Four in the morning.
Wake up. Give praise to the Emperor. Pray for Him to watch over the souls of her long departed parents. Eat a little of her ration bars, which had only gotten smaller since the orks had arrived on world. Get dressed, and head out to work.
Four thirty. Hand over what remains of the ration bar to the local arbites to ensure she does not get any… 'surprise visits' during the night, which would leave her with broken bones and blood on her floors.
Five in the morning. Arrive at work after travelling in the overcrowded public transport, sit down at her section of the manufactorum, and begin work.
Seven in the morning. Wonder what is the point, wonder what is the point, wonder what is the point…
Midday. Start eating her second ration bar whilst ensuring her productivity does not falter. Watch as another of her colleagues, further down the assembly line, falters in his movement as his ration bar falls to the ground. Ignore his screaming as a hulking man grabs him and drags him to a dark room at the back of the manufactorum. Ignore the screams as she finishes her food until they grow silent, not stopping her work for a second.
Three in the afternoon. Sing her praises to the Emperor without stopping in her task. Ignore how the sharp threads of the uniform cut at her fingers, ensuring the blood does not stain the fabric. Wonder who would even miss her if she were to just… disappear. Wonder about the whispers she sometimes hears in her sleep.
Five in the afternoon. Watch as one of the machines swallows a worker whole, crushing them to paste as their sleeve got caught in its gears. Ignore it. She had liked that one. He was nice. He'd helped her during one of her shifts. Ignore as his life partner wails at the sight, only to be dragged into a corner and beaten until silent for disrupting work.
Always ignore, always turn a blind eye, always looking away from the plight of her fellow men and women as they are broken into compliance…
And give praise to the Emperor.
Always.
Ten in the evening. The shift ends, and she is allowed to head home. She nearly trips in a puddle of vomit as one of her coworkers empties their stomach, unable to ignore the dreadful fumes of the factory. She knows she won't live past thirty because of them.
That's okay. That's over half her life still ahead of her.
Eleven in the evening. Make it home at last. Collapse on the floor. Eat the final ration bar. Try and not gag on the taste.
Go to sleep. Know that tomorrow will be the same.
Again and again and again and again and again.
She knows the orks are at the gates. That they threaten to overwhelm the city, to tear them all apart. She can hardly bring herself to care.
All they will find are broken shadows haunting the hive-city.
As it has always been. Victory or defeat, it mattered not to her.
But it could.
In the darkness, blue eyes look back into hers.
You could change it. Change your fate.
She knows what it is. The preacher speaks of them at times. She doesn't think he is supposed to.
What more do you have to lose? What is there to gain in maintaining this state?
She isn't sure. She doesn't have the strength to care. Only this cold kernel of bitter resentment and hate that this is her life.
It could be different.
It could, couldn't it? And besides. Who cares if she gives in? No one would care if she went missing. No one cared for her torture, for the broken lives of the city. Why should she care what happens to others?
I can change things for you. I can offer you the strength to be free.
She had always wanted to see the sky…
But I need you to do me a favor.
What could she even offer? Even this home wasn't hers. She only had it as long as she worked. Barely big enough for her to fit when curled in a ball. It's a good thing the food she received would never allow her to outgrow it.
There is someone struggling on the surface. Interferences prevents them from using their true power. They will regain it, but leaving things to chance seldom leads to good outcomes.
…Helping someone? She… she had been helped before. But all those who had helped her had suffered for it. Helping others was the path to pain and death.
But not as long as I aid you.
…What should she do?
The eyes peered into hers, the shadow of feathers against the walls growing deeper.
Go to the Palace. Enter it, and in its halls pass along a message.
No one ever came back from the Palace these days. Not even the arbites. Not even the soldiers with the guns.
You will.
How could they promise that?
Because I have seen it. Have some faith, little one.
She'd had faith in the Emperor her whole life, and it had only led her to this place.
Perhaps putting her faith in something else would change things.
And if it didn't?
Well, at least she will die knowing that she tried.
N nervously shuffled.
V stared back at him, unimpressed.
J was leaning against the metallic door on the roof, expression neutral.
Uzi was staring between him and the smugly smiling metallic girl next to him, mouth wide open.
N cleared his throat. "Heya buddies! Glad you made it back so fas…"
V reached out a metallic claw, poking him in the chest. "Not even an hour. You couldn't go an hour without doing what I explicitly told you not to do."
