Author's Notes:

I did it! Right before new year in Australia time! YESSS! Two chapters as claimed. I'll see you on the flipside of 2017. Chp 51(c) is a short attached to this chapter. a routine i'm following now every something-first of the chapter.


Brooklyn, eleven years ago. 2003. –

Life was already difficult for a fifteen-year-old Ajay living in the projects in East Harlem to cope with. On top of providing for the household through odd jobs with some of his neighbours there were those stupid neighbourhood shits that got in his way. Discrimination was something he was used to but didn't tolerate, when someone did that to him he'd beat them to a sorry pulp. He couldn't help it, it was somehow wired into his system to be prideful even in his situation.

But as he got older, some of those shits joined local gangs and it got troublesome. Reporting to their seniors to seek revenge for them on their behalf. Ajay relied heavily on his fists and kicks that he understood from some street fighting techniques. Yet Ajay managed to overcome all obstacles that the gangs gave him. And became the number one pariah not to mess with unless you wanted your ass kicked. In school, he had a reputation as a delinquent, not that he cared. The teachers feared him if he ever got physical after hearing rumors about him from the suburbs. But it was his right as an American to be given an education. Yet his mother was facing so much difficulty applying for hers, she was still a resident relying on Visa which Ajay never understood how she could keep it for so long.

The members of the gangs that had tasted his brutal fists contemplated on stabbing or shooting him in the street or perhaps torturing his hot mum to get back. The one thing that kept them at bay was the presence of Mama Tinashe, their neighbour mom and a former pimp in her day. Notorious and yet loved by the hoods. She raised some of the orphans and street kids as her own and they became adults. Some became proper contributors to society, others like the street gang leaders continued their decedant ways. But they all had absolute respect for her, and if they ever so much as laid a hand on her dearest friend Ishwari she'd send an associate to cut their eyes out for not seeing that.

So the gangs were forced to rely on their own brute force if they wanted to teach Ajay a lesson. As if he'd ever let them get the chance. One of Mama tinashe's lovers taught him some moves in boxing and Ajay actually learnt all of it in a single lesson. The guy was coloured impress with his talent and offered him a career in boxing when he grew up of course, he kept a raincheck on that offer but Ajay was fated to never answer it. His mother was not at all pleased with him undertaking physical means to make a living, she was even more upset with his delinquent behaviour in the neighbourhood. Mama Tinashe would bring Ishwari over for a cup of tea, she knew that Ajay was a good but misunderstood child. But helping a fatherless child was out of her expertise, she figured he would have to find his own way in life.

Roaming the streets like a dog to mark its territory, Ajay stumbled upon some low-level thugs that actually intruded into his area and went to teach them with his barehands. That was then he found the reason for their mistake. They appeared to be harassing some girl that looked like she was from a privileged background, so the question was what was she doing here in the projects?

"The hell are you doing in these parts, scumbags!"

They were small fry compare to the boxing and karate apprentices in their groups. Easily disposed of when their numbers dwindled below two in those able to fight. Adding to that was Ajay's status as Mama Tinashe's friend. So they left after swearing to kick the shit out of him if he had the guts to come to their place. Ajay passed off their remarks as hotair and waltzed off leaving the blondie to herself in bewilderment. Although he did have a passing glance at her pretty face and striking eyes, but in comparison to his mom they were pale.

The next morning, to his disbelief she came again and was harassed by a different group this time. Her looks were just attracting too much attention to the black and white thugs. Ajay merely apprehended them because they were intruding in his spot, period. He passed a hostile glance at her to discourage her from coming again, as if that would ever happened.

Then day three, she appeared yet again. What the heck was she playing at? Could it be… she was actually a masochist, fantasizing about being raped by gangsters or hobos? And she always came at the same time, 8.35pm. It's not that Ajay was looking at the clock and recorded it, that definitely wasn't the case. He always sat on the edge of the roof to the store on the third floor which had perfect vantage of the whole place. What could a teenage girl possibly want in the projects late at night? Not that Ajay was interested to know or anything.

"Oh fuck!"

This time it wasn't smallfry. It was one of Mama Tinashe's adopted brats, even he had limits. That was if they didn't fight him he wouldn't fight them. The same principle regarding Mama Tinashe applied to him. That girl asked for trouble. And now she got it, but that wasn't Ajay's problem.

"Urghh! Help! Help!"

"Stop screaming or I'll remove a finger!" He flicked out a switch blade from his pocket and she quietened down.

(Sigh) Why was he so bothered by this scene?

He climbed down the gutter pipes and jumped once he reached the first floor to the ground.

"Oh shit! It's him!"

Ajay walked up towards them cracking his knuckles.

"You shits have a lot of nerve coming here and having fun in my playground!"

"Piss off, Gill!"

"It's Ghale with a silent H, or did you retards skip school cause you were too dumb to read?" He mocked them provocatively.

"You're asking for it dipshit!"

"Stop wasting your breath and bring it! My muscles are aching for some exercise!"

The fight was longer than expected even though he dodged around taking out the small fry's first then focused on Mama Tinashe's failure of an adoptive child.

"Watch out!" She saw a hidden attack with the switchblade in his possession and warned him beforehand.

(Crack) Ajay swung him around and snapped his wrist.

"Gyaahhh!"

