CofB 41: Wingbeats

[center]Cult of the Bay

Chapter 41: Wingbeats

<<<Mama Mathers>>>[/center]

The three factions of the Fallen were all in upheaval, not that such was any surprise. After all, one of the Three, the Endbringers, their Gods and Salvation, was banished so thoroughly He may have even been destroyed. The Fallen of Behemoth were demanding vengeance for their God, wishing to descend on Brockton Bay with a vengeance and scour it of life.

The other Fallen had similar thoughts, after all; if Lamb could do that to one of their Gods, who was to say she couldn’t do it to the others? But what kept the Fallen from acting as one was they couldn’t agree on the method of their vengeance.

Behemoth’s Fallen wanted nothing more than to reduce the entire city to an ashen wasteland, as their God would’ve if Lamb hadn’t done the impossible. The Fallen of Leviathan wished to strike with subtlety and guile, through cloak and dagger. But the Simurgh Fallen, they wanted Control… they wanted their Goddess to sing sweetly and ensnare the unbelievers! To enlighten them, and bring them closer to the truth that They were here to Save them.

Whether they liked it or not.

Though recently scattered through all three factions there were rumblings of a possible, new, Fourth. Whispers of Lamb actually being a Goddess in hiding, growing her flock under the noses of the unbelievers and even with their permission! 

Already had there been fights between this new growing Fallen faction, and the Behemoth Fallen. The new Fallen had already been planning on making a pilgrimage to Brockton Bay and joining their Goddess’s cult. So they could worship at her hoof and serve Her every whim!

Most of the new Fallen consisted of young hotblooded men and women, even children.

“Please, we know exactly what the men and women are hoping for…” One of the Fallen commented dryly, rumors of Lamb’s… promiscuous habits had spread far and wide.

Above it all, Mama Mathers sat, overlooking the flock with her eyes closed. “Valefor,” She whispered, “how much of the flock wish to fall under Lamb’s, and we’ll have to find a better term for her, aegis?” It was a simple question and the important part wasn’t audible. ‘How many of them will we need to Master?’

Not to dissuade them oh no. Such methods were crude and unreliable when unknown Trumps were involved, and this Selene was certainly a Trump of some kind. No, just to report on what they learned, to brainwash them into complete obedience to Lamb… until the time came that the rumors were proven true or false.

A false god needed to be cast down, a true one, one that was greater than all others? For that, a different approach was needed.

“Two families and a dozen individuals, Mama,” Valefor said, “None of them blessed with powers, or if they have been than with useless powers.”

“Mmm, a large portion of our more mundane flock then,” She noted, “A drain on our finances, but not one that is crippling. Twenty percent, less than I feared and more than I hoped. Instruct a third of them, including at least three children, on proper manners… and include yourself in that number.”

“Yes, Mama-” Valefor blinked, “-Myself, Mama?” He asked.

“Oh yes, I need a reliable man to do what needs done,” She replied with a nod, “Be subtle, act powerless, manipulate them like I know you can.”

“But Mama-” He winced as his ear pinched, “-Yes, Mama…”

“She’s immune to my abilities,” She noted, “It is likely she is immune to yours as well… but the believers she surrounds herself with, those that haven’t received blessings… they will not be.”

“Do you want me to subvert her cult?” Valefor asked, “Introduce them to the true Gods if she’s false?”

“If she’s false,” She agreed, “It has long been agreed that any of the three could kill another in the right circumstances, no? Tell me, how long has she been active for? And how long was The Angel active when she first descended to show us Her Truth?” The implication was clear.

Each Endbringer, upon their birth, was going to have longer and longer dormancy periods… or it was simply a matter of different mechanisms. And her being there for so long meant that it was her territory, it was the most favorable battlefield to her as possible.

“The world is going to change soon, isn’t it Mama?” Valefor asked in consideration.

