Ch.3 - The Week After.

[larewen_evenstar]

"Thanks." Lan continued to run, as Allan caught up with her. "So, do we have any idea what we're gonna do?" She said, turning a sharp corner, and nocking over an antique vase. "Oops." She didn't stop. No one was going to hurt Fiore.

[theravenisdead]

"Huh.. And I didnt even get ta use this... thingamajig" grunted Nolan, tossing Miles back his toy. He barely caught it in time. "Guess you can keep this." said Nolan. Miles wasn't amused.

"Shall we get going? We're running late..." said Kane.
Nolan raised an eyebrow, seemingly forgetting the task they had originally left the house for "Oh! Righto, well... Let's get out of this place and head to the palace." spewed Nolan as he lead the way down and outside.

"Hold it!" yelled Nolan suddenly. His two comrades stopped and looked on curiously.
"Why exactly are we running, when we could be driving?" he said as he ran to his car and climbed in.

He started the engine (on the first try for once) and drove it up next to them. He threw open the passenger door for them.
"Let's roll." Nolan said "No time to lose."

(end of post)

[Fujisawa4654]

"The antique car, it looks totalled and it can still run... That thing's gonna run out of fuel one of these days."

I hopped in the back and shut the door... Suprisingly the seats cushining was very comfortable, as I soon fell asleep.

----------------------------

*OOC* Lame post I know.. I'm out of brain juice.. I know that you guys dont' want me to use the idiot fuel for the brain  

[Wayne]

Just a wee bit more filler while I'm waiting to see what happens.... :]

---

"He took it pretty well, I think," Xan said to no one in particular, limping back toward the southern sector of the capital. "...considering I had tried to kill him and all."

He coughed again, but the pain was subisiding; he simply felt the dull ache that was left over after so much exertion; but he knew-- physiology and anatomy being key studies in an assassin's training regimen-- that the damage he had taken was severe, and he knew he needed medical attention; and he also knew that he had only one place to turn, as the brief firefight happened just outside the door of the palace doctor's house.

He concentrated, focusing on the pictures he'd seen long before. Phantom Tribesmen, as a rule; could detect others' illusions-- the ability to see through them or not varied on the individual, but absolute deception between illusionists was impossible. As a result they had made several plans governing problems in hostile territory... and the one most pertitent to a wounded Xan was the illusion they traditionally adopted to find one another while still appearing normal to those around them.

When the young man relaxed, his form had changed-- he now resembled a handsome nobleman in his twenties, in rich Roshtarian dress with a circlet and long silver hair.

How the original Galus maintained this farce, I would never know. Xan complained to himself, and sighed. As long as the other Tribesmen in the city were active-- it was late-- they wouldn't have any trouble finding him now.

He continued walking south, crossing another street, nodding stiffly toward an outdoor merchant, who simply stared. He had no idea where the Floristican enclave was-- the more people that knew about it in the capital of Roshtaria, the less likely it would stay hidden-- but he assumed it'd be toward the poorer sector, so as to remain more easily hidden.

---

"Excuse me... Sir?" came a voice from behind him perhaps twenty minutes later; and Xan tensed. The pain had returned with interest, and he moved slowly around, mentally trying to keep his focus on his illusion; something he very rarely needed to do.

"Can I help you?" he replied quietly.

"Ahh... no, but I believe I can help you." A young man clad in brown stepped closer toward Xan; and as he moved there was a swirling of light, and his skin changed to blue-- his conservative outfit remaining unchanged.

The assassin gave an audible sigh of relief and dropped his own illusion, staggering forward and taking the older man's hand. "I thank you. I wasn't certain where the facility is...."

The other man chuckled and waved his hand vaguely. "No, not a concern. I have to admit, I was surprised when I saw you walking this way... even with the old disguise. Do you realize you were going in exactly the opposite direction?" He grinned as the embarassed assassin shook his head. "Well, you have good instincts, even if you don't pay as much attention as you should. Come with me, then... there's only three of us stationed here currently... half returned to the Center to directly report to Nahato..." he paused as Xan frowned at the name; "...regarding the recent... changes." He smiled again, but there was no mirth behind it. "Funny how things work out."

"I'd like to hurry, if it's all the same to you," murmured Xan, hand clutched to his side. "I'd like to get--"

"To a doctor? That would be me, actually... well, a scientist, to be precise; but I can treat battlefield injuries. Why, even that useless Huntress probably could, with the supplies we have."

