Author's Notes:

Apologies for the later than usual post. This week there's been a change in my usual routine. My house is hosting a Japanese homestay student for a fortnight and I've had the pleasure of showing him around the place and everything wonderful about South Australia. The fellas a real treat to have at home and it has taken some of my focus from writing fanfics.

He returns next week which shouldn't be long. I'll try my best to stay consistent in writing in the mean time regardless the distraction.


Stella paced impatiently upon the the wooden planks that formed their home for over four months. It was making both Ricardo and part of the rest still around anxious.

"You really need to stop that, you're not helping in the mood." Ricardo told her.

"Who are you to decide? At this very moment he could be locked within a cell, what if he was imprisoned within the City of Pain?!" Stella responded uneasy.

"Calm down."

"The last thing I need you to tell me is that!"

"Luca is monitoring the comms traffic, Samson is making an inquiry with the Royal Army if they saw a two-hundred pound man walk through the checkpoint. How hard will that be?"

"If he doesn't come back… if we don't find him….. I'll hold you accountable!" Stella left them with a crying expression.

"The hell are you still doing there? Go after her fool!" Alberto told him.

"Forget it." Ricardo responded with crossed arms. Alberto sighed at their vice-leaders attitude.

"Will Hurk really be alright, Ric?"

"He had training from both us and Badala, assuming it didn't go down the drain he'd be up on his toes to avoid getting caught." Ricardo was sure Hurk was capable of taking care of himself alright.

"He isn't a complete fool as he makes everyone believe, he's survived worse and without any actual military background in the past. Did you know he was in that African hellhole once, the one Longinus came from?" Alberto had heard of that place. It was a meat grinder of hired guns and innocents all for the sake of blood diamonds, that place was an expression of the worst parts of humanity in the planet to exist. The rumor was that an unknown individual known internationally as the Jackal had been instrumental in destabilizing the factions at war rendering that place completely barren of inhabitance. It could be said he was like a harbinger of death yet not void of morality to save innocence.

"Then why do you look so concern yourself, Ric?"

"I-…I'm not." Ricardo denied it. A silence matured between them until Ricardo spoke up once more.

"Stay on standby, tell the others the same." He said as he marched to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To Baghadur, If he really is in Pacchim Valley he'll need all the help he can get to exfill out of wherever he is. I'm gonna negotiate with the Mukti Tiger leadership Amita to get some help."

"Is that wise? Shouldn't you wait for the boss at least?!"

"No time, I'll take Emilio and Luigi with me, stay here and tell Samson when he gets back."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"I hope so too."

"Ric, catch!" Alberto threw a set of keys to Ricardo.

"Combination code 12-55-32, it better to be prepared than not. That should afford you the maximum firepower you guys need."

"H- How did you get the keys to the armory?"

"I work with Samar when I can, not like you who flirts with Stella on his free time." Alberto chuckled.

"Al… Grazie!" Ricardo turned and left, calling out the other two who would follow him on his rescue mission.

"And you said you weren't going." Alberto laughs to himself.

Ricardo accompanied by Luigi and Emilio entered the Arsenal. The begun drawing equipment they needed, body armor, special extended range ammo, grenades. They brought their own highly modified P416 and SIG 553 rifles with them, but they were here for something else.

"Fifty-five….. thirty-two (click) got it." A responsive click from the unlocking of the reinforced lock opened. Putting it aside, Ricardo opened the cabinet revealing the contents to him and the rest.

"... That'll work." Emilio wasn't wrong when he said that.

Concerning the long device they'd been given access to.


Arriving at their destination, the Golden Path fighters alighted their trucks to assist in putting out the flames and rounding up the remaining prisoners. Sabal walked up the steps towards the direction of De Pleur's office.

He reached the centre square where five renegade soldiers were lined up and on their knees pleading before Paul. De Pleur noticed Sabal's arrival.

"It looks like your time's up. I tried to be the reasonable on here, good luck guys!" De Pleur told them.

"Where are Brody's friends?" Was the only thing on his mind, the only reason he made his excursion all the way to this place. He had been on the way here for the purpose of a visit until he saw the smoke rising from the City and feared the worst of a Royal Army raid.

"Time to speak up, bub." De Pleur kicked one.

