Incursion
Doctor Daimos has awakened within the Infinitum's Abyssal Sphere. It's not the warmest of welcomes waiting for him either
The inspiration for this short story is the novel, STAR WARDEN Volume 1 by Donavan Walker. It’s a What If style take wherein a certain villain from the book finds himself facing off against both the Infinitum’s Counter Guard and the determined Materium protector, Darius Ulzingor, the Hand of Intent. I would always advise reading the book first but if you already have then you can probably figure out that this Daimos is not exactly like his counterpart in the book.
“Rise and shine, Bolt, we got work to do,” said Foresight thrusting a hefty Rail driver into their arms as if it were a baby.
“Work as in, not just sitting around all day twiddling our thumbs like we usually do?” Deadbolt said while she cradled the weapon.
“She’s got a point,” said Tooth baring her serrated teeth.
“- I can’t remember the last incursion we had,” added her brother Claw.
Monarch entered the relaxation area if you could even call it that. They mostly just made up games to pass the time. The Sphere Masters seldom even gave them the time of day unless something warranted their intervention.
“You foresaw the arrival?” the Paladin-looking man asked.
“Yes, Monarch. I would class them as an Abyssal but it’s hard to tell. They aren’t your usual looking lost lamb.”
“How so?” Monarch asked folding his arms.
“Well, you certainly can’t miss him. He’s all red and horns. I’m surprised Bolt can’t see the guy from where she’s sat.”
“Has it come into contact with him?” Boomstick giggled before taking a bite out of their stick of dynamite. They chewed a while before swallowing. “Isn’t this his ideal? Protecting the Material and all that jazz.”
“You really want to sick Darius Ulzingor onto this guy?” Tooth said bouncing over to the man who lived to make things explode.
“Speaking of our Elven friend? What timeline are we working with Foresight?” Monarch asked.
“You know the Immaterial doesn’t follow strict rules. It’s in constant flux,” said Foresight manifesting her staff. “Darius may not exist in this timeframe but he’s got the backing of an Ascendant. If they want to send him in. They will.”
“So we need to account for him too,” Monarch said. “Fantastic. Everyone get set for a combat drop. I want you all in the launch bay in the next minute before our new friend gets comfortable being on our turf.”
“Yes, boss!” said Bolt leaping to her feet and dematerialising the Rail gun. She was gone before anyone could even muster a word.
Soon it was just Monarch and Foresight.
“Anything else you saw?” Monarch asked.
“He’s going to show. Darius isn’t going to ignore this. No doubt, Das’ orrery has already flagged the incursion.”
“Then we’ll just have to ground him. You can do that right?”
Foresight flung up her arms. “Well, duh. Of course, I can!”
Doctor Daimos had escaped certain death only to end up in a place that defied the logic of the universe he once knew. Above him, in its purple and blue majesty chaos roiled across the tumultuous skies. The rest of the flat lands was barren, devoid of all life except for scattered pools of sludge that rose up into strangely humanoid shapes. As if on unspoken commands it launched towards him and whatever side effect of the infernal book he used to escape Eli revealed itself. A shield of energy kept the strange sludge at bay. It never relented in its efforts. He stood and watched it throw itself at him. Dissolving away with each exposure to the heat of the shield.
Fascinating.
<You are not of this sphere,> spoke a distinct voice.
‘And you are.’
<Some call us Eythe. Others simply Truth.>
‘And what truth is that?’
<That life has no purpose, no reason, only endings.>
‘Where are you?’
<Everywhere – in the fabric of this sphere and beyond. My eye sees all.>
‘This sludge is you then?’
<They are the accident that was never supposed to be. They will be the hammer that rends this universe apart and after that, I will use your mind to visit yours. To begin the Cycle of Ending there too. Again and again, until all the universe sees Truth. And only Truth.>
‘Such a shame,’ Daimos thought. ‘Here’s me thinking we could have been friends.’
‘It’s unwise to humour the mad ramblings of a fallen god,’ the powerful voice that now spoke had an air of authority to it that reminded Daimos of Eli.
Daimos looked up and saw the figure smartly hovering overhead. Away from the persistent sludge. They wore a long purple robe covered in various runes and on their face was a metallic silver, expressionless mask.
‘And who might you be?’
‘The Protector of the Materium. I sensed a disturbance in this sphere and sort to make sure you would not contaminate it.’
Protector. Another name for Warden. Truly inescapable. Daimos remembered then that he still held the Abyssal book. It called to him, longing to be used. To unleash whatever evil rested within its pages. He opened to a random page. Yes, that will do nicely. The energy shield became sheathed in fire and then exploded. The sludge ceased to be but the Protector simply remained unphased. He hadn’t even moved away from the explosion.
‘I was moulded by Chaos and those that haunt the waking world. Do not test my -’
The thought came to an abrupt end as something blasted the Protector out of the sky. He hit the ground hard and the sludge that hadn’t been annihilated made a beeline for the fallen being.
Now what is it?
“Good shot, Bolt. Now Tooth and Claw, isolate the Hand of Intent, make sure that infernal sludge doesn’t touch him. You know how the masters hate altering the canon. It’s a nuisance to fix.”
Canon. They act like all things are predetermined.
This newcomer also begrudgingly reminded Daimos of Eli. That damned man was taunting him from wherever he was now. This knightly figure carried a massive crystal-looking bastard sword. It radiated strange energies too. The shot staggered him but only because it came out of the blue. Speaking of which of those present, there were four excluding the downed Protector. The shot however had come from a much farther distance. The strange abyssal shield surrounding him had taken the hit and kicked up only dust in its wake.
“Had a feeling, a foreign energy source would pose some issues for Infinitum tech. Unlike Darius, you’re Abyssal power comes from beyond the Greater Boundary. You manifested here correct?”
Daimos watched the man’s cautious approach. “Yes, I appeared here out of the blue.”
“Well, we’re here to fix that. To send you home.”
Daimos closed his eyes. No. I’m done being bossed around by do-gooders. I define my fate and future. No foreign universe controls me.
From his blackened fingertips, black lightning erupted forth met by the Paladin blocking it. Next came a fizzle at his feet and the one responsible stood a couple of feet away. They were a small, grinning bearded man. “Welcome to the Infinitum!”
The explosion of this stick launched Daimos upwards and it all but ripped his body apart but the abyssal power now coursing through him did all it could to extend tendrils that would pull him back together. His agony threatened to tip him over the edge but his wits saved him as something akin to a rattling chain barrelled towards him. Its fog-crested tip found a weakness in the demonic barrier. And he had to extend his focus to force it away. The strange blade rotated away and travelled around him. By now, Daimos was fully covered in the purple tendrils and his shape looked much less majestic. The wounded animal had become a monster. The blade seemed to splinter and each one attempted to breach his demonic shield. The dark energy lanced across the landscape as it fought back the strange sword.
The blades soon retreated and targeted instead the paladin. A loud series of cracks could be heard as simultaneously each blade was shattered and the next shot punched through his barrier and knocked the wind from him.
I need to get out of here. Anywhere but here. Even the greater darkness is preferable to this hell!
The book now hovering of its own free will flicked to an all too familiar page. It had landed him here, surely the next place would be more forgiving. Daimos spoke the incantation as another shot rang out and he was now falling forever into the endless Abyss. A place between worlds. Uncertain of where he would end up next.