[center][b]Chapter 6: Prelude to Assault[/b][/center]


[i]Archon's Folly volcano, Albion[/i]

The ground was hot, but not unbearable. This was the spot he needed to be in. The small hole of muted light with black tentacles sticking out was visible, though only to this individual and four, maybe five others. As he held out a hand, the demon arms retracted into the Gateway to the Darkness, going deeper and deeper.

Isaac knew this would be difficult. Two objects to destroy. If he did, they had a better chance. He had never reached in this far before. The Darkness was growing strong within him. Would this stunt send him over the edge? Kaith did not seem to care about consequences. Just finish the job, that's all he wanted. Only Isaac could do it. The other Darkness hosts were either unable to help or his enemies.

Finally, a black tentacle brought up the first item. A white mask, decorated with many red crosses. This was not just a mask, a conduit for Dark Will corruption, though Reaper had modified it for that purpose when corrupting Demi.

"The Jack of Blades," the Aselian boy greeted his fellow demon.

[i]"So, you would use my power?"[/i] This being, this creature of the Void, was only interested in power, exercising it and taking it. Likely why he controlled the Bargate Prison on the side.

"You may be of the Court, but I'm not interested in your power. Where are we? Do you know?"

The demonic soul knew. [i]"Archon's Folly. Before you act, please consider what I can offer."[/i] There was a pause. [i]"You wish to save your friends, your family, your female?"[/i] Apparently Reaper had told this trapped soul much. [i]"All you must do is don this mask. My army of Minions will come to your aid--"[/i]

Isaac cut him off, holding the mask up to him, face to face. "No. Yours. You kill, corrupt, possess, and it always ends the same. William Black failed to kill you. That was his true folly, right? Yeah, I know what you do. Reliable sources told me. You can join your Queen and Knight, in any case. Take some comfort in that."

[i]"But my power--"[/i]

"I've worked with power for too long. Power over a half goddess and her heavenly father. Power over my brother. Power, power, power. You know what, Jack?" He raised the mask-gripping hand.

"I'm sick of power. I don't need it."

And he threw the mask as hard as he could, watching it fall to the magma below. The Jack of Blades was dead at last.

Next, the boy turned back to the Gateway. He again concentrated. This next object was a silver and gold orb. Taken from the world of Assassin's Creed--was it still called the Holy Land?--was one of several Apples of Eden. A device for mass hypnosis. Mind control. The Jack was the failsafe and way to turn one evil without disturbing the person's skills. This was for the non-fighters. The technicians and such.

Isaac closed his eyes as he gripped it. Dolor had warned against staring into it, or it would be incredibly difficult to purposefully destroy. Such power could have a large impact on the wielder. It was very hard to find the will, even with his knowledge of its purpose. This could help so much. Just use it against Omega, and everyone would fall into line.

But at what cost? Isaac was not ready to compromise his morals to win, dead Sora or no. With difficulty, he let it drop, hearing the splash in the magma below. Isaac took a deep breath. Finally it was done.

With that, he disappeared in a swirl of darkness.

------

[i]Land of Dragons[/i]

Sain spoke as Kaith worked. [i]"Don't know what you're planning, really. Between you and Revak?"[/i]

"What did the Geth tell you?" A non-answer. What did the AI expect?

[i]"Okay, here's the deal. I've got good news and bad news. Good news: Demon Zivaku's finally got that stick out of his a**, if the last things the Geth could get are right. Bad news: He's now beating people to death with it. The Spires and Old Machines--"[/i]

"Reapers?"

[i]"Yeah. We've got Reaper the guy, the Reapers, and Chimeran Reaper dual machine guns. I'm taking what convenience I can get. Can I move along?"[/i]

"Fair enough."

[i]"The Reapers aren't heading to the worlds at large. Omega's better about it than Nazara--Sovereign--was in the Milky Way. Once the Spires launch, he's having the whole fleet close in and destroy the Organization's old Headquarters. Punch through the blockade and kill anything left on the world."[/i]

"He needs other people to keep control in the future. Who and how?"

[i]"A backup world. I hear he's been constructing in the Realm of Darkness. Or close to it. In the Valhallan data and Geth reports."[/i]

"...A trap."

[i]"There [b]is[/b] a Plan B, right?"[/i]

"If this works, we won't need one. We should head out ASAP."

---

Demi was with the majority of the other more experienced Interferences after Kaith debriefed them all on Sain's news. "...and that'll get us into the world."

Kaith came up to her, having heard only the end. "Kyn, you can't go to this assault."

"Why the hell not?! After what he did to Mini-Sora, you, me! I'm going to help you!"

