The nights were long and treacherous to Zero and the others. Every step he took felt as if fire was constantly burning under his feet. The snow fell light and calm, but he knew the mountains would soon transform the calm snowfall into a deadly blizzard.

And yet, Zero couldn't help but wonder why Lillian needed the Organization after all of this time? The Organization didn't get along with Lillian or even Snarl for that matter. He also knew better than to ask Brody, lest he get another unwarranted punch for his complaints. He quickly grew to hate Brody, not just because of his bloodline, but because he was unbearably antagonistic towards Zero. He was taken to Imperia for a certain doom, which was thankfully avoided, but in the process, he lost someone he truly considered a friend - Father Kai.

When Zero had nothing, Kai, the leader and minister of the Church of Altaria, welcomed him into his arms and into his congregation. Zero saw Kai as a literal father figure, even when he resorted to his old bounty hunting days. Zero found family within the church, and within Kai as well. Now Kai was gone - murdered by Brody. Which brought up a question he wouldn't dare ask aloud... If Brody was working for King Megatronus, why search for the Organization under Lillian's orders?

He thought back to Brody's words back in Altaria and Imperia and tried to put everything together. Without fully knowing what had happened in Hunteria with Lillian, X and Rinali, Zero had to guess blindly and figure the pieces out.

"Hey, before you punch me again, I just want to know - you said back in Imperia that you weren't going to give Lillian anything credit-wise, right?"

Brody surprisingly co-operated with Zero.

"You're wondering why I'm trekking through this weather to find the Organization? Because of my uncle. He's the leader of the group. Lillian contacted uncle Cameron shortly before she took office. By now, everyone knows about the weapon she's trying to build. She doesn't have all of the equipment or tools she needs to finish the weapon, but once it's done, Cameron will use it under the command of the Organization. But she needs a plant. An herb, if you will. It's called Dark Orchid. The Renkanium is powerful, but it's not nearly enough. And the other communities like Elysium, Mioria, Altaria and even Imperia won't come together to stop it."

Zero listened intently. He could tell Brody wasn't doing this willingly. He didn't want to. He pondered for a few minutes before responding.

"You could convince them, Brody. You don't have to do this. Lillian... we don't know what she's going to do. She's clearly not doing this for the good of the people. But you don't have to continue down this path. I can tell you don't want to. Back in Imperia, you said you weren't even going to work with Lillian for credits, so don't."

Brody stopped as the others continued on. Zero glanced up at Brody, awaiting another punch from the boy. Had he overstepped?

"It's too late for me, Zero. Lillian and Cameron would kill me."

"You don't have to worry about that. If I can contact X, we can get you someplace safe. Someplace away from Hunteria."

Brody simply looked down, as if in deep thought. Could he really run away from his aunt and uncle? Did he even consider them family anymore?

"I killed your friend, Zero. But yet, you of all people are telling me to do the right thing?"

Zero chuckled lightly.

"Father Kai taught me to help people see the good in people. He taught me that people can still change, no matter what they believe. I still think that you aren't your family. You helped me out back in Nuvara Town and told me a lot about Lillian. You wouldn't have done that if you were trying to protect her. And even in Imperia, what you said showed me you don't want to help her. Even now. You can still change, Brody. It's not too late."

Brody analyzed everything Zero said. And it hit him. If Lillian truly wanted to help the people, she wouldn't require the Organization's assistance to track down the Orchid, or even build this destructive weapon. He wondered if this was the very reason the other communities would not stand against Hunteria and their corrupt mayor. And if Cameron returned to Hunteria to help Lillian finish this weapon, not only would Hunteria be in danger, but so would the other communities.

Would Brody be able to live with that guilt if he continued down this path? What did he become a Mercenary for? Did he even know that answer anymore? He had a choice to make. A choice that would determine what would happen to him in the future. He could take Zero's offer and finally have a chance at a new life, or he could risk his life to find his uncle.

"What's our plan, Zero?"

"Megatronus is going to continue on to the Harkan Mountains to find your uncle. Us trying to stop him isn't going to end well. We have to go back to Hunteria and find out what the hell's going on. If Lillian's there, which I doubt, then we have to make sure we don't get caught."

Brody nodded.

"Thank you, Zero... for not giving up on me. I'm going to make things right. Somehow."

"Let's just get back to Hunteria. We'll worry about the rest later."

Rinali knew where he was going - The Hunterian Museum. It was a fairly large museum built before Hunteria was conceived. It was this very building that inspired the birth of the now slightly desolate town.

It was time for a new beginning, Rinali bemused. Hunteria was on the verge of collapse thanks to Lillian, and in order for his plans to work, he would need knowledge.

Knowledge of an ancient group of warriors and the knowledge of how to restore them to their former glory.

Rinali, now fully known as Swoop, would learn the history of the Eternal Circle and how to attack Hunteria at the heart of things.

"For so long I've tried to protect the people of Hunteria from the woman. Even when I knew they wouldn't treat me like a king, no... like a GOD, I still protected them. I'm done protecting them. Once I restore the Eternal Circle to glory, I will strike all of the communities, and kill X and Zero with a new power."

Swoop chuckled to himself.

"If Lillian truly wants a war...

