Dark Deception...RP

Tenebrasque In was sitting pretty after the takeover of Iceland. Few challenged the team of mass murders. Each member went on about their day as normal while in another land someone was growing ever more angered and displeased with what they viewed upon the mirrors of fate. Twisted by rage and pure grief, they set into motion a plot.

Twisting the fabric of reality to almost its’ breaking point to accomplish a new and higher plan......but first the game pieces must be put into place.

Shadow was part of the group that accompanied Salem to the place of casting. Of course she would have the soul she needed; to end his Azrael's suffering, he would have gladly given her every soul in his possession, his own included. He had his doubts about the process; true resurrections were difficult feats under the best of circumstances, but little Salem had proven herself to be the very definition of competence, and her enthusiasm was contagious. Still, operating under the assumption that a little caution was called for, he tried to position himself so that he could reach her quickly if something went awry.

Even so, the sudden shift in the energies of the transmutation caught him by surprise. An involuntary snarl escaped his lips as his lover's daughter was thrown across the room. Shadow leapt forward, placing himself between Salem (who a quick glace had assured him was not badly hurt) and whatever was forming from the gateway. His blade materialized in his hand, though he kept it lowered until he could determine just what the situation called for. The sight of what greeted him was the last thing he was prepared for, however.

He found himself facing himself, so to speak. The being standing before him, though possessing subtle differences (longer fangs, larger horns, and small bony spikes that protruded from the shoulders and the back of the forearms) was practically a mirror image of himself, down the the blazing eyes and sadistic sneer. The being even held a blade of his own, though his resembled a heavy tulwar whereas Shadow's has taken the form of a bastard sword.

"My alchemical knowledge is a bit rusty, dear Salem, but am I correct in assuming that this was NOT part of the plan?"

Her answer would have to wait, however. The duplicate Shadow lunged forward, swinging his curved blade in a murderous arc. Shadow threw up his own sword in a parry, but the impact caused his feet to slide several inches along the floor. It was now evident that this creature possessed subtle differences beyond appearance; it was obviously physically stronger, as well. Standing toe-to-toe with it and exchanging blows would not be a successful strategy. Shadow shifted his stance to one that would allow for more fluid movement as his opponent tensed for another assault.

Syrus in his room lashed out at his father, or rather, what was a psychospiritual manifestation of his father, Dreius, from the depths of his mind and visible only to him, which simply faded and reappeared when he made contact with it. He skidded across the floor and quickly stood to his feet.

"Come on, talk to me. No more time for dear old dad?" "Aahhhh! No! I told you, leave me the fuck alone will you!?" "Come on, I can show to you how to get back to Jamadyszka." "You're dead, now be like a dead person and stay dead!" "Come on, think of your mother and your people." "Yeah, so what of them??" Dreius circled, speaking in a mocking manner. "I'm not the only one who caused you trouble. Remember all the problems she caused you? All those years being her plaything. You don't want payback for that too? Or are you scared? Just going to sit there, content to serve, a peon for the rest of your existence? You could be king, I can show you. These people don't care about you, you're just an expendable soldier, they don't really know you." This was extremely annoying, especially from someone who used his pain for personal enjoyment. " Neither did you. At least they're not trying to kill me. Now shut up and leave me alone!" Syrus stormed out into the hallway, going out on a walk, maybe go and kill something to try and clear his head, though still being followed.

"You live under a shroud of ignorance, and these people are going to be the death of y—!" The apparition of his father stepped back, as if whatever incoming object could harm him. It was Salem Hex, who crashed into Syrus so unexpectedly, he nearly flew out of his feet. She was in higher spirits than lately, something he silently prided himself in helping with. Giddy with excitement, she didn't even give him time to speak or greet her properly. Still, she had a way of making him forget the things that troubled him, and she had something interesting to show him. He walked at a calm pace following the shrieking girl down the hall to where the others were. Though not having a direct role in the process, he was content just to be there as a friend. There was not a doubt in his mind that she would be successful. As far as he knew, she was a genius and could do anything. Besides, what kind of friend would have given the girl false hope, said what he said to her, if he didn't believe it wholeheartedly? He himself was beaming as he followed her to the location to be used for the ritual.

Syrus took a seat Indian-style on the floor, just outside the radius needed, waiting for the show to commence. His leg shook excitedly at sensing the spike in energy. His knowledge of alchemy feeble, he initially assumed everything part of the plan, that is until he saw Hex careening across the room and crashing into the wall. He quickly started to his feet and glanced over, seeing the one called Shadow already tending her. Not even waiting to see what it was, he immediately lunged at whatever the source of the problem was, only to be met with the same force she did. Spry Syrus, already half-expecting something, landed on his feet and wiped a small trickle of blood from his mouth, which formed an angry smirk. "Good. This is just what I need."   
 
He glanced back at Hex one more time and back at whatever was coming, ready to pounce again, but what he saw made him hesitate a bit. Staring into the light, he saw what looked exactly like him. It wasn't a complete deterrent. He wouldn't really have problems hurting himself anyway, let alone the fact this him seemed to want his family dead. A quick mental command calling Dracoig was all he had time to think before the doppelganger was in his face, trying to plunge a blade of its own through his stomach. He was able to block the initial attack by applying resisting force at the wrist of the other with both hands. Still, he could feel his own strength being overpowered. Then there it was again. That damned apparition, being a nuisance as usual. "So he's stronger and faster. Nothing you're not used to." Syrus struggled against the duplicate, trying to block out the voice. " I don't need this right no—augh!" Being weaker and distracted, the sword slowly found its way inside him, but he used a headbutt to throw his enemy off before it got too deep, then leapt back a few feet to put distance between the two. He took a low fighting stance, preparing for the next move and waiting for his sword to come to him.

Death was not something to be toyed with and Lyn had warned Hex not to tamper with it. Kain, Lyn, and Shadow were talking of what to do with the remains of those infected in Iceland’s hidden laboratory. Against Lyn’s warnings Hex announced she found a way to bring back her sister from the dead. Lyn looked at Kain quizzically as Hex claimed her ability to do exactly what she was warned not to do. Before Lyn could even try to stop her, Hex ran into the depths of her dwelling. Shadow followed her. Later a flash of light enveloped the halls in a flash along with a loud crashing sound.

Lyn looked at Kain as she cursed to herself. She ran down the stairs to stop and see Hex bruised up and the others with a look of shock. Standing before them was a shocking sight to behold. They were staring at themselves, but Lyn could see a huge difference in energy between the members she knew and those standing before them. Syrus was the second to be injured by these imposters. Lyn growled as she drew out her Dragon’s Tail.

A quick cloud of smoke and the numbers before them had diminished. Lyn noticed something else about these copies. They all had the same marking Hex had. A dragon like creature wrapping around some other markings in different areas of the body, but each had one. Lyn thought about it a moment. She looked for one who looked like herself and she must have vanished with the puff of smoke. If Kain were to face off with these copies he will absorb them. If the copy of Lyn had any power of the Horseman of Death it would be fatal for Kain to absorb her power. Lyn had witnessed long ago when Famine tried to engulf Pestilence. It was a horrific sight and ended in Famine imploding upon himself.

The essence of Famine and Pestilence went different directions afterward, so the essence of the Horseman would live on. Unfortunately the host would die horribly. Lyn had to do what she could to prevent it. She also felt a very familiar energy in the room, but could not see where it was coming from.

Lyn moved between Hex and the copies. She would not say ‘I told you so’. Hex would regret this decision in her own time. Youth brought forth many impulsive actions and Lyn hoped this one would not kill them all. The copy of Kain if there was one was not in the room either. She took a quick note as to what copy was there. Syrus, Shadow, Haz, Mattersuit, Judas, Zulu, and Hex were there. Where were Kain, Lyn, Naamah, Azra, Aurora, Charlie, Myst, and Figaro, Lyn thought to herself.

The smell of fresh blood filled the air. Syrus was struck by his doppelganger.

“Hex when we get a chance you need to fill me in on what exactly you did. For now we need to find ways to survive, these imposters are much more than the originals in the room.” Lyn strategized in her head what to do next. Quick thinking lead her to raise the alarm to notify any other member who was not close that Tenebrasque In was under attack. Over the communicator to also give word. “Ten In under attack. Copies of ourselves….unknown in number, but be aware.”

With a quick cast of a spell a portal opened behind Hex. Lyn motioned for the others to move into the portal as she blocked further attacks from harming her team mates.

The red skinned warrior known to her siblings as Naamah Obyzouth, and known as the red skinned she devil by the locals. Iceland has a refined beauty to it, something you can't find many other places. She now stands at the enterance to an ancient location, hidden from the eyes of the children of Seth. Naamah finds it only because it calls to her, she feels something powerfull withen beckoning her.

She is fitted head to toe in her best suit of armor, which was crafted for her by an old friend and now enemy known as Biletooth. The last time she saw him he just about killed her, and now she is wearing his wares as proudly as she did when he first fitted her. Naamah does not know any other way however, she has never let the little things bother her. And in her arm she holds her mace, the only weapon she has ever felt the need to hold, for if Naamah can't take on her foes by brute force, her mace is the answer.

Honesty and wisdom mean everything to this woman and there is knowledge hidden in this... This cave. A lair of some sort Naamah finds the left overs of some victim... Some acient beast of old world magics. A creature Naamah belives to be called by the locals as Ulliefenjabur. A troll of some sort. Naamah starts making her way into the breach of the lair and can feel the essence of this creature. She can feel his life force... He is angry that she has intruded into his home, and he in also sad that he is alone. All his family dead, yet not just that they were dead... They were killed by people, the very same people that were now hunted by this beast.

Naamah did feel for this creature. She could not help but feel for his loss. Naamah started to scrape her mace against the walls of the cave to let him know she was not going anywhere. She takes her seat on a near by stone and waits, for him to engage her. And just as she feels that she is about to make a breakthrew with him...

“Ten In under attack. Copies of ourselves….unknown in number, but be aware.” She hears her lady's voice.

Naamah splits. Leaving a very confussed beast behind.

A slug slammed into Adam's shoulder. "That b@st@rd killed my brother and my mother and father!" An angry Russian voice shouted. Adam finished his drink, another three round finding his broad back. The sound of his glass hitting the bar was louder than any gunshot. Turning on his stool, Adam stood up. Now everyone in the bar froze and looked at the Tenebrasque In man. His pale eyes seemed to bore into the soul of whoever he fixed his eyes upon and his red hair framed his scowling face making him look even more terrifying than he normally would. The man tried to run, but didn't get even two steps.

Adam held the man by the collar of his shirt, a trio of guys coming to their friends aid. Adam felt the broken bottle pierce his back, and the baseball bat collide with bruising force, but he didn't move. The guys backed off when they saw his silvery blood and Adam pulled his gun, placed it under the first attackers chin. "Give your family my regards." And pulled the trigger, splattering gore all over the ceiling. He turned around and eliminated the man with the broken bottle with a single headshot, and a double tap on the chest of the guy protecting his face with the bat. He sat back at the bar, ignoring the men he had just executed and the fact the bar had very quickly become absent.

"Ten In under attack. Copies of ourselves...unknown in number, but be aware." Lyn's voice buzzed out of Adam's communicator. Adam was confused. Copies? Like what, clones? Adam had not had many good experiences with clones.They normally had the fortunate combination of being more powerful and hateful of the originals. And don't even get me started on parallel dimension counterparts. He thought with a sigh. He had a feeling his doppelganger would come and find him.

Kain stood deep within the confines of his freshly developed home in the frozen land of Iceland. His slivers of long silver hair hung down his ageless face like vines in the trees. The horseman stepped out of the shower after an excruciatingly intense training session with, and without his powers. He'd fought against beasts he captured and beasts he created. His body used the physical limitations of a human. The wounds he'd received healed during his shower once his effects of his anti-healing factor serum wore off. Streams of water ran down his chiseled naked body as he took up a pair of black slacks. Dawning the ironed pants he marched outside shirtless and barefoot with his hair and body still dripping wet.

Kain was looking for Lyn, but also needed to speak with Shadow about a particular matter that arose. It was of no dire significance but it needed to be taken care of. It seemed that Lyn had found Shadow before Kain could. He stood beside Lyn when Salem suddenly rushed to the terrible trio and babbled about them needing to go with her to the beautiful yet deadly Azrael's home in the remnants of France. She was bubbled with enthusiasm in her explanation. From what War understood the rainbow haired warrior would be bringing back her sister and needed the presence of Tenebrasque In. Lyn for the magic and Kain for his sheer unmatched power.

