Queen's note: I COULD break this chapter into two. Likely. But I don't want to. So have a full long chapter of world building, FEELS, cute more feels and then drama. =D ta-da.

Also, come hang out with me and some others on discord! We're doing all sorts of fun things now. World building, nerding and one awesome person [Sebby I love you!] is streaming Eternal and letting us nerd around them at small things! Just take out the little '–' spaces. This should be a permanent link now! http-s:-/-discord.-gg/jvWbsKEHkX

Garnets

Chapter Sixty Four:

Taras Nabad

"How long ago was it since you met the Corpse Lord? Or 'Lich'?" Haco asked Jade as he leaned his back against the sturdy shoulder of his wintherin mount. Not minding that the younger of the two females was currently grooming his right leg and hip as if that would make him feel better.

…it sort of did.

Haco reached over to rub his knuckles against his mount's left tusk as she was curling her neck around him. Gods, he had missed interacting with these big puppies, Haco smiled as he was purred at.

"A few months ago," Jade looked away from the spot the portal had been, grateful that her family and her surviving children would be safe, she had just seen at least two other Sentinels with the Slayer's mark on them through the portal before it closed. Just a moment but it was enough. She rubbed at her left arm as it tingled again. "We were trying to get to Taras Nabad, but did not get too close past the old outer boundaries."

The Slayer gave a surprised huff, getting attention on him as he signed. Why there?

"Why did you go towards Taras Nabad?" Zanin started to translate, now that his mount was saddled again. He did notice how the Slayer was interested in what was being talked about; he was wrestling 'lightly' with Viola but listening enough to ask.

The biggest wintherin to start purr as her long neck arched, trying to lift her person off his feet as he was pulling back on the horn and tusk on her left side. It was a simple fun thing that kept Viola distracted from how all the kids were gone before she could get properly broody.

Viola was definitely going to brood over something soon even if was her rider. She had laid eggs not long ago after all, and just wanted to nest but it was also so exciting to go flying and fight with her rider.

"Nabad was once the holy city, where the Wraiths would visit, even half awake according to my mother. It was where I got my wraith gift." Jade was saying, finding a spot to sit as the Sentinels got ready to take flight. Waiting to see who she would be riding with. Though grateful to the Great Slayer, Jade was hoping it was not with him, and the sheer lack of a saddle. "We had hoped there was still a mother Wraith there, to try and get a gift for the youngest kids."

"But you met the corpse lord there?"

"We did not even get into the city itself." Jade shook her head at Zanin, "I did not want to risk my whole family, something was off, and the lack of a horde… then all the bodies. Argenta and demonic alike being strung up in the woods. It looked like it was in the streets too, but I couldn't tell if it was to keep anyone living out, or trapped something inside."

Nabad… The Slayer sat up, startled at a sudden worrying thought that he dropped his grip on Viola. Turning to sign as his wintherin snorted in surprise. What side of the city did they go to?

It took a moment but as Zanin was asking the other Sentinels all sat up, startled as their own thoughts caught up to the same thing the Slayer seemed to realize.

"The front eastern gates," Jade blinked up as she sensed the alarm from the group. Then looked in surprise as the Slayer came over to crouch in front of her as he signed. Talking directly to Jade to ask what he needed.

"He's asking what it looked like near the gate, how… the bodies were strung... up... oh. Oh, I get it now." Zanin's expression was not visible under his helmet but the worry or… fear was echoed in his voice unhidden. "This is going to sound strange, but did those bodies hanging up, were they gutted? Spread out to make any kind of pattern?"

Jade glanced at Zanin, then at the intense, if semi hidden stare of the demigod. She had to think, looking down and then leaned forward to roughly draw the outline of the city, the outer walls where the ancient titan Dreadnought lay sprawled out by the river side. It was very rough but clear enough as Jade found people to stack the rough pattern she could remember seeing on the outside of the walls before they got to the gate, water side. She touched a spot, "These are what I remember, and this is about the spot we met the demon, before the bridge into that side of the city. I thought it was another survivor at first. They seemed like a normal Argenta at first, only in temple garb."

