Standard Mission: The Price of Paradise

Chaldea - Barracks

- Bastion -

Bastion stared down at his gauntlet, ignoring the alert of the mission that had come through.

It was still unnerving to think Archangel was no longer there. It had been so abrupt, so unexpected that he hadn’t had much time to really process it.

“Ah, you’ve returned,” a light, almost tinny voice greeted him as soon as they’d returned to his room after the last mission. “I’m glad to see you could manage that much, Archangel.”

There, floating in the middle of his room, was another angel. A point halo encircled its head, and shimmering robes swept down over its body. Its face held an eerie tranquility, like a statue carved from marble.



“Principality,” Archangel had said, manifesting outside the gauntlet. “What are you doing here?”

“Relieving you of your duties.”

“What?” he and Archangel had both cried.

“I know I-“ Archangel began.

“Failed to protect Bastion from being ensnared by the fairy king’s charms, or the Jorougumo’s song? Or kept him from being injured and poisoned?” Principality tilted his chin upward. “I’m afraid that’s not acceptable.”

Bastion frowned and tried to step between the two angelic beings. “That wasn’t Archangel’s fault. I’m the one-“

“No, Bastion.” Archangel hung his head and floated away to Principality's side. “He’s right. I’ve failed you far too many times. I’m not fit to serve as your guardian.”


“That’s not true!”

Archangel smiled sadly, the first smile he’d seen on the angel’s face. “It’s only temporary. I will return to your side again someday.” He turned a cold look on Principality, then vanished in a flash of light.

Bastion blinked away the light, staring at the place Archangel had been as silence hung over the room. After several long moments, Principality tutted softly.

“Fear not, Bastion.” It lowered itself so that the height difference wasn’t quite so stark. “I shall serve you far better. Together, we will stop the Whore of Babylon’s encroachment and realize your destiny.”

With that, this angel, too, vanished… this time, into his gauntlet.

The gauntlet flashed again, and Bastion shook his head as he checked the mission details. So the Ring of Gaea was making moves, and this Mithras his own moves to stop them.

“All right, Prince,” he murmured, standing up from his bed. “Time to see if you were right.”

Barracks

The sun was peaking up and Vayu was already up. He was currently on this morning run and heading uphill back to the barracks. The last mission had shown him once again that not only the demons needed to train, the Vanguards themselves needed to keep up their fitness. Especially if there were mountains around.

He pushed up the last hill. Finally up, he stopped trying to catch his breath.

”You know, if you want to get faster, I could run with you,” Catequil commented in an amused voice in his head while Vayu was still breathing heavily.

“Oh shut up,” he murmured while heading for the showers. “It’s enough that you beat me up every time we train in the ring together.” Catequil chuckled in response.

Suddenly his gauntlet beeped with a message. A new mission. So soon? They hardly had time to recover and the others hadn’t even returned from their mission. If this kept up, Nena would have some serious complaints.

Finishing up quickly, he made his way to the meeting point.

Chaldea - Front Gate

- Bastion -

Bastion waited by the gate for his teammates to arrive, pondering the mission It was a bit unusual from their standard mission type, not entirely certain if they’d end up with an enemy or an ally of sorts in Mithras.

“Prince, do you know anything about Mithras?” he asked.

Principality appeared from out of the gauntlet, hovering beside him. “I’m not sure how I feel about that nickname.”

“Sorry.” Bastion shrugged. “Principality is kind of a mouthful, especially in the heat of combat.”

The angel tutted softly. “Very well. In any case, yes, I am familiar enough with the name. Mithras was a pagan diety of the sun. Those tend to be the most insufferable, I find, the ones most likely to delude themselves into thinking they can claim status equal to God.”

“So you’ll want to oppose him?” Bastion guessed. That could complicate things.

“I said nothing of the sort. A pawn can be useful, no matter how distasteful. It remains to be seen how much value Mithras can provide in opposing the Harlot’s reach.”

So back to waiting and seeing. He nodded and turned at the sound of footsteps to see Vayu approaching.

“There’s one of my teammates,” he said to the angel, waving. “Vayu, this is Prince. Principality, I mean. And this is Vayu.” As he saw the question forming on Vayu’s mouth, he sighed. “Archangel had to return to heaven. Prince was sent to replace- well, to help me in his absence.”

Principality lacked Archangel’s defensiveness and stiffness, but in its stead, he carried a cool, dismissive air. He gave Vayu the slightest of nods, then continued to survey him and sniff at the air. “I smell a pagan god’s s… scent.”

Bastion had a feeling he’d about to say “stench” and changed course. Or maybe the whole intention was to just let the implication hang.

