I know it in my bones.

I know it in my soul.

I felt her touch upon the frozen wastes, I felt her boots upon the glassed remnants of a thousand kingdoms.

The weight of what she has done lay heavy on my back, crushing me, pushing me down against the bosom of the earth.

A suffocating weight.

An endless weight.

It hurts to breathe, it hurts to open my eyes, I hear the screaming of those that have lost even when I sleep.

I know that unless she is dealt with the world truly will never be safe.

I know that without her gone, I will never truly wake up.

Saturn felt the pressure of something on his chest, the rocking of the ship that he was on was something that had lulled him to sleep. But the scaled form of his companion, the soft yet jagged edges of body pressed firmly against his chest. The little thing was cold and trembling, saturn blinked a little bit. His golden eyes had fluttered open and he took in where he was again. Sighing to himself he’d put a blanket over echo after getting out of bed. The little mindrache wasn’t built for the cold but they had begged to come with saturn.

He stared at him for a moment and then walked out of the sleeping quarters. This transport ship was a rune knight one that he had chartered to take him to iceberg. His information had yielded some results and a clan that was allies to the wolfensteins of old told him something that had initially sent shivers down his spine. They knew where lady wolfenstein was; what fortress she was hiding away in, the strength of her forces, the magics that she held within. They knew so much he had to ask them where it came from. When told that it was the information of witches he didn’t question it. He knew it to be true. She was capable of so much and here she was clawing for more power. Clawing for the ability to do so much more. He felt the briskness of the air against his fur and he felt his social garb change almost immediately.

He felt as though he was in danger setting foot in these lands; his normally social and cheerful visage was one that was now brought to a more somber one. His smile never wavered but there was a weight to it and his open golden eyes. Some of the knights on board flinched seeing him. His mere presence alone sometimes was enough to cause this, but at the moment? His spear lay hidden; yet here it was in full view. His armor was once so lovely now seemed as though it was cold and hard. There was a fury to him that was barely contained. He could feel the clutch of gauntleted hands around his own. He could feel the hackles on his back raising that were not his own. His ears strained and listened. He could feel the laughter on the wind and one word fell from his lips.

”Lady.”

The laughing stopped, the breath of the wind dropped, the world seemed in turmoil. There was abject fear and he could feel all eyes of this land turn upon him. His steps crunched on the snow that permeated the deck. His golden orbs swept the land and he felt a blast of air against the back of his head. The heavy, wet warm breath of his wyvern had made itself known. He’d turn his eyes up to it and the beast met his eyes, bowing to him and extending a wing. Saturn stood there for a moment and he’d hold his hand down for a particular mindrache to climb up.

He knew his companion and felt their weight crawl up to his shoulder from the bottom of his arm. His frame worked up the massive one of his wyvern and the knights around him looked on in awe. He could feel the eyes of more than a hundred people on the trio. He could see the distant fury of another trio but ones that had been cast away. He could hear the babbling and squabbling of the knights around him and he’d hold up a hand. Silence dropped on the ship and he’d look around.

”Drop anchor when you get closer to shore and wait for my return. You have several weeks of rations and water. When night falls the draugr will rise but be unable to come to you.”

Saturn’s words were heeded, the ship slowed, the anchor dropped. The wings of his wyvern opened as the sails of the ship furled. With one single flap they blasted off, soaring over the land of iceberg. He could feel the armored boots of the draugr below as they flew. Hundreds of them, thousands maybe. He could feel the necromancers of the house of wolfenstein working hard. If they landed too close they would be surrounded. Staring at echo the mindrache gulped.

”We’re going to jump aren’t we?”

”Yes.”

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The crash of his boots against the snow was muffled, the weight of his form was easy to disperse. He had long learned how to handle himself, long since learned to carry the weight of armor. Long since learned how to pick up the weapons of his kin, the weapons of his people. He felt the prickling sensation of the snow and the wind bite at his skin. He could feel the impact of echo next to him, the little mindrache letting out a grunt of irritation as it was several feet deep for the both of him. The draugr in front of them was waist deep in snow. Saturn didn’t waste any time and scooped echo out of it. Placing him on his shoulder, the little mindrache sneezed to rid himself of the snow that had crept up a nostril.

”There must be… thousands of them.”

”More than likely. You okay?”

”Tails a little sore… but other than that I’m okay.”

Saturn nodded and held out a hand. From it a blast of light cut through the draugr standing directly in front of them. Slicing through dozens of them in a single instant. Some of them looked startled while others turned grimly to face him. They were in for a fight for sure. Saturn spat to one side, he could feel his anger rising deep within. The icy cold had not bothered her, it would not bother him. Another crunch of the snow and he set forward, leaping through the air. Rhongomyniad lashed out a thousand times. Like a snowstorm of light it cut bloody swaths through the undead. Cracking skulls, shattering chests, in some cases they simply evaporated from being. They were nothing to him, ancient soldiers that had lost themselves to time only to be brought up again and again by the necromancers that knew not how to properly treat the undead. They didn’t know how to coax the souls into agreeing, they didn’t know how to protect the people.

He felt anger dig deep and he’d growl. It was a sound that cut through the snow, it was something that the draugr froze at. Their eyes widened. Saturn’s form shuddered, he could feel the ache of the void. The ache of darkness. He could feel rhongo’s spirit screaming to him; it’s gentle voice now filled with hatred a thousand thousand times over. It wanted this the same as him; he felt their darkness within he light emerge. The blackest foulest thing took over the lance and he felt the world around him tip. He felt the eyes of red start to open above and below his own.

He felt the snow stop, the blizzard started to wane. The draugr seemed to step back from him. A form that towered above them time and time again stood among them. Deep seated hatred within it’s eyes as the last two opened up. When the black hole within it’s chest started to beat. The necromancers that had been chanting stumbled and their eyes widened as they could see through the scrying eye just what awaited them. A beast many sizes bigger than even their mightiest warrior with a spear that could pierce the very clouds. Everything seemed to stand still, the massive tail that was alight with galaxies swished to either side.

The massive weight of rhongo slammed down, cutting apart the very ground. Shattered hundreds of these draugr. Launching many more into the air. The very earth seemed to gasp from the strength of the blow and in the midst of it? A massive roar that made the fabric of reality scream. It cut through the veil of a thousand miles, the very world seemed to halt for a moment. When the sound returned it wasn’t as crisp, it was sluggish and slow as step after step cratered the ground.

The form that he called was most fowl but empowered by his very being, his spear seeped into him. He felt his armor thrum with a power well beyond his kin. He felt the touch of the void further as it worked with him. He had once called himself a demi-god. Now he called himself a demon; unlike that of his kin Lumikki. Unlike his wayward friends that took the role of daemon.

He was a demon of the void, a crystal demon of earthland. He was his very own guardian and protector of this world. He felt the innocent souls that had been used in each and every draugr wail at the sight of him. They desired freedom and a blistering hatred seeped up from his breast. It was not of his own but it was of the understanding in front of him. It was without limit; it was without any kind of forgiveness. This was not something that you easily forgave. Opening his mouth wide, he felt the fangs tear at the side of his head. He felt the burning sensation of blood rolling down his cheeks.

