Chapter 27: Archbishop's Sanctum
Lord Sovereign
The Emperor of shitty fanfic
- Location
- England
"Faith is a marvellous thing. It grants hope to those who struggle and peace to the dying. But blind faith? There lies the road to madness." Pope Paul VII answering the question of a worshipper, circa July 2014
XXVII
XXVII
Candles flickered in the dark, their light glinting off a golden cross mounted on an altar, a sword laid in front of it. Dimly they illuminated the grey floors and walls built with ancient stone. Above, only just visible in the gloom, was a glorious painted ceiling, of angels and men returning to their true source: God.
Before the altar and its golden cross, kneeling on the hard stones with eyes closed, was the owner of this sanctum. He was an ordinary looking man in an ordinary suit upon initial inspection, clearly no older then forty with short cut brown hair. But if you peered through the shroud of gloom, you could almost mistake the skin for being stretched and the face weathered indeed.
He was old. Older than many could imagine.
Gently, repetitively, his quiet and calm breath tickled his ears. The faint tang of wine taken in communion still touched his tongue, as the remnant of holy incense lingered in his nostrils.
The stones were harsh against his now hardened knees, which were as he wished.
When one lifts their thoughts to God, they must be reminded of the wickedness they stand on. That so many men of the cloth fail to understand this is a sad indictment of our fallen world.
The man quietly tutted, chastising himself from straying from his prayers. He could ill afford such lapses as plans accelerated and the day of Rapture came closer and closer; the Almighty's guidance had never more been needed.
My Lord God, show me the way. Ikari is wily and seeks to counter our movements. He may yet undo everything.
The Chapel's mighty wooden doors creaked open. He masked his wince well. Telltale footsteps, heavy and full of purpose, echoed off the stone floor.
His prayers would have to wait.
The man sighed, opened his brown eyes, and gently rose from his knees. Abruptly, the footsteps came to a halt.
"Forgive me, Excellency." Said a harsh voice. "I know you prefer a quiet church."
"It is no trouble. What is your need, my child?" The Archbishop of the Viaticum straightened out his suit and turned to face the intruder.
A man more bear than human stood there, save for his black business suit. Penance, the enforcer, stood at over six feet tall. His blue eyes burned with a zeal that left the faithless to cower and quail. Yet the Archbishop was unmoved by the vastness of a man who'd personally killed hundreds without compunction.
To the faithful, Penance is no danger. To me, he is a gentle son.
"There are a few issues, Excellency. Lorenz has asked for an audience. And a reliable source has informed me that some of our acolytes are having doubts." Penance said.
Issues indeed.
"Admit Kihl. We shall resolve his matters whilst conversing over the rest."
"As you wish, Excellency." Penance bowed his head then marched back out the door.
The Archbishop turned to look at the golden cross, standing proud on his altar, to steady his thoughts. That light and symbol stood strongest in this turbulent world. It was the rock in the storm for all those who had let Christ into the hearts, and that which revealed the road to Heaven.
Praise be to God.
Heavy footsteps echoed again, followed by two lighter and slower footfalls. They tried to be heavy and purposeful, but there was little strength in them.
Ah, Kihl. Age is a cruel master, isn't it?
The two men entered the room. Now at Penance's side stood an old man. Hunched and grey, he wore a visor to help his cloudy eyes. He wore his suit open, practical for a man of politics dashing from meeting to meeting.
Despite being the littlest and perhaps the lesser man in the room, to the world Chariman Lorenz was among the most influential people alive. As nominal leader of the United Nations he had clout others could only dream of.
Alas, his power was not as secure or far reaching as it should have been.
The scrolls of Megiddo speak only true. But there have been irregularities here and there. The rise of snapping hounds like Aurelian, like Vance, like Motichka, were not foreseen.
An unfortunate twinge of anger darted down his spine. The thought of all those fallen faithful among the blue helms, slain by that reprobate Aurelian some fifteen years before, disgusted him.
He will be left behind. See how your power prevails against God, "Princeps." The Rome you so admire fell before him too.
"Excellency." The two men bowed their heads, which the Archbishop returned.
"What has brought you to my sanctum, Kihl?" He said.
"It is Ikari, Excellency. More must be done." Kihl answered sharply.
"Ah." The Archbishop nodded. "And what do you suggest be done?"
"We should do as we have done thousands of times before: remove the heretic."
The Archbishop suppressed a chuckle. In Kihl's old face he still saw the sparkling eyes of a young initiate desperate for guidance. The man's humble zeal kept him going as his body fell apart, but sometimes it blinded him to more delicate approaches.
Among Kings and Emperors you are unseen, pulling strings perceptible only to you. But the faithless? Your wrath reveals itself.
"Could he be removed, Penance?" The Archbishop pondered aloud.
"Yes, Excellency. It would be difficult and take some time, but we could kill him…" Penance's face tightened as he dropped his gaze.
"Could?" A faint smile danced across the Archbishop's weathered lips. "Is the relentless Penance hesitant to smite a heretic?"
"No, Excellency. It would be done-"
"You are wise to be cautious." The Archbishop noted a candle flicker out and went to light it again. "Gendo Ikari likely has more countermeasures than Christ has followers. Should he be abruptly slain then at least one would be activated. No, we must tread with care."
"But something must be done, Excellency." Kihl pressed desperately. "That blasphemer undermines everything we do. And I fear that abomination he's created may be key to his plan to undo us. We could at least strike against that."