“It has already,” She replied with a soft smile, “An Empire has fallen, the Hero Killer slain, and a new God has declared themselves.” She sounded whimsical. “If those do not count as changes, I hardly understand what would.”

“May we live in interesting times…” Valefor mumbled the Chinese proverb, a rather appropriate term to use Mama felt.

“Ah, yes, one more thing…” She started suddenly, “If you come across any capes on your journey… convince them to join you in the pilgrimage. Just in case. The Fallen will not make the same mistakes as the Toothless. Numbers are their own strength.”

“Yes Mama.” Valefor said, “I believe Lamb’s cult would welcome new blood into their fold.”

“If they did not, they would not be opening recruitment to an entire city,” She admonished, “Gather those that wish to flock to the lamb. Ensure they don’t know who you are, but tell them they have my blessing to go on this pilgrimage.”

“Yes Mama!” Valefor said as he nodded and left to make arrangements and educate those joining the pilgrimage.

[center]<<<Lung>>>[/center]

The Endbringers weren’t parahumans that lost control of their powers, no. What Lung faced back in Kyushu, there was nothing human there. That was a force of nature, an irresistible force that couldn’t be truly challenged or defeated, only endured and survived.

That was his first and only Endbringer fight, when he realized the futility of challenging those creatures he decided there was no point. What was the point of fighting something that could never be defeated? It was routed, but at the cost of the island itself, but Lung felt it in his bones.

It left not because it was routed, it left because its goal was achieved; whatever it was.

For years people speculated why he never participated in any more Endbringer fights, some closer to the truth than others. Many called him a coward, a fake dragon, a toothless worm… but he ignored the bleating of naive and ignorant fools like water off a duck's back.

When Behemoth came to his city, and it was his (even more so with the destruction of the Empire), he considered leaving. There would be a challenge to starting again from scratch, however he’d grown fond of his little kingdom, and was reluctant to leave it.

And so Lung rose to Challenge the Unchallengeable once more.

There was something to be said about the sense of… kinship when you stood right alongside others in the face of doom itself. Lung felt nothing but respect for those willing to sacrifice their lives in the hope to rout a Force of Nature, he would never say as such but there was a silent acknowledgement.

Respect for Respect, and Honor begets Honor.

Then Lamb, someone he considered very interesting but nothing to worry about, did the impossible once more. And the infamous Hero Killer was pulled into nothingness. It was at that moment that this city… wasn’t his, not truly.

It burned his pride, but Kenta was no fool and refused to be one. What he witnessed was something that by all rights was impossible for a parahuman to do. Even Eidolon in his prime wasn’t capable of… that, or so he thought.

And now he sat alone in his office, a bottle of the finest saki and other snacks. His subordinates were already in the streets rejoicing with the rest of the city. Gang affiliations forgotten due to the overwhelming emotions everyone felt.

He too felt the same, but more importantly… he had to do some restructuring.

He was no fool, it was only a matter of time before Lamb turned her attention to him and his gang. And Lung would not have everything he created destroyed… and if that meant they had to suffer some loss of profits so be it.

He had no desire to suffer the same fate as Kaiser and his nazis.

Convincing Bakuda of it would be a greater problem, however. The woman was unstable and only following him because he had Power, visibly shifting operations would prove he did not in her mind.

But… perhaps he could use one to solve the other.

“Lee,” He said as he stood up, placing his drink down and dawning his mask, “We’re going to visit this Lamb and, perhaps, she will offer a solution to our Bakuda problem. The Truce is still, officially, going and so she won’t attack us for going to her as long as we don’t don’t do anything first.”

Dependable and trust Lee simply nodded, and Kenta felt a pang of sorrow for his friend. He’d greatly diminished over the years. Now he barely resembled the Lee he knew, more of an automaton than a living being, but the loyalty still remained.

But, how long until even that was withered away? Perhaps Lamb would be open to another deal, beyond Bakuda?