He felt hte energy collapsing in on itself. One hand went one way, one went another. His mouth opened wide and rhongo itself seemed to tear the heavens apart. From them three beams split the ground, split the sky, split the air and reality apart. He felt the waves of mana crash again the draugr, obliterating wave after wave of them in a mercy a thousand years coming. He could feel the scrying eye above him and the eyes looked up. It looked so pale, looked so weak. His hand came up and with a sickening crunch the necromancers wouldn’t be able to keep up their legion for long.

Echo sat on the skull of the rightmost shoulder, his jaw slackening as saturn walked. The mighty weight of each step brought him eventually out of his stupor. Barely being able to say anything for too long the mindrache managed finally to squeak out something. It was a simple question; saturn’s frustration and anger was palpable but his curiosity of this form was apparent.

”Where did you learn how to do that?”

”I didn’t.”

Saturn’s voice was but a whisper as he trudged through the snow. The blizzard slowly came to a crawl and eventually dissipated all together. Behind him the remains of thousands of draugr painted a gruesome sight. A massive graveyard where the snow would bury all. He would return later to give them a proper warrior’s burial as they had earned it a long time ago. For now? He could feel the worry, the panic, the hysteria ahead of him. The walls of the last keep of the wolfensteins lay ahead of him and his target rested within.

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He felt the rage of this form, the way that it clawed and struck out against creation. He could feel every step, every breath, every agonizing moment that it had torn away from his very being. It wanted nothing more than to sup on the blood of it’s foes and to see them cast down. He could feel the blistering hatred towards creation, towards the void, towards the very thing that he strove to protect. He reeled it in, he felt the sensations calm, he felt the coldness and the dry storm that was brewing within. He felt the nations of people on his back. He felt the cruelty of the one ahead of him. He felt the burdening rage of the masses cry out to him.

He could see their hopes in front of him, he could feel the crashing tidal weight of their wants against his back. He could feel their clutching hands upon his breastplate. He could feel the black hole within his chest brimming with their desires for a better world. His steps thundered throughout the land. He could feel reality itself twinge at his presence. His eyes tracked through the snow; he could see knights of different flavors that bore the crest of wolfenstein. Resolve was being tested as a massive demon bore down on them. One such had the idea of launching a blast of ice towards him. Saturn didn’t even have to move as it missed; they were terrified. They weren’t sure what to do. He could almost roll his eyes; but there would be no mercy here. He would bring down the weight of his charge upon their heads. Crushing each and everyone of them without fail. None of them could rise against him and the fury that he brought. He struck down what felt like a few dozen of them but as he glanced back he had cut through an entire army. His pace slowed and his eyes trailed forward.

There was still more ahead of him; still a bastion and fortress to deal with. He could feel the glint of its weapons. Feel the fire of its hearth from here; it was a bitter place that didn’t offer much warmth and there was a madness to him. He could feel the negligible weight of his companion who was busying himself with deflecting arrows here or there from the weak spots he could see on saturn’s frame. He always made sure to avoid the black hole which… well. Something like that would just make people afraid anyways. There was a rumble to each step as he neared the fortress ahead. He could feel the tickle of their ballistas, the weight of their trebuchet. The fear of their mages as their magics flickered out before they even reached him.

He could understand their fear, he’d point forward with a hand and a blast of darkness so evil and heavy slammed against the wall. He watche dthe people on it get flung as the wall buckle, broke and slammed against the snow. The cries of pain didn’t mean much to him as he strode forward. He felt some of them crushed beneath his weight. Some of them brushed aside without much thought, some of the mages thought that they could potentially fight against him. His hands came down with a mighty slash, he felt them fold beneath him and his eyes swept around the court yard. He felt the prick of arrows against his hide, but they weren’t strong enough to leave lasting marks. The crystal pushing them away and he’d snort a bit as he could see some mercs step out of the inner ring. They weren’t anything to him.

They were to just slow him down but they didn’t even manage to do that. One leg lashed out, and he sent a whole rank and file scattering in a blistering wealth of brushed limbs and broken bones. There was a crashing sensation of his tail sweeping those off of the walls and his mouth opened up. There was a screeching sound that dwelled within as a ball of energy appeared in the center of his open maw. It twisted and condensed before launching a beam forward, destroying the whole inner portion of the sanctum in front of him. The wind swept back and away as a barrier shimmered forth. Conjured by a row of mages, some of them were coughing up blood already like they weren’t expecting it and some others looked startled to see such a demon.

”The top isn’t the whole of the fortress, this goes down many levels.”

”I was about to say…”

Saturn felt his ears flick and his form suddenly shrank. His feet landing on the ground as his form had left him airborne with the quickness of it. He sprinted forward, everything looking so much bigger than before. The mages didn’t have a full time to react to him as he crashed into two of them. Sweeping one off their feet and claiming their life while the other was flung against a wall. Collapsing it and letting the heavy boulders that it created to fall and crush him underneath.

The other mages launched different kinds of magics at him. Some ice, some water, some fire. Even lightning. He could feel them dig into his armor and when one looked like it would hit echo he turned his body entirely, taking the blow for him and pointing again. A blast of darkness launched out and the mage was wiped from existence. In comparison to him they were just fodder, she was trying to slow him down by weight of numbers and that much was obvious. He could feel a shameful glance upon him.

Two brothers stood behind the mages. Silver and Gunther. Their jaws had dropped and they watched as saturn casually slaughtered the men they had hired. The men they had trained, the men that for what felt like a year now that they had lived besides. They couldn’t move as saturn walked past them; he wasn’t even going to challenge either of them. Both of them weren’t going to fight him and all of them knew it. Silver was going to say something but all gunther could do was yank him away before running. The both of them would run and he’d never see them again he felt.

In front of him remained some of the inner sanctum; looking around and sniffing he could tell that there was a staircase behind some of the rubble. Using the shadows nearby he’d pick up the boulders and toss it to one side. Growling lightly as he did so; it was frustrating she’d cast so many aside to just save herself. Frustrating that lady wolfenstein would do anything but fight him herself. Anything to save her sorrowful skin. He knew that regent wasn’t here this time. His scent wasn’t present but there were so many newer ones that he was sure that she’d try to replace him with some random thug or something. He could feel the air grow warmer as he walked down the steps of the stairs he cleared away. Echo sighed a little bit as he could feel that warmth too. They were getting closer to the final fight for the both of them.

”What are we going to do after she’s dead?”

”Hold a funeral for her daughter and those she threw the lives away of.”

”Feast too?”

”...And a feast too don’t worry.”

Saturn chuckled a bit; his eyes had closed after his powerful display of skill and magic. He might not have the same level of skill or magic as some in the land but when it counted he would not be found wanting. He was one of the strongest mages of the land; not the strongest as that title went to several others but he was content in the knowledge that he would be able to help the world recover after many horrible instances and plights…

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”Another wretch, looking to slay the lady of the wolves. Such a pity. Your strength could have felled countries yet here you are… looking to slay the last of the chosen.”

A massive wolf stood between saturn and the next flight of stairs. A huge arena that had been cleared from one side to the next. No traps. No nothing. Just a sizeable place for him and this… Beast to fight. It had been sitting so he didn’t see the massive claymore it called its own. It cocked it’s head as it stood up. It clearly was used to being taller than it’s opponents but it sized up saturn and the both of them were right around the same height. It’s brows furrowed and it’d snort softly.

