The cathedral in the Order's HQ was smaller than Cormack was used to, but when he entered it, he still bowed his head in reverence and approached the giant altar with the crucified Christ hanging over the pulpit. He made the cross over his heart and muttered a quiet prayer in Latin for his transgressions. Keeping his head bowed and sinking to his knees, he whispered odd words in English instead of his usual Latin.

"Father, hear me. I, Cormack, have come here not to ask for forgiveness for what I have done, but for what I will do. This place... This Order... It is my chosen path. From my course I will not turn, and it is with the Order that my fate will be sealed. Whether you damn me for this or praise me, my choice has been made. Mutants will rise to their rightful place, and I will not stand back and let the sapiens commence another war or genocide against us. I will kill, Father, and I will not stop until I am dead or my brothers and sisters have achieved our goals. This is the last time I will ever confess to you. I pray, that in all of your wisdom and understanding, that you do not judge me too harshly. Remember, Lord, that it was the human race that began this conflict... But the mutants will end it. E nomine Patris, et Philii, et spiritus sancti, Amen."

Rising from his kneeling position, Cormack made one last cross over his heart and kept his eyes trained on the image of Christ. His expression was stern and unmoving, and he stood as still as a statue as he listened to the distant noises in the Cathedral, feeling his blood pump through his veins. Somewhere in the house, someone had just turned on the fireplace...

Isabel had been dozing in one of the several pews lined up on either side of the cathedral when the young man had entered and made his way to the altar. She'd drifted into the sanctuary within the Sanctuary for a little quiet. This room in particular didn't seem to see a whole lot of visitors, and as such it was a perfect place to nap. Or it had been, until someone decided to take a detour and plop down to chat with the statues.

With a sigh she rubbed at her eyes and sat up in the pew. She stretched and shifted herself to face the back of the Cathedral, propping her chin up in one hand as she quietly watched the unknown individual in the act of prayer. It was always kind of strange seeing people pray to their various deities. However, this particular exchange was a bit stranger than any she'd observed before.

The man was admitting that he was planning on killing. Didn't people usually get a slap on the wrist and a threat of eternal damnation for killing? Personally she thought it was a little silly, but for someone that actually was devout, it was supposed to be a big no-no, so why risk it? There was also the mention of her beloved Faction, the Order. Had people been recruiting and she hadn't been told? She would just have to find out.

Casually she rose and sauntered her way up to where the young man had also stood. "You know, the decorations don't make a habit out of talking back," she commented, nonchalantly hoisting herself up to take a seat on the altar, one ankle crossing over the other as her hands rested on the cold marble beneath her.

"I must say though, -Cormack, was it?- that I like your attitude," she said, her legs beginning to swing slightly. "I don't know if anybody up there is big on forgiveness, or if it even gives a care," she continued, giving a bob of her head toward the image of the cross as she spoke, " but keep it up and you'll find yourself plenty of praise in this place." A small grin spread across her face as she took in the young man's appearance. It was about time they got some fresh faces around the Sanctuary. "I'm Isabel."

"Thank you for your kind words, Miss Isabel." Cormack said politely as he turned to face her. Noting her appearance, he simply nodded and added,
"The creator speaks not through words, but through intentions. I do not believe in many things, but the Almighty is one thing that I do not dispute."

Smiling at her with the sort of expression held for business meetings, he gestured to her.
"You might be wondering why I am here. I heard about your... organization through the news. You attract quite a bit of attention, but then again... Every revolutionist with the power to effect change always does draw a crowd. Anyway, I am here to join you- your cause, more specifically. I have talents that you may find useful; I assure you, I am not some foolish sapien-lover, either. Needless to say, I think this conflict needs to be settled once and for all. My reasons will remain my own, for the time being, if that is fine with you."

He clasped his hands behind his back and waited for her to respond, wondering who this Isabel person was. Was she a high-ranking member of the Order? Did she have the power to recruit him? Would she turn him away, even?

Isabel arched a brow quizzically at the young man's explanation of the Almighty's method of replying to his followers. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to her, but then again, religion as a whole never really had. "Suit yourself, then," she said, giving a somewhat dismissive shrug and leaning back a little. She personally wouldn't rely too much on some higher being to help her get things done. She'd been doing just fine so far on her own.

