Author's Notes:

Rushing tonight, tomorrow's a big day for me. Secret. Forgive me if there's mistakes in this one, I'll come by and correct it later on.


Arriving at Chiffon's guest room, the gear he had been looking for sat menacingly upright on the stand of the trunk.

In truth, for the equipment in question to be built entirely on a concept, he would have preferred to send it for trials and test runs at the Arsenal Proving grounds. But he had no such time available to him at the moment.

As he undressed and put on the latest iteration of Mumu's "Vengeance Armor" line, the mark two of the series, Captain Layak briefed him on the happenings in Pacchim Valley via the intel from G2 in his encrypted tablet.

"There was reports of a fire that broke out in the City of Pain where De Pleur works and has been-."

"I know." Ajay knew him better than Layak or G2 did for that matter. Layak cleared his throat and continued, Ajay was done with the lower part of the armor. It was considerably easier to don and take off than before, yet supposedly offering a better spectrum of protection and agility benefits that were unafforded to him in the first armor type.

"At first, our spies thought it was a freak accident. Maybe some drunk sod tripped on kerosen or something but from encrypted radio chatter it seemed that there were some escapees from the prisons. It appeared they sabotaged a large majority of infrastructure in the City, power, communications, ammo caches and transportations. It was a deliberate attempt, although the person responsible is left unmentioned."

There was only one person that came to Ajay's mind, and that was Hurk.

So why did he hit the City of Pain, it was quite obvious. Jason's friends were locked up in there.

"Anything else?" Ajay had finished the upper portion of the armor that was worn just as quick as the lower part.

"The Tigers are of low priority just as the Golden Path and Renegades were. They were celebrating New Years day just like us, it was like an unseen truce between us all. Yet there have been reports of a joint task force moving in the direction of Baghadur."

Going for Baghadur stronghold? This seemed quite like what the North Vietnamese and Vietcong did to the Americans during the Vietnam War. On Vietnamese new years day they launched a major counter offensive which liberated a considerable territory from the US forces. Could it be a repeat of that scenario?

"What are the numbers?"

"Under a thousand, no further information is available. Our contact inside had to depart early."

-Heading in the direction of Baghadur, but not sufficient to take it from the Tigers. What if they weren't capturing Baghadur but instead….. recapturing escaped prisoners.-

A mental image of Hurk escaping the prison formed in his head, not many escaped the City and few were even capable of doing so. But Hurk wasn't anybody, he had gotten out of stickier situations even without his newly minted marksman skills or field craft taught by the italian paratrooper-trained condotierri. So the possibility existed.

Ajay reached out for the last hanging item resting on the open trunk stand. This time fashioned from a block of titanium, it was both durable and lighter than ever before. The mask fell on his face like it was reattaching itself to a severed limb. The mask was beginning to form a symbiotic relation to him, he could already feel it happening. He was becoming more detached from the world, killing was now no different from breathing. And that was what disgusted him the most about his emotions and morale compass, what was worse was now he had to contend with the addition of an uncontrollable blood rage symptom that he had no control over whatsoever.

Layak gulped for a second, the mask was the most intimidating thing he'd seen as of late, Samar didn't stop improving the aesthetics of the mask but streamlined it with both purpose of deflection and inducing dread on his enemies.

"Let's go, I need some guns." His usual kit, the slayer elephant gun, autocross and SIG 553 rifle weren't with him so he had to make do with whatever was available here.

"I know where the Palace Guard armory is, follow me." Layak escorted him to the armory, as Ajay walked out of the room downstairs, people cast looks at the sudden appearance of the Northern Demon cladded in full armor. His appearance created a scene as all turned to look at him and moved out of the way where he walked.

"Is that-….Badala?!"

"So that's how he looks like!"

"Damn! I'd shit my pants if I was Golden Path!"

"Is that even the same guy we saw earlier?!"

"Where is Duke Badala going at a time like this?"

His presence caused them to stir into discomfort that something was terribly wrong outside for his attention to be required. Ajay ignored their audible whispers as he walked quickly with Layak to the Mansions Armory. When he entered, the local armorer went to retrieve ammo for him after handing him some of the default weapons available.

"See if you can get Kamran to send me off." Layak nodded and left hurriedly.