The group picked themselves up pretty quickly, those that were too slow were kicked in the butt by Ajay to hasten up.

"You'll pay for this, Ajay! When Mama hear's about this, you're dead!" He said whilst running off to seek medical attention.

"Then tell her how you got it, have some balls for once and admit it to her. I dare you!"

"Urgh- Fuck!" The person shouted in misery.

With that out of the way, there was just that crazy bitch to deal with.

"The same goes of you, if you ever use this route again like the last few times. Don't be sorry I did something you'll regret." He said with a powerful glare before leaving her in a daze.

The next day she failed to show, which he was thankful that she understood basic English and stopped causing a fuss in his turf.

Mama Tinashe approached him on the bruises and broken wrist of her boy which he responded with they deserved it. And got a slap from his mom as she stormed out of the living room in tears. But Mama Tinashe was shrewder than people made her out to be and knew whatever he did had a good reason, besides she was glad someone taught her hopeless brat the harsh reality. So she never pursued the case any further, but gave a chuckle of humor as she had already had someone observing for her beforehand. To make up for asking him in front of his mother, she exerted her influence throughout the suburb to cease outside movement. That way, they wouldn't trespass in his turf.

Life went back to normal, he still fought occasionally, did oddjobs for Mama Tinashe and learnt a trade at the machine shop, went to school and skipped lessons that he felt were too boring or redundant.

He could already see the path he was destined to follow, he had the aura that attracted trouble so he had no other choice but to fight it head on. That belief crumbled when one day she came to his class looking for him.


Daisy Lee, the sophomore student in his school much to his surprise that they attended the same school. Then again, he never paid attention to his surrounds or the happenings in school.

She didn't say anything, she'd just sit next to him when it was recess and sometimes when lessons were happening. Daisy Lee had the complete opposite in her reputation with Ajay. She had good grades and came from a rich family in Maine. The reason she studied in a public school was out of her Father's principles to have humility. Ajay thought it was more like stupidity, if you had resources use it. Being in the wrong neighbourhood was neither good for your child nor for others, because it would be interpreted as you were looking down on them and people here had their pride they couldn't let go.

It apparently seemed that some jealous girl sent a text to that son of Mama Tinashe's to have her gangbanged and tossed in the roadside with her pictures taken. Talk about a jealous woman's wrath, that was something even Ajay was afraid of. He'd seen Mama Tinashe get mad before and made it his mission not to cross it himself.

The teachers were troubled by her proximity to him, least to say they all were. She would be the first student in the school to try to get into the UCLA, an ivy league category. And she was wasting time with the worst person to be wasting it with.

Several teachers meekly approached him to demand that he stayed away from her for her own benefit. But Ajay as just as puzzled as they were why his senior was following him around, she was weird from the very beginning. Why did she even go to his suburb at night?

"Can you just stop it?" Ajay finally had it with her following.

"Stop what?"

"That!"

"I'm not doing anything, I'm just going the same direction you're going."

(Bang) Ajay cornered her by the lockers.

"Don't play coy with me. Or I'll guarantee something precious gets taken." He said harshly to her before leaving.

"Why did you help me?" Her question made him stop in his tracks.

"I didn't, the hell's a girl like you doing in the streets that late? Don't tell me you were midnight prowling." Ajay smirked. Daisy blushed and got angrily flustered by him that she left in a hurry.

It was a bucket of laughs to see her reaction, a lot of fun he had in a long time.

They say when a woman is angry, she just stops talking to you. Daisy no longer followed him and when they passed each other by coincidence she made it so she wasn't looking in his direction. He obvious knew whose pair of eyes was trailing him from his back as he made his way home.

"You really are the worst, Ajay Ghale."

"That's me." Ajay smiled. Daisy looked at him like something was wrong with his head, how could he just accept it? And started to look at him with pity.

"What's with that look, hey!" She left giggling to herself.

One thing after another, their interactions increased till they were on regular conversational terms.

"Why are you even here?" He asked one day.

"You see how those girls treat me, Ajay. It's either with hate or awe but never as a friend. Dad said the private schools were filled with snobbish pricks like that but with class." She ended with a british accent to make it sound funny. Ajay laughed a bit.

He'd soften considerably with her over the months. And even found out the reason for her traversing the streets at night. Some girl in her class failed to turn up in class a couple of times, Ajay guessed she probably found fucking for cash was a lot easier than reading a book and worrying about how to pay for college.

It wasn't uncommon in this neighbourhood, take Mama Tinashe's past job history for instance. She may have kept the hookers in line in the streets but there was one thing that never so much as touched their suburb, drugs. She was a firm believer that drugs damaged lives and she killed anyone that sniffed cocaine in her turf. The penalties were harsh, harsher than federal law. Something that was imparted into Ajay later in his life. The word his mom used to describe her was Asuran, a demi-deity that was often associated with cruelty and justice. Mama liked that impression a lot.

Daisy offered to teach him in the areas he was weak in. He just told her not to waste her time but she replied.

"You'll never change your fate if you don't try, go on. Give it a go, then you can say you tried! You'll even have me cheering you on! Hehe!" Daisy's smile was something worth treasuring. The first time, Ajay ever valued anything that wasn't his mom.

