Current Black Wolves locations in Pardem:
-Code & Jo: northern (nearing central)
-Havoc & Brand: southwest
-Raeyn/Ophelia & Alice: central
-Star: eastern outskirts
-Greed: eastern (just entered outskirts)
-Nash, Daz, Arabella Maids & Yuna: Wolves Den (just outside southern outskirts)
**Wolves Den**
The current state of the town of Pardem had been flipped to chaos.
Smoke and destructive aftermaths lay before his view as he sipped his tea atop the balcony of the Den.
"Looks like they're making a mess as usual…" Daz said as he took another sip.
He made an exaggerated inhale through his teeth and let out an almost distasteful sigh.
When he looked to the distance away from Pardem, he saw a group of Mountain Knights camped out, watching the commotion unfold from afar.
"At least they're true to their word…"
If you run into any monsters, Riot Gang members, or, Keeper forbid, the Apostles or their followers, you are expected to handle them. Our forces will not interfere. He recalled Ragnor say as he looked back to the smoking town.
"Even at the expense of a town in their own jurisdiction… Though, it was a bandit town… So I guess the Black Wolves just cleaned up the mess for them?"
Daz shrugged, going for another sip of his tea.
But then a small rumble caused a ripple in his cup.
"Hmm?"
Another rumble.
He waited.
And yet another.
The double doors behind him slammed open.
"Fucking Keeper! Is anyone home besides the fucking maids?" Nash shouted, finding Daz at the edge of the balcony, sitting at a table, casually enjoying his tea with the smoke from the town rising near behind him. "And the Arcane King is lounging around sipping motherfucking tea. Fuck me."
"Nash! You're out of your room?" Daz scratched his head nervously. "Sorry, I don't quite understand your condition…"
"Never mind that. We're under attack. We need to move the Den. Now." Nash sprinted to the nearby railings.
"Attack?"
Daz rose from his seat, bringing his tea with him, and taking an uncooled sip. "Ha— ha— hot!" He blew on his tea as he walked over to the other side of the balcony and looked behind the Den, squinting his eyes. "Oh…"
In the distance, an army of bandits had gathered.
They wore mostly brown and gold with hints of red, and heavily tattered clothing. Some with hoods over their heads, and others with animal hides and masks.
"Hmm… I don't recognize this bandit crew. From my knowledge, this was Bloodtusks territory," Daz said obliviously.
"Wait. You knew that, and you still let those band of idiots head into town? What kind of Arcane King are you!?" Nash retaliated.
"I didn't think the rumors were true… There was no way of confirming, our forces weren't allowed in the Mountain jurisdiction until today!"
Nash dragged a hand over his face. "Whatever. I'm sure they're fine."
They both looked back to the smoking town and demolished sections of Pardem. Quietly, awkwardly reflecting…
"You sure about that?" Daz muttered.
"We need to fucking move." Nash stormed off
"Agreed."
They felt another rumble, this one more intense than the previous ones; Nash lost his balance as it arrived.
"Keeper… what the fuck is th—" Before he could finish his sentence, a massive protrusion surged from the ground next to them.
His eyes widened as he recognized the beast.
"Wyrmdragons! Here!?"
The ever so unaware Daz pondered calmly to himself, thinking out loud. "Hmm… But Jinxu was reported dead by Brand… How are there Colossal Sand Dragons—wyrmdragons here? They're Desert Kingdom endemic…"
"Now I understand why Greed calls you as such—this is not the time to be casually spacing out, Idiot King!"
As the baby Colossal Sand Dragon leaped, it beat its wings and redirected toward them on the balcony.
"Fuck!"
Nash bolted. Leaping toward it in the sky.
He activated his magic, force adapting himself before impact, and collided with the beast's head, smacking it away.
It dug into the ground and prowled the Den.
Nash landed back and said, "Go find Kiki and pull the lever in the engine room!"
"Geez, you Black Wolves really like to order your Arcane King around—"
"GO!"
"Okay, okay! Keeper!"
Daz rushed into the Den, looking for the Arabella Maids, grumbling to himself all the while.
He checked each door in a certain hallway, silently judging how messy or unclean everyone's rooms were.
"And this room smells like sweaty meat curtains— Ah… this is Greed's room. That explains why…"
He shut the door and went down the hall, going down the split stairs.
"Ah! You there, fat man!" he shouted to Ulrich who was balancing on a ladder, trying to dust the black chandelier in the main entrance.
