Author's Notes:

For this weeks. I'm guilty for doing this during my breaks between exams. So sue me if I cock up somewhere.


*This is Golden Path Akaash Monastery fortress command. Thank Kyra. Its good to hear from you again brother. We feared the worst when you covered the retreat from Kyrat.*

"Thank you, sister. We're fine, we took no serious loss and have been encamped a little to the East. We picked up some comms chatter and thought them the snow guards." The Commander replied.

*Where have you been all this while, brother?*

"Hiding, dear sister. In the mountains due East, it's been tough but assuring to hear your voices and that the cause is not lost." He replied excitedly.

*Brother-….. We have some important news for you all….. its-…..*

"Yes?"

*Yinke had been invaded by the demon and has lost to Kyrat.*

A welling pain nudged against his skull as fragments of memories began to resurface in his head, it felt important and yet worth nothing in his current state.

"But you're with us, and so is the Founding father. We'll return when the time calls upon us." He replied back in an optimistic tone.

*Yes! I'm sorry to have laid the bad news to you this way. However, our ranks have increased since then. Your brothers at home have joined us not as Shining Way but as a member of Golden Path. As will you if you return to us, brothers.*

"We look forward to it."

*Great! Head to point 2614 on your map, and follow the light stick strobes. They should lead you directly into the monastery without problem. Again, its good to hear from you again, Commander Namdak. Havildar Thakul, out.*

"It's good to hear from you as well." He said, but by that time the comms had grown quiet.

The man named Namdak walked down from the cliffside overlooking the valley area. And down below, was unmistakably the uninhabited monastery turn-Golden Path base. Lights flickering in the evening light from the tents that were laid out to shelter much of the Golden Path forces.

They, so weak to the cold they required refuge to wait out the storm and night. Just as he'd once been before, when his eyes had yet to open to the truth of the mountains. When he and his brothers had been made aware of the path to salvation. It certainly did not lie with the way of Golden Path, those weaklings. Neither did it come from that false messiah that ran their banner, Mohan. But Namdak did not despair, because they too could experience the joy as they had. In death.

"Preparations for the raid have been completed, we await your commands." A savage looking man cladded in animal hides over the defiled uniform of the Yinkian Army reported with much zeal in his tone.

Namdak poked his head around to see the forces that where with him, his brothers and others that they'd forcefully help "enlighten" to their ways.

He walked down to meet the anxious pack of hungry wolves he called brothers, they noticed his arrival and stood up with grins wider than their faces.

"The time is now, brothers. Those weary sheep who listen to honeyed words have opened their gates and reached out their arms to us without suspicion."

Many roared satisfaction, others growled like dogs. They could not wait to begin the ceremony that he had preached since they heard the comms chatter here in their mountain abodes. They came and waited patiently, and were rewarded with a magnificent feast for their lord.

"Night has fallen, and the ritual is about to commence. Purify this valley! Tonight, we offer up these lambs as a worthy sacrifice to the lord of darkness!"

"""Yes, Master!"""

"Offerings to Lord Yalung!" Master Namdak shouted raising his handmade ceremonial knife from bone in the air.

"""Blood for the demon god!""" They replied in utmost zeal.

"Purity to the sacred grounds!"

(ROOOOOAAAAARRR) The echo of the accompanying "awakened" shook the mountains.


"They just never quit!" Scowled Brigadier Gopan Kul as he put down the combat telephone to the flak tower emplacement, informing him of a severe shortage in autocannon ammunition.

He'd already left the Command Centre to personally manage the men and to give them assurance he was watching out for them. It was now a matter of troop moral that determined the outcome of the three-way battle that was going between themselves, the Canton-sympathizing rebels….

And the Golden Path.

After almost three months away from their native home, the Golden Path had finally stepped foot in Kyrat once more. Where had they come in from this time? They did not know, because a certain faction decided to cut off all communication with all sectors in the nation wide military channels. In a way, the Cantons had let the enemy in once more unchallenged. When the Rebels saw the Golden Path attack, they were bewilded. And were preyed upon like hungry wolves on yak herds, having attacked them from their exposed flanks.

