FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

You can hate or love them, but you can never break them. There's no connection stronger than bonds of blood...

Chapter 9: Bonds of Blood

The soldier undid the tie of his helmet under his muzzle and passed a hand in his sweaty, short fur. The white tiger had worked hard all the day together with his comrades for place explosive traps and mines and for dig trenches in the parks, private gardens and even in the green flower beds in the centre of the great crossroads of the city and, despite the snow that was on the ground, the day had been sun-dried and quite hot, making heavier the work. They had no time and little forces, a bad way of go towards a rough battle against an enemy powerful and perfectly equipped, but the mood of the soldiers wasn't low as someone could eventually imagine. Kesteven was used to war, after centuries passed surrounded by enemies of every sort and more than a time the path of the victory and glory had crossed battles so desperate to seem lost in departure. The most famous was surely Wycherley... and every man of the army could still remember these difficult days. A lot of soldiers were veterans whit medals on their chests, a lot of them really for that fight and every one, in any case, could take bravery and mood watching the Predators, the pride of Kesteven, that seemed to be almost everywhere for direct and help the works in all the city, always with a confidence and even an irony that was almost incredible, as if the incoming battle was little more than an exercitation.

The soldier leaned his tired back against the armored side of the huge tank behind him with a sigh, his assault rifle touching the steely plates with a loud, metallic thud, earning immediately an angry yell and a disapproving glance from the nearer officer. The white tiger nodded, moving the rifle in his arms as he light a cigarette with a grin... "This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life..." The old "prayer" was still law in Kesteven, where the discipline was steely and the training hard as nowhere else and where concepts like "Keep your rifle clean, ready and perfect, because without it you are useless" and "In war doesn't matters how many bullets you shoot, how many smoke and noise you make. In war matters only how many bullets hit your targets." were a religion.

The soldier rose his eyes towards the sky, were the sun was setting with a bloody, suggestive red light over the shinning white of the mountains of Kesteven with a smile as he reached up with one hand for toy with his medals, in particular with the Wycherley's Star, a prize that the old, legendary general Killer had wanted for award every man that had fight at his side in that huge battle. "Sure, in Wycherley we had Wyvern...he could win a war alone or tear apart an army for himself. This time someone will have to do also his part and that wouldn't be simple... his lonely presence was enough for spread terror in the enemies and bravery in ours men. This time will be really hard."

The loud, almost musical roar of what had to be a very powerful car awakened him with surprise. The city had been evacuated and every civilian was in a camp in the immense park behind the royal palace... petrol had been confiscated for increase the military's reserves and a lot of the parked cars along the roads had been changed in explosive traps... what could be that, then? Surely it wasn't the noise of a military vehicle... He watched down the avenue and his eyes bulged as he seen a huge, heavily customized and really not-for-everyone black Aston Martin with obscured windows run smoothly in his direction with great speed and he gaped, the cigarette falling on the ground as every soldier around watched up with similar surprise.

The soldier ran forwards in the road with a curse, stretching out his hands as a crucifix, the rifle in his right hand as he motioned and screamed to the car for come to a stop, his comrades taking cover and pointing their rifles on the car as the gunners on the turrets of the two tanks placed side to side moved their heavy machine guns as well, ready for shoot, trying to make themselves little behind the armored shield of protection mounted on the weapon. That car could be anything... and probably a threat, seen the introductions.

But the black Aston Martin slowed down, coming smoothly to a stop whit a last roar and then the low growl of the engine at low regime, still a few meters before the soldier, who released a sigh of relief and set his rifle, the butt against his shoulder, walking slowly towards the car as the dark window of the driver's seat opened. The soldier gaped at the sight of a female of outrageous beauty who watched out with an almost irritated expression from her nice muzzle framed of long, golden hairs as her fingers tapped impatiently on the wheel. She was beautiful, but she was surrounded by a threatening aura of determination and ferocity as well as her icy blue eyes froze him more than the sight of a gun aimed. She was muscular and strong in more than the rough, physical sense of the world... her eyes talked of coldness and decision and he could feel himself only impressed all the more seeing that she had on a uniform that, apart from the color, was the Predators's one... He moved nervously his finger on the trigger and the hand on the pistol grip of the rifle as she watched up at him without talk, only scaring him with a glance colder than ice down his nape of the neck. She was a threat? He could see both her hands and she was unarmed... but she was dangerous, that was definite.

But he lowered immediately his rifle, turning suddenly pale with reverential fear as his eyes landed on the huge male on the other seat. He could see what was surely the heavy butt of a big assault rifle leaned against his thick, muscular chest, but there was absolutely no need of weapons for make impressive the massive figure of the legendary general that the world was used to call Wyvern... the soldier was more than aware that the powerful white tiger inside the car was strong and skilled enough for run out of the car, charge against him and turn him in a pudding before probably sweep away all the check point, tanks included.

He was leaned comfortably back in the seat, his eyes closed, listening calmly to the music from the car's stereo, an huge assault rifle in his lap... the soldier could see the famous scar on his left eye and check that was true that it only made him still more impressive, together with the golden bullet at his neck, which only added to his image. His thick, shinning mane was beautiful, manly and rebel as always and he had on the old black armor of the time when he was the General, with the simple decoration of the flames of chiseled silver and the neck of the black fur that he had tore down from his rival, Dark, after have killed him in duel. The general had his huge arms crossed on his chest, thick muscles uncovered as they bulged out powerfully... and watching his massive biceps, he thought that Wyvern was still more muscular than the last time he had seen him. He was bigger and still better toned, stronger under every aspect... probably now he was able of take a rival like Dark for his shoulders and tear him apart in a few seconds... and judging from what he could see and from the impressive size of his bone spikes, he was taller, too. In the years he was grown and improved still more, thing that both scared and reassured the soldier as he wondered on how he was now able to do, considerate his already enormous past capabilities.

The soldier felt a shiver run down his back and instinctively backstepped as the giant opened his eyes, two wonderful but cold, seeming emotionless pieces of blue ice and turned slowly towards him, his glance seeming to cross him from side to side, reading his soul. And even if he had a rifle ready in his hands, the soldier felt himself disarmed and vulnerable as he performed a perfect military wave, praying of be impeccable in front of the legendary defender of Kesteven.

"Prince!... general... majesty..." The soldier babbled, in the complete confusion and incapable of choose the right title for the giant. "I mean, Wyvern." He ended finally with an intuition and a blow of courage as the huge white tiger in the car watched down at the female with an amused smile that she reciprocated. The soldier remained stupidly surprised of the fact that the huge male was able to smile apart from scare and snarl... but then he felt himself a tad reassured remembering how he was always cheerful and friendly in the old times. Was enough didn't give him reasons to be angry...

"Rest, soldier... I'm no longer the general, here. I'm king, but not of this kingdom... and I've never liked the title "prince". If you have really to call me in some special way, Wyvern sounds good." Killer said with a kind smile as Alexis grinned, noticing how the soldier was impressed in seeing the male and hearing with amusement the men all around pass disbelieving between themselves the piece of news of the return of the general before shout cheerfully his codename, rhythmically beating with great noise the hilts of their swords on their chests as in the old times, the officers running forwards for reach the first man and present their waves to the old commander.

Killer smiled, somehow touched of that welcome and opened his door, walking slowly out from the car and resting at its side, an arm placed on the roof and the other risen in the air in sign of greeting and thanks, a little kindness for his old men that couldn't actually neither see him behind the dark glasses of the Aston. Then he turned again towards the soldier as they all watched him with new confidence in the victory and great joy for have him back once again.

"Is impossible reach the palace from here, Wyvern. The road is all mined from behind the check point... you have to take the secondary street, which is maintained operative." Shouted respectfully the soldier from over the noise of the cheerful soldiers, pointing with one hand to a smaller street on the left of the car. But every men fell silent when Killer opened his mouth to talk, making Alexis grin amused and somehow excited of the power and respect that the male had everywhere.

"Where I can found my brother the general?"Asked calmly the huge male.

The soldier nodded, answering easily with a slight smile. "In the old Operative Room in the bunker under the West Bulwark of the palace, Wyvern."

The huge male nodded back with a kind thanks and greeted everyone a last time before enter again agilely in the car and slamming closed the door, trading a look with an amused Alexis before she leaned towards him and kissed his lips affectively. He kissed her back warmly, loving how there was no need of words between them and they shared another smile before she turned back her attention to the road and turned fast in the lateral street.

Killer guided her easily, remembering every angle of Kesteven like his hands, like if he hasn't never been away from there... and Alexis drove easily the black Aston Martin along the all-curves road that climbed the hill of the royal palace until reach the immense park and launch a last time the car at high speed before come to a smooth stop between two high trees just in the shadow of the imposing west bulwark of the castle.

They watched all around, seeing in the gardens and the forest... far on the other side of the imposing, rocky mass of the palace, they could see some of the huge gun of the artillery's batteries placed behind shelters of sacks of sand and blocks of concrete, all covered by mimetic nets. Behind, at a certain distance, they could guess under other nets piles and piles of big, heavy rounds. All around, Killer seen trucks with huge missile's launchers, each with six cells and other with huge, flat radar arrays. They were surely elements of a system of anti-air defense... and probably able of face the threat also of missiles and rockets, although he could see also some Self Propelled Guns and a few tracked armored vehicles MLRS... Multiple Launcher Rockets System. A nasty (for the enemy) type of artillery able of send waves of twelve GPS-guided rockets to a maximum distance of 70 kilometer, each with a large charge of high explosives or a still nastier charge of sub-munitions. Each of these was big nearly the size of a hand grenade... but it was a tri-functional explosive device with anti-tank penetrator, fragmentation wrapping and a ring of zirconium which with the explosion generate a flame of about... 4000 Celsius degrees. Each rocket, 644 sub-munitions. Each wave of rockets, 800 square meters watered with burning steel. Killer had a lot of useful troops and systems, even a complete regiment of MLRS in Kendrew... but there was need of at least two or more days before transfer them to Kesteven. And two days were probably going to be really too much, even if he had already given the order of begun the travel.

Then, nearer to the car, on their side of the palace and well far from the positions of the artillery, they could see a huge camp full of civilians. They weren't scared... at least, not visibly, which was already a great thing... but the air was obviously heavy. Thousands of families that were facing the reality of a war that was at the last arrived at their homes... and even the victory, in that condition, was a defeat. A lot of persons were going to lose everything in the rough fight and was easy see sadness and sometimes resignation in the eyes of everyone. Killer could understand all these feelings... even share them, with the thought of lose great part of the city that he had always loved so much... but he was there for fight and possibly win, not for cry.

