Esotericism

>To say he owed the Church everything, would be an understatement.
>David had been orphaned at birth.
>He was raised by the Church, educated and trained.
>It was the Church that taught him how to pray, the Church that was his family.
>The Church that made him the man he was today.
>The same Church that had helped him adopt a young boy into his new family and help raise him.
>David was blessed, to say the least.
>He had always been a devout man, praying and thanking God for the many blessings.
>For one, he was healthy, tall and strong.
>Along with being clever and skilled.
>Then came his incredible constitution, allowing him to go through the Church's treatment of turning him into a super soldier, known as a Paladin.
>He grew among the ranks of the Order of Paladins, often leading countless troops to fighting the Demon Empire and liberating Human settlements.
>The Church was set on exterminating any threats to Humanity, rightfully so after the last two Demon Lords, Khan and Ravana nearly destroyed the world with their wars, almost two hundred years ago.
>David was the latest in the Church's new experimental programme, using a mixture of Science and Miracles bestowed upon them by God to engineer Super Soldiers to fight the more powerful Monsters, these Paladins - Heavily armoured and well equipped, able to harness Light magic and decimate even the strongest of monsters.
>It was only after he had turned twenty, where an Angel was sent down by God, granting him powers.
>He was designated as this generations Hero - The ultimate Honour for any man.
>David was blessed with immense strength and power, through his faith and willpower, he grew strong enough to rival the Demon Lord themselves.
>His destiny was to slay the Demon Lord, thus ending the war.
>Needless to say, he was happy that he had the strength to finally do what he could never before.
>His adopted younger brother's parents had betrayed the Church to Demons when he was young, leading to suspicion almost having the boy persecuted.
>David saw an opportunity to save someone, and used his reputation to take the boy in.
>Slowly, he had found something new in life, the miracle of raising youth.
>Despite David being quite young to raise someone a few years younger than him, it had forced him to mature quickly, and made him learn the value of Family.
>To say that looking after his new brother was his life, would be an understatement.
>Soon enough, everything David did, whether it came to fighting, working or even praying was in his Brother's sake, to hope for his best.
>He wanted nothing more than to protect the most innocent and pure thing to him, even it meant his own life.
>Including being overly-protective, deciding to force his younger brother to train intensely.
>The years went by, David balancing his duty as the Commander of Paladins and raising his younger brother.
>Money came in, and he slowly saved each year, putting aside enough of his generous salary for the future.
>His younger brother's schooling and education came first, David had been incredibly impressed with how the young boy, now a teenager, went through school.
>He could easily say his brother was far more intelligent than him, he wished to himself that even with his immense strength, he knew not of politics or managing a country, he hoped that if he had the power to stop a war, his brother could be the one to fix the world after.
>Finally, David had saved up and purchased a decent-sized plot of land, with a medium-sized home for the two brothers to live in.
>The next few years passed comfortably, life was pleasant and both boys flourished.
>But good times never last.
>The declaration of war came, the Demon Empire and the Church had finally officially come to fighting terms.
>Countless lives were lost and David was shipped off nearly instantly, with his younger brother now of fighting age.
>His brother was conscripted as an officer in the Army, unfortunately lacking the talent needed for the Paladin Order, or the Knight corps.
>David had hoped better, but both brothers were distanced with the war, barely able to see each other.
>Whilst his brother was shipped off to the East to gather allies and defeat the Demon Empire's allied forces, David was sent around, fighting the Demon Lord's army and their top generals.
>Each victory led to countless lives being killed on both sides, with David slowly growing distant from his family, he grew lonely and often began to ponder to himself.
>Doubts began to nurture in his heart, wondering why Humans and monsters must continue to fight.
>The war had lead to countless monsters who were against the war befriending David, with the young hero learning more about the different cultures, seeing many Human-Monster romances too.
>It was alien to him at first, but he had grown accustomed to it over time, and sometimes considered it, after the war was over.
>The war, something David had grown desperate to end.
>He had missed his family, the frequency of letters between the brothers grew with length, both too busy at their posts.
>Soon enough, he had just prioritized doing whatever he could to save lives of either force and avoid conflict.
>Finally though, he was given the order of assassinating the Demon Lord in hopes of scattering the Empire and ending the war prematurely.
>David's hopes were given fire, and he set out to find the Royal Palace.
>The only problem was that it was located in the heart of Africa, the most vicious continent on the planet.
>Remnants of old civilizations, dead Gods and Kings, along with some of the most powerful monsters lived there.
>It was inhospitable for many men, although it was once said that Man had tamed the wildlands of Africa, the days of Man's dominance begun to fade with the rise of the Demon Empire.
>Most men had been incubized, turned into elite soldiers for the empire.
>What they lacked in technology they made up for in sheer numbers and raw strength, an Incubi Knight easily able to take on a poorly co-ordinated squad of regular soldiers.
>But David was not normal, far from it.
>His journey had just begun, venturing into the African wildlands, slaughtering everything in his path to find the Demon Lord and end this bloody war.


>It had taken a year, but David had finally located the palace.
>The entire realm, was unlike the rest of Africa.
>Unstable energy and dark magics weaved into the very fabric of his surroundings, the energy that Monsters use to weave their spells and power their soldiers.
>This place could easily turn a regular person into a Monster with short exposure.
>Fortunately, David's armour kept him protected, as he was focused on one thing only - Finding the Demon Lord and killing him.
>He thought of his younger brother, fighting on the frontlines, working his best to protect people.
>Even if he died here, he knew that he raised his brother right, and uttered a prayer to his God to protect and bless his brother the same way his God had blessed him.
>Taking a final look at the map he had taken from one of the Empire's generals, he studied the castle's blueprints and located the throne room.
>The fastest way to complete his goal was to storm the room, assassinate the Demon Lord and escape.
>He could finally go back home and return to tending his garden, perhaps even do cook-offs with his younger brother like they used to.
>The rush of nostalgia hit him, as he took one final minute of resting, before finishing up scouting.
>It was now or never.
>With a single word, he blinked to the front gates of the Palace, surprising the two Incubi soldiers on duty.
>Before they could respond, he punched the first hard enough to knock him out cold, whilst delivering a powerful kick to the other, sending him flying to the wall.
>The sound of metal bashing to the ground echoed throughout the quiet palace and David resorted to moving as fast as possible.
>He jumped, uttering another word of his magic to send him through one of the larger windows.
>Rolling through, his clunky armour loudly announcing his entrance, he looked around to surprisingly find no monsters or warriors at all.
>Perhaps he was quieter than he expected... Nah.
>Or it was a bank holiday?
>Did Monsters even have those?
>Shrugging, he glanced at the blueprints again.
>This was the royal apartments, meaning that the throne room was only a few minutes away.
>He took in another breath, rushing as fast as he could.
>On the lookout for any potential threats, he was confused with no one in the palace at all.
>Perhaps the Demon Lord knew, and pushed all his forces to the throne, for some sort of epic finale.
>Fitting and poetic, if so, David could admit that he admired the concept of a heroic battle.
>He had always had a strong sense of justice and heroism, even if he often downplayed it.
>A few minutes had passed as he had rushed through the palace, taking time to admire the many portraits and paintings - Mostly of Monster women, or Mamono, as they preferred to be called.
>Rather beautiful pictures at that too.
>Shaking his head, David sighed, this place's corruption had begun to get to him.
>The Palace itself was Gothic in design, most likely originally Colonial architecture from a bygone age, now taken by the Demons as their own fortress.
>Kept in beautiful shape, he had always admired the Cathedrals back home, often spending hours studying them.
>He had found himself taking his time, slowly walking through the seemingly empty castle, as he finally walked outside the throne room.
>It was time, this was where the end of his journey happened.
>He sighed, a final time, ushering a final prayer before kicking the door in.
>A red carpet accompanied the marble flooring, with torches on both sides of the room lighting up like a circuit.
>Unsheating his sabre, he walked into the throne room, studying the room inquisitively for any potential threat or surprised.
>He continued to walk up, spotting the shadowy, horned figure sitting by the throne up ahead.
>This had to be the Demon Lord, it was time.
"Demon Lord! I have come to kill you on behalf of the Church, to end this war. But I am not without mercy, surrender to me now and I will grant you a swift death!"
>His threat was met with a fit of laughter...
>Female laughter.
>Slowly the shadowy figure stood up, strutting towards him.
>It was only now where David reaized the horned figure was not a man, but a female.
>VERY feminine.
>Her hips swayed with every step, whether the Demoness did intentionally or not was questionable.
>Slowly, the light descended onto her figure and David had to stop himself from staring.
>He may have grown up in the Church, and been a dedicated Paladin, but he was still a Man foremost.
>She was easily the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, clad in naught but a red dress and a crown on her head.
>Voluptous, with dark blue skin, long flowing hair and dark eyes that could seduce anyone that looked for too long.
>A pair of bat-like wings sprouted from her back, along with a spade like tail.
>Her voice sweet, like honey.
>Was this the power of Demonesses, able to have seduced so many great heroes in the past?
>He refused to falter, no matter how beautiful and alluring she was, he was a Hero, the saviour of Humanity, he just wanted to go home and end the war.
>Slowly, the Demoness walked towards him, smirking.
>"Well, hello there, Hero. I've been expecting you."
>The way she hung on every word unnerved him, but he kept his blade raised at her.
"Yeah, I'm here for the Demon Lord, do you know where he is?"
>Another giggle.
>"Silly Hero, I'm the Demon Lord!"
"What? Is this some kind of joke?"
>David's shock nearly made him break composure, but he desperately held himself back.
>She merely nodded and continued on.
>"Yes, I am Demon Lord Astaroth, it's a pleasure to meet you. What is your name, Hero?"
"It's D- Wait, why should I tell you, you're the Demon Lord!"
>David barks at her, continuing to hold his blade to her throat.
>Astaroth merely shrugs it off, continuing.
>"You're kind of cute, you know. I love how you're trying to act tough. Now tell me your name, it's only fair since I've told you mine."
"David. My name is David..."
>"See? You've got a cute name too. Now, why are you here to kill me, David? I mean I already know why, but I want to know specifically from you."
"Isn't it obvious? To end this war and so I can go home. I've seen countless lives taken by this, I don't want to see any more Human or Monster lives taken away."
>She raises her eyebrows and places a hand over his, slowly lowering his blade.
"H-hey, let go of me, you can't do that!"
>"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. You'd probably beat me in a fight anyway. I just want to talk with you, Hero."
>David sheathed his blade, nodding.
>"I'm surprised you mentioned Monster lives, most Humans only ever care about Humans. You care about Monsters despite what the Church says?"
"I care about all lives, I've spent a lot of time during the war protecting villages full of Humans and Monsters living together, from your Imperial soldiers. I don't want to see anymore dead, Lady Astaroth. No more broken families, no more dead children and no more tears. I haven't heard from my younger brother in over a year, he's the only family I have left, if I lose him too... I want to go home. I want to see the lush gardens of my hometown, I want to see my brother again and I want this war to end."
>The blue Demoness's tone changes, becoming far more serious.
>Tears pour down her cheeks, as she looks down in a mix of guilt and regret.
>"I know... I've lost so many of my own too, I'm sorry you've lost so much."
"It's not me who's lost much, it's others. If you're so sorry, why did you start a war in the first place?"
>Shaking her head, she clutches David's arm, staring past his helmet, as if into his soul.
>"Believe me, I did not. The Church waged it against us, as orders from God."
"God would never issue a war that would harm so many, Monster or Human. He would never try to harm so many lives for nothing. You may all be seen as vile, but you are people too. My God is compassionate and loving, how could I believe that?"
>"Oh, David, if only you knew..."
>She pressed her head against his helmet, a spark sending plethoras of memories from her to him.
>Flashbacks that weren't his own flushed through his head, visions of his God, of Astaroth fighting against him.
>Of his words, uttering death to Monsters.
>The rush of memories finished leaving David hyperventilating.
>He legs quivered in anxiousness, as he tore off his helmet.
>Slowly, he calmed himself down, shaking his head, before facing Astaroth again.
"Those were real, weren't they? Even if my conscious wants to deny them, they seem very real."
>"They are, unfortunately. I'm sorry you had to find out this way."
"It's not your fault... I've just apparantley lived my entire life thinking my God was far nicer than I realized. What about the Church? They've done so much good for people though."
>"They have, but they also answer to your God. It's a two-way street. They help people and unite under him, but they are subject to his will then."
"My... My entire life. The church is still good though, I'm sure it's fine!"
>"Perhaps, perhaps not. Did you know the upper ranks are all controlled by corrupt officials? That your system has a way where the rich can commit evil their entire life, donate a load of money and be guaranteed for heaven no matter what?"
>Shaking his head, his eyes begun to widen in shock.
>"The Church has done a lot of good for man, my hero David, but you must understand that it is not perfect, as neither is the Demon Empire, I assure you. But the main focus is ending this horrible war."
>He nodded, sighing.
>This was too much for him to take in.
"You... You never really wanted to fight, did you?"
>She shook her head.
"I thought so. Also, why are you called the Demon Lord? You're a female."
>"Honourary title."
>Nodding, David paced around the throne room, examining it.
"I... I don't know what to do anymore. I came here thinking that if I killed you, we'd end the war and I could go home..."
>Giggling, she walks alongside him.
>"Well, that wouldn't have worked anyway, killing me would just lead to a new Demon Lord, and maybe the War could go on, or get worse. Right now, it's a stalemate. You being sent to kill me was their only hope of really pushing forward the Human side."
"So, I'm just a tool for the Church's elites."
>"I hate to say it, but yes. But don't get me wrong! I've paid attention to the things you've done, you've done a lot of good, you've saved so many Mamono and Humans, if anything, you are a true hero."
>David glanced away, desperately trying to avoid letting the smug demoness see his face turn red in embarassment.
"Thank you."
>"So, now that you're here, do you still want to end the war?"
"Of course. We just have to figure a way out, together."
>He grabbed her hand, looking at her directly.
>It was Astaroth's turn to blush.
>"T-together? Y-you mean like when a boy and a gir-"
"Astaroth, I'm sorry I tried to kill you. And I know we've just met, but you and I have power, and together we can end this war. We've both seen so much death, I'm not that smart, but I'm a Hero, I'll help you in any way I can. I need you for this."
>"Oh... You meant like that. Of course! I was going to ask you the same thing. But there's a list of things we need to do before we can truly start ending the war."
"What are those?"
>The blue Demoness began to fidget, playing with her hair and stuttering.
>"Well... We need to be... Together, you know?"
"Are you proposing marriage?"
>"Yes!"
>Within an instant, the young hero fell to a knee, holding her hand.
"If this is to end the war and save the world, I'll gladly do it. But to be honest, I have no experience at this sort of thing whatsoever."
>"Neither do I, actually."
"Wait, really?"
>"Yes, I'm a virgin! Is that really hard to believe?"
"Well, you know they say a lot of things about Dem-"
>"Shut up! I get it, other Mamono my age went out to get a Husband when I was doing politics."
>Wincing, David brought himself back up.
"You shouldn''t be upset over it, in a way, you're like a hero to your people too."
>She stayed silent, gazing into his own eyes.
"Astaroth, we're both virgins and I have no idea how this'll work. But to be honest with you, you're probably the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, just putting that out there, if that does anything for you."
>"Well, David, I... Uh."
"You don't need to say anything, I just felt like putting that out there. I've always tried to stay celibate because of being a hero and Paladin and all, but if I'm no longer with the Church, I don't see any reason to. Besides, I'd love to be married to y-"
>David was cut off, as the Demoness pounced on him, bringing him in for a kiss.
>She broke it off after a few seconds, smiling at him.
>"That was my first kiss."
"Same."
>"I could get used to that."
>He nodded in response.
>"I think you'd make a wonderful King, David."
"Only if you'd have me."
>She took his hand, leading her newly-met lover into another room.
>The last thoughts David had before he broke his celibacy were wondering what his brother was up to.

>The dark room's silence was interrupted by the sound of the fan's dull drumming.
>Mostly used for storage and a dumping ground for anything the Order's military might find useful.
>Bart found himself bored, mentally exhausted from how little there was to do.
>When war was declared, he found himself ecstatic and adventurous, imagining to go off fighting and exploring like his brother.
>Unfortunately, he failed the tests to join the Paladin order and the Knight corps, instead fighting himself drafted in the army.
>Not even fighting on the frontline, with his 'education', he was transfered to a base in the middle of the blazing desert.
>At least he was in a cool building.
>The fact that he focused on studying History during his time at the Church college and learned the language of the Bedouin peoples of the Desert hadn't given him a chance to actually explore, instead he was given a 'translator' role.
>To say it was underwhelming would be an understatement.
>But with his connections and the slight talent in magic he had, he was promoted to Lieutenant and given a bedroom along with access to Officer's quarters.
>To other men, this would seem comfy and content, but Bart craved more.
>Growing up the stories of his older brother's adventures and heroics had left a passion in the young man, a desire to emulate his role model's exploits and become a hero, even if he did not show the raw talent and skill David had.
>But with his position as a junior officer, he fulfilled his role to the best degree, attempting to get in the pocket of the higher-ups to be reassigned.
>He knew his talents and knowledge on the Arabian peninsula were far greater than anyone else here, in fact he was most likely the only one in the building who knew how to read the Bedouin language.
>Deciding to entertain himself, he started conversation with the fellow soldier sitting by him.
"Aren't you sick of sitting in this old room all day, George?"
>The young corporal glanced at him, confused by his statement.
>"Better than fighting out there, you even seen what happened to the last Knight that came in? His bloody arm was barely hanging on!"
"But he went on an adventure! He has experienced far more here than most have ever in their entire lives. Don't you want the same?"
>"You're mad, Lieutenant, that's what you are."
>Bart chuckled to himself, his daydreams interrupted by the sound of the old creaks from the staircase.
>"Mister Caine, a message for you!"
>Turning around, another soldier walks into the room - Private, by the look of it, turned messenger boy.
>Walking up to the two men by the table, he hands Bart an old paper, written in the Bedouin language.
>"Here you are, sir. And Thomas called you to his office, not sure what for, did see an old bloke in a suit by him though, probably some Order official from back home."
"Thanks, cigarette?"
>"Cheers."
>The younger soldier takes a cigarette from the table, keeping it in his mouth as he attempts to decipher the paper in Bart's hand.
>George inquires on the paper, taking a glance at the photos.
>"So it's true then?"
>Nodding, Bart engrosses himself in the paper, paying barely any attention to his surroundings.
"Yep, Bedouins attacking a Monster stronghold. Yet, no one here knows what happened. Sad, they assign a man completely unfit to do his work and we get the blame for it. Oh well, can't really fight beauracracy."
>"Agreed, sir."
>Putting the paper down, Bart glances at the younger soldier, unable to find a lighter.
"Here, let me get that for you."
>Snapping his fingers, a small flame sprouts from Bart's fingertips, letting him light the Private's cigarette.
>"Cheers again, also reminds me that I forgot to give you this."
>The Private takes out a small note from his front tunic, handing it to the Lieutenant, as Bart lights the tobacco in his own pipe, gently smoking away.
>Taking the note, he glances over it before leaving it, getting up from the table and placing his cap on.
>With another snap, the flame dissappears.
>"How do you do that, mister Caine?"
"It's simply, just think of flame and click your fingers. Also, if anyone asks, I'm in General Thomas's office.
>Attempting to mimic the older man, he desperately tries to summon a flame, yet fails.
>"What's the trick then, hm?"
>Hurrying up the steps, he flashes a final smile to his two subordinates before heading off.
>"The trick is patience, Private."

>Walking through the decadent, luxurious lounge, Bart slowly paced himself towards the General's office.
>The General was a stern man, coming from a conservative background of nobles, always loyal to the Church and their old ways.
>He was loyal, for sure, but his stubborness prevented him from reaching his true potential as a commander, to focused on the older ways of combat to ever consider more efficient, but unorthodox methods.
>But needless, he was the chief of staff and Bart had to respect his superiors, even if it went against his wishes.
>He found himself striding through, glancing at all the off-duty officers lounging around, before hearing his own name called.
>"Caine."
>Turning to his right, the source of the call, his commanding officer, Captain Bigorn marched towards him.
>"Caine, you're on duty, why are you in the lounge?"
"Called to the General's office, sir."
>Bigorn placed a hand to his head in disbelief, almost furiously.
>He had a short temper, especially with Bart's sense of theatrics.
>"By God, what have you done this time? Do I need to do paperwork for your discharge?"
>Bart shook his head, reassuring the elder man.
"No, no, the note I was given said it was strictly a non-specfic meeting, whatever that means, sir."
>Grunting, the Captain gestured forward, leading Bart to an office with the name 'Thomas' on it.
>The General's office was arguably the best room in the barracks, decorated with furnishings and antiques from the old man's years of war.
>"Right, I'll leave you here. Be sure not to cause too much pain for me, Caine. I've enough to deal with as it is."
"Of course, sir."
>Marching away, Bart suppressed a laugh at the Captain, waiting to be let into the office.