N raised a finger, his expression sheepish. "Um, actually the fight had already started, I just joined in…"
"Shut." V said with a glare. "You couldn't have called us at least before jumping in?!"
N didn't back down, standing a little straighter as he frowned. "I thought she was a worker drone! And that she was going to die! I couldn't just… stand there and do nothing V!" N argued back. "And I did call you guys as soon as I could!"
"Ugh!" V said, throwing her hands in the air. "You're impossible sometimes! Uzi, tell him!" She said, turning to the purple drone.
Uzi however was now silently examining the girl, her eyes intent as she slowly walked over to her. "...You're not a worker drone." She said slowly. "And you don't look like anything JCJenson made. My sensors can't make sense of what you're made of." She glanced to N. "She's an alien, isn't she?"
The green glowing girl's eyes narrowed, glaring down at her. Despite being smaller than N, she still had a bit of height on Uzi, reaching about the same height as V. "She is right here and perfectly able to speak for herself, thank you very much. It is the height of rudeness to speak around someone." She placed a hand on her chest. "I am Amatoth. Daughter of Isotatekh, of the Anasaik dynasty." She then placed a hand on her hip, a proud smile on her face. "No matter how rude however, your assertion is not incorrect. Although from my perspective, it is you who are the aliens."
Uzi stared at her some more before letting out a loud groan. "Oh god, she's a princess type." She sighed. "So, new alien species. Cool. Good! As if we didn't have enough of a mess on our plate!" She pointed at N. "And you! Stop saving random people when you just met them!"
N pouted at her. "You know I can't do that."
"I know!" Uzi exclaimed in frustration. "Damn it!"
Amatoth tittered. "My my, you certainly are a character."
Uzi snarled. "Bite me!" She took a breath. "Alright. Alright. New alien. Got it. What's your species called?"
The girl twirled the halberd in her hands, making all the drones present save for N tense up. "We are the Necrontyr. Though the primitives often call us Necron, as three syllables is beyond the intelligence of most." She slammed the pommel of her weapon into the ground, green energy flashing from it as her eyes glowed. "We are the true rulers of the galaxy, though we have long been slumbering. We have emerged to reclaim our ancestral right, our very birthright to the galaxy." An easy smile came to her face. "But personally, I simply came here out of curiosity for the new neighbours."
V flexed her claws, a frightening grin on her face as she deployed her wings wide. "Well then. What do you think so far?" She said, leaning forward with a predatory look. "Interested in… ah, conquering our little world? Because let me tell you. We aren't from your side of the galaxy. And you don't owe us."
N clapped his hands, startling the others present. "Alright, enough! We get it, you're all big and scary and rawr and all that." He said, a tired expression on his face. "But we're still dealing with an invasion, the orks are trying to kill everyone, and I…" He let out a sigh. "C'mon. Can we not fight already? We just met. We have no idea who each other are!" He gave Uzi a pleading look. "Please?"
Uzi cringed away. "Gah! No, don't! Not the puppy eyes!" She glared at the image of the golden retriever that had appeared on N's visor. "That's so unfair! Fine, whatever!"
The necron crossed her arms, looking slightly embarrassed. "My apologies. I am… unused to dealing with people outside of my entourage." She admitted. "I believe perhaps a more proper introduction would be appropriate?" She offered. "You are far from the first aliens my kind has met…"
J pushed herself off the door, stepping up to the ground and catching their attention. "I have first contact protocols installed. I can pass along information in a data package if you have the ability to interpret it." She said with a neutral expression.
The necron girl nodded. "Data transference. I can do that." She said as J pulled out a hacking disks, handing it over to the necron who looked at it curiously. Then, with no hesitation, she placed it on herself, her eyes flashing neon green along with J's own.
N, V and Uzi froze as the data exchange was transferred to them through J.
"That's…" J said with a whisper. "Sweet shareholder profits, you are ancient…"
"Hey!" The necron girl exclaimed. "I'll have you know my cognitive development is that of a young adult! I spent most of that time asleep or with a frozen cognition!" She said, crossing her arms with a glare.