Ajay disassembled the 1911 "Shadow" sidearm, M79 grenade launcher and P416 "Bushman" rifle signatures that were handed to him for inspection. While he was clearing the weapons, the tapping of high heels came towards him.

"What's happening over there?" Noore asked anxious.

"Hurk did the unthinkable, he tried to free Brody's friends." Noore could already foresee the risk and danger of doing such a mission solo.

"And you're gonna help them?"

"Just him." Noore sighed.

"Ajay… it wasn't his fault." Ajay's hands stopped fiddling with the rifle on the table.

"….. I know. But my priority is him, not them. Hurk doesn't realize what he's doing doesn't entrail the best result." When Ajay displayed rational thought when saying this, Noore wasn't sure what Ajay meant, if they could rescue Brody's friend wouldn't it be better that Jason no longer was obligated to help Golden Path? Ajay was trusted Noore enough to tell her, she was after all his accomplice.

"Hurk thinks that Jason is fighting us for his friends…"

"Yes?" Noore confirmed it.

"But what he doesn't know is that Jason isn't fighting us because of them."

Noore was surprised by Ajay's analysis on Brody.

"He's fighting us because he wants to."

"W-… What makes you say that?"

"I've only met him twice, each time there was a different behaviour, but his eyes said the same thing. It said…. "I've never want this feeling to end."" Ajay's words casted a grim figure on Noore's assumptions about Brody. There were several other clues, when Captain Goh told him to fuck off he attacked them still. He attacked the Tigers with the Golden Path despite his main objective being the Royal Army and Pagan.

"He's using his friends as an excuse, to self-righteously justify his killings. Deep down he's a bigger monster that takes pleasure in bathing in gore. Taking his friends will only result in Jason really turning on us under the pretext of rescuing his friends. Hurk and them might plea with him but he'll only said… "You've all been brainwashed.". Perhaps even when his friends appear before him, he'd dispose of them for his convenience."

Noore had heard about Jason Brody's exploits from Samson and found it weird that a UCLA grad student would suddenly pick up a gun and know how to shoot and take lives so efficiently. It could only mean he enjoyed what he was doing. There was only one other person that was like that, even then that person was an anomaly.

Ajay discovered the truth about the fragility of Jason's mind. Whether he was conscious on this gradual change in his behaviour or not did little to change the fact. The fact that Jason was losing an internal fight with the Demon of Rook Island he brought home with him.

"What did you come here for actually?" Ajay found no reason for Noore to approach him for what he was doing.

"Maya told me about what happened and likely where to find you. I needed to warn you, Ajay."

"Warn me?" The serious of Noore's expression highlighted that it was no small matter.

"Your condition. Keep check on your emotions, don't ever let it run wild or you'll find yourself lost with no way to get back. From the accounts you shared with me the emotions of blood thirst were only getting stronger every time. Ever since that day at the arena, you couldn't keep tabs on your own actions. Whose to say the next time, you'll have the opportunity to pull out. Be sure to bring back Hurk and that's all. If….. If something does happen-."

"It won't. Thanks for reminding me, Noore. I'll be sure to keep it under control." Noore couldn't help but still be worried for his wellbeing. He was the only person to support her in her new chapter of her life. But-

"….. Alright, I'll take your word for it."

Noore smiled as Ajay accepted her profound advise and helped stockpile the ammo into his pouches for him. Around this time, Layak came back with a poor expression on his face.

"Your grace, I'm afraid I have bad news."

"Go on…"

"Kamran is currently in Pacchim Valley. He was ferrying a group of the Condotierri contractors led by Co-executive Ricardo Allegretto to Baghadur. Communications say they were fully armed."

-So they had the same idea as me.-

Stella was unaware of Ricardo's maverick actions because she had gone in search of Ajay to implore him to find Hurk. Ricardo would have gone without Samson's consent and with the three stooges no doubt, Layak said they were fully armed. It meant someone with the key to the armory allowed them to stock up, was Alberto in on this?

Ajay found it ironic that the Condotierri cared so much for Hurk, perhaps it was part of their camaraderie.

"Looks like I'll just have to head to the motorpools." Ajay picked up the last of his kit and moved with Layak to lead him. With no helicopter to send him there, the only thing he could to was get a fast set of wheels to get across King's Bridge. Layak would have to call it in that he was coming through and didn't want obstruction from the guards.

