Countless galaxies will mourn, billions of people will shed tears, you who took us from galaxy to Galaxy as the second in command of the greatest starship know to mankind...... Have a good night's rest and take your place in the stars, the real ones now not some star etched in stone.
RIP Mr Spok..
Down the lane of the street, parked an unmarked van, within two sinister figure engaged in a conversation, " I don't think the Captain wants this guy, he specifically said kill the wife and child, make Brody suffer, so you are not taking him into this vehicle with us". " Don't get all your panties in a bunch bro, I think I have a plan that would benefit us both".
From the window, Brody could see the truck, his instinct kicks in, he calmly walks to the kitchen; he thought " Thank God Claire and the kid ain't around for this, he dials a number and waits for ringing while he pulls out his sabre from underneath the counter, "pick up dammit, hello, yeah, hello, Trey we got a code 3".
Mid afternoon in Narita, Japan, Trey was speaking to someone in the phone as he got into the Maybach and drove off, hardly but precisely spotting an Escalade SUV parked across the road from his building, " I know Brody, have you tried getting a hold of Cole?, listen get to base contact Grimsby and tell him he should get to Heathrow in 4hrs i'll pick him up and we'll head into the states, besides i'm being followed" *click*. Trey and Brody knew a time like this would come, it was the warning that scared the shit out of their crew, this crew of four hardened spec ops soldiers, who had seen war and blood and death, who could put fear into these men nobody else but the leader of the WILLOW the man they called the Captain or as mere humans or civilians would call him Jorkaiev Malovich.
......................
No 10. Downing Street, within these walls of one of the most secure buildings in Britain, Harold Grimes aka Grimsby received the news and had begun packing, he took only the few need necessities and calmly walked to the oak door that was the entrance to the office of John Alcott the British Prime minister when he heard, " A squad??... Mr President what kind of squad are you going to send against a man that actually controls the whole of Russia, you know that would be a goddammed invasion?.... Ok... You have something in mind... Oh i'm sure i'd love to hear what you crazy Americans are planning doing this time around..... Ok Richard get back to me i have a meeting".... "Come in Harold you don't always have to stand by the door moping like a stranger". "Sir, i came to tell you i'll be off for a while personal reasons", "Take all the time you need ol' chap, where if i may ask do you think you're going by the way? The Americans might be in a fix and as usual we have to be by them to bail them out", a slight smile played across Grimsby's lips and that was rarely seen, he took things serious way too serious, "That Sir, is my secret", "Alright carry on, but do keep in touch", a nod and with that Grimsby got into his jaguar and drove on to Heathrow, Trey would be landing in 20mins, good time, he thought, good times.....
........................
Back in the secret facility Cole just got his briefing, "Colnel, this time we have to get that bastard, get your crew together before they are in danger" .... Danger?? Pfft.. He scoffed, those mitches don't know danger, But this wasn't bravery either, from this report their worst fears where coming through, the USA or even the whole world was in danger of a nuclear terror plot. His team, his brothers-in-arms, team R. I. F. T (Rapid Infiltration Fire Team) were back in service Black ops no doubt, but back, but the serum why just him, he beat the question back and walked out the door of the room which had been his prison for a week and now his friends must know.
..... To be continued......
A figure stood on a balcony, the amber hued streaks of Dusk's fading light bathed it and cast long shadows across the marbled terrace of a dimly lit room. Looking across the expanse of land that was Castle Wild, it held in its gaze a scene of despair. Arrayed over the southern walls of Castle Wild on the barren plains camped the host of an invading army... that's if you called standing still for days camping..the figure mused silently. Their dark armor glistened lazily in the dissipating rays of sundown, banners danced wildly in the dusty wind as a westerly blew across the plains. Their discipline was remarkable these Cabinians, for two suns they had stayed in those columns - wind whipped and sand blasted yet not a sound had escaped their ranks, no envoy had been sent either, whoever headed these forces was obviously not here for small talk...perhaps the Queen had overreached herself? Shrugging off the blasphemous thought the figure turned and stepped into the room, its back to the light, the dimly lit room chased away the shadows on its features revealing a lithe curvaceous figure clothed in boiled leather the color of night.
' Checking out the competition Ezay?' Came a voice from the darker recesses of the room.
