Author's Notes:

It is approaching the 16th of July. To me it is a very special day for the more observant of you. It marks one full year of RaK. I went check the stats today and found it tops the long reigning FC3 stories as number one story in Farcry. I would like to express my thanks to all of you for your insight and support over the course of this story. Especially our first few readers, you are dearest to me.

This to me is a milestone for the Farcry Fanfict page to prove that FC4 or others are not irrelevant now and there are Writers out there that are capable of surpassing this milestone if they could dedicate some time and effort to writing a Farcry story. I hope my juniors who have just started writing one to eventually be better than me.

Viva La Farcry 4!


Having the helicopter was a genuine relief, to save on time travelling to Sagarmatha Airbase. On board were Ajay, Vasu and Darshan, including a hand-picked infantry section by Brigadier Kul who had the necessary information and knowledge in reseting the communications blackout. The clean up at Lanka went quicker than expected. 2nd Hussars and the three rebel regiments withdrew quicker than anticipated. Ajay was sure the witless Canton Lords would be furious that they left, but they weren't there to witness what kind of horrors the soldiers witnessed in half-a-day.

From Gopan's projections, they would likely fortify the North-West arsenal in Uttar near the town of Utkarsh belonging to Yuma as well as the route directly to the Royal Fortress and Ratu Gadhi. This strategy highlighted the stance the Rebels had chosen to take which was to try and wear the loyalists out and perhaps enter a ceasefire or attain victory. But they were pressing on time, the Royal Palace had been attacked since this morning and it was now dusk.

Gopan addressed the need for communications to be restored for them to receive further reinforcements and conveyance of dispatches quicker but the airbase was just as important. So Ajay decided that they should split up to accomplish different tasks. Darshan and the infantry section would storm the SADEC air defense command and regain control over the air traffic and Surface to Air Missiles. After that, he was heading back to the Hun Settlement on his own. Vasu would be dropped off to link up with a very special surprise unit he had for Arsenal Two also alerted via mosscode.

Vasu asked if he was bringing back assets overseas like the Jatayu Brigade, 1st Hussars or the 3rd and 4th Squadron Close air support assets but Ajay's answer was backed by majority of the Commanders of Southern Region. Recalling them would place doubt in the hearts of their allies in thinking they couldn't contain this situation and would put strain on the alliance where this rebellion was already doing so. The overseas assets didn't need to worry over something they could do on their own. Yinkes redevelopment was essential to all the states and it represented Kyrats part which it would play until the end.

As for Ajay, he would be jumping off on his own towards the Airbase to support and assert the situation with his employees of Lupus Caelum. The likely point of the jammer was on the mountaintop near the public commission relay, a strike mission with whatever air assets were available there. An Anti-radiation missile should do the trick in seeking out the jammer to save time.

As they flew, Ajay reflected on the conversation with Darshan.

"You won't find it in the annals of history anymore. It's become a forgotten event and reality, pre-dating the Mahājanapada era and after the Vedic period."

Darshan narrated the origin of the mountains and valley they called home to give them a better understanding of the enemy they fought.

"The legends went that an all-powerful Deva used a boon with the Himalayas to form our secluded valleys. He did so to resolve an age long enmity with the Rakshasa in general and restore Karma between them."

"So these lands were purpose built for them as the main inhabitance?" Darshan continued on without answering his question.

"There were other minority races and tribes there as well of course. The Rakshasa royalty did not bar access to the bountiful lands that the Deva gave them. And so, among the races that settled into what humanity called the lowlands, were man, Vanara monkey tribes, the Rakshasa themselves and the Yaksha spirits."

Ajay wasn't going to pretend he didn't find it all too surprising about the Vanara monkey tribes, those humanoid monkeys from the Ramayana epics. Hurk gave him side quests to find those three monkey statues and the temples that they were found in were lavished with monkey icons to some monkey god. But other entities like this Yaksha, this was the first time he'd heard of such a thing.

"The reason the valleys flourished within the seclusion of the icy mountains was due to the proximity of its natural law coinciding with Shangri-La. Or so it was said. And Shangri-la was the reason more immigrated into these valleys for the purpose of a religious pilgrimage."

"Now not all was peaceful between the races despite the hospitality that the Rakshasa provided. The Humans and Vanara especially grew too quickly and their civilisations boomed due to the richness of the essence in the air causing many to attain nirvana and ascension quicker than any would anticipate. And the Yaksha claimed the valleys were once theirs before that Deva had the mountains terraformed and had effectively evicted them without their consent, but who were they to challenge the might and judgement of a god."

