Welcome to Gaia! ::

(I'm sorry, I've run short on time plus I've been unable to decide what I want to do with West Fall. I suppose I'll just play it and see what happens.)

A bouncer in a black suit would greet the new politician with a narrow gaze, ask him his name, and tell him to follow. There was a private wagering table in the back, to which Demetrius was led, there he would meet a short, sickly looking young man with snow white hair and gold rimmed glasses that constantly slid down his greasy nose.

"Kain Demetrius I presume, welcome to West Fall." Dr. Iskugawa said, "I hope you've found it to your liking here. Have a seat."

The last sentence was more of a command than an offer.

Dr. Iskugawa smiled and pushed up his glasses.

"I'm a scientist, a man who is interested in anomolies and odd situations. I had a vague suspicion that I've met you before. I wanted to confirm it for myself. I'm still not sure, you seem rather different than the man I spoke with, yet the same. But regardless of who you are, I do know where you are from.

But that is not important. Let me be frank with you, Mr. Demetrius. I'm dying."

The glasses slipped again, all the down to the tip of his nose.

"It seems your party will be taking a small share of the house and senate, congragualtions on that, by the way. I'm of the opinion that we can get far more accomplished by cooperation that disintigration, if you understand."

Are you scanning my thoughts yet? I'm dying because the genetic traits of the Flame Arm, which I activated prematurely in order to escape from a somewhat.... frigid... situation, are destabilizing my body. There is nothing that can be done about it, but only I can keep West Fall in line. I can assure that there are no more extravagant plans for purifying the Northernlands and razing the Necropolis. I could care less about your Necropolis, I have other fish to fry, like the b*****d who caused this current situation. All I ask, is for some extra time to get my final business accomplished, and then West Fall is your playground. After I destroy Evan White.

"You're very welcome. Have you ever heard of total recall? It's something I was born with, quite an interesting gift." Dr Iskugawa said. "Tell me how this sounds."

He moved to a grand piano in the corner of the room and started playing a perfectly calm rendition of Pachelbel's Canon.

I can influence what goes on in West Fall to some degree. I can't stop Slatsky, but I'll make sure you get a good share of seats in congress and enough power to keep her in check until I can get her in my sphere of influence. From that point on, I'll work to see that West Fall is in the service of the true Dark Lord. All the weapon's and technology of the citadel, the industrial capacity of the nation, will become part of the war machine of the Necropolis. I miss serving the powerful, so I'll pledge my soul to Darshendros. In exchange, I want life, and the power I'll need to kill those who wronged me. I want nothing else, once Evan is dead, you can kill me or keep me as you please. Or, you can refuse, and I'll take this to my grave a bitter man and you can see how easy it is to go up against Slatsky, she's not without her wiles, trust me. If you like, say so, and I'll give you a gift right here to prove my intentions. If not, tell me I play off key, and leave this place.

The Dr. seemed rather calm at the revelation that there were more in the room than there were supposed to be.

"Ah yes," Dr. Iskugawa said, "But I didn't know you had a twin. I'm quite shocked to say the least. Now if you would please hand me that scroll. Too bad I have no pen at the moment."

He let a barb go through his right pointer finger.

"Ah, yes, this shall do nicely, revenge and power for a soul that is already lost, eternal servitude. The only clause I want is that if my talents should not be used accordingly both before and after the revenge issue is settled, and that I should be allowed to die quick and painlessly and not kept as an undead afterward. I hate undead, rotting flesh is so unsettling to me."

If that was agreed to, he'd write his name in blood across the dotted line.



He held the scroll for a moment, "Your Master is going to get his troubles worth from this deal. I assure you as far as evil genius is concerned, I have never met anyone who has surpassed my talents. Slatsky has the army, but I still have full control of the Proto-soldier program and the Goliaths, seems the name you thought of suits them much better. I only lack for funding and raw materials and I could build him an army like the world has never seen. But that is no longer my decision, merely a humble suggestion, I do know my place."

He handed over the scroll, along with a small egg of pitch black coal that was smooth and shiny. He knew some explanation was desired, so he turned his back and spoke.

"I couldn't prevent the cremation of Edward Yaits, but I did manage to save that. It formed when the body was burned. It is concentrated evil, the worst of Ymir's intentions, that which Sallea managed to hold back from going into his deformed girlfriend. It is direct link to everything that is Ymir, the remaining watchers, what is sealed inside the girl, the arm of the flame hand, and some of the remaining slugs which still prowl around Gaia without purpose. It rejected me, that's why I'm turning it over to you."

With that, Iskugawa pushed up his glasses.

"I await further instruction."

(Erased, I guessed wrong then, I'll have to create a profile for Dr. Iskugawa to upgrade him from a background NPC)

What was it with these villians who couldn't use a door? Kain and his brother disappeared with a showy flare, just as he'd expected though. He sighed, they wanted him at the Necropolis, tomorrow. He hoped that they actually expeced him to be usefull, that the deal would be carried through the way it was written and intended. They would find the egg to be exactly what he said it was, he wanted to make a good impression on his new master. He planned to turn West Fall into a war machine for the Necropolis, all to get his revenge on those who had mistreated him. He didn't care, as long he was under the grace and protection of his new master, everything would be fine.

The next morning he awoke in his room at the citadel, feeling as if the fire that was burning away his insides had been controled. He didn't even bother with the ether suppresent, something told him he didn't need.

He drove to the casino district, parked his vehicle in a garage, and then walked to the adress written on the paper. The amulet was around his neck, and everything else he needed was in his briefcase. He was thinking, so many thoughts were racing through his mind, it was the first time he felt his mind work properly since he had been frozen in Durem.

"Iskugawa," called a voice from the shadows, slightly deep in tone with an elvish accent. A dark elf stood there, in a dark cloak that covered his body, short white hair spiked back, and blood red eyes with a scar running down the left. He wore a mask over his nose and mouth, countouring with his neckline down to his collar, looking very much the part of an assassin. The drow wasn't there to kill him though, even though he kept a hand on the dagger tucked under his belt, concealed under the folds of his cloak.

"Come on. I don't have all day," he said, gesturing for him to come to him. He brought his right hand out for him to take hold, the middle finger of which held a jet black ring.

Darkness enveloped them, twisting the landscape and warping it, turning everything into shades of gray. They were on the Plane of Shadow. The drow tugged his arm, pulling him along, and the landscape blurred past them. Travel on the Fringe was different than on the Material Plane. A single step could take one miles. It wouldn't be long before they reached the mountains, and beyond that, the Northernlands. The darkness seemed to increase as they approached the necropolis. The walls of Necromon could be seen clearly, and shadowy wraiths circled the skies overhead. One saw them and started swooping down toward them, but then colors suddenly flooded back into the world. The walls of the necropolis vanished as they returned to the Material Plane, and the drow released Iskugawa's hand.

"Follow me," he said, stepping forward. Where once there was empty space, a doorway opened, revealing what lie behind the walls.

Necromon, the Upper City.