And Woe Be To Those Who Have Wronged

The necklace had an unearthly glow. As the two women made their way out of the underground it got brighter and brigther. Tolviar was mildly alarmed at how the brightness expanded, but Adri seemed empowered by it. Each level of brightness brought more urgency and power to her steps. This also scared Tolviar considering who had it and where it was before they found it. They emerged from the underground and the amulet was glowing white hot. Tolviar was about to say something when Adri placed it on the ground and smashed it with her shoe. The necklace lost all of its glow and then the Fire God herself arrived.

"Thank you, it was getting annoying." Tolviar was at a loss for words where as Adri was perfectly fine with it.

"My lord is there anything else you need of me?"

"Not yet, but hang on I'm sure there will be some spiders to squish when this is all over, and so nice to see you little fragment, if you excuse me I need to find the real thing." Tolviar felt slightly off by how the Fire God looked at her. The madness didn't like it either.

"Shows what she knows, we're more real than he is." Tolviar ignored the madness, she was about to ask Adri if she needed help, but when she turned around the woman had gone off her own way, probably to go after spiders.

"Great just me and you again." Tolviar did not like the prospect of being stuck with her madness, but it was comforting he was always there, in a creepy at least my stalker buys me flowers sort of way.

"I'm not happy either, we could go hunt some spiders you know, do some fun stuff."

"I'd rather not, spiders aren't really my thing." The madness smiled.

"Mine either, kind of glad the real Trezlan is going to have to deal with this mess, though I do feel bad."

"You feel bad?"

"For the people he's going after, I'm only part of the man and I know he's screwed up in the head, gods forbid when you do something to piss him off." It seemed weird for her madness to call someone else crazy, but that was Tolviar's life, and she had to accept that.

Not Really Earning that Best Dad Mug

"He has been slamming his fists against the door for an hour sir." I'd heard it, I'd heard his screaming fits, and the fist slamming. It was very petulant. I was reminded of when he was a small child he'd do something similar when I put him to bed early. It was enough to bring a smile to my face despite the horrible situation. I knew I needed Rolando, but I also knew he didn't want to work with me. So I had to basically hope I could talk him into it without having to force him into it. Something I'd never been able to do in my whole life. I made my way to the door, I could hear him slamming it though the blows were slower and more measured.

"You are a terrible father."

"Agreed, though stop hitting the door, your knuckles are bleeding."

"Open it up and I'll stop hitting it."

"Not until you're ready to talk."

"I'm reminded of a time when I was ten and you wouldn't let me have something and I locked myself in my room for two days."

"I remember, you wanted a dog, and I said no because I knew it wouldn't last in our lifestyle." I thought at least he wasn't hitting the door, so the dialogue was helping.

"And you won because you're the parent. So what do you want Dad? What can I do for you so that you let me go."

"I need you to take me somewhere."

"You have a ship go there yourself."

"Not that kind of trip." Rolando didn't say anything, and he didn't hit the door. I was about to walk away when he spoke again.

"And I do this and we're done?"

"If you want to be yes we're done." It hurt me to hear the derision in his voice, but I can't say I didn't earn it over the years. And still I figured with the whole saving the galaxy thing he'd eventually forgive me, even if he said he wouldn't. Boys change over the years, I mean I finally made up with my dad after I killed him, wait lets, yeah lets not think too long on that.

Family Reunions Suck

I could tell by the look on his face he didn't expect me. I have to admit, I wouldn't have expected me either, but Rolando could have been slightly happier I showed up to save him. Ok not really save him, but showed up during a time of partial crisis. The hulking champion with him was more than happy to turn my son over to me. He mentioned something about working for the fire god, but I was too wrapped up in how hung over Rolando looked to pay attention to it.

"Why you?" Rolando did not like my appearance and I was sad.

"Because someone has to save you from you, also I need you for something."  I wasn't actually there to save him from himself, but clearly I needed to since I could tell he was hung over and from the look of him it wasn't the first time.

"What if I don't want your..." I gave him a solid right to the face which dropped him to the floor and shackled him so he couldn't just shift away. It wasn't how I wanted to do things, but Rolando wasn't listening and I didn't have time to impart upon him the error in his thinking.

"SiC warm up the ship and prepare a room for Rolando he'll be staying with us for a bit."

"When you say prepare you mean."

"I mean make it so he can't escape from it."

