Author's Notes:

Exams are finally over, my summer paper i hope i aced it as i prepared greatly for. Back to writing, now is the best time before the actual term begins in March. Been receiving some interesting PMs recently, including requests for fanfics outside of FC4. All taken into consideration, might attempt it in the near future hopefully.


While the view was ever spectacular from the Royal Fortress, Arjun barely had time to admire it as he did in the old days when things were a lot quieter. He begun to miss those days, but he didn't regret all that had happened so far.

(Bump)

Layak dropped another pile of papers on his desk, the eighth one so far. Arjun cried internally, there was so much paper work to sign and check that he wanted to jump off a cliff. What the papers contained were requests for renewal of supplies and equipment, more men, more weapons, and more vehicles.

Layak left the room to gather another stack waiting for him and Ajay who was sitting at a table filling out forms of his own. It was not that he didn't appreciate him coming over to make things easier for him but…..

Seeing him of all people at a desk was a strange sight.

"You've been staring in my direction for quite some time now, Arjun. Did you finish your stack already?" Ajay said without turning his head to face him as he continued on with the papers.

"Ah-.. no. Nothing."

Ajay's equally high stack was regards to a very different grouping. Because of the joint tasks of their work, Ajay was here to counter check with Arjun.

It mainly pertained the production rates of the two out of three arsenals to restock the depleted regiments at Lanka and Delta. There was a plan to upgrade the arsenals to produce not just small-arms cartridges but artillery ordnance, because an army wasn't just comprised of men with guns. He was still technically the CEO of the arsenals regardless of his ranks or title so it fell to him to make the executive decisions of the arsenals. Although the arsenals were state-run, they were still built with his money, Pagan's allowance as a Marquis and Duke were set aside for territory management. But the arsenals were funded by his treasure hunts, among many of his personal expeditions into the mountains to retrieve an ostrich egg sized ruby was already a multi-million dollar find. The conflict diamonds that came from Longinus's homeland which was used as his payment were almost depleted within Pagan's vaults. Although Longinus always gave more than the actual diamonds worth, he wouldn't be here forever. He still had a personal mission to his conscience.

Even so, the treasures weren't enough to fund overall developments. Not forgetting the needs of the Tigers as well. He didn't need to fulfil any paperwork for the Royal Guards. That was managed by the superior accounting of Maya who herself was part of that army. Not that she was in a smiling mood either, she sent him a text about how Yuma was nowhere in sight and the Royal Guard commanders were demanding her to fulfil their logistical needs, probably fooling around with Pagan as of late. It was a strange thing to see them so close, not when he experienced her wrath in Durgesh and the KEO mines last time.

Ajay also had the responsibility of resupplying Unit 58, he thanked heaven that the town of Lakshman did not need his intervention with the council of ten there to micro-manage. He did receive some positive news from them.

Like how the population grew from twenty thousand to fifty thousand in a matter of three months. The steel milling, lumber camp and craftsman industry experienced a boom, with a demand in raw materials and a competent workforce things were allowed to move on its own. The PDF program allowed the literacy rate to go up by eleven percent which was fantastic, High Command was suggesting to have the militia serve tours as garrison forces in Lanka which Ajay wasn't so inclined to allow given the current situation with the Golden Path. Although, High Command had a different idea of how the war was going. Ajay was still convinced it was far from over, just because they failed miserably doesn't they won't try again, what have they been doing all this time other than proving that Golden Path would not fall so easily and had some fight left in it.

The last thing he needed was another interloper of the civil war currently in progress, Willis, Lynch and the PMCs were enough.

That being said, the Council had suggested he begin introducing a tax system to limit the migration into the town as it was affecting the populated age disparities in other towns and villages when the young left to find a better life at his town. The town might soon experience an overpopulation with was neither good for the growth of the town and could potentially form slums. Elina had already drafted up a plan for him, he'd left much to her over time and she was becoming the unofficial mayor of the town aside from her duties at the Arsenal. Maya's tutoring lessons really shaped her up in the art of bureaucracy, perhaps he should bestow that title on her for formalities sake.

