Doomwood: Graveyard

Vayle wiped her brow as she drew closer to finishing the summoning of the several thousand undead that they would need to stand in Jake's way. Not that they would even slow him down, that wasn't the point. The point was to make Jake think that Sepulchure was actually the one responsible for all the undead, not her and Lillith. Speaking of whom, she glanced over at the lich who was doing the same thing she was, with a somewhat higher degree of difficulty. Despite being a necromancer, light just was not as conducive to summoning the undead as darkness was. And she was technically cheating because of the darkness orb bound to her, but there was nothing that she could do about that.

Lillith sank to her knees, exhausted, "Ok, three thousand skeletons. All done."

She walked over and set a hand on Lillith's shoulder, "Easy, don't stress yourself. Zhoom would fill me with arrows if he thought I had pushed you too hard."

A gleeful smile spread across Lillith's face, "I love it when he gets all protective like that."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm sure you do, but we're done here. So let's get the bones moving to Sepulchure's castle."

Lillith shook her head, "I still can't believe that we're just going to hand several thousand undead over to Sepulchure."

She smirked and lightly rapped Lillith over the head with her knuckles, "That would be because we aren't doing that. You and I will be the ones actually telling the undead what to do."

Lillith rubbed the spot she had hit, "Well, that makes more sense. I thought for a moment that we were actually going to trust Sepulchure."

She chuckled softly, "Oh, even a death threat only goes so far. I still wouldn't trust the doom knight as far as I could throw him."

They walked a short ways, well, Lillith floated, before a thought seemed to occur to the lich, "Vayle, what are we going to do with the skeletons if Jake doesn't destroy them all?"

She gave a small snort of disdain, "You are, of course, assuming that Jake will leave any of them in one piece."

Lillith nodded, "Of course assuming that, what happens after if there are any skeletons left?"

She gave the lich a querying look, "Why? Did you want to keep them?"

Lillith's face twisted up in disgust, "Ugh, no! I can't stand the sight of them. Or the sound they make while walking around, or the smell..."

She interrupted, "Wait, the undead have a smell to them?"

Lillith stopped floating and turned to look at her, "You've never noticed? They have this disgustingly musty, dank, dirty smell to them. Maybe you just spend too much time around the undead?"

She smirked, "I should hope not, what with me being married to Artix, the holy boy who is physically unable to stop himself from re-killing any undead he comes across."

Lillith giggled, "Holy boy? Is that your pet name for him?"

She smiled and nodded, "Jake came up with it, but yes. Do you have one for Zhoom?"

Lillith shifted awkwardly, which was hard to do considering that she was floating, "Well, not exactly."

She hesitated, "Do I even want to ask?"

Lillith shifted awkwardly again and her face turned red, "No, I really don't think you do."

Now she felt uncomfortable, "Ok, so no more discussing this topic."

Lillith's face remained red, "Yeah that sounds good."

Falconreach: Serenity's Inn

Artix tapped his axe against his boot in anxiety. Sepulchure would be here within moments, under escort of himself, Galanoth, and Zhoom of course, to bring Louise to the castle. A later addition to the plan by the men in the group was that they, himself, Galanoth, and Zhoom, would be "imprisoned" on the top floor within sight of Sepulchure and Louise at all times. Just to make sure that the doom knight didn't do anything to Louise that would piss Jake off even more.

Louise was standing behind him, "So, this is going to work, right?"

He lifted his axe onto his shoulder as Sepulchure came into view at the far end on town, "Provided that everything goes according to plan, then yes."

Louise sounded at least fifty times more anxious than he felt, "And if it doesn't?"

He paused for a moment to ponder the question, then turned to face Louise, "Best case scenario, nothing changes. And we can try again with something else, like you just walking up to him and confessing."

Louise's grip tightened on the baby dragon she was holding, "And the worst case scenario?"

He thought for a moment, though he did not want to, "Worst case scenario, Jake could just go into complete exile and just say, in effect, to hell with all of you. Then we would all be doomed."

