All Epilogue 20 - High Priest Lucca

Lucca was practicing dance the first time it happened. Both he and Virgil had found that much of what they could once do they had lost, a function of being remade as devils. So it was that while he remembered how to dance, and fight, and many other things, he had lost all skill at them. It was as if he had memorized the techniques from a book without ever putting them into practice. Deeply bothered by this, as well as by feeling of lacking purpose, he threw himself into regaining the skills he had lost, subconciously hoping that he might find some direction the the process.
Did you say something? Osamu asked suddenly, breaking his focus.
No, was Lucca's immediate response.
...Strange. I thought I heard something...Sorry to trouble you.
Don't worry about it.
Shaking it off, he picked up where he had left off.
----
Leaning against a windowsill, Lucca was watching the snow fall upon the mountains of Osamu's domain when his somewhat nostalgic reverie was broken by the other man's voice in his mind. Pardon?
Blinking, Lucca shook his head slightly as he replied. Huh? I didn't say anything.
...Curious...
Is everything alright?
Oh yes, nothing is wrong. That's just not the first time I've thought I heard you say something when you hadn't. I *know* you aren't saying anything; I'd hear you clearly if it was telepathy. No matter. Hopefully I'm not going mad. That wouldn't bode very well for this place.
----
Lucca was busy cleaning his sword following a bout of training when Osamu interrupted him once again. Are you *praying*? Is that what I'm hearing?
What!? No! He shot back immediately, his tone bordering on indignation. There was a second's pause as actually processed before he continuing, sounding as if he were having a revelation of sorts. ...Wait...maybe...?...I...I actually might be...huh...I'm...sorry? I didn't realize...
There was a long pause before Osamu replied, I'm sorry, it's fine. It's just...it's a bit odd. ...Odd... he trailed off.
----
Lucca walked down the hall, taking a bite out of a particularly perfect pear. Suddenly, Osamu appeared in the hallway in front of him, with a poignantly confused expression. "Did...you just thank me for the blessing of your pear?"
"What? Did I...?" Lucca blinked, his expression mirroring the other man's. "No...or...maybe?" He frowned, looking both self concious and more than a little puzzled as he considered it. After a few beats he said awkwardly, "...I might have...?...maybe little bit? ...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Osamu just continued to look confused. He waved him off, "No, no. It's fine. It's just..." he seemed thoughtful. After a long pause, he said, "Do you remember how to cast Create Water?"
"...Yes...? Its not like I can actually do it anymore, but yes..."
"Try. Try to cast it." Lucca shrugged and made the appropriate gestures, muttering. Though he fully expected nothing to happen, a small torrent of water poured from his hand to the ground. Though this didn't seem to faze Osamu, who still looked highly thoughtful and concerned, Lucca was decidedly shocked and jumped back slightly, nearly dropping his pear.
"...The fuck!? How...does that even work...?" Lucca exclaimed.
Osamu replied tightly, "It worked because I willed it."
"What?"
The archdevil's tail flicked about as he stared pointedly into the middle distance, explaining cryptically, "When you pray to something, it gets power. When something gets power from prayer, it can give that power back."
Lucca looked up at him in thoughtful silence for a long moment before asking, "So...what does this mean?"
"...I suppose it means that you're a cleric...?" he offered non-committally, after a pause.
Looking disconcerted, Lucca slowly took a bite of his pear. Eventually he said plainly, "Well. I guess I'm founding a religion, then? Not quite the 'thing' I was thinking of, but I suppose I can roll with it..."
"You certainly didn't go halfway picking your career..." he said half-jokingly, then turned away to leave with an eye-roll and a sharp inhale of breath. "Try not to make it aggrandizing, if you could."
----
Lucca danced about his opponent, sparring for practice. As the foe left an opening, Lucca let go of his katana with his left hand, deftly switching to a single-handed stance and continuing his advantage.
"Uhh..." Mako held up a hand from the sideline, "Not that I'd care if I knew you had been practising that, but I know you weren't: the fuck are you doing?"