"Be safe." Noore said as he left.

"I will."

Arriving in the motorpool, there were a variety of cars and other modes of transport all belonging to the guest. The valet took their keys from them and parked away from the front of the mansion. The range was incredible, some went from Rolls-Royces Phantoms to Lamborghini Murcielagos. Some of them were likely from Pagan's collection being stored here because of space. It went to show how wealthy the rich and powerful were in Kyrat and the disparity in personal wealth was. Kyrati nobles, rich businessmen and high ranking civil and military officials with high paying salaries. It wasn't that Ajay was against them having riches, wealth was one way of avoiding trouble that would befall their families. Take Ajay himself for an example, life in Brooklyn was never easy for a single mother and her child. Ishwari worked night and day to pay for their apartment rent, social security was never afforded to them until Ajay's citizenship was recognised as an American. When his mother was at a terminally ill stage of her cancer. Ajay resorted to working overnight shifts at the machine shop and when a friend suggested, he got involved in car theft as well. The cars he stole were in a similar class to the ones currently before him. Ajay wondered if he should "borrow" one of them, knowing how quick they were.

Layak was busy discussing with the valet service on requisitioning something quick in their inventory.

Ajay's eyes wandered to the motorcycles parked neatly. Some were recognizable as European and American brands, some were from Japan and India.

Ajay noticed a rather iconic piece standing up right. In fact, a particularly rare piece he'd only seen on magazines.

A Ducati 1199 Superleggera

He recalled the days of stealing cars and bikes from carparks. Perhaps he had come across it once before but that wasn't the target then. What caught his eyes was the custom paintjob in the familiar Royals color of black and red, like it was property of-

"Do you like it?" Ajay turned around to the familiar voice.

"Never pictured you for the type to ride." Pagan laughed.

"That was what I rode here in, my boy."

"Really?" Pagan was full of surprises himself.

"Really."

"I got it off an auction in Shanghai a few months before you came back. The dealer says only a few hundred of these that exist now, this one's in the single digit production range. Quite impressive, eh? Although, I wasn't really into it back then, I just wanted to buy it out of spite because some fucking Shanghai rich brat challenged me for that beauty over there." He pointed to the Rolls-Royce Phantom in mint condition. To think that a rich kid would trifle with Pagan, he would have had his minions gag him and throw him in the sea while he was sleeping. Fortunately, he gave in to Pagan's higher bid.

"You a bike person, Ajay?"

"Anything with wheels is good for me. Although, I can appreciate a good ride now and then. Looking at It just reminds me of a time ages ago."

A pair of key came flying his way, Ajay caught it on reflex.

"Take it…"

"Are you serious?"

Ajay was amazed that Pagan handed him something that valuable.

"You're on a tight schedule, right? Go on, get to it!"

Ajay was speechless, but then gripped the keys as he walked towards the Ducati and sat on it. He placed the keys into the slot and turned.

The engine came to live, it hummed deeply and without disturbance in its pistons. Ajay turned the throttle and the engine roared with a satisfying continuous growl.

Turning back to where Pagan was, he said…

"Thank you for changing my life." Before speeding off out into the dark roads.

Pagan watched as he sped off through the mansion gates into the black woods, leaving a trail of red lights.

"No….. Thank you, Ajay. For changing mine."


Rajgad Gulag stood menacingly even in the night, it was home to five hundred inmates. All of which were one of the most vicious men in Kyrat. Some were criminals of the worst offenses, others were revolutionists like the eight devas, there were a rare few who were political enemies but they rarely lasted more than a month thanks to the harsh conditions and the unfriendly company. The gulag seemed small from the outside, that was because the prison cells were in fact within the mountain that the stronghold was leaning on. What was seen from the outside was merely the only entrance to the whole mountain cavern system that was the true Rajgad Gulag.

The men being imprisoned weren't the only dangerous ones. The prison wardens were of the highest rank within the Royal Guard forces to keep them in check. The fortress Guards, not just well equipped and armed but possessed the necessary skills to enforce numbers that three times their size under twenty-four-hour guard.

"Quickly and quietly. We have only a small window of opportunity, we still need to get back from here with prisoners likely too weak to walk on their own." The havildar accompanying Jason told his men. As they silently treaded near the cliff edge of the least guarded part of the wall.

