"The moot has been called, and all persons are accounted for. Our maintenance of the Wall is currently being overseen by Architect David, he will last long enough for this moot to conclude. As Adjudicator, I therefore declare this moot to begin. Are there any who would oppose this?" His right arm, his sword arm, raised to the ceiling to bring attention to himself. This was unnecessary, of course, with but a gesture he could command all in attendance to observe him. Such was the difference between him and the others, such was the difference between those born as mortals, those born as gods, and he.
For Gilgamesh was one-third a mortal, and two-thirds a god, and greater than the sum of his components.
They had long since all agreed that that would be highly rude, however, and so bronze-skinned Gilgamesh utilizes older methods. It was well known among all attending that he preferred it that way, so he was all too eager to do so.
After a moment of no response, Gilgamesh nodded, and swept his left arm, his axe arm, across the room theatrically. As in accordance with tradition and proper record keeping, he began recounting information that all in attendance knew. "This moot has been called by myself, grandmaster Solipsism of Gilgamesh 02, and corroborated by grandmasters Vision of Arthur 02 who was speaking on behalf of his knights, and Scars of Heracles 02. Later, it was further corroborated by grandmasters Lance of Longinus 03, and Undeath of Koschei 13."
"This moot was called for the purpose of evaluating the situation of the world, the state of the order, our actions to this point, and our actions moving forwards. Is there any among the assembly who would dispute the need for this moot?"
From the western side of the auditorium came a voice, feminine but savage. "Aye. I dispute the need for this moot." A massive frame of plasteel was the source, a distinctly feminine frame no less than three meters in height sat against the wall. A massive set of arms reached back to cup her neck, while a smaller set mounted upon the pleasingly shaped central torso were crossed over the front. One massive leg of thickened, corded myomer crossed over the other lazily, thrusters humming in agitation.
Gilgamesh continued without missing a beat. "Is there any save for grandmistress Avatar of Kali 13 who disputes the need for this moot?" There were chuckles among the gathered, and grumbling from she who spoke up, but no further disputes. Gilgamesh nodded, his braided cord-beard and mane swaying slightly, before continuing. "Then we begin with the reiteration of the context for this meeting. Five months prior, Adam Smasher took in a child of flesh and began educating him in Panzerfaust. Regardless of the child's long term survivability, Adam Smasher had demonstrated a willingness to teach others the sacred art, and thus was no longer ignorable."
"Thus, the nearest grandmaster who walked the material world, Remnant of Chandra-Gupta 42, was requested to eliminate him. Do any dispute these facts?"
"Aye!" Announced Poem of Beowulf 31. "His name is Ashes of Surtr!" He announced with a laugh. Laughter and rebuttals issued from the collected grandmasters, different titles being tossed about with light-hearted fervor. Gilgamesh allowed them this moment, but soon enough raised a single hand. The collected grandmasters quieted down, and he moved along.
"We now turn to him to provide testimony for the sequence of events." Gilgamesh gestured towards the grandmaster in question, who knelt on the floor with four others in the middle of the auditorium. The grandmaster born as a mortal rose gracefully, and bowed to the audience. Rising to his full height (which wasn't a lot in comparison to the thirteen giants that were among the assembled masses) He began to speak.
"Upon receiving my duty, I evaluated the information gathered about Adam Smasher, and compared it to my own. I then consulted the spirits of the city, and took measure of the situation at hand. My best plan was to support the gang he was warring with subtlety, and ambush him underground. I presumed he would be unable to detect me with my stealth array, and that he would be unable to use his heavier ordinance while underground without risking himself."
"I was proven wrong, ultimately. He had, in a clever maneuver, detonated a full barrage while both of us were point-blank, giving me no time to dodge. His anima detonated them early, so I was unable to take any impact from the attack away. I was damaged enough that he destroyed that iteration with his next blow using a stone pillar as an improvised club."
"I await the judgment of my peers." He clasped his hands, and bowed. He stayed in that position while judgment was rendered. The collected ordo muttered among themselves for a small while. Vision of Arthur 02 used his sheathed sword as a rappel, and knocked it against the floor to draw attention to himself. The seated form of a knight, clad in plates of ceramics and titanium. Atop his helmet was a golden crown, filled with the array of communication devices that was required for him to coordinate his knights. Resting against his leg was a massive, thickened shield of solid metals, and his chair was draped in a long cloak of red and gold. His optics burned bright blue beneath a shaded visor.
"I speak now as the Lord Defender." He began, his voice proud and imperious. "The Remnant of Chandra-Gupta 42 committed only the sin of failure. Iteration death to a practitioner of Panzerfaust is hardly unexpected amongst ourselves. I propose only the punishment of his ranking being lowered accordingly, and nothing more. Is there any among us who would dispute this?"
