FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Is this it?" asked Jarogniew.

"Don't worry," Kruz said, "we managed to fight off three wyverns we can handle anything down in this place."

"Tread with causzhion," Fayne raised his staff, "your confidenszhe may become poiszhon if too great."

"What is inside?" Oddclaw sniffed at the entrance gate.

"The temple of Kiltia, where the original founder of Lea Monde reszhided with her cult."

Standing in the foyer of a crumbling chapel, the floor was dotted in monochrome palette of individual squares that cricked and clacked against their claws from the loosening of stone, the walls strangely intact compared to the rest of the undercity. Sculpted arches where old windows once stood, stained glass fragments of fractured portraits detailing a history long forgotten beneath the earth of a woman dancing to the gods, hands reaching up in idolatry before she descended to the depths and walked through the sea of darkness. Parts of the floor were now rendered apart in treacherous chasms that they were forced to cross with care, leaping from higher points of the twisted uneven ground as thick jutting pillars remained fallen or risen around them. Candles remained to light their way, twinkling patterns of black and white in a soothing countenance below their feet as goblins and wolves that roamed the halls dared to fight them.

They were made short work of as they ventured further in, large doors half-open that led to larger halls where possessed suits of armour clunked their boots and dragged tremendous axes behind them, headless goons that turned to their presence and roared an infernal malice that rang from their Dark-encrusted steel. Oddclaw repelled them with cracking bursts of his fire, whilst Chanoch tore through with his empowered blade and Kruz kept on guard with his shield beside Fayne, the bangaa keeping his magic conserved for the more serious encounters. Swords ripped through skeletons and twisted spines in half, the crumpling clang of armour falling to their feet as they headed onwards with the many panes of stained glass on either side of them staring out to the cold hardened stone of the deep.

"What do we do when we find James?" the raptor asked climbing a step.

"Knock him unconscious if we have to," Kruz said vaulting over crates, "I know it's a bit rough but anything to stop him reaching the Dark."

"Yes," Chanoch heaved himself after him, "I do not want to hurt him-"

"We will not," Fayne was pulled up last by the soldier, "nnnngh, I will not tolerate hiszh intervention but I asszhure he will return szhafe to your world above."

"Your world above?" Kruz cackled clapping. "What are we fucking mole people come on Fayne!"

"You know what I mean!"

"I know I'm teasing."

"What are these?" Oddclaw pointed to the cracked windows.

"The szhtory of our home." Fayne picked up some glass with a woman's face. "Mullenkamp the oracle, one who told the wordszh of Faram through her body."

"A dancer-priestess," the kremling pointed along the rows, "the one who harnessed the Dark itself, and invented the Blood-Sin to help contain it."

"Why did she do all this?" Chanoch spread his arms. "For power, to defy the heavens?"

"To protect the people," said the bishop raising a finger, "Mullenkamp knew of the Dark before the Kildean church, and in realiszhing that szhe endeavoured to maintain it aszh like a beaszht within a cage."

"The church allowed it?"

"No. They exzhterminated her cult for the very knowledge of the Dark waszh that they conszhidered a blaszphemy to their faith. I admit that I too waszh one who thought the szhame."

"But it sounds terrible," Jarogniew walked up beside him through the great hall, "it corrupts the soul, it leaves the body wandering, festering."

"Well," Kruz turned to him, "you ever got sick with a flu?"

"Never."

"Well lucky you, but you know anyone who was?"

"A friend of mine when I was little."

"Now, is the flu evil because it makes your friend sick?"

"No," he shook his head.

"Why not?" the kremling slipped his hands round his back. "It made your friend sick."

"It does not know what it is doing, it is just a tiny thing."

"Right. The Dark is that, it's just a disease, it's not got morals but Mullenkamp figured a way to be a master of it."

"And now Baldwin keeps it safe?" Oddclaw asked ascending the stairs.

"Correct," the bishop walked past to open the door at the top, "now we can only hope he preventszh your friend from becoming infected."

Beyond meeting halls where triptychs of history struggled to speak through panes of glass, they found gargoyles and goblins creeping through the murk with silent wing and scrabbling feet. Wretched demons hounded them as they struck and parried with sword and shield and gun as Oddclaw and Fayne dealt with the sky whilst Chanoch and Kruz dealt with the earth. Swooping darkness came for the bishop as Oddclaw fired one shot through a pair of wings to rip its leather folds, the bangaa ducking past the fallen beast as he shot a blast of holy light towards another wretched drake, burning its visage to ashen dust as it scattered past his cloak in the fading dark. The knights teamed up with ruthless blades cutting through the goblins, skinning their flesh and blocking their clubs with ease before they ventured further in to find more triptychs of history laid scattered across the pavestones. Soon they reached the end of the temple, a small but venerable institution of forgotten lore as they entered a large square room with four pillars surrounding them.

"...woah."

Kruz gasped as he looked towards the ceiling as Fayne knelt upon one knee and made a six-pointed cross over his body that Kruz copied after. The symbol of the Blood-Sin was painted with white gold into the roof, resplendent cross with a dagger through the centre that almost shone from some unseen light in the room. A statue of a four-armed woman with three faces stood proud against the wall, wielding swords with a vengeful look in all directions across the room with such paralysing stare that the raptor and lizardman felt the urge to fight on instinct.

"James!" The raptor sniffed frantically around the central floor. "He was here, not long before!"

"But...where?" the soldier bent down to rub over the stones. "There is...wait. Do you feel that?"

"Yes," Oddclaw snuffled at the dirt, "there is wind coming from underneath!"

"Thaaat's right," Kruz rubbed his hands together, "not sure how your little friend found out about it, or why it's even closed behind him but welp, you wanna do the honours babe?"

"Don't, c-call me that!" stammered Fayne brushing his cloak.

"What, nobody minds, we got married and if they handled that!"

"I-i...well," he brushed his ears with a blush, "I juszht want to be in a szhtate of preparaszhion and-"

"All work and no play makes you go crazy."

"That is true," Oddclaw nodded, "we say that too in my tribe!"

"Oh really, huh! Neat, alright so uh Fayne, would you do the honours?"

"Gladly...deareszht."

He smiled with a bashful snicker as Kruz gave a smooch before the priest walked over to one of the pillars and felt over the stones before a small indented rune could be felt by his fingers. Pressing harder against, the floor suddenly trembled with a grinding turn of unseen gears as they all stepped back to the corners of the room to see the centre split apart with descending stones that crunched and thudded into the form of a staircase, spiralling into darkness with a soul-chilling breeze that rasped from the death of ancients gone.

"Batten down!" Kruz spun on his feet taking the stairs. "Below deck, watch for powder monkeys."

"Powder monkeys?" Chanoch murmured.

"Just an old seacroc joke don't worry."

"You were a sailor?" he followed after.

"Yeah back in my younger days," the kremling descended with his hand against the wall, "I used to be a rigger, on the mainbrace and that."

"I have never been on a ship. I always wanted to."

"Yes you have!" Oddclaw called coming behind him. "The humen ships that fly!"

"Not one on the sea, not a big one like a galleon."

"I never quite enjoyed the szhea," said Fayne entering last, "never had the legszh for it."

"My son could help you with that, he taught me how to swim."

"Really?! I thought you taught him!"

"No," he looked back to the bishop, "my friend Jeremy taught my son to swim, and then my son taught me, I could not swim before that."

"Damn I'm surprised," Kruz shook his head, "a body like yours not knowing how to swim after all I seen of you."

"Well, raptors never had to swim, no one taught me to."

"Ahhh, fair."

