Facing your Demons
Before Rusl could release the arrow several earsplitting shrieks rent the air apart causing him to turn in the direction of the racket. As he moved his fingers released the taut string but he paid no mind to the path of the deadly projectile, he was far too shocked to care. He watched in horror as several large, black, hideously disfigured creatures tore into the village with piercing shrieks that almost seemed to paralyze him.
His shock did not last long though as he made his way forward into the fray while Bo shouted orders. By sheer luck any who could fight were armed and ready since they had known they would be dealing with the wolf boy. If at any time he had broken loose they had had to be ready to defend themselves and stop his escape. Now he thanked the Goddesses for their preparedness as he slashed his sword at one of the beasts. Chaos reigned around him and the other defenders of Ordon village as those who were without weapons tried to escape the surprise attack.
Rusl had never seen beasts such as these and he wasn't sure of how to fight them. They seemed to be able to take an endless amount of blows no matter how strong or pointed the strike was. As if this were not bad enough the attacks of the beasts were brutal relying completely on their speed and strength. Out of the corner of his eye Rusl watched as poor Hanch was sent flying from such a hit. He winced inwardly at the sickening sound of the man's impact with the large tree that stood in the village.
However, he could not afford to focus on the other man for long as the beast he was currently fighting drove him back with another clawed swipe. The monster had already done this several times forcing the warrior in a very certain direction. A quick glance around told the swordsman that his fellow villagers were being driven back in much the same manner. It only took Rusl a moment to realize what the beasts were doing but by then it was too late. Now he and all of the villagers stood huddled together surrounded by the monsters, easy pickings.
His eyes roved around looking for an escape route falling briefly on the wolf boy who had thus far been ignored by the demons. He still stood tied to the platform watching the proceedings, but as Rusl looked at him he noted something seemed to have changed in the boy's eyes. He could almost swear they held a look of pain and remorse, though why Rusl didn't know. Why would he show those emotions now, after all he was about to witness the slaughter of the people who had been ready to kill him.
Perhaps, Rusl was reading it wrong and the boy was only sorry he would not be making the killing blow himself, or maybe he was in league with these beasts and was impatient for them to release him. As Rusl tried vainly to decide the boy did something very peculiar. Pointedly he looked into Rusl's eyes before raising he head to the sky so all Rusl could see was his neck. After a brief moment he lowered his head while again looking pointedly at Rusl and then nodding in the direction of the creatures.
The boy's actions perplexed Rusl, why was the boy looking to the sky? Was he telling him to say his prayers because they would soon be meeting the Goddesses? As if Rusl would turn his attention away from the situation and expose his neck to the beasts. He turned from the boy feeling stupid for letting himself be distracted; instead focusing on the monsters.
For what seemed like the hundredth time he tried to find their weakness, but he came up empty again. Their bodies seemed to take an endless amount of abuse without slowing the creatures. They had wild tendrils sprouting from their heads and a thick plate that covered their faces and…and…necks?! He looked back towards the boy who again tilted his head back exposing his neck. He couldn't be telling them…but wasn't he one of them…? Rusl didn't get a chance to dwell on his confusion as the beasts tightened the circle they were trapped in.
"Yo Rusl, if you got any brilliant ideas now would be the time to share," said Jaggle fear all too evident in his voice.
Rusl wasn't sure if this would work but he didn't have any other options either so he whispered tersely back to the group. "I may have some way out of this. When I attack everyone scatter. Those without weapons head to the Ranch and slip over the fence. Everyone with weapons make sure the others get away." Rusl heard Uli's breathy, "no," but he had to, he had to make sure they lived even if he didn't.
With a bone chilling yell he charged at the nearest beast feinting a left-handed swing. As the black demon prepared for his attack Rusl switched direction aiming underneath the protective shield. The move wasn't perfect as the monster saw it coming at the last second. It brought up a hand to block, but Rusl's sword sliced clean through the appendage towards its neck.
The block did slow the swing down significantly as such it would not have normally been a fatal blow but, almost as soon as the blade made contact with the dark creature's neck it fell vanishing in a puff of black smoke. For the briefest of moments Rusl stood astounded the various shrieks and shouts of the villagers and creatures forced him to quickly shrug it off calling out to the others who were protecting the backs of the running villagers.
