Chapter Five Hundred And Seventy Nine – 579
Evie landed in a roll, springing up to her feet as her spiked chain retracted into her hand. Behind, the last of the Brumalbats fell in gruesome pieces, their icy wings and dark ichor splattering the cliffs below. A Yttin harpoon speared the center of the nearest corpses and snapped back, snagging the majority of its guts. They splatted messily beside her.
Gross.
Pit landed beside her, his dark armor making him look far larger and more intimidatingwere it not for his eagerly wagging tail. His icy maw was already greased by foul liquids. No no, they taste good. You should try it.
Im thinkin Ill pass.
Pit shrugged. Your loss. He chomped down, squirting ichor to either side as he happily munched away.
Evie grimaced and averted her eyes, for once not interested in the snacks shed secreted away in her armor. In the distance, a bolt of lightning shot up into the sky, arcing back toward Cold Rock. Felix is coming back, she said.
That looks bigger than normal, Vess pointed out. Hes carrying something?
Oh. Its done, Pit said behind a mouthful of bat meat. That took a while.
What is? Mother Vepar asked. What did your leader do?
Look.
They followed the jut of Pits beak, where the lightning landed just inside the walls. Felix, his fur cloak fluttering all around him, had landed gracefully in the center of the courtyard. Seconds later, a cage of ice crashed next to him, kicking up a geyser of snow straight into the air. A blinding cloud spread everywhere before it reversed course, sucked back inward into Felixs open maw. Inside the cage, tumbled onto their knees and backs, were dozens of Frost Giant Witches bound in blue-black manacles threaded with red-gold veins. None of them looked happy in the slightest.
Mother Vepar gasped. Hecaptured them? That is not done. Their powersour powerscannot be held or restricted without an elision collar. I dont suppose you have those with you?
We do not, Vess said.
Then it is pointless. Dangerous. They cannot be trusted, and we cannot hold them, Mother Vepar said. The moment they are free they will turn on us.
I hesitate to agree, but the Witch is right, Tzfell said. The Risi know only violence and the rule of might, but even that is trumped by an opportunity to weasel out of their given word. She pointedly ignored the wrathful glare of Mother Vepar and looked back down at Felix. They cannot be bargained with, no matter the level of ones Diplomacy Skill.
The Witches said something, but it was hard to hear over the constant wind. Felix responded, and the Witches flinched back as if hed lunged at them. They didnt say anything else. Felix, however, raised his head toward the Feldspear giants still fighting just beyond the gates. His voice rang out in peals of thunder. It is over. Your Coven has surrendered. Lay down your weapons, silence your Skills, or die.
The Feldspear forces, dwindled by half, breathed heavy, ragged steam into the air. Berserkers drenched in as much blood as ice, fondled their spiked fists with dire expressions, and the normal ranks werent much better.
Evie stared at them, and was surprised to find she had no rage left to burn. She only felt a pain in her lungs, as if she was being squeezed. Cmon. Listen to him. Surrender.
The giants made no move to drop their weapons, and Felix lifted a hand. Evie turned away, unable to watch the slaughter to come. Idiots!
Beef! Felix called.
Evie cracked her eyes. What?
Something very big and very wet crashed into the field beyond the gate. Someone nearbya mage, probablymade a retching sound.
I find Felixs brand of Diplomacy to be quite effective, Vess said after a moment. Do you not agree, Chanter Tzfell?
Pit let loose a screeching cry, blood flung from his icy jaws.
Mervin stood among the giants, staring at a corpse.
Promise? The pause after that word felt like it was weighing something. Deal.
You Have Received A Quest!
Wait, what?Delicious Devour IYour Primordial Hunger has requested a reward for all of its hard work. Prey must be Tier V or higher if a monster, Master or greater if a mortal, or the equivalent in magical potency.
Rewards dependent upon prey devoured.
Reward(s): Doubled Significance, Varies
Accept?
Y/N
Felix lowered the skull into his lap. You can help me increase my store of significance?
A deep rumble shook him from within. Yes. Some.
He accepted it without hesitation. A Quest that would net him double the significance for doing something he was going to do anyway? And judging by the little I at the end of the Quest title, it was likely this was a chain of Quests. Ill be sure to feed you very very soon, Hunger.
A low rumbling shook him from the inside out. Good.
Felix still had some time before they were due to set out with the Coven, and he considered going out hunting. He doubted, however, that he could simply stumble on something better than Master Tier in the wild Hoarfrost. He looked at the Skull in his hands again. It might be usefulbut his Hunger wanted him to eat it.
Well, let me try it out first. He lifted his finger and with a sharp tug, slashed it open with his own claw. A small drop of ruby blood welled up before his regeneration closed the cut, and Felix quickly smeared it across the Skull of the Forsakens brow. Immediately, a connection between him and the Skull manifesteda thick, braided line of dark crimson, flecked with gold and blue.
He pressed his Intent into that connection, and shouts erupted from outside his rooms. They were muffled by stone and glass, but Felix jolted to his feet.
Pit peered out a window. Youre sitting in the middle of the blacksmiths forge, Felix. He paused. And on top of someones meal at the bar. Oh wait, now youre walking.
Felix dashed to the window and saw just that: down below, a copy of him marched forward before leaning as if to look through an imaginary window. Startled giants were everywhere, most of them running from his sudden appearance. A few of the blacksmith apprentices swung crude iron clubs at his illusory form, but the blows passed right through him. Felix immediately cut the connection between him and the Skull, and the illusions immediately disappeared.
Someone knocked on his door.
Hey, sorry about that. It was just an illusion though he started, but cut himself off when he saw the two Chanters standing there. Oh. What can I help you with?
Laur craned his neck as if to see behind Felix. Did something happen? We heard shouting, and now I can almost smell the expenditure of Mana.
Felix gave a polite smile. I wouldnt be worried about it. What do you want?
Tzfell looked as stoic as ever and ignored her associate. Might we come in, Lord Autarch? I believe we have some things to discuss before our journey resumes.
Things?
Regarding the Kingsrock, and the dangers that lie ahead.
Im quite aware of both, Tzfell, Felix said, beginning to shut the door. And Im really busy tonight
Kingsrock is a Nymean ruin.
Felix stopped, the door half closed on the two Chanters. Dammit. Come in.
