Or'do strode haggard and weary along the steep ascent at whose peak the Abyss Watchers cowered behind gates like slabs of stone. Around him lay limp and crumpled, the corpses of those who dared stand in his way, each having given nothing more than mute silence when he demanded of them the answers he sought.

Like the primordial roar of thunder, Or'do's iron sole crashed against the seam where the doors met, flinging both wide, and revealing the slender forms of his adversaries. One alone stood atop the crumpled horde, and with a slowness that radiated confidence, it advanced upon him, rugged armour glinting, and notched blade shining dangerously even in the pale light.

Or'do wasted not a moment: his trailing leg tensed, and propelled by its formidable strength, he sprang. His greatsword traced a broad arc through the air, its howl like that of a wounded dragon, its edge shining like the disk of an eclipsed Sun. Yet the Watcher merely skittered aside, the longer counterpart of its twin swords flicking out with the speed of a striking viper, biting deep into his calf and staggering the mighty warrior. Again, its blade crashed against him, and again he staggered, its blows falling upon him like hailstones of iron. Desperately, he swung, yet was once more foiled as the swift guardian merely pivoted aside, its weapon hissing softly as the keen edge grated against his shoulder, twisting his entire body and stealing the last of his balance.

"Useless!" He spat, casting the massive blade aside, and rolling aside as the steel of his foe crashed against the flagstones in a radiant fury of blazing spark and sundered stone. It had no mercy for him; even as he retreated, the Watcher only advanced with all the more potent rage, striking in terrifying abandon, scoring his armour and staining the air with his blood. In desperation, Or'do reached for the nearest of his many weapons, drawing forth a long, slender blade: a claymore whose leather hilt rasped eagerly at his touch, excited and eager for the battle to come.

With volcanic frenzy, Or'do slammed his leading foot against the earth, and sprang without hesitation or fear. Shards of radiance spiraled over its horizontal blade as the two edges met, and with keening wails slid past. Or'do pivoted as he passed, striking at the beast's calf with his trailing foot, and spiraling to drive his blade into the small of its back as the Watcher stumbled. Incredulous, it favoured him with a wide eyed stare, before crumpling to the earth where it lay forevermore. Then, the ashes of its fellows flowed from their barren husks, and filled it with new, conflagrant life. It surged to its feet, and was immediately met with the pommel of Or'do's blade, a diamond of steel that crunched between its eyes.

Or'do slashed again, carving a long diagonal river that wept tears of flame and blood. Howling furiously, the monster surged in, its immolated blade searing the stones as it swept up in a broad arc, that met only air as Or'do pivoted past. He reached out, snaring its neck in the crook of his arm, and allowing momentum to carry his claymore from his hand. Rivers of mercury glinted along the beast's bloodied armour as it struggled beneath him, its breath washing over his arm like shards of heated glass, yet he was unmoved. His free hand pressed against its back, intuitively locating the pulse of its undead heart, and with a grim determination pursuing it: his gloved fingertips sank into its flesh as if passing through congealing honey. Its convulsions became frenetic, desperate, yet nothing could save the Watcher now: Or'do reached deep inside himself, and with his cautious touch woke the Cinder that slept within. Bleak, bleached flames curled like carved ivory along his forearm, reaching deep inside the body of his foe, and bursting free like a thousand thousand blind vipers thrashing in anger and terror.

Smouldering, the Watcher slumped in his grasp, then slid to the flagstones as Or'do relaxed his fingers of steel, releasing it from his arms into those of Death.