Entropy
~Zerrex Narrius



The ridehorse's hooves clicked quietly along the lonely road in the middle of nowhere, its ears swiveling back and forth, head tilting against the reins in an effort to peek around its blinders. The witcher riding on its back couldn't help but agree: everything was too quiet.

The charcoal wolf tilted his head to the side, brushing his long mane of dark hair back from his face as his features tensed slightly. His mouth curled a bit as his sharp, mutant eyes studied the woodland terrain, an uneasy chill creeping down his spine.

Well, on the bright side, at least he'd narrowed down the zone where the merchant caravan had vanished...

He wouldn't have been out here in the first place if he hadn't been chasing down a rumor that some baron was stuck in the middle of nowhere due to an ogre blocking his route, but by the time he'd found his way out there, they'd dynamited the tunnel like idiots, squashing the ogre but also blockading the entire trade route. Not exactly eager to help out clearing rubble, he had instead decided to take a detour through this ugly, mostly-uninhabited wilderness: he probably wouldn't find a decent paying job out here, but at least they'd probably be able to offer him some food.

Because Fate had a miserable sense of humor, he discovered the dregs of a merchant caravan in a small town, which had been attacked by 'the forest itself coming alive.'

Now that could mean a million things. That could be a legitimate monster, that could be elven defending their territory, that could just be bandits who set a trap. But the merchants had been willing to part with some of what remained of their supplies and pay fifty percent of the fee he'd haggled them into up front.

Of course, he hadn't expected having to spend more than a day searching for where the caravan had been attacked: something he technically hadn't found yet, but he definitely had the feeling he was getting close.

It was cloudy and gray: not quite twilight, but the weight on the day seemed to be growing, making the world darken faster than he thought it should be. He also noted that while the weald around the road had been a tangled, inhospitable mess, he was moving into an area of forest that was thick and almost openly hostile.

It was like the trees were crushing in around him, invading this tired, rarely-used road. His ridehorse was forced to slow its pace, and he leaned forwards slightly in the saddle to look at the earth, noting the roots and hardened ground beneath them: maybe the survivors hadn't been exaggerating about the forest itself attacking them.

What did that mean? Leshen, maybe, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions. That was how you got yourself killed.

His orange eyes moved slowly across the face of the forest, before he gripped his reins and brought his ridehorse to a halt. He thought he caught something: some flicker of movement, or maybe-

His ears heard the creak before his eyes saw the movement, and the wolf moved like lightning, shifting and sharply catching the arrow that was shot at him before he steadied himself in his stirrups with a grimace as his ridehorse spooked sideways. 

Even as he steadied his ridehorse under him, he saw the flicker of movement through the trees, a flash of brown and white. That definitely wasn't a bandit!

He hopped down from his calmed mount, not even looking back as he flashed the Axii sign behind him to befuddle it into staying in place as he hurried for the edge of the forest. His hand reached  up, gripping the handle of his sword.

But the moment he pushed into the woods, he felt a malignant force immediately pushing at him, trying to intimidate him into leaving. He stubbornly ignored it as he shoved through bushes and branches that seemed to claw and grasp at him, and hid every possible trace of the attacker.

That had to have been a warning. There was no way a single... elven, he guessed, had taken down an entire merchant caravan.

And the pressure the forest was exerting against him was powerful. It was menacing, and...

And a moment later the wolf stumbled out of the forest, then blinked in confusion as he looked back and forth before he cursed and spun around, ducking quickly to the side to dodge-

A rock, not an arrow, as a voice shouted at him: "Go back!"

Another flash of movement through the trees, and the wolf frowned, shifting a bit as he felt an almost-physical push at his body. It wasn't hard, it didn't even feel violent... but rather it was firm.

Elven. Definitely elven. That made sense, they were in inhospitable land in the middle of nowhere: exactly where the elven had been pushed out to by a society that wanted to pretend they had never existed.

Yet at the same time there was a darkness to that force, that power. Not your usual elvish. In fact, it had almost felt like...

He felt a claw stroke tenderly along his arm, and the wolf's eyes flicked to the side, meeting the charming, abyssal orbs of his frequent companion. The feline smiled up at him: a handsome leopard with a boyish body, that perfect amount of toned and soft... but the black ram's horns, and those oceanic, endless green eyes gave away the fact he was no boy, but an incubus.

A bit of an odd companion for a witcher, perhaps, but sometimes odd companions made the best and closest friends.

"Feels strange." the incubus said.

"Yeah." the witcher agreed after a moment, before he asked: "How long have you been following me for, Bacchus?"

"Just your whole life, Hades." answered the incubus with a slight smile and a wink, and the witcher sighed and shook his head before leopard continued: "I don't think that I can help you out here, though. This magic is..."

The incubus mused, lowering his head as if searching for the right words, and Hades shifted maybe a little closer to the demonic boy, studying him intently with his mutant eyes.

Bacchus paused, then smiled as those glowing jades shifted to meet Hades' fiery orange, before he leaned up on his toes and kissed his lips tenderly. Hades grumbled, but returned the kiss after a moment, even if there was a second of hesitance there; it was more out of professionalism than concern for his life, however.

That, and maybe he didn't like taking risks with the demon boy, even if the incubus could more than take care of himself.

That was, until Bacchus suggested: "You have a friend who knows nature magic, however. You could almost say he specializes in dealing with things like this."

Hades groaned and tilted his head back, looking up at the sky. But it was true: if there was one witcher he knew and could trust to help him with this, it was probably him. He'd be better than calling a sorceress in for help, and somehow Hades felt like there was going to be more than one lonely elven in there to deal with once he made it through whatever strange magic warded the forest.

But none of that meant he had to be happy about it, either.



Several days later, Hades returned to the spot with his friend, brother, and frequent nuisance in tow, the lizard emerging from the forest and whistling: "Huh. Yeah, this is similar to Nattar Leshy up north. Not quite as hostile, though."

"So it is a Leshen?" Hades turned his eyes to the reptile, studying him intently: his scales flexed beneath his somewhat-odd assortment of armor, which left enough of his breast exposed when he stretched that you could see his pierced nipple. 

His brushed his messy white hair back from his eyes, then answered after a moment: "No, well... I don't think so. What would elven do with a Leshen, anyway? I think it's more likely we have something here imitating some of its powers... or maybe..."

"Can you stop doing the 'puttering off into thought' thing?" Hades asked grumpily, and Zerrex gave him that obnoxious lopsided grin of his.

"Maybe..." he said seriously, and Hades scowled at him before the lizard returned his eyes to the forest. "I don't want to make any guesses. First we need to figure out how to get past the illusion and find these elven."

"How do you plan to do that?" Bacchus asked, as the incubus seemed to appear out of nowhere beside Zerrex with a smile, leaning innocently in towards him, and Zerrex leaned away in surprise for a moment before he awkwardly patted him on the head.

"It really depends on what we're dealing with here. But with what Hades described, we're going to go simple first." Zerrex answered, before he winked as he held out a hand to the wolf. "Okay, first we need to hold hands."

Hades stared for a moment, then asked bluntly: "Are you fucking with me?"

