A.N. I really cannot apologise enough for the extraordinary amount of time it has taken me to produce this chapter but unfortunately my life in college has been a nightmare. After a round of major exams at the end of January I've been chasing coursework deadlines ever since and I'm only just beginning to get on top of them. Fortunately however I have managed to write this chapter and to make up for the huge wait I've put some extra effort in and made it almost triple the length of the last three. I sincerely hope that the effort was worth it and that you enjoy it as much as you have the last three. I'd really like to thank you for all the support you've given this story, your reviews are the only thing that keep me writing at times like this. Anyway, here's the latest chapter, enjoy.

The Visionary.

Chapter 4-

Battle Joined

A week had gone by since Jak had arrived at the palace, the city's engineers rebuilding as Ashelin used his authority to put her plans into action. For his part he had not been idle. Though he would be the first to admit he was inexperienced at the game of politics he knew first hand how easy it was to overcome politics with brute force and had begun to do so with gusto. Almost before Ashelin had realised what he was doing he had imprisoned a half dozen ministers and almost a score of the elite guard, the charges ranging from high treason to simple theft. He'd been careful though, cornering each of them alone and marching them to their cells with a full escort of two dozen crimson guard. Almost double that watched over their prison cells day and night. Even Torn and Samos, each a stalwart critic of Jak's abilities had to admit that he had done well.

However, these victories had put those who would see him dead on alert, Michaels and the others all treading carefully, the tension in the palace heightening to breaking point. There was something else as well, an undercurrent of activity that both Jak and Ashelin struggled to grasp, small traces and movements that were out of the ordinary, hinting at something, something big. But for all of this Jak was not deterred, if anything the hint of open battle was an encouragement. He wanted to bring them out into the open, were he could see them, where he could fight them. But despite all of this the groups of each side still circled each other cautiously. Daily, Krimson Regulars and Krimson Elite patrols faced off from opposite corridors, each daring the other to make an open show of defiance that would break the spell that had seemed to settle over the palace and start the battle.

Jak had kept Keira close beside him since that first day, not only because of what they had said to each other that first night in the palace but also because it was the best way to protect her. If anything had ever happened to her because of him, he would have never forgiven himself. She shared his chambers and his bed, those guards whom Ashelin had assigned to be his royal guard learning quickly that wherever Jak went Keira followed, he'd almost broken the arm of one man who had pushed her roughly from the palace control room.

They slept together now in the chambers that Ashelin had given him, the sheets on their gently but regally carved four-poster bed a soft pale blue to match Keira's tastes rather than his own. But he was happy enough to let her have what small comforts she could in the tense, cautious atmosphere of the palace. The rest of the rooms in the chambers which could only be described as a large apartment reflected in many ways the fact that but for the times at which they were asleep he and Keira spent very little time in their chambers. The furniture was clean and utilitarian but of undeniable quality, every piece made of strong and weathered oak stained a dark mahogany by years of use. The morning sun however lightened them slightly, giving them a little of their natural pale tint back as the two sleeping in the room awoke.

Jak's eyes opened slowly, the sunlight sluicing through a gap in the curtains to hit his eyes as the sun rose. He closed his eyes again for a moment as the light blinded him, blinking to clear his vision as he let his senses take in the unfamiliar surroundings. His attention was pulled back to the bed as the slim figure in his arms stirred, her curved figure fitting snugly against him as her arms tightened around him in sleep. He smiled and pushed a stray strand of her green hair behind her ear, smiling as her button nose twitched at his touch, an incoherent mumble rising from her full lips, enjoying the moments of her company without full consciousness bringing him the worries of his current life.

Sleep retreated enough for him to wonder what had awoken him, it was not usually the case that he simply awoke for no reason. Recently he had far too often been called to waking by danger. The experiences had taught him to sleep with a pistol under his pillow and his fingers edged toward the one he had stowed beneath the soft white pillows of this bed, his ears twitching as they sought out some sound that could account for his reveille

Footsteps reached his ears from the door outside and he wrapped his fingers around the slim grip of the weapon, his thumb gently slipping the safety off as he shifted his grip on Keira, ready to throw himself between her and the door should an assassin lie beyond it. The footsteps were silent, gentle, their owner obviously not wishing to make themselves noticed. The tiny speck of light that shone through the key-hole was snuffed out as something was pushed into it and Jak heard the unmistakable sound of the old but solid lock clicking open.

As the handle turned he smoothly drew the pistol out as he sat against the headboard, lining up the sights with where the head of someone standing behind the door should have been. Yet as the door opened an assassin did not burst in nor was it one of Jak's allies. Instead it was timidly cracked open, a frightened cry quickly stifled as the person beyond found the barrel of his gun pointed at them, a child-like quality to the sound.

