Chapter 12

Castle von Wulfcastle, southern Rhineland, Prussia

Status: under attack

The Blood Knights attack on the castle came as a surprise to the sentry’s, let alone the seasoned troops.  The explosions came from the main gate and the secret underground railway entrance, but no-one thought that the Blood Knights would consider an attack on such heavily guarded areas.  It was only after they attacked the less guarded areas such as the walls next to the gardens where the baron’s personal study was and the sewage drain connected to the main kitchen, that it became clear it was distraction.

Many troops were caught off guard and cut down before they could reach for their weapons, others who were on guard duty were more alert then those who weren’t put up a hell of a fight but were not good enough to take down Hideo Sasaki’s shurikens and sword, Fallion’s well placed shots or Duchess and her serrated throwing knives, it was a blood bath.

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After scaling the wall, Fallion, Duchess and Hideo went their separate ways, when a well dressed officer stepped out of the baron’s study room and took a few shots, killing several Blood Knights and wounding Duchess in the left shoulder.  “Die” Fallion shouted as he shot the officer, not knowing whether he mortally wounded him or killed him.  Fallion carried Duchess out of the way and into a corner where a pair of troopers tended to her wounds.

“Tend them carefully or you die if she does” Fallion stated coldly.  Hideo came over to Fallion “She got nicked in the arm, but she’ll pull through.”  Hideo maintained a poker face “Didn’t know you cared about her” he said sarcastically.  “I don’t you stinking yellow dog” Fallion replied coldly “I just don’t want to explain to the master why one of his best got killed off.”  “If that being the case, I’ll go and do my part” Hideo stated plainly.

 As he left to go do his part, he looked back at Duchess and noticed a set of bloody stitches on her left shoulder.  “I am fine, so don’t you tell me otherwise” she said coldly.  “As you wish, milady” Fallion said bowing.

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“These dogs have a lot of balls attacking us here” Kruger said between shots from his Wulfkorp automatic rifle, which he had set to single shot to save ammo.  “Can’t say I blame them” Harbin stated in between shots from his handgun “They’ve wanted us dead for years for harassing their efforts, it only makes sense they’d want a piece of us” he said again as he fired off a shot, causing a Blood Knight to shout in pain as he died.

Harbin had been in the main research facility when the attack happened.  Fortunately for him, this was one of the few times he carried his standard issue Wulfkorp pistol on him.  When the Blood Knights began to pour in, he started taking potshots at them while ducking down between research tables.  Kruger and his troops were suited up and ready for a fight the moment the explosions happened, but that of course was due to the fact that he and his men were doing firing exercises nearby in full body armor.

“If they’re here for something important, why haven’t they just have taken it and run away?”  Kruger shouted over the gunfire.  “Maybe it’s because that’s not what they’re here for” Harbin replied “We have to inform the general that this an attack mean to bloody our noses” he finished.  Kruger nodded “Alright, you men stay here and hold them off” Kruger commanded the other troops “We’re going to secure the general and the baron, in the meantime, give us some cover fire.”

With that order given, the troops began shooting suppressive fire, in order for Harbin, Kruger and a few troops to go inform the general.  Just as they where headed to the passageway that lead to the baron’s courtyard and study, the three troopers that had come with them where thrown off the ground and landed with a thud.  Sharp objects had been thrown at them and before they could find out who did it, the person in question appeared before them.

‘Hideo Sasaki” Harbin snarled.  Kruger tried to fire off a few shots at Sasaki, but he batted them away with his sword as if he could see them coming.  “Even with it at full auto, you could never hit me” Sasaki said apathetically.  Before he could approach the pair, something was thrown at him and landed just before his feet.  It was a Kama and Sasaki knew who it was.  Sasaki put up his sword before he turned to see his old rival’s face with a mask of contempt on his face.  “Kurt” Hideo said smiling coldly.  “Hideo Sasaki, your fight is with me not them” Kurt said as his sword was locked with Hideo’s.  As they disengaged Kurt looked at Kruger and Harbin “Go to the baron and general they need your help” Harbin and Kruger saluted as they ran to the hallway that led to the baron’s personal study.

