Dark Garden Excerpts

Sector: Dark Future and Dark War

Log Name: Cause and Effect

"So this is how it is?" The voice on the other side of the radio that Bolt Junior was holding, as Dust and Marek were listening in.

"Yes, it seems that Midas has colluded with the Kuroinu, in order to capture the Hero Alliance." Junior answered back, before wincing. "...Personal opinion between us three… but we really should have done something about this sooner."

"You need not act. Dark War will handle this situation." The voice on the other side of the call remarked. "Return to your branches. You have already done enough, risking yourselves against the Darkness Devil."

"R-Right away." Marek responded back, before the call ended.

"Tch, these bastards are lucky that they didn't try to add me to the list." Dust growled. "If they even think of whipping out their dicks at me, so help me-"

"Woah, woah, chill out, alright?" Junior quickly remarked, to try and cool Dust's temper. "I know that you're absolutely angry that you've been made a fool out of, being unable to do anything to prevent the situation. But rest assured, I know the Kuroinu will not be left unpunished by Dark Garden. This is a grave violation of the terms set between us."

"They never cared about the rules." Marek scowled. "To them, nothing is sacred. I cannot possibly find any place to speak well of them, no matter how much I try."

"Trust me, Marek. You'll feel better cursing these moralless bastards out." Junior remarked, with an expression of hidden animosity. "They have no place in any of these worlds, with all of their cruel debauchery and slaughter. Not even the Slaver would accept the likes of them, had they no value to give."

Meanwhile, on the other side, a silver-haired youngling with red eyes, clad in white and red officer attire that befits a military rank of a general, lowered his own phone, before then raising from his table.

"It seems that Dark Garden has been too lax lately with its associates." The young man remarked, as his voice was stoic and calm, despite how venomous the statement sounded. "Perhaps the mutts require a reminder of the fact that while their collars are loose… their chains have not disappeared, and these chains will be yanked to choke them out, should they prove rebellious against our interests."

Suddenly, a member of Dark War appeared through the doors to his office, as he was clad in a white soldier outfit, complete with a red domino mask that covered his upper face, indicating that he was a direct subordinate to the youngling.

"Commander Ado!" The Dark War member remarked, as he did a crisp salute. "Spec-Ops Phi has been gathered on your command. What are your orders, sir?"

"I command them to join me on a 'diplomatic mission'." Ado declared firmly. "Send notice to the Slaver that I am proceeding with 'discipline'. He will understand what I am doing for the sake of the organization."

"Right away, sir!" The member exclaimed.

Down in the world of Kuroinu

"Cheers to another successful day in the Sex Empire!" Vault declared, as he was surrounded by Kin, Shamhauza, Hicks, Grave, and Beardsley, as they clinked mugs together. "Once those Hero Alliance shits are here, we're going to be the ones who got one over these simple-minded fools who use their powers for such pathetic purposes!"

"I'll enjoy the feeling of being able to ravage the best of them." Kin darkly chuckled. "It's not everyday that you get the chance to partake in the flesh of the most beautiful of them all."

"Hah! You think that you can actually make them scream, Kin!?" Hicks barked. "Oh please, when I'm done with them, they'll all be screaming my name when I plow them through and through until they're broken messes!"

"Of course, we'll need to deal with the heroes too." Grave added. "If we let them live, they'll find a way to get out of their predicament. While they are down… we will have most of the males killed before they can even realize what happened."

"No, no, keep them alive." Shamhauza rasped from behind his bandages. "If I have their bodies… I can create an unstoppable army of insects using the powers I shall leech from them."

"And when that comes… it won't be just this world that will be part of the Sex Empire…" Vault declared. "...It will be every single universe. Only sex and violence! And to top it off, we'll go for the Color Gods next, and rape that holier-than-thou bitch, White right in her little-"

Before Vault could finish the statement, there was the sound of knocking in their dinner hall, as it caused them to be suspicious of what happened.

