Prologue

It was already nightfall in Paris, France.  Evening would be coming soon and the lights of Paris would come on for everyone to enjoy.  But for now, no-one was enjoying them.  It wasn’t because of poor weather in this particular evening, but from other elements.

With France defeated in the Franco-Prussian war, the French people were growing restless.  There had been no violent reactions in the wake of the signing of the Treaty of Frankfurt, but it still didn’t ease the bitterness of the French people.

“It’s all the excuse we need” said a man.  He was sitting in his carriage, dressed in fine evening wear.  He wore a black top hat, an expensive looking suit with a blood red tie and carrying a walking stick that had a red dragon on the handle, an odd choice for a normal man, but Lord Blackthorn was not an ordinary man.

His features were aquiline, which went well considering his noble upbringing.  He looked at a reflection of himself in the window.  Blackthorn would have been handsome with his sea green eyes, well combed black hair and a clean shaven face if not for who he really was on the inside.

He received a message from his order to meet at an abandoned factory near the docks.  What could my brothers want that could take me away from my other duties? He asked himself

“We have arrived milord” said the carriage driver.  Lord Blackthorn stepped out of the carriage, carrying his umbrella seeing that it was a mere drizzle.  He began to walk down an alley, when he reached the end of the alley a pair of black robed figures stepped out of the shadows.

“The quest for knowledge is great” said the first figure.  “As are unlocking secrets through science” said the second figure.  “Without which one can never achieve the desire for ultimate power” said Lord Blackthorn as he raised his left hand in a fist showing a ring on his left hand.  It was a black and silver colored ring with a strange but evil looking skull.

“Thou may pass brother” said the figures simultaneously.  The robed figures opened a door that led into the abandoned factory.  There were other robed figures waiting for him that led him to an office in the corner of the factory.  He entered the office, a set of stairs going downwards was in the corner and Lord Blackthorn proceeded down the steps until he reached a medieval-style door with a pair of torches on opposing sides of the wall.  A pair of black robed disciples opened the door for him.

Before entering the he remembered to put his mask on.  It was an ebony colored mask that marked his rank within the Black Skull society.  It was similar to one upon his ring.

Upon entering the room, several others were seated in the room.  Their skulls were a crimson red, which meant that they were of the assassin rank.  What did I do to deserve this? Did I somehow fail in my duties?  I have never broken the rules of the order; I have never done anything outside the interests of the order; what did I do wrong?  The reason this bothered him so much is because whenever the red skulled members of the order appeared, it always meant death.

A gong sounded throughout the halls, which meant the grandmaster had arrived.  Lord Blackthorn, along with the red skulls and the senior most disciples, were shown to their seats by the novice-acolytes.  They sat down in well-polished pine chairs, lined up with a semi-circular table that was made of oak wood and had a red table cloth.

 Fourteen individuals dressed in cement grey armor with skull-faced helms entered through another medieval style door that had been facing the semi-circle.  These were the Grey Skull Knights, the elite warriors of the order’s military branch and the personal bodyguards to high ranking members of the order.

Another Skull Knight entered, only he didn’t wear his helmet, it was held in the crook of his right arm and his left arm on the hilt of a sword.  The man would be considered pale looking if not for the degree of ferocity he possessed with his looks.  His face had scars here and there with one on the side of his mouth that made him look like he was sneering in contempt.  His eyes were a pale blue that looked as if it could penetrate the dark, he had the same aquiline nose as Lord Blackthorn and black-slicked-back hair with well trimmed sideburns.  This was Daearc the Black.

 “The grandmaster has arrived” said Daearc.   All those who were seated stood up immediately.  Two robed figures entered the room carrying a chair.  The chair was made from the same wood as the other chairs, except this one was different.  The color of the wood was black and the cushions were blood red, of course that’s how the grandmaster liked it.

 Then he entered.  The grandmaster himself entered the room.  He was dressed in a midnight black suit with a cloak that was also black on the outside, red on the inside.  The rest of his clothing was typical of nobleman.  He face was covered by his sacred skull mask that was black, but the skull’s teeth were red and the eye holes were silver.  He approached his chair that had been set down by the acolytes.

“Please be seated” he said with his hands outstretched.  Everyone, including the grandmaster sat down simultaneously.“The power that we seek through science is our goal.  Though we may be shunned by many, we are accepted by those who are curious, those who seek privilege and those who are desperate with no alternative.  We the Black Skull Society shall never cease our quest for ultimate power.  Hail the Darkness!!!!!” shouted the grandmaster. “HAIL!!!!” said the other members. 

