“The game is afoot,” Willow echoed with a sigh as she scanned the mustering hive of wraiths and their queen bee. Her hand left the hilt of her saber and into one of the pouches of her bandolier; pulling out a small grip of steel bearings, but these ones weren’t intended for eating. She had been hoping for a wee bit more time before everything kicked off, but so it goes and with a weary look took stock of the incoming swarm.
“Don’t stab me,” she said to her Spriggan companion before burning some Heavenstone to pull Horst against her back. Dropping one of her bearings, Willow pushed with Steel and flew up towards the wraiths with a war cry to announce herself as a prime target. Towards the wraiths up above she swung her arm and pushed a spray of bearings like a cloud of birdshot. Burning Pewter to heighten her equilibrium she tossed her staff at one of the brutes; its spear tip lancing towards the hulking wraith’s chest. Then she burned Mithril and Iron, pulling herself along behind the staff by its base spike. As it closed in Willow ended the Mithril burn and flared Adamantine and Orichalcum, amplifying the weight of herself and the staff before flare pushing on the staff to get it some extra momentum while arresting her own as she rolled and came to her feet; drawing her saber and ending her hold on Horst.
[The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Willow dispensed her enemies without effort.
A cloud of grinning, evil spectres had greeted her, and she had parted the skies with a shotgun blast of allomantic magic. The largest, and most brutesque of the dark golems halted in its steps as a staff of gods skewered its heart. As it tumbled back into a pool of dispersing shadow, Willow dove in on the staff and drew her saber, an orihalcum blade crafted by one of the world's makers. The two remaining wraithbrutes paused, each falling on the backfoot. Perhaps they feared Unity, the key to the realm, or the saber crafted by and for gods, but Willow could see the truth in their dead, empty eyes. It was what stopped Eryl and Manon in their advance.
With the exception of Drysi, and perhaps Caxton himself, everyone's estimation of Willow had fallen short of reality. Everyone. Even Vengeance.
The dark god's gnarled fingers reached down to the sleeping form at her feet and ripped a broadsword from its comatose grasp. It was a weapon considerably used and cared for. There was no words this time. Vengenace would not afford it. Willow would learn the burden of being taken seriously.
Distant screeches heralded reinforcements. Future problems if this wasn't handled quickly.
Wordlessly, the wraithbrutes found their courage and in tandem came crashing down to smash the allomancer.
A cloud of grinning, evil spectres had greeted her, and she had parted the skies with a shotgun blast of allomantic magic. The largest, and most brutesque of the dark golems halted in its steps as a staff of gods skewered its heart. As it tumbled back into a pool of dispersing shadow, Willow dove in on the staff and drew her saber, an orihalcum blade crafted by one of the world's makers. The two remaining wraithbrutes paused, each falling on the backfoot. Perhaps they feared Unity, the key to the realm, or the saber crafted by and for gods, but Willow could see the truth in their dead, empty eyes. It was what stopped Eryl and Manon in their advance.
With the exception of Drysi, and perhaps Caxton himself, everyone's estimation of Willow had fallen short of reality. Everyone. Even Vengeance.
The dark god's gnarled fingers reached down to the sleeping form at her feet and ripped a broadsword from its comatose grasp. It was a weapon considerably used and cared for. There was no words this time. Vengenace would not afford it. Willow would learn the burden of being taken seriously.
Distant screeches heralded reinforcements. Future problems if this wasn't handled quickly.
Wordlessly, the wraithbrutes found their courage and in tandem came crashing down to smash the allomancer.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
“Wow, that worked,” was all that Willow’s internal monologue provided as she faced off against the brutes and Vengeance’s ever ominous visage. Everyone around her seemed just as surprised as she was though, so to ride that morale momentum she flashed a cocksure grin as she rested the saber against her shoulder. Recognizing that the situation as a whole would likely become a veritable Ballroom Blitz, she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her phone. Kneeling beside Horst, she handed him the turned off device.
“Hold onto this. Watch my back while this kicks off, and regroup with the clown when she gets close. Give the device, and tell her it is time for The Playlist. She’ll know what that means,” Willow said quickly as she tucked the phone into Horst’s belt; there should be enough power to boot up and play one more song, Willow figured. Standing once more, she Iron pulled Unity back to her hand and squared off against the brutes. Two was a bit leery even for Willow’s burgeoning belief that her skills were getting closer to matching her unbridled self-confidence.
