NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: I want to make this a short RP. No godmodding, but I want it short, like an example of a normal war RP.

Naharank, Itchya Forest

Droplets lifted off from the leaves, dew splashing quietly down into the small trickling creek, fish still swimming in pain as the yellowish water made it's way downstream. As the nearby hounds listen carefully, a tiny slit of a noise slatted it's ear, and a blade of steel had penetrated it's neck. The owner of the knife, a powerfully built man, pocketed his knife, and continued forwards, his gun still tucked safely in his jacket, a patrol of men following him behind.

All the men behind him were clad in the same uniforms; a small set of greaves for the hands, rigid and strong, as long green sleeves ran its way up to soft leather shoulder pads, still resilient despite the foggy and damp air. Mosquitoes, black flies, and many abundance of Jenrakian fire flies, all buzzing around, were curious in the arrival of these newcomers, with red splashed symbols on their backs, black carved tattoos protruding from their legs. Occasionally, a foolish soldier stumbled, left behind by the rest, left to rot in the mazelike forest. But quiet and swift they still were.

Finally, after an arduous march, they reached the edge of the forest, and a small valley overlooked showed a small watchtower, barely high enough to crevasse past the stony and straight cliff walls. Dust billowed around, as holes in the ground near the tower were seen, as if some special defense. It was merely windows, and they knew. The large man drew his knife, aimed it ready, and turned off the safe trigger for his gun, waiting for the perfect moment to fire. There, he saw it; a glint of shining light, and he took his chance. “Company 1 and 2, follow me.” He ordered to his men behind him, as they nodded in agreed stature, and walked in complete mimicry of their leader. Truly these were disciplined soldiers.

Yes however, as they reached the beginning of the cliff wall, a rock nearby was splattered with blood, and the victim fell hard against the wall, picking up dust as it flew in patches, exposing the team’s location. “Shit. Get his body out of here.” He commanded. Another heaping thump was heard, and the body fell down quickly, rolling and scraping whilst it smashed into a boulder, and blood trickled softly down the face, the skull crushed. But it was in vain.

Another person fell, and another, and another. One body was easily enough to discard, but three was insane. The leader, with his quick thinking, yelled to his men as fast as he could, without regards for stealth no longer. “Run!” He burst, but as they fled as fast as they could, another shot picked them off from an incredible distance. “What the hell is shooting us?” He tried to look at the tower, but when he turned around, the men beside him fell quickly.

From the tower, Nahk stood there, rooted to the spot, watching, gazing, looking carefully into his scope at the fleeing enemies. With his rifle, he pulled the trigger he moment it made contact, and then he switched automatically to another target. Another swift press, and that man fell down into a heaping corpse. Yelling from the distance was heard, and the men began to run for it. Reloading his sniper rifle quickly, Nahk then pulled up his arm with a straight manner, and with another pull of the trigger, another soldier fell quickly. “7 dead.” He murmured to himself. “4 More to go.” Where he pulled the trigger again, and the powerfully built man fell down, off the edge of the cliff and into the watery abyss.

Sasz Kerenuk

A bolting rocket flew past the two, as Ashili and Saerus, swords drawn, stood in the trench, gazing up at the flying shrapnel and the bullets flying around. It was a complete surprise to them, an unprecedented attack that caught their patrolling off guard, and it took the toll heavily as well. Nearby bunkers saved the lives of the few who did not die in the beginning onslaught, but after that they were chiseled away slowly by rockets. Ashili motioned her head up towards the pounding of the tanks that could be heard. “They have armors.” She spoke still with a tone of elegance.

Saerus did not change his expression. His face blank and without any signs of emotion. “That is to be expected.” He spoke, sheathing his sword, and taking out his rocket launcher. He filled the cavernous ammo socket with a single rocket, and he ran up the trench, and waited patiently. Another barrage nearly hit him, and also nearly concussed the rocket, but luckily it never did. “This is Saerus Annirak. Demanding an aerial bombardment at Sasz Kerenuk.”

He heard the small static, and then a deafening silence overtook the field, while the machine gun fire stopped, the bullets stopped flying, the barrages stopped launching. It was a cold silence, only the airy feeling of the frozen wind was left, cold to the bloody wounds, frozen to the dripping saliva, but at the moment, Saerus took aim, and as the foolish enemy prepared to fire, he launched the rocket at the supply trucks. It looked foolish to many, but the impending explosion caused a desirable chain reaction, and fire blossomed over the plains of Sasz Kerenuk, lit ablaze in flames once more.

Turning on his back, a swift rocket shot from enemy forces took his attention, and he hastily stuffed another rocket down his launcher’s large throat, and he waited once more for the impending silence to conquer the field. Steel and bone littered the cracked ground, the newly grown grass afresh with blood. His soldiers, as ripped and torn bodies, were cut across the battlefields. Saerus, angry, but still detached towards his true goal, awaited. Then again, the silence came. He fired another volley, aimed at the center of the tank battalion, numbered around 4 tanks. A machine gun spotted him and let loose a blazing strew of rounds, and it was barely short of tearing his armor apart.

But then, at that misfortunate moment, another explosion, smaller and yet more disturbing, was heard in the trenches. Yells and cries were sounded, until a small slip of noise entered his ears. Turning around he crawled on the ground careful not to be seen again. The silence was now over once more, but it did not bode well for him. His arms cut, his armor smashed and his eyes in pain, Saerus dragged his exhausted body over, to find Ashili missing, and the scorch marks of a grenade that obviously flew around.

Haasdra, Arborgard’s Castle

“The castle has be breached? How.” Arborgard asked his guards, as they shook their heads in a nonsensical notion. “Tell me.”

“We don’t know, lord. We believe it is the waterways. There are not many guards there.” He spoke in fear.

“Fine.” Arborgard turned around, facing his massive throne, a silver and shining brass, skulls decorating it’s edges, as the grinding ends of the throne showed many depictions. There, hanging from the wall, was his swords, massive long blades that seemed edge like snakes, swift and quiet. “Show me the way to the breach.” He told his men, and they bowed lowly, turning around to show him the way.

A long walk down the tortured halls of vain, as the leering paintings laughed at his failure, Arborgard saw a smoking crate in the glistening marble floor of his castle. Windows pelted in the lights of the sun, as the door was smashed open, and red clad soldiers aimed their weapons at the king and his escort. The king, sheathing his blades, and taking out his own weapon, a long edged shotgun, attached to it’s end with a sharp bayonet, fired a devastating round, blasting the enemy as they fell back. Another foe turned from the end of the hallway, and Arborgard flicked the wheel of the gun and fired it at the foe.

A long smoking line had connected, and he turned the gun again, blocking the enemy’s silver sword attack from behind. Sweat pouring out vigorously from his hair, the King reached inside his sheaths, and slashed forwards his blade, cutting the pretentious foe in half, blood spilling out of his stomach as his wire like intestines sprayed out blood like a hose. The soldiers, quick to move, raised their shields against the flooding blood, and only a single drop touched Arborgard. He angrily flicked it off, his men watching in fright.

“Follow me, lord.” The man told him, as another battalion of troops blocked their way. “We’ll pick them off.” He told his men, but Arborgard lifted his hand, and shook his head.

“No, dear commander.” He swiveled his head to his right, punched the wall, and waited. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen, as if the dramatic essence was all that he had created, but then, instantaneously, the paintings opened, and a long vicious snake, the boa-like Skriemmen, emerged from it’s hole, and began to devour the men, as they frantically tried to pierce it’s armor with their underdeveloped weapons. In vain, the skriemmen was able to rip apart the tearing company, and it looked gapingly at Arborgard as he stood there, where it finally crawled slowly back into the hole.

“What was that, my king?” The commander asked.

“That, commander, was my birthday present.” He sneered.

Edward Darkholme, the husband of Ashili, was visiting his wife and his two young children. 5,000 Blood Wolves were with him in Jenrak. Each one had an AR-22 heavy assault rifle, a PHX Hi-Power 10mm pistol and set of Transylvanian Body Armor in brick red and black. He was in the kid’s room, playing with them. His father would arrive in a day or so.

OOC: Sorry for the little post but I can think what to RP.

"Learn to treat a lady nicely." Ashili spoke to her captors, blood dripping deftly from her blade, as the corpses laid there gashed and tortured, and the soft red liquid trickled from her mouth, licking her lips hungrily. "This has enough." She spoke, and headed towards the nearest city, speaking loudly into her communicators.

"This is Matriarch Ashili Evergone. Any close command respond." She spoke, before hearing a familiar, yet angry voice on the communications.

"Ashili? Where the fuck have you been?" Saerus' voice rumbled.

"Learn to behave, little boy. I'm all right."

"You won't know what Nahk would do to me if I let you out of my sight."

"Hey, Saerus, who is of higher military rank."

"...you are."

"And who has taken full responsibility of this patrol?"

"...you did."

"Yeah. So stop being an asshole and send me a transport before I starve to death. I'm hungry, you know."

"Fine. Where are you?"

"Don't know. It's a bit windy, and there are jagged rocks everywhere, enough to kill you."

"That's Ssessloth."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm pretty damn sure it's Ssessloth. No other province is like that."

"What about Naharank? Could it be that?"

"No, then Nahk would have picked up your transmission."

"Indeed. I would have obliged to not have been picked up by Mr. Roboto himself."

Saerus chuckled. "What's your longitude and latitude?"

"Ssessloth is a small province. You'll find me easily. Especially in my red dress."

"What? You've changed clothes?"

"No. They're covered in blood."

"Oh. Okay, I'll send over a battallion to find you."

"Hurry up Saerus." And with that, she closed her communicator, and wandered off in Ssessloth, hoping to find anybody to get help from.

Meanwhile, in eastern Naharank

"You got the weapons?" A tall and shady man, black eyed and shifty spoke, beneath a large shirt, and a heavily reinforced armour. "We need them soon." A knock was on the door, at the gloomy warehouse they hid at. Knock Knock. "Who's that?" The man opened it marginally, peering at the man, a tall and covered man, with a soft voice and a plenty amount of cuts scraping down his arms and leg, blood and scabs still afresh.

"Can I help you?" The man asked. The man did not reply. "Can I help you?" But then, a voice from inside the warehouse yelled at him.

"Just leave the guy and close the door. Probably just some prank, man." It said.

Obediently, the man begna to close the door, but a long twisted metal finger perched it's way around the wood, and the man fell back in fright. Walking into the light of the damp warehouse, a tall man stood, half man, half machine, carrying a long steel sword in his hand, and encased in a certain expression.

"Shit. It's the Patriarch." The man stood up to beg for his life, but the blade swung down, and it separated the head from it's shoulders, the body dropping down heavily with pulse onto the ground.

"Kill him!" A voice echoed in the distance, the darkness. Soldiers burst through the doors, and stood behind Nahk, guarding his back.

Then, a weak battallion of arms dealers, carrying high profile machine guns, sleek and silver, aimed at Nahk, and before they pulled it's trigger, the soldiers behind Nahk let loose a volley of fire, engulfing the foe in bullets. Nahk stood forwards, took out his shield, and his sword, and slashed the last foe himself, before smashing the nearby boxes open to raid the weapons.

"We will take their weapons, and use them against them." He smiled, as Nahk's men laughed.

Ron Hoover sweatily looked up at the tall, muscular man holding a knife over him, he was tied to a chair in some dark, abandoned building, and looked to have no hope of rescue.

"You failed to bring us the weapons, Mr. Hoover."

"L-look...its like I told ya, man, some metal guy hit the stash that just came in!"

"And what of the troops we gave you, Mr. Hoover?"

"They were all killed before we even got there...look man, there was nothing I could do!"

"What of the other dealers?"

"All dead...they got the weapons to, from what I could see."

