The Regus was amused at Martin's reaction. It was understandable of course. There were few offices higher than High Inquisitor, that of Regus being one of them.
At least that was the case. "You have not failed, Martin. Nor have you let me or the Atharim down. This is not a demotion, my friend." His steely eyes held Martin's and his voice was firm. "This is something new."
It was time to be open. It wasn't easy. Secrets had been his life, was still his life. Especially in a society that lived and died by them. The moment strethed out. “You remember Enoch? His fate?” A cautious nod. “You will be my Metatron."
He leaned forward. "You will be the head of a new order of hunters.” His eye flicked to the open book again. Remembered Revelation. Michael and his angels....“The Order of the Archangels.” His gray eyes were on fire as he stared at Borovsky. “Your prey will only be reborn gods.”
There was so much more, of course. He had not been idle over the years as the world changed. But once the Abomination had revealed itself to him, things became crystal clear. The Abomination that causes desolation. It stands in a holy place where it ought not. Once it had shown itself, the course had become obvious. The Dragon and its angels.
Already he had librarians from around the world scouring the oldest manuscripts and inscriptions, pouring over the histories and legends. He had teams searching out the artifacts hidden in the catacombs and tunnels beneath the Vatican. Sun Tzu and Von Clausewitz were being plundered for strategies and tactics. Arms dealers were being tapped for the latest in weaponry.
The old war had come again. "The Order of the Archangels will fight for mankind. Will you lead them? Metatron?"
A man made an angel. Martin liked that, but the only outward reflection of his inner self nearly jumping with joy as if it were a child was the slight curve at the edges of his mouth. But inside he was grinning madly. To hunt Gods! His only prey - the highest prey, the one the Atharim were created to defeat oh so long ago. To lead one of these crusades. Martin steppled his fingers in front of his face as in thought. He already knew the answer, but it was all about the image.
Martin relaxed back in his chair and crossed his legs casually. The prior fear had been abated, and now re-found joy had been found. "Now that is something worthy of my time."
Martin let his smile show behind his steepled fingers. "I will accept."
The next few moments Martin gave the Regus his recommendation for his replacement. The man had been his second in command for years. Martin trusted him explicitly. All the while, Martin's exuberance was pushing at the seams to burst out of his body like a bottle full of confetti. To kill Gods! The thought was almost as good as a good round of sex.
Martin's demeanor changed. Not that he wasn't practiced at keeping his feelings from showing. An Inquisitor, especially the High inquisitor, had to have that particular talent as they sought out the truth.
But Regus had known him from the time he was recruited, had mentored him and trained him. Martin was very pleased with the assignment. He would do well as the head of the High Canticle and the First Order.
His wallet chimed its reminder even as he reached for it, aware of the time. His meeting with the Stasya representatives would be held in half an hour at their offices. This was not a task to delegate. He needed to see first hand what they had to offer. This was the third such meeting with dealers like them. So far, he'd seen only a few items that seemed to fit their needs. He hoped to find a few old relics, the ones the legends and texts spoke of that had given them the ability to wipe out the gods. If for nothing else than to demonstrate to the Atharim that they had done this before and would do it again.
Very likely, though, their weapons would be modern. But, he had decided, they would have to be unconventional. This was a guerrilla war. The video of the Abomination had made that clear. Regular weapons would kill only if they survived to get close enough. No, they needed things a god could not defend against. As head of the Order, Martin would need to know them intimately.
There was one other, smaller, matter first, though. "One final thing, Martin. Father Stone's charges. Specifically the woman Aria. She is a Sentient." He let his disgust show. "The man who let her live and hid it from us has been taken care of. And I have given her her assigned execution." He looked at the man hardly. With Martin he could be more open than with others. "She is to try to kill the Ascendancy, the one we know as Apollyon. She will fail and die, of course. But in doing so she will provide us with good information. She seems particularly adept at killing things that the texts say require a team. Ijiraq, Draikana. Very likely, her approach to Ascendancy will be novel and have a better chance at success when your Order uses it. It will expose a weakness in him even as she is removed from the picture." Simple, clean, elegant.
"In the meantime, you are to be her handler. Use her. Watch her for any signs of a shift in loyalty. You have my permission to kill her if you deem it necessary."
The man nodded. He understood. Regus stood. The need to express gratitude was not there. This was his job. Martin would do his job. "You will accompany me to a meeting with the Stasya Group. Your Order will need material."
Martin was going to like this new job, he sighed at the thought of killing a god. He'd taken down a few of the simple cases, everyone should do it at least once. But the final assignment made him shriek in hatred. A Sentient Atharim. How the hell could that happen? The fact that it had been taken care of didn't help but he was still wrapping his head around the fact that THE Ascendancy was the most feared of the prophecies of the Atharim and this Sentient had been sent after him and he had known nothing of it.
Now it had made sense, why she was hunting godlings in the database. He wondered at the purpose of her searches, now he had the answer, she was researching her very target. He would have to speak to the woman. He didn't want to take on this monster but he would kill her in the end. It was the only redeeming factor in it. He'd user her like they used the Furia. And maybe she would prove to be a worthy tool to be used. Much like a hammer to nail. But first he'd have to talk to her.
The Regus also told him he was to accompany him elsewhere, an appointment of such, for what he wasn't sure. But he would gladly do so if it would help him in his new job. Martin had gone from monster hunter to god hunter in moments. His pride welled inside.