As I returned for more unexpected maintenance, there was an odd air in the tomb complex. The link that connected us was silent, dead. But somehow foreboding. Something wasn't quite right. I hadn't returned in a while, admittedly, as there had been no need. But the change was strange, admittedly.

  But I didn't care. Well, I did, but the tombs defenses were extreme, and I had faith. So even if something was wrong, it would be handled. Besides, with the lord awake, the tombs forces could be roused in no time at all. Plus... I just didn't like this foreboding atmosphere.

  As I was getting repaired by scarabs, I was contacted through the link. A strange, ill feeling invades me directly, and I shuddered physically. A voice called out, somehow I knew it wasn't directly directed at me, but still applicable.

  "come... to... me..."

  What in the godsdamn? That was... the lord? I felt his command protocols... but was it the lord? That voice was so wrong... The voice wasn't the one I remember. The strong, authoritative voice I recall had changed into something snake like. Smooth, dark, and somehow malevolent.

  I remember horror movies. I know that this is red flag number 5 or whatever. But... it was the lord. It is undeniable, the command protocols confirmed that. But...

  Fuck. Fuck fuck FUCK! There was something seriously wrong I could actually feel it. And that in itself is a damn problem! I feel it I'm the data I can aquire from the connections with the tomb. Something wasn't right...

  But I couldn't deny the order... I began to walk unwillingly to a teleportation area. I didn't want to go, but I had zero choice nn the matter. I had been ordered by the lord. But... Something was so very wrong.

  I reach the teleporter, and am sent directly into the noble area of the tomb complex. This area feels... even worse somehow. There is too much shadow. There are no lychguard defending the tombs of their lords and ladies. But there was shadow. And in it, something lurked.

  I walked forwards steadily, but internally I was tense as a spring. I could see movements in the shadows, always at the periphery of my sight. When I scanned my surroundings though, I saw nothing.

  This was getting so much worse... I wanted to draw my weapons, but I didn't. Something told me that it would end poorly for me.

  As I arrived at the lords chambers, I was hunched and tense. I felt small, like a child in the deep woods at night. I hated the feeling with a passion. The doors swung open and i entered.

  Everything was dark And silent in the lords hall. Protocol dictated a certain set of actions when visiting the direct chambers of one's ruler, so, I knelt.

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  "Honored lord, I have arrived as requested. How may I serve?" I vocalized. There was no reply, so I knelt in silence. There was a sudden scrape of metal on stone to my side, but I didn't react.

  Another sound above me. Another to my other side a bit later. I wanted to scream. I felt fear, genuine fear right now. Something was so fucking wrong with this. Why was there no response? Why did the shadows seem malevolent? Why... Why was I do afraid right now?

  Suddenly a clawed hand slowly entered my vision from above. Reaching above me to grab my head. I couldn't move, protocol dictated it. I wanted to scream in terror. But protocol...

  It tilted my head from looking at the ground. When I was looking forward, the hand let go, and another clawed hand reached forward towards my face. I couldn't move, but... but I had to...

  It touched my ocular, and pressed. There was a faint scratch, and the hand suddenly ripped downwards. My ocular was scratched, now damaged, and my face had long, jagged claw marks running down its length.

  A hand on my hip crached me from hip to arm. A claw scratched my back moments later. I still couldn't move, but I HAD to! I was having a panic attack now. I was being hurt. I could feel the cuts and scratches like I never could before. If I could cry, I would be sobbing in terror.

  I pushed myself. I needed to leave! I wanted to go! Why? Why is this happening? Let me go!

  But I couldn't voice these thoughts. I couldn't go. TheSE FUCKING COMMAND PROTOCOLS WOULDN'T LET ME LEAVE! I JUST WANTED TO LEAVE! LET ME LEAVE!!!!

  A clawed hand grabbed my chest, then another, then another, then another. They started to pull my chest apart. And then I saw it.

  As my chest was ripped open, I saw the thing. It was in front of me, it's arms grotesquely long and grabbing me, opening me slowly, almost lovingly. It's head was tilted, almost happily.

  It had animal skins draped over its grotesque body and scratches along its... everything. But... I feel the command protocols in it. It was the lord...

  My chest ripped apart, bent and broken. I wasn't badly hurt, as my internals were undamaged, but my internals had just become external. A clawed hand reached into me, and caressed my internal parts, from my reactor to my coolant lines.

  Suddenly, I was... different. In retrospect, that's when something broke, and the command protocols with it. In a second, I was able to move, able to scream, able to flee...

  But I didn't. I had its hand on my reactor. I was shuddering visibly now. Coolant was leaking from my ocular, running like the tears I wish they were. It was so quiet, but it had my reactor. It had my heart...

  I wanted to beg, to plead for my life. Somehow I knew I wouldn't be revived if this thing irreparably damaged me... but I just wanted to go, to build my statues, to lay in my flowers... but it had my heart...

  It squeezed softly. It hurt. I was in agony. I twitched and gurgled audibly in so much pain. it squeezed again. I twitched again. I was sobbing audibly now. "Please, please no... please don't... pleAAAAAGGGGGGURRGLLL" It squeezed again, cutting off my begging.

  I was still audibly crying, and it's head tilted to the side. It was curious...

  I... had to do something. It squeezed again, and I sobbed louder. I HAD to do something! It wouldn't let me go... it wouldn't let me leave...

  It's arm was in my chest cavity, and I needed it gone. Slowly I moved my hand behind me, and opened the smallest portal I could manage. The thing squeezed, and I almost dropped the portal.

  The thing tilted it's head back to the other side, looking like a confused child. It could tell something had happened. It squeezed harder, and warnings went off. I ignored them.

  Screaming in terror, fear, anger, and quite a few other emotions, I whipped my sword out of my dimensional pocket, and hacked through the arm holding my very core.

  It screeched in rage. It's toy had been removed, it wanted it back.

  I screamed and sobbed as it charged me, and I pulled my pistol. I increased its power to the max and fired point blank. It flew back, and I charged it

  I hacked viciously at its still twitching body. I hacked and hacked and hacked without grace or skill. It just had to die. It had to die it had to dieithadtodieitha-

  I stopped hacking it. I was still sobbing audibly. It was still twitching. I had dropped my pistol in my delirium, and retrieved it. 8 lowered the setting, and shot at flayer levels. Then shot again and again and again.

  Eventually, nothing remained of the once-lord, and I stumbled. I hurriedly left the chambers, and entered a portal. I was leaving this hellhole permanently.