It had no one but itself.

Virosa had run its mouth raw explaining itself, biting its tongue until it bled. Performing and playing and trying desperately to be respected. It had spent too long from the Forge, from the true Spire. It had spent too long trying to belong amidst Gembound who wanted it out.

Eridanus was free. It was driven further down the tunnels. Good.

Foliage was sparse in this area. It'd stopped halfway to find a stray colony of Order, hidden in a crevice. It reached out to cleanse it, but -

Oh. A rat. It skittered away from its talons, no doubt infected. It let the little creature scramble its way to freedom, too quick to catch. But maybe it didn't need to snatch it now.

Virosa began to sow, the dark crawlers sprouting eagerly where its talons touched. But it did not purge what the Hive had left, instead tucking the new growth along the sides of the cave. Now, when a lesser (or better yet, a drone) came to tend to this node, All Virosa would need to do, is lie in wait.

It tucked itself amidst the ragged walls to do just that.