She let he thoughts wander back to the conversation at hand as the religious individual offered an explanation as to why he was at the Sanctuary. She couldn't help but grin over the fact that they had attracted the attention of the media. The pesky news reporters never could seem to stay away, especially from their bigger brawls. Not that she really minded the attention. She didn't much care for news people, but she did like being admired for her handiwork.

Apparently he hadn't been recruited quite yet, but was instead rooting around to see if he could find someone to let him into the Order. That was just as well. She enjoyed recruiting. "Well, you certainly sound like Order material, but what exactly are your talents?" she asked, leaning forward a little in her curiosity. "Mind giving me a demonstration?"

Cormack watched the woman for a while before finally looking up at the crucifix. His eyes darkened as his mind went back to the last time he had ignited in a church, and then he shook his head to clear out the invasive thoughts. Nodding at Isabel, he simply held out his hand and raised his zippo lighter up to chest level with his left. Flicking it open and thumbing the wheel, a flame burst into life over the lighter and Cormack instantly felt the presence of the fire in his mind.

In an instant, the flame leapt across the space between his hands and hovered over his right palm, growing in intensity and heat. First it was a soft orange, then an angry crimson, then blue, and finally it turned white hot. As soon as it got hot enough, he willed it out of his hand and formed a gigantic fiery serpent that crept through the air as though it were alive. It got close to Isabel and opened its mouth, "hissing" at her. Then, the large snake morphed into a ball and floated up into the air, far from Cormack and Isabel. Though he could survive the heat and the flames, he doubted she would be so lucky.

The miniature sun grew to colossal proportions and was even complete with its own flares, and finally, Cormack drew it back to himself while shrinking it down to his size. Before he even explained it, he grasped the "sun" in the palm of his hand and clenched his fist, extinguishing it just as quickly as he had formed it.

"That is my talent, Miss Isabel. I trust that was satisfactory?"

Watching intently as he pulled something from his pocket, Isabel's brow knit in interest as he produced a lighter and then from that a flame. Once he transferred it from its source to his palm, she began to understand exactly what kind of talent it was that he possessed as the flame began to circulate through its colors according to how hot it grew. What she hadn't quite counted on was the show that followed.

The serpent was impressive, and something she'd never seen before. She watched wide-eyed as it began to move with amazing life-like gestures. She instinctively scooted back a little as it approached her and stopped at a somewhat uncomfortable distance, her arms reflexively raising to about chest level as if they'd be able to defend her if needed as the flaming beast let out a hiss. She could feel the heat against her exposed skin, the sensation only seeming to grow stronger as the flame's shape shifted yet again.

Her muscles relaxed some as the fame moved away, and the heat dissipated a little as a result. The final display fully captured and held her attention, her mouth dropping open just slightly as he gaze followed the flaring orb while it hovered, shrank, and then returned to and was subsequently extinguished by its manipulator.

It took a brief moment before her attention could shift itself away from the closed hand and back to the face of the young man as he spoke up once again. "It certainly was. Very impressive. We haven't had a fire manipulator in our little family yet," she replied, removing herself from the altar so she could stand instead and offered her hand. "Welcome aboard, Cormack. I'll speak with Lori, our Leader, about finalizing your membership."

"Ah, good. I'm glad you approve. Now, as to my membership. Typically, one is required to submit some test to join an organization like this. Will you be needing me to inflict any gratuitous violence on unwary homo sapiens or would it be more subtle, like making the mayor's cigar explode in his mouth and incinerate the bottom half of his face?" He smirked, thinking about what the Order could possibly request, since he'd probably done it before during his time as a mercenary. Sometimes, people just wouldn't quite understand the phrase, "Pay up" when it was presented to them.

Cormack was very good at reminding them of the definition.

"If not, then I'm plenty ready to do whatever else you have in mind. As my superior, you point at it, I kill it, torch it, or otherwise maim, destroy, or brutalize it. I think you get my point, though. Aye, Miss Isabel?"