"I was asking you." Sabal stated to Paul who became slightly nervous.

"What do you think happened?! They split! I've already sent some to find them, that's all I can do on my end. What do you expect me to do with the inventory I have-…. had." Whatever provisions and equipment the Renegades had were now in flames thanks to the fire.

"Do you even realize the seriousness of this, Paul? If Brody even gets a whiff of his friends outside its game over! I hold you personally responsible for this complacency!" Sabal expressively poked him.

"Get off my case, Sabal! You know very well what happened! You insisted that fatty was harmless, you wanted him to mix with those SoCal brats to supply them with false hope yet look what he did! I lost a shit load of men because you handed me poor info on the prisoner. Should I also hold you accountable for the damages?" Paul countered. The surrounding renegades closed in around Sabal and his retinue and glared at him hard and fearless with their intimidating aura.

"You really are shameless aren't you, Paul."

"Hmph! Look who's talking, I bet you came all this way to fuck one or both of those SoCal bitches!" Paul said with a smirk, his soldiers laughed.

"This arguing leads us nowhere, what do you currently have at hand?" Paul snorted, Sabal neither confirmed nor denied what he said about his intentions of coming here.

"Two technicals remaining from their routine patrol, I've already sent them to look for them at the monastery."

"They wouldn't have gone there, Hurk infiltrated Golden Path months ago. He knows the routes we both take, that isn't the first place he'd go."

"He infiltrated?!- And you chose to keep this from me?!" Paul was gritting his teeth to the most obvious mistake Sabal made. What was annoying was that Paul was paying for Sabal's error. "You owe me twice fold for the damage, no excuses Sabal." Paul said in a low and intimidating voice that rivaled the combine might of his renegades.

".… Fine. But this needs to be sorted out first before it becomes beyond salvageable. Losing Jason Brody is too big a loss to deal with." Sabal said, determined not to show weakness towards Paul.

"Where the fuck could they have gone then?"

"A few places come to mind, Baghadur, King's Bridge or Shanath arena. At Baghadur they can seek refuge with Amita, King's Bridge with the Royal army and Shanath provides plenty of hiding places amongst the dense populous there."

"If I were an escapee where would I flee? No. There's one more place."

Sabal cocked his head.

"The airport, see it from their point of view. I've been stranded in this hell and I wanna go home. The Airport is where I'd go. But I can't navigate in this dark so I'd find refuge to sleep out first. Few places before the Tigers territory come to mind, one is the Brick Factory, its smack in the centre between us and Amita." Sabal tightened his hand in a silent vow he'd decapitate Hurk for jeopardizing his operation even after he had given him the grace to live.

"Then Rochan Brick Factory it is then."


There was still some time till Mumu and the make-up and hair artists were finished with their pride and joy exhibit to the beginning of the New Year. Ajay stowed the armor easily worth a hundred thousand back into its trunk and left the room. He hadn't eaten anything since he came so decided to go down to the dining hall to sit with the rest of his roommates.

On a bright note, the spread was fit for a king literally. Amongst the buffet variety were Pagan's favorite Crab Rangoon platter as well which Ajay personally had enough of. Too rich for his taste, most of Pagan's foods cooked by Celebrity Chef Patrick were mostly tonic food. Ginseng, deer's whip, lingzhi mushroom, wolf berries, black fungus, the list went on and these were only the Chinese herbs by far. There were other kinds of traditional medicine Pagan used from what Kyrat's safari had to offer.

For Ajay, if it was cooked well it was enjoyable and he was glad his taste buds were simple to allow him to fully enjoy his meals.

"So how was the sight?" Bhadra asked at the table.

"Priceless." They laughed together.

-You'd better watch out for what's coming, Bhadra.- Ajay quietly thought.

Ajay continued to have his meal with the other two residence in his house, when they had finished they were on to after meal drinks. Arjun and Raghu came to his table and chatted up with him and Noore. Coming along with them were Arjun's wife and Raghu's two children. Jeevan had a sparkle in his eyes as he looked to Ajay. Although, he did his best to avoid Bhadra's glare as much as possible, even after he went over to apologized to her. It seemed that once you were on her blacklist, you were doomed to stay on it forever.

"Congratulations on your coronation to Duke, Badala." Raghu nodded to him as he gave his compliment.

