A/N: 3 Words: Longest. Chapter. Ever.
Out somewhere, in the Pacific coast of Thailand, in the manila villages, the citizens worked on their daily routine hours of service, errands and community. And worked every day for at least 12 hours a day before attending the rest of the day for fun, each and every villager had a job to do: farm, fish, entertain, plant, carry, pay, read and write, all they ever wanted was to get their chores done. So, they can have fun and spend time with each other for the rest of the day.
Amongst the crowd of hard working villagers; a snow leopard was trying to get directions from every villager in the area; but there was no success.
"Excuse me, ma'am? Excuse me, sir-Sir!?" He sighed, he was desperate to get answers for a task that he was requested to do; that has yet to be done. He needed help for this, he was on a risky mission to stop a war from starting he needed answers, before he had to get out of there and leave; before any danger hits, and that was after him. After five long years of the harshest circumstances, he saw too many defeats and too few victories. And in his mind, hope. "God is almighty, God is the way, God the king of kings." Whispering his silent prayer for courage, he crossed himself and kissed his thumb, before he continued walking.
He wasn't looking where he was going, and bumped into a leopardess, he mumbled a "sorry." Before taking off again, but just as he was about to, the leopardess eyes widen in surprise as she stared at him, almost as if she knew him from somewhere. She spoke up, "I know who you are!"
He stopped in his tracks. Finally! He thought grumpily as he turned around to face her. "You're Gerrad, right?" she asked, he could tell she was uncertain if that was really his name, instead, he laughed at her uncertainty and leaned in to whisper to her ear. "That's my nickname." He leans back and the leopard politely introduced himself, and bowed, and offered his paw to the leopardess and said, "Dzhastin Dzherald Romanov." The leopardess reluctantly gives him her paw and he grabs it and kisses the top of her paw. The leopardess pulled her paw back nervously and slightly embarrassed as she giggled as well, "Tani Agnes Sanchez." She replied back. "Such a beautiful name." He smirked as the leopardess blushed, she had a pink hue glowing on her cheeks as she glared at him playfully.
"I was aware you were sent here on an important mission." She says, "do you have the plans?"
"Da." He answered and pulled out the satchel full of notes, and rummaged through them, until he found what they were looking for. "Here." He held out a scroll and handed it to her. The Leopardess took it and pulled it open, and looked at the Russian written language words, she had a hard time reading them though, so she asked for his insistence, the Leopard came over and read them to her.
(In the mountains nearby...)
It had been thirty-eight years since they had left what had once been their home after their reformed fallen leader Reidak I was assassinated, so now on the run from capture and possible execution, they found refuge in the forgotten places that they once used as secret bases. Gathering them together there, drinking their beer quietly. No one said anything, all alone and now, they had a small island all to themselves. The survivors of the grand army decided to stay there for a while and not leave the fortress or go too far on the island. They were in desperate need of a new home and a leader, because of thei stupidity for losing focus on their enemies, was the reason they finally lost the war called: The Eurasian Wars. A war they started; just 2,000 years ago. When 18 years had passed, their wishes were granted, when a soldier returned and found their grand old leader: Lord Shadow II, they all stood up from their chairs and started praising their false gods as they celebrated for the return of the old warrior king of the Vizsla empire.
But one, out of the hundreds of remaining soldiers; a certain leopard wasn't too pleased with the return of his fallen ultimate leader. And it wasn't because he was jealous or wasn'tI elected as leader. It was a vendetta he had against him. The ultimate had killed his family when he was an infant, so that he can grow and be raised as a soldier in the service of their empire, he also realized that it happened the same with the other soldiers, when he found out though, he wasn't very happy and it wasn't until a few days later that he decided to leave the traumatizing events of his life behind, and turn against the people who ruined his future. He stole the modern late plans for the next and soon-to-be upcoming war, and give the plans to resistence fighters and warn them. But, one soldier caught him in the act and attacked, but the leopard killed him, and sadly found out it was his own brother, angered, he vowed revenge and left the fortress. The Assassins were on high alert when they found out their plans were gone and that there was a traitor in their ranks, along with a dead body of a fallen comrade.
They all remembered, when the time had come to return from the ashes of their dead, they were going to attack and try punish the ones that put them down.
Now is the right time to strike.
Watching the leopard talking and conversing with the leopardess through the telescope, seeing the leopard give the other feline the plans, that was enough for the tiger general to know that it was time to attack, as he pulled the telescope away from his eye and turned it back into its original canister and said to his soldiers, "Khorosho muzhchiny. My vse zdes' po odnoy prichine. I eta prichina yavlyayetsya predatelem." (Alright men. We are all here for one reason. And that reason is the traitor.)
