Post by citizenmike on Jul 28, 2009 18:18:13 GMT -5
The premise of the chapter is that Johnny now knows that they looking for the Black Goat won’t help; they’ll have to wait for him to come to them. In the meantime, Johnny splits the residents into two groups – the first will explore the church and the second will explore room 4, both of which have some special significance on Animus.
The Church:
by Cyansky
Syl, Veronica, Arqus, Fiona and Myzrael arrive in the Church. Syl introduces itself to Arqus awkwardly. Arqus asks Syl how long it has been in Animus, to which Syl replies that came to Animus very recently, only a few hours before it met Veronica (in this thread:). They get along rather awkwardly, with Syl trying not to give the wrong impression and Arqus trying not to feel too jealous of it. Veronica, Arqus, Fiona and Syl then enter the church, where they find a trail of blood. Syl spots a cloaked figure that lurks in the shadows, unseen by everyone else, but runs ahead to join the group. They find a pentagram behind the altar. Syl tries to examine it but accidentally hurt itself in the process, due to the foreign energy it came into contact with. It tells the group that it has an idea of what this may be, and that it will do an analysis. It asks them to step back from the pentagram, which they all do.
Syl casts the spell and analyzes the pentagram when it is done, Veronica asks what it found. Syl says that the pentagram summoned a powerful archdemon, that the summoner was not human and that Myzrael’s aura is also there, which causes Syl to speculate that he may have been involved, as they were both present at the church at the same time. It then asks the others if they have any questions. Veronica asks about the general area. Syl replies that there is another weak aura in the room, that of the cloaked figure that has been having a one-sided with Syl, and that the analysis has. Arqus isn’t sure of Myzrael’s presence, and Syl addresses him by saying that Myzrael’s aura doesn’t ‘imples that he was involved, not confirms it.’
Veronica then rolls away a carpet behind the altar, revealing a trap door. She then receives a message from Johnny on her walkie talkie, although it is garbled and very difficult to understand. Veronica worries about Johnny, but still decides to proceed down the trap door. She opens it with Arqus’s help and proceeds downward. Arqus notices the way Syl is watching it, getting the feeling that Syl gauging its powers against his and doesn’t think that it can be trusted. It is at this point that Myzrael catches up. He casually blasts away a couple of pews, sarcastically commenting on Syl’s speculation that he was involved. He tells Syl to watch itself as he follows the group.
Once in the tunnel, Veronica switches on her lighter. She sees Arqus follow her and hugs. Myzrael feels anger, and shoots a slab of rock at Veronica. She manages to get away in time, and questions Myzrael on why he did it. Myzrael replies, ‘Keep your hands to yourself, or I shall make sure you will have no need for them any longer.' Arqus is just as surprised, and tells Myzrael that he doesn’t have to be possessive about it. Myzrael replies that she ‘doesn’t need to be so touchy about it.’ Arqus says that it’s okay to hug people here, as it is, and Veronica states ‘there’s no reason for (him) to be this way. All I was looking for was a hug, emotional validation from a friend.’ This results in an emotional reaction from her, as tears start rolling down her cheeks.
Myzrael tells Arqus that if he wants him to leave, he will. Veronica hopes that this incident doesn’t change their relationship as friends. Arqus says that it’s okay and that ‘nothing will change.’ He then replies to Myzrael’s previous comment and says that he doesn’t control Myzrael, and that he can do whatever he likes. Veronica thanks him and they continue walking down what seems to be a never-ending hallway. They then start seeing murals, which remind Veronica of early Christian art. Murals seen include that of a burial with a spirit floating upward, murals with angels or spirits, one depicting human sacrifices… and another that depicts a woman who looks very similar to Veronica. Arqus notices soon after Veronica the similarities as well and wonders if it’s just a coincidence. Veronica says that she hopes so. It’s only around this point that Fiona shows up and follows them.
