Part Seven

The air smelled bad. The wind chilled him to the bone. He was scared. He couldn't stop crying.

The red on him had dried; it wouldn't come off no matter how many times he scrubbed his skin with his hands. The world around him was so dark. A purple void nearly black. No white. He cried harder.

"Mama?" He called out. His voice echoed around him. Mama didn't reply. "MAMA?!" He shrieked.

"BOY."

A guttural voice in front of him in the darkness. Not human. Evil.

"…I want Mama," he wailed.

"MAMA IS DEAD. THERE IS NO MAMA."

He screamed as he sobbed. Ugly images rose to his mind; he couldn't block them out. Mama and Papa lying still. So very still. Red on their bodies, red on the walls, floor, and ceiling. His big brothers in pieces in every room—

The red. The red on him was the same red that covered his house. The red came from his family.

"CRY NO MORE." The voice was scary and loud. But not…yelling? "REJOICE IN YOUR GOOD FORTUNE. YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY THE BLACK KING."

He covered his ears with his hands. "You lie!" He yelled."I want my mama!"

"MAMA IS NOT HERE. MAMA WILL NEVER BE HERE. THE BLACK KING IS HERE. YOU HAVE NO ONE BUT THE BLACK KING."

"NO!" he screamed in reply. "No, no, no!"

A burst of freezing air hit him from the front, knocking him flat on his back. It felt like a blow upon his body. He lay stunned on the ground, his breathing labored. He was no longer crying. The world around him was still dark.

"THE BLACK KING WILL DEVOUR THE WORLD. NOTHING CAN SATIATE THE HUNGER OF THE BLACK KING. YOU WILL FEED THE BLACK KING."

He sat up, looking in the direction of the voice. He still could not see anything or anyone. "I want to go home," he said.

"YOUR HOME IS HERE. YOUR HOME IS WITH THE BLACK KING. YOU WILL FEED THE BLACK KING."

"I WANT TO GO HOME!" he shrieked back.

Cold wind hit him again; this time it hurt him badly. He skidded backwards across the dark ground.

"DO NOT DENY THE BLACK KING. THE BLACK KING IS YOUR MAMA NOW. THE BLACK KING IS YOUR PAPA NOW. THE BLACK KING IS YOUR EVERYTHING. YOU WILL FEED THE BLACK KING."

He sat up and hugged his arms. Tears spilled down his cheeks once more. "I'm scared. I want to go home…"

"ONLY THOSE AGAINST THE BLACK KING MUST FEAR. THOSE WHO SERVE THE BLACK KING WILL NOT FACE HIS WRATH. THE BLACK KING CHOSE YOU. YOU WILL SERVE THE BLACK KING. YOU WILL FEED THE BLACK KING."

He hiccuped on his tears. He was scared. He didn't want to do it. He wanted to go home. He wanted his family back.

"BOY."

He did not say these thoughts out loud. The voice would not let him.

"YOU WILL FEED THE BLACK KING…OR THE BLACK KING WILL FEED UPON YOU."

…

…

…

When he woke up, the voice was gone but the void remained. But it wasn't the void that scared him.

"…I fell asleep?"

It was time.

"Okay," Caesar announced to the war room. "We appreciate the patience of everyone. It is now time to start our campaign."

"Keha Hale," Keiran said grimly. "The final Sheikh."

"They haven't replaced any of the Sheikhs who had died recently," Chinmaya said. "The provinces have been left ungoverned. Either the Theocracy no longer cares…or they're planning something big."

"Thankfully it will not be on the same scale as giving Raging Nostrum to their entire standing army," Caesar said. "But luckily we're prepared for them."

"They've already shown us that Nagareans are disposable," Daunte said quietly. "We have to stop them before they do anything like that again."

"Right," Gunther said. "And we don't want you overexerting your Rune again, Lord Daunte."

"We should also expect that the Holy Army will know that we target Sheikh Hale," Peader said. "As this is the logical thing for us to do before we advance upon Mlkwt Alsmwat. They will probably lay a trap for us in Kõrkus."

"That witch will try to steal the Rune of Restoration again," Daunte said. "I don't know how she did it, but she somehow knows how to remove True Runes. I can't let her get her hands on it."

"Wait," Allise said suddenly, her brow furrowing. "If she can remove runes, then why has she not mad any move to remove mine? That man wants my Rune—"

"She probably sees it as a waste of time," Caesar said. "No offense, but you do only possess a Pale Gate Rune, Allise. It just can't be removed by normal means."

"So we will march on Kõrkus," Sloan said, folding his arms over his chest. "We will have to attack the city itself because that coward moved the Sheikh Garrison to the city proper instead of having the Garrison outside of the city."

