Or'do stooped slightly, his cloak stained crimson with the feces laden blood of a maneater boar. Crouched as he was, it was upon a plane of square flagstones that he beheld its two hulking brethren. The stones quaked like ancient towns besieged by the riotous earth, as with rumbling bellows, the many eyed creatures hurled themselves toward him with impossible speed.

Like stones from falling battlements they fell upon him, paws wringing plumes of dust from the long untouched stones, jaws lined with foul teeth and fetid breath yawning wide in challenge and hunger; yet he was unmoved. Or'do rolled headlong, passing between the beasts and slashing at their meaty flanks, connecting twice before they had maneuvered their bulk toward him once more.

The first found its chin smashed by his iron fist, its entire head twisted to the side, slamming its body against that of its comrade and tipping both like listing freighters. Their bloated forms writhed uselessly upon the ground, their skulls bursting apart in the fashion of overripe melons beneath his unforgiving fists and equally merciless stone.

He strode on, his breath coming in calm, even bursts that belied the chaos of his troubled heart. Aleorn. Has my greed once more been the torment of those I cherish? Have I once more destroyed that which I sought only to save? These tormented him, abandoning him only when the terrible joy of combat washed away his sanity. The Dark took him in those moments, yet it also sheltered him from his pain. Its promise was too tantalizing, too intoxicating it seemed. He surrendered without question.