Moth Cathedral

On cue, Pious descends onto the catheral roof, an intense glare fixed on the stranger.

Edward bowed his head to Pious, "ah Saint Michael...then I shall take my leave..." He flared his wings with a gust of wind and took off, landing on a nearby building, keeping watch, even through the thick fog that always covered Astoria.

A woman with long white hair materialized beside the winged demon. "You must be Edward. Pious' told me all about you" she said, turning to look towards the Cathedral roof. "They fighting?"

Edward smiled, "no I think the other guy just wants to chat," he looked to the woman, "well you know my name..what's yours?"

Right on time.

Zero turned to face Pious and met his glare with defiant eyes. He said nothing as the two men tensly stared each other down.

"Strike one, you attacked Edward, my disciple and Cathedral guard. Strike two, you tainted this holy place with your acts of violence. Whoever you are, I suggest you strive not to strike a third" Pious warned. "Now what are you and why am I your mission?"

After a lagging pause Zero broke his vehement stare with a warm smile. "Don't be so quick to judge Pious. I was defending myself against your over zealous friend. It's good to finally see you. Please let's not start on the wrong foot. As you over-heard I'm not here to harm anyone." he said glancing at the spire behind which Pious had hidden.

"Come I want to show you what I have come for. Why my mission is to meet with you and why I would gladly face off against the Sword of Redemption to meet you." Zero held out his hand, each five fingers spread wide, palm flat towards Pious. In the centre a Psionic pulse, visible only to the 'third eye', gradually began to build in strength.

"Alright then" said the Priest, attuning to the psionic pulse.

------------------------- INDEX ---------------------------

Chapter One: Mister Campbell - Pages 1 - 2

Big Lunk visits the church to find the Priest and bring him onto an anti-Rikti strike team. During their rendezvous, him and the Priest are attacked by the Princes of Hell and must fight off a gang of venomous Mercy Snakes.

Chapter Two: The Exorcism of Edward Johnson - Pages 2 - 6

In this dark hour, Doctor Edward 'Mechano' Johnson, tries to gain control over the demons within him, under the baptism of the Priest, but will the Princes of Hell intervene, will his soul remain forever damned to darkness.

Chapter Three: Faceless - Pages 6 - 9

A faceless creature finds his way to the cathedral, seeking spiritual deliverance from his condition. He asks the Priest to help him remember who and what he once was before his unfortunate incident with the Rikti army all those years ago. Follow the drama and prepare for a shocking twist. Also starring Doctor Edward Johnson.

Chapter Four: Shemyazaz the Nephilim Pages 9 - 11

The Priest's demonic ancestral past comes knocking in the form of a fallen angel known as Shemyazaz, who demands to see our hero's demon father, Nokteel. Also starring Doctor Edward Johnson and Kabaiel.

Chapter Five: Zero's Message - Pages 11 - 14

A cyborg from the future, called Zero arrives at the cathedral with a message for the Priest but is confronted by church guardian Doctor Edward Johnson. Also starring the courageous Damsel. (3034)

Moth Cathedral

Jemma remerged in a small alley close to the Cathedral; she thought to herself she would be right at home here. Considering that the Catholic Church is almost as corrupt as her morals.

Her body once again morphed, her outfit became white, and more formal as though she was actually considering hanging around this building. Just before the clothes got a chance to materialise, well, it was to be expected…

A black leather jacket finally wrapped itself around her, underneath; a black leotard covering most of her chest, and carrying into a set of badly ripped fishnets, with those signature heels. She was prepared to stick out? Typical…

Jemma soon emerged onto an empty road leading to the Cathedral, a cigarette in hand, and a black pair of vintage shades on. She muttered to herself as she walked the empty road: “I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword will devour flesh.”

Why exactly was she not a fan of the bible with quotes like that?

She now stood before the Cathedral, not use to her surroundings, she let out a signal torrent of negative energies, pushing the light fog away, creating a dark cloud around herself, just the way she liked it.

She took a final drag of her cigarette, and then dropped it; her carelessly cold unemotional gaze inspected the Cathedral.

