The Reckoning:Storyline

Full Back Story

Blood III: Planned Chapters

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• Chapter One: The Blood Hand
• Chapter Two: ShadowCorps
• Chapter Three: Mana Force
• Chapter Four: Claws of Beasts
• Chapter Five: Eye of Epiphany
• Chapter Six: The Power of Tchernobog

"2029, a year after the destruction of the world's largest corporation CabalCo which has left the world in economic and political chaos with degradation, depression, and riots all over the world. The destruction of CabalCo has proved even more devastating for the company's deep sinister secret masters: the dark cult Cabal leaving them demoralized and presumably doomed. A new power has risen from the dark rubble of CabalCo, Damian the little known son of the great Gideon, and the heir to the Cabal throne. Seeing himself as the new “Word” of the Cabal he has set out to recreate what his father had done before him, take the Cabal out of the ashes and bring them back to glory. Unlike his father however he decides to seek it out through the traditional ways of dark magic and the occult. Events during Gideon's and Caleb's duels have also marked changes in the Cabal separating them into three regiments with a loose alliance with each other under Damian. ShadowCorps, the remains of the former CabalCo military empire lead under the much feared and respected Slavic warrior: Commander Kaamos. Along side him is the Necromancer's: Mana Force an elite sect of magicians and the remains of the order of Zealots which have been attempting to enhance the Cabal's connection to the spirit world. Damian himself leads that last and by far most powerful sect: the Eye of Epiphany named after the colossal, ancient, and evil temple of Tchernobog and is the most menacing and organized of the sects.

Damian's plan for power consists of more than just reorganizing and force building, as he is attempted to call up old allies. In a shadowy secret meeting Damian has found and recruited the oldest of Cabal loyals: the long disappeared beasts who had fled after the destruction of the new Chosen. The beasts had been kept alive though the leadership of the twin stone gargoyles: Petros and Lithos the heirs of Cheogh. The long exile has weakened the beasts however, with the spiders nearly extinct. Together the Cabal is aiming once again towards total power, not from fighting Caleb however but through rebirth. They plan to override the darkest of laws, the laws of death and resurrect Tchernobog's generals and the dark being himself thus bringing the long wars of the past century to a dramatic conclusion.

The Chosen meanwhile had already returned home from the otherworld, and have not investigated the Cabal believing it to be far-gone organization with no purpose. Also aided by the Cabal's moving away in secret, well out of the public eye. The Chosen themselves have taken up army building, recruiting the best warriors around into the Blood Hand whose goal is to return the Chosen back to the power they wielded along side Tchernobog well over one hundred years ago. However how long can such two all powerful forces remain apart, it is inevitable that the Cabal and the Chosen will battle again. It is just a matter of when and how...”

Chapter One: The Blood Hand

The Chosen's Return

The following Introduction is based on "How much time has passed", which is part of Hamish Wilson's "Tome of Blood" series of Fan Fictions, it is used with permission from the author.

Caleb adjusts his hat on his head, looking down at his victim and firing. It lets out a little cry and then dies with a look of peace on its beastly face. Caleb looks at its face, and begins to envy this Shikari creature. Would he ever truly feel peace again?

Caleb looks and sees a fire in the distance and a sense of relief falls over him, followed by a sense of dread. This was not the first time he had gotten lost, and the other Chosen will probably mock him about it again. He was not looking forwards to that one bit.

“Good morning, and in case I don't get to see you again, good afternoon, good evening, and good night” Caleb geared. The rest of the Chosen looks up at him. Ophelia seems for a second relieved, but then her face returns to its normal hard emotionless expression. Ishmael and Gabriela barely look away from their warming fire.

“How many times has it been now Caleb...” Ishmael comments as Caleb seated himself by the fire with them. “Not right now, I am really not in the mood” he mutters as he puts his sawed off back into its holster. He starts reflecting about how he came to this point in life. He was once only a gunfighter fighting for his own purpose, in the days when the North American west was a wild and untamed place. “How long it seemed, how long ago it was” he thought to himself. He feels that he wishes for those days again, when life was simple.

