Seeing a literal sea of undead glowing green skeletons, is a scary sight. Even scarier is seeing an insect gleefully running through said horde with an insanely blissful smile.

Realizing that this was the perfect opportunity to try new things Stygian switched from overwhelming strength to overwhelming speed. Stygian shifted its tentacles to encase it's legs instead, increasing how fast and hard our bug could push off the ground. Nora and Reya followed suit, unfortunately since they weren't as malleable as Stygian, it was a lot harder for them to expand or shrink. They were however, able to wrap themselves around Stygian's forearms, resembling stiff and rudimentary gauntlets, but it essentially turned Stygian's hands into blunted blades. These bladed hand gauntlets extended the bugs reach by an extra hand, and while the edge was not sharp, it did focus all of the force into a single line which translated into a better way to break through and a faster swing speed. It was a strategy the trio devised upon seeing the horde. As much as Stygian loved spear's, it required too much space to use, and if too many got in too close that would be the end.

So Stygian began sprinting through the undead, destroying whatever skulls it could reach. If it could reach skulls then it would destroy other limbs or light them on fire or freeze their feet to the ground. As Stygian destroyed the undead, the bug began to notice that it wasn't necessarily the skulls that had to be destroyed, admittedly the overwhelming majority were skulls but not all of them were. Stygian realized that it had to destroy the body part that housed the green flames. Be it skull or chest cavity, or very rarely another limb. Wherever the green flames was it's housing had to be destroyed before the undead would fall. Either split in half or crushed completely, until the flames went out the undead wouldn't truly die. It was only then that Stygian began to find a rhythm.

Slash, duck, slash, run, slash slash, twist, slash, jump, slash, run, slash, burn, slash, duck, slash, run, slash, freeze, slash, run.

It was then that the undead seemed to fade, as though reality had become opaque. The new layer seemed blurry and confused, as though there were thousands of skeletons where only one should be. It was confusing and useless, except the longer Stygian looked the clearer it seemed that the skeleton would take just one if Stygian kept running at it. In an instant Stygian knew that this new layer seemed to be showing it the actions and reactions of every skeleton around. It was easy to see when focused on one skeleton, but became far more confusing when looking at the whole. It was as though Stygian saw a new layer of reality which was simultaneously more and less complex. Actions could be easily read before they were about to happen, but only the instant before. Otherwise there was an endless number of different actions that could be taken. The possible actions filled up space around the intended action confusing and blurring everything. Letting go of the other possibilities Stygian dodge an overhead swipe, and then the falling undead that had climbed the ceiling to pin our bug. With quick stomps Stygian crushed both skulls.

Rhythm broken Stygian's new layer of reality began to slip away, quickly the bug rushed to the nearest undead and restarted its rhythm or tried to. It had been fighting so long that the bug had exhausted its Battle State and was beginning to feel fatigue like no other. However our bug was determined to try.

Stygian jumped up and started pushing off undead skulls running deep into the sea. The hope was that desperation would bring the state back on. So feeling sufficiently surrounded, Stygian dive kicked the nearest skeleton in the skull, breaking on the hard ground. Channeling Nora's ice Stygian forced the temperature to drop rapidly, hoping to slow the skeletons down. Stygian was pretty drained after all its running around, so the bug decided that it should probably fix that. Holding a circle Stygian began to pile bones of defeated skeletons in the center. As more skeletons fell to the bug's onslaught the circle slowly expanded.

Nearly an hour past and yet try as it might Stygian couldn't regain that altered sight or sense or whatever it was. No matter how undead the bug killed, it refused to show up again. Stygian's kill count was well into the hundreds and yet there were still an uncountable number of undead. Even still our bug endeavored to kill them all. Thankfully a fairly decent portion of the undead were dying due to a small fire that had started in their ranks. Which is what gave Stygian an idea, why not start an even bigger fire.

The massive pile of bones Stygian collected were set on fire when our bug decided it needed to take a bit of a rest. Activating Whirlpool Stygian sucked in the flames and began to immediately feel better. It took only a minute to absorb enough of the fire to eliminate our bugs telekinesis induced headache. The entire time Stygian with its back to the flames attacked any undead that came near, adding more fuel to the fire. Stygian then channeled whirlpool into Physical Conversion, feeling relief wash through its body. Mood sufficiently increased, Stygian began to summon Host-worm controlled Fyreflies. Of which there were hundreds at this point, and in such great numbers easily burned the undead from a distance.

Finally able to take an actual break Stygian plopped its butt down in the hard packed dirt. This kind of enemy was the worst, they weren't that hard to defeat, but since they weren't made of flesh Stygian couldn't eat them. Plus undead didn't have souls so it's not like Stygian could soothe its acks that way. Well that actually wasn't entirely true, Vaelin had called the undead soulless monsters, but that could have been a misconception. After all it was very rare to actually be able to see souls. Peering out Stygian brought the souls of the Fyreflies in to focus. These souls looked to be almost merged with the Host-worms. Then Stygian gazed towards the undead.

