Disclaimer: KP and Exalted are not mine. If they were, then Exalted would have been an animated feature length trilogy or at least an hour long weekly series. Not to mention that Kim Possible would be a lot more mature. But then It wouldn't have done as well as it has so there you go.
Prior Warning chapter five will contain violence. I warning you now so that you don't read on if you don't want to read about a great many people dying…Let's just say that this chapter is the end of act one. I had a teacher once who told me that act one was always your establishing act, the act where you build everything and everyone that are important to your story and act two is the act where everything goes all to hell! The act where you get to utterly destroy just about all of what you built in act one, the act where good gets jumped in a dark alley by evil and left for dead. If you think about it, which I did after he told me that, all of the greatest stories in history go by the three act system. Just for example…Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Exalted, Dragonlance, etc. Just to name a few.
Act three is the resolution, for good or evil…a lot of people don't understand that just because a conflict is resolved doesn't mean that the good guys won. I'm sure those of you who have seen Star Wars Eps. III by now understand what I mean by a Dark resolution.
So far I have only gotten two reviews. Thanks guys and I will answer your questions.
Charles Gray…WOW Praise from Caesar…first of all…Man I love your fics, especially the Buried/C&S/Fire & Darkness thing…pure genius. When are you gonna finish Senior year, man? Not to rush you cause I know how writers block is. It was just getting really good! But, to answer your questions, there are definitely other exalts that are running around. Including all of the ones you mentioned. Lilith, the Lunar that hangs with Dace…you know her right…she's part of Dace's Merc group called Sol Unlimited. They have been operating for about six to five hundred years and have been involved in some way in just about every major conflict in the history of the world since then. They're the best but rarely anyone knows about them. Dragon-Blooded are there as you have no doubt noticed if you've read the third chapter…Thing are gonna heat up on that front soon. The other exalts…Sidreals, Deathlords…etc they'll be coming into play soon as well. Also expect a reappearance of an old friend and some old enemies as well.
Prof. Fishmiester…Thanks man, I tend to think that my writing is bad. This is actually the first time I have posted anything I've written for a vast group of people to see. So I hope you like it and keep reading.
Those are the only people who have reviewed…I'm slightly depressed. But I'm not gonna stop writing…cause now I wanna see what happens…funny, I should know what is going to happen because I'm writing this right? If that were true, I'd be less inclined to write. Now I'm obsessed with writing to see what happens next just like you guys read to find out. Scary huh? None of us know what gonna go down next. I have a vague idea…but that transforms from time to time.
Okay that's enough of that…That's like a whole page of just me not writing the story.
Time for…
CHAPTER THREE
Kim strode towards the Mankey residence with purpose in her steps. It felt a bit strange to be coming to this house, without her mind racing over what kind of 'fun' she'd be having with Josh that day. However her reasons for being here would not allow her to sacrifice any focus thinking on those things. Today she was here for a confrontation. Today she was here because her best friend had yelled at her. Ron Stoppable had yelled…at her!
In all of the years she had known him, Ron had never yelled at her like that…ever. It scared her beyond anything she had seen in the 'save the world' gig. If it had not have been for the serious face he had been making she would have thought it was a sick joke. It hurt her to her core and what was worse…he had every right to do so. He had told her the truth, she knew he had. Ronald Dean Stoppable never lied to anyone. He was completely honest, even to a fault. He was he biggest boy scout anyone could ever know. That was why she was here now. Because Ron had never lied to her before, so why would he start now?
Stepping up to the front door, Kim shot a glance back to Monique who was waiting in the car. She had not wanted to get in the way of what was about to go down. At least that was what she had said as Kim had stepped out of he car. Reaching up, Kim pressed the doorbell and waited. She could hear the sound it made as it chimed its tone throughout the house. A few moments later the door opened.
"Hey Kim, what's up?" Josh said as he opened the door.
"Josh we need to talk." Kim said dryly
"Sure thing Kim, come inside." Josh motioned
"That wouldn't be a good idea. I'm pretty sure your folks won't want to hear this." She said
"Oh," Josh grinned "Is that so."
He stepped outside and shut the door to the house.
"So what are we talking about?" Josh said wrapping his arms around Kim's waist.