"Hey boss, didn't we have a good amount of men who were stationed outside?" Hicks remarked. "I'm sure that if there was anyone else who could have snuck-"

"Bah, as if any of those limp-wristed weaklings who preach justice could ever get over here." Vault sneered. "It has to be one of our men. Let him in, I want to hear what they have to say, interrupting us at this time."

As Hicks walked over to to open the doors, as soon as they were opened, it was revealed that Ado was behind them, as further behind him were the bodies of several Black Dogs, as they were killed in various ways, such as having their throats slit open by some blade, head-shots that left gaping hopes in their heads, and torn bodies, that were dripping blood everywhere.

"Hello there. How nice for you to let me in." Ado remarked, as there was a cold smile on his lips, that caused Hicks to immediately draw his dagger, as well as the rest of the Kuroinu higher-ups to do the same, as Vault brought up his blackened claymore, while Kin was already preparing spells, and Shamhauza was whistling to attract his countless mutated insects to rush to his aid, and Grave was preparing his shield and blade. "Oh? Such a cold reception. Is this how you treat a member of Dark Garden?"

"Dark… Dark Garden!?" Vault exclaimed, as his expression shifted into one of terror. "Hicks, don't attack him! He might have-"

Vault's warning did not come sooner, as Hicks was immediately shot in the shoulder, as the force of the shot destroyed the entire joint, sending one of his arms flying up, and the rest of him staggering back, before the arm fell down with a sickening plopping sound, followed by Hicks's scream of agony, as he clutched the bleeding stump that was his shoulder.

"How pathetic, you really think that some primitive knife-swinging low-life like you can hurt me?" Ado remarked, as his expression became frigid. "I see that you truly have forgotten your place. As expected by the lawless mutts who tried to go behind our backs."

"We… We have no idea what you're talking about!" Beardsley exclaimed with fear in his voice.

"Oh? Are you sure about that?" Ado asked back, before he then walked past Hicks, who was unable to act, left as a crying and bleeding mess by the attack on him. "Because a little bird told me that you have tried something that would have caused us severe problems."

Vault bared his teeth, as he tried to rack his head for a possible explanation for what they have done, although no solid answer could come to him, or at least, an answer that wouldn't make Ado kill him and the rest of the Black Dogs immediately, although he did have something to buy time with, hoping that fate would throw him a bone.

"Is this… about what happened in Vegas?" Vault asked.

"Precisely." Ado declared. "Now then, I want you to say it to me from your own mouth, Vault: What did you order from Midas?"

Vault was left unable to answer, before Kin rushed to his aid.

"We had nothing to do with what happened! You can't prove anything against us, as long as we have no clue about what happened in Vegas!" Kin defiantly declared.

"That can be arranged." Ado answered back, before he then pulled out a tablet device, before he then activated a video clip on it, as it showed a fairly clear view of the final few moments of Vegas.

"I found out about the Warzone months ago. Moreover, a little birdie told me that the Hero Alliance was going to be there." Midas said. "Do you all realize how much the women on their rosters could rake in for me? Quite a lot, in fact; I've already got a deal in the works with the Kuroinu."

"The Kuroinu?!" Shia-Kazing gasped, most of the group members gawking in horror. "You sick freak!"

"So that's it. The Darkness Devil isn't just out to kill every gang in this city. Its true targets… are those you give to it." Maera said.

"You catch on fast. To be honest, I wasn't sure I could pull this off when I tried to summon a random demon. Was hoping for a Devil repping sleep, maybe drugs…but boy, did I luck out when I picked up that thing!" Midas laughed.

"Wait, I don't understand. How on Earth did you manage to get that thing to make a contract? What's in it for them?" Fujin asked.

"Oh, that?" Midas replied. "Well, it seems that the Chainsaw Man is in this city, and the Darkness Devil wants him. Don't know who they are, but…ah, I don't really care. As long as I get what I want, I'll just let it have its fun."

