**Author's note: Because real life interferes, I'll probably be uploading a little more slowly for the near future, but stay tuned. I have a lot of really fun stuff planned. Again, thank you to all my readers! I see I have many views. Any comments are welcome. Thank you!**

We continued quickly walking as the day wore on. The rolling clouds above us soon turned into a blanket of overcast misery, and occasional drops of rain hit my shivering skin. I was a little under dressed for the weather. It never rained in Oz, I thought grumpily. I had been fighting a slight headache most of the day, which I blamed on last night's insanity followed by taking drugs. What a hangover.

Alberich and I were both finally approaching the pylon, and as we began to get closer, I was now able to see that the structure wasn't very thick, but still exceedingly straight and tall, reaching high into the overcast sky. It did not sway in the wind, and it resembled a slim iron spike stuck into the land. From here, I could estimate that the structure appeared to be a little under a city block in width at its base, while gradually becoming more slender as it gained height. We were still a few hours away, and our view was somewhat still obscured by trees. We kept a good pace, motivated by anxiety. The forest we walked through was wild, and half-crumbled ruins of woodland homes lined the roads. There were once people here, but no longer. A pitted stone lion creature sat mutely roaring outside of what used to be another fine home on the side of the road. These places all appeared to be at least twenty years or older, with some in worse shape than others. Outer walls were covered with thorny vines, and roofs were in various states of collapse. I could spy Imperial Aquilas here and there decorating the more prominent dwellings. Perhaps these people had gotten a warning that this place was in trouble, and skipped town?

"Everyone is gone," I observed again, briefly stopping to investigate what could've been a mailbox. Seeing nothing inside but rotting vegetation, I continued walking. We didn't really have time to investigate or forage right now.

"The homes are at differing levels of decay," Alberich remarked. "These people did not all leave together, but gradually. There is no sign of conflict anywhere either. Perhaps an evacuation?"

We quickly passed the home with the lion statue. "Alberich, you told me that you saw people when you first came through. Where was that?"

"To the southeast, I passed through a village of peasants who dwelled against a river. They shut their doors when they saw me pass through, and only the town madman gave me any communication. On the road, the few ragged travelers I saw ran from me as well. I blame those reactions on my handsome features, so I am not offended. This was weeks ago."

"I wonder what made some people stay while most everyone else left?" I thought about the cultists back on the hill. The words from Jiminy the mantis were still heavy in my mind. The insect remained mutely clutching my shoulder.

"This doomed planet currently sits at the cusp of a fracture in realspace..."

We needed to find a way to escape this place if there was one, I thought, feeling a sinking feeling in my stomach. The pylons were perhaps the only thing keeping it whole. The thought for me was almost a little too much. I was used to having anxiety about what train to take into the Brooklyn instead of worrying that the planet I was on would be pitched into literal Hell at any moment.

"A fork in the road!" Alberich announced a few paces ahead of me. I caught up to him, and found that the road had branched into two paths, both leading further into the forest.

"Is this where you come in, Jiminy?" I asked the creature on my shoulder.

The metal drone had perched on me watching the scenery go by as we walked. He had not been still, but would observe his surroundings like any normal creature would. Since his remote feed to his master had been cut off, Jiminy had been mostly silent, behaving like an ordinary praying mantis sitting on my shoulder. His purpose became clearer when we came to this juncture, and I watched as the clockwork insect spread his wings, launch himself off of me, and began to fly ahead of us. The sound of his metal buzzing wings reminded me of a hummingbird more than a bug, and it was very pleasant to listen to.

After stopping for a few moments, Jiminy made a decision, and began confidently flying down the left path. Here we go, then.

I was confused that he didn't return to my shoulder, and continued rapidly flying ahead of us at a good clip along the old road, nearly causing the Tzaangor and I to break into a jog to follow him.

"Hey, slow down!" I shouted at it. I didn't want to lose sight of him!

Ahead of us, Jiminy stopped, and remained hovering in place in the middle of the road a few paces away. He had turned around and was facing us as we caught up to him, his jewel-like red eyes glittering as he watched us. Strangely, I now could hear the roar of a rushing river very close by, but could not see where it was coming from. All I could see was the normal ruined forest around us, and a road stretching ahead into a dark thicket.

"Feed reestablished!" we heard a high voice as the drone spoke once again. Alberich and I appeared to be in the middle of the nondescript ruined road, and the pylon was still at least a couple hours out. "Do not move from where you stand, and watch. Marvel at my works, oh ye fleshlings!"