He was getting worried that he was taking her time of raising her daughter whom no longer had a father around. But Elina told him not to worry as Alisa was doing fine in the care of her grandparents, Bibek and his wife. To think that old man that could barely walk without the aid of the stick was a legendary general that tutored Major Sen and Darshan showed Ajay he couldn't judge a book by its cover. He could recall the strokes that Major Sen and the other two used on him, it was both beautiful in form and lethal at close range. That formation they took multiplied their individual prowess several times by eliminating Ajay's time to react with repeated but constant attacks that were non-stop. Even in his state of anger he was almost helpless to them had it not been for the narrowness of the labyrinth that restricted their movement. To think that Darshan had bested all of them at the same time, did that mean that neither he was natural as Ajay thought him to be.

Although, something really bugged him about their forms when he engaged them before his indulgence of rage. It was as if the stances they took and the forms themselves had some gaps in their technique, like it was incomplete.

"Some times you scare me." Arjun initialled a topic which wasn't very pleasant to begin with.

"How so?" But Ajay encouraged it.

"Does everything with you need to be so overbearing?"

"Overbearing? Like what?" Ajay said with an expression of innocence.

"Wha-…. Like when you tore Deva Bhishma in front of the Golden Path."

"I did that to scare'em of-."

"You scared not just the enemy but your own troops! It's become the rumor that even G2 and propaganda can't kill! But that's not all!"

"…."

Ajay sat and listened quietly. He guessed this was just Arjun blowing steam for him going AWOL of that wilderness training camp.

"When the dignitaries came-."

"Which ones?" He knew which ones but played ignorant.

"The Russians!"

"Yeah, go on."

"I mean, sure. They went way too far with the deal they offered by charging us more than agreed but it didn't mean you had to walk out on them like that."

"So would you have preferred we accept that time? After insulting the integrity of the armed force? We're a customer, not their vassals."

"Wh- no! I-."

"Arjun, not everyone is as earnest and honest as you for someone at your rank. Human greed is an ever-present thing and they had the pride of a nation to uphold. And so do we. Besides, we got the deal in the end at the price we asked and a few bonuses, right?"

He was referring to the arms deal between the Russians and them to procure some serious hardware that was critical to the S-program and upgrading the equipment they had at hand over three months ago. It was such a long time ago, yet Arjun couldn't stop worrying about it. Because Ajay stepped on the paws of the Russian bear.

Thanks to Arjun's contacts in New Delhi with their department of defense they were able to get hooked up with the charming fellows from Moscow.

They sent two representatives to discuss the talks, from the moment they stepped out of the Antonov plane to be greeted with hospitality by Layak and the liasons all the way back to the royal fortress they returned it with indifference. When they sat in the conference room when Arjun spoke of their needs in the arms procurement and how it would benefit them both through the resource channels Kyrat could offer, they had not even bothered to pay attention to him. It was rare that Arjun had spent such time to do the presentation and yet they returned his inquiry with a cold shoulder.

Yet, their attitude was to be expected, Kyrat was a small place in the Himalayas that wasn't even recognised by UN. They were under the impression that if they came to them, Arjun and Ajay were so desperate to turn to Moscow for military procurements.

So Ajay responded with asking Layak to call for the Palace Guards to deport them back to the airport. Least to say it wasn't just Arjun that was shocked but the dignitaries themselves. The rest of the Staff officers who had quietly been watching cheered internally at the display of force Ajay showed them. Where the Rhino yielded for the sake of the countries interest, the demon did not.

The dignitaries were stunned by his order and begun to feel that Arjun was not the highest authority they had been allowed to meet but Ajay. Ajay didn't stop there as he indicated their lack of etiquette and to pay compliments to both Arjun for his rank and Ajay for his Title. Reprimanding them for coming here with the sloppiest of interests.

"If you weren't interested to begin with then leave, you've wasted not just your time but ours! I will remember this 'grace' you've presented us, comrades!" He said in the most hostile way possible. The Russian dignitaries were shaken by his…. Overbearing attitude that they realised their shame in their conduct. Of course, Arjun played the good guy and stood between Ajay and the Russians. When he introduced Ajay to them they let out cold sweat, because Ajay wasn't just a young officer they thought him to be but the second most powerful authority of Kyrat.