With her help, he managed to excel in the subjects he was weak in. She came around to his apartment complex often to visit. Ishwari and Mama Tinashe were both pleased to have her and for Ajay to perhaps have someone in his life. Life moved on till the day she graduated and earned her Highschool diploma with straight A's, she was studious but not geeky which made her a sensation at school. She was also a natural swimmer, though not the best but competent enough to go professional if she had the right coach and time to dedicate to it as a career. But that would have to wait for her college days to past. She was headed to the first college of her choice in LA, and that meant she was leaving New York.

Ajay knew this time would come sooner or later, it's just the reality of the situation. But that night before her departure she arranged for something special.

Sending a phone message to him late at night to meet her at the public pool.

"Let's break in." She said with excitement.

"Are you serious?"

"Teach me how to lockpick."

Ajay broke the lock with general ease and handed the paperclip pieces to her to try. With careful instruction, she accomplished it in under ten minutes.

"Now all you need is practice and you'll be the perfect cat burglar. Try breaking an entry into the college dean's office for a start." He joked. But Daisy led him by the hand towards the pool.

"And we came here for what?" Ajay asked before she sneaked up behind him and shoved him into the pool.

(Splash)

"Puahh! Damn you, woman. C'mere you!" Ajay reached out and pulled her by the shirt and waist into the pool with him.

"Nono-stop! Ok! Give up Give- (Splash)." She laughed before being thrown in by him.

"That was my only dry clothes!"

"Oh come on, don't pretend like you actually came here preparing for a swim." Ajay snaked his arms around her waist and brought her closer.

"So you played ignorant I see, that will incur penalties."

"For what?"

"For this."

Daisy reached out and kissed him deeply, Ajay reciprocated it.

He wished she never had to go but this was the reality. Daisy knew the same thing, she couldn't let her options slide from her because of a relationship she didn't know was solid.

But that night, she poured out her feelings for him at the pool. To make a moment to remember with him and look back at. That cold night became too warm for them that they stripped off their wet clothing. They broke into one of the lockers and retrieved some dry clothing for both of them before heading out.

The next morning, she flew off. Her parents had arranged for accommodation over in Los Angeles. She did promise to visit once every winter holiday but he didn't expect anything.

Live went back to the quite one he was familiar to and yet felt a bit alone for some reason. Daisy was the cause of this disruption. But he had hopes to change his future bit by bit. He attended classes from then on, spent hours in the library and in the machine shop to pay for the rent to take some slack off his mother. Ishwari was surprised to see this type of change in her son, she also knew the cause and was ever grateful.

Then he graduated from High School and scored significantly better than his peers, which baffled the teachers and classmates of his. But it was his own effort that brought him this far, but he wouldn't lie to say he didn't have help.

College was still far out of his zone, he could barely pay for the rent in the new home he and his mother were living in. How it was paid for was something he couldn't fully understand? And had quite a debate with his Mother who assured him it was social security, but Ajay was no fool. He was more concern that she'd been whoring herself out to some bastards. Mama Tinashe assured him it wasn't the case, though she too wouldn't reveal who got it for her. Was that person so scary?

Ajay considered that one ticket he had into professional boxing by Mama's one-time lover it was a potential road to success, his mother had once been against it for reasons against violence. She'd seen her fair share in Motherland Kyrat that made her weary to the bone.

Things were brightening up thanks to a little help.

Until it happened.


He returned home to find his mom on the floor unconscious. A few hours after after an ambulance came and brought them to a hospital. Mama Tinashe came rushing over after hearing what had happened.

The doctor came out to give his diagnosis. Ishwari had attained a terminal stage in mammary cancer. How did they miss it on her last check up? Or did she refrain from telling him? Mama had already known months ago which upset him greatly for not being informed.

All they could do was sessions of chermotherapy and cocktails of medicine. A ward in the hospital so they could constantly keep check on her condition. All of this cost money, it was outside of the insurance coverage. He needed fast money to cover the deadline.

A machine shop employee, a fellow co-worker of his offered him a chance for quick cash. In the carjacking business. It was simple, a mediator organised a deal for a super car on high demand and marked the vehicle on their GPS and they stole the vehicle and brought it to the docks to ship off to some sheik in the middle east.

His first few runs went without a hitch. He became an adept car thief that other organisations in crime syndicate were interested in his expertise. So he ended up stealing cars, Rolls-Royce Phantoms, Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Porsches and sometimes bikes too. There were some heists that had hiccups, but with him around it was all sorted out. Making him a highlys sought after professional although that was never what he wanted to do with his life. All he cared for was the money that was provided for the exorbitantly expensive treatments that were taking place with his mother. He had her transferred to a private hospital with a private ward for her maximum comfort.

Things were going smoothly for a the time being. His mother did occasionally ask where did he get the money to pay for those things. He simply told her his other job was generous in payment.

Daisy came back as she said she would. Expecting to celebrate a Happy Christmas but found Ajay's mother in hospital and the circumstance that landed her there. Daisy wasn't like Ishwari, she was more inquisitive.

"Where did you get the money, Ajay?"

"In the super car industry, I work in."

He didn't know how she found out but she did. Was it with her families wealthy connections?

