On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor - Side Two Hundred And Fifty-Five – Second Reactions

Adam White, Director of the NSA Paranormal Branch, at the FBI headquarters, Washington, DC.

Having driven as fast as the law allowed to Washinton, Adam quickly flashed his ID and drove into the secure underground parking lot. Leaping out from his vehicle, he raced up to the floor where Chris was working, and while he was challenged several times, his steely glare, rank as an NSA Director, and clear desperation and urgency, got him past without too much wasted time.

When he reached Christopher Wright’s office, however, his secretary intimated he was busy, but Adam wasn’t going to stand for that, and quickly insisted that Chris knew he was coming, and that it was the most urgent business she could imagine.

“I know, but… the Attorney General is on the line…” she began, clearly uncomfortable, and Adam winced. I see. Well, I don’t think that’s a problem, but… shit, what if sound waves can induce hypnosis or mind control? No, that still wouldn’t work over the telephone, as all the sounds are digitised and aren’t a perfect representation, so it should break any effect…

As Adam’s face cycled from flushed to deathly pale to ghastly, back to relieved, the secretary in front of him shrunk under his scrutiny, voice faltering. Adam, realising he was now descending to paranoia, though sadly, a reasoned state of it, opened his mouth to apologise, when the door to Chris’ office clicked, and he strode out, shaking his head.

“Stop intimidating my staff, Adam.” he insisted, before gesturing for him to enter.

“I’m sorry.” Adam ran a hand through his sandy hair, grimacing, holding in a yawn. “It’s been… a rough day. Rough few days.”

“No kidding. Go take a break. And hold my calls.” Chris advised his secretary, who with relief scurried off. As the door shut behind them, Chris was the one grimacing now.

“You look awful, Adam. If you show up at a congressional hearing looking like that, people will be asking for you to step down. And you really terrified my secretary. Look in the mirror, Adam.” Chris pointed, and Adam followed his finger. Yes, I do look terrible.

Trying to relax his facial expression, muscles cramping, Adam took a seat. “I could use a coffee, but your secretary ran off.”

“I can manage that on my own.” Chris chuckled, and Adam was perturbed to see him oddly well at ease. That immediately triggered warning bells within him, as Chris had no reason to be relaxed, unless… if Chris is compromised, that only leaves Gina, and she’s not the sort to go along with my current plans. Shit… no, if Chris is compromised, then my chances of getting out unscathed are non-existent…

Sweating, Adam was glad he’d set a contingency into his secure laptop. If a specific set of tasks weren’t actioned each day, a dead drop would be triggered, sending out some information. Of course, if brainwashed, there was a good chance he’d deactivate it, but working with the same profilers and psychologists as he’d had build a picture of Akio Oshiro, as well as some memory experts, he’d come up with a set of instructions which would hopefully be unable to be recalled completely if his thought processes were distorted and tampered with.

“It’s a bit early, but… want something stronger?” Chris pulled out a small flask, and David smelt alcohol, likely bourbon.

“I’m fine, Chris. So… the Attorney General…” It’s now or never. If they got to Chris too since last I met him, it’s over, but… “I hope you weren’t planning on meeting him in person?”

“Suit yourself.” Chris handed over the mug of black coffee, before taking his own. Adam sipped at it, hoping the strong caffeine would give him energy, as he was feeling rather listless and defeated after the display in Japan, and indeed worldwide. “It’s about Japan, of course. I daresay they’ll be trying to get hold of you as well. It’s time to be more open with the House, so they insist. As for meeting face to face…”

The silence dragged on, Adam’s tension rising, until Chris leaned back in his chair, chuckling.

“It feels somewhat satisfying paying you back, Adam.” He reached into his drawer and pulled out a file, tossing it onto the table. “I think that’s what you’re looking for. As to why the NSA can’t pick up who is involved… it’s because they’re smart. Or old-fashioned. Or both. No computers, phones or other electronic devices are present in any of the meetings, and… I had to get Bethany to explain it to me, but your low-orbit listeners can be rendered useless by rudimentary application of wind element. No sound leakage. Imagine it like a submarine, Adam, you should be familiar. If there’s no sound, and no electronic devices to spy on, then the meetings are shrouded in impenetrable secrecy, unless someone talks, of course.”

