Fear Incarnate

Bringers of Despair

 Adora had failed in her task to keep the Rebellion together, though not through lack of effort. Etheria was in tatters, blasted by storms born of the machinations of Catra. Innoak smiled, that should deal with most of the population. Even now, Innoak could feel the psychic backlash as Bright Moon was laid under siege. The witch had ceased her psychic murmurs, there were even less guards patrolling. It would seem your time has come, Initiate. Innoak growled, the voice of his mentor had been bothering him more and more as of late. "Why are you here? Your soul has passed on, your body lies cold in the tombs of our homeworld. And yet you pester me still." Innoak said out loud, not expecting an answer. I am dead, and yet I still remain. The matter is as simple as that. "What are you? Daemon? A figment of my imagination? Why awake now?" His old master's ethereal voice only laughed. From the moment I laid eyes on you cowering in that Hive, I knew you'd be trouble. Must I explain all to that you yourself can realize. Now Is it not time to be rid of this miserable box? Innoak grumbled and stood, placing his hands on the front wall of the crate. He had rested long, and had accumulated power to show that. Slowly, heat radiated from his fingertips. The metal around them buckled and glowed white-hot, its paint flaked and melted. Soon the metal itself began to melt, flowing off the wall like a molten river. When the heat waves dissipated Innoak stepped forward. A psychic bubble extended around him, shielding his robes and armor from the dripping metal. He felt like a phoenix, a creature reborn from fire with a set purpose in mind. Innoak cleared the still cooling crate, and faced a large armored door. It too found itself giving way in torrents of molten metal. A pair of guards had been drawn by the hissing of the metal as it rolled along the floor. Innoak raised a hand, and a bubble of lava went up the straight forwards. Skin peeled and muscle burned under the heat of direct contact. the two Horde soldiers screamed and writhed in pain until Innoak's boot crushed their faces. He looked up, a quick scry showed him that the Fright Zone's main complex was largely uninhabited. The majority sent to assist Catra's siege. 

Good. What to do now?  The voice of Innoak's mentor split his thoughts. "Still here old man? I thought your little break from death was over." Innoak said as he stalked the halls, guiding himself by the soul of his quarry. Can't get rid of me that easily boy, You've done what exactly up to this point that warrants any interest?  Innoak growled again, the voice of his mentor was grating on him. He never liked the old man, even if he was his only landline to anything resembling a father. "You taught me how to do this, manipulate two sides so that they mutually destroy one another and their populations. Leaving an opening for imperial invasion. Is your memory fading just like your tolerableness old man?" The voice was silent for a second, when Innoak noticed something new. A presence, a dark one. Of perverse pleasure and degeneracy. Innoak spun, he could not see it. The daemon was not manifested. Yet it was still here. Seeing things now boy?  Innoak paused, would the daemon be so bold? It was a daemon, clearly. A being of evil. So yes, it could be so bold. "I see your game now daemon, I admit it had me fooled." The voice of the daemon now fully turned to itself. Well, well. More perceptive than our peers are we? Innoak continued to slowly circle, he yearned for the power of his force sword. But for now, his mind would have to do.  "Indeed, you should know not to dishonor a man as pure as my mentor. However obnoxious he was in life." The daemon flickered at the center of Innoak's vision. And his reflexes didn't fail him, a burst of lightning annihilated the place the daemon had stood. Only once the crackling died down did Innoak notice the crying. "Throne!" he cursed as he rushed to the hole made by his exhortation of force. 

Entrapta was curled up inside of a vent, he noticed burns adorned her side and legs. no doubt she was crawling by when he had struck the daemon. Innoak pulled Entrapta out, she was unconscious. Innoak cradled her, setting her down at the opposite wall of the hallway. Slowly, she awoke. And Innoak noticed another anomaly, a temporary glint in the eye. The shadow of a malicious grin. Innoak took a step back, giving the impression he was giving her space to breath. The daemon bought it. "That was a mistake, abomination. You have dishonored the memory of my mentor and now you possess a friend?" Innoak reached a hand out and pinned entrapta's body to the wall with psychic energy. "I am unkillable, spawn of the anathema. harm me and you harm her." The daemon spat. "I will not harm you. I am going to rip you out, piece by pathetic piece." Innoak spat back. The daemon smiled a cruel smile. "Your welcome to try, but you will have to pull me from her very mind." Innoak bared his sharpened canines, and entered Entrapta's mind. 

Innoak found himself in a mess of strange and floating emotions, he waded through the projections of Entrapta's life. Her metallic parents, who Innoak looked at with abject hatred. How could such beings think themselves human enough to raise a child, a human child at that. Innoak shook his head and continued until he found himself in an empty space. The only memories here were those from recently, why was it empty? Innoak then realized, his psychic blast had struck Entrapta hard enough to make her lose her memories. The ones here where only of the time she had spent in Bright Moon all the way up to the ball and nothing on from there. Innoak paused for a moment, it was convenient. He would think on how to deal with this later, for now Innoak kept pushing into Entrapta's mind in search of his quarry. Innoak found it not too long after. The daemon sat surrounded by various memories, memories of him. "Daemon, face the wrath of the Emperor." Innoak announced as entered the sanctum the daemon made for itself. "It would seem this Entrapta has grown quite fond of you. So much so that she visited you while you slept, how adorable." The daemon then stood and made its full face visible to Innoak. A keeper of secrets. A greater daemon. This would test his wits and might greatly. Innoak manifested the apparition of his force sword and bent all his mind and will present to its edge. This would be the key to unbind Entrapta from this creature. "So noble, a knight ready to fight for his queen." The daemon laughed as it swayed towards him. "How does it feel to be ignored by your creator and used only as a tool for its gains." The daemon pressed, its attempts at insult did not sway him. "How does it feel to be cursed to eternal servitude to a god who is present and capable but still ignores you? Imprisons you?" Innoak responded circling the daemon as it circled him. The daemon hissed and charged, Innoak rushed forwards and the two collided in a battle of wits. Though as the two fought, neither noticed the arrival of two fleets. 

Two fleets that would judge the fate of the sector as a whole.