The criminals have crossed the border between the Empire and our ally, the Kingdom of Kieris, which is currently occupied in an all out war against the Savage Blood Alliance. This kingdom is deemed fundamental to the safety of the Empire, as it blocks the onslaught of the Alliance from swarming the Empire, which is currently occupied with the invasion of the north against the dwarves and the war against the undead on the west. The seven criminals are considered extremely dangerous and lethal and have strong anti-imperial and anti-Lux sentiments. As such their capture or execution must be completed before they damage the Kingdom of Kieris in any relevant way. For this task we have decided to bring Imperial Manhunters to aid us in their search. This rebel filth shall not escape from us.

Report of an Imperial Officer

Edresia's Church, three days after the Royal Castle invasion

"Andrew, how are you doing?"

"Uh.... I'm good, thank you"

Andrew, who had just woken up and was eating some bread and milk, answered Edresia, who had been praying till that moment. She was wearing some normal sister clothes, and she had an incredibly nice perfume. But Andrew was too sleepy to notice.

"So, when are Trask and Leind coming back? They've been away for a while"

"Oh, they should be on their way. They were meant to be away for another week, but i guess that by now they received the news. Though i have no idea when they'll arrive"

She sat down besides Andrew and looked out of the window, admiring the singing birds. She was smiling gleefully, like everything was going perfectly. But for Andrew it was the exact opposite: in a while he would have to go visit Rulia, and he couldn't even avoid it, as she would find him easily. He also wanted to check on Rakhs and his boys, since Murgin told him they had gotten much stronger since the last time he saw them. So he finished his breakfast and got up from his seat, waking Edresia from her trance.

"Where are you going?" She asked with curiosity.

"At noon i have to see someone, so i'm going to prepare myself"

"But there's still three hours left to noon"

"I know, but i want to use the time i have" He didn't actually know the time, but he wanted to avoid any discussion about common arguments, so as to not cause confusion and suspicion.

"Uhm... can i accompany you? I don't have anything to do and Dles is still sleeping, and when she wakes up she's going to go to the market"

"Sorry, but it's kind of... a private matter" Andrew scratched his head, faking an awkward expression. Edresia didn't say anything but he could somehow feel she didn't exactly trust what he said.

"I want to respect your privacy, but could you tell me vaguely what is it about?"

"Ehm.... it's an old friend"

"Is it a problem if this friend of yours meets me?"

"Ssssssss.... yeeeeah... sorry..."

"I understand. I'll wait here then" She frowned a little bit, which Andrew noticed. Now that he knew that Edresia cared so much about him he really didn't want to see her down.

"Well, after i come back we'll do what you want, since you have to be alone"

"Oh, thank you so much for your kindness!" She lightened up immediately and held Andrew's hands. He blushed just a little bit, since she had gotten a bit too close to his face.

"No problem. Anyway, there's something i have to ask you"

"What is it?"

"Don't you have, ehm, work to do? Being the Arch-Cardinal and all"

"Oh, that! Of course i work!"

"How? You're always here!"

"Well, every morning after praying, Lanius, my bodyguard, visits me and gives me a full report of the last events and the situation of the Church. It takes me about three hours to sort out everything. That's why i alway wake up very early. Though today he didn't come. That only happens when there's nothing i have to take care of, which is more or less two times a year, it depends"

"That seems tiring. For both you and him"

"It is.... but since it allows me to be with my family i endure it. And for Lanius that isn't much, i assure you" She gave off a pure and radiant smile, which Andrew couldn't handle in any way.

"... Uhm, i guess i'll go dress myself now"

"As you wish"

Andrew left the dining room and walked to his bedroom, where after taking more or less twenty minutes to get ready he decided to go visit Rakhs, since there was still a lot of time. He searched for Edresia to warn her, and he found her taking care of the plants in the garden, though she wasn't very good at it. She either poured too much water or not enough, and she had no idea how to treat them well, as such Andrew thought it would have been better if she stopped.

"Edresia?"

"Yes, Andrew?" She turned around, still spilling water.

"Please, leave the plants to Dles"

"But, i-"

"No. Leave them to Dles, please"

Edresia understood, though she became very embarrassed about it, and her face reddened. Andrew let go of the argument.