They made a few phone calls back home and said they were no longer adequate for the agreement and someone else was coming over who was more capable of handling the deal now. The following day, they returned home and a call from SADEC's early warning and air control that a jet and two fighter escorts were requesting permission to land. Arjun gave the all clear and personally went to Met Teh Airport this time to ease the VIP that was coming in place of the two former dignitaries.

Arjun came back to the Royal Fortress with ten men, four of which were Generals while the rest were members of their foreign affairs and one of them was rather familiar to Ajay as he'd seen him of TV a few years ago.

Dmitry- something, he couldn't remember his name either way so he stuck with calling him by his appointment.

He insisted on being called 'the associate' for transparency sake, though it was hardly open but he figured their caution was for the sake of eavesdropping satellites by their superpower rivals. Russia had no business in the Himalayas and that was how they wanted the official story to remain.

The man apologized for the poor conduct of his associates and had come to personally ensure the deal between Kyrat and Russia go ahead. Ajay responded with "let's make this ancient history then, shall we?", Though it hardly showed on his face, Dmitry was pleased. While he was a lot more accommodative than the previous two, it was evident they never lowered their heads lower than they needed to, nor apologize incessantly. Dmitry told him it was "Russian Poker Face" that the two dignitaries had been behaving, seeming to forget it wasn't Russia nor their more understanding allies but a completely different cultural backdrop. Kyrat was technically South Asia. Of course, it was an excuse but Ajay feint ignorance to let bygones be bygones. His counterpart could see that and took note of it. As for the informal reason they didn't take Arjun seriously before was due to a saying in Russia, to "laugh for no reason is a sign of stupidity." Ajay wasn't sure about the validity of that reasoning but it was a sharp contrast to their Asian cultural habits and wouldn't be surprised that they saw it as idiocy on Arjun's end. When Arjun heard of this, he wore a sullen face for a whole week.

The deal went through and was signed after Arjun's presentation on what was their situation and what we needed to procure from them and they returned to the Airport after bottles of champagne. As they boarded the jet Ajay tossed Dmitry a coin-size block of aluminium.

Without Ajay explaining or Dmitry responding, he knew what it meant. Like when Israel was in dire need of Titanium, they had a high demand for Aluminium that Ajay had a net estimate of $300 billion under the mountain ready to mine. He was inciting their interest in Kyrat which he hoped would interfere with the United states interests. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

"Things turned out fine." Ajay repeated.

"It did not! You brought a superpower into this powerplay!"

"No. I played one superpower against another." Arjun froze as he suddenly hit a revelation of what Ajay said with a worriless smile.

"Y-…. You don't mean you-."

Arjun fell further into shivers at the thought. Ajay had solidified an arms deal into a potential trade agreement with them. But behind the charade, it was also a deterent against the CIA and in turn the US government should they get involved. He had placed Russias trade of import and export interests in Kyrat that would place significant changes in their economic situation to revitalize their economic status from the old crumbled Soviet Union. Dmitry knew he was being played but at least he got something out of it. On the outer appearance, all of the nations were friends and partners but underneath they were just militarizing and improving their conditions for a potential global destabilization. The conflicts that erupted around the world were not only instigated by the people of the respective countries bridled with Civil war but third parties. These hotspots were testing grounds for new concept tactics and weapons that outsiders lent or fielded on a side to show its full potential.

Or it was simply war profiteering. When someone was fighting, there was a constant demand for supplies, weapons and their respective munitions. Like Kyrat. In a sense, they were profiting from Kyrat's unrest. It was all a matter of perspective, Ajay could see this clearly because he had a deep understanding of human nature, especially the wicked aspect.

"After all the shit that's gone down, I'm surprise Lynch didn't just fess up to his spook big wigs to make it public and clamp down on us with a UN embargo, perhaps even send 'liberation' force. Still, it gave us time to work that out."