Bacchus, however, had already intertwined his fingers with Zerrex, which was not something that made Hades glower at all, before the lizard shrugged and replied mildly: "Well if you'd prefer to hold his hand go ahead, but we all need to be linked for this to work properly."

Hades grumbled, then walked over and took Bacchus' hand, and the incubus winked as he teased: "Always enjoy being between two handsome witchers."

The wolf gave him a look, while Zerrex only nodded innocently before he winked, opened his mouth... then paused at Hades' look before he cleared his throat and turned his attention towards the forest. "Okay. Close your eyes and follow me. Don't open them."

Hades grumbled at this, but obeyed, as Bacchus closed his own eyes as he remarked: "Just don't get too handsy."

"I promise I'll only take slight advantage of you, if I do." the lizard answered, before he closed his own eyes as he led his companions into the forest.

He could feel the malice pressing in around him, an unpleasant miasma that weighed painfully on his body as much as his mind. He was more concerned with what he felt beneath that overbearing pressure, however: far more subtle magic, pushing gently at his body, trying to encourage him to turn around.

But with his eyes closed, and their hands linked together, the lizard was able to carefully push through the brush in a straight line. This way, optical illusions couldn't convince him to follow looping paths or believe the feinting branches were impassable trees, and it was easier to both feel and fight against the vertigo trying to confuse him into moving.

As they pushed deeper, the sense of malice lifted as the feeling of vertigo increased, making the going much harder, especially as the ground underfoot became more rough and unruly. But in a way it was a good sign, as Zerrex's hand tightened on Bacchus': it meant they had to be getting close to the other side of this barrier. 

Hades' brow furrowed as he felt that sickly vertigo increasing: strangely, it made it easier to focus through, now that it wasn't cloaked beneath that sensation of evil. It wasn't really any more intense than being drunk, or the side-effects of some more potent potions...

He felt Bacchus squeeze his fingers, both reassuring and questioning, and Hades squeezed his hand silently in return, almost tempted to open his eyes. But he understood that at this point the defensive magic probably wouldn't just confuse his sight, it would probably make the world spin hard enough to make him sick.

Vomiting was not on his agenda today. Not even if Zerrex challenged him to a drinking or eating contest and told him halfway through it was 'vegetarian troll stew,' which was mostly bugs. Which he didn't think was even vegetarian.

He scowled, and then straightened and opened his eyes a moment before the witcher ahead said: "Okay. We're clear."

They were. And now they were just standing in your average dark and gloomy mud-forest, and Hades couldn't help but groan internally before he asked grudgingly: "So, how?"

"You're welcome." Zerrex said with a grin, crossing his arms as he stepped back and surveyed their surroundings. "I learned it from some elven who used similar illusions to protect one of their old ruins. They taught me a bunch of stuff in exchange for dealing with a vampire that was hunting them."

"You and the nonpersons."

"Hey, I'm clearly not the only person who likes nonpersons." Zerrex replied pointedly, and Hades looked at his hand, his fingers still intertwined with the incubus' as Bacchus smiled up at him.

Hades cleared his throat as he quickly pulled his hand away, awkwardly rubbing at his chest before Zerrex continued: "Anyway, the real problem obviously would have been if there were guards posted, waiting for us... but I figured it wasn't likely they had anyone on watch duty with the power of that magic." 

"You figured?" Hades glowered at the lizard, while Bacchus turned his attention to a large old tree in the distance. "So at any point we could have just been shot?"

"Hey, what do you want, a shield wall? Besides, if they shot us it would disturb the illusion." Zerrex answered, as his eyes followed Bacchus, before he added: "Honestly, I'm surprised your boy couldn't get through the illusion by himself."

"The vertigo didn't bother me as much as that malignant force. Remember, I feed off certain types of energy. That miasma was making me nauseated..." He paused, then smiled at the two of them, even as he idly rose a hand, making the runes that had been carved across the tree light up in eerie orange. "But sandwiched between you handsome beasts really helped offset that pain." 

"I'm glad." Zerrex studied the runes, rubbing at his scruffy beard. "This is pretty interesting. Not as familiar with the style, though."

"Amazing. The elves were able to teach you one trick, but not how to read." Hades said, before he gestured at the rune-covered tree, explaining: "Look at the structure. It's like a focal pillar: they must be harnessing the forest's living energy to power the magic barrier. But that doesn't explain that... malignancy, unless it is a Leshen."

"There are more than just Leshens in the forest." Zerrex said, before he nodded briefly. "That makes sense, though. They probably have trees marked with these runes in a line, helping to keep the magic barrier up. Like a fence. A magic fence."

"A magic barrier, in other words." Hades said drolly, and Zerrex huffed.  "Genius deduction."

"Hey, shut-" Zerrex paused, then grimaced. "Up."

Hades quickly drew his steel sword as Zerrex rose a hand, and the incubus tilted his head, seeming casual, but his eyes glowing with dangerous light. "There's four of them. One is channeling magic."

The lupine witcher narrowed his eyes, wondering if maybe the elven had taken down the merchant caravan without any help after all if they had magic users in their ranks who could channel the right powers. All the same, two witchers and a demon should be more than enough to-

"Hi there!" Zerrex greeted, before he held up his hands, as his eyes studied the trees, and slowly picked out the elven among the brush. They were well-camouflaged, in spite of the fact that they all seemed to have a strange, supernatural aura about themselves: but it was like the light their naked bodies emanated helped them meld with the environment, like ghosts.

They were... deer. All of them were does, with soft brown and white coats and strange little horns. They had big black eyes, and were painted with strange symbols... but admittedly Hades was a little more concerned with the bows being aimed at them than the details of the elven themselves.

Strange, though: most of the elven and dwarven races were identifiable by how exotic their races were. And that glow...

"Can you understand me? I hope so." Zerrex continued. "Because then you'll understand that my friend here is eager to set the entire forest on fire if you attack us."

"Cursed Wolf Clan!" snarled one of the elven, perhaps not unsurprisingly, in a distinct dialect of elvish. "Bringing in outsiders to do your dirty work for you!"

"Wolf clan?" Zerrex paused, and then he slowly turned towards Hades, who blinked. "Didn't realize you were elven."

"I'm not." Hades said grouchily, before he added, in his own less-fluid elvish: "I am not a member of any 'wolf clan.' What are you saying?"

The elven didn't precisely relax, but they studied him more intently. Hades glared back at them, his sword at the ready until Zerrex politely cleared his throat and looked pointedly over his shoulder at his witcher-brother, who puckered his lips until Bacchus half-reassured: "Don't worry, if they wanted to kill us, they already would have."

"Great." Hades grumbled, before he sighed and relaxed, grimacing as he knelt and put down his sword, then straightened and held up his hands.

The elven hesitated, and then one of them, standing back further, ordered: "Check him."

One of the deer emerged from the trees, her bow still drawn, still pointing directly at Hades. She was slender and beautiful, her eyes supernaturally dark and large, abysses that studied the wolf intently as she approached, ready at a moment to unleash her nocked arrow.

