OE 102: January 5th
China, The Forbidden City,
en route to Directory Beijing Air Base
The limousine was manufactured to exacting specifications. It glided through the streets of the Beijing in near silence, cutting through the night like a dagger, the street lights glinting off its flawless surface.
Its interior was luxurious - dark leather seats that were comfortable, yet without affording the person occupying it total rest. Gentle lights gave it the impression of a professional bar, and indeed a cut-away section revealed a variety of alcoholic concoctions... as well as other, stranger chemicals in wrought glass vials, some of which contained shadows that seemed... Almost alive. Bulletproof, one-way windows were of course, standard on such a vehicle, and upon closer inspection by a seasoned eye - magic circles carved into the glass panes.
Few could begin to comprehend how their influence was so pervasive as to have touched on even this small detail.
They went by many names - and had gone by many in their thousand-year history - but organization known in certain occult circles as the the Church of Volkruss had never seen its power wax as strongly as it did this day.
A tall, eastern man with broad shoulders and shoulder length, oiled, jet-black hair sat across from Tian Di, dressed to perfection in a creaseless black and red suit, his features currently obscured by a raised newspaper - one that, upon closer inspection, appeared to be little more than tabloid trash... Yet he seemed completely absorbed by its contents, and had been for the duration of their trip so far, giving its contents absolutely rapt attention.
His name was Lao Xin Fang, and he was one of the most powerful people on the world. True to that description, he didn't appear on any sort of lists as such, and in fact went to great pains to do so.
As far as the rest of the world was concerned, he was a quiet, efficient member of the Directory Board, representing the Eastern hemisphere, who kept the tax payer money rolling in, and had carved out a position of prominence for China in the new world order - and with it, great prosperity.
So it was he, in association with the young woman across from him, had overseen the construction of the single most expensive and fantastic mobile weapon ever designed by the hand of man.
Their relationship was a curious one, as he had served not only as her mentor, but also as a council and confidant who recognized her importance... and had built the organization around the two of them as consequence.
Lao did not strike people as the kind of person who would lead what amounted to a Doomsday cult - in fact he was polite, well mannered, and seemed to be almost embarrassed about the whole thing... Yet, he was a magus beyond compare, one whose innvoations had brought them tremendous boons. Today was to be his crowning achievement, the unveiling of their greatest weapon... And with it, a means to not only weather, but to soar above the coming storm.
At length, Lao glanced over his magazine at the young woman, as if noticing her for the first time, and cleared his throat.
"We'll be arriving soon, Tian." He said, folding the article and folding it under his arm.
"After about every delay conceivable, the day has finally come." He noted with a grateful sigh; asking with a small smile:
"How are you feeling?"
China, The Forbidden City,
en route to Directory Beijing Air Base
The limousine was manufactured to exacting specifications. It glided through the streets of the Beijing in near silence, cutting through the night like a dagger, the street lights glinting off its flawless surface.
Its interior was luxurious - dark leather seats that were comfortable, yet without affording the person occupying it total rest. Gentle lights gave it the impression of a professional bar, and indeed a cut-away section revealed a variety of alcoholic concoctions... as well as other, stranger chemicals in wrought glass vials, some of which contained shadows that seemed... Almost alive. Bulletproof, one-way windows were of course, standard on such a vehicle, and upon closer inspection by a seasoned eye - magic circles carved into the glass panes.
Few could begin to comprehend how their influence was so pervasive as to have touched on even this small detail.
They went by many names - and had gone by many in their thousand-year history - but organization known in certain occult circles as the the Church of Volkruss had never seen its power wax as strongly as it did this day.
A tall, eastern man with broad shoulders and shoulder length, oiled, jet-black hair sat across from Tian Di, dressed to perfection in a creaseless black and red suit, his features currently obscured by a raised newspaper - one that, upon closer inspection, appeared to be little more than tabloid trash... Yet he seemed completely absorbed by its contents, and had been for the duration of their trip so far, giving its contents absolutely rapt attention.
His name was Lao Xin Fang, and he was one of the most powerful people on the world. True to that description, he didn't appear on any sort of lists as such, and in fact went to great pains to do so.
As far as the rest of the world was concerned, he was a quiet, efficient member of the Directory Board, representing the Eastern hemisphere, who kept the tax payer money rolling in, and had carved out a position of prominence for China in the new world order - and with it, great prosperity.
So it was he, in association with the young woman across from him, had overseen the construction of the single most expensive and fantastic mobile weapon ever designed by the hand of man.
Their relationship was a curious one, as he had served not only as her mentor, but also as a council and confidant who recognized her importance... and had built the organization around the two of them as consequence.
Lao did not strike people as the kind of person who would lead what amounted to a Doomsday cult - in fact he was polite, well mannered, and seemed to be almost embarrassed about the whole thing... Yet, he was a magus beyond compare, one whose innvoations had brought them tremendous boons. Today was to be his crowning achievement, the unveiling of their greatest weapon... And with it, a means to not only weather, but to soar above the coming storm.
At length, Lao glanced over his magazine at the young woman, as if noticing her for the first time, and cleared his throat.
"We'll be arriving soon, Tian." He said, folding the article and folding it under his arm.
"After about every delay conceivable, the day has finally come." He noted with a grateful sigh; asking with a small smile:
"How are you feeling?"