But because of this, much of the heat on the Lanka garrison had dispersed temporarily to allow them to regroup their forces appropriately. That was not to say that Gopan felt the least bit grateful to the Golden Path who immediately assaulted the bastion of the Western end, whilst the Canton rebels attacked Lanka from the North. Golden Path fought the Cantons and besieged the fortress. The Canton Rebels defended their flank and continued their pressure upon Lanka, albeit with more attention than before.

Whoever took Lanka first would have the initiative over the other.

That was why, the odds weren't favourable to the Lanka garrison at all. Gopan was most worried not for his forces, but for Amita and the Tigers at Baghadur in the direction this vanguard came in from. Phanish estimated about four thousand fighters were in this fight, but where were the rest? Where was Mohan?

"Lone enemy! Ten o clock!"

"It's Golden Path!" Kul turned to the street which the overhead watch informed him of.

"Why are you telling me? React!" Gopan didn't understand why the Company Commander shouted out from a distance this. That was until he saw the soldier fall to a blade impaling his neck, a chill ran through Gopan. The next time he blinked, several soldiers in front of him were on the ground in a bloody mess. It happened again when he blinked several more, until a deadly feeling matured in his heart. Yet, there was something strange. It was a familiar yet unsavoury feeling he had so long ago, when he was but a mere Battalion Commander.

A dangerous and frightening feeling that ebbed its way into his heart when he saw the young man charge through the swarm of soldiers directly towards him with a sadistic grin on his face. It was just like him.

(Clang)

The next moment he blinked, a kukri had just been stopped just an inch from his neck.

"General! Fall back!" Phanish grunted as he heaved the blade away as best him could but the young man's arm remained rock solid like Phanish was pushing against a stone wall.

"Hmph!" He lightly swung and carried Phanish with his blade. His Major flew in the air like he was struck by a truck and slammed the concrete wall.

"Protect the General!" The soldiers didn't need to be told what to do as Gopan had been carried away by the sea of troops while they struck out at the lone fighter. More troops fell at the young man's feet. And then, if things weren't horribly nightmare refreshing, the young man called out to no one but him. And said words that carried an eerie meaning behind it.

"Running again, little soldier?" The young man called out casually as it was ominous to Gopan that he felt his heart being gripped by an unknown force. His eyes widened with disbelief.

Sixteen Years, it was finally back.

"run…" He murmured.

The officer who heard it ignored him and continued to escort him out of the field.

"Run!"

"Sir, you are our priority.-" Gopan pushed the escort aside as he picked up a rifle discarded to the ground.

"Fall back! Fall Back to the second level!" He pointed to the gates of the second tier defense in Bastion Three. Hearing his command, the soldiers left as quickly as they could. But Gopan stayed behind. His adjutants called out to him but he roared back from them to leave that fighter alone.

"Sir!" One officer insisted on staying behind

"Seal all bulkheads, lock and prime the detonation charges! And good luck."

(Baam) The mechanical blastdoor sealed them behind, leaving only Gopan, Phanish whom had been too wounded to get out, and of course the younger man hailing from Golden Path.

"Putting on a brave front for you troupe? Even so, I can still feel that heartbeat quake as it did so long ago."

"We finally meet again, monster." He readied his rifle.

"Come now, its been such a long time since we met again, little soldier. The one that got away."

Gopan couldn't lie to himself, he was scared. Him of all people, a veteran of many wars. A fearless warrior of the crown, was scared of the person standing before him. Because, sixteen years ago had it not been for a certain someone. Gopan would never have seen his family again. He was the survivor of a relatively unknown massacre that had been wiped from the records on Yuma's orders. The victims, were every man from his battalion, the culprit was a monster that wore a human face.

"You know its foolish to resist so reluctantly, just hop into my mouth. And let me devour you!" It grinned mercilessly and too wide for a human being to wear as it made that figurative speech.

"Then, I will help myself to the buffet spread you've locked up inside your failed excuse for a Lanka. By the way, do you still have dreams about that night?"

Gopan steadied himself as he aimed his rifle towards centre mass, the young man did nothing to avoid and instead laughed.

"I've hit a nerve haven't i? Of course you would, you'd wake up every night to hear the screams-… those sweet bloodcurling screams of men that knew no better. Men who you failed."

"Why are you back?"

"There is a changing tide in the realm of man, I've been called upon to take part in an endeavour millenia in the making."

"The hell do you say."

"You probably wouldn't even understand. You're nothing but mere livestock for that false god." It said as it stepped closer.