They agreed, but Kain and Lyn would join them and a slightly later time than the rest. Kain still needed to finish getting dressed and he refused to step in Rigus Mortis without more clothing on. Returning to his room Kain ordered one darkling and one lightling to follow the others into Rigus Mortis and record what happens even during his time there. After a brief time, War put on his dress shoes and a black long sleeve buttoned down shirt and a black leather vest over it. His golden orbs were hidden behind black sunglasses which doubled as a link to his dispatched soldiers to record the unfolding events. A smile appeared on his face as he and Lyn teleported to Rigus and stood above the subway station in which every unfolding events.

War saw the birth of something new, these clones. He also saw them in action barely a few moments after being created. Kain's first impression on them was that they were improvements on the originals with a few minor physical tweaks. They were faster and stronger. Based off the brief footage he saw, the vampire calculated their improvements being somewhere in the ball park of a 15% increase. While it may not seem like much that fifteen percent could mean trouble; especially if there was a clone of Kain. Which he did not see. Following the flash of light, Lyn darted down the steps with her deadly Dragon's Tail drawn with her beloved Horseman following her close behind.

Upon his arrival, a marking made itself known to him. They all shared it. A dragon wrapped around some other insignia. A quick head count left more than half the team missing. Unfortunately the light was too bright for Kain to see the missing clones if they in fact existed. War faced the copies in their immediate vicinity. All his senses were used to help gauge what his 'family' was up against. Lyn's words cut off his train of thought.

Following her words to Hex, a large portal appeared behind them and the team was motioned to enter it while he and Lyn deflected the attacks from breaking through and hurting the team. The copies exploded at Kain and Lyn with ferocity even the horseman had to admire. Lyn handled defense while Kain took a more offensive route. Shadow's copy jumped towards Kain and swung his blade violently intent on removed his head. Lyn disarmed him with a bolt of energy while Kain thrust his knuckles into the clone's ribs solely to blast him through a support beam only thirty feet away.

The Syrus copy came after he and Lyn with a vengeance. Kain parried Syrus' incoming attack by covering his fist in lightning and punching the sword away. The electrical current traveled through the blade into Syrus' hands. Lady Death jumped over her lover to kick his attacker in the face with both heeled boots at once. War followed up with a thundering axe kick to slam Syrus three inches into the cement. Hex's clone kicked Kain in the ribs as hard as she could, thankfully a layer of darkness helped absorb the impact her blow. Angered by her rebellion War sank his claws into her leg and tossed her at the others to distract the clones so that he and Lyn could safely escape.

The few members of Tenebrasque In that were with Kain and Lyn arrived back in Iceland. His eyes looked for Hex and immediately he started mouthing off to her. His anger was obvious when he screamed at her and his veins popped from his neck. Darkness and light erupted from his eyes much like his earth-shattering voice.

“What in the hell was that Hex? You could have gotten us killed! Did you even think of the consequences behind this experiment? You created powered-up copies of this team. Some of you are enough of a problem but with added enhancements that makes things complicated. I'm the most powerful being on this team and yet you managed to make a more powerful version of me? Have you any idea what kind of a problem this is for me? For this family?! Find a way to fix this Hex. Because I swear, if I lose any one here because of this little experiment because you can't get over your dead sister I will make sure that I kill you to bring them back. I am going to try and figure out a plan to battle these things. In the mean time, speak with Lyn and help get the rest of the family together. I'll be in my quarters working.”

With that, Kain was off to his quarters to begin working. War immediately removed his vest, shirt and shoes. The footage of the subway replayed on a constant stream in his glasses in addition to footage from the originals of the copies in combat to compare notes. The feeds were broken down on a frame by frame basis. The mathematical breakdown eluded to his prior hypothesis being just under the actual numbers. Instead of a 15% difference there was actually a 17% difference. That meant big problems if there was a clone of Kain or Lyn things would get extremely sticky. There was one thought that comforted the horseman... the opportunity for power.

Tenebrasque In was composed of the most powerful beings on earth. Each one possessed powerful abilities that could prove to be useful to their leader, the Horseman of War, the Harbinger of the Apocalypse. Each clone had a 17% power increase, making them more formidable. Should the statistics work out properly, there would be no objections against Kain absorbing the power of these amplified Tenebrasque In clones. And then, he could convince the others into attacking his clone just enough to render him capable of being absorbed and increasing Kain's abilities by 117%. War smiled in his lab, continuing to plot and working on a plan to defeat the copies.

Shadow stood with his arms folded over his chest as he dispassionately observed the exchange between Hex and Eternal Chaos. As the leader of their band, disciplining members when he felt they made a misstep was his right and responsibility. So long as he did not appear to be physically harming her, Shadow would not intervene.

Agitation gnawed at him as he listened to Salem explain her theory on what had just transpired. While their withdrawal had been a tactically sound decision, not all of the team had withdrawn; simply those present for the initial contact with the enemy. He had promised Azrael that he would keep her daughter safe, and a demon’s word was binding; he would do so. However, the thought that his beloved had been left behind to face the wrath of those ludicrously powerful invaders was intolerable.

He strode up to Hex, he placed his hands on her shoulders, and locked her eyes with his. Fighting to keep his voice even, he spoke. “Salem…we left your mother back there with those humonculi. Whatever steps we need to take to deal with them must be taken. Now.”

The one behind it all smiled as she watched the little ants run from the storm. Looking through her crystal mirror she spotted Kain sitting in his laboratory. To cause more strife among the group it was time to allow things to fall further into place. Her pawns were placed strategically over all that was Tenebrasque In from Iceland, Russia, and into the base floating above. The homunculi were doing what they were made to do in causing chaos and destruction.

“What do we do now?” A voice spilled into the room from behind her. Smiling as she spotted her cohort. The red and black hair hung down her cohort’s shoulders and back. In Kain’s reality the two standing died long ago, but in their reality they lived and neither died.

“We wait and allow the pawns a chance to play.”

“Do we allow him to play as well?” Pointing toward Kain.

“We allow him this moment and take it later from him. He is plotting for more power and not of us.”

“What of her?”

“Hmmm…she will be our little snag in this moment.”

“What shall we do then?”

A simple scoff came from her lips. “Send Death’s daughter after her. Perhaps she will not fight her own sibling and die.”

“So it shall be done.” The black and red hair flew up as she turned around quickly to release the homunculus to kill its prey. They had set up a dwelling within Russia with its vast expanse of land it would be hard to narrow down where they were with the homunculi running sporadically about the lands.

“Take this moment in Kain, for I will steal your happiness as you weep for death.”

In the dark depths of Tenebrasque In lay in waiting a creature so pure in emotion she feels very little. In a trance like state she is dormant until some falling pipes catch her ear drums. In an instant she is awake and jumping through shadows until she finds what is the mishap. Her eyebrow furls upward as she looks upon herself. Tilting her head to view the presence and within her mind she is calculating what to do. Over the communicator she hears Lady Death’s voice informing of an attack and there being unknown numbers. Her ears perked as she heard the intruder actually speak. Her voice was very sultry as she looked up at the unfinished creation made a demon lord less than a year ago.

“Come down here you b!tch, so I can strip you of those jaws and make better use of them.” She motioned Aurora to come to her.

If Aurora could speak she would have cursed back, but couldn’t. She lacked the vocal cords to speak. Aurora was looking down at the homunculus of herself. The curved dragon with a few other markings revealed itself on the others tongue as she whipped it out to flick at the original. Before Aurora could react the homunculus version of her leaped upward gripping her head to slam it into the ground. Cracking bone resounded in the caverns she dwelled in.

The homunculus leaned down and licked up blood running down the side of Aurora’s face. Her voice smooth as silk as she spoke once again, “Too bad you were not worth playing with. If only you could use what power you truly had like I can.”

Aurora felt her bones cracking back into place as they healed. She hissed as she rose back to her feet.

The homunculus turned around. “Ah so you are ready to play? Come then let us dance.”

Aurora’s eyes went from a bright yellow to a deep dark crimson. She sank into the shadows and then teleporting behind her clone only for the clone to spin around grabbing her leg. The homunculus slammed Aurora into the wall. Debris fell to the ground from the impact.

“You are obsolete and unable to keep up. Why not give up dog?”

Aurora hissed as she set up for another attack. With a futile effort she attacked as fast as she could only to be thrown into the walls once again. She removed scent dampener from her face as she attacked once again. From down the way the sounds of yipping and splashing water could be heard moving quickly into their direction. Aurora kept the other homunculi’s attention. Leaping from the shadow was a pair of wolves belonging to the Mistress Death. They sprang onto the intruder dragging her to the ground. Aurora quickly walked over and ripped her vocal cords out.

Gurgling sounds as the homunculus drowned in her own blood. Aurora patted their heads as they moved down the basement to the upper levels. The homunculus version twitched as life came back into the body. She went to talk, but now she lacked the vocal cords to speak. She hissed as she moved through shadow to find her master to regain the new orders. Just like the original she had forgotten the last 12 hours unlike the original who would lose 24.

Aurora made it to Charlie battered and bruised, but healing quickly. She pointed to the organ she ripped out and then to her own throat motioning him to place it there.

Kain swiveled around in his leather chair which squeaked when it moved. He activated the monitor and put in his password since the screen locks if his fingers aren't on the touch sensitive holographic keys. It was the name of his first true love, Tigerlyn. Of course with certain characters modified to make it a bit more of a hassle to break into than one would want. With the background of Lady Death's ass in a thong and a half window opened up, he began immediate analysis of two separate programs he'd initiated. One was a serum while the other was a portable device with two possible purposes. It was codenamed P.A.S.L.D. Power Absorbing Siphon Location Device. It not only siphoned the power of fresh dead bodies back into Kain's body but it doubled as a tracking device. A few clicks here and a few clicks there presented him with the modification he needed to add to one of the components. Now when it was equipped, the user would glow blue. This tweak would prove useful against the Humonculi for differentiation purposes.

An usual whirrs and beeps chimed in from a device next to the laboratory's entrance. Kain's head turned with his body taking time to catch up. As he stood up the backs of his knees pushed the chair against his desk. The sound of his heels hitting against the marble floors was only deafened by sound of one of his Head Hunters' thumping its feet into the ground to greet Master Kain. The green reptilian creature with armored back and monstrous claws made a hybrid chirping and screeching noise to its Master. The beast's arms hung down just below its knees.

“Excellent timing my friend. Here, take these to the others and feel free to spread the wealth with some of the others so they may hastily use these against the Humonculi. We don't need any friendly fire incidents now do we?”

The creature screeched again and stretched out its clawed hand to Kain so that it may receive whatever gifts he had for the others. War handed his Head Hunter the P.A.S.L.Ds but before the creature could leave he left it with the motivation of promising it time for a piano duet once all this madness was taken care of. While the Head Hunter could not express emotion through its face, the way it screeched resonated happiness. It scurried off happily to meet with some of Kain's other creations and distribute the carefully constructed P.A.S.L.Ds.

“I love that one more than the others. The first one I created, the only one who plays Piano with me. I'll have to get him to speak soon as well.”

Kain spoke his thoughts aloud when suddenly Salem a girl he considered his adoptive daughter came into the room. War already knew what she was going to do. She felt the need to defend herself from his verbal onslaught. Nothing she would say could help her case in his mind. Unless she was able to pull a miracle out of nowhere which he doubted. Her defensive argument began quickly. Kain wouldn't argue with her simply because the bottom line was that this happened due to her interaction with forces she failed to properly manipulate. Her questions about the Humonculi certainly captured his interest. He stared at her and spoke with a stern arrogance in his voice.

“As far as an exact number goes, I put it at roughly 17%, give or take a decimal point or two. All that means is that we cannot fight them on even ground because we're at the automatic disadvantage. We can't win against them in a fair fight. Thankfully, we don't fight fair when the odds are stacked against us which is why we don't lose. There are a few options available to combat them. One is we manage to track them down and play the numbers game. Another is that we change dance partners. So instead of you fighting your humonculi, I'll fight her. Accept the fact that there are a few of us who can't swap out dance partners. Myself, Lyn and Naamah are the highest ranking, power wise. That will complicate things. The only person who can fight me, is me. I'll accept your assistance though. My last choice is a bit more complicated. I have a prototype serum designed to counter the effects the healing factors. Those healing factors render the Humonculi into nothing more than powerful humans. It behaves like a degenerative disease, slowly crippling them until they are vulnerable enough for us. But beware, it only lasts for 15 minutes. Once that time limit is reached, we're f*cked because their bodies will become immune to it. Thus is the way of healing factors.”

