They slipped between the silent, tumbling rocks, alert to any sign of the intruder. Anecoya glided with easy grace through the asteroid field, but Zogrusz kept having to twist and turn to avoid any collisions – it had been a long time since he had tried to move through the airless dark, especially when it was so cluttered with debris.

You fly like a drunken chicken> Anecoya muttered in his mind, the words dripping with disdain.

I’m just out of practice> Zogrusz replied defensively, allowing himself to briefly land on a drifting chunk of pockmarked rock before gathering and leaping after her once more.

A telepathic snort sounded in his head. I can’t believe your kind was ever meant to exist out here. Wait, you did say you Horrors all looked different – did you perhaps choose a particularly awkward shape? Seems like something you’d do>

Shouldn’t we be focused right now?> Zogrusz retorted, pushing another spinning asteroid from his path as he fought to keep her glimmering feathers in his sight.

I am focused, but I haven’t felt anything strange. Can you? We’re searching for one of your kind>

Not yet> he admitted, once again scouring the labyrinth of shifting rocks around them with his senses. Could Ycthitlig really conceal itself from him out here? This belt of asteroids at the fringes of their system would be the perfect place for a huge Eldritch Horror to hide from view, but surely he would feel its presence . . . right? Qala had been adamant that something had arrived around their sun, but even she couldn’t tell what exactly, as its mind was draped with layers of obfuscating defenses. Indeed, if she was not so powerful and sensitive she never would have known it had come in the first place. And that was honestly what confused Zogrusz the most – he did not believe for a moment that a Reaper would bother moving stealthily. Which was why he did not share Anecoya’s absolute conviction that they were about to finally confront the threat looming over their world.

Wait> Anecoya hissed in his mind, and his attention sharpened once more on their surroundings. Can you feel that? There’s something . . . odd up ahead on that rock>

She had arrested her flight, her burning wings beating slowly as she hovered and her flashing beak pointing at a large asteroid. Zogrusz came up alongside her, struggling to keep from floating past where she had stopped. His claws scrabbled for a moment against a much smaller shard of space-stone, then slid away, and a sigh gusted through his head as a shimmering red and gold wing flashed out to press against his chest, bringing him to a halt.

It’s on the far side> she said, and now Zogrusz could perceive it as well – a presence heavy with coiled power. It didn’t feel like another Eldritch Horror, but, then again, he had never been in the presence of a Reaper.

Do we attack immediately?> Anecoya asked, and Zogrusz was surprised by the uncertainty he sensed. He had thought that violence was the unquestioned answer to all her problems.

We are not even certain it’s Ycthitlig> he cautioned. It could be something just passing through, like the Wanderer . . . or Qala>

Through their mind link he could feel her roiling indecision. Then what do you suggest?>

Perhaps we can approach cautiously> Zogrusz suggested. And get a glimpse before it knows we’re there. If it’s the Reaper . . . we strike hard and fast, with everything we can muster>

He hesitated, unsure if he should share his greatest fear about this confrontation.

What is it?> Anecoya asked sharply, apparently aware that he was holding back.

It’s just something Ixia told me. He claimed that the Reaper could have a way to . . . change me>

Into what?>

Something more like it. He said . . . he said it might be able to pluck the humanity from my soul . . . like pulling a stray thread from a weave. The Old Ones could certainly do such a thing . . . but I don’t think Ixia was certain a Reaper was also capable of such a feat. He only suspected>

You should have told me that before> Anecoya growled in exasperation.

I know, I’m sorry. But perhaps we can overwhelm Ycthitlig before it thinks to attempt anything. This sort of psychic surgery can’t be easy, after all>

The annoyance radiating from Anecoya was palpable, but eventually something like a sigh slipped into his head. I’ll attack first, you follow behind. Hopefully this thing will focus on me, and it won’t even realize you’re its kin until it’s too late>

Zogrusz dispatched a mental affirmation, and Anecoya must have considered the discussion finished, because she suddenly surged towards the huge asteroid. He hurried to follow, keeping a few lengths behind her as she swooped around its edge and began gliding just above the cracked and broken rock.

The presence was now very near. Zogrusz could only hope that it was distracted, because there was little chance it hadn’t noticed the approach of two other cosmic beings.

In that crater> Anecoya said, angling towards a massive indentation on the surface.

