Sundown (Lucius vs. Knightfall)

Knightfall's instinct made him ready into a combat stance, his mind racing with possible ways to handle the situation. "I guess it's just natural for me to piss people off." His voice echoed through the long tunnels. He moved in front of Rozmer shielding him from any preemptive attack Lucius might throw. He didn't want this guy to get hurt because of him. Knightfall aimed his Deagle at Lucius but as he did the gun slipped out of his grip and skidded across the sewer platform stopping right at Lucius's feet. If there was anything Knightfall didn't want to happen right now it was his own weapon ending his life.

Rozmer's eyes widened a little as he saw a dark figure appear in the sewers. As he did, the man who had previously been threatening him seemed to get in a stance that indicated he was trying to protect Rozmer. That certainly didn't make a whole lot of sense, after all just seconds earlier he had a gun pointed in his face. Then the new arrival spoke, revealing himself to be none other than the prime minister of Belarus, Lucius Alba. And though he knew who Lucius was, Lucius it seemed had no idea who he was.

Hi Lucius Rozmer said, giving a polite wave as he watched the man in front of him drop his gun. It slid the length between them before landing at Red's feet. You are easily the worst assassin ever Rozmer mocked from behind the man before disappearing and immediately reappearing in front of Lucius. Don't mind me he said as he bent down to pick up the dropped gun before tossing it in to the sludgy water of the sewer. There he said satisfied as he wiped the muck from the gun off of his hands now nobody will be shooting anybody

Then Rozmer would disappear again, reappearing back behind Knightfall with his hands once again raised. By this point, Lucius had asked who he was and Rozmer was happy to oblige. Name's Rozmer eh said with a little bow, lowering his hands to a more natural position as he did so. As for how I survived a carpet bombing he started before phasing out once more and reaching directly through Knightfall's body. I'd say that about explains it. He wiggled his fingers around for emphasis before pulling his arm back through Knightfall harmlessly. But I've got no idea how this guy did it he added before raising his arm above his head to point to Knightfall while he made circles with the other as he mouthed "He's a fucking crazy person" to Lucius.

Lucius had a gun unironically pointed at him. It had been literally years since a seemingly normal gun, judging by his scanners, had been actually considered as a means to fight him. He laughed a bit, but laughed even more when the guy dropped the gun.

The other man, the one with the purple glasses, called Lucius by name, which wasn't really surprising, but he used it in such a casual way it grabbed Red's attention. This person, apparently with Samhainish powers, then picked up the gun on the ground and threw it in the water. As if that were the most deadly weapon in the room.

After that, he introduced himself as Rozmer.

"Amazing...... Yet another one of you who can go anywhere. I just hope you aren't as, well, insane as the other guy." Red said. He really didn't mind ignoring the dimwit that decided to invade his country in favor of having an interesting conversation with what was no doubt an existential being, but the problem of the gun touting retard had to be solved.

"As for you..... You're under arrest. I don't want any if's, and's, or but's about it." Lucius said, raising his gauntlet to release a constant stream of telekinetic force, which was meant to pin Knightfall to the wall behind him. There was really no way to avoid this if you were in front of Lucius. You couldn't go around it, and going over it was almost as impractical. If you were in the tunnel, and your name wasn't Red or Rozmer, you were getting pushed back.

"You managed to ruin my day off. Please, please don't make me physically harm you by messing with anything else." Red said, sounding tired and exasperated. He then looked to Rozmer, then his head scanned up and down. He chuckled a bit.

"What is it with you people, and  your senses of style?" Red asked, referring to the category of beings that he assumed Rozmer fit into.

Knightfall got pushed back towards the back wall by the gauntlet but not before firing one of his grappling hooks at Lucius's blade so as to disarm and bring the sword to himself.  He then fired his other grappling hook at Lucius's mask to rip it off of his face. "I may be crazy enough to come and invade a heavily fortified meta country under a glorified dictatorship, but I am not insane." He laughed at his own comment. "Not yet anyways."

Rozmer's eyebrow cocked over his purple glasses. Another being who can go anywhere? he puzzled, keeping his quizzical gaze on Lucius. Honestly, he hadn't expected to be faced with some other potentially omniversal thing today but the question of his sanity afterwards seemed to co firm it for him. How do you know Zell? he asked earnestly, unaware of any other mentally unstable individuals who couldn't simply go wherever they pleased like he could. However it seemed Lucius' attention was elsewhere, mainly on the motorcycle helmet man.