Several of the soldiers began to whisper about it. "Eto odin ochen' merzavets ubil odnogo iz svoikh, yego sobstvennymi brat'yami! I teper', do sikh por, on vzyal nashi plany predstoyashchey voyny! My dolzhny sdelat' chto-to ob etom!" (That one very bastard killed one of his own, his very own brothers! And now, so far, he has taken our plans for the upcoming war! We must do something about it!) the general continued. He turned to his right-hand tiger commander. He gave him a approving nod that meant: Start the Attack.
(Back in the village...)
The leopard walked and conversed, down the aisle, he kept explaining that he had a plan to end the attack that was planned for the assassin empires, Tani listened as she told him to follow her where she was instructed to bring him and the plans to a hidden community center, they continued walking until they reached the hidden hut and entered. Once, they arrived, Tani knocked on the 10 fit tall door and only waited for a second. The die opened and Tani walked in first, the Russian followed behind, they made their way through a big hallway before turning right and then left, before going down a group of stair.
Tannded the stairs slowly, one at a time, the larger tube containing the charts Dzhastin had stolen clutches in her right paw. Dzhastin could feel his heart thudding in his chest as he continued following her from behind, and then stopped in front of a painting, behind it; was a large metal door. Dzhastin stepped aside so Tani could open it. Tani pushed the painting back and the frame went up and disappeared into the ceiling. Standing in front, was the giant metal door, Tani knocked on it in a secret code tap kind-of-way and a small slot flew open and revealed a pair of yellow eyes, a voice spoke up.
"Name? Password? Who sent yo-"
"ENOUGH! With the damn jokes, Franz! It's me!" Tani roared clearly irritated. The yellow eyes rolled in amusement and annoyance as the slot flew back over them, a small rustling sound was heard, before the door was pulled open inwardly and the duo stepped in Tani went first, and then Dzhastin. It was not a large room by any means. But it was full of many things that have clues to a man who aren't his time studying. As he ogled at the entire room, the leopard was completely unaware of the person walking behind him. The assailant leapt at him, Dzhastin quickly turned and socked the assailant in the face, knocking him down.
"Ugh... hey. Hey! I surrender!" The vulpine on the ground groaned and he'd his hands up in surrender. Tani walked beside Dzhastin, smirking.
"How's that for a joke?" She says amused at the vulpine's misfortune. The fox glared at her and then the other leopard.
"Who's..this guy?" He pointed at the male leopard.
"None of your business." Dzhastin grounded out.
"Everyone is a wise ass..." the fox muttered miserably.
"Oh. Shut up, you Kiska!" Dzhastin retorted.
"Enough!"
They all turn to see a rhinoceros across the room behind a big round table.
The rhinoceros wore a armor kilt with suspenders attached to triangular shoulder paddings, along that, he wore cross straps assembling a 'x' across his chest. On his back, the straps are connected to a pair of twin katanas. The last thing to make remarkable is a black bandana sloped over the left side of his head; covering his left eye, which showed a stitched red scar trailing down to his cheek. His horn was topped and sharp with tundra ironing, making it glow from the source of light they had in the room.
"What is the meaning of this here!?" The rhino yelled, glaring at the trio. Dzhastin want in the mood to waste time, he had a mission to accomplish. And that's what he came here for. He didn't fear disclosing the secret of Lord Vizsla's planned ambush of the Eurasian continents. He feared of losing hope. He stepped up and spoke,
"Well, I'm here for a important mission. Sir." Dzhastin interjected rudely. The rhino glared at him dangerously.
"You don't talk like that to me, you ungrateful-" he was cut off by Tani, "Miles, it's the spy!" She hissed at him silently. The rhino's eyes softened but remained firm. "I apologize for yelling I just thought that Tani and Franz got into-" Tani gave him a warning look, while the vulpine known as "Franz" snickered and then realIzed he was being insulted. "Hey!" The rhino only chucked as he turned back towards the leopard.
"I see you have a succeeded in stealing the charts without getting caught! Well done!" He complemented, rose to his full height, he was tall about 7 feet to be exact. And the sunlight caused his shadow to loom over the trio of mammals. Dzhastin stared in awe at rhino's massive height and size, measuring in his head if he could be big enough to run over the assassins-The Assassins! His mind warned him about wandering off in small adventures as he had one to finish first. He decided it was time to give the plans. He reached over and grabbed the tube from Tani and handed it to Miles.
Hours pass...
That meeting, he written and shared his plans and secret information with the warriors, he tells them that the Vandal Empire was invading the Southlands and had already taken over India and Israel and now Ukraine, it wouldn't be long before they came to Thailand, because they were after him for stealing the plan charts. Dzhastin was trying to cross the border of every village and make plans for the people to escape when the assassins came, he had to move into the sun Lands as not even the Huns would dare to set foot in such a dangerous land. That had been a week ago and now there were news of assassin troops marching through the southern path.