"Exactly what I figured, yes sir." Rolando muttered something to me and I didn't hear it exactly, but I figured I knew what he said.

"Yeah I don't like family reunions either boy."

I Just Go Where I'm Told

"So what are you even doing down here?" The fragments smoldering corpse lay in ruin. Both women had come through mostly fine. Tolviar was surprised how well the Fire God's champion had handled herself without modern weapons.

"Same as you looking for something." Adri didn't know what she was looking for, but she knew somewhere among the dead creatures things, she'd find what she was looking for.

"I'm looking for nothing, I found what I was here for, its this decaying corpse piece of shit." Tolviar didn't even need Hanlon to find this one. She had tracked it herself, part of her increasing competency and trust from Hanlon who had gone quiet. If not for the madness she'd almost be enjoying herself now, as much as one can enjoy themselves hunting fragments of a death god.

"You kill these things or something?"

"Either that or I've got a shitty way of showing affection." Adri laughed and Tolviar smirked. This was the longest Tolviar had spent in one of the creatures chambers. She noted how it was similar to others, but there were differences. She could practically hear her insanity telling her all about the differences and what that could mean, but she ignored it since she wasn't alone. They continued like that, each not saying something to the other and looking for something interesting. Tolviar was about to leave when Adri cried out.

"I found it!" Intrigued to see what would be worth finding amongst the slime of the lair Tolviar hurried over to Adri who was clutching a necklace with a weird inscribing on it.

"What is it that you have found someones lost necklace?"

"No, wait maybe? I don't know, but its definitely what I wanted to find." Tolviar couldn't believe Adri had come down there without knowing what she was actually looking for.

"You don't know?"

"I didn't exactly get a good instruction on what I was supposed to find, just that I was to find something."

"And I thought Hanlon was awful at instruction." Adri shrugged, but made her way to leave and Tolviar didn't want to get left behind, so she followed shortly thereafter.

We're Waiting Because We Wait

"Why are we waiting here?" Rolando had moved from drunk to hung over. Peter had moved from caring about his life to waiting to see if a spider would eat him.

"I was told to get you and wait here, so that's what we're doing." Peter's patience for the lieutenant was many hours and many dead spiders long past. They were holed up now in an apartment building that had been abandoned after the spider assault. Peter was glad for the reprieve, but tired of listening to the sobering up, but more annoying Lorentino.

"Who told you?"

"The Fire God, though its been a while since we've talked, perhaps the information got lost, and we were supposed to move on from here." Peter wanted to put his hammer through Lorentino's head and be done with him, but he had instructions and so he followed them even against his better judgement.

"So what's your story big guy?"

"Peter."

"Peter, why are you here following a god's word?"

"I'm her voice, I do as she commands." Rolando scoffed at that.

"Just another follower. I met her once, I bet you haven't even done that." Peter grabbed Lorentino and pinned him to the wall.

"She brought me back to life and made me what I am, I can't imagine why she met you, or why she wants you alive, but I can imagine its so others can point to you and see what not do in life." He let Rolando go and he hit the ground gasping for air.

"Man you need to learn to take a joke."

"If there is someone on this world who likes you Mr. Lorentino, you might want to find them and bother them for a bit."

"The spiders seem to like me." Peter laughed at that, and Rolando felt a little at ease. And so they waited, for what neither man could tell, but waiting was all they had other than the spiders hunting them.

The calm before the Murder

"I don't know who you are, or what you're doing here, but holy shit you saved our ass." Jodel at first dismissive of Trezlan as an idiot. Was more than happy when he'd killed the spiders with what she could only assume was some dark magic she'd rather not know more about based on what it did to the spiders. Trezlan didn't look like much to her, armed with a sword and a pistol, but he had already shown a propensity for killing way above what he looked like.

"Lorentino, Trezlan, I'm sure if you look me up in your files you'd be more than moderately surprised, but that's not why I'm here, I need supplies and repairs." Jodel laughed, she laughed and laughed, her laughing made Trezlan feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah sure, let me pull that shit out of my ass, do you see what I have here? The whole planet is like this Lorentino. I'd help you if I could, but I can't. The gods damned spiders are screwing everything up. Like you've killed that group, but I'm sure a bigger one is coming, and I don't have shit to do about that." Trezlan frowned, it hadn't occurred to him that they would be literally unable to help him, just unwilling.

