RoR 3 -CH15- (Patreon)

“The stench of it all is terrible!” shouted Inger as they flew over the capital. The stink of the injustice swept across the whole of it as if it were a terrible storm blowing through.

“Politicians and back room deals!” Dayine replied.

The problem was she actually couldn’t sense what Warner and Inger could, but she was right. There was a lingering and terrible stink to the whole of the area that rank of the worst injustices.

Bribery and extortion ran as an over current for everything.

Warner wasn’t sure how long he’d last in a place like this before he’d be overwhelmed. Pushed to the point that he was forced to act against everyone he came across.

At the moment, his task and goal was simple. Get to the president, or acting president, and make sure they understand that a war should not be declared.

That if one was, Warner would be forced to act. To take hold of the situation directly as the country itself would be acting in an unjust way at that point.

“That’s a big shield,” Dayine said over the sound of the wind passing by them.

Looking to the point that she was, Warner saw the seat of the executive branch of government. The White House.

All around it was a massive glowing, shifting, squirming shield. One that looked like it was actively being maintained rather than something that’d been set up and left.

Curling his wings, Warner began to push his power out ahead of himself.

He didn’t for a moment believe that they wouldn’t be fired upon by someone. He knew that both Dayine and Inger had constitutions that were of sterner stuff, but he saw no reason to test them. If he could project them with his power, then he saw no reason not to do so.

Apparently he need not have worried as no one fired upon him during his approach. Though a considerable number of weapons, both arcane and mundane, were pointed in their direction.

Landing in the middle of the south lawn, Warner, Dayine, and Inger were treated to a great number of people rushing them. Weapons drawn and ready, it was clear that they weren’t quite welcome here.

Warner pulled on his power and shaped it into a dome. One that encircled them and left about three feet of room between them and the shield.

Stopping at the visible boundary of his power the security agents began to all shout instructions at Warner. All at the same time.

Which really just came out as a jumble of shouting that quite honestly disoriented Warner for several seconds.

Holding his hand up, Warner stood there, unmoving.

Waiting.

He wasn’t going to respond to anything they said, not was he trying to antagonize them. Instead he really only wanted for them to quiet down and give him a chance to speak with someone.

While he was in a rush, he wasn’t in so much of a rush that he could spare the time to not alienate these agents. They were of course only doing their job.

Dayine lifted her hands and put them over her ears. She wasn’t going to look stoic or show her ability to weather the shouting without discomfort.

Apparently that was a better physical indicator than Warner’s raised hand, as people actually began to stop shouting. One by one, those who surrounded them trailed off until only a few people were actively giving commands.

Eventually, even they stopped after no one bothered to move or respond.

“Are you quite done with your attempt to shatter my hearing?” asked Warner in a calm voice.

Dayine apparently noticed that the shouting was over as well and let her hands fall away from her ears.

“You need to leave—”

“This is a restricted—”

“Immediately dis—”

“Be silent!” shouted Warner while dipping into his power, speaking right over the chorus of voices that attempted to make demands upon him. “I will not tolerate this again! This is unbecoming at this point!

“As an agent of justice you should all know that I am not here to harm anyone! If I were, I would have already long since done so!”

Warner’s voice boomed and held a thrumming power as it went outward. Some people visibly shook when it touched them. Like a sapling in a high wind they bowed under the strength of his words.

“Now, I must speak with the president about the current conditions of the country,” said Warner without power. “If you could please relay my intent to the president that would appreciated. I’m afraid I cannot take no for an answer, however, and so please make sure that they understand it isn’t a request.

“I’ll now begin walking forward slowly toward the White House. You should have more than enough time to relay my statement. If they’re busy in a meeting, or on the phone with another head of state, then I can wait, though not long.”

After finishing his statement, Warner waited for a count of five. It would be more than enough time for them to decide how they wanted to handle the situation.

More than that and they’d start questioning things, less than that and they’d probably just open fire on him.

