Disclaimer - I own Advance Wars! MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

(A couple of workers at Nintendo appear and beat up Ascension.)

Ascension: Let me rephrase that... I don't own anything in this fic except Red Sun, its COs, Azazel and several random extras.

Note - Thank you Anonymous Guy for your review! Chapter 2 is here, with Chapter 3 coming up!

*****

CHAPTER 2: AZAZEL

Sturm's motley fleet landed on the shore of an island a short distance northeast from Red Sun's northern coast. Unlike most other shores, this one was lined with jet-black sand and jagged rocks in the same colour. In the distance, mountains and trees could be seen. But there was nothing green. The island might have had life once, but *something* had touched it. Something so evil and deathly that the very land it trod on withered and died. The island was surrounded by a dense, toxic fog, hiding it from any nosy outsiders.

Sturm smiled under his mask. There was no mistake: this was Faith's End, the corrupted isle where his brother, Azazel, stationed his troops.

Two armoured Black Hole soldiers approached the party. They led Sturm and his remaining followers northwest, through the smoking ruins of what used to be a large, prosperous city. On the edge of the city was a tall metallic building painted black: A Black Hole HQ.

Sturm entered the badly-lit corridors of the HQ and soon reached a heavy pair of reinforced metallic doors. No human could possibly get through it - the locking system responded only to one of Sturm's species. He unlocked the door and confidently strode into the room.

A dim, unearthly blue light illuminated this room, but that only made the humanoid standing in the middle of it creepier. Sturm addressed it boldly. "Brother Azazel, I have returned from our base in the east."

"So soon? Has the invasion failed?" replied a voice which echoed itself, making it seem unreal.

"Yes, brother Azazel. The resistance was greater than I expected."

"No matter. Things aren't faring any better here. You have noticed the land south of here?"

"I have, brother."

"That is Red Sun, possibly the strongest nation on this planet. Half its population is in the military, and let me tell you, I have never seen soldiers so consumed with bloodlust. A frontal assault would be suicide. I have been planning a subtler means of bringing it down and I believe I now have a solution. I planned to put it into motion a few days later, but the news you bring changes things."

"How so?"

"Recently, the leader of Red Sun passed away and an incompetent knave replaced him. My researchers have made a device that can allow me to alter my appearance. I will infiltrate their headquarters, assassinate the foolish leader and take his place. I originally planned to disband their military and reorganize it to our standards, but now, I think we should let them attack the pathetic countries in the west, whom they hate. When both sides are worn out by battle, we will crush them all."

"When will you strike, then?"

"Tonight."

"Are you confident of success, brother Azazel?"

"No, brother Sturm. I'm certain."

*****

It was late. The clocks in Red Sun had just struck midnight. Azazel strode through the halls of the fortress where Brin lived and worked. Infiltrating the place wasn't difficult. He was like a shadow, completely undetectable. Even Brin's finest guards failed to see him.

A Red Sun guard passed by. Fast as lightning, Azazel grabbed him and disappeared back into the darkness.

*****

Premier Brin sat at his desk, scribbling away. If someone thought being the premier of a country was an easy job, that someone would be sadly mistaken. Ever since he ascended to the position, Brin had never gotten more than four hours of sleep per day.

A gust of wind from the open window behind Brin blew several sheets of paper onto the ground, which he picked up and had a look at.

They were those letters from Kelalith and Yal'Dan, trying to persuade him to march the army to war. He sighed. Nobody knew that what he was truly afraid of was defeat. In his days as a military CO, he had fought many battles and never lost. He retired after the time he lost three-quarters of his troops, even though he was still quite young then. He had never tasted defeat before, and he didn't want to. As powerful as the Red Sun force might be, he didn't fancy going up against four allied countries and risk losing.

Another breeze wafted through the window, blowing some more papers to the ground. Brin picked them up as well and went over to close the window. After doing so, he turned around - and saw a cloaked figure standing in front of his desk, his face covered by a mask. Brin felt a chill run down his spine. Cold sweat formed on his forehead. That... thing, it was evil, evil!

Azazel reached for the hapless man. A single gasp escaped his throat, and then it was all over. Grimly, Azazel was just about to dispose of the corpse when a voice sounded from the corridor and someone knocked on the door.

"Premier? Mr. Premier? I have an urgent message for you, sir!"

Cursing, Azazel kicked the body behind a shelf and activated the illusion device. The stranger knocked again.

"Come in!" replied Azazel in Brin's voice.

"Ah! Mr. Premier! Thank god you're still all right! One of our guards on patrol just discovered the body of another guard hidden in a closet! You must go to the lockdown room and stay there until we've found the assassin!"

Azazel sneered inwardly. "Too late," he thought.

*****

On a field under the stars, a cloaked figure stood, staring at the heavens.

"Life in death, and death in life..."