Veronica spots a door to another hallway, this one well-lit by torches. Arqus follows her, wanting to protect her. Veronica says that she’s glad to see him with her and that she’s scared about what lies beyond. Arqus replies that he’s curious. They get close to the end of the hallway. Veronica hopes that what she has on hand is ‘adequate,’ meaning the handgun that Johnny had given her. Arqus worries about her and assures her that he’ll protect her.
Syl follows the group, silent. It then watches as the cloaked figure reappears. It questions Myzrael, pointing out his arrogance and his actions, which makes him angry. He manages to control his emotions, encapsulating himself in crystal. The cloaked tries to reach him again, but doesn’t quite succeed.
Syl leaves the encapsulated Myzrael and follows Arqus and Veronica up the latter.
Up the ladder Veronica encounters a hooded priestess that looks like her and a well-maintained and new-looking version of the church, this time full of residents who are chatting lively. The priestess says ‘Verus Statua’ to Veronica, before addressing the congregation once again. She warns the congregation of a plague and urges them to evacuate, although one man at least questions her 'lies,’ before accusing her of heresy. The priestess turns to Veronica, showing her face. Veronica is shocked. The congregation and the Veronica disappear, leaving being an empty church.
As Arqus and Syl climb up the ladder, a child of no older than five years comes out of nowhere and runs up to her, calling her ‘Matris,’ which is Latin for ‘mother.’ A man then shows up, calling to the girl. The girl hugs Veronica and then runs off with the man. Veronica calls for Syl and Arqus, and they soon burst out of the trapdoor of the unruined church. Veronica tries to explains what she saw, and Arqus asks if she’s sure and where they went. Veronica tries to explain, mentioning the priestess that looked like the one in the mural. Arqus realizes that it’s the woman that looked like her and that they’re in what looks like a restored version of the church. Veronica tries to explain what she saw further, about the congregation and the man that was against the priestess. She tells Arqus that she think it’s best to wait for the others before going outside. ‘Of course’ replies Arqus, as he leaves her side and wanders around. He marvels at the church and then peeks outside. He’s surprised at what he sees: people. Veronica then calls for Syl, Fiona and Myzrael before running to the door.
Syl, who had been wandering in the church while Arqus and Veronica were talking, receives a message in its notebook that appears to be from Kiel (entry is here, at reply #110: www.cityofanimus.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=biweeklyroleplays&action=display&thread=227&page=8) It decides to take Kiel’s words to heart. It is then at this moment that Veronica calls for the three other residents. Syl jumps, startled and quickly catches up to Veronica and Arqus. Veronica encounters The young girl shows up again at the end of the street, and Veronica asks if they can see her. Syl and Arqus both say yes.
The girl then pulls Veronica toward what turns out to be the apartment of the priestess. Syl and Arqus follow, and they meet the priestess. The priestess introduces herself as ‘Sister Veronica, Priestess of the Magdalenian Church’ and tells them that she’s been expecting them. Veronica asks her what’s the meaning of ‘Verus Statua.’ The priestess takes Veronica to a mirror, and tells her that ‘Verus Statua’ is Latin for ‘True Image.’ The priestess then goes to the kitchen and asks if anyone wants tea.
Arqus is shocked at how much the priestess and Veronica resemble each other. He wonders what ‘True Image’ means and if they’re still in Animus. Syl finds the whole concept fascinating, also having an idea of what ‘True Image’ means. It eagerly wants tea, and adds that it likes it very sweet.
Veronica tell it that it doesn’t have to ask her, and that it sometimes it pays to be informal. The priestess guesses Veronica preferences for tea correctly – ‘lots of cream, little sugar’ and tells her that their ‘likeness is not only physical.’ She then serves tea for all four of them and asks if anyone has any questions.
Arqus thanks her and asks his questions – what does she mean by ‘True image’ and ‘what the hell is going on here?’ Syl pretty much wants to know everything. It then turns to Veronica and asks why it sometimes pays to be informal. Veronica replies that ‘sometimes its better to be yourself and to be a bit informal’ and that ‘it shows how comfortable you are.’
