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Dagger In The D.A.R.C. Chapter One - From The Sky, They Fall
30 Years Later
It was a calm day in Aricrill. The air was cool, and the streets were full of merchants and townsfolk. Little did they know that today was the day that would change their lives forever.
Four dark hooded figures were crouched on the highest building in all of Brash.
"So," said Valryk Blackdagger, the most fearless and energetic of the four. "Are you guys up for a little fun? Hehe."
"Calm yourself, Valryk. We will have our fun soon enough," replied Zypher Shadowblade, the more experienced of the group, and leader of D.A.R.C. Three.
"Master Zypher?" asked Ryrak Blackdagger, Valryk's younger sister who was the most nimble and agile of the assassins.
"What is it Ryrak?"
"I've been hearing rumors that D.A.R.C. has been destroyed. Is this true?"
Nobody said a thing, and a cold wind blew that sent a chill downn everyones spine.
Hawk Darkblood the quiet and lowest ranked of the assassins answered the question for Zypher. "You will learn what happened when we do Ryrak."
The assassins wore jet black cloaks. Under their cloaks the assassins all wore full bodied black leather, and shadow steel gauntlets on their wrists. They were equiped with dual katanas mounted on their backs, poison capsules on their belts and two curved daggers hanging from their belts.
They sat there for what seemed like an eternity, but then they heard a scream from the alley below them and climbed down to investigate.
"Aaaaah!" screamed the man again.
"Now, would you like to cooperate or do you need more...inspiration?" asked an evil voice from the shadows.
"I...I..don't know...who your...talking about." The man's voice was getting weaker with every word he spoke.
The assassins watched from smaller buildings around the alley.
"Those D.A.R.C. assassins that have been seen around here lately," said the man in the shadows. His eyes were like a snake right before it was about to strike.
Valryk grinned at Zypher and threw a poisonous needle at the man in the shadows. At that instant he jumped back into the light and pulled out his sword. Valryk jumped down and his wrist blades shot out of his gauntlets.
"What interest do you have in us?" asked Valryk.
"Ah, you must be Valryk. Nice to meet you, young assassin."
"Answer the question, or I'll kill you where you stand." Valryk shifted into an attacking stance, ready for any tricks this stranger might pull.
"I was sent here to kill you." The man's voice was as calm as ever. He didn't seem worried at all, even though he was outnumbered.
"To kill us? Who do you work for?!"
The man started to laugh maniacally.
"The Reaper King." he said with a smirk.
"Then you're-" Valryk was interupted by Zypher, who was now behind the man.
In one quick movement Zypher impaled his katana in the man. "-Hiriku" said Zypher.
Black blood started to pour out of the blade wound and his eyes; then his body started to shake violently. A blackish-purple smoke started to seep from all around his body. He started to shift into another form. Hiriku had grown spikey scales all around his body,
forcing off his cloak. Horns also grew from his forehead. His venom green eyes now faded to
darkness.
"A monster from the Shadow Mist Nebula?" Zypher said surprised but calm.
"What's it doing here then?" asked Ryrak.
"There is only one way the Kyrosian's could have entered our world, and that's through the Portal. That means Hiriku must have taken over D.A.R.C. Labyrinth...The Reaper King has
somehow been ressurected. This is impossible." said Zypher, placing his hand on his chin; stroking the spot where a beard could be.
"So what-" Ryrak was cut off by a loud pitch screech that echoed throughout Aricrill. The assassins ran towards where the sound had come from; It was Shadow Tower, a huge tower on the outskirts of Aricrill. A beam of purple light shot out of Shadow Tower,
turning the sky a blackish-purple color. People were running in all directions, screaming. Men in black and purple leather were chasing and killing them. Suddenly a voice filled the air.
"Go my Shadow Zealot! Our brothers and sisters must join us. Let all bow down to the Cult. You are all now servants of The Reaper King."
All the Shadow Zealot pulled out blades that had a purple glow. They started to stab every man, women, and child. The ones who were stabbed transformed into Shadow Zealot.
"Well looks like we get to have some fun after all, 'ey Zypher," Valryk said as he ejected his wrist blades.
"Indeed," replied Zypher, pulling out his katanas. Ryrak and Hawk did did the same.
Valryk, Ryrak, Hawk, and Zypher dispersed in opposite directions hacking down Shadow Zealot. Buildings were burning, trees were being thrown into crowds of running civilians. Aricrill was turning into a wasteland.