Kain leaned against his table with his arms folded after showing Salem the information he had on his computer screen. He peeled his glasses off and while his face was expressionless, he was hiding the fact he'd been hearing a voice in his head repeatedly telling him “You abandoned me Kain.” That voice, sounded much like a ghost from the past, one he'd been trying not to focus on.

It was evident Tenebrasque In was now in mass chaos. The communicator blew up with soldiers screaming of being attacked by what they thought was their leader’s. Lyn sighed having done what she could to make a defense and get her team out beside Kain. Kain berated Hex in his usual fashion. Lyn did not intervene since he was not hurting her. She was lucky that Kain did not kill her. In the past he would have. Lyn looked around the room to see her team members were indeed safer than they were. No one was left behind in the room.

Lyn got on the communicator and linked it to Azra. “My bloody friend, meet me in the study. We must plan something out before things get worse for us.”

Kain walked off into his laboratory and Lyn went into motion of strategizing. If there was another of herself, she needed to perish first. It would be less temptation for Kain to absorb her power and keep his sanity. Lyn was sure if Kain killed even a copy of her, it would inevitably torture his mind. Lyn made her way up into the study after telling Shadow to get the others together.

After Lyn kills her copy she would return. With the power increase the copy would be hard to kill. With Lyn’s knowledge of herself and Azra’s abilities they should be able to bring the homunculus down. The study was too silent. The very air appeared to have stopped when she entered the room. She looked over to see Azra standing there licking her blade dripping with blood. Lyn could not tell if this was the real Azra or a copy. This Azra did not have a dragon wrapped around some other symbols in sight anywhere. Lyn gripped her Dragon’s Tail just in case.

To make matters worse Lyn could hear Azra talking from down the hall. “Sh!t!”, she muttered. Things were about to very bloody and to make it worse was trying to figure out the real and fake. If the homunculus had the originals memory it would be even harder to tell them apart. Lyn’s mind went into overdrive as she calculated what to do. The Azra in front of her did not make a move. She stepped back into shadow. Lyn could still see her with her energy sensory.

The other Azra walked into the room and Lyn moved to where she could watch both Azras. The Azra at the door could probably see the tension in Lyn’s body. She was more than prepared to attack any and all directions if need be. Lyn sighed as she motioned toward the shadowy figure in the corner. Lyn had a feeling the one in shadows was the homunculus. That Azra had a look of blood lust in her eyes as she spotted Lyn. Lyn wondered what she was waiting for and why was she being so mysterious. Was she waiting on the real Azra to come? Now the situation became very real for Lyn. Her entire team was in dire trouble and something needed to be done about it before someone got killed.

Finally, he had located it. There was no sun in his world, no shift between night and day, nothing that would indicate the passage of time, and yet he knew his search had gone on for a considerable span, if for no other reason than his patience, which was known for being considerable even among his own long-lived kind, had begun to grow thin.

His efforts had returned results, however. He had been sleeping, a deathlike torpor that he had been spending much of his time in, as late, when he had sensed the event. All his kind had ties to the arcane forces that bound the very universe together; those that cultivated this affinity as he had done were aware of any event of magical significance. This was what had jolted him from his dreamless slumber and sent him charging through the halls of his lair, swatting aside the undead servitors that lacked the dexterity or presence of mind to clear his path, until he came to the chamber that contained a perfectly still pool of brackish water that he used for scrying.

He had not moved from that pool since then, his powerful will reaching across the cosmos through the pool, seeking the source of the disturbance. When he finally located it, his suspicions were confirmed. “A Philosopher’s Stone…” he said aloud, although there was no one to hear him; his servants knew better than to enter this chamber while he was present. This was a momentous occurrence, indeed. However, he would need to act swiftly, as it was highly unlikely that he was the only interested party that would have been made aware of this event.

Crossing to a wall covered with shelves, he removed a dusty scroll, and unrolled it to reveal an archaic map of the Earth. He scanned it, seeking to match the location his vision had shown him with its geographic position. After a few moments, he was satisfied that he had located it. “The land of the Franks,” he mused, “I wonder what changes time has wrought to it.”

Turning to a blank section of the wall, he inhaled and then spewed a plume of fire from his fanged maw. The flames struck the stone wall, and when they had cleared, a shimmering portal remained. Without hesitation, he surged through the portal and emerged at his destination.

Rearing up, his horned head sweeping in all directions to get his bearings and detect potential threats, the creature known as the Night Dragon spread his wings and roared like a hurricane to announce his arrival at Rigor Mortis. Suddenly, he cocked his dark, scaled head, as though listening, his crimson eyes glaring at the fortress in front of him. This is where the scrying vision had led him, without a doubt, but unless his many senses were deceiving him (which they very seldom did), the Stone was no longer here.

Cold, reptilian fury dug its claws into his mind at the thought that another would have beaten him to his prize. With a roar, the massive dragon charged the fortress, his powerful frame crumpling the gates as though they were made of cardboard. Slamming into the keep with terrifying force, he all but burrowed through walls and floors, the sturdy construction materials seeming as paper before the dragon’s fury. Finally, emerging in a room deep within the base, he came upon a sight that caught his interest and abated his fury, somewhat.

A statuesque red-haired female was facing off with a gray-skinned, dark-haired female with large, black wings and glowing red eyes. At the red-haired one’s side was another winged figure, this one pale of skin and with raven-black hair. Their combat momentarily ceased (there were precious few activities so engrossing that they would not be interrupted by a dragon’s arrival), and he took the opportunity to inhale, taking in each of their scents. The gray-skinned figure had the unmistakably artificial smell of a magical construct, likely a homunculus. The other dark-hair was some form of corrupted angelic creature. The red-hair…was most curious. A definite whiff of demon, but blended with something else, something undoubtedly powerful.

Making a snap decision, the Night Dragon darted forward, his deadly jaws seeking to grab and crush the gray-skinned construct. His target was preternaturally fast, however, and all his assault managed to do was to tear one of his target’s arms from her shoulder. If this horrific injury caused her any pain, however, she did not show it. Baring her teeth is a savage hiss, she vanished into the shadows.

Spitting out the severed appendage (homunculus was not a particularly enjoyable flavor), he turned his attention to the red-haired beauty. “Where is the Stone?” he growled, not bothering with an introduction.

Tenebrasque In was under full attack, the communicator in Lyn’s ear was going rampant with others caught in battle against what was supposed to be hierarchy of the team. Lyn could not help them just yet, she had other problems to deal with. For one she was in a room with Azra, Hex, and a homunculus of Azra. Lyn noticed something off about the other Azra the moment Hex showed up behind her mother. She was disabling her powers and hiding her true abilities. Hex spoke some words, but Lyn’s mind was calculating her next few moves. She looked back at the original Azra and smiled wickedly.

Hex winked at Lyn as she fired a few shells into the homunculus. The damage was quickly revealed to have done little to hurt her. The original Azra used a gust of wind to push the homunculus outside the building. Lyn leaped outward to follow the two Azras into battle. The homunculus turned her skin a greyish tone revealing herself quickly.

Lyn unleashed the Dragon’s Tail into a whip and wrapped it around the copy Azra’s leg. With a gust of energy she landed softly upon the ground and with a quick jerk knocked the copy back onto the ground. Lyn looked over to Azra and nodded for her to attack next.

Copies, Copies..everywhere…

The homunculus of Lyn stood watching the carnage unfolding as released a wave of death upon a demon horde trying to bring down the homunculi that were arriving within the base floating in the atmosphere. Her lips curled into a devious smile as she took great delight in killing. The dragon coiled around three small shapes rested upon her chest. It was a clear sign she was not the real Lyn to begin with, but she was also not one to tangle with. This one had an immense power increase and a lack of love for the family that the original Lyn had formed among these deviants known as Tenebrasque In.

This homunculus was decimating the demon army of Tenebrasque In with a flick of the wrists. The powers Lyn kept in check and controlled were now unleashed by her alter counterpart.

Suddenly a woman with red and black hair appeared and the Homunculus greeted her. “Good eve, tis a fine night for death don’t you think?”, the homunculus spoke.

“Pleasantries aside, she demands you move into Russia and destroy the towers there. Without their technologies they would not be able to track us. It is best you move away from the base here.”

“Does she think I can’t bring them all down?” , copy Lyn growled.

The other woman shook her head, “It is not that. We need you to destroy the communication towers.”

The homunculus Lyn scoffed, “Send in one of the grunts and leave me be.”

The black and red hair of the other woman swayed in the winds. “Fine I will just tell her that you are defying her and she will unleash her insanity upon you….not me.”

The copy of Lyn sighed heavily, “Fine I shall go, but what of Aurora. Did she succeed at her mission at least?”

“No she failed miserably. Somehow the other got a hand up on her. Not sure how since she lost her vocal chords and completely forgot the last hour before she was killed. That is why we need you to take care of this. You have the massive power to make the others quake in fear.”

The homunculus nodded smiling at the comment that stroked her ego greatly. The woman with black and red hair vanished in a puff of fire. The homunculus of Lyn walked over to a teleportation pad and sent herself down to the heart of Russia.

In the desolate Library of Tenebrasque In's Iceland base, was Charlie Todd. Charlie's history was a mysterious one indeed. All that was known was Charlie fought Kain nearly a thousand years prior and ever since, the two had been best friends. Charlie was a creepy man who spoke in rhymes and riddles. When he stood he often swayed left and right with a smile spanning the width of his face. His smile remained plastered on his face even in the most dire of situations. His eyes often appeared to be closed but they weren't. Today he wore a white haori over his black shirt and black hakama with a white belt. He changed his hair from the classic reddish brown it normally had to a beautiful silver. Charlie had a kodachi sheathed on his side as well.

Crouching on the second-floor railing in the library, Charlie held a necromancy book in his hand. His right index finger underlined the text as he read and his lips moved with each read word despite his unwavering smile. A high pitched mumbling broke his concentration on the text he read the book. He was almost half done when the distraction caught his attention. Looking to his right shoulder, he saw a bouncing little ball of fluff. The little beast had big green eyes and looked at Charlie like a begging puppy. Charlie spoke to it, the creature known as a Fuzzle.

“Just one more page, dear friend of mine. Then we'll get some food and drinks of lime.”

The small creature's eyes widened sadly. It tried to suck in its rotund little belly and open its mouth baring countless monstrous teeth. The little Fuzzle was trying to show Charlie he was starving to be exact. He whimpered to his master as four more Fuzzles jumped from the chandelier above on to the railing to join their begging comrade. They had no arms or legs. They could only hop and bite, that was it. They were surprisingly fast however and their teeth could shred steel with little to no effort. Charlie couldn't help but look at them with the smile on his face and close his necromancy book.

“Your cries and please ring loud with me. Come little Fuzzies, let's join Kain and feed. I wonder what's on the menu today... will our food be fried, frozen or perhaps fillet.”

A series of little cheers exploded from the Fuzzles who all smiled up at Charlie and bounced around happily on the railing before all hopping up his arm and holding on to his collar as he dropped down from the second-floor to the ground floor. Charlie continued to smile as he walked through the Library listening to his little hairballs talk in their little language behind him. Todd's head swayed with each step he took and the intimidating smile he wore remained untouched.

A black portal appeared a few feet in front of Charlie. Stopping dead in his tracks, he turned his head to the Fuzzles and tossed a series of purple disks behind the book cases and to the ceiling. Understanding what was needed, the five Fuzzles hopped along to different locations completely out of sight. Charlie proceeded to completely dislocating his arms and legs by twisting them out of place with hard jerks. He bent his knees and swayed from side to side more frequently then before. The smile on his face remained.

From the strange portal stepped out a man with reddish brown hair, red eyes and a smile. He donned a black three-piece suit with a white collared shirt and a red tie. The blazer was buttoned up at two places and the cuffs were buttoned entirely. This red-haired man emerged with dual Jamadhar Katars. He smiled at Charlie while standing up right and spoke.

“Good day Charlie, it's time to die!” said the man to the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

“I'll kill you fast, humonculi.” interrupted Charlie to his humonculi. He'd heard Lady Death's transmission while one of the Fuzzles was trying to sing a happy song during Charlie's reading. He didn't expect them to come into the base, especially not with Kain around. He would simply have to kill this one and while the Humonculi may prove to be a little bit more powerful than Charlie himself, Charlie was confident in his abilities because of all the tricks up his sleeves. The humonculi proceeded to dislocating his limbs and assuming the same position as Charlie. The two continued to stare at one another with that familiar unwavering smile.