"Life's too short to cry." He said without thinking as he placed his index finger on the small scanner of the special glove compartment. The door immediately flicked open and a small shelf slide outwards, pouring to him the huge handgun that Riaku had given him and a metallic box of projectiles. He took them both, placing the gun in the holster of his combat belt, extracting the six magazines from the box and inserting each in one of the customized pockets that he had made add appositely on his belt, near the holster and just behind the small chain that old one of his usual twin swords. Then he rapidly pushed a button and the shelf slide backwards inside the glove compartment, another one coming out as Alexis grasped rapidly hers two twin huge automatic pistols and their magazines from it, placing everything in hers belt with easy, fast and elegant moves of her hands and then again they repeated the move, this time with the wonderful, deadly submachine gun that Riaku had given to Alexis.

As the glove compartment flicked closed again, they were both fully armed. They were used to take away the fire arms, keeping on only their swords during the travels on the car as normal security rule... But now they were two arsenals with legs. Killer had on his black armor of general, whit the magnetic junctions for the Wyvern on his back as well. A leather belt crossed his broad chest, covered by a long sheathed bayonet-knife and several magazines of projectiles for the Cobra assault rifle; the combat belt at his waist had on his usual three swords plus the huge pistol and its munitions plus a few more clips of rounds for the Cobra. In a pocket of his black pants he had three magazines of grenades for the launcher integrated in his assault rifle, in another he had other grenades loose, a few smoke-ones.

Alexis had on the complete uniform of Predators, with a Tactical Combat Vest customized for her under the jacket. Roughly, a hyper flexible bullet-proof suit made of Kevlar 49 and joined plates of special ceramic and old, trustable steel. Usually they were used to fight without protections... but this time they were going towards a real war against trained and proved troops, not normal armed assholes and Killer had been categorical. Bravery wasn't jump stupidly in the fight with a simple t-shirt, yelling against regiments of tanks and soldiers... of course she had accepted, but obliging him to wear his strong armor, too, which he had "forgot" the particular. She had his huge bolt-action sniper rifle X12 behind her back, two huge automatic handguns in holsters tied tightly on her perfect thighs, hers sword at the belt with a formidable arsenal of ammo and the submachine gun in her hand. Just for be sure, she had on also three spherical frag-grenade and three white-phosphorous ones on a leather belt on the chest. Killer eyed the small, seeming-cans cylinders of metal with the letters WP printed on with worry. They could be incredibly useful... but even so dangerous to carry around. If white phosphorous lands on you, you have to pour slowly and carefully water on it for put it out. If you can't manage it or you don't have the cold blood needed for work in that way on yours body on flame... well, is not a nice way to die. Last, two both had a small handheld pc for communicate, share information and give orders to their soldiers. Every man of the armies of Kendrew and Kesteven had one of these.

Killer put on his sunglasses, shielding his eyes from the white, sharp light of the snow under the sun and Alexis done the same, putting on a pair of small sunglasses with little, ellipsoidal lenses before turn towards him, one hand already placed on his muscular leg. "You look so lovely badass with these..." She meowed seductively with a grin. Killer laughed back amusedly. "Hear who talks..."

Again, there wasn't need to talk. He only embraced her tightly, kissing her hungrily, forcing his tongue in her mouth and working his muzzle against hers as she answered back with passion... they worked their jaws each against the other almost with violence, nearly biting in deep passion, groaning as he slipped his hands on her full breast and she slide a hand down his muscular body, following the chiseled profile of his abdominals until grasp his flaccid but always massive cock across his pants and stroke it... and then they slowly let the other go, licking their lips reciprocally until the last second, eyes shadowed with regret in having to go.

"Let's win this war rapidly, lover... I want to give you a lay down that you could neither imagine when everything will be end." Said Alexis with a smile, stroking gently his cheek.

"I had the same idea..." Said back Killer with a soft laugh. "But we're not indestructible, baby, better get that straight." He said after a moment, returning serious as he saw a patrol of two soldiers walk towards the car for an inspection.

"You nearly..." She said with a seductive voice and a wide grin. But then she rolled her eyes as he leaned closer to her with a serious look and she smiled with a nod. "Right. We are playing serious now... try to watch yourself, huh? I don't want them to put a scratch on yours beautiful body." A pause and then she was again the cold, merciless warrior and the smart colonel of always on the battlefield as she added: "I will keep your back covered."

"Don't leave me, Alexis... I can't live without you. I love you." He said softly before adjust his sunglasses as he grasped the huge assault rifle and opened the door.

"Me too. Come back safe and sound, Wyvern."

The two stepped down from the car, shouldering their huge, scary weapons as they walked easily towards the two soldiers that were approaching them and that carried out immediately a perfect wave for the general, sidestepping smoothly and bending their heads respectfully for him as the two giants walked between them with a small nod of wave.

The huge crowd in the near camp spot them and stood up immediately before bow for the royal family and especially for the legendary general that was again at home for help Kesteven in its darkest hour... and the notice of the return of the best son of Kesteven traveled with the speed of a lightning for all the camp, awakening a loud chorus once more.

Killer smiled as he approached the door of the huge, circular bulwark of the castle, Alexis trading a grin with him from his side and the two soldiers standing at the sides of the entrance waving with complete respect. Killer recognized them as members of the CRWW, Counter Revolutionary Warfare Wing, a regiment of soldiers hardly trained with tasks of internal security, anti-terrorism warfare and defense of vital targets in the kingdom's territories. They had on a complete black bullet-proof high protective suit, with combat boots reinforced with plates of steel and long almost to the knees and metallic elements of protection for their joins, with a black helmet. And he noticed with a grin that they had in their hands the same type of submachine gun that Alexis had, with sharp, shinning bayonets mounted under the barrel. Even if he wasn't any more the general, Kesteven was always leading the way in with weapons.

The two men waved respectfully, don't daring to ask any sign of recognition from the even too recognizable ex general, but they shown their rigid discipline and training stopping instead Alexis, who freeze them with an ice glance from over hers sunglasses, snarling irritated. Killer introduced her immediately and ordered of diffuse the news that the wonderful blond colonel was his wife, calming Alexis squeezing a bit hers shoulder.

Then the two entered in the huge bulwark, walking along a short corridor with a soldier of CRWW every two meters on each side, which Killer tamed immediately from walk forwards and check Alexis with a cold glance of command which no one dared to miss. The walls were covered of wooden panels simple and elegant and small blue lights... but Killer was well aware that inside the thick walls of rock there were panels of copper for neutralize every system of espionage and hissing communications from possible micro-spies. They entered in a small elevator were Killer placed his eyes on a scanner of the retina for activate the descent and stopping with a code a scanner from doing a complete scansion of them for search weapons or explosive devices on their bodies. The rule was drop every weapon before enter in the Operative Room... but they had no time.

Finally, six floors further down, the doors of the small elevator opened on a little ante-room closed by a thick, armored door and a heavy grating of steel. In a niche just in front of the door of the elevator, a remote controlled machine gun was pointed against them, but the soldier that was using the weapon with a joystick from behind a two-feet thick bullet-proof glass recognized immediately Wyvern and opened in a hurry the closed passage.

They were in the heart of the Integrated Defense Command, IDC, the head of all the military system of Kesteven, probably the better defended place of the world. Single positions with computers of last generation were placed all along the walls of the square room, were the only light was the green one that comes out from seeming hundreds of radar panels and computers and the low, blue one of the small lamps placed regularly on the walls of concrete. In the centre of the room there was a square-big computerized system with a screen over that show on a holographic, 3D map of the Kesteven's territory, with the position of friend and enemy troops. Killer grinned a bit, remembering how at his times that same room was much more humanized and less technological, with a simple paper map instead of a wonderful holographic model with real-time updating.

Alexis leaned softly against his muscular side and passed an arm around his waist, smiling up at him as they walked forwards slowly in the crowded room under the glances of wonder of the staff. They had already heard of the return of Wyvern, sure... but no one was really ready for his majesty and for the impressive beauty of Alexis.

They watched all around with wide smiles, their glances both amused and a bit challenging as they fixed the crowd suddenly silent from over the dark lenses of their sunglasses before they slowly remove them.

"Hi, REMFs." Said Killer with an amused smile, noticing how at least a thing was unchanged... the staff of the Headquarter. They were still stressed-looking men and women, tigers too thin and weak for the front line or simply more at their ease with mind-working and organization tasks instead of swords. They had on simple green pants and white shirts with sleeves often rolled up over the elbow, the green jackets thrown on the back of the chairs as always and an automatic pistol caliber 9 mm in a holster at the armpit. REMF was only one of their innumerable nicknames... no one of them was kind, but REMF, Rear Echelon Mother Fucker, was absolutely the heaviest, followed from near by Green Slime. The kinder was without doubts Spook, which them used regularly for indicate themselves. When general, Killer had learned to respect the work of the staff. They were always far from the fight, sure, but every regiment was able of fight only because behind there was the work of those men, their calculations and estimates, their logistic plans, their care for vital matters like munitions, food, water, energy and information distribution... everything was needed for make run the army. So he had erased the old way of despise them, forbidden the nicknames (Spook excluded) and promoted their work for increase their dignity. There was no hostility or insolence in his greeting... only a playful memory of the past and a bit of a joke.

They smiled up to the giant, greeting the couple before return to their positions as Killer and Alexis walked towards the door on the other side of the bunker, Killer guiding inside and then up a flight of stairs his beloved wife until reach a wooden covered door bordered by two others CRWW and knock on it, entering as a powerful, similar-to-his-own voice gave the authorization.

Killer smiled down at Alexis, placing affectively a hand on hers shoulder. "This is my brother... I think you will like him."

They entered slowly in a little, simple office where a giant wooden desk faced by three armchairs and covered of maps and computers seemed to fill all the room. Other maps were all on the wooden walls, with the unique exception of a poster of a scary tank on the wall on their right that Killer remembered of have placed exactly there... the only other distractions were two little plants in the corners. The black, huge armchair of the general was turned towards the other side of the room, where a one-way glass gave visual on the huge holographic map in the room downstairs.

"Welcome home, big bro." Exclaimed finally the white tiger sat on the chair, turning back suddenly to face the newcomers, standing immediately up and turning around the desk for reach Killer as he walked forwards with a wide smile.

"I'm so happy to see you, Killer..." Exclaimed the tall tiger, embracing the bigger male and showing a strength always impressive as he easily lifted Wyvern in his embrace, rocking him a bit from side to side.

"Yes, Alexander, yes... but let's try to maintain that little bit of dignity that we still have, huh...?" Said Killer with somehow embarrassed voice, watching down at his brother with a smile, lowering his head that was dangerously near to the ceiling. The other male blinked in surprise, then placed again the huge male on his feet with an embarrassed smile.