"Very well, Mr. Hoover. I think thats all we'll be needing from our Laskonian "diplomats." He sneered, sheathing the knife.

The muscular man walked out of the metal shack and slammed the door, leaving Ron in complete darkness.

"No! Come on man...you gotta see...wasn't my fault! Couldn't have done nuthin, I tell ya..."

But all that answered him was silence, he slumped down as best he could with his hands tied behind a chair, and sobbed.

In kid’s room, Edward watched over his two children. These are his first children and they are twins. Farkas Darkholme, his son, and Akila Darkholme, his daughter, was their names. Because of Ashili being a hybrid vampire and Edward bring born a vampire, the twins were close to a daywalker vampire.

The children had light brown hair and the eyes of their mother. Farkas looks up at his father and out comes “Mommy?”

“She is off patrolling in Sasz Kerenuk.” said Edward. “Now, play with your toys.” Farkas went back to his toys.

Damn it, Ashili, you’re a commander. Why do you do these damn mission? Edward asked himself in his head.

Observing the weapons carefully, Nahk spoke with a brisk tone. "Lightweight, strong. Foreign design. But from where?" He queered up. "I can't place my finger on it." With that, he took out his shield, and smash it into the gun, spraying bullets as it bursted into shrapnel, a small piece lodged into Nahk's leg. "I need a medic." He commanded calmly.

Sessloth, Anishma Village

A woman peddled on the ground carefully, as the waried and tiresome Ashili crawled faintly on the ground, her throat in ripping pain, her head in bursting fragments of horror, as she was in such a state of dehydration, she had difficulty exhalting the tears that would burst from her eyes, if she were to cry in such a desperate pain. "Help me, somebody." She spoke to herself, as the nearby peddler saw her limp body, and rushed towards to give her some water.

"Drink it dear." She shoved it into her hands, as Ashili softly took it and drank.

"Thank you, ma'am." She spoke, her eyes opened, focusing faintly.

"Can you stand up?" The peddler asked.

"I think so." Ashili replied.

Several miles off the coast of Jenrak, well into international waters, a newly made Laskonian Invincible-class aircraft carrier was making its maiden voyage to test its new technology. Onboard, a Merlin HM MK I helicoptor was preparing for takeoff, made to look like a routine test flight,several large bags draped in black cloth were deposited into a cargo hatch in the back, four men heavily clad in fatigues and body armor hustled onto the coptor as well, shutting the doors swiftly behind them. The helicoptor took off, and moved steadily towards Jenrak.

Part of the new technology of the Laskonian Merlin was taking out its usual payload and equipment to launch torpedoes, instead, a radar jamming device was put in, though it was yet to be tested, the scientists aboard the vessal were sure it could make the trip, drop the marines and their cargo off, and get back into international waters before the Jenrak military decided to send any planes out to track it. Or so they hoped.

The Merlin finally made it to the beach, the marines dropped from 10 down onto the sand, where the cargo landed next with a heavy thud. The pilot gave the thumbs up and began to make his dangerous journey back to the boat, he knew if it was tracked, he'd have to ditch the coptor to protect its destination and equipment, he himself would probably die of hypothermia long before the cruiser would dare to send a rescue party.

Two of the marines carried M-16 A-2s, with silencers, and scopes. One took point while the other covered the rear. The other two had grabbed the four bags, two each, and were dragging them across the sand towards the nearby tree line.

Using a modified B-69 Skymaster Stealth Bomber that was turned into a transport plane, a squad of 50 Shadow Foxes waited in holding bay. Major Max Kane would lead these men in Jenrak. Max was not just a normal human, he is a mutant. He had the power to teleport by propelling himself out of synch with reality and then realigning with our plane of existence at a different point of space. He had blonde hair and green hair. He had a muscled build and tattoo of rampaging wolf on his right arm.

Each Shadow Fox had an AR-66 silent assault rifle, an H&K SOCOM pistol, and a set of Transylvanian Body Armor in dim gray and stale gray.

The Skymaster would get them over the land that Ashili’s castle sat on and they would jump out.

----

Three hours later, the Skymaster was over its target. The Shadow Foxes exited the plane and opened their parachutes at 5,000 feet. They land on the ground about ten minutes later. They head towards Ashili’s castle.

Southern coasts, the Golden Ravine edges

Two soldiers patrolled tenaciously the nearby streams, but they were intrigued at the brief thud that seemed to pound within their ears. One of them, picking up a communicator, spoke into his radio quickly. "This is number 334 in sector 12, something is near the beach. Calling for reinforcements to investigate." He queried, before he and his partner edged carefully towards the beach, rifles up and watching carefully around.

Meanwhile, in Anishma

"Thank you, ma'am." Ashili spoke, her voice full and plentiful, as she stood up. "I thank you."

"You look like you're waiting for someone, my dear. Who is it?" The peddler asked.

"A friend of mine." She told her host, as the old woman stood up from her carpet to make some tea. "He will be here soon."

"Well, just wait patiently. Anishma's been dry on stockpiles for a while now. The Gold Patriarch Saerus has been shipping in supplies, such a kind boy he is." She smiled.

Ashili chuckled softly. To her, Saerus was like a bratty brother. It seemed odd to hear someone praise Saerus as a noble, valiant warrior. But then again, she did remember Saerus and his part during the first Jenrakian civil war.

Whirring of copters were heard outside, as a group of choppers landed in Anishma's square. Walking out from the forefront, was Saerus, in a long billowing cloak, barely concealing the heavy pale gold plated armor he wore.

Opening the door, he nodded his head to Ashili. "Come on, Ashili. Let's go."

As Ashili followed, the old peddler was shocked. "I talked to the leading female general in the Jenrakian army! I can't believe it!"

"How come you tracked me down so quickly?" Ashili asked, as she got on the sleek black chopper.

"I tracked your cellphone." Saerus spoke loudly, as he followed her, and the door closed, and the helicopters rose, flying toward's Ashili's castle.

In Ashili’s office, Edward was meeting with Major Max Kane. I hope Ashili does not care that we are in her. Edward asked himself.

“Okay, Major Kane, you and your men will find the leaders or commanders of the rebel forces.” said Edward. “Then killed them.”

“Yes, my prince.” said Major Kane. “When do you need us?”

“Any time.” said Edward. “Now, do what you were trained to do.”

“Yes, my prince.” said Major Kane. Major Kane left the room. The Shadow Foxes would leave in the cover of the night to find their targets...

A small, stintly shaped man, riding gracefully in his long powerful car, glided down the endless highway as he was stuck in another traffic jam in Haasdra. "Damn city!" He spoke, impatient with the obvious problems in the city. Honking his horn, he yelled loudly; "Move!"

Ashili's castle

Ashili and Saerus exited the helicopter as they reached the massive iron gates, and with a spread out palm, her hand was scanned thoroughly, before the gates opened up at her throng, and it closed when she and Saerus were inside the castle.

The Shadow Foxes were on the move to Haasdra, where one of their targets was at. They used black trucks and vans to get to Haasdra. Each vehicle had tinted windows. The Shadow Foxes had light gray dusters over their body armor, their helmets were hided in back of the vehicles. It would take a few days to get there.

----

Edward was at the front door of castle with both of his children behind him.

Six bullets flew out of the rear man's M-16, three for each soldier he had seen following them, two in the chest, one in the head.

He whispered quickly to one of the soldiers dragging the bags, he whispered to the next one, and he whispered to the point man.

"Sir, two soldiers were just spotted and taken out by Jack. He saw them speak into a communicator."

"Then we need to move."

Staff Sergeant Jack Rawl had grabbed the bodies of the two soldiers, and had dragged them into a crevice by the rocks.

"Bodies secure, Major."

"Good. We've reached the tree line. Our contacts should be here soon, but if they aren't, we'll need to move."

"Roger."

Jack turned off his walkie talkie and strapped his M-16 behind his back, then moving towards the trees. He knew they couldn't stick around for long, especially if reinforcements for those two guards were coming...

The Major was speaking hurridly into a radio, trying to use the contact signal givin to them by the rebels they were supplying, but it was quiet, so far.

"Any chance they whigged out?"

"We put to much on this, unless something really bad went down, they'll be here."

He sighed and sat down next to a tree.

"Are the weapons secure?"

Jack zipped open on of the bags and took out a XM29, checking the magazine and grenade clip, he went through this process with the two bags of guns, then the two bags of ammo.

"They're all good, sir."

The Major hunkered down and zipped up his jacket, turning and nodding to the other two troops, who set up positions around the area, securing it with claymores.

"Wake me up if anyone calls on the radio..."

Ashili's Castle

In a wide smile, Ashili walked up to Edward and her children, kissed them all, and hugged Edward. Pulling back, she asked him with a certain gleam of joy, "How are you?"

Saerus was surprised. He wasn't good with children. Especially Ashili's children.

Golden Ravine, South

The Blue Patriarch, Azmta, awaited on his scout's words. "Damn it." He yelled, before throwing it into the trash can. "Lord Nahk will have my head. Send a squad of troops to figure out where they went." He commanded.

Meanwhile, in Archios...

"Laskon intruders, I have the money as planned. Meet me in Raunin, at Archios, just 78 miles south of your location. I will be carrying a red flag in my right pocket, and have a small note in my left hand." A mysterious voice spoke in the communicator on the fallen soldier's hand, hoping to catch Laskonian attention.

"Believe me, this war is from over." He said, with a chuckle.

OOC: I have to go to sleep...work starts in 4 hours...lol. So I'll see ya guys tommorrow. Just RP while I'm not here, like usual lol.

Jack was looking through the Jenrak soldiers equipment, picking out odd things he thought would make a nice addition to his personal collecting. Their communicator suddenly buzzed, he looked up hurridly to the Major, but he was still sleeping, he turned it on, and listened to the man's fuzzy voice giving instructions.

"Sir! Sir!"

The Major grunted and woke up, he looked perceptively around, but the woods were calm.

"What is it, Rawl?"

"I just got a message on the Jenrak soldier's communicators..."

After repeating the message to the major, he whistled, causing the other two soldiers to move into action, picking up the claymores, they packed up the weapons and looked to the Major.

"We got places to be gentlemen, and its not going to be a nice lovely walk through the woods."

"Where are we going, sir?"

"Raunin, Corporal, 78 miles south of our position. Supposedly, thats where our buyer is. But the plan stays the same."

"Yessir."

"Alright, I'll take point again, Rawl, you get the six."

"Aye, sir."

"Move out, marines."

“Fine, dear.” said Edward. He looked over at Saerus, “Saerus, it is good to see you again.” he said. A nanny took the two children up to their playroom, so the adults could talk.

“Now, what is going on?” asked Edward. “I have heard reports that Arborgard’s Castle was attacked.”

Ashili's Castle

Ashili had a look of concern on her face, and then a swift stroke of curiosity. "Really?" But a quick hand rose to stop her from asking anything else.

"Arborgard's castle was breached through the out layer by the river." Saerus spoke loudly.

"Are you sure?" Ashili turned to confirm him.

"I am. Around Haasdra, there are 7 Geysers that emit acid strong enough to chew through metal. Tey are situated in the north eastern and western parts of the fringe of the city." He took out a map, and unfolded it.

Moving his finger with speed, he pointed to another spot on the map. "Anti-Aircraft turrets and missiles line the island walls." Pointing to the Viraigius River, as a small island in the center of the city laid there. "Gattling and Machine Guns here are not simple minded weapons. They are the finest of our machine guns." Moving his finger, towards the river's mouth.

"Gas pipes regularly pump out venom through the pipes into the river, poisoning all divers that could be landable. While another wall blocks their view." It seemed as if he had rehearshed this, at the speed and clarity he spoke at.