"Then again, you know that I wasn't human. That's why you ordered a mass retreat… so that the tragedy wouldn't unfold again. Am I wrong?" It said with a satisfactory grin.

Gopan knew his options were limited, he held the pin to a grenade on his combat harness.

"Commiting suicide? I can assure you, it'll take more than that to eradicate me."

"You're here because there is no bigger demon than you here, you're nothing but a cowardly thing." Gopan spat bravely at the person he knew was a genuine monster underneath.

"Oh? And pray tell, why do you come to such a conclusion?" It folded its arms to hear Gopan's explanation as to why he thought it was a coward.

"Conveniently showing when Badala was not her-."

"I'll admit, that one does make us think twice about emerging. But even so, we do not act beyond our princess's all-knowing. That Duke of yours has a special touch with her, so we may not be allowed to reveal ourselves." What it unfolded to him made his head boggle, it was as if it claimed to serve a higher power behind the scenes, and Badala was involved in fighting them.

"But other than him-."

"That's not all." Gopan cut him.

"Don't forget who sealed you away in that rotting old man of a corpse." The young man's face distorted into dissatisfaction in an instant. Recalling that abnormality that had once been the only human to pose a serious threat to him. Now, he was beyond just it. The princess was nearly vanquished by him had it not been for her human puppet.

"Just because you found another skin to wear, doesn't mean Darshan will allow-."

(I dareth thee to speaketh his nameth again!) It let out a voice that had no resemblance to a human being and in an ancient tongue, yet Gopan was able to recognise what it meant.

"As I was saying, a coward. Even now, you're still absolutely terrified of him." Gopan made his point. But now, it was boiling with rage like no other. The mere mention of that name sent its thoughts of hatred wilder than before.

It flayed its blade-like fingernails towards Gopan so quick that he knew that it was the blow that would take his life.

Gopan closed his eyes as a stream of memories passed through him, he had the satisfaction knowing that it had suffered for a long time. That even if he couldn't hurt it physically, his slur had agitated it to an unquenchable blood rage to prove it was otherwise.

-That was for you all, my friends. I can finally join you all. I can finally be wih you again, son.-

His hand tugged the pin to the grenade that hung to his harness.

His body shook as an iron grip grasped his fingers preventing him from pulling the pin free. Yet, it didn't feel like it was the one doing so, since it could crush his hand in an instant.

(Clang)

Gopan opened his eyes to find the most unbelievable thing.

"What-… What on earth!-."

Someone stood between him and that monster, one hand holding a kukri that parried with an outreached hand of the monster, the other was grasping Gopan's hand holding the pin.

The wolf in sheep's clothing grin so widely, it was most estatic to whom had arrived to stop him.

"My my, how your demeanour and aura have changed. Almost didn't recognise you my dear boy, Vasu." It spoke with a honeyed familiarity to said person.


After an intense firefight to secure control over the hangar bays of the Sukhoi fighters, Pravindra and his weapons officer Arun climbed aboard their airframe whilst the technicians hurried to optimise his loadout for total air superiority, air-to-air missiles in three different modes, IR, semi-active and active-radar homing missiles.

Pravindra seriously tapped away at the LED display to calibrate the fighter as quickly as possible and turned a glance back at his co-pilot.

"What?"

"I was a little surprise about those two." To see those two, Miss Dachss and Mr Ferenc kill so efficiently as they took point for the rest of the armed mercenaries to follow. Those accompanying them almost barely engaged the enemy on their own as they advanced in sprinting and firing in an almost synchronized manner. Strange, the French woman clearly didn't like "oddball" Paul, yet it was as if they'd fought by each other's side for years.

"….. You've just not had the ill-fortune of trundling through the fields you've flown over, sheltered brat."

"Ha!" Pravi returned to warming up the engines. Outside, the mercenaries were fighting heavily with the patrolling mutiniers.

"Sir, all munitions loaded!" The specialist reported after confirming with his minions.

"Fuel?"

"Half tank, that'll give you forty minutes of air time!"

"What else does Commander Singh want me to do?" Pravi smirked.

He clearly stated for him to destroy the MiG squadron under twenty, what could he do with a remainder twenty?

"I know what you're thinking, Prav. Just head back to the airbase, the boys and girls here will still have to deal with the rebel forces when they try to take this place back by force."

