---

Hwei's discerning eyes catch the way Kaiji flinches away from the light, but not the ambush brewing. With all his concentration poured into his intent to purify, he's too slow to avoid the dog's jaws aimed at his arm, and his reaction is delayed, as it would be whenever Hwei is deep in meditation. He jerks his arm out, flinging the dog off his arm and into the gates. Light dissipating, focus returning to battle at hand, he wipes at the blood now trickling down his forearm before assuming a defensive stance out of instinct. His mind, still drawing out of its reverie, feels like it's been folded over itself a thousand times, making Kaiji's whispers all the more insidious. The exhaustion feels like deep, black mud, drowning Hwei and blocking out all his thoughts and efforts at focus. For a moment, he stumbles.

From the deep, an old memory. A solider bathed in light, his hand, heavy with duty, on Hwei's shoulder. It's not a mantric saying or a proverb, but rather a charge and an order: Die with honor.

At the same time Nova touches down on the battlefield, Hwei draws his spirit energy into his core and spreads it outwards again, manifesting his Spirit Arms - four of them - behind him. The gentle warmth of the sun is now the blazing core of a star, and Hwei's demeanor almost turns angry as he faces Kaiji again.

"And you almost had me," he says, cocking his head to the side as his spirit arms make short work of the dogs behind him, fists breaking their bones and crushing their skulls. "Almost. Right?" This time, there's no friendliness in his smile, just righteous anger. "Even had to bring your doggy friends along. Any other tricks up your sleeve, or are you going to face me like a man?"

The wave of radiance that, well, radiates from Nova renews Hwei's vigor and reminds him of his mission. He doesn't waste any more time bantering, leaping forward and aiming a kick at Kaiji's chest before unleashing not one, not two, but four fists on the Grim, keeping two spirit arms open for any other tricks that may arise (because Grim never play fair).

---

---

There was a moment when Kaiji saw the light return to Hwei’s eyes, and for the first time tonight, he frowned. The muttered command had sunk into the monk’s soul like a fang into flesh, and for a breath, it had nearly taken. Kaiji had seen it before, mighty warriors crumble beneath their own memories, paralyzed by the voice that knew where to cut deepest. But not this one.

The warmth shifted. No, rather, ignited. From stillness, from weakness, came fury.

Kaiji’s eyes narrowed as Hwei’s body lifted, not with earthly strength but divine will. The Spirit Arms burst into being like flares in the void, radiant appendages trailing firelight. The Grim hounds barely had time to yelp before two were annihilated beneath holy fists, their bones shattering like glass, ichor sprayed across the stones.

He really is going to be a problem, Kaiji thought with sharp amusement. The kick came fast, fierce, and true. Kaiji twisted, but not to evade. He welcomed the blow. Hwei’s foot struck squarely against his chest with the full force of his conviction. Kaiji was flung backward with a grunt, body crashing against the outer stone wall of the stronghold hard enough to dent it. Dust burst outward. The chainwhip at his side hissed as it slithered free again.

From the rubble, he stood laughing. A quiet, rasping sound. “That’s better,” he breathed, eyes half-lidded, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. “I was worried you’d be boring.”

Ability Trigger: Serpent Shift
Kaiji’s form exploded into shadow, a coil of writhing serpents splitting from his body in all directions. Shadow-snakes, dozens of them, slipped past Hwei’s fists, weaving through gaps in the spiritual arms, darting across the battlefield toward Nova, toward the gates, toward everything sacred. But Kaiji himself reformed just a few feet behind Hwei, low to the ground, crouched like a serpent ready to strike. His chainwhip snapped out, not at Hwei, but at the sigil-engraved stone behind him.