With a nod of his head, Warner started his walk forward. The dome of power surrounding himself, Dayine, and Inger, followed along. Moving with them.

It also acted as a wedge, pushing those who didn’t move from his path out of his way. Thankfully it wasn’t violent in moving people.

It was just unstoppable.

All around him were agents, pressing in close to the dome and some even trying to push through it. More than one person who clearly had paranormal abilities attempted to open a way through the shield.

Only to fail as soon as they made contact with it.

Much as War was indomitable in her element, as was Warner as Retribution.

He was acting as his incarnation at the moment and fully immersed in his power while standing in a festering cess-pit of injustice.

Even the shield that surrounded the White House simply passed over his own powers. Unable to stop him from breaching straight through it.

“The light of justice will shine brightest when clothed in darkness,” said Warner as he marched inexorably toward the White House.

“I hate it when you sound like that dickhead,” grumbled Dayine. “Could you not do that? Like… at all? Just be yourself.”

“I don’t mind it either way,” Inger countered. “Then again, I never had a problem with that one. I left him alone, he left me alone.”

“How could I have ever done that? He had my thing,” hissed Dayine. “It’s not like he would have returned it if I’d asked.”

Not really the time or place for this conversation but… whatever.

“He might have, if you’d approached it as if it were unjust and unworthy of him,” replied Warner. “He was a complicated and very torn man. Very much so. I begin to think all the incarnations of systems or beliefs are inherently prone to losing themselves. Where their persona is more than just a mask.”

“Doesn’t that mean you’re gonna go crazy, too?” Dayine asked.

“Let’s hope not. If so, feel free to curb me before it happens,” said Warner.

Without pause, or allowing any to stand in his way, Warner began ascending a stairway that led to a balcony. Off to the left someone opened a door for him and stood at it’s side.

The invitation was clear and obvious.

His meeting request was granted and he would now be guided along.

Entering the white house Warner found himself in what looked to be a sitting room.

Once again, someone opened a door for him that led out into a hall.

Wordlessly, this continued on. Where someone was leading Warner from that hall, to another by opening another door. This continued into yet another hall, where someone was finally waiting for him and actually made eye contact.

“Hello, welcome to the White House. The President will be happy to meet with you in the oval office,” said the young official. They were wearing a black suit and looked like they could have been one of the agents outside. Sharp clean cut brown hair and dark brown eyes, though nondescript.

Nodding his head Warner said nothing at all. He didn’t feel like he could add anything useful to the conversation.

In seconds, Warner was led down a long colonnade that turned once. Before he was brought to a door that once more was opened for him.

Stepping through it, Warner found himself in the iconic oval office itself. It was exactly as he’d seen it in photographs and news stories. Though the floor, drapes, and some of the decorations looked different.

Looking around the room, Warner found it had only two occupants.

Two men, both looking to be past their fifties.

One looked to be a Werewolf from what Warner could tell, while the other was a normal human under a thick Glamor.

The Were was six foot in their human form with dark brown hair. A pair of glasses covered their eyes and gave them an almost hazy look making it hard for Warner to discern their color.

“My name is… well… my name is Bjomolf,” said the man and got to his feet. “The public knows me as president Shackleford. I understand you wanted to speak with me?”

Warner was staring at the man.

Truly staring at him.

At this moment, Warner finally understood how deep this plan of War’s really went. This man had sold his nation out to the Council. He was a traitor in the simplest of ways.

A double agent for another organization that worked for their benefit.

All for money.

Taking a moment to think, Warner drew in a breath and let it out.

This was a surprise. He hadn’t actually expected the council to have infiltrated all the way to the top ranks. That they were in fact already in a position to make this whole thing go off with an earth shattering kaboom.

They could just as easily declare nuclear war and really send this whole planet to the shitter.

Turning his head, Warner looked to the second man.

This was undoubtedly the vice-president, Christopher Tatowicz.

