The Deadman

Headquarters of the Commission Against Supernatural Entities. 

Meeting room. 

Four people are in a conference room looking at the pictures taken underneath the city's industrial district.

It was the sewer system.

The woman presenting the pictures had an unusual color of hair. Eyes that are red and hair that was closer to silver than blonde. 

All of them were wearing neatly tailored business suits with linens with runic symbols that protect them from projectiles.

On the whiteboard are photos taken from the sewers of the City of Saint Lucius. On the left side of the whiteboard was a picture of a man in his twenties. Brown hair and green eyes with a sharp facial structure. 

He had long unkempt hair with a rough 5’0 clock shadow. 

The dossier they were holding revealed information on this person.

“This Enforcer did well. However, it was concerning that he had released poison gas into the sewer system. It’ll take weeks before our cleaners can remove this gas.”

“He left a lot of bodies. Then again this picture was more concerning. We haven’t had a case like this since the time of Carmilla.”

“How’s the count?”

“Five hundred or so. Most of them seem to have been taken from somewhere and sacrificed in the pit.”

“Good Lord. We spent years without knowing about this Cult?”

The woman in front of the group too a picture from a folder and distributed it to them. 

They took one look at the picture and groaned at the sight of it.

“A summoning circle at the bottom?”

“What did they summon?”

“They were trying to summon a lesser demon. They made a mistake at one of the sigils and summoned something else. There are signs that it did work. But it’s probably nothing more than a Ghost they brought back which I believe was dispersed afterward. It had no proper vessel.”

“Did these fools really think that it's The Time of Myths? That era had been dead and we only have remnants of the powerful magic that Old Simon and Merlin used.”

“Let’s assume that this summoning wasn’t used. Hmm, were they planning to make use of the sewer system as a summoning medium?”

“They did. However, we have made progress in making sure that no such thing can be done. We’ve deployed the Cleaners to secure the area and the rest are going to be in charge of disposing of the bodies.”

“We’ll have to inform them of this.”

“Not now. Delay the information until we get to the bottom of this. Miss Sinclair. I want you to bring our Agents to this place. Figure out the place and put wards all over the districts that might be affected by this abominable work. After that, we’ll inform the locals that are on the need-to-know basis about this problem and make sure that sewer isn't infested with pests like these.”

“Shall we put the city on high alert?”

The ruby-like eyes of Miss Sinclair stared at them. They looked her in the eyes and nodded slowly.

“No choice right now. Too big to hide this and I’m sure that a few crows and vultures will come to know of this despicable event.”

Miss Sinclair surveyed the room. She moved back and points a finger at the picture of the Enforcer who discovered this sinister plan.

“Then there should be no problem in promoting Enforcer Robert Oswald to a higher grade Enforcer?”

“How’re his magical abilities?”

“Basic training in sealing techniques. He can weave three elements and had been taught sealing and binding methods. It's his specialty.”

One of them read his dossier.

“He’s still young. His previous records didn’t say he had the skills to conduct this kind of operation. A rough diamond.”

On the dossier, it stated that he had received basic military training. He worked as a bodyguard for a Sicilian Gang in Palermo after escaping from the South Americas. 

He was trying to stay low.

The gang he was in however was targeted by a group of Cultists. 

He was found among the survivors by Agent and was given the choice to join the Commission.

“Promote him. It’s good to have an Enforcer with martial abilities.”

Miss Sinclair agrees quietly. The rest of them started discussing the cleanup of the bodies. The number of bodies that were in the pit of the sewers was enough to cause nationwide news. They didn’t need that attention here so they’ll have to be quick about cleaning this mess.

After the discussion was done. Only two remained in the conference room. Miss Sinclair read the report while the Older gentleman by the name of Cole Clay scrutinized the pictures.

“These Cultists are getting bolder.”

“That they are, Mr. Clay.”

“It doesn’t help that we’re dealing with the problems in Algeria as well. 135 dead now.”

“That reminds me, sir. Did they catch the one who orchestrated that train crash in Hunan?”

“Not yet. We have leads to follow, but let’s leave it to their Sector. We already have enough problems here.”

“That reminds me, sir. How was the vote?”

“Thankfully the House of Commons didn’t vote on the total ban of handguns. We had someone persuade them since most followers of Thelema are still active. We don't want our men there to be outgunned because of these laws. Not that they wouldn’t appreciate a good old sword fight.”

“What’s your take on this, Mr. Clay?”

“They are fools. The Time of Myths is dead. What’s left of that time died when they nailed the son of god on the cross. Hmm, but I don't think you’d appreciate my views.”

“I simply don’t agree with the doctrine of cessationism, sir. We still can weave spells and cast magic. Even some our Agents can still wield the flaming sword.”

“They say that it was easier to defeat the Spawns when the divine words had not totally ceased. When we lose the divine tongue we need to defeat them with our human methods. I fear that day where our connection to the spiritual realm ceases.”

“Technology and Supernatural don't seem to like co-existing.”

“Distortions will happen. Unfortunately, we are in a world where fools like these are still active. I’ll leave the work to you, Ms. Sinclair.”

Mr. Clay placed the documents on the table. He left the conference room with unhurried steps. 

Ms. Sinclair took her flip phone out and dialed a number.

“Arrange for the Cleanup. Let Richardson handle it and please contact Mr. Oswald and inform him that he’ll be promoted for his service. Yes, the Commission had decided that he’ll be raised just below an Agent of the Commission.”