The priestess then explains that Veronica is her reincarnation. She then tells them that they are in the city of Animus, as well as the legend of the crossroad, about a man that sold his soul for the land that could save his loved ones from savages. The purchaser of the soul depends on the version of the legend heard. She then explains that the murals that they saw were drawn by Sara, her daughter, and the young girl that they ran into before. The murals depict scenes from local mythology that Sara is not aware of yet, and it was by viewing that she figured out that they would come. She then tells of a vision that Sara had, about a ‘man adorned in darkness taking over this city’ which leads her to speculate that an apocalypse, or something really bad, is going to happen.
Syl listens intently, and out of curiosity asks more questions, such as what disaster will occur and how else does she interpret the murals. The priestess replies that she interprets them literally. She believes that like take over the city and that Veronica and co. are here to stop it.
It is then the priestess realizes that Sara has gone missing.
The priestess desperately calls Sara’s father to help find the girl, while Veronica suspects that she’s in the church and heads there, along with Syl, Arqus and the priestess. The child turns out to be at the church daring something as the Black shows up, asking what she’s drawing. He asks her to come with him, but the girl says no. Veronica, Syl, the priestess and Arqus show up at the church to hear the girl scream.
Meanwhile, the cloaked figure shows up again and tries to ‘help’ Myzrael. This only ends up infuriating him, threatening it with violence. The cloaked figure convinces him to not blow up the tunnel and fades away, promising not to bother him again. Myzrael storms off after the black goat, but not before altering the tunnel that they came from.
Veronica, Arqus, Syl and the priestess arrive at the tunnels and realize that the path has been changed. Syl suspects Myzrael of being behind it, and Arqus doesn’t really think highly of Syl’s ‘obsession’ with Myzrael. Syl denies it and tries to justify it, but falls to its knees when it senses a massive power surge (from Myzrael who is just across the wall). Syl then apologizes for its behaviour and says that while it doesn’t know anything about the girl’s whereabouts, its willing to help them find her and that it’ll do what it can to protect Veronica. Veronica replies that like Johnny, she can protect herself as well.
Arqus wonders who may be behind Sara’s kidnapping. Veronica speculates that it may be the Black Goat, and the group briefly talk about how he may be behind this, as he pretty much controls Animus. They then spot someone ahead in the darkness, who turns out to be Myzrael.
Veronica and co. continue after the Black Goat. He lighter flickers, and she sees another memory of the priestess and Sara. As the lighter dies, he falls to her knees and breaks down. Syl tries to comfort her. Veronica asks if Myzrael saw where Sara went. Myzrael sarcastically answers and points them in the direction of the black goat. Veronica thanks them and they walk onward. Syl keeps a close eye on Myzrael, as it feels uneasy of his power. Arqus asks that Syl conjure some lights to help them, as if knows magic. Syl obliges him and conjures some lights.
The group then runs into the Black Goat, who has Sara. Veronica tells him that he has no right to take her (Sara) and that if he’s going to take the little girl, he might as well take Veronica as well. The Black Goat, mistaking Veronica for the priestess, gets taken, leaving Arqus, Myzrael and Syl alone in the darkness. Syl cries out in desperation, while Arqus asks Syl whether it can do anything to get Veronica and Sara back. Syl reassures Arqus that while its abilities are not limitless, it will do whatever it can to help find them.
They then encounter the priestess and another man, Teo. Teo reassures her that he’ll organize a search party. The priestess turns away from him and find the three of them in the church with them. She asks what happened to them, and Syl replies that the Black Goat took both Veronica and Sara.
Myzrael reopens the quicker way to the church and leads them there. He suggests that’s best if they split up and search. He leaves two ice bracelets for Syl and Arqus, explaining that if they find Veronica or Sara, they can break them to alert him. He then flies off. Some distance away, he summons a Zealot and commands it to find Veronica, but not be seen in the process.
