Hunger
by rubypop
Chapter 12

Garbed in lyrium, Fenris traversed the pulsing throat. He fell headfirst through fleshy pathways illuminated only by the white-hot burn of his markings. From all around throbbed the muffled beating of a massive heart.

When he tumbled against resisting tissue, he clawed his way through, and ghosted, and burrowed deeper. He ( Read more... )

Hunger
by rubypop
Chapter 11

Anders blinked slowly at the gathering clouds, lacking the sense to wonder whether or not he was dead. At first he saw only the overcast sky, which gradually stained pink with the setting of the sun. The pain was slow to creep through him, until it ignited his nerves like a line of fuses, and he cringed, and almost ( Read more... )

Hunger
by rubypop
Chapter 10

Fenris lagged behind Anders as Florian guided them to the western side of the manor. It was difficult for him to resist the compulsion to keep a hand on his greatsword, ready to draw at any time. Florian walked with a maddening leisure, taking time to describe the significance of this family heirloom, the workmanship of ( Read more... )

Hunger
by rubypop
Chapter 9

Anders trailed after Fenris as they tracked their demonic attackers. They followed a path of indiscriminate destruction: the shredded-bare backs of pines, the heads of kingcups and brush trampled flat, the residuum of partially-consumed and regurgitated creatures. At one point they discovered the hollows of a fox's den, ( Read more... )

Hunger
by rubypop
Chapter 8

In silence, Fenris and Anders negotiated the peaks of the Vimmark Mountains. They travelled north, carrying only what was needed, and were weighed down by heavy thoughts. After the ritual, Fenris had palmed the tiny wooden horse, and Anders, noticing this, had insisted they throw it into the fire.

"It may give Hunger some ( Read more... )

Hunger
by rubypop
Chapter 7

Fenris awoke on a bedroll, lurching upright as though to keep himself from falling. The taste of bile cleaved to his tongue. Anders, on his hands and knees, was scrubbing the floor.

"You were sick all over the glyph," Anders said, and Fenris spat several times. Anders wrinkled his nose. "It smells of sour wine, of course. ( Read more... )

Hunger
by rubypop
Chapter 6

Dragana Croceum stepped into the copper tub. The servant Grasin milled about, glancing surreptitiously, as she steadied herself at the tub's edge. She ignored him and sat down as carefully as she could manage on shaking legs. The heat of the bath flooded her, near-scalding, and her skin pinkened, and she sighed with ( Read more... )