Hours went by and mosquitoes were flying around, annoying Lauren in her heated cell.

"Can I at least get some water?" she asked infuriated. The guard ignores her request and stood there without moving an inch. She sighs and sits back down.

"You don't have by any chance a way out of here do you, Quade?" she asked as she leaned against the wall.

There was no response from him.

“Quade, you there? say something." she pleaded.

He still hasn’t responded.

“I think he’s angry.” said Richard.

“is it because I made you come all the way here. I thought it was just going to be bunch of corpses around here, I didn’t think they would still exist.” she said.

“Don’t worry, it’s not your fault.” said Richard as he leaned his face against the bars, trying to peak the next cell.

“It doesn't matter, we’re both stuck in here. You were going to be my successor but now the town is unguarded and chances are we’re going to die here, except Richard. He will be just tortured. I fucked up, again.” said Quade as he sat, leaned against the wall with his back, along with his arm over his raised knee. He remembered a quick flashback, moments during his first year as an apprentice. He waked up in the middle of a personal boot camp, with Henri blowing a whistle loudly over his face.

“Wake the fuck up! You sleeping like a damn baby. The enemies don’t fuck around. Any weakness will be used against you. You tucked in here while a fucking demon is feasting on someone’s corpse. You always stay alert. This life is more than about you. Your sole fucking duty is protecting this town, rarely the world from the atrocity that’s out there. Now get your ass moving!” screamed Henri as he watched Quade get ready in military fashion.

Henri enters the car and watches Quade jog for 2 miles to an open field, where he puts him to a fitness test. Due to his weak endurance, Quade faints.

“You’ve got a long way to go kid.” said Henri as he chuckles.

He pours a bucket of water over Quade, who was conscious again. Few months go by and Quade improved immensely. He was busy studying the collections of books regarding different species of myth & legend. He analyzed a live lixie, fairy-like beings similar to pixie’s but far worse. Lixies allegedly lead travelers astray using their magical fireworks, trap them and eat them alive. Although in Quade’s eyes, they were harmless, more scared than violent.

He sympathized with the fairy inside the cage and as he was about to free them, Henri intervened. Enraged, He demonstrates the sole duty of Kal Blade and exterminates the Lixies using a flame thrower, burning it to ash.

“It wasn’t going to hurt me.” said Quade visibly traumatized.

“The moment you sympathize with these things, it’s over. Never and I mean ever, let your heart dictate your actions. Be logical! You understand?” yelled Henri.

Quade nods his head, ending the flashback.

“You were going to choose me? Why” asked Lauren curiously.

“Gut feeling,I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder why Henri chose me, but he was gone before I could hear it from him.” said Quade discouraged.

“We can’t just give up. There has to be some way.” she said.

“There is, I mean, you can seduce the king, just wiggle his little snake and hey, maybe he’ll free us all.” said Quade sarcastically, which humored Richard.

“ha ha. You’re awfully calm Richard. I thought you’d be more angry than all of us since you were recently caged.” said Lauren unamused.

“I’m use to it, if I’m going to be honest, I’m glad that I am not locked up alone this time. Sure as hell missed the company. Reminds me of my old crew, although their humor wasn’t as soft as this.” he replied with a nostalgic feeling.

“Quade told me you didn’t want to talk about your past. Is it okay if you can tell us now, since we’re cell buddies?” asked Lauren.

“I like you guys but I don’t want to go into that, it-- hurts thinking about it.” said Richard.

“Just tell us your story man. We got time. Lots of it.” said Quade.

“Well you should know since it was one of you Kal Blades that caged me up.” said Richard in disappointment.

“What he means is, It hurts because you have no one to talk to about it and so you drowning in guilt. You don’t have to go through it alone. We’re here for you.” said Lauren sympathetically.

“Not drowning, eager for revenge.” he replied.

Quade froze, listening closely to what he meant by that.

“I’ve traveled the world and within a snap of a finger, my view of it was shattered. No matter how much the world changes, it will and always be the same. I was seventeen when I left home--” said Richard before he was interrupted by horns being blown loudly.

People mourning could be heard from outside.

“What’s going on?” asked Lauren.

“Something happened. Most likely, devastating. This is our way out. Lauren, tell the guard I want to see their king. I have a proposal for him.” said Quade.

The King decides to see them and the guard escorts them from their cells. Along the way, they saw several people in great agony with some missing limbs and several corpses. A group of warriors were send on a mission of great importance to the kingdom but returned with heavy casualties.

“Just as I thought, they are in trouble” he said.

