Oh boy this has been an editing process, I haven't even looked at this chapter in weeks I've been so busy with the next chapters and reworking chapters 1-4. Come to think of it, did I finish editing this chapter…
GOW
The Chief's chair was a magnificent piece of carpentry. Crafted by carpenters 'hand-picked' through kidnapping from several different villages. They were 'paid handsomely' with the continued existence of their wives and children, giving them more than enough motivation to build a magnificent chair for, at that era's, leader of the Branwen tribe.
Ever since the chair was made, whenever a new chieftain was 'appointed' as a result of a death match, they would celebrate with a raid. The main goal being the carpenters. Who will be provided the same 'payment' as before for placing upgrades and personal touches according to that Chieftain's particular preferences.
Raven Branwen's throne was no different. When Raven became chief, she had a taxidermist add some birds, ravens obviously, at the top, one on each side with room in the middle for herself to perch on if she was in the mood. Her chair itself was lined with soft velvet pillows fluffed twice a day by whatever slave was available and lightly sprayed with fragrant perfumes from whatever kiss ass wanted to try to get into her pants that day. Designed to the highest degree to provide comfort, in both touch and smell. While also remaining extremely imposing, with the animal's pelts wrapped around its side, the leering ravens on its backrest, and bear heads at the front of the armrests. All the while, those who stood or sat before her dealt with the floor or worn-out and uncomfortable stools.
This was a tradition that went back before she was a kid, not that she knew it until she became the Chief and pieced it together. The Chief's chair was to be comfortable and imposing, while the audience was to be uncomfortable and smaller. Which made it an unspoken rule that wherever the Chieftain of the Branwen tribe sat, it must always be the biggest, most imposing, and most comfortable spot there is.
For the first time in Raven's tenure as Chieftain, all the luxuries afforded to her felt abysmally small before the two men sitting across from her.
Navarro sat calmly on one of the uncomfortable wooden stools, with no sign of shifting his body or leg movement, denoting someone who was trying to find the best position to sit. Instead, he sat back straight, hands on his thighs, and head held high, his posture itself just as imposing as her chair.
The other man, who she now understood was his peer, considering he revealed the fact Navarro was a Brigadier General and not a small-time officer she initially thought he was, had thoroughly searched her tent for anything and anyone that could potentially be dangerous before deciding to unlock that bulky armor of his and exited out.
He was taller than Navarro by an entire foot, taller than her, in fact, but only by a few inches, wearing this strange skin-tight suit with what looked like to be attachable sockets scattered across his body.
"Strange, that suit appears to be designed to compliment the armor, but Navarro wasn't wearing it when he arrived here", Raven thought with some curiosity but ultimately moved on from the thought. It was minor in the grand scheme of things, not deserving more than a stray moment of time.
Other than that, she could also tell he was physically fit, his abs clearly visible, and his muscles bulging. A physic similar to Navarro's, all things considered, however, he held one clear difference.
The man held no visible scars. Whether that was a testament to his combat prowess or his lack of fieldwork, Raven could not say.
His hair was short, messy, and unkempt, with a beard bordering on being the same. His skin flawless and pale white, similar to Navarro's; it would seem they spend much of their time in their armor, and his eyes were brown, cold, and, dare she say, soulless.
The man's armor filled the room with an eerie purple glow as he sat on a random stool. His hand fiddled with his revolver's holder strap, keeping it in place. All the while having a small smirk on his lips.
He sat with his back straight, but his arms and legs relaxed. Giving himself an air of supreme confidence and with his hand hovering over his sidearm created an image of impatient bloodlust.
Raven, for another first time in her life, had little idea how to start this conversation. Clearly, they would want to know more about Sa-Her and Oz-Him, her near mistake in thinking their names sent a cold feeling down her spine. Now knowing the magnitude of danger she was in, that sense of security she had worked years on making disappeared within a gust of wind. She now, truly, had little she could do against beings as powerful as them.
"But these people, this Enclave, claims to have killed one before. Perhaps, they should be looked into. At the very least, the amount of knowledge they have can be used to guard against those two creatures." This thought alone brought back that sense of safety she so desperately needed, no matter how small that feeling was.