As Lucius raised his hand Rozmer quickly phased himself out of reality, the telekinetic force and Knightfall himself passing harmlessly through him. Nifty trick he commented as the man was sent flying against the wall. But of course, the guy was like a little puppy, biting and scratching against an older dog for all it was worth even after things had clearly gone in the other's advantage. Alright, time for a timeout he said as he drew the dying cigarette butt from his mouth and allowed it to be taken back to the wall to be put out.

Unaffected by the force around him, he glided slowly over to the man pinned to the wall before reaching out his hand. Putting it to the man's chest, he would quickly rematerialize and phase it back out of existence, forcing the man's torso from his waist to his chest inside of it. Floating back for a moment he'd put his hands on his hips and look over his handiwork. Yep, that oughta hold you he smirked, producing another cigarette and lighting it.

Then he'd turn back to Lucius, the prime minister commenting on his attire. What? he questioned, dropping his head to look over his attire.Can't a guy just decide to dress well? Or would you prefer I take a cue from you and dress like a discount Sith-lord. By the jovial tone in his voice, it would be hard to not catch that Rozmer was not actually insulting him.

The man was pinned, yet he still struggled for some form of advantage. Two grappling hooks were sent Red's way, one to his mask, and one to his sword. With one simply flourish of each hand, he caught both, tossing them aside.

"Are you still trying to win? Good grief." Lucius said, smiling under his mask. What a sad, sad little man.

It was at this point that Rozmer did his thing, entangling the man to apparently keep him from moving. A good thing too. Red didn't want to deal with this 'fight' any longer.

"You should. Just watch, in a few years everyone will be wearing this." Lucius said in response to the sith lord comment, joking. It was oddx, but this man's presence honestly brought the humor out in him, as deadban as the delivery was.

"Anyway, how do i know Zell? You don't want to know the answer to that. But i wasn't referring to him. Do you have any affiliation with the one they call Samhain?" Red asked, interested in this man more then anything else here. It had been awhile since he had the chance to talk with one of Roz's type, and when he did have the chance they told him very little.

Knightfall did not enjoy being halfway embedded into a sewer tunnel wall at all. And apparently Lucius had blocked his hooks because they quickly retracted backwards with nothing to show for it. Frustrated by this sudden turn of events. This was not how he'd planned for things to go.

Well then I suppose I should hop right on that trend before it becomes popular Rozmer joked, a cheap plastic Kylo Ren mask suddenly appearing on his face, the price tag still hanging loosely from the left side. Reaching up he adjusted the mask slightly, aligning the eyeholes over his glasses in an attempt to let him see better. Finding no comfortable position for the cheap thing, Rozmer quickly removed it an tossed it into the sewer water. Eh, it clashed with my style anyways. he said before shaking out his hair a bit.

Lucius' next comment though certainly piqued Rozmer's interest. Oh see now I have to know he said in response an inquisitive grin on his face. He hoped that this man would something to say about Zell that he could berate him for in the future. In an infinite Omniverse, sometimes it was difficult to come up with new ways to poke at him so it was always nice to get some fresh dirt. That, and he really just wanted to know how seriously Zell had fucked with Lucius. You see Zell and I go way back he explained, floating next to Lucius and crossing his fingers that that information wouldn't be a sore spot. Then he'd reach out his hand and place it on Lucius' shoulder. In an instant the two disappeared from inside the sewer tunnel and were back inside Lucius' office. Letting go of his shoulder once they'd arrived Rozmer reached up to his mouth and removed the cigarette, letting a long puff of smoke escape behind it.

But this Samhain guy I've got no idea about he continued as though their conversation hadn't been interrupted by what should have been an impossible jump into Belarus' capitol. Judging by the name I'm assuming he's a Halloween ghost or something? Replacing his cigarette he would inhale deeply. His guess to Lucius' was more of an attempt to get him to further explain this Samhain character. If he brought the person up in the same context as himself and Zell and Rozmer didn't know about him, that probably wasn't a good sign.

