CHAPTER XXVI: DESTINY
What is it that bothers you, little human? The cold? Yes, it is cold in this place – I need energy to keep myself conscious and alive long enough to tell you all that I wanted you to know, and I am absorbing all energy from the surrounding area. As a last desperate measure, I absorbed even the heat in this place where we are right now, and it is becoming colder as the last reserves diminish. Time is running out, there is one last thing I must tell you – I hope my remaining strength will suffice. The last chapter of this story is an episode you know very well, as it unfolded just a few hours ago. I will only give you my view of the events, just as I did in my tale so far...
For many months, I worked only on the restoration of Hell and the rebuilding of Inferno – all of its buildings were nearly rebuilt to their former glory, demons inhabited them once again, and I ruled over the continent from the restored palace of Dis. Neither I, nor any of my lieutenants cared about what was happening on Earth during this time, as we had more important tasks to accomplish in our own realm. All this ended when I felt the disturbance... The Temple of Darkness had been discovered and the humans had begun excavations and research. They had also built a huge scientific complex, where technologies aimed at the prevention of invasions from Hell were developed. As they conducted their experiments, I could clearly feel what they were working on – quantum accelerators. That fact quickly brought my old ideas back to life after their long sleep in the darkest recesses of my mind. I knew the pitiful mortals would not be able to reach the Void Spheres, but I could. At last, I had the opportunity to accomplish my bold schemes.
I spent a few days secluded in the Iron Tower, thinking and planning. I had to take into account the technology that the humans were creating and the possible complications that it could create. I needed to perform a test as soon as possible. It was not long before a small assault force was formed under the command of a Cyberdemon. After many months, I called upon the power that was my birthright and opened a Gate in the very heart of the complex. My warriors charged through, filled with bitter hatred and lust for the blood of humans. The quantum accelerator prototypes were activated...
I was truly amazed – I felt the machine's effect as it frayed and dislocated the ethereal strands that kept the Gate together. It started to collapse and I had to intervene, in order to prevent a possible explosion, by balancing the energy flows. There were well–prepared marines in that complex – they halted the advance of my troops, even though they sustained heavy casualties. The Cyberdemon had to turn the fight in our favor... and then the Gate buckled upon itself and collapsed with a loud hissing sound. Halfway through, the Cyberdemon was cut in two. Shortly after, my remaining troops, cut off from their escape route, were defeated. I had a clear idea of the accelerator's capabilities and I was pleased because I was sure that the devices the humans had built were very powerful, precise, fast, and worked without any faults. They were perfect for my attempts to breach the barrier of the Elder Worlds. Once it was cracked, the Void Sphere's power would do its destructive job. The last thing I had to consider was the way I would conquer the research complex. I also thought for a moment about the possible appearance of the cursed marine, and I was right as you truly appeared. I was not afraid of that probability – meeting you was no longer a part of any conquest plan. It was personal.
No human can truly comprehend the work that it takes to concoct and cast a spell. Every ingredient, be it a rune, an orb, a tome, potion, or a body part, has to be chosen carefully and used in proportions that would achieve the best balance between all components. The spell I worked on was a very powerful and heavy to maintain system – a ring of seven Gates that had to be opened in precisely picked places and maintained long enough against the power of the accelerators – at least one of them had to remain open until the end. I hand-picked my best demons to participate in the massive invasion that was to take place. Once the compound was overrun, I could bring reinforcements from Hell. With a successful attack accomplished, I would assume my position, using the pure Gatekeeper summoning incarnation, at a Gate of my choice and perform my experiments near it. The other prototypes would be set in special places throughout the base – places that would serve as traps, should you, or a troublemaking human like you, appear. I had some hopes that, with the destruction of Baphomet, the mystic force that was protecting you was finally gone, and you could be destroyed...
The chosen day came. I was prepared to begin my last battle.
I sat within my ritual circle and concentrated – I had to resist the accelerators' power long enough for my legions to get through. I rekindled the thoughts of revenge in my mind and launched the invasion – the ring of seven Gates opened and my minions poured through like a tidal wave of hellfire. The ferocious battle that ensued was memorable – the greatest challenge that I had ever had as a field commander. The good thing was that the humans focused their attention on the Gates that were within the central scientific compounds, ignoring the one that was opened close to the sewage systems. I sent my most powerful minions there, so that they would all be able to pass through it before the humans could close it. They already worked on the closing of the other Gates – I could somewhat delay the process by quickly reversing the vortex polarities, but that did not prevent the Gate from being closed. The battle went on with burning fervor.
Another Gate collapsed, five remained. I ordered the Arachnotrons to quickly move forward and crush the fortified areas where the control rooms for the accelerators were. With a powerful crash, a building in the western sector fell apart, opening the way into the marine barracks – several Black Containers were already there, prepared to raise countless dead marines as Former Commandos, which would aid us in the battle. Four Gates remained – one of the accelerators was already under our control! Several powerful explosions ripped through the administrative buildings, sowing panic among the human defenders. Three Gates remained.
All but two of the accelerators were under our control – my troops focused on the storage houses and the last laboratory buildings that were trying to repel the invasion. When the fifth Gate collapsed, my warriors had already breached the bunker where the last marines were desperately fighting to halt our advance and call for reinforcements. I sensed that only one Gate remained – the one kept to the side. I was success – all of my forces had passed through and the whole compound was swarmed by legions of demons and their undead servitors. One last explosion marked the end of the battle and the full control that we had gained over the place. The last Gate was to become the site of my manifestation in the mortal world, and there I would conduct my experiments.