Jiminy began fluttering to various places ahead of us, tapping his foreclaws against a rock in the road, and then, striking a leg against a tree. Alberich looked at me, perplexed and searching for answers at the unexpected occurrence. After doing these inexplicable things, the metal insect then returned to his starting point, and turned his back to us. We heard five distinct notes call from the mantis, and, when it was finished, the world changed.

The forest ahead of us dissolved into pixels and light, and before us, we saw a solid reinforced metal gate that stood welded to a massive solid wall that had to be at least fifty feet tall. At the top of the gate, a worn double-headed Imperial eagle stood watch over us. As the illusion dissolved, I discovered that we were actually standing on a wide bridge over a rushing river, which had been entirely invisible to us before. Over the wall, I could now see that we were standing close to the base of the pylon as it pierced the low clouds ominously only about a quarter mile away. We were here! We stood at a gateway which was currently sealed like a medieval castle's portcullis, but some kind of incredible stealth field had concealed everything completely from view. This fortified wall had been completely hidden to us in every way until we were only a few yards from it.

The little bug cheeped, and turned around to us again. "Now, an example of my defensive capabilities! What would have happened if you didn't have me to guide you, you may wonder? Well, pick something up and throw it at the gate!"

"Why are we wasting time like this?" Alberich unexpectedly snarled.

"Just do it, mutant! You're lucky I'm even letting you pass at all!"

"Fine," the Tzaangor said, and he picked up a golf ball sized chip of wood from the ground. He tossed it to the side of the drone with a vigorous throw, and a few feet beyond it, a red flash ignited in the area, along with an electrical crackle. It had deflected off of some sort of invisible shield. The wood fell to the ground, smoldering like a piece of coal, filling the air with the smell of ozone.

"This area is armed," I observed. As I squinted, I could now see ripples of red energy dancing nearly imperceptibly across the surface of the gate. The whole structure was protected by some sort of energy shield.

"Of course. I've been here for many years studying the mysteries of the technology stored here. I didn't want curious lingering locals exploring things they could not possibly understand, so I veiled the perimeter of this area with a hallucination field and an energy barrier. Not that it matters now, since all the neighbors are gone, but it is impressive, is it not?"

"Well, uh, yeah?" I said awkwardly to Jiminy. "Are you going to let us in?"

"Of course! Please recite the words I said to you in Alys, and watch the gateway open!"

Oh, shit. Our benefactor had said through one of the cultist corpses had said that I was supposed to recite something in High Gothic at the gate, but I didn't quite remember what it was. "Uh, sit nomen..." I began to grasp for the words, realizing that I could not immediately remember them. Shit!

Jiminy quizzically tilted his head, and cheeped as I struggled with my memory as Alberich stood fidgeting nearby. Yesterday honestly felt like a hundred years ago after everything that had happened! "Sit nomen viator..." Something about a the name of the Traveler...

"Truly now? You do not remember such an important thing? I went out of my way to help you with that! I must say, Traveler, this is quite a disappointment!" Jiminy barked. "I do suppose those wholly unevolved in flesh may have imprecise memories, but this was important! If my messenger had not been fully functional at the gate, and the force field didn't fry you, you both would've been killed by the guardians!" The metal mantis aimed a forked arm upward, and we were treated to a sight of two indistinct metal-armored men holding what appeared to be high powered rifles standing atop the wall. Their weapons were aimed at us both.

Having guns pointed at me did not help me with my memory, and I sputtered, "H-hey look, I'm here and you recognize me, right?" A red mark of a laser sight appeared on my chest, aimed at my heart. I heard Alberich growl to my left. "You wanted me to say something about how the Traveler is good, and since I'm a Traveler, you don't want to kill me for this do you?"

"No, I don't. But know this: I have gone out of my way to help you, and I expect cooperation in the future! I have seen you evade death since coming in to this reality, and I would rather us be attentive allies instead of forgetful fools. Pay more attention to your surroundings!" Jiminy turned back to the gate, and gave some sort of indication, which caused the figures above to drop their weapons.

"Step into the domed building just inside here, and I can receive you in person, Traveler. Bring the mutant if you want, but know that if he steps out of line, that I will kill him immediately!" Alberich leaned heavily on his glaive and chuffed, shifting his weight.

"The words were 'sit nomen viator benedictum', as the name of the Traveler is blessed. Welcome to Adler Tower, my home!"

