"Kingston and his flunkies were pathetic indeed..." Kronock said as he stomped about in a cave, hidden by a massive waterfall. He looked something like Frankenstien, nothing but a bunch of mangeled parts with the form of a human. As he sat down heavily near the cave entrance, he added, "I can't even feel a tingle of power in these bodies. I must find more, in death their energy left them, I need more energy. If only I new where my corpse was."

He heard footsteps and rose quickly. He stared at the falling water, waiting for a shadow to pass behind it. None came. He burst out of the waterfall, instantly scanning his surrondings. A Vesuvious drew his blade and prepared for battle.

"Ohh...it is you." Kronock said as he stood upright, the Durahan doing the same.

"You should really not startle your most lyal subject my lord." The Vesuvious said as he bowed his head slightly.

"Yes, my warrior. I do have a mission of some importance. Do you accept, Crimson Grin?" Kronock said as he opened his hand towards the Durahan.

"Certainly. Do I get to kill anyone?" Crimson asked with devilish delight.

"Only those who get in your path. There is bound to be plenty. Your quest, my knight, is as follows: You are to retrieve a warrior human alive. Bring him or her to me unharmed. Understand?"

"My lord, this is a job for Dracoul or Namerca, I am not good at any form of capturing save the dead or alive part."

"So Crimson....you defy me now?" Kronock said as his wicked eyes narrowed into a stare that could melt the strongest armor.

".....no, of course not my lord." Crimson Grin said and, with a quick bow, darted off.

Meanwhile....

The snow-capped mountains proved to be quite a climb for Dadge. Not much protection, either. Dadge knew he had to tell Roketh, Vyger, and Jace about the monsterous Nightmare's attack. He had fought his way this far, and wasn't giving up. Dadge was a formidable fighter indeed. He had fought off Hares and Tigers all this way. By looking at him, you would next expect him to be capable of such. Few now that, in fact, Dadge was part monster, what kind he would never say. He had slight benefits from other humans. Increased strength, speed, stamina, and hidden talents not even he knew about. The white snow made the small, red dot coming off a distant mountain stand out plenty. Dadge could've been old, drunk, and in a storm and still saw it. The small dot moved like fire down the cliff, with amazing speed. Dadge didn't know what it was, nor did he care to find out. After a while, he lost sight of it around the base of the mountain and thus, he discarded it from thought. Up the small path a little ways, he was amazed to see what he did. A Vesuvious, perched on a snow mound, slowly sweeping the snow with his monsterous blade.

"Hello good friend. I saw you when I was coming off the mountain. Was'nt sure what you were, but surprise, surprise, just what I was looking for." He hopped of his small throne of sorts, and asked Dadge simply, "Try and strike me down."

Dadge didn't really think he could get away, nor did it even pass his mind but once. He dropped his gear and, from his back, unsheathed one of the largest axes Crimson Grin had ever seen.

"Well then....lets rumble." Dadge said.

Crimson Grin was stunned. A human, battle a monster? A pathetic attempt to scare off lesser foes?

"Yes....you'll do just fine for master. First, let us see how well you preform."

With that, Crimson took a step back and tilted his head slightly to the left, mockingly. Dadge swung with all the force he could muster. He swung, and kept swinging. He did a circle before he stopped and noticed, the Vesuvious, was gone. Dadge gripped his weapon firmly and looked around frantically. He heard a swishing sound. As he turned, he recieved a sword-hilt in the mouth. He dropped his axe and stummbled back in shock. Crimson just stood there, hilt in the air right where it had connected. Like a statue, moving once then standing eternally. Dadge dove at Grin, swinging and kicking madly with a form of martial arts he had taught himself. Crimson was enjoying himself a little to much as he arrogantly dodged the flurry of attacks. He smiled to himself, wondering why the master wished to have a human. Perhaps as entertainment? Like a circus monkey? He managed to put very little thought into it, though. He found himself bent over, out of breathe instantly. Dadge was not so much of a push over. A fateful knee landed right in the bottom of Grin's breast plate. As he bent over, he caught two knees in his face, then an elbow on his back. Once he hit the snow, he became enraged. As he stood, he picked up his sword and shield. Dadge quickly grabbed his axe. They were ready to go at it again. Dadge took first swing again. To no avail, Crimson was just too fast.

"Too slow, you over-grown monkey." As these words entered Dadge's ears, he found a sharp pain in his backside as a metel gauntlet slammed in the small of his back.

Dadge hit the snow bank face first. Crimson walked over to him, and stood over his body menecingly.

"I can always find another. You deserve to die for striking me, a knight of my caliber should never be touched by a filthy human."