"You're insane! You'd honest to the Color Gods garner a contract with a Primal Devil just so you can make profit like this?!" Ender asked.

"We're in Vegas, freak. It's all about risk and reward." Midas smirked.

"Forget using the Prime Soul now. There's another way this ends… and that's if that abomination's contractor dies!" Bill roared as he slammed his anchor into the force field, to no effect.

"Bill, don't make a fool of yourself." Midas smiled mockingly as he shook his head in mock sympathy. "That field isn't going down any time soon. Can't have you running away from my contractee, can we?"

"You're going to feed us to the wolves, cover your tracks. And then it'll make sure no one in the alliance can escape when you get them ready to be shipped out to the Kuroinu." Ender said.

"Bingo! Way to lay out my whole plan like that." Midas chuckled. "Once the Darkness Devil gets here, it's game over for you guys. And, come morning…I'll be the richest man in Cross-World."

The entirety of the Black Dogs higher-ups, save for Hicks, who was still in shock after getting his arm blown off, were left speechless, as they had no idea of what to say, as Ado pocketed the tablet.

"And just so you know, Fujin was right there, Captain of Dark Periodic." Ado added. "So you know what this means, right? You basically schemed to get rid of several members of Dark Garden, especially three sub-leaders, using Midas as a proxy. Not only that, but you intended to have us take the blame for what happens to the Hero Alliance, should you have succeeded-"

"That's… That's ludicrous-" Beardsley exclaimed, before a sniper shot rang out, as it grazed Beardsley's side-burns close enough to graze several strands of his gray hair off, as he was left a trembling mess, upon seeing the massive cratered hole where the shot hit.

"So tell me, Vault." Ado remarked, before he tilted his head slightly, as his voice dropped an octave, while his eyes were filled with immeasurable scorn. "Do you really think yourselves smarter than Dark Garden? Smarter than me? Smarter than the Slaver? You think that you are able to be free of us that easily, by stabbing us in the back?"

There was only silence, before Ado let out a mirthless chuckle.

"Vault. Vault, Vault, Vault." Ado stated, shaking his head slowly, before he then stopped, as his eyes turned scornful again, as he lowered his head to do an exact replica of the Kubrick stare. "If you think that this little trick would work, I think that you've more than proven that you are more trouble than you are worth."

Ado then snapped his fingers, as several people, all equipped with white spec-ops gear, with various weapons on them, with the leading one, behind Ado, the only one who had her hair out, as it was a long blonde coloring, as she had a large sniper rifle in her hands, as it was aimed at Vault's head.

"But I am a fair man. And so, I will give you exactly one minute for you and your gathering of scum to give me a clear reason as to why I shouldn't eradicate you immediately." Ado declared his ultimatum. "And don't think that I don't know that your minions are coming, Shamhauza. If they even reach 5 feet of this throne room, you all die immediately. So, show me that charismatic tongue that managed to make the Seven Shield Maidens fall, and the Dark Empress herself too, Vault, or is that tongue only good for pleasuring women who can't fight back?"

"You wouldn't do that." Vault answered back, trying to remain calm, bluffing to try and find a social advantage to leverage, to delay the demise of his entire band. "...You know why the Slaver has let us do what we please. It's because of us that Dark Garden has an ample supply of slaves to tame their more 'unruly' members."

"True." Ado answered back. "You are the reason that the Slaver is able to circumvent his own rule of 'no sexual slavery', for the rest of his men. However, do not forget that it was the Slaver who decided to spare all of you, when Dark Rise taught you all your places in this greater multiverse. You only thrived to this level, because the Slaver provided for you. So, what you did was bite the hand that feeds you. Fitting for a bunch of mutts who only know how to breed and kill. We let your insolence stand, because you did not threaten our integrity, or hold any potential harm to it. But now that you do, you're at the verge of being replaced by someone far more pragmatic as to not rock the boat between us and the other forces in the multiverse, especially the Hero Alliance. Do you think they'll forget who's responsible for this attack?"

