To Battle: Part 1 [MOX-994]

In the aftermath of the corrupted vexyn’s defeat in Elysium Heights, troia and Pantalaimon, the very next night, reported the news to the Royal Knights, and spoke to Samson. 

Samson’s nostrils flared when they explained the news to him. “A Corrupted Vexyn found in Elysium Heights out of all places?! And it’s an unusual, almost never-before seen case of Corruption…? Something’s not right here.”

He turned to look out the window in the night sky. Something in his face darkened past his scowl- his eyes were fixated upon the stars that struggled to shine through the darkness of the night. “Ever since our moons fell there’s been an uptick of Xyns suddenly becoming Corrupted and going missing all across Lunerest, without rhyme or reason. I fear the worst if it’s beginning to happen to Elysium too.”

Pantalaimon shook their head. “Shame we can’t ask that Vexyn about what happened. Poor sod... I can’t imagine what they were going through.”

“You always have to be ready to make difficult decisions,” Troia responded. “Nothing else could be done. Even I recognized that after helping you fight..”

“Troia is right,” added in Samson. He turned fully to face them both. “We’ve received news earlier today that corrupted xyns have been sighted roaming along, and even crossing, the moon rivers that border the corrupted lands… This can’t be a coincidence. With Oborn and Trellisa silent it’s only natural that their powers to repel the Corrupted have weakened; but, have the Corrupted become stronger in turn…?”

“In any case: tomorrow, we’ll be heading to a settlement of xyns that live at the edge of Wingfell; they’ve reported seeing black figures at night with crackling eyes, just like what you’ve described… but they vanish in seconds before they can be chased away, and night by night, villagers dissappear, and more of those corrupted xyns have popped up in their place. We can’t afford to let them take over the entire settlement; the both of you will be needed. I’m coming along; under ordinary circumstances I’d delegate another royal captain, but this is serious enough to investigate myself.”

“Yes, sir,” said Troia. 

Pantalaimon playfully put a paw up to their forehead to salute, creasing their eyebrows with a serious face. “Aye aye, capn’. Anything to help!” Even their faerie halo attempted to fold a wing in front of it’s body to mirror their gesture.

“Good,” chuckled Samson. “I’ll see you on the morrow.”

—

A few days afterwards, Samson, Troia, and Pantalaimon traveled with a contingent of knights to the settlement beyond Wingfell. They spoke to the villagers there, who seemed quite disturbed at what happened from the night just before…

“Can you tell us what happened?” Pantalaimon asked one villager.

“Diamond is gone!” one Moxyn sobbed. “Aria, Maple, Lucy, Jacob, so many others; they’re all gone! We haven’t lost this many villagers in a single night, and we’re down to under half of the locals being left; we’re practically helpless without you Knights!” They sniffed, wiping away a tear with a wingtip. 

“The corrupted xyns didn’t even try to attack us, they never have, and that’s the strangest thing… They flash their crackling eyes at us from the distance. Next thing we know, some villagers have vanished. And then we only see more glowing eyes watching us in the nights afterwards… I can’t bear to think of what’s happened to them!”

Samson’s eyes hardened. “Something is wrong here. A normal pack of corrupted xyns would outright attack you… yet from the way they haven’t lashed out yet, this behavior seems calculated.”

“But corrupted xyns can’t think for themselves,” Troia replied.

“That’s right,” said Samson. “Which is why I suspect something else is at play… I need all of you knights to split into four separate groups. Each group patrols one direction of this village; and if one of you even notices the slightest thing off, report it to me immediately via telestone. We’re not taking any chances with losing anymore xyns- including yourselves.”

The knights surrounding Samson and the villagers nodded, splitting off into their respective groups. 

“Come with me,” said Troia. She motioned to Pantalaimon and several other knights with her tail, and in moments they took off east- towards the direction of the Corrupted Lands itself…