Winner faces Darkness or Dante for the Majestic Cup and the TCW Heavyweight Championship.

“Do you believe in fate, Izumi?”

“What do you mean by fate?”

“Total predestination. Everything you or I do is determined in advance, the future has already been written, many things will inevitably come to pass...”

“I don't...should I?”

Mr. Cain chuckled. “No, of course not. I believe that yes, certain things will happen, but our actions are determined by our own will and we can influence or change the future. For if our actions were determined in advance, what would be the point?”

“But what if it is true, and this conversation too was a part of fate?”

“Doubtful. The problem of fate, predestination and everything is that believing in it makes one...apathetic. 'Why bother, this is going to happen no matter what'. Some would say the end of the world is inevitable, Armageddon is inevitable, and we can't stop it from happening. Not so!” he declared. “Fate is just a crutch. I believe a true person...I believe humanity....will rise to the occasion when threatened. And those who are afraid...those who think everything will play out fine without them...they can rot. When given a common goal, people work together better than any species on this planet.”

“You think so?”

“Look around you.”

They had been standing in the center of Tokyo the entire time, high-rise buildings surrounding them. A jungle of towering metal and glass all around them, glowing neon lights illuminating the night...

“Look at all we've built. Don't let anyone tell you it's nothing, Izumi, don't let anyone tell you we're just insignificant rulers of a little blue planet. No other beings could have built this...our world, our culture... you won't see anything like it for light years. We may very well be alone in this universe. We must preserve this, and ourselves. Despite all the wars we've had with ourselves, we are still standing and when the time comes for that last war against our true enemies, we need to be ready.”

“How? People don't believe in demons or Infernals or vampires.”

“That's the biggest challenge of all, isn't it? They say the greatest trick the devil ever pulled on humanity was convincing them he didn't exist.”

Izumi shook her head. “No. There has to be a way...”

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

“Darkness?”

Adam knocked again on his door, all to no answer. Either he wasn't there or he just plain didn't feel like answering.

“You really like to make yourself hard to get in contact with, don't you?” he mused, sighing. This had to be, what, the 5th time he'd tried today. He stretched a bit, leaning against the wall.

In short, things hadn't been going too well. He knew as well just as any of them that the apocalypse was on the horizon, and things were going to get worse way before they ever got better. He also knew Darkness had to be the key to all this. Much as he thought he was a flawed man...he was also the Antichrist.

But even now, they knew nothing of their enemy other than a simple name: The Abyss.

Things weren't always that simple, though.

He began to walk straight for Izumi's apartment again, before he suddenly stopped upon hearing something...and without another pause, ran at full tilt towards it, all the way through the hall, seizing the doorknob and throwing it open...

“You. You aren't welcome here!”

The Vindicator standing over Izumi slowly turned his head, the eyes of his mask staring coldly back at Adam.

“Do not be alarmed. I only wished to discuss something.”

“Bullshit.”

“Had I wished violence upon her, I would have already done so. Nevertheless, those are not my orders. She is intact, and I have already finished my business here, so I will take my leave. Farewell.”

The Vindicator left without a word.

“What did he want?” Adam immediately asked Izumi.

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

“You've got guts coming here.”

“We are not necessarily your enemies, Freya Green.”

“Oh? How do you suppose I'll believe that, considering that you had a hand in kidnapping Darkness for your little 'secret society'?”

“That was months ago. Our previous contractor is long dead,” he said through a calm, undeterred metallic voice. He stepped inside the room, flanked by two others. Slightly different in size and shape, but clad in the same mask and bearing similar tattoos. It was like looking at distinctly different people yet the same person all at once.“Our new contractor, however, wishes no harm towards you or Darkness, for the moment.”

His monotone, cold voice made it difficult to tell if that was a hidden threat or not. She folded her arms.

“And who exactly, is this 'new contractor'?” she said in a slightly mocking tone.

“I am not at liberty t-”

“Yeah, though so,” she said, sighing. “Well, get on with it then! Say a bunch of cryptic stuff and then disappear like you always do.”

The Vindicator didn't flinch. “Do you remember the mark we placed upon your body?”

“How could I not, you only kidnapped me to put it there.”

“It's full meaning cannot be spoken in English or werewolf terms, but in short, it signifies your importance in this conflict.”

“Sure, get to the point.”

“We would like your assistance. We want you to join us.”

“Why?”

“You could be our most important asset yet. We have only scratched the surface of our mutual enemy, the Abyss. But your knowledge and close relationship with the Antichrist would avert that.”

“So you want me to spy on Darkness. Right.”

“Hardly. You will simply be passing us information about the Abyss. What you know, what Darkness knows, what the Shadow Slayers know...it's crucial for our victory.”

“Still seems a lot like spying to me. Wasn't Darkness just your enemy? This just feels completely bad and I have little to no reason to trust you. How will I know you won't use me...against him later?”

“The Antichrist is not our friend, but nor is he currently our enemy. The Abyss is our true enemy. Nevertheless, you can tell our honesty, can you not?”

Freya paused for a moment...

But to her surprise, she couldn't smell any form of deception. On the other hand, it seemed just too perfect. Like there was some sort of shield being put up. It wasn't like those amulets that completely blocked scent, no, she could definitely smell him....

But he was void of any emotion.

It was an unnerving smell at that.

“We won't force you. We know who our friends are. You still don't trust us, however? Perhaps we can prove our sincerity...”

He extended a hand...

Freya looked at the Vindicator's hand before putting her own hand in it. As the Vindicator's fingers closed around hers, she spun him around, wrenching his arm up behind him. He offered her no resistance, not like he'd been expecting it, but more curious to know where she was going. He didn't even try and free himself. Freya could just about see the other two around the side of him and they hadn't moved either.

"Now, listen well because I'm only going to say this once." She'd stood up on tip-toes to where she thought the Vindicator's ears were, assuming that they still had ears: it was hard to tell under the mask. "An enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend. I'm not joining you, I'm not passing you any information and I never want to see you guys again."

There was a moment where Freya could hear nothing but the quiet workings of the mask breathing.

"Is this you're final choice? You will not get another and you cannot fight the Abyss alone. Even the Antichrist cannot do this alone."

"Final choice."

The Vindicator flexed his arm and freed himself from her grip easily. "Then I hope your death will not be in vain." He lead the way from the room, the other two following silently. Just as the door closed, Freya saw a fourth standing outside, which made eye contact before the door shut. She quickly went to the door and locked it. She knew it would be useless if they did decide to come in, but the click made her feel marginally better.

But why were they here? It was never good news, but now they were working for someone, someone new anyway. She should tell Darkness. She was almost to the door when she stopped.

They stood in Darkness's room, just the two of them since Dante had just left.

"You need to go after him."

"Jason?"

"No, Llenlleawg!"

"The boy will be fine. I'll talk to him later."

"You don't understand, he's in a very... unstable... place right now. You need to go and apologise otherwise he's going to pull away and you'll lose him."

"I can't."

"This isn't a matter of your pride, Darkness; this is important." She stared at his back, he'd taken up his usual place at the window. "Fine, I'll talk to him." She paused before she left, hoping that he'd say something. There'd been emotion, he said he loved her, but now he seemed to have withdrawn into himself again. She didn't know what to say so said nothing.

And then there'd been the match. She normally enjoyed their matches, they both knew they couldn't break the other, they pushed each other to the edge, but with Jason there it had felt tainted: off. He hadn't interfered but his presence had been... Freya shook her head, she couldn't put her finger on it. It had been wrong. And she wasn't going to talk to Darkness, she wanted to know what was going on. Where had the fourth Vindicator been? They wouldn't have left a guard, they didn't need it. He must have been elsewhere in the building.

Freya groaned as a conclusion dawned. There were only two other people in the building that they would have been to see, and she knew it wouldn't have been Darkness. So that left Izumi.

**

"What did he want?" repeated Adam, as Izumi walked past him and opened the fridge.

"He wanted my help." She said, picking out a can of soda.

"With what?"

Izumi shrugged as she opened the can. "I don't know yet. He said I was in a unique position, being within the Antichrist's radar. I imagine it'll just be passing on information. They won't make me do anything I'm not comfortable with."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he said so."

"So just because he said so, you believe him? Can't you see that they're just using you, just like you were used by The Balance. They'll just..."

"Just what?" Izumi interrupted. "Ignore me? Treat me like a child? I know about vampires, werewolves, the Vindicators and all the other stuff that's out there. I know there's an Antichrist and that the end of the world is just around the corner, but Darkness and Freya push me aside like I'm nothing. But I'm not taking their bullshit any more. The Vindicators want my help and I'm willing to give it to them." Izumi was trembling slightly with the anger she felt.

"Wow, and I thought you were only just stupid enough to join up with Jason."