It was a concern that Arjun long worried about, that when the US involvement in Kyrat became public, they would start by declaring them as a de facto nation that committed numerous counts of atrocities which you could literally find evidence everywhere. What would happen next would be their support of existing resistance movements. I.e. the Golden Path with a larger supply runs and airlifts to help overthrow the monarchy. Then there would be raining tomahawk cruise missiles and precision bombing strikes bombarding all of their military bases. Ajay had seen what they did in Libya and it was a potential outcome for Kyrat if they didn't get behind a permanent member of the UN security council who could veto the US attempts to sell them out as baddies. There were five member nations that could do that, France, USA, Russia, China and United kingdom. Since Arjun chose India to hold their alliance with instead of China who was also a permanent member, Ajay had to find some way of getting the other three to stand by them.

Russia was the closest permanent member after all.

"You!- you had this all planned out?!" Arjun said with a shaking finger pointed at Ajay.

"Is that all you have to say? How bout a round of applause of this wonderful Duke?" Ajay applauded himself with a grin.

Arjun was speechless. Time and time again, Ajay shook him and sent his dear fragile heart sinking everytime he did something so unimaginably crafty, this one was the most brilliant one yet and the most frightening. It was clear he outmatched Arjun himself in every way and that of the Golden Path. To think so far ahead of Arjun's own ideal to modernize the Armed force.

Ajay knew himself, he wasn't as smart as Arjun thought he was. Yet strangely, everything presented itself neatly before him and he could see patterns of events before they took place like he knew their reactions and behaviors beforehand. Could he have become more intelligent with this curse of his? Ajay laughed at the thought, if that were the case, was he truly Ajay Ghale to begin with?

"You're a monster…" Arjun mouthed out those words and realized he actually said it out loud much to his terror and regret.

But Ajay's response, though equally surprised by Arjun's declaration gave him something of a response that Arjun couldn't comprehend even during the quite years ahead.

Ajay smiled to him and said. "I'm glad you're one of the few that still talks to me like I'm not. Hopefully, when this war ends…. I'll be the last."


For a full week, there were minor battles taking place between the Golden Path who were spread dangerously thin because of the previous strategy to divide and conquer all of the Southern regions. Their opponent was the Royal Guard regiments, fully equipped and ferried by the mechanised units and a whole fleet of Blackhawk helicopters on standby to the locations that required their presence.

The Golden Path gave up their pursuit of Baghadur, Hubris, Shanath and Naccarapur. When they returned to the safety of their territory they had found their most critical weapons cache in flames, Solomon missing, and the sleeping saints statues desecrated. Only one person- ney, one monster dared to defy the sacred presence of Kyra and Banashur. He had after all razed Holy Jalendu to the ground to make a point that the era of religious driven culture was coming to an end. Without Jalendu's holy relics to coronate another Tarun Matara, the Golden Path saw no other option in rallying the people.

The Royal Guard Regiments didn't stop there with their assault apparently. They drove a spearhead through what was once the Kyra tea factory and plantation, isolating the Golden Path base at Tirtha from Banapur and the recruitment camp. Some of the deserting members sought refuge in Chal Jama Monastery, only to be dragged out and executed by the provost.

Outside Banapur, along the entire stretch of paddy fields were field tents and men and women attending to the many injured from the expeditions. So far things had cooled down with the situation secured around the valley which Banapur was centred in. They wouldn't be attacked by the Royal Guard here where defensive presence was high and the guards units were too far to support the front elements. But that did not erase their worries. The cause of their terror was still out there.

From the looks of things, it appeared as if the Golden Path had experienced a major set back. But it was far from over. Mohan's order for a full-scale retreat had in fact saved the entire bulk of the organisation, although loses still dwarfed all other major battles. They still had the ability to bite the Royalists back with their twenty thousand.

The question was, what would the Golden Path do to get out of this mess? Mohan sat with the Devas in front of his benefactor. Whom, for a whole week had not moved from the stop which she mediated and healed evident wounds. When Mohan first saw these, he was shocked scared. What sort of power could possibly harm the mistress could very well kill them without so much as a flick of a wrist. Vel sat beside her mistress in using her violet threads to wove out stitches that binded her wounds, injuries that should have heal given her powers and identity.