“Pious Hunter? The Priest? Come forward please…”

Thursday 5th, August. Grounds between Moth Cathedral and Moth Cemetery.

The past few weeks had been difficult for the Nighthunters. First was the attempted attack on the Worn Cover then what the news reporters were now calling the Battle of Steel Canyon and now this. Pious had dreamt the coming of Impervium Tower and had also seen the Ghost of Death. But now was the time to walk through those visions and understand the reasons behind the choices he witnessed made.

"You are the wife of Adam Moore" said Pious, revealing himself through the fog of Moth Cemetery. His dark full-body cassock fluttering in the unnatural breeze. "You walk the grounds of our Anglican Church like the poor, restless souls of Dark Astoria. But you serve not the Banished Pantheon, nor the Tsoo. No, you serve one of a more conflicted purpose; the Blood Countess, slayer of mankind, drinker of blood, leech of the human life. Yet your loyalties waiver... you seek to be reunited with your beloved family. Little Alexia, once a wandering spirit, now elevated. A pure and holy ghost, messenger of the Lord and member of the Choir of Angels. And of course her father, the Stormraiser; you seek to return to him. Yet here you are with me, the Priest; redeemer of demons, exorcist of Evil. Tell me, I beseech thee," Pious finished, bending into a bow so low the helm of his cloak brushed the graveyard soil. "How may I be of service?"

Jemma’s gaze inspected the priest for a moment, then the surroundings.

“I have been sent here by the Countess, I believe she wanted to speak to you… I also believe that she wanted your head.”

Jemma sighed; her eyes flashed red for a moment, as a wicked expression crossed her face.

“Impervium Tower? On his way here, hmm?”

It was clear to see she had tapped into Pious’ mind, or perhaps she had foreseen this event.

“If the Countess wishes to speak to you, I shall take you to her. However, I do not intend to leave before I have seen Impervium Tower.”

Her emotionless face suddenly lit up, a wicked feeling came over her.

The Countess betrayed me, captured Alex… It is my turn to seek revenge, and with the disappearance of Impervium Tower she would finally understand what it feels like to lose to the hands of a ‘friend’.

“Yes, we shall not leave until I have ‘seen’ him. And please, rid your mind of preconceptions, you would be unwise to judge me like the other mindless spirits that roam these parts.”

Jemma’s gaze finally locked onto Pious.

Thursday 5th, August. Grounds between Moth Cathedral and Moth Cemetery.

Both the Priest and Ghost of Death had been waiting in their positions for hours now without moving much or exchanging words. Pious felt from their earlier conversations that the spirit before him held many reservations, possibly to bottle down the urge for debate and argument concerning his faith and the Bible. And yet the pair remained silent, watching one and another for signs of movement. Pious was rehearsing in his own mind the many variables Impervium Tower's arrival would bring and carefully, he plotted his possible reactions. He would remain calm and collected as usual and if it came down to a fight, he would let the Ghost of Death do whatever she felt necessary, assuming she remained true to her words of engaging Tower herself.

Suddenly a buzzing noise echoed through the grounds and a radio message filled the airwaves. "This is Brigadier Leon Tasker of The Dunelm Group responding to Talos Island distress call. I am currently with a small team and we are Oscar Mike to your position to offer assistance, over." Pious's police radio which was attached to his utility belt had jumped to life. Talos Island's Paragon City Police precinct were broadcasting for hero assistance, apparently following an incident with an unknown hostile. Pious attuned his senses and directed his super-earring southwards of Astoria, across the ghost town and towards the zone's gate.

"Scanning... Visibility levels low" Pious heard. "Infra-red Mode... Failed to improve visibility... Target coordinates already set... Continuing to destination"

"Missus Moore" Pious called, reaching across the cemetery and through the thick fog for the attention of the Ghost of Death. "He's here, the Impervium Tower."

Jemma didn't respond to Pious, she was far to deep in through, creating a battle plan. She knew she wanted to 'kidnap' Tower, but it would very difficult for her to move him...

