The Final Stand

Crow and Kuroari were whispering to each other.

"Hey Kuroari, I heard them run into the cave. Wanna scare them even more? I mean, we don't even know if they're friend or foe yet..."

"Well Crow, then let's make a good impression then!"

Kuroari formed the mist into a skull, mouth open and more mist coming out of the eyes and mouth. They started running towards the cave. All you could see was a huge pile of fog with a huge skull on top of it, producing even more fog. The whole thing was giving off an eerie purple light.

In unison, the demon brothers shouted: "We're coming!"

what... is... this...? Am... I... dead...? but... i cannot be dead... can... i...? i...guess... i must... stand 'waiting' here... until... whoever... took me here... shows up...
good god... is that enough ellipses?
shut... up...
*sigh* you're either a FF VIII character or you're that captain from star trek.

"Uhh, guys? I think we have a bigger problem at the moment. Look, " Kisen said. In front of them, lied 60 Others, all equipped with silver lances, charging in their direction. "Battle positions!" he shouted.

How did Questor know...?
"When Questor said he was leaving to finish up old business, and left me in charge of your protection, he gave me this." Lamahl holds out a round object wrapped in cloth.
"What is this?" asked Kisen.
"I don't know. He said if the people of the valley or the caves ever went hostile, I was to use this and they would immediately submit to us."
"Hmmmm... Well, it's worth a try."
Lamahl takes off the cloth covering, then thinks for a second.
"I pull the switch here, take aim, and lob it towards the center of them. That's what Questor told me to do." The round object landed right in the middle of The Others, then exploded.
"HOLY SH- What was that?!?!?" exclaimed Kisen, surprised by the explosive power of the object.
"That's beside the point. Look at the survivng Others." pointed out Lyle. The remaining Others were laying prostrate on the ground before the company.
"Uhhh... Lamahl? Anything I should know about Questor that I don't know yet?" asks Kisen.
"I was about to ask you the same..." replies Lamahl.
"But... I didn't know him in the firs- Oh. I suppose that works as an answer."

Luca thought in her mind as she was dragged along by Okami. Hmmmm... I wonder... I think... Yeah. Deffinately. She turned to Shira. "You like me, don't you?" she snickered. Her eyes were filled with playfullness and warmth. "Hmhm. I think you do." Her playfull and happy chuckle was all she said, despite her fright.

"Hey, Hedret, you see them go towards the cave?"
"Yep."
"Let's follow."
They silently move towards the cave when a mysterious figure appears right in front of them.
"Is it? It is... SMAC Jax."
"Oh no..."

LucaTheLucario wrote:

Luca thought in her mind as she was dragged along by Okami. Hmmmm... I wonder... I think... Yeah. Deffinately. She turned to Shira. "You like me, don't you?" she snickered. Her eyes were filled with playfullness and warmth. "Hmhm. I think you do." Her playfull and happy chuckle was all she said, despite her fright.

Shira blushed, turned away, and started running full-tilt into the cave, Okami and the others running to catch up as the strange mist slowly but surely gained on them. As they ran, they noticed Marauders streaming in from the depths of the cave, thundering in a stampede, pounding their chests and brandishing their axes.

Lu jumped up and dashed into the Mauraders. She laughed happily as she attacked them with only her nails and teeth, her small fox doing the same. "LALALALA!!! SHIRA'S IN LOVE!!! HEY PEOPLE I'M FIGHTING, THAT GUY OVER THERE IS IN LOVE ME!!! POINT AND LAUGH!!!" Suddenly, they all turned and started laughing, even Okami barked out a silly laugh-like huff.

While they were distracted, Shira ripped into the Marauders, cutting them down viciously. Okami joined in the fun, and Kusa fired shots of Blue Fire lazily, hitting several in the crotch and watching them curl up and whimper in pain. By the time the first wave was done, a second, much larger wave came. Luca started, "HEY EVERYONE!! THAT GUY OVER THERE'S IN L--" Shira slammed her temple with the hilt of his katana, knocking her out. He set her on Okami's back and shouted, "There's no way we can keep going! We have to run!" And so the six of them plunged into the darkness of the cave once more, but the mist was literally on their heels now...

