Well Chapter 4 is finally done, and now we start to actually get into the swing of things again. Thanks to all who have been reviewing my two stories so far, although Fate Can Be So Cruel seems to be pulling ahead in the reviews I'm just glad you guys are enjoying both stories. Thanks for reviewing and Enjoy The Read!

Chapter 4

Darkness begins to fall anew

Five years later, high up in the Mountains to the west…

The moon shined brightly in the night sky as a familiar figure was seen flying just above the clouds. As the moon continued to shine, its light revealed none other than the Dark Sorcerer Drizen flying through the clouds and reaching his destination. It had been over five years since he had even come close to this region. Why should he have come back at all? It was the very location that he had come so close to obtaining the ultimate Darkness. The Darkness of the great and powerful, Lord Hei'an. But no, he was not able to obtain the great power. Instead he was left weakened and humiliated by that infuriating Nightshade and those pesky Kung Fu Masters!

As Drizen unwillingly let the memories of that accursed day play through his mind for the millionth time, he was once again racked with incredible curiously. The Dragon Warrior and the Tiger Master…both of them wielded such unique power and abilities. He had never witnessed such power before. It certainly wasn't magic that was for sure…but rather it was just simply…power. Power that perhaps exceeded the Darkness of Lord Hei'an himself. Power…that he wanted for HIMSELF.

So why was he returning back to the sight of his most humiliating defeat? Because of HIM, his partner. A figure whose face Drizen had never even seen, even after five incredibly long years of searching the world for a certain shrine. A shrine that was the key to his revenge on Nightshade, and the Dragon Warrior…but mostly the Dragon Warrior. After all, it was because of him that Nightshade found the courage to defy Drizen in the end, and not only re-take the Darkness…but make it his own, and on top of THAT, Drizen's power he had stored into the Encryllion prior to the Darkness was now residing in Nightshade too. How the Wolf managed to pull it all off, Drizen had no idea.

Suddenly the Dragon's Tower came into view. And Drizen could make out each of the four Dragon statues at the top of the tower, one Red, one Purple, one Golden, and one White. Each pointing in a different direction, North, South, East and West. Immediately, Drizen began to dive out of the sky and make his way down to the jagged rock path leading up to the Sanctuary. Upon landing, Drizen began to walk the cobblestone path leading up to the Tower, as his bright yellow eyes began darting all around him, searching for signs of his Partner.

Once the raven reached the Courtyard, he stood in its center and began tapping his foot impatiently, when he heard a familiar dark voice callout to him from behind one of the broken Dragon head statues. "You're late Drizen. What kept you my friend?" Drizen just glared at the cloaked figure as he stepped into the moonlight, his face completely shrouded in shadow thanks to his hood. Drizen had worked alongside this man for the past five years searching for the location of this special shrine said to house an unspeakable force within. The problem that the location of such shrine had been lost for centuries, perhaps even a millennia…maybe more. But now they finally knew the location of the Shrine and Drizen thought that was it. But he could not have been more wrong.

"What exactly is it that we are doing here again? We know the location of the Shrine, so why don't we just go and release this great force you seem to know so much about?" his partner then silence him saying, "Patience Drizen. Learning the location of the shrine was the most difficult part of the Plan, of that I can assure you. But there is much more that we require before we can venture out to the shrine."

Drizen then rolled his eyes as they approached the giant doors and asked, "Such as?" the Partner then chuckled as he said, "all in due time my fine feathered friend, but first, we must require one thing." Drizen just walked in asking, "And what's THAT?" and then his partner revealed, "Something you left behind the last time you set foot in this place… The Encryllion."

Drizen immediately turned around and stared at the figure before saying, "That's pointless then. The Encryllion is destroyed! It won't work!" the figure then made his way past the Raven and said, "it is hardly destroyed my friend…merely…shattered." As the two made their way to the center of the sanctuary the figure then began waving his hands around moving several of the pews and broken statues, until he finally found what he was looking for. "There it is…" the figure cooed as he looked down upon the 3 separate pieces of the Encryllion.

The Partner quickly picked up the largest piece of the Encryllion and looked it over once before muttering, "Magnificent…" as he placed the crystal within his robe. Drizen finally stepped forward and asked, "How did you know…where that would be? And how do you know it still works?" the Partner then turned and sneered, "As for how I knew where it was located Drizen, you wouldn't stop complaining about your miserable defeat at the hands of that Nightshade and those Masters for months. You told me the location yourself!" Drizen wasn't so certain however, for he could not recall ever revealing the location of the sacred artifact. But then again, this partner also was a sorcerer. "Did he maybe give me something to make me spill my secrets at some time? I doubt it, but for all I know that could be it."