Charlie leaned to the side, his humonculi did the same. The Humonculi stood up and Charlie followed. Charlie leaned in close, and the humonculi leaned it. The Humonculi waved at Charlie and Charlie reciprocated the gesture. This continued for a few moments until finally Charlie spoke to the invader continuing to smile joyfully.

“On different terms, I'd call you friend...” started Charlie.

“But here and now, I'll make you dead” interrupted the clone.

The two were finishing one another's sentences with the rhymes they were going to likely choose. It was an interesting turn of events. Charlie jumped backwards and set the entire floor on fire sending fire through all the dark disks which caused flames to erupt everywhere the disks were placed. They were teleportation pads designed to enhance a teleportation dramatically. Charlie's clone flipped backwards and created a cylinder of rainbow energy behind Charlie and blasted him up to the second floor. Charlie's fire trap managed burn through part of his clone's ankle although the wound healed almost immediately. The two met up on the second-floor, still smiling. The Humonculi spoke first this time.

“Inspiring set up, with the carpet of flame-”

“I think we'll have fun, playing this game.”

The pieces were on the board and now and the two homicidal poets would rhyme during their clash. Charlie vs his Humonculi. The Fuzzles were watching from locations unknown all spread out through the library. Mean while a pair of eyes watched everything from the ventilation shaft, awaiting the perfect time to attack.

Kain listened to what was said by all parties and took it all into consideration. Immediately he accepted the fact he would have to resort to cheat tactics. Once everyone left him to his own devices, his attention returned to the computer. Several monitors activated and each one displayed live footage of a conflict in progress. The fights between Aurora, Charlie, Lyn, Blair and Hex all played simultaneously. Fortunately full video control was at the palm of his hands for proper examination. War analyzed what he saw by the frame. Every detail engraved in his mind should ever need to combat his team. However by comparing the subtle differences between the originals and Humonculi, it was possible a significant discovery can be made. War was hoping to find some kind of fatal flaw, an error, anything he could exploit to benefit himself and the others in this battle. They needed an edge because all the cards were against them. Kain knew the devil was in the details which was precisely the location of his fixation. What was it? Mosaeia's Warrior King snapped his fingers calling forth a darkling holding a burgundy fruit mojito. Taking a sip of his liquid heaven, Kain plopped back in his chair. His right arm was bent under his left which supported his head at the chin and nose.

The footage was closely monitored with a particularly high attention to detail. Only after a second sip of fruit Mojito did War notice a few discrepancies. Most obviously were the two Charlies. The original Charlie changed his appearance dramatically just under one week prior. Not only that but Kain didn't even the fuzzles which were a trademark of the psychopathic killer. Nor could he sense the little creatures on second thought. His eyes moved to the Humonculous' weapons; katars. Strangely Charlie also dropped those when he changed his appearance. Kain didn't even know what it was that Charlie used now. War observed Auron next and was somewhat bothered. Enhancing the light quality, he spotted a hair difference. The original Aurora's hair was shorter than that of her Humonculos. Interestingly enough cut Aurora's hair during one of their training sessions the same day Charlie changed. Finally was Blair. Blair's doppleganger resembled a pst Blair, during much darker times. The Horsmean smiled at this revelation. Apparently the significantly more powerful Humonculi were based off older versions of the team. Their design was to match these versions. For some it seemed like a week and others seemd a bit longer. Kain leaned back in his seat feeling accomplished. If he was right, they all stood a chance, if not.... he hoped they worked in teams to eliminate this threat.

Kain's fingers began tapping around on a black box. The device buzzed to life quickly welcoming Kain with what sounded like his best friend, Tiferia. She requested a password and Kain delivered.

“Trancedigaeth-Dash-Turkey”

“Thank you. What would like to do, Horseman?”

“Modify Apoc-Virus via Death/War Addition.”

“Provide Samples.”

A test tube slid out awaiting Kain's sample. He took a deep breath and spat into the tube. It was a the death spit he took from Lyn from their preparation against the Scion Order. He followed up by silencing his finger on his fangs and draining the blood into the tube. He pushed a button which sucked the tube back in.

“Sample Accepted. What now?”

“Synthhesize Apoc. Virus. Deposit in functioning hypodermic syringe.”

“Request acknowledged. T-minus 2700 seconds for completion.”

“Perfect. At least now I can warn the other on this development.” Kain pushed the “Call” button on his system and spoke loudly. “Those of you who can hear me, the Humonculi operate how we operated one week ago or more. In addition they lack our resources. Fight them cautiously and eradically. Try to work together. If my skills are needed call upon me and I will come.”

Kain finished off his Mojito before falling asleep in his chair as the timer counted down.

“You abandoned me Kain. You said you would never leave me. Or did you forget all about Tiferia when you started f*cking my daughter?”

“I never left you, I killed you because you made me do it. You wouldn't leave.”

“You're right, you did kill me, on the inside. But now? Now I will take everything you care for and make you regret every ounce of life you've ever had.”

From there Kain began seeing things that weren't real in his sleep, he started seeing things that weren't real, memories of events that never truly happened. He started seeing his Tenebrasque In family fall at the hands of the humonculi, he saw everything he loved slowly die before him. He saw himself with Tiferia and Lyn, he saw them smiling only to watch them die. The fake memories continued to come into his head and push him further. War's laboratory doors opened up entirely yet before they even finished opening Kain discharged dark energy at the door to attack whatever was coming at him. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead and the rest of his face. Once the dust settled two familiar faces came barging in; Charlie Todd, and Aurora. The horseman wiped the sweat off his face and welcomed them, clearly confused and in a state of paranoia. The device creating his virus beeped and confirmed completion to the vampire. Things were going to get complicated soon enough.

Naamah is flying high over the landscape of Iceland. Her red frame is being glided over Myvatn, as she towards Hofsjokull. Naamah senses that some of her family may be in Hofsjokull, or at least around it. As she gets ready to make her final strike out for great ground, she soars even higher and kisses the seal of the world.

As Naamah, prepares to make her speedy decent onto the world once again. Naamah feels knees strike into her back, as powerful hands grasp her wings pulling them upward making it impossible for her to catch the wind sending her crashing towards the earth at incredible speeds. The impact is both hard and devastating to her beautiful red body.

Naamah lays broken and busted in the center of a large crater. She can still see only her vision is blurry as she sees the slender frame of a women walk up to her. Naamah, feels dread as this stranger approached her. “Hello little mouse.” A voice calls out in a purr. Her vision adjusts and Naamah sees herself standing in front of her, albeit mightier than herself and with coal colored skin instead of red. This dark skinned woman clasps Naamah’s face, as she feels her cheek bones want to give way under the strong grasp. “Call me Nephthys, my sister…This is your world after all, not mine.” Her voice is harsh as she speaks.

Naamah laughs as Nephthys tries to control her threw fear tactics. “I can’t die… Why should I fear you?” Nephthys takes a hold of Naamah’s bangs as she raises her head and slams it down deeper into the crater she lays in. Naamah can feel her body healing already however. “There are worse things than death my love… And I will share as many of them I can with you before this ends.” Nephthys walks away from Naamah and waits for her to be ready to be broken again.

“I won’t give you what you want Nephthys… I won’t beg for my end… I won’t give you your joy.” Naamah can sense that her sister is unlike her. Naamah feels love from others love for her. Nephthys only feels glory from breaking others hopes, and dreams. “Oh but you will. I will break you. It is only a matter of time, and pressure. Besides if I get bored with killing you, there are others. Ones you love that I can amuse myself with instead.”

Naamah lay’s on the ground feeling her body restoring itself, knowing she does not have much time to form a plan. Naamah’s hand slowly grasps her Mace, as a faint smile crosses her face. Naamah knows she is taking a chance playing her hand so quickly, but she also figure’s, what the hell.

Adam turned as the othber man strode into the bar. "Well, they did do a good job, didn't they." Adam smiled as he watched the man. Sipping his drink, he waited for the guy to get real close, and then he swung the glass in his hand smashing it into the face of the other guy, shattered glass striking his eyes and littering his hair. "Ha! What you gonna do now, bi-" His sentence was cut short by the impossibly powerful fist that hit his stomach. He flew over the bar, hit the wall and continued going, rolling to a stop in the snow.

"Get up." In an identical voice, the other guy ordered Adam to his feet. Struggling up, Adam closed his hand on a jagged piece of pipe and ran forward, ramming it through the guy's jaw and into his brain. Kicking him in the chest, the guy went flying back, and Adam turned away.

"This is Mattersuit. My unwelcome visitor is down. Anyone else need some-" Adam felt a burning pain that was associated with a stabbing. Dropping to his knees, he grabbed the pipe and forced it out of his kidney, dropping it to the snow. Turning, he saw his doppelganger back on his feet, and not looking any the worse for wear. "Oh sh-" He deflected the first few shots, quickly absorbing the rock beneath his feet to have some defense. The punches tore pieces off his suit, and he backed up repeatedly before drawing his swords and slicing back, the blades cutting deep into the man's flesh, wounds that healed almost as fast as they were made. "Okay, this guy's really annoying me! Anyone got any ideas?"

The psychopaths stood on the second floor of the library poised for battle. Charlie's Humonculus jumped at the original without fear or emotion. Only the crazed smile remained plastered on his face. Charlie smiled and created one of his teleporation disks inches away from his face which caught the clone. After being sent to the other side of the room, the Humonculus created a gravity sphere above Charlie and three explosive molten spikes below. Charlie was caught in the trapping gravity sphere. Slapping the kodachi to face the ground his weapon hastily extended. The spikes erupted propelling molten rock and fire at bone-breaking velocities towards their creators target. Charlie was pummeled by the flames and rock, half of his ribs were broken immediately upon impact in addition to burned flesh. Thankfully, the use of his weapon's special trait occurred as quickly as it did otherwise his death would've been guaranteed.

Charlie's momentum allowed him to spin to the side however it was too late for him to completely escape what was coming next. His Humonculus was already on top of him, bringing the katars down on Charlie's chest. As the two blades came down, everything slowed down in Charlie's mind. Charlie turned to the side to allow the blades to go down without major injury. The katars' blades effortlessly sliced through his skin spraying crimson from his chest and back. Turning his legs in, Fleet Street's Demon Barber spun to face his Humonculus and unleash a threatening attack onslaught of his own. Charlie's fingers wrapped around his imposter's wrists and tore out his arms with assistance from a powerful kick to the man's chest. Charlie's beastly kick slammed the Humonculus into the wall behind him. The limp body fell to the ground below only for Charlie to penetrate it with the katars which had the arms in tow. To his horror, his undying foe's arms attached thesmelves as if nothing happened. The katars were free from the body soaked in blood.

Foolishly in a fear driven decision Charlie stepped back into a trap laid by his Humonculus; an electrical sphere which swallowed Charlie and broght him to his knees. Charlie's blade fell from his hand to the oak floor below. Before long diabolical laughter erupted in the library as the Humonculus laughed at Charlie's demise. It walked towards him until it stood only ten feet away from him. Meanwhile above the two on the bookshelves surrounding the battle rested Charlie's lovely little fuzzles. Their little mouths opened to enable the activation of orange glyphs. Charlie number two spoke, preparing to taunt to the original.

“Foolish Todd, this day shall be your last!”

Charlie interrupted with fury in his voice and the smile he always wore completely wiped clean. “To hell with you fake, suffer my God Blast!”

Charlie's hand extended and a monstrous golden beam of energy exploded from the heavens and bombarded the Humonculus. A single blast incinerated part of the Tenebrasque In home leaving a massive gaping hole in the building and letting in a draft. In spite of this the Humonculus came from the ashes after Charlie only to fall victim to another God Blast, and another and another until five blasts later he was gone.

“Tough you are, Humonculi-”

“Go to hell Charlie, it's time to die!”

The Humonculus leaped from the ashes again, covered in soot, bleeding and broken. The katars still attached to his hands. Before contact could be made three fuzzles hopped from their resting places and tore off their master's attacker's tendons with their teeth. Falling to his knees, no longer capable of regenerating from the amount of damage he fell victim to, the Humonculus remained on his knees and knew his death was inevitable. He continued to smile at Charlie and spoke one last time.