Daisy gave him a good repping when she learnt he was into illegal car trafficking. What did she expect him to do? His mother was in jeopardy of the hospital refusing her treatment. That she could accept, she offered to ask her parents for money to pay for it. But Ajay refused her, if that were to happen he would just be living off her kindness and wouldn't be able to break out of this situation on his own. That stubbornness in his blood kicked in even when he didn't want it to happen. For a few years she could accept that and told him to stop what he was doing in the illicit business for her sake. Which he found hard to do but did it. Coincidentally, Ishwari's symptoms stabilized. Years went on by, with the cancer in stasis without movement. Daisy came back on holidays to be with them, three years went by and Daisy graduated and head back to Brooklyn to see what were her prospects in New York city.

Life was simple but content, she stayed with him for the period of her jobhunting. And their relation deepened into something else. Every day was a treasure to them.

Somehow their adversity was overcome.

Or so he thought.

One day, Ishwari's symptoms kicked in again. She was sent for immediate rescitation as she fainted midway with no breathing or pulse. They managed to bring her back and that's when the doctor disclosed the ugly truth. His mother had been under constant pain for the last three years without him knowing, her painkillers were losing their effectiveness over time. All this time, she'd been suffering in constant purgatory while he was thinking about other things like how his life would turn out with Daisy.

The doctor recommended one last operation, an ambitious one that had been in experimental phase. Two patients had successfully undergone the procedure and lived to tell the tale. But would his mother be so luck. The Doctor's conditions were that she had to have a strong mental will to live.

He told his mother who listened quietly and just nodded her head.

"Do it." He gave the Doctor permission. Meanwhile he had a hefty sum to clear. He wasn't gonna make Daisy or her parent for that matter pay for her medical bills. This was his mother, his responsibility.

He broke his promise with Daisy to quickly spruce up some cash for the immediate surgery. But what awaited him was something he could never accept his entire life.

The procedure failed and Ishwari, his mother passed away. Daisy was filled with sympathy that she couldn't bring herself to scold him for breaking the promise.

When the doctor appeared to inform him of her demise he reached out for a surgical knife to stab the Doctor and accused him for murdering his mother. Daisy blocked him with everything she could.

"Knives take people away, they don't bring them back!" She told him as he dropped the knife and dropped to his knees weeping.

Mama Tinashe, while still in mourning passed him an envelope addressed to him from his mother. Inside read:

"Ajay my son, I have so much left to say to you. But I'm out of time. So please, take me back to Lakshmana. The journey will tell you more than I ever could. I love you and I will always be with you."

Ajay's head became dizzy. So all this while he had been under the assumption that his mother would definitely have the will to live, she'd been soldiering through pain for almost three years what other proof did he need?

But this letter said otherwise, the handwriting was unmistakeable.

Ajay fell to a single conclusion to his mother's predicament.

"I killed her…."

For the next two years, Ajay drank excessively and took drugs to ward off the pain and guilt of causing the death of his mother. One that had suffered greatly to bring him up.

The change in his behaviour caused a strain in his relationship with Daisy who was unwilling to break off their relation for a long time. Until she felt that Ajay was only using his mother's death as an excuse to do what he wanted to rid himself of pain. She heartwreckedly told him she was leaving for LA again, her career circumstances in New York were closing on her and their was a job back in Southern Californa.

Ajay declared her of being unfaithful and being a two-timing skank that she had enough and tearfully left him but not before leaving the last words.

"Those times with you, I'll never forget. But you're something else now, where did the old Ajay go, when did he get snuffed out by this sorry excuse of a man?"

"Get out." He told her coldly, something he dearly regretted for as long as he could remember. For Daisy that ship had sailed-…. No, it capsized on it's captain's orders and she wasn't allowed to do anything to stop it.

So Daisy moved on with life hoping he would find a better end for himself like she did with Grant Brody, the eldest of three Brody brothers. Grant was an understanding person, who listened to her problems. Someone she knew in college but was in a relation then, but now she wasn't. He was a loving brother to Jason and Riley Brody just like a big brother you'd always imagine, he tried to pass an image of a father figure for the two brothers when their dad passed away. Daisy had a soft spot for fatherly men and she quickly felt a connection with Grant. With Grant, things would work out eventually. They once travelled with a group of friends to Thailand to celebrate Liza's entry into the film industry and Riley's piloting license.

But fate had other plans for her. The fiasco in Rook Islands happened, at Doctor Earnhardt's house Jason told her of Grant's passing. She wept but stowed her feelings aside to help the rest, she'd sort them out when she returned she thought. But after a very extreme close call with the natives and returning to the states. She found herself doing the exact same thing as Ajay all those years ago. Looking for ways to stow away the guilt and pain.

"Was this how you felt all that time?"

She was afraid to approach him again, knowing it was because her current boyfriend was dead wasn't something that the Ajay she imagined would easily accept assuming he was the same the last time she saw him. But she never knew, she dragged too long thinking whether she should or not. Spending time with the rest of the guys to check up on how they were coping with their PTSD.

Now here she was in the grasps of this pervert and staring down the mask of the legendary Demon of Kyrat. When the Demon spoke her name in a very familiar voice that even she couldn't believe or expect.

-How could it be?! How could you be here?!-


Kyrat, Present Day. 2nd jan 2015 –

"Now what will you do, Badala?" Sabal grinned. Ajay's face changed to a very dark expression.

"How many fingers?" Sabal was taken surprise by his response.

"What?"

