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Death would have been too lenient for the guilty party in the eyes of the king, no the torture would continue until he was satisfied with the level of brutality. The Jackal was gasping for air just to let it out once more in full force through screams not so much of pain but the intense imagery and the fear it evoked within. Turn by turn of the crank more and more of his intestines wound around the spool for him to watch until they had reached their end. None were spared this horror however as every slave was gathered to watch the spectacle as to set an example for them. His family were placed front and center to view with disgust as the young boy was destroyed in the most disturbing manner. Mother and father averted there gaze as much as they could however all the while the younger brother could not break his stare. The moment was becoming etched deep into his mind and soul with every rotation of the crank, drop of blood, and laugh from the lips of the Leopards.

It was late that evening Torn's life would change for the greater good a midst his own attempt to change it with a knife. As he brought the blade closer to his throat a flash of silver illuminated the empty temple. Zero stood before him extending a hand to him, "Your life is far more valuable than you give credit, child. If you can put your faith in me, than I can help you to deliver vengeance upon those who have done this to you and with your determination overthrow these invaders to reconquer these lands for the Jackals." "I'm just suppose to believe, believe this is even real and not just some dream? My brother was murdered today because someone came to him in a dream and told him how he could break out and free our people," Torn spoke his eyes welling with tears. The markings on Zero's arm spiraled off freely and surrounded the Jackal, "I offer you power beyond what was possible for him. I am truly sorry for what has happened, it is my fault but with this power you can avenge him and all that have been lost to these beasts." "If you are wrong know that I'm going hunt you until my dying day and ever after that. If I can not make them pay for their actions then you will suffer in their place," Torn threatened before allowing the black waves consume him.

He rose from the black haze at dawn, Zero was gone and upon his arm was placed a similar set of markings to what had been on the Wolf. Two slavers stood in the doorway looking at the Jackal he could barely pull himself together as he fought to stand. His tools came flying at him striking the arm supporting him knocking him to the floor again. "Your king doesn't care if your sick or not, report to your duty or you'll receive lashings for your insolence," one commanded however Torn could barely move. The other didn't bother with a warning, "Wasting time telling him, he's old enough to know the rules. Bring his tools, I say fifteen will get him up and moving in a damn hurry."

Torn was still struggling to make his head right while being strung up by his arms while one slaver cracked the whip behind him in practice. He felt something inside but was struggling to understand what it was and how he could call upon it. His concentration broke with the first crack of the whip across his back. This hadn't been the first time he had been punished but only before he would receive one or two lashings. Another snap hit across his arms, this man was a masochist and far more creative with his strikes than most that concentrated on the back alone. By the fifteenth strike blood ran down every bit of Torn's fur with only his head not yet stained red.

With his sickle and scythe they cut him down throwing them in the dirt by his hands after he fell to his knees. His body told him to give up but he tried to press on, force whatever it was inside of him to present itself so he could punish the brutes. Using the tools he stood himself up a bit before feeling something within him click in a way he had never felt before. It was a peculiar feeling but he knew it had to be the weapon that had been bestowed upon him. Rising to his feet it now felt to be the time to use his new gift against the slave masters. Torn readied to strike but as he called upon the power within the result he was left with was unexpected at best.

In puffy haze of blackness his surroundings changed, he was transported far from home finding himself alone in the middle of the desert. Torn was weaker than before now and couldn't bring himself to stand, it was certain death if no one would come across him. The sun baked the blood into his fur and the heat dried away every last bit of moisture in him until he became delirious. His mind was in shambles though he attempted to keep it together until someone would discover him. Time was passing at a slow pace while he lie starring into the sun when suddenly it was blocked out by a shadow. It's owner stood a distance away with a blank expression as he looked him.

The figure became as a puff of smoke as Torn looked to it after which his body began to surge with a painful feeling. Maybe he was thought dead for now as he rolled to his stomach and crawled forward he could see a figure off in the distance Every movement made his body ache worse and though he would try his throat would never allow him to cry out. Torn made his way up the sand dune and rolled from its peak down into an impression beset by four dunes. Breathing heavily he looked to the top of the next dune where the figure now stood blocking the sun from the Jackal's eyes. A shiny bit of metal was produced from the person's side before they launched into the air. Torn could move no further so in fear he sealed his eyes so as to not see the end.

It was dark as Torn open his tired eyes, he was certain he was dead but even so where he was now was a mystery. In this place it was quite cool, he was still dehydrated however now felt more capable of moving to find water. As he rose a clawed hand landed upon his shoulder however the owner was not attached. He tried to remove the hand but it remained to grip him tightly never letting go until a bizarre vision exited the shadows. It was a body but separated and yet still trying to remain together, the head floated above the torso and it above the legs while the limbs were not connected yet tried to remain in their rightful places with the hands and feet punctuating them. Torn put his hand out hoping the being would halt but it came closer until it was face to face with him.

"Do you know.. where.. you are?" a raspy voice struggled to ask from beneath the rusted helmet atop the heap. The Jackal coughed the sand from his throat and forced out his answer, "No. I don't even know how I got here. Am I even alive?" "You have all.. all the signs of life.. breathing.. heartbeat and panic. The boss.. will want to see.. you immediately," the phantom like knight extended his other hand to open the door for the Jackal. Torn was less concerned of where he was to go but how he got here, "Do you know where we are, how I got here?" "This is Paga's kingdom.. Nosga as he so named it.. your means of entry,, I assure you I am.. uncertain.. one moment I am sitting.. peacefully in my cell next.. a maroon cloud filled the area... and there you were. Now come along.. I'm sure... he will want you before him.. understand how you came to being.. in Nosga.. not a normal mortal feat.. after all you'd be.. the first," he said while slowly exiting with Torn.

Torn followed quietly and after a moment he found himself before a shadowy throne behind which was a field of blue flames stretching to the horizon. Two orb like eyes shone from the throne, "Zeta why have you come before me, less you have had a change of hearts you have the least of my concerns," came the disembodied voice of the knight's master. His hand tugged the Jackal from the shadows, "This boy... he is not to be here... he came from a cloud of smoke.. I would think.. that is something.. you would like.. to know." "Zeta leave us, I do believe this is an opportunity that I can not allow to pass. Boy, what is your name?" the voice demanded while the rusted knight slowly walked away. Torn looked to the throne, "I don't think I am supposed to be here, I don't want to be, I'll leave just show me how." "No you needn't run away so quick, I don't want to hurt you after all in fact I want to help you. I know what kind of life you come from, your people they live in chains and in fear of the Tigers. What if I could help you free your people with only the cost of one life?" he asked now with his teeth shining in a smile from the dark. The Jackal's eyes grew wide, "I want to live but if my life can free them then take it." "No. Not your life, the life of one of your oppressors. She lives in a temple beneath the sand where she pretends to be helping your people while in reality is slowly destroying the resistance and the free Jackals with it. She holds a power within her, with it I can free your kind however one of my children will have to procure it for me. All you must do is defeat her, leaver her defenseless so that her power may be taken, understood?" Paga had crept from his throne down and around Torn now. He nodded, "My name is Torn and I will this woman, she will be yours however.. may I have some water?"