"A-A-Arcane King, sir!" Ulrich replied, startled.
"At ease! Where is the one called Kiki?"
"She's uh… in the garden I believe?"
"Garden? The garden comes with the Den when it moves?"
"It's attached to the Den…"
"Ah… Weird feng shui, but everyone to their own I suppose!"
Another rumble shook the place.
"W-What is going on outside?" Ulrich asked.
"Oh, that? We're being attacked! Which is why I need to find this 'Kiki' to lead me to the engine room."
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!?"
"That's what I said… Calm down, fatty. Anyway, I'll be on my way."
"Uh, Arcane King, sir—" Ulrich uttered as he inelegantly fell from the ladder he was doing such a pleasant job balancing on.
"Oof… See, that was just a disaster waiting to happen. You have to admit that was the only outcome—"
"I know where the engine room is!" Ulrich pressed as he pushed himself off the floor. "Well… I've been told where it is…"
"You do? Why didn't you say so!"
"It's up the opposite flight of stairs, down the hall, turn left, I-I believe… Milo should be there, changing the curtains. She can lead you the rest of the way."
"Thank you big boy! I appreciate your services!" Daz said, saluting, then quickly went back up to the stairs, leaving as soon as he had arrived.
"Is the Den being attacked, or was I…?" Ulrich muttered to himself.
***
As Daz followed Ulrichs directions, he passed by a room he frequented. One that harbored a most unwelcomed guest in this abode.
A strained laugh came from the room, and he stopped in his tracks.
"Something to say, Envy?"
On the other side, Envy had been heavily detained within Daz's Tartarus Cell.
"You sure you can keep all this up, Daz?"
Daz's expression went solemn. He was silent for a moment before deciding to speak as a muffled boom rang from outside.
"If you're referring to my spell on you, I'm doing just fine. You sure you don't need to piss? You've been holding it in for quite a few days."
Envy laughed again. "Even an Arcane King has his limits. I wonder how much longer you can keep me contained day in and day out…"
He said nothing more.
Daz merely focused ahead. His gray eyes glowed as he strode along.
"I hope you piss your pants, Sin."
Envy roared indignantly, slamming on the door from the other side, though futile.
For the past few days since they departed from the Valley, Daz's magic had been constantly engaged, keeping Envy at bay.
"Compared to Asura… This is nothing," he spoke to himself as he headed off into a darker hall.
***
Outside, Nash had been fending off the wyrmdragon, their battle leading him to the ground below. And since Daz's departure inside the Den, a cluster of bandits and Grade 2 monsters had also joined the fray.
"Keeper…" he said as he leaped into a cross-body punch-kick, striking two bandits from opposite sides, simultaneously. "Shit like this always happens when everyone is away…"
A Basilisk charged him, and he flexed his hands, readying himself.
But before it came, a large pair of garden shears crashed into it from the side, sending it away.
The shark shaped shears chuckled as Nash beheld it.
"Kiki?" he said as she appeared by his side, the garden shears swimming in the air back to her.
"In the flesh!" She threw up a peace sign. What's happening?"
"We're being attacked, as you can see…"
"I can… Shall Arabella Housekeeping extend their additional services once again?"
"Any help will suffice. Until the others get back, that is."
Kiki observed the bandits and even the monsters that were fighting by their sides. "These bandits… They remind me of the Nightbanes."
"Aye. Except these guys aren't supposed to be here according to Daz. The town everyone else went into is Bloodtusks territory. If these bandits are here as well, it looks like this was more of an ambush than a happy accident."
"Seems that way… Oh… I hope Master Greed comes back alright! He's been through so much these past few days! I just want to coddle him in my bosom!"
"Right…" Nash breathed as he realized something. "Hold on… If you're here…"
"Hm?" She looked at him obliviously.
"Please tell me Ulrich and Milo are at least inside?"
"They are, why?"
"I sent that Idiot King, Daz to start up the Den…"
"Err…" Kiki squeaked.
"What. What's with that reaction?"
"Yeah, see… Out of the three of us maids, only I've been to the engine room. The halls are like a labyrinth the deeper you go, it's kinda weird actually… But I've only ever told Ulrich where it is, but he'd never been. And Milo… I've taken her with me on the way there, but when she goes on her own, she just gets frustrated trying to look for it…"
"I knew I should have been the one to go. Fuck me."
"Sorry. Though you are quite buff—and quite handsome—I must respectfully decline. My heart is reserved for Master Greed."
"What…?"
