4Kyadus sat up on his bed and crossed his legs. He let out a sigh and rubbed his temples. ⌠There has to be something we can do, there has to be a way out. It is going to be tough because it is Sortami we▓re up against, but after all he is still just a human. Do you two have any ideas?■ ⌠Everyone has some sort of weakness or fault.■ Torsaine said. ⌠So all we have to do is find his fault and exploit it.
⌠It doesn▓t work on him.■ Kyadus said. ⌠He is a pathetic little worm. There isn▓t really anything there that we could use against him.■ ⌠True,■ Sorhan chimed in, ⌠but if we begin to think like the weak we might understand how to topple the strong, like he did to you.■ ⌠Shut up you dimwit.■ Kyadus said. ⌠First of all, that couldn▓t work because he thinks his certain way to take the strong, not the weak like himself. Second of all, he just used underhanded tricks against us.■ ⌠Alright fine.■ Sorhan said. ⌠We should do something sleazy and underhanded just this once. I say we sink to his level just for a moment so we can save our asses.■ ⌠What could we do to trick him anyway?■ Kyadus asked.
⌠We could just lure Sortami in here and beat the shit out of him. He would be incapacitated and we could make our escape.■ Torsaine said.
⌠I don▓t think that would be most wise.■ Kyadus replied. ⌠Besides, even if we did incapacitate Sortami, he would still have all the personnel working for him to stop us. We need to think of something on a much grander scale. Something to take out this whole building, except for us of course.■ Sorhan thought deeply about things before he said, ⌠I bet with your powers you could short out the power to the building or something like that. That would give us the cover we need to escape.■ ⌠You mean just turn off all the lights and systems?■ Kyadus asked.
⌠Yeah.■ he said brightly. ⌠They would be confused and distracted by the power failing. We could just slip out and be gone from here in no time.■ ⌠I doubt they would just sit in the darkness and twiddle their thumbs long enough for us to escape undetected. Someone would come to investigate and we would be caught.■ ⌠What if the two of you snuck from room to room and assassinated everyone that you come across?■ Sorhan asked. ⌠There would be no one left to stop you, and you would be killing slaves to the Mozahki Empire at the same time. It▓s perfect.■ Kyadus was merely annoyed by all of Sorhan▓s idiotic ideas at first, but now he was starting to get so unbearably annoying that he shouted, ⌠Shut up for a while and let the professionals handle things! Go color in a book or something.■ ⌠Whatever.■ he said with obvious hurt feelings. ⌠I▓m going to just tune you out and think about where I would be now if I wasn▓t in here.■ ⌠Alright, you do that champ.■ Torsaine said. To Kyadus he said, ⌠We have to attack this problem more logically. Don▓t get me wrong here, bloodshed is a nice option, but something like this is a more strategic matter. This is something that needs to be handled delicately.■ ⌠I know kind of what you▓re saying. Too much force will draw attention too quickly, but too little force will give them a chance to fight back. Whatever we do needs to be done quickly and efficiently.■ ⌠Yes. Do you think we can just befriend one of the guards here and they will just let us walk out?■ ⌠That is highly unlikely.■ Kyadus made a very frustrated sigh and beat his fists against his bed. ⌠Why is this so hard? It was never this hard when we were making plans back in the beginning of all of this.■ ⌠I know.■ Torsaine said as he remembered the first days of this whole crusade against the Mozahki Empire. ⌠As odd as it may sound those days were far less complicated than this mess we▓ve gotten ourselves into now. We were just three young men with a common dream, now it▓s the two of us and the dream is tainted. With both blood and failure.■ ⌠You don▓t think we▓ve lost it, do you?■ ⌠Lost what?■ ⌠Lost what we had before.■ ⌠You mean our power. Hell no, were are stronger and more capable than ever.■ ⌠That▓s not what I meant. I meant have we lost our touch, our ability to think, to plan, to create.■ ⌠I▓m not going to lie, we do suck. I think we just need to try a little harder and we▓ll be fine. This problem is nothing a little time and effort can▓t solve.■ ⌠I know, but we don▓t have a lot of time. We have only a number our hours, less than a day in fact, to find a way out of this hole we▓re in.■ ⌠I think I have an idea that might work.■ Sorhan said.
