(This is a follow up series to Ravenlight Novel 1- Embers of the Past. If you haven't checked that out yet, you totally should!!)

‘And so it went, through and through, the eruption of conflict. While not quite a war you could still call it the second war of the Sillithians now that they had returned. The Hive, masters of darkness, returned with avengeance. The fall of Nospheross, our so-called Supernatural Prison, one which housed many war criminals of both the Hive and the Hisan Army, countless of others even… that was the turning point, their return.

With that one swift loss, we of the Tribe had to take the call to arms again, to stop the evil before it could spread again as it once did in years long passed. Simultaneously the Hive had begun multiple operations scattered across the Earth. Their most major of them was the raid of the Yukon to take information from one of our temples, one which I was assigned to closely guard. Playing the local supernaturals there, particularly the Drachen Clan of Vulfax, they had prepared everything to take the Earth from us- an army and all.

But with the efforts of one brave soul I planted within that clan just a decade and a half over ago, those plans backfired and their army fell apart. The Dragon Lord of Vulfax, drowned by the power of the Hive, had risen to take on the world and fallen by his false daughter. In that battle, Elise Bakuuva defeated the mighty Azala Bakuuva, crushing the enemy’s plans for a conquest of Earth. At the same time, young Elise had also helped expose something beyond just our old adversaries- new forces had arisen and reawakened others.

Subordinate to the former Vampire King, Arkaza the Demon was revealed to be working in tandem with many others who had made the Nospheross fall possible. In the past, the Vampire King known as Hisan had caused many a problem for both sides of the war, marking his followers a concern always. And then, of course, that one with the mask in the white, and the doppelgangers following it.

Under the command of Leon Sycamore, the Hive and its allies began to go on the move. Their objective, the Shards to the Mirror of Sealing. Divided, they would hold shut the space-time anomaly back to Sillith, keeping the Dharkanian’s main army at bay in our home system. After all, they’ve had about twenty thousand plus years to ready for us. Together, they would unseal that anomaly and unleash hell upon the universe.

A task though that is not so easy, as the thirteen are scattered across the universe via other anomalies. Still, as the weeks pass by, it poses greater risk. Already there are several worlds turning against the Tribe’s alliances, flocking to join the Hive for the promise of power. Some worlds have even been plunged into a state of civil war, a divide in culture for different needs and wants. At the same time though, it isn’t just societies flocking to join our enemy, as many a brave soul also joins up with our own faction to oppose the coming darkness.

That one child in particular… she would become the key to many things…

A brisk coolness, hooting of owls, the casual rustling of branches and the surrounding brush. Floral and fauna, alive as always on a nice calm evening in the middle of a forest. A couple stay clouds outlined by the glow of the moon light upon their surface, the vast circle drifting high in the sky smiling down upon the land. The environment of this forest was not to itself though, as other disturbances went on the quick move.

Birds flopped, flapping wings as they flew spooked from their nests. Owls, hanging aback, their heads spinning with each and every hoot. The subtle crouching of the deer seeking to be hidden. Then came more humanoid forms, hidden well within the branches of the trees, eyes glowing practically off of the flickering moonlight that came with each breath of the forest.

Gently flowing hair, a gorgeous dark blonde that bordered on the line of a brilliant auburn copper, an intoxifying set of glowing emerald eyes, a near flawless smooth face with remnants of scarring now devoid. A figure dressed in baggy darkish blue tactical pants, a well fit purple shirt showing some fluff with short sleeves turning into dark arm bands, an over jacket of a darker aqua that also flapped minorly within the gust just as the hair did. So her side, sheathed, a katana of significant length to her own height, a tsuba of blue, a a tsuka of white and orange ito, closed with a kashira of purple. Of course, sat like a crouching ninja in wait in a tree, was none other than Elise Bakuuva herself, her katana Sephiroth at her side, her sharp eyes like hawk eyes scanning the forest floor.

Ears, mostly hidden by a flowing river of hair, did protrude one singular object, an ear piece. A simple piece, much like a law enforcement piece, with a wire running down the side of her head straight into the side of her collar and within the jacket. A mouth piece to her right, angled just so, yet not a word was as of yet said. She simply crouched within that branch, mostly out of the view of any who would move below, yet well within an accord to view all below as a glimmer of moonlight cast itself across her face before receding.