She stood, and Hades did his best not to tense, tilting his head slightly to the side with a grimace and breathing slowly, his hands flexing as that arrowhead almost brushed his neck, as he heard the tension in the bowstring, before it relaxed slightly as she looked over her shoulder and said: "If he is Wolf Clan, he is a strange one."

"I'm not... 'wolf clan.'" Hades said pettishly: he noted that the elven used a strange word for 'wolf,' something that sounded more like a name than a species, if that made any sense.

The doe glared back at him as she backed up a step, and he winced at the sound of the bowstring tightening before the voice from before commanded: "Enough. They are outsiders, but they have passed the barrier. Were you Called?"

Hades breathed a sigh of relief as Bacchus studied the elven, before he asked curiously: "What do you mean, Called?"

The other elven appeared through the trees: all does, all with the same strange aura, almost identical except for the glyphs and tattoos dyed across their bodies, and the bows they held. Except for one, who instead grasped a strange, glassy orb inside which a miniature maelstrom raged: some kind of magic bomb, Hades guessed.

"Called. Our Father sometimes Calls outsiders, to pay tribute." the apparent leader said: Zerrex noted her face was specifically marked by a skull mask of white paint. "I ask how you have come to us, if you were not Called by him?"

"We are people who... investigate things like this." Zerrex said carefully, gesturing awkwardly in supplication. "Were some merchants called to you recently? Outsiders with supplies?"

"No. But perhaps they were instead Called to the Wolf Clan instead. The Father will know, and he will wish to speak to you anyway. Come."

The doe gestured, and even with their weapons lowered and their bodies more relaxed, it was very clearly not an invitation, but an order. Hades grimaced as he picked up his sword and sheathed it, but he reflexively squeezed the handle, wishing he could keep his weapon out.

Zerrex took lead, and Bacchus fell in beside the lupine witcher, gently touching him and smiling at him. Hades could almost read his thoughts, and agreed: it was strange that the elven weren't reacting to an incubus like him. Any more than they found it weird the leopard was strutting around naked.

Then again, all the elven here were naked too... also strange.

What was strangest of all, however, was when they parted through the trees and arrived at a village. It was as if they stepped into a different world, the whole area suffused with eerie life, vines with glowing gemstones casting colorful pallor over their surroundings, buildings made from hollowed trees and overgrown mounds. 

This was nothing like the architecture of the elven they were familiar with. And they were all does, Hades noted, and Bacchus confirmed this for him: "Not a male in sight. Horrible."

"What about us?" Zerrex asked with a  wry grin, before he turned his eyes over the does and wiggled his fingers. "Could definitely be worse, after all..."

The doe leader turned to look at him, and Zerrex cleared his throat and quickly laced his fingers together innocently in front of his abs before he winced as she said: "There is only one Father here, and only he may fulfill us."

"Uh... huh." Zerrex smiled lamely, but as they started to move again, he looked back quickly at Hades, who nodded shortly. It was clear that something was very strange here: the real question was whether this was some kind of elven cult, or they were under the spell of...

What? The presence here was entirely different from the malice. And a Leshen could control the forest, even encourage growth and life, but it was almost always a hostile life, not something like this, that more than lived in concert with the elven, it seemed to be here specifically to protect them and house them.

Hades counted at least thirty or so does, and he noted that even though they were all female, several of them were pregnant. These ones specifically had glyphs drawn on their heavy bellies in distinct gold colors: they looked less like blessings, and almost like alarm runes.

The elven all seemed happy, and curious: even with the outsiders being escorted by their armed sisters - were they maybe all sisters? That just led to more uncomfortable questions, Hades thought - they didn't seem like they were afraid. And they were all naked, their only uniqueness coming from the markings they had painted themselves with. 

They were led down a long, winding path beyond the village, and both Zerrex and Hades noted that even though the elven archers vanished without even needing a signal to be dismissed, the sorceress doe certainly wasn't alone: things were moving in the trees, watching them. Big things.

Hades thought that he'd like to avoid wrestling a bear today, and Zerrex seemed to agree with him.

They never saw precisely what it was escorting them down the path: they stayed in the brush, then faded into the forest once they reached a great wall of trees, the doe sorceress halting at the gnarled wooden arch that formed an entrance to... well, none of the trio precisely knew where. "Go. And respect him."

"Yep." Zerrex said, ever the epitome of politeness. Hades sighed, but followed the lizard as he sauntered inside, and he couldn't help but shiver as they entered and found themselves in... a temple? A throne room? A n amphitheater? 

It was all of these things and more, the ceiling of this place of worship and drama a spiraling ring of branches, leaves rustling and whispering in the windless air as their attention was drawn to the center, where a great, gnarled... thing sat in a rocky ring.

It had a great skull for a face, with massive antlers, from which hung all manner of charms. Moths flittered around its head as it shifted towards them, then stood, body creaking and groaning: the thing was gnarled, fleshy, not rotten or dead, but rather it had a sense of being incomplete, unborn.

Wolf and deer hides fluttered around it as it stepped towards them on heavy hooves, and its large, clawed hands hung low. Its spine seemed to crick and crack with the effort it took to hold itself aloft, and Hades shivered as Bacchus hissed through his teeth, his fur bristling, his body shaking... but there was fear there, too, wasn't there? 

What could scare an incubus?

Then again, it put a tremendous fear into him, too.

Even Zerrex was affected, and while Hades wouldn't say he was necessarily braver, he was absolutely brasher. The lizard made a short bowing gesture to the entity, then looked up and said: "My friends and I have come here... seeking answers."

"And you shall have them." the creature replied. Its voice was old, soft, and yet the sense of... power it exuded was terrifying. They were in its home, where it was absolute, where it was...

That couldn't be it, could it?

Those were only campfire legends!

But as the creature studied them with its empty eyes, Hades couldn't find any other answer, before the hollow lord turned to return to his throne, saying: "You owe me no courtesies but to join me, and speak your minds."

"Thank you." Zerrex followed the giant. And it really was at least ten feet tall, wasn't it? Maybe larger, with a presence that consumed all. 

Hades and Bacchus followed, before Hades gnashed his teeth, an eye twitching, as Zerrex asked bluntly: "Are you responsible for attacking the merchant caravan?"

The creature chuckled as it sat back in its throne, and Zerrex, as if he hadn't just asked a question that could conceivably get them all killed, plopped on his fat stupid ass at the edge of the stone circle. Hades, meanwhile, cracked his knuckles as Bacchus half-clung to him, glaring suspiciously at the giant thing until it conceded: "Yes. The forest provides us much of what we need, but occasionally we require... more."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Zerrex asked.

"No. We will have to try again." the creature said.

"One of our jobs is to... intervene when there are things that harm people." Zerrex said delicately, and Hades grimaced as he felt Bacchus tense a little beside him.

"My people are in need. Will you intervene to solve our harms, too?" asked the entity.

"Can you give us your name?" Zerrex questioned.

"The Sisters call me the Father. The Wolf Clan call me the Hunter. I have no true name." The creature paused, then said: "I do not care for names. I have never been given one. I am little more than a white elk."

"White Elk. Nice to meet you." the lizard smiled, bowing his head politely. "I'm Zerrex. My friends are Hades, and Bacchus."

