The Fall of Gods Book 1, Chapter 1, Act IV Terrors of War

[Jedi8246]

WARNING! UNLESS ACCEPTED IN THE OOC, YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO POST HERE!

Act IV

And let it begin

Link to OOC:
http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?ns=1&f=4&t=89374&p=4504060#p4504060

[Warhaven]

OOC: Alright, I'll do a small IC for now, just to have this thread. Agadar, once you see this, I need you to help me get to Bardarus, you know, mention the car pulling up outside of wherever Bardarus is.

IC:

The small brown sedan drove down the highway. In it was an elderly priest, he was driving, and a young woman with black hair and green eyes. Her complexion was fair, and it was almost universally agreed upon that she was a beautiful lady.

Her faith and devotion to the church was remarkable. She wasn't a nun, that wasn't her calling in life. Her gloved hands were folded quietly in her lap, and her head was bowed, reading the bible which sat open in her lap. The book showed its age, and signs of heavy usage.

She wore almost entirely black, with a lace hood.

It was for her the priest drove. She needed more help than what he could give her, and there was only one man in the church he knew for certain could help Bernadette help the church. Cardinal Bardarus.

[LoL island]

/tag

[Agadar]

Headquarters of the Inquisition, Rome

The papal guardsmen who were in charge of the main gate to the headquarters of the inquisition watched as a brown sedan pulled up to the entrance. The guardsmen were wearing their traditional white uniforms and were armed with the standard Roman close quarters assault rifles. The captain of the guard walked over to the car, which had stopped in front of the closed gate. "How may I help you, father, madam?" he asked the priest and the woman in the car. It was unusual for guests to visit the inquisition headquarters. The reception was already informed of the arrival of the vehicle by one of the other guardsmen, keeping an eye out for any possible threat. After all, the inquisition was one of Rome's most powerful assets, and not a single scratch on the walls of the building would be tolerated.

Meanwhile inside of the headquarters, the Inquisitor-General was on the phone with one of his colleagues from another special operations organization, going over several details of the planned invasion of Londim. The Inquisitor-General was no-one else but the mysterious cardinal Bardarus Bismarck, one of the Pope's most trusted servants and rumored to possess supernatural powers far beyond those of regular mutants. Whether or not he was a mutant was uncertain, but one thing was not: the cardinal was a warrior, as the great scar going from above his left eye down to his right cheek proved. Many felt the presence of the cardinal to be dominating, but those who knew him well knew what kind of man he truly was.

tl;dr: tag

[Planeta de los Muertos]

"BREAK HIS FUCKIN' NECK NIGGA!!!"

"GOUGE OUT HIS EYES!!!"

"SMASH HIS TEETH IN!!!"

Many other bloodthirsty exclamations were heard throughout the dank pit that was host of an illicit fight club. The flickering fluorescent lights in conjunction with the moonlight showed reeking figures gathered in a large circle, 2 sweaty individuals exchanging blows, bloodstains here and there, and flies that swarmed on objects of dubious origins. A crude scorecard on an adjacent wall read: "PLASMO VS. MINDFREAK", indicating that they were the ones brawling at the moment.

Plasmo, a tall man with glowing cyan eyes, rammed Mindfreak onto the concrete floor with a plasma-powered shoulder strike. Seeing as how Mindfreak was battered severely and Plasmo barely had any wounds on his person, the match was pretty much settled. And the match started 2 minutes before that point, so go figure!

"Ughh....Shit! Shit! Shit!" Daniel muttered, drowned out by the raving spectators. "I fucking knew this was a bad fucking idea from the start. But noooo, I was too damn greedy, and now some lunkhead's about to put me in the ground...unless..."

Plasmo grinned a malicious smile. He lifted Daniel by the head and headbutted him, but it was a fatal mistake on Plasmi's part. Daniel had made eye contact. Now it was the cornered rat that was biting the cat. Daniel's sclera turned a sickly black, and Plasmo's eyes reverted to a normal state. His shadow elongated behind him, and out of it emerged...a dog. It was not just any domestic dog, but a large feral monstrosity with inch-long fangs and a nasty demeanor. The nightmare jumped at Plasmo, mouth agape, and latched onto his neck.

"ARRRGHGHGH!!!!" Plasmo screamed, falling on his back and struggling with the no longer imaginary dog.