Adam and Izumi turned to look where the voice had come from. Freya stood in the doorway.

"What are you doing in my room?" Izumi said, stalking towards her.

Freya ignored her and walked further into the room. "You see, now Jas' is back, and he's got this thing about sorting out TCW, I thought 'wow, bet Izumi would love to talk to him. He'd tell her everything she wants to know, make her feel involved.' Or he would, right up until he got bored of her, and then she'd have to deal with the fact that all he's told her are lies and half-truths all filtered through his twisted view. And you would have fallen for it all because he's charming, and he listens, and then there's the smile that makes you feel accepted, but you'd never see the teeth behind it until it was too late." Freya sat on the arm of the chair. "But then this morning I get a visit, three Vindicators, offering me a chance to help them, to help against the Abyss. And just as they leave, I see one more. Now, I know a bit about them, they can see through the light spectrum. They don't need people on watch because they can see heat patterns, so they don't need a friend to stand guard."

"So you followed his scent up here?"

"No. I knew he would have been here because where else would he have been?"

"Well it's none of your business who I talk to."

"It is when you're selling out me and my friends."

Adam stepped between the two women. "No one is selling anyone out."

Freya pushed past Adam and ended up nose to nose with Izumi. "Do you know anything about the Vindicators? Where they come from? How they got started?"

"No.."

"No, nor does anyone else. They're older than the Shadow Slayers, but they wear technology that hasn't been invented yet. No one knows how they recruit, if they recruit, because I'm pretty sure they're a lot older than they look. Not that you see much of them."

"You're just pissed because they tattooed you."

Freya looked surprised. "This?" She lifted her t-shirt slightly. "This isn't a tattoo. Yes I'm pissed about this, but that's because I thought a friend needed my help. Instead, it drugged me, strapped me to a table and removed strips of skin. He actually cut the skin away, I could see it to one side. And when he was done, he left me there. You're right I'm pissed about it, they're deceptive, use people for their own ends. And when everything is done, they'll go back to restoring their precious balance. They don't care about you."

"I can make my own decisions. I know the Vindicators, better than you do anyway. And if I think I can help them I will."

"No matter the cost?"

Izumi put her drink down and folded her arms. "No matter the cost."

"Well, I can see you know what you're doing." Freya walked away, glaring at Adam before leaving.

Adam sighed. He didn't breath, but he felt like he'd been holding his breath the entire time.

“I really, really don't get any of you.”

Izumi shot Adam a glance and folded her arms. “Everyone seems to be stuck on the idea that I'm 'still a child' and have no idea what's going on.”

“Because it's true?” Adam said.

“No, not really,” she said, sighing. “1. I know a surprising amount more than you might realize. 2. You complain about me being naive and not knowing anything when you don't offer any information yourself. If you really think so then, by all means, correct me.”

“You getting yourself involved with the Vindicators again is proof enough that you don't know what you're doing...”

Izumi actually let out a laugh. “Ha! You don't know them like I do. Mr. Cain taught me everything there is to know about them, and then some. Let's just say I have a very good reason to trust what they're saying.”

“And that would be?”

“Really none of your business. What do you care? You don't trust them nor do you want to have anything to do with them.”

“Mr. Cain is dead, Izumi, and his ideas with him. He was a manipulative, delusion man who was only using you from the beginning,” Adam growled. “He nearly doomed humanity with his goals.”

“He wasn't perfect. No human being is,” she says, sipping at her drink. “I can't ignore his mistakes, but he taught me everything, EVERYTHING I know about the ethereal, the supernatural, or whatever you want to call it. He pointed me in the right direction. You don't seem to understand, he wasn't using me, I wanted to do my part to save mankind. I wasn't forced into this.”

“We're talking about a man who fed people to a fucking Abyssal Spawn. He was insane, Izumi! Can you trust the words of someone crazy enough to willingly condemn someone to that type of fate?!”

Silence.

Izumi gave Adam a long stare, her face stone-like.

Before she finally spoke...

“I find the irony of that statement quite sad.”

Adam's face appeared to become paler, if that were even possible.

“What?”

“You think I'm stupid? You think I don't know what goes on? Or who you are...who you were?”

“Izumi...”

“Don't 'Izumi' me, Adam. I know what you did. You were a 'garbage-man', in more ways that one, for the Balance.”

She stood up, pointing a finger in his face. “You...”

“You were the one who threw people to that thing.”

“I...”

“Don't try to deny it. You don't think I didn't do my research?! You don't think I'd let you follow me around without finding out who you were? Oh, no, Adam.”

Adam backed into the wall. He gritted his teeth. “I...I don't make any excuses for what I did. I was a dumb kid following orders who should have known better...”

“Following orders? Screw orders, you're talking about condemning people to eternal torment!”

“You realize the position I was in? If I refused, I might have been next in line for that thing! It isn't as if I enjoyed it, Izumi, goddamnit!”

“Nevertheless...we know where you ended up for it.”

Adam looked at himself, then at Izumi. “I know.”

“Then why make that comparison?!”

“Because I don't want you to make the same mistakes that he did...or that I did!”

Izumi gave him a long stare, before stepping back and folding her arms.

“So you say I can't trust anything Mr. Cain told me? Okay Adam....what makes you think I can trust Darkness, either?”

“I don't care for him, but he's an important person. He's crucial in this war. You'd do best to realize that. And just what do you think you're going to do on your own?”

“Well, I know damn sure I'm not going to just worship him as some great leader or messiah come to save us all!” Izumi suddenly looked furious. “I'm not the useless little girl you think I am. I don't need any help from any Antichrist, and I certainly don't need help from a dead garbage man that just sits around and keeps calling me a child all day.”

Adam furrowed his brow. “How can you say that?”

“Out. Get out. Now. Go find your own room. If I want to talk to you, I will. I'm getting sick of being babied by you. You walk in here without my permission again and there's going to be hell to pay.”

“You...gah...” Adam sighed. “Fine. I'll leave. Don't expect me to just disappear though.”

He simply left quickly, not even looking back, shutting the door behind him.


Wanting some time to herself, Freya had simply decided to go out to a restaurant, alone.

She's an annoying brat, she thought to herself. I don't even know why I waste time trying to get through her thick skull.

“Didn't appreciate the Vindicators, now did you?'

Freya looked up from her meal to see a young, Chinese male standing next to her table. He had soft, smooth features, looking what one might describe as handsome. His eyes seemed to be a wispy gray, his face being framed by medium length, clean black hair. He wore a button down shirt and jeans.

“Lei. It's nice to meet you, Freya.” His slightly accented English was surprisingly smooth.

Freya stared at him.

“I thought I told you all to leave me alone. Can I get five minutes without being harassed, please?”

“You told the Vindicators to leave you alone. You didn't say anything about us.”

“Who are you exactly?”

“Me? Just another guy in Beijing. All I do is write for a local newspaper. When it comes to the Balance, though...I'm here to speak on behalf of the one in charge, as it were.”

“So he's sending cronies to do his dirty work? Why doesn't he come here and talk to my face?”

Lei laughed. “Beats me. To be honest even I find it weird. But hey, I'm just doing my job.” He shrugged. “Let me start off by asking a question: Why don't you like us?”

“Why don't I like you. Gee, where do I begin?” Freya said in an annoyed tone.

“No, I don't suppose we, as a group, have been very accommodating to you or Darkness or your friends for that matter. But how much do you really know about us, Freya?”

“Not enough to trust you.”

“Let me start off by saying we're not the bad guys. We might seem like we are, but we're really not...” He sat down across from Freya, despite a disapproving glare. “Especially now. The death of our former leader, Mr. Cain, has caused a wave of changes throughout our organization. We're being re-purposed towards a new goal. We want to fight the Abyss as much as you do.”

Freya listened on, looking disinterested, while eating her meal.

“I don't know much but I do know this: Things are gearing up for a pretty nasty war. And you guys can't do it alone.”

“Darkness already has an army. What can you do?” She sat up, looking Lei in the eye. “See, here's the whole thing. Maybe you consider yourselves the good guys. But here's the problem...to borrow a cliché, they say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. You have some knowledge about demons, vampires, werewolves, Vindicators, whatever. But when it boils down to it, you're normal, average humans. Not that I have anything against you...but...”

She now gave him a serious look. “You aren't from my world. You haven't experienced what I have. It's a lot, lot more complicated than just building an army and going to fight these guys. You jump into this war, and you're all going to quickly find yourselves a target for them. For all you know, they could already be inside your organization and not even know it. That being one reason why I can't just go telling you any sensitive information about our affairs. The other being that if I do happen to tell you something important, you'll just go and cock it all up by doing something stupid. And lastly, this is our business. Our war. We don't need help from outside organizations.”