After a few moments, white flames burst from her eyes, something that hasn't been seen in a while. She soon took flight, hovering in one place, arcane ruins began to circle her body, each ruin had a different colour. Eventually they all touch her body, and her electroplasm turned from a purple shade into a blood-red colour. Her friends and family would understand that she had just absorbed these ruins to temporarily increase her power.

"Pious, don't touch him. I shall deal with this."

Jemma threw her hood up and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Found him."

She turned her back to the Cathedral, and peered through the fog, there couldn't be much distance between them.

"Pious, unless your friendly with the Netherworld, do not stand anywhere near my portals..."

Each of Jemma's hands lit up a fluxing shade of negative-black, and bright white, she made a few rather oriental gestures with her hands as a shadow appeared underneath herself, but it was clear to see, this was not her shadow.

"Bathory will learn..."

Jemma's cold, emotionless gaze turned to Pious for a moment.

"...Never to mess with my family..."

With that said, Jemma turned her gaze down the road again, both arms straight out, each hand still glowing.

Ghost quickly sank into the fog-covered road, reappearing just in front of Tower.

"Disengage target."

Her hands moved slightly, as a group of Tenebrous Tentacles wrapped around the Tower's hands, and legs, trying to stall him.

"Tower... ARE YOU LISTENING!? Bathory took my daughter, MY DAUGHTER, and tortured her. She betrayed me! A Dark Templar, and friend... She does not care for us; she only cares for herself... In fact, she sent you here to die, Tower... Think. Your in the middle of nowhere, with no backup, its only a matter of time before the heroes show up and outnumber you..."

Jemma sighed, pacing around the Tower.

"She doesn’t care about anyone apart from herself, and if she can betray someone like me... Its only a matter of time before she can betray you."

Ghost’s hands began to glow brighter and brighter, one completely white, the other, a negative shade of black.

“If you see here again, tell her I’ll be visiting shortly…”

With that, Jemma used the orbs from her hands to almost ‘paint’ a large circle in front of her. And after a few moments the black and white trails from the orbs began to grow brighter, and increasing in size, until the growing portal out-sized Jemma.

Jemma suddenly appeared behind Tower, the portal began to warp slightly.

“Give her hell…”

Jemma raised her right foot to the Tower’s back, and as her heel came into contact with his metal back, a large dark torrent pushed the tall metal Tower forward, as he broke from the tentacles.

After Tower moved through the portal it quickly closed.

“Pious, I have a feeling I shall be seeing you soon.”

Jemma eyed up the Cathedral for a moment.

Leon Tasker arrives at the Talos side of the Dark Astoria gate. He surveys the damage at the site while watching the guards that were attacked get loaded into rescue helicopters. He breifly talks with members of the Paragon Police who are still standing but they are unable to give him anything to help

Emma Tasker and Iron Works are in Talos looking at the devastation caused by whatever rampaged through.

Leon taps his communicator, “Iron Works, can you scan the damage and determine anything?”

Iron Works responds, “Insufficient data. System can not offer a conclusive report of what has caused damage to Talos Island.”

Leon taps his communicator again, “Emma any of the police officers you're talking to know anything?”

Emma responds “Not a great lot I'm afraid hun. The ones still conscious say that it was big, heavily armoured and didn't stop for anything. Picked up police cars like they were nothing and threw them at the squads with ease. Apparent it does not look like any of The Freakshow. Least they say it did not fit the profile. So we're still speculating what could have done this” she replies.

Leon responds “Ok, so we can safely surmise we are not dealing with Freakshow however it could be a hundred other things that have done this. I guess the only way we are going to get more intel is by following the path of destruction. Iron Works, what's so special about Dark Astoria?. Why would anything be so determined to charge in there?

Iron Works responds “Accessing database....searching Dark Astoria.....Dark Astoria profile loaded......Dark Astoria. Hazard zone requiring security clearance level to enter. All members of The Dunelm group have the required security clearance. Area overrun by Banished Pantheon and perpetual fog. All inhabitants are dead. Only active civilian site is Moth Cathedral, administered by Reverend Pious.”