"So you're saying I'll have to fix this spider problem." Jodel laughed.

"Sure you'll have to fix it whatever man. Look if you find supplies go ahead and use them, but I got no one who can help you there."

"I have people, thank you for your time." Jodel was surprised, as was the rest of her depleted command.

"You can't seriously think you can kill all the spiders."

"All of them? No, but what I can do is stop them at the source." Trezlan had a plan, he just had to gather some elements, and hope Rolando wasn't too mad at him, and hope his son was still alive, if the spiders were smart they'd have killed him first.

Insolence Is Another Word For Right

"I can no longer support your war." Morley already had tired of the conflict long before the Spider creature had appeared in his command center. He had a distaste for the beast from its first arrival proclaiming it to be his lord. And now it was commanding he assault the galaxy in support of its spiders. It was to laugh for Morley.

"What? The disciple dares speak against the master." Morley hated every day like no other. He was in so much pain from his failing body even though nerves had long been replaced. His soul hurt. And yet in all the pain he could feel nothing but rage at the universe, and the creature in front of him. The rage of the ignored.

"You are not my master, in fact I don't know what you are, but you do not command me or mine, and I am done listening to you, leave or you will be forced out."

"This is insolence!" The creature tried to raise a hand up, but it reacted in pain, a bitter sobbing pain that shot through it. Morley hadn't caused it, he knew this much, but Morley saw him in pain and smiled behind all the metal and devices. The spider god knew he was hurt.

"No this is me being right." Morley waved his hand and the Spider God was back in its realm, but things were different there. Where it once felt powerful, now it felt like a tomb, death his companion was now his jailer. He had to know what had changed, what had been dealt against him. But all he could feel was rage, rage at Morley for betraying him now after all he's done for the creature, and in that rage he was blinded to the truth. He was not alone...

Woke From a Dream To a Nightmare

"I like this place." Everything was on fire. It looked like some kind of building that had taken an artillery strike. Bodies were everywhere. There were screams of the dying to go along with the flames. The insanity seemed to enjoy the carnage. Tolviar was more interested in finding the woman she was hoping to save.

"Where is this lady?"

"Somewhere here, this is her mind, so she's got to be here." Tolviar looked at the fragment with a sour look.

"You are about as helpful as usual."

"I got you in here didn't I? The real Trezlan would have struggled, I think I'm getting quite good at this mental... oooh there she is." In the middle of a pile of bodies sat the champion. Or a young girl representative of her. Tolviar could also see the representative of the fragment as well, it looked distinctly like the Fire God was alleged to look. And she was berating the young girl. Tolviar approached and the Fire God immediately attacked her. Of course it wasn't the fire god, it was the fragment. But in attacking her it freed up the Champion. She was no longer a young girl, but her old self and the fire god screeched. Suddenly Tolviar and Adri were thrown from her mind space and back into the real world where the creature's tentacles emerged from the dark soup it was resting in.

"I won't even bother to ask." Adri had taken up her sword and shield, gleaming with fire.

"Good, got a bigger worry on our plate." The tenctacles lashed out smashing into the walls of the inner area shaking them.

"You know kind of miss the spiders right around now."

Mind Games

Adri stood there not moving, Tolviar knew this kind of madness. Knew that it built into the brain and spread until the person was entirely corrupted. This knowledge came from Trezlan, the ever increasing annoying voice in her head. He had been talking to her all the way down into the dark. Telling her he was there should she need to "kick this off proper" as the insanity apparently liked to think of its abilities. Tolviar knew she'd have to act quickly to sever the link, the young champion of the fire god was aided by the Fire God's power, but the old fragment had tricks of its own and would over power the Fire God of this Tolviar was certain.

"So what do you think we should do, kill the fragment? Possibly trap this young woman in her mind forever." Trezlan looked more unhinged than usual, it was the one difference Tolviar knew between the real one, and the one in her head, the real one generally kept a good appearance from what she saw of him. The insane one made unkempt its default look.

"Why are you out again?"

"Because you need me." She did sadly need him, it was the worst part about the madness, it had most of Trezlan's knowledge now, and she knew it and it knew it.

"So if I want to save this person, what do I have to do." The insanity sighed.

"Well we'd have to get into her mind and help her right the fragment there."

"You're bullshitting me."

"I wish! But no." Tolviar sighed mightily but if she was going to do her thing she'd have to do it fast.

