Moth Cathedral

He surfaced, however he remained in his demonic form, however rather than a face twisted and contorted in rage it was a calm, young face, his eyes wide open, water pooled off his black and red wings flowing down his back.

He felt something, he felt that perhaps he had to earn his right to become human once more, that once he had done enough good deeds he would be allowed to shift into a form more pleasing to the human eye, for now he remained in his strange true form. However he still possed the one thing that he knew he would never be rid of, his mechanical arm, that remained.

His clothes had changed to a pure white robe and gown, so white they almost seemed to shimmer in the darkness.

At the glorious sight of the reformed demon, the priest actually managed a smile. He noticed the garments that had been woven over him somehow, while underwater. "You have been clothed with Christ. As many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. These holy garments are a symbol of your place in Heaven. Come now friend, follow me to the alter."

As the priest led the way to the alter, he produced the Sword of Leviticus and brought it upon the dark angel. "Kneel" he said and the Doctor followed. The holy man now proceeded to knight the new born Christian. "May God, who has received you by baptism into his Church, pour upon you the riches of his grace, that within the company of Christ's pilgrim people you may daily be renewed by his anointing Spirit, and come to the inheritance of the saints in glory. Rise now, son of God" said the priest, sheathing his sword and opening his arms wide to embrace the Doctor. "You are reborn a Christian! Welcome to the faith, brother"

Sister Mary, who had now taken it upon herself to clean up the broken glass, let fall her dustpan and brush to offer the Doctor a friendly hug.

He smiled and hugged the Priest, taking the offer of a hug from Sister Mary as well.

"Thank you...the both of you...from now on I am Doctor Mechano no more...I am His sword and as such I will take on a new name, since I came to this place seeking redemption I shall become the Sword of Redemption...a blade as swift in forgiveness as well as in justice..."

[Blackout, roll credits ]

The Faceless Angel

Friday 7th

The rain poured down and covered the streets in a watery shine. The steps of the Cathedral were like a waterfall, each step flowing the water forward until it gathered in the 'river' at the bottom and then washed down into the drain.

He had managed to get to Paragon the night before and had slowly worked his way here through the dark alleyways and side roads as to avoid hero attention. He looked up at the impressive building as the lightning filled the sky illuminating the structure. He looked about for a moment and slowly climbed the waterfall, breaking the water with each step. He reaches the large doors and swung them open and entered the large gothic building.

As he strode down the main hall he gazed at the few people gathered inside, praying to their god. They looked around at him and gazed at the white costume he wore, to hide his fractured form, the red scars across his otherwise featureless mask, his long black trench coat and heavy metal boots, whispers made him aware he was not one of them. He ignored the whispers and continued onward, his footfalls echoing around, bouncing off the pillars sending the sounds off into the distant corners of the Cathedral. He eventually stood before the alter and he knelt down onto one knee. His British accent cut through the quiet as he looked up at the cross,

"I will be blunt. I do not believe in you. But that does not mean you cannot exist. My name is Faceless and I am cursed. Weather it be by your hand I do not know, but if it is I only ask you why? What have I done to warrant this undeath? What did I do to have my memories, my identity, stripped away? What are these dreams I am forced to see?" his voice raised "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!"

His hands fell onto his lap in desperation, he did not know why he was here, why was he bothering…

Then his hands began to glow. Some-thing had worried the power inside,

He turned…

He approached and smiled, "well here is something I did not expect to see...greetings Headbreaker and welcome to our humble cathedral, I assure you the Father will be along shortly."

He was nolonger an old man but a youthful man in his twenties, clean shaven, white hair, glasses sitting on his nose. Dressed in a white T-shirt and white cargo pants, he had yet to don the white robe and gown he had hanging out the back.

((Actually it's my Alt Faceless :P Some-one didn't read the post >_&lt)

"Gentlemen, if we could possibly keep the volume down, please" asked Rev. Anthony Marceau, the Cathedral Rector. The caucasian man stood tall beside the two men, smiling politely. "Are you here for prayer?" he asks.

The energy around Faceless' fists faded quickly and he rose to his feet. He shock his head,

"Nay father, I am here for answers to long lost questions. The church seemed to be a good place to come,"

He looked up at the cross,

"I apologise about my anger father, i seemed to be filled with it..."

The reverend leads the way to an empty pew nearby. "Come, let us talk" he said, gesturing the men to sit.

