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By the way folks , just a heads up . I'll be starting my College of CAARdinals chapter very soon so if any of you wanted to read up on what's been happening to the Papal States before that , now would be a good time !
 
canonized said:
By the way folks , just a heads up . I'll be starting my College of CAARdinals chapter very soon

Yeah! Hurry up! :D

Also, we'll need someone after canonball if any of y'all've a copy of CK around and would like to be pope for a few years! :D
j.
 
Llywelyn said:
Yeah! Hurry up! :D

Also, we'll need someone after canonball if any of y'all've a copy of CK around and would like to be pope for a few years! :D
j.

i'm hurrying i'm hurrying !!!! :wacko: Sorry for the wait ! XD
 
Great update !

I'm really glad you chose to offer us some glimpses of what's going on with the Cardinal as well as the timepieces - I was making myself dizzy with my own theories as to what's been happening.

Oh, and congrats on your award ! Truly, you've earned it through your work. I'm really proud to see how far this has come and just how engrossing it is - I set aside time every day to make sure I get to read the latest installment.

Keep up the great work, good sir !
 
Heh, just finished that last chapter.

The Neon Genesis-isness of it all. Good thing your protagonists are less whiny and there are no penguins...
 
Panzerkardinal: Thanks buddy ! Feel free to expound any theories you've got , i'm sure it'll make a great discussion ! And thanks , this award is a wonderful testament to the readership as well as me since you all inspire me to write ! Thank you especially , old friend !

RGB: Haha , well SIG-CESR I think was the one who first asked what NERV had to do with Timelines and I told him jokingly 'everything !' So we'll see !
 
canonized said:
“Black Parades, Black Waves, how about Black I’m going to beat your face in,” the Cardinal retorted. . .

Best. Cardinal. Evar.

[Maybe not the wittiest, mind you, but best.]

If only they had taken inventory first, they would have realized that the metal plate that Cardinal DeWitt had been given for food every day somehow had disappeared

Dude, and he's a MacGyver! Now with some gum and aluminum foil, he can construct a radio transmitter to contact . . . oh, right, 16th century. :(

Maybe he can just hit someone with it. :)

The Timepiece without the keys—especially the key from Rome—will not be able to be controlled. Without bounds or checks, the power of the Timepiece would choose any direction to take. The unbound freedom would result in the very destruction of the world itself;

Love the allegory with the growth of humanism, even if I don't necessarily see it as the mustache-twirling archnemesis of Catholic enlightenment. (In fact, the opposite, if anything. . .)

“Instructions which you are not qualified to understand!” The Cardinal had yelled back at his captor.

Zio cackled a callipygian cackle. "You forget yourself, cleric! In this timeline, everyone speaks Spanish and Japanese!"

That bastard Zio even decided to rename the stupid contraption in his usual way: it was now the Black Box.

“And you say these Black Boxes were installed the other month?” General Novaposhyn asked his colleague

Awww. I was hoping the talking box had a hemidemisemilobster inside. :(

Or maybe an Arcane Logic Unit. :)

kutgw,
j.
 
Best. Cardinal. Evar.

[Maybe not the wittiest, mind you, but best.]

Haha , that's our Panzerkardinal alright ! He doesn't eff around !

Dude, and he's a MacGyver! Now with some gum and aluminum foil, he can construct a radio transmitter to contact . . . oh, right, 16th century.

Maybe he can just hit someone with it.

ROFL . you weren't too far from the truth ... OR WERE YOU !?

Love the allegory with the growth of humanism, even if I don't necessarily see it as the mustache-twirling archnemesis of Catholic enlightenment. (In fact, the opposite, if anything. . .)

No you're right , humanism has its good points as it probably will help in the ecumenical movement later on , but i think if you use Humanism in the way Renaissance Humanism help fuel the Reformation , it can be a very dicey thing !

Zio cackled a callipygian cackle. "You forget yourself, cleric! In this timeline, everyone speaks Spanish and Japanese!"

This is why you're one of my favourite fans , mr. L

Awww. I was hoping the talking box had a hemidemisemilobster inside.

Or maybe an Arcane Logic Unit.

O.O
 
hmmm...I'm not quite sure yet what to think of the events of this chapter. though I am interested in what this Milevski doctrine thingiewhatsit is...:p
 
Myth said:
hmmm...I'm not quite sure yet what to think of the events of this chapter. though I am interested in what this Milevski doctrine thingiewhatsit is...:p

Bah ! You should know it ! Afterall General Milevski utterly decimated Zhukov ! For shame !
 
chapter38tile.gif


Chapter XXXVIII: The Black Box​

December 21, 1582

The two acolytes had to be very quiet. Even though no one was permitted to go into the inner sanctum of the top floors, they were still wary that anyone passing by might notice their trespassing.

