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?”

[7,433/13,500]