Valryk ran along a wall, dived off, and stabbed a Shadow Zealot as he turned to face him. Valryk sensed something. He ascended a tall building and looked around. He saw
Hawk cutting through countless Shadow Zealot, and Zypher was hiding in a well waiting for the Shadow Zealot around him to turn their backs. Then Valryk's eyes widened as he saw Ryrak get jumped by a group of peasants mistaking her for a Shadow Zealot. Valryk jumped off the building and unleashed a barrage of needles. The peasants froze the instant the needles hit them, then a moment later their bodies fell to the floor.
"Whew, that was close," sighed Ryrak.
"I'm not coming to your rescue again Ry," said Valryk.
"Val...You called me by my nickname," Ryrak said happily.
"Lets get going," Valryk said sounding annoyed.
Valryk and Ryrak started to head towards Shadow Tower. It seemed like the closer they got to the tower the less Shadow Zealot they had to fight. Valryk was starting to suspect that something very strange was happening.
"Hey Ry," said Valryk in a calm, yet puzzled voice.
"Yeah Val?" replied Ryrak in a quiet, concerned tone.
"I feel like...theres something wrong about this."
"Naw, because magical beams shoot out of Shadow Tower all the time. And strange men attack Aricrill everyday," Ryrak said sarcasticly.
Valryk sighed. "What I meant was that we are seeing less Shadow Zealot with every step we take towards Shadow Tower."
"Maybe whoever or...whatever sent them is calling off the attack,"
"I dont know. It just doesn't make much sense. And why would anyone attack Aricrill anyway? This place is like a fortress."
"I dont know either, Val."
They had almost reached Shadow Tower when they turned to see Hawk and Zypher fighting a horde of Shadow Zealot. They were cornered and exhausted. Valryk ran towards the fray.
"We're here, Zypher!" yelled Valryk, pulling out his katanas. Ryrak followed him, pulling out her daggers.
"Your timing could have been better Valryk. I should have you demoted," replied Zypher jokingly.
"Well then you should be demoted for getting cornered like this in the first place," said Valryk, laughing. Zypher joined him in his laughter hacking wildly at Shadow Zealot, slaughtering them like lambs.
More and more Shadow Zealot joined the fight making it harder for the assassins to fight them off. They were running out of energy.
"We can't hold off like this much longer," said Ryrak panting. Nobody else wanted to admit it but they all knew it was true.
"I hate it when your right, Ryrak," said Valryk almost completely out of breath.
The enemies started to close in on the assassins. Then they all stoped as they heard a cut through the air. A cloud of smoke enveloped the Shadow Zealot.
"What the hell is going on?!" screamed Valryk. The assassins watched as Shadow Zealot were being hurled out of the smoke, their bodies dismembered. There was another cut through the air and the smoke started to clear.
"Hello D.A.R.C.," said a cold, deep voice.
"Who the ******** are you?!" screamed Valryk, with a hint of hate in his voice.
"Haha, this is the thanks I get for saving your life?" said the man who was now visible. "Last time I do that then I guess." He started to walk away.
"You didn't answer my question!"
The man stopped and turned his head. "The names Xero, heres my card." He winked and threw a small ball into the air which bounced and rolled to Valryk's feet. Valryk crouched down to inspect it and realized it was a flash pellet. It exploded in his face, blinding him. The other assassins were fast enough to hide under their cloaks.
Valryks vision came back a few moments later. Zypher, Hawk, and Ryrak came out of their cloaks.
"He's gone!" said Valryk, looking around for Xero.
"He must have been very strong to defeat all these Shadow Zealot so quickly," said Zypher.
"We didn't need his help," Valryk said in an annoyed tone.
"Don't be such a fool, Valryk!"
There was silence. A soft wind blew through the air.
"I guess we should head towards Shadow Tower now...before anything else strange happens again," said Ryrak.
Valryk and Ryrak looked at each other and laughed. Hawk and Zypher joined them in the laughter.
It was ended as a huge piece of a building flew through the sky and crashed down into the ground. The assassins jumped back and avoided it. A colossal beast with a purple cloud of smoke around its body jumped right onto the broken rumble.
"Are you ******** kidding me?!" yelled Valryk.
"They're called Shadow Giants," said Zypher.
The beast rampaged around the assassins trying to crush them with its massive fists.
