The Fall of Gods: Book I: Chapter II: Act III

[Agadar]

The Fall of Gods II
Act III: Enter the Labyrinth



London, five months after the second battle for Britain

What had once been a lively metropolis and the seat of the British government, had been turned into a massive field of ruins and ash. Most of the structures in the once proud city had partially collapsed, many of them completely. Despite the British military doing everything it could to clean up the city up and prepare it for it to be rebuild, dead bodies still littered the streets. There were just so many: soldiers and civilians alike. Nobody had been safe from the destructive will of the Crusader Corps. Even though in the end the freedom fighters had won the last battle and had send the crusaders back to Rome with their tails between their legs, there was hardly a reason for a celebration. Not now, with the smell of death still in the air and the tears of those who lost their loved ones still raining upon the burned soil.

In one of the British refugee camps in the city, where many civilians tried to forget their pain by aiding the cleanup effort, a bright flash illuminated the scene for a split second. Those unlucky enough to look straight at it would find themselves rubbing their eyes in irritation due to its intensity. Two grim looking men were now standing there. They were dressed in black battle suits. An expert would recognize the armor as being a variation on the standard suit used by the Holy Inquisition, but these were no ordinary inquisitors. The two men did not bear the coat of arms of the Holy See: instead, they bore the coat of arms of Pope Bardarus Bismarck. Of course, the two men were members of the rogue inquisitors, loyal only to the true Bishop of Rome.

They walked towards one of the bigger tents in the camp, where two British soldiers stood guard. The two rogue inquisitors approached the soldiers, who watched them suspiciously as they approached. It was understandable why they were so suspicious. The strangers were dressed as inquisitors, and bore the coat of arms of a man the majority of the world believed to be a genocidal tyrant and religious zealot. Those who knew the truth however, often wondered whether Bismarck's reputation would ever be restored again. Some believed it would be better for Bismarck to not bother with his reputation at all and just simply disappear and continue his good works from the shadows. Only time would tell what he would do.

One of the British soldiers stepped forwards, stopping in front of the two rogue inquisitors. The three exchanged some words, and the rogue inquisitors showed the soldier what appeared to be a plastic card, after which the soldier stepped aside and nodded to his colleague, who stepped aside as well, granting the rogue inquisitors entrance to the tent.

Inside of the tent, it was an organized chaos of military officers, police officers, civilian representatives, and city administrators coordinating the cleanup effort. Amongst them were Dugal Cain and Snowflake, who had been helping the British clean up ever since the battle. The two rogue inquisitors noticed the two, and approached them. "Hello, Dugal. Snowflake. It's been a while," one of the rogue inquisitors said as he offered to shake hands. The heroes would instantly recognize the two men as Sebastian Fedorov and Karl Bachmeier. "There's something very important I want to discuss with you. Do you have a moment?" Sebastian's gaze switched from Dugal to Snowflake, indicating that he wished to speak with both of them at the same time.


Research Facility VI, unknown location

In a dark and silent room deep underground, Dacarus Bartolt and Oberus Janner stood next to eachother, gazing upon a large glass container in which a young man was suspended in a strange liquid. The young man was Silas. His body torn, his skin ripped from his flesh. Silas was unusually calm; his eyes were closed, he did not scream. He had been sedated: Janner had found him to be a nuisance when awake. Too much noise. It distracted Janner from his work.

"How many souls have the harvesters salvaged?" Bartolt asked. Janner looked down at his handheld computer. "Eighty-three percent," the scientist replied, after which his gaze switched back to Silas in the container. Bartolt nodded approvingly. "That means we're on schedule. Our original plan can continue without delay. Well done, Janner." Janner looked at Bartolt, a somewhat angry look on his face. "Your thankfulness seems to imply I am doing this for you, Bartolt. Don't forget who it is I am really doing this for." There was a moment of silence. "I'd never forget that," Bartolt replied without showing a single emotion.

Silas' eyes suddenly opened wide. A long and terrifying scream echoed throughout the facility, sending shivers down the spines of everyone there. Everyone but Bartolt and Janner, who continued gazing upon the young man. "Isn't he a beauty," Janner said with a twisted admiration.

[Jedi8246]

London, England
The months since the Battle of London had been hard for Dugal Cain and the other British officers. The Romans had basically sent the city into the ground, leaving little behind in their wake. For months, rubble had been cleared and disposed of, while the government made decisions for going into the future. They had decided to rebuild London, but in the meantime, Dublin would serve as the capital of the British Empire. In any case, Dugal had been placed in charge of the armed forces who were the primary force in cleaning up London. Some basic buildings had been constructed as soon as possible to help provide a home of sorts for the those assisted in the helping in the clean up effort. Nevertheless, times were hard for the Empire.

Currently, Dugal was with Snow and Milus, who he had become somewhat friends within the months of the clean-up, and were planning for removing bodies and wreckage from the Thames. Dugal was directing the placement of navy vessels, when Sebastian and Karl entered the tent. They asked to speak to himself and Snow. Dugal nodded and walked with them, Snow and Milus coming along.