Kim brushed him off and continued
"What's this I hear about Ron getting beat up at school in the locker rooms?" She said bluntly.
"What?" Josh said shock coming to his face.
Kim thought that this might be a good sign. Maybe, one of Josh's less savory acquaintances took it upon themselves to hurt Ron for…some…reason. No that wasn't it. The shock on Josh's face was more of, 'Oh my God, how did she find out about that?'
"Well?" She said impatiently.
"Well what? I haven't even heard about it." Josh defended
"Hmm, that's interesting, because Ron says that you were there when it happened. He said it had been your idea." Kim explained.
"Well it's obvious that he's lying." Josh said
"Oh, really?" Kim said
"Of course Kim."
"So you weren't there?" Kim asked.
"NO!" Josh said.
"And you didn't tell someone to do it for you or anything like that?"
"No Kim, I mean why would I do that? Why would I tell Big Tony to beat up Ron? He's you're friend, even though he's been treating you like dirt lately, and now he's lying to you to try to break us up."
"He succeeded." Kim said simply
"What? What do you mean?" Josh asked.
"It's all true isn't Josh? You did do it, and you have been spreading rumors behind my back!" Kim said hotly.
"No I haven't! Kim what proof does Ron have that I did any of the things that he's accusing me of? Does he have anything?"
Kim merely frowned.
"I didn't think so." Josh said
"I know you did it Josh, just fess-up."
"And how do you know this?" Josh asked with a smirk
"Because I never mentioned Big Tony being the one to beat Ron up. If you didn't know anything about the sitch then you wouldn't have either. That means you just lied to me and I caught you in it."
Josh tried to respond but Kim put a finger to her lips.
"Don't lie anymore to cover up your other lies. We're through Josh Mankey. If you'd lie to me about this…then I know I can't trust you to tell me the truth about anything else."
"So, you're gonna take Stoppable's word over mine?"
"Any day of the week. He's never lied to me. You have. See my logic?" Kim turned to go back to the car but heard Josh call her something that made her change her mind. She turned back to him to give him something to remember her by…
SLAPKim's hand still stung from the slap that she had given Joss Mankey across the face. Her skin was hotter than the fires of hell itself…In fact, it had been all she could do to merely just slap him and tell him they were through rather than kick his ass all over his own front lawn. He was betraying her right behind her back. Not to mention seeing someone else at the same time as well. At least that was what she gathered from the sight of some slightly older girl making a mad dash from his back yard as if she were on the lam. Just after the girl had disappeared from sight, Mrs. Mankey poked her head above the fence as if looking for someone. Kim really didn't care anymore. It was just another thing Josh had done behind her back. Just like Ron had said. Now she felt even worse about not believing him earlier. She had to apologize. She had promised him when they were just in pre-k that she'd never doubt him ever! She had pinky-sworn it, which was just as binding as signing in blood. At least it had been when they were kids. Still, Ron had never ever lied to her, even when she had lied to him that one Holloween. He had never been anything but honest with her. So why hadn't she believed him? She told as much to Monique who merely nodded and said.
"Sometimes, we lose our way Kim. We forget who has got our backs when a pretty face or someone who treats us nice struts by. It happens to all of us. Even Ron."
Kim nodded back as she walked with Monique to her car. That much was true. Even now Ron was hanging out with that Yushuv kid instead of listening to her. Not that Yushuv was a pretty face distracting Ron from who had his back…eugh! Ron wasn't like that…at least she was pretty sure he wasn't. He would have told her if he was…Ok, hop off this subject and get a ticket for a new train of thought girl. Kim thought to herself. This Yushuv guy was bad news though. She had a gut feeling about it. Maybe if she told him that he had been right about Josh, and that she had just needed a swift kick in the pants to get her to see it he would listen to her about Yushuv? It was definitely worth a shot. He was going to the movies tonight, so all she had to do was catch him there and give him a good talking to.
"Two for 'Zombies Wanna Eat My Brain XVII' please." Ron said with a smile.