"So they fought." Darshan nodded to Ajay's answer.

"They fought several bloody conflicts that redefined their territorial boundaries. The Deva whom had resolved his Karma had no obligation to intervene. So unfortunately for the Rakshasa, they were forced high up into the mountains in the valley of Akaash. The Vanara occupied much of the forests we know as Papir. The Yaksha were cunning in occupying the lakes, which was essential to all life and forced uneasy alliances upon its adversaries for their daily rations of water and food. The Humans were quick to dominate much of the valleys and formed the Lowland Kingdoms of the Kirata Dynasty and its successor the Devi Bloodline."

"So that's their purpose? They want their land back? It seems pretty roundabout in the way of achieving it." Vasu felt it seemed strange.

"Did I say they wanted the valleys?"

"…"

"So where did this mess start?" Ajay was more concerned about why there were no living Rakshasa in Akaash if that was where they settled in over thousands of years ago.

"At first, the valleys seemed to be at peace. There were alliances and mix marriages to create a bond between each of their cultures and races which weren't uncommon. The Rakshasa still possessed an important boon, which was the will of the gateway to Shangri-La. If they said you couldn't enter, then you couldn't."

It sounded like that should have been enough to keep the other races from attacking.

"But Rakshasa King didn't prevent their pilgrimages despite their differences."

"That sounds awfully kind for a Rakshasa."

"…"

"How do you even know all this, if it doesn't exist in any ancient text here?"

"Like I said, I am the 9th inheritor of the Demon Banishing Order, and among my inheritance is my predecessors' memories."

"So why didn't he prevent it?"

"I just have the details of what happen. If anyone should have the details it would be you." Darshan didn't want to answer that either and shoved him a different problem.

"Me?"

"The Akaashian Princess clearly holds you dear as someone she was acquainted to. So it was more than likely, you would have had memories of that individual and knew what became of the Rakshasa's downfall and what their King was like."

"Even if you say that-…."

-It's more than just acquaintance.-

She constantly invaded the sanctity of his dreams. And for an acquaintance spanning over thousands of years to have Karma stronger than his mother said something all together.

"… Did you ever consider disposing of me?" This sentence shook Vasu who was listening to their conversation. That though often occurred on his mind every time he encountered Darshan.

"…." Ajay didn't need to hear it from him, his eyes showed it. He should have felt it as early as their first mission, but because all the other members of the Hunter Cadre were at the time aiming for his throat. Perhaps the one event that stopped it was his subjugation of Bishal's man-eating mother. How much of him did Darshan know, he couldn't say. But there was still a slight distrust he felt towards him, the reason was quite simple. Darshan didn't either, if he did he would have come out sooner. It was like he said, he was approaching Ajay because he had no choice.

"This is not the first time she's tried to resurrect that person." Darshan seemed to know a lot about her as well.

"Why do you hunt her, Darshan?"

A silence matured between Darshan and him, Vasu found it uncomfortable. His face was essentially emotionless, but Ajay could read beyond facial expression from the eyes. And from those hazel orbs he could see his soul screaming its lungs out to the torment it was feeling everyday of living with the pain of her not dead.

Ajay sighed, though he failed to say or show it he knew now why he did the things he did. Darshan's loved ones became subject of collateral to her plans or maybe she was directly responsible for their deaths. Darshan was in no way going to tell him just as he hadn't for over sixteen years of when Shili encountered him in the forests and gave him his alias.

In the end, Darshan was no help in providing information. Either because he couldn't trust them or he didn't trust their abilities to handle the situation as he would. That was both dangerous as it meant his rogue intentions. If he was being too difficult, Ajay would kill him. Demon Banisher. That word had no meaning to him other than more effectiveness against the Rakshasa.

"Wouldn't it have been better to assemble troops at the crossing?" Vasu asked him again on the flight.

"We don't know when Golden Path will return, so we'll use whatever assets in the North to deal with the rebellion. Gopan will coordinate defences facing Akaash, the likely entry point of the Golden Path."

"I hope this strategy will work."

"You'll know once Kamran delivers you to the drop point." Those forces should be enough to even the odds for the Loyalist forces against the Armoured units the were in the rebels possession.

*Thirty seconds to tarmac.* Kamran announced on the intercom.

"That's my stop. Darshan….." The older man turned to him.

"When this is done, teach me how to hunt demons."

Darshan only responded with a stare into his eyes, as if to assess his current condition and if it were suitable for such a thing.