"It's nice to see you again. What is it you would like to discuss?"

[Zarkenis Ultima]

London, England

"Huh...Time flies by, eh." Milus thought as he reflected on the events that had taken place in the last... How many?

Five. It had been five months since he was sent to assist the British armies against Rome's Crusader Corps, as well as to keep Dugal Cain from seeing his son Lucas. Five months since he failed to defeat the Agent. And above all else, five months he had spend the majority of in helping the cleaning effort, using his power to assist in rebuilding the fallen capital. But that did not matter now. Not as much, at least. He had not been given another assignment other than to remain by Dugal's side.

Dugal... He and Snowflake were nice people. The likes of which it's hard to find in this foul world, Milus thought. He had become... Friends, more or less, with Dugal, like he had with his son before they parted ways.

Currently, he was in the command tent, with Snowflake and Dugal. Dugal was directing the placement of vessels to clean up the Thames of corpses and rubble. However, two men then approached, clad in Inquisitorial armor, and asked to speak with Snowflake and Dugal. He followed along anyway. While they hadn't told him they wanted to speak with him, he had not been told not to follow either.

[Agadar]

While the group made their way towards an empty tent, Sebastian was about to answer Dugal's question when he noticed Milus. "Do you know this man?" Sebastian asked Dugal.

Karl already had his hands resting on the handles of his bayonets. The rogue inquisitors were not taking any chances.

[Albertasby]

London, England, Great Britain

The five months that she had spent in London had flown by so quickly. It felt like only yesterday that she was living a 'normal' life with her husband and daughter. Her life was now dominated by helping to clean up London, and trying to restore the UK back to its former glory. For some reason, it felt like she was finally repaying a great debt to the country, and what she was doing was definitely a step in the right direction. She smiled as she pondered about the difference she had actually made.

Her daydreaming thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the arrival of two faces. Two faces who were familiar, but who she had not seen since the final days of the London battle. Sebastian and Karl were a welcome sight in this camp. It seemed nice to see a breathe of fresh air in such a dismal, depressing place. She walked over to the pair, a smile spreading from side to side. Soon though, the smile faded. It was clear that the pair were here for a reason, and normally it was something bad.

She sighed, as she followed the pair as they headed to an empty tent. Dugal, her and Milus were all following, each wondering what was happening. She turned towards Dugal; possibly the person she was closest to after her husband. "Dugal? Its not going to be good news, is it?" But as she spoke, Sebastian turned around to ask a question. She felt obliged to answer on behalf of him, purely because she hadn't had much light conversation in the previous months. "Sebastian, meet Milus. Milus, meet Sebastian. Milus is one of the greatest allies we have, and a true friend of both mine and Dugal's. So, what's the bad news?"

[Zarkenis Ultima]

London, England

Milus saw Sebastian turn around to say something to Dugal, but instead asked about him. While he was expecting something like this, he didn't quite expect the other man to grip his bayonets so quickly. So abruptly. In order to avoid any sort of confrontation he would have raised his hands, but he assumed it would be useless if they knew of him. He had, after all, participated in the battle to retake London from the grip of the Romans.

However, Snowflake then stepped in and vouched for him, something Milus was thankful for. He spoke to the man who had turned around. "Pleased to meet you, Sebastian." He said, doing nothing that would get the man with the bayonets more alerted.

[The Alice in Wondeland]

Rome

Cain smiled. The past months of training were becoming more and more evidently worth his while. Nonstop weeks of training in harsh environments were paying him with growing strength. Soon he would have the strength to take on the Romans. Soon he would be strong enough.

[Jedi8246]

London, England
Dugal was slightly annoyed with the Romans hostile reaction to Milus, but he supposed they had to be careful. They had yet to build a relationship with Milus like he had.Snow gave a good defense for Milus, leaving Dugal smiling.

"As Snow so aptly put, Milus is like one of us now. I trust him completely. Whatever you have to say to us, can be said with him present. He believes in restoring Bismarck as much as we do. Now Sebastian, what is this news?"

---

Five Months Earlier...
Two days after the Second Battle for London took place, Milus was contacted by Garrent via communicator. Milus quickly informed Garrent on all of his activities during the battle and such. Garrent mulled this information over, before giving new orders.

"You have done well Milus. Your mission has met great success. Despite the Five's escape, you did manage to send them running and keep them out of the second battle. A rarity for them. You may be key to keeping them out of the wat. I'm tempted to keep you on the search for them. But, other duties are needed currently. While Lucas is headed back to America, that might not keep Dugal from searching for him. Daemon is too occupied with keeping Britain under control to manage Dugal. And yes, we have decided we can't simply bump off Dugal now. He is too involved. So, your new duty to is to be with Dugal. Become friends with him. Let him trust you completely. He still has the sword and we still need that sword. Make sure nothing happens to it. I will speak to you again periodically for reports. That is all. Good luck."

The communication went dead. Milus had a new assignment. One he had been following loyally for the past five months.

