In the shanty town marketplace, beach side, edged by carnival and filled with history's fashion mixed with others in dirty rough cloaks. A wide and beaten dirt path leads to Sanctuary's massive gates closing with a deep sound.
The denizens turn to see. Stilt walking guards looming over the crowds adjusts the scopes set in their eyes, then turn signalling to each other. Airships load for departure, bell towers sound, shops begin to close.
____
Deep in a thick forest trees mixed with the rest turn with the sound of cracking timber and the slam of heavy unseen gears. A violent after-shake and the departing of crows.
Mab ~
Human in appearance, but clockwork in origin and adornment. Her tendency to wince and hunch at the same time is due to gearing, as are most of the combinations of her natural responses.
She has on her fingers similar claws as Nyx, but bass and geared within.
She stands up a short flight of six steps in front of a geared wall, six by twelve feet, staring angrily down at an unknown, out of view at the base of the stairs.
Turning away to the wall in disgust, she shortly turns an eye back to see if it's still there.
The unseen thing is ...
She stares back at the unknown offense and with a low drone, begins to turn her body toward it to match her eyes.
Mab - "T'nuanda d'petr d'noll ..." Her eyes start to wedge as her shoulders hunch forward "Semolla ... t'pah-kah ! !T'Kaaaaa !"
She ends in a crow's echoing shriek as the gears of Mab's wall turn, with it the trees of her forest behind it, limbs snapping and cracking into place with the deep sounds of breaking trees.
At the base of the steps is a small circle in which something may have once been, but Mab appears satisfied with it's non-existence now, turns again to the wall.
She begins staring off into it's churning gears while picking a tooth with her claw, teeth grinding, still hunched, lost ...
Beyond the platform, a simple wooden fence gate without a fence, and path leading to. Surrounding is no other structure but the woods and a long table with only two chairs at either end.
The chair closest to Mab is considerably more elaborate, the other, polite in comfort, but barely just.
Lucretia grows quietly in the empty small clearing at the base of the steps, where whatever the offense once was.
Lucretia - "What was that ?"
With a gasp of terror Mab drops a spring from her dress at the sound of Lucretia's sudden voice behind her.
Her eyes open quickly to nervous delightment as she remembers her opinion of Lucretia.
Mab - "What was what, dear ? It's nothing, I'm sure. How are you ?"
She ends with a small squeak as she forces her mouth shut, adjusting from bitter stooped shoulders to a proper posture.
Mab - Turning to see Lucretia's face one foot from hers, "Coffee ?"
Lucretia - "No time. I'm sure you've heard I'm the caretaker for the duration of the trial."
Mab - "Of Course !" She lied.
Lucretia - "Well. We need something special. Something dad won't foresee."
Mab - "Do we hate him now ?"
Lucretia - "No. But we may still have to defend against the investigators."
Mab - "Ah, yes ..." mouthing, eyes off to the side "... in ... vest ... i ... ga ... ting ... but the Forge !"
Lucretia - "Yes !" Lucretia spouts in glee, "It's ours !"
Mab - With a hop, "Just in time for the harvest !"
A sprocket drops from under her dress and rolls away, briefly distracting them both as it spirals around them loudly, then falls over.
Lucretia - With a sudden brightness, "Yes ! Meet me there !" and she's gone in a wisp of leaves.
Turning away Mab catches a falling leaf and tucks it into her brassiere with a tiny secret smile, then resumes picking her teeth, posture proud. Then a short exhale.
Turning back she sees the pile of leaves and twigs.
Mab - With disgust, "Eck. I hate plant matter."
She returns to pick at her teeth with claw and with a tiny jolt of the gears and shake of wood, it's gone.
_____________
In Heaven, Nyx's clawed hand.
In front of her, a torn and twisted gate of gold, rips in space revealing other worlds once secret, fallen pillars and rubble. Beyond is a shattered throne. Angels gather and care for wounded. She drops her old boots, loudly landing next to the new ones on her feet, they turn.
Nyx - "Gabril."
Mikal stands from tending to a broken angel, while Samal marches forward aggressively.
Samal - "Not here. Why are you ?"
Nyx - "Looks like I'm here to kill you Sammy"
Mikal - "Wait ! Please Nyx. Please. No more."