Since Daniel's opponent was overflowing with adrenaline from the fight, they weren't the only ones who saw and heard the shadow animal. The crowd watched in sheer horror as Plasmo's physical nightmare tore chunks off his neck. Several blood vessels and tissues were ruptured, and Plasmo lost his life to excessive bloodloss and psycho-physiological trauma. The crimson pool of blood enlarged to the size of a living room carpet, It was, in Daniel's twisted opinion, an ironic and satisfactory death. The dog disappeared, since it's origin was now deceased.

Without saying another word, Mindfreak brushed dirt and chunks off himself and proceeded to collect his fight money. The crowd moved out of his way, fearing that they'd lose their lives to the maniac. and the person with the money paid him a hefty $500.

"The extra hundred is for hesitating to kill anyone else here. Now please, go! I beg you!" the man said.

Daniel scoffed, yet took his money and took to the streets. The night was young and loose, like a college freshman on her first gangbang orgy, and it held surprises in store for the morally ambiguous wildcard. Something in the back of his head told him that he wasn't gonna find peace anytime soon, as shit had just hit the fan for everyone.

[Warhaven]

"I have an appointment with Cardinal Bardarus concerning the young lady in the passenger seat." Father Tom said.

Father Tom was a simple country priest, the sort that had never been on anyone's radar, for anything. He had always quietly tended his flock and performed his duties as expected.

The young woman was a very gentle soul, so much so that others around her seemed to be put into an almost supernatural calm, as though she had a Holy Aura of some sort, a rare thing indeed for anyone to possess.

After being waved through, Father Tom lead the young lady to the Cardinal's office where they were asked to wait until the Cardinal was finished with his phone call.

....

Hunt HQ:

Steam poured through the halls of Hunt, and nobody seemed to know what was going on. It came from the chamber where the Fiends were quartered.

Lily was busy using her powers to blow the steam outside and bring fresh air in. Calhoun strolled through the halls, the center and very source of the steam. He whistled a merry tune as he went, remarkably happier than most Hunt agents normally were.

"What's going on?" she asked Calhoun worriedly.

"Just got laid, that's all. I guess you wonder why I'm steaming. Well, it was with Riesla after all. She's a very happy woman, needless to say." He said, smiling broadly afterwards.

"Interesting." Was all Nasagori could say.

He had an appointment with Reznov and Arina this morning. He had just given Arina a physical yesterday, and after some indepth questioning concerning her sex life, reached the conclusion that he had to share the results with both Arina and Reznov, thus the appointment.

That, and there was one other matter to attend to, that he wanted to speak with Reznov about.

[Agadar]

Headquarters of the Inquisition, Rome

"You may come in now," a young secretary holding a map with documents said to the priest and the young woman, after which she got back inside of the room behind her and sat behind her desk. "Cardinal Bismarck is inside of his office," she said while motioning at the door to her right. The young woman followed Father Tom into Bardarus' office. "Tom, my dear friend. How are you?" the cardinal said as he recognized Tom, who had been and still was a close friend of his for decades. After greeting Tom, Bardarus observed the woman for a few moments before greeting her as well. There was something strange about her: she carried with herself an aura which made the cardinal feel more relaxed than usual. "Please, have a seat. What can I do for you?" Bismarck said.


OOC

I'm assuming Father Tom is an old friend of Bismarck, hence why he is capable of meeting such an important figure on such short notice. Is it alright if they studied theology together?

[Pip la Gere]

Ansed's eyes opened as he layed in his personal bedroom, his new cat-like, or snake-like, eyes staring at the ceiling momentarily. He quoted LOVELESS quietly, unmoving.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess
We seek it thus, and take to the sky
Ripples form on the water's surface
The wandering soul knows no rest."


He rose slowly out of bed, it seemed to be early morning. There were no windows in the HUNT compound, making the whole area very grey and dull. He stretched his wings as much as he could in the room, but he couldn't stretch fully any longer. His wings had taken a sudden growth spurt, gaining about a foot or so on each wing's length.

He gradually went through the morning process, putting on his clothes, brushing his teeth,etc. He looked int othe mirror once he was done, and was disgusted. His normal skin had changed from his normal vibrant white to a sickly pale recently. Indeed, looking into the mirror, he looked like a monster straight out of one's nightmares.