"If Raven doesn't want to begin, I will," Navarro stated, breaking the silence. "Colwell, as the commander in charge of my extraction, I request that we take Raven here, as well as the kids in the camp back to Raven Rock and slaughter everyone else here."
"What?!" Raven's eyes widened, surprised at Navarro's blunt request. She knew and even encouraged Navarro's hatred for the tribe. She had originally hoped his hate would help weed out the weakest of the tribe leaving only the strongest standing. All the while, Raven would push Navarro deeper into Branwen's philosophy. She had done it before, slowly pushing people into her way of doing things.
"Taking the kids and your new girlfriend out of a raider camp before glassing it? I guess time away from home did you better than I thought it would." Colwell jokes, his smile brimming.
"It's not that," Navarro snapped. "She has important information we need to discuss with Autumn."
"Uhuh, so what does this lovely look'in lady have that would interest the General of the Army? Not that I don't think he'd benefit from a roll in the hay, but I didn't think you were the kind to share." Colwell said, his smiling teasing him.
"She knows about the Old Ones," Navarro said simply.
Her eyes widened in shock as Colwell, in a matter of seconds, stood up from his chair, upholstered his gun, and pointed it directly towards Navarro, finger on the trigger.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow both your brains out and detonate a nuke on this shit hole." Colwell snarled, his body coiled for action.
Navarro, unphased by the gun to his temple, slowly stood and pressed the barrel onto his forehead.
"Anne wouldn't want you to." He said in a whisper. Raven realized it was likely not something she should've heard but given the circumstances it was unavoidable.
Colwell twitched at his words but held firm.
Navarro then lifted his right hand and faced it towards him. Colwell seemed to be examining something before looking back to Navarro.
He then opened his mouth before pulling the left side open further. Colwell looked inside before grunting.
"Recite the names of the dogs we lost on the oil rig?"
"There were none because the Canine Brigade had yet to be formed."
"How did you get your first scar?"
"For being a stupid kid and playing with metal."
"How did you kill that Flea back in Pennsylvania?"
"I didn't, you did."
The hammer was gently placed back to its normal state with a click. Colwell traced the handle over his chest before settling the gun down in its holster.
"What the fuck was that? I thought you two worked together!?" She accused, confused by their actions.
"Calm down, lady, it's an old system Navarro created. After our fight with the old fucks we knew that there were ways for them to turn our bodies against us. So, he came up with a way to make sure we are who we say we are. Not perfect, but it's the best we could do knowing how fucking annoying they are to deal with." Colwell explained as he lifted his arm and
started to fiddle with the item on his wrist.
Raven paled. Old gods could turn your body against you? She looked at the bird theme on her chair and thought about her own power given to her from him as a thought came into her head.
"Willing servants are the most dangerous, having been offered promises of some sort or gained some form of favor and power as a reward for their loyalty," Navarro said that didn't he? Did that make her a willing servant? She sure as hell didn't willingly serve him anymore, but did that mean he still had influence over her body? Would it matter to these two? What about her maiden powers?
She blinked, another thought returning to the forefront of her mind.
All the while, Raven would push Navarro deeper into Branwen's philosophy. She has done it before, slowly pushing people into her way of doing things.
Raven was frightened in realization. She was never much of a talker; her actions always spoke louder than her words. Yet, after dealing with Oz-him she can think back at how charismatic she's become. How effective her words and ideas had become to get people onto her side. His presence had changed her; his power had changed her! She should have never joined that cult of his-
"If we're really dealing with those kinds of bastards again, you're gonna need this," Colwell said.
Oh Oum, His cult. Summer!
"You left your pip boy in raven rock." He flicked a few buttons on his wrist object before another one appeared in his hand.
Qrow and Taiyang and…
"Thanks, I've missed my stimpacks," Navarro said. He grabbed the item and secured it on his wrist.
…Yang
"But we-" Navarro began.
"How did you kill the Old God? The one you fought." Raven interrupted, her eyes frantic and her voice almost desperate towards Navarro.
Both of the men looked at her for a moment before glancing at each other. Raven could only imagine how she looked, the desperation in her eyes.