The Slayer frowned at that, and the pebbles as he reached down to touch some by the bridge those on foot would take. It's a snare.

"Snare?" Zanin frowned, then after a moment. "Oh, trap. It's to lure people in. Why, and how would demons be strung up and not turn to ash?"

"Because they were not dead," Jade noted, looking up at him, "Once our clan father and I realized that, we were turning back when the creature showed up. It… she? They offered us sanctuary and food but someone was not right about them."

Could you see the face? How tall? The Slayer asked, waiting a moment for a translation.

Jade had to think about it before frowning, "They… where no taller then I. What I could see of the face, the lower half seemed like… it was not moving right. Like if a statue was talking. Or that illustration of a Statue that talked while underwater or its reflection on the surface of the water. There was also a helm or priest's blind crown-mask that blocked the upper part of their… her? Face. Only there were no ordainments behind them like in the pictures or mutuals."

Jade put a flat hand over her eyes and part of her face, just to show roughly where the mask ended.

The Slayer hummed, thinking hard and it showed. He stood up and scanned the four wintherins then reached out. He tapped Jade's shoulder and pointed her to Haco, he would be the last to fight for another day at least. Then stood to sign at his sentinels. The l-i-c-h isn't old, we need to kill it before it tries to revive Titian.

Not that the demon, or altered Argenta could remove the Crucible the Slayer left inside of the Dreadnought.

…the same blade he needed to get.

The Slayer growled as it seemed like this unknown was waiting for, or setting up to take control of the titan Dreadnought just in case someone tried to take the crucible in his absence. Not that a 'true king' of the Sentinels would take it out and risk the titan reviving before it finished rotting out over the next several thousand years. He had an idea of how to make a loop hole to take back his first crucible, but now wondered if Last Gift might be enough?

His fingers brushed the hilt, feeling the living weapon stirring awake as a cold patch against the back of his mind. Like Frederick was sitting up and growling at the world thanks to a hangover. The Slayer hummed a little guilty at the grumpy feel of the young crucible, as he did sort of force the Last Gift to evolve the other day in that fight with the altered Baron of Hell.

"Can a… Lich or Corpse Lord really revive the Dreadnought?" Zanin asked lowly as he came back from walking Jade to Haco's mount.

The Slayer lifted a hand, tilting it back and forth. Might be waiting for the Crucible to be taken.

"And you need it." Zanin more stated than asked, getting a firm nod still. "You have an idea then? We're still going after the… litch."

The Slayer nodded again, holding his hands out as if grasping something and breaking it in half with a snort. His Sentinel was not fully sure yet if he meant breaking the Dreadnought, the crucible or the lich. Or all of the above. The Slayer nudged a knuckle into Zanin's shoulder and for a few minutes they talked, glancing at the rough drawing in the ground a few times. The Slayer placed his foot on the drawn map and swiped his boot through it to not leave behind signs of where they were going.

Just in case.

"Have you ridden a wintherin before?" Haco's voice was asking as Asin was already getting into the air with his mount.

"I have always admired these wonderful creatures," Jade said as she gripped tight to Haco's back. Looking relieved as he swung a line of leather around her to attach to the saddle before settling back down. Making a sling for the woman to brace against and not just his sore back under his armor. "From the ground. Very firmly on the ground, even on my home mountain."

"You'll be using your core mostly." Haco said, glancing back, nodding at Zanin as he was getting up on the blue male. "Watch him, see how Zanin is balancing for take off?"

Jade turned partly, watching as told as the Sentinel moved to stay balanced at helping the wintherin take off from a stand still. The sound of a shaking had her looking over to see the Great Slayer reaching for his mount, but made a surprised sound as the man in front of Jade rolled his shoulder to get her attention.

"Don't study him, he's riding bareback and crazy." Haco snorted.

"Is he not your lord?" Jade asked amused.

"He is, and I love him as my king and brother. But he's crazy." Haco said cheerfully, getting an unreadable stare from the Slayer. "Lean with me, my lady, like how Zanin did and we'll get airborne."