Ouroboros Sigil Activation
Where the chain met the holy carving, darkness bled into the stone like ink in water. The Ouroboros Sigil crawled across the wall, hungry and unnatural, attempting to infect the Light’s protection with a twisting spiral of abyssal corruption. “Let’s see how long your sanctuary holds,” Kaiji purred. And then, from behind, his palm shot forward—aiming a venomous burst of corruption magic toward Hwei’s exposed side. Not deadly, not yet. Just enough to slow and to poison the fight. He didn’t need to win. He just needed time. Because now, the real battle had begun.

---

---

Location: Stronghold of Dogfalls Interactions: @Amatiramisu @BunniesOfDoom

---

The air still shimmered with remnants of her light, dust motes floating like tiny stars where the Purity Nova had scorched the ground clean. And yet, even that brilliance began to dim at the edges. A low ring echoed again through the air, this time not from above, but from within her chest. Nova’s hand flexed around the fading trail of light still coiled around her wrist as she turned her eyes to the gate.

She knew that growl. Her lips pressed together in a grim line just before he stepped into view—hulking, broad, black as midnight and twice as hateful. Algrimar. Her breath caught as the larger Grim hurled a thrashing, screeching beast at her like a stone from a catapult. With barely a thought, her hand swept up and her sigil ignited, Starlit Vow, a glyph of searing gold tracing itself into the air before her. The Grim collided with the light mid-flight and howled as it was repelled, its twisted form cracking and crumbling before it ever touched her.

Her name in his mouth made her feel unclean. “I don’t need permission,” she said quietly, eyes burning as she stepped forward through the steam rising from the broken earth. “I only need a reason.”

The second Grim came screaming down from above. It was smaller, faster, and its talons bared. She pivoted beneath it, light trailing her in a graceful arc. Her hand sliced upward and the creature's wing ignited mid-beat, sending it spiraling into the dirt where it screeched before shattering into ash.

She barely had time to recover before a presence brushed her shoulder. Colt raced past with the careless touch of a sibling’s encouragement. The punch to her shoulder drew a startled breath from her lips, but there was no time to scold, no time to ask— Algrimar roared. The flames came like a storm, like a promise of death. Her sigil had not yet faded. Nova reached both arms forward, light surging to her palms. The golden symbol burst outward in a radiant dome, wrapping around herself and the boy just as the fire collided.

BOOM.

The night lit up in violent color—orange and red licking the gold of her shield. The heat scorched her skin through the armor, and her teeth clenched against the force. Sparks danced across her cheeks. Her knees buckled slightly beneath the blast, but she held the line. Behind the shield, she growled through clenched teeth:

“You call it your domain, Algrimar.” Cracks splintered through the edge of the dome, thin spiderwebs of fading light. Her hands were trembling. “But the light does not ask your permission to rise.” And in her eyes she had no intention of falling.

---

---

Location: Stronghold of Mistmoor

---

Tarrian could see the blush that flourished on his cheeks and she couldn’t help but suppress a smile before it broke her face. She wouldn’t bring shame to him by teasing him for getting nervous around her. It would be completely unbecoming of a noble such as herself but, gods, was it adorable. She only had two years on him and sometimes it showed with little moments like that.

She strolled alongside him, her hands tucked behind her back. The only thing she had on her at that moment was her swords, she had just come from sword practice with the man’s father after all. They bumped against her hips as they walked, a quiet thump thump thump that was so familiar that without them she found herself feeling naked. When he complimented her work, she flashed him a bright smile. “Oh thank you.I try.” She really was putting her heart and soul into becoming a knight and it was paying off, well mostly. She still found herself beat up and bruised by the captain. Those types of days did hamper her enthusiasm. If he could beat her so easily, was she really ready to be a knight?

Suddenly, the wind changed. That wasn’t anything new in the mountains but there was a chill to it, one that soaked into her bones and left her legs quivering. Her eyes flashed to Erik, her heart thumping loudly. The was a stillness broken only by the flutter of birds as they broke the canopies. The sudden sound caused Tarrian to jump, planting a hand over her heart. It was just birds. She was fine. What could birds do against a pair of light bearers. Nothing, that’s what.