"Russia may have been the enemy of the Thailand, but now, they need help." Tani finished.
"And there would only be a alliance if we trust them with our lives."
"Correct."
"We couldn't beat the vandals without the imperials' help in the first Eurasian War, I'll give you that." Franz said, musing upon the situation.
"And we can't do it in this one, either, Franz, believe me! That's ask there is to it. Unless I act, and now, the world is defeated. Vizsla will crush us beneath his mudcovered boots."
"You propose to warn the Protectors about Vizsla's armada?"
"It's the hardest decision I've ever had to make, Miles. I'm sacrificing everything I believe in, excerpt duty, of course."
"And you think it's your duty to die fur what's right?"
"I do."
"They'll kill you, son."
"I know."
"You don't care."
"I don't."
"I was afraid you might say that." Franz said.
"Sometimes the ends justify the means. Will you help me, Miles?"
"Of course I'll help you. What's your plan?"
Before he could speak, Dzhastin and Tani's ears perked up to the sound of a young sheep running through the village, shouting on the top of his lungs. "The assassins are coming!" Something is terribly wrong in the village. After an unseen force suddenly came in and starting looking for something. Tani didn't know it; but the assassins were here in the village hunting for a runaway traitor: Dzhastin.
Tani raced up upstairs to see what all the commotion was about.
"What's happening?" Tani called down through a windowsill.
"It's the assassins! Vizsla! They're hunting for someone!" A pig villager yelled.
"What makes you say that?" She asked.
"They're forcing everybody out and going through houses!" He replied.
Running out in front of the house with telescope in his paw and raised it to right eye. He saw a armada of troopers, marching forward in colonies and numbers.
Kohtanas' soldiers were here! Dzhastin realized that means it was too late to continue traveling, he had been in the village for too long already, and it was too late for him to escape again. He was going to stay and fight while Franz delivered the message himself. He grabbed Franz and shoved the satchel into his arms as he prepared for a confrontation.
"Who's here?" Franz asked worriedly.
"A Vigilant sergeant is sent after me; he is going through every village in search of the plans that were stolen from his base; it's me he's after." He told him.
"Who is this officer?" Franz asked.
"General Ventus Kohtanas." He answered the vulpine.
The vulpine gasped silently. Dzhastin noticed this. "You've heard of him, hadn't you?" He questioned.
The vulpine spoke up, "yes." He mumbled.
He decided to engage the fox in a friendly conversation.
"Franz." He turned to the fox.
"Yes, sir?" He spoke up properly.
"Time is of a essence, and the Protectors need this message now. How fast are you?"
Franz was unsure but he knows he runs pretty fast as a cheetah when ecstatic. "About as fast the wind can take me." He answered confidently.
"You have to stay strong and don't lose hope. Understand?" He added.
Franz nodded. "But what if they notice me?" Dzhastin froze, he hadn't thought of that. So he took his katana from his belt and babes it to him. "Here." Franz reluctantly took it from him and slowly pulled the stuff out of is casing, the blade shined in the moonlight and reflected back at his eyes. The vulpine looked back up at him.
"Stay strong." He said before turning back around and pulling out another katana from his belt and charged towards the arriving soldiers.
The soldiers kept walking together in groups as they were heading towards the village plains across the village.
One of the soldiers saw Dzhastin running towards them and raised his crossbow, the soldier next to him pushed the crossbow aside to remind him that they needed to register their enemy. He turned his head back and saw Dzhastin was nowhere to be seen. Glaring back at his comrade, he intended to yell before out of nowhere, he was struck in the chest by a kunai knife. Kohtanas glared at the direction to where the knife came from and saw a shadow swiftly disappear in the distance, before any of the soldiers were paying attention, a crossbow bolt was shot at Kohtanas, but a armored gloved paw caught it from an inch closer to Kohtanas's face.
"Molodets, Dzhoel." (Well done, Joel.) Kohtanas complemented, the assassin nodded a 'thank you' before turning back around facing Dzhastin and fired a blow-dart at him, the reformed assassin was too late to think fast before the needle hit him directly in the side of his neck and fell lighthead, dazed and weak in the knees. Using his arms for support Dzhastin looked up to the approaching assassins, before he was roughly grabbed from behind and then, brutally beaten by the soldiers. Gasping and breathing heavily, Dzhastin glared at the spy who dressed in the same armor and clothing as the soldiers, only except for the size of his species, about 5'8" and had grey and red stripes along the outlines of his armor and had the red stripe along the eye cover of his helmet.
Dzhastin growled hatefully, "Dzhoel Zak." He said. The assassin addressed as "Dzhoel Zak" stared at him sadistically and grinned darkly and waved the arrow bolt in front of him, before throwing the bolt an inch closer to his forefingers on his left paw.
The assassin faced his General and nodded a approving nod before turning back around to attend his business.