[center]<<<Lamb>>>[/center]

Next to her in her bed was her new… recruit? Pet? Lover? The terms were getting more confused as things progressed, not less. Beatrice was asleep, thankfully, but she felt so warm pressed up against her. At her other side, Lisa laid.

When had Lisa even joined them? Lamb honestly had no clue, to the best of her knowledge the only ones that should’ve been there were herself, Beatrice, and Selene. Not that she truly minded, she loved cuddling with her smug kitsune.

She knew of course she would have to face the world once more; questions about Behemoth’s fate, if she could repeat what she did for the others, and so many other questions would demand to be answered. Hopefully she could answer some of them during that interview, and answer the main ones during the press conference she could already predict would be called.

“Honestly, I’m just a Cult leader. All I want to do is preach the love of Selene and fuck my flock. Is that too much to ask?” Oh, she’d probably have to get Sabah to make her something formal for the press conference, wouldn’t she?

“Finally, you’re awake,” Lisa sighed, “I slipped in here like an hour ago to get you to wake up. You even replied to me!”

“I don’t wanna,~” Lamb mumbled as she cuddled more resting her face on Lisa’s tits, “Tiddy warm and soft, world is cold and harsh.~” Okay, that might’ve been a bit much but she wasn’t wrong, honestly.

“The faster you get up the faster you can fuck Tammi and Sabah,” Lisa replied intelligently. “And get breakfast, I’m sorry, lunch now.”

“Fine…” Lamb grumbled with a sigh as she opened one eye, “And it’s noon already? Huh…” What was weirder was that she didn’t feel hungry in the slightest…

“Yes, yes it is,” She replied, escaping from Lamb’s hold with a lithe twist and revealing that she was, indeed, fully dressed. “You also have an appointment in three hours.”

Lamb reluctantly freed herself from Beatrice, “An appointment? With who?” She asked as she stretched her arms, more out of habit than anything else.

“The PRT, they want to do an awards ceremony and press conference with you, remember?” Lisa pointedly asked, “So, get up and get some food with me. I’m thinking burgers.”

“Oh yeah…” Lamb said with a sigh, “... I’m going to have to wear something formal ain’t I?” She already realized she was, though she felt she’d have a chance to ask Sabah to make her something first.

“Maybe, depends on how many cultists you want flocking to you,” She replied with a smirk. “Since the amount will vary between ‘a lot’ if you wear something slutty and ‘half the damn city’ if you wear something particularly pretty.”

“Think my red cloak would work?” Lamb asked, “Or did Sabah decide to surprise me and update my costume without my knowledge?” Actually… could she pull off a formal suit?

Cause there was nothing sexier than a woman in a fine suit in her honest opinion.

“She has three options for you,” Lisa replied with a shrug. “Said I shouldn’t spoil them and, as tempting as it is… I won’t. That said-” She paused as the doorbell rang, “We have unexpected visitors.”

“... Well, let me put something on,” Lamb said, “You go and greet them, I won’t be too long.”

With a nod, Lisa left, leaping down the hall, and stairs, as she changed form. Lamb had only just started to change as Ktsune called out, in a very anxious voice, “Lamb! Lung and Oni Lee are here and are asking to be invited inside!”

“The fuck?” Lamb mumbled as she threw on her cloak and quickly hurried to join Kitsune, “Yep, that’s Lung and Oni Lee…”

“We come here under the Truce,” Lung started, “And with two… requests.”

Lamb blinked dumbly, “Ah… okay?” She shook her head, “Sorry, where are my manners? Please come in…” She was operating mostly on automatic as she tried to process what was happening.

Lung nodded and stepped forward, Oni Lee following. The first was… anxious, but controlled. He wasn’t worried about her, but about someone else. The second…

If there was anything there, she couldn’t feel it.

“Jesus Fucking Christ, what the hell is wrong with him!?” Lamb felt rather proud that her thoughts didn’t show on her face, otherwise it would’ve been twisted up into a severe grimace.

But she’d hear Lung out, she didn’t have to agree to the requests, after all.

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