It was then that they heard the burst of smoke from pipes, and the sound of an engine gunning up.
When they both turned to look at the Den, it was rising from its perched position.
"Hey!" Daz shouted from way up, hand waving at them.
A look of relief hit Nash like a tidal wave. "Thank the Keeper."
"What are you waiting for!? Get on!"
"I WAS WAITING FOR YOU, IDIOT KING!"
Suddenly, the wyrmdragon shot out from the ground once again, only feet away from swallowing both the distracted Nash and Kiki.
But then they heard a cannon fire, and it struck the beast, blowing it up immediately upon impact.
Nash and Kiki were sprayed with beast blood.
"Course…"
"I'm getting used to this! Perhaps this is practice for when I finally get Master Greed to—"
"Don't finish your sentence. For my sake. Please," Nash trailed his eyes to where the cannon fire had come from, and he was pleased to see the Den's 'cannons' being used after some time.
"Oh yeah! Fuckin' nailed that shit!" Milo celebrated atop the pillar cannon she was seated in. "Can't believe these things were actually cannons! I thought they were just some outdated decoration. I had no idea those pillars from the clearing could be used like this! No wonder the Den collected them before we left the Valley! This is so sick!"
"Yeah, yeah, you can celebrate later. We should get moving," Daz replied.
"Buzz off, old fart! Let a girl appreciate…"
"What happened to your manners!? Don't you talk politely to the Black Wolves!? And 'old fart'!? I hardly look older than thirty!"
"Precisely. I work for the Black Wolves. Not you, fart dust."
"The audacity!"
The bark from a wolfdog got their attention as they focused back to the situation at hand; Yuna had appeared on the parapet ledge with them.
In any case, Daz thought. Had it not been for this wolfdog, me and this maid would still be roaming those hallways trying to find the engine room…
Nash and Kiki leaped up the Den, joining them as Milo continued to fire onto the bandits and monsters below.
Nash found another pillar cannon and joined Milo in her exhibition.
"All right! Let's get this baby going!"
They fired as the Den pressed on, leading away from the unknown bandits ambush.
***
**Bell monument**
As Raeyn walked down the massive flight of stairs, she held her hand to the gaping wound at her core.
The blood never stopped spilling since her fight with Evalyn, and she had made Alice retreat before finally concluding the fight.
Because she was still so high up, she looked around, and almost all of Pardem had been run into a state of chaos.
She saw a large ice wall in the distance and knew exactly who it was.
"That way then…" she uttered weakly to herself.
Suddenly, from above the pyramid tower, the bell Evalyn had been entrapped in had burst open.
A loud blast sounded instead of the gong of the bell.
And from within…
"Not yet… I still have orders to fulfill…" Evalyn seethed, blood dripping from her mouth. "I will not fail Master Wrath!"
Raeyn's eyes widened as she beheld her. She thought she was down for the count, but she remembered how tough Tantra users can be.
She looked to her wound, and then back to Evalyn, thinking if she had enough strength to fight her again. And even if she did, she'd have to come up with another clever way to pin her down. Lest she was forced to pin her down… for good.
But then Evalyn crouched, pushing off and leaping elsewhere, hopping from building to building…
"Is she… fleeing?"
It was then that she heard Alice's voice, and then saw her warping from the ethers right next to her. "Raeyn!"
"Alice! I told you to escape!"
"And you're injured. Both you and Ophelia. I can heal you both. Let's go!"
Raeyn scowled, but without further delay or debate, she took Alice's hand, and they disappeared back into the ethers.
***
**Star's location**
Star had begun walking off as the clouds had gathered over each other, the sky once again gray.
Her magic disengaged, revealing her completely nude canvas; she lost her balance and fell to her knees.
"Oh shit… Didn't realize, I couldn't walk…"
She attempted to push off the ground, positioning her bare feet as she forced a rise, but she only wobbled and fell back down soon after.
"Well this fucking sucks."
Behind her, Velm's severed cadaver lay motionless in the decimated field.
That was… until his skin had begun to ripple.
Suddenly, his eyes widened in a white rage, and from his severed half that his head was still attached to, a purple body had regenerated him to completion.
He snarled as he rose, crouched over like some beast.
The other half of him turned to mercury, and joined him at his feet. Becoming whole once again.
Star slowly turned her head with horror-filled eyes.
"Shit."
Quicker than she had the capability to react, Velm bolted over, and sliced her clean in half horizontally.
Her torso slid off from the base of her legs, and she grunted.
