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"Roan is perfectly safe. I've increased security inside and outside, put Engel on her detail, and Tsavo is looking after Yoh and Dae. I can't say for certain he wouldn't be stupid enough to try and infiltrate again, but he'd regret it."

He glanced over his shoulder at the men he had saved, not a one of them likely to be at ease with Corbin, but with his true eyes closed once more, they would atleast be spared cranium splintering insanity ontop of the near death experience they had all just shared.

"So what's to be of them? They've seen me, and seen me alter time... Are they cleared for that sort of thing? Beyond that, are you on your way home? I can drop them off, then us."

"..."

A blank stare came upon Iden. O-kuni? Someone else that not only knew of the Daemon, but was trying to aquire it? Further more, did they know about the other Daemons, and blades than?... Did they know about the calamity that would become the world if they were all released? The idea put Corbin in a rather sour mind set alike Iden's own.

"From my labs, you say..."

A long shot, but in the Diablerist's mind, it only served his ideas of what was going on. Coincidence was a rare and welcomed thing. If only.

"Right well... Where are we sending these men?"

As he said that, Corbin raised his left hand, and lazily aimed the downward palm at the group of men behind them, still watching Iden, waiting for the location.

Corbin's wrist jerked so the palm faced the sky, and in response to the motion, the collective shadows of the troops merged together, and pooled out around them, before the shadow caked floor beneath their feet vanished in favour of the pool acting as a tunnel they all fell through suddenly. They'd each fall vertically out of a wall in one of Durem's many alleys, most likely into another wall, or garbage, but what would they care, they got a quick, free trip out of it.

Meanwhile, as the troops were excused, Corbin turned his wrist and hand up, so the palm now faced him and Iden, and the pool f shadows raced across the tarmac, to sit under them now. Both Corbin and Iden would then promptly be swallowed by the darkness with a bear trap like effect, sending them back to the mansion. Corbin's room, to be precise.

*Ahh, Gambino. Isle of sun, sea, surf, sand, sappy happy dappy tourists and all that horrific pleasant jazz. And screaming kids.

Cora relaxed against the top of the dunes overlooking the largest beach and smiled. Normally, the kids were screaming because they got sand in their eyes or mum said it was time to go home or their sibling just hit them.... but today was different.

The sand was black. Not from volcanic sand, or an oil spill, but because every single person down on the beach was retching. What a pleasant scene.


It had started to simply. He'd taken half the force of sleeper carriers and armed units from Pingfang and headed here. Just ONE, ONE of the most recent infected had done this. Walking out into the crowds dressed to fit in, he'd started playing with some children in the centre of the beach. Within minutes, they'd contracted his cough - not through the air, but through the fact they were breathing IN the bloody spittle in his cough. And then the tell tale marks of the virus had shown on them.
As it coursed through their little systems, they'd run back to their parents, been sick and passed it on, while the infected moved to the next group... and the next...

Soon, people had started trying to leave. Armed units out of 731 denied them. And thus the virus spread. One tiny runaway sprog had got loose, and now dangled from Cora;s hand as he snacked and watched the chaos on the beach, the effects of the devestating infection as it killed its victims so slowly, lesions and pus filled boils covering the victims as they went comatose.
Only once everyone was down did Cora call for medical aid form the islands hospital and stand the troops down into hiding.
When the medical team arrived, THEY would contract it, and carry it back to the hospital with them, slowly but surely infecting the whole island.

In the mean time, to speed things up... Cora and his infected were headed for the town centre, banks and shopping arcade. Soon, Bane's crowning achievement would be all over Gambino and spreading... just like a good plague should*

People tried to flee the outbreak and the city, or in general simply tried to leave Barton for any reason. Though as the bane virus started to spread more and reports came in from the Isle, people of course feared the worse after the Grunny virus. Before long though, the gates were closed to complete the walls around Barton. A tank was stationed at each of the four entrances to the town on the outside of the gates, and a pair of trucks, from which the troops had disembarked and taken up position behind stacked sandbags, weapons aimed at the gates. The tanks, trucks and soldiers all shared something in common. No insignia, no known nationality or alliegance. Atleast until perhaps some would hear them speak. Their accents were powerfully Irish.

"Contain the town! NONE can pass men!"

An old man's broken voice, no doubt the result of so much smoking in his lifetime barked fierociously at the men surrounding the northern gate, and was passed on to the others via radio.

"Sir, can't we atleast set up a way to test, and determine whether people are infected then release them? If we just quarantine them ALL, then the entire population will perish!"

