Warren latched his hands around the man's throat, squeezing hard and clenching teeth. The root of everything, the cause of everything, thrashed in his grasp as he pressed down. A moment more and there would be the crack of bone, the hollow feeling of something giving way between his fingers, the gurgle of a man struggling-
WARREN
His name, equal parts heard and felt. He looked up, confused. He knew the voice but couldn't place it and he looked around the dusty flats of the Grindstone but no one was present. Warren toppled over as the person beneath him shifted back to her feet, armor and plate and spikes rising up in front of him. The closed helmet that displayed no fear, no mercy. He'd stared that helmet down before, he'd overcome the Beast before, he would
The Beast
She was upon him, sword in hand and buckler flying. She knew his tricks, he couldn't win through disarming her again. He dashed away from her, looked for holes in her offense, found none. He was running out of space, the cliff was behind him and beyond that the ravine that split Coerthas down the center awaited. He took a moment he didn't have to look behind him as his foot reached the edge, turning just in time to get his shield up to stop the blow.
WARREN, STOP
He knew the voice but couldn't stop. The creature made of inky blackness was on the retreat, reeling back as he rained blows down upon it. He had already sacrificed so much, so many. He couldn't let it continue. He couldn't let it live. Sword raised high he prepared to cleave the beast in two, and
WARREN! STOP IT NOW!
He knew that voice now, he knew it and he looked for the sources, he knew the people calling him. They were barely visible now behind the mass of the monster, bodies in the snow and engulfed by shadow. The sword dropped from his hand and he reached for them all, fingers reaching out as the beast overtook him and sent them both into freefall over the side. Everything tumbled and spun and there was a searing pain in his chest as he was torn wide open and his heart removed and the bottom was coming he couldn't see it but it was down there he was dying there was nothing he was
Warren's eyes opened to darkness as the dream faded away yet again. The lamp had since sputtered out while he slept and he sat in his bed, hugging the blankets around him despite the cold sweat beading his forehead.
WARREN
His name, equal parts heard and felt. He looked up, confused. He knew the voice but couldn't place it and he looked around the dusty flats of the Grindstone but no one was present. Warren toppled over as the person beneath him shifted back to her feet, armor and plate and spikes rising up in front of him. The closed helmet that displayed no fear, no mercy. He'd stared that helmet down before, he'd overcome the Beast before, he would
The Beast
She was upon him, sword in hand and buckler flying. She knew his tricks, he couldn't win through disarming her again. He dashed away from her, looked for holes in her offense, found none. He was running out of space, the cliff was behind him and beyond that the ravine that split Coerthas down the center awaited. He took a moment he didn't have to look behind him as his foot reached the edge, turning just in time to get his shield up to stop the blow.
WARREN, STOP
He knew the voice but couldn't stop. The creature made of inky blackness was on the retreat, reeling back as he rained blows down upon it. He had already sacrificed so much, so many. He couldn't let it continue. He couldn't let it live. Sword raised high he prepared to cleave the beast in two, and
WARREN! STOP IT NOW!
He knew that voice now, he knew it and he looked for the sources, he knew the people calling him. They were barely visible now behind the mass of the monster, bodies in the snow and engulfed by shadow. The sword dropped from his hand and he reached for them all, fingers reaching out as the beast overtook him and sent them both into freefall over the side. Everything tumbled and spun and there was a searing pain in his chest as he was torn wide open and his heart removed and the bottom was coming he couldn't see it but it was down there he was dying there was nothing he was
Warren's eyes opened to darkness as the dream faded away yet again. The lamp had since sputtered out while he slept and he sat in his bed, hugging the blankets around him despite the cold sweat beading his forehead.
![[Image: yEROfKO.png]](http://i.imgur.com/yEROfKO.png)
