Lumikki long sent Trygve to inform Brone of her challenge. She was more than eager to clash with him again. The last fight that she had entered with Brone was the most fun one she’s ever had. The other battles had felt stifled. Though these were her thoughts without need of comparison, and then with Yuurei it was less a fight and more a challenge to complete. A checkpoint of her progress.

But with Brone, it was a song and dance filled with tension and flow. Although not perfect yet, the two had found a way to take a step on their turn. But the best part of all was how fun it was from beginning to end. Even if she failed to win after tiring herself out, she pushed further than she ever had done before. A joy-filled her soul as she fought in a way that better aligned with her nature and her preference. She longed to taste that feeling once again. Reaving for it she darted for the stables, usually the little Demon would jump for her window but in her vigor, she chose to run her way down. Every step she took was silent as her bare feet would hit the ground. She no longer enjoyed the sensations of shoes since her rebirth as she felt it heavily restricted her. The discomfort was not one she would bear for the sake of normality.

Lumikki ran down in her Demoness form, her skin of night and hair of snow and the vast sky. Icebergish tattoos glowed in contrast to the darkness of her skin, and the frost of her body would shimmer at times when hit with the light. Her hand almost looked like ice, while living shadow would coil around her legs ever-shifting but usually just feather-like shapes.

Asger, seeing her long into the distance would bellow as he saw the girl approaching. His excitement to see his Revna was apparent. They had developed more of a bond throughout the time he was around. Lumikki would often over-spoil him with food and affection. Often times took him to the harder-to-reach mountain tops so that the two could be alone. Her pause from the world and those that surround her, and she would read out loud all the books that she had brought with her.

" You look so happy Lumi~" Tenevi, a companion of Lumikki who was just recently atop the roof, would glide down and meet her. Egar to see what brighter her master's mood.

" I've challenged Uncle for the Tournament the Heartless Angel just created and I look forward to actually testing me strength once more. But after the last time....I want to leave this place. Go somewhere spacious but homey~" The little Demon was so animated as she spoke, it was quite infectious.

Tenevi nodded, she wasn't keen on other people just yet, but she did respect that man. " How precious, my lovely girl. Let's be off so you can enjoy your fun then."

" Fun?" Gunvald interjected, he saw the commotion between the two and his curiosity compelled him.

" Aye mate, ye know of the tournament yes? I challenged me Uncle. Trygve will guild him to the spot I chose, actually...were headed for it now if ye'd like to join."

" It would be an honor, I'll drag Lonu and we can be gone." He flew off quicker than Lumi could interject.

" The birds are joining?" Tenevi would lean forward as she inquired, part of an excuse to get closer to her Demon and part to be playful. The harpy would grab onto Lumikki's arm and look up to her longingly. Drinking up the moment that they were alone. She did not know the tongue of ravens herself, but she could surmise from her instincts alone the gist in which they'd speak to her Revna.

When the ravens had united with her once more, they would set out to her motherland. Trygve would meet with them later as he guided Brone and they would be welcomed to the sight of the Demon playing a peaceful melody with her harp. Tenevi was resting her head on Lumi's lap and Asger was coiled all around them, peacefully sound asleep.

" Welcome Uncle..." She said with her full Demonic tone. Her voice had the echo of snow blowing in the wind and wiping around the mounds. It painted a peaceful song with a harrowing melody.

She receded her form slowly, back to one more human. The black of her skin pulled back and dissipated as if they were always just mere shadows overlapping her. Her tattoos grew faint until they appeared no more and her hair took the purple-blue sheen that she had as a Daemon.

Tenevi would get up from her comfort, willing a shadow to raise her master as well. The harpy giggled as the man approached though she would pull away. This would not be her battle this time.

" It's time to play..."

Brone Heavyaxe had received a formal challenge by none other than his demonic niece Lumikki. Because this was a formal fight under the Display of Power Tournament established by Yuurei, it will be treated with all seriousness, for this was no sparring match. He sat in his room, thinking about his last fight with Lumikki, trying to figure out what he could do differently. The mage had a large arsenal of spells that assaulted the dwarf with great power and kept her out of his reach. Gnicholas and Benimaru noticed he wanted to be alone, so they kept their distance, though the oni secretly wanted to watch the battle.