He then thinks back to the day when he first heard the name Cabal. That day could have been the most important in his entire life. That day was etched into his mind forever. It was fun at first, finally a mission he could fulfil. Then his master Tchernobog, the one that binds, devourer of souls, changed his life forever.”You have failed me, I disavow you all” Caleb remembered him saying, right before he killed him and the rest of his Comrades.

Caleb and the rest of the Chosen set out for another days travels around noon, if time really did pass in this desolate place.

Evening was fast approaching now, and something in the horizon had finally peaked Caleb's interest. Ishmael to is also intrigued by the shape in the distance. “It wont be much further now” he states matter a factly, as they all settle down for the night. “What is not much further” Caleb asks, with a tinge of annoyance. Ishmael never told him anything about what was going on. “Do you not know why we have been travelling to for all these weeks?” Ishmael asks. Caleb, Ophelia, and Gabriela just looks at him blankly. Ishmael rolls his eye's and groans and then stars to explain.

“After Caleb sealed the rifts between the realities, I knew there was only one way for us to return home” Ishmael explains. “There is one rift, which can only be sealed from Earth's reality. It was opened by CabalCo during one of their experiments. We must go through it, and destroy their machinery, otherwise our reality is till under threat”. Caleb did not understand everything Ishmael said, but he had comprehends enough that he would finally be going home. “I really need a rest” Caleb thinks, "I am thinking now more than I am killing!”

Ishmael leads the Chosen to what he says is “their last day of desolate toil”. It is around noon when they arrive at the large stone circle that they saw on the horizon the day before. In the centre is a large spiralling vortex, which must be the last rift between the worlds.

Ishmael examines it for a long while. Finally Caleb impatiently grumbles “Well, now what?” Ishmael continues thinking for a second and then says “I do not think we can just enter, we must make sure we know here we will be arriving. Maybe we should send someone as a scout.”

“I will go, but you cowards better follow me” Gabriela says in her thick accent. She proceedes to the vortex and jumpes in, and immediately disappeares. The remaining Chosen wait for a couple of minutes.

Caleb begins to sing to himself, “Its a long to Tipperary, its a long way...” He is interrupted by a severed head of a Cabal soldier being flung through the vortex. “That probably means we should go now, yes” Ishmael said, as the three of them approache the vortex. Caleb sees the world dissolve into green as he, Ishmael, and Ophelia enter the vortex, not knowing what is on the other end.

Caleb opens his eyes to see that they are in a large room. There is alot of electrical equipment around the place, and Caleb realizes that he is in a Cabal laboratory. “This place should be giving me kickbacks” he mutters to himself. Gabriela is examining one of the machines, her large chain gun covered in Blood. Ishmael stands examining the largest machine of them all, that is in the centre of the room.

“This is probably the singularity generator. We just need to destroy this and the rift will seal” Ishmael says, as he examines the machine closely. Gabriela aimes her chain gun at the machine and fires. She is surprised however when it does not even make a dent. “What the hell is this?” she groans. “The metal is to thick for ordinary weapons, do you still have any explosives Caleb?” Ishmael asks.

“God damn it” Caleb thinks, he had used the last of his explosives on the Nightmare. He is about to tell the rest of the Chosen this when they have an unwanted visitor. “Crudox Cruo” the Cultist says as he takes out an assault rifle. Caleb immediately jumps and pushes Ophelia out of the way of the bullets. The cultist then aims for Ishmael, but Ishmael runs out of the way of the bullets and uses his soul staff against him. The cultist falls to the floor with a scream. “Pathetic insects” Caleb taunts, lifting himself up again.

More Cultist had arrive.

