I run through the panicking crowd and quickly reach the door leading out of the hall where a pair of women are beating the shit out of a crowd of militiamen. Friends of the Hero's? Who cares about that right now. I'm just grateful that they are there to make my life easier. One of the women casts a spell and jabs her index finger into the torso of a militiaman. The militiaman abruptly keels over, a red stain spreading all over his suit.

The woman is then sent reeling backwards as another militiaman rushes up and connects with the butt of his grenade launcher to her head. I extend one hand to steady the woman while the other hand smashes the militiaman's face in with the baton. I attempt to bring about my free hand to pick up the grenade launcher but the woman holds on to my extended arm with surprising strength, refusing to let go.

I got no time to be a gentleman right now lady. I impatiently shake her off and snatch up the weapon before resuming my run back to the entrance of the building.

...

By the time I reach the entrance, I find several fallen militiamen littering the environs and two of the SUVs missing. The black cab screeches to a stop in front of me and I climb into the rear passenger area without wasting any time.

"I have left your equipment on the seat. Get changed." The Voice says distractedly as the cab is sent bolting out of the campus, "I did not have the time to prepare anything new so you will have to make do with whatever equipment you had used previously."

"Mind telling me what's the rush?" I ask while changing out of my clothes and putting on the ORPO uniform and stab vest, "What in the world happened to Brocon?"

The cab hits the highway at top speed and begins darting precisely through the traffic without slowing down. The Voice rasps, "Heroine von Amsterg has been kidnapped by Nicholas and Trietel. They are taking her back to the manor as we speak. The Hero, Heroine Naiberg, Inspector Scott and Mr Matsui are in pursuit. Inspector Scott has also called for reinforcements from SOPO to assist her in storming the manor."

"A siege situation?" I question, "Why the rush then? Nicky has nowhere to go once he reaches the manor. The Hero and his buddies will eventually corner Nicky and unceremoniously beat him up. And from what I've read, I don't think Nicky intends to have Brocon killed."

The Voice responds, stress evident in its tone, "Fate has set its plan in motion. I have been tracking the constellations at the Crossroads and have determined that this is far more than an attempted assassination attempt on the Hero or a mere kidnapping of Heroine von Amsterg. Fate has created a fork in the Hero's destiny. The entire attack on the Academy is in reality a divergence point."

I notice that the cab has already left the Dreaming Spires District. I am curious as to where this manor is actually located, but I know that now is not the time for trivial questions. We have bigger problems to worry about.

"A divergence point?" I ask bewildered while checking the grenade launcher I had taken with me. I open the break and find the weapon loaded with a single tear gas grenade. Not much but it will have to do.

"Yes." The Voice explains, "Fate is trying to divert the Hero from his ordained path. To that end, Fate has scripted an entirely new destiny for both the Hero and Heroine von Amsterg. Through this divergence point, it is giving the Hero the opportunity to choose his own destiny so to speak. Depending on the actions taken by the Hero during this scenario, the Hero may be irrevocably hurtled towards this newly drafted shared destiny with Heroine von Amsterg."

The Voice pauses before continuing, "The problem is that Fate has rigged the game. The trigger that puts the Hero on this new route is Heroine von Amsterg leaving The City. How she leaves is irrelevant. How long she leaves is also irrelevant. The moment Heroine von Amsterg takes a single step out of The City's boundary, the new route takes effect and we lose."

"New route? How is it different from the one you had planned?" I query.

"The Hero will take off in pursuit of Heroine von Amsterg eventually catching up with her back in Berlin. Through their many trials and tribulations together, both Hero and Heroine will realize their true feelings for one another and fall wholeheartedly in love. The Hero will nobly sacrifice his inheritance, allowing Nicholas to become the head of a united House von Amsterg, and elope with the Heroine to the European countryside. There they live out the rest of their days in what I believe is referred to as the 'slow life'."

Well, that bull crap is not going to fly for obvious reasons. No way am I going to let any of that happen. The Hero is welcome to his slow life, but only after I've gotten my ticket home.

"And I suppose that its impossible for the Hero and friends to prevent Brocon from leaving?" I reply.

The Voice rasps, "Correct. A helicopter from Marshal St Clair's private yacht, the Standart, has been ordered to make for the manor in order to spirit Heroine von Amsterg away. I have sabotaged the helicopter, but it is only a matter of time before the Standart's mechanics repair it. Fate has Marshal St Clair, Nicholas and Trietel to defend the manor until the helicopter arrives. The Hero and his companions will not be able to subdue them in time to stop Heroine von Amsterg's departure. Without your intervention, the Hero's rightful destiny will be taken away from him."

I nod as I load a fresh stun gun and the baton into my belt's holster, "So what is our win condition? What can we do to send this new route back to the trash?"

"You need to prevent Heroine von Amsterg's departure until the reinforcements summoned by Inspector Scott have almost arrived at the manor. Once that happens, Marshal St Clair will decide that discretion is the better part of valor and order a retreat. Do not think that this will be easy though. Just as I have interfered with the arrival of the helicopter, Fate will delay the arrival of the SOPO strike team." The Voice says.

That means that the Hero will arrive at the manor before the reinforcements from SOPO. Hopefuly he and his friends are enough to keep Fate's lackeys occupied. That might give me an opportunity be able to do something about that helicopter when it arrives. Or maybe even snatch Brocon from Nicky's grasp. It all depends on how the situation evolves.

I examine the sword that had been placed on the seat and ask,"This sword, is it the one I used back at the warehouse?"

The Voice rumbles, "Yes. You may not remember it, but you carried the sword back with you after the mission. I took the liberty of holding on to it in order to prevent evidence from falling into the police's hands. Its time the sword was given back to you. I expect that you will need it for what is to come."

I partially draw the blade from its sheath and examine it. The shin gunto is still the same cheap, mass produced weapon that it had always been. But this cheap thing had already proven its worth before. I would not hesitate to entrust my life to it.

"We are almost at the manor." The Voice announces, "Get ready."

I pick up the last piece of equipment left on the seat, the motorcycle cop helmet, and secure it on my head. Taking a deep calming breath, I shut the visor.

And ready myself for war.