"Heh, the lady is pretty straightforward. I like it. No stupid word games." Colwell commented with a smile.
"That is a…complicated question." Navarro started, hesitation riddled in his words.
"What's so complicated about it? You held him down, and I ripped his balls off. It was that easy!" Colwell's barreled laughter there after made Raven's eyes grow owlish.
"You were there as well?" Raven asked. She had assumed only Navarro and his soldiers were involved with the Old God.
"Of course, I was there. We were all in the same unit before Flea's Last Bite. The glory days of the Canine Brigade!" Colwell cheered, his fist pounding his chest.
"Yes, I'm sure you remember the stories I told to Vernal. I was the commanding officer of the Canine Brigade for a number of years. Colwell was a team leader at the time." Navarro explained, though Raven could hear a bit of annoyance on her eavesdropping, but she didn't care about it at the moment. She had more pressing matters.
"Bitch, I was your second," Colwell commented, insulted at his words. Navarro lightly snickered.
"Then answer me, either of you or both of you, I don't care. How did you kill it!" Raven demanded, her hand gripping the arms rests tightly.
"I just told you." Colwell answered.
"Do you really expect me to believe you killed an almighty evil God by just removing his balls?" Raven scoffed at his persistence. Sa-She was an immortal being that could not be killed by any conceivable means. He was a body-hopping immortal who would always come back from the dead. There was so much more to it than that, there had to be.
"Colwell, I know you like telling everyone that story, and before you interrupt, yes, I know it's true, but I also know it's not the only thing we did." Navarro chastised Cowell, getting the other man grunt in annoyance.
Raven stared at Navarro intently. The man sighed before looking back to Raven, a sad look in his eyes.
"...It's not something we like to think back to. I personally just don't try to think about it and maybe do some prayers to God to help get the images out of my head. While Colwell likes to deflect the memories with jokes and funny stories. On top of that, it would be a long story. Very long. The survivors from our battles had all written reports, and all together it totaled close to four hundred and sixty-seven pages. So, if you want us to go into extreme detail right now would not be a good time."
"That's fine. You don't have to go into detail. I just want to know how you were able to weaken that Old God enough to kill it."
"...That in itself is the complicated part, but alright. We gave it the weaknesses." Navarro plainly stated.
Raven blinked.
"What?"
Navarro sighed once more.
"Like I said, complicated."
Raven groaned, palms on her face.
"Why are you so fixated on this? When we spoke of the Old God's you were understandably afraid, but now you're panicking. What have you realized?" Navarro leered at her, staring in interest and caution.
Raven stared back, standing her ground, showing no visible signs of weakness. The only problem was it was too late to make a show of strength. Her desperation from earlier showed her weakness. She realized this, causing her strong front to falter.
"What is the point of keeping up the image anyway? I'm screwed. Fucked beyond comprehension. I have two Old God's after me, one who's already branded me and another who wants me for what I have. My be-former best friend, ex-husband, and my brother are unknowingly part of a cult. Getting influenced by a man who claims to be the 'good guy' all the while doing his bidding and probably gonna die and lose their souls to his power. While her daughter… She's going to be groomed. Groomed to be a soldier, an enforcer, or…worse." Raven grew more and more depressed with every thought. She had little clue what she could do. There is no way her little tribe could protect her from whatever those monsters threw at her, and she may be powerful by human standards, but even by Huntsman standards, she couldn't stand up to Old God's alone.
"Hey, lady, you there?" Colwell asked her. Raven looked at him, his eyebrows raised in question.
The Enclave. They claim that they not only can stand against them but win. They claim, that somehow, no matter how ridiculous it sounds, can give Old Gods a weakness! She truly did not believe their claims, exaggerations if anything else, but they are still the best possible option for her.
Why?
They knew about them. Not about Her and Him specifically but about higher beings in general. They know of the threat and have tactics to fight them. That is more than can be said about her running and hiding behind a band of bandits.
"Yes, I am…Navarro, you wanted to keep me alive because of what I know about the two Old Gods, am I right?" Raven asked, wanting confirmation.