Louise shook her head, "I"m sorry, I must be sounding extremely pessimistic right now."

He nodded, "I understand, a lot of this crazy plan is resting on you when Jake rescues you."

Louise smiled for a brief moment, then the smile faded, "It just sounds good to think about that part, I just can't get it out of my head that it's being staged."

He had to think about that statement for a moment, "Well, I don't know what to tell you about that. I'm sure Jake could if he weren't out of it, but, just do what feels right at the moment I guess."

Louise smiled weakly, "Wow, Jake was right. You never would have gotten with Vayle if Jake hadn't helped the both of you."

He almost gagged, "You to? When did Jake tell you about that?"

Louise smiled a sad smile, "Just before Xan busted in with the letter. He also told me about Galanoth and Aisha, and how he had a minor role in Zhoom and Lillith."

He facepalmed, "Was he bragging?"

Louise shook her head, "No, he seemed genuinely glad that he had managed to help other people find their own piece of happiness."

A loud cough broke into the conversation, "As touching as this discussion is, I would like to get this damnable duty over with as soon as possible. So if you would kindly hurry up?"

He glanced over his shoulder to where Sepulchure had spoken from, held at sword point by Galanoth.

He whistled, "Ash!" When the young knight had reached him, "Ok, you know what you have to do, right?"

Ash nodded, "Wait a day, then run like the wind to Amityvale and let Jake know that Sepulchure has kidnaped Louise to use as a sacrifice, and has also captured you, Zhoom, and Galanoth."

He flashed Ash a thumbs up, "Perfect. We're counting on you."

Amityvale: One day later

Ash stood in front of Jake's door, almost afraid to knock. There were no lights on inside, and there was a palpable smell of utter darkness that emanated from every board of the house. Just how deep had Jake sank himself into the darkness of despair? He shook his head and steeled himself, everyone was counting on him to do this, and he wasn't about to chicken out now.

He lifted his right hand and knocked three times, "Hello? Jake?"

There was no audible sound from inside.

He started to knock again, "Ja..."

In the middle of his word Jake opened the door, flaming helm already lit and holding the DOOM axe, "Yes Ash? Is there a problem?"

Jake almost seemed, eager for violence. Which was a disturbing notion.

He spoke what he had planned to say, "Ah, Sepulchure has kidnaped Louise and..."

As soon as he finished saying the word "Louise" Jake had tensed up and bowled over him while sprinting away, whistling his signature dragon's call for Bruno.

Sepulchure's Castle: summit

Artix looked out over the ledge and watched Bruno drop Jake at the bottom of the castle. The Death Knight then charged in, crashing through the skeletons while not even swinging his DOOM axe, just pure momentum.

Behind him, Sepulchure snarled, "Jake is here?"

He nodded and turned away from the edge, "Yes. Louise, assume the position."

Louise nodded and lay down on top of a crude stone altar that had been built especially for the occasion.

He pulled Sepulchure aside, "Remember, the three of us are going to be right over there on the wall. So don't even think about doing anything to Louise, else we will knock you right off of the ledge over there."

The doom knight grimaced, "I havn't forgotten. And she's disgustingly innocent anyway."

He set his axe just out of reach and snapped the false chains around his wrists and ankles, "So long as we understand each other."

Next to him, about three feet away, Galanoth sighed, "So now what?"

Zhoom, in a similar position, answered, "Now we wait, and hope that things work."

Castle Throne room: Ten minutes into raid

Drakath fidgeted nervously. Jake was going to be here any moment, a very pissed off Death Knight with a very deadly axe.

He tried to calm himself, "It's going to be fine, so long as I lose quickly and tell Jake where to find the girl I probably won't die."

His calming attempt was shattered by a voice that came from behind him, "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure of that. It would however, be a very good idea to tell me where Louise is. Then I will decide whether or not I should kill you or not."

he screamed and whirled around, sword pointing directly at the slit between Jake's flaming helmet and his chest plate.

Jake continued, "But at least you seem to have finally learned that you will never beat me. So, what's it going to be? Tell me where Louise is and I might just let you live."