"Bring forth, Vasu Sen." She spoke her first words after that long period of licking her wounds. Mohan nodded to Bhaskar the keeper who remained as he went to fetch Vasu. He had to drag him over as the former grieved the loss of Bhishma to the extent that his eyes were ever lifeless. Sanjeev was in the frontlines maintaining the situation so could not console him.

Vasu was brought before her with the same inactivity.

"…"

She brought out an old mirror and breathed onto it. Then held it out to show him. Within the mirrors reflection was a memory of her previous engagement with that terrible man.

"When was it you first encountered this man."

She had her suspicions but she wanted him to confirm it. Mohan stared wide eyed to see an actual unprotected and unexalted human being fight an entity like her to the point that she was pushed almost till the point of being wiped from the earth.

She didn't rush him as he slowly recovered from his stupor for a while and looked at the mirror. He blinked several times before coming into a conclusion of the matter of who that was he was looking at.

"Darshan?..."

"What?!" Mohan shouted showing the first time to them how surprised he actually was.

"Unbelievable, to think that man has become this powerful.." Bhaskar the keeper lamented whilst shaking his head solemnly. While he was not a Deva but a scribe, he possessed long forgotten knowledge that was no longer stored within books. It included his understanding of ancient writings.

Mohan had long dismissed Darshan as a young adversary of the aging Devas but never actually believed him to be the threat they often proclaimed, not even when Bhaskar told him given his and their current status of power.

"The last of the Demon Banishers, yet stronger than even ten patriarchs combined. A generation of his own. An adamant will behind his spells is what constitutes such potency in his abilities and talent as an exorcist and demon hunter."

While she outlay the true threat to their grand design she also complimented him. Of all the people she'd met, he was by far the most unexpected and genuinely interesting of characters.

They remained silent towards the discover, until-

"Mistress…." Vasu mouthed something as his consciousness returned slightly.

"If I were to give you my all, will I have the strength to defeat Badala?"

"Wha-…" Mohan was astonished by Vasu's display, he'd caught whiff of him voicing out a few times about his adverse against the mistresses blessings. The witch was equally silent.

"…." But she understood the pain it was causing him, a part of his soul was corroded in hatred.

"Isn't the powers I've given you, one that you can call your own enough?"

"… It was more than anything any person could ask for, to be near-infallible in combat. To survive where others would perish a thousand times over. Yet-…"

Why weren't they able to deal with one demon?

"Why did we lose to Badala?... Why did he toy with us to the point that Bhishma fell into his grasp-… helpless?!"

Despite their immortal bodies, their comprehension of martial arts, and the fact that they were three men. Badala seemed unbeatable.

"Your inability to comprehend does not phase me."

It was this sentence that Vasu looked up with a disbelief in his eyes. And anger.

"You knew?..."

He got up from the floor and walked forwards to the dais.

"You knew he was that strong and yet you-…" before he reached the edge, Mohan had already stepped in front to block him. Vel was at the edge with her threads waving about, ready to decapitate him if he took another step.

"I had such hopes for you and your brothers to handle that matter on your own, I had even bestowed you with power that does not come freely in this realm. Your inability to fight on par with him and constantly underestimate him? Is no fault of mine, Vasu Sen." She said coldly.

Vasu bit his lip, it was just as she said. In fact, it had nothing to do with her. She was merely supporting them for her own agenda and not for their cause.

Vasu fell on his knees.

"If I were to give you my soul, my loyalty and my devotion. Would you not look on it as a selfish request from your devotee?"

Cold eyes gazed upon the kneeling Vasu, an opportunity to gain a powerful hand had come about. Vasu remained where he was until he received an answer, he wouldn't do anything but wait for one.

"When I call for you, you will appear."

"Yes."

"When I ask you to kill, you will dispatch."

"Yes."

"When I want you to die, you will take your own life."

"….I'd gladly take it!" He declared in his bitterness.

Mohan watched this take place silently, the oath of binding that locked their fates together. If she fell, he'd fall. So was the destiny to serve her. Mohan recalled when she had asked him to do the same after reviving him at a price, for further power. But he refused, of all the things he could give, his soul was his and his alone. That was why he would never become like Vel or like Vasu now.