”a lot taller than the other whelps for sure. But no matter, we’ll find where your skills fall.”

Saturn motioned for the mindrache to hop off and they did just that, scurrying back towards the stairs and watching the two with fearful eyes. Echo was strong but he wasn’t strong enough to contend with a wolf of that size wielding a weapon like that. Saturn adjusted his stance and looked them over. White fur, black armor, large black blade. Much of it was hidden behind that full plate. Hell if it wasn’t for the opening of it’s face he wouldn’t have known it was even a beast. Maybe it was the sort that didn’t like the fact it was a werewolf.

”Done gawking?”

Saturn pointed at the beast and it’d have to dive to one side as a blast of darkness nearly took it’s head off. The blast buried into the wall behind and it’d look back; looking very surprised saturn didn’t even consider their fight just as weapons. It’d stand back up and throw from it’s blade what looked like to be a scattering of slashes. Likely the sort that would eat through ones armor and life. Saturn held up his hand and caught the lead one before slamming it down into the earth with a grunt. He had used the way his arms can turn into shards to redirect the attack into the ground. The others skittered past him and peppered the walls to either side. There was a low whistle and the beast seemed impressed. Bulking up further. It likely had buffing magic saturn found himself thinking.

The match between the two would likely be very close; but saturn didn’t have the time for that. He had a mission to do; before he was even done he’d throw another two blasts at the beast. They parried one with their blade and grunted as the second blasted off a pauldron with ease. Burrowing slightly into the beast and having him skid back while saturn approached. He could feel the desire to fight this one in his chest grow.

”You don’t say much do you???”

”...Normally I’m chatty. But lady wolfenstein has much to answer for and you’re in my way to make sure she does.”

Saturn let go of rhongo, letting it seep back into his being. When the beast launched another two pairs of slashes at him. Bigger this time, he’d catch one and slam it into the other. Causing a large explosion of darkness that had even the beast skidding back a bit. Eyes wide as saturn continued to walk through it. His armor had taken some damage but the beast noticed that it was repairing itself quickly; his jaw dropped a little bit as saturn got closer. He’d use his massive blade to try to swing but saturn would grab onto the hilt with both hands, stopping them before kicking the beast in the gut, sending them flying backwards while he still had grips on the sword. Snapping it across his knee before walking forward again the Justiciar of the Damned grasped the head of the beast who was still trying to get up and with a firm headbutt to the skull… over and over again he’d eventually let the beast fall to the ground dazed but barely conscious.

”Your brothers fled knowing better. I’ll let you live too because under her web of lies you never were able to live for yourself.”

The beast didn’t speak but there was a pain in their eyes as saturn walked past, echo quick on his heels and they’d not bother looking back as they heard the beast start to pick themselves up. Compared to the others he wasn’t that strong; but he had a life to live ahead of him. Saturn couldn’t find himself killing anymore of the brothers of the one he had resided in. Anymore beings that didn’t deserve to live. All those warriors and all those knights, all those mercs that took oaths or money… he didn’t feel any of that from the beast. Just a simple knowledge that they weren’t allowed their life.

Saturn stopped at the next level; much of it was a tomb and he’d frown slightly. Every single casket had already been opened and every single body missing. A few dead necromancers and a few guards littered the hall. Drained of their life in one way or another. His expression never waivered from the grin and nor would it but there was a visible frustration to it that echo hadn’t seen in quite some time. What were they to do? How were they to go about this? Saturn let his light magic pour out, the shadows crept back and he was gifted with hollow eyesockets, screaming mouths and a few solemn glances from people long lost to the dark. Saturn shook his head. Just an empty tomb with left overs that they didn’t consider worthy. The ‘undead’ that were left to be. He made sure to give them a final peace; he felt the whispers of thanks and shuddering sighs against his fur like a wet knife into his skin.

”They really didn’t even set them free… tch.”

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So you’ve come.

The voice was barely a whisper, barely a thought. Saturn stood in the midst of a massive hall, vaunted ceilings in every direction; pillars reaching to kiss the sky as they were so far away that you couldn’t even see them. It was like a tomb upon tombs that he was standing within. This was a great place of reverence once now turned and corrupted. His eyes swept the lot of the place, following a single red carpet that stretched on and on. Flashes of people as he walked haunted him, spirits, actual people? Demons? It was hard to tell at this point but he ignored them. Their reaching touch did nothing, scraping and bending against his frame or armor. Echo was not far behind him, biting his lip as saturn walked through undisturbed. Maybe when he was younger the sight of the spirits would make him feel something like fear or regret. But now? It just solidified that he was in the right place and doing the right thing.

It ached as they walked, the sensation they were so close to their summoner. It wasn’t long before they came to the end of the carpet and it’s color had changed slowly from red to purple. Letting him realize they came to the ‘end’. His eyes trailed up and there she sat, bemused, leaning on one elbow, hand cupped to their cheek and a slim smile on her face. She was dressed appropriately for the wolfenstein house. No emotions emerged from saturn’s heart, but from deep within he felt the festering hatred of someone else reach up to strangle his own throat. He could feel hers as strong as could be and he’d push it back down. Her voice was like silk and honey; easy to fall to and easy to be trapped by. Echo shuddered but saturn had been out of her grasp since the moment he had been brought to this world.

Saturn held up a hand and annoyance flickered onto her face, but there wasn’t anything she could do or say that would stop what he had to do. What he had set out to do, he cracked his eyes and the woman flinched visibly. He could say a thousand thousand things; he could explain every moment and every struggle to her. He could elaborate where she had gone wrong; he felt the crushing weight of responsibility upon his shoulders but then eventually he just sighed. He was not tired of that weight; he did not mind carrying the torch to stop someone that wanted the world to be destroyed. He could feel the ache of the woman deep down that wanted that revenge. So he’d ask a simple question.

”Why her?”

The woman’s head jerked, he could feel the stunning silence. He wasn’t even mad about him, he was mad about other people. Echo clutched at his leg and she seemed to struggle to find the words. There was silence between the two and she’d shake her head, dismissing the question entirely. There was no reason she could give to him that would explain it in a way he would understand. He’d hold his hand out to the side and from it rhongomyniad slowly came to being. There was fear in her eyes now and the darkness within him slowly seeped into it’s frame. The world didn’t need to see that she was taken care of, only that she was no longer treading upon it. There was a sadness, an ache to that sadness that made it hard for the both of them to do anything but stare at one another. The first step had the woman stand up, looking outraged he wouldn’t listen. The second had her drawing her blade. The tugging weight and sensation of echo at his ankle had saturn turning his head down. He was terrified and saturn’s eyes softened, he’d reach down to gently rub the top of his companions head.

”You don’t have to.”

Echo’s shoulders seemed to lose their tension and the mindrache looked up at his ‘leader’. They stared at one another for a moment and he’d nod, letting go of saturn’s leg and watched him stride forward. Lady wolfenstein’s words fell against deaf ears, all six that were present in the room. Some speech? Some ritual? He didn’t seem to care, he’d drive his weapon forward and the two ‘blades’ clashed. She had to use both hands just to stop his strike. Driving her down so that she was sitting again; there was fear in her face again. There was no emotion on saturn’s as his eyes stared down at her.

