Khoom sipped his infamous pink drink "And how's your day been, if you don't mind me being so late in the asking?" He plucked up a mini-muffin or two for a bite.

"Well, I was in a tussle with a balrog, and somehow while I was sailing through the air after he threw me like a football, I ended up here."

He gave an epic browquirk. "A balrog" Whyever for?"

"He has something that belongs to me." Kitty said vaguely into her coffee mug. She really didn't want to explain what she was after and why she was after it.

"Still has it, I take it' A pity, that ....hmmm ...." He took another sip and puffed on his pipe that released a pink mist. "As I imagine it's nothing you wish to discuss, might there be anything I can do to assist?"

Her eyes were watching Cianan's departure as she answered her fellow Helston. "Khoom, your dislike of violence sorta prevents that."

At that, he had to grin. "It isn't a dislike of violence, my dear. My choice of pacifism has always stemmed from being unable to deflect the pains of others. But, I do have certain other resources at my disposal now, if you recall."

"True. This was something I was hoping to avoid involving her in." She admitted. Chryrie was the last person she wanted involved in her attempt to retrieve Marlenthal's soul.

"Well, if that's your wish, I might see about a different line of inquiry ....After all, if you're thinking of something involving a great deal of conflict, I can't think of a better asset on your side then a squad of my ....larger cousins."

"Mmm. That's an idea." Kitty scrunched up her nose in thought. Having assistance in this would be nice. But the few hybrids she knew, she was too fond of to want to involve them in what could possibly be a death sentence. "Maybe. Although I'd feel terrible if they got hurt too badly."

"Perhaps someone a little more distantly removed from the family line" Say, the next planet over" I've heard tales of a few restless types in their midst ...."

"Maybe. As long as they're not anyone you're too terribly fond of." Kitty murmured to Khoom as her gaze moved to look at what appeared to be a new Nexus victim. While everyone was busy with the new Rhydin citizen, she became lost in her thoughts.

Was Marlenthal really worth all this hassle?

"We are your backup." The apparent leader of the group of beasts rumbled. Just as he said that the distinct whine of five particle cannon and five railguns powering up could be heard. It was accompanied by the sound of about ten assault rifles clacking to the ready.

Kitty lifted her eyebrows at the group in general. Backup"

"I don't recall hiring a group of armor plated bears. And I'm pretty certain I would remember doing something like that." She crossed her arms as she aimed her focus on the leader. There was something about these bears creatures that faintly tickled at her memory.

"We were hired by the half-breed Vyska. And it is appreciated if you would not call us bears." The leader growled.

Vyska" That was it. Their scent. It was slightly similar. That meant these beasts before her were...

"Ular. You are the Ular mercenaries one of my clan had suggested hiring." The understanding suddenly coming to Kitty's mind. She nodded more to herself than to them. Then she once more focused on the leader.

"Have your men power down their weapons while they are within my walls. Otherwise I might be inclined to shove it up their arse."

The leader began to speak, but was cut off by a voice behind him.

"I would very much like to see this spectacle of which you mention, small one."

Kitty's eyes locked on the source of the voice before he finished his sentence. A younger one, judging from the lack of metal in his beads. He was also one of the smaller ones, but small could be considered relative when they were all over eleven foot tall. Kitty then cut her eyes back to the leader. He didn't say anything, but seemed more inclined to see what she would do.

Dominance must be established? Very well.

Kitty took a flying leap from the crate she was standing on. She landed on the shoulder of one very confused Ular female. She was only a pit-stop as Kitty then leaped at her target. He ducked to avoid her, as she expected. As soon as she landed behind him, he was turning to face her. She used her shorter stature to her advantage by moving in closer so his assault rifle would be over her head. She reached up to latch her clawed fingers onto the rifle, then with strength he clearly did not expect from one her size, she ripped the rifle from his grasp.

