บท 46: Chatper 46: By The Grace Of God
At the local Brooklyn docks,
Father Sebastian stepped off the ferry, releasing a small sigh as he ventured onto Luciano family territory.
Pulling out a map he had picked up at the fair, attempting to navigate his way to the local church.
As he moved forward, his lack of proficiency in reading maps became apparent, leading him deeper into Luciano family territory.
*Sigh*
'I knew I should've asked for directions.' Father Sebastian let out a heavy sigh before looking around to see Johnny sitting outside a coffee shop, sipping on an espresso while reading the paper.
"Excuse me?" Father Sebastian walked up to Johnny who twitched his eyebrow without even getting up.
"Can't a guy drink an espresso-FATHER!" Johnny sneered until he saw that Father Sebastian was a man of the cloth.
Although Johnny was a member of the Luciano family, everyone within the family recognized the significance of religion and how close it was to their upbringing which made Johnny's mortification all the more profound.
"Ah, I apologize for interrupting you-" Father Sebastion quickly apologized, smiling warmly only for Johnny to shake his head vigorously.
"N-No, this humble servant of our lord apologizes for disrespecting one of his voices." Johnny could feel a slight pain from on the back of his head.
The haunting pain of fear ran through Johnny's mind, knowing his mother would beat him to a pulp if she ever found out he had disrespected a priest.
"Oh what a kind man you are." Father Sebastian was ignorant of the mafia stereotype and didn't paint Johnny as a thug but instead a good christian man.
"If you wouldn't mind my son, would you care to point me to the nearest church?" Father Sebastian smiled warmly as Johnny dropped literally everything and ran to his side.
"Father, it would be my honor." Johnny, directed in a distinct direction with Father Sebastian, feeling refreshed at the polite tone of someone for once as he followed him towards the local church.
Meanwhile at the hotel,
"Oh my god!"
A shriek suddenly awoke a very tired and slightly hungover Ricky who hesitantly opened his eyelids to see Alina on the very end of the bed in a panic attack.
"Wha-"
"How could I do this? I'm such a horrible person!" Alina's face collapsed into her hands, blaming herself for everything that happened last night instead of Ricky.
"Alina, calm down-"
"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN, I LITERALLY SLEPT WITH MY BABY'S BEST FRIEND WHO'S STILL IN HIGHSCHOOL!" Alina snapped back at Ricky who held up his hands.
"Alina, don't beat yourself up too much, I mean look at me, my looks could seduce the gods themselves." Ricky said in a cheesy way, in an effort to break the tension though Alina only collapsed back in her hands.
"Come here." Ricky gestured to Alina who was already teary eyed through her own guilt.
*Sniff*
"No I-" Alina shook her head, looking away but Ricky gestured once more.
"It's ok, it's really ok." Ricky pulled her into his arms anyways as Alina collapsed into embrace instinctively, feeling solace in the warmth of another.
"I'm such a bad-"
"No you're not, it was my fault." Ricky consoled her, patting her back while Alina sniffled in his chest.
"No its-"
"It's my fault, don't blame yourself Alina." Ricky caressed her cheek so that she would look up but only bit her lip in a response.
"I-I need to go." Alina pushed away from Ricky but he didn't stop her as she touched the ground only to fall on her butt.
"Owie~" Alina's legs were completely sore from the consistent pounding from last night as Ricky peaked from the edge of the bed.
"Need some help?" Ricky asked Alina who stubbornly looked to the side.
Ricky started laughing at Alina, who was flailing like a fish out of water while trying to put on her clothes.
When she finally stood up, her face was completely reddened in embarrassment.
"I-......I need some space." Alina tried to be angry but in the end, she only ducked her head but not enough that she couldn't see Ricky nod his head.
Ricky watched Alina limp out of the door, then sighed deeply as he collapsed onto the bed.
*SIGH*
'Women.' Ricky thought about how this was the third girl he'd been with who had asked for space as he didn't consider that he might be the problem, instead chalking it up to coincidence.
'Whatever, claim my rewards-"
"URGH!" Ricky felt that familiar pain, this time searing through his brain and legs, as he squirmed on the bed.
10 minutes later,
*HUFF*
"Damn." Ricky let out an exasperated sigh, huffing out heaves of breaths while gazing at the unopened skill coupons.