The struggle lasted for maybe a minute before she used her boot to kick the demon’s stomach. Having him slide back from the throne. She’d jump up and throw a trio of silver knives; a hunters weapon. At him. He’d slap them aside, the weapons clattering to the ground and she’d start speaking again. Her silken words, her honeyed tunes were lost upon him. Turned to dust to someone that wasn’t interested. That wouldn’t listen. If she was here they would be talking to one another while fighting but he felt the hollow words she was flinging at him. They meant nothing. So he spoke. She flinched again as his words cut through her lies as though they were nothing but hot air.

”Regent was freed quite some time ago. Silver and Gunther have seen through your lies and your youngest son finally gets to make his own decisions.”

There was a drawling pause; something she wanted to say but he deflected that to into the ground. The words of another fell from his lips; the words of another that had long since passed. In the lateness of the last year she had been culled from this world and had her voice silenced. So he spoke for her.

”Lucretia had died to further your machinations, but she had strove to protect the world from darkness. A darkness her mother had strengthened.”

Saturn walked forward, casually batting away her blade. Stepping forward and grasping Lady wolfenstein’s throat, hoisting her up as though she weighed nothing and the clatter of her sword to the ground was all that split the silence after those words. She struggled and kicked at him as he held her up high, making her look him in the eyes. He could see the fear he stirred in her.

”A darkness, that lucretia lost to. That she brought a light, me. To this place. Stolen away from my home I tried to make sense of things. But I realized that this place, this earthland is my home. It is wrought in darkness, so I took that in too. I cast down your godhood that you bestowed upon me and became a demon. A being of darkness just like lucretia. To fight against the very darkness that would claim us.”

There was confusion evident in her eyes and saturn threw her so hard against the throne that the entire back of it shattered backwards. Splintering the wood and regalia behind her in a shotgun blast of shrapnel. The strength of the demon, once demi god, once wolf was beyond reason at this point. He felt the ache of creation upon his breast and he’d breathe out slow. His words seemed hollow; did he need to say them? There was nothing that he felt would make her understand, the confusion was evident. What was he trying to say. He looked down and then back to echo. The mindrache stood there, all alone. Afraid. Worried. Fearful. Saturn turned his head back, looking down at one of his hands before turning his gaze back to the woman that created the both of them.

”You summoned us to destroy.”

Saturn turned as she scooped up her sword, ready to fight again. Ready to bring to blows what saturn decided to start when he arrived. Ignoring her words completely as she tried to justify what she had done. What she had to say didn’t matter, it was drowned out by the roaring within him and the thousands of voices that he could feel peppering his back. The feeling of gauntlets over his knuckles, the sensation of breath against the back of his neck.

”Her desire was to protect the light, His desire was to feel the sands against his face again, his want was to be the best, his want was to spread his wings and fly, his desires was to live a life free of lies.”

Each person he mentioned was something that her children wanted, that she didn’t know. How could she? They all were tools; he walked forward again; he could feel echo’s eyes on his back. His shoulders broadened, he’d bring his spear back ready to thrust it forward again. His words kept coming; he could feel them like a weapon.

”You brought him into this world without a purpose; giving him one to falsify his hopes.”

He drove his spear forward so hard that it snapped the sword in half, shattering every instance, smiting the very magic from it and catching her armor. Pinning her against the wall. He could feel that he didn’t actually pierce her body and the armor had stopped it dead. But his golden eyes had continued to stay open. He stared quietly at her and then would speak his piece.

”You brought me into this world, hoping to destroy it in a cascade of darkness. You brought me in to snuff it out. Yet here I am, protecting it with light, with darkness, a powerful cross between the two. Here I am tending to the fire that has been raging for years beyond myself.”

Saturn’s hand shot out and the Lady grunted as he grasped her again, drawing back the spear. Another strike would do and he’d get to watch her blood flow from wounds that he had never seen before. Wounds that the world held with baited breath. His voice was barely a whisper.

”Every single person you have brought into this world now fights against you and your evil.”

Evil was such a term for black and white views of everything but saturn knew that was the only word to describe what he was holding against the wall. With a incredible amount of strength he drove his spear forward…

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Tch…

He felt his spear halt in it’s tracks; he felt the flesh that he had so almost pierce resist what he was doing. His eyes flicked to what was in front of him; a beast that was almost as big as he was; half human. Half wolf. Its purple hair was reminiscent of lady wolfenstein yet it was also very on brand for what you’d expect a half changer to meet. His spear was grasped by what felt like an immoveable force and the kick from early sent him flying backwards. His own chest piece had been shattered easily. There would be no repairing it slowly right now, he felt his back skid against the ground and he’d tumble through a few pillars. Coughing as he started to stand up; he saw a beast unlike anything he had lain eyes on before.

It tossed his spear to one side with such force the weapon collapsed and he winced a bit. He could feel the weapon still, it was heavily damaged and wouldn’t be much use in the fight from here on out. Just his own fists; his desires to right the wrongs of millena. He stood up straight, cracking his neck and spitting out a glob of blood as the wolf started to speak. Going on about this or that; things he didn’t care about. She was on some high horse; thinking that she had won. Saturn exhaled a bit; he felt his form fall away. He felt the snakes emerge from his back. He felt his amber orange eyes open fully; he felt that mask against his head. Hair draping down his shoulders; his armor fell to his sides as he stepped forward.

Her jaw slackened a little bit and he’d crack his neck. Feeling something pop and he’d sigh; motioning for her to come forward so they could continue the bout. If she wanted to up the anty he would meet her step by step; casting her down each time to prove that she wasn’t some end of the world threat. That she was just another villain being stopped by just the right person.

Saturn was no hero, he was no legend, he didn’t claim that title, that was not his role. He was a Justiciar of the Damned. A tool and force of justice; he could feel that question. One that didn’t need an answer as he shot forward; faster than she could have expected and he’d slam his fist into the side of her head. Watching her tumble away; maybe not with the same amount of force as she used on him but he watched with grim satisfaction as he watched the pillar crumble down ontop of her.

He’d shake off the force from his punch by shaking his hand a bit; she was a tough cookie and he heard her cough as she got up from his punch. He had imprintend his knuckles on the side of her head and had clearly rung a bell or two as she staggered up. She clearly wasn’t expecting him to hit so hard. Snarling she started to bulk up again; her own armor had already been destroyed at this point and saturn blinked as she returned the favor. Shooting forward and slamming an open palm against the side of his head. Slamming him through the wall behind her throne.

He tumbled through what felt like room after room, crashing through wall after wall until he came skidding to a halt next to a sarcophagus. His head gently ‘bumping” against it. It was old and he’d look up, the upside down letters slowly churning in his head as he could hear laughing from a distance. This tomb looked untouched and he could feel a deep rumble within his chest of what this may be. Slowly standing up, he’d read it over. The name of it brought a shock to his core.

This tomb held within it what people would consider to be the first, this place, this fortress was not just the last bastion of their strength but also their first. The words on it were muted and muffled by dust. He’d draw a finger across it and found his heart twist; his heart ached. He’d close his eyes and breathe out.