“But who would?” Adam opened the file and was stunned. “Wait, how did… how did you get this?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Chris shrugged, still eerily calm, which puzzled Adam, in the face of this.

 “Is this… Senator Lee’s medical records?” Adam asked, just to be sure, though the file said as much.

“Yes. It is. But what’s important is…” Chris tapped his own head, still eerily composed, and Adam finally couldn’t take it.

“Stop grinning at me, Chris, you bastard. If you’ve gone over to the other side, just… get it over with.” Adam flexed his fist, and he was armed with a concealed carry, but if there was a black cat hidden here, the chances of that mattering were minimal. “I thought better of…” Adam trailed off as Chris began to laugh. “…you?”

“Oh, I needed that.” Chris managed, wiping his eyes. “Adam, you’ve been pushed to the limits. First by Christina Bakker’s defection, and then by the events of today. I get it. I feel the same way, but… Bethany and Zachary… they shouldn’t come back.”

Adam blinked. “Not come back? You mean… stay in Japan?”

Chris nodded. “As long as my kids are fine, then whatever happens to me, it doesn’t matter so much. And from what they’ve said, Akio Oshiro is treating them well. They’ve been fully involved in this Pilgrimage of theirs, and also in training and tutoring. No more instances of Bethany getting hurt because they didn’t understand the dangers, or what they were doing. And after today… the Japanese and British news reports on it were illuminating, but Zachary passed me further details. The chances of anyone in America, especially after what we’ve done, reaching Rank Four, as they term it, even in the coming year… not likely. We’ve fucked up, Adam. And it might be too late to fix it.”

Rank Four? Yes, that makes sense. These… Territories… do indeed grow in stages, but with exponential rather than linear effort and rewards… so yes, they’re far ahead of us. But…

“So you’re saying…” Adam sipped at his coffee, while inspecting the health records. Significantly elevated dopamine levels, to a potentially dangerous extent, yet… the Amygdala has changed, Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex too, as well as the Temporal-parietal junction. No cancer, brain tumour or other abnormalities, which is curious in itself…

“…that since we’re fucked, we just throw up our hands, give up our duty to this great country and its people, to humanity, and let America and the world go to shit?” Adam was angry now, frustrated. “Just because your kids are away from this mess? Selfish, Chris, selfish!”

“Maybe so. But you’re a father too, Adam. Your children’s future or the country?”

Adam paused. “I can give my own life for the cause, but they… they’re innocent.”

“Exactly.” Chris nodded, well-satisfied. “My kids might be Chosen… I refuse to call them cats or assets, Adam… but they never asked for it. To blame them, to call them monsters, is wrong. I’d rather they stay out the mess we adults have made of things. Yes, I hope we can weather the storm, as you do, but… I’ve less to lose now.”

“I see. That’s… reasonable.” Adam sighed at last. “Oh, and Christina didn’t defect, she just impulsively decided to ingratiate herself with Akio Oshiro, to our benefit. In fact, I’m currently very pleased with her. Though… it would be helpful if she had any womanly charm at all. It goes to show what they say is true, women aren’t beautiful just because of their appearance…” A thought then occurred to Adam, and he narrowed his gaze. “Chris, you seriously are advising your kids to stay in Japan?”

“Where else can they get the training and support they need, and… from what I understand, there’s nowhere safer on earth right now that in that Rank Four Territory. We should have been working towards that in every major US City, Chris. We were too focused on their powers, the benefits and dangers, not what comes with them. Anyone who owns land in Tokyo is going to be rich soon enough.” He let out a tired chuckle. “But there are over forty cities with more than a million people in their metropolitan area. Japan has ten, and Zachary says that the radius of Rank Four is a hundred kilometres, so several of those will be covered by one Territory. We don’t have that luxury…”

Then… “Chris, Bethany’s single, isn’t she?”

