Adventure of Rekka Ch. 10

Bill barked out an unhappy laugh. He doubted the priest was right about everything, but Bill was certain he was onto something. He sure seemed to know what the tattoo was about. Looking at Larry, he felt a powerful need for a pair of sunglasses.

“We’re on a mission from God.”

-

“Look, I’m not your God’s damned avatar,” Bill grumped, holding Rekka in his arms as she glared over his shoulder at his tormentor.

He faced away from the fire at their new camp, some ways away from the massacre. The bodies were buried and the two horses were taken along to carry the armor and weapons.

Larry wanted the steel, it would be easier to use than making the dwarfs temper their own dwindling supplies into metal up to his standards. Bill had stolen a new shirt out of one of their packs. It fit well, but he didn’t much care for the church’s wings stitched into the front and back in gold thread, though he did not wear it now.

Bill had moved and buried the bodies himself, once his hands had made it possible to pick up the shovel he’d had a suspicion they might need. He didn’t want the women to deal with it, they’d done their parts. Magical bullshit strength and stamina sure made it harder to be a lazy bastard, and the deed was done in no time. The hardest part was trying to move the one Larry had killed. The only thing keeping the pitiful mess together seemed to be the crumpled breastplate and chain shirt. Looked like a pitbull had seen too much sci-fi and tried to imitate an alien. Bill reminded himself to not go too easy on Larry when they pardoned his horrible crimes one day.

Pius, so the priest had revealed his name to be, had further made things uncomfortable for Bill by spending a moment in prayer for his dead companions. Bill had almost immediately lost any concern of the young man once healed, and allowed him to move about as long as he didn’t run for it. He’d helpfully explained he had no fine control over his miracles without his holy symbol to channel them directly, aside from more defensive abilities. He was so earnest Bill was sure he was either the best liar the world had ever seen, or completely incapable of it.

Bill kept the symbol in his pocket regardless.

He had rolled his eyes at the fitting name for a priest, and found himself immediately irritated; he couldn’t figure out a flippant nickname to use.

Pius followed him around asking questions Bill had no answers for, treating him like some kind of celebrity. Bill could only compare him to someone’s dorky younger sibling following around the older kids and just jazzed to be on the team. He’d reported to be Felix’s age, but sure didn’t look it. Likely the difference between a life of soldiering and one sitting in some seminary reading books. His pale skin had turned out to be natural for him.

“You did not see how His divine messenger responded once she saw the patterns. She saw what I see, you are no enemy of His. Though, I do wonder why she was surprised..” Pius replied to Bill’s statement. His expression firmed.

“No, I am certain of it. Look, this one, it marks you as protected from His other patterns, the holy miracles. This is why His cleansing fire could not harm you. Why, you would have been able to reach right through His bulwark had you not been wearing armor,” The priest helpfully explained, not considering how those gauntlets had given Bill time to rethink killing him.

He was eagerly tracing his fingers around Bill’s back, poking and following the patterns as they moved. Bill was very uncomfortable, the only one he wanted touching him like that was Rekka. If he didn’t want to know more about the damned thing now that he’d found out it wasn’t a helpful Merlin that placed it there, he simply wouldn’t allow it.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Next time I go to throttle a priest I’ll do it bare handed,” Bill muttered.

“Um, I hope you will not have to. Any of my brethren would know you are not their enemy once they see this, I am sure of it,” Pius explained.

“Somehow I doubt that, Pius. I think you have more faith in your church than you should. Seems like whenever you get enough holy men together they turn vicious. Larry, tell him about how nicely they welcomed you to this world,” Bill said, nodding at his friend.

“Fuckers kicked the shit out of me, your fat bearded asshole of a leader ordered it without a second thought, just to let me understand who was in charge,” Larry replied, scowling, “They tortured me for days until I wised up and gave in. That sound like good people to you?”

“I-I don’t.. No, it does not. I’m afraid I have had little contact outside of my teachers and peers. They have always been most kind to me and others. Though my superiors were very.. cold to me when I tried to explain I was unready for this mission,” Pius said, his face thoughtful, and a little sad.

“Yeah. Considering the company I keep they’ll call it heresy and do their best to kill me. I’m not sure I don’t agree with them. Your God probably made a mistake, He’s sure made enough of those throughout His career,” Bill said.