“Quiet, idiot!” the first one called out with a great huff.

Their dark attire and their hunched silence was a grand mockery of the austerity of any monk but they nonetheless weaved their way through the hallways of the inner rooms of the building until the very door of the Black Box chamber was in front of them.

The upper levels themselves might have surprised any observer if they had been used to the dungeon-like construction below. Pieces of jade all the way from the Empire of the Ming to gold and silver crowns of any nature filled portions of the area with gleaming majesty. This was an Imperial repository, but more importantly functioned as a makeshift museum for the city. Here were guarded the bones of many dead prelates—the Archbishops of this city were quite important—as well as their regalia. Important citizens were preserved side by side with the perfidious nobles who resisted the rise of the new despotic government.

Normally open to those wealthy enough to patronize the proto-museum, the back rooms were held strictly for the research of those new scholars at the University of Toledo. It was a natural choice for a headquarters for Zio and his cult.

“Open it!” the first one hissed from under his hood. With the echo of his order prevailing through the emptied halls—most of the men after all were now accompanying the Cardinal and Zio—he shrank in instinctual fear.

The second one gently pressed against the heavy wooden gateway and raised his lamp high to press light into the darkened chamber. There it sat like some monument of pagan past. Build like three large blocks piled on top of each other it displayed sheen of metal that was so unusual to any who looked upon it. If one were to tap on it with their knuckles they could instantly feel the strength of the metal but looking upon its construction they could notice that it in fact only covered a few centimeters of thickness.

“Do you think it will speak to us?” the second one questioned as they moved into the wide open space of the room. Although they were present when Zio had introduced the Cardinal to the box a few hours previously, they were still awed by the simple majesty erected before them.

“Maybe…” the first one admittedly shrugged as they now were only a few paces from the contraption.

“H… hello?” the second one stuttered. They heard nothing in return except a soft humming noise. “Is it asleep?” the second asked.

The first nearly slapped his companion on the back of the head before boldly approaching the front of the mechanism and declaring, “I am Esteban Garcia de Compostella! Speak to us!”

Once again nothing but the strange sounds reminiscent of spring birds moving about permeating throughout the room.

“Perhaps it only talks to important people,” the second conjectured holding the torch high enough to see his companion turn back towards him to give a terrible scowl through the cover of his hood.

“What did Master Zio say about this thing again?” the first one asked annoyed.

“Well…” the second began as he now took a few steps forward to stand side by side with his friend. “I do remember Zio saying that it only started working when it was brought here to Toledo from Seville. It was kept in the storehouse there a few months after Second Impact.”

“After the Antarctic expedition came back right?” the first one attempted to remember.

The second nodded from behind his hood before continuing as they both stared at the shining ebony pinnacle. “But once Master Zio and the other councilmen deciphered the Interpretations and set it up here… it started to speak. Master Zio said something about how it’s because we count longitude from Toledo and therefore it was able to start giving us directions…”

Suddenly, a great sound interrupted the doting eyes of the men and a light began to shine brightly from the very top of the room. Running backwards and slamming their bodies against the wall they watched as sunlight surrounded the ebony contraption.

“What’s going on?” the first one gasped.

Both eyes were on the box as it seemed to hum louder. In that trembling yet ironically comforting noise, the second one straightened himself up and approached the lighted object.

“You fool get back here!” the first hissed, but it would not stop his friend’s approach.

“I remember what this is about,” the second one began to explain with a weird smile on his face as he removed the hood and revealed his head to the incoming sunlight. “Master Zio said that if the machine is confused on what time it is, it checks the sun when it’s at its highest!”

With still slight trembling, the first companion now approached where his friend was standing and looked up half lidding his eyes at the brightness of the noon sun. But it was not this spectacle that interested his most. He saw a faint hint of white descending from the hole above. It was snowing.

---​

December 22, 1582

Isabella staggered with a panting breath. They were getting closer, run faster! The pounding in her heart was only mitigated by the heavy breathing she endured as she forced bleeding calves to move those feet against bristling winter leaves and the crushing depression of the blanketing snow.

How many days has she fought, she asked herself. Without food and only the winter frost to repel her thirst she tore her legs again against branches as she climbed an embankment towards a frozen river. For days now she had foraged and evaded. Her eyes darkened with the colour of the nights she was forced to endure for weeks.