He shivered out of fear, but he couldn't give in that easily, things might...

Jake slightly lifted his axe.

He shrieked and dropped his sword, "She's on the top floor!"

Jake lifted his helmet to allow him to see an evil smirk plastered across the Death Knight's face, "Good boy, lucky for you I have more important things to do than waste my time killing you. So you live for now."

Jake dropped the flat edge of his axe blade upon his head, and he passed out.

Castle: Summit: twenty minutes into raid

Zhoom heard the crashing of metal on bone and assumed that Jake must be getting close to the summit.

He voiced his thought, "Sepulchure, you might want to get ready."

The doom knight did not respond.

He shouted, "Sepulchure!"

The doom knight reacted with a distracted, "Huh?"

He continued, "Jake is almost here, you should..."

He was cut off as the Death Knight in question crashed through the door to the lower floors with a pile of shattered bones flying through after him as he skidded to a halt.

Jake glanced around for a moment, "Ah, Zhoom, good." Jake tossed a knife and severed one of the fake chains holding him to the wall, "Do a man a favor and help Louise would you?" Jake turned to Sepulchure and leveled his DOOM axe at the doom knight, "I have to deal with a certain pest that I should have dealt with a long time ago."

Sepulchure snorted and drew a long, dark looking blade, "The only pest that should have been dealt with is you, Death Knight."

Jake rushed in and the heavy blade of his DOOM axe crashed against Sepulchure's blade before quickly rebounding and coming in from the other side, "Either way, you picked the wrong woman to kidnap. A mistake which you will pay dearly for."

Sepulchure deflected both swings and shot two quick stabs in Jake's direction, one which glanced off of the Death Knight's shoulder plaudron, "We shall see."

Jake laughed and threw a powerful, two handed downward swing that sent Sepulchure staggering, "I think you said those words before, right before I kicked your ass when you were at full power. You are now just a shadow of that and you still think you can win? You villains just never learn."

Sepulchure sent another stab Jake's way, but this time Jake caught the long sword in a notch on his axe, before twisting the blade off to the side and kicking it out of Sepulchure's hands.

Jake held his axe blade against Sepulchure's chest and backed the doom knight up to the edge of the ledge, "Well, looks like I was right."

Sepulchure held his hands up in a gesture of surrender, "That may be, but I know your code, your ethics, you can't kill me."

Jake lifted his helmet to show his face, which was snarling, "Oh really? I guess you havn't heard of the ninja village yet. I helped Xan burn the place down. So I guess, by your definition, I'm no longer a hero." Jake's face took on a thoughtful look, "Then I guess there really won't be a problem with me doing this then." Jake flipped his helmet back down, and shouted, "THIS IS LORE!"

Jake wound up and kicked Sepulchure directly in the chest, sending the doom knight flying off of the top of the castle, screaming the whole way.

Artix spoke almost in awe, mostly in dread, "Jake, did you just kill Sepulchure?"

Jake flipped his helmet back down and peered over the edge, "Nah, I've fallen farther and lived. But I suppose I'd better go finish him off."

Jake started to nonchalantly waltz back to the door to the lower floors.

He whispered to Artix, "Now what do we do?"

Artix started to open his mouth but someone else answered for him.

Louise sprinted after Jake, "NO!"

Jake started to turn around, "Wha..."

Louise bodily tackled Jake, wrestled him to the ground, tore off his flaming helmet with her bare hands, and kissed him right on the floor of Sepulchure's castle.

Jake's face was the epitome of disbelief, "Wha..."

Louise was practically sobbing into Jake's chest, "Jake, no more killing. I..."

The pall of darkness that had settled over Jake's countenance faded to a large degree, "Louise, what exactly are you trying to tell me?"

Louise pushed herself up enough so that she was kneeling in front Jake, "I, Jake I, I love you."

Jake almost seemed to choke, "You, you love, me? How long..."

Louise turned bright red, "Six years."

Jake's head did the math, "Oh, great, then I've been torturing you for six years." Jake threw his hands up in the air, "I guess that makes it official, I'm a horrible person."

