FF::RoL II:: Revelations and Realizations (13/?)

[keeper444@xxxxxxxxx]

Hi y'all,
Yes it's me and I'm back again to spread confusion and chaos where ever
I can. I thought I'd throw this one in just to see who's paying
attention, or possibly just confuse the begeebers out of ya'.<eg>

So without further running of my big mouth, sit back, relax, put your
feet up, and I hope you don't fall asleep before you finish.

Later
Alex
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Full disclaimers can be found with part 1 at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buffywantswillow/message/8661 
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Revelations and Realizations (13/?)
by: Alex P.
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High in the mountains overlooking the deceptively quiet little town of
Sunnydale, deep in a primeval part of the mountainous area was a large
entrance to an equally large cavern. It's many twisted tunnels and 
high domed rooms wound their way deep into the solid rock. An eerie 
flickering light shone dimly from the entrance just enough to 
silhouette the two MoAg demons standing guard at the wide mouthed 
opening, the Garqs snarling and growling hoping to be loosed on 
something. The big canine shaped beasts that were sometimes referred 
to as demon dogs resembled their distant K-9 cousins in basic shape 
and they had four legs, there the resemblance ended.

The Garq was a huge vicious beast with grey to black thick leather 
like skin, they stood over four feet tall at the shoulder and were 
seven feet long, with over sized jaws filled with razor sharp teeth, 
their four legs each ended in huge paws with claws that closely 
resembled a bears. 

Everything about the beasts was ugly and lethal, making them the 
perfect match to their masters.

MoAg demons are tall, six and a half feet of huge iron hard muscle, 
with long black hair that hangs in thick ropey braids to the middle 
of their backs. Their golden irised eyes have vertical snake like 
pupils that allow them to see in almost no light. Their faces reflect 
no emotions and their broad nose slits can pick out scents better 
than a bloodhound, their thin lipped mouths hold nearly a hundred 
razor sharp teeth. Their skin is a covering of iridescent scales that 
are nearly impenetrable and their long muscular arms end with large, 
six fingered hands each finger tipped with a sharp talon.

There are no female MoAgs, the demons procreate by raping another 
demon species, their genes take over the egg and the child is always 
born pure MoAg. The female doesn't survive the childbirth which is 
just as well since they are the child's first meal. Their favorite 
attire is the skins of their victims and they prefer humans as the 
meat is tender and the skin is pliable. 

By the age of six a MoAg child is bonded with a newborn Garq, the bond
is so strong that the Garq dies when its master does. By ten years 
the child is bonded with another MoAg and the two are trained 
together, live together and always serve together, it is rumored that 
when one MoAg dies his battle mate dies as well. No one knows the 
life span of the MoAg as no MoAg has ever died a natural death.

They are the mercenaries of the demon world, they are totally ruthless
and loyal to two things: their battle mate and the person that owns 
their contract, this is not a matter of honor however, it is common 
practice to have an unbreakable spell on them that if they betray 
their contract they die horribly. Nearly every other race of demons 
feared these deadly volatile warriors. 

The two outside the cave were restless and the insane cackling coming
from the cave scared them, as did its owner. 

They were perfectly 
happy to stay outside and away from their employers sight. Both of 
them had complained to the other about their owner that had bought 
their contract through a servicing this realm that handled such 
things both for demon kind and human. They both swore if they were 
ever released from their current contract they were going to hunt 
down the one that made the contract and kill them, for days, and feed 
their still living carcass to their Garq.

A horrendous scream came from inside the cave and both demons ran 
inside actually hoping to find their employer dead, but no such luck, 
she was still living, the bitch. 

Standing before a glowing yellowish ball, stood the once beautiful
Countess Hela, the two guards could see the dim picture of two young
women, they were holding hands and gazing into each others eyes.

The Countess was in a rage, two human servants already lay dead at her
feet, their blood was splattered all over the stone walls of the 
cavern.

