You might be a fool, but the possibility that the Captain knows what the fuck he's talking about can't be ruled out. If killing demons now is going to make life a little safer for your family in the future, then you probably should be apart of that. Same with the undead if it comes to that, though you're hoping that you don't need to. Fighting demons is bad enough, you haven't even fought any undead and the stories that your dad told you and that you've overheard others tell still makes you dread the day that you'll actually have to.

For now though you're going home to spend time with your family and tell them all how much you love them.

One year passes…

Five years since the Nuro Incident and you're deep in the heart of Velzix's Realm. Guerrilla hit and run tactics and sabotage have greatly angered Velzix causing him to divert forces where he might use elsewhere. You've even managed to sneak into his fortress a few times to sabotage his goals of creating a permanent open portal to the Infernal Planes. Something nobody wants except the demons.

It's odd, but the Chimera Company has been turned from an example of "thugs for hire" to "Heroic warriors" by the Zalan government, but then the Zalan Empire has always been a bit heavy on propaganda. The fact that the company is directly working for it, makes any politician that was remotely involved with the idea of hiring you in the first place to milk it for all its worth.

The real truth however is what's currently of the company is made up of the suicidal, desperate or the insane. You're not sure which one you are at this point, but in the eyes of the public, you're a hero. (Surprisingly Cal is still there for all his past complaining)

The Captain has been telling tales of his past life a lot more lately when sitting around the campfire. He talks about the people he's killed, the women he's raped, and the treasures he's plundered. Most of the stories you've only heard about in rumor from others in your Company, but hearing them come from the Captain himself makes him sound even more rotten. You're sure glad you didn't know him back in the "old days". He doesn't seem to show any remorse, though he doesn't really talk about it gloriously either. He just tells them as a story to pass the time between fighting, much like you do with playing your lute.

Every now and then he tells you to play something specific. Some elven song that you've never heard before, though apparently he really wants you to play it since he gives you a crumpled piece of sheet music containing its notes.

It's a not a complex song for an Elven one, but it still takes you a few weeks to learn it completely. It would probably take you less time, but there's the demon fighting that sort of gets in the way of practice.

The first time you play it, the Captain, closes his eyes and begins to smile. You think that's the first time you've ever seen him do that. Others in the Company are amazed as well.

With his eyes still closed he begins to speak of his family and how beautiful his wife is and how when he first met her it was love at first sight.

He then speaks of his daughter, and how proud he is of her. Her battle skills have gotten her a captain's position in Grand Alliance army. He hopes that she has many victorious battles and kills all those that stand before her without mercy.

He is silent for awhile as you play…then he speaks of his son is much harsher tone.

"A disappointment…a fucking disappointment. Fucked up somewhere…wasn't hard enough on him. Now look at this shit we're in…demons, undead…fuck it. If I'm bound for the Infernal Plane for bringing destruction to the world then I'm gonna give those bastard demons a good reason for torturing the shit outta me when I get there. Namely by killing a shitload of them and fucking up their plans as much as possible. Just hope my necromancer spawn is eventually there right beside me getting tortured as well."

You temporarily stop playing at this outburst by the Captain. Others in the Company are looking and whispering to each other. Did he just allude to what you think he did?

"What he fuck are you doin'? I didn't say stop playing!"

You quickly return to playing and nothing more is spoken of it. As it happens the song is one of the last things you play. Your lute is destroyed in a battle a couple days later. You curse as one of the few things that took your mind off this shitty place is gone. You just hope you live long enough to buy a new one.

A few more weeks pass and what wasn't spoken of, makes an appearance…

Two of the lookouts run back to the main camp one day and rush into the Captain's tent. You can hear them babbling something about son, and death and doomed. You then hear him yelling at them to shut the fuck up and speak clearly. The rest of the Company starts to pick up there weapons as if expecting something to go down and you follow suit and that's when you look in the direction where the sentries ran from and see a lone hooded figure.

None of you don't know how to react. Every instinct in everyone is telling them to attack, but the aura of power and fear he's giving off is very strong. Almost paralyzing.

Just then the Captain comes out of his tent and speaks.

"Boy, you gotta a lot of balls showing up here before me. Didn't think you had 'em either. Figured you'd be hiding in some tower somewhere."
"Yeah, well sometimes you have to do things yourself."