The creature looked up at them, studying them calmly before the incubus asked bluntly: "What are you?"

White Elk looked at the demon, and its rictus of teeth seemed to twist in a smile as it said softly: "You know what I am."

He did. They all did, as a matter of fact, although it was bizarre to see. Not a Leshen, but rather an unborn, unfinished god. An aborted divine, an arch-spirit that had been meant to shape and rule from another realm, but instead had somehow ended up here, in a gnarled and broken body, in the dirt of the mortal realm.

Almost as rare as a golden dragon, yet not nearly as legendary or revered. They were dealing with something unique, incredible, and terribly alien to them.

Zerrex, for once, was silent, and Hades took a breath before he said calmly: "Even if you are what you say you are, we still have a duty-"

White Elk chuckled rustily, then held up a hand: skeletal, half-formed, fingers twined with dark, incomplete flesh. "Do not allow fear to masquerade as anger. Besides, you have had a long journey. You are my guests. And it is better to show you than speak."

Hades grimaced, but Bacchus took his wrist and squeezed it firmly, and the wolf sighed and forced himself to relax as Zerrex stood and admitted: "I could use some brain-off time."

"Your brain is always off." Hades muttered, and the lizard replied with a huff.

White Elk rose from his throne, and admittedly Hades had a hard time not instinctively grabbing his sword or prepping a Sign. Bacchus also seemed especially put-off by the intimidating giant as the creature slowly strode past them, but White Elk didn't so much as look at them as he said: "Follow. The Doe Sisters will take care of you."

Hades hesitated, but then Zerrex gently touched his shoulder before he smiled as he took Bacchus' other hand, and the incubus relaxed a little, which in turn helped Hades to feel a bit less... on-edge.

They walked together like that, the naked incubus boy between two witchers. They were silent on the path back to the... "Doe Sisters, you called them?"

"Yes."

Hades scowled; White Elk was even worse than Marcus when it came to helpful responses. So he couldn't help but press: "They thought I was part of the Wolf Clan. So you look after two tribes of... elven?"

"Elven of Light, Elven of Dark. The gatherers and the hunters. The prey and the predator. Before the Conjunction occurred, there were many races... many species. The coming of monsters and the werr took so much... and what were once kingdoms have sunken into the sand they were built upon."

Hades frowned deeper, as Zerrex tilted his head and asked "Werr?"

"Your... persons. The races that came here." White Elk said, before he gestured outwards as they entered the village of the Doe Sisters, the deer crowding in and cooing worship and delight at the appearance of their... god? Master? Father? "My daughters. Treat these guests with the same love and respect you would treat me. Tend to them."

The cluster of elven does bowed respectfully, then turned their shining eyes towards the trio: curiosity and concern had been replaced by interest and admiration. It was probably supposed to feel welcoming, but instead it only felt creepy.

It really was like some kind of hypnosis. Like they were under the complete control of this half-formed god, like they were nothing but dolls, homunculi. 

White Elk strode forwards, the crowd parting for him and bowing to him... to all of them, as the trio followed uncomfortably behind the looming unborn to one of the larger huts.

He gestured to this, said calmly: "Rest."

And then he vanished, in a single movement, becoming an indescribable mass of ash that faded rapidly out of sight. The trio were left standing in front of the building, dumbfounded, until Hades wrinkled his muzzle at the faint smell of steam, saying finally: "I think this a bathhouse."

"We will tend to you." An elven doe appeared beside him, smiling, grasping his shoulders gently.

Another appeared beside Zerrex, almost pushing into him as she agreed: "Let us help you."

"Sure!" Zerrex grinned and waggled his eyebrows, while Hades shifted a bit towards Bacchus, half-hugging him almost protectively against his side with a scowl as he felt the incubus bristle a little.

He wasn't getting paid enough to deal with this shit.



The bathhouse had been... an experience. Sure, it had been nice to soak in the burbling waters, even as he'd grouchily watched Zerrex receive a back lather and massage from one of the does and fended off Bacchus' teasing, but... it had been strange.

Now they were washed, relaxing in a little hut to themselves. The floor was packed earth and straw, and the evening dimness was kept away by glowing stones embedded in the wooden walls and roof. There were stumps and thick rounds cut from tree trunks for chairs and a table, and blankets laid out, but the only bed was soft hay and floor.

It was so strange, to be surrounded by so much 'nature' that all felt so... unnatural.

Finally, Zerrex looked up and asked Bacchus: "They felt empty, didn't they?"

"Yes." Bacchus said after a moment, as he rested against Hades' naked chest: the wolf was in his pants, but nothing else, leaning back against a mossy wall, feet propped up on a second wooden stool. The incubus boy shifted in his lover's lap, rubbing meditatively under his chin. "I'm definitely going to have to fuck both of you tonight. You know, to keep my strength up."

"Uh huh." Zerrex gave a slight smile, before he looked over at Hades with a small shrug. "I don't know what to do here."

"Usually you don't think about what to do, you just do things and get us all in trouble." Hades noted.

"Yeah. But this time it feels more complex than that." Zerrex shifted. His naked scales flexed, glistening in the low light, his eyes almost glowing in the dimness as he murmured: "We're safe here, and we can rest here. We can't ignore what we've found, though. A Remnant; I think the elves call them the 'Once-Was.'"

Hades grimaced. It was hard to believe that such a thing really existed outside of fairy tales, let alone that they had encountered one: a demigod-like being that had been coming into creation at the time of the Conjunction, interrupted by the merging of the spheres. Something that was definitely worth more than the scant fifty coins and the resupply from the merchant caravan.

Zerrex rubbed at his chin, as Bacchus noted: "It feels ancient. And powerful, but also fragile. It's calm on the surface, but... there's a terrible beastliness just beneath the surface. He makes me uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable. That's one word for it." Hades muttered. "Tempted to leave. This isn't worth the pay."

"Maybe not. But even if I agreed with you, I don't feel like he's going to let us leave." Zerrex noted, and Hades grumbled under his breath, but then gave a brief nod. "Now that we're here, we're kind of stuck dealing with this, whether we want to or not."

"You both need to relax." Bacchus said, before he nuzzled down Hades' chest, even as he smiled back over his shoulders at Zerrex, half-lidding his eyes. "Plus I could use a little snack."

Hades sighed, even as he reached up a hand to rest on the leopard's head, pushing through his hair and massaging gently across his scalp as Zerrex gave a slight smile, shrugging a bit before he said wryly: "Well, it would be rude to ignore a friend in need. And I think we're safe for now, anyway. Might as well let off a bit of stress."

It wasn't like Hades could argue, as Bacchus kissed down his stomach to his groin as he slid sinuously out of his lap to raise his rump in the direction of the lizard: he felt himself stirring as he licked his lips, and Zerrex gave a slight smile before he shifted forwards.

His hands gripped the incubus' hips, stroking back to grope his fine ass, working his rump slowly before he knelt as he rubbed forwards to lightly squeeze his hips, fingers teasing in to his groin as he nipped his buttocks lightly.

Bacchus sighed, his mouth moving lower as he felt the lizard kiss gently up along his spine, felt the male rising up behind him, while Hades' hands massaged over his face tenderly, a finger sliding into his muzzle for a moment before he drew his hand back and instead gripped the back of his head, guiding him down...

