Post by hardcorehammer24 on Oct 25, 2022 21:33:39 GMT -5
How had it come to this?
Jakie Wentzel, a man finally destined for success, was paralyzed with doubt. On the eve of the day he had waited nearly a decade for, he was no longer driven to the title of champion. What makes a champion anyway? Jakie had been raised to believe that a hero was judged not by his titles, not by his doings, but by his faith and convictions.
But now there was no point. He had lost the only family that had mattered to him once again when he had been looking in the direction of fame. He was now alone for real, standing among a community of ghosts.
New Intercourse was now gone, a failed experiment in rebuilding a golden utopia, but how? What had truly been conspiring beyond its gates. And where had the money come from to build it?
Jakie of course did know some of the answers. He had paid to rebuild his community with income generated by the Shadowman. In return, he had agreed to join The Order as an agent of change. He was going to be the harbinger of a new, simpler age. The fight was in the ring, but the ultimate calling was redemption of an enterprise.
As for the fate of New Intercourse, Jakie only had one clue, a letter written by his brother, Nathanial, that was found among the ruins:
June 30th, New Intercourse PA
I hope things are well with you, dear brother, as you continue your mission abroad. I wish I could say the same. Last night, another tower guard was horrifically killed, body laid out with a small yellow flag placed at his head. The Bishop continues to reassure us all that the small group of this community that oppose the mission of the church will be discovered and put to judgment swiftly for their treason. The new Zion will rise when our Lord returns in the coming months, whether the riffraff like it or not. Mary…our dear Mary…has gone missing, brother. They have been saying that she ran away from the compound, but I have seen better. I know one should not fall into gossip or slander, but it has been said that the high counsel have taken her to the Holy Tower to be purified. Do not worry, my brother. I will investigate this disturbance and write back soon. God be with you, Jakie boy.
-Nathaniel Wentzel
Jakie clasped at the fading ink on paper, as a wail of desperation slipped from his lips. He had been a fool, and created a mess more severe than before. Was this another message from Armand Von Krauss? It didn’t seem like his dirty work. If the Von Krauss family were involved, there would have been more bloodshed, more ash and gore. No this appeared to be a different level of destruction completely.
A small groups of rebels were mentioned. A sect that attacked the heart of the church. Jakie trembled at the thought that the community’s demise was internal.
His faith was strong, but Jakie could not resist the thought that maybe he had once again proven to be on the wrong side of the moral high ground. He despised the braggery and bravado of his fellow roster members:
Donzig had been sure to include jabs at him for months crowing with his chest out like some demented rooster. He talked about Jakie as if he knew failure was imminent. But deep down, Jakie could see the trutth that Donzig was scared to lose. For all the talk flung out, Donzig knew he cannot fave Armand by himself. The clowns and cronies of the Krimson Kharnival had made quick work of the Donzig-Gun and knew Jakie would have a desire for Von Krauss’s blood.
And it may be true. Von Krauss was powerful, but maybe now was the time to take him out for good. Clear the air of his filth for good and retire once and for all. Jakie sighed in relief at the notion that the endgame could very well be in sight.
Regardless, it was time for Jakie to make things right, if not for himself, for those he had failed to protect. If Nathaniel and Mary were still alive, they would be long gone by now. Victims of the sickness he had created, pawns in a sinister game.
And Jakie would get to the bottom of it one way or another, even if it killed him. But first, it was time to beat the ever loving shit out of his enemies.
Jakie Wentzel, a man finally destined for success, was paralyzed with doubt. On the eve of the day he had waited nearly a decade for, he was no longer driven to the title of champion. What makes a champion anyway? Jakie had been raised to believe that a hero was judged not by his titles, not by his doings, but by his faith and convictions.
But now there was no point. He had lost the only family that had mattered to him once again when he had been looking in the direction of fame. He was now alone for real, standing among a community of ghosts.
New Intercourse was now gone, a failed experiment in rebuilding a golden utopia, but how? What had truly been conspiring beyond its gates. And where had the money come from to build it?
Jakie of course did know some of the answers. He had paid to rebuild his community with income generated by the Shadowman. In return, he had agreed to join The Order as an agent of change. He was going to be the harbinger of a new, simpler age. The fight was in the ring, but the ultimate calling was redemption of an enterprise.
As for the fate of New Intercourse, Jakie only had one clue, a letter written by his brother, Nathanial, that was found among the ruins:
June 30th, New Intercourse PA
I hope things are well with you, dear brother, as you continue your mission abroad. I wish I could say the same. Last night, another tower guard was horrifically killed, body laid out with a small yellow flag placed at his head. The Bishop continues to reassure us all that the small group of this community that oppose the mission of the church will be discovered and put to judgment swiftly for their treason. The new Zion will rise when our Lord returns in the coming months, whether the riffraff like it or not. Mary…our dear Mary…has gone missing, brother. They have been saying that she ran away from the compound, but I have seen better. I know one should not fall into gossip or slander, but it has been said that the high counsel have taken her to the Holy Tower to be purified. Do not worry, my brother. I will investigate this disturbance and write back soon. God be with you, Jakie boy.
-Nathaniel Wentzel
Jakie clasped at the fading ink on paper, as a wail of desperation slipped from his lips. He had been a fool, and created a mess more severe than before. Was this another message from Armand Von Krauss? It didn’t seem like his dirty work. If the Von Krauss family were involved, there would have been more bloodshed, more ash and gore. No this appeared to be a different level of destruction completely.
A small groups of rebels were mentioned. A sect that attacked the heart of the church. Jakie trembled at the thought that the community’s demise was internal.
His faith was strong, but Jakie could not resist the thought that maybe he had once again proven to be on the wrong side of the moral high ground. He despised the braggery and bravado of his fellow roster members:
Donzig had been sure to include jabs at him for months crowing with his chest out like some demented rooster. He talked about Jakie as if he knew failure was imminent. But deep down, Jakie could see the trutth that Donzig was scared to lose. For all the talk flung out, Donzig knew he cannot fave Armand by himself. The clowns and cronies of the Krimson Kharnival had made quick work of the Donzig-Gun and knew Jakie would have a desire for Von Krauss’s blood.
And it may be true. Von Krauss was powerful, but maybe now was the time to take him out for good. Clear the air of his filth for good and retire once and for all. Jakie sighed in relief at the notion that the endgame could very well be in sight.
Regardless, it was time for Jakie to make things right, if not for himself, for those he had failed to protect. If Nathaniel and Mary were still alive, they would be long gone by now. Victims of the sickness he had created, pawns in a sinister game.
And Jakie would get to the bottom of it one way or another, even if it killed him. But first, it was time to beat the ever loving shit out of his enemies.