Chris blinked at that sudden non sequitur. “Where did that come from, Adam?”

“I was just thinking… if you want your kids to be safe, then, isn’t the best way to seduce Akio? From what Christina says, when I sift through her lustful garbage ramblings, he’s very kind and loving to all his fiancées…”

“You keep my daughter out of your schemes!” Chris was incensed. “She’s not a deep-cover agent, willing to sacrifice happiness for this country!”

“No, but… what if she could gain happiness and protect all we hold dear?” Adam was warming to the idea. “Hear me out. I’m not saying she has to do anything different, just… if her chance comes, and she’s interested… not to forget our needs! And for now… can she not take Christina in hand, help her dress better, be more feminine, not talk like a horny dog?”

“You want my Bethany to tutor that monster in romance?” Chris was aghast.

“Yes, for now. We’ll send further help too. And if Bethany catches Akio’s eye… be supportive. You want your daughter to find love, don’t you? And where would be safer, you said it yourself?” Looking at the files Chris had given him was a shock, but even pushed to the limits, Adam’s mind was whirring, trying to puzzle a path through this mess. Realising his mug was empty, he waved it at his surly, shocked colleague. “Top me up. Let me see… Scryer’s ability to perceive and heal might be able to fix what ails the Senator, but… it’s not strictly damage or injury, is it?”

As Chris thumped down a fresh mug of coffee resentfully, Adam smiled wearily. “Don’t be like that. I’m thinking of your family too. Don’t you remember, he said he’d even kill the President to protect those he considers family…”

“Just shut up.” Chris grumbled. “I’m not letting you use Bethany as a pawn. But I’ll see if she’s willing to… tutor… Christina.”

“Good man. Now then…” Scanning the data, amazed at the obscene dopamine levels, Adam opened his laptop and fired off a message to his team of psychologists. If this is how they are doing it, then… it should be possible to retain one’s sense of self and integrity through rigorous preparation. Yes, there are likely still side-effects, but… so long as I don’t succumb to their heretical abilities, I can still fight them. The only problem is…

“If one Senator is affected, and the President is acting strange too… how deep does the rot go?” Adam asked, and Chris could only shake his head in resignation.

“I don’t know, Adam. I wish I did. But… I’ve speculated, and… the numbers don’t look promising, don’t look promising at all…”

***

Chong Gui, Patriarch Of The Unquenchable Sun, a secret location, somewhere in Boundary China…

“After you.” Xia offered graciously, but Gui was far too old and wise to fall for such tricks.

“No, ladies first, of course. I daresay that our… Master… will be delighted to see your beautiful face, rather than my old scowl.”

“Ah, but should not age come before beauty, Old Gu…” She repeated the respectful manner of address that wretch… oh, I seem to have forgotten his name again. No matter. Bugs do not need names… “Respect for our serious is paramount, in the Cultivation World.”

“What seniority?” Gu scoffed, stroking his beard in bitter amusement. “We are both Middle Accumulation, and while my Unquenchable Sun is a larger Sect than your Emerald Lotus… you have a few promising Disciples I covet enviously.” For my bedchamber, if naught else. Xiao Xia is nothing if not rigorous in maintaining the beauty of her followers.

“You are far too humble. Then I shall… enter.” They were within, an irony that both of them felt keenly, Mount Tai, the most sacred peak for Cultivators in Japan, the Jade Emperor Peak, though those of Kunlun claimed their own mountains surpassed it, of course. The pressure was intense, though no longer from the mountain itself, but from what lurked within the caverns inside. Doors of purest, artfully carved jade sourced from this Spirit Realm, inlayed with Spirit Stones that the Cultivators had painstakingly gathered, blocked the path. As always, many Stones were in need of replacement, dull, cracked or shattered to dust, as the being within could hardly help itself from feeding recklessly.

