Hell of a Start (IC)

[Max]

Dr Melissa Hendricks teaches History at Freedom City University. How did she get there? Well, she was just a mild mannered archeologist, minding her own business one say when she found an artifact while digging. Taking hold of the artifact gave her holy powers. Only the people who were on that digsite know that Dr Hendricks has the power to turn into Uriel, bearer of the flame of the Magdalene Torch! And they have promised to keep quiet about it. She quietly retired from her beloved profession to teach history and defend the innocents.

The scene shows Melissa talking to the class she's teaching. They're the subject of the ancient middle east, her particular field of study and something she has very close to her heart. Quesions left and right of which she was proud to answer, but there is always one clockwatcher. He points out that it's time to leave and the students being not really interestd in stayin, leave post haste

The scene then turns to some students talking about a meeting they plan to attend. One of them mentions meeting a real live demon who will grant them powers. No one believes him, but he offers them an ultimatum. Come to the meeting and if nothing happens, he buys the booze for the next party. All of it. Melissa happens to overhear this conversation and approaches the group. The student smiles and hands her a flier. She can tell he's nervous. She assures him this is not a school activity so she can't grade him on it. The group laughs. Secretly she checks all the students in this little group and non of them have infernal taint on them. Good to know.

Maybe this is a hoax, demons are big interest things. Getting powers would attract anyone. But Melissa is not in it for the power, she's going to see what's going on there.

[Max]

Later that night Dr Hendricks was just Melissa. They had all came to hear about how the demon lord Forcus could empower them. The turnout was quite healthy, it seemed that they had recruited for this meeting from more than just the college. there was a good thirty to thirty-five people there of all ages, from college age all the way to elders.

The scene looked pretty eloquent too. It was in a basement, but saying it was a basement was an understatement, it was more like a temple under a house. There were peto the left and the right, parted by a black softcarpet runway. The runway went from the double door entrance all the way back to thestage. While the stage did have a podium (which had an inscription in Hebrew of the seven sins), there was no choir behind it. Seven robed and hooded indiviuals were sitting on their knees, facing the crowd. When Melissa scanned them, they did in fact have demonic taint all in their souls. Now she was intrigued.

Thirty minutes later, everyone was seated and waiting for the man of the hour. "Father" Vincent Mays. The self proclaimed founder of the feast and direct line to Forcus's amazing power. Vincent did not disappoint either. The man's infernal reading is off the chart! It's like he's a walking shard of infernalness!

Vincent was a very charismatic speaker. Melissa took mental notes of everything said. Histories of Forcus's power. How the sick were made whole, how the old young, how the lonely would never be alone. All they had to do was put their loyalty to Forcus. He would show someone just a taste of Focus's power. He pointed to an elderly couple. and called them up. Ruth said that she had been hurting for years and just wished to go back to a time when there was no hurting. Vincent questioned her faith in Forcus. She said she wanted to believe. Vincent assured her that was good enough. He touched her forehead and a seal appeared on it. Then she began to regress in age. She lost sixty years right before the eyes of the audience. Everyone was in shock and awe, ESPECIALLY Melissa. This was not good at all. While everyone was lining up to sign up for this new religion, Melissa slipped out unnoticed.

"Did you see that," she whispered.

"Indeed," the voice of the Magdalene Torch spoke to her mentally, "you have to dispatch this blasphemy of false hope."

Melissa's body began to burn away everything that was on it. What was incinerated in the celestial power was replaced by a holy golden armor and great flaming wings! Melissa she was no more, Uriel was on the clock!

[Max]

Uriel flew into the church with gusto. She crashed though the front door. and the parishoners scattered left and right, some running, for the door others hiding under pew or against the walls. One man stood in defiance, Father Vincent May. Also the robed hooded figures hadn't moved yet. He commanded them to rise with a hand gesture. Uriel knew she was outnumbered.

"Angel of the Lord," Mays said, "you seem to have lost your way. May we convince you to join our convention?"

Uriel snarled something that sounded like a no. She knew this would be suicide. She had to get some help.

The Magdalene Torch spoke to her. "There is someone nearby who can help. His name is Gabriel. He is a Holy Warrior like you."

With a smile, Father Mays seemed to be listening in on the conversation, "Run, go get all the help you want. I'll be waiting."

In a trail of celetial power Uriel took off to the Southside as the Magdalene Torch told her to do so.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel himself was currently lecturing a young man who'd been in the first stages of robbing a store. No one had been hurt, and the youth was clearly scared even before one of the more well-known heroes in Southside came along in his shining armor with his booming voice.

"-really thought this through? Why did you default to this, Robert?"

"I dunno! It's just...some of the guys at school talk about bein' in a gang an' stuff. Wondered if this would give me some-"

"Some "cred"? Really? Ugh, look. Right now this is your first count, you're legally a minor, no one was hurt. I'll talk to the police--oh, there they are, good--and make sure they try to get you more community service than hard time. But if I catch you at this again, I'm not stepping up for you so easily. You got that? You and all your friends and "guys at school" can do way more if you're not robbing stores."

"It's just...home..."

"Okay, look, I'll make sure you talk to a social worker and a councilor while you're with the police, okay? But I better not hear you were giving me a sob story to make me go light on you."

The wet-eyed teen nodded dully as the police started to escort him away. Gabriel himself just shook his head and flew up to a nearby rooftop...just as he spotting some speck of fire growing rapidly larger in the distance. He frowned and willed his holy spear to be in his hand as he waited on the rooftop, his coat flapping a bit in the light breeze, face expressionless as if carved from stone.