"That'll depend on your condition." Ajay acknowledged with a nod and faced out the open door.

Sagarmatha Airbase just lay beyond, but Kamran would not stop so as to save time. Instead Ajay jumped out of the helicopter over a thousand metres above ground. He had nothing to fear thanks to the wing suit integrated into the pack hardpoint of his armour specially designed to support additional weight of his hefty kit. Kamran deployed him a distance away from the Airbase due to the presence of Bofors AAA gun and Spyder SAM batteries near the control tower to provide standoff defense against air raids.

Ajay manuevered himself towards the heavily reinforced checkpoint gate for the perimeter fence. Reaching close to the ground, the automatic chute deployer kicked off and released the main chute and allowing a safe landing. His boots hit the ground sending dirty up and he automatically folded up the chute into the pack.

As he was doing all this from the cover of the munition crates, he noticed that eerie silence that stalked through the Airbase, something that shouldn't be the case if either his employees or the rebels controlling the airport would do. They would have preferred birds in the sky to provide air support.

-I don't like this.-

Ajay unslung his slayer and made a quick sprint to the control tower to get better vantage and perhaps meet with the control tower team.

(Pat) (Pat) (Pat)

His adept hearing picked out the sounds of fast moving footsteps around the corner, his body made an immediate stop behind the wall to wait for that individual to approach.

-Those are pretty light footsteps.-

He thought as he waited for the unknown with his kukri unsheathed carefully. When the figure entered his perception his muscles kicked in to grasp the targets mouth and knife to the throat. Be it enemy or foe, he would gather intel on the grounds before proceed-.

"Maya?"

"Oh my god… Ajay." Surprise was written throughout her facial expression. But one of joy as well.


There was no telling how long it would take till Ajay awoke from his comatosed state, it could have been years, he might never open them ever. That was Noore's medical answer.

So it was a great relief to see him up and about.

"You asshole, look what's happened because you fell asleep." Even though she said that, Ajay could tell she was happy he was awake.

"Thanks." Ajay ruffled her head much to her displeasure but gave him that moment of contact. He noticed she wasn't alone.

"Your Grace, it is good to see you've recovered." The Leader of the Hunter Pack called out respectfully.

"Glad to be back in the game. Didn't really want to wake up to this though."

"You already knew they were planning this so stop with the feint ignorance."

"I knew it would happen but not when, anyway, I've dispatched the initiatives so we're a go with launching Operation "Long Knives"."

If it didn't occur to the hunters accompanying Maya, then it was because it was a planned initiative that only Yuma, Pagan, Maya, Gary and Ajay knew. Operation Long Knives, named after the Night of Long Knives purge by Adolf Hitler in 1934 to bring to heel his paramilitary Sturmabteilung (SA), or more commonly known as the Brown Shirts. As cruel as it sounded, regicide was also the highest form of treason. It was all about the winner taking all.

Ajay acknowledged that he would likely face a majority of the former Royal Guard elements including divisions in the Royal army who were for the Canton Lords.

But the Canton Lords made a very serious error in their assumptions and intel on him. They thought his only means of retinue support was the Air Force squadrons and the Paratrooper Brigade now overseas. One of these hidden units were on standby awaiting Vasu to lead them in storming Arsenal Two. The other was a paramilitary organisation like the Tigers but different by their training, doctrine and allegiance. Soviet Union had the KGB now FSB. United States also had one in the form of the notorious CIA.

Pagan had a cache of spies at his command, they operated independently of one another so as to prevent intel leaks and control situations easier. But they were nothing more than individual spies or purpose-built assassins.

Gary had been the one who managed things thus far, and now it was left to him again to manage these volunteers who were part of a reserve action for defense of the motherland and resistance against the overthrowing elements.

Yuma christened them "Four Virtues" often referred to on encrypted messages as 4V after the Four Cardinal Virtues. As much as Ajay was opposed to the idea of something like the CIA, he hated an organisation that had so much power yet immuned to the judiciary. He agreed only on the condition that their penalty for failure and unauthorised actions be in the form of maximum punishment. The men and women volunteers would be handpicked by the monarch exclusively. They were a potential double-edged sword, and Ajay didn't really like sharp ends pointing his way.

But who was he to oppose the decision of three masters of intel and espionage craft.

"The Marshal and his family are being held by the Cantons."

"Does that include Saras?" Maya nodded anticipating he would ask that.

"We need to end this quick."

"How do you plan that?"

