"...to the eXtreme"

PART I

PRESENT DAY

The air was barely breathable, particularly by human standards. The man held a kerchief over his orifices, blocking the odious atmosphere from furthering the deterioration of his lungs.

He swatted at his head. Incessant buzzing vibrated his ear canal and when he looked around, he could see tiny black flies flitting about.

“Filthy creatures,” he muttered into the kerchief.

“Careful, Mr. MacPherson,” a melodious voice purred. “Flies are said to be pets of my master. One would hate to see how you would turn out after insulting my master’s pets.”

MacPherson had to suppress his urges when she came into view. As beautiful as a da Vinci painting, he could see behind her green eyes (rimmed in iridescent crimson) that she was one of the most vicious people he’d ever had the displeasure of knowing. Whenever she spoke to him, he had to suppress the urge to kiss her…and the urge to piss his pants from fear.

Those urges didn’t subside, either. As he stopped in what looked like Dante’s hellish version of a cathedral, MacPherson closed his eyes to orient himself.

“Still can’t comprehend the Neverwherian quasi-dimensional interface, MacPherson?” The woman chuckled. “We do this all for your benefit. You’re not going to throw up again, are you?”

“I should hope not,” came another voice from the foul velvet fog. “They’re all worthless, if you ask me.” The owner of that voice was a nightmare in polished steel, a picture of demonic military brutality. This was General Vhund, commander of the Grand Army of Neverwhere. “I’ve yet to meet one human in this wretched dimension worthy of the manpower we’ve invested.”

“Vhund,” another voice hissed from the darkness, “They’re not all worthlessss. Ssssome are quite…tassssty.” Tiny Iaxious moved closer to MacPherson, flicking his forked tongue back and forth, tasting the fear as it seeped from the man’s pores. “Quite tassssty.”

“All you do IS think of food, Iaxious,” Prima snorted, walking near the table of polished ebony marble. At every corner of the table, a skull rested, thin wisps of steam rising from the eyeholes, contributing to the murky atmosphere of the room. An overhead light snapped on, casting a subdued amber hue over everything.

“That and his pitiable experiments,” Vhund corrected.

The irritation was quite apparent from Iaxious, the rattling of his tail echoing against the walls. “Thosssse ‘pitiable’ experimentssss have ssssaved your worthless carcassss more than once. It musssst be inordinately taxing to produce ssssuch incompetence, Vhund.”

Vhund’s eyes ignited in pulsating verdant. “You impudent alchemical pissant! I’ll kill you for this insult!”

Prima started to laugh, enjoying the verbal barbs her cohorts traded whilst MacPherson looked happy that the attention was off him.

“ENOUGH!” A thunderous voice bellowed, shattering the petty squabble. “I tire of your inane prattle!”

The room grew extremely quiet, only the buzzing of the flies gave any indication of sound. All eyes fell on the ominous presence that sat upon a rather ornate throne. Whatever light illuminated the seat showed a marbleized black surface, interwoven with circuitry bands of electric blue.

“MacPherson,” the seated figure spoke, “Kneel.”

MacPherson, now a trembling mass of humanity, scurried over, genuflecting briefly. He coughed, wildly, trying to keep back his lunch and appear strong in front of his master. He was failing miserably.

“Report.”

Clearing his lung of the caustic air, he managed to croak out, “I’ve constructed the device, as ordered, master.”

“To Iaxious’ exact specifications?”

“Yes, o’ dark one.”

“Excellent. Your work pleases me, MacPherson.”

The man bowed until his head touched the grimy floor. “I live only to serve you, master.”

“General Vhund.”

The general immediately stood before making his way to kneel. “Master.”

“Prepare a contingent of my legion. When Prima has initiated the EM static pulse to block all communication with the outside, Iaxious will doctor the water and air, making the humans docile. Resistance should be minimal, but, if encountered, quelled with extreme prejudice.”

Prima knelt before the throne and Iaxious joined her. “But, Masssster, what of the gold-clad one? Ssssurely, he will sssseek to sssstop you.”

A slight chuckle from their master. “He hasn’t been seen in almost three years, Iaxious. It’s hard to imagine him getting involved now.” A pause. “However…” A dark hand pointed outward, bolts of eldritch energy coalescing near the kneeling figures. When it subsided, a grotesque creature stood, the moist air making its pink skin glisten. “…Groosum will go with General Vhund.”

“Master,” they said in unison.

“Go now, my minions…and bring another world under my rule.” The dark figure laughed in the darkness.

-= BACK 2 ACTION =-

PART I / PART II / PART III / PART IV / PART V / PART VI / EPILOGUE