"Ok tell me what I need to do." And so standing near a fragment of a former death god, Tolviar found herself journeying into the mind of someone else, hoping that her own fractured mind wasn't leading her astray. It was a weird day.

These Are The Bad Days

The cave spanned in front of her. Adri could tell spiders had been here, but weren't currently there. Which made sense they had attacked up above, their rat holes would be opened up. That was the plan before the Fire God stopped giving them orders. She wanted Adri specifically to track down something underneath the ground. She had told Adri it would help in the coming days, but Adri felt this task should have been Peters, and she should have been the one helping people up above. But the Fire God was insistent and so she was underneath another planet going deeper into a spider's cave to find a nebulous "something."

The cave looked like the last one, started out as natural, blended into architecture. Though it was definitely older. Again Adri wished Peter was there so he could marvel at the lore she was seeing. Instead it just looked like old ruins to her, covered in spider webs and bones. Adri was on edge, but it seemed like none of the spiders were around, which definitely felt bad to Adri. As she went deeper and deeper she started to worry about being able to get back out. She hadn't exactly been marking a way out, and she'd gone down multiple passages, and different corridors, so if she had to run, she wouldn't be able to flee in a hurry or accurately out.

Eventually the older ruins, gave way to even older ruins, these ones coated in a slime that made Adri's stomach crawl. She could sense creatures in the dark down here that weren't spiders. Some kind of master behind the master. She wanted to flee, but knew this was what she had been sent for, and it was time to get to it. She got down to a black pool of acrid fluid. And that's when the voice boomed in her head.

"ENTER SERVANT OF THE FIRE GOD, ENTER TO YOUR DOOM!"

"So this is going to be one of those bad days."

What A Lovely Mess

"I'm sure you're loving this." Hanlon felt rattled, he had been played by the spider god and now he was worried for the first time in a long time, that he was vulnerable. The Fire God sat on her burning throne with a frown on her face. Hanlon's word were not comforting to her.

"I don't see why I would."

"Conflict your bread and butter."

"It's not a conflict its a slaughter. People are crying out for help and being killed, as the death god I'd figure you'd at least appreciate the amounts of death." Both looked away for a moment, trying to understand the others position. Much like their game before, it was a battle of wills, but unlike that game, they were now locked into was extremely dangerous even for them.

"They tried to kill the Lorentinos."

"I know I've got one of my champions safe guarding Rolando, Trezlan is beyond me at this time, though it seems whatever that piece of filth did that had his damned spiders everywhere is also screwing with my abilities." Hanlon nodded.

"Mine too, aside from coming here, or my own domain, I'm locked out of interaction. It started shortly before he attacked Trezlan's ship."

"Well at least we're both screwed and can just watch what happens."

"I can only hope the people I have out there can kill that bastard."

"And that Morley doesn't decide now is a good time to kill Trezlan." Hanlon smiled at that, it had occcured to him Morley might try that now, especially without Hanlon's protection. It also did not surprise him to see the ships attacking Trezlan on behalf of the spider god were Morley ships. Because of course Morley would sign on with the previous death god.

"There is that."

"Well we've got time for another game if you want, since apparently we can do very little else."

"Exactly why I'm here." And so they played a game while the galaxy was at war, because life is funny like that.

Unfriendly Reception

"Sir we are surrounded." SiC was telling me this like I couldn't look at the monitors showing the damned spiders crawling all over the ship. SiC was not alone, the little shuttle was crammed with as much as I could haul of my AI friends, the ones that we couldn't bring hopefully got out on escape pods. I assumed they made it out because we didn't see shots firing at their ships, so I can imagine seeing as I was the only life sign escaping my attackers they shot at me, which was as I intended. Now the freaking enemy which were spiders naturally were all over the space port I hoped to patch my small ship up at. And that damned RIG person had just let me in without warning me, because of course she did. At least I had my sword, so that was a solace against spiders and their creepy spider people masters.

"Stay on the ship, ready yourselves in case they try and breach, I'm going to do a little pest removal."

"I'd advise against it sir, but you don't tend to listen to my suggestions."