Behind the Glamor, the man looked to be in his thirties with light brown hair and an unapologetic comb over. His eyes were a green turquoise like color and the short beard he had already had slips of gray in it.

Fortunately, the vice-president didn’t seem to have any allegiance to the Council. While he did have the stink one would expect of a politician, it didn’t seem to be as terrible as Warner suspected it would be.

Flicking his hand out Warner encased the president in his power, then made a fist.

With a wet squishing, crunching, and popping noise, the president ceased to exist. What took his place was a golden basketball that held his remains held under extreme pressure.

“The president worked for the Council,” Warner said simply, holding the vice-presidents gaze. “You’re now the president, Mr. Tatowicz. Do you accept this responsibility, or should I… help you retire as well?”

“I… uh… I can perform my duties as president,” said the man with a nod of his head. He sounded sure of himself, if a little afraid. Not that Warner could really blame the man.

“Wonderful. For your information… this really is a false flag attack,” explained Warner. “This is all at the behest of the Council. If you don’t know what that is, then you’ve got a lot of problems with the intelligence agencies. Too long, didn’t read, they’re an organization of what you could probably call terrorists. They’re mostly Boogiemen.

“Now… with that said, the harder part. You must not declare war on anyone. In fact, I want you to initiate a policy of semi-isolationism. Withdraw from any ‘War’ we’re a part of. Declare peace with all factions and that we’re now focused on rebuilding.

“Beyond that, declare the war on drugs, war on homelessness, war on terror, war on anything, in fact, over as well. Anything that could be classified or titled as a war, needs to stop. If Congress gives you problems, tell them I’ll visit them and make sure the problem no longer exists.

“I’m not here to play nice, I’m here to save our country, then the world. Do you have any questions for me?”

“I… ah… no. I’m okay. I think I understand,” said the now president with a rapid nod of his head. “What… do I say about the president?”

“He was killed by me after I confronted him with the truth of his actions. That he was a traitor to the nation and had sold us out to the Council,” Warner said with conviction. “Put the blame of his death completely on me. I don’t mind shouldering that, as it’s the truth. I took his life as it was an unjust one. One that couldn’t be redeemed.”

“I can do that,” said Tatowicz. “Okay. I’ll… start on that immediately. Not a problem.”

“Wonderful,” Warner said and then looked back to the door he’d entered from.

He needed to make sure people saw him leave with the president’s remains.

Exiting the oval office by the same way he came in, Warner found there were a small number of people waiting. A number of them looked like security officers, though others looked like they just worked for the administration.

“I killed the president,” declared Warner, making eye contact with multiple people, shifting his eyes from person to person as he spoke. “He was a traitor to the nation and had sold us out to the Council. The Council is an organization we must resist. We’re not at war with them, but we must make sure they cannot continue with their invasion of our way of life.

“President Tatowicz will be taking over. Goodbye.”

Moving out from the colonnade Warner leapt off and began taking to the sky. He needed to find a remote location and then make a calling.

Spotting the Washington Monument, Warner realized that’d be a perfect spot to halt for a moment. To make a display of himself while he handled his business and made sure the world was watching.

Flying that way Warner released the remains of the president. Letting his pulped body exit violently from the sphere it’d been held in under pressure.

He’d been aiming for a clump of bushes and was glad to see it looked to be that his accuracy was on target. The bloody goop vanished into the brush.

Warner focused on the monument while also pulling on his power. Calling on it and drawing upon it. Forcing more and more of it into his being and around himself.

Soon the air around him began to glitter, sparkle, and hum with power.

“It-it almost burns! It feels lovely!” said Inger in an odd tone. It was somewhere between a moan and a cry.

Glancing to her he saw that her eyes were quite nearly like search lights. Blazing with light as it poured forth from her and filled the air around her.

In calling my power to myself, it apparently calls it to them as well. This is perfect. They’ll all know I’m about to do something. They’ll be able to know this isn’t just a mistake or an accidental command.