>"I refuse to let a potentially insubordinate, young, inexperienced Lieutenant with a history of disrespecting his commanding officers get away with it. As far as I'm concerned, he's of less use to you than me,"
>General Thomas was a lanky man, easily dwaring the stout, stocky man sitting opposite his desk, clad in a grey suit.
>"In fact, Mister Doe, I'd recommend he be transferred back home. If you ask me, this whole 'recruitment of the Bedouins' is a useless idea. We should be fighting the Demons, not the Beastmen!"
>The other man in the room nodded, running a hand through his grey, aspen hair.
>"General, I understand your worries, but... It doesn't seem that his loss would cause you any great deal."
>Shaking his head, Thomas smirks at the play he makes.
>"I'm no politician, Doe, but I won't fall for that. We have a code of conduct to abide by, I can't just give him to you without reason. What good is a Bedouin army, they're nothing but a little people, a ragtag group of camel farmers mixed with Barbarians. They could never live up to The Order's regulations!"
>"Are you familiar with the saying, 'Big things have small beginnings', sir?"
>Standing up from his desk, General Thomas leans over the small man, barely able to contain his frustration.
>"Does your bureau want a big thing, then? To have your own personal army of camel farmers?"
>Doe stands up in response, keeping his ground.
>"We wish for nothing but the war to be won, helping the Bedouin defeat the Roachmen would help the war dramatically."
>Their conversation is interrupted by knocking on the door, as Bart walks in.
>"Ah, Lieutenant Caine, do come in."
>Walking in, Bart salutes the General before resuming his original position.
>General Thomas sits back in his seat, scowling at the younger man.
>"You're the type of man I can't stand, disloyal, practically no faith, hardly a man too, yet you have ambition that could intimidate an Archdemon. Wasted talent, that magic of yours."
"I understand, Sir. But I am doing my best with my magic, there's only so much I can do before I exhaust it."
>Doe glances towards Bart, gesturing to calm down with his attitude
>"Don't talk back to me, Lieutenant. Now the Bureau of Operations believe that your knowledge could prove to be useful with the Bedouins in the desert. How? I'm not bloody sure, you can hardly fulfill your role as Lieutenant as it is."
>Bart stays silent, letting the General ramble on.
>"Your brother got you this far, if you ask me. Bloody good man, David is. Fought alongside him far too many times to count, always protecting our men and putting his life on the line for everyone else. A true hero, I must say! I don't understand how you two grew up together for so long."
>Wincing, Bart takes the blow and carries on.
>"But I suppose, I could be wrong. He's your's Doe, three weeks and he's back."
>Doe laughs, placing his wooden cane on the table.
>"Sir, this is an expedition, not a mission. An entire mission to find a guide, travel to the Desert and reconnaisance with the Bedouins will take time, along with returning."
>"Eight weeks then!"
>"Four months."
>"You must be bad, two months at best!"
>"Three."
>Sighing, Thomas lays in defeat before gesturing them off.
>"You drive a hard bargain, Doe. Three it is, now go. Maybe Caine'll come out something like his brother."
>Doe taps Bart's arm, before ushering to follow him out the door.
>As Bart walks out, he salutes a final time to the General.

"How'd you do it, Doe?"
>Shaking his head, Doe walks through the hallway, sighing.
>"I'm honestly wondering why I did it in the first place."
"You won't regret it, I'm the best you'll get as far as understanding the Bedouins."
>"That's not what I'm worried about."
>Opening a door to another office, both walk in before sitting on two old, leather chairs.
"I am the man for this job, correct?"
>Nodding, Doe pulls out two cigarettes, offering one to Bart.
>Taking it, the younger man snaps his fingers again, lighting both of them as he smokes his own.
"Great, what is the job then?"
>"Get to the port, find a guide, travel through the Arabian Desert and find Prince Abdul, find out everything about him. You'll send us your daily notes through fax. Thomas has his own man over there, Captain Bekker, he'll deal with logistics and combat."
>Nodding, Bart listens patiently, delving his thoughts over the burned out stick.
>"His intentions in all of the desert, along with what he plans to do with with the Roachmen after their presumed defeat."
>Exploring the room, Bart glances at an old statue - Remniscent of an old goddess of the Bedouins, Apophis.
>A voluptous, dark lamia, known to seduce men and usurp kingdoms in the Desert.
>Her tales were known to bring nightmates to young Bedouin children, as a warning if they did not sleep.
>A rumour did go around that she was alive, scouriging the desert until the old Demon Lord Khan had defeated her and sealed her away.
>But rumours are just rumours, not relevant in his business.
"I see, and where is the Prince now?"
>"Anywhere within a hundred miles of Dubai. You'll know when you see enough Horse riders instead of Camels. Be wary though, these Bedouins can cross nearly hundreds of miles a day."
"Thank you, Doe. Finally I can have some fun."
>"Take it from me, Bart. Only a few types of people have fun in the desert, Bedouins, Monsters and Gods. You're none of them."
>Shaking his head, Bart gazes up at the ceiling, dreaming of his future adventures.
"No, Doe. It's going to be fun."
>"It is noted that you have a funny sense of the word fun."
>Smiling, Bart looks back to the dancing wisp of a flame on his fingers, before snapping them again.

>David's days with the Demon Lord had grown from his first relationship, to slowly becoming lovers.
>He found himself spending days learning how their army functioned, further developing on his deep knowledge of their different cultures and about Astaroth personally.
>In turn, he told stories of himself and his youth, sharing his own life experiences.
>His time had changed his views greatly, no longer drawing on how much of the Order's lies he had been told.
>Even his faith in God had dwindled down greatly, despite still firmly believing in the concepts of Justice and Good that he had been taught.
>Yet, he had slowly begun to accept the notion that he had abandoned the order, perhaps considering a position with the Demons.
>Astaroth had made numerous cases with him, both debating endlessly each night on potential solutions to the war.
>She loved peace, yet was extremely utopian, desiring a world where men and monster could live in peace.
>Yet, the Demon's Empire was far too great to truly control all Monsters, and their allies, the Roachmen, were independent of them and could often be too extreme.
>David believed that Astaroth's ideals and intentions were just, albeit flawed and extremely biased towards being a Monster.
>Yet, he could accept that fate, it seemed far more realistic than the notion of the Demon Lord's death bringing peace.
>Both believed in happiness and were strong lovers of Family, Astaroth being the eldest of her sisters, and David raising his older brother.
>They had found much in common, despite their sheer differences.
>She taught him more about magic and books that were banned in the Order, whilst he had taught her the fountains of knowledge he delved in from reading.
>They both even shared an interest in the great Demon Lords of old, Khan and Ravana - Both former heroes, who saw their ideal worlds attainable through becoming Demons.
>David had often glorified the tales of Khan and Ravana, their heroism and triumphs inspiring him to do good.
>Astaroth personally admired their reigns as Kings, uniting all Monsters under them to live in peace, at least before they tried to kill each other in a patricidal rage.

>His feelings had grown for her, going from what seemed to be a minor crush, to more open displays of affection.
>Monsters, or Mamono, as they preferred, were far more acccepting of personal displays of affection than Order did, unnerving David at first, but slowly growing to it.
>He had even met former Paladins who were corrupted, those who had found Mamono to marry and settle down, fighting in an elite unite of the corps.
>The new life he had seen seemed idealistic and full of potential, the potential to change the world for the better.
>No longer did he feel like a slave, following other's orders, but rather free, free to help people in his own way.
>Free to love, free to be happy.
>His only true problem was the guilt of his brother's suffering, fighting whilst he stayed in the Palace, comfortably.
>But Astaroth had offered to even bring him over, to help show him what she had shown David, perhaps even find a wife for Bart.
>David grew pleased with the idea, along with how friendly Astaroth was.
>She had even bought him to visit her parents, who greatly admired him.
>Astaroth's father was a former Knight who had settled down after meeting her mother, a noble among the Demon families.
>Both grew to like him, treating him like family.
>A sense of happiness grew in David, filling a void in his heart that he never knew he felt, perhaps they were the parents he never had.
>Needless to say, the way Astaroth had comforted and cared for him had new feelings in his heart grow, and he was set on confessing them to her.
>She was settled on the idea of marriage to him, she confessed that she had kept an eye on his actions for a while, and developed an admiration for his heroics, especially when saving other Mamono.
>David was a lot more conservative, however, only growing used to her hugs, kisses and mild sexual harassment over time.
>So he took the time to plan out a date, along with gathering gems outside the palace when she wasn't looking, focusing on crafting a makeshift ring for her.
>Marriage was the only way to truly show his affection, and he was set on proposing.

>His scene was set, the day had come to an end and both were walking along the gardens together, holding hands.
>"Hey, David. Have you ever had a girlfriend or anything like that before?"
>Shaking his head at her sudden question, he blushed slightly, her face always finding a way to excite him.
"No, you're pretty much the closest thing I've ever had to that."
>Giddy, she instantly wrapped her arms around him with colossal strength, squeezing him tightly.
>"That makes me so happy! You're the first man I've really liked too."
"A-Astaroth, too strong!"
>"O-oh, sorry."
>Letting go of him, they both laugh at each other before walking again.
"Speaking of liking you, there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about for a while."
>"Oh, what's that?"
>Looking at him curiously, she leans over and looks at him, pouting slightly.
>Stuttering, he shakes his head and reaches into his back pocket, gripping the ring.
"Well, there's so much I have to say. Thank you for everything, for not making us fight, for helping me learn more about Mamono, for letting me stay here when I had nowhere else to go, even meeting your parents. It's just so much."
>"It's not a problem at all, if we're gonna stop the war, we're going to do it together, right?"
"Yeah, but..."
>"No buts, it's fine, honestly."
>Shaking his head, David shouts internally at himself, begging to get a grip.
"Astaroth, what do you think of us?"
>"Us?"
"Yes, I've been thinking. And these past few weeks with you have done a lot for me, you've helped me change into a better person, and more importantly, I've grown to like you, like, a lot. I know we've only known each other for a short time, but I've been getting these weird feelings nowadays, and I think it's love. But, I don't want us to be casual about it. If we're going to be lovers, we're going to do it properly, that's why I want you to have this."
>"D-David, I..."
>Handing her the ornate ring, embedded around an Onyx gem, David gets on one knee, placing it around her finger.
>Astaroth blushes, with tears of joy spilling down her cheeks.
"Marry me. I was so lost for so long, but I know that with you, I can be strong. We can stop the war together, I want to be with you together and maybe start a family. I know there's so much work to do but I'll promise to make you ha-"
>Cut off by another kiss, David embraces her back this time, returning it.
>Breaking it off, the two lovers are starstruck, gazing into each other's eyes, each glowing in an intensity never seen before.
>"Of course I'll marry you, you idiot. This ring, it's... It's so beautiful, I didn't even make anything. I love you too, David. Everything about you, the fact you care about us so much, that you're always striving to do good by people... The way you talk, the way you present yourself. I'm in love with all of you! You'll always be my hero!"
>Trying to hold back tears, the young man embraces his new fiance, whispering into her ear.
"You don't know how happy I am to hear those words."
>"David, tonight, I won't try anything on you. Can we just hold hands and cuddle, together, in my bed?"
"I'd love to."
>Picking her up bridal style, the couple both smile in glee as he strides away, happier than ever.

>The blazing heat of the desert Sun was a welcome surprise, compared to being cramped in a building all day.
>Winds brought sand to his face, yet he stayed strong, riding on his camel.
>Glancing to his left, his guide was most likely asleep, letting his own camel lead the way.
>A strange man, in fact, speaking English surprisingly well for being a Bedouin.
>From what Bart had gathered, his name was Hashemi, hailing from a tribe in the south.
>Bedouin culture was predominantly tribal, but they all answered to the highest tribe, the Hejazi, and their chieftain by proxy.
>Hence placing Prince Abdul as their leader.
>Bart sighed, brushing the sweat off his face, even with the beautiful views of dunes and the sun, he found it difficult to manage.
>He had been supplied with limited rations, only enough food for two nights and barely enough water for the trip, assuming he drank sparingly.
>Sparingly did not go well with the desert.
>The first day was uneventful, although they managed to cross a hundred miles within a day.
>When Hashemi had prompted for Bart to drink, he could barely hold himself back, nearly downing the first bottle in a single go.
>But he had managed to control himself, Hashemi promising a welcomed rest once they had made camp.
>Wrapping his arms around his supplies, Bart was also disappointed in how little arms he was given.
>Two revolvers and a shortsword, in case of emergencies, the spare was meant as the payment for his guide.
>The Bedouins were relatively adept with technology, possessing many old world vehicles for transport, but for a lone Order Officer, the Bureau had practically thrown Bart at their mercy.
>Hashemi himself was armed with far more, posessing a relatively new rifle, dark with an oak finish.
>Bart knew that if his guide wanted to turn on him, it would be incredibly easy, but why would he?
>The officer barely had enough money or resources to survive, letalone be worth stealing from.
>In addition, the glances Hashemi gave him were confusing, his face expressing a mix of boredom and distrust.
>But he carried on, this was but a stepping stone towards a greater mission.
>As the sun set, and the cool desert winds finally arrived, the night had come.
>Instead of opting to carry on, Hashemi called for a stop, both making camp for the night.
>Night in the desert was dangerous, the risk of moving through the night could perhaps lead to a raid by monsters, death being the most merciful thing they were known for.

>Finally, their camp had been set up, Bart setting up his sleeping bag and mat, whilst Hashemi a tent.
>Both sat over the roaring fire, roasting the rats they had caught nearby.
>Initially, the silence was deafening, unnvering him, but he respected Hashemi's decision to stay quiet.
>He did not wish to annoy the man who he had entrusted his life to.
>Yet, his guide was the first to break the silence.
>"You are an officer of the Church, yes?"
>His thick accent butchered the English language, but Bart easily assumed what he meant.
>The usual questions asked by civilians were always the same.
"Yes."
>Nodding, Hashemi laid back, opting to eat the dried rat.
>Bart followed in suit, better to eat it now and ignore the taste.
>"And you came from Egypt?"
"Yes."
>"Truly? And you come from Europe?"
"Once again, yes."
>He was quick to understand Bart's growing annoyance, smirking back at him.
>"How is the weather there, like here?"
>Shaking his head, the officer threw away his stick, spreading his arms out and laying flat on the mat.
"It is green, so full of it. A lot of rain too, some snow in the north and dry in the south. It is a very... Different place."
>"You do not like it?"
"Mixed feelings. It was the only life I knew growing up. Better to have no regrets and move on with the past."
>"This is good idea, now sleep. I will wake you for food."
"Thank you, good night, Hashemi."
>The night trailed off, with Bart sleeping rather peacefully.
>His exhaustion passed next morning, where he was woken up to the smell of freshly brewed tea and younghurt.
>Wiping his eyes, he yawned and nodded at his guide, brewing his tea over the bonfire.
>Bart took his canteen, taking a short sip before going through his belongings, making sure he wasn't robbed.
>With nothing left stolen, Bart's realization occured.
>His guide was a trustworthy man, albeit reserved.
>But that was Bedouin culture.
>He remembered his days at the Church College, studying the Desert and their customs.
>Trust and loyalty were far more valued among them in respects to the Order.
>Perhaps, building a friendship with this man would prove to be useful in the future.

>Removing the spare, dark revolver from it's holster, Bart held it in front of Hashemi.
"Take it."
>"We will meet Prince Abdul, and then I will take it."
>Shaking his head, Bart gestured a final time.
"Take it now."
>His guide smiled, taking the gun and glancing over it, before putting it away and smiling.
>Picking up a small, metal box near him, he offered it to the officer.
>"Eat some, we have a long day today."
"And this is?"
>"Dolma. Food of our people, you will like it."
>Taking a single piece, he glanced at the stuffed vine leaf, before eating it.
>The fragrant taste of rice, vegetables and mint was a welcome start to the morning, as Bart nodded in surprise.
"This is good."
>"Take more."
>Normally refusing, to be polite, Bart remembered the customs of Bedouins - If one is offered something, one must take it, refusal would be an outright insult.
"Thank you, but save some for yourself."
>Taking a final one, both men began to pack up before heading on their camels, for another day of trekking.

>The day was filled with far more conversation between the two, speaking of their lives, hometowns and ambitions.
>Hashemi became more and more conversive, telling Bart about his home and his hopes for the future.
>The man wished to make enough to return to his village and propose to a girl he had loved for a very long time, being able to start a family together.
>Bart advised the man, speaking of his own experiences from home, along with tales of his older brother, David.
>Hashemi was incredibly interested, it seemed that even in the crevies of the arid Desert, the Hero's legacy spread.
>The rest of their trip was far faster than before, crossing far more land than prior as the heat went down and cool winds breezed.
>The young officer learned how to ride his Camel, rather than letting Hashemi guide it.
>Bart found himself riding at the Camel's top speeds, the wind through his hair and the feeling of the Camel's grunts filling the landscapes.
>But eventually, he lost control and fell over into a dune, where both men laughed at each other and continued to head in the direction of Dubai.
>Eventually, they had come to a halt as the landscapes changed from environment, with more greenery with each mile.
>They had stopped at a well in the desert, with no one around.
>Hashemi began to become far more alert, constantly checking his surroundings for any potential raiders or attackers.
>Throwing his bucket down the well, Hashemi scooped up a large supply of water, offering a cup to Bart.
>Taking a sip, the water had an 'off' taste, but was still drinkable.
>"Is it good?"
"It's alright, seems a little dirty."
>Grinning, Hashemi continues loading up on water, feeding both Camels.
>"This well belongs to the Mamono, dirty people. But clean, so enjoy."
>He nods, stretching out and taking a seat on the hot sand, admiring the view.
>Bart pulls out a small pocket mirror, glancing at his reflection.
>Over the past few days, his tan has improved dramatically, his bronzed skin far richer than in Egypt, along with his hair, most likely from the sheer sand content caught in it.
>But the desert was clean, sand was mostly harmless anyway.

>Suddenly, the sound of trotting echoed amongst the scene, in the distance, the heatwaves masking the far away surroundings, was a large, black horse galloping through the sand.
>The rider was masked in all black garb, it's face covered.
>Hashemi stood dead in his tracks, shaking and panicking.
>Reaching for his own revolver, Bart nodded to his guide.
"Roachmen?"
>"No... Bedouin."
>The two waited for the view to become clearer, as the rider paced forward.
>It was clear that they were armed, a large rifle similar to Hashemi's, pointed at them.
>Inching towards Hashemi, Bart kept a grip around his holstered weapon, following his guide for advice.
>"Hashemi, what's wrong? If they are Bedouin then we should be fine!"
>The Bedouin shook his head, eyes in fear of the black rider, slowing down as they reached closer.
"Who is he?"
>"Not he."
>Running towards the Camels, Hashemi gripped his own revolver, loaded as he rushed to shoot the rider.
"No!"
>Before he could be stopped, the sound of the rifle going off deafened all other noises, as Hashemi fell on the ground in pain, wincing.
>His revolver flew away from his hand, as the Bedouin whimpered on the ground in pain.
>Bart rushed towards him, inspecting the wound.
>Fortunately, it was only in his shoulder and no vitals were damaged.
"Are you alright?"
>"May God forgive me for my sins."
>Slapping the Bedouin across the face, Bart rummaged through his supplies and found a syringe.
>Painkillers, only one given in his kit.
>Slamming the syringe into his friend's chest, Bart injected it and rummaged through his kit, treating the bullet wound as best he could in the few minutes he could spare.
>Turning around, he felt the cock of a gun at his shoulder, along with the shadow of a horse and it's rider covering them.
>"Be still, officer, or I will shoot."
>The feminine voice had caught him off guard, but he was ready for a fight.
>He snapped his fingers, chanelling a flame through the revolvers bullet.
>Using direct magic was painful and difficult, but channeling it through a conductor like a revolver is easy and far more effective at dealing damage.
>Instantly turning around, he pointed the revolver at the Black Rider.
"You can shoot, but I have a fire charge ready. You'd burn to death no matter what."
>She begun to laugh, lowering her weapon and jumping off her horse.
>Only a few inches below his height, she was still intimidating, clad in black robes, ammo encompassing her shoulders and a variety of weapons holstered.
>Taking off her headdress, a tanned, feminine face came in it's place.
>Long dark hair and green eyes, with a pair of Canine ears and a swishing, bushy tail.
>"You are an Officer of the Order, yes? I can and will not harm you."
>He spat at her, gesturing towards Hashemi, resting on the sands.
"And what of him?"
>Walking over to him, she inspects the injured man and walks off.
>"He is injured."
"But why?"
>"This is my well."
>Keeping his gun fixed on the Wolf girl, Bart grew angry.
"I drank from it, are you going to shoot me as well?"
>"The Order is welcome, he is not."
"He's my friend."
>"That?"
"Yes, that."
>Shaking her head, a cocky smile was the only response he got as she rummaged around, finding Hashemi's revolver.
>"Does this belong to you?"
"It's his, give it back."
>Ignoring his protests, she holsters his gun in her sash and walks to the well, taking Bart's metal flask.
>"Is this his too?"
"No, mine."
>Filling it with water, she takes a long swig from the flask, before handing it back to him.
>She breathes out in pleasure, her thirst parched.
>He had to suppress a blush, despite the fact she tried to kill his friend, the officer found it difficult to overlook the cuteness of the She-wolf.
>"I am Nadia Al Maharim."
"I've heard of you."
>Bart had heard tales of the famous figure, one of the fighters against the Roachmen, notable for playing a great role in the liberation of Dubai, despite being a Mamono.
>"So... He was of the Banu Salim tribe, what was he doing here?"
>She inched up closer, studying the officer.
>For one, she was far more eloquent and well-spoken than other Bedouins, similar to that of someone who has been educated abroad.
"We were going to help Prince Abdul."
>"You were stationed in Egypt, right? I used to go to school there, I understand your language."
"I could tell."
>"No need for hostility, your friend is still alive!"
"Injured, at that."
>"Perhaps, but my Prince already has one of you Westerners, why another?"
"The Bureau has reconnaisanced me to observe the Bedouins, and assist in any way outside of Captain Bekker's position."
>At least Doe's preparation had given him one excuse.
>She continued to drink from the flask, her ears twitching in response.
>"What is your name then?"
>He spat again, at the ground between them, before turning away.
"My name is for my friends."
>Flashing him a disgusted look, she turns back to her Horse, before laughing.
>"You are angry, Man of the West."
>As she fastens herself onto the saddle, she gestures at him before riding off.
>"For the well, I would've gladly killed him had it not been your mercy today, know this. His tribe was forbidden from drinking at our welL, he knew this and took the risk, now he pays the price. Goodbye."
>The dark horse begins to trot off, before Bart's anger causes him to break composure.
"Al Maharim, as long as your people act like tribal, barbaric animals you will never amount to anything. The rest of the world sees you as nothing but little, silly, inbred camel farmers, as you are!"
>Whether it was shock or anger, she turned around and rode towards him, ushering him over.
>"I will take you to Abdul, come with me."
"I don't travel with your kind."
>"Mamono? Classic Or-"
"You wanted to bring up race? Too easy. I was talking about your character."
>Mouthing a curse in her language, Bart laughed.
"I do speak your language."
>"Clever. Now, how do you plan on getting to Abdul?"
>Gesturing to the recovering Hashemi, he smirks.
>In response, she loads her gun and points it at the injured bedouin, who yelps in response.
>"And if I kill him?"
"Then the great 'Nadia Al Maharim' would be a murderer, would you really want the Order to see you for your true nature?"
>Pouting in annoyance, she lowers her weapon before turning away.
>"Abdul is in the royal palaces, just a day North of here. We may be from different cultures, but God be with you nontheless, Man of the West."
>Finally riding off, Bart rushes towards Hashemi, calling for him.
"Hashemi? Hashemi? Are you alright, can you walk?"
>"You saved my life. I am in your servitude now, my friend."
"We can ignore your customs for now, right now we need to make sure you're alright."