Killer shook his ruffled mane a bit before smile wider and surprising the brother embracing him. "Is good to see you, little bro. I had never thought before of can be so happy of see again your ugly muzzle."

Alexis watched the two brothers laugh sincerely as Wyvern let the smaller male free and placed a hand on hers shoulder as she leaded closer to him with a wide smile. "This is Alexis... my beautiful wife." Killer said proudly, almost challenging the brother as he walked towards the female and took her hand, kissing it softly with a smile.

"A pleasure to meet you, Alexis." Alexander said gently before turn to his brother. "You like her with a uniform on, old pervert...?" But before Killer could even think to an answer at the playful, careless words of the other male, the tall female grasped and crushed the hand of Alexander so strong that he released a surprised moan of pain.

"She has a uniform because she is a colonel and a very skilled warrior, little bro, not because I like her so. She could be sexy even in a rough sack... Better treat her with maximum respect, or she could beat you to a pulp." Said Killer with a soft laugh, watching as his brother massaged his sore hand with a surprised glance up at the taller, grinning female.

Alexis watched with interest Alexander. He was slightly shorter than her, maybe four, five inches less... still an impressive height, thought, around thirteen-six feet. The fact that he was brother of Killer was easily understandable, seen that the two were really similar, two both muscular and leonine- looking white tigers with manes, black tufted tails and scary bone-spikes on shoulders and major joints, so much that Alexander could probably be defined almost a smaller scale reproduction of hers husband.

Alexander was, as Killer, at bare feet, his cruel toe claws uncovered and he had on the same sort of pants, even if white, the color of Kesteven, instead of the black of Kendrew. He had on an armor almost identical to the one of the older brother, too, black and muscle-fitting but whit a different decoration: an unicorn of silver in the middle of the chest instead of the flames of the same material that followed the profile of the broad breast of Killer. He had also a sword sheathed at his belt on the left side and a huge automatic pistol on the right. And he wasn't absolutely ugly, thought Alexis with a grin.

But there were a few differences, apart from sheer sizes, in their bodies. Alexander had eyes of a beautiful, rare color, a strange sort of light green, almost a degenerated blue... a smaller mane, much less pronounced but much more attentively cared. Alexander had his white, black striped mane separated in sharp tuft, lifted and pointed to his back probably with a lot of gel and time every day. He was a really nice boy, that was definite... he was tall, his eyes were smart and proud and his features were nice, remembering to her of Killer even without the scar on the left eye. His toned, strong body was well muscled, even if not as Wyvern's one and that type of hair was perfect on him. Alexis grinned, wondering if he could bear the comparison with his big bro even in the crotch department... and indeed, the bulge in the pants of his uniform was very promising, even if not as massive as her husband's one.

"Sorry, Alexis... yours incredible beauty has distracted me from yours..." He watched down at her abdomen, following the chiseled profile of her abdominals still easy to guess despite the uniform and then valuing her strong arms. "...muscles. You are very strong, apart from be very nice." Alexander said with a nod and a smile, tilting his head a bit as he admitted his error.

"Thank you, Alexander." Answered softly the blond queen, tilting a bit hers head to the side with a satisfied smile.

"After all, you could only be strong for... share a bed with my brother." Added the male with a grin, nudging softly the taller, smiling Wyvern as he watched casually upwards. Alexis nodded with a wider grin, leaning on the side of her husband and wrapping his waist with an arm, easily understanding what the other was saying.

"Yeah, he's big and strong..." She said softly, watching up at Killer with a smile as he bended a bit his head and kissed her softly with a low murr. "But you too seem a big boy, huh?" She added as their lips separated, turning her glance on the other male, who blushed a bit for a moment on his cheeks, unprepared to that observation.

"Yes, even if...well, I can't really say of match my brother... but I guess no one can, right?" He answered with a wide smile for the female, who nodded slowly whit a grin as Killer laughed softly, pulling her closer on his body.

Someone knocked on the door and Alexander gave his acceptation, as Killer and Alexis turned back for watch towards the door. Alexis tilted her head on the side with interest, watching up at Killer with a question in her eyes. He only nodded, stepping forwards with a smile towards his second little brother.

Little... metaphorically. On the door stood a tall, bulky male, standing at surely nothing less than thirteen feet, him too with bare, powerful and generously clawed feet and the white pants of Kesteven's uniform. He had two huge handguns at his sides, fixed on his green combat belt together with a sword placed horizontally on his lower back just over the long, strong tufted tail that was moving lazily in the air behind him. His toned, muscular body was covered by a white Predators's uniform nothing less than perfectly cared and he had a regular assault rifle complete of long bayonet shouldered. He too had long bone-spikes that jutted from shoulder to shoulder and on his elbows and knees and a wonderful, short white black-stripped fur... But not everywhere. Differently from Killer and Alexander, his mane and muzzle were completely white, without any sign of black. His muzzle was extremely similar to his brothers' ones, with distinct leonine features and his resemblance with Killer in particular was impressive, also because he had the same cold, proud blue eyes. But he too, as Alexander and differently from Killer, was used to take great care of his mane, evidently... he had cut it short, bringing his features nearer to tiger's that lion's ones, but he had maintained a horse-like mane of long white fur in the center of his head, from forehead down to the neck down to the middle of his back.

Killer had simply let grow his mane to the maximum, leaving then his wonderful, shinning rebel fur free to choose its way. Alexis looked up at him with a grin... thick tuft of his white mane were rebelliously moved, pointing backwards and descending to the half of his back and covering all his neck with a natural pride and elegance that she loved. And then... he had learned years ago that try to comb is mane was like try to comb a skein of iron string. He could, but only with hours of painful efforts that he considered useless. Worst, he had always thought that spend hours in front of a mirror was a female's thing. So, every morning, after every shower, he was used to simply shake his head, leaving his mane free of do the work for him, at the very maximum combing the more rebel tufts with his hand.

She nudged him lightly and he grinned down at her, guessing immediately the question in her eyes as she smiled up at him. "My brothers have always been the chic ones in this family..." He whispered playfully in her ear, squeezing a bit her against his powerful body.

The newcomer turned slowly his glance on the giant male in the room and smiled slightly, stretching out one hand towards him with perfect but somehow cold, of-circumstance kindness. "Killer... it's nice to have you back." He said with affective but almost formal voice, leaving Alexis a bit disconcerted as she watched her husband take the offered hand and shake it formally, bowing a bit... but then she felt a smile rise on her muzzle as she recognized that he was pulling his brother's leg playfully. "It's such a pleasure see you after all those years..." He begun, pretending formality and treating his little bro like an ambassador of a foreign country, trying to kill a laugh in his throat as the other nodded slowly and kindly... not understanding immediately that Killer was joking and probably thinking that he had finally learned the behavior of a prince. Better, of a king.

But Killer rose his head with a grin and an amused glance down at his little bro, squeezing strongly the hand of the other. "I recommend you... don't smile too much, huh?" He said finally, tilting his head on the side and watching the smaller male in his eyes with a playful challenge in his glacial irises.

Finally the newcomer seemed to laugh a bit, trying in vain to hide that too like if it was a sign of weakness... and at the last relaxing himself a bit as Killer embraced him tightly. "I miss your useless strictness, Siegfried." Wyvern said softly when letting free the brother, watching him in his eyes with a wide smile. Then he turned back towards Alexis, noticing immediately hers perplexed expression with an amused grin for hers risen eyebrows.

"Oh, don't mind, Alexis... Siegfried is the serious of us. He is not an asocial bastard... but a nice bastard that has learned too well the lessons on how a prince should behave."

"The same lessons that your husband and I have missed entirely... And now the dear Siegfried is incapable of laugh." Added Alexander with a wide smile, reaching her and placing a hand on hers shoulder as she felt an amused smile rise on her features as Siegfried too kissed her hand before finally give in with a sincere laugh.

"Cut that out, rough and ready guys!" He exclaimed playfully to his brothers that were laughing at his side before return his attention to the wonderful female. "I'm Siegfried. The brother of these two too-grown-kids... and the commander of the Kesteven's Predators." He watched with interest hers uniform, traveling with attention on the crest on the shoulders... but Alexis grinned a bit at the distinct feeling that he too was admiring hers body more than all the rest. "I'm guessing you are the commander of Kendrew's Predators apart from be the charming wife of my big bro?"

"Nice guess, elegance-man." She answered with a smile. "Alexis."

Killer watched with an amused smile his brothers as them eyed for the hundredth time the wonderful body of his blond wife, who had a bit of fault because she was standing with false innocence in the middle of the room, watching casually around at the maps on the walls, her hands joined behind hers back and hers full, enormous and attractive breast standing out challengingly, even if covered by a Combat Vest and the black jacket. She was all except uncovered... but was still easy imagine the absolute excellence of the body under the uniform. She was focusing easily on hers body the attention of the two males... as Killer was sure she would do. How he wanted that she does, even... he had the wish of show the beauty of his wife to his brothers and make them a bit envious, admittedly. But now things were too messy for loose too time and he cleared his throat noisily, placing two casual, soft slaps on the napes of the necks of his brothers for take back their attention. They watched up at him with a little nod, blushing a bit as Alexis laughed softly. But all the lightness in the air disappeared as he talked, dragging everyone back to reality.

"I would like to be informed on the actual situation, now... because we have no time. How much, Alexis...?"

The female easily took hers handheld and watched the images on the screen, which were arriving in real time from an UAV in the sky over the Riaku's troops. "They will be here at the first hours of tonight. Probably we have still... four hours, four and half if we are lucky. Ours troops will be here in two hours and forty minutes."

Alexander walked towards her and watched with interest the images on the small flat screen. "Interesting... Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, right?"

Killer nodded easily. "Yes. It's the first time that we are using them... and it's the first time that I can have an air force at my disposal. I've already moved every aircraft to a small base near the border, together with every supply of bombs, missiles and fuel for a long cycle of operations. They will help with all what's available."

"Well, everything is welcomed. We have a few UAVs and fighters, too... but they are spread in different places along the warfront and we can't still have an h24 surveillance capability. This will be of great help." Alexander said with a smile. "Now, if you please to follow me..."

The group descended the stairs until reach again the darkness of the Operative Room, approaching the huge holographic map. "Situation: we have troops stuck for precaution on the border with Glacial, which is, how we all know well, part of the Riaku's empire. His troops are facing us even there, threatening a second penetration, so we can't move ours soldiers from these far trenches." Alexis lowered hers head in rage and sorrow... but Killer embraced her, pulling hers body tight on his own side affectively, leaning softly his head on hers own, squeezing hers shoulder lightly, and she smiled a bit up at him.