"Thank you, I hope this doesn't change our relationship too much, Raghu."

"Only if you decide otherwise, friend!" Raghu laughed merrily. Arjun had been distracted with his thoughts more than lately. Perhaps it had to do with what Ajay told him before, he was still having trouble with interpreting his meaning.

For Ajay, it was quite simple.

When the Civil war was finally done, the persona of Badala would disappear and the face of Ajay Ghale would take its place where it had been missing for over four months.

Just Ajay.

Whether he'd actually take up the throne from Pagan when he was done was another thing. But he did wish that the people of Kyrat would someday have autonomy over their countries state of affairs. That being said, Republic wasn't ideal for Kyrat in its initial state of recovery from the two-decade long war as it would plague the government with indecision in desperate times that only required a single decisive move. He was pretty sure Amita would be involved in politics when the war ended, he was pretty sure her party would be a sort of socialist movement. Not sure whether it would accommodating the disparity in individual wealth between the people in Kyrat knowing her aggressive attitude. Either way she was someone that stood up for her people, even if she had her own interests.

Thinking about it in that sense he was forced to take the crown again. Although, he wondered some times did he really want to become King of Kyrat?

He recalled when he first made his declaration to himself that day he left Lakshmana's shrine with all the hate in the world for Sabal and Golden Path, everything that his old man stood for he wanted to erase it. The only way he would have that power was with Pagan and to take that power he offered. With the rising ranks from associate to Marquis and Marquis to Duke, Pagan had paved the way for his eventual appointment as king. Beginning the Reign of House Ghale in Kyrat.

When that happened, he planned to adopt a liberal democracy not dissimilar to that of the United Kingdom or Thailand.

"Saraswati was right about one thing, you do seem to ponder a lot." Ajay turned to the woman that sat herself next to Ajay at the table. She'd been sitting next to Arjun all this while and there were some similarities in her aged appearance that looked much like Saras. That or Saras had resemblance to her.

"Madam Roka I presume." Ajay took initiative to speak.

"Indeed, your grace." Manisha acknowledge using formality.

"Badala will do, your husband does the same either way." Manisha chuckled.

"Unfamiliar to your title are you?"

"This was something his royal highness bestowed onto me not something I was born with. I hope you'll treat me without much formality in future, madam." Ajay replied courteously.

"Modest even. Perhaps this was what our daughter saw in you that was so special." Ajay had a million thoughts about Saras's reason for sticking to him like glue, there were some that Arjun and certainly her mother were unaware of.

"I'd like to apologize on my unreasonable husband's behavior as of late."

"Unreasonable?" When he said that Manisha wore a look of surprise.

"Might I inquire, has he always acted the same with you, Badala?"

"MmmHmm! No change as of yet."

"Really. Then I shall have a long talk with him once we return for the night then." She replied glaring at Arjun from afar. Feeling that icy glare on his back, Arjun unconsciously hunched his head whilst speaking to old Raghu.

-For whatever I did. Sorry, Arjun.-

"Speaking of Saras how is she? I didn't have the opportunity to ask Arjun as of late." Ajay hoped that by changing the subject he could divert Arjun's wife's attention back from her henpecked husband.

True enough, her head swung back with delight in her expression.

"She's been hard at work in Maharashtra doing her part to assist in some project my dear husband wouldn't indulge me in." She sighed.

"The S-program. A little surprise we have in store for everyone that will change the demographics of the wars Kyrat might fight in future. Also makes foreign interests think twice about intervening or invading." Manisha chuckled.

"See. That wasn't so hard, I simply wanted a simply summary not the whole story. And all this time my husband kept his lips shut tighter than sewing his mouth together."

"I'm sure Arjun had is reasons for keeping it from you, ma'am. He didn't have the words to explain it without compromising your families safety or from your inquiring further." Manisha smiled at Ajay thoughtfully.

"Your concern for Arjun is unnecesssary, believe me when I say so. He's made you work for him and earn less than you deserve as compensation." Ajay wasn't sure how to respond to that one. He really didn't care if Arjun used him as much as Manisha claimed, he was doing well in the Royal army and that was all that mattered to him.

"Perhaps that means I can ask more of him then." Manisha nodded laughing.