Slowly, the heavy portcullis began to raise with a painful groan. Behind the gate were a conglomeration of ramshackle lean-tos, shacks and houses, all stacked upon each other in a precarious OSHA violation of safety. Upward, and close, the great black pylon struck threateningly into the sky, its top still obscured by the low cloud cover and its base covered in many structures that went up at least five stories. The houses and shacks were all of various metal detritus, some built against the pylon, surrounding it like a termite's nest in a way that had no rhyme or reason. We were directly facing large domed building, featureless with the exception of a doorless arch at its center.

As the gate opened fully, I could see two grey-skinned hairless men standing silently at each side of the entrance, facing us. Both men were riddled with mechanical implants, alterations, and other various modifications as they stared blankly ahead of us out of what appeared to be metal goggles welded directly to their faces. They looked like more extreme mechanical versions of the cultists I had seen back when I had first come through. Each man was missing an arm, which had been replaced with some kind of chainsaw weapon directly grafted to the elbow.

I'm guessing these are servitors, I thought as I walked forward. The two guards remained motionless and staring as I passed them. Jiminy flew ahead, ducking into the open doorway of the domed building a few paces ahead of us on an ancient paved ground riddled with cracks and weeds. "Follow please!" the insect cheeped. Inside, I couldn't make out anything but darkness.

Once we were inside, the sound of metallic chittering echoed in the darkness like excited bats hungry in the night. The buzzing noise of Jiminy's wings was audible ahead of us, and I heard the echo of metal striking the floor. Before me, I could see a shape which appeared to wear a reddish robe slinking towards us, illuminated dimly by the light streaming in from outside. I saw Alberich ready his weapon as whatever this was stopped a few paces away from us in the center of the dark wide space.

"And in the beginning, God said, let there be light!" A distorted tenor male voice called in the darkness, reminding me of an old timey radio announcer.

Lights came on all around us from electric lanterns hanging from a tall ceiling, and the room before us was illuminated. This domed room was ringed with desks and various display ports which were all currently powered off, as well as bits of unidentifiable technology to my eyes.

In the lamplight, I could now see that the figure was a tall, bent man in a red robe which obscured his face and most of his body. Two mechanical hands made completely of articulated plates held a staff topped with what appeared to be a stylized skull surrounded by a metal cog. Jiminy fluttered back into view, and landed confidently on the figure's shoulder like a pet parrot. The stranger began to walk forward to us, his steps eager. Alberich and I didn't move, and let him come to us.

The metal man stopped about an arm's length away, and I could now see him more clearly. He was about a head taller than I was, about Alberich's height, and he was clothed in luxurious red robes around a body which wasn't quite human-proportioned. Like the servitors at the gate, he wore a pair of metal goggles on his face, only his sported two illuminated images of pixellated eyes, which were both grey and wore an expression of curiosity as they animated a blinking motion. The lower part of his face comprised a sort of mask with tubes, wires, and other mysterious things that roped from his chin into a space in his robes.

And this must be our Tin Man, I thought, admittedly amused.

The elaborate red robe and staff caused me question, "You're a tech-priest? Adeptus Mechanicus, I think?" as he watched me with his projected artificial eyes.

"Yes, very good! Precisely, I am the Archmagos and Magos Explorator for the Adeptus Mechanicus in charge of operations here at Adler Tower. But, I prefer now to simply go by the name, 'Null', no honorific required! Pleasure to make your acquaintance! I've been waiting a long time." While keeping his right metal-plated hand on his staff, a second thinner right arm with too many joints emerged from his robe to shake my hand, which I obliged him with hesitance. Null's metal grip was unexpectedly warm. Behind him, I could now see that he had a few limb-like things tucked against his body and held against his back, and I could make out a second left arm moving out from under his robe to grip the staff. The appendages on his back were probably called mechadendrites, I thought back to what I remembered from the lore. "What is your name, Traveler? I'm afraid the audio I received was filled with Warp-related interference from the trials of the last few days and I wish to be certain."

"My name is Erika. You're the one whose been watching us?"

"Well met, Traveler Erika!" He vigorously shook my hand again. "And oh yes! I see many things! Nothing happens in this region without me knowing about it! Locals come to me for enhancements, and I give my expertise to all, which enables me to have eyes all across the land on Levant!"

Alberich walked into our meeting, and Null took a step back.