Jak blinked in surprise as he found himself staring at a short, slim girl, her pointed ears emerging from a full head of dark, blonde curls, her face still bearing some of the softness of childhood and marking her as no more than perhaps thirteen or fourteen. She wore a demure but fine white dress, the material shimmering like silk as she dropped a distressed curtsy, lowering her eyes nervously as she tripped over her words.

'Y… Your majesty I… I'm sorry. I did not realise that you would be awake…'

Jak mouthed a soundless "o" before he regained his senses and lowered the gun in his hand, casting it back under his pillow. 'I… no… I'm sorry, I thought… uh… who are you?'

The girl seemed to flinch at his voice and curtsied again, her nerves clearly visible despite her attempts to hide them. 'Please your majesty, I'm just a servant. I was sent to wake you, I didn't realise that you'd not want to be disturbed.'

Her voice held a frantic note that made it seem louder than it was, her words waking Keira as she stirred beside him, her eyes opening as she stretched languidly, as yet unaware of the new arrival. She blinked the sleep away from her eyes as she saw Jak's eyes flick to her before travelling back to the doorway, the fact that he only glanced at her enough to tell her that something was wrong. She sat up, her eyes widening as they met the suddenly terrified gaze of a young girl, snatching the blanket closer as it threatened to fall away from her bare breasts.

The youngster blushed bright red but at the same time seemed to foresee some terrible fate, her ears twitching nervously as she struggled to remain still, fighting the urge to run. 'Oh! I… I'm so sorry your majesty, I didn't realise that… that you were…'

Keira slipped a hand around Jak's bicep, calling his eyes to her as she took in the frightened young girl. 'Jak? Jak what's going on?'

He squeezed her hand gently, quieting her as he held out his other to the young girl, his voice softer than usual as he tried to calm the youngster. 'It's okay, you don't have to worry. I'm not mad at you or anything. Now who are you?'

His words seemed to calm her a little, her eyes loosing their cornered look for a moment before she bobbed another curtsy, her cheeks flushing bright red as she searched the floor for inspiration, 'I'm only a servant your Majesty. The Governor sent me to wake you. Please… please don't be angry with me, I don't want to be beaten.'

Jak's eyes narrowed and Keira recognised the outrage in him as his jaw tightened. Despite all that had been done to him Jak's wish to right what he saw as wrong was still strong, still what made him Jak. Only now he was a little more forceful in seeing justice done. 'What? What makes you think you'd be beaten?'

She seemed to mistake his anger as being meant for her and shook as she spoke, sounding close to tears. 'When… whenever we displeased the Baron your Majesty we would be beaten so as to learn not to do it again. Please don't send me to be beaten your Majesty, I promise I won't wake you again.'

Jak calmed her again, schooling his face to stillness as he let Keira's hand on his shoulder soothe his temper. 'Who beat you?'

'The guards your Majesty, the Baron or his ministers send us away with one of his elite and they beat us with their fire-lances until we learn our lesson.'

A storm built inside him but Jak kept it in, storing that anger for later, when he had a target for it. He forced himself to deal with the current situation first, a friendly smile edging its way onto his face as he beckoned the girl forward, her feet shuffling slowly toward him. 'What's your name?'

'Samantha, your Majesty.' She replied quietly, a note of hope entering her voice.

'Call me Jak, Samantha, I don't like titles, and don't worry, from now on you won't be beaten, not by anybody. I'll tell all of the guards today that they're not to touch you or the other servants, if anybody hits you, you come and tell me and I'll deal with them. Okay?'

A smile broke onto Samantha's face, her voice musical now that it held a happy note. 'Oh thank you your Majesty. Thank you, I… the servants all knew you'd be better than the Baron.'

Jak ignored the use of his title as he returned her smile, 'By the way, thank you for waking me Samantha, tell Ashe… tell the Governor that I'll be out in a minute.'

She bobbed another curtsy, 'Yes your Majesty, if you or your… your lady would like to bathe a bath has already been run for you.' With that she was gone, scurrying from the doorway as Jak turned his eyes to Keira, her eyes watching him with a strange curiosity before she turned and lay back against him, staring at the ceiling silently for a moment. 'Jak, do you think there'll ever be a time when you can feel safe without a pistol under your pillow?' He looked down at her, his arms circling her waist. As she rested her head in the crook of his neck he drew in a deep breath, her question calling up all the changes that had occurred in him since he had come to Haven City. Finally he answered her, a hint of sadness in his voice.

'I don't know Keira… I really don't. With everything that's happened to me, everything that I've done… I'm not who I used to be. I'm not the man you loved in Sandover… this place… it's turned me into a monster, literally.'