"That is most certainly why he commissioned the Garrison to be moved to inside Kõrkus's walls," Keiran said.

"I was never fond of Sheikh Hale," Tamara said quietly. "Even when I was a Sheikh I felt uncomfortable in his presence."

"Well that's because he's an awful person who preys on teenage girls," Gunther said. "You were right to be wary of him."

Allise made a face. "Brennus?" Daunte called out.

"Yes, Lord Daunte?" The boy stepped forward.

"You just came back from Kõrkus yesterday with the detectives and ninjas. What is the current state of the city?"

"The detectives and ninjas spread rumors so that people would evacuate the city," Brennus said. "But Sheikh Hale locked down the city and has forbidden anyone to leave. My family, and many other families, have locked themselves in their houses. When they fighting starts, they will be hiding in their cellars."

"We should be careful," Chinmaya said. "If Keha Hale locked down the ciites, then he probably intends to use the populace as meat shields against us."

"He WILL use the populace as meat shields," Allise said sharply. "That man is a coward who only cares about his own power. He couldn't carry a sword to save his own life."

"I can attest to this," Keiran spoke up.

"As can I," Sloan agreed.

"Which is why he wanted a Pale Gate Rune to begin with."

"So this is what we'll do," Caesar said. "We will send six Army units to Kõrkus to launch a siege on the city. These numbers are going to be for intimidation purposes primarily, but also as a precaution in case the Holy Army attacks us."

"Even if the Holy Army attacks us with greater numbers though," Peader added. "There is no possible way that Holy Army soldiers will have enough morale to stand against us properly."

"I agree," Varnaz said. "But we should still be prepared for anything."

"Absolutely," Caesar said. "We'll start with a war campaign and take the city. Then we'll send a party of six led by Lord Daunte to attack the Garrison and take down Keha Hale once and all."

"I'll be in the party of six," Allise said.

"As will I," Gunther added.

"We'll decide the rest of the party after we seize the city," Caesar said. "In the meantime we should put together our Army units."

"I'll be leading one obviously," Daunte said.

"I want to join your unit," Nakula said, stepping forward.

Daunte nodded to his father and smiled. "Okay. Now for the second person—"

"Lord Daunte, please choose me," Brennus said, stepping forward. "I-I want to be involved. This is my city, and I want to fight."

"I'll be happy to have you with my unit," Daunte said.

"This is a change, Lord Daunte," Gunther said amusedly. "You usually choose Roen and Felicity for your Army units."

"Oh, good," Roen said as he entered the room. "If I'm not in Daunte's party, can I lead my own unit?"

"You've not led an Army unit before," Chinmaya pointed out.

"I know," Roen responded. "But I would like to lead a unit. I've been in enough Army battles to know what to do, and I want to fight for Kõrkus. Daunte, would you let me lead a unit?"

Daunte knew that it was risky giving Roen command of a unit this late in their war period, but he also trusted Roen with his life. He nodded. "I'll give you a unit to lead, Roen."

"Thank you, Daunte. I'd like to ask for Felicity, and that one weird guy you brought back from Toran."

"'Weird guy'? Do you mean Leto?"

Roen shrugged. "Is he strong?"

Daunte wasn't sure as he hadn't utilized Leto in battle yet. But he knew that Leto had a True Rune so he shrugged. "Okay. You can have Felicity and Leto in your unit."

"I want to lead a unit," Allise said, stepping forward. "Since Gunther insists on being my backup, I want him in my unit."

"Awww, you're so sweet Allise—" Gunther cooed at her.

"And I want Eresh," Allise added, talking over Gunther. "She's incredibly powerful."

"So that's three units selected," Caesar said. "For the fourth—"

"I would like to lead it," Keiran said, stepping forward. "As a former Sheikh who is familiar with Keha Hale, it's my duty to face him."

"Okay," Daunte said. "And for your supports."

"Mihr," Keiran responded, gesturing to him. "And—"

"I want to join your unit."

This room seems popular today, Daunte thought sheepishly as he looked towards the doors. Trofim entered the room, and though his clothes were still slightly tattered his appearance looked better than it had before. He was looking at Keiran. "You were engaged to my wife at one point," he said with at smile. "I guess I owe you for breaking the engagement, as I was able to meet and be with her. But everyone talks about how you're the best swordsman in this country. I'd like to see that in action."

Keiran looked surprised by his speech. After a few moments he coughed and looked at Daunte. "Then Lord Daunte, I'll ask Trofim to be in my unit as well."

"If I may ask," Peader spoke up. "You seem like a man in control, but werewolves are still considered monsters. How well is your control over your werewolf form?"

