Scott and the android continued their quiet trek for another hour, neither posing a question nor feeling the need to ask one. The scenery within the abyssal void remained unchanged, with vast clusters of galaxies looming in the distance. However, the bubbling road solidified the further they walked, hardening like diamond.
Two hours after their last discussion, Wuta-347 paused in its tracks before turning toward Scott with a subservient bow. “Great one, we have arrived,” it said.
Scott’s brows shot up underneath his mask as he took a cursory glance at his surroundings. Apart from the hardened road, nothing had changed. “Is this where the elders are waiting?” Scott probed, folding his arms across his chest.
The android nodded before pivoting toward the void. It stretched its right hand, and a crack appeared in space. Then, it turned toward Scott once more. “Great one, please come with me.”
Saying nothing further, the android jumped into the portal without hesitation. Meanwhile, Scott observed the flickering portal for a moment, sensing no obvious signs of danger from the swirling mass. Cautiously, the eldritch knight followed suit, jumping into the portal.
In a flash, Scott appeared in a massive chamber with towering pillars over fifty feet in height and more than ten meters thick. The eldritch knight slowly observed his surroundings, but the pristine room didn’t have any single piece of furniture apart from three massive, makeshift thrones embedded into the far side of the northernmost wall. The disappearance of Wuta-347 filled Scott with caution as he carefully scanned the mysterious hall.
“Are you going to keep me waiting?” Scott suddenly shouted, both arms leisurely folded across his chest. His voice resounded within the spacious hall, and at that moment, flames lit up on each of the massive thrones.
Scott cast his gaze toward the area, his keen eyes watching as the flickering flames contorted and flared as if summoning an otherworldly beast. A turquoise flame hovered above the leftmost throne while an amber and blackened flame hovered above the centermost and rightmost thrones.
“I greet thee who has been chosen by the great one.” Ominous whispers filled Scott’s mind, echoing like a cacophony of nightmarish creatures.
The flames flickered intensely as the whispers lingered, and Scott’s gaze remained focused on the thrones.
“I suppose you’re the elders,” Scott probed, his brows narrowing behind his mask.
“I am nothing but a servant of the Unspeakable one,” the whispers echoed once more.
“All right then, tell me what purpose this place serves and what expectations do you have of me?” Scott asked, uninterested in beating around the bush.
Whispers akin to gibberish filled the mind of the eldritch knight as the flames flickered with increasing intensity, seemingly deliberating among themselves. Moments later, silence descended, followed by the resonant clarity of a deep voice echoing within the hall.
“Great one, we have been sent here to fulfill an eon-long mission: the conquest of this land. The Unspeakable One prophesied a day when his vessel would arrive, heralding a new era—an era where Carcosa would vanquish the trifling gods of these lands and usher in the reign of The King in Yellow.”
The voice dissipated, leaving the hall steeped in silence once more. Meanwhile, Scott's features contorted behind his mask.
How long has that bastard been eyeing this place? Scott pondered silently. The extensive knowledge Carcosa possessed about the tower's floors suggested they had been present far longer than Scott could fathom. With his arrival, their ambitious plans would set into motion, whether he agreed or not.
After a brief pause, the voice echoed again, “Great one, your role will be to lead the armies at the appointed time—an honor beyond our wildest dreams.”
“That will be when I cross the point of no return, yes?” Scott inquired.
“Your wisdom astounds us, great one. Indeed, that is the appointed time,” the voice affirmed without flattery.
Scott nodded slowly, posing another question, “So, this army. Where is it?”
Silence enveloped the hall momentarily before a massive distortion materialized in front of Scott, causing his brows to arch. Within the portal, he beheld hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Wutas and myriad other strange creatures, incubated and stacked in layers within an underwater chamber.
“Great one, we have meticulously trained and bred the finest warriors in preparation for the appointed time. We vow not to disappoint your expectations,” the voice pledged solemnly.
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Speechless, Scott could only stare at the vast army in silence. Though he couldn't gauge their individual power, he couldn't help but wonder about the devastation they could unleash upon the tower. Yet, an existential crisis gripped him, pondering what fate awaited him and his companions should Hastur descend.
Scott tore his gaze from the portal, returning to the flames. “How do you intend to vanquish the gods of this place? Surely, you don't believe this army alone would suffice,” he remarked, gesturing towards the incubated warriors.