"That would be correct," Navarro answered plainly, his eyebrow raised in curiosity.
"And you, your superior, whatever his name is, wants to take my people for experiments?" Raven asked Cowell. She did not want to know what type of experiments they had planned, and frankly she did not care what they did did her tribe
"Yup," Cowell answered with his arms crossed.
She needs to secure her position as someone invaluable among their organization. Her information alone can only get her so far but if they have access to, potentially, infinite information, then that could put things in her favor. She'll just have to never let them learn the truth about the Lamp.
"I'll cooperate. I'll do whatever you ask, but I want insurance." Raven demanded, her personal strength returning to her.
"What makes you think you're in a position to make demands in the first place? I don't think you realize, but these 'negotiations' we're having now are a show. We had no intention of letting you have a say in the first place." Cowell's words left the impression he was willing to back his words with force if need be.
Raven, though she hates to admit but, the influence of him was helping her this time around. As she already formulated a way to get what she wanted without the need of force.
"You will. If you want to know where a powerful relic, one both of the Old Gods I know of, desperately want for themselves, is located. " Raven smiled when both men straightened themselves, their focus totally on her.
"What relic?" Navarro questioned.
"Nope. Not telling you until I have your word that not only will I not be taken for experiments, imprisoned, or executed. I will be given special privileges and access within your organization." Raven aimed to go the highest she can go. To gain all benefits, luxuries, and protections available.
"Then how can we confirm that whatever you say is even true? Do you really expect us to not only believe but trust a raider?" Navarro countered, Colwell, being noticeably silent here.
"Why would I lie? By telling you this it will take me deep inside your base. If somehow what I say isn't true, which it very much is, then being in your base when the truth comes out is the worst place to be." Raven reasoned, making Navarro frown in thought.
"How important is this relic to these Old Gods?" Cowell asked, his face uniquely serious. He wasn't even smirking.
"They've been fighting over them for centuries, maybe even thousands of years," Raven explained. Considering what they were, she wouldn't be surprised if they were fighting over the relic for millions of years.
Colwell and Navarro mulled over her words. Glancing at each other in a hidden language.
"We'll take you to Raven Rock. However, tell your raiders to stand down and make sure they get taken without a fight, and provide us with maps, history and any other thing we request of you. Until all of this is done and only until then. We may put in a request toward President Eden to hear what you want to say." Cowell stated, standing up from his chair and pushing his hand forward. Navarro stood as well and stood to his side.
It's a steep price and it sounds like they aren't even giving her a guarantee for a meeting either. Yet, despite all this, they were still the best possible route to get all she wanted, needed!
"Deal." She rose from her throne and shook his hand.
Besides, if it doesn't work out, she can still escape. Her semblance and her shapeshift form give plenty of escape routes.
GOW
She placed the brush down on the table as she reached for a small jewelry box at the end of her salvaged vanity stand. Both the box and the vanity stand were old and worn out, but both remained sturdy and usable. Even some of the painted designs on their bodies were still visible.
Opening the box revealed dozens of pieces of jewelry, from earrings to necklaces, that she had collected over the years. All authentic diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and pearls are attached to pure gold or pure silver chains. She pulled one half of a pair of emerald earrings, hanging low from her ears, studded with a jewel upon her ear lobe and at the end of the chain. She used the vanity's mirror to look at herself.
The paleness of her skin was
complemented by the sharp green of the emeralds.
She put the earring back into the box and grabbed one half of a pair of ruby earrings. Instead of hanging down it went up her ear, with three studded rubies in a row. They were set upon silver which was designed as plant vines wrapping around the front and back of her ear.
The black of her eyes went well with the piercing red of the rubies.
She then picked up the emerald earring again and placed it on top of her left ear and the rubies on top of her right. She turned her head left or right, judging which she preferred.
"Hmm. Maybe I'll forget the jewelry and put on that fishnet lingerie set I have. He loved it the last time I wore it for him." Bruja thought to herself, her mind flashing toward pleasant memories. Accurately ignoring the fact the last time Navarro and her had been together was almost three years ago.