The ravens, Huginn and Muninn were perched on his windowsill, keeping an eye on him, "Very odd to see him so serious before a fight" Huginn mentioned, finding it funny.

"Lumikki has become one of his most difficult challenges, not just because of her power, but because of how strategic she is... he's deep in thought trying to figure out a strategy of his own" Muninn was more sympathetic to the dwarf.

"He needs to loosen up, it's not like it's a duel to the death".

Both ravens caught the sight of Trygve flying towards them, so they met up with him. Seeing that he was sent to guide Brone to the battle zone, they brought him to Brone's window. Huginn landed on the dwarf's shoulder and informed him that Trygve was there to guide him to the battle zone. With a nod, the dwarf holstered his spears and walked out the door, "What about your axes?" Muninn asked as he spotted the dwarf's axes still mounted on the wall.

"I need te train with my spears; I can't get stronger if I rely only on my axes" Brone gave a smirk. Huginn wanted to mention that such a disadvantage will make things more difficult for his fight against Lumikki, but a stern look from Muninn kept him from doing so.

Brone called forth Noctus his black pegasus and once he mounted him, they were off, flying in the sky, being led by Lumikki's trusty raven, although the dwarf had to keep his eyes closed for a good majority of the travel. Eventually they would find themselves entering the land of Iceberg. At one moment, the dwarf opened his eyes, but for a brief moment, he noticed they were within the Isshond Fjords, away from the cities. Soon enough, they descended into what seemed like a cold valley in the mountains. The sound  of the harp reached the dwarf's ears; his memories of his last fight came back to him, his blood began to race.

They touched ground before Lumikki who was enjoying the weather along with her feathered friends. Huginn and Muninn ended up joining them as Brone dismounted from Noctus, "Ready yerself, lass, for I'm not holding back!" he said as he drew forth his golden spear in his right hand and his blue spear in his left hand.

506

Brone’s Spread:

” Consider me ready Uncle…” She uttered in an airy voice. Giving way to her true nature. It was not like she truly needed to hide this from him, the man who cradled her egg in his arms. It was just a fun game to play. Start off as human as she felt she could muster before pulling back all the layers of the disguise to reveal the inky void from within.

Lumikki pulled her Abyss Spin from her void, twirling it in the air. ” Surprise ye didn’t start charging~” She stopped the twirl and a lavender magical circle beneath would flash, before the spell would spread just yet, the Demoness would twirl in her entirety and stop. A second circle would overlap and her magic would spread. A black mist would creep below moving in an alarming rate while the air would chill too rapid to register. The former spell was one her Uncle had tasked before. The black flowers of last time would creep along his amor to reveal its affect.

Lumikki chuckled before sliding her staff away and pulling back her harp. She tensed her hands as if to make them claw like. Wither her blackened skin and elongated ebony nails, they were indeed very reminiscent of talons. A trait she grew to adore quite fondly as it was very becoming of a raven such as herself. Her long black and white dress hid her legs, save for a slit that ran up to her thigh revealing the dancing shadows from beneath.

The Demoness wore no shoes as they felt to restricting to her, even in her human form. The feeling of her feet on the ground and the hair touching most of her skin brought her much peace. Her usually six wings would pull from her back, not quite all frost and shadow as they were before, but now her flesh and blood being revealed in a controlled manner. She did not want to shift form just quite yet, as in her thoughts it was time to play with her prey.

All six wings would pull back, beating down all at once. The rate from with she flung herself into the sky was alarming. Much faster than the time she fought her Uncle before and for much higher as well.

Her talon clutched the harp in hand, spreading her magic over it like the coldest night in winter. Wings and flowers poked out, overshadowing the motif and detail just below and making it her own. In her image.

As she was approaching her peak, a lullaby would escape her lips, but in her voice it sounded more harrowing than sweet as the Demoness began to pluck the strings of her harp and begin the show.

