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Thaddeus Duke · (05-30-2017)

December 27, 2015 | 9:17 AM | Illuminatus Military HQ | Berlin, Germany

The black banners with the red Iron Cross Illuminatus logo flies on the front fenders of the heavily armored Lincoln limousine. The young Commanding General of the Illuminatus armed forces rides quietly in the back seat staring out the window. James Edwards, Thaddeus' closest friend and confidant sits quietly beside him. It has been a very trying and agonizing two days for the young Prince. Two days filled with the joy of triumph and the heartbreak of death. Asmodeus, the modern day founder of the Illumninatus, and grandfather of the young Prince, passed away in his sleep during the night on the very day the Illuminatus banners rose above the Vatican.

Truth be told, Thaddeus did not wish to partake in this event today. His heart isn't in it. His heart and all of his thoughts lie with his grandfather, and not with the now concluded war. Not with his men. But duty calls, and he recognizes that fact.

The reds and the blues flash upon the limousine and the military and police escort vehicles as the convoy approaches the military headquarters. The men of the armed forces line up along the road to glimpse the young man they've seen and heard a thousand times. With his window down, despite the frigid temperatures, Thaddeus forces a smile. Many of those standing by chant in unison, "Victoria Die!" or, Victory Day.

It almost becomes a mob scene as military personnel surround the convoy, slowing it to a crawl. Thaddeus reaches his hands out the window to shake hands with many of his men.

[duke]"Victoria Die!"[/duke] he shouts, echoing his mens chants.

Officers begin ushering the men back, allowing the convoy to proceed.

"Just a bit of warning," Jim begins as Thaddeus rolls the window back up. "If you get any questions pertaining to that Polish air man, think nothing of it."

Thaddeus turns his head from the window and stares at Jim. Thaddeus really didn't want to be championed as a compassionate hero and as such, wanted the story to remain quiet. Earlier this year, Thaddeus' fighter jet lost its controls and a result of that, saw him eject. There's more to that story though, as he used his jet as a missile. A Polish war plane was hot on Jim's tail and about to fire. Thaddeus, the Polish pilot and James all were forced to eject. Jim's plane was destroyed by the Polish missile, while Thaddeus' jet destroyed the Polish one.

Upon landing, the Polish pilot broke his leg, and Thaddeus carried that man for four miles through rough country terrain.

[duke]"And how would they know about that?"[/duke] he asks Jim.

Silence.

[duke]"Jim."[/duke]

"A birdie told some of them, and the story spread like wildfire," Jim explains.

[duke]"You fucker.

"How badly did you embellish?"[/duke]

"Truth be told, I undersold it.

"A mile and a half instead of four. I might have saved your ass... instead of how it really went. Annnnd... hmmm... oh yeah! You were shot down instead of, you know, the jet becoming a dead stick."

[duke]"Well, at least they'll have someone else to look up to."[/duke]

"That's just it. Instead of a hero or something like that you're a fucking God to them. They glazed over my parts.

"Imagine for a second, if they knew the real story."

[duke]"That's enough Jim."[/duke]

"I didn't even tell them about the capture, and how you took your beatings during interrogations with a blood covered smile on your face."

[duke]"Duke's are born of iron, Jim. Iron will that can't be broken."[/duke]

The convoy pulls to a stop beside a stage set up. The bugle sounds over the loud speakers and thousands upon thousands of Illuminatus military soldiers gather to formation and stand at attention.

Their Commanding General steps from his warm limousine and out into the brisk winter air dressed in his fatigues and his leather bomber. Army Commander Brunson salutes his General, and shakes his hand.

"General, your audience awaits," he says, pointing his hand toward the awaiting podium set upon the stage.

[duke]"Thank you, Commander,"[/duke] Thaddeus says before heading toward podium.

As he climbs the steps to the stage, a rather large portion of the soldiers break protocol and yell "Victoria Die!" catching their Prince off guard. Thaddeus stops just before reaching the top of the steps and he looks out over his men. He laughs a little, then applause breaks out as he continues his ascent and reaches the podium.

[duke]"At ease, soldiers!"[/duke] he orders after the applause dies down and after adjusting the microphone. [duke]"Today,"[/duke] he begins, with his face adopting a more serious tone in nature. [duke]"Is a bittersweet day for the Illuminatus. We mourn the loss of our founding father and we prepare for his burial,"[/duke] he continues, with a tear escaping from his left eye.

[duke]"It is a stark reminder that life is fragile. Of course, over the last year, we've been reminded almost on a daily basis that life is fragile. It can be forever altered or ended in less time than it takes to blink."[/duke]

He removes the microphone from its stand and ventures away from the podium, giving his men the impression that he's speaking directly to them, and not merely at them.

[duke]"Look to your left,"[/duke] he instructs, and the soldiers do as commanded. [duke]"Now look to your right,"[/duke] and again they oblige. [duke]"Most of you just looked directly at a different man than you looked at a year ago when we came to Europe.

"We lost a lot of our brothers and that fact is not lost on me. As much as I mourn today, the loss of my grandfather, I also mourn our fallen brothers in arms. While many within the Illuminatus hierarchy looked at you as tools of destruction, I hope you know that isn't the case with me.

"I fought alongside you. I've been shot at, just like you. I've cradled dying brothers in my arms, just like you. I have bled, I have sweat, and I have had tears flow just like each and every one of you."[/duke]

Thaddeus ventures back to the podium and replaces the microphone in its stand, before continuing. [duke]"I know many of you look at me like I'm some kind of hero, but I'm not. I'm just a man, like all of you. I had a job that I was trusted with, just like you.

"You are all my brothers and I am yours."[/duke]

He pauses as he pulls a white envelop from his side pocket just above his knee. [duke]"And now we rejoice,"[/duke] he states, holding the envelop high. The "Victoria Die!" chant erupts for a few lingering seconds, before quieting.

[duke]"Inside this envelop is a letter of unconditional surrender from the Church, penned and signed by the Holy Father himself. Our flags fly above Vatican City and it is right and it is true in accordance with this enclosed letter.

"Our flags fly high and they fly proud, and on Christmas morning just two days ago, our mission came to a victorious end. The Catholic Church conceded defeat and the Illuminatus reigns supreme on the throne of Saint Peter.

"You men have given me the greatest birthday present one could be given. That's the gift of your dedicated service to me, my family and our collective cause. That's the gift of helping me and allowing me to deliver Vatican City to Father Asmodeus before he drew his final breath.

"For that, I'll be forever grateful. And forever in your debt. Gentlemen, I don't know what the future might hold. We may never find ourselves in a war again, but if we do, I know the Illuminatus will never die quietly in the night. We'll fight as brothers like we always have. We'll fight as one like we always have. If and when that day comes, just know there are no soldiers on this planet I'd rather go to war with, then the men standing in front of me.

"Tonight, as we begin to celebrate our new beginning, mourn our fallen founder. Mourn our fallen brothers. Tip one back for them because we would not and could not be where we are today without their sacrifices. They paid the ultimate price for our cause and again, I'm forever grateful.

"As I inferred earlier, you may be my fathers tools of destruction, but my father has never seen a war zone or a battlefield. You are all my friends and my brothers and now, we celebrate VICTORIA DIE!"[/duke]

And right on cue, the uniformed Illuminatus men erupt in a repeated chant of victory day. For the moment, the young, victorious military leader puts his grandfather at the back of his mind as he saunters down the front steps of the stage and starts to mingle with his men. He smiles, and laughs. Gives hugs and shakes hands. He glows with pride when he's with his men. It seems as if nothing in life will ever be more important to him than his military.

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