As the guard screamed in terror, Tarrian had her hands on her sword’s hilts and had them drawn before she even knew what was happening. The roar of the monsters cut through the man’s screams and Tarrian turned her eyes once more to Erik. He was the knight. He was the one on guard duty. She would follow his lead.

As Erik gave her orders, she nodded and began sprinting towards the guardhouse. Her long legs allowed her to take the corners quickly. What a time for an attack and her without her armor. She cursed to herself before she rounded the corner to the guardhouse. “Grim! We’re under attack.” She bellowed as she ran up, kicking open the guardhouse’s door. The guards inside whirled around in shock. “Sound the alarm! Call the bearers! Get a sigil weaver on the gate! We fight tonight!” The guards scrambled as Tarrian watched them for a moment. She gave a small nod as the sounds of bells began to toll loudly through the night.

She turned and left. Swords still in hand, she activated her enhanced agility ability. She felt warmth flood up through her legs and the world blurred around her. She made it to the stairs, taking them four at a time before she just jumped over the railing. She bent her knees as she hit the ground before using the momentum to push forward and towards the gate. She saw men placing braces against the door, each one shouting for more as the monsters pushed against the wooden door. She grit her teeth before sheathing her blades and running up to the gate. She slammed her shoulder into the gate, pushing with everything she had. Her feet dug into the stone and mud as she heaved. They couldn’t let this gate open. They had to hold for as long as it takes a sigil weaver to arrive.

---

---

Colt lowered himself, coiling his body in preparation to avoid the incoming flames - but Nova handled things as expected. He relaxed his muscles, pressing a hand to the other Light Bearer's back to support her as she held back the fire. "Thanks for the cover. You able to field this one?" He asked. "I'm gonna flank, try and handle their rear guard and keep any reinforcements back." He said, his words barely audible over the din of the flames blasting the shield. As Nova Andromeda lowered her guard and spoke her piece, Colt nodded, turning his gaze to the Scourge.

"Save some for me." He said, nudging Nova with his shoulder, and keeping his attention on Algrimar, he broke right, casting a wide arc around the Scourge, weaving into and through the trees until he lost sight of his Light Bearer friend and her opponent. A few stray lesser Grim stood in his path, dispatched mostly painlessly - but he skidded to a halt when-

"Oh. Shit."

It started with a blood trail, then one corpse. Then another, and several more. He gingerly passed by them - unable to shake the sensation of being watched as he strode deeper and deeper, hacking through the underbrush until he broke through the treeline. The moon shone down over an open field where the blood trail ended. Colt's gaze scanned the countryside, and caught sight of motion descending a hill in the distance. The sound of music wafted to his ears. Singing.

He drew closer. There wasn't much hiding the stranger's true nature - she was in the open after all. But he suspected she didn't have much to fear, judging by the gaggle of insectoid Grim around her. He clicked his tongue. Fine, best match that energy.

A bolt of lightning lit up the night as an electrified throwing knife embedded itself in the chitin of a centipede-like creature at her back. Nothing debilitating - but that wasn't the point.

"Sorry, fingers slipped." Colt announced, as he drew closer to Kohi Dei and her underlings. The centipede chittered and bore down on him. He laughed, weaving to the right, knocking playfully on the creature's exoskeleton before catching his knife and yanking it from its side. He gave the woman a little wave as the insect rounded on him, slowly closing in. "Hey, your friend's making me nervous."

He leapt into a graceful backflip, landing squarely on the massive insect's head as he wrapped a hand onto one of its mandibles for support, driving his hunting knife into its skull. He clung as it writhed, then came down with a slam. He casually pranced off it, pulling the knife from its head, flipping it, and sheathing it at his chest. He shot the woman a finger gun. "Liked your singing."