Her soft wail would weaken the Dhain Dwarf before. Bring her much joy and pleasure to inflict. She’d give him a glance before weaving in another spelling seamlessly with the last melody. ” Naught but Winter’s kiss, aye Uncle?” A cackle near broke through her words, before finally falling into a crescendo. Chimes the sound of a breeze kicking up a storm. And just as soon as it started, it ended, her voice picking up the lullaby once more.

Meanwhile far down below, a blizzard storm would kick below. Clawing at her Uncle within its grasp.

She was not done, he told her not to hold back. And so her melody strumming picked up on ferocity. Meshing another song along with the last before hitting climax and peeling away to only reveal the one.

” How do ye like me performance Uncle?!” She managed to utter before breaking out in another fit of laughter.

Lavender magical circles would all blink behind her one by one. Frost darkened weapons would for along the sound of each note as if they were summoned by every once of her song. Brone’s axes were of many, tools of Yuurei would also begin to show themselves too. Excalibur being one of the new entries, if anyone else were privy to know its likeness at all. The howling Demoness gave a quick glance to her victim below before sharply and abruptly ending her song. As if to follow the falling of her notes, he weapons would fall down below as well. The start of her onslaught only begun.

Lumikki's Pokedex entry:

Plight of a Raven:

He mentally went through the last battle repeatedly, understanding several things about Lumikki's fighting style. Her strategy was air-tight with defenses and offenses. With his own short range capabilities, he was at a disadvantage along with the fact that he left his axes back at home, for he needed to better his skills with his spears. Brone understood because of these factors, he needed to keep his focus and always be moving; when he stated he wouldn't hold back, he was mainly speaking to himself. The last fight, he wasn't aware of the speed and barrage of spells Lumikki would be unleashing, not allowing any moment for him to breath. So like he did when sparring with Yuurei, he changed up his strategy. He didn't reply, but simply smiled, acknowledging her as a worthy opponent.

There; the moment he spotted a magic circle appear beneath Lumikki, he cried out his first warcry, tapping into the magic of his golden spear which caused him to expand in size; his body changed to that of a large white werelion. The freezing cold enveloped him causing black flowers of ice to bloom about him, drawing his power from him; he felt this spell before, but this time it was more potent. He couldn't waste any time at all, so the moment Lumikki's wings sprouted, the werelion rushed forward towards her, but the cold of Lumkki's spells greatly reduced his movement; this was why he transformed so soon, needing every bit of strength and speed he could muster in order to keep himself from falling into full defense as he did last time... cowering.

Brone's Werelion Warcry:

She was able to fly out of his reach while playing her harp. The music caught the dwarf's ears, and at that moment, his body felt as if part of his soul left him, the world weighed every upon him as more of his strength was taken from him, but he pressed on.

There, another magic circle appeared. Brone lunged to the side, covering 17 meters in such a quick motion. Though his speed was drastically dropped due to the demonic magic that his niece was pouring out, he was still strong and fast enough to barely make it out of the storm's perimeter. Bits of his air froze at the end as he tumbled by a nearby pine tree, all the while he kept Lumikki in his sight, making sure she- ... yes, there, another circle. The armory of black ice weapons fell towards him. Once again, Brone would lunge out of the way, this time towards the direct of where Lumikki was flying over; he covered another 17 meters and out of the area of the onslaught of the weapons fall about him.

His reason for tumbling towards trees were simple: they were useful. With one quick punch from one of his secondary arms, he broke the trunk of the pine tree, separating it from it's stump and with his another secondary arm, he grasped it, then in one quick motion, he spun on his heel and launched the tree, point first, up towards Lumikki. He chose not to respond to her as of yet because he needed to make sure he enacted his plan.

Another reason why he chose pine trees was because during the winter and high in the mountains, they some of the few vegetation that can still retain their leaves, so as the tree was flying towards Lumikki, the full branches would block the view of Brone would had actually held onto the base of the trunk, never letting go, so he too was flying towards Lumikki.

As the tree neared the flying demon, Brone opened his God of War battle senses, keeping track of Lumikki, who was flying higher another 5 meters. His battle battle plan that he was mentally practicing was working so far, but he need to make sure to not let this get to his head; his niece has proven herself as a formidable, she may have many defenses.