>"Darling, I want to know if you'd be okay helping put down an attack."
>Only a few days since he had proposed and the two had already become so familiar with each other.
>David was used to displays of affection all the time from his fiance, who also happened to be the Demon Lord.
>Together, they planned to end the war and save both Humanity and Mamono.
>Being the Demon Lord's consort also granted him great adavantages, like having everyone address him as Lord, or Majesty.
>Which he reminded the staff to not call him, always reminding them that he is not above anyone in any way.
>Apparantley that only made his Fiance even happier, constantly enamoured with his common sense, which she'd refer to as 'being heroic'.
>It was strange, but he loved her, so it was nothing.
"An attack, already? I mean, I'm ready, but I'll need to make a few preparations to hide my identity and information."
>She smiled, continuing to cuddle with him.
>Whilst they had not gotten... Intimiate, just yet, due to a mix of their schedules being packed, and waiting for the perfect moment, their nighttimes were filled with cuddling, reading and pillowtalk.
>"I know, but the Roachmen are planning an attack on the Bedouin leader's camp in a few days, we need to stop that."
>Astaroth would always tease him, whether it'd be giving him massages, or vice-versa.
"I thought they allied with the Demon Empire. I mean, they're terrible, I don't know why you guys would support them, but they are your allies, right?"
>"Well... That's the thing, we're trying to end the war and the crimes they've commited are just terrible. I've proposed a plan that we use some Incubus Knights, or maybe the Hero unit to decimate their ranks. If we disguise you as Order soldiers, or some sort of faction no one cares about, no one suspects a thing!"
>He couldn't tell whether she did it on purpose, or if she was just naturally alluring.
"I get it now. You're amazing at this, it's like it comes naturally or something."
>Rolling over towards him, she coos in his ear as a hand rubs his chest.
>"Maybe. But I've seen you fight, and I don't think anyone, not even the top knights could come close."
>Blushing, he scoops her up by her waist and hugs her, laughing.
"Come on, I'm not that good. But, if you insist, I'll help out with stopping them."
>Astaroth kisses his cheek, before finally laying to bed.
>"Thank you. Just consider it my way of dealing with the nobles, they keep complaining about you being a hero, and that you can't be trusted or whatever."
"I don't mind what they think, what's important to me is you. We'll talk about the more important details in the morning, is that alright?"
>"Mhm."
"Great, good night, love."
>"Good night, darling."

>David had fought countless Mamono, including Demons, all exhibited a rather 'lewd' persona, often obsessed with corrupting men and incubizing them.
>Astaroth was nothing like that, she was her own person, with dreams, ambitions, interests and dislikes outside of sex.
>She shared the same views on love and purity that David did, albeit a little looser to make it flexible with Mamono.
>He knew he loved her and wanted to make her happy in any way, the same way she did for him.
>And unlike most fiances, he looked forward to meeting his inlaws, who were less surprised and more happy that he had finally proposed to their daughter.
>Incredibly caring and wanted a big family, the same way David had always.
>He had felt the same homely feeling that the war had taken away from him.
>Almost like he could settle down here and fulfill his dreams.
>But one thing was missing; Bart.

>The preparations for the counter attack were nearly ready.
>David found himself meeting his new group, unofficially known as the 'Hero Unit'.
>The Hero Unit comprised of former Paladins, Knights and the most elite soldiers of the Order, that had sided with the Demons and chose to fight for them instead.
>Most were older man, who fought for the Order far before he was even born, but they welcomed him with open arms, boasting of their own tales of heroisim during their youth, comparing themselves to David.
>He was pleased, from the reports, the planned attack by the Roachmen was estimated to be led by a large force, capable of destroying the main Bedouin groups altogther, along with assassinating Prince Abdul.
>In order to achieve peace, the Roachmen and their empire needed to be destroyed, and Prince Abdul, who was a peace-loving man, needed to be pushed into power.
>Politics was a tricky game, but Astaroth was a master at it.
>He sat in the barracks, donned in a dark, metallic armour - He recognized it, formerly Order power armour used by the Knight Corps.
>Now dis-assemble, modified by the Demon Empire's technology experts and redesigned for use by their forces.
>It relied far more on Mamono magic, which increased durability, conditioning and strength to a greater degree than the original design.
>But at the cost of being incredibly expensive and difficult to produce, hence only reserved for elite soldiers during high-risk operations.
>He gazed at the horned helmet in his hands, a dark, ornate design, lines of gold running down the sides whilst the slits were covered to hide the wearer's eyes.
>It was definitely designed to strike intimidation into the Empire's enemies - Primarily, the Order.
>The other warriors were clad in similar armour, varying in colour schemes, with each wielding a variety of different weapons, ranging from rifles, handguns to giant blades and smaller, more delicate rapiers.
>David did not need to clarify on their ability in battle, he assumed that he had probably clashed blades with most of them in the past anyway.
>But his thoughts were interrupted by the humming voice of his fiance, who walked into the room with a figure behind her, clad in the same armour as him, with his helmet on.
>"David, there's someone I'd like you to meet. He'll be joining you on your expedition."
>Nodding, David stood up to shake the armoured figure's hand, which they returned, extending out a firm grip.
"Great to meet you, I look forward to working together."
>The figure boomed into laugher, echoing within his own helmet.
>His eyes widened, as David swore to himself that almost recognized the voice.
>The armoured warrior placed his hands upon his helmet, revealing his face.
>"I don't think we need introductions, your Majesty."
>In an instant, David brought the man into a hug, squeezing him tightly.
"Alexander, you son of a bitch!"
>The armoured man, Alexander, returned the hug, both men embracing tightly embracing each other in a brotherly hug, each gripping tighter, aiming to make the other give up first.
>David could feel the other man's grip slowly falter, making him smirk in the coming victory.
"What's the matter, the Demons got you too busy in the bedroom?"
>No response came, as Alex's grip strengthened for a few seconds before nearly completely releasing.
>David's own arms began to ache, as he had forgotten the strength of his formerly deceased friend.
"Had enough?"
>"Take it easy on yourself!"
>In a final stand, David exerted himself further, hearing a slight crack in his friend's armour, before Alexander pushed him away, both men grinning.
>"Okay, okay! You win."
"You did know when to quit, didn't you?"
>Slinging his arm around the other's shoulder, both walk away, reminiscing over their past.
>Astaroth glanced in shock at the two reunited friends, looking at the rest of the hero unit.
>"They know each other?"
>The rest shrug, confused.

>Alexander and David contnue to talk, catching up with each other.
>"It's been too long, man."
"It has, what happened to you? The Order said you were dead, do you know how pissed off I was?"
>"Let's be real here, knowing you, you probably cried for a few days and little Barty had to take care of you."
"S-Shut up."
>"Aha! So you did miss me!"
>Punching David in the arm, they both laughed, before sitting down.
"Alex, what happened, though? I thought you died!"
>"I thought so too. We've got a mission to do, so I'll explain it on the ride there, but long story short, I got married to a Mamono and now I'm here."
"You can't be serious. You? Married? Things have changed so much."
>"I know. I mean, you're engaged to the Demon Lord? How did that happen?"
>Shrugging, David smiled, admiring the ring on Astaroth's finger.
"Tell you what, I'll tell you my story and you tell me yours on the ride there, alright?"
>Nodding, both men get up, regrouping with the rest, as each member sits inside the transport vehicle.
>It was an old one, dating back to the times from Demon Lord Khan, a basic, four-wheel Jeep painted dark green.
>Rewired to be faster and more efficient, running on Mamono magic too, which David still had no grasp over.
>While the rest of Hero unit loaded up, David walked over to the Demoness waving goodbye, giving her a final hug before their departure.
>Frowning, she pleadingly looked at him.
>"I'm going to miss you so much, it'll be so quiet without you.
"I'll be back soon enough, you know how lonely I get without you."
>The demoness smirked, with lewd thoughts behind her expression.
>"Oh, lonely? I'm sure Alexander will keep you company on those long, lonely desert nights."
>Shocked, David shook his head.
"Love, he was my best friend from childhood, we grew up together and even trained in the same academy."
>"Oh, I'm sure. Maybe more than friends too? I mean I've only heard rumours of what some Paladins do, but I never thought you'd be one of those types, David."
>She only said his name like that when she was serious or wanted to annoy him.
>Continuing to tease him, giggling at his bewildered face.
>"His poor wife, I wonder how she'll feel, knowing her husband old flame came back into his life. Do I have to compete with Alex for your attention too?"
>Making a fake pout, Astaroth giggled once again at her Fiance's wincing.
"That's gay. I like you, not other men like that."
>"Are you sure? I mean, at our age and you've never been with a girl before? It'd only make sense!"
>Now it was time for David to smile, Astaroth walked right into his trap.
"But I'm your first too, does that mean you've been with other girls too?"
>Blushing, she shakes her head and begins to stammer, unable to come up with a response.
>"N-no! It's not like that, I mean... I was just waiting for the right guy, you idiot!"
"But it'd only make sense right?"
>"I've never..."
"Relax, I'm just teasing. I love you."
>Pecking his lips, the rest of the hero unit look back, wolf whistling for the two.
"Shut up! I'm having a moment here."
>Laughing, Alex shouts back.
>"You can go be awkward virgins later, we have a mission right now, hurry up already!"
>Astaroth hugs him a final time, before sending him off.
>"They're right, go. When you're back, we can have some time together... To plan our marriage, maybe?"
"I'd like that, I'll see you soon."
>Finally getting in the Jeep, he waves his fiance off in the distance, as the car speeds off towards Dubai.

>Meanwhile, Bart and Hashemi were barely an hour away from Prince Abdul's palace, their journey almost at an end.
>They had reached the old city of Dubai, their camels trotting through the old ruins.
>Dubai was a relatively new city compared to the others, only existing fifty years prior to the great war.
>Somehow, the Bedouins survived and rebuilt where they could - They never truly recovered, but they had done a great deal in restoration, and the city was beautiful, albeit desolated.
>Tall skyscrapers still lingered, beautiful homes and the occassional car went past them.
>They were paid no mind, considering there had been so few there to begin with.
>Hashemi on the other hand, was quickly recovering from his wound, Bart's aid had gone a long way for the injured man.
>He was, however, quite exhausted, barely able to make the trek, but Bart was willing to let time slip to save a life.
>After all, he was an officer of the Order and brother to a great Hero, saving lives was their mission, regardless of race or culture.
>"We are very close, Prince's palace in thirty minutes."
>Hashemi barely whispered, still too exhausted to ride his camel properly, letting Bart lead both through the city.
>Shushing his companion, Bart nodded and looked onward, admiring the old city.
"Relax, Hashemi. We're close, I'll get to Prince Abdul and you'll get treated by his Doctors."
>Shaking his head, the Bedouin groaned in pain, barely able to speak.
>"They will not treat me, I am not part of their group in any way."
"I am a guest of Prince Abdul, and a military ally. They will treat you or I will promise Abdul nothing, do you understand?"
>"Enough... I am already in your debt. In our culture, this has the greatest meaning, I am in your service."
"You must be mad, this is nothing to me. Any friend would do this for another."
>Shrugging, Bart continued, admiring the scenery.
>Hashemi had gone silent, deciding he was not going to bother to argue back.
>The city was silent and it was barely midday, meaning something had to be going on at the Palace.
>Beginning to hum to himself to past the time, the tune was one he remembered being force to sing at the Order Choirs back home.
>Initially, the young Officer had grown to detest the song, but now?
>It was one of the only things reminding him of home, slowly associating it with a nostalgia he once detested.
>His humming broke into song, with his voice echoing throughout the empty streets.
>The song progressed to an end, as Bart sighed with a smile.
>He may have been stuck in the Desert, but it was an adventure.
>One he had craved for so long.
>Suddenly, a distant clapping had caught their attention, and a voice called out to them.
>"Oi, you there!"
>The sound of footsteps came closer and closer, with Bart panicking.
>Unholstering his revolver, he kept it pointed at the source of the sound.
>From the clouds of sand in the distance, came a lone man, dressed in a similar Khaki uniform to Bart's own, albeit with far more decorations than his own.
>"There you are, I've been waiting for you for quite a while - You're a day late."
>The man was slightly older than Bart, his face red from the Desert heat.
>It appeared that most Order officers did not fare well in this weather.
>Putting his gun away, Bart stepped off his Camel, approaching the higher ranking Officer.
"Did you know I was coming?"
>"I was told someone was coming, by Abdul."
>Raising an eyebrow, Bart questioned on.
"He knew I was coming? How?"
>Chuckling, the older Officer shrugged.
>"Anything that happens in this bloody Desert happens to go through him, I'll give him that. That your escort, is he injured or something?"
>Leading the camels along, both Officers walked side-by-side towards the Palace, the sound of their boots against the ground breaking the silence.
"Yeah, he was attacked."
>"Roachmen?"
"No, a bedouin... Or a Monster, I'm not quite sure, it was some sort of Beastman that dressed like a bedouin."
>Spitting on the ground, the older Officer grumbled to himself.
>"Bloody savages. Now, what's your name and who sent you?"
"Lieutenant Caine, sir, I've been sent by the Bureau to observe the situation and report back. You wouldn't happen to be Captain Bekker, would you?"
>Nodding, Bekker carried on, leading the way.
>"Indeed, and... Caine? You wouldn't happen to be related t-"
>He could already tell what the question was, David was almost always brought up at the first mention of his surname.
"Yes, we're brothers. Adopted, however."
>"Ah, your brother's a great man. We fought together over a year ago during the battle for Abu Dhabi, how is he?"
"Haven't heard from him in a year, sir. Last he told me he was being sent on a mission, which he said would take a fair bit of time."
>"I see. Well, your secret's safe with me. The Bedouins idolize him, after they saw his victory last time. Whether you give away your relation is your choice, but it may be of use to help boost what little morale they have left."
"Speaking of which, how is the situation?"
>"It's bollocks. Morale is low, the Roachmen, despite only having their final outpost in Muscat, seem to be pushing forward everyday. The last battle led to half the Bedouin forces dispersing, with more going everyday. There are even rumours of their legendary champion coming to settle the dispute and taking down the city, if he comes, we're all done."
"Sorry, but, 'him'?"
>"You've never heard of the Roachmen's champion? Think of him as the equivalent to your brother, their greatest warrior. His name's Mehmet Suleiman, I've never seen him personally fighting, but if you want a guess of his power, he managed to conquer a few of the Order's nations with four hundred men alone. The dossier says that almost every Paladin and Knight fighting him has been killed. Not to mention he's a savage at that too, the crimes are disgusting."
>Shuddering from memory, Bekker shakes his head and continues.
>"Needless to say, if they send Suleiman, we're all as good as dead, and will have to escape to Egypt. Fortunately, we do have boats at the dock in case of an emergency - If Abdul would move his men there, we'd be able to fight the Roachmen head on and arm them properly."
>The men had walked for half of an hour, with the palace finally in view.
>Bart's eyes were wide in admiration at the monster of a palace situated in front of him.
>Bedouin guards were stationed, armed to the teeth, with all measures of security places around.
>He'd considered the city beautiful in it's own right, but it could barely hold a candle up to the palace.
>Marble and gold were adjourned all over, with statues of the ancient leaders of the city.
>Horses, cars and even a plane were in place - And it was constantly busy, with both soldiers and civilians walking around, going about their business.
>Fountains burst with water, complementing the lush greenery situated around the buildings.
"I..."
>"I know, it's marvelous. Makes you admire the craftsmanship of the Bedouins. I've heard stories of how this city was far bigger and far more advanced right before the war. Apparantley, this was the original home of the Demon Lord Khan, too. Really makes you wonder how they've managed to produce so much, yet happen to be so weak right now."
"All people have high moments and low moments. The Roachmen just happen to be able to destroy any civilization they touch."
>Laughing, the older officer slapper the younger's back, ushering him towards the Palace entrance.
>"Well said.
>Suddenly, the sound of guns and heavy artillery going off in the distance interrupts their conversation, as a massive group of soldiers pops out of nowhere, rushing straight at the Palace.
>The nearby guards shout out to each other in their own language, arming themselves and rushing at the new soldiers.
>"Bloody hell, not again!"
>Unholstering his firearm, Bart loads it before charging up a minor fire spell, preparing for a fight.
"What's going on?"
>"Roachmen attack, got any extra weapons on you? I left mine in the Palace."
>Taking Hashemi's rifle, the younger officer tosses at the older one, as they the Roachmen soldiers begin to surround them.
>Each looked like a normal man, with two antennae and carapace on ends of their arms and legs, garbed in their own distinct Khaki uniform, adorned with their red flag and moon.
>Truly, the term 'Roachmen' suited them.
>They began to huddle around, muttering in their incomprehensible language.
>"Huglu buglu Osmanuglu!"
>Bekker glanced at Bart, nodding as if expecting a translation.
>"Any idea what they're saying, Lieutenant?"
"No, sir. I speak the Bedouin's language, not theirs."
>"Then we'll just have to fight our way out, go!"
>Both men began firing, aiming at the brunt of the soldiers, trying to clear a pathway.
>"Got any magic, Caine?"
>Timing it perfectly, Bart's spell had finally charged up, as he fired a single shot at the onslaught of enemy soldiers, causing a fireball to sprout out from his revolver.
>The resulting blast had set spread a fire around a large group of Roachmen, as they screamed in pain, running and rolling on the floor, trying to put it out.
>"Now, get on the Camels, we need to move!"
>Both officers hopped onto the camels, tapping at their neck to make them go faster.
>As the Camels made their way through the fire, Bekker sitting in front, leading the way, Bart glanced behind him, watching as the rest of the Roachmen darted after them.
>"Caine, I don't know how you did that, but that was magnificent, take the rifle and clear off any stragglers, or we're Roachmeat."
>Already on it, Bart had loaded Hashemi's rifle, a semi-automatic, feeding it a round, before forcing his finger on the trigger.
>Uttering a wild, barbaric scream, he wildly fired at the closest soldiers possible, sending each to the ground with a single bullet.
"Die, you Roach bastards!"
>"Caine, relax! You're wasting ammo!"
>Ignoring Bekker, Bart continued to run through the remaining magazines, taking down as many Roachmen as possible, at this point he had lost count of the number he had killed, but he continued.
>Bekker glanced back at the younger officer, noticing the ravenous hunger in his eyes - His marksmanship was incredibly, as expected from the younger brother of the great Hero, but he had begun to lose himself to a berserker rage, simply focused on killing.
>He howled in delight with every life he took, stopping only to reload or aim for a target further away.
>Left with no other choice, or perhaps it was due to the stress of the moment, Bekker delivered a backhand to his subordinate.
>Bart's eyes widened in shock, as he begun to breathe erratically, shaking.
>"Snap out of it Caine!"
"Sorry, sir, I'm not sure what happened."
>Bekker faced the front again, slamming his stick onto the Camel's back, forcing it to rush even faster.
>"That was superb shooting, but you were losing track of yourself, remember discipline, Caine."
"I understand, sir. Won't happen again, and where are we headed?"
>"Back entrance of the Palace, very close from here. Abdul's got bigger guns and heavy artillery we can use to drive back the invading Roachmen."
"Does this happen often?"
>"Recently, far too much, but this one was far greater than the previous. I'm worried they might actually storm the palace and kill Abdul, and it's all over from there."
>Nodding, Bart scrounged through what was left of his ammo - Only half a box left.
>He had decided to use the ammo sparingly, prompting to charge up his magic instead to compensate.
>The number of Roachmen surrounding them had fallen, probably storming the front gate instead.
>As the two men went reached the gated back entrance of the Palace, all seemed quiet until they heard the unholy Roach warcry.
>"Shuglu Buglu! Kafir Oldur ayet!"
>Bullets rained at them, as the two officers dashed away in response.
>But their camel was harmed, yelling loudly as a stray bullet had caught it's leg.
>In pain, both Camels yelped and galloped away in fear, as Hashemi's unconcious body slumped off into the sand.
>Slinging his companion over his shoulders, Bart and Bekker dashed towards cover, getting a clearer glimpse of the new Roachmen squadron.
>Whilst this one was smaller than the earlier, they were far more organized and well armed, each with large rifles and clad in plated, metal armour.
>They continued to fire at the boulder they took cover on, as chips of it broke away with each shot.
>The souunds of firing were deafening, with death seeming to loom closer every second.
>Bekker uttered a prayer, before turning to Bart.
>"Well, we're royally fucked. They even brought their Janissaries. Normal bullets won't do much on them that way."
"Just one, but it's a long shot, and I'm not sure it'll work."
>"Right now, if we make it out of this alive, I'll owe you everything. If you need cover, I can give you it."
>Bart looked towards his bloodied, injured hands - Dried and burned from both the Desert sand and his flames, with calusses on most areas.
>Metal could withstand his flames, which weren't that strong to begin with, but he did have one more form of magic that might work.
>He concentrated, attempting to summon out lightning, which could easily conduct in their armour and shock them, rendering them unconcious or dead.
>Snapping his fingers, he managed to produce a slight spark.
"Good enough for now."
>"You know Magic too? That would've saved us effort if you just casted a spell earlier!"
"My magic isn't as strong as you think. I can barely cast a few spells before I run out of Mana."
>"Then what'd you have in mind?"
>Slowly charging up as much Mana as possible to convert into lightning, Bart steadied himself, his palms echoing with energy.
"This may or may not kill me, but their armour will conduct enough electricity to take most of them down."
>Smiling, Bekker nodded and loaded his own rifle, as they left Hashemi by the rock.
>"Got it, I'll create a diversion for you. Just make sure to take as many of those bastards down."
"Yes, sir."
>"Oh, and one more thing."
"Yeah?"
>"Don't die - That's an order."
>Smiling back, Bart nodded as both men vaulted out of cover, with Bart's body teeming with Lightning.
>He could feel his limits being reached, practically feeling his entire body glow and spark with energy.
>Adrenaline soared through him, a part of him was fearful and worried about his demise.
>But that didn't stop him, he was ready to end this battle.
>Bekker begun, yelling and firing shots at the Roachmen, diverting their attention to him.
>"Now, do it!"
>Bekker rolled between cover, firing what little ammo he had, as Bart nodded and sprinted at the enemy platoon.
>They never saw him coming, as he announced his charge with an uneartly roar, slamming his fists together onto the ground.
>Bart bit his lip in pain, as lightning surged from his body to the Janissaries, shocking all of them.
>Their howls of pain echoed in the tens, as flashes and sparks travelled between them, each falling to ground soldier by soldier.
>Much to their dismay, however, a few were still left standing, fearful of Bart's surprise attack.
>He could feel blood and bile build up in his throat, which he desperately tried to swallow back.
>His body ached terribly, it was a struggle to even get up, but he knew that if he didn't keep going, they'd be dead anyway.
>Pushing himself up, he unsheathed his sabre, darting at the remaining troops.
>"Caine, are you alright?"
>Bekker shouted at his subordinate, rushing towards him.
"I'm good, we need to take out the few left!"
>Stopping in his tracks, the older officer grinned and continued to fire rounds at the remaining few armoured Roachmen, pushing them backwards.
>Their own shots had caught Bekker in his left leg and arm, forcing him to limp on, but he continued to fire, supporting Bart.
>The younger officer used what little lightning he had left, transferring it to his blade, as he found himself surrounded by three Roachmen, with their own scimitars pointed at him.
>He parried the first's strike, before thrusting his blade through their armour, the resulting shock sending them onto the floor.
>The other two attempted to pin Bart between them, forcing him to jump back, as he threw his blade at one on the right.
>It didn't damage his armour, but the electricity had sparked through their armour, sending them to the floor unconcious.
>Before Bart could turn to the other, the exhaustion he had repressed for so long had finally kick in, as the adrenaline in his system began to fade.
>His body began to slow down, uncontrollably, forcing him to fall to his knees to regain his breath.
>Bart could hear metal clunking, as the last of the Roachmen walked towards him, ready to take his life.
>He shifted his hand around for his holster, while using his other hand to push him back, barely able to concentrate.
>The young Officer's struggling was led to a stop, as he bumped into a fallen Roachmen, stopping him from moving.
>He desperately attempted to get up, scrambling, but it was no use, he couldn't force himself up at all or find his revolver.
>Bekker was too busy in a firefight with other soldiers, leaving Bart incapacitated.
>He gazed at the face of his would-be killer, who's face remained passive and unimpressed.
"Forgive me for my sins, Lord."
>Bart closed his eyes and uttered a final prayer, accepting his fate.
>The Janissary had brought his blade up, ready to strike down, before the sounds of metal clashing against metal interrupted him, with the Janissary grunting in pain.
>Opening his eyes, he was shocked to see the Janissary being picked up and thrown across the sands by another armoured figure.
>This one was clad in power armour with a black paintjob, not Order nor Demon Empire.
>He had never seen this emblem before, but his would-be saviour continued to rush after the Jannissary, still getting up.
>The Roachman struggled to fight back, as the other armoured figure delivered a powerful jab to his chest, breaking through his armour.
>The resulting blow led to the Roachmen falling to the ground, presumed dead.
>Bart's vision was blurry and he was barely able to make coherence of the situation, but he had smiled.
>Perhaps God had given him justice, in the form of this armoured figure, who was now walking back to Bart.
>Extending out an arm, Bart grabbed it and felt himself being pulled up, as the figure helped the young officer towards Bekker.
>As they reached the other boulder Bekker was hiding behind, the armoured figure had placed Bart down and glanced at him, before speaking.
>"Bart! Are you alright?"
>The tone of worry in his voice was incredibly familiar, yet the helmet of the armoured figure had altered his voice, preventing Bart from properly distinguishing the voice.
>Wincing, he nodded.
"I'm fine, thank you... And how do you know my name?"
>"Uh... You're the hero's brother, right?"
>Raising an eyebrow, Bart was quick to question the reply, but he was too exhausted to even think about it.
"You know David?"
>The figure nodded, before pulling a first-aid kit, helping clean out Bart's wounds and wrapping bandages around them.
>"Y-yeah! I'm a friend of his. I didn't think I'd see you here though. What happened?"
>"Roachmen attack, I'm afraid."
>Their conversation was interrupted by Bekker, who came in covered in sweat.
>Extending a hand out to the armoured figure, Bekker glanced at him, before back to Bart.
>"Captain Bekker. I must say, that was impressive, I've never seen anyone take on a Jannissary like that, are you a Knight or Paladin?"
>The figure shook his head, before both looked back at an injured Bart.
>"I'm not part of the Order, I just happened to be passing by with some friends, we're no friends of the Roachmen either, so we thought we'd help."
>"Perfect, with you lot around, maybe we'll have a chance at repelling this invasion!"
>Bekker kneeled, inspecting Bart's wounds, before looking back.
>"Caine, do you know him?"
"Friend of David's, he just happened to be here."
>"Then it's God's will, good to have you on board. I have to say, Caine, your plan worked near perfectly. Your magic works wonders against them, I've never seen a single man take on so many Janissaries like that!"
"Maybe, but it almost killed me."
>"Nonsense, your wounds are fine, and the other Roachmen have fled. Mana deprivation just takes time to recover from."
>Forcing himself up, David's so called 'friend' wrapped an arm around Bart, helping him.
>"Can you move, Bart?"
"I think so, we need to get Hashemi though."
>"Who's that?"
"A friend, he led me through the desert and was attacked by some Wolf bedouin, we need to get him to a Doctor."
>"The bedouin that was sleeping by the rock? Don't worry about it, I already got him to safety."
>Bart glanced inquisitively at the armoured warrior, studying his features.
"Who are you, really?"
>"Just a friend that happened to be passing through."
>Both began to walk towards the Palace entrance, whilst Bekker followed behind.
>The armoured figure paced faster, attempting to further the distance, so that the two could continue having their conversation.
>As Bart had slowly recovered, he slowly began to put the clues of this mysterious figures appearance together.
>David had many friends, but the chances of a 'friend' being able to recognize him and know his name were next to none.
>One or the other, but almost never together.
>And the tone of how he spoke to him reminded him exactly of /him/.
>Smirking, Bart looked up at the figure and whispered.
"You can't lie properly, bro."
>Shaking, the figure looked away, desperately trying to avoid Bart's smug grin.
>"Bro? What do you mean, I'm just a friend, I told you."
"Swear to me."
>The figure remained silent, as they walked through the palace gate with ease, none of the staff had even bothered ask them or stop them, recognizing Bart's uniform.
>The armoured figure was able to navigate through the luxurious palace with ease, as if he had already been in here numerous times.
>That nailed it.
"I promise I won't tell anyone if you admit it."
>"You win, but you literally cannot say anything, this never happened."
>Smiling in victory, Bart and David had finally reached the Palace's infirmary, as David placed his brother on a hospital bed.
>The two continued to catch-up.
"I'm just glad to see you again, I was starting to worry you died."
>"Kept you waiting, huh?"
"A year, man. Did you at least see my little lightning trick?"
>Laughing, David nodded.
>"I did, I'm proud of you. Some Knights have difficult with a single Janissary, you know. You're pretty good."
>Both brothers high-five each other, before Bart winces in pain.
"Pretty... Good."
>Both remained silent for a short period of time, before David broke the ice again.
>"How bad is it?"
"It's fine, it's not the first time I've exhausted my mana, I just need some rest and food."
>"You shouldn't push yourself so hard, it's going to hurt you more than help you develop."
"I'm just trying to get stronger, I told you that I wanted to get as good as you."
>David was glad he had the helmet on, he was barely able to hold back his tears of pride.
>"You will, trust me. Remember what I told you when we first met? You can become a hero."
"Never stopped believing in me, even after all these years?"
>Placing his hand on his brother's shoulder, David gripped tightly, reassuring him.
>"Always."
>Bart felt his eyes flutter, as he struggled to stay concious.
>"You're too tired, I'll call someone over, they'll take care of you."
>As David walked away, Bart called out to his brother a final time before sleeping.
"Are you going to leave again, bro?"
>"I can't make any promises, but I'll be with you no matter what."
"Thanks."

