Having appeared fairly undersized when fighting beside the ebon-skinned giant, up close to Shreika, the blood priest didn't look nearly so small. Pumped, blood-covered, and furious at the winged, necromantic thief, Strygwyr pounced forward just as Shreika dissipated into a plume of black cloud. His muscular arms slashed with his blades several times where the caster woman had been only microseconds before, only to wiff through the obscuring mist to his frustration. Ceasing, the hooded beast stood with his guard up, trying to detect her location around him. He could not see the smoke, but the magical affect still inhibited his senses. Had the woman been injured at all, bleeding, pained, he would have instantly honed in on her, regardless of her magic, but as it was, she remained unhurt. 

A sadistic grin returned to his face. He loved when his opponents feared him. "You run like a coward. You serve a coward's god." Leaning forward, he stalked a few steps, slowly, hunting in the mist and taunting her. "Your blood will do little to pay for your crimes." 

Half expecting it, Strygwyr suddenly felt the black magic attack to the back of his neck through his mane of feathers and spun around sharply, slashing at her in a counter-attack. The spell however, had still gone off, and he felt a soft boom of energy at the base of his skull, ripping apart his bond with his deities. Like a collar coming off, Strygwyr was freed from the Twins' control, freed from their will, but also from their granted power. He gasped and stumbled forward several steps from the shock. The red glow from under his hood went out and he felt momentarily overcome with weakness, and grief. "What?! No!" Even without his powers, he was still a formidable warrior and very dangerous. "Priestess..." He began, as he began to recover from the rend in his sanctity. The magic she used had been divine, and he recognized it as such. Strangely, he laughed. "You try to free me from the will of the Flayed Ones? You fool. My people are their children. I will return to them. I would give my own blood for them." Clearly no offer of an alternative lifestyle would deter the twisted warrior, even if escape were possible. "Your gods and my gods will do battle."