[b]S9 The End of the Beginning[/b] [spoiler]Some clarification. 1. This is not an invasion. 2. This post is more set up for the end of Rafael's first story arc here. 3. I might reply, I might not.[/spoiler] [i]On one of the taller semi fixed buildings at the edge of Dojoville, Rafael climbed to the top. He looked out into the distance. Varren was gone. Centrax was taken by.. Him. Quiet is dying slowly. Why must this happen? What has he done? Will things get worse? These are some of the questions he asks himself as he contemplates what has happened. He took something out of his pocket. It was a black, yet shiny locket. Opening it, Rafael looked upon the picture of his dead wife that he stored in it. Tears fell from his eyes, but he forced himself to not cry.[/i] [i]He looked upon the previously lush and peaceful country side. The Dojo was still in shambles. Both from the corruption of some of the previous guards of the Dojo, and the attack from the Dread. And what was he able to do? Nothing. Not a damn thing. He wasn't able to help stop those.. Things from destroying this place.[/i] [i]While Rafael gazed out, a strange dark rip in the ground began to shift open. The ground did not shake. An eery light crept from the dark opening in the ground in the distance. From it, a large army of swarm like monsters erupted. Minions of Malren, Rafael knew. They did not attack the Dojo, nor did they go straight into orbit. They fixated around the crack in the ground. This did not look good, at all.[/i]