"Ehm, Edresia, i'll have to go out a bit earlier"

"Uh, why? There's still a lot of time till noon"

"You see, i remembered that my friend wanted a souvenir, and as late as it is, i'll go buy one"

"That isn't good. You can't forget about something like that! Let me help you choose something. Just let me get ready"

"No, thank you, but i don't want to disturb you, and i want to do it by myself. Again, sorry"

".... I understand. Have fun"

Edresia faked a smile and went inside the Church. Andrew suddenly felt his heart slowly crushing itself.

"I... i messed up, didn't i?"

Andrew realized that he had been too insensitive towards her, and the painful and karmic fangs of guilt were now biting down on his heart. He promised himself to bring her a present to cheer her up afterwards, though he knew that alone wouldn't have been enough. So he left the church and went to the nearest sewer entrance which wasn't far. There were some in the middle of the road, but those of course weren't an option during the day, so he entered an alley, opened the small bars that stopped him from getting inside and jumped down. The stench didn't please him, nor did the various insects that lurked around. He thanked the fact that he could naturally feel where the Altar was, though it was something he only noticed at that moment in time, since he didn't need to go to the Altar till that moment. He roamed throughout the dark maze that were the sewers, carefully avoiding any piece of garbage, feces and generally anything he considered too unhygienic thanks to his [Night Vision]. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally reached the Creakers' territory, where he saw that the Kradlaits were incredibly energetic, continually moving around while carrying various containers. While he was admiring them, he saw Rakhs coming up to him, still clad in his black hood.

"My boy! It's been a while! How are you doing? Heard from the little ones you kicked some arse at the castle!"

"I did, i did. So, uhm, Murgin told me you were expanding a lot"

"We are! We basically doubled our territory with all the tunnels we made, and with all the new additions to the tribe we're sure to be able to expand even more! Oh, my lad, do you remember the Deathstormer?"

"You mean the gatli-giant gun, right?"

"Exactly? Well, ya know what?"

"What?"

"We've reverse engineered it!"

"Excuse me? You managed to reverse-engineer it?"

"So you know what it means! Well, yes and know..... we've got like ten modified versions of those things!"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeeeeees, my lad! I'm pretty sure we could conquer this city anytime! But we'll do that only with your permission of course... Do we have it?"

"No, not right now. It would gain us nothing to conquer it as it is"

"If ya say so. So, what are you doing recently?"

"Blending in, i guess"

"..... That is not nearly as cool as what i thought. It's actually disappointing really"

"Oh, shut up. Anyway, i'd like to know in detail what is happening here, can i?"

"Of course. Follow me!"

Rakhs lead Andrew around their lair, first of all showing him just how much the Altar had grown. It seemed like an actual underground temple when they saw it. After that the rat leader gave him a map of the new complex tunnel system they had created and explained where everything was. In the sewers there was the main area, where everyone slept and prepared the building materials, while right under it they had created an armory for all the weapons and ammo they stole from the Anti-Infestation, along with the Deathstormers. Beside it there were the training grounds, as Rakhs deemed necessary turning his gang into actual soldiers. Below those laid the labs, where they tried to recover the lost knowledge of their ancestors, like magic and alchemy, along with technology, but the latter wasn't studied much due to their complete lack of information apart from the Deathstormers. The labs were also know to the rats as "Boom Land". And at the last and deepest floor they had made an actual working factory, though it wasn't still producing anything. Rakhs said it would have been used for weapons when it was ready.

"Rakhs, where did you get all the materials to build this military base?"

"You would be surprised at how easy it is to steal from people in the slums, particularly rich black merchants, my lad"

"Black merchants?"

"Illegal traders, smugglers, slavers, that kind of merchants. They have all sorts of money and resources! And the best thing is: nobody questions it!"

"Of course they don't. Still, pretty damn impressive. You could launch an assault from here. Regarding that, how many people do you have with you?"

"Ehm, i'm not sure..... hey Kakra! How many people do we have?" He shouted at a grey clothed Kradlait that was checking some boxes.

"It was fifty thousand the last time i checked! Also, i don't think making one guy count all of them is a good idea!"

"Trivial details! Anyway, yeah, fifty thousand"

"That is a lot"

"Eh, by Kradlaits standards we're not that many. At least that's as far as i know. I didn't meet any other Kradlait apart from us, so all my knowledge comes from old tales"

"That doesn't surprise me, i mean, you were isolated here for a long time. By the way, can you tell me the time?"

"Sure. KAKRA, WHAT'S THE TIME?!?"

"STOP SHOUTING YOU DEAF BASTARD, I'M HERE!" He took out a rusted clock from his pocket, loot from a lucky attack on one of those black merchants.