With Pewter, Willow performed a lateral bound to put one of the brutes between her and the other one. Mithril burned for some extra speed turning into Adamantine to secure her footing as she lunged, performing a slash with the saber to the back of the brute’s knee.
~~~
One Month Prior
Willow’s Room
“Know what’d be fun? Boss fight music,” Willow mused as she reclined on her bed with her head hanging off the side. Following another brutal loss to Caxton, Willow had been a literal defeated lump after a brutal slash had left her head hanging off the side. That’s when Manon had decided to come and cheer her up. So the girls had begun chatting about ways to spice up the sparring matches or help her get in the zone.
“Might get a lit-tell répetitive if you, you know, keep loséng,” Manon replied, earning a withering stare from the Brit.
“Fair enough, actually.” Willow couldn’t exactly refute that assertion. She snapped her fingers. “But y’know who I’ll probs only fight once? Vengeance. Haha! Could you imagine?”
From there, Willow and Manon had spent a solid amount of time picking through some of the saved playlists on Willow’s phone, curating a hypothetical boss fight playlist for her fight with Vengeance. It was all over the place with song choices, and Willow was tickled pink by the thought of some epic showdown to some of the selected songs while other songs gave her goosebumps of anticipation.
“Yeah, then to keep it exciting, just set the playlist to shuffle, and bam. I’m fighting a god while ska is playing,” Willow’s laughter was genuine and made her feel better following her loss. The fun was punctuated however when Willow realized the last of the power on her back-up battery was low. Once Manon took her leave, Willow returned to contemplation, this time weighing a bit of existentialism. She wanted to be a serious contender, but would she need to compromise herself to make it happen?
“Hold onto this. Watch my back while this kicks off, and regroup with the clown when she gets close. Give the device, and tell her it is time for The Playlist. She’ll know what that means,” Willow said quickly as she tucked the phone into Horst’s belt; there should be enough power to boot up and play one more song, Willow figured. Standing once more, she Iron pulled Unity back to her hand and squared off against the brutes. Two was a bit leery even for Willow’s burgeoning belief that her skills were getting closer to matching her unbridled self-confidence.
With Pewter, Willow performed a lateral bound to put one of the brutes between her and the other one. Mithril burned for some extra speed turning into Adamantine to secure her footing as she lunged, performing a slash with the saber to the back of the brute’s knee.
~~~
One Month Prior
Willow’s Room
“Know what’d be fun? Boss fight music,” Willow mused as she reclined on her bed with her head hanging off the side. Following another brutal loss to Caxton, Willow had been a literal defeated lump after a brutal slash had left her head hanging off the side. That’s when Manon had decided to come and cheer her up. So the girls had begun chatting about ways to spice up the sparring matches or help her get in the zone.
“Might get a lit-tell répetitive if you, you know, keep loséng,” Manon replied, earning a withering stare from the Brit.
“Fair enough, actually.” Willow couldn’t exactly refute that assertion. She snapped her fingers. “But y’know who I’ll probs only fight once? Vengeance. Haha! Could you imagine?”
From there, Willow and Manon had spent a solid amount of time picking through some of the saved playlists on Willow’s phone, curating a hypothetical boss fight playlist for her fight with Vengeance. It was all over the place with song choices, and Willow was tickled pink by the thought of some epic showdown to some of the selected songs while other songs gave her goosebumps of anticipation.
“Yeah, then to keep it exciting, just set the playlist to shuffle, and bam. I’m fighting a god while ska is playing,” Willow’s laughter was genuine and made her feel better following her loss. The fun was punctuated however when Willow realized the last of the power on her back-up battery was low. Once Manon took her leave, Willow returned to contemplation, this time weighing a bit of existentialism. She wanted to be a serious contender, but would she need to compromise herself to make it happen?
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The earth shook like a trampoline as the pair of fists crashed down behind Willow, splitting the ground behind her as if a cannonball had touched down. Each of the brutes turned with an agility that seemed wrong for their size, moving as coiling, congealed masses of wraiths, each wraithpiece a monstrous thread of muscle. She closed in with the leg, splitting sinews and causing the ogreous horror to come down to its knee. Its compatriot lumbered, moving to step in and throw its weight.