⌠Is it going to be something stupid?■ Kyadus asked.
⌠No.■ Sorhan replied.
⌠Good.■ Torsaine said. ⌠Stupid ideas are the last thing we need right now.■ ⌠Alright.■ Sorhan said.
Before he could say anything more a rather large explosion rocked the building, sending the men into high alert, but they remained calm, collected, and most of all they stayed put like they were told.
Mendoza led the charge of the forces she gathered. They flooded the streets, prepared to go war against the Mozahki Empire. They left Tolsmyre behind and charged towards a medical care facility where their brothers in this war were being held as prisoners. They charged with a reckless abandon that was very motivating, but also very harmful to them when the inevitable battle would begin.
They flowed through the streets like molten steel, heated passed the breaking point by outrageous fury. They crashed and slammed about through the city, causing a great deal of attention to be drawn towards themselves. If they were anyone else they would have been taken out by the empire, but because they were the empire they were helped along by the average citizen and other empire employees.
Mendoza was up front with Smith and she was enjoying herself. Smith was just content that a change was finally being made. She was whooping and hollering all over the place, she was screaming just to make some noise. She looked over at Smith, who did not look as pleased as she was, and asked him, ⌠Are you alright? You don▓t seem excited, or even interested for that matter.■ ⌠Oh trust me, I am very interested.■ He said. ⌠I just don▓t feel like showing it right now. It doesn▓t seem right to be happy that we send our fellow men and women to die for us.■ ⌠Good point.■ Mendoza replied. ⌠Although if we didn▓t lose a few good people than we might lose many, many more people who are innocent and don▒t deserve to die.■ ⌠So are you now saying that our fellow men and women deserve to die? Like they don▓t mean anything to anyone? Like they▓re just toys for our use?■ ⌠Listen bitch.■ she said with a commanding tone in her voice. ⌠They are necessary casualties in the war. I don▓t like it either, but it has to be done.■ ⌠So we are at war now, huh?■ ⌠It most certainly seems that way, and we have the slight advantage too. We have the warriors Kyadus and Torsaine on our side.■ ⌠I got you. So this is like setting up the field in a fine game of chess. We may have to make some sacrifices, but in the end a few pieces lost is worth the victory.■ ⌠Something to that effect I suppose. Anyway, I couldn▓t be more motivated if I tried.■ ⌠I am getting there.■ Nothing more was said for a moment until Ifriena made contact through the radio. ⌠We will be arriving at the facility in a few minutes. Set up the perimeter and wait for me. I am at the very back of the formation, so it may be a few minutes before I show up. Take charge until I get there, over.■ ⌠Good to go. Anything else you need to pass? Over.■ Mendoza asked.
⌠Make sure the men and women assigned with carrying weapons are in three formation. The first formation is of the five with the rocket launchers. The second formation is of the ten with tachyonic rifles. The third and final formation is formed of everyone else. They are to be in the center of the perimeter, facing the building. That is al I have for you, over.■ ⌠Alright then. See you in a few, over.■ ⌠Bye. Over and out.■ The last few minutes of this journey passed in silence. Mendoza and Smith were in the tank that was first on the grounds of the prison facility. They parked the tank facing outboard and motioned for the others rolling in to get into position. As the machines came and set up the 360 degrees of security, the ones with the weapons jumped of their rides and massed in the center.
⌠All those with the weapons make a formation facing the building.■ Mendoza shouted as they appeared. ⌠If you are one of the five or one of the ten you will form different formations. Now move it!■ Mendoza commanded the rebels with great proficiency, even though she had only a little leadership experience before this. By the time Ifriena was a mile away she had every machine in place, all the orders were given and understood, and the weapon bearers were formed up and ready to rock.
