From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

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Seeking an Old Friend

---In truth, I was quite surprised as I walked through the large doors, that I could even enter a church. Inside me, my spirit reigned free, but my body was cursed by darkness. Due to my teachings, I figured that would simply be enough for God to banish me forever.

---It didn't take me very long to find the one I came to see. It had been so long since I'd seen him, probably more than five years now, and yet, I'd come to ask him a favor. Perhaps it was wrong, but it was time I knew. It was time I learned what I was.

---"Bishop Aelicus." He turned from his constant stare toward the golden cross behind the altar, to see my face with a wide-eyed look I could never imagine being duplicated.

---"My friend! I... I... don't believe it! It must be near five years now! And not a single word spoken or heard until this very moment, and I see you... walking! Desticus, I thought for sure I'd never see you again."

---"You need not fear friend, I am well. At least as well as can be expected. But I have urgent questions, and I must speak with you in private. I am sorry to come with such a rush of favors, but there are some important questions I truly need answered, and I fear I've not the time to stand here in open sight."

---"Ah yes, I understand. Follow me, my friend. It is good to see you."

---It was apparent by now that the dim light of the candles inside the sanctuary were not enough to reveal my completely paled skin, or my blackened eyes. He must've figured it for shadows. Quite right.

---He led me to the entrance just on the side of the sanctuary, and down the candle-lit stairway, to where his room lied, just outside of the training chambers which he used to oversee. He was noticeably making a rush of it, as I'd requested. All this time and he was still the same man I knew then.

---"It seems they've not condemned this place just yet." I figured I'd at least discover what I could about what happened to the Praesidium De Noctem, but why ask directly?

---"Well, it's not used anymore, but I refused to give up my quarters. They made an exception for me, and I try to keep the place in tact. Ah, here we are. I'm sure you must remember where we are."

---"Of course. I've taken a few bumps on the head, but I would need to lose my head entirely to forget these days." He gave a slight laugh and followed me into his chambers, sitting at his desk. He'd obviously been spending a lot of time reading and writing, and I wondered whatever about. It generally took a lot to impress or confuse Bishop Aelicus, and so it generally had to be something very significant if he took so much time to research it.

---"Once again my friend, I apologize for the rush, but what can you tell me of the shadow demons after my return?"

---"Well, it's simple. All activity stopped. I do mean all activity stopped. There was never an explanation, but we figured you'd done as you always did, and found a way."

---Though I wanted to hide as much as I could about myself until the last possible moment, the next question was unavoidable..."Do you know of any way the darkness of the demons could meld with a Human? Some way it would spread like a disease and cause a Human to become... something else."

---The bishop surprisingly stared at me with wide eyes, and asked, "How... why... what brought this up? How could you know what I've been studying?"

---"Bishop, what do you mean? You've been studying the possibility?"

---"Desticus, my friend, when I first caught sight of you on your return, I had to wonder. You looked as though you'd already died, but somehow your heart was still beating. I was shocked enough that you were alive to begin with. I began researching everything I'd catalogued about demons, and realized that all of them had elements of Humanity to them. Ever since, I've had the curiosity, but the Arch-Bishop will not allow my studying to become a matter of the church. He says it's non-sense. When I was told to come give you your last rites, and found you missing, I'd taken a guess, and swore I'd try to discover if perhaps... you..."

---"I understand, Bishop. It seems you still have your uncanny ability to see things before others."

---"Desticus, what do you mean?"

---Now was as good a time as any, and I suppose it's better to trust my closest friend than anybody else. After all, five years of hunting villains alone, it's nice to see a good soul. "Bishop, I want you to look at my eyes in the light."

---He turned me a bit toward the candle, then looked deeply into my eyes, suddenly jolting back and bumping into his desk, almost knocking the candle over. "Desticus! Oh my... what... it's real, isn't it? I was right?"

---"I'm quite sure you're on the right path, yes."

---"This is... shocking. Then how... how did you get into the church? The shadow demons never would step near this place."

---"I'm not entirely sure. More-over, I have control over my own soul, and can still make my own choices. The demons we fought never seemed to have a choice in anything they did. It was pure drive through a motivation they didn't even seem to understand."

---The Bishop just stared, seeming speechless, then started shuffling through papers on his desk. "After you were found, Desticus, a week later a pagan prophet started ranting about a prophecy he dreamt. I wrote it all down, being the only Christian that would listen, and I've tried to find relevance in my studies. I hadn't found anything until just now. You. You are the subject of the prophecy."

---"Bishop, this is not the time for jokes."

---He gave a slight chuckle then said, "My friend, I assure you, this is no joke. It is quite difficult to accept being a central figure, I know, but there is no doubt this is you. Listen to this..." He began to recite a strange, and unexpectedly short prophecy:

"The shadow will perish and the light will return, but this is only a warning, the world could burn. Though we think we've rid ourselves of the pain and the sorrow, the one will bring signs of what we'll fight tomorrow. Though his spirit is good and he would help the weak, he could very well destroy the world, with the right choice at his peak. His powers will rise and he'll soar to new heights, passed the one he defeated, in the land with no lights. The things he's done, some nobody knows, but we'll all be afraid when its his power that grows. The Harbinger, The Harbinger, he is coming... let us hope time slows."

---"Praenuntius(Harbinger). Desticus, you are the only one with a history that matches this. I do honestly fear, you are Praenuntius."

---What he spoke of rang true. Through the years that I've spent adjusting to what I'd become, my powers had grown slightly the whole way through. I hadn't thought it was much more than consistant practice. Like a muscle, it grows as you use it. Pagans have been right before, despite the church's spite toward them, but this was different. This was me.

---"Bishop, what do you suppose all of this means? As I said to you, I have control over my soul. It would be easy for me to simply decide not to destroy the world. I still work to defend the weak."

---"Well, it spoke of the choice coming when Praenuntius', that's you, had his powers hit their peak. Would you say your powers are at the best they'll ever be? What... powers... do you have, anyway?"

---Though he knew what I was, he didn't quite know what I was just yet. Perhaps it would be best to wait on the details. "Bishop, for what I am, I must wait to explain, but to answer your question, no. I don't believe they are at their peak. Perhaps you are right and that choice still has yet to come. Though, I still hesitate to believe this Praenuntius is me."

---Bishop Aelicus smiled, then looked at me saying, "Ah, Desticus. I will never forget you, my friend. Always rejected your own importance, striving to give it to others. You are the most self-less man I've ever met. If it's a man that you still are. I dread the thought that perhaps you are something I cannot understand."

---"Have no fear, Bishop. We will discover what this is, and perhaps we can still yet prevent what this prophecy speaks of. You have never failed me in the past, I have no fear that you will now. I only thank God that you are still the friend you used to be."

---Bishop Aelicus smiled, then said, "Well then, I suppose we will need a place to hide you. Let us find you a bed."

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