What he did do, however, was even less fun than that.
Billy-Ray's arms slowly dropped to his sides as the man chanted what sounded disturbingly like Bible verses. Bible verses. Of all the... Billy-Ray's arms hung loosely for a moment in disbelief, and then settled into a folded and exasperated position across his chest.
Really? Calling on God for help? Billy-Ray didn't even think it was possible for a sorcerer to be Christian. Or Jewish. Or Muslim, or whatever other religions believed in God; Billy-Ray had to admit he didn't know much about them, and he didn't care. Any sorcerer worth his salt nowadays was either completely atheist, or knew that the Faceless Ones existed.
And actually, that was another good point. Alternate reality or no, Gabe had apparently grown up with the dark gods. Why the hell did he believe in a greater and benevolent being? That was just... stupid. Stupid and pointless and suicidal and just plain wrong. Unless... well, unless Christianity as a religion hadn't existed over in that reality and the faith was a fairly recent thing, like some sort of post traumatic stress. But no; Gabe wasn't pulling those Bible verses out of thin air. He knew them. He'd known them for a while.
The frown that had grown on Billy-Ray's face was one of disappointment mixed with confusion. It didn't make any sense. A lot of things about Gabe didn't make any sense.
"Thought you were smarter than that," he muttered, feeling a little cheated. "Even if you ain't a sorcerer, exactly. Honestly. The skeleton lets you get away with that? For shame."
A different idea occurred to Billy-Ray, and the frown slid easily into his trademark wicked grin. He took another few steps toward Gabe, casually acting as if he hadn't noticed the decrease in distance. "Got a question for ya. All the killin' that's been done in God's name. You have a reaction like that to all of 'em, too, or am I just special?" He debated hunkering down to get even closer, but decided that the strength in his legs wasn't quite restored enough for that. "I always wanted to go into the church at some point. Have my own congregation, teach 'em things every Sunday, but I always figured I'd just get bored one week and kill everyone. Easier to skip all that and tunnel into the Vatican to wreak some havoc, but I ain't doin' that until I get paid for it. Think anyone wants the Pope dead?"
Oh, he was lying, and as a mind-reader, Gabe would probably know that. But Billy-Ray was beginning to get the hang of this; it wasn't the lie that mattered, it was the murder. The thought of it, the images, the fantasies. That was what struck him so hard. Hopefully, tying it all up with something Gabe clearly cared about would make this even more fun.
And then Billy-Ray remembered that Pleasant had been wearing what looked like a priest's robes outside the Hibernian, and he blinked.
... They really were both insane, weren't they? Poor bastards.
~~
Father O'Reilly managed not to sigh, but just barely. Judgment, even wrongly perceived judgment, was not what Solomon needed at the moment. The sorcerer was certainly taking all of this very seriously, and Father O'Reilly knew that anything he would have to say was more than likely already running through Solomon's head.
Besides which, the gap in his knowledge regarding magic and sorcery was becoming more obvious to him with every passing moment. Who was he to pass judgment at all without the proper context? He had no idea what Solomon's 'Temple' had been like, or what sort of danger the man would need to be vigilant for. These weren't people who could be reasoned with - at least in a religious manner - or relied upon to see the error of their ways, any more than Solomon had been before meeting Saint Gabriel. If any sorcerer was currently Christian, Father O'Reilly would have liked to meet them.
He became abruptly aware that Solomon was sitting down again, finally meeting his gaze, and Father O'Reilly shook the thoughts away. He had no context. Perhaps it was time he searched for it.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to know more about this world," he began slowly. "How many of you are there?"
no subject
What he did do, however, was even less fun than that.
Billy-Ray's arms slowly dropped to his sides as the man chanted what sounded disturbingly like Bible verses. Bible verses. Of all the... Billy-Ray's arms hung loosely for a moment in disbelief, and then settled into a folded and exasperated position across his chest.
Really? Calling on God for help? Billy-Ray didn't even think it was possible for a sorcerer to be Christian. Or Jewish. Or Muslim, or whatever other religions believed in God; Billy-Ray had to admit he didn't know much about them, and he didn't care. Any sorcerer worth his salt nowadays was either completely atheist, or knew that the Faceless Ones existed.
And actually, that was another good point. Alternate reality or no, Gabe had apparently grown up with the dark gods. Why the hell did he believe in a greater and benevolent being? That was just... stupid. Stupid and pointless and suicidal and just plain wrong. Unless... well, unless Christianity as a religion hadn't existed over in that reality and the faith was a fairly recent thing, like some sort of post traumatic stress. But no; Gabe wasn't pulling those Bible verses out of thin air. He knew them. He'd known them for a while.
The frown that had grown on Billy-Ray's face was one of disappointment mixed with confusion. It didn't make any sense. A lot of things about Gabe didn't make any sense.
"Thought you were smarter than that," he muttered, feeling a little cheated. "Even if you ain't a sorcerer, exactly. Honestly. The skeleton lets you get away with that? For shame."
A different idea occurred to Billy-Ray, and the frown slid easily into his trademark wicked grin. He took another few steps toward Gabe, casually acting as if he hadn't noticed the decrease in distance. "Got a question for ya. All the killin' that's been done in God's name. You have a reaction like that to all of 'em, too, or am I just special?" He debated hunkering down to get even closer, but decided that the strength in his legs wasn't quite restored enough for that. "I always wanted to go into the church at some point. Have my own congregation, teach 'em things every Sunday, but I always figured I'd just get bored one week and kill everyone. Easier to skip all that and tunnel into the Vatican to wreak some havoc, but I ain't doin' that until I get paid for it. Think anyone wants the Pope dead?"
Oh, he was lying, and as a mind-reader, Gabe would probably know that. But Billy-Ray was beginning to get the hang of this; it wasn't the lie that mattered, it was the murder. The thought of it, the images, the fantasies. That was what struck him so hard. Hopefully, tying it all up with something Gabe clearly cared about would make this even more fun.
And then Billy-Ray remembered that Pleasant had been wearing what looked like a priest's robes outside the Hibernian, and he blinked.
... They really were both insane, weren't they? Poor bastards.
~~
Father O'Reilly managed not to sigh, but just barely. Judgment, even wrongly perceived judgment, was not what Solomon needed at the moment. The sorcerer was certainly taking all of this very seriously, and Father O'Reilly knew that anything he would have to say was more than likely already running through Solomon's head.
Besides which, the gap in his knowledge regarding magic and sorcery was becoming more obvious to him with every passing moment. Who was he to pass judgment at all without the proper context? He had no idea what Solomon's 'Temple' had been like, or what sort of danger the man would need to be vigilant for. These weren't people who could be reasoned with - at least in a religious manner - or relied upon to see the error of their ways, any more than Solomon had been before meeting Saint Gabriel. If any sorcerer was currently Christian, Father O'Reilly would have liked to meet them.
He became abruptly aware that Solomon was sitting down again, finally meeting his gaze, and Father O'Reilly shook the thoughts away. He had no context. Perhaps it was time he searched for it.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to know more about this world," he began slowly. "How many of you are there?"