"Their neck is their weakness! Aim for the neck beneath the mask!" The battle began the vigor of the Ordonians having been renewed with this knowledge. However, even with this new found knowledge of how to beat the beasts it was no easy fight. Rusl had managed to take out two more of the creatures but he was tiring fast. The black beasts on the other hand did not seem capable of exhaustion and there were still so many of them.
Rusl soon found himself standing very near the wolf boy as more of the creatures advanced on him. "I can help you if you free me," hissed the boy just loud enough for Rusl to hear him. Rusl bristled at the boy's idea speaking before he had time to think on his words.
"What and allow you to help these demons to slaughter my village even quicker?! I think not." The boy growled as Rusl swiped at a monster forcing it back.
"Are you so thick headed and stubborn that even now you cannot see the truth of what my father and I told you earlier?! These are the very beasts responsible for killing not only your people but mine as well. I have experience fighting them and there are not so many that the danger would be too great. You and your fellows are struggling against them; you will all fall to exhaustion long before you deplete their numbers. Allow me to help you, it's what I was born to do." The boy's words were low and razor sharp as his eyes followed Rusl's movements.
Rusl hesitated a moment longer but as he looked about he could see the truth of the boy's words. They would not last much longer against these black fiends. So now it was up to him, leave the boy as he was and they would all be killed; free the boy and take the chance that he would either help them or kill them faster. Still not sure if he was doing the right thing Rusl swung his sword in a mighty downward arch cutting the ropes on the left side of the boy before circling round swiftly and doing the same to his right side.
The boy collapsed to one knee as he was freed head bent towards the ground. In the distance Rusl could hear his fellow villagers yelling at him. He could not make out their words, though it was very likely they thought he had lost his mind. Then as the boy looked up at him with a cold glare he realized he had made a deadly mistake.
The wolf boy sprang forward towards Rusl his form shifting in midair as he did so. All Rusl could do was pray that Uli and Colin would live through this as the jaws of death came at him. By instinct he had closed his eyes as the great black wolf flew at him, for a few heart stopping seconds he waited to feel the first bite that would lead to his death. But as the seconds continued he felt nothing; eventually curiosity caused him to tentatively open his eyes to find the wolf was nowhere to be seen. Beastly sounds came from behind him and once the man had turned about his jaw dropped in astonishment from the sight before him.
The wolf was attacking one of the monsters, somehow holding onto it body as his powerful jaws snapped at the creature's neck. As the demon fell the wolf pushed of the corpse before it disintegrated jumping to the next demon far quicker than Rusl would believe was possible. This one was ended far quicker than its companion had been; before it even began its fall to the ground the boy was running towards a large pack of the monsters that were attacking the remaining villagers.
Rusl was stunned by the ferociousness of the wolf but quickly came out of the stupor, there were still far too many of the monsters for the boy to take on alone. However, his forward charge was halted when he saw Mayor Bo lying on the ground, his cane broken into three pieces, and a nasty bleeding wound on his side. "Bo," Rusl exclaimed stopping near his friend but not kneeling down lest they be attacked.
"Rusl, what were you thinking freeing him. We're doomed now," the injured mayor nearly wailed out. Rusl only shook his head replying curtly while pulling the much larger man to safety.
"I don't think so Bo. He's the one who showed me how to destroy them and he's taking them out far quicker than we were able. Besides we can handle one lone wolf, but we would have been dead against whatever these foul things are."
Bo only nodded, too tired to argue, as Rusl again charged forward intent on helping to end this. As he did he noticed the wolf was circling around two of the monsters before leaping at one of them. He managed to take out the creature he attacked but its fellow swiped at him with one of its massive hands. Yelping the wolf was thrown several feet from the fight skidding in the dirt before coming to a halt.
Rusl about died then thinking the boy would not be able to continue, but to his amazement the dark wolf stood on trembling legs and after shaking out his coat started forward again. This time though his movements were not nearly as fluid or as swift, it was clear the attack had injured him in some way.
Knowing their chances were still precarious Rusl quickly rallied together those who were still standing in the village; he felt there might be one way they could more easily defeat the invaders. Talking swiftly to his fellows they divided themselves into pairs this time, before charging in.
