A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

Erik blinked and cocked his head. It seemed like he was thinking about it, and some people around him started getting nervous. Astrid didn't want to lose her shot at Edda, while Ankhur and Enkai wondered what a deal like that would mean for them and their people.

Of course, Emily, Emma, and Elora, the latter of whom were watching from inside his dimension, didn't particularly care. They'd go along with Erik's decision because they had no strong feelings about the hunters or Lilith beyond what their husband felt about them.

Even if Emma didn't like their cruel practices, if Erik decided to make peace with them, it wouldn't change her feelings for him. In the end, nothing mattered more to her than him.

Surprisingly, Eira remained calm. For some reason, there was no doubt in her mind as to his decision. Although, whether that was born from trust in him, or overconfidence in his identity as her mistress' harbinger was uncertain.
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But was he thinking about it?

Thoughtfully, Erik looked down at his hammer and twirled it in his hands. Silence fell around them. Outside the barrier, the battle waged on, but it had become a one-sided slaughter. After the hunter Arcanists had been engaged in close-quarters combat by a horde of angry Runebound, there wasn't much left they could do.

Runebound warriors still died, as some Arcanists, particularly the second-rank ones, could still offer powerful resistance, but even they would eventually be overwhelmed as more and more of their comrades fell around them.

Finally, Erik looked up at the impatient, possessed man with a strange look in his eyes. "To be honest, I do feel some gratitude towards her. She's given me some useful gifts, even if all that was likely in service to her own plans."

Eira was also a factor, of course. He liked the adorable minotaur girl, and to say she would have no impact on his eventual relationship with Audumla was unlikely. But, of course, he had no intention of revealing her existence to this unknown fairy.

The man's expression darkened, as the fairy didn't like where this was going. "So…? Is that your answer?"

Erik surprisingly shook his head, the head of his hammer planted on the ground, while his hands rested on the butt of the haft. "Not necessarily. The fact this ancient, powerful being has unknown plans for me is naturally concerning, and I'd like some leverage if possible."

A small smile flitted across his lips as he shrugged. "If you have a plan to subdue her, using my identity as her harbinger or whatever, then that might be useful to me, even if I later decide to betray you in favour of her."

A strange expression passed over the possessed man's face. "Did you just… admit you might betray me?"

Erik snorted and waved his hand. "Come now. Even if I agreed to help you against her, I'd certainly refuse to be bound by a covenant, and if not me, then my partner. In that case, neither of us would trust the other anyway."

The fairy grew even more confused. Obviously, they'd need to agree on a covenant; no way would their partnership work otherwise. But before she could utter any rebuttals, Erik continued.

Swinging his hammer over his shoulder, he shrugged and smiled lightly. "But it's all a moot point, anyway. There's no way any agreement between us would work"

Slowly, his smile became a little more predatory, his tone a growl. "There's no agreement that would stop me from dismantling your rotten organization from the seams, Corpse."

Lifting his hammer off his shoulder again, he pointed it threateningly at Corpse and Lilith, his eyes narrowed. "You seem to have forgotten you're still talking to a Runebound, Corpse. Your organization burned down my place of birth, and killed people I care about!"

Power began to build. Electricity crackled. The air chilled. Erik's voice became harsher. "I won't rest until your faction of abominations and all their ideas are wiped out completely. Starting with her!"

Suddenly, lightning struck and Erik appeared a few tens of meters in front of him. With hammer raised and a bloodthirsty grin on his lips, he charged forward, straight at Lilith.

'I was so close…' he snarled in his mind, his eyes never leaving his target. 'If I don't do everything I can to end her today, how could I ever look Mom in the eye again?!'

He raced forward, and everyone around him instantly reacted. His allies loosened their own battle cries and charged with him, all of them happy with the choice he made. Especially Astrid was no less bloodthirsty, her blood-red eyes practically ripping Lilith apart with their intensity.

The only one who stayed behind was obviously Emily, who sent her shadow summon with them instead, her eyes shining with excitement as she conjured her dark orbs as well.

Lilith watched them approach and cursed. She readied her knives but knew she wouldn't last long against so many opponents, so she glanced at her primarch.

"Rah!" the possessed man screamed, his eyes spitting fire and hatred, letting loose the fairy's frustration. "You animals are all the same! Have it your way, then!"

Unfortunately, despite remotely possessing a mere second-ranker, the fairy was far from defenceless. The man raised his arm, and a ring on his finger flashed. Instantly, another shimmering blue shield was raised.

A wave of frustrated fury crashed upon the shield as Erik and his allies were stopped in their tracks. Their attacks rained down, and the barrier immediately started to fluctuate dangerously, which just emboldened them.

Yet, these few seconds were all the fairy needed.

Almost indifferently, the man waved his hand behind him, and a strange, dark green puddle appeared floating in the air, just behind Lilith. "Go," the man growled. "We'll talk about what happened here later."

Lilith hesitated just for a second. Her hate-filled eyes locked onto Erik. "Next time, you won't be so lucky," she hissed at him. "Keep that little wife of yours safe for me… I want to skin her in front of you one day."

Erik roared when he realized what was happening. He threw his all into attacking the shield, but it refused to budge in time. "There's nowhere you can run, Edda! My hammer will split your skull in due time!" he cried out furiously.

But, before long, his thoughts focused on something else entirely.

Slowly, the possessed man's arm raised in Emily's direction. "Now, since you won't join me willingly, let me provide some incentive…"