<Play Begins>Players has too shoot all Cultisits in the Room<Play Ends>

Caleb then turns to see another cultist coming at him with a knife from behind. The cultist is about to strike when it is shot down by a sniper shot. Ophelia somehow has managed to hide behind a couple of boxes and has set up a sniper position. Caleb hears a cultist shout, this time in English “Come on, lets get out of here. We must return with more forces”. They have to act quickly now before the cultists returned.

Ishmael notices that one of the boxes which Ophelia used for cover has the words “Caution: Explosive Materials Inside”. A smile appeares on Ishmael face, knowing that a great explosion is coming.

<Play Begins>The Chosen Leave The Room, Player must fire at the explosives and survive the explosion.</play ends>

They have done it, all the rifts are sealed. They exit the building and walk into the outside world.

They are standing on a large hill, in the distance you can see the sprawling city that is New Town before them. It is not the city Caleb was born into, but it is the closest thing to home for him that exists. He and the other Chosen simply stare down at the City, a mild wind blowing against them. Caleb then lets out a smile, and the other Chosen smile alongside them. They are home again.

The Union

The Chosen walk toward New Town. Suddenly they are ambushed by a large group of Shakari.

<Play Begins>Defeat the Shakari<Play Ends>

"What the Hell? I thought we defeated these guys!" Gabriella Exclaims

"Ah yes, well we have sealed the rifts however, a few lingering Ancient One forces still remain in our relm. The only way too be rid of them is too go an remove them." states Ishmael

<Play Begins>You Along with The Chosen continue walking towards New Town, along the way you encounter inocents, you may ignore them or kill them as you wish. Finally, you reach the edge of town. You see various Ancient One creatures and along with the rest of The Chosen you attack and defeat them.<Play Ends>

Caleb is about too blast a remaining Shakari when it is ambused by a bunch of people.

"What the!" Exclaims Caleb

"Now this is interesting..." meuses Ishmael

"Who are you?" Caleb demands

"What the hell are you?" replies one of the people

"Watch your mouth, punk" demands Caleb

"Calm down you dumn basterd" says Ophelia

Caleb grumbles

"These 'punks' could be useful" says Ishmael

"How?" says Caleb

"Well we are both after the Ancient Ones, it would be useful too have some help, not too mention that there are still Cabal running around after us..." Ishmael mueses but is cut-off

"Hey, we arn't just a bunch of 'punks' we are an elite militia. You say the Cabal are after you?" says the person

"Why yes they are" replies Ishmael

"Well then it safe enough too tell you. We are a resistance group who formed too bring down the Cabalco monopoly. We were working on a plot too assassinate Gideon when the creatures arrived. Our first plan was too let them cause havock, since they were attacking Cabalco soldiers, but it soon became apparant that they were attacking without descrimination. We put our plans of revolution on hold and set forth too defend against this invasion" states the person

"How very interesting." says Ishmael "We should team up. The Cabal are after us, and we need too stop the Ancient Ones from destroying this relm."

"Hmmm, tempting we watched you fighting those creatures, you could be useful too us too." person

"Hey we will be the bosses around here!" states Caleb.

"You watch yourself! We have you surrounded!" person

"Go ahead, i've fought worse than you!" threatens Caleb

"Woah, woah, woah, so much hot headedness..." Ishael "Lets just team up for now, and worry about who is boss of whom later"

"...ok" Caleb

"Right then lets go too our HQ" Person

A Bloodoath Forged

The Chosen, and the people arrive at the HQ of the resitance group. Shocked faces are on the other members as they see The Chosen for the first time. Finally an old man approached.

"Are you Caleb?" he asks the old man

"What's too you" replies Caleb

"Can it be? Are you really the mysterious man named Caleb?" replies the old man

"Who the hell are you" replies Gabriella

"Huh?" the old man looks away from Caleb "What? Ophelia? Ishmael? But only Caleb was resorected!" Exclaims the old man "And who are you?" he points at Gabriella

"Gabriella, its a long story" replies Gabriella

"What is all this" asks a man who appears too be the leader of the group

"We have before us Gods!" exclaims the old man

"What do you mean by 'gods'" asks the leader

"Well not quite gods, but pretty close, we were the great Tchronobogs most loyal servants until he cast us down." explains Ishmael

"These are The Chosen Ones of old!" exclaimed the old man "This man here" he points at Caleb "is the "great betrayer which the Cabal speak of."

