83 Retaliation
Rome, Italy,
Vatican,
It was early morning however the Sun was nowhere in sight, dark clouds covered the skies and uncharacteristic strong winds blew across the city, ripping certain weak structures clean off their roots never to be seen again.
The people, of course, stayed inside, a smart move on their part.. Only that made it much easier to notice the strange groups of people walking around close together, wearing priestly robes but even then, visibly much much fitter and well-built than what one would stereotypically expect from such people.
The Holy Church's commanders understood full well the gravity of their actions, the flimsy peace brokered between them and the heretics had finally crumbled apart because of their own actions...
Nothing was wrong with that, as their Lord's faithful, the eradication of all heresy was their duty.
They had bolstered the security and recalled Executors from all over the world to defend their Holy Grounds, still, no one truly expected the Vatican to be attacked. Surely the Magi, arrogant and ignorant as they were, wouldn't think to attack them here right?
An unassuming priest stared at the sky, a book in his hands, "Then what is this?" He couldn't help himself, even as his breath hitched at his true thoughts....
The clouds above had begun swirling, lightning arched across the black sky, it was as if something was displeased with their actions.
It was at that moment that the winds changed directions erratically and utter silence enveloped the vicinity.
"What in the name of...."
His book fell from his hands, his jaw hanging low in a mixture of awe and shock as he, with his own two eyes, witnessed the lightning converge at one point with a massive almost deafening boom.
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"Ah... I wanted to visit this country under better circumstances... As in, when I wasn't about to commit a crime against a whole religion."
A certain black haired God of Evil voiced his thoughts, his grey trench coat flapping about in the wind... He stood with a hand in his pockets and the other held out, a half clenched fist pointed at the Vatican....
"I must concur." The Vice Director of the Clock Tower slightly nodded her head in approval, observing the phenomenon before her with crossed arms... She hadn't doubted Roman Trambelio before and this... the sight before her proved her right... What magus could make the skies do their bidding with a single-action spell? That too one that had no magical signature at all, a shocking achievement that could change magical combat as a whole.
Lorelei Barthomeloi closed her eyes, thinking up the possible consequences of their actions here and then writing them off as meagre, this was the appropriate response.. The Church had overreached too much, their 'peace' was becoming more of an annoyance than anything due to the restrictions it brought..... Sanctions on large scale magecraft, that was bullshit.
Unprovoked hostility was most unwelcome.
Roman raised his hand to the skies, clenching his fist before bringing it down in one prolonged motion,
"Boom."
In a flash, the converging lightning came crashing down from the Heavens, destroying several of the many buildings dotting the Vatican as well as an entire wall section.. A massive shockwave spread outwards from the point of contact, blowing away everything not nailed to the Earth for nearly a mile.
Roman's coat flapped faster but that was about all it really did to him, the massive grin on his face was present as always.
"Guess we're going to war."
".....Why not wipe the Vatican from the face of the planet?" Lorelei's tone held masked confusion, he could do it, she knew he could, why didn't he?
"Where's the fun in that?" Waving his hand dismissively, the Magician turned his back to the destruction he'd caused, ignoring the hectic shouting coming from the direction and walked away calmly, smiling all the way. The conflict could end here if he just destroyed them but that was counterproductive, he stood to benefit from a prolonged war..
One where every Magi would be involved in some way.
"Very well." Understanding that she couldn't force or order him, the Bartholomei simply followed him back, they'd done what was needed. They had retaliated to aggression with aggression, now it was time to prepare for the incoming inevitable conflict.
Before they could get too far however, a massive strange grey shield crashed down on the street a few steps away from the two Lords, cracking the ground under it because of both it's weight and the strength of it's user.
"What are two magi doing so close to us? Is it simply a coincidence that I find you here after what just occurred?"
It was a woman's voice, the pitch suggested a younger age which was proven the right assumption once a young woman walked out of the shadows, putting a hand on the shield and glaring at the two magi...
"Aw, do you feel smart after saying that?"
Roman put a hand on his chin, staring 'down' at the young girl before him.
Greyish hair tied up in a ponytail, a white knee-length garment, metal greaves, and a black coat worn over the garment... The 'shield' she'd thrown wasn't so much a shield as it was some odd combination of a spear, gun and shield.