'Open.'
*DING*
Received:
(Epic Skill) Accelerated Healing: Healing at a faster rate than normal humans, but not necessarily instantaneous.
(Rare Skill) Sixth Sense: Ability to sense objects and movement without using normal vision, similar to echolocation.
'Receive the IP and open the Gacha.' Ricky inwardly commanded, completely forgetting about the gacha he had from Ruth after opening the coupons.
*DING*
Received: &&
(Epic Item) Luminous Orb: This glowing orb provides intense light and reveals hidden or magical traps within a twenty-foot radius for five minutes. After its light fades, the orb turns into dust.
(Epic Item) Stormcaller's Conduit: A small, enchanted staff that, when waved, summons a localized thunderstorm with lightning strikes for one minute. The staff vanishes after use.
(Rare Item) Illusionary Glasses: When worn, these glasses make everything appear slightly distorted for five minutes. After use, they disintegrate.
(Uncommon Item) Whispering Leaf x 20: A single leaf that, when held close to the ear, whispers a random, non-essential fact for thirty seconds that you've never heard. It's mostly for amusement and is discarded after use.
(Uncommon Item) Old-Looking Globe x 17: A world globe with an antique appearance, featuring detailed maps and a wooden base from the 1700s.
(Uncommon Item) Woolen Throw Blanket x 13: A cozy throw blanket made of wool, often used for keeping warm on chilly nights.
(Common Item) Antique Pocket Knife x 4: A small, folding knife with a wooden handle, worn from years of use but still sharp.
(Common Item) Rusty Toolbox x 6: A sturdy metal toolbox filled with old, rusty tools and spare parts.
(Common Item) Leather Bookmark x 20: A handcrafted leather bookmark with a decorative design, used to mark pages in a book.
(Common Item) Glass Jar of Marbles x 10: A jar filled with colorful marbles, each with unique swirls and patterns.
(Common Item) Ceramic Planter x 7: A colorful ceramic planter used for growing small plants or herbs, often featuring decorative patterns.
"Alright, I'm ready." Ricky finally steeled his resolve, his reckless actions with his dick culminating into this newfound strength.
He jumped to his feet, took a quick shower, and then left the hotel, heading back to his mansion.
Parking his car in front of the manor, he walked inside, only to be greeted by loud, boisterous laughter coming from upstairs.
'Pops?' Ricky flinched, recognizing the tone of Lucky's laughter, though he had never heard it reach such levels before.
Curiously, he walked up the stairs and peeked into the office, where he saw two old men laughing fanatically.
"What are you doing here?" Ricky even tried to keep his presence a secret as he saw the other old man sitting across from Lucky, Abraham.
"What does it look like I'm doing!" Abraham laughed out, yelling at Ricky though Lucky only cackled louder.
"PUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Lucky slammed his hand on the desk, and Abraham joined in with boisterous laughter.
Ricky's expression remained neutral, his gaze fixed on Abraham, who was finally calming down.
"When you left me at the side of the road, I eventually went back to the warehouse however there was a problem." Abraham informed Ricky who froze when seeing Lucky nodded.
"Abraham came to me because the Jewish mob stole something from him. We reached an agreement: he would handle them in exchange for the return of the stolen shipment." Lucky pointed at Abraham as Ricky realized something while gazing at the vampire hunter who winked.
"Pops, you can't trust this guy-" Ricky quickly tried to dissuade him though Lucky was too stubborn.
"Can it, he's recognized by the Vatican and he has the papers to prove it." Lucky pointed to papers on his desk, making Ricky widen his eyes.
"But-"
"This goes above mafioso's like us Slick, the jewish mob stole from the Vatican and I can't let that slide." Lucky had a heavy expression, gazing at Ricky with a firm and undisputed expression.
"Anyways, here." Lucky threw a duffle bag across his desk at Ricky that contained the money from Rockefeller.
"I don't know what that old head is thinking, but you did good if you got away with a mere bribe." Lucky actually complemented Ricky, knowing how dangerous that old man truly could be.
"Pops-"
"Slick, you listen good, you're grounded." Lucky stood up, buttoning his suit and informing his reckless son.
"Wait but-"
"You crossed the line with that Rockefeller girl." Lucky walked up while pushing the confused and slightly shocked Ricky to the side as he leaned in.
