[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agULIqWFYFI]As he put on some headphones connected to an mp3 player,[/url] D'ren chuckled lightly at each of the others' reactions and words directed at the small creature and the unexpected event that had unfolded before them. However, his mind was stuck on one thing that the girl named Julia had said: [i]"...by going there it rips you apart and instantly kills you. By dying like that everyone who once knew you will forget about you like you never existed."[/i]

A surefire way to an easy redemption, he thought. The pain of life gone, and all his past deeds, or at least the memory of those deeds, erased. But his mind flitted over this notion for but a brief moment, as he then began to consider how to manipulate the situation to his advantage, should he not wish to commit quantum suicide. By remaining mostly silent, he could observe and gain loyalty from a few, and then use that loyalty against the others, ultimately taking over everything, getting his wife back from Anubis, and then... and then what? 

Anger began to bubble up inside him. Sure, he was no longer in danger, thanks to this bitch, but he really did not like being controlled in this way. Sociopaths worship power, namely their own. And if he was going to be a follower, a helpless one at that, he was going to make sure those who manufactured this teleportation were issued an appropriate retribution.

But D'ren knew he had to keep his thoughts and emotions under control. It had been awhile since he had acted the psychopath to hide his true intellect. Nobody expected the psycho to outsmart them. He wondered how far he would go for that control. 

As Julia moved toward the forest, D'ren made sure he stood up slowly enough to remain in the back of the pack, inconspicuous and out of sight. He assumed, though, that some of the others would easily discern this ruse, namely the angel. So he gazed at the marvelous architecture and environment, as if lost in thought and quiet appreciation. Of course, it was at this point, his unseen fallen friend mentally prodded him...

[i]"You should kill the gnome."[/i]

D'ren eyed Julia with a smirk...





[hider=Seven Weeks Ago...]
[b][i]Charleston, South Carolina, USA, Earth Y-942[/i][/b]

D'ren drove the dagger deep into the damsel's diaphragm, twisting and then thrusting again. Her eyes watered and she choked as she dropped her own weapon, a small pocket knife. 

The moon shined down brightly that night, as the woman collapsed in the shadowy alley. D'ren stared down at her for a moment, watching her rasp for her last breath. When she finally died, D'ren heard clapping behind him. Without thinking, as per custom, he spun around and flung the dagger end over end at the new target, who caught it in his hand as it flew passed. 

Tritus held the blade in his black-gloved hand, his black goatee curled around his amused smile. "Wow, that was..."

D'ren didn't let the cloaked, traitorous fallen angel finish his sentence, much less turn to face the mortal; D'ren charged him, aiming a powerful fist toward Tritus' skull. 

After taking his dagger back, D'ren shoved Tritus up against a brick wall. "What the bloody hell do ya want, ya welching nancyboy?"

"Just to congratulate you for passing our test..." Tritus leaned closer, defiantly. "Boss."

D'ren kneed him in the gut. "'Our'?"

A 9-foot-tall man with long dark hair, large muscles, and ancient Greek armor appeared in lightning behind D'ren. The former warlord turned to face Cronus, dropping the weak-willed angel. 

D'ren grinned. "You can't use your powers on me."

Samy'azaii stood by D'ren, invisible to all, as she hissed contemptuously at the Greek titan. 

Cronus smirked and then laughed. "I can still beat your ass." He then slammed a massive fist into D'ren's face. 

Blood spurted from D'ren's lip as it busted open and he stumbled back into the wall, which had previously had Tritus as company. He giggled maniacally and then D'ren ducked the next punch and Cronus' fist smashed through the wall as if it were made of foam. D'ren rolled down the alley toward Tritus. As the angel reached for the sword on his belt, D'ren leaped up and mercilessly stuck him in the throat with the Osiris dagger.

Tritus' flesh began to disintegrate into ash. By the time D'ren had turned to face Cronus again, Tritus had crumbled into nothing. However, as Cronus and D'ren exchanged blows, another god appeared behind the mortal. This one also had Greek armor, but more of it. He also had a red Spartan cape and carried a Spartan Xiphos short sword. 

As Ares approached D'ren, Cronus had knocked the Irishman down. D'ren turned and tried to crawl over to his knife, which had been knocked from his grasp. Ares stepped on the blade and plunged his own down into D'ren's shoulder.

D'ren let out an agonized scream. 

Ares boomed, [b]"You will submit to your betters, human!"[/b]

Through the pain, D'ren forced out a mocking laugh. "Like hell."

At this response, both Greek immortals raised their weapons. D'ren reached over and grabbed the pocket knife that Cronus' late assassin had dropped. When he stabbed Ares through the strap on his sandal, the god of war laughed at him.

"Did you really think a little thing like that could penetrate my flesh?" Ares asked, having to restrain himself from executing the killing blow.

D'ren lowered his face into the pavement and shook his head. "Nah, mate, I just needed to distract ya for a second."

Samy'azaii full-on possessed D'ren, giving him superhuman strength, and yellow-green eyes. He raised his hand from under the god's foot, holding the Osiris dagger, and plunged it deep into the tendon on the back of his heel.

D'ren and Samy said, [i][b]"Achilles sends his regards!"[/b][/i]

Cronus broke his spear over D'ren's head as he tried to knock him down again. Samy left D'ren's body now, and D'ren caught the part of the broken spear that had fallen toward the ground and plunged it into Cronus' heart. D'ren then turned and punched Ares in the jaw, knocking his Spartan helmet off his head. 

"How dare you?!" cried Ares in pain and disbelief.

"Like this?" answered the mortal as he lowered his dagger and thrust it at Ares' genitals.

Ares tried to block with his sword, but D'ren caught his arm and the blade went to the target. In even greater pain now, Ares' much stronger arm knocked D'ren back. However, the death blow had been dealt.

D'ren wiped his bleeding nose and mouth as he watched, with a sadistic pleasure, both Cronus and Ares die.



[/hider]