"Indeed you could! Although, I didn't think you'd take the initiative to ask about our daughter. Are you perhaps interested in our daughter, your grace?" She let out a familiar smile that Saras used when teasing someone.

"I can't say that Saras isn't anyone special in my life. Maybe the word to use is… I've begun to depend on her a lot more than others." Manisha smiled.

"That's a pretty roundabout way of dodging my question." She spoke ever so bluntly as it was a habit of hers that won her many enemies and misunderstanding. But Ajay instead laughed it off.

"It is isn't it! Even she made that obvious to me, but somehow a rather… forgive me if this is to blunt but….."

Manisha waited for Ajay to explain.

"The last thing I want is for her to be near me." Manisha knew there was a reason for him to reject her daughter so she took no offense.

"May I ask why?"

"Whether I'm a duke now, or formerly a Vice-Lord or simply just his royal highness's associate I know the hazards of my occupation, Saras knows this best of all. But Golden Path is just the cream on top for the enemies of Kyrat, but its through them which they play their hand. When Golden Path is gone, they'll likely take personal action. "

Manisha was clear to some extent that there were powerful external third parties involved in the Civil War even if her husband kept it from her.

"Usually as a parent I would thank you for protecting her from the dangers of her and your occupation. But as a mother I can't help but want to take measures to ensure she has a loving spouse and one that she loves herself."

"I think she deserves that too, although I know I'm clearly not that person she needs. And I hope that I'm not. I certainly don't wnat her chasing something that will lead her to her death, that is the one thing that concerns me the most." Manisha was quiet to Ajay's rejection of Saras's affection and a little disappointed. She got up and excused herself, but turned around wearing a sad smile.

"It must be hard….. walking a lonely path."

"Who said it was lonely? The path is just a short and limited but enjoyable one for me that's all. It was a pleasure knowing you Madam Roka." Ajay bowed his head with a smile. Manisha walked away with concern in her expression and was careful Ajay didn't see it when she went off leaving him. She went to pull her husband Arjun away with her, dragging him in the midst of conversation with Noore.

Noore came over to Ajay.

"What was that all about?" Noticing something had happened between him and the matriarch of House Roka.

"Nothing to stress yourself over."

Ajay continued his chat with Noore instead. She talked to him concerning the state of his blood samples she experimented on for the last few weeks. Besides that discovery of the volatility of his blood there was nothing else. Aside from that was the various herbs she wished for him to acquire to process for a feasible revenue source in the place of the marijuana and opium fields that was by far the biggest export until recently. The South American drug cartels were collaborating to push Pagan out of the business. For years he had played them against one another without them noticing, until they got wind of him doing so. The paid the South American governments to look the other way and occasionally whistle blow Pagan's shipments out in the Pacific via the french Polynesian islands. DEA went to clamp hard on Pagan's shipment caches and made him suffer which made everyone else that was paid from his pocket feel the pain.

Pagan came up with the bright idea and vision that instead of selling illegal and contraband drugs he would simply change markets to that of legal drugs and medicine. They were of course high priced but harder to find buyers than substances like Marijuana and cocaine that were always on high demand wherever they were sold. His markets for these high value traditional and synthetic medicines that Noore was helping him in were for the wealthy found in Europe and China.

As he spoke with Noore the time for the evening dance came. Ajay with Noore and Bhadra went to the ballroom like everyone else, there they awaited the arrival of Pagan and Yuma.

"May I have this dance, milady?" Ajay reached out his hand to Noore.

"Hmph! In your dreams, you're too young for my taste anyway." Noore completely shot him down, much to his disappointment and to Bhadra's entertainment. This was Noore's way of getting back at him for leaving her when they entered not like it was really his fault.

-Tsk! You're so eager at getting square with me, yet you can't even humiliate Pagan yourself.-

While he didn't notice there was actually a large group of young ladies whom were waiting for this very god given opportunity to snatch up Ajay for the dance and perhaps progress a relationship with him if they played their cards right.

Unfortunately, they never got to have the chance as Pagan and Yuma entered with the sound of the chimes from the attendant's hand chime to indicate their presence.

All of the crowd looked up at the stairs where Pagan and Yuma had come down from. But when they were no longer coming down the crowds' attention was plastered onto someone else that came down after them.

