he did, creating a magic black wall in front of the group to shield them. He did not see the shrapnel, naturally, but he assumed there would be something there to hurt them, and it's always better to be safe than to be sorry.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

"What we need is more information," Daniel said decisively. He walked to the front of the church, studying the mural. A man dies in agony. A man rises in glory. Unbelievable, really; impossible, unnatural. Yet truer than anything on Earth.

The priest turned. "This is still a recon," he announced firmly. "Our primary objective is to find out what exactly has happened to the infected, what they are building down there, and whether they have the capacity to escape off-world. The non-negotiable goal is to find out how to stop this same thing from happening to other cities, other colonies. Everything else is secondary." Daniel paused. "Now, that said," he continued, "if we find a way to cure the infected, or to thwart their efforts, and doing so doesn't compromise our primary mission? Then believe me, I'm going to try." The priest glanced around the group, pausing on each face in turn. "But we have to assume that these people are already lost. That doesn't mean that they deserve to die, but it does mean that our primary goal cannot be to save them. Our primary goal must be to save the hundreds - thousands - millions - who might also be lost if we don't get the information which we need in order to nip this in the bud."

"So," Daniel concluded. "No fatalities, if you can avoid them. But if it's that or detection, we shoot first and pray for forgiveness later. We don't endanger the lives of millions for a chance at saving the lives of a few hundred, unless we're certain that we can do both and still get our information back to Heavensgate. We look for anything that can tell us what exactly happened here, what the infected are up to, and how to stop any of it from spreading. If God gives us the opportunity, we try to save these people; if we don't get the chance, we don't endanger the primary mission. And we all go home alive."

Daniel paused. "One more thing," he added quietly. "Before we pray." The priest cast a grim look around. "If you are bitten," he continued deliberately, "if you are even touched - then say so. Don't touch anyone else. Alert us if you start hearing voices, or feeling compulsions. Once we get back to Heavensgate, we will all need to go through quarantine and decontamination - but we need to know if anyone on this team becomes a risk." Daniel took a deep breath. "No one gets left behind. Period. No matter what. But we do need to know."

The priest let that hang in the air for a long moment, and then he nodded. "And now," Daniel announced, "unless anyone has any other questions, I'll invite anyone who feels like doing so to join me in prayer." The priest took a deep breath and closed his eyes, waiting not just for the familiar words to come, but for the feeling of them to come to, the still calm peace of faith. "Our Father," he murmured, "Who art in Heaven...."

"Thy will be done in Hell,
As it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen."

Aziraphale unclasped his hands and leaned back in his wooden rocking chair, his eyes falling from the large wooden cross he had placed on the library walls to the fireplace beneath it. It crackled quietly, a soft comfort. He grabbed his teapot from the coffee table next to his chair and poured another cup, the clink of china resonating throughout the dark library, as if to ward off the demons inside. In reality, that was what the prayer was for. A simple few lines, learned in youth, to cling to in the storm of heathenish thought. A bunker to hide in while the fires lick the sin, burn it away and cleanse the mind. Purification within benediction.

He removed a small, silver cross charm from his pocket and cast it into the blaze. The fire leaped into the air and clawed at the air, ripping reality into shreds. An image of Lord Raphael gradually flickered into the fire.

"Lord Raphael..." Aziraphale said softly, terrified of his own master, "I would like to hold conference with you, please."

"What do you require, Aziraphale?" Raphael said bluntly, sitting in his chair and looking at the angel on the other side. His vision looked distorted, but that was normal in these fire visions. "Has anything happened?"

[Nationstatelandsville]

"Thy will be done in Hell,
As it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen."

Aziraphale unclasped his hands and leaned back in his wooden rocking chair, his eyes falling from the large wooden cross he had placed on the library walls to the fireplace beneath it. It crackled quietly, a soft comfort. He grabbed his teapot from the coffee table next to his chair and poured another cup, the clink of china resonating throughout the dark library, as if to ward off the demons inside. In reality, that was what the prayer was for. A simple few lines, learned in youth, to cling to in the storm of heathenish thought. A bunker to hide in while the fires lick the sin, burn it away and cleanse the mind. Purification within benediction.

He removed a small, silver cross charm from his pocket and cast it into the blaze. The fire leaped into the air and clawed at the air, ripping reality into shreds. An image of Lord Raphael gradually flickered into the fire.

"Lord Raphael..." Aziraphale said softly, terrified of his own master, "I would like to hold conference with you, please."

"What do you require, Aziraphale?" Raphael said bluntly, sitting in his chair and looking at the angel on the other side. His vision looked distorted, but that was normal in these fire visions. "Has anything happened?"

Aziraphale nodded vigorously.

"Yes, Lord Raphael," he said quietly, on the brink of tears (if he could even cry), "so very much."

He stopped for a moment, choking on despair, before continuing.

"I am so very scared, Lord Raphael," he continued, "I... have seen... so much these past two days. These humans and their gods, they are not like the ones I have met before. They are shameless, blasphemous. They have lost all love and fear of our Father. They race about, committing the most sinful acts I've ever seen. They are violent... oh so violent. They are each a raging storm, lapping at the heels of war. I saw my o- my best... I saw Crowley kill several people today. He enjoyed it. And the passion. They disrespect God's intentions in public. They show no remorse over kissing, fondling. Lord Raphael, I am..."

He stopped and looked at his feet.

"I am worried, Lord Raphael, that they may make me like them. That I will be damned with them. I do not want them to be damned. I do not want anyone to be.

I want to go home."

[Nightkill the Emperor]

There was the sound of church bells over the small town in Afghanistan.

