"It is lured by death. The death of Void creatures. Perhaps other creatures. There were Void serpents in the first tunnels, before the Lily was planted." He released her as she pulled away, seeing the tension in her hands, and he reluctantly let his arms fall back to his sides. "I intended to hunt for more... bait... once the spider was dead. While Sah held the tunnels." He hesitated, then gave a small shrug. "The idea was not taken well." Jack, notably, but also by Noah. "Next time I would recommend bringing Void animals captured from other regions. As we did to make the Barriers." Not kind, perhaps, but as ruthlessly pragmatic as he had learned to be as King. "And sacrifice them to draw it out. That, or..." He tilted his head to the side, thoughtful. "The first time the Wyrm appeared today, we had not killed anything. It came. It fired a Void blast at us. We were... very close to killing it then, before it retreated." If any of his companions had been able to land a finishing blow in that first round--
But they had not. And dwelling on it would not change the past. Nor would contemplating her suggestion of bringing someone he did not like help.
However tempting it might be.
"Be ready. Hit it with everything when it breaches. It might be possible with Deimos and Sunjata and I combined, now that we are prepared. If there was time to finish my quest for Safrin..." He trailed off into silence, thinking with a furrow in his brow until the bitterness in Flora's voice drew him back into the moment and he listened to her anger. Accepted it, but did not bow his head as he considered her frustration.
"...Yes," he agreed, feeling the answering twinge in his own heart, a dark echo that he usually kept hidden. "It is supposed to be." A breath in. A breath out. "But you know why your fathers have stayed out of this fight. I will not make excuses for the rest." He contemplated his Queen solemnly and then looked towards the corrupted horizon where Starfall hunched in the gloaming, a dark bird brooding over its nest and the black egg within.
A change of tacking into the wind. "I could invite Dahlia to spar with me. Attempt to get more of her blood to ward the Port. Give you a place to rest when you are not out raising hell against them." He had no illusions that she would hide there in safety while others were in danger. But it would make him feel better to know that she at least had the option. A place to sleep beyond their reach.
But they had not. And dwelling on it would not change the past. Nor would contemplating her suggestion of bringing someone he did not like help.
However tempting it might be.
"Be ready. Hit it with everything when it breaches. It might be possible with Deimos and Sunjata and I combined, now that we are prepared. If there was time to finish my quest for Safrin..." He trailed off into silence, thinking with a furrow in his brow until the bitterness in Flora's voice drew him back into the moment and he listened to her anger. Accepted it, but did not bow his head as he considered her frustration.
"...Yes," he agreed, feeling the answering twinge in his own heart, a dark echo that he usually kept hidden. "It is supposed to be." A breath in. A breath out. "But you know why your fathers have stayed out of this fight. I will not make excuses for the rest." He contemplated his Queen solemnly and then looked towards the corrupted horizon where Starfall hunched in the gloaming, a dark bird brooding over its nest and the black egg within.
A change of tacking into the wind. "I could invite Dahlia to spar with me. Attempt to get more of her blood to ward the Port. Give you a place to rest when you are not out raising hell against them." He had no illusions that she would hide there in safety while others were in danger. But it would make him feel better to know that she at least had the option. A place to sleep beyond their reach.