With a whump Warner landed atop the Washington monument. Holding to the top of it with one hand he braced his feet on it’s slanted top. If he were a normal human he imagined this wouldn’t be possible at all.

“I, the Host Lord of the Valkyrja, call upon you all! Your Lord calls upon your bindings to me! The Valkyrja must hear me and obey upon my call!” declared Warner, speaking upward as if he were addressing the clouds.

Through his power came a shuddering response.

An excited vibration in response to his words.

They all heard him.

“Host Lord!” squealed Inger who suddenly slammed into the Washington monument and clung to it, and him. “Command me!”

Meeting her eyes, Warner held her gaze. It was obvious that in binding themselves to him, they became more than simple soldiers. They were outlets to his power and commands.

He could see quite easily how others could be turned into puppets in such a situation.

“Return to the States. Break into teams of two and begin to quell the uprising,” commanded Warner. “Do not declare war on anything, but work to re-establish a normalized government. Just as it was before this situation occurred.

“Do not allow yourselves to fall in battle, either. Use all of your powers to preserve yourselves over others. While they are just as irreplaceable as you are, I value you more highly than others. I therefore empower you to call upon Retribution, Redemption, or Revenge as you need fit to insure your survival.

“Once you have cleared a state, report in with me in person back at home. There is no time to delay, act upon my orders now. Only Inger, Ylva, Kari, and Laurie are exempt from this command. Go.”

As soon as he spoke her name, Inger practically slumped against the monument. Released from the extreme binding he had been laying on everyone else.

“Well, that looked fun in a way,” Dayine said with a laugh. “Though I think Inger needs to change her panties. I bet they all do.

“You’re not supposed to call on them like that, you jerk. Might as well have stuck your hand up their ass to make the demand. She looks like a scolded puppy. Ha.”

“Do not force me to name you in a similar way. Just so you can experience what you’re laughing at,” Warner said, looking away from Inger and to Dayine. He didn’t quite like the way she’d finished by laughing at them. He might have been heavy handed with them but he needed them to do what he asked. He had no room for leniency. “I know that I can. That I could say your name thrice and so you would be.

“I did it to Bodil and she became Bodil James the Rune-Mother. Shall I call upon you so that Fate herself look to you?”

From somewhere deep in his mind, Warner knew Fate was a person. A woman.

It didn’t come from his memories of Warin, but somewhere else. A different source of information.

From deep inside himself. Where Ryker and Runner had personally forged him and put him above nearly all others.

One who spent a lot of time in the company of Luck since Fate and Luck were part of the same portfolio. As one could not be lucky if they were fated.

Warner knew her name and that when he spoke in triplicate, she would heed him.

“You couldn’t even name me a woman,” laughed Dayine with bravado.

Unable to help himself, Warner felt challenged.

“I call upon you Alissia Fateweaver,” declared Warner. The world grew still as his words fell. As if it were starting to take and hold a breath.

“Uh,” Dayine said. “Maybe you—”

“Heed me, Alissia Fateweaver, I have need of you,” Warner said, invoking his domain a second time.

Everything had become absolutely motionless now. The very fabric of reality was now laser focused upon Warner.

It was a palpable thing that he didn’t doubt for a second that Dayine and Inger could feel.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it,” hissed Dayine in a voice that was little better than a whimper. “I’m sorry. I know you can name me. I know I’m fated to you, okay? I know it. I’ve been told. I can feel it. Let it be.

“I’m sorry for teasing her. It was wrong. Just… let it go. There’s no reason to provoke Fate.”

Warner considered speaking the words a third time, but let it go.

There were other things to deal with rather than chastising Dayine for mocking Inger and the others.

“I’m sorry as well,” Warner said after a pause and shook his head. He was feeling headstrong and had let his emotions run away with him. “I didn’t need to push like that. Come on. We need to figure out what to do next. That means getting a hold of Daria.”