"Lead on, then." replied Xan, accepting the other man's hand, steadying himself.

[executor82]

Kane watched Nolan's car sceptically. Should he really get inside that thing again? What if it would happen again? He wasn't sure if anyone of them could hold him back if he'd freak out again. He still was thinking about the consequences of climbing into the car while the others slowly grew impatient.

A few moments later Kane decided and opened the door of the car and took his seat at the back of the car. He should manage it to remain calm, it wasn't that crowded inside like the time before. When Nolan started to drive, Kane had a last desperate look at Yumi's clinic. If everything would have been according to his plan, then he'd be training to get rid of this damned phobia right now, together with Yumi. He sighed, took off his shirt and started to tear it into strait stripes to bandage his wounds. He felt them still burning and this wouldn't help that much, but after all it would stop the bleedings. Kane clenched his teeth and began treating his left arm.

----

Meanwhile Yumi was still busy waking up Calya.

"C'mon Calya! Wake up! They're needing your help! The palace is in danger", Yumi yelled while she was shaking Calya rapidly.

".........mwaah? Aww, c'mon. Just a little more, I'm soooo tired, Mia!", Calya replied muttering.

"I already told you, I am NOT Mia!!! And this is emergency!", Yumi yelled and slapped Calya across the face. "WAKE UP!"

"...*snore*......I want some ham and eggs for breakfast......", Calya didn't even notice that Yumi slapped her.

"GODDAMNIT! I'd serve you Jinnai's ass on a silver plate, if you'd just wake up! He's in the palace right now and obviously he's planning something! but you have to fry him yourself!", Yumi answered shaking the girl again.

"....*munch*.....I'd rather eat Nolan's.......it's much cuter than Jinnai's.", Calya giggled.

"What the hell are you talking about!?! JINNAI IS IN FLORISTICA AND CAUSING TROUBLE IN THE PALACE! You have to help Kane and the others!", Yumi was tired shaking Calya and now was just yelling into her ear.

Finally Calya opened her eyes and stared at Yumi. ".....did you say Jinnai is in the city? And the others are about to kick his ass? GREAT! Finally some action again! And I hope he has brought plenty of bugrom!", with that Calya  pushed Yumi aside, jumped on her feet...........reeled and fell to her bottom again. "Erm.....I could use a coffee first", she said sweatdropping.

[theravenisdead]

Nolan steered the car foreward as fast as he could through the narrow stone streets towards the palace. He glances back at Kane, who was bandaging his wounds.

"You gonna be okay?" asked Nolan curiously, his eyes back on the road.
"I'll live." Kane replied. Miles, now completely dozed off, had resorted to using Kane as a pillow, much to Kane's annoyance.
Unbeknowest to his friends, Nolan was beginning to feel exausted. He had been up now for over 24 hours straight, and his attempts at sleep had been in vain. He felt himself struggling to keep his eyes open as he drove...

Soon the palace was in view.
"There it is, straight ahead!" said Kane, pointing to the gate in front of them. They we're getting closer and closer, and Kane was expecting Nolan to slow the car anytime now.
But much to his surprise, the car wasnt slowing down. It seemed to be on a collision course with the gate.
"Nolan, What are you doing?!" yelled Kane as he grabbed the wheel and swerved it to the right. The car jerked to the right, tossing Kane on top of Miles. It came to a stop as Nolan's foot came off the gas pedal and fell on the brake.

Nolan, now awaken once again, groggily looked out, noticing the car had stopped.
"Mnmmm.... we're here.." he said, stretching and yawning as he opened his door. He looked behind him before he stepped out. "Hey guys...?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Kane sitting on top of Miles, who was now starting to wake up himself. Kane was breathing heavily.

"Ahh.... never mind..." muttered Nolan, shaking his head. He yawned as he stepped out, leaving a shocked Kane behind.

[Fujisawa4654]

I slowly started to awake as I could feel pain on my chest. It made me remember whenever that one time.. I fell onto something and it punctured me.

However, when I did finally come to, my chest was in pain, felt like I gto stabbed with a blunt weapon, but I found that Kane's elbow was practically in my face for an amount of time.

"Well, that was a relaxing 2 minutes... Or I thought. Can the canny stuff, lets get to work."

I Got up and out. I took a good long look at the castle, and peered over to the left where the ship had crushed the tower. "Big place at night... Sorta Reminds me of Resident Evil XXVIII, I wonder..." My mind began to stray off. Jinnai might be a tricky one and if anything I wouldnt' even be able to identify him, at least not yet.