“And what exactly is your plan?” asked Lauren.

Quade looks at her with a smirk.

“Oh-- no. Why are you making that face. Stop that.” she said nervously.

They were brought before Senki who was visibly distressed.

“We can help you with your situation, You fill us in and we will take care of the rest. We solve this problem and you let us go home, unharmed.” said Quade with a serious tone.

“Have you lost your mind? Did you not see the pile of cripples we just past? Those guys took some serious blows. Not that I’m complaining, but you two, fragile as an egg.” said Richard visibly confused.

“exactly, plan is full proof. Their primitive weapons don’t stand a chance, but with you, an immortal as bait, me with my gun, we can end this quickly." replied Quade optimistically.

"That's not a plan, that's suicide." she said.

"It's either that or be enslaved. Make a choice". he said

She agreed and the King accepted their request. Their belongings were handed back to them.

"Our people have lived in peace for many years until night crawlers appeared out of nowhere recently. Several of my men saw them attack last night at one of our watch towers and now on their way here. The were acting differently, They killed some of my warriors but did not eat them. No sign of them during the day, so they will attack again at night and it is almost dark soon.” said King Senki.

"I will need some of your warriors. I will lead them and plan a coordinated attack. Someone get me a map of the area.” he requested as loaded his gun.

King Senki orders his guard to bring a map and hands it to Quade.

“Alright here's the plan. Two teams, one setup the trap and the other will lure them in. Richard, you are immortal so you are going to take most of the hits. You will be the bait. Lauren you’ll stay behind- what are you doing.” he asked.

Lauren picks up a bow and a bag of arrows from the weapons the guards brought.

“-I’ll cover you guys from a distance. I’m not staying behind. My favorite movies were the hunger games, watching Katniss fight her way with just a bow and arrow, I wanted to be like her, so I begged my dad and he signed me up to a archery school when I was 11. I know how to shoot.” she replied.

“Alright then. Let's go!" he said as he was impressed.

The decoy group moved out towards the heavily guarded main entrance which was located at edge of the village. They deliberately left a weak spot at the second entrance with only Richard Guarding it with a sword he picked, making the attacker think they have the advantage. They arrive there and the teams went into position at a high ground behind the houses that was evacuated prior to their arrival. They waited patiently and during that time Quade sat down analyzing the situation. The night crawlers appeared and just as predicted, they went right into the trap.

“Now!” screamed Quade as the warriours shooted, using their large primitive artillery until the last night crawler was killed. The defence was succesful and the trio regroup.

"Something doesn't add up." said Quade to Richard and Lauren.

"this was too easy." replied Lauren.

“I agree. I know well enough that we're the ones falling into a trap.” said Richard.

An unexpected second attack began and the attackers directly breached through the front gate. The remaining warriors rush to the front from the side to aid them. The attackers seemed abnormal and when Quade had close up with one of them, They were walking corpses. A woman leading the dead platoon, made her appearance. She punches a warrior with her fist emitting blue flames, causing the body to burn up from within.

The Appearence shocked Quade as it was the same woman from his dream. She had pale white skin, pitchblack hair and was wearing a modern black suit.

"You?" said Quade visibly confused as he froze.

Richard snaps Quade out of it and they continue defending the front line.

After the decoy team were slaughtered, the woman summons them back from the dead, overwhelming the second team. Quade noticed she held her right eye hinting she was in pain. Team Kal got pushed back, with two options left, either to abandon the front line or die defending it, which they all unanimously agreed to flee.

“I might’ve underestimated the situation.” said Quade.

“Might’ve? I told you this was suicide. I don’t get paid enough for this!” she replied mockingly while running scared.

“What the hell happen with you back there. You look like you knew her?” asked Richard.

“Complicated, I’ll explain later. Right now, we have to go back to the fortress.” he replied.

“Go back? They’ll kill us if we go back. Let alone, they’re about to get slaughtered. Why are we going back?!” asked Lauren as she freaks out.

"Lauren, I need you to get your shit together, alright. We can't abandon these people. Just imagine the kind of badass you will be if you make it through this. The king wasn’t transparent with us. She's not here just for chaos, She has a weakness, my guess is she can't hold her dead army for much longer so why go through all that trouble then. She must be after something. We can’t let her have it. Time for Plan B.” he said as he holded Lauren shoulders, reassuring her.

“Plan B? What Plan B?” asked Lauren visibly confused.

“You won’t like this one." he said as they started running again.