No name was on this tomb. Only the clan name, no person claimed to be the first. Only that they would be remembered by the name of their forefathers. Something that saturn would deeply respect; he’d turn away from it. His snakes had been cleanly peeled from his back and he’d breathe out; he felt the mask on his head latch to his skull. His frame became far more slender and he’d walk forward. Hooves clicking against the floor.

Wait.

The words were of ancient dialect not his own; his head turned and he could feel the gaze of something else against his own. Something unwavering; something slid back. Something felt the touch on his chest. Something deep; something meaningful; he felt the world grow cold, grow black for a moment before the light flickered into being again. There was a warmth here and the top of the sarcophagus had slid open for saturn to see what was within. No bones, no tools, no nothing. No one was entombed here but… he had just felt some great weight be taken off of his shoulders.

Make your steps from here without that sense of revenge, little one. It is time for her to rest; and for you to carry her torch in the way you see fit. Not how she would.

Saturn gave a dip of his head and walked forward from the open tomb. He could feel the coldness return slowly as he made his way room to room, eventually to the cackling mantle of the lady of house wolfenstein. Echo stood there cowering in front of the wolf. She was going on about how he was just all talk. How he was nothing compared to her; so into this depth was she that she didn’t feel saturn behind her. Didn’t recognize his approach. His shoulders didn’t sag, there wasn’t anger in his heart. There wasn’t that darkness, there was a levity to him. Saturn reached down, placing a hand on her shoulder. The woman froze; her words midway out of her mouth. She’d turn her head, the beady grey eyes of this form stared back down at her and there wasn’t a single exchange before he flung her away from his friend. Watching her sail through the air for a moment before hearing what echo had to say.

”Is… that you saturn?”

”It is. You okay?”

”...Uhuh…”

Echo seemed surprised to see saturn and saturn would give a small wave to his friend before turning to follow after the wolf he had just thrown several pillars length away. Unlike last time she had landed on her feet snarling, spitting curses and launching some sort of spear at him. He’d smack it out of the way, then the knives, and then some spell he’d just simply split down the center with a clean cut of his tail. He’d sigh a little bit as he got up to them again; she angrily spat at him before saturn drove his claws downwards. Slamming into the top of her head and cratering out the ground with the sheer force used. He watched as the ground cratered and then drew his other hand back… doing it again and again before he couldn’t feel the coldness of that room on his back. He’d stop and look up, realizing that they two of them had dug several stories down from the force. Sighing he’d let his feet leave the ground and he’d float on up to the ‘top’.

”I didn’t really expect her to go down as easy as that but she’s not moving anymore. I also didn’t expect to run into… well. The first.”

Saturn let his form drop as he was now at the edge of the hole he had made. Shaking his head and stretching; he felt worn out. There was a levity to him again and a gentleness that echo could feel. This place didn’t feel cold anymore; there was an absence that the both of them could feel in the world now with what just happened. Saturn walked to echo who was sitting on the ground, looking a bit winded…

”Should we go home?”

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It was too early to celebrate.

There was that sensation, that feeling that the tide had receded only to slam in full force again. Saturn felt the fist connect before he saw it. He felt his feet leave the ground and he experienced a sensation of weightlessness from the sheer force that wracked his frame. He shot upwards through the ceiling, tumbling through rubble and crashing down into the ground. Sending debris and former foes flying. Saturn sat there dazed; as he had just been launched from the ‘tomb’ into the fresh air again. Whatever force that had hit him was strong enough to send him tumbling through the very earth and fortifications that rested above.

He could hear the hollow laughter of a woman that was long disconnected from the world. She thought she claimed victory; there was an edge to her voice now. Before it had been haughty and overbearing. Saturn wiped away some blood that had trickled from the edge of his mouth as he could feel her get close again. She was beyond fast; beyond his kin. She had to have some kind of ability to let her move that quickly. His hands came up and sure he caught the first fist by the second connected to the side of his head and sent him flying once more. Tumbling through the dirt, taking out trees and walls the young demon could only let the mysteries of his body do their work.

He felt himself skid to a halt again and as he pushed himself up from the ground he was gifted with the sight of what Lady wolfenstein was capable of. She was a monsterous werewolf, towering over even his normal form. Purple and white fur, deep angry purple eyes… He noted the distinct lack of weapons on her form though. Other than those claws. Tattered outfit that he must have destroyed a dozen times over. He’d cast a glance down at his own raiment. It was it tatters thanks to her hits; he could even feel the halo behind him stutter a bit as it failed to protect it’s masters head. Likely due to the huge crack she put in it with her first punch.

”You lot always did think yourself invincible.”

Saturn brushed off his shoulders as he stood, watching the pieces of his armor fall off. There was nothing weighing him down this time nor was there anything boosting his abilities. He could feel the hushed tone from the distance. Echo was still okay, Lady wolfenstein hadn’t touched him. For that he was grateful. If something happened to Echo he’d likely lose himself. Saturn didn’t have words to share with her; he could tell she was blathering on again. His jaw ached, his heart ached, everything about him drew out the long pain of this world that she forced him to feel. There was nothing about it that made him want to stay.

Nothing about it that made him want to suffer for it. Nothing about it as a demon that he should; he could turn away. Forget this trivial manner; the darkness in his heart edged ever closer. Looking to encroach on his duty and his honor. But something amidst all of that had it halted in its tracks. Saturns fist curled and his smile broadened. He could feel the spike of fear in the air; from those that survived his initial attack and the woman in front of him that could not believe what she was seeing.

Saturn felt the ache of eternity yawn up out in front of him. He felt the vastness of space; the utter darkness that his life had been before this. Before she had yanked him from the stars; before his mother and father had evene considered what he was. To them he was just a tune; a song that you would sing of power beyond ken. To Saturn he was more than that; to the people of earthland he was more than that. Saturn felt the mane of the galaxy tumble down his back, he felt his tail collapse in on itself before lengthening out. A powerful fire of stars and their kin billowing outwards. His brow was split by horns, his body taking on a scaled look, shedding the fur once more.

He felt those eyes split his skull for the first time; every time before this felt like a sad mimickry of what he truly should be. His stomach opened up and infinity yawned beyond it. He could feel the pull from within; the ever lasting void beyond earthland. A being who had no sense, no taste, no touch, no smell, no love or history. Yet here it be gifting itself to him in some way or another. His form swelled and his weight cracked the very foundation of the ground around him.

He towered over the purple wolf; two eyes met six and there was a few long moments of silence as the snow stopped falling. The wind ceased blowing and even the sky seemed to darken. The stillness of everything around them… Even the air seemed muffled to those that had to draw breath. Saturn had always done so to make others comfortable. But he truly didn’t need to, did he? The void and his body before provided for him sustenance beyond ken. The demon sighed as he took a single huge step forward, eyes darkening. The woman in front of him stepped back and drew her claws out in defiance.

A split second later a huge fist drove her body into the ground, cratering the ground with it’s punch and cracking the foundations of the fortress around them. Shockwaves billowed out in the snow and it created what looked like to be a plume of the stuff. Saturn drew his fist back again; eyes searching the white dust. Finding the purple within, cracked and bleeding she cackled. She had lost an arm from that strike but her magic was something twisted. Bringing it back in an instant.