"You are ready now?" Paga asked while Torn still tried to get the hang of whatever ability he possessed. Paga had insisted that his means of entrance into his kingdom was by a magical means that he could use to reach his target. Torn nodded slowly, "I think it will be fine, how will I let you know when it is time?" "I will be watching and when the time comes I will send one of my best to finish the job, but before you go I have something to help you," the demon lord spoke before holding out a gift. With Torn's sickle and scythe in mind he built a new weapon for him with two similar blades, this weapon could be broke into two allowing him more ability in battle. The Jackal bowed before the demon king, "I thank you sir, I will not disappoint you, I will free my people." "See that you do for I don't believe your opponent will leave you alive if you relent," he stated before Torn vanished in a puff.

He found himself in a torch lit temple with one visitor to the shine meditating in the middle of the room before the shrine. This character was nothing like anything he had seen and bared features reminiscent of a Tiger or Leopard. Torn knew it had to be his target all that was left to decide was how he would attack so as not to kill her out right. He took his weapon in hand and crept behind the woman, his plan was simple, strangle her until she was unconscious and leave her for whoever was coming to collect her however as he drew closer the scythe blade slid across the ground arousing her suspicion. She was to her feet in a flash and took up a ceremonial blade from the shrine upon sight of the weapon.

"You.. I've never seen you before. What are you doing here with that boy? It's well past your bed time I am sure, go home now and I won't tell anyone," the Lynx spoke calm despite her hostile movement for the sword. Torn looked to her his face now in a scowl as he knew it would be a fight, "He said it was the only way, I wanted to make it quick and painless but now I guess we'll do it the hard way." He kicked off the ground and slashed at her with the scythe missing her by a hair as she darted from his path. She was moving defensively unready to attack as she wondered if he could be a real threat or just some dumb kid. Torn rushed at her again this time she blocked the strike and held him locked in place with her sword between his hands on the grip. They looked deep into each others eyes for a moment while Torn spun the his weapon in hand to bring down the sickle. She was caught off guard by this tactic and received a deep gash into her neck as a result.

The Lynx was losing too much blood from the wound, she iced it over but knew it would only hold for a short time she would have to end it quick. She fired a storm of ice shards that did little but knock over candles as Torn teleported away and once again struck as he caught her off guard. Torn had won all ready but the girl would struggle to fight her inevitable fate. Each attack she tried was easily deflected or evaded as Torn could read the basic movements before she even attempted them. The skirmish came to a halt as she lunged at him only for him to teleport above her and crush her into the ground. She struggled to breath as blood drained out of her mouth, while she tried to call for help. From the shadows the demon who would take her life arrived, it was one Torn was familiar, Zeta. However as Zeta made his way to the woman she went entirely limp, she was dead the battle proved to much and her blood loss was beyond the point of survival.

"She's alive right, Zeta?" the young Jackal asked his eyes wide and filled with fear to the thought of taking a life. Zeta nudged the body a few times and checked for breath before shaking his head, "It would... appear she... had passed." "No, I didn't mean to! Do you think Paga will still help me?" he asked certain it would be a no and Zeta would take him to his master. The knight removed his breastplate revealing a mass of ethereal green smoke with an object hidden within, "You are young.. filled with opportunity.. this was from one.. such as yourself. Paga cursed it.. thought a champion's heart.. within one his own.. would be.. a great beast. He forgot.. even the strongest.. have emotions beyond.. hatred. I give you a chance.. run never return to.. Nosgan." "Zeta he will destroy you if I get away and you can't return with the body," Torn knew the man a demon but refused to turn away. As he replaced the stone heart and armor he continued, "He will imprison me.. he has hopes that.. I will live up to.. his dreams. Go now.. I will survive.. you will find your.. own way to save yours."

As voices echoed down the hall Torn vanished reappearing on dark and cold dune with a path of sand that thick and clumped slightly darker than the rest. It looked familiar and in a moment he realized he had been here before. This was where he had found himself after using his power for the first time and the trail was that of his blood. Standing on the dune he felt a low rumble that soon turned into a quake that shook the sand causing the dune to collapse into the indent between the other dunes. Torn stood atop the newly flattened plain as a pit began to open just a small distance from him.

He was hesitant to step near and as he lifted his foot to take that first step a massive hand popped out followed by its twin that lifted a massive creature from the hole. It sat for a moment on the edge of the gap shaking the dust from its scales and brushing over a handful of fist sized stones embedded in its torso. Once it was finished it pulled its massive hoofed feet from the crater that sealed as that last bit of its form had exited. Dusting of the sand that covered its mask it revealed eyes that reflected back the moon off their empty pools devote of colour. The chains that were connected just below were rusted with blood and nailed to the bottom of it's jaw leaving it open to a minimal degree making it look to never shut.

There was no hesitation as their eyes met, the creature slammed the earth sending a shock that threw Torn into the air. He was caught while airborne and crushed into the sand while the jagged edges claws dug deep into his freshly sealed wounds. Torn's blood once again sprayed across the sands and once again he was near death in the same exact point in the desert. It neared him, come to finish the job, but as it reached for him Torn summoned his strength for one last ditch effort. Puffing into smoke he returned atop the beast and buried his scythe into its throat pulling down as he leapt to the sand. The blade was able to penetrate and cause severe damage but the creature was not yet felled. Its black oozy blood covered Torn seeping into his wounds and burning leaving both injured from the attack. However the demon knew he could easily finish the Jackal and could not relent now. Snapping the chains that held his jaw shut it jumped at Torn with a hunger for the warrior.

The last bit of strength took Torn away in his smoke but as the demon's black blood pulsed through him his ability to decide his emergence was lost. His lids cracked open causing dust to fall from them and let the dim light reawaken his dormant mind. He was floating, how he was unsure, in the fetal position in a bizarre area that was surrounded by a gloomy dismal red hazy light that only allowed shadows and black forms to seen. Before him was what looked to him a giant X extending to the top and bottom of the area and extending behind him in spherical arch. Torn trembled a bit from his still state which caused the rest of the world around him to react, to twitch and move as though coming alive.

