"But majesty" Kar'niss says to seemingly nobody "Without it I'll fall to the curse.. Did I not serve you well?"

He looks at the lantern in his clawed hand, then to the stranger in front of him, eyes glazed. They snatch it and he walks away, the distinct tik tik tik of his legs on the stone path

His guards fall to the shadows first. The darkness tugs at his psyche - his tadpole squirms and unlocks his mind just enough for him to know the tug of a shadow on his body as it dies.

"No.."