"You mean he's real?" asked the leader

"As real as you want me!" replied Caleb

The leader approaches "I know about these 'Chosen', and if you really are them then prove it!" he demands

"Ok then" says Ishmael as he uses his sole staff too lift the leader into the air "Do you believe us now?"

"Y y y es!" the leader stammers

Ishmael puts him down. "Ok then we are in agreement."

"What do you want from us?" asks the name terrified leader

"Since the Cabal have its soldiers, we need our own group of soldiers, if you pledge loyalty too us then we will reward you once the Cabal have fallen." offers Ishmael

"And if we refuse?" asks another member of the group

"If you refuse..." Ishmael toys with his staff "the you may regret to consequences"

"Ok we will join yous" the leader says

"Excellent, now would you happen too have anything too eat?" replies Ishmael

They move off.

Next we see the Chosen along with some of the group, including the old man, the leader, and the one who talked too them when they first met, and the one who challenged them. They are all eating.

"Someone pass the wienies." says Ishmael and just then hot fudge is placed on the table "Mmmmmm, Fudge" he says

Just then a panicked man runs into the room, "Cabalco soldiers have found us, they are storming the building!"

Just then a group of soldiers runs in.

<play beings>Defeat the Soldiers in the room, the other members of the group as well as the Chosen fight alongside you</Play Ends>

"These aren't regular Cabalco soldiers!" exclaims the leader "Their uniforms are too dark! Also they are better trained! Something weird is going on!"

"No time for that no!" exclaims the challanger "They have found us, we must evacuate!"

<play begins>"Come I'll show you the secret tunnel" says the leader

You and The Chosen follow, along the way you encounter these mysterious Cabalco soldiers, as well as few regular ones, and even a few cultists.

You reach the tunnel<play ends>

"Come we must leave!" shouts the leader

The Blood Hand

The Chosen and several of the group emerge from the other end of the tunnel.

"This is bad" says the leader

"We must team together but we need too know you names

"Maxwell" replies the leader

"Peter" replies the old man

"George" replies the man who challenged them earlier

"Albert" replies the man who first met them

"Ok, you already know our names, now what is the name of your group" replies Ishmael

"We just call ourselves 'The Resistance'" says Maxwell

"Well that is all good but with the addition of us 'Chosen' as leaders we need a better name..." muses Ishmael

"How about 'The Blood Hand'" offers Ophelia

"Good, good we are still 'The Chosen' and your leaders, however, you can be called 'Bloodites'" says Ishmael

"Sounds good too me" says Maxwell

"We need a central point for 'The Chosen' and the 'Blood Hand' too gather" say Ishmael

"I know just the place" says George

The Chosen and the Blood Hand walk off

Strange Happenings

The newly formed Blood Hand and the Chosen near a damaged bunker-like structure that seems to have been under heavy bombardment from the past. It is nestled in a large valley near town.

"This place used to serve as a Cabalco outpost, mainly to watch over any known threats that were passing through the valley bridge over there." says George, as he points to the bridge.

"Both don't look too sturdy to me." says Caleb, adressing the building and the bridge.

"Well the outpost can easily be repaired by our elite engineers and technicians, while the bridge will take some time." George replies to Caleb.

"Hm...well how much damage can this heap of metal and concreate take?" asks Caleb, directed to George once again.

"As long as they don't bring in tank armor divisions, then I think it is a safe bet that this old building can take just about everything." says George.

"We are wasting vaulable time gentleman, as the Cabal will most likely try to ambush us once again. Let's take it inside, shall we?" says Ishmael, with a hint of impaitence in his voice.