"A mountain is lodged, and here is the tower of Zarazego, the all-seeing watchtower. It has a view length of a 125 Kilometre Radius. No one can hide. Here, are the passage ways, but they are blocked. The only way left is to enter through this doorway, built in the dungeon of the castle centuries ago." He finished dramatically.

"There is also another path. Serrin showed me." Ashili told the two, as a surprised Saerus handed her the map. "The archway of intent, it's called. It's a labyrinth. It was built 4 millenia ago, as the escape way of Arnalia. But no one should know about this. How would they...?"

Golden Ravine, near the dissappearance

Roaring of the scouts were flashed, with the bikes they were on running at full speed. Outside of a city, it is hard to hide in Jenrak. There were no forests in Jenrak, save for the southern regions, where bushy trees barely taller than a man stood, but everywhere else, it was mountainous, or dunes covered the golden riches hidden beneath. And now, a pair of soldiers, on long swift Lancer class bikes, were searching for the location of the dissappeared soldiers.

Ashili's Castle

“Somebody on the inside.” said Edward. “The same thing happened back in the Dominion. Maybe about ten years ago.”

“Ashili, you know how heavily guarded my Father’s land is.” he said. “Well ten years ago, it looked like the Transylvanian army got in rat into the Black Wolves.”

“That rat allowed over 5,000 Dominion soldiers in get in.” he said “A small force but they were Blood Wolves. Somehow, the battle started a Castle Von Wolf.”

“Meaning they cross over 40 miles without us knowing it.” said Edward. “The battle lasted maybe six hours. That pissed Father off.”

“So, he took it to the Council of Twelve.” he said. “They did not do anything about it. So, he found who control the rat. His good buddy, Count Dracula.”

“That is why Father took out the Council of Twelve the night we went on our honeymoon.” he finished.

"Really? That's interesting." Ashili said.

"Well, the only people who would, and or should, know about the labyrinth then would be us and Serrin. Oh, and Ferruga as well." He added casually.

The Major grunted as they crossed the numerous dunes of the land, he collapsed under a deep on and dragged his canteen to his lips, downing the water with a hungry look on his face.

The Corporal and Private who had been dragging the weapons had switched with the Major and Sergeant, but they had switched after about another 20 miles.

"Only 10 miles left, boys. Lets get a move on."

They had barely avoided the first patrols of bikes looking for the dead soldiers, but since they hadn't been looking for them at first, they would have taken a while to pick up their trail.

"Sir, I think our luck just ran out..."

The Major moved over to the dune that Jack was covering, he had his M-16 pointed towards the way they came.

"Two lancer bikes...they much have picked up our trail."

"Can you take them out from here."

"It'd be difficult, sir. And I don't even know if they know we're here, yet. We shouldn't reveal our position unless necessary."

"Whatever. Get one of the O.I.C.W.s, that way, you can use the grenade launcher if they get to close."

"Right, sir. I'll use it when their next to me."

The Major grinned.

"Good man. Corporal! Private! We're moving out. The Sergeant here is going to lead these guys tagging us on a little chase, then meet us up at the rendevous point."

The two troops nodded, and began moving out over the dunes.

"Good luck to ya, Jack."

"Aye, sir."

He hefted one of the XM29s, his M-16 now strung around his back, he loaded in a fresh round of grenades, and began moving away from the lancers, but in a different direction than the Major.

The Major quickly turned to follow the marines, strapping his own gun behind his back, to give him more manuverability.

“Dear, who is Ferruga?” asked Edward with quizzed looked on his face.

----

Meanwhile, the Shadow Foxes were on the move. They were 15 miles away from Ashili’s castle by now.

"Ferruga was Serrin's advisor. Nahk killed him for treason." Ashili spoke darkly.

“Think he could have gave the info about the other way in the castle to somebody before Nahk had him killed.” asked Edward. Why the Hell did I just say ‘Think he sold the info to somebody.’ he thought in his head.

Then the radio on his waist when off, “Prince Edward, I have just got word that the God-Emperor’s plane in coming.” said a Blood Wolf radio operator.

“Okay.” said Edward. “Where is he landing?”

“He is not landing with the plane.” said the radioman.

“What?” asked Edward.

“The plane is not a jet. It is a huge one.” said the radioman. “The one with that glider thing under it.”

“Oh…Okay, send a team to his landing spot.” ordered Edward.

“Yes, my Prince.” said the radioman. A squad of ten Blood Wolves with a flat bed truck and hummer started out of the castle’s wall.

----

In the sky above Jenrak, a plane marked with Timber Wolf Inc., a company owned by the Count, flew in the sky near Ashili’s castle. A black glider (http://www.cs.wpi.edu/~chenst/glider.jpg) sat on the bottom of the plane.

“My lord, we are near the target.” said the pilot.

“Okay, we drop in five.” said the Count. The countdown to five was fast. The black glider unlocked itself off of the bottom of the plane. In a few minutes, the glider was near the land. The Count found a nice clear spot to chase land in. “Shit this is going to hurt.” said the Count to himself. The glider hit the ground hard and started to spin. “I’m going to be sick.” said the Count as he try to control the spinning. It stopped spinning and slowed down to nothing. The Count looked around and saw that both wings were off the body.

He popped the cockpit canopy opened and hopped out. The Count was wearing his normal stuff; a dark blue shirt, black leather pants, a black leather duster with the Black Wolf’s symbol on the right upper sleeve, that C.S.A. belt buckle, and a black cowboy hat. He looked around and saw the truck and hummer coming to him. He looked unarmed but he was not. He had two Beretta 93R automatic pistols under his duster in shoulder hostlers and his samurai swords.

The hummer stopped near the Count, “Nice.” said the Count as he got in the back. The other Blood Wolves load the parts of the glider in back of the flatbed truck. Both vehicles head back to Ashili’s castle.

----

About ten minutes later, the vehicles rolled back into castle’s wall. The Count got out and headed inside.

Jack struggled up a sand dune and pulled out a pair of binoculars. From his vantage point, he had a clear view of the approaching dust clouds that meant the lancer bikes. He checked the grenade clip once more to be sure there would be no screw ups, and aimed carefully towards one of the dust clouds. Leading it for a while with the scope, he finally pulled the grenade trigger, sending the small fragmentation explosive into the cloud, spewing sand everywhere. He couldn't check the damage from here, he needed to move before they got a lock on his position, but he hoped and guessed he may have at least incapacitated one of them.

OOC:

I'm sure you know what an XM29 looks like, but here:

http://image2.sina.com.cn/dy/w/2003-11-09/1_1-1-23-275_200311093629.jpg

OOC: Will post later.

Saerus turned towards the opening of the gates. "Who else is coming?" He asked.

Ashili merely nodded. Saerus turned to Edward.

Scout patrol

A flask of fire engulfed the ensuing area, before a small shockwave smashed the dust into a frenzy, as the patrols was shaken and their bikes clogged up tenaciously with sand, far beyond the normal tolerated amount. The engines, sputtering, exploded into tiny pieces, and, they flung the swift bike forwards, as one of the scouts flew head first into the sandy sea. The second one, distracted by the many debris that ensued from the wreckage, spun back on the damaged bike and headed towards the captain.

Ashili’s castle

“My father.” said Edward. The Count got out of the back of the hummer, a black bag in his left hand. He walked up to group. “Ashili, it is good to see my lovely daughter-in-law.” said the Count.

He looked over at Saerus and said “I’m the God-Emperor Count JWolf. And you are?”

Ashili smiled. Saerus did not. He merely shrugged slightly, and he spoke with a strong tone, "I am Saerus Annirak, Gold Patriarch of the Jenrakian infantry squad. Leader of the Siren Caste." He slightly bowed, but still he kept his vigilante stance.

“Well, nice to meet you.” said the Count with his right hand to shake Saerus’s hand.

“Now, I got some weird reports on my way over here. I was coming to Jenrak to see if I could set up an alliance with your nation.” said the Count “About some type of rebel attacking places.”

“So, have y’all got any more reports?” asked the Count.

"My observerists have relayed information that odd reports were placed in the North of Raunin, nearly 64 miles. West of the Archios Creek, there is an odd amount of rebel activity." He spoke clearly.

"Nahk has destroyed the rebel base in Naharank, but there is still the possibility of a rebel spy force hiding in Haasdra itself. Arborgard is scouring the city as I speak. The only main threat we face is here, in Haasdra. I am slightly prodigious to this method to find the enemy in our capital city, however." Saerus spoke.

“Ain’t that where you sent the Foxes?” the Count asked Edward.

“Yes, Father.” said Edward.

“Saerus, the Shadow Foxes can find anything.” said the Count “So…if the rebels are in Haasdra, they will find them.”

"Might I remind you that rebellion in Jenrak is a theocratic notion? Less more political? The Lermann Rebellion faction works on the works of Arnalia Sethronne herself. Our gateway to their strategies are in the works of Arnalia Sethronne's history. However, only Arborgard has that. Shall we pay a visit to Arborgard? He would be most surprised to meet you, Count."

“Yes, a meeting with Arborgard would be a good thing.” said the Count. “What is the fastest way?” he asked.

They looked forlorn. Arborgard's castle was close in itself, but the many defenses would not be closed, especially in a time like this. Always, the only entrance was by sea, but the writhing river took days to travel to by car, and hours by airplane. "We shall go to the entrance by plane. The hours will be long enough for us," Saerus looked at the Count, "to talk about many things."

“Okay, lead the way to the plane because this is not my nation. But I have a map of it in my office.” said the Count. Edward would go, too.

"I have my own plane." Ashili lifted her fingers towards a large, and ominous plane, powerfully built and racked with weapons, sleek and shining in the windy sunlight. Windows lined it's edge, small portholes of bullet-poorf glass, as the pointed end faintly hid two large winding motors, encased in thick steel as the wing's separate fuses battered gracefully along the tail's end. It was a beautiful plane, but massive and heavily armed.

"It would be easier to get to Haasdra by flying in a plane that is suited to the weather in Jenrak." She said, ushering them towards the plane, the metal ramp lowering automatically.

The Count and Edward headed towards the plane. Edward was saying some in radio as they walked. Telling the Blood Wolves to watch over the castle and kill anybody trying to get in. Father and son boarded the plane and took their seats.

The Count set the black bag beside him, inside was a gift for Arborgard. A gift from one leader to another.

Ashili followed, and Saerus was last as he boarded the plane. Sitting close to the Count, Saerus felt the plane rise, and he opened up a conversation, as they flew towards Haasdra, trying to avoid the massive sandstorms that engulfed the area now and then.

"How long have you been in Jenrak?" He asked curiously.

Saerus turned towards the opening of the gates. "Who else is coming?" He asked.

Ashili merely nodded. Saerus turned to Edward.

Scout patrol

A flask of fire engulfed the ensuing area, before a small shockwave smashed the dust into a frenzy, as the patrols was shaken and their bikes clogged up tenaciously with sand, far beyond the normal tolerated amount. The engines, sputtering, exploded into tiny pieces, and, they flung the swift bike forwards, as one of the scouts flew head first into the sandy sea. The second one, distracted by the many debris that ensued from the wreckage, spun back on the damaged bike and headed towards the captain.

Jack grinned to himself as he hunched over through the sand, he was able to see after the sand cleared that one of the bikes had definitely taken a hit, the other had fled. He was now moving towards the position of the Major and his squadmates, who should have been there by now.

Raunin

The Major moved up to a hillside over looking the rendevous point. He fished through his equipment until he found his binoculars, then focused them to see if anyone had arrived yet, he couldn't see anyone, though.

"Hunker down, boys, I think our buyer is gonna make us wait a little while longer..."

The Count looked down at his watch and said “Maybe about an hour or so.” he said. If Saerus looked close, he would see tattoo ink. The Count has a body tattoo with stuff of his life in it.