The ballroom became quiet as the sound of gentle tapping of shoes was all that could be heard.

Walking carefully down the steps was the person of in question that had taken all of their eyes from their own partners. The reason was needless to say, it could be described in only one word.

Beauty.

Wearing a sapphire dress adorned with precious diamonds studs were a perfect match to her fair skin and hair tied in a neat bun. Her face was clear and smooth, the brush strokes of the rouge and powders were not too heavy nor light and made for an au natural look. As embarrassed as she was to have the whole crowd staring at her without saying a word she dealt with it with a sufficient amount of firmness and confidence.

"Hey, Noore-….. Is that who I think it is?"

"Um-….Uh!-…."

As Ajay had planned, Bhadra and Noore's mouths dropped and remained motionless. If only he could see their faces, unfortunately he was in just as much astonishment as the latter.

From tomboyish looks to calm beauty with an air of elegance. The attraction was strong for both genders, male and female guests that were their. They felt their souls being taken by her dazzling eyes as she looked in their direction.

"W-Who is that?"

"I dunno….. Wait! You don't think it's Mistress Lau's protege?!"

""Ehhh!""

"This bombshell couldn't possibly!-….. I mean she was pretty cute but-… how!"

Some had regained consciousness of their surrounding and question each other to who this mysterious beauty was.

But Ajay knew, yet even he had trouble believing it was the same person. Mumu had really out done himself. He turned an uncut stone into a diamond masterpiece.

But now the question rolled in everybodies heads.

Who would be the dance partner to this Cinderella of Kyrat?


Taking point in the small group of thirty over people, twenty plus represented the former kidnapped citizens was Hurk with rifle at the ready.

So far they had nearly reached the former Rochan Brick Factory being used as an outpost by Golden Path and then Mukti Tigers, however it was now abandoned and left in neglect according to Army intelligence Hurk had acquired before leaving the North.

"How much time do we have at hand to reach this factory?"

"Give or take twenty minutes. Assuming Sabal was back in the City of Pain the time taken to muster a search or hunter killer team would take five, and fifteen to begun search in this area."

"Then we don't have time to lose."

"Indeed we don't, the Golden Path patrols know this place like the back of their hand. The most likely outpost that'll respond would be at Chal Jama Monastery just East of here, five miles off."

"That close?!" Daisy felt the urgency they had to get to the cover of the factory as soon as possible.

Their original plan to head to King's Bridge fortifications had been suspended in favor for the trip to the Mukti Tigers' domain, dominated by Baghadur stronghold. The reason was because of the refugees that were with them. Their ages ranged from as old as sixty all the way to ten years old which was affecting their overall speed tremendously.

Liza helped out the only old folk couple with them, they still didn't believe that the City would bother to hold old people prisoner, quite shameless they were. The old couple appreciated her offer to help them as she held their hand as they went through the uneven ground. Oliver had better luck with the five children who were likely caught to sell on the black market to high paying individuals that desired young children as sick as it sounded. He had a fun and easy personality after all, it helped take the edge of the childrens' minds.

Hurk had taught Riley and Steven how to operate the M16 rifles in their possession. How to load, unload, charge, clear stoppage, push jam bolt forward with assist. But most importantly how to aim through the sight and where the target needed to be to land a hit. It was difficult to see through it due to the night but on the bright side the same dilemma would befall the patrol teams who would likely spray and prey.

As they continued with the quickest possible speed, a structure lay ahead of them.

It was the disused Rochan Company Brick Factory, identifiable by the smoke tower superstructures for their factories kilns.

"Steve, kid-brother do a slow but thorough perimeter sweep and report the characteristic of the surroundings."

"Yeah!" Riley responded eager.

"No prob, which part do I take?" Steve was no exception.

"You check the Left, I saw a road entrance that side so please be careful of patrols on the main road." Steven nodded and left with his rifle in hand.

"Then this means I'm taking right then."

"Be careful Riley, if anything were to happen to you-." Daisy expressed her concern.

"I'll be fine, mom. Stop being such a worry wart!" Riley chuckled as he jogged off before Daisy had time to retort.

"Tsk! That kid! I wasted my time worrying for him."

"Like it or not, he's the most important person to Jas'." Hurk spoke.