Nyx - Still staring at Samal, "Gabril."
Mikal - "He's not here. He's gone. He lost control ... he disappeared after he did this, but his ...
Nyx - Interrupting, "His presence is felt but his substantiation is gone. I get it."
Samal - Leans in with his height over Nyx, staring down. "And why do we tolerate this one ?"
Mikal - Exhausted, "Because she is an investigator, and is empowered to kill you if you block her way."
Nyx - "I don't need it." Smiles, claws twitch.
Mikal - Eyes wincing, "... and because without God there is no one to appoint your replacement ..." A cracking sound "... meaning it will automatically defer to your predecessor ..." Gurgling "... Lucifer." A thump.
Nyx - Atop the dead angel, smiling at him with her hand in Samal's chest from under the sternum "Whatcha gonna do Michael ? Wanna watch ?" Sternum crack.
_____________
Nameless sits on the steps halfway down the mountain, drinking from the flask cane, sweating in the sun.
Lucifer - Appears twisting from fire next to him. "Guess what ?"
Nameless - He begins unscrewing the three sections from his flask-can "You're here to carry me down the mountainside ?" Hands Lucifer the central one.
Lucifer - Stares at him blankly. "No." Takes and drinks. "Oh ... this is good ... It's a thing they say about you, you know."
Nameless - "I do know. So do I have to guess again ?"
Lucifer - Takes another sip. "Mmm. Please do."
_____________
Lucretia's eyes flicker into focus as she takes in the rooms data, revealing her to be AI. She grows vines into form as she takes in the information around ~
A dusty old church, pews torn out, arrow slit windows with beams of colored light over the dust in the air from their stained glass.
On the raised platform where would be a pulpit is a throne like chair. A low marble throne with each leg carved with the head of an Ezekiel beast at it's knee, more reclined than the average royal seat.
The room extends impossibly far behind the chair into darkness.
Lucretia - She whispers wistfully as she draws her hand across the chair's velvet arm cushioning, "... older than the naming ... "
Lucretia - Circling the throne, dragging her fingers along it's smooth curves, "... I know you'd want me to sit in it ... you wouldn't want me to sit in it all the time, but you'd want me to at least once. To show myself I'm committed."
With it's big sweeping arms hugging the seated in velvet, one would feel as though they could curl up and read a book or rule the universe on the same day.
Her father's chair ...
Lucretia - "Okay !", she says suddenly and aloud with a start at the sound of the echo into the endless chambers. Whispering, "Okay ...", she glides towards and into the arms of ...
Nameless - Her father's voice loudly in the air. "Lucretia !"
Lucretia - She jumps up with a very loud scream, the echo takes flight down endless empty halls ... the chapel much larger inside than out.
____
Nameless - On a cell phone next to Lucifer who seems concerned he'll break it, ringing. "Of course she's going to make me wait." with a roll of his eyes, mouthing with a sarcastically bobbing head, "She's in charge now."
Lucifer makes his disinterest apparent as he drinks.
____
Lucretia - When the echo finally dissipates ... "Yes ?"
Nameless - "Hi. Apparently Gabril blew up Heaven and flew away. We think he knows things so we're going bird hunting. If I were him, I'd try to hide there. Have you called the armies into formation yet ?"
Lucretia - A wide eyed pause ... "Of course I have ! And yours ? I'd imagine they make a wonderful field."
____
Nameless - "Oh yes, of course ..." He looks around. "Lot's of tokens."
Lucifer snickers and looks away, showing they're in the shadow of the tower, halfway down the stairs and away from view of the field.
____
Vines grow from the seeds of the apple Lucretia had tossed off the side, beyond them a mayhem of myths and monsters, some squabbling, some fighting, none orderly beyond their own, and therein just barely.
____
Lucretia - "Indeed they are many. It must be very hard to keep track of them all. Well. Off to the Forge then ! Thanks for the warning and good luck !"
Nameless - "Yes ... thank you ... Lucretia ?" A wait with no reply, "Damn it !" He smashes the phone down the mountainside, while Lucifer looks after it in dismay, then away coldly drinking.