The soldier standing from behind the sandbags copped a sharp smack over the helmet with the chunky radio.

"We're g'nna 'ave faith in the ol' boy. If you can'a stomach the work soldier, then ye shouldn'a left the SAS ye girl."

As the infected and yet to be infected among them tried to climb the gates, men masked with air assist, not a single portion of skin open to the air pushed them back with tasers, or the butts of their rifles. Any that climbed the walls were downed from a distance in a none fatal manner before then being detained in the back of the trucks.

The old man would force the mouthy soldier back to his position, before then raising a second radio, as he looked on the despair and agony behind the gate, his expression hidden by the mask he wore just like all the others.

"Wolf's den to Alpha pack..."
"Wolf's den to Alpha pack..."

"Alpha pack recieving."

The men crouched at the sand bags before the old men seemed to all at once peek over their shoulders as the voice came back in response over the radio, though after a direct glare through tinted goggles from the old man, they all corrected their line of sight.

"Report Alpha pack, where are you now?"

"The border of area two and five, we've yet to encounter the main forces."

"This isn't anythin' like we be use to, Alpha pack. The men aren't settled with this. I'm not sure I am either."

"None of us are, Wolf's den. We didn't bring this atrocity upon the populace though... Never shall innocent blood be shed, yet the blood of the wicked shall flow like a river... I know, this goes against our very creed, but in order to protect the grater good, this MUST be done. I have faith, that this will be rectified in the future, and our involvment will again be the arm that shields humanity."

"In you, I have faith. And whether you like it or not, he, has faith in you aswell, Alpha. Over."

A figure clad almost entirely in black lowered its right hand from where his ear would be, under a silver mask that encased the most of his head, and glanced down at the body held under him with a combat boot on the sternum. Gleeming amber eyes of the mask were merciless, unlike the eyes behind them, as Fenrir grit his teeth, watching the woman fighting against the later stages of the virus, like a ravenous beast reaching up his leg.

"Perhaps..."

Fenrir's left hand then appeared from his side, holding a ROMAN to aim down at the woman's plagued face.

"In nomine patris et filii, et spiritus sancti. Amen."

The immense calibre of the weapon then registered through the rioting crowds, as the woman was put to death, not much of her head left as Fenrir advanced forward away from the fountain at the towns center, to stand behind Engel's right shoulder, and Daniel's left.

Fenrir wore a steel mask that covered the front three quarters of his head with an air assist system fixed to the lower front where his mouth would be. The portion of his head that wasn't covered by the mask, was covered instead by a belaclava of synthetic material, much like the rest of his body was covered in synthtics, besides the wolf coat he wore around his wrists and ankles. He wore ROMANS on his hips, and a second pair under his arms, along with a Longinus in a holster over his tail bone. Then there were the par of identically shabby looking katanas he wore, one on either hip under the holsters. His utility vest held, besides the radio over his left pec, mysteries.

Engel however was MUCH more heavily armed, with the latest model of the long range cannon system wrapped in bandages strapped to his back on a shallow diagonal angle to allow for its monstrous size, then in either hand, he held a reaver gattling gun, and wore Longinus pistols where Fenrir wore his ROMANS. Daniel however only carried a pair of Longinus pistols in under arm holsters, and besides those, his broad sword, being one for the old fashion of combat. Niether of the Cainites wore air assist, concidering niether of them had to breath, but they still wore the masks alike Fenrir, and covered the entirety of their bodies the same.

"I really have to hand it to you, Mazter Blazeheart. I'm thoroughly imprezzed vith zee containment."

"Aye, not bad bro. Though you WOULD be stretched a bit thin without my kin here aswell, watching the walls."

And it was fact. The other Ordo kin that had been staying at the mansion were in fact in constant motion, watching the walls around Barton for anyone that came over, and bringing them to the trucks for detainment, or if they were too far gone, simply slain, and brought back to the base of the wall. Safta, for one, found it particularly obscene work. Not because of the slaughter, but because SHE was to do it, while Daniel got to run about inside.

"Nothing to be impressed with. This is nothing but agony, no glory to be had. We're killing innocent people. Innocent humans..."

"Mazter Blazeheart, zere ARE alzo evil people among zese massez. Even Cainites, und other racez zat other vise prey on zee humanz. Not all, are innozent."