Lei nodded. “I understand your point of view, Freya. Here's my problem. You seem to believe we don't know what we're doing. How do you know Darkness knows what he's doing?”

Freya shot a glare. “What?”

“How can you...or anybody be sure, that the Antichrist is truly on our side?” He leaned closer to her. “How can anyone be certain that his existence is a positive thing? I mean, from what I understand...the deal is 'He's the Antichrist, the Chosen One', etc. I don't buy into that.” His voice seemed to be raising as he went on. “What if it's all wrong? What if the 'prophecy' or whatever it is that talks about him was mistaken?”

“You're starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist.”

“So I'm a conspiracy theorist for looking outside the box?”

“I don't have any reason to believe he's not on our side.”

“What has he done for us?” Lei said. “If he's the leader you think he is, he should be rallying his troops...and not just the Shadow Slayers, but the human race as a whole. Believe me, I'd like him to be the leader you believe him to be but I'm just not seeing it from what I've heard of him. He's a man who can't keep his word. Don't the Shadow Slayers have some kind of vow to never kill a human. He broke that vow by murdering Mr. Cain.”

“If I recall, he had a very good reason for that. He had Darkness captured, and tried to feed him to something from the Abyss. I know Darkness, it wasn't a vow he'd break lightly. Look, why are you bothering me with this shit? You honestly want me to help you after all you've done to us? "Oh gee, we're sorry for trying to mess up your lives. Please join us?”

“Dammit!" Lei pounded the table. Frustration was in his eyes. "Look, what else can I say? I've already made my case. We need your help. I can't just repeat myself over and over."

Freya sighed. “I ultimately can't speak for Darkness. This is his decision, and if he wants to involve you in this, he will. As far as trust goes, it's as simple as this: I know Darkness. I don't know you. So, my answer to you is no. Now will you please leave me alone?”

Lei paused for a moment. He touched at his ear....an earpiece, possibly?

“Look, even if you won't help us, here's the main message: We aren't the bad guys here.” His eyes shifted around. “I like you. So I'm going to tell you something important I really shouldn't.”

“I doubt it.”

“You picked a shitty place to eat. I'd get out of this particular area in the next few minutes,” he said, sternly.

“Is that a threat?”

“It's a friendly warning. I won't say anything beyond that.”

He stood up, and left without a word.

Freya immediately surveyed her surroundings. Was he serious?

She shrugged and left the money on the table before exiting.

She began to move at a brisk jog when she was out of the restaurant. Moving about a block away, she would move off to the side and into an alleyway. It wasn't a particularly busy part of town, so it was easy enough to remain unseen. From there, she would look over in the general direction of the restaurant.

Nothing seemed to be happening. Maybe he was just screwing with her. But on the other hand, she would have definitely been able to tell if he were lying...

Then the scent hit her. It came out of nowhere. It was familiar, and becoming particularly pungent...

Bloodlust. Insane, endless bloodlust and hunger. A huge congregation of it.

But it was impossible. They never, ever gathered in groups like this in the open...it went against everything she knew.

She saw figures racing into the dim streetlights suddenly, beginning to spread out. They were all uniformly naked, and pale. Three of them tackled into a screaming passerby, took her down, and began to rip their teeth into her...

Freya quickly turned around.

She saw one of them, pale, naked, a look of absolute insanity in her eyes, the scent of hunger overpowering. Her skin was horrifically sickly. It looked like dirty white latex stretched tightly over a skeleton. Fangs emerged, and gleamed in the moonlight, as she lunged straight for Freya...

Freya managed to get her hands in front of her just quick enough to stop the teeth ripping into her throat. She struggled to free herself from the clawing, biting beast as it's stench filled her nose. She pulled a knee up sharply, stunning the vampire momentarily and allowing her to push it away. She glanced around and spotted a length of wood sitting on a pile of garbage. She grabbed it and held it in both hands in front of her, waiting for the vampire to come closer. It looked at her, hunger in its dead eyes. It took a step forward, within reach of Freya's weapon. She swung the wood at the vampires head, hoping to do some damage. Instead the wood split and splintered, leaving only a small amount in her hand. The vampire kept coming and before Freya could find another weapon it was on her again. And then it was gone, and only a cloud of burning ash remained.

Freya coughed the dust out of her lungs and looked down at the sharp piece of wood in her hand. "Oh yeah, that'll work too." She looked back towards the restaurant; the three vampires that attacked the woman were still there. She could see more vampires closer to the restaurant.

She ran down the road towards the group of three; they were too preoccupied with their meal to notice her before it was too late. The woman was left just lying on the pavement, her blood seeping towards the gutter. Freya knelt down beside her and tried to find a pulse before closing the woman's unseeing eyes.

There were more vampires coming towards her now. She saw them before she smelt them: with the woman's blood and vampires exploding in her face she really couldn't smell much more. But the vampires weren't trying to hide. There were about six of them walking towards her. Behind them Freya could see the first of the vampires entering the restaurant. Then the screams started. There was chaos, tables being turned over, windows being smashed.

Freya rushed the vampires; ducking, kicking and stabbing where she could. She raised the makeshift stake to dispose of the last vampire when a shout from behind drew her attention. The vampire knocked the stake from her hand and grabbed her by the throat. Its plan was short lived though as a blade severed the arm at the elbow before removing the head from the body, causing it to collapse into yet more smouldering ash.

Freya pulled the arm from her throat which crumbled into dust, and turned to find Lei standing next to her holding a long sword.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.

"Saving you."

"I was fine until you arrived."

"Well you seemed to be having trouble with that last one."

"Because you distracted me." A scream came from the restaurant. They both looked in the direction but Freya was the first to move towards it.

Lei reached out and grabbed her arm. "You can't go in there."

"I can. All those people, they need help."

"The vampires found the back door, there are too many of them, everyone in there is as good as dead, including you if you go in."

Freya looked at him. "You knew the vampires were coming."

"I know – that's why I told you to clear out of there."

"Why didn't you stop them?" She shrugged him off her arm and grabbed the front of his shirt in one movement. "You knew this would happen. All those people dead. Your organisation let this happen."

"We're The Balance – we don't work overtly, not against things like this. We maintain order from the sidelines."

"You could have cleared out the restaurant, set off a fire alarm, bomb scare, something!"

"The vampires would have killed them in the street, or gone to the next place. We're powerless to stop them now. The established order has been upset by you and your friends. Cain's death left a power vacuum and now everything's falling apart." He paused and looked around at the carnage, his eyes alighting on the woman's body. "In a way though...this is a good thing. It's good for you to see how bad things have gotten..."

Freya pulled away from him, a look of disgust on her face. "These people died to prove that you need me? I don't... I can't believe it. You want to prove your the good guys and then let this happen?" She shook her head. "And how are you even going to cover this up. Or will you use this to unite the people?" She eye-balled Lei. "That wasn't your real plan, was it? Because people don't react well to things like this. Trust me on this."

"No, when the world needs to know, we'll tell it. We were hoping for Darkness to lead that, but you seem pretty sure he won't help us." He walked towards where the dead woman lay on the floor. "as for covering this up? Well, there's a reason the Balance is made up of regular people, like journalists, doctors and the police..."

Freya nodded slightly. "So this will all just get swept under the carpet. Like it never happened."

"Exactly."

"You people make me fucking sick." She stepped closer towards him and poked him in the chest. "You, or anyone of your organisation come anywhere near me again and I'll... I'll... think of something." Freya gave the now quiet restaurant one last glance before pushing past Lei and heading back to her apartment.

**

Izumi was cold. She rubbed her arms to try and increase the circulation but it didn't seem to help. She looked around the abandoned warehouse, most of which was in darkness because the single light bulb above her could only do so much. Adam would hate than she'd come, but seeing as she kicked him out he didn't get to disagree any more.

She stamped her feet to try and get the cold out of them. This was stupid, such an overused cliché, but she knew the Vindicators were suckers for tradition.

"Thank you for coming, Izumi."

Oh, and it also let them do that. She smiled slightly as the Vindicator walked out of the shadows.

"You said you needed my help."

"We do. We need you to help us do something that no one else has done."

"So what makes you think I can do it?"

"You already have." There was a moment when he didn't look like he knew how to proceed. "You were part of the Balance, you worked closely with us, you know the history and the alliance that the Balance has had with us for millennia."

Izumi nodded. "You were a great help when the Balance was started."

"The Balance helped us do what we were already doing, but recently things have changed, and we don't know how to proceed."

"So what do you need me for?"

"You're the only person to have left the Balance and survived. We want to do the same."

**

"Did the operative convince the she-wolf?"

"I'm afraid not, sire."

"I told you to send your best man."

"I did. She was uncooperative. Stubborn."

"I can't imagine where she's picked that habit up from..."

"Sire?"

There was a clinking of metal as someone sat down. "Never mind."