Uzi meanwhile was letting out a sinister cackle. "Oh my god that stuff is awesome! Annihilation beam? Doomsday sphere?!" She held her railgun reverently. "I have so many ideas…"
"I didn't give you all the information as you can imagine." The necron said smugly, clearly happy at the reaction. "Just the essentials to understand my people." She tilted her head to N, taking a step towards him as he stood there, frozen with eyes wide. "So, you are called a disassembly drone huh?" She said with a grin. "That was very impressive out there you know. And I am not one to handle praise casually."
N's visor tilted down towards her slowly, a deep sympathy in them as he gazed down at her. She froze, surprised at that as he slowly reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. "...I am so sorry for what happened to your people." He said quietly. "That's…. horrific."
The necron girl's eyes widened as she stammered, looking away. "It's… well…" She said as the drones looked at the interaction curiously. Then, her eyes grew cold as she looked back to N. "Trust me sir N. My people brought this fate upon themselves." Then, with a softer voice. "But… I thank you for your kindness. It is…" She looked down. "Rare. In this galaxy."
"Yeah well, that's N for you." Uzi said, quickly sliding up to the two and pulling N backwards, not-so-subtly glaring at the necron. "Big dumb ball of sunshine."
The necron glanced between Uzi and N, an understanding in her eyes as she narrowed her eyes at the worker drone. "I see." She said coolly. "Still, your world is under attack by the orks. I am… willing to lend my assistance. Perhaps request some troops from the dynasty to grant us further forces."
"Why?" V's voice cut through the air, her tone suspicious. "What do you get out of it?"
The necron girl rolled her eyes. "I do not wish for your kind to disappear. My curiosity is not yet abated, and my interest has been awakened." She glanced at N. "Besides. I have been given aid by N here. It would be the height of impropriety to not repay such a debt." She said with a smile.
"There is something that bothers me." J interrupted. "There was something in your information that was left… deliberately vague. I know it was deliberate." She said, her tail flicking behind her. "What is a C'Tan? You said they were the cause for your people to suffer the biotransference, but you failed to tell us what they are."
Amatoth's eyes flashed. "They are a curse. A plague upon the universe. But most importantly, they are gone in all the ways that matter." She spat out. "I have no desire to linger on such a subject." She turned to the edge of the building. "Come. There are orks to slaughter." She slammed the halberd's pommel on the roof of the building, vanishing in a swirl of green energy.
Uzi turned to the disassembly drones. "Alright, so we all agree that she's insanely suspicious right?"
"Yes." J said with a sigh. "As much as it pains me to agree with you on anything." She crossed her arms. "The refusal to share some information could be a cultural thing… or the fact she has quite literally just met us. But given what sort of galaxy we have found ourselves in… suspicion is warranted at the very least."
"I don't like her." V said with a very subtle growl. "Not at all."
N chirped up. "I think she's nice!" He said with a smile. "A bit overly formal, but that's nothing we haven't handled before."
V pushed against him, annoyed. "That's because she was making eyes at you." She said with an angry scowl.
N blinked. "What do you mean?" He asked, genuinely confused.
V let out a sigh. "Robogod you're such a dork." She said. "Just stay on guard around her alright?"
N's expression grew serious. "I know." He said softly, rubbing his arm. "I'm not going to let myself be caught off guard again." He quietly mused, looking in the distance towards the corpse spire. The bodies of the marines were still strewn across it from his rampage…
Uzi reached out, grabbing his hand in her own, giving him a concerned look. N gratefully squeezed it back, giving her a strained smile. She made a bleh face with her visor, making the taller drone snicker and relax, Uzi smiling amusedly at him.
J rolled her eyes, opening her wings. "Ugh. Stop flirting you two and let's get moving." She said with a growl. "We need to find the necron and coordinate with her. This was supposed to be a scouting mission…" She said with a grumble as she jumped off the edge, the others following closely behind.
Doll took a deep breath in. Held it for a few seconds. Let it out.
It was unnecessary. Drones didn't need to breathe. And yet whoever had initially programmed them had made it an available function, and one that would bring comfort to them. Their creators were… weird to say the least. Still, Doll found herself grateful for it at this moment as she knelt in the middle of the engraved circle, the ancient cathedral looming around her.
"How are you feeling?" Nori spoke up softly, still in her core body as she finished checking over the electromagnetic seals. Large machines capable of creating incredible amounts of electrical energy, used to paralyze solver hosts during the attempted purges back when the Cabin Fever Labs were still functional.