"...What is your price?" Vault breathed out, as if he loathed to admit his defeat before Ado.

"Hm?" Ado asked back. "What was that? I could have sworn that you wanted to make a deal with me."

"What. Is. Your Price?" Vault emphasized.

"A very simple order, followed by an amendment on the deal that has been made." Ado answered back. "Which would you like to hear first?"

"The order. What do you want us to do? Grovel before them?" Vault declared.

"Such sarcasm, but at least you're smart enough to know that they'll never accept your existence like we would." Ado sneered. "You only need to do one thing: Never involve yourself with the Hero Alliance ever again, unless it's under OUR orders to do so."

"That's… it? We stop trying to attack the Hero Alliance… and you won't do anything more?" Kin asked with suspicion.

"Unlike all of you, I am faithful to my deals. Be fortunate that I am asking this little of you. I could easily coerce you to give me a lot more for the insult you have dealt Dark Garden with these shenanigans." Ado declared. "Make no mistake, Black Dogs: You will be watched very closely from now on. How you breathe, how you walk, how you fuck, its down to these details that we'll know whether you have turned your back on this generous deal or not. If you attempt this again, there will be no Kuroinu. You will all become a dusty foot-note in the history of Dark Garden, destined to be remembered always as the spiteful fools who crossed Dark Garden beyond their patience."

"...Fine." Vault heaved out. "I much rather enjoy what I have, than try to seek out treasures in the jaws of absolute death. Tell the Slaver that if these are the conditions, I accept them fully."

"Then we have an accord on that. Which brings me to the second point, which was something that the Slaver has entrusted whoever contacts them next over these disputes to state." Ado remarked. "You will double your tithe from this period onwards. Let that be a lesson to teach you not to be greedy."

"What!?" Kin exclaimed. "But at this rate, we won't have-"

"Be quiet, you prideful fool!" Grave roared, silencing Kin before he could piss off Ado any further. "Sir Ado, we accept your conditions. We will deal with our shortage in other ways…"

"Make sure that you remain sufficient in your payments." Ado answered back. "The Slaver and his direct subordinates will have you punished, should you not meet standards… although it will pale in comparison if you renege on the first part of the deal-"

Before Ado could finish, the tablet rang, as Ado quickly received the call.

"This is the 1st sub-leader of Dark War, Ado. Who is calling me?" Ado remarked.

"Ado, we got bad news. Rose has gone missing ever since news of the events in Vegas have been disclosed." Kuroshiki declared with concern in his voice. "I think that I caught her saying that she is looking for 'mutts'. So, I took a guess and thought that she's heading for the Kuroinu."

"Acknowledged. I'll deal with her and stop her from doing something rash." Ado answered back, before ending the call, and turning to Vault. "...Well, it turns out that you've made a lot more enemies than you expected with that little stunt, Vault. I would best be prepared for what's coming."

"What-" Vault started, only for the top of the hall to be caved in by someone crashing through the roof at high speeds, as said person landed right on Vault, smashing him face-first into the ground, while the rest of the Black Dogs, including Hicks, were suddenly held captive by a quartet of people. The first had brown scruffy hair hidden under a black fedora that obscured his eyes, and was dressed in a black coat with golden sleeves, as he had a silver revolver in one hand, pointed right towards Hicks's head, and a black refined briefcase in another. Another had a robotic suit of red, with a energy blade pointed right under Grave's chin, with a single red light coming from the vertical glass visor on his head. Another was dressed in a feathered coat of black feathers, with red goggles, and a dusty bandana over his mouth, with a hammer poised over Kin's head, with one leg pressing the mage onto a nearby wall. The last member was a woman with white hair, complete with a golden head-band with angelic wings on it, a halo over her head, closed eyes, and a white and blue armor suit that seemed to be religious, with a large cannon that seemed to look like that it came from Bayonetta's universe with its holy design and white faces along the barrel, seemed to have Shamhauza locked down with chains of white, as the bandaged sorcerer tried to struggle from his restraints.