"My werewolf form is my true form," Trofim said. "The Rabid Fang Rune, in addition to keeping me stable in this form, keeps my mind stable in my true form. So long as I wear this, I will never be feral." He rubbed the rune symbol on his forehead."

Well, that DOES explain why the Rabid Fang Rune is a forehead rune, Daunte said. "Your unit looks good, Keiran. For the next unit—"

"I would like to volunteer to lead a unit, for the same reason Keiran Umed said," Sloan said, stepping forward. "For my supports, I would like to choose Adalgiso and Varnaz."

"Me?" Varnaz said with a raised brow.

"You're a skilled soldier and I would be honored to fight alongside you again," Sloan said.

"I'm okay with it if you are, Varnaz," Daunte said. "I know you usually lead units—"

"This will be fine," Varnaz said, looking at Daunte.

"Okay, the last unit," Caesar said. "Lord Daunte, do you have anyone in mind to lead it?"

"Yuber," Daunte said. "We're seeking the Sheikh and not outright slaughter, but Yuber has a reputation amongst the Holy Army. His presence on the battlefield may cause soldiers to flee on sight."

"He certainly is ferocious," Adalgiso muttered.

"Ah, then let's call Yuber here and set up his unit," Caesar said.

Daunte already knew that he would be putting Pesmerga and Viki in Yuber's unit. He wasn't in the hallway when I arrived, but he couldn't have gone far. He looked towards the ceiling. "Yuber!" He called out.

He didn't receive a reply, and Yuber didn't appear. "Yuber?" He called again.

Yuber did not appear. A cold feeling formed in Daunte's stomach. He frowned and left the war room. "Pesmerga?" He called.

"Yes?" Pesmerga was standing in his usual spot.

"Do you know where Yuber is?"

Pesmerga shrugged very slightly, but a unfriendly smile rose to his lips. "I'm afraid not."

Daunte took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His tone was shaky. "Are you able to give me any information about him that may help me gauge his current behavior?"

"No," Pesmerga said bluntly. "Yuber is acting out of character. I have never seen him act this way. He is usually very predictable, but now he is not."

Yuber is humanizing. I know it. But he's not taking it well. I need Pesmerga to complete his humanization, but they don't like each other. How am I supposed to make this work?

"Well...thank you," Daunte said bluntly. He turned and re-entered the war room. "Change of plans. Yuber will not be participating in this campaign."

"You may be better for it," Georg said. "Yuber tends to be unpredictable on the battlefield, and not in a good way."

"Then who should lead the final unit, Lord Daunte?" Caesar asked.

Daunte thought about it for a moment before deciding. "Lady Leknaat."

The room looked surprised by his proclamation. "A-And I'll put Nian and Viki with her," he added. "If I don't have Yuber to scare the Holy Army soldiers, then a Djinn should definitely scare them."

"Excellent idea, Lord Daunte," Caesar said.

"Yes, excellent," Chinmaya said, though she spoke a little too quickly.

"If the witch who tried to steal the Rune of Restoration shows up again then it would help to have her sister nearby," Peader said. "But this may also work against us."

"We'll be careful," Daunte said.

"I'll go with Lord Daunte's unit in the upcoming battle," Caesar said.

"I would like to participate in this campaign," Peader said. "I'll go with any unit you would like me to go with."

"Then I'll stay here and support whomever is put in charge in your absence, Lord Daunte," Chinmaya said.

Daunte nodded. "Tamara, I leave you in charge of Headquarters in the meantime."

"I will keep this place safe," Tamara responded.

"All right, everyone!" Caesar announced, clapping his hands. "It's time to face down the final Sheikh! After this, we'll have a clear path to attack the Capital!"

Take Down the Sheikh!

Holy Army Forces: 500

Liberation Army Forces: 600

Victory: Successfully invade Kõrkus or take out 3 Holy Army Units

Failure: Daunte's unit falls

From the roof of the Garrison, they could see that it was a clear day. And with the weather conditions clear, they could see the landscape to the horizon in all directions.

"Sheikh! The Liberation Army has been spotted! They're advancing from all directions!"

"I can see them, you moron!" Keha Hale barked over his shoulder. "Go and herd the citizens outside the walls! They'll have to go through them first before they reach us!"

"B-But sir, our families are still in the city!" one of the soldiers protested.

"I told all Garrison soldiers to bring their families into the Garrison! If your families are not in the Garrison, then TOUGH!"

"Sheikh!" another soldier ran up. "Sheikh Hale, soldiers are having trouble getting citizens to come out of their houses! Those we've found had to be dragged out of their houses!"