[Agadar]

Sebastian looked at Snowflake, then Dugal, then Milus. He was deciding whether the latter was trustworthy. Dugal and Snowflake certainly were; in fact, Bardarus Bismarck had said on numerous occasions that he would entrust his life to those two if needed. Knowing that, who was Sebastian to doubt their judgement of character? And so, he decided to trust Milus for now. Sebastian nodded approvingly as the group entered the empty tent and took their seats around a wooden table. Sebastian shook hands with Milus, but Karl remained outside of the tent, guarding the conversation, making sure nobody was spying on them.

Sebastian leaned forward and looked Dugal in his eyes. "We have found the Will of Peter," he said. "It is in the labyrinth beneath Vatican City. In case you've never heard of it: this labyrinth is an ancient and enormous maze of dungeons, prisons, and archives. Nobody knows just how massive it truly is. Even we inquisitors have absolutely no idea." He looked at Snowflake. "What is certain however, is that the number of people who ever got out alive of its lower dungeons during its entire two-thousand year existance can be counted on a single hand." Sebastian rubbed his chin. "But it gets worse. Throughout history, mankind has had a tradition of imprisoning the most powerful and dangerous supercriminals within the labyrinth, for two reasons. The first and most important one was the assurance that these supercriminals would never be able to get out again. The second reason was punishment. It is said that there are things down there in that labyrinth, horrifying things, which make Omega seem like a jolly good fellow. Being trapped in that nightmare is supposedly a fate worse than death. Thus, the ultimate punishment."

Sebastian's gaze switched to Milus. "Now, you're probably wondering, why am I telling you this? Surely I'm not going to invite you to enter the labyrinth with us and search for the Will of Peter? Well, that's exactly what I'm going to do, and here's why. We cannot defeat Dacarus Bartolt. Not with our current strength. You've experienced this first hand. We all have. When we fought Harold Montego, he wasn't even trying to fight seriously, and still he overpowered us with ease. Alexander Theosus, even with that strange crystal of his, did not even come close to that power. And Montego is supposedly not even the most powerful one of the bunch. It is rumored that Ansed Booth is even more powerful." Sebastian looked at Snowflake. He did not want to upset her, so he quickly continued his story.

"We have barely any allies. The USNA is occupied with its own war against South America, the African coalition is mere months removed from complete obliteration, and Vladimir Reznov and his Japanese empire are completely untrustworthy: we all know who his father is, and he has become even more of a monster than the Dread King was. Literally."

Sebastian leaned back and sighed. "There is but one solution. We must restore Bismarck to his old self. That includes both reobtaining the Will of Peter, as well as his human body. And not because he's the Pope and my men and I are a bunch of sentimental knuckleheads. It's because the people adore him. He's always been a popular man. The people tolerate the genocidal actions of the faux Pope only because they believe that he is the real Bismarck and as such that he has some sort of plan behind it which in the end shall save more lives than it has cost. If we can show them the truth, if we can reveal to them that they are believing in a lie, then with their support, we can overthrow Dacarus."

Sebastian leaned forward. His intense gaze switched back and forth between Dugal and Snowflake. "Dugal. Snowflake. What I am asking of you is so incredibly dangerous that Bismarck made me swear on my very soul that I will bring back alive everyone I take with me, including myself. He also insisted that he will come along in person, just to make sure I will uphold that promise. You both know Bismarck in person, and so you know that he never exaggerates. Now that you know what Bismarck thinks of this all, I want you to think very carefully and thoroughly before answering this question, and keep in mind the incredible risk that you will take if you accept." The look on Sebastian's face intensified. "Will you join us into the labyrinth?"

[Jedi8246]

London, England
Dugal listened to Sebastian's request with interest. He recounted many things Dugal had suspected to be true. Bartolt's power was greater than any could handle. Dugal remembered fighting Montego, or Iscariot, as well. His power had been nothing to Iscariot. And while he had Max's soul buffering his power, Dugal doubted it would make much difference. Thus, restoring Bismarck to power seemed to be one of the few viable solutions. Also, Dugal felt he held a duty to help as his debt was far from repayed in his eyes.

That left some problems though. For months, Dugal had been waiting to hear back from the man that held his wife. He had been told if he helped Britain she would be returned. Dugal still had the communicator that the man had contacted him originally on. But no attempt on contact had happened. Dugal had no clue whether his wife was alive or not. Could Dugal really head into somewhere he might not return from, leaving his wife in the hands of the man? That also left his duty to the British military. While he had been forced into helping, he felt an attachment to the service now. He was serving his country in an high honour.

Dugal gave it all some thought, eventually coming to a solution. Helping restore Bismarck would be helping the British. Rome still remained powerful and while Vlad and Japan kept them busy, they still could come back. Bartolt must be stopped. As for his wife, he also had a plan for that. Though he still felt sorrow that he might not see her again.

"I have given it some consideration, and I will help you. I have many other duties, but Bismarck must regain his power if we are to rid of Bartolt. I will not answer for Snow or Milus. I cannot ask them to accompany us into the Labyrinth. You won't risk your lives unnecessarily."

