The Funeral of a Dragonisian Legend.

[King Kevz]

OOC: Triyun perhaps?

OOC: Trigun yea Vash is awesome.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Davies walked in, quietly, but suspecting that the Chairman would hear his entrance anyway. Maelstrom already had demonstrated an advanced sense of smell, and he had no doubt the man(if that's what he should be called...) had a heightened sense of hearing as well.

"For what it's worth...I'm sorry," he near-whispered, instinctually struggling to hold back the tears.

OOC: I know. Anyone have a clue where it's from?

"Asking someone to apologize for loving would be akin to asking someone to apologize for fearing God. Love is blinding. You do not see the flaws. You followed your heart, unfortunately you just followed a person intent on harming me and my state without realizing it. Though I know you will say that you still feel that you have fault, so let me absolve you of your guilt by saying that whatever involvement you have in this, I forgive you for.. and had already forgiven you for. However Mr. Davies.. I have questions about other concerns. I smelled fear on you on the runway the day you denied involvement and knowledge of the Somal incident. You will sit in this chair.. and you will tell me the truth. Confession is good for the soul and you will let me know what you knew personally. It is time you cleansed yourself of all these burdens." He sighed and put the pen and order-writing equipment away as he was saying these things including his official stamp and seal.

[loannes]

Davies walked in, quietly, but suspecting that the Chairman would hear his entrance anyway. Maelstrom already had demonstrated an advanced sense of smell, and he had no doubt the man(if that's what he should be called...) had a heightened sense of hearing as well.

"For what it's worth...I'm sorry," he near-whispered, instinctually struggling to hold back the tears.

OOC: I know. Anyone have a clue where it's from?

OOC: I believe he took the main feature of Disturbed's Ten Thousand Fists album and put a fancy background behind The Guy.

[Subtleknifewielder]

"Asking someone to apologize for loving would be akin to asking someone to apologize for fearing God. Love is blinding. You do not see the flaws. You followed your heart, unfortunately you just followed a person intent on harming me and my state without realizing it. Though I know you will say that you still feel that you have fault, so let me absolve you of your guilt by saying that whatever involvement you have in this, I forgive you for.. and had already forgiven you for. However Mr. Davies.. I have questions about other concerns. I smelled fear on you on the runway the day you denied involvement and knowledge of the Somal incident. You will sit in this chair.. and you will tell me the truth. Confession is good for the soul and you will let me know what you knew personally. It is time you cleansed yourself of all these burdens." He sighed and put the pen and order-writing equipment away as he was saying these things including his official stamp and seal.

He sighed, refusing the seat despite the fact that he wasn't sure how much longer he could stay on his feet. "I..." a cough interrupted what he was about to say. It took him almost half a minute to get it under control, and when he did finally stop it, he was visibly pale, trembling as he leaned back against the wall for support.

"Yes, I know more than I told you then, and I will tell you soon. But now is not the time." If he could smell anything over the sudden wave of weakness brought about by this deisease, Maelstrom would sense complete honesty. Davies fully intended to reveal everything. But in a time and place where everything could be made right. "One other person knew what I am talking about, but they are dead now."

OOC: I believe he took the main feature of Disturbed's Ten Thousand Fists album and put a fancy background behind The Guy.

OOC: yeah, so he told me when I asked via a PM.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

"I see.. then on your own time I guess then. I'll trust you that far." He stood up and came over to Davies, "You sure you're alright? What is this illness which has riven you through so?"

Edited July 31, 2009 by Maelstrom Vortex

[Subtleknifewielder]

He finally did take the chair offered earlier, not sure if he could remain standing for much longer.

"You remember the day we all signed the Pax Hansiat...whatever those treaties Lady Tintagyl had that guaranteed at least non-aggression betwen all signatories? You remember what I told your surgeon that day, when he commented on the cigars? Some time after that, I recieved a confirmation of that prediction...I have a particularly aggressive case of lung cancer."

He coughed again, though it didn't take as long to pass this time.

"You know,' he added quietly, musing, as he covered his face in his hands, "it's times like these I envy you, and people like you, for your faith. It gives you hope, where others would despair."