Crimson Grin raised his sword into the air, ready to deliver the final blow. Dadge clinched his teeth and shut his eyes. He heard the sword slicing through the air, but then nothing. He looked up to see what had happened. However, his opponant was gone. He looked around and still saw nothing. He saw the sword laying in the snow, but no master to it. As he searched the skies, he saw something flying off. A Phoenix? In these mountains? Something was in its tremendous grip as well. As Dadge looked closer, Crimson Grin was impaled upon one of the talons, his bady hung limply. Dadge picked up his axe, whiped a bit of blood from his lip, and continued on. He knew if another one like that Vesuvious was around, it would get ugly.

Meanwhile....

Galin and Roketh had worked their way back to Kingston's old castle in the mountians. Galin attempted to fill in Roketh on the new being.

"Father always said that something is always greater than you. We thought it was to keep us from challenging him. Perhaps he was going to revial this master of his to us later." Galin stumbled about in the throne room, a little weak from the last battle.

"Well, this fiend named....Kronock or whatever...will soon meet the same fate as his pawns. Just what exactally is it?" Roketh said as he stared at the cathedrial-like roof of the fortress. Thwe glass roof was awe inspiring.

"Dunno. I can't tell if it was a demon or a being from another dimension. Whatever it was, it was manipulating father, not an easy task. Now, with the powers of my father and two brothers, who nowws how much power he has."

"True Galin, but we don't know. Thats the point, he could be weak now, or unstoppable. We need to find some kind of clue here.....did your father have a study?"

"I don't think so. He did hide in his room alot. We were not allowed back there. I say we check it out." Galin said as he started off behind the throne, Roketh soon after.

When they opened the door, Roketh was awed. It was huge, and wasn't even a room. It was a garden with a bed, then there was a desk in an office like setting, then some cabnets like a kitchen. A whole house with no walls. Kingston's own personal paradise.

"Why did he not tell us about this place?" Galin stopped suddenly as the ground shook slightly, "....damnit."

"What was that, Galin?" Roketh said as he looked around a bit startled.

"Father said if we came back here we would die. He didn't say by his hand. So I'm thinking..." He stopped, and raised his gaze from the floor slightly before adding, "...sentinel."


Meanwhile...

"Let me go, Namerca." Crimson Grin mumbled as a quick sensation of pain came over him.

"You failed. I was sent to watch you and make sure you did your duty. That human is beyond perfect, and I will catch him. For now, it is Kronock's choice of what to do with you, for he saw it all as well. Dracoul was carrying him as well, fool."

As they landed, the Armored Dragon known as Dracoul stood next to the waterfall that covered the cave. Namerca landed and held Crimson Grin up to the waterfall, before dropping him. Grin struggled to his feet, a massive hole in his chest.

"Forgive me master. I have failed. Give me one more-"

"SILENCE! FOOL! YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE! But..." The voice's change in tone startled Crimson, "There is one thing you can do."

"Anything lord....name it..."

"...anything...hmmm....well...I need your energy to sustain me for a bit longer." The voice rang.

"I will spare you some, my lord." Crimson said as he stood slowly.

"No, no fool. I mean ALL of your power, your very life." Then, a purple tendril of some sort shot out of the waterfall. Grin had no chance to outrun it. It wrapped around him several times.

"Master....ple-.....please....NOOOOOO!" Crimson Grin screamed as he was yanked into the waterfall. A small fire burned behind Kronock, and the shadows of him and Crimson were clear. Crimson was still pleading and screaming as he struggled with his confines. Kronock's body began crunching and jerking. They could see the top half of his body rip and tear and finally, it fell off. A large, Venus-Fly Trap form sprouted out from the bottom half of the body, and opened wide.

"What....the.....what are you!?" Crimson screamed. He screamed once more before the monstrosity bit into him. They watched in horror as it bit the nobal warrior in two. The tendrils wrapped around Grin's body were many, and the monster outside watched them tear the knight apart. The head slowly devoured them. One piece at a time. After it was done, the thing ate its own top half again. After some more crunching and shifting, Kronock was back to normal. As he came out, it was aparent he wasn't. Kronock now had trace elements of armor on him, and now he wore the helmet of Crimson Grin, slightly altered or enhanced, however you'd like to put it. He had absorbed him.

"No one shall defy me, less they become part of me. So preaches Kronock, so it will be written in my rule." Kronock yelled as he stepped forward. The two monsters bowed their heads. None could challenge their master. Ever.


Stay tuned. CHB

Crimson grin....I remember that. It was originally an attack used by one of the villans in your first story. Just as Roketh was the name you used for Moo's son....I think. Great chapter by the way. I had no idea you had another group of baddies waiting in the wings. I thought Kingston was it. Nice job once again!