Valryk threw two needles at its eyes, blinding it. It swung its fists around violently. After about a minute of its blind rampage, it stopped and pulled the needles out of it's eyes.
"I think you pissed it off, Val," said Ryrak.
Valryk looked towards his sister and said "At least I didn't annoy it with my-"
The beast punched Valryk and sent him flying. It charged Valryk and tried to hit him again but Valryk was too fast and jumped back to avoid the hit. The beasts fist dug into the ground making the ground shake. Valryk ran up it's arm, slicing it with his katanas. Once he reached the beasts shoulder he sheathed his katanas and released his wrist blades. He jumped and raised one arm; the wrist blade reflected light off the blade which blinded the beast. To Valryk, time was going in slow motion. Once Valryk came close enough he
performed a coup de grae, killing the beast.
Valryk lept backwards off the beast and flipped, then landed on the ground. His wrist blades retracted and at the same moment the beast roared and fell to the ground loudly, causing dust to fly in all directions.
"Well that was easy," said Valryk.
"Ha, what are you talking about you got knocked like 20 feet away," said Zypher laughing.
"That was Ryrak's fault, she-" Zypher cut him off.
"No that was your fault. Next time watch what's going on around you before you waste your time arguing."
Everybody laughed except Valryk.
"Ok! Now if were all done lau-" This time Ryrak cut him off laughing hysterically. Valryk kicked up a rock into his hand and threw it at Ryrak. She fell to the ground but continued laughing.
"******** it, let's leave her here." Valryk started to walk away towards Shadow Tower; Zypher and Hawk followed him.
Ryrak looked up and realized they were gone. "Wait...wait for me!" She got up and ran to catch up with them.
"Took you long enough," said Valyrk chuckling.
"You guys left me there!" said Ryrak.
"Hehe, shut you up."
"You threw a rock at me," Ryrak said, her eyes narrowing.
"Ah, don't you just love my brotherly love," Valryk said smiling. Zypher and Hawk laughed so hard they couldn't breath.
"Your such an a**, Val!" said Ryrak.
Valryk looked at her and smiled. "I know."
They climbed a hill and saw Shadow Tower. Surrounding it were thousands of Shadow Zealot and about ten Shadow Giants.
"Anyone know how we're going to pull this one off?" asked Ryrak.
"Hehe, I've been saving a little something for an occasion exactly like this," Zypher said with a grin.
"What are you talking about, Zypher?" asked Valryk with a look of confusion on his face.
Zypher reached into his pouch and pulled out a curved metal bar with wraps around it.
"Hehe, you guys are gunna like this one."
The bar shifted form into what looked like a bow and spikes grew out of it. It's sleek black color was as dark as the nights sky, and it had a string as red as blood.
"What does it do?" asked Ryrak.
Without another word, Zypher pulled back the string and a red glowing arrow appeared on it. He aimed it into the sky, and shot the arrow into the clouds. It looked like a stream of fire.
"And what was that supposed to do?" said Valryk. There was a pause.
"Zy, why didn't you aim it at the enemies? Why at the sky?" said Ryrak.
"Look up," said Zypher grinning again.
The assassins all looked into the sky. A moment later they all saw the red arrow that Zypher had shot into the sky come down. Following that single red beam was about a million more. The blood red color filled the sky and rained down on Shadow Tower, killing every single Shadow Zealot and Shadow Beast.
Valryk and Ryrak's faces were struck with awe, while Hawk and Zypher just stood there and watched the annihilation.
"Too bad this thing can only be used once," said Zypher.
"Where did you get that?!" said Valryk.
"I used to do some...secret missions for D.A.R.C. back in the day." Zypher and Hawk laughed.
"So I guess we can just walk right on in now, huh?" said Ryrak.
"Kinda," said Zypher.
"What do you mean 'kinda'?" said Valryk.
"Haha you think that was it? I've been on missions where I had to kill entire villages."
"I guess we got an adventure on our hands then?"
"You better believe it," Zypher said, looking into the sky.
The assassins jumped down the hill and ran towards Shadow Tower. They stopped at the huge double doors that lead into Shadow Tower. Zypher walked up to the door, placed his hand flat on it, and it blasted open.
"Whoah!" screamed Ryrak.
"Hehe I've got alot more up my sleeve young Ryrak," said Zypher. *Looks like what I feared is coming true.* thought Zypher as the assassins entered Shadow Tower.