Then all move inside the base and begin to examine the interior of the structure. They push through the metal double door and proceed.

"Damn, this place looks like Hell. Heh, I like it!" says Caleb.

"While you see destruction, I see opportunity. We can set up a powerful center of commands once we sweep up all the remains of battle in this place." retorts Ishmael.

"I also spy a few watch posts at each corner of the outside of the base. Also two protecting the main entrance we just went through. There seems to the be a cozy sniper's nest in the center of the roof, I call it." says Ophelia.

"Alot of sandbags around this places." says Gabriella. "Putting these up against this place will make this place a fortress."

Maxwell begins to speak. "So, is everyone happy with this place? I think this place will make a nice home for our cause." asks the Chosen.

They begin to look at each other, giving eachother nods of the head on the building. Finally, Caleb looks to Ishmael. "So Ishmael, feel like moving?"

"My anwser is yes. But I feel uneasy about this certain place. It feels too good to be true."

Caleb examines his surrondings again. "I think I know what you mean."

Out of now where, groans and moans are heard from all around the outpost. Shuffling of feet is heard at the entrance of the base. Without notice, a Bone Leech leaps from the shadows toward Ophelia. She becomes notices the insect and quicky dodges the creature. She pulls out her 9mm Beretta and guns down the creature with one blast. It is clear her and the others what the threat is.

"Bone Leeches! This must serve as a nest for these bastards. Drudges are among us as well." says Ophelia with disgust toward the dead insect.

"These things are everywhere!" says Gabriella as she lifts up her Vulcan Cannon.

A Drudge Lord teleports in blocking the entrance outside. Soul Drudges seem to emerge out of no where.

"Bring it on!" says Caleb, while taunting the Drudge Lord.

<Play Begins> You must battle through waves of Drudges teleporting into the outpost. The Chosen and Bloodite aid you in battle against the monsters. Once the final wave of Drudges are destroyed, the battle ends. <Play Ends>

"Who wants some, huh? Who's next?" says Caleb in a violent and hasty voice.

"I think they are all gone." says Albert as he reloads his assault rifle.

"How where they able to cross the rift? I thought we closed it already!" says Caleb to Ishmael.

"This is very unexpected. Hm..." Ishmael says to himself.

"Oh well, I guess theres killing to do." says Caleb.

"We need to fix this palce. Maxwell, how fast can you get your repair squad over here?"

Maxwell  begins to speak once again. "In about fourty five minutes, sir. We can get the convoy to this outpost, but they will have to cross a series of dangerous military roadblocks."

"Dangerous?" says Caleb.

"Yes, just as the creatures attacked us here, they will try to attack the men inside the trucks. Someone has to get out there and be ready to spill some blood."

Caleb realizes that the convoy is the only hope for their future command center. He decides on what he will do.

"Well, I got enough shells to spare. I'll get out there and protect our guys, while you hold down the fort. How far is it?" says Caleb.

George interjects. "A few clicks away from here. It will be hard to get there on foot, but it is the only way."

"That's all I need to hear. I'm going."

"Be careful sir, those men are count on you and your legendary skills." say Maxwell in a load and clear voice.

Caleb stops for a minute, but says nothing, he heads out though the door, ready to face another battle.

<Play Begins> You must reach the roadblock by traveling there through cliffs and hills fo the valley. Shikari, Soul Drudges, Drudge Lords are one of the many enemies you must face. You will encounter a few Cultists from time to time, most of them battling the creatures as you are. The level is complete once you reach an entrance to a underground tunnel.<Play Ends>

Caleb walks through the metal gate of the underground tunnel and scans the area. He spots a few ShadowCorps Assains fleeing from the Shikari.

"Hurry, men! We must stop the enemy at the road block!" instructs an Assasin captain to the soldiers. Caleb decides to pursue the ShadowCorps and stop them.