Ifriena pulled a car into the parking lot and surveyed the situation as she approached the field. Things appeared to be in superior order when she walked up with Jones by her side. She walked up to Mendoza▓s side and said, ⌠You have done a nice job here Mendoza. Everyone knows what to do and how to do it, right?■ ⌠Of course they do. They were given the instructions from me just as you gave them.■ ⌠Good. Now let▓s get to work.■ Ifriena walked with a bold purpose over to the formation of five rocket launchers. ⌠You know exactly what you are to do. So do it right.■ She then walked over to the ten with tachyonic rifles. ⌠Once the explosion occurs you rush in quickly and get to room 213. Don▓t show anyone any mercy, if they resist don▓t hesitate to kill them. If they are guards or any type of worker there then you are required to kill each of them on the spot. There should be three men in that specific room. I need you to bring them right out here to me. If they are reluctant to follow either mention my name or Ifriena▓s name. If that still doesn▒t convince them, then give them this.■ She pulled a strange devise out of her pocket and handed it to one of the men. ⌠Get them out of there without a scratch. Do you understand me?■ ⌠Yes Ma▓am!■ ⌠Good, now blow the walls wide open.■ The five men with rocket launchers lined up facing the wall at an interval of five feet apart and fifteen feet from the wall. The aimed in and fired their rockets simultaneously. The entire section of wall was hit and exploded inward with a boom that shook the building, the foundation, and the very ground beneath it.
Sortami decided to call a meeting with his staff advisory board so he could come up with a punishment suitable for his hated enemies Kyadus and Torsaine. All twelve of the men of his board were in attendance at this meeting, and all of them had minds brewing with evil thoughts.
He gathered all of his board members at his current location, the Maximum Security Facility for the Criminally Insane. He held the meeting in his private office in the west wing of the building. He didn▓t have places for the twelve to sit, so most leaned against the wall or on his desk.
⌠I have decided to punish Kyadus and Torsaine once and for all.■ Sortami said as he leaned his chair all the way back. ⌠The only problem is I am only one mind and have a limited number of ideas. I need your help to come up the most effective punishments possible.
⌠What exactly is your desired goal from these punishments, Sortami?■ asked the fourth member of the board.
Sortami thought about this for a good while before he said, ⌠I want something that will crush their dreams of resistance. Something that will humiliate them and cause a great deal of physical and mental anguish. Something absolutely devastating, but they have to live. I do not want to see them die just yet, in time they will get theirs.■ ⌠You could make them fight each other for sport.■ the second board member said. ⌠You could hold matches every few days and take bets on the winner. You could rig the matches so you could come out with a lot of powerful friends when this is all over.■ ⌠I don▓t think so.■ Sortami said. ⌠It sounds appealing, but it would be too easy for them to kill their friend out of mercy. I need them to be alive for a good while, living in constant agony for many years to come.■ ⌠What about making them into slave?■ asked the fifth advisor. ⌠You could give them to each of us for a month out of the year. We could use and abuse them all we please, and keep them in agony all year round for as many years as we can.■ ⌠That▓s not a bad idea.■ Sortami said as he schemed up worse things to go along with it. ⌠That would be a good place to start after we completely break their spirits. We need to start this off by being just downright foul to them. Something that will make their minds come close to the point of collapsing, then we can start with the slave torture.■ ⌠What if we hit them in a very sensitive area?■ asked the ninth advisor. ⌠We could like rape and torture all the women they were connected with, and the torture and slowly murder every man that was in league with them. We could hold this event over several days and even force them to cause some of the suffering to their followers. That would really screw someone up for the rest of their life.■ ⌠That sounds to up close and messy to me.■ Sortami said. ⌠A quick kill would be less traumatic for me to dish out, but it would also be less traumatic for them. We need something that will scar them for life, but leave the rest of us untouched.■ ⌠We could slip them poison.■ said the fourth advisor. ⌠We could let them get close to the point of death, but then nurse them back to health. We could do this for weeks. We could keep them in altered states of consciousness and cause them to develop severe mental problems, like paranoia and delusional schizophrenia. That would really be something.■ ⌠That seems too risky to me.■ Sortami responded. ⌠They are still highly dangerous, and probably getting stronger and more capable day by day. If we make them lose their grip on reality them might lash out and kill some of us, or even all of us. We need to find a way to make them docile. Once their potential for danger is gone we can do as we please to them.■ ⌠Is there some way we could just eliminate their hostile tendencies for good?■ asked the second advisor.
⌠There is that mind control program you have been working on isn▓t there?■ asked the first advisor.