>Meanwhile, hours had passed, and the remnants of the Roachmen attack had been swept away by David and the Hero unit.
>Finally leaving the Palace, no one had bothered to approach him or ask for his identity, instead rumours swept around of some 'armoured hero' who saved them.
>He didn't pay mind to it, he was used to that.
>In reality, he had far more to do, imagine his shock when he saw his own little brother nearly dead before his own eyes.
>The bigger shock was seeing him decimate a platoon of Janissaries within minutes, something David found difficult at Bart's age.
>His original plan was to take care of the insurgence and head back to his future wife, to further their relationship and plan out their marriage.
>But inconveniences came along the way, and now that Bart was here, he wasn't going to let him go again, not till he was safe.
>From what he'd gathered, Bart was here on a reconnaisance mission, meaning the only way to finish it up was to further the Bedouin offensive.
>He'd leave that up to his younger brother, but provide support where possible.
>It'd been so long since he'd visited Dubai, after all, and his old friend Abdul would be glad to see him.
>Or that one Wolf-girl he remembered saving, Nadia or something along those lines.
>Needless to say, David had finally left the palace and found a quiet area, where no one could see or hear him.
>Shuffling through his pocket, he dug out the telecom device Astaroth gave him, and dialled her number in.
>The sound of beeps and dialing went through for a few seconds, before he finally heard her startled voice.
>"D-David! Are you okay, is everything alright?"
>He smiled, the sound of her voice was enough to calm him down.
"It's fine. We've taken care of the insurgency and they're all gone."
>Sighing in relief, she calms down and her voice takes a more relaxed tone.
>"That's good, I forgot how fast you work. So, when can I expect you home? I'm getting lonely without you."
"Well, that's the problem. I'm going to stay here for a little longer."
>"What? Why! You know how lonely I got? I miss cuddling with you."
>Blushing at the thought of her caressing him, David began to blush, greatful for the helmet hiding his face.
"W-well, it's important, I promise. I know I said I'd come back, and you know I would never break my promise, but it's something really important."
>"I understand, don't get it wrong, when you get back, I'm going to punish you. But, I know you would never do anything bad, so what's wrong?"
"I found Bart."
>"B-Bart? As in your brother?"
>The Demon Lord began spluttered, the mention of her future brother-in-law catching her off guard.
>She'd heard David talk about him numerous times, it seemed that he was incredibly protective and caring of him, which only made Astaroth think of how great a father he'd be.
"Yeah, he's stationed here with Abdul, and they have to fix the situation or they'll end up dying. I don't want the Roachmen to so much as touch him."
>"Of course, stay safe, alright? And you're really protective of him, aren't you?"
"Maybe, but he's the only family I have, and I'm the only one he's got. Trust me, I'm thinking I should bring him along back home once this is over, you two would get along well."
>"But he's in the Order's army, right? What if he doesn't like me, I mean there's the fact, I'm a demon, the Demon Lord or the fact he might think I'm gonna steal you away from him, I mean I am but that's not the point! The point is, will he even be okay with us?"
"You'd be surprised, he used to date the farmers daughter who was a were-sheep, before the war begun."
>"How'd he get away with it? I thought you lived in Order country?"
"Eh, our town was more accepting, since we were near the Autumn kingdom, so a lot of the people around were accepting of Human-Mamono relations. Anyway, the point is that I'm going to stay here a little longer to help him. I'll keep you updated and come back home as soon as I'm done."
>"Fine, but this might help me actually. Since you're still an Order Hero, come up with the excuse that you and I fought, and we're both injured heavily in case anyone asks, so you're pretty much allowed free reign."
"You think that'll work?"
>"Mhm, now go already, don't you have to look after your brother?"
"I do. I miss you and I love you, bye."
>"I love you too."
>Turning it off, the sudden sound of a Jeep zooming past interrupts his thoughts, as the rest of the Hero unit beckon for him.
>"David, we're done here, you ready to come?"
>Alex calls him over, but David shakes his head, instead removing his armour and giving it back to the unit.
"Alex, Ban's here."
>His eyes widen, as Alex attempts to jump out of the car in excitement
>"No way, you're kidding! I gotta see the little guy again, he's like twenty now ain't he?"
>David wraps an arm around his old friend, before throwing him back into the car.
"If he sees you, the whole operation is ruined. He doesn't know anything yet, and I'd prefer to keep it that way. I'm gonna stay with him and make sure he's alright, Astaroth already knows so you guys just head home, I'll make my way there later."
>Smiling, the soldier nodded at his friend, before winking.
>"Don't worry about it, you two have always together, enjoy your reunion, we're heading out."
>The jeep drives off into the distant sands, fading away.
>Finally, David's left alone, deciding to revisit the old city he missed.

>Fluttering his eyes open, Bart let out a low grunt of exhaustion.
>He had no idea how long he'd been lying in this bed for, surrounded by nurses and getting fluid injections.
>But it'd done it's work, he'd gotten over the Mana deprivation and now felt far better.
>Pushing himself upwards, he glanced over his blood-stained uniform, torn and ruined beyond repair.
>Church would have to pay for that, but there's no way he'd be able to present himself to Abdul like this.
>Scrounging himself upwards, he shook his head, properly waking himself up.
>His body still ached, but he was able to move without much pain, letting him shrug it off.
>As Bart wandered around the infirmary, he was startled by the call of Bekker behind him.
>"Caine, finally! I was worried you'd be out for another day or so."
>Turning around, the younger officer was greeted to the sight of his superior, fuming red.
"Uh, hello, sir. I just got out of bed and I'm not sure where I am."
>"You're in the infirmary, and we're supposed to be meeting Abdul in an hour, get yourself ready!"
>Gesturing to his ruined uniform, Bart shrugs.
"I would, but there's sort of a problem."
>"Yes, I can see that. You're lucky the Order brought in plenty of surplus uniforms here, follow me."
>Prompting Bart behind him, both men rush through the Palace, giving the younger officer little time to observe the surroundings.
>From what he could see, the interior was far more luxurious than the outer area, columns and pillars of marble and polished stone adjourned every few blocks, carpets, skins of animals and paintings he'd only heard about decorated the hallways as every footstep he took echoed throughout the vast, open rooms.
>Bekker however, didn't have time for that, instead grumbling at Bart to speed up.
>Eventually they reached a larger room, relatively simple and minimalistic - Tables, a four-poster bed and standard military equipment.
>Definitely his room.
>The older officer rummaged through his wardrobe, pulling out a grey and blue uniform, similar to Bekker's own uniform, along with a grey, military blazer.
"Captain, thank you for the uniform, but I don't think the blazer is necessary."
>"You're a second lieutenant, correct?"
>Nodding, Bart began to examine the new uniform, glancing through it.
>"Congratulations, you're now Lieutenant Captain, I've promoted you to my peer, or as high as I'm allowed to promote, really."
"Thank you, but why?"
>"Two reasons, really. One, you're a natural strategist on the battlefield, anyone capable of taking down Janissaries like that as your rank is severely overqualified, and secondly, I only have captain uniforms and I really don't want to bother ordering more."
>A grin appeared on the younger officers face, one of victory.
"I appreciate this a lot, but I don't know how to thank you."
>"You can start by taking a bloody shower, you smell rank, Caine! Showers on the right, take your clothes and be quick, you've got ten minutes."
>Rushing towards the bathroom, Bart walked in and stripped, walking into the porcelain bath.
>He let the water begin to flow, desperately cleaning off the excess sweat, grime and blood from his face and body, along with washing his short, sand-blasted hair.
>Ten minutes had passed, and he had finally finished showering, drying himself off with a towel.
>Rushing to put his new uniform on, he finally finished buttoning the blazer and fastening the belt around his waist.
>It wasn't that he cared, it's that the Order was extremely strict over their presentation, in an attempt to make Man look far more disciplined and rugged.
>In reality, a lot of the stories said the uniform just led to more 'proactive dating' cases by lonely Mamono.
>Bart began to remember tales from the Officer's academy, of the various exploits with Mamono.
>He wasn't sure whether half of them were just stories or true, but it made him remember his own past back home.
>His were-sheep girlfriend, Sophia, the farmer's daughter.
>Despite being in an Order controlled town, they were rather lenient with certain Mamono, mostly those who helped with agriculture and enforcement of the laws.
>Cow-girls, were-sheep and some others he couldn't be bothered to care about.
>It was probably because they were neighbouring the Autumn country, ruled by an age-old conquerer, Duke.
>Mostly keeping to himself, the man had greatly supported and funded the Order during it's early days, but disagreed with the strict anti-monster rules to a certain level, seeing as his own wife was a dragon.
>Foreign influences did well.
>Recalling his memory of her, he'd known the girl since they were both ten, becoming friends since the moment he and David lived together.
>They had gone to school together and spent a lot of time together, to the point where even her own father grew to like Bart, approving of their relationship.
>When they were sixteen, they had confessed to each other under the setting sun.
>It was a time where Bart was much younger, more naive and idiotic.
>A time where he said empty promises to keep girls happy, like promising to marry Sophia.
>God, she must hate him now, either still waiting for him, or finally realized he wasn't the same person she remembered.
>Regardless, those memories were the past, and Bart needed to prepare for now.
>Finally leaving the bathroom, dressed in his uniform, Bekker sat on a leather chair nearby, encompassing himself in a book writen in the Bedouin's language.
>Looking up at his subordinate, he pointed his head towards the table, where a pair of brown jackboots and a wide brimmed Khaki hat sat.
>"Good timing, boots and the hat are the final part of your uniform now, then we'll be heading out."
>Bart sat on the floor, adjusting his boots on and slinging the campaign hat under his arm, before walking up to Bekker.
"What are you reading?"
>Closing the book, Bekker shoved it at Bart, looking frustrated.
>"It's their 'holy book', but I can hardly understand a word of it. Abdul tends to have someone reading from it every time, so I'm trying to understand to have him sympathize."
"I've read this before, I can probably help."
>"You have?"
"I studied Philosophy and History at University, along with other things, we had to read these books."
>Raising an eyebrow, Bekker glanced at Bart curiously.
>"Which University?"
"Church College."
>"Bloody hell, you're twenty, right? How'd yo-"
"David. I travelled abroad for a short period of time to study, which helped speed things up, so I graduated early."
>"So you're a genius, then?"
>Shaking his head, Bart elicited a low chuckle and shrugged.
"I wish, most of that was because I was his little brother, University was terrible at times, glad I left, honestly."
>"I know, I've got a cousin who complains about it all the time, a lot of them are just Nobles who use it to spread their backwards ideas."
"That's more accurate than you realize. Anyway, you said we were meeting Abdul?"
>"In about... Twenty, we've got time. I spoke with him earlier, said he wanted to speak with you personally."
"Did I do something wrong?"
>Pulling out a pipe from his pocket, Bekker began to fill the bowl and searched for a lighter, before hearing the snapping of Bart's fingers.
>Using the small flame sprouting from his fingertips, Bart lit Bekker's pipe, as the Captain flashed an appreciate nod.
>"Cheers."
"I'll join you, mind if I use your tobacco?"
>"Go wild, you saved my life anyway."
>Bekker put the bottle on the table, as Bart took out his own pipe and began to light it, taking light huffs.
"I didn't save yours, we fought together. The Janissaries would never have been taken down if you didn't give me coverfire, it wasn't that big of a deal."
>"Do you want to back to your old rank then?"
"No."
>"Then shut up and take the complement. Anyway, Abdul wanted to speak to you, I saw that Beastman that tried to kill you and your guide, she asked me about you, well, not by name, but she was quite aggresive with her description of you."
>Hearing the recollection of Nadia was alarming to Bart, if she showed up while he met Abdul, it may lead to tensions.
>The Wolfgirl was fierce and immensely respected among the Bedouins, her word against his could easily lead to problems.
"What'd she say then?"
>"She called you an idiotic western man, and called you a beast of a man, said something about how you harass lone women in the desert. Did you do something to her?"
"No, I told her she's barbaric for trying to kill my guide, I think I forgot that she was even a woman at the time, I was too focused on defending myself."
>A smug grin laid on Bekker's face, as he noticed Bart's discomfort.
>"Remember, Caine. We must adhere to the strict rules of the order, that doesn't mean take your desires out on she-Wolves, even it's self defense. I don't blame you if you did, she's cute."
"I thought you were a 'Man of the Order'."
>"Between you and me, my wife's a holstaur. Once this war's over, We're going to move near the Autumn Kingdom and start a family."
"I hope the best for you, my ex was a Were-sheep."
>"By God, and David let it slide?"
>Shrugging, Bart glanced to the window, gazing at the gardens.
"My brother's the best man I know, he wants to save everyone and believes most, if not all people are capable of good, including Mamono. He's saved plenty of Human and Mamono. He's the kind of guy who just wants the war to end so we can all go back to our families and be happy, he doesn't really care about who loves who, so long as they're both happy and are good people."
>Shocked at his statement, Bekker remained silent, unable to come up with a response momentarily.
>"That sounds exactly like him, and I agree. We might be comitting heresy to the more extreme members, but most men do this anyway, most care too much about what is and isn't moral, instead of practicing it."
"True stuff, sir."
>Finishing the bowl, the two empty and clean their pipes, before standing up and heading off.
>"That was an interesing conversation, Caine, I'm looking forward to the rest of our expedition."
"Feelings mutual."

