Reborn a king: Project Kailash

by havok038

He returned to the turning point where it all began. Unbridled determination and a taste for vengeance against everything his Father stood for, the Golden Path and Sabal who double-crossed him. But in his restart, more fabric of reality began to peel away revealing the horrible truth and lies about Kyrat. Where myth became reality. Here in the Himalayas, the mountains were alive.

143. PK Chp 131 - Howl of the Brave

Author's Notes:

No, this ain't an early April Fool's joke.

Much to say, but first and foremost, I apologize to the oldest readers of this series. Its unannounced hiatus was due to very sudden shifts to my life and a turning point for me in growing up out of certain mindsets. RaK started as a way of coping with the norms of society which were both frustrating and nonsensical at times, blowing stream through writing was quite refreshing. At midpoint, I deviated to God of Cookery, a series in Gate: Jieitai Kano Chi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri that I quite enjoyed doing. Starting as a mere side project to keep my writing wits about me. But the late years of uni started creeping in and deprived me of the time to focus on scripting the sequence for RaK and it became too much of a strain for me to do as frustrating as it was. RaK was always at the back of my mind.

As for my commitments towards this project attempt to revive the series from where I left off, I have chosen to christen this Reborn a King: Project Kailash. To simply commemorate this series returning, it is not a new story but simply a continuation of the original with new styles of writing and diction I have amassed over the years. Do forgive me if the portrayals of certain characters have changed as I don't have a good bead on how I originally envisioned them. My goal for RaK in this new restart will be one chapter a month but with far more content than the old style, my discipline of the mind and commitment hours was not what it once was. However, your love and support these few years have reached me.

Sincerely always from Down Under Adelaide,

Havok

---

It felt like his entire body was being caressed by lukewarm waters, dissolving his body bit by bit. Yet, no pain could be felt, only the sensation of losing everything.

And then he woke up.

His eye did not flutter open, nor did he gasp. It felt like he had just woken from an afternoon nap that had been a little too long. The familiar rays of a Californian sun shone down upon him with a gentle breeze blowing. He was in a place that brewed up such nostalgia, from the sounds of the city from the sunbathing balcony by the pool to the faulty sprinklers that he had promised to fixed but never got around doing for seven whole years, leaving his mother to chew at him every summer it failed to water her rose bed garden adequately.

"Jas, how many times have I told' ya. You can't just keep sleeping in like that." And a voice that he had almost forgotten sounded like.

"… Grant."

"Hey, sport. How's the job hunt com-inhing!? Hehaha! Jase, what's the matter?" The clean-shaven and well-sculpted man asked slightly bemused by the level of brotherly affection his younger brother adopted all of a sudden through an embrace.

"I don't know." But the firmness of his hug said otherwise as did his weary tone.

"… It felt like forever since I last saw you." Hearing this, left the man smiling and humored by the changes present to him. Patting him on the back to assure him that he was fine.

"Yeah? An hour to the pizzeria was forever?" The man who had the exact features of his elder brother said it in the exact order that Grant would've too.

Jason fell into a discomforting silence as he processed his thoughts.

"You look like you just went through a rough one." Grant said, explaining his disorientation.

"I was…. Dreaming?" It humored Grant even more that he was having trouble distinguishing illusion from reality.

"Oh yeah? What was this dream about, little brother?" Grant indulged him since he was quite shook up that his mannerisms changed.

Jason only stared deeply into his eyes, until Grant broke eye contact.

"Have you been sniffing anything while mom was out?"

"No….. I mean…. I don't think so?" Jason said before Grant teased him with a certain sibling mischief that one older would do to his younger ones. But it stopped after Jason showed little interest in continuing to allow the lighthearted feelings to take over. This was the first sign that was unlike the Jason of yesterday.

"We were on an island."

"Beach holiday?"

"Getaway, Thailand… I think." Grant passed him a shot of milk to clear his head in case he ingested something wrong before.

"Rook Island." Jason's mouth spoke this name even before his mind registered what it was or when the fleeting memories of this place said otherwise about the trip.

"Never heard of it. So what's bogging you about this island?" Grant asked as he got into a boxing stance to play fight like they always did.

"….. You died." And that's when all the fun went out the window.

"I died, how?" Grant responded, but as Jason tried to reach that memory in his mind, he started to experience a migraine headache attack. Beyond this physical pain he endured were momentary flashes of moments where he had experienced excruciating pain, both upon his body and his mind.

"Hey, hey! Easy, little brother." Grant helped him sit back on the sunbathing chair under the shade of a parasol. And as quickly as they appeared, these glimpses disappeared from his thoughts as just an empty memory.

"Forget it, it was just a bad dream. Say… How 'bout we head over to Keith's studio later? Grab the girls, Riley too. Have a barbeque. It'll be like when pops was still around. Sound good?" Grant in his big brother mannerisms proposed the remedy to his ill feelings.

"…. S-Sure. I guess." Immediately, Grant grappled him by the neck and tussled his unkept hair.

"I knew you'd come through. That's my little brother for you. I'll make the calls, you wait in the Chevy."

Jason gave what could only be called a weak grunt of acknowledgement as he was still feeling disoriented. But he was inwardly happy to see his brother in the flesh, no matter what nightmare he had. The death of their father had greatly impacted their mother and Grant himself. Jason was not as close, and thus didn't feel the strain as they did. But Grant made it an obligation to stand in for the old man and did more than was asked of him. Jason had never experienced any severe emotional or financial burdens all thanks to his elder brother who signed himself on the National Guard and used its benefits to get the family out of hard times just as they grew up.

Riley had shown great aptitude and fascination for aviation and sought to acquire a license from pilot school. One more fledgling out of the nest.

However, Jason never seemed to know what he wanted to do. Lisa had been pushing for him to take some assertion of his life if anything mattered. It's not that he was aimless or without purpose. He had control over his own life as graduate from UCLA with multiple job offers in their sunny state of California with friends and family. It's just that somewhere… out there, he felt that he had greater meaning. It was nothing more than intuition that told him this, no solid evidence or proof to this sensation. Just a feeling.

Which was why he was the one that suggested that holiday. To the farthest parts of the world where one would normally not go. Remote and ancient. Egypt, Peru, Guetamala, Rome, Jerusalem, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Rook Island…. Kyrat.

Strange, he knew this place but not because of a vacation it seemed.

Jason took the keys from the porch to start Grant's 4WD in advance, opening the garage to the streets when his eyes spotted a sight that was not common to their suburban homes.

A canine stood out on their driveway. Not a common pedigree nor stray. It stared back at him with small beady yellow eyes that were center line to its pelt rich fur, leading Jason to discern that what he was looking at wasn't a dog.

But a Dhole.

Here in California? His mind went around it but couldn't find the rationale, nor why he was absolutely sure about its species despite it not coming from this side of the world. Its pelt was a rusted red colour like the ubiquitous red fox, but slender, built for speed and endurance. Living with a pack to roam the lands than digging a warren to find refuge or sanctuary. Just like him.

His mind fell into a state of serenity at the sight of this strange beast as if the chant of the sacred word of Aum had occupied his senses and released him from his migraine. Almost immediately, the creature turned and left as soon as the sound of his brother came out ready to take them both on a ride around the suburbs to Keith's place.

"Did you take my keys? Great, let's get going." Grant relieved him of the car keys from his open hand but noticed his inaction.

"You've been spacing out lately, you sure you don't need to go back to bed?"

"…. Nah, I'm good. Just thinking about some stuff that's all." Jason quickly dismissed the charges of fatigue as he'd slept enough already. There was a whole day waiting for him.

"Well, don't let that become a part of you. It's good to take things slow, bud. And you've got us to help out, alright?"

"Alright."

"That's my Jas." Grant tapped him on the shoulder and hopped onto the car to drive it out of the garage, Jason followed suit but continued to stare at the empty patch where that stray animal used to stand, even when Grant drove away from their family home, his eyes were planted there for the longest time.

His dreams, they felt real. But they were nothing more than illusions created by his mind to play tricks on him. He was never lost in the wilderness, on a paradise lost. He never lost his friends and had to fight to reclaim them. He never lost his brothers only to be left avenging them.

Jason Brody was just a regular person, seeking the occasional thrills in a youthful life before joining everyone else in the working cog of society. And yet, he felt that there was still so much more out there that he was missing out on without explanation to it. It wasn't ambition or desire that guided him in this premonition. Where he had been confused before, that Dhole's calm yet instinctual stare had awoken a strange calmness within him. Telling him that his senses were not unfounded, that there really was something out there if only he left this all behind. Jason wasn't sure what to think about a wild animal capable of doing that, only that he was having a lot of weird sense lately. Maybe Grant was right, he should take things slow and ask for help when he needed it. Humility always goes a long way, and for all that he knew. Jason was indeed happy to have such a loving brother alive and well, good friends and a girlfriend that often made his worries her own problem to solve. He was finally grateful to appreciate the things around him.

How could he leave such strong convictions behind when he had so much to live for? He wouldn't.

So why did he feel that deep down, he would?

He had to.

---

No matter how it was said, bad blood was bad blood.

The 21st Squadron of the Jatayu Brigade 58 force, deployed overseas for the first time away from the Himavana mountains were no more comfortable with the turncoat US marine contingent that had been stationed in Pakistan than they were of them. The Kyratis had amassed quite an irreputable infamy for the slaughter of an advanced expeditionary force under the folds of Operation Switchblade that they were a part of in the reserved force. The carrier strike group incident was not lost to them either, as they suspected more foul play than a mere accidental discharge. A nuclear device wasn't a gun after all. All the Jatayu saw in the Americans were murderers and ill-opportunists who had fractured their country decades ago, so the feeling was mutual. The savages from the hermit kingdom in the Himalayas was how the western world saw them, so it was a little too shocking that they would daringly stage attacks on their foreign bases on Pakistan.

But now they knew how it was so. Kyrat had a collaborator in a familiar form.

Legion. An autonomous renegade force that stemmed from an uprising of the remaining garrison forces of Pakistan. In reality, it was the work of a single Captain to restore the status quo. The largest military mutiny to have ever graced modern times, went from three professional US Marine regiments to a terrorist faction of trained killers overnight. At home, this was no doubt brewing a storm for the media as well as those in and out of said service. An even greater threat than the prolific Al-Qaeda exists, because every member who was once part of their armed forces had valuable intelligence on several classified operations and incidents over the decades, severely breached many security protocols. With the things that they all individually knew about the inner workings of the US military command at home and abroad, had compromised their entire defensive initiative. Washington didn't really imagine this could happen but now faced new problems over the old ones. Now, every member of the US military stood to mutineer if they felt they were treated unjust or were simply discontent with their hiatus in position or rank. Even if none of them had any such notion, the paranoia of the Pentagon and White House had been raised. The populations' distrust of the military would also follow soon as they had learnt that the military forces could hurt them. As the reputation and credibility of the US war machine became checkered further.

All because Badala chose thirty thousand American sailors over thirty million people of his native homeland, including his enemies, Golden Path. He truly was a demon of humanity. When the real demons were also kept within the Himalayas.

Karma has a cruel irony to it, pulling them together under a circumstance that neither party favored. However, the alternative was far from acceptable as it entailed the hunt of Legion. So, an unwilling truce was formed exclusively to the US marine forces under de facto leadership from a Force Marine Captain who had been part of the many earlier incursions into Kyrat, to a Cantonese Political Officer of the Kyrati forces they called Kshatriyan Lords. A pretentious name for a military commissar to a ruthless tyrannical regime playing on mysticism from the marines' point of view, but not to Captain David Goh. There wasn't just anybody that was given this role as he heard from Perkins. It was effectively a penal charge assigned to certain offenders who had been given a full-time role in warfare.

A man who commits a crime was put in a prison typically for the safety of the public. But in times of war, it was not unheard of for said criminals to be pressed into service as soldiers, albeit of lesser privilege than regulars, expendable in certain cases. The Kshatriyan Lords went a step further with something they weren't entirely clear on, a curse of living.

*Golf-One standing by at the rear exit.*

"This is Group Four, we're storming the front." David acknowledged on Han Feng's behalf.

*Golf-Two hears you loud and clear. Entering through the roof access.* Rappelling down the cable, all eighteen accompanying Perkins and Huntsman Onir arrived boots on the rooftop and began to smash open the service door lock with a police pile bunker.

*Golf-One, moving in.* Sergeant Becker reported in.

"Single file…." David whispered along the line as the stacked up on the two-point men wielding ballistic shields and machine pistols.

"Just a reminder, the policy of containment precedes all other objectives and priorities. Anything that acts unnatural or moves funny must be destroyed. The same goes for anyone that becomes compromised. I'm talking to both groups here." Han Feng reminded them over the comms. Legions' test had begun.

Reaching the door, they could hear a breach and clear procedure from the sound of a shotgun blasting hinges over the other side, as well as shattering of glass from where Perkins and Onir's group smashed through the skylight. The combined arms force had stormed the recreations building with full intent of eliminating everything with extreme prejudice. Survivors? They expected none in this situation.

*Golf-Two here, roof is secure. Proceeding down the emergency stairs.* The huntsman reports in as David and Han Feng were being assaulted by a foul stench that permeated the walls, floor and ceiling.

"Ughhh-(cough)." It overcame someone's ability to contain his stomach in the line as he puked to the side. They too felt the very air sting their eyelids and nostrils, but had committed to the search for Jason Brody, for all the tactical importance he was worth to Badala. Willis Huntley too thought highly of the former's abilities, only his abilities. An island getaway gone horribly wrong had taken that young man and twisted his very being inside out, turning him into a monster that had slain good and evil men alike. David had seen him at work before and hardly believed someone as skilled with gun and knife as him could ever come from the social paradise that was California. Perhaps the term, there was a demon within all of us applied to him particularly too well. Either way, securing Brody was a means to an end for him. Of proving his reliability to one of the Federation's officers with greater autonomy than even the flag generals on both sides.

Han Feng held out a device that emitted a low humming sound to their proximity.

"You tagged him?" David said with a whisper, not recalling him mention anything about a tracker.

"He might not be a foe, but he's no friend, Captain." Brody was essentially an inmate on parole with a tracker embedded within him.

The device gave soft pips to highlight a return response from the parent device to the micro-tracker injected under Jason Brody's skin. One of the new technologies they brought in for numerous functions ranging from fauna tracking for monitoring wildlife numbers in the region, to the Golden Path prisoners sentenced to hard labour in the southern region fields to work off their sentence.

"He's here, twenty paces right." Han Feng pointed out around the corridor where many doors to rooms lay. The double shield columns observed strict covering of corners as they checked every room from the first to the last.

"Clear." They opened each door and had an entire column storm the interior looking for their subject only to have four empty rooms filled with nothing but that strong resin-like mucus.

"Clear." The last room was cleared with no sign of a single person or any remains.

It left them frustrated by the apparent flimsiness of the contraption that the Kyrati held.

"Now what?" A marine said before being silenced with a tap by his senior.

Han Feng's device was getting strange readings that seemed to indicate that the tracking beacon was somewhere between the walls of the fourth and fifth room, but there was no additional access.

Outside at the corridor, they were slumped with the only other alternative of searching the entire complex since the device clearly was malfunctioning. Only, David seemed to want to stay as he knocked on the wall of the fourth room and then proceeded to do the same in the fifth room before walking outside.

(knock)(knock) The walls of the corridor where they had thoroughly searched gave a faith hollow resound where he tapped behind a painting.

Han Feng gave a sigh as if almost expecting what he thought it was, as David lifted the paint of its hinge and further inspected said wall.

(creak) He had only touched it slightly when the creak of a hinge validated his theory that there was a hidden door behind the wall.

"There's no wind." David said as he pushed the door aside and indicated the lack of pressure change, meaning that it was a limited space even though a stairwell presented itself to them. The point man down the secret passageway had changed as they left their shield bearers behind and allowed a lieutenant to take charge as they ventured down with only single digits' worth of people. Han Feng taking the lead with the extremely potent single-shot weapon pointed down the front.

As ludicrous as the design was, like it was something out of a redneck fantasy for hunting dinosaurs. The weapon affectionately called "the slugger" was the Kyratis' most powerful small-arm, purpose-built to wrestle against the so-called Rakshasa demons. An insane .700 nitro express round encased in a cartridge with Vedic scriptures carved into its jacket, loaded into a falling-block rifle that was half-cowboy gun contraption, half AR-15 lower assembly with a hydraulic buffer. The ridiculously overpowered weapon for such a niche role stated the danger of the enemy it was employed against. David nor any of the recon marines had seen a Rakshasa before, but seeing what Brody and the Devas could do, it was fair to assume that these creatures were far worse for it to be mass produced in such quantities.

They arrived at a special reinforced blast door that was left slightly open, leaving the worry of breaching or locating a keycard off their shoulders. But also what might lurk within. Without hesitation, Han Feng raised the Slugger with one hand and grabbed hold of the door with the other to shift it open. Seeing what he intended to do, David stepped quietly to his side and took over the opening of the door so that he could have both hands on that overpowered weapon.

Han Feng took a step back against the spiral wall to brace the recoil as he looked through the red dot sight and motioned that he was ready. David signalled a three second count before he opened the door with an audible creek of metal against metal. The others in their Group took places and knelt as they aimed down the doorway as if something was about to jump out at them.

(Cough)(Cough)(Cough)(Bleuurgh)

But the only thing that assaulted them was an even more putrid smell that seemed to be the source of all that muck about the complex.

Han Feng was slightly taken aback by the smell as well, but powered on. Leading by example, David followed suit and accompanied him in to secure what appeared to be a room full of surgical equipment and recording apparatus.

"Clear!" David's corner was secure.

"Clear." So was Han Feng's answer as well. Only, it was because what he found could no longer be considered a threat.

When David came to see what he was staring at he found himself staring at what was more than likely the room's occupants. Or what remained, which was nothing more than bleach-boned skeletons still wearing clothing damp with green ooze. He didn't need to ask Han Feng for confirmation, as the latter plied open one of the skeleton's cold dead fingers revealing an implant chip that increased the pitch of the tracking device that he held.

"(Sigh)."

Their track was cold once more.

"(Cough) What the hell is this place?" One of the Kyrati commandos from behind picked up a syringe on a platter that hadn't been administered yet.

"A CIA interrogation room." Han Feng picked up a document that was slowly becoming consumed by the green muck that had acidic properties. The fact that David didn't deny it proved that it was. But Han Feng already knew what this place was. After all, the Cantons were no strangers to the methods of physical persuasion upon their prisoners, nor was he. Even though he never liked it, it was expected of him. Back when his ethnic group were seen as the overlords of the tiny kingdom, now, he was a part of something bigger. Nobler.

"Is that what Brody was supposed to find here?" David questioned Jason Brody's presence here to begin with.