"Trust me kid, you almost got caught, Henry's people ain't that tight lipped." Ricky's eyes widened at Lucky's words, but his father's reassuring wink hinted that every loose end had already been tied up.
"If you leave this house you're dead." Lucky then pushed Ricky out of his office, the latter trying to retort only to be met with Lucky's quick reaction.
*BAM*
Lucky then proceeded to shut the door in Ricky's face, leaving him holding the duffel bag with a confused expression.
Lucky had never grounded him in his entire life; being his kid, he had never faced such discipline before.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, YES!" Alexander's boisterous proclamation echoed through the house.
Still in shock, Ricky stumbled back to his room, only to sigh in frustration as he bumped his head against the door before finally stepping inside.
Opening the door, he saw Alexander in a mighty stance while Chetser simply ignored him and pecked at his wings.
"A long hard bout, a tireless front yet I, Alexander, have once again claimed the sweet nectar of victory, HAZAY!" Alexander cheered as Chester looked up to see a slightly confused Ricky.
"If you're wondering what happened, Alexander finally beat me at go fish-" Chester let out a sigh, explaining things only for Alexander to prance forward.
"I did not simply win, I slayed the tireless front that is your steeled face as my observation pierced your mind, LIKE A SPEAR!" Alexander let out a maniacal cheer, his sadistic laughter filling the room as he reveled in finally besting Chester, who merely rolled his eyes in response.
"Now my student, I am in a good mood. Let us continue our training-.........student?" Alexander turned to Ricky though didn't see his usual arrogant smile which slightly confused the rodent.
"I was grounded?" Ricky, still surprised himself, stared out into an empty space as Alexander looked at Chester in confusion but looked back.
"But you are above ground?" Alexander struggled to grasp the lingo of this century as Ricky grabbed the inventory key, unlocked it, and tossed the duffle bag inside.
"It means that my father won't let me out of the house." Ricky clarified, prompting both Alexander and Chester to nod in understanding.
"Ah, you have been confined." Alexander nodded before grabbing the cards and waving them in front of Ricky.
"Then let us engage in the manner of 'Go Fish' until you have been released to continue our training." Alexander quickly asked, eager to rub his future victory in Ricky's face, but Ricky only shrugged in response.
"Why not."
1 hour later,
"How is this comprehensible?" Alexander had succumbed to the depths of complete and utter defeat, while Ricky raised an eyebrow, casting a glance at Chester.
'Did you let him win earlier?' Ricky questioned internally, and Chester, finally relenting, gave a subtle nod to him.
Despite his many talents, Alexander proved surprisingly inept at cards, Go Fish in particular, which left him bewildered at his own failure.
Ricky had encountered adolescents who played Go Fish better than Alexander, which was surprising.
The only time he'd played cards with kids was during a court-ordered community service stint at a special needs facility.
*Knock*
*Knock*
Ricky shot a sidelong glance at the door while placing down two fours signaling his two of a kind.
Meanwhile, Alexander, consumed by frustration, began furiously rolling on the ground, his anger fueled by the fact that he also had a four.
"Stop pouting like some dame and open the door." Abraham said from the other side of the door, making Ricky frown.
Opening the door, Abraham flashed him a smug smile as Ricky walked back to his chair and pushed Alexander away before he could peek at his face-down cards.
"You got a real simple room." Abraham commented though this was because Lucky called Ricky a 'fag' if he ever put a painting.
"Much like our conversations, I like to keep it minimalistic." Ricky plucked one of Alexander's cards as the gerbil started to break down mentally.
"Oh come on, did ya think I'd simply let it go with you dropping me off on the side of the road?" Abraham snickered, sitting across from him in the opposing chair though Ricky shook his head.
"No, I figured you'd pop up in my sights eventually, however I didn't expect you to come here." Ricky side-eyed Abrham who shrugged.
"And why didn't you tell-"
"He wouldn't have believed me." Abraham waved him off as he didn't want to have this sort of conversation.
"Or if you're asking why I even came here is because I'm here to make you an offer." Abraham pointed at Ricky who started laughing crazily.
"What so funny-" Abraham eyebrows scrunched at the sudden laughter as Ricky wiped his eyes.
"You totally need my help, don't you?" Ricky smirked, realizing something as Abraham's eyebrow twitch.