"IT'S A QUARTER TO NOON SHITTY BOSS!"

"LANGUAGE! GIVE ME SOME RESPECT YOU DEVILDAMN BOOKWORM!"

"SUCK MY CHEESE!"

"IF IT WASN'T FOR MY LAD RIGHT HERE I WOULD HAVE ALREADY PUT YOU ON THE GUN TRAINING RANGE, YOU RAT!"

"I AM A RAT! YOU ARE A RAT! EVERYONE'S HERE A FUCKING RAT!"

"TRIVIAL DETAILS!"

"Rakhs?"

".... Sorry.... i... don't have an excuse for that. So, yeah, a quarter to noon"

"Shit. Can you lead me to the main plaza?"

"Of course! It will only take us twenty-five min-"

"I'll need fifteen minutes"

"Well, i can tell you where it is more or less, and you can teleport there"

"No, i don't really think i should even try teleporting in such an enclosed space"

"Why? It's a cool ability, use it"

"Yes, but i don't want to risk mixing with the wall"

"That sounds really painful. But i have an idea. Kakra!"

"What?" Kakra was carrying some containers when he was called, and he was annoyed at being interrupted.

"Bring the Plague Rider!"

Kakra dropped the container.

"You sure? It's just a prototype"

"Yes, bring it, it's a good time to test it anyway!"

"Ok"

Kakra disappeared behind a corner and after five minutes he returned with some twisted mass of metal that somehow resembled a quad with a steam engine on its back. The hand grips were long and the four wheels it had were massive and made of metal. Andrew thought it had come from an heavy metal album cover.

"Rakhs, what is that? Because it doesn't seem safe"

"Great intuition because it isn't"

"You know, i just remembered, i can just buff the both of us to run faster"

"Oh, come one, that's boring! My lad, let's use it!"

"Absolutely not. I bet people would be able to hear it from above the sewers! Also, how the hell did nobody notice all this construction going on?"

"We have put some silencing runes all around. We didn't really need them before now, but they work perfectly.... Anywaaaaaay, just buff me...... boring"

Andrew buffed the both of them with [Haste], which made the travel from there to the exit much faster. When they reached the exit Andrew said goodbye to Rakhs and left behind the stench and dirt of the sewers. He once again ended up in an alley, where he could see that the plaza was already lively, full of merchants, farmers and adventurers passing through. He walked into it, but he had no idea where Rulia was. But he didn't need to know.

"Andrew! I'm here!"

*Damn, she's fast*

He turned around and saw her in the middle of the crowd, walking towards him. She had the same long red coat and black skin tight assassin suit she always wore, along with her daggers. She looked like an average adventurer.

"Oh, hi Rulia! So, where are we going exactly?"

"Nowhere really, we're just going to walk around, is it okay with you?"

"No problem with me. But, let's get to the point, what do you want?"

"Don't be so cold! I just want to hang around with you! Meanie!"

"Ok, ok, sorry"

"You're forgiven! Anyway, i'll answer your questions!"

They began walking around, without any real destination.

"So, the Darksiders Guild, which is the Dark Almighty version of the Adventurers Guild if you somehow forgot or don't know, wants you to join its ranks"

"Uhuh, i get that, but i am not interested"

"But you would get all sorts of bonuses!"

"Like?"

"Well, money for jobs, fame, power, authority"

"Don't care about that"

"REALLY?!? That always works, one way or another!"

"Not with me. Sorry but i don't need anything of that"

"Uuuuuugh, auntie even said someone like you would have been fundamental"

"Auntie?"

"Oh, she's the one who raised me! She's nice and incredibly strong too! She's also very serious....."

"Uhm, i see. But that doesn't change anything"

"Ooooww. Then we can do a compromise!"

"And that is?"

"Let's just say that you don't have to join, but we'll still support you, at the condition that you help us too! Like business partners!"

"That sounds better. But what kind of support?"

"Information, weapons, magic tomes, allies, things like that. Though you will have to work harder than a normal member for those. Auntie said that if you want to do this option you have to prove yourself worthy as a business partner"

"How do i do that?"