"We have an open warfront on the western border, too. It isn't a real worry, now, but we have a lot of troops stuck there to maintain the positions and the security along the frontier. I've already called back all the not-indispensable troops, running even a few risks where needed. We have an airlift on for transfer rapidly soldiers and light material like guns and light-medium vehicles directly here in the airport of the city. Thanks to this, we have back all the companies of Predators for the battle. The major part of our troops is running here from every point or bases of the country..." Alexander explained, and on the map the Spook visualized the little coats of arms of every regiment for show their actual position. Killer nodded, biting slightly his lower lip as he watched all the map understanding how serious was the situation.

"Obviously, ours problem is time. Troops can't go that fast... and then, Riaku has hit us badly in the first hours of his attack. He had cruise missiles and Short Range Ballistic Missiles, Killer." He said, rising his eyes for watch the suddenly impressed and worried face of his older brother, which frowned a moment down at him before reassume his usual coldness. But inside, he was gaping.

"This is the Highway H5, the principal arterial road that reaches Kesteven from the west." Said idly Alexander, pointing with his index towards an easily visible grey snake on the mountains of the western sector, where it goes across a very long tunnel near a village where a label said "Raven" and then runs over a huge dam. The long road then descended along the step mountains and ran for a bit almost straightly in a small plain, then three high viaduct were placed on a serious of tight, step valleys before run again in much more flat environment until reach the capital.

"This has been is first target. His SRBMs have erased the first great junction right near the border, then they have opened huge craters intermittently all along the mountain's tract... he tried to hit the Mohan's Dam and the long gallery of Raven as well, but fortunately there is placed a unit of air defense with anti-ballistic capabilities and they have intercepted the enemy's vectors in time with their missiles. We have been less lucky with the viaducts... a lightning fast wave of cruise missiles has destroyed the first two and severely damaged the third, biggest one. Another wave of SRBMs has hit the parallel railroad, tearing apart and throwing in the air almost half kilometer of tracks. The delays in the march of ours troops towards the capital are still incalculable, but we talk of a good few days at the very least."

Killer was shocked, but he hid it well as always and only nodded with a serious expression as his eyes run along the grey snake on the map, were the damages were signaled with pulsating red labels.

"A very similar attack has hit the east's Highways and a slightly one the north's roads. Ours capabilities of move troops across the kingdom is dropped to a scarce twenty percent. Unfortunately, we have batteries of defense anti-air, anti-missile... but their number is far too little for cover all the territory. There was no way of stop this disaster... he leaved intact the south-east road, the Highway H10 that connects Kesteven and Mottram. He's using it for march towards us at the maximum speed possible... and we are trying to leave mines and destroyed bridges for slow him down and gain time. I'm surprised of the fact that he has leaved untouched also the Highway H1 between Kesteven and Kendrew... I can't think that our old lance corporal is so moron to think that you would remain out from the fight." Alexander ended, looking up at his brother as he watched down at him with a strange grin.

"Riaku probably knows that I haven't so many troops right now to use in this battle for help my homeland... and I'm sure he wants me here, that's all. The reason is simple... This time he's sure of win. And he wants a total triumph, throwing in the dust even Wyvern... here at his home, even. The SRBMs and Cruise missiles are the first proof that he's really serious, this time. He has tricked us... despite all ours efforts for espionage in Mottram, we have never even suspected that he was producing these monstrosities." Killer said idly as Alexis's hand rubbed meekly at his chest, the female watching up at him with determination, her eyes illegible as always when a battle was coming.

"In any case, for today we will receive from Kendrew only a total of 300 soldiers, 27 towed heavy howitzers and 60 Infantry Fighting Vehicles, with their own escort of trucks of fuel, munitions and even a few trucks with air-defense missiles and 3 CIWS. It's an entire platoon of Cavalry and all ours Predators and is not that much... a lot of other troops are already in movement for come here, but I've the feeling that Riaku could launch a few SRBM if he sees too much stuff on the H1. Worse, no one of them can't be here before tomorrow at least." Said flatly Killer, his eyes still fixed on the map. "And fortunately we had prepared these, at least... the CIWSs will be very useful, too. They are never enough... and this time will be true much more than the usual."

CIWS is Close In Weapon System. Roughly, it was a huge, eight wheeled armored truck with an electronic active phased array radar at high definition and a turret with thermo-sensors for the searching and tracking of the targets. The truck was fitted with these and all the informatics systems needed and a huge supply of 30 mm piercing-rounds in a seeming endless belt and a smaller trailer had on a strange cube surmounted by a turret with a threatening 7 barrels Gatling-operated gun able of shoot about 5000 30 mm rounds in a minute. The cube was taken by the systems for the electric rotation and movement of the gun and over the weapon was placed a metallic dome. Inside, there was a smaller radar for the fire-direction. The system, a time placed, was able of search, track and engage automatically targets from aircrafts down to mortar rounds, across SRBMs and Cruise Missiles and rockets and bombs dropped from enemy fighters. It wasn't infallible, but the stream of rounds guided by the radars was quite effective for cover the strategic positions. The model used by Kesteven and Kendrew was also known as Centurion.

"It's already something. We need that help really a lot..." Said idly Siegfried, walking forwards with elegance and clapping a single time his hand formally. Immediately, the map changed, turning in a close up of the capital and very close surrounding lands. Killer smiled slightly, watching the unmistakable map of Kesteven.

The town was built in one of the very few plans of the kingdom, the biggest, for be precise. That zone was known as "Elisi fields", as the warrior's paradise of the ancient Greek mythology and was the better agricultural zone of all the country. And at the northern limit of the plain, leaned against the first hills, there was the town.

The castle was built on the first hill, towering easily on the plain and the capital and behind it there were only hills always higher until reach the size of mountains. In front of the castle, running down straightly on the step slope of the hill and then cutting in half the town from north to south, was the Leuchars Avenue, the huge, elegant four-lane road that Killer and Alexis had traveled along until reach the check point. About halfway, in the middle of the city, another four-lane avenue called Spadeam, intersect with this, giving form to the biggest square of the capital. Soldiers's Square was a huge, circular oasis in the perfect center of the city, surrounded by elegant skyscrapers and old, beautiful buildings. The four lanes drove around a huge, circular flower bed with a simple monument in the middle, a pyramid of black marble with chiseled on each face the winged sword of Kesteven and long lists of both battles and heroes of war of the history of the kingdom. Killer could remember that place in the days of his youth, always surrounded of wonderful cared flowers that were a great contrast whit the gloomy, dark monument... around, past the four lanes, the circular square was huge, an immense pedestrian island surrounded by windows of shops, department stores, bars and pubs... and even if he wasn't so hot with the whole shopping-things, he had always loved that place. Now, he could still easily see it in his mind... he and Alexis had driven near to it with the black Aston. And in the windows and even in trenches dinged in the flower bed, there were only machine guns, soldiers and anti-tank guns placed and ready for the fight.

Another two big roads, even if with two only lanes, Boulton and Coltishall Street, cut the town diagonally, forming a cross and reaching always Soldier's Square in the middle, dividing Kesteven in eight almost perfectly triangular districts. From the northern side of Spadeam road, they were the West end, Bletchley Park, Capital Wing, East End, Angel's Wing, Northolt, Taurus Wing and Aldergrove.

Kesteven had a form almost perfectly circular, defined by an huge, high-speed, six-lanes road called "The ring", where there were all the toll booths of the various highways and where every road for and from the capital emerged. Another three main circular roads called First, Second and Third Streets cut the town in circles ever smaller and then every block was delimited by minor roads and lanes.

"We have hidden tanks and armored vehicles in every strategic place in the town for use them as mobile fortress and heavy fire support, but essentially the major part of ours armored forces are separated in two Armored Corps, each nearby the size of an armored division, placed on the Ring, one in waiting at the western extremity of town and one at the eastern. The idea is of move them continuously along the Ring for attack from the two sides the column of the enemy forces, supplying at the numeric disadvantage and hopefully causing the heaviest damages." Explained flatly Alexander, reassured by the nod of approval of Killer.

"This is ours Red Zone." Said calmly Siegfried pointing at the castle on the map. The entire zone of the palace and the park around turned red immediately. "Ours artillery and command centre are here and this is the vital point. If they takes it... it's end."

"That's instead is the White Zone." The circle included between The Ring and the first road assumed a white color immediately. "Here we have placed no troops but only explosive traps and Improvised Explosive Devices. Besides, we have ready some secret passages under the ground for reach that zone in a second time. The idea is give at the enemy the illusion of a town almost undefended, encouraging them to go forwards, possibly lowering their attention... and when the battle in the city will begin, squads of Predators and soldiers will use the secret passages for emerge behind the enemy, causing chaos, uncertainty and hopefully cutting almost a part of the enemy's supplies-lines." Siegfried paused, watching Alexander nod easily at his side and Killer tilt his head on the side, with an appreciative nod and a wave of encouragement to continue.

"The only exception is the Airport." The male retaken, pointing at a large zone who turned immediately red in the middle of the white circle. The Kesteven's airport was huge, a masterpiece of architecture who covered an entire block in the Angel's Wing and had four different entrances: three were surfaced, one facing on the First Road, one facing on The Ring and the third on the Spadeam Avenue meanwhile the fourth, always on this way, was the monumental entrance of the immense underground car park. The airport itself had the appearance of an immense aircraft, with the muzzle that was a six floors tall building with a sharp point similar to the bow of a ship pointed on the Spadeam Avenue, with the monumental entrance and a roof that was a wonderful dome of wrought ironic and dark navy crystal. Placed at about a third of the total length of the building, the dome ended where a tall, square control tower stretched its size up to a height of fourteen floors, where there was the dark navy window of the Flight Direction Center. Over it, the tower still rose with a tall, slender structure similar to a shark-fin with the black panels of the active-electronic scansion arrays of the powerful radars on each face. On the two sides of the tower there were two long structures of dark navy crystal that were absolutely similar to wings but that actually were the two boarding zones with all the mobile corridors for transfer the passengers on the aircrafts. Then, behind the tower, the palace was again only six floors tall even if with an almost flat roof with a huge balcony where the structures and offices of the administration were and then again, the last stretch of the imaginary fuselage was constituted by the huge hangars. The impressive building was finished by a perfect tail with the two horizontal plans constituted by a huge, gloomy bunker of thick reinforced concrete who had inside the immense tanks of the fuel and several refueling-spots all along the perimeter. The walls of the bunkers were constellated of defensive positions with machine guns and floodlights and balcony for snipers and on the roof was installed a defensive anti-aircrafts missile system, complete even of a CIWS for terminal defense. Last masterpiece, the tail was complete even of the tall vertical rudder; a bolt structure of concrete surmounted by a structure with another Center of control called FAROC from Flight And Refueling Operations Control. Obviously last but more important, the building was rightly in the middle of the two double runways, that were disposed on each side, converging towards the centre and pointing towards the "tail" of the airport. A series of smaller runways linked each other, giving to all the system the appearance of an immense A.