Ezay tilted her head, the motion dropped away her cloak and exposed a lock of hair the hue of blood partially covering her pale but refined features. Recognition flickered through amber hued eyes,
'Harkon Frost, I knew I smelled a rat'
A figure stepped out from the gloom, bleached white hair and steel gray eyes regarded her with a bored look, a ghost of a smile lingered on his bearded mug,
'You do me much honor comparing me to such noble creatures Ezay, alas that I had the time to flirt with you but the queen requests your person, perhaps we can shift our romance for some other day?
She was by his side in a flash, a hand on his shoulder, no time to react her unusual strength forced him to his knees.
'You might have the queen blindsided, but make no mistake, I know what you are Harkon Frost'.
Frost chuckled softly, 'Your sadistic self is also equally stimulating my dear firebird, I'd love for this to go on but you must make haste to the queen lover'
The hand left his shoulder, a grunt of disgust and she was gone. Frost straightened slowly, the place where her hand rested on his shoulder smoldered and crackled as a small fires begun to erupt on the treated leather harness that held his bastard sword. Shaking his head, Frost walked across to the balcony and gazed across the walls where an invading army massed in the evening gloom. He unbuckled the harness and let the sword fall to the floor....Such beauty wasted he mused but such was the way of things wasn't it?
A shame really that everything wasn't what it seemed....a smile broke slowly upon his lips as he once again stared at the invading army.
... ... ... ...
When Haras was a child growing up on the streets of Wildonia, every dawn she would run to the base of the great walls and stare up at the lofty heights..waiting, anticipating the yellow flag hoisting that would signal the procession of the High Queen from the castle to the city gathering where surrounded by her Ferai, she would undertake the morning rituals of cleansing. Haras would then speed along the Queen's route, trying to catch a glimpse of the Queen and her legendary Ferai. It was on one of such days when she sped along the streets, her little feet kicking up dust and echoing from the walls of the old city that she had run into a Ferai. He towered over her in an armor of shinny ebony and mail fittings, a wicked scar ran from the base of his neck to rest on his chin, although just twelve blue suns herself and petite of stature Haras felt that this man was definitely the tallest human she had laid eyes on. Flat greenish eyes watched her from deep within the pits of a pronounced forehead. In a voice that sounded like grating stone he said
'The Queen will see you now'
Her life had changed that day, on this same day a few fourteen blue suns ago. She had been adopted by the Queen, made a heiress and now she sat upon the throne of Castle Wild, her once great city now a thing of mockery to the great cities of the east, once an impenetrable fortress of lore now dared to be out under siege by a riffraff army led by peculiar elements of her past. What she failed to acknowledge however was that perhaps it was her very actions to bring the Castle Wild back to its lofty peaks amongst the eastern great cities that inevitably led to its present predicament. Failing to win over the favor of the city deity, she had resorted to dark arts to bind its will to her commands, even resorted to communion with forces of the nether. For a grander cause she told herself for without the blessing of the city deity the Castle would not flourish. Mostly blinded by her efforts to resurrect the glory of the once great city, the citizenry failed to question just why the deity refused the new Queen. Wasn't she rightfully chosen by the former Queen? No it had fallen to outsiders to ask the right questions and now the hand that knocked on the door had finally given way to a shoulder charge. The infant empire of Cabina had decided to make its move after refusal of several inquiries to the throne. She saw through their false promises of aid and support, they wanted her throne! Just another battle amongst numerous campaigns, just another city to crush and absorb, but she wouldn't let them, she would rather take her city to the gates of nether than suffer occupation.
Haras Evid D'Gartaine, sat upon the throne, a dozen of her Ferai knelt before her in the throne room, each of them easily worth a hundred seasoned veterans, her calm demeanor reflected in their solid presence. The city would hold, it had to...until she was ready.
'Any news on our friends beyond the gate?' She drawled, helping herself to fruit marinated in sour wine.
Efay O'zernice stood slowly, brushing her mane of long golden hair from her face, she faced the queen.
'As you suspected, they are Cabinians..our forces on the wall say they saw the standard of a black Vorian bull leading the vanguard...more intelligence now available to us gave us a name...Tare Erathos'
A slight frown flashed across the Queen's flawless features but was quickly replaced by a bored look. She eased another fruit between her lips and bit into its juicy innards savoring the explosion of sweet nectar.
'If Tare is here then another is close by but we need not fear anything from him...he has no hold here.