His face remained buried in his hands as he continued speaking. "I would almost believe, except...what God would accept me after the things I've done?"

[Maelstrom Vortex]

"Jesus Christ. He said without blinking." He shook his head quietly, "Anthony your sins, as massive as they are, are still but a fleck in the eye of God. You think of things in terms of Good and Evil. I do not believe in Good or Evil. I believe in Obedience and Disobedience. The reason is this. If God is so powerful, and he states he is in his word and proved it by many miracles.. and if he created the universe.. which by faith I believe he did.. then he defined the very definitions of what we would call good and evil. Man has tried to take these definitions on his hand, but man does not have the power to enforce his own laws. God does. God's definition of good is very simple, obey what he instructs. God's definition of evil is likewise very simple, disobey him. Everything else is irrelevant. There is no way to Escape God's law though on almost any issue. The Bible is so concise in addressing every situation a man may face in his lifetime that it leaves little room for interpretation if fully understood and read cover to cover. But.. I tell you now Anthony.. If God wanted to.. the things we had known as murder, $%&@, pillaging and plunder could have been equally as good and in this universe such acts not had the devastating consequences that they do.. in fact.. they would have benefits instead. Murder would not work even the way that we define it. It's hard to imagine such a warped universe.. and due to the one we live in now and its parameters.. I have no desire to try to imagine such a different existence."

"We are accustomed to a world by our definitions, our rules, and our perceptions. It is the limitation we have that we cannot see beyond our 5 senses.. yet. I have a few extra.. I see the world in.." he chuckled... "some very strange ways at times. And due to that limitation though.. our minds are not open. The only way we can explore outside the box is through imagination, study, faith, example, science. God is in Science.. man will try to separate the two, but inevitably, there will always be answers he will not have because he cannot perceive them. It is not meant to be known. Physicists always amuse me because they're trying to comprehend the full meaning of eternity.. or infinity.. and we only discovered 0 in the past several thousand years. We are still a very.. very young species. Very naive."

"Anyhow, when you put things into that scope.. then compare them to your personal sins.. on a personal level they are great. On the level of God they are mortal blunders. God experienced death himself simply to give the man opportunity to live again. For each and every sin did he die. If you told Jesus he couldn't forgive something, he'd hand you his death certificate as a receipt and then start complaining til you understood and obeyed. So Anthony, if you want to come to Christ.. the edicts of my faith through my savior are very simple. You must hear his word.. meaning your first task is reading the Bible front to back to understand it and part of that understanding come to believe it. Second you must repent of your sins based on your understanding of what you've done outside the Lord's will in your life based on that reading. Then you must confess that you believe he is the Son of God.. publicly.. privately.. doesn't really matter.. God's everywhere.. he'll hear you. Then finally be baptized per his example in the new Testament."

"My understanding comes from no other source than from the bible, so I'll give you the texts where I've derived these from as the Plan of Salvation is perhaps the most important thing to understand at the start of the journey..." He hands Davies a reference sheet.

Hear the Gospel. "How shall they call on him whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14).

Believe. "And without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Repent of past sins. "The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent"(Acts 17:30).

Confess Jesus as Lord. "Behold here is water; What doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, if thou believeth with all thy heart thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:36-37).

Be baptized for the remission of sins. "And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"(Acts 2:38).

Live a Christian life. "Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

"So my suggestion Mr. Davies is to live in regret of your sins, but do not let them destroy or burden you. That is exactly what those we call evil, the Devil and such.. the sons of Disobedience.. would have you do. We have all fallen short of the Glory of God.. me.. by a long shot. There isn't a day I'm not praying about something." Maelstrom noted. "And yes, I do keep those sheets on hand in case I ever find someone ever willing to hear the Word."

Edited August 1, 2009 by Maelstrom Vortex

[Subtleknifewielder]

OOC: I have to admit, I was actually looking for a response like that...but wow. I didn't expect it to be so long...

IC: At several points, Davies almost got up and walked out...but it was like he could not move, like someone or something was whispering in his ear that he should listen, and sapping his strenth whenever he thought of standing. And when he was handed the sheet, he took it without complaint.

"And yes, I do keep those sheets on hand in case I ever find someone ever willing to hear the Word."