"When you get back to Verillia you're not going to be accepted or accustom to the revelations that will only become clear to you then and there," a voice echoed from the center of the obstruction before Torn. His eyes darted around in panic trying to find the source, "Who are you, where are you.. what is this?" "Be silent please, I will speak and tell you all you wonder and all you never thought to wonder but you must be silent while I do. You are beyond your world in my domain, the domain of knowledge, my prison my home. Your being here was predicted long ago and what I was impart upon you had been decided already. Torn you are no longer the same flesh and blood that was enslaved by the Feline, no now you are more, you are born anew as though Torn had perished in the battle. You are now Torque the Lord of Space, Void, he who controls the Nothingness and Emptiness. No boundaries hold you back as you can wander through all worlds in still a mortal form, I envy this. I will awaken your powers fully so no longer will you be burdened by ignorance and not left solely to battle with Deathscythe. You will return to your kind and free them without the help of the demon Lord Paga, I have seen it, I have known it all my life. I know there is much you would ask, much there is I can tell you, however these answers are best life to be found and not given. I will however tell you of two truths; there are others like myself, Overseers of the Realm, you can seek them, find them, and reach their worlds if you desired to, secondly the one who empowered you, imbued you with strength did curse you in the moment. From him the spirits of Pagans entered into you, became one with you, and will forever be with you. Think on this when you meet him again," the stern and seemingly omnipotent voice finished.

Torque was overcome with pain as the world around him faded and transformed into a familiar city street. He was out of breath trying to regain it as two shadows were cast over him talking back and forth. Setting down his hand to push himself back up he caught sight of his fur, his once beautiful fur had gone black and was stripped with random lines of gold. His mind was racing and as he turned to the shadows two smirking Tigers stood over him with chains and a whip. This was home but such a thing would never happen again not with his power, no one could stand against his Deathscythe. The slavers were slashed in half with one swipe of the scythe leaving Torque to see the street in full now causing him to confront a truth beyond his perception of possibilities.

His home was gone yet was still intact however much had changed, buildings come and gone and the monument to the Leopard ruler complete long before it should have been finished. As Torque looked at the workers he could see none he recognized in the sea of people he should have been able to find at least one he knew. Everything was changed but still had its familiar feeling something was wrong but at the moment he could not investigate as more slavers and guards were headed his way. Their blunt instruments and whips would do little against him now that he was stronger than ever.

As they neared him ready to strike he vanished leaving the two sides to clashing injuring one another unable to break from their action in time. Torque appeared outside of the fray, he cracked his neck and separated his weapons taking one in each hand as he stood battle ready. Like moths to flame they came at him with relentless anger however none could match him. His scythe ripped through flesh and bone while the sickle punctured and ripped pieces from the foes. At instance of possibly being overwhelmed Torque would teleport out and beginning again from another front. The slaves were roused by this revolt, slowly they rose against the remaining slavers overcoming them before Torque finished with the last of his opponents.

An elder of the village approached the winded man, "Boy fight like none I have ever seen, you show bravery in the face of certain defeat, and call upon forces beyond the mortals knowledge. We thank you for freeing us, but may I ask your name?" "Tor... Torque, my name is Torque. I was from here but when I was here last we were laying the first stone of that monument," he responded unsure of his words as he sat himself against a wall. The old man laughed, "Now that's hard to believe son, if you were here when they first began construction than you'd be twice as old as I. You must just be a bit delirious from being in the sun, you'd have to come from quite a distance to be running free like you are." "No this was my home, it feels so familiar despite looking so different, it would appear I've been away for quite some time," Torque spoke quietly thinking of his brother who he could never avenge. The elder looked to the other slaves before leaning in close to Torque, "I don't want to give you false hope or the others anything of the like but maybe you are the one who is to liberate us. You aren't as any Jackal I've seen before and your powers is something one does not learn. Maybe you are our protector, our lord come to combat the injustice and indignity they have thrust upon us." "I don't know, in my time away there was one who said that I was a lord and that I would be the salvation of the Jackals but to put faith in one only knew for a moment.. I'm not going to stop fighting to free us, but I don't believe for a second I'm anything other than a warrior," he admitted looking out at the mob of hopeful faces.

The city now purged of every last Leopard and Tiger held a feast for their savior who still seemed quite distracted. "What will you do now, Torque? There are still many cities that hold our people as slaves and in time the army will likely come here to investigate things when resources haven't been delivered," the old man asked at the feast. Torque was pulled away from his quiet contemplation, "I suppose I'll just slaughter them as well, if I could do it here than why not just bring the fight to them." "Eventually you'll be up against Pulsa, he might not be strong like you but you better believe he has half his army waiting inside his palace," another Jackal chimed in from Torque's other side. He wouldn't concern with the numbers against him, "Where is this Pulsa, maybe if I cut off the head of their nation the entirety will fall without fight?" "Did you not hear what I said? An entire army stands between the two of you, I would know I used to live in the northern village before my sight started to go and they sent me down here," the cleric respond between bites. The elder cut in, "It's not a bad idea son but if you're going to do such a thing you'll need an army and I might just know where you'd find it. In the desert where nothing can survive they say there is a colony of Jackals, a resistance, that has been freeing slaves for years. Now if you are going to take on Pulsa they would be the ones to find." "Old man that's just a legend and you know it, you're better off gathering forces from the other cities. We need to free other brothers in chains before we move to take out the rulers," the holy man argued his mouth overflowing with food.

"You have my aid if we go into battle, sir," a young woman informed bowing before Torque who looked with confusion at the gesture. Suddenly, as if on cue, a legion of young men and women rose to bow before the young Jackal who could only become more befuddled by the act. Torque broke the silence, "I thank you all for your willingness to put your lives on the line to help me however none of you are going to do anything. What I did today I did alone and that's the way it is going to stay. None of you have the type of power I do and I doubt any of you have once handled a weapon. This is my fight and mine alone, I don't need your deaths on my soul because you thought you could cut it fighting with me."

The room went dead silent before the woman who had bowed before him stood, "Mister, you might have been a slave, might have even been a slave here, but if you think for even a moment that you lived in the same world we do than you're dead wrong. Do you see these scars and wounds on everyone of us? Those aren't from whips or any punishment the empire could throw at us, no those are from weapons each one of us held. The overseers had us dig a crater in the ground and then build a cage over it. They would throw us in there at, two, four, sometimes eight at a time to see who was the strongest and who would be dead by the end. Every person here is a warrior, sure we never faced another army or had the standard training like they have but there is not a single soul here who didn't face off against others to be the only one left standing. You have the guts to cut up the Tigers but you never had to kill one of your own, if anything you couldn't last fighting with us."

Torque wasn't going to put up with the woman, she may have had a point but all the same with his power he could do anything. With a flash he was gone and walking along the moon lit dunes trying to decide where he should go, there were towns near that he could sense but he wanted Pulsa. To find him he would either have to start small with other villages or just hope he was lucky enough to find the bastard. As he stared into the moon he could feel something off over a nearby dune, he wouldn't have bothered with it however finding Pulsa was on his mind. He had made up his mind to start with the lowest of the army, the slavers, put them through rigorous interrogation until he had his answers.