“Catequil,” he replied. “He’s been a good protector and companion for Vayu. Like Archangel was.”

Principality said nothing to that and turned away toward the gate, as though bored with the conversation.

Chaldea - Front Gate

As Vayu approached the meeting point, he could see that Bastion was already there...and next to him a robed and armed figure.

Before he could ask, Bastion foresaw his question and introduced his new demon partner, another angel, who promptly proved to be even more arrogant than Archangel.

"Shame," Vayu said to Bastion while eyeing Prince darkly, but ignoring his quip, "I was just getting used to Archangel."

The same couldn't be said for Catequil. That arrogant little angel, the demon growled in Vayu's head. Just wait until I get my hands on him...

"Uhm, Catequil....you're on the same side," Vayu murmured.

"So what can he do that Archangel can't?" Vayu asked, turning back to Bastion.

Chaldea - Front Gate

- Bastion -

After Bastion made introductions, it was hard to mistake that Prince had already managed to rub Vayu the wrong way.

"Shame," Vayu said to Bastion while eyeing Prince darkly. "I was just getting used to Archangel."

Bastion smiled weakly. "Me too."

There was a moment where Vayu seemed to confer with Catequil inside the gauntlet, and though the full conversation was impossible to tell, it wasn't too hard to get the overall gist.

"So what can he do that Archangel can't?" Vayu asked, turning back to Bastion.

"Protect Bastion properly," Prince said smoothly. "Between getting tangled up in those wretched fairies' games and that terrible spider demon business in your village, it's a wonder this boy is still alive."

"I think he meant your abilities," Bastion said awkwardly. By the look Prince gave him, though, he probably already knew that. "Anyway, Prince is more magic-focused than Archangel. Bless and Wind, primarily."

Prince sighed and cast a look around. "Is this other teammate of yours ordinarily so tardy?"

"Depends."

Prince arched a brow.

"On whether he's been hooking up somewhere or not," Bastion replied.

"Humans..." Prince shook his head and turned away to stare away past the gate once more.

Chaldea - Front Gate

After making it seem like he couldn't care less about Vayu, the new angel interjected into the converstaion between Bastion and Vayu again.

Vayu raised an eyebrow.

"Hey!" Vayu called to Prince. "What's that supposed to mean my village?" he asked, feeling his anger rise. "It could've been any village that needed help. Don't pretend you know anything about it when you weren't even there!" Vayu's voice was getting a distinctive acidic tone and he crossed his arms.

"Mpfh," with a disdainful sound he turned back to Bastion, looking thoughtful. "Okay, that sounds like it leaves us well on the blessed side, with my High Pixie, Cleo's Silky and your new friend..." he pondered aloud.

"I did let Jack Frost go," he added abruptly. "So, let's hope we still have enough offensive power left. I know I specialize more in support and defensive and so do some of Cleo's spells. Well I guess we can rely more on Catequil and some of your offensive spells, right?"

Chaldea - Front Gate

- Bastion -

Bastion frowned. "Oh, I see."

Vayu didn't seem to want to really talk about Jack Frost's departure, so he let it go. But on the note of offensive spells...

"Actually-"

"You seem to have some misconceptions," Prince said mildly. "I can assure you that my offensive power lacks for nothing. There's no need for concern."

Bastion shrugged and smiled at Vayu. "I'm sure between me, Prince, and Catequil, we'll have enough firepower."

Prince gave an almost imperceptible hum in his throat that Bastion immediately covered with a clearing of his own throat. No need for Catequil or Vayu to think Principality was doubting Catequil's power.

- Cleo -

Cleo groaned as he rolled over to find Silky standing over him, her arms crossed beneath her chest. "It's morning already?" He reached up with one hand, pinching the bridge of his nose. Judging from the pounding in his head, he'd had a little too much to drink the night before.

Silky's only response was a quiet "hmph", which echoed in the space behind his eyes, causing them to water. Okay. So, maybe he'd had a lot too much to drink the night before. If the last few mornings were anything to go off of, he needed to seek an alternative coping mechanism for keeping himself away from the ladies.

With another groan, he rolled back over and realized that he was on the floor. Apparently, he hadn't made it all the way back to his bed before passing out. Great. A blinking light pulsed on the nightstand, and Cleo closed his eyes to try and fight off the sensation of it burrowing into his head.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to-" Before he could finish the statement, Cleo felt the water dump over him. With a sharp inhale, he buckled in on himself. "Geez, that's cold."

There was a brief moment of silence before he was doused with more.

