Anthemic Invocation Shell

Trihn digs through what is left of the twisted insides of a derailed cargo-liner—her knuckles singed and bloody from contact with hot wires and ragged edges.

Her Ghost, Shakto, illuminates the solid surface of a newly revealed metal crate, marked with a tiny sigil, with his flashlight. "Is that it?"

"As Spider described. I'm surprised it's still in one piece." Trihn places a palm on the metal, tensing. The Darkness pours from within her, freezing the crate and shattering its hinges.

"Someone will notice that!" says Shakto in hushed alarm.

But Trihn is not listening. After a few blessed weeks of silence, War's voice had begun to corkscrew itself through her mind once more. She pries the lid off of the crate, hopeful that soon she may be rid of War's driving whips.

Inside is a single bone.

"This is not a whim… or an egg. Spider said—"

"It's an Ahamkara bone!" Shakto exclaims. "This could work…"

Trihn's fingertips drag across the bone's pitted surface. She hears a whisper—a slithering panacea for War's screams.

"Someone is coming," Shakto warns, suddenly at attention. He peeks out the top-hatch of the derailed train, now on its side.

Trihn breaks from her trance. "What? Who else knows?"

Shakto decompiles as Trihn stands. "Could be anyone. Maybe someone else following Spider's rumor. Either way, they're coming from the north."

Trihn draws her Eliksni-style cutlass from its scabbard, deftly exits, and moves behind the car, listening closely. Soon, she hears light footsteps.

Trihn waits for them to get close, then springs from behind the train, putting blade to chest.

An Exo Hunter stands before her. They size each other up.

"I'm Gaelin, Gaelin-4. And you got two Wire Rifles trained on your back, so I'd suggest putting that sword down."

Before Trihn can respond, two Eliksni marked with House Light sigils run towards them. One shouts Trihn's name and throws her four arms around the Warlock.

"Vynriis!" Shakto shouts after he recompiles, dancing around them.

Gaelin turns to the second, larger Eliksni."Why didn't you tell me you two knew her?"

"Guardians so paranoid. Makes for good entertainment," Nivviks croaks in Eliksni, then shrugs "Also owed Trihn prank."

Trihn gives Nivviks a dirty look, then her eyes wander to the train. She turns to Gaelin-4. "You're the bounty hunter Mithrax sent?" Trihn asks, sheathing her sword.

"Mithrax and Spider both want the Ahamkara bone, but I need it. So, who gets it?"

Nivviks steps forward, swapping to Human speech. "Mithrax ordered it destroyed or given to Dreaming City. But for you, old friend…" He assesses his compatriots and slings his Wire Rifle over his shoulder. "Captain Nivviks will look other way. Missing almost the same as destroyed."