When he was over the dune he saw that what he had hoped to be Tigers or Leopards were in fact Jackals fighting off a gargantuan scorpion. With a quick rush he beheaded the monster appearing a few steps away as he landed. The others were frightened but Torque hadn't the time to bother about their fear, "I need to know where Pulsa is, do any of you happen to know which city he resides in?" "We don't however our leader should, if you help us with our job we will bring you to him," one informed desperately. Torque shook his head, "This is important but if your leader knows where he is than I'll help, what are we doing?" "Freeing some Jackals from the southern city Erelden," the Jackal warrior informed as he began to lead the way. He laughed at the idea, "For what reason? I'm just coming from, all the guards and slavers are lying in a heap to rot." "How? How could that be possible, did the slaves rise against them?" he asked unsure if Torque was honest. A wicked smile came to his face, "Well with the right push. You know that trick I did? That wasn't the first time, not even the first time today, so what do you say that you bring me the person who knows where to find Pulsa?"

They led him deeper into the desert to an indent in the earth that concealed a secret door leading them deep into the earth. As he followed down the halls he felt as though he had been there before could it be possible he had. Was this where he had slain that warrior, it felt as though it were only a day ago despite what he knew. The leader of the free Jackals was found in a holy shrine that suddenly cemented the reality of where Torque now found himself. He sat before the man in the very spot the woman bled out and the leader sat where he stood that day.

"So you're after Pulsa, the man himself who has killed more of our kind than disease, famine, and the desert in the last one hundred years? I would say your a bit insane but I think at one time or another we have all considered trying to take this battle head on," the Jackal's voice echoed in the quite room. Torque was still a bit nervous to be again in the shrine, "I just need to know where he is, I don't need any one to help or even weapons. If you want any proof that I can do it go to Erelden and ask the people there of how I freed them." "Quena is where you would find him but I'd suggest you wait, give yourself some time to sleep on it or at least plan it out better. One man could do much but still everyone needs a hand now and again," he replied trying to persuade Torque. He wanted out of the room and to end the conversation with haste, "It's not a luxury I have, there are a lot of things that have waited too long for me to hesitate on this for a moment longer. When I'm done maybe I'll come back and help you take back the other cities but right now I have some blood to spill."

Quena was an absolute fortress from the outside, no army would be capable of mounting an attack against it without massive war machines or divine intervention. Sealed gates blocked the off most of the internals of the city from sight yet not peaking but looming over the gates stood a massive structure. The architecture looked to out of place putting significant effort into being the highest structure made it clear this was not a design of the Jackals. Walking into the city and hoping to make it inside the tower was the fever dream of a mad man making it all the more clear to Torque that this was his job and his alone. With his abilities, speed, and skill he would find Pulsa with ease and slice through him before he could even cry out for mercy.

It would be an easy enough job he thought was he analyzed the tower, certain Pulsa would be at the top floor. Feeling it to be too easy he decided first to start his attack in the city center, transporting there to find a few soldiers patrolling the streets. Torque could have made short work of these men without breaking a sweat however he wanted his presence known. The first lost his arm drawing the attention to the screaming man with the black furred Jackal behind him with his hand on the scythe. With one down he sparred with the others putting on a show while wearing them down with quick swipes. As all the attention in the city center fell upon the fight Torque moved to end it; he hooked one in the hind quarters with the sickle and ripped forward while tearing open the others gut with the scythe. He took the bit of entrails hanging out in hand and booted the guard in the chest, sending him rolling across the dirt organs flying out further and further.

With a flash Torque disappeared arriving now on one of the mid levels of the tower hoping for more to fight instead receiving disappointment. The occupants of the room stood quiet and motionless staring at the worker of magic the had come from nothingness. Few Leopards were in the room with a large number of Jackal children hardly old enough to hold a sword. It was a training facility that for one reason or another had been training the young Jackals to fight. Torque looked across the room to find not a single on of the Leopards readying to attack, they stood waiting for what would come. There was not honor in this kind of slaughter and no reason to expose the children to it, Torque vanished moving upstairs to hopefully more violent participants.

The room just below the top was populated by few but all were ready to kill for their master should one a guest arrive unexpectedly. As Torque appeared these five took to battle poses and waited his first move before unleashing their full brutal force. No words came before the strike only a moment of Torque looking over the fighters before connecting his weapons and throwing it into them. None were phased as he followed up with a direct attack on the first in line. The Jackal's combat abilities were much less than he thought of them realizing he was less capable as the other man threw him around the room. As he was tossed before the others he had abandoned his plan of fighting with the same level of honor as a warrior and instead embraced his powers. The four that began to close in on him were vanquished with ease as he summoned a rift that tore them from their places dropping them far beyond Quena. The final man stood at the ready unsure of how to approach but certain he would not fail in his mission of protection.

Torque kicked the Deathscythe back into hand knowing his strength to lie within his weapons and power not his fists. His opponent was armed and ready as he drew his short blade and took a small shield from the wall which he mounted to his arm. The choice of weapons were poor as the Jackal began to work a strategy without even taking a step towards the Leopards. With a quick pull of the sickle he could expose him while parrying the blade. One quick would throw him to the floor and from there the killing blow. A door slammed and behind the Jackal stood an elderly Leopard who hunched over his cane signaling his warrior to stand down.

"It would seem that no matter where or when your kind pops up it is solely to ruin precise planning and stop whatever it is we have worked so hard to accomplish," Pulsa said coming closer to Torque. The Jackal wanted to kill him quickly but was confused, "My kind? You mean Jackals or those with power?" "The later of course, this isn't the first time you have been a thorn in the master's side but so long as I can help it you will be the last," he said resting on his cane staring into the Jackal's eyes. Torque was finished with words and struck the Leopard down with his scythe ripping his head from his body and watching it roll across the floor. However as he watch the head come to its halt he realized that not a drop of blood marked the stone.

The Leopard body turned to dust in the wind and in its place stood a small demon with one horrible deformed eye that was vertical rather than horizontal. "You are a juvenile as one would expect from creatures so young, however your actions are not without consequence, have fun boy," the demon spoke as it walked away dragging the skin it was wearing. The guard behind Torque had been making an eerie and disgusting sound for a few seconds before he turned to face him. As his eyes made contact with it a massive fist smashed into him sending him into a wall with great force. Torque fell from the crater his body had made and spit up a mouthful of blood along with a half shattered tooth. It was then he saw the beast's full form, it's arms were massive and powerful enough to lift the entire bodies weight which had seemingly been unaltered.