"I know, Hurk. It doesn't change my concern for him, Riley might be twenty-three but he still depends and looks up to his brothers-…. brother." Daisy corrected herself and involuntarily stepped on her own painful memory.

"Badalas once told me something about losing someone important, what they say about getting over their death is the best option for us is a lie."

".….. Why?"

"He said, "Getting over it doesn't free you, it seals your heart from the truth. Don't ever do that or you'll find yourself disregarding other things that you hold dear. You'll become a colder person shut from what's still present. You have the right to grieve them your entire lifetime, you deserve it." As least that's what h-. Uh! Miss Lee?!" Upon finishing his quote, Hurk turned back to find Daisy in tears, her hands covered her face to hide the embarrassing face which was her misery pouring out.

"I'm-…I'm fine, Hurk….. just leave me alone for awhile…. please?"

".…Ok." Hurk left her to sort out her feelings. The former prisoners settled themselves on the flat roof of the Brick Factory which was accessible via a flight of stairs. The rest were resting there too. Hurk was physically tired from all the running around in the night and wanted to close his eyes for even a few minutes. Steve and Riley were on look out for him and would report back if needed. Unfortunately, their radio couldn't reach the Mukti Tigers from where they were and they didn't have the correct frequencies or codes to exchange communication. Even if Hurk had them for the Royal Army the outpost was too far away, with the nearest outpost being Meh Teh Airport.

Hurk rested against the kiln and closed his eyes after locking his rifle between his arms in case someone snitched off with it. He nearly entered a dream like state where he thought about the collection of his past. His life in Dallas, the ups and downs of his family and growing up life. His journey through the hotspots of the world seeking himself, Bowa-Seko, Amanaki Village, The Town of the Valley. His latest residence was the closest thing to home he ever had, the people that inhabited it were the closest he would ever have to a family.

Badala had done for him what none had ever done, which was believe in him.

He hoped that his trip to Pacchim Valley was not in vain, Jason's friends was the key to protecting his 'family'.

"Why aren't you ditching the old goats?!" Hurk was rudely interrupted by a shout that had a local accent. He opened his eyes to assess his surroundings. Badala's training had truly made him into a soldier with machine-like efficiency, it sometimes scared him.

"That's not for you to decide." Riley stood up for the old couple that stood behind him where the adult crowd of escapees surrounded him.

"Stay out of this brat! This is the business of adults." One pushed him aside.

"Then let's talk like adults then." Hurk stood up and walked towards the group.

"You-… We're grateful for you saving us, but as it stands we might not stand a chance if we are delayed further by hindr-."

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that. Because if I last remembered you were the hindrance I decided to take along with me as I was evacuating my own friends." Hurk really didn't want to use that but he also didn't have the strength to retaliate back in a heated argument.

The group shrunk back at his remark, due to its potency in truth.

"You're not gonna tell me to ditch the kids too are you?" He pointed to the children gathered around Oliver while staring at them with inquisition in his eyes.

"Certainly not! They have more reason to get out of this than us!" They tried to confirm with Hurk. Daisy sat back and watched as Hurk seem to manage better than her intervening.

"Look folks, whether we all can or can't make it to Tiger territory makes no difference. Paul and the Golden Path are still gonna chase us. Furthermore, the tigers aren't running on unlimited resources and Amita's a practical woman. She may just decide not to shelter us all. But-….. if we come as a group, she might consider it based on old chivalry. She ain't a heartless woman to deny children or elderly. So your chances of being given entry might increase with them around." Hurk said with a lighthearted smile.

The expressions of the accompanying escapees changed to something like they had just it a revelation. And went over to apologize to the old couple profusely for harboring thoughts of abandoning them. Being old, there was a certain quality of graciousness that this old couple held and were willing to forgive them for it.

Daisy went over to pat Hurk on that back.

"That was a strange surprise, Hurk. Without antagonizing the other party you actually came to a negotiation. Remind me to keep you close by in case I have a fight with my Parents." She joked.

"Why would I be there with your parents?" Hurk asked troubled. Daisy chuckled as he took her words too seriously.

"Although it was quite a surprise. I didn't think you were the negotiator type of person."

"Neither did I, I guess I learn from the best." Hurk said scratching his head awkwardly.