She whirled in his arms to face him, hurt in her tone as her eyes shone with sudden tears. 'You can't believe that…'

Jak seemed ashamed of his words as he looked away from her, running a hand through his hair, 'You said it yourself. When I'm angry… I become a monster… I change.'

A tear spilled from her eyes as she looked up at him as though he had just slapped her, her memory recalling when almost those exact words had come from her lips. 'You… you think I meant that? Jak… please… please tell me you don't believe that's what I think. I was scared, all alone in this place and when you came back to me you weren't you and I was… I…' Emotion took her voice as she suddenly began crying in earnest. They had never spoken of the words that had been exchanged in her garage but neither had forgotten it. 'Please Jak… please don't believe that. You're not a monster… I could never think those things about you, not the real you… please…'

He silenced her by pulling her close in a tight embrace, pressing a kiss to her temple as he frantically began to reply, the sight and sound of her tears tearing at his insides. 'No… no, not even for a second I swear Keira, never. But… it's inside me… I can feel it. I have been changed.'

She looked up at him, her eyes shining wetly as she sniffed back her tears. For a moment she simply watched him, watched the pain on his face as he realised he had caused her hurt. Then she sat up, straddling him as she cupped his face with both hands bringing her own so close that his breath stirred the loose strands of hair that hung around her face.

'Do you remember what I said to you the first night we shared this bed Jak? I told you that I would never let you loose yourself, not to this palace and not to whatever demons they put inside you. I love you so much that it hurts and I know that you feel the same. How could a monster ever love like that? You're not a monster Jak, you never were. You were always my Jak, always the man I loved, I just didn't realise it until it was almost too late.' She pressed a soft kiss to his lips, closing her eyes for a moment as she drew it out, letting him feel the warmth of her breath on his skin. 'I won't let anything happen to you Jak.'

They both knew what she meant. Though protecting their relationship from physical harm would always be his responsibility his soul was a fragile thing. That was hers to treasure and protect, hers to shield from the doubts and fears that haunted it and the darkness that tried to consume it.

He lay back against the pillows, gazing up at her as her hands stayed upon his face, tenderly stroking his cheeks as she smiled down at him. 'Thank you Keira.'

He sat up once more and wrapped his arms around her, embracing her softly as they reaffirmed their bond after the brief gulf. It was rare for Jak's wounded heart to surface but when it did both of them felt this need once she had soothed it, the need to be close once more, to ensure that nothing of the gap remained. For a time neither of them spoke, content simply to share the warmth of their bodies as outside the window Haven City began to come alive.

Eventually Jak sat back and smiled at her, his hands resting gently upon her shoulders. 'Come on, we'd better get dressed and be off. Ashelin'll have a fit if we take much longer.'

Ashelin was waiting for them when they came out. Jak had had little use for finery as he grew but Ashelin had insisted that he at least make an attempt at appearing regal. As such he had pulled on a finely cut but loose black shirt and tucked it into a new holster-belt, this one of a shiny new black leather rather than his battle-scarred and worn old one. With it he wore a pair of long dark trousers that were cut like combats but had an edge of respectability to them, an effect added to by the strong black boots he wore. Keira positively revelled in the chance to dress in noble clothing. For all the time that she had spent as a mechanic in grease-stained overalls she had always loved being able to cast it aside occasionally and dress up, a little of what small vanity she possessed showing in the obvious glee with which she had greeted her extensive wardrobe.

For her part she wore a high-necked dress of something shimmering and silky in a light ocean blue. It was cut in a traditional style around the bodice, accentuating her full bust and the curve of her shoulders before travelling down her arms, ribbons of black and white intertwined down each sleeve. But there was evidence of modern daring in the outfit too, a split up to the thigh on each side allowing her total freedom of movement but the black leggings she wore beneath enough to stop the dress from appearing flirtatious rather than simply beautiful. As the two emerged, Jak exchanging a nod with the guards who watched over his door every night Ashelin raised an eyebrow as she watched his hands do up the last few buttons on his shirt.

'Well, Samantha seemed flustered when she came out but I'd no idea she'd caught you two in-flagrente delicto.' Jak gave her a deadpan stare as Keira scowled at her, a small measure of the enmity and jealousy she had held for the Governor never really fading since she had flirted so outrageously with Jak.

Jak turned to her, dressed in her usual combination of battle-armour and noble finery, 'What do you want Ashelin? I'm busy.'

Ashelin's face turned serious, 'Oh yes I'm sure, arresting politicians and Krimson Elite without my leave?'

Jak interrupted her, one hand resting on his rifle as he spoke, 'Yes actually, doing what you couldn't. You asked me to come here and sort out your mess and that's what I'm doing. If you don't like the way I'm doing things then that's too bad.'