Arqus wanders off on his own, and in exchange for helping to find Veronica, gives control of his body to Bremmen. Bremmen then goes off to enjoy himself in the city rather than help Veronica immediately, despite Arqus’s protestations. He wanders around, enjoying himself, until he finds a preacher of Odin, who he then follows into a public bathhouse. He pays the man in charge with in several diamond (which were originally peas) for having the bathhouse all to himself.
Syl stays with the priestess and asks if there’s anywhere special on Animus where they can find Veronica. The priestess sets off with Syl to the crossroads.
Myzrael arrives where Veronica is supposedly behind held, a wall that he can’t get through and that his sense can’t penetrate. The Black Goat reaches out to Myzrael and Myzrael in turn passes through the wall to speak with him. They briefly discuss humanity, and when the Black Goat asks him who Veronica is, Myzrael demands to know why he was brought here instead of answering the questions. The Black Goat then wonders if he’s kidnapped the wrong Veronica. Myzrael also puts two and two together and realizes that Veronica and the priestess look very similar, and the Black Goat must have mean to take the priestess, not the Veronica they knew. He wonders what is going on.
Myzrael then says that he wants nothing that the Black goat can give, and that he can do whatever he wants with Veronica and Sara. He states that while he initially wanted Sara to foresee the future, he now realizes that the future is shaped by their own decisions. He then informs the Black goat that there are others after him. The Black Goat soon dismisses him, saying that he can go.
Meanwhile, the priestess offers Syl a ride in her car. Syl enters the car (not knowing what it is) and wonders about it, especially about the seatbelt. The priestess explains what a car is and what their parts are for. Syl’s innocence seems to take Sara’s loss off her mind for a short while as she drives off. Soon after she asks if she can smoke in the car. Syl asks her not to, knowing that cigarette smoke is not good for it – it learned that the hard way when Veronica smoked in the priestess’s apartment a while back. The priestess soon crashes the car. While both are unharmed, they know that they can’t use the car anymore, so they’ll have to walk. Syl gets out first and offers the priestess a hand. While not appearing to be emotionally conflicted, it is confused on his emotions concerning Veronica and the priestess, over which one it likes better and how to make sense of it.
The priestess takes Syl’s gets out of the car, and they head down the street to the crossroads. She asks if she can smoke, but Syl says that if she wants to do that, it should keep its distance. One the way to room 4, the priestess asks Syl about Veronica – how long it has known her, what’s her boyfriend like, etc. Syl tries its best to answer her questions. The priestess later apologizes for her curiosity, and admits that she’s curious to know ‘how (she) would hold up in a past life’ and that she never imagined that she and Veronica would be exactly alike.
This makes Syl wonder if reincarnation ‘is the fate of all souls that didn’t stay in Heaven, Hell, Purgatory or Azrael’s realm’ and if it even has a soul, being an energy-based being. Syl tells her that it’s amazing how similar they are despite the differences in the way they grew up. It also comments that ‘reincarnation is tricky, because that’s how souls are.’ The priestess asks why, and Syl explains that souls can change with time, that a good soul can became corrupted and vice versa, and that ‘reincarnation takes its toll on them,’ which is why there are grim reaper that collect the souls that ‘fall through the cracks.’
The priestess then feels her heart race, and tries to run ahead. She tries to move faster but slows down, feeling unwell. Syl suspect that the cigarettes may be behind it, due to the amound of toxic chemicals they contain. The priestess confirms this and they hurry on to the crossroads.