A mere beast. It purports to be intelligent, but only worthless, base creatures are led by greed, gluttony or lust. No, one must lead and control such emotions, sating then when desired, not letting desires control us. I may enjoy the thrill of the hunt, the sport of despoiling the young and beautiful, but I know when to restrain myself. One day, now the shackles upon this Spirit Realm are broken, I shall go beyond, become a Saint, no, an Immortal, and bend the Dao to my will, embody it!

The door creaked open as Xia strode forwards. No ordinary mortal could push such a weight, but to her, it was as easy as a child pushing at a silk screen. Immediately, both of them steeled their faces and emotions to still, calm detachment. The cavern was as they remembered, of course it was. The jade doors here before, depicting the Deities Dongyue Dadi and Taishan Niangniang, also known as Bixia Yuanjun, those who ruled Mount Tai in the olden myths, were trampled and broken by the creature in its rampage, hence the demand for new, far uglier doors to be erected.

The work to carve it was masterful, but the end result… grotesque. But I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder…

Beyond that, the Guàn, shrine for those noble Deities, was a ruined wreck, the altar now a mere seat for the sprawling, gelatinous, reeking mass of the creature which had grown like a canker at the heart of China, stymying their ambitions. Statues had been broken, pillars between floor and ceiling shattered, and the denizens, spiritual beings of great age and wisdom, were little more than mouldy, slimy bones, to join the sea of other bones that covered the floor, so that every step was uncomfortable, and the sound of crumbling cartilage and cracking bone echoed as Xia and he advanced.

Stymied us for now. Controlling the Department from within was not beyond us, yet… no, patience is key. So long as we do not perish, and our Cultivation continues to break through the shackles of the limits of the Earth and the Heavens… this creature, who knows no Dao, no discipline… will one day be beneath my feet, begging for scraps. A man takes his revenge when he can, and even ten years, a hundred, is not too late for retribution.

[You have come. Good.] The voice of the creature, which resembled a massive cross between a toad and a salamander, some thirty feet long, rang out, along with the pestilent reek of its breath. A mouthful of jagged teeth clacked, in a jaw which stretched across the huge, bulbous head like a crescent moon. It shifted, arms and legs, the forearms prehensile, with human-like hands able to grasp and manipulate things, though with several fingers too many, flailing and shattering both bone and fallen jade to powder, and the one golden eye that remained rolled in its socket to glare at them.

“Of course. We understood you would be… bothered… by the situation.” Xia spoke smoothly, her tone instinctively seductive, though it had little to no effect on the creature, as all it cared about was feeding itself, repairing its savage wounds, not… such things as lust.

Though from a purely academic standpoint, it would be edifying to see it fall upon Xiao Xia, tear her flimsy green dress from her, and fornicate. It can create tentacles from its body, so… Indeed, the flesh of the beast was a translucent, jelly-like substance, constantly rippling and twisting, said tentacle-like growths occasionally whipping out, smashing the surroundings. Within was a skeleton of fetid, yellowing bone, though such parts of the beast were… dangerous to handle. The creature was also heavily scarred, flesh cratered out and gouged, though to Gui’s keen eyes, and his Qi, they wounds were smaller each time, and the rate of recovery was accelerating.

“Indeed.” Gui smoothly supported his once-rival, now colleague and fellow conspirator. “The Spirit Realm is chaotic and turbulent, though…” He glanced up, to where holes had been burrowed into the roof of the cavern, skies above visible, silvery lightning flashing incessantly. “…we did not expect it to happen so soon, or… in Japan.”

[Yes. I am greatly shocked, disappointed and angry…] From the gaping split mouth a huge, drooling tongue flopped out, sweeping through the bones. [Those wretches that slew my clone, destroyed me with their blinding radiance, stole many morsels I was saving for later, robbed me of the purest treats of all, those who oversee and manipulate the future…] He paused, fingers tightening as if crushing the life from someone. [It makes me ravenous. I grow eager to fully heal myself. There shall be no more… setbacks. This world is mine, I must control it before the Boundary shatters.]