"Ascertain the status of the Airbase and scramble a jet to kill that jammer. When communication comes back up, the rebels will know they can't hope to take Kyrat any longer. Then gears will switch to preserving themselves in this hostile environment, hostages and human shields will be presented and so on."

"Then we need to act fast."

"Agreed. We'll check the control tower. Squad Leader, take your men to the SAM site."

"Sir?"

"Beneath the command module is a backup keycard to enter the SPYDER system and admit an override to the system to default. When you're in, insert the key into the master key slot and press the flashing red button. That should activate the automated defense."

"Aren't you sortieing the squadrons?" Maya asked perplexed.

"Since I came to this site, I haven't seen a single soul alive. So I don't know for a fact that the installation is truly under our control. Adding to that, if it was under the Cantons control then they should be up and about sending squadrons like us."

"True. That doesn't sit right."

"Let's go." The group divided into their teams. The Hunters went about their mission to restore the low-level air defense while Ajay and Maya were sufficient in locating his employees.

They moved cautiously through the open tarmac using whatever cover they could find from munition crates and aircraft that were left out in the open with their support vehicles around them.

After a long and eerie quiet trip they finally reached the base of the control tower.

"Can't understand why we ain't shooting them!" Upon hearing voices inside one of the rooms on the ground floor, Ajay motioned contacts.

"Don't ask me, I'm not the brains of the organisation."

"Huh! Not shit!"

They caught small talk going between minions of someone, and someone Ajay didn't fancy being around at a time like this. But they were, exploiting the fact that Kyrat was at war with itself.

-CNS operatives.-

The familiar ash-grey pixel camo and advanced armor with weapons was a signature trait that stood out like a sore thumb here.

"Stealth kill, slit their throats." He used sign language to relay to Maya on the otherside of the door.

(Thud) Ajay threw a stone against the crate outside.

"What was that?"

"Go check it out." The two operatives picked up their weapons and headed to the door. When the two stepped out-.

"Mu!" Ajay grabbed his.

"Hey-. Graargh!" Maya plunged her kukri through the armpit passed the segment armour.

"Mmgggghh!" The one which Ajay held with a hand over his mouth and a knife against his throat struggled.

"Ssshhhhhhhhh…. If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead." Ajay said as he took his hand off his mouth and used it to turn off his radio set on his left chest. His knife stayed where it was.

"P-Please I hav-."

"A family at home? How many times have I heard that? I've lost count. Where are you from?"

"… M-Minnesota."

"Ah… L'Étoile du Nord. Lemme guess, you couldn't buy into the quiet lifestyle, good paying job. You decided to be a good soldier instead. Fucked up along the way and signed yourself to Private Contractors instead."

"Wha-?"

"What's your name?"

"B-Bar-!"

"Yunno what, it doesn't really matter. I'll call you Minnesota, how bout that? So Minnesota, I'm gonna need something worth your weight in gold or my lovely girl over there is gonna mess you up worst than she did to Mitchell Reeves." It should have been common knowledge to them, the stalker unit leader was taken prisoner at the beginning of their landing. The Durgesh interrogators did their best to ply info but he was good, really good even for a mercenary who had no obligation to protect his employer's secrets.

"Then you're-.." He came to a revelation of who Ajay was. Recalling the earliest of attacks upon them in this wretched country.

"Let's start by asking how many of you are in the compound, what is your purpose here?"

"If I tell you, will you let me go?"

"That depends on the value of your intel. If you're rock solid, I might even send you on the next plane out to anywhere from Switzerland to Japan." The merc gulped.

"First off, where are my employees and the Airbase staff?"

"In the Hangar with those Sukhois."

"How many of you are there here?"

"F-Fifty! Commander Crow and that spook were here to get a transport plane."

Already, Ajay didn't like it. They wanted his AN-12 and Il-76 cargo planes but it was clearly not to get out with. One should have been sufficient for them to exfil out of Kyrat and yet they were going for all.

"Which spook?"

"Huh?"

"Does he have one leg or both?"

"B-Both! Alright I've told you everything so please- Gurrgh!" Ajay struck him on the neck which blacked him out. Maya watched him tie the merc, gag him and removed his radio and equipment.

"That's awfully nice of you." Maya questioned his normal self of ripping them apart even with info extracted.

"He was just a kid lost on his way. You saw how he shivered where his colleague would tell you to just get it over with."