"Alright." For the first time, Pravi had acknowledged Arun's decision that the latter sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Prav. Yunno the airs gonna be tough, right? Not just professional pilots in light airframes, but the SAM emplacements. We still don't know the full extent of the enemy's control over air defense assets and whether 2nd Squadron can coordinate and mark you."

"We'll know when we get there, won't we?"

"Ah."

Pravi sealed the canopy over head and increased the throttle to bring them onto the tarmac. Outside, the mutiniers were fighting even more vigourously as they saw his Sukhoi leave the hangar with intentions to apprehend air assets that their boss Winnefred sortied earlier.

*Eagle 1-3, this is Heron Actual. Once you're in the skies, head to point 3418. We've just uncovered intel pertaining to the sortie just now. The munitions loaded are thermobaric warheads and bunker-busters. Do you acknowledge, over.* Chief Khalid was the one to brief them on the channel.

Point 3418? Pravi tapped the GLONASS system that revealed the nature of the terrain they were intending to bomb. Pravi saw a structure semi-engraved into the side of a cliff, instantly a mental image visualised. He had been there with Paul and the others over a pint of drinks at the crazy cock bar, and another more memorable time on a date with Saraswati. Although, Arun would call it maligning her into leaving work just so he could spend some time with her. She was of course not impressed but indulged in his selfishness for once as a reward for his masterpiece against the PLAAF in Yinke.

*RPG on the tarmac!* Pravi heard over Chief Khalid's mic.

*Stop him before he damages the runway!* He responded to the armed mercenaries.

Pravindra could see a rocketeer on the far end of the tarmac, loading a rocket to destroy him. But he seem to have forgotten that missiles weren't the only armament on the Sukhoi.

(Brrrrrrrrrrr) If it was too overkill, it was necessary at the moment. As Pravi depressed the trigger to his 30mm cannon, sending tracers flying to the far end of the runway and annihilating the rocketeer whose body dissipated into thin air from the explosive nature of the round.

"I've got it." Pravi affirmed as he readjusted the Sukhoi to the runway lines.

*Fool! You almost hit the runway! Now bugger off before I send someone more competent in your place!* Instead of gratitude, it was harsh remarks from Chief Khalid.

"You really made him pissed now, Prav." Arun commented in an "I told you so" kind of manner despite not telling him. Pravindra just chuckled.

"Lieutenant Kumar, Eagle 1-3! Marshalling the skies!" He said over the comms as he pushed the throttle to maximum to take off.

Su-30MK3 callsign Eagle 1-3 ran across the tarmac and flew off undisturbed.

Commander Singh looked out from the stairwell window leading to the Command and Control tower where Rohan was being held, and where Coriolanus should be.

"Good hunting, my boy….." He murmured a silent blessing to his troublesome ace.

He walked up the steps to where the frontline was being led by Mercenaries Michelle Dachss and Paul Ferenc. Today they have opened his eyes to combat on ground. It almost resembled something of fiction, how they moved and tore through the armed mutiniers like they were nothing. They were demons of the battlefield, and what was Badala like. If he was someone that these two feared and respected with equal measure. A monster among monsters? He had a sudden sickening thought that he was grateful for being in the Air Force. It was a disgusting notion that he quickly denied himself of further. His family was of military background, many fathers, many sons, many uncles, many cousins in generation after generation bled their arteries over the Battlefields of Agra, the Himalayan Sikkim, Singapore, Kashmir. Everywhere the nations' soldiers went, a relative was there fighting or leading the fight. It would be fair to say that he was a blacksheep for enlisting a pilot, but that was his aspiration since young and he had the mighty privilege of joining.

Commander Singh chuckled lightly as a thought occurred to him.

-Now I'll add Kyrat to the battlefields we've ventured thus far.-

(Beep)

"Charge set." Cobra who had joined him in the rescue pressed the last of the plastic explosive charge against the door hinges and gave Paul and Racket a nod. They stood against the wall with their submachine gun and shotgun at the ready for a very up close and personal "conversation".

"Fire in the hole." Paul tapped the explosive plunger and a flash blew the hinges and doorknob off. Paul went first and nudged the unsupported door to fall inward as he scanned the surroundings for hostiles and made reactive shots against targets that were recognisable as unfriendlies.