<Play Begins> You have to explore and battle your way throughout the tunnel, and hopefully get to the roadblock in time. The end of the level is when you find the ladder to the surface.<Play Ends>

Caleb climbs up the ladder and pops up the manhole cover, revealing his gleaming red eyes in the darkness. It is dusk, and the road block is in his sights, but he spots the same men garbbed in black. It is the Assasins of the ShadowCorps. They have made a light fortifaction with sandbags. The same Assain Captain he saw in the tunnels is visable, and he is equipped with a tesla cannon, along with Assasin bodyguards with Sawed-Off Shotguns.

"Oh, a sercurity checkpoint, looks like I'll have to turn back. Heh, heh, heh!" mutters Caleb to himself.

<Play Begins> When all the Assasins are defeated, along with the captain, the level will end and the convoy will drive through the pass. Keep in mind that there is no time limit in this mission, so feel free to kill at your leisure<Play Ends>

After blowing a fine hole through the last Assasin of the squad, the convoy nears the pass.

"Well it's about time." says Caleb.

A Bloodite escorting one of the trucks notices all the dead and bodies and Caleb. He is shocked that he took out a whole squad. " Man! You killed all these Cabalco bastards? You are one tough guy!" says the soldier.

"Well, I aim to please." says Caleb jokingly with the soldier. "You know where to go, private. See to it that these men make it to the post."

"Yes, sir!"

Caleb watches as the last truck makes it through the road. He reloads his shotgun and jumps the last truck and rides along with the men inside.

"Hey, how's it going?" says Caleb in a casual voice.

The Bridge

The repair team has made it to the outpost and repairs are all ready being made. Caleb and the Chosen are near their end of the bridge, discussing the problem with the broken bridge. Maxwell is neaby with Caleb.

"Maxwell, how long until the base is repaired?" asks Caleb.

"Well, judging by the time, we'll have it up by morning"

"...well let's just hope nothing tries to kill us. Be it man or monster." says Caleb.

Caleb begins to take a closer look at the what is a across the valley from his side. It appears to be a cave entrance into the into the earth. Then, a bloody shout of pain and terror is heard from deep inside the entrace.

"AHHHHHHH..."

"What the hell was that?" asks Caleb to the other Chosen.

"Sounds like someone getting his vital organs ripped into shreds." says Ishmael.

"Just another Shikari, like always." says Ophelia, without giving much interest into the deathly scream.

"That don't sound like something a Shikari can cause." said Gabriella.

"It doesn't matter, we can get there anyway." said Caleb, to quickly defuse the converstation. "Even if it was something else, why the hell should we risk our lives trying to save the poor sap?"

"Excuse me for my rudeness, by we can't just let him die! We have to save, because we are the only ones-." says Maxwell as he is quickly cut off by Caleb.

"Now you hear me boy, we don't save or care about anyone but ourselves in this army. I will only say this once, the Blood Hand and the Bloodites only exist to bring us, the Chosen, back to where we were. Back at our seat of power. If we, or I, wanted to, we can destroy all of you. Understand, Max?" said Caleb in a very sinister voice, a voice that is sure to strike fear intp anyone.

Maxwell quickly tries to regain himself and begins to speak in a fearful voice. "Yes,.......sir." He then leaves his leader and goes with the rest of the other Bloodites.

Ophelia begins to look at Caleb as he rejoins the Chosen.

"Do you really think that was needed, Caleb?"

"We can't have any kind of disturbance in the Blood Hand, not on my watch. I won't let it happen again."

"Again? What are you-" she also is cut off.

"Ophelia, please?" says Caleb in a stern voice.

Her face is quickly filled with hate and defeat, as she detests being ordered around.

"Fine" says Ophelia, with the sign that something was holding her back from attacking him.

Caleb begins to walk away from the others to examine more about the entrance across the valley. The others begin to talk amongst themselves.

"What the hell is his problem?" says Ophelia to the others.