Raunin

A short plump man, although skittish, did not stand out, save for the vibrant red flag sticking out of his pocket, as he engorged himself on a cigarette, a small black briefcase hanging in his hand. He stood there, patiently.

Ashili's plane

"An hour? Hmm. That's quite a short time." Saerus told him, as if the information was not seemingly obvious. "I see you are now related to Ashili. I find that surprising and ironic."

“It took about an hour for my plane to get near Ashili’s castle then a couple of minutes to hit the ground.” said the Count.

“Okay. Well you will be surprised more, if you meet the other members of my family.” he added. Edward smiled at that statement; he knew how surprising that would be anybody.

“Now, Saerus, tell me of yourself because if I tell you about myself, it would a whole year to hear everything.” he said.

It was the Major's turn to grin.

Giving the thumbs up to the men carrying the weapons, he took off his helmet and waved it over the side of the hill, towards the plump man.

Raunin

The plump man got up, and happily yelled at them, clearly uncaring for the attention he was attracting. "Come down for a spot of lunch!" He waved happily.

Ashili's Plane, Nearing Haasdra

"I am the Siren Leader, that is enough. My name is Saerus Annirak." Saerus replied. "Ashili may reveal more, but not I. I tend to keep my prodigious secrets as they are: secret."

“Okay, Saerus.” said the Count “Now, tell me if they is something that I can’t do in front of Arborgard.”

It was easy. "Insult his gods."

The Major grimaced at the man's ignorance towards secrecy, and motioned for the Private and Corporal to stay put.

"Cover me and stay with the weapons, I'll go down and meet him."

The Major strung his M16 around his back again and swiftly rushed down the hill to the man's side.

"Don't you think this operation could do with a little more...finese?"

"No need. The authorities will get suspicious." The plump man spoke, in a quiet, but cold manner. His voice then did truly replicate the voice on the speaker. "Stay happy, stay innocent, not sad and wary. This is a strict country, and being happy will make it look like you're either alright with the rules, or either you're a tourist, so don't bother hiding anything you can hide. Say you're trigger happy." He spoke, walking with him, eating a hot dog. "You want something to eat before we 'transfer' the funds?"

"Ah, er, sure."

Taking a dog, he munched into it deeply, enjoying the rich taste.

"Where should we do this?"

It was easy. "Insult his gods."

"Okay, I will not do that." said the Count. He pulled out two real Cuban cigars and asked to Ashili "Can I smoke in this plane?"

"I'm not very accepting of second hand smoke, but if you really need it, then by all means." She answered.

Raunin

"I have the perfect place set up. Tell your men to come, in case we get attacked. Who knows what treacherous animals live on the way." He jostled up.

“Okay, Ashili, I will listen to you.” said the Count pulling up his cigars. Edward just laughed.

The plane landed with a small thud, into the cavernous river side hangar. The city of Haasdra was large, a massive historical site of castles, fortresses and towers in it's crimson beating heart, and further out it stretched across the dusty dunes into the rocky cliff edges. Tunnels upon tunnels of sheer metal writhed along underground, as the canopies of glass glittered with a cold frosty light spoke for itself upon the roof tops. Precipices and towers stabbed into the cloudy sky, windows eerily showing the open vased windows. It seemed to be hell, enflamed in stone and ice.

But at the center, higher than all the great tall leaping castles, there stood a large stone tower, greater and sturdier than the rest, seemingly impossible to reach it's height. Ashili smiled in awe, as she got out and looked at it's height, while Saerus nodded. "The tower of Zarazego. The great watchtower in Jenrak."

"Come." Ashili told the group, as she saw that the boat was nearing the entrance to the castle.

bump

Raunin

"I have the perfect place set up. Tell your men to come, in case we get attacked. Who knows what treacherous animals live on the way." He jostled up.

The Major made a motion to the nearby hill, where two heads cropped up. The two soldiers dragged the bags down to where the plump man was, and the three proceeded to follow the man.

Nearby Raunin

Jack sipped his last drop of water and continued on his journey through the desert. He was sure he was near their target area, but he couldn't stop to check, it looked like some sort of sand storm was approaching.

"So, Major. How do you like Jenrak so far?" The plump man asked with a sneer.

"So, Major. How do you like Jenrak so far?" The plump man asked with a sneer.


Waving his gun at the surrounding countryside, desert, actually, he returned a half grin to the man.

"Its wonderful. Great people, great scenery, I'll have to take the wife here sometime."

"It's not a pretty place." The man looked around, as a small golden slit shone into his eyes, reaching to find a small piece of raw gold. "But there is money, if you look carefully. The Wastelands of Jenrak hide many, many treasures." He pointed towards a small broken mill, lank and humid, with moss growing up it's cavernous windows. "There's where the money is. I will show you." He gestured, walking slowly.

Noticing the gleam, the Major's eyes narrowed as well.

"You don't say."

Motioning to his troops to form up behind him, the Major walked up to the windmill with the plump man, staying just behind his pace to the left.

"Come." Ashili told the group, as she saw that the boat was nearing the entrance to the castle.

The Count and Edward followed Ashili. They were guests in this nation. The Count lit a Cuban cigar as he walked. Edward has the hood on his jacket over his head. If the sun hit his skin, he will be black ash.

“Lovely city, you got here.” he said.

Both men hopped in the boat and wait to go to the castle.

Raunin

Snipers emerged from the Mill's many windows, brandishing their rifles, watching intently, as the group walked forwards. "Don't worry. They're mine." The plump man spoke, as he entered the mill, holding the door open.

Arborgard's Castle

As the boat reached the gates, the massive iron wall like pailings of the castle opened up, as if they were Jaws into the throat of the storm. Standing there, at the end of the entrance, was a tall, black leathered man, his face hidden beneath a dark mask, his sword held firmly in his sheath.

Ashili walked forwards to the man, and shook his hand. "It has been a long time, Viraranar." She said quickly. "Saerus is here, as well as guests."

"Then I will lead you." Viraranar said loudly, turning around and walking up a pattern of stairs. Ashili gestured to follow.

Raunin

Snipers emerged from the Mill's many windows, brandishing their rifles, watching intently, as the group walked forwards. "Don't worry. They're mine." The plump man spoke, as he entered the mill, holding the door open.

The Major nodded, and walked in slowly, he let his eyes adjust to the dim light as the two other troops moved in behind him, finally moving their baggage to the floor.

Turning quickly, the plump man spoke in his harsh cold voice once more. "So..." he began, as his men took out four overwhelmingly large briefcases, black and studded leather. As they opened it, there were four cards in all of them, one in each. "I have the money. It is in an account that can be easily drawable. To not attract attention, I have made the money split into four pieces. Give me the weapons, and the cards....along with the PIN Numbers inside, are yours." He spoke without a smile.

The Major nodded, and turned to the other soldiers, who handed him the bags, he placed them on the table in front of the briefcases, and zipped each open. He took out one of the XM29s, then took out ammo from the bag, and loaded the gun, he then took the ammo out of the gun and put it back into its bag, and put the gun back in, respectively.

"Just like we talked."

He motioned to his troops, and they grabbed the briefcases, all was quiet for a time, then the Major's radio crackled.

"Major? Its the Sergeant."

"Copy that, whats your position?"

"Right outside that little area, I can see a windmill..."

"Thats our position, move out."

"Sir, there are snipers."

"Those are our buyers."

"Alright, sir."

After several minutes of waiting, a sweaty and sand covered Jack walked through the door, he grinned weakly to the Major, and placed the XM29 he had taken to use in the bag, he nodded to the plump man, and took his position with the other troops.

"I suppose we're done, then."

"Then I will lead you." Viraranar said loudly, turning around and walking up a pattern of stairs. Ashili gestured to follow.

Edward walked beside her wife as the Count walked behind them. The Count pull his cigar out of his left hand before picking up the black bag and walking inside the huge castle.

Makes Castle Von Wolf little. But I use every room in it. he said to himself

Raunin

"Good day." The plump man turned around and walked out the mill, twirling his finger as his men turned back into the shadows.

Haasdra

They had reached the end of the long marble of the Halls of Vain, the gruesome pictures oozing blood, and corpses littered the walls with utmost diligence. It looked like the halls were deliberately full of bodies.

The large elevator at the end of the hall, a great slab of metal, opened up as Viraranar placed his long staff into the socket of the spoke the password. "Dashdamaon." He said, in a fluent tongue unlike his own.

Turning around, he gestured the group to enter the elevator. "Take this elevator." He told them.

The Count walked down the hall said to himself The outside is nice but the inside. Now, that a different story. The Count and Edward boarded the elevator.

"Get ready." Viraranar ordered, as the doors closed, and the elevator surged a pounce of noise. "The elevator has to reach the throne room in a few minutes. So expect a swift jolt." And with those words, the jolt came, stronger than expected.

The Count knew that jolt would not mess with him that much. And it did not mess with me. Edward just make sure it did not knock him on his butt.

Inside that black bag the Count had was four jeweled daggers and two boxes of Cuban cigars. 24 cigars in each box. If Arborgard didn't smoke, he could sell them to people for 20 dollars each.

The daggers are a Celtic Dagger (http://www.glitterings.com/images/letter_opener_2841.jpg), a long dagger (http://northstarzone.com/d209.jpg), a Sultan's dagger (http://www.homeuniquegifts.com/catalog/images/32217%20sultans%20dagger%20and%20jeweled%20sheath.gif) and another Sultan's dagger (http://www.aarons-artifacts.com/Images/Knives/32217.jpg).

Finally, after a short but fast ride, the door opened, where a large wooden door laid, a red 'X' shaped mark in blood, slightly crossed at the edges. Viraranar turned around, as if he was a guide, sheperding tourists. Nodding, he opened the door, and finally thrust it open, showing the large halls of the throne room. Marble lined the walls gracefully, as a large throne in the center of the room, behind it a massive statue of a powerfully built being, strong and great, weilding a massive blade, as he gleamed agressively from his stance, mask covering his face, as every inch was covered in thick armor, a broad and tall shield held upon his back.

It was the grimacing statue of Nuir Enkur himself, great and mighty, and in front of him, still behind the chair, a smaller figure stood, fire leaping from his stone fingers, a long and heavy stone mask covering his face, as a drooping hood covered the mask still, shadows dancing eerily along the igneous face. A wristing twisted sword was hung upon the figure's back, and great gauntlets were covered by the long black robe that it held. But still, even on the robes, red markings, similiar to the ones on the doors, lined the figure's robes. It was the statue of Ciranaar Arkzsen, the Cunning Military Mastermind of Ascherach, Enkur's older brother and the one who defeated Enkur's mighty brute strength.

But the attention from the truly maniacal and gothic statues shifted as they saw, coming down from the massive flights of stairs that lead to the tower of Zarazego. It was clad in silver robes, a great twisted crown perched upon it's white haired head, a great sword held in it's sheath. It was Arborgard.

Bloody beautiful. said the Count to him. The statues remind him of his past when people built huge statue of their Gods to honor them. A lot of good images flashed through his mind and a couple of bad ones, too.

Edward lowed his hood and shows his face off. Then he saw Arborgard coming down the stairs. The Count saw him at the same time. He took his hair out and bowed his head to him. “King Arborgard, I am the God-Emperor of the Dominion.” he said. “Count JWolf is my name.”

“I bring you gifts.” he said as laid the bag on table near him.

"No gift is required from anybody, Dear Count." Arborgard spoke calmly, his face passive and unreadable. He shifted it towards a nearby servant, who bowed lowly and a walked off, bearing the gifts. "Such a time of civil uprising, and you bring gifts. Truly genius of your stature." His eyes crept up.