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Meanwhile back in the sewers, a separate but identical Rozmer appeared where the previous one had just stood. A thin halo of smoke surrounded his head as it rose up to rest on the ceiling. Through the thin cloud he stared at Knightfall, crossing his arms as the man appeared to give up his fight. So tell me he started, a small puff of smoke wafting from his mouth.Is there any reason I shouldn't just leave you here for someone to come by and find? I mean, you did just invade a country and I'm pretty sure attempt to assassinate its president. I don't think a whole lot of people would disagree with me in thinking that's not okay.

This Rozmer was quite the character. That said, it wasn't like Lucius wasn't used to these types of, um, "people." The fact was nothing really surprised him anymore. Not the putting the guy in the wall, not the Kylo Ren mask appearing out of nowhere, and certainly not the teleport back to his office.

"Oh, something like that, though i think the name is there just to intimidate." Lucius said, not skipping a beat as he moved to pour himself a drink at his little bar he had set up. He would motion to the liquor as if to offer Roz some, but he doubted the guy who could apparently materialize whatever he wanted needed any.

"Zell.... Is a bit more complicated. I met a version of him, one i can only assume was not from this realm given the fact he was quite, well, different from the Zell i found here. He brought me back after i was corrupted to the point of death and then duplicated by Sin. Though, he couldn't have done it without a boy named Silus, who after keeping me from being fully taken by the corruption, subsequently aided me in defeating my inner evil personified." Lucius said, all in the span it took him to pour that drink, take his mask off, and then take a sip. He spun on his heels, a smirk on his face.

"Any more questions? When it comes to this type of thing, I'd rather not beat around the bush." Lucius said. He was sure there would be more questions, like why Zell brought him back, or why Silus helped him, or what Sin wanted with him, or what brought Lucius into that shit storm of a situation in the first place, but really Lucius just wanted to know if this guy knew about all of those people.

Knightfall needed to know more about this guy who just had a friendly conversation with the man who was prepared to imprison him. But there wasn't much he could do while stuck in this wall except. Knightfall narrowed his eyes under his helmet and concentrated, tapping into Rozmer's mind was no easy deal, the guy had some jumbled information everything criss-crossing and overlapping each other. It was a complete mess but he did manage to find what he wanted. The man's name and what he was. Maybe he didn't need Lucius after all. Knightfall looked up slowly so as to be on eye-level with Rozmer. "I know what you're capable of "Rozmer". I've done some research regarding your type and I'm interested in your extensive abilities." He looked back down to the cold stone floor of the sewer before looking back up. "I'm not here for Lucius's head never really was. I'm here for his information."

Rozmer's eyes went wide behind his purple glasses as Lucius rattled of all that had happened to him. How the hell did I not hear about any of this?? he thought, dumbfounded that so much existentially had been done around this single man. What did Zell see in him? Why had he granted this man so much insight into his being? It was troubling to say the least. Not that Rozmer didn't trust Zell, but his judgment had been shown at times to be a bit off. After all, this had also been the man who deciding frankensteining together dead realities was a good idea. But this situation seemed different. This man was caught up in something, Sin, a figure Rozmer was familiar with, not personally but he knew enough.

After Lucius was done speaking, Rozmer slowly reached out and took the drink that was offered to him. Maneuvering his cigarette to the corner of his mouth he'd take a deep swing before wiping his mouth. Yea that sounds like a typical encounter with Zell he laughed, some of the shock he was feeling coming through in his words. Honestly I'm just a little surprised you've seen as much as you have. If it had just been Silus I'd undertstand, he can be a little loose with his abilities at times but if Zell interfered that heavily you must've either done something seriously wrong or you're the most unlucky person in this reality. This was as much a question as it was a statement. He laughed again, laying his thoughts right out on the table. I apologize if I seem a little taken aback, I'm just not used to speaking with someone who isn't Zell whose seen the sorts of things you've seen.

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Rozmer cocked an eyebrow as the man in front of him said that he "knew what he was capable of". I seriously, seriously doubt that he said flatly, deeply inhaling on his cigarette as he did so. Clearly the man was trying to save face, hold on to the what control he could of the situation. His expression then darkened as he slowly drew closer to the man. If you actually knew what I was capable of, it would be very unwise to let me know that, especially from a position of vulnerability like you're in currently. His current conversation with Lucius was resounding in his mind as he spoke to this man. If for some reason he knew what Lucius knew, or knew that Lucius knew something, this little encounter would change dramatically.

