08-02-2014, 08:22 AM
Today has been a whirlwind of emotion. Ultimate highs and devastating lows. The complete happiness I feel when I remember that my beloved Caitlyn is back here at the Compound is almost completely wiped out when I venture downstairs and lay my eyes upon my father. My happiness turns to a bitter, almost hatred, and I'm not even sure how he and I have reached this point.
Our relationship was always a strange one. It's like he's always looked at me like I was not quite human. As if I was a tool to use rather than his son to love. It's only been amplified since Thaddeus passed away. Maybe thats where it all went south. Prior to Thaddeus arrival, we had our moments but there was still love, or at least some kind of bond that existed between us.
We'd reached the conclusion that I'd never achieve what Asmodeus wanted and Thaddeus' birth gave him new life. It gave my fathers grand plan to one day take over Vatican City, a brand new life. Due to time restraints, and our lack of resources, by the time we reach the point of critical mass and are finally capable of taking out the Church for good, Asmodeus may be dead, or at the very least very old. And I'll be too old to fight the way I can now. Thaddeus was the golden child. I knew it. Asmodeus knew it. Hell, Thaddeus himself probably knew it somehow.
Now that Thaddeus is gone, I think Asmodeus sees everything he was working towards as a lost cause. Deep down inside me, I guess I feel sorry for him. He'll probably not live to see the day that his Church of the Illuminatus resides within Saint Peters Basilica. What he needs to realize, is that no matter what ill feelings exist between he and I, my resolve still remains. With or without Asmodeus, with or without Sebastian Duke, the Illuminatus will take Vatican City and we will... evacuate... for lack of a better term, Vatican City.
Asmodeus, and our subsequent threats toward one another, was only one part of my day. Griffin MacAlister played a part as well. To be honest, I didn't realize I still had his number in my phone. He called earlier and I was pretty surprised to hear from him. Obviously, Jake was too. The relationship I share with Griffin MacAlister is a roller coaster in itself. We've come full circle. We started out as enemies wanting to kill one another, long before either of us reached the Xtreme Wrestling Federation. We then became friends and at one point, he lived here at the Compound under an assumed name. He and I even laid claim to the tag team championship. Together, we became the longest reigning tag team champions the Xtreme Wrestling Federation has ever seen. That is a feat, that I'm quietly proud of.
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Are you going to tell me why MacBitch called you?”
He asks with his inquisitive nature as we sit alone within the library of the Compound.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Nope.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Sebastian, forgive me, but is it not my job to look out for you? Is it not my job to protect you and cover your blind spots?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Indeed it is, but what you forget is, your help is only required when I order it.”
It's an answer he's not liking very much. I can tell that.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Besides, what goes on between MacAlister and I is pretty personal.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “You realize how bad that sounds?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “In case you haven't noticed Jake, I'm not in the mood for lame ass gay jokes.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “I've noticed.”
I light up a Newport menthol and take a deep drag into my lungs.
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Whether you know it or not, I don't just work for you, Sebastian. While I am your Messenger, I am also charged with being the guardian of the secrets held by the Illuminatus. It is my job to protect those in power. That includes Asmodeus.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I know that.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Yet I'm willing to throw all of that out in order to secure your place as leader of the Illuminatus, over your father.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “I know that too.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “In that respect, I think it may be wise to clue me in on what Griffin MacAlister wanted in that phone call.”
He's right, but I'm not sure yet that I'm ready to clue him in.
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “I've sacrificed a lot over the years, Sebastian. And I'll continue to make personal sacrifices. All in the name of being your protector.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Jake, I need you to remember that I appreciate those sacrifices. You are my best friend and my brother. Blood be damned.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Best friend, sure. Brother? Nah, I think we know who your brother is.”
There is an animosity, an underlying tension that exists between Jake and my little brother Enigma. I'm not sure why. Mostly, they're just idiots in competition for my affection. I mean, let's call a spade a spade here. I don't have that much affection. Both Jake and Eric need to realize that whatever affection I show them, is the best I can do.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Eric is my brother by blood, Jake. You're my brother by choice.”
There, I got a second wind.
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “I'm not comfortable with you conversing with Griffin MacAlister. Maybe he's ready to finish what he started.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “If he is, then so be it. I'll get out of it again, just like the last time.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “You hardly even remember the last time.”
Which is true. Fuck it, I'll tell him.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Fine. If you really want to know, then I'll tell you.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Good. Let's hear it. What exactly does Griffin MacAlister want from you?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “When we talked, he wanted me to find...”
Just then, Asmodeus barges into the room.
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “Gentlemen, we have a problem.”
My eyes meet Jake's and we both have a disgusted look in our eyes.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “What is it?”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “Do either of you remember Cardinal George?”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Who?”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “No, it doesn't ring a bell.”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “Neither did I, until I went down to my laboratory to feed the Fourth Reich bunnies.”
The three of us exchange looks.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “What are you getting at?”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Yeah, what about this Cardinal George?”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “He was a gift, from you Sebastian. When you and Jacob took down that monastery in France.”
Oh yeah, now I remember.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “So what are you trying to tell us?”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “I think he's dead.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “So why is that a problem?”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “It's a problem because I planned to hang him from that stupid monument in Saint Peters' Square!”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “You can't hang a dead man?”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “You can't kill a man twice, Sebastian.”
Obviously. Unless you're Luca Arzegotti. He can apparently live many times.
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Do you know for sure that he's dead?”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “No, but I've been quite busy. The bunnies had plenty of food. Enough for weeks, so I haven't gone down to tend to them until just a few minutes ago.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “So, in other words, you've not fed the Cardinal in weeks.”
Asmodeus slams his fists into the table.
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “That's precisely what I'm saying!”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “Can't you just resurrect him? You resurrected Eli James.”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “Is anyone sure why we even resurrected him?”
The three of us look around at each other.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Because we could? That's all I got.”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “And look how well that turned out.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “We give him life, and he costs you the Universal Championship.”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Eli's days are numbered.”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “Back to the Cardinal, people! We need to focus here!”
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “Dad, I could not care any less about your fucking rabbits, a dead Cardinal, or whatever else you have to say. We're at odds, and we're likely to stay that way.”
Asmodeus stands up straight, and then proceeds to straighten up his gray suit.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “If you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to get to.”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “With who?”
I start to leave.
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: “If you must know, Griffin MacAlister, I assume. Sebastian had a phone conversation with him earlier.”
FATHER ASMODEUS, THE HIGH PRIEST: “Is this true!?”
Asmo's angry. When he is, he's like the Incredible Priest. Just not any stronger. You'd think he was on roids like Morbid Angel.
SEBASTIAN DUKE: “You're god damned right its true. The contents of the phone call and why I'm meeting him, remain neither of your business.”
JACOB, THE MESSENGER: "But you were just..."
SEBASTIAN DUKE: "Shut up, Jake!"
I exit the library and head out into the Darkness. There's a few possibilities as to what may happen when I do meet Griffin MacAlister. The first being that it's just a meeting, and nothing really important happens. The second and third possibility, is that one of us dies.
Fade to Darkness.