As Ashili walked forwards, she saw the familiar leather jacketed blade, the massive hidden magnum, as Serrin emerged from behind the statue, her gace calm and content as ever. "Ashili! I have not seen you in some time." Serrin spoke to Ashili, later walking towards Edwards with a girlish smile on her face. "You must be Edward." Her hand was outstretched. "My, what a handsome man you are." She said motherly.

"I have heard of you for some time Count, and your legions." Arborgard spoke, the steel curaisses of the windows closing, metal curtains clasping closed. "Will you join me to the top of the tower? There are many things we must discuss." He spoke, as Saerus stood there still, quiet and bold.

:( Raunin

"Good day." The plump man turned around and walked out the mill, twirling his finger as his men turned back into the shadows.

The Major nodded as he watched the man pass and leave the windmill, he now turned to his soldiers.

Having opened the breifcases on the table, the Private was now distributing the cards and PIN numbers.

"In case we get seperated or killed, we'll each have one so they don't all get lost."

Jack was already taking off his gear and fatigues, underneath, he wore light regular civilian clothing, the others followed suite.

"Alright, you all know the plan. Only two of us are taking weapons with us, because otherwise it'd look funny, and we only have two permits. We split into two teams, the Private and Corporal are going to the nearest airport straight away, while myself and the Sergeant are going to follow them a few hours later. We'll rendevous back at the airport in Laskon, understand?"

The Private and Corporal nodded, and headed off outside.

"Looks like we just get to sit around for a while."

OOC:
Is there a nearby airport?

Edward kisses Serrin‘s hand and says “You are a beautiful woman.” In the back of his head, he said to himself Shit, I’m about to get hit!

----

“Well, I was coming here to make your empire and the Dominion closer. That is why I bared gifts.” said the Count, he puts his black cowboy hat back on. “Then I got some weird reports of rebels attacks in your great nation on my trip here.”

“Yes, I will join you at the top of your tower.” said the Count. “Because I have things to discuss too.” The Count waited for the King to lead the way, he would walk side by side with him to the top. To show respect.

OOC: There are airports in Ouridna, Slassk and Azham, all at teh same distance. But each one has different obstacles.

IC:

Ashili saw the move, and as a woman with great pride herself, had a distinct flare of anger pulsing through her soul. Her more vampiric features flared up through her skeleton, her eyes red as blood and her fangs barely covered by the striaght concealing teeth. She began to walk forwards to Serrin and Edward, but a hand grabbed her shoulder and held her back. It spoke with a firm voice.

"Don't. You don't want to mess with her." Saerus told her.

"Let go of me, Patriarch." She whispered to him, glaring.

"You do not want to." He spoke even more firm again. Strangely enough, she heeded his warning, and she stood there, watching.

Serrin gave Edward a look of curiosity. "While I admire your movement of proper formality," she spoke with a heavy Jenrakian accent, "should I remind that your wife is still in the presence? Ashili is a very strong hearted person, Mr. Darkholme." She smiled though, and turned around to talk to Saerus.

Ashili walked towards Edward. "I see you have met Serrin."

The Stairs

"Very well. Many things have happened in great time. Whether short or long. You have caught Jenrak at a horrible time, I'm afraid. Rebellion? Indeed what a flimsy threat, but still practically dangerous. Spoiled children, they all are." Arborgard spoke harshly of his people.

Edward hits himself in the head, “I was just be a gentleman, Ashili.” he said. “I’m sorry, if I made you mad.”

I have to get use to being married. he said to himself.

----

“Oh…a rebellion ran by idiots.” said the Count. “Well…my people fear me and know what I would do, if somebody lead a rebellion in the Dominion. I did plan the disbanding of the Council of Twelve and took over the Dominion in a week.”

“So, Arborgard, do you need help with these idiots?” asked the Count.

Ashili merely eyed him suspiciously, never blinking nor moving. It was unnerving.

-----------

"This rebellion, I am quite capable of taking care of myself. I have many locations of rebel bases, but I would like to see the leader of this rebellion myself. And I have seen that they do not react unless I act. They are waiting for something no doubt, but I care not what." He chuckled.

"My people are a proud race, Count. They prize their honor and power above all else. If something like, demanding a 'modernistic' view to come, then truly blidn these idiots are. But like every predator, we will wait patiently. The kill will feel fresh and strong, and the prey will taste well." Arborgard muttered sadistically, a mad glint in his eye. "You will not believe the many things I do to prisoners."

Edward saw that he was in the doghouse now, so he moved towards Ashili. “You’re mother of my children. You are the most beautiful woman of this planet.” he said.

----

“Well, I order Shadow Foxes to find these rebels.” said the Count. “They are heading here because Edward got a report that one of the rebel leaders was here.”

“It could be false but the Foxes will search the city.” he said “The Shadow Foxes are the Dominion’s best shadow ops soldiers.”

“So…if the leader is here, they will find him.” he said. “Their order is to take prisoners.”

"Okay." She did not waver in her voice, nor did she calm down, but her unnerving stare lessened. "I see." Her stare intensified, and her fingers gripped her hands stronger.

"Clearly you have issues Ashili." Saerus spoke quietly.

--------

"Interesting. A Rebel Leader." His voice lowered. "Or a spy. Perhaps the hunt will go faster. Perhaps slower. But I know that they will be punished, should they be guilty by my hand, and my Serrin would be most glad to 'take care' of the prisoners." He smiled, at the last bevy of steps.

Edward could see that Ashili was still a little anger, so he moved closer to her. Then whispered something in her ear, none of the others could hear him. “I have been a bad boy, Mistress. Maybe you will beat me tonight.” is what he said.

----

“I will tell you something.” said the Count. “I have seen and done thing that would make people sick. And I did laughing during it.”

“Like what I did to a prisoner in a nation called Roach-Busters.” said the Count, an evil smile appeared across his lips. “After I got the info I needed, I flood the room he was in and watched him drown. That man was a terrorist.”

“And I have don worse thing then that.” he added. “There three version of myself. The first one is the friendly Count. The second one is the badass Count that doesn’t take crap for anyone. And the sadist manic who would cut your head for looking at him wrong.”

She kept her face straight. Her vampirish natured flared up, but then died down again. "What a funny thing to say." She smiled, ironically.

------------

"Flooding someone? That is an interesting persona of punishment." Arborgard chuckled. "I take criminals, and feed them to Serrin, my wife. She loves them." He smiled, reaching the topmost part of Zarazego, the metal railings covering up the tower, as the wind violently flung itself around.

"We all have different ways to cope with the enemy." He gestured an open chair. "My punishments include cutting off the parts of proper criminals to sustain Nahk's body, making enough sacrificial ceremonies to keep Ashili's bloodthrist in check, and feeding my own wife the flesh of criminals to curb her hunger. This rebellion should sustain my friends and loved ones for a very long time." He smiled again.

“It got you clamed down.” he whispered. “But you can beat tonight.” he added. He turned back to the others with a straight face. “So, Serrin, you're the Queen of Jenrak. That is nice.” he said. “Anything else you do?” he asked.

----

Hell, he reminds me of a younger self. said the Count to himself. The Count looked across the nation of Jenrak from the top of the tower.

“Arborgard, it looks like you and me are going to be good friends.” he said. “Now, that we know a little bit about each other. What is it you want to discuss with me?”

"I'm leader of the Aristocratic Police. I'm also the Supreme Judge of Jenrak's court." She answered.

------------

Arborgard opened his palm, and the steel gratings tightened, as the wind now blew harder. He closed his hand in a fist. "What religion is your empire, Count?" Arborgard asked him.

“Nice.” said Edward. Did I just say Nice again. Dumb me. he said to himself. “I’m the Secretary of Law and Order and executor when I want to be.” he said.

----

Why did he have to ask about religion? asked the Count to himself. “Well, Arborgard, there are many religions in the Dominion.”

“Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic and Catholic.” . he started. There where a lot of religions in the Dominion. “Orthodox, Albanian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox, Orthodox Christian.”

“And the list continues. Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, many types of Christian religion, Calvinist, Evangelical Lutheran, and Lutheran.”

“And many more.” said the Count. “So…”

"Indeed. That is very interesting." Serrin nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Darkholme." She shook his hand firmly. "Have you met Nahk Territurari or Saerus Annirak yet?" She asked.

------

"Have you tried a single belief?" Arborgard asked. "A single religion that will unite the people under a mantle of religious notions? Jenrak itself is held together by the belief of the creator and the judge. Living a whole and hearty will not get you into heaven; you will be damned for your lack of effort." He smiled.

"There are ruins that have been found, but certain archeaological sites have not been thoroughly searched. We believe Ascherach's religion lies in there, and possibly, our future religion."

“Saerus, yes because he is right there. I meet him a couple of times at Ashili’s castle.” said Edward. “And I saw Nahk at Ashili and my wedding but I have never talked to him.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” he said.

----

“A single belief would not work for my people.” said the Count. “My people are of different ethnic groups and each one has their own religions.”

“If you need help at these archeological sites, just ask.” he said. “I can have a team ready at anytime because there are some people in my nation that like those type of places.”

"I see. Nahk should arrive soon, but I have not seen the fellow for many months. He is certainly an evasive person, but it was because of him that Ashili and I learned to destroy our allies to gain further power." She told him.

----------

"These are holy sites. If we could uncover these sites, then we are another step closer to becoming like our forefathers." He snapped his fingers, as the trapdoor flung open and a vicious Garg-Hound, biological monstrosities of the wolf and coyote breeds, circled happily around Arborgard's feet. "This is Exhalim. He has survived 6 plane crashes to date. His stamina impresses me." He noted, pointing towards the Hound, as it eyed Arborgard hungrily.

“Oh…very interesting.” said Edward. “My Father is the one who show me and my brothers in the ways of war.”

“My Father is a military genius because of his life.” said Edward. “He has seen many victories and losses of many armies through out the years.”

----

“Now, that is a very interesting animal.” said the Count looking down at the beast. “What type of breed is Exhalim?” he asked.

"Nahk is a very logical man. He will not be afraid to sacrifice anyone to move forwards. He is a very cunning foe. I believe that the half man still hides many secrets that he has not given to either of us." She wondered out loud.

-----------------

"Exhalim is the race of Heruintara Corpus. The Garg-Hounds, he is noted as." Arborgard eyed the glaring beast carefully. "He is a very powerful kind of his species, but he is a tame beast. Believe me, Count; these animals are not to be trifled with. Thousand upon thousands of years of evolution and biological enhancements have made them dangerous predators." He smiled.

"I can show the more lethal, species that reside in Jenrak. Will you be willing to follow me down to laboratory?" He asked.

“Okay.” said Edward. “So…what are we going to do as we wait for him?” he asked. He wrapped his left arm around Ashili waist and kissed her neck.

----

“Maybe we can form a deal and buy a couple of these Garg-Hounds.” said the Count “Maybe 500 of them. My enemy would not know what hit them.”

“I would like to see more species of your great nation.” he said. “Led the way.” The Count waits for Arborgard to led the way to the laboratory.

Ashili kissed him back. "Saerus! Saerus Annirak!" Ashili yelled loudly, without turning around.

"What do you want?" Saerus shouted back. Evidently, he was annoyed at the long wait he was forced to endure while Viraranar came back. The two of them were old friends.

----------------

Arborgard opened the trapdoor, and notioned towards a small elevator that had automatically opened up. "The Laboratory is an interesting place." Arborgard spoke. "You will see soon. It is more of a zoo than a laboratory." He then turned serious.

"The Garg-Hounds are a biologically created species with specific Jenrakian poison. Breeding them is impossible, as during the process certain reproductive organs die off. But if you wish to purchase them, you will find the tame ones, the pure blooded hounds, to be quite powerful and resistant to fire. The half-breeds are simply incapable of doing anything. They are only good as pets." He smiled again.