So if I were you he continued, Id verify my sources before spouting off something like that. We clear? he asked menacingly, his face now mere inches from the man's. After holding his gaze for a few seconds he would then break away, a smile returning to his face. And what the heck kinda backwards language is "I can't say I'm not impressed"? Double negatives bro, not an effective way to convey meaning. Clearly he was messing with the man now, not exactly enjoying having to be intimidating.

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So, I do have one thing I need to ask you Rozmer continued after hearing the man in the sewer's comment about himself in the context of information from Lucius. You haven't talked to other people about what you've experienced with Zell have you? Because apparently that nutjob in the sewers was looking for "information" he made air quotes as he said this from you.

Getting things all out on the table like this was refreshing, to say the least. He had never talked so openly about this stuff to anyone except maybe Silus. But, if this guy mentioned Zell, he was obviously in the know, and it was ok to talk freely.

Lucius sauntered over to his desk, skimming his fingers across it's fine wood surface before sitting down in his chair. He let Rozmer speak, absorbing as much information as possible. There was no use in interrupting with more of his convoluted story if Roz had something more important to say.

This man seemed a bit shocked really, which was understandable. He probably wasn't used to somebody knowing so much about people he associated with. But Red didn't have all the answers; this was just another chance to make that statement less true.

"I've done plenty wrong, but nothing that would warrent his wrath. It's my understanding that i still have a part to play here, and that Zell didn't want me checking out just because of Sin........." Lucius said, swirling the ice in his glass before taking a drink from it. His eyes moved down from Roz to his desk, then the Dictator shook his head left and right, softly.

"But this is something i know so little about........ Even if i understand more then probably anyone, other then people like you, i still can't shake the feeling that what i know is nothing. The truth is, i don't see what higher purpose he brought me back for. I'm just doing what i always have." Lucius said, his eyes drifting to the wedding ring on his finger. He stared a few seconds, contemplating why he had decided to keep wearing it. Even a genius can't fully understand why they do certain things, or maybe sometimes, they simply don't want to.

Lucius' eyes darted back to Rozmer when he mentioned the joker in the sewers, breaking the deep thought he had fallen into. Red just chuckled.

"You can duplicate like Silus can? That's........ Interesting. Regardless, i can assure you you're the only one I've ever told about what happened to me that fateful day. Whatever he believes i have would have to have come from mere rumors. " Lucius said, taking yet another drink from his glass. Bad memories were creeping up, whether he liked it or not.

Knightfall didn't like being threatened, but with nothing to fight back with he might as well let it be. Although he did seem to get a little under Rozmer's skin as the man didn't seem to act that way usually. Rozmer was on the defensive and that's all Knightfall had going for him at this point. "I know about you and those like you. But what I didn't know is how to make contact with you." Then he spoke in a more agreeable tone as he continued on, he would need Rozmer's full cooperation on this if it were to work. "You see, I need your help Rozmer. I need you to take me somewhere, another reality parallel to my own. I believe you know the place I speak of."

Rozmer smirked as Lucius talked about Zell having brought him back for some "higher purpose" but not knowing what that purpose was. This was the sort of thing that he and Zell disagreed on. Zell was all higher meaning and purpose, reason for everything, yada yada yada. It was all bullshit as far as Rozmer was concerned. I wouldn't worry too much about a "higher purpose" that you're supposed to be fulfilling because Zell saved you. If you're doing what you've always been doing, you're doing what you should be doing, means that whatever Sin did didn't derail you in this reality Rozmer took a satisfied swig of the drink in his hand, setting it back down on the table afterwards. That's the only purpose we serve. Trust me, Zell might appear like a god or something but he's not. And you're better off not knowing much about the stuff going on on our level. Honestly, I'm sorry that you've been exposed to as much of this sort of stuff as it sounds like you have.

Rozmer would then take a seat at the desk across from Red. Scooting the chair back a bit, he'd slouch forward, resting his elbows on his knees. This is the sort of thing I generally try to prevent, Zell and I interfering in people's lives. All it does is create confusion and turmoil. At one point you know what real is, know how the world works and suddenly everything gets thrown sideways and you're thrust into a situation you could never in a million lifetimes be prepared for. At some point in his talking Rozmer's eyes shifted from Lucius to the floor and what he was saying was no longer about the man in front of him. But he was pulled back as Lucius asked about Silus.