>"You may enter."
>The broad, bearded Bedouin had opened the door, lowering his weapon.
>Both officers entered the conference room, the sound of their boots clacking against the hard, wooden floor echoing.
>Leather seats surrounded a golden table, with two men sitting side by side, smoking from a water pipe.
>From what Bart remembered, it was a custom of the Bedouin people to smoke these in social scenarios, it was called a Shisha, or back home, a Hookah.
>The first man was elderly, humming to himself as he read from a book - The same book Bekker was reading earlier.
>The other was dressed far more regally than the first's modest's clothing, his white robes complementing the golden crown on his head, with a long, dark beard flowing, accenting his face.
>This had to be Abdul.
>Glancing at the two Officers, he gestured with his fingers for both to come over and take a seat, before Bekker whispered to Bart.
>"Let me do the talking, here."
>The scent of fragrant tobacco smoke filled the room as the two officers finally sat down, opposite Abdul and the elderly man, continuing to recite verses from the book.
>Both listened, finding it rather awkward with Abdul remaining silent, taking long draws from the water pipe, before blowing trails of smoke.
>He then passed it to Bekker, who shook his head and refused.
>Shrugging, Abdul looked slightly insulted, before offering it to Bart.
>In Bedouin custom, this was a sign of friendship, declining it would be a sign of disrespect.
>Bekker was most likely unaware of half of their culture, which Bart had spend years studying.
>Smiling, Bart nodded a thanks to Abdul, before taking a long draw himself from the pipe, mimicking Abdul's.
>The sheer strength of the tobacco had almost forced him to cough, but he stayed, barely wheezing out smoke, with Abdul chuckling.
>"I'm impressed, mister Caine, most would've coughed by now."
"You could say I'm a cut above the rest, your majesty."
>"Indeed, your fighting today showed it."
"Thank you, you are too kind."
>Nodding in respect, Bart then noticed a slight shadow cast over him, before turning back, being greeted to the familiar, feminine figure of a certain wolf-girl.
>He cursed in his mind, beginning to worry, as Abdul took notice.
>"Ah, Nadia, greetings."
>She bowed, before taking a seat.
>Abdul glanced at her, and back to the two officers, introducing them.
>"Captain Bekker, this is one of my generals, Nadia Al Maharim."
>Bekker nodded, as the Wolfgirl took a seat next to Bart, still glancing at him in annoyance... And a blush on her face?
>"Mister Caine, I think you and Nadia have met already."
>Bart nodded, suppressing his annoyance.
"Yes, your majesty."
>Glancing towards the elderly man, he raised a hand, making him go silent, before looking back at Bart.
>"So..."
>A cough from Bekker interrupted Abdul, gaining his attention.
>"Sir, I hate to interrupt you, but I want a decision from you."
>"You want my people to move to Cairo?"
>"We can supply you with guns there!"
>Sighing, Abdul shook his head before looking back at Bekker.
>"You could supply us through Muscat."
>"Muscat? That's owned by the Roachmen, if you can take it, we can gladly give it to you, but you can't!"
>"But you could."
>Shaking his head, Bekker's face began to grow red in anger, it was clear that this conversation was not the first of it's kind between the two.
>"With what, the Knights corps? The Paladins? I'm afraid we can hardly spare enough soldiers as it is, they are preoccupied with protecting Cairo from Roachmen and the Demon forces. The Roachmen at Muscat have heavy artillery, they would easily decimate us if we were to enter their line of fire."
>"Ah... Yes, Cairo. It truly is an essential part of the Order's military interests, to my people, it is nothing."
>"Sir, with all due respect, I must reassure you that the Order and the Bedouin people's interests are one in the same, that's why I'm begging you to move to Cairo."
>"Perhaps, perhaps not."
>Nadia began to growl at Bekker, before calming down.
>"Come to Cairo and we can give all the equipment you desire, guns, training - All yours!"
>"Guns?"
>"A rifle for every able bodied man... And woman."
>Abdul's eyes began to grow red, as he clenched his fist, attempting to hold back his anger.
>Nadia had snatched the pipe from Bart's hand, taking a puff from it, before coughing and spluttering.
>A slight chuckle escaped Bart's lips, with Nadia jabbing at his arm lightly in response.
>"Be silent, barbarian."
"Barbarian? You're the sa-"
>"No captain, I want artillery! Guns produced by the Order, the same artillery that the Roachmen have, the same ones you supplied them years ago!"
>Their conversation was interrupted by Abdul and Bekker shouting at each other, the hostility was thick enough that it seemed like both men would be at each other's throats any second now.
>Nadia stood up, walking over to Bekker, joining in the argument.
>"The Order will teach the Bedouin how to fight?"
>"We will teach them how to fight a modern, well-armed military. This is a man's war, not a wo-"
>Bart could already predict Bekker's next word, and kicked the man's shin under the table, silencing him before receiving an angry look from the man.
>"All you Order soldiers do is conquer, the same as the other empires, the only difference is you are man, not mamono."
"I..."
>Bart hushed himself, barely able to keep his mouth shut before the rest of the room went silent, glancing at him.
>Abdul was the first to break the silence, looking at the young officer compassionately.
>"Yes, mister Caine? Do you have something to add?"
"I think that Cairo is far from Muscat, is it not?"
>Abdul's eyes widened, memories of his home flushing his mind.
>"Have you been to Muscat, Caine?"
"I have, years ago."
>"We'll take Muscat for you, but only if we can provide your men with training!"
>Abdul tuned out Bekker's interruptions and smiled at the nostalgic beauty of his visions of home.
>"It is beautiful, is it not?"
"Very,"
>Bekker slammed his fist onto the table, starling the other three.
>"That'll do, Caine. Dreaming won't get you to Muscat, but discipline will! When the Order was first founded, it was but a small city state, far smaller than your own, and do you know how it became so powerful?"
>"Through subjugating the surrounding nations in a mix of fear, hatred, hostility and Xenophobia? By exploiting the power vacuum left by the two dead Demon Lords? Or through military supremacy?"
>Abdul's offhanded remark had caught Bekker off-guard, but the Officer pesevered onward.
"I agree."
>"Caine, enough! He is not your military advisor, sir."
>"But I would like to hear his opinion, wouldn't you, Nadia?"
>The She-Wolf nods, both staring intensely at the younger officer.
>Clearing his throat, Bart recalls a lesson from David in his past, remembering his older brother's words.
>A Hero must learn to speak from the heart, to speak the truth and do what's right, not for some political cause, but what is truly just.
>Bart knew that even if he was an Officer on observation, he felt it in his heart, along with the call for adventure, that what he would say is true and just.
>"My Lord, for as long as I can remember, your people have their own culture, their own beliefs. These are your lands, are they not? The Desert is but a beautiful ocean, free to roam and create your own civilizations. The Bedouin, for countless years, have tamed this burning, near inhospitiable land that no other peoples have managed, even the Roachmen require your assistance for their empire, and that is failing! Your people have always been free to go where they want and strike where they please, the way they have always fought, and the way you should fight now. I know your desire to return home, sir, I feel it too, we all do. It is why the right time to strike is now, to take Muscat. Together, the Order and the Bedouins have come so far in pushing back the Roachmen, they have commited so many crimes against both our peoples, against their own. We must finish this together, to strike now as one and take back your lands."
>Bekker had given up, merely commenting nonchalantly.
>"Caine, you're a bloody traitor."
"Sir, I apologize, but for now, you are wrong. They are not our people, they have their own rules and their own views. If they join as soldiers under the Order army, they lose their efficiency and skills, our warfare tactics are completely different."
>A tear streams down Abdul's eyes, while Nadia's frown changes into a neutral expression, as if struck by Bart's words.
>He could tell her opinion of him was slowly changing, impressed, or touched.
>"Mister Caine, you may be right, but there is no realistic way of charging them. We are outclassed, their equipment far superior to our own, what do you propose, nearly all sides of the Muscat fortress are guarded."
"We'll strike directly through the mountains! The Khanith tribes live in the mountain, and from what I recall, they are excellent fighters."
>Nadia gazes at him in anger.
>"The Khanith are not but merecenaries, they'll fight for whoever gives them the most money, not but plunderers, pillagers and thieves!"
"Then I will give them all the Gold they require, we'll amass a fighting force big enough to strike through the mountain and attack the fortress through a blind side."
>Abdul is the next to criticize Bart's plan.
>"Do you know of the trek? It is difficult, even for Bedouin, I guarantee you will lose some."
"Your Majesty, we are cornered here, you don't want to move to Cairo and the Order will not provide guns or support otherwise. You have no other choice, believe me. I myself will lead alongside whoever you appoint. It can be done."
>Nadia's tail thumps, as she grows even angrier.
>"Man of the West... Caine, you are a fool. It is written that you will not make it."
>Shaking his head, Bart shrugged his shoulders and smiled, it was his time to push onwards.
>He felt it in his heart, the time to make a true decision.
>He was ready to take a risk, to lead alongside the Bedouin, to take Muscat back.
>Why? He wasn't sure, maybe the heat had finally got to his brain and made him crazy, but it was time to take a risk, to gamble.
"For some men, nothing is written unless they write it themselves, my brother told me that. Do you know my brother, Al Maharim?"
>It took her a few seconds, before her eyes widened in shock.
>"Caine... No! This is just a coincidence, you couldn't be from the sam-"
>The time had come, Bart's spontaneous planning had finally worked, and the wolf had walked right into the trap.
>He begun to pace around the conference room, his voice taking a far more confident, eased tone.
"Adopted. That's right, I am Bartholomew Caine, Lieutenant Captain of the Order's army and brother to High Paladin, and Hero, David Caine. I say the Bedouins are ready to take back Muscat, in a final push. Death or glory."
>Bekker had gone mad at this point, hiding his face between his arms and shaking his head.
>"On God, you've gone mad!"
>Abdul began to laugh to himself, shaking his head and smiling, his sadness fading away.
>He stood up, embracing Bart in a tight hug, before slapping a hand over his back.
>"Mister Caine, you remind me of him in so many ways, even if you are not related by blood. I long to see the Gardens of the Muscat palace again, to be free and to lead my people. This is the last push, and if you're willing to put your life, honour and reputation on this, you are a man of the people, a hero like your brother,"
"Thank you, your maj-"
>"But, there is one problem. Pasha Mehmet Suleiman will definitely be awaiting you. He is very strong, I have personally seen him cut down some of my best warriors with ease. I have seen your strength in battle, and I commend it greatly, but I don't think you can defeat him right now, do you have a plan for that?"
>Bart's composure broke.
>He was gambling on working on that later.
"Well, I c-"
>Bart was cut off by the sound of shocked Guards outside, as three knocks slammed on the ornate, wooden for, before it was finally kicked open.
>Entering the room, was a tall, well-built figure, clad in the same white robes Bedouins wear.
>He interrupted the conversation, his voice easily recognizable to everyone in the room.
>"I'll take care of him."
>The entire room shouted in unison in response.
>"David?"
>"In the flesh."
>Bart rushed up to his brother, both embracing each other in a hug, before looking at the rest of the room.
"Took you long enough."
>"I had girl troubles."
"Your trouble with girls is that you never get girls in the first place."
>"Shut up."
>Abdul began to cry again, falling on his knees and uttering a prayer to his God, as Nadia walked over to David.
>"David, do you remember me?"
>Scratching the back of his head, the young hero looked away, desperately trying to avoid the topic.
>"Well, uh. I'm sorry, it's been a long time since I've visited Dubai. It's my fault."
>She looked away, sighing.
>"Well, it was years ago during a Roachmen invasion, you saved most of my village."
>"Oh, Nadia, is that you? God, you've grown up so much!"
>Her ears twitched, as her face lit up in happiness.
>"You do remember! It's so good to see you again."
>"I know, you're the commander of the Bedouin army too, I'm proud of you. You find anyone to marry yet or what?"
>She turns to Bart, looking furious, before glancing back at David.
>"Well, I don't think I can get married anymore. On my way here, I was assaulted by a... Barbarian, he called me a savage after he drank from my well."
>David's fist clenched in anger, the image of the wolf-girl he had in his head was still the young child he remembered saving back then, and her innocence.
>"Who did it and what's his name?"
>"He's your brother."
"What? I didn't even touch you. You attacked my guide, it was only in self defense."
>David turned towards his younger brother, furious.
>Bart gulped, the last time David was this angry was when he accidentally ate his older brother's leftover sandwich in the fridge.
>"Bart, what did you do to her?"
"Nothing, I said nothing!"
>"Then why is she complaining?"
"I don't know, ask her?"
>David turned towards Nadia again, practically interrogating her.
>"Nadia, he didn't touch you, did he? My brother's a good man, I promise, I know he sometimes forces himself on women and harasses them to the point of no return, but he's a good man and if you two date I'll give you complete approv-"
>Slapping the back of his older brother's head, Bart grumbled angrily and pushed him away, before walking up to Nadia.
>He placed his hands on the wolf-girl's shoulders, making her blush, before looking into her eyes.
"I am sorry if I offended you. Please, can we start over? If not for me, then so David can shut up, please, Nadia. I was wrong about you, you're not a cruel savage, you're good."
>Blushing further, she nodded, while he continued to keep his hands pressed against her.
>"Fine, I accept your terms."
"Great, also, I want you to apologize to Hashemi for almost killing him."
>She growled at him, shaking her head.
>"Don't push your luck, I refuse to apologize to someone as low as him."
"Be a good dog and do it."
>The term Dog had clearly set her off, as she pushed Bart away and was getting ready for a fight.
>"You will regret saying that. You are but a little, weak man."
"If you so much as touch me, it's going to end with you on the ground."
>Nadia dashed at him, growling wildly, as she extended a hand out to strike.
>But Bart had predicted this, his days at the academy and sparring with his older brother had lead to him learning basic close quarters combat.
>Taking a step to the side with ease, he wrapped his hand around the elbow of her striking arm.
>His second step lead to pulling her against his body.
>Bart had shuddered a bit, as he could feel her breasts bounce against his chest, and her breath against his face.
>He wasn't going to lie, it would've been welcome at any other point, just not when she was trying to kill him.
>Finally, he wrapped a leg around the back of own, throwing her onto the ground.
>What he didn't anticipate was her pulling him down with her, as she began to roll ontop of him, trying to scratch and punch him.
>Bart grabbed both her arms, barely pushing her away, still exhausted from the Mana deprivation, but he struggled to keep her from touching him.
>Finally, David had recovered and went to kick Bart in the side in revenge, making him let go of Nadia's arms.
>Instead of striking him, she lost her balance and fell on top of him, face against face.
>Within seconds, her lips were pressed against his own, lost in passion as he felt her tongue trail inside his mouth, her ears rapidly twitching and her tail thumping up and down.
>Bart's eyes widened, as he struggled to get up.
>Normally he wouldn't mind, but he was in front of some of the most powerful men in the city, all watching him make-out with a general of the army he was supposed to lead.
>The order truly is professional, isn't it?
>Bart struggled to get up, but he felt Nadia's arms pin him down, completely letting her control him, as she deepened the kiss and refused to let him escape, low hums coming from her.
>He glanced to David, desperately signaling for his help, but the young Hero was far too busy laughing at his expense.
>Finally though, David decided to help him and gave a light push to the Wolf Girl, throwing her over to the floor.
>Bart gasped for breath, wiping the saliva and drool on his face.
>Finally getting up, he wiped the sand off his uniform, before the rest of the room continued to laugh at him.
>Bart looked over to Nadia, who was in a mix of shock, anger and confusion, as she begun to weep.
>He may have fought her earlier, but he wasn't going to deny he didn't enjoy it for the moment and that she was probably embarassed.
>Glancing towards the laughing figures, he flashed a stern face before silencing them.
"She's crying, I'll speak with you all later."
>Bart picked the crying Bedouin girl, slinging her over his arms, as he left the conference room.
>The Guard had directed him to Nadia's room in the royal palace, whilst Nadia had fallen asleep in his arms, humming a desert lullaby to herself.
>He'd finally found her room, glancing at the decor.
>Guns, paintings, a photo of what he presumed to be a younger her and parents.
>A computer and whatever else.
>He didn't really care.
>Tucking the girl in bed, he grew angry with himself, for making the mistake of embarassing the young woman.
>He didn't care too much, it wouldn't be the first time a Mamono forced herself on him, but it'd be the first time it was an accident.
>Bart was a Man, and he knew what that entailed, his time with Sophia had taught him a lot.
>Writing a note for Nadia, he apologized and asked for her to meet him later, before putting it on the table and walking back to the conference room.
>It was time to finish off plans and get some rest.

>Returning back to the conference room, most of the plans had already been set.
>The overall strategy was to rally the strongest of Abdul's forces and go through the mountains, recruiting the remainder of the tribes near the Omani border, before finally taking the fortress.
>It was risky, but it was necessary, and more importantly, the only way.
>The meeting had concluded with the three men going back to their own quarters, with Bart being led to his own room, next to David and Bekker's.
>His room was similar, albeit far more decorated - A silver chandelier rested at the top, with a four-poster bed of his own and two decorated chairs.
>Deciding to get some rest, he laid in his room for a few hours, reading over an old grimoire he'd borrowed from Bekker, along with taking extra uniforms in case of an emergency.
>Unfortunately, he was still unarmed, but that could be taken care of the next day.
>It would take three to five days to prepare the expedition anyway, meaning Bart was free to do whatever in that time.
>For him, the only preparation he could cope with right now was reading up more on his Magic and find a way to increase it.
>He remembered the lessons he was taught over during school and University, using the ability to use Magic similar to a muscle, the more one used it, the stronger it'd get over time.
>Except this specific muscle was far more prone to injury and damage, and extreme injuries could lead to fates worse than death.
>Not to mention that mages were wanted by Mamonos all over, in favour of finding a strong Husband to produce even stronger offspring.
>Bart's own magic started off fairly weak, being diagnosed with 'extreme potential' in his youth, but never able to use most of it.
>He assumed it was just a false-flag, and that whatever he could cast was a result of the countless hours he'd put into practice.
>At least he was making progress, just at a far slower rate than an actual Mage would, most his age were capable of summoning weapons and changing the weather with their mind.
>But they were all elite trained Knights and Paladins, incredibly rare, but powerful.
>Bart couldn't help but compare himself to them, being the younger brother of David, the man who was considered the Order's 'strongest warrior'.
>For him, magic was something that came naturally, although not as potent or powerful as he'd like, but he had no issues with weaving spells and charging elements, if he thought about it, it would come to life.
>He considered that the biggest advantage he had against other mages, some of which had to memorize specific details to produce specific spells.
>But he needed training, and some kind of boost in power.
>Without those two, he'd be stuck below a glass ceiling, unable to break through it.
>His thoughts were interrupted, however, by a knock at the door.
>Closing his book, he placed it on the table and stood up, walking towards the dark, oak door.
>Opening it, Bart was greeted by another one of the Palace guards, bowing before him.
>The man was about his height, with dark skin and short, dark hair, wrapped by a white Turban.
>"Greetings, Lord Abdul has suggested that since the night is near, you should enjoy the Casbah."
>Raising an eyebrow at the suggestion, the young officer glanced curiously at the guard.
"...Casbah?"
>"It is... How do you say in your language... A bar? But different, there are many different things for you to enjoy, his Majesty will not be able to join you, but Lord David is there too, he requested for you as well."
"I see, how do I get there?"
>"Follow me."