If Ashelin was stung by his words she hid it well, she had come to know the truth of Samos' words in the past week, Jak was not on her side. She was a means to an end, like Krew had been and while he certainly saw her as more of an ally than he had the gangster, he was never even for a minute working for her. If anything she had begun working for him.

Her voice was tight as she answered him, the slightest hint of a tremble in her hand as she rose it to brush away a lock of hair away from her eyes betraying how little she liked that fact. 'You're right, I don't like what you're doing. But it's working anyway so I'm happy to let you continue. For now though we've got more important matters. Follow me.'

As she turned away she heard Jak's footsteps close behind her Keira's by his side as she led him to the same conference room where she, Samos and Torn had so often spoken in the last week. As they walked a phalanx of Krimson Guard formed up behind them, an escort that Ashelin had assigned to be with Jak at all times not only to allow him to more effectively intimidate the nobles but also to allow her to keep an eye on him. Yet they fell away as the three stepped into the small chamber, forming a barrier outside to deter any listeners. Jak stubbornly refused to think of the soldiers as loyal to him despite all their attention to his safety and in an attempt to appease him Ashelin had taken to calling them troops loyal to Haven City. But as she turned to face him he knew that this discussion would be more important by far.

As the lights dimmed and the holoscreen in the centre of the table sprang into life Jak recognised the image as map of Haven city, each major building neighboured by a few lines of information, contour maps and landscape code added to the countryside beyond. As Ashelin sat by the control panel and pressed a button a half dozen dots appeared on the northern perimeter.

'What is it?' Jak leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he recognised the region as dead town.

'Metalheads, from what we could see of their behaviour they were scouts for a larger force. The guards that reported them were loyal so we know for a fact that it's not a hoax.'

Jak frowned, 'What? But their army was scattered, almost two thirds of 'em died in the city and the wastelanders have been hunting the rest of them down ever since. Dax's boys alone have bagged almost a hundred. How the hell could they have got organised enough to have any sort of attack force that could threaten Haven City. Without their leader they're barely even smart enough to run when we start shooting let alone set up a scouting force.'

Ashelin nodded, 'I know, Torn's organising an attack force to man the walls there in case they try anything but I've got a feeling that there's something else going on here.'

Jak stared at the city map for a moment, 'If they really are smart enough to try scouting our defences then they're also smart enough to try tricking us. The metalheads hate the toxic water in Dead Town as much as we do. They wouldn't try moving a big force through there. I reckon they'll come from the west, they always did like the precursor ruins out there. Talk to Samos, ask him to try and use his eco spells, maybe the plants can tell him if they're that close to Haven Forest.'

Ashelin switched her gaze from the map to him and then back again before she nodded in agreement, he after all had had more dealings with the monsters than most, probably than anyone. 'Okay, I'll talk to him. You'd better be right about this Jak, we don't have the resources to keep the palace secure and man the whole of the town's perimeter.'

Jak rose and turned from her, 'When we find them don't bother sending all your men. I'll go and take a few dozen guard with me depending on the size of the attack force. That'll free up enough to keep you and Keira safe here in the palace while I take care of business.' Ashelin did not miss the glance that passed between the two, deciding that her part in this was finished she nodded, before turning to leave the room.

'Alright. I'll get Samos to find them and let you know.' In the meantime feel free to keep arresting anyone you can get away with. But be careful, when I saw Michaels this morning there was something about him that I didn't like. He was cocky, arrogant, more so than usual anyway. They've got something up their sleeve Jak.'

Jak stood and laid a hand on her shoulder, calling her eyes back to him, 'That's why I need you to take care of Keira for me.' Both women looked at him with surprise in their eyes, the unexpected request contrary to every impulse that Jak had shown so far.

Keira threaded her arm through his, pulling him close as she looked into his eyes. 'What? But Jak, I'm safer with you than with anyone else!'

He turned to her and gently held her, his hands lying on her shoulders as he spoke, 'Keira, I can protect you from anything that I can fight. Anything that I can see coming will never touch you. But you know as well as I do that I don't know how to do things here in the palace. What I've been doing in the palace is what I was doing out on the streets and if it was out there I know how they'd react, know where the attack was coming from, know how to protect you. But in here, I don't know those things. She does.

'If… when the metalheads attack she and Torn go out to fight them I might as well be blind in here. They could come for me with the whole of the elite and I'd never see it until it was too late. Ashelin, she knows how to read things in here. She and Torn can protect you better than I can.' He turned from Keira, his gaze piercing Ashelin. 'You will protect her.' It was something between a request and an order but Ashelin nodded in reply.