---

---

---

Tarrian's shoulder braced against the gate as Grim after Grim slammed into it. The wood began to buckle and creak under the weight of their onslaught, but then, suddenly it went silent once more. A few of the guards assisting in bracing the door let up, their heavy breaths the only sound in the night. Suddenly, the silence was broken by a sickening crunch, then another. The sound of flesh being rent and the sweet smell of death wafted through the gate - and then silence again.

"Open the gate." A woman's voice echoed from beyond. "The Light-Bearers." The voice said simply. No further words were spoke, and everyone remained in silence for a moment, before one of the guardsmen rose up, and with a shaking hand, opened the gate's viewport a crack. He slowly peered through it, and yipped in astonishment just as much as fear.

"The Grim... They're all dead."

"They have been dealt with." The woman's voice again explained as the guard yelped and fell backwards. "I expect them to follow orders - not to simply throw themselves at the wall of the enemy."

"Shit, maybe if we throw them out there, she'll leave us alone." The terrified guard said, huddled up in a corner just beside the gate. "H-Hey, what do you want?!" He shouted. Silence fell over them once more for several seconds. "Open the gate. I want Tarrian Kar and Erik Ostriecher V." She repeated. "You've five seconds, or I will open it myself."

Well at least someone had a sense of fun. At the very least, this little whelping looked like he actually intended to fight her or some other such heroic nonsense. Adorable, really, but he had harmed her little babies and that was only for her to do. As much as she might acknowledge that their existence was to serve and die, it really was preferred that they were killed on her own terms. In any event, there was an interloper to deal with, whether that be by carnage or commerce, Kohi turned to face her adversary, letting one of her critters contort and warp itself. Carapace cracking, bone lappings burst, the creature squealed and howled as it formed a quadrupedal throne for its master, Kohi taking her seat upon it as the creature hobbled to its feet, letting its mistress gaze down at Colt.

"Well, that was rude." She remarked, lounging back as she considered him. "Well thank you! I happen to be rather found of the fine arts, are you a bit more of a baritone, a soprano? I could always use a backup singer, I would be absolutely thrilled to have you as part of the band. Oh come now, you approach me with such violence and so much anger and all I can think is to wonder why. What crime upon good taste has my melody committed?" She perched on the throne as another minion swept forward lashing a poison barbed tail at the lad.

Kohi's hand outstretched, the skin warbling and rippling as burrowing out from between the carefully manicured nailed and lotioned fingers came one maggot after another, rapidly twisting and mutating as they became larger, snarling, jittering, bursting with bile, blood, and bone fragments, isopods born of nightmares grew to the size of small hounds, circling and snarling at the interloper.

"You know, you're making my darlings rather frustrated with the butter knife act, dear. Tell you what, how about I, in my generosity, give you leave to go about your merry way, you can walk about, head to whatever little heroics you have planned? I'm simply enjoying a little bit of a stroll here myself, I don't have too much interest in breaching the walls of your fortress, there's want to be pillaging and burning and I think that's such a waste of beauty."

One creature leapt forward, claws chittering out as it rushed for the ankle tendons of Colt, a second and third following to attack the heels. A winged locust jonining the rest of its brethen, feast, rend, gnaw! Kill the supple fleshling before us so that we might find more succor! Let us drink deeply of the boy's blood and rip his flesh till every inside is on the outside for all the world to see! With a laugh and a flourish, Kohi let loose another ripple of smaller creatures, the size of birds and filled with far more teeth than any beak should have.

"Choose your words carefully, love. I'm a woman of culture, first and foremost. I would hate to see such a strapping young lad brought low. Would you rather join me for tea or go about your way?" She said, smiling with a soft and polite little smile, her eyes opening just a tad, just enough to show the pitch black pupils and iris behind them.