The sound of their footsteps echoed into the depths like raindrops in the cavern. Chanoch had only known this wind once in his life. Back in Gdansk. Oddclaw too had only felt this breeze the day that he almost died from a blade in his stomach. They clutched themselves tight with a shiver not of their own, possessed by a fear beyond this earth that Fayne and Kruz eased by the touch of their hand to the one closest.

"It's alright," said the paladin, "we're here too."

"We szhtand together to bring back your friend," said the bishop in turn, "the Dark may tempt you with szhuch weakening of the szhoul, but you know better."

"Yes," the knight Jarogniew shook his head with a snarl, "I cannot...no, I have...I have faced worse than this. I must bring back James. I must."

" I cannot leave him too," the raptor tightened his fists, "I am afraid...I am regretting coming here, but...I cannot leave my friend alone to fight this."

"Thank you." He took Oddclaw's hand in his. "I am glad you are here, Oddclaw."

Their fingers tightened with renewed strength as they reached the bottom of the steps. Their feet turned to ice, shuddering gasps become frigid clouds as the yawning void opened before them.

"The Iron Maiden," Fayne clutched his crosier, "remain closzhe to me."

"What beasts lie here?" asked Chanoch.

"Many, but Baldwin left roomszh of szhanctuary szhould we need them."

At first it seemed no different in its texture then to that of the abandoned mines with walls of hewn stone and a colder breeze that ripped through their knees. But the atmosphere was oppressive, a force of physical malice that burned on their scalps and raked fingers down their backs with contemptible rage for their presence in their sanctum of horrors. Chasms formed over twisting paths of old foundations, platforms of arcane whimsy floating across to let them traverse the gaps as they braced their weapons upon approaching a larger room. Most of them were empty, lanterns flickering solemn, shadows waltzing with theirs as whispers turned stronger with their worst thoughts repeated by a voice not their own. Fears they never faced, slights of fury undeserved and jealousies unspoken, can they hear my thoughts? They're all looking at me, he touched me when I looked away he knows something, they know, did I say something before, did they sense something off, why would they, I did nothing wrong, I only think these things, thoughts are not a crime even if what they are thoughts of would be if I ever did them but I never will, what right do they have to judge me?! What right do any of them have?

But none of this was said, and with the soft clenching of hands from another they felt these thoughts slip back into the abyss. Oddclaw looked to Chanoch with a smile of assurance, as he did the same. Fayne struggled to do the same with Kruz, the thoughts turning stronger as everytime he gazed over the brink of a cliff, an urge burned inside of him to jump, getting stronger with each room they passed. An old familiar friend, one whose voice was a siren masqueraded by the Dark, beckoning him back. You don't deserve to be here, it said, you're a weak and pathetic excuse, the things you taught were worthless and none of your friends really care if you're not around enough. Oh they'll ask, they'll wonder, but they won't think much if you were gone for a week. A month. Forever. Don't cause them any further misery, just wait until you leave their side and disappear for a while. They won't have the time to go find you.

"It's alright," Kruz kissed his cheek, "I'm here."

"They're in my head," Fayne whispered, "they're telling me thingszh-"

"I know, they never worked before, we got through this."

"Pleaszhe...do not let me go."

"I won't." He wrapped his arm around the bishop. "I'm proud of you. I've always been proud of you-"

"K-kruzh, pleaszhe-"

"I know what they're saying. They're wrong, you know you're better, you know you're better-"

"I do not, no, I've never known-"

"Shh."

He grabbed his husband's face and kissed deeper on the lips. The warmth of his tongue, the taste of his breath, shielded him from the voices. His arms wrapped round him, his heart beat against his with a force repelling the bane of his mind, the monsters he always carried and always resurfaced in his times of fear and doubt. Fayne started weeping. It hurt. Again it would hurt, and Kruz took a moment to hold him until the voices would fade, rocking him gently on his heels before the silence came. Fayne hated the silence. That was where the monsters lived as he sobbed harder into his chest, Kruz repeating the same words he always did.

"I need you. I need you, please...stay with me."

"Kruzh, h-haah-"

"I need you. I need you, more than anything I need you, Baldwin needs you too, he always does."

"He...he doeszh?" Fayne pulled back.

"Well of course he does." The kremling grinned. "Who's gonna help him win on quiz night at the Equestrian, he doesn't know shit."

"PFFFT, hah, hhhahahahah, ahahahaa!"

"I'm right aren't I, remember last time he lost?!"

"YESZH, y-yeszh he szhaid, LABIA, HAH, AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Right right?!" He slapped Fayne's arm with a snicker. "Come on, we got a dumbass to help."

"I hope you do not mean James," Chanoch glowered.

"Oh I got other words for him," said the paladin waving his finger, "but I won't say them, what I do want is to get him outta here safe and sound."

"Agreed."

"Wait." Oddclaw raised his hand with a tender sniff. "Something, there."

A shadow moved by itself where no light could reach. Haunting wings stretched over the wall and blotted out the lanterns brief with a venerous shriek that almost sounded human. Yet the form it took was nothing but, a wretched mist that dragged upon one foot like a slug with large appendages resembling hands that loomed over its headless body. Chanoch rushed forth immediate to slice the creature's form, but it dodged surprisingly swift and lunged in turn with fingers becoming claws of razor hiss that ripped the air in tears of black from beyond the veil. Oddclaw shot a single barrel as the creature screeched from the flames, cowering back before it drew its hands high and burst a vile orb of darkening magic upon the two.

"GET DOWN!"

Kruz covered them both with his shield as Fayne joined him with a sphere of protection as the dark orb exploded like a neutron star, howling cries of the great beyond wreathing through as the shapeless phantom struck against the kremling's guard before his fellow knight cleaved through from the side. The ripping carve of a diagonal strike would banish the beast, light splitting it in twain as it screamed into fading spots.

"What was THAT?!" gasped Oddclaw clutching his chest.

"Phantom," the bishop turned and beckoned them onwards, "the Dark iszh more powerful here that they need not require a body to fight."

Passing to the next room as they kicked open an iron door, the caverns turned to an arctic crypt as the light became weaker the further they went. Oddclaw shivered more intense from the lack of heat as they huddled around him to help share their body heat, ghostly visions of the Dark itself come lurking across the floor in small droves of wretched beasts, nightmares both vague and terrible that all of them had seen but none knew from where. Monsters raked their claws towards them as swords blocked and thrust with gouging cuts and slashing whirls as they poured from the cracks and reformed into abysmal wraiths. Hands wrapped around the paladin's shield before Fayne empowered it with a piercing light that tore through their essence and carved the path through towards the next level of the dungeon, locked behind a seemingly-harmless wooden door.

"Second level's right here," Kruz pointed at the old gate, "watch yourselves, don't trust your own shadows."

"That door looks weak!" Oddclaw cried. "How can it keep the Dark inside?"

"Uhh magic seal?" He deferred to Fayne. "Babe, do the honours."

"Of courszhe deareszht."

Pulling a shining platinum key from his pockets, the bangaa priest unlocked the old gate as it creaked open to a foul miasma that roared past their faces. A savage scirocco scarred their faces as they entered a deeper darkness, a temple of blasphemous design filled with runes both mysterious and maddening, twisted carvings that covered every single reach of the floor, walls and ceiling in a neverending infinitych of madness incarnate. Every design they tried to pin their eyes upon led to another yet another in another, all contorting into the next shape without an end or a beginning that upset Oddclaw at an instinctive level. Chanoch was more confused than anything, but what terrified him were the bodies. Trapped within stone tombs, they seemed far different than those of the catacombs above, forgotten crypts where the dead had not been given respect or care to their passing.Their legs were bound in horrific chains of gruesome spikes that plunged between fibia, their skulls violated with nails and their hearts kept preserved with acrid poultices. They were still beating, pounding thuds that echoed throughout the walls as Chanoch clutched his chest. Suffering, forever trapped in the long night of eternal undeath without freedom nor will to escape.