Meanwhile, the one who had Vault pressed under their foot, was a woman with short blonde hair and green eyes, although the latter seemed to be unnatural with how they were glowing, as she was dressed in a black tattered robe that exuded a grim aura around her, in a spectral green glow, while she had her weapon, a large curved green scythe shaped like a lamp pole, with a large green clock face on it, pointed downwards, so that the edge of it was pointed up, under Vault's chin.

"Rose Anarbel." Ado greeted the new arrival.

"Ado." Rose responded back, although her voice didn't seem to hold any warmth, rather hostility pointed at Vault. "I must apologize for intruding on your matters, but I suspect that you have rendered your judgment upon the Black Dogs."

"Get the hell off-" Vault growled, before Rose used her other foot to step on the back of Vault's head, pressing his neck against the blade of her scythe enough to cut into it deep enough to draw blood.

"You will speak when you are spoken to, filth." Rose hissed, emphasizing her word with absolute hatred.

"Juno." Ado remarked, as the lead operative immediately swiveled her rifle to point towards Rose, which caused her members to immediately react.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what's gotten into, A-man?" The fedora-wearing member remarked with surprise. "It's not cool trying to shoot our boss right in the head."

"Your 'boss' is required to stand down." Ado responded back, as the rest of the spec op agents immediately readied themselves for a potential fight. "Rose, did you come here to kill the Kuroinu?"

"What of it?" Rose asked back with a frigid tone.

"Mr Spaceman will not be pleased to hear about this impulsive act." Ado remarked with a fairly critical tone to his voice. "You are not supposed to be active, due to the fact that your special 'circumstances' mean that you tend to leave a fairly large mess wherever you perform. I ask that you leave this back to me."

"I refuse." Rose answered back, before seizing Vault by the root of his hair, wrenching his head up. "They have had their chance to serve their use to Dark Garden, and they have backstabbed us with the events of Vegas. Killing them is a mercy compared to what I truly intend for them."

"Leader Rose has solid evidence. Kuroinu have proven to be loose on their terms." The robotic member remarked, as his voice was mechanical. "Their criminal rating has them marked down as one of the top criminal suppliers in the multiversal underworld. Their criminal rating is beyond super-max. Self-proposal of punishment method for the Kuroinu: Execution."

"Do please let me do this…" The black-feathered member remarked, as there was some sadistic glee in his voice, as he pressed the face of the hammer against Kin's cheek. "I always did want to know what mage brains would look like when I splatter them outside. Besides, they're nothing more than just worthless dregs, now that they've betrayed the deal. So it's fine if we kill them right? No-one is going to care if we pass 'judgment' on them, right? Hehehehe…."

"I weep for these sinners." The angelic-clad member remarked, as she had both of her hands in a prayer position. "So lost in their debauchery and pride that they would taint others with their own cardinal sins. Only hell awaits them, and yet they are unable to repent. How pitiful, how saddening… I only wish that absolution would finally open their eyes to the path of redemption."

"Boss, do something-" Hicks remarked, before the pistol beside his head clicked.

"Sorry, third-rate rogue, but I doubt that ol' Vault is going to do anything about this." The fedora-wearing member remarked, never taking his eyes off Ado and his lead operative. "After all, you really don't wanna piss off either the boss or A-man, because believe me, you'll be regretting for the rest of your life."

"Their actions are under contract with Dark Garden." Ado answered back. "They only live, because they provide us with a resource that we cannot acquire through more discreet channels, to avoid public backlash. A resource that is essential to the cohesion of Dark Garden.

"So that is how it is then? You would defend a band of rapists and sex-slavers, who only provide us sex-slaves, on the basis that these sex-slaves hold value to the organization as a whole?" Rose remarked, as her grip on the scythe tightened, and her eyes darkened.