"He had very simple instructions, infiltrate the embassy, find the black site intendant and bring him for extraction." Han Feng disclosed that they weren't exactly after documents but the individuals here. Specifically, the Head of Mission and the resident CIA case officer. Infiltration by an asylum-seeking ruse. Unfortunately, Jason had decided to betray the Four Virtues operatives and compromised their cover leading to their deaths and his apparent apprehension as well. Han Feng knew this for certain because one of the operatives had avoided capture but died upon telling them the situation.

"And he failed." The skeleton they were looking at was most likely the CIA officer who bit off more than he could chew. An ID card hanging from his neck described who he was, his clearance, and what he looked like before becoming devoured by the viscous slime.

Whatever happened in this very room, Jason Brody had been the source of this unnatural outbreak the PAF had been containing. A capacity to unleash a bioweapon that was contagious and deadlier than any gas or aerosol type weapon, because those subject to it would spread the plague and its effects.

"So why is he so important to keep alive then?" An adventurous marine inquired as it defeated the purpose of their venture. But Han Feng wouldn't answer him, and instead pulled out his transceiver to gain a status report from the rest. Even so, David already had an idea of why. Beyond strategic value of his fighting strength and skill, he had just become more valuable as a weapon that could turn enemies against their own when released upon them like a chemical weapon. With the Golden Path being a primarily foot infantry and partisan force, it was even more lethal, as it helped separate them from the Rakshasa and allowed the Federation forces to focus on only one foe. The Federation itself was already beyond the standards of ethical practice to use such weaponry, as it was pointless to abide by rules set by others that didn't follow it either. All that mattered was their own people.

David hardened his heart as he had already sought this alternative to be hunted by the joint anti-terrorist task force that was already in the works of being assembled to kill everyone who called themselves Legion. The ones that the world believed was responsible for the atrocity.

"All Groups, sitrep." Han Feng called out on their progress.

*This is Golf-Three. Perimeter secured, we've begun planting of the C4 at the first checkpoint.*

*Golf-One reporting in, nothing by that stench and mucus-like residue around. No bodies in sight.*

*Golf-Two here. Getting strong Alien vibes here. Same on our end upstairs, except-… ewww, someone took a dump up here….* Perkin's complaints weren't a comfort to them.

*This is Golf-One, anything on your end Golf-Actual?*

"Negative, Golf-One. The trail has gone cold, the subject could be anywhere within the complex at this point."

*Roger that, Golf Actual.*

"Your orders?" David showed his compliance with Han Feng's authority in this very tense time as Han Feng halted his study of the area and thoughts on what had actually transpired here.

"Golf-Two, you'll link up with us in the atrium once you've secured the upper floors. Over." He radioed in one more time.

*Understood, Golf-Actual. Moving- (creak) what was that?!-... Contact!-* (BAbababaam)

The muffled report of gunfire from their position at the ground floor indicated that Perkin's group had encountered a hostile adversary.

"Golf-Two, report! Sergeant Perkins!" There was no reply beyond the strange howls and eerie wails mixed in as the gunfire died out, but no sitrep was given spelling a bad ending on Perkins and Onir's end.

"Golf-One! Rendezvous on our location at the cafeteria. We'll-."

"Sir! Movement topside, the Lieutenant needs your eyes up top!" A Jatayu interrupted as he informed him of a development at the corridor where he'd left US Lieutenant Whyla to cover their flank. David was the first to zip up the flight of stairs, to quickly go on the assertion that their time was short if they wanted to look for them.

Although, passing the message halfway, Sergeant Becker clicked a reply that said he agreed with their plan to link up before ascertaining Golf-Two's assailants, proceeding any further alone was foolhardy. The marines and Jatayu in the interrogation room followed close behind leaving Han Feng who recovered what remained of the encryption codes in the unlocked file cabinets with the keys acquired from the corpses. This would help the other contingents that were attacking the main CIA black site to decipher their recovered datafiles.

David arrived on the scene to relieve the Lieutenant that had urgently called for their attention, finding the entire group pointed down the corridor towards the cafeteria where figure shrouded in the dark stood motionless. The men had taken up a good firing position while awaiting his say so to respond quickly if needed.

"What is that?" David tried to squint his eyes to discern a definable image of the figure standing creepily in the dark where the lights began to flicker around when the PAF had already cut power to the generators outside.

"US Marines! Identify yourself!" The ballistic shield bearer who was also the point man went for the diplomatic approach and introduced himself as a member of the US military, hoping for a positive response and not as they feared.

"US Marines! Identif-."

"MOOOOOAAARRRRRHH!" The silhouette released an eerie moan in response to the noise that they made and began to sprint in their direction.

"Stay where you are! Or we will fire upo-."

With barely any time to complete his repeated challenge, the figure rush them with unbelievable speed.

"Shit!"

The point man had even less time to fire off a warning shot as the elusive figure struck him head on in the ballistic shield and toppled him along with his rear support like ten pins.

(Bang)(Bang) Two successive shots of the Benelli was David's response to the unhuman figure that leaped out of the way as if dodging the first shot, then jumped in a strange manner that adhered itself to the ceiling when they peppered the floor where they thought it would land. Only to creep them out further as it moved on all fours like a spider with its limbs cracking about from being dis-jointed and broken.

The creature leaped upon a Marine and bit down on his neck, followed by a sound that could only be described as it snapping his neck. Then, it jumped back onto the ceiling vertically, hauling away its kill. A lifeless soldier's corpse dangled from the ceiling, moving with the terrifying creature resulted in frantic steps rearing back and a general sense of disarray for both factions in the face of such a monstrous assailant.

(Bang)(Bang)(Bang) David didn't allow himself to think about what it was, only that it needed to die now. The report of his shotgun encouraged them to add to the volume of fire as they saturated the ceiling where the creature stood with an entire magazines' worth of bullets and buckshot each.

The creature fell from the ceiling jittering its last muscle reflexes while its body was riddled with holes of varying sizes. David walked up to the creature and placed the Benelli against its head.

(Bang) The wet sound of brain matter escaping out the exit wound silenced the creature and exposed him to the true horror of what they had been shooting at.

The creature, deformed to its core with hairless puss-ridden skin that appeared as though it was ready to fall off at any time, was at its root human. Even when its head was missing, the body seemed to make all sorts of disgusting sounds to tell him it was alive in some way. But now, it would no longer attack them.

"What in-." The lieutenant barely got to finish his sentence when a talon reached out from above and decapitated him to the jaw right next to David. His instincts told him to shoot above him as the ceiling caved in and landing upon him was another of these sickly spider-like horrors. Pinning him to the ground with the length of his own shotgun, keeping him safe from its mouth that opened wider than the human jaw and had the stench of rotting flesh from it, but not from the talons.

David made a futile struggle with the creature as the group seemed to sound out the arrival of more creatures with their shouts followed by heavy gunfire. He was left to fend for himself as their priorities had changed from making a difficult shot to remove the creature over him, to fighting for their very survival against these monstrosities. In a small corner of their minds, wondering if this was even the same "infected" that the PAF had described being contained in the Embassy.

David narrowly dodged its talon of extra jutting bone growth that impacted the tiles instead of his forehead and continued to wrestle the snapping mouth that had been locked upon the barrel of the shotgun. But against its inhuman strength, he was like a baby waiting to be slaughtered.

(Boom) And the creature that was about to bite down on his head was thrown by an invisible force across the room impacting the wall like a bug hit by a flyswat.

(ting) A smoking barrel breech discharged a massive cartridge as another was loaded in.

(Boom) The same thunderous report that threatened to deafen their ears even with ear protection resounded, and another creature was blasted away in the same manner where so many bullets had failed.

This breathing space had left them disoriented as they turned to face the origin of this .700 caliber providence.

Using momentum to his side, Han Feng loaded another beefy round into the chamber and closed the breech lever as another creature lunged over the men, prioritizing him as the definitive threat.

(Boom) The third creature tried but fell short by only inches before being thrown back by the massive energy dumped into its torso from the bullet impacting it.

The spider-creature slammed into the internal window of a waiting room, breaking it as its body slumped entirely motionless. There was no living muscle after sustaining a hit of that magnitude.

(ting) Its reckoning ejected another casing and stashed it away conservatively for future reloading before inserting a fresh cartridge with another creature's name written on it.

The fourth creature received the full firepower of the groups' M4 and AKM rifles, succumbing to a hail of lead. These spider creatures had attempted to ambush them and failed but had dealt serious casualties.

(Moan) In the distance they could already hear more of the same hurt coming their way.

"Screw this, we'll getting out of here!"

"That's right, no way that Brody guy is alive in all this shit!"

And in that show of hesitance, Han Feng stepped forwards with his handgun out of its holster.

"I need not remind you the stakes against you, but the only way we're going is forwards. You are not allowed to break formation, if you do, then just see what happens." With hammer cocked, Han Feng had confirmed the very nature of his job as what they thought he was to the Marines in particular.

"We won't, and that goes for the rest of the groups." David stood between them to cool down the tension.

*Golf-One to Golf-Actual! We're on route to the checkpoint but encountering heavy resistance, we need support ASAP!* Sergeant Becker hailed them on the unanswered comms that he was stuck on the way to their rendezvous point, unlike them who repelled the wave of monsters.

*I say again, cannot regroup, cannot hold. Over!*

"This is Golf-Actual, we're on our way. Hang tight, Golf-One. We'll come to you instead. How copy?" David answered in his stead, committing to the task at hand. Every bit of encouragement was needed as they were completely unaware of what they were up against. As David also realized that besides Han Feng's willingness to execute those who turn tail, they wouldn't stand a chance if they fled now. Not by themselves at least, so linking up with the rest of the groups would increase their chances of survival and perhaps even completing their mission.

David reloaded fresh shells from his pouch and racketed the slide of the semi-auto shotgun and took point to lead by example. Seeing that their officer was willing to stand out in harm's way, they followed one after another, leaving only Han Feng and the Jatayu in the rear.

"The same applies to all of you. They have their families to worry about, you have the pride of the brigade at stake as well." Han Feng's iron grip extended not only to the Marines but to his own soldiers as well, twice as much since they had the reputation of the Brigade on their heads. Already, losing one commando, a marine and an officer was bad enough. Han Feng wasn't going to accept further losses while he was around.

The Jatayu marched up ahead with their bayonets affixed to their guns, given the nature of the enemy finally revealed to them. Rakshasa were one thing, but these unnatural monstrosities was another. It rang clearly with the Jatayu as it did with the Americans.

These monsters were once human.

How susceptible were they to this infection or curse, whatever it was? It weighted heavily on their minds whether it was a better option to take their own life than undergo the transmutation into that thing.

Out of sight for a moment, Han Feng began to grasp his chest as he finally had a moment to release himself from the throbbing pain that had been greatly agonizing him. And it happened not when he entered this place but when all comms with the other contingents went fuzzy. Specifically, every place that had a Kshatriyan Lord.

That bell.

Not only did he hear its gonging in his head that caused him some pain, he could hear the others screaming in agony. Vasu, Jeevan, Bipin…. Jason.

Everyone that had drunk the tainted blood of Ajay had been subject to running amok. He avoided telling the Colonel because he was not sure how he would be treated if that were the case. This whole incident happened because of that bell ringing, it felt like its vibrations were causing ripples through his skin, tearing it off his flesh. The discomforting feeling subsided, but he still felt the mild after-effects as if he were experiencing a terrible hangover. However, Han Feng had forced himself to think and act straight, using an adrenaline shot to keep his focus and wits about him. He didn't have the option to collapse here either.

Jason Brody needed to be secured by any means necessary, neutralized or killed. Whatever that would stop this unnatural plague. It was one thing for these occurrences to happen in their homeland, but to appear outside the Himalayas…..

Even Han Feng knew the risks of the outside world finding out about the Rakshasa. Therefore, David's proposal had actually benefited him with immense manpower he did not have on hand and cooperation which resulted in ceasing hostilities for an uneasy truce.

Whether Ajay would shelter the Americans was not up to him. Even if it were quite obvious to see the strategic benefits against the odds of mutiny, the Himavanas could not afford to fight enemies on every front.

Han Feng steadied his uneven breaths and shaking hand. Trying to focus on the things that meant the most to him to give him peace of mind and clarity but only gained one of the two and settled for it. Chambering another round into the slugger weapon and checking his secondary to ensure that he had one bullet for each of them should they succumb to whatever witchcraft had infected this place.

One bullet for himself as well. But really, how likely was that to work in his favor?

He hadn't been saved from death only to die here, Ajay had made sure of that by bestowing him with this cursed existence. To think that Badala had lived with this curse all this time. But while he felt normal and sounded normal, how sure was he that he was anything but another spawn of the Demon?

In this, he looked on the brighter side. This might have been conveniently in his favor to deal with this situation, in some manner of mild resistance to whatever converted people into monsters. After all, it takes an inhuman to kill and inhuman. He had already lost the privilege of being called a human being, not that he was ever a good one to begin with. Now, he had to live with these choices.

Han Feng moved onwards in tow of the group that had made a slow but wary venture to link up with Sergeant Becker and then Perkins and Onir, doing their best to subvert another ambush. A determined march to victory. It was only a question of who would emerge victorious.

Them or the things that manifested from Brody?

---

Mom used to say, "Enjoy the little things in life."

Jason never understood their mother's rationale, how could she enjoy such a mundane existence? He dare not say it, but he had always believed that she was in denial of their father's death and thus pursued things that wouldn't hurt her anymore.

Only now, he understood what it meant.

Grant didn't allow him to go around on their outing on an empty stomach, bringing him to his favorite burger joint. Jason indulged in the share of four people, as if there were that many inhabiting his flesh or he had only this opportunity to eat this nostalgic and taste comfort food. Like he hadn't eaten it in years. All on him, Grant offered without a notion of expecting returns. Grant was always good to him, but not that good. Perhaps he looked worst than he felt, thus resulting in Grant pampering him this way. Jason chose to order additional cheeseburgers and coke which put a heavier burden on Grant's national guard wages.

Grant didn't seem to ply further on what kind of dream had changed him physically as if he'd aged an additional two years and lost his immature streak to some degree. But a filled stomach brought out the familiar mischief of his brother, and so he didn't question it if he seemed to get better.

Jason made it a resolve on their return to the Chevy to put all the negative emotions behind him and just take pleasure in what the day itself had to offer. He passed by many familiar landmarks which sent him instantly on memory lane of all the good times they had with their family and friends.

"Did I move out recently?"

For some reason, he was getting the feeling that he hadn't been at home for a very long time.

"Ha! I wish." Grant laughed at the bum that he was still.

"Yeah…. Thought so." Jason murmured to himself in confirmation, his elder brother could see that whatever dream he had was so intense that it robbed him of his sense of reality.

"Look, Jas. How about for the next few days you lay off the booze and fun substances till you've got your bearings again, huh?"

"You don't need to tell me that, Grant." He said with mild relief, and Grant took it that he had chosen to listen to his advice for once which was quite refreshing to hear.

(Screech) The car entered a sudden halt as Grant slammed the brakes.

"Watch where you're going, you crazy bastard!" After horning the person who crossed the road in the middle of open traffic, Grant grudgingly droves by, not even sparing a moment to assert if the person was alright or not. The man, from the state of his clothing and hunched back could only be a vagabond or someone out of luck. A figure that was hooded with his head hung low in disgrace.

The man was Hispanic in ethnicity, about his age or older with a scar upon his upper left eyebrow. A reasonably clean cut from a knife blade, this, Jason knew for certain but its width and girth. He even had the image of the knife which did it in his head. How he knew these things was beyond him and it honestly scared him.

"You look like hell, Hermano." The person responded to the stare that Jason gave him through the open window.

"Screw you, Amigo. Watch the fucking street!" Grant said before driving off again.

"Damn junkie…." Grant cursed the person he thought was a drug addict whilst keeping his eyes on the road.

"That guy….."

"I know, right? In the middle of the day too, it's disgraceful." His elder brother misunderstood him, but Jason chose not to clarify for it only served to worry Grant further than not. So, he kept it to himself. Jason closed his eyes and lay back to calm his senses, but all he could picture in his mind was the face of the man, his glee and his echoing mirth that called out to him as if he was the object of all his fears.

…. Hermano… Hermano….

This addressing and the way it was said, ignited a sea of memories that flooded his thoughts as quickly as they washed away. It gave him a glimpse through the eyes of a person that had experienced great pain and agony at the hands of a person that looked like the vagabond. Taunting, torturing and murdering, pain through those eyes was pleasure to that psychotic maniac. Even when dead, the psychopath continued to haunt that man with hallucinations.

That man who's eye saw that psycho…..

Is you.

"Pull over!" Jason told Grant as urgently as his tone could make it sound after five minutes of enduring. Forcing Grant to halt by the roadside of the highway.

"Bleeuugh!" No sooner did the car stop did Jason scramble to get out to puke out this afternoon's lunch.

"Ahahaha…. I told you, Green's nachos and Burgers were a bad combo duo. Plus, you had five." How silly Jason appeared to him, that was the little brother he loved. Always doing stupid things without considering the consequences but came out of it all at the end with a smile. Jason was not easily deterred by life and that's what Grant could appreciate in him, although his maturity could still do some work. Even so, Jason had proven that he was always ready for what life threw at him.

"At this rate, we'll never get them. Come on, Jas. Man up!" Grant said as he threw a towel through the window for Jason who caught it on reflex without even looking.

"Is this some kind of con, you're pulling here?" His elder brother got suspicious that he was a lot more aware of his surroundings than he let on.

"Screw you." Jason replied after emptying the rather enjoyable lunch into the bushes.

"Just hold out a little more, we'll be there in twenty, alright?"

"I said I'm fine." Jason entered the car once more.

"Whatever you say, little brother."

Jason counted the minutes in his head while they drove towards their destination, he stopped at thirty-five when the inertia of the car slowed up on a driveway. When did the seconds count to him?

"Where is this?" Jason looked up only to see an unfamiliar, it was not even Keith's pad but some remote wilderness place with cars parked along a gravel-marked parking. All he could tell from the driving was that they were going vertical, meaning that this place was up hill.

"Come on, little brother." Grant came out of the Chevy and directed him to accompany him into a forest pathway.

Jason grew impatient as it was getting dimmer even though it was the late afternoon, but trusted his brother wouldn't bring him here for nothing. As they walked down the dirt path that showed signs of people passing through many times, Jason remained silent and aloof.

"I'm starting to miss the more irritating version of you, Jas." Grant broke silence with a snarky comment that Jason didn't appreciate at all.

"Dad would be proud." He declared to the latter's surprise.

"Why? I haven't done anything." He felt it, before, he did nothing for himself and didn't feel ashamed of it. So why now was he feeling like he let his life slip by.

"You remember when you were ten? He came back just one night to spend the Christmas with us away from the Airlines. We were so estatic we could hardly sleep, and you stayed up all night to do that model ship for him as a present." Jason looked back on that time, but could hardly recall it as well as Grant who continued to describe that day in greater detail.

"When he arrived and we all settled at the fireplace, he gave me a Marine Corp Ka-bar knife. For Riley, it was a model airplane. And you….."