"I'm not entirely sure!" He called back, parrying an incoming strike and returning one of his own, "But it feels right so I'm rolling with it!"
"...Yeah, that looks about right," Mako shrugged. "Like, you still suck, but, it's more of a 'novice' suck than a 'first-timer' suck, so...congrats?" He threw a dagger at him suddenly. Though he managed to dodge, the motion left him open to his opponent, who thrashed him severely for the mistake. "Keep practising!"
----
"Like, obviously we need a holy symbol, but where would we even start with something like that?" Lucca asked.
"Start point:" Mako said, gesturing, "The old Miro crest was a white wolf. Bam. Started."
"Huh... I do like that," Lucca nodded thoughtfully, "Seems pretty fitting, what with the whole recurring wolf motif, including literally being a big-ass white werewolf for a while there and all."
"Mmmh, it's a good place to start," Virgil amended, "but like Mako said: the white wolf was the Miro crest, when they were humans on Materia. We've moved past that; it doesn't seem right to just use the same symbol."
"I think grey eyes are a much more prominent motif than wolves are, personally," Junko shrugged.
"Ehh, yes...but it'd be hard to make just them on their own into a symbol, you know?" Lucca countered. "They'd need to belong to something, otherwise the symbol ends up just a big ol' eyeball, and that's creepy." He thought for a moment before continuing, "Birds are another option that keep coming up. He kept banging birds, birds made and delivered Virgil, things like that. Definitely not as strong a motif as the other two, but it was there."
Virgil nodded, "While I'm obviously not going to vote against birds, swords, or maybe black swords, could also play into it. It's why he's an archdevil, after all."
"White wolves, grey eyes, black swords and birds," Mako summarised. He grinned, "Someone contact the art department."
----
Lucca walked into one of his preferred rooms, flipping through a book as he entered. Glancing up as he passed through the doorway, he was met immediately with a jarring sight. Three creatures were hanging lazily about, but all of them had perked up immediately when Lucca stepped in. They were rather large white-furred wolves, immediately distinguishable from regular animals for their large feathered wings and flat grey eyes. The iridescent black claws on their paws appeared unusually sharp, and one's mouth hung open, revealing equally deadly looking oil-black fangs. They looked up at the devil patiently, as though waiting. Osamu... Lucca thought as he froze, then slowly took a step backward. As he moved his eyes remained locked on the creatures. Osamu, what the hell are these? Where did they come from?
If I am to be honest, I am not sure: I just found a few of them myself...as I assume you are referring to the winged wolves. There was a brief pause before he continued, They exited the room when I told them to leave, so they appear obedient, if nothing else. What are the ones you have found doing?
They're...hanging out. Waiting, more like. And watching me pretty intently. They don't appear hostile or anything. As they converesed, he continued to eye the wolves warily, but relaxed slightly. I've got three here, you've got a few where you are...are there any more around?
Oh yes, there are quite a few. Probably a hundred or so? They seem to be politely wandering about, for wolves at any rate. I don't know where they came from though. Mako is...pleased with the development, Junko is keeping them out of her wing, and Virgil isn't on the premises; all three of them supposed that you made them. Is that correct?
Holy shit...that's a lot more than I would have guessed. He frowned slightly, I...don't know exactly...Strictly speaking, I did not sit down and conciously make a bunch of wolves, no. But then, neither did I sit down and conciously start praying to you either, sooo...maybe? They are certainly an uncanny mix of the motifs we discussed for a holy symbol. There was a pause and he asked, *How* even, though?
Because you were considering what would symbolize the faith, I suppose. It's a realm of spirit: since you're the progenitor of the faith, what you considered the symbol to be came into existence. The wolves lounged about, waiting for Lucca to give them a sign of some sort.
I...honestly had no idea we'd get legitimate, physical wolves out of that. Huh. I thought only you could do that sorta stuff. Walking to the center of the room, he knelt down and beckoned the wolves to himself. I hope it isn't a problem...
The wolves dutifully stood and loped over to the devil, smelling him and allowing him to rub his hand along their fur. Well, technically it was still my power that made them, but it was your whim and channeling that initiated and guided it. Regardless, it is no problem at all. I suspect these won't be the only things you end up creating."