And meanwhile Killer remembered also that part of his loved town, the holographic map changed again, assuming the perfect image of the airport in front of them thanks to the perfect work of the REMFs. "The airport is defended with great attention, only point in all the White Zone. Especially, mine Predators are lined in defensive positions on the roof of the administrative zone, in trenches along the runways and in the bunkers scattered along the perimeter of the entire airport. With particular attention, the soldiers are protecting the fuel reserves." Ended Siegfried.

Killer still only nodded, watching with attention as Alexander opened his mouth to talk. "Right now, the airport is vital for us. With roads and railroads interrupted, the airlift is the only way that we have for receive some help and it will remain our only hope still for a lot of hours. Probably for days. Beside, the fuel reserve of the airport is the major single depot of petrol in the entire kingdom... and we need that petrol for fight." He paused, tilting his head tiredly on the side as he sighed.

"Obviously, we aren't able of defend the airport for too much time. The flat, open terrain is an invitation to wedding for the tanks and the numerically advantaged troops of Riaku and our hopes of maintain it are zero. We are already freeing with explosives a large, flat zone in the forest at north, not too far from the palace and engineers are already there with every vehicle and stuff needed for prepare a makeshift landing zone... beside, we are using all ours trucks for carry away all the petrol possible." He stopped again, and then watched up in the blue eyes of his big bro with gravity.

"We need to maintain that airport as long as possible, in any case. And for nothing less of ten hours from now before have ready the landing zone... in all this time, we will receive regular flights of cargo aircrafts with ours soldiers on and we will catch up all the fuel possible, despite the risks and the difficulties."

Killer and Alexis nodded. "We will help the defense of the airport for all the time needed, together with ours troops. In any case, I think we are at least "safe" with fuel. He will not bomb us there, neither if he knows we need it." Wyvern said calmly.

"Why?" Asked Siegfried, frowning a bit.

"Riaku too needs fuel for fight. He will be far from home... hundreds of kilometers far, with extremely vulnerable and often slow supply-lines constituted by long, interminable queues of tankers that ours air force will love to bomb. And I'm sure he knows it. He will try to conquer the fuel reserve intact... so we have to defend it as long is possible, take all what's possible and then firebomb the remaining before retreat, hopefully cutting drastically his supplies." Alexis said flatly, gaining a smile and a tight, affective embrace from Killer as she stood leaned lightly against his powerful body, his arms wrapped softly around her waist.

"Sure. I'm happy of have you two here, really..." Said Alexander with a smile as he watched Killer bend a bit his head for kiss her hungrily in the short time needed by the map for change again. He watched the two with a bit of envy, too... knowing his big bro and seeing how much they go around well each with the other, he could imagine what was their favorite pastime... but he neither dared to try to guess how many and how strong, because it was surely something out from normality.

The circle of town between First and Second Road turned green on the map immediately when Alexander pointed at it. "The Green Zone is the first true line of resistance. A lot of IEDs and mines there. We have placed a huge amount of mines, from Claymores to S-Type to the heaviest Advanced Anti Tank ones, turned a lot of parking cars in powerful remote-controlled bombs, prepared the demolition of some buildings as trap and placed every sort of IED. The greatest hit right now is the trick of the artillery round in the curb of the sidewalks." He said with a cruel grin.

Killer remembered... the trick was take a normal artillery round, replace the detonator with a remote controlled one or a simple improvised tearing-detonator system, remove a block of the curb, dig a niche in the internal side and place there the projectile. You put again in place the block of concrete with surprise and you are like a mouse in the cheese.

"Nice." He said with a sharkish grin.

"My thought exactly... the defense obviously is completed by soldiers and tanks placed in every advantageous position and prepared with weapons and ammo for face the enemy for the longest time possible with the best results possible. Last, the city... the heart of town, is ours Yellow Zone. Same principles, exasperated to the maximum." Alexander ended as the last circle, the one with Soldier's Square, turned yellow. "We have finished the Claymores, unfortunately... we could have prepared more traps..." He added thoughtfully after a few seconds.

Killer frowned, watching down at his brothers with surprise as even Alexis watched up at him with hers eyebrows arched. "Claymores never end... We have still explosives, detonative fuse, metallic junk and electric wires?" Asked the huge male.

"Sure." Answered Siegfried without thinking, still watching the map and studying the situation of the airport.

Killer nodded and watched down at Alexander. "Bring me that junk and an ice cream box."

Alexander frowned, staring at him with a grimace of incredulity. "This seems to you the moment for an ice cream?"

"It's the box that I want. It's good even a shoes box, whatever. I want plastic explosive, detonative fuse, scotch tape, a plastic tube, electric wires, metallic junk, batteries and boxes, Alexander, we have no time. I will teach you how we were used to fight in the age of paper maps and improvisation..." Wyvern said with a grin-

Detonative fuse is a useful type of explosive, actually. It has the appearances of a lightly-thicker-than-the-normal string, but if you light it, the rope burns at the unbelievable speed of 8000 meters for second. The effect is amazing... wrapping a detonative fuse a few around a metallic pylon or around a pillar and then lighting it, this "explosion" will cut easily it in half. In war, it's used in infinity of different modes for different goals. Both Wyvern and Alexis had a skein of some meters of detonative fuse attached at their combat belts for the unforeseeable needs of the incoming fight.

In a moment, a pair of REMFs gathered all the stuff requested and Killer thrown all on a table in the Operative Room. "Follow me, I want you to learn." He said calmly to his brothers as he grasped the box, a container of ice cream that has been evidently emptied just a moment before. Killer smiled, passing a finger on the internal walls of the box and pouring it to Alexis, who sucked it lightly with an accomplice, amused glance up at him.

"Good. Vanilla." She said with a grin as he laughed softly, easily putting a hole on the low of the box with one of his sharp, cruel claws. Then he grasped a form of plastic explosive PE4, a variant of the famous C4 characterized by major inertness and easily cut away the plastic on it with a talon, removing easily the wrapping and modeling with his hands the soft explosive, forming a hollow charge.

He forced an extremity of the detonative fuse in the plastic explosive and wrapped the fine string around the charge several times, before place the block in the bow with the concave side towards the low, passing the detonative fuse in the hole. Then he filled the box with the metallic junk, from screws to nails to bolts over the explosive and closed the box before assuring the top with the scotch tape.

Alexis poured him a short piece of the plastic tube that she had already cut in several parts, well aware of what his husband was doing and he fixed a short electric wire at the free extremity of the detonating fuse out of the box. He worked easily with his used hands and fixed the same wire in the plastic tube, before insert also an extremity of a second piece of wire, tied at the other extremity with a long, transparent nylon string and connect it to the battery inside the plastic tube, that had the task of maintain united and near that was, under every aspect, the detonator.

"The concept is simple. The two wires are currently unconnected. The second, which is connected with the battery, contains electric current. When an unfortunate trips over the nylon string, it pulls the electrified wire on the inert one until there is the fatal contact. The circuit then is closed and the current arrives at the detonating fuse, lighting it, which explodes and actions the PE4. The plastic explosive will send burning metallic junk all around to at least one hundred meters of distance. And you can easily realize one of those even with a time-detonator or a remote control, if you want." Killer said amused, watching up at his brothers and placing in the hands of Alexander the device. "You two are great soldiers. Great officers too... and you are much better than me with last generation technologies, probably. But it's nice to see that I've still a few things to teach you. You have an only major defect... you are used to the "computer age" and if the supply of Claymores from industries ends, you are already motionless. That's bad. The old ages have always something useful to teach." Wyvern added standing up from the table as several soldiers begun immediately to reproduce his moves, making new mines as the two younger princes looked up with a bit of shame.

"It wasn't a sermon... I haven't growled, after all. It was only an observation." Killer said softly with a smile. "Ok, we have ours handhelds... we can communicate in every moment, I guess. Give us the codes list for today, so ours two armies can collaborate." He added after a moment.

Siegfried looked up with an amused smile. "Computer age offers something better than handhelds, big bro." The tall male waved easily to the nearest REMF and in a few seconds a group of small Spook walked towards them, holding in their hands an object that Killer didn't recognized too well.

It was a... a green visor complete of headphones and of a microphone stretched out for be in front of the muzzle. On the left headphone he could see also a few little buttons and he watched with interest as his brothers put on the system easily. He and Alexis grasped slowly the visor from the hands of two kind and a bit scared REMFs that were so small to reach barely the chest of the huge male, and worn the system.

"The visor is protected against every danger of dazzling. Our eyes are now shielded from natural light, lasers and even against the flash of a nuclear explosion. We tigers have the advantage of see well both during the day that during the night... but if you want a still better view, the big button in the middle of the left headphone actives the nocturnal mode with infra-red images, or a zoom which reach the 2X. A micro-camera on the structure films all what we watch. Beside, the visor is a Head Up Display. The first button on ours left headphone is for choose if we want show the information on the left or the right eye. The second shows the eventual images sent from the HQ or from another soldier. The third actives the microphone for talk with the other men or with the REMFs here. The information normally shown are the compass and the GPS position, plus the last order received from the Head Quarter, but you can show in every moment even the map of the city pressing two times the second button." Said easily Siegfried in the microphone with a wide smile, a bit of satisfaction in overcome the older brother at least in something for a time.

Killer nodded, listening the clear voice of the brother from the headphones and set the compass and the GPS data on the left eye, in the low left corner, leaving free the right eye for take aim in the best way possible, then watched up at his brothers, noticing how on the visor they were immediately surrounded by a thin green line.

"The visors are equipped with an Identifying Friend or Foe." Added easily Siegfried. "And they are able of interact automatically in wireless mode with ours handheld. That means that ours vocal messages in the microphone turns immediately also in a code message for the soldiers on the ground, reaching their handhelds. More, we can send the images from ours cameras on their handhelds or receive images from them."

Alexis pressed the second button three times, and the images of the Riaku's troops from the UAVs passed immediately on the visor from hers handheld. "Nice. We haven't to detach our eyes from the battle, so."

Killer smiled and bowed a bit his head. "End in a draw, this time."

