~ Act 4 ~
[Saviors of the Soul]
True love is impenetrable.
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:O: Theodore's Perspective :O:
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I knew it, I just *knew* it… We're dealing with a B-class gorgon, an expert in the line of duty. Such tactic and skill… This is definitely one of the church's headhunters.
Though something stands out about this one's craft:
Laziness, perhaps a lack of inspiration. The will is there, but… This somehow feels…
*…slip, clomp-clomp…clomp, clomp, clomp…* The Old Man probably. Forcing others to dirty their hands, while he lounges about, sipping tea, munching on biscuits and wetting his pecker… Jackasses like that give all men a bad image. Humph—!
I'll worry about that dilapidated pervert later. *…bonk, creek…clomp…* I can only take one step… That's strange. Why am I hesitating? Better yet…
…I'm not sensing Stuart's existence… Is it as I feared. The headhunter gave us the slip, which is primarily our fault. *…clomp, clomp, creek…clomp-clomp-clomp-clomp…*
The investigation is over. A rendezvous is in order.
…I know where the headhunter took them. My existence is a reliable tracker, indeed.
Humph—! Amusing, such gaudiness is unfitting of a cleric.
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:O: ?'s Perspective :O:
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Wonderland, a place where dreams come true. Where the young and old gather, enjoying festivities only the church can provide for them. Humph—!
…Nothing but a deathtrap… Only nightmares lie therein, not "dreams".
There's at least two or three Wonderland theme parks in each of the seven continents. The world island, Afro-Eurasia, leads by short of a dozen. The Americas are behind two or three, since they were discovered a few hundred years after the church was formed… That and the Old Man views Americans as an "inferior civilization".
Feh—! What a joke. Xenophobic prick thinks too much of himself.
Don't get me wrong. There's nothing bad about being proud of one's country, but pride becomes ugly when… Well, I don't know *what* to make of that man.
…I had a feeling Back Door Man would proceed as such. Deadly like his mother and aunts, crafty like his father… Gorgons are known to be seductive, but his father—*that* little fast bastard. Phew—! What a mix, this one.
No "wonder" his gears are wet with oil.
Still, as a man of science, I can't help but intrigue… Love, a powerful and frightening thing… For better or worse, love is a weapon in the hands of the passionate. Love can unite nations just as much as it can destroy them. To this extent, love is dangerous.
…Love is impenetrable—like a hard stone, durable and resistant. This one emotion will make for an incredible spectacle… Boss Lady, Doctor, Young Father, show me the extent of your love. Many lives depend on it. So, please…
…Let your existences bloom this eve. Beautifully!
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:O: Natalie's Perspective :O:
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*…s-h-e-e-m…shoom!...* …You, again… Talk about an eccentric sweetheart. Always encouraging your juniors… Thank you, my senior and partner.
I humbly accept your feelings.
Currently, I'm seconds away from Stuart's room. Folklore deems vampires as messy and ravenous, a common misconception… Vampires are quite accurate and precise, capable of overcoming any odds with a little brain power. Also, the air is innately ours to control, so maneuvering through cramped hallways is nothing to us.
*…s-h-e-e-m…shoom!…*
Unfortunately, I can't fly at top speed. That would ruin everything caught in my sonic boom. Thus, I keep close to the ground and maintain a velocity of 20 mph. Any higher than that, and… Put it to you this way: The last thing I want in my hair is a mad Irishman.
…Room 39652… Time to land. *…clomp-clomp…* I do so an inch away from the entrance, where I notice—wait, the door's already open? Also, this existential force… *…clomp, clomp, clomp, slip…* I was right… Paddington's here.
I'd recognize the doctor from a mile away. "Why are you standing around, old boy?"
"—He's gone… We were too late." I flick the light switch on and observe Stuart's bed… He's right. The headhunter pulled a fast one on us.
I frustrate, "Damned weasel, making fools of the elderly! Of all the nerve…"
Suddenly, we receive a bit of a surprise: Theodore phases through the floor, utilizing his innate alchemic abilities with flash and flair!
*…cronk, cronk, cronk!...s-h-r-o-o-m…* Instant transmutation. As expected of one contracted with the earth itself… Surely he comes with good news.
"What did you find out, TJ?"
"…No time to explain. Our destination is the local Wonderland park.
Furthermore, I've a plan. One that will win this battle for sure." A sure-win plan from one half of the dynamic Hurricane? My, my, my… This should be interesting, indeed.
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:O: White Album's Perspective :O:
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Dublin, Ireland… I dread wording that name even in thought. Never did understand the Count's unusual preferences. This place… Typical, selecting a city that stands out.