"A bloody Christmas card." Jason was now starting to recall that moment in his memory now and the reason why he had shut it off due to his Father's apparent favoritism towards the elder and younger of the Brody Brothers. He was just the convenient middle child. It was probably from then on, that he distanced himself from his old man.

"Heh. So, you do remember." Grant chuckled.

"And your point being? I should prove the old man wrong, right?" Jason grudgingly commented as if Grant was trying to pass him fortune-cookie advice on life. But Grant simply shook his head.

"You scared Pops more than either of us. You did things that he could never rationalize or fathom." Was he now saying that he was unpredictable to the man who always had a handle on his own life, that Jason was the anti-thesis of everything his father was? Hard working, diligent, and patient.

"I guess it was worth it, giving the old man a few heart-attacks once in a while."

"You're missing the point here, Jas. Every time he came back, every phone call he made… It was always about how you were doing. Has Jason eaten enough? Has he been sleeping well? Is he content with the path he's on? Is he making friends? Does he need my consent for any excursions?" Grant could go on but he didn't.

"What's your point?" Jason couldn't help but ask antagonistically.

Grant breathed in to take in the moment and also to allow Jason to catch up from behind. When he did, Grant stared at him intensely causing further misconceptions to an anxious Jason.

"On his last day, in that hospital bed. Pops called for me and told me something he's been keeping for the last fifteen years since that Christmas, the day you shunned him." Grant was really digging deep into a grey zone that Jason never wanted to take about for a very long time. That day? Jason remembered it well, the rest of the family was in that hospital ward waiting on that old man to take his last breathes from the leukemia that was eating him from the inside. He was outside with the other extended relatives on their father's last request. He remembered how they whispered such spiteful things in plain sight as if he wasn't there. How even on his death bed the old man didn't want to see his face. A disgrace to the family.

"Yeah, I remember that well." Jason reveled in the spite that he would cause his father to die knowing he chose this path, not him.

"He said, "That Christmas I gave you presents that'll reflect your attributes and character. You're strong headed, son, but you've got a big heart. The army will have a great young man willing to do his country and family proud in the service."." Grant mimicked the old man just for the immersion and his enjoyment.

"Riley is smart and observant, but gets his head lost in the clouds if he doesn't focus. A pilot's career might be just what he needs to set him straight."

"He was a total control-freak." Jason surmised. As Grant wanted to rebuke him but held himself back for a moment, keeping his exact head strong character in check with a few deep breaths.

It was from an outsider's point of view, but to Grant, he disclosed his reasons for doing so. Their father had been a very down to earth sort of person who understood that hardwork was essential, but slaving away didn't gain anything. Which was why he balanced work and family life as best he could, he was sort of a role model to Grant and when he passed on, Grant asserted that very same responsibility as best he could to great effect. All thanks to their father's wisdom.

"You misunderstood him as being prideful, Jas. Do you want to know what he said about you?" Grant was being especially patient on him even though Jason didn't really want to hear it at all. As Grant quoted their father word for word.

"Watch your brother, Grant. Watch Jason. Someday, he's gonna do great things, I know it! He's got moxie, that boy. I gave him that card that he never read because I didn't want to tell him what to pick as his future. Instead, he must've thought I didn't think he measured up to anything." It had been precarious on his part to gift his young adolescent son a mere card of wishes and blessings that had no meaning to a mere child than toys and trinkets would. His error had led to Jason assuming he loved only Grant and Riley.

"Stop it! I've heard enough!" Jason angry and confuse stormed ahead of his brother, but was held back by his hand.

"Watch your brother, Grant. Not just to look out for him, but watch him soar." Grant continued the exact words of their father.

"I won't be there to see it. But when your time comes like mine has, I'll be-… looking forward to it." The memory of Grant was sharp but so was the emotions that poured out of his eyes and overcame his sentence at the end.

But it was not in vain, as it had stirred some emotion in Jason as well.

"Wha-… What does he want? An apology?!" Jason pressed his forearm against his face to hide it away from sight and to control the torrent that threatened to rush out from his eyelids.

"I love ya, little brother. But dad loved you more than anything in the whole world."

"…. God damnit-…. Why now!?" Grant grabbed hold of him as he expressed for an hour, his regret of not facing his father even at his last moments.

But Jason did recover, as he always did.

"Just so we're clear-."

"Don't worry, Jas. It's just between us." Grant's lips were sealed on the matter that had taken place on mid-journey to their final destination. Now, the sky was orange and the sun ready to depart for the other side of the world westward.

"Thanks, Grant."

"I'll admit, you're a handful sometimes. But I think dad was right about you." Grant approached him and pointed to his heart.

"You've got the gall to do stupid things, so that sorta means the same applies to the great stuff too, I suppose." Grant laughed at the mild confirmation that their father had some truth to his words after all. And Jason broke a laugh with him as well.

So, his father had such a perception of him. Him being great. He couldn't imagine-.

Again, a span of glimpse towards a crowd of tribal people under the moonlight at some jungle ruin appeared in his memory. He said something that rallied them to his favor as they marched out with torches and fire in their eyes.

A memory, or a fantasy.

These episodes were happening quite frequently. Perhaps this was the fabled writer's ingenuity he's been hearing about from Vince. That famous novelists had certain flares for story writing that put them on the map, perhaps Grant's disclosure had opened up this thinking of pursuing a writing career. He put a mental note on that tab as he accompanied his brother with total trust towards their secretive destination.

The path really put burnt the calories of whoever walked here, because it took five minutes before there was sighting of anything man-made, aside from the hanging lights that hung from the branches of the trees to light the way in an almost ambient forest of enchantment.

The artificial structure in question was a Mexican-style hacienda villa that had the lighting and signage of a restaurant.

Jason tapped his brother for keeping this a surprise to him. But also, his thanks for doing this for him.

With the day significantly dimmed, the neon-lit sign highlighted the name of the restaurant, "Tres Ratones Ciegos" with its mascots being that of three blind mice, which Jason assumed was what the place was called.

"Grant Brody. I had a reservation for eight." Grant declared his identity to the manager that awaited patrons at the front. As they bypassed a queue of eager patrons without previous dinner appointments and were just coming in for the night.

"Mr Brody, a pleasure to have you and your company this night, please follow me." The well-dressed manager ushered them into the restaurant and through the sparce walkways with tables filled with guests left and right.

"I came here with Daisy last time for our date-night. Never been the same ever since." Grant whispered how he had come to know this place like he did. Jason was beginning to feel that his dress-code was starting to appear inadequate.

"Don't be so stiff, this ain't fine dining. Jas."

"Three blind mice….. doesn't sound like a romantic place." Grant chuckled at his remark.

"Yeah, but the food is great. In fact, what does those three blind mice remind you of?" Grant made it obvious that he was referring to the three brothers, them. To which Jason let out a smile when thinking about it.

"Yeah."

"That's right, Jas. It's us, The Three Hombres! Now wipe that gloom off before the rest see it." Grant patted him on the back as he stepped forwards to speak on a more personal level with the manager whom he was on good terms with and laughing at the analogy of the three brothers to his restaurant. Jason marveled at his Elder brother's "people" skills, sociable and charismatic in his strides. Grant spoke well of others and therefore encouraged a good feeling when speaking to him. But he also knew how to put his punches as well as take them too.

His time was undue.

Jason's heart suddenly palpitated at this notion in the back of his mind without even thinking about it. He steadied his breathing and ignored it as it would only threaten to ruin his day if he continued to dwell on it like all the other instances.

"They're here!" Jason heard a familiar voice announce their arrival as he and Grant climbed a flight of stairs to the back of the restaurant. Back there, was a place which the manager had stated was reserved exclusively for his friends and family, but had made an exception on Grant's part. A quiet and secluded part from the rest of the restaurant patrons whilst receiving the same service. But these were pale in comparison to the view that revealed the city of Los Angeles at night. Trails of light that were the busy highways and luminescent pillars for skyscrapers at the heart of it all.

But more importantly, before him were his friends and family.

"Did you have trouble on your way?"

"No, just a little sight-seeing." Grant shared a kiss with Daisy whilst Liza approached him in turn.

"I was beginning to think you'd just run off to do your own thing again." It was visibly clear that Liza had not counted on him showing up at all.

"Today, I made an exception." He said with an incorrigible smile that only melted the airs she put up today, followed by an overly affectionate embrace with a peck on the cheek.

Jason was only just recalling that he was steady with Liza, but he unfortunately felt no real connection now. Almost as if their relationship was past tense, but it wasn't. He was feeling so awkward about this sensation even as he acted the part, it must have made Grant poke fun at his expression.

"Is she still seeking that prick Steven?" Jason whispered to his elder brother Grant when Liza went to talk with Daisy. Who only gave a cocked eyebrow and wondering what his brother was on about.

Jason got this chance to reconnect with all of his friends. There was Vincent, Oliver and Keith. There was also his younger brother Riley amongst them, who he embraced quite strongly to the point that even Riley was just as perturbed by this show of affection until Grant quietly told him of Jason's episode this afternoon as the cause of why he wasn't acting himself lately.

Riley simply welcomed the idea and talked his usual interests to Jason and the boys. Just as the food arrived on the table, cuisine made by a Michelin star approved chef in authentic Mexican cuisine. Jason indulged in the moment that he felt he had not experienced in a long time and had taken for granted. This all felt so distant from him, like he had been removed from his life in Los Angeles and marooned somewhere for a period of time only to wake up back in his room in his bed.

"I was thinking about writing books." Jason expressed his new career choice as a writer to hear their opinions.

"Fiction or Non-fiction?" Riley asked.

"Investigative Journalism?" Keith thought he wanted to be in the reporter business.

"Nah man, he's definitely into erotic novels." Oliver suggested something completely unexpected and earned jeers of salad tossed his way to which he just shrugged off in his usual laidback self.

"Why don't we ask Mr Writer what he's planning to write on?" Liza once again came into his personal circle which gave him the strangest feelings of disconnection despite it not being the case.

Jason stood up and walked towards the parapet of the hacienda still in their quiet area.

"Eight friends are on an island. Only, this ain't no vacation. But a holiday gone wrong, in a paradise lost."

"This a horror flick?" Jason only answered with a chuckle as it seemed just like what Oliver suggested.

"Six of them are abducted, two escapes. But one survives, does he continue to flee or does he find and rescue them?"

"It's one of those action thrillers, eh?" Keith said.

"You would think, if it was us who'd you be?" Riley tapped in.

"Me? I'd been the badass runnin' and gunning saving all your sorry asses!" Keith boasted proudly and he did have some merit to his words. Although the others especially Daisy thought different.

"I bet five you'd be that lil' bitch crying to mommy." Receiving a high-five from Liza.

"Who'll Jason be then?" Liza inquired on this fantasy that the eight of them would follow the script of this story.

"Me?" Jason replied unsure of who he'd be.

"You sure this ain't one of your power fantasies?" Vincent seemed certain he was making a fantasy flick about himself with a massive savior complex.

"Can it, Vince. Let him say it himself." Grant gave the mike back to Jason as he pondered his part in this roleplay of Paradise Lost.

"Not the hero."

"For sure." Keith agreed.

"Oh shut up, Keith." Liza jeered him.

"That'll probably be the big guns over here." Jason pointed to his brother Grant which followed by the crowds' excitement of funny noises.

"Definitely!" Daisy proudly said as she embraced him.

"And I'd be the heroine." He further enforced herself as the main love interest. For some reason, Jason noticed as well as felt Liza grip him tightly at that comment Daisy made as if she disapproved of it, even though her face said otherwise.

"You mean damsel in distress…" Keith murmured under his breath to the boys who laughed away.

"I can hold my own." Daisy who heard it made the claim that she was more than just a needy person.

"In what?" Keith challenged her.

"Excellent swimming athletics, grew up near the Bronxs."

"Had a relationship with an MMA fighter." Liza added almost unnecessarily making both Jason and Daisy unsure of her favor was to as she disclosed something the latter had told her not to say it to just anyone.

"Really, I thought Grant was your first?" Riley expressed his curiosity towards her colourful history.

"Some Indian guy, am I right?" Liza said almost in opposition.

"Kyrati." Daisy corrected as there was a line of rivalry that was starting to become more visible between them.

"Where the hell is that anyway?" Vincent asked.

"Think it was somewhere near India." Oliver used his geography knowledge to work as it wouldn't do him much good in his current occupation of managing a substance store.

"Whoever he was, he's got some real tricks. You show'em, sweetie!" Grant was not at all jealous or conflicted in anyway, only showing admiration for the first guy who taught Daisy how to defend herself with trick moves and the understanding of where to hit pervs and gangbangers to disable them.

"… Kyrat." Unlike Oliver, Jason knew its exact location on the map directly opposite Nepal and Bhutan in the Himalayas. How he knew that was beyond him, but what deeply disturbed him was that he knew more. The state of disarray that stalked the country from the decades before, to the reigning self-appointed monarch's name. And then, there was that image of a shadow in his mind. A figure that haunted him from the very core, a man that was not really a man.

But a Demon.

"Is it one of those holiday spots like Goa?" Riley inquired of Oliver who feinted competence as he made up something about it being the ideal holiday getaway.

In that moment, Jason experienced an image that imposed itself over Riley. A dead broken figure that the demon stood over as he held the bodily remains of said dead person, experiencing the most excruciating of griefs. That dead person was….

"No!" Jason declared so weary that he got everyone's attention from their monologues.

"I mean…. From what I've heard on the news, Kyrat is in a two decade long civil war." Jason had sort of saved himself.

"Huh. You should've told me sooner, Jas. Made a total fool out of me." Oliver complained.

"After you made whatever shit you thought?" Keith called him out on his foolery.

"Hey, I was close on that one. Paradise Lost, am I right, Jas?" Oliver smartly linked it to their roleplay in his story.

"Y-Yeah….." But Jason was feeling that it was more than just a coincidence and he again knew that for a fact without any evidence.

"Ahem. All this side chatting aside, I think it's time we make a toast." Grant voided all the previous bantering back and forth for a chance to let it all slip by.

"To another year of incidental happiness. And to Jason's future career, whatever the choses may it occasionally write to us in his success. Happy Birthday, Jason!"

"""Happy Birthday!""" Jason only wore a face of confusion as he didn't realize that today was that day. With all that happened, it wasn't prudent for him to check the dates nor was it on his mind at all.

"Look at him, totally forgot!" Keith laughed at him and tussled his head.

"I don't know what to say."

"Um… Thank you, Keith. For organizing this place on such short notice?" Keith listed his part in this private party.

"Grant found this place." Daisy pointed out.

"Yeah? Well, it ain't vacant till next year unless someone could pull the strings." Keith further elaborated the use of his stock market connections to grab a reservation with Grant's name.

"Thank you, Keith. I'll remember this day." Jason showed true appreciation.

"See? Jas gets it." Daisy just rolled her eyes in reply.

They enjoyed the food and wine being served along with a special cake that arrived just for him. Jason felt so foolish for forgetting such an important day and was far beyond touched that Grant and the gang had organized this day and venue just for him.

Jason tried the exercise of further elaborating on the plot of the story he intended to write which was secretly in relation to his most recent dream as a means of overcoming the episodes that kept disrupting him in his daily life. He was poised to root it out from its core and trample his fears. True to his beliefs, these episodes of unwanted visions gradually lost their effect of throwing his sense of here around.

Jason rested at the balcony while the others were at this point drunk talking gazing into the night scenery.

"I'm starting to like this side of you more and more." Liza's voice alerted him to her presence as he stood up from the seat.

"More of what?" Jason looked genuinely confused.

"This strong silent streak you've been having, the Jason that looks longingly into the distance and thinks deeply about his affairs and relationships." Liza revealed the parts that enticed her about his changed attitude towards life as it endeared her to the point of satisfaction in his character.

"…."

"What's wrong?" Liza sat beside him with a hand resting upon his thigh, assuring him that she was here to be confided upon. Of which Jason took his chances if she was his girlfriend, after all.

"I feel…. displaced."

"Displaced?"

"Like….. I'm living in the shoes of someone else, someone who's not me."

"Then aren't you fortunate to live such a life." Liza invaded his lips with hers to express her growing desire for the person he had become in her perception, a deep-thinking man.

"Yeah….. I guess." Jason gave only the response that she wanted, but deep down felt conflicted yet. As she didn't answer the problem so much as give her own interpretation, it didn't satisfy Jason at all but he kept that to himself.

Liza went on to talk about a film career that she was pursuing and that an opportunity had come up. His reveal of a writing career had also greatly pleased her as it was close to the same industry. As she came up with ways that they could spend time with one another on the weekends or awkward hours. She joked that perhaps his stories could win a film adaptation and where she would be casted as the main female lead.

"Who'll be the male lead, then?" Jason asked just to keep the conversation going but wasn't really interested.

"Probably some big deuce that does action flicks. Although….. I'd prefer that it'd be you." She said suggestively that she wanted the one saving her to be him.

"And what exactly will I be doing to save you?"

"Depends on what the writer drafts." Implying that it was up to him to change it however he wished. Liza's acting ambitions were something that he could not work with, in his humble opinion, especially because of the nature of their relationship. If this scenario ever happened.

"Liza, can I steal my brother back for a moment?" Grant appeared and saved him from the pain of endless talking.

"….. Sure. Don't keep me waiting." Liza appeared reluctant but gave in, gradually leaving his lap here she settled over the entire conversation.

"You look like you were being interrogated." Grant said after Liza was out of sight.

"Thanks." He didn't expect it to be true as Jason gave him appreciation for bailing him out, even though that wasn't the purpose of him asking for time with the latter.

"Don't thank me for that, lil' brother. No. I wanted to give you my present." Jason didn't really feel like he needed one, and just out of curiosity, Grant's hands seemed to be bare of any bulky items, so whatever it was, it was either pocket-sized or in another place waiting.

"You don't have to give me anything, today was everything to me, Grant. Everything." Grant was greatly touched by his words.

"No worries, Jas. I'm glad you enjoyed today. But my gift is shared by me and Pops." Grant brought up their father again which made Jason anxious to know what that was.

"From dad." Grant was visibly happy that Jason finally acknowledged their father instead of calling him "old man" all the time.

Grant dug into his pocket and pulled out an amulet of clear glass about the size of a gumball. Within it, locked in stasis was a four-leaf clover.

"Dad told me, everytime he took off, it was always hanging on the stick in the cockpit. Went with him always. His wish was simple, that he could come back safely to his wife and kids." As far as wishes went, their father had always landed and took off from the airports safely without incident. Grant dangled the lucky charm in front of him and took his hand to place it on his palm.

"I can't-." Jason felt that it should go to Riley as he had more relation in terms of similar occupation.

"He wanted you to have it. If you don't believe me, ask mom for his will."

Jason just let it sit on his palm without doing anything to it, because he was not sure of whether to hold it. Grant got impatient and simply took it to tie around his neck.

"You're such a handful sometimes." He said slightly exasperated. But hearing the sound of his younger brother sniffling at their father's last bestowal upon him, he sighed to himself.