”Hah! You have power I’ll give you that, but you’re nothing.”

Saturn didn’t feel the need to respond; his other hand curling into a fist before coming down. This time the lady of house wolfenstein caught it. Though it forced her to her knees. Saturn drew on the force he had in his frame and cratered her out a second time. The spot made the rest of the area around them shudder. Saturn didn’t seem surprised even if the woman that was currently holding his fist from crushing her away from her did. He drew his fist back, she’d desperately try to ward him off with some spell. Blasting against his fist and sending dark bolts at his frame before he cratered her into the dirt again.

This time it buckled under their combined efforts and once again the both of them were in freefall. Crashing into the tomb underneath them. Saturn was a little more elegant in his fall; slowing it with his natural flight ability. Even if it was just him using his ‘hair’ to form a pair of giant wings to flap for a few moments. Landing upright he’d stare down at the wolf amidst the rubble and spit to one side. He could still feel the aches from earlier fix themselves. It wasn’t something that just was able to be handwaved off.

He’d step forward, hand curling around a collapsed pillar, Hoisting it off of the ground like a two handed bat. He’d bring it around in a brutal swing and launch the woman away from him. Watching her sail through several other pillars. Crashing into a wall and falling to the ground. He’d rest the one he picked on his shoulder before walking forward; he could tell that hurt her a lot. But her cackling continued and she’d stand up, dusting herself off. Her wounds healing over again.

She was going on about how she would never be defeated like that. Only to have the pillar that was used against her as a bat. To be used like a spear thrown at her; it crushed her against the wall behind her and he watched the thrown pillar crumble around her. Her arms up in defiance again. A thin purple pane of ‘glass’ in front of her. She was being careful in fighting against him. Saturn snorted a bit and he felt something inside of him stir.

His hand came up and a blast of light lanced out of his hand. Much to the confusion of the woman in front of him. It collapsed the barrier and knocked her back into the wall again as he walked forward. Spitting on the ground she’d stand back up; saturn had forgotten in his anger of the spear he held within everything. The beast that had replaced sleeping dragon was one of his own for sure.

”You’re a tough woman I’ll give you that. But today is the last day you draw breath Lady Wolfenstein.”

”Oh finally worth your breath am I? Stuff it spaceman.”

The wolf snorted and drew her hand back, mimicking a throwing action as she launched a barrage of bolts at him. Alone they wouldn’t do much but together they were… an annoyance at least. Blasting chunks of his body off, but the strange crystal within just simply formed over it. Healing him and allowing him to close the distance without suffering too much in the way of damage.

Saturn sighed a bit as she blasted away half of his head with a certainly powerful pulse. But like the other damages it too slowly mended. Her eyes widening as he reached down; like with shade maybe… the answer wasn’t to simply kill her? Taking in darkness was what led him to this path before. Maybe drawing in her darkness and letting her spirit rest is what she needed?

Saturn wasn’t sure if he could win against that horrible of a heart though. The last one had steeped him in darkness, allowing him to become a demon like the two that influenced him greatly. Saturn bit his lip slightly and stared down at the purple wolf in his grip. She was biting at his hand but it would be so easy to just… His thumb moved to press against her head and she’d snarl at him. Hands straining; she was weakened and he was still… He could just do it.

It wouldn’t be that hard.

But why couldn’t he?

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It was the wrong way of doing this.

Killing her wouldn’t solve it; he knew that. But he couldn’t let her live either; not as she was. He could feel that ache from within; he knew the solution. It was something he had done before but it was easy. They were the same; one of the same. They were simply fused, one and the same. Saturn could feel the sensation of the gauntlets over his hands again. He could feel the whispers of the wolf before him in ears. He could feel the righteousness of rhongo within his beating heart.

Everything told him it was the right thing to do. To kill her was to let the world heal. To kill her was to… Saturn dropped lady wolfenstein on the floor, watching her as though she didn’t matter. She flinched as she struck the tomb floor. He could do it. He could kill her, stomp her head into the ground, spatter her guts all over the floor. But instead? He knew exactly what he needed. He felt the breathless approval of those before come into his heart; he felt the breath along his neck and across his ears. He could feel the whispers from a thousand thousand people tell him to take this darkness in… Was to shelter the world from it coming again.

Some people could live on in some twisted ways, some people could come back through the mana that made this world sing. Saturn wasn’t going to have that. So he reached down again, not with his physical body mind you. But his mana reacted to hers. Her eyes widened and he could feel that need. That want. That ability, that horrible ability that gave him the soul and the mana of his brother so long ago.

Consumption was a powerful tool; used for offensive means. But it could be twisted into a hungry monstrosity couldn’t it? His mouth curled in a frustrated smile and he felt the ache and hunger twist through his frame. He could feel the void from deep within cradle this idea like it was just the only way. Everything about him screamed that this was the way.

That killing her, consuming her mana till there was nothing left was right. He could see the fear in her eyes and he could feel the sensation of that horrible hunger. The ache in his chest from the beacon of felled planets reverberated through his entire being and his eyes widened as his body stiffened.

His hand came down, grasping around her head. Her hands pummeled his hand as he lifted her off the ground like this. He could feel all of her magic and mana within. Every little dark tool she used in this world was nothing to him. He drew that sensation and energy towards himself. He could feel her weakening, he could feel his strength. He could feel the energy; the mana, the collapse of something against him. He could feel blades in his heart, he could feel the sundering of mountains. He could feel the darkness as a shell around him.

His lips trembled a bit as he could feel every possibility yawn in front of him; he could feel her weakening still. It was the right thing to do right? It wasn’t like he took any joy out of it. That joy was for another, that joy was for one that she had sacrificed to bring herself here. He could feel the ironic approval of the one beyond. The one whos hands clasped his own as he drew away the lifeforce of the one he held.

The struggles weakened. The hands stiffened and slowly fell away from the hands that were holding their frame properly. He could feel the age of the woman in front of him; he could feel the centuries crumble in his hands. His eyes widened a little bit and he could see all the effort she made through those centuries to make herself powerful; make herself relevant. Everything she did was to further only herself and no one else. Everyone was a tool to her.

Saturn felt disgusted at that idea; at that way of handling the world. He would do better, he would protect it from people like her until the stars dimmed from the sky and the sun fell from existence. Till the gods themselves decided that he was no longer needed and cast him into the darkness beyond.

He could feel that lifeforce start to ebb into the mana; he could tell that she had been using so much before. He could tell that him doing this was the end of her; the end of her bloodline. No. Wait. Saturn felt that uncertainty flee, he felt that frustration and that need for destruction that she held onto collapse. There was another, there was several. His eyes flicked to the tomb of the first; he could feel that ache from within the eons. He could feel the souls of this place and his lip slowly curled into a smile as his form regressed.

The woman that he held in his arms was no longer that of the purple haired wolf. It was a frail yet stunning woman that had the literal life force drained from her. He could tell that her time neared but he wouldn’t allow her to rejoin the mana of the world. His hand rested on her head. He continued to draw that mana out from her; ebbing her life-flow in such a way that hurt to watch. He watched her face grow gaunt, he watched her hair turn into wisps in the wind. He watched her grow into dust and eventually? There was nothing but a memory that he once held someone there.