I set foot in before the others, I was the first one of the party to go inside, and suprisingly they did not follow. I didn't even acknowledge if Lana and Allan were there or not, they were likely ahead of me.Did they even notice me go in? It doesn't matter. I have the ability to do this on my own.. It's not the first time I had to creep around a building.

The palace foyer.. The classic entrance in Resident Evil. I was startign to wonder if there were any zombies wandering around, but that was just silly. THe first thing I did notice, however, was a dead body... The neck had been cut halfway.

"Holy jeebus, this guy should be put into an asylum." I mumbled ot myself, and proceeded forward. I went upstairs using the main stairs, but once I did, there was several ways to choose from.

"I'm gonna get lost... If i were of high royalty, where would I stay?... Maybe someplace up top, there must be a good view someplace there."  I mumbled to myself again. I could hear myself easily as it was suprisingly very quiet. I looked forward and found a set of spiral staircases. It looked like it would go a ways up, so why not give it a try?

I started on my long journey up the stairs, which honestly seemed neverending. I soon heard the pattering of running feet. It came close by, then it was silent again. I couldn't pinpoint where it was, the big halls echoed it's annoying sound. I blew it off for now and went upstairs.

[Wayne]

Heh, cool. *wants to see how this palace thread ends*

More filler for now, I guess. Oh; and Fuji gets major points for the Resident Evil 28 joke-- although knowing Capcom, they'd probably spin it off into Resident Evil X (then with a full series), and then another spinoff series....

---

At Xan's slowed pace it took the pair nearly half an hour to circle back through Floristica, to the safehouse of sorts the other Shadow Tribe members had been using. It was surprisingly close to the palace; perhaps six blocks northwest, although as broad and long as Roshtarian streets were, it was still quite a walk.

"Here?" asked Xan, surprised; as his ally had stopped in front of a run-down older house. It was inconspicuous enough; typical off-white colored stone walls, and a flat ceiling that bespoke primitive, at least by his peoples' standards, brickwork.

"It's bigger inside than it looks. Trust me. We couldn't have anything too ostentatious."

"Hm."

"Can you make a big house invisible?" said the scientist in way of reply, and Xan shook his head.

"No, of course not."

"Neither can we. So there. ...now, after you... ah, watch that step up... there." He followed the younger man inside and closed the door behind him; as he did a third Tribesman, sitting so still as to be nearly invisible in the dark; switched on a lamp on the table, and stood.

"I'm surprised you found him, Tulkata." This man, who appeared even older than Xan's benefactor; had the light wrinkles around his eyes and mouth that suggested early middle age, and he wore a plain, long black coat with many pockets-- Another scientist, the assassin mused.

"Doctor Tulkatia," the other scientist snapped; although it had the patient refrain which suggested he did so out of habit, rather than irritation; and the older man laughed.

"Don't mind him, young man," he said, walking in an unusually proud manner for a researcher, toward Xan; and offered his hand. "Doctor Caeus Silrani... and yes, I picked out this name." he explained, grinning. "This fossil--"

"Four years younger than you, Kai," he replied without missing a beat.

"--is Doctor Mato Tulkatia. And he would be the current lead operative for this cell." His smile broadened as Xan glanced quickly toward the man next to him, and then back. "And you are...?"

"Xanas Antares. Assassin." He gave a quick nod, then shrugged off Mato's hand and shook Kai's-- the dimunitive form of "Caeus's"-- hand. "And I would like to be taken to the lab for healing."

"Before you have to use it for an autopsy, eh?" said the old man; but his smile faded. "Come with me, then... and we'll get you looked at."

"Thank you." Xan stepped back, respectfully giving Kai room as he went toward the back wall-- opening the wooden door there to reveal an unsurprising set of stairs down.

It led to a very large underground facility. The original area of a basement was still clearly defined-- the passageway was a little narrower, and the supports above his head weaker-- but it had been widened out far in excess of that. The hallway loomed many meters back into the darkness; a series of rooms on either side in a sort of underground suite, leading to the traditional Phantom Tribe laboratory. There were two operating tables set up with a dizzying array of equipment and machines around them, and the old man led Xan to the first one.

"You'll probably want a tour later, but... first things first. Take off your jacket and lie down, and the automata should tend to your major wounds. ...what do you think you have, so I can make the scan faster?"