"I knew he should've given it to you himself. But he was just-…." The word awkward never came out, but Jason finally understood. His father did care about him but was just as unsure as he was on how to approach him. In the end, it took years before Jason could finally reconcile with the way their father was.

"I won't let either of you down." He said what he genuinely felt as it reached out to Grant who felt it genuine too.

"I know you won't. Lil' brother." Grant smiled assured.

In the time that passed, Grant finally submitted Jason back to Liza to carry on her endless yapping.

Only excusing himself out for a brief moment to go to the toilets.

When he gained personal freedom for the first time in a long while, he asked for directions to the washroom. What the manager pointed to was behind the restaurant on the opposite side from their private dining place in the open balcony area.

Jason relieved himself and washed his hands followed by his face which was wracked with fatigue and the tipsiness of the alcohol sinking in. He could remove some of the drowsiness.

"….."

But not that awful sensation that started it all. It continued to rack his mind and permeate his memories with things he may or may not have done. He personally couldn't believe that he would commit such heinous acts nor suffer them in the country and state that he resided in.

"Who am I?" He asked the reflection that stared back at him in the mirror.

"Jason Brody. 26-years old. Graduated at UCLA. Bachelor, two brothers and a mother." He stated his identity to the mirror which repeated after him.

"Nothing more."

Are you sure?

He fell back as he could have sworn the reflection spoke those words whilst wearing a sinister wry expression.

"I am!" He roared at the mirror reflection of himself, but when getting up, the reflection was himself still.

(Crack) "Arghh!" Out of sheer adrenaline, he punched the mirror shattering it into the basin and hurt his hand in the process.

-Stop showing me this crap!- He demanded his mind as he turned the tap to release water for his hand.

But as he looked down at the mirror shards he wasn't looking at partial features of his face, but visions of different places at different times. He was having an episode again. But instead of turn away and shun it, he couldn't help but stare at them. Each and every instance. And for this commitment, the visions showed him more than pain and sadness which triggered at every instance of nostalgia or déjà vu. He indeed saw himself through the eyes of someone that had fought to reclaim his friends no matter the hardships. The gratefulness he had that they were alright. The people he felt like he recognised but couldn't remember their names. He recalled the monsters wearing human faces and could ironically remember theirs. Hoyt, Mohan, Ajay Ghale….

"Vaas." That was the name of the person that vagabond looked like. As the face eerily reflected in his mind the fear and dread imposed upon him by that monster. But unlike the others, he was gone.

Jason knew this for a fact as quite literally, he could even remember the motion of plunging the knife into his flesh. Who was that? His mind raced to identify as he would never have logically determined meeting such a person in the heart of Southern California.

And that's when it happened. The flashes of memory increased until he was watching an entire month go by in seconds before him. Uncertainty became certainty, fiction became fact.

And that fact was that he wasn't just Jason Brody who spent his whole life in his own little world.

Picking up a shard of mirror centred to his eyes. He peered down at it as he turned its angle to reflect his face. But on the other side of it was another place that wasn't the washroom of a Michelin star Restaurant in LA, but a burning mountain. The person in the reflection was not dressed as he was, but in tattered clothing with bandoliers slung around him and the stains of dirty and blood across his features. And the eyes.

The eyes that glowed with yellow primordial fury. It was unmistakeably who he thought it was even if he couldn't accept it. It made more sense than this reality that both comforted and discomforted him.

He was Jason Brody. Also known as….

"…..Snow white."

---

They thought they had it worst, but it was only a taste of what these monsters were capable of.

When they arrived at the scene, Golf-One led by Sergeant Becker was down to four men out of the thirteen originally standing. Some bodies remained, while some were missing, dragged off by yet another variation of monstrosity this complex housed. Mutant human hybrids that grew feathers in both literal and figurative sense, like if the urban birdmen myth was real. They swooped down with incredible speed from the skylight and grab a victim before flying up into the light without a single explanation on how they could sustain flight.

There was no humor from Sergeant Becker or the Golf-One group due to the seriously diminishing odds they had despite wielding firearms.

With collective firepower, David added in their volume of fire from a horizontal angle which proved to dewing many of these flying apparitions and ground them long enough for the remains of Golf-one to fire a burst into their skulls.

(Boom) The thunderous report of the slugger shattered the last of the resolve of these winged-men as it turned its only victim into paste. His bones had become considerably brittle from when he was still human, but that was now the end.

"Sergeant, are you alright?"

"Do I look alright?! Damnit!" Sergeant Becker, covered in gore and sweat couldn't even be bothered to address him properly.

Han Feng approached assessing the losses of Golf-One. Seven marines dead and one Jatayu lost, being a heavier marine ratio in the Golf-one group. There was only two Jatayu and one Marine Corporal left.

Han Feng knelt down next to the remains of the Jatayu that fell, or more specifically, exploded.

"That guy when Geronimo on those things." Becker told David quietly, highlighting that the Jatayu had detonated the explosives on him to kill several of the winged-men but had given them the addition of seconds that afforded their group to come and reinforce them.

The other two surviving Jatayu stood behind Han Feng as he retrieved the effects from the remains of a scorched leg within the boot. Using his knife, he tossed the ID tags hidden within the singed boots to one of the Jatayu for processing after the mission was over.

"One of you give the other who stays his tags and leave. The other stays." But the Jatayu didn't respond not because of hesitation but because one of them had to vacate the area with the tags.

"Did you hear me?" His demands were met after the Jatayu discussed amongst themselves and decided which one would leave with the tags.

"What was that about?" Becker again asked David who had no idea. But their chance to ask why one of them was made to leave came when Han Feng approached them with the last Jatayu from Golf-One with them.

"Puh! Whatever, that Brody is a dead man." Sergeant Becker recovered and spat out the accumulated saltiness in his mouth.

"He's what I say he is. That's not for you to decide." Once again, Han Feng's words were sharp in their intent.

"Sure, whatever you say. Boss. Did that guy get to leave because you allowed it too?" He said sarcastically.

"Becker." David tried to chaste the Marine Sergeant but he had had it up to there with the things they'd gone through today. Being burned by their government, their families casted out, branded as traitors, and now these monsters that had no explanation behind. A foreigner was also sending them to their deaths just to accomplish a seemingly impossible mission.

Sergeant Becker said it all with his eyes, not that Han Feng didn't understand his circumstance. He was no different as a former-Canton, if not worst.

"Lance Corporal Nair fought in the Civil War, in Yinke and against your Operation Switchblade division. Men and Rakshasa. He's the luckier of men who's survived where no one has, and he'll live today to tell Private Tanishi's family of their son's bravery. Instead of what I'm seeing before me. A coward that let his men get slaughtered." His reasons were simple, one of them would live to tell the story of a fallen soldier's valor in sacrificing himself to save others even those not of his country.

But Han Feng's delivery only served to provoke Sergeant Becker after being called out for cowardice and failure for leading those under him to safety. David and the others had to restraint him as the Sergeant reached out to punch Han Feng.

"You disagree? Then tell me, why are you alive when they aren't?" Han Feng called him out on his hypocrisy too, as him and another marine were the only survivors of this brutal attack. Why didn't he put himself in harm's way instead of his men, why didn't he act quick enough to prolong their lives. In the end, it was the fast actions of self-sacrifice that had bought him those few precious seconds that he squandered once more. Becker had nothing to say in reply as he was equally conflicted by what he thought. None of the marines could say anything in his defence either since he had lost his entire platoon.

In the end, the rescue of Golf-One wasn't much of a rescue in the end.

"Tell me, Sergeant. What give you strength?" Han Feng query was strange, but Becker gave it.

"My families' safety." There was no hesitation in that answer at least, which Han Feng could appreciate.

"Your family makes you strong. What happens when they're gone?"

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Sergeant Becker couldn't tell if he was threatening to leave them for dead or was making a speech to inspire them through fear of losing them.

"A Jatayu's ultimate goal is to die." Han Feng's example confused them.

"He is the apex of what Kyrat can make of a man or woman with a flag in hand, a blade in the other and the wishes of the many on his back. He's sent to the most dangerous places imaginable under the worst possible conditions. But he must succeed even if it kills him, because every mission they're sent to is a turning point. Every Jatayu can change the outcome of war. They can lose their lives, but never the mission at hand. The people know this, that's why it's an occupation respected by everyone. Some have families as well, some are the only child of their fathers and mothers. Gone, and their clan lineage ends with them."

Then Han Feng pointed to the last remaining Jatayu of the Golf-One Group.

"He has a nation's hope and the happiness numerous families resting on his shoulders. While you're nothing more than a drifter with no flag behind him and has only his family left to keep. Can you say without a doubt that you can measure up to him in spirit and strength? Because even I can't." Han Feng admitted whilst pointing out the difference between Becker and the one of Jatayu that saved him. Han Feng himself could never be like that commando who only had one life and spent it doing such life-testing work. His chance was different from them and like Becker, they had a lot to measure up to if they wanted to be like the Jatayu remaining.

Han Feng set the standard straight, the Himavanas didn't want to house ingrates who wanted to continue acting in the manner they pleased. That had been done before, with catastrophic consequences. Han Feng was born from that inequality. While David offered up fighters and professional soldiers that were the benchmark of what nations could produce,the Federation wanted more than just their skills. It demanded total allegiance and complete commitment to the security of their borders. Even at the expense of their lives which could be discarded readily, it wasn't about human or civil rights. This was about the strength to hold up others beyond familiar relations and living beyond themselves.

This was the quiet truth that none of the Americans wanted to address, they all secretly yearned home as any would. The familiar sights and sounds, the food and the people that made it home. Even though it was denied to them by banishment from their government cutting their losses. Leaving them open to the wrath of the Pakistani inhabitants and marooned in a foreign land. David had betrayed the US government in an attempt to save the entire overseas theater operation in Pakistan, but his credibility with the Federation was now in question since he could do the same to them as well if he so wished at a time that inconvenienced them.

Han Feng unlatched his helmet and holstered his guns when facing Becker and the other marines.

"The Federation cannot possibly ask for a complete loyalty which you don't give freely. If you fight solely for your parents, your spouses and children, then who fights for you? Them? You've protected them in bubbles without explaining their purpose in this world, their place. If that is the case, then the Federation will only shelter you." Han Feng knew this well, because as a Canton, he had struggled with the sense of identity ever since he was born in Kyrat but wasn't one of them. Just as the Americans weren't either. It didn't matter if they would give fealty to the Federation if their sons and daughters would only take it for granted.

"But….. in truth, Kyrat has no true native dwellers. All that exists is the ideal."

"What ideal?" Sergeant Becker couldn't for the love of God fathom since he had always thought Kyrat was nothing more than a secluded hermit kingdom in the Himalayan mountains.

"The ideal that all are equal." It was a remark that Becker couldn't help but sneer at, however, he wasn't alone in that thinking.

"You mistake my term for civil equality, sergeant. You're from the United States, home of the brave and land of the free. But not all people are born equal, you know this well. Some are faster than others, smarter or stronger. The weak have no place in society other than to revel in the majesty of the strong." Han Feng spoke of the duality of equality of the freest country in their world.

"Haven't you felt that your voice has never been heard by the bickering senators in congress? You serve a flag, not the people but the ideal that was instated by forefathers. You're a slave to a government and its system."

"And is your monarch, your institution is any better?" The Marines of Switchblade had been briefed quite mildly on the reigning monarch of Kyrat, the infamous Pagan Min, wanted on interpol but never caught. Turned self-appointed King of Kyrat, reigning over his subjects with an iron fist and a temperament of a snow leopard.

"True, he's done vicious things. And still probably will. But self-interests have become tamed, to the point that if a family member committed a crime, there would be no clemency. All of us know this, because I was once of Pagan's blood relation. But I will pay for the crimes of my people." Han Feng explained and the Jatayu responded with silent approval of this.

"You might not have killed any Kyratis yet, but we all knew your intent. That's why you'll never be trusted fully. But that is just something you'll have to live with. It will either make or break you, but in the end, you'll find your place amongst us in paradise. Or you won't." Han Feng gave them full disclosure of what was expected of them and what they could expect from Kyrat if they chose to adopt it as their new home.

"You're asking us to take that chance with nothing to back it up?"

"I'm not asking you to cast aside all you've grown up believing, but to respect the tenacity of a place shared by many. If you can't do even that, you, your men and their families aren't worthy of any sanctuary." Han Feng gave them pretty bitter words and prospects to swallow, but he was truthful in every word.

"If you do, then you will gain not only the respect and equality that you deserve, but whatever it is you strive for. And your former home country will only look in regret at the many brave and free-spirited that they had left to fend for themselves." Strive to be better than what their home country had made them out to be. Be more than terrorists, exiles, traitors.

"Be everything they fear you will become." The last sentence that Han Feng delivered had ignited an unknown passion within them as their backs straightened and hands gripped their rifles with firmness.

"Until that time comes, you'll be everything everyone thinks you are." And Han Feng could not end at a later time as the howls of more of those monsters could be heard gathering in size and daring to weather them once more.

David too had felt a strange sensation, as he opened the comms to allow the other groups to hear what was said. Han Feng's delivery impacted all of them, maybe because as a Canton he understood their circumstances better than others. In whatever case, he had inspired them to take that leap of faith without false promises and had proven he was not who they thought he was.

"What say you, Sergeant Becker?" Han Feng finally asked.

To which the sergeant stood from his leaning and equipped his Mossberg pump-action.

"Fuck'em. Let's get this Brody bastard." The marines stood by him on that remark and had given their compliance to Han Feng's future commands.

It was time that couldn't come any sooner as the winged-men and spider-men came out of the dark spots like they inhabited the very walls. There were as many as five thousand personnel to the embassy they were currently in, whether they had all turned into these walking monstrosities was left to debating in the aftermath. But now, as the creatures came out in swathes, the marines faced them head on with renewed vigor to snuff them out of existence regardless of whether they had been a man, woman or child before their transmutation.

They would find the source of this outbreak, and they will crush it out of existence. Life was only precious when it was well spent, and they would make sure that it was. For the sake of their families, for themselves…

For their new homeland waiting over the mountains.

---

There were mornings where he felt like shit and mornings that were even shittier. This was even worst than that. He felt like his body was casted in sweat or something equally sticky, although its highly unlikely he had any sort of bedroom accident in the night before. Was it even morning?

His eyes peered open against its wishes to gain light and visualization of the surroundings. Where had he been sleeping in this time.

Only, his visual was beyond anything he could ever expect from himself. A place that resembled an indoor swimming complex, and yet was covered in the same mucus colored resin adhering to the walls and ceiling. Almost like a set from Aliens. As he himself appeared to be stuck to the wall around ten feet off the ground from feet to head without any means of moving.

-This must be a bad dream.-

He told himself.

-I'll just count to five.- He said to himself as he closed his eyes to wish what was in front of him away.

-Five.-

-Four.-

-Three.-

-Two.-

-One.-

With that, he opened his eyes. But the same scenery presented itself twice as clear as before from his eyes adjusting to the new light. Causing his heart to race as he was completely oblivious to his surroundings.

How did he, Staff Sergeant Gregor Perkins get to this horrifying nightmare fuel set?

He wracked his brain cells to fire up as they replayed the entire scenario to him. Something moaned in the dark and the men responded with call out since there was a possibility of survivors. And then he got rushed by dozens more that burst out of the dark and grabbed his group members away from the skylight shining down out of their field of view. Onir, that huntsman had only just mentioned a surge of ill intent just before they were jumped by baddies. Something mucus-ish and web-like was hurled out which binded his men and him as well from using their weapons effectively. One such projectile hit his face and prevented him from breathing, causing him to blackout.

"Crap…." Perkin's audibly expressed his opinion of his circumstances and heard the sound of wailing. It was an all too familiar sound coming from the tapping of many legs upon the pavement along the pool that had its waters rendered completely opaque in dark ink colors almost like a primordial soup.

In the low light, Perkin's got to see firsthand what had abducted him while unconscious and almost let out a sound before he bit his lips to prevent the exhale from giving away his position or that he was awake. As terrifying as these deformed beings wearing former employee attires were on all fours, the way they walked was neither human nor animalistic. But as their first appearance described it. An entire collective of nope.

"Be still." He heard a voice tell him on his left but out of view due to the resin-substance.

"Onir?"

"Hush. Not now." The other person seemed unreasonably calm considering their circumstances.

The spider-deformities seemed to gather under some uniformity before something that resembled a large egg sac that dwarfed all of them, suspended over the waters of the pool. Already, he wasn't liking what he saw.

But it wouldn't end there. As another creature revealed itself from behind the egg sac and was apparently walking on water. It appeared humanoid but wasn't human, this thing, this queen over the spider-deformities spoke some kind of foreign chant that seemed to resonate with the spider-people as she blew a green gaseous fluid upon them which caused instant effects. Shuddering as new and more grotesque protrusions emerged from their back and limbs of bone structure making them truly lost as monsters than human beings that they once were. In their new combat form, the spider things crawled away to do their master's bidding. More new groups came in to receive this same "bestowal" of new form and left soon afterwards to test their abilities on. By that time, Perkins was counting at least two hundred so far.

(crack) But then something emerged from right and released a terrifying sound of a monster being born as it crawled out of its burrow and over Perkins' line of sight. And that's when he came to the revelation that he was undergoing the same process that would convert him from his pretty self into the same nope-monstrosities causing him to freak out with exasperated breathes that worst of all, caught the attention of the female figure that had the status of a queen over these creatures.

This thing had the appearance of a naked woman's body with the same glistening skin that was in an unnatural greenish emerald tone. The hair was replaced with something prehensile and wriggling about on its own life like medusa hair. And the eyes.

As captivating as they were, Perkins was instantly reminded by the rest of her monstrous appearance to be swayed away from temptation. Realizing he'd just made the biggest mistake in his life. Because behind that shine of charm was merely a function of a lure that brought in unsuspecting prey before what really inhabited that body devoured its victims effortlessly.

Despite every provocative feature of this creature from slender body, to supple skin texture. This female was through and through a monster like nothing anyone had ever seen. And every bit more terrifying than the spider-things a hundred times fold.

Perkins gulped as the woman approached into a standing distance from him, having transitioned from the unnatural feat of walking on water to the swimming pool tiles covered in muck.

"Awake faster than the others despite the toxins. You must be strong." The creature mimicked the words of his tongue with an accent that sounded Southeast Asian or Polynesian. Did that mean that this woman was once human as well?

"What is your name, Sayangku?" She asked in that same disturbing overlay of a voice with feedback repeating after her. Like she was the manifestation of a thousand souls trapped in this earthly coil.

Perkins was still figuring out what language was that in order to determine her original demographic because it sure as hell wasn't from around here.

"H-Hey." His acknowledgment was not what she wanted as she grabbed hold of his cheeks squishing them together.

"Must I press harder to attain it, or will you give it freely?" She pressed him further without much persuasion on her end that Perkins was willing to take since he didn't want to turn into one of those spider-things.