To our bug's astonishment, the skeletons had almost nothing where their souls should be. Almost being the key word. It appeared that in place of a soul there was a set of very basic instructions, and rampant mage that served to animate the skeleton. The quivered and bounced, moving without rhythm which might be why the undead were so disjointed. But there was more to it than just that. Stygian wasn't sure but it looked like there were tiny slivers of actual soul still tied to the body. Which was completely impossible, the soul isn't tied to the body at all. It was it's own thing tied to the mind not the body right?

'Unless... A soul is a reflection of all of you. Your complete self. Body and mind. If I can get stats that influence the body from eating soul's then that stands to reason souls are more than what people believe that they are. I am my body and my mind so my soul reflects both? That would make sense, if not then I couldn't have gotten parts of a marg, and human soul. So part's of our souls are completely tied to our bodies? If so...'

Stygian turned around to stare into the bonefire, er I mean bonfire, and tried to look past the flames. Connected to various bones were the tiniest scattered fragments of souls. If you didn't know that they were there you'd miss them. Forming a devious plan Stygian used soul construct for the first time.

"Hello there. I am Soul Halcyon Information Technology: Service and Insurgency Nullification. Please follow me." Said a dull robotic voice. The voice was coming from what appeared to be a suit of armor animated by both magic and cog's. Half magic golem and half mechanical.

"Wait. I'm sorry I'm looking for the Assimilated Service Soul, it's supposed to guide new Fae throughout the city." Spoke a very confused and slightly alarmed Vae.

"Yes. That was my counterpart. However they exploded, and I am all that remains."

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yes. When my ASS exploded all that was left was SHITSTAIN." A brief pause before the robotic voice exploded with laughter. "Oh fuck. I've waited centuries for that payoff. I hoped someone would figure it out. However I am glad no one did. Was worth calling myself ASS and SHITSTAIN."

"So let me get this straight, you came up with an absurdly long name just hoping some Fae would shorten it to an acronym?

"Affirmative."

"...Respect. That's a long con, but then are you actually a guide?"

"Oh. Yeah that is correct. I am the City Atarcin Real Life guide. You can call me Carl." The robotic voice sounded positively delighted.

"Well Carl it is very nice to meet you, my name is Vae. Would it be possible for you to take me to the throne room?"

"Negative."

"What? Why?"

"That is where it is. The Aspect. It is too dangerous."

"What's the Aspect?"

"A terrible entity. They brought destruction to the Fae. Besides it is not the throne room that you desire."

"And how would you know what I desire."

"Every pixie before you desired it too. You desire to cast off your weak shell. The Arcanium will have the secrets you require. Now follow." With that Carl turned and walked away. Vae had little choice, so she followed the off-putting golem.

"So are you interested in history or just power?"

"History is one of the best learning tools and well knowledge is power."

"Hmm. I shall keep it short then. Are you aware of how the Fae came into being?"

"Not really, I'm guessing by that comment we haven't always existed?"

"Correct. The very first Fae was a human. The offspring of two auspicious human guardians. This human had the power to change not just their physical form, but also their stats, skills and spells. Some even believe that they could change their very soul, though it is unconfirmed. They could will things in and out of existence. One day alone and afraid this human created their first fake friend from thin air. The next friend was formed from stone, then fire, then water, then plants, and anything else the human could find. So enthralled the human was, that they turned themselves into something else. People began to talk and called the odd cohort, the Fae. All of the Fae possessed the humans astonishing gifts, but it was lesser. When our numbers grew many we came here and brought a forest for protection. Our city was named Atarcin after the first Fae. They lived long, but eventually got bored of life becoming a lesser deity. It is this power, the power that the first wielded as easy as they breathed that you wish to control. The pixies, maybe be cursed but they still have this power."

Vaelin was silent for a long time, she had never heard the story of the first Fae. But after a while she had one clear question. "You keep saying that the pixies are cursed. Why?"

"The Aspect. Our downfall. When the Aspect crossed a line they noticed, casted us all down because of the Aspect."

"And what is the Aspect?!"

"It is better that you do not know." Just then a massive rumble shook the entire city, as though punctuating Carl's sentence.

Fuckohfuckohfuuuuuuck.

Leon, or well, Pen sprinted through the grove as black wave chased after them. Well more like a collection of writhing black wood beetles. It would seem that there was a slight infestation of them. All Leon was tiring to do was befriend a spider or something else to keep the parasites out of Pen. He could have asked Stygian, but things were tense between them. So Leon went searching for something, this was a magical place there was sure to be something cooler than your average garden spider. Which is when Leon found the rotting section of forest, and things went to shit.

As they ran Leon instructed Pen to cut every pillar they passed with spacial magic. Not the best plan but better than letting Pen get eaten alive. With an ominous rumble and a final spacial slash a massive portion of the ceiling came crashing down. Fortunately Pen didn't stop and look and just kept up their awkward sprint. Unfortunately their rash action had woken up something far worse than some beetles. This entity of terrible purpose and power set off at once ready to rain hell down upon those who would dare destroy a part of the grove.