(A/N: Pic here)
"We're surrounded." Lorelei calmly tapped his arm, eying the surrounding rooftops with an eerie lack of emotion.... Was this all? This was supposed to be the force to capture them?
"Surrender peacefully."
"Oooh, am I going to get taken to the basement?"
Roman clenched and unclenched his fist several times, the other on his cane even as he grinned at the knights all around him. They were in armour, or rather padding over long robes and held halberds.
"I take it that's not an option... Very well." The grey haired woman kicked her shield into the air before grabbing it by some hidden handle and putting her other hand over it, "Riesbyfe Stridberg, Captain of the Chivalric Order of the Vestel Shield Knights! Prepare yourself, heretic." Magic Circuits spread all over her figure as the ground under her feet cracked, several reinforcement spells were cast in silence.
"They really made a woman captain.... Yo Lorelei, we sure this is the Catholic Church?" Roman poked the Barthomeloi, refusing to believe the words he'd heard...
"You do realise I am a woman as well?"
Roman glanced towards her chest before pausing, "Are you sure?"
"....."
Lorelei Barthomeloi ignored the one eyed Magician and took a step back, flaring on her own noble Magic Circuits before bursting forward at incognisable speeds. Her hand was already drawn back when she appeared next to a shocked Riesbyfe and the Knight Captain's vision soon faded to black when the Barthomeloi's fist slammed into her face, sending her crashing into an unassuming people.
"Cat fight..... heh." Roman sneered at his own joke, raising his cane at the same time.... The Magician stared at the knights rushing at him and tapped the ground with the cane, an invisible force sent all of them flying away, some unfortunate few that landed on sharp objects became gory displays of violence, blood spraying from the pores in their bodies.
"Adios laddies." Doing a small salute, Roman walked off, following the unfeeling Vice director of the Clock Tower while staring at the unconscious Riesbyfe...., "Why ain't she dead?"
"Let them know who did it."
"Damn, women scary."
Roman's tone was one of sarcasm, something Lorelei easily caught on to, "I get the feeling you don't think much of me."
"What gave it away? Was it me telling you about ten times?"
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Some Days Later,
An elderly man sauntered into an office, hands behind his back and his expression warm... He wore long robes that reached his feet and a fair bit of jewelled rings on his fingers... He was certainly tall and hummed in tandem with the birds chirping outside...
Cardinal Laurentis was one of the 128 Cardinals supporting the Pope leading the Holy Church and a man well-known for his lust, having sired hundreds of illicit children... He was one of the Cardinals who worked in the dark to ensure the progress of the Church and even being more than a century old had done jack shit to stop his lust for women. (A/N: Couldn't find a pic for him.)
Still, his name commanded respect and not many dared to oppose him.
"Oh hoh, what brings one of the great Cardinals here?"
'Not many' didn't exactly include the woman sitting at the table with her hands under her head, a smile on her face... She had back-length light hair and wore a white dress with loose sleeves...
(A/N: Pic here.)
"Narbareck, now is not the time for your jokes."
"Oh come now." The woman, or rather Narbareck, only smiled wider in response to his words... The Head/Director of the Burial Agency of the Holy Church, Narbareck was a powerhouse that had captured three of 27 Dead Apostle Ancestors, a feat few if none could hope to replicate.
"You want to finally let me out? Who needs to die?"
And also a fucking homicidal maniac.
"No more playing around, the Church is at war with the Mage's Association."
"When have we not been at war?"
"Officially."
The light haired woman whistled at Laurentis' words, leaning back into her chair... It wouldn't really be true if she said this was a turn of events she disliked.
"Your house arrest is here-by lifted." Laurentis reached inside his robes and threw a picture on the table, "The man is suspected to be as or perhaps stronger than the Dead Apostles, you are authorised to act as you want..."
"You want me to kill a God?"
"..."
The silence gave her all the information she needed and Narbareck's grin changed into an unsettling sadistic one, one that could nauseate most people,
"It'll be done.... But what did he do?"
"Attacked the Vatican...."
".....Sheesh. That takes some guts.." The table cracked under her, veins popping out on her arms as she spoke.
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