Just a bit more and you’ll reach the pickup location, she told her brain as she slid down the muddy side and nearly slammed booted feet against ice. They were coming she kept repeating while hearing the pound of horses navigating the forestry behind her; so many days since nearly dying at the hands of the crazy eyed monster.

That’s what she had called that abomination that had pounced on them in the stately and dainty room of what she thought was the House of the Rose. Although her three companions held off various dark clothed henchmen it was the sickly approach of that Sio-Pan that had burned the most into her memory.

In her mind’s eye she could still see his movements across the room. His gaudy mandarin dress sagged lowly while his amphibian arms rose up almost like eagle’s talons. One of her men attempted to engage that ghastly figure but before his concealed sword could touch the approaching man’s chest, she had witnessed that rotting pile of old age twist sideways from the thrust and rolling towards her companion. With a single thrust of his crooked hand, his nails dug deep into the life-giving artery on that agent’s neck.

That’s why she had to leave. That’s why Antonio would have to be abandoned for now. She had finally met someone she could not overpower with cunning and her bitter tears left a more complete trail than her small cuts from her escape ever could have. She had failed him, she thought angrily as she leaped the final leg of the ice and began climbing the opposite embankment.

And today of all days, she thought again. This was supposed to be her present to him. All the days of stress would have been forgotten in a single embra—. They saw her! A crack of gunfire and the ground a foot to her right exploded in a fountain of dirt. With tired arms she heaved her frame over the edge of the ridge and tumbled onto the soft snow covered earth below.

The snowflakes bit harshly against her cheeks before her numbing hands found traction enough to pull her forward and her feet to gain strength to begin a running start. She could see it, she thought, the village up ahead was where the safe house would be. Less than a kilometer now!

When the bullet hit her head, she did not let out any cry. Though the burning and the crack against her skull signaled strange sensations all over her body, her descent sideways onto the nestling bed of dirt and snow was greeted with no more than a pillow’s fierceness. For her, it was as if she had time to cringe but not at the pain but at the utter separation. She would have said yes all those months ago back at Osaka… before the Japanese counter-attack. Whatever was left of her conscious mind receded and the unconscious began to assert itself.

You should have asked, she whispered to Antonio in the silence of her dimming mind. When you brought me out that night—I would have said yes… As the blood mingled with the tears in her gaping eyes, it tinted the falling snowflakes from above a crimson hue turning them into a strange familiar pink. In Isabella’s last moments of consciousness, she found herself back in their secret garden in Japan with Antonio leaning towards her for the kiss she had never received. The cherry blossom petals were falling again.

Her right arm found its way upward while all other feeling left her. Reaching out towards the falling reminders of springtime hiding in winter, she attempted to touch the image of Antonio that she conjured floating above her wishing her that tender touch that he never was able to give. She had not even noticed the guards approach her fallen body; aim a spear at her face and thrust.

---​

With his discovery of The House’s secret, no more nauseating medicine would mask the swaying of the boat for Antonio. He gripped his barred window as he looked out towards the barely visible Chinese coastline with enough frustration that his knuckles became white. Even if he decided to make a swim for it, the cold unforgiving Yellow Sea would swallow him up without mercy.

Indeed, having nearly made the decision to leap into the water and find his way towards land a few days ago, Antonio had instead acquiesced to the stealthy approach of five of Nia’s bodyguard and was once again transported to a waiting room to have his scheduled interview on that day he attempted to escape.

The European was what he suspected him to be—a Wolf. He had never met one personally although Renault de Fronsac’s reports of the first encounter with this group in Mecca as well as his own personal experience being half poisoned by one solidified the reality of the presence he was brought before that day.

The man did not give him a name but proceeded to ask him questions. At first they were simple questions—troop movements, supply lines, fleet deployments—nothing extraordinary. It was later on in the evening of that night a few days ago that the questions about the Timepiece arose. There was even some reference to some Box, but all these questions Antonio would not answer. Contrary to his expectations, there was no beating. There was no psychological torture. Unlike the warnings he received from his father about this group, he did not encounter their ruthlessness. Although there were four lights columned behind the questioning man, he was not subjected to pain.

It had been like that for several days now and Antonio had just returned from another session. Any minute now Miss Jiang—who he glibly apologized to after he nearly broke her back with the two guards when he attempted to escape—would bring in his evening meal. When he heard the doorway creak open behind him, he released the bars with a rolling sigh. As blood rushed into his hands he turned and was stunned to see Nia sitting across from a table with a handsome set of plates arrayed in front.