Lucca's only response was a soft 'hrmm" noise. Frowning disconcertedly, he scratched one of the wolves under the chin, ruffling another between the ears. "Well, you guys are pretty cool, at least..." After a few moments he smiled slightly, and declared to the creatures, "You three are mine, alright? You are to stay with me always, unless I say otherwise." They each made a soft growling noise, and Lucca knew that they understood.
----
Lucca had been noticing them for a while now: people watching him from around corners and behind furniture. Figments: not true devils, as they were lacking true thought and will, these creatures were more manifestations of a single-minded purpose. They'd appear where things were 'supposed' to be, and play out an eternal role: guards, servants, animals. They kept an infinite space seeming like things always were. Why these ones were watching him, and more disconcertingly, copying his clothing, he didn't know. They'd watch him, take note of what he was doing, eating, reading, and then mimic it themselves, always keeping far out of his way. He found the effect thoroughly creepy, and it wasn't long before it began to wear on his nerves.
Feeling eyes on himself once again, he glanced up from the book he was reading, a scowl colouring his features as he caught sight of a couple of them once more. "Alright, this is ridiculous. You and you, come here." He punctuated his words by pointing sharply at each of the figments, then to a spot in front of himself. "What the hell are you doing?"
The pair scurried forwards, their postures humbled. "We're not quite sure," one said.
The other nodded, "There's no book."
"No precedent," the first one continued. Both kept their gazes down the entire time.
"No rituals!"
"Or holidays!"
"You're the only one who knows."
"The High Priest!"
"You have to know!"
"So we're doing what you're doing, because that must be what we're supposed to do." The pair nodded.
"I...oookay, wow...I'm the...just...wow...okay." He moved to sit up properly in his chair, looking equal parts alarmed and confused. "And why would what I'm doing be what you're supposed to do? What's your purpose?"
"To serve the lord!" they both exclaimed.
Lucca rolled his eyes. "Of course it is." He regarded them sternly for a long moment before muttering, "Figures you guys'd start showing up before I actually had a chance to get shit underway." Sighing, he addressed the pair before him, "Alright then, first things first: the lurking about and watching me? Knock that shit off, it's creepy and definitely not what you're supposed to be doing. And tell your friends, because I know there's more than just you two around. No more creepin'. It's done, got it?"
They looked at each other then nodded, "Yes, your Eminence."
"I...wow...okay, maybe don't call me that?" He said, looking decidedly self-concious, "That's a bit much...frig." He fell to looking thoughtful for a few moments, before saying somewhat awkwardly, "Alright, so your purpose is to serve Osamu...ostensibly by serving me as I establish our religion, correct?"
"Yes, your Holiness!"
"Whatever the order requires of us!"
One turned to the other, "I thought we were a congregation?"
The other looked equally confused, "Sect?"
They both turned back towards Lucca's feet, and one said, "That also hasn't been made clear."
"Please, bless us with edicts, your Grace, so that we will know our roles!"
"For the love of...frig. Oh man. Kay, look, we're gonna hold off on the titles for now, alright? I'm not ready for that sorta thing just yet." He took a deep breath and gave his head a hard shake. "So, here's the deal guys: I'm pretty sure you showed up a bit early. That's why there's no book or rituals or anything and you're not sure what to do: I haven't had a chance to make them yet. But it's actually probably a good thing that you're here now, because I've got a lotta work to do, and you'll be able to help. So it's cool. How many of you are there, anyway?"
They looked at each other, as though the question confused them. Eventually, one responded, "Enough."
"There will be more if they're needed."
"Ah, yes of course. I forgot how that is." He sat for a short while longer, staring thoughtfully into the middle-distance. Suddenly snapping his book shut, he stood up and declared, "Well, there's no sense in sitting around any longer. As I said, there's plenty to do; it's time we began. Come." With that he beckoned for the two figments and his wolves to follow, and swept out of the room, ready to take up his new mantle in earnest. He had found his purpose.
Category:Advent of the All