"…"

Ajay sorted through the equipment he looted. Handing that XM8-style sabot firing rifle to Maya to improve her offensive capability thanks to the advance flechette ammo to counter their advanced bulletproof vests. Ajay tuned the radio till he got the right channel as it brimmed with chatter on their activities.

*Make sure those planes are fuelled an ready!*

*Aye, sir.*

*Dane, gimme an assessment on the Kyrati forces and ETA.* The radio channel was joined by the ambiguous Commander Crow, the Field Executive of the CNS operations here.

*Hey! Dom! Would ja hurry it up a bit, I don't wanna get my ass popped here of all places, if you get my meaning and pardon my French.* Ajay also didn't need to guess who spoke that way.

"Willis is here too." Maya stated her hundred percent assumption.

"What do we do?"

"Like hell they're taking those planes!" Ajay unholstered his bow.

*Black Eagle to White Deer, we've secured the SAM site and have captured the air defense system.* Maya's radio announced the Hunter's progress. Ajay motioned to Maya to hand it over which she did.

"Squad Leader, this is- yunno who it is. Here is your directive, do not let even a single plane take off from this runway. Do you hear me? Destroy any plane that attempts to leave this site. How copy."

*We read you, your grace and comply.*

"Good. Out." He said before passing back the radio and going on ahead of her.

"Hey!" She said as softly as possible when Ajay didn't wait for her.

When she reached next to Ajay from his sprinting he held out a pack of C4.

"Put this in a place near hangar five that goes boom. Then try to rescue the guys at hangar three." He said it in a dead serious tone that Maya chose not to object or hinder him and so took the satchel of C4.

Ajay tested the radio frequency of the detonator in his possession and nodded before running straight in the direction of said hangar. Unlike the Fighter Squadron hangars which had a higher priority so were given bomb-hardened hangars or hangars within the mountain, the transports had a lower priority with need of quick sortie and repair so occupied the hangar away from the cliff.

The rapidly approaching darkness began to set in making his approach concealed to a certain extent, as they still possessed nightvision but this transition between light and darkness was the period when night vision was not as clear.

Ajay reached into his quiver and drew out arrows on his hand in advance whilst running still. Even then, the operatives didn't seem to turn his way as they were focused on the unloading of the initial cargo on the plane for something else. Plus, they were pretty sure no one would come.

(Pow) His high torque arrow struck the throat of an overwatch guard as he advanced with great guile.

*6-2, 6-8 has not answered their comms go check things out with five others.* The communcations was already noticing the absence of the comms check from those two operatives he subdued, only a matter of time now.

*Aye Aye.*

(Pow) "Gguuughh!" Another victim guggled blood in his throat as an arrow pierced his neck as well.

"So I was say- hey!" (Pow) "Gurrghh!" One had unfortunately spotted him but was quickly put down by a clutch shot.

Ajay advanced into the hangar undetected and approached the first cargo plane from the service hatch. He entered and disabled the electronics by pulling out the main databank to the flight controls effectively rendering the aircraft inoperable. He had oftened watched how the technicians did their work, and they were only happy to show him the technical aspect of their jobs that white collar executives often shunned. Ajay was a layman through and through, so he possessed a willingness to learn mechanical operations like in his youth.

Wherever he advanced he also left a claymore surprise snuck between crates hoping the collateral wouldn't be so great upon the structural integrity of the hangar or the airframes.

He waited in cover as a random patrol passed by him, but he didn't let them go. So he snuck up on them and delivered a chain takedown upon the unsuspecting operatives.

Ajay was innately surprised that the CNS operatives had lasted this long without extended provisions like David's Force Recon Marines. It went to show that they weren't some push over group, which worried Ajay greatly especially due to their technological prowess that even their parent nations' armed force did not possess or have to field.

Who the hell were these CNS employees, and what was this conglomerate? Were they trying to take over the world or something?

Ajay had lots of queries but no one to answer them. Thankfully, there were two such people who had the privy knowledge he needed.

"Now to find Lynch or Willis. Heads says former, Tails says latter."

(Ping) Ajay flipped a coin to decide his pick to torture and interrogate. Upon the side that faced him, he smiled ever so brightly.


After placing the C4 where it needed to be she went in search of the employees and staff of Lupus Caelum. She interrogated another lone operative along the way, although she was not as forgiving as Ajay had been. What she wanted, she got.

The location of Willis.