Louise objected, "No you're not!"

Jake chuckled, the first time he had laughed since he had gotten Teresa's letter, and the first genuine laugh since Louise had butted into the conversation just before, "Relax Louise, I'm joking. I just wish you had said something before I married that flighty, red haired temptress. I'm actually starting to wonder how I ended up marrying that woman in the first place."

Louise looked confused, "What do you mean?"

Jake shrugged, "Maybe I was just young and stupid, with a talent for making quick puns."

Artix butted in, "And that latter part has changed, how?"

Jake turned around and seemed to notice Artix for the first time, "Ah, what are you and Galanoth doing here? For that matter, why did neither of you make a move to help me with Sepulchure?"

Artix went wide eyed, "Ah, we were ah, chained to the wall over there."

Jake got up off the floor and crossed the room to the where they had all been "chained" and yanked on one of the fake chains, it fell apart at the slightest of effort.

Jake held up the fake chain accusingly, "Ok, not that I'm giving Sepulchure any credit, but even he is smart enough to buy strong chains. Is there something going on that I should be aware of?"

Artix spoke a very unconvincing, "Of course not."

Jake turned back to Louise, "Louise? How about you?"

Louise turned bright red, "Ah..." And took a deep breath, "I, it was all set up. Please don't hate me."

Jake smiled and shook his head, "That's just not possible." And turned to the rest of them, "A set up huh? Wow you guys really went all out on this one. I suppose it's my karma coming back around to bite me in the rear. But..." He walked back over to Louise, "...I think that at the moment I'm liking how it's turning out."

He gestured to Artix and Galanoth, silently telling them that now would be a good time to leave. Jake and Louise deserved a bit of time to themselves without an audience.

Jake waited for Artix and the other two men to clear out before opening his mouth, "So, now that we both know how the other feels, what now?"

Louise looked up at him, "You mean you feel the same?"

He nodded and led Louise over to the edge before taking a seat, "I'm rather sure that I do. Perhaps the disastrous end of my last marriage made me take a hard look at what love really is. But I do have one small, ok not small at all, very large worry about what should happen later on down the line. I still have my job to do, so..."

Louise cut him off, "Oh, I wouldn't worry about me getting lonely."

He smirked, "And why might that be?"

Louise wrapped her arms around him, pinning both of his limbs to his sides, "Because every time you have to go out, I'm going with you."

He wriggled his arms free, "That sound like a very good solution to me. Just one last question, what are you going to use as a weapon?"

Louise reached into her backpack, "I have this." And pulled out a blade that shined so brightly that it hurt his eyes.

He held up his hands to block some of the light, "AH! Bright light, put it away!"

Louise quickly stuffed the brilliant sword back into her backpack, "I'm sorry!"

He blinked a few times until he could see clearly, "It's fine, I just didn't know it was you that held the Blade of Destiny. But know that I know, I have no objections whatsoever."

Louise's eyes teared up in joy and she lunged at him, "Thank you!"

His head cracked against the stone floor, "Ok, I love you to Louise! No need to tackle me to the floor!"

A loud groan passed through the air.

Louise let him up, "What was that?"

He peered over the edge and down to where he had kicked Sepulchure, "Heh, the doom knight doesn't feel too good." He shouted down at Sepulchure, "Oh suck it up you big baby! I fell farther than that during the war for Popsprocket and I STILL got back up and kicked your ass!" He turned back to Louise, "So, where do you want to have it?"

Louise gave him a confused look, "Have what?"

He smiled and shook his head, "Oh I don't know, the wedding? I myself am partial to Osprey cove."

Louise shook her head, "No, I'd like it in Falconreach. Right on the bluff outside of the guardian tower."

He laughed, "Works for me."

As he whistled for Bruno, he thought for a moment about the recent events. Teresa's betrayal, his psycho trip, and now Louise and him finally coming together like they should have before. He supposed things just worked out like they should sometimes. And when he looked back at Louise, he could tell, right down to the bottom of his soul, that this was how it should be.