Yushuv groaned. He still remembered the first installment of the cult classic. It had irked him that the zombies just moved so incredibly slowly and were completely unthreatening. He had seen real zombies…well they were actually called nemissaries, but they were mean buggers and they were fast, strong and agile as hell! Not to mention that whole ability to jump from one dead body to the next at a moment's notice. Oh and that whole sucking the life-force/soul right outta people. That wasn't fun. Not that he knew first hand and he wanted to keep it that way. However it never looked like much fun when he had seen it happen to people.
Ron came back with the tickets with a grin on his face. "Booyah!" He said simply.
Yushuv rolled his eyes. "Are you sure you wanna see this movie?" he asked.
Ron looked confused "Yeah, zombies rock dude!"
Until you're face to face with one, in the bottom of a cave, in the middle of nowhere, without anywhere to hide, and you've got no choice but to fight your way out. Yushuv thought to himself
"Yeah," Yushuv said as sincerely as he could manage "Zombies…uh…rock! Listen, you go score us some seats while I pick up some snacks."
Ron nodded and was off in no time.
Why did I let him pick the movie? Yushuv asked himself with an audible sigh.
Just then Yushuv's cellphone rang in his pocket. It must have been Jade telling him that she was on her way or something. Sure enough when he looked at the small screen Jade's name and number appeared. He pressed the button and the phone snapped open. Placing it to his ear he answered.
"What's up Jade?"
"Yushuv, I need you back at HQ now!" Jade said on the other end. She sounded slightly disturbed.
"Jade, what happened?" Yushuv asked.
"Mankey. Turns out that you were right. Mankey is a Dragon-Blood and so is his mother." Jade said in an irritated tone
Yushuv frowned. "Really, I take it from your tone of voice, that the recon didn't go as well as you had hoped?"
"I was spotted." Jade said simply
All color drained from Yushuv's face "Shit, Jade!"
"I know, I know!" She said defensively. "The bitch sensed me somehow! Damn near knocked the bajezzes outta me with a battlestaff."
"While you were cloaked?" Yushuv asked already knowing the answer and not liking it one bit.
"Yup, and you know what that means…" Jade trailed off.
"She's a huntsman." Yushuv said swearing profusely under his breath.
"I'm headed back to HQ. Dace has called an emergency briefing. So, you gentlemen are gonna have to cut your movie short." Jade said
"All right, I'm on my way. Yushuv out." Yushuv pressed the button again and the phone snapped back shut. "Sorry Ronnie boy, no Zombies tonight." He said to himself starting for the theatre to tell him that they had to go so that he could take him home.
Suddenly, the doors to the theatre opened and in strutted an attractive redheaded girl dressed in a cheerleading outfit and an equally attractive dark-skinned young lady dressed in a casual red sweater and black jeans. Yushuv got a quick idea.
"Hey Kim, Mon, over here!" He called waving.
Kim and Monique saw the boy waving them over and turned towards him.
"Where's Ron?" Kim asked simply.
"Oh he's in the theatre." Yushuv replied.
"Yeah, which one?" Monique asked
"I dunno, something about zombies and brains. Listen ladies, I need to ask a favor of you two."
"Oh, and what's that?" Kim asked sarcastically.
"Cute," Yushuv continued. "I need you to hang with Ron. I just got a phone call from my cousin, and some important stuff just came up. I need to get back home ASAP. So could you tell Ron I'm sorry and that I had to go? Please?"
Kim and Monique looked at each other and then back at Yushuv who stood there with a pleading look on his face.
"Oh all right." Kim sighed "We'll tell him. You just go."
"Thank you so much, ladies. I owe you a boon." Yushuv said taking off. "See ya at school tomorrow."
"Uh, right." Monique said watching him go. "Did he just say 'boon'?"
"I think so, but it doesn't matter. Let's go find Ron." Kim said.
"Shouldn't be that hard." Monique said then looking at the movie titles she shook her head
" 'Zombies took my brain II', 'Night of the living brain Zombies' 'Me, My Zombie and My Brain', 'Zombie Trek' 'Zombie Raider' 'Triple Z'" Kim rattled off the titles.
"What's 'Triple Z'?" Monique asked.
"Ron told me about it when we saw the trailer for it last summer. It's short for 'Zombies Zombies Zombies'."
"Riiiiight." Monique said slightly confused "Is it just me or is there some sort of theme going on over there in Hollywood this season?"
