Insurmountable

Life on the outskirts of the Tangled Shore was as desolate as ever, yet the few remaining Eliksni there heard the reports and knew: it was time to leave.

"How much farther to the Ketch?" a Dreg gasped, a mountain of the crew's effects lashed to his back and balanced in his arms.

"We'd have been there by now if you hadn't destroyed our last Pike," a Vandal snarled at him.

Suddenly, a soft cry lilted into the air. Loud and desperate. Almost childlike.

The Dreg stopped in his tracks, listening. "Do you hear that?"

He rushed ahead and found a lone hatchling, crawling and wailing a song of abandonment deep within a crater.

"The hatchling is—is—surrounded by Dark Ether!" the Dreg exclaimed.

The Vandal grabbed the Dreg by the back of his neck. "You fool! We have to go!" she yelled.

But it was too late. A cluster of bloodthirsty Revenant Scorn descended on them, leaving nothing but their screams to echo across the landscape.

***

A lone Legionary clad in blue followed a sound, a cry that lilted across the barrenness of the Tangled Shore. The sound became louder and more desperate. Almost childlike.

He discovered a lone hatchling, wailing a song of abandonment deep within a crater. Carefully, the Legionary lowered himself into the fissure. He comforted the hatchling who quickly clung to him amid the Dark Ether that swirled around.

A war cry erupted from above as a cluster of Revenant Scorn descended. The Legionary quickly dispatched one and shoved a grenade in its grotesque mouth before lobbing it back up toward its brethren. As it exploded, bits and pieces of the entire pack rained down around the Legionary and the hatchling, who cowered behind him.

The last remaining Scorn attacked from behind, pinning the Legionary to the ground, sending his weapon flying. The putrid monster lashed out but stopped suddenly, howling in pain. The Legionary turned to see the chubby hatchling latched onto the Scorn's leg, teeth lodged deep in its flesh. Without hesitation, he lunged for his sidearm and placed a bullet neatly in the Scorn's head.

He lovingly scooped up the unharmed hatchling, wiped the ooze and drool from its mouth, and bellowed with laughter.

"You have just eaten the first of many mountains—a true Cabal from this day forward, little one!"