Once the tree was at the spot where she was previously, Brone would leap from the trunk of the tree and allow his white cloak to fly him 5 meters towards Lumikki like a bullet, he would then strike at the flying demon with both his spears.

715 | 1,221

Battle Log:

Spell Used:

Brone’s Spread:

Brone wasted no time turning into a beast. She could not say she was very surprised, if anything, she thought he was doing her a favor. Only it would serve to her annoying her twice over when the beast below side stepped her spells. Lumikki bit her lit in anger. This was all playful sure, but she did not take kindly to those who made her feel as though her spells were mere obstacles. Yuurei, Kaito, and Emil would evade her spells plenty of the time and it was long testing on her patience. Her magic to render her opponents weak never feels as thought it would work.

Blood dripped down her chin as the angered Demoness began to abruptly pluck the strings of her harp. I was painful to hear at first, just random notes pulled in purposely with terrible timing. Her annoyance would travel up her throat and pour out in a visceral screech. One that would echo and quack many times over than the one she did the fight before. The moment of impulsivity helped her empty the building emotions of inadequacy just before her Uncle disappeared among the trees. Her inner fury freezing over something cold and dark as she focused once more on the encounter. Forcibly pulling out her playful nature instead.

” Suppose I could pour these emotions in me song instead. What a lovely plan.” Lumi followed Brone to the forest in with he hid, hoping to rain more of her magic below. She could not see him through the bush but she could a pine tree shifting until it tumbled. She took it as her mark to drop her spell and began to furiously play the notes of a song before. Lavender magical circles as they had before rained down on the forest below but as she was going to switch the notes for a new spell, she would notice dotted lines heading her way. Tricky, tricky aren’t ye she’d think as she switched her spell in mind. In the last battle, he would fling a big piece of debris toward her only to toss his spear. This man seems to be planing a similar trick as the last. Hoping that she may dodge once more to test his luck again. Shame for him that she would not forget and a tree should be nothing to her dark magic. If it were to survive the passage through her arsenal than she’d strike it down and waste his time.

As she shifted to another song, she figured the man would not tell much of a difference to distinguish and of her spells. Though wise as he may be in battle, the man had no care for such a things as tunes and songs. So she used it against him. As the tree flew her way, partly getting grazed by black frost spears and swords, a lavender circle would a appear before her releasing a crackle of frosted thunder to snap right for the tree. Black frost flowers would bloom and whither on the branches of her spell, surging and striking quick as true thunder would.

From that point the Demoness would move, flying the max speed her wings would take her as she awaited the dots of the axe only for her to notice her Uncle from the corner of her eye instead. The werelion found himself in her skies once more and she was ready to make it his problem. She circled around him at the fastest speed she could with the intention to dizzy and disorient him. Brone was using her as a point of focus to maintain his flight, but she would not make it so easy. He was in HER kingdom now. And she would make him regret it.

” Don’t look down now Uncle. Yer the highest I’ve ever seen ye in the skies. Good thing that cape of yers could catch ye when ye fall, right?” Lumikki would begin to giggle and cackle as she circled him. Taunting him further to throw him off. His warrior sense were probably picking every moment, adding to the sensation of movement further.” Don’t forget yer feet aren’t touching stone Lion. There’s no way for ye to keep yer balance up here~” With each rotation she kept playing her song which appeared like it had no effect. Really she was playing something not attuned to her magic, getting him used to her music, funneling it in his ear constantly. There was no longer a way for him to tell WHEN her spells would come now as the Demoness had no need to adhere to normal gestures.

And so she would unless a furry as she kept moving undeterred. First a circle would appear above him as a frost talon would stomp down, then another would strike as his side. With each rotation she had done collectively she pulled further and further out until he was center of a twenty diameter circle. Lumikki allowed her song to crescendo until a massive circle appeared below him to create another blizzard. Which ever way he went she prepared the plucks on her string to her unkindness whichever way he went. She would show him no mercy in her domain.

” The skies….they are mine….”

Her rotations would never let up as she continued to circle her prey.