"How many do you still want intact? The ring finger is a no-no. I'm definitely taking it off so that no one will be forced to marry a pig like you." Ajay posted a malicious comment to him.

"Guu! You arrogant fool! Know your standing!" Sabal roared.

"Took the words right out of my mouth again, fryface."

Sabal pressed the knife against Daisy's neck till blood flowed.

"I dare you to say it again."

"Oh I will, and do you know why, Sabal?!" A nervewrecking felting shot up into Sabal for the last time he could sense it. Ajay didn't wait for him to reply as he dashed forwards at lightning speed and grasped Sabal's hand plied the knife from Daisy's neck.

Much to Sabal's shock and disbelief that he actually disregarded his hostage.

"Because there's nothing you quite value more than your own life!" (Bang)

It was not the sound of a gun shot nor an explosive. But a fist that pummelled Sabal's cheek to the right sending him towards the support beam of the bridge.

(Crack) The sound of his neck breaking from the force of the hit echoed and everyone of the bridge heard it clear as day. The Golden Path warriors shivered, Badala actually killed Sabal with one punch to the face that in turn snapped his neck from the force acting upon it. His body ragdolled against the support pillar and crumbled to the floor motionless. Sabal died open eyed in disbelief that his puny life was ended in such an insignificant way and no one would remember him for time to come. Somehow, great relief over came Ajay. It was something he held for a very long time. He had avenged both Kamala and Ajay Ghale.

Ajay turned back towards Daisy with a quietness that stalked the bridge after the one hit kill.

"There is something I wanted to say to you for a very long time. Something that I regretted doing at the very last moment we met. It was inexcusable, what I did that day and what I said. Some part of me left that day and never returned. I'm sorry Daisy, for all the grief I caused you." A second wave of relief fell upon him and he felt a lightening sensation.

Over where Daisy was, tears dropped from her eyes. She now knew who it was all this time. Ajay walked over to lend a shoulder to embrace and Daisy wrapped her arms around him and hugged tightly.

This action greatly confused everyone on the bridge, both the fighters and Liza who was freed from her bindings and looking from the trucks rear compartment.

"Ajay, you great big jerk…." She mumbled behind his clothing.

"Shhh…. Its Badala here, don't say it out loud." He needed to enforce this.

"Ahem."

"Give the lady some time!" Ajay growled protectively for her sake. The Commander Kaji had no choice but to wait.

"I know you've been through a rough time and all but I've work to do here."

"Ah!- Riley and the others they're in trouble!"

"What? Weren't you all purchased together?"

"Uh- Those Brits- they said they were doing some sort of gladiator thing. Please! You have to save them!"

Brits? There was only one pair that fell in that category here.

"Say no more! Kamran, I need pickup. ASAP."

*Where to?*

"To Shanath Arena."


The floor was littered with bodies.

*They're off to a good start, but how much longer can they last?*

Things were looking far grimmer than they imagined, there was almost no hope of the getting out. The bets grew more exciting as Riley, Oliver and Steve fought their way to survival through not just the first round but the second too. But it had come at a price.

"Oli, keep it together!"

"I'm fine bro- (Coughing) I could use a joint right now, he!" Oliver smiled weakly from the gunshot wound he sustained from the last round. Some armored guy with a machine gun approached them, and none of the commandeered weapons did anything to him. Oliver used their last resort in the form of a Molotov and cooked him in his suit but got shot by a passing round in the shoulder. He was deadly pale considering his healthy tanned skin.

The horn blew signalling the start of another round, the crowd went wild with excitement. Wondering if it would be their last, the stakes were never this high since that one time. It was still the word around the arena and wouldn't fully diminish. The game commentaror had risen up in the ranks from a mere announcer to the arena master while was formerly held by the charismatic Vice-lord Noore Najjar. But since she abandoned that post and Shanath became an unofficial neutral zone the job was left open and he claimed it. It was difficult to maintain the flow of animals and men ready to die in the arena but he barely managed with the winnings and bets being placed by the audience. They were a little annoyed the rounds lasted too long because they were too cautious in their fighting style but it increased the anticipation and the earnings.

The doors swung opened and to Riley's disbelieve came more heavily armed soldiers and the animals was no longer small wild things but big cats and bears.

Riley and Steve couldn't worry about the outcome, they had to focus on staying alive. But Oliver's critical condition was placing a toll on their mental strength.

At some point, Riley heard the sound of a helicopter overhead. Was the Arena that extravagant? It was more disaster either way. And then the worst happened.

(Click)

(Click)

Both their guns ran dry and their faces fell.

"I'm gonna get more!"

"No- Riley don't!"

Automatic gunfire ripped through the air in his direction.

Riley felt the hit in his stomach but no real pain. Steve slumped onto his body with blood pouring out from his back. Steven had taken the shot for him.

"Steve?..."

"Right back at you…" Steven closed his eyes and fell limp on the floor, Riley wasn't sure if he was alive or dead. He slumped to the floor in shock and traumatised.

The arena fighters closed in take the heads off Riley and the others as they were the main attraction in the arena. The knife wielding fighter ran dodgey speeds yet he was complete unprepared for what was about to happen to him.

(Boom) His body exploded and his limbs flew in every direction. The rest of the contestants and animals stared in awe at the new bloodly gore.

A rappelling line came down the cave skylight and a single shadow slid down it.