"Probable broken rib, ruptured blood vessels on the lateral right, possible organ damage; severe burns to the back with multiple lighter abrasions and bruises." the assassin replied promptly, and Caeus chuckled.

"I see you didn't sleep through class, boy. ...assassin, you said earlier? Do you mean Hunter?"

"No," he replied evenly, grimacing as the tingle of the first scanning waves washed over him. "...I meant Assassin."

"...ah. Well, you might be interested to meet Senalyia when she gets back from reconnoitering the palace... she just left a few hours ago. Tulkata went out about an hour and fifteen minutes ago... just after the fire broke out. You were lucky he's so thorough... Xanas, wasn't it?"

"Just Xan." he replied, giving a single cough. "...how did you know so quickly?"

"I see you prefer using a nickname too. Must be something about you young people... Sena insisted we call her that, and after a few months everyone was using a shortened name. At least around her--"

"The fire?" Xan repeated, although he was more interested than he let on about his comrades.

"Ah, right. Well, it's a simple thing, really... when you have instruments that can analyze, measure, duplicate, and recombine genetic material... it'd be rather silly to look out a window and not see the light and smoke, wouldn't you think?" His rough voice betrayed humor underneath, though; and Xan smiled.

"I see. ...Doctor, how long will this healing take?"

Kai sighed. "You'll be under direct regeneration for at least six hours. There's no organ damage, but you were otherwise right-- two ribs will need knitted, and you had major hemorrghing on that side. Most of the regeneration time will be for skin and blood... you lost a few layers of the former and far too much of the latter. What'd you get into a fight with, anyway? A group of armor Bugrom?"

Xan closed his eyes, and tried to relax. "...no, doctor. One human."

He whistled. "Must've been one hell of a fighter."

"He was... good." the assassin managed.

"No doubt. Well, once you heal we do have some training areas down here... when the full group is in we usually have several Hunters; they requested it. You're free to peruse what we have, of course... just be careful. Sena will be back soon... she's close to your age anyhow, so I'll probably have her fill you in."

"Sounds good."

"And of course, we'll discuss your options for repaying this service we're done."

"My what?" Xan protested; but Kai was already lowering the shielded shell of the regeneration device over Xan, and locked it into place.

"Couldn't that have waited?" Mato said wryly as his senior came back to the stairwell. "Do you expect him to relax now?"

"I was nice enough before that to balance it out, Tulkata. Besides, better that he get the time to simmer over it rather than get mad after he's already gotten what he needs."

"Point." the doctor conceded, and started back up the stairs. "I merely hope that Sena comes back with no news. We can't send anyone else back to the Shadow Nation until Aerun's group gets back... and that could take weeks."

"Knowledge enough to almost crack the Eye of God," Kai said, bemused; "...and we can't make a bloody wireless phone."

[executor82]

"Are you feeling better now?", Yumi asked Calya who was sitting at the table and sipping her coffee. It seemed that she had a terrible hangover, but nodded.

"You should now drink a lot of water and don't strain yourself until the headache is gone.", Yumi adviced. She got up and left the room towards the kitchen. Some time later she returned with a flagon of water and put it on the table, just to go back into the kitchen and prepare a quick meal for both. A little food would help Calya to get sober again.

Calya barely noticed all that, she was busy struggling down the pain inside her head. "When did the others leave?", she asked with clenched teeth and now holding her head in her hands.

"About 20 minutes ago or something! It was a tough job to wake you up, you must know!", Yumi yelled from the kitchen. She was warming up the rest of the food she had made for dinner before the others had arrived. In fact there was plenty left, because noone of them had eaten a bite of it, except of Yumi. Then something came to her mind. An old family recipe against hangover that her father used to brew. Father........... A single tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away as she heared Calya entering the kitchen.

"Smells good! A pitty that I didn't even have a chunk of it.", Calya commented sniffing. She walked up behind Yumi and peered over her shoulder.

"It'll be ready in a minute. Take your seat Calya, I'll get you a plate....Ack!", suddenly Calya hugged her gently and Yumi winced in surprise.

Calya leaned her head on Yumi's shoulder and wispered into her ear. "You like Kane, do you? And you're trying to make your moves on him ain't I'm right? You liked him since the day you met him. Be honest Yumi-chan."

Yumi blushed and almost dropped the wooden spoon she was holding in her hand. "Wha.....what are you talking about, Calya? This is not the time to......"

"C'mon, Yumi-chan. I already know about it. And I noticed your conversation at your bedroom, I wasn't asleep at that time. I was awake for a short time after someone had carried me into the room upstairs and I heared every single word through the open door. I was lucky to wake up just at this moment!", Calya giggled.