“We… understand. But all of those who have met your needs within China have… already hastened your recovery.” Xia was as diplomatic as ever, one thing she had going for her, Gui supposed. “And unfortunately, the forces you sent to Japan were…” She paused, realising what she was going to say next was likely to earn the beast’s ire, quickly covering her faltering words with a smile. “…not dedicated enough you to you bring about your desired feats, and thus led to your… minor setback.”

[Minor indeed. I cannot be destroyed, only… halted.] the toad-like so-called Master of theirs boasted, and Gui knew that was a lie, else it would not have ended up here in such a miserable state.

“We will send three more to you via the bone blades…” Xia promised. “That might motivate the others to perform their duties with greater enthusiasm and alacrity.”

[Yes. Haste. By combining the labour of many, the one can benefit. We must press on, be swift. Already, a Fourth Heightening has spawned, and worse… it is sheltering that which I must devour, if I am to become more, to become greater. Flog them, put fear into them, and let them know all who do not work until their spirits burn and bodies break shall feed my hunger!] It paused now, eyeing them with the massive golden orb of its eye. [But do not betray me. If so… you shall find me generous. The pawns I controlled failed me, you promised me that if you were spared from my touch you would show results. But my patience is far from infinite.]

Both of them bowed low. Such was a faint crack in their Dao hearts, but better the snake abased itself before the Dragon to prevent being scorched now, when venomous fangs might find a chink in the scales later.

“Of course. We tirelessly strive to push forward the work. The Department is entirely in our grasp, and we are making inroads in controlling the People’s Liberation Army, and all the advanced weaponry they possess. It may pale in comparison to your majesty, but why dirty your hands, when mortals can do your bidding?” Xia flattered.

[See that you do. Against a Fourth Heightening such weapons will still serve some purpose. But to climb to the Fifth… no, I cannot be complacent. Ordinarily, dozens of revolutions around the star of this world would be required, yet… the Fourth comes far too soon. We must… find some way to delay, to overtake. Even if the chattel, the cattle…] It licked around its bulbous face with the wretched, vile tongue, acidic droplets hissing as bone and stone alike corroded. […perish in their millions, compared to one such tender morsel, they are but dust. Go, bring me more information. I must formulate a plan to… have my revenge, and the meal lost to me, for I sensed it return, stronger than before. Perhaps… my Fortune has turned. And to my surprise… as the fragile Boundary shuddered, to the west I sensed it. A sealed space, layered within and powerful. Fourth Heightening, certainly, bordering on Fifth. And the space enfolding it is slowly starting to unravel. It will not be swift, yet… continued shocks such as this roiling tide will accelerate it. We must be prepared to greet whoever is inside. I expect they will be delightfully tasty. This world… is strange indeed. And yet, it shall be mine, my playground, my farm…]

As it began to laugh lasciviously, spittle scattering, Gui and Xia exchanged glances, before backing out of the door, bowing every three steps. They couldn’t bring themselves to kowtow, but fortunately, the creature did not know much culturally about China, so they were at least spared that indignity. As the jade doors boomed shut, the ugly reliefs of the toad-like being masterfully carved into the precious stone, wasting such a rare treasure, they both let out unguarded sighs of relief.

“It is… utterly insane.” Xia grimaced. “We are riding upon a tiger the size of Mount Tai itself. It is only a matter of time before it decides to eat us.”

“Yet once upon the back of a tiger, all one can do is ride it.” Gui responded. “And if we did not persuade it, we would have been among those devoured. Still… did you notice?”

Xia nodded, her luscious flow of black hair momentarily stealing his attention. I must keep my Dao heart unshaken. I do not know which Qi she is using to Accumulate, but it is making her ever more seductive…

“I did. Surely he was referring to Kunlun. If so…”

“Yes. Perhaps we might borrow the might of a Dragon to hunt a tiger, and… if the Dragon’s scales are cracked and scored by the tiger’s claws… all the better for us.”