They said nothing as they walked further in, the world become a labyrinth of insanity as corridors twisted back against themselves in non-Euclidean space, fractured floors that bent upwards into jagged little peaks that forced them to stumble and walk with uneven pace. Monsters continued to assault from the darkness, heaving claws that they blocked with sword and shield as Fayne lit the path through whilst Oddclaw kept his gun held back during the tightest of passages. What felt like an hour stretched too long to eternity, Fayne offering a torch with his crosier shining above their heads as a means to both light the way and also to ward off the weaker dregs of the Dark from approaching. Soon they broke through the maze of madness to find the third and final level of the Iron Maiden, behind two last doors that groaned with an earth-shuddering creak as Kruz and Chanoch parted them with a great heave. Beyond the labyrinth, beyond the depraved tablets and the festering unrest was an ordinary room that more resembled a meeting point underground than any altar of the Dark, pale smooth walls of amber stone that faintly flickered with shades of violet.

"JAMES!"

There he stood, at the end of everything. The lemming whose hair shot up with piercing green with long ragged cloak of a warlock behind him. His armour glinted with a horrid blight from the pit of souls in the centre of the room where the Dark itself screeched with incorporeal wrath. The walls burned with indigo shadows as the well fumed with screams that shook through their souls in a faint spiral rising to the world above, painting the ceiling with a starless black. Baldwin stood between him and the well, arms spread in defiance as James turned his head to the four approaching.

"I warned you." He spoke with deadened voice. "I would not allow you to interfere with my destiny."

"James, please stop." Oddclaw walked first. "This dark is, this, this place is horrible, you do not need this-"

"SHUT UP!" He blasted a flame towards his feet as the raptor jumped back. "ALL OF YOU, EVERY ONE OF YOU DISGUST ME WITH YOUR COWARDICE!"

"NONE of us are cowards short-stop," Kruz crossed his arms.

"Then why do you dare stand in the way of progress if not for your fear?!"

"BROTHER ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?" Fayne shouted across the room.

"YEAH BRO I'M GOOD!" Baldwin gave a thumbs up. "Juszht trying to keep the li'l guy here from getting in the deep end!"

"THEN TRY TO STOP ME!" James shouted back at him with spreading arms. "COME AT ME NOW, FORCE ME, BREAK MY LEGS IF YOU HAVE TO!"

"What, no I don't wanna do that, I mean I could but that'szh not fun."

"YOU FORSAKEN COWARD, HOW DO YOU CLAIM TO HAVE ANY RIGHT OVER THE DARK WHEN YOU WON'T EVEN FIGHT ME?!"

"ENOUGH!" The bishop marched forth with brazen staff. "You have tarried here for far too long, you clearly underszhtand nothing of the Dark-"

"OH, do I?!" James pulled out the book of Ivalician script from his satchel. "I know that it was established by the cult of Mullenkamp, I know that YOUR faith tried to extinguish them for being too ignorant of its purpose, I know that there is a Gran Grimoire that exists in this city, that HE will not tell me where it lies because for all of his blustering about his Blood-Sin, there is a TRUE means to obtaining the power of the Dark itself and HE KNOWS IT!"

"You...you know about thiszh?"

James smiled with a cruel grin as he opened the book with a lick of his thumb.

"The codex of sorcery, the prime mover and machinery of life itself. Throughout this entire city, every single wall and door there have been inscriptions, carvings, relating to that of the grimoire from the research that I studied from this damnable city, and the only one who can unlock its power, is THAT wretched revenant bastard who's hiding it from me!"

"You talk shit about our brother one more time," Kruz stood beside Fayne with a hand on his sword, "I'm going to give you a permanent smile on that wormy face of yours."

"Go ahead...but I daresay you'll have my beloved to deal with if you lay a finger on me."

Chanoch avoided his gaze when James looked to him. It wasn't a look of love the lemming gave him, one of possession that chilled him to his core, before Oddclaw moved between them with a shake of his head.

"I thought you were better than this."

"...what?"

"I thought, that you being so clever, having journeyed so many places and made so many friends, you would know that it is a terrible thing to fight something alone. I came here to help Chanoch bring you back, because we both worried about you-"

"Shut your bastard mouth." James walked forth with bitter sneer. "You, a wastrel who turned his back on his father's legacy, a SAVIOUR to many, have no right to lecture ME!"

"WHAT?!"

"I won't deign to lecture you on how you live your life, tossing away your father's beloved weapon to me, daring to try and separate yourself from his bloodline with such INSULTING disownment-"

"HE ABANDONED MY MOTHER!" Oddclaw snapped with outrage. "What if your father left you, what if your father had never held you, ever spoke to you or showed you love-"

"YOU KNOW NOTHING OF MY FATHER!"

The lemming shrieked with a howling blast of razor wind, shredding the raptor's face as he staggered back with a gasp.

"Don't you even DARE compare my worthless excuse of a father, he is NOTHING TO ME! YOU never had to suffer under a father who made you afraid to speak as a child, because he was so PATHETIC to never reach out when he suffered!"

"You should be grateful you HAD a father!" the raptor barked. "My mother struggled raising us alone, my older sister had to hel-"

"MY MOTHER NEVER PROTECTED ME, EVEN WHEN SHE KNEW, SHE KNEW WHAT HE DID TO ME AND SHE HID IT FROM EVERYONE! DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE, WHEN YOUR OWN MOTHER THINKS HER MARRIAGE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN HER OWN SON?!"

"WHY DOES THAT MATTER HERE?!" Kruz shouted bashing his shield against the wall. "What the fuck does your family life have to do with you walking all the way down here, being an entitled shit thinking that YOU are so special that you can waltz on in and just take this power for yourself, even ripping our hometown in half not realising the damage you could've done?!"

"BECAUSE NONE OF YOU BELIEVE IN ME!"

"STOP, STOP IT JAMES!"

Chanoch's voice tore through his ears as he clutched his head with a stinging snarl.

"Stop...s-stop it, please."

"Chanoch." James stiffened his face and walked closer to him. "You, of all, should understan-"

"NO! NOT THIS, NOT LIKE THIS JAMES, THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY-"

"AND WHEN WILL I FIND ONE?! TEN, TWENTY, SEVENTY YEARS WHEN MY HOME IS GONE?!"

"THIS, IS NOT THE WAY!" Chanoch gestured to the ruins above. "I know there is a way to fight the darkness of your home, I know there is, but THIS is not it!"

"He'szh right it'szh not," Baldwin shook his head, "even if the Dark acszhepted you, you can't leave ever again, you won't be able to help anyone then-"

"ENOUGH OF YOUR LIES!" James turned with a burning fist. "I will NOT ask again, if you do not remove yourself then I will remove you from this world!"

"That'szh really not gonna work, I'm the one thing you CAN'T remove."

"Did you forget about this?!" He brought out his flickering white flame from his hand.

"Szhtill not enough to hurt me."

"Then we are at an impasse it seems. Either you teach me the secrets of the Gran Grimoire, or-"

"We kick your ass and take you in," Kruz tapped his shield with his sword, "your boyfriend'll hate me for it but I'm not letting you just do what you want."

"FINE!"

He shot a flaming spark at Baldwin's face briefly surprising him, rushing straight past to leap upon the edge of the well and stand on the brink.

"NO, NOOOO!"

"HEY-EY THE FUCK YOU DOING?!" cried Baldwin.

"SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!" James shrieked blasting a gust of wind to force them back. "GIVE ME THE POWER OR I WILL DIVE IN MYSELF!"