>Twenty minutes passed, with Bart following the guard, through the expanse palace, till they reached an archway leading towards a transparent curtain, housing an entrance.
>The guard had stopped, pushing the curtain to the side, before smiling awkwardly.
>"Welcome to the Casbah, Lord Caine."
>His eyes were greeted to a beautifully sunlit balcony, decorated and adorned with some of the finest chairs, tables and decor that money could buy.
>Men and women, Mamono and Man, stood around said tables, dressed in clothes far more expensive than his best suit back home, sat, laughing and drinking amongst each other.
>What had really caught the young officer's eyes, however, was the bar.
>Although some distance away, he could easily tell that it was stocked to the brim.
>Even if the day was stressful and tiring, he could finally call end it with a good drink.
>As soon as he dismissed the guard, Bart darted for the bar, greeting the bartender.
>The elderly, bedouin man smiled at him, before greeting him, polishing glasses.
>"Ah, another officer of the Order. What can I get you?"
>Nodding back, Bart leaned over carved, wooden bench, glancing over at the shelves behind the bartender, stocked to the brim with exotic drinks.
"I'm honestly not sure, it's fairly overwhelming. Back in Cairo, we only had beer and wine. The higher-ups kept all the stronger stuff to themselves. Well, it's my first time drinking in Arabia, might as well try something local."
>"Local? Well, we do have Arak."
"Arak, what might that be?"
>"A spirit, specifically made from date fruit. It's very different from Western drinks, do you drink much?"
>Stopping to recount his history with alcohol, he wasn't necessarily an alcoholic, but his teenage years were filled with a few times where he'd get drunk at home with Sophie, usually borrowing a bottle from David, who was notorious for being a lightweight.
"I guess, mostly for social or celebration purposes. It's been a while since I've had anything that didn't taste expired."
>The bartender reached for a bottle, scribbled with Bedouin writing and filled with a clear liquid, before filling a third of a glass with it.
>"Interesting, your brother said you were an alcoholic."
>Caught off guard, Bart shook his head and laughed off the snide remark.
"He's jealous I can handle a drink, you know my brother?"
>Nodding, the elder man began to fill the rest of the glass with cold water, as the clear liquid had slowly transformed into a milky white solution.
"This looks like poison."
>"Drink it, they call it 'halib al-aswad'"
>Repeating the phrase it in his head, Bart murmured the translation softly.
"The milk of Lions."
>"You know Bedu too? The Church has really changed their game recently, then. Don't let me keep you, though. Enjoy the drink, Caine."
"Call me Bart, and how much do I owe you?"
>"All drinks are courtesy of his majesty."
"Cheers, then."
>Putting the glass to his lips, the first thing he noticed was the strong, overpowering scent of alcohol lingering from the glass, which caught him off-guard.
>The initial taste reminded him of the Potato-liquor from the Northern tribes of Europe, but the more he drank, the better the drink was.
>Undertones of anise and dates strengthened, overpowering the strong taste of Alcohol, until he finally decided to drink down the smooth, refreshing spirit.
>Already, he could feel slightly tipsy, the sheer strength of the drink catching him off-guard.
"That was good, I'll have another."
>Nodding at the younger officer, the Bartender began to fill the glass again, before gesturing towards a small corner in the back, where Bart spotted David lounging on a dark, leather couch, sitting by a Shisha set.
>"I'm glad you enjoyed it, also, your brother asked me to divert you towards him, back there, after I pour you this."
>Grinning, Bart took the second glass and walked towards his older brother, thanking the bartender.
>The faint tunes of a guitar playing, and Arabian singers filled the room, giving it a relaxing, comforting vibe as Bart sat next to David, who was already tipsy, close to drunk, a glass of Arak in his own hand.
>"Finally, you kept me waiting way too long."
>Shrugging, Bart snatched the water-pipe from his brother, taking long huffs from it, filling his lungs with the flavoured tobacco smoke, a mix of Apple and Mint.
>Blowing out, he felt his body begin to relax, synergizing with the Arak he had downed.
"I didn't even know you were here, how long were you waiting?"
>Glancing at a clock nearby, David shrugged and continued to sip from his own glass, sighing in delight.
>"They know how to make drinks, I'll tell you. Anyway, it's good to see you again, brother."
>Both brothers flashed each other a smile, drinking away the night.
"I missed you too, bro. Where've you been for so long, one year and no letters or calls?"
>"I... I have no excuse, but I can't explain right now. It's critical this stays confidential, but I can promise you this - We'll never be separated like that ever again, not if things go the way I plan."
"You? Planning? Well, it's not a big deal to me, we'll do it after we take care of this. Speaking of which, some shit we got ourselves into, huh?"
>David laughed, calling over a waiter and ordering another Shisha, as both brothers clashed their glasses together, downing what was left inside it.
>"I'll say, but I'm proud of you. You're finally taking charge properly, this is what heroes do! You're on your way to becoming a proper hero."
>Bart felt his head sway a little, the alcohol had already found it's way into his system, but he enjoyed the euphoric sensations, combined with the buzz from the Nicotine - He was relaxed, more than he'd ever been in a long time.
"You think so? I'm nervous, I feel like we could be walking into our death, but I know we need to do this, that it's the right thing and that victory's there if we do it."
>"That's what you're supposed to feel, it's how I feel before every fight, you've just gotta' prepare yourself and stay confident, remember that it's not just you in the fight, people are looking up to you!"
"That's exactly what makes me nervous."
>"You've been here for less than a day, and people already support you, your attack on the Janissaries didn't go unnoticed, people think you're a hero. They think that with both of us here, we'll liberate them. We give them hope, look at everyone, we're in the middle of a war and they're having the time of their lives, even though they could die any minute. You want to know why? It's about being a hero, it's about delivering hope and saving people no matter the cost, to give yourself for the sake of justice. I've been telling you this for a long time, you always worry about catching up to me, but it's not about comparing yourself, it's about improving and being the best you can be!"
>Struggling to come up with a response, Bart simply sighed and continued to huff from his pipe, letting David continue his drunken rant.
>"Bart, remember, you can become a hero. I told you this from the beginning, no matter what, you'll be a hero. You've come so far already, I guarantee that when we get through this, you'll be given a very high position."
>The phrase David had repeated over the years always caught Bart off guard, constantly bringing memories to that faithful night where the two had met, where David had inspired him.
"I know, you're right. It's hard, but it's worth it and we'll make it through this. Anyway, let's stop talking about this, I want to catch up with you."
>"Gotcha, speaking of which, what'd you do with Nadia?"
"I took her to her room and tucked her in bed, leaving a note to meet up with me when she's free."
>"Good, take care of her. I think she likes you."
"I got it, I'm not some Barbarian who seduces women and leaves them for dead."
>Smirking, David decided to catch him out on his hypocrisy.
>"What about Sophia?"
"We both broke it off because it wouldn't work out. Anyway, how do you know Nadia?"
>"I saved her from an attack a few years back, when I was here. I came in too late... She lost her parents. She descends from an old noble house from the Khan era, they were loyal to Abdul's family too. Worst part is, remember Mehmet Suleiman? He was the one who killed them."
>Bart's eyes widened at the mention of the Roachmen warrior, his name was known to incite fear in nearly everyone, remaining the undefeated champion of their people.
"You met him? What's he like."
>"Big guy, very strong, fast and merciless. The things I've seen him do, I didn't get a chance to fight him, since we were trying to help Nadia's village evacuate, but I think I could probably take him, if not, you and I'll do it together."
"Like old times, hm?"
>"Yeah, like old times. Remember that Incubus Knight?"
"The one who's wife was a Lich right, that brought the dude back?"
>"Yeah, him, that fight was intense. I thought we were going to die there."
>They reminisced over their first fight together, four years ago, Bart was sixteen and David twenty-one, where a Lich's army attempted an invasion on their town.
"We honestly were, did you know that guy used to be one of the captains of the Knight Corps before he died?"
>"It explains why he was so strong, he even had an enchanted sword, that could give most Paladins a run for their money."
"How did we even beat him then?"
>"Because you decided to steal someone's power armour and use magic to fight him, which gave me a distraction to knock out the Lich."
>Memories flooded back into Bart's mind, smiling over their first fight together.
"I remember now, that was genius. Pretty sure I was going to die if you didn't come in."
>"Maybe, but the fact you were able to go against him shows what you can do, you're easily better than any Knight Corps recruit, they're missing out anyway."
>Bart winced at the mention of the Knight Corps, who'd rejected him when he first turned eighteen, for reasons unknown.
>He'd passed most of the tests with ease, but his magic ran short, but still came up in the top ten during the testing procedure.
>However, he was rejected for unknown reasons, to which David had never told him why, instead ignoring it and moving on.
>But Bart was annoyed, he'd wanted to join the Knight corps for so long, in order to grow stronger and fight single-handedly against more powerful Monsters, remniscent of the heroes from stories, or more realistically, like his older brother.
"Speaking of which. Bro, I want to know now, why did I get rejected from the Knight corps in the first place? I know you know, I won't get mad, I just want to hear it, was it my magic?"
>David sighed in sadness, finishing his second drink before preparing himself.
>He'd withheld it from his younger brother for good reason.
>The young hero loved his little brother, above all else, wanting to always protect him and keep him happy.
>Telling him the truth would probably break his heart, but it'd be necessary at this point for him to grow.
>"Are you sure you want to hear it? You might not like the answer."
"I'm ready, no matter what."
>"It wasn't because of your tests, you did really well, and your magic was easily looked-by, the fact you had it in the first place showed potential, anyone else with those results would've been shortlisted to becoming an elite Knight. It was because of... That name, you know?"
"You mean the old surname?"
>David's face had drooped, too ashamed to look at his brother in the eyes.
>"I'm sorry, Bart. I tried, I promise you, but they were adamant on it, even though I gave every word. Their director accused you of being a Lilim, needless to say, I ended up putting him in hospital, and I'm not allowed to speak to them again. Though, I do think they have a new director though. Look, it's not your fault, you had nothing to do with it. You're one of the best people I know, the past is the past, you're Bart Caine now, and that's what matters."
>Bart was too busy looking down at himself, frustrated.
>He desperately tried to hold back tears, remembering the past he'd repressed for so long.
>But he'd accepted it now, he refused to let it hurt him.
>Forcing a smile, he looked back up, David wincing at the obvious pain beneath his eyes.
>No matter what Bart did, David had always supported him and tried his best to guide his brother the right way, no matter what.
>He was so proud of how far he'd come, even if he didn't believe in himself.
>What he needed was a real victory, hs first true act of heroism, that would be the moment he'd be able to move on.
>David prayed, and hoped that this expedition would be the moment, along with Bart finally unlocking the power he'd held on too for so long.
"It's fine, honestly. I'm annoyed, and it's terrible, but I've learned to be happy where I am. Right now, what's important is taking back Muscat, not crying over what could or would happen."
>"Good. You've grown over the past year, you know? Soon enough, you might even surpass me."
"We'll see when that day comes, bro. Anyway, you got a girlfriend yet? Mamono or Human, I don't judge."
>"No, and I still don't understand how you get away with it, most Mamono would your devotion to the Order unattractive."
"I'm a reformist, not a purist. The old Order was fine with Mamono, provided they were loyal to Humanity."
>"True, I preferred those values too, but we have to follow rules."
"Maybe, I'll pick what I like, speaking of which, I've got something to try."
>Putting his fingers in his mouth, Bart wolf whistled, causing three scantily-clad women to come up to their table, presumably belly dancers.
>The first looked at Bart, grinning lewdly at him, whilst the other two giggled, speaking in their own language, complementing David.
>"Yes, my Lords? May we help you?"
"Yeah, my brother's never been with a woman in his life."
>David shook his head, holding his hands out and shifting away from the three woman, who hummed in delight, looking over him.
>"Yes I have! I've been with plenty of women."
"That's bullshit and you know it. Anyway, he's not interested in that sort of thing, ladies, don't worry about it then."
>Despite Bart asking them to leave, the three continued to lerch closer to David, beginning to touch him, making the young hero uncomfortable.
>"But he's so handsome, and untouched? We must have him, if the hero wants, he can have all three of us to share, we don't mind."
>"I'm fine thank yo-"
>"But hero, I know you want us, all you have to do is come with me, and I can make you feel pleasure no women could ever come close to, we're not like your western girls."
>Bart grew angry, furious at the women's harassment of his brother.
"Leave him, now."
>But they ignored him, the three attempting to corner the young man, who grew increasingly awkward.
>Finally, Bart stood up, grabbing each of the belly-dancers, practically manhandling them, as he tossed them away.
"Begone, thot!"
>David began to calm down, shaking his head.
"You alright, bro? Sorry about that, I don't know what they were thinking."
>Shaking his head, David stood up, draping a hand over his brother.
>"No, it's fine. A lot of these women try to romance me, as a sign of status, you get used to it. Anyway, I'm going to head to bed, you coming or are you gonna stay here longer?"
"I'll do the same, but give me a little longer, I'm going to check the rest of this place out."
>"I got it, breakfast is served here too, so I'll see you in the morning. I'll give you a knock when it's time."
"Cheers, good night, David."
>"Night, Bart."
>The brothers go their separate ways, as Bart gets up, wobbling slightly while he makes his way around the Casbah, exploring various sections and waving to passerbys.
>Slowly, he found himself drawn to the sound of a guitar being strum, and another arch, with a translucent curtain hiding a balcony.
>Bart found himself drawn to the enticing figure behind the curtain, swaying to the rhythm.
>Curiously, he walked through, until his heart nearly bounced from his chest, only now realizing what exactly he was looking at.
>She was at least five years older than him, in the peak of her twenties.
>Dark, rosen hair spilled down to her shoulders, swaying like her hips with every step she took.
>Her light, sun-touched skin reminded him so much of Sophia's that it hurt, but lighter than his own bronzed skin, tanned from constant exposure to the blazing desert sun's rays.
>She was voluptous too, just his type - Older, long hair and exotic.
>He hated his weakness for women, that he was never able to show the same self-restraint that David was, but it may have just been the alcohol pushing him.
>His eyes were fixated on her curvaceous body, swaying with each step, hypnotizing him.
>His mind screamed at him to stop, to run, as he caught the two curved horns sprouting from either side of her head, and the pointed ears, along with the horse tail sprouting from her back - A Satyr, notorious for easily being able to seduce men, along with having powerful magic, horned ones were on par with some of the most powerful Monsters.
>But he wanted more, he wanted to be closer to this desert Goddess.
>Greed was always in a man's heart, and with Bart, Alcohol only made his stronger.
>She was clad in a jacket, that revealed her smooth skin, as she continued to sway, seemingly unaware of Bart's presence.
>In any other scenario, he'd avoid the dreaded feeling he had, but the alcohol had finally taken it's toll, and he decided to take a risk.
>He was held captivated by her presence, and he wanted, no, needed to get closer to her.
>Forcing himself forward, he walked towards the edge of the balcony, gazing at the night sky, before speaking.
"Beautiful night, ain't it?"
>The young officer critized himself internally, barely able to come up with a better opening line.
>"I agree, cool and free, better than back in Europe, isn't it?"
>Her accent was similar to that back home, but foreign, she did not speak the native tongue that all members of the Order did, rather her accent was from the Northern tribes instead.
"Yeah, makes up for the heat in the morning, it kills a man."
>She laughed at his remark, before walking up to him, the sound of her cloven hooves trotting against the stone tiles.
>"Maybe, but if you spend enough time here, you get used to it."
>Bart turned towards her, she had half a foot on him, but that didn't bother him.
"I've gotten used to it, just doesn't mean I like it. Name's Bart, by the way."
>He held out his hand for her, introducing himself.
>She glanced at him awkwardly, as Bart studied her face properly.
>A pair of violet eyes glanced at him, whilst a red blush filled her rosky cheeks, she was definitely drunk.
>She accepted his gesture, shaking his own hand, before glancing down and smiling at him.
>"Diana, I already know about you, Bart. You caused quite a spectacle this morning."
"I did? I guess, it's just duty, really. And you're pretty... Your name, I mean, uh, so are you but uh..."
>The alcohol had caught him off guard, breaking his usual facade of charm.
>But the Satyros had giggled, as if charmed by his clumsy, drunk stupor.
>"Thank you. You're pretty cute yourself, I do love a man in uniform after all."
>He could feel himself blushing, as the older woman inched closer and closer to him, her breath going down his neck.
>Gulping, a slight panic set in his head, this was probably the first time a woman had been the one controlling the flirting.
>And that usually led to Mamono being more dominant, and taking a man by force.
>Bart wasn't ready for that, and if she knew he had magic, it'd only make him more enticing.
"Thank you, and I'm not really that special, I'm just another officer."
>"Don't downplay yourself, you're a hero to some of the people around here, just like your brother."
"I guess, but I've never seen it that way. Just doing my best to help people."
>She moved her face closer to his, slightly annoyed, as she began to tell him off.
>"It's even cuter when you try to act modest. Look, we may have just met, but I can tell you sometimes feel like you live in his shadow, right?"
>Shrugging, Bart was too busy gazing into her violet orbs, admiring his own reflection in them.
>"I know from experience, my older sister's the breadwinner of our family, while I'm just a travelling entertainer, playing music where I like."
"If it means anything, I think your music is wonderful, it's what led me to you anyway."
>"You really like my music?"
"Yeah, you've got a talent with the guitar, I mean, I'd love to hear some more."
>"Hm, maybe. But there's other music playing from the Casbah, care to dance?"
>He shook his head, trying to slide his way out, but both her arms were on his shoulders, just the fainest bit of pressure holding him in place.
"I'm not really much of a danc-"
>She cut him off, wrapping his hands around hers, as she brought him in for a slight twirl.
>He felt his feet move to the rhythm of the music, coordinating with her own, as she began to instruct him.
>"I'll teach you, first, place your hand on my hip."
>He placed his hand on her hip, taking a step forward, timing his own with the music as he barely managed to keep up with his partner, who began to lose herself in a drunken trance of dancing.
"Uh, how is this?"
>"You're doing wonderfully, even for a beginner."
"Thanks, what made you want to dance, anyway?"
>She released a grip from his hand, placing it on his jawline, gently carressing him as her voice became softer, gazing into his own eyes.
>"You seemed stressed out, dancing helps out with that."
>She was right, all the worries of the night had faded away, all that mattered was the moment, and dancing with her.
"You're right, it does, thank you again, Diana."
>The way he said her name made her beam in delight, as he could feel her eyes glowing.
>"I don't know why, but when you say my name, I just love it."
"You have a lovely name."
>"And you have a wonderful voice, now shall we keep easing your troubled thoughts?"
>Without warning, she pressed her full lips on his forehead, catching him off-guard.
>He stuttered, unable to keep his composure, he had to force himself to finish the dance off with the older woman.
>"You've done really well so far, Bart. I'm impressed!"
>The two let go of each other, before Diana had pushed Bart down onto the chair, bringing herself on top of him.
>Her lips inched away from his own, whispering.
>"You've done well, but in Arabia, the custom is that the women dance for the men."
>She began to shake her hips in front of him, close enough for him to put his face against her body, but far enough that he couldn't touch her.
>Bart felt like he was being tested, and from the movement earlier, he begun to feel himself sober up, shaking his head.
>She draped her hands over her body, emphasizing every move and action she did, accenting her body with each step.
>He blushed, barely able to keep himself composed, as his eyes fixated on her.
>She had taken off her scarf, holding it with one hand and letting it flutter around, before continuing to dance, her body flowing with every move.
>Bart was captivated, taking in every sensual detail of her body, unable to keep his thoughts to himself.
"Diana... You're beautiful."
>She giggled in response, finishing off the dance, before placing a single leg on the chair, between Bart's legs, her scarf against the back of his neck, as she pulled him closer.
>Finally, the two had kissed, barely able to hold off the tension, their arms wrapped around each other.
>Bart was the one who broke it off, looking up at her, whispering.
"That was amazing... You're amazing."
>"As are you, officer."
"I'm just, a little shocked."
>"There's no need to be, if it makes you feel equal, I was captivated when I saw your fight with the Roachmen today, how you were able to take on so many with a single firearm and some basic magic, it speaks wonders about your character, and your power. Mamono would kill to make you their husband."
"The way you describe me, it means so much to me, but I feel like it's not enough, not enough to achieve my dreams, at least."
>Her hand moved towards his chin, cradling his face between her soft, delicate hands.
>"What is it that you want, my young dancer?"
"For so long, I've wanted to be a hero, to help people and save them. But what I really want, is peace, for the war to be over. I'm sick of seeing people fighting and dying for someone else's war. But there's a lot I want to do, build a large home, find someone to love, have a family and live happy. What about you, Diana?"
>She giggled heavily, and when she finally calmed down, she brought him into a tight hug, her tone becoming more hearty.
>"You don't know how much we have in common, it hurts me that we are meant to be enemies. I can't even take you for myself, you're nothing short of a hero, even if you don't believe it, Bart."
>Her hug had caught him off guard, feeling tears down his shoulder, as he returned the hug, bringing her close.
>She made him feel safe, comfortable, something about Diana had made Bart want to be honest with her, to tell her how he felt.
"Don't be sad, it's alright. Sometimes things can't be the way they're supposed to be. I'll get there one day, but there's a lot I lack, strength, courage and confidence. I ignore my weakness and do my best to overcome it. My brother taught me that, and I know that maybe I'll get there one day, but I just need to fill those missing traits."
>"I could be the one to give you that strength, courage and confidence. There's so much I want to tell you, I know you're confused, but we're running out of time..."
>Breaking the hug, he gazed up at her, still upset, he caressed her own cheek, wiping away her tears.
"You're more than just a musician, just who are you?"
>"I'll reintroduce myself, I am Diana Clovenhoof, one of the commanders of the Demon Lord's army. And you, Bartholomew Caine, are capable of far more than you realize, never forget that."
>He should've realized, the horns gave it away, but he couldn't help himself.
>God couldn't help him now.
"I'm assuming you're going to take me as your husband now."
>"No, I can't. I wish I could, but there's so much left. We need to talk more, get to know each other better. I'm actually on holiday, so our meeting was purely coincidental, but now that you're here, I am worried about you."
>She held his hands in her own, looking at him.
>"I enjoyed our dance so much, and I want to talk to you again, for us to get to know each other better. We may be enemies, but I don't want to fight you."
"Neither do I, Diana."
>"But why, are you not loyal to the Order?"
>She looked at him inquisitively, almost annoyed by his lack of care.
"Loyal to the Order, and other things."
>"Even Mamonos?"
"Perhaps so."
>"Interesting... Let me ask you this then, my officer, do you believe that love can bloom anywhere, even in war?"
"Yeah, but when you love someone, you must be able to protect them, to keep them safe above all costs. That requires strength, strength that I don't have right now."
>"But you'll acquire it, I believe in you."
"We've hardly met, yet you believe in me?"
>"You remind me of a hero from a story, long ago. You two are so similar, yet different. I know about the expedition you're going to make, but all I can say is that you need to be careful. I want you to return, Bart."
"I'll make it back, but, Diana, if you're planning on making me your's, I've got a tendency to womani-"
>"Some relationships break, some don't. Right now, I like you a lot, and I haven't felt this way about anyone else. If you're going to end this war, you're going to need to take Muscat. There's something there, something powerful and dangerous coming out, I don't know what it is, but you need to be ready."
"How do you know?"
>"I've been given scout reports, between you and I, the Demon Empire will break off with the Roachmen soon, but they're trying to summon something powerful, to use as a weapon. Something that the old Demon Lords put away for a reason."
>He looked down, exhausted, even more things to prepare for.
"I get it. I'll be ready for it when the time comes. Diana, thank you for everything, but I think it's time for me to go, I'm exhausted."
>She nods back, walking alongside him.
>"You need to get rest, goodbye, Bart."
>She began to walk away, but he called out for her a last time, gaining her attention.
"When can I see you again?"
>"When you come back from Muscat, I'll come to you. When we meet again, we'll talk properly, I promise."
"I look forward to it."
>He was so confused by her cryptic words, but he accepted them, they'd all make sense in the coming times.
>Staggering through the Casbah back to his room, he was guided by the same Guard he'd met earlier.
>Finally, stripping to his underwear, he fell flat into the four-poster bed, letting sleep take him.