Hela had just lately returned to the region of the Hellmouth, drawn by
the pull of destiny and the coming Apocalyptic event that was about to
occur here. She was hoping to use her knowledge of the area and its
inhabitants to her advantage. 

The once beautiful Tarkan demon was determined to gain control of the
Slayer and if possible her mate. The first thing was to weaken their
allies, Hela knew all about the unconscious Faith and she knew it 
would soon be time for her to awaken to follow her destiny to become 
the Huntress, in an attempt to thwart destiny once again, Hela used 
her powers to gain control of a member of the Slayers little clan and 
tried to use him to destroy the second Slayer thus giving her a 
greater chance of attaining her goals.

She had even conned Dracula into coming to the Hellmouth, by 
convincing him the soul of his beloved Elisabeta Hunyadi had been 
reincarnated here. She knew it really had been but she also knew that 
the ancient had no chance of ever regaining his lost love. 

The elder Gods had reunited the tortured and tormented soul with its
mate and blessed them so they would have each other every life time
until the end of eternity.
Hela cackled insanely as she contemplated Dracula's misery when he
learned that he would never again have possession of his beloved
Elisabeta. 

Something in the Tarkan demoness found the torment of any male highly
amusing.

Her hatred for all males, especially Tarkan, was well known among her
peers and was the reason they suspected her in the deaths of her older
brother and her youngest brother, along with the paralyzing of her 
Sire. 

They also knew now of her plots to destroy her ex-mate the Count 
Kresis, that led to his exile to the Human Realms, and it was also 
common knowledge that the ambitious female had hatched a plot to gain 
control of the two most powerful Light's warriors, an act that was 
strictly forbidden by The Council of Dark Lords. 

This plot had failed, she lost her chance at the Slayer and her mate,
and had been forced to retreat from the fight by Count Kresis and his
faithful army of totally loyal Thrall-Kin, a race of half demons, that
was separated into groups of mercenary bands that traveled in family
groups through the Human Realms, and were under the command of a one
eyed military genius named Caladin who was the sworn vassal of Kresis.

They had attacked Hela and her followers right after she had lost
control of the Chosen One to her mate. 
Hela had lost part of her hand and half of her once exotically 
beautiful face leaving only the dark, gnarled and scared half skull 
in its place.

She and her followers, had been hounded throughout this primitive and
disgusting realm, forcing her in and out of hiding places, finally
running her to ground in SE Asia, there was a very bloody and heated
battle in a small country village, that had severely decimated both
sides, and killed every human within a fifty mile radius. 

During the final skirmish Hela and a small group of her closest 
minions managed to slip away and successfully escape to the cold 
bleak mountains of what was once Walachia. 

For a substantial reward, 
asylum for her and her retinue, and access to the demon realms, in 
return she would locate the residence of Dracula's once and forever 
love, she was true to her word. 
Dracula also kept his word and arranged for the completely mad 
Countess to be in contact with some of the demons that handled the 
hiring of mercenaries from the demon realms. 

So she could once again 
begin building her own private army of mercenaries, but this she 
swore: no humans or half breeds, this time she was going to build her 
forces with the mercenaries of the demon realms. All through the 
largess of the being now known as Dracula.

This was where her two MoAg sentries came from. Hela had managed to 
put together a small but effective force made from some of the 
finest, most vicious demon warriors the dark realms had ever produced.
Along with the two MoAgs she had four others of their kind with their
garqs, she had also managed to recruit fourteen TamRoks a species 
known for their formidable combat skills and their total loyalty, 
Hela had also acquired two females TamRoks to act as her personal 
guard. 
The TamRoks were prized as bodyguards among the Tarkan and it was
considered to be a huge status symbol to have the Female as a Tarkan
demoness' personal bodyguards. Even though she was exiled from Tarkus 
and hated everything about that society, she couldn't let the 
opportunity go by when she was offered the contracts for the two 
females. 

In addition, the mad hell-spawned bitch acquired the services of 
another seven Sog'th or berserker demons, four Tien Szu demons and 
two Ka'tok assassins all of which were quartered in several of the 
underground rooms of the cave. 