"Young man, thank you for helping us back there and we would also like to express our gratitude for saving us from the City of Pain. For weeks, we'd thought the worst would happen to us."

"No. It was just the right thing to do at the time, no need to thank me." Hurk waved his hands in front of him.

"It's alright, please let us know if you require anything in future. My old-self, Miren will make sure our charming daughter will help us to help you." The old man winked and earned a poke from the old woman.

"Dear! Again with that. What ever happened to her own wishes?"

"Aryaa, my love. What about her future alone? When the war ends where would she find the one to love her?"

Hurk cast a look to Daisy for advise on how to handle the situation. But the latter walked away leaving him alone.

Hurk sighed at Daisy's betrayal in his time of need, not even Badala was this mean to him.

"Nice to meet you both, the names Hurk!" Hurk decided to start with an introduction of himself as they were unaware of his name and he of theirs.

"Nice to meet you Hurk young man."

"Um-… I'm actually forty-two."

"Really?! But you look-."

"Yeah I get that alot." He still had features that were comparable to a man-child, though it never bothered him. The old couple chuckled at his acceptance to his physical appearance.

"You will still be seen as young in our eyes, Hurk. And this gratitude for rescuing us we will some day repay."

"Take your time, I'm not going anywhere."

"Right, as I was saying…. This is my beloved wife, Aryaa and I'm Miren. If we were to include our daughter whom happens to be in the Mukti Tigers the last we heard from her. Our family would have composed of three, welcoming the addition of a fourth!" Miren was cheeky for an old man, trying to offer up his daughter again.

"Your daughter's in the Tigers? That's great! It shouldn't be hard for you to find a place after this, I think she'd be worried sick from not hearing from you two." Hurk expressed his concern.

"We know, we've been feeling the same way since they incarcerated us a few weeks ago because our daughter was going against the Golden Path. Sabal had personally sent me to round us up, in the hopes to dissuade our daughter from continuing her campaign against Golden Path."

Hurk shook his head. Sabal was ever about doing shameless things, he was doing the exact thing that De Pleur and the Royal Army once did. He was now the coward in Hurk's impression of him.

"That must be terrible for her to worry about you all this time."

"Well, no more. You are going to get us out are you not, Hurk?"

"Of course I will. Although, from the sound of things regarding your daughter, she seems to have a pretty high profile for Sabal to take you two hostage for that. Just who is she within the Tigers?"

The old couple smiled with pride.

"We don't want to brag but the things she has done has truly made us proud as parents. Her name is Kamala."

When the name left Miren's mouth, a lightning bolt struck Hurk's mind. His mouth hung from his jaw, his extremities were all filled with cold sweat. He knew he didn't mishear that name even if he wished he did.

"Um… Miren, I didn't ask for your surname. Is it by any chance Malla?"

"Well this is a surprise, I didn't think anyone would remember her surname. It is in fact Malla. I would be Miren Malla and my wife would be Ar-….. Hurk, are you alright?!" Hurk collapsed to one knee which worried not just the old couple but Jason's friends as well.

Hurk had lost all the strength in his legs, his stomach feeling sick and had the intense desire to puke. All because of the irony of the situation he had been led into. This old couple he saved weren't any old folks captured for torture. They had purpose to their kidnap. It was clear they weren't given any update to the events that passed for the last few weeks.

That their daughter, Kamala Malla had been slain. And the reason of their imprisonment….

They were Kamala's parents!


Author's Thoughts:

(Interviewer) "So Mr Havok I've noticed some similarities between your fictionalised version of Hurk and an anime character from HOTD, Kouta Hirano-."

(Havok) "NONSENSE!"

(Interviewer)"Uuuuh-."

(Havok) "Then let me explain how they are different. Hurk is plump, Kouta is fat.-."

(Interviewer)"..."

(Havok) "Hurk required degree spectacles only later, Kouta was born with them. Hurk carries an M110 sniper rifle, Kouta carries an AR-10 made to look like and SR-25."

(Interviewer)"But aren't they almost the sa-."

(Havok) "Its not the same! NOT SAME you hear me?!" (Continues to bicker unreasonably)

(Interviewer) - They're the same fucking thing with minor aesthetic differences.-

(Havok stubbornly refuses to acknowledge he took inspiration from other anime, movies, novels and themes)