"Leave us in peace. In the meantime, you should greet your acquiantances outside."

Mohan left the place to the as he helped Bhaskar out of the hovel. Vel remained behind as she always would.

As the doors shut, Vasu remained where he was kneeling. A delicate hand reached out from the cloak to touch his face. He could feel the coldness radiating from it with a strange sensation of warmth amidst the chill, something he couldn't make sense of.

"Your devotion to your brothers is an admirable trait, Vasu Sen. However…."

Her caressing hand retracted and she used her fingernail to slide across cut her finger to let blood trickle out. The hand placed itself on his forehead where the Ajna Chakra was and drew a symbol of a hex upon it.

"From this moment on, that devotion will be for me…. and me alone."


Outside Mohan returned to with Bhaskar helped up by him. As usual, the members of the Golden Path and the villagers paid their respects as the passed him.

It was only a few minutes since he left that he noticed a huge commotion at the Cliffside road into Banapur where the mountainous border lay to some of Kyrat's equally least known neighbours to the outside world.

Men and women rushed towards the road with estatic faces, as if their hope had been restored some how.

-Old acquiantances…..- The words that his mistress left him, they could only refer to a few he genuinely called friends. And what others called heroes.

"So they've come at last." Mohan helped Bhaskar in a slow but steady manner towards the mountain trail.

There were shouts of joy and relief amidst the crowd which made Mohan wonder what the fuss was all about. Not even when the captured Devas return did the reception get this big. There were still recovering fighters limping towards the entrance to greet them.

Them, likely being the last two that vanished off into thin air when he was reported to have been killed. Dr Ved Sawal and Swara Lamsal. When they saw him, the crowd parted way respectfully for him to see them.

"Mohan…." A gentle woman's voice called out to him from an aged but still beautiful woman.

"Sister. It's been too long."

"I don't believe it! It really is you!" A hand grasped him from his shoulders and bear hugged him. His frame as big as ever, Ved Sawal.

Then, he released his hug and studied Mohan's appearance with a tingle disbelief.

"You haven't aged a day."

"Lots has happened since then. Now, the situation is even more dire since I came back. Regardless, welcome back to Kyrat. And welcome home." He said with a meaningful smile.

(Cough) "Great teacher, the general reports that three-quarters of the staging force are ready at the borders awaiting your orders." A uniformed soldier informed Lamsal in a respectful way that like the Golden Path did to Mohan their leader.

"Thank you, please tell him I've established contact with the founder. And have the advance party assemble, I will let them see him in a minute."

"Cultural justice for the shining way!" The officer saluted and went away with a previously unseen uniformed group behind Swara and Ved.

Mohan took a peek to see there was more than them that came here.

"You both have been busy."

Swara chuckled as Ved let out a hearty laugh.

"Where is dear Vasu?" The woman asked him consciously.

"A little busy at the moment. But you'll get to see him soon, lets find somewhere we can talk about the things that have transpired, shall we?"

"Agreed, but first. We have a few followers in this expedition that we would like you to meet. They've been dying to lay their eyes upon the founder of the Golden Path and Shining Way movement." They took him aside to return to the direction whence they came.

"Shining Way?" Mohan asked as he followed them towards the edge of a cliff that looked down a valley that led in the direction of the neighbouring country of Yinke.

"If the Golden Path were to truly perish then at least it would have itself a spiritual successor. That is what the Shining Way is all about, and why we left Kyrat in search of new grounds. In a sense, you are its spiritual leader. The Great Mohan Ghale." Swara said as she waved him to stand and have a look down the valley. Normally if it were anyone else he wouldn't do that but they were the few exceptions.

He lay eyes on what awaited him down below with the utmost pleasant surprise. "Is that-..?"

Ved smiled. "And they're is yours to command."

As his body became visible to the thousands below, a crisp sound of foot stamping at the ready resounded.

"""We greet the founding father with our utmost respect!""" Shouted the many thousand soldiers that were evenly dressed in grey fatigues with blue outline collars and buttons, flanked by vehicles and horse drawn carriages of mobile artillery. Giving a rather grand look to the army that Swara and Ved brought with them through the mountains on a secret path. But it wasn't just an army they brought.