"Unfortunately, we haven't still enough of those for everyone. Only we and the Predators have this system... the other soldiers will remain equipped only with handhelds." Said flatly Alexander before grasp from a REMF a big metallic tube. "This is ours latest Portable Anti-tank Missile Launcher. We call it PAM Javelin. It's a shoot-and-forget weapon system that launches missiles with infra-red guidance with a range of more than 1200 meters. A strong steely spring inside the tube it's able of thrown the missile at a maximum distance of 30 meters, but the rocket propeller of the missile starts its work normally after only twenty. The reason of the spring is that allows the use of the missile launcher from every place. Without any recoil and rear-flame from the launch, you can shoot even if behind you there's a wall or another man. No fire that would burn you with a normal rocket... no flame and light that could reveal yours position. The explosive charge is active after nine meters of travel, the minimum distance of security. You remove the protection from the missile-" Alexander grasped a smaller metallic tube from another REMF, opened the top and extracted the missile, removing a protecting cover both from the muzzle, where there was the searching seeker and from the tail, where there was the propulsive rocket.

"Then you insert the missile in the launcher and grasp this lever-" Alexander inserted the rocket-grenade and placed his hand on a metallic lever on the right side of the launcher, pulling it back until it locked inside with a soft sound, preparing the spring for the launch. "Then you have only to watch inside the optics and frame the target until the sight turns red. The objective then is locked, and you have three buttons for choose the method of attack. The first is for a direct hit. You pull the trigger and the missile will go directly on the target, exploding over the top of the tank, where it's more vulnerable. With the second button instead, the missile will carry out a curve before attack the target. This can be useful for confuse the enemy on the direction of provenience of the attack. In any case, all the travel of the missile from you to a target at the maximum distance of 1200 meters happens in little more than three seconds. The third button actives the anti-aircraft method. This launcher can use even anti-air missiles with a maximum range of 6 kilometers and 15000 meters of altitude." Alexander easily explained as he showed to the brother and to Alexis the two buttons on the side of the targeting sight, a sort of big, green video camera with a pistol grip and a trigger on the bottom.

"Clear." Said firmly Killer as he shouldered the launcher on the left, the right already covered by the massive assault rifle. He tied with a small chain a block of four tubes with the missiles on the back at his belt and then had to admit that he was fully loaded. He could still bear the weight of much more, but he simply couldn't think to another place on his body where put weapons. But Alexis walked forwards and loaded easily hers back with a block of eight tubes, each with a powerful missile inside, six anti-tank and two anti-air, giving to their team a fire-power absolutely scary.

"Well, we have always less time. Alexander, take me to ours father, now." Killer said flatly, watching with a strange expression his brothers. Alexis noticed even the voice of his beloved husband. A strange one. Could that be... displease for what he was going to do? The female looked up at him, but for a rare time, Killer doesn't watched her... his eyes were fixed on his brothers, with the shadow of that strange feeling.

Even Alexander and Siegfried noticed it, staring silently at the brother for a few moments with worried features, probably trying to understand what was going on... Then suddenly Alexander blinked and shook his head a bit with a sound halfway between sigh and snort as he rose again his glance on his big bro with worry and... could that be... contempt?

"A time you said me "be careful with kings. Kings are not like us soldiers... kings always search something when they are nice and kind with you.". You are king now... I suppose you too have your prize. So what's up, Killer...? If Kesteven is your prize for your help... then we are enemies and if we are enemies, I'm ready to stand against you, watch you in your eyes and fight you. Even if I know that I will be crushed, I will fight." Alexander talked sharply, an underline of threat in his voice, stepping forwards as Siegfried looked at him for a time without can hide his emotions, before surprise and then determination as he too walked towards the bigger male.

"I'm ready, too. Are we enemies, Killer...?" Said Siegfried, gaining a furious snarl from Alexis that he ignored as Wyvern stopped her softly with one hand.

"I'm king, yes... but I'm always yours big bro and I'm always the soldier that I was, inside. I'm glad to hear you two so determined... but Christ, I really hope we are not enemies. I'm here for help to defend my homeland and my family. And I hope that ours father will understand... the decision is his." Killer said softly but watching with decision down at his brothers, Alexis gently rubbing a hand on his chest, looking upset and disbelieving for what was happening. "Please, little bro, take me to ours father."

Alexander nodded, the affection for his brother vanished as he and Siegfried turned their backs to him with a simple wave for say to follow them as they begun to walk towards an armored door surrounded by soldiers of the CRWW. Killer sighed, closing his eyes for a moment... but he smiled, even if a sad smile, when reopening them he found Alexis watching up at him with a worried question in her eyes, her arms wrapped affectively around his neck.

"It's alright... I can't really say of haven't expected this reaction. But it's ok... I will arrange everything, you will see." He whispered in her ear, embracing her tightly and leaning softly his head on hers. Alexis nodded silently with an uncertain smile, gaining his side and wrapping one arm around his waist as he walked forwards, following the two now cold brothers through the heavy door of steel that an electric mechanism activated by a scansion of the Alexander's eye was opening.

The two white tigers walked rapidly along a corridor as Killer and Alexis followed at a few steps of distance, three CRWWs armed of submachine guns marching at each side of them as Siegfried waved easily to the soldiers. Alexis, still mostly unaware of what was going on, growled with irritation, her hands tightly closed one on the hilt of the sword and the other on hers submachine gun, but Killer reprimanded her softly with a kind, displeased glance and a soft squeeze of hers shoulder. The blond female looked up at him with a bit of scolding, but relaxed herself and then felt a slight smile rise on her features despite herself as the huge male frozen the six CRWWs with an icy, irritated glare, the six smaller tigers sidestepping immediately farer from them until brush the walls around, tail low and ears flat with submission and fear.

They climbed a huge, monumental stair of white marble, emerging from the bunkerized, dark and supervised cellar of the bulwark in a much more welcoming, luminous long corridor with a floor of precious blue tiles, walls covered of wonderful frescos and interrupted regularly by doors of heavy chiseled wood. Every now and then, some of the doors opened slowly, white furred female tigers watching what was going on, surely draw by the low sounds of the little group in march... and Alexis grinned, catching seductive looks and smiles from the girls towards Killer that told her without any doubt that they were all well experienced of the male that she was holding in the kind embrace of hers arm around his waist.

Then a probably thirteen feet tall white female with a muzzle with definite leonine features ran out from a door with a wide smile and Alexis noticed that she had on a luxurious, elegant, sky blue outfit that covered a bit hers nice, long legs with fine veils and left hers firm, feminine belly uncovered before a rather reduced bra covered her generous breast. She had a long mane of fur that wasn't white, but looked more like silver or white gold, shinning almost more than the blond hairs of the queen of Kendrew and Alexis noticed her smart, cheerful blue eyes.

"Killer! I'm so happy of see you...!" The female exclaimed as she all but jumped at the neck of the much larger male, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing chastely his cheek. "Oh, Lion... how I missed you."

Wyvern embraced her back, kissing gently her cheek as she sobbed a bit, a few tears of joy running down her nice features. "I'm back, Kaya... it's alright, little sister." He said gently as he caressed slowly hers luminous hair. "Mine little, loved sister... don't cry uselessly... I missed you, too."

Alexander and Siegfried stopped the march, turning back towards them, again with no sign of sweetness and Alexander rose an eyebrow with haughty, cold expression. "Don't waste your tears for him, Kaya. He's here only for take the crown."

Killer frowned, slightly irritated despite all the patience and love that he had for his brothers, making narrower his embrace on the smaller female as she locked her hands in the fur of his mane. Alexis understood finally what was wrong and snarled furiously for the lacking of faith that the two had shown for the brother, dragging out lightning fast her sword and stepping forward as the CRWWs formed immediately a line between her and the two princes, hesitatingly rising their weapons and pointing the sharp bayonets against the powerful, furious femme.

"Alexis, no!" Shouted Killer grasping her wrist and tackling her before she could hit the first, scared soldier with a punch. She snorted and sheathed again the sword with a fast, irritated motion, but her glance softened when she turned towards the male, shrugging a bit with a wide, ironic smile. But stopping Alexis he had released the sister, and Kaya too stepped forwards, her hands placed on her hips as he faced the two other brothers behind the wall of blades with a grimace of disgust. "I'm sure is not that. Lion is here for help us, fucking retard!"

Siegfried looked at her with a cold, flat expression. "We will see, we will see... let's reaching the throne's room and talk with ours father, then."

The group walked forwards again, Kaya cursing under hers breath against the two males as he reached the side of his big bro and she blinked as her eyes landed on the fourteen feet tall blond female that was standing with one arm laced around Killer's waist, her hand caressing casually his pants dangerously near at his massive virility, looking up at him with an apology in her eyes. Kaya blushed a bit for a moment when the blond female turned her glance on her, but Alexis smiled kindly and tilted hers head a bit on the side with a soft, benevolent glance on her.

"You are the one that has taken out from my brother love apart from sex, I suppose." The female said amusedly, lacing her hands behind hers back as she watched with interest and admiration the muscular, strong-looking tall female.

"I am. My name's Alexis." The queen answered gently with a nod, squeezing closer the giant male as she shook warmly the hand of Kaya, who smiled pleased at her.

"Well, Alexis... can I... talk with you a moment, please?" The girl said shyly under the amused glance of the brother. "Lead the way, Lion... we are behind you."

Alexis blinked slowly in surprise, but she slowly and reluctantly released the powerful body of the male, stepping side by side with Kaya a few feet behind him as all the group walked again forwards in the luxurious palace.

"I would liked to come to yours wedding... but the kingdom was in war as always and I had no possibilities of leave the capital in these moments. But I'm glad to see that you two looks so much... united." Kaya whispered softly at the taller female as she nodded easily with a smile.

"I apologize for ours two little bros. Killer and I are the first sons. Alexander and Siegfried are three years younger than us... and they can be still more impulsive of Killer, which is rather amazing. But you will see, Lion will arrange everything. He has never disappointed me."

Alexis laughed a bit with gentleness before watch down at the smaller female with a smile. "Lion?"

Kaya blinked, and then watched the blond warrior with a grin. "Yeah, sorry... it's the nickname that I've always used with mine big bro."

"Amusing." Alexis said with a nod, grinning a bit. "I use it sometimes myself, too."

Kaya looked at Alexis with a thoughtful smile. She was impressive, that was. Tall as she had never seen before, with perfect legs long as highways... an innate grace in her step and a great confidence with herself, a great independence and... gods, she was strong. Kaya could see even under the uniform that hers body was muscular, chiseled and toned, even if her features were still the maximum essence of the femininity. And all in her was saying that she was a warrior... and her hand casually leaned delicately on the golden pommel of the sword's hilt was only the last and maybe the smaller sign, after all.