"I always appreciate someone cares SiC watch the ship." I stepped outside and killed the first spider waiting by the door. This of course brought the rest which was my plan (as far as having one, you know get them coming to me, that's it, that's the plan). Fire magic and my blade did the work I needed done. The spiders may have blown up my ship, but I made them pay when they came for me personally (and I took it personally they blew up my gods damned ship). I was actually feeling bad for people killed by the spiders, but then again I am almost a god I think, maybe its hard to say.

Anyway I made my way from the port to the town proper which was also overrun. I have to say kind of surprising how many freaking spiders were living underneath us. In a way this war is beneficial, because its helping us to clean up a clear mess. Though I did notice these weren't normal spiders (ok other than their size you asshole who is reading my journal and judging me), they reeked of the other death god. My sword also burned them without being on fire, which told me I was completely correct. Other than of course the attack by these spiders after I told Hanlon the spider god was playing him.

Still I felt the town should have done a better job fighting the spiders. I mean sure I had powerful fire magic, and hundreds of years fighting nightmares. But they are just giant damn spiders, you can kill those with regular means! Sure they did a blitz attack on the authorities at first which of course hurts your ability to respond to huge freaking spiders. But you can still get chairs and hammer and things. Come on people don't just lay down for the horrors of the world! Fight them! I of course say this as a person who generally ignores things wrong with the world until it affects me.

Back on topic, I made my way to the army base which was pretty much screwed from when I showed up. Like I figured that's why they let me in, but I had no idea how bad. Surrounded, most of the soldiers I could see were dead, and there was a huge freaking spider moving on what I could only assume were the last survivors.

"Going to be one of those days." I said to myself as I moved forward.

Lock Your Doors

"We're getting reports all over the galaxy of an invasion of spiders. This is not a joke, this is not a prank. It is unknown at this time where they have come from, or what they want, but entire planets have fallen to them, be alert, lock your doors, and hopefully we can all make it through this." The announcement was playing on repeat on planets across the galaxy, the war of the Spider was in full force. The young tech watching it play out in front of him was in horror at the unfolding disaster.

"Turn that shit off." Command Jodel was tired already of the current crisis. She'd been in charge for less than twenty four hours after her command had been eaten and the young RIG commander was already done with the day. What remained of her command were either too young to be considered valuable, or too old to be considered a threat. She was sitting there watching the reports add up and it was looking awful across the board. At current estimates they'd be overrun in a week. High command was offering her nothing they were too important securing the emperor and his family. From all across the Empire reports like her's were not unique. Jodel would never have figured she'd be killed by spiders, something else sure, but gigantic spiders definitely felt like a new one.

"What do we do sir?" Jodel didn't know, up until hours before she'd been a Lieutenant in charge of garbage disposal.

"Lock the doors, keep weapons ready, kill yourself before they take you?"

"Not really inspiring sir." The tech was barely out of training, Jodel saw him try to load his weapon earlier and he jammed it both times.

"Fresh out of inspiring rhetoric, bout the time a huge spider ate my bosses head on a conference call is when I stopped imagining we'll be saved." The tech slunk in his chair and Jodel went back to check what limited arms were left when they raided the armory and felt her own heart slumping. She had six people and four rifles with three side arms and a limited amount of ammunition for any of it. She was considering just killing herself right there when the slumped tech chirped up.

"We got a message!"

"Great on screen." Jodel was worried what she would see. Instead she was greeted by a bald black man with a red beard.

"Greetings, could you lower your defense grid my ship is damaged and I need a place to stay." Trezlan's words were not reassuring, nor were they welcome, but the idea of some other idiot landing on planet to be eaten by the spiders did bring a smile to Jodel's face.

"Lower the grid, I want to see what kind of idiot wants to land here in a massacre." The young tech slumped again, but Jodel watched with intent on the docking bay which was one of the first places over run. At least she'd be entertained in the end.

Sober Up Its About to Be Bad

"Lieutenant you need to sober up." They were in hiding, Peter had found a burned out building to stash Rolando in while the Lieutenant sobered up, the spiders were on the hunt he had heard people running across them and coming out the worse for it. Rolando was barely functioning. Peter with his new abilities could tell that it wasn't an actual injury other than being drunk.

"You need to screw off armor man, I don't need your help." Rolando tried to stand up and immediately fell over. Peter looked at him with disgust, he'd just leave him to the spiders, but the Fire God said he was necessary to save and so Peter was saving him whether he wanted to or not. Peter pulled him to his feet and gave him a hard smack across the face and then held him up, he half expected Rolando to shift, but the man just drunkenly stood there blood forming at his lip.