"Don't say a word, Sergeant! If she owns your name, you're as good as dead!" Onir quickly snapped him out of it as he warned him of a hidden consequence that lay with the simplest notions as giving her his identity knowing of the sacredness of one's own name had.

As such, from being interrupted in such an unexpected way. The creature turned her attention towards the huntsman next to him. And began to sniff out his scent to discern something.

"Heh. A spiritual bloodline in a place that has none, how fortunate I am." As the female monster identified something within the legacy of the Pravyadh tribes, she double confirmed as she licked the sweat off his face to savor the taste of his human flesh.

"Knowing that, you must've come from one as well, witch. Now, you've become nothing more than a soulless creature yearning flesh. A mere apparition feeding on Brody's curse." Onir disclosed what he had suspected of this creature and what it had to do with Jason in the grand scheme of things.

"What an ignorant soul like yours could not even begin to comprehend. When you use yours in your quest to take life. He has the power to create it." The female monster pointed towards the egg sac over the swimming pool waters indicating that their target was within all of that.

"His power you call a curse, is my redemption. My chance to begin afresh." The creature wrapped her hand around his neck to deliberately put pressure on him.

"Bear witness my resurrection and ascension." The monster declared as she deliberately turned his neck to the side and bit into it passing some sort of fluids into his body. There was an option to scream his lungs out, but Onir chose not to, to deny this thing he called a witch that satisfaction.

"There is no resurrection…. For monsters!" Onir spat even when choked and had something injected into him that sucked the life out of him.

-Great.- Where was that suggestion to keep quiet now? Although Onir spared him from the same treatment, he was now inflicted with some sort of toxin.

(rumble) The female monster recognized the tremor before they felt it as she unlatched her hand and walked back towards the pool near the egg sac where Brody was likely residing in.

"Goddamnit, Onir. What happen to don't piss this bitch off?" He called out as he heard the other person wheezing for air.

"Keeping her talking….. spared us."

"Jeez, you suck even when you're right. How you doing now?" Perkins had no visual of the huntsman but could tell a great deal from his breathing that he'd been poisoned with something that caused excruciating pain. The huntsman had taken the poison that he should have received.

"She's (huff)…. Not an Indus valley entity." Onir asserted with his knowledge of the occult that their tribe was deeply rooted to.

"None of that matters now. Hey, you took one for me, I owe you. So don't drop on me yet. I don't wanna deal with your ghost." Perkins was just focused on keeping Onir awake while the female monster was preparing for whatever was storming through the corridors leading to the swimming pool area. As a few waves of spider-creatures disappeared in groups down the corridor like waves of an attack but none returned.

"She called me something just now,Sai yang-something, it sounded Indonesian." Perkins had been on a trip like the rest to Singapore at one time to the casinos and thus recalled the intonations used by the locals and neighboring ethnicities.

"A Malayan Witch…..?" Onir zeroed in on the exact folk lore that this woman-turned monster was derived from.

"What does it matter anyway?" But Onir grunted his disapproval.

"If she were as vulnerable as she seems, why didn't the embassy security succeed?" Onir pointed out something he should've realized as well. Embassies, especially the US ones had a sizable compliment of a marine garrison or similar highly trained units present at all times. And yet, she was able in her much more limited capacity then to neutralize every armed assailant. Turning this once national sanctuary into her hunting grounds. And Onir claimed she did it by way of tapping into Brody's powers? Perkins had heard many stories about Jason but nothing about him interacting with a foreign black magic which had no connection to Kyrat.

"Onir, don't sleep. You hear me?" He did his best to keep the huntsman from succumbing to the poison until an anti-venom was made if one could be procured. That meant killing that bitch to attain it.

(BOOM) The two-sided doors to the swimming pool blew off their hinges as bits and chucks of burning flesh rolled in.

Through the thick of the smoke, to their surprise were the familiar patterns and markings that Perkins could barely make out from his angle. But the voice that followed was all too recognizable.

"The fuck is that?" David didn't just mean the interior decoration or the suspended egg sac, but the creature that stood on the murky waters alone.

"Don't know. Let's just kill it." Han Feng ejected another shell and loaded a new one.

The marines and Jatayu spaced out and readied their rifles to turn her to swiss cheese.

"Another one? This day is truly in my fortune." The female monster replied in surprise at the people that knocked on her domain, specifically, she was looking at only one person.

"Han Feng! She's a Leak kill her through her neck!" Onir had seemed to land upon some conclusions of what the monster was thanks to the extensive library that Pagan had sourced for their tribe's reading desire. A Leak, or Leyak as it was called in that demographic. A monster that was familiar with black magic and harnessed the blood and guts of its innocent victims to conjure cruel spells and abilities of the illusion variety. On their own, they were equally dangerous. But this one was once a practitioner witch doctor with extensive knowledge of the spiritual and occult despite the era they lived in, and she had drawn power from Brody who had in turn received this power from the Demon's blood.

The Pravyadh were quite aware of the changed nature of Ajay Ghale, but were not wary of him due to his allegiance to Pagan and his respect for them as they had with him. He might succumb to it one day, but he wouldn't let his people be engulfed by it in anyway. That, they trusted in. So, the Hunter tribe were poised to destroy everything, and anything related to Yalung as Darshan had, less it be used for the nefarious purpose of others. And this witch was the prime example.

"Is that so?" Han Feng was unfamiliar with what that was, but if that entity had a weakness then it was as good as dead.

"David! Get me down this fucking place!" Perkins on the other hand screamed frantically his greatest desire of being freed.

But hearing this reveal did not cause the female monster to waiver in any capacity as she stood where she was without the slightest notion of fear for her life.

"More witless children to join the flocks." She referred to them as nothing more than potential fodder to her minion muster.

"You must be running low on flesh stock after we killed almost a couple dozen of them." Han Feng provoked her.

"Child, if you call those empty husks anything more than fodder. I would have to genuinely try harder to make you into something more….. durable." The witch actually exchanged batter smartly meaning that she wasn't guided purely by instinct and could coordinate.

"Captain, when we start you take four with you and bring down Onir and Perkins." Han Feng told David as he nodded and selected the people to follow him out of the seventeen that they were.

"How do we kill this bitch?" Sergeant Becker was now his right-hand man.

"Thin the herd, get me close enough to blast her head off. Period."

"Good and simple." Becker showed appreciation for the lack of complexity when none was needed.

"We flank from both ends give overlapping fire." Becker added to the suggestion as he signaled to half of the group they would take the other side towards the female monster.

"Plotting like mere rodents is appropriate for what you are." The witch taunted as she waved her hand that caused motion to happen around the walls and ceiling that had similar cocoon like sacs melded to the structure. Bursting open with their first cries of rebirth into abominations. The witch had called upon almost an entire new swathe of walking and swooping monstrosities to come to her aid.

"Shit…." Becker spoke too soon thinking they'd only deal with her.

"Let's see how well you do then." She gave the notion from a mere wave that sent the entire swarm of deformities charging in on an almost telepathic command.

The creatures gave a roar of different tones as they rushed the mere party of seventeen.

Backing into the narrow corridor to use the confines to their advantage as their firepower struggled to keep the herds of spider-men and winged-men in check as they crawled on the lower ceiling and walls.

But Han Feng and the group had a plan in thinning out the numbers. As the shield bearers braced while they formed behind the shields for protection as Han Feng tossed out a rolling heavy cloth that unraveled itself as it passed the doorway and almost touching the start of the swimming pool.

(clack)(BOOOOOOOM) When the detonator followed by a simultaneous explosion that occurred through the length of where that contraption had been laid out. That line charge that had originally been conceived as a portable mine clearing device had been used as a deterrent for clearing out the en masse charge of creatures now turned into eviscerated limbs and chucks of flesh which had no life.

"Forwards!" At Han Feng's command and Becker's relaying, the dual column moved forwards breaking past the remnants of fallen creatures and putting them out of their misery in a walking fire tactic in their human train.

(Boom) The creature that threatened to hinder the column ballistic shield bearers was blown apart by their most potent weapon which left even the female monster reeling from the discharge as well as the residual effects of Vedic scriptures dissipating with the gold dust. Realizing where they got the gall to face her from. There was a slight crease on her unearthly features as it posed a mild threat to her.

Perkins helplessly watched as the battle unfolded with the odds favoring the female monster and the unnumerable fodder she had at her disposal, whilst they would be running out of ammo at any second after expending much of it to get here.

But he was surprised by another thing, the coordination between the Kyrati Jatayu and the Marines. Their bounding overwatch and crossfire was so synchronized that Perkins thought they were in the military world games competing for the cup. As they moved gradually closer to the pool and where Perkins and Onir was.

"Break!" Han Feng gave the command to split apart as their original plan followed, dividing into three groups that had their apparent objectives.

Han Feng and Becker's party took both sides of the pool and flanked the witch from the South and West end, while David came to rescue Perkins from his state while two soldiers guarded their backs.

"Come on! Come on!" David said as the Marine helping him assembled a power saw they found in the embassy Marine armory along with their resupply. Unfortunately, Han Feng's slugger was non-standard and had a limited supply on hand. With only five cartridges remaining out of the twenty he originally had. The group destroyed the abominations swiftly, yet the entire time, she hadn't moved from her position. It didn't resound well with any of them, but they stuck with their strategy.

But David did his best to free his friend. The power saw came online and was positioned to cut him free from the resin.

"No! Him first!" Perkins pointed to Onir who was showing signs of weakness.

"We need extra hands, you come first!" David quickly rationalized his assistance was crucial before they could help someone else. Perkins could only silently grit his teeth as they cut him down. David didn't even bother to ask where the rest of his group were, because they were the only ones that seemed to be themselves, they could only fear the worst.

"Move in! We're coming for you, bitch!" Finishing off the last of the fodder to her, Becker forced his group to ford through the pool waters towards her. Han Feng's side did the same. But instead of showing visible distress, she only smiled with such manevolence that they could only guess she had something in store for them.

And she did.

(Splash) "Arggh-(gulp)." As a man was dragged down into the waters for no apparent reason, leaving only a pool of blood that mixed with the murky black.

But Becker didn't see that as so, as he noticed something moving within the waters itself.

"In the pool! She's got creatures in the pool!" Becker cautioned as they formed a protective circle that covered the watered around them watching for new hidden hostiles.

The moment in the waters was quick as they were agile and undetectable due to the dark muck that covered the surface of the once sterilized waters. Almost like they were in a pool of sharks, and they waltzed right into it.

Han Feng realized the direness of their cause as there was no visual target until the last moment and their firearms were subjected to refraction as well as decay in the water.

"Bayonets and grenades!" Han Feng addressed their only solution to fighting this water-borne menace.

As the Marines mounted their bayonets as well as took out their grenades to throw at the slightest motion within the pool.

(BOOM)(Splash)

(BOOM)(Splash)

It became like a game of hunting submarines with depth charges. Becker tracked a single motion amongst the several that were in the waters with them as they dragged another soldier under the waters while his group stabbed the waters with their bayonets to try and spear whatever had grabbed a hold of him as he slipped out of their fingers and was lost forever.

Becker patiently waited for his moment as the wave turned around to make another strafe, that's when he threw his cooked grenade into the path of the creature who accelerated in speed to go for the kill.

(BOOM)(Splash) A fountain of gore followed the underwater detonation in lieu of the empty ones before. Floating traces of what was apparently yet another abomination morphed out of human remains into something predatory under the waters. Birds, spiders, now sharks? It seemed that this transmutation followed a certain sequence for something related to the witches' demographic.

Han Feng tracked another moving wave and blasted it with his slugger that bore incredible stopping power despite the friction of the waters. A carcass that resembled something human and shark-like floated to the top.

"Hurrgh?!-(splash)." While reloading, he was dragged under.

"Captain!" His group were slightly shaken but focused on the potential creatures that lurked under still."

On David's end, he had worked on the last limb that was binded to the walls by resin-like structure.

When the saw blade came to a halt and they gave the bind one last tug that broke it, Perkins was finally free. And they switched their attention to Onir who had been hastily given a local brew syringe to keep his vitals in check, but without remedy he was soon to succumb.

"Give me a gun!" Perkins was not going to be left out of this.

The grenade tactic had little effect beyond Becker's lucky throw as the next kill only happened when the shark-creature latched itself onto the side of a Jatayu who pierced his bayonet into its skull followed by the others.

"(Gasp)!" At somewhere else within the pool, Han Feng emerged victorious over the creature that tried to drag him under. The mark of a bite could be seen by the tear on his uniform, yet there was no wound from what the witch observed. It confirmed her suspicion that he definitely wasn't normal as his aura suggested, although it was different from the huntsman and even Jason.

Han Feng had killed the last of these aquatic monsters that had inflicted the most casualties among them, some were bleeding out while others emerged as lifeless corpses after they were dragged away.

From the group that rejoined him, Han Feng received his fallen slugger and loaded it.

"This is the end, witch." (Boom) No sooner did he load the weapon, did he fire it in her direct.

(poom) The projectile definitely hit home, but the sound echoed of a hard surface. As Han Feng came upon the conclusion from the prehensile hair that stretched out and absorbed the equally monstrous bullet energy. The witch had apparently not run out of tricks.

As she laughed at their futile attempt to kill her despite their losses.

"So gullible, you are. Your soothsayer may have been right about my current state, but you confuse me for one of the lesser beings." The witch sprinted upon the waters like it was barely even there. Approaching Becker who fired his gun on reflex which did little to slow her down.

(clang) With a single swipe, she smashed apart the rifle which Becker had used to absorb the attack, but had launched him skidding on the waters a few feet back. Then turned towards the rest of his party.

(Boom) The report of the slugger momentarily impeded her movement as the members of Becker's group swam out of the waters to gain back their mobility.

She turned her attention to Han Feng's group who were still in the waters firing in her direction. Impacting her body, but were like raindrops in comparison.

Rushing him in the same way she did with Becker. Han Feng drew out his kukri to prepare to engage in close combat. The witch grabbed a hold of him by the collar and lifted him out of the waters without falling into it through her strange magic, as Han Feng replied with his knife stabbed into her chest where the heart should've been.

"I am a queen."

"As I guessed, no heart." But Han Feng responded in a different way which genuinely brought up some fury within this witch as she dunked him into the waters before throwing him into the air.

She approached the soldiers but only managed to reach one of them as they came out of the pool of which she decapitated.

Followed by a chant that sent her prehensile hair to attack each of the soldiers individually. As they lunged and dodged the fatal blows and fired back to suppress the lengthless hair. As Han Feng landed, she caught him by his garment again.

But took out the kukri stabbed into her and plunged it into his shoulder.

"Uurgghh!" Withdrawing it, she licked the blood that had stuck to the blade.

"As I suspected. You have power as well. But yours is tainted by witch hunter blood." The witch said something that Han Feng didn't understand apart from the pain and what she said being responsible for canceling out the same taint of Ajay's blood containing demonic prana. She casted her eyes upon him as if he was tainted meat and tossed him casually towards the wall which translated as him flying like a bullet into the wall making a crater out of his body shape.

The soldiers, realizing their helplessness could only continue a futile struggle. As Perkins rushed in to aid them with the addition of four extra people to the fight while one watched over Onir and stabilized him.

Han Feng was reawakened by the sensation of pain, spat out some blood and picked up his slugger to load again, the second last shot. As he used one hand to absurdly absorb the recoil while pointing it down range at where the witch was.

But then, a thought occurred to him that the witch did not expect from him. As he turned the gun towards the egg sac instead, where Jason Brody supposedly resided. Seeing this alarmed her greatly enough that she retracted her hair and rushed towards him.

"Stop her!" Becker did everything that he could to slow her down seeing her worry like that was what he wanted to do to put the pressure on her.

(BOOM) One of the marines, expended an M136 launcher at her which launched her into the wall disoriented for the first time, but not physically deterred.

Han Feng steadied his breathing as he hadn't fired the slugger at its maximum range before especially with a single hand that wasn't broken. The witch recovered and pounced upon Han Feng with the full intent of flattening him into the concrete.

"Clear your own mess…. Brody…." (BOOM) His discharge was in sync with the motion of him being embedded into the structure with the strike of unimaginable strength.

The Vedic projectile had veered off course by a few inches and had only grazed the egg sac before it shattered against the wall. But the markings of the scripture had printed upon that graze leading up to a stirring of the sac for a moment that even the witch gazed with worry. But settled down in the end.

The witch puffed a sigh of relief that even the soldiers caught. But without the slugger, they couldn't try again. As it lay shattered upon the ground.

"You've had your try and I've had my fun. Now you will all die."

This was what their tenacity led to? An inevitable fate to die to some foreign apparition that had no association with them whatsoever? The Americans were really biting their nails inwardly but at the same time, they didn't want to make it easy for her either.

"You've had your fun? We're just getting started! Am I right, boys?" Becker reemerged with a multiple grenade launcher he slung on his back deployed.

The witch was about to receive an education of why US marines were so tenacious.

---

The walk back to the private open balcony was indeed a long one, or should it have been? He had deliberately taken a detour around the circumference of the restaurant and appeared out in the front where he currently was. Now, there was no new patrons waiting to be seated as all were inside enjoying a decent meal, as the manager provided his services whole-heartedly.

With that time alone and thoughts to himself he collectively gathered where he was and what he was doing. Most importantly, settling for what was his reality and whether these images in his head were truly just fictional elements brewing in his wandering head.

A sane man would seek professional help, to tell his friends and family that he had a problem and look for a solution. He didn't know why, but for some reason he felt compelled not to trust them in their entirety.

Something inside of him had been screaming at him since the beginning of the day. He sat by the porch on the steps in the dark to process his thoughts once more. This time, with the point of triangulating everything he could remember before Grant woke him.

His hand unravelled a paper towel wrapping a shard of mirror he collected from the bathroom, holding it in his left hand, he peered into it hoping that another image would reveal another nature of himself he didn't know.

"Exploring yourself, are we?" A mature voice spoke with slight mirth at his actions.

He turned around like a kid caught in the act, embarrassed at himself for doing such a childish thing. The person who apprehended him was a woman in the later years of forty and wore a traditional dress that was both modest and colourful, golden jewelry hung from her ears and over her head from three points to form a union around a crescent emblem ornament over her forehead. And while he was trying to pinpoint her exact demographic she came from, that woman bent down in front of him in an almost young, spirited manner that didn't reflect her physical age.

"Um-….?" Jason was complete taken by surprised by the woman's appearance in Los Angeles of all places. But then again, the United States has always tooted itself as the centre hub of the world so it was no surprise that everyone from the far corners of the world would visit many of the famous cities of America. What really struck him was those piercing yellow-brown eyes that slightly radiated under the night sky and low light.

It….. calmed him down.

"When one looks into a mirror, does he hope to see himself or another?" She said with a knowing smile. She had somehow deduced his identity crisis by just these mere observations.

Jason put down the mirror shard, as he thought about her words. Who did he really want to see in there? It was at that moment when that women picked up the shard and looked at it.