---

If there was anything Algrimar hated, it was when his initial plans weren’t going as he had planned. The sigil was still up. Nova had arrived. He didn’t know the whereabouts of Kohi. He wasn’t sure if Kaiji was still alive, even after sending lesser grims to assist him. He could feel his blood begin to boil. This wasn’t going anywhere as smoothly as he had assumed it would. It seemed as if every step he orchestrated was be thwarted by someone or something. His eyes flickered to the sigil for only a moment. If he wished to take this stronghold and send the mortals running one more to only be hunted down and preyed upon, that blasted thing needed to come down.

The second light bearer had an air to him that caused Algrimar to grind his teeth. It was as if this whole event was just a big game to him. Was Algrimar's very visage not frightening enough for him? How could he gaze upon him and still provide Nova with brother's affection as if they were siblings. It enraged him.

He watched as the boy scurried off like an excited squirrel. With a snarl, he reached out and up, grabbing another flying grim in his claws. That snarl slowly turned into a predatory grin as he hurled the grim after the boy, a little parting gift if he was going to turn his back on Algrimar.

With that, he turned back towards the light bearer in front of him.

”The light does not ask your permission to rise.” Algrimar clicked his tongue against his teeth. She spoke truth enough. The very sun was the bane of every grim's existence. Its illuminating glow was toxic to them. It was why they had spent so much time and effort attacking in the middle of the night. The later in the night, the weaker their defenses.

The beast of the man straightened to his full height, a dark smile across his face as he watched Nova. “What is wrong, little lightbug? It seemed like you buckled there a moment under my flames. Is your light fading?” He let out a mad cackle as he took a step towards her, bringing his claws up to bare.

“Well, little lightbug. Let us see those guts of yours. Come forth so we can bring this to a decisive end.” He flexed his hand, his claws flashing under the bright light of the moon above.

---

Location: Dogfall

---

After a fair bit of travel, Aza had made it across the way from Mistmoor straight to Dogfall. The smell of the sea was prominent and quite different from home, but that was alright, a fresh, new experience was just what they wanted right now. Although, they felt a strange, unnerving presence when stepping foot on the land, that and an opposite, more lifting one similar to the one they felt back in Mistmoor. So, trusting their own instincts, they traveled further to where the source of the conflicting feelings were emanating from.

It looked like a whole battle had commenced there, and by the sound of it, there were still people nearby. They made their way towards the noise, wary at every turn.

---

---

"Rude?" Colt scoffed. "My finger slipped! Then your-" He shifted in to a mock noble accent. "-Associate bore down on me with such frightful tenacity that I had little choice but to defend myself!" He responded theatrically, hand on his chest as he gave her a playful smirk. "Myself, I'd say the lute's my calling, honestly. See, there's your so-called crime against the arts, you're lacking instrumentals!" He knocked a short beat on the chitinous exterior of the dead centipede. "Then again, the acoustics out here are probably a little questionable."

His expression darkened slightly as he watched her grotesque spawning display, the writhing, wriggling creatues emerging from beneath the keratin. "Some band invitation..." He muttered as the creatures' bodies popped, creaked, and pulsed, leaking bodily fluids that made his stomach turn slightly. They began to circle him and he lowered his stance, right hand crawling to the handle of his sword. "Your 'darlings' are making me a little skittish too, not gonna lie."

Her proposal however, made him raise an eyebrow. "You're kidding. You happen to just be out here while the Scourge is ten minutes away laying siege to Dogfalls. On a walk." He reiterates, tone completely deadpan as his expression shifts to something between curiousity and bemusement.

A sudden skitter from behind him snapped him from that line of thought as he whirled, a throwing knife punching through its eye as two more rushed him down. Colt snarled, staggering back a couple paces as he slid the sword from his hip and swatted at one, whipping his leg away from the other nipping at the back of his leg as he kicked it like a small misbehaving dog. "Gotta say, the reception isn't really leaving any points in your favor!" He shouted at Kohi, still preoccupied as the locust dove in for a chunk of his shoulder - only managing to sink a pair of pincers into the flesh before an electrified punch boiled its insides to burst with a sharp CRACK.