⌠Yes there is, but I▓ve already tried it on Kyadus and it doesn▓t work. It will definitely work on Torsaine and the other one though.■ ⌠So all we need to do is come up with a solution for Kyadus. What about using the brand new method of mind manipulation that you used on the broken one?■ ⌠Kyadus▓ mind is far stronger than that other guys mind. It wouldn▓t be easy, but I guess it is a possibility. I think we will give that a try once we have delivered their sentences tomorrow.■ Sortami thought for a short while before he spoke again. ⌠Well men, you have done a superior job here today. All of your input has been well appreciated and you men definitely have some wild shit brewing in your heads. Well, I have nothing else for you gentlemen, so I guess I▓ll see you tomorrow at the hearing. I wish to start it at about 8:30 in the morning. Be early and be excited, for tomorrow we get our revenge.■ Sortami waited until every last one of his advisors had left the room before he switched on the two way communication monitor. He saw Tina▓s face slowly materialize and then he said, ⌠I need you to set up a public punishment hearing tomorrow at 8:30. I am finally going to bring down Kyadus and Torsaine once and for all.■ ⌠Very good sir.■ Tina said. ⌠Where would you like it to be located?■ ⌠Oh, just in the field right outside here would be fine.■ ⌠Alright.■ she said. ⌠Let me check it out right now.■ She got up from her chair and went to the window. She looked out and saw the formation of the enemy in the field and ran back to her desk immediately. ⌠Sir. We have a very large problem.■ ⌠Bother me some other time with your trivial matters.■ he said as he reached up to switch of the monitor.
⌠I▓m dead serious. You need to look outside right now.■ ⌠What could be so damn important that I need to see right now?■ he asked. Before he said anything else he heard the massive explosion. ⌠Oh shit.■ ⌠What do you want me to do, sir?■ ⌠Get me three Chinooks in the air immediately. Fill them with as many troops as possible and get them over here now. If anything else is needed I will let you know immediately.■ ⌠Roger that, sir.■
The part of the walls where the rockets impacted was completely obliterated, and all that was left was a gaping, smoking hole. The men with the rocket launchers fell back and let the rifle carrying men move into the building. Once inside the building the group of ten men broke into two groups, one of six and the other of four. The larger group to fight off any threats that would arise. The smaller group to locate and recover Kyadus, Torsaine, and Sorhan and to safely deliver them outside.
Once the teams were inside they found utter confusion and disorder. The patients of this facility were running about as wild and reckless as packs of rabid wolves. The employees were hiding from the rabid throng. The guards were fighting anyone in their way, in the hopes that they might suddenly restore a perfect order to this place.
The assault team moved to the right and began to neutralize the guards in that area, while the recovery team pushed to the left and searched for room 213.
Although the hallway they were in now was still smoky, it was clear enough to see most details. It wasn▓t hard for the assault team to tell patient from worker, and the killing began. They started with the guards first, hitting a few of the patients in the process, and then they moved on to the workers. They were swift and accurate with their shots, so naturally it didn▓t take them too long to clear this hallway and move on to the next.
The assault team moves into the next hallway and quickly examined the doors to make sure they weren▓t going to kill the very men they were rescuing. They were in the 400 hall, so they assaulted through and headed for the 500 hall.
They passed an open door and saw a woman making a frantic phone call calling in some planes and troops. They quickly eliminated her, but a little too late to stop the order from going through. On the screen behind her, now stained with her blood, was the face of Sortami on a communication monitor. The face of Sortami contorted into great fear and then the image disappeared just seconds later.
They moved out of the room and continued to move through the hallways eliminating all empire personnel. They by chance happened to run into Sortami▓s advisor board as they were trying to escape this place of terror. The assault team thought it was funny to beat on these twelve older men before finally giving them the gift of death. They shot the legs of all twelve, so they could more extensively deliver their pain. They pulled out knives and began to hack at the arms and legs of the men. Some received it worse than others, but they were all united in their suffering, and in their deaths.
They left the broken men in a pile in the hallway and finished clearing out the right side of the building. Once finished with their mission they moved to the direction that the recovery team went in.