'Yes, I'll protect her. Torn and I might actually be able to use the attack to strengthen our position here if you don't take more than about a fifty guard. Since you're technically the head of state the elite can be ordered to back you up. I'll issue them with ground vehicles and they'll be stuck in the city traffic for hours. More than enough time for us to totally secure the palace unless they try something in which case we'll have them penned up in their barracks anyway.'

Jak nodded, turning once more to Keira, 'When I go, stay with Samos, Torn and Ashelin will look after you both and I'll come to you when I get back.' There was a moment of silence as they stared into one another's eyes. 'This will all be over soon Keira. I promise.'

She nodded and forced a small smile, remembering all too clearly the dread that had clutched at her heart every time she watched him leave her to go and fight. Even when they had argued every report of casualties in the underground, of fire-fights between "terrorists" and the Krimson Guard had left her sobbing with relief when she learned that Jak was not among the dead. Ashelin watched them for a moment before she turned to leave, calling back over her shoulder as the couple embraced.

'I'll be in touch Jak.'

~

Jak had been right, but a greater sense of urgency could have been given to Ashelin's counter-measures. The metalheads attacked before Samos had even begun his spells and Torn's attack force was only half-complete when the alarm bells went off. But the Krimson Guard had spent years as a ready response force against invasions and the alarms did not bring them to panic, adding only an extra factor of speed to their preparations as Torn's commands rose to a bellow. Their military efficiency served them well and a half dozen carriers rose from the palace docks not five minutes after the wall guards sounded the alarm, each filled with a squad of ten Krimson Guard.

The lead carrier was one designed for battle command, the twin rows of seats with their heavy harnesses for fully-armoured troops lined each side as in the other four but at the head, between the cockpit and the hold was a seat designed for an officer. Jak sat in it, facing the ten Krimson Regulars, each of them quite with his own thoughts as a holoscreen showed Jak what data had been gathered by the wall sensors. Normally the eco-energy pulsing through the walls would have fried any metal-head attempting to cross that boundary. But after all the damage of the last battle there were vast sections of the wall unpowered and the metalheads had been able to smash through one of the gates and invade the farming sector.

He'd lashed on what little of his armour he'd been bothered to keep at hand and now wore the sleek breastplate over his clothes, thankful that at least his rifle was ready at hand. He raised his eyes from the holoscreen as the carrier lurched forward and pushed him against the straps of his harness, his gaze settling on the palace as the carriers began their journey. For a moment he feared he had made the wrong decision in leaving Keira to her father's care with only Ashelin and Torn to ensure their safety but he pushed the thought aside. Samos loved his daughter as much as Jak did, he would lay down his life before he saw harm come to her. Besides, the Krimson Guard loyal to Haven still outnumbered the two hundred or so elite that were loyal to Michaels almost two to one in the palace.

Haven City had been a city under siege for so long that it had become totally self-sufficient, a huge part of this independence came from the farming sector in the West of the city. As the fields came into view Jak took in the half dozen square miles of the city made up of wide fields of crops, machines and drones moving among them with mechanical precision as they tended to the city's food source. At first it all seemed in order, the flow of traffic through the wide streets that divided the fields moving at a steady if swift pace.

But as they neared the high walls of the city it became evident that the attack was serious. The warning sirens blared out the alarm and sent the few citizenry in the area scurrying for their vehicles, as the glow of red shone from every computer terminal in the area, text scrolling across the screens to echo the warnings being delivered over the loud-speakers. Another few moments and the cause of the distress could be seen as the carriers swooped low over the city, the whine of their engines momentarily blocking out the alarms as panicked overseers abandoned their posts and the machines under their supervision.

The carrier's scanners picked out the metalheads from the crops and livestock, displaying a headcount on the screen in front of Jak, the data drawing a satisfied nod from him. These were only basic fighter drones, perhaps only a dozen combat creatures among the two hundred or so that had made it through the wall so far, it would not take long to cleanse them. His voice rose in command, the Krimson Guard looking to him for direction as the carriers hovered above the road, watching the approaching menace.

'We'll be jumping straight from the carriers. There are only two large routes leading to the breach and the metalheads are being funnelled down them. The last three carriers will take the North route and the other two will take the South. Drop down ahead of their advance and stop it dead, then push them back through the hole. Stay in a rank and move forward slowly, don't let them get close enough for hand to hand. These are just drones so if you keep em far, they won't touch you. Now come on! Let's kill us some Metalheads!' He heard a confident peal of laughter from the Krimson Guard as his orders were transmitted and the carriers peeled away in two directions to obey his orders. He allowed himself a small smile, and to think, not a month ago these men would have shot him on sight.