Efay gave a sharp nod and another figure stepped forward Osab en Kar, his gray armor shimmered betraying sorceries invested in its forge-foundations.
'The matter about the' - a distant explosion cut him short, rushing to the windows were several of the Ferai, Gaskl Puo turned to the Queen a disgusted look on his face.
'They are upon us'
Across the desert plain a westerly wind had picked up, it whipped sand and dust in a frenzy coating armor and sword in a thin layer of dust and mixing with sweat to become grime. The would be battlefield of Wildons stood still, the scene sparked a feeling of deja vu forcing an image of a painting from Tare Eratho's childhood upon his thoughts. He remembered sitting across the large parlor of his family's manor in the highlands of Northern Cabina, the sound of his sister's singing drifting through the cracks of the tempered oil wood lining the walls and his mother's cooking supplying its usual rich aroma sent pleasant smells wafting up from the pantry...he sat in the parlor staring at the oil painting of a battlefield, an artistic portrayal of the doom skirmishers arrayed in several ranks against the chaotic dark forces of the nether, the artist had captured every single detail in his work and Tare could just make out the expressions of many a man and the feral grins of the nether demons..a hand on his shoulder roused him from his reverie, he turned to stare into the eyes of Nepiroth D' Zilo.. barely twenty two blue suns, the youth's eyes were flat and cold - the look of a seasoned veteran that had crawled through the queen of nether's own arsehole...and with Nep, who could really tell?
' Any word?' he asked..
Tare grunted a negative,
'we might as well be fish in a barrel'
came a counter to his left, turning around he lazily acknowledged the presence of Ned D' Cruz. The man had a disturbing trait of being there without being there, a testament of his shady experience in assassination arts. Tare weighed the tension present on the lad's face and shrugged
'we stick with the plan', muttered Tare - his voice gruff and dry from the harsh weather.
Ned sighed audibly and a ghost of a smile traced Nep's features. Standing behind the three, like sentinels carved from granite stood twenty thousand men of southwestern cabina and four hundred of Tare's elite group, the Blacks...their dusk black armor stained with dust, their eyes fixated on a single target to the north where an architectural behemoth rose to pierce the very heavens...Castle Wild, last great fortress of nether ancestry, where the Queen of Wildonia waited and perhaps glory.
A rider sped towards the three figures waiting at the vanguard of the western hosts, deciding that it would be unwise to pull more dust over the field commander, he disembarked and proceeded to walk the last few yards, Tare turned on him before he could give his report.
'let me guess, he wants a direct assault after all?'
'Y..yes sir, he said to tell you on his signal'...
Tare spat a thick wad of phlegm and looked past the rider to the eastern flanks,
'what signal would that be?'
Before the courier could say another word, a piercing wail echoed across the battlefield, followed by an earth shaking explosion of dust and sand. The skies above the plains now glowed a pulsing sickly green hue.
Gathering himself, Tare turned on his elite vanguard,
'Choose where you stand on this day, I deliver to you a blank script in history, write your legend with courage and steel or with piss and fear....your choice!He bellowed
An answering bellow resounded amongst the ranks...
'Nether's balls'!!! Exclaimed Ned as his mount shied and involuntarily took a step back from the raging ranks,
'What on earth did you feed them!?' He hissed, putting a hand on the horse to calm it.
'Focus' came the muffled reply,
Tare had his helm on and in a second had begun charging his mount towards the gates of Castle Wild. Ned and Nep fell in behind him, whipping their mounts in his wake, the idiotic grin of battle lust a permanent stain on their features.
........................
A few leagues away from the vanguard, Troll Nihil stood coughing, covered in fumes.
'Damnit woman! Can't you aim that thing properly for once!?
Deejah Dessark, yawned and resumed picking her nails with a slim dagger. Irked, Troll shook off the colored fumes while nursing the notion that the witch might really be trying to kill him, Klaus Vergo stood aside suppressing a laugh, Troll noted his failing efforts
'It's good to see you're in good spirits Klaus cause we'll need a happy hand for rearguard duty'.
The humor promptly drained from the commander's face.
Heh, that will teach the bastard. Troll looked back towards the castle and could make out through the dust the charging figures of Tare, Ned and Nep leading the vanguard followed by the main army.
