Nevermore: The War (Part: Introduction)

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, 'Come and see.'

"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

"And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, 'Come and see.'

"And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the Earth, and they that should kill one another: and and there was given unto him a great sword.

"And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, 'Come and see.'
And I beheld, and lo to a black horse; and he that sat upon him had a pair of balances in his hand.

"And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, 'A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.'

"And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, 'Come and see.'

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that said on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the Earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the Earth."

-Holy Bible: Revelations 6: 1-8; King James Version.

Jack Shepherd read the verse, once upon a time, in his youth. He was not supposed to have read the big book. But the priest did not know that Jack could read. The priest, remembers Jack, who preached love, tolerance, and forgiveness, but who hurt him so often. The priest who preached temperance, but drank in the tavern, just the same. The priest who preached abstinence and condemned illegitimate children like Jack, but who was responsible for the half brother Jack almost had. Jack knew many priests in his time, most of them very nice men, but he hated the parish priest who ruled the town where he grew up.

Bleakly, he stares at the words again now. The writing, etched in stone, of the prophecy of the End Times. The one spot of Holiness in Hell. The words stand tall on the side of the building that houses the Vampire Senate. He touches the cold rim of a bottle to his lips and the amber liquid falls past his heart and into the black abyss. Whisky. His only comfort. Since Maire left, nothing mattered to Jack. Nothing...

Out of the blackness, a woman calls out, "Jack...come inside. Please."

Jack, startled out of his reverie, turns toward her. "I'll follow, Kerrigan."

"Jack, what's wrong? You've been out here for hours. Are you still brooding over Maire?"

"Kerrigan, you're me best friend, but ye canna help me wi' this. Ye're happily married...how d'ye do it?"

"Marriage isn't always happy, Jack. I would know."

"I suppose ye would."

"Next time, try being around for your children. They need a father."

"I suppose ye'd be right."

"At any rate, come in. You'll catch your death."

"Too late...that's precisely how I ended up here."

"Jack, you know what I mean. I don't want to see you sick in bed. I do care about you, Jack. Even if you don't believe it."

With that, Jack returns to his office alone. He closes the door and sits there in the darkness...thinking...thinking of her. Maire. His once-beloved ex-wife.