---

The Home of Catalina Reznov, California
Lucas awoke, holding Cat. Lucas looked over to see it was 3 in the morning. He sighed, feeling Cat's warm body against him. Times had been hard. He couldn't help but regret not saying something to his father when he had the chance. But no, his father still couldn't be forgiven. After the battle, Cat had taken them back here. Apparently, she had split off from Vlad and his crazed war effort. Lucas didn't blame her, her brother was insane. He was only just now healed from the battle.

Lucas had felt horrible after he realized what Mary had done to him. He begged Cat for forgiveness, hoping she would see he would never do that without Mary's powers affecting him. For now, it seemed Cat accepted it, though was still hurt. And so Lucas had been helping her with her work over the past few months. The research into the dreams and the shadowy force had continued, despite some injuries. Lucas still had nightmares sometimes of his experience with them. Though Cat didn't believe him, he knew that it was more than just dreams. It was some dark creature.

Lucas realized he needed more sleep, and so closed his eyes hoping Morpheus would take him away again.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

London, England

Milus shook Sebastian's hand and mouthed a word of gratefulness to Snowflake before entering the tent with Dugal. Once there, he sat down near a table and then listened to everything that the lead Rogue Inquisitor had to say. He decided that he should pay attention, since he was told to keep an eye on Dugal, who he had become friends with, and thus if these men needed him for anything Milus had to find a believeable reason to follow him if such was the case.

And surely enough, that turned out to be the case. The story of the massive labyrinth hidden beneath the Vatican City was quit the tale. If everything Sebastian had said was true, then it would no doubt be a nightmarish adventure for them. However, his mission then came to mind once again, and he glanced over to see Dugal's reaction.

After doing so, he decided that he would have to follow. Dugal seemed to be determined to accompany the Rogue Inquisitors into the underground labyrinth, and Milus had been told to watch over him and the swords until further notice. Needless to say, Dugal would bring his sword to the labyrinth, so that gave Milus the obligation to follow him in this dangerous mission. That was, he told himself, the main reason. But in truth, the main reason was that he was simply not going to let down a friend.

"Dugal Cain, while it is true that you can't speak for me, as all men are free, you are my friend, and this world is my home. Not only would it be wrong on my part to refuse to assist you, it would be irresponsible." He said to Dugal, and then looked at Sebastian, addressing him. "If you don't have any objection, I would like to accompany you and Dugal to the labyrinth."

[Jedi8246]

London
Snow listened to the whole exchange with curiosity. She thought about things just as well as Dugal. Dugal couldn't go without her she decided. He was closest to her after her husband and daughter. Despite all that they had gone through, from Dugal's capture of them so many years ago and his killing spree, he had become a close friend and ally. He was like family to her. An older brother. She couldn't let him go into this Labyrinth without her. Milus piped up declaring he wished to go. Snow spoke then.

"I am going also. Bismarck helped us defeat the monster Omega. He is a great man. This Dacarus must be defeated. I have seen personally the hold he has in Rome. The only way we can keep him from ravaging the world is by chancing to free Bismarck."

She stood firm next to Dugal and Milus, as the team that would go into the Labyrinth was forming.

[Agadar]

Sebastian leaned back. Though his face remained stoic, a hint of gladness could be detected. He wasn't sure about the strength of Milus, but he certainly knew just how strong Dugal and Snowflake were, and it gave him confidence. "Perfect," Sebastian said. "I cannot thank you enough for deciding to come along. You see, without you, Dugal, the whole mission wouldn't even have been possible. Though we know that the Will of Peter is somewhere within the labyrinth, we have no idea exactly where in the labyrinth it is. You on the other hand, as the host of the Will of Matthew, should be able to locate it once you are close enough. I neglected telling you this, as to not make you feel obligated to come along. Forgive me."He stood up and looked on his watch. "Let's agree to meet back here in an hour. There are some other things I have to do here as well." Sebastian walked towards the exit of the tent, but turned around before leaving. "Again, thank you," he said, after which he went on his way. Karl nodded politely to the trio in the tent and followed Sebastian's lead.

In Rome, Cain's communicator received a call from Harold Montego. "Roseblood," the familiar voice said, "Meet me on the temple floor." The call was disconnected right after.

[The Alice in Wondeland]

Sebastian leaned back. Though his face remained stoic, a hint of gladness could be detected. He wasn't sure about the strength of Milus, but he certainly knew just how strong Dugal and Snowflake were, and it gave him confidence. "Perfect," Sebastian said. "I cannot thank you enough for deciding to come along. You see, without you, Dugal, the whole mission wouldn't even have been possible. Though we know that the Will of Peter is somewhere within the labyrinth, we have no idea exactly where in the labyrinth it is. You on the other hand, as the host of the Will of Matthew, should be able to locate it once you are close enough. I neglected telling you this, as to not make you feel obligated to come along. Forgive me."He stood up and looked on his watch. "Let's agree to meet back here in an hour. There are some other things I have to do here as well." Sebastian walked towards the exit of the tent, but turned around before leaving. "Again, thank you," he said, after which he went on his way. Karl nodded politely to the trio in the tent and followed Sebastian's lead.