"Do you really think I need some brat's help?" Abraham stubbornly let out in a gruff voice only for Ricky to shrug.
"Well, if you came here to patch things up with me, don't take my earlier expression the wrong way. There were no hard feelings toward you; I was just shocked because I've never been grounded before." Ricky also struggled to hide his shock at Abraham's presence as he hovered his hands over Alexander's cards, finally plucking a card that made him flinch.
"THOU ISN'T NOBLE IN HIS PURSUITS OF THIS GAME!" Alexander stomped on the desk while Ricky chuckled at this frustrated display and looked at Chester.
"Any 6's?" Ricky asked though Chester always wore a neutral expression.
"Go fish." Chester pointed his wing at the deck of cards, signaling that he didn't have any sixes.
"Damn." Ricky then picked up a card from the deck as Abrham weirdly gazed at this interaction though stopped.
"Fine I need assistance-" Abraham finally gave in, but Ricky was indifferent to his words.
"Help, say you need my help or I'm not helping you." Ricky gave a card to Chester as Abraham instinctively reached for his gun but stopped.
'You little sh*t.' Abraham was as stubborn as a bull without horns, unyielding and obstinate despite his apparent lack of power.
"Listen, the ghouls found the Tuscarora tribe's tomb of the sky mother." Abraham confessed what sounded like nonsense to Ricky, leaving him with a bemused expression.
"The what?" Ricky asked, giving Abraham a perplexed look as if he had no idea what he was even talking about.
*SIGH*
"I should have known you wouldn't grasp something this important and would barge in without even knowing what was there." Abraham scoffed though Ricky simply rolled his eyes.
"Just get on with the explanation and skip the parts about the pendants giving Dracula free range in the sun." Ricky stopped him since he vaguely remembered what it did.
"Little sh*t." Abraham whispered as he took out a flask and took a swig.
"Alright here's the thing, there were supposedly six sun pendants crafted by an unknown being which dated back to even before ancient times." Abraham began his story as Ricky was utterly defeated by Chester, who methodically picked out two of his cards.
"For any humans that can wield magical power, those pendants boost our magical power three fold in the sun, however it also replenishes three times faster in the sun which is why they are so highly coveted." Abraham explained, detailing why it was such a significant prize for any human who managed to covet one.
"Over the centuries, like many other powerful artifacts circulating in the hands of our ancestors, many wars were fought and lives that could stack to the sky were taken at the hands of these pendants." Abraham revealed though Ricky, uncaring and selfish, started picking on Alexander and taking his queen of hearts.
"For example, Merlin who was considered one of the most prominent wizards in human history, had a pendant along with other various trinkets." Abraham hinted towards Ricky, trying not to lunge at this impudent kid before him.
"However, Merlin recognized the terrifying power that this pendant could bestow, not only upon humans but also upon dark monsters, much like many other artifacts." Abraham then looked at his shaking hands and closed his eyes.
"Any dark being with restrictions had them lifted under this pendant which is why Merlin set off for a time to destroy all of these pendants." Abraham's eyes conveyed a serious gaze when staring at Ricky.
"It was said that there were only four and Merlin along with the round table had destroyed them all during the great crusade." Abraham's hands gripped tightly, his breath slightly stagnating.
"However, somehow, Dracula stumbled over an Aztec tomb and obtained a sun pendant." Abraham heard the screams of the innocent resound in his ears as he downed another swig of his flask.
"So many lives were taken at the cost of his thirst for not only blood, but power." Abraham tried to drink the screams away, only managing to quell the sounds until he regained himself.
"Out of the twenty six van heislings that were alive during that period, only I survived." Abrham leaned down, closing his eyes in shame.
"Only through the combined effort of the allies and the vatican was I able to break that f*cking pendant and it cost me dearly." Abraham then pulled up his shirt which revealed a large indent in his side.
"Ricky, we cannot let that pendant fall into whoever is masquerading as Dracula." Abraham was almost pleading at this point.
"The ghouls and that vampire have just entered the tomb, if we leave now-"
"We?" Ricky interrupted as he leaned back in his chair with a curious expression.
"I'm grounded or did you turn a deaf ear to my pop's words." Ricky shrugged towards the vampire hunter while Abraham gritted his teeth.
