Powers and Principalities Ch. 1-8

Powers and Principalities Ch. 8

Chapter 8

         It was a meeting of the gods. The gods of my little world sat in five chairs in a makeshift conference room near my cell. My fate was offered up for discussion. The inherent respect of the members in a democratic system seemed so far away.
         For the time being, each of them were saints to me. I was given some food! Gourmet hobo stew, composed of whatever delicious morsels happened to be crawling around at the right time at the right place. Their words made the dinner entertainment while I feasted.
         “There isn’t anything to talk about. Let’s keep things safe and simple by making sure he can’t take any of our people’s lives. I don’t know what he is, other than some hellspawn by the babblers!” commanded the behemoth, Michael. Without the bizarre gas mask, he had the appearance of a bouncer, or a military man. Oddly, fine print writing was tattooed across the right side of his face, which continued down that side of his body. To hide a tattoo acquired on a drunken impulse isn’t the worst reason to wear a mask.
         “We all know what this man has done. He is miraculous and I wouldn’t want his blood on our hands, even if I believed we were able to destroy him. We have no reason not to believe what he has said. He has potential to do so much…” piped up Vivia, the “good cop,” sitting opposite of Michael. She leaned forward and stretched the vowels of certain words, like “so.” Someone was pleading for me. As much as I appreciated this display, I couldn’t trust any of these people.
         “The fact that he would wear that uniform shows some degree of acceptance. I would sooner expose my nakedness in combat than have the protection of something designed for the demons. I do not trust this man and any of you who do must be naïve!” rebutted Michael. He leaned forward, mirroring Vivia’s intensity. The iron clad firmness in his voice seemed impossible to oppose.
         “Don’t forget, old friend, that Dues found all of us at some point. There was a time when even you had to earn your trust with the organization. And now that our numbers in this unit are dwindling, we need as much help as we can get to complete our mission!” Vivia’s plea turned into an authoritative demand. The hostility in the air was almost visible. To my surprise, chairs weren’t being thrown around yet.
         This small room, hardly distinguishable from my cell, was just visible through a glass window in my cell. I wasn’t watching much though, being a bit preoccupied. Yuji was taken to another room, to verify my miraculous touch. Having my hands free, I felt less like a prisoner, and it felt great. Emotionally exhausted, I wasn’t even capable of trying to figure out what I did or what Nail did. Apparently my captors were just as confused as I was.
         Almost hidden beside Michael’s stature, a warm and calm voice chimed in, “Time will reveal everything. His potential to help is just as great as his potential to cause destruction. I vote for giving him a fair chance. With what Vivia witnessed, he may well become more of a savior than any of us could ever be.” Although seemingly young, Alex’s hair was an unusual silver color. Olive skin tone blended with a gray robe, similar to what was commonly seen among the Blue Crow citizens. Regarding earned respect, all eyes were attentive at these words of fairness.
         Vivia smiled and nodded with Alex’s words. Michael inhaled deeply and stared at an empty space on the foldout table, seemingly trying to summon patience. His fist remained clenched. “What say you Vincent? Will you stand with me on this?” Michael asked, the first time a normal tone came from his mouth.
         A visible chill ran through the room as the gaunt figure spoke. “For me, it does not matter. I abstain.” Vincent wore an unkempt black shirt with pants that were colored likewise against his ghostly complexion. No feature stood out about him and his clothes were incredibly bland. One could have not noticed his presence due to his odd stillness. His eyes remained low and his posture, a slouched chiropractor’s nightmare.
         The gods were at a standstill, hopelessly in contention. I finished the meal that was my breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The room’s attention was directed towards the fifth member, who could tie the vote or secure me. I wasn’t sure if this group was trustworthy, but having someone on my side and having some sense of purpose would be incredible.
         Sitting at the head of the table, Gabriel had maintained his posture. Relaxed yet all-business, his hands folded under his chin as he patiently listened. “This is about truth, children. It is a matter of perspective” he spoke, sounding displeased with his subjects. His classy red shirt and blue slacks were in stark contrast to the ragged look of most of the others.
         His well-groomed blonde hair boy-like features made him appear the youngest of the group, with the possible exception of Vivia. “Lies are simply truths from an opposing field of view. In an unseen world, the act of perception causes shifts. Our systems fold, gears realign,
and we must change our vantage point as a response.” Despite being a man of thin build and not possessing the deep commanding voice of Michael, Gabriel’s tone was one of absolute clarity and certainty. The words of this intellectual baited the mind to stand in awe and listen.
         “If the truth is revealed, will we accept it? If your eyes are open - if you are ready... then the truth overtakes you” he explained, speaking to no one in particular. They listened as if it was directly to them.
         “God is watching and the angels are standing to sing. Hear their choir! Will you run with the meek and flee your purpose?” Gabriel’s formerly calm voice lifted and carried. He turned and looked at everyone directly. At this point, I recognized him as the one who grabbed me outside.
         “Dues ex Machina is mankind’s last hope. We are truth’s final opportunity to be preserved before our enemies extinguish it. To whom else would a miracle be sent?” Gabriel concluded. He then looked directly at me, and beckoned to enter. Michael didn’t look impressed, but Vivia seemed awestruck. I did as I was instructed, and was greeted with three warm smiles.
         “I hope you will forgive us, Urian. Our unit has lost most of its members over the last week. None of us are thinking clearly. It is my hope that we can earn your trust in our noble cause.”