"Okay. Okay! Thank you." The now dripping wet Vanguard pushed himself to his feet and pulled his hair back out of his eyes. While he appreciated that Silky could cure a hangover, she could be a little more gentle about it. A quick glance in her direction told him that voicing that sentiment right now probably wasn't in his best interests though.

Picking up his gauntlet, he let the message play while he changed into dry clothes and collected his weapons. There was a brief pause in his movements when the Ring was mentioned, but after a moment, he continued preparing. It sounded like there hadn't been any actual activity by the Ring in the area, just a demon trying to use the situation to establish himself as its guardian.

----------------------------------------

"Your new friend is pretty confident in himself." Cleo commented to no one in particular as he joined up with the group. Usually, when someone was talking themselves up, it was a bad sign, although surely this demon couldn't be worse than Archangel had been.

Behind him, Silky rolled her eyes and gave Cleo a light shove towards the stables. Clearly, she was more concerned with their tardiness than he was.

Chaldea - Front Gate

- Bastion -

As Cleo finally joined them, Principality turned slowly to regard him, hands folded. It was hard to tell if it was his words or just his approach that caused notice, as the angel seemed to react almost a moment before he spoke.

"We angels speak truth; nothing more," Prince said placidly. "Boasts and bragging are the realm of humans... and demons. But I shall let my actions speak for themselves. You'll see soon enough, I'm sure."

With that, he returned to the gauntlet. Bastion mounted a horse and gestured to the others to depart.

They rode out from the gate and in the direction they'd been giving, mostly sticking to silence. At one point, Bastion looked over to Vayu and frowned.

"Everything okay after the report? I suppose they must be, if they're allowing you on this mission."

Chaldea - Front Gate

Vayu looked between Prince and Bastion. They didn't seem to gel as well yet. Hopefully they could develop some sort of teamwork.

Thankfully Cleo finally showed up and they could get underway.

As they rode out the gate, Bastion posed his question with concern.

"Mh...no, I haven't heard from them," Vayu said in reply, looking thoughtful. "So let's take it as a good sign. We wouldn't want to assume that the Council takes forever with their decisions," he added with a grin.

On the Road

- Bastion -

Bastion smiled and nodded. "No news is good news, they say. I'm glad to hear it."

They turned up the road and continued on for what felt like a very long time, only briefly chatting in the silence of the wilderness. When they came at last up a high ridge, overlooked by a outcropping of rock, an unease settled in Bastion's stomach, his hands tightening on the reins just a bit.

Something silver flashed from up on the ridge, and the Vanguards pulled back on their horses as a hatchet slammed into the ground right in front of them, carving a gash into the earth.

“What-?” Bastion looked up as a black figure jumped down and landed in front of them, casually pulling her hatchet up and resting it on her shoulder.

“So, Chaldea finally arrived,” she mused, peering at them with red eyes from behind her oni mask.

“You!” Bastion leaped off his horse and pointed his spear at her, anger flashing across his face. He hadn’t forgotten the encounter they’d had with Ryoko on their first mission.

However, Ryoko showed no animosity or signs of aggression. “Oh, I remember you. You were one of those Vanguards who tried to stop us at the bridge. Relax, I’m not here to fight you.”

Bastion glared at her. “You just tried to kill us with that meat cleaver.”

“If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t have missed.” She tossed her hatchet up, watched it spin, then caught it. “Besides, consider it an act of mercy. If that had been enough to kill you, you’d have been better off than trying to go face Mithras.” She titled her head, considering them. “Or are you going there to kiss his shoes?”

From behind her, a little floating demon with a skeletal face peered over her shoulder. “I don’t think he has feet, Ryoko.”

Spoiler:

“Shut it, Bifrons,” she snapped. “It’s an expression.”

Bastion frowned. Though he kept his spear ready, her lack of aggression made him at least willing to lower his weapon, if only for the moment. “Our mission is none of your business.”

Shoving the little demon away, she turned and glared at Bastion. “If Chaldea is planning to ally with Mithras, it IS my business.”

Bastion raised an eyebrow. “And what’s the Ring of Gaea’s concern with that? That is who you’re working for now, right?”

Ryoko considered him for a few moments before reluctantly removing her oni mask, revealing pale skin and a heart-shaped face. It was delicate and unsuited to the crude weapon in one hand and unsightly mask in the other. “The Ring of Gaea is concerned with all people shackled to oppressive authority.”

Bastion scoffed. “How charitable of you. And yet, don’t you serve Mother Harlot?”

Ryoko gritted her teeth. “I don’t serve Mother Harlot,” she said, earning an indignant tut from Bifrons. “I give her what she wants, and then she’ll give me what I want.”

“You’re a fool if you believe that.”