Attacking two on one allowed one to be a distraction while another made the fatal blow to the beast. Even some of the villagers who were not skilled in combat helped for their hope had been restored that they may just live through this day yet. After many long minutes the last two beasts fell together, one by the jaws of the wolf boy and one at the hands of Rusl. There was a brief eerie moment of silence, now that the shrieks of the creatures no longer filled the air. Then all at once the village erupted into an exhausted but nonetheless elated cheer.
Rusl looked about his home and family; while there were many injuries, by some divine miracle, it seemed none had been fatal. As is eyes roamed about he noticed the boy still in his wolf form slinking towards the village exit slowly. He had taken a few more hits before all the monsters were eliminated and it was now quite obvious he was in pain from his newly acquired wounds.
Rusl reached out, though there was a sizable gap between them, intent on stopping and helping the youth who had saved them. Just as he opened his mouth, another paralyzing shriek echoed throughout the village. No, there could not be more of them, could there?! They had barely survived the first onslaught and if another was coming they had no hope that all of them would make it through this one.
His panic calmed some when he saw that instead of a horde of beasts only a lone but strange man stood at the village entrance. However, this strange man emanated an odd power that not only returned Rusl's panic but doubled it as well, he had the feeling that he would rather take on another horde of the beasts. The wolf boy had stopped in his tracks at the stranger's sudden appearance immediately on alert, growling with teeth bared at the intruder. Did he know something they didn't or was he merely getting the same feeling that Rusl had when he laid eyes on this…man? Rusl thought he was a man but is appearance was so strange he could not be sure.
The stranger's overall appearance seemed to be that of a reptile. He wore some armor but Rusl could easily see his body did not fill the protective clothing. From where he stood Ordon's swordsman could swear the man's eyes were glowing a yellowish-orange and seemed to be lacking any pupils. In truth his eyes were the most disconcerting thing about him lacking any warmth or emotion at all. They were the cold eyes of a man who had lost the ability to feel anything long ago.
The man seemed to have abnormally long arms that remained hidden beneath his sleeves, only the tips of his fingers showing. Rusl wondered at such unusual garb, would it not prove to be a hindrance? The man's skin was pallor and his face sunken that stood out with his short cropped hair the color of a blood-orange sunset. Rusl moved closer to the man but kept wary; his appearance may have been comical and not in the least bit frightening, but there was something there. Something that told him the man would not go down easy should he be attacked, and so for now Rusl stayed his weapon.
The man didn't seem to be paying any attention to the villagers though, instead his entire focus was on the wolf who stood menacingly before him. The boy had yet to relax is tense and ready status, in fact he seemed more alert than ever with the hair on his shoulders standing on end, ears turning in every direction, and hackles up bearing every long sharp tooth in his mouth. The growl that emanated from his throat was low but continuous giving warning to the intruder should he move any closer.
The boy had never seen this man before, yet he knew him. This man positively reeked of foul magic, sickeningly similar to how the dark beasts smelled, those foul monsters that had slain far too many of the villagers as well as his own comrades. This man had created those abominations, of that he had doubt. This man's creations were the reason the village of Ordon sought revenge on his people, and had now hunted them to near extinction. Before anyone could say anything the lone figure spoke in an unusually high voice.
"You still live…how astonishing. I would have thought these blundering fools would have finished you off by now. Though it matters not for I fear this is the last time this land shall see you or your kind alive…" Before the man could continue Rusl shouted out from behind the wolf boy.
"Who are you and what do you want with our village?!" The man turned his soulless cold eyes on the warrior looking as if he had just noticed his presence.
His reply was just as empty as his eyes, "I seek nothing more or less than the complete annihilation of your village. I would have succeeded long ago if not for the canine sentries that have protected you."
"What," said a very stunned Rusl?!
"Yes the cruelest of ironies, is it not. You and your people decimated the only things standing between you and your inevitable death." Rusl was far too perplexed trying to wrap his head around the few words the man had spoken.
There were so many questions he wanted to ask but only one slipped past his lips, "Why?" The thin man laughed but it was a hollow laugh, more as if he were going through the motions when in truth he felt nothing.
"I doubt you could understand the complexities of my reasoning, but I will tell you nonetheless so you may have something to ponder in the afterlife. I seek the destruction of this village and others within this province. My father believes me weak and he does not feel that I will be able to rule in his stead one day. So thinking I might learn how to be an effective leader he sent me away to a teacher.