Then, with dizzying speed the carrier span and opened its rear doors almost five metres in the air, sunlight flooding in as the Krimson Guard disengaged the harnesses strapping them into their chairs and surged through the opening. They leapt from the open bays as before them the street swarmed with dark shapes, all but the most unfortunate civilians already gone from the battle ground as the guttural language of the metalheads rang out. Each guard hit the ground rolling and came up firing, their fire lances flaring again and again as they covered for those still leaping from the craft. Jak was among them, hitting the ground in a roll and coming up on one knee, his rifle already held tight to his shoulder.

The carriers had dropped them barely fifty metres ahead of the metalhead advance but though they outnumbered the Krimson Guard they were scattered, no coherency or drive guiding the attack and though they rushed toward the defenders with ravenous glee, if did them little good. Jak all but ignored the Krimson Guard around him as he sought his first target, he was used to fighting alone and fought as though he was, retreating into his own, private battle as the red laser glimmered into life on the forehead of one of the creatures.

His shot punched it from its feet as it took it in the chest and he swung his sights across in a smooth arc, his finger squeezing the trigger again and again as his first volley claimed four lives. It was an odd sight to see creatures that had once been so feared in the city being decimated so swiftly as the Krimson Sergeants roared out the order to fire but the metalheads fought with no intelligence, throwing themselves at the Guard and straight into their shots. As each squad obeyed Jak's orders and formed coherent ranks the wide streets and carefully cultivated verges became suddenly lit up with glittering beams of fire and eco as the battle commenced. The first volley slammed home and unearthly screams rose, drowning out the staccato cacophony of gunshots as the metalhead drones were blasted back by the organised Krimson Guard.

They advanced at a steady measured pace, stepping over twisted bodies, the malevolent glow gone from their eyes as the metalheads were cut down. Jak frowned as he easily blew a hole through another of the beasts, the one behind it screaming as two Krimson Guard fire lances burned through its torso. Something was wrong, this was like shooting rabbits, the metalheads were fighting like wild animals, like they had been fighting since he had killed their leader. There was no way these creatures would have been smart enough to try and trick the city, it was a miracle they had ever made it through the wall even if its advanced defences were shut down.

He needed to finish this quickly and get back to the palace. There was something going on here. Gritting his teeth in preparation for the strain to come he shifted his grip on the rifle and twisted the stock until he heard a click and the almost magical transformation of the morph-gun once again twisted in his hands with a complex oiliness that made it seem almost alive. As it settled on a new form he planted his feet and a high pitched whine suddenly formed a background to the battle as blue eco streamed through the machinery and the barrels began rotating, cycling up to full speed ready for…

The gatling blaster was a weapon from Marr's time, Jak's ancestor's genius with eco and technology allowing him to create a weapon that had not been matched for pure destructive potential. As far as Jak knew his was the only one in the whole of Haven City. So the Krimson Guard could be forgiven for diving for cover as it unleashed its thunderous roar and the air suddenly became filled with countless evil blue slivers.

They tore into the metalhead advance, dirt, plants and rock exploding as his attack let loose a solid wall of fire that decimated everything in front of him. Jak gritted his teeth as he let the blaster travel a slow arc across the road, his muscles straining to hold it as the forces unleashed by the machine threatened to tear it from his hands. Spent cartridges littered the road as he continued to fire, the terrible power of his gun killing every enemy for almost a half kilometre ahead of them. Spurts of dirt marked the path of its destruction from each knot of enemy to the next, the whine of shrapnel or soft thud of plant matter sounding whenever a stray round tore at a wall or shredded the crops. But far more often there was the sharp "prang" of metal yielding to some unstoppable force as his bullets sliced into the metalhead drones. As he released the trigger an awed hush followed broken only by the whirr of the blaster's barrels as they wound down and Jak's panting breaths as the strain of using such a weapon took its toll.

But with that one action he had all but won the battle. The metalheads, even without their leader's influence to give them intelligence still had at least a little of the self-preservation that nature gave to everything and after Jak's display it was enough to send them running, leaving almost a hundred of their number dead, fifty of them were Jak's kills. He broke into a run as they fled, the Krimson Guard at his back as the com spoke of a similar retreat by those on the Northern route.

The last of the creatures disappeared through the gate just as Jak's group climbed the ramp, a volley of fire-lance shots cutting down two stragglers as the creatures disappeared into the undergrowth beyond the gate. But Jak was not interested in them. Instead he had turned his attention to the gate controls. In order to move about the city he had learned to hack through the gate controls and had a crude but effective understanding of how they worked. It served him well as he accessed the computer's memory logs.