"I already took care of it, your father offered a couple men to go after the tomb which I covered up as the Jewish mob's 'stash house' and offered to look over you so that you wouldn't go into Manhattan." Abraham crossed his arms and Ricky showed a weird expression.
"How did you even get my pop's to trust you so much, I mean, he doesn't even know you?" Ricky didn't even understand a little how Abraham could walk into the tiger's den and be applauded for it.
"Because of this." Abraham reached into his coat and pulled out a bedazzled cross littered with gold, rubies, sapphires, and other precious jewels along with a black stone in the middle.
"A bedazzled cross?" Ricky said it as it was and Abraham rolled his eyes.
"No you numbskull, it's an insignia of the vatican. Everyone who's related to the church in some way knows about this cross and your so-called 'family' are all from Sicily which is heavily involved in the church." Abraham informed as he tucked the cross back into his coat, while Ricky merely rubbed his chin in contemplation.
"I knew the family was religious but didn't know to this degree-" Ricky unconsciously voiced his own opinion which only made Abraham smack his knee.
"HA!" Abraham let out a booming, solitary laugh.
"Those Sicilian gangsters are a weird bunch and like here, they all have one thing in common and that's their respect for god." Abraham was slightly taken aback that Ricky wasn't the same as the others, watching as he stood up.
"Fine, I'll help you but I want one of those crosses." Ricky boldly pointed at the cross and Abraham immediately scoffed.
"That's not how it works, kid. You have to earn one of these crosses, and even then, you must stand before the inner council until they finally decide to bestow one upon you." Abraham crossed his arms, Ricky scrunching his eyebrows at this old man before him.
"And even if I could, it's sacrilege for someone only affiliated with the church to give their cross." Abraham stood up, completely shooting down his request while adjusting his attire.
"But I do need your help, kid, so what do you say?" Abraham extended his hand, and Ricky nodded, still eager to beat the crap out of that vampire.
"Nah." Ricky then plopped down, Abraham nodding along only for his eyes to bulge.
"WHY NOT-" Abraham screamed out, thinking Ricky was going to accept instead of refusing.
"Because first of all, you didn't ask for my help with enough sincerity and secondly, you didn't say please." Ricky's smile spread across his face as Abraham's furious expression turned red, but he slowly closed his eyes, trying to contain his anger.
"P-P-P-P-" Abraham seemingly couldn't find it in himself to actually utter these words until he reached into his pocket, grabbed his flask, then downed it with one fell swoop.
"DAMMIT F*CK, PLEASE HELP ME!" Abraham yelled at Ricky who laughed out loud before nodding.
"Alright let's go-"
"Hey Abraham, did you get that little sh*t? We're going to be late so drag him out of that room if you have to and let's go!" Lucky called out hurriedly which only made Ricky suspicious at his eagerness, turning towards Abraham who looked away.
"What did you do?" Ricky's voice was dangerous as Abraham started sweating, Ricky clamping down on his hand just in case.
"I might've also promised him in exchange for his help that I'd speak at their sermon later today." Abraham winced a little as Ricky's eyes lit up in anger.
"YOU WHAT!"
30 minutes later,
"Can you believe it, Slick? A man from the actual Vatican is going to speak at our church! I swear, all those mafiosos from the other families will be so jealous!" Lucky exclaimed from the front seat, his excitement palpable.
Ricky, however, kept a plain expression, while Abraham, seated beside him, quietly cleared his throat.
"It'll only be an hour at most-" Abraham attempted to downplay the gravity of the situation, but Ricky slowly turned to him, his expression serious.
"Do you really believe that?" Ricky asked with a ugly expression, twisting in anger as Abraham was caught in his lie.
Though Ricky was grateful for Lucky adopting him, one of the things he disliked the most was having to spend his Sundays, and sometimes Saturdays, at church.
Especially those damn sermons they give.
These weren't the typical 1-2 hour sermons; they could last 3-4 hours on a good day and Ricky had once endured a full eight-hour sermon in their church.
Every Sunday, sixty percent of the time was focused on God, but the other forty percent revolved around networking and building connections through faith, a tradition within the Luciano family.
While other families had adopted similar practices, Lucky was adamant about his family attending church on either Saturday or Sunday.
Arriving at the church, Lucky was greeted by a group of his own members as he raised an eyebrow, expecting to deliver the good news to them, but it seemed as though he was about to hear something instead.
