The archdragon and the Death Prince both warned this was no place for violence. The Witch had not yet succumbed to Frenzy or Rot, even as both burned the surface of her skin. Maggots and worms crawled beneath the surface, feeding on these ever-festering wounds. Even these blights were a part of the One Great, and divinity was too great a weapon to turn down in these fallen days.
I gnashed my teeth. Could we trust her after my attempted poisoning?
We did not have to, the Prince and Queen of Death said calmly. She and our daughters had sworn an oath. Any sign that they would join the Lord of Chaos, and the centipede-mark of Death would take them.
I… it is odd to say that a Fire Monk froze. As I processed everything, my new wife greeted each of my daughters by name and reminded them of some reason I had been proud of them in the past. At last, she came to their mother.
So gracious was she that she thanked my treacherous widow for having kept me safe for so many years before. For being my partner and treating me with kindness.
Then she added, "Know this. I am the daughter of the God-Devouring Serpent. I was born in fire and poison. If you bring harm to my family, we will slither into your little den and make a feast of it. Lava, divine tree, and all."