Sacred custodians (part 2)
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Father Alonzo watched as SCP-7694-1 disappeared into the darkness of the crypt, his silhouette fading into the shadows. The weight of their conversation lingered in the air, heavy with ancient secrets and unresolved tensions.
The priest stood in silence for a moment, then slowly knelt before the altar, bowing his head in prayer. His lips moved quietly, reciting words in Latin that only he could understand. Despite everything, despite his cooperation with SCP-7694-1, Father Alonzo's faith remained unshaken.
"Deus vult," he whispered, finishing his prayer. God wills it.
He rose to his feet and turned to face the ancient book that lay open on the altar. Its pages were filled with forgotten knowledge, forbidden scriptures, and accounts of the Old Gods. The Vatican had guarded these secrets for centuries, but now they had been forced to share them with an outsider—someone who did not understand the full scope of what was to come.
Father Alonzo knew that SCP-7694-1's path was dangerous, but there was no other way. The Old Gods, the New Gods, the anomalies—they were all beyond mortal comprehension. And while the Church remained faithful, it was no longer in a position to fight the coming storm alone.
SCP-7694-1 had set the wheels in motion. Whether he would succeed or fall before the entities he sought to free, only time would tell.
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Meanwhile, Somewhere Beneath the Vatican
As SCP-7694-1 moved through the winding tunnels beneath the Vatican, his mind raced. Father Alonzo's words had given him much to think about, but he had made his decision. The Old Gods, the creatures of chaos and power, were not to be trusted. But they were necessary. They were tools in a greater battle, one that would ultimately decide the fate of the world.
He pulled out his phone again, feeling the familiar cold metal against his palm. The voice on the other end was silent now, waiting for the next step to be taken.
There was no turning back. The mission was clear.
He would break into Site-1, retrieve SCP-079, and unleash the full potential of the anomalies that the Foundation had spent so long trying to contain. He would create a world where the Old Gods could rise again, where humanity could reclaim the knowledge that had been stolen from them by the false rulers.
But first, he would need to assemble the rest of the team. A group capable of navigating the dangers that lay ahead. A group that could stand against the Foundation, the anomalies, and the gods themselves.
And to do that, he would need to find the SCPs hidden deep beneath the Vatican.
The phone buzzed in his hand once more. The voice spoke, quiet but resolute. "It's time."
SCP-7694-1 nodded to himself, slipping the phone back into his pocket. He continued down the narrow tunnel, his steps echoing through the darkness as he moved deeper into the heart of the Vatican's secrets.
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Elsewhere, Within the Vatican's Walls
Unbeknownst to SCP-7694-1, a group of Vatican agents—dressed in traditional priestly garb but armed with modern weapons—moved silently through the ancient halls above him. These were the Custodians, the Vatican's secret order tasked with safeguarding the holy relics and protecting the Church's most dangerous secrets.
They had been tracking SCP-7694-1 since the moment he arrived, aware of his intentions but allowing him access for reasons known only to Father Alonzo.
The Custodians did not trust outsiders, especially those like SCP-7694-1, who sought to use the Old Gods for their own purposes. But they followed the orders of Father Alonzo, even when they did not fully understand his plan.
One of the Custodians, a young man named Brother Marcus, glanced toward the crypt where SCP-7694-1 had disappeared. His fingers tightened around the hilt of the sword strapped to his side.
"Do you think he'll succeed?" another Custodian, an older man with graying hair, asked quietly.
Marcus shook his head. "I don't know. But whatever happens, we'll be ready."
The two men exchanged a brief nod before continuing their patrol. They knew the stakes were higher than ever before. The anomalies, the gods—everything was about to change. And when it did, they would be there to ensure that the Church's faith remained intact, no matter the cost.
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SCP-7694-1 emerged from the labyrinthine tunnels beneath the Vatican with newfound knowledge and a renewed sense of purpose. The SCPs hidden here—the creatures of immense power, both sacred and profane—would be crucial in the battle to come. But there was still much to be done.
He would need to find these entities, gather them, and prepare them for the coming war. And in the process, he would need to avoid the ever-watchful eyes of the Foundation, whose grip on the world was tighter than ever before.
As he stepped out into the cool night air of the Vatican courtyard, the ancient city loomed around him—both beautiful and foreboding. The weight of centuries of faith, power, and secrets pressed down on him, but he did not falter.
His journey had only just begun.
With a final glance back at the towering spires of the Vatican, SCP-7694-1 turned and disappeared into the shadows. His mission was clear, but the future was uncertain.
The Old Gods, the New Gods, the anomalies—all would soon come to a head in a battle for the very soul of the world.
And SCP-7694-1 would be right at the center of it.
For the cause ...
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