"Let him pop a few brains, Ophelia, he just needs time to himself." suggests Ismael

"...I guess" says Ophelia with alot less hate toward the man.

Caleb decides it is time to act on the cave entrance. Suddenly, Caleb is wisked away random to an unknown location. Everyone is in shock of what just happened.

"What...what just happened? Ishmael?" ask Ophelia with concern in her voice.

"In appears to be a portal, most likely due to the damages in the rift. This could explain why the Drudges and Shikari are appearing in our world yet again." anwsers Ishmael.

"I knew this would happen again." says Ophelia dryly.

Caleb reappears near a stream, coloured slightly by red.

"...where...where am I?" Caleb asks to himself.

"Aw damn, this is bad..." 

Caleb looks toward a dead body  impaled on a stick. It appears to by a ShadowCorps soldier, by Caleb doesn't know this yet.

"Well, look like I'm not the only one killing around here." says Caleb.

<Play Begins> You must explore the dense riverway and find a way to the cave entrance. Shikari are in abundance here, as well as Bone Leeches. Level will end when you reach an old railway station.<Play Ends>

"Looks like everyone's gone, must of know I was coming." says Caleb, adressing the lack of life in the station.

"There here is! The Betrayer, kill him!" screams a ShadowCorps Assasin.

"...You guys again." says Caleb in a very tiresome voice. "Just let me reload and you'll get you're chance to die."

<Play Begins> Fight your way through ShadowCorps squads and get the railway station running with power. Keep in mind that the only enemies in this level are Assasins and Assasin Captains who have red stripes on their arms and legs. Once you get it powered and running, enter the cable car to proceed to the next level.<Play Ends>

Caleb leaves the car and looks at his location. The another cave entrance, at the opposite side of the mountain. You prep yourself to enter the sheer darkness, with no idea of what is inside.

The Cavern of Sorrow

"Dark...a little too dark." says Caleb, referring to the lack of light within the mountain cave. He stumbles across a dead ShadowCorps trooper and takes his clip-on flashlight from him.

"Well, you won't need this anytime soon..." He attaches it to his shirt beneath heis trenchcoat and with the touch of a button, brightens up the cave.

Bats flee from the powerful LED light and into the comfort of more darkness. Seeing how he had taken from someone else, he figure the soldier should get something in return

"Here, buy yourself something nice." He says as he throws a quarter at the corpses as he walks by it.

<Play Begins> Take a tour throughout the damp caves of the canyon, and try to gain infomation about that scream and the people that are attacking you. On this level, you will be encountering scouting parties of Assasins along with Shikari and a few Drudge Lords here and there. Watch out for Thieves and Bone Leeches. Be more watchful of the leeches, as there is swimming here.  The end is located when you reach the some ancient ruins.<Play Ends>

"Oh wow, some old, dusty temple ruins...how droll." Caleb says with no care for the place at all. Near the gateway to the first room of the ruins, lays a dead Assasin, his chest ripped in half by some kind of monster, most likely Shikari.

"They gutted you, didn't they. " Caleb talking to the dead body." Hey...what's this." The weapon in the victim's grip catches his eye. It's a 44. Magnum Revolver, a very deadly weapon. Holding the bloodied weapon, he begins staring at it, realizing it had more than a decade since he had held one of these. "This is one hell of a weapon." Aiming at a casual rock, he blasts it off of the larger rock it was stationed on.

The rock breaks in a donzen pieces, making the gunslinger smile with glee at his new weapon. Putting the gun away, he walks through the temple doors and into another trial.

<Play Begins> This level will really put your skills to the test, you'll have to use all of your ammo you had collected to make it out in good health. Drudge Priests will make their first appearance in this mod, so be prepared. You'll end the level by reaching a ritual alter with a powerful danger in the middle of it.<Play Ends>

Caleb walks toward the alter and puts one hand on the grip of the knife, sending a surge of energy throughout his body. This makes him jump back.