Ms. Sinclair ended the call and wrote a letter with the words:

For his service in uncovering this abominable truth. Robert Oswald shall be raised to a high-grade Enforcer of the Commission Against Supernatural Entities and shall answer only to the Commission and its Agents.

Let the Flaming Sword of Uriel cleave those who live in darkness.

Let Camael’s strength and courage flow into you.

So Zophiel may watch your actions and find you worthy, in the eyes of the Divine.

 

***

 

Robert took a look at the letter that came from the Commission. 

He stared at it for a long time before placing it on the side of his bed.

He had been in this room after he got himself treated for the wounds he had sustained. The Doctor who treated him was surprised how he was able to live with his body's awful conditions and spending hours in a pit of corpses and dedicating fifteen more hours to a sewer system to hunt them down.

The rest that he took had healed his wounds. 

Robert had noticed that he had double the healing rate compared to before. 

It’s not so magical, but it does allow him to close his wounds with rest and medicine. 

Medicine was effective on him and he was much more resistant.

Then again they used some kind of potion on him to accelerate the healing process.

His strength and senses were doubled. His enhanced physiology made it quite clear that he still had his strength and Robert’s strength. Robert had no idea how that came to be. He had this theory about his soul currently dominating this body and with the souls merged together creating a stronger physical and spiritual vessel. 

He could never reach this level of physical conditioning in his other life.

He took note of how he was punching like two humans in peak human condition and moving more quietly and faster than he usually does. Other than his body is stronger. He feels no changes. He does have two memories now inside his head that are now blending in together.

To cope with it he had to decide that his memories as Robert Oswald were nothing more than the past and that presently it was him, Kato, who was experiencing the present. He made this mental switch that allowed him to cope by using the identity of Robert Oswald while not abandoning himself as Kato in the process.

He’ll make use of the memories of Robert Oswald as a tool and a guide. But he still remained as Kato inside. He needed this line of reasoning badly because he was starting to lose his mind of having two pairs of memories when he got time to think. 

He simply choose whose memories and personality will dominate.

Nonetheless, he still kept the name. Even bastards know that he at least should respect the name of the guy who had given him a second chance in life. Accident or not. He wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Robert’s accident in the sewers. And because of that, he was now Robert K. Oswald who was given a second life.

Robert took the paper and read a newspaper column:

The Leader of Soviet Russia, Boris Yeltsin, and the newly elected president of Chechnya, Aslan Maskhadov signed a peace agreement last month, exactly thirty-four days ago. It had been a hot topic within the last weeks. Though some say that little was achieved by this treaty.

Robert groaned at the sight of that name. It had been clear that the history of this world was somewhat different from what he knew . The Soviet Union remained but was exiting more like a Federation instead of completely being dissolved into many republics. 

And as far as he knew there was no city-state called Saint Lucius that exists in his world.

“Well, glad that I still have an apartment.”

Robert said while looking at his wounds.

He looked in the mirror. He shuddered at the sight of his face. 

He looked  away and then slapped himself before looking at the clothes prepared for him.

A white polo shirt, belt, and cargo pants. 

The clothes he wore had been disposed of after he spent hours using them in the sewers. 

He didn’t want it back.

He was just taking time before the hospital officially discharges him. They have written his case as an unfortunate accident. The police didn’t question him despite looking like he just murdered people and the blood stuck on him.

He had no guilt about the people he shot in the sewers.

Because for him he only killed monsters imitating humans.

The hand of the clock strike five. He got out of his hospital room and talks to the nurse in the nurse station for his discharge papers. He found his way down the floor and arrived in front of the road.

His first thought upon exiting the hospital was his nose picking up the salty breeze carried by the Mediterranean Sea. He had not seen the world map yet. But he did hear that they got in trouble with the three Great Lakes. The three Great Lakes that he doesn't remember existing in his world.

He still needed to orient himself. 

Get used to this world and its differences.

He stood like a damn fool for a moment before snapping to reality. 

He looked around and saw a cab. hailing it. 

He sat on the back and told the driver to take him to the address that popped into his head.

“North Rosewood, 14B, sir.”

“Which street?”

“Should be the living street.”

“Ah, I know the place. Can only take you to the entrance of block, sir.”

“Not a problem.”

Robert sat back. It was strange to him. The sky didn’t have that glow of steel skyscrapers and glass towers sticking together. It was unlike the world he knew where sometimes the glowing lights of the pedestrian and advertisements the size of buildings are the only thing that provides annoying lighting.

The sky was still blue, not deadly orange red. There were no early warning signs of a geothermal storm coming to ruin everyone’s life for the next few weeks. No domesticated pets melting under the sky because of said storm. Or the radio broadcasting about a new strain of the virus and what filter they should use for their mask or how they should dress for the day.

It terrified him how clean the air was. How wide the spaces were and how the cab driver was driving on the road without fearing for some flying car to fall from the sky.

“Secretary General appoints Mary Robinson, who resigned her post as President of Ireland to promote civil rights worldwide. Known as a barrister and an expert on human rights law.”

“Israel's Supreme Court Sunday rejected an appeal by opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to overrule prosecutors and indict him for fraud in a government influence-peddling scandal. The Prime Minister’s appointment of a political ally as attorney general in January. Authorities suspect that Mr. Roni Bar-On was appointed in exchange for support from Aryeh Deri. Experts say that Mr. Deri was a key ally in the Prime Minister’s governing coalition.”

Robert listened to the news while watching the rows of houses passing by.

Finally concluding to himself that this really was an alternate world.