>The sun's rays shun past the dark curtains, as if directly shining on him.
>Bart grunted, rolling around the bed, trying to get a few more minutes of sleep before giving up.
>Forcing himself up, he stumbled into the bathroom, showering and getting himself ready, before finally dressing in his uniform.
>Out of habit, Bart found himself making his own bed again, despite the fact that Servants would probably do it for him.
>Some habits die hard, however.
>Glancing at the clock, it had just turned to seven in the morning.
>Bart was surprised he wasn't hungover at all, easily able to shrug off the obscene amount of liquor he had
taken the previous night.
>Along with his thoughts revolving around the satyr, Diana.
>She was a mysterious woman, speaking of his future and danger.
>He remembered the strange attraction between the two, the way she looked at him alluringly, yet held him so lovingly.
>It had confused him, he'd heard stories about some Mamono who'd one day find their ideal partner and become so familiar with them in a short amount of time.
>But he never thought that it'd happen to him, or if it was even real in the first place.
>Shrugging it off, he picked up the book he'd been reading over yesterday with him, as he left his room, heading to the Casbah for breakfast.
>Walking through the palace, he was occasionally greeted and waved at by the staff and guards, all pleased to see him.
>Whether it was merely courtesy or genuine appreciation was up to Bart to decide.
>He recognized the marble arch, with the transparent curtain, indicating the entrance to the Casbah, as he walked through.
>It was completely different to what he saw last night, most of the furniture removed and replaced with a long, golden table with rows of seats accompanying it.
>Servants walked in and out of the rooms, delivering plates of all types of food, from Bedouin cuisine to eastern, even the same breakfasts he and David would make in the mornings.
>The smell of cheese, sizzling bacon and eggs was more than welcome, with the young officer pulling a chair up and taking whatever he saw on his plate, only now realizing how hungry he was.
>After taking the first bite, he hummed in delight, before glancing at everyone else at the table - David, Abdul, Bekker and the old man from yesterday.
"Morning."
>"Good morning to you too, mister Caine. Enjoy whatever you like, though I believe everyone is far too exhausted to talk right now."
>Abdul happily smiled back, easily the most energized out of the group.
"I get it, some of us drink more than we can take. Isn't that right, bro?"
>David merely grunted, far too tired and hungover, continuing to wolf down what was left on his plate.
>Abdul ignored the older brother's response, still looking at Bart.
>"I've received notice that the expedition will be ready in three days, will you be ready by then?"
"More than ever. I've got no real preparations to do."
>"I see, what are your plans then, for today?"
"Not much really, planning to read more on magic and see if I can come up with anything to help."
>"Ah yes, you're talented with magic. Well, the palace library has enough books on Magic to keep you occupied, feel free to spend the day there. Though, I do recommend you see the armoury, we might not have much heavy artillery, but I've been told you lost your weapons during the invasion. My niece will be able to help you out."
"Your... Niece? I don't think we've met."
>"You have, in fact"
>Bart glanced at Bekker in confusion.
>Bekker nodded back, before Bart heard the sound of coughing to his side.
>Glancing to the source of the sound, he was greeted to the sight of Nadia, blushing.
>For once, she was wearing a khaki military tunic, with the Bedouin army's flags on it, adorned with her ranks and symbols, her hair tied in a bun.
>"I am his niece."
"Oh, morning to you too."
>"Good morning. Come to the armoury in the afternoon, we must talk as well."
>He smiled, taking a sip of coffee from a mug.
"Sounds good to me, I'll be there."
>The rest of breakfast passed through uneventfully, with Bart finishing up and nodding, before leaving the table.
>He had found his way towards the library, shocked by it's size.
>Despite being mostly empty, the vast bookshelves were filled with thousands of books, collected throughout Abdul and his family's travels.
>And as the old King said, he had found another book on magic, this one on more esoteric spells, something Bart was hoping to find useful.
>The hours had passed, and he had gone through so many books, mostly uninteresting or concepts he'd already known about.
>It appeared that no matter what Bart had read up on, he was stuck at the same wall again, and again.
>Most of the more elite tomes and books on magic were either too difficult for him to understand, or owned by the Order.
>And the Order kept knowledge hidden, especially on Sorcery.
>There was normal magic, whether throwing fire, ice or any element - Which usually varied in power with those who were naturally talented and those who'd spent years training and honing it.
>Then you had sorcery.
>An entirely different field on magic, dedicated to exploiting and manipulating the same magic and powers the Demons use.
>Which usually leads to heavy levels of risk and danger, but extreme power.
>It was said that both the old Kings Khan and Ravana were masters in the field, which is what allowed them to ascend to such heights.
>Alongside this, most of the older, most powerful warriors, heroes, mages and demons were notorious for their skills in sorcery.
>However, the sheer damage that sorcerers did to the world had lead to the Order clamping down on it, with barely a few allowed to practice it, even then, being extremely regulated, to avoid potential corruption or misuse.
>Even among the Demon Empire, the practice of Sorcery had died down, due to both the number of those strong enough to channel it falling and the sheer risk not being worth the results.
>As a result, Sorcery was barely touched upon to most, the only thing Bart really knew was that it existed, and that it was 'bad'.
>The book he was currently reading spoke of a section about that, where an old king during the Age of Khan had manipulated his magic, overloading his body to the point where he physically transmuted himself into the element of his choosing.
>The transformation had turned him into a sort of elemental, granting him extreme power for as long as he could hold on, before finally transmuting himself back to his original form.
>It was incredibly powerful, the book describing the sorcerer-King being able to take on Incubi and Archdemons head on in this form, but ultimately died of old age.
>The book hadn't stated who the king was, specifically, but that he was a ruler of a small nation in Africa, who had constantly defended against invaders and imperialists, namely the two Demon Lords, Khan and Ravana.
"Why is it that everytime I read a book, somehow these two get involved?"
>He sighed, namely over dissappointment at his own lack of power.
>The sheer ability that the King in the book had demonstrated had shocked Bart, to have such power that you'd be able to repel all invaders, including Khan's own children.
>Archdemons, for one, were Incubi who had climbed to even higher powers using a mix of Sorcery and other rituals.
>They were men with far more beastly forms, similar to the traditional type of Demons from old mythologies, but the power they had was astounding.
>And the powerful Archdemon was aptly crowned the 'Demon Lord', as the most powerful of them all.
>It was the Archdemons and Incubi of Khan's ranks, who had taken over so much of the known world, ruling nations as vassal states of Khan's empire.
>And when his son rebelled against him, somehow acquiring enough power to rival his father, Ravana had established his own empire, till father and son controlled their own portions of the world, then waged war, destroying so much of civilization with their rivalry.
>Their final fight ended with both their deaths, and gave a chance for the Order to rise up, with what was left of both Demon Lord's empires banding together and forming their own territory.
>And that is how the situation of today had been created, a power vacuum from a father and son's selfish wars.
>He glanced at the time, slowly approaching midday, making Bart decide to put his books away and go for a walk.
>Waving goodbye to the librarian, he began to keep to himself, walking around the palace, thinking to himself.
>The young officer had lost track of time at that point, whispering to himself as he walked around, looking for something to do.
>His wishes were answered when he'd bumped into Bekker, wearing a pair of casual clothes, who's face was sweltering from staying out in the sun too long.
"You alright, sir?"
>"I am, just came back from the market, bloody bedouins trying to take my money again."
"The market?"
>"Oh, right, you never saw it. There's a few stalls outside the palace, selling all sorts of things, I was looking to try and replace my holster, but they were charging me absurd amounts over nothing and refused to lower it. Savages, the lot of them."
"Is it worth having a look then?"
>Shrugging, Bekker walked onwards to his room, wiping away the sweat accumulating on his forehead.
>"Sure, with any luck, you'll find a better deal than I did. I'll be off in my room if you need me."
"Got it."
>"Also, Abdul's doing some kind of get together in the desert, one of those tent things. He's asked David and I to bring you along, be at David's by about seven and we'll head off.""
"Will do, see you then, I guess."
>"One more thing, get some clothes other than your uniform, you look ridiculous only wearing that!"
"I would, but I have no money."
>Grumbling, the older officer rummaged through his wallet, pulling out wads of plastic notes, handing them to his subordinate.
>Bart took them hesitantly, nodding a thanks.
>"Now that you're actually above lieutenant, you start making far more money. Last time I checked, every hour here we make about five-hundred gold, that doesn't include the expenses from injury and the count of elite soldiers you've killed."
>Slowly doing the maths in his head, Bart's eyes widened in shock at the sheer amount of money he'd be projected to end up with.
"You're joking..."
>Bekker laughed, slapping his leg at the younger officer's disbelief.
>"Apparantley the risk here is so intense that we're expected to either succeed or die, more the latter. Once we finish this, I'll have enough to buy my own estate and retire."
"Five hundred though... My house was ten thousand, it took so long to to save up when we were growing up."
>"Did Paladins not make enough or something?"
"He was only an initiate, which meant barely anything at the time."
>"Well, you'd probably be able to buy whatever you want when this is over, provided we make it back. Find something good, tonight's supposed to be formal. I'm off now, let me know if there's anything you need beforehand."
"Alright, I'll see you when I do, then."
>Waving off to Bekker, Bart headed off to the entrance of the Palace, leaving the luxurious building for the first time in two days.
>The intense, golden rays of the sun struck him almost immediately, causing him to squint his eyes and place his wide-brimmed hat on, shielding his eyes.
>Being led out the gates, a few minutes walk through the pavement and corners lead to a small market, far too congested with people.
>Stalls occupied either side, being stocked with all sorts of goods, be it books, clothes, small weapons, carpets, ornaments, armour and food.
>Merchants were both Human and Mamono, calling out at passerbys to take a look.
>These markets were called Bazaars, if he remembered correctly, and usually they ripped off foreigners like Bart.
>But he spoke their language, he wasn't ready to get tricked that easily.
>He walked through, a hand wrapped tightly around his wallet whilst he glanced at the stalls, the first thing he wanted were clothes.
>The nearest stall had a variety of different clothes, some that Bart potentially had an interest in.
>Walking up the stall, he approached the young woman handling it - Slightly shorter than him, and a human too.
>That was new.
>She practically ignored him, continuing to shout and hustle passerbys, while he glanced at the various clothes, before finally calling to her.
"Uh, excuse me, how much for the-"
>"Yes, how may I he- Oh my, it's you!"
>He was taken back, as her tone went from unintersted to excited, as she glanced at him.
"Me? Sorry, have we met before?"
>She shook her head, before skipping up to Bart, grasping his hands in her own and looking up at him.
>Bouncing in delight, she pointed to her stall and continued.
>"You're the man that saved the other day, I can't thank you enough!"
>Scratching the back of his head, Bart glanced away nervously.
"It was nothing, really. But I can't really recall when I did, it was a weird day for me."
>"When you stood up with the other soldier at the back of the palace, I thought I was going to die, but you managed to take them all on so easily which let me escape... I would've died if it weren't for you."
"Look, Miss, honestly, it's nothing. It's just my job to help out, I'm just glad everyone's alright."
>Nodding, she looked towards the clothes he was eyeing.
>"Humble too. Well, Officer, were you interested in anything?"
"Well, I'm sort of... Out of clothes, and I need something for tonight."
>"Oh? And where are you going?"
"Not really sure, it's some event to do with tents."
>"'rihlat'."
"... So, a safari?"
>"It has a different meaning from your language to ours, but it's fine, you just need comfortable clothes which look nice, I can help you there."
>Bringing out a measuring type, she began to take Bart's sizes without asking, moving her hands wherever as he hummed in discomfort.
"A little too close there."
>"Relax, it's only for measurement... And a strong body too, your girlfriend must be pleased."
>Her teasing had begun to make him annoyed, overcoming his good mood from earlier.
"Haven't got one."
>"You'll find one then, many women here would be interested."
>As she finished measuring, she brought out a pair of linen clothes, putting it in a small bag before handing it to him.
"Thanks, how much do I owe you?"
>"Nothing."
>He laughed awkwardly, before asking again.
"Seriously though, how much?"
>"For you, free."
"Look, I'm serious, I'll pay ca-"
>"You saved my life, it's the least I can do. Now go, have a look around, enjoy yourself. Maybe find a girlfriend too?"
"I will, thank you."
>He waved a bye, before moving on, pleased with his purchase.
>Bart began to feel pangs of hunger, deciding to move towards the food stalls.
>Heading towards a fruit and vegetable stall, he began to hear shouting, as he saw the mNanager push away a small child, who was attempting to take an apple.
>She fell onto the floor, looking upset and tired.
>Taking a closer look, he noticed that she also had a pair of ears and a tail, similar to Nadia's, but she was quite young and quite thin.
>He felt bad, knowing that a young child didn't deserve that.
>She was dirty too, sand blasted through her dark hair, and over her tanned skin.
>He walked toward her, before helping her up.
"Come, you're hungry, right?"
>She nodded, as Bart called over to the Fruit stall owner, tossing two coins his way, as he took two apples.
>Giving one to the young child, she began to devour it happily, humming in delight.
>Bart chuckled, watching her ears twitch in pleasure, reminding him a lot of Nadia, as he started to eat his own apple, walking through the market with the child walking alongside him.
"Where are your parents?"
>She frowned, as if ignoring the question, but Bart got the jist of it.
>Orphan.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Well, is there anyone looking after you?"
>She nodded, continuing to eat the apple.
"Great, where are they?"
>She pointed in the distance, to the shadow of the palace.
"Your caretaker works at the palace?"
>Nodding again, she threw away the remains of the finished apple, before jumping up onto Bart's shoulders, prompting for him to carry her.
"Easy there. Come on, let's take you there."
>The sound of her stomach rumbling cut them off, making him chuckle.
"And we'll get food on the way."


