IC: Aftermath
Alfred took slow and steady steps into the downtown, his eyes downcast as if he refused to look at what he had done. Already his agents had intercepted tweets and IM's, blocking the truth of the matter from reaching the Sleeping populous, while sending in emergency crews to rescue those from the burning buildings due to "gas fires". Sirens rang hollow through the canyon walls of steel and for the first time since he was given the all clear by Fifth, Alfred stepped back into the city where he had sanctioned the destruction of countless lives. And who knows how many innocents...
Glass crunched beneath his feet, heavy combat boots instead of the latest designer wear shuffled along the cracked sidewalk. The worst of the fighitng was downtown, where he knew it would be. Days of prep work had prevented the worst of the issues occurring thankfully, but there were still those innocents around when the Alpha Squadron ran smack dab into the Mad Ones. Alfred shut off his com link during the worst of the fighting, pulling his Agents from the monitors to lead them in a prayer to guide the souls of those lost to their proper places.
Yet no prayer, no cry to the heavens nor whispered sorrow to a silent deity could stop the screams of the innocents that rang in his mind.
The mission was a success, as much as it could be considered one. The Four Horsemen swept through the city, the removal of the taint of Abyss was evident in the air. The Seers were routed and captured, the Lich destroyed and many abyssal mages ended with only 6 Pentacle deaths. His agents, those loyal to him during this mission, were at base having a celebratory beer and planning their next move. But Alfred couldn't bring himself to join them. Oh sure, he smiled and drank his rum drink from the pink glass with the frilly umbrella like he was supposed to, but he quickly ducked out and set to walking on foot into the heart of Tulsa. He had to see what he condemned first hand, had to experience it.
Hours of walking led him to a small apartment in the downtown sector, flames still licked at the walls from burning waste on the floors. The Abyss had apparently possessed a parent here, and killed a small girl before War could end it's life. Alfred bent low over he crumbled form, examining the small bloody figure closely. Sucking in air, to steel himself, he tagged it with a location marker for a death mage to correct, before staring into the flames. They seemed to call to him, beckon him forward with their mysterious dance.
Alfred walked lightly to the flames, pulling out a handful of paperwork. He stared hard at the paperwork, the reports and letters he had received from his Guardian contacts and other Mages from Tulsa. The reports he never gave, the ones he lied about receiving. Deliberately, he tossed them into the flames.
"Agent Sparkles, this is Agent Honest Coyote. Where are you bossman?" The voice was questioning, concerned for his commander
"Just surveying what we have done...all of it..." Alfred speaks gently, a sadness he cannot hide slipping into his voice
"Nothing to be upset over bossman, it's not your fault. First they created this mess, then they stopped responding to communications. Nothing to be done, right sir?"
"Right HC...nothing to be done."
Alfred zipped up his hoodie and tugged it tight over his head, before walking into the smoke filled haze of the street.
Glass crunched beneath his feet, heavy combat boots instead of the latest designer wear shuffled along the cracked sidewalk. The worst of the fighitng was downtown, where he knew it would be. Days of prep work had prevented the worst of the issues occurring thankfully, but there were still those innocents around when the Alpha Squadron ran smack dab into the Mad Ones. Alfred shut off his com link during the worst of the fighting, pulling his Agents from the monitors to lead them in a prayer to guide the souls of those lost to their proper places.
Yet no prayer, no cry to the heavens nor whispered sorrow to a silent deity could stop the screams of the innocents that rang in his mind.
The mission was a success, as much as it could be considered one. The Four Horsemen swept through the city, the removal of the taint of Abyss was evident in the air. The Seers were routed and captured, the Lich destroyed and many abyssal mages ended with only 6 Pentacle deaths. His agents, those loyal to him during this mission, were at base having a celebratory beer and planning their next move. But Alfred couldn't bring himself to join them. Oh sure, he smiled and drank his rum drink from the pink glass with the frilly umbrella like he was supposed to, but he quickly ducked out and set to walking on foot into the heart of Tulsa. He had to see what he condemned first hand, had to experience it.
Hours of walking led him to a small apartment in the downtown sector, flames still licked at the walls from burning waste on the floors. The Abyss had apparently possessed a parent here, and killed a small girl before War could end it's life. Alfred bent low over he crumbled form, examining the small bloody figure closely. Sucking in air, to steel himself, he tagged it with a location marker for a death mage to correct, before staring into the flames. They seemed to call to him, beckon him forward with their mysterious dance.
Alfred walked lightly to the flames, pulling out a handful of paperwork. He stared hard at the paperwork, the reports and letters he had received from his Guardian contacts and other Mages from Tulsa. The reports he never gave, the ones he lied about receiving. Deliberately, he tossed them into the flames.
"Agent Sparkles, this is Agent Honest Coyote. Where are you bossman?" The voice was questioning, concerned for his commander
"Just surveying what we have done...all of it..." Alfred speaks gently, a sadness he cannot hide slipping into his voice
"Nothing to be upset over bossman, it's not your fault. First they created this mess, then they stopped responding to communications. Nothing to be done, right sir?"
"Right HC...nothing to be done."
Alfred zipped up his hoodie and tugged it tight over his head, before walking into the smoke filled haze of the street.