"The mutant is fully tame, I assume?" Null hummed, his projected eyes taking on an appearance of green suspicion as he pointed at the Tzaangor with his two metal left arms without looking at him.

"He's fine," I said touching Alberich's arm and nodding. "He saved my life."

"He is standing right here, and his name is Alberich," I heard my companion grouse, apparently insulted. "I am quite civilized, I assure you."

Null "blinked" a few times, and then, shrugged. "You're lucky I'm a bit more open minded than most of my compatriots. Associating with a mutant such as he would have you submitted for servitorization back on my old postings. But that is unimportant right now! You are both here, and therefore, I must welcome you both. You must be tired. The settlement of Alys is about eighty kilometers away from here. Quite a walk with no transportation. I'm assuming Evanora killed her prize horses in her phase-shifting ritual. Would you care for some tea? I imagine you have questions!"

I was surprised. This tech-priest knew about Evanora, but I guess that wouldn't be too unusual since he and the wicked witch would be regional neighbors. I definitely had questions, but first...

"I'd actually love to have some tea!" I said, happy at a chance for something normal. "But first, I'd like to get my companion treated. He suffered injuries last night during the daemonic incursion." I looked up in the direction of the pylon, even though we were all inside. "Is everything stable right now? No daemons coming out any minute?"

"You did have us rush here quickly," Alberich growled.

"The acquisition of new energy has been very inconsistent in these last few weeks, causing failures when a battery burns out too quickly due to localized Warp-related instability. I just switched out a new power source an hour ago, and this one appears quite stable, Omnissiah be praised. This one should last us at least a few days, but I receive a constant feed of its output inside my mind, so I would have an ample warning of any fluctuations. Fear not! This location is well protected!"

Null studied Alberich as he leaned heavily on his weapon, his eyes closed as he laid his cheek against the cool of the blade. Now that we had finally stopped, I could see that he truly wasn't doing well. "I shall have your companion escorted to the autodoc," the tech-priest said, also sensing that. Jiminy made an affirmative beeping noise on Null's shoulder.

The Tzaangor's eyes opened, and he turned toward me. "I will be alright. I heal quickly."

"Not if you have any severe internal injuries, you won't," Null said, motioning his staff toward Alberich's midsection. "Why I hold no illusions that mutants disgust me, if the fair lady Traveler trusts you, then I must as well. I mean you no ill."

At this, the Tzaangor nodded slightly, a spasm of pain dancing across his eyes. With a wave of Null's staff, two half-mechanical servitors appeared from the far side of the room, and walked to us. These two were more human then the guardians, but still had their blank goggles and grey skin. "If you need assistance, 25-c and 62-u will help you walk as we go. The medical area is not far from here."

"I can walk, that is not a worry. Let's go," Alberich reassured as Null began walking out the left arched doorway.

"Follow please!" said the tech-priest, not wasting any time.

The walk to the medical area was short, but slightly uphill, as I discovered that this settlement was actually built against the side of a hill which ringed the base of the pylon. Stairs and switchbacks ringed the outer interior of the buildings, so a little bit of climbing was required on a narrow path a yard or two wide. The ever present roar of the river we had crossed filled the air. As I walked, I saw a few servitors mutely tending toward building maintenance, or on their way to other unknown tasks. A few well-armed servitors patrolled the top of the formidable wall ringing this grouping of makeshift shacks and houses. Aside from Null, I did not see any other sentient being. Jiminy remained resting on Null's shoulder, moving with him as he stepped.

After about ten minutes, we came to our destination which was a larger, more substantial building about the size of a small house topped with an Imperial Aquila. This place definitely appeared more planned and more sturdily crafted, and was partially built against the side of a steep area of ground. Above it, a tower-like structure about ten stories tall leaned directly against the black pylon with massive bands of metal for security. The featureless white door opened for Null as he walked. Once again, electric lanterns blinked on with a tinny hiss as our motion was detected indoors.

We entered a lobby of what looked like had been some sort of meeting area complete with old wooden benches and a few tables, but now, it was empty aside from two more servitor guards standing watch. The floor and ceilings had been painted a stark white. Passing through, we entered what I assumed was a medical bay, which held two cushioned beds under a plethora of mysterious metal instruments hanging threateningly from the ceiling. Behind me, I heard Alberich gasp.

"We are here," Null said. "Place your packs in the corner and rest your weary backs. Sir Alberich, lay yourself on the bed, and I will activate the autodoc. You will be investigated for any irregularity other than your profane mutations."