Some had called her obsessive, even stalker-ish but she always saw herself as committed. Committed to her one man. Committed to them reconnecting. Committed to returning Navarro to who he truly is.
He got lost, that's all. All those books he read messed with his head. Making him believe he was a bad man, an evil man. Which is, frankly, not true. He was always a good man. From Poseidon to Raven Rock the man she knew since childhood never lost his core character. That gentleness of his, the care and love he had for his people. Everything he had done after the Fall was all in the name of protecting not only their people but their future as well. Whatever supposed sins he may have committed was washed away with the lives saved.
It doesn't matter that it involved purging several thousand mutants. Their lives out in the waste's were a blight to the future of their nation. To the security of America and the Enclave. They learned how to read and write big woop, so can a monkey…I think? She swore she read an Enclave report on that from Pre-War records.
Moving on, whatever those muties wrote in those books tugged at the kind hearted man Navarro was. Tricking him into caring for them and blaming their death on him. He believed their blood was in his hands as if their lives weren't forfeited the moment they were oozed out whatever gunk they were born out of.
She should have burned those books the moment she had a chance but, as always, Navarro gave her perfectly good reason not to.
"They can provide tactical intel", he said.
"They could have hidden something important and they may have written about it", he argued.
"We've learned much of their habits from these. Losing them would set us back in understanding waster practices." He had told her once, snatching a book out of her hand.
That was the first time he had ever referred to them as waster's. Not mutants, not beasts, not even freaks instead he chose waster. Their word. Their descriptor. The moment she heard it she should have ignored him and burned them anyway but alas her trust in him as leader and her love for him as a man stopped her from realizing the direction he was going.
Now, an opportunity presented itself. Navarro was a man of many habits, of which she knew all of them, and one said habit had to do with being separated from the rest of the Enclave.
This hadn't been the first time it's happened, in fact it's the fifth, as a result she realized this specific habit of his. The first three times he was separated, during the hay days of their relationship, he had spent a good three or four days with her after his return, in bed, in her room, or, at the very least, in her presence. Where they would talk, love and sleep together.
On the fourth time he had been separated, for a period of a week, he had shown interest in returning to her. Out of habit of course, like she said he was a man of one, but she hadn't realized it soon enough and the opportunity was lost to her. They were not together at the time, as he had officially ended it several months before, so she had thought he wanted to be as far away from as possible. For he had been expertly avoiding her up until his return.
This will be the fifth time now he has been separated and she won't lose the opportunity to grab him away from the rest of the lost and correct his path. Then finally they would be together again.
Suddenly, a buzz shot out of her personal radio, which was placed onto her nightstand.
"This is Cornagi, speaking to all the General's, the two prisoner Vertibirds have returned filled with raiders. Along with a message from Colwell. Message reads: Made contact, Navarro found. Agreement made with raider leader. Will wait till all raiders are sent to Raven Rock before personal return. OG…oh shit. OGC I repeat, OGC is confirmed!"
Old God's Contact.
"Jose." She thought in horror.
She dropped her jewelry into the box and slid it to the back of her vanity stand before she stood up from her chair and grabbed her Undersuit. She stripped from her clothing leaving herself in her sports bra and panties before sliding into her suit.
As she was zipping up her suit she reached for her radio and messed with the frequency.
"Valais, return to the main compound, now. Navarro has been found and OGC has been confirmed. Change your loadout for Zealot armor, and make sure you grab everything." She ordered, before dropping the radio handle onto the night stand and rushing towards one of her storage crates.
"Everything Ma'am?" Valais asked.
Opening her crate she grabbed her Bible before turning back to the radio, hand pressing the handle.
"Yes, everything! We will not let any of their presence remain on anyone or enter into Raven Rock without the toughest fight we can give." She growled out before returning to her crate. Collecting bottles of Holy Water, her Christian Cross, and a black book with an image of a burning cross on top of it. She placed them into a satchel, including her Bible, before wrapping it around her shoulder.
"Mistress Salem, too where will we meet?" Valaris asked once more, using her designation.
She grabbed the radio handle once more.
"In the hanger bay, I will be preparing the area for purification." She told him then she turned the dial for radio frequency.