_____________
Hippolyta Placing her hand over Pipsiveya's across a chess board, "Every move is delicate.", she whispers. "Every action must be correct and honest." She moves the piece with the smaller hand underneath. "So what is honest yet incorrect, we choose not to do."
Pipsiveya - With a smile, "So we stare in silence."
Hippolyta - "Yes. We are all weak. You, me and our opponents. Everyone carries weakness within."
Pipsiveya - "So we make strong choices and let their weakness betray them."
Hippolyta - "Silently." She moves her own piece.
Pipsiveya - "I wanted to kill that piece."
Hippolyta - "It was unwise. Incorrect."
Pipsiveya - "But I still feel like I wanted that. And now that time's gone ..."
Hippolyta - Places her hand over her daughters again and guides it. "Use that desire to remove this one instead. My flank is blocked and now I will suffer your wrath for it."
They both smile wickedly across the board in their tent, with open flaps showing nameless feet, pants and shoes now muddy, them in view, normal shots from there on.
Nameless - "May I ?"
Hippolyta - "Of course ! You are welcome." Looks to Pipsiveya "Honesty."
Nameless - Bows to the oracle, "Did you get your ice cream ?"
Pipsiveya - "We did. Lucifer paid. I had minty chip, Lucifer had rocky road and mommy had Neapolitan. No one else came." She leans in close, "But the maiden wanted to."
Nameless - "So did I. Sprinkles ?"
Pipsiveya - "They were many."
Nameless - "Excellent. And do you prefer that I call you 'oracle' or by your name ?"
Pipsiveya - "My name is Pipsiveya. I'm thirty four-seasons old, which is eight and a half years. But I was born an oracle. Conce-eeee-ived an oracle."
Nameless - "Perfect. You wisdom is intrinsic and your mathematics are sound."
Pipsiveya - "Thank you !" She answers brightly.
Nameless - "And as such it is you, Pipsiveya," with a bow "who I think should interrogate Gabril at Sanctuary."
Pipsiveya - "He's already there." She says proudly with her wide smirk high in the air.
Nameless - Assumes her tone in agreement. "It's the only place obligated to protect him. They have to."
Pipsiveya - "I know. Mommy told me the story of the mouse who cried Sanctuary."
_____________
In a medieval pub, nameless on fire with horned helm, Hippolyta and others drunk and laughing as he trusts a burning sword forward to the bar
Nameless - "You have been forgiven your crimes and I will defend your honor, but if you continue to do harm it is by My honor that I must Kill you."
A mouse on the bar shrinks back and drops a piece of cheese taken from the nameless' plate and meeps "Sanctuary !"
Everyone goes quiet, eyes wide.
_____________
Back to the tent.
Nameless - "She told you that ?"
Pipsiveya - "She tells everyone that story, but not all of it of course."
Nameless eyes go wide. Hippolyta smiles and moves a piece.
Pipsiveya - "But I can make Gabril talk, right ? He's a suspect."
Nameless - "No. He's insane. So be nice. He's very sad. Of all his brothers I think he loves his Father the most."
Her expression turns to sad awe and comprehension.
Hippolyta - Looks up from the board, looking at Pip's side. "But the tributes will betray Sanctuary if he seeks it."
Nameless - "They'll have to." Looking to Pipsiveya, "Hopefully if you go before them, maybe they won't go there at all because no one's going to question your word."
Pipsiveya - A fierce look, "And live."
Hippolyta - "Shhh ... silence Pip. Remember silence."
Wicked grins.
Hippolyta - "We agree."
Nameless - Grin back, "Good. There's a way past the gate waiting. Go to Legba. I'm going to work on getting the living world agitated. If the tributes war with the world, all the world will need to do is turn it's guns."
_____________
Persephone - Musing to the bluish corpse seated at the dinner table, "Dearest husband, you truly are starting to turn ... I think it's time to be rid of you completely."
Hades - "Pre-se-pho-neee." he voice crackled, "What ... have you done ?"
Persephone - "I've killed you. Finally. But you only know that because I just gave you the life force of this piece of fruit to borrow. A pomegranate." She holds one up, drained and devoid of color. "Get it ? Anyway. Shut up. That's not what I'm talking about."
Hades - Beginning again, "Pre-se..."