"DON'T BE A FOOL!" shouted Fayne. "THE DARK WILL DESZHTROY YOU!"

"THEN GIVE IT TO ME!" He took one step back. "If you do not want me to suffer and to leave this bastard city of yours you will give me your secrets, you will show me the power to control darkness itself or I will take one step BACK and whatever happens shall be ON YOUR HEAD!"

"BUT WHAT IF YOU CANNOT?!" Oddclaw cried back. "What if you are wrong, what if you fall in and die, you are gone forever and none of your people will be safe again!"

"I WON'T LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF A COWARD!" James swung his arms with a psychotic grin. "Fortune favours the brave Oddclaw, something you may never understand."

"What about sir Durai, would he want this?!"

"HE TRIED TO STOP ME, JUST LIKE THE REST OF YOU!"

His body shook with a deep shudder as he forced back a retching cough.

"He...he wouldn't...he couldn't understand, what I tried to do."

"No." Chanoch gasped clutching his mouth. "James. No, you didn't-"

"HE FORCED ME, HE FORCED MY HAND, I DID NOT WANT TO HURT HIM!"

"What...what did you do?" Oddclaw reached out his hand. "What, James what did you do to Haytham?"

"He is dead." Jarogniew shook his head. "You...you killed him."

James fell silent. The look on his lover's face broke through his heart and cracked something deep causing him to clutch his chest. Baldwin tried to approach but he put up his blade sharp with a foot back over the abyss.

"GET BACK, ALL OF YOU!"

"How...how could you do this?" Chanoch grabbed his own head. "This is not you, th-this...this is not who you are-"

"YOU DON'T D-DECIDE WHAT I AM!" he shrieked. "I AM A SAVIOUR, IT IS MY RIGHT, MY DUTY, THE NAMESAKE I CARRY IS MY DESTINY-"

"WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT YOUR NAME?!" Kruz swept his hand roaring. "What kinda dumbass is so weak that he lets his own name decide what he is in life, why can't you be yourself, WHY can't you just be-"

"SILEEEENCE!"

A twisting tongue of flame shrieked from his sword that Kruz blocked with his shield, the lemming almost teetering from the force of his blast before taking a deep breath.

"This...is MY destiny. I cannot leave this path, not anymore, even if...I wanted to."

"Do you want to?" Fayne asked with tender step. "We can help you find a better path."

"There IS no other path, I have walked so far into the woods that it will take far longer and be far worse to me than to walk out again...I must...I must hunt."

He looked to his handles of sword and shield glinting dark in the depths.

"I must hunt the darkness. H-heh...heheheh, I'll leave it dead, and with its head, I'll come galumphing back."

"James." Chanoch stepped forth. "James, please-"

"Long time this manxome foe I sought," his voice started to sing, "resting by the tumtum tree-"

"James, can I help you?"

"...help me?" His eyes drifted back to him. "How...can you possibly help me?"

"Please, if...i-if you are to be a saviour, I need your help."

"Wait, what?" Kruz muttered.

"Chanoch what are you doing?" Oddclaw stepped to him.

"Wh-why should...you want to help me?" James shook his head.

"Because I owe you." The soldier knelt with his fist in the dirt. "I told you, if you need help, tell me."

"This is not something that you can-"

" NO! TELL ME!" His face lifted with tears down his cheek. "I want to help you. Please James...let me help you, not because you need it, but because I do!"

"You...what?"

"I need to help you. I...I-i cannot, I cannot lose you."

"...alright." He nodded warily. "How can you help me?"

"I ask only one thing." Chanoch stood up with a hand to his blade. "Fight me."

"What?"

"I want...a duel with you." He pulled his sword free with trembling hand.

"Are you..." James blinked shaking his head, "what is this?!"

"Chanoch what are you-"

" QUIET!" The knight forced Oddclaw silent before turning back to James. "I need this James. If your destiny is that certain...if you truly believe that this is the right path, then let us prove it with our pure strength. You, and me, just swords, nothing else."

"Nothing else? Not some sort of trick?!"

"No. You know me James. I would never do that."

"...no. I-i know you..." he clutched his head as he felt a sting piercing his left eye. "I know you would...not do such a thing."

"We fight until the other cannot stand. No deaths. No magic. No more deaths."

He walked forth two steps with sword lifted to him.

"If I can no longer stand, then I admit defeat, and let your destiny come. But if you cannot stand...you stop. Come back to me. Is that good?"

"It...it does sound..." the lemming gulped as he twitched with a burning cringe, "just...you and me, just YOU and me?"

"Yes. No one else interfere," he turned his head with a sharp look, "back away."

"W-what?!" cried Kruz.

"That is an order. Do NOT interfere."

"...what do you think?" he looked to Fayne and Baldwin. "This guy serious?"

"Yeah." Baldwin stepped back from the well. "I'll allow it, thiszh guy meanszh it, hiszh heart'szh telling me that loud and clear."

"Yes." Oddclaw sighed moving away. "Chanoch means that, he would not trick anyone."

"Then we muszht reszhpect it." Fayne moved back close to his brother. "We will not interfere with the duel."

"Uuuugh." Kruz joined him. "Fine. I'll respect the duel."

"Hm." James grasped the handles of his blade. "Alright. In that case let us decide once and for all. Whoever falls to the other's feet, shall surrender their crusade, is that a deal?"

"Yes." Chanoch bowed. "I will not kill you James. My heart cannot bring me to that. Whatever happens in this fight, I will make certain you are alive at the end of it."

"Well...in that case." The warlock stepped from the well and walked forwards with sword unsheathed. "I shall respect your honour, we fight until until one of us has fallen, nothing more."

"Thank you."

They started to circle each other as the sorcerer moved from the well. The vapours of darkness continued to creep through the walls and fester over their senses, tingling fears from unknown depths as their swords shook in trepidation.

"...I...I-i am sorry," James whispered.

"It is fine." Chanoch smiled. "I do not hate you."

"Really? Even after...all of this?"

"Yes. I cannot hate you. I love you."

"...I'll always love you too."

The fog from his mind cleared and there stood Chanoch. The smile he gave to his lover gave them hope as he steadied himself with renewed grip and thrust forwards with a yell, sweeping his thin blade against the lizardman's broadsword who parried him soft with a scrape. James came for him again with a low sweeping cut that Chanoch guarded with horizontal strike, stepping to the side with a hard backfist across the lemming's face to stun him briefly before sweeping his leg to knock him down. James rolled fast back on his feet and slashed twice for the lizardman's face before hopping back and guarding with his shield as Chanoch swung with the flat of his blade in a clanging sweep to send him staggering. The knight came forwards with a cautious strike that James blocked, spinning his body with the momentum of the strike to slam the side of his shield against Chanoch's back, following with a slicing cut to the back of his leg to try and slow him down.

The soldier gritted his teeth as he slammed his foot behind to kick James down, turning with a ruthless sweep of his sword scarring the stone to crack his sword against the lemming's chin, striking with an uppercut that threw him against the wall with a crunch that left James stumbling. Shaking his head he regained his stance with a brazen screech as he thrust forwards in a jabbing strike that went for the lizardman's face, slashing twice over the chest then against one of Chanoch's fingers to cut it open as he gasped with stinging steel. The knight blocked against the severing cuts as James became frantic, trying to hit for his head as the lizardman parried in a twist of the hilt before punching in a short haymaker, cracking the jaw of the sorcerer who staggered in a hissing snarl before he slammed his brolly-shield like a bat to Chanoch's shoulder.

"GUH!" He stumbled on his wounded leg. "Not, bad!"