However, when I arrived I found it to be nothing but a joke. The very man my father had sent me to was a spineless fool and his other students all taunted and ridiculed me. None of them could see my true potential, nor comprehend the power I held. One day when I could no longer take their cruel mockery I ran to a desolate alley; unknowing of what more I could do. It was there that I met a man who would become like a god to me. For many weeks he trained me in secret; helping me to unlock my true potential, while I kept up the farce of going to that building they dared call a school.
It all ended one day when that fool of an instructor told me he would be sending me home. According to him I had learned nothing in my time there and it would be best for all if I no longer remained. He explained I would be leaving in the morning and that he had already sent a letter ahead to inform my ignorant father of his decision. In that moment my anger and hatred for that man grew beyond what I knew I was capable of. How dare he say I had learned nothing and try to send me away from my god! I knew far more than his simple mind could comprehend and my god had only begun to teach me his ways.
My anger exploded in that moment and all too soon the man was no more, nor were his students. I was quite upset that I had let my anger take hold of me, but my god was not perturbed only saying that we needed to stop the letter from being delivered. With that we sought out the mail carrier a mere day before he would have reached my village and ended his life as well. Now my god and I were free to work for far longer periods without fear of interruption or discovery. He took over the school keeping the rupees sent by the parents of the students I had eliminated.
My god was generous enough to allow me to keep the rupees my own father sent in his foolhardy belief. For a long time we were able to keep our work a secret from everybody in that pathetic town. From my god I learned amazing things I had never even dreamt could be real let alone possible. It all came to an abrupt end one day when some drunken fool knocked my god in front of a racing carriage. He did not have time to react and the fools who milled about did nothing for him. It was then that the school was discovered, but I managed to slip away unnoticed by the Knights there.
Now I have returned to these woods I once called home so that I may prove to my father just how wrong he was. I will show him that I have the power to rule not only his pathetic village but the whole of Hyrule. As an example to him and the Kingdom I will wipe out every single life in every village within the Ordona Province. When they see that my power clearly surpasses their own, even that do-nothing royal family shall bow before me. Your village was the first of my conquests, though, your yappy little guard dogs were a nuisance your people were kind enough to care of them effectively." The man seemed to smile at this twisting his unnaturally long arms around him in a way that should not be possible for creatures with a spine.
The wolf boy looked ready to leap at the crazed man, but before he could the voice of Mayor Bo broke in, "Zant, is that really you m'boy? It can't be, your father has been so heartbroken when he learned of your death. I can't believe you would do this to him, and the other villages Zant! He only wanted what was best for you as any loving father would."
Rusl took a chance and looked over to see Bo standing a ways back leaning heavily on a stick he must have found. His side still oozed blood and he was incredibly pale; the stick he found while sturdy was clearly not meant for its current purpose as it was bending slightly threatening to break at any moment. Rusl wanted to yell at his injured friend to get back but an earsplitting shriek cut him off.
Whipping his head back around Rusl saw the man, Zant, throwing a tantrum indicative of a two year old. It was quite strange to see since up until now he had displayed little to no emotion, clearly the man was unhinged at some level. As he jumped about the man yelled at the top of his lungs, "You know nothing, NOTHING!" Suddenly he seemed to garner control over himself as he stopped and stared at them with his empty eyes once more. With only a wordless shriek he charged at them somehow turning his hands into sharp duel blades. Before he could take five steps though the wolf boy lunged at him fangs bared.
Rusl had never seen such a fight in his life and he felt certain that had he taken on either opponent he would have lost by now. The two came at each other time and again with moves that defied every law of physics. Zant though seemed to have the edge with three very obvious advantages that Rusl could see.
While the wolf seemed far quicker and more agile than Zant that was only because he had no armor on him. That meant any blow Zant managed to land connected to the boy's body directly. A body that had already been hurt in the earlier fight with Zant's dark beasts. That of course was the second advantage for Zant, he was fresh and ready for battle but the boy was already wore down. The last advantage though seemed to be the most detrimental to the fight. Zant had the power of magic aiding in his fight against a boy who only had teeth and claws. It was terrifying to watch yet Rusl didn't dare intervene as he would be more of a hindrance than an aid in this battle.