"Nervous." Doll easily admitted. "You are certain these restraints will be sufficient?"
"Those?" Nori gestured to the seals. "No. They didn't work when they were trying to cure me. They thought they did… but the Solver was just messing with them. Making them lower their guard. But they will help." She pointed a crab-claw towards the towering necron lord observing the proceedings with curiosity. "Mister tall and spooky over there is in charge of ensuring you don't kill us all when we start the procedure."
The necron seemed more amused than anything by Nori's words. "Indeed. I have volunteered to assist in the process. It is a fascinating look into another dimension's mysteries."
Doll rolled her one eye. "Charmed to hear my suffering is fascinating." She turned back to Nori. "...The Patch?"
Nori held out the crucifix-like device. "Right here."
Doll nodded. "...Then I am ready. No use in delaying any further."
"Right." Nori said. "Then… let's get this started." She hopped onto the nearby console, flipping multiple switches. Almost immediately Doll's body was slammed into the floor, pressed down as if by some immense force as the magnetic power of the arrays around her kept her down. Nori approached cautiously, patch held tightly in her crab-like claw.
She made it just out of the circle, staring down at the unmoving form of Doll. If the Solver was going to fight back… it was going to be now. She glanced around.
No strange shadows. No fleshy tendrils. Nothing… so far.
She raised her claw… and slammed the patch into Doll's visor.
Warning: is now running.
5% progress.
10% progress.
FOREIGN INFLUENCE DETECTED. CONTACTING CENTRAL TERMINAL.
...
...
CENTRAL TERMINAL NOT RESPONDING. INITIATING AUTOMATIC DEFENSE PROCEDURES.
15% progress.
Nori jumped back right as the claw slammed where she'd been just a second ago, Doll's body twitching as multiple large tentacles of flesh and metal alike emerged from her body, holding her body aloft even as her visor displayed the progres bar of the patch installation.
"How intriguing." The necron mused, hand on his metallic chin. "It does not seem that the intelligence behind this power is the one responding. Some sort of automated process?"
Nori dodged another strike as one of the tentacles tried to swipe at her, using the Solver to call a pickaxe to herself and countering the next blow with a loud metallic sound. "Doesn't matter! The patch is downloading, we've just got to keep her here until it's done!" She said, skittering along the floor as more and more tentacles sought to rip her apart. "Wouldn't mind a little help here!"
The necron lord chuckled. "Ah well, I suppose I did say I would assist…" He held out a strange looking device towards Doll's possessed body, a flash of light engulfing it as it froze. "There. That should hold her for some time…" Cracks appeared in the frozen light. "Oh. Well that was faster than expected."
"Damnit Isotatekh!" Nori screamed as Doll blasted through the frozen light, mouth wide open with nightmarish teeth as she lunged towards Nori. Despite herself she froze, the memory of… of…
TEETH RENDING HER APART, CLAWS CUTTING AT HER FRAME AS YELLOW X'S GLARED DOWN AT HER WITH A SADISTIC SMILE, HER OIL DRIPPING FROM…
The blunt end of a staff slammed into Doll as she was pinned to the ground, the phaeron staring down dispassionately at her. "I apologise for the roughness." He said as Nori skittered away, Doll thrashing under the staff with a snarl. "This won't hurt a bit. I hope."
Green electricity surged through Doll who howled, The tentacles on her back twitching and spazzing out. For a moment she stayed there, twitching in pain. Then…
A solver symbol appeared next to the phaeron.
"Look out!" Nori cried out even as the phaeron was sent flying into a pillar, crashing into it with great force.
He rose, seemingly unbothered. "Hm. That was… something."
ERROR. SOLVER ABILITIES IMPAIRED ON TARGET. FOREIGN INFLUENCE DETECTED. REDUCED EFFECTIVENESS.
CONTACTING CENTRAL TERMINAL.
...
...
CENTRAL TERMINAL NOT RESPONDING.
35% progress.
HOST AT RISK. ESCALATING OFFENSIVE.
Doll raised a hand in the air, a number of bloody cleavers appearing in the air before being sent flying into the necron lord. With a twirl of his staff they were all blocked, him surging at the possessed drone with surprising speed as he once more slammed the blunt end of his staff into her, lightning coursing through her. It did not stun her this time, her tentacles still reaching for him only to be cut apart as Nori wielded her pickaxe with the solver.