He sat there for some time, processing what he had done. What he had just taken into himself. His eyes closed again, no longer red, no longer that muted gold of sorrow. But the happiness from a time beyond had grown and had swelled within those powerful golden orbs. His hands trailed over his golden fur and back over his brows. Thumbing over his ears and eventually standing up. His form felt fresh, renewed, he felt that darkness deep within like a pit refusing to close.

He could tell that mana was troublesome. He could tell that there was going to be trouble in the future. He could see that he would be struggling for quite some time. Feeling the urge to fight, feeling the urge to destroy he walked towards where the wreck of the first tomb lay. Walking through the walls, walking through the empty sarcophagus’. He could see that many of them had never been filled with anything; that they were honor held and would continue to be that way for eternity. The empty hollow that was this place yearned for… Saturn shook his head; the knowledge of this place was from a different time a different place. His hand reached down into the resting place of the first. His hand trailing through the length for a moment and then he simply just… He felt himself grow tired, he felt that collapse before it happened.

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The aching wasn’t there anymore.

He sat among a golden field of wheat in some far off time, in some far off place. The wind was blowing through the land. He felt the wind through his fur, the sun always at his back. The hue and sensation of this place was peaceful. He stood up and blinked, his eyes didn’t feel open or closed. They simply saw all around him like they were supposed to. He saw some trees in the distance but he didn’t feel the need to go there. He’d turn slowly and see two figures sitting on a bench.

One had purple fur. The other had fur as pale as the driven snow.

Saturn walked forward towards these figures, towards these beings that sat oh so far away from him. But time here was irrelevant. He found himself standing behind the two. They had nothing to say to one another. They had nothing to say to him, they simply just watched the waves of wheat in front of him. Saturn walked around the bench and took a seat between the two of them.

The three just simply sat there, staring at the endless expanse. The golden hue of this place slowly diminishing as the sun set behind him. It was still warm here; it was still unlike anywhere he had ever been. Silence beyond its ken. His eyes trailed over the two that sat next to him. One was a warrior beyond compare; a fighter born, raised and died in the way she saw fit. The other? A mage beyond compare; a woman that had made her way into the ages because she so chose. But she had sacrificed everything to do it. Both of them had sacrificed everything for their lifestyles.

Saturn noted in the distance that there were three distant flames. One of the wolves chuckled, the other sighed. They knew where his attention was, to the gold, to the blue and to the white. Saturn flicked his ears as one of them finally spoke; though it was the white wolf that would address him first.

“You finally ended what curse we had. By cutting out where it came from at the source.”

”Took everyone long enough.”

”You didn’t make it easy.”

”Nothing in this life is.”

Saturn pondered that last response, bringing his hand to his chin and watched the flames be joined by three more. He recognized the sensation of each and let out a breath as though he was surprised. The two seemed bewildered it wasn’t obvious to him first. But given that he wasn’t of the world it seemed… silly to assume he would.

”Those are the living remnants of…”

”The last wolfensteins yes. Fen. Raiven. Regent. Gunther. Silver… And you.”

”But I’m not a wolfenstein.”

”Kid you beat the last matriarch of the clan. The only one that is a pureblood at this point is you and fen. Consider it an honor if you want to take that name. Won’t blame you if you don’t.”

Saturn sat between the two for a little longer; watching the flames in the night up until the rising sun hid them. He had never heard the names of the first two; they must have been individuals hidden from the world in one way or another. He’d stand up and turn to look at the bench, realizing that they were gone saturn blinked and looked around.

The white wolf was standing with her hands on her hips, watching over a cliff. The purple haired one was sitting on it. He’d walk on over and look over, surprised to see a sea of swords rather than an ocean. It was something you didn’t really see every day; hell if ever. There was a trickle of red here or there in the sea of silver and he’d cast a glance at the two.

”Whats this?”

”Where Lady is going. Where we’ll go eventually. We can’t go. We’re still living. Those flames too.”

”Closest thing to an after life that we get kid. The sea of blades, sea of wheat. If you chose fighting in your life over peace you know where you end up. Lucretia will go there. So will you. You’re both fighters. Heh.”

The purple haired wolf let out a chuckle and shook her head, pushing herself up from the edge and looking back at the two that stood there. Saturn had never gotten a name for the woman that had helped him along. Never got a understanding of what it meant to be a part of this world or the world beyond.

”Once I dive down in there, I get to rest. Never thought I would honestly. And when that happens you’ll wake up.”

”You stopped her from being able to completely come back too. So there isn’t any of this ‘spirit here or there’ you took her mana Saturn. She’ll be ‘one’ with you till you die and you’d end up coming back first if anything.”

”Not sure if I like the idea of dying this young honestly…”

The three shared a laugh that eventually trailed off into silence. It was approaching night again and the three of them simply stared in one direction or the next. One of them cracked a smile and saturn felt a hand thump on his back. It was lady wolfenstein who would turn back to the edge of the cliff.

”When you get back. When you… try to save the world again. Do it right by us. Do it right by the people that couldn’t make it cause of someones foolishness not to see what they had right in front of them. Do it for me. Do it for lucretia. Lord know that she didn’t live as long as she should’ve.”

Lucretia didn’t say a word but had instead decided to hug her mother, the latter of which stiffened and looked surprised. Eventually returning the hug before noting that the white wolf had been crying. She clearly didn’t want to see her mother go and with a soft sigh she’d pry her daughter’s hands away. Saturn stood there with a thoughtful expression and just gave lucretia a pat on the head. Earning a grin and glance from the wolf.

”I’ll see the both of you down there in the future. Just don’t take too long or I won’t remember those smiles.”

With an old fashioned salute the purple wolf would dive off of the cliff, saturn and lucretia watched as she fell and eventually sank into the blades without so much as a splash. The two stood in silence and the wolf eventually turned her attention back to him. They shared a knowing look and they’d make their way back to the bench. She sat down first and he followed suit. She’d put a leg up and over her other. Putting either arm out and leaning back on the bench.

”Didn’t know her too well you know, only lil bits that my dad told me before he passed.”

”If she stopped to think what she was doing and instead turned about…”

”Niether of us would be in this position. You’d still be singing with your mom and dad. I’d still be kicking and kickin ass. But instead. I fought for the world and fell protecting it. You’re still fighting and still protecting it even though you’re more dark than I ever could be.”

”Got any advice for me?”

”Don’t get sacrificed. And don’t forget to live.”

Saturn didn’t get to reply as he felt himself jerk awake, he was leaning over the side of the sarcophagus again. His eyes bleary, throat dry, but he could tell that whatever he had gone through actually happened. That there was closure to this. This… suffering that so many had gone through. Even in the end, even in the end there was a possibility to save those that you had once considered damned. Saturn slowly pushed himself up. Finding that echo had curled next to him fast asleep, in an effort to remain warm. Saturn scooped up the little mindrache before looking around. He could still feel the eyes of something on him. He could feel that edge on him, beyond the sort of thing that you’d expect.