(Boom) A second roar of the monstrous double barrel severed the life strings of some animals clustered together over a corpse they'd been munching. And joined the meat pile.

Halfway towards the ground the shadow leaped off and plunged his blade into a fighter down below and threw his blade at another. This happened in under two seconds.

"By the gods!"

"No! Why is he here?!"

"This isn't what I signed up for! Lemme out!"

It was clear who had just entered the ring. But the audience thought this was part of the script.

*Um-… What a lovely surprise we had in store for-.(Bang)* Thinking that he could make a buck or two with Badala's appearance the commentator scripted a story in but then felt something pass through his head and out the back. All his strength left his body as he plummeted down towards the arena to become Tiger chow. Badala had killed the commentator which signalled to everyone that this wasn't a show. He was here for real.

"The count of ten, everyone should be out. At the end of it, anyone remaining becomes my prey."

At that split second, everyone dashed out of the audience seats and towards the exits. Some were aware of the rumors of that match Ajay wrecked the arena other had heard but didn't believe. Either way they cleared the area as fast as they could. The fighters down below had no choice, the doors had been shut and there was no way out. Some banged the doors helplessly. Others shouted a battlecry and charged Ajay.

But he made short work of them, he didn't draw his rifle again or any firearm for that matter and went charging with just his knife. His grappling hook loosened and became his signature chain weapon. Using it to reel in one guy as the rest opened fired upon him as he used that man as his meat shield he pulled his grenade and tossed him back at them.

The body exploded and killed all in its proximity. Using the moment of disorder, he rushed forward and impaled his knife into the closest warrior and pounced onto the next and so on with speeds that spoke of experience and plenty of bloodshed. The rest dropped to their knees begging for forgiveness.

Riley was awestruck by the viscious movements in slaying the fighters it was as if he was reaping wheat stalks with that kukri in hand.

(Roar) But the animals weren't like the people. They only relied on instinct and not words. A humongous brown bear came crashing along their way. The men frantically ran out of its way but Ajay's feet were planted in the ground.

Holding the knife in a stance he waited for the Bear to approach him. Not moving a single muscle, the bear thought he was a fool and went over to trample him to death.

Riley looked at the crazy scene and noticed something on Badala. A wide crescent smile was planted under his mask. He unconsciously shivered at the sight, but he was right to do so as the bear pounced his way.

(Slash) The sound of metal cleaving through flesh and bone sounded wet and gory as the kukri passed through the bear and decapitated its head. The body fell with a rumble shaking the surroundings and spasmed a few times as it was trying to comprehend what had taken place just now.

The fighters were even more afraid. Now they know the stories weren't fiction as their backs pressed the arena walls praying the Demon won't feast on them.

But to their relief, he went in the direction of those foreigners instead.

Riley's eyes widened and he scrambled onto his two feet and walked backwards in fear.

"Riley Brody?" Ajay asked.

"…Uh- yeah?..." He could see a resemblance in him to his elder brother Jason. Ajay turned to the other two lying on the ground.

"Oliver Carswell."

"Here." Oliver reached out to acknowledge his presence.

Ajay looked at Steve and he looked back. Riley was surprised that Steve was alive and went over to attend to him.

"Keith Ramsay?"

"It's STEVEN!" He shouted angrily.

"That's weird. Then you're not on my list that Daisy sent me."

"Daisy sent you?!" Riley was too amazed, what was happening outsided

"Huh!" Steve knew that she intentionally sent the list with Keith's name in place of his just to piss him off. He chuckled with much difficulty. "That's a good one, dais. It might've cost me my life but whatever." He fell to the ground from the significant blood loss he sustained.

"Steve!"

Ajay went over to check the man's pulse.

"He's just out that's all, it'll be worse if it isn't treated. Help me carry your other friend."

"Um- right!" Ajay lifted Steve over his shoulder as Riley picked up Oliver.

The helicopter lowered a harness for the injured with Ajay placed Steve in as his was the most grevious injury. And used the grapple in his armor to bring Riley and Oliver up individually. Once they were secure, Kamran took off. They were alone in the chopper as the rest had alighted to stay with the defecting Golden Path contingent and the rest of Jason's friends and Kamala's parents who had no idea what was going on.

"King's Bridge garrison, eta ten minutes."

"Thanks, Kamran."

Ajay turned over to Riley who sat in attention when looked at by the legendary Demon.

"Rest up, you've just gone through some rough trip. We'll link with the rest of your friends and then hitch a ride across King's Bridge to the North."

"Where are you taking us?"

"Somewhere you'll be safe from the coming Blizzard."

"There was a snowstorm coming?!"

"There was, now rest up. You'll need it to settle in. In the mean time your friends will be sent to the hospital."

"Couldn't we all just take the chopper to the hospital?"

"We could, but then you'll have to personally tell Pagan why you withheld his personal ride from him."

(Gulp) "…N-Nevermind."

Ajay chuckled softly. Somehow, ever since he chanced upon Daisy, he found it harder to blame them for the things they'd done. He had to admit, that having her nearby was causing his edge to dull quickly and he needed to set his boundaries with her. After all, she seemed to have someone special with her amongst the group although he wasn't sure who.

Who ever it was, he was thankful to him for taking care of her all this while.