"I thought you wanted to FIGHT me," James gritted his teeth, "where is your training, dear knight?!"

"It is easy for me to kill. To end a fight without death...that, is difficult!"

Slamming his foot in a hard kick to James' chest, the knight sent him falling onto his back before he swung down his sword like a dull club upon the sorcerer's chest, James rolling to the side with his shield-brolly covering his head as he thrust out for Chanoch's face, barely missing his eye as the lizardman jerked back in a swerving punch that James blocked in a swift parry to stab at the knight's arm. Scraping the steel just barely avoiding the skin, the scribe doubled back in a quick half-circle to try and attack his lover's leg again, but Chanoch spun in a leaping turn and swung his sword like a fierce club to crunch flat against the lemming's head, bashing him into the ground as he winced forcing himself back up with a gasping heave. The knight watched his lover stand to his feet once again, ragged with heaving breath before he screamed with a whirling strike, jumping into the air with a desperate strike that Chanoch blocked sharp as there came a savage frenzy of steel, slicing winds that with each strike upon his blade came another howling scream.

James wouldn't stop, his arms shaking and his body trembling as he slammed Chanoch's guard aside with the shield and made another spinning cut that raked across Jarogniew's skull, cutting a fresh crimson line that made him sneer as droplets flew between them. In a flash of instinct Chanoch punched him square in the head, bruising his eye with a knockdown thrust before grabbing James by the cloak and tossing him against the wall in a muted roar before he could stop himself.

The lemming rolled fast across the ground and planted his feet to the wall, rebounding off to come rushing towards the knight with a furious speed and cloak billowing wide behind him, sliding between Chanoch's legs and slashing hard at the back of his already tender limb. The soldier cried out, falling with a stagger as he clutched himself and hobbled with a limp, blood running free around his claws as he lost his senses briefly, the warrior instinct making him swing out in a hard cleave of diagonal strikes that bashed James left and right, bludgeoning him with the flat of his broadsword three times before a monstrous swing that went straight for James' torso. The sorcerer shot himself above with a breath of wind, a torrid gust that threw his brolly-shield open as Chanoch missed him completely, before he snapped it shut and slammed both his feet into Jarogniew's face, kicking him hard onto his back before leaping off in a twirling spin.

"GHAAARGH!"

"HMPH! GIVE UP YET?!"

"N-NO! NOT, YET!" The soldier rolled back on his feet. "I cannot...not give up for you...you never gave up for me, when we first met."

"Good." A flash of anger on his face as he swished his blade. "I would be disappointed if you did."

"You never...disappointed me."

James felt something in his throat, a breath clutching his heart as a tear dripped from his eye before he shook it off. The four watching on hoped in silence for Chanoch's victory, Baldwin cracking his fingers softly in preparation.

"What if he loses?" Kruz asked lowering voice. "Do we just leave, we can't do that?"

"I got a plan," whispered Baldwin, "juszht let them fight."

"Chanoch will win," Oddclaw looked back to them, "he has a strong heart, stronger than James."

"You know thiszh to be true?" Fayne put a hand on his shoulder.

"I do. Chanoch always protects others. I sense that in him, James is...well, I knew he was bold, and wanted to travel, to discover, but to take your home and bring it here for his own want-"

"All becauszhe of a name?"

"...no." The raptor tightened his fists. "Something else brought him to this."

"GAAAAAAARGH!"

The lemming's cry brought them back to the battle as he slashed against Jarogniew's blade, ducking beneath the sweeping carve of the great sword to jab and strike the exposed skin of the lizardman, covering him in strips of scarlet relentless that Chanoch weathered through with a grimace as he punched and kicked the sorcerer down each time, wounding his face and bruising him further. Each time he got up the lemming screamed once more, pouncing with savage strike as his sword flew up high and grazed Jarogniew's chin, doubling back in a leaping cut that tore down just above the arching ridge of his left eye. The sudden flinch he made would cost him as James slammed his shield against Chanoch's chest, winding him slightly before he swung again for the wounded leg to make him stagger, the hardened canopy scraping against his knee as he stuttered with a gasp and threw himself forwards with a thunderous punch that had his whole weight behind it. His fist went straight into James' eye, twisting the knuckle into his brow and burning a thick purple welt round his socket as he cried out in shock with the knight falling on top of him.

He grabbed James' face with a frantic hand wrapping round his snout, trying to stifle him to submission but he was having none of it, the lemming pulling back a fist that rippled with shocking wind that he punched straight through Jarogniew's chest, forcing him off before swinging his shield-brolly upwards in a vicious strike that scarred up the length of his jaw making him stumble back harder. The lemming advanced relentless, blocking the lizardman's sword before thrusting past his waist to rake across the steel as Chanoch spun halfway to slam his tail against the sorcerer's face, who parried fast enough to duck under the sweep and leap back from its range before coming back with another slash that Chanoch blocked in a screech of sparks off his greatsword. They clashed once more as James put up his shield, scraping steel against steel as they pushed harder, Chanoch turning weak with his leg still bleeding before he shoved James back with a roaring force to crush him against the wall and slam the hilt of his blade against James' face to throw him down.

"RRAAAARGH!"

"NNNGH, G-GUH!"

"Do you...yield?" gasped Chanoch.

"I'll yield...when I'm DEAD!"

James leapt from the floor with a leaping strike, clubbing Chanoch across the face with his brolly-shield before raking his sword down one of the soldier's arms. The knight powered through his pain and slammed his bloodied fist into the lemming's armoured chest, crunching the wind out of his lungs with a gasping heave as James forced himself back with a leap to evade Chanoch's second swing. Blades rang out with a song of sorrow as they struck weaker and weaker against each other, the knight and the warlock screaming through gritted teeth in hope that the other would yield as they pushed with grinding swords, tensing muscles and pitted sweat from their brows mixing with their tears. James felt his feet start to slip, but Chanoch's leg became weaker with the pool of crimson around his feet as his sword started to scrape lower and lower against James' blade, the odd circular handle of the lemming's sword glancing against the lizardman's blade with a shuddering burn that made James screech with a vile anguish he tore through in an instant.

"NNNNRRAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGH!"

The sudden strength surprised Jarogniew as James threw his entire body against him, a spark of shocking black breaching from his sword handle to flash against Chanoch's blade that shone white in response. The knight lost his ground, forced onto his back heel as James forced him down with both sword and shield that he used to hammer from above, flaying his beloved with tears from his eyes in a constant sobbing scream. Chanoch pushed as much as he could, arms trembling with desperation as he forced his knees above the ground with a shuddering gasp and burning wounds. Striking him again and again, the sorcerer shrieked with frenzied gasps and pounding steel forcing Chanoch down harder and harder as he winced with bowing head against the lemming's weapons, handles combined into a singular strike that slammed the sword down and left Chanoch gasping on his knee.

Now.

"Wh-what?"

He is at your mercy, do it.

James felt a spasm through his fingers as he looked up to see his saviour's shadow.

"He stands in your way, DO IT!"

He shook his head with a frightened flinch, the group watching on with bated breath as James looked past Chanoch to the wall.

"These are traitors against you, they DARE to stand here and defy you!"

His breath shook faster as he raised his sword above Jarogniew's head.

"What, wh-what are you doing?!" Oddclaw shouted.

"HEY!" Kruz barked. "THIS IS A DUEL WHAT ARE YOU-"

"SZHOMEONE SZHTOP HIM, HE-"

"Nope," Baldwin put a hand across Fayne's chest, "you promiszhed not to interfere."

"BUT HE'SZH ABOUT TO-"

"Juszht. Wait."

His voice lowered with a firm look to them as they looked on in fear.