“The battle is finally over clone of mine. It's time to die, however I have one last word to say, and that word is-”

“Goodbye”.

A single tear ran down the Humonculus' face as Charlie drew his blade. The kodachi extended several hundred times in just one second. Each time a powerful poison was injected into his body. The venom destroyed his target on a molecular level. It would reduce the target to nothing as it completely erased them from existence. With that final attack, the Humonculus was dead and Charlie was on his way.

Limping to the exit, Charlie was met by Aurora who held an organ in front of him. Too tired to help her, Charlie motioned for her to follow him to Kain's lab where the two of them were welcomed by a monstrous blast of dark energy.

The sounds of chaos echoed throughout the hallway as Aurora made her way closer to Charlie’s dwelling. The vocal chords in her hand dripped with blood as she entered the

room. Just before she could get close to the entrance a very loud sound boomed with resonance. Aurora dashed inside to help if she could. Whoever attacked Charlie was gone and evidence of the battle waged upon his body.

Aurora looked at Charlie with a raised brow. Somehow he knew what she wanted before she could cause the shadows to make her words. He motioned them to leave his dwelling further down the hall as he took

the organ. He then cast a spell to cause the organ to remain intact and free of infections until what needed to be done is over. Charlie was leading them toward Kain’s laboratory within Tenebrasque In. The sounds of machinery working away echoed within her ear drums. Aurora felt something was off and stopped Charlie before he could enter the room.

For Charlie’s sake, he should be thankful. An energy blast shot Aurora through the wall. Aurora felt her rib cage buckle inward was the force causing her heart to stop for a second. Rubble fell upon her dying body only to heal in minutes later. The rib cage popped back into place with crackle and popping sound. The sternum came together with a crunch. Aurora shook her head to regain some semblance of what happened.

Kain had blasted a massive amount of energy for an unknown reason. Aurora dusted herself off as saw her uniform was tattered not only from her fight with her own homunculus, but the blast as well. The smell of singed material emanated from her. The facial mask had some embers burning as she tossed it aside. She would have to have one made that could not be burned for the future battles she would go into.

Aurora looked upon Kain to see he was not his usual self. Charlie went over and spoke to Kain as she recovered

from the hit.

Adam grunted and spat, droplets of silvery blood decorating the Icelandic snow. "Damn," He snarled. The homunculus didn't seem any worse for wear, and it was still coming. The monster raised an arm and beckoned with a single claw, much like Adam had many times. "Go to hell, fake!" Adam yelled, charging at an incredible speed, his fists flying with impressive speed and strength. Suddenly his left hand was caught in an irresistable grip that crushed his wrist like an iron vice.

"Where do you think I came from?" The man chuckled loudly. With his free hand, Adam swung a hand at the man's head, digging his claws in to the guy's forehead. Thanks to the events that had resulted in him meeting Alceus, he had discovered this new ability. Both men went limp, the only thing that remained the same was that Adam's stabbing claws remained digging into the man's head. For a second, nothing happened, then Adam sprung away, and pulled, from a hidden scabbard, a silver knife he always carried around for just such an occasion. He launched the knife at his opponent with all his strength.

"Ha!" Adam grinned an evil smile, but his face fell as he saw that the clone had caught the knife in his teeth. Charging at the very pinnacle of his speed, he became an unintelligible blur of flesh, dark suit and crimson hair. Sunlight flashed off of a blade, and Adam attacked, his left hand reaching for the knife his copy had caught. The homunculus turned to keep the blade out of Adam's grip, and his eyes suddenly seemed to glaze over. The knife was merely a diversion. A silver short sword was stabbed into the monster's left temple, Adam's right hand maintaining a death grip on it. Releasing it, Adam jump-kicked the homunculus in the other side of the head, and it fell, driving the sword even deeper into the monster's brain. Adam started gasping. "Only...I can...kill...me..." Taking the knife from his copy's mouth, Adam thought twice, then walked around to the homunculus' feet and slashed its Achilles tendons. "Just...just in...case..." He panted. Climbing on a waiting motorcycle, Adam sped back to HQ, the bike giving out an inhuman roar.

Naamah slowly gets back to her feet, as she cracks some bones back into place. She looks up at the sky and sees the great blue seal of the world, from which she just came hurling down to the earth. Brings back old memories, from when she last took that fall. Now that she is back on her feet Naamah knows the score, she can feel her broken body want to give way under the own weight of her body. She smiles as she feels the cool breeze of the wind on her face, it causes her eyes to water.

"You can't beat me." Nephthys growls. She turns to face Naamah with a very evil looking grin on her smug face. "Whats wrong Naamah did I break you?" Nephthys swings back to punch Naamah in the face, when she is stoped by these words. "Your right... Nephyhys. You have broken me... You have won. You are the better warrior. You should have this weapon, not I." Naamah holds her Mace out to Nephyhs as an offering of tribute.

The homunculus looks at the Mace with lust for power burning in its eyes. "No your right... I should. I will take my weapon, and use it to destroy you." Nephyhys brags, as takes the Mace. With the Mace in hand she kicks Naamah to the ground, with a well placed strike to the gut. Naamah lays on the ground blood spilling from her mouth, and fear in her eyes. Nephyhys with the Mace in her hand holds it up towards the heavens and starts to call upon great powers from beyond. Naamah watches as this homunculus is able to do things she herself has never been able to do with it.

After Nephyh's has had her fun with learning the Mace and feeling its power, she turns towards Naamah once more. "You think you are better than me... I can see it in you eyes... Even as I hold this weapon and ready to finish you off." Naamah smiles up at her. "No... Your wrong. I don't think I a better than you. You have one, and you are stronger. I would have you as a sister, but I can see you have chosen your path." The homunculus shakes her head. "No... Don't give me that. You lying b*tch!"

And as the Mace is held up one last time towards the heavens by this foul creature... Something unexpecting happens... Naamah's father intervenes. A blast of pure destructive power shoots down from the heavens, the wrath of God. It is a sight this world has not seen in a very long time. This giant blast of energy strikes the Mace causing the homunculus to disintegrate into a pile of smoldering ash. Naamah smiles for a moment as she lays there.

Naamah falls asleep, only to find that when she awakes her Mace is glowing brite. She has never seen this effect on it before, it is glowing with a type of green energy. She picks the weapon up off the ground and the energy surges threw her form. She can feel it fill her with great power... What is it... Where did it come from... Thats when Naamah feels it. She has the homunculus great might inside herself now added to her own. Naamah feels it become alive inside her. She has never felt so powerful in her entire life. Even when she was an Angel in Heaven was she ever so full of power, and mighty. The others must need my help? Naamah thinks as she takes off into the air once more.

Shadow headed for the armory. This warped duplicate of himself was at least as talented a swordsman as himself, and was obviously far stronger. Given this, he felt it safe to assume that his soul-fueled abilities were also likely to be enhanced. If he was going to stand a chance of emerging the victor in their next meeting, he would need something that would level the playing field, or preferably, swing the odds in his favor. Fortunately, Tenebrasque In kept each of their bases stocked with a staggering variety of armaments.

He walked passed rows of firearms without so much as a glance. Ranged combat was never something he had possessed much aptitude for; he preferred settling combat in close quarters. Moving on to the racks of armor, he passed over more modern protection, with its Kevlar and ceramic, and pulled on an archaic but masterfully made mail hauberk. Modern armor was designed to protect against bullets and shrapnel; it did admirably against smaller blades, but wouldn’t provide ideal protection against the heavy tulwar that his opponent wielded. It was unlikely that the even the mail would protect him from a direct blow, but it was specifically designed to withstand slashing weapons. He selected a steel helm, one that was designed in such a way that it would accommodate his horns, while still protecting the majority of the skull. It covered most of his face in shadow, leaving only his red, burning eyes visible.

He summoned his weapon, and it appeared in his hand, in the form of the war sword that he had been favoring, of late. He swung it a few times, debating. It was a versatile weapon, reasonably quick and useful for both attack and defense, but his duplicate’s superior strength meant that standing toe-to-toe with him and attempting to parry his blows was inadvisable. His weapon’s shape began to shimmer and flow, and in a moment had reformed into a heavy axe, of the kind favored by the Norse raiders of the Viking era: it was a heavy weapon, designed to punch through armor, flesh, and bone, but well-balanced enough that it could be swung with some speed. When one faced a more powerful opponent, the best tactic was to strike hard and fast, cutting them down before they could bring their full strength into play.

A deep, echoing laugh brought him about sharply. Standing in the doorway was his homunculus, casually leaning against the doorframe with his tulwar across his shoulders. They both stared at each other for a long moment, neither speaking. Then Shadow raised his axe and charged at his doppelganger, to which his enemy responded by kicking a bench littered with gun-cleaning supplies at his feet. Shadow leapt over the obstacle, his axe sweeping downward, but the homunculus caught the blow on the flat end of his blade, then kicked Shadow in the midsection with enough force to change his momentum mid-air and send him hurtling backwards into a wall of shelves containing various assault rifles. Shadow had a moment to reflect on the fact that his duplicate apparently enjoyed as much of a speed advantage as he did a strength advantage, and then he was impacting the shelves, his heavy, armored framed obliterating the wooden structure and causing him to drop to the floor in an avalanche of firearms.

Labored breaths made their way from the depths his lungs into the air. Beads continued to form along his hairline and dribble down his face and splash to the marble flooring below. Kain stumbled out of his chair but kept from falling to the floor by firmly gripping his table. Charlie Todd rushed to Tenebrasque In's Leader, helping him to his feet. Nervously he wiped the sweat off his head with the back of his hand. War blinked his eyes rapidly similar to how one would when first waking up to the sun. The laboratory continued to make whirrs and beeps which left no empty gaps of silence between sounds. He was questioning his sanity now more than ever. Nightmare nor Kassol sounded anything like that voice in his head just moments ago. That was Tiferia, it had to be! But how? She's been dead over half one-million years.

“Are you OK, my dear lord Kain? Something about you, seems not quite the same. I've brought Aurora my lord she's come with a voice. Can you give it to her? For this matter you do have a choice...”

Kain heard Charlie speaking to him but was still groggy. He motioned for Charlie and Aurora to head further into the lab to Kain's surgical wing. It would take some time for him to get the right mind-set. Still he questioned the origin of that invasive voice. Blood began to trickle down his nose as well to add to the mess in his lab. Today was not his day in any way shape or form. Claws wrapped around his head to massage it while a darkling waddled over to him holding a little tissue for him. As Kain got himself together, Aurora and Charlie walked through his laboratory.

Their feet clicked and clacked against hard marble flooring. Charlie's body regenerated much slower than Aurora's. The two of them were no longer as tired as they were previously. Having seen their leader in surgery before, the two of them split up to gather supplies for him. Scalpels and surgical stitching were among the gathered items. Aurora lied down on the table at the request of Kain's machines. Before long, he joined his teammates.

“I'm sorry about that you two. Something unusual is happening. I don't know what it is. I'll be fine though, don't worry about it. Now Charlie, where is that voice you were talking about?” Charlie handed Kain the blood-covered organ. Surprisingly, it was still extremely clean and still in great condition. “You weren't kidding when you- aagh!” Aizen dropped to his knees as pain devoured his mind. A surge of hurt ensnared his mind. Todd stretched his hand out in an attempt to assist his hunched over friend only to be scorned. “Don't touch me!” exclaimed a delirious Horseman. Raw electricity arced from his body and fried all available equipment. The voices invaded his mind again but this time the visit was short lived. After the interruption Kain returned to his feet in a daze which was also short lived.

“I'm alright, I'm alright...” War repeated the words a few more times as if he were trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince his two guests. Before Charlie had a moment to speak Kain began work on a confused Aurora. He sliced open her throat with his surgical steel using the utmost care. Aurora's trachea was intubated allowing her to breath while he inserted the voice box. Where her voice box should have been was just dead tissue. Kain carved it out of her to make room for her new organ which was simple enough. Her body accepted the newly grafted organ immediately as if it always belonged to her. The tubing was pulling out of Aurora to permit her healing. It was an instant process. The whole procedure only took a few moments considering how few precautions needed to be taken.

“What's going on with you my lord, I must ask? Your behavior seems rather daft...”

Charlie continued to speak but his words fell on only Aurora. Kain's voices came back to play again with a crippling vengeance. Fire streams of darkness and light emanated from his body warping nearby walls. Uncontrolled power brought upon an astonishing pressure in the room. Charlie was brought to his knees and Aurora fell to the floor.