Ryoko ignored him and regarded the other Vanguards. “It’s your duty to liberate people from the control of demons, right? Then work together with me to take Mithras down.”

Bastion’s mouth fell open, which quickly let out a humorless laugh. “You must be joking.”

“Yes.” Bifrons peeked around Ryoko’s leg. “You must be. She told you to kill Mithras. What will she think if she finds out you needed the help of humans to take Mithras down, especially after your recent failure?”

Ryoko kicked backward and sent Bifrons tumbling through the dirt. “You mean ‘what will she think when I rat to her,’ you cockroach. Results speak for themselves. If Chaldea wants Mithras dead, and we want Mithras dead, I see no reason why we shouldn’t both get our way.”

She looked back to Chaldea, awaiting their answer, spinning the handle of her hatchet over her shoulder.

A) Agree to help Ryoko.
B) Refuse to help.
C) Wait to decide until after meeting Mithras.

On the road

They travelled onwards and the signs of civilization gradually faded away, except for the path they saw in front of them.

It looked different than the area around Vayu's village. Somehow drier, the vegetation was not as lush and the air felt drier as well. More rock was visible, especially on the high ridge.

Watch out! Catequils voice roared in Vayu's head and almost immediately he pulled back the reins.

Something, no someone dropped down in front of them. Knowing their horses were not taught to fight, he displayed almost the same reaction as Bastion. He jumped off his horse and drew his weapon.

Baations reaction told him that he had encountered the stranger before. From the bridge mission, so it must be Ryoko. Soon confirmed by the little demon that accompanied her. For a brief second he wished, he had paid more attention to the mission reports.

She then proposed something very surprising. That they work together to take down Mithras. Even though he didn't trust her, she was very direct, something he appreciated.

"No bull****, I appreciate that," Vayu finally said. "I think we want to gather our own intel on what Mithras is up to before deciding if we ally with your or not."

What she said, made sense. However their mission was not to kill Mithras, but to determine the best course of action. And you can't to that without actually seeing the situation. If they decided, Mithras needed to be disposed of...maybe they could ally with Ryoko. Just not yet.

Besides, Bastion's reaction had made his opinion pretty clear amd he wasn't about to allow them to split up.

C - wait to decide until after meeting Mithras

- Cleo -

Cleo held himself back from rolling his eyes at Principality’s response. So far, the demon seemed less openly hostile than Archangel, and he had no wishes to stir up unnecessary trouble.

He listened to Vayu and Bastion discuss the report as they made their way up the trail, but Cleo’s eyes were constantly traveling the horizon. A flash of light drew his gaze as a weapon suddenly sailed through the air. To his surprise, it travelled much faster than he’d anticipated. Whoever had thrown it possessed some strength. Speed too, if their movements were anything to go off of. For a moment, Cleo thought of the woman he’d sparred with several weeks ago now, but this clearly wasn’t the same person.

Her voice was much softer than her appearance, although her words were cutting, much like the cleaver that she’d hurled in front of them. He wondered, for a moment, what she looked like beneath the mask, but more importantly, Bastion seemed to know her. In fact, after a bit of back and forth, Cleo realized who she was as well. The others had mentioned her when discussing past missions over drinks, and now he could finally put a face (or at least a mask) with the name.

Cleo’s had rested upon the hilt of his katana, but he hadn’t drawn it yet. She seemed oddly non-aggressive, aside from the way she had stopped their forward progress. His hand flexed involuntarily at the mention of Mother Harlot, but he kept his composure, listening to the woman’s unexpected proposal.

“It is our duty to serve the people.” He responded, giving her a long look. “But I agree with Vayu. We haven’t met with this Mithras, or with the people he’s claimed to have taken under his protection. You’ll have to forgive us for not taking the word of someone working under Mother Harlot without verifying things for ourselves first.”

His eyes traveled over the horizon again before moving back to her. There didn’t seem to be any others around beside this Bifrons and herself. That meant she was confident in her ability to take on the three of them. Was that overconfidence though, or could she back it up?

He blinked as she removed her mask, taking in her delicate features. Something about this woman just felt strange. He couldn’t exactly describe it though. Maybe it was the influence of Mother? Cleo took a closer look at her, but it wasn’t the same unsettling feeling he’d gotten from the other woman. Rather, something about her just felt unnatural.

That's when he realized it. The strange feeling wasn't something visible to the eyes. It was in the energy coming off of her. This woman was neither human nor demon. Much like himself, she was something in-between.

[C) Wait to decide until after meeting Mithras.]

(CHOICE B)

On the Road

- Bastion -

Ryoko pursed her lips at Vayu's and Cleo’s replies. "So it's like that, huh?"