“Great one, those are merely the vanguard,” the voice explained. “Our main forces can only reveal themselves once you've crossed the point of no return. At that juncture, the seals won't hinder our manifestation in physical form.”
Shock briefly gripped Scott, though he quickly regained his composure.
“How long do you believe you can evade the watchful eyes of the tower's rulers?” Scott asked after a prolonged silence. Despite acknowledging Carcosa's extraordinary army, he doubted the gods and lesser gods would allow a foreign power's invasion.
“Great one, they are already aware of our presence and intentions. We entered this realm after the last battle between the rulers of the old order and the current ones,” the voice responded promptly.
Scott's eyes widened in realization, connecting several past incidents. He finally comprehended the events that occurred before he left Enchanted Heights and the appearance of winged creatures during his battle with the titan.
“If they are aware, why haven't they taken action? Or are they unable to?” Scott asked.
“Any battle before the point of no return would devastate creatures below that stage. The rulers wish to avoid such destruction, which is why they cannot act against us. However, that changes once you cross the famed barrier,” the voice clarified.
Scott sighed internally, feeling the weight of the situation. Concerns about Omar, climbing the tower, and the various schemes of other champions and factions paled in comparison.
He raised his head, refocusing on the elders' flaming representations. “So, will you provide me with a means to enhance my abilities?”
“I apologize, great one. We lack the authority to grant such requests,” the voice declared.
Scott nodded, harboring no initial expectations. “Can you then explain why I was chosen as your lord's vessel among countless beings?”
“I apologize, great one. We lack the authority to answer that. All will be revealed in due time. What I can say is that across all known planes, there's no one as remarkable as you. After all, you were chosen as a vessel for the unspeakable one,” the voice elaborated.
Scott's lips twitched involuntarily as he gazed at the hovering flames. He prepared to pose another question when a system notification suddenly appeared before him.
Two new locations have been added to the Void Bank!
Scott frowned behind his mask. How is that even possible? He pondered. After all, he hadn’t used the ability since leaving the unknown void.
With a thought, Scott willed open his status screen, paying special attention to the void bank section.
Void Bank Calming Woods. Slime Party. ??? Void. Carcosa – New! Lake Hali – New!
Scott murmured softly to himself as he perused the tab. Carcosa, he knew, referred to his current location, and Lake Hali was the massive body of water concealed within the mist, possibly harboring the incubated soldiers in their pods. What puzzled him, however, was how the void bank had recorded both locations.
Does this mean any location I go to from now on will be recorded, Scott mused, but quickly discarded the thought. He believed the likely reason Carcosa and Lake Hali were recorded was because of the unique nature of both locations.
“Great one, the task you sent the Wuta to fulfill has been accomplished. How would you like to assimilate the data?” The voice suddenly interrupted Scott’s thoughts.
Scott shifted his focus from the system panel, a smile blossoming beneath his mask. So, that’s why I couldn’t find it. He had always wondered where the Wuta disappeared to.
“How comprehensive is the data?” he inquired.
“It spans several millennia. You won’t be disappointed,” the voice assured confidently.
Scott’s smile brightened, and he couldn’t help but think of Orion, the data-obsessed mage. At that same moment, Scott recalled what the mage had told him previously, and he posed another question to the elders.
“What connection exists between Carcosa and the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign?” Scott's gaze narrowed as he awaited a response.
“They're mere servants to him who shall not be named,” the voice replied. "Should you will it, they will gladly forfeit their pitiful lives.”
Scott nodded slowly, a devious smile forming on his lips. “Someone else will assimilate the data in my stead. If possible, I want restrictions placed on the data in case of betrayal or unauthorized sharing. Can that be arranged?”
“It's not a problem, great one,” the voice confirmed. “We will ensure no being or god, except you, can access the data from your chosen vessel, whether dead or alive.”
Scott chuckled softly. “That would be much appreciated. Prepare the data in a device—" Before he could finish his statement, a throbbing pang echoed from the back of his head, disorienting the eldritch knight. Several tendrils on Scott’s arm squirmed silently, and even the mask of the eldritch knight felt unusually heavy. Before Scott could comprehend what was happening, a system notification appeared in front of his eyes.
A bearer of your imprint of madness has been killed!