Kazamaru Ironworks

[Ryugi Kazamaru]

Ryudo's steely gaze didn't even crack, other than a very small grin and a dangerous glint in his eyes, as the Death Knight spoke about his supposed superiority to the shadow dragon. Getting mended by your lackey after being stupid enough to get yourself cleaved in half because you were stupid and arrogant did little to make any threats capable of being taken seriously. Had the Death Knight's associate, or keeper, or perhaps babysitter, had not shown up, the man would be dead and not bothering Ryudo with his existence. Ryudo took note of the fact that the man before him did not seemed armed for combat, but that only meant Ryudo wasn't simply going to kill him at this instant. Besides, he wasn't about to unleash his full power in the middle of Latent in any case.

In truth, Ryudo barely listened to the man's talk about how superior he was, how Ryudo was weak, and how he regrettably wasn't in Latent or at the Ironworks to try and kill Ryudo, Vargus, or Ryugi's new family. Ryudo's telepathic powers couldn't pick up anything from what was essentially a reanimate corpse made of compressed matter and energy, but he didn't need to. Plenty of other senses continued to monitor the man, just looking for an excuse to crush his head like a grape under a ton of psychic force. However, Ryudo knew control, and knew it well. However, his patience was not long for the Death Knight. You have sixty seconds. Speak. Sixty, fifty-nine, fifty-eight...  

[Ryugi Kazamaru]

It took all of Ryudo's psychic composure not to laugh. The very notion of this situation was laughable in every aspect. The egotistical Death Knight was seeking assistance from one he despised, considered low and beneath him. It was as if a dragon were asking a favor of a lowly kobold. On top of that already riotous situation was the fact that Ryudo, more than many, owed the Death Knight absolutely no favors, and, in fact, owed him the very opposite of kindness, respect, or assistance. Were the situation completely up to the Shadow Dragon, he would have laughed, spat in the Death Knight's face, and told him, in so many words, to go ******** himself.

Of course, those options were still entirely open to Ryudo. However, the one and only thing that prevented Ryudo from slamming the proverbial door into the man's face was his absent brother. Were Ryugi ever to learn that Ryudo's hatred of the Death Knight had willingly and knowingly caused more suffering of his people, or prolonged the suffering of those already passed, Ryudo knew the trust that had been forged between the two brothers would crack and fracture the small semblance of family they had regained, not to mention the effect it could have on young Ryumi. That being the case, in order to uphold the honorable name of the Kazamaru Family, to uphold the wishes of his noble brother, and to maintain the best environment for his niece's growth, Ryudo set aside his hatred and personal feelings, to a degree, and spoke. After all, just because he was going to help didn't mean he couldn't rub it in a little.

So the puppet wishes to cut his strings, and he asks a "lowly creature" for help to do it. Were it not for the fact that you stand here now, I would have laughed myself to death at the very notion of me helping you achieve anything but a quick death. Ryudo continued. And if it were not for my brother's wishes and our family name, I would have sooner killed you or reveled in your suffering at being someone's pawn. Your dissatisfaction brings me much amusement, Vermin. Ryudo was intelligent, well-spoken, and all together collected at everything he did, but he wasn't the nicest person around. His venom was thick, and his tongue just as sharp. He was a true draconic personality when measured against many of his kind, but even he was not beyond putting that aside for the greater good. He simply had a different idea of "greater good" than his brother.

My terms are as follows and non-negotiable. You will release all of the Angaran souls before I do so much as lift a finger to assist you. Consider it an act of good will on your part. Next, you will swear that no harm shall come to my brother so long as he is within Latent's walls, and his family is completely off limits, myself excluded of course. Ryudo's eyes were stern. If the Death Knight wished for a rematch without the assistance of his puppet masters to fix him, Ryudo would gladly kill him for the asking... However, he continued.

Involve one microscopic speck of my brother's wife, or my niece in any of your twisted little agenda and I swear on my life you will feel BOTH my brother's and my might brought to bear upon you at the same time, and with my abilities you will not be capable of hiding from our wrath. Ryudo was not ******** around. His consciousness had touched the fringes of the cosmos, and even searched out other planets. Finding a single essence of power within Gaia or the plains would take a little more time, but it was not outside his means. One did not do well to provoke the ire of a dragon, much less two. If Death Knight had struggled to defeat Ryudo, then both Ryugi and Ryudo's forces combined would obliterate him. Lastly, upon completion of this "delightful" task, I shall accompany you to Angara to witness your withdrawal personally, and you AND your forces will leave never to return, at least not lead by yourself, or under any order given by you. That was all clear enough. Do you understand?  

[MagnusXL]

~Two weeks prior to Heaven or Hell...

Early that morning, before the Kazamaru Ironworks officially opened, a member of the family would discover that a mysterious visitor left them a calling card in the dead of night. Attached to the front door of the building was a note written in a distinct and overly elaborate script the head of the household was bound to recognize. Whoever discovered the note would no doubt be irritated as it was affixed to the door via a stab with a dagger, unfortunately leaving a permanent gash in the wood.

As to how the visitor managed to circumvent the powerful detection abilities of the four dragons in the household? For one, he approached when they were sleeping and didn't actually trespass on the premises. For two, the man was wearing a very stylish set of earrings that blocked the Shadow Dragon's telepathic detection and a very spiffy hat that granted him plot convenience in all team-related issues.

Ryugi Kazamaru