She took a step to the side and back as she spun around. As she moved, one hand slapped the weapon's safety on. The other swung it around to slap the gun into the back bend of his nearest knee. The Ular swiped at her as he was forced down to one knee from the gun's impact. She had already released the gun as she moved behind him. He was starting to get back to his feet when claws gripped his armor. Suddenly the young Ular found himself having a lesson in flight without wings. However his flight was short lived. It came to an abrupt halt when he impacted another grouping of crates.

The remaining Ular watched their comrade until he landed. Then, in almost near unison, they looked at Kitty.

"I said lower your weapons." She snarled out through gritted teeth.

The silence after nineteen weapons were either powered down or disengaged was deafening.

Kitty would let the Ular handle them. Her main concern was getting to that door.

She backtracked to grab her plasma cannon, tossed it onto her shoulder, and took off running for that door. The deafening roars of the balrogs mixed with the screams of Ular as they met their final end was enough to make her sick. But she needed to focus on the task at hand.

Kitty reached the door and flung it open. She took two steps into the room, but was stopped there by the sudden sharp pain in her side. Her eyes dropped to see a large horn protruding from her body. Attached to said horn was some sort of hellhound type beast. It was snarling and roaring as Kitty grabbed it by its horns.

The last sound it made was a yelp of surprise as she pushed it away so the horn was no longer in her side. She followed this up with a quick jerking motion. The beast's spine made a sickening crunch sound and it fell limp. A long blade extended from her right bracer as she lifted the hellhound's head by its horn with her left. A quick downward swipe of her arm severed the beast's head from its body. She threw the head to the side as the blade disappeared back into her bracer.

"Give me your med pack." Kitty growled over her shoulder to Tedaji. The young Ular spoke not a word as he pulled it from his belt and handed it over without hesitation.

The armour she was wearing had stopped the horn from completely running her through. However, she still had a gaping hole in her side and it was bleeding profusely.

Kitty threw the pack open and pulled out one of the healing potions as Tedaji stood guard over her. The potion lacked instructions. Should she drink it' Pour it directly on the wound" She didn't have time for this! She decided to drink half and pour the rest into her wound.

"Mother Vith!" Kitty hissed through her teeth from the pain. Her eyes closed and the muscles along her jaw flexed as she gritted her teeth.

Her clawed hand flopped into the med bag again to pull out a spray canister, and some gauze. She started to push the gauze into the wound, only to stop with another hiss of pain.

"Here. Let me do it." Tedaji rumbled as he closed the door to block out the terrible noises. He then knelt next to her and reached for the gauze and canister.

Kitty let him take the items without protest. Her eyes traveled over the room they were in as Tedaji pressed the gauze into her wound and then covered it with the spray-on bandage.

The room was where the head demon apparently kept his most valued treasures. Except there were no gold or jewels here. There were rows upon rows of shelves. Each shelf had about six pyramids resting on it. Each pyramid was about the size of a baseball, looked to be constructed of a blue glass-like substance, and glowed faintly.

Once Tedaji finished patching her up, he helped Kitty get to her feet. She stumbled to the shelves and picked up a pyramid.

Suddenly Kitty's mind was filled with flashes of memories that were not her own. Smiling faces she did not know.

She gasped and thunked the pyramid back onto the shelf quickly.

"Are you alright, boss?" Tedaji inquired.

"What' Yeah. Just....yeah." Kitty nodded and then started to walk down the rows. Her clawed hand reached out and began to brush over the top of each pyramid. Each one would give her the same brief flash of memories.

She didn't have to go far. A couple shelves in she brushed her finger over a pyramid, only to see the crying face of a very young Chryrie. She stopped and lingered on that one a moment.

Yes. It was her brother.

Kitty snatched up the pyramid and shoved it into the specially made pouch she had purchased. The pouch looked still empty after she crammed the pyramid into it. She shoved the pouch into her pants pocket as she turned around.

"Let's get the hell out of here." Kitty started back for the door as quickly as her injured body would let her.

"You cannot fight these beasts with such a wound." Tedaji voiced his thought calmly.

"Yep. You're right."