Her eyes, far brighter than before, still could not be simply seen. In all much change had come. Her figure had filled slightly, her color had improved, her hair strengthened and darker, her eyes brighter and filled with life. Her face, shown with confidence, her breath held a steady.

“Krzz- hey Bakuuva, you got anything in your sight line yet? Over,” came a voice over the ear piece, calm, collected, male sounding.

With so little of movement, wasting nothing, her right arm bent with her hand stretching towards her ear piece, her fingers running along a side button, “Negative Agent Omocha, I haven’t seen a shred of movement yet.”

“Krzz- yeah south side is clear too. These loonies might just be too scared to make a move. I don’t blame them. They don’t want to be blown away by the Wicked Witch of the Step,” came a new voice, this one mid-tone, clearly jokingly stating his report.

Elise smirked wide, eyes rolling as her fingers pressed upon the button once more, her lips parting to send forth a response, “I’ve told you already Vern, I am not adopting that as my code name so forget it.”

“What? Ah come on Bakuuva. Fine, how about- the Evil Wicked Step Sister, eh? You see, it’s clever because you’re our sister here, you’re wicked in battle, you’ve got a step that could put a pianist to bed, and you’re just evil with how you fight.”

“Ok so one, that wasn’t that clever. Second, really? A pianist doesn’t throw down or dance. Third I am not that evil, I just try to end things quickly so our losses are minimized.”

“Yeah well your friggen Hemlock Bombs are terrifying. I still remember when Ruddy tripped into them. Our medics were going frantic. I still don’t even get how you use, uh- constipated Hem-”

“Concentrated.”

“Whatever, concenptrated hemlock. Isn’t that stuff toxic and fatal?”

“Well you see, it’s really simple with a mixture of other compounds to suppress certain-”

“Alright alright, that’s enough you two,” came the voice of Omocha once more, far more commanding this time around.

“Sorry about that Agent,” Elise said with a sigh, her smirk having now become a smile.

“Yeah if you guys are quite done, we’ve got movement from the West,” came a fourth voice, this one female.

“What do you see Cirice?” Elise questioned at once, her smile fading, left hand resting upon the end of her blade.

“Well-”

Not too far from Elise’s position, close within one to two kilometers, up in another tree was another individual. This one cloaked in a red dress with black leggings and black arm bands, long flowing black hair, eyes orange as copper. She stood in the tree, hand to her ear where her piece sat. Far below on the forest floor, moving from a far off area of the forest, their came a lot of movement and the sound of marching.

Marching feet, left right left right left right, all in perfect sync for the most part other than what moved at the head. Just under two dozen moved irregularly. The hundred or so moving in sync moved all the same, were dressed mostly the same, and carried a similar appearance. Lifeless eyes, graying flesh which contained many stitches upon many, dressed in standard dark tactical gear. Many with rifles, some with only pistols.

At the head moved several dressed in a variety from tactical gear to rags to civilian clothes. One at the head marched dressed well, like a count out on the town. Cowl, vest, dress pants, slicked hair. The entire unit weaved in and out of the trees, sticking mostly together heading East into the forest.

“We’ve got about a hundred undead inbound, fronted by Wulf’n and I’m assuming and one Vampiric,” came the response via the ear piece, “Heading your way Bakuuva. This is definitely the group that took out Commodore Outpost.”

“How many armed this time?”

“The whole unit. Most of the undead are armed. None of them appear to be Dires however.”

“Normal zombies with guns? Hell, I’ll give Arkaza that one,” Elise mumbled, her fingers off the ear piece as she said it; though soon said fingers would return to the button and press it, “The zombies are not a problem if we take out the commander. The Wulf’n won’t be able to give them orders. Can you tell which one is the Vampire?”

“Oh, very easily. The question is though, is there a Ghoul or two mixed in with the Wulf’n?”

“I can neither confirm or deny. You better get ready. Armageddon is heading your way Bakuuva.”