"What if the Liberation Army kills the citizens?!" Another soldier spoke up. "What if they breach the walls and get into the city?!"

Keha Hale waved a dismissive hand. "I still have a ward that blocks Rune magic! They'll be powerless!"

There was a 'whoosh' of wind behind him. "You're a moron."

The soldiers shrieked in shock, and Hale shrank into himself as he turned and saluted Windy. "…My lady," he greeted her quietly.

"Your block does nothing against True Runes," Windy pointed out to him. "There are three True Rune users in the units advancing upon us. One of the units also has a Djinn—"

"A DJINN?!" The soldiers shrieked.

"But your ward will not stop them," Windy said. "It will stop your ex-wife, and your idiot self may be able to get that rune off of her head if you kill her. But my sister—who has one-half of the parent rune of the rune you seek—is on her way here. If they breach the city, you will die."

Hale smiled thinly at her. "I imagine then, my Lady, that you came here not to mock me but to provide assistance?"

"I seek the Rune of Restoration," Windy said. "If that means protecting your worthless life from death for just a little while, then so be it."

"Sheikh, they're closing in!" A soldier shrieked.

"How many civilians did you manage to herd outside the walls?!" Hale snapped.

"J-Just a little over 100!"

"Damn it all, that's not enough!"

"So your grand plan was to use unarmed civilians as a meat shield," Windy said in a deadpan tone. She shook her head in disgusted. "I marvel at the fact that you somehow became a Sheikh."

Hale nearly snapped at her for insulting him in front of his soldiers, but he bit back the words. Instead he said, "What—do you suggest, my Lady?"

Windy turned to look towards the advancing forces. Specifically towards the unit that she knew her sister was leading. "I'll give them a taste of what will await them in the World of Emptiness."

"People are being forced out through the gates!" Adalgiso shouted.

Daunte could see that. They were several meters away, and they watched as Holy Army soldiers lined up men, women, and children of varying ages with their backs to the walls surrounding Kõrkus. Then at the direction of the soldiers, the people linked arms and huddled together. Many of them were crying.

"They are using citizens as shields!" he shouted in disbelief.

"I knew it!" Allise shouted. "That bastard really did it!"

"This throws a wrench in our plans," Keiran said grimly. "If we advance then they will force the civilians in front of themselves. They will ensure the civilians die before they do."

"And the Holy Army will undoubtedly use this as propaganda against us," Peader said. He was with Keiran's unit. "Morale is still low on the Holy Army side, but they would use an incident like this against us to incite the population against us once more."

"That is what they intend," Leto said. "I have seen such tactics before, and it has gone both ways."

"We can't risk civilian deaths but if we retreat we will lose the advantage," Varnaz said. "But if we stall then it will give them time to launch a counterattack against us."

"We could send Lady Leknaat's unit in first," Caesar said, looking to Daunte. "She has immense power, and Nian could sufficiently scare both the civilians and the soldiers out there into fleeing.

"I do not feel good about sending the Seer to advance by herself," Keiran said, riding over. "Please send my unit out there with her. We will help protect her unit and try to save as many civilians as possible."

"That's a good idea," Daunte said. "And Trofim said that he has complete control of his werewolf. He could transform and help Nian in scaring people away."

"Sounds like a plan," Caesar said with a smile. "If you are confident Lord Daunte, give the order."

"Lady Leknaat! Keiran!" Daunte called. "Forward march!"

Leknaat tilted her head back towards the sky. "She is here."

"She?" Viki asked, looking at her warily. "Wh—OH!" She cried out and hovered a hand over her face. "T-The Witch is here?!"

"Yes. My sister." She tilted her head towards Viki. "Tell Lord Daunte. I feel the power of the Gate Rune. My sister is about to open her Gate."

"R-Right!" Viki shrieked, and she teleported away in a burst of light.

"I sense a great power," Nian hissed with a sadistic smile. "Monsters are coming."

"We were given orders to scare civilians and soldiers away," Leknaat said quietly. Nian scoffed.

Keiran's unit reached them. "Are you all right? Why are you not advancing?"

"Her sister is opening her Rune," Nian said. "Very bad things are about to happen." she chuckled mirthlessly.

"We must go!" Keiran shouted, raising his sword. "The civilians are in danger!"

"I can try to counter it," Leknaat said. "I did so before, but at great cost. I will see what I can do now."

"Windy is here?!" Daunte exclaimed. He pressed his hand over the Rune of Restoration.

"Yes, and she's about to use her Rune!" Viki exclaimed.

"Uh oh," Caesar said, though his tone was calm.

"Everyone, MOVE!" Daunte shouted. "Monsters are about to be unleashed!"

