Chapter 2-59: We Are Coming... (1/2)

“Humanity no longer has the limits on it that it did. The blinders are off, the foe is right before it. They may not know exactly how to fight this fight... but once they do, they will fight!”

Her laugh unnerved even the stolid werewolf. He stared at her, marking the double canines of her teeth, and wondered what it portended.

“We have seen the weakness of humanity, time and time again giving in to the manipulations of the Worm, the Spider...”

“And the Fangs. Don’t think that we don’t know you have been manipulating us, just like those forces have.” Her words had hidden teeth to them. “And don’t try to justify yourselves. You have killed people for your purposes, many of them totally innocent of any wrongdoing save for going against your will. Your people’s hands are stained red with the blood of mine, slaughtering as readily as Worm or Spider.

“I just killed eleven of your kind that proved weak. You are just as susceptible as humans are to being corrupted, although I’m sure that you decry that it will ever happen to you. I’m also fairly sure that it’s fallout from many of your own actions that drove humans to be corrupted in the first place.

“But, whatever.” She waved her hand away. “I doubt you are capable of doing so easily, probably because of your lifespans, but humans are capable of letting go of the old and embracing the new far more readily than you are, being what you are. I can afford to be magnanimous and not hold your people’s crimes against you.”

He bridled despite himself. “You are born of the Wormbringers, and you dare say such things to me?” he growled dangerously.

“Oh, so now you’re a racist, too! Like I said, you can’t let grudges go.” Her eyes danced at him with a dangerously calm light, like the sparkle of blades being drawn. “We can start any time you care to, Strikes At Shadows. Since you are holding me responsible for things I didn’t do, I will return the favor!”

Danger. It hummed in the air, the tang of blood yet to be shed, the thrum of hearts about to beat their last.

It was not her blood he smelled, or her heart that he heard. Her heart was beating as slowly and casually as if she were sleeping... while his own was spiking and threatening to ignite the rage of the wolf inside him.

She was simply not afraid of him, despite being so small and young.

“Are you one of the human Mages?” he asked directly.

She gave him a look reserved for idiots. “I have no magic, and you are asking me that? Did you get your brains from a mudpit?”

Her words weren’t any kinder for the lapse. “You are too wise and confident for your years.”

“That is totally true,” she agreed without blinking an eye. “I was wondering if you noticed.”

This was infuriating. She was not giving him even the basic respect he was used to as a werewolf, especially from humans. It was truly bizarre. Her cutting wisdom was like talking to an old grandmother...

“This... creation of yours... seems to be doing what you spoke of?” He shifted topics like a changing wind.

“If you mean destroying vile, Tainted stuff and turning it into nice usable mana, it’s definitely doing that. It was kind of made to do so.”

The spirit inhabiting the Spinechain was clearly burning away, dying, and the power being drawn away, swirling into the strange crossbow at the center of the tool. It was a strange Weapon for a human to be using in this day and age...

“Will it work on other Tainted things?” Strikes At Shadows asked directly.

“Yes, but not for you.” She was quite unmoved by the flicker in his eyes at her words. “And you wouldn’t live to take it, so really, don’t even try.”

“Because I am too magical,” he repeated drily.

“You were listening! I was wondering there...”

“Could we... borrow the use of it?” he growled thoughtfully.

“Borrow it? It won’t work for you, and I’m not going to loan it out. It took me too damn long to make it in the first place.”

“We would destroy Tainted things that we have had to hide away. Such things could be found again, or the spirits merely be unbound if they were broken. If they were burned away with this...”

She tilted her head at him. “It won’t work on anything really powerful, such as something made by an Avatar or Primal Spirit or something. But if it’s just made from unclean magic... sure, bring it to me and I’ll burn it away.”

“You do not even bargain?” He was suspicious.

“I get the pure mana out of it; I’m more than happy to do so,” she answered easily.

“This mana must be quite valuable if you are willing to risk the wrath of those who would want to recover such items.”

My, wasn’t that astute of him, she mused. “So, you’re saying I should be charging a big hefty fee for disposing of a polluted magical item, instead of treating it like toxic waste and finding some way to get rid of it.” His eyes widened slightly. “Oh, right, it costs time and money to get rid of toxic waste.” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “And, right, if you’re not careful bringing it to me, I could get some nasty entertainment called down on my head. Huh. So, how much should I be charging you to permanently remove a headache from you?”