"Boss, boss!" Johnny rushed forward right as Lucky exited the car and raised an eyebrow.
"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Lucky asked Johnny who was literally jumping up and down.
"I ran into a priest, Father Sebastion, and he's offered to speak at our sermon today!" Johnny said though Lucky was still wondering why he should be excited.
"But not only that, he's from the Vatican, he's a priest from the Vatican!" Johnny practically screamed, making Lucky widen his eyes before letting out a boisterous laughter.
"I gotta leave." Abraham froze and muttered to Ricky who side-eyed him.
"What do you mean-" Ricky whispered to the side, his voice low and threatening, as Abraham began to sweat profusely.
"I got to scram before he catches me-" Abraham was genuinely fearful, which made Ricky a bit uneasy until the old man suddenly froze.
"Abraham, how nice it is to see you on this fine Saturday."
Just as Abraham began to turn around, Father Sebastian's voice halted him, slowly turning around to see a man of the cloth.
The priest descended the steps of the grand cathedral behind him with deliberate, measured steps.
"Father, it is an honor to meet you." Lucky knelt on one knee as Father Sebastian smiled and extended his hand, showcasing his ring of proof to which Lucky promptly kissed the ring in a gesture of respect.
"My son, do not kneel for a mere voice of the church; that honor should be reserved for our Lord," Father Sebastian said with a warm smile as he helped Lucky up.
Lucky, grateful for such grace, looked up at him with appreciation which made Ricky feel incredibly weirded out.
"Y-Yes father." Lucky actually stuttered which shocked Ricky to his core since he's never seen his pop's nervous, literally ever.
"Would it be alright if I spoke to my fellow servant of God for a moment?" Father Sebastian asked, guiding Lucky's gaze to a defeated Abraham as the latter nodded almost immediately in agreement.
"Of course, Father. Everyone, get your butts in the church!" Lucky issued the order without hesitation, and all the members of the Luciano family, who had been waiting for the service to start, quickly bolted inside at their boss's command.
"Slick let's go-" Lucky quickly gestured towards him only for Ricky to shake his head.
"Actually pops, I'm needed here." Ricky informed Lucky who was about to become livid in anger before seeing Abraham nod his head in agreement.
"Ah, I see." Lucky, seeing a chance for Ricky to make a connection with people from the Vatican, didn't hesitate to leave him alone and enter the grandiose church.
"Abraham, why did you involve a child? What is wrong with you?" Father Sebastion immediately started looking after Ricky, blaming Abraham almost instinctively.
"Father, it's nice to meet you." Ricky was respectful and did as his father, kissing the ring to which made Father Sebastion smile before tilting his head.
"I know this might be a presumptuous question, but have we met before?" Father Sebastian inquired, noting that Ricky looked oddly familiar but unable to place why.
Abraham nodded from the side, having thought he was going crazy, as Ricky gave him a major sense of déjà vu.
"I don't think so, father." Ricky pondered the thought, though his memory wasn't the sharpest.
Father Sebastian squinted, rubbing his chin in contemplation, before finally shrugging it off.
"Anyways child, do not listen to this stubborn fool's ramblings and go find a place with your father." Father Sebastion tried to guide him into the church but Ricky shook his head.
"Father, I apologize but I cannot." Ricky spoke up, catching Father Sebastian off guard with his unexpected response.
"May I know the reason for this, my child?" Father Sebastian genuinely asked, aware that this conversation was not suitable for a child.
"Because I have been chosen by God to help you on this adventure," Ricky declared boldly in a slightly cheesy way which made Abraham scoff, and Father Sebastian flinched at the unexpected claim.
"Kid, those powers wouldn't make you blessed by god." Abraham pointed his flask at Ricky, and Father Sebastian nodded in acknowledgment.
"Child, please be careful with your words. To be chosen by God means to hold an object sent from the heavens." Father Sebastian informed Ricky while quietly blessing him, ensuring he wouldn't be punished for any slip-ups.
'Sh*t.' Rick thought inwardly since he was going to paint his powers as a blessing but didn't know he needed an object.
Slightly panicking at his chance to get in this priest's good graces, he scanned through his inventory to see anything that might be able to pass off as an object sent by the heavens.
'Would this work?'