"What shall we do now?"

"Nothing. She won't work for us. I doubted she would betray the Nightwalker, but after the attack..."

"About the attack, sire, some of our operatives are questioning the use of the vampires, the loss of life..."

"I am in charge. You follow my orders."

"I know, but..."

There was a swish and a thump, someone being lifted and pushed against a wall.

"You follow my orders. The vampires are to be left alone."

The body was released and slid to the ground. There was gasping. Someone paced in heavy boots.

"The Balance needs readjusting."

“Oh, Lei, Lei....”

The sound of heavy boots echoed in the small, dark room. Lei was standing against a wall. Four other people were behind the other, pacing man.

He brushed long, greasy brown hair out of his face. He lifted a small, lit up joint to his mouth and puffed hard.

“Fancy a smoke before justice?” he said.

“This isn't justice,” Lei said. “And I hate that shit.”

The man cough-laughed, chuckling at Lei. “What, do you think you're above the rules? What did Mr. Cain always tell us, Lei? C'mon. Repeat it to me.”

Lei swallowed. “He always said, 'There's no point in having a deterrent we don't have the guts to use.' Usually before he 'had' to feed one of us to...”

“And what did you do, Lei?”

“Fuck this. I'm not going to let you try to convince me I did the wrong thing. You're batshit crazy, Katashi.“

“That's Mr. Nanako to you. Or Nanako-sama. Whichever you prefer.”

“I betrayed nobody. If I hadn't told Freya of the incoming attack, she would have died. Your plan was crazy.”

“If she survived on her own, it would have helped bring her closer to helping us. Unfortunately, you went and tipped her off like a sentimental fool and now she knows we were behind it. You dumb shit.”

“What you did was sick and immoral. You had dozens killed just for the sake of turning Freya to our side. I never supported the use of vampires and I never will. I'm done with the Balance.”

“Oh yes, Lei. You are done.” Mr. Nanako let out another coughing laugh.

“You don't have the right to do this. All you are is some figurehead.”

“Hah! If I don't have the right, then why hasn't anyone stepped up? Where is Mr. Cain's heir, Lei? Someone has to take the reigns. Honestly, if I could, I'd rip your soul in half, and feed one side to the Spawn and send the other to Hell. But since one of these things is missing, I guess I'll just have to settle for Hell.”

He reached into his coat and removed something gleaming and bronze. A revolver, with a long, bronze barrel, with an inverted cross engraved on it's side. He laughed, spun the barrel, and aimed it at Lei.

“Would you prefer head, chest, or nuts? The last will naturally be slowest, but it’ll give you time. The pain you feel will be nothing compared to where you're going.”

Lei dashed for the gun.

He dived across the room...

...and never made it even halfway.

Bang.

He collapsed, lifelessly.

And then stood up again...out of his body.

His mouth spoke words, but no sound came out. His hands reached up to where the bullet had struck. Slowly, a fire was spreading from it...

His mouth opened agape in a scream of horror and agony. His hands reached out for Mr. Nanako's neck, but never touched. The cascade of flames rapidly covered the entire surface of his skin, his widened mouth seemed to widen further, as if it were melting open.

Then he vanished.

And Mr. Nanako smiled.

“Messenger punishes another traitorous soul.”

He chuckled, taking another puff of his joint, blowing smoke before whirling around.

“I hope you all learned something today.” Tapping his revolver, he said, “THIS is justice.”

He looked into the eyes of one of the four. A young, Japanese woman with glistening eyes stared back...He reached out immediately, and hugged her.

“I'm sorry. I know that was not easy to watch. But it had to be done.”

It was impossible for him to hide the slight hint of a satisfied smirk, however…

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

"Why?" Izumi asked, quizzically.

"Over the years the Balance has change and evolved, and has deviated greatly from its intended purpose. We feel that we may be used in ways that conflict with our best interests, especially in the coming war. The Vindicators are not a race of military dogs.“

"I've heard you have someone new in charge," Izumi said, calmly. She folded her arms, listening. There was a definite different 'air' about her here. She seemed to be taking this quite seriously.

"He stepped forward to fill the power vacuum. Marcus Cain comes from a long line of leaders. Normally, there has been an heir groomed and trained to take up the reins. However, the Antichrist killed him before that happened. This has never occurred before, and it has left the Balance in a state of disarray. "

"Hmph," Izumi said. "And it's not so easy to leave now, is it?"

"As much as we would like to, we honor our contracts, including the one we have with the Balance. We cannot be released from service until the end of our contract, or if the contractor agrees to mutually end it."

Izumi began to pace back and forth, lost in thought. "And the current head won't release you from your contract?"

"He cannot, and even if he could, he does not wish to. However, as he is appointed as a high ranking officer, we must still follow his commands.”

"That is a problem..." She shrugged. "But all I did was quit on the spot. Mr. Cain kept me alive because he was convinced of my loyalty and returning eventually. Is that all you wanted to know? How do you expect me to do anything?"

The Vindicator shook his head. He gave a long pause, seeming…unsure.

"As long as an heir lives, only they can release us from our contract with the Balance. There were heirs to the leadership of the Balance. Both died. We believed that was it. But…Marcus Cain had an illegitimate child. And only they can free us…”

Izumi’s eyes flashed with realization.

“So then, you understand. As the next in the line of Cain….will you release us, Izumi?”

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

“Oh, bugger…”

“This problem isn’t going to go away, Freya,” declared a dark haired, suited man, who had firmly planted himself in front of her apartment door “You saw what happened. You know how bad things are.”

“You created that attack.”

“Did we? I know of no such thing,” he said calmly.

“Don’t act ignorant.”

“Where was Darkness to save you? Your beloved Antichrist? Face it. Your hero is a lie. A false prophet. A demon with special powers who wears face paint and wrestles in a dying Chinese organization. And you stand by, and let it all happen. If you give a shit about the lives lost today, then you’ll help us…”

Freya’s eyes narrowed. Her fist clenched so tight it came close to drawing blood.

“You know, I’ve just about had it up to here with your bullshit. How many times are you going to try this? You’ve approached me with the same crap for the third time and I’ve had it.”

Suddenly, Freya grabbed the man, and shoved him against the door.

“You send vampires after me, you sacrifice humans, all in the name of trying to get me to betray Darkness, and when I still say no, you have the stones to come back here, slander his name, and then say that you need my help? Fuck you. When I’m done with you, you’re going to need help, alright…”

She spun around, throwing the man with that motion, causing him to crash painfully against the wall with a sickening thud. The man tried to get up, but Freya quickly planted her foot against his chest.

“No more bullshit. No more trying to recruit me for your ‘cause’. If you want to wake up tomorrow with your face still attached, you’ll take me and the Children straight to your ‘mysterious leader’.”

“Nnngh…so you can kill them, too?! Like you…like Darkness murdered Mr. Cain?”

Freya didn’t answer. She only increased the pressure on his chest.

“So you will never harm another human being again. You people only qualify as monsters. If it comes to that, I will do what I must.”

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

“No.”

The Vindicator’s expression was unseen behind his mask, but one could detect disappointment. “You refuse?”

Izumi paced. You could practically see the gears turning in her head as she did so. A thoughtful look crossed her face as she raised a finger. “Not unconditionally. Quid pro quo.” She said. “If I’m…really…the leader of the Balance, until I let you guys go….you have to do what I say…” She stopped in front of the Vindicator, staring straight into the eyes of his mask…

“Don’t you?”

“That is correct.”

Izumi smiled.

“Theoretically, I don’t have to give you anything. But since you guys have been so helpful to me, I’m willing to make a deal with you.”

“Name your terms and conditions,” the Vindicator said.

“Ever since I learned of the Abyss…ever since Mr. Cain was murdered…I’ve been left in limbo. Nobody wanted to, or could help me, not even Adam, much as he tried. I knew nothing about the enemy and had no way to fight them. Until now.”

Her voice rose….”If I am your contractor….then please, do something for me. ..”

“Name it,” he said.

“With the Balance the way it is now, it would be impossible for me to simply declare myself Mr. Cain’s heir. I want you to help me claim what’s mine. I want you all to help put me in power and establish myself, and use the Balance as a vehicle to avert Armageddon. I want to save our civilization, no matter the cost. If you do that….when, you do that….only then will I grant you your release.”

The Vindicator only needed five seconds to think about it.

He then extended a hand.

“We have an agreement.”

“Yes, we do.” She shook his hand. “The first thing that needs to happen is we get rid of that poser who claims to be the real leader…”

"Hi, I was told Mr. Cain wanted to see me?"