The Partner then continued saying, "As for whether or not it works…well if you're that curious by all means, test t to see if it holds its power, I won't mind one bit." Drizen dropped the subject at that point, and changed to a new one. "Fine…then what is the next part of this plan? Are we any closer to getting my revenge on the Dragon Warrior? Because so far all we've done is run circles around the world reading ancient text and cave drawings." The Partner then said as he began to make his way out of the Sanctuary, "We are indeed closer my friend, yet we still have quite a ways to go. For you see the next part of my plan requires three separate, very specific, artifacts. Keys, if you will to unlock the shrine and allow us access to what resides within."

Drizen then asked as the two had now finally made it outside into the courtyard once more, "And where exactly might we find these Keys of yours? I'll tell you right now, I refuse to fly over to Europe again; the entire continent is a giant cloud of misery. The weather isn't much better." the Partner then chuckled a she said, "Fortunately for us, the Keys happen to all reside in China. The problem will be obtaining them ourselves, especially one in particular." As the Partner waved his hand and muttered an incantation that was unfamiliar to Drizen, as a Dark Portal opened up in front of the two of them. Drizen was impressed, his own portals usually required a blood sacrifice and some runes, yet this stranger's appeared to require only a string of words. He would have to pay attention the next time he conjured the portal.

The figure then turned to Drizen and said, "We will require some assistance with acquiring the Keys…preferably the more, hands on, type of help. If you know what I mean, and I think you do." as the Partner entered the dark portal, Drizen began to follow him as he said to himself, "Oh trust me…I think I know exactly where we can find a few…Volunteers. Heh heh…Heh heh heh heh ….Heh ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

A week later, towards the southern China boarder…

Deep within a forest rumored to be the safe haven of thieves and mercenaries of all colors shapes and sizes was an encampment that strangely enough resembled that of a small village. Within this village certain kinds of people would come to find "Work" of any sort. It was here that Drizen was going to find his Volunteers.

As the Raven walked amongst the dozens of thieves and mercenaries, he kept a vigilant eye out for the very man he sought. A man rumored to have banded together the surviving members of the Great Lord Shen's scattered army under his leadership, where they became one of the most feared group of mercenaries in all of China, rumored to be known only as "The Fang".

According to Drizen's informant, the very leader of this Pack was said to be in this very… town, if you could call it that, for the day, and so his window of opportunity was very small. He had to convince this man to lend Drizen his strength of numbers any way he could. If Drizen and his partner were going to be able to acquire the three Keys, then they were going to need some serious muscle backing them up. After all, they could not fail in obtaining any of the keys in order for their plan to succeed and Drizen would finally have his revenge.

Drizen soon came to an establishment of sorts with a rather muscular Gorilla blocking the door. As Drizen approached, the Gorilla scoffed before saying, "Move along Pipsqueak, Members only." Drizen then said without so much as looking at the giant ape, "I'm looking for a man I believe to be currently within this fine establishment. Now if you would be so kind as to let me pass." The gorilla just chuckled as he said, "No can do. You want inside? Then you got to get past me first Short stuff." Drizen then grinned at the Gorilla, thought it went unnoticed thanks to his hood. "As you wish."

Inside the establishment, many "Customers" were huddled around tables in groups. Some trying to barter their stolen goods, while others were searching for either information regarding a bounty of sorts, or simply negotiating terms for various "services" when there was a loud *BASH* as everyone looked up to see the Gorilla watching the door burst through the door and fly towards the back of the room falling over in a heap with a low "Oohhhh"

Everyone turned to see the cloaked figure entering the establishment, his hands held together as the sleeves of his tunic met in his center. As he looked around, Drizen saw he was in a Bar of sorts, or perhaps it was some sort of Tavern, either way, the alcohol was flowing and the waitresses were either standing around with trays of drinks, or rushing behind the bar.

Not a single soul spoke up as Drizen neared the Center of the establishment and began looking around for his target. When he failed to spot them immediately, Drizen called out, "Good evening everyone. I am looking for someone and the guard at the door simply was not very helpful so I do hope you all can be of some use to me." A Croc then finally spoke up asking while chewing on a piece of his dinner, "And who exactly are you shrimp?" the others around the table began to sneer as Drizen then muttered, "You really shouldn't talk with food in your mouth…Skyevahch!"