By now Bill was completely certain these people would have progressed beyond swords and sorcery without all this fighting the god had allowed. Cycles of Demon Lords bringing them to the brink, then heroes miraculously appearing to defeat them and let humanity rebuild. His Divine Plan was shit.

Bill only considered himself religious in a sort of personal, cynical, and very unorganized way, but whoever or whatever had given his universe a start seemed to have done them a big damn favor by stepping out of the way.

“A mistake? I cannot believe that. He must want this war to end, peace is the only answer. I have discussed this at length with my teachers, they all agree if things do not change there will be nothing left to fight over,” Pius explained. “Though.. They do agree things would change should humanity be victorious.. but I believe my Lord wishes you to instead bring peace, for everyone.”

“Well, guess we agree on one thing. My goal is peace, even if I have to kill a lot of people to achieve it. Doubt He’d agree with my methods,” Bill replied, “If you’re still on board after you see what we’ve put together at Asylum you can try and convince those fucking heroes to throw in, too. Or better yet take off and never come back.”

“Heroes? Oh! Marcus Atillius! Oh no, we were to.. my mission was to assist the paladins and ensure the town was clear of.. your allies, the mamono’s? I am so sorry, if he arrived while you were here.. Oh Lord, please say it is not so..” Pius whispered, near to tears.

“Hah, well, I wouldn’t worry too much. Maybe. It’s just mamono, by the way. Anyway, he showed up yesterday. Marky fucked around and found out. Got that angel under my thumb, I hope, and she should be ensuring his good behavior,” Bill explained, chuckling along with Rekka.

“What? You.. beat Marcus, a hero? Impossible.. No! It only confirms what I’ve said! Only through my Lord’s intervention would you accomplish such a.. an absolute miracle,” Pius said eagerly, voice slowing with awe as he finished.

“Sorry to burst your bubble. Again. It wasn’t any miracle. It was a suckerpunch, knocked that fucker out and got his valkyrie to swear to that god of yours she would do as I say if I didn’t give him the closest shave of his life,” Bill told him with an evil grin he shared with Rekka. “How do you think I got that neat sword?”

Bill nodded back at the sword sitting next to Felix, happily humming away as it stared into the fire. Bill was letting Felix keep carrying him now that the fun was over. He’d been sure to tell the man that he was now officially in charge of Canada, and should he arrive on Earth to make his way there and start setting policy. Felix had not been certain if he was joking.

“I understand you believe you managed this on your own, and I do not mean to insult you, but there is certainly no possible way you could have accomplished such a feat without my Lord’s will,” Pius replied with absolute certainty. “Perhaps they do not have heroes in your country, they are very powerful, my Lord has gifted them with far greater strength than this pattern has allowed you.” He prodded at one of the smaller patterns to punctuate his point.

Bill was real tired of people telling him how amazing his cheap shot on the hero had been. He wished they could see it from his point of view, it robbed the act of meaning if everyone believed he was some great warrior himself. He wanted them to know that no matter how strong these fuckers were, they could still be taken down by the lying cheats he hoped to mold them into. He was about to tell the dork off in no uncertain terms before he spoke up again.

“I must say, your eyes are very pretty, miss. I have never seen anything like it! Clearly the fire is not hot, otherwise I’m sure Bill’s hair would be on fire. Pardon my ignorance, do all werewolves have it?” Pius asked, always interested to learn new things. Obviously his education concerning mamano had been lacking.

Bill decided to give the kid a break, anyone who didn’t treat Rekka as a monster was okay in his book. He wished he could write the kid’s dumb name on the list of people he condsidered his. Those people were just too important to be so careless with. He felt Pious would be dumb enough to earn a place there at some point, he really hoped he was.

Rekka pulled back to look at Bill, her expression of anger now turning to one of surprise. She turned back to glare at the priest.

“I ain’t no werewolf, I’ma hellhound,” she said, waiting for the priest to start shaking and pull away.

“Oh, I see, I hope I did not give offense. Hellhound. I assume the name is due to the fire in your eyes, and not literal. Like the hellspitter serpent, yes? It too is capable of using fire to ward off predators, though their fire is certainly hot when it spews forth,” he replied, smiling at her before going back to tracing his finger along Bill’s back.