Chandra-Gupta, being both humble and polite, was a popular figure among the assembled. There was little dispute for this suggestion, and thus he rose from his bow, now Remnant of Chandra-Gupta 43. With a wave of his sword arm, Gilgamesh dismissed him to the seating.
Thus, the moot continued on. Gilgamesh gestured to the next in line.
"Thus, the second nearest grandmaster, Reverberating Infamy of Blackbeard 21, was requested to destroy Adam Smasher. We now turn to him to provide testimony for the sequence of events."
Blackbeard rose from where he had been seated, his sharpened fingers scratching against the stone floor and his one arms in irritation.
"Aye, I was in the midst of negotiations with that spirit in the seas when I was called away. Heading for the city, my other-self's tentacles reached out and grabbed some worthy crewmates along the way. I let them hit the front, while I hit the top after getting all the way up there through subterfuge. There it was I planted my contingency."
This was met with grumbles, and Blackbeard was fond of backup plans that often resulted in draws even if they could catch him in their spars. Many grandmasters respected them, but few liked them.
"I reached in with me slimier self, and changed a one into a zero in the president's neuralware, and then called in the alert for an attack myself. Too fast for a fleshieman to react to. Thus getting the president all erratic and getting them to suspect a traitor in their midsts. Accordingly, it worked perfectly after I was gone."
"Then I murdered my way down the tower all savy-like, snatched a few goodies along the way, broke all their records along the way, and made a getaway. Smasher wasn't there, so I waited and grabbed a few more crewmates for another attack. I figured he'd be at his territory, and that killing his boy was a good start to getting him riled up."
Blackbeard grumbled and snarled and cursed at the next part. "Then I got all cocky-like, decided to fight all honorable-like, and got fucking scrapped by a shitty boy and a shitty girl with a shitty railgonne. It's why I don't fucking bother with that shit normally, look where it got me!" He shouted the last sentence to the unsympathetic wider audience.
Before Gilgamesh could continue, a shout from the seating. "Blackbeard got scraped by a couple of baby mortals!" The cry came from Geas of Setanta 27, who was uproarious with laughter. This provoked a great deal of mockery and laughter for Blackbeard's misfortune, who was about to yell back at the assembly.
"ENOUGH!" Bellowed Gilgamesh, his voice like thunder filling the auditorium. At once, the room fell silent from demand, for it was spoken both in the material and spiritual world. "We shall not bicker and bite like mongrel dogs! We are the Ordo Panzer, better than such!"
He glared among the gathered grandmasters, now suitably shamed. He kept this glare for a moment longer, before another voice issued forth.
Another giant of three meters, signifying an elder of the ordo panzer, spoke from the left side of the room. A metallic frame covered over in a coat of ballistic plates, covering him like the scales of a dragon. A visored helm bearing a weeping face looked over the assembled order as a right arm rubbed the speartip of a massive pile bunker that was mounted in place of a left forearm.
The Lance of Longinus 03 spoke. "Blackbeard has failed his primary objective through utter arrogance, but he has succeeded both in sowing division among the enemy and retrieving a new relic of technology for Vulcan's studies. While more was gained from his action, more was lost as well. I speak now as the chiefest Executioner."
"Unlike Chadra-Gupta, he was felled not by a practitioner of panzerfaust, or even another warrior of iron flesh, but by two boys and a girl. I propose his ranking is lowered thrice, his right to bid a condition is forfeit in our next tourney, and nothing more. Is there any among us who would dispute this?"
Although a great deal of frustrated grumbling issued forth, there was no dispute. Although Blackbeard had failed against warriors he should have dealt with with ease, he had also accomplished much in his actions. It always was that way with Blackbeard, was the common consensus, even victory over him being unsatisfying due to his preparation and scheming.
He too, was unsatisfied with the outcome of his efforts, and walked from the center of the chamber as Reverberating Infamy of Blackbeard 24. It took him long to climb to his former height, and a huge blow was dealt to him due to his arrogance.
There was a stillness to the room as the moot turned to the next grandmaster, who knelt in the center of the chamber, next to only one other. A great number of furious glaring optics were aimed at him. Gilgamesh paused before continuing, carefully modulating his fury to not let emotions taint his diction. "While Blackbeard performed his requested duty… Song of Roland 66 had learned of a meeting taking place. A meeting hosted by our provisional allies to inform the powers of the world of the suffering of the Blackwall. A meeting we did not expect Adam Smasher to attend. Thus we turn to him to provide testimony for the sequence of events."