"She gave me three possible tasks for you: Kill Hero Jupir"

"Can do that"

"You can kill the king"

"I'd rather avoid that for now"

"And last one, the hardest and the one that'll give you more benefits: help the Savage Blood Alliance conquer Kieris"

"That... seems hard"

"Yes, but if you do it auntie said you'll be on an equal level with the Guild, like partners. The other will just make you look like a reliable ally"

"Uuuuuhm"

*That will be much harder than all the other things i did, but then...... i'll have the chance of making more Altars, along with getting an orc army. They did say there were goblins, hobgoblins and trolls, but i'm more interested in orcs. Usually they're pretty strong, at least regarding my world's fantasy* Andrew was thinking intensively to himself, and after a while, he answered.

"I think i'll try the third option"

"Wow, the hardest one, really? I don't think you should.... if you die you can't play with me!"

"I won't die, calm down"

"If you say so..... so, done deal, right?"

"Done deal"

"Yaaaaaaaay. I have to tell auntie"

Rulia was about to dash away, as her job was done but Andrew grabbed her.

"What's the matter? I don't think playing in the middle of the city is a good idea"

"I do not want to play. I.... i mean, we are going to collaborate, no?"

"Well, yes we are. So?"

"I think that if we have to collaborate, we're gonna have to know each other better"

"Better....? But why do you care? I thought you were scared of me"

"Well, i am, a little bit, but that doesn't mean i don't like you"

"I... i see"

Her usually permanent smile disappeared and left space to a calm, relaxed, almost peaceful expression. They remained silent for a while, until they reached a park where they sat on a bench. The park was full of colorful flowers and trees, almost making it seem like the incarnation of spring. The birds flied around, there were even some squirrels munching on some nuts. There weren't many people and the silence seemed almost sacred. But Rulia broke it nonetheless.

"So...... what do you want to know?"

"Uhm.... where... do you come from?"

"..... I come from a village far away.... to the south west"

"How is it?"

"It.... isn't there anymore" She looked at the ground, like she was in a trance. Andrew found it hard to look at her in such a state.

"Ehm.... sorry"

"...No, it doesn't matter. So, now it's your turn. Where do you come from?"

"I come from a city of the west, very far away"

"Is it a good city?"

"It is"

"....."

"..... I know this, you know, maybe it's private but.... why were those adventurers so pissed with you?"

".... I killed their leader"

"Why?"

"He wanted to kill a family of wolves.... just because he thought it was fun.... not even for the money that the fur would gain him"

"You don't like... people killing for fun?"

"I know what you're thinking, and i know that i do enjoy doing those things, but not in such a senseless manner. That's just... plain cruel and useless"

"So... you're saying you enjoy it, but you never begin doing it without a good reason"

"Yes, more or less"

"So, just to recruit me you had to hunt me down?"

"Good reason is a very open definition! Tehehehehe" She laughed for a moment, before returning to her calm demeanor. Andrew felt a bit relieved that she could still laugh.

"... Why did you join them anyway? Actually.... forced them to let you join their group?"

"I didn't know the area, so i preferred to have a guide. And since i didn't like them i found it funny to mess with them"

"I see.... thanks, anyway"

"For what?" She faced curiously at him.

"For.... talking, it must have seemed strange that i just asked something like that"

".... Hahahahah. I actually like talking with you. There aren't many people that willingly talk to me"

"I can imagine"

"Come on, you're so mean" She kept hitting very lightly on the shoulder.

"Hahahaha, i'm joking, i'm joking"

"Well, it was fun, but i have to go now. I have to tell auntie"

"Of course. Bye"

"Bye..... Andrew, ehm...."

"Yes?"

"I hope we play again!"

She dashed off into the distance, smiling gleefully like a child. Andrew was left alone in the park, his only companions the birds and squirrels that had began to swarm around him for some reason. It was something that happened even back on Earth, the moment he was alone, relaxing outside, all the animals began to surround him. It was odd really, as odd as his invincible chaotic hair. But there was only one thing that worried him at that time, as a squirrel mistook his hair for his bed.

"Now, it seems i'm gonna have to cheer up Edresia *sigh*, it will be an hard job"

And so Andrew began the search for a present and the right words for forgiveness, determined and guilty.

Somewhere near the western border of Kieris, That same day

"So how did it go Haven?" A man spoke, he and his listeners residing in the ruins of an old castle in the forest. His body was completely covered by a black, sleek and light armor. He had a long sword at his waist and his white hair fluttered from his helm, which couldn't keep it all inside, and his long and pointed ears stood out.

"Yeeees, it went well, my children found out many interesting things, Eyils"

He was answered by a man that represented the entire opposite of his nobility. He wore a dark, long, dusty and ruined grey coat, his teeth were yellow and rotten, his hands the definition of decayed. But the worst and most disgusting characteristic of all was his face: while it was covered by a hood, it could not hide the many hungry parasites that inhabited it. In fact all his visage was covered by hundreds of roaches, worms, spiders, flies and any insect that found its way to it.

