The shadow rippled across the land, a blanket in the breeze, gigantic and winged. A shallow trench of torn earth and tossed clods seem to mark its path. A new road? Too uneven. The shadow wasn’t the only thing following the scar: a boulder of dwarves carrying a forest of steal shook their spears as Joshua passed overhead. Hester spat after them. To their back Kazordoon battled the sky, tearing pillows of clouds with its peaks. Ahead the great northern plains rolled out before them. …

Begoggled men consumed the great iron wheel like ants. Clicking, crawling over its body. Piece by piece it disappeared, handed from ant to ant along the cobble street, along the pier, into the ship. From behind tinted goggles eyes flashed. Doctor Vane stood on the ships poop deck, watching the ants impregnate the ship with his clockwork child.

“Rumple.” The goblin was at his side in an instant. “Wind up the beetles. Make sure no ones following us too closely.” Rumple gave a smile worthy of the Cheshire Cat. …

“Northport!” Cried Hester over the roaring wind. The little village suckling at the sea was a red clump on the horizon. She tried to turned back to Ren to see if he had noticed but the wind was too strong. It felt as though claws were tearing through her hair.

That morning they had discovered the long, straight scar began at a minotaur camp on the fringes of the Plains of Havoc. The minotaurs were dead. In the only tent still standing a small and almost unseen pile of pebbles let Hester know that this was where Mr. Abraham and her fellow members of the Circus had been taken. It was an old silent language the circus used to point unaccounted members in the right direction. Hester emerged from the tent confidence buoyed. North they flew. …


The iron cogs tittered and clacked greetings as they danced off one another. Their mother, the engine, glowed happily. Evilly. The beetles pincers snapped. Their wings shook off their dust. Their automatonic brains sparked into life. They dove into the air with a mechanical hum. …

“What’s that?” Flying along the track towards them was a black creature. A dragon? Hester whimpered at that thought. “Joshua?!” It was a beetle, it’s wings a blur. “Joshua!” The second beetle came from above, smashing into Joshua’s wing. They spiralled downward and crashed into the earth. The beetles followed.

As Joshua lurched forward, sending Ren's face into Hester's back, Ren thought quickly. He grabbed hold of the neck of Hester's cloak and managed to get his feet under him, crouched low and balancing on the back of the pig as they spiralled toward the ground. He crouched lower as he watched the ground come closer, and a second before impact, launched himself with all his strength, taking Hester with him, away from the pig. He landed about ten feet away from the pig, landing on the balls of his feet, letting go of Hester as she sweeped against the ground, Ren allowed his legs to collapse behind him, as he swiftly ducked own his head into a swift roll. The momentum was still too strong for Ren to gain control, and as he went into a second turnover, Ren readjusted hs body onto it's side and rolled fast and hard along the ground.

When he finally stopped, he stood up gingerly, flexing his arms carefully. He then drew his sword and ran towards Hester, as he bent down to see to her, Ren noticed the strange metalic creatures were diving upon a writhing Joshua. Ren drew his sword and sprinted towards the scene, slashing his sword fast and accuratly, severing the beetles in half with each swipe.

He looked around rapidly, looking for any more oncomming attackers, when he saw none, he ran back to Hester and knelt beside her, gingerly checking for a beat of life.

Then I ask myself the same question.

At the encampment, Eilfy's rest hut

Menzol notice Eilfy had awoken... but look as if death had been in her blankets and given her nightmares.

"You're awake now... My father is in the other hut recuperating as well from his own injuries. If you need anything just ask."

Menzol tried his best not to look like a dependable young warrior, but his elder sister politely shove him to the side and spoke to him.

"Go and alert father that our friend is awake. Also give him the report that Auntie Tira's arm has been completely disinfected by the demon poison. Finally ask him what do we do now, okay?"

Menzol looked like he wanted to argue with Irina, but he quietly nodded and retreated out of the hut. Irina returned her gaze toward Eilfy.

"Trouble sleeping? Or are you concern of what is to happen now?"

Irina politely offer a mug of broth soup mixed with strong healing herbs.

"Drink this, you'll regain some color to that pale complexion of yours."

Tira gave a soft moan, but she was no longer suffering from the poisoning nor in any critical harm... that is to say for her missing dominant right arm.

Irina gave Tira another look, making sure she was well attended, and then as she returned to Eilfy... her azure eyes locked onto Eilfy's movements.

"You'll need to talk about it to get it out of your chest... bottling it up is only going to slowly poison you... and the life you hold within you."

Irina once again resume her polite speech, but now offering Eilfy a chance to talk about anything she needs to let out.

Elsewhere

Fire and earth met with fury that made the land fluid like magma and lava! Curses and roars of challenges erupted like volcanoes and echoed like wild beasts claiming a righteous kill!

Hazour and Kaiser showed neither remorse or gave quarter to their attacks.

Moving into and outward from Kaiser's deformed beast arms, Hazour drove his burning sword into a thrust toward Kaiser's face.

Taking evasive action Kaiser turned his head and bit onto the flat end of the sword... while driving his massive foot into the warrior's gut with intentions to separate both swordsman and katana.

Hazour hissed in fury from the impact, but refuse to loosen his grip... and without warning, force fire to emerge from his own mouth!

Taken by surprise, Kaiser let go of his bite and retreated a few steps back; but not before making the ground they stood on melt into mud and sludge.