"That explains the power I feel," Leto mused, looking the roof of the Garrison building within Kõrkus.

"C-Can you do something?!" Felicity exclaimed. "You have a True Rune too, don't you?!"

"The Rune of Change. Power that promotes constant change in our known world. I will never be idle because of this—"

"If it can change things, then have it change the monsters from coming!" Roen shouted.

"We are facing the Gate Rune. The Rune of Change is not as strong as the Gate Rune."

"How would you know that?!" Felicity snapped.

"Because I have faced off against the Gate Rune before and I lost," Leto said.

"The whole rune of half rune?"

Both Roen and Felicity jumped when Eresh suddenly appeared beside Leto. Leto however didn't even flinch. "Eresh asks the wielder of the Rune of Change if he fought the Gate Rune in its whole state or in its half state."

"It's whole state," Leto said.

Eresh's brow rose. "The wielder of the Rune of Change is the oldest person Eresh has ever met. Eresh is impressed to know an old soul."

"Guys, hurry!" Daunte shouted, hurrying over to them.

"Eresh advises the wielder of the Rune of Restoration to encourage the wielder of the Rune of Change to use his rune," Eresh said. "Eresh knows that the wielder of—"

"Okay, okay!" Daunte turned to Leto. "Can you stop it?!"

"No," Leto said.

"Why not?!"

"Because I lost against—"

"Eresh advises that you listen to her," Eresh interjected calmly. "The wielder of the Rune of Change fought against a whole Gate Rune. The Gate Rune is no longer whole."

"…What?" Leto asked bluntly.

"Windy only has half the Rune!" Daunte shouted. "Lady Leknaat has the other half! You should be fine against half of the Gate Rune, right?!"

"Look!" Allise shouted, pointing. Giant orbs of light started forming on the countryside between the Liberation Army and Kõrkus.

"Damn it, they're here!" Sloan shouted.

"Allow me—" Leknaat said, spreading her arms.

"Leto, NOW!" Daunte shouted.

Leto closed his eyes and spread his arms. "Egress." His body glowed.

Windy lowered her arm in shock, and she sucked in a sharp breath. The Rune of Change!

"What happened?!" Keha Hale shouted, gripping the rail. "Where did the monsters go?!"

The Rune of Change. The Chieftain of the Sindar. I knew that another True Rune user was on their side, but that boy managed to get the Sindar Chieftain to join his pathetic Army?!

"I will try again," Windy said. "In the meantime, make yourself useful and prepare yourself for combat."

"Combat?!" Hale spat. "Why?!"

Windy glowered at him. "You are a Sheikh. That is your job."

"Oh good, he got rid of the monsters," Gunther laughed in relief.

"Egress," Leknaat said quietly. "The Rune of Change's Level 1 spell. It changes the outcome of battle in a positive manner and forces enemies to retreat."

"He did that in counter to one-half of the Gate Rune," Nian said. "He will not be able to exert that much power again for the duration of battle."

"…My sister is going to try again," Leknaat said. "I must—"

"I'm bored," Nian scoffed, and suddenly took off into the sky.

"SHEIKH!" A soldier shrieked, pointing upwards. The scream distracted Windy, and she opened her eyes. What she saw made her pause.

"Little witch," Nian said, slowly floating down to the roof of the Garrison. "I underestimated you before. I will not make that mistake again."

"A DJINN!" Someone shrieked. Immediately the Holy Army soldiers standing on the roof turned and ran.

"Come back you cowards!" Hale shouted after them. The soldiers didn't even look back. "My Lady, I leave this to you!" Hale shouted, hurrying after his soldiers.

If you survive this day I will kill you myself, Windy thought, frowning at the Djinn in front of her. "You're in my way," she said sternly. "There's a Rune I have to pluck of the arm of an unworthy teenage boy!"

"I do not care about your motives," Nian hissed. "But I am bound to ensure victory for that boy. And I hold a sizable grudge against you. I intend to pay you back for what you did to me before."

Windy smiled sinisterly. "You're a fool if you think there will be a different outcome this time…"

"It looks like the Djinn is fighting on the roof of the Garrison," Sloan said, shielding a hand over his eyes.

"The soldiers are still pushing people forward!" Nakula shouted incredulously.

"My parents aren't there, are they?!" Brennus cried out, grabbing Daunte's arm.

"Trofim, it's your turn!" Keiran called.

"Will do!" Trofim shouted. He flexed his arms and shouted skyward. He was surrounded by dark red light, and the symbol of the Rabid Fang Rune rose into the air. Right before everyone's eye he transformed; human flesh grew dark fur, a man's face formed into the face of an angry wolf, and the clothes tore on his limbs. Trofim threw his head back again, but he howled instead of shouted, and he charged forward towards the soldiers and civilians.