Then, a glittering pom pom struck it in the side of the head, exploding into a shower of golden confetti. Reeling, it spun to turn to look at Manon, who had joined Horst. She was wearing a cheerleader outfit with SAFEHOLME stamped on the chest, idly thumbing through the phone Horst had given her. As the other wraithbrute turned on the clown, Manon hit play, and dropped the phone into the neckline of her outfit. Willow couldn't hear it, but her pumping fists sounded like shotguns chambering as she willed two new pom-poms to her hands.
As if listening to the same song, Vengeance leapt forth to the aid of her wounded wraithbrute. Up close now, Willow could see a crooked mirror of Gold's visage shaped by browning leaves: dying, crackling, and falling, only to be replaced by more dying growth. The shade was a dark, woody mirror of the allomancer, draped in armor of bark and thorns.
In the moment where the shade's body was coiled for a strike, she could see the sword, and the girl it had come from. The Slumberer. As revered as the resting girl was, she looked like someone Willow's age, like all the artisans. Resting flat upon the stone, her form was emaciated and draped in a dirty, white dress just slightly too large for her. An arm extended toward the stolen sword, as if she fitfully dreamed for it.
That was when Vengeance swung, the Slumberer's blade arcing into a stab to drive into the Allomancer.
Then, a glittering pom pom struck it in the side of the head, exploding into a shower of golden confetti. Reeling, it spun to turn to look at Manon, who had joined Horst. She was wearing a cheerleader outfit with SAFEHOLME stamped on the chest, idly thumbing through the phone Horst had given her. As the other wraithbrute turned on the clown, Manon hit play, and dropped the phone into the neckline of her outfit. Willow couldn't hear it, but her pumping fists sounded like shotguns chambering as she willed two new pom-poms to her hands.
As if listening to the same song, Vengeance leapt forth to the aid of her wounded wraithbrute. Up close now, Willow could see a crooked mirror of Gold's visage shaped by browning leaves: dying, crackling, and falling, only to be replaced by more dying growth. The shade was a dark, woody mirror of the allomancer, draped in armor of bark and thorns.
In the moment where the shade's body was coiled for a strike, she could see the sword, and the girl it had come from. The Slumberer. As revered as the resting girl was, she looked like someone Willow's age, like all the artisans. Resting flat upon the stone, her form was emaciated and draped in a dirty, white dress just slightly too large for her. An arm extended toward the stolen sword, as if she fitfully dreamed for it.
That was when Vengeance swung, the Slumberer's blade arcing into a stab to drive into the Allomancer.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
There was that electricity again. Just as when Percy had made to lance into her with his saber. The thrill of her body coiling with potential energy all reacting to the anticipation of a deadly edge beginning its course to her heart. There were no quips, no banter on the tip of her tongue, just pure focus as Willow’s body shifted to the drilled motions that her trials up until now had hammered into her; except this time her off hand was occupied by a staff. Swinging her arm to bat the flat of the blade, Willow felt the edge slice her sleeve and into her arm as Vengeance drew first blood in the duel. However, also unlike her duels with Percy, she had her metals now.
As Willow’s arm pushed against Vengeance’s sword she burned Mithril so her momentum pushed her up and away. With her saber she hooked the wraith brute and swung around it as she rose. Burning Adamantine, Willow made the brute lighter, ended Mithril and flared Purgusite as she slammed the brute forward to topple the crippled brute towards Vengeance, at which point she ended the burn on Adamantine in favor of Orichalcum to make the brute that much heavier. As the physics of that interaction of forces played out, Willow let some of the residual force send her into an arc to land on the platform.
Crack
Sounded the metal spike at the base of Unity as Willow stood back up straight.
As Willow’s arm pushed against Vengeance’s sword she burned Mithril so her momentum pushed her up and away. With her saber she hooked the wraith brute and swung around it as she rose. Burning Adamantine, Willow made the brute lighter, ended Mithril and flared Purgusite as she slammed the brute forward to topple the crippled brute towards Vengeance, at which point she ended the burn on Adamantine in favor of Orichalcum to make the brute that much heavier. As the physics of that interaction of forces played out, Willow let some of the residual force send her into an arc to land on the platform.