"I-i...I can't." James shook his head. "I-i promised-"

"Promises from infidels mean nothing," the shadow snarled putting his hands on Chanoch's shoulders, "a saviour must only know his cause."

"B-but, he, h-he is-"

"In your way. Now KILL HIM!"

"No...th-this...is this right, did you have to-"

"Yes." The darkened raptor stood up and spread his arms. "Make your legacy upon his back, his bones shall be the foundation of your DESTINY, with me."

"With...w-with you?" James twitched to the left.

"Of course," the shadow walked where his eyes followed, "you will bring me back, do NOT falter now when I am so close."

"This is...but what about me, m-my people, the darkness-"

"ENOUGH, kill this infidel and claim your RIGHTFUL PLACE!"

"...n-n-nnnrrrrRRRRAAAAAAA_AAAAAAARRRRRRGH!_"

He swung his blade with all his strength. The lemming missed by a mile, his sword carving through the dirt in a thick cloud as he spun out and fell with a heaving gasp. Chanoch looked upon him, pushing up with his better leg and hobbling towards James.

"I-i-i can't," he sobbed on his knees, "I-i can't, I'm sorry, I-i-i'm sorry I-"

"No. It is fine." He knelt weakly before his love. "I know this...this is hard."

"I just...w-want, to s-s-save my people." He pounded his sword's handle into the dirt. "But not like this...n-not...I'm sorry. I-i'm sorry I hurt you, I'm sorry I...h-hoh t-talisman H-haytham what have I DONE?!"

"Shhh." He pulled James into a hug and rocked him gently. "I am here for you. I will help you. Thank you."

"For what?" he weeped into his shoulder.

"For stopping this." He kissed at his cheek. "I know how much it hurts, to stop."

"I couldn't do it to you. I-i couldn't...I don't want, I know what I did to H-haytham was unforgiveable but...but I couldn't do it again, to you, my heart...i-it couldn't..."

"Phew." Kruz shook his head. "Alright, glad that's over."

"Let them have their moment," Fayne took a deep breath and clutched his staff, "he haszh clearly szhuffered a great deal."

"Despite admitting he murdered someone."

"You have done worszhe."

The look the bishop gave silenced the paladin with a cold glare as he stiffened his neck. Baldwin clapped his hands with a sigh and walked forwards with Oddclaw taking steps towards James and Chanoch.

"Are you alright now?" the raptor asked.

"I-i am not sure," James muttered, "I...I think I need a moment."

"Alright."

He pushed away from Chanoch and sat against the wall as the knight gave him a smooch before standing up. He clutched himself with a tender rocking, shivering with a deep black weight in his stomach as he stared at his feet.

"Will you help us back?" the soldier asked Baldwin.

"No prob," the bangaa waved, "juszht glad we managed to cool him off a bit."

"Thank you for keeping him safe." He took the bangaa's hands in his. "I am in your debt-"

"Naaaah nah," he pulled back with a shrug, "I'm juszht keeping the peaszhe, that'szh all."

"You have helped us a lot," Oddclaw bowed to him, "thank you again."

"Hey, call it a favour I owe you for taking on that Blood-Beaszht."

"But you killed that thing!"

"Yeah but you helped!" he backpatted Oddclaw with a smirk. "Takeszh a lotta gutszh to fight a beaszht like that when all you got iszh a gun."

As they spoke with each other, no one was watching James. His eyes rose towards the raptor and the knight, his fists clenching tight with a violent shake.

YOU. HAVE FAILED ME.

"Wh-what are you doing?" he whispered.

I. WILL NOT LOSE HIM AGAIN.

"N-no, no p-please please don't wh-what I thought you were-"

YOU WILL OBEY ME.

His hands reached towards his sword and shield.

"Wh-wh-...n-no, no p-please!"

TAKE YOUR WEAPON.

"Th-this isn't, no, n-n-no!" he stuttered through his sobs.

EARN YOUR DESTINY.

Every inch that tried to resist was burned by an evil flame, ripping through his spine and forcing him upright as his hands clutched the two handles to drag his sword and shield together. Sobbing through gritted teeth he struggled to turn his head away with flinching gasps.

"No."

DO IT!

"N-no, no!"

"Hey, what's your problem?" Kruz sneered at him.

"G-get, get, g-g-get back."

"What?"

"I-i-i...s-something, someth- urghkh!"

"Are you unwell?" Fayne asked bracing a spell. "Let me heal you then, juszht-"

"NOOO, GHHRRAAAA AAAARRRRRRRGH!"

They stepped back as his voice suddenly shifted to a foul beastly tremor, his back hunching over and his eyes blackening to a thin white point as Chanoch tried to limp closer.

"James, what is wrong?!"

"NO, NOOO DON'T COME NEAR ME!"

"What?!" Oddclaw gasped. "Wait...something is, his scent is-"

"Get back," Baldwin pulled him away, "szhomething'szh real bad an-HEY NO, NO!"

" RRRAAAAAAAAARRRRRGH!"

The lemming slammed into Chanoch with a monstrous charge, his entire body flying to crush him against the side of the well. Baldwin tried to pull him away but something burst from his hand, a vile black burst that surprised him before Oddclaw came to his other side and grabbed at his arm.

"JAMES, S-STOP IT"

"IT, IT'S INSIDE, IT H-HURTS, HE'S HURTING MEEEEE!"

"STOP IT, WE ARE TAKING YOU BACK, THIS IS ENOUGH-A-AGH!"

He felt the sword swing out and slice across his arm, blood trickling faintly from Oddclaw down upon the sword and to its handle. James stood up with eyes flickering between the night and jade, his head twitching violent as his neck forced its muscles tight with agonising scream.

"Y-y-you...s-saviour."

"What?"

"_S-saviour...blood of Campbell. _"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Kruz tried to rush in before the lemming turned and roared a sweeping plume of black, burning against the kremling's shield before Fayne shot out a spell of Cura that made James shriek with unholy sound. His body reached in a crescent shape, almost breaking his back as the soothing light burned at his skin which darkened in small boils, his fingers stretching and his body heightening a few inches.

" BLOOD...HIS BODY, IS MIIIIIINE!"

Lunging at Oddclaw, he thrust his shield hard into the raptor's chest and pushed his whole body against the well of the Dark, pushing his feet off the ground in a desperate roar as they both fell into the depths.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

Chanoch tried to grab him but was too late, watching them descend into the abyss of the Dark where the essence came shrieking towards them. There was an end to the fall, a bottom of the pit where the ground was but an ocean, shallow but poisonous to the soul as the scent of malice grew even thicker. Something swept past them before they touched the Dark, a shadow darker than most that landed with a bellowing call that forced the darkness back, bursting from the red tattoo of the Blood-Sin. Oddclaw and James landed upon the ancient dirt, safely kept free from the Dark's approaching influence as it struggled to breach through the barrier Baldwin put up around them, a half-sphere of silver light that gleamed like the metal sun from his hands spreading out wide to either side in the centre of the darkness. Nothing but Dark was around them, all that remained in its infernal den was fury, spite, and the endless sorrow abandoned.

"ODDCLAW, ODDCLAW TALK TO ME!" Kruz shouted.

"I-I AM FINE, BUT JAMES IS-"

"_S-STOP, STOP IT PLEASE! _" The lemming staggered on his feet twisting his body in shrieking howls. "_CHANOCH, CHANOCH HELP MEEEEEE! _"

"JAAAAMES!" Chanoch tried to leap in but was forced back by Kruz and Fayne. "LET ME GO, LET ME GO!"

"NO!" the priest barked. "BALDWIN CANNOT PROTECT ALL OF USZH!"