"But you're pregnant."

The man's girlfriend did not move for a moment. Then she turned his way.

There is a certain gaze that few men can stand. It is called the Look. This Look could chill bones and stop blood from flowing entirely. It was this Look that Kaith received. "You want to let me help," she stated, her rage clear in her voice. It was all too clear that Demi would not take no for an answer, even if she had to beat her boyfriend into unconsciousness to do as she asked.

Wisely, Kaith took the hint. "O-Okay." He then practically ran away to his office to work a little more.

Greg looked to the elder form of Kynthia. "How did you do that?"

"Don't try to hold Mini-Me back, Mini-Greg," she said with a smirk as she took a handheld radio from the nearby box that all of the heroes took from to have a way to coordinate efforts and otherwise communicate from different areas of a world.

"Y-yes, ma'am."

---

Black Paladin looked over his motorcycle outside. According to others, Kaith and Sain had upgraded it in case he ever returned. The future of Louis Delgado looked to Cid beside it, who was checking the new additions. "What did you put in?"

"Captain showed me schematics for boosters. Had 'em modded to fit your bike. Covenant tech. You can hold a lot of boosting on it."

[i]Well, this is certainly good news,[/i] F. Yubel, Black's counterpart, noted.

"Problem is, I couldn't make 'em unlimited. You'll have about ten minutes' worth of it. Not the best for the engines, y'see. But I did the best I could."

"That's fine. Thank you." He then took the seat, driving it over to a save point to transport in a Gummi ship. It was then that a certain someone appeared from a swirl of darkness.

"It's done," Isaac said.

"Whatever you say, Frodo," Dolor remarked, passing through on his way inside.

"...Huh?" The demon did not understand.

"It's not important, runt," Black replied coolly, rolling his eyes behind his gray mask.

"I'm not that small!"

Ignoring him, the future of Louis Delgado stopped at the save point. He walked back inside, to let the others who were directly involved in on his addendum to the plan to get into The World That Never Was, Isaac fuming as he followed him.

---

Kaith was practicing swinging the Blade of Olympus when Dolor came into his room. They needed to have experience with the weapon if they were to use it for its intended purpose, at least Kaith's intended purpose for it.

"Captain, you wanted to talk, right?" the mercenary asked. "About what I know?"

"Yeah." The godly weapon was lowered. "You're a merc, right? What did you give Omega?"

"Promise you won't hold it against me?"

"No."

"Wasn't expecting you to. Okay, I convinced the Raven Lord to help. Don't know if it's killable at all." A hand shaking with rage held the Blade. "A few little girls, prepubescent...okay, before you even go there, I have some standards. Anyway, they're for Gatherers. Little Sisters. Rivers probably got new ones anyway in my absence. Templars from the time of Alta'ir Ibn La-Ahad, and one of the Pieces of Eden. An Apple, to be exact. Then there's the Flood. Omega probably has a Gravemind by now."

"You gave them the Flood?" Kaith looked seconds from killing the painless man.

The pseudo-Assassin continued regardless, just finishing his words. "And the mask of the Albion Jack of Blades. Reaper was smart with that, you gotta admit. And your girl was pretty damn good looking as a corrupted demigoddess, if I do say so myself."

It took several seconds for Kaith to calm down. "Do you even realize danger?"

"You wouldn't kill me. You need me, and what would the others say?" Dolor added a last note. "I get that the keyboy needed a burial. But the whole 'for Sora' battle cry? Talk about cliche."

That did it. It seemed that Kaith would not stand any more insults. He lifted the Blade of Olympus, and stabbed Dolor through to the hilt, shattering the Amulet if time on his chest. As the Sands of Time flowed from the soon-to-be corpse and into the Blade itself through the weapon's absorbing capabilities, Dolor's eyes widened in shock.

"Wha...what will you say?"

"You deserve this, you uncaring jacka**. Thanks for the Sands. Don't worry, it's painless. For you."

"You...can't...hide...this..." His body went limp as the last of his power and life left him, the enormous sword pulled back out.

As the corpse dropped, the door opened again. The visitor saw the body of Dolor and the Blade in Kaith's hand. Without a word, Ephraim stepped away, and started to walk toward the nearby save point, not even sparing the killer a glance as he headed off, said killer following him.

"Karsath, wait for a second." No response. "We need you now. Come on, stop. [i]That's an order.[/i]"

The Original Interference stopped on the glowing circle, and glared back at Kaith. "I work with you, not for you. Figure this out yourself."

"But--"

For a split second, those eyes changed. Hazel to yellow. Yellow back to hazel. Then, that threat put across in case Kaith wanted to continue, he was off to the [i]Dreadnaught[/i].