"It is the cold truth, whether you choose to accept it or not. You of all people should be aware of what measures are needed to do what we do." Ado retorted back evenly.

"I would refrain from breaching this topic any further." Rose warned, as she shifted the blade on Vault's neck up slightly, until the edge was pressing against Vault's skin. "Any more mentions of my past, and the Kuroinu die, consequences be damned."

Ado merely stated at Rose, who stared back, as the stare went on silently for a few moments, before Ado closed his eyes and sighed.

"Regardless of your personal feelings, the Kuroinu's survival and well-being are done on the Slaver's orders." Ado answered back. "After all, they do what he would not cross the line to do, and he is well aware of this fact. They exist to complement him, but they are not his equals. They are merely his debtees, not his 'business' partners. And this visit has made that position clear to them. They will not dare to raise a hand against Dark Garden, even if provoked. Not when they learn how easily their little world could break, should we devote our attention to it."

"You expect me to let this go?" Rose asked again, as if she was daring Ado to make his stance firm on the matter.

"You will, if you are logical enough to understand that the consequences of your rash actions will not affect just you, Dark Future, and Dark Garden… but the rest of the multiverse as well." Ado stated. "I would kindly advise that you consider that implication before you start acting before your mind catches up to your actions."

Rose was silent for a moment, before she then withdrew her scythe, before kicking Vault down onto the ground, while gesturing for her men to lower their weapons.

"Aw. What a shame." The feathered agent remarked with a disappointed tone, as Kin was left shivering with fear at how intimidating the situation was. "And I was so very much looking forward to it all."

"Hey, that's the boss's choice, not yours." The fedora-wearing operative remarked, before shrugging, as the two of them, as well as the robotic and angelic entities, disappeared in a quartet of lights, in the colors of red, black, white and cyan, leaving Rose alone.

"Rejoice, you get to live a little longer." Rose declared to the Black Dogs, before she then turned to leave. "But make no mistake… I will be watching very closely to wait for the moment that you slip up again… And when that happens, nothing will protect you from the cruel judgment that lies upon the shoulders of each and every single one of you putrid creatures who shape yourself as humans, but are anything else but human by nature. Dread it for each passing day… for this fear will never leave you until the day your soul passes away from the mortal realm."

Rose then disappeared in a flash of blue light, leaving Ado and his operatives alone with the Black Dogs.

"With that, I do believe I achieved my purpose in being here." Ado declared, before he then turned to leave. "Vault, I sincerely advise that you take my words seriously. You may not have grown up to understand the meaning of 'no' and 'no way', but you would be wise to stay where you belong: Working under our gaze. And one more thing: If you ever try to implicate the relationship between all of you and Dark Garden to anyone else, especially anyone part of the Hero Alliance… death will be the least of your worries. You'll spend eternity in the greatest agonies that your imaginations shudder to process, begging for an end that will never come. That is what awaits those who dare to believe themselves above the consequences that fate dealt them. You only escaped your fate because of us… and we will bring a far worse one if you cross us."

Ado then walked away, leaving behind a distraught band of higher-ups, as the operatives stuck close to Ado, ensuring that he was well-guarded from any attempts on his life.

"...Why did you spare them, Commander?" Juno remarked. "Rose Anarbel has a point. They are criminal scum of the blackest degree, only better than people that are spoken in hushed whispers. Why would you allow them to live with a warning?"

"Because it is the Dark Garden's will that they live. And it's a cruel mercy." Ado answered back. "But I care not for that. As much as I wish for them to be put to death with how they irk me with their sickening arts of war, and flagrant disrespect of the sanctity of conflict… I am temperate enough to let that be forgiven… but I speak for most of Dark Garden when I say that this treason will not be forgiven, nor will it be forgotten. They will pay for their disrespect by meeting the new demands… or else some of us will be looking for more… trustworthy sources for what we need."

