An Indefinite Rest

[Folian]

Beneath the polluted skies of what remained of the city of ruin, one man would watch as the Lich's fortress ascended heavenwards, disappearing above the opaque veil of the clouds.

"Strange how things end this way."

Crimson smoke trailed from the cigar that remained placed between his lips, a solemn expression upon his face as he watched.
Yet there ain't no rest for wicked.

His final will hadn't quite been enacted.

...

Looking down, the figure would gaze upon the ages-worn key card that sat grasped in his hand, its identification credentials just barely legible.

Councilman Nidaz Vanreth
XXX XXX XXX
Security Clearance: OMNI

Stepping down into the depths of the ancient fleshcrafter's laboratories, the figure would descend and descend... Deep into the dark where few had ever traveled.

Step... Step... Step... Step...

Flight by flight, step by step, he continued with his goal resolved in his mind.

The final will of the man who'd set him upon his path.
The one man who'd earned a fragment of the immortal Baron's true respect.
His mentor.
His father.

"WELCOME COUNCILMAN."

As he reached the ancient gate that separated him from his goal, a hovering drone approached, quickly scanning the surface of that which he held.
With that, the towering doors began to swing open, the very air contorting underneath the power of what lay behind it.
A mockery of the very sun itself, fueled by a fragment of divine power.

The Phoenix Chamber.

Truly one could only look upon it in awe.
A testament to the past of what this city HAD been.
A testament not to Pauper: but to Achyon.
To the city of progress; of the many genius minds who had built it from the ground up in the name of the Empire so long ago.

Step... Step... Step... Step...

...And their secrets would die today...

The figure at last reached the control console, standing in the full glory of the Machine's efforts.
...Before the card would be slipped into its slot, buttons glowing faintly alight as its capabilities were unlocked.

...LOADING...
POWER OUTPUT: > MAXIMUM
SAFETY PROTOCOLS: >DISABLED
...LOADING...
ARE YOU SURE?
LIKELIHOOD OF SPATIAL MELTDOWN 98.99%.
Y/N

"..."

>Y
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Input accepted.
Glory to the Empire.

With a frightening pace did each of the mana spherical cores begin to twist and contort...
All the while, the figure raised his hands into the air, calling upon the full power of the Void at his disposal.
Reality contorted as a pair of rifts were conjured, reality shearing at the seems as the they grew in size... the lifestream crying out in agony all the while.

"...Soma, was it? I guess we'll see if that old trick of yours works when put to the test."

Sirens blared all around, a piercing shriek as it filled the air--

...Before the two rifts were slammed forward onto the central core of the Chamber, crashing against the infernal Spire Shard with an explosive fury.

Immaterial particle met immaterial particle as sparks of ethereal energy crackled and snapped outwards violently.

!!!CATACLYSMIC MELTDOWN IMMINENT!!!
!!!EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!!!

...

The very earth around Pauper shook and rumbled as if the very firmament of the earth had been possessed by the wrath of a God.
Buildings collapsed at their foundations under the force as it grew in intensity with the passing of each second.
The fury of a man-made sun sent rampant miles underneath the earth set loose.

Pauper had been sentenced to its doom.

Little would be left of the once-Machine City.