10-16-2025, 09:34 PM
Eliot smirked. He was a bright boy. "Because I want you to be the face of the New Atharim. And I need you invested in it."
Nox sat down. "New Atharim?"
"Yes, the Reliquiae of the Atharim. We'll be here in Moscow at first, maybe branch out later, but Moscow is where we'll start. And I'm hoping with your connections to those in power..." Eliot nodded towards the Kremlin that was just in view over the nearest buildings. "Will allow us the freedom to pursue more open justice."
"So that's the why me answer. You want my connection to the Ascendancy."
"That's one thing I want from you. But you don't need to do anything more than what you are already doing, Mr. Durante. You aren't the Angel of the Undercity, but you are an avenging angel should people get in your way. Like in the tunnels. You are already a public figure. I only want to use that to the Atharim's advantage. You are a god. You are Atharim. You are what is new. You are young, have that American cowboy in you. You save the masses without ever asking for thanks. All I want to do is put you in front of the camera."
"What do you want exactly?"
"First, I just want an introduction. You can call me the Praeceptor of the Reliquiae. Think of me as the New Regus of the New Atharim, that's how you should ask for the meeting. I want you there Nox. Can I call you Nox?"
"I'd prefer it. You want to meet with the Ascendancy as the New Regus of the New Atharim?"
"I have plans, Nox. Big plans. But I want the Ascendancy's sign off. We will be working underneath his nose, in his own city. I want him to know. To be apart of it even. I just ask for a meeting. I will grace his presence under his guard. No neutral site required. I'm at his mercy should he decide to kill me on site. Though I don't think my betrothed would like that too much."
"And after that?"
"After that. You be you? I might need you to read a few scripts, put on a show for me from time to time. My face. My name, can't be part of this. My family doesn't know what I am. Or what I'm doing. You will be for all intents and purposes the face and voice of what we will stand for."
Nox laughed. "You want me to be a fucking leader?"
"I want you to be my puppet Nox. I want you to do what you do. What you've always done. I want you to hunt monsters, kill the channelers the Ascendancy and the Atharim send after you. You'll just be doing it under a new banner. My banner. You won't have to worry about Zephyr and your Uncle Jake. You already have the ears and eyes of the Ascendancy, and soon you'll have all the eyes of Moscow as we bring the Atharim into the new world, this world. A world where gods exist in truth. And we get to build that future."
Eliot smiled. "And I want you to help others like you and me be the best they can. All you have to do is say a few words now and then for me, be the face of the Reliquiae. Nothing more. Nothing less."
"I don't have a choice here do I?"
Eliot smiled. "You have a choice. But you will be the face of the New Atharim. Even if you don't say the words I want you to say or make that introduction. You will be the face of the Reliquiae even if it's through shadowy and viral means."
"So no choice really."
"There is always a choice Nox. But in this, I will make it happen one way or the other."
Nox sighed. "I'll see what I can arrange for you with the Ascendancy." He stood up and took a few steps in the direction he'd been going. "As far as being your puppet. We'll see how things got with the most powerful man on the planet. Cause like you said, he could wipe you off the face of this god forsaken bucket of ice for good and then I don't have to worry about your words or your cause."
And with that Eliot watched as Nox Durante took off at a slow job as he headed down the street to finish his run.
Nox sat down. "New Atharim?"
"Yes, the Reliquiae of the Atharim. We'll be here in Moscow at first, maybe branch out later, but Moscow is where we'll start. And I'm hoping with your connections to those in power..." Eliot nodded towards the Kremlin that was just in view over the nearest buildings. "Will allow us the freedom to pursue more open justice."
"So that's the why me answer. You want my connection to the Ascendancy."
"That's one thing I want from you. But you don't need to do anything more than what you are already doing, Mr. Durante. You aren't the Angel of the Undercity, but you are an avenging angel should people get in your way. Like in the tunnels. You are already a public figure. I only want to use that to the Atharim's advantage. You are a god. You are Atharim. You are what is new. You are young, have that American cowboy in you. You save the masses without ever asking for thanks. All I want to do is put you in front of the camera."
"What do you want exactly?"
"First, I just want an introduction. You can call me the Praeceptor of the Reliquiae. Think of me as the New Regus of the New Atharim, that's how you should ask for the meeting. I want you there Nox. Can I call you Nox?"
"I'd prefer it. You want to meet with the Ascendancy as the New Regus of the New Atharim?"
"I have plans, Nox. Big plans. But I want the Ascendancy's sign off. We will be working underneath his nose, in his own city. I want him to know. To be apart of it even. I just ask for a meeting. I will grace his presence under his guard. No neutral site required. I'm at his mercy should he decide to kill me on site. Though I don't think my betrothed would like that too much."
"And after that?"
"After that. You be you? I might need you to read a few scripts, put on a show for me from time to time. My face. My name, can't be part of this. My family doesn't know what I am. Or what I'm doing. You will be for all intents and purposes the face and voice of what we will stand for."
Nox laughed. "You want me to be a fucking leader?"
"I want you to be my puppet Nox. I want you to do what you do. What you've always done. I want you to hunt monsters, kill the channelers the Ascendancy and the Atharim send after you. You'll just be doing it under a new banner. My banner. You won't have to worry about Zephyr and your Uncle Jake. You already have the ears and eyes of the Ascendancy, and soon you'll have all the eyes of Moscow as we bring the Atharim into the new world, this world. A world where gods exist in truth. And we get to build that future."
Eliot smiled. "And I want you to help others like you and me be the best they can. All you have to do is say a few words now and then for me, be the face of the Reliquiae. Nothing more. Nothing less."
"I don't have a choice here do I?"
Eliot smiled. "You have a choice. But you will be the face of the New Atharim. Even if you don't say the words I want you to say or make that introduction. You will be the face of the Reliquiae even if it's through shadowy and viral means."
"So no choice really."
"There is always a choice Nox. But in this, I will make it happen one way or the other."
Nox sighed. "I'll see what I can arrange for you with the Ascendancy." He stood up and took a few steps in the direction he'd been going. "As far as being your puppet. We'll see how things got with the most powerful man on the planet. Cause like you said, he could wipe you off the face of this god forsaken bucket of ice for good and then I don't have to worry about your words or your cause."
And with that Eliot watched as Nox Durante took off at a slow job as he headed down the street to finish his run.