It was a good night of indulgence, even if it was... maybe a little stupid, considering the situation they were in. But they were able to afford a little stupidity now and then.

In the morning, they dressed - apart from Bacchus, who simply purred and teasingly stretched like the cat he was - and Hades grimaced a bit as he finished polishing his sword, wishing moodily he had brought silver instead of steel... but he figured it would still do the job.

It had been a good night. The question, however, was what the day was going to bring.

They emerged from the huts, and were immediately greeted by the elven, who brought them to a banquet that had already been laid out for them. They were offered comforts, pleasures, whatever they wanted, but even Bacchus declined: there was just something... off about the does. Like they were barely living, functioning things beyond the power of their master.

The food was good, at least. And shortly, they were joined by White Elk, the elven all praising and worshiping him as he said calmly: "I will take you to see the Wolf Clan today. And on the path, we shall... speak."

"Great." Zerrex said, with a  marked lack of enthusiasm.

The great looming thing barely paid them any heed, however, only gesturing carelessly with one bony hand as he turned. They didn't really have any choice but to follow.

Although of course, they were barely at the outskirts of the village when Zerrex opened his big stupid mouth: "So they call you Father; is that because you're the father of all of them, or because you father all their children, or both?"

White Elk chuckled, before he asked: "Does that bother you?"

"And what about this Wolf Clan? Are they the same?"

"You shall see."

Helpful, again, Hades thought wryly.

As they continued, the entity spoke up on its own: "I have given thought to your many questions, werren. This land is ours. It was ours before the Convergence and will be ours after all werr are gone. My Clans live by their own rules, as do I... and I am not foolish enough to believe your civilization would permit me to exist as I please, in any event." 

"That's the social contract." Zerrex said with a shrug and a wry smile. "Which is why some of us prefer to live outside of society, I suppose."

"Even if you live like animals, if you attack merchant caravans, you're going to attract the attention of those same people." Hades noted, as neutrally as he could, as he resisted the urge to touch the handle of his weapon. It was painfully hard to remain as diplomatic as he could be: it was both his natural reaction to dealing with this level of threat and, well, the fact he wasn't exactly well-versed in diplomacy beyond 'give me my money.'

"And the werr have the right to police and decide for us what is right, and what is wrong, even when they cut down our forests and invade our territory?" answered the creature, in its ever-calm, unwavering voice, but the light in its sockets seemed to intensify, as a cold breeze stirred the charms hanging from its antlers.

"Well, you know. We werr have big heads, now that we've got cities all over the place and we've chased off all the dirty elven." Zerrex said wryly, and White Elk slowly turned his head towards him, making Hades wince as he only hoped that the monster understood what sarcasm was. "I'm a realist, you know. An optimistic realist. I'm not even telling you not to attack merchant caravans, here. I'm saying... if you're too obvious about it, the werr are eventually just going to set your forest on fire. And then what?"

White Elk didn't respond. Instead, they walked on, passing into his amphitheater, where he paused for a moment before saying: "We are like the landvaettir. Spirits of the earth, driven to comfort and protect their territories. Different from the werr, in that we do not overextend. This is my home. And I can never leave it."

"Sounds more like a prison." Bacchus said.

The giant didn't reply. Instead, he started forwards again, leading them across the packed earth to another archway.

Hades glanced back with a scowl to see this archway was decorated on the outside with skulls and bones crudely tied and nailed into the trees. As they walked, they saw more of these fetishes and totems all around them, as White Elk said: "Light Elves, and Dark Elves. Prey, and predator. We all have our place in this world. We are all but a link in the chain of nature, whether we like it or not."

"Our bodies shall return to the earth." Zerrex said, and Hades wasn't sure if he was being an ass or agreeable. "So you have a duty to fulfill?"

"As best as I am able. But my state makes it... difficult. You spoke before of this place being a prison. But it is existence, rather, that is the cage."

Zerrex frowned slightly, before he looked up quickly as several howls greeted them, followed by the sound of rapid footsteps fleeing down the path. White Elk was unperturbed, however, answering before they could even ask: "They are preparing for my arrival. I advise you to respect their rituals."

They weren't really in a position to say no. That, and all the bone totems around them made it clear they weren't dealing with a peaceful people like the does had been.

They didn't speak much as they made their way down the path: Zerrex noted that it was weedier, marshier, that the earth was alive, the trees listing and dreary, speckles of marsh here and there where frogs croaked and swamp-birds crooned. This was the kind of place where Drowners and wraiths liked to hang out: he wondered uneasily what that meant about the 'Wolf Clan' they were going to meet.

He didn't have to wonder for long: the walk to the village was only a few minutes, and two Wolf Clan waited for them outside. These elven, like the namesake that their unfinished god had given them, were indeed dark; they had black fur reminiscent of the marshy soil around them, and wore rough hides and jewelry made of bones. They had strange, glowing white eyes and oily black hair that was tied in long braids: honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that it felt like there was something else going on here, Zerrex wouldn't have been surprised by Hades being mistaken for a Wolf Clan.

They had glyphs on their bodies, too, and other symbols: unlike the does, these had been burned into their bodies rather than simply painted on. They also couldn't help notice, as they entered the village under the cold eyes of the guards, that all the Wolf Clan they say were males, just as the deer had been does.

This 'village' was more like a war camp, and their barbarism was on full display: totems honoring White Elk had been set up and laden with treasures and tributes, animals large and small were pinned against crude grooved pillars so that their blood could drain from their bodies and into pools below, and worst of all, corpses of elven does hung from gallows poles, their bodies often in states of partial skinning or evisceration.

"Praise the Hunter!" roared the wolves in unison, raising fists or weapons to the sky, then stamping the rotten earth beneath them.

White Elk's skull seemed to twist in a smile, before he turned his eyes to an elven wolf that was riddled with scars and carrying a staff that rattled with the teeth and bone strung all along it. A shaman, perhaps?

He bowed low to White Elk, then turned to face the rest of the tribe, roaring: "The Hunter has come! He who brings us challenge! He who teaches us to kill! He who provides our prey! Look upon him, for he is our life, and our death!"

Zerrex remained silent and passive, and Hades grimaced as he felt Bacchus shift closer: there was a... a malevolence in the air, a crushing, brutal force. Strangely, it made him think of the barrier: the first layer had been docile confusion, gently turning them away; the second layer, wrath and violence, threatening to crush them beneath its weight.

"Great Beast of the Hunt, what have you brought us? Are they to be sacrificed, or do they challenge us?" the shaman asked, and he sneered at them as his eyes glittered with malice. "Shall we teach them the glory of the hunt, or inspire in them the terror of being hunted?"

White Elk chuckled, and Hades bared his teeth as he retorted: "Considering how badly it looks like those does beat you up, you better be careful you aren't biting off more than you can chew."

This was immediately greeted by snarls and growls, and Zerrex grimaced before he held up his hands and said pointedly: "We're not here looking for a fight. We're here because-"

"We know why you have come, outsiders!" answered the shaman contemptibly, violently shaking his staff before he pointed at Hades. "You question the authority of the Hunter. Worse yet, you question our right to hunt. This is a world of strong over weak, where the predator has right and duty to choose and devour his prey at whim!"