Myzrael, after his encounter with the Black Goat, heads to where Arqus is, which is in reality where Bremmen is. Bremmen in the meantime, steals some beans, turns them into diamonds and uses that as payment for the man that seemingly owns or runs the place. He then finds the preacher of Odin in the baths. When the preacher is almost done undressing himself, Bremmen enters and begins to undress himself as well. This makes the preacher nervous. The preacher, attracted to Bremmen, tries to take advantage of him, but Bremmen uses the opportunity to kill him in order to get his clothes. Covered in blood, he submerges himself in the bath to wash it off. Myzrael soon arrives and notices the dead man covered in his own blood. He sees a man with long blond hair (who happens to be Bremmen), and is suddenly aware that he is not Arqus.
Bremmen says that he is, and Myzrael asks him to explain the dead body. The dark angel notices the man’s lack of emotion concerning the body. Bremmen replies that he ‘got tired of the game.’ Myzrael asks what game, but Bremmen avoids the question. Myzrael then asks his name, to which Bremmen replies ‘Tiffany’ as a joke, in reference to this tread: www.cityofanimus.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=theatre&action=display&thread=194&page=1
Myzrael asks for Bremmen’s name again, and Bremmen tells him that he’ll give his name in exchange for a kiss. Bremmen leans in to kiss him, Myzrael stops him by summoning a thin sheet of ice between their lips, telling Bremmen that he’s ‘not that easy.’ Bremmen shrugs and dresses himself. Myzrael burns away the remains of the preacher, saying that he has located where the Black Goat is keeping Sara and Veronica and hurry up.
Bremmen dresses up in the clothes of the preacher, happily realizing that it would make Odin furious and his father proud, because he’s the son of Odin’s enemy. Myzrael flies out of the window and waits for him. Bremmen asks Myzrael to carry them there, but Myzrael refuses and flies away. Bremmen tries to run after him by jumping from roof to roof, but fails to catch up. Bremmen then goes to the roof of the tallest building in the city and jumps of it, saying he has no use for Arqus’s body and ‘say goodbye to dear Arqus.’ This turns out to be a joke as Bremmen soon conjures diamond wings and flies off to follow Myzrael.
Meanwhile, the Priestess and Syl arrive at the crossroads, but they are stopped by an invisible wall. The Priestess screams, bangs against the wall, with tears in her tears, obviously upset. She then lights a cigarette and starts smoking. She feels caught between her parishioners and her daughter, because she promised to help her parishioners, but loves Sara deeply as a mother. Syl tries to comfort her, but is not too pleased that she’s smoking. The priestess soon stops smoking and tells Syl above how she’s caught between her parishioners and Sara. Syl comforts her, saying that she should be grateful that she can help Sara at all, and that she has Syl to help her. The priestess tells of a book that she left in the car, causing Syl to ask why she would just leave it there for someone to steal. The priestess replies that she would let the world burn to save her daughter, and that there are other copies of the book at the bookstore. They then start walking back toward the car.
Her previous comment makes Syl question the priestess, as she really does seem to be contradicting. It reasons it out as thus: Concerning her comment about 'letting the whole world burn' Syl gave itself a crooked smile. Someone apparently cared more for her daughter than her parishioners. If she neglected the parishioners, and lost her job as priestess, then how would she support her daughter? Then, of course, she had also just admitted that she was caught between the two, implying that she also valued her people.
This confuses Syl, and the priestess says that it’s human nature to ‘contradict and complement at once.’ Syl says that it doesn’t make humans any less confusing, and that perhaps they’re not meant to know everything in the universe. The priestess replies that maybe knowing that may go against the basic ideas of living. Syl asks her to explain, and the priestess replies it that "Knowing that everything we ever conjured about basic existence was false, and that we were all living in the simulated reality for someone else’s benefit."
They arrive at the car, where Myzrael soon arrives. He asks if there are problems, and Syl replies yes, because all they found was a huge impenetrable wall. Myzrael replies sarcastically, that he thought that he would be sorely missed, before asking if the priestess plans to eat the book. Syl replies sarcastically that it loves sarcasm and inquires if Myzrael know what books taste like. The priestess smiles at Myzrael and says that the book may be the only thing that can help Sarah. The Black Goat meanwhile, uses Sara’s dolll of an ogre to summon the real thing, which he sends toward the city.