The country had begun to slowly modernise and get back onto its feet, with good healthcare and a budding economy and a life expectancy of sixty or so, largely as a result of the ISSR's effort to help modernise and adjust the Middle East to democracy. The Afghan democracy functioned, even if it was corrupt in parts.

This Muslim Pashtun town had been a mere village of huts and mines five years ago, but now was a stable and relatively safe small community. It was Friday and time for prayers. Everyone had gathered in their homes or mosques and kneeled down.

"Allahu akbar," they said five times, before saying "Ash-hadu al-la Ilaha Illallah." twice. Then the church bells hit their loudest note, plainly audible even to the humans in the city when they said "Ash-hadu an-na Muhammadar-Rasululah!"*

Then the sound vibrated across the small town and light covered it. Then it vanished.

And the ISSR went batshit.

*"Allah is the greatest, I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, I bear witness that Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah." would be the English translation, in case any care

[Nightkill the Emperor]

"What do you require, Aziraphale?" Raphael said bluntly, sitting in his chair and looking at the angel on the other side. His vision looked distorted, but that was normal in these fire visions. "Has anything happened?"

Aziraphale nodded vigorously.

"Yes, Lord Raphael," he said quietly, on the brink of tears (if he could even cry), "so very much."

He stopped for a moment, choking on despair, before continuing.

"I am so very scared, Lord Raphael," he continued, "I... have seen... so much these past two days. These humans and their gods, they are not like the ones I have met before. They are shameless, blasphemous. They have lost all love and fear of our Father. They race about, committing the most sinful acts I've ever seen. They are violent... oh so violent. They are each a raging storm, lapping at the heels of war. I saw my o- my best... I saw Crowley kill several people today. He enjoyed it. And the passion. They disrespect God's intentions in public. They show no remorse over kissing, fondling. Lord Raphael, I am..."

He stopped and looked at his feet.

"I am worried, Lord Raphael, that they may make me like them. That I will be damned with them. I do not want them to be damned. I do not want anyone to be.

I want to go home."

Raphael sighed. Oh boy...he would have to give Az the talk and explain how humans were bastards, how life could be cruel, how the world was not nice and pleasant and-

He suddenly received a message in his own computer contact lense and was relieved he could avoid the chat. Then he looked at the contents and looked much more alarmed.

"Aziraphale, my son, we will discuss this later-" Hopefully never. "Something else has come up. After that, perhaps you may go home. A village in Afghanistan disappeared and then returned. The ISSR's troops are being magically repelled from entering, but they believe a sole angel may be able to enter and do recon there. I believe you can be the one who can do this job well. Will you?"

Raphael sighed. "They heard church bells, it seems. Uriel may be involved. We need to find out."

[Nationstatelandsville]

Aziraphale nodded vigorously.

"Yes, Lord Raphael," he said quietly, on the brink of tears (if he could even cry), "so very much."

He stopped for a moment, choking on despair, before continuing.

"I am so very scared, Lord Raphael," he continued, "I... have seen... so much these past two days. These humans and their gods, they are not like the ones I have met before. They are shameless, blasphemous. They have lost all love and fear of our Father. They race about, committing the most sinful acts I've ever seen. They are violent... oh so violent. They are each a raging storm, lapping at the heels of war. I saw my o- my best... I saw Crowley kill several people today. He enjoyed it. And the passion. They disrespect God's intentions in public. They show no remorse over kissing, fondling. Lord Raphael, I am..."

He stopped and looked at his feet.

"I am worried, Lord Raphael, that they may make me like them. That I will be damned with them. I do not want them to be damned. I do not want anyone to be.

I want to go home."

Raphael sighed. Oh boy...he would have to give Az the talk and explain how humans were bastards, how life could be cruel, how the world was not nice and pleasant and-

He suddenly received a message in his own computer contact lense and was relieved he could avoid the chat. Then he looked at the contents and looked much more alarmed.

"Aziraphale, my son, we will discuss this later-" Hopefully never. "Something else has come up. After that, perhaps you may go home. A village in Afghanistan disappeared and then returned. The ISSR's troops are being magically repelled from entering, but they believe a sole angel may be able to enter and do recon there. I believe you can be the one who can do this job well. Will you?"

Raphael sighed. "They heard church bells, it seems. Uriel may be involved. We need to find out."

Aziraphale nodded.

Lord Raphael know what he was doing. Lord Raphael was a man of god, one of the greatest there had ever been. He could trust him. Lord Raphael was like a father to him - as close to the Father as they came. He loved him, a bit. And he would never lead him astray.

"Yes, Lord Raphael," he said.

There was a flicker past the fire.

"Hi," Rosalind said, resting her chin on Aziraphale's shoulder.

"Hello," Aziraphale replied, his eyes widening.

"I'm coming," she said, "Figure I may as well. My name's Rosalind."

"Hello, friend Rosalind," the angel said slowly, "I am Aziraphale's alias Mr. Angel. This is Lord Raphael, my master, who sent me here incognito to monitor Rosalind Jameson. Do you know her?"

[Nightkill the Emperor]

"Yes," Raphael said with a cordial nod toward Rosalind. "I do indeed. Hello Rosalind." he said, having met the child very briefly after the Battle of Dys. "Now, Aziraphale...God be with you and her. Get going."

[Nationstatelandsville]

"Yes," Raphael said with a cordial nod toward Rosalind. "I do indeed. Hello Rosalind." he said, having met the child very briefly after the Battle of Dys. "Now, Aziraphale...God be with you and her. Get going."

Aziraphale blinked.

"Well, Lord Raphael," he mumbled, "Khorasan is a rather large place and I do not have the best aim. Could you possibly send me?"