“Submit Kain, you will lose. For leaving me for that little white b!tch you will suffer! I'm coming for your Horseman, I'm coming to make you pay!” the voice screamed louder than any banshee in his head.

“Go to hell you bloody psycho! I am War and I will kill you!”

“Have at you Kain!”

When Kain looked up he saw The Fire-Dragon King standing before him bringing down his fist while on his side sat Andrea. War slammed his fist against the table sending Andrea into the wall meanwhile his free hand pulled in the King for a vicious headbutt. Without pause Andrea was behind him sending a kick into the back of his ribs. Reaching around he grabbed her leg only to repeatedly slam her down into marble. Pieces of stone flew into the sky with each vicious additional blow. Her blood splattered on his face. His attack ended when enchanted chains coiled around arms holding them hostage. The Fre Dragon King jumped towards Kain over Andrea's unconscious body. He knew she was still alive because she still drew breath but she never teleported before. Clearly something was missing here.

Just as the King launched himself towards Kain War jumped up with a knee strike. He successfully pegged his long dead adversary square in the jaw. After Kain curled his legs up into his chest while still sailing over the body he just clipped, his powerful legs kicked the Dragon King in the chest. The double leg kick thrust him into the ground while sending Kain a few feet away. Bones were broken, their sound was easily distinguishable.

Once Kain landed he saw the two bodies weren't of Andrea and the Fire King but instead belonged to Aurora and Charlie. Charlie caught Kain with another trap set, this time tangling his feet and canceling his abilities. The vampire apologized again. He explained what he saw and told them briefly of his passed with the two he saw. Charlie could tell Kain wasn't lying and Aurora could smell it. Freeing their leader. Both comrades were wounded by their leader but healed as well. Once they freed him, a fourth party decided to join them; it was the Aurora Humonculus. She quickly knocked Charlie and Aurora out of the picture by teleport kicking the two out of the room. War stood up, completely apathetic to her arrival. She was a light weight for him. End of story. He three words as she tried to speak but couldn't.

“Just. Bring it.”

In a flash Aurora's humonculus was upon him. Claws stretched out to tear him to shreds however experience proved to be the factor. Guessing where she would go, Kain spun around her attack. A nearby wall was destroyed by her skull which Kain forced through it. Her left eye flopped out of her skull and teeth were spat out. Spinning around she went through the wall behind him from the force of his toss. The abomination teleported above Kain following its collision course with wall. She tried kicking him in the chest yet he cared little. Her feet plowed him through the wall along with a series of violent kicks carving his chest because of her spiked heels.

After a few seconds, she thought he was dead and walked away. She caught the sight of Charlie and her other half. They were prepared to fight her just as she was prepared to kill them. They both smiled when she realized she made a mistake. Pain shot through her entire body. Pressure began to expand her ribs until they exploded like the shrapnel in grenades flying in different directions. Her blood ran down her legs in addition to spraying across her face. That was when she heard Kain's voice whisper in her ear.

“You're no improvement over the original. She would've eaten me if she thought I was dead. You just walked away.”

Kain smirked as he drained the slowly regenerating Humonculus of her power allowing him to enhance his own. At that moment Sid, his beloved piano-playing Head Hunter came strolling in with the siphon holding the power of Charlie's humonculus. War felt their combined abilities joining into him. It was nice feeling their abilities join with his and enhance Aizen's already immense power. He gave off a golden aura just as Naamah showed up, baring new abilities of her own. Clearly she absorbed her humonculus. Pity, he won't get that power. Lost in thought, that was when Hex contacted him about aiding Shadow. It wasn't something he could do at the moment. He needed to infect himself with that virus first. He spoke to three with him after pushing Aurora's humonculus' body off his arm.

“I need the three of you to safeguard me before we go assist Shadow. Your three humonculi are dead which gives us a good lead. I'm sure I can dispatch you all to help Shadow, but his body is temporary and he can wait. I'm concerned about my humonculus seeing as how he will most likely prove to be the most powerful. I have a weapon in the lab that I need to absorb. However, I'll need the three of you to stay with me as I absorb it. I will be at my most vulnerable once I take it in so I need you to protect me.”

War gave them no chance to respond for in seconds he stood at the machine holding his apocalypse virus. The freezer popped open and the syringe was in hand. Black liquid bubbled within his tool. It was a foreboding sight. Turning his head, he went ahead to inject himself with the deadly concoction. It felt like hell opened up in his veins. War fell to the floor just a few seconds after it went through him. It burned unlike anything he ever felt. His screams of pain would break the bravest men. Blood shot from his body vicariously in place of sweat, tears, mucus and saliva. His body seemed to be constantly mutating as skin and muscle simultaneously dissolved and regrew. This painful, bloody process seemed to go on forever when it was only twenty minutes. Kain lay down motionless, uttering a few words to his comrades.

“Please help me up... it hurts to move...”

This battle was going to be over quick with Azra and Lyn working together to bring down the homunculus before them. Lyn brought her crashing into the Earth while Azra charged at her with her chain blades roaring and glowing heat. Lyn tossed at her a volley of attacks. Lightning struck keeping her pinned in one position while she casted a spell to have the very Earth lock her feet down. The blade of Ice merely scraped against the Dragon’s Tail that Lyn wielded with expert precision. The smell of blood flowed into the night’s air. The homunculus tried a sincere speech, but it landed on deaf ears. Azra and Lyn were set on killing this clone off for good no matter what.

Lyn spun just in time to miss the spike flyng at her and the Dragon’s Tail roared through the air as it was flung towards its’ target quickly building up speed. Lyn pulled out the dagger from her boot as she moved. Azra was tossed to the side like a ragdoll. It was up to Lyn to finish off this bloody creation. She would not falter or fail. Her blade clashed with the blades of the homunculus wrapping around them making them less of a threat. Lyn took her opportunity to strike and she did so into the collar bone of the homunculus with the dagger. The homunculus roared in pain as the blade of the dagger was pushed in deeper. She kicked Lyn off of her and rose to her feet spatting out blood. Lyn moved between her and the real Azra to protect her from the onslaught. The Dragon’s Tail quickly unwrapped from the weapons as the homunculus jerked her weapons about.

Lyn looked at her with a steely resolve and watched for weaknesses like she had done with so many foes before. As the homunculus tried to charge her and Lyn only smiled seeing the vines from the Earth wrapped firmly around the woman’s ankles. “Say your prayers to whatever God or creator you have, because I will send you back to them shortly.” Lyn spoke as her eyes glowed a brilliant blue igniting the Dragon’s Tail in the same aura. The homunculus swung her weapons to stop the attack, but to no avail the Dragon’s Tail split into smaller blades that were sent hurling into the woman’s chest and head. The blade reformed inside the woman’s chest only to be ripped free by a quick jerk of Lyn’s wrist. Azra awoke in time to stab her homunculus through the head.

Blood splattered upon the ground as Lyn walked over grabbing the woman’s lifeless arm. Quickly she absorbed all the life out of the homunculus to prevent any healing or return. The corpse lay upon the soil as the blood soaked in.

"I will have Hex keep us in constant communication. You pin point your beautiful self while I go take a hit for Shadow. Hopefully that element will help keep Kain busy from going after the other you."

Lyn nodded to Azra’s words and watched as her sister in arms darted off to help others. Lyn listened closely to the communicator trying to find some clues as to where her homunculus was. There were numerous communications going back and forth telling the hierarchy what was going on. Lyn closed her eyes listening closely. Her mind was narrowing down on information she needed.

“R..r…r..Russian…tower under attack……communicators….will…not…last……long…send help NOW! AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” The communicator went silent. Lyn cursed under her lips. Russia is where she needs to head off to investigate further. Iceland and the Space Base were still sending messages, but Russia was silent as the grave.

Lyn summoned her steed Vantago and got upon his saddle. The two charged toward Russia to see it set a flame. The flames roared and crackled. It made her heart sink as her mind flashed back to the day she fought Kain for the first time. Quickly she regained her own thoughts as a bolt of blue flashed and exploded next to them. Vantago reared up throwing Lyn off as a maniacal laugh resonated. Lyn quickly drowned the area in her own power to cover up any allies in the area after she saw herself standing before her. The only difference was this homunculus had the curved dragon and shapes resting in the middle of her chest. The homunculus of Death quickly struck Vantago from playing this deadly game and Lyn could not move fast enough to stop her.

Lyn took a deep breath and was thankful her horse could not die, but she could not re-summon him for another 24 hours. Lyn clenched her Dragon’s Tail seeing the homunculus did not have a weapon to fight with. It may be the only advantage she would have against her.

Mortagarius flew over the rain forest, alongside Syrus as he carried Hex, pondering this odd turn of events. He had found the Philosopher’s Stone, but it was embodied as a being, rather than an object. This changed things more than a little…

His musings were cut short as the homunculus of Syrus launched his ambush. Their attacker was immense; the Night Dragon was a large creature, even by draconic standards, but this artificial being dwarfed even him.

Mortagarius roared in fury as the newcomer’s attack caused Hex to lose her grip and plummet towards the earth. As a Philosopher’s Stone, she was very likely to survive the drop, but he did not relish the thought of her being cut off from the two of them; he had waited far too long for this opportunity to be denied. Swooping upward, he then turned and dove toward the homunculus as it attacked young Syrus, belching a plume of negative energy ahead of him as he cocked the claws on his forelegs back, prepared to use the force of his impact to tear into the imposter.

He struck the homunculus like an avalanche, his claws sinking into scales that were weakened by the decaying effects of his negative energy breath. Using them to anchor himself to his opponent, he brought the claws of his hind legs into play, raking them down his enemy’s flanks, tearing great, bloody furrows in the flesh. His fanged maw locked on the back of the creature’s neck. Both dragons began to drop from the sky.

The pain was excruciating. It was unlike anything Aizen experienced prior. While the most agonizing part of the process was already complete, War's body needed time to recover properly. Thankfully, Charlie, Aurora and Naamah were readily available to assist in this endeavor. The three of them held Kain and returned him to his chair. After thanking them the pain subsided. Rapid fire keystrokes brought up a video feed depicting Shadow's battle against his Humonculus in addition to the other battles currently going on.

Unfortunately the Warrior-King of Tenebrasque In failed to watch much of anything for something far more signficant called to him. Tiferia's blood attacked his senses without pause. He knew her scent almost as well as she knew Lyn's. An undescribable feeling gripped his heart. In that instant three of T.I's forces followed closely behind their obsessed King. Finally he stood before the blood responsible for calling him. It was a fresh smere. No older than twenty-minutes. Two fingers scooped up some crimson and brought it to ivory lips holding the blue serpent of lustful legend.

“So she is here... But how?”

Kain was convinced Tiferia still lived; tasting her blood again for the first time eons posed as enough evidence. As if on queue her voice boomed in his head. Her raw hatred oozed into Kain's mind like toxic sludge.

“Remember that taste Kain? Do you recall feasting on all of my body's delights each passionate night we shared, Horseman? Remember the softness of my lips? I do. I remember us spending hours screaming the others' name. But I bet you do that with her now, don't you? No need to answer, I smelled the sex in your bedroom. I'll be taking her to hell soon enough, but we need you to go first. After all, your mother prefers having an audience when the hordes of hell have their way with her.”

“Come at me bitch! Come at me!”

Blinded by anger, Kain failed to acknowledge the sound of walls being destroyed. Tenebrasque In's resident tank, Monger, exploded through layers of marble. The green monstrosity charged into Kain without an ounce of mercy. Kain's body crashed through several walls only to be pounced on and slammed into the armory. Monger quickly hopped back to join Shadow's Humonculus. He too bore the Humonculus mark but over his right cheek. Kain's hulking green foe smiled confidently before speaking into his head set. “He's here. Bring the other 6 in. We'll take him down since other can't be bothered at the moment.”

Out of thin air 6 more pumped up clones appeared. Figaro, Myst, Hazmat, Vicious, Judas and Ananasi all stood before him, prepared for battle. At precisely the same time, Charlie, Aurora and Naamah entered the fray. War assumed a standing position in front of his family. His shirt was torn and covered in dust. A thick wad of blood shot from his mouth onto the Hazmat Humonculus. A single drop splashed on a mechanical foot but that was all that was needed. Instantly he began to dissolve into nothing in a frightening display. In just 4 seconds, the battle went from eight against five, to seven against five. As a final insult, Kain absorbed his latest victim's power; adding it to his own. Even the darkling which witnessed Mattersuit's confrontation appeared. It's siphon was drained by War as well. Though the power of 4 Humonculi belonged to the vampire it could not be used yet. War's body needed to rest to acclimate to such an intense evolution. None of Tenebrasque In, save for Lyn knew of this limitation.