Alberich appeared close by my side, tightly gripping his glaive. His ears were back, and his eyes were wide. "You want me to lay on that table?" he questioned, warily eyeing the various metal implements hanging above.

Null shook his head. "There you go again, with the illogical thinking so common in fleshlings. I said that this was safe for you, and it is. This machine will scan your biological signs and diagnose most injuries. If you do not need an amputation, the more intimidating instruments you see will not be used."

Alberich looked at me, his pale eyes pleading. I could almost hear him thinking Don't make me go in there!

"No harm will come to him? Do I have your word?"

Null nodded, "You have my word. I swear on the Throne that I will not harm him. Lay down, Alberich."

I turned toward the Tzaangor, who was still clutching his weapon nervously. "Lay down. Your oath is no used to me if you're dead, Alberich," I said.

Alberich closed his eyes and sighed in defeat. "If you insist, my leader," he said reluctantly. He handed me his glaive as he stepped reluctantly to the autodoc to lay down. As he handed the weapon off, he whispered, "Don't let anyone take this" in a strained tone. Taking a deep breath, he sat on the table, and winced as he laid down. Almost instantly, metal restraints appeared at his wrists and ankles from the table, and the Tzaangor started to struggle in great alarm with a yelp.

I looked at Null in alarm, who did not seem surprised at this as he walked to a terminal that powered on as he approached. "You said this wouldn't harm him!" I protested.

"Yes, I did," the tech-priest said softly, tapping a few keys on the terminal, which caused a syringe mounted on a mechanical arm to descend threateningly from the ceiling, and quickly stick the struggling Tzaangor in the shoulder. "And he won't be. Haven't you heard of the concept of anesthesia? He would need to be asleep for any necessary surgery performed. Despite his inhumanity, I still believe in humane treatment. Again you are lucky I am not like my compatriots."

Alberich's struggles almost instantly abated, and he lost consciousness within a few seconds.

"You promise he'll be alright?"

"He will be helped, not harmed, so calm your fears," Null said, inputting something into the terminal with his back to me. From here, I could see that he had at least three folded mechanical limbs emerging from his upper back, each differently crafted and shaped. The tech-priest turned back around to face me. "There, problems will be diagnosed soon, and anything he needs repaired will be repaired," the tech-priest said with a sniff of dismissive authority. "As we wait, shall I fulfill my offer of tea?"

The tech-priest and I left Alberich in the medical bay as we walked to another room in the same building. This place appeared to be an old fort, or maybe a research center, considering that it was built flush to the pylon from what I had seen outside. I still hadn't seen any "normal" people since coming here.

Walking briskly, Null and I reached a small lounge with a wooden table and two chairs ringed with two completely full bookshelves. Electric lights buzzed on as we walked in, as before. Before sitting down and after placing his staff against a corner, the tech-priest's eyes made a "closed" animation, and he held up his left arm. With his right arm, he opened one of the plates, and quickly tapped something on a small keyboard there. I heard some faint beeping from outside.

"How would you care for your tea?" Null said, opening his eyes and pausing. "Or perhaps you do not have tea where you come from? The multiverse is a vast place, and I would be sorrowed to hear that you came from a reality with no tea!"

"Just a little sugar if you have it. No milk," I said. The 40k reality had tea! I guess some things never change.

Null made a few more inputs on the keyboard implanted in his forearm. "Very well. Tea is on the way! I have a devoted tea servitor devoted to it; 55-T is his designation!" The tech-priest chuckled and sat down. "Please, sit! Place that weapon down. You look as if you are ready for war!"

I placed the glaive in another corner and began wondering how exactly Null would even drink tea, seeing as he didn't appear to have a visible mouth and that the majority of him was mechanical.

"You must have many questions, and I will endeavor to answer as much as I can," the tech-priest nodded.

"Yeah, I do. Let me think for a minute. I need to collect myself," I said. Moments later, a servitor appeared at the door wheeling a cart with a steaming teapot and two white saucers. Null waived the creature in. I had so many questions that I had no idea where to begin, so I just watched the lobotomized former human begin to serve us our refreshments.

The servitor set an empty saucer down at the table beside me, and then turned to Null and placed another cup next to him. It then froze between us, blankly staring into oblivion. It rattled off in a buzzing corpse voice, "Time to steep one hundred seventy seconds remaining. What else can 55-T aid the master with?"