It was as the Havildar said, they were on a tight window. Another two minutes till the patrolling guard returned to check this section of the wall. They were here to rescue just six men, the rest imprisoned were unfortunate. Perhaps his friends were here, perhaps they were not. Somehow he felt he cared less and less about them for some reason. Jason was still having doubts about them surviving this long, the official story was that they did in fact coordinate with the former Northern frontier Golden Path before it was decimated by the lack of leadership. No word on how they lost or ended up in the prison was ever revealed, not even the Royal Army publisized it. Jason wasn't sure if they were just trying to erase their existence from history or something.

One of the fighters brought out the grappling hook and rope which was covered in cloth to muffle the sound of the metallic end clipping on to the wall.

"I'll go first." Jason took the initiative, the havildar patted him on the back.

"Good lad. We'll speak further through the headset."

Jason acknowledged and began to climb as quickly as he could to give him extra time on that window, but slowly enough that his equipment wouldn't rattle. Upon reaching the top, he scanned the area for any activity on the wall then went to assist the rest in climbing.

Once the four of them had climbed up, they searched for a place to hide and access their surroundings. Jason took out a springe.

"Uh… now is not the time to get high, Brody." The havildar said confused.

"It's not heroin. It's a concoction for heighten senses, something I learn back in the Rook Island." Jason didn't wait for them to rebuke him as he stabbed the needle into his vein. It didn't take long for the effect to kick in as he could pick up every sound, every shadow around the corner where they hid.

"Fifteen visible guards. Four on the walls, Two on overwatch on the buildings and nine dotted about the roads and houses."

"How the-…" The havildar was having difficulty believing Jason's analysis but with the confidence on Brody's face, he couldn't help but trust him. Brody had saved his friends and comrades many times over in the last few weeks since he arrived. The field commander of the fifth wing sacrificed his entire battalion for Brody, believing he was the one to save Golden Path.

"Plan of action?" Jason asked the havildar as if he was still the one calling the shots. But then, Mohan had entrusted the mission to him to take charge while he went with majority of the task force to the nearby relay station to broadcast to Kyrat and cause a nation-wide revolution that should have been realized two decades ago. The thought invigorated him and his fighters. To fight alongside the Great Mohan that took Golden Path to the heights in their revolution to cleanse Kyrat of tyrant and corruption.

"We need to do our best to take this stronghold silently, the more time we have evacuating the six devas imprisoned here the better. Having Badala chase us is the worst possible outcome." Jason was not sure why the mention of Badala, especially the part about running from him made him burn with anger, but he kept that from showing. It was like the Golden Path had no faith he could contest with The Northern Demon any longer like they hoped when he first came over and Willis told them all about him.

But another part of him was shivering, he recalled the image of a raging demon that swept men in the tens in the forest he tried to rescue Willis from. Upon recovering, Willis went into an undisclosed location for fear that Badala would go looking for the rest of him after only getting his leg. That man was rarely phased by anything, Badala was the only exception to date. The Vice-lord was presently holding in Hurk's words "A god of war status" not just in the Royal Army, but in the Golden Path as well. He can still bleed, that means he can be killed. Jason told himself that, everyone had their limits and so did he.

Thoughts floated to Hurk who had been incarcerated. Sabal had sent him to De Pleur to interrogate, despite his protests. Sabal gave his word he would be treated humanely so he left it at that.

"…-Mr. Brody.. Mr Brody!" Jason returned to reality.

"Uh- Yeah?"

"You sure you're alright with this? You don't look well."

"Mmm! I'm fine, let's get this over with shall we so the rest can enter." Currently their assault force comprised of two hundred handpicked fighters, majority were veteran old guard from the reserve ranks but fierce fighters nonetheless. The rest were waiting for the gates to open while the small detachment and Jason neutralize the guards without drawing attention from the Royal Army.

No Alarms.

Jason moved in the head of the row as they crept their way to the overwatching buldings to eliminate the sniper nest and take over it. He had to admit, these Fortress Guards were nothing like the usual Royal Army or the privateers for that matter. One would think that beign assigned to a guard post would behave slack before long, but the fortress guards were always up on their toes. Making their rounds precisely on time, but made their routes predictable to avoid. Still, it was serious trouble if they were ever caught. His administration helped him predict the guards movements which he tried to avoid and have the rest follow him closely. Creeping up the stairs to the sniper's nest, Jason lunged towards the first sniper overwatch and impaled him with his machete and flung the dead sniper's kukri at the other who's back was turned to him.