She punches him in the mouth sending the heavy dining chair he's tied sliding across the dining hall.
Persephone - "Shush. Anyway I went to a library yesterday. Because I can do things now, right ? And did you know how many celebrated human paintings and sculptures have titles beginning with 'Rape of' or 'Abduction of' ?"
A pause while he stares confused.
Persephone - "Neither do I, but let me tell you, there are many. I saw them in books. You've heard of those."
Hades - "How did you ...", he wheezes on.
Persephone - She screams "! I told you to Shut Up !" kicking the chair another three feet into a stone pillar, shattering both and showering him in rubble.
The echo is new to them, far and wide stretching down empty corridors, tunnels and caves, they are completely alone. A silent awe is shared.
Persephone - Returning her stare, "I was going to tell you that, so shush. Now of all of these depictions, do you know how many show me being raped or abducted by you ?"
She stares waiting for his interruption but there's only terrified eyes watching from a broken drained body and jagged breath.
Persephone - "Many." she continues. "But here's the funny thing." with twisted sarcasm and a twitch of the head. "Your name isn't in the title of any of them. Did you know that ?"
He stares.
Persephone - "Because as it turns out, having now 'read' of the others, this is the least interesting afterlife of all. As could only be conceived of your mind. A giant. Empty. Cave. With a river in it. And a boat."
She stares back at him with a furnace in her eye waiting for him to speak. Wanting him to as her fists begin to clench.
He does not.
Persephone - "So. The ... short of it is, no one cares about you, or this place, at all. I'm the only thing here anyone talks about at all. So I had an epiphany. And stabbed you in the back with your mother's blade in the first available second it could actually work. To kill death. A lovely blade. I can see why you carried it wherever you go. I'm going to go return it to her ... right now !"
She drags the long blade along the dinner table as she picks it up.
Persephone - "And. I also researched the many ways to turn methane into explosives, and well, this is a land of the dead so ..."
She looks at the brightly colored digital watch on her wrist which she clearly got in a fast food meal.
Persephone - Continuing, "... in one minute and seventeen seconds this place will cave in beyond an archaeologist’s worst nightmare. You however have just over three minutes left of life in you so those last couple of minutes are really going to suck. I want you to spend that time thinking about what you've done."
He watches her walk away from him forever, heels clicking into the darkness.
__________________
The desert plain ~
Nameless stands at the bus stop, the driver in his seat, the door open. He looks suspiciously while nameless points his transfer to his pocket watch and gestures 'Come on ...'
The driver looks at him like he's crazy.
Nameless squints his eyes cruelly ...
__________________
Titania ~
She sits in Renaissance attire, matching outdoor chambers with flowered vines and lattice work. Leaning forward in a single raised throne, white and gold, wrapped in roses, she examines a poorly dressed peasant, hands tied behind his back.
Titania - "You have broken your laws of physics by coming here, and no doubt your mind will be punished upon your return." She looks deeply into the eyes of that day's meal, a wanderer nearly starved.
____
In his eyes he sleeps under a cherry tree.
____
Titania - "It's impossible for you to be here and yet ... here you are ! A crime against nature."
She stands to descend her throne's stairs.
Titania - "And we exist as a crime against yours !"
Wanderer - "So destruction is intrinsic. Here you're peaceful, but there ..."
Titania - Walks within inches of his eyes. "If we were to live in your world, You all would die. Sad human beast plant animal fish flea whatever you are, then your planet. System. Galaxy. Universe. Everything would become us."
Wanderer - "Then this is a place you've already destroyed ..."
Titania - Giggles into a mild stoop barely missing his nose with hers as one hair touches his forehead. "Oh thank Mab you're smarter than the last one ... but No. This place only has one law and it happens not to conflict."
Wanderer - "Except when it does."
Titania - A smile ... "You know ... I might just sleep with you tonight ..." Eyeing him over, "What's your name ?"
Wanderer - "Oberon."
____________
On the plains the bus driver wanders wanders stumbling toward the armies, shirt stripped behind him, he stops.
The Bus Driver - Looking at the gathered, he raises fists to the sky for war and screams "! Har-Megiddo !" to the roaring response of monsters and drum.