Colt hissed through his teeth, working his shoulder tenderly, as he stared down the small legion of insectoid Grim standing before him. "Happy you think I'm cute, but before we plan the brunch date, just clear something up for me."

His eyes glinted in the moonlight, and a small ripple of lightning danced across his hair. He wasn't smiling this time. "If you're not Algrimar's backup, then surely you had nothing to do with the bodies I just passed, right?"

6

---

---

Location: Stronghold of Mistmoor

---

As the sounds of the monsters died and the pressure on the gate was released, Tarrian peered over at Erik. She slowly moved back from the gate, unsure of what was happening outside the walls. When the voice rang out in the twilight, summoning her and Erik to the other side, she felt her heart drop. Her eyes grew wide as she shook her head. They couldn’t just hand themselves over to the Grim. They were some of the few light bearers in this sanctuary. If they left, who would hold the line? They couldn’t leave the stronghold undefended.

When Erik stepped up to the viewpoint, she watched him. When he announced himself and told her that he would come out if she would not harm anyone else in this stronghold, she reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder. “Have you lost your mind?” She pulled on him to move him away from the viewpoint. “You cannot just sacrifice yourself to that monster. If you do, there will only be me left to defend and I am not going out there just to be eaten by that thing.” She hissed. “We only need to distract her long enough for the sigil weaver to arrive then she won’t be able to get in.” She grabbed a guard next to her before pushing him towards the viewpoint. “Keep an eye on her. Do not let her out of your sight.”

She grabbed another guard and pulled him close. “Go find the sigil weaver. Get their ass moving! We need them here now.” The man nodded and she let him go. He ran off to go find the weaver as Tarrian turned her eyes back on Erik. “You’re not going out there. This isn’t the time for noble sacrifice.” She wasn’t going to lose one of her good friends to a Grim. Not on her watch.

---

Location: Dogfall Outskirts

---

After a bit of thinking, they decided to shapeshift into something that could sneak past things easily, but what... That's it! A snake! That'd be a pretty easy thing to do. They make their way towards where they think the other energies are radiating from, stumbling across two... maybe one person and another thing. They find a bit of cover so they can go back to their human form, as it would be unwise to be transformed for long, especially right now.

The reading on which one of them could potentially be one of the Light Bearer's they were looking for was pretty fuzzy, so he decided to wait it out and listen. Although, they kept their hand on their machete, juuuuust in case.

"This probably isn't a great time to be here... ehhhhh, I'm sure it's alright." They thought to themself.

Really? Of all the things to care about, the boy was focused on mister tall dark and loud? He had a beautiful woman, the most beautiful woman the world had ever seen, and still yet his first concern was Algrimar. The perfection that was Kohi Dei was presented before the lad and still yet he had not a single thought but the Grim?

Possibly gay, she'd need to make a note of that if she was to continue.

But really, he was being a good sport about it all, to be fair. Kohi gave Colt an innocent feline expression and answered with all the honesty and sincerity the subject deserved. A solemn tone that brooked no humor in it.

"Well of course, how else would I get around?" She raised an eyebrow in questioning glance. "Do you suppose I flew?" A twirl of the finger, a strut of the leg, and she began to walk from side to side, pacing back and forth as she gestured into the air. "I'm a woman of business and life's simple pleasures, I need to go about the world in order to experience it! Look at all of this!" She gestured, creatures and crawlies spilling forth from from below the dress, clambering down the legs until spawnlings came from spawnlings and the burgeoning swarm created a crescent around Colt, preparing to enclose. "I would have taken a carriage but drivers are in short supply these days.

"My darlings could never do a single thing wrong in their all too often far too short lives. Do you see this precious little critter? Look at him, isn't he delightful?" She spoke, gesturing to a creature of fang and claw and carapace, the unholy fusion of some barnacle encrusted lobster and mantid. "Oh dear, try not to jump around too much! You're making them nervous!"