“What’s going on?” Antonio asked almost cautiously.

Nia merely gave him a subtle grin as she signaled to the guards attending the inside of the room. They promptly quit the chamber and sealed the door behind them.

“What happened to Miss Jiang?” Antonio attempted almost awkwardly.

Nia only gave him a particularly amused giggle. It was then that the scent of fresh fried noodles, glazed shrimp, and seasoned pork struck Antonio’s nostrils and began a chain reaction of involuntarily salivation. Antonio tightened his lips and swallowed; he would not be so easily persuaded.

“Aren’t you going to come to celebrate with me?” Nia asked as she placed some chopsticks on Antonio’s side of the table.

“Celebrate? What for?”

“I thought I’d thank you for all the money you’re making for us,” Nia replied nibbling a little on some noodles.

“But I haven’t even said anything…” Antonio attempted to protest but couldn’t help but notice the sumptuous food steaming enticingly on the table.

Nia’s eyes rolled upwards to watch the hungry Antonio stare as she leaned down and fed herself.

“This will be your only dinner,” Nia finally said after swallowing, “If you don’t eat this, I’m afraid you won’t get your soup and bread for the night.” She punctuated that last statement with a bit of a mocking laugh.

Antonio approached the table gingerly at first with eyes still on his hostess as if expecting darts to come flying from her fingertips at any moment’s notice. With Nia’s eyes watching the distrust in his, their synchronization continued as Antonio lowered himself into the seat and took hold of the chopsticks all without breaking eye contact. With a fumble for some shrimp that elicited a small laugh from Nia, Antonio managed to finally place the delicious morsel into his mouth. He nearly closed his eyes in the sublimity of the taste. With the meal now underway, Nia broke her watchful gaze and started to partake once more.

“Thank you,” was the unexpected albeit rushed gratitude from Antonio as he stuffed rice into his mouth.

Nia smiled at the sight watching her guest gobble up food like a madman.

“Don’t they teach you any manners over in the West?” Nia teased.

“Hmph…” Antonio snorted as he added hot pork onto his plate. “It’s my birthday and I’ll even cry if I want to.”

Nia’s smile became as frozen as the frosty flakes descending past the window. Her stare caught the handsome Antonio’s hungry expressions with a stillness that she might have indeed turned into a statue. The teacup which she held in between her fingers might have broken if she had applied any more pressure.

“It’s your birthday today?” she tried to ask casually forcing life back into her limbs enough to take a sip of the warm liquid.

Antonio merely nodded as he added Chinese cabbage to his mouthfuls. “The twenty second,” he confirmed almost forgetting who he was talking to as he swallowed.

Nia immediately stood. Antonio seemed to feel a rush of adrenaline as he instinctively rose from his seat his mouth still half stuffed with roasted duck.

“Take off your pants,” Nia commanded flatly.

At first Antonio narrowed his eyes and almost choked on his final swallow as he attempted to discern Nia’s intentions. “What?” he demanded quietly.

“Take off your pants, I need to see something. Now!” she almost yelled taking a step forward.

Antonio stumbled backward and his knees buckled against the unexpected push of the bed making him sit on the edge.

“Look—I don’t know what this is all about but—”

Nia tensed up for a lunge to force the issue when a knocking was heard on the door. A second later, Miss Jiang peeked her head into the strange scene.

“Mistress, Spanish ships are approaching to inspect us,” Miss Jiang announced with head lowered.

Taking a frustrated look at Antonio and then back towards her assistant, she barked an acknowledgement before stepping out of the room. Antonio was left in shock as Miss Jiang lifted her eyes to greet his. That was when her finger touched her lips. Shhh…

After the door was sealed and Antonio was left alone on the edge of the bed, he did not return to the table to feast anymore. He looked down and nearly slumped back into his cushions in thought. Today was indeed his birthday. It was also that day before the Japanese had counter-attacked in Osaka nearly two years ago.

Has it been that long? He wondered to himself if Isabella was out there somewhere thinking of the same thing. That night that he almost proposed to her was something special. He laughed to himself for being silly; Isabella was probably already on her way to save him. She might even be on that patrol ship. She didn’t have time for memories.

It’s time for a promise, Antonio thought. As soon as he was rescued he’d tell Isabella everything. He would tell her why he couldn’t bring himself to ask her that night what secrets he had been keeping. He would also tell her that if she can forgive him, he wants her to be his wife forever. A smile crept onto Antonio’s face like the dawning of the sun on a wintry day. He fell back onto his bed thinking of that beautiful face. He could almost see her now, reaching towards his cheek with her arm as the sakura fell all around them.

interlude2.gif


Interlude​

“I’ve cleared a transport for you at twenty two hundred,” General Novaposhyn said through the cellular communications. His otherwise deep voice was only a faint whine from where Tom was standing.