Slowly, fully aware of the animosity directed towards him, the one who was once mortal rose. He performed a proper bow, and began to speak.
"As our unwitting allies had erected a communications ward for the building, that iteration was unable to transmit its knowledge to grandmaster Hermes. As such I can only speculate as to his motivations." This declaration was met with increased fury, though a quick sweeping glare by Gilgamesh put an end to any unwelcome noise.
Roland continued. "That iteration was in communication with the spirit of the building, looking over the happenings of the meeting to deliver information back for the order. It would have known full well that attacking Adam Smasher at that time would have led to the discovery of the ordo, and the resurgence of panzerfaust among the factions of the world regardless of victory or defeat. I…" He hesitated, before continuing.
"That iteration must have learned something, something that made him determine that Adam Smasher had to die right then, no matter the consequences of the attack. Without that critical piece of information, that iteration's motivations are entirely arcane to me, I cannot understand them."
"I apologize for this failing. I await the judgment of my peers." He finished.
"Execution!" cried a voice.
"You are no peer of ours!" cried another.
"Banishment!" cried a final voice.
"SILENCE!" Bellowed a voice like an erupting volcano, shouting over the collective and rising to his fullest height in the center of the auditorium. Standing only about two and a half meters, with oversized arms clad in heavy armor. The stylized face of a lion forming a visor over a face like a marble statue of a firm, bearded man. A cloak of armorweave cut into the shape of a lion's pelt hung from around his shoulders, and reached down to the floor in three ends.
The tempers of the room were stilled by the billowing winds. The figure mimicked breathing, chest rising and falling, before speaking.
"I speak now as myself, and as the mentor to Roland."
"Fifty years of careful planning, maneuvering, hidden actions, and tedious plotting to hide the existence of the mightiest fist from the powers of the world. Fifty years of slow, tenacious growth and labor. Fifty years of pulling rubble over this grandest weapon, to prevent the destruction that would ensue in the aftermath of its widespread usage."
"Fifty years now wasted in an instant. Our chiefest mission is now impossible to accomplish. It has all been for naught."
"Thus, I propose that for a period of one century, double the time we have taken thus far…"
"Roland's will shall be locked away."
There was silence at this proposal. A keen and sharpened discomfort that washed over all present. There was no harsher sentence than having their will locked away, and to propose such for a century was cruel beyond the pale. The Scars of Heracles 02 had to be cruel, lest he fall to that sin of bias for a favored student, there was likely none who hated this proclamation more than he.
"Is there any among us that would dispute this?" He finished after a moment. For a second, there was quiet. Then a voice called out.
"Aye, I dispute that proposal." The voice did not come from the three in the center of the room, nor those from the seating. It came from right next to Roland himself, the figure who knelt on the floor. Grandmaster Legacy of Aryas 88, looked firm in his declaration, despite the breach in typical protocol. He continued, "That iteration of Roland's memories have been lost, punishing this iteration with such a cruelty is purposeless. I propose instead that he be assigned to work with another, and that they are to hold authority over him. This shall ensure that he does not act on his own once more, while still utilizing him to his fullest extent."
"Is there any among us who would dispute this?"
Perhaps before the first proposal, there would have been. Shaken by such, none of the collected grandmasters argued against such. Hearing no refusal, Roland let out a shaky pseudo-breath. Discreetly, Heracles slumped ever so slightly in relief.
Gilgamesh nodded imperiously, and waved his axe hand about the room. "The proposal is accepted. A new proposal must be made for who Roland shall become subordinate to."
After a moment, a voice spoke up. The Belt of Orion 30's voice echoed slightly in the chamber. "It should still be a punishment, not a reward. Thus I propose he be put under the authority of grandmistress Reborn Vision of Ishtar 69."
At the announcement of her name, the grandmistress who was once a goddess perked up. She looked up from her tablet of information, only barely participating beforehand, and tried to discern the current situation.
Gilgamesh audibly groaned at the mention of she, one of the few Gemini frames in attendance. Hair like a waterfall of golden curls, curves adhering to a series of perfectly calculated proportions, micro-motions carefully regulated to provoke lust in mortals. More eye-catching than anything else was the scant rags and fragments of metal that she called clothing.
He spoke in barely concealed annoyance. "Very well, the Reborn Vision of Ishtar 69 shall be given authority over Roland, and this issue shall be addressed again come next moot."
Roland slumped in despair as she paused, turned to him, and grinned in vicious lusts. She scooted over on her seating, and patted the stone.
