Disclaimer: See the Prologue

I've been meaning to do a file based on the relationship between the Combine and Keel Lorenz, but I didn't know where to begin. But thanks to your reviews, here it is…

- GamerJay


File #12 – The Root of all Evil


The Universal Union, which can be considered to be the most evil presence in the universe, practically controls half of it. Consuming entire worlds and enslaving whole species, they will stop at nothing until they control every speck of life that exists.

At the beginning of the 21st Century they invaded the world known as Xen, The resulting war shattered the planet, literally fragmenting it. It's guardians, the aliens known as the Angels, were thrown down to Earth, where they manifested themselves into the planet, fearing that the Union would come after them.

In pursuing the Angels, they found their hiding place and saw it as an opportunity…to take it over by force. They had locked onto the 1st Angel Adam, buried in Antarctica. But they had also saw an expedition of humans, among them a man with so much evil in his heart, who wished to seek redemption.

That man was Keel Lorenz, the future chairman of SEELE, which was the entity known as the G-Man's organisation, which would (to his knowledge) betray him.


"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The middle-aged man screamed as pain racked his whole body, feeling like some parts of it was missing. He was blind and he felt like he was on fire.

Keel Lorenz and the other members of the Katsuragi Expedition had just found the 1st Angel known as Adam, an alien lifeform embedded into Antarctica. Immediately afterwards, the Angel self-destructed, which caused both a bright light and a massive shockwave that completely destroyed the frozen continent.

'Why am I alive?' he thought amidst his pain.

Suddenly, the pain slowly dulled and all that could be heard in the darkness was Keel's slow breathing.

'I think I'm dead now,' he thought again.

"You are far from it," an echoing voice cut through his thoughts.

Suddenly, his heart rate begun to accelerate. Someone was here with him and he couldn't see him. Fear slowly overtook him.

"Who's there?" he cried, "Who is that?"

He then thought of something more important to say…

"Where am I?"

A flash of white light overtook him and a second later he swore he could see again. He was standing on what appeared to be clouds.

And right before him was a 17-year-old boy dressed in white. He was brown-haired with a blond streak down the middle with blue eyes.

"Greetings, Keel Lorenz," the young man said smiling, "Welcome to our sanctuary."

Keel's eyes widened, "Is this Heaven?"

"If that is what you mortal call it, then it is," the boy replied warmly.

"Am I dead?" Keel asked, repeating what he thought.

The boy shook his head, "But your physical body has sustained massive injury."

"Physical body!" Keel exclaimed.

"This is your soul here on this plane of existence," the boy said, "Don't worry, your body is in a safe place, being restored as we speak."

"Why am I here?" Keel asked.

The boy's tone of voice was changed to that of seriousness, "You are here because you are the only one who can save humanity now."

"What?"

"You and your overcurious companions have released one of those creatures that have been incorrectly called 'Angels'," the boy explained, "And only you can correct this."

Keel was devastated. He had doomed the Earth.

He fell to his knees before the boy.

"What have we done?" he moaned, "We should have listened to…"

"Keel," the boy said, sympathy in his voice, "You cannot blame yourself for this tragedy. It wast Katsuragi's error, as he should have taken heed to the warnings given to him."

Keep looked up at the boy and nodded slowly, before getting up on his feet.

"How…how can I save the human race?" Keel asked, "I'm only one man."

"We have watched you since your birth and have seen you do rather unsavoury things," the boy explained, "All your life you have been seeking redemption. And we are offering you the chance to become pure."

"You are?" Keel asked, almost shocked.

The boy nodded, "Your place in Heaven will be assured if you can do this holy work for us on Earth. You must find as many souls as you can who is willing to work to keep the Earth alive and humanity's path to salvation."

Keel smiled, "I will. Anything to undo what we have done to our world."

The boy nodded and smiled, "Good man. We are pleased that you have taken up this holy duty."

Suddenly, the boy's head jerked up, as if intercepting something.

He smiled again, "Your physical body has been healed. We had to use some of our technology to rebuild you."

"Technology?" Keel queried, surprised that spirit creatures require technology.

"We must use technology when we assume our physical forms," the boy said, "It is highly advanced and can pave the way for humanity's future."

A moment of silence overtook them as Keep looked around at his surroundings.

"This must be Heaven," he thought.

"Now you must leave and return to the Earth," the boy said, "In time, we will guide you and instruct you in what must be done."

Keel nodded, "Thank you so much."

"Trust in me, Keel Lorenz," the boy said, still smiling, "Trust in us all, and humanity will find salvation."

"I have one question," Keel asked respectively, "Are you…?"

He looked at the boy.

"…God?"

The boy shook his head slowly, "I am merely a messenger. But he is watching you and will guide you. Go now and seek your future."

Keel slowly faded away, believing to be returning back to the Earth.

The boy then chuckled, before laughing evilly.

"Stupid, manipulative human being," he said, smiling.

'Heaven' soon begun to change slowly into what appeared to be a massive facility and the boy slowly morphed into…a floating slug-like creature, whom was guarded by 2 Alien Grunts.

And they were looking upon Keel Lorenz, unconscious and strapped to a mechanical table where Alien Slaves rebuilt his body, putting machinations into his body and onto his eyes.

"Earth will soon be ours," the 'boy' said, "And the Union will once again rule the entire universe. And all those who stand in our way…"

He turned away from Keel and cried out in triumph…

"...WILL DIE!"


Using their virtual, hallucinatory technology, the Union brought Keel Lorenz under their influence and was used as the primary means of their expansion onto the Earth. Once Lorenz was chosen to become the chairman of SEELE, alongside other members who knew of the Union, he was ordered to plan a artificial Instrumentality which would cleanse the Earth of all life and leave it ripe for the taking.

Lorenz became the first Trans-Human of the Union through having their technology fused into him, which sustained his life.

He believed he was doing God's work and did his tasks without question. He ultimately failed when he realised he in turned was being manipulated by the G-Man, who lured SEELE into a false sense of security by making them believe that he did not know of their true intentions while still following his orders, including initialising the attacks on the Black Mesa Research Facility and the NERV branches.

The Mass-Produced Evangelions butchered Lorenz and his central command in the ruins of Jerusalem was destroyed.