He folded his wings so they wouldn't knock anything over, and turned to the door. He stopped, and raised his arm. He focused, and sure enough, black and blue energy swirled across his whole arm, from his elbow to his fingertips. Ansed had learned what he was capable of now, and he would show the world soon enough.

Ansed opened the door slowly. He looked down the hallway, seeing the other HUNT personnel rising to work. He stopped by the mess hall quickly, then decided on what he would do next. Ansed needed a mission, something to get his mind off his confrontation with Snowflake. That day, when Nasagori had put him with Skii and the other girl on lab tables.... well, Ansed was able to evade any probing questions Nasagori had about Ansed's sudden increase in ability and change in look.

Ansed went on his way to see Mentar, who he had only briefly met once during his "employment". He had also figured out that Mentar had been the voice of the ninja he had tried to interogate not even a year ago. Ansed might bring that up one day.

[Dimoniquid]

James smiled as the truck rolled down the street. His powers had grown powerful - and with help from an old friend, he could almost copy the full extent of everyones powers. Lisa was holding her rifle, along with a large, African man sitting next to her, holding a hatchet. "So, what happens when James teleports us in?"

"We take out anyone who is a threat - Liam will disable the alarm system. Braniac, after that, we arm the bomb and then detonate it when we get back into the truck." Lisa said, checking her rifle. "Rhino, just make sure no-one gets on our back."

"Okay, Miss Marvel, make 'em dance." James said, giving the woman next to him two flares and making her teleport into the air above the building. She began to fly around it, setting off the flared to gather the attention of the occupants. James held onto the seat, closing his eyes, and vanishing the whole group within a flash, leaving a large deposit of blue smoke.



James landed on the roof - Lisa, Rhino, and Braniac landing in the back of the van, along with Miss Marvel landing in the drivers seat. "Drive!" She shouted, the van speeding off into the city, James teleporting back into the van. After that, Braniac detonated the bomb - and it blew the top half of the building off. They were officially terroists. That was the plan, after all.

[Jedi8246]

Dugal sat in his room, unsure once again. It had been several months since Mentar had given the order. Kill Elena. Dugal was shocked and sickened when he received that order. He knew full well it was punishment for failing to capture Breail. He couldn't believe that Mentar would be willing to force Dugal to do such a thing. Dugal, had though, figured a way out of it slightly. As Mentar never game a specfic time frame for the killing, Dugal had simply not done it yet. He had spent the past few months dating Elena, and eventually realizing he loved her. Last night, he got the news. Elena was pregnant with his child.

Thus, Dugal sat in conflict, nearly on the verge of a breakdown. He now knew that if Mentar even caught a whiff that Dugal had not done what he was supposed to, he would be forced to kill Elena and his child. He couldn't do that. He would refuse. Even if it meant defying HUNT. But for now, Dugal would do his best to keep things covert. It was his speciality.

Speaking of, during the past few months, Dugal had Black Ops scoping out the Roman and French countries. It was clear that they were mobilizing their armies. Dugal gave all of this info straight to Mentar, so they could formulate strategy.

Dugal now reported to Mentar's office. He suspected Mentar might want him and his team of Phantoms to take out foreign leaders. Though he could be wrong. Dugal walked down the hall, invisible, to Mentar's office. He arrived outside and knocked.

[Earth Sphere Coalition]

Reznov was pacing back and forth in his office. Arina just was sitting back and watching him run down the wood.

"God damn it! Where is Nagasori?! I got shit to do!" Reznov growled out, only receiving a raised eyebrow from the Russian Super.

'Cold hearted bitch...' he mumbled under his breath as he continued to wait. The last few months saw social unrest beginning to boil over, protests and demonstrations against Military Rule were the norm.

He had also been tracking movement at the borders and saw that Rome and France were indeed mobilizing. He had made sure that his soldiers were well trained and he had instituted a draft just in case he needed more bodies. There was still much to do.

*Knock, Knock*

"Finally! Come on in!" he called out.

[Warhaven]

OOC: Sure, makes sense. Bart =nickname for Bardarus, old nickname among friends.

IC:

Agadar:

"Bart, my friend, I have been woefully ignorant and unobservant of a glorious gift that had been right before my eyes. Being the sole authority out in the country, there are things that come to me, that would not ordinarily come to me if I were in the city, such as information on Hunt.