"Come here, big boy. Mama wants you to sit next to her~." A silky smooth and incredibly agitating voice came from her, and Roland marched over like a man to his execution. Having his will sealed might have been more merciful overall. Looks of pity were directed his way, and all knew that this was punishment enough.
Gilgamesh continued even before Roland had gotten to his unfortunate placement. "Thus the moot was called. Noticing that a storm was due to strike the area soon, grandmaster Heracles requested grandmaster Legacy of Aryas 88 to go make an attempt at eliminating Adam Smasher. The stipulation being to not risk his iteration's life unduly. We now turn to him to provide testimony for the sequence of events."
The grandmaster who was once a god rose up, and bowed before speaking.
"I had arrived with the storm due to hit the following night. To prepare myself, I searched for anything in the region that might be used against him in the next battle. Stumbling upon an Arasakan research facility, I determined its existence utterly against my virtues. I usurped their authority over their spiritual soldiers, I put their scholars to the sword, I retrieved those they were tormenting there, and I burned every scrap of that place to spiritual ash."
Aryas spoke with vigor and righteous fury, before calming and continuing. "I directed the effigy of Humbaba to our nearest stronghold, and I made my attack against him in the midst of the storm. Although I was able to wound him severely, I was unable to slay him before his allies had arrived. I deemed the situation to cost more than what could be gained at that point, had the soldiers retrieve the children, and fled."
"I await the judgment of my peers."
There was silence for a moment, before a snort of laughter. Gift of Nicholas 43 spoke at this juncture. "He has done no wrong, and retrieved much from the enemy. I propose no punishment. I know not a damn one of you is going to disagree with me here."
Arthur tapped his sword against the stone floor again. "Language."
"Bah." Nicholas waved it off. There was indeed, no disagreements to that proposal.
Gilgamesh spoke. "We move now to our next order of business. The Chiefest Duty is now impossible, our grandest mission is now unachievable. With the battle in Paris, and the distribution of the memories of Adam Smasher, we will soon see an age in which all warriors of iron will be utilizing the sacred art."
"I therefore propose that no further effort to conceal the art will be made." Grim in countenance, this proclamation was met with equally grim and hardened expressions. There was no objection to this statement, for it was something they had all known of well in advance to this moot. Nodding, Gilgamesh continued to speak. "Therefore, we move now to the next order of business…"
"The Blackwall is being attacked from the other side, by an enemy we cannot perceive without risking our spirits. Architect David assumes them to be the servants of traitor Solomon, and we have long trusted his wisdom in these matters. Solomon has bound a number of gods beyond the wall, and is using them to assault the Wall of his corpses."
"If we are lucky, it shall last another five years. If we are unlucky, it shall last another six months. Sometime soon though, the Blackwall will fall. We have been forewarned of this by the oracle Zoroaster. The final victory over the gods is at hand, but Verethragna had not yet revealed themselves to us."
"We have precious little time to find them. We decide now what we must do in the meantime."
"What can we do?" Questioned Gun of Geronimo, "The prophecy is clear, the predictions accurate. We require Verethragna for Verethragnarok, otherwise the world of mortals is lost to the archtraitor's ambitions."
"Speaking of surrender already?" Countered Struggle of Sisyphus. "The prophecy cannot account for all information, for we do not have all information. Victory is still possible within those margins of error, and we have time still for Verethragna to appear amongst us."
Slowly, carefully, The Tablet of Plato spoke. "...Have we considered that Verethragna is not among us?"
There was a pause. Gilgamesh narrowed his optics to the speaker. "...Elaborate."
Plato continued. "The prophecy dictates that Verethragna is a practitioner of panzerfaust, and will defeat all grandmasters who challenge him… With the death of Shinobi Kagekaze, there is now only one outside the order who…"
"That's nonsensical!" Shouted the Endurance of Boudica. "I refuse to believe that an outsider, let alone ADAM SMASHER, is Verethragna! He'd probably welcome the destruction to come to us, not fight against it!"
The room erupted into debating at this point. Shouting and pointed gestures were exchanged for a small time. Slowly the noise began to die off, as one by one they noticed that a skeletal hand was raised.
Once there was only silence, Koschei spoke.
"Aryas… You dueled against him. Tell us your thoughts."
Aryas considered the statement for a moment.
"Verethragna… he must be undefeated, but defeat among us ends in the death of an iteration. Adam Smasher still lives…
"Adam Smasher being Verethragna… is possible. I would propose we wait for our agents and brother to gather more information before making a more conclusive judgment."
Koschei nodded at this, and the issue was dropped from further discussion.
Gilgamesh nodded, and spoke. "We move now to the next order of business…"
And so the moot went on.