Leon realises that incidences are happening all over Paragon City, and Pious' name has been mentioned in a number of them.

Leon responds “So considering what is going on in the City at this time, and that this path of destruction is heading towards the only active area of Dark Astoria, which happens to be the workplace of a man who's name is referenced quite a bit in what's been going on lately, can we assume what ever did this is aiming for Pious?”

Iron Works “System agrees with consensus based on current data. I have calculated a probability of 97.6% that this unknown assailant is currently targeting Moth Cathedral.”

Leon responds “I reckon what ever it is, it will not have taking it long to reach the Cathedral so we are working on borrowed time here! Emma, Iron Works, meet up with me here at the Astoria entrance ASAP. If we are going in blind though, we're going to need everyone here for this one!”

Leon taps on his communicator to open a channel to the whole of The Dunelm Group.

“This is Brig Tasker with a priority request to all squad members. Clean up whatever current assignments you are on with and regroup with me at the entrance to Dark Astoria in Talos Island ASAP.”
Within 30 minuets, the rest of The Dunelm Group make it to the Dark Astoria entrance. The Prince Bishop arrives first flying in from his patrol. Adam Dennison and Do Lo Might use their teleport powers to arrive while also carrying Steel House with them. Eleven and Elveyn quickly follow having ran to the entrance after being dropped into the centre of Talos by Freedom Corps.

The team line up in front of Leon ready to hear his orders.

Leon looks to Iron Works “Fire up Steel House Iron Works. Feel we are going to need him in defence for this mission.”

Iron Works nods and connects to Steel House over a secure network. Steel House activates and responds “Steel House online.....Defence mode activated”

Leon looks over the team as he continues “Ok team, our mission is to head into Dark Astoria an get to Moth Cathedral. Whatever came to Talos, its aim was to get to Dark Astoria and to its likely target Reverend Pious. Now you know there has been a lot going down in Paragon City lately. We've not been involved because we've been pre-occupied with other matters. Today though, we start to get involved! We get to the Cathedral, we get our intel on who did this, help the Reverend and put a stop to this destruction.....Ooorrraah?”

The team each launch their right fist into the air and respond “OOOORRRRAAAH!”

Leon responds “Let's go!” As he walks into Dark Astoria with the team behind him he taps his communicator to send a message to Dr Roberts back at base and Freedom Corps. “This is Brigadier Tasker. The entire Dunelm Group is Oscar Mike to Moth Cathedral!”

A member of Freedom Corps replies back with a good luck message as the team venture into the area. The bright day of Talos slowly fades until all that is left is the dark fog of Astoria. Leon and Emma sweep the entrance area with their flash lights turned on and their guns primed.

Emma remarks “They're not kidding about the fog! Can't see a bloody thing!”

Leon responds “Bishop, can you hear anything in the distance?”

Bishop moves ahead without fear or hesitation and attunes his hearing. He replies “Nothing. Other than the wind there is a deathly silence all around.”

Leon responds “Iron Works, can you scan anything?”

Iron Works replies “Negative. System is unable to scan area. Low visibility. Infra-red mode is also proving ineffective”

Leon responds “Ok then.....Adam can you at least sense anything in the distance?”

Adam focuses and replies “I am afraid not Brother Tasker.........Should have brought the worlds biggest torch......or vacuum cleaner!”

Leon responds “Heh! I doubt they would even help us here. This fog is supposedly not natural.”

Eleven moves closer to one of the buildings ahead of the team and notices that the damage to the building is the same as that in Talos.

Eleven remarks “Great!.......If this place wasn't busted up enough already they'll be all the buildings leading to the Cathedral with massive holes in them where this things charged through......Guess we can follow through to get there quickly.”

Leon quickly responds “Negative, its too risky to enter the buildings that have been hit. They could very well collapse on top of us”

Elveyn replies “Yeah...and you think that is going to bother most of us?”

Leon responds “Fair enough, aside from me, Emma, Adam and Iron Works, most of the team is not going to suffer too much with a building falling on top of them. However consider how much time it will take to fish you out of the debris and time is not on our side right now!”

