Tower of Faith

On a helicopter in the African sky, “God’s Gift” Jeremiah Vastrix looks across the land below him to the dark horizon. After he had officially changed the outlook of the Warhammer Corporation away from the arms trade, this has been a meeting that he has been dreading.

Desolation looms ahead, the dark smog covering the large industrial city where most of the weapons of the entire Warhammer Corporation are made, both for sales and for in house use by Warhammer’s security company (better known as Warhammer’s private militia, the Shocktroopers).

Desolation poisons the ground, the water, and the air. It literally will kill anyone who spends more than a few minutes breathing the unfiltered air. It won’t be instantaneous, but will happen over time as cancers develop in the body after exposure. It’s that deadly.

In the distance, Jeremiah can make out the visage of the Tower of Faith. A skyscraper that towers over Desolation, rising above the heavy poisons to the crisp clean air above. This is where the monstrous Cardinal Mariano Urizar of Warhammer Africa holds sway over his dominion where his workers die in order to save their souls.

Jeremiah briefly considers his upcoming match against Valora Salinas to defend his Submission championship. It’s obviously a ploy by Anderson. If anyone can figure out how to overcome Jeremiah’s cybernetics, it will be Valora.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Are you certain that we have to do this, mother? I do have a wrestling match to get ready for. It’s a pretty major match, you know.

Monica Vastrix, who sits in a seat opposite of Jeremiah, nods.

MONICA VASTRIX: I understand. You want to get revenge against the woman who killed your father. He did get what was coming to him in the end, you know. I wouldn’t blame Valora too much.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: I don’t blame Valora at all. I just want to keep my title.

MONICA VASTRIX: Oh, that. It’s not something that’s really important like this meeting. The Cardinal needs to know that Desolation will no longer be needed.

Jeremiah sighs, looking out through the window as they begin to fly over the poisonous clouds of Desolation below.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: They are of the same importance to me, mother. This meeting though, I can do without. He’ll no doubt threaten my life a few times within a few minutes of the meeting like he did at the board meeting. He doesn’t believe in our new direction.

MONICA VASTRIX: There was only a couple of board members that did agree, but only because they’re bottom line wasn’t almost exclusively weapons like Warhammer Africa. We will have to help the Cardinal brainstorm a new direction for his company. It won’t be easy, but-

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Nothing great is ever easy. Just like my match with Valora. It’ll be a great match, but it won’t be easy. I have no doubt that Anderson will help her in some way. I should have had him killed…

Monica reaches across the place her hand on Jeremiah’s with a sad smile.

MONICA VASTRIX: But you are not your father. If you were, it would just have been easier to kill the Cardinal as well as Anderson to remove all obstacles to your plan to transform Warhammer. You are a good man, my son.

Jeremiah nods, looking over as the Tower of Faith looms near. There is a helicopter landing pad jutting out of the side of the building. A place for those meeting with the Cardinal without having to go through the disaster that is Desolation.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: I have a feeling that I’m going to prefer having to face dozen Valoras rather than this meeting.

MONICA VASTRIX: You know, I think you might be right on this one.

Jeremiah sighs as the helicopter moves in to land.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Let’s get this over with and then I need to train to face Valora.

A Shockrooper opens the door to the helicopter to allow Jeremiah and Monica out. Jeremiah smiles at the faceless white armored soldier that has a Captain insignia on his shoulder.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Thank you, Captain. Lead the way!

The Shocktrooper Captain leads them only a few feet before they stop in front of the Cardinal himself. It is strange to see someone so highly placed within the Warhammer Corporation without his honor guard at his side, but it could be that the Cardinal feels safe within his Tower of Faith.

Cardinal Mariano Urizar greets Jeremiah with a handshake and Monica with a warm embrace. He’s a large man, a little over seven feet tall and nearly that in the shoulders. He cuts an imposing figure, threatening even when wearing a smile.

MARIANO URIZAR: Welcome to my humble abode, Jeremiah and Monica. Monica, I’m so sorry for the loss of your husband. He was a great man.

Monica Vastrix smiles and nods in appreciation for the kind words.