The wolves all growled and stomped their paws, and Zerrex grimaced as the shaman rose his staff above his head and roared: "We shall never cease to hunt! We shall never cease to seek trophies and kill! We will multiply and conquer!"

"How do you plan to do that last part? I don't see any female wolves around." Zerrex noted, glancing back and forth.

The shaman, however, only grinned a mottled grin, then he pointed at a deer carcass hanging from a nearby gallows. Zerrex frowned before he turned his eyes to it, and then they narrowed sharply as his supernatural senses realized what he was seeing: the doe's belly was distended, and her groin torn; she looked as if...

"The predator hunts the prey. The predator uses the prey, for all purposes." the shaman said, proud and callous. 

Zerrex's teeth slowly ground together as Hades growled and Bacchus flexed a claw slowly, and the shaman sneered at them before he stepped back and pointed his staff at the trio. "And the Wolf Clan does not turn down a sacrifice that wanders into our lair."

Hades realized too late that White Elk had vanished:he snarled at this betrayal, as Zerrex grimaced, watching as the slavering Wolf Clan shifted, raising their weapons, closing in tighter around them.

They were like beasts, teeth and claws glinting hungrily, their held weapons secondary to their animality. The shaman began to chant as he held up his staff, and Hades reached back to yank his sword off his back as Bacchus hissed, fur standing on end as he pressed back-to-back with his companion.

Zerrex stepped back, one hand preparing a Sign before he said quickly, in a burst of inspiration: "Wait! Where's the glory in this? No, let's fight your strongest warriors, show us Wolf Clan are truly warriors, not just scavengers who need the Hunter to bring them prey!"

The wolves snarled and growled before Hades barked: "I'll fight your champion!"

The shaman slammed his staff down, and the rest of the dark elven halted, rumbling. The shaman studied them with a slow lick of his lips as Hades stepped forwards, Bacchus still staying at his back, protecting and watching over him.

Finally, the shaman chuckled before he shook his staff and roared: "A challenge! A challenge to the Alpha! Blood! Blood! Blood!"

The surrounding pack took up the chanting as Hades looked back and forth, before his eyes widened as a massive wolfbeast lumbered out of the crowd. The only real sign of sentience was in how it wiped its drooling maw with the back of its wrist as it halted in front of him, white eyes glaring down into the witcher's, his naked body flexing and making the eerie, burnt tattoos across his form shiver and shake.

"Blood." spoke the beast in agreement, and the rest of the Wolf Clan howled in delight.

"Oh crap." Hades muttered.

"Blood will be spilled!" The shaman rose his staff, rattling the bones before he pointed it at Hades and the great wolfbeast, growling: "But first, we pay homage to the Hunter! Then the Alpha will break your bones!"

Hades began to open his mouth, but Bacchus quickly elbowed him in the back, and the witcher gritted his teeth and managed to bite down on his words before he could say anything that would get them in further trouble. 

They were trapped in the eye of the crowd as it moved forwards: there was nothing the trio could do bu follow through the village, past grisly totems and racks where hides were being stretched and prepared next to the corpses of the does that had provided them. No, not just does, Zerrex realized: there were piles here and there of clothing, of equipment, of discarded, abandoned supplies. These elven had almost certainly been attacking - and probably eating - plenty of outsiders who had been unlucky enough to come close to their territory.

They were brought to an altar, before a throne. A throne that White Elk now dominated, watching with distant curiosity, almost as if bored as he rested with his head tilted to the side and propped up by one fist. Hades glared daggers at him, but resisted saying anything as Zerrex reached up an gently squeezed his shoulder, the two mostly ignoring the shaman's prayer and fervor.

"You sure you want to do this?" Zerrex asked quietly, and Hades grimaced a bit as he slowly squeezed the handle of his sword, letting the blade rest across his other hand as he stared down into the polished surface.

"No other choice. We can't fight all of them at once." Hades shook his head briefly, scowling moodily before he sighed as he felt Bacchus squeeze his forearm worriedly.

He nodded slightly to him, reassuring him silently before their attention was drawn by the huge Alpha lumbering towards the altar, slamming his hands down on it and then snarling and arching his back. They all felt the magic that crackled through the air: powerful and toxic, and even as his muscles bulged with strength, new scars snaked their way across his body, crisscrossing his seared tattoos before he threw his head back and roared.

He stumbled back, then spun around with a vicious grin, licking his teeth as a bit of drool fell from his maw. Hades and Zerrex both tensed at that malevolence, as Bacchus muttered: "I don't know how clearly you can feel it, but..."

"Yeah." Hades said after a moment, as his pendant shivered violently. All of them had felt that terrible sensation at some point dealing with magic: that was an effect that demanded to be paid in blood. Power, at the cost of who knew how many years off this creature's life?

Suddenly, the shaman's terrible scars and mutilated body made sense, as did the scarred bodies of these elven.

Hades shifted, and the shaman laughed contemptibly, snorting: "You do not deserve the honor of touching the Hunter's altar, outsider! But do not fear... your corpse will provide tribute enough!"

"Not if I kill your champion first." Hades answered, pointing his sword towards the hulking Alpha. "Now guarantee me that when I win, we all go free."

The shaman looked to White Elk, who straightened and nodded in agreement. "It is their right."

"Very well. Then you fight for all your lives; fail, and all of you shall be forfeit, prey for the Hunt!"

"No pressure or anything, though." Zerrex drawled, before gave Hades a firm pat on the back. "You've got this."

The lupine elven had begun to stamp and chant, withdrawing: when Zerrex and Bacchus lingered a moment too longer, several began to growl and raise weapons threateningly, and the lizard grimaced before he gently took Bacchus by the shoulders and pulled him backwards, shielding him from the elven at the same time as he complained loudly: "We're just telling our friend good luck, you guys don't have to be assholes about it!" 

Hades shook his head, then turned towards the Alpha, squeezing his sword slowly in his hand as the elven beast growled. Wolf Clan came in quickly on either side as he breathed hungrily, bearing equipment that he snatched from their hands: a quiver of javelins that he threw over one shoulder, and a spiked shield of gnarled wood and bone.

The elven began to chant: but these were barely elven, were they? They were like mutants, imitations of elves, and as monstrous as they were, they were... hollow, just like the does.

Empty, miserable things.

The Alpha roared, then leapt towards him: there was no announcement, only rage and hunger. He swung his shield ferociously at the witcher, and Hades gritted his teeth as he slipped to the side, narrowly avoiding the cut of the spiked shield.

The elven lunged at him with a claw, and Hades slashed his sword sharply outwards: there was a welcome crunch as blade smashed into fingers, but to his shock the impact didn't even make the Alpha flinch as he swung his arm to the side to knock the sword away before he dropped his shoulder and charged straight at the witcher.

Hades twisted, dropping his forearm against the flat of his blade and gritting his teeth as he used the sword as a buffer between himself and the shield: he felt the teeth of that deadly wall grind against his legs and bite at his arms.