"A-A werewolf!" An elderly woman screamed. "It's a WEREWOLF!"

"Nonsense, it's daylight!" A Holy Army soldier shouted. "There's not even supposed to be a full moon—"

Trofim jumped high into the air and landed hard on all fours directly in front of the advancing "forces". Both the civilians and soldiers stopped dead in their tracks. Trofim lifted his head and a frighteningly ferocious growl erupted from his mouth.

"W-WEREWOLF!" The same soldier screamed. Both the civilians and the Holy Army soldiers started panicking and screaming, and they began running in every direction. No one made a move to attack Trofim.

"Advance!" Daunte shouted. "Don't attack any civilians!"

A loud explosion on the roof of the Garrison shook all of Kõrkus. From the streets, Hale let out a loud curse and struck the nearest soldier in the head. "What are you doing?! The whole building is coming down!"

"Sheikh, we have to get out of here!" Another soldier shouted. "T-The forces outside are being attacked by a werewolf!"

"A werewolf?!" Hale shook his head. "Then we can't leave the city!" He marched upon the nearest house and pounded on the door. "Open up! This is Sheikh Keha Hale! OPEN UP!"

The door cracked opened, and the scared face of a young child greeted him. "S—Sheikh?" He whimpered.

"A werewolf is coming! We need shelter!" Without waiting for a reply Hale grabbed the boy by his collar and dragged him out of the house, throwing him to the ground outside.

"W-What are you doing?!" An older girl but still a child raced to the door. "Sheikh—"

"There's a werewolf coming, GET OUT!" Hale shouted, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her out. He threw her beside her brother on the ground. "Is there anyone else in there?!"

"M-My grandma—" the girl cried.

"Then she needs to get out too!" He waved to his soldiers. "Hurry up and get inside!"

"Wait!" the girl shrieked, climbing to her feet. "Grandma is ill! Grandma can't walk!"

"Then she can keep the werewolf busy while YOU escape!" Hale shouted in her face, slamming the door shut behind him. Both children pounded their fists on the door, begging to be let inside.

"Sheikh, t-there looks like enough room in this house," a soldier meekly protested.

"If it bothers you so much, then YOU can get out and face the werewolf!" Hale snapped. "Now find the old woman and get her out! We'll need to hide here until the Liberation Army leaves!"

"Nian!" Daunte shouted towards the Garrison roof. "Nian, STOP FIGHTING! Debris is falling on the city!"

"That was fantastic Trofim," Keiran said. "Thanks to your efforts, we slew less than a dozen Holy Army soldiers and all of the civilians survived."

"I was glad to help," Trofim said, having returned to his human form.

"We need to move quickly!" Allise shouted as she ran over to Daunte. "We can't let the Sheikh escape!"

"I don't see my family!" Brennus exclaimed as he looked the faces of the civilians they had rescued. Roen and Felicity were tending to them. "A-Are they still safe?!"

"Lord Daunte, go on ahead into Kõrkus!" Sloan shouted. "Most of the soldiers have surrendered, we can take care of everything from here!"

"Right, Lord Daunte!" Caesar shouted, hurrying to his side. "I'll join your support party! Allise and Gunther are required party members, but who else will you take with you!"

Daunte was startled when he felt someone tug on his arm. He turned and shouted when he saw Xi An standing there. "W-Where did you come from?!"

"Keha Hale killed my parents," Xi An said, the normally cheerful girl wearing a dark expression. "He sent me to the Dark Chasm. Take me with you, Lord Daunte. I want to see him die."

"I'm sorry for your loss but he's dying by MY hand," Allise said harshly.

"I don't care who kills him just so long as he dies!" Xi An shouted.

"Okay, I'll add you to my party!" Daunte said.

"Who else will you take with you, Lord Daunte?" Caesar asked. Daunte quickly answered, "Brennus and Varnaz!"

"Yes!" Brennus cheered.

"You will have my support!" Varnaz shouted.

"Right everyone, LET'S GO!" Gunther hollered. "Two young ladies are about to have vengeance!"

The streets of Kõrkus were deserted, but they were anything but quiet. Nian appeared to have taken her battle into the interior of the Garrison, as he heard many loud explosions inside of the building. Debris from the roof of the Garrison was scattered all over the place, though thankfully none of it had fallen on any of the residential houses.

"Heathens!" A group of Holy Army soldiers charged towards them.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Allise shrieked. "Empty World!"

The final spell of the Pale Gate Rune was terrifying, and it quickly killed the soldiers. They continued running, but the sounds of children wailing caused him to freeze in his tracks. "Wait!" He shouted.