The helicopter closed in on the garrison at King's bridge. Landing on the helipad provided to it. Daisy waited eagerly at the edge of the pad for the doors to open.

When it did, Riley and Ajay came out of the helicopter. While the helicopter lift off towards the direction of Noore's hospital over the mountains.

Daisy ran over to embrace Riley. Checking his body for cuts or scratches like he was her child.

"I'm fine, Daisy!"

"Ok. I was just checking. Where- where are the rest?"

"They're in need of immediate medical attention, Kamran brought them to the only hospital. So they should be alright."

"(Sigh) Thank god….. Thank you."

"Your welcome, but I did this for Hurk. And before you ask he's alright. They'll probably see him in the next ward or something."

A convoy of Army armored vehicles came through and parked at the roadside.

"Looks like your ride is here."

"You're not coming with us?" Daisy asked in concern as she had only just met him and wanted to share so much.

"The job, Duke of Lakshman is around the clock with no rest. I have a Golden Path to remind who still runs the state."

Ajay smiled to Daisy with familiarity that even Riley wasn't blind to.

"When the time is right, I'll tell you the long story. Until then, rest up. Eat up, drink up and restore that fatigue in you or it'll forever damage your vitality. There'll be a snowstorm coming so if you were hoping for snow, you got it."

Ajay motioned the convoy guards to come over and escort them to Lakshman.

"Have Maya make the accommodations for them." He told the guards before turning towards the Defecting Golden Path members and their leader Loken Kaji.

"The snow storm hits tomorrow so you'll have by morning to get your families and belongings to King's Bridge. If you can't bring them by that time then head to Baghadur instead. I'll arrange for the same thing for you there. Assuming all of you are in the 13th Scouting group as you say you are make sure you have your papers with you to identify yourself or the Tigers and Royal Army will shoot you on sight. Until we meet again, I wish you the best of luck in convincing them to come. I've rescheduled a whole lot for you all as we work together in future."

The 13th Scouting group left quickly to retrieve their family members in the villages or at the towns of Tirtha and hurried their way toward the two locations Ajay had set. He wanted to have the army assist but they had their hands tied at the moment securing the logistics would run even during the storm. When the blizzard came, only wolves, hunters and snow guards would roam the heavy snow grounds.

Loken bid him farewell and left to rerieve his family as well leaving just him at the garrison with of course the Royal Guards in garrison.

"It left him thinking about all that happened today and about Mohan's speech."

He thought to himself for a bit and then approached the communication centre at the garrison headquarters.

"Your Grace!"

"Arrange for a Nationwide broadcast here."

"Y-Your Grace?"

"It's time to remind the Kyrat who leads them."


Daisy and Riley were wide-eyed against Ajay's advice to rest for their activities later. They looked curiously around the windows of the armoured vehicle they were in at the massive change in scenery to what they had seen. The vehicle gave a powerful low hum from the engine that told them it was considerably bulky in its armor protection. They felt like VIPs being escorted to a palace. The Malla couple were in another similar armoured vehicle as them following close behind.

"So you know him?" Liza started the conversation.

Daisy looked a little surprise he knew but nodded. Ajay had told her to keep his identity a secret as it would make their lives difficult if they did. And make them prime targets by Pagan to censor by 'any means necessary'.

"Friends?"

Daisy didn't answer.

"Lover?"

A glint in Daisy's eyes gave it away.

"Before or after Grant?"

"Liza!" Before Jason, Liza was in fact infatuated with Grant for reason unknown but Daisy knew.

"I just want to know how much Grant actually meant to you or did he mean anything at all?!"

"Grant meant everything to me!"

"Then what was with that look just now?"

"Why are you being so dense?! What has Grant got to do with this?"

"You definitely knew him and you were definitely more than just friends."

"He was my first love, ok?!" Daisy shouted at Liza who was shocked but expected this kind of reaction. Riley had kept quiet the entire time, it was redundant to intrude in the conversation.

A quietness stalked between them before Daisy opened up but didn't face them.

"It was before Grant, before UCLA. I met him in Brooklyn where I studied Highschool. He was a well-known troublemaker in East Harlem. He wasn't honest with his feelings but that didn't stop him from doing many things."

"So what happened?" Riley got out to asking.

"He went into illegal car theft to pay for his mother's unreasonably expensive hospital fees. It put a strain on our relationship, but we somehow hung on till she died, he blamed himself for her death. Leaving him was the hardest decision I had to make for him understand that he had to move on like I had to. Back then he was different, way different from what he is now. I don't know how to explain it but…. I'm proud of what he's become." Tears fell from her face as she recalled the painful memories of her departure and her rescue at the bridge that matched that time long ago.

Liza and Riley didn't know how to respond to this, their relation was a complicated one. So they stopped probing.

*(Music playing)* The radio turned on.

"A national announcement, would you be interested in listening to it?" Asked the driver.

"Yes please, could you turn it up for us? Thank You." Liza responded and the radio volume turned up.

*A national message to the people of Kyrat from his Grace Badala, Duke of Lakshman.*

"He really is a Duke?" Riley was shocked.

"Shhh!" Daisy told him to quieten down.

*People of Kyrat, this is Badala. Many of you are aware of the stream of events that have taken place over the last three days of this new year. I have only this to say to Golden Path.

Mohan Ghale's return changes nothing.