Rekka looked stunned, turning her eyes to Bill, not sure that had just happened. Finally the unusual degree of anger she had displayed for the pitiful priest left her in a way Bill found admirable. He was proud and envious at the same time.

“Yeah, I like him, he’s like a pup. Sure is lucky he ran into us, he wasn’t gonna last long thinkin’ like that,” Rekka said quietly, giving Bill a kiss. “Last time I seen one of them.. an those stupid knights.. It was’n good.” She returned her head to his shoulder, no longer glaring at the young man.

“I understand. Rekka, when we get back, we need to talk, ok?” Bill whispered to her, holding her tightly. “I don’t like seeing you so angry, you’re beautiful when you’re angry, but I only want you to be happy.”

Rekka sighed and nodded into his neck, hugging him back. Bill was pleased she wasn’t fighting him on this, though not looking forward to what he knew would be an unpleasant story.

“I don’t like you bein so mad neither. It don’t fit you, yer.. yer too wonderful for that. I’m sorry.. it’s my fault. You won’t jus’ get stronger and mate longer.. you’ll get more like me.. like hellhounds. We get real mad real easy, I should’a told you, but I was hopin’ you’d jus’ stay happy. I wish.. I wish it didn’t work like this..” she whispered sadly, nuzzling into his neck. Bill surprised her by laughing then, rubbing her back and holding her tightly.

“Fuck, that’s a relief. I’m pretty sure my anger isn’t all from you, but I’d love it if it was. You change me all you want, beautiful. I’ll take everything you can give, every damn thing,” Bill told her happily.

This was great news, he welcomed the anger now, it no longer depressed him. Funnily enough, this damped the rage he had been feeling. He was almost disappointed, but mostly glad he’d not upset Rekka any further tonight.

“Bill, I love you. I love you so, so much.. Yer too wonderful, even. Thank you.. thank you for loving me,” Rekka whispered, pushing her face into his neck to breathe in his scent and lick him gratefully.

“Rekka.. you’re the one that’s too wonderful. You’re thanking me? Jesus, woman. Christ, I can’t believe I’m even saying this, I should just shut up and hold onto you with everything I’ve got, I just love you too much to not tell you.. I don’t deserve to be this happy. You should have never been so unlucky to meet me, but God I’m so happy you love me anyway. I’ll do everything I can to make you happy, anything,” Bill confessed, still not believing such a perfect woman would want anything to do with him. He could only thank the bottomless well of Rekka’s compassion for taking pity on him despite his shortcomings.

He suppressed the dark thoughts, easy with Rekka in his arms, which knew some of the anything he spoke of would not in fact make Rekka happy. He would do everything to make it up to her afterwards. Anything.

Rekka shook in his arms, frantic with love and arousal at his words. Bill was sure she’d have already had him on his back if Pius wasn’t behind him prodding away. She made do with trying her damndest to hug him in half. Bill reluctantly turned his attention back to his tormentor.

“Alright, unless you see any instructions back there I don’t need to know any more, I don’t like anyone but Rekka touching me like that,” Bill said, shrugging his shoulders uncomfortably.

“Oh, forgive me, please. It’s simply fascinating to me, I do not entirely understand most of these patterns. The ones I do recognize are subtly different. Your back must have every miracle He has bestowed upon the Church and many more He has not, though most appear to be inert. Those do not affect you, I believe. It is as if they were meant to be envisioned and invoked by another,” Pius told him.

“I believe this one is for healing, I can recognize it, though it also is subtly different. As I feared I can unfortunately not settle it within my mind. It is inert, which I believe you have discovered. If.. If you do not object I would like to attempt this bulwark. The holy symbol would not be required. I can envision it easily, and I am curious of its difference,” Pius nervously requested, tapping gently at the pattern that stopped shifting a moment.

Bill considered it, not comfortable with it, but it would be nice to confirm if he could reach through them as Pius claimed. He nodded finally, standing up with Rekka and turning to keep her behind him. Pius smiled up at him, reaching out happily for Bill to assist him up. Bill did so, then looked at the others to be sure they were ready to act if this went sideways. They were, no one quite trusted their new companion yet.

