It was half a year since the fall of the second Neckhome. Even after all this time, Dion's forces were still walking around the forest, looking for Tamarana and it's owner. Many things changed, Mana wasn't the same after losing her brother. They were always arguing and he always wanted to keep her as safe as possible. He felt overprotective. Only now Mana realized that he not only was her brother. He felt like a father she never had. She was constantly crying in the first days, but later on she just accepted the fact that Mono is gone and that she needs to move on.
Carlos was terrified by the latest events. Yes, he wanted to go on an adventure and he knew that by joining Hamo on his journey he'll witness death and pain, but he was so taken by surprise by Mono's death he wanted to run away the first day, but came back after an hour. He just couldn't leave Hamo, Mana and Mohio like that.
Mohio has learned Hamo many tricks, Hamo now could deflect bullets and parry attacks of a Long Neck warrior. He also learned some martial arts and he could freeze a glass of water without even trying. Mohio saw the potential in him, but he knew he won't be able to train Hamo before Lord Dion finds out about their hiding. Not only he knew that it will happen someday, he also started having aches and he was getting tired a lot easier. He knew his life was slowly coming to an end. Everytime him and Hamo weren't training he was writing hundreads of pages of many forms of neckrecy and icebreathing.

It was a cloudy Tuesday, 194th day of the hiding, it was Mana's turn to hunt for food, mostly rabbits. This time though, she decided to venture further into the forest, maybe there were more rabbits there? It was the middle of the winter, the trees had no leaves and it was very difficult to get around due to a huge amount of snow. Rabbits were hiding in their little dens under the trees, Mana was trying to get as much of them out as possible, but she couldn't find any. Suddenly, she felt the smell of roasted meat and her starved body went totally crazy. She saw a gas station by the road in the forest and went in ignoring how dangerous it could be. She had some money she stole from Mono back when he was alive and decided to buy some hot dogs with ketchup and mustard. The kashier handed her 5 hot dogs (one for later) when the other cashier came to her.
-Are you a giraffe?
-Wha?- Mana exlaimed with both confusion and annoyence.
-Larry, please don't insult the customers.- The other cashier said.
-Don't you remember? The rafinery guy is looking for giraffes like her, he offers quite a penny for them, we could get rich, Frank!

When Mana heard that she creeped out and ran away back into the forest. "Don't let her escape, I'll call the rafinery guys!" she heard a couple meters behind her. 
-Finally, where have you been?- Carlos said coldly.
-We have to run away, there's no time, quickly!- Mana exclaimed creeping everyone out.
-What's wrong?- Mohio asked the girl.
-I think they...

As she said that the roof of the hideout was shattered by a giant drill, then another, and another. The tops of the drills opened and soliders started coming out of them and aiming at the four. Finally, Allison Terrymoore with her jet boots, Grannykill and Cep Prosty came out, then Wallence, as he started reading from a piece of paper.
-By the will of Lord Dion, Hamo Brown will be tortured into giving the said Lord Tamarana. Mohio Bartenwutz will be executed for conspiracy against our mighty Lord Dion. Carlos Lopez and Mana... something will be spared if they surrender, otherwise they will also be executed.
-Never, I will never surrender and let you take him, you little dwarf! If this Dion is so brave why won't he come for us himself?!- Mana bursted in rage.
-Actually, glad you asked.-Wallence smiled as a dark shadow jumped over his head and smashed into the ground. The shadow looked at Mana with it's glowing, yellow viser.
-Terrymoore, execute the old man, I want to take a closer look at the girl. Also don't shoot at my son, I want him to see how his friends will die.
-Can we keep the fatty? I liked him, maybe he could join us...
-Kill him, he's of no use. Now go ahead!- Dion exclaimed with his hoarse, loud voice as he started getting closer to Mana. the soliders started shooting at Carlos that luckily menaged to dodge them and hide behind a rock.

Mohio was old and sick, he couldn't fight or even run. He stood no chance against a strong, young assasin like Allison. He tried not to panic and meditated. Terrymoore took a blue blade out of her scabbard... but Hamo quickly blocked her strike with his neck.
-Not on my watch, shorty!- Hamo exclaimed, and their duel began.

Mana was terrified, a person even her brother, the bravest and stroongest person she had ever known was scared of fighting was approaching from barely 5 meters from her. She took her gun and started shooting, hoping to do at least some harm, but Dion was succesfully deflecting all her bullets.
-Pathetic.- He said as he lifted her up in the air.-Adopted daughter of Master Huna and his lover... you're just as pathetic as they were.- He said before throwing Mana at a wall.- They were easy to kill, your brother was too. You're probably no diffrent. We'll see in a minute, once I stop insulting your family.-Dion noticed Carlos hiding behind the cover a few meters away.-Why won't you join the fun, huh?- He grabbed and lifted Carlos with his other hand. -Now... you will die.- Black smoke started coming out of the breathing port of the mask...

Suddenly Dion was knocked away and trapped a few meters by a big chunk of ice. It was Mono. He made a hole in one of the cave's walls with another chunk flying out of his mouth.

Allison and Hamo were still dueling, Hamo didn't even see when Mohio walked away to help his friends until Allison pinned him to a wall and took out a gun from her belt and aimed at Mohio.
-Say goodbye to your friends, Hamo Brown.
Hamo then quickly grabbed a sharp rock next to him and hit one of the jet boots. Allison went flying, and flew away trough one of the holes made by the drills. When Hamo did that, he wanted to help his friends escape, he was seeing that Mohio is struggling to block all of the shots, as he helped Mana and Carlos escape through the hole he made. Hamo stood up and tried to run, but was hit with a sleep arrow by Cep and fell down yet again. Mana and Carlos menaged to run away so far that they probably won't be found. they decided to hide in the ruins of Neckhome II, since all the guards were at the hideout. Suddenly Mohio that was guarding the hole in the wall by deflecting all of the incoming shots just vanished, leaving no trace, but for sure leaving all the enemies in confusion.