But many of you cannot help but believe the words he's said over broadcast. There are of course things he's failed to tell everyone. And now as we speak an annual storm rolls in from the West, blanketing Kyrat in a thick wall of snow. Isolating us from the outside world and from most of out family members far away for an entire season.

It's a perfect time to see what Golden Path is capable of when the snow subsides. Whether Mohan Ghale truly makes Golden Path what it truly should be or not. Personally, I thought it was for the masses and not the individual, but alas to each his own. Who am I to judge? Who am I to tell if that is the real Mohan or just a hollow will that crept back from the grave.

Know this, will of Mohan!

When you bear that name, you bear his crime against the crown. His treason against the Monarchy, his rebellion he initiated…

….. and the murder of one-year-old Princess Min.*

A tremor ran through their spines upon hearing this. The driver almost lost control when he heard of such.

*Yes, you had a princess, Kyrat. She would have been a beautiful young woman loved and cherished by all, how I know this is because I know her mother. I could tell you more about her mother but then that wouldn't make his upstart behaviour fun to deal with. Know what drove your king to the brink of madness and silence for twenty long years and why Mohan had been silent all this while, Kyrat.

My grudge is with you, Mohan Ghale. And you'd best be ready for it when the snow stops, because I will cut through your Devas till I find you! No god will save you from me! And I swear I will pour your blood before Lakshmana's shrine.

As for Jason Brody, friend of the Golden Path. Your friends will not be involved in this fight between us. I know your friends mean nothing to you as you are now. But get yourself prepared or you won't live to see them.*

"What's he saying?!" Liza was most frantic. But they all didn't really understand either. What was Ajay saying, what happened to Jason? Daisy made sure it was the first question she asked when he came over. Thoughts lingered to what Liza said regarding his schizophrenic behaviour as she described. Had it worsened to this extent?

*A man that will do almost anything for his ambition! Who associates himself with people like the Asshole Willis Huntley, Solomon Khoo and the recently brought to justice Paul Harmon. Men that had been selling sons and daughter out to the highest bidder into slavery across the globe, all so that the Golden Path can have guns to use and Paul could line his pockets. You want the proof? You have it now!

"-Captured the children and sold them to out country so that Solomon could bring in the guns,… Paul could get extra cash, Sabal could gamble!"*

The voice of the captured Commander of the arms convoy's confession rung out. And after that one another one played, followed with many more.

Ajay was thoroughly painting Golden Path in villainy regardless of the return of their great leader. Ajay closed the recordings, the rest have apparently been a collection gathered by the hard-working Interrogators in Provost and Army G2 for this day.

*He sacrificed his family, his friends and his comrades to further that goal until he was stopped by none other than Ishwari Ghale, the one known then as the Tatun Matara.

Would you entrust your children in his hands now that you know only some of his atrocious actions? Or will you be so fooled by a charming smile and enchanting words? I leave that up to you, people of Kyrat.

From today till tomorrow before the storm sets in. King's Bridge will be open to all who wish to cross it and join the Golden Path in its struggle for whatever it stands for now. You will not be stopped nor will you be arrested. All you need to do is sign your name on the book at the garrison, your reason of departure and we will provide you with the food and clothing necessary for you to survive the Winter.

And I hope….. that we don't meet again in the battlefield.

This is Badala, Duke to his Royal Highness Pagan Min.

Long live the King! And long live the people!*

He placed the microphone back in its stand. The guard that manned the post stood wide eyes as the Duke had made his national speech from his booth. As incredible as it was, Ajay felt satisfied with what he'd done.

Ajay had just delivered a potent counter-attack to the Golden Path

…. And to Mohan's ego.


The convoy had long departed from the sight, all that was left behind were the wrecks of the burnt-up vehicles. The bodies had also been taken with them for burial. All except one.

A lone wide eyed corpse lay upon the road looking up in the starry night with a haunting expression from its displaced head.

Footsteps approached the corpse on the bridge and stared down at the body.

"Just as she said you would be found, dead." Vasu sighed.

He was unimaginably shocked by the mistress's powers of clairvoyance. Dispatching him to collect an unsatisfied corpse of Sabal for her. Nothing would please her more she said to him. He was already struggling to ignore the powerful aura that threatened to seduce his soul, he wanted to spend as little time near her or he feared he'd fall for her by an incredible influences.

Golden path had an incredibly powerful backer, not like the CIA agent and his organisation or the notorious arms dealer, nor the political influence of Brother Mohan. But the spiritual powers that could bend reality to her will with no sign of fatigue to her. In this modern day and age, it was inconceivable, in the past it was considered under the basis of witchcraft. A rare practition that was already a myth when he first joined the Royal Guards. But even then, the recordings of such instances had always paid a price for power. The mistress readily bestowed this new power that flowed through him like a dam like it was a trivial act. Her powers were definitely beyond that of witchcraft, she probably wasn't even human. He was beginning to think that Mohan had actually died before and something else had taken its place in his body or likeness. But he was as helpless as anything against such a powerful that exists and had already binded Karma with this entity….

"What sort of price did you pay, brother? Was it just you or will it be the whole of Kyrat that pays?"


Author's thoughts:

Ajay killed Sabal, with…..ONE PUNCHHHHHHHHH! (The Hero – Jam Project plays)