The knight launched himself at Torque who barely escaped his path finding it hard to move in his dazed state. With all it's force the creature nearly knocked the wall down as it landed where the Jackal had just been. He teleported around him with haste and cut deep into the creature's side only to be again knocked across the room. His attack had done little damage instead it enraged the creature more than anything else. Torque's mind raced as the beast readied to attack again, he fought himself as it became entirely too clear he would lose if he continued. Even to continue was nearly impossible as found his leg incapable of supporting him. In his moment of hesitation the creature had launched itself and slammed Torque once more this time knocking him down the stairs leading to the room. As the he hit the doors at the stairs' end he teleported away reappearing back in the desert rolling down a dune he had been an hour prior.

The sun was cooking the disgraced warrior but he didn't care he was frozen, completely and utterly frozen in his tracks. He as not in pain or even concerned about his leg, Torque was in shock unable to comprehend what had happened. "I am a Lord, not a filthy peasant and not just a simple warrior or solider but a damned Lord. A Lord should be able to slay a demon and conquer all that stands before him not fail in his sole endeavor... but this isn't it, this isn't the only stop. If I can't kill a demon than I will kill a Lord, but to kill Zero I need to find him, to draw him out," the Jackal sat on the dune contemplating his next move.

A blackness surrounded him and as he looked to the sky he spotted not one cloud but saw the shrinking in the distance. The ground below was falling into a pit that he was sucked into knowing not where he would find himself. As he landed on the pile of sand below the sand stopped falling and he found himself in a drab and dull orange landscape not too different from the desert. Rubble and debris surrounded the area as though something had once stood in this place. In the distance was a bizarre temple that seemed to levitate from the ground a distance too high jump.

"Where am I?" Torque muttered to himself as he began to wander toward the temple in search of any life in the emptiness. A sword was buried into a demon's skull on the path leading towards the temple alongside it lay a suit of well worn armor. Torque didn't bother examining the scene further, "Well where ever this is they have a problem with demons too." "Correction, this is the realm of demons, the master of these lands would say the problem is the mortal," came a disembodied voice that rang all to familiar in the ears. The Jackals turned to find a knight's empty armor removing the blade from the demon, "Zeta? Is that you? It's me Torq.. Torn." "Torn, it has to have been more than one hundred years since I have heard that name," the old knight spoke while stepping closer and hunching over on his blade. Torque was glad to see the old armor, "Yes, I've been gone a long time but now I am back and I have much to do, maybe you could tell me where I am and how I get out of here." "Come child, we will talk where it is a bit safer, if one of Paga's eyes catch a glimpse of you he will be out here in a moment," the knight informed leading the Jackal away from the temple.

"These wastelands exist in a sort of different world than where you originate from. I don't know how but he found a way to make that temple of his hover so after one of his children, like myself, fail him he can banish them only to return by his choice. Your being here is a bit confusing to me to say the least," the old voice spoke as two sat around a thick syrup like pool of liquid. Torque tossed a rock in that sunk slowly to the bottom, "I'm sorry you ended up here, it's because of me if you didn't help me you'd still have a home." "The temple was a prison not a home, I may be out here every evening battling other monsters but out here I am free and I am happy," the knight said kindly resting his hand on the Jackal. He shook off the heavy hand, "I don't know why I'm here though, do you think it is possible Paga found me and brought me down here?" "Most likely but he wouldn't bother with you, not unless you caused trouble for him or one of his children," Zeta mentioned without thinking of what he said. Torque nodded, "Well I know why and where now I just need to figure out how to leave."

"Leave, so soon? Why I didn't bring you here for a tour Torn or should I call you Torque like all your little friends do," came the wicked voice of the demon Lord. Torque turned in his seat, "Well if you brought me here I'd hope for a bit more, now what are you after?" "Same thing I wanted when I hired you and you so gluttony took for your own," Paga harped as he moved closer with a small contingent of beast behind him. The Jackal chuckled, "I don't have that girls powers, never did, and I never intended to kill her she just died. She took what she had to the grave same you will and same I'm going to if you think you're taking my powers." "Torn don't do it, he has all the power here, you wouldn't even make him bleed if you went at him full force. This place is protected by his mark and in it demons are indestructible to all non-demons," Zeta informed as he held back Torque with his sheathed blade.

"Paga the boy is going to leave, then if you want someone to fight you'll have me," Zeta informed as he stepped past the Jackal. Torque look to the knight in shock while the demon laughed, "You think I would waste my time kicking around a solider who could hardly carry out a job and let someone with his kind of powers walk away? Zeta you're old and centuries past your prime, you haven't been a proper killer in years what makes you think you could kill me?" "I don't want to kill you if I don't have to but this kid has hardly done a thing to you and so long as I am able I will not allow you to touch him," the knight spoke as he unsheathed his blade. Uncertain of how things were about to play out Torque too readied his weapons. Paga was not amused any longer, "Old one I will destroy you and scatter your pieces across the worlds if you stand in my way. Jackal, step up and face me like a real man before I have to slaughter this old knight." "Zeta I won't let you die for me, you've done enough for me that I can never repay, let me fight my own battle," Torque spoke up as he came closer to the demons.

"You'll die if you fight boy, you have a whole life ahead of you don't throw it away for me. I have lived my years and seen all that I should have time for me to rest comes soon, just walk away," the weary old voice came only to be ignored. Torque leaned in close, "All my life I have watched others suffer in my stead, while I may have been powerless then it doesn't change that I can and must stand up for myself now. I thank you for all you have done for me Zeta but now is my time to either shine or fall but no matter what happens no that this was my choice not yours." "Kid wait," Zeta called but it was too late as no matter what was so would fall on deaf ears.

With five quick puffs Torque shot from his spot behind Paga and without notice took out the four demons he had brought with him. They were dismembered but still living as Paga finally realized what had happened. The two combatants exchanged glances before simultaneously moving to strike the other before being put on the defensive. Paga may have known Torque had power however he was not ready to battle against such a force. Before either could make contact the Jackal had teleported behind the demon and slashed open his back. Defying his expectation at every step and besting his strongest attacks with ease Torque made it clear he was not going to fail. The Demon Lord was hurt but his wounds began to heal just as soon as they were made, this Torque realized after leaving Paga decapitated only to have the wound heal shut. Only one option remained, Torque would retreat using what energy he had left hoping he would find himself back in the mortal world.

Sand exploded from the ground into the air and blew into the dust storm tearing through the desert not far away. Torque pulled his leg the rest of the way from the divot before collapsing from exhaustion after using so much of his energy. He was near the desert temple, a place he had no ambition to once again tread but in spite of the fierce sand storm he would need to take shelter. Using the Deathscythe in its connected form as a cane he made his way into the secret entrance and down into the first hallway. His weary mind eyes could not see who but someone found him and took him deeper inside as he began to fall unconscious.