The Slayer snorted as Viola's daughter launched up and there was a scream. Grinning despite himself as he climbed onto his old war mount. Viola was tilting her head almost sideways as if 'look' up and after her daughter and the new addition. She twisted her head and neck around as far as Viola could to look at the Slayer as he settled in her back, chuffing at her person.

Was this really a thing they needed to deal with?

The Demigod chuckled, that odd chuffing sort of one he had the habit of back at his mount. Reaching for her exposed withers with both hands to scratch.

Amusement-reassuring.

The big wintherin shook her head and shifted, rocking back onto her hind legs and Viola's whole body coiled. The Slayer grabbed the band that was working as a replacement for reins. Shifting to brace and then pressing his right heel to the needed pressure point. The wintherin launch up into the open air, getting enough space for that first critical wing beat.

Then they were flying again.

For more than a few minutes he had to focus fully on keeping his body controlled. Matching his movements with Viola's as she climbed up in the air then had forward motion, spiraling up like the others had. High enough in the air not to be bothered by anything but to have a clear enough view of the landscape as the wintherins found an air current as they settled into a flight pattern again. Making sure the riders were all settled.

The Slayer glanced back, doing a headcount, and making sure the geo-witch could handle the flight. He could see her clutching tight to Haco but was daring to peek around. That was a good sign.

The Slayer turned his attention and weight a bit elsewhere. Viola responded at once, she never lost her own training and the boy quite man had to rub his palms against her neck ridge. Fingers carefully digging into the withers again for a scratch.

Viola arched her neck, mid air or not, sighing in pleasure at the affection shown. There was a deep purr vibrating not only out of her chest but through her rider. Able to feel him relaxing into the flight at last, like before.

The Slayer hummed back, smiling in his helmet before getting his wintherin to turn in the direction of Taras Nabad. Pretty sure they would be there well before nightfall, or afternoon, as it was still just after dawn.

One of the fun things about being on wintherin back the Slayer was now remembering, was how you could see roaming smaller hordes long before they saw you. With four of the big creatures as well, it was not hard at all to let them swoop down and let out the energy-like blasts gilding over the horde. In fact it was pretty amusing to see the lesser demons dissolving into death char that way.

"Slayer?" Vega's voice asked for the first time since the earlier morning.

"Hm?" The Demigod tilted his head to show he was listening even though his hands were full.

"I see another area like that of the city absorbed by hell."

The Slayer looked ahead, and yes, there was another great swath of land missing. As if a monster bigger than any Titian dug it's claws deep into the earth and ripped up the large chunk of land. He frowned a moment, not remembering anything in this area like a village or town, just a vague feeling he should be seeing a lot more red leafed, fruiting trees.

An orchard.

There used to be a sprawling orchard here. A few old growth trees were left at the edges of the new canyon walls, some younger trees a bit farther back but those were clumped and not minded.

John remembered those trees suddenly. The fruit was tasty, both Asa and Rai loved it when he brought them back to them when they were kids in the keep.

"Could you land a moment here, and let me get a scan through your Praetor Suit?" Vega asked, it sounded like he had noticed something but was not ready to fully speak it. After their joint time in Hell, after Mars, the Slayer had learned to trust Vega.

It was how he found his old flagship, the Fortress of Doom again after all. By trusting Vega.

The Slayer turned and signaled his Sentinels to fly free. Having a feeling that Vega might need them to help with the scan or whatever was needed. Then he let Viola guide down to land on the cliffside beside one of these big old trees. Waiting until she felt safe away from the eroding edge to sit and then stretch out to lay down, letting her rider swing off.

Viola had no idea why they stopped but took advantage to get a few good grooming licks on her person's back. A little disappointed the faint scents clinging to him were fading off. Viola was pretty sure she could remember the scents though, just in case she came across them.

The Slayer rolled his shoulders to shake off the attention, grabbing a big tooth of the winthern, then walked to a pillar of hell make. The stone used was not bricks but collected stone and something that might have been a blood filled mortar. It was graying and aged now, crumbling a bit.