“Oh please Cirice,” Elise said with the slightest of chuckles.

Her emerald eyes would dance, glancing from the bottom ground of the forest floor off to neighboring trees in the area. To most, perhaps hidden figures, to her they stood out so very easily. Various outlines lay hidden in the trees, standing and crouching mixed, some very well noted by the warmth of her eyes. A few trees to the East where there stood upwards of four, then a few to the North where there was a mix of three. To the South, there were two.

“Tell Domino Squad to stay on standby to cleanup the leftoves, and- my regards to Tony for being a good janitor,” Elise concluded.

“I heard that krrrz-” came another voice over the channel.

“Give us a break Elise,” went another, “You don’t want to get burned by the Captain again do you?”

“No Dryden I’m good, heh heh. Alright. Either way, Vulfax Squadron will handle this. We’ve faced far worse. Right guys?”

“Ten-four boss,” came a laugh.

“Will you guys shut up?!” barked a disgruntled man, “They’re near!”

Indeed, the marching had come, the sound of twigs snapping and the grass being ruffled. The marching of boots upon the ground, however soft, came very noticeable. All those in the trees sunk back in, hiding. The marching continued, echoing throughout the forest. Step, step step, step. Coming like thundering applause, it now was right behind Elise, coming straight behind her.

In no time at all the marching was beneath, her eyes still staring down. Right into the clearing the army marched. Dressed as they were, forces on the move. At the head there moved the one, the count, the apparent leader of the forces below. Behind this leader sat out in front were the many in differing uniforms, some combat ready, some in rags, some civilian, all gauged to be the Wulf’n Zaherian. Behind that group, the march of a hundred or more Undead.

It was the sound of the uniform walkers, their boots stomping upon the ground as they moved, enough to silence anything in that forest. Her eyes glanced from below to up ahead again, to the North- to the South- to the East. Heads nodded back, weapons drawn, figures so slightly moving-

“WAIT!”

Those gorgeous emerald eyes blinked, blinked for but a moment as a report came in at once. Her fingers immediately pressed the button, “What is it?!” she whispered with a hint of venom.

“We’ve got more unfriendlies inbound!”

“What?!” came a choke over the channel.

The marching of hundreds of boots upon the ground, that is what came behind. The girl from before, still in her tree, stared with eyes like saucers. On the floor beneath her, the floor of this forest, there moved a solid sea of bodies. A line had come forward, with a range of soldiers behind it. Dozens and dozens marching, dragging back behind the first unit, hundreds upon hundreds of undead had recently entered the region.

“I’m telling you, we’ve got hundreds more coming up behind! It’s like a sea of zombies down there!” Cirice replied.

“Son of a-” Omocha could be heard before he was cut off.

“Lieutenant Bakuuva, your orders?” came the voice of none other than Britt Bakuuva, her former older brother.

“Bakuuva,” Omocha began, “You’re only going to get one damn shot at figuring this out. We do NOT have the resources to take out this entire army. You need to take out the commander before he can give the zombies an order, stat!”

She looked down, watching the first wave move perfectly into view. The emerald gaze moved, first to the Vampiric at the head, cocky and strutting his power. They stood there, studying for but a moment… then they drifted, drifted to the warriors. All of them moving irregularly, some bold and confident, others subtle and focused. Then they shifted again, cast right upon the undead ocean below her that was about to more than triple in size from the wave coming up behind. Finally, those precious eyes of hers shut.

“Well? Bakuuva??” Omocha repeated.

“You guys wait up here, I’ll be back,” came her response, her right hand moved away, her right arm lowering.

“Hey- wait, Bakuuva!”

Her knees bent and stretched tall. Up she stood, no longer crouching, and in a simple move she simply stepped forward and right off the branch. Her hair flew up, her coat flapped, and down she went as the zombies passed her by, hands in her pants pockets. Eyes open and looking straight down at the ground as the air flew around her.

Step

With grace, she landed upon the ground, her left foot first, then her right from her slightly bent knee. Standing straight, her hair flopped back down as did the coat tail of her jacket, her head tilted up, eyes to the back of her enemy. A grin formed as her eyes narrowed.

“Hi.”