For months, it had bugged her that Willis Huntley was so slippery he escaped from capture not once but three times. If there was a fourth then they were the fools for failing, they were already fools for failing three. Willis Huntley was the most destructive force on their country soil, because he brought forces that shouldn't have been here. He singlehandedly supplied Golden Path with dangerous materials. He was a cold war agent that should have been locked in a vault or assassinated in '89 when the Berlin Wall fell. These paranoid field agents were jeopardizing the world's safety just for small interests in the United States benefit. If she could, she would set an entire force of hunters upon the CIA headquarters in Langley if she was all powerful. But she wasn't, she was just Maya. But she was a proficient hunter to say the least.

She arrived at Hangar Three where the prisoners were likely held and peeked in through the window. The entire floor was filled with the employees and staff sitting crosslegged but hands tied to their backs. She wasn't a fool to approach Willis on her own, she needed help.

She caught glance of five guards roaming around to keep them in check, after mapping their destination on their pattern of patrol around the hostages, she snuck in.

The first of the guards she slit her kukri between the back of his neck whilst a hand wrapped over his mouth. Easy. The staff noticed her arrival and pretended she wasn't there to avoid arousing suspicion. She killed another the same way but unfortunately-. "huh? Hey!-."

Maya was ready to fire back with the commandeered rifle, but her targets were grappled by mercenaries she was familiar with. Paul and Michelle overpowered two, and Maya took out a throwing knife laced in a secret poison to kill the last.

She indid the bindings to Chief Khalid and Commander Rohan and left them to undo the rest.

"Nice of you to drop by." Paul took up the fallen weapon and ammo to inspect.

"You both already had your bindings undone, you were just waiting for the moment." Paul rubbed his head and laughed.

"The lady reads us like a book." He said to Michelle but she ignored him.

"Merci, cher." She instead thanked Maya wholeheartedly.

"I need your help."

"Oh. The beautiful lady is asking for our help." Paul was all ears.

"What do you need, Cher?" Michelle was agreeable to Paul just this once.

Maya smiled and explained.

In five minutes, the employees were free and getting equipped for another firefight. Five accompanied Maya including Paul and Michelle to go about their mission. Get Willis, dead or alive. Alive would be very beneficial, but dead would save them all the hassle. Maya was aware of their prowess from day one of their employment, Longinus had often talked to them about life and occasionally tried to convert them to no effect. They were the real deal in combat, something that could only be breed from the most brutal of conflicts where the casualty rate was above eighty percent.

The operative she'd tortured informed her of the whereabouts of Lynch and Willis together in Hangar Two which if Maya was correct was occupied by the reconnaissance aircraft.

(Woooooooo) At this time, the sirens went off, informing the whole air base of an attack. Tracers flew in the far end of hangar five. She did not need to guess who they encountered from the frantic screams and random explosions from the use of heavy ordnance to take him down.

If it was the Ajay from when she first met him, he might have been pinned. But after every battle, every confrontation, he seemed to become stronger, more powerful. Fulfilling the name his mother gave him, Unstoppable. What would he do with all that strength when this conflict came to a close?

"Ready and waiting, sweetheart." Paul said as they prepped a door breach manuever. The Hangar was one way, so they were cornered inside.

"Do it." Maya signalled the breach.

Paul flipped the switch to the improvised plastic explosive used to blow a whole into the doors.

(BOOM) The section blasted away fell inward.

(Ping) (Ping) (BANG) (BANG) And two flashbangs were thrown in.

Paul advanced with another armed merc as they coolly entered the premise and gunned down the hapless CNS operatives that were around. They took a few shots to down due to the advanced nature of their armour but they weren't invincible.

Willis and Lynch stood stunned amidst the one-sided killing. When all eight operatives guarding them fell motionless to the ground.

Willis and Lynch obediently raised their hands.

"Do you remember me?" Maya said in a cold tone.

"That sweetpea that caught me that time, Kadiwat or some- (Bang). ARghh!" A shot struck him in the shoulder and just happened to graze him only. It still hurt as he clasped it.

"Serves you righ- (Bang) Aarrgghh! What the fuck?!" Maya shot Lynch as well in the shoulder but was a solid hit. Willis chuckled painfully.

"You-… You are just some piece of work." He said not at all afraid.

"Don't talk, don't fucking open your mouth again! Just lie there with your hand behind your head if you have even the slightest value in your life!" She motioned the two mercenaries two cuff them with the cable tie.

"Uh!-Alright, but before me and shitface over there surrender. Can you just answer this one question?"

Maya was reluctant to let another of his poisonous lies leak from his mouth. But considering their endgame she had no reason to stop them from singing the things they wanted to hear anyway.

"Out with it!"

