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An explosion rocked the prison. The mages and the blacksmiths fell to the floor. The overlords screamed orders to them. "Stand up! Not a moment to waste!" They quickly stood up and ignored their bruises to restrain what they had been dealing with. "I can't believe we're doing this," one worker whispered to the other. The dark chambers didn't provide any light to them, but they sensed that something evil was here. Something evil was certainly here...and they sustained it. A loud moan cut through the noise. "Hurry!" the foreman yelled. The mages quickly casted their magic and the blacksmiths used their tools and, in a few moments, all was clear.

A blacksmith screamed as it was hauled into the air. It was hurled against the wall. His blood painted the floor deep red. With another round of sustainment they held it at bay. The stench of the blood, however, passed into the air duct and into the Tunnel of Truth. The smell of it crawled down the tunnel, hoping to escape the nightmare. It swirled around Josh before continuing on its way.

Ranae lay in a cot in a large building that stenched with the smell of sickness. Her coughs tore at her weakened, ever frail body, which now had the appearence of stark white skin stretched over bone. The shadows under her glazed over eyes had grown, giving her an even more sunken in look. Though she kept on insisting she was alright, inside she knew the seriousness of her condition. This was not the first time this had happened. When she was a mere child the sickness had taken her. She had been in bed for almost a year. And she had never fully healed. Now the sickness had taken her again, and she was not sure she would survive. She closed her eyes as the presence of a nurse became known to her. The nurse tilted her head so the water and healing medicine could course down her sand paper-like throat.

In her weakened state wherein Ranae couldnt stand or do anything for herself, she had dove into her magical ties with the evil sword in Josh's possesion. It had taken days of searching, but now finally she could feel the ever small pulsation of the sword and its changing handler. When would he come for her? She kept asking herself over and over. But now she fell deep into one of her restless sleeps, plagued with nightmares as they had been in the last weeks.

A growling noise filled the walls of the tunnels. More screaming continued. The situation was almost out of control. "Deus X is coming!" The energy field conjured by the mages, amplified by the blacksmiths, held it at bay. Deus X banged on the shield, threatening to shatter it. The vibrations carried into the jail cells, the prisoners' hearts, and everywhere in between.

"It's getting mad! Don't run you fools! If you do, we'll surely perish!" Everyone swallowed their fear and toiled on. The gates opened. The Foreman stared at the newcomers. "All of you! Restrain this fiend, now!" The workers stared at them with pleading looks. They immediately went to work. Thousands of workers helped hold it down. It was surprising that the beast was this strong.

The thing Ashen Rahman hadnt thought of, was that in the ethereal realm any body was allowed on, thus he wasnt too suprised when Josh appeared.
All three now stood on a cloudy plain, Josh standing between Ranae and Ashen Rahman.
Josh's image lit up when he saw Ranae.

"you're alright. Thank God , im sorry left you, it was not of my doing, this damn Valheru is too powerful."

Save you speech elf, do not waste it on one such as her, you will never see her again, for once i get my blood your body will no longer be needed, i will DEVOUR you.

Josh stepped back towards Ranae with a defiant look.
" Well let it be known i am going to fight you every step of the way, you will not achieve your goal" The elf turned his attention to Ranae. " please you have to get to the ico base. i dont know how much longer i can hold out. From what i have gathered there is a war between the ico and ico rebels. Ashen Rahman has taken over me and i will find it hard to stop him from doing it again, it is of the utmost urgency that you come here.. please..."

Josh's speach was cut short.

That is enough vessel. and ranae do not try to come here, you will surely perish to my blade

With a resounding cackle both the images of Josh and Ashen Rahman were gone.

sweatdrop edited post.

Rayne move through the area and finally found another Ico rebels and have already memorized the weak point of the base. He approached the area with caution and leaped on to the roof of the base and spotting several guards outer part of the base. Just as before he sent the first group to take out the first several guards. As the several guards were taken out , but there were some resistence. Rayne leaped down from the roof, landing gracefully, and looked around to make sure the coast was clear. One of the Ico members nodded as a signal showing that the coast was clear. Rayne moved on swiftly as he signaled the other group that was waiting in the entrance to take out the other guards.

After taking out the guards in the last outer layer of the base, Rayne thought to himself seeing that the last battle with the guards taken about an hour he had no time to waste or the rebels will become suspicious. They move swiftly once more and ran into another group of guards, yet Rayne leaped into the air dodging the battle and letting the Ico groups handle the guards while he battles the Ico rebel general. As he leaped through the window, he spotted four more guards and charged forward preparing the slash them. One of the Ico rebel guards charged forward, but only met his fate with a lenghtwise slash downward the ribcage spewing out blood enought to form a puddle. As the first of the Ico rebel guards fell to the ground dead, the second guard charged forward preparing a sword stroke.

Rayne leaped into the air and landed the Daichi Taira Itten Ken that caused a resounding clash of blades . The guard stood there for a moment in silence and suddenly a small sinkhole appeared on the ground that he was standing on. The guard's blade of his katana shattered into million pieces and a slash was found on his head that seem to have lead all the to the neck and the guard fell to the ground dead, leaking out blood that formed slightly smaller puddle than the first. The other two charged forward and Rayne did so as well. Rayne leaped into the air doing a backflip and beheaded the first of the two guards. The other charged forward and Rayne clashed blades with the guard. The guard was suddenly suprised by the Rayne's succession technique from the Tsuin Raikou Ten Ken Kamae ( Twin Lightning Heaven Blade Style ) that was the Mu Kanjin Hi Dageki ( Six Vital Flame Strike). Rayne sheathed his katana and unsheathed his chikai tantou kens combining two techniques : the Shinku Ten Ken ( Scarlet Heaven Blade) and Mu Chisoku Ken ( Six Speed Blade).

Rayne moved swiftly with blindly speed excuting the attack hitting exactly six vital parts of the body( Head, right shoulder, left shoulder, left hip, right hip, and heart) that cut and burned at the same time killing the guard and engulfing him in flames as well. After a few moments one of the Ico rebel generals appeared and said " Very good indeed so I see that you haven't lost any of your skills Hitokiri Ten Hinote, very well I see that you want to challenge me and I accept your small challenge." Rayne sheathed his chikai tantou kens and unsheathed his katana . They charged forward and both of their blades connected causing a stalemate.

After Ashen Rahman had lost the scent of the blood he was lost again, he put all his efforts into tracking that smell. Now all he could here were periodic wild screams and an occasional loud rumble followed by a few sharp banging soumds. The valheru was most intrigued. but still he was lost. He illuminated his sword once again and began to walk.

In the darkness the valheru moved around, he saw light and knew it was his ticket out. As he moved forward his grasped the wall and pulled himself out of the dismal place.