"Well......uh.....", Yumi wasn't able to think of any response and so she started to stir the food nervously. She could feel her heart beating rapidly and she was sure about Calya feeling it to. Her breath went faster and she tried to calm herself.

Calya grinned. She noticed the obvious signs of Yumi's nervousness and she now definitely knew that she was right. "Awww, you're sooo cute Yumi-chan! Kane really is lucky to have someone like you! But we both know how shy Kane is, he doesn't have too much experience about women, he's just like grandma Shayla. But I as his big sister know how to help you, Yumi-chan."

Yumi remained silent.

Calya let go of her with a smile. "The food is ready, let's eat", she wispered before she turned around and walked back into the other room to take her seat at the table. Yumi followed her a minute later with two plates. Both of them ate the meal silently. Calya peered at Yumi from time to time with a slight smile, while Yumi had her meal slightly confused and still with flushed cheeks. She wasn't able to look at Calya once. After finishing her meal, Yumi took her plate back into the kitchen and started to mix the cocktail for Calya that would make her sober again. When Calya entered the kitchen with her plate, she just finished the brew, turned to Calya and handed her the glass with the strange looking drink.

"Drink this!", she said.

Calya stared at the glas in her hand and swallowed hard. "What....What is that? Looks.......unappetizing."

"Just do it, ok?", Yumi demanded.

Calya had a mistrustful look at Yumi, but when she saw her expression she quickly drank up the strange cocktail. Then she suddenly began choking like a maniac. "BUAAAAAAH! What's that for an ugly brew!?! Tastes awful!!!"

"It'll help you getting sober again. They still need you as fast as possible, you know", Yumi replied with a grin.

A few minutes later Calya was on her way to the palace. Yumi had given her some equipment before leaving. Among other things she was carrying Kane's staff.

Damn it! That Yumi! Forcing that brew-of-hell on me!!! Did I say CUTE?? Pah!

----

Kane climbed out of the car and watched Miles going ahead and entering the palace. After that hell of a ride he felt even more beaten up than before, but he didn't show it. He turned to Nolan rising his eyebrows.

"Well, shall we go too?"

[Fujisawa4654]

Upon another 5 minutes of walking, my legs were already starting to shake. Going up the stairs was NO EASY TASK! Especially since I still haven't gotten off of it yet.

A few more levels and I came across another dead body. It's right arm was severed, he died of massive blood loss. "Jinnai, you're a god damn psycho." I said to myself. I got off the stairwell, all I saw was more mutilated corpses. I analyzed one in particular, which had alot of groves in it's body. He had no blade damage, he looked like he had been impaled by several blows of something blunt. No human could do this, unless he had a weapon, but that weapon would be ineffective as it is... Then it hit me..

"The Bugrom are here." I said to myself again.

I looked around the room, the palace guards had all been slaughtered, they all had weapons, but why are there no bugrom corpses? They had to take some of them down... This isn't adding up.

I proceeded forward, following the trail of blood. It led me up a few more levels, but eventually I saw a dead bugrom corpse. I was right about the bugrom, but where the hell is Jinnai?

I proceeded furthur, I had to be close to the top. The enxt room I was in looks.. Different than the others, not sure how I could describe it. I couldn't go in the room much farther, otherwise I would be trapped in infinite darkness. I did proceed however, but I sprung a trap.

By tripping on a rope I made a pre-set axe fall from teh roof, luckily it did not hit me as it was poorly placed.

"This is too damn creepy... Maybe I should wait for the others" I said to myself again.

[larewen_evenstar]

Lan stopped, she had heard a crash. "Someone else is here..." She remained silent for a moment, hoping to hear something else, but she heard nothing.

"Lets keep going, Allan, I'm worried." Lan wanted to get to the princesses ASAP.

"Please be okay." She whispered to herself. Then, with forced strength, speeded up.

...

She and Allan arrived in the hallway of the royal bedchambers.

"I'll kill anyone who has layed a hand on Fiore, I swear it." She growled. "Let's go." She threw open the door of the first bedroom. No blood, nothing. No people or anything. "Damn."

She tried the next room. Nothing. She went along the corridor, opening doors. Something wasn't right here. It was too quiet.

[theravenisdead]

"Lead the way..." said Nolan with a yawn as he slammed the driver door shut as well as the passenger door, Kane having forgotten to do so.