"I'm trying to save your stupid ass, and if not for me those things out there would be eating you or gods know what else, if not for the Fire God I'd turn you over right now."

"I'd kick your ass if I wasn't drunk."

"You'd try." Peter didn't always feel comfortable fighting, but he felt comfortable even with shifting he could turn Rolando into pulp. Peter smelled them before he saw them, the spiders had found him and Rolando. At this point he figured either one or both of their scents must have been in the beasts, though he didn't know spiders had noses. The first spider through the door was a normal type one, normal except for the size, that of a small dog. Peter turned it into pulp only for another more man spider to attack from the side. It used webbing to trap his hammer, Peter didn't panic, he just charged forward with his fists. He remembered Adri used to say he lacked technique, but with his size what he hit would suffer. And the spider person was no different. Aided of course by the strength given to him by the fire god, his fist splattered it against the wall. Though more were coming. Peter freed his hammer and grabbed Rolando by the arm and told him to get moving.

"Man I could use a drink." Rolando stumbled forward, and Peter followed him, thinking he too could use a drink. It was going to be a long night.

Quit Drinking, or a new Reason to Drink More

Rolando was stumbling back to base drunk. It had been a hard few weeks and he'd found solace in drinking like his father before him. The rest of the shit squad was off planet, they had actual jobs to do, where as Rolando's only job was not to piss himself and he was struggling at that. He probably would have smelled the spider men creeping up on him ordinarily. But seeing how drunk he was he didn't even notice they were there until they were literally almost on top of him.

"Whoa holy shit you are the most realistic looking halucination." Rolando held out his hand to the half man spider its cleaming maw dripping with venom. Before the creature could bite Rolando clued into his mistake and shifted away. The creature bit where his hand was and smashed into the wall Rolando had been relieving himself on. Rolando reached for his pistol before realizing he'd left it at the base for fear of shooting himself while drunk. The creature reared up to bite him again and he shifted home. Arriving back inside to be surrounded by more of the spider creatures and stuck in web they'd spun. These other spiders were a mixture of the people ones and real ones. Rolando was beginning to worry he'd gotten too drunk and this was the worst nightmare ever. Confirming the nightmare feeling, Rolando could only look on in amusement when a man in armor and a flaming hammer came bursting in to fight the spiders. The creatures fled from the man in Armor and Rolando vomitted in the web which caused it to stick and surround him.

"Did they bite you?" Rolando couldn't understand what he was saying, the words made sense, but he was too drunk to process them. The man in the armor was twice Rolando's size.

"Who in the what?" The man in armor frowned noticing how drunk Rolando was. He threw Rolando on to the shoulder opposite his flaming hammer and started to leave.

"This will be easier not in a place they can find us Lieutenant Lorentino, you'll have to trust me, so don't go shifting somewhere else." Though the man in armor didn't have to worry, Rolando passed out shortly after being tossed up on his shoulder.

All the Pieces

The spider god sat in his lair. It was completely dark. Light long having been banished from his lair. He knew in that darkness there were people trapped in a dead not dead state. Their suffering lent him what amounted to pleasure. This inner sanctum was the one place he didn't let others see, it was the one place he felt secure. Centuries of pretending for his enemy Hanlon had been shattered it felt. He sensed that pieces on the board were coming against him. The Fire God he could anticipate, but if Hanlon was aware of his treachery, of his true nature, than things would have to be stepped up, goals would have to be accelerated.

The first that would have to go would be Trezlan. This the spider god knew among all things would do the most damage to Hanlon and the Fire God. The necromancer had long been at the very least an accidental thorn in his side, so it was time to pluck him out. He ordered the ships on their way and sat alone with his tormented souls. He briefly considered putting Trezlan among those souls, but ultimately knew that was a bad idea for however much it would amuse him.

***

"Sir we have multiple ships surrounding us."

"Not wanting to invite us for tea?" The first hit from weapons fire was immediate and Trezlan knew the ship was lost, the question would be, would he be lost along with it.

"Abandon ship, execute end game protocols Sic." The Robot nodded. Trezlan looked to Hanlon who had a look on his face that said everything he needed to know.

"You were right Trezlan, and apparently he decided to kill you first."

"I love it when I'm right about something that can lead to my own demise."