“I've killed two of these Humonculi already. Meanwhile you still struggle with one. My victims fell to an unarmed, unarmored foe yet you don heavy armor and an axe and yet to even damage one. You're disappointing me Shadow. I may have to make Syrus my new enforcer if this keeps up. Or perhaps Zulu. Imagine what your beloved Blair would say, what she would do if she discovers this. What will she do once she finds out you've killed nothing meanwhile I've already two of these abominations. Perhaps Lyn and I would prove more capable of satisfying her needs than you, eh?”

Sigfried said what he said to motivate Shadow. It was no secret Shadow was a Berserker making him terribly unpredictable. Perhaps the Berserker fury would enable Shadow to overwhelm his foe quickly enough. If Kain was wrong however, and Shadow failed to kill his Humonculus, the vampire would be inclined to kill them both by devouring their souls with the legendary blade, Perdition. At least their deaths would empower him further. “I recommend you use one of the guns we have laying around since he doesn't have protection against that,” Kain finished before returning his attention to enemy forces.

The clash began between all 12 combatants, Kain was oblivious to the others battling aside from his three on one fight. Monger, Vicious and Judas took the fight to War. A strong defensive technique was used to counter his attackers. An occasional successful blow collided with him but rolling with said blow eased to the damage. Rarely would he take an offensive position for being defensive allowed him to scout. Monger's size meant it took longer to execute certain attacks which translated to longer recover times and wider opening for retaliation. Vicious was a rush down fighter. Judas relied on his ranged combat. Offing Judas was an initial objective. Upon further investigation, he was protected by psionic barrier created by Vicious. Monger's brutal hammer blows added another layer of complicated forcing a change in game plan.

Before much of a plan could be executed, instinct took over. Monger's enormous green fist sped towards him. Aizen retaliated in equal force with a potent punch of his own. Both fists collided with a resultant shock wave throwing Vicious and Judas down. Both combatants shattered their arms which healed as quickly as they were broken. An alabaster blur swiftly released several dozen surgically precise strikes. Before Monger could even coil his arm back he paralysis kicked in. Kain rendered his foe immoveable through a series of nerve strikes. War slammed his claws into the giant's skull with tremendous force and removed his cranium. While Vicious attempted to recover his body became a shield to absorb Judas' bullet storm. Once in range, Aizen's shield had been torn to pink mist. A powerful uppercut brought Judas up only for a spine severing coup-de-grace in the form of metal wing ripping him apart. Pink rain baptized all within.

It was painfully apparent that TI's originals had the upperhand judging by scattered bodies. War felt seven new bodies of power join convene within him. The power of 11 enhanced Humonculi dwelled with the Destroyer. Confidence came too soon to Kain. The Horseman briefly forgot about his own Humonculus. At least until he felt an incredible pressure. The same pressure he gave off when fully released. The building trembled, Charlie and Aurora were taken to their knees. Once Kain allowed his own power to be felt, everything changed. The walls and roof exploded under the beast's and Kain's power. Stone and debris floated around the area as if an explosion were frozen in time. Kain's Humonculus descended from the heavens until he was a few stories in the sky.

“This is between the two of us. The rest of you, stay out of this. It's time for the Gods to battle.”

Kain tore off what was left his shirt. Wings exploded from the Horseman's back along with his venomous two tails. They looked almost exactly the same, save for a few less attractive features on the Humonculus. Both flew in the sky, circling overhead. In a primal nature, they seemed to be trying to intimidate one another, but to no avail. Rain poured on them in tanddem with roaring lightning. Neither flinched. The mark of the Humonculus was in this one's eyes, on his chest, back and hands. This was the final battle for all the chips. Should Kain fail, all hope would be lost and this world will fall into unending darkness.

His jaws released the throat of the homunculus as his head snapped up. It had been long centuries since he’d heard it, but the call was unmistakable. Already he was winging his way towards its source, the battle, the enemy, even all thoughts of the Philosopher’s Stone had been subsumed by the songs whose notes he was now following.

Soaring low over the trees, he found what he was seeking. Dropping to the ground, crushing foliage beneath his massive form, he faced the female whose melody had called him. They faced each other; no words were spoken. He had not thought to ever see another of his species, but even with the emotions that this stirred within him, he had no illusions that their meeting was mere chance. The Stone had drawn him from across the planes, it obviously had something to do with the constructs that were now attacking his erstwhile allies, and to think that this female had chosen now to reveal herself was far too great a coincidence.

The moment did not last. Baring her fangs and roaring like a hurricane, the female lunged for him. Mortagarius made no attempt to evade her attack. Rather, he met her charge, and the two titanic creatures collided with an impact that would have drowned out a thunderstorm, massive trees splintering like matchsticks as the dragons battled, their bodies coiled about each other like serpents.

There was, however, an obvious difference in the way in which they fought. The female was clearly looking to make a kill: her jaws constantly sought his throat, her claws tore bloody gouges in his dark-scaled hide. He, on the other hand, seemed to almost be fighting with restraint: he battered at her with strikes of his tail and wings, he attempted to use the weight of his body to topple and pin her. For in truth, he did not seek her death, despite her obviously seeking his. Everything he had done: his withdrawal from the world of mortals, his delving into the arts of necromancy, his transformation into his current state, and his search for the Philosopher’s Stone, all of this he had undertaken for the sole purpose of finding some means of restoring his race to its former glory. Now he was facing the first of his kind that he had seen in centuries, and the thought that this event would result only in further death sickened him.

If his enemy noticed his nonlethal tactics, she showed no sign. Nor did she seem deterred by the fact that the wounds she had inflicted, injuries that would have gravely injured the most powerful of dragons, were having little effect on his ability to fight. She feinted at his throat one last time with her jaws, and then plunged one clawed appendage directly into his chest. “Fool!” Mortagarius roared, lunging backwards to try and prevent her from reaching his heart. His attempt was in vain, however, as her claws reached the vital organ and impaled it through and through.

Her victory was not to be, however. As his heart was pierced, an explosion of negative energy burst from the wound and poured out of Mortagarius like the waters of a burst dam. His opponent was thrown backwards by the force of the blast, and he immediately began casting a spell to close the wound and staunch the flow of the energy that had allowed him to flaunt death for so long.

After a moment, he was successful, and the flow had ceased. The change it had wrought in him was striking, though. Where once before had stood a vibrant, powerful creature, now stood a cadaverous-looking monster. His flesh was stretched tightly over his bones, where it wasn’t hanging in loose shreds from the battle. His face was nearly skull-like, and his wings were torn and pitted. A quick glace showed that he clearly had not received the worst of the effects, though. For nearly a mile around him, no life stirred. Trees stood as leafless skeletons, bushes were withered heaps of kindling. No animals stirred, no birds called, no insects buzzed. His eyes, now reduced to glowing orbs of light that danced in empty sockets, gazed upon his enemy, or what was left of her. For all that remained of the female was a pile of bleached bones.

His own appearance meant nothing; some time basking in the negative energy that permeated his lair, and he would be able to restore himself to an aspect of life. With the females death, however, he had lost more of what he had no means of restoring: hope. He shed no tears, spoke no curses. He did not roar his anguished fury into the stillness of the night. He merely stood for a long while, as still as the corpse he now resembled, before silently turning and lifting off into the darkness, borne aloft by tattered wings.

“I've killed two of these Humonculi already. Meanwhile you still struggle with one. My victims fell to an unarmed, unarmored foe yet you don heavy armor and an axe and yet to even damage one. You're disappointing me Shadow. I may have to make Syrus my new enforcer if this keeps up. Or perhaps Zulu. Imagine what your beloved Blair would say, what she would do if she discovers this. What will she do once she finds out you've killed nothing meanwhile I've already two of these abominations. Perhaps Lyn and I would prove more capable of satisfying her needs than you, eh?”

Shadow heard Kain's words as he kicked his way out from under the pile of weaponry and surged to his feet. Black rage flooded his mind at the taunt, and his grip on his axe tightened until the weapon shook in his hand. Then, with a titanic surge of willpower, he brought the berserker fury back under control. Twice now he had attempted to match martial prowess with his doppelganger, and twice he had been rebuffed. Clearly, a new tactic was called for.

He released his axe, and the weapon faded out of existence. He took a purposeful step towards his homunculus, abruptly his body dropped to the ground and lay still. Standing over it was a nebulous, shadowy form whose only recognizable feature was a pair of eyes burning with hellfire, eyes that, a moment ago, had blazed from the skull of the prone body beneath it. In an instant, the shadowy form streaked across the room and collided with the duplicate who, caught off guard, had no time to respond. Shadow's astral form seeped into the body of the homunculus, and now the battle had changed.

Within the duplicate's body, two demonic souls faced one another. There was no clash of weapons, no slashing of claws or piercing of fangs, no struggle of bone and sinew. This was a conflict of pure hatred and darkness, two inexorable forces attempting to overwhelm one another. Though no eyes of the material plane witnessed the battle, it did not go unobserved. Shadow could sense them, the captive souls that fueled his opponent's power. However, where Shadow's souls were human, his enemy had the spirits of angels and demons locked within his body, thus giving him access to far greater strength. This strength was now being brought to bear against Shadow, and he knew that he could not hope to overcome it.

However, overcoming his foe had not been his intention. Though outmatched, Shadow was far from weak, and had much greater experience. The spirit of the homunculus found itself needed to draw upon ever greater reserves of its consciousness and will to try and entrap its enemy's elusive essence. By the time it realized the trap, it was far too late. The angelic and demonic souls, while providing it with far greater power to draw upon, were also far more difficult to control, and the lapse in concentration had allowed them to slip their shackles. Freed, the enraged spirits now turned upon their captor, and it found itself assaulted on all sides by a flood of hostile energy.

Disengaging from his foe, Shadow's spirit returned to his host body, and as he rose from the floor, a demonic, mocking laughter rolled from his lips as he observed the results of his gambled. The homunculus stumbled about as though drunk, shrieking in pain and fury, its own weapon gone, its clawed hands tearing strips of flesh from its own body. Shadow turned his burning gaze on Kain, and indicated his handiwork with a contemptuous gesture.

"Weapons and armor mean nothing before true power," he growled...

Kain stared at his Humonculus in silence. The two of them appeared to be examining one another from head to toe, deliberating internally as to the next course of action. It was impressive to see how accurate the creation was. Same height, weight and even eye color. The two circling fiends both stopped at precisely the same time without pause. Tremendous power would egress from them into the surrounding area. Everything surrounding both juggernauts remained in a state of suspended animation; deteriorating on a molecular level from the sheer awesome power enveloping them. Drops of rain were unable to reach their final destination of earth and lightning appeared to slow down and watch what transpired. Much like humans driving by an accident on the highway would.

“So, you're the one I am based off of, eh?” the Homunculus spoke with a very matter-of-fact attitude. Its foundation was far from impressed.

“And you are what that wretch considers a monument erected in my honor. I thought she would have been a little more gracious on my looks. I do believe I'm a pretty good looking chap after all.”

“That explains my arrogance alright.”

“What is your game? Who sent all of you after us? Why?” Kain's insatiable thirst for knowledge was maddening. If he were to die, he would at least like to die knowing why his death came and from whom. There is nothing quite like waiting for centuries beyond the grave to hurt another individual for the rest of eternity.

“I intend to. She said you would ask questions if you knew the end was near and she gave me orders to answer them all.”

“Who is this 'she' you keep referring to?”

“Oh her? That's easy. 'SHE' is Tiferia Hystorm, the woman you abandoned for her daughter.”

“So she's still alive after all...”

“Of course she is. Sadly the same can't be said of you momentarily.”

With those words the Humonculus charged Kain faster than anyone or anything he'd ever witnessed. Never before had such speed been witnessed by Death's Harbinger and it terrified him to his core. Blocking wasn't even an option at this speed, all he could do was roll with what was coming and that was anything but pleasant. Kain's Humonculus' fist completely shattered War's jaw in a single blow. The Horseman could feel every single knuckle cave in his jaw line with minimal effort. No single word could describe how Kain felt. Part of him was terrified while another part of him lusted for the power that his Humonculus held. Another part was possessed with admiration for the abomination designed to replicate a God.