The man at the desk looked over the young girl. "He's just in a meeting with someone. Take a seat." He gestured at a sofa on the other side of the room. He knew who the girl was - Izumi Matsushita - and she knew he was keeping an eye on her whilst pretending to carry on with what he was doing. She fidgeted on the sofa for a short while before getting up and looking out of the window. From this level there was a pretty good view of Tokyo.

There was the sound of a door handle turning and Mr. Cain came out of his office, followed by the strangest looking man Izumi had ever seen. He was tall, white, and not just white but white like he hadn't seen the sun in a very long time. He was shirtless and covered in tattoos. Or were they tattoos? They didn't look like any tattoos she'd ever seen before, more like a colouration of the skin but in such weird patterns they had to be man made. Then there was the helmet. It was silvery, the lights bouncing off it, but it was all tubes. Under the helmet grey hair escaped. And where she would have expected to see eyes were goggles. Or filters or something.

Mr. Cain called the elevator, bowed to his guest who mimicked the gesture awkwardly and waited for the doors to separate them. Once the stranger had gone, Mr. Cain turned his attention to Izumi.

"Please, come in."

She followed him into his office and sat in the chair in front of his desk. Mr. Cain rested his elbows on the desk, steepled his fingers and rested his chin on them while looking at Izumi. She sifted uncomfortably.

"So..." he started. "You've been with us for six months now. I hear your basic training is going well."

"Yes, sir."

"I think you've come along enough to find out a bit more about what we do here."

"Yes, sir."

"The man you saw outside, have you ever seen anyone like him before?"

"No, sir."

Mr. Cain smiled at her. "That was a Vindicator. They are a very important part of what we do here. You will work with them more and more as you move up through the ranks here, as I'm sure you will."

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"I'm still not sure what we do here. I came because my parents sent me, but so far I've been taught about computers and self-defence. How do I work through the ranks when I don't know what I'm meant to be doing?"

Mr. Cain smiled. "Do you believe in monsters?"

**

Izumi spread out a large roll of paper. There were three Vindicators with her now, all standing around the table.

"Right, so these are the blueprints of the Warren." She ran her hand over the paper. She knew the Warren fairly well, but it was nice to have something to point at. "We'll have two groups. One will enter here, and the other here." She almost felt she should have small figures to move around the paper. "We'll need security codes, because I'm sure the new boss will have changed them after what happened last time."

"We have them."

"And the game is up if anyone sees me."

"We thought of a ruse."

Izumi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"We will arrest you."

"Arrest me?"

"It will make it easy to get in."

Izumi thought it though. She was not well liked in the Balance any more. It could indeed work; the Vindicators bringing in a rogue agent.

"Ok. So once we're in we need to go down. We could use the elevators, that'd fit with the arresting me bit. Do you have codes to get down?"

"We can get them."

"Right, good. And then it's just a case of deposing the current leader. Simple."

"And if we meet opposition?"

"You'll need to carry weapons for me, obviously you wouldn't be taking in an armed prisoner."

The Vindicators nodded. "And then you will free us from our bond?"

"Yeah, sure," Izumi waved a hand whilst studying the plans.

**

Freya was fed up. She'd been bothered by the Balance until they decided that she was finally not going to join them, so now she was a target. No one was answering phones, not Darkness, not Lir, even technophile Gawain had his turned off. She didn't want to be in her flat where she was easy to find, because aside from the Balance, Jas' was still out there somewhere and he wasn't exactly her BFF right now. She wasn't hungry after the incident at the restaurant. So she was wandering. She had her knives with her, just in case someone she didn't want finding her did indeed find her.

She liked Beijing, but like every other city it had its good bits and its bad bits, and unfortunately she had to walk through some of the bad bits to get to the good bits. She didn't know where she was going, but somewhere with people would be a start.

Shadows lurked in alleys. Eyes followed her as she walked past but no one wanted to bother the girl that walked these streets without fear. Still, she didn't want to make eye contact with anyone.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement. A familiar scent. She chased after it, drawing a blade. It ran down a side street, and then another, each one narrower and more deserted. She followed it around a corner and stopped as she came to a dead end. Something was dropped from above and broke at her feet. Smoke billowed, stinging her eyes. Her nose was overwhelmed by smells; aniseed, peppermint, cloves – the mix made her nose sting and head swim. She stumbled backwards, trying to get away but backed into something and fell to the ground. There was a trickling on her top lip, she blindly brought up a hand and touched it gingerly with a finger. She licked the finger. It tasted like blood. Her nose had shut down completely: whatever they'd thrown at her had done so much damage it was bleeding. She couldn't see, she couldn't smell. But she could hear and she knew the vampire was back.

She got to her feet, using the object she'd fallen against to steady herself. She'd dropped the knife she'd pulled, but she wasn't going to risk finding it on the floor now. She pulled out the second knife, and turned her head, hoping to to work out where the creature was.

There was a rustle and she turned to find it, only to hear another noise from behind her. There was more than one vampire. She stepped away from where she'd fallen, she'd seen Rev climb up walls and didn't want to be standing next to one when a vampire decided to crawl down it.

She stood in the open, turning around quickly when she heard the vampires move, her heart beating hard in her chest. One rushed her and she bought her knife up to defend herself. It made contact but she doubted she killed it.

Another one came at her and she bought the blade up in a higher arc, hoping to be closer to head height. She knew she was taking a risk, at the right level the blade goes in the neck and there's a pile of dust, too high and she was just another corpse. She'd missed and there was a sharp pain along her left cheek.

A realisation made her blood run cold; the vampires weren't trying to attack her, they were going to exhaust her first. They could easily overcome her but they weren't. She was blind in a district that wouldn't help her if she cried out, that was if there was anyone to hear.

She blindly deflected another vampire that ran at her, this time trying to cleave the monster in two, but the blade only met air.

Then something changed. There was noise that wasn't there before. Freya turned 'round and 'round to try and work out what was going on. There were footsteps coming towards her and she jabbed out wildly. The blade stuck.

"Hey, watch where you're sticking that thing. You could take someone's eye out."

Freya let go of the knife. "Deadman?"

"Most people call me Adam you know."

"What happened to the vampires?"

"They're gone for the minute. We need to get you out of here though." There was a sucking sound and the knife was pressed back into her hand.

"I can't see."

There was a weight about her shoulders, the same size and weight as an arm, but without the body warmth. "Come on, we should get moving before they all come back."

**

"How do you think she did?"

Mr. Cain and Adam stood in the area outside the elevators. Mr. Cain had sent Izumi back to her room in the building after having told her about Vampires, Werewolves, Eradicators and other creatures of the night. She'd been quiet, but he was sure she would come though fine. She needed to know how much darkness was out there to be part of the light.

"I think she'll come around," Mr. Cain replied. "I see a very promising future. She handled it all a lot better than you did."

"I bet you were a bit more tactful with her than me."

"I tailor this talk to the individual. You needed the talk you got." Mr. Cain smiled and put his arm around Adam. "You came through it alright though."

**

Izumi stood in the small street that ran down the back of the Balance's headquarters. This was in fact the main entrance to the Warren - the front doors of the building above ground, where she had first began her training, were all part of the cover.

It had been difficult to get to Japan so quickly, but luckily the Vindicators had Balance resources to hand. She'd been in the Balance for nearly nine months before Mr. Cain had shown her this door and the maze of corridors behind it. People had said he'd taken a more than normal interest in her training, and now she knew why.

The door looked dirtier now, but then it wasn't meant to draw attention to itself. She'd seen a lot of stuff since seeing this door for the first time. She'd changed, grown up. The door looked smaller now: it no longer held any mysteries to her.

"Ready?" One of the Vindicators asked.

"Sure."

**

The wall of TVs flickered, all showing different views. They seemed to be showing different parts of Beijing. Special arrangements had been made since he'd taken over; the Chinese government's love of surveillance was very helpful. Suddenly the image from one screen covered all of them. A woman, short sword in hand in a deserted street. Occasionally she swung the blade wildly at the air.

"Sire, why don't they just kill her?"

"Because I don't want them to. Yet."

"But she is a target. A threat to the Balance."

"She is a playing piece. You can't just destroy someone like that, they hold too much power."

"But of you destroy her, you'd destroy the Antichrist."

"Or create something so dangerous it would tear the world apart. It would be a... rookie ...mistake. There are better ways to use this one than just destroying her."

One the screen a second person had appeared, although the woman had stuck a sword into his chest. He stepped backwards and removed the knife, apparently unharmed.

"That's interesting... ," the figure watching the screens in what had once been Mr. Cain's office said, "I want you to find out who that is." The screens flickered and the image changed. There was a short woman standing between two Vindicators outside a door. "And deal with that any way you feel is appropriate."

His aide nodded. "Yes, Lord Dragon."

“You’ve brought Izumi to us, at last.”

Izumi stood within the halls of the Warren, before two guards, two Vindicators flanking her. Her hands were handcuffed firmly behind her back.