"Fuck. Not again!"
She began regenerating, body mending back together like it had during their earlier fight. But she was already well past her limit.
Star's eyes rolled back to her skull, sputtering grunts as her body had begun to lose control.
She contorted in ways her body was not meant to, painful grunts sounding as she continued to become something of a monster.
Velm sneered as Star roared distressingly. They were like two wild animals—predator and prey.
He charged her while she was still writhing on the ground.
But before he could land a strike, he received a flying kick to the side, sending him nearly thirty yards away.
He crashed and skidded on the ground, barely finding his footing, facing the direction from where he flew, and roared.
However, again, his instincts shouted at him.
When he saw the one who had sent him flying, his spine flared, feeling what most beasts do after having sensed a larger, more threatening creature.
Black boots crunched the dirt as he stood before Star, back facing her as she still cried agonizingly on the ground, her evolution warping her beyond what it ever was supposed to be.
"Enough. I am your opponent now," Greed said as he held an intimidating look toward Velm.
Velm inched backward. His instincts telling him to run.
"What's wrong?" Greed raised his head, and as the clouds rolled over, even his dark eyes glowed from the silhouette that was made. "Not up for it?"
Velm growled as he remained at a stalemate with himself.
And then the sound of chugging was heard in the distance. Velm's attention went to it, still wary of the anomaly before him.
He looked at Greed, and then back to the sound. Making an instinctive decision to leave for the seemingly easier prey.
He barked at him before dashing off at sonic speeds.
Greed sighed, throwing his hands in his pockets and closing his eyes before addressing another issue. "Too bad."
When he finally turned around, a large shadow had shrouded him. He opened his eyes, and instead of intimidation, there was only calm concern.
"Sorry, Star… Teddy has to be a little rough," he spoke as her raucous snarls and screams became more intense by the second, yet he strolled ever closer.
***
**Wolves Den**
Since booting up, the Den had trudged a path toward the southeast outskirts of Pardem.
The unknown bandit group who ambushed them were still on their tail. However, they had gained some good distance, firing from two pillar cannons all the while.
"These assholes are persistent," Milo said as she fired another round. "We got enough ammo, right?"
"Uh…" Nash said as he also fired, fist pumping after eradicating a monster with his shot. "I have no fuckin' clue."
"No wonder Code reams you. First, you order the Den to start on an almost empty tank, and now you have no idea how much ammo we got? For all we know we could be using up our last rounds…"
"It's almost empty again!?" he spat, glaring at Milo shortly after, and she glared right back. "Shut it… Not my fault the rest of the crew likes to start trouble while it's just me here. I'm a content creator, not a fuckin' warehouse worker."
"I'm sure we'll be fine!" Daz said, leaping atop the roof of the highest point of the Den, and crouched, looking ahead with a spread hand to shade his eyes from an absent sun. "I saw a big blast from that way not too long ago. I bet all my eterna that was Greed. Once we retrieve him, we'll find the others, too. That blast could have been seen from any part of town. They all must be headed that way."
"If you say so…" Milo commented.
She then saw something bolting toward them at a ferocious speed from town.
"Got another." She aimed. "This one's fast."
She fired, blasting the unknown anomaly, but it pushed through.
"Huh!? It took that!?"
She fired again and again, but it dodged those shots, swerving and gaining speed as it neared the Den.
"Who taught you how to shoot?" Nash shouted as he saw another from his peripheral, blazing toward them from the opposite side. "Fuck, incoming from this side, too!"
This one was faster.
He lugged the massive cannon to and fro, just trying to lock in.
"Who taught you how to aim!?" Milo countered.
"Fuck off!"
At last, he had a clean shot, but as he pulled the trigger…
Click, click…
Nash remained silent as his realization caught up to him.
"Fuck."
"Of course… Of fuckin' course!" Milo shouted as she had also hit the same conclusion.
"We're out of ammo!" she and Nash announced.
Daz let the zephyr flutter his hair as he rose from his crouch atop the roof he solicited.
He held a solemn expression as the two anomalies made it, leaping up the Den just to get to him, specifically…
As the two figures sprang up just feet away from Daz, he saw a woman with strawberry blonde hair in a dirtied white and red maiden's dress, and a man in tattered white and blue royal garbs with gray hair and curved horns, looking like he was in some kind of berserk state…
And with her savage state reflected off his calm grays, the woman chuckled and spoke,
"There you are, Arcane King… It's time for you to die!"