Suddenly, the Croc started choking on his meal and he began to panic. One of his buddies tried to help him by attempting the Heimlich maneuver, but due to Drizen's magic they were unsuccessful and in mere moments, the Croc rolled over and was dead.

Nobody said a word as they all looked from the now deceased Crocodile over to the hooded figure in the center of the room. Some began brandishing their weapons while others merely sat there and watched. Drizen then called out, "Now… since we've finally gotten past the dirty parts, I'm looking for The Fang…where can I find their commander?" Everyone started muttering amongst themselves at the mention of the group of mercenaries. But it wasn't until Drizen felt the presence of someone standing behind him that he began to show any interest.

As he turned around, Drizen was met with the chest of a very large wolf, with Dark gray fur and blood red eyes. He wore black leather armor on his chest, two steel armbands and an iron shoulder Spaulding on his right shoulder. Attached to his back was a serrated sword with a wolf's head on the hilt. As he looked down upon the figure before him, the Wolf then spoke in a low and annoyed tone, "Well then…you've come to the right place stranger."

Minutes later found Drizen sitting at a table in the back of the Bar with the wolf, only now he was flanked on both sides by two smaller wolves, both with similar armor minus the shoulder Spaulding and with only straight swords on their hips. The two also had a lighter gray fur then their leaders and whenever Drizen looked at them he got the feeling that these two could quite possibly be twins, if not directly related in some way at least.

Suddenly the Wolf sitting in front of Drizen took a swig of his drink before asking, "So…you wish to employ the services of The Fang? And why should we work for you stranger? You have yet to show us the face of the man asking for our services." Drizen chuckled as he lowered his hood and revealed his face to the three before him, his yellow eyes glimmering with anticipation, "My apologies friend, but you see, I have made many enemies in my day and keeping a low profile comes naturally." The Wolf on the right then snapped, "Says the man who sent a full grown gorilla through the front doors across the room…no small feat." The Wolf on the left merely nodded as the one in the middle brought his hands together saying, "My second has a point bird brain…but before we question your character tell me…what is it exactly that you want?"

Drizen grinned evilly as he stated ever so matter of factly, "Why…all I want my dear friend, is revenge." The Wolf then leaned back as he said, "I see…revenge on whom?" Drizen sneered even more as he said, "A couple of people to be completely honest. And to do so I require numbers and strength, both of which you currently possess." The Leader then leaned forward as he snarled, "you didn't answer my question Bird! Who is the Target!?" both of his lieutenants began going for their swords as Drizen held up a wing saying, "My apologies. Although two of the Targets I'm sure are of little interest to you I feel that one will catch your interest quite nicely." The wolf then motioned for his followers to back off, as they let go of their swords. He then glared at Drizen and said, "Go on…" Drizen then sneered as he revealed, "One of my targets…and perhaps the biggest in more ways than one…is The Dragon Warrior!"

That got all three wolves' attention, as they all jerked at the mention of the name of the Warrior that destroyed their previous Master. The Wolf sitting down was eyeing the Raven with a glare that could paralyze the Mighty Tai Lung if he were here as he snarled, "The Dragon Warrior you say? Tell me Raven…what has he done to wrong you?" Drizen merely stated, "Let us just say he has kept me from acquiring something that I had spent much of my life dreaming to obtain, and I wish to make him suffer for it." The Wolf then grinned as he stated, "You are not alone in that my friend. Now…before this conversation goes any further I shall have your name." Drizen then raised an eyebrow and asked, "And why should I give you that? You have not even agreed to work for me yet." The wolf then grinned as he took a swig of his drink once more, motioning for a waitress to bring him another. "Because…I only wish to know the names of the people that I will actually consider offering my Pack's services to."

Drizen grinned as he said, "Very good…if you must know then, you will know me as Drizen, the most powerful Dark Sorcerer in all of China!" the wolf looked a bit amused as he said, "Sorcerer huh? That explains the poor sap guarding the door." Drizen then asked as he took a sip of his own drink for the first time, "And your name? Your Pack is famous in the underground but not the name of its fearsome leader." The Wolf smirked as he stated, "You may call me, Feng (Sharp Blade, Wind)."

Drizen then lifted his cup and the two touched cups together as Drizen then said, "Well then Feng, let us negotiate your Pack's services, shall we?"

And that's chapter 4. Not the longest chapter I know but that's okay. Thanks for reading and remember...

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