“Yes. She is yours to do with as you want,” the Vindicator says.

“She will be punished according to Balance policy. Thank you for your work. You are, as always, invaluable to our needs,” the guards said. “Leave her to us.”

“Allow us. She is our responsibility,” the other Vindicator declared.

B-BANG.

Two quick gunshots in succession.

Immediately the Vindicators on either side of Izumi fell to the floor, dead, holes in their mask. In their place stood vanishing, ghostly wisps, which quickly dissolved from view…

“No. This is my responsibility.”

The tall form of a long and dark haired man, holding a bronze revolver, stepped into view.

“You two idiots can leave,” he says, gesturing to the guards, who knew better than to disobey.

Mr . Nanako stepped forward towards Izumi, spinning the chamber of his gun and puffing smoke straight into her face.

“Don’t even try it,” he said. “I know the cuffs aren’t secure, babe. Oldest trick in the book. Did you really think you could trick us, traitor? Infiltrating under the guise of a prisoner? We already know of your alliance with the Vindicators.”

“You don’t even know the half of it,” Izumi said. “Or even a quarter of it.”

“Then perhaps you can enlighten us~” he said, chuckling.

“Who the fuck are you?”

“Justice.”

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

“So do you know what the hell is going on, exactly?” Adam said. “I mean, I’m no vampire expert, but even I’ve never seen this many in one place. Izumi might be in danger…”

“No, this isn’t normal behavior,” Freya said.

“Can you see any better?” Adam said.

“My eyesight is getting a bit better, but my sense of smell is still gone,” she says, shaking her head. “But now that you’re asking about vampires, you MIGHT want to know your old buddies the Balance are the ones using them.”

Adam gave her a look like she was crazy. “No, that couldn’t be them.”

“Tell that to the guy that tried to recruit me. He tipped me off to it and then basically admitted to the whole thing. They sent them here, presumably to manipulate me or something. I really don’t know what the hell they’re going for. They’re monsters.”

Adam shook his head. “The Balance keeps creatures like vampires in the Warren, but they don’t just have an army of vampires they can send places at a whim. It goes against the fundamentals of the organization. I figured they’d have a successor by now, but this is worse than I thought, if he’s using vampires.”

“I thought it was odd, myself. Usually, Vampire Lords are the only ones who can control vampires.”

Adam’s jaw nearly dropped.

“Are you saying it’s possible that a fucking Vampire Lord could have control of the Balance?”

Freya shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know. I don’t really know or care how you people work. I’m just saying…”

“Don’t include me with them, I quit a long time ago.” Adam said with mild annoyance. ”There should have been a new heir. But as far as I’m aware, Marcus didn’t have any children…it’s very possible someone could have infiltrated and took over in the power vacuum. And if you’re right, then we need to get going to Tokyo. Right now.”

Freya gaze Adam a weary look.

Adam continued. “I’m sure I don’t need to explain the possible ramifications of a Vampire Lord leading the Balance. It means our enemy will have control of another organization…one with ties to the media, and another military force in the Vindicators. They could put anything they wanted on the news, they could erase any problems they want…and if Izumi’s left with the Vindicators, she may very well end up working for this Vampire Lord. Not to mention I’m sure you don’t want to be hunted down every waking minute of your l-“

“You’re preaching to the choir,” Freya said. “I’ll go.”

“Bring some of your Children friends with you. We’re going to have to infiltrate again…”

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

Izumi sat alone, in a small, dusty, gray room across from Mr. Nanako, a single lightbulb hanging about casting a dim light, a door behind him.

“And here I was expecting torture implements. How do you expect me to talk if you’re not even going to try?” Izumi scoffed.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head,” he said, licking his lips, fiddling with his revolver. “I only need one torture implement, and you’re looking right at it.”

“A gun. So you’re going to threaten to shoot me if I don’t talk.”

“Still not thinking as always, huh?” he said, a grin spreading across his face. “Do you know what this gun does? You may have seen it when I shot the Vindicators.”

…

“No answer? Not even a guess?”

Izumi began to perspire a bit as she began to realize what she had seen…

“Ah, yes, you’re beginning to realize it’s definitely not normal. You may think it removes souls from their body. That is correct. However, do you know where the souls go? I’ll tell you…”

He leaned in close, a wicked grin spreading ear to ear.

“Hell.”

Izumi’s eyes widened. “That isn’t possible…or even fair…”

“I said that too. You know what I was told? ‘Hell isn’t fair.’ But when dealing with traitors like you…it’s more than fair. Consider me the new deterrent of the Balance. I feel like I have a new purpose in life….erasing sinners and traitors like you.”

Click.

In an instant, he had brought the gun to Izumi’s head and pulled the trigger, the empty chamber clicking.

Izumi flinched. Her face was beginning to flush a bit and perspiration was now dotting her face. Her fists clenched unconsciously.

“It ends you even if it nicks you,” he warned. “So, are you about ready to tell me exactly what you’re up to, or are we going to have to play a game?”

He withdrew the gun, flicking open the chamber. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a long, bronze bullet, and jammed it inside, spinning the chamber, before-

CRASH.

It happened in an instant. Izumi turned over the table onto him, knocking him to the floor. Pinned to his chest, he aimed the gun at Izumi in a flash…

She kicked out at the gun as it clicked, sending it flying into a corner of the room, before leaping upon Mr. Nanako, mounting him and delivering several harsh punches!

“Son of a BITCH!” he shouted, trying to push the weight of the table and Izumi off of him, but he couldn’t. The fists cracked against his skull over and over, cuts quickly opening up, the blood already beginning to flow.

“Thanks for showing me that it was empty, dumbass,” she says, standing up, and pulling the table off of him. She seized him by the collar of his jacket and lifted him up.

“You wanna know the truth? You’re already screwed, and so is your leader. I’d expect the Vindicators are making their move right now. The Balance is going to be where it belongs before the night is over. Now, are you going to show me to your leader, or-“

“No need for that, little girl,” a hollow voice boomed out.

Everything stopped.

Izumi didn’t dare move, for a full 30 seconds.

Mr. Nanako smirked.

Izumi slowly turned around….

…to face a large man. ‘Man’ was an understatement, he was not a man. He was tall, beyond tall, having a large frame. He wore a plate of armor over his chest, a half golden mask covering half of his face, a single hole in his forehead that appeared as if it would kill a normal man.

Which of course, he wasn’t.

“You are dismissed, Matsuda,” he said in a low voice.

“I have her, Sire!” he said.

“You are dismissed,” he said with emphasis.

“Fine,” he said.

In a flash, he had removed himself from Izumi’s grip, his bloodied face with a lazy grin on it. “How unlucky are you…” he said, collecting his revolver, chuckling to himself. He calmly opened the door, and shut it.

An opening. Izumi saw it.

She spun around with a kick, straight to the unprotected side of Dragon’s face.

A barrage of blows followed, each one hitting home-

-before Dragon caught her fist.

With a simple push, he sent her flying across the room, head, neck, and back smashing painfully into the wall.

“So, your plan was to simply beat me up, and walk out of here? Foolish little girl.” He chuckled with amusement.

“Well, I wasn’t going to just let you have your way with me,” Izumi said, grunting as she stood up.

Dragon’s piercing eyes narrowed.

“As arrogant as I’ve heard. You aren’t totally unknown to our kind. A miserable little former member of the Balance, running around, trying to make a name for herself. Thinking she can ‘save the world’. It’s really kind of pathetic. You’re nothing special…so I am mildly surprised to find out you’ve managed to gain the favor of the Vindicators. Tell me, how did you do it?”

Izumi stared at him.

“It’s simple. I am the only one who can release them from their contract. You’re speaking to the real leader,” she stated firmly. “I promised to free them if they helped me dispose of you. Your little usurping is going to come to an end tonight. Did you really think you could get away with it?”

A low, deep laugh from Dragon.

“It’s almost heartbreaking to see how naïve and blissfully unaware of it all you are. You parade around with an attitude that you actually matter, that you affect everybody around you, when in reality you’re completely oblivious to the bigger picture. Very well Izumi, you have introduced yourself as the leader of the Balance…I, Dragon, am the leader of the Ordo Draco, and I command every vampire on this planet.”

Izumi swallowed slightly. Clear surprise was in her face.

“Not quite what you expected?” Dragon said, folding his arms and looking down at Izumi. “Haven’t you always wanted to fight the Abyss, little girl? I’m standing right here. Not as enthusiastic as you were before, are you?” he taunted, in a patronizing tone.

Izumi stood up, lunging towards him, but suddenly violently jerked back as an invisible force pushed her back into the wall painfully, causing a yelp of pain. Her eyes narrowed at him, before she stepped forward with a purpose. Again an unseen force pushed against her, but she put her hands up, just barely withstanding it, sliding back into the wall.