"You are really impressive." She said with a smile. "I understand why my brother loves you."

"Thank you..." Alexis said gently with a kind, touched smile, tilting hers head a bit as her eyes glinted with a friendly light for a short instant.

"So... what you can say to me of my bro? Is he a... a good lover?" The smaller female blushed furiously, shrugging a bit in shame as Alexis stopped suddenly, watching down at her with eyebrows arched in amused surprise.

"You should know him well... he's your brother, after all and I'm sure he had never... hidden himself so much." Alexis said softly, tilting hers head on the side with an amused grin as she brought a finger under hers chin with an exaggerate thinking gesture.

The other female released a low growl of amusement. "He's not a guy that knows shame for his body... and it's not so easy hide that body neither willing to. But... well, I've seen him and heard of him, no more..."

"I'm rather surprised to find a female that he still hasn't brought in a bed... or on a sofa, or car or... whatever, I guess." Alexis noticed with a slight smile, watching softly the back of the male a few step forwards, traveling with her glance on powerful form and on his shinning mane.

"I know what you mean there..." Kaya observed softly, a smile gaining her muzzle. "But yes... he's too a good boy with me to satisfy my desire of him. He's too innocently pure there to take his sister... he's convinced that it wouldn't be nice, so much that he refuse decidedly even the idea, even if I ask."

"I know he can be incredibly stubborn sometimes. But it's an experience that I can't describe... and that you shouldn't miss. I will talk him of this and see what I can do, ok?" Alexis whispered softly down at the smaller female, who looked up at her with eyes shinning of gratitude as she opened her mouth to thank her.

"What are you two conspiring...?" Asked an amused, unaware Killer from over his shoulder. "I should be worried?"

Alexis reached immediately his side and Kaya reached his other, two both with innocent, smiling features. "Nothing... girl's things." The blond queen said cheerfully.

The group entered in a huge, circular room which had three monumental entrances, the walls covered of ancient armors and ceremonial swords and spears, huge flags with the coat of arms of Kesteven hanging down from the ceiling, a dome covered by the fresco of a battle that was three floors above their heads. The floor itself was wonderful, reproducing with marbles of different colors the map of the kingdom and the nearer states... Alexis could see the black marble of the inscription "Glacial", but then she noticed a good few golden stars inserted in the map, each with a name in golden letters. Raven, Hill 105, Leeming... then she found Wycherley and understood. Every star was the place of a battle, one of the victories of Kesteven. One of the triumphs of Killer. The monumental entrances were supervised each by two soldiers of the CRWW, and placed in three of the four cardinal points, facing a square platform of five steps that had on two huge thrones of chiseled gold and red velvet. In front of them, rapidly descending the stair, Alexis seen with curiosity that had to be the royal family... father and mother of Killer.

Gods, was not so easy guess that the king was the father of the three males... sure, their features were similar and the king too was muscular and bulky, standing at nothing less than fourteen feet, but the sovereign had no leonine signs on his body. No mane, even no tufted tail... as he walked closer, Alexis spotted some lionish lines in his muzzle, but that was all. He seemed a pure white tiger, his fur stripped of black on his toned body, his eyes of an icy blue that was so clear to degenerate towards the silver. He had on a black armor extremely similar to the ones of Killer and Alexander but with the winged sword of Kesteven in silver as decoration on the chest, a sword at each side and a black cloak that reached the ground behind him, tied at the armor with two golden clasps on the shoulders.

The queen was a very nice, twelve feet tall pure white tiger female. Differently from Alexis, she had hers stripes of black on the otherwise ivory, perfect fur, covering especially hers back and stretching towards her breast and abdomen, but without reach it, leaving hers neck, chest and belly white as Alexis's one, probably down on all her inner body. Her eyes were blue as Killer ones on her nice muzzle, hers pure white hairs long around hers face and then tied in a long pony tail down her back on the navy blue silk of an elegant, surprisingly covering outfit with long veils and a long train.

Alexander and Siegfried reached the king with a bow, Alexander saying something in the ear of the father with an hostile glance for the big bro, but Alexis noticed with pleasure that the king shook slowly his head with a soft smile, saying with a sage, powerful but gentle voice: "I'm sure you are wrong, Alexander... don't be always so impulsive and listen before to what he has to say." Then the king turned slowly his glance on Wyvern with a pleased smile. "Welcome home, Killer... I'm glad to see that you have got still better in those years. I think that's your right claim the crown, after all, if this is what you want as your little bros are thinking."

Killer walked slowly towards the father, his eyes respectful and affective... but he doesn't bow in front of him, as he had never done. And the two sovereigns neither embraced one the other, too cold and proud for show affection in that way... the two only shook their hands together with a smile. "I'm happy of be here, father, even if it's not a good moment..." Killer said sincerely before turn towards the mother and embraces her as she kissed him lightly on his cheek with a wide smile.

"You are still taller and bigger, Killer... do you think of stop growing, a day, or not...?" She asked with light, affective voice.

"I suppose is not my choice, mommy..." Answered him with a playful, affective smile before pull softly Alexis at his side. "This delightful girl is my wife, Alexis. Darling, those are my father Seth and my mother Isis."

The blond female nodded with a kind smile. "Nice to meet you... I was quite curious of see you, myself." She said gently, shaking softly the hand of the queen of Kesteven.

"Me too... it had to be hard to be on side of my son. He's a stubborn, insanely proud playboy with no shame. You are really full of patience, evidently." Seth observed with a soft laugh as Killer looked at him with arched eyebrows. "Thank you, father..." He said ironically, amused a bit nonetheless as Alexis smiled. "We are much the same... maybe is this that keeps us so tied."

"Really, I'm impressed of you, Alexis... I seen you the last time years and years ago, when you was still a teen princess. You were already beautiful, sure, but time has only added to you." Seth continued, bowing down a bit for kiss Alexis's hand.

"Yeah... you had seen her when you projected my wedding without said nothing to me, huh?" Killer said casually, his voice calm but with an underline of danger that the king felt easily.

"How you know...?" Seth asked with resignation.

"I heard of the combined wedding from my family." Alexis said flatly.

"You could at least advise me. At the very least, tell me of her when I decided to leave Kesteven. Maybe I would have reached her... found her before, loved her before." Killer said coldly.

"Or maybe only get furious, make a terrible mess and leave for ever both Kesteven, Glacial and her." Seth observed calmly. "You know yourself... you are the best warrior that I've ever seen. In battle you are cold, merciless, precise and elegant. But out of the battlefield you lack of patience. Of calm. What do you think you would have probably done if I had told you of a combined wedding?" The king looked up at Killer with his impressive silver eyes. "Sincerely."

Killer snorted. "As always you are right. But... it's so bad what destiny has played with me. Without her, without my loved life of general, I've been a mercenary, a solitary warrior... a damned murderer. Do you remember the gold rule, father? Don't kill uselessly. Think to who you are permitting to live, not to who you are killing. For seven years, that rule, even the call of my honor... all has been erased. All what I felt was my wish of kill, my urges and nothing else." Wyvern said sadly, his fists clenched shut and his eyes closed in the deepest internal pain as Alexis quietly hugged him from the side.

"I know. I've heard of yours black period. It's begun in the town of Newbury, isn't so? The town that you have practically erased from the map together with its people." Seth said calmly, one hand placed on the shoulder of the taller son.

"Yes, it's all begun there... how is horrible the world out of the borders of the North Lands! Here there are a lot of defects, but the reign of the tigers, whit its honor and discipline, at least maintains the order. Outside, honor is a concept nearby died, order is a utopia. Gods, I wasn't used to that. And yes, I've no patience, I know. I can't bear lightheartedly the stupidity, the rudeness, the oppression of the weakest... and there, there were all, without tigers or someone else to dominate and maintain order. I've lost the control when four assholes armed of pistols, knifes and chains had attacked a family in a bar where I was entered. Other eight guys where threatening all the others... and when two of them have reached me, I've killed two both before exterminate all that... that shit, they weren't nothing more. It was in my vision of Right. But people weren't of the same idea. Even who I had saved and protected, looked at me like a monster... and then the police. They wanted to arrest me, they tried even to kill me when I shattered the handcuffs in front of them. From there, I have killed everyone, destroyed all what I've could and raped... a lot. Beginning from a few policewomen. For seven years, seven, I've lived with that hate that had erased even my honor, my idea of right and wrong, putting in spotlight only my hungers. Kendrew has been the reborn... and Alexis here has given definitive peace to my heart." Killer paused with a sigh, then kissed his wife warmly, full of love and gratitude. "I will try to find redemption for my dark, stained soul and honor... and I know that I can do a first step right here, in this dark hour."

Seth nodded slowly, as Isis, Kaya, Alexander and Siegfried looked up at him with disconcert... but hell, he noticed with relief, they aren't against me. Even with all what I've done, they still are on my side.

"That's good to hear, Killer... you aren't a bad guy. You are better than most of us tigers, even. You have a huge sense of justice, you are fair and kind. You have saved me, when we both are well aware that usually the sons kills their fathers for take the kingdoms, as I've done and we both know that you are strong enough for get ride of me in a moment... you have always respected your mother and even your sisters, when it's common use for ours race do the exact contrary, for how disgusting this can sound. You are always been tolerant and respectful even with the weakest races... Kendrew is an example of pacific cohabitation still so impressive... I'm sure you will find yours redemption. And I apologize for my mistakes... if I had been more courageous and I had told you of Alexis, maybe your soul will be still safe. There was a lot that I could probably do for help you, son... but we both now have to face ours mistakes and find a solution. Regrets are useless. Please, Killer... tell me your plan now. Time is against us." Said calmly the king, giving deep relief at the tormented son before head out from the throne's room, Isis at his side as he opened the first of the plain wood doors in the corridor, the others following.

The group entered in a large living room and took place around a massive rectangular table of dark, heavy wood wonderfully chiseled, Seth and Isis sitting at one extremity and Killer and Alexis at the other, the brothers on the chairs along the sides.

"My idea is simple... I'm sure that Riaku is here for me more than for Kesteven. He wants to defeat me here for give me the deepest pain possible. Maybe he plans of kill me, if he will be able to... I can't permit that a lot of innocent guys die for this private question between him and I. I don't want my old and new comrades, friends or even brothers die for my problems and for the shadows of mine past. As soon as possible, I will challenge Riaku to face me and only me in a duel for resolve the battle and save Kesteven with the minimum possible waste of life. But if we accept this idea, we have to decide if we want to respect the tradition and the rules of Honor." Killer said flatly, his hand laced tight with Alexis's one on the table as her other hand rubbed slowly at his back.