...Then she will have it."

"My God, Hunteria looks... what happened here?"

Brody and Zero stood at the entrance of the ruined Hunteria, their mouths agape at the sight. The buildings were virtually non-existent, and the people of the town were hidden away in their houses. It became a ghost town, and Zero didn't like it.

"We need to get to Lillian's office. I have no doubt Swoop and Snarl did this in their attempt to stop Lillian."

Brody looked around at the ruins.

"What has Lillian done..."

"She's turned everyone against each other in fear. Now that they know about the weapon, they're preparing for the worst... they're ready to die."

"I was so blind... I couldn't see what was happening.. now it's too late."

Zero grabbed Brody's shoulder.

"Hey, none of that. We haven't lost yet. We just gotta find X and come back. We can still stop Lillian and Cameron and save Hunteria."

"But what about Swoop? Snarl? Megatronus and Grim Fenrir?"

Zero stopped. A dark revelation flashed through his mind.

"Lillian's preparing a war. I couldn't see it until you mentioned the others. She's not building a weapon against the communities. She's building it to force the other members to join her cause. She's waging war against the world. And she's going to use the weapon and the leaders of the communities to do it. That's why she's recruiting Cameron..."

"Because the Organization is going to strike fear in the people of each community and enslave them... what Lillian's doing isn't just fear... it's enslavement and genocide..."

"We need to find X. Now."

A voice came from behind Zero and Brody. A voice they knew too well.

"I was really hoping you wouldn't figure it out... because now I have to kill you both."

X managed to reach the Sanctuary five hours after his original trek from Hunteria's borders. His breath was hitched in nervousness. The Rebellion was just what the Hunterians needed, the unfortunate thing lied in their leader - Jack.

Jack was a hardened veteran of the Newtown Crusaders War, which left thousands upon thousands brutally eviscerated and disemboweled and young children taken from their families and left to fend for themselves. After the war, Jack led the Rebellion against enemies that would seek total annihilation towards any and all people, no matter who they were.

The Rebellion fought under Jack's leadership and protected the world to this day.

X knocked on the door as the leader himself opened it.

"We need to talk."

As Snarl looked over the people, his mind wandered. He knew what Lillian was doing. And it made him realize a very important thing.

"We've been so focused on fighting against Hunteria and against Lillian, we've lost sight of something... Because of this fact, it is what caused us to live down here, in the slums. Why? Because of my ignorance. I was so focused on returning to the Hunterian Council, that instead of working with her, I wanted her dead. And sent down here to look after these... vagrants. No more. It's time we did what we were born to do - prepare for war. Load the weapons and follow me to Hunteria. It's time we put an end to this internal conflict and help Lillian with her true goals."

Snarl stood up from his throne and began to walk to Hunteria, ignoring the cries of the people in the slums as his forces fired upon them.

"Burn this place down. We no longer need return here."

As the chaos began to form, Grim Fenrir smiled a wide smile in Mioria. Everything was falling into place, and the final part of the plan was almost complete.

"Are you sure this plan will work, Grim?"

Fenrir nodded to his friend and compatriot, Nivel.

"Of course it will, Slag. Swoop has already traversed to the Hunterian Museum and contacted me to meet him there. With your introduction, it will allow him to complete his goals - to put an end to Lillian and her ways. We already know Megatronus and Snarl are on their way to Hunteria to assist Lillian with her weapon, and we will arrive there with our armada against her forces. It will be a GLORIOUS battle!"

Slag didn't have the same excitement.

"Even if this plan of yours worked... what is your true goal?"

"Hunteria has been a beacon of hope for too long. Swoop and Snarl's assault two months ago wasn't enough to instill fear into the other communities, it simply forced them to work with Lillian and build her weapon even sooner. With our assistance, Swoop can stop her. But we will burn Hunteria to the ground and show the others how flawed Hunteria truly is. Lillian wants a war, but she's too blinded by her own agenda that she doesn't realize her war games will fail. And even with the help of Megatronus, Snarl and the Organization, this weapon of hers isn't ready. Why do you think she's hidden it for so long? Because she needs the Organization to seek out the Dark Orchid and mix it with the Renkanium. Once that task is done, she will only hope to make it work against whatever threat she claims is coming."

Slag nodded in agreement.

"Alright, Fenrir. I'll order my forces to act accordingly. They've wanted to go to war against that woman, and now is the perfect time to do so."

Fenrir grinned once more. A dream he's had since his first encounter towards the Hunterians has finally come to fruition. Swoop had informed him of his findings. The mysterious Eternal Circle would be a useful ally in the coming storm they would make against the Hunterians.

It was no longer about Lillian. For this plan to work, Hunteria would need to be eradicated. The people, the town and the history. All of it, burned to ash and dust. Never to be returned.

He couldn't help but laugh internally at his plan.

"Prance around now, Lillian. You have no idea what you have started..."

He watched Slag form ten groups of fifteen warriors and scouts and led them to the border walls. And as Slag commanded them to charge towards Hunteria for the first assault, Grim Fenrir stood behind them, his smile still on his face.

"...But soon you will not be able to stop it. And I will be there to watch you take your last breath."

"And Hunteria... will burn."

To Be Continued...