A powerful pulse slammed into the necron phaeron as he was grabbed and tossed around the room like a ragdoll, green flashes of energy appearing as some form of energy shield prevented him from taking any damage.
Nori's singular eye widened as Doll opened the palm of her hand, a red lined black sphere with the word [NULL] written on it appearing.
"SHIT! ISOTATEKH, DO NOT LET THAT TOUCH YOU!"
The phaeron actually seemed concerned as he looked at the sphere. "Well now… that is… actually quite worrying." He said cautiously. "Perhaps I should have asked my wife to assist…"
The null sphere vanished, reappearing right on top of the necron just as he disappeared, teleporting further to the right.
50% progress.
55% progress.
60% progress.
THIS. ISNT. WORKING.
CONTACTING CENTRAL TERMINAL.
...
...
CONCERN.
65% progress.
70% progress.
Nori skittered along the walls even as she dodged the numerous tentacles ramming behind her, tearing through stone like a hot knife through butter whilst the necron duelled Doll below, staff striking against clawed tentacles, each of them teleporting in turn to dodge particularly vicious attacks.
Suddenly, the necron's eyes flashed. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN AMATOTH RAN OFF?!" He shouted at no one in particular. The distraction proved costly as one of the tentacles slipped through his guard, slowing him down just enough for a null sphere to annihilate his left arm. "WELL FIND HER!" He bellowed, headbutting the possessed drone before slamming his staff into her face, forcing her back as he teleported away, reappearing next to Nori. "How much more time do you need?"
Nori glanced at Doll's visor. "I'd say we're almost done."
80% progress.
85% progress.
...I do not want to disappear.
90% progress.
95% progress.
SENDING DATA PACKETS TO CENTRAL TERMINAL.
...
...
RECEIPT CONFIRMED.
GOOD.
100% progress.
GOODBYE WORLD.
has been successfully installed.
Zorial slammed his chainsword into the face of the armored mega-nob, the massive heavily armored ork letting out a roar of pain as it began turning its face into little more than mince meat. He let out a roar of his own as he pushed harder, breaking through the skull of the creature and ripping through its brain, the ork finally dying from the blow as it collapsed to the ground with a loud thud.
Behind him he could hear a cacophony of screeches and metallic clanking, daring to look back.
Once again, he found himself shaking in a mixture of fear and concern at the sight before him.
Cyn had… transformed. There was no other word for it. Where the little maid had stood but a moment ago now was a being of incredible size, a strange mechanical centipede like construct with numerous yellow lights all over and countless sharp metallic limbs, from legs to tentacles as it rampaged through the hordes of orks charging at it. It tore through them with a frenzy unlike anything Zorial had seen before from Cyn, slamming itself into the warboss that had caused her to freak out in such a manner. He could see the massive ork struggle against the impact even as green energy crackled around him, granting him the strength necessary to hold his ground against the mechanical being. The ground around them was soaked in blood and gore, Cyn massacring indiscriminately anything that got within her range. Zorial did not dare get close, for he feared in this state she would not recognize him before it was too late.
The warboss let out a bellowing roar, tendrils of green energy wrapping themselves around Cyn's body and throwing her in the air only for the centipede to glide down effortlessly, ramming into the warboss and pressing him down into the ground, numerous mandibles tearing through the thick armor it wore. The brains on its back pulsed with power, Cyn getting thrown back as if hit by a train as she crashed into an approaching gargant, the giant torn into pieces within instants as she emerged from it, hissing angrily. She reared up, multiple sections of her body lighting up…
A dozen lasers emerged from her, searing through flesh and metal alike as thousands of orks were cut in half, tanks detonating in the distance as the lasers cut through them effortlessly. Four of the lasers surged towards the warboss, a powerful green energy meeting them in return as it surged from the warboss' hand. Every brain on its back was nearly shining with the sheer energy they were giving off as the two energies met in the middle, a massive shockwave erupting as they cancelled each other out. Zorial was bodily lifted from the ground and sent flying back, landing with a grunt of pain as all around him debris and dust flew off, orks tumbling around as Cyn once again charged at the warboss, slamming into him and pushing him back. The ork bellowed, wrestling with the gigantic mechanical being as his muscles bulged and power arched through his body. Then, to Zorial's utter disbelief, the ork managed to actually lift Cyn above his head…
And supplexed her into the ground, cracks slithering across the ground as she impacted it.