All this time the recovery team had been sneaking their way through the halls, killing as necessary, and coming closer to room 213. They passed from the 300 hall into the 200 hall pretty slowly. They took their time moving down the hallway, making sure nothing bad would happen near the room. They moved up to the room and opened the door slowly and discarded their firearms so as not to raise alarm. They walked in to find Kyadus lying on his bed, Torsaine sitting on the desk, and Sorhan was unconscious from having fainted when the explosion went off.
⌠Who the hell are you people?■ Kyadus asked.
⌠Don▓t worry about it.■ One of the men said. ⌠We were just sent here to liberate you. Come with us now.■ Why on earth would we want to do that?■ Torsaine asked. ⌠It▓s obvious you belong to the Mozahki Empire, and the last time I checked we violently hated each other.■ ⌠Have you never heard of a double agent?■ another on of them asked.
⌠Of course I have. But why would we trust some people who just waltz in here after that explosion and claim to have turned on the empire? People usually don▓t turn so easily.■ ⌠What about Mendoza? What about her and her crew?■ asked the first man.
⌠What do you know about Mendoza?■ Kyadus said as he rose from his bed with the potential for violence surging through his body.
⌠I know that she rallied all of us together. She convinced us to turn away from the empire and fight. She also sent us here to deliver you from the clutches of Sortami.■ ⌠I am still not convinced enough to follow you.■ Kyadus said sternly. ⌠You have to do better than just her name.
⌠She gave me this.■ the man said as he pulled the object out from his jacket pocket.
Torsaine reached out and said, ⌠That▓s my pulse rysher.■ He took it and said, ⌠I▓m convinced. What about you Kyadus?■ ⌠I think that one did it.■ he said. He went over to Sorhan and shook him. When Sorhan didn▓t wake he said, ⌠Oh well. One of you suckers has to carry him now.■ ⌠No problem sir.■ said the largest man as he hoisted the limp body onto his back.
Kyadus didn▓t feel like following the leader, so he grabbed Torsaine and ran out of the room in front of the recovery team. He took a different route out than the recovery did in, and they had no choice but to follow them.
During the move from inside the building to outside Sorhan woke up and had some frantic questions. ⌠What just happened?■ he asked. ⌠Who are you people? Where am I being taken?■ ⌠There will be time for all of that later.■ said the large man carrying him. Right now you just stay put until we get you outside.■ ⌠Outside?■ he asked. ⌠I don▓t want to go outside. Put me down right now!■ ⌠We▓re escaping you squishy face retard.■ Kyadus said. ⌠Now shut up and it▓ll all be over soon.■ Sorhan realized the situation and decided that shutting up would be a good choice. He just laid his head down and tried to keep himself as calm as he possibly could be.
Kyadus brought them into an unsecured area and fell back to let the assault team take care of it. This time around the guards were more prepared for any type of fight and they fired back at the assault team. Their aim wasn▓t the best and only two assault team members were even hit. The remaining assault team members took the guards out with great proficiency and the two wounded were carried out. One was shot in the leg, the other in the chest. Both would live, but the one hit in the chest would have to fight a bit more than the guy shot in the leg.
After they passed through that area they went into the south wing past the reception desk, they killed the workers in that general area, and then they passed through the doors and out into the world. Kyadus circled around the building until he found where the wall had been blown up and where Ifriena, Mendoza, and the others waited for them. Kyadus and Torsaine broke into a dead sprint for their friends. Sorhan was placed on his feet a short time after and he too broke into a sprint.
Kyadus slowed as he approached and he ran right into Mendoza▓s arms and swept her off the ground. Torsaine did something very similar, but it was to Ifriena, and they shared a passionate kiss that Kyadus and Mendoza did not have.
Mendoza was very surprised at Kyadus▓ strength and this little act made her even more smitten than she was before. ⌠So good to see you again Kyadus.■ she said as her face heated up from her blushing. ⌠It▓s actually really nice to see you too.■ Kyadus said as he placed the flustered Mendoza back on the ground.
⌠Good to have you back as well Torsaine.■ she said.
