Strygwyr began to pick up the pace. His clawed feet left large, doglike prints in the wet earth behind him. The thirst was growing quickly like a primal need, suppressing his rationale and bending his mind into that of an animal. It called to him louder and louder as each moment went on, thundering the divine demand in his ears. '...blood...' Something akin to instinct told him he should be there by now. Something was wrong. The wind shifted and the fog thickened in front of him unnaturally, causing him to stop and sniff around him. Fangs bared in bridled fury, and behind them, the bloodseeker's wrath longed to be unleashed. 

Suddenly, a small, furred creature darted up the trunk of a tree, only to be swiftly sliced in half against it. Its warm blood splattered against the wood and ran down into the grass below, a pathetic sacrifice. "When I find you..." Strygwyr knew he was being toyed with, "...I will drain you." His threat would be heard. 

He sniffed again and listened a moment, pitting his senses and the will of his gods against Cosmos' magic. Finally, direction returned to him, leading him toward the amphibioid people's settlement, but on the other side from where his friends were supposedly sleeping. This was the place he had been trying to get to all along. The sense of slaughter came from here. He launched forward intently. 

On this far end of the forest-swamp, a large, fairly elaborate hut of wood stood as the home of the chieftain and his family. It was marked by totems and various sacred paraphinalia and was guarded by several warriors all through the night, of which there were a few more than usual on this night. The guards warily scanned the surrounding wilderness, unnerved perhaps by the unusual winds, or was it something more? A soft rain began to fall. The sound of drops falling would provide excellent cover...

The first guard spun around with the reaction time of a trained warrior, as if he had been expecting an attack all along, yet, the marked mask and gleaming blades racing at him in a streak of red shocked him completely. Surely he had expected something else.

"BLOOD CALLS TO BLOOD!" 

The primal, feathered beast was on him, wounds already open on his arms and chest. The warrior opened his frog-like mouth and bellowed some call of distress. The other warriors around the chieftain's house echoed similar calls and came bounding, spears and blades in hand, to kill this attacker. 

Now on top of the body of his first sacrifice, Strygwyr inclined his head slowly and eerily toward the oncoming fighters, the most joyous and bloody smile on his face.

Eclipse shot bolt upright in bed, as if from a terrible nightmare. "Madre sacre dios!" He was saying in his own language. He looked quickly at the girl, then at Strygwyr's empty cot. Eclipse's jaw dropped, and he gasped. "Oh no.... Light no! Stryg took his weapons!" Throwing the bed coverings, Eclipse was enveloped in a flash of light which instantly and miraculously donned his armor. "Stay here!" He told the girl. "By Iomedae's grace I will stop him!" Feathers flew as the half angel exited the tent. 

Only moments later, the tribal fighters were beginning to realize the power of the beast upon them. "Terror" had bloody new meaning to those still alive around the chieftain's lodge. The red creature was unstoppable, as wounds seemingly meant nothing to it. All the faster it moved as more blood spilled. 

"Bloodseeker!" A white flash and a booming voice announced the paladin's presence as he landed with a crack of lightning in the front yard. His eyes and sword were glowing, and he radiated an intimidating righteousness. "How dare you turn on the people who gave you their aid! You will pay for this vile dishonor. Retribution!"

Strygwyr, possessed with bloodlust, laughed as he pulled a spear out of his own chest. "The Twins thirst for blood! And so, I give it to them." He stood up and glared down at the angellic paladin, tonfa-blades in each hand. "It is an honor to die for the Twins. They are the greatest of Gods."

"Damn your cursed gods, savage! They are devoid of honor. Their thirst would drain the world!" Fueled by his passion for the fallen beings around him, Eclipse ran straight at the blood priest. A terrible shreak sounded as their holy blades met, metal slicing against metal, edges grinding against each other like nails on chalkboard. Trading attacks, Strygwyr finally caught the angel's sword in an x-block bewteen his own weapons and pressed Eclipse back with incredible strength. 

Eclispe Wouldn't back down. He took the opportunity while they were closely facing each other to trade a few words. He shook his head in disdain, "You do only what they command you... Ergh. You dog! I have to kill you, Strygwyr."

Stryg growled at the self-righteous paladin, oblivious to those crystal blue eyes. He hated Eclipse for insulting his gods and being nothing more than a servant of a lesser god himself. "You know nothing, priest of Iomedae. It is you who are blind!" With that he pulled his two blades apart, making two cuts in the edge of the angel's sword and casting it back in a show of sparks. 

Eclipse's wings shot out as he grabbed the air behind him to pull himself up and away. Retreat was the only tactical option until he could make a clean strike. Holy light coursed through him like a cannon preparing to fire just as he felt sharp pain shoot through his right wing, which had beat forward to facilitate his movement. Nonetheless, Eclipse shouted as he thrust his point forward to cast the energy bolt though his weapon. Blood sprayed off his white feathers as he landed on his feet once again. His power attack hit Strygwyr, forcing him back, but surly the fiend would attack again immediately. Eclipse quickly brought up his sword in preparation. He would put up his forcefield shield too if he had enough time. His wing was cut.

In the raining darkness of night, Strygwyr seemed distracted by the angel's blood, savoring its scent as if he had no fear of his opponent whatsoever. 

Eclipse hesitated, eyeing the doglike seeker. The Flayed Ones had a history about them, one known only among gods, and it involved the most heinous suffering and carnage that divinities could endure. Power was not Strygwyr's reason for serving them, and Eclipse knew that much. Short of destroying the twins themselves, there was no stopping them, not forever. Like divine vampires, their thirst was inevitable and ever returning. If Eclipse killed this Bloodseeker, he would only be reborn, and there were others as well. 

The angel felt the sadness of the beings around him, their suffering and fear, the pain of betrayal by their welcomed visitors, their mourning already beginning. It struck him deeply. The truth was, he didn't want to kill his former friend, whom he had already influenced so much, even if Strygwyr didn't realize it. 

Leaning forward and lifting his weapons, Strygwyr approached again, threateningly. "It is I who will kill you, white one. Your blood is rich with essence. It will feed much." 

Truly, the angel had been the one to join the battle involving a bloodseeker. He was fair game. 

It was then that Eclipse knew what he had to do. There was only one way to save these people and stop the bloodseeker. He had to placate the Flayed Ones. Although he did not understand the details nor the full history that was involved, Eclipse knew it would at least buy time. Maybe his bond with Iomedae gave him some kind of insight, maybe it was like a jedi's connection to the force, but somehow, this answer came to him. He had to die. 

"So be it, Strygwyr." Pointing his sword to the sky, Eclipse saluted to the heavens. "Put your faith in the light, and all is possible!"

Thunder rolled as the now, heavy rain fell from the sky. Eclipse never put up his shield. 
High above the clouds, a star fell from the sky.