He managed a small smile at that one. No one could ever truly say Vortex was unprepared. And suddenly, he felt the energy returning to his body. Whether it was simply because of his lifted spirits, or because of some higher power, he did not know, nor did he care.

But he no longer felt inclined to leave, at least not until his questions were answered.

"So you're saying...there's always hope? I thought I had to go...confess or something to a priest? And I've long since been excommunicated from the Church."

[Maelstrom Vortex]

"The Catholic Church is a false body. There is only one Savior. One Christ, One sovereign. No one can excommunicate you from Christ, but Christ. He doesn't need a pope to do his work for him. The Catholic Church is a relic of a time when Religion became a tool of the state.. nothing more.. nothing less.. and should have been abandoned many years ago. There's no reference to a Pope in any of the original texts.. no structuring of the body of Christ in the way they have organized it mentioned in any Biblical text.. basically.. there is actually no doctrinal foundation for their existence. So don't fear excommunication.. I excommunicated myself from them a very long time ago."

"Truth of the matter is the only thing you need to Worship is three people gathered together in the name of Christ. It does mention later in the Bible that it is advisable to assemble a group of elders and deacons for long term worship within the same group, but there's nothing beyond a local organization necessary. The Catholics basically.. took what Christ prescribed.. and added to it. Yet in Revelations 22:18 it clearly states..'"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.' It is unwise to edit scripture."

"There is hope in all situations, save one. Blasphemy of God is the one unforgivable sin. Not blasphemy as in cursing.. but Blasphemy as in trying to make a fool of God, mock God, or pretending to have the likeness of God and being genuinely serious about the claim." He noted. "I don't think you've done that yet so I am pretty certain you're salvageable."

[Subtleknifewielder]

He sat back in his chair, considering all he had been told. Glancing back at the sheet, he bit his lip. This was a lot to digest.

He blinked and sighed. "I will...think on what you say. For now, I must bid you a good day." He stood, not at all tired any more. He had a thoughtful expression as he walked out the door, but before he was out of sight, he turned. "Thank you," he said simply.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

"You're welcome. I need to go pay my respects to my old friend now." He slowly picked up his suit jacket and left the room. He headed outside towards the prepared motorcade, entered his Limo.

It wasn't long til they were at the Burial site for his old friend in the National Memorial Cemetary. He joined the crowd of grievers as one among many.. his security detail the only thing separating him from the masses as he made his way to the front.

A preacher from the Church of Christ was presiding over the ceremony as he watched on. Mrs. Davis was there. It was soon his time for his role in the ceremony. At the time designated by the preacher, he walked forward. He took the Imperial Flag the Coffin had been draped under.. and the state flag of Dragonisia which was just beneath it, and finally the flag of the Dragonisian Army. He neatly stacked them one atop the other in order of importance with the empire, of course, atop it. He walked to her. "We will never forget your Husband and the service he gave the state. His life will be celebrated among this people for so long as we remain a nation... " She was already weeping and wept harder at his words. He gently laid the flags in her lap as she sat. "If you or your family have need of me for anything.. you have my number."

He stepped back.. saluted. In the background 21 ceremonial artillery pieces fired. After they fired, a solitary bugle began to play, "Dragonisia's Darkest Day." Or as some call it, the "Three D's" It was a song that had originated from the nuclear event which killed thousands of military personnel many years ago when Dragonisia was located in Tasmania.. and was sinking into Dragonisian Tradition for fallen heroes. It was similar to "TAPS" or "The Last Post." and other honorary songs for the fallen throughout the world.

The Chairman took a shovel and ceremonially, threw a load of dirt on the Coffin. "So long old friend. See you soon." He slowly sat the shovel down, nodded to the crowd.. which began to disperse as the family members and friends one at a time threw a dirt load onto the coffin.. slowly the pit was filled til Anthony was covered and at rest.

Edited August 4, 2009 by Maelstrom Vortex

[Nagato the Great]

Gena Korsunsky sends his condolences to Dragonisia, regretting that he has not worked with or spoken with Anthony Davis, but has heard much of him and recognizes him as a capable leader.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

"We appreciate the sympathy demonstrated by Mr. Korsunsky."