"Nothing more, 55-T, unless the lady Traveler has a request," Null said nodding, as if this situation was completely normal. The servitor did not move from where he stood, continuing to stand lifelessly over both of us, waiting for the tea to steep. It was more than a little creepy.

"Just tea for now, thank you," I replied. I thought about what I had observed since coming here. It puzzled me that there appeared to be no other normal people in this small fortification. "I'm curious about this place. Are there any other normal humans here, or am I the only one? There were all these abandoned houses right before we got here. What happened?"

"If you mean Adler Tower, then sadly yes, you are the closest thing to a normal human in this local area at the present. There were many who called this neighborhood home years ago, settling near here, working at the Tower itself, but due to the ongoing Warp instability, many have either fled or died. In the region, only the cultists and the witch at Alys Island remained, but now, even they are gone. Alys itself sits on a particularly nasty intersection of ley lines and weak reality, which is why Evanora built her manor there, and the cultists built their statue."

"So, you knew all about the cultists and the statue? Evanora too? Why did the Imperium abandon this place and let Chaos come in and ruin things?" I asked, my angry fatigue beginning to burn for an explanation. "How did you know that I was in the Wicked Witch's body? This is all so confusing. What the Hell is going on?"

Null chuckled. He flexed one of his articulated mechadendrites over his back, and pointed a three fingered metal claw at my forehead. "One question at a time, my spicy little fleshling! I knew that the Wicked Witch of the East had departed in soul when I saw the white shock blossom in her hair from one of my many eyes. Soul transference sometimes has marked effects on the physical body, and can alter it in cosmetic ways. I have technology here that can sense the currents of the Warp, and her departure was definitely felt. That ritual she enacted was powerful enough to cripple the protective pylon network, enabling her escape. It had first been weakened by an unknown mystical event elsewhere on the planet many weeks previous, and Evanora's witchcraft took advantage of that, I suppose. Her undertakings to escape this universe ultimately damned all of Levant, since the damage she has done appears to have been quite fatal. Perhaps her sacrifice to leave this reality was actually this entire planet? Quite impressive of her, I must say."

There was a tense silence as he pulled his mechadendrite back. The tech-priest clearly didn't seem concerned about any encroaching doom since were now having a leisurely tea party. I cleared my throat and tried to appear calm. "When will this all happen? Can't the Imperium come and help here at all? Why didn't they just blow up that horrible place? You also had us both run here. By your tone I would've thought the place would be invaded by daemons by tonight!"

Null briefly chuckled. "Apologies on rushing you and your mutant companion. If I find suitable energy reserves in order to replenish power, I can temporarily restabilize the network. We are lucky in that the source I had discovered just this afternoon is quite potent, and should last us for some time, perhaps even a week. The important part right now is that you are here and safe, and that I get to meet a Traveler! Such a rare and interesting thing from beyond our reality, more precious than an STC, and now I have tea with one!"

The motionless servitor then gently picked up the white teapot, and poured a bit of steaming tea into each of our cups. While Null took his black, the servitor reached into his forearm and produced a small sugar cube from a compartment within his artificial tendons, dropping it in my cup. Was this servitor specifically only made to make tea of all things? Whatever it was, this was super unsettling.

"I suppose it is obvious that I definitely have interest in you because you are a Traveler. It is not common knowledge that your kind exists through the greater Imperium, but my diligence has coaxed that wisdom from the reams of confusion that is the informational repository of Mars and Terra. Your kind are Warp anomalies, since your roots are not of our reality. I see that you are a psyker as well! Such a creature is as rare as a unicorn! What a delight that you play in my garden!"

Null's tone was of subdued giddiness as he spoke, and I watched as he grasped his teacup with his reaching mechadendrite. The tubes and wires surrounding the lower part of his face withdrew, revealing a grey-skinned and fully intact human mouth. Well, that explains that, I thought. He slurped his tea and began speaking again. It really felt like this guy liked hearing himself talk.

"As to your earlier inquiry on why the Imperium does not help, I believe this planet is too removed and too dangerous for anyone to bother with any longer. A tithe has not been collected in many hundreds of years, the human population is all but gone, and my missives go unanswered. No astropath is present to aid me, and I am alone here with my servitor aids. Alas, I do the will of the Machine God despite the Imperium's silence. Levant may already be declared Perdita, considering that it sits upon an area of weakened reality. Only the pylon network is keeping Levant stabilized now, and should it fail completely, the Warp will devour all. I suppose my posting here will end when this world ends."