The capital of the Republic of Ireland.
Around these parts, citizens are either drunk on alcohol or drunk in spirit.
Dublin is primarily an Infinity settlement, but we've a Wonderland in these parts. The local government tries their best to close the park, but never succeeded… The Count won't allow them to. Wonderland is but one of our lucrative investments. Should any of them be shut down, our finances would suffer. Thus… We shut *them* down, preemptively.
This is the reason why we selected Back Door Man for the job. He's the weakest of the clergy, but not one to be trifled with or taken lightly… That young man, despite his licentious and enticing nature, is so smart that he's a fool. This leads him to seasons of arrogance that pit him against his own self, and then… Ah, kukukuku…
Terrifying misfortunes befall his victims… One who lives by desire and passion is easily felled by his all-seeing eyes. Therefore, this night—Infinity, how will you survive an existence that preys upon what you treasure the most?
…Ah, kukuku… We will find out soon enough.
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:O: Back Door Man's Perspective :O:
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Tch—! Fucking square-ass fossil… Bet he's lurking about the old cemetery accumulating post-mortem energy, or perhaps lounging in darkness… Either way, it doesn't matter. I hate cats like him, all talk and no action.
Though I must admit, what he pulled off with the landline—that was impressive. Couldn't even sense the thing at first… The difference in our power no doubt.
…Man, how embarrassing…
Still, it's nothing I can't overcome. All I have to do is get stronger and teach the square a lesson. I am a gorgon, after all, and gorgons are feared killers of men… Not even a cleric of his class could hope to survive my petrification, necromancer or not.
This place—Wonderland… These theme parks hold a special place in my heart.
…Salvia, my love…
*…crump, crump, crump…crump-crump-crump…* I remember the first time I met you. It was at a Wonderland in the Americas… The thrilling sounds of human enjoyment, the sweet smells, the delicacies, the soul—we could feel it in the air, we could feel it a-l-l around us. Everything was groovy… Everything was solid *cool,* baby!
That was… before—no, no… I can't think about that right now. Still got scary things to do to my buds here… Phew—! Man, has it been fun so far!
No… Who am I trying to fool here? *…flap, flap…* Just looking at these two, immortalized in stone, restrained in cages… Cat can't help but feel blue. These bad vibes are really cramping my style… So not cool, baby, so not cool.
"Hey, Sweet Face, Big Ben, if you can hear me in there—" Wait, hold the phone and stop the presses. What am I doing here?
If I start being all nice, the vibe will be all wrong. Then, I'll hear from that square White Album again, as if he doesn't hound me enough. Bulldog-looking chickenshit, the worst; the Count's precious little brownnosing bottom bitch… Cats like me know a-l-l the juicy stuff, so they keep me around. It's either that, or… Mu, shushushushu…
What can I say? I've got the scoop that makes the fossils droop.
*…glisten!…* Existential force… Two of them… Hmm…
—Gut's telling me this is Infinity to the rescue, but… Aren't there three of 'em?
Tch—! Probably somewhere plotting against me. Old squares always have alternatives, while cats like me are left with scraps. Maybe that's why I joined the movement back then… Oh well, better get ready for their worst.
*…clap, clap, clap, clap…* I'll leave Big Ben and Sweet Face alone until then. Lovers need their together time, after all. What a shame… The old squares are going to come and ruin it. Looks like my hard work's going up in smoke. Mu, shushushushu!
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:O: Stephen's Perspective :O:
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*…clomp, clomp, clomp…slid…*
—We're here… Wonderland…
*...w-h-o-o-s-h…rog, rog…* Humph… The wind rarely blows this hard in Dublin. Also, the entry gate is taped off. Hmm…
…There's a sign. "Closed for maintenance" it says. You'd think the Old Man wouldn't let Gideon behave so messily… Feh—! "Closed for maintenance" my old arse.
"What is this, a joke? The Old Man is a skinflint, so I'm not buying it." Kate's right about that. The Old Man is stingy and cautious with his money… *One* of these parks closing down would be murder on his soul, never mind two or more.
*...crackle, r-i-p!...* This tape is nothing but a lie. Despicable shower of gobshites… It's best ripped down… *…rip, rip, r-i-p, r-i-p…* I'm sick of it. I'm *sick* of their lies… *…rip-rip-rip-rip, r-i-p!...* —EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM!
*…w-h-o-o-s-h, clap-clap-clap-clap!…* "Paddy, get ahold of yourself, please!"
Kate's voice… What did I just—?
"—?!" My fingernails—*claws*?!
…Oh, good Lord… What came over this old soul?