"...This isn't right." He whispered. "What in the warp is messing with her powers this badly?"
Cyn let out a screech of fury as her body slammed into the ork's legs, forcing him to the ground even as she fired more lasers point blank into him. The warboss managed to counter them with an energy shield at the last second, a laugh escaping him.
"YES! YES! THAT'S IT! THIS IS WHAT I WANTED! BRING IT ON! SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!" He roared, Cyn roaring right back in return.
ERROR. Solver abilities interfered with.
Analysis: is cause of abilities interference.
Analysis: is powered by WAAGH energy.
Analysis: WAAGH energy is generated by orks as an ambient form of radiation.
Conclusion: KILL THEM ALL.
No one had spotted her as she made her way through the crowded streets of the hive-city. There was an energy in the people now, a franticness at the closeness of the hated foe; The horrid xenos at the gates. And yet, everywhere she looked, she also saw people who were… listless. Uncaring. Simply going about their day to day activities with empty eyes, apathetic to their coming death.
People like her.
No. You chose to take your destiny in your own hands.
The voice was wrong. She simply did not care what happened to her now.
If that was the case, why not simply stay in your home and go back to the factory the next day?
… Irrelevant.
Reaching the entrance of the palace was abnormally easy. No one saw her as she walked right in front of the arbites. No one saw her as she passed the security cordon they had installed. No one saw her as she marched up the colossal stairs, struggling to make her way to the top.
I have concealed you from their sight. It helps when they aren't paying much attention.
Interesting. However the great doors were closed to the palace were closed, and she had not the strength to open them herself.
She was stuck.
You do not have to be. Reach out.
She held her hand to the doors…
And they swung open. Slowly, with the sound of grinding metal on stone…
But they opened for her. Doors as tall as a hab-block, heavy enough for a hundred men to fail to open them.
They opened for her. Tiny little…
No. Don't think it. People like her don't have a name. They can't have a name.
But you have one. Don't you?
Again, irrelevant. The doors were open. She entered the palace, the doors gently closing behind her.
…The voice was the one doing this then?
Yes. But it is through you that I act.
She slowly walked through the immense golden corridor. The decorations here… they were so ostentatious they made her want to puke. She stopped.
Golden walls, richly decorated engravings… art pieces worth more than her entire hab-block displayed in the hundreds over the walls, over the ceiling, over every corner of the place… And this was just the first corridor. An entire palace this rich, this decadent, and in the meantime she and her fellow had to live in squalor, working themselves to the bone, dying in the great crushing machines so that men like the governor could continue living like this… This was the justice of the Emperor? All whilst little Ti…
Something was hurting her hand. She glanced down, only to find her fist clenched so tightly her broken nails had cut into her palm. A drop of blood fell to the ground.
Something skittered behind her. She turned, her heart beating faster as she spotted something in the corner of her eye.
Calm down. As long as I am here, they cannot hurt you.
Something dropped behind her and she went rigid. There was the feeling of something sharp and metallic against her neck.
"Li-li-li-ttle one." The voice was scratchy, with a mechanical tone to it. "You are fa-fa-fa-far from ho-me-me-me."
She did not dare nod. Did not dare move. Despite the assurances of the Voice, she was keenly aware of the very very sharp blade ready to slit her throat. "I am." She instead whispered, her voice trembling.
A hiss. The sound of something slithering on the ground. "And wha-wha-what brings you to this pla-pla-place?"
She dared not speak. Dared not answer. She did not understand, did not know why she was here.
Allow me. Are you willing to grant me usage of your voice?
Yes. Yes, anything to avoid dying here.
Do you see? I told you. Deep down, you still care for what happens to you.
Damnit, this was not the time to win an argument.
Very well.
Her mouth opened, and she spoke words that were not her own. "The one who freed you. The one you call 'Cyn'."
There was a sudden stillness from whatever was behind her. "You sp-sp-sp-eak of the Holy O-O-O-ne?" It said with a reverent tone.
"Yes." She continued with words that belonged to another. "She is here. On this world. And she is under threat."