"...irmed contact free by Colwell. Repeat Colwell reports he has confirmed that Navarro is contact free."
There was a moment of joy, learning that Navarro wasn't in danger before the reality that it was Colwell who conducted the Shuck protocol brought back that hollow feeling in her stomach. Colwell, though an effective military commander and soldier, always allowed bias to get the best of him. His friendship, though damaged as it is, would have clouded his judgment on Navarro's state.
Bruja clicked the radio handle on.
"Belay that confirmation. No OGC situation is cleared up until I say so. Everyone and everything coming inside Raven Rock from the OGC location must be quarantined and locked into the hangar bay. On top of that, clear the bay from any non-essential personnel and allow only my Inquisitor's inside. This must be contained from the start. At this moment forward, I declare myself General of the Army, due to protocol C-2 of the OGC regulations." Bruja commanded sternly.
"I understand your eagerness to contain this, Mistress Salem, but uplifting yourself is only when I allow it," President Eden reminded. Bruja flinched at his words.
"That being said, I am in agreement. Mistress Salem will be taking the lead. This is, afterall, her area of expertise." President Eden continued, words of agreement coming from the rest of the Generals.
"What else do you need, Salem?" Cornagi asked.
"Call the Clergy and have them notified. Deacon McGivens and his Exorcist's will know what to do and send a message to Elder Roger to begin his prayers for the safety of Raven Rock. We will need it. Other than that, if there is anything we need, or you to know, ask one of Inquisitior's they'll know. I'll be heading to the armory." Bruja finished before moving the dial again.
"Armory, armory, this is General Bruja. Respond!"
"This is Armory, Specialist Markus speaking. How can I help you, General?"
"Get all of Inquisitor's Squadron Zealot gear ready for refitting and change my armor now!"
"Z-zealot gear!? Yes, ma'am. Right away, it will be done within ten!"
"Make it five!"
GOW
Roger always thought of himself as a simple man. He had a good time in his service, during his Military Police days, before being called into the Lord's service. His pilgrimage through wastes showed him the path that his Lord wished him to walk. While he never expected everything that happened since the destruction of Poseidon, he would continue to follow the path God laid in front of him without any hesitation nor regrets.
Currently, he found himself reading scripture in the little office afforded to him. Within the general areas on the ground floor, Floor 0 in essence, it wasn't much but it was room enough for him to read his Bible and the few surviving texts of biblical scholars he was able to get his hands on in the wasteland.
"Elder Roger! We have a message from General Salem. General Colwell radioed in that he and General Navarro had come into contact with the Old Ones," an officer said, slamming open the door and hunched over, out of breath.
"Take a breath, sit down, and have a drink of water. I'll pray for the safety of the Enclave." Elder Roger said, making sure the young soldier was sitting down and calming himself down before the elder got on his knees and prayed. In his hands he took his necklace, a cross with holy water dripping from the pendant.
Dear Father in Heaven. Please give our people, our home the security of your love during these trying times. Give our leaders the strength to seek your wisdom and act in the best interests of their people. Shield our home and guide our soldiers against the evil we face. And please, keep my grandson safe from these devils as you have done before. Lend him your strength so he may lead those who trust in him for security, give him your wisdom and compassion so he can act in your will for the betterment of the Enclave.
In Jesus name, Amen.
GOW
Ah, nice that the chapter we finished, wait when did we finish the bulk of this? According to google docs edit history it was November 23rd… no wonder I needed to review this again we've spent a whole month doing other things, oh well one of those things was redoing chapters 1-4! So if you want to go back and see some of our changes and additions, well have fun. Or if you're a new reader of the story wondering what changes were made, well I'll have the google docs folder for this story linked in the Discord~ where you can talk about my stories and other things with me and other people, yes somehow other people are in there too. As always if you enjoyed give me a fave/kudos if you want to keep reading a bookmark/follow would be nice, and if you want to comment, we both love reading those, as mentioned I have a discord which I love seeing people in to talk about this story or any of my other ones or just talking in general. discord. gg/ 5B4kC2qSG3 (Just remove the spaces in the link, got to love FFN)