If she wasn't backup? Well, that question required one simple thing for Kohi to want to do. Something Kohi had no real desire to actually do. That of course being help another being for the sheer purposes of comradery and shared interests.

So Kohi did as she would undoubtably always do, and told the truth.

"I have no intention of playing second fiddle and lackey to Algrimar, the bodies, well...that was not by my hand. Not to mention, you shouldn't be accosting random ladies in the waxing hours of the night, there's a murderer about, you know. What proof do I have that you are not this bloodthirsty vagabond?" She said with a smile and coo, letting her swarm spread forth across the plain.

---

---

"I will enter. It is of little consequence to me by what means." The woman said plainly. "I am called Himeri, of the Eboshi family. You know of them." She explained. Waiting patiently as Erik and Tarrian bickered, the sudden slam of metal on wood ceased their conversation as the point of Himeri's sword burst through the timbers of the gate almost cleanly. "My patience wears thin. I expect little more than parlay-" She interrupted, her tone clipped. "And to retrieve something."

As easily as she had thrust the blade through the gate, she retracted it. "My patience grows thin. Give me what I ask so I may leave, or you may pick up the splinters of your little gate while the tide of Grim washes upon you, Light-Bearers."

---

---

---

Absentmindedly twirling his sword as she spoke, Colt listened intently as she 'explained' herself. When she came to her conclusion, he watched her intently for a moment, trying to suss out any sign of a lie. Even despite her words, this was still clearly a Grim standing before him - allegiances be damned, she was on the side of the tide of darkness.

"I'm way too cute to be a bloodthirsty murderer." Colt said, a little too cheerily. Another critter took a nip at him, but he casually wove past. "No sudden movements, got it." He said. "Either way, if you've got nothing to do with the current situation in Dogfalls, then I guess I owe you an apology for..." He took a moment, chewing on his words, pursing his lips. "Detaining you."

He motioned to sheathe his sword, but paused midway, holding up a finger. "Just one more thing, ma'am." He said, gesturing to one of the flying insects about. "You said you're personally not responsible for those bodies. But what about them?"

Oh well that just tears it. By all that is holy, what a pain. This game had gone on long enough but the notion of being detained was positively rotten. Enough to make this little man fit for the graves. Gather and skitter, hither critter, spawn and spawn into each other once more. Gather and grow, link and mend and rend into one another to join anew in forms larger. Chitinous, shelled, writhing, pustule, haired, horned and unholy. Creatures massing into The Swarm, the endless gluttony and greed. The desire for naught but More, More Gain, More Pain, More. More suffering to cause, more to take from any who had what She did not. A great Throne of Want that formed out of the bones and carapace of Her children, the Swarm Queen ascendent.

"Oh, well they were a fun little bit of nutrients, I'm nothing if not a caring mother, darling. Kiddo, I think I pull off my mantle of matriarchy well, don't you think, boy?" Kicking a leg up and letting it sit bared and triumphant, gazing down with mirth. "Now, I would suggest weighing your odds. I'm in a good mood and feeling merciful if it means you annoy His Big Loud and Red." The swarm gathers, the swarm readies, the swarm surrounds and grows and forms a dome atop the bearer of light, bearer of curse, bearer of lightning.

---

---

Location: Stronghold of Mistmoor

---

Terran stared at the sword as it pierced through the gate, her jaw clenched tightly in- what? Frustration? Rage? Fear? Possibly a combination of the three. She clenched her fists at her side. When Eric pulled his sword and readied his shield, she cursed. “Gods be damned, Erik!” She turned to the man who was opening the gate, a snarl on her face. “You close this gate when we are through, do you understand me! Brace it with everything you have! Someone get that damn weaver here!” The man at the gate nodded to her and Terran took a deep breath before she pulled her dual blades free. She bounced on her feet as if trying to bring herself to move before she rushed through the gap of the gate.