Plight of a Raven:

The tree was destroyed by one of Lumikki's spells, which means Brone couldn't use it any further as he planned. He had missed his attack and now needed to focus on his descent. His niece taunted him about his fear, which he didn't need reminding, for he was already looking downward, his heart racing. But he had expected this in his plan, so now he needed to try his next tactic, 'the safe fall'. He looked down and saw the earth below him and he was fast approaching it; then he spotted it: another tree. He put his hands to the side and pointed his body down, nosing diving.

His War God senses warned him of another assault of spells coming towards him; as expected, the demoness didn't hold back and he didn't expect her to. But in this position, he couldn't dodge out of the way of any attack, so he bellowed another warcry; his Kalbak armor conjured forth ice that covered the werelion's body entirely.

Warcry:

The spells began to assault him, despite how fast he was plummeting, Lumikki's spells were faster. Black snow and ice pelted and cut at his blueish ice armor, breaking and cracking it, all the while Brone focused his eyes on the pine tree he was diving for. When he finally reached the tree, one of his free hands extended and he slammed his claws into the bark as he slid down the trunk of the tree, though breaking through the cluster of branches on the way door. His heart still raced, but began to slow as his descent was slowing.

He would then land his feet ground and tumbled to fully stop the momentum. When Brone got back onto his feet, he would look to the sky and see where Lumikki was positioned. Under normal circumstances, he would take a moment to catch his breath and try to think up a different plan, or at least bide his time, but this was all something he thought of before the battle, knowing that his niece wouldn't allow him time to rest, nor was it a good idea for the sake of his transformation. Being in the werelion form ate away at his mana, so he'll need to make every second count.

Brone ran back to the tree that saved him from his fall and just like the other tree, he punched the base of the tree, separating it from the stump and with his other free hand tossed it high into the air towards Lumikki, but he grasp onto it, nor did he stop at that point, he immediately rushed towards the next tree, then struck that one and tossed it. He would do this a third time, and on the third tree, he grasped it and allowed it to pull him to the sky. With three pine trees shooting towards Lumikki, it would be troubling for someone to spot Brone, especially with the branches blocking line-of-sight; luckily for him, his God of War senses will allow him to stay focused on Lumikki.

With how odd this tactic is, and how nerve wrecking, he didn't have time or the focus to exchange banter with his niece. This was possibly the most he had used his brain during battle.

Just like before, when close enough he would leap from the tree and try to strike at Lumikki with both his spears. Hopefully the three pine trees will throw her off.

575 | 1,796

Battle Log:

Spell Used:

Brone’s Spread:

Brone fell from the sky taking the brunt of her attacks, though not really. He let out a cry and summoned his armor’s spell. His ice was just barely holding off against her own. But it held all the same. The Demoness pouted as he clutched at a tree, using his werelion’s claws to slow his plunge to the ground. He was getting lost in the wood once more and she did not care to entertain his tactics any longer. Lumi placed a cold hand over her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. By the time she open them once more, she had her Uncle marked with an X below. And just as, when she assumed he hit the ground, he got to work quickly. Lumikki could see the dots lining toward her as Brone was readying his shot once more.

She began to move around once more, making it harder for him to line his shot. Plucking the strings of her harp as she prepared her onslaught again. Not like he waited to toss the thing for long. He sent it into the air rather quickly, but his X remained to the ground. By the second tree, and the second round of dots, she was wondering how often he would do this. Figuring she would want to have fun of her own again very soon, she pressed to wait patiently just a bit longer. Flying in a circle wide circle so as to trace the edges of the forest, but to no longer be just above it like she was before.

The instant the X began to rise along with the lines, she began her work once more. Weaving in her spells with miscellaneous notes and tunes. And as he lost the protection of his tree, she slung her spells at him once more, while she kept her distance at twenty meters away. She strummed up her storm first and foremost so that it would surround him. The werelion with axes out stretched would get caught in her storm. She watched for a moment before going on further, strumming another spell in her arsenal and sending out her black frost weapons once again. She did not let up as she strummed her Tundrian surge directly at him as well. ” Cheeky of ye to be back in the air once more Uncle but I hardly think this plan suits ye. Nor does all the silence.”