"KEEP HIM BACK!" Baldwin shouted from the depths. "ODDIE WATCH OUT FOR JAMESZH, I'LL KEEP THE DARK BACK!"

"JAMES STOP IT!" Oddclaw screeched at the scribe. "THIS IS NOT YOU, WHY ARE YOU DOING THI-"

"_NO, N-NOOOOAAAAAAAAAA AAAAARRRGH! _"

The sorcerer rushed him with a burning trail of black behind him, sweeping his sword with a furious strength as Oddclaw dodged low and kicked out his leg but James punched him hard with his brolly-shield and tossed it away to grab the raptor's throat. Strangling him viciously he dropped his sword in turn and used both hands in a pure-throated scream as he slammed Oddclaw's head into the stone floor with thumbs pushing on his larynx. The raptor snarled first with fright before instinct took over as he crunched on James' wrist, jaws reaching out to rake his fangs and tear through the skin causing him to flinch back with a weakening grasp. Coughing with a shaking breath, Oddclaw went into a fighter's stance as James approached picking up his blade with stilted movements, staggering with crippled gait and twisted foot trying its hardest not to walk.

"_I...I-i must. _"

"James, stop this, I DO NOT WANT TO HURT YOU!"

"_I-i don't...want, h-he is your end, child. _"

"What, what is, who is that?!" Oddclaw hissed from the scent as his voice dipped to feral speech. "Who are you?! You are not James, what are you?!"

" Your...flesh...I have missed."

"WHAT, are you, what have you done to my friend?!"

" Your flesh shall become MINE AGAIN!"

His sword thrust forth with a vile streak, Oddclaw dodging left to sock James hard in his wounded eye causing his body to recoil in a shriek before he turned and slashed twice back and forth, the raptor ducking beneath and slamming his fist upwards in an uppercut. Baldwin kept his stance, guarding them both in the centre of shadows as his shield of influence forced the darkness back, crawling things of shapely nightmares gasping upon the barrier with screams of the damned, a call from the abyss that bayed for new blood. Wherever James and Oddclaw went he kept back from them both, stepping back in short leaps whilst keeping relatively close to protect them from the Dark's rending claws and savage hunger.

James came out spinning in an overhead strike, trying to carve Oddclaw in twain as the raptor strafed to spinkick him hard across the face, claws raking his cheek as he grabbed the lemming's neck and slammed him into the stone with a brief vengeance. The sorcerer punched his fists in the dirt with a dark bursting shockwave that threw Oddclaw back and vaulted James into the air as he slashed towards the raptor. Oddclaw rolled out of its range but James kept chasing after him, his body twitching and his face sobbing in alacritous rage as the screams trembled from his throat between heartfelt shrieks and demonic roars.

"NOOOOOO!"

"HNGH, A-AAAGH!"

"_I DO NOT WANT YOUR LIFE! _"

"GUH, RAAARGH!"

" THIS, IS YOUR D-DEAAAA AAAAIIIIIAAAAAAAARGH!"

One cut came too close to the raptor's face as James violently jerked his arm back out of reach, missing Oddclaw's throat before he grasped his head with a screeching mutter and his fingers twisting his hair as if trying to wrench his entire body away. His sword came out striking, his other hand rebelling in a violent stab-and-twist that tore towards the raptor as his feet flew without thinking, Oddclaw rolling fast to slam his foot into the back of James' knee that sent him almost falling towards the shield boundary. He grabbed James' cloak and wrenched him back from the Dark, tendrils of wrath and avarice begging to claim him as the lemming clutched Oddclaw's throat and in a dance of death tried to shove him against the barrier. The raptor resisted and slammed his foot hard into the warlock's knee, sending him down with a shriek before throwing him back into the centre of the battlefield.

"Whatever you are, give my friend BACK!"

"O-od...Oddclaw, I'm s-s-sorry, I'm your new FATE!"

He pounced with a frenzied eye and sharpened teeth, almost a beast become as Oddclaw backflipped out of range before the lemming possessed grabbed his discarded umbrella shield and swung it like a bat, crunching into Oddclaw's stomach to wind him fast with his sword in other hand ready to plunge. The raptor pulled out his gun to quickly parry the blade, his steel barrel scraping against the edge as he walloped James hard to knock him back. The lemming struck again as Oddclaw deflected once more, scarring sparks across his face as James hacked and thrust with reckless abandon and a furious strength that beat savagely upon Oddclaw's guard. One cut too many knocked the raptor's gun almost from his hand to leave him staggered, the lemming pulling back for the killing thrust of his lunging blade.

" DIIIIIIIIIIIE!"

Cli-click-BOOM!

" AAAAAIIIIIIIAAAAAAAARRGH!"

"JAAAAAAAMES!"

The raptor fired his gun almost instantly, not aiming for James specifically, but close enough that Chanoch screamed in fright from the cloud of fire that burst from the shotgun, burning across the lemming's waist and scorching his leg with a dangerous misfire that made the sorcerer clutch himself in near-shock. Rolling flames licked across his armour, boiling the skin beneath in a brief burst of heat that made him stutter in his charge before the raptor whacked him across the arm with a red-hot shotgun, forcing James to drop the sword in a spasm of pain.

"Not this time," Oddclaw muttered, "now you will stop, or I will break you and carry you out myself."

"H-h-hnnnngh, h-haaah, m-make it, s-s-stop, p-please m-make him STOP!"

"I will, just keep fighting it James!"

"FAYNE!" Baldwin shouted. "GIVE HIM YOUR DAGGER!"

"WHAT?!"

"TOSSZH IT DOWN TO ODDCLAW, DO IT!"

The bangaa brother pulled out from his robe the shining dagger, a purest of holy blade that shone even within the depths of the city.

"ODDCLAW, CATCH!"

He tossed it down spinning towards the raptor, a light he snatched with his other hand.

"What do I do with this?!" Oddie shouted.

"You gotta szhtab 'im in the arm or leg!" Baldwin cried back. "It'll get 'im back, promiszhe, juszht don't kill him!"

"JAMES, PLEASE!" Chanoch cried as Kruz kept him back. "COME BACK, COME BACK TO ME, HEAR MY VOICE!"

"Ch-cha...Chanoch..." the lemming stuttered as his fingers reached for his sword, "I-i need, f-forgive me, I-i want to stop, I want to _s-stop this FOOLISH CHARADE! _"

James charged with psychotic fury, hungering deep in his blackened eyes as he snatched up his sword and came striking sharp. Oddclaw parried with the shining dagger before beating his face twice with the shotgun, but the lemming kept his stance with a maddening grin in striking a frenzied Z-cut that knocked Oddclaw's gun back with his shield whacking against the dagger to leave him wide open, the raptor countering with a somersault kick that cracked both of his clawed feet straight into the lemming's jaws to knock him almost full onto his back. Stumbling back up with bloodied face and a blackened eye, James clashed against the dagger that sang with a piercing light that briefly blinded him, Oddclaw taking his chance to bash his arm with the gun and kick him down, but the beast possessed took the hit even harder and headbutted him fierce to send Oddclaw rolling back with a burning throb in his skull.

Baldwin quickly shifted himself closer to the raptor, keeping them in the shield's range as the ghastly screams of the insidious Dark echoed around them. Phantoms circled around the barrier, gasping shrieks that tore through their ears and filled the cavern with abject horrors of the abyss, howling regrets and damnation to the gods. James came tearing forwards with a wild cleave, spinning twice in a hurling cut that Oddclaw slid under in a diving tackle and whirled his body up from the floor in a clash of gun versus shield, trembling shudders through their fingers against the recoil as James hid his thrusting blade behind the shield to stab towards Oddclaw. The raptor was ready, watching the tension in his muscle pull back and dodge just underneath the killing thrust before plunging his dagger through the arm.