Crack
Sounded the metal spike at the base of Unity as Willow stood back up straight.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The groaning wraithbrute flailed in the air, but the purgusite didn't turn it into the projectile that it was intended to be. Unlike the divinely charged Manon, or the oddly taciturn Horst, the coiling mass of shadows was unaffected. It was, however, not immune to the forces of gravity. Vengeance rolled out fo the way as her massive minion struck the ground like a bomb, bursting into shadowy tendrils and shattering the tree it struck into cloud of woody shrapnel.
It was enough to occupy her, enough to distract her from the growing star from above, to derail her from Willow's descent on the platform. Seeing the worst possible situation, Vengeance's gaunt form twisted into an ugly, beastial shape.
Willow's fingers buzzed as the staff in her hand thrummed with great potential. Unity sang for the pedestal at the center. The spike at the base of the staff gently tugged toward it, a key desperate for its lock.
Eryl had turned to address the small horde of wraiths coming to their master's aid.
Manon was going toe to toe with the other wraithbrute, keeping it occupied.
Horst's eyes were on the staff.
None of them saw the light in the sky until it was too late.
A force like a meteor struck the earth between Willow and Vengeance, cleaving through the wraithbrute that Manon was fighting. The flash was blinding, and it was enough to blow Willow down upon the limestone squares, casting the staff from her hand. The sheer strength of the blast caused her ears to ring, like a grenade had gone off. The only sound she could hear was the beating of her heart, pumping hard so her body could gather her surroundings. She could tell Manon was conscious, at least, because the music had stopped.
Vengeance had been thrown back as well, but the twisted form of Gold was laughing hysterically.
Then Willow saw it, the vaguely humanoid creature that had descended from the sky. It was broad, and tall, wreathed in leather and runes. There was a wild air to the stance it kept upon the ground, something that reminded her of the dark man that had stolen the soul of Drysi's grandmother. A primal energy radiated from it, something animalistic and fierce, characteristics of a servant of Vengeance, some kind of cleaner, leaner wraith. Unlike the others in her service, even the wraithbeast Willow had bested in the forest, there was no caution or hesitation in its estimation of the battlefield, only command.
As the dust cleared, it became apparent that this creature was no wraith, but a man; a man with eyes that had, at one time, brought her great comfort, but were now cold as granite.
He was Ruarc Flynn, and he was here to slay a god and begin the cycle anew.
It was enough to occupy her, enough to distract her from the growing star from above, to derail her from Willow's descent on the platform. Seeing the worst possible situation, Vengeance's gaunt form twisted into an ugly, beastial shape.
Willow's fingers buzzed as the staff in her hand thrummed with great potential. Unity sang for the pedestal at the center. The spike at the base of the staff gently tugged toward it, a key desperate for its lock.
Eryl had turned to address the small horde of wraiths coming to their master's aid.
Manon was going toe to toe with the other wraithbrute, keeping it occupied.
Horst's eyes were on the staff.
None of them saw the light in the sky until it was too late.
A force like a meteor struck the earth between Willow and Vengeance, cleaving through the wraithbrute that Manon was fighting. The flash was blinding, and it was enough to blow Willow down upon the limestone squares, casting the staff from her hand. The sheer strength of the blast caused her ears to ring, like a grenade had gone off. The only sound she could hear was the beating of her heart, pumping hard so her body could gather her surroundings. She could tell Manon was conscious, at least, because the music had stopped.
Vengeance had been thrown back as well, but the twisted form of Gold was laughing hysterically.
Then Willow saw it, the vaguely humanoid creature that had descended from the sky. It was broad, and tall, wreathed in leather and runes. There was a wild air to the stance it kept upon the ground, something that reminded her of the dark man that had stolen the soul of Drysi's grandmother. A primal energy radiated from it, something animalistic and fierce, characteristics of a servant of Vengeance, some kind of cleaner, leaner wraith. Unlike the others in her service, even the wraithbeast Willow had bested in the forest, there was no caution or hesitation in its estimation of the battlefield, only command.
As the dust cleared, it became apparent that this creature was no wraith, but a man; a man with eyes that had, at one time, brought her great comfort, but were now cold as granite.