In Rome, Cain's communicator received a call from Harold Montego. "Roseblood," the familiar voice said, "Meet me on the temple floor." The call was disconnected right after.

Cain got up from his bunk in the barracks silently upon hearing the summons. He walked the concrete floor to the exit. His body went into autopilot as his mind went over the battle strategy that would most likely be invoked in the meeting. He was there now, the entrance to the temple floor.

He walked in. "What was it you want with me, Eminence?" He immediately probed the area with his mind.

[Jedi8246]

London, England
Following Sebastian's comments, they split off to do what must be done. Dugal wanted to check with Milus and Snow to make sure they were sure. Melody had turned out to be listening, and insisted on coming. Snow argued with her, but finally relented to let Melody go, provided she followed her evey order. MIlus indicated he was still coming. They all went to prepare to leave, as Dugal went to find Prime Minister to quit from the Army. After five minutes, Dugal located Anderson at a main camp. Dugal got past his Nighthawk bodyguards and spoke.

"Prime Minister Anderson."

"Mr Cain. How nice to see you. You have done very well. With you in charge, we can expect our city back within a year or so."

"That's what I wanted to speak to you about actually. I am tendering my resignation."

"WHAT? Why? We need you Mr Cain."

"I understand that. However, other circumstances have come up. Some of the Roman Inquisitors have informed me we have a way of taking down Rome from within. They are getting us in an hour to take us there."

"Mr Cain, that is not your job!! We have others to do that!! We need you here, where you're suite best."

"With all due respect Sir, I have been here far too long. I agreed to help lead Britain to victory against Rome. I did just that. I need to move along."

"But- ugh. What if I don't let you go. I'm still in charge of this country!"

"You may say what you wish, but I will go anyways. Rome is not going to fall without this mission, a mission that only I can do. Britain will only be protected fully if Rome's war mongering is ended. I'm sorry, but that is the way it is."

"What about your son?!! He would be without a father if you go there and die!!"

"I will be take care of that. Though I'm surprised you mention that. You haven't shown any type of concern for him before."

"I'm trying to get you to stop this madness. But it seems you have made your mind up. Consider your employment done."

"Thank you. Also, Snowflake and Melody Booth and Special Agent Milus will be accompanying me, despite my urges for them to not join."

"WHAT?? Snowflake and this Milus can make their own choice, but Melody is just a child. I will not let her go!!"

"Unfortunately, she is no longer a minor and her mother is more in charge of her than you are. I understand your anger."

"Just leave Mr Cain. I no longer wish to speak to you. Good luck, if I ever see alive again."

Prime Minister turned away from Dugal angrily. Dugal sighed and walked off. HE spent the remainder of the hour gathering his weapons and supplies. He let the next in command know that he was in charge now. Many of the men gave him goodbyes and wished him well. At the end of the hour, he returned to the spot, where the Booths and MIlus stood waiting. Now they waited for the Romans.

---

Earlier in the Hour...
Milus had been gathering his supplies and weapons, but also did his duty and contacted Garrent. He relayed the events that had occurred. At the end, Garrent gave him new orders.

"While I'm sure Daemon will be displeased at first, once I explain my plan to him, he will see the reason. Now your orders. You can accompany Dugal into the Labyrinth. This will work to our advantage. Make sure he doesn't lose the sword until the right time. When you see the opportunity, let Dugal die and take the sword from him. This is perfect. Dugal can be bumped off and nobody will notice. Make sure that you are discreet though. You will need to get Melody and Snow back out. You can't have them think that you let him die. That is all for now. Good luck."

The call ended. Milus would be left to his devices. Now only time would tell if Dugal would survive.

[Agadar]

The hour had passed. At the exact moment of passing, the rogue inquisitors Sebastian and Karl entered the tent, where they found Dugal, Milus, Snowflake and Melody waiting. On Sebastian's shoulder sat a great white owl: Bardarus Bismarck. The owl nodded as a greeting, but when he spotted Melody, he looked at Sebastian and pointed with his wing at the young girl. Sebastian understood what Bismarck was trying to communicate, and said: "Are you certain you wish to bring the young Melody along with us? Though she has the strength of her mother, I don't think she has the experience and mindset necessary to confront the things we will be running into within the labyrinth."

[Jedi8246]

London, England
Snow had the same look of anger and worry, but Melody spoke up.

"I'm more than capable of handling whatever happens! I'm not that young you know!"

Snow looked at Sebastian with dismay. She didn't want Melody to go, but had little choice. Melody could get herself into trouble in or out of the Labyrinth.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

London, England

Now fully equipped, Milus nodded at Dugal as he entered the tent. Once the hour had passed, he also noticed Sebastian and the other Rogue Inquisitor enter the tent. He then listened to the short conversation between Snowflake, Melody and Sebastian. He also glanced over at Dugal, and a small feeling of unease soon invaded him. After all, he had become friends with him, and he was of the few genuinely good people that still remained in this foul and corrupt world. However, what had to be done, had to be done.