The victim whose body was once in the ritual was what was highlighted. The Slayer stared up at it, then down at something unseen, looking between the body and the parts of the remains that had fallen.

A Sentinel.

Strung up for Hell's use and trapped to be fuel.

The Slayer moved closer, reaching up to carefully pull the warrior's own sword out of his armor and body that was still pinning that half to the pillar. Carefully lowering the body and carrying both parts farther away. Resting the shield not far over them, the rusted sword pushed into the ground above their head.

He could not do more right now then hum a few notes, salute and double check his sentinel was as whole as he could be. They were once one of his, his emblem was painted onto the old shield, but also it looked like the Sentinel had used their own blood to mark their chest plate before dying. It kept the demons at the time from trying to harvest their soul.

There was a soft, ethereal humming, picking up when the Slayer's voice gave out behind him. Before the phantom formed as best they could, settling down to kneel beside him, something clutched to their chest. What they had stubbornly held onto in all these ages of death beside their broken body.

The Slayer turned, surprised, and… felt something in his chest and gut twist. Reaching down to try and clasp his once Sentinel by the shoulders. He was not a king, not the war king anymore- they did not need to kneel to him even in death. The Demigod almost jerked his hands back but gripped harder than intended in surprise and the burning, stubborn loyalty that radiated off the phantom.

He pressed his lips together unseen, then pulled his Sentinel up, feeling the solid thing they had been guarding even in death clunk against his chest plate. The Slayer felt their exhaustion as a head rested against his shoulder. Closing his arms around the phantom to support.

Grateful. Affection.

He was back. They could rest. Let him take over their duty. Let him take their guard.

He would host their pained soul to rest, and let them move safely on when needed.

The phantom leaned fully into their War King, and then she sighed as her self-imposed duty was finally relieved. Given that needed permission to just… rest.

The Slayer caught the thick disk before it fell, feeling the soul settle in his bulk. An existed ball of cool energy that just needed shelter the Demigod willingly gave until they could make the next stage of their journey. It was not the first soul he had hosted, or excited out of hell, likely would never be the last. It was one of the few things he was willing to embrace about the 'divine' so called gifts from the divinity machine.

Lifting the disk, the Slayer turned it over in his hands. Turning the disk of surprising heavy metal before brushing his fingers over his glyph on the front, then turned it around to find the simplified glyph of… not the sentinels of a whole but the wintherin riders. It felt familiar, and he was just starting to place it as there was a click in his helmet.

"The core of that disk is made of the same alloy as your Praetor suit." Vega sounded surprised, and the Slayer felt just as surprised. "I thought you and Valen said there was no more of that alloy made?"

The Slayer shook his head, paused and tapped the disk against his chest plate. Then carefully slid it carefully under his chest plate to start with, then paused thinking better as that would get uncomfortable. The not quite man checked through his subspace and hid it in there for now.

Had the Argenta made more of the alloy in the time he was trapped?

Wrapping an arm around his torso for a moment, the demigod tried to show his affection for the soul. But it felt like she had settled into 'hide' under his power. That was okay, he would host her soul for however long his Sentinel had stood guard over the disk.

The Slayer sighed, walking back to rub over Viola where eye ridges wound be, being gentle of the sensory organs were. Have scan Vega?

"Just another minute in the area if you do not mind."

He did not mind, and the slayer took the chance to pull out a folded bag out of his subspace. Checking that it was not stained with anything questionable, the Slayer walked over to the red leafed trees, picking up the fruit off the lower branches to tuck into the bag. Filling it and fished out another bag, this time carefully digging up some of the smaller saplings. Well, pulling them out of the loosened soil. Taking enough that in case any died there would be enough for Lily to replant trees in the gardens or where ever his daughter wanted-

The Slayer stood up at that thought, startled by it again.

Even with checking, the Last Gift was dosing in a way, still recovering. He was not being influenced by his new bonded crucible.

The Slayer shook himself, first his head, then shoulders and then just a satisfying full body shiver. Then he decided he liked that thought again as he hooked the bags to the bridle band on Viola, stepping away to scan and see where the others were. Zanin and Asin were, spotting their mounts landed on other spots. Likely for Vega to scan through their armor, while Haco was staying up in the air circling.