Kim nodded.
"Just how do you expect we find Ron? Yushuv gave us about enough clues to find a needle in a haystack." Monique joked.
Kim stopped suddenly, "That's the one!" She said with confidence
Monique read the title. "'Zombies Wanna Eat My Brain XVII?'"
"He's in there." Kim said confidently
"And you figure this how?" Monique asked
"It's the only movie here with Zombies, Brains, and four roman numerals. It'd be like dangling a free shopping spree at Club Banana in front of us. He couldn't resist."
"Point taken." Monique said as they bought two tickets.
"Where is Yushuv, he's gonna miss the beginning of the movie?" Ron asked of no one. Out of his pocket, he heard a small squeaky voice respond with an "Iunno." and a shrug. Rufus climbed out and made faces at the lack of popcorn. Ron sighed and looked at his watch. It was almost time for the movie to start. Where was Yushuv?
"Ron…" a voice whispered from the back of the theatre.
Ron sat up and turned his head to the back to see Kim and Monique standing there looking for him in the crowded theatre.
Kim spotted him when he turned around. He had seen her as well. At first his face had lightened up, but then it turned into an angry look and he turned back around.
"Hey Kim, I'm gonna let you two handle this." Monique said grabbing a seat by the exit. "I'll be here when you're done."
Kim nodded and walked down the aisle toward where Ron was sitting and started to slide her way past people already in their seats.
"Excuse me, pardon me, sorry, watch it, HEY whose hand was that?" She said as she made her way to Ron.
A loud 'SHHHSSSSHH!' was the only response she received as the lights went down in the theatre and the movie started. Sitting down in the seat next to Ron she tentatively looked over at him.
"Hey," was all she could say.
"That seat is saved." Ron replied.
"Actually, Yushuv had to take off. He said something about family stuff coming up and he was sorry." Kim explained.
"Oh." Ron said.
Kim was silent for a few moments and then leaned in to whisper to Ron in his ear. Ron couldn't hear her though because the opening scene was some chase scene and the music had grown rather loud.
"What?" He asked.
Kim spoke a little louder but to no avail.
"What?" Ron asked again.
"I said we need to…"
'SSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH'
The music had died down suddenly and the theatre was quite save for the people complaining about the 'redhead making too much noise.'
Dialing her voice beack to a whisper she said firmly "We need to talk Ron."
"I don't really see what there is to talk about Kimberly." Ron snapped.
Kim was hurt. Ron never used that version of her name before…at least not in that tone of voice. "Ron…" She pleaded looking at him.
Ron didn't look at her. Instead he kept his gaze focused on the screen ahead.
"Could you…at least…look at me?" Kim said starting to feel tightness in her chest.
Ron turned to her, anger clearly evident on his face. "What Kim?"
"I think…I think I know…what this is about." Kim said.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Ron paused before responding. "You should know, I told you what it was about."
"I think that there is more than just the Josh sitch that's been bothering you. Something maybe that happened…four months ago." She watched his reaction. She knew that this was still a tender subject for Ron. He still blamed himself for what happened that day.
Ron tensed up when he heard those words. How dare she bring up that day? She knew how he felt about it. Knew that he hadn't been able to trust himself the same way ever since that day. She knew he blamed himself. Most of all she knew he didn't like to talk about it. He remembered it all like it was yesterday. The fire, the noise, the smoke. He hadn't been able to even see clearly. He hadn't known that Felix was still in that car when it gave in to the heat and then…
Ron didn't say a word.
"I…you're mad at me. Because…I didn't let…you go back…to save him." Kim said voicing her theory.
Ron kept his eyes forward.
"I don't blame you for being mad." Kim said as tears began to build up in her eyes. "I don't blame you for hating me."
"Kim, I don't…" Ron started
"Yes you do." Kim said, "I know you do."
She had seen it in his eyes the day of the funeral. The way they seemed to burn right through her. It was as if they could see the selfish desire behind them that had caused her to hold him back, to keep him from running into the destruction to save one of the few friends he had.
"Kim…" Ron started.
"I just couldn't let you go back Ron." Kim had dropped her face into her hands.
"Well why not Kim?" Ron asked angrily. "I could have done something maybe, got Felix out of that car before…"
"There wasn't anything you could have done Ron!" Kim said to him.