Nolan looked up at the towers that made up the palace grounds, and while it may very well have just been his exaustion, he felt very tiny at that moment in time.
He then noticed that Miles wasnt there.
"Where did G.I Joe go?" Nolan muttered curiously to Kane. "He doesn't even know where to go..oy."

(end of post)

[larewen_evenstar]

Lan stood in front of Fiore's door. She didn't want to go in now that she stood here. She whispered uietly to herself, "I'm frightened, please, protect me from whatever evil may lie behind that door."

She pushed open the door...

----

Someone else appear now, I don't wanna go in alone! *cries*

[Fujisawa4654]

"Forget it, they're never going to find me here." I said to myself. The night vision lenses will definitely guide me throughout this darkened area.

I took them out oof my belt and put them on. There was little light even for the goggles, but I could still see. I preceeded forward silently. Looking around I could see no windows around this area.

I was quickly startled when I heard a grunt coming from up ahead. It echoed throughout the hallway. I took out my pistol, just to be safe, and proceeded forward, silently, hiding in areas of practically no light at all.

Around the corner, however, there it was, the thing that made the noise. A member of the Bugrom.

I hid behind a piece of furnature, but whist I did, I made noises. I alerted the solo bug and he turned around and started looking, but somehow, it wasn't long untill he had found me.

He charged after me, knocking over the piece of furnature. I had my gun in my hand, so I aimed at the chest and shot once, it took only a second to figure that he was still standing and shot again. Finally he dropped to the ground, but the noise of the 2 gunshots were loud and stayed loud throughout the echoes... Someone must have heard the shots..

I holstered the weapon and proceeded forward.

There wasn't much afterwards. I finally got out of the dark area, but decided to keep the goggles on, as they would help me see even in moderately lighted areas.

All of the sudden however, I heard grumbles from all over the place. Similar to the bugrom's... I didn't like which position I was in...

"You fool." Is all I heard, then, 2 bugrom came, and shoved me out of the palace window..

I fell from almost the very top, I bounced off a palace tower's roof and crashed into another window in the palace which was somewhere near the top.

After the fall, I heard screaming, the lights turned on, and there was a girl.. in the bed... The same bed that cushined my fall.

"Who are you? Explain this!" She said. "Wait wait calm down!" I said, but my efforts were futile. "That uniform.. You're one of them!" "Wait wait I can explain that too"

Just then the main door to this room had opened fast, I quickly drew out my sidearm and shot. It looked like it would hit the targets head, but somehow it just suddenly disappeared... I soon after recognised it was Lana..

"Eeuh.. Sorry Lana."

[executor82]

Kane enterd the palace and stood in the main hall, followed by Nolan. Except the time when he escaped from the dungeon, Kane has been only once in the palace in his entire life. At this time he was 5 years old and has seen almost all of the palace. But now his memories of that time where few and he only could guess where to go.

The main hall was empty and quiet, there was nobody around. Kane had a look around and finally noticed a dead body lying in the corner with a cut throat. Kane narrowed his eyes and walked over to the body. The eyes of the dead man were widened and he had a surprised expression in his face. He obviously didn't see the attack coming. The first thought that came to Kane's mind was Xan, but then he doubted it. Xan wasn't in the condition to do this right now and the cut didn't seem to be done by a professional like Xan was. Then he noticed a few other vestiges that were indicating the work of someone else....

"Bugrom. They are actually in the palace", Kane mentioned and turned to Nolan. "We have to be careful now. We don't know how many are there and they're really tough opponents."

They continued their way through the hall and reached the two stairways that were leading out of the main hall. Kane couldn't figure out which way to take to the royal chambers and so he had to guess. He decided for the left stairway and climbed the stairs. his only hope was, that they wouldn't meet any Bugrom too soon, he wasn't in the physical condition to fight too many of them. Maybe he was able to take out two or three of them, but then he'd be finished for sure. They reached the top of the stairway and now had to follow the corridor. There were doors to both sides of the corridor and it seemed that a few of them had been broken. There were two other dead bodies lying  at the first pair of doors, obviously guards. It seemed that they had been killed by Bugrom.

The left door of the third pair of doors was broken and there was something or someone inside. Quiet whimpering could be heard. Kane and Nolan sneaked up to the door and peered inside. There was a female hunched up in a corner of a totally messed up room. She was in some kind of shock. Kane looked at Nolan and nodded into the direction of the young woman. He decided to stand guard, while Nolan was dealing with her......