Plight of a Raven:

Brone darted by, missing Lumikki who seemed to have already been on the move before he leaped from the tree. This confirmed his earlier suspicion that she may have a similar ability to his War God senses, to be able to perceive her opponent despite obstacles blocking line-of-sight. He had suspected this during their last sparring match, when she was able to avoid his surprise attack. Those alternate color eyes of hers were more than just for show; now he needed to switch up his tactic. Given she was able to foresee his surprise attacks, he next option would be to change to frontal attacks, which was one of the reason why he threw three trees into the air instead of one.

He tapped into the magic of his cape so he could fly to one of the closest tree that was still in midair that was beginning to descend. As he flew, the black flowers made of ice that sprouted upon the were-lion's ice armor, had spread what looked like black roots, digging into the ice skin, causing several large cracks to spread and shatter the secondary skin, then the icy roots dug into his true armor, sending some cracks to run along the back and front before dissipating. As his feet touched the trunk of that tree, the cold of Lumikki's first spells reached him; the black snow and hail whipped up rapidly, causing damage to Brone and his armor and even coating the pine tree.

The dwarf then quickly kicked off the tree, sending it shooting out of the range of the blizzard, but allowing him to lunge at Lumikki. At this point, he would have to rely on his speed; though because of the music that filled the air had drastically slowed him, his Casdae's Edict should emit enough cold air to slow Lumikki somewhat enough, though he wasn't sure if it may have any affect on the Ice Witch, but he needed to try everything he had. As her second spell, the Black Star Shooter was sailing towards him, Brone magically summoned his giant fork into his secondary right hand. In an instant, part of the Black Star Shooter spell was then absorbed by the fork; he felt the mana from the spell surge into him, fueling him, but only so much, for his transformation was burning through his mana reserves rapidly; most of the spell remained, axes and spears struck him; for some odd reason, the fork wasn't able to absorb the entire spell. As he neared Lumikki the dark beam that was launched from Lumikki's fingers struck the were-lion's armor, cracking it further, but Brone's lunge pushed him through.

"Even a creature of the earth must find a way to fight against a creature of the sky, even if that means entering the sky itself!" he finally spoke as he would try striking at his niece once again with both his blue spear and golden spear. As he gripped the shaft of both spears, the purple diamond on the ring that remains on Brone's finger emits magic like electricity, causing both his spears that were seeking Lumikki to surge with electricity of their own, enhancing the damage.

510 | 2,306

Battle Log:

Spell Used:

Brone’s Spread:

Watching the surprisingly nimble Werelion use the log in their favor was entertaining. She figured he would be stranded in the sky but he kept thinking of clever ways to reach her. "Kukuku..." She began to cackle. It would build up into a crescendo in a quick and gleeful inhale, only to let out an earsplitting screech in her merriment.

As she wailed, she let herself drop a few meters before her Uncle was close enough to reach her. Gravity would make up for her slowed state. But the shadows would come alive, sparked into rapid motion as they wrapped around her. Pulling to her frame and clinging to her skin until the too became her and shifted her flesh to that of one more creature than human. " Oh but the sky is not like the Earth Uncle, it is a realm of its own. A world just above yers. It welcomes visitors aye, but it is not as forgiving. What goes up must come down-crashing to the Earth from whence they've come!" The excess shadow would pull away to reveal a more avian creature, one could confuse her for a harpy with her talons on hands and feet, paired with her beautiful humanoid face. Her fallen Angelic masquerade was replaced with that of one that suited her nature, a bird Demon, hungry for more chaos and destruction.

Back facing the ground she began plucking her harp once more, her laughter and glee bleeding into the melody she played as another blizzard would heed her call just above. A lavender magical circle flashed above as the wind began to whip around and lash around the Werelion. " Ye have no choice but to crash upon the Earth ye love eventually. Heheheh~"

She moved her fingers quicker and quicker. Dexterously and gracefully she plucked her harp in quick succession as she was playing around with the tunes. Shifting it from somber to joyous seamlessly as she hoped to spread misery in all her delight. Multiple lavender circles flashed around her as she softly flew around, her Uncle's slowing chill could not touch her as she was that much closer to her really form.