Eleven replies “So we can't go through the building, we can't get flown or teleported there in case we run into a building in the fog, so what do you suggest we do?......A slight jog?

Leon responds “Well, yes! This blind we can't move any other way. Iron Work, do you have the co-ordinates for Moth Cathedral?”

Iron Works replies: “Confirmed......co-ordinates to Moth Cathedral established.”

Leon orders the team “Right then, we follow Iron Works on foot. We jog our way there as quickly as we can so that we don't run the risk of running into anything and having to quickly find a way around and lose more time. Iron Works, take point, Bishop stay close with him. The rest of you, we keep in a close, diamond formation pack. Me, Emma and Adam will take the centre behind Bishop and Iron Works. Eleven and Elveyn, watch our side. Do Lo and Steel House cover the rear.”

The team nod at the orders and move into formation and start jogging towards Moth Cathedral. Moving around buildings and other blockades they see the bodies of Banished Pantheon and Circle of Thorns that were unlucky to be in the way of Impervium Tower's charge.

Do Lo Might remarks “Crikey marra! Looking at this lot, do you think were going to find that Pious guy alive when we get there?”

Bishop responds “We have to hope he is alive, or better yet fighting and surviving and we get there in time to help.”

Eleven adds “Whatever state we find Pious in, we should find out what did this an stop it from happening again!”

Elveyn “Ooorrah”

Do Lo Might “Oooorrraaah!”

The team continue to move ahead and make good progress towards Moth Cathedral. All of a sudden Bishop says “Wait!”. The team pause and look ahead as Bishop slows walks on.

Bishop listens to what is ahead of him “I hear movement in the distance. Its a rumbling.”

The rumbling begins to be noticeable by the rest of the team. The surrounding buildings and vehicles begin to shake. Leon shouts over to Adam “What's heading out way Adam?”

Adam moves forward and stretches his right arm out to try and sense what is coming towards the team. Quickly Adam has a panicked expression on his face and shouts “GET OUT OF THE WAY!”

Out of the fog, the monster Adamastor charges down onto the team diving out of the way except for Bishop who stands defiantly and determined. Adamastor bring down a heavy right handed blow to Bishop but Bishop manages to catch the blow with both his hands. The ground beneath Bishop cracks as he tries to resist the power Adamastor's fist. Eventually Bishop powers the fist away causing the monster to stumble. Bishop flies up quickly and hits Adamastor in the face with a fierce uppercut sending the monster crashing to the floor. Bishop lunges towards the beast for a second strike but is swatted away by Adamastor's left hand sending Bishop into a nearby building. He emerges seemingly unphased and charges towards Adamastor again but not before telling the rest of the team “Guys! I might still need a hand with this!”

The team pick themselves up and ready to take on the giant monster but Iron Works shouts “Alert! Multiple hostiles converging on our location from all directions!”

The team look all around and begin to see mobs of Banished Pantheon come into view. One of them proclaims “There! They brought the death machine to kill us! Tear them apart!”

Leon loads his assault rifle and shouts to the team “ROUGH EM UP!” and fires and M30 Grenade into one of the charging mobs dispersing them. As another mob runs towards the squad yelling and cackling, Eleven steps forward and lets out a ferocious, rage filled battle roar and leaps into the oncoming mob. He gets onto his feet quickly and begins to beatdown the continuing flow of enemies with punches, kicks and fire attacks.

Elveyn charges in close by, with her own scream of rage as she slices her attackers with her Katana.

Adam teleports himself all over the rushing mob taking out enemies while shouting “WOOPWOOPWOOPWOOP!” Do Lo Might changes into his Granite Armour and simply swats away piles of Banished Panteon with is Stone Mallet.

Leon and Emma stand back to back firing their guns at the attacking mobs. When he thinks they are going to be overwhelmed, Leon grabs his wife and fires his jet boots to fly themselves into the air while dropping a frag grenade to take out the group below. A shaman manages to climb a broken van and jumps towards Leon and Emma but is caught in mid air by a leaping Steel House.