Behind him the second group of Krimson Guard arrived and the cheers of victory began but he ignored them as he stood up, his eyes wide with sudden realisation. Snatching a com unit from one of the guards he tried for the palace, switching frequencies to every band as he tried desperately to make contact, to find proof that his suspicions were wrong. There was none, they were jamming the long-range communications. He was right. 'Call the carriers in now! We have to get back to the palace.' As the carriers swept down from the sky Jak sent up a silent prayer as he clenched his teeth, he'd only been gone a half hour. What could have happened in a half hour?

~

The once pristine halls of the palace were now the sight of a bloody battle, the long hallways scarred with trails melted into the walls by fire lances, lavish tapestries and lush decorations left broken and burning by the terrible conflict. Fighting at such close quarters was a brutal mix of bloody hand to hand and near-point blank shoot-outs that left dozens dead on each side. Dead and wounded littered the halls, some with the golden armour of the Krimson Elite but more, far more with the dark, scarlet armour of the Krimson Regulars. Truth be told it was hard to tell as gun-flashes all but blinded combatants and the thick, acrid smoke of fires mingled with the vapours of explosions into a battle-fog that gave a surreal edge to the whole scene.

Torn was in the thick of the fighting and swore as a grenade detonated, sending a shower of shrapnel and debris down the corridor. The flash and noise drove him away from the corner that had given him shelter as all around him the halls of the palace echoed to the din of gunfire and the screams of the wounded. He spat grit and snarled, hefting the pistol in his hand, it was one Ashelin had given to him back when he'd been an officer in the Krimson Guard, it still was his favourite, clean smooth lines with a slim, deadly look to them.

He stepped out from the alcove that had protected him and snapped off a shot as the bright armour of the Krimson Elite marked them aside from the Krimson Regulars that still fought for him in the bitter melee that had erupted throughout the palace. He was rewarded with a horrible sound as his shot took an elite in the throat, sending him to the floor as Torn drew his knife and almost casually sank it into the belly of a second elite that rushed out of a side passage.

He turned and sent three more shots into a group of elite as they charged across the hall, the action enough to draw their wrath as one of their number went down. He swore as a fire-lance bolt hissed past his ear, diving for cover as he sent a grenade spinning into the middle of their group, the blast killing one but their heavy armour meaning that most of them survived. As a group of regulars darted out of another hall they forgot about Torn and a new fire-fight erupted.

Torn made them pay for turning their backs and two more of their number died by his hand before he moved on, racing through the maze of corridors and chambers that was the Haven Palace. He moved with a practised ease, fighting as long years of experience had taught him, not taking any chances but inflicting as much damage as he could on the enemy before he finally reached his objective.

As he turned the corner he let a smirk cross his face as he was forced to duck and two Krimson Elite flew over his head, twin bolts of green eco propelling them into the wall which they hit with a sickening crunch. He raised his eyes to take in a grim faced Samos as he stood in the entrance to one of the palace bedrooms. He looked oddly formidable for one so frail as his large, knobbly hands gripped his staff with obvious strength, a shimmer of green eco surrounding his body as it glowed from his eyes. Behind him stood Keira, a pistol held clumsily in her small hands, the young woman obviously unused to the weapon.

'Come on you two, Ashelin's already out of here, you two need to be as well. "his Majesty" will have a fit if I let anything happen to you.' Torn had made the attempt to give Jak's position credulity in front of the guard by using the title but gradually it had become more of a sarcastic reference than anything else and now he found himself using it whenever he mentioned the unwilling monarch.

Samos grunted and seemed about to reply before he pushed Keira back into the bedroom, moving with surprising speed for one of his age as he threw himself away from the doorway. Torn flattened himself behind a wall strut just in time as three elite stepped into the entrance to the corridor and began firing, their shots biting chunks from the walls and floor as they called out to their accomplices. Torn frowned, he couldn't let himself be bogged down, he had to keep moving.

'That all you got?' He taunted, his rough, bass cutting through the sounds of battle as he leaned out and snapped off two shots, a volley of fire-lance shots scarring the walls and floor in reply as he pressed himself back against the wall. He drew a second pistol as he heard the heavy foot-steps of the elite guard moving down the hallway and roared as he dove from cover, his pistols already flaring in his hands.

He'd earned ever position he'd every occupied, first in the Krimson Guard and then as head of the underground. He'd earned them by being the best. In mid air he let off six shots as a fire lance bolt hummed past his ear like an angry bee. By the time he'd landed he had killed all three of the Krimson Elite as they charged down the hall. He rolled aside as two shots answered his volley and leapt back into cover, gritting his teeth as he heard a dozen replace the trio he had just felled.

From his new position he could see into the room and glanced at those under his protection. Keira watched him with wide, frightened eyes as she knelt beside her father, the sage holding his staff at the ready as he coughed through the battle smoke, both staring at him from the room, pressing themselves out of sight of the Elite troops beyond. He dearly hoped that Ashelin had taken his advice and got out while she had the chance. He spoke into his com, the tactical display built into his fore-brace showing him the dwindling numbers of Krimson Regulars that were receiving his messages.