Luca gasped as she felt the blow hit her head. She thought to herself. Son of a b*tch... In her out-cold state she made a twisted, slightly angry face. Damn body. Move. Wake up! GOD!!! I CAN'T USE SPELLS IF I'M KNOCKED OUT!!! Suddenly, she woke up. "OH MY F*CKING GOD!!!" She shot up and looked around. "Dammit. SHIRA I HATE YOU!!!" She crossed her arms and spoke under her breath, so only animals could possibly hear her. "Damn him. How could I ever hate him? I love him..." She looked down at Okami. "Don't you dare laugh."

Shira ignored her, but Okami lolled his tongue out, looking amused. Then, the mist surged forward, and they heard bone-chilling laughter. Not even the Marauders dared come near now.

Luca stopped glaring at Okami as her entire body shivered. She hid against Okami's fur as the laughter shot through her. She called out, "Who's there!?"

The answer was another laugh and a demonic cackle. Two figured walked in circles around them, like sharks ready for the kill. No one dared to move.

Lu looked at Shira for what to do, but he didn't move, She hid against Okami again, then smiled softly. She whispered, "Kylo, I need you help." Yes? Kylo's voice rang through the cave, frightening nearly anything to stillness. "I need you to tunr me into a shadow." Kylo appeared infront of her and nodded. "Shadow's Spell." She waved her hand over Lu and the vanished. Lu faded to black and wispy. She floated around, spinning circles around their current enemies. "Who are you? What do you want?" Her voice wash hash and spirit-like.

"Ok then. Melissa, do you know what that was," Kisen asked.
"It looked like... someone imbued that sphere with an explosion spell, somehow... Weird. I thought this magic was lost for ages," Melissa commented. "Regardless, now that the Others are submissive, let's be on our way."
"Yeah, but I swear, when I find Questor, I WILL get an explanation."

"Well then, I suppose we go through the valley now." says Lamahl, wondering if Questor is who he says he was.
The rest of the group has no objection to moving on.
A few miles later, Djaq notices Td and Raiden are missing.
"Anyone know where Td and Raiden went?"

"I think he disappeared in that huge flash of light we saw...," Lyle said. "I thought you guys already knew..."
"Great. First Questor, and now TD. It seems we have a knack for disappearing at the most inconvienient times," Kisen mutters. "-sigh- Let's keep going. For all we know, he might've somehow teleported to the town by now."

The submarine broke the surface of the lake. Jack and Stella climbed onto solid ground. It was the first time their feet had been on grass in years. The Imperial Capital lay only a few miles away, but it was very clearly visible. Jack grinned at the sight of it; Stella stared in awe. She had never seen the capital.

The capital put Neo City to shame. It lacked the ancient, advanced technology, but it contained the best of the age's magic and architecture combined into the finest modern building known to the people of Jawari: The Imperial Palace. It rose above the city like a mountain in a jungle of stone.

"WAHAHA! What a sight! Glorious to look at, that one!" Jack cackled. "Stella my dear, prepare the vehicle, we must make haste! WAHAHA!"
Stella, still staring at the palace, nodded and opened her purse. She reached in and pulled out a small clown car, about a foot tall and not much longer. She set it on the ground and, defying all logic, reasoning, and physics, the two began to step into the car. After they were fit comfortably inside, Jack put 'er in drive and they began to speed towards the Imperial Capital.

"Well, well, well Crow, it seems we have a little wisp following us..."

"Hey, Kuroari, can we at least ask them their purpose?"

"Fine, but remember: Act tough, be tough, but be ready. They may be enemies, or not."

The Demon Brothers walked out in front of Shira's group, the mist covering up everything. They just looked like misty shadows. They had been trained in fear tactics, to mainly scare away enemies. The less they had to swing their sword, the better.

In unison, they said: "We are the Demon Brothers. What is your goal? We may be able to help. Or, we may be able to hinder it..."

Okami snarled, took a step back and crouched, ready to spring in any direction. Shira spoke lowly and boldly, "We are travelers from the Areyu Forest. The guy with a headband and the girl in a white dress aren't from this world. We're going to see the Tower of Salvation near the Sacred Lake. That good enough an answer for you?"

"Do you want our Emperor to prosper, or do you want to see his downfall?"

The Demon Brothers, not really being sure anymore, both pulled out their swords, except for Crow's Buster Blade.

The mist formed into soldiers. Kuroari put so much detail into them, they looked real. It looked like an army.

Cr0w wrote:

"Do you want our Emperor to prosper, or do you want to see his downfall?"