Unsurprisingly, his companions showed no inclination to ally with Ryoko, though they took a more diplomatic stance than Bastion particularly cared for.

"Absolutely not," he replied. "Did you honestly think that taking that mask off would disguise who you really are? A half-oni looking to become a full demon. As if you care about the suffering of humans when you're so eager to cast off what little humanity you have left."

Her expression hardened. "And what about you, little saint? Do you really think your angel pals care about humanity? Or you, for that matter? If you think they saved your life for any reason other than to use you, you're a sadder sap than I thought."

"Says Mother Harlot's errand girl. And I'm more than happy to be a weapon of the angels if it means stopping Mother Harlot and people like you."

For a few moments, Ryoko just stared back at him. Then, she slowly lifted her mask. "People like me, huh," she muttered before securing it back in place. Then, to his surprise, she stepped aside.

Bifrons' surprise as well. “You’re letting them go unchallenged?” the little demon squawked.

“I'm letting them see for themselves what allying with people like Mithras means,” she replied. “And you’re going with them.”

The Vanguards and Bifrons stared at her. “What?”

She grabbed the demon and tossed him into the group of Vanguards before they could protest. “You are to stand before Mithras as a representative of the Ring of Gaea and order his immediate evacuation from the region.”

Bastion glared at her, stepping away from the demon flopping indignantly around their feet. “And why should we let him travel with us?”

It was hard to tell behind the mask, but something about the curve of her eyes made Bastion think she was smirking. “Go ahead then. Kill him.”

They exchanged looks as the demon cowered before them. By all rights, they probably should, given his affiliation. But it was defenseless and doing little to pose any threat.

“That’s what I thought." Ryoko turned her back on them and jumped back up the crags to where she'd come from. "If you come to your senses, you can find us camped out on the other side of this ridge till nightfall. Then we'll make our move on Mithras - with you or against you.”

Bastion climbed back on his horse, glaring daggers into her back as she jumped out of sight, then urged his steed forward, nearly trampling Bifrons as he scrambled out of the way. Muttering curses under his breath, the small demon followed after, floating behind them at a safe pace.

On the road

It seemed Cleo had the same opinion as him. Meanwhile, Bastion strongly disapproved of Ryoko's offer and vehemently declined it. Vayu gave his companion a long look.

He must have a reason for slamming this door as shut as it would go. After witnessing the argument between Ryoko and Bastion which resulted in name calling, he wondered....

His thoughts were interrupted when Ryoko threw Bifrons in their midst, announcing the demon would go with them. His eyes narrowed. They didn't need that.

"You interfere with anything we're doing and it will be the last thing you do," Vayu said to the small demon in a low voice before mounting his horse to follow Bastion.

"So what's your deal with her?" he asked Bastion and gestured towards the direction that Ryoko had disappeared to.

On the Road

- Bastion -

Bifrons scowled at Vayu but sulkily kept to the back and otherwise made no attempts to interfere or talk with them.

Bastion sent him a disgrunted look, then turned back to Vayu as he asked about his relationship with Ryoko.

"We came across on our first mission," he said. "She and a group of oni were exploiting people trying to use the bridge in the area, forcing them to pay outrageous tolls to get by. But eventually, she decided that was small thinking compared to what she could achieve with the Ring of Gaea, so she and her loyalists packed up to join them. Not before setting some of the ones who wanted to stay behind on us."

Bastion's expression darkened as he thought back on that encounter.

"She was a tyrant then. And I doubt getting into bed with the Ring of Gaea has done anything to improve that." He shot a glare back at Bifrons at this, who grunted but otherwise refused to comment. "I don't approve of bullies like her, or anyone who would willingly get involved with the Mother Harlot. Or anyone who would willingly cast away their humanity to become a demon."

Bifrons gave a little snicker, and Bastion turned in his saddle with a sharp look.

"Sad little Ryoko," he chirped. "She disgusts humans for being too demon, and demons for being too human."

[reserved]

On the Road

- Bastion -

They didn't have to travel up the road too far before a large stone castle came into view, looming over a sprawling town below. It looked out of place, as though dropped there haphazardly by a child playing with a toy village. Equally jarring was the wall that appeared to have been constructed around the village - or perhaps it was more accurate to say was being constructed. Villagers could be seen adding stones to the wall here and there, with demons hovering nearby.

When the approached the gate, a pair of skeletal figures in armor raised their weapons, but a winged bird demon flew down from the castle and hovered over them.

"At ease. It's them!" it cawed.

The Spartoi lowered their swords and resumed an impassive stance as the Caladrius flapped its wings at the Vanguards.