Faceless followed the priest to the pew and removed his trench coat before he sat down. His white costume was dazling as the candles flicked. He looked at the priest with his featureless mask, the red scars being the only visable feature. He 'stared' at him for a second,

"Father, i am dead!" lightning filled the sky as he spoke, "I awoke after the Rikti attacks as a ruined form, mindless and feral. I have worked hard to regain some of my mind, but my memories do not return. I want to know why i have been cused with this undeath. If it is one of his plan..." He pointed an angry finger at the cross "...and if so, why must i be tortured? What AM I?"

He gave a polite smile and a nod to the Reverend, politely and discreetly taking a seat, listening to this scarred man, "one cannot question the ways of the Lord, as often quoted they are mysterious, trust me trying to second guess an all knowing, all powerful deity who has plans for us all is something nobody should try, merely have faith that he has a plan for you and all will right itself in the end..."

He looked around, "Reverend should I begin placing out the bibles for this evenings prayers?"

((eep...shows I should pay attention just that little bit more when posting...ignore that post then))

Faceless looked about and sighed,

"...father, can you help me find at least a shred of who i was! Tell me if i a monster or if i have a shred of a soul left? If science has failed me, magic cannot come up with the answer then maybe, just maybe some faith will!"

Faceless let his palm glow slightly,

"Because i cannot see how this is part of a plan, a force of desructive energy that day by day i am loosing control of!"

"You must never loose faith in the Lord, son" said the reverend. "As our resident Doctor mentioned, you are here today because the Lord has plans for you tomorrow. Like Lazarus, you have been brought back from death for a reason and although you know not who you are, only time can tell. Have patience and stay faithful to God for all will soon be revealed. You should not be angry, but be thankful for your situation. Many have died and remained so, but you, it seems have been granted a second chance. That is what resurrection is son, a second chance."

He then turned to the Doctor. "Yes, help us position the bibles, thank you." He then turned back to the faceless man, observing his glowing hands. "I can contact a friend of mine who like you, is gifted with unique supernatural talents. He'll be here tonight for prayer so you're welcome to wait for him. Perhaps he can help you regain your lost memories."

Faceless, shut his palm effectivally stopping his power

"...i will meet him. He may be the person i need for some resolve. In the mean time father, i do not know if i was a religious man, and if so whether i still am...I have doubt that he even exisits and..."

Faceless slowly removed one of his gloves revleaing the burnt hidious form, bone showing through the knuckles, scars at blackened flesh showing the damage of the Rikti bombardments, he flexed his hand,

"...would he listen to a monster like me?"

"Son, you are only a monster if you think you are" said the reverend, doing his best to stay focused and undisturbed by the faceless mask. It felt like talking to a brick wall. "I for one do not see you as a monster. A monster to me, is a man or woman bent on doing evil, these monsters are usually very beautiful and pleasing to the eye. What concerns me about you though, is that after what you've been through you still doubt the existence of God. Tell me, in a world of supermen, walking dead and friendly demons... in a world where angels; the servants of the Most High walk amongst men, is it really so difficult to see? Do not be blind my friend, God is watching over you. he understands that you are confused and he has sent you to the right place; Moth Cathedral. Have faith, I am sure the Priest will help you with your lost memories." said the reverend, smiling humbly.

Faceless was silent a long moment, he slowly returned the glove to his hand as he spoke.

"Maybe you are right father! Maybe i have been sent here by some-thing or some-one. Thank you for thinking of me as a man still, i was not so fortunate with others. Capes, as Master Sebastian called them, do not understand. They hunt me were ever I go. The storm casts shadows and the heroes around here can loose sight. I will speak with this Master Priest, maybe he can see things that i cannot."

He bows his head to the priest,

"Tell me father, what is your name?"

The reverend laughed outwardly "Master Priest" he echoed "thats a good one, you should call him that, I think he'll like it. In here we call him Saint Micheal. He stops by every now and then, for prayer and sometimes he'll patrol the grounds at night, but nobody really knows who he is. As for me, I am Reverend Anthony Marceau, the Cathedral Rector. I'm in charge of the church, the cemetery and the monastery"

Faceless was confused, did he say some-thing to make the man laugh? Master was a term he called every-one, a problem he had since his rebirth. He ignored the confusion,

"Well Master Anthony Marceau, I shall remembered you kidness towards me. It has been...a long time since i have been spoken to as if i was human again."

There was a long silence,

"Please, do not let me keep you from your duties Master Anthony Marceau. I shall wait patiently for Master Saint Micheal, Master Priest, i shall not trouble with my sad tale further..."