Torsaine broke off the kissing and said, ⌠Thank God you showed up when you did, otherwise we would have been screwed.■ Sorhan showed up at about this time and he said, ⌠Looks like we are out. What do we do now?■ ⌠Don▓t worry about it.■ Mendoza said. ⌠Just do what we say and it▓ll all turn out alright. By no means are you required to stay with us, but you are highly advised to do so.■ Sorhan thought about what he could do for a moment. He could think of nothing better than to stay and he said, ⌠I guess I▓ll just stick with you guys for now. Later on I might break off and do my own thing though.■ ⌠Good.■ Kyadus said. ⌠You do understand that if you stick with us you may end up in some crazy ass situations? You may have to kill, and you may even die. You still up for it?■ ⌠I know I may die, but I honestly don▓t have anything better to do. If I stay I at least have a purpose, a sense of direction in my life, a goal. I guess I have no other choice but to join up with you and fight for the freedom of man.■ ⌠That▓s what I▓m talking about!■ Kyadus shouted. ⌠Now let▓s get out of here before anything crazy happens.■ ⌠What could possibly happen?■ Torsaine asked jokingly, knowing that is was all moot because nothing this big could happen without any consequence. ⌠We are the men who have mastered Chaos. Nothing will happen, and nothing could ever happen.■ ⌠You sure do have a good point there.■ Kyadus said, trying to lighten the mood, for he knew that a storm was approaching. It was approaching very fast and was going to be ugly.
They gathered into a group and began to march out of the field and towards a few tanks on the perimeter. They got about two thirds of the way before a voice came over the loud speaker around the perimeter of the building.
The voice had the very distinct sound of rage when it said, ⌠What the hell is wrong with you people?■ All at once a single word came to the lips of everyone headed towards the tanks. ⌠Sortami,■ all said at once. They stopped where they stood and faced the broken side of the building.
⌠You people must be nuts to have pulled of this outrageous of a stunt. I thought the things you had done before was pretty messed up, but this one takes the cake by a long shot.■ Kyadus took a step forward and he sneered, ⌠He must be inside right now. We can just overrun him and finally take him out.■ ⌠Good idea.■ Mendoza said. She raised her hand to motion for the assault team to move in, but before she could get off any signal a loud whirring sound stopped her.
Sortami laughed over the intercom and then said, ⌠I hope inviting my boys in won▓t be a problem. They really want to play too.■ A few seconds later three black Chinook helicopters approached the facility and dropped off three full loads of highly trained and heavily armored troops. The Chinooks were quick to drop everyone off, and then one hovered dangerously close to the building. From one of the upper floors Sortami leaped out of a window he broke out and caught one of the ropes dangling from the helicopter. The doors closed as he waved towards the surprised masses below him and the Chinook flew off into the sky.
As soon as the helicopters were out of sight the troops that came out of them had already formed three formations and were awaiting orders from their leader. A motion stirred in the back of the third formation and a man dressed in a hooded black cloak, instead of any armor, came to the front.
⌠We have to kill all these men quickly before any of us get hurt.■ Torsaine said.
⌠He▓s right.■ Kyadus said. ⌠From what I see they have superior numbers, probably five hundred to seven hundred, but we have the superior equipment. I say we just charge them while we still can.■ All the while the man in the cloak was talking to the troops in front of him, giving them instructions and a little motivational speech. Once he heard Kyadus say this he turned towards him and said, ⌠You would say something like that Kyadus.■ Kyadus took offence and said, ⌠So what. I have kicked a lot of ass in a relatively short period of time. I think I know what I▓m doing.■ ⌠True,■ this mysterious man said, ⌠but you also have a nasty habit of hurting you friends, or at worst getting them killed.■ Torsaine tried to place the voice, but for some reason the origin alluded him. ⌠Who are you?■ he asked. ⌠You sound really familiar.■ ⌠You should know who I am. After all, I know so much about the two of you.■ Kyadus was getting pissed off at this man▓s cryptic speech, so he said, ⌠I don▓t care what you think you know about me, you couldn▓t even begin to understand what kind of shit I▓ve been through.■ ⌠I know far more than you think I do. I also know that you know plenty about me.■ ⌠I know you are an ass and I feel like beating the shit out of you.■ ⌠Me too.■ Torsaine added. ⌠You can▓t just walk in here and start acting like this, it just doesn▓t work.■ ⌠If you want to kick my ass, then go ahead and try. The two of you against me sounds pretty fair.■ ⌠Damn right we▓ll kick your bitch ass all over the place.■ Kyadus said as he and Torsaine began to walk towards the enemy.