"Kill the First Child?" The Archbishop shook his head as he coaxed the little candle back to life. "It is a crime against God's creation, to be sure, but Ikari would only make another one."
"Then…what are we to do? His speeding the development of the dummy plug is obviously provocation to which we must respond." Kihl's shoulders began to droop in resignation.
"And our response would concentrate our resources elsewhere." The Archbishop said nonchalantly, as if Gendo's move were a well answered maths equation. "He has played his hand well."
Ironic. I ordered the deaths of billions, knowing what must be. And I would do so again. But this one well placed life we must tread so carefully around. He hid a small smile. God forgive me, but I enjoy the challenge.
"Then we must play his game for now." Growled Penance.
"Indeed." The Archbishop relit the candle then turned back to them. "Accelerate production of the MP Evas. If that must come at the cost of infiltrating Nerv, then so be it. The Lord's messengers will be enough, regardless of Ikari's plans."
Ah, our heralds. Their grand, glorious wings shall sweep over the world…
He looked up at the ceiling to try and imagine those massive beasts among the heavenly host. Then, as he stared, a thought came to him.
The hosts of Heaven…Lord you work in mysterious ways.
"What is the status of the new dreadnought program?" His question caught Penance and Kihl by surprise. The former tilted his head whilst the latter frowned.
"In excess of ninety percent, Excellency. They should be fully online in about a month's time." Kihl said, stroking his chin.
"And they are crewed by the faithful?"
"All critical staff walk the path."
"Excellent. Use your influence in the UN to get them deployed to Japan as soon as possible."
"As you wish. I shall alert the Japanese Parish to prepare for their arrival." The frown almost immediately lifted on Kihl's gnarled old face.
Gendo Ikari could not refuse three of the most powerful FCV's ever built being added to his arsenal, all whilst knowing the Viaticum now had the means to keep a closer eye on him. As if that was not enough, now hundreds of acolytes had the chance to interact with and slip into Levav Base.
In the Archbishop's eyes it was perfect.
"With that matter concluded-" He switched his attention to Penance. "You wished to speak of faith wavering in a few?"
Penance nodded. "Yes, Excellency. I have the names of some four dozen who have strayed from the path. And a further handful of intelligence agencies have operatives sniffing too closely."
"Agent Kaji?"
"Not yet, I believe."
"Good. Let him carry on. His obsession is of use to us. The Reconciliation have my full authority to silence the rest."
"It will be done."
To order a person's death was a curious thing. That you could reach out and kill whomever you so desired could become a dangerously intoxicating idea. The Archbishop trusted to the Lord that he would not slip. In his Holy cause he killed when he had to and no more.
Alas that he often had to kill.
Blood alone will earn His forgiveness. Sacrifice will grant us Eden. And I will make as many sacrifices as need be to free mankind from this miserable purgatory.
'If that will be all' was on the tip of his tongue, until he saw Kihl weakly open and close his mouth, hands fidgeting in his deep pockets.
"Kihl, my son. I sense you have something else to say?"
The old man took a breath. "Yes. With respect, would it not have been wise to place the Lamb and Deliverer together earlier? Rapture approaches, and he must bond with her or else her sacrifice cannot illuminate him. If the Final Consecration fails…"
"A valid question." The Archbishop's hand gently drifted over the blade before the altar. "Matters have moved a little quicker than anticipated. Regardless of how quickly we can move her to Japan, the situation remains imperfect. But have faith, Kihl. This is God's plan and all will go as according to His design. Both Lamb and Deliverer have already been adequately prepared for their roles. Does that put your mind at ease?"
"It shall have to, Excellency."
"Good." The Archbishop let his gaze linger on the glinting blade for a few moments more. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must return to my prayers."
"Of course. Ad Dei Glorium." Kihl and Penance murmured, then bowed their heads and left. Their footsteps echoed until the doors creaked shut. The Archbishop was alone.
He again turned to that great golden cross, that great gleaming symbol of all he held dear, and knelt before it. His knees scuffed against the hard stone, beneath which where buried many bodies of the faithful.
In that respect, in the company of the dead, he was never truly alone.
This was the Viaticum's most sacred site, where the Flesh of God had been found and received. Where the future had been laid open to those who could see.
To be buried here was a high honour indeed.
As he gave thanks to his Lord for that touch of inspiration, the Archbishop thought of those beneath his feet. Of even the skeletons slowly turning to dust and corruption. Regardless of their deeds, or their standing in life, this was the fate of all.
Directly beneath him was a knight, a warrior of the Third Crusade. To his left an acolyte who'd stood at the arrogant Sun King's side in the court of Versailles. And to his right, a humble financier who had managed to protect the Viaticum's wealth in 1929.
All good men he missed so dearly.
Their cruel fates were the price of Adam and Eve's foolishness. That which had cast them and all their heirs out of where mankind truly belonged.
Not for much longer. The homecoming had long been overdue. Eden called to her wayward children.
Soon, he and all mankind would be free of this mortal, flawed, coil.
Soon all would return to the one supreme being from which they all came. And there, embraced in the body of God, there would be no pain, no death, just endless joy.
And he would do whatever it took, spill however much blood was needed, to achieve it.
If evil must be done to shatter this fleeting existence, to lift the veil between us and our Creator, then is it truly evil?