He was Ruarc Flynn, and he was here to slay a god and begin the cycle anew.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Everything had been going about as well as Willow could have hoped for with the opening exchanges of the battle. The wraith being unphased by her attempts at a push and Vengeance getting a solid slice on her arm were unfortunate, but Willow recognized that she was the underdog here. She had prepared to be in this position, because the alternative was…
“Oh no…” was all Willow was able to say after recovering from the tumble she was sent into. A momentary thought in the back of her mind thought it funny that what she considered to be a worst case scenario was also significantly less likely to result in her death; but here she was, looking at Mister Flynn like he was a video game fail state. After fast tracking her preparations to fight Vengeance for fear of Flynn swooping in, it was for nothing; he was here now. The field of play had changed, and as she ground her teeth she knew she had to either adapt to the change or admit defeat.
Pushing herself back to her feet, staff forgotten for the time beside her, Willow stomped towards the edge of the platform and burned Heavenstone. Pulling on Horst, she caught the spriggan out of the air.
“The staff is my gift to the Slumberer, Horst. See it gets properly delivered, please?” she asked as she sat the wooden sprite down. “I just had something come up.”
With Pewter, Willow kicked off as she jumped off of the platform, aiming to land near the druid.
“Flynn! Please wait!”
“Oh no…” was all Willow was able to say after recovering from the tumble she was sent into. A momentary thought in the back of her mind thought it funny that what she considered to be a worst case scenario was also significantly less likely to result in her death; but here she was, looking at Mister Flynn like he was a video game fail state. After fast tracking her preparations to fight Vengeance for fear of Flynn swooping in, it was for nothing; he was here now. The field of play had changed, and as she ground her teeth she knew she had to either adapt to the change or admit defeat.
Pushing herself back to her feet, staff forgotten for the time beside her, Willow stomped towards the edge of the platform and burned Heavenstone. Pulling on Horst, she caught the spriggan out of the air.
“The staff is my gift to the Slumberer, Horst. See it gets properly delivered, please?” she asked as she sat the wooden sprite down. “I just had something come up.”
With Pewter, Willow kicked off as she jumped off of the platform, aiming to land near the druid.
“Flynn! Please wait!”
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
The earnesty in Willow's voice caused the titan of a man to halt in his movements. He turned, coiling himself in readiness, but casting her a look that spoke of the man she knew. It was an opening that Vengeance exploited. The dark god threw herself at him, her blade a whirring nebula of steel.
At that moment, Ruarc uncoiled, his arm moving like a hammer on a pistol. He cast down Vengeance with a single, volcanic punch, crumpling her wretched frame upon the ground. In the same moment, he snatched up her ankle, and cast her further away from Willow and himself, crashing her against another tree. Willow glimpsed the man as his enemies got to seem him, a grim warden, a locus of elements and force.
Then, once more, he was Mr. Flynn again, assuring the Allomancer.
"It's okay," came words strained for time, "Laoise filled me in. You've done well, but let me handle this. I know what these things are capable of."
Eryl came running, her robes wet with oily shadow beasts she had slain.
"Mr. Flynn, hear her our, she--"
What goodness Ruarc had reserved for Willow vanished as his dry gaze of granite turned on Eryl. The words died in the womans throat, with only choked whimpers remaining.
Meanwhile a small spriggan had picked up the staff of the world. Though he was small in stature, be carried it with a keen familiarity in his right hand. He began to hurry for the pedestal in the center.
At that moment, Ruarc uncoiled, his arm moving like a hammer on a pistol. He cast down Vengeance with a single, volcanic punch, crumpling her wretched frame upon the ground. In the same moment, he snatched up her ankle, and cast her further away from Willow and himself, crashing her against another tree. Willow glimpsed the man as his enemies got to seem him, a grim warden, a locus of elements and force.
Then, once more, he was Mr. Flynn again, assuring the Allomancer.
"It's okay," came words strained for time, "Laoise filled me in. You've done well, but let me handle this. I know what these things are capable of."
Eryl came running, her robes wet with oily shadow beasts she had slain.
"Mr. Flynn, hear her our, she--"
What goodness Ruarc had reserved for Willow vanished as his dry gaze of granite turned on Eryl. The words died in the womans throat, with only choked whimpers remaining.