Everyone had told her that she had done the right thing by holding him back. It had taken every ounce of strength to fight him to the ground. He had struggled so hard to get free, even after the car had exploded. It had all happened so fast. Ron didn't see it that way though, and she knew it. He saw every second that she held him down as a second he could have potentially spent rescuing his wheelchair bound friend.
SSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH
"OH SHUT THE HELL UP!" Kim yelled back before turning back to Ron and dropping her voice again.
"If I had let you go back, you would have been with him when the car exploded. You would have gotten seriously hurt…or even…" She shuddered to think it, but to say it…she couldn't dare voice the word.
"Died, like Felix did!" Ron said.
Kim winced.
"Well so what then? Why shouldn't I have died in the car with him?"
"Because…because…I need you Ron!" Kim said a single tear sliding down her face.
Ron had had enough, that line was B.S. She was Kim Possible for crying out loud
"Oh yeah, you Kim Possible, the girl who can do anything needs me. Ron Stoppable, the guy who can't do anything right."
"Yeah Ron, I do need you." Kim said. "Because no matter what everyone says about me, I know for a fact that I can't do anything without you fighting by my side."
"Well you sure haven't shown it lately." Ron said.
"Yeah okay, I'll admit that I've been a complete bitch lately."
"Kim…" Ron started
"I know you don't like me using that term but it's true." Kim said, "I've been neglecting you and Monique. And what's worse, is that I didn't even believe you when you told me about Josh."
Ron stayed quite. She had a point there.
"I didn't listen to you Ron." Kim was crying openly now. She didn't care anymore. "I made you a promise when we were like five and I didn't keep it."
"You promised to always believe me." Ron said.
"I know, and I broke it. I trusted a guy I barely even know more than my best friend in the whole world." Kim paused smiling "The guy who was my friend before anyone even knew who I was. Before I was the girl who could do anything."
"You remember that?" Ron asked
"We pinky swore." She stated with a serious expression on her face as if said act had been a legally binding contract.
Ron laughed. "Yeah, we did didn't we?"
Kim nodded wiping tears from her eyes. "Ron, I know it seems as if sometimes I can do it all alone. But the truth of the matter is…I couldn't even stand to get up in the morning if I couldn't see you. That's why I held you back. I didn't want to…I couldn't lose you. You mean too much to me."
"Kim, what are you talking about?"
"I'm trying to tell you that our friendship means more to me than Josh, or school, or cheer squad, or…the missions, or…anything! Even my own life!" Kim said, "I'm trying to tell you that I love you Ron. You're my best friend, and I love you. I'm not willing to lose you…ever. So I guess that's what I'm trying to say."
Ron was shocked.
"Then why?"
"Josh? Because, I thought that after…Felix…I thought that you hated me. Thought you wouldn't ever wanna be near me. The solo missions, I took them because I was afraid. I was afraid…that you could get hurt. That I could lose you to some maniac with some sick twisted demented plan for global domination. So I went without you…to keep you safe."
"K.P. you can't make that decision for me! I chose to go on all of those missions with you from day one. I knew the risks, and even if I didn't know them then, I know them very well now. I still choose to go. I choose to help people, to help you."
"But why Ron? Why go when you know what it could cost you?" Kim asked
"Because of what I could lose if I didn't." Ron responded "You're my best friend, I need you just as badly as you need me Kim. I don't even wanna think about a world where we can't be friends…Where I can't be with you."
SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
"I guess we were both being a little stupid huh?" Kim said, she had stopped crying but the tears still stained her face.
"Yeah, we need to work on our communication skills." Ron said smiling
"More like we need to listen to each other more. I know about Josh now by the way."
"Yeah, look K.P. I'm sorry I told you like that…I was…mad!"
"I'm not sorry at all Ron." Kim said. "You were totally right. I mean he was really doing those awful things behind my back…some things even you didn't know about it seems." She said remembering the young woman dashing out of his backyard. It seemed rather funny to her. Usually, you heard bout he guy having to make a mad dash to escape the girl's father. Not the girl escaping the guy's mother "I didn't even see it. I guess I didn't want to."