[Agadar]

Sebastian looked at Bismarck, who nodded approvingly, signifying that he had fate that Melody would survive within the labyrinth. Sebastian then looked at Karl, who was speaking to one of his colleagues on his communicator, informing them that they were departing. Karl nodded to Sebastian. "Grab eachother's shoulders," Sebastian said. The group now stood in a circle, everyone holding the shoulders of their neighbours. The heroes looked at one another, to see whether everyone was ready. They were. "Commence the mission," Sebastian said, and Karl responded by activating his powers. A bright flash illuminated the tent for a split second, and the heroes had vanished. Outside of the tent, several civilians looked curiously at the source of the brief flash, wondering what it was. One curious young boy walked up to the tent and peeked inside, only to find nothing but a wooden table and some chairs.

A dark and silent room, build with gothic architecture in mind. This underground place housed the entrance to the feared and mysterious labyrinth. The air was damp and moist. Rats and other vermin stalked through the darkness, quickly and agile. Two stoic men, their entire bodies hidden beneath several layers of thick dark red cloth, and armed with what appeared to be large medieval spearaxes, stood guard in front of the entrance to the labyrinth. Not to prevent anything from coming out, but to prevent anyone foolish enough from entering, as it was suicide to do so. The guards stood there completely motionless. They were the dungeon keepers, a small paramilitary unit tasked with controlling who entered the labyrinth, a subunit of the Vatican Secret Archives. Usually, nothing out of the ordinary would happen at the entrance. Most days were just boring days of standing guard. On rare occasions, a captured supercriminal or monster was brought down there, and the great metal door was opened, after which the poor lad was thrown in, never to see daylight again. Today would be an exception to the dungeon keepers' normal schedule.

A bright flash illuminated the scene for a brief second. A couple of rats ran away, frightened. The two dungeon keepers instinctively held their hands in front of their eyes. They had already been standing in the darkness for hours. The sudden light greatly hurt their eyes.

Several individuals had now appeared in front of the dungeon keepers. Four of them were wearing British battle suits. Two were wearing inquisitorial battle suits. One of them had a white owl on his shoulder. "We're here," a voice which belonged to neither guard said. The guards tried to open their eyes and see who had appeared, but they still had trouble doing so. They heard footsteps approaching them. The dungeon keepers backed away and readied their spearaxes, despite being unable to see anything due to the flash earlier. One of them received a quick blow to the jaw. He didn't make a single sound as he fell down on the floor, unconscious. A split second later, the other guard received a blow to his stomach. He let out a soft sigh, and then he too fell down on the floor.

Sebastian looked back at his comrades while he rubbed his right fist. "This is it. If you're having any second thoughts, this is your last chance to leave. We will not hold it against you."

Cain got up from his bunk in the barracks silently upon hearing the summons. He walked the concrete floor to the exit. His body went into autopilot as his mind went over the battle strategy that would most likely be invoked in the meeting. He was there now, the entrance to the temple floor.

He walked in. "What was it you want with me, Eminence?" He immediately probed the area with his mind.

The great temple located in the garden of the inquisitorial headquarters was a beautiful sight to behold. Money nor time had been held back building the artwork. It was build in the old Greek style, despite the fact that the temple was a place of worship for the christian god and not for the Greek gods. As Roseblood walked past one of the great white pillars, he asked: "What was it you want with me, Eminence?" There was no reply. In the middle of the temple was a small patch of green grass, with in the middle a statue of Jesus Christ nailed to the cross. It was a masterwork: it was so detailed, that you could count every single hair on the statue's head. Roseblood would however not be given the time to gaze upon it.

From out of the shadows behind one of the pillars, a dagger was thrown at Roseblood with a deadly speed and accuracy. Unbeknownst to Roseblood at the moment of throwing, the dagger was not sharp, and would hardly be able to penetrate human flesh, even at its current speed.

[The Alice in Wondeland]

Cain constructed a shield without so much as batting an eye. The dagger collided with it with a loud bang, leaving a winding crack in the translucent material. Cain frowned. " Reinforce shields in the future" He rebuked himself. Cain quickly formulated a plan, knowing that the attacker wouldn't stay behind the statue forever. He slammed his hands into the ground. Several meters away, at the base of the statue, ethereal vines began weaving out of the ground, coated in thorns. Within seconds the statue along with the surrounding area was a jungle of glass-like thorn vines.

[Jedi8246]

The Labyrinth, Rome
They teleported into a dark entrance chamber. Dugal and the others took some time for their eyes to adjust to the dimmer light. By the time they did, Sebastian had disabled two guards at a great metal door. He turned back to them all and offered for them all a chance to leave again. Dugal softly chuckled and stepped forward, placing his hand on Sebastian's shoulder.

"I will be with you until our escape. My mind has been already made."