"What is it, Lord Daunte?" Varnaz asked, but Daunte ducked down another street towards a long row of houses. His stomach clenched when he saw two young children crying, struggling to carry an elderly woman who had an arm around their tiny shoulders.

"What happened?!" Daunte exclaimed, collapsing to his knees before them. They screamed and jumped back. "Are you hurt?!"

"H-Help us!" The boy wailed. "A w-w-w-werewolf is going to eat us!"

Daunte nearly fell over in relief. "No, everything's okay," he reassured him. "You're under no threat."

"The S-Sheikh told us a werewolf was coming!" The girl cried. "The S-S-S-Sheikh w-wanted us to get eaten! He t-told us to let the werewolf eat Grandma! Why would he say that?!"

"You know where the Sheikh is?!" Allise said, hurrying forward.

"A-A-Ah—Our house!" the boy whimpered, pointing down the street in the direction where they came from. "The S-Sheikh—he threw us out of our house! He said he h-had to hide in there!"

"Oh Nagar, this guy just keeps getting more despicable by the damn day!" Gunther growled. "Using unarmed civilians as meat shields and ejecting two kids and an old woman from their own house?! What's next, will he drown a baby?!"

"Don't give him ideas," Varnaz muttered.

"He's not within earshot though," Brennus said.

"Did he hurt your grandma?" Daunte asked them gently. The old woman did not appear to be conscious, and the children were so small that her legs were dragging on the cobblestones.

"They t-tossed her out our front door l-like she was a sack of r-r-rice!" the girl cried.

"Grandma's been sick for a long time!" The boy hiccuped. "Mama and Papa are dead! All we have is Grandma!"

"I-If we lose Grandma, what will we do?!" The girl wailed.

Xi An gasped and pressed a hand to her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. Daunte raised his hand. "Howl!"

The Rune of Restoration washed over all three of them. When the glow of the spell faded, the old woman stirred in the arms of the children. "Grandma?!" The boy cried out.

"Grandma, are you okay?!" the girl cried.

The old woman lifted her head. She looked weary, her eyes glossy, and complexion was waxy. Daunte lifted his hand again. "Howl!"

Her complexion cleared with the second cast, and when she blinked she had clarity in her dark eyes. "W…What?" She murmured in confusion. "Why are we outside?"

"Can you stand, Miss?" Caesar asked, moving towards her.

"I-I don't—I haven't stood up in three years. Maybe I—" her eyes widened as her legs moved. "Oh…my arthritis doesn't bother me so much now!"

"You saved Grandma!" The boy cheered.

"Thank you, thank you!" The girl laughed.

"Can you tell us where your house is?" Allise said. "We need to have a—few words with the Sheikh."

"Can you tell him to get out of our house?" the girl asked.

"W-Why is the Sheikh at our house?" The old woman asked.

Allise raised her tessen. "I'll get him to come out."

Caesar left to get the civilians out of there, and the group found the one-story house the children had directed them to. Daunte didn't ask Allise if she was ready. Her breathing was unsteady but her face was set in stone.

"What a pathetic end for this vile person," Varnaz said, glaring towards the house. "Cowering in a house hiding."

"Keha Hale!" Allise shouted towards the closed front here. "I'm here! Come and get me!"

Hale saw his ex-wife from the window, and hatred and contempt rose in his heart. That girl and her family caused me NOTHING but trouble! But now—now I will finally get what is mine!

"Kill them!" He shouted to his soldiers. "Kill them and bring me her head!"

The front door burst open, and soldiers spilled out of the house screaming battlecries. Daunte and his group was outnumbered, but they were stronger than the soldiers. Three consecutive battles later and the soldiers lay dead in the streets.

"Eighteen soldiers hiding in that one house," Gunther scoffed.

"I-I know these men," Brennus said quietly, looking at them. "I-I—I thought they were better than throwing two children and an elderly woman at a perceived threat…"

"They were hiding in the city inside of facing you guys on the battlefield," Xi An pointed out. "They weren't exactly paragons anyway."

Daunte checked the bodies, but none of them were wearing Sheikh robes. He took off running into the house. "Lord Daunte?!" Gunther shouted.

Daunte found Keha Hale trying to climb out a window of a bedroom in the back of the house. Daunte leapt upon him and dragged him back inside the house. "LET ME GO!" Hale shouted.

Varnaz raced into the house behind Daunte, and his upper lip rose in disgust. "Where do you think YOU'RE going?!" He snapped, surging forward and grabbing Hale as well. Both Daunte and Varnaz yanked his Sheikh's hood off and dragged Hale kicking and screaming down the hallway towards the front door. "You can't do this to me! I'm a Sheikh! A SHEIKH! I deserved to be treated with dignity and respect!"