The Demon Brothers, not really being sure anymore, both pulled out their swords, except for Crow's Buster Blade.

The mist formed into soldiers. Kuroari put so much detail into them, they looked real. It looked like an army.

Shira stood still. He'd never thought of this before... "Uh... Well... I'm just... I've never... I dunno jack shit about him. Kusa? Whaddyou say?" Kusa looked at Shira then the Demon Brothers. "Well, our village paid tribute and loyalty to the Emperor, but he never helped when my people were killed, so... We're... Against... Him?" Everyone braced for death blows...

Minby will have to wait. For now, we help those people
"Against the emperor? Excellent choice." says Questor, hidden in the mist.
"What? Who?" asks Shira, trying to figure out who said that and where they are.
"Hey! Who are you and what are you doing here?" asked Crow.
"The same could be said to you, Demon Brothers."
"How the hell do you know who I am, let alone who we are together?"
"Hahaha." says Questor as he moves out of the mists. "I know all about you. There are few assassins who don't know of you."

"You have a visitor, your majesty," the emporers assistant chimed into the throne room.
"Ah, alright. Go ahead, let them in," he said. This was odd. It obviously wasn't Volverein. He never knocked before entering. He didn't have to.

The door to the throne room, located deep in the heart of the large palace, opened all the way. The Emperor cringed at the sight of his visitor.

"Hehe... WAHAHA! Well isn't this a nice geddup, you have here, your Majesty," Jack spoke as he slowly entered the room.
"I've been doing quite well, Jack, thank you very much. To what displeasure do I owe a visit from you, clown?" The Emporer spoke with autority. He generally considered himself a kindhearted person, but there was no room for tenderness when dealing with Jack Hades Jericho. Vode knew how Jack saw things. Vode was nothing more than an animal, a toy, to Jack, and Vode had no intention of showing weakness to this monster of a man.

"WAHAHA! Oh, come now, must we speak so harshly? I'm simply here to see how my old friend is doing... What's wrong, do you not wish to see little old me? WAHAHA!" Jack continued to walk slowly towards the throne. He hadn't brought Stella with him; she was nowhere to be seen.

"I asked a question, clown, I demand an answer," Vode said. "Why are you here?"
"Well, you see, I'm curious. What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?" Jack asked.
"I beg your pardon?"
"WAHAHA! Why are you taking over the continent, Vode? Your conquest is absolute, yet you treat those you conquer as if they're your own children... to what end?"
"I simply want to bring peace to the continent. Think about it. If everything is under one kind, simple rule, there will be no fighting, and no need for economics. People can simply live. Peace, Jack, and prosperity. Yet, I find some rebelling against this, and I cannot understand why. I'M curious, Jack. What are THEY trying to accomplish?" Vode was deep in thought, and looked at the clown for an answer.
"WAHAHA! Let me tell you a secret, your Majesty." Jack leaned in close and whispered into the Emperor's ear. "People are only peaceful when they're dead." Behind Jack's back, he struck a match. He backed away from Vode, placing both of his hands behind his back to seem complacent.
He continued to speak. "You see, you're Majesty, if you want to bring peace, you must end the chaos. People, your Majesty, are themselves nothing but chaos. This is a warning, your Majesty. Become a decent villian, or," Jack lowered his voice into a harsh sneer, "I'm going to have to do it for you." Jack pulled the lit match out from behind his back. "After all," he spoke, "What are people but animals with clothes and iron?" He produced a can of gasoline from his pocket. Vode's eyes widened, and he stood up to charge at Jack. But it was too late. "WAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! PEACE BE WITH YOU, YOUR MAJESTY! WAHAHAHAHA!"

Jack unscrewed the top of the gasoline and held it upside down, letting it drain on the floor. He turned around and began to run from the Emporer. He ran out of the throne room, a trail of gasoline at his feet, and Vode at his heels. He ran down a corridor, threw the match down behind him onto the gasoline, and jumped out the window at the end of the hall, flames bursting out behind him. He fell several hundred feet and landed on a massive trampoline, deployed as planned by Stella, and bounced safely onto the ground. He quickly climbed into his clown car; Stella was inside waiting. They drove quickly into the town, through the alleys, to their safe house. Nobody noticed them; everybody was too busy staring at the East Wing of the Imperial Palace. The flames were now... very... very noticable.

"We are also against the emperor. We were his super-enhanced war test subjects. We will join you."