Resident Evil: End of Days

Haven in the Vatican

My searching for the Grim Reaper proves fruitless; no matter how many times I retrace my steps, I have no success. Even as nightfall neared I found no way to reach for him, not even a walk through any of the cemeteries give any fruition of him. However, I become aware that time has been passing by much faster than I can count, and soon hours pass into days, then days to two weeks...

During that time I make my way East to Italy...to the Vatican City. If I couldn't find the Reaper there then I would never know where else to look. It's my best option as of the moment, and I feel a tugging within me to go. Perhaps because all I can feel is the radiation of something else there, a greater, warmer energy than what I had encountered with Wesker...
~
The minute I step inside I find myself held in place. Not in a way like I was terrified out of my skins and fearing the oh-so-mighty Mr. Holiness himself, but in a sense of awe and admiration.

I can't put into words of my thoughts and feelings when I walk into the grand halls. My eyes trail from the vaulted artwork of Michelangelo's fresco paintings, trailing upon hues of stunning blue, reds, and the fine pale skin of us humans and perfect, beautiful angels among the ripples of fabric like billowing clouds. There is so much fine detail in the work of art, so much so that I realize how much attention I pay unto it...

"Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints."

I hear the voice belonging to a man, strong yet gentle. Powerful yet tempered. I look down, and I see a man adorned in a white suit with glasses upon the bridge of His nose. Eyes of every shade of blue fall upon me, silver hair tied back in a half ponytail. I notice He casts no shadow, no reflection upon the marble floor even with a black cane in his hands, yet the air He radiates is imposing, unyielding, and kind.

"Verses from First Corinthians," He states to me. He smiles kindly and approaches. "For wherever a man wanders, whatever holy ground he enters, whatever preachings one gives to behold by another who journeys far and wide to hear it, he bears with him the wisdom with an open heart and an open mind to answer questions of his heart and his beliefs."

I smile warmly and bow my head in respect. I explain, "I'm sorry, I was enraptured by the artwork of your Holy grounds."

He chuckles. "Every ground is holy where I walk." He gestures for me to walk with Him, and I oblige.

"What brings the Lost One to Me?" He asks.

"I have need of help," I explain, "I've been given a hefty task, yet I have no means of figuring out just where to start or how to continue this."

He arches a silver brow. "Explain?"

"Putting an end to the outbreaks..." I carefully answer. "Mankind is slowly being consumed by the hundreds, by the thousands, of the damned to walk among the living with no place to go in their afterlife should they be freed of their punishment."

He sighs and nods slowly. He asks, "And how many outbreaks have been occurring?"

I shake my head. "To be honest with you, your Holiness-" I notice He chuckles at that, "-I've lost count the moment I had my first-hand experience of it fifteen years ago."

He nods. "You have encountered an opponent of the Other Side, yes?"

The fact that these supernatural powers of greatness know of my encounter with Wesker doesn't come at all of a surprise to me, but my human mind is still stunned by his understanding. "...You know of that?"

"Jeremiah Chapter 10, Verse 12," He states, "It is He who made the Earth by his power, who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding stretched out to the heavens."

I bob my head; all right, all right, so he does know about it. I smile and ask Him, "Where should I go next? My enemy knows of my..." I raise my hands, curling about the open air in slight frustration. "...my gifts...so does that make me a threat to them as well?"

He hums and thinks carefully. "You serve but one master and one alone, neither of my hand and neither of Lucifer's. Your task is to restore the Balance, and your enemy knows of who you are. So yes, in a sense you are an enemy to Lucifer, but not unto Me."

He shakes his head. "I know of the Grim Reaper's servants, the Revenants, as he calls them, to bury the dead and guide the spirits unto my Gates of Heaven. Those who have sinned and have not asked forgiveness will be sent to Hell where he rightfully belongs, and those who have shall be questioned and be found worthy to reside in my Holy Kingdom. As such, your task will lead you where you feel is needed most."

I frown and nod. It's not much of an answer, but it is something.

To be led where my task is needed most...

I then ask Him, "...every outbreak has always referred to Raccoon City, always looking back into the past, and repeating history over and over. Do you think that is where I should go?"

He smiles and clasps my shoulder with His hand. I feel the air around me warm with the same blue fire, my hair turning white as my eyes hyper-focus on Him. His appearance has changed into a walking light like the sun, his voice becoming more than one voice for a holy entity.

"So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts," he tells me. I smile; 2nd Peter, Chapter One, Verse Ninteen. "I believe that journeying to where everything began is the best to close every door unto the future so that the corruption weakens, and your task becomes more worthwhile for what you are reborn to do."

I nod slowly, and He lets me go.

"Follow that which you feel is right," He calls after me. "Then, and only then, will everything fall into place that which shall be your path."

His voice in my ears and in my heart, I now know where to go.

I have to go back to Raccoon City. To save the future, I must journey back to the past, where it all started.