This young lady's name is Bernadette Peters, I have known her, her entire life. I was there the day she was born, there for every major event in the young lady's life, I know her quite well. So it was a surprise, the day she came to me, with The Stigmata, and Bart, it's real." Tom said.

The Stigmata consisted of scars on the hands that looked like Nails had been driven through them, same with a pair on the feet. There was also a horrible wound in the side.

At Tom's gesture, Bernadette removed her hands, took off her shoes, and lifted the side of her blouse that Cardinal Bardarus might see them for himself.

Tom nodded, and she dropped her shirt and put her shoes back on.

"It is more than that, that I have brought her here to you. At first, I thought them nightmares and nothing more, or fanciful daydreams. If I had only paid attention. You see, Bernadette is capable of Prophecy. She has seen into the minds of the leaders of Hunt. Show him your pictures of The Devil." Tom said.

From out of a pocket, came two neatly folded pictures Bernadette had drawn herself. One was of Mentar, one was of Nasagori.

"Bart, Bernadette has foretold, I will be dead within 24 hours. My heart isn't as strong as it once was, but this is the first I've told anyone of it. She needs more than what I can get her." Tom said.

As he waited for Bardarus to take all this in, Bernadette sat down suddenly clutching her head. Her eyes were turning white with energy.

...

ESC:

Nasagori walked in.

"Thank you for seeing me. As I mentioned yesterday, I wanted to share the results of Arina's regular examination with both of you, after some detailed questioning of her sex life.

I stumbled across something that required more detailed examination.

It is my pleasure to report that Arina is quite healthy. It is also my pleasure to report that Arina is pregnant with twins, fathered by you, Commander Reznov. Though it's too early to determine gender." Nasagori said.

Arina's eyes went wide with shock, her jaw hit the floor. She put a hand to her womb.

"When?" She finally managed.

"I'd suspect it was about a month ago. As for when their due? I estimate you're about a month in, so in eight months." Nasagori said.

He waited for them both to recover, he had one more thing to share, after all.

...

Mentar strolled out of his office.

"Dugal, what have I told you about sneaking up on me invisible like that? Ansed, what brings you my way?" he asked.

[Jedi8246]

Mentar strolled out of his office.

"Dugal, what have I told you about sneaking up on me invisible like that? Ansed, what brings you my way?" he asked.

Dugal saluted as he ended his invisibility.

"I apologize sir. I simply wish to maintain my covertness. Reporting for duty."

[Pip la Gere]

Ansed was caught off guard by Dugal's sudden appearance. He wasn't used to it, and he kept on wanting to attack him out of instinct. Ansed inhaled, then exhaled.

"And I report for duty as well, monsieur," he spoke in his French accent.

[Warhaven]

"Actually, I just wanted to say congratulations on becoming a Father to Dugal." Mentar said.

He knew he didn't need to say anything more. He knew, and now Dugal would know he knew. Dugal would also quickly understand, that if he didn't finish his assignment, then Hunt would finish it, and Him.

Mind reading was such a fun ability.

"I really have nothing for either of you to do, so enjoy the day off." He said.

[Earth Sphere Coalition]

Reznov sat back onto his desk in shock.

"I'm going to be a father?" he told himself as he just looked at Arina.

Getting up he went to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"We're going to be parents my love." he whispered into her ear, a rare glimpse at the sensitive side of the Butcher was shown. He let her go and looked back at the doctor.

"Thank you for letting us know Doc, you might want to take a look at Lily as well. She was a constant companion." he told him, the old arrogant Reznov was back.

[Pip la Gere]

Ansed raised an eyebrow curiously. Father...... It wasn't Ansed's buisness though, so he kept out of it. But he suprised. No missions, when Snow is on the loose, and rebellion is springing up all across Londim.

"There is... nothing? I suppose I shall........well, I am not sure." Ansed sighed. He needed to enact his plan, to fix the world. He couldn't do it cooped up in the HUNT hq.