"Purr-vurr-rric?" Viola vocalized her confusion, sniffing intently at the sapling trees, then stood to follow her rider a few paces. Her massive head tilting back and forth behind him, watching her person kneel to dig his fingers into the mossy grass and stand back up. The big handful of earth and plants were offered for Viola to carefully sniff and scent, making the little yellow, almost like a…

What was it called?

The Slayer could only partly remember it, he heard one of humans mention it, calling the babies that.

Butter-cup? Little enough to carry, looked like the color of butter he had seen in the kitchen, and seemed cup or cone shaped as it hung down.

He chuffed at Viola, was it a pretty enough flower?

Viola purred, shifting to crouch lower her head and sniffed around the ground before looking up. This spot was a good spot if he wanted those flowers.

The Slayer set his hand full in another bag with a more solid bottom, taking his mount's lead to the 'better' spot to get some flowers and the plants they grew together with. It did not take too long, as Viola was back into the air within five minutes. The not quiet man was pretty sure his humans would like the fruits, and his argenta.

His people.

He had people again.

The Slayer's right hand absentmindedly scratched at Viola's neck, wondering how to safely bring her with him… home? She could fit in the Fortress, go into a stasis state, but she had several mates and favorite offspring now. And eggs.

He needed a fortress city for sure to do that.

The demigod turned partly, as if checking the others were all back in formation. He was looking back at Haco and Jade. He knew it was a selfish thought, more selfish than not, but he wanted that now, and needed her to get the big engines going. The Slayer turned back and led the way to Taras Nabad, he would get Jade back her wraith gift. Get his old Crucible. Kill the lich. Kill the Dreadnought again if needed. Get the star local thing Vega wanted and get himself a Fortress City up and in the air.

Then cave in the skulls of the Deag and take whatever was left of his Sentinels back.

Good plan.

The Slayer was just not sure what order everything would end up unfolding out into.

Taras Nabad was soon on the horizon, and a quick glance up confirmed it was not quiet noon. They were making good time, the outer city sprawl was visible first, buildings still standing and on top the great canyons, plateaus or… what was the name? Hoodoo? The spires that were not able to be built on and sometimes served as wintherin perches.

The Slayer realized those Hoodoo-spires were a lot smaller and worn down from the last time he had walked through Taras Nabad. Not even the battle that had the Dreadnought falling, he had been through the once capital of Argent D'nur several times. He had to be in and out of it with the Sentinels in the… what had the Deag called it before they turned?

The Unholy War?

The Slayer snorted, for now pushing his annoyance for them aside and focused on the ruins coming up now. The scattered towns that once circled Taras Nabad in the valley below and even up the mountain range it half climbed up. It was still pretty from the air, seeing the different kinds of white, off tan and light gray stone work, with still lingering flashes of gold on the buildings. There were still the arching spikes that both held flags and those flags in turn would hide the spikes for the feral beasts that used to be native before Hell twisted them into gargoyles.

He used to think the roofs were far to ornate, some still were, but most were like that to make noise. To warn of any of what the gargoyles used to be, when those beasts were trying to hunt at night and were desperate enough to try for Argenta.

All at once the Slayer realized there were no signs of wintherins. There used to be a small nesting ground in the lower city in the valley. There were also no other animals visible in the air, or from the air.

A lone Atlan stood just inside of the lower city standing in a rest position to conserve energy. Though it seemed dark as they approached at first, Viola barked a startled sound as the titanic head swung to the right. Tracking their movement as the flight of wintherin banked an circled the Altan.

The long, echoing song of the still active Atlan lifted, getting the wintherin to sing back to the AI. The Slayer shifted, almost standing on Viola's back and let out a sound that wasn't really a yell or Primordial, something in between. It reflected his excitement that there was still one of the great mechs alive on Argent D'nur. He almost moved to go land on it, but stopped as it shifted faintly, then stilled. Listening to the 'words' spoken.

It needed power, its legs and lower body were frozen and seized up.