"But, Count, you will find that the animals down in the laboratory are more than capable of warfare." He chuckled, and held the elevator door open, waiting for the Count to enter.

“You have anything we could do until Nahk get here.” yelled Edward to Saerus.

----

The Count enter the elevator, “A pet Garg-Hound would be nice to have. I will pay anything to have one.”

“Then maybe I could set up a deal to buy some of the other species.” he added. “But to what I’m really here for.”

“King Arborgard, I would like to form an alliance with your nation.” he said with a serious voice. “Switch embassies between each nation. Maybe set up a military base or two in each other’s nation. Maybe have joint training with our military units.”

“I have had this idea when Edward married Ashili. It was like two nations joining together as one.” said the Count. “So…?”

"You can go into the dueling room." Saerus yelled back from afar. "I would love to see husband and wife fight." He yelled with a laugh.

-----------

"An assimilation? Is that what you are inferring? I cannot do that. I have promised to grow Jenrak on it's own, to become greater than Ascherach. We are still small and weak compared to our forefathers, the Ascheran kings. They have done much more and conquered much, much more than we have done so far. If we are successful, and such ties have made our nations as one, then we are not entirely to take credit." Arborgard spoke.

"But embassies, and military bases are quite well. Military and Economic stability is quite a useful tool. Perhaps we could create something of the sort." He pondered, his thoughts escaping into his mouth. A long iron slab that was the door had filtered it's way between their entrance and the door, and Arborgard spoke the password, quite loudly however.

Narrhakish Narrsamaan

And with that, the Iron slabs jerked forwards, and plunged quickly into the open, as the large tunnel like halls of the laboratory revealed itself. "Come, dear Count." Arborgard waved his hand elegantly.

“We were about in a fight early.” said Edward. “So, I don’t think that is a good idea.”

----

“No, Arborgard, I not saying that Jenrak and the Dominion should join together.” said the Count. “I’m asking you to be our allies in this world.”

He stepped off the elevator, “So, do you want to become our ally?” he asked. The Count looked down the long hall…

Saerus laughed. "Yes, I saw."

----------------

"Yes, an alliance would be fortuitous." Arborgard answered, as he led the Count into the laboratory. "This is the Qartasha." Arbogard spoke, pointing to a seemingly empty rainforest like cage.

At first the dull apparancy of the cage was obvious, as nothing seemed to move, and nothing was happening. It was a boring show, and many would wonder what was the point to showing such a nonexistant beast. But it changed, as Arborgard latched open a switch, and a slice of fresh meat fell down into the chamber.

At first glance nothing happened. The meat laid there, bursting with blood and flesh. But finally, after minutes of waiting, it happened. A furious swarm of Locust like insects emerged from every hiding place possible, and immediately they swarmed upon the diligent slice of meat with a fervish hunger.

In seconds, the 80 pound slice of flesh was reduced to a mere puddle of blood, and even the bone was chewed to a fine dust. Immediately, without anything left to hunt, the swarming insects finally retreated back into the holes of the trees, the cage once again quiet and soft.

"Qartasha. The most recent of my experiments on biological chemistry. I was induced by the locust, how they fed upon the grains and grass of farmers with utmost feastive power, leaving nothing behind but ruins. And I thought, perhaps it could be done again, but change the mind to feed on flesh? Could it be done? Yes, it could be, as you have seen." Arborgard laughed.

"But these are a stronger, smarter, more advanced breed of the Qartasha. They can barely survive in the poisonous wastelands of Jenrak, but these can wreak havoc on the food chain in rainforested areas. And they breed extremely quickly. The swarm was the result of two Qartasha breeding. Faintly interesting, to me. Do you have any questions? Or shall I show you the next of our valuable monstrosities?" Arborgard asked, scratching delicately the back of Exhalim's crooked ears. The Hound merely moved his jaw in response.

Edward just stays quiet, looking at his wife. He loved looking at her and could do it for hours and hours.

----

“We can sign the papers to make it for real later.” he said about the alliance.

The Count watched the cage, What is in there? he asked himself. Then Arbogard made meat slide into the cage, so he continued to watch. That when the locust-like insect flew out and destroyed the meat.

“I like these Qartasha.” said the Count. “I would like to see the next of these wonderful animals.”

Ashili, however, was not a romantic acclined at the moment. "What? Is there something on my face?" Ashili asked.

A small clunk was heard in the distant halls.

-------------------

"Hmm. so I have caught your interest now." Arborgard smiled. He walked on. "The ancient empire of Ascherach taught us how to manipulate the lives of everything around us, and the barren wastelands of Jenrak show our tenacity to change. Once a thriving, forested, beautiful green rich soiled land, Enkur has remade all of Ascherach and Methronn, to further increase ou strength. People, do not care about food anymore, but money and strength. That is why, when the grass has gone, the gold remains. There is great wealth here." Arborgard replied.

"This animal, I believe, Count, would catch your eye quite well. Watch carefully." Arborgard pulled another switch, and the lights dimmed carefully. Arborgard's face was slowly blackening in the lack of light in the laboratory, and darkness filled the room. "They are predatorial creatures, and sometimes we train these to be our assasins. You will not believe how useful these things can be. I assume you can see in the dark?"

A small flutter of wings brust around them, shrieking quietly, the battering of wind bursting about. Then, it dissappeared. Arborgard looked malign. "I should do a better demonstration." He spoke, turning his eye to a light that shunted 'Prisoner: 2'.

"Ahh. Two murderers, killed by animals." Arborgard laughed, as he pulled the switch, and two frantic and frightened men dropped down into the murky puddle. One of them bowed down lowly at Arborgard's feet.

"Please, lord. We are sorry for what we did. Have mercy on us." The prisoner asked, crying.

Arborgard's face was cross. "Mercy is for the weak." He spoke in a deep, harsh, mechanical voice, very much unlike his own smooth, charismatic and smooth voice, which he normally spoke like.

The lights dimmed, and the hyperventilating of the prisoners speeding up, until the flutter of wings beated again. Small, Batlike creatures, with short hook like arms protruding from the hands, and sharp knife like fangs came out. They seemed to fly around the prisoners, until Arborgard turned on the lights once more.

There, sitting in a bloody heap, were the prisoners, dead as he wanted. Their eyes were gouged out and their tongue torn into pieces, hanging out delicately. Hands ripped open as red veins splashed out of their wrists and ankles, and clothes all stained, with one prisoner even with their lungs groped on the floor. It looked as if a monster had started his feast, but when Arborgard turned the lights on, he was forced to run and never finished his meal.

"These are Gograhats. They're a subspecies of bats, and as you see, they are very quiet until it is their time to strike. They are small, slender, flexible, and fast. They barely emit a heat energy, being cold blooded. They are nature's perfect assasins, modified to be smarter." He explained to the Count.

Varrrcharak charakvarr

Arborgard spoke, and a tiny pair of Gograhats emerged, baring their fangs at the Count and at Exhalim, keeping their distance. "They are newer additions to the species, but they can be taught to kill. Plus, you will never need to maintain them." Arborgard added.

“Nothing is on your face, dear.” said Edward. He started looking around the throne room, What is up with her? Damn women and their jealousy behavior. he said to himself.

“What do you think Father and Arbogard are doing right now?” he asked out loud.

----

“I’m starting to love each one of this wonderful animals, Arbogard.” said the Count “Who can I pay to get two trained Garg-Hounds, a swarm of Qartasha to be placed in a special built cage in the dungeons of Castle Von Wolf, and a pair of those Gograhats?”

"Your Father is here?" A mechanical voice asked before Saerus nor Ashili could answer. It was Nahk, tall and suspicious, his robes fluttered as if he ran a long way. "Edward Darkholme, of Transylvania, correct?"

Nahk did not extend his hand to shake Edward's hand, nor did he smile. He merely stood there, his hand on his sword, still sheathed. Ashili intervened.

"Stop it, Patriarch." She ordered.

"You have no superiority to command me, Evergone. I have more power than you. Watch your tongue." Nahk replied.

Ashili walked closer to him. "Oh really? I saw that we were both of the Red Caste, or am I wrong?"

"I believ I command four more provinces than you do?" Nahk asked her fiercely. Ashili fell silent. Nahk turned to Edward. "What are you doing here?"

----------------

Arborgard looked at him. "You would ask Serrin, my wife. She is the one who takes care of them." He told him. Onwards, Arborgard took him to a long metal bridge, where they stood nearly 50 feet above a glass window. Arborgard looked, for the first time, concerned at the small dent in the metal.

"Be careful." Arborgard told the Count. "Whatever happens, never look it in the eye." But when he said that, a large swift whale-sized shark jumped up and smashed the glass cracks, protruding from the water. It quickly jumped again, and Arborgard pulled out a long silenced pistol, and fired off 4 rounds of green darts, but it never was able to pierce even the underbody of the shark.

It jumped higher, and ripped the end of the bridge, leaving a small gap. "I hope you can jump." Arborgard told the Count, as he pulled out a large blade from the back of his robes and smacked the shark as it jumped up, jaws outstretched, knocking it down back into the water. But Arborgard's sword was heavily bent now, and he frowned. "I will need to get another sword."

"This, Count," Arborgard said, pointing to the ripple of waves where the shark is hiding, "is the perfected muscle of the ocean. The Glass Fish. They were made by Nahk himself, and they are also tamed by him. Only he can control these beasts. They can rip steal and their skin is tougher than a tortoises shell, as you have witnessed just now." He threw his empty pistol into the water, where a lurch bristle the waves.

"If you want some, buy them from Nahk. He has a whole collection of these things. And now jump." Arborgard told him, leaping across the small gap where the Shark ripped out the steel curraises. "Two more monstrosities, and the tour of the laboratory is done." He said.

Edward looked Nahk in the eye; he did not fear him. Nahk was just a piece of metal to him. “Yes, I’m Prince Edward Darkholme of the Dominion.” he said with a voice that had no fear in it.

“And I’m here with my wife.” he said. “And yes, my Father is here. He is talking with King Arborgard as we speak.”

“Maybe we are allies, right now.” he added.

----------------

“Okay, I will ask your wife then.” said the Count. “After I see her again.” Then they walked onto that long metal bridge, the Count looked down at the water.

“Damn that is a big fish.” he said out loud as it jump towards them. “And I can jump.” he added.

“This is some thing I like but don’t want.” he added. “Nahk can have them.” He jumps as the words left Arborgard’s mouth. His duster flew in the air making it look like wings of a fallen angel.

As he lands on the other side, he said “Two more wonderful animals, I hope they are like the other ones.” He sounded like a kid in a candy store.

"Right now." Nahk spoke, his eyes still intent, his broken face leering. "But things change, Mr. Darkholme. Will people live? I do now know. Will people die? Certainly. That is the gamble of power." Nahk's eyelids tightened, as he glared surreptously at Edward.

"You will die, along with your wife, and everybody you know and love, one day. Just like I, will die. I will have no worries, for my death will not affect anyone. When I perish, Arborgard, old and faint, possibly, will find someone to take my place, someone superior to my skills." His thin skin stretched itself acorss his neck, the wires clearly showing underneath the sinewy layer of cells that kept him dry and whole. "But you? What will the damage be done when you die?" His grip on his sword strengthened.

---------------------

"This one is a very tenacious foe. They are immeassurably difficult to control." Arborgard spoke.

They walked down a long tunnel, and he started a rather interesting speech. "The path of power goes in circles. For something to flourish, something must die. Even the grass must be fed from the bodies of the cow, for it to stay alive. That is the true inherent goal of the universe. Massive unbalances in the rule of life, as I oftenly call it, cause disruption, invasion of privacy, and utmost damage and destruction. But always, there are the sideliners, the ones who slowly break down the rest of the filth. These are one of them." He led them into a large steel wall, and lined along it were grotesque bodies, as if things had exploded from their bodies, from the heads, the ribs, and the legs.