“Indeed. The secrets and treasures of Kunlun will be far more nourishing to us than the scraps the brute feeds us.” Xia suggested. “And speaking of scraps…”

“Yes. I shall retrieve the hungering blade of bone. Summon the bottom three on the list… I will get… what was his name again?”

“You really need to pay more attention to mortals…” Xia laughed musically. “…not everyone can be a Cultivator. Wu Shing was his name.”

“Ah yes, Shing. I shall instruct him to mention they perished due to an accident caused by the sudden storms across the Chinese Spirit Realm. If they wish to avoid further losses… the work must continue.”

“Elegant.” Xia approved. “As for me… I shall investigate whether Kunlun is close enough to the world we inhabit to get a message through their Formations. It would be… wise… to slay the beast before it fully recovers.”

Gui nodded, though he stroked his beard, contemplating possibilities. “Wise indeed, though… perhaps there is merit in allowing the two forces to clash at full strength. A greater chance of the victor being crippled too…”

“You are wicked, Old Gui…” she purred, and as the two shared a laugh, his thoughts turned to the task he would have to do next.

I dislike greatly touching that squirming piece of our so-called Master. And I know it listens to us, watches us. Yet… there are always scraps left over when it messily feasts, Qi which can be purified and absorbed, so… it is rather generous of Xia, letting me wield the blade. We may be allies now, but… she would betray me in a heartbeat if she felt it would bring her greater profit… and she knows I feel the same…

***

Revelation-Cardinal Lorenzo Giudice, Palais des Papes, Boundary Avignon, France

“The Verum Lore did not predict this.” Lorenzo spoke mildly, his hazel eyes calm, his face set into an expression of weary benevolence. “That the first of the three signs, Jacob’s Ladder of Lightning, would trigger so soon, and not be under our control. We are close, yes, the pooled faith and belief kept safe in many places, such as here, answering our call, yet…”

“The failure of the seizure of the false Grail, that accursed tower.” One of the Judges, clad in golden armour, with a white surcoat, grimaced. Many new Judges had been raised through the Linked Angels, more than enough to offset the losses, but… faith spent in one manner cannot be used for another. While the fede in Dio, the praise for God, is infinite within our human hearts, it can only be extracted and hoarded at a measured pace.

“Yes, that is our failure. We underestimated the might of the misguided lambs…” Lorenzo agreed. Here in the Boundary, that thin shell, all that stood between the Earth and the End Times, Armageddon… the skies beyond the windows of the even more magnificent Palace of the Popes were lit with endless streams of lightning. Some few bolts fell to earth, scattering vivid, varicoloured sparks, and the sight was quite beautiful, though not as much as Lorenzo expected. After all, it is not we who triggered the first Ladder. Yet… it seems rather less intense than the Book of True Revelation predicted. Perhaps now…

It was… challenging… to use the power of a false god or goddess, a Demon, perhaps. Far easier to feed it to the Linked Angels, and make something pure, blessed. Still, some weapons of the enemy were worth grasping, and they could still be washed of sin, baptised, as it were, though the process required adherence, and was not trivial. We need more clarity… the Tower should have fallen, Princess Eleanor Windsor either dead or bending the knee, and… that accursed Tree…

“Fear not, Revelation-Cardinal…” another of the Judges, a young woman, a fresh convert from France, pagan before, an… agnostic… of all things, declared, blue eyes bright. “Those who fight against the inevitable will eventually be crushed. And God is inevitable.”

“Well said…” Lorenzo praised her, earning a smile of almost fervent hero-worship, which displeased him a little. Only the Lord is truly worthy of adulation. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. And thou shalt be wary of the weapons of the enemy, for to use their ways is to invite corruption. The additional ten commandments, each paired with one of the original ten, were important, and formed the core of the Verum Lore’s guiding principles. The tenth… paired with… Thou shalt not covet what your neighbour has, is… thou shalt not let thy neighbour covet what is yours, nor God’s… and that Tree was the most blatant example of a transgression…

Oh, agnostics. Poor Luca. I miss his fire. He would have said that an atea, an atheist, who believes in nothing, is far more honest and redeemable than a mealy-mouthed, hedging agnostic. But… the Lord extends his hand and forgives to all who seek him earnestly, no matter their past transgressions….