"Is this suitable?" Ricky pretended to reach into his coat pockets as he pulled out the rare item he obtained long ago.
(Rare Item) Cross Necklace: A aura of pure holiness repluses from this cross which makes an unholy being in the area unable to look you in the eye when adorned.
*GASP*
Father Sebastian gasped in complete and utter shock, his eyes fixed on the cross necklace dangling in front of him.
His shaky hands instinctively reached out for the necklace, which seemed to radiate with holy power.
"Oh you've got to be sh*tting me." Abraham's jaw dropped as he gazed at the object, sensing the genuine holy power emanating from it.
"I-I apologize child for doubting you, may I?" Father Sebastion pointed at the necklace as Ricky nodded and handed it to him.
"Seb, the kid's bullsh*tting yo-" Abraham quickly attempted to dissuade Father Sebastian from any bold notions, but the priest jerked his head to the side, signaling his refusal to be swayed.
"QUIET!" Father Sebastian yelled out, causing Abraham to shrink back, as he rarely ever saw the priest snap in such a manner.
Father Sebastian took out a golden magnifying glass and exhaled a cold breath.
As he peered through it, small inscriptions, the source of the holy power, began to etch themselves into his subconscious.
'Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.' - John 3:20-21
"Child, do you know the effects that this necklace possesses?" Father Sebastian looked up, and Ricky nodded while reading the description.
"The necklace makes any unholy being in the area unable to look you in the eye when adorned." Ricky read the second half of the description, Abraham widening his eyes as he snatched the necklace for Father Sebastion's hand
"Is this necklace that important?" Ricky inquired rather lacklusterly, scratching his head as both of them nodded their heads heavily.
"Kid, when a high ranking vampire transforms into a human, it is almost impossible to discern them from a human but with this necklace-" Abraham was about to slobber over the necklace when Father Sebastian swiftly pushed him away.
"Child, I apologize for my words earlier, you must have been sent by the heavens to ensure our success on this tireless crusade." Father Sebastion rested a hand on his shoulder as Ricky widened his eyes.
'Well that worked out, I guess even the most useless items to me means a lot to another.' Ricky was taken aback; he had never imagined that something he considered useless would be another person's treasure.
But now, he realized that it could be.
"We need to go now-" Abraham immediately tried to run away, yet, Father Sebastion yanked his collar back.
"Unfortunately we cannot." Father Sebastion shook his head at Abrham's hurriedness.
"But why not Seb-" Abraham was utterly confused, as this seemed like the perfect opportunity to begin.
"Because we both made promises to speak at these sermons." Father Sebastion walked back to the church as the two of them were now slack jawed.
"You're kidding."
3 hours later,
"He really wasn't kidding." Ricky fell back in his seat, surprised that Lucky didn't even spare a second to correct him.
Like the rest of the Luciano family, he was enthralled with the sermon Father Sebastian was giving.
"Psst, Slick." Jake whispered to Ricky, who turned to see him near the back.
Ricky then looked back at Lucky and slipped out of his seat since hsi pop's was utterly focused on Father Sebastion.
Tiptoeing towards the back, he met up with Jake with two more figures appearing once he turned the corner.
"Chores, Barko?" RIcky raised an eyebrow after identifying the figures as they both nodded to him.
"What are you guys doing here-" Ricky scratched his head, puzzled that they weren't part of the family and shouldn't be at the service as he struggled to comprehend that people actually willingly attended church.
"Did you think I'd let you go to that wearhouse again without backup?" Jake nudged Ricky who showed an apprehensive expression.
"Jake those-"
"Ricky, I know you think of me and maybe those two as baggage, but at least let us get your back." Jake basically pleaded though Ricky was still hesitant.
"Only when your friends prove themselves in the heat of battle do they become one's comrades." The words of Alexander seemingly rang in his ears before he saw the stares of three turn to his shoulder.
"When did you get here?" Ricky turned his gaze to his shoulder to see Alexander on his shoulder whispering in his ears as the gerbil flinched, realizing it wasn't a distant memory but the little rodent himself.
"Chester was feeling tired from using the thing he calls 'Chakra' and I-.......I didn't want to be left out of the upcoming battle." Alexander first started to explain but once he saw that Ricky wasn't believing his BS, did he finally confess.