He hissed in pain as he tried to push forwards, but the giant forced him back with a a grin as he began to reach back for a javelin. The witcher's feet dug trenches in the earth even as he leaned his weight into the shield, and he could almost feel the slavering at the edge of the ring: somehow, he knew that getting pushed back into those waiting, hungry elven wasn't going to end well for him.

Focus.

Hades' eyes narrowed as he took a breath. Blood ran from his arm and his hand as the spiky, thorny shield pressed forwards, and the Alpha's claw began to close around his javelin-

The witcher moved like lightning, pirouetting sharply to the side, narrowly avoiding the battering ram of the shield swinging into him, feeling it nip his side before his sword whickered out with the power of both training and momentum.

The Alpha howled in... that wasn't pain. That was frustration, even as his raised, vulnerable arm was almost cleft in half. He staggered to the side, then looked down at the deep wound in his limb, spewing blood, fingers twitching before they clenched slowly into a fist as he snarled in fury.

"I'll eat your heart and wear your skin as a trophy!" the elven roared, before he reached up, heedless of his wound, tearing a javelin loose and flinging it at the witcher.

Only Hades' muscle memory saved him, deflecting the javelin with a curse. The impact staggered him all the same: it felt like all he had actually managed to do was make this giant angry.

Another javelin was flung at him, and Hades dodged: it slammed into the crowd behind him, which didn't react with fear, but excitement, screaming and howling eagerly even as one of the elven was knocked sprawling.

A third javelin was flung at him, and Hades ducked low, even as he registered the huge wolf charging at him: he was prepared this time, however, his fingers sharply forming the Aard sign and blasting the alpha's feet out from beneath him.

He was knocked sprawling with a howl of surprise, shield flying from his grip, javelins spilling uselessly out of the quiver, and Hades leapt forwards in that moment of vulnerability and stabbed his sword straight down through the alpha's back, the rest of the Wolf Clan immediately going silent.

The witcher grimaced, then twisted his blade before he leaned forwards on the pommel of his sword and grunted as he pierced down further, feeling the alpha twitch beneath him as the tip of his blade pierced the earth.

He took a slow breath, before he was knocked stumbling back a step in surprise when the alpha twitched below him. Then he swore and leapt backwards when the hulking mass of the wolf shoved itself upwards, the elven... the monster roaring furiously as he spread his arms, and the rest of the Wolf Clan howled in delight with him.

Hades glared at the giant beast: it was rasping hard, sword impaled through its body, claws twitching as dark, stinking blood ran from its wounds. It lumbered forwards, baring its teeth, eyes nothing but hollow voids of hate-

Hades made the Igni Sign with both hands and shoved them forwards, and a ferocious blast of flame burst over the monster, sending the alpha staggering with a scream of agony, grasping and clawing at itself as its entire body went up like it was covered in oil before the thing collapsed backwards in a heap of not flesh and blood, but broken porcelain, ashes, and marshy water.

His sword clattered to the ground in the mess, the steel gleaming through the ichor that covered it as the flames quickly subsided, and much of the ruin that this champion of the Wolf Clan had become returning to the earth from whence he had been formed.

It all made sense now, Hades thought, as he looked at the remains of the homunculus, before he turned his gaze to White Elk.

White Elk, who sat silently, fingers tented beneath his chin, eyes strange, meditative... almost sad.

"The outsider... has won." finally spat the shaman, and there was a rumble of disgust through the crowd before the shaman rose his staff and shook his bones. "We honor our laws, and the decree of the Hunter. They are free to leave.

"We apologize, White Elk. We see now why you brought the Outsider; to test us. Do not fear: we shall not be complacent in our failure. We shall endure! We shall become stronger!"

The rest of the pack roared as White Elk studied the shaman, before his eyes shifted to Hades as he quickly picked up his weapon. He paused as he grasped the handle, eyes meeting the endless gaze of this unfinished god, but he felt little in the way of compassion.

He knew the answer. He thought the others did, too.

The Wolf Clan had all-but-forgotten about them as they began some ritual; he'd say they had forgotten about their so-called 'Alpha,' too, if they weren't busy apologizing for him and spitting on his failure. Hades grimaced as they slipped back the way they had come, eyeing that gnarled, ugly shield for a moment as he carefully stepped around it: even that was... twisted, somehow.

They were silent as they made their way back: Bacchus took his hand and squeezed it, and Zerrex covered his other side. He didn't speak, but he appreciated what they were doing: giving him that rare sense of safety, telling him with their actions that it was okay.

They returned to the amphitheater... and somehow, Zerrex was unsurprised to see that White Elk was already here, seated in his throne. Hades growled and Bacchus narrowed his eyes as he shifted closer to the witcher, but Zerrex smiled as he tilted his head, asking: "So should we take that as a vote of confidence, or an attempt on our lives?"

"You asked to see. I have shown you. That is all." White Elk answered calmly.

"Enough bullshit." Hades growled. "We-"

"Are here to pass judgment on me. Mere werr; were I some mere 'god,' created by your need for religion, for authority, I would not pretend I was above the judgment of those I might have served; but I am here to represent nature. This is nature: the endless collision of the weak and the strong. Nature does not revere life, any more than it fears death."

"Nature has more than two sides, though. It is full of grays as much as black and white." Zerrex answered. "We don't want to 'pass judgment.' That's not our job. But we have to-"

"Protect the werr. Yes. Even though you are not truly part of them yourselves. You are all closer to what you call 'monsters,' and I merely look at as children of nature, than you are to the 'civilized.'" White Elk paused, then asked softly: "Truly, do you think so little of me?"

"I don't think it's your fault." Zerrex said softly, but as he stepped forwards, it was clear he was ready to do more than simply talk. "Whatever you were supposed to be... your birth was interrupted. You were mangled by the Conjunction. But that doesn't mean we can look the other way... especially when it's clear your Wolf Clan are hunting more than just the does."

"This isn't a closed circuit, a closed cycle. This is chaos." Bacchus added.

White Elk gave that strange, rictus smile of his, and then he said softly: "The prey desire to flourish, and the predator desires to hunt. The prey procreate, while the hunter can only destroy. The Doe Clan makes life, but the Wolf Clan can only kill... and as much as you judge me for 'making' them this way, you are Hunters yourselves, are you not?"

Zerrex snorted, but even as he and Hades drew their respective silver and steel swords, he said quietly: "Sure. We're sterile killers. But we kill with more purpose than to continue our own cycle. We kill to protect others."

"Even monsters have a right to live." White Elk said calmly, as he stood and straightened. A looming, terrible shape, a titan; incomplete, and yet all the same, so much greater than anything they had faced before. "They are only doing what their instincts tell them to. They are only trying to live. And all too frequently it is the werr who infringe upon them. It is the werr who move to eradicate them. It is the werr who see a beautiful beast like a gryphon, careless and free in the skies, and take a rock to bludgeon its eggs, to incite its rage, and then claim innocence as they send you to take upon the task of murdering the noble beast. What say you to that?"