Kohtanas, took this as the signal to continue, before turning towards his left-hand man: Aresko. "Vpered." (Forward.) He commanded, Aresko nodded, turned back to his soldiers and repeated the command, "Vpered!" (Forward!)
The attachment began marching again on Aresko's signal, and slowly meandered around the rock formation. If Kohtanas was annoyed with his captive for his calling him on what could be construed as a racist statement, he wasn't showing it. Granted, most people would not be able to read him due to the helmet obscuring his features, but Koht did not need facial expressions to read people. He knew that the leopard had his pride wounded, but at the same time was genuinely contrite.
Tani made her way out the hall and up the stairs and into the attic. Crossbow and arrows in her grasp. Once she was on the rooftop, she pulled out her crossbow and pulled the catapult cord back and steadied her aim on a confirmed target: Kohtanas. Steadying her aim on her target, she slid the arrow in the aim slot and adjusted the straps of the arrow satchel on her back and narrowed her eyes in determination.
She had perfect balance and steadied her aim again, when she was positive that she would not miss at executing the general of the assassin army, she breathed deeply and closed her eyes and fired.
The reminiscent of the village from the beginning, burned into his eyes...it had been set ablaze as the rest of the villagers runs out screaming and collapses in front of him as arrows stuck out of the back of their skulls.
When the soldiers didn't stop, the Leopard's fear turned into anger. "What have you done!?" He snarled. The guards started laughing, and that's when the snow leopard lost it.
He stood straight and pulled his fist back and went to punch the general directly in the face, but just an inch away that was close to making contact, another paw caught it. The general smirked as the leopard stood there slightly shocked and furious and turned his head growling, but ceased it when he saw the face of his captor: Merdok Sleyd. The tiger smirked as he squeezed the leopard's paw, Dzhastin tried to pull his arm back but the Amur's grip was strong. The tiger looked at him with an evil smile.
Dzhastin winced when he felt a sharp pain sear into his stomach and was harshly ripped out of his stomach before another jab was made by Merdok, This time he pushed it all the way up to the dull end of the handle before being pulled out and Dzhastin gurgled as blood filled his mouth and lungs, the metallic taste of it was revolting. His vision was turning hazy as he started losing consciousness and slowly slipped into death.
The crossbow's aim was amiss. A soldier nearby caught it and threw it to the ground. Tani's eyes widen in shock and horror as she saw one of the assassins point out in her direction and assemble a small assembly group at the house she was in and were all charging with swords brought out and knives being raised, Tani pulled out another arrow, this time, it was a explosive one. She raised her crossbow again and reloaded it, she pulled the catapult cord back and raised it in the adversaries' direction. Before She had the chance to pull the trigger she was struck behind, and knocked to ground. Looking up to face her attacker, her eyes narrowed in hate.
"Agnessa." She growled out in anger and distaste.
"Hello, my dear." the other leopardess said, before Tani knew it. She blacked out.
God forgive... Dzhastin thought as he slowly began to bleed to death. Merdok dropped his dying form on the ground as he watched the assassins slaughter the people. Dzhastin led on the ground in a pool of crimson liquid. His blood. As he kept staring at the carnage around him solemnly.
A soldier walked up to him and answered, "sir, the charts are not in the building." Kohtanas glared at a dying Dzhastin and roared out loud before viciously kicking Dzhastin in his open stomach. More blood spurt out of Dzhastin's mouth as he was on the edge of death.
"Is that your boyfriend?" A firm feminine voice spoke up. The general and the other assassins turned towards the source of the voice to see a female leopardess easily dragging a unconscious Tani across the field towards them. Merdok smile lustfully before strutting towards the leopardess and the two engage in a mouth lock. Dzhoel turned away in disgust, Kohtanas rolled his eyes and Aresko shook his head and turned away from the scene, Kohtanas' eye caught the sight Dzhastin still weakly staring at him. He smiled darkly at him. And carried out the rest of his dominant order.
"Leave no survivors." The general growled. Franz was hiding behind a small boulder and watched in horror as the army consisting of 80 assassin soldiers were in the open wheat field, straddling the villagers and pushing them forward with their weapons.
Then he heard them. The screams of horror and agony. And fear.
The last of the villagers were massacred and executed maliciously. Each one was murdered gruesomelly. Ones had their Throats slit. Others had their wrists slit and then their throats and had their tongues pulled out and cut off. Others were cut in half by swords, some were scalped. Some of the soldiers gouged their eyes out and fed it to the feral crouching carnivores they called Rahkshi, on chains next to them. Dzhastin, miraculously stayed alive for the next few minutes and watched in despair and sorrow before the last of his heart's blood drained from his veins and his soul slipped away as the assassins were leaving genocide.
They left him there to die.
A/N: Sorry writing this took longer though, but it was worth it, right? The next chapter will come soon!