>The two sat against the opening steps of the Palace, sitting under the shade as the young girl began to eat the skewered meat he'd brought for her at the market.
>It was honestly strange, how someone so small could eat so much so quickly, but growing children did do that.
>But she was also very talkative, using Bart to alleviate her boredom.
>"Thanks for the food, sir!"
"I said my name was Bart, for the seventh time, Kasiyah."
>"Yeah, but my sister said to always be respectful to your elders."
>He chuckled and began to ruffle her hair with his hand, ignoring her.
"Well your sister sounds stuck up, sometimes you can't always be expected to respect someone who's dumb just because they're older."
>"She is! She always talks about following the rules and being strict about it, but she's still my sister."
"I get you, my brother's like that too. But in the end, they're all we got."
>"You're right, Bart. Anyway, what are you doing here?"
"I came to the market to buy clothes."
>"No, I mean like... Here in general."
"Oh, well... Top secret Order stuff."
>Sticking his tongue out at her, she threw a stick at his face, both of them laughing.
>"You're the worst!"
"No, you."
>"No, you!"
"No, you."
>Their childish argument went on for a few more minutes, before a few Guards had walked towards them, saluting at Bart.
>The young officer stood up and saluted in return, before relaxing.
"At ease, is something wrong?"
>They glanced at Kasiyah, walking up to her.
>"Kasiyah! Where have you been, your sister's been worried sick about you!"
>The young girl looked at Bart in response, annoyed.
>"I'm fine, see! Bart found me and brought me back."
"It was just a coincidence, I didn't really know she was anyone's kid until she told me."
>The guards sighed, before calling her over.
>"Well, you need to come see her now, she's waiting for you."
>"Fine... Let's go."
"Wait, who's your sister anyway?"
>The guards looked at him oddly, before laughing.
>"Caine, she's the niece of his Majesty, sister of Commander Al Maharim."
"Nadia's sister? You've gotta be joking."
>He looked at Kasiyah, annoyed, before patting her head and walking alongside them.
"Alright, lead the way, I need to see her too."
>"Of course, sir."
>The guards began to walk in front of the two, leading them through the palace, towards the Barracks, where members of the Bedouin army were training, be it shooting or sword fighting, or basic drill exercises.
>They walked through the main building, where the officers quarters were, the buildings quarters similar to the Palace's design.
>Being led outside a wooden door, the guards went inside the room, asking for the two to stay outside.
"Kasiyah, you should've told me sooner."
>"Why?"
"Because your sister hates me."
>"Nah, she's probably just making that up, she pretends to be tougher than she really is. She's a big softy, I promise."
"I hope you're telling the truth, otherwise I've got a lot of things to deal with."
>Right on que, the guards walked outside, silently, before leading the two in and closing the door.
>Nadia's office had a certain regal theme to it, as the two walked in, being greeted to the painted marble tiling, with portaits of past Bedouin generals on the walls, awards, guns and blades.
>The aformentioned wolfgirl sat on a dark, leather chair accompanied by a wooden, laminated desk, while two similar chairs sat on the other side.
>She glanced up from her paperwork at the two, scowling at Kasiyah but blushing at Bart, before sighing.
>"Both of you, sit."
>Looking at Kasiyah first, she began to go on a rant, telling her off in a way that Bart never thought she'd even be capable of.
>"You ran off to the market, again? Without a guard! Do you know what could've happened to you? You could've been hurt, or worse. I told you, Kasiyah, you're too young to be alone there, you need an escort! Do you know how worried I was? You know how much I panic when you're gone... You're going to give me a heart attack one day."
>Kasiyah looked down, upset and ashamed, ready to cry any minute now.
>Noticing this, Nadia stood up from her chair, walking over to her sister, as she wrapped her arms around her and planted a kiss on her forehead.
>"Don't cry, okay? I'm just happy you're safe. I don't want you to leave me."
>The younger sister returned the hug, whispering into her older sister's shoulder.
>"Okay... I'm sorry."
>"Its' alright. After this, we can play together if you like."
>She nodded, as Nadia looked at Bart, smiling for once.
>"Thank you for taking care of her, I hope it wasn't too much trouble."
"Don't worry about it, it was no trouble at all. Right, Kasiya?"
>Nodding back, the young girl walked over to Bart too, before embracing him in a hug.
>Catching him off guard, he stuttered, but sighed and returned it, patting her on the head again.
"Look, if you want to go to the Market and everyone else is busy, come find me and I'll take you, okay? So long as your sister's fine with it."
>"Caine, you don't need t-"
"We've all been kids once, if she wants to go out, and you don't mind, I'll take her. David used to do the same for me."
>The older girl nodded, before stretching out and bringing Kasiyah back.
>"Kasiyah, just sit here, if you want, there's books on my desk, read whatever you like, but Caine and I need to do something, so we'll be back shortly."
>"Oh, are you two dating? Does that mean I get to call Bart my big brother?"
>Both had stopped her at the same time, speaking in unison.
"No.""
>"No."
>"Fine... Just, go do your thing, I guess."
>Both left the office, as they walked side by side.
>"Thank you for that, and I also wanted to apologize for yest-"
"Again, don't worry about it, it's not a big deal."
>"But I assaulted you, did I not? I'm not sure what happened, but I let my urge-"
"Nadia, it's fine. It's happened before and it wasn't like I didn't enjoy it."
>She began to blush, frantically looking away.
>"Y-you did? Well... So did I, but I assure you that I am not that kind of woman."
"I know, sometimes accidents happen, but if you want something like that again, let's make it a serious thing."
>"You mean to court me, even after all that's happened?"
"I'm fine with whatever's happened and Hashemi's fine... Fuck, I forgot about Hashemi."
>"He's been asking around about you, he's recovered. I was going to ask you about that, he said he serves you now, so he wants to be a part of your personal forces during the expedition."
"Sure, he's a loyal and good man."
>The two walked through the courtyard, continuing to talk, as they headed towards the armoury.
>"So you wouldn't mind me at all? I mean, I thought you Western Men hated Mamono."
"I'm different."
>"Really, now? I hope so."
"Nadia, since the moment we met, I've thought you were beautiful, no doubt about that. But I thought you were a cold-hearted bitch until yesterday, for some reason, that kiss changed everything."
>"You're still a crude, crass Barbarian, who does nothing but steal the lips of any women he meets."
>He was expecting intensity and harshness in her voice, but all he got was a soft, tender one.
>She wrapped her arm around his own, before she pushed them towards a detour, in a private area of the barracks, covered in shade.
>"But you're the one who stole my first kiss, in our culture, that means I'm yours."
"I'm not really into that whole ownership thing your people have, I'm more of a 'pure love' kind of guy. But I'll roll with it anyway, I do like you, and I'd like to get to know you better."
>She had him against the wall, letting her overpower him.
>"I'd like that too. Will you be at my uncle's party tonight?"
"Yeah, I will."
>"Good, then we'll talk more about that, later. Right now, you need new weapons."
>Finally, Nadia loosened her group, prompting for Bart to walk alongside her.
>The two continued to converse, walking through the courtyard, into the storage area.
>A lone table stood in the small room, alongside arms ranging from Arabian swords, a few European ones, predominantly produced by the Church's warriors and Guns that were mostly old Order production.
>"So, what do you think?"
>Nadia looked back from him to the weapons hung on the wall, beaming in pride.
>But for Bart, who'd wasted countless hours being assigned under the Cairo base's quartermaster, it was nothing new.
>Might even say disappointing.
"Not bad."
>He held back any sarcastic remarks, fearing the wrath of an insulted Bedouin.
>Worse that she was a woman.
>Even worse was that she was also a Beast-woman.
>"I know! I've ordered a lot of these myself, especially Order weapons. We can only get the old stuff, since they keep holding out on us, but whatever we've got is great!"
>Her excitement knows no bounds, as Nadia begins to rush herself into a long-winded conversation with Bart about the many weapons she adored, leaving the officer to simply nod repeatedly until she'd finished.
>"...And that's why we use the rifles. So, was there any weapon you wanted specifically?"
>Shaking his head and forcing himself out of the daydream, Bart nodded and took a long look at the weapons, before coming to a choice.
"Honestly? I'm looking to try something bigger than a saber or a rapier, you got a greatsword or something?"
>The wolf-girl scoffed, as if insulted.
>"You wouldn't choose a Bedouin blade?"
"I have no experience with those types, and your type of swordplay is way different to what I'm used to."
>"And yet you want a greatsword, which I'm not sure you can even lift! Are you trying to compensate for something?"
>The smug remark almost catches Bart off-guard, as he takes a second to hold back any snide comments.
"Trust me, I'm loaded like a cannon. Now give me a greatsword."
>Hopping over the desk, onto the other side before rolling her eyes, Nadia nods and rummages through the storage, the sound of blades and old guns clattering and thrown about deafening everything else.
>She comes back, returning with an old, beaten down two-handed sword as requested, with a curved blade.
>"How's this?"
>Taking the blade from her, the first thing he noticed was the sheer weight of it, catching him off guard.
>Bart gripped tightly, having to lift the entire blade with his legs just to keep his balance.
"Why... Is it so heavy?"
>He begun to grunt between words, barely able to hold it together.
>Nadia giggled at the sight, before stopping after receiving a scowl from Bart.
>"Not sure, it's a pretty old, beaten up sword. I think it's more for show than actual use."
>Taking the blade back from him, she dragged it back into the storage unit, before pulling out another, this time a newer, more elegant blade, which was far thinner and still curved.
>"This one's a Mamluke blade, from an old Egyptian empire. Maybe it'll be your style."
>Tossing the blade towards him, Bart caught it and was able to hold it far more effectively.
>His hands gripped the silver, decorated handle, as he slung the blade against his shoulder, before lightly swinging it around.
>It was decent, but was far too alien and foreign for his taste, alongside that, the blade wasn't nearly as sharp or thick as it could've been.
"Nah, it isn't going to work."
>Sighing in disappointment, he handed it back, as Nadia attempted to look through one more time, but came back empty.
>"That's the only ones we have available, sorry."
"You sure?"
>Looking away, she hesitated to speak, but gave up on holding back and jumped over the table again.
>"Well, there is a sword I believe you might like, it's a greatsword, but it's got some skull design to it, you might like it."
>His eyes began to widen, fantasizing about this blade of legend, placing his hands on the Wolfgirl's shoulders and shaking her rapidly.
"Stop teasing me then, where is this sword?"
>She frowned, looking away.
>"That's what I was going to get to... It's cursed."
"Cursed?"
>"Well, apparantley so, everyone who tried to use it got cursed."
>Raising an eyebrow, Bart glanced at her inquisitively.
"In what way?"
>"Well, there's not much history behind it all. Apparantley, it belonged to some Paladin who came here to kill a Bahamut - You've probably never hear of them, but imagine an actual Dragon, bipedal and around fourty-feet tall."
>The description of this 'Bahamut' seemed nostalgic to him, as if he'd heard or seen it before, the vision in it was so clear and construct, as if memory served well, but he ignored it for now.
"That's wild, are any left around?"
>Shaking her head, Nadia continued on with the story.
>"Not that I know of, they did a great job. Anyway, the Paladin they sent was pretty famous, they called him 'The Winged Saint', also known as George II."
"Saint George II killed the Bahamut?"
>His shock and excitement was barely withheld, Bart's knowledge of the history of both Paladins and Knights of the order was well detailed, including the fact that Saint George was a venerated hero back home, even given his own Holiday.
>The Saint was responsible for leading numerous charges, greatly expanding territory of the Order and exterminating some of the most powerful monsters, an exceptionally talented warrior, at that.
>"You're a fan, I see."
"We learned a lot about him back at the academy."
>"Sure, I'll believe that. He killed the Bahamut, but at tremendous cost to himself. That is where he died, after all. The Sword's sat there, and apparantley anyone who uses the sword has to fight some kind of Ghost, and if they fail, they slowly begin to go mad."
"I'm interested, does the sword have any actual benefit besides being cursed?"
>"Well, the last wielder was my predecessor, the last captain of the Bedouin army. When he used the sword, he claimed to be possessed by the 'Ghost of St. George.', he did happen to lead the fight against the Roachmen pretty well, and he was easily one of the strongest men I'd ever seen fight when he used that sword. I'm guessing it'll have the same effect on you!"
"You've convinced me, where is it?"
>Placing a hand on his chest, Nadia glances at the excited, younger man in annoyance.
>"Hold it! You can't just go after it like that, you need to prepare yourself. You might die!"
"Won't stop me, I'm going to make it mine."
>"Well, it can't be helped then. I'll make the preparations. You can do it tomorrow."
"Sounds good. Let me know whenever, not like I've got anything else to do."
>Both shrugged, as Nadia tossed two new guns at him, the first a simple, dark revolver, similar to the one he'd lost whilst the other a larger, heavier rifle.
>"New guns for you - The handgun is the one I stole from you and the rifle is one of our's, able to fire twenty rounds a minute."
>He held them momentarily, examining the wooden stock and the dark, steel barrel of the rifle, before nodding and handing it back to the smiling Wolf-girl.
>"I knew you'd be happy with them."
"Thank you, I do appreciate it."
>"It's nothing at all. Now, I have some papers to work on before we're ready to go, so I guess you're free to do what you want."
>He looked at her inquistively, ready to ask if she needed help, before being cut off.
>"And, I'd prefer to be left alone. It's nothing on you, I just work better alone. I'll see you tonight though!"
>He nodded, and waved before leaving, walking back to his quarters.

>The rest of the day had passed rather uneventfully, Bart keeping to himself and his book, until his thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door, asking for him to be ready.
>He'd changed into his new clothes, rather pleased with them, before the Royal guard had brought out a Jeep to escort him to the 'party' Abdul was hosting.
>Expanse tents flourished everywhere, barely fazed by the cool desert winds blazing through the setting night sky of the sands.
>Bart had been lead into the largest, being greeted to Bekker, David and Abdul, all drinking and laughing together.
>The men had spoken and eaten, being presented with dishes ranging from meat and rice to assortments of vegetables, stews and fruits.
>Hours had passed, as Bart found himself lost in the conversation, until a Guard had tapped his shoulder, gaining his attention.
>He'd asked to escort the young Officer to another tent, where someone who's name did not want to be disclosed had requested his presence.
>The other three men had laughed, making nudges and suggestive glances, as Bart ignored them and walked off.
>He was tipsy, to say the least, but still able to walk without too much hassle.
>Chuckling to himself, he was lead to another tent, left alone, as the Guard left and asked him to wait.
>Shrugging, he waited, until the sound of the tent doors flapping caught his attention.
>Looking back, he was greeted to the sight of the Nadia, dressed in bellydancer's outfit.
>The young officer's jaw dropped, as he found himself staring at the Wolf-girl, now blushing.
>To say the outfit was revealing was an understatement, with her breasts and genitals barely being covered by the white cloth.
>Strutting towards him, he sat on the floor, entranced with every step of her hips swaying.
>Her breasts bouncing, her long, luscious hair.
>Bart felt his own eyes locked in her own hazel orbs.
>He stuttered, attempting to say something, but was shushed by her finger at his lips.
>"Say nothing, love. I only wish to show you my affection."
>She brought out a bottle of wine, placing it between her breasts, before kneeling over, the bottle inches away from his lips.
>"Drink from me."
>Her voice hummed, full of love and seduction, making him comply within an instant.
>He drank from her, mimicing a ritual, before he had finally taken his fill and she her own.
>She smiled, sighing in relief before pulling him.
>Slowly, the Officer's vision and memory began to grow hazy with only one thing on his mind - Her.
>They smiled and laughed at each other, so innocently as they danced, his hands on her hips, and hers on his shoulders.
>Swaying from left to right, they held each other in a tight embrace, conversing throughout the night, the topics becoming far less formal with each passing second.
>He felt more and more intoxicated with each passing second, the alcohol could only do so much, but he was lost in her, all of her.
"Nadia..."
>She giggled, and her laugh, oh how her laugh had made him blush.
>"I love the way you say my name, another time."
"Nadia, I... Don't know what's happening, but I want you."
>"And you shall have me, I'm yours, my love."
>Love, the way she called him love seemed so familiar, it drove him wild with passion.
>He pressed his lips against her own, sharing a chaste kiss for a few seconds, before finally breaking it off.
>Her warmth and reciprocation made him far more confident, as his inhibitions fell flat.
>Unlike David, Women were one of his greatest weaknesses, but he didn't care.
>The tension between the two dancing had finally grown too strong for either to hold back.
>She hummed in the Bedouin language, but the words flew past him, probably something love, but he was far too drunk to care.
>Yet, her voice drew him in, humming so wonderfully, so lovingly.
>And so the night continued, both getting drunker with each passing minute, dancing away.
>Slowly, his memory began to fade, as he only found himself moving like a robot.
>Bart found himself taking a Jeep, Nadia sitting alongside him, both laughing maniacally as they drove back to the palace.
>He didn't know how he managed to drive without crashing or getting lost, his desire to get her into his bed far too strong to be stopped by anything.
>The next thing he remembered was stumbling back to his room, the two kissing each other every few steps, overcome with lust.
>They laughed, heads pressed against each other, finally going inside his room.
>Next thing he knew, they were both naked, as he held her in his embrace, hands wrapped around her voluptous, tanned body, feeling her curves and muscles.
"You're beautiful."
>Tears fell from her eyes, as she smiled and kissed his neck, embracing him tightly.
>"I love you."
>He was caught in the heat of the moment, unable to think or respond effectively, only set on making her his for the night.
"I love you too, forever."
>"Make me yours, 'habibi'."
>He needed no further instruction.
>They fell on the bed together, passionately grinding against each other, as the night went by.
>Hours had passed, until he could no longer remember anything, the last thing on his mind being wrapped in the Wolfgirl's arms.

>He finally woke up, the sun's rays greeting him to another morning.
>But that wasn't what woke him up.
>What was, was the giggling, and a set of Wolf ears brushing against his neck.
>Groaning, his eyelids fluttered open, as Nadia hugged him even tighter.
>Nadia... Hugging him?
>"Good morning, my love. You're finally awake."
>Cursing under his breath, he took a few deep breaths, before forcing a smile and looking back at beaming girl.
>He could barely remember last night, only a few flashbacks of...
>Oh no, oh God no.
>Nodding, he attempted to feign still being sleepy, maybe that would let him get off with it.
>Bart was far too nervous and confused to even say anything.
>He'd done it again, and he'd said things he'd hardly meant, caught up in lust.
>David would kill him, Abdul would kill him, she'd kill him.
>"You were like a Beast last night, I didn't even know those things were possible..."
>Cooing in his ear, she continued to giggle over the smallest of things, her cheeks flushed red.
"Uh... I'm glad you enjoyed it, it was good for me too, I think..."
>He could feel a throbbing ache at the back of his head, another hangover too.
>"Are you alright? Do you need me to get something?"
"No, no. Just too much to drink... Last night was so wild."
>She calmed down, smiling and stroking a finger down his chest.
>"I know... It amazed me how far you went, so many hours. Was this... Was this your first time, too?"
>Shaking his head, he looked away, unable to tell the truth.
"It wasn't my first rodeo, sorry. But that doesn't make it any less special."
>"That is true, after all, we have plenty of time to make up for any other women. There's so many things I want to ask."
>Tracing a finger over the scar over his right pectoral, she glanced up at him, worryingly.
>"Where did this come from?"
"Got in a fight with a minotaur."
>"Ooh, did you win?"
"Of course not, I was like fifteen. David had to help me."
>Sharing a chuckle, Bart finally regained his senses, forcing himself up, before facing the naked, grinning girl.
>He took a deep breath, sighing out.
>Doing this was never easy, and he hated himself for his lack of self-control in getting girls in the first place.
"Look, Nadia. I was really drunk last night."
>"I know! So was I, but it was amazing... My legs still ache a little too."
"Whew. Anyway, it's just that... I don't remember a lot of what happened last night, sorry."
>Her smile fell into a frown, as she stood up and faced him.
>"You told me you loved me..."
>Her eyes began to water, on the verge of forming tears.
"Look, I do like you but... It's a little fast for me, and don't get me wrong, last night was amazing, but sometimes we say things we don't mea-"
>He was cut off by her, practically screaming at him.
>"You were my first! Do you know that? You said you'd love me forever!"
"Alright, I didn't say fore-"
>"But you implied it!"
>Shaking his head, he stood up, reaching for his pants, drawn out on the floor, putting them on.
"Now you're getting too far. All I'm saying is that we need to talk about us seriously!"
>She reached for her own clothing, dressing quickly as she opened the door, taking a final look at him.
>"You're a bastard."
>The door was slammed shut as he sighed and sat down, clutching his head in anger and frustration, before another knock on the door was heard.
"Come in."
>Walking in slowly, the figure stayed silent, watching Bart curse himself under his breath, before finally deciding to speak to the figure.
"It happened again, David."
>"I know. You're an idiot, but it isn't your fault, we'll fix this together."

POV Change: Mehmet Suleiman.
>He'd been sat in his quarters for the past few hours, an oil cloth laying on the tiled floor as he'd gone to work cleaning and maintaining his wargear.
>Mehmet had grown sick of being stuck in the Desert for so long, the real war was being fought in Europe, against the Order, not a bunch of Bedu.
>But then, he had no say in the matter either, it was wherever his master had asked him to go.
>The Pashas and administrators of the Empire had no authority over him, nor the courage to either.
>He answered to Omarogic only, the commander of all Janissaries.
>The clinks of metal chain and plate grinding against each other echoed throughout the stone room, as he ran a cloth through the dust-ridden sections of his domed, red helmet.
>Finally wiping it clean, he could clearly see the various engravings and inscriptions in it - Roachmen custom, to inscribe the names of their Gods to provide them strength and power in battle, not unlike the Eastern Barbarian tribes they'd been decimating during conquest.
>And the Roachmen's Gods themselves, like most of their customs, simply a crude version of cultures they'd dominated and assimiliated into their own.
>Mehmet had never devout for their faith, after all, he was forced into it.
>He simply recited whatever words were necessary and moved on, for his life was not that of a priest, but of a warrior.
>Next was the stained plate armor, a mix of with a circular, large plate in the middle, acting as the main source of energy to bolster the wielder's strength and speed.
>Roachmen equipment was crude, but it worked well enough to provide him advantage in war.
>Sighing at the many scratches and cuts to the armour, he dripped more oil onto them, attempt to cover up what was left with red paint.
>His armour wasn't always red, the earlier days of conquest he'd opted to don the classic Steel armor, but so many of the Order had aplty named him 'The Red Janissary' from the sheer amount of blood he'd had sprayed onto his armour after he'd slain his first monster - Zmey Zmiy, the old Green dragon of the Balkans.
>The tribes had rallied under him, in a last attempt to stop the Roachmen invasion, which nearly proved successful, killing nineteen out of the twenty Janissaries sent to quell the uprising.
>Mehmet had been the only one standing, and after a long, arduous battle, had managed to slay the beast, coated in it's crimson blood.
>With their trump card destroyed, they all surrendered in awe and fear, naming him 'The Red Janissary'.
>That day had led to him deciding to take on the persona, wearing red armour into battle.
>It was that same day where he'd ended up being promoted several ranks higher, being granted his own estate and slaves back home.
>Oh, how he detested the slaves he'd been given - All young women, older than him, in fact.
>For a twenty year old man to be given slaves to use how he wish was daunting.
>They had expected him to use them the same way other Roachmen would, as concubines to add to their harem.
>But, as much as he liked women, as any other man would, he refused to become like a Roachman - He was a man, not a beast.
>Even though he was fulfilled as a warrior, being granted honours and gifts that most would only dream of, he missed home.
>He hated fighting for the Sultan, for the expansion of an empire and peoples he had nothing to do with, or support in the first place.
>Yet, the promise stood, that he would let the Sultan's new 'cult' group attempt to bring back that Apophis creature to help win the war.
>The Janissary never cared, he was simply forced to act as the leading Officer for this expedition, to protect the Hatta Fortress against the uprising, while Osmanogic's cultists attempted to summon up Apophis.
>The Sultan had apparantley found them during his research for how to improve the expansion, and that a long, locked away creature could be tamed to his will.
>Mehmet had doubts and avoided trifling with the powers that he did not understand nor care for, he'd read up on enough History to know that would only lead to destruction, the same way Khan and Ravana had nearly doomed the world.
>Finally, he sighed, his armour had been done, the final part was his sword and bow.
>He'd opted to work on the Bow first, polishing the dark, strong wood of the Composite bow.
>Most would settle for Guns, but he had grown up learning the traditional way of hunting from his Father, who had been a skilled archer too.
>How he missed his family, his real family, not the Roachmen, not the instructors at the Janissary schools - The family they'd taken him away from.
>It had been ten years, ten years since he'd been kidnapped and forcefully assimilated into the Roachmen's ranks.
>He longed for his home, he wanted to see his family, to feel the loving embrace of his mother and the proud slap on the back from Father.
>He missed his younger siblings, they would be teenagers now too.
>Now, he was twenty-two, perhaps he'd be able to find them again.
>Anxiety and panic overwhelmed him, as grim thoughts flushed his mind - Would they still be alive, would they recognize him?
>Would they have forgotten about him to cope.
>And could he even be accepted back by them, after all he had done?
>He'd always avoided attacked innocents, always striving to be fair when conquering a new land, but he'd killed plenty of men, perhaps plenty of his own people too.
>Sometimes it seemed like the only way to truly find redemption was through suicide, but he was far too afraid of that.
>Yes, even the great 'Mehmet Suleiman', 'the Red Janissary', 'Slayer of Zmey Ziey' had fears.
>He chuckled to himself at the shock of it, to most Roachmen, he was stoic and unbending, slaughtering any enemy that came before him.
>Looking back, he slapped his leg in annoyance, forgetting to clean something.
>Pulling out the Onyx, ornate mask, he began to polish it with the cloth, thoroughly removing the grime and dirt from the last fight.
>All Janissaries were expected to wear their masks into battle - Covering their face showed an emotionless warrior, striking fear into the hearts of their enemies.
>This mask had served him well for years, being the same one he'd worn when he'd first set out for battle.
>Finally, the last piece was his blade - Katil - Meaning Slayer in the Roachmen's language, in respect to being the blade he'd used to kill Zmey Ziey.
>The curved, intricate saber hummed as he wiped it down, the blade was simple, a curved saber, but the sheer number of battles it had been through spoke far more.
>More negative, dark thoughts flushed his mind, making him shake with worry, until a voice hummed from his mind, and one not of his own.
>Finally, his thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.
>He sighed, the only reason he'd be annoyed now is if there was an emergency at the door.
"Come in."
>The door was slammed open, as a scout begun to murmur in a random dialect, before closing the door.
>Roachmen were a disgusting people, there was no denying that.
>Some were just barely tolerable, but they were the mixed offsprings of Humans, but the average one was just disgusting.
>But the warning had come through, the scout had alerted him of the Bedouin forces assembling and preparing to make a move.
>Soon, he could end this and go back, perhaps he'd be able to take time off or even scout away.
>He longed to get away from the war, he'd done enough for the Empire that he might be free of service, but Osmanogic was far too selfish and obsessed with conquest, it would be his downfall.
>But he feared their allies, the fact that the small force of Janissaries sent out had been decimated by a single man began to worry him.
>Not to mention that this man was the brother of David, the Church's greatest warrior.
>Mehmet was pleased, finally, two worthy opponents.
>He had not had a good fight in so long, he started to look forward to it.
>Finally standing up, he left his quarters, blade sheated at his side, prepared to train for the upcoming battle.
>If they wish to take the fort, they will not do it unless they are willing to die for it.