interrogoiterum (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
interrogoiterum) wrote2011-03-12 09:16 pm
interrogoiterum) wrote2011-03-12 09:16 pm
Final Crisis: God is dead
So... this is it then, the end.
Renee tries not to think of her family. It's not as easy as it might seem, given she's been trying not to think of her family for years.
The Cathedral is full of people doing the same thing, sitting around in clutches of friends and acquaintances, all focused hard on not thinking about their loved ones that must be outside in the Anti-Life throng, collectively calling at the cathedral for people to Submit. It's not a pleasant situation, but it's suddenly very much worse when the noise stops.
Everyone outside is silent.
And then, in the middle of the crowd, a sound, like a shepherd's crook on stone. The crowd parts, and the man comes forward, barefoot, clad in only a pair of torn shorts, and clutching the Spear, the glows red with energy like hate, matching the flames pouring forth from the inverted cross between his eyes.
Renee recognises his face - it's Vandal Savage, the Immortal Man. Or at least, the body is. The person in the body is Cain, and Renee has no idea if that is Vandal Savage, or is just possessing him. She doesn't know if there is a difference.
He stands at the base of the steps to the cathedral and screams. “Hate Everything. HATE EVERYTHING.
“God most of all.”
He stands at the base of the steps and he calls for the Spectre. And the Spectre answers – well, Crispus Allen answers, materialising at Vandal Savage's feet, snatching the Spear and lifting the man up with a hand at his throat. It's definitely more wrath-of-man than wrath-of-God. And Cain answers it – by plunging a thumb into Cris' eye, kicking the Spear back into his own hands and plunging it down through Cris' heart.
Renee screams “No!” but no one heeds her.
Right now, at this moment, she doesn't believe in God. At least, no God who could allow this to happen. Who could allow Cain to stand there, with a spear through her friend's body, and rip the Spectre out, leaving Crispus a dead husk on the ground.
But there are new gods. They're dying and being reborn, and all of us mortals, she thinks, all of us made of meat and blood – we're nothing to them, just collateral damage. The Spectre, apart from his human body now, kneels in red chains at Cain's feet. The Radiant stands behind the Question, not quite cowering, but not much more than submissive.
The Crime Bible foretells Cain's return, and the vengeanse he wreask upon the world, upon God's creation for the punishment he endured. Cain's return heralds the end of the world, the death of the old god. The book of Adumbrations tells of Cain ushering in the Age of Apokalips on Earth.
The Spectre kneels at Cain's feet and calls him Master.
This is how the world ends. With the might of one God brought to his knees, a slave following on the heels of his master and – as Cain lifts a hand to touch the Radiant on her glowing cheek – with the corruption of God's mercy.
And then, he turns his attention to Renee. Because it's been at least an hour since anyone tried to kill her and that can't be left alone.
“You defied my will, Faceless. You failed me. You were to lead my order, the one detined to put the spear in my hands, not Sister Wrack,” (Who by the by is watching all this and muttering “kill her kill her kill her...” Renee is going to slap that bitch if they both survive.)
“I do not abide disobedience. I abide failure even less.”
“Talk talk talk,” Renee retorts, because she never learned not to taunt the person about to kill her. He grins a grin that makes the Joker look friendly, and points the spear at her, shooting the same red angry power straight at her chest, just as he killed Cris.
Nothing.
Cain asks the same thing Renee was thinking “Ho do you yet live?”
She takes the opportunity while she can, and kicks him in the face; a move that accomplished two things: 1) a broken foot and 2) the opportunity for him to grab her by the throat.
“Oh no no no, little thing. You may be immune to its power, but its blade will cut you just the same.”
And once again, Renee is about to be killed. Time for another last minute rescue.
Someone?
Anyone?
Renee tries not to think of her family. It's not as easy as it might seem, given she's been trying not to think of her family for years.
The Cathedral is full of people doing the same thing, sitting around in clutches of friends and acquaintances, all focused hard on not thinking about their loved ones that must be outside in the Anti-Life throng, collectively calling at the cathedral for people to Submit. It's not a pleasant situation, but it's suddenly very much worse when the noise stops.
Everyone outside is silent.
And then, in the middle of the crowd, a sound, like a shepherd's crook on stone. The crowd parts, and the man comes forward, barefoot, clad in only a pair of torn shorts, and clutching the Spear, the glows red with energy like hate, matching the flames pouring forth from the inverted cross between his eyes.
Renee recognises his face - it's Vandal Savage, the Immortal Man. Or at least, the body is. The person in the body is Cain, and Renee has no idea if that is Vandal Savage, or is just possessing him. She doesn't know if there is a difference.
He stands at the base of the steps to the cathedral and screams. “Hate Everything. HATE EVERYTHING.
“God most of all.”
He stands at the base of the steps and he calls for the Spectre. And the Spectre answers – well, Crispus Allen answers, materialising at Vandal Savage's feet, snatching the Spear and lifting the man up with a hand at his throat. It's definitely more wrath-of-man than wrath-of-God. And Cain answers it – by plunging a thumb into Cris' eye, kicking the Spear back into his own hands and plunging it down through Cris' heart.