Before Kaith could make a response, he heard a voice behind him.

"What did you do?" Angel asked seriously.

Quick cover-up time. "Dolor turned out to be a mole." Apparently that was enough for Dolor's murder, since Angel did not question further. "Come on, you should get back to the others. It's time to move."

---

All of the heroes except Kaith headed toward the nearest save point, ready. Black Paladin's motorcycle had been packed away. The captain, helmet under his arm, approached the elder demigoddess. "So you're sure you want to go through with this, then? I'll use another plan if I have to."

Demi sighed. "Yes, Greg. I'm sure. It's a way in."

The Cruxis angel gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Just be careful, okay?"

[i]You realize who you're talking to, right?[/i] Revak asked.

Be quiet, or I will make you, F. Yubel threatened, a request that was quickly complied with.

"Of course. You too," she answered. They disappeared in beams of light, one by one, until only Cid Highwind and Derest remained. Before Jake Derestion was gone, Kaith called out.

"Derest!"

The dhampir turned to him. [color=purple]"Yeah?"[/color]

A memory played in the soldier's mind in an instant. The last time he had seen Darucard alive.

---

[i]Two years into an averted timeline, UNSC Frigate[/i] Forward Unto Dawn's [i]reconstructed remains, Gummi Space

"I'm going out there." His purple eyes burned into Kaith's blue ones from behind yellow-tinted sunglasses. Both a familiar fedora and his own bandanna were on his white haired head, the red, sleeveless trenchcoat on as well. "Silvia's death was just reported. The same thing. Another heart. Who do you [b]think[/b] did this? If we don't run and kill him now, everyone is as good as dead anyway."

"Calm down, Vampire," the soldier told his partner. "You need to have hel--"

"He's killing them all! Did you forget whatever it is that happened in Radiant Garden?! You know better than anyone what lows he'll stoop to!" 'Vampire' shouted at Kaith. "I'm going out there. Doesn't matter if it's alone or with one of you two. He is going to--" Even with his greatly enhanced speed, the individual was caught off guard by the punch to his jaw from an armored fist that sent him staggering.

"Pull yourself together, Darucard." Captain Kaith shook his hand off after the strike. "Do you want to die? Is that it? That won't bring her back. He killed her. Fine, I'll admit that. But this? She wouldn't appreciate you going on a rampage, a death-seeking journey. Never." He paused. "Luke wou--"

"Don't you ever talk like you know my brother!" Jake Derestion raised a katar on his arm to strike back, but a blur came between the two.

Two guns were pointed simultanously. The larger one was aimed at Kaith's chest, the smaller at Darucard's head. Alucard looked to each of them in turn, an even gaze as both stopped fighting. "Derest, this won't help you. He is right. Senseless sacrifice won't do anything to help. Captain, you are also out of line here. We both know that is a sensitive subject, and it would be best to avoid it. Never mention him again unless otherwise stated or merited." The Jackal was lowered from Kaith when he nodded, the Casull from Darucard when he did. "Now then, I will go on the next trip. If we know his patterns well enough, we'll find him."

Kaith objected. "But Vlad, that holy weapon--"

"Almost, but not quite an even match. Maybe I can run a little slower." Still cocky outwardly. All present knew he was joking. "And never ever call me that again."

[/i]"Sure thing, Drac,"[i] Sain's voice came through the ship's electronics.

"Sain, be quiet!" the feminine voice of Kira scolded her partner. "Sorry, Alucard."

"Hmph," the vampire grunted, and the two vampiric individuals started off.

"Alucard! Derest!" Kaith called, making them stop. "Sorry. Be careful."

"No promises," they said as one, and were gone.

The next time Kaith saw Derest, his eye had been stabbed through. His chest was torn open, his heart gone. He had lost. Alucard....there was barely enough gory remains to recognize anything about him.[/i]

---

His mind returned to the present. "Dont die this time, okay?"

A smirk. [color=purple]"No promises."[/color] And the host of Alucard was up in a beam of light, on his way to the repaired Royal Flush Mk II.

With the others gone, Kaith turned to the last remaining world-hopping ally in the area. "Highwind, I'm gonna need your help on this."

"What?"

"Two things. First, do you have the Warp Gummi for the coordinates I told you?"

The Gummi ship mechanic nodded. "Yeah. The other thing?"

"I have a way to punch through the blockade after they're in. But we're gonna need paint. Red and black paint." To Cid's confused expression, he said. "My plan, you won't like it."

The Radiant Garden native bit down on his straw. "I'll judge that."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Kaith told him.

He didn't like it.