The Slayer sat back down, checking he did not crush the presents he collected, before getting Viola to slow and circle down closer. His mount carefully weaving in between the heavy cannons and back winged to hover behind the Atlan's head. The thick caller ridge was still intact and the wintherin settled on it just for a moment as her rider dug into his subspace. Taking out and activating a beacon before carefully dropping it down to a hatchway that used to let troops hide under cover of the Atlan's armor.

As much to make sure there was a safe pace to be located if they needed, as a reminder to come back.

The Atlan hummed and settled back down into the same position holding the titanic spear as the Demigod got his mount back into the air. Unseen that the AI of the mech opened that hatch to let the let beacon fall inside of its crew deck. It would wait, and stay waiting, though watched with twitching horns where the War King was going with his group. It could do that without moving, tracking- then made a surprise sound as there was a ping from the device left. Attention partly turning inwards to investigate what this 'Vega' was trying to open a comms channel.

The Slayer was in a really good mood after that and it showed, not just in his movements but it bled over to the relaxed way Viola flew. Heading up the valley and getting a look at how the closer to the main city they got, the more things looked… worn out. Weathered as if not taken care of- it was a pattern he realized, they were following the retreat path away from the main city where it should have been easier to defend.

Something had pushed those that survived here at first out of the city, and kept pushing away. The Slayer turned partly, checking to be sure before feeling the possible reason, the same reason that there was no longer an active hatching ground as all four wintherins let out alarmed bellows and then roared as they passed the unseen boundary. Back winging rapidly and almost falling out of the air.

The Slayer had to push his will forward at Viola, fighting to get control without the saddle. He was a bit rusty but not so much that he could not take control, and it proved the same to the other wintherins and Sentinels. With Viola growing under him, the Slayer got her to keep flying, but landed at the almost Atlan sized statute before the upper city proper.

It took a good few minutes of Viola pacing on the road that used to spiral up the mountain half the once Night Sental statue. Only once the wintherin were settled enough to not take off without them did the Slayer get off, spotting something just off the once road. The demigod waited, motioning Haco and Jade to stay up on their mount.

"There's something up there, but it's… new, relatively speaking." Asin noted as he caught the big jaw beside him, then found a pressure point to help his mount to calm down. "I think I see the barrier, it's weaker here, the bodies in the mountain and around the upper city proper."

"Whoever made it might not realize we're here yet." Zanin hummed, reflexively checking his weapons and making sure they were where he could easily get to. "Do we go for the Crucible first, or find out where the lich is my lord?"

Crucible first. The Slayer signed and then tapped the hilt of the Last Gift, feeling it stir back awake as the demigod was thinking of using it. Make sure the titan stays dead too. Lich will find us.

"We should go to the far river bank behind Taras then." Zanin suggested as he nodded at the still great waterfalls on either side of the upper city. "The walls had not been fully recovered with the Dreadnought mostly inside of them."

The Slayer eyed the wintherins, and then nodded. He had a feeling that might be as far as the creatures would willingly go without starting to destroy the strung up bodies. Crucible, my old vault, then take down the bodies. Lich will show up, kill it before dark.

"And we have a good fight on our hands." Asin snorted, glancing back at Haco, who was getting his mount to walk along the road. The sentinel glanced up at where the sun was as he judged the time of day. Admittedly still more used to the rough time on the Fortress, but he had a nice rest after the last fight.

The Slayer gave a please rumble at that, he could use another good fight, more so that there did not seem to be anyone but them. Turning he motioned up to Jade. Keep her up there. Just in case.

"You're to stay up there on the saddle for now when we get to the upper city." Zanin translated as he walked back to the blue male wintherin.

"I can do this," Jade nodded, still a bit pale and was adjusting her jacket. She really did not want to face that demon again, not as she was… or really at all. The woman held tight still to Haco's armor and part of the saddle now. Able to not scream as the wintherin took off into the air and spiraled up into open air. Looking back after a moment to see the others getting their mounts back into the air after some reassurance.