“Your friend the General may be too late and the baron will be joining him shortly” Sasaki said as he launched an attack on Kurt.  “Dead or not” Kurt responded coldly as blocked with his sword “Your blood will be spilled as well.”  The clashing of swords could be heard over the gunfire and sounds of shouting, as two warriors had it out.

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“Alright troops” Helga stated as she unholstered her pistol “Keep your heads and asses down, we’re going in hot” she finished as she opened the mess hall door.  After the alarm had been sounded, she, Schroeder and the troops grabbed whatever guns and ammo they could, then went to there lockers to wear something better then gym clothes.  When they were suited up, they met back at the gym and went through the plan.

“The mess hall is the best place to cut off the Knights, since that’s one of the places they came in from.  Without a means of escape, they’ll have to shoot there way out.  We intend to make that difficult for them” Helga finished.  When they entered the mess hall they caught the Blood Knights by surprise and were able to gun them all down before they could fire back.  Once the room was secured and no Blood Knights remained, Helga then consider another idea.

“Bruckner, Sheila, you go to the garden area where the baron’s study is, me and Heinrich will remain here and see if we can prevent more Blood Knights form coming in or getting out.”  Bruckner saluted and Sheila tipped her hat, they took fifteen men with them while another five remained with Schroeder and Helga.  Before Helga and Schroeder could go over their next plan of attack, an albino colored man had a gun to Schroeder’s head and a pale skinned woman had a knife to Helga’s throat.

The troopers were in shock at how they could not have seen the two that they began to raise their weapons but not fast enough to avoid Fallion's kill shots.  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you” Fallion replied coldly as he aimed his pistol at Schroeder’s chest.  As he said that Duchess pressed her knife further into Helga’s neck, a little blood was trickling down her neck.

“Perhaps I should introduce myself Herr Schroeder.  My name is Fallion” he said slightly nodding his head with a cold smile.  “The one that’s holding your former lover hostage is known as Duchess” he said as he looked back her, having a cold smile as well.  “How do you know my name?” Schroeder asked coldly.

“Herr Schroeder, I am a spy or formerly of her majesty’s royal espionage services.  But I decided there was enough challenges outside the services that were just waiting to be challenged by my special talents” he said plainly.  “It’s my job to know such things, like how Helga was your former lover and how your family was dishonored by your brother Dietrich the second.”  Schroeder’s fist’s balled up; his face turned red and was tempted to reach for his Wulfkorp pistol.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.  I’d be forced to kill you and your former lover” he sniffed as if there was something foul about the air, other than himself, he smiled coldly.  “I see that you are back to together then, one night of love making would do just that.”  “Are you going to kill us by boring us to death with your gloating or are just going to shoot us?” Schroeder asked his face still red.

“If I wanted you and your lover dead, I would have killed the lot of you already and I would telling a corpse about the truth of Baron von Wulfcastle’s family history” he said sighing “the history that they have never planned on telling you nor ever will.”

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Harbin and Kruger fought several Blood Knights on their way to the castle gardens where the Baron’s study was, but after fifteen minutes of shooting out with the Knights in the terrace, they began to fall back.  “Why are they falling back?  It’s not like them to fall back after such a hard fight? ” Harbin asked quizzically.  “Maybe they realized that a stalemate aren’t worth it and decided to give up” Kruger said jokingly.

“That can’t be it” Harbin replied.  Before Kruger could respond a loud bellowing sound came from down the stairs.  Then suddenly a huge armored figure came through the door and began sweeping aside Blood knights as if they were mere flies.  One Knight was sent screaming over the edge as he was thrown from the terrace, another was split in two by the armored figures battle axe and the last one was smashed into the floor by the figure’s left gauntlet.  When that was over, the figure took his bloodied left gauntlet and left his visor up.  It was Baron von Wulfcastle the seventh.

“That was a lot of fun” he said heavily breathing “not like the old days when I was younger” he said as he was sweating hard “but still was fun nonetheless” he finished with a smile.  “The Blood Knights are….” “Are fleeing with their tales between their legs” the baron laughed “but now’s not the time for rest, General von Krieger has been wounded badly and need’s to get to the hospital fast.”  Harbin and Kruger nodded as they followed the baron back the way he came.