She finally flipped around and flew up fast as she could, never once cutting her song as she made it her full height in flight once more. She kept the music playing as she playfully held her harp like a bow, a magic circle manifesting as a black arrow slowly passed through it. Its head and tail ever-shifting until the last moment she pulled her string like one would to shoot an arrow. The head cemented in the form of a beautiful woman as the tail kept to the form of four lion paws.

She continued to giggle as she waited for him to plunge. Circling him around him like a bird of prey.

Plight of a Raven:

The spears missed their mark, and now Brone had no ground to stop his momentum, nor to rebound off... just sky, the realm he had entered. He tightened his grip on his spears as his eyes darted about, trying to find anyway to continue the fight, to defend himself, to strike again. The black ice roots from the flowers that sprouted about his body had spread about his arms, his armor and beneath said armor upon his chest. The pain had siphoned the heat from his body as he began to plumet. He turned his body as best as he could to face downward where Lumikki had flown. He had no way of dodging the next attacks, so he chose to meet them head-on, not intending to give up just yet.

Spoiler:

He threw his golden spear, the magic within it activated, giving it the power to make a bee-line downward towards the demoness, Brone's last Hailmary before the black blizzard enveloped him. The snow and hail completely took him over, siphoning the last of his strength. As his body fell out of the radius of the snow storm, his werelion form faded away like vanishing snow, all that was now was a weakened dwarf who used the last of his strength to hold onto his two remaining spears as he plummeted. His vision was fading as his body darted through a cloud of black weapons, several scraping and breaking through his armor, but slicing through his arms and legs, "Colder than before" he thought as he tried his best to will his arms to move; he didn't realize that all the feeling in his body was gone as he went numb from the cold. Due to his vision blurring, he didn't realize Lumikki had already flew above him. He didn't see the arrow firing as he descended.

The arrow struck the back of his armor, nearly splitting it in half, but the dwarf didn't feel it, nor hear it. All he saw was the ground below racing towards him. "Hey, Morgrym... ye lass is a strong one" he told his cousin in a whisper as Lumikki's father laughed in an echo as the dhain dwarf fell unconscious.

The Sleep:

* * *

Brone hit the ground, causing black snow to kick up. The collision sent an echo throughout the valley. Huginn and Muninn watched from the distance, neither of them said a thing, but after seconds had past and there was no movement from the fallen dwarf, they flew over to land upon his body. They heard a heartbeat which gave them relief. They didn't say anything, but they knew what the other was thinking; they could have gotten Noctus to save him from the fall, but the dwarf would have called it interfering, and they weren't sure if was defeated before or after the fall. They then hopped off the back of Brone as they saw the black roots from the spells had continued to spread and completely shatter the armor and the helmet, revealing the dwarf in his linen shirt and his white hair undone. The golden spear would magically appear in the hand that had thrown it. All his spears were still being gripped tightly, despite the dwarf was not even conscious.

543 | 2,849

[Exit]

Lumikki was giddy to see her carnage but she came to a halt when her Uncle looked lifeless. Dropping from the sky just like the stone he claims to be born from. Her heart was beginning to sink fast her than he had. Throwing her Harp into her void, she dove after him as quick as she could muster.

Further and further she would plunge but not faster than that boulder of a man. Without her noticing the darkness around would seek her like she became their gravity. Heavier and heavier she became until she was closing in. But not fast enough to save him from the crash.

Her brothers checked on him, moving to the side soon after confirmation. She sighed a breathe of relief, cold chill like a mist spilling out from her beak. Lumikki pulled back all her wings to cut the momentum of her dive. Softly landing on top and covering her Uncle quite carefully. Almost like a mother bird nursing her eggs. She casted her Primordial’s frost blessing this time. Flowers blooming and whither in quick succession around his body until his wounds were clothes and sealed. Even so, she smothered him under her frame in a protective way. Looking like a craved Demoness as she protected Brone. Not even her ravens or harpy neared for the moment. Seeing her as distressed as she was.

” I love ye Uncle…” she said almost breathlessly. Her words entirely like the loose wind shipping around from above. ” It’ll be ok. I’ll protect ye I promise.”