Hela was determined that this time she would not be thwarted, that her
carefully laid plans would be seen to their conclusion, and the Slayer
and her witch would be Hela's pets.

The demoness had only one problem when she had reached her new home 
near the Hellmouth, neither the Slayer nor her mate were there. Using 
all her skills Hela had searched everywhere in and around the area 
and found no sign of them. She did however find their friends and a 
plan began to take shape in her twisted mind.

While she wasn't able to fully control the watcher Hela found that she
could reach his mind and found his suspicions and angry toward 
the "Dark Slayer", the idea of a Slayer on the side of the Dark Lords 
was intriguing to the demented demoness and she began searching for 
more. 

That was how she learned the younger Slayer had been misguided and now
lay in a coma, she also learned of a rather unsettling prophecy about 
the youngest Slayer finding her soulmate and joining with the Chosen 
in the battle that will close the Hellmouth. 

Deciding that she couldn't allow this to happen, so she once again
delved into the watcher's psyche and reinforced his negative feelings
for the sleeping girl. Hela had no problem working on the Ripper side 
of Giles and she soon had him convinced that if the one called Faith 
was to awaken that she would pose a serious threat to those he held 
in his heart. 

She even found a way around his reluctance to outright kill someone 
and directed him to the one time monk who she could tell would not 
hesitate to murder in the name of his cause.

As always Hela became too sure of her victory and was infuriated by 
the monks refusal to take the second Slayer's life, after that stupid 
Seer butted in and protected her, and now had awakened the second 
Slayer. 

This really threw a wrench in Hela's plans as the seer was also the
young Slayer's soulmate, and the answer to the prophecy. She had been
watching the scene unfolding and she couldn't believe her eyes. 

The servants of the Church had always been such useful tools of the
dark, but this one defied her commands and was now among the ones she
was surly going to kill.

A tall thin Pa'tak dressed in a three piece Armani suit and a hand
painted tie entered the cavern from one of the myriad of side tunnels 
and looked upon the scene before him with disgust and worry on his 
face.

"Iss milady upset?" the demon asked in his hissing sibilant 
voice, "Isss there a way that I may be of sssservice?"

"YES" she screeched "Find a way to get rid of those who aid the Slayer
so that she is alone? if I can't have her, kill her so that no one
else will."

"Well your grace," the demon answered "perhapssss it is time we 
elicited some assssistance from our ally the count."

"Yes you're right," she said thoughtfully "he used to be one of these
vermin a millennia ago. Just maybe he will be able to flush out our 
pets for us."

"That is true but his contact with the true Darkness changed him
greatly." the thin demon warned "He is now a powerful and dangerous
enemy if we betray him your grace. Are you sure you don't want us to
inform him of the Elder Gods decree?"

"I don't care about that love struck fool, Mahok." she hissed, her
contempt clearly written on her words "I brought him here for
entertainment, and to distract the Chosen Ones friends so that I can
slip in and take what is mine! Besides I want to see the fools face
when his precious Elisabeta turns against him for another."

Her insane cackle filled the cavern making even the MoAgs cringe away
from the badly scared demoness. Her red eyes glowed brightly as 
visions of her success flowed through her demented brain.

"Go to the fool Dracula and tell him that it will soon be time to draw
the Chosen One back." Hela ordered the Pa'tak "Tell him that Hela,
Countess of the First Circle, will aid him in his endeavor. 
Tell him also that I too eagerly look forward to when he is face to 
face with his "beloved". It's the truth Mahok, I can't wait to see 
the look in the fool's face it will cheer me greatly to see his 
arrogant male ego destroyed."

"As you wish your Grace." the Pa'tak said bowing formally "I live to
serve you."

The Pa'tak were the Diplomats accountants and lawyers of the demon
realms. They could move easily from one realm to the other and were
completely ruthless and immoral and could lie at the drop of a hat. 