MONICA VASTRIX: He was paranoid and delusional at the end, but he had done great things.

The Cardinal smiles a toothy grin, a predatory grin.

MARIANO URIZAR: He did terrible things, but they were great.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Of that we can agree. Shall we proceed to the meeting room?

MARIANO URIZAR: Of course. Follow me.

The two follow the Cardinal down a hallway and into a massive meeting room. A long table of dark oak and nearly twenty chairs around the table. Men in Warhammer Service uniforms come take their drink orders as they sit down at one end of the table, The Cardinal sits at the head of the table in a larger chair built for his bulk.

MARIANO URIZAR: I would imagine you have come here to tell me what Desolation will make instead of weapons? What will they make?

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: I think that you should make toys for kids. I’m picturing an entire line of different Shocktroopers, Security Specialists, and UOW wrestlers both past and present.

The Cardinal sits in silence for a moment before he lets out a booming laugh. He laughs for a few minutes before he notices that Monica and Jeremiah haven’t started laughing with him.

MARIANO URIZAR: Oh, you’re serious. I suppose an entire franchise could be built around the toys. Action figures, vehicles, playsets, and so on. Still. You think that toys could replace a multi trillion dollar industry? I think maybe we could make millions, but not trillions.

Jeremiah takes a sip of his drink as it’s handed to him with a smile.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Toys often sell better when they’re paired with movies and television shows. It would be the ultimate in public relations to make a whole franchise of movies to make Warhammer out to be the heroes in any story! You know how much the comic book industry makes in their movies alone. Much less the comics, toys, and so on. Heck, you could build a Warhammer World, or something similar in name, as a theme park to rival Disney World! Trillions of dollars there when you combine them all and it spreads the investments around so that if one aspect doesn’t do so well, the rest will hang on.

The Cardinal breathes in deeply and lets out the sigh slowly.

MARIANO URIZAR: I want the rights to build in other territories with only sharing five percent of the profits with the other heads. I also want help if I’m going to shut down and start cleaning up Desolation.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: Done and done. All of the other holdings of the Warhammer Corporation have benefited from Desolation and should partake in helping shut it down. What will you do with all of the workers who are likely sick and dying?

MARIANO URIZAR: They will be at the forefront of the cleaning process and once we are finished? Well, the less you know the better.

Jeremiah finishes his drink, motioning to the Warhammer service person to fetch him another one from the bar.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: So, you’ll build the most advanced cancer center in the entire world and hospice care unit for them to spend the rest of their days in comfort? That’s fantastic! And will make money from the treatment of cancer in the years to come!

The room seems to go dark as the Cardinal glares at Jeremiah, hate burning in his eyes. He relaxes and the room goes back to normal.

MARIANO URIZAR: I was intending to keep this as a secret surprise for the workers,but you guessed it. Luxury all the way for those who survive the cleaning efforts.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: They won’t hear a peep from me. It shall remain a surprise.

MARIANO URIZAR: Thank you. Desolation shall become a memorial to honor those who died in saving their souls with the holy labor that they did. Now, if you will excuse me. I need to spring the new plans on some of my executives to see what kind of plan they can make for me and where the new and clean industrial complex will be built. You know the way back to your helicopter?

MONICA VASTRIX: We do. Thank you for your hospitality, your eminence.

The Cardinal stands up and nods to Monica with a smile for his ranking within the Catholic Church being recognized. He makes his way out of the room and Monica lets out a sigh like she was holding her breath for minutes.

MONICA VASTRIX: A movie, comic, and toy franchise from the ground up? Cancer center? I thought he was going to strangle you with his bare hands!

Jeremiah just smirks, but it fades quickly.

JEREMIAH VASTRIX: And unlike when I face Valora in the ring, there wouldn’t have been a whole lot I could have done to stop him. I mean, we do need a new Hollywood. Might as well make it in South Africa where the Cardinal has his usual business office at. Let’s get out of this place, mother. I need too train for Valora.

Monica rises from her seat, nodding her head in agreement.

MONICA VASTRIX: While I don’t agree with the training still, I do want out of here. The Tower of Faith is just...creepy.