⌠I▓ll go too guys.■ Sorhan said as he began to run towards them.
⌠Stop!■ Kyadus bellowed. ⌠This is not your fight. Something inside tells me that this is just for Torsaine and me.■ ⌠That▓s stupid.■ Sorhan whined. ⌠I am here and willing, so I might as well join you.■ ⌠Not this time.■ Torsaine said. ⌠There will be many fights down the road where we call upon you for your service, but not this one, not today.■ ⌠Oh, alright.■ Sorhan said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
Kyadus and Torsaine set off towards the cloaked man once again. Torsaine was only able to take two steps before Ifriena grabbed his arm and pulled him into her arms. She was crying and at first she just held on to him, not wanting to let him go yet.
Torsaine looked into her shimmering eyes and she said, ⌠Don▓t leave me. You can▓t leave me.■ ⌠Look baby, this is something I have to do.■ he said as he brushed the tears off of her cheeks as they fell.
⌠I don▓t want you to keep doing this.■ Ifriena said. ⌠It▓s far too dangerous and I can▓t stand to lose you now. The reason I broke you out was so you could be free to spend some time with me and to withdraw yourself from this whole mess.■ ⌠Honey. I can▓t stop now, I practically invented this thing and I will see it through, no matter what. Besides, there is no way I▓m going to get hurt out there, I have my ways. All I ask is for you to stand by me through whatever happens. Can you do that for me?■ She shook her head yes, but lost herself to a wave of hot tears. Torsaine grabbed her and held her close. He whispered warmly in her ear, ⌠It▓s all going to be alright. Just have faith in me. I love you and won▓t let anything bad ever happen to you again.■ He kissed her on the forehead and released the embrace, tears began to form in his eyes as well.
He traced his arm down the entire length of hers, lingering slightly at the fingertips, as he backed up. Then he turned around and walked over to where Kyadus had stopped. Once he was next to Kyadus he said, ⌠We fight for the world and we fight for ourselves, but I alone fight for her.■ ⌠I know,■ Kyadus said as he rubbed Torsaine▓s back. ⌠Do you think you ready for this?■ ⌠I really don▓t think so, but that has never stopped me before.■ ⌠That▓s what I like to hear, I think. You▓re my best friend Torsaine, and we▒ve been through more than I like to remember, and we always stood together. I fight for you before I fight for myself.■ ⌠Thanks man,■ Torsaine said as he gripped Kyadus▓ hand in a firm shake. ⌠That really means a lot to me.■ They just stared at each other for just a moment more and then released the handshake. Without saying a word they turned towards the enemy and took bold strides forward into battle, with no fear, no worries. When only ten feet of space separated them from the unknown enemy Kyadus asked, ⌠Could you please remove your cloak, or at least the hood. I would like to see the face of the man whose ass I have to whip in hand to hand combat.■ ⌠Sure. I can do that for you. Anything for a friend.■ The man pulled the tie string at his neck and loosened the belt around the waist. In one fluid motion he stripped the cloak from his back and stood revealed to the world.
The minds of nearly everyone reeled when they saw the identity of the one who was under the cloak. Nobody could find anything to say for the longest time. Kyadus and Torsaine both rubbed their eyes in disbelief as they tried to figure this impossible thing out.
⌠What▓s the problem boys?■ They were still speechless.
Sorhan had never met, or even seen this man before, so he was confused as to why everyone was acting so strange over just a single man. ⌠What the hell is wrong with you people? Just kick his ass already so we can get out of here and go about our business.■ Most of the people didn▓t even seem to notice that Sorhan was flapping his gums. They all stood in a perplexed state, afraid to actually talk about what they were seeing, like if they ignored the whole thing than it could not really be happening.
Kyadus and Torsaine took a few cautious steps back.
⌠What▓s the matter? Are you suddenly afraid of me or something?■ Ifriena ran forward and came right up to where Kyadus and Torsaine were standing. She was only able to get out a few words. ⌠Aerion┘ we thought you were dead.■ ⌠I was.■