Myzrael asks what arcane knowledge can be gained from the book. Syl says that that’s what it was asking – why eat a book when the knowledge within could be more useful? Myzrael says that it doesn’t work for everyone. Syl asked if it dislikes books and the process of reading through them. Myzreal sighs, feeling that he’s dealing with a child, and explains that he prefers to go through the experience and learn from it rather than read it from a book. Bremmen then arrives and exchanges some ‘friendly’ banter with Myzrael.
Myzreal goes and tries to use elemental attacks to bring down the barrier, but is unsuccessful. Bremmen stands back to watch him, while Syl points out if he learns by experience, he should have learned that blasting stuff against the barrier won’t work. It eyes Bremmen carefully, not knowing his name, but knowing that the demon it sensed within Arqus when they first met was in control of Arqus’s body.
The priestess, meanwhile, takes the time to read the book and study the map of the city. She then approaches the others and explains that she’s found something that might lead them to the two captives of the Black Goat, Sara and Veronica. She also explains that there is a site sacred to the religion that the Gnostic Catholicism she preaches came from. In that site there was a seal in that was used for various purposes – prayers, offering, baptism, exorcism and even sacrificing. If they can get to that location, then she could perform a ritual to get Sara and Veronica back.
Myzrael asks where is the site, and the priestess replies ‘the Motel along Sunderland,’ which later turns out to be Room #4. Syl asks if there is a catch, as is often the case with performing such type of ritual, and the priestess replies that she’s only going to do it once, and that it will work. Myzrael then summons a Zealot to carry the priestess to the site. At her request, Myzrael allows her to gather the stuff she needs before leaving with her. Bremmen follows. He hovers to wait for Syl. Syl asks him some questions about his abilities to control diamond, but allows Bremmen’s refusal to answer without later killing to pass. It tells him that it’ll catch up. Bremmen flies off.
Syl sighs and wanders off into a very nice park. It sits with its back to an oak tree and relaxes in the midst of nature. It takes out the bracelet that Myzrael had given it and calls for some nearby birds. Syl expresses that’s its happy to see them, as the birds twitter around happily. It asks for their services in exchange for its blessings. The birds twitter happily in agreement.
(Note: Syl speaks to birds in its native language, which can be understood easily by them, but most birds can’t speak it due to not having the proper vocal chords.)
It blesses each of the birds and then asks two crows to hide the bracelet where no one can find it. It orders the rest of the birds to keep a look out for it and report if there’s any news. It knows that if they’re using a ritual to tear away from the Black Goat what he wants most, then he’ll send something against them. Syl doesn’t want to get involved in the fight, and has full confidence that Arqus and Myzrael can handle it. It relaxes in the park, falling into a sleep-like trance, feeling free and liberated in the midst of nature despite the less than pleasant circumstances.
When it wakes up, the cloaked figure appears again and greets it. It says that there’s something about Syl’s past that it must tell it, that it should take a look at the notebook that Syl found when it awakened and that it should fly. Syl finds another entry there and reads it. (at www.cityofanimus.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=biweeklyroleplays&action=display&thread=227&page=24, reply #353) Syl then obeys the cloaked figure and flies off, finally enjoying the sky for the first time in a long while. (This is the first time Syl has flown in Animus.)
Meanwhile, Myzrael, the priestess and Bremmen arrive at the motel and the priestess starts preparing for the ritual. She performs, and it is successful. A portal opens to where Veronica, Sara and the Black goat are held and Sara, Veronica and the Black Goat leap through. The Black Goat yells in frustration as the portal closes behind them, that if he can’t have Sara, no one can. The ogre soon shows up in the streets at the motel, and Veronica, Bremmen and Myzrael rush out to fight it.