"Alright, just a simple question in regards to generation gap….."

A sudden surge in her sixth sense was telling her that danger was nearby and death was imminent.

"Have you ever heard of Reaganomics?"

(Bang) (Ping)

A shot zipped out of nowhere and was about to strike her. Had it not been for Ajay who wretched her away and stood in the way of the high-powered bullet's trajectory, letting the armoured gauntlets of his absorb the precision shot. Her life would have ended, had Ajay not heard that phrase in his previous life. The word 'Reaganomics' was his signal to unleash hell. But this time, it proved to be Willis's undoing as he stared at Ajay with fear and disbelief as to how he was able to react that quickly.

"That's not a gun." He said as he pulled out his slayer and aimed at the catwalk with nothing there.

(Boom) His shot flew and struck something in the air which caused an invisible presence to get slammed into the walls by the additional energy delivered from the .700 nitro slug. On the place that Ajay struck the invisible force, static was sent cascading from it and grew in size till the camo fizzed out and revealed a humanoid figure donned in some sort of power suit with a red visor.

"This is a gun." He said with a grin.

Then static fizzed on both sides of the power suit man kneeling to recover from the shot, revealing two more suits.

"Mitchell? Is that you?" Ajay called out to the suit he'd struck. To which the suit man shuddered that he could pick him out when his visor obscured his face. He relived the terror of his torture in Durgesh even though Solomon had arranged for his freedom during the Rebellion.

"Then, those two must be your Commanders. Hello. Nice to see you again- and by the way... Nice suit."

*Badala.* The mechanical voice replied to him. The three suits made a jump that spanned five metres across and ten down effortlessly crushing the floor beneath their weight, showing the true capabilities of the suit in superhuman feats. They landed around Ajay causing the rest to back away unsure of what to do with something this absurdly unfamiliar situation they'd gotten themselves into.

Paul just whistled.

"Maya, Paul, Michelle. Please watch over our spooks and make sure they don't wiggle away this time." He said as he dropped his slayer on the floor and also put down his bow. This action puzzled the three in power suits as they wanted to force him into surrender instead but what he said didn't sound like he was willing. He discarded his weapons and harness as well and drew his kukri exclusively making it more confusing.

And to further their bewilderment, Ajay beckoned them with his finger to come.

"You didn't bring those expensive suits just for show, did you?" This sentence made Dominic aware of what he meant. He wanted them to fight him, all three against one. Sure, he didn't know the potential of this tech that didn't officially exist but it didn't mean he didn't understand the potential of it from novels or sci-fict.

Dane was already raring to go and went ahead without his consent. Ajay smiled from ear to ear when they had given in to his provocation. They'd brought something he did not even have the remote idea existed till today, but even so it excited him that it existed during this time. Most of all, he wanted them to fight him.

-I couldn't think of a more perfect scenario to try us out.-

He licked his lips and stared at them with dangerous amber glowing irises.


Vasu was the last onboard the helicopter with Kamran when the Hunters deployed under Darshan to retake the Air Defense Network on foot. Vasu found himself reflecting upon what Darshan shared with him about Jaswant Rajput, his brother and fellow Deva. Jaswant had taken the same path as Mohan but unlike Mohan, he was unaware of any other apostles because the witch didn't have much faith in his abilities. And it was a good investment to see the potential of Kyrat as well as keep intel from leaking which was good especially with Darshan around since then.

However, he did uncover a conspiracy the witch had intended for Kyrat to topple on its own over time, this was to cloud Pagan's sister Yuma with visions of Shangri-La in the hopes that it would slowly eat at her sanity and she would turn against Pagan. That plan was foiled and Darshan earned her trust since then. As far is that theory was concerned, Darshan had been sweeping Kyrat for supernatural entities for sixteen years and killing them. Ghouls, Rakshasa and Yaksha. All strays that devoured man he destroyed.

*Lord Khati, we've arrived.*

"Kamran, was it? Thank you."

*I'm just doing my job.* He could tasted some conflict from Kamran's tone, clearly he was among the many that didn't favour Vasu's amnesty as easily.

They hovered over the forest canopy where Ajay's coordinates had indicated their rendezvous with this unclassified unit of the Air Force. He hadn't said much about this over-sized battalion other than it was a support wing to the Jatayu Brigade.

(creek) The bushes snapped to the sudden movement. And Vasu scanned the quiet forest grounds that Kamran dropped him in before leaving. Where he was go, he didn't know.