The boy panted heavily trying hard to ignore his wounds and aching muscles that screamed at him to stop, for he couldn't stop; not until either he or this Zant were dead. This was the hardest fight he had ever had and never before had he wished so much for the help of his pack. This man…was he even a man anymore? This thing was not a skilled fighter, of that he was sure due to how wildly he swung his blades and how careless he was with his movements. If the situation had been normal and he was nothing more than an average man the boy would have finished him off far sooner, but there was more to this fight than blades and fangs.
The man wore armor which while it was a bit irksome it truly did little for him as it was ill-fitted to his lithe form. The problem came from the corrupted magic he used. Not only did he use it to change his hands into blades but he used it to quicken his speed and strengthen his blows. This kind of magic was not new to the boy though as his people had wielded such magic for generations now.
His magic was not the corrupted kind like this man's, though admittedly it wasn't nearly as powerful either. In his current form the only magic he could use was to increase his strength and speed in the battle, but he had to be cautious for doing that too often could exhaust him quickly. In his other form he had a few more abilities but he lacked the fighting skill of the wolf too. His father had trained him with a sword and he was decent enough, but still his skill laid with his wolf when it came to fighting. It was these skills that had thus far kept him alive in this battle for this Zant had none to speak of. He used his magic and weapons without thought and by doing so he would exhaust himself, though never enough for the wolf to administer the fatal blow.
Now he circled around this demented being searching for an opening to make his move. But before he could find one the man started shooting red and black energy balls at him in a furious and crazed manner. This forced the boy to run, jump, and dodge in all available directions trying to avoid being hit. It was tiring but thankfully short-lived as Zant again wore himself down from the overuse of his magic.
As he paused the boy took a chance and rushed him hoping to end this now before he could regain his breath. Unfortunately his plan did not work out as the demon saw the oncoming attack barely managing to conjure another energy ball that connected with the wolf's broad chest. The power behind it was such he flew backwards landing badly on his front right paw as he collapsed into a heap in the dirt. For a moment he could see nothing as the pain from the magic and his broken leg radiated to his brain overshadowing all other thoughts.
When he next became aware of his surroundings he was at first surprised he wasn't dead even Zant, the incompetent fool that he was, must have known to take advantage of a fallen enemy. Looking up he realized exactly why Zant hadn't taken the opportunity when it presented itself. The man, Rusl, who had but an hour or so earlier tried to kill him was now defending him and going against Zant. From where he lay the boy could easily see Rusl's skill with the blade, it was on par with his father or perhaps even better from what he could tell. Either way he far outclassed the frenzied strikes of Zant, yet he was only barely holding his own.
Zant had clearly regained enough strength to wield his magic again and he took advantage of this by using it to force Rusl back and keep him on the defense. In his mind the boy felt the instinctive pull to get up and protect the man from Ordon, and since it was an instinct that he could not ignore he rose to his feet only to have his front half collapse back to the ground.
He had known his paw had been broken but he had hoped it would at least bear some of his weight. A pathetic whimper escaped his teeth as the pain washed over him anew, continually throbbing within the quickly swelling limb. His mind whirled as he tried to think of what he could do. True he could hobble on three legs but at that point he would only be a target for Zant, unable to move quickly enough to dodge let alone attack. Yet if he took his human form he would be able to move as only his right arm would be broken then, but he would be more vulnerable too. He had no weapon to use against this foul man as a human.
His decision was soon made for him by Zant knocking Rusl's sword from his hand then flinging him back toward the dais where the boy had nearly met his end this morning. Growling out the boy pushed himself forward while letting his other form take over his body. There was no hesitation or misstep from him as he went from four legs to two lunging towards the fallen weapon. In one smooth motion he rolled forward springing up with the sword held tightly in his left hand.
Zant glared at him with those pitiless glowing eyes of his sneering at him as he did so, "You are quite the martyr boy. Continually coming back for more punishment despite the fact you are clearly out matched. Some would go so far as to even call you hero."
The boy only bared his teeth at the thin man refusing to rise to the bait of a meaningless game of insults. After twirling the blade once to get a feel for its weight he struck out at the madman as quickly as he was able. Zant clumsily blocked the blow though before using his magic to send him into an insanely lethal whirling blur. This was not the first time he had used this attack but now the boy was taller and the blades would do more damage if he failed to dodge or block them. As he continually blocked the blows he desperately wished for a shield to help him, not that he'd be able to use it with his now useless appendage. The only reason he could even wield the sword in either hand was because his father had trained him to be able to use both hands when fighting and the lesson had stuck throughout his life. Now neither hand had dominance and he could use one just as well as the other.
