uncreative bunch," the Crone remarked. "We seek power to sow
chaos, and the cycle expands and continues. And frankly, some base
desires are welcome after these centuries of creativity . It's embarrassing how long Inval's
soul has managed to escape my grasp."
"A mystery, to be sure."
"Yes and no."
The response wasn't what Koronos had been
expecting. The Crone raised the Eyes in her hand, giving me the
opportunity to get lost in their scarlet, swirling depths.
Their cores were enclosed within a spherical
sea of mist. There was something familiar about them.
Something…
"Inval became a Ghostwalker," she snorted,
drawing me from my musing. "I tried to take his soul, but… how can
I put this politely? My claim was superseded."
"Hn, yes, I can see how that would be
troublesome," Koronos mused aloud. "But I was under the impression
that it was a loss. It was quite a surprise that he was
reincarnated."
"A part of him," the Crone stipulated. "A
tiny part hardly even worth mentioning. But as I loathe having that
blemish my perfect record, I'm going to take what I can get my
hands on, even if Marvin is a failure and a coward." She cast one
glowing eye on me, her lips quirked down in a scathing little
frown. "But since you answer to him I suppose that makes you the
bigger failure. You disappoint me, Koronos. I don't need to tell
you how much I hate being disappointed, do I?"
It was an insult and a threat all rolled
into one. My body shivered as Koronos lowered his gaze.
"No, Mistress."
I heard something towards the back of the
room. Shifting. Scuttling. Koronos flicked our combined gazes
towards the Crone. I felt a surge of adrenaline.
With those snakes hissing as loud as they
are, it's no wonder she can't hear it.
The Crone lost herself in the depths of the
Eyes. I wondered whether Formosa finally caught up to us.
Instead, I spotted a blur in the background.
Something was moving through the Grey. Since the Crone made no move
to peer into that realm this visitor was invisible.
" Miraj ." It was woman's voice.
" It's me, Diana ."
She came closer, crouching behind my back. I
felt her wispy touch on my skin as she pressed through the layer of
realities.
" You need to
snatch the Eyes from the Crone on my mark. Send them flying. I
don't care. "
Diana must've seen the questions on my face.
She hurried to explain.
"Formosa is here with help. You can't last
long in Astheneia's garden. If you stay here for even a few minutes
more then you'll be so weak that separating from Koronos will kill
you."
I heard the sound of footsteps settling into
their final positions. Diana took a deep breath.
" Now. Miraj,
do it NOW! "
I lashed my tail at the Crone's wrists. The
Eyes of the Leviathan flew into the air.
Tully dove down from an upper portion of the
caverns, swallowing them whole.
While she was confused Koronos launched us
as far away from her as he could. It didn't take me long to see
why. The Crone sprayed the place we were standing with her breath,
prompting some of the nearby flowers to bloom and unleash their
toxic miasma. All those unsuited to the attack withered in the
space of an instant.
She whirled on her heel, slicing her arm
through the air. A wall of thorns sprung to life, binding my wrists
and ankles before impaling me on their shallow spikes. I screamed
as their barbs hooked into my skin. Even Koronos was jarred by the
attack.
"LEO!" Marvin's voice boomed from somewhere
in the room.
"On it!"
Marvin's golem, Achoo, bull-rushed the
Crone, momentarily knocking her off balance. While she was
distracted, Leo ran to me and hacked at the branches.
"This is gonna hurt," he warned, tearing me
off the wall.
My vision went red. I didn't know the extent
of the damage, but I was almost certain that I didn't have skin on
my back anymore. Tears rained from my eyes. I didn't even have the
strength to whimper.
"Hand her over to me." The voice belonged to
Larry. Leo transferred me to his waiting arms. I heard the alien
sound
chaos, and the cycle expands and continues. And frankly, some base
desires are welcome after these centuries of creativity . It's embarrassing how long Inval's
soul has managed to escape my grasp."
"A mystery, to be sure."
"Yes and no."
The response wasn't what Koronos had been
expecting. The Crone raised the Eyes in her hand, giving me the
opportunity to get lost in their scarlet, swirling depths.
Their cores were enclosed within a spherical
sea of mist. There was something familiar about them.
Something…
"Inval became a Ghostwalker," she snorted,
drawing me from my musing. "I tried to take his soul, but… how can
I put this politely? My claim was superseded."
"Hn, yes, I can see how that would be
troublesome," Koronos mused aloud. "But I was under the impression
that it was a loss. It was quite a surprise that he was
reincarnated."
"A part of him," the Crone stipulated. "A
tiny part hardly even worth mentioning. But as I loathe having that
blemish my perfect record, I'm going to take what I can get my
hands on, even if Marvin is a failure and a coward." She cast one
glowing eye on me, her lips quirked down in a scathing little
frown. "But since you answer to him I suppose that makes you the
bigger failure. You disappoint me, Koronos. I don't need to tell
you how much I hate being disappointed, do I?"
It was an insult and a threat all rolled
into one. My body shivered as Koronos lowered his gaze.
"No, Mistress."
I heard something towards the back of the
room. Shifting. Scuttling. Koronos flicked our combined gazes
towards the Crone. I felt a surge of adrenaline.
With those snakes hissing as loud as they
are, it's no wonder she can't hear it.
The Crone lost herself in the depths of the
Eyes. I wondered whether Formosa finally caught up to us.
Instead, I spotted a blur in the background.
Something was moving through the Grey. Since the Crone made no move
to peer into that realm this visitor was invisible.
" Miraj ." It was woman's voice.
" It's me, Diana ."
She came closer, crouching behind my back. I
felt her wispy touch on my skin as she pressed through the layer of
realities.
" You need to
snatch the Eyes from the Crone on my mark. Send them flying. I
don't care. "
Diana must've seen the questions on my face.
She hurried to explain.
"Formosa is here with help. You can't last
long in Astheneia's garden. If you stay here for even a few minutes
more then you'll be so weak that separating from Koronos will kill
you."
I heard the sound of footsteps settling into
their final positions. Diana took a deep breath.
" Now. Miraj,
do it NOW! "
I lashed my tail at the Crone's wrists. The
Eyes of the Leviathan flew into the air.
Tully dove down from an upper portion of the
caverns, swallowing them whole.
While she was confused Koronos launched us
as far away from her as he could. It didn't take me long to see
why. The Crone sprayed the place we were standing with her breath,
prompting some of the nearby flowers to bloom and unleash their
toxic miasma. All those unsuited to the attack withered in the
space of an instant.
She whirled on her heel, slicing her arm
through the air. A wall of thorns sprung to life, binding my wrists
and ankles before impaling me on their shallow spikes. I screamed
as their barbs hooked into my skin. Even Koronos was jarred by the
attack.
"LEO!" Marvin's voice boomed from somewhere
in the room.
"On it!"
Marvin's golem, Achoo, bull-rushed the
Crone, momentarily knocking her off balance. While she was
distracted, Leo ran to me and hacked at the branches.
"This is gonna hurt," he warned, tearing me
off the wall.
My vision went red. I didn't know the extent
of the damage, but I was almost certain that I didn't have skin on
my back anymore. Tears rained from my eyes. I didn't even have the
strength to whimper.
"Hand her over to me." The voice belonged to
Larry. Leo transferred me to his waiting arms. I heard the alien
sound
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