"Where I am from, we use bronze mirrors, do you know why?" She posed him a question with a voice most pleasing to hear.

"Because…. It reveals our true form?" He had heard that many cultures used bronze mirrors in ancient times because it had the ability to reveal monsters and such or whether a person's face was false.

"Because it's cheaper." The woman shrugged before chuckling away at the amount of thought he put into it. He felt cheated for being played for a fool.

"It will never break and if you polish it, you will always be able to see your face."

"Not that well, I'd reckon." Jason let his smart mouth jabber away.

"Is that such a problem?" She posed in the most educative manner. Leaving Jason confused.

"When I wake up in the morning or after night to cleanse it, I simple wash until I can see my face clear in the mirror." She then held up the mirror shard towards him.

"Your mirrors here as so clear that you can see even the slightest unevenness of the skin or cracks, the coloration of one's eyes. Every imperfection that you would seek to remedy or conceal. But…. Must you remove every imperfection that you see?" Jason was deeply taken in by her words as she smiled at his interest.

"By taking away that flaw, are you still who you are? Or someone else now?" The woman had reached the critical point that Jason had been struggling so hard with.

"What about you?" Jason asked, genuinely curious.

"I am happy the way I am, regardless of how others my perceive me. I live in the mountains high in the clouds, the wind blowing freely on my face. You may never change how I look or how I speak. Well, maybe with age I might." She gave that cheeky middle-aged humor which Jason found strangely endearing.

"When you look into the mirror, who do you see?" The crafty woman asked his name indirectly as well.

"Jason. Jason Brody. I'm one of three sons to James A. Brody and Shyla Brody, my dad and mom."

"Jason… Brody…" She memorized. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Jason."

She said as she rose to her feet. Jason felt slightly disappointed that this seemed like the end of their conversation and seeing that sadness made her smile and laugh at him again.

"You're leaving?" Jason exclaimed as he was thought she was one of the patrons to the restaurant as well and would allow him to spend a little more time. The woman turned around and struck a pose of seduction.

"Do you yearn this older woman, Jason?" She teased him with a toss of her hair to the side.

"….. Maybe?" He said with a shrug and had a humorous nature about him now.

The older woman laughed as she walked into the night away from the restaurant and from the light.

"I didn't get your name!" He called out as he just remembered and didn't want to miss it.

"Because I didn't give it." Once again the woman tortured him with such words, but he genuinely wanted to know.

"Please. What you said really made me feel better about myself. At least let me know who to thank!"

"If there is anyone you should thank, it is yourself for acknowledging you. Jason." She seemed to have one last nugget of wisdom to leave him with.

"A man that does not know himself will become a slave to others to say what they are. But a man that knows shall be the king of his very soul that no one else may lay claim to." It should have been a simple way of saying just be yourself. But these words had another meaning.

Believe in the self that it you. Take pride. Have confidence. And do not be afraid. This was the interpretation that Jason instantly felt within himself from this woman's words, even though she would not give hers.

Jason watched as she disappeared slowly but then stopped for a moment and sighed.

"Sarama, is what they called me." In the end, she finally yielded it.

"Will I ever see you again?" He had to know. If the earth turned upside down, he needed to know.

"Perhaps we might. Only fate will tell."

The woman named Sarama continued on her path.

"Until again, Jason Brody." With no indication of when, she vanished entirely into the night.

"…. Thanks." His thanks never reached that person.

Jason exhaled all the tension out of his body he had been feeling since the day began and closed his eyes as he was now once again in his lonesome, even though he now craved the company of someone like that person.

It had been a while since anyone had ever sat down next to him willingly and talked about his thoughts. Liza seemed to focus only on matching her stuff with his.

Relaxing even.

The last time he felt that relaxed was when….. that Dhole appeared at the front driveway.

The wild dog with the strange yet powerful eyes. Eyes that seemed to have the same kind of power as Sarama. In fact, they were almost identical. Both had the flame of an independent spirit within them. And here he was comparing that good lady to a dog, how shameful of him he thought.

Jason steadied himself and his mind to verify his being. With steadfast strength.

-Who am I.-

Jason Brody. Son of James and Shyla Brody. Brother of Grant and Riley. Period.

-When am I.-

Unable to verify. Multiple contradicting memories.

-Where am I.-

Jason filtered through all the memories that he had, including today's experiences regardless of distinction. Even if it caused him that migraine, he soldiered through. He had to know right now, or he'll never know and continue to live in ignorance.

Part of his mind pictured him in a sunny paradise that turned horribly wrong, with many deaths. Including ones that were close to him.

In another biome, a world separated from the outside by the icy mountains. A man they called a demon inhabited this place. This demon won over him and claimed everything that he held dear. And once more, he experienced the same excruciating loss he felt from the island paradise.

The last vision was that of a dark room where men questioned him whilst probing him with sharp and painful instruments. He could remember the emotions. Shock, confusion, anxiety, fear. He had done no wrong even though they said otherwise. And then….

The bell.

It was not a small one that chimed. But one that would wake an entire town if struck.

After that…. Darkness.

Jason rose from his seat and walked back towards the private balcony, the mirror shard that he held fell out of his hand. Discarded on his own volition. His doubts, shedded.

The tables and chairs were in the midst of cleaning and packing by the restaurant staff while his friends and family had settled on the lounge seats nearer to the railings.

"Jason, where've you been? Come on, have a seat, lil' brother." Grant shifted to give room to Jason to sit beside him amongst the group who were chatting away as happily as they could be.

But instead of complying with Grant's suggestion, he stayed where he was.

"Jas, you ok?" Grant questioned his awkwardness returned.

And then, he said the words that separated his reality from theirs.

"This place isn't real."

"What?" Liza said offended for whatever reason that shook the rest out of the stupor they were in.

"It's an illusion."

"What the hell is he saying?" Keith said wondering where he shoved his mind.

"I'm sorry, guys. I should've mentioned this just now." Grant stood up and waved to assure them.

"Jason wasn't feeling well today, he's been having these hallucinations about some nightmarish place." Grant just debunked his behavior to his friends who were now making sense of it.

"I know this for a fact now." Jason replied in his own defense.

To which the entire group faced him to hear his explanation. Grant just let out a laugh that he couldn't believe this situation and shrugged.

"Alright, why do you think this is an illusion?" Grant and the rest were now playing his game almost too willingly for him to prove himself wrong, but he wasn't going to falter.

"For starters, some of you are alive when you should be dead."

"Yeah? Fuck you too, Jason." Vincent gave him the bird.

"I never said it was you." He pointed out the first flaw. How did Vincent know he was amongst those dead in this reality of his, thereby giving his response? Said person was all of a sudden quiet.

"Haven't we already broken up, Liza?"

"W-What's that supposed to mean, you bastard?!" She said as she almost wanted to break into tears as Daisy hugged her and glared at him for his words.

"I don't see why you're upset since you were the one that started it."

"That's enough, Jas!" Grant stood up and put his hand on his shoulder to stop his raving that was hurting everyone, warning him with a stern tone.

But what he did next, nobody expected. Especially not his own brother.

Grappling that arm, he forced Grant into an armlock pushing his knees to bend with a kick. All under a mere second with such speed and form that reflected years of training and experience that overshadowed what he thought of himself as well as his own Brother's training. He disabled a National Guardsman effortlessly as if he were a veteran instructor of close combat and to do so when Grant was much fitter and weighed a couple extra pounds more than him.

"Jason, what the fuck!" Keith shouted.

"Sit the fuck down!" He responded with an authoritative demand of them that was unlike him.

"He's your brother!" Daisy screamed at him.

"Yes." He acknowledged this but did not release Grant.

"He was." He corrected her.

"What the hell are you doing?" Fear could be sensed from her voice, all of them. To the person he was acting as now, frightened them to their core.

"Grant." He addressed the brother he had laid his hand on.

"While it's true that I never got along with the old man. And that you were entrusted to watch over us. Dad was never proud of anything that I did." He stated this contradiction that he felt deep down even though it was the last thing that even he wanted to hear.

"What?" Grant was left stunned by his words.

Between the current notion that their father loved him and the image of a father that shunned him when he was young for his mischief and adolescence.

"The old man was hard on us. But he was double hard on me." Jason remembered being beaten with a belt while his elder brother tried to reason with their father and the younger Riley cried in the corner from such tension and pain. James Brody was a harsh man who had spent little hours at home not because of his job as an airlines pilot. But because there was nothing there for him but them.

That's why mom never talked highly of him. Why Grant left to join the military early and Riley had become almost introvert in nature. Their father was an avid drunk and child beater, originally a wife beater as well. But he had shifted focus to the three of them and their mother, too afraid to protect them turned a blind eye. That's why Shyla Brody was never in his heart. That's why she wasn't here now to celebrate with him together in person, because there were only painful memories between them. Between himself and his parents. And this illusion had kept it away from him deliberately.

"It must be convenient that the old man is dead, so it doesn't have to show his face too."

"Riley, go get help." Daisy called for his younger brother to get the manager and some help.

"Go if you want, it won't make a difference then if I do this." Jason grabbed a knife from the table and pressed it against Grant's neck.

"Jason. Are you insane?!" Riley cried out as Grant groaned in pain of how rough he'd been handled.

"Maybe."

"We'll get help! Proper doctors, a cynical exam. Everything!" Daisy tried to banter with him despite declaring him mad and expecting this to have a sound outcome.

"But who are you to judge if I am or not."

"Jason….. Please, you're hurting him!"

"Him?"

"Grant!" Jason gazed into her eyes, observing every subtle movement from her face twitching to her body language that were all identical to what she said. A perfect image if he was threatening her.

"Grant is dead, Daisy." He said before releasing his elder brother with a kick forward.

"Urgh!" The others rushed to Grant's side as Jason backed away.

"Riley is dead too." He said with an unmistakable smile, and yet sadness in his eyes to his younger brother.

"Jason. What are you doing?" His brother noticed him approaching the ledge from behind.

"I know what's real. But what will it take to prove it?" Jason said as he laughed at himself already knowing what he should do.

"Jason, behind you!" But he wasn't listening at all.

"I asked myself, am I truly alive? Or am I dead? When what I really should've done was put it to the test from the start." The group were shouting and screaming for him to stay away from the railings that he was rearing into but wouldn't approach him. Not even to drag him back or tackle him to the ground. Like they couldn't. Like they were forbidden to. But an invisible logic that only dictated itself based on what he wanted to do, what he wanted to hear.

Jason closed his eyes and was ready to make a leap of faith by falling backwards.

"Jason." When serenity struck and the racket produced by the images of his friends and family were chasted and stood aside before the one that had called out his name alone.

"It was you all along." That person, that woman remained quiet on her own accord. But her silence was her acknowledgement. That woman had always been an enigma to him, ever since the day he met her.

"You… authored all of this-." Madness? Playground to toy with his mind? He could think up a couple other names for it.

"To give you peace." These words left her smooth foreign lips as she smiled assuringly that what she said was true. She appeared exactly as he remembered. Dark enchanting eyes matched with an unmistakable tribal tattoo on her chin and on her sleeveless hands. This was the very same person that set him of that very dark path of hard choices and hard decisions. Who made him do things he never wanted to do and believe that it was always within him. And at the dawn of it all, she even made him hunt her own brother, calling it a mercy on his tortured soul. Indeed, that guy was twisted. But was he always that way? He had even pointed his sister out many times for the things he did for her and did to him. He. Vaas became who he was for the sake of his sister.

"Peace?" Jason inwardly mocked the notion. The way his friends and family were now in a lobotomized state and her appearing at this very moment was the final proof he needed that his gut feeling was not wrong.

"You have suffered enough." She said in a pleading voice.

"Have I?"

"Your brothers, lost. Your home, taken from you. It was too much to bear witness, so I acted." She claimed responsibility for putting him in this place, this state.

"You're already dead." He denied her existence.

"I am, Jason. But I forgive you." But she didn't deny that.

"What?"

"I love you, Jason! I never wanted you hurt as you are!" She declared wholeheartedly that confused him.

"I made this place so that you could be who you want, do whatever your heart desires as you always deserved."

"But this isn't real."

"My love is real! Your heart is real!" This was again, not a falsehood.

"Can you say for certain after all the hardships you had gone through without reward?" She turned to his friends and family who remained stationary and lifeless.

"You saved them but at what cost? They abandoned you because you reminded them of the pain they had suffered over the friend and family that you were." What she said was not wrong, as glaring as it was to acknowledge.

"I was wrong to use your friends to give you the peace that you wanted. That is why I come to you now." She made a very noble attempt to fix all that she had wrought upon him.

"…" In truth, after recalling everything, it vexed him of the aftermath of their return as well as the most recent events that followed in the Himalayas. If he was to rescue them once more and bring them home, wouldn't he be back at where he started? Just another brother less, this time.

He was never going to change who he was and who he became after that time on the island. It was already a part of him no matter how much he wished it away. It clung to him like the ghost of one hated foe and his sister.

"What does your peace entrail? That I forget everything and live as I like?"

"If it would spare you from guilt and memory, I shall." She honestly gave him the option.

Memories were painful.

Since that day they landed on the island, everything had changed. He could find no joy, no solace. Only living in the shadow of what had happened and the lives that he culled for his own convenience. In the mountains, it was just the continuation of that living nightmare. Knowing that, the demon, Ajay Ghale deliberately kept him alive to continue experiencing hell on earth.

Jason for all that he had been through had the mind to accept that hand that reached out wishing only to give him what was best. She loved him and would give that and more.

A second chance.

His first step towards her was a sign of his conflicted thoughts in favor of her.

"Give me a chance to be with you." Her love was indeed far reaching, even in death those lingering emotions stayed strong with her.

"To fix all the damage that had been done to you, my broken love. You don't have to be alone anymore."

Broken. Was what he was to her. What they all said he was. And as he reached out to take her hand, the epiphany halted it just short by an inch before he retracted it. For in that moment, he had just realized that what she sought was exactly no different from his friends and family.

Just their interpretation of him that they wanted to keep for themselves. The story of the bronze mirror made more sense to him now than it ever did, whether that was by her design as well.

"But I'm not."

"Not what?" To which Jason smiled incorrigibly as he backed away to the railings once more.

"Broken….. Or alone."

And made the last leap of faith he thought he would ever make.

The winds ran by him as he plummeted down, the city lights disappeared under the rising dark canopy of the trees in his line of sight. And then….

Darkness.

Wind resistance suddenly vanished as did the inertia of falling to his death in this illusion. He waited for a while, but nothing happened. He blinked a few times but nothing new materialized as his suspension over nothing ended and he landed on his two feet. But no ground could be seen. No sky, or land, not even a way out.

"I gave you my hand, Jason."

The voice sounded in pain as it conveyed these words.

"And you abandoned me again!"

Followed by a scream of anguish that rocked his ears before total silence followed to the point of hearing his own heartbeat.

"… But I cannot bear to let you die." She found her resolve in spite of his refusal to join in union with her a second time.

"So you will remain here for eternity." Even as she said these words that dictated the new laws of this empty world, it pained her that she had maroon him here, nonetheless. Alone.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Goodbye… Sayangka." She left the final word before her presence faded out.

"Hey-….. Hey! You can't do this to me….. I can't stay here forever!" But no one responded nor did his voice echo out into the unknown.

The feeling of being by himself slowly crept into his heart and gave him a full revelation of what had transpired. Since he did not join her ideal, she chose to maroon him in this reality to keep him from losing his life. But for what could be minutes out there would surely translate into an eternity for him. As Jason cried out his anguish and resentment at the one who had chosen to imprison him instead.

"YOU BITCH!"

He was Jason Brody.

But he was trapped in his own mind.

---

He said they would give her a fight she wouldn't forget. But the difference was obvious, they couldn't hurt her, but she could certainly hurt them.

She did so under the hail of fire directed at him, grabbing hold of a Kyrati with her armored prehensile hair and bringing him close to drink his blood and consume his flesh to manifest more abilities. The more she killed, the more powers she unlocked that she seemingly knew by heart.

"Argh-DIE! (BOOM)."

The Jatayu she caught deprived her of that chance to turn him into nourishment and detonated a pull-pin to four pounds of C4 under his vest. Blowing up in her face and knocking her to the floor. But all it caused was superficial damage that seemed to wash away as flesh grew from out of nowhere at an absurd rate. But she could not draw more black magic against those who were still alive.

Everything from manipulating water, to shaking the earth and making it levitate were among the milder of feats compared to the really dangerous ones like turning water droplets into guided projectiles that pierced body armor, and creating huge gusts of wind that blew from off their feet.

It seemed that the only thing delaying the inevitable was the weapons they'd procured on their way from the Embassy armory. A fresh resupply of weapons and body armor to continue to the fight, they carried extra beyond their normal carrying load just so to be safe. A prudent choice that Sergeant Becker had pointed out due to the lack of manpower on their side to storm the entire embassy grounds with those things on the loose. They could only hope that the PAF hazmat unit and Golf-Three who wired the exterior could quickly neutralize the creatures that climbed out of the compound.

To minimize casualties, Becker, Perkins, and David coordinated in hand signals to taunt the witch and attack from the opposite end. Like quarterback maneuvers, where she was easily rocked from her flanks when an explosive charge went off in close proximity. If she got too close, they used the egg sac to their advantage by threatening to blow it off its support which she tried desperately to prevent. It appeared that everything had a flaw, and they were alive by virtue of knowing that flaw. However, they were stuck in this never-ending stalemate that would eventually be in her favor when they ran out of ammo. And the terrain and space were ill-suited for them as they had to watch their firing angle, but not for the witch who was alone.

"Keep the pressure on!" David enforced as he switched with a Jatayu to reload his gun.

"How long?" He asked Perkins who was working on a plan they had to put an end to this.

"A minute more."

"Faster!" David demanded as he took over the Jatayu who ran empty on his Grendel AK.

"I'm not an electrician by trade!" Perkins yelled back as he figured out how to wire the swimming pool circuit to the power coupling leading to the standby generator which generated as much as five megawatts to maintain the power grid over the electronic systems of the embassy and the CIA blacksite. Someone had been called in from Golf-Three to secure the generator outside to flip the switch when they were ready. But they were not sure of how long or whether Golf-Three would be able to make it on time.

(BOOM)

"Not looking so smug now, huh, bitch?!" Becker taunted as he caused more than nuisance to the witch with his M32 grenade launcher.

But had become careless as she focused down on him yet didn't approach him.

(pow) His fifth grenade flew true to its target who slowed down.

(pak) As the prehensile hair came together to the area where the 40mm grenade was fired, not to block it, but to catch it without triggering its contact fuze.

The witch smiled with her window of opportunity, as she hurled the primed grenade back in his direction with velocity comparable to when it was launched. Believing she would finally silence his taunts.

"Shit…." (BOOM)

"Becker's been hit!"

David was alerted by the detonation even before one of the marines told him, realizing that they had just lost their linebacker. The witch turned to them as they seemed to be up to something that left Becker to do the heavy lifting all this time.