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Those eyes watched him go up the stairs, they watched him get to the fortress that had been destroyed by his work. A blizzard had set in, hiding that bloody mess without much thought for the tomb. Much thought for what transpired here. A huge hole had been left in the ground. Saturn felt a bit bad in regards to the tomb. He’d walk over to the hole and peer down; it was large enough to where someone could avoid it right? Saturn bit his lip and wasn’t sure what to do; he was worried in regards to someone falling but the snow…

Saturn’s brows came together as he noticed that some of the rubble was shifting back into place. Like the spirits of this place refused for it to be further desecrated by the living. Saturn sighed and turned about; not wanting to upset whatever spirits were doing this. Getting in the way was just… wrong. So he’d instead let himself go from this place of forgiveness. A place that could just let the world forget about them till the time was right. Saturn continued his pace; echo neatly placed in his bag on his back that he had fashioned out of some tent fabrics. Warm enough for his companion not to freeze and warm enough to where saturn knew he’d be fine if they got stranded.

His crunches of boots alerted some deer and saturn watched them prance off into the distance; everything that happened was so… Violent yet the world went on living. The world that he had asked to protect; that he had swore to protect. That someone had created him to destroy it once upon a time. He’d look down at his hands; feeling a little bit out of sorts. Feeling a bit strange to say the least. There was nothing here that he could say that would make any of this make sense to others.

But the world would heal from this; it no longer had those cults trying to sacrifice people in order to bring his destructive kin into creation. No longer had the leader of a dangerous group of people. He walked through the driven snow as it continued to come down around him. He could feel it building on his frame. The cold was trying to seep into his very body after a battle that would leave many wanting.

It was fine, the world moved on without him and it would pretend like nothing had happened. That nothing continued to happen without any doubt in their mind. Saturn let out a loose laugh and adjusted his little carrier for echo. The world was certainly something wasn’t it? Saturn looked to the sky. He could feel that sensation blow across his face; he could feel the bitter cold try to bite at him. He could see that the world was still all right.

He had saved it from one foe; another would rise and take their place in some distant land. But today he got to sing the song of a people that were strong and still living. A people that he had been offered to join. He doubted that he was the right sort of person for that. He turned his head slightly; getting a brief flash of a grinning purple wolf at the edge of his vision. Blinking made it vanish and he’d just shake his head.

”I think… As the Justicar of the Damned. I am better suited to saving those that need saving. Than hunting those that need hunting don’tcha think?”

There was the feeling of approval and saturn let out a chuckle; he could lead the masses. He could teach them what it meant to be someone to save those in need. Saturn felt the snow shift as he walked and he’d glance back again. The tomb was long behind him and it’d take a little bit to get through the plains now that he wasn’t in a hurry and blitzing through everything.

Saturn felt a song leave his lips as he went, telling of tales he had no right to know. Songs of places that had long since crumbled and of places yet to be. He was enjoying living in the snow for the moment; the general of the rune knights enjoying the little bit of freedom after a fierce battle. The shifting in the snow continued and saturn hopped up a bit. He wasn’t agile or light enough to run on it but his frame was dragging him down into it. It’d take quite some time through the forest, clear across some of the driven plains to get to the coast of iceberg.

At the coast he could still see the ship that he had hired. Staring up at it he realized… How was he to flag it down? Saturn looked around for a moment; couldn’t light a fire it was too cold. He felt something twinge in his body and he’d look down to see a glowing orb of light. Slowly being consumed by the darkness demons carried. His smile for a moment relaxed before growing three times over…

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”Sorry milord, we weren’t sure if it was you!”

The young knight had apologized several times over as they had sent a team down to go and see if he was just another draugr staring at the air ship that they had to dispatch. Thankfully it was their golden haired general instead. Saturn shook himself like a dog to dislodge all the snow away from those that it’d affect. He’d hand the satchel that contained echo before motioning to the deck.

”It’s all right, go and get him warmed up. He’s cold blooded and isn’t a fire mindrache either. So he’ll be… well needing some help. Get yourself warmed up too.”

Saturn would motion to the ‘captain’ of the ship to get this ship moving. It was quick to get underway now with their general back. He had missed a few deliveries of messages and even seemed to miss something major in a few other countries. Huffing to himself he’d shake his head; the world had grown without him as he had dealt with something deeply personal yet… Saturn put a hand to his chest and looked out over the railings.

He’d blink a bit as he stared down at the area he had just come from. There were no knights left there but he could clearly see someone standing there. Purple fur, a big ol grin. And they would wave, before a sudden burst of snow and wind blew across the ship. Forcing him to look away; by the time he did look back at the spot they were gone. While lady had retired herself to the sea of blades; it seemed that there was a part of her that was still with him.

They were content with their lot in life and he was content to let them travel with him; they had earned their rest in a way and found forgiveness in death. Something that not many could claim. Someone had summoned a protector to this world unknowingly and while she had sacrificed so many for her goals; they too could rest easy knowing that their deaths were no longer being used to summon those beyond.

Saturn moved himself to the inside of the ship, rubbing at his sore neck and wondering to himself what else he could do to further the recovery of some of the other countries. Wars, coups and voidal invasions were making everywhere kind of unstable. But here he was… dealing with a werewolf cult of his own.. Well. Own ‘creation’ might be a little too on the nose right? Or incorrect? Saturn rubbed at his chin as he sat down in his cabin. It would take quite some time to get back to fiore proper and the headquarters that operated out of that.

It wasn’t something that he was expecting to be easy but now that it was done? What was he to do next? What lives would he save? What part of the world would he find the next threat? Saturn didn’t know the answers to these, he didn’t know the answers to anything properly.

Saturn realized that maybe going back to vander tower would be more fruitful and more relaxing for those on board. So he’d go back to the captain and order a heading change; surprising the ‘lordling’ that was operating the ship. As they were contracted by the rune knights he had no choice but to go with the orders of the leader of the knights. Saturn walked to the edge of the ship and watched the water pass below.

Maybe a long break was in order? Maybe he could talk to the magic council and see what sort of things they wanted him to handle next? He’d lean his head over the railing just a bit. His eyes cracking ever so slightly. He could feel an edge of desire to jump over the rail and fly all his own; his eyes catching the wings of his wyvern cutting through the clouds. His face twisted in a grin and he’d jump off of the ship.

The captain and some crewmates ran to the edge only to see the wyvern shoot past them up up and up into the sky. The beast spinning a few times while it’s master sat calmly on it’s back. Giving a wave to the captain he could tell they were kind of done with him for the moment. Chuckling to himself he’d note the familiar weight of echo on his back and the little mindrache clambered onto his shoulder.

”What took you so long?

”[b]Cleanin scales takes ages if you do it wrong. Thankfully I woke up and was able to do it right so that recruit of yours didn’t have to fuss. What’s next Saturn?”

Saturn pondered this question for a time while his wyvern flapped; he still hadn’t named them but he figured that they didn’t want a name with the way that they acted. He’d lean forward and watch the horizon for a little bit while echo impatiently tapped his ear to get his attention. Saturn turned his head; gave a little chuckle before patting the mindraches’ head.

”What’s next? I think maybe we’ll help someone else save the world.”

Echo couldn’t help but roll his eyes, saturn would kick the flanks of the wyvern and with a twirl the beast would dive down towards some land beneath them. There were plenty of others that were stronger than them that fought worse threats; but saturn would at least give credit where credit was due.