"I had idea from the Bot Flies." He told the Count. "I am assuming you are familiar with Bot Flies. They are insects which, when ripe, eggs' burst forth from unlucky victims, leaving behind a bloody and broken host. They only work on the legs, so what would be the lethal quality of something that works everywhere?" Arborgard clapped his hand, and a large glass box had flung around them, keeping them safe.

"Watch. They are perfect for pain and torture." He said, as a tall, muscly, concerned man was lunged into the chamber, and as he ran towards the glass box Arborgard and Count JWolf was in, the bodies, concealing a large number of small hornet like insects, unleashed them. It was not long before the man was stung to death, his eyes bulging, his body in giant lumps. But then it spectacularly happened. His swollen organs exploded, let loose a wave of blood, that drained into the sewage hole nearby.

"Use one, for one explosion. Use many for death. Either way, they are painful." He told the Count, as the glass box slowly moved towards the final attraction.

Edward was looking a hole straight through Nahk. Cold air blew from his mouth. The air in the throne room started to get colder and colder; this was Edward’s doing.

“Nahk, you are one mess up person.” said Edward. “Or should I call you, robot?” The room was not close to freezing air. This only happen when Edward is mad. He turned and started walking always before he put a bullet in the robot’s head. His pistol was loaded with HE round, explosive tipped bullet.

--------

The Count watched the small hornet like insects take that tall man down. He smiled at that and laughed a few times. “****ing awesome, Arborgard” he said.

“Now, what is the last animal?” he asked as they moved to the next one.

OOC: After this, if you want to join, you can, but I'll be making a religious RP about the ressurrection of the gods - a kickass god battles. It'll be interesting.

"Save your magic to yourself." Nahk spoke, his voice still harsh and cold, as his body irraddiated off a sensually boiling heat, in spite of the cold breeze that came in. The counterbalances of both became so satirically extreme, that a fog began to turn up inside the castle.

"Save your adolescent insults to those who would be affected by it." He eyed Edward hatefully, and then turned his glare towards Ashili, and finally Saerus.

"What?" Saerus yelled back, wondering.

"Nothing, Annirak." Nahk replied. Eventually, a loud voice emerged from the west wing of the hall.

"Stop your troubles, Nahk." Serrin ordered.

It was apparent that Nahk, although distasteful as he was to the others, was programmed, even with the little flesh left in his mind, to obey those above him in status unquestioningly. "Yes, madam." Nahk bowed lowly, his metal knees scraping the marble floor.

"Arise, Territurari." Serrin ordered. Her complexion was no longer playful and simplistic, but now she had a serious face, a intentful emotion and power that surged through her. "We have reports in Raunin that the final Rebel forces are mobolizing." She told Ashili, Edward, Nahk and Saerus. "Nahk, I am assigning you to take the helm. Ashili, you may stay behind, if you wish. Saerus, You are ordered to stay behind." Serrin commanded. "Edward, I am in no position to command anything from you, as you are not Jenrakian. You may do whatever seems best to you." She told Edward.

"We strike in 1 hours." Serrin told them, and Nahk and Ashili hurried over to their own respective rooms, getting ready.

--------------------------------

Arborgard walked on. "The last one, no Jenrakian can make. As you know, Jenrak has 7 gods and goddesses. You obviously know of two of them; Nuir Enkur, the Exile. And you know of Ciranaar Arkzsen, the Judge. There are many others, and they all have respective monuments. But Jenrak is merely Methronn, and a single province. Ascherach stretched across all 9 provinces. 4 of the Monuments are in Jenrak; 3 of them in Sanduras."

"The Castle of Ciranaar, although bombed into submission, can never be destroyed. The mountain hides the castle, and it fell many centuries ago. All that remains is the lower levels, the parts that could not be destroyed." He opened a large steel door, and another stood there, as he entered in the password.

"Enkur's monument is the Pyramid of Night. Located far in Eastern Jenrak, who knows what kind of secrets lay under it's hallowed stones. And then, there are the other gods of Jenrak, the ones that are not seen, but believed. Zarazego, the all seeing God. Scion, the god of Poison. Arnah, the goddess of beauty and age, Sethlion, the goddess of time. Finally, Izmishna, the Goddess of Destruction."

"But none has contributed to Jenrak as much as Enkur. His power was great, his strength inhuman. And this," Arborgard spoke, as the final door opened, revealing a gigantic marble hallway, lined with giant pillars and great golden chandeliers. Nothing was there, it seemed, until Arborgard looked up, and he spoke, to the cieling, it seemed, "Come forth, child of Ethernma." Arborgard commanded, as a massive heavy snake rose from the ends of the pillars, hidden in the long cylindrical pipes. It's head was massive, and it's long silky body showed a great plate of armor like scales beneath.

"Count, this is the Skriemmen. My prized possession." Arborgard smiled, as the Skriemmen roared loudly, the walls unable to stand properly after it's high pitched shriek. Exhalim bared his fangs bravely against the Skriemmen, but a creature so large paid no attention to the Garg.

"The Skriemmen was made by Enkur, not me. I do not know how he did it without extensive technology, but that is the evasive methods of a God,yes? If you are intent on this alliance and will stay as Jenrak's true allies, I have a gift for you." Arborgard told the Count.

“It looks like Ashili is going, so what is a husband going to do?” said Edward. He though about and saw Ashili run off to get ready. “Well, I’m going with her.” he said. “But I only have my pistol with me. Got anything stronger?”

-------

The Castle of Ciranaar is what I had the bomber bomb to Hell. he said to himself. “Sorry about the Castle.” he said.

The Count watched the massive snake as it roared and looked around. “If I did not want to be allies, I would have not come over here. So, King, I want to be allies with you and your great nation.”

“A gift?” he asked

Nahk took out a long shotgun, hidden under his cloak, and then he pulled out a long golden sabre, and then a rocket launcher. Only thing left under his cloak was then a long steel sword, glimmering magnificently.

"Pick one." He spoke. It was possibly one of the few things he possibly had in common with Edward.

-------------------------

"The Skriemmen is an interesting animal. I can lay it's own eggs, without a male to supplement it. But that will mean that the eggs will be all female, and all female Skriemmens can lay eggs that will make more." He opened up a massive titanium vault, and pried it open.

There stood a bevy of metal cases, twice the size of normal soccer balls. Arborgard picked one up, and handed it to the Count. "Inside, is a female Skriemmen egg. It'll grow up responding to the care you give it." Arborgard told the Count.

Edward looked at the mini arsenal that came out of Nahk’s cloak. “Nice arsenal, Nahk.” he said as he took the long golden sabre. The sabre would be the best for him. “After the fight, you will get this back.” he said. Edward put the sabre at his side and hit his chest a couple of times.

To everybody else it would look like he was acting like Tarzan but he was hitting the Transylvanian body armor under his clothes.

--------

The Count took the metal case in his hands and said “Every pet I own I take care of it. So, I think this Skriemmen is going to be the biggest ever then”

“Now, I would like to meet with your wife.” he said. “So, I can place an order for some more animals.”

Ashili was in her room, as she had finished putting on her uniform. Her hat had just been perched atop her hair, when Nahk had appeared at her doorway. He had a grimacing look upon his steel face. "Don't underestimate them." He told her, as she nodded.

When he left, her features lit up vivaciously as if a bright light had been placed carefully under her chin, illuminating all her frightening and beautiful features. "I won't, Patriarch." She whispered quietly. With that, she finally left the room, to follow Nahk towards the Hangar.

-------------------------

"Then let's go to the elevator." Arborgard notioned, to a giant iron shaft, that was held by multitudes of wires and pulleys. "This will take around a few minutes." He said, as he entered the grate like caged elevator.

Edward followed Nahk to the hanger. A strange mask was on his face and his hood was on. It was blue and white. It looked like a wolf’s head with red eyes.

----

The Count got on to the elevator and waited for it to go up.

A large assault helicopter laid there in the hangar, as well as jets and passenger and cargo planes. Nahk entered the central chopper, and he urged the others to enter the other planes. "Let's go." He urged them.

----------------------------

The elevator had started, and forged it's way up quickly. "When this pathetic rebellion is over I'll be glad."

Edward boarded one of the planes. He waited for it to take off.

-----

“Good.” said the Count. He looked down at the metal case in his left hand. A lovely gift. he said to himself.

The Planes, and the choppers left off the Hangar, headed towards Raunin. Unlike most of the Jenrak, the way to Raunin was painstakingly easy by air. It would only take a moment. "Get ready." Nahk said, as Ashili replied back.

"The fight will begin soon, get all weapons tuned up and prepared."

--------------------------

The elevator shaft opened, and the iron clad doors opened towards the Great Hall. There, sat Serrin, tutoring her nephew. Arborgard explained, "My old brother died a few years ago. She has taken him in." He told the Count.

"Hello." Serrin nodded to the Count, as the young boy left the hall.

Edward readied himself and waited for battle. He was ready for battle and would give his enemy a hard time. Using Nahk’s sword or his pistol or his mutant power to make the enemy fear him.

-----

“Hello, Serrin.” said the Count. “Your husband say I could place an order with you about those lovely animals down there.”

“I would like two trained Garg-Hounds, a swarm of Qartasha to be placed in a special built cage in the dungeons of Castle Von Wolf, and a pair of those Gograhats.” he started. “How much would that be?”

Immediately, as they arrived, machine gun fire bursted out heavily from the edges of the bushes, and the broken derelicted bunkers were no longer shattered and empty, but full of grenades and rifles, as snipers spun their barrells and began to fire.

Nahk flung out his rocket launcher, and fired a straight shot into the heathing eye of the central bunker, but a midair grenade stopped the tenacious heat seeker in the air, and forced him to fire off another round. This time, it smashed it's way through the heavy thickset concrete and bursted full of flickering flames. Yelling was heard from the distance, as another wve of sleek lead shot through the air, and the helicopters blasted off another round of laser guided missiles, Nahk at the helm of the guns.

"Ashili, take out those snipers." Nahk ordered her, as she nodded from her chopper and aimed carefully at the cloudy rocks, and fired, a long bloody body falling down from the top. Another wait, and she aimed carefully at the bush nearby, and shot another soul from the thick leavy lichens. She had felled two enemies, before a shot nearly ripped her temple, as an anti-material bullet torn it's way through the metal sheet beside her. Ashili used the short lived trail to fire off another consecutive shot, and the offending sniper was stabbed in the eye from afar.

"Nahk, Personell Carriers!" Ashili yelled at him, as Nahk looked and saw a batallion of smooth grey carriers emerge from the thick dirty mounds of corpses that were initially thought to be monuments. Nahk turned around, and aimed carefully as they let loose a volley of fire. Bullets hit the edge of a nearby chopper, as it twisted in agony-like uncontrollability, and it smashed down into the ground, a great apocalyptic explosion scorching the sands.

On the top of a hill nearby, another machine gun rally burst and flooded the inside of the chopper, piercing Nahk's arm. In a quick reply, Nahk raised his rocket launcher, and fired off another heatseeker, where it was intercept by a flung rock, and exploded into shrapnel fragments in midair. It rained down tenaciously on the enemy infantry.

"Get rid of those Carriers!" Ashili yelled, but the choppers still were being taken down faster than Nahk could fire at the carriers. Suddenly, another rocket from another omniscious location blew up a nearby APC, as the infantry inside were burnt into a crisp. A rallied group of elite Lancers had sped their way onto the scene, and threw a large number of magnetic grenades on the carriers, zooming away in time. The mines were a small flat disklike detonator, where after all the lancers had cleared the area, the explosion illuminate the area.

