by T5
Zveidi sent the invitation to the Fallen One and awaited his arrival. Until then, she had to find that bothersome red devil called Naecken. His abilities would be nice to use in the upcoming battle. She realized the risks she was taking, but it was well worth it.
She had chosen her soldiers with care. Ma Kalunga was practising using her fifth-dimensional power staff that contained the heart of G'xl the wanderer, who had foolishly entered her domain so long ago.
She had managed to charm the awesome being into thinking he would be granted knowledge of the well of youth. Then, as he had entered her lair, she bound him and took his heart, which of course was almost pure power in itself.
Mr. Smith would delay the dark one by draining him of his powers, and hopefully she, T5, and Naecken -- if she managed to talk him into it -- would give the final killing blow that would end an eternity of suffering under the Fallen One's rule. The void would be filled with her guidance, of course.
Smiling to herself, she went to T5 and asked, "Hello there, little construct. Would you like to do me a favor?"
The machine being formed a robotic head and replied, "Sure. I help you, you help me."
"Good. Please locate and bring me the one called Naecken, who resides in the Castle of Dust. I would like to have his co-operation in a small project I'm working on."
T5 arose quickly. "The merged one is here? In this dimension? Why didn't you tell me before? It's vital that I find him."
She gave it a thin smile. "Good. All the more reason to do it as fast as possible, then."
"I will leave right away." The mechanical being reshaped itself into something resembling a huge monster truck, using the nearby swords, armor, furniture, and mirrors for building material. With a loud vrooom, it disappeared over the horizon.
Naecken felt warm and relaxed as the souls from the Japanese suicide victims were presented to him as a midnight snack. They were begging for release for the ultimate darkness that awaits all, even demons.
But as he drunk their essence, he could sense another foreign being in the Waste doing almost exactly the same thing. The drain of soul energy was significant. He had to investigate. Who could be the one responsible?
Taking his staff with him, he left the giggling fifth-dimensional being to itself and its pleasures. He soared into the gray sky and flew with a speed that almost broke the sound barrier.
A dust cloud that looked like it was made from a huge moving object approached him. He peered down to see what it was.
T5 had been driving for hours until it found the right directions for the Castle of Dust. Its mission would soon be over, and its Quadinc masters would be proud. Maybe it would be rewarded with another mission. The taste of life had been wonderful indeed.
So the hopeful unit was almost ecstatic when its sensors revealed its target to be just fifty yards above it and closing.
Reconfiguring into a catcher unit, the T5 robot prepared for the struggle that was inevitably going to happen.