Jade held tight to the bigger Sentinel, feeling him chuckle more than hearing. Grateful no one could see the flush, and could ignore it, because it was not there, just a result of the wind-burn. Jade pressed closer to look around Haco and pointed to one of the still intact bridges on the eastern size. "See there Lord Sentinel? That was where we almost went into the city. Where I met this lich."

Haco shifted, peering down at the bridge and seeing some crawling demons looking up at them. Feeling the wintherin under them taking a much deeper breath and slowing before letting the blue 'fire' erupt out of her maw. The other three doing the same as the Slayer led the flight along the eastern outer walls. Wintherin alternated what two were burning the visible demons and even the strung up bodies on the walls. Most were starved, somewhat mummified demons or possessed that hung over the walls.

"Well, I guess the lich will know we're here." Zanin noted, as much to himself as to Vega.

"Hard for any to miss, but it does cut down on the amount of demons you have to fight later?" Vega offered as he watched this team getting ready to land on the lakeside, and southern shore of the city.

"True enough," Zanin did appreciate that, he stayed sitting up in the saddle for a few more moments. "How are the Argenta doing Vega? I know it has not been long."

"They have taken about two showers each at this point." Vega sounded amused as he continued. "There are some interesting interactions, it took a few hours for them to accept that the humans are not just related as a sibling race but, most are fully grown. I am pretty sure Heather and Iris have not touched the ground in the last half hour and do not mind."

Zanin grinned in the safety in his helmet, remembering how Lily and even Laurel needed a step stool to not be talking to his abdomen. Even then he had to sit to be eye level most of the time. "Hopefully the kids can afford to learn how to read and write now."

"Do not worry Zanin, I have already incorporated the new children into the lesson plans with healer Asa's help." Vega chirped happily as he reassured. The colony AI was still very pleased to have more people to take care of.

"Already?" The man asked in surprise as he swung down to the ground, reaching to grab and hold the big head of his mount. Reassuring that it was still safe for them to be here, even as the Wintherin shifted on the smooth rocky flat.

"I've had full lesson plans, as well as the recovery plans, for the human children since the Slayer and Commander Valen brought them to the Fortress." Vega said, it almost seemed like pride was leaking through, "There is much for not just the children to learn but the adults as well, human and argenta written languages are alike but there are differences that are not the same in the shared spoken dialect."

That was impressive, and not frightening but that was pretty quick. Vega definitely was not like the Atlan AIs, maybe he would be best staying in the Fortress system.

The Slayer gave a growl for attention, drawing Zanin over to the demigod. Once again struck that his lord was a full head and shoulders shorter than himself, the man never felt like it. Zanin looked up and the amusement he held in his chest stopped, as if frozen and the warrior had to metaphorically take and set it aside. Staring up at one of the once trees, now burnt with a body strung up between them and the collapsed wall.

A body in familiar armor, if war tarnished and battle scarred armor. Not silver or white but stained in demonic death char and ash. It was impossible to tell what color the armor used to be. Zanin looked around, finding more once Sentinels and argneta strung into whatever ceremony was trying to be made. Some long since past, entrails and inners used to connect them to the half mummified demons in the same mutilated state. Others it looked like the armor was damaged but those doing this disgusting ritual had not gotten in.

Zanin let out a low growl, now understanding that the one from the Slayer was not for attention but in reaction to this.

The demigod walked forward, looking back and forth, stopping at a pillar and lifting an arm, getting ready to just knock it down. They could take a few minutes to take down this corner of the ritual likely around the Dreadnought.

"...lord slayer…?"

The Slayer jerked to his left, looking at where another tree once stood. Now stripped of all branches and bark, with the body stacked through the forearms to pin it to the trunk above the head. The other three men had much the same reaction at the new voice. The stained helmet of the still living Sentinel lifted his head, staring as if he was not sure what he was seeing was real.

All four on the ground converged on the survivor.


Reviews!

Echo-Flower: Hello friend! thank you for stopping by, the link in the notes up top should work, if not sign in and I'll pm you a link!

XFireStoneX: Having a clear head is great! love it, and hopefully you enjoy this chapter. As to a dragon house, its not far off what's going to happen... just not on the fortress proper lol