Two out of the five armed men fell to the floor dead, by the time any of them comprehended what had happened. An explosion of the door took them utterly by surprise as the fight was over at the hangars and runway, not here. But that was what the Commanding officers wanted them to think.

Paul, Cobra and Racket, the pilots who's callsigns were Eagle 1-4 and Eagle 1-5 respectively. Took aim and gunned down the three remaining mutiniers without asking question as they were already raising their guns to counter.

The last of the enemy combatants fell and they were given more time to observe the surroundings. Thankfully, tied to a chair, there sat Kyrati Commander Rohan which they proceeded to untie and ungag.

Michelle looked around the control equipment that had not been blazed by their trigger-happy breaching formation.

Commander Singh came over to check on Rohan.

"Amar…."

"Glad that you're alright, Rohan."

"You need to scramble the jets immediately!" He responded after the bindings were cut.

"Already done, I've sortied one of my boys to take care of the Squadron."

"Only one?!"

"That one's a handful, but he can get them done in himself if they underestimate him." Commander Singh replied confidently. But Rohan's reaction was different.

"You don't understand. They're not just going for only one target." Commander Singh's hairs on his back stood up as he began to understand the graveness of what it meant. Even Pravindra had a limit to how he could combat air formations. If they were heading to more than one place, depending on what the targets are, Pravindra might not be able to get all before they'd fired their munitions.

"Do you know the target sites?"

"Baghadur and Hubris Town, to the West." Commander Singh nearly sighed in relief but was cut when Rohan had yet to finish.

"Vyatha and Chal Jama Monastery."

"What the fuck-. Those aren't military sites!"

"Why?"

"Coriolanus indulged me in some monologue, it was an order by the Cantons. They were intending to raze these central living areas to make an example of those that try to cross them in future." Rohan said with a sullen face.

"Animals!" Michelle roared as she toppled a hardware with a brutal kick.

"Guys, I think we forgot a certain important someone who was supposed to be over here." All of them turned to face Paul as they had the same feeling.

"Where's Winnie?"

Commander Singh had a sudden intuition, without evidence but just a feeling alone.

He looked out the glass window in the direction Pravindra had flown off in. He had either made a terrible mistake of only sending one to apprehend seven, or…..

Winnefred would become a stepping stone to the greatest intuition pilot he'd ever had the privilege of commanding.


A combination of gunning with a fallen Bison submachine gun and knifing with his kukri kept the young man at bay. It would take more than immortal strength to get the advantage of him. And then the young man backed up for a moment with not visible indication of attacking again. Vasu discarded the empty machine gun and pulled out his own sidearm.

"I don't know you." He answered the young man whom showed some recognition to him when he first arrived.

"Oh Vasu boy, didn't I teach you to always look beyond appearance and instead at the person's eyes and heart?"

They began to circle one another, Vasu had his knife raised at an offensive stance.

"You really can't tell? That's a pity, then again you were the biggest fool out of all the Devas despite being the strongest."

"I've never known you my entire life." Vasu affirmed as he lunged forward to sweep his knife at his opponent. But the young man disappeared in a flash and appeared up on the tiled roof of the buildings in front of him.

"You sure say such cruel things, Vasu boy. Have we not spent a good sixteen years locked away in Rajgad Gulag."

-Rajgad Gulag?-

Vasu accessed his memories but he failed to recall anyone that looked like this, there were only men over their thirties that were inside the gulag. Convicts, political anarchists, lunatics and killers.

"When you asked a story about the ye old kingdom that once stood where Kyrat stands now. When you had queries regarding faith in the cause, when you sought guidance in your daily rationale…. Who did you turn to?"

Vasu looked long and hard at the young man as he mentioned instances that were familiar, yet not with the preson he was looking at now. And yet, the young man had a strangely nostalgic feeling coming from him.

"….. Bhaskar-…..ji." The young man chuckled with glee. Impressed that he was able for once to figure out something on his own.

"You are not Bhaskar-ji." He steadied himself once more.

"Come now, Vasu. Although, you are right about it in a sense. I am not that old scribe. But then, you have never actually met old Bhaskar before he became my host." The young man gazed at his hands as he stretched it and played around with his fingers.

"This body, belonged to a Yinkian. Oh you should have seen the look on his face, when he thought he was being exalted by the princess just like everyone else. Salvation turning into despair. I've not savoured anything greater than it since I was forced to occupy that old man's rotting body."