"Lord Khati?" Two Officers in the grey maritime blue uniforms emerged from the bushes.

"Yes?"

"Lord Khati, I'm Lieutenant-Colonel Jha of the 6th Airborne Support Battalion." The older one saluted.

"I'm Major Lobsang, Yinkian Republican Guard."

"Republican Guard?"

"The Major is here as a military guest to the Royal Academy, before this he was the liason and adjutant of Colonel Dema the current Chief of Army." The Kyrati officer informed him of Lobsang's status.

"I see, forgive us for this unfortunate event that ruined your trip here."

"Not at all, sir. If anything, I'm glad to partake."

"I think it would be better that you say out of this." Vasu was concerned for their national conflicts if he were to take up arms during this rebellion.

"That's quite unnecessary, sir. You see, His Grace has given me a special task in this fight."

Vasu was surprised he had a part to play in this.

"Which is?"

"To counter the Architect of the Republican Guards' lost during the last war. I'm here to help you beat 2nd Hussars' Bipin Kadayat." Vasu had very little prior knowledge regarding the Kyrati-Yinkian War apart from the happenings at Xue Lu and the fall of the Military Chain of Command in a day thanks to the Air Force.

"And how do you intend to fight a fully-motorized battalion, forgive me for saying this but aren't you a support replenishment battalion to the main Jatayu force?" The Commander of the battalion wanted to snicker at his remark as did the Yinkian Major but they held back for the sake of Vasu's appointment.

"Perhaps, my lord. The name support was too modest in designation for what we are. But these were Lord Badala's instructions so that we would be overlooked by the rebels now."

Vasu figured out that Ajay had anticipated this day would come and had put in place several contingency plans like he should have to deal with the rebellion appropriately. So theoretically, they would outmatch the Rebels. However, the practical aspect still fell to the quality of the soldiers and commanders on the field.

The Commander pushed aside the brushes for Vasu to walk through, apparently the unit was on the otherside. He had to hand it to him for concealing the battalion so well he didn't even notice them till the Commander made a sound.

But as he walked through to the opening on the other side, he was left flabbergasted.

-So this is why you had such confidence.-

Before him lay and entire convoy of armoured vehicles. Vasu was unaware of what vehicles they were, but they were heavily armed, perhaps even more than the 2nd Hussars in some areas.

But to Lieutenant-Colonel Jha and Major Lobsang, these were their mobile steeds. Russian-made BMP-3s, sporting low-pressure 100mm guns for anti-personnel role and a sidemounted 30mm autocannon for defeating armoured targets and soft-skinned vehicles. These were the work horse of the battalion, even though there were other variants like an ATGM version, an engineering vehicle and more.

Kyrat had a special nature of specifications due to poor road infrastructure and bridges. Vehicles could not weigh more than 20 tons or the roads would experience erosion long term and the bridges would give way. That was why 2nd and 1st Hussars wheeled vehicles were fine and became the most powerful land system till now. But after the war against Yinke, it became apparent that wheeled vehicles were inferior to tracked vehicles on cross-country terrain like the mountainous Yinke. Not everywhere had simple roads and so the Yinkian Armour had a mobility advantage to the Hussars.

The Royal Air Force doctrines had changed drastically since then. They projected that the Airforce Ground troops would be deployed overseas rather than at home, so therefore it was better to optimise them for overseas deployments. The Airforce troops depended upon the Hussars for Armoured support extensively and it highlighted a niche they could have filled on their own. So the 6th Airborne Support Battalion, or Airborne Mechanised Battalion was conceived with a little insight from the armour-wise Major Lobsang of the Yinkian Army.

The men were armed to the teeth with weapons and rocket launchers loaded up onto their IFVs and ready to move out.

Vasu nodded to himself whilst smiling. Was he even necessary in this fight? Was there a need for him to lead them? He looked down at the strange sword in a scabbard provided by Darshan. Reminded of the horrors of the Rakshasa, that did not put humanity in their eyes and slaughtered the troops at Lanka with wanton destruction. He looked at the young and eager faces of the tanker soldiers, ready to fight the good fight. Good Honest men, ready to fill the mass graves till it overflowed. His hand tightened around the handle as he thought of such things.

-No. I've been given this mission both by him and destiny. I'm here to ensure they have a tomorrow to return to.-

The branded mark of his wrist began to heat up without his intent.

Vasu looked in the direction of the Air Base.

"… You put your trust in me, I shall fulfil it. Your Highness."


Author's Notes:

Side story 101(h) attached as usual. Enjoy.