"This way! Lord Mithras awaits!" it said before swooping through the gate to lead them.

They didn't have much chance to look about before being directed into the castle and ferried straight up a long series of stairs until they reached a throne room. The Caladrius landed and swept its wings in something like a curtsey before the dais.

"Lord Mithras, I present the Emissaries of Chaldea!"

Up on the dais, a regal figure with pale skin and flowing blonde hair stood, gazing down on them. Well, perhaps “stood” wasn’t the right word. His smooth, naked torso ended below the waist, where he appeared to be embedded in a strange, obsidian rock.



“Welcome to my palace,” he said, his voice clear and warm. “I hope you didn’t have trouble on your travels. The roads can be dangerous these days.”

He gazed toward the open window. Did he know the Ring of Gaea were already nearby? If he didn’t, he would soon enough.

Bifrons pushed his way forward, trembling slightly but making a valiant effort to appear otherwise. “Mithras, I come representing the Ring of Gaea!” he called out, though his voice sounded small in the large chamber.

“Indeed.” Mithras raised delicate eyebrows. “The Ring of Gaea wishes to parley with me?”

“The Ring of Gaea demands that you dismantle your stronghold and vacate these lands within-“

Mithras’ cold laugh cut short Bifrons’ words. “You misunderstand me, worm. That wasn’t an invitation to speak.”

He signaled to more Spartoi standing guard around the edges of the room, who swooped in on a panicked Bifrons and bound him.

“Take him down to Asclepius,” Mithras ordered. “Perhaps he can make use of him.”

Bifrons struggled against his restrainers. “You will regret making an enemy of the Ring of Gaea!” He glanced helplessly at the Vanguards, his bravado slipping. “Chaldeans, help me!”

Mithras watched the Vanguards with a piercing gaze, perhaps for any signs of sympathy, as Bifrons was dragged from the room. Once the door shut, he relaxed.

“Now then, where was I?” He floated down the dais and hovered before them. Even on their level, he stood much taller than them. “As you can see, the Ring of Gaea has been proving quite a threat in this region. Even now, they hover like carrion, waiting for their meal. It’s fortunate that I arrived when I did to block them from making a foothold in these lands.”

Bastion glanced at the other two. “While we’re grateful for any assistance against the Ring of Gaea, Chaldea needs to ascertain the exact means you’re using to defend the people here and their conditions under you.”

Mithras arched a delicate brow. “You would bite the hand that feeds you? I would have thought Chaldea would be desperate for any assistance, given how poorly your campaign against the Harlot has been going.”

He winced at the reminder. The reports had been growing more and more grim lately. The Vanguards were just stretched too thin to protect every city or village. And wherever a hole appeared, a gap in Vanguard presence or even just a weak one, they would swoop in and fill it.

“Ah, but no matter. I am no tyrant. Come on see for yourselves the work I’ve done.”

They followed him out onto the ramparts of the castle overlooking the settlement below. As his visage loomed over the battlements, the people stopped in place and threw up their hands toward the sky. One of the men, carrying a heavy load of rocks, didn’t seem to notice under his strain, and a demon guard grabbed his face and turned it skyward, causing him to lose hold of his load and scatter it on the street.

Along with everyone else, he chanted in weary tones, “All hail Mithras! All hail the Living Sun!”

Mithras hummed in pleasure before waving a dismissive hand. The demon guard, fluttering beside the man’s head, jabbed him and pointed to the load, which he stooped to collect with a slump of his shoulders.

“At sunrise, the people assemble to worship me and the rising sun. They work until sunset fortifying the city’s defenses against the Ring of Gaea, then assemble to worship once more and mourn the setting sun. After dark, they seal themselves inside under curfew to rest until the next day.” He smiled. “Everything has run quite smoothly. My demons work to protect the city, as well as direct the humans and help with the defense projects. You can go down and survey things for yourself if you like. You’ll find it all in order.”

Bastion surveyed the area and had to admit that everything was operating smoothly. Other than the one fumble with the oblivious man, everyone worked silently and diligently at their tasks. It almost reminded him of an ant colony he’d once observed, everyone going about their tasks with dedicated efficiency. And yet, he couldn’t help but find the worship and groveling distasteful. If Mithras could allow the worship to come from their own free will, he might be more inclined to think his work here was good will toward humans and not just a chance to puff himself up and create his own little kingdom.

Even if was pursuing his own selfish motives, though, did it matter if it helped them against Mother Harlot in the end?

At the castle

He looked at Bastion thoughtfully. It sounded like they had a history. Would that be a problem?

They continued their travel up the road to the stone castle. It was huge and its presence was only overshadowed by the stone wall. Vayu’s expression became increasingly quiet. This just felt wrong.