However, this advantage was lost with one arm dangling limply at his side and the other quickly tiring from blocking the spinning menace. The vibrations from Zant's repeated blows to his sword were causing his arm to go numb and he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out. By some divine miracle the man began to slow as his energy left him, having again expelled too much in one attack. Now, was all the boy could think, it had to end now for he could keep this up no longer. However should he attack, Zant may have enough energy left to send an orb at him like he did earlier. Quicker than the blink of an eye he made a decision that would either save them all or doom them. As he moved in to attack the man he focused his own magic into the blade causing it to glow with his own energy. It was a dangerous decision to focus his magic into the weapon as it took a lot from him even when he was in top form. Still if his plan worked it would all be worth it.
As expected Zant formed another ball of his putrid magic to throw at him. As the energy shot towards him the boy swung his blade forward catching the magic at that perfect moment and sending it back to its creator. Zant was too stunned by this move to react in time allowing the ball to catch him full on in the chest. The boy didn't stop there though as he thrust his sword up and under the man's armor. Just as his sword moved through the man's thin body the boy felt a sting on his left shoulder. Looking round he noticed an arrow now piercing through Zant's throat, leaking black blood. Stunned he withdrew his sword and turned around to see a very battered Rusl still holding the bow from which the arrow had been fired.
A gurgling sound brought his attention back on the man that had caused so much hatred and heartache. It was clear the Zant was trying to say something but between the sword wound and the arrow he could not. For a moment he staggered about coughing up that black fluid before falling to the ground limps spread akimbo and eyes staring up towards the endless void of the sky. A final shuddering breath and then nothing more, Zant had breathed his last, and those who had lost their lives to his madness were avenged.
For the first time in what felt like forever the boy could breathe a sigh of relief, for it was over and the village would no longer hunt him. As he stood there for a moment he felt his mind begin to go fuzzy, but he fought it off. The village may understand now, but still he needed to leave quickly. It would not be right for him to stay, and they likely would not want him nearby. Dropping the sword he took a staggering step forward only to collapse next to the still body of Zant.
He wasn't sure just what was happening, but felt death must be very near. To that he welcomed it for it would mean seeing his loved ones again and at least he could tell them that they finally won the fight for Ordon. His muddled mind conjured shapes and noises as he began to detach himself from the world. Just before the darkness closed in one voice penetrated his fading mind.
"Come on boy…yo…stay…with us…name?" With the last of his energy he formed the word on his tongue, though he was never sure if he had had managed to say it loud enough for them to hear his breathy reply of, "Link."
A/N: Hey what do you know an actually decent sized chapter along with a fight scene! Well hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter, where we not only find out who the villain is behind everything, he dies too. At this point there are two chapters left, like I said in the beginning short story. That being said I thought I'd try a bit of bribery since I usually see a high volume of readers for my stories but not too many reviews. I plan on putting up the last two chapters at some point on Sunday. So here's the deal if I get three more reviews for the story before I finish it I will add a little teaser bonus chapter for an upcoming story that I'm working on. Now when I say reviews I mean actual reviews that tell me what you think of the story and not just random gibberish like I sometimes get. Whether you liked it or not I would still like to know and I would still count that as a review. To help you decide whether or not it's worth it I will tell you the story chapter I would post is a post-Skyward Sword story. The story involves babies, betrayal, Zelda, Link, Ghirahim, Groose, and more. If by some miracle I get six more reviews by then I might one up my bribe here. :D
Now to all those who have read the story thus far and are waiting for more, thank you for reading. Special thanks go out to those who have put this on their follow/favorite list: nightshade002, MysticalChaosX, cookymonster94, Dorothy Lee Bones, and Sam the Wise. All of you are awesome, thank you.
Now for my wonderful reviewers since I last updated:
ThePredicate: I know I said it when we were PM'ing but thanks again. Your continual support of my stories is great. Not to mention the fun conversation that has led to some weird but intriguing places.
Sam the Wise: Glad that you're excited for the story. Hopefully I didn't disappoint with this chapter.
Again thanks so much to all those who read any and all of my stories. FYI a new poll is up regarding 'The Offer' which once it is done I should be able to really start turning that one-shot into a full story. Other Polls may come but the first two have been essential to the start of the story.
Until next time, later