Did I just lapse for a second there?
…Aye… Aye, I did.
"…It's alright, calm down. I'm here with you." Kate places her hand on my shoulder, her voice warm. I receive her feelings, but it's hard for me to accept them… Nothing's "alright". Millions are suffering, and there's little we can do to alleviate their pain.
As a doctor, a healer of the ailed and wounded, my heart… It's aching… The clerics—they were once virtuous, kindhearted souls. Turned on everyone, even me, in the blink of an eye… Homicide, genocide, provocations of suicide… *...r-o-g, rog, r-o-g…* The madness of the Old Man's existence turned them all.
I'm pushing this gate open as if I'm not afraid. *…r-o-g…clang!…*
However, for the people…
"Kate, we're going."
"Yes, for Infinity." *…clomp, clomp, clomp, clomp…* I shouldn't be this afraid. I've done this many times before, so I really shouldn't be turning white like this, though… Even if I *weren't* scared, I'd still be whiter than my granny's mushroom soup.
…I… crack jokes when I'm uncertain about something. To hide my pain. To keep the fact that I'm scared stiff hidden from everyone… even myself…
"I'm here with you, Paddy." Aw, Kate, come on. Let your paddy toughen up… I'm battle-ready all the time, cocksure at my best, but that's most vampires for you. Kate's probably one of the only vampiresses that can keep her ego under wraps.
"Many thanks, old lassie. Still…
…Can you blame me? Me being a man of the coat and all."
"From the cloth to the coat, I've seen better, I've seen worse.
…Courage is another form of love. For yourself.
Paddy, even if this place is—" *…w-h-o-o-s-h…clomp-clomp-clomp, clomp…* Well, well, well, looks like Theodore was right… An ambush. About a dozen of vampires, probably Newbloods from the way they act.
I can feel their existences… Cannon fodder, all of them. Nothing but a set of E-class expendables making trouble for the elderly. "Sorry, but we're in a hurry…
…Could you all kindly step aside? It'd mean a lot."
*…h-i-s-s, hiss-hiss-hiss-hiss…h-i-s-s…* These cocky little sprogs are drunk with power at *their* level? Humph—! Well… To be expected of newbloods, I suppose.
"Paddy, remember the plan?"
"Aye, Kate, I do." My fingernails are still sharp… It was my blood that made me lapse for a spell. The bloodstream synchronizes with the spirit, mutates the cellular structure, and creates these things… *…g-l-o-w…* I was born to fight in my own way, and, with these hands, with my dearest friend… These eyes lit with bloodlust… "God, have mercy on these poor souls… because… because…
…The doctor's in…" A sinister smile decorates my face!
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:O: Natalie's Perspective :O:
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…They come… "*Kill the traitors*!"
*…clomp-clomp-clomp-clomp, swift!…* Slow… As expected from newbloods, but—they're just a group of juvenile delinquents.
*…clomp!, swift-swift, BAM!…* "GAH—!" TJ sensed newbloods in the area, lots of them, enough to make a small army. He specifically asked us to spare their lives, preventing them from fighting at best. *…C-R-A-S-H!...* Paralysis is the most we can do to preemptively cease any unnecessary violence.
Most vampires fight with their fists. Paddy and I are no exception, but he tends to show off a lot more than me. "Look alive sprogs, OR FALL—!" *…BASH, BASH, BASH!…* "What is this? You silly newbloods…
…You're *shaming* yourselves out here. Fight us like you mean it!" Honestly, I don't think I've seen Paddington this spirited since… The Black Blood Rebellion. A time best left in the past… A tragic age. One I still have nightmares about to this very day.
Thinking of the past will have to wait until later… "Tah—!" *…BAM!...*Taking care of these newbloods comes first… *…CRASH!…* They fall so easily. One punch and they're floored… Ironically, I'm pulling my fists more than I'm pushing them. I even retracted my claws to focus more on overpowering them.
*…swift-swift-swift, s-o-a-r!...* They're hungry, resilient, but not as much as they *should* be. It's almost as if—yes, perhaps that's it… These newbloods weren't sent to kill us. They were deployed as a diversion. How strange…
…Is the headhunter trying to keep us at bay?
*…swift, s-o-a-r…* "Yah—!" *…BAM, BAM-BAM, BAM!…* That would've been the perfect strategy if Theodore weren't so accurate… He knows Paddington and I wouldn't last against a gorgon. So, he had us cover the field, while he goes for the gold… I can sense it from here—a formidable existence, an impressive territory, all the makings of an inspiring grandstand… My love, I hope you know what you're doing.
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:O: The BLOOD Saga: NIGHT :O:
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