All in all a perfect fit to their station. 
Mahok left Hela's caves as quickly as possible, anxious to be away 
from his insane mistress.

<>Perhaps the Count will allow me to stay with him for the night<> 
Mahok thought as he moved stealthily through the forest <>I am so 
sick of that cave and that insane bitch. That crazy hellspawn will 
end up getting us all killed. Say, Mahok old boy, it may be time to 
find another employer.<>

He laughed to himself as he came to a clearing several miles from the
cave entrance, and found his new silver Lexus still in the small
parking lot. This area used to be a hikers paradise until hikers began
to disappear around here. Mahok knew exactly where the missing Hikers
went. 

MoAgs and there beasts get very hungry at times. 

His chilling course laugh silenced all the natural wildlife that were
normally very active in this area. He got into his well maintained
vehicle and drove down the mountain to deliver Hela's message to the
once human count.
=====================
The sleek silver Lexus pulled into the long driveway for the old run
down mansion, the driver was making a futile effort to avoid all the
holes it the nearly over grown driveway. 

The luxury vehicle came to a smooth silent stop at bottom of the wide
marble steps that led to the big double doors of the front entrance of
the old mansion. The door opened and Hela's Pa'tok demon 
representative also known as Mahok got out of the car hoping for a 
friendly welcome. 

He had been in this realm for many centuries and had built himself 
quite a reputation for being a fierce negotiator and a devious 
opponent, but was also known that once the negotiations were 
concluded he was fanatical about following the letter of the 
agreement by both sides. 

He had been known to exact a terrible revenge on anyone that was a
threat to his reputation.

He was beginning to think that taking the badly scared Tarkan female's
offer of employment had been a monumental mistake, he was learning 
that she had no sense of honor and would end up being an 
embarrassment to him. As he mounted the stairs Mahok was wondering if 
maybe the Count would make him an offer and he knew he would gladly 
except even for less money if it would get him away from the crazy 
Tarkan bitch. And after what he was about to do his survival might 
depend on the protection of the powerful being.

Even before he could knock the door the massive opened the hinges
creaking in protest. A short stocky man was standing in the door 
waiting for Mahok to state his business.

"Greetings friend Victor," Mahok said, his unnaturally deep voice 
always seemed to fill the space between them, "I have come to see the 
Count with a message from The Countess Hela of the Tarkus of the 
House of Red Swords of the First Circle."

The tall thin demon bowed to the waiting servant formally. Then 
straightened awaiting the answer.

"Greetings Mahok, come in." the stocky dark skinned European "The 
Master is otherwise occupied but I will inform him of your presence 
and the purpose of your visit."

"No hurry Victor" Mahok told the man he had come to know and respect
over the months since the tenuous alliance between Hela and Dracula.
"To be honest I was hoping to stay the night, that Cave isn't all that
it's made up to be."

"I imagine not," Victor said with chuckle at his friend's 
predicament "I do believe we are getting too old for our callings my 
friend, or we are getting spoiled by our normally soft living."

"You may be right my friend," the demon laughed back "but it is our
nature to follow our masters where ever they led."

"That is true," Victor agreed "and we must be true to our calling
mustn't we." 

"Yes we must Victor," the enigmatic demon answered, "but perhaps our
calling isn't exactly as it appears on the surface." 

"If you say so friend Mahok," the servant answered but looked at his 
old friend strangely, "I will go prepare a comfortable room for you. 
I'm sure the Master will be more than happy to have you here with us."

The short stocky man left the room silently, in fact he was so quiet 
that Mahok would have sworn the man had simply disappeared if he 
hadn't seen the bazaar man leave through a conventional doorway. 

If he wasn't sure that only he and the head of his clan were the only
ones who knew about his special mission and unusual decision to
terminate his own contract from the head of his guild Mahok would 
think that Victor already knew what he was really here to do.

He hoped that wasn't true because if Countess Hela ever learned of his
duplicity his death would take weeks at her hands.

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End 13
TBC
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