Steel House gets onto it's feet and unleashes it's Impervium Claws and begins to hack and slash the hoards of zombies surrounding the machine. Steel House then moves close towards its brother unit Iron Works as backup with Iron Works continues to fire blasts of energy at the mobs. Occasionally an enemy gets close to Iron Works but is punch away heavily. A large gathering of Banished Pantheon aim for Iron Works however they are devastated by Iron Works detonating a huge nova burst of energy. Iron Works then quickly rockets into the air and turns towards Adamastor still battling with Bishop. Iron Works locks onto Adamastor and fires a missile at the monster. Adamastor stumbles in pain as Leon and Emma fire their own grenades at the creature.

Do Lo Might juggernauts his way towards the monster and cracks Adamastor with his stone mallet in the back of the creature's left leg causing it to crash to the floor. The monster attempts to get back up but is instantly punched back down by an almighty strike from Bishop. Adamastor tries again to rise up but struggles to lift it's head. Do Lo Might strikes down his mallet square onto Adamastor face, finally knocking the creature out.

The team begin to regroup as the remain mobs flee. Two mindless zombies however still stumble towards Eleven and Elveyn. The couple look at each other unimpressed at the slow moving foes and then in unison fling their swords towards the zombies, stabbing them into their chests. As the zombies fall to their knees the two warriors causally walk up to the creature and at the same time snap the zombie's necks and retrieve their blades as they slide out of the falling corpses.

Leon approvingly says “Good work defending yourselves team, however this was a distraction we could have done without. Let move as quick as we can to Moth Cathedral!”

The team finally reach Moth Cathedral and rush up to the door. Leon pushes the door open while maintaining cover and shouts inside.

“Reverend Pious!.......Reverend Pious!...This is Brigadier Leon Tasker of The Dunelm Group. We have come to investigate the assault on Talos and here in Dark Astoria, please respond!”

The team look at each other somewhat confused at Pious calm attitude.

Leon says to the team "OK, lower your weapons but keep frosty"

The squad ether lower their weapons or outright holster them as they enter the building. Leon ahead of the group walks up to Pious and says "As I said, my name is Brigadier Leon Tasker, I am the lead combat adviser to The Dunelm Group behind me. Something has assaulted Talos Island in order to get to Dark Astoria and we can only surmise that whatever it was was targeting here. We have come here to investigate and assist in the situation, so I can assume that you are ok? Has there been an attempted assault here?"

"Leon... Tasker" said the Priest. "Thanks for coming Dunelm, but as I told the police and Freedom Corp back-up squads, threat's been contained. I'm a priest and bringing light to the unsaved is my job. But for all my virtues, both demon and man often want me dead. Impervium Tower was sent to kill me, most likely by the Countess Elizabeth Bathory who keeps him, but she inevitably failed as evil always does. I'm sure you'll agree?"

Leon's face turned white at hearing the name Impervium Tower. He turned to the rest of the team with their own shocked looks.

Leon quickly took out his PDA and loaded an archive picture of Impervium Tower. He turned back to Pious and responded anxiously, "Reverend, I need you to confirm the identity of your attacker. Is this the same Impervium Tower you speak of?"

He holds the PDA in front of Pious to check the photograph.

"Yeah, that's his picture" said the Priest, glancing at the PDA. "Don't look so concerned, he's already been rid of. Far gone now, likely back to the Rogue Isles."

Eleven replies "You haven't dumped it far away enough!"

Leon turns away for a moment to use his communicator. "Dr Roberts! Dr Roberts, this is Leon. Impervium Tower is active and is being used by someone in the Rogue Isles! To make things worse, we have confirmation that it was Impervium Tower that assaulted Talos Island to attack the Reverend Pious in Dark Astoria! Better start getting Freedom Corps and other organisations to start APB's for Tower!"

Leon turns back to Pious "OK, Reverend, I'd like to ask about this "Court". Who are they, who leads them and if you know anything concerning their use of Impervium Tower"