Veronica yells for the priestess and Sara to flee, but they are unable to escape in time and Sara is killed by the ogre. The priestess, shaken and in grief, crawls to Sara and cradles her body, thinking that it should have been her who had died. Veronica, feeling grief and a sense of loss as well, wraps her arms around the priestess to comfort her. She looks up to see the priestess walk toward the ogre with her handgun.
Myzrael feels sadness and anger, feeling that it wasn’t fair for the child to die so early. He attacks the ogre furiously. Tears come to Arqus’s eyes at the thought that Sara is dead. Bremmen feels his pain and attacks the ogre as well. Their attacks are enough to bring it down, reducing it to the doll it once was. The priestess spits on it and kicks it down the sewers.
Meanwhile the Black Goat teleports to room 4. He realizes there were two Veronicas, while the priestess and Veronica share the same name, It would have been strange for him to refer to the priestess informally ‘unless she was someone else.’ He realizes that Veronica is the True Image. He then kicks away the stuff that the priestess used to summon the portal and then summons a very large and powerful demon called the ‘Moloch.’ A seal appears in front of the group outside of the motel, and the Moloch emerges.
Myzrael surrounds himself and the Moloch within a dome and fights using all of his power. While he falls in battle against the Moloch, he manages to cause some dents in its scaly armour. Arqus watches this in horror and doesn’t want to see Myzrael die. Bremmen ignores him, knowing that there’s nothing that they can do to help him. Nonetheless, by sheer willpower Arqus is able to move his body and start slashing away at the done, although his efforts are futile. The dome faded away, revealing the injured Moloch, now with patches of skin showing. Veronica and Arqus try hitting the small patches of flesh (although Veronica for some reason, hasn’t run out of ammunition by now), but it doesn’t seem to be doing as much damage as they’re hoping, although they’re weakening the demon.
Syl heads toward the scene of the fight, where it alights on a roof some distance away from the demon. It casts a long-range analytic spell on the area, and finds that Myzrael is fighting a demon from within the dome, and that it’s beating him to a pulp. It can’t really identify the demon as its information may not be accurate. It then flies off to another part of the town to speak with the cloaked figure. The cloaked figure appears and explains to Syl that it had noticed that Animus had ‘muddled its wits.’ It states that although they did help dark angels in the past (which explains Syl initially wanting Myzrael as an ally), some of them are ‘beyond saving’ or who just don’t want help. It taunted Myzrael to bring out another side to Syl – a much more logical and emotionally controlled side. Syl says in return that it can now control its emotions the others don’t need its assistance and that it trusts Veronica when she said that she can defend herself.
The cloaked figures tells it that it fears that Syl may under-estimate its own power, that it has a large reserve of spells and supernatural knowledge at its disposal but avoids using it. It says that it must use them as necessary, because if Syl doesn’t help them, they won’t be as likely to help it. Syl thanks it, and the cloaked figure mentions that they have more to talk about, like Syl’s past, the cloaked firgure’s identity and the Lord they serve. It then sends it off to find the group.
Bremmen meanwhile, finds a way to kill the demon by conjuring a needle and slipping it into the Moloch’s bloodstream through an open wound. The needle eventually find the demon’s heart. Veronica throws her shows at the demon to get it to chase after her, because if it starts moving, the needle will reach the heart faster. It works, and the demon chases after Veronica. Bremmen then gets the needle to the demon’s heart, then causes it to sprout roots. This fatally damages the demon’s heart and causes a nasty wound on its chest. The demon moans in agony as it dies.
Veronica hits the ground as she watches the Moloch die. She watches as the priestess emerges from one of the buildings. ‘It’s over,’ says Veronica. The priestess shakes her head, saying that it’s just began. Veronica suggests that they leave, but the priestess refuses, saying that she’ll stay here and do what she can.
Syl shows up as the demon lets out its last moans, sitting on a nearby roof. It compliments Bremmen on being able to kill to which Bremmen replies that he’s faced stronger Demons. Everyone then watches as Myzrael dies and disintegrates. Some distance away, the being who would later be known as V emerges from the shadows and disappears. He’s weakened, so he decides to avoid the group.