“Have the recovery teams on their way to Osaka immediately,” Rodrigo answered to the General on his phone before pressing the red button to disconnect.

Carlos, Lara and Tom all stood in a semi circle in front of Rodrigo while Captain DeWitt and two of his men waited outside the door. Rodrigo had called his friends together like this with a curious air of authority.

“While General Novaposhyn tries to find my dad and settle the Beijing Bomb scare, we have to get to the bottom of this whole chain of events starting from the beginning,” Rodrigo announced while the confusing chaos of the television still roared somewhere in the background.

Tom looked at his friend with a strange sense of trust. Carlos continued his blank expression and Lara seemed to pale at the entire situation although she weathered it well with the stiffness of her stance.

“Tom,” Rodrigo began looking towards the curly haired one. Tom immediately looked up to him attentively. “The General also told me that one of the Black Boxes was reprogrammed so that its Prime Meridian was set to pass through a town called…” Rodrigo had to look down at his notes, “Greenwich...”

Immediately, Tom’s eyes widened at the name before he began to say, “But that’s—”

“Yes, it’s exactly where you said the Meridian would be in your altered present. We think that this Zio character is a diversion for something else that’s going on. In order to find out we need to go back to when your publisher was murdered. We need to find out what it was he was investigating and what he found out.”

As Tom nodded in apprehensive acquiescence, Rodrigo faced his other two companions present. “Carlos I’ll need you for further research, but Lara…”

Lara blinked for a moment and looked at Carlos before looking back to Rodrigo.

“I’m ready for this,” she replied with assertiveness. “I’m ready to sacrifice my life…” she added with a more tender touch. As her head lowered in contemplation, her hand seemed to grasp Tom’s.

In that moment, Tom seemed to have the blood rush to his face as his own hand squeezed around hers.

Rodrigo smiled at that and Carlos moved his gaze away for some reason.

“Let’s go find out what happened all those months ago in Osaka…”

Chapter XXXVIX: Memories of Osaka (coming soon)
 
hmmm...could those averted eyes be possible future tension between tom and Carlos? why was Rodgrigo pleased with it, was he just happy for a friend or is there some other motive...?
 
Ouch, looks like Isabella didn't make it. Of course spear thrusts to the face can be prevented by unseen friends coming to the rescue in the last minute, but that still leaves a bullet in the head. I think Antonio will make someone pay very dearly for that one. The question is, if it's the right people?

Anders
 
Poor Isabella... I knew there had to be a dramatic pull of the ole' heart strings somewhere along the line ! :(

I think the most depressing part of it all is that not only did they miss their chance for romance - but Antonio has no idea what's happened. I have pity for whoever's around him when he finds out. Then again, if Hollywood teaches us anything, it's that revenge fueled by emotional pain is good entertainment. XD

As always, another awesome update !
 
They always bring the sakura petals around when people die. Ahem.

And Antonio should really cry if he wants to. You would cry too if it happened to you.
 
The sin of pride...
 
Myth: An astute observation ! Sometimes 'negative' things can have a fruitful effect although it was unintended ! We'll have to see where it leads .

afb: Bah ! You don't think I'm serious about killing her off ? XD Maybe you're right ! - goes off to see what he can come up with -

Panzerkardinal: Yeah , poor Antonio . They saw each other in their minds eyes and Antonio has no clue whatsoever !

RGB: Har Har Har ! But i'm glad you caught that one XD

Stnylan: o.o ? You'll have to explain that cryptic one for us !
 
canonized said:
Stnylan: o.o ? You'll have to explain that cryptic one for us !
Isabella. Although confident in herself, a little too confident.

but also relating to Antonio's captors. And to Antonio himself. And to the Cardinal, and to Zio, not to mention those two guards...
 
stnylan said:
Isabella. Although confident in herself, a little too confident.

but also relating to Antonio's captors. And to Antonio himself. And to the Cardinal, and to Zio, not to mention those two guards...

LOL the two guards too ? Nice XD

Update: Also changed the Antonio Portrait from .GIF to .PNG to preserve the colour depth quality ! It's much better now XD
 
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Woohoo , Just started my College of CAARdinals Chapters so check those out too if you're not doing anything ! They have some side story non-Canonical stuff about Zio and the Cardinal too XD