Weird. He doesn't sound at all like you thought he would.

You wait

You know who the hell this is, it's the Necromancer Lord. Even if you are fast enough to get a shot at him, you doubt the arrow is going to connect. He's probably got all kinds of magical shields to protect him for whatever it is he's here for. You begin looking for your best route of escape and slowly start backing away.

The Captain on the other hand speaks directly to his son. He doesn't even show any fear. They speak for a moment and things get very tense, you're about ready to run, but things take a sudden turn for the very strange.

The Necromancer Lord has proposed a temporary alliance to assassinate Velzix. The Captain is hesitant about this at first, but an agreement is made on payment and he accepts.

The Captain then informs all of you in more detail of what's going on.

"Alright men, we're gonna go storm the Gates of Hell and close those fuckers for good. My…son there is going to provide magical support. He's also going to be providing a shitload of money for this job. The stipulation is we can't tell ANYBODY about this shit. I'm fucking serious. Word gets out that we were working with the fucking Necromancer Lord, we'll all be hanged, regardless of so called heroic deeds of killing demons. We're all in this together and there ain't no backing out, because this deal is made. And if you think you're gonna step out on me now, that ain't in the plan. I'll just kill you and have my son raise your undead ass to help us anyway!"
"What?! You just decided this for us?" Cal exclaims.
"Yeah? What of it? I've ALWAYS made all the decisions for your dumb ass! It's why YOU'RE still working for me, because it's lucrative! This ain't gonna be any different. Plus we get to take fucking credit for killing a damn demon lord. Think of all the pussy you'll get from that fucking fame eh? Now stop bitching and let's go!"

You can't say you're enthusiastic about this, but it would appear you have little choice in the matter.

As you travel to Velzix's fortress you overhear some of the conversations the Captain is having with his son. A strained relationship to be sure. They make a lot of cutting barbs to each other, each criticizing the other for various things. It's obvious that they can't stand each other, but are a lot more alike than either one wants to admit.

It makes you glad when you encounter the occasional demon skirmish on the way, since it at least it decreases the tension and possibility that the Captain's son is going to finally lose his temper and kill everyone due to his father's words. Eventually you arrive without any more problems. You enter Velzix's fortress through the secret way that was discovered long ago.

"Dumb ass demons, we've been using this entrance for like a year now and they still haven't caught on!" the Captain remarks to his son.

You make good progress in the fortress and then…

"There they are, just like Velzix said they would be!" a demon guard shouts.

"Haven't caught on yet huh?" the Necromancer Lord says, looking at the Captain.
"Quit yer bitchin' and start doin that death magic thing!"

You proceed to do battle with the demon and mortal guards that attempt to stop you. The Necromancer Lord starts to raise the mortal guards after they're killed, but it begins to unnerve you though when the Necromancer Lord starts raising your own fallen dead.

Pretty soon it's just the Necromancer Lord, the Captain, you, Cal and a bunch of corpses fighting off what seems to be an endless supply of Hell's own. You begin to wonder if Velzix already got that portal working.

As you get closer to Velzix's inner sanctum even the undead troops are being decimated at an alarming rate. You've been wounded several times and extremely tired. You don't want to think about any of this, even in the heat of battle you start to take your mind elsewhere with a tune inside your head.

"Fuck man! We're gonna die here!" Cal screams as he attempts to fight a horned demon which has obviously got the advantage over him. You feel a demon blade in your back causing you to fall to the floor. At this point nothing but music fills your mind; bloodshed and battle surround your prone body.

"Fuckers are without end! Come on! Raise these fuckers and let's go!" you hear the Captain yell followed by "Hah, no lying down on the job anymore Cal!"

You're not quite dead yet though, and the Necromancer Lord and his dad aren't waiting around so they continue on quickly leaving you behind.

As your life force ebbs and more demon guards run past your body, you don't know if what you did was worth it or even the right thing. All you know is you did what you could and hope your actions may have made some sort of difference and increased the chances of your family's future well being.

You then smile. You'll see them again someday.

"Yeah…I believe that…" you allow yourself to think as you die.

Big Red was wrong about your fate. There was no Hell, just peace.