She had not expected Erik to have only stepped a few steps past the gate and almost barreled directly into him as she came out of the opening. “Erik! What,” her eyes fell on the woman and her words died in her throat. The lavender skinned woman with her yellow eyes made her incredibly nervous. Was this what a greater Grim looked like? Mostly human? She could almost pass this woman on the street and wouldn’t even blink an eye, almost. Her skin tone and horns gave her away.

She slowly stepped around Erik, blades held at the ready. He was talking to her like they were enemies at a treaty meeting. She didn’t like it one bit. This was a Grim. They weren’t supposed to negotiate with them. THey were supposed to cut them down the moment they saw them and leave nothing left to strike again. The fact that he was taking the woman’s words to heart, even sheathing his blade to show he meant it, Tarran’s chest tightened. Here she was, outside the gates that had now closed behind them, no armor, two swords, facing down a Grim who wanted to- what- talk? She wasn’t going to sheath her blades. Not unless the woman did it first.

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Colt stiffened as an oddly crazed look began to twinkle in her eye. He watched in queasy fascination as the insects gathered and reformed themselves into a clicking, undulating throne for Kohi Dei as she sat upon them. "His big loud-and-red. I like that. Stealing it." Colt responded, the humor in his voice now tinged with audible wariness. His stance shifted lower as she watched him with amusement in her eyes. "You know, it just occurred to me, we've done all this flirting but I still don't know your name." The silver-haired young man added. "I don't know what it is, but I feel like if you're anything like me, you want your name known." He offered as he slowly began to pace, weapon still half-drawn, watching as the throne twisted and shifted to face him as he circled it. "And if we're done talking, are you sure you wanna do this in an empty field with nobody watching?"

His gaze flicked to the forest, towards the bodies within it, and he frowned. "Those people were more than just... Biofuel for your creatures here, but somehow I doubt that message is gonna resonate with you. But way it sounds to me, we have a common enemy, or rival, or however you want to swing it, at the gates of Dogfalls right now." He reasoned.

His sword closed in its sheath with a 'snnk', and he steadily released his grip on the handle. "I'm Colt." He said. "Light-bearer, son of Church Knight Cassell Avalon." He introduced, before grinning and giving her a suitably aristocratic bow - or at least the best fascimile of one he could, having never been one for the formal lifestyle. "And I'd like to offer a temporary arrangement. We get to killing each other after we've ruined Algrimar's evening."

His golden eyes flashed, his fangs glinting as he grinned at her. "Once we've subverted his siege, we can get right back to killing each other. That sound reasonable?"

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"Your cooperation is appreciated." Himeri said coldly, no real inflection or appreciation in her voice as she smoothly slid her blade into its sheath. "Those were not attacks, Ostreicher. They were knocks on the door." She elaborated, her metallic golden pupils flicking to him. A wave of fear washed over the Light-Bearer, though unlike the guards who were reduced to a gibbering mess at her gaze, Himeri was curious to see him shake it off. She tilted her head, much like a cat watching a mouse, before turning her gaze then to Tarrian.

The same wave of fear passed over her, though similarly her anger and ferocity overpowered it. "Curious." Himeri mused out loud. "So this is what true Light-Bearers are capable of." She murmured. "As I have said. I am called Himeri. The Eboshi estate sits abandoned within these walls. There is a sword inside - the matching companion to this one." She explained, gesturing to the weapon at her hip. "I will be clear, I do not act in the interest of the Scourge - not at this moment. The Lesser Grim that threw themselves upon the walls were expendables under my command."

Her expression didn't changed - the same disinterested, unamused stare flickered between the two Light-Bearers. "Thus, I make my purpose here as clear as possible. I intend to retrieve that sword, alone or with escort. I will leave when finished."

Her glare then locked onto Tarrian. "Should I be refused, I will still be leaving with that sword, and Mistmoor will have two less Light-Bearers." She said disaffectedly. "I announce myself and introduce myself to this city's protectors on the hopes that the easier option will be chosen. Our business concludes faster this way."