'This is Commander Torn of all Krimson Guard loyal to King Marr. Abandon the Palace! I repeat, abandon the palace, fall back to emergency -regroup positions.' He turned and bit the pin out of a grenade, rolling it down the corridor as he heard the shouts of alarm from the Elite. It detonated with a brilliant flash and a noise thunderous boom, disorientating the guard just enough for Torn to dive from cover and grab Keira's arm, lifting her and her father to their feet.

'Come on, we're getting out of here! I've got a transport waiting out back, it'll take you two somewhere safe until "his majesty" decides to get his butt back in the fight.'

He broke into a trot with the two hurrying after him as the Elite gradually recovered from his grenade, Samos' power lifting him from the floor to carry him at Torn's side as they moved through the palace. At times Krimson Regulars gathered around them, at others they peeled away to engage knots of Krimson Elite but all of them were in the same retreat as their small group. The palace was lost, now all they could do was try and retreat with the fewest casualties to return another day. Yet just as it seemed to Torn that they might just get out with their forces mostly intact Samos suddenly let out a gasp, the glow of green eco fading from around him as he tumbled from the air.

He lay against a wall looking as though he had just seen a ghost, his breath coming in terrified pants as his wide eyes stared at the wall with an unfocused glaze. Keira knelt beside him, fear in her voice as she called him to, Torn biting back an oath as he glanced either way down the hall to see if an elite could possible have shot the sage but the hall was empty. Whatever troubled him was his own doing.

'What's the matter with him? We've got to get out of here!' He snapped as a half dozen regulars passed them in the hall, one heaving a grenade into their wake to discourage what was evidently close pursuit. But as he knelt to haul Samos to his feet the sage's eyes suddenly seemed to refocus, staring into Torn's face with startlingly clear intent.

'We have got to get out of here! Now!' Torn hauled him to his feet, half dragging half carrying him as he began to stumble down the corridor.

Samos' voice seemed on the verge of panic as they moved, a very disquieting sound in someone who had never so much as trembled before. 'No… you don't understand. With the traps you set up the Krimson Elite should have been cut to pieces the moment they tried to attack right?'

'Yeah.' Torn paused to fire two shots at a shape in golden armour in the distance.

'They've got something with them… something terrible, horrible. It's the reason we've not been able to organise a good defence, it's smashed straight through the ambushes. And it's coming this way!' Samos shook himself free of Torn's grasp and was bathed in the glow of green eco once more, the fright leaving his face as he transformed it into anger. He stopped dead, staring at a side hallway ahead of them, his face grim as his knuckles whitened around his staff.

'We're too late… it's here!'

A terrible screaming erupted from the hallway as the three turned to look at it, Torn licking dry lips as horrible sounds echoed from the battle-scarred walls. Then suddenly the violence erupted before their eyes, four Krimson regulars flying from the hall, their screams ringing in their ears as they were smashed against the wall. Torn's eyes widened as he saw what pinned them in place. Four beams of dark eco, the same beams that Jak generated when he fought as his dark counter-part. But there was something different about these, they were not Jak's they moved sibilantly, with an intelligence as they crushed their prey against the wall, their thick, interwoven strands flowing with malevolent intent, not the uncontrolled outbursts of Jak's battles.

A terrible laugh echoed in the hall, chilling the watchers as Krimson Regulars were halted in their retreat to watch the terrible spectacle, the voice like rocks being smashed but at the same time, familiar. Then a clawed hand seized the edge of the door, the flesh a gruesome dark, almost black colour and each of the nails transformed into a razor sharp talon. The body that followed was worse, half-machine, half-monster. Robotics replaced the left arm and most of the chest of the creature, a bundle of tubes replacing what was once the spine, the flesh that was left boiling with ugly power as the four bolts flowed from his right hand. There was no way to recognise if the machine-monster had ever been human, no way save the mask which it wore. There was only one person who had ever worn a mask like that…

Torn voice stuck in his throat as he took it in, '… Erol.'

A.N. As I said, an extra long chapter to make up for my absenteeism with a startling revelation to finish. I hope you all enjoyed it and look forward to hearing from you what you thought of my writing. The next chapter will be up much quicker now that I've got the plot moving and I'll try to keep them almost as long as this one, Lord knows you deserve it for putting up with me J . Anyway, as always your reviews are welcome and anybody who wishes to discuss something or be notified when the next chapter is posted need only e-mail me at Leo_magik@hotmail.com. With that I'll leave you until next time.

Go with God

The Visionary