"The imperial dogs have found their way beyond the borderrrrsss. There wasn't much this nation could do to refuseeee"

"I am not surprised. The imperials are persistent" The word had passed to a man wearing an incredibly heavy looking silver colored armor. Its shoulder pads were huge, his lower body covered not only by the leg armor but iron plates overlapping a red tunic. His helm was huge, heavy and its upper part resembled an eagle biting down on it. He held a battle mace in his right hand and a greatshield in his left.

"Indeed Warhound, indeed" The black knight responded.

"So, what do we do? I'd go slaughter them all" Another one of their comrades expressed his opinion on the matter. Between them he was most likely the oddest, as he wasn't even alive. He was a skeleton, his bones as black as tar, releasing some strange kind of black smoke, and what were once his eyes were now only two small red lights. His body was covered by some ragged adventurer clothes, which almost made him look like a bandit. But the most notable characteristic about him was a giant wooden wheel stuck between his ribs.

"That would be stupid. You should think things through a little more Revenant" His foolishness was pointed out by a plague doctor looking fellow, currently checking on another person, who was wearing a heavy, dark bronze metal suit. He had some sort of huge tank on his back and his head was covered by a helmet that resembled a gas mask. All the spaces between the metal parts of his armor were covered in red and he had enormous gauntlets on his hands.

"Fine, Painkiller. More like Funkiller"

"Wow, the amount of childishness you just showed is something that would surprise even a child. Now stay silent and let me make my armor check on Willowisp"

"Yeah, yeah"

They stopped discussing between each other, and Willowisp began singing a lullaby.

"Deep, deep into the niiiiiight

A man walks alone in the dark

Haunted by the will o' wiiiisp

Running from the foolish fires of the paaast" His voice was rough, raspy, unsettling, the complete opposite of what one would expect from a lullaby.

"Yeah, buddy, that was really nice. You really sing well" Painkiller kept patting him on the back, his bird like mask hiding a warm smile. Everyone else looked at them like one would look at a father and child.

"Isn't it great when we talk calmly between ourselves, instead of discussing foolish matters?" Their last member expressed his appreciation towards that calm. He seemed to be a buddhist monk, with red pants, a thick Shinto rope serving as his belt, a red strap of cloth that reached his left shoulder and steel gauntlets, forged so as to resemble an oni. But strangely his head was covered by a ruined red piece of cloth, which had a woven smiling face, like it was done by a child.

"You are right Naraka, but now we have to plan our next move" Said Eyils.

"But what are weeee supposed to dooo? We are not strong enough to get our revengeeee as we areeee now"

"Eyils can't you just call Soprano? You knew him for a long time, no?"

"No, i will not call him"

"But why? He's freaking strong, if you ca-"

"SILENCE REVENANT. He is..... too far gone to help us anymore"

"..... Sorry"

"It does not matter. Anyway if we want to have our vengeance we're going to have to weaken our enemy first"

"The Empire is not an option for now. But the Church....."

"Yes, Warhound, the Church will be an easier target. Haven, i seem to recall hearing that there's an Arch-Cardinal in this country"

"Indeeeeed, there is oneeee. My children heard abouuuut it. Soprano attacked the Royal Castle of this country, and she was thereeee"

"........ Then we should aim for her. Any objections about it?"

He was answered with silence.

"Then it is decided"

He walked to one of the windows of the destroyed castle and looked at the horizon, over the immense forest.

"We shall kill the Arch-Cardinal of Kieris. For our vengeance"

"For our vengeance" They replied in chorus, their words full of rage, regret, and grief.

And they knew, that no matter what, none of them had a future.

And what is life to a man with no future?

Nothing. Only blood could fill their endless voids, and only blood could sign their end.

For that, is the path of vengeance.

P.s. To all of you that are wondering how all the paperwork of an entire nation's church can be handled in only three hours i answer two things: First: this is a medieval like country, so no bureaucracy, much less paperwork.

Second: Most churches (i mean the buildings, not the religions themselves) handle their problems themselves in real life, and i don't see why a high ranking church member should worry about things other than leading the faithful and handling internal problems or demon/evil/monster invasions against the Church, which there aren't any of as far as Edresia knows (highlight internal problems), so yeah, not that much work to do.