Something was indeed there, but it was small, barely larger than a human. A cold rush of relief washed through Zogrusz that it was not a giant nest of writhing tendrils and madly staring eyes, or anything else like what he remembered glimpsing during his first few moments of existence in the far reaches of the void.

The cosmic being was man-shaped, though strangely bulky. They settled on the scarred surface a hundred paces from where the creature stood with its back to them. Zogrusz studied it warily. It almost looked like a sculpture attempted by a novice stonemason – what flesh he could see was gray and rugged, like roughhewn rock, and its limbs were strangely proportioned, far too thick. Armor of smoky quartz covered much of its blocky body, all smooth surfaces and sharp angles without curves or ornamentation. A massive, scabbarded sword was slung across its back, the hilt a substance so black it looked like a piece of the void had been given substance. No helm adorned the creature’s hairless head, which was also more of the same gray, lumpy flesh . . . and actually webbed by cracks, as if it truly was stone.

Zogrusz and Anecoya shared a quick glance. He knew what she was wondering – should they ambush the cosmic being and seek to destroy it before it could prove itself a threat? Or approach it in peace and hope that it could be persuaded to leave this system without causing any trouble?

Before they could engage in a telepathic discussion to decide what course was best, the creature spoke, its voice like rocks grinding together.

“So thou hast finally found me.”

Zogrusz’s jaw fell open in surprise. His tongue flicked out, tasting air – yes, somehow a thin atmosphere wrapped this planetoid, allowing the entity’s words to travel to them.

And it also knew they were there.

Slowly the creature turned to face them. Zogrusz’s surprise deepened to shock – its eyes were yellow gems, its mouth a jagged fissure. What had looked like a statue from afar was indeed a man fashioned from rock, but there was intelligence glittering in the facets of the jewels sunk into its head.

“The hunt hath been long, but hither it ends.” The stone man reached up slowly and grasped the black hilt jutting over its shoulder.

Confusion gripped Zogrusz. Why was this thing acting like it knew them? What was it talking about? He opened his mouth to try and reason with the creature, but then his heart fell when he heard a sudden crackle of flame, Anecoya summoning her blazing sword. He gritted his fangs in annoyance – of course she would want to strike first and ask questions later . . . if anything remained that could provide answers.

“Long hast I wished to draw the final weapon of mine people,” the stone man intoned in his gravelly voice. “And now that thou hast found me, there is no reason to keep it occulted. Vengeance shall finally be unsheathed.”

A harsh rasping sounded as the creature drew forth his great sword. Its blade resembled malachite, a forest green inset with darker swirls, and the power seeping from it made Zogrusz’s hide prickle. When the long sword finally cleared its scabbard a deep tolling shivered the air, as if somewhere far away a bell had been struck.

The sharp edges of the stone man’s expression slackened at the noise into something that looked like surprise, and the brightness of his eyes dimmed for a moment. It truly looked like he had just blinked in confusion.

“Oh,” he rumbled in what almost sounded like resignation. “I hast made a mistake.”

“What are you talking about?” Anecoya snapped, but the stone man was no longer paying attention to them. He was turning slowly, his sword extended like he was anticipating an attack, even though it seemed like there was no one else in the crater with them.

But there was.

With a wet tearing sound, the air suddenly ripped open, and through this ragged gash in reality stepped a hooded figure in dark, flowing robes. In its pale, long-fingered hands it clutched the black haft of a white-bladed scythe fashioned from a curving length of bone. Four other portals exactly like the first appeared, and through each emerged another robed figure, their features hidden deep within the recesses of their cowls. They were identical, save for the different weapons they held in their spidery hands: a long-handled ax, a scimitar, a two-handed greatsword, a pike. All the weapons gleamed dully in the faint light of the distant sun, seemingly made from the same ivory-like substance.

The stone man raised his own massive sword into a guard position as the wraiths fanned out to encircle them all.

At long last dread Kalin’graeth slips free of its bonds. We knew if we waited long enough this time would come.

The words were strangely hollow, many voices spoken as one, emanating from everywhere and nowhere. Anecoya and Zogrusz shared another confused glance – they had clearly stumbled into something they had no business being a part of.

But what is this? Allies you have found? They must not know of your crimes. And you think to ambush us? Fools! Their corpses will also adorn this rock for all eternity!

“Uh-oh,” Zogrusz muttered as the shrouded creatures rushed forward in absolute silence, robes billowing and bone-weapons upraised.