Juno remained silent, before Ado's communication device rang again, as Ado received it.

"This is the 1st sub-leader of Dark War, Ado." Ado declared. "Who is calling?"

"Ado." A gruff voice that was modulated to hide their true identity. "I would call you brazen for acting on your own interests to intimidate the Kuroinu. There has been news that one of their higher-ups has been left crippled with one less arm. What do you say to that?"

"It was in an act of self-defense, Slaver." Ado answered back, as there was respect in his voice, something that was not present until he recognised the voice. "Hicks attempted to kill me, and Juno sniped his left arm by the shoulder for the attempt. He will recover. There is magic in this world that can cure amputees. He will need one or two months to recover… and that is exactly what I planned to use as a lesson for him to not pick fights with men who are his better in almost every facet."

"Hmph." The Slaver answered back. "...Normally, under my authority, you would be punished for acting out of my command against the Kuroinu. However… you did leave notice about the situation. And since you have volunteered for the duty, in place of one of my subordinates… I will forgive it, as long as you tell me if the message is made clear or not."

"Rose Anarbel and I have made that crystal-clear, sir." Ado answered back.

"Rose Anarbel? That woman from Dark Future?" The Slaver stated. "...Hmph. I figured that with her sordid upbringing, that she would be one of the most likely members of Dark Garden to go for the throat immediately."

"She would have killed the Kuroinu down to the last man, had I not convinced her of the ramifications of doing so." Ado added. "Fortunately, she is reasonable enough to know when to back down. I do believe that she will need to be reprimanded… but no further punishment is necessary for her."

"Let the rest of the Five Points be the judge of that." The Slaver answered back. "Back to the topic of the Kuroinu and what they did… how have the members partaking in the Vegas mission been taking the situation."

"Dust left immediately upon return." Ado answered back. "Marek and Junior have been finding comfort in each other, discussing what happened in the legal portion of the events, especially the 'Battle of the Binded', and the danger has left them bonding more closely than ever."

"Heh. Love blossoms in many forms." The Slaver chuckled. "It doesn't matter who are the partners in it… it can exist in any form it wishes. Love makes you do interesting things… and I have borne witness to it, as several of my strongest deals are done out of a bond with someone."

"I hope that this debrief is sufficient." Ado declared.

"Indeed. Continue your duties. You have done enough." The Slaver nodded, before the call ended, as the members of Dark War left the world behind them, returning to their branch HQ.

"Hold still, Hicks. The wound should cauterize in a minute." Kin said as he used a spell on the stump that used to be his left arm.

"Grr… fucking Dark Garden." Hicks growled through the pain.

"So, Midas failed to deliver. It seems not even a so-called Primal Devil is enough to overcome the alliance." Grave said.

Vault, unusually for him, had a defeated look on his face. "Damn…we were too ambitious. We'd have been dead several times over if the Slaver was less pragmatic."

"We need to be more careful about getting prizes from outside our borders from now on." Beardsley said. "Doubling our tithe won't make too much of a dent for us, however…"

"They're lording over us. They could wipe us out at any time, and they're making sure we remember that." Kin said.

Vault was silent, contemplating the situation, before he turned to Shamhauza. "Shamhauza…didn't you say you found a tome a few months ago?"

"Ah yes…that one." The bandaged man said as he reached into his robes and pulled out a large book with black and purple colored covers as he slid it to the center of the table.

"A magical tome?" Grave scoffed. "We'd rely on such weakness to save ourselves?"

"This is just a precaution." Vault said. "You know how some of our men are. I have a feeling that it's only a matter of time before Dark Garden decides we're not worth the trouble. When that day comes…"

The men looked down at the book, seeing only two small symbols marking the cover:

The first, a circle, with eight points jutting out of it and a purple eye at the center.

The second, a symbol of a purple sphere connected to a crescent, with another in the middle of the connecting line.

"We'll have to be ready."