Now I really Want To Know Who You Are

"He's playing you basically." Trezlan had his information laid out across the clear table in the lounge. It included recent new things on data tablets, and older scroll work he'd managed to dig up, "It goes back a long time, probably as long as you have kept him shielded from the Fire God which is kind of funny in a sad way." Hanlon did not like what he was seeing for two reasons. One it meant his vision was not as clear as he had always thought, and two Trezlan was showing him something, that should never happen.

"I don't follow, because you found cave drawings and interpreted them with some rather flimsy evidence of recent activity you think another God is playing me? This is your evidence?"

"You didn't let me finish, I've looked over the records, checked my own journals and experiences. The Darkness you fight, and the spider god you helped are working against you. You thought the Fire God had a problem, you both do. And those guys are a lot stronger than you suspect." Hanlon threw his hands up in disbelief and started to walk away.

"Preposterous."

"The Spider God is the darkness."

"You are full of bullshit, more so than normal Lorentino." Hanlon disappeared in his usual way and Trezlan leaned back in his chair. SiC stood along side him trying to gauge Trezlan's mood. Before the robot could ask Hanlon appeared again though seemingly more emotional.

"Even if I did take your theory at full value, which I do not, how do you propose all of this happened." Trezlan pointed back at his notes.

"Well if you'd let me walk you through it." Hanlon sat down.

"Ok start at the beginning."

The Other Trezlan

Trezlan was sipping tea in his lounge. He was waiting. He got a sense something was about to happen and this time he wanted to be prepared for it. So he sat on a comfy chair, a recent news story from a local colony overthrowing spider oppressors sitting on a data pad near him. SiC was there too, though it felt Trezlan was overreacting to things as he tended to do. In the past Trezlan had set up a watch like this four times and nothing happened. SiC and the rest of the AI's worried Trezlan was losing his mind again. Eventually around the time Trezlan was wondering if he was losing his mind Hanlon appeared.

"Waiting for me now?"

"I figured you'd come calling, soon as I saw the news about the spiders." Hanlon was taken a back, Trezlan had never shown long term planning, let alone some kind of knowledge outside of his base instincts. This was a new phase for him.

"Why the spiders?" Trezlan frowned.

"Don't treat me like an idiot, The Spider God and you have been working on the outside for a while, and now he got caught by the Fire God."

"What have you been reading Trezlan?" Trezlan pointed to the bottom of his cup.

"The tea leaves." Hanlon almost lost sight of what he came there for, so taken aback by Trezlan's revelation about knowing about his pact with the spiders.

"So you know the spider god, good we're on the same page, what does it know of the darkness." Now Trezlan smiled again, Hanlon was coming to him for advice, he could almost laugh.

"SiC, please get me the data we have on this."

"Right away sir."

"You knew I was coming and you had compiled what I was after? What are you, and what have you done with Trezlan?"

"You wound me Hanlon." But Trezlan was happy to have the Death God so caught off guard. It almost made him want to prepare more often, but seeing how long all this took to set up, that was unlikely.

No Bad Deed

"I can't help, but feel this is your fault." Hanlon looked at the spider god with a mix of amusement and disgust, the half man spider, much like his children looked too spider and not enough man. He talked high pitched with a squeal more than a regular voice.

"I'd love to know your reasoning on that." The Fire God knew Hanlon was aware the spider god was still around, and of course he did. Hanlon liked to think he kept the lesser god in his pocket should it ever become useful.

"You clearly have arranged the Fire God against me, set her on this path somehow." Hanlon laughed at that.

"I did no such thing, if you must know the person you should really be angry with is yourself. Your not so subtle attempt to wipe out her followers directly lead to her doing as she did. And before you bother to claim you had nothing to do with the murder of The Followers, be aware I can see more things than you can." The Spider God smiled itself now.

"So she finally decided to stand up, and of course naturally chooses one of my seed planets."

"I never directed her there, perhaps your minions grew to greedy and they put out a call in the night, let no ill deed go unpunished is what I heard once." Hanlon didn't like being near the spider god, its appearance always put him off.

"All the same, maybe you should be more careful with your words when you speak with her, I'd hate to think you're turning against me."

"Never, I never work against another God, only for my own ends, but remember your place, my power grows, and you just lost a planet."