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“Take these mother fuckers out” roared Ulrich as he began pushing them back into the rail-station with his mini-gun.  The Blood Knights had come through the rail-station and main entrance just as he was told.  “Hey Bruckner” Ulrich shouted to grab his attention.  “What’s the situation?”  Bruckner’s face was grim.  “Blood Knights are pouring out from the main entrance.  Schwartz and Friedan are holding them off; I see your having no trouble with them here.”

Ulrich laughed “Damn right trooper, you and Lady Deadeye go back to the main entrance and some fun with those slug-heads while I clean up here.”  Bruckner shook his head “I have to check on Herr Schroeder and see what progress he’s made.”  He thought Ulrich would make some snide remark about the captain not being a man, but instead he just nodded.  “I’ll go in your stead hon, to the main entrance” she said.  “Right then, I join up with Deadeye at the main entrance when I am through here” Ulrich stated.  “With the way you’re handling things pardner, it won’t be long” Sheila said.

Ulrich laughed again “maybe so, but you two best be on your way, the lads won’t last long without you two, so go” as he knifed a Blood Knight that tried to sneak up on him and gut him.  Before the two when their separate ways Sheila and Bruckner kissed and then left.

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The clashing of swords seemed like a blur to those observing it, but to Kurt and Hideo, they were perfectly precise attacks that required a keen eye and skills sharper than one’s sword.  It felt like the fight had gone on for hours instead of ten minutes.  But Hideo didn’t care how long he had to duel with a fine swordsman, as long as that swordsman was Kurt Holden.  The half-breed mongrel had no right to call himself a ninja.

Though Hideo was working for the Black Skull Society that sponsored the Blood Knights and consisted mainly of western dogs, the only reason he participated with them was due to the fact that his clan had something of an alliance with the Black Skulls.  The only reason they tolerated the westerns was the promise that Black Lotus clan, could have Japan all to themselves while the Black Skulls had the rest of the world.

Hideo grew tired of this fight and he needed to end it, for he promised he’d be done in fifteen.  After disengaging Kurt he sheathed his sword and folded his arms.  “What the hell do you have planned know Hideo?” Kurt spat.  “I promised my comrades that I would finish in a certain amount of time and that time is up, till we meet again” Hideo saluted Kurt with two fingers.  Before Kurt could charge at him, Hideo threw a smoke bomb and Kurt’s world turned to fog.  By the time Kurt could see clearly, Hideo Sasaki was gone.

“Damn you Sasaki” Kurt cursed out loud “I’ll get you, someday I’ll get you.”

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“That’s the story behind the Wulfkorp’s existence” Fallion concluded.  “It’s a bold faced lie and you know” Helga spat as she still managed not to get her throat cut by Duchess.  “Is it my dear?” Duchess said seductively into her ear and then began to lick her neck, making Helga blush.  “What’s happening to me? Helga asked herself “Is she trying to seduce me? I….must…love….Heinrich!!!!!” she roared to herself mentally as she elbowed Duchess in the solar plexus with all here might.

The strike threw Duchess off well enough to remove the knife from her neck, Helga then charged at Duchess with a solid left hook to the right side of her face, knocking Duchess for a loop.  When Duchess recovered from the blow, blood was trickling down the side of her mouth.  She licked the blood from her lips.  “Delicious” she said smiling cruelly “It’s been a long time since I tasted my own blood.”  “You’re going to taste more when than that when I’m through with you” Helga spat back.

Before she could launch an attack at the pale skinned bitch, the doors burst open.  It was Bruckner.  Before Fallion could shoot at him, Schroeder body slammed him into the ground and began pounding away at Fallion.  After receiving five blows to the face and head, Fallion shoved him off with his legs and shot Heinrich in the arm, barely nicking him.  Fallion rose to his feet to shoot at Bruckner, to discourage him from shooting back at him.

“That’s not the first time someone ruined my face, but it won’t be the last” Fallion cursed “When we do meet again Herr Schroeder, you will die along with your bitch of a lover” he spat out blood.  Duchess grabbed Fallion and they went down the sewer from which the Blood Knights had come out from.  It wasn’t the exit she had in mind, but anything was better than nothing.

Bruckner and Helga helped Schroeder to his feet, just as they did; the baron, who was dressed in a strange suit of armor and Kruger both came into the mess hall.  “What just happened here? The baron asked.  “Some albino faced freak and pale skinned whore were holding the captain and Commander Braun hostage” Bruckner explained as he began pulling up the troops from the floor.  “They did more than just that baron” Schroeder said coldly.