Waves of pain accompanied the metamorphosis – as always. With bright flashes of energy, I transformed into the enormous head you saw, and took my place among the powerful machines that every Gatekeeper has to be able to build on his own. All connections were made and the harmony of flesh, machine, and magic was achieved. The Gate and I were one. Opening the Orifice of Summoning, I called forth more and more minions of Hell, which advanced in waves and invaded every corner of the compound. The last accelerator prototypes were hidden – the best of them brought before me, and set on two platforms built in the already transformed area. Next, the Arch Viles entered the Temple of Darkness and, following my instructions, disabled the traps and protections, and brought me two Void Spheres. With extreme care, these Spheres were installed inside the accelerators and connected to their systems according to my designs. The experiments could finally begin.
Yet, it was in that moment that I noticed the small green figure approaching the compound. I already knew who it was. I had longed for that meeting for a long time and finally you came to me, alone and determined as I was.
I do not have the strength to tell you all, and besides, you already know it. To clarify some dire situations in which you fell, I will reveal that I set quite a few traps for you. The first trap was supposed to destroy you at the first accelerator that was hidden in the marine commander's headquarters – the Cyberdemon that suddenly attacked you, was quite a bad surprise, wasn't it? Next was the Arch Vile labyrinth – entirely my idea, though I still cannot comprehend how you survived it and avoided the deadly false teleport that I had left there for you. The old Soul Spheres storage was the greatest trap that I had set for you – I did everything possible to lure you in there. You went to it, after passing through the Cyberden, and my army of Cyberdemons and Spider Masterminds ambushed you. But damned be that day, you survived again... Or perhaps I should admire your valor?
As a last expression of my respect for you, I will tell you of our last battle, the way I experienced it.
I was, in a way, happy that I finally met you personally. A few seconds of looking at you were enough – next came the battle. My plan was to throw everything I could summon at you while the redesigned accelerators opened a portal. That portal would open on the additional Focal Pillar, on which a Cyberdemon stood and launched missiles at you. Once the portal was open, the residual energies of the Shield would annihilate any human flesh in the area. That was how the Shield was designed as it was imperative that no human being ever reached the Elder Worlds again. I only had to delay you, and for that purpose, I was willing to sacrifice all the demons I had left.
I enjoyed watching you fight so close to me, each of your moves was perfect, even though you were wounded several times by my troops. As I tried to summon more and more of my minions, I felt that the balance was achieved for an attempt to breach the Shield – the accelerators were activated and the Void Spheres inside them started to glow as they met the force of the Shield. I felt its fabric tear slowly (I never imagined it was that powerful!) and then the impulse was lost. The bitter thought that I had to wait for another impulse, was overshadowed by the feeling that something tried to respond from behind the Shield. Whatever it was, its call was weak but aware of my actions. It was reacting to me!
A Baron of Hell fell down, struck by shotgun pellets – a Revenant quickly took his place, seeking the human's death. Ah, that battle was fierce, though I wished it to end, in any way, as soon as possible. I had deliberately made the Focal Pillars with a more complicated design so that you could not use them as easily as you did when Baphomet fell. I felt another impulse was ready – I charged at the barrier once again, yet it still resisted after taking considerable damage. Again, I felt the response from the other side – it was more powerful and it was sure that something was trying to breach the Shield as well. I started to hesitate whether I should go on with the experiment...
It all ended when cruel Destiny punished me once again. Chased by Barons, Hell Knights, Revenants, and a horde of Lost Souls, you made several maneuvers and landed on top of the primary pillar. Seconds later, a missile was sent towards me, and the Orifice. A vast Universe of pain exploded before me as the missile hit. My tortured scream and several small explosions within the machinery mixed into a cacophony of chaotic noises. The pain was quickly forgotten when I felt that the Gate was destabilizing, threatening me with destruction. I had to stabilize it... quick. A powerful discharge of energy melted one of the support pillars nearby – the Gate was leaking plasma in the lower quadrant. Should more leakages appear, I would lose control over it, and the result would be catastrophic! My minions knew well what was going on, and quickly gathered, trying to push you into the pool of molten metal below.
Another steel support pillar was melted by a plasma discharge – another leak in the Gate had occurred and I was losing control as the last remnants of consciousness were trying to leave me. Strong vibrations shook the whole wall where the machines were installed – that could only mean that the Gate was starting to deform, and any hope of stabilizing it was lost. I could see the flames that erupted, and the energy discharges that became more frequent, melting the platforms nearby and my troops that were on them. The broken link between the accelerators and me caused an overload of energy, as the Void Spheres started to overheat, melting their way out of the devices and sinking into the stone floor, leaving magma in their wake. I just wanted it to end as I felt the vortex within me fragment while the walls of the whole building began to melt down.
Then came the second missile.
When I lost consciousness, the tremendous accumulated powers were unleashed in the form of a titanic explosion that caused an inverted Gate to form. It sucked the last surviving demons and the last accelerators together with the overheated Void Spheres. In a last effort to stay awake, I felt the spheres explode within Hell, unleashing the Voids they contained. Then darkness fell over me...