Meanwhile a small spriggan had picked up the staff of the world. Though he was small in stature, be carried it with a keen familiarity in his right hand. He began to hurry for the pedestal in the center.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Mouth agape, Willow watched with blatant awe at the display of power. During the duels with Percy she had seen first hand a degree of the skill levels the Menagerie fielded, she had believed Drysi when the fledgling druid talked about the Keeper and his duties, and she had even seen first hand some of what Ruarc was capable of back in Hawaii; but too watch the dopey headmaster cold-cock the entity that had been a subject of dread for her for the last few months was sobering. Not letting herself shy away now, Willow strode with purpose to confront a man who was her superior in almost every way.
“But you don’t know how to actually win,” Willow’s voice sounded strained. This was a terrible place for a discussion, and she had seen in Hawaii how stubborn the man could get when he felt he was doing the greater good. “Please, sir. This will be weird for me to say, but brute force isn’t the answer here! I’ve been here for months preparing specifically for this.”
To press the point, Willow held her saber ready and looked towards where Vengeance had been thrown rather than at Ruarc. She considered burning metals to try and convince him, but figured manipulating him might do more harm than good; so for now that option stayed in her back pocket.
“But you don’t know how to actually win,” Willow’s voice sounded strained. This was a terrible place for a discussion, and she had seen in Hawaii how stubborn the man could get when he felt he was doing the greater good. “Please, sir. This will be weird for me to say, but brute force isn’t the answer here! I’ve been here for months preparing specifically for this.”
To press the point, Willow held her saber ready and looked towards where Vengeance had been thrown rather than at Ruarc. She considered burning metals to try and convince him, but figured manipulating him might do more harm than good; so for now that option stayed in her back pocket.
Re: [The Dorms] A Perilous Acquaintance
Flynn's face lengthened at the word months, his mouth dropping open as the reality of Willow's situation was made clear to him. There was more than her words in his mind, she could see it in the way his eyes searched through her, as if who she was had disappeared. The glint of steel brought him back.
Vengeance was rising from the earth, taking roots with her as her form began to break down. The lie that she wore as a mask was beginning to fall apart, and the monster that she was began to come forth. Green and brown vines coiled into strengthening muscles as she grew, only to be shot down by bolt of lightning. And then another, and another.
The Black Staff, freshly summoned in Flynn's hand, stabbed into the earth, and he gripped his apprentice's shoulder, and turned her back to him.
"Willow," Ruarc spoke firmly, but not as the teacher he was, but as one battlemage to another, "this place gets in your head. The longer you're here, the less of a grip you have on what's real. First, you start seeing visions, then your perceptions begin to fall apart. This place is a lie. Nothing here is real. It's Percival's nightmares made manifest."
Again, the dark god began to rise, gaining power as they spoke. The spriggan upon the platform began to climb onto the pedestal, struggling with one arm dangling limply as he climbed with the staff. The eyes of more spriggans began appearing in the bushes and shadows around the glade as the peace of the Slumberer became disturbed. Distant screeches of wraiths began to grow in volume as the host of Vengeance retreated to aid their dead goddess.
With a strength that Willow could tell was practiced and controlled, he shook her, just once, and said:
"You and me. We kill this thing, and we go home."
Vengeance was rising from the earth, taking roots with her as her form began to break down. The lie that she wore as a mask was beginning to fall apart, and the monster that she was began to come forth. Green and brown vines coiled into strengthening muscles as she grew, only to be shot down by bolt of lightning. And then another, and another.
The Black Staff, freshly summoned in Flynn's hand, stabbed into the earth, and he gripped his apprentice's shoulder, and turned her back to him.
"Willow," Ruarc spoke firmly, but not as the teacher he was, but as one battlemage to another, "this place gets in your head. The longer you're here, the less of a grip you have on what's real. First, you start seeing visions, then your perceptions begin to fall apart. This place is a lie. Nothing here is real. It's Percival's nightmares made manifest."
Again, the dark god began to rise, gaining power as they spoke. The spriggan upon the platform began to climb onto the pedestal, struggling with one arm dangling limply as he climbed with the staff. The eyes of more spriggans began appearing in the bushes and shadows around the glade as the peace of the Slumberer became disturbed. Distant screeches of wraiths began to grow in volume as the host of Vengeance retreated to aid their dead goddess.
With a strength that Willow could tell was practiced and controlled, he shook her, just once, and said:
"You and me. We kill this thing, and we go home."