Dear grimoire,

So it is decided. If the Cursed Twins can be the salvation of the oni, then Hageshiiomo will fight to free them or condemn the rest of his people to serve Lord Roham. Knowing the god of the Abyss, they will make them flirt with their Corruption to revel in their inner struggle and watch them slowly wither away. The deity of madness will take great pleasure in torturing them and using them once they are completely corrupt.

What it is either, we have discussed conditions of the test. I hope that my champion will be ready. I hope my friend comes back victorious.

---

-Do you remember the rules ?
-Errrh, for the umpteenth time, yes.
-Repeat them again.
Hageshiiomo sighed heavily, baring his fangs, but repeated again.
-The test consists of a wrestling match. It is forbidden for the Owlverlord and Roham themselves to act during the fight. Champions can not ask or receive outside help. The fighters can only use what they have on them. They must be of equal strength to promise a fierce and bloody battle.
-Perfect.
-Can we even trust them ?
-I wish I could say yes. I can only hope that they play along with this negotiation.
-So I'm doomed.
-Correction, you condemned yourself like a good kamikaze.
-Sh... Always so monotonous, eh, you old quail ?
-Birth and death, appearance and extinction...
-Are an integral part of the cycles of the Void, right ?
-You see, you know the lesson by heart. But please, Hageshii... Come back.
Hageshiiomo smiled. At least the old owl has cracked for his last stand !

The event took place in one of the main temples of Roham, in V'rk Fyr'rnalhl. The two champions faced each other in a large amphitheatre, surrounded by hundreds of spectators drawn mainly from the depths : deep sea creatures, newts, mermaids, human monkfish, sea snakes and other creatures combining scales, chitin and soft mollusc matter. In the best seats were Roham, enthroned on a seat made from dark stone carved to form a hydra, and the Owlverlord.

Hageshiiomo was facing a monster about twice his size but much thinner than him, a sort of greyhound with a body stretched in all directions, eyes on its chest, and a head that was nothing more than a prehensile tentacle with sharp fangs. Its bloodshot yellow eyes contrasted with its hairless, purplish skin.
The battle lived up to Lord Roham's expectations.
The ogre struggled with fury and power against the demonically agile and flexible beast. They fought for long minutes, the spectators booing in disgust or howling in joy as the battle progressed. Roham was fascinated by the fight, leaning forward on his throne as his beast seemed to gradually gain the upper hand over the oni.

But Hageshiiomo had not said his last word and managed to extricate himself from his opponent's deadly embrace. He gradually regained the upper hand, driven by a combative rage that had been held back for too long. The beast felt its time had come, lying on the ground. The ogre was about to deliver the coup de grâce, a clawed blow to the chest, when his hand skidded across the blood-stained ground. In an instant, the monster had disappeared, only to reappear further away... And in perfect health.

Roham chuckled.
-Oops, what a shame, you missed it.