The War

"Now, now, what to do with you. I have a question: Who is my father."

"Why should I tell you?"

"Who my father is. Name, rank, species, age."

"And what if I chose not to?"

Daniel felt sharp pain in some old wounds on his face. His eyes opened slowly to find himself surrounded by blackness. "Way to go." A familiar voice came from behind him. "Looks like you're dead."

"Then I won't even bother questioning you. The city is on maximum lockdown and evacuation." She turned to address the others. "Take Arianna and leave. Take the last boat and the gate will close behind you. The citizens will be teleported to the other branches."

Gustav simply stood there. "Surely you don't intend to leave your husband in his current condition?"

Joshua was trying to get to his feet, but lacked the strength to do so. After a while he gave up and began drawing symbols with his own blood.

Daniel turned to face the voice. It came from a rather large wolf. He knew this wolf, but of all the wolves he knew, he was unable to recall this one's name. The wolf stared at him with malicious intent.

"He's dead already." Dark said coldly. "Thanks to you."

Gustav chuckled to himself. "Indeed he is." He said proudly.

"Remember me?" The wolf asked, sounding almost angry. "Zakuro..." Daniel realized suddenly. Before he could react the wolf knocked him off his feet and pinned him to the ground. "That's right."

Joshua finished his drawing and began mumbling something to himself. There was a faint flash of light and he was once again able to stand.

"Why are you so proud? From what I understand, I'm the real prize."

"Oh, of course you are." Gustav said. "Not that you could ever fully understand the depth of my plans."

Joshua stood there, barely still alive and just listened to their conversation.

"Nor you Lycar." She replied with ease.

Gustav sighed. "You're oddly calm for one who just lost her husband."

"If I'll be meeting him soon, why shall I panic?"

"Meeting him soon?" Gustav asked. "You're kidding right. I didn't kill your parents and run painful experiments on you for years just for you to give up like that."

"The one true secret in life, know when to let it go. So here I am, letting it go."

"And what of your daughter? What will happen to her?"

"She is my kin, she will live and she will fight, and she will make a name for herself."

"But do you truly want her to have to grow up without parents, alone in the woods?"

"She'll have parents, and she won't be alone, nor in the woods."

Gustav started to speak, but stopped when he noticed Katra's battleaxe begin to glow. Grey energy began to pour from it and Gustav watched as it began to move. He knew that it was Joshua's Reaper energy, diluted by Daniel's human blood, and according to his calculations it would be attracted to the person closest to death in the surrounding area, granting them the powers of a Reaper. However, rather than moving to Gustav, who was bleeding all over the floor, the energy head straight for Daniel. It enveloped his body like a mist and when it cleared the body was gone.

Dark was very confused as she knew nothing about reapers, but was rather agitated when her mate's body dissapeared. "What the hell did you do." She asked Gustav, 'calmly'.

Gustav had no answers. "I don't know. The Reaper's power was supposed to grant me immortality, but it would seem I have made some sort of... miscalculation."

Dark gave a little grin. "The great Gustav, foiled by his own creation."

"Is that so? I hardly think it would be appropriate to say-" Gustav was cut off as a sharp metal blade entered his back, severing the spine. He spat out blood as it began to fill his mouth.

As figure in a familiar black cloak stood behind him, holding Soul's Bane in one hand. "You talk too much," the Reaper spoke. "Why don't you just die already." The life left Gustav's eyes as he fell to the floor.

Dark applauded.