Daunte and Varnaz threw Hale threw the front door and outside. He tripped over the leg of one of his own fallen soldiers and face-planted onto the ground. Hale hollered like a petulant child and sat up, sloppily drawing the sword on his belt. "HOW DARE YOU!" He shrieked.

"Get up."

Hale stiffened, and looked in front of himself. Allise was standing there in fighting position with her tessen. Gunther was standing closeby with his sword drawn. "Get up," Allise repeated herself. "I want to kill you properly."

Hale choked, but then let out a shrill laugh as he scrambled to his feet. "Y-You think you can kill me?! ME?! You, the sniveling little bitch who used to beg me for mercy?! Who used to say that she would be good—"

"Damn you!" Gunther hollered and surged forward, but Allise blocked him with her arm. "NO!" She snapped at him. "He's mine!"

"Do it now," Xi An hissed, wringing her hands slightly. "Do it now!"

"Your posture," Hale said. "You—You seek to duel me?! Is this a joke?!"

"I will duel you and I will hurt you," Allise said, her voice cold and calm again. "And when I'm satisfied, you will die."

Hale laughed loudly again. "As if YOU could ever intimidate me! You can't use that damn rune on me during a duel!"

"I don't need a rune to kill you. Unlike you, I can kill a man with my own strength."

Hale didn't seem to take her seriously. "I accept! And when I win, I WILL have you head and I will use the Pale Gate Rune on YOU ALL!"

Allise was eerily calm, whereas Hale's emotions were clearly all over the place. "You won't be able to dodge THIS!" He stabbed his sword towards Allise, but she did dodge, and she sliced his arms with her tessen. "Damn you, you BITCH!" He swiped his sword at Allise again, but she dodged again and sliced his ankle. "AAAARGH, DAMN YOU!"

It was honestly the most pathetic duel Daunte had ever witnessed. Allise dodged Hale's attacks so smoothly that it looked like she was dancing between his strikes. And all of her strikes met their mark.

"Lingchi."

Daunte looked at Varnaz, but he was watching the fight with wide eyes. "Allise," he said. "She's performing lingchi on him!"

Lingchi. Death by a thousand cuts. Daunte's mouth hung open as Hale hobbled after her but she remained unscathed and continued to give him cuts with her war fans. Hale seemed more agitated than agonized, but his movements were becoming more and more sluggish.

"You will regret this!" Hale rasped. He lunged towards her again, but she jumped away and swiped at his hand, opening a large cut on the back of his hand. Hale wailed and clutched his hand as his sword slipped out, collapsing to his knees.

Allise kicked his sword away, and Gunther picked it up. She stood over him, raising her tessen again. "Look at me," she said gravely.

Hale's breathing was ragged, his body bent forward. "LOOK AT ME!" Allise screamed.

Hale lifted his head then. His face was bloodied and dirtied. Allise was unmarked but her face was filled with hatred. Hale swallowed hard as he looked at her, but his breath was shaky. "I…I always knew that your lot would be the death of me," he rasped. "W—Why couldn't things go my way for once…?"

"Because you're a greedy murderer," Allise snapped. "And this is YOUR RECKONING!" she swung her right hand, and her tessen sliced horizontal across his throat.

Keha Hale did not die quickly or easily, falling over onto his side clutching at his throat. It was a few moments before his body went still, and he said nothing More.

Standing over the fallen Sheikh, Allise did something Daunte didn't expect; she burst into tears. She dropped her tessen and slammed her hands over her faces, her body shaking violently as she began to sob loudly. Gunther sheathed his sword and rushed to her side, carefully placing his hands on her shoulders. Allise turned and grabbed him in an embrace, as her sobs turned into wails against his chest. Gunther looked shocked to be hugged by her, but her quickly hugged her back

"YEAH!" Xi An shouted, giving Keha Hale's body a swift kick in the side. "That's right, you bastard!" she gave him another kick. "And this is for my parents!" she kicked him a third time.

"That's it," Brennus said quietly. "All of the Sheikhs are gone now, aren't they?"

"Yes," Daunte said. "We—"

There was another loud explosion, and the Garrsion started collapsing onto itself. "Damn!" Daunte shouted. "Nian, I told you to stop fighting!"

"We had better take care of—that," Varnaz said.

"Go on ahead," Gunther said. Allise was still crying against him.

"Right, let's go!" Daunte shouted.

"Wait," Xi An said. She kicked Keha Hale one last time with all her might. "Okay, I'm ready."