"Minor setback, and don't forget prey always thinks it's safe until the bite lands, and I know you're power is not infinite, I know what sits in the dark Hanlon." The spider god left and Hanlon waved him off. Though he knew now that was a shot fired across his bow, the damnable creature thought it could threaten him and it would find out that was not a smart move.

Happy Doesn't Describe It

Adri and Peter spent another day on the planet, just informing people of what had transpired and taking some of the survivors into the temple underneath to show them what lurked down there and to remove any of the spiders who had possibly remained. The people at first were afraid of the two, but as they saw in person and video what the council had been doing to them, they were outraged. The "harvest" festival had been going on for decades, workers disappearing so that the crops would be well fed was just an accepted part of living there. To see what had happened was beyond insulting to the populace. They aggressively were rooting out those who had been involved and discovered more nests to destroy. Their new belief in the power of the Fire God was complete. It wasn't very surprising to the Champions the god herself showed up with a ship to get them to their next destination, after all they had more than she expected.

"I love the smell of new worshippers." The Fire God seemed more upbeat, then again the last time they saw her, she was staring down at gigantic spider.

"I'm just glad you approve we were not kind."

"Kindness is not what I'm the god of my dear, and these scum aligned with spiders, what awful people do that? Besides who doesn't love the crushing none believers. I recall before all that Red War madness this is what my followers used to do, forgot how much I missed it." The Fire God was enjoying herself. Peter and Adri at least like they had satisfied her.

"Well at least they are dead, so that's one problem down." Peter hope the next problem was less creepy and crawly.

"These ones are dead, but this is the opening salvo, for too long have I let the spider god off the hook, now I know why I created you, I hope this didn't whet your appetite for destruction." Both Peter and Adri visibly slumped their shoulders. "Oh buck up it'll get easier, well sort of, I need you to split up, make it harder for that disgusting slime to get you both at the same time, don't look at me like that you've got my power this should be way easier, you now know what you have to do!" Peter and Adri did not think it made it easier, but she was their god and had resurrected them, its not like they could tell her no.

"Well it can't be worse than picking crops." Peter got moving toward the ship and Adri followed afterward.

"Yeah what's fighting legions of spiders versus some simple manual labor." Peter laughed and knew that would be the last laughter he'd have for quite some time.

Purge

Adri's blood lust was joined by Peters. They both killed without remorse or hesitation. The fire that burned inside them and around them was all consuming. Victims of the spiders who had not yet died, were burned away in their rage. They both had judged without saying that anyone who had suffered at the hands of the spiders wanted death among all else. The temple and all of its inhabitants were laid to ruin. But the champions blood lust was not slaked. They stalked the way out murdering and crushing and splattering anything they came across. The Fire God at once worried maybe her champions were not up to the task, and that they would not have the fire to do what must be done. Now she knew she chose properly. Seeing their destruction and disregard for life brought a smile to her face.

Eventually the gore caked and partially singed duo came up from underneath the caverns right into a meeting hall. It was a basement access point, but clear even in their blood craze that the spiders were not only well known, but an accepted part of living on the planet. Both Peter and Adri were outraged. People had been used as food by their betters, and these people clearly received some benefit from the spiders. The Fire God had been correct, there was something wrong with the planet, but it appeared everyone was sick. Everyone had been infected with a disease. The champions emerged during what appeared to be a board meeting, covered in the gore of their enemies.

"What is going on here?" The councilman who came forward first was immediately crushed by Peter. He didn't say anything, just swung his hammer and broke the man's neck and casually knocked his body aside. Screams went up in the room as the board people tried to flee. Peter set fire to the exit and in their panic ran at their murderers hoping to escape, they failed. With the council members purged the champions moved outside to the town center where a crowd had been gathering for some announcement of a harvest festival. It seemed like years since Adri and Peter had worked along side farm workers compared to the wanton destruction they had been involved with. The crowd reacted with fear at their presence.

"These people betrayed, you they sold you to their god, the god of the spider." Adri spoke, but her words were all the Fire God.

"We have broke you free of his bonds, you should now worship the Fire God, for she has ended your servitude." Peter followed up. The people still not sure what had happened looked at them like children.

"WORSHIP!" Adri ignited her sword and a column of flame shot to the heavens and the people bowed down their previous fear becoming reverence. Adri set fire to the pedestal that would have welcomed people who had sold them out to spiders and the fire burned unnaturally. Their work finished, both champions made their way to the space port, they knew work was just beginning.