Zerrex opened his mouth, but Hades answered first as he stepped forwards with his sword ready: "I say I was paid fifty orens to deal with a problem, which is a goddamn ripoff, but even I have my pride and I don't go back on my word. You are the problem, White Elk. And you can wax philosophical all you want, but it doesn't change anything."

"Anger. But fear, too." White Elk said softly, and the branches stirred around them as the air grew cold. "You should be afraid."

Roots exploded from the earth: if not for their unnatural reflexes and the sharp warning of their amulets, they would have speared and snared both witchers. As it was, they were still knocked off balance, before Hades felt a root seize his leg and Zerrex narrowly avoided being grabbed by another, but the splintered wood still managed to twist and tear a shallow wound across his arm.

Hades quickly made the Igni Sign, blasting the roots at his feet, and White Elk visibly flinched as the roots gave an inhuman scream and yanked themselves backwards. Another burst up from the earth, headed straight for him, but Bacchus intercepted it with a claw, shattering the wood before it could stroke, only splinters pattering against the witcher's armor.

Zerrex ran towards White Elk, dodging both lashing vines and tripping roots, but the moment he drew close to the giant's throne a wall of earth erupted upwards, blocking his passage, before a great blast of soil burst from behind him, slamming him painfully into the rocky wall and pinning him there.

Hades growled as he ran past the burning roots, prepping another Sign, but he was interrupted when a flock of shadowy birds erupted from the air itself, lashing across him with caws and screams: he covered his face with an arm, leaning forwards to bear through the miasma as more toxic magic than physical force ripped across him, and the moment it passed he spun around and made the Aard Sign, blasting the dark flock into ashes.

Bacchus channeled his own magic as he surged forwards, but before he could unleash it, White Elk disintegrated into black mist before he reappeared behind Hades; the witcher was prepared for him, though, half-spinning and slashing his steel sword against the giant's stomach, but it barely made so much as a scratch, the metal unable to find purchase against the supernatural being.

White Elk paused all the same, however, head rearing back slightly as if surprised the witcher had dared to strike him, before he stumbled to the side as Bacchus sent a blast of flame into his head, making him growl in pain. Hades started another swing, hoping to find some vulnerability, some opening, but then he staggered as his sword was slammed out of his hand by a swing of the deformed titan's arm.

He stumbled back, then caught himself, still ready to fight even as a huge claw reached down for him, before the giant howled in pain as a silver streak plunged into his chest with a burst of ichor. It staggered back and looked up with shock at Zerrex; still waist-deep in the soil that had trapped him, but  one arm still extended from the throw and his other hand still locked in the Aard Sign.

Hades leapt forwards: he kicked off the body of the monster, then seized the sword and yanked viciously downwards with both hands, eviscerating the beast. A great splash of what was more like dark water than blood burst from its chest as White Elk clutched at himself with a howl of pain, stumbling backwards, before he gasped as Bacchus sent a great gout of flame into his open chest, searing the injury open, evaporating what served as the creature's blood.

It stumbled drunkenly backwards, then fell to one knee, trembling fingers pressing down into the soil, head lowered as it breathed hard in and out. The earth shook as defenses and offenses crumbled, and the mighty trees that formed the walls of this great domed temple began to wither, leaves crackling as they turned to autumn colors and cascaded down in a gentle rain.

Hades straightened, silver sword gleaming in his hand, and Bacchus narrowed his eyes as Zerrex slowly approached, grimacing as he brushed dirt from himself. White Elk slowly rose his head, and then he chuckled quietly, whispering: "Today, it seems, I am the prey."

"No. More like a rabid animal that needs to be put down." Hades retorted, before he grimaced a little when Zerrex gently reached up and squeezed his shoulder, muttering: "Or you know. Something like that."

"We're not all fighters. We're not all meant to fight." Zerrex said. "Maybe that's why your Wolf Clan turned out so badly."

White Elk was silent, and Bacchus asked after a moment: "What is going to happen now?"

"Time will move forward. The earth will move on." White Elk answered, looking up at them for a brief moment, and seeming to give that strange smile of his, one last time. "What? Do you think any of us are so important that existence will cease without us?"

A sharp, cold wind blew, stirring the leaves around them into a violent whirl, for a moment, a blanket of autumn coating the fallen god; a moment later, they were gone, and so was any trace of the unfinished being.

They were silent as they looked at the spot where he had been, then Zerrex knelt as Hades muttered and went to retrieve his sword. Bacchus stayed with Zerrex, touching his back as he leaned forwards, listening: not just with his ears, but with all his senses, as the lizard breathed slowly in and out, one hand in the earth, head lowered in deep thought.

Hades returned and kicked Zerrex: as always, Zerrex noted as he smiled over his shoulder, after he was done. He took his silver sword back and returned it to his sheath as he stood and straightened, and the two looked at each other before sharing a nod.

The headed back to the village of the does: a village that now looked only like a forest clearing with a few scattered, dilapidated dwellings, full of clay statues. That answered that question: the death of White Elk had also taken the life from all his homunculi, and Zerrex was sure that if these beings of creation couldn't live without their master, then the Wolf Clan had certainly returned to mud and ash by now.

It was eerie, though. Brittle clay statues, many of them already broken or collapsing, having died in mid-movement; a pregnant statue here, her belly open and only dust spilling from her empty womb,  her face frozen in a soft smile as the remains of an arm cradled the cracked egg of her stomach.

"Did we do the right thing?" Hades asked impulsively.

"We did a job." Zerrex answered.

"That's not an answer." Bacchus noted.

Zerrex only nodded in response, and Hades knew that he didn't have any better answers himself.

They left the forest, which was now free of any barrier, magical or otherwise: their ridehorses were long gone, of course, but they certainly weren't the first mounts they'd lost, and wouldn't be the last. The lizard sighed as he cracked his back, then he glanced over at Hades, asking: "Think that those merchants will spare us a ride?"

"I'm sure we can convince them if they're still there." Hades replied with a wry smile.

Zerrex nodded in agreement, and then he smiled when Bacchus slipped between them with a wink. "I'm always happy to help the negotiations too, you know."

Hades rolled his eyes as Zerrex laughed. But as they walked down the road, the wolf couldn't help but find himself thinking about everything that had happened, what they had faced. About White Elk, what he had said, what he had done, how in the end...

He looked at Zerrex, and Zerrex nodded briefly before he said: "Yeah. It must have been terrible. To be incomplete; to be stuck in this loop of creation and destruction, to try to fulfill your role... but not truly able to achieve it. Only ever able to make... dolls, shadows, with the basest of... programming. But not being able to stop yourself, because it was what you were put on this earth to do."

"I'm glad all we were put on this earth to do is to kill people, then." Hades groused.

"Not true. You're really good at fucking, too." Bacchus piped up, and Hades couldn't help but laugh, breaking his usual facade before he huffed at the smiling incubus.

"Hey, you should be proud of being good at sex. At least Bacchus isn't actually a kid, he just looks like one. You're not Marcus, that's something to be proud of."

"Oh fuck off." Hades said, but he couldn't help but smile all the same.

And as the trio headed down the road, back towards civilization, they were watched over by a solitary white figure; and as they faded into the distance, so too did the specter fade away from sight, returning to rest in the bosom of nature, where it belonged.