“That look of defiance is still in your eyes. We’ll have to do something about that,” he declared, before moving swiftly in front of Izumi.

In an instant, his fist was buried in her gut.

A horrific cry of pain followed by a cough of blood and fluids came from Izumi’s mouth, as she doubled over, clutching it. Grabbing her by the neck, he threw her clear across the room like a rag doll.

She crashed into the other wall, slumping painfully against it, gritting her teeth in pain.

“You’ve failed to understand where you stand in the great scheme of things. You aren’t a demon, an angel, an Infernal, or even a Slayer. You are just a frail little girl trying to justify an existence that is without purpose, not unlike the rest of the human race,” he said with a grin.

“Fuck…you…”

She wiped blood from her chin, standing up on wobbly legs.

“Don’t…you dare….try to demean me…or the human race…” she said. “Look at everything we’ve ever created….what have you created, in your life time? We are the rulers of planet Earth, and you won’t take it from us…”

Dragon scoffed. “What is Earth? A miserable little cosmic ball of dust and water. But enough of this…”

He began to approach her, slowly.

“Whether or not the Vindicators are coming here, it is irrelevant to your situation. Perhaps I'll even let you have your little Balance, a band of blind sheep humans and a meager fighting force you've already agreed to release. Either way..."

A triumphant look was on his face. "By the time I’m done with you, you won’t be fit to lead anything…”

She clenched her fists, crackling her knuckles, a look of iron determination in her eyes as she charged once again.

A punch came at her face, but she ducked it, into a sitting position, driving her legs up into Dragon’s stomach, the force knocking him back slightly. She reoriented herself, standing and rising quickly, an uppercut connecting with his jaw.

Dragon stumbled backwards…

…and smiled.

“How amusing…”

Then his face dropped into a vicious scowl.

“You naïve child!” he bellowed. “Do you think you can even take on a fraction of my abilities?!”

He rushed at her with a punch, which Izumi ducked by inches, but was followed up by a kick that was simply too fast and precise, knocking her to the side.

“I see the defiance still hasn’t left your eyes. But it’s pointless to keep on fighting. Your hopes and dreams and delusions of grandeur and arrogance amount to nothing. You were born only to reach this moment with me, in this room. I’m going to take everything you were, everything you are, and everything you ever will be….”

He clenched a fist…

“and crush it.”

Adam and Freya stood on the shady side of the road looking up at a nondescript tower block. They'd travelled to Japan and were now standing in the business district of Tokyo.

"Well?" said Freya.

"What?"

"I can't believe this is it. I was expecting something a bit more...sinister. Or even impressive. Something else."

"Well they don't want to draw attention to themselves do they?"

"I guess not. I thought it was all underground though, why do they have a tower block?"

"Cover. There are offices and things up there, accommodation for our overseas agents. Trainees don't even know about the Warren until Mr Cain sees... saw fit."

"How do we get in?"

"Well, people in the know use the back door which leads straight into the Warren, but we have no codes, none that'll work anyway, and no one will let us in."

"So the front door it is." Freya looked both ways down the street before jogging across.

"What are you doing?" Adam asked, catching up with her and pulling her to one side before she entered the building.

"Well, this is our only way in, right? So I was going in."

"Then what?"

"See if it worked?" She rolled her eyes. "I know it's not the best plan, but if you've got something better..."

Adam looked around them. "No, I don't. But it would be nice if you kept me clued in."

"Fine. We're going in." She started walking to the main door. "Stay behind me, you know, just in case..."

"Someone recognises me. I know."

"No, in case you scare someone. You're a walking corpse, remember, you don't look like a person."

"That's unfair..." Adam grumbled as he pulled his hood up and followed Freya into the building.

By the time he pushed through the heavy door Freya was already at the front desk.

"This way." Adam grabbed Freya by the arm and walked straight past the reception, ignoring the shouts from the woman on the desk. He led the way, through doors and down corridors. They quickly came to a set of elevators.

"Well?" Freya said.

"We have to wait for them to come up and hope we can get them to let us down."

"Come up? How do you know someone's going to come up?"

"The woman on the desk would have set off an alarm."

Freya waved her arms about in frustration. "We don't want alarms setting off."

"Well we won't get down any other way."

"That's your plan?" she said, folding her arms.

"No, this is your plan still."

"How do we get out?"

"Don't know."

"We haven't thought this through."

Adam gave her a sidelong look. "I thought that's how you people worked."

The elevator doors opened silently and Freya and Adam ran into them before they were ready, not expecting the intruders to be waiting for them.

Adam set about wrestling a weapon from one of the guards while Freya immobilized the others. When there was one guard left standing Adam advanced on him, weapon first.

"Get us into the Warren."

"It won't help you; there are more of us down there."

"You may have noticed we dealt with you all easily enough."

"You'll never get out alive."

Adam pulled back his hood. "That's not much of an issue for me."

The guard took a step back and paled. "I..I'd heard a rumour. You betrayed us."

"No. You've all become something else. Something that shouldn't exist."

"There are vampires."

"That won't be a problem. Just get us down there."

The guard typed a code in the elevator, stepped out but kept the doors open with a hand.

"May God be merciful."

Adam just nodded in reply and beckoned Freya into the lift.

**

A red bulb started to flash in the corner of what had once been Mr. Cain's office. Dragon was holding Izumi up by the throat, and her feet were dangling above the ground. He looked up at the light and bared his teeth in a smile.

"Looks like you've got yourself a little rescue party." He let go and she fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

He stood in front of the door. "Darkness hasn't come for you." He carried on staring, as if he was looking through it. "The she-wolf," he sneered, "and alone." He looked down at Izumi. "Don't worry little one, we will continue this later."

Izumi watched the door shut and the lock click into place. She looked around the room, hoping for something to help her get out. There was no furniture, just plain white walls; almost perfect but for the blood smeared across them.

**

Freya led the way through the maze of corridors.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Adam asked. The wolf he was following turned and gave him a withering look. "Ok, I'm still following."

They stopped in front of a door and Freya changed back to her humanoid form with a crunch of flesh and bones. Adam didn't even blink at the grotesque transformation.

"She's in here." She banged on the door. "Izumi?"

A small voice came from inside. "Freya?"

"Get away from the door." She took a couple of steps back. "Are you going to help?" She asked Adam.

"We haven't seen anyone. We should have had to fight our way though."

"Maybe they're on a training day."

"No, they...

"Adam. We're here, Izumi is in there. We get her out then trouble will arrive, but we'd have got the thing we came for and the battle is half won."

"You're oddly optimistic."

"Shut up. On three. One... two... Three!" They both ran into the door and knocked it from its hinges. Adam rushed to Izumi whilst Freya inspected the door. "You would have thought the doors would be better made."

"They usually are." The voice came from the doorway. Dragon filled the space, his armour reflecting the sterile lights of corridor and room. "I can't believe Darkness sent you to do this alone."

"She didn't come alone." Adam stood up, helping Izumi to her feet.

Dragon turned, his expression surprised behind his golden mask. It was as if he hadn't even noticed the other man. "Who...what are you?" he hissed.

Adam ignored the question and hobbled Izumi next to Freya. He caught Freya's eye before standing between Dragon and the women. Freya tightened her grip on Izumi's arm.

"You're going to let us go."

Dragon laughed. "No, I'm really not."

Adam leapt at Dragon before he could react, bringing the vampire to the ground. Freya pushed Izumi past the fallen men and down the corridor.

Freya pushed Izumi down corridors away from where they'd left Dragon and Adam.

"No, stop, wait." Izumi managed to stop herself and Freya.

"What?"

"We've got to help Adam."

"No we don't." Freya grabbed her arm. "Which way is out?"

"No, we're not leaving him. They might.."

"What? Kill him? I don't know if you noticed but he's already dead. He can't die again. We, however, can be killed and I still have stuff to do before that happens. So, which way is out?"

"You're just going to leave Adam here?" Izumi shrugged Freya off her arm. "You're always saying your the good guys, that your here to save the world or whatever and your just going to leave him?"

"I'm sorry, but what stupid child got herself in to the sort of trouble that ended up with her needing to be rescued in the first place? If you weren't so fucking meddlesome then this wouldn't be happening at all! Did you think of that? You put Adam in this position. All he wanted to do was get you out, which is what I'm trying to do. Now, where is the exit?"

"Well if you and Darkness..." She was interrupted by a slap across the face.

"I'm not here to argue with you. I don't like you, I didn't want to come and I'm not willing to die for you. Now get us the fuck out of here."

**

His surprise attack had given Adam the upper hand to start with but the vampire had quickly taken control. He just hoped that Freya could get Izumi to safety.