Torque awoke to the sound of an argument outside the hall from where he was lying with a wet rage draped across his eyes. "I don't really care what he can do or what your people have told you, he's reckless and self obsessed. That kid will get us all captured and killed or worse, I won't have him in my unit and if you were smart you wouldn't let him join your army," came the voice of an enraged woman. The voice that answered was that of a calm and docile man, "He will lead us to victory in the end, he just needs some guidance. If we help him to see which targets he should chase and when he could be the deciding factor in the fight against Pulsa." "Yeah and who is going to guide him? He won't listen to anyone because he thinks he is better than the rest of us," she shouted, her words echoing against the walls in Torque's room.

The black Jackal emerged shortly after the outburst, "An assault against Pulsa will be near impossible. Even if we break through the city's defenses, free the slaves, and defeat his army we're still up against at least two demons." "You mean to say you think that Pulsa is in leagues with monsters?" the woman questioned utterly annoyed at the implication. Torque laughed quietly for a moment, "He's not working with them, Pulsa is a demon in mortal skins as is his guard. Worse yet his guard might just be indestructible or at least much less fragile than regular flesh and blood." "How did you come to such a conclusion may I ask?" the man broke in taking the words from the woman's mouth. Wiping a bit of sleep from his eye he answered, "How would you think I figured it all out? I went there I fought through a wealth of guards, possibly stumble across a child solider training facility, and then did battle against this guard after cutting through Pulsa's disguise. All in all I suppose it was successful saved for the fact I was nearly crushed to death by that demon." "So what is your plan for defeating them then?" she asked her tone changing to one with slightly less anger. Torque rubbed his head, "I still need to do some thinking on that, it's funny that his wounds began to heal just like Paga's when I fought him. Then again Zeta did say demons were immortal in areas protected by Paga's mark..."

It clicked in his mind why he couldn't defeat the guard, Quena, the tower, or possibly just that room carried the demon Lord's mark. He would need to plan out an attack and a means to lure out the guard to test his theory. However at the present time Anubis along with the majority of the Jackal resistance had different plans for him. They wanted his help to take back to the Jackal lands, to join together all of the Jackals to overthrow the occupying forces and drive them out of Quena for good. It was something he didn't want to afford the time for however it seemed more and more like the only option. Carra, the young Jackal woman, was certain of his answer whether she admitted their need for him or not.

"The Ereldians were going to meet us before the assault right," Carra asked Anubis while they looked onto the horizon at Qwelha. They were joined by Torque returning from the city, "Looks like any military that made it out of Sial are garrisoned here. Shouldn't be anything tougher than what we saw out east or west though." "That is good, the Ereldians should be here by tomorrow. We will attack then with or without them I am sure we will manage," Anubis answered as the evening set in and the sky became orange. Carra looked to Torque, "You weren't see were you? Because the last thing we need is another incident like in Sial." "Key difference between then and now is that I wanted to be seen, if I didn't want to be seen I wouldn't have appeared in the center of town," he smirked before heading to the tents with Carra short behind him.

"So do you care to give us any real details to plan by for tomorrow?" she asked as they reached his tent. Torque saw the question coming and was prepared, "Don't get to worked up about being prepared for tomorrow, it's all going to go to pot the second we hit those gates." "What do you mean, did you see some sort of weapon that might.." he stopped her before she could finish. He ushered her inside to speak in private, "When I was surveying the city I could see what I thought to be a supply run coming from the north. I got in close and was spotted but that's not what concerns me the most about it. It was no supply run, these were reinforcements coming from an encampment somewhere between Quena and Qwelha. The moment we go past their comfort zone the entire might of Quena is going to fill the city full and that will be the end of it. Pulsa isn't an idiot he hasn't been blissfully unaware of what we have done he's been planning and now he waits for us to play into his hand."

Carra was shocked to see how much thought Torque had put forth, "What do we do now, if we are destined to fail and face invasion if we surrender what do we do?" "I have a thought but there is no guarantee that it will do any good when it's all said and done. Pulsa and his guard are demons, demons are mortal unless in their own realm or inside an area marked by a powerful demon. If I can lure them out of the tower in Quena or destroy the mark then maybe the death of their leader will stop them in their tracks," Torque spoke uncertain of himself with only a faint tone of hopefulness. She nodded, "We can distract them, if you can teleport there and do it we will distract the army long enough for you to put the plan in action. I wouldn't risk their lives like this but it might be our only chance and, as much as I hate to admit it, you are one of the finest warriors I've ever known. Tomorrow once we reach the gates you go straight to Quena and you do what you have to do."

Torque had seen through the Leopard's scheme this proven perfectly as the Jackal resistance moved on Qwelha with nearly no resistance between them and the gates. The plan was unchanged as the army neared the gates Torque would teleport away however he wasn't about to run from the battle so immediately. He shot through the gate and shred the waiting forces to pieces before jumping across the courtyard and ruining the war machines that sat loaded and ready but now unable to fire. With one last leap he sent himself to the top of the wall opposing the gate and slashed what he could only believe to be a general or higher military man in two. With Qwelha in chaos and under assault he vanished to the tower of Quena wherein his true enemy awaited.

He entered town just shy of the gate and made his way through on foot seeing no guards or military only a few slavers keeping their gaze fixed on their slaves. The Leopards and Tigers looked shocked and appalled to see a Jackal walking freely in their streets. Torque relished in the moment, the hatred and fear made him grin a sinister grin that he would show the world before reaching the tower. The rest of the way would not be made on foot, he teleported up the from outside and entered a room he visited last time he was there. Within the young Jackals were training still with half the staff of teachers watching them practice fighting. Torque appeared in the center of the room catching the attention of all within.

"Children, your time, the time of your people is now! Now is the time to rise up and destroy your oppressors before they do you!" he shouted catching the Tigers off guard with his violent message. The young Jackals looked to each other unsure of themselves but after a moment of thought surrounded their couches. The Tigers were frantically calling out to stop, "Please don't kill us! We only were sent to train the kids to fight we never hurt them like the slavers or anything that isn't to teach. Please sir we don't want to die we were only doing out jobs." Torque thought for a moment before he would leave, "Children if you have mercy for these men tie them up and leave, but if they are guilty don't leave a single one alive."

Torque appeared at the highest point he had tread, finding the other guards not replaced instead only the one still stood. As soon as he saw the Jackal the demon broke from his disguise and readied to fight awaiting his master to order him. From the stairs came footsteps but as their owner came from the shadows an unexpected figure stood before Torque. A young Tiger in armor worn beyond its glory days, turned rusted from what was once a shining exterior. The creature beneath was foreign to the Jackal but the armor was all too familiar.

