Slay the Hierarchy

Return of the Slayer

It sure as hell wasn't his idea of fun—dimension-hopping, that is.

He may have endured the process unscathed, but the same could not be said for the princess in his grasp. She went limp in his arms seconds after they entered the portal, and if not for the grip of exhaustion she surely felt, she would have retched out every ounce of the health potion she drank before this.

Portals were something like a hell of their own. They felt like vacuums of limbo, summonable at will. An atrocious carnival ride in exchange for instant transmission... well, Argent energy was a price to pay too, beside one's general wellbeing.

'Welcome, Slayer.'

The flat static of Vega's voice was a welcome intrusion through the roar of it all.

A white pinprick tore the swirling vacuum agape; a dark, round window growing big enough for the Slayer to step through, ducking his head to fit. His boots were met with sturdy ground; the air surrounding him cool and still.

He instantly placed the Fortress, though unlike usual, it was inhabited. Almost a dozen starstruck faces stared at him as he stood atop the staircase, each one sporting similar attire to the Blazkowicz manor staff.

He descended in silence for the glowing screens that; combined; painted the room awash in ominous shades of crimson. Pausing only to gently lower Daisy into the lone study chair ahead of them, he swiped at the largest monitor, keyed in the code, and instantaneously they were fitted with graphs, infographics, and erratically fluctuating bars.

It was a sight he last saw on Mars.

Vega was quick to elaborate, 'My calculations suggest you have been off-planet for approximately 1.5 Earth days. Scanning...

'My sensors detect a level of 30% Hell energy, climbing semi-exponentially at a rate of 9% an hour. After running diagnostics, there is a 99.99% likelihood that the Crucible's power incurred massive ruptures to Earth's barriers with Hell energy. The location of both the Crucible and ruptures is still unknown as of this time.

'A generated map of the Blazkowicz Manor indicates ten survivors. I'm loading it onto your HUD.'

Through the thin, cyan holographic text and bars blinking across his visor, he switched the on-screen visuals to live feed from outside the Fortress. What he saw had the Slayer slamming a fist down against the steel desk; the sound inciting soft gasps from behind him.

Or perhaps it was a reaction to what they saw alongside him. It was a bright scarlet beam that pierced the sky, pulsating like a living force, feeding a portal directly over their heads. Small dots poured out of it in slow streams; Cacodemons and Pain Elementals on closer inspection; and considering Vega's calculations, would increase by the hour.

The Slayer's suspicions were confirmed in the most damning way possible. Argent Tower. It was Mars all over again. Damn.

'The Lady!'

One of the maids cried, and the Slayer's head turned only a fraction in the direction of it.

Fearful – though not discouraged – the maid stepped forward; her face worn and tearful. 'Please... save the Blazkowiczs.'

A young, petite maid in their ranks stepped forward next; her eyes downcast, her body trembling ceaselessly.

'I... I will help.'

A deafening silence trailed after her declaration, but it would not last long. Another stepped forth beside her; a youthful butler this time covered in soot and remnants of old blood.

'... I, too.'

'As well as I.'

'And I!'

'We will fight,' the head butler announced next, his eyes steely despite the tremble on his lips. 'Fight! For the Blazkowicz honour!'