"Yeah, well I'm still sorry it had to go down like that K.P." Ron said
"I suppose." Kim said "But at least now, I know who my real friends are."
"That's always good to know." Ron said smiling
"Yup." Kim said "So do you mind if I watch the movie with you?"
"Not at all, but I doubt that Monique wants to sit up there through the whole thing." Ron grinned "I'd rather go get something to eat if you don't mind."
Kim smiled and stood up "Bueno Nacho?"
"Booyah!" Ron said standing up and sliding out of the row with Kim hand in hand.
Some people complained about them getting in the way, but they didn't care. Monique still sat in her chair at the back staring at the screen.
"Hey Mon, you ready to go?" Kim asked.
Monique held up her right index finger in a gesture of 'wait one second.'
On screen, there was a zombie with a chainsaw running after someone in an empty park after dark.
"You two go on ahead, I'll catch up later." Monique said as a blood curdling scream escape some poor unfortunate's mouth on the screen. "This is getting good."
Kim and Ron shrugged and still hand in hand walked out of the theatre and into the cool night.
"So just how many are there?" Panther asked when Jade had finished her report.
"I honestly don't know. I only know that the mother is definitely a huntress and the boy is at least coming into his powers. I didn't feel anything coming off of the boy specifically, but if Yushuv did, I wouldn't doubt it seeing as it's a sure thing with the mother."
Lilith nodded. "Yushuv has always been a bit more exalt sensitive that any of us here have."
"I agree, so we need to start planning our next move." Dace said.
"Wow, I didn't know you thought that highly of me Dace." Yushuv said as he strode in through the entrance to the Situation Room as Dace called it. It was nothing more than the main offices of an abandoned strip club in Lowerton, which they had moved into as a temporary base of operations.
"Ah, good. How'd it go with Ron? Hope he wasn't too upset." Jade said
"Actually, I left him with Kim and their friend Monique and jetted right over. Saved me a good fifteen minutes and let me get here in time to hear Dace shower me with praise."
"Hey, what can I say?" Dace chuckled "You had a damn good teacher kid, not my fault if I rubbed off on you."
"Yeah whatever." Yushuv said as he took his seat across from Panther. "So what is our next move?"
"We have to bring the kid in…now." Dace stated.
"Whoa, what?" Yushuv asked
"We can't afford to beat around the bush any longer. If the Dragon-Blooded know we're here, then there'll be a Wyld Hunt on our tails in no time. I for one do not want a repeat of our little escapade in Chicago, what was it? Twenty-three years ago was it?"
All of the exalts around the table sat quietly. They remembered the last Wyld Hunt very well. They had lost one of their own, Arianna to the Terrestrials that time. No one here wanted to see that happen again.
"If the Hunt goes active…there's a chance that they'll find him instead of us." Dace continued "And if that happens, he's not gonna stand a chance. They'll kill him and they won't give a damn that he doesn't know a thing about his power. We all know it."
"I concur." Lilith said, "The boy needs to be defended and trained. Ours is a power too raw and destructive to be left unchecked, not to mention the fact of the unusual circumstances of his exaltation. He must be kept safe so that we can determine what these signs mean."
"Wild thing is right." Panther said using his term of endearment for Lilith that stemmed from her battle style. "We gotta bring him in for his own good, as well as those around him. This Dragon-Blood threat only means that we need to do it ASAP instead of trying it slow."
"So who's gonna do it?" Yushuv asked
They all looked at him
"Whoa, whoa no. I can't. I've only known the guy a week." Yushuv said
"That's longer than any of us have." Dace stated matter-of-factly.
"He won't believe me. It's too much, too fast!" Yushuv said.
"He has to Yushuv, or we all…could very well…be royally screwed." Panther said.
"This isn't like telling somebody that they just won the damn lottery tough guy! This is like telling them that their life is over. Which, is effectively close to the truth. He'll be hunted for pretty much the rest of his life. With no hope for any brighter tomorrow or any semblance of a normal life." Yushuv said with a fiery passion.