Renee screams “No!” but no one heeds her.
Right now, at this moment, she doesn't believe in God. At least, no God who could allow this to happen. Who could allow Cain to stand there, with a spear through her friend's body, and rip the Spectre out, leaving Crispus a dead husk on the ground.
But there are new gods. They're dying and being reborn, and all of us mortals, she thinks, all of us made of meat and blood – we're nothing to them, just collateral damage. The Spectre, apart from his human body now, kneels in red chains at Cain's feet. The Radiant stands behind the Question, not quite cowering, but not much more than submissive.
The Crime Bible foretells Cain's return, and the vengeanse he wreask upon the world, upon God's creation for the punishment he endured. Cain's return heralds the end of the world, the death of the old god. The book of Adumbrations tells of Cain ushering in the Age of Apokalips on Earth.
The Spectre kneels at Cain's feet and calls him Master.
This is how the world ends. With the might of one God brought to his knees, a slave following on the heels of his master and – as Cain lifts a hand to touch the Radiant on her glowing cheek – with the corruption of God's mercy.
And then, he turns his attention to Renee. Because it's been at least an hour since anyone tried to kill her and that can't be left alone.
“You defied my will, Faceless. You failed me. You were to lead my order, the one detined to put the spear in my hands, not Sister Wrack,” (Who by the by is watching all this and muttering “kill her kill her kill her...” Renee is going to slap that bitch if they both survive.)
“I do not abide disobedience. I abide failure even less.”
“Talk talk talk,” Renee retorts, because she never learned not to taunt the person about to kill her. He grins a grin that makes the Joker look friendly, and points the spear at her, shooting the same red angry power straight at her chest, just as he killed Cris.
Nothing.
Cain asks the same thing Renee was thinking “Ho do you yet live?”
She takes the opportunity while she can, and kicks him in the face; a move that accomplished two things: 1) a broken foot and 2) the opportunity for him to grab her by the throat.
“Oh no no no, little thing. You may be immune to its power, but its blade will cut you just the same.”
And once again, Renee is about to be killed. Time for another last minute rescue.
Someone?
Anyone?
no subject
"We are summoned," explains Sister Clarice, bowing her head to Helena and Renee. "Your service will long be remembered."
"Yeah," Helena replies wryly, as Cris once again becomes robed in the garb of the Spectre, "I got stabbed real good."
no subject
"Renee," Cris says, still holding the Spear. "I will never forget what you did for us. The peace you have brought us."
Renee taps the brim of her hat and watches the light as it fades. It's not over, she knows, but it feels like the tide has turned.
no subject
"When you had the Spear, you did something. I thought you where going to bring him back to life, but that's not it, is it? So what'd you do?"
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It's quiet right now, on Cathedral Ave. The anti life zombies, no longer controled by Cain, have shuffled off somewhere that's less threatening. There are people in the Cathedral that still need their help, so it's there that Renee turns.
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"I got stabbed for you!"
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It's partly a lie. It wasn't necessarily part of her plan.
The Cathedral is still filled with people, less immediately terrified now, and milling about aimlessly. They have faith, at least, that people like Renee and Helena will see them through it.
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She pauses in the doorway, looking around at the people gathered there.
Where do we start?
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Renee doesn't much care where they start. It's going to require a lot of work, and if more of them come back to the Cathedral there might not be anything they can do.
But they'll still do it.
"There's always a plan."
And somewhere, presumably in the Gotham Heights house that Dore and Jake Allen are staying in right now, part of a family is being reuinited.
That is, if The Radiant was right, and Renee's attempts to revive Malcolm Allen have worked.
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no subject
"So - I'd better get going. Checkmate say they got plans for me. Can you hold this fort, you think?"
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"Plans?"
It'll be fine, Helena tells herself, She'll be fine. You know she isn't going to get hurt too badly. You don't have to worry about her.
But that is easier said than done.
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"Go," she says, turning away from Renee, not wanting to watch her go. "I'll handle things here."
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Before she turns back.
"He...y, Huntress."
She manages not to drop names at the wrong moment, at least.
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Why have you been looking at me that way?
So, you're not a complete homophobe then?
Give me a clue here!
...
"Do I get out of this alive?"
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Then she sighs and nods.
"Assuming we haven't changed anything? Yeah, you do," she says and she can't help the soft smile that accompanies that statement. Helena's past; Renee's future: she has it all to look forward to.
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"Thanks," says The Question.
"I guess I'll see you on the other side, then."
She knocks her hat down over her eyes again, ready to head out.
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If Helena were a different woman, one not so in control of her own body and her actions, she wouldn't let Renee go without an embrace, but in this place at this time, it wouldn't be appropriate.
But she can't let Renee leave without saying something to her, without letting Renee know that she feels something
"Go easy on me okay? I'll come around."
no subject
Renee takes second to stare at Helena, surprised, and relieved more than she was at the first.
Then she grins against the mask.
"Alright. I'll be gentle."
But for now - she really has to go.