"They still don't deserve this. Corbin made a desperate bid for us to contain this. Whether it's his arrogance demanding he not lose in any respect, or knowing the virus enough to not want others to suffer it... He can cure it, i'm sure of it. He brought ME back from the dead, I can only pray he ca do it for the innocent we slay here this night."

Fenrir would step between the pair of Cainites, as they gunned down any that got too close, and holster his ROMAN.

"He said it was the originator of the virus, that brought this atrocity down on humanity. HellBane, and another he knew the name of, Cora. So it is them we seek. If we can find, and destroy them, then we have done enough to avenge the humans fallen... HELLBANE!... CORA!"

Fenrir roared as best as a human voice could into the town from its center. Any soldiers he say, orarmed individuals were gunned down instantly by the three, even Barton knights, though they would be spared with leg shots.

Daniel would grin behind his mask, as the crystal ball 'tunked' against an invisible wall. HIS kind's answer to Fortitude was unlike the fortitude known by the DeSeers, and their practices as Cainites. While they could fortify the body and mind, he could fortify the body and atmopsphere. Thus, the force field esque atmosphere around him, and the other two negated a target approach by the orb.

Fenrir for one, was familiar with the effects, as he had worked with Daniel the Mason before in the rescue mission to secure Corbin. Engel however, remained blissfully unaware, deciding to instead level his Reavers on Cora upon his appearance, rather than query the crystal.

"Cora...."

Fenrir's amber eyes, so far as the mask went levelled on Cora, as his tone was definitive, assured.

"You have to be Cora. So you're athe true pawn in this affair. To be a part of this mindless affliction, preying senslessly on mankind, making them your pawns, your shield. I'll have your hide for the honour of the Wolves cell, and a petty offering to make up for the innocent lives we've been forced to take, demon."

"Alpha pack, this is wolf's den the infected are acting strangely, report!"

"Alpha pack is engaging the prey, over!"

And with that, Fenrir drew the ROMANS from his hips and opened fire, each and every round pre carved with the appropriate rune for fire, to BURN out the virus, though fire was effective enough on other targets. Meanwhile, Engel opened fire with both gattling guns as his third eye opened, and with valaren, guided the hundreds of rounds a second in wide arcs to close in on Cora form both his right and left at varied angles. Daniel however, remained stationary, right hand itching at his swords hilt, ready to defend the group.

Fenrir roared in a human capacity behind his mask as his guns were holstered, given the target had not only vanished, but the line of fire was obscured with infected.

"Go mbí do chaolán amuigh agat!"

Fenrir's knuckles whitened under his gloves around the handles of his pistols, as he stared at the approaching women and children that surrounded them. Cora had done better than he thought. Fenrir couldn't harm an innocent, but more so, had an superior priority when it came to women and children, given his past, and the fate that fell upon his family. That was a mistake on the Gael's part, thinking to much on the matter under the circumstances. It had been pushed from the back of his mind to the immediate front, and bordered on hallucinations. He could see the faces of his wife, son and daughter in the eyes of the infected getting closer and closer, as Engel and Daniel stood firm, awaiting orders.

"We'll move."
"Wwolf's den to Aalpha pack!..."

It almost suprised the methuselah, as he conjured up the memory of his deceased wife's voice in his memories.

"Aye. To scotland perhaps, or maybe somewhere further south. America maybe.
"Wolf's den to Alpha pack!..."
"Oi, bloke!"
"Mazter Blazeheart, your orderz?"

He could see it so clearly in his memories. Standing outside that shore side cottage in his military uniform, bidding his wife goodbye after promising her they would leave the reach of the united kingdom, and Irish republic. Kissing his son's forehead, and hugging his daughter, before walking up that stoney path to meet the truck.

"Wolf's den to Alpha pack!... JOSEPH!"

As the voice suddenly registered in his right ear, Fenrir's eyes grew wide, as Daniel stomped down on the knee of a woman that got too close.

"Mazter Blazeheart! Wwhat now?!"

His hand cupped over the section of mask where his ear would be, and he started to issue orders before he even knew what he was doing.

"All perimeter forces, NOTHING escapes, use all the force that is requiered. Detain what you can, then kill. Engel, destroy the immediate threat. The mission objective remains. SEARCH AND DESTROY!"

With the order issued, Fenrir drew his right sheathed sword and as if to punctuate the definitive orders given made a drawing slash with the blade to completely amputate the legs of a girl that couldn't have been much older than ten or so then, swept his left leg behind the right and skipped in the direction that HAD been forward, and thrust the blade under his right arm behind him to drive the steel through a woman's chest, piercing the heart.