Wiping the painful memories from his mind Rozmer sat up and leaned back in his seat. Yea something like that he'd chuckle. Lucius was technically right, thought the cirucmstances that allowed each to duplicate were very very different. But of course semantics of their abilities were not worth getting in to.

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You know about metahumans? Rozmer laughed at the man still stuck firm in the wall. Um, good for you? But of course he would continue, asking Rozmer to take him to a parallel reality which only elicited a cacophonous laughter from the void. His mouth wide open, he bent over gripping his gut as the laughing continued. You... he started before being once more being interrupted by uncontrollable laughter. Holy crap hahaha you want ME to take YOU to another reality? Wiping a tear from his eye he tried his best to regain his composure, but was periodically interrupted by intermittent giggles. You have literally no idea what you're talking about do you? He was astounded by the stupidity of that question, absolutely shocked. If this guy had any idea what he was asking he would never have done it. But then again this could give him a chance to troll the hell out of someone.

Taking a few deep breaths Rozmer fully composed himself and floated over to the man. You know what he'd start, putting his hand on the man's head. You've caught me in good mood. Let's go. Instantly the two of them and the wall Knightfall was stuck in would be taken to Socotra Island in the the Indian Ocean. Large bulbous, alien looking trees with small pink ball atop them surrounded the two. In front of them was a steep limestone cliff plummeting into a green stalagmite filled sea. Here we are he'd say proudly spreading his arms out to the scene before them, confident in the otherworldly appearance of the location he'd chosen.

Lucius listened to Rozmer. He could have cut the existential being off on the second sentence, immediately explaining why he disagreed, but no, Red let it all soak in. The dictator took a few moments contemplating the words being spoken to him. A very interesting viewpoint, but not at all unexpected. People like Rozmer usually came in two varieties: the one's that wanted to share their knowledge and expand their influence, and the one's who felt 'mortals' were untfit to see any of their world. Red took a drink from his glass, a half smirk on his face. He looked as if he were playing poker with Roz, and he knew something that nobody else did.

"You believe we can't have a purpose higher then ouselves? I'm not speaking about some God ordained destiny; I'm speaking about having a vision that is bigger then us. I do very much think that if i died tomorrow, this world would collapse into choas. We all have our part to play in the grand story of the universe, even if it's as insignificant as i know it is." Lucius said, pausing a moment to let his words hit the air, maybe give Rozmer a chance to respond.

"But i agree. Maybe all I'm meant to do is walk my path, until the end. But who says that path can't be high? Who says it can't be extraordinary? Every action is determined by the previous, the story is set, but that doesn't mean i don't have my free will. What i choose to do is what is meant to be." Lucius said. The man was getting into one of his talking fits, but you couldn't blame him. It wasn't everyday he got to talk to one such as Rozmer.

"There's no need to say sorry. Yes, this.....stuff....has brought me turmoil, but also deeper understanding. It made me a better person. Knowledge does not harm, no matter how terrified of it we may be. Unless it's in accordance with universal law to wipe my memory, I'm afraid i will never stop looking for what is beyond my scope." Lucius said, now finished with his response. The appropriate way to continue the conversation was of course, to ask a question, but for a moment Lucius drew a blank. Yes, he could ask Rozmer what he was, he could ask him to explain some universal phenomenon, or some other thing that mortals ask those that they precieve to be Gods, but Red was more personal then that.

"I wasn't always like this, you know. The opulence, the arrogance, that's not what i used to be. I was of good intention and proper means, but this world changed me. You weren't  always like you are now either, were you?" Lucius asked, curious as to Rozmer's answer. Red fully expected Roz to play the Silus method of skirting around the question, but perhaps he would get lucky.

Knightfall was extremely unamused with Rozmer's antics, instantly recognizing that the place he'd taken him not being where he had wanted to go. "Alright I get it you're a joker. But don't try to play me off as some idiot, because let me tell you something. This is not the place I was talking about and you know it." He said with his eyes narrowed and his fists clenched.