Beware, beware.

 “Beware, beware.”

                                                      Came a soft hum.

         He strolled along a path within Caledon. Mind set upon one simple goal: Kill.

“Everyone seems to favor Caledon, don’t they?” he says to no one in particular. A small laugh comes from him. He was happy, for once in his life. Death was no longer his talker, so much more time he had to spread her work, or Nightmare’s work in this case. Years passed, he wouldn’t even think to do this, but he was done playing carefully, he wanted to play, and got dirty in the process.

                                                    “A son of Flame.”

                                                     It continued on.

He had no real goal in mind tonight, other than to find something that would be worth a kill. Warden? Perhaps, but with everything stirred up from the attacks, might not be wise. Saplings, Dreamers, or Soundless? Each of those three were prime targets to take, and break. But the most devoted to Pale would find their end tonight.

                                          “Will find his prey, and make them pay.”

                                                     The verse continued.

Handing a light, he stopped in his stride, eyes flitting to a nearby village. One all too familiar to him. Quietly, oh so quietly, he crept along its outskirts, keen to find what he sought, but not to alarm everyone here would be an obstacle. 

                                                         “Ignite the way.”

                                                        A whisper came.

He slowly made his way, creeping, slowly. He made it behind a plant built house. He could make out silhouettes of those inside. One a Warden, one a Dreamer. He shifted, and made a couple of noises outside of their door, similar to scratching. This started the Warden at least, as he came out, sword poised to attack whatever was causing the sound. “I know you’re there.” he mumbled. “No use hiding.. Come out, and I’ll spare you.” the Warden looks about. The guardian only shook his head, the flame still lit in his hand, which was a light behind the house, giving him away easily, but it was more of a baiting tactic. Once the Warden was around the house, he took his chance and kicked their door in. Before him stood a yellow and white sylvari, his eyes wide. “Hello.. Ceris.” he grinned, his teeth showing. “..H-how..you..” Ceris stammered, not able to get much more out, at least before a lit hand grabbed him by his throat. “You left me for nought.. Tell me.. O’ one of the Pale Tree. Why I should spare you at all.”

                                                “Let them feel Hell’s fury on their heels."
He looked the Dreamer in the eyes.

Ceris tried to plead for his life, but the fire licked at his throat, and his bark began to catch alight, gurgled sounds came from him, but not a single word could pour through, as he began choking on his own sap. Another hand lifted and grabbed him by his soft belly bark, soon, a hand tore through it, letting the entrails and organs leak through the created hole. The hand ignited, the whole itself starting to catch on fire, and soon.. The Dreamer looked nothing like he formally had. Throat burned, stomach wrecked. Eye and lower jaw missing. He only twitched as tears streamed down his face. Before he completely perished, one word got out, ‘Why.’

                      “Oh so hot it burns, leaving nothing but destruction in its trail.”

Once it was all done. The Warden from before stood in shock behind him, sword still raised, but his form was shaky, off guard, and easily thrown off it. As he was now on his own back, his very own sword next to his throat. “Tell me.. Warden of the Grove, protector of Mother. Why could you not defend your own Heart? Were you too shocked at the display.. Perhaps the sight of their guts threw you off.” he mused. Eyes lidded, and head cocked. The Warden shook, words caught in his throat. Why had he stood by while his other half died, why did he let this scum of Nightmare take him away. “H-have.. Mercy.” he cried. “Oh.. the irony of the man I am under. For no mercy shall you receive.” with one swift movement, the Warden’s own sword took his head right off his shoulders, a silent scream stuck in his throat. The body com pulsed, then stopped. Lifeless.

“For a son of Flame will always burn brightly and let his victims know what shall be dealt to them.. In words of silence. For Fire speaks no words, she spreads pain like wildfire, and consumes all in her path. No one is spared from her, all for nought. If you are lucky enough to survive.. Luck just might be on your side.”

A small hum comes from the guardian as he fastens the mutilated corpses up on a tree, for all to see once the morning breaks.

A single orange feather hung from the mouth of the decapitated Warden. A small warning, or a message, that Nightmare was wrought that night.

    “Fire burns brightly in this one tonight.. For no longer do I evade like I did, I now relish in it, and spread it, for Nightmare is what I am, and Flame is my tamperer.”

He gave a small smile, but to the side of his eye, he saw a singular black raven watching his very movements.

“..Well, maybe this will be entertaining another night. Won’t it? Shoo little one, tell them what I’ve done.”

The raven twisted its head, wings flapping and it took off with a loud caw.