"Damn!" Roars can be heard from a distances, roars from something big and powerful. From out of shadows, two large, bulking Behemoths stand in front of Caleb, with rage in their eyes.

Under his breath he mutters, "Son of a bitch..."

<Play Begins> You must defeat the twin Behemoths in order to proceed. This is the BOSS BATTLE of the this chapter.<Play Ends>

As the last Behemoth cries in agony, Caleb can only watch in amusement as the beast falls to the ground. "Pathetic." His mind is now set to the dagger. He slides the knife out from the hole into the alter and runs his fingers along the blade. It is rusted with a crimson colour, it can only be one thing. "Blood..." On the dagger's base, the sign of the Cabal is etched into it, a two horned demon. Tchernobog.

Suddenly, a white light appears in the middle of the room, a figure slowly forms. Caleb decides to keep quiet and watch. The figure turns out to be the spirit of a priest, one belonging the dark order of the Cabal.

"Hello, Betrayer." says the priest in a rather calm voice. In a rude voice, Caleb talks back to the man. "What do you want, huh? Do you wanna to steal my soul? Do you wanna turn my bodie into a fine dust?"

"I can see you are still the same disrespectful ruffian you were as Tchernobog's servent. I never espected anything to be different."

"Let me guess, we used to work together, right?" said Caleb.

"You are correct, I am Priest Aster, I have came here from the dead to tell you that this dagger is no toy. If will prove vital to you and your allies." said the spirit.

Looking once more at the knife, he needed more than that.

"You need to tell more."

"I cannot, we will meet again." said Aster

"Wait, I need to know!" Caleb said as he attempt to grab him by his hood.

Caleb finds himself out of the cave and at the opposite side the bridge. He can see that bridge is already finished. Other Bloodites, like George and Maxwell see Caleb appear in their vision.

"Hey, it's him, it's the boss!" yells Max to the others, with George and Peter not far behind. All three men greet their leader, still alive to their amazment.

"Sir, it's been about 2 days, we were about to look for." says Maxwell.

"Really, has it been that long. Must of black out..." says Caleb rubbing his hand across his forehead. "I got a splitting headache."

The walk across the newly built bridge to meet up with the other Chosen. Ophelia is the first one the greet the tired man. "So, did you have fun on your little rescue mission?"

"It was no one, just some more of those soldiers. Don't know what the hell they are." Holding something in his pocket, he pulls out the item and shows it to Ophelia. "What's this?" she asks.

"Consider it an early Chistmas gift." he says jokingly. "I found it in the cave."

He had decided not to tell Ophelia or the others about Priest Aster, they would think he's crazy.

Gabriella starts coming down the path to meet up with the two. "Listen, we have get the hell outta here." An odd look appears on both their faces, they both speak at the same time.

"Why?"

"I just heard from one of our scouts, he said the a party of medium tanks, backed up by light tanks are moving toward our position."

Ophelia srugs off the tanks like their nothing and reacts. "We have the fortress, we take them all down."

"We don't have weaponry or the man power to confront armored divisions, Ophelia. Retreating is the only logically solution."

Caleb, for once, acted on logic instead of his instinct.

"You know, she's right. We can't risk losing men to however owns those tanks." says Caleb.

"What about the fortress, Caleb? We can't just leave it there." Ophelia said.

Gabriella cuts back into the conversation. "Don't worry, those fools still think that the place is deserted. The chances of them investigating the fort is slim to none."

A Bloodite runs toward the Chosen, along with ishmael.

"My masters, we don't much time before they get here, we have to move." says the M16 wielding soldier.

Ismael interjects. "It's your call, Caleb."

"Alright, let's get outta here, I know a place we can go!" orders Caleb to his men.

Maxwell, Peter, and George escort the elder man toward an armored APC that had found at the fort. The Chosen ride in the same APC as the others. All the other Bloodites left in army trucks.

As the Chosen and the new Blood Hand venture out to the unknown, only time will tell what will happen to them.