The Horseman’s healing factor which immediately healed his jaw. However it was unable to heal the shock and damage to his ego he felt from how much faster and stronger the Humonculus was. Being inferior to anyone was unacceptable to this being of power incarnate. Unfortunately that single blow was only the beginning of a terrible offensive flurry aimed at War. Bone crunching punches and kicks slammed into Kain at every which angle. Blood exploded into from the lips of War as he plummeted to Earth once more. He rose from the rubble of his crater and spat out blood. Every broken bone he suffered healed immediately upon impact. Those watching the battle prepared to step in and help their King. He wouldn’t have it. They were ordered to stand down while he charged at the clone again. Dozens of mirages appeared around him copying his movements. His speed and manipulation of the light spectrum aided in this elusive ploy to confuse a powerful enemy. The Humonculus responded by reciprocating War’s actions. Fists and feet were thrown by Kain but effortlessly knocked aside. A head-butt proved to be Kain’s reward for his tactics, a gift from his Humonculus. A spinning back elbow smashing his temple in happened to be the bonus blow.

Aizen distanced himself by inflaming the air around his Humonculus therefore inciting a powerful explosion to separate the two. With a few dozen feet worth of breathing room, Kain tried to rationalize this absolutely abysmal situation. Everything Kain needed to execute was deflected with ease. Clearly Kain’s standard tactics would not work but development begged the question of what would? Death’s Harbinger’s experience in combat was unparalleled. Being as skilled as he was proved to be more of a disadvantage than an advantage as one would hope. Kain battled with adversaries dwarfing his abilities tenfold however his talents in the art of engagement balanced the scale. His keen intellect managed to assist in subjugating those foolish enough to defy him. But this conflict was different; this foe’s skill met the unending standards of his predecessor and improved upon them. No fighting style was unknown to him, no technique a mystery. Considering victory in a one on one battle was futile. Two choices became abundantly clear to him. Submit, and confess to requiring his team’s help? Or die honorably in combat and allow everything to descend into darkness? What was a God to do?

While Kain stood lost in thought, War’s hopeful replacement recovered entirely. Chunks of rock twelve-feet in diameter hailed down on the battlefield. Jade embers engulfed each individual meteorite. Instinct beckoned Kain for a reaction which he gladly delivered. Lightning bolts were discharged from his hands to destroy the debris which doubled as cover for an advancing Humonculus. Explosive discharge after explosive discharge availed to nothing. Kain felt his chest cave in as a result of a well-placed palm thrust. An offensive maneuver with so much force behind it was guaranteed to send him reeling back. Siegfried’s hands latched onto the Humonculus’ arm and swung him into an exploding meteor. War proceeded to ramming his shoulder in his stunned enemy’s gut. The impact took both men on a one way journey back to Earth. They were a comet of inhumanity hurdling downwards. The Humonculus’ spine and ribs broke to pieces once they collided with Earth. Kain, having used his copy’s body to soften impact, continued his assault. Sitting on the beast’s torso Kain attacked with unbridled fury. Bludgeoning punches hammered away on a mirrored face; mercilessly tearing off flesh and grinding bone into dust. Kain’s claws emerged to continue the punishment. Blood covered War’s relentless hands with each furious desperate blow. A burst of energy knocked Kain into the air with a daze. A pair of arms gripped his waist before his body rest and slammed him down repeatedly on his neck. Each slam broke and re-broke the bone. Kain was left alone so his Humonculus could walk away for a moment to gather his bearings.

Aizen rolled over to his side then up to one knee. More blood cascaded down his mouth and nose. What could he do? The battle was hopeless. This vile beast knew everything Kain would do before he could. To make matters worse, exhaustion’s cold fingers gripped Kain’s body slowly taking him into a stranglehold. Yet an enchanted abomination standing not too far off showed no signs of that cruel mistress. Suddenly a calming voice echoed within his head. The voice was of his mother. She started calm but the tone she spoke with grew more urgent, grew more encouraging more damning.

“Kain, you are my son. You are the son of the Earth and hold all of the gifts this planet has to offer. He may have been designed to be more powerful than you and may fight like you, however there is one difference between the two of you; you were BORN to be the ultimate predator. Not created as a pale imitation. Stop fighting the warrior as a warrior; fight the warrior as a predator. It’s time you come into yourself Kain. Become the animal you need to become. Do it for Lyn.”

Kain glared as his mother’s words echoed through his head. Something came over him. War shook off his standard tendencies in combat. He didn’t behave like a warrior; he became an animal tapping into the hunting talents of the different predators which made him what he was. The most animalistic of his features became apparent at that moment as fangs grew and dripped venom and claws extended fully on both hands and feet. Within seconds a clash for the ages began. Kain and his fake stood toe to toe dishing out countless blows at a time. Adrenaline numbed Kain to the pain he felt. His other traits increased as well. Both combatants sprayed blood everywhere, shattering bones with each blow. Shockwaves knocked rain away more than any wind going through. Vicious punches were exchanged as if pain were currency quickly losing value. Finally something changed; Kain jumped over head and once an attack landed he hastily sped off. Another attack would come in and again he would retreat. The vampire suddenly became the spider. Venom squirted from his fangs at the Humonculus’ eyes temporarily blinding allowing Kain to jump in and slice open his arms using daggers which made part of his fingers. Each time the Humonculus attacked Kain, Kain dodged it on instinct, following his predatory senses, his evolutionary adaptations. Sadly, exhaustion tired Kain out quickly enough for his enemy to successfully pummel him for a brief period of time. Their battle was tiresome. Siegfried stood a short distance away from his successor; bleeding, tired and battered with a few broken bones. His healing factor had slowed down notably. His Humonculus stood covered in blood but still as if nothing happened to him minus a few cuts. He was fresh and able to go another 10 rounds if he wanted. Kain’s battered body could barely support his weight. He spoke his final words to what most likely he would’ve become in a different time.

“You may be stronger and faster than me. You may kill me Humonculus. But rest assured, you’ll spend the rest of eternity knowing nothing about you is original. Your beliefs, your ideologies and even your abilities are mirrors of me. The rest of your life will be spent trying to get out of my shadow, to outlive my legacy but you never will. My name will go throughout the ages and no matter what you do, all you will do is cement the legacy of Kain in history more. Nothing trumps the original you foolish copy. Nothing. You’re nothing but eyes without a face.”

Kain smiled a bloody a smile at the Humonculus. At that moment it charged him and rammed its fist through Kain’s chest holding his heart on the other side. Crimson mist erupted from War’s back and streamed down the Humonculus’ chest. It stared at Kain, looking him in the eyes arrogantly. Pain shot through its arm, then its body. The Humonculus roared in pain after pulling its bloodied arm clear from Kain’s chest who fell to his knees and smiled again. His plan worked.

“Idiot. You didn’t notice your wounds failed to heal completely? You didn’t notice that I stopped fighting almost completely? I baited you. Those cuts on your arms are laced with the toxin I created to nullify your healing factor. I needed to get my blood directly into your system without it touching the air. Fortunately, I knew you would do it for me given a little incentive. My blood is toxic to everything and anything whenever I want it to be. My Apocalypse virus should be melding to your system and devouring you from the inside out. That’s going to hurt a lot and more importantly, make you easy pickings for me.”

Kain stood on his feet while his Humonculus thrashed about on the floor like he did earlier. A chain of darkness wrapped around Kain’s clone’s throat to allow Kain to take it up into the air. Lightning flashed and lit up a devious smile. Slowly, every ounce of power existing within the Humonculus left its body and entered Kain’s leaving an empty husk. The vampire’s body emanated a multitude of different colors. Power arced from his body which rain quickly cleaned up. His clone’s body was incinerated by his dark art, Final Resting Black Lightning. Nothing was left. War returned to the ground, and walked towards those who went with him. He smiled deviously as he felt all his freshly acquired power surging through his body. Suddenly his head hurt and dropped to his knees. False memories dove into his mind telling him tales of how he witnessed the Humonculi hordes decimate his team, and that the last to fall was his beloved Lady Death, Lyn. Kain continued to tell himself they were lies but he knew his family fell to the Humonculi. Emotion drove him insane and into a frenzy. His claws dug into skull and tore off his face several times. With Lyn and the others dead, Kain was once again alone. He’d been stripped of his family and now had nothing. Enraged, he rose to his feet and spoke to Charlie, Aurora, Naamah and Shadow. His power uncontrolled.

“One week. You have one week to prepare for my return. Once that week is over, you all die and Lady Death will be the one to snuff out the flame of your insignificant lives you Humonculus trash. Pray to the Gods for mercy for I have none.”

Wings opened and Kain was gone. None would hear nor see him for the next seven days. Tenebrasque In would learn the true Price of Betrayal.

Lyn stood toe to toe with her homunculus that was until she decided to bring forth an army of the dead. Azra and Hex showed up at just the right time to aid in this matter as Lyn desperately tried to fight off a rising horde. By the time they showed up Lyn was losing ground fast and getting cut up. Her blood trickled down her body from wounds inflicted, but she would not retreat like others would. No she stood and fought as much as she could. Her clone belted out laughter as she witnessed her original falter slightly. With a burst of blades Azra was on the attack.

Lyn’s homunculus was faster, stronger, and much more powerful than the original. If Lyn continued without help she would have fallen under the creation’s grasp. Seeing the Dragon’s tail fury whip out slicing the undead the homunculus made her own version made from energy so real it looked metal like Lyn’s. Only difference was that Lyn’s blade had hidden talents. It was beginning to be a frugal battle as Azra threw fire and the copy dissipated it. Each attack was just passed aside. Lyn could feel Hex’s power and quickly mentally told Azra what to do. “Heat this b!#ch up from the inside.” She thought to Azra. Azra went in to cleave the copy in two, but was thrown back. Lyn looked over to see a new fire burn within her Battle sister. Azra got new breath and fought back even more so.

Lyn kept the homunculus from attacking with energy against as she flooded the air with a negative charge to neutralize the attacks from the copy. Azra took a brave attempt as she was stabbed by Lyn’s homunculus, but Azra returned the favor by stabbing the homunculus. Lyn could see the blade glowing red as it heated up. The homunculus tried to break free, but her inside were melting and the healing factor could not keep up. This was making her body break down from the inside. She struggled as much as she could. Lyn quickly moved in and grabbed a hold of the dying clone draining her of life, body, and soul. The undead horde fell back into the Earth where they belonged.

When Lyn was finished her hand felt like fire, but she shook off the feeling knowing things had to be taken care of. The powers she drove out from Azra’s homunculus were wreaking havoc within the icy bowels of Death. The Blizzard dragon blood did not take too kindly to the fire powers still within her. Lyn quickly took a deep breath allowing her own healing factor to at least cling to the flesh wounds and heal them before she began to move once more. This prevented reopening any wounds and allowed them to heal that much faster. After a few moments Lyn looked at Azra concerned. Azra was just as bloody as she was.

Seeing that Azra was doing fine Lyn looked out into the distance that was Tenebrasque In territory and flames danced in the distance. Lyn cursed under her breath knowing it would all have to be rebuilt after all the work to bring it to its’ glory. Lyn looked back to the General of the Tenebra armies and gave a single order.

“Get the army back on track. We don’t need another thinking we are weak and try to disperse another assault upon our home turf again.” Lyn then looked at Hex and calmly spoke, “Next time leave the dead to rest unless you know you can bring them back without recoil next time, but for now can you seek out the others and get a good head count also make sure no one else needs help destroying any of these abominations.”

Lyn’s voice was calm as she sighed in relief at least she knew Azra and Hex survived. She hoped the others survived as well. She wiped the blood from her face as she began walking up the hill. Her home land was once again splattered in blood like history had repeated upon these lands time and time again. Russian soil was not void of blood spill. Communications were down and Hex was the only way right now to contact the others. It was Lyn’s first priority to get that back online. Lyn casted a spell to transport her to the tower to see for herself the repairs needed. Once she arrived it was in shambles.

The tower was bent up and broken. The Tenebrasque In team was already at work setting up a temporary means to communicate with others. Each attempt did not look good. Lyn frowned as she watched the men work feverishly to get communication back online. It would take days to repair the damage done in one day.

After a days work the tower finally began transmitting communications again. Azra got what was left of the armies into working order. Hex reported all of the members of Tenebrasque In were well. All except for one the one Lyn cared for most of all. In seven days he would return and to finish things, but Lyn did not understand what Hex meant by repeating his words. It would all come out in the next Price of Betrayal.