Hazour notice the ploy and drove his heated sword into a mad arc, unleashing a torrent of crazed fire and screaming winds to carry the inferno toward Kaiser; who in turn replied with a massive wall of earth that not only he used as a shield... but pushed it forward onto the sinking swordsman Hazour.

Moving fast and knowing his fire won't burst through in time, Hazour called about his father's bloodline and that of his mother's... and reached out with his free hand.

Let loose the roar of fury from skies! Shatter the darkness and those who stand foolishly before you!

The free hand burst with power and energy smashed into the stone wall... breaking through and striking Kaiser dead on.

Sadly the wall absorbed most of the impact and Kaiser only suffered a few burns and a shock he won't let the stranger live by.

Retreating a few steps back, Kaiser roared savagely as Hazour forced himself out of the muck and stand before him... sword ready and stance prepared.

"I don't know who you are or care for your reason of being here!" Kaiser snarled as his Katar Blades extended and his shin guard spikes came forth.

"But I'll be damned to let some NOBODY get in my way for immortality!"

Hazour merely spat at Kaiser and shouted, "That's the least of your worries you filth!"

Kaiser lunged at Hazour all blades bared and Hazour in turned charged at him with his sword ready and his will set ablaze with hatred.

Hester opened her eyes and gasped. She had landed right on her back, winding and concussing herself. Above her hung someone's face. She blinked and came into focus. Ren. She clambered slowly to her feet, taking in air with gulps.

"What in blazes were they?" She gasped at Ren, frantically looking for Joshua. She saw him limping towards them, his normal size. The spell had worn off.

"Thanks." He said, looking at Ren. "And yes, I talk. Though does it really surprise you all that much?"

Barbarian encampment - Eilfy
Barely conscious and able to react on Irina's kind words, Eilfy sat up half, feeling how sweat ran over her forehead. From the many dreams she had, this was the most terrifying. He knew... he knew about her child and he predicted a future. Tears welled up inside her, but she managed to hold them back. Pretending a smile, Eilfy looked at Irina.

"I... it was just a nightmare. I have them quite often and learnt it is nothing to worry about. Sometimes I react a bit... odd just before waking up though." Eilfy was silent for a moment, biting her lip.

"No idea why."

She drank the mixture of hot water and healing herbs and felt some strength returning, at least enough to sit without any support. She looked around the hut and saw Tira laying there, her right arm missing. For a while, Eilfy looked at the sleeping woman and then realized what has happened.

A sudden wave of emotion and exhaustion overtook Eilfy, this time in a more peaceful manner. Thanking Irina for the mixture, she lay down again and closed her eyes to get a moment for herself. The quietness around here along with the powers of the healing herbs calmed her down. She could now reallistically look at what was happened and her own wounds. Though not severe, they would keep her from any kind of battle for a while.

"Where is the rest?" she asked Irina.

With Shyra's Keep in Thanatos...

Somehow Shyra was not pleased with the sudden change of the flow of both power and souls into her lair... something happen to one of the skull totem pillars that are used as beacons to draw in wandering souls...

Someone has sabotaged it!? Was the first thing that came to mind out of all the many other possibilities that could happen. Certainly the queen of the dead realm of the abyss would know who would dare defile her hellish sanctuary...

Using her limitless power within her realm, Shyra used the eyes of her servants who were nearby the skull totem that was tampered with. To her dismay, she found a large filth rabble of formerly living bodies now taking arms... and killing off many of her hell minions with ease.

Burning with uncontrollable rage and fury, Shyra accidentally crushed the goblet she was holding for her nourishment drink of refined souls. The chamber maidens and hands were quick to fleeing their mistress's wrath as she suddenly rose from her throne and roared in utter fury unfit for a woman... but prefect for a demon hellbent on destruction.

"Who dares give those weak willed rabble the will to defy me!? Where are the soul torturers who should be teaching those curs the meaning of their existence in MY realm!?"

Shyra at first summoned her four scouts in the mortal realm to return... however after cooling off her rage with a few well burnt and maimed lifeless servant thralls... Shyra regained some of her composure...

"Counter mend that last action Ugata, Lucia, Nezo, and Rhyan... resume your original mission... this rabble will feel my hellfire fury... personally"

Shyra snarled out her commands to Faust... the leading soul torturer to gather the troops of the 8th and 7th divisions of undead demons of the whole thirty legions. With several of her elite guards to handle the situation...

I'll first find the leading pig and make him squeal... then find the little dog that nips the heels... then the owner... I'll make them suffer for eternity in the soulfire pits!

Shyra was already formulating plans and torturous ways to pay the troublemakers back plentiful.

The mortal realm

Lucia and Ugata both received their mistress's commands and stopped shortly before entering the River Styx ferry...

"The queen has changed her mind, her command is to resume our mission. Locating your sister and assassinating the remaining clan head members." Both of them said in unison...

Ugata grabbed hold of Rhyan's hand with a strangely looking monstrous claw hand pulled him to one direction. "I'll take the south eastern paths toward the Plains of Havoc. There should be some of them village rats left to put out. Lucia take the other brother and head toward Carlin, some of them should be making fleeing attempts to either the islands or other continents."

Darkness engulfed the four in their respective pairs as they returned to the surface world, their mission of death and locating has begun in earnest.