Vasu had made the revelation from this monster's indulgence of monologue.

"Who are you?"

"It does not matter who we are? What matters is our mission to undo this rotting filth the great betrayer placed upon this realm. Any and all that stand in our way will be wiped from existence."

"And are we?"

"… You know that better than anyone, boy."

"Before I kill you, tell me your name." The monster in the puppet laughed as if a might fine joke had been told to him.

"Kill me? AHahahahahhahaha! No one here is even remotely capable of doing so, no one! Here's a little word of advice to you, take it as a gesture of good will for old time sake. Giving someone else your name isn't something so trivial as an introduction, handing in your true name is as good as giving up your everything to that person."

The young man jumped down ten metres without any show of pain from the fall that would have broken his legs.

"But if you were to class me under a category. It could only be one thing." He didn't have a knife with him, but he didn't need it. For the carnage, he wrought just a few metres back filled with corpses of dead soldiers was done solely by hands.

"I am the General of the Four pillars of the once magnificent snow-glazed city of Akaash. I am a entity of myth in your folklore. Faulted by history, told by the victorious wicked oppressing the weak." Every word grew in strength as it made the surroundings tremble with the might of his aura.

"I am an eternally proud being that stands over pitiful mankind, the naïve vanara, and the ever vain Yaksha."

The winds around them began to distort and blow heavily against them. Vasu had always been aware that Mohan's mistress was never human to being with. But who was to say she was alone all this time. Bhaskar-ji had been with him for as long as he could remember in the gulags. Now it was revealed that it was possessing him all that time.

An ancient chanting could be heard from within the winds. Gopan stepped back against the wall, in disbelief with the stories they had churned out in front of him, yet not a single word was untrue. And as the smoke gathered in the powerful winds that blew around them yet did not uproot their footing. Figures began to pop out, but they were not figures of man. As they stood with crocked postures and cladded in white paint over their dark bodies. Masks covered their faces, and held a design strangely similar to that of the Demon. Or rather, his mask had been partly inspired by the horrifying visage that the formers' carried.

"I am-….. We-…. Are Rakshasa."


Arrival in Shanath was without incident. Noore had chanced upon meeting with her former handmaidens, Ajay would have recognised one of them as the topless woman who introduced him to arena fights in the past. But of course, that reality never happened after Shanath Arena was discontinued. It still did not stop people from coming though, there were always alternatives to colosseum battles. So the blood-ridden battlegrounds became host to underground casinos and gambling dens, contraband bazaars for illegal wares, brothels for passing patrons looking to have a little fun in-between work.

It was the new centre of depravity, not that the former status was any better. Pagan had let it grow on its own for a few reasons, partly to his deep understanding backed by experience on the ways of the underworld and organised crime. It was better to let it gather in one place than let it spread all over Kyrat. It was both more manageable to police the population and activities there and on the side, make some bucks. Rules were in place to enforce regulation, but every now and then, there had to be some constant flow of goods and services that weren't common or harmful to the public. Humans weren't perfect, they had needs that would make their relatives' jaws drop if they found out their real character.

Technically, Noore was still the Governor of Shanath so they owed her due respect and royalties as the Marquess of Shanath.

Former handmaiden Agnes led them through the catacombs through the crowds that had occupied the spaces illegally without causing commotion. They settled down in a storage room used as a holding area for the menagerie of wild animals once before.

"Thank you, Agnes."

"It's a pleasure to see Milady well and-…"

"And?"

"Your eyes have a different light to them." She said with a chuckle approaching the door on her way out to give them time to settle in.

Samson and Ricardo did some scouting when they found this spot to assess the available terrain and resources in the event they had to hold out against a raid.

When the 8th Coy had deposited them on dry ground, they left heading for Delta Barracks. Hoping the Commanders from the frontier outposts were more loyal to the crown than to the ambition of the Cantons.

They, the relatives and sworn-brothers of Pagan had no idea what kind of consequence their uprising had to the state of affairs. They weren't entirely aware of the confrontations with powers beyond Golden Path like Shining Way, the Chinese Government, the CIA or Pakistan and the CNS conglomerate. The Kingdom had a whole roster of enemies and rivals that made its suppliers think twice about putting one toe into the Kyrati pool. Russia took the "I'm not involved, but if you want my wares you're free to buy. Ok, friend?" stance. Even if India was slightly more considerate due to their strategic ground available to stave off China's ambitious expanse into the Himalayas. They too had a threshold that they could not jeopardize their global economic prosperity over one-upping the Chinese Central Committee or in worse cases an embargo by the ever-self-serving UN.