The oath of the Black Skull Society was always said before meetings began dating all the way back to the founding. “Now, down to business” said the grandmaster.  “Black Skull 7, have the preparations been made for the attack?” the grandmaster continued.  Lord Blackthorn bowed his head, which was standard requirement when being addressed by the Grandmaster.  “My lord, I have my men ready and waiting for orders at the Franco-German border” he gulped “They are merely waiting for their shipment of weapons and orders” he said sweating.

“Come now, Blackthorn, do my assassins trouble you?” the grandmaster stated smoothly.  “They are not here for you if that’s what’s bothering you.  They are merely here because there have been spies infiltrating our ranks.  I merely need them here to determine if any of you are spies.” The senior members and acolytes gasped.  “One of us is spy!?” said a senior acolyte.  The other members were muttering to each other.  “It’s impossible” said a portly built member of the council has never been penetrated before” he startled.  The council started arguing and making accusations against each other

 “How dare you accuse me of treason, you scum, I should slay you” spat a thinly built member.  “And how would keep my acolytes from killing you in return?” sneered a Black Guard captain.  “They haven’t trusted you with anything since the last dishonor you threw upon us.” “Silence you fool, stay your tongues or you will lose them” shouted Daearc.  The squabbling members of the council immediately went silent.

 The grandmaster shook his head with disgust “We are about to unleash our master plan and you idiots are squabbling like little children!!!? I should have chosen primates instead of you.  At least they would think straight.”  He said with a look of contempt on his face, he then looked towards Blackthorn. “At least I know you’re not that stupid.  Now where were we?”  “The weapons shipment master?” he stated with a smile on his face.  “Ah yes that.  After tonight’s meeting, you will go to the shipyard, where there is a ship called The Northern Star.  Aboard this ship you will find your weapons.  I am certain you will find them to your liking.”

 “Thank you master, what of the orders I need to distribute to the men?” he asked.  “There are a few special members of the Red Skulls that will be awaiting abroad the ship with your orders.”  The grandmaster stated “They will also be helping you in accomplishing your mission” Lord Blackthorn looked nervously again. “As I stated earlier they are not there for you.  They are there to take orders from you and to see that you get the job done.” The grandmaster smiled “They have their own reasons for wanting to help you, consider them your allies.  You may take your leave now.”  Lord Blackthorn bowed with respect and left the room.

 After leaving the room, Lord Blackthorn removed his mask and made his way back to the carriage where his driver was waiting for him.  “Where to now milord?” asked the driver.  “To the shipyard, I want you to take me to a ship named The Northern Star.”  With that command the driver urged the horses forward and onward they went.

“Soon, very soon, I will have what’s rightfully mine” Lord Blackthorn thought to himself.  “Today, Europe will be ablaze with a conflict so terrible, that her Majesty’s government will have to turn to me.  First the Empire shall be mine, then the world.”  Lord Blackthorn smiled to himself and had to suppress the urge to giggle.

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As the carriage was heading to the shipyard, two figures in black clothing were standing on a nearby roof looking through a set of strange binoculars. “It looks like the meeting went as planned” said the figure with a masculine voice.  “I would have thought so.  Our agent nearly died to get this information” said the other who had a more feminine voice.  “Let’s call it in” she said.

The two figures began walking down the building’s fire escape.  The masculine voiced man removed his black mask to reveal a clean cut man with trim blonde hair and sky blue eyes “You didn’t have to do this.  I could have had Dead-eye come with me.” The other figure removed her mask to reveal a woman with medium length blonde hair, sea-green eyes and ivory colored skin.

“I know, but with the Skull society’s recent movements I felt the need to come along Kurt” she stated plainly “Besides, she’s needed more at the border with our people anyway.”  Kurt wasn’t convinced.  “It’s because of him isn’t it Helga?  The woman named Helga immediately gave Kurt a sour look.

“Don’t be ridiculous Kurt, that’s not it at all” she scoffed.  “I may not be a psychic, but as a ninja I can tell when a women appears to be scorned by a former lover, but still manages to care about him” Kurt said plainly “His superiors ordered his company there to take up some rest and relaxation in between the war games, I figured that’s why you came along, to make sure everything goes off smoothly and that nothing happens to him.”

Helga hung her head with a pained look of regret.  “I guess your right Kurt.  I know he hurt me in the past after all that he had promised, but I still think of him.”  Kurt smiled which was often rare even amongst the other members.  “That’s the Helga I know, now let’s get moving if we are going to stop the Blood Knights and the Skull’s plan.”  They reached a strange vehicle that looked like a giant tortoise with caterpillar legs.

Before Helga got in she took one last look at the mid-afternoon sky, the sun was out and the sky was as blue as the eyes of her former lover.  “Heinrich...Please be alright.”