The reverend looked a little confused with all the references to a Master. He considered asking the undead man why but thought against it. With a smile he rose to his feet and prepared to go. "Right then, we'll see you at the prayer meeting. God bless you nameless" he concluded, before turning to leave.

"And you Master Anthony Marceau."

Faceless sat motionless waitng pationatly, he dared not mediate through fear of his power activating and destroying this beautiful place. He simply waited listening to the echo's of the cathedral.

He smiled as he finished positioning the bibles, looking at the faceless man, slowly walking back over to him.

"You asked if he would help you because of your appearance...come...follow me outside, if you need proof that he will listen to you and help you, then I can provide proof that God and by extension my mentor will help you...he helped me after all..."

He beckoned Faceless to follow him to a quiet and secret corner outside of the cathedral.

Faceless looked at the former villain, he stood and put on his jacket, then slowly followed him back out into the darknened sky.
The rain had eased and the thunder rolled quietly in the distance. The moon slowly broke through holes created in the clouds and it flooded parts of the land in it's ghostly light.

He stood beside the man known once as Mechano,

"What is it you wish to show me?"

He made sure that nobody was around to see, he couldn't let the people inside the Cathedral know. He closed his eyes as shadows gathered around him, black and red scaled wings unfolding from his back, his skin turning red, two red horns protruding from his forehead.

"Now if the good lord can forgive such a wayward child as myself and let him be embraced into his grace once more, I assure you, you have no problem...Father Michael will help you, just as he helped me."

September 7th, 11pm. End of Prayer Blessings and Confessions.

When the evening prayers had concluded, a masked man of the cloth stood upon the alter and blessed the men, women and children as they lined up to see him. This masked man was the Priest. Below, Reverend Anthony Marceau and Reverend Pious Hunter gently ushered each person up the short steps to meet him.

A little girl, no older than six laid lifelessly across the arms of a crying old woman. She stood in line behind a middle-aged man with boils across his skin. As the man arrived before the Priest, he heard the repeated question, "Do you believe in Christ?" to which he responded "I do now". Suddenly, the man's boils disappeared.

Next was the old woman and the dead child. "Do you believe in Christ?" asked the Priest, to which the old lady responded. "I believe in Christ". Almost instantly, the little girl opened her eyes, resurrected. The old lady nearly fainted, she lost her balance but was caught by Father Anthony.

The line of sick, injured and those hoping for miracles moved along progressively. A rough looking teenager join the queue and upon meeting the Priest he blunderly blurted "I've been looking all over the place for you Father Micheal, you're like real hard to find. I'm your biggest fan, you know. I made my own crucifix eye-plate and everything! My friend Jeffrey's helping me carve Scripture onto this sword a bought on eBay, we're gonna make it look exactly like yours, you know?".

The Priest may have been amused, but he did not show any signs. "Do you believe in Christ?" he asked, to which the roughian responded "Yeah man, I totally dig that guy, but like listen, what I'm saying is; I want to be more like you. You know? I need some real cool superpowers, you know? And I've been praying for like three months, but I'm like, still not cool, you know? Come on, do me some magic, huh? Please?" The Priest largely ignored him, humouring him with a comforting line. "Your destiny shall soon be revealed. God bless you Thomas". At the mention of his name, the boy nearly fainted. Father Pious quickly helped him out of the building.

Faceless waited in the line, as each person before him went he grew more interested in the man known as the Priest. He has healed the boils, the girl has lived, he had even given the reckless teen hope that heroship was in his grasp, could he give him some humanity back?

Faceless felt awkward, every-one else was normal, they were not shrouded in costume, he felt every gaze bore into him scruitinizing him.

He eventually stood before The Priest and was silent a long moment as he contemplated what he would say,

"Master Priest, my name is Faceless..." he reached for his mask and pulled on it. It slide off the top of his head finally revealing his face. His mouth had been pulled into a permenent snarl from a scar that ran the length of his face, his nose was almost non-existant, his skin was scortched and cracked from the burns it had recived, his hair was but whispers of what it was before and his eyes were grey and lifeless, he his changed slightly as the mask was removed, he still held his polite british accent, but his voice became gravely and weak, it was almost as if the mask gave him strength, and without it he was vunerable,

"...and I have died and returned to this world but as nothing more than a shadow. My mind has been stripped of any identity that it once held and i have become a monster, a creature feared by many. I ask of you...help me find out what i am, let me know if this is some cruel joke that some deity is playing on me...let me know who i was so i can give my self a name...please?"