Kruger stepped forward “Mind your tongue captain, the baron’s in charge now that the general has been wounded badly.”  “The general’s been hurt?” Helga asked with a look of concern on her face, the baron nodded “he suffered a few shots here and there, but he’ll live, what about you Herr Schroeder?” the baron asked.  “Does it look like I’ve been hurt badly?” Schroeder indicated coldly to the flesh wound across his left arm, shocking the room full of people.

Before Kruger could set him straight, the baron stopped him with his left arm.  “It was Fallion and the Duchess who told you wasn’t it?” the baron said with a look of contempt on his face “What did he tell you?”

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“That little shit” Fallion snarled “I tan his filthy hide for this one.”  “Vanity should be the least of you worries” Hideo replied coldly “many of the troops were lost due to this little incursion” he sneered.  “We followed the lord’s order to strike at the Wulfkorp Headquarters the moment we found it” Duchess said with venom in her voice “it matters not how many men we lost, our orders from his lordship were to attack the Wulfkorp Headquarters and do as much damage to them as possible.  We accomplished that” she said as she began to apply dressing to Fallion’s wounds.

After they had attacked the Wulfkorps HQ, they rendezvoused with there steam powered tanks that provided them with cover for escaping.  The Wulfkorp troops crippled, there was doubt that they would pursue.  But the lord insisted on having them on hand just as a precaution.  That was one thing he did not disagree with his lordship on.  The tanks would then take them to a nearby rail yard to a train that would await them, which they were now currently on. 

“With them crippled” Fallion began “they won’t be able to hit us back before we finish the final stages of the experiment” he smiled coldly as more blood leaked out of his face.  “If you can manage to keep your poker face for much longer” Duchess said plainly “then I’ll be able to stop the bleeding unless you want to change your face again.”

‘I can always do that” he said “and besides, patching up the wounded isn’t exactly something you specialize in.  She knew what he meant by that.  Since the Crusades, her family’s house had specialized in information extraction.  It’s what others would call torture.  Her family, now only known by a few in the royalty and nobility, was that for centuries the house of Von Bruno had been experts in torture methodology.  The fact that they were masters of medicine and surgery was not just a cover but also a fact.  When they weren’t providing the surgical and medical needs for the nobility and the royalty, they were also paid a little extra to interrogate enemies of such people.

The torture’s that were committed by house Von Bruno ranged from peeling off the skin and flaying Muslims and so-called Christians during the Crusades, helping the inquisition burn alive, impale and crucify heretics and those who followed Luther in defiance of the Catholic Church.  But when Fredrick the great came to power, he despised the house of von Bruno, not just because he despised the methods and found the work revolting, but also because they had wrongly tortured and executed one of his own personal guards.

It was then he ordered the house of Von Bruno arrested and executed.  Few members of her family escaped with there lives, but in the end there was only her and several other followers that shared her vision.  Just as she remembered what her father taught her of the family history, she finished up with tending to Fallion’s wounds.

“When you said to those Blood Knights that you’d kill them if I died, what were you getting at?” Duchess asked.  Fallion looked to Hideo and he then nodded before he left the car.  “What do you think I meant by that” Fallion replied back.

 “I think you meant something special” she said as she undid the leather belt around his pants and then pulled them off “I think you meant more” she said as she began unlacing her boots.  She then began undoing the laces around her corset, revealing her pale skinned chest with nice round breasts upon completion. 

“I think you meant something really special” she said as she undid the belt buckles around her skirt and removing them, revealing her complete naked body.  Fallion was never this easily seduced, but seeing her beautiful naked body made him feel funny

“I warn you” Fallion said plainly, as she began to climb on top of him “if you try to kill me after this, you will fail” he said trying not to be so easily seduced, but still smiling at what he was receiving .  “I have no intention of killing you” she said as she climbed on him onto the him, satisfied that he was in her, she then laid her head on his chest.  “Because if we weren’t meant for each other, then I would kill you” she said wrapping her lips around his mouth and pleasing him as she had done many times before a kill, even though this was the one time she actually found pleasure in love making instead of killing.