Snow repeated the sentiment, while Melody stood silently by. They looked about the entrance chamber, seeing small vermin crawl about. The room was filthy and quite eerie. Melody's resolve flickered, though only momentarily. Grit returned to her face and she stood ready to enter... The Labyrinth.

[Warhaven]

5 months ago... Mary disappeared for a whole day mysteriously, having complained of broken hips, cracked horns, a fractured skull, broken back, torn wings, torn ligaments, broken ribs, broken arms, and Pelvic Inflamitory Disease, though she was just making that last part up. She said she was visiting her Doctor, and though Vlad knew the doctor she was visiting, it wasn't Mika, and he wasn't telling anyone.

4 months ago... Mary wowed Japan with just how spectacular she looked for her Coronation and subsequent wedding.

3 months ago... As casually as if she were ordering from a catalogue, Mary informed Vlad she was pregnant, then proceeded to order baby supplies.

Today....

Mary was busy crocheting a Baby Blanket. It was tradition in her family for the parents to create something by hand for the baby, and so as her mother did for her, so she did for her first, and was crocheting a baby blanket. It was a demonstration of love, even for the unborn.

.....

The Board of Directors met in the board room.

"And that's the progress of Experiment 9. We have a great amount of data to process." A board member said.

"It'll have to wait. It's time for the annual Review. As such, I will objectivly review each of you individually today. I expect you to collectivly review me later. While I expect most reviews will go as expected, there's one review that I will deliver the results of, in person. That one asset, that we've been discussing. I think I shall take care of it in a day or so. Meanwhile, I have a hot date with Mika." Zeta said.

"You may as well submit, we know your going to marry her. Why don't you offer her, that?" asked a board member indicating something on the screen.

Zeta looked to see what he was pointing at, and did a double-take in surprise at what was being suggusted.

"And you would all be fine with that?" he asked.

"We are, and so is three fourths of the collective, put to a secret vote. It will benefit all parties. You know that, you remember the research we've done on relationships and their effects." A board member said.

"Very well then. Since we've been dating solidly for the past five months, It's time I made such a move anyway." Zeta said, moving off to take care of both of his mysterious plans.

...

Meanwhile, Shadows lurked, and watched, forces with hidden agendas and unknown desires.

[Laughing Peninsula]

5 months ago, Roma

David was taking 10 foot steps as he ran from the Roman Barracks and into rural Roma, trying to escape this place as fast as he was able. His enhanced healing caused most of his wounds to ceil themselves, but he was in rough shape. Not only was his cover nearly blown, he was unable to retrieve his old suit, his current suit was woefully under created for someone of his powers, more suited for someone with flexibility or flight than speed. And to top it off the stabilizers were going bananas, ripping him down to human level every time he attempted speed.

David did have enhancements, but they simply weren’t enough in his opinion, his suit was ripped to bits, making any type of bluff false as he was sure all guards could get some form of replacement suit with in a day, besides the fact he was using the name of a now long dead Roman.

'At-least I got most of my knives' David sighed, looking at the belts of them he had underneath his tattered coat. He was looking for some form of transpiration, perhaps a stealth heli? Or maybe one of those tanks he saw them turning out like hot cakes. 'Hell, I’d even settle for a moped at this point' he thought aloud.

Suddenly, a rustling noise in the back ground, it was faint, but it was still a rustling. Immediately, David felt a tingle in the small of his back, Danger... Behind

From the darkness, a figure lunged at David, coming from behind him, but due to the prior notice he was able to successfully dodge the man. David was unable to get a great look at the person as he charged again, but one feature he was able to see clearly was that he was covered in blood. The new found opponent was very skilled and very fast, forcing David to focus solely on him in order to just dodge or block his blows, what was even more troubling was that he was only using his right arm, holding his left arm snugly against his side.

Another tingle in his back, this one alerting danger was above. Not knowing what angle the attack was coming from, he jumps back to see a man ram into the ground in front of him, but just as quickly kicked him in the chest, launching him back several feet and knocking him over.

Just as David was beginning to rise, the blooded man was on him, placing him in a hold with a makeshift knife made out of what appeared to be tile. Wasn't the best hold per say, but it held his arms down and the knife was at his throat, making his legs sort of useless, though David had little doubt he could break free if he needed to, but it seemed the blooded man wanted something of him.

'I will say this once, and only once' the man began, the kick campion of the world standing a little further of 'You are a Roman Soldier, you can either come with us and lead us around these pigs, or, you can deny this offer, I bleed you like a pig and leave you tied to a lamp post'

It didn't take long for David to come to his decision 'I can do more than just lead, I noticed your left arm is a little worse for ware, I can help you with that, as well as bring you shelter. I come from a pl-'

David was cut off, 'I will tell you where to take us, we just need to have a hostage in the event we are captured'

David saw it best to lie to his captor, he had more time to plan an escape when he is useful than saying he’s just as wanted then they are. 'How many does your party have?'

'17, of varying degrees of usefulness'

'Well then, why should we waste any time?'