“All right, Pius. Don’t make me regret this. I don’t mind burning the shit out of myself again, and I won’t be so nice this time,” Bill threatened. He didn’t enjoy treating what was probably going to be a real good friend at some point.. but Bill just could not let his guard down. The people foolish enough to consider him friend, much less Rekka’s mistake to love him so, was far too important.

“Do not worry, sir. I hope to earn your trust in time. I cannot go against my Lord, and you are his chosen. I will invoke the pattern now, if you are ready?” Pius asked, waiting for confirmation.

“Yeah, go for it,” Bill replied, feeling tired despite the fact he rarely was anymore, waving his hand.

Pius nodded, and a golden bubble appeared around him. It was different. The color was a deeper gold, and not quite so translucent. Pius’s mouth opened with awe, twisting and looking around himself.

“It is.. So much stronger. I have never seen anything of its sort. You should be able to pass through it freely all the same, Bill. It should have no effect on you unarmored,” Pius informed him, his arms carefully held non threateningly at his sides.

“Damn. All right, let’s do this,” Bill said, breathing in a few short breaths. Despite his words he really didn’t want to get burned twice in one night.

Stepping forward he tentatively poked a finger at the shield. It passed harmlessly, he felt nothing at all. Encouraged, he waved his hand through it, pushing forward. He stopped a moment, poking his boot at it. It collided with the shield, the leather going through slightly without issue, but the steel toe insert caught. He was relieved to see no golden lighting arcing, likely that required force. He brought his blue jean covered knee into contact, and it passed harmlessly through.

“Huh, stops metal, but looks like cotton and leather has no issue. Maybe because they’re organic? Good to know,” Bill said.

A violent thought occurred to him. He bent down to pick up a stick close to him, standing and poking it through the bubble. It too passed harmlessly. That could be handy. He doubted just anyone would be able to do that, but he’d have to start carrying a stave again. A sharp one, and very aerodynamic. The stick had not bounced off when he casually tossed it to the side of Pious.

Pius looked confused about the metal part, not seeing any on Bill’s boot beyond the lace holes.

“Boots have steel inserts, keeps my toes from getting squashed if something heavy drops on em,” he explained.

“I see. How clever. This bulwark, it’s very different from the one I knew. It is.. very light on my mind, I feel almost no strain at all, as though the link to my Lord is somehow.. purer. I believe.. I am certain I could place it on another, the other pattern I could only use on myself,” Pius told him, “That would require my Wings, though. The holy symbol. If you would allow it, I would very much like to attempt it while also holding this one. I give you my word I will not, no, I cannot harm you or your allies.”

Bill considered it. It would certainly be handy if Pius could shield others in this way. His gut told him he could trust the skinny dork, but his head said this was stupid as hell. At last he decided to allow it, if the man could be trusted to save the lives of his friends using this it would be very worthwhile.

He didn’t want him to test it on him, though, or the women. More experimentation would be required to make sure it didn’t hurt them, and he wanted to be able to crush the priest’s throat if this was a trick. He didn’t know if two shields would be unable to overlap, keeping him from reaching Pius.

He motioned the priest to turn around, and he obediently did so. Turning, Bill looked at Larry.

“Any volunteers?” he asked, giving Larry an imploring look as he leaned over to place his fist on Pius’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I’ll give it a try,” Larry agreed. He understood what Bill was doing, patting Tabby comfortingly on her wrist as he pulled away and moved to a clear area in front of the priest. He’d brought the Mark One with him, proving he was no fool.

“Thank you for trusting me.” Pius said, smiling at Bill. He understood their concern well.

“Don’t make me regret this, Pius. These people are dear to me, if you try anything you’re not going to live to regret it,” Bill promised.

“I understand, Bill. I hope you will count me among your friends as well someday, I am not your enemy,” Pius told him solemnly.

Bill breathed out, preparing himself. He dug the symbol out of his pocket, bringing it carefully to the shield, uncertain if it would pass through. It did, as easily as his hand. He hesitated a moment, staring grimly into Pius’s guileless eyes. Nodding, he brought the symbol closer, carefully placing it into the man’s hand.

“Ok, Pius. Show us what you can do,” Bill ordered, readying himself to move at the slightest sign of treachery.

“Yes, sir. Please hold still.. Larry. I assure you this will not hurt, if it works at all,” Pius called, uncertain if he should be using honorifics with Bill’s companions.