As the Grymkin headed back toward the Flagstone with their prize, the stone sword of Aelrik, they were intercepted by a small Cryxian force.  Knowing their precious cargo, they knew this battle needed to be decisive, before more foes arrived…

The Cryxians had chosen their battlefield, a valley with the ruins of an old structure at the bottom.  The Child knew this place, and used the valley floor to set up a front with her Dread Rots that would buffer the Cryx’s initial attacks.  Those attacks did come fast too, in the form of Goreshade’s Mechanithralls punching with their steam-powered fists.  The real attack came from a flank, however, as a Machine Wraith rushed in to the center of the Child’s Formation…  …And exploded in a blast of ice crystals.

Before the counter-attack had even begun, the Mechanithralls also exploded, and too suddenly, The Child found her entire army encased in Ice.  Nothing moved for a moment, but then Goreshade’s coordinated force went to work.

First, Zeghuul destroyed The Child’s Frightmare, exposing her to the Reaper’s harpoon.  And that harpoon came in, pulling The Child across the battlefield, right to the very capable Slayer that tore her apart.

As the body of The Child sunk into the ground, Goreshade walked over to Adrik, his hands thawing as he held the artifact.  Goreshade easily pulled the sword from Adrik’s grip, then rode off, content that the Grymkin would no longer pose a problem to the Cryxian plans.