Black Licorice; Knight

One of the Gold Cherries that were littered around Valparaiso during the coming of the King Keaton on his dragon, Gong Gong, marked one of the spots where one of the units set up to accomplish the goal of transitioning out of the Lawless Land when the time came for the Pieces to mobilize. Though it wasn't expected to have some cargo (the $yndicate) trailing along during the journey of Tsao, the King Keaton and Gong Gong, at least with the lot of them prepared to travel through what was like a war zone, the King Keaton could keep track of them by his own tracks that he left behind. "Okay, No Dillydallying Like The Last Lot. You Know, Your Friends And Family That Died Trying To Get Here." He rolled his eyes, wondering if they would listen to him or if they would do the exact same thing as their friends and family before. Surely, this would weed out the weak from the strong just by who would heed basic commands.

Among the masses, there was grumbling heard. The people who were recently inducted into the $yndicate were displeased with so much careless moving around and the destructiveness that went on in this particular land. As it was stated before, this place was like a war zone and nothing seemed safe. It seemed like as soon as they reached a point that was supposed to be a haven, they were rushed back out haphazardly. Many were beginning to question the logic of their caretakers as well as their place in the $yndicate or even if it was worth all of this trouble.

Those who were feeling more defiant and rebellious of course mocked the one to whom had been appointed their new leader, defecting from the group after they'd come together and collectively decided that they would no longer heed his instruction from the very beginning. They became Valparaiso Denizens and began to travel as a separate gang.

The members of the $yndicate who were wise to what happened before in Hell did not act so lustfully, for they had such foreknowledge of what could become of them in such a dire situation. They'd already seen many die and become lost to Sin; they did not exit Hell and if they did, they did not cross the Lake of Fire that swallowed them up and killed them when they disobeyed. That sort of traumatic sight was something that instilled a certain level of obedience in them based on both fear and wisdom about the standing scenario, and the $yndicate members which remained followed the trail marked by the Dark Wolf, of whom some of them remembered guided them before when crossing the Lake of Fire in order to get here. It was only the newest shipment of $yndicate members that did not comprehend this, for they were brought from a different location and merged with the original group that came from Hell.

An exasperated sigh strung through the air like a breeze of wind and lingered like a cloud, extending down the electrical path as an elongated breath. There seemed to be a hint of tension or frustration in it which charged the air where the $yndicate walked and surged through their bodies as they passed through. Suddenly, before them, as they walked along, words formed in the air forged of static electricity coagulating in certain spots to create the plasmatic image of actual visibly legible letters which became the words of the King Keaton, making a path of their own in formation and alignment to the trail already left for them. It read to them and spoke aloud, "As Expected; They Are Just Like Those Who Came Before Them, Defecting So Early When Things Do Not Go Their Way."

Naturally, this was not the only string of words left behind upon the electrified pathway, and as the words continued on down the line in alignment, King Keaton bolted off ahead to the next checkpoint. He was keen on leaving trails for people to follow in order to see if the ones he guided were capable of following directions as well as instructions rather than holding their hands. Therefore, the legible hovering text of static electricity in formation down the line would both guide them and speak to them.

"There Is One More Load Of People Who Are Coming To Join The $yndicate," the words read and said, something like a narrator with a visible book, "I Am Leading You To A Checkpoint Where You Will Group With Them And Each Of You Will Join Up. Those Who Have Defected, You Will Be Able To See Their Demise In The Same Fashion As Many Of You Saw The Doom Of The Ones Who Did Not Make It Even This Far." The full string of words actually served the purpose to pique their curiosity long enough to lead them further down the path in order for them to acquire the full extent of the message, which was important for those who actually wished to comprehend the completion of the information rather than leave it broken. This would bring the wise of them down the path further along than those who were impatient or disobedient, and any who were rebellious would end up defecting and joining up with those who would see the roughness of the streets of Valparaiso... Especially whilst there was an active cutthroat war going on of which many could not comprehend, or even see, for that matter. They would be victims all the same and no one would understand how nor why, just as with the crossing of the Lake of Fire and the exit from the cemetery of the Veritas prior, or even the journey through Hell, itself, originally.

I. The $yndicate was torn between the behavior of the King Keaton, remarkably, as had been remarked before by the King Keaton, himself, as they were traveling along.

II. Between them, there were those that liked his attitude and those of them that did not.

III. Those that did not often times were the ones that were exhibiting this behavior before him or naturally, or even toward others, sometimes possibly in hostility.

IV. The members of the $yndicate that did not mind the attitude of the King Keaton continued to follow the messages in the links that he left behind in order for him to continue to lead them toward the next destination, of which they still needed guidance on after being brought out from the Broken Homes Orphanage before.