The fighters quickly moved the bodies out of sight for him as the havildar set up his binoculars and sniper rifle in the position.

"The two of you disable the alarms, Jason-….."

"And I'll take out the guards." Jason finished his sentence upon his own interpretation and went down below hunting.

"Hey Jason, wait-!"

Jason snuck up behind the street roamers and quickly dispatched them one after another without the others being alerted to his or their presence. He plunged his knife into the back of a Heavy type trooper when he turned away. For some reason, everytime the knife dug into flesh his heart hammered with excitement. It suddenly became addi- (Siren blares)

The alarm went off when he least expected, Jason surveyed his surrounding but found that he wasn't the one that tripped it. It had to be the other two that weren't stealthy enough because the Havildar was providing them with overwatch details and yet they failed. Jason felt a tinge of frustration at the Golden Path fighters poor combat efficiency, but then they were no better than the self-important Rakyat. They only knew how to talk big, but their abilities were atrocious in Jason's account. He hoped that the old guard outside were a different breed of fighter to these two-week wonders, the name used to describe their initiates.

Jason ran in the direction of the firefight to assist the fighters that had fucked up this precise operation. There was no use getting angry over it, it wasn't his fault either.

Luckily the fortress guards had their backs to Jason when they pinned down the two fighters and the havildar. In comparison, the Royal Army soldiers were highly disciplined. Thinking that their backs would stay to him Jason moved forward, until one turned to access the situation and reported Jason's whereabouts then he too received heavy fire.

-Shit!-

Jason highly underestimated these Royal Guard soldiers, he was already short on time till reinforcements came.

-Time is running out, hermano. What's say you hand everything over to me, 'kay?-

His other self started to speak after not hearing from it for so long. Just what in hell was it doing?

-Fuck off!-

Jason made a run for the heavier cover, seeing he was trying to get a more advantageous position a guard threw a grenade his way. The grenade landed near his feet, Jason leaped over the sandbag cover that detonated. When he came to, he was staring down the barrel of a guardsman. His hesitation had cost him.

(Bang) The guard fell to the group from a rain of shells that instantly killed him and the others near him.

Jason looked to the walls to find the old guard fighters had already climbed and supported them, they cleared the defenders on the walls and proceeded to kill the remaining fortress guards that were now fighting for their lives until the chopper reinforcements came.

Meanwhile, Jason, the havildar and some of the old guard were free to head to the underground prison. They reached the tunnel entrance and planted explosives on the hinges for quick access then advanced cautiously into the unfamiliar tunnel system. Approaching a central area with an office desk, the havildar had a look at the area map pinned on the dashboard behind it. It clearly marked the cells, over a hundred of them from the worst to the terrible. Unfortunately, they were unable to find a roster of the people they were looking for and which cell they belonged to.

"Shit." Jason had no luck with his friends either. It only meant one place, the Royal Palace. Jason refused to accept that Hurk was actually telling the truth, because if he did…. He was a fool. He'd been led around like a headless chicken.

"Let's try this way!" The havildar led the group.

They spent three minutes going down a maze of access tunnels, then Jason remembered-

"Who are we looking for exactly?" He broke silence.

"Mohan believes there are all six within the deepest cell but I highly doubt it."

"Why?"

"Out of the eight, four weren't full-on combatants. The conditions of this gulag for over two decades isn't something ordinary men can live through, friend."

"…" Jason found his question to be silly but that wasn't the purpose of asking.

"I meant, how do they look like? I know I came here looking for someone else but if I don't know how they look, in case I actually pass them-." The havildar saw his point. Jason wouldn't have seen their paintings or their descriptions.

"You're looking for men and women with a tattoo on their forearm, two cross kukris as the coat of arms. A motto written in Sanskrit is found along the arc that looks like this." The Havildar took out some paint and drew the characters on his hand.

"What's it say?" Jason asked curiously.

"In blood, our epic prevails." Some deep meaning that Jason was unaware of that only its members were in the know of.

"Any names if you might add?"

"Jaswant Rajput, Vasu Sen, Bhishma Arya and Sanjeev Singh. These are all the names of the field commanders we're looking for."