His eyes grew wide with revelation, "Bastard! What have you done with Zeta?!" "It would appear someone is a little upset to see his old friend. I knew you would be back Torque and Paga knew just the way to get to you when you did. Don't worry your friend won't miss the armor much he wasn't much for fighting if you don't remember," the Tiger smirked as he came to the side of the guard. Torque clenched his teeth so tight they hurt but it wasn't his focus as he growled, "Where is Pulsa? I have no time for you, I'm taking that old man's head!" "That old skin sack is gone fool, with your little revolution underway I thought it would be the perfect time to trade up to a superior flesh suit. Do you like it? I figured something youthful and capable for well this moment right now, to show you that I could kill you by myself," Pulsa spoke while sliding a short blade out from beneath his arm.

Pulsa was across the room in the blink of an eye but Torque was ready for him, his rage was unstoppable. He caught the Tiger mid air with his scythe and threw him to the ground after which he began to rip away the armor piece by piece with the sickle. The guard wasn't going to allow his master to be beaten and quickly rushed in to swat Torque off of him. The Jackal wasn't hurt, not even phased his fury, his hatred replaced it all. Pushing off the wall, breaking it open slightly in the process, Torque slammed into Pulsa being helped to his feet by the guard. The two spun across the room before the guard rushed in to strike, missing Torque as he vanished and instead crushed Pulsa into the wall. Every second counted in Torque's mind as with haste he hooked the guard by the shoulders and flung him across the room. After another battery of strikes the last bit of armor was cleaved from the cold flesh of the demon's host and remained scattered across the room. The time had come and now with one strike Torque looked to end the wretched life of the demon Pulsa. However as the Jackal readied to strike he remembered the precious bit of information he had obtained, he couldn't kill a demon in this domain.

In his hesitation the guard regained himself and charged and threw him into the air, unintentionally sending him through the ceiling. It took a moment for Torque to recover before he realized what surrounded him. Bodies, not dead, living females chained to the floors and walls reeking of sin and disgust. They were many and of many different qualities, young and old alike, some were pregnant others looking to have been several times over. It made him ill as he saw so many of his own in pain but not only his own hung in those chains, Tigers and Leopards alike were chained and caged within. The faces of the victims were ones he could never forget, they were looks of pain, shame, disgust, with eyes that cried out for their own destruction. Torque stumbled back until he bumped into a small bed, or cradle, within was a hideous creature looking to be of mortal and demon, an utter abomination. Beyond shaken and disturbed the Jackal backed against the opposite wall from the stair which were filled with noise as Pulsa came barreling up them.

The two looked eyes as Pulsa looked in panic and then relief to see nothing to be damaged, "You clumsy brute, you could have killed a bride or even the baby!" "Before I take you life, demon, what is this? What are you doing to these women and what is lying in that cradle?" Torque asked still cloaked in shadow. Seeking the source the demon crept forth, "You want to know? Can't you see, are you so incredibly dense that you are unable to put it all together?" "It looks like a harem that you have been breeding without mercy or care, the same as most in your position however most aren't real demons. Your offspring is revolting," Torque mocked creeping in the dark behind a grand throne that sat before it sat the child. Pulsa chuckled, "Your kind is far more revolting, I wouldn't breed with you, however Master on the other hand, he has a plan for this little one. Once he is old enough you will see and you then your days will be numbered."

As Torque crept up to the throne to see where Pulsa was he bumped a strange glowing orb that rolled from its place on the arm of the throne and off onto the floor. It picked up momentum and rolled across the floor into the chasm created by the Jackal's body. Immediately Pulsa knew where Torque was and he knew this as he shot from his place behind the throne down into the room below. He couldn't be certain what it did but knew that the orb had some significance if the demon was so quick to notice it. Torque hit the floor below next to the orb however as he reached for it a strange force seem to stop him from moving any closer. This force seemed to effect the guard as well who was straining to move on the other side of the room. From every end of the room armor began to fly and gravitate around the orb which became a core to the floating mass. In seconds it was collected and had reassembled itself into its former glory.

"Zeta, you're alive!" Torque exclaimed jubilant to see his friend returned. The old knight caught sight of the guard and drew his blade, "Torn you must leave this place, it is marked with Paga's seal one I can not destroy. I will protect you so you can escape." "I can't Pulsa must die!" he shouted back as the Tiger joined the guard by the stair case. Zeta was ready at arms for the fight to come, "I can not defeat them both, you better have a plan if you mean to make this so." "Take the big one, I've got Pulsa," he said as he charged passed the old knight.

Once in reach Torque grabbed Pulsa and teleported him out of the tower, out of Quena, deep into the desert where there would be no more distractions. His body had become more nimble, agile, and strong yet Pulsa still fell short of Torque on every move. Each chance he had to dodge a blow he missed, every strike to parry was incorrectly timed, nearly every swing hit the demon and the Jackal hardly strained himself to do so. The fight was one sided and it didn't take Pulsa too long to see that it wasn't going to end with his victory of it continued much longer. Fortune would shine on him in his hour of need as he gained distance from Torque to regain himself the sands began to move. They began to pull and sink in a vortex around Torque pulling him in slowly starting at his legs.

Pulsa came quickly to the edge to watch his opponent attempt to escape finding it impossible, this however was all a rouse. With Pulsa so close he extended the Deathscythe past him and pulled him down into the divot. He placed one hand on him with the other still firmly gripping his weapon and teleported from the desert to the heart of Qwelha. As the two slammed to the ground Torque ripped the rotting skin suit in tow revealing the insidious demon dwelling within. The two armies stood at the opposite ends of the field witnessing the event.

Torque hoisted the demon up in his sickle putting him on display to all, "Demons walk among us, not in their own skin but the skins of those we trust our leaders. This creature has puppeteered your leader for uncountable years and has lead you to believe in his false ideals. Today ends this tyranny, today ends our slavery, and today ends your deception at the hands of the demon lord Paga and his servant Pulsa." He threw the demon before the army he had commanded and walked back to his own letting the Tigers and Leopards savagely slaughter the monster. "That's it, is it done?" Carra asked while Torque passed by. His eyes moved slightly in her direction, "That's all for me, they might fight maybe you can work it through diplomatic like but I'm finished with all of this. I have another destiny to chase and I'm not getting much closer staying here." With a puff of sand he was gone leaving the outcome in the hands of the army and the rebellion not the leader and Lord.