The woman chases them all the way to the fortress. They waited patiently for her to catch up. Richard jumps out and lures her soldiers to one way. Lauren appears behind a building screaming "over here!" which lured the remaining soldiers.

The woman confused, was left unprotected which Quade saw an opportunity to attack head on but failed as the she forced her army to ambush the nearby civilians. The attack caused such chaos, that they lost sight of her.

"We lost her." said Lauren as she was swarmed with civilians heading for the fortress gate. Quade noticed the dead warriors stopped moving and collapsed on the ground.

"She's among us. Look closely." he shouted as he was shoved from side to side.

The woman smuggled herself in as a victim and made her way passed the guards undetected. She arrives at the kings quarters and snaps four of the guard's neck instantly. As she wrapped her hand around his neck, she lifted King Senki from the ground with ease.

“Where is it?” she asked with a cold tone.

He refused to answer so she continued choking him until he told her where the key was hidden. He points to his throne and She breaks it down. Below it was a sealed box with a mysterious sign on it. She removed the spell over it and removed an odd key. Out the blue, Richard snatched it from her which failed tremendously resulting him being grabbed back and knocked out cold.

Quade picked up the key and pulls the gun on her.

"I wouldn't move if I was you." He said as sees Richard regain his concious after a few seconds.

"Lady, you pack a mean punch." said Ricahrd as he moaned on the ground.

"Quade!" Panicked Lauren as she was held hostage by the dead guard that was summoned silently.

"The key." said the woman as she looked at him with her cold eyes while holding her hand out. Quade pretends to hand her the key but throws it it in the air and immediately shoots the dead corpse’s head, immobilizing it, giving Lauren a chance to quickly move to the side.

The woman grabs Quade's arm and with incredible strength, hold his arm away as he was to point the gun back at her, hurting his arm as he pulled the trigger several times. Round of bullets were fired into the ceiling. As she blocked his movement, she held out her right hand and within a second, sparkled blue flames.

"Die!" she said as he briefly braced for the impact and punches his stomach.

Shockingly, it had no effect. Both visibly confused, Quade saw an opportunity and headbutts her. He breakes free and the woman grabs the key from the floor. She reaches to the balcony and whispered in a language unfamiliar to him, which resulted her summoning a portal. She took one last glance at Qaude before disappearing into the portal. Quade walks over to destroyed throne and noticed a symbol on the broken box that contained the key. He took a a photo of it using his smartphone and walks over King senki, who is still breathing.

"Let's go, we're done here." he said as he lifted Richard from the ground.

They Trio made their way out the kingdom and headed back through the same tunnel they exited. At last, they returned to Newfound Valley. Quade sealed the sewerage and drove back to the bunker, exhausted. Richard jumps on the couch, and puts on the TV, which he learned how to use it the night before.

"What have I done. I could’ve gotten us killed." said Lauren as she felt a sense of guilt.

"Cheer up Lauren, you actually did a good thing today." said Quade as he attended to their wounds.

He walks over to his computer and connects it to his smartphone. He continues to print out the picture he took and walked over to Richard.

"At least now we know what we're up against. I need all the help I can get." he said as he printed out the yellow king sign.

"What about the woman? I'd say we got lucky. Doubt Next time we will." asked Lauren.

"That's right, you clearly couldn't handle her, one stare and you froze. Listen, I'm grateful that you freed me, but I will not stick around longer. I have unfinished business to attend to--" said Richard before he was interrupted.

"Shut up and take off your shirt." replied Quade which confused the two of his intentions.

"What? I flattered but I'm not really into that, not because I don't prefer, it's just my love belongs to someone else." replied Richard.

"Huh, no what-- Just take off your shirt. I want to see your branded tattoo. Don't make things weird." ordered Quade which Richard obliged. He compared the mark with the printed picture and it was a match.

"I thought it looked familiar, This is where you’re wrong, you will help us because we're after the same thing. I truly think now, this is the part where you tell us about who you are and how you ended up there." said Quade.

Lauren's stomach growls and she felt a little embarrassed.

“but first we eat.” he said.

At an undisclosed location, The woman in black walks down in a giant deserted Hall inserts the key into a large door. She turns it and the door opens, which in a brief moment, released strong winds and screams from vicious looking beings. Out steps a tall figure with a long yellow robe and a harden, sharp-edged mask with squid-like tentacles crawling from behind it. He returns from Imprisonment, Hastur, The Yellow King.

"I did what you ask, now you will return the favor." she said as she gave him a cold stare. The yellow king starts to laugh sinisterly as the deserted planet carcosa, felt alive again.