[Agadar]

Headquarters of the Inquisition, Rome

Cardinal Bismarck's mouth was open: a sign of puzzlement. Tom had always been a rational and calm human being, yet here he was claiming that this woman had prophetic powers. The fact that she had stigmata was not unique: many others of which most were women had the marks as well. But then again, she knew exactly what Nasagori and his clones looked like. Was she a spy or assassin from Hunt? Perhaps an ex-agent? Bismarck closed his mouth and observed the woman. His face was tense. "Don't talk of such nonsense, Tom," Bardarus said, referring to Tom claiming he was going to die in 24 hours. "It's not your time yet. Now tell me, how..." Before the cardinal could finish his sentence he was interrupted by the woman, who suddenly clutched her head. Bardarus continued to observe her as her eyes turned white. "What is she doing?" he asked father Tom.

[Warhaven]

"Oh I've looked at Lily, she's in good condition as well, but not pregnant. No, it seems the only one you got was Arina.

But, there's another thing I wanted to discuss as well." Nasagori said.

He took a device out of his pocket, and set it on the desk, turning it on. It looked like a little pyramid.

"There, now no one, not even Mentar can overhear us, or read our thoughts. Total privacy." He said.

He turned back, and locked the door.

"I'm sure you already know the truth of some things. For example, I am truly in charge of Hunt, as was Beta Nasagori before he died of Neostigma. I am also not of this world. Hunt, and all it has done, has extended back to ancient times, all for an experiment ran by the collective I am apart of. Nasagori clones are all that comprise it, and our goal is total understanding of all aspects of existence. Our power is infinite, as are our resources.

Mentar is also a Nasagori clone, of a different class. However, Mentar has shaken The Collective's control, and gone mad with power. He will be dying soon, whether by my hand, or by enemy fire isn't yet clear, but that is the only unknown variable.

I will need a replacement to assume power and control over Hunt, working just under me. I want you to be incharge of Hunt, and thus President of Londim. You will answer to no man, you will have all the glory of public office, and all the power the nation of Londim has to offer, in addition to the resources of Hunt. I offer this, because The Collective's experiments on this world come to an end, culminating in Genesis, which will bring balance to all that we have done.

Think carefully before you answer Reznov. Accepting my offer will require marriage to Arina. A single president is not as popular as a married man with children on the way. You will be loved and adored by all. Denying my offer will end four lives here in this office, and all the world will think it was only a horrific accident I alone was lucky to survive.

All I'll be asking in return, is that you help me finish Genesis, that I may leave this world behind. I'm offering you power, money, and a family. Every dream that any man could ever want, all combined into a single life. You will know a completness most can only imagine." Nasagori said.

One thing was certain, Nasagori didn't beat around the bush when he spoke.

...

Agadar:

"It always starts like this, a prophecy comes. Quick, a pencil and paper, she can't remember everything she says." Tom said.

"The people cried out for freedom from oppression under The Devil, but The Devil gave heed. In anger, The Spirit of Nature went forth to do battle against The Devil, but lo, The Fallen Angel, cursed before the sight of The Lord did enter battle too, seeking to kill both The Devil and The Spirit of Nature.

The Warrior of God, seeing the battle, did go forth to bring peace to the troubled land, and found The Devil dead. With the blood of The Lamb, he made The Fallen Angel cleansed The Fallen Angel and made him Pure before The Lord once more, thus did he bring both The Angel and The Spirit of Nature back under The House of The Lord, where their strength was added to his own in preperation for the final days when The Devil would be defeated forevermore." Bernadette said.

But when she spoke, she sounded like an entire chorus of people speaking. Bernadette seemed normal again.

"I'm sorry if I've disturbed you." she said, looking up at Bardarus.

This time, her voice was perfectly normal, and quite lovely.

[Jedi8246]

Ansed raised an eyebrow curiously. Father...... It wasn't Ansed's buisness though, so he kept out of it. But he suprised. No missions, when Snow is on the loose, and rebellion is springing up all across Londim.

"There is... nothing? I suppose I shall........well, I am not sure." Ansed sighed. He needed to enact his plan, to fix the world. He couldn't do it cooped up in the HUNT hq.

Dugal was shocked. Though he had kept up rather good barriers in his mind, Mentar must have breached them again. Dugal's heart fell. He knew what must be done. If he didn't kill Elena, Mentar would capture her and give a long tortuous death to them both. Not that Dugal could die. He would forevermore be kept alive and tortured until Mentar fell.

Dugal saw Ansed standing looking bored. He turned away and began to walk off, absorbed in his pain.