He was pulled from his thoughts when they reached the gate, also guarded by demons, which felt even more odd. They arrived in a throne room, which was just as extravagant as the rest of the castle. The whole setting felt like a delusion of grandeur.

Vayu kept his face impassive when Mithras ordered the Bifrons removed without even considering it. He suppressed a shudder and then followed Mithras onto the rampart.

“So what makes them different from slaves?” Vayu asked, keeping his voice and his face neutral.

On the Road

- Bastion -

Mithras seemed genuinely surprised by Vayu's question.

"Slaves?" he mused. "My people here are protected and kept safe. Their needs are satisfied and met. I offer them my protection, and they offer me their obedience and worship. It's the compensation any patron god receives."

Bastion glanced between Vayu and Cleo, who'd been deep in contemplation from their earlier encounter and showed no signs of wanting to acknowledge Mithras with a word. He could understand their misgivings, of course, but they wouldn't really sympathize with Ryoko over him, would they?

As he gazed over the streets, he found himself with a question he couldn't bring himself to voice. What happened if someone wasn't willing to make the deal Mithras required?

"Are you sure all this will be enough to stop the Ring of Gaea?" he asked instead.

Mithras laughed. "You see how they cower among the crags, too afraid to even try. They know what happened when Icarus tried to fly too close to the sun. What would happen if they reach out their hand against me, the Sun Incarnate."

It was true that, for all her bravado, Ryoko hadn't been too eager to make an assault, or else she would have done it by now. But for all his bravado, could his power really match Mother Harlot?

"Are you satisfied?" Mithras asked. "Can we expect Chaldea's support for our occupation?"

Bastion turned to the others, who didn't seem convinced. Biting his lip, he tried to think of what to say to sway the others - if he even should - when Mithras hummed to himself.

"I see you still have reservations." Turning, he beckoned to an Empusa demon standing to the side like an attendant. "Very well. I shall 'sweeten the deal' as you mortals say. We have been researching a method to counter the Harlot's attempts to corrupt human souls into demons. If Chaldea is willing to cooperate with us, we will share our discoveries with them to spread to other human settlements and curb the Harlot's spread. If you are interested, you can visit Asclepius' lab to witness the fruits of his labor."

At the castle

"YOUR people?" Vayu echoed and raised his eyebrows. That Mithras seemed to be delusional if he thought he could just own people. The more he spoke, the more it became clear that he thought himself equal to a god. The words he used....occupation, my people, worship...they didn't seem to trigger the same emotions in Bastion as they did in Vayu. Couldn't he see it?

It was then, that Mitras dangled something seemingly irresistable in front of them. A way to save human souls from Mother Harlots corruption. Suddenly all this sounded too good to be true.

"What if someone doesn't want to worship you?"

Vayu thought for a moment.

"Actually, the real question I have is this: Do they still have a life?" He could see some confusion in Mithras expression. "I mean, can they enjoy life? Can they celebrate it? Can they be creative? Yes what you provide is shelter and protection, but people who just eat, work and sleep are emtpy shells. What makes their life worth living?"

"Do you feel the same about me?" Catequil suddenly asked in his thoughts.

"What do you mean?" Vayu thought back.

"I used to be a deity. People worshipped me. They built me a temple and made offerings and sacrifices. And I provided them protection. Yet, I could have asked them to do anything for me."

"Did they love you?" Vayu asked him.

"Yes."

"And did you love them?"

"Yes. That's why I ended where I am today. Because I could not bear to see them suffer."

"There's your answer. You and him are not the same."

There was silence.


OOC: we can go visit Asclepius after Mithras' answer unless it's something that needs a reply.

Mithras’ Castle

- Bastion -

When Vayu asked the dreaded question, Bastion waited with baited breath. Thankfully, as Mithras paused to consider his answer, Vayu pressed on with a different question that the pagan god seemed much more willing to answer.

“They can live how they like in the confined of their home at night, if they still have the energy,” Mithras said carelessly. “The night is their time. The day is mine. Naturally, it must be in the confines of their home for their protection. One simply cannot afford luxuries during this difficult time. The slightest whiff of weakness, the faintest hint of sin or indulgence, and the Harlot’s minions will swarm in like a flood. Labor, worship, and devotion - these pillars will uphold this settlement in this perilous age.”

The demon glanced at Bastion, as though exasperated with these very silly questions and wondering why he wasn’t voicing them like his companion.

Before Bastion could say anything, Cleo nudged Vayu toward where the Empusa was waiting to escort them. “Come on,” he said flatly. “I think you should already understand everything you need to know by now.”