"And the rest?"

"Are likely dead." The Havildar was definitively sure they couldn't last like the rest that were physically able.

"But you don't know for sure-."

"We're running on a short time frame here! Thanks to these two dimwits, we have only ten minutes tops till the choppers come!" The Havildar was losing patience and it was justified. Mohan had entrusted him with this task despite not being a full-fledged officer in the organisation. He was behind enemy lines and where Pagan resided. The Royal Fortress was only ten miles away.

"I'm sorry. It's just a lot is on my mind now, sorry laddies!" The two waved it was alright.

"So Jaswant, Vasu, Bhishma and Sanjeev right?" The Havildar nodded.

"Let's split up, and meet here in five. If we find one, they'll definitely know where the rest are."

"True, ok. Let's do it your way."

And so, they split into four and searched the tunnels and cells. He passed a few open cells that were filled with haggard looking folks who all lacked spirit, it cased a poor feeling with him. They weren't even surprised to see him, like they almost gave up on living outside those granite walls. What the hell was going on here?

The deeper he went the less people he saw within the large cells until there were none at all in the place he was. Suddenly he heard voices up ahead and hid on reflex.

"I've got nothing. Why isn't central responding?!" One of the prison guards complained.

"Will you just chill? It could be interference, we're underneath a mountain remember?"

"Shit! Why can't we just check it out?"

"And leave old Bhaskar alone? In your dreams, what would you think would happen if that old bastard ever got out. You've obviously not heard of what the eight devas could do." Jason caught note of an interesting conversation and info from his eavesdropping.

"Hell, that's what we have Badala for!"

"Maybe. But if the eight ever got together, I doubt even Badala could stop Golden Path.- Huh? Hey!"

Jason dashed out of cover and knifed one of the guards. "Sunnova-(Bang)"

Using the guard's sidearm to gun down his partner, they dropped to the floor. Jason walked up towards the door that they were guarding.

"Come closer, young one." A voice called to him from the otherside of the iron door.

"How did-."

"Your footsteps carried heavy but agile steps. The vitality of youth." His words started to creep him our, Jason had a tinge that Mohan might not have been wrong after all.

"You one of the eight devas?"

"Indeed I am, young one. You don't sound from around here."

"I'm a friend of Mohan."

"Hmph! Don't get conceit, brat! You were barely even born when we fought with him!"

"Actually, Mohan's not dead." The other side didn't reply to him when he said that.

"I'm being serious here! Mohan sent us to retrieve you guys! Here, let me get this door open!"

Jason didn't wait for a reply as he unpacked his C4 charges and placed them against the door.

"I'm blowing the door, get back!" Jason hugged the wall as he detonated the explosive to breach the cell.

(BOOM) The door was dented inward and fell forwards, Jason came out of cover and walked into a surprisingly pitchblack room.

"Hey, you there? Like I said, we're here to get you guys out."

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

"That's not what I meant, is-…..is our brother truly alive?"

"Why don't you go see him yourself later?" The prisoner became silent again, but Jason knew it wasn't because he didn't believe him.

"Young one."

"Yes?"

"I will have to trouble you."

"No worries, what do you need?"

The figure came out of the darkness into the dim light where Jason was, revealing an aged old man with white covering his cornea of this eyes. Jason was taken aback for a moment, before him was a blind old man. Was this one of the eight devas that the guards were so shifty about?

"I might not be able to see, but don't think I'm so thick I can't sense your disrespect!" the old man scolded him.

"Uh- Sorry! So….. you need me to carry you?"

"Mmmm! Also, where are the others?"

"The rest of the fighters are locating them, I promised to meet them at a junction to find the rest. Come on! Oh- Right!"

Jason assisted the old man through the narrow entrance and carried him piggyback to make up for short time.

"They call me Bhaskar, keeper of secrets."

"Keeper of secrets, huh? You like some magic man or something?" The old man Bhaskar laughed.

"Yes, you could say I'm something akin to that!"


As Jason reached the main junction where they were supposed to meet, he found that the fighters weren't alone. Three other middle-aged men were standing in rags, likely their devas they were searching for, judging from the estatic faces the Havildar's men were wearing. Although, they have been subjected to poor conditions for almost twenty five years, their physcique was of good proportion, they never forgot to keep in shape. There was an air of mystery and nobility amongst them, even from ten metres away Jason could feel it.