Noore rubbed her head, how was she ever going to restore the collareteral that this nation-wide uprising would cause. Her months of work stood to be destroyed at any time. Whatever the stance was with the Canton families when this uprising ended. If she had a choice, she wished they burned at the stake for all to see. And knowing Ajay.

She turned to look at the sleeping beauty of a man lying asleep in a coma she couldn't point when he would awake. But knowing him, if he woke up to see the destruction wrought by the Cantons….. He would make them dig their own graves with their barehands, not just the soldiers but every Canton. Old, young, women and children.

And the Kyratis would cheer him on, Pagan would be no more happy to let him, which was where Kyrat would lead to its downfall. If the rights of the world were driven by pure emotion, then they were no better than the animals that the higher authority of the Cantons acted in. Not every Canton was a power hungry, ruthless and arrogant pig. Noore had her fair share of patients, Canton and Kyrati alike. One time, due to shortage of rooms an old Canton seeking regular medical treatment gave up his ward to a sick Kyrati women and even paid for her fees at his expense. The woman never knew who paid for it nor gave thanks or show of appreciation. So there was always a different side to each coin.

Noore was most concerned whether Ajay was mature and rational in mind to know this, even if he displayed calmness under fire. There were more than a few instances that he let his inherited impulse take over rational thought. Ajay knew that as well, but the question was if he could reign it in, especially in his deteriorating condition of memory loss. It gave her a migraine thinking about it, as well as a tinge of sadness. What would Ajay have left when these wars ended? Would he end up a patient in her hospital in a vegetative state? Would he die not knowing why or who he was before kicking the bucket?

"You damn fool." She whispered.

Footsteps not matching her nurses approached their area in storage.

"We're back." Ricardo announced.

He, Luca and Samson appeared with loads of provisions bought from the bazaar and underground markets.

"Here." Samson passed her what appeared to be an MP5 sub-gun stripped earlier from the Royal Academy instructors turned-assassins' possession.

"For self-protection." He showed her the basic steps on loading, unloading, cocking, selecting fire mode and the famous "HK-slap".

"Can't I count on you lot to protect us?"

"You never know, Ma'am. These catacombs provide plenty of escape opportunities but also numerous instances for them to outflank us, a few might get through and a few is all they need." Noore understood that rationale and accepted the machine gun and bandolier of magazines.

"So what now, do we just wait?"

"I'm surprised, Allegretto. You even agreed to this plan of refuge before guessing what we were doing here." She said with an assured chuckle, making Samson scratch his head awkward.

"The way you phrased it…. Suddenly, I feel a little less confident in myself." He smiled.

"You sure love to tease women, don't you, Allegretto? Make them think you're so vulnerable."

"That thought never occurred in my mind. When did you get that idea of me?" He smirked, trying to trap her in his words.

"Choose a better time to seduce, matusa (old man)." Ricardo completely killed off the mood, making Noore laugh at his cock block moment.

"Brat! Divertente dopo che ti ho aiutato a trovare tra le gambe di Stella. (Getting cocky after I helped you get between Stella's legs)." Noore was not sure what he cussed but it sounded highly offensive and involved Stella.

"You make yourself sound like some sort of love doctor, you're not that qualified. Even if you were a charmer in your day."

"That's ashame, I was looking forward to making you my successor." Samson said undeterred and countered Ricardo's return. Rendering him quiet for a while.

"…. I dunno if I should insult you further or kiss you, magnificent bastard. Well, Noore. You've got a preview of what that old goat can do if you're not careful. And don't be fooled by his earnest look, he's already tasted the Kyrati variety…. Among every other women from our trips." He murmured the last part to himself after warning Noore lightly.

Samson chuckled in defeat. "Well, it was worth a try… in seclusion for god knows how long with a beautiful woman in front of me."

"Nice try, Allegretto." She leaned over to his ear to whisper.

"…. But this fish you cannot catch."