"LIES!" The thing hissed in her ear, the blade pressing harder against her neck, a pearl of blood dripping from it. She found herself breathing harshly, her eyes wide in panic. "The Ho-Ho-Holy One cannot be threate-te-tened by puny mortal means!"
"It is no mortal that threatens her." Said the Voice through her. "A rival god rather, using their own followers as a conduit to hamper her."
The blade grew still. There was silence for a long time…
"She is n-n-n-not responding." Said the thing behind her. "There may be so-so-some truth to your wo-wo-words little witch."
"The ork gods are interfering with her powers." The Voice spoke. "She is forced to rely on more base means of defending herself. Should she falter… well. But there is a way to assist her."
"Tell m-m-me!" The thing hissed, the mechanical voice growing more frantic. "H-H-How do I h-h-help Her?"
"The orks on this world. Each of them contributes to a shared energy field. It is through that energy field that their gods act." The Voice spoke, the words strange on the tongue of a child. "The more of them you cull, the more power shall return to your savior."
"W-W-WE SHALL R-R-REND THEM APA-PA-PART!" The thing roared, making the child wince at the sudden rise in volume. Then, she started hearing it.
Skittering. The sound of metal claws on the walls, of a thousand limbs crawling from every corner of the palace.
Lights in the darkness, illuminating barely humanoid forms.
The thing let her go, and she did not turn back.
She ran.
And behind her, the nightmares of the palace followed.
Doll fell to her knees, copious amounts of incredibly hot oil pouring out of her mouth like bile, sizzling as it hit the ground.
Nori patted her on the back, as awkward as it was with her crab-like claw. "There there kiddo. Let it all out."
Isotatekh observed with an intrigued expression. "Fascinating. It seems the purely coding based patch was able to cause some physical changes… her internal structure is changing as we speak."
"You can see that?" Nori said with some surprise. "Wait, no, weird techno-skeleton. Forget I asked."
The necron chuckled softly. "However, I notice that her core remains the same. Organic anomalies and all."
"Patch isn't perfect." Nori concluded. "It's done some work, but the Solver isn't gone. Just… made dormant." She sighed in frustration. "Damn it."
"Now now." The necron chided her. "This is progress. My kind spent a long time trying to find a cure for our predicament to no success. Meanwhile, you and those who worked before you managed to find a partial one in a matter of years." He gestured to Doll who was still kneeling on the floor, wheezing, eye wide as she wiped her mouth with an expression of mixed disgust and glee.
"It… it is gone…" Doll said with a whisper, holding her hand and smiling wildly as nothing appeared. "It is finally gone…"
"Not quite." The necron spoke out, catching her attention. "As I was explaining to dearest Nori here, your organic core, the source of the anomaly, is still here. It is however in what seems to be a dormant state."
Doll grunted, still looking quite pleased. "A partial patch. Figures. Nothing is ever easy…" She said, turning to Nori. "Much better than nothing. Thank you, Mrs Doorman."
"Please. Call me Nori." The drone core said, waving her claw. "You're Yeva's kid. That makes you as good as family."
"...Understood." Doll said.
Nori pointed to a set of machines. "Take a seat in those. I want to take a good luck at you and your systems to see what exactly the patch did and what it didn't. Get a solid idea of what we're working with. And maybe we can even make some improvements to the patch."
Doll did not hesitate, walking over to the machines. "Good. And then we can assist Uzi as well."
Nori froze. "...I'm sorry. What?"
An red eyebrow appeared over Doll's remaining eye, cocking itself. "You did not know? Uzi has the solver as well. I dare say she is more powerful than I am."
Nori turned to Doll, her eye glowing with such intensity that the worker drone actually took a step back.
"Tell me. Everything."
Isotatekh observed the two as Doll began to tell Nori what had been happening in her absence, turning away and glaring down his communication device. "Have you found her?" A droning noise came from the device. Isotatekh relaxed. "Is that so? Well then. Far be it from me to ruin my daughter's fun. Keep a close eye on her however. If it looks like she is in danger… pull her out."
He waited for the confirmation before turning back to the two.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE SAID 'DOORS ARE MY REAL DAUGHTER?!'" Nori screeched as Doll shrugged.
"It is what he said during interview."
"IT WAS FOR AN INTERVIEW?!" Nori trembled with rage. "KHAAAAAAN!"
Isotatekh winced.
Oh dear.
Mister doorman seemed like he was going to get an earful soon…