"Fine but you stay by my side." Ricky pointed, and they all nodded in agreement as Chores clenched his fists.
His heart was still plagued with guilt and sorrow; he might be very competent in the area of fighting, but his only way of unleashing this was by using his fists.
"Meet me after they finish that absurdly long sermon, got it?" Ricky gestured to the three who promptly nodded along.
"Got it."
2 hours later,
"It's a bad idea Slick." Abraham pointed to the three individuals next to him, and Ricky shrugged in response.
"Well unlike you, I actually have friends." Ricky mocked Abraham, who began to retort but fell silent as he realized the truth in Ricky's words.
"Shut up." Abraham scoffed, unable to find anything to say and walked away.
To the side, Father Sebastion was graciously talking with Lucky who was enthusiastic the entire time.
"Aye Slick." Lucky pulled him to the side once they were finished conversing.
"Listen dumbass, this is your chance to make good with the church so don't f*ck it up." Lucky whispered in a dangerous tone while poking his chest as he nodded.
"So when you show Father Sebastion around the city, you better not insult his holiness." Lucky spoke up as Ricky finally grasped what Father Sebastian had explained to him.
"Alright, I won't." Ricky nodded in understanding, but Lucky continued to stare at him for a long time before eventually nodding in agreement.
"Good, now while you do that I'm going to spread this fact to anyone who ain't deaf." Lucky patted Ricky on the shoulder and walked away towards the crowd of the Luciano family, who were watching Ricky interact with the priest with a mix of curiosity and friendliness.
"Now child, shall we depart in order to exorcise those monsters from god's plain?" Father Sebastion patted Ricky's shoulder, leading him forward.
"Of course Father."
Then out of the shocked eyes of the Luciano family, Ricky and the father walked toe in tow out of the back of the church as Lucky smirked.
"Lucky, what was that all about?" Genovese, Lucky's underboss, asked with clear jealousy in the corners of his eyes.
"My boy evidently caught the eye of that Vatican official, Father Sebastion, so he decided to show them around before they take care of Vatican business." Lucky said loud enough so that the surrounding men could hear.
"L-Lucky isn't that a little too presumptuous-" Genovese tried to simplify his words, only for the other members to flock to them like birds.
"Do you think he'd pay a visit to Eddy, Lucky?" Frank asked, pushing the jealous Genovese out of the way.
"What do you think made Slick catch the father's eyes?" Johnny then asked, pushing Genovese even further out of the way.
"Hey Boss-"
"Boss did he-"
Numerous questions poured out after Frank's enthusiastic request while Genovese, the underboss of the family and holding the second rank, was pushed to the side even by mere grunts, until he stood alone at the side.
'I don't know why all these guys are so taken with Slick, he ain't that special.' Genovese stewed inside as a seed of jealousy was slowly planted within him.
Meanwhile at the warehouse,
Seven of them packed into the van from earlier, making sure there was enough room for everyone, before arriving at the entrance of the evacuated tomb.
"Oh by the travesty of god." Father Sebastian covered his mouth in horror at the unholy sight that greeted him in the excavated tomb.
The bodies of men, worked to their very bones, littered the surroundings, and Father Sebastian's heart ached at the sight.
"Oh lord, please bless these children whose fate fell to those wicked creatures' desires-'' Father Sebastian began to pray, while Abraham surveyed the tomb, his attention drawn to the faint prints on the ground.
"Those monsters probably are using those captured humans as fodder to escape the traps." Abraham took a guess, and Ricky scanned the surroundings before nodding in agreement.
"Alright Jake, Chores, and Barko, get our back while we head into the tomb." Ricky issued the order, and the three of them nodded in response.
Jake loaded his tommy gun clipped specially blessed by Father Sebastion, Barko got perked up his ears to hear any and every sound in the premises, and Chores cracked his bare knuckles.
"Hey Chores." Ricky, seeing this, pulled out the brass knuckles he received all those years ago and threw it to him as he caught it.
"But these-........I see" Chores was about to retort until he noticed the brass knuckles seemingly expanding to fit his fist as he didn't question it and simply slid them onto his right hand.
Ricky then drew his bow and brandished his newly acquired quiver, which immediately caught Abraham's attention who scrutinized him with suspicion.
"Where did you-
"Nevermind logic, let's go kill this f*cking vampire."
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