[Earth Sphere Coalition]

Reznov sat back into his chair, he knew a few things that he spoke if. Him being not of this world was not one of them. He sighed and mulled things over.

Mentar was on the way out, and Londim would be in need of a leader. Someone who would be able to take on Rome, and France. What about his age though? Surely the people would say something. And what was needed to complete Genesis? He looked over at Arina and only saw a hopeful smile.

"What of my age? People would say I am inexperienced, I would be attacked on all sides by Parliment and political opponents. Also, what would I need to do to complete Genesis?" he asked. He needed to know what he was getting into.

[Warhaven]

"Age is irrelevant, when you have the ability to warp the minds of others to see your viewpoint. I'll take care of that concern, without affecting you in the slightest. Don't want a Parliment, go with a monarchy instead, king and queen of Londim. Set the government up how you like, I could care less, I'll just help with the details to make what you want seem like the best solution to the majority.

As for finishing Genesis, I need nothing right now. The Collective is assembling the materials, and bringing them too me. In due time, however, I'll need transport to the top of Mount Everest, that is the only spot in the entire world where I can use it, as it will feed directly into the tradewinds and circulate around the entire globe." Nasagori said.

[Earth Sphere Coalition]

Reznov sat back and nodded to himself. He looked over at Arina and took her hand into his.

"Alright then Doctor, I'll do it. I'll help you. Being King of Europe sounds nice." he said as he stood up and offered his hand to Nasagori, a smirk on his face.

[Agadar]

Headquarters of the Inquisition, Rome

Bismarck quickly handed Tom a pen and paper as Bernadette began speaking. She sounded like an entire chorus of people. Her words were obviously inspired by the holy bible, but Bardarus was not aware of any verses similar to what the woman spoke. When her eyes and voice turned back to normal again, Bernadette apologized. Was Tom speaking the truth? Did this woman truly possess the power of prophecy? It was certain that she had some kind of power, considering she was capable of altering her eyes and voice, but could it truly be something so... divine? The cardinal leaned back. If it truly was a prophecy, then what did it mean? 'The people' could in that case refer to the people of Londim and 'the devil' to Nasagori and his henchmen. But then who was the 'spirit of nature'? Was it Rome? And what about the 'fallen angel'? Could it perhaps refer to France? No, that would make no sense. If France would betray Rome then why would they continue fighting Londim as well?

Bismarck continued his analysis. Did 'the lord' refer to God? It would make sense, considering the woman was catholic. So then who was the 'warrior of God'? It would make more sense for 'warrior of God' to refer to Rome than the 'spirit of nature'. But that conclusion didn't really help Bardarus. The prophecy, if it was one, was far too vague for the cardinal to be able to draw definite conclusions. Who or whatever the 'warrior of god' and the 'spirit of nature' were, if Nasagori was 'the devil' then those two entities were allies of Rome and France. The 'fallen angel' would be an enemy, but later on an ally as well. Those were the only things the cardinal could deduce from Bernadette's words.

Nevertheless, Bismarck was interested in the woman. "Very well. I shall trust your judgement, Tom, as I always have. I'd like to keep her here and record any other prophecies she reveals." he said calmly. He was not convinced of course, but he was not a man who would not investigate anything that could give him an advantage over his enemies.

[Warhaven]

Nasagori shook Reznov's hand, and deactivated the device.

"Now, one important question remains to be answered, but not by me. How is the wedding going to happen? Large Ceremony, or small, in a church with a priest or somewhere else with a judge. All sorts of details that need to be planned. But I suspect you two will work that out between the two of you.

Also, Arina, remember, no more alcohol, until the twins have been weaned off of you. Also, sex is possible up to the seventh month of pregnancy, but you must take it easy, or you'll cause a miscarriage." Nasagori said.

He took his device, and left, shutting the door behind him so the pair could celebrate their good fortune privately.

...
Agadar:

"Thank you." Tom said, relief evident on his voice.

He had written Bernadette's words down.

"I am so tired suddenly, I think I need a seat." he said.

He sat down in a chair, and fell asleep. After a few moments, his breathing stopped. Tom had passed away, his final burden taken care of, and Bernadette's prophecy had come true.

"Rest in peace, old friend." Bernadette said, a tear in her eye.