"That's it you're just walking away after how far you have come, you won't even see it through to the end?" a distorted voice called from atop a dune Torque had just walked down. He turned to face the semi-physical image of Zero, "I don't have to stay, I'm no hero and I didn't do what I did for the glory. I know this will be the wars end and now I know everything I was told was the truth so know is the time for the final revelation to come true." "What?" Zero asked before Torque stepped through his hollow image to find it nothing more than an image. Torque growled, "Where are you really?! My job, my life, they're not done and over until I have you dead before me!" "I was wrong about you, I will take the burden of the powers I have given you and you will return to a normal life," the Lord spoke offering his hand. The Jackal laughed, "You think you gave me power? You think that everything that has happened has been your doing? All you gave me the souls of the demons you once slaughtered. There is nothing for you to take the wise man told me much, that I had power of my own, I would end Pulsa's empire, and that after it had fallen I would have my revenge on you. Once I reach you there will be no where for you to run, no where to hide." "Then you are the true fool, where I reside is a realm beyond the mortals from which I can not leave nor could you enter alive," Zero informed stern in voice and gaze. A grin was shining from the Jackal's face, "You see the thing about that is.."

The scythe made a red line across the Jackal's throat and for a moment without it was just a simple line before the flood came. Torque was brought to a knee as the pain suddenly realized in his mind and the fact came to mind that he truly was dying. All the same he looked up to Zero and though struggling managed a sadistic smile that began to turn red. As he tried to laugh in the face of his nemesis he began to choke and the crimson sea became grander soaking all in it's path. He buried the top of his head in the sands and thought of all that had past, not the events of days past but of the life that had past. He thought of all he knew before this life, thought of his mother and father but of course more he thought of his brother and how he met his end. But what was it that he was talking of before he went to his end, a voice that told him to take action, a holy voice that came to him only inside the temple.

Within the Spirit Realm Torque came to finding himself surrounded by a sundry of different species all of which looked out of place from their respective kinds. Zero stood beyond the crowd looking deep into Torque's eyes trying to find some semblance of a soul. The Jackal wasted no time pushing his way through the crowd until a young woman stood in his path, a young Lynx. His eyes grew wide as he halted before her with much uncertainty as to what he was seeing. She reflected a gaze that alone could have ripped him in two even as she remained silent simply staring back at the young man. With every fiber of his being he tried to speak, to say anything be it apologetic or not however he struggled, he was unable to produce a single word.

"I knew it was you, I thought I'd never see your vile face again and yet here you are standing where you don't belong, treading in place you don't deserve to. I left the life I had to help your people and despite years of work none of your own would even trust me no matter how hard I worked. Then you come along, a little boy, an ex-slave and you murder me and for what?" Gresh demanded the answer to why she had died. Torque paused a moment to collect himself, "I didn't mean to kill you or even want to, what I did was to save the lives of my people. And it would have worked but you died before Zeta could take your powers. So yes I killed you and I thought it would have saved them from their fate but in the end it took a lot more than dirtying my hands with your blood. Now step aside."

"Torque, I know you think I meant you harm, that I am working against you but you need to understand I only did what I had to so you could realize your potential. I could see you had power and I thought with your brother in peril it would..." the Jackal's knuckles halted Zero's speech. He grabbed his throat and brought him face to face, "You are the reason for it, he didn't need to die but instead you led him into danger because you thought it would work in your favor! Let me ask you this, did you watch what happened to him? Did you hide your eyes as they wound his organs around that spool crank by crank until finally it jerked out the last bit of life in him?! I believed in you the same as he did but our trust seems to matter little to you as you only brought us pain. But now it's time for you to be the victim." Before the other Lords could step in Torque had teleported the two of them far from the sanctuary of the Spirit World back to the desert where the Jackal had just been.

The Wolf tumbled across weathered flat rocks while the Jackal landed on his feet so determined he wouldn't stop even as his opponent lie on the ground trying to make sense of it all. "Wait.. we're here, we are actually returned to the world of the living," Zero said in shock as he felt the sand run through his hands. Torque delivered a tremendously powerful kick to his ribs, "What of it? I certainly couldn't fight you where I found you, your friends would have come running to your side. Now on your feet, I'm not just going to kill you I want a fight." "But Torque don't you understand this changes everything, I thought we were stranded beyond the reach of this world but now.." Torque shut the Wolf's mouth with another kick. He began to pull Zero up, "The time for talking is over fight me!"

Zero pushed him back trying still to avoid the fight but only agitated Torque worse it made him have to chase the Wolf. Using his teleportation he was able to pop up right before him uppercutting him into the air. It was becoming abundantly clear that the Jackal was not going to be easy to escape, Zero would have to fight but only to incapacitate not to kill. He rose to his feet sweeping his leg around him, knocking down Torque, and then delivered a kick directly to the Jackal's sternum sending him across the dune. With Torque down Zero began to make his escape certain he was victorious in their battle however it would take more than that to stop the Jackal.

Teleporting again Torque appeared before Zero and tackled him into with the force of his sprinting and the leap between the areas. The Jackal was quick to his feet and seemingly from nothingness was drawing the two halves of the Deathscythe. "You might think you can end this by walking away or even by hurting me enough to make me stop following you but you are wrong. Even if you cut off my legs I would still hunt you down. You could take my arms and still I would find a means to kill you. Don't you see Zero this doesn't end until one of us are dead, but maybe you're scared, do you fear me and what I can do? Destruction comes soon," Torque spoke as he assembled his weapon while the Wolf materialized his as he made it to his feet.

They began to clashing blades, Zero was holding back less now no longer too concerned about hurting Torque. Meanwhile the Jackal had become less focused on the kill and more on toying with the Lord to see how much he could make him hurt. Torque had become very skilled with two handed combat and used it to slowly but methodically shred Zero's flesh. Blocking with the scythe he would detach the sickle to hook and pull his opponent's limbs and torso leaving stretches of narrow however far reaching tears across the body. These minor wounds were weighing on Zero and with each new opening in him he could feel his chances of survival dwindling away. It was falling on the last and most powerful of his abilities to defeat the Jackal in this most desperate of situation.

The Wolf charged his power and broke from the stalemate of blades with the Jackal causing a brief pause as both made a bit of distance from one another. Zero's arm began to pulse with the building soul energy until his entire arm began to glow silver. Torque knew an attack was coming and as the charge of power was released he attempt to teleport. However it moved to quickly and the blast struck him as he teleported causing an unexpected effect. An explosion as the two opposite powers clashed causing Zero to be blown away and Torque hurled through the endless infinity.

Torque had lost control of his abilities and began to jump rapidly without direction or destination finding himself briefly in lands he had never before seen. He leapt from the desert to mountains to what seemed to be Paga's realm and then to the Spirit World from beyond which he landed in the unknown. Worlds of pure blackness with strange and massive creatures, near landless worlds made of massive oceans, a realm of scaly primitive creatures, and a world much like his own yet so very different. Every jump through space was doing more than transporting Torque it was ripping holes in the world which led to these other worlds he had been teleported too. He was blacking out after a short while remembering falling down a metallic tunnel before falling into a deserted bone yard wherein he finally went unconscious.