And with that The Blooded Man rose and helped David to his feet. ‘My name is Quinn, the person who kicked you in the chest, He calls himself Dom, What do you want to be called’

David paused ‘Call me Smith’

Present Day, Berlin

Louis was in his office, trying to establish a stable connection between him, and his new boss, Emperor of Japan, Vladmir Reznov. After a few more moments the static became clear to show the War King gearing up for yet another battle. Louis was used to this sight by now, even the sight of the horns and, as his new Minister, Byron, occasionally joked, ‘his permanent sunburn’

‘Greetings from Berlin, Emperor, I see your gearing up once again, what is the occasion’

Vladmir paused ‘You know damn well the occasion, I am finally to achieve retribution for what these fucks have taken from me, now what do you want’

Louis smiled, he cared not Vlad’s motives but the less he had to focus on Asia the more he could focus on Europe ‘It’s not what I want, it is what you want, I am pleased to inform you that the renovations to the majority of German manufactures were successfully upgraded to handle your level of production and quality, meaning your soldiers of the old Soviet Block will soon be finding well needed supplies

‘I am also pleased to inform you that the Civilian Army the Red Hand are integrating quite well, and your training had far succeeded my wildest imaginations, the Government is becoming more malleable by the day, soon there will be no difference between the government, and us.’

Vlad looked into the camera ‘Good, I had a feeling you’d be more help than hinder. This coup you are planning, I have no other choice but to leave the leg work to you, I am having a hard enough time keeping a foot hold over Asia than to prioritize an area such as yours, but als-’

Vlad was cut of by a voice announcing ‘Sir, we're getting close to the drop off point.’ Which he nodded to and made a signal to cut the feed. Louis stood in his office, working his many plans over to be sure they were as without flaw as he would allow.

Out of the shadows came someone he was expecting, the new Minister of Propaganda and Internal Affairs once the old had been ‘retired’ after the campaign to eradicate the rebellion. His name was Byron Falk

‘I do not see why we must obey the commands of that ape, he is just the boss because he can swing the bigge-’

Louis stopped him ‘Hold your tongue, Byron, and know your place, Vladmir has done more for this nation in a few months then I have been able to in the last 3 years. His gift of technology and people to use them is invaluable and you’d be best to respect that, especially sense it is not your job to tell me how to do mine, but to make the people think my will is the best possible option.’

Byron sighed ‘Yes, I’ll try to be less disagreeable, but you must see he is nothing but an wrathful oaf, he will crash us all into the ground once there is nothing more to conquer’

Louis chucked ‘I don’t understand the issue in that’ Louis sat down ‘Now tell me Byron, you wanted to immigrate was it?’

Byron nodded ‘I believe I can better do my job if I can get a scope of what all of the red hand is doing, such as the branches of the western hemisphere, such as what kind of aid could we give, how we should spin the international news to our people, etc’

Louis thought it over of a moment, not that there was much to go over. Though he didn’t trust Byron, even less then Bennet, he was far more skilled at the art of spin and deception than he was, so establishing more order over there could be best. ‘Very well, I will carter a flight for this evenin-’

Suddenly a crash, and then a thud, out of the double doors charged one of the many curriers who ran information and news around the Berlin area, a few guards came behind him but before they could explain there incompetence the currier screamed ‘THE GUARDIANS HAVE RETURNED!’

[Agadar]

Sebastian was glad to hear that his companions were more than eager to enter the black labyrinth and retrieve the Will of Peter. He gave the large metal double door a slight push, and slowly but steadily the gate to the labyrinth opened itself. A grand and dark hallway lit only sporadically by wooden torches appeared within the visage of the heroes. It was eery. Disturbing, even. There were many strange feeling energies coming from deep within the labyrinth. Sebastian looked over his shoulder at Dugal. "Lead the way," he said, knowing that Dugal was the only one in the group who could possibly detect the Will of Peter.

In Rome, a familiar face appeared from behind one of the shadowy pillars. It was Harold Montego, who had a satisfied smile on his face. "Excellent. Your reaction speed has increased once again," he said. He eyed Cain. "I see you're already in your battle armor. Good. Take this." Harold tossed a blunt training sword to his pupil, after which he assumed a combat stance, holding a similar sword. "Come at me."

[Jedi8246]

The Labyrinth
Dugal nodded at Sebastian and stepped forward. He looked down the dim hallway seeing it lead into blackness. They were going to have to be careful. Getting lost down here would be all too easy. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Dugal felt the Will of Matthew's power, and accessed it. His eyes reopened looking ahead. Those who looked close enough would be able to see a light blue in his iris.

Finding the Will of Peter was different than searching for souls. Souls gave off clear life energy, shinning and brilliant.The Will was not so. He searched for the Will's presence, eventually finding it. It was hard to describe really. It wasn't so much he saw it's power, but more felt it with his eyes. It was peculiar, but Dugal now had a heading.

"This way."

Dugal began to walk down the Labyrinth, Snow and Melody closely following, into the darkness to whatever awaited them.