The priestess leads the group: Veronica, Bremmen and Syl, back to Room 4 to perform a ritual that will get them back to the present, saying that she will stay behind in the past and do what she can. As the priestess does the ritual, Syl asks to speak with Veronica, apologizing for not being there at the fight. Veronica says that its alright, just as the priestess finishes the ritual and gets the portal ready. Syl, Veronica, Bremmen enter, and a shadow which may be V sneaks in along with them.
The priestess heads back to the church and there meets Trace. He tells me that they must find a way to keep Sara’s soul or release it. An injured man then runs into the church, saying that the Black Goat’s army is coming. Trace tells the priestess to do what she can, and that he’ll hold off the Black Goat’s army for as long as possible. He then flies off, revealing that he has been involved in Animus’s past and knew some of the past inhabitants and history. The priestess then performs a ritual, which results in a light overtaking Sara’s body and a chalice becoming full of liquid. The priestess drinks it, and then feels something in her womb – Sara.
Room 4:
by Citizenmike
It was mid-afternoon as Johnny headed to room four with Trace, Daemon, and Anya. While the rest of the residents flocked to the church, Johnny thought it best to investigate room four. The room that linked all the residents together. The first drop of Animus that greeted them upon their arrival. Early on, tensions between Johnny, Trace, and Daemon grew.
Upon arriving at the room, they discovered a symbol etched beneath the bed. Trace vanished between the floors to another dimension as Daemon recited the incantation of the Purga lord. Upon completing the incantation, the world around them shifted into a hellish world that festered off their nightmares. During that time, Johnny had tried to contact Veronica via. handheld radio but was not able to connect. Trace soon rejoined them and revealed that they were sent into the future of Animus. With no other way to leave the motel, Trace opened a portal to the sewers, much to Johnny's dismay. It was in the sewers where they fought and defeated the Orge who held the key to room four, which apparently was the only way out. Once they defeated the Ogre, a portal to room four was open.
Motioning back inside, the group was surprised to discover that room four was resembled the room four of the past. The very same room they had first awoken in.
Quickly leaving the motel, the group set for the Crossroads. Making their way through the church, they were joined by a newcomer to the city, Mr. Psycho, who had reminded some of another resident, Tommy Tyrant. It was at the church where the group encountered a horde of giant spiders. Johnny used his guitar-shot gun to ward off what he could, while Trace displayed his abilities with katana. The spiders were defeated by shy Anya, who revealed her secret as a were-panther to the group.
The group passed through the cemetery, where Trace had mentioned that most of the graves were the unmarked graves on the city's current residents. Looking through the graves, Johnny found the grave belonging to a Sara Roth-Tavalera. Despite having probably known her, Trace brushed aside most of Johnny's inquiries and shifted the focus back to the Crossroads.
Once reaching the crossroads, Trace stood before and swore a deal with the Crossroads demon. The Crossroads Demon and Trace appeared to have been familiar with each other. Their familiarity caused for an interesting deal: For being transported back to their time, Trace would once again remember all his forgotten memories.
A white light surrounded the group and transported them back to room four. Stepping outside, the group was relieved to find themselves back in the Animus they knew. Trying to reach Veronica, Johnny spoke on the two way radio. Veronica replied telling him she was right behind him. Johnny turned back and ran to Veronica and met her with an embrace and kiss, much to the delight and disgust of Trace and Daemon.
With the rest of the church group coming in through the portal, Trace inquired what had happened. Veronica relayed to them the story of how the Black Goat took control of the city and how Myzrael sacrificed himself to save them from the Moloch. With Arqus' assistance, Veronica revealed to the group that she was once the Priestess of the city in her former life and that Sara was in fact her daughter. Trace listened in, knowing all these things as he mad lived through them himself.