….. But the backing of an entire nation.


Arjun waited by the roof of the control tower of Meh Teh Airport deep in thought about what Ajay's true agenda really was. Even though the later was leaning on the wall just next to him.

As a change of pace from working non-stop on the reports and executive orders to pass, they agreed to pick up Saraswati and Bipin at the airport. Arjun was sceptical of whether Ajay truly meant to see his daughter or was it just for the young Kadayat. Bipin was still by King Min's appointment, Ajay's attendant.

Though Ajay didn't reply to that thought, it was for both of them. They were both his friends after all. Although he wouldn't lie to say he felt some sort of longing to see Saras again. Not long after arriving a few minutes before the scheduled landing, a C-100 civilian version of the military C-130 that was a newly purchased cargo and passenger plane for Kyrati Airlines landed. While the airport runway had a drop of about 400 metres for the airplane to pick up speed to sustain flight. The runway itself was only five hundred metres long which was only enough for certain Short landing and take off capable aircraft to land and fly. Traditionally, because it only supported Cessna-styled planes to carry four passengers or a few crates of heroin and opium to a destination. The biggest plane they had was a fleet of old Douglas DC-3s for long munition and drug runs in the past most of them got shot down by heavy machine gun surprises as they flew low on the nape of the earth. Courtesy of the Golden Path.

But it was all about to change soon.

There were already some improvements done to the airport facilities aside from the defensive perimeter built for the airport garrison months ago. The control tower was upgraded with a modern AESA radar and surveillance equipment supplied by Israel which they were ever generous for giving to show their interest in the rare-earth metals Kyrat could offer. There were larger hangars to house the large C-100 size aircraft, extended runways and a SAM site to shoot down any unwanted visitors or runners that attempted to nick a plane and leave. Thought it was least likely the one of a few other Anti-Air Missile and Gun Batteries stationed about Kyrat that would do the deed. And lastly, there was a proper Duty-Free finally! Though these were only the beginning.

The plane came to a stop near the departure and arrival building which Ajay and Arjun were waiting from the roof from.

"I'm sorry for what I said back there….. I-."

"It's fine, Arjun. I know you didn't mean it. Instead, aren't you happy your daughter is back safe and sound?"

"… (Sigh)." It was as Ajay said, there was no point in hangin with negative thoughts.

"Still, I thought the elder sister would come to see the young officer, not you." Arjun said.

"Oh, Maya? She wished she could, but unfortunately Yuma had left the entire bulk of the Royal Guard in her delicate hands for over a week with no sign of the reports ending. We were lucky on our end, Arjun." He patted the general on the back and made his way down to greet the returning Officers.

They walked side by side slowly towards the guarded fence which hthey had no problem getting through with either Arjun's rank or Ajay's known identity. The large cargo plane made into a large passenger craft. Awaiting the loading ramp to lower down with anticipation, they caught sight of Saras and Bipin the instant they caught sight of them too.

""Oh-.."" It seem they were also raring to see the rest.

They waited for the ramp to fully lower before stepping off. Without further instruction the two went to greet their respective charges. Arjun to his daughter and Ajay to Bipin.

Arjun wore a smile as he stretched his hands out for an embrace as he was expecting, but the person who he intended to receive it from went quickly pass him in Bipin and Ajay's direction.

Ajay and Bipin were oblivious to this as their focus was with eachother.

"Nice to see you aga-AAn!?" Ajay tried to rebalance himself from the sudden weight applied to his left shoulder and body that came at high speeds. That weight came from the person that had been dying to see him again since her departure for Maharashtra. That person pressed her checks against his face.

"I missed you too." Ajay said thoughtfully.

"Ahem!" Arjun cleared his throat to the closeness she was presenting in front of him and the absence of a greeting to her own father.

"It's been a while, Father. Did you make things difficult for mother while I was gone?"

There were a ton of things Arjun wanted to say to her and reprimand her about, but it all washed away with the mention of Manisha. Cold swear ran down his spine as he tugged his collar to let it cool off.

"Your grace. Congratulations on your new title." Bipin said in regards to Ajay's.