Mounting his horse, he took a moment to check his weapons and bindings, his sword rested secured on his back and the numerous fighting daggers he carried were tucked firmly in their sheaths along his thighs. Assured that everything was in order he pulled up next to Klaus and Deejah casting a charming smile
'Well what say you we join the fray?'
Deejah chuckled, 'I'm fine where I am glorious leader, my job is to ensure this battle is free from mage influence'.
Cocky hag... 'Right', he looked at Klaus 'let's go stop the crazy queen from loosing the gates of nether on the world of mankind shall we?',
Klaus looked to make up his mind about something then affirmed his cooperation with a lazy shrug.
Poor fool probably still thinks he has a chance with the enchantress. Troll bit back a suggestion and urged his mount forward.
Together they rode pulling up behind the attacking horde of Cabina's host.
Klaus had that worried look that said he had a question but didn't want to look ignorant asking it so as usual it fell on Troll to guess at his doubt and attempt to clarify them. So speaking aloud Troll said to no one in particular
'Frost and Leon are already within the walls as we speak, we can tear down the southern gate but the inner castle gates will be given to us, Nep and Frost should give us at least that much'
In the horizon Castle Wild pulled closer and the skies suddenly became a flurry of red fiery dots, Troll distractedly muttered,
'brace yourself'.
Nep felt before he saw it, a million quarrels set aflame descending upon the horde, spurring his mount onwards, he caught up with Tare and motioned upwards, Tare spared a glance at the descending volley and shrugged. Sighing, Nep slowed his pace and gave the signal for shields and watched as column's of the charging infantry pulled up their shields above their heads, not a pace lost in their charge, Nep pulled across his own shield, a leather-metal concave construct of Spotorian design. With one hand on the reins, he managed to bring the shield to bear...a pity he couldn't do much for the horse, if the beast survived the volley he wouldn't have to continue on foot. The whispers of the quarrels slicing through the air was now clearly audible across the plains, Nep spared a second to glance at Ned and realized the assassin was no where to be seen but his mount remained charging on oblivious of the absence. Ned swore silently...'damned assassin'. Half a heartbeat later, the first screams of pain tore through the steady monotony of the charge, men fell where quarrels had found their way through gaps in the shield cover, several horses shied and tumbled tossing lucky riders into the air, the unlucky ones fell tumbling with their mounts but the charge tore on becoming a creature of itself like all mad suicidal dashes are wont. Nep grunted as a series of quarrels pelted against his shield, the impact slightly jarring his arm with every hit, miraculously his mount still tore on having received no wounds from the barrage, smiling for that small mercy and feeling the battle lust rise again he let out a bellow that was caught and echoed by the maniacal vanguard columns. Riding ahead Tare turned his head at the war cries, a feral grin just visible underneath his dark helm marked his dark features and cast an unhinged look into his eyes...his voice thundered over the din of the charge
'Keep your gods close men but your blade closer!!!
A cacophony of roars and cheers rippled through the charging columns. Nep tried to fight against the madness that threatened to engulf him as it had the entire vanguard, his heart beat roared within his chest, he found he was holding his sword in his guiding arm, his mount thundered onwards as if the beast itself needed no guidance to its destination, an alien feeling swept over him then, he felt detached from reality but this was nothing new to him or to any veteran of the Dark Brigade, arguably the most ferocious infantry warriors south of Cabina but the Darks were just glorified grunts without their war leader......Tare Erathos, a legend amongst warriors. it was said, worshipped as a war god. A mortal manifestation of the god Borukai.
Nep chuckled besides himself, true Tare was the finest swordsman he'd ever known but a god? No...that title belonged to someone else.
The castle's main gates rose quickly into view.
'Seige Squad' roared Tare and the leading vanguard column in arrowhead formation split into two - from the separation emerged a special unit 'Tier Zero'. They cradled an alchemic weapon in their hands, the maw of its dark barrel glowed a faint greenish hue..Nep reflexively closed his palms over his ears and not a second too soon, a high pitched explosion sucked all sound from the battlefield.....ahead the southern walls of Castle Wild shivered from the impact and Nep could make out figures dive, screaming from the battlements and walls...the southern gate was a thing of broken timber and stone.
'Charge!!!!' Came a bellow from behind him and he turned to see Troll and Klaus mad grins on their faces bearing down on him. Turning, he spurred on his mount, they were maniacs every one of them.