" A-AAAARGH, AAAAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAAAAARGH!"

The lemming shrieked and crumpled falling to his side, rolling onto the floor with a burning steam rising from his body as he struggled to grab at the knife in his arm. Blood started to thin out over his skin, sizzling from the heat of the shining blade as his eyes stuttered from their darkened hue back to his pallid green, the monstrous scream from his throat fading back to his former self as his body kicked and spasmed harder in violent fits of epileptic rage. Baldwin quickly stepped over to them as Oddclaw tried to hold James steady.

"Grab onto me!" the bangaa said. "Juszht closzhe your eyeszh and hang on alright?!"

"Right!"

Oddclaw grabbed Baldwin's leg with one hand whilst clutching James with the other close to him, the Blood-Sin throbbing on the guardian's back in rings of pulsing red as the barrier started to weaken, the encroaching Dark grasping the earth with a thousand fingers of deathly night coming closer with each second. Baldwin fumed a deeper darkness from his body that consumed the two before the Dark itself reached them, swarming with a maelstrom as the thousand faces screamed upon theirs as the bangaa pulled them into his essence. Oddclaw felt nothing, nor did James as they opened their eyes and found themselves back outside the well and left safely on the ground next to Kruz, Fayne and Chanoch who immediately grabbed James into a deep embrace. James broke down against his chest, sobbing with screams from his weakened throat for the longest two minutes as they all gasped with relief. No one spoke until he was done, Chanoch held him tighter and cradled his body with gasping tears staining his shoulders, whilst Baldwin held James' sword and shield in one hand, and the dagger of holy light in the other.

"Is that, it?" the kremling rubbed his head. "No more surprises?"

"Thankszh to bro'szh backup," Baldwin smirked twirling the knife, "heeeere ya go."

"Thank you," he took it back sheathed in his robe, "but what szhort of monszhter took over him?"

"Don't worry about it, he'll be alright."

"How can you tell?"

"Bro, it'szh me." Baldwin backed up pointing to himself. "Come on I know."

"Heh," Kruz rolled his eyes, "you gonna do this whole smoke and mirrors thing, really?"

"Hey can't tell you everything, that szhpoilszh the fun!"

"Who's this fun FOR?"

"Me, hah." He pinched the kremling's cheek. "My houszhe, my ruleszh bitch."

"Hahahaha, alright fair I was the same back on my ship."

"Thank you." Oddclaw walked up to them. "Again, you have helped me and my friend."

"Juszht doing what I can." Baldwin slapped his shoulder gently. "Come on, gotta get you back up top."

"Come James." Chanoch picked him up. "Let us go."

The lemming kept sobbing into his chest, clutched in his arms like a child as they walked out of the depths with Kruz and Fayne heading out in front after the bishop tended to their wounds with curing spells and bandaged salves.

"By the way, Oddie."

Baldwin stopped the raptor to hand him James' umbrella, with sword sheathed inside and now wrapped in cloth.

"Take thiszh, and put it szhomewhere that no one can get to."

"Why?" He looked at the strange handles twinned.

"It'szh got bad blood on it. He did kill hiszh maszhter with it right, that'szh got to have bad memorieszh attached."

"Should we not ask James if-"

"No." He put his hand on Oddclaw's shoulder. "Get rid of it, find a plaszhe you can hide it where no one elszhe can reach."

"Why not you take it then away from my home?"

"I wiszh but...the Dark getszh real jealouszh of having new neighbourszh. Go on ahead, I gotta make szhure the localszh aren't gonna get too uppity."

"Um...a-alright."

His smile confused him but he nodded, taking the weapon away and following after the group whilst Baldwin looked back over the pit of souls. The guardian sighed as he wiped the sweat from his brow before realising that he no longer sweated from his body.

"Welp. My work iszh done, thankszh for the headszh up lady."

Not a problem.

A soft cloud of lavender breathed through the wall beside him.

Thank you for keeping quiet on his father.

"Yeah..." he rubbed his neck, "szho, did Jameszh really abandon him and leave hiszh mom or what?"

He was not himself, rather his mind was broken from recent traumas and his memory of those years with Oddclaw's mother have gone.

"Oh...heh," Baldwin tapped his head, "I know that feeling, hit with a rock?"

Not quite.

"Well, I get it either way."

You did well keeping the lemming away from the Dark.

The spectre swirled around his body showing the briefest smiling face.

I was impressed by your trickery with the illusion of his master.

"Szho, why are you doing thiszh?" the bangaa scratched his deadened eye. "Keeping that guy away from the Dark yeah I get that, but you didn't want me telling Oddclaw about hiszh dad for what?"

The less he knows about his father the better. I fear his exploits with your old clan may anger him.

"I mean, yeah, I'd be mad too if my dad fucked off having adventureszh rather than be with my family."

I am glad you understand, Baldwin.

The phantom clasped his shoulder with a severed purple hand.

To gather the Five Hearts and bind them with the strongest friendship, I must ensure that Oddclaw has as little spite for his father as possible.

"Five heartszh? Heh," Baldwin shook his head then patted her hand, "that szhound like szhome fairytale szhit."

What can I say, I'm a romantic at heart.

"Szho, five heartszh meaning what?"

Courage, Loyalty, Kindness, Love and Justice. I was told all of this by Noh'jin, trying to amend the mistakes made by his former Hau'rhun.

"Right...szhtill kinda don't get it, but I guesszh that'szh another szhtory huh?"

Precisely. All you need to know, is that Oddclaw's world is becoming unstable with a dangerous foe converging upon it. And in order to stop it, I must have five hearts unsullied to be able to stand against this great evil, when the time comes to end it.

"Okay, szho...one thing," Baldwin turned to the spectral mist, "why even let that lemming guy come all thiszh way and get wrapped up in all thiszh szhit, why not szhtop him?"

Because the less I interact with this enemy, the less aware it is of me and Noh'jin's plan. It is unfortunate, but I must keep our presence a secret from them, and entrust those such as you and Oddclaw, to stop them.

"Awww, ya makin' me bluszh," he smirked with a kiss to the air, "yanno you're pretty reliable yerszhelf, you didn't think Kruzh an' my bro would tell Oddie about hiszh dad?"

I may have spun a thread in their dreams or two, nothing more than what you told them to prepare for this.

"Well if you ever wanna juszht hang out and szhoot the szhit with a guy who liveszh forever-"

Are you coming on to me sir Baldwin?

The ghost of royal indigo revealed a jagged smile and slitted eyes from her wide face.

You should know I'm very hard to please.

"Hey, I like me a challenge," he winked with a click of his teeth, "juszht, yanno it'szh niszhe to have company down here with szhomeone who liveszh aszh long aszh me."

Don't sell yourself short...but I'll consider it when everything is said and done, if you promise to keep that Dark stuff away from me.

"Lady, long aszh I'm here, nothing'll touch you." He bowed with a step. "I give you my word."

Good. Thank you."

"Szho iszh that all thiszh Noh'jin wantszh, juszht five heartszh to unite?"

Yes. He is the Doer who undoes, one who has been tasked to undo the mistakes of the Watcher.

"Miszhtakeszh like what?"

It would take too long to explain. I am here to correct a mistake, one that must be stopped by meeting it at the birth of its power and destroying it with the Five Hearts. You have done your part, for now I must leave to keep watch over things.

"Alright, szhee you around I hope misszh Kirie."

Yes. I hope so too, sir Baldwin.

The phantom disappeared from his view, leaving behind a trail of purple smoke as Baldwin sighed leaning against the well. He took one look back to the festering sin and walked back through the Iron Maiden to rejoin his companions.