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Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow: Difference between revisions
Grimoire:Enemies/Books of Sorrow (view source)
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Predators and Menaces —<br> | Predators and Menaces —<br> | ||
Carved to endure by [[Xi Ro | Carved to endure by [[Xi Ro]] —<br> | ||
Third surviving sister of the [[Osmium King]]'s last brood — | Third surviving sister of the [[Osmium King]]'s last brood — | ||
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I killed my sister today. | I killed my sister today. | ||
She came to this star to oversee the extermination of all life here. The Qugu are a strong power, and their fleets protect four nearby stars. As herd animals they are loyal and stubborn. But they do show grace. | She came to this star to oversee the extermination of all life here. The [[Qugu]] are a strong power, and their fleets protect four nearby stars. As herd animals they are loyal and stubborn. But they do show grace. | ||
For millions of years of evolution the Qugu have been infected by a virus so insidious that it wrote itself into their genome. The virus compels them to offer their limbs for amputation by enormous sessile jaw-beasts. They venerate these beasts and treat them as gods. The virus converts Qugu cells into eggs, from which strange crawling things pupate, to live within the jaw-beast gut. In turn the jaw-beast extrudes sweet nectar for the Qugu to drink, and they have brilliant visions. | For millions of years of evolution the Qugu have been infected by a virus so insidious that it wrote itself into their genome. The virus compels them to offer their limbs for amputation by enormous sessile jaw-beasts. They venerate these beasts and treat them as gods. The virus converts Qugu cells into eggs, from which strange crawling things pupate, to live within the jaw-beast gut. In turn the jaw-beast extrudes sweet nectar for the Qugu to drink, and they have brilliant visions. | ||
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"I slaughter and kill," Xivu Arath says, "but the harder I fight, the more my worm demands. I too am at my end." | "I slaughter and kill," Xivu Arath says, "but the harder I fight, the more my worm demands. I too am at my end." | ||
"The Ecumene war angels have killed me so many times," Auryx says, "that I dare not go out into the universe, lest I need my might to protect myself. My worm chews at my soul in hunger." | "The [[Ecumene]] war angels have killed me so many times," Auryx says, "that I dare not go out into the universe, lest I need my might to protect myself. My worm chews at my soul in hunger." | ||
Is this the end of our crusade? Are we the Hive unworthy to exist? | Is this the end of our crusade? Are we the Hive unworthy to exist? | ||
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Quria observes, alert and attentive, as a single quark splits on the tip of Oryx's sword. | Quria observes, alert and attentive, as a single quark splits on the tip of Oryx's sword. | ||
From within the Hydra-hull, Quria's tiny not-Oryx speaks. "What are you?" it says. It's manifesting terror and awe. | From within the [[Hydra]]-hull, Quria's tiny not-Oryx speaks. "What are you?" it says. It's manifesting terror and awe. | ||
Oryx's eyes blaze with a curiosity that is entirely isomorphic with hate, with voracious hunger. "Aurash," he says, in his Hive language. "You've made me as I was. You've made a tiny Aurash. Ha!" | Oryx's eyes blaze with a curiosity that is entirely isomorphic with hate, with voracious hunger. "Aurash," he says, in his Hive language. "You've made me as I was. You've made a tiny Aurash. Ha!" | ||