"Edward, kill those turrets!" Nahk yelled at him, as he was marauded by a bevy of gunfire. The Lancers had left, carried off in a large cargo plane. "Once that is done, we can break their defenses!"

Like a mad man, Edward entered battle. After he heard Nakh’s order, he picked up a rifle from a died soldier and check if it was load. A full clip he said to himself The poor idiot didn’t get off a shot.

Edward ran from cover to cover until he was near the turrets. During his run, he engaged enemy soldiers and shot them in the head. That is when he moved out of behind a destroyed APC. He was in his ice-form and about 50 yards away from the turrets. Will both hands pointing at the turrets, ice shot from them. And dividing as it flew from his hands. It would turn the outside of the turrets into ice in a few minutes. Then all they would have to do is shot the guns and they would be destroyed.

“Nahk, Ashili, shot the guns.” he yelled.

Nahk switched his Heatseekers to Arbalest class rockets, and fired against the turrets, knocking them out. "We go in now." He ordered, as the choppers dropped off companies of infantry, as they flooded in groups against the large mound of the mill underneath the silos.

"Let's move." He ordered, as the infantry behind him followed suite. He was in the way of another company batallion, and slashed them with his blade, blood springing up everywhere. He ducked down and Ashili leaped forwards and smashed an enemy with her sword, and then stood up to rip another enemy infantry in half.

"A few more feet until the end." She ordered.

-----------------------------------------

"The shipping, the packaging and the delivery of all those animals in the correct order and time would cost to around 840 million dollars. Are you sure you want them?" Serrin asked the Count.

Edward threw down the rifle because it was emptied and drew the golden sabre. He run over towards Ashili, cutting enemy soldiers in half or behead them. He was in his flesh form by the time he was near his wife.

He threw the sabre to his left hand and drew his pistol with his right hand. He shot a enemy infantry right in the head, “This is fun.” he yelled as they continued forwards.

--------

“Well, not to sound like an ***hole but one of my companies makes more then that much in year.” said the Count. “So, I will take it. Whom do I write the check to?” He put down the metal case on a table and pulled out his checkbook. “Or do I pay with cash?”

Finally the group reached a metal door, and Nahk flung his fingers at the back of his head, signing it to his infantry. "Guard our backs." He ordered his men. They agreed. Taking out a long metal wire, he stuck it gently into the door, pulled out a taser like object from hsi pocket, and wrapped it around the wire.

It electrocuted the doors, as it surged the metal door, and Nahk pried it open. Blowing the door apart, he entered with Ashili and Edward, as the Rebel leaders stood there, alert and aware, as their soldiers stood with machine guns outstretched.

"You can't get far, Nahk. You're outgunned." The pompous man replied. He was jeering.

"I have a proposition for you. I will take you in for execution..." But at that moment, all the soldiers aimed their guns at Nahk, and Nahk merely took out a small cylindrical pod from hsi pocket, pressed a red silky button, and an array of darts flung in a large circle. Everyone, died, corrosing slowly, except for ironically, the pompous plump man. He was in hives and tears now.

"...now, before I rudely interrupted." Nahk pocketed his device again, as he took out his sword. "I will take you in for execution, and in return, you will tell me where the rest of your lackey spies are located." Nahk told him.

"And where is my benefit?" The plump man whimpered.

Nahk knelt down, he had a soft look on his face, a conniving look of veiled evil and sadistic pleasures of his prey. "I can feed you to the Queen. Would you like that? Would rather be consumed slowly, piece by piece, as you feel the ripping teeth tearing through your flesh, your skin? Or would you rather be shot in the head, by a firing squad? Where your death would be swift and quick?"

"There are no more spies left. They're all killed. We don't know how, but they've been getting killed anonymously." The plump man answered.

Nahk had a surprised look on his face. He turned to Edward; "I seem to have underestimated the resourcefullness of your troops." He replied, before pulling out a blade, and beheaded the plump man. Nahk took up a glass on the nearby table, and filled it up with the man's blood. He held it up. "Ashili?" He asked her.

Ashili shook her head. "I don't consume junk food." Her reply was. Nahk shrugged, and dropped the glass, breaking it into pieces.

------------------------

"You write it to me." Serrin replied. Her nephew came back with his hands outstretched and bloodied. "Marhs, no. Dishnam Matekria." She told him, as he slumped his head, and walked off.

“Yes, Nahk, Shadow Foxes could get anybody. “ said Edward. He pulled his pistol up and pick up one of the enemy rifles, “These are not your rifles.” he said. “Some foreign design.”

Then he remind that he had Nahk’s sword, “Oh…here your sword back.” he said as he handed to him. “Thanks.”

-----------

The Count wrote the check to her and signed it. “Cash that and you will be a richer woman. When will I get these creatures?”

“Plus, where is Edward and Ashili?” he asked her as he looked at the young kid with bloodily hands.

Nahk caught and the sword, and in a mechanical movement, he placed it back into it's respective sheath. "Not our design?" He looked closer, and saw that is wasn't, as it seemed, his design. Jenrakian models were meant to be effectively accurate and heavily set with many rounds, but these were more as a spraying weapon. He wondered carefully. Foreign relations.

"Let's go." Ashili urged them both, as she headed for the choppers, escorted by the soldiers.

--------------------------------

"Ashili is in Raunin, cleaning up the last of the Rebel threat. I can only assume your son has followed his wife to help her." Serrin explained. "Expect them in a few days. The exact date it unknown. These are hard care for creatures, Count. They thrive off cruelty. Show them love, and feed them hatred. And I promise you, they will do whatever you want." She spoke fondly of these beasts, oddly enough.

“Okay, dear.” said Edward as he put the rifle over his right shoulder. I will show this to father or my brothers. he said to himself. He followed behind his wife, looking at her butt.

-----------

“Oh…I see.” said the Count. Edward, you are like you old man. he said to himself. “Not to be rude but do you have anything I could drink?” he asked. “Blood or any type of alcohol.”

As they headed back towards Haasdra, Ashili sat down on the helicopter, peering down at the plains. It would only be a few minutes before they would arrive back in Haasdra. Nahk merely stood there, unwavering in his movements. "How well do you remember the Battle of Sasz Kerenuk, Nahk? The original, Sasz Kerenuk?" She added. Nahk did not move, but he answered.

"I tend not to think about it." Nahk answered.

"Can I ask what correllation it has to your prejudice against my power?"

Nahk sighed. Steam vented from his throat. "Imagine, a labyrinth of bodies, where the ground is a river of blood. Where you had to live off and feed off the bodies and the bones of your fellow soldiers just to stay alive, to fight." Nahk chuckled. "We made sure no death was left behind untainted. Everytime one of our men died, we took his corpse back to eat it. We had no supplies. We crushed his remains to make our bullets, and ate his flesh and drank his blood to stay alive."

"And now imagine all that in vain, when our friends died in masses, when the survivors had to eat our dead bodies, rotting carcasses and wormed souls. Fire was our light. We could never sleep. Never. It was a constant fog." Nahk replied.

"I understand." Ashili answered back, as they reached the Hangar.

"There's more to it, but I won't talk about it now." Nahk told her.

---------------------------

Arborgard pointed to a large nearby cabinet. "There's an assortment of wine all over the world there. Help yourself. The cups and glasses are hanging up at the top of the cabinet."

Edward listened to Nahk tell his story. He stayed quieted during the trip, that wolf mask was in his coat. The foreign rifle was on his legs. He was looking at it.

------------

“Thanks.“ he said. The Count walked over to cabinet and opened it. He took out a bottle of red wine and set it on a nearby table with wine glass next to it. He poured some of the wine the glass. He smelled it and tasted then pours a full glass of wine. He put the wine back up and walked around the room, looking at the pictures on the walls…

The door opened, with Ashili and Nahk entering the Great Hall, as Serrin and Arborgard stood there. "Well?" Arborgard asked them.

"It's done." Nahk replied.

"Good." Arborgard answered.

Edward walked in beside Ashili with his rifle in his hands. “Father, this is not one of their guns.” he said. “Somebody else wanted to help the rebels but the Foxes got to them before they could do anything.”

“That is what the fat rebel leader said” he said.

“Now, is the Dominion and Jenrak allies?” he asked.

The Count looked over at Arborgard and said “Yes.”

Nahk told Arborgard of the news. "The weapon on the leader is not one of our designs. Someone from overseas has been supplying them with weapons." He spoke.

"Is it the Transylvanians?" Arborgard asked Nahk.

"No." Nahk answered.

"Generic Emperians?"

"No."

"Certians?"

"No."

"Hmm, I will look into it later." Arborgard replied. "But for now, we have an alliance to uphold with them."

"Yes, Lord." Nahk answered.

After the Count looked at the rifle, he knew the design. “Arborgard, this is design that the USA had in the works.”

“A lot of people use them.” he added. “But maybe we can ask the leader.”

“Can’t.” said Edward. “He has no head, now.”

“Oh…” said the Count. “Together we will find out who was supplying the rebels.”

"It doesn't matter anymore." Arborgard spoke. "Whether we find out who was supplying the weapons, one fact remains; they have already done the damage. If this continues, then we will find them. But for now, time is precious."

“Okay” said the Count. “I will have the Shadow Foxes searching for the suppliers.”

Edward was all ready on the radio and said “Father, they have a rebel alive. A high ranking one.” he said.

“Are they on their way?” asked the Count.

“Yes, one of Ashili’s soldier had them put in one of her planes.” said Edward. “So, we can find the suppliers are.”

"How long will it be before they reach here?" Nahk asked.

“Not that long.” said Edward.

-------

Meanwhile the plane was little enough to land in the castle’s hanger. Major Max Kane came down the ramp with two Blood Wolves dragging a men behind them. The Major walked up to the nearest person and said “We need to see your King.”

He is in the Great Hall. Turn left, then right, then the second one on the left, then the right, then up the stairs until the fourth room and then turn left to giant doors." The guard replied.

“Thank you.” said the Major. One of the Blood Wolves put the kicking man on his shoulder. The Major and the two soldiers headed to the Great Hall. They turned left, then right, then the second one on the left, then the right, then up the stairs until the fourth room and then turn left to giant doors. The entered the room and saw their leader and bowed their heads. “My lord, we have a gift for you.” said the Major.

The rebel was placed in the middle of the room, right in the middle of the Count, Arborgard and the others.

"Very nice." Nahk walked to front, taking out a small vial. "Sodium Pentathol." He flung the vial up, showing it to the others, as he jabbed it into the arms of the Rebel Force. "Now, who gave you the weapons?" He asked calmly.

"I...I can't...L....no!" He whispered rasply. He began to gibber.

"This man is smarter than I thought." Nahk spoke loudly. "There was a plane crash in the beach. Was is from you?" He asked.

"No. That was Laskonian Forces."

"I see. And what did they want with us?"

"They didn't want anything with you. They sold us things."

"Pistols?"

"No! This is a horrible interrogation. They gave us weapons. Real weapons." He chortled. He finalyl realised that he had divulged the information, no matter how had he had tried to keep it secret.

“Laskonian Forces.” said the Count. “I have a feeling they are not in Jenrak anymore.” He took a drink of the wine and looked at the man.

“So, what are we going to do?” he asked before he kicked the rebel in the groin.

"We will ask them the purpose of supporting rebels. Or we could simply fund terrorists in their own nation."

“The latter sounds funnier.” said the Count. “Edward, be the executor.”

Edward did what his father ordered. He drew his pistol and fired. The HE round blew the head into millions of pieces. Edward put the pistol up and walked back over to Ashili’s side. He kissed her and asked “Like that?”

"You know, I do, actually. It's efficient, and quick." She kissed him back.

“We’re are made for each other.” he said.

And cue End