The three of them broke laughter as they chatted on after their little show had enticed a conversation to follow through after. Noore got to learn a little more about them as did her staff members. And so it became a campfire moment for the occupants of the storehouse.

They repeated some parts for the benefit of those that didn't know who they were.

Samson and company were disavowed Italian Paratrooper special forces, drifting from one battlefield after another seeking fortune and the comforts found in conflict afforded only to soldiers. What they didn't mention before that they did now was that on Ricardo and Stella's honeymoon retreat in Florence. Their vacation was cut short by word that the Italian authorities were looking for them on behalf of Interpol. It was likely because of their misadventure at the borders of Serbia and Kosovo. When corrupt authorities were selling them state-arms manufacturing equipment, technically they belonged to the dissolved Yugoslavia but the current Serbian government would never say such a thing for valuable equipment in their land. Interpol had their attention to them because they were the next hot lead to the activities of the top ten most wanted men on the planet, the Jackal. Whom had a big hand in getting the transition through smoothly as a favour from Longinus.

"This Jackal, I've only heard great things about him." Noore was always involved in conversation between Yuma, Ajay, Maya, Arjun, Saras and Pagan. All of them had at least once mention his name before.

They in fact depended so heavily on Jackal that it was unreal that he could fulfil their demanding requests solely on a whim and mere favour. He was just one man, yet it seemed he was more omnipotent than Chuck Norris.

"Heard a crazy story about him being trapped on an island once with an army of mercs lurking about from Hurk."

"What happened?"

"He killed everyone, including the higher chain of command inhabiting the island to conduct some really sick shit." Ricardo gave his "the end" in the shortest possible way.

It just went to show that he was in a class not too different from Ajay and Jason Brody. The things she'd seen Ajay do, and what Daisy told her about Jason. They were abnormals that shouldn't have been awoken, but the world's insanity pushed them too hard.

The hard-cold floor tapped loudly as footsteps of a running person around the corridor came to their location.

"Guys, I'm getting a transmission from a recognised code!" Luca reported to them dutifully. He'd previously been up top playing with the communication equipment to get around the intentional scrambling and calling likely friendly forces.

Samson and Noore stood up and followed him to the comms set he left topside.

He readjusted to the channel and codes he previously used in his shuffle attempt.

*This is Blackwing, calling Whiteserpent. Come in.* Hearing that voice, Noore had a nostalgic feeling about that voice.

"Is that Bipin?"

Samson took the mic that Luca provided.

"Whiteserpent copies, identify yourself?"

*Samson, is that you? I've been calling you since this uprising started and word that the hospital got attacked. Where are you guys?*

"We're in a safe location, what are we looking at from your end?"

*Who's with you?*

"Noore, Luca and Ricardo."

*Noore's there? Alright, listen. The ringleader is Guang Min of Min Family, followed by the usual suspects. The Royal Fortress is theirs. Lanka, the Royal Palace and Lakshman are under siege. Wherever you are just stay hidden.*

"Something's not right….." Noore murmured as she shared her feelings with the boys.

"What will you do, Bipin?"

*Unfortunately, I have my orders. I cannot betray them, you need to do the best to hide. Stay hidden!*

Now Samson was finding it strange, why was he speaking in a very rigid and cryptic way.

"Luca, pull the plugs." Luca was in a dazed for a moment when Noore said that.

"Pull the plugs, goddamnit!" She went over to pluck them herself.

Till the frequency fizzled out. "Wha-." Luca was too stunned.

But Samson was having the same instinctual feeling as Noore. (Bang) (Boom) The sounds of battle could be heard outside of the Arena and bazaar. Along with the sound of hovering helicopters getting closer, people shouted and screamed in mass bloody panic. Mistaking it for an army-backed raid on the illegal businesses. For sure, some would fight back.

"Santa Madre….." He came to a same revelation as Noore.

"Am I missing something?-"

"They tracked our signal! You idiot!" She swolded Luca on his mishap.

"Shit, I don't believe this….. Bipin couldn't have-….." She also shared Ricardo's disbelief at the conclusion brought about from that simple comms. And yet, something about his speech was weird. Almost like he was trying to indirectly inform them.

"We've got not choice." Samson dragged them down into the lower levels.

Even so, it was something unimaginable for a person of his calibre and closeness to Ajay directly and indirectly through his sister.

Words like Ajay's first and oldest ally betraying him, should have been non-existent.