Pressing the initiative, David hooked on the bayonet to his gun even though it was utterly pointless and bayonet charged her with a warcry. The remaining soldiers saw that he pressed the attack and did the same, regardless of the affect.

Seeing their desperation, she met them head on. Starting with the closest one, a marine who received the full-blunt of her weaponized hair. Crushed into a wet paste and falling dead with a cavity in his throat as the hair slit across and pulverized it. Giving David and the remaining soldiers a preview of what was to come for them, however, they wouldn't give up so easily. She asked for this, not them.

She launched her hair at David who was next, but then a Jatayu discarded his rifle and kit running for her. She recognized this behavior amongst these soldiers in grey and red uniform, who had the tenacity to die. As she was about to shift her focus, David and the other marines discarded their rifles as well and dashed her leaving her visibly confused for a moment into believing that they had all taken this behavioral trait as well, she immediately backed away as they surrounded her to cut off her escape and retreated to the waters where their mobility was compromised.

But at the water's edge, they halted and threw their grenades into the water between them and around her. Which would not damage her even the slightest, so it confused her. Their feint had worked.

"Now!" David turned around to Perkins who had previously received a comms report on the generator and completed the hotwiring between the backup generator and the pool circuit. He threw an additional cable from this circuit into the waters and took cover as the waters became electrified with over five hundred thousand volts of electricity that began to bubble with lethal current. The witches' first instinct had gotten her to leap onto the egg sac-thing suspected over the waters but not contacting it. Thus protecting her from the current, until it clicked with her why they had thrown their grenades and explosives into the water prior.

No sooner did the current contact the explosives did it set off and detonate an enormous amount of charged waters upon the witch.

(BOBOBOOOM) "Aaarrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhh!"

It was a scream of agony but one that had a satisfying ring to it as it reflected their resentment and ire of what she was. As the water settled and the circuit blew from overload, they recovered to inspect the damage toll they had dealt. David walked over to pick his rifle and kit up as the others had. Approaching the waters that had become still but no longer with current, turning on his light module to check the dark waters for any signs of a corpse. But all there was in the pool was cauterized and pungent meat of the dead shark-creature carcasses that stank up the place.

"Is she dead?" Perkins peered from his end more adventurous than the others.

In the waters that were in front of him, he began to notice a figure emerging from the waters under the last hints of buoyancy. A corpse that was more feminine in nature, until a face was almost made up before-(Splash)

"Gurrgh!" The figure lunged out of the waters and grasped him by the hard plate carrier.

She was not dead. But more heavily wounded than before, as singe marks that should have healed, didn't while still smoking from the scorch of the electricity that had cooked it.

David raised his rifle to fire a few shots to suppress her again, but this time she threw Perkins his way causing them to fall flat on their backs. The last six marines and three Jatayu ran passed them with guns ablaze and bayonets primed, it wasn't a ruse this time around.

"Why do you always jinx it?" David groaned as he pushed Perkins off him exhausted.

"(Huff) Always blaming me." Perkins got up and accompanied the charge as a latecomer.

"Raaagghh!" With a swipe, she sliced a Marine that had stabbed her with his bayonet in half.

"We're dropping like flies…." David had come to full terms with their role in this mission and how it had lead to significant casualties at the hands of one person, a monster. But they couldn't let her out of this place, this concerned the plan. This witch was evidence that the occult existed as a live threat to humanity and would eventually lead the world to deem the Himavanas as a place teeming with monsters. Therefore, not worth saving beyond nuclear strikes.

David picked up his rifle to join the hopeless charge as his head spun around to look at the casualties when he noticed the crater where Han Feng had been pressed into was missing its occupant.

(Splash) A hand reached out from underwater and grabbed the witch by her ankle, pulling her down from the surface of the water to the same level as the marines and Jatayu who each impaled her with their bayonets one after another. Rising from the water, Han Feng grappled her neck with his arm in a bid to snap her neck while the soldiers individually stabbed the witch over and over causing her great stress and disorientation while her reflex to gasp for air was still apparent even though a monster. She thrashed about sending the rifles knocking into the soldiers whilst still embedded into her to shake him off.

Han Feng stuck his other free hand into and open wound of hers and squeezed the exposed flesh which caused her to cry out in agony. With her mouth opened, he stuffed what was the last .700 slug with Vedic scriptures into her mouth and propped it to close with his strangle arm.

"Die already, witch!"

The witch doubled in her resistance as smoke began to bellow from her mouth and her throat began to glow molten as something within her felt the effects of the Vedic scriptures reading last rites to her corrupted soul and banishing her from reality.

The witch dived into the water to extinguish this burning while Han Feng was still holding on for dear life. When she re-emerged a distance from the group Pulling out a bayonet and stabbing it into Han Feng's forearm after he blocked it with said limb to prevent it from skewering his head.

"Eurrghhh!" Han Feng struggled against the witches' physical might that outstripped his.

"You were just like him once." The witch had been caught for a moment by his tenacity despite the uneven fight between herself and the lot of them.

"If only you knew the power that sleeps within you. The undying spirit that keeps you from death. Perhaps you could have saved all of them from dying meaninglessly." The witch lessened her strength as a sign of not wanting to hurt him now.

"I'm not after power like you!" Han Feng said even though the stress of a broken hand and a stab to the other one left him at a great handicap.

"Then, love?" The witch saw a moment of flickering in his conviction that she would exploit. While the soldiers moved through the waters at a mired pace to help.

"This power keeps you from becoming completely human even with your witch blood. You will live forever, while your loved ones wither. Is that the life that is worth protecting?" The witch raised him by the forearm revealing the mark of the Ghost Bear on it.

"Could you bear to leave them to others as you remain alone?" She knew the pain of being rejected best of all and she saw that he feared that too.

"Give that power to me, and I will let you leave with your life and dignity." So ended her proposal as she left the word to him to decide. Han Feng genuinely wore a pained expression for knowing what had become of him and the state that he had to live with. Kanaan would marry, grow old and die without a place with him in her heart. His father and relatives would pass on and leave him as the sole heir of the shattered Sun Family but no descendants would come from him.

He wore and anguished expression even as the pain was going numb, before securing the handle of the bayonet lodged in his arm.

"Go to hell." Giving one last roar, he pulled out the bayonet with his other hand in her grip, dropped the knife into the one pierced before and stabbed for her eyes. Falling short of it, as the witch caught it with her two fingers between the blade.

"I asked courteously, but my means of extracting it myself are not lost." She said as began to chant something-(Babababaaam)

Automatic fire rippled across her left side impacting her body and detonating with volatile incendiary compound.

"By the power of Jesus, I command you. Let that boy go!" The witch turned to the one that had the gall to demand such a thing of her, only to find someone else at the entrance of the swimming pool that wore no uniform of the Jatayu or Marines.

"No way….." David stopped in the midst of the water looking at the same direction. But unlike everyone who had no clue who that person of African origin was, David knew distinctly well.

"Longinus?!" Perkins was just as surprise to find him here of all places given his departure a month back.

"Hello, Americans!" The glorious arms dealer waved his free hand with much satisfaction to see them again.

(Splash) The witch dropped Han Feng who was once again beyond fighting condition even if he couldn't die. She now had new problems in her way. The bullets he fired had done more significant damage than the rifles of the soldiers due to some kind of explosive compound in them.

"I've heard it all from priests and preachers. The words of a god that does not speak. So how do you know he truly exists?" She taunted him and his religion to garner his fury as it did with all those of the same order.

"The Lord does not speak. He acts! Just as I shall!" He said with breaming confidence and pointed his PKM light machine gun loaded with questionably legal PZ Incendiary ammunition her way.

"Deign, O Lord! To grant us Thy powerful protection and to keep us safe from harm! We beseech Thee through Jesus Christ Our Lord!"

Longinus roared his prayers as he light up the witch with his machine gun and released a bellow of flame from an under barrel flamethrower hose connected to a tank on his back.

(Fwwwooosshhh)

Hit with burning napalm fuel, the witch screamed as her flesh became scorched and exposed by the explosive bullets this self-proclaimed exorcists bore. Immediately diving into the waters to stop the burning. As Longinus completed the first of many prayers to come with a phrase that was always said unto the end.

"AMEEENNN!"

---

Is this his reward for even trying? Was there nothing at all worth trying to reach at the end of that tunnel, that chasm?

Jason sat in solitude of an empty nowhere. Shouting his lungs out for five hours straight with no physical strain felt. Four hours, he spent running and trying to find an exit, but all he got was the same blank space of void. Three hours later, he stopped to think of ways to get out in the unconventional sense. Two hours ago, he contemplated his choice of options that led him here, wondering if there was ever a right answer.

He had been made a prisoner of his own self by a woman who loved him unhealthily. He was always her prisoner, since he met her, that it was he came to accept in those hours. But this time, she unraveled the cage to show him the bars. Except, there were no bars for him to even slam on.

He screamed at himself for the things that he did until now. In Kyrat. In Rook Island. At home before all this started. He was a shit person who didn't deserve the love of those that gave him that, he had led them to their deaths. A living jinx, and as such felt that his imprisonment here was starting to make sense. How better to torture him that make it such that he never existed to ruin others.

Jason slummed on the ground with his face against his curled up feet. He wasn't even allowed to grief for his brothers that died. Ajay was right, he didn't deserve this life.

All he could do in this never-ending void, was count the seconds that went away. Seconds to minutes, minutes to hours, hours to days. He didn't need to eat, crap or sleep. But at the thirteenth day, he stopped counting all together. And wondered when the insanity would sent in.

Insanity was doing the exact same thing over and over expecting something to change. He'd heard that phrase mentioned many times by the same person over and over.

Until he visually saw him at the corner of his eyes, he didn't believe that he was looking at who he thought it was. Sitting in a corner molding sand, the once definition of that state he must currently be in. Vaas Montenegro, same appearance, different temperament. One that could only be described as being catatonic, his eyes had no fire of rebellion or madness. He was only an empty shadow of the monster that stalked him even after death, taunting him everywhere he went. Even here, he wasn't even enough to shout at or accuse him of all his grievances.

Jason kicked him a couple of times that sent him across the void, and at every time, he returned to the incomplete sandcastle. He smashed it too, yet not a hint of aggression surfaced as the lobotomized shell started from scratch his sandcastle project.

He left out his anger and hatred on him despite his state for he had no mercy for him no matter what had become of him. It didn't discount what Vaas had done to him, he made him into the monster by inheriting it from him.

Amidst his rage, he realized that no fatigue had hit him nor concept of pain felt. Thus, it became a fruitless effort that resulted in him sitting a distance from the human vegetable.

As the anger subsided and his bearings returned. He was still nowhere near cooled off of his rage, but his composure was reclaimed. And as it returned, an important fact had clicked within him.

Why did Vaas suddenly pop into existence?

Looking back at the man who's mind had broken to the extent that he could no longer be considered cognitive, he could only recall rage.

But in truth, it was the ideal that made him picture Vaas from his appearance down to his personality. Did that mean that there was a possibility of others appearing in this place if he thought deeply about them?

Jason tried with Grant. Picturing the childhood memories that defined their relationship as brothers.

Nothing.

He tried Riley for another three hours of memories relived, but nothing as well.

He had tried all those that meant much to him that were dead, but to no avail. Or did he? There were people that helped him in his time of need, that lent him a hand without asking for anything in return except the companionship and good company, genuinely affable people in his trip.

Hurk. Nothing.

-Yeah…..- He thought so, after the outcome that led to the latter's death. He could not possibly come before him, not because he didn't want to but because Jason didn't feel that he was worthy of being called his friend. He called him a brother and believed in him, and he rejected it.

"Mein Gott, with all your brooding and self-loathing. You might as well change your name to Jason Broody. Ja?" His heart palpitated at the voice that answered even though it was never called.

"Sam…." He turned to seem the bald man in the flesh still in his privateer outfit.

"Shameful….. Shameful, Jason. What happened to that gift of a mind that helped you beat Hoyt? (Sigh) Bananenbieger." He cussed at him in German.

"What?"

"Banana bender, that's what you are. You can't focus, or think properly and do pointless things. Ha?" He used a very weird analogy. But by doing so he was proof that it really was Sam and not an illusion in his head. There was no way he knew such a whacky pseudonym for an insult.

"Sam, I-…"

"Alright, I am here to help."

"You will?"

"Why else have you called upon me?! Du lieber Himmel! Have you lost your wit?" Jason had a thousand and one things to say, but he couldn't think of what to start with. As Sam's point was coming across aptly, he exhaled and said the most important thing that he needed him to hear.

"I'm sorry." Sam's gaze softened as his apology reached him.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Jason. You killed Hoyt, ja? Then I've been avenged, and that's that." Sam replied scratching his scalp. Deep down, Jason didn't feel that it was enough. Out of the entire ordeal, it was Sam that saved him many a time. Gave him sound advise and instructions of achieving his objectives and even for him to admit that he had fun with same. Sam Becker, was a friend that was gone too soon in Jason's life. One that he could have depended on and be willing to give back the same.

"So, how shall we break out?" The apparition of the German-American asked him instead of the other way around.

"I was hoping you knew." Jason admitted his thought on his appearance, since his reliance on Sam had been of the same degree back then.

"Well, since neither of us know yet. And there's no time being lost, how about telling me how you've lived your life since my unfortunate demise?" And Jason was indeed happy to oblige, there was indeed no concept of time so theoretically, he had all the time in the world.

Sitting down, Jason casually conversed with Sam of the time since Rook Islands. The years of solitude back state side. The abrupt kidnapping of his friends by Willis of all people he trusted, manipulating him into crossing swords with an opponent that was way worse than Vaas and Hoyt combined. Vaas' mentality taking over at one point which seemed a lot shorter than it actually was. When he got his body back, he had been accused of many crimes that were committed whilst possessed and found it hard to be made accountable for it. Still, the inhabitants and Badala reminded him of it everytime.

When he came to Pakistan as a part of a larger operation, he realized that he was nothing more than a pawn once more. Seeking the US governments' help in rescuing him and his friends, they quickly turned on him as a source of information that they sorely lacked and accepted the liability that was his friends remaining exiled.

Sam took that all in pretty well and without bias or showing any judgement from his expression. He nodded as he processed what he learnt from Jason's account and gave his verdict.

"You're a horrible person." Sam spoke his conclusion of him with these words, with a smile and such energy in his tone that Jason almost couldn't distinguish of he was being mocked or was Sam trying his best to encourage him. Jason just sighed.

"…. I am." Jason accepted this as they spent a moment of silence to themselves.

"So, what becomes of us now, mein freund?"

"I don't know."

"At least, I'm in good company." Sam gave a nod as Jason was finally looking on the bright side for once.

"Will he be integral to our plans?" Sam pointed to the person at the corner building his sandcastle that would never be complete. Jason didn't have a really good answer for that. On one hand, that was the same person that turned his life upside down and yet, he wasn't. It was hard to put the blame on someone who inhabited that body but didn't take part in the points that made him hate him. Almost like how he couldn't initially accept being blamed for the things that Vaas did through him.

"Jason is stuck here because big sis says so." Vaas spoke with words for the first time, yet it sounded like his mind had regressed to that of a child who was still impaired by his state. It made Jason wonder what happened to the original personality, did it really get destroyed by Ajay Ghale?

The concept of a soul boggled him greatly. Sam sat next to Vaas and watched him build his sandcastle only for it to topple to the ground due to its weak structure and design. Jason was nearby but took no part in what he had. The sandcastle collapsed a couple more times before Sam got his hands dirty on a whim and poured some water out of a canteen in his harness to harden the fine grains. Then, took part in Vaas' sandcastle building with a little more strength than before. But then the castle crumbled once more. Vaas made a sound of a child that was getting downtrodden by the failure.

Sam simply gathered the wet sand together to form a mold to rebuild. Why he bothered to do this was not out of Jason's comprehension even if he didn't like it. Sam did what he was good at and maintained the course. He had survived for years without support from Willis and was the last of many sent alongside him. All because he had fortitude to stand and fight. While Vaas had his insanity, as it was described by him rebuilding the sandcastle over and over again even though it was impossible in the state that it originally was. The caslte collapsed again, only for Sam to diligently gather the muddy sand to make it anew as Vaas molded it once more. To the point that it was getting on his nerves.

"Just let it fall!" He said as he came in between them and stomped the castle flat on the immaterial ground.

"What's the point of making that castle, Vaas? Why does it fucking matter so much?!" He shook the impaired Vaas to no avail, as the man-child simply smiled in an oblivious way.

"Fuck!" He let Vaas go as he fell on his bottom and crawled over to begin the sandcastle anew but without Sam's self-replenishing water bottle. Doing the same usual stuff.

"Does everything have to have a meaning?" Sam asked him standing up. To which Jason had no response to.

"Why am I stuck here? Why can't I get out on my own terms? Why does she have power over me that I don't?!" Jason stressed as he breathed heavily. Calming down only a minute later allowed him that moment to think about it as Sam in his usual patience waited for him.

"Is there any meaning for me to stay here?" He asked Sam seriously.

"Only you can answer that question yourself, Jason."

Sam returned to helping Vaas make the sandcastle that would never be done, while Jason sat to himself pondering to himself the same question for hours in.

Once more, his sense of time was so removed that he didn't know how long he spent there. He only counted the number of times he heard Vaas' castle fall which was sixty-eight times so far.

And in his reflection, he came to the same conclusion many times now after reevaluating it just in case there was something missing. Until it came to him.

"I guess there is none." He settled for the answer that his thoughts had pointed to.

There was no meaning. There was no reason. Jason pondered to himself as he chuckled at his own conclusion of how he didn't feel upset or aggravated in anyway even though he discredited himself. Because this was the answer that he himself acquired, it was hard earned and worth it.

His head turned to the two in the corner constantly trying to build the castle that wouldn't stand on its own. So why would it matter if he not help them build it?

Upon Sam's collection of the coarse sand, Jason squatted down and held out some pieces of stick he just had on him because he wanted it.

"These'll keep them straight." And got himself involved in Vaas' sandcastle project observing him build the sandcastle in the sequence he always made it. Jason inserted the skewer sticks to gave the wet sand structure some internal rigidity like supports and swept off any unwanted sand that was additional dead weight.

Vaas finally built the first bastion which he decorated a little too intricately for a person of his present mentally challenged state to be doing but did it anyway. He then moved on to the next connective wall with the help of Sam's wet sand cement production and Jason laying more sticks to form a pre-fabricated structure to guide his mold. Vaas had only to evenly spread it across. The same bastion was replicated with different intricacies to it which made Jason wonder what parts of his cognitive sense was truly gone and which remained. They built two connecting walls that pre-positioned the location of the final bastion which formed a triangular shaped castle as a whole. In this position, the third was no more difficult that the other two but took less time as they'd more than familiarized themselves with the build. But it seemed as though Vaas still wanted to build one more structure in the centre of it all, which he later realized was the most important component of any castle, a keep. In this, Jason decided to become a little more innovative and created a structure that was three times as high and twice as strong to hold it all together.