"So what has the Nightwalker befriended now?" Dragon asked. He'd pinned Adam to the floor, one hand on his throat, and was staring at him hard with pin prick eyes.

"Who?"

Dragon laughed. "Nightwalker. The First. The AntiChrist." Dragon barred his teeth. "Darkness."

"I'm not Darkness's friend."

Dragon laughed again. "You just managed to talked the She-wolf away from him." He let go of Adam's throat and grabbed a handful of hair instead, pulling his head sideways and exposing his throat. "Not that it matters, I'll deal with them after I've dealt with you."

Adam struggled as the vampires teeth came closer. There was a moment of pain, every nerve in his body came alive, he hadn't felt anything like it since he came back. And then there was black.

“No, you can go if you’re not going to help me. I’ve got better friends coming to help that actually give a damn. You said you didn’t want to argue, so I’m not going to argue. Plain and simple.”

Freya looked at Izumi with fury. “I bust my ass to get down here to save you and you want to stay?”

“Hey, I never actually asked for your help, you know. You kind of came here on your own.”

“Okay, instead of beating around the bush, I’ll straight up ask you. Why are you even here?”

Izumi froze, as a myriad of thoughts ran through her head.

Freya was essentially a walking lie detector. If she fibbed, she would know. She would have to choose her next words carefully…

“I...I’m here to get rid of Dragon.”

“Good job,” Freya said sarcastically.

“Well I didn’t know who he was until I came here,” Izumi shot back. “All I knew was that somebody bad took over the Balance in Mr. Cain’s absence and had to be removed before he could get a foothold in power.”

“And you planned to do this how? By stepping up to him and beating him up?”

“I…cut a deal with the Vindicators,” she said after a moment’s hesitation.

Freya looked at her with bewilderment. “…You what?”

“Finally!”

She exclaimed suddenly as three Vindicators appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

“Where the hell were you?”

“The Warren’s defenses proved to be troublesome. Nevertheless, we will have control of the complex within the hour.”

Izumi nodded quickly.

“I need your help rescuing a friend. A very powerful vampire is fighting him….the one who we need to get rid of. He’s pulling the strings.”

“Very well. Lead the way.”

Izumi shot a sidelong glance at Freya. “For once, do you believe that I know what I’m doing?”

Freya’s own expression didn’t crack.

“Don’t think this means I’m through with you,” she noted. “You still have a lot to answer.”

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

Images swarmed through Adam’s head in the darkness. The pain he felt was blotted out by the vividness of what he was seeing.

He saw himself as a young schoolboy. Receiving his first kiss.

The image vanished, replaced by a total, absolute bleak darkness. Erased abruptly.

He saw himself being officially inducted into the Balance. Friends all around him, friends who understood him…

Again the image was erased, as if had never existed.

He saw himself, as he pressed the button to lock another victim in with the Abyssal Spawn.

The image was torn apart by tendrils, devoured by faces no mortal man should ever endure.

He opened his eyes to find himself stepping through the gates of hell. A demon greeted him with a slasher’s smile, cold, ice eyes staring into him, and proceeded to welcome him into his world with tortures mankind had never seen…

It melted away as well.

This is not you. The one you call Adam is no more…no, he never existed, a voice rang out. That Adam is a corrupt, inpure, damned soul, doomed to wander until the ends of existence. Let me help you create a new Adam. Free from the impurities of mortal desires and morality. There is no good and evil. Only the Void.

As Dragon’s voice spoke, more tongues joined in, in languages that caused his feeble mind to strain if he attempted to understand him. The voices reverberated across the landscape of his mind…

Let us erase the one called Adam. We will take you from your mortal, pitiful, fleeting existence. You will receive the power of the Void. You will become the Void! Everything you have done in your existence has led you to this grand moment! Let go of yourself and accept our purity!”

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

“They were in here,” Izumi said, as she rounded the corner, only to come face to face with Dragon, standing outside the interrogation room.

“Ah, you’re back,” he said. “And you’ve brought friends, I see.”

Izumi was about to answer him before he saw him carrying something most troubling.

Adam’s body, slumped over his shoulder.

“…put him down.”

“Even if I did that, it won’t change his fate.”

“What did you do to him?” Freya said.

“What comes natural,” he said, baring his teeth. “I’ve never attempted to Sire someone already dead, before…it’ll be interesting to see what he turns into.”

“You son of a bitch.” Izumi stepped forward, but a Vindicator put a hand on her shoulder.

“You think you can fight me, even with a couple Vindicators?”

“There are many more where these have come from.”

“You must really want your little organization back, don’t you? Very well, I will step aside. It has served my purpose, and I’ve gained an interesting prize.”

“Let him go, he’s not important to you!” Izumi yelled.

“On the contrary,” Dragon said calmly. “In any event, I bid you luck, little girl. It will be most amusing to watch the Balance crumble at your irresponsible, naïve hands…”

He abruptly sped off, into the corridors. The group followed for a short distance, but he had already disappeared, and with Adam in tow…

“God damn it!”

Izumi yelled into the corridor furiously. “Come back here and fight, dammit! I’m…I’m not going to let you get away with this!”

She whirled around towards a Vindicator. “Track him! He couldn’t have gone far!”

“His heat signature’s gone,” he noted.

“He can’t have disappeared!”

Freya had a cold, angry stare fixed on Izumi. “I told you this would happen if you tried to plunge headlong into this war. You cost Adam whatever humanity he had left…Who else’s lives are you going to endanger?”

“I never asked for either of you to come here!” Izumi said, stepping right into Freya’s face. “You and Darkness aren’t the know it alls you think you are.”

“Then enlighten me, if you think you’re so smart,” Freya said. “All this time I’ve been constantly hounded and pestered by people who think they know what’s what in the world, in Hell, whatever, trying to turn me against my friends and family…” She gestured to the walls around her. “They’ve used vampires to try and manipulate me and attack me…so why don’t you just explain what’s going on to me, if you think you know better?”

Izumi stared coldly into her eyes. “You’re not a person I can lie to. Want me to be blunt?”

“Go ahead.”

“That was all the old leadership. Mr. Cain was a good mentor, but he didn’t know what I know now. Dragon is gone now. So that leaves…me.”

“You?” Freya said, quirking an eyebrow.

“The Vindicators named me the next in line. They’ve been under bond to my family for generations. And now they’ll do whatever I tell them to.”

“You, the leader of a worldwide secret organization? Don’t make me laugh,” Freya said.

“Shut up, Freya. From now on, I’m the one who makes the rules.”

She calmly shoved Freya with a hand, who quickly approached Izumi in turn, but the Vindicators stepped forward.

“You may have them as your own personal army for now, but what about the people? You think they’ll accept you as leader?”

“Trust me, I’ll make sure it happens,” she said simply, folding her arms. “All this time, I’ve been wanting something…a chance to challenge fate, a chance to change the world. I have that opportunity now. The balance of this war is going to change.”

“You have no idea who you’re fucking with,” Freya snapped. “The fate of our existence is at state. You fuck with the war, and you’ll find Shadow Slayers knocking on your door…”

“You’re pissed, aren’t you? You know where to settle the score.”

“Trust me, I’ll be there.”

“Please show Freya the way out,” she said, gesturing to one of the Vindicators, who calmly led Freya down the corridors. Freya’s gaze never left Izumi until she rounded the corner…

Another Vindicator stepped forward to Izumi.

“Our business here is nearly completed,” he declared.

Izumi looked into his eyes. She knew what he was going to ask.

“Not yet,” she said simply.

“Dragon has been deposed,” he replied flatly.

“Vindy, I’m not going to swindle you. But our agreement was as such: ‘With the Balance the way it is now, it would be impossible for me to simply declare myself Mr. Cain’s heir. I want you to help me claim what’s mine. I want you all to help put me in power and establish myself, and use the Balance as a vehicle to avert Armageddon. I want to save our civilization, no matter the cost. If you do that….when, you do that….only then will I grant you your release.’”

She nodded. “Simply removing Dragon will not be enough for me to accomplish this goal. It would be a mistake to think otherwise. Remember, I was originally branded as a traitor. The loyal members of this organization would not accept me, and even so, they aren’t prepared to take on abyssal forces by themselves,” Izumi informed him. “For years the Vindicators have been the primary muscle of the Balance. I can’t simply cut that off all at once. Until we’re ready…I need you to be my eyes, ears, and hands. Once we’re ready to venture on our own, the Vindicators will be free to pursue their own interests.”

The Vindicator nodded, with slight hesitation. “Yes, Izumi.”

----------

<i>A few hours later…</i>

Back in Beijing, Freya stormed into Darkness’ apartment.

“Where’s he?” Freya demanded.

“Out,” Gwen quickly informed her.

“As usual. Well, when he gets back, you might want to tell him a few things about the Balance I just found out…”