"Oh come on! Not you too!" Ajay grumbled and sighed at Bipin becoming formal. Saras hid her chuckling behind a hand as she'd witness him morph from simple trooper into an officer of the Kyrat Royal Guards. He intended to be the most exemplimary officer in his own calibre as a show of gratitude for all that Queen Min and his sister had shown to him over the years.

"Your sis would be proud of you. I'm proud of you too." Ajay tuggled him in for a group hug. It was as Saras had foreseen back in India, she couldn't hold back her laughter much to Bipin's grief and Ajay's lack of understanding.

"Aren't you going to show us what's changed since we've gone?"

"Maybe tomorrow, you just came back from a series of train rides and flights for a few days. It must've been tiring. Your father and me have been at the desks for days and we need a break as well. In the morning, I'll be more than happy to show you Lanka."

"Lanka…. So you really had it built." She knew the costs that would incur in building such a grand design that was why she never seriously proposed it to the Crown or High Command. But with Ajay and her father's persuasion, it came into effect. And had been instrumental in deterring the numerical Golden Path forces. It's concept was more than proven sound and worth the upkeep for maintaining law and stability.

Ajay took the led as they made their way towards the staff SUV where Layak awaited to chauffeur the four of them and their luggage.

"If you saw the forces that struck marched up to King's Bridge and run after taking serious losses you'd be amazed." Arjun commended his daughter. Saras smiled in response, it was ever so rare that he would do so as her performance was always superb.

The mood was good for all of them. Ajay enjoyed the brief time he had that didn't involve conflict or another upstart attempt on the Golden Paths end. His 'intern' gave him a wonderful presentation of prowess. While none of them knew about Sabal's changed status, he was still able to threaten Sabal with what he had. After Maya had told him the story he had no choice but to indulge her in his end as well.

Arjun was glad to have his daughter back and the progress report that everything was fine in India where over three hundred officers were stationed to study the art of warfare from their staff college and academies.

Bipin was relieved to see that Ajay was well and his sister in equally good health. It was after all his responsibility to watch out for Ajay.

And Saras, was finally back where she belonged. Two months of lonely nights, she'd make him repay every day of tiresome and stressful days working. Compensated through-.

"Halt!" A commotion occurred back at where the plane had shut its engine.

"Stop right there!" Two guards yelled at a running man heading their way.

"(Huff) (Huff) Wait! I'm-." The man didn't have time to justify his stowaway in the cargo plane that Bipin and Saras was on.

"Get on the floor, asshole!" The guards, now five surrounded him as he reached the fence that separated Ajay from them. Cocking their rifles and apprehending him with pushes and tugs to inspect his body for explosive substances.

Bipin and Saras stared in shock.

"No way!" Bipin said half serious and half in mockery. Saras, who had initially been in the best of moods face turned sullen at the sight.

"Oh my god….. Let's get out of here, quick!" She turned and pulled Ajay urgently. Ajay had never seen her this way, towards a person that is. So he was naturally curious though she pulled him away, Bipin understood and walked with them.

"Aghhh!- Wait! Beloved! I came all the way here for youuuu!..."


Author's Notes:

In case many are still oblivious or have played FC4 but not noticed the in-game notes. Kyrat isn't the only fictional country in that area. At a particular shrine, there is a note which states that Kyrat is surround by other less known countries. The countries are:

South – Papir Republic

East – Yinke

West – Kumsa

Whom I will involve for expanse of area and universe.

The name Yinke which the two Devas resided for 16 years if I'm not mistake could be the Chinese words 穎客 yin ke, which is kind of like a travelling scholar. Explanation? A maoist communist presence in that area. Like Peru's Shining Path movement during the civil unrest which the Golden Path was based off in reality and what inspired the Nepali Maoist rebels to take power. Scholar, depicts a high literacy rate and use of poetry to influence culture and learning.

Therefore, Ladies and Gentlemen! I present to you Havok's fanfic within fiction. The People's Democratic of Yinke. Supported by China? Mmmm…

Havok: "Ney! Through the quotations from Chairman Ghale (Mohan) we prosper!" (Parodying Mao Zedong)