‘Innais there must be something. Please answer me!’ cried Nessus again seeking a response.

‘My power is not of warfare. I can do nothing but charm, beguile, and work memory,’ she said never taking her eyes from Arawn’Vyr. ‘My sisters and I were but the stages of existence, life, memory, and the passage of death,’ she added looking to the great tree that dominated the courtyard. Blink snarled again and reached for the sword. Arawn’Vyr made no attempt to stop him as he drew the blade. Once he had dislodged it Blink was thrown through the air with a movement of Arawn’Vyr’s hand. He skittered along the ground and lay still clawing at the ground.

‘She is gone now… dead and returned to The Torrent,’ said Innais loud enough for him to hear. Arawn’Vyr turned to her finally giving her his undivided attention. His face an expression of pride that looked down on any in his presence, even that of Innais.

‘That is beyond your power Ay’Vennara,’ he said.

‘That as may be, but it is the truth,’ she said never taking her eyes from him.

‘Then all the more reason for me to end this cycle and retrieve her from The Torrent,’ he said.

‘That is wrong. You must not do that. She deserves, as we all do, to be cleansed in Hennaka’s Will so that we may live anew,’ said Nessus, shocked that Arawn’Vyr could be so casual about such unnatural things. He looked to Nessus for a moment assessing them before speaking.

‘I will not die or be reborn again. I will not be subject to its endless lunacy of flowing suffering. Those flows will be stilled and dried by my hand,’ he said with a chilling calmness.

‘All things must return there some time and the will of Hennaka’s flow cannot be stilled,’ said Nessus in disbelief.

‘Not all return. Innais is older than most beings upon this world and yet she has not known the sting of regret and loss from death. I am a god now as is she and will not go where I do not belong,’ he said and turned to Innais as if there were nothing left to say to Nessus.

‘You are not a god! You have been here too long, tainted by and corrupted, you must return and restore the balance,’ said Nessus imploring him to reason.

‘I have had enough of your hopelessness. You fight against the inevitable, the freedom from suffering I have so generously offered. I will end this now,’ said Arawn’Vyr as he summoned the blackness again. Smoke began to coalesce and take shape.

‘No! We will not allow this. You do not bring freedom,’ said Nessus and opened themselves to the power of The Torrent. They felt the power enter them, become them, in moments they shimmered with the many lights of The Torrent until it engulfed their entire form.

‘If you will not go alone then we shall go together. I am sorry my vidar but this must be done,’ said Nessus creating streams of flames about them that countered each of the black tendrils in turn. Nessus floated through the air and gradually moved toward the form of Arawn’Vyr, swatting the darkness away with the flames. From where he fell Blink roared and got to his feet. Nessus did not falter and continued to move forward.

‘Boy, you will not move! Do not interfere until I say so,’ cried Innais commandingly. Blink gave pause and looked at her ferociously. He growled and the lip of his snout twitched threateningly in her direction.

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‘I will not return. I will not go there again!’ cried Arawn’Vyr showing his first sign of concern in the fight. Nessus said nothing and with determination never stopped moving forward. Arawn’Vyr began to take a step back to flee when hard wooden branches wrapped about his form and bound him where he stood. Atop the stairs was the beaten form of Danu with a hand upon the great tree and flows of life buffeting around her. Brigid stood by her weaving runes of fire keeping the darkness at bay.

‘No! Not again! I was to set you free. End this torment of death!’ he cried panicked. Nessus drew closer until they were able to reach out and touch the terrified visage of Arawn’Vyr. They lowered themself to the stone floor and with an open armed embrace held Arawn’Vyr, a being of glimmered lights full of life and vibrance now stood where Nessus once had. It held the terrified creature of hopelessness and death that Arawn’Vyr had become.

‘Now boy. Now is the time,’ yelled Innais. Blink gnashed at her one last time before running toward the beings of light and darkness. With the bone sword he again plunged it into the chest of Arawn’Vyr and out through the glowing light of Nessus’ form. With a final burst of radiant energy and a despairing wail from Arawn’Vyr, their bodies fell to the ground lifeless.

Blink looked down at the dead form of Nessus atop that of Arawn’Vyr. He howled with sorrow at the sight. He did not know why or who these people were but something within him felt the twist of loss. Again something had been taken from him. Again he would know the pain of losing another. Again… we’ve lost another friend. Why do people always leave us? Said the voice from inside. It startled Blink and he stopped his howling requiem. He had thought the voice was gone, strangely, part of him was glad to hear it there in the back of his mind.

‘Blink are they…,’ came the weak voice of the girl with wings and dreadlocked golden hair. Blink turned on her and snarled a warning not to come any closer.

‘Don’t growl at her Blink! She saved your life you reckless fool!’ yelled the other girl with her. She was taller and more muscular than the other. He gnashed at her, though doing so didn’t feel right. .

‘What is wrong with you!’ she said again glaring at him.

‘The boy is lost to us,’ said older woman in a wet feathered gown. As she did Blink reached for the sword and stood waving it like a cornered animal waiting to strike. ‘He has given over too much to The Toothless One’s fury. Foolish boy,’ she said scowling at him.

‘Can we fix it?’ asked the girl with dreadlocks.

‘It is possible… if he is willing to let this wasteful hate go,’ said the older woman. He backed away never taking his eyes from them. What do they want from us? Make them go away, came the voice from within. Blink growled a warning for them not to come closer.

‘Bid stay away from him,’ said one of the fighters that limped over, spear in hand.

‘I have told you so many times Terrick,’ she snapped back.

‘Never mind that. This… thing is dangerous,’ said the young man.

‘He isn’t a thing you block head! His name is Blink,’ she said in reprimand. Nevertheless the young man stood between them holding the spear in both hands ready to strike if the need arose.

‘Blink it’s us… Danu and Brigid,’ said the girl with the dreadlocks. He eyed them warily and held the sword between them.

‘It will not do. Go bring the half-orc and the Ghel’Narran to the tree. Place this in the hands of Nessus and I will do the rest,’ said the older woman directing them.

‘Very well Innais,’ said the young woman obediently.

‘Make yourself useful for once Terrick and help us move them,’ she added grabbing the arm of the young man. The young man did not move or take his eyes from Blink. They held gaze with one another.

‘Now Terrick,’ said the young woman again growing impatient. He moved slowly away, leaving Blink with the older woman. Blink saw his moment then, there was only this older woman in his way. He would move and strike and be free. Now! Do it now! Get them all away from us! Do it! Shouted the voice from inside. Blink sprinted with speed that belied his injuries and prepared to strike with the sword. The older woman lithely stepped aside of his attack and before he knew what was happening, he felt her hand upon his head, and he was surrounded by white.