That response was both concerning and somewhat relieving. Either way, they were done with questions for now, at least.

The Empusa led them out of the throne room, Mithras’ sharp eyes following them, and down a passage until they came to a winding staircase down into the depths of the castle. They finally emerged into a dimly lit corridor, and even the Empusa seemed skiddish as they approached the sealed door at the end. After a few moments, the bolts were moved, and the door opened to reveal a man dressed in dark robes and masked.



“What?” he demanded curtly.

“Asclepius, Lord Mithras wishes you to show the Chaldeans the fruit of your labors,” the Empusa replied before bowing a skulking away.

Asclepius surveyed them for a few moments, then ushered them inside. Half-dungeon and half-laboratory, there were both demons and humans being kept in cells, and on the two operating tables, both a demon and a human were strapped in.

“Chaldeans!” Bifrons rattled the bars of his cage. “Help me!”

Asclepius ignored him and settled between the two patients on the tables with a sigh. “Foolish god,” he muttered. “There are some miracles even I can’t produce immediately. But I believe I’m getting close. The results have been… promising.”

Vayu frowned at Mithras. Clearly, he was not happy with that answer.
“Yeah, I think I understand,” he replied tensely and followed Bastion and Cleo.

They were led down a passage and a staircase and emerged in a corridor that ended with a sealed door.

When it opened, Asclepius greeted them and led them inside. Vayu felt shocked at the sight of the cages containing demons and humans. What was going on here?

“How can you be okay with this?” he whispered to Bastion as they watched Asclepius approach his patients.

Mithras’ Castle

- Bastion -

Okay with it? Bastion was far from comfortable with this, but... what did his comfort matter in the face of Mother Harlot's threat? If there really was some way to stop her... shouldn't they at least here it out?

"A-Asclepius, is it?" he asked, avoiding Vayu's question. "Could you explain to us what's going on here?"

Asclepius sighed and turned back to his work bench, sorting through tools and utensils. "It's as the sun god told you. I'm attempting to remove that infection, that disease, that maladay that causes man to plumb the depths of sin and depravity."

"But..."

"I was once destroyed for the supposed hubris of attempting to cure man's physical ailments," Asclepius mused, pausing to regard his hands. "Perhaps, the heavens will be more merciful now as I cure that which ails man's spirit."

Bastion bit his lip. The doctor... demon... whatever he was, didn't appear very eager to converse with them. "How, though? What will you... do to them?"

Asclepius met his eyes with cold determination. "Whatever I have to." Turning back to the patient on the table, he raised two fingers and ran them along the man's torso like a scalpel, leaving behind a trail of light. "Dissecting the brain has yielded some results. Shut off certain receptors, and the humans will no longer crave the response. But it tends to leave... side-effects. Is it truly a natural drive, though? Perhaps the answer is in the spirit."

With that, he raised his gloved hand and drove it inside the spiritual cut he'd made. The man on the table writhed, eyes and mouth radiating light as Asclepius rummaged around inside, humming thoughtfully to himself.

"Ah, free will... yes, yes, that could do it. Difficult, but possible..." He straightened up and glanced at them. "If you don't mind, I need concentration."

Cleo took a step forward like he might intervene, but Bastion caught his arm. "Remember what Ryoko said," he hissed. "Whatever we do, it can't be while the sun is up."

Slapping his arm away, Cleo stalked out into the hallway. Bastion turned to give his thanks, such as it was to Asclepius, but the doctor had gone back to ignoring them. From his cage, Bifrons whined for their help, but the three Vanguards ignored him as they went back into the hall.

With the Empusa escort and Asclepius out of earshot, they moved into an alcove to discuss what they'd seen.

"I'm going back," Cleo said at once.

"To Chaldea?"

He shook his head, incredulous. "To Ryoko. I'm not sitting back and letting them do this to people. Mother Harlot turning them into demons is wrong, but at least they have some choice in it - before and after. It's better than turning them into lab rats and will-less dolls."

"We don't know that," Bastion retorted. "Maybe they need more time to perfect it. If there's a way to stop Mother Harlot's corruption, we have to try. I don't want to see anyone else lose their humanity."

"That's losing humanity!" Cleo jabbed a finger back at the lab. "Just because something looks human doesn't mean it is. And just because something doesn't look human on the outside..." He swallowed. "That doesn't mean it isn't."

As he started to walk away, he realized Bastion wasn't coming and shook his head in disgust. They both turned to Vayu, waiting to see what he'd do.

A) Return to help Ryoko against Mithras.
B) Fight Mithras without Ryoko's help.
C) Defend Mithras against Ryoko.