"Of curse we have to. Kesteven will save its honor every time." Seth answered with arched eyebrows.

"Is not so easy, father. The law is clear. Only the king can duel with the rival for decide who will rule the kingdom. I'm not the king, I can't." Killer said softly.

"I will fight, then. It's my duty." Observed easily Seth as Isis placed a hand on his shoulder with a worried expression, Alexander, Siegfried and Kaya looking at the father with fear.

"Father, reason! We both know that I can kick you in your ass from when I was barely mature... from when I was five years old, you have never been able any more of touch me. Riaku is on my level, if he had not even overcome it in those months... you have no hopes."

"Then I will die with honor in the fight, as my father did and as his father before him." Seth added softly, his calm features never changing as he watched softly the major son, who looked up at him with pain in his blue eyes.

"Why...? Why you want to condemn Kesteven to defeat and you to death...? I... I love you, daddy. I know it's a lot of time that I don't say this, but we both know. Why you want to leave alone us and mommy... leave her in the hands of Riaku!" Killer said painfully, his eyes betraying for a time his pain. "I've an idea for save you, the kingdom and the honor. But I need to be king." He added with a pained sigh, removing his eyes from the brothers as they watched at him with contempt.

"Seen? I had understood... he's here only for the crown! In this moment!" Shouted angrily Alexander, jumping on his feet and slamming his hand on the table as Siegfried too looked at the major brother with a grimace.

"Shut the fuck up, Alexander!" Yelled Kaya and Alexis at the same time, before Seth rose slowly a hand with a calm but decided motion, hissing them both without neither watch them as Alexander slowly sat down again.

"I love you too, Kill... it was a lot of time that I had the wish of hear this again." The king watched affectively at the former general that had always defended his lands, on the son that he had thought of have lost years before, when he had heard of the death and of the destruction that he was bringing in the world. "I will be honored of die in a duel against you. I can't say of don't be ready... and I will go with peace, knowing that my family and my kingdom are in the best hands possible."

"I don't want you to die. You have simply to give me the title, nothing more." Killer said flatly.

"Afraid, I can't accept. You are proposing me an unconditional surrender... and my spirit can't bear the idea. Better die, then." Seth observed with calm, nodding.

"Why we have to be always so radical in this family? Probably because we are all damned stubborn bastards." Asked with bitter irony Wyvern. "I'm not offering you an unconditional surrender, but an agreement on par between warriors. I assume the title of king... but you know that I've an empire to run and that it's already almost too big for me alone. I will can carry out my duties of king of Kesteven only every now and then... you will be my... governor? Fieldmarshal? Whatever you want as title. You will remain here, doing practically the same of now, mommy will remain here with you, remaining only yours and I will come every now and then for..." Killer paused, an amused and somehow embarrassed glance traded with Alexis as she hides a laugh with a snort. He couldn't say "fuck the girls" in front of the entire royal family, right?

"...well, divulge the genetic footprint. You know." Killer coughed casually and Alexis laughed a bit as Kaya snorted amusedly. "I need a good general for my army... and I was thinking to Alexander, meanwhile Siegfried could take the charge of commander of all the Predators, of Kesteven and Kendrew both." He watched again at Alexis with a soft smile. "For you nothing would change, if for you it's ok. You are queen more than colonel and you can rule whoever you want."

"Except me, seems." He whispered in her ear. The blond female grinned at him, shrugging a bit. "I will have more time for try to tame you instead of dominate the trainings of young recruits." She said softly, kissing delicately his cheek.

"If you have better suggestions, I will be happy of listen." Said Killer in conclusive tone, crossing slowly his huge arms as he leaned back more comfortably in the chair. Seth nodded slowly a few times as Isis placed softly hers head on his shoulder, looking relieved and smiling at her son, Alexander and Siegfried looking embarrassed and shifting uncomfortably in their chairs for the goodwill and affection that their big bro had shown, despite their unmotivated, speeded up hostility.

"I think it's a perfect idea. I will be happy of be yours Fieldmarshal... there's no shame in recognize that someone is stronger than us. Especially if that someone is ours son." Seth said with his warm, calm voice. "I will make an announcement on the media in the next minutes, majesty."

"Killer, daddy, it's only Killer." Said amusedly the huge male as he stood from the chair, finally ready for go and face the battle. As he reached the door, two hands reached his shoulder from behind and he turned back.

"Sorry, big bro. I've been a moron. I will serve yours majesty until die." Alexander said, his head lowered in deep shame. Siegfried, at his side, looked equally mortified as he knelled down in observance of the tradition for recite his oath and apologize.

But Killer only laughed, ruffling their manes as they rapidly stood and backstepped for exit from his range. "Hey, hey, wait! We spend hours for set those manes! Rather give me a slap!" Exclaimed Alexander playfully, sure that Wyvern had already forgot everything. But a moment later, he and Siegfried had a cheek on fire as they blinked slowly up at the taller male.

The two whimpered a bit, closing a few times their sore jaws and bringing a hand up on their damaged muzzles. "Christ... I thought you had forgiven us..." Alexander said meekly.

"In fact. But despite that, in my ninety-nine names there isn't "merciful", as you two should remember well." Killer said amusedly, embracing the two smaller males with affection as the two answered back warmly under the amused glances of Alexis and Kaya, who shared a laugh.

"Alright. We deserved them, after all." Siegfried observed honestly.

A few minutes later, the group reached the monumental entrance of the castle, an immense room with wonderful decorations and a huge stair of marble... and Killer frowned seeing a statue that wasn't there at his times. It was a huge basement of ivory marble surmounted by the sculpture of a warrior. And even if he could still see it only from behind, the mane of the guy perfectly chiseled in the rock was undoubtedly his own, as he noticed with an amused smile.

In fact, as they reached the statue, he found a rocky version of himself reproduced with impressive precision, at true size. Better still, a bit smaller, because it was an image of him of years ago, when he was general. The sculptured Killer stood proudly in full general armor as he was dressed right now, his legs spread a bit and head risen with pride, a challenge in his eyes lacking of scar. His hands were placed casually one on the other on the pommel of a sword... but the sword wasn't of rock.

Killer felt his eyes widen a bit and a smile gain his muzzle as he watched again after all these years the legendary sword, the mate of battles that had given him his nickname. The huge, crimson sword called Wyvern, pointed point-down was in front of his eyes, with the fine structure of golden hard steel in the middle of the more-than-a-foot thick red blade. Inside that structure, just a foot or so over the hilt, he could still see one of the bullets that the sword had stopped during the duel with Dark. He wondered again on the amazing strength and perfection of the sword, a deadly double-bladed monstrosity with the blade spiking into two large triangles at the bottom, near the hilt on either side. The hilt itself was simple, but whit two curved, sharp wings on either side of the hand, useful both for destructive punches and for protect the hand from damages. The cross-hilt itself was equipped with some spikes on the extremities and with three steely claws on the pommel, which were useful for increase at the maximum the damage of an eventual blow with that usually inoffensive side of a blade and where now fitted between finger and finger of the hands of his chiseled copy.

"When I leaved this sword here, my idea was to see a day at least one of my little bros able of use it, not see the blade used for a monument..." Killer said amusedly, but with an underline of scolding as he watched down at two very embarrassed Alexander and Siegfried. "No one of you two has learned? I thought I had said to you "train yourselves!"..."

Alexander looked up with a bit of shame. "We have tried, but it's really too cumbersome and heavy. And... and then it's yours."

"Don't try to change subject, Alex. It's of the defender of Kesteven... of the general." Killer said, making Alexander lower his head a bit in deeper shame. "You two should be able of use it, at the very least with both hands, by now... Ended this mess, I'm gonna train you both seriously." The huge male said calmly, not noticing how the brothers looked each at the other with a grimace of worry, well knowing the concept that he had of training.

"But now... sorry, buddy. But I guess it's more useful to me than to you." Killer said softly, looking up at his face, reaching the hilt of the sword and taking the weapon away from the monument, rising it easily in the air in his right hand and trying a few simple, elegant motion with his wrist, the blade seeming weightless in his hand.

"Welcome back, my friend..." Wyvern whispered before bring easily the huge sword over his head and attaching the blade at the two customized magnets on the back of his armor.

"... in this hour of darkness for ours loved homeland, I have to share with you all a nice novelty. In the hour of major need of his homeland, the prince Killer, king of Kendrew, is returned for help us all and save again Kesteven. And I'm going to leave my charge of sovereign of this kingdom, leaving to him the duty and the rights of the king in this difficult moment. From now and hopefully forever, Killer is the legitimate king of Kesteven. I'm sure you all will agree with me on the fact that he was the best sovereign possible, the better guide even in the hardest tempests, like this one that we are going through. As general, he has gained ours admiration and gratitude and now, as king, he will defend us again, rising another time as bulwark of ours freedom..."

The voice of Seth, by now former king of the powerful kingdom called Kesteven and known also as the "Pearl of the North" was echoing in every angle of the dark, seeming desert town, where every light was turn off in the dark night, but where soldiers hidden almost everywhere were listening with great attention, surprised, but even satisfied and glad. The same message was running on television, radio, internet and press, informing all the world of the change that most people had forecasted a lot of times from years and years before, even if imagining the succession with blood and not with agreement. Even Riaku, on board of a mobile command post on the road for Kesteven, listened the news, an enigmatic grin on his muzzle...

The Mottram forces were by now at a few minutes of distance from the perimeter of the town and the battle was going to begin... but for the men of Kesteven, these last minutes of nervous waiting were happy ones as they applauded the old general and new king along the roads. Killer was standing on top of the turret of one of his own tracked IFVs in the same position of the monument, Alexis at his side and his two brothers just behind, the flag of Kendrew waving in the air on the right aerial of the tank and the Kesteven's one on the one at the other side. His troops were at the last arrived and he had already distributed the forces, sending the artillery in the positions around the palace, most of the tanks to reinforce the two armored corps on the Ring and now he was leading the march of his Predators towards the airport from over the turret of the first IFV in line, followed by other nineteen vehicles, by the huge CIWS's trucks and then by the soldiers that were proudly walking with all their discipline and precision, shouting all the military songs that they knew for don't disfigure in front of the veterans of Kesteven that watched them friendly from every position along all the way, joining every song and applauding the new king.

And Killer watched the sky, a slight smile rising on his muzzle as the first patrol of his own fighters from Kendrew joined the few Kesteven's aircrafts with a rumble worthy of a thunder, the flames of the jets at full speed shinning in the darkness. He could already spot the tall tower of the airport with his eyes... and as Alexis kissed his cheek lightly and he traded a smile with her, he knew that was going to be hard and bloody. But they were going to face it in any case.