His casual attitude concerning the inevitable destruction of this planet was chilling, but if I wanted answers on how to possibly get home, I would need to play along. Maybe he was so relaxed because he knew a way off? I picked up my own cup of tea, and had a sip. It wasn't the best, but it was alright. Definitely better than the metallic water in my flask.

"Right, so, this place is in big trouble. Is there is a solution?" I asked after a few sips.

"No. All is lost, and there is nothing we can do aside from delaying the inevitable," the tech-priest replied calmly as he sipped his tea. After placing his cup down, he fixed his eyes on me in interest. "It is now my turn for questions, Traveler Erika! What is the reality like where your soul came from? I admit I am intrigued that you knew what a tech-priest was, and that you seem to have general knowledge of this universe despite never having existed in it. How do you know all of this?"

I was a little nervous at revealing how I knew what I did, but since Null had apparently read up on Travelers, maybe this wouldn't be so weird to him. "So, I explained this earlier to my companion just a few hours ago, but in my universe, this place exists as a series of books and tabletop games. The game is called Warhammer 40k, and people get together and play strategy games with small models they put together and paint. The lore behind the games is really involved, and I had no idea that in another universe, it was all real," I watched Null's reaction to that, which seemed to be one of intense interest.

"A question, good Traveler," Null asked softly as he picked up his teacup. "Are the people who play these so-called 'games' gods? If they determine the outcome of conflict and author the events in our reality, is your reality a realm of deities who determine our fates?"

That was certainly one way of defining it, I thought. The people at Games Workshop and all the players of these games could indeed be considered gods to this universe. "I hadn't thought of it that way, but I guess that might have some truth to it. But back home, I was a normal person. I didn't have any godlike abilities; I just enjoyed the games for what they were, games that were played for fun."

"I suppose gods themselves would see all of reality as a series of games to play, even lording over the Omnissiah and all Chaos powers," Null mused, tapping a metal finger on the side of his teacup. "The existential ramifications of this are weighty. I will have to meditate on this further. But, more questions first. One thing brought brightly to my sight is that gem you wear around your neck. It was once Evanora's, and she never removed it in the many years I had known her to dwell upon the hill. Do you happen to know its use?"

Oh, the Key, I thought. I reached up and felt it through my shirt. It had been hidden since I had departed the settlement with Amnaich. Pulling on the chain, I removed it to lay exposed on the top of the fabric, and Null's fascinated artificial eyes fixed on it. "This?" I asked, touching it with a hand. "Evanora called it the "Key" in her letter but I don't know if it's a key for anything. I think it protected me from a Keeper of Secrets."

"Mmm, I remotely observed that incident with the greater daemon from here. I apologize I could not help beyond reactivating the network, ah, but you live, so I am pleased at that," Null said as he slowly reached forward with a mechadendrite, right into my personal space. "May I touch this?" the tech-priest asked, referring to the Key.

"Sure, just don't try to take it off of me," I replied.

Null's spindly three-fingered appendage cautiously grazed a metal finger across the white surface of the Key, and almost immediately, he pulled it back. On his shoulder, Jiminy briefly fluttered into the air with a cry of alarm before settling back down on the tech-priest's robed shoulder. "It seems your permission is not enough! This Key you wear is quite jealous! I received a shock!" He didn't appear offended, and pulled the arm back with a chuckle. "Ah, so it goes. And it is called the 'Key'? How very interesting! I-" Null paused mid sentence as the animation of his eyes flickered. His eyes made a movement as if he was searching for something, and with another blink, he brought himself back to the present. "Forgive me for that interruption. I have received a status report on your companion's injuries. He has a ruptured spleen, and a bruised kidney, along with two torn muscles and various deep cuts around his body. It appears that infection was beginning to set in, so it is good that we are treating him. The ruptured spleen would've been eventually fatal."

Wow, it appeared that Alberich was much worse off than I had thought. "How long will it take to fix him up? I don't have much, but I do have some coins I found in Evanora's manor."

"No monetary cost, Traveler. Just keep the whole experience you have here with me a secret from the rest of the Imperium. As a bonus, I will also not report you to the Inquisition for being a wild psyker from another reality who associates with a foul mutant." Null "smiled" with his eyes. "Speaking of him, your companion will be mended in about two hours. The wonders of technology! What a terrible pity that I was never able to submit the schematic for that incredible autodoc directly to Mars, but so it goes! More tea?"