Jade noticed the look in his eyes. She could see the sadness there. That was probably what Yushuv wanted in his life. Just to be normal. Jade couldn't count the times she had wished that she had never been given her powers. She had cursed her eternal youth when she watched her family grow older while she had not. She could only imagine that Yushuv felt the same way only more so. He had been stuck in the body of a teenage boy for centuries. His hormones were probably always in constant upheaval. She wondered how he stayed so cool most of the time. The only reason she had been such a 'loose woman' in the first place was because hers were the same way. Why am I thinking about Yushuv's hormones? She thought to herself. Yours are most likely acting up again, that's why girl. Jade blew out an audible sigh and left to go to her room. Dace would get Yushuv to tell Ron about his exaltation tomorrow, there was no doubt about it. Mainly because Yushuv knew that it had to be done and that he was the only one who could do it. Secondly, because Dace was the only one who could get Yushuv to do something like this that he was vehemently set against. No one else was needed for the conversation that would no doubt last well into the night and Jade was sure that she would be getting no sleep for a while after tonight. Damn Dragon-Blooded, they're always screwing stuff up for us. She thought to herself there should be a law.
Elsewhere, in darkness unimagined in the deepest depths of human conception a voice called to one whom it deemed it servant.
Arise.
Nearby, a figure stirred and sat up in the darkness.
The time has come…for you to do our bidding once more.
The figure rose to it's knees but stayed in a kneeling posistion.
"Yes, my masters."
A great power has arisen…he must be brought to us.
"What must I do?" The figure asked
What you do best…destroy.
The figure nodded as an evil grin spread across it's face.
"Of course my masters. What is it that you would have me destroy?"
His humanity…
"How shall I accomplish this?" the dark figure asked
His family, his friends, everything that means anything to him. He must be broken. Only then will he be able to serve us.
"Yes masters."
Do not fail us again servant.
"I will not fail."
See that you do not, or your past centuries of torture and despair will seem as not but a small discomfort.
The figure rose, his body exactly as he remembered it. His black lacquered armor, The large adder-bladed sword sheathed across his back, A shield with a single spike centered in its boss.
Do what you must but not let him lay eyes upon you or it will be for naught.
He nodded
Go forth and bring us victory…go forth…
The figure began to become cloaked with a blackness even darker than his current environment, if that was possible. He found himself fading from existence in this plane to be taken to another. Eventually he disappeared from view.
Go forth…Ratcatcher.
"So, there is a Solar in Middleton?" The voice on the phone spoke.
"Yes." Mrs Mankey replied
"Is it just the one?"
"I'm not sure, but she seemed familiar."
"What do you mean?"
"I seem to tracking her that time in Chicago." Mrs Mankey said.
"So, she is one of the mercenaries?" The voice asked.
"I believe so, but I am not sure. What should we do father?"
"There is only one choice…" He said simply "Call forth the hunt."
A place of abundant light…
Our enemies have begun to position themselves.
"Yes, they have at that." The priest said.
The time has come to arm my apprentice.
"Good idea, good luck with that."
Come now priest, I have need of you once more
"Oh no, I'm through being your celestial gopher!"
The boy needs your instruction, your skills, your wisdom.
"And I care why?"
The fate of all depends on your decision.
"Don't you guilt trip me! I died for your stupid cause last time remember?"
You do not fool me priest, I know you wish to aid him. You simply wish to know what you have to gain from the matter.
"Do you read us all like books? Or is it just my fault for being too transparent."
This shall be a grand battle priest, but there is peace at the end of this dark night. You shall have what was promised to you in the beginning.
"Well 'it's about damn time' is all I can say!"
Take this to him. He will know where to find his other belongings but I believe he will need this soon.
"Yeah, yeah, go for this, go for that. Destiny, blah blah blah."
The priest was enveloped in a bright golden light and was gone.
It is coming full circle now…the sides are set, and the battle is nigh to be joined…Trust and believe in yourself Ron…you must not fail.
To
Be
Continued…
END OF ACT ONE
That's right folks, Ratcatcher's back and he's been given his marching orders. Not only that, but the hunt is on for the mercs of Sol Unlimited. Will Ron accept his fate…his destiny, or will he fall to the dark ones designs? And who is this mysterious priest! You probably already know and if you don't well you'll see soon as all the questions and more will be answered in the next chapter. Act two begins next time and trust me…saying that things are gonna get shaken up here is a vast understatement.