“Yes, soon the Lightning shall pour down, forming a stairway to what lies beyond. Though before that time comes, we must be the ones to awaken the second sign, the Tower of Babel. For the Lord bade that we could not understand each other, so that only he would be in our hearts and minds, and our hubris in misinterpreting the time would be punished as we deserved. Yet the time is now.”

“Indeed.” the first Judge agreed. “But we must build the foundation. And to do so…here is the place. When the Tower is erected, that false, blasphemous Tower in London, as well as the holiest of cities, home of the Rock, shall be sheltered under the arm of the sign of breaking faith. How poetic…”

“Indeed it is. The Lord, he works in modi misteriosi, ways beyond our understanding. This is surely a trial, and yet, overcoming such a trial brings us closer to the Ninth Heaven, where all shall be saved.” Turning away from the spectacular stormy skies outside the window of the Palace, Lorenzo gazed upon the gathered Judges, a dozen of them, and in addition, their squires, and the host of Martyred Dead which had been awakened from those interred here.

“All of you, your belief is a shield, your dedication a sword. And with the eyes of the world focussed on our brazen deeds, our display of force and threat… they miss the truth of it.” Yes, under the blazing light of the Spirito Santo, the righteous may approach undetected, swallowed by the brilliant glow, and strike unseen, the knife going deep.

“I shall do your bidding. To… avenge the noble spirit of the fallen Judgement-Cardinal!” the handsome, olive-skinned man with hazel eyes and close-cropped dark hair, declared. “Though it does pain me to let that wicked creature of the night escape retribution.” He made the sign of the cross, before clutching at the crucifix-shaped hilt of his sword. “She wounded me, and shed the blood of better men, martyrs all. Yet… heeding the call is above the judgement for any one sinner, for… man proposes, the Lord disposes.”

“Very apt. A lesson wisely learned.” Lorenzo was approving of this young man, Alexandru Ardelean, and indeed saw in him the potential to succeed Luca. His wounds had largely been healed, a drop from the Poculum Orationis, wielded by the Blessing-Cardinal Anastasia Solovyova, having been enough to accelerate the regrowth of body and spirit, as well as cleanse… impurities… left by that chimeric creature.

“Though her kind can spread, she is weak, frail, and harried.” Lorenzo insisted. “It would have been better if your blade claimed her head, and we could have presented it on a platter as a warning to the others like her still in hiding, and then buried it in dung, where it belongs. But despair not, young Judge.  La volontà di Dio, his will, surely guided your steps, enabling you to survive, and… judgement deferred is not judgement denied. Hone your blade, sharpen your righteous fury, and your chance will come.”

“By the Lord, and for the Ninth Heaven!” he declared, kneeling, and the other Judges and their squires did likewise. Lorenzo blessed them, saying a pious prayer, before turning to the most important matter.

“Now… I called you all here, many of you forced to drop important tasks, for one reason. I felt we would have more time, but unfortunately, time is no longer on our side. We must reconnect the Conduit of faith between here, the Vatican and Pisa. All must be under our control.”

“It shall be as the Lord wills it!” the Judges chorused again, and as they hurried, marshalling their forces, to prepare for the long, gruelling process of preparing for the Great Rising, laying down Hallowed Grounds in the required locations, sanctifying and cleansing the Conduit and the branching ways, Lorenzo’s gaze once more turned to the spectacle outside.

After all… the Earth, la Terra, it is alive, our mother, our cradle, our protector. She too deserves to enter the Ninth Heaven, absolved of sin… and to achieve that goal… only we who follow the Lord, the Truth of Knowledge, should have eyes to see the future, to know the truth of things. As the Verum Lore states, as corollary to the commandment, thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, thou shalt not use the knowledge of the Lord, nor seek to divine his purpose and the future, unless through the Lord’s words alone…