"Daniel! Follow me and provide cover!"

Dipping his head forward slightly, the Gael made an inaudible prayer giving praise, and in the next moment, was surrounded in a flaring saphire aura that in the next few seconds formed into a pair of ethereal feathered wings with a span of perhaps ten meters.

With Hraesvelg's wings invoked the woman he had impaled was blasted away from him into the approaching crowds with a gust of wind, before Fenrir leapt into the air, the wings flapping only once after the jump, to carry him over to the rooftop of the Barton store, where Daniel promptly met with him once more, as Engel opened fire yet again with the Reavers, immediately leaping back over to the opposite side of the fountain, where he guided the bullets in a wicked maelstrom around his body that gradually expanded.

Nothing woul escape the town over the wall, as Fenrir started to scan the horizon, searching for any signs of Cora, Hellbane, or other forces that weren't mere infected innocents.

OOC:: It ate my ******** post, so no, this won't be a great post. That slaughtered my ******** motivation.

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"The innocent are the very first cassualty of war, every time."

In his mind, the Gael saw the faces of his family again, as if to punctuate the statement for himself, before he then started to see the faces of others. Women, children, men and the elderly of his war torn nation fighting to survive, not for the war. Dieing, for that right to live.

He then saw the face of another young woman he had only recently met in Barton, a bar maid that had always seemed to fancy him. A lovely young lass that served him beer at staff prices, and always made an effort to keep his preffered drinks in stock. Jenny? No, jessie. He couldn't even remember that girl's name, but he felt as sorry for her as any other that had been effected by this war.

"What did it all mean to them?..."

There was an old woman at the very same pub, perhaps the girl's mother, but he had never taken the time to find out for certain. She was always on the girl's back about spending too long, and paying too much attention to him when there were other customers to be served. It always brought a blush to the young lass's cheeks when she was called out like that. The old owman however was alright herself. Stern as she may have been, and likely never in her time anything more than a powerfully ugly creature, she treated him just as well as the girl. Fenrir stuk out like a sore thumb in the crowd of locals, and she made a point of making sure he tried local foods. Quite the hypocrit really, as she would always end up leaning over his plate talking his ear off about this and that. Meaningless garbage, all local gossip and news. But she took care of him, and he never had the heart to tell her that the food was terrible, he always ate it, every last bite.

"HellBane, Cainites, the Bane virus, DeSeers... What did it all mean to them? They were no part of this. They knew nothing of this. Yet they are all effected. They've paid the greater price of the war, damaged more than any of the soldiers in this affair between parties... We fight, and we die but they..."

Cora would be able to see, but also feel the twinge of unbound rage in Fenrir as his tattoos started to pulse under his skin, though not yet glowing, just beating in time with his adrenalin flooded heart.

"People have tried to tell me that war brings out the worst atrocities in man, and his kin... But they're wrong. War IS, mankind's greatest fault, and atrocity. Mothers here this eve have eaten their own children because of what you've done, but it was this war you brought about that caused such unimaginable deeds."

His fist trembled around the hilt of his sword as white knuckled grip shook both hands, and he shut his eyes behind the mask.

"I hated this place. I hated Gaia, and Durem, but for all its faults, the people were good, decent folk, as many as anywhere else in the world. Sacrifice can't be avoided then... No matter where I go, or what I do..."

His eyes suddenly flew open, and the luminacy in them could be seen through the lenses of his mask, as the glow spread through his tattoos and the wings reapeared behind him like cerulean flames fueled by a gasoline gale force, Daniel having to maintain his body defenses just to remain standing so close with the Gael as his resentment, rage, hate and emotions in general started to overflow and crash over what little barricades he had in place.

"You want a war? I've seen every war that has been on this world! I've fought in more wars than you've HEARD of! Your army is but a fraction of the numbers i've fought through in centuries, millenia passed! You want a war? An army? Joseph?! Then I am he, the army of one, mankind's defense, man's deus ex machina!"

Lay down arms? Fenrir had no intention of abiding the wishes of such creatures, only to slay them. Search and destroy, and Daniel could only abide this, by calling Safta to their position in their version of Obfuscation to take all three out of view, to appear only moments later before Cora, the wolf that was Safta racing to the right still hidden from view, as Daniel took to the left. Fenrir though hadn't broken stride and had appeared mid accelerated sprint directly at Cora, his still sealed blade plunging forward with the tip in an effort to impale him.