He crisscrossed the pieces of skewer stick to allow their structure some further reinforcement before allowing Vaas to set in the sand and work quickly he did with the support of Jason and Sam.

Then, at last the sandcastle was complete in all its splendor which made even Jason feel contentment at what they had built.

"Jawohl! A fine piece of infrastructure we have created!" Sam proudly declared as Vaas clapped his hands loudly to congratulate himself and them.

"Together." Jason added in, earning him a look from both men. Making him realize the dilemma that he was in, it caused him to laugh out loud. The irony of his situation. As such, it infected Sam who laughed as well as Vaas who in his current state merely did it out of following their example.

"Together." Sam acknowledged.

"To-gedah." Vaas also responded in his own special way.

"Yeah, Vaas. We did it." Jason had decided to let the demons that haunted him go and start a fresh with how he viewed and treated Vaas.

"Big sis no want Jason to leave. Just as Vaas no leave and Sammy no leave."

"Yeah." Jason said acknowledging Vaas' interpretation of their current state.

"So that mean anyone other dan Jason can leave."

"What?" It was at this point when Vaas actually disclosed something that got his mind worked up.

As he had just stumbled upon something that defied the logic of this world.

---

The difference between fighting the collective of Marines and Jatayu to just one man was more than just dedication and physical strength. It was about mental fortitude and the general sense of showing that he was deaf to her words, while she wasn't to his constant yammering. "The power of Christ compels thee!" or "We drive you from us, spirit unclean!". Words used to cast her out whether it had any real effect or not, one thing was for sure.

"Your God!- Your God!- Shut up!" The witch roared, visibly aggravated.

David had gone fishing for Han Feng and dragged him out when he found him in the general area of the pool. He stumbled across Becker who was on his back losing a lot of blood whilst fragments were still embedded in his face. He did the best that he could to administer first aid, but for him and Han Feng, they were out of this fight. Inspired by the enigmatic arms dealer, the soldiers once again fired upon her with renewed zeal, every little thing that could hurt or harm her was added to the mix.

"God of Heaven! God of Earth! God of Angels! God of Archangels!" Longinus enunciated his battle hymns with great vigor and strength as he fought the witch directly head on. Although it was more of the flamethrower that kept her nearer to the waters edge.

"""AMEN!""" The Marines chanted after his hymn, as it seemed to distract the witch from her focus all too well.

"Yes! Yes! My brothers! We shall cast this witch back from whence she came, in the name of Jesus!" It had the opposite effect on Longinus who thought them interested in his sermons.

"""AMEN!""" The repeated.

"AMEN!" Longinus cried as he set her aflame again.

So at last, David had managed to stabilize Becker. But couldn't hope to move him out of the place even though the danger of leaving them here was still present. So he stayed watchful over them and standing by to treat the wounded if necessary. But as he watched the battle ensue, nothing had changed. The witch struggled but still maintained her fighting capacity, if anything, Longinus had only increased her aggro resulting in faults on her end. If anyone could force someone to kill themselves with just talk alone, it would be Longinus.

That's when David started to look at the only other thing worth looking at. The egg sac, the de facto prison of Jason Brody. And the source of her power supposedly according to Onir.

David looked into his pack for explosives but found himself wanting. He performed a check on both Sergeant Becker and Han Feng and recovered only a single piece of M118 charge with no blasting cap. Grabbing hold of it, he made his commitment.

Perkins was the last de facto leader coordinating the remaining Marines and Jatayu, it was not much of a group anymore. But they did their best to support one another in the most unimaginable way, like how true brothers in arms fought. Where was their bloody ovation? Han Feng got struck in early by the bitch, and the Jatayu had the tendency to trigger off when at the verge of death.

Not that Longinus had entered the fray, everyone was getting inspired by him in a weird kinda way. It was unnatural, knowing how crazy that man was, he would never fall into that trap again. But when Longinus went guns blazing, he was a different person all together. Like an angel of death, with guns. Perkin's spatial awareness caught David diving into the waters up to something, meaning it was up to them to keep the woman occupied for as long as possible.

"Dean, 15. Jessy, 23. Hike!" Perkins played a special move that only the Marines knew because of football. Having talked with these two men recently about the games and their favorite team, they both would have know the numerical tactic that was adopted by said teams and thus his instructions on what to do next. The other marines and Jatayu split into three groups as they converged from different angles following the leader as they made sudden shifts in their turns and strafes that could not be conveyed with constant instruction. As Perkins' took the most perilous job of rushing the egg sac as if it were the goal for a football. Catching sight of them making a move on her sac, she tried to break away from the harassment that Longinus gave her and started to rush Private Dean Marcell, only for Corporal Jessy Halloway to skirt over to the sac whilst exploiting her focus. She changed direction to apprehend the corporal only to be nailed by Dean's M203 while Jessy returned from his feint and blocked off her path to the egg sac which Perkins now rushed to wading through the waters. In a place where she had no movement penalties, the witch rushed towards him to stop whatever he was up to, leaving her back open to attack from them and Longinus from afar which slowed her down considerably.

He then took a dive under which left her puzzled why he was swimming in the opposite direction only for her to receive a massive hit in the rear.

(BOOM) In Longinus' possession was also a LAW launcher which struck her harder than the grenades did, causing her to plummet underwater.

Perkins rose up to see the aftermath but was left without any evidence of damage. When- (splash)

"Hurgh!?" From behind, the witch rose out of the waters and grabbed him by the throat in front and held him out to the pointed guns, using him as a hostage. When the water settled, she spoke again.

"Never have I encountered such tenacity in people such as yourselves. You truly are worthy of the title, warriors. One can only imagine what wonders you will do at my bidding." The witch expressed her desires once more to make them part of her forces.

"In your dreams."

"Have you ever wondered what you could do with immortality in your grasp? To not grow old, or die from illness. To survive from fatal wounds, or life-threatening situation. What then would you be, but gods among men?"

"Lady…. You're out of your league." Perkins struggled to say while in her grasp.

"There is no way this'll work between us." Perkins rejected her offer.

"And by the way….. it's not me, it's definitely you." In the moment of anger, the witch sunk her nails into his back and mortally wounded him.

"Sarge!"

"Ha!-…" Perkins laughed weakly as he revealed his play.

(click) The sound of something being primed caught her immediate attention, as she looked around and saw that David had armed something in his hand and that had everything to do with the stick of C4 attached to the egg sac from its support.

"Ta-dah….."

"No!" Tossing Perkins body across, she ran towards the egg sac to disarm it as David pressed the trigger to ignite the fuse.

"Die already."

(click)

---

Vaas had no mental capacity in his current state and yet, brought up something so insightful that it was beyond his own comprehension.

"Big sis just want Jason to stay. But if not-Jason, they don't need to stay." It was like saying an idiot thought about and possibly found the answer that no one else did.

"She wants me to stay. But everyone else can go." Jason reinterpreted it in his own words.

"You guys can go, but I can't."

"That will not happen." Sam assured him.

"She wants Jason Brody to stay." Jason repeated but not out of asserting this as his only option.

"So what if I wasn't Jason Brody anymore?" That was the question. As this current reality seemed to be defined by what she wanted. For him to stay there forever. For him to be at peace. By any means to his disposal.

"Scheiße. How can you stop being you?" Sam asked him.

"… By ending what makes me." Jason understood what this particular detail meant. As he'd seen it done before.

By none other than the Demon, Ajay Ghale.

When casted aside his affiliation to Daisy, the price he paid was great.

"That means you'll be throwing away what she knows about you. Everything." Sam was right on that. But more specifically, what was linked to her with him.

By Karma.

Among the things that coincided was not merely the venue of where they meet or people like Vaas. But everyone that Jason sought to rescue and protect. What this meant was that Jason had to cast aside not just the knowledge of his friends but the memories of his brothers as well.

Could he do that was the question?

"Could you forget your friends and family?" Jason asked Sam but was posed a different question that had more meaning to him.

"Could you forget me, Jason?" Jason knew the answer to Sam's question better than the latter did.

Of course, he couldn't.

Just like he couldn't let go of his friends or family. It would only bring him to her instead seeking comfort and affection. She had this all figured out from the start.

"Could you forget me?" Vaas asked as well.

"…. No." Jason answered him straightforwardly as well.

"Then, that's how it should be." Declared Sam.

"Dead shall be remembered. But the living must go on." He continued.

"And though your memories are gone, those of the living are not." As another voice took over him, with a tone more familiar to him coming from the person who had lost all higher cognitive function.

"Vaas…." As he lived and breathed.

"For what is most precious to you, Jason." He asked in his mind-melding way.

"Memory or living." To which, his only answer was…

"The Living stay living." If his memories were gone of them, but theirs lived on of him. Then Jason Brody will not have died but have lived within them in their memory of him. This was the conclusion he had come to.

(Rumble) The first sensation of something abruptly changing took place in the form of a tremor that did not stop.

As pieces of the world began to fall, revealing a bright light shining in through the cracks.

His answer had just unlocked the possibility of leaving.

And though it meant losing all memory of his friends and his family, he would still take it.

Both Vaas and Sam stood before him with profound gazes.

"Will I remember both of you?" He asked.

"Of course, Jason." Vaas declared with his wry grin.

"For the living shall remember the dead." Sam said as the world became brighter and brighter as the void shards became to break away.

"When you get topside, do me a favor. Hermano." Vaas asked for something from him which he never would have expected.

"As long as it's not inethical." Jason said as he never would have expected to look at such a hated person as a friend in a million years.

Grasping his hand to shake it as his face faded out into the white with Sam's. As the hand left his, something was left in its place. Which Vaas had left for him to use as it had more benefit him that it did to himself.

"Kick her ass for me."

….

….

You chose your love for them over your fondest memories,

Their lives bore more value than your wishes.

You acknowledged your true self,

Yet give it up for the sake of others.

I feel its presence, but do not remember it.

I hear its voice, but do not answer.

I am the seventh spirit of the Yama Paashastra,

The wild dog who chases the wind.

I chose you. Jason Brody.

….

….

---

Perkins stared hard at David not because he didn't sent off the trigger to the explosives, but because he didn't ensure that it stayed dry or that its insulant wasn't compromised by its dampness. As the witch soon realized when she had reached the explosive and yet nothing happened. A misfire. She peeled it off so casually before turning to the one that planted it there, making him her next victim.

With her closer to him than Perkins or the others were, it would only be a single-

(BOOM)

Something exploded, but it wasn't the explosive. Instead, it was the egg sac itself. Out of it, came a figure that landed on the surface of the water as she had.

"No…. that's not possible!" Her hysteria reached those present.

"And yet... It did." He replied as he sprinted on the water as if it were solid.

"Jason!" The witch roared his name as she let her prehensile hair loose to suppress him.

As the first bunch approached him, his back hand swiped out with an ancient dagger that took the head off a giant. The witches' eyes gazed in horror at the sight of the knife that should not have been in his possession at all. Which meant that he received it from someone whom she thought would never hand it over to. But it was there, in his hands. Slicking away the prehensile hair as if they were floss.

The soldiers watched in bewilderment which could not be said for Longinus who was of awe instead to see the miracle of a man who walks on water as the son of God had in the bible.

"Rargh!" The witch made the last desperate attack in the form of every black magic trick that she previously conjured up at the same time she physically slashed her hand at the approaching silhouette. (BOOM) The water beneath her ruptured from the show of force that she demonstrated.

And through that spout of water came an ancient blade that had no afflilation to the Himavanas or to Rook Island. A knife left by the ancestors of Han Feng's blood. Entering the flesh of her neck like a stake to a sponge. Jason made the final killing move with a twist of the blade up within the jugular. And where all other attempts had failed, the magic of the witch had finally dispelled.

Falling to her demise a second time, the witch was caught by him in his arms once more.

She looked up to him with tears in her eyes and sorrow of passing on again.

"Forgive….. me?"

"Yes." He said after the demons of his night had disappeared.

"R-….. Remember me?" She pressed on despite the life leaving her immortal body. She had gone beyond the point of asking for his love that she would never receive, so at very least she did not want to be forgotten. As he wrapped his hand around her cold fingers.

"… Always." The expression she gave was of pure genuine happiness and bliss, as the light within her eyes faded and so did her spirit.

"Goodbye, Citra." He said swiping his hand over her eyelids. Giving her the rest that she deserved.

He allowed the body to sink into the waters slowly and murmured something before walking onto the pavement.

And then he held his hands behind his head in a submissive posture to be apprehended in.

"I surrender." He said boldly, awaking them from their stupor as they salvaged their equipment and recovered their wounded and fallen. Jason was left under the charge of David as they walked out with a genuinely strange feeling even though their foe had been vanquished so easily and their target recovered after complying. David retrieved the knife for safekeeping as he felt that it clearly was no ordinary blade if it could mortally wound the witch when neither guns or explosives could. How had Jason come into possession of it was beyond him.

The embassy had a dead silent tone to it, as all things inside were dead at last. On their way out, Perkins reconnected with Longinus and asked what he was doing here at all since he had left for a certain country in South America the last they heard from him.

"I have finished my work in South America!" The glorious arms dealer declared with satisfaction at the things he had done and the results of today's battle with evil incarnate. Although, it seemed that Jason Brody had a personal history with the witch only to turn on her and defeat her effortlessly. He was still not satisfied with the result given that so many died to reclaim him when he could have just do so earlier.

"What brings you back here, I mean. Wouldn't you go somewhere else when you're done?"

"That is indeed my modus operandi, my friend." Longinus nodded with self-assurance.

"But…. This time, I wanted to visit…. home again." He declared to the surprise of everyone and the congratulations from the Jatayu.

"From now on, I bear the name of my mother and father to my own. I am Prosper Kouassi." He reintroduced himself in all formalities to his birth name.

"Longinus sounded cooler." Perkins admitted.

"For you, I will make that exception." But Longinus was flexible.

"We'd better get back to Golf-Three before they think about bringing this place down on us."

David reminded them that they had no contact with Golf-Three whose mission was the planting of demolition explosives to bring the entire embassy down to rubble. Burying the secrets of what transpired here.

"That or they got eaten by those monsters." One of the Marines jested.

"Not to worry, friend. Before I came, I asked my friend to wait by the entrance." Longinus had made them worry for once.

"If your friend isn't monster chow yet."

"He is a lot tougher than you think, he is tougher than me! A man of God!" Longinus elaborated the prowess of this friend of his that exceeded his own.

"Mr Kouassi. I will need to trouble you to be written in my report of the events that have transpired." Han Feng asked politely as he was carried in closer by an assisting Marine Corporal.

"For Badala, I assume. It is alright, you may write away. Chinese one." He received consent.

"Say. Did they all die when he killed her, or are they still on the loose?" Perkins posed an important question.

"My friend would have taken care of it."

"Right." Perkins half-believed him as they reached the corner to the front entrance that came into view.

"What the-." And just as they were expecting some form of company, they were greeted instead by an entire grounds littered with creature corpses riddled with bullet holes or ones caused by a deep blade stab wound.

And lo and behold, Golf-Three stood with not a single loss in their group from both sides. Which stung them all a little given the lethality of those creatures. And it was clearly not wrought by the PAF which had kept the front gate locked.

Standing with them near the biggest mound of corpse that had been pulled together to be burn was a middle-aged man that bore no affiliations with any of their groups except maybe Club Med Hawaii given by his holiday-esque attire over a combat vest and carrier.

Seeing that they needed help, the members of Golf-Three came to relieve them of their wounded and fallen. With the lieutenant leading that group reporting to Han Feng and David respectively.

"All explosives set, just awaiting your word, sir."

"You do it." Han Feng said to the Marine Lieutenant who received his permission to detonate the entire complex.

After a warning shouted in all four directions, he pressed the button and watched the fireworks with everyone else.

(BOBOBOBOBOBOOOOOM) The complex caved inwards from the implosion, burying everything underneath it that wasn't already torched.

"Fuckin' Fourth of July, or whatever counts for it in Kyrat." Becker who was awake said with a marine victory cigar in his mouth waiting to be lit as he was carried away on a carrier.

"Onir." Perkins checked on the huntsman that was also awake and with healthy colours.

"I see you have defeated the witch. Congratulations, Sergeant."

"Actually, it was Brody." He shared a bit of what happened to the Hunter who only nodded his head. Apparently, whatever had poisoned the hunter was black magic in nature. Once the witch was dead, the curse was dispelled. Which made Perkins glad as he forgot to grab her blood for making into anti-bodies.

"Sir, something else I need to report right now." The Marine Lieutenant said to David in particular.

"Go ahead. And good job with the clean up."

"Actually, that's what I wanted to speak about. See, all this wasn't us." He notioned to the extensive collection of corpses.

"What?"

"That was all him. When we came out, he was staking bodies like Hannibal Lecter."

"Did you ask for his identification?" The lieutenant was silent as he actually didn't dare to ask.

"…"

Jason had been placed near Onir as he inquired about the knife at first but then asked for his story. Jason answered truthfully but was as reserved as one could expect, he was consider a felon.

Onir reflected on the things he had learnt today that he would convey back to both the Huntress Matriarch and King Min later.

"You tell me what that was?" Jason got a little agitated by the inquisition that Onir imposed.

"This Sarama, you mentioned. Has no connection to the witch." Onir instead filled him in on what he knew of the characters that Jason seemed to think most highly of was none other than that enigmatic figure that appeared in his illusion, talked a brief moment and then was gone with the wind. The piece that didn't make sense.

Just before Jason was prepared for processing, Onir gave him an additional information.

"Sarama, is the name of greater female deity, the mother of wild. She's often described as a messenger of omens, one who runs but cannot be caught by the wind."

Jason became quite as he registered this information down to its detail.

"Perhaps there is someone looking out for you after all, Jason Brody." Onir exchanged his last sentence to Jason before he was escorted off.

"Prep out. Get ready to move, we'll leave in ten." Han Feng gave the general call for their departure.

"Where the hell did you friend learn to fight like that?" Perkins was just learning that Longinus' friend was responsible for the large kill count outside of the complex within the compound of the Embassy and had been responsible for keeping those creatures from escaping.

"Green Berets, I think you said. He was from your army elite as well." Longinus tried to confirm again with his friend.

"And does your Green Beret friend have a name?" Han Feng asked as he was sure to tag along, but he had a feeling he knew who this person was. Just from the general description of the man's features and his direct affiliation with Longinus, it could only be the legend himself. The one who helped secretly give Kyrati armor its teeth.

The man with many pasts scorched upon his expression and body turned to answer in lieu of Longinus.

"Carver."

---

Author's Notes:

Starting off from where I left off with baby steps first. The chart for Shangri-la is already giving me a headache.

TBH, I actually hated Brody to begin with and the ending that he received without repercussions for his deeds on Rook Island. But that was the beginning of Ubisoft pressing players to make hard choices for alternate endings as a common trope in their Farcry franchise.