Upon seeing Jason and the old man on his back the three turned their way and placed their hands together and bowed.

"""Exalted one…""" They said together. Apparently, the blind old man had the most senior position within the Devas much to Jason's surprise.

"Rise my fellow companions, today marks the turning point in our struggles. You've heard it from the young ones, have you not." They all nodded.

"Vasu, Sanjeev, Bhishma. Its good to see you all in these current circumstances."

"Likewise, exalted one."

"Is this all that everyone?" The havildar asked.

"What's left of us, then yes." The burly one said.

"Good! Then let us get out of here…. Before he comes." The Devas expressed their concern when the elder Bhaskar mentioned this and were more eager to leave.

Jason somehow felt unsettled when they were also anxious to get out for fear of someone. He let the following slip from his mouth.

"Don't tell me, you guys are afraid of the Northern Demon too." But the answer they gave made him geniuningly concerned.

"Who the hell is that?"

"Northern Demon?"

"What has become of Golden Path, tell us Havildar!" The Havildar stumbled.

"Uh-…. Decline! After the eight of you vanished we were pushed back into Pacchim valley and back further to Headquarters at Banapur."

"Banapur?"

"Headquarters? That little outpost town?" The deva was shocked beyond belief.

"Wait, so you guys never received any news of the outside, right?"

"Correct."

"Then who are you guys worried about?" The devas looked at one another unsure.

"Let's keep the chatter to another time, we're short on time you said. We must get to the surface as quickly as possible and reunite with our brothers and sisters!" Said the tall and bulkier one of the devas.

"Agreed, let us go!" Jason and the Havildar's men quietly obeyed and led the way out to the surface.

Jason continued to carry the "Exalted one" Bhaskar out of the tunnel, from where they were they could make out the lights from the entrance.

Jason checked his watch and found that the appointed time for them to get out had arrived. The Old Guards that had taken the gulag would defend the newly captured stronghold while they made their escape on a convoy of commandeered technical towards the secret passage back to Pacchim Valley. The rest would follow suit after Mohan had released his revolutionary speech that would buy them enough time to escape while the Royal army was in disarray.

But as this was happening, the Royal Army reinforcements would assault the stronghold in battalion strength. Badala might be there as well since it was an attack on home ground this deep and close to his territory.

As they reached the surface, they were greeted with silence. Which was odd, as the reinforcement troops should have already been here to take back the stronghold.

"Something's not right."

"Hey, where're the others?" One of the Havildar's men pointed out the absence of the hundred old guard.

An eerie feeling washed over them as Jason passed the old man to the Havildar to carry as he maintained a vigilant posture. The Devas picked up weapons from the ground to arm and defend themselves.

As they walked forwards towards the main square compound, they understood what became of the Old Guard company defending the walls.

Their bodies littered the grounds, all with a decent amount of blood flowing from them. Bullet cases were scattered all over indicating a fierce firefight.

The Devas immediately stiffened, not because of the sight of the bodies but of the single individual standing amongst them with not a scratch on him. That man wore the Royal Guard colors but wasn't part of the outfit that protected Rajgad Gulag.

"Is that your Northern Demon?" One of them asked but Jason shook his head as did the fighters.

Jason looked at him but it was clear that it wasn't.

"No. I've got no idea who that is."

But the Old man had a different idea, the Havildar could feel him tremble from behind his back.

"It's him!"

The three Devas turned to Bhaskar in shock and disbelief.

"Impossible, how could he be here?!"

"That doesn't even look like him!" The Devas were having difficulty identifying that person Bhaskar informed them of.

"No one else gives off that aura! It's him! The Ruinous One!" Bhaskar shouted.

As he announced their presence, the man below that the Devas feared turned towards them from his back.

"This is not good!"

Even Jason was starting to feel some sort of oppressive feeling as the man gazed into his eyes.

"Who the hell is this?" Jason said unconsciously not expecting a reply, but a reply he got.

The oldest of the three active fighters of the Eight Devas who stood next to Jason spoke in a grim tone.

"That man….. was responsible for our imprisonment!..."

The younger Golden Path fighters who were unaware before trembled in fear at Vasu's chilling words. He was responsible for imprisoning the Six of the Eight Devas?

"….. That man-…. is Darshan!"