"Sure," I replied as the mechanical corpse man standing above us moved again to pour me another cup. "Thank you. I mean it. Alberich saved my life. I know he's a mutant, but you saved him anyway."

"Most appreciated, Traveler Erika!" Null said, picking up his tea. "You can pay me in knowledge of where you came from, and with some pressing technical questions I have yet to answer here in my lonely outpost. Another question now, if you would humor me." Null nervously tapped his teacup with a metal finger before taking a sip. "Do you have an end goal, a motivation, something that drives you? Something that pulls you forward. Your ambition, I suppose. What do you want to achieve here, in our humble universe? Do you have a purpose?"

The question was strange, I thought. I hadn't really thought about having any grand goal besides going home and getting back in my own body. There's no place like home, as Dorothy said. I sipped my tea. "I want to find a way to go back to where I came from. That's all, really," I replied.

"You seek to make another reality jump through a stable port through the Deep Warp, perhaps?" Null observed. "If this is what guides you, you will have difficulty finding such a thing, but such Warp Gates exist. They are a very hidden secret, but they can allow passage across reality to those of significant strength."

"There's a way?" I asked with excitement.

"Oh yes, but the only stable Warp Gate to the Deep Warp I know of is quite far, but yes, I know of at least one. Perhaps there are others, but this one I know for certain exists, since it has been used in the past by high ranking members of the Imperium. Its power is legendary, and it is likely quite well guarded." Null grasped his teacup with three metal arms, and gazed fixated into it, as if scrying for the next words he would say. He took a deep breath before beginning again. "You truly wish to do this?"

"Yes. I want to go home."

The tech-priest exhaled again. Under his breath, he solemnly whispered, "...and so the story of Mankind runs in a dreary circle, because he is not yet master of the galaxy that holds him," while looking downward. "You will need to petition the Guardian at the Warp Gate of Molech. He has not been spoken to for aeons, but for a Traveler, he may listen. What I know is that he is called the Wizard, with no other designation, and you will need to speak to him in order for him to allow you passage. The Wizard of Molech guards the Warp Gate."

I was struck dumb at hearing Null say this. I needed to see the Wizard of Molech.

Thanks, Tzeentch, I thought sarcastically. I'm sure if the Warp hadn't been cut off he would've sent a daemon to pop in and say "you're welcome!" knowing him. He really did set all this up!

My speechlessness was noted by Null. "Are you well? You look pale," he observed.

"I'm fine. I...I just. I've just had a long few days. I guess I have to go to there, then. Off to see the Wizard and all."

"Yes, if that is what you want. You could search for other Gates, but I only know of that one. The Imperium of Mankind is vast, so-"

"No, no. Molech it is," I said, finishing my tea. "Where is Molech, anyway? I guess I need to find my way there."

Null let out another sad sigh. "Molech is only a few light years from Terra, and we are quite far from there, deep in the frontier of the Ghoul Stars. Molech is many thousands of light years to the west of here, I am afraid."

There was a pause as I saw the tech-priest blink and move a mechadendrite to his chin, as if considering something. "You would definitely need a capable ship to sail you to make the journey. I will need to research something further." Null's contemplative mood shifted once again. "Adler Tower still holds mysteries to me, even after over a thousand years! Before it dies, I want to discover the last and largest mystery, and even possibly escape this world! Would you help a desperate man solve his greatest puzzle? Perhaps there is a solution to both our wants here!"

"Yes, of course. If finding a way off this doomed rock is one of your goals, I will definitely help you!" I said with a smile that masked just how intimidated and overwhelmed I was. Maybe he could ring some buddies from the Machine Cult and call in a few favors?

When I said that, Null straightened up, and his animated eyes sparkled with happiness and what I thought could be relief. "There is hope yet if you are here! I always held faith that a savior would come, and that my end would not be as a daemonic plaything! I have been stuck here immobile in this remote outpost, bound by my oath for so long, and now, it is finally time to move. Out with the old, in with the new! It is as if my old joints have been oiled, and that I can move freely once again! We will discuss further when your companion as awoken, but for now, I'd like to show you to your room, and I will have some nutrients prepared for you to renew your energy."

I sipped the remainder of my tea, and even I could admit that this eccentric Tin Man tech-priest was at least interesting and helpful. What was staggering was the realization that I needed to go all the way across the galaxy to see the Wizard of Molech, and with that, hopefully find a way home.