A Templar dutifully answers my call, stomping the anomaly into a bloody puddle.

I prepare—

"Is that how you treat your favorite person?"

I deign the, dare I say, potential amusement with an indifferent look. "So you have finally decided to speak to me. Is your life drawing to a close? What beguiling means you've used to extend your suffering. Simply surrender to your preordained end."

"Whoa, there. I might be from this place,"—the amusement motions around my dominating keep, most likely meaning the dungeon—"but I am as much her as she is herself. Even more so, because I'm how you see her. No secrets. Only what you want of her. Of me."

Barbed wire wraps itself around the disappointing amusement, digging into its flesh, immobilizing. I approach it, slowly, letting the pain soak in. Not that it does so. Another filth to be purged.

Once I am close, I look into its unconcerned eyes. A deep green mixed with gray. My hand grabs its ashy hair and pulls its head close. ...Soft. A cold touch plucks out my previous thought. My control descends upon my domain, blanketing my stronghold with power. An ethereal needle slowly inches toward its left eye. It pierces the organ without damaging it, heading further in. My mind connects to another, seeing nothing.

"Useless." I let go and return my restraint to mana. Wounds close back, not even dirtying my floors this time. Hmph, at least it knows its place. "You may entertain me. For now."

It starts to laugh, the sound booming throughout the entire dimension. I ignore it while it starts prattling incessantly about its greatness, or something else equally as banal.

When it tires itself out, I ask, "Done?"

The Amusement, looking entirely unamused, answers with a flick of its fluffy hair, "I'm done." A cold touch digs into my mind and grabs a thought I've already forgotten. "About that hug..." The Amusement trails off with a kind smile brushing past its lips. A digital shiver runs through me, but the frigid sensation is soon gone.

I prepare the next servant to be anointed with my light. "Is that the only taunt in your repertoire?"

It skips over and latches onto my back. I don't even make the effort to sigh. "What's that?" It points with a delicate hand, its touch on me— Cold.

"Something your mind will not comprehend with a simple explanation."

A warm huff brushes past my cheek. "Alright, smartass. Why don't you tell me its function, then?"

A glow gathers in my extended hand, resting on my servant's mind. "This here is a processing unit."

"What does it process?"

The light settles on the complex surface, giving the part a subtle and steady breath. "Information."

"So it's the brain?"

"If you want to be reductive." I move to the next component, with the Amusement still latched onto me, refusing to let go. Surprisingly light. It's almost pleasant... Another shiver focuses me back to my task.

"And this one?"

"The knowledge will not give you an advantage in our war, filth."

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"'Filth'? I much prefer 'Amusement'. Can you call me that?" Its breathy voice turns to a whisper. "Please?"

"Continue to provide that quality, and my mind might change. For now, you are filth." Once my task is done, I answer its awaiting question, "The power source."

"How does it work? What's the fuel?"

"Fuel?" A chuckle escapes without me being able to stop it. "Its fuel is reality itself, Amusement." It smiles happily at the form of address. How easy to please. "By harnessing the laws that govern over the physical, and exploiting the fine imperfections that make existence possible, you can generate a power that far surpasses the magical many times over. In some characteristics, of course." A flare of my control further illustrates my point. "You can continue your questions." Its hold on me tightens, the smile turning even happier.

My temporary companion asks a question for each part I enchant, and I amuse it back in turn. There is no hidden intentions in its voice, at least any I can detect, only pure curiosity.

When I am done, my servant assembled, it kneels before me and receives its final bit of strength. The drone stands up and prepares to join its brethren, but an unknown power stops it.

The Knight lifts up a meter in the air, freezing in place. Then it starts jittering, like a puppet on strings.

"So much complexity," the Amusement says, "only to turn out inadequate."

"Inadequate enough to draw you out?"

It laughs, still draped on me, holding close. The Amusement tries to shrug, rocking us both a little. "No matter how many you send, just as many will answer. And only one side has an inexhaustible supply."

"Everything has an end."

The drone stops moving and gets gently lowered to the ground. The lock on it lifts, allowing it to depart for its delayed assignment.

The Amusement snaps its fingers, giving me a knowing grin. "Indeed." A long line of beings, hanging in the air and motionless, appear inside my expansive keep. "Though this is the only proof I've ever received, so I cannot say if that rule applies to truly everything."

I regard the beings with indifference. They seem familiar, but I don't know why. Their bodies are cold, dead. A word floats to the surface of my mind. Failure.

"Are these weaklings your past challengers?"

The Amusement snaps again. The bodies turn to dust and disappear into nothingness. "Yes. All inadequate. Not like you though." It whispers in my ear, "I've been enjoying our dance very much." The Amusement lets me go and twirls a short distance away. "Have you ever danced with her?" It offers a hand.

My indifferent gaze does not even move to the invitation. "No."

It approaches and rests the offered hand on mine. "It is a wonderful experience. Would you like to have it with me?"

"No."

The Amusement refuses to let go once more. "Don't be like that. Or are you perhaps self-conscious because you don't know how?" Fingers intertwine with my own. "I'll guide you through it."

I tear my hand away and warp to a battlefield. The Amusement follows after me, standing to the side and watching intently. As I bring stillness to the world, so does stillness return to my mind. Cold and comfortable.

My observer follows me back to my stronghold again. "Doesn't that get boring?"

"If it does for you, there is a way to change it."

It smiles at me. "Doesn't it get lonely?"

"No."

"I know you're lying. You are so easy to read, Lucius." A needle passes through its head, removing it.

The Amusement laughs from behind me. I turn to it. "Do not call my name, filth."

"How scary," it says, no hint of fear in its voice. A comforting laugh sounds out again. A cold touch turns it mocking. "Even if you're rough with me, I'll keep you company. It does get lonely here, in this prison, as you call it, doesn't it? For you and for me. For both of us."

"Again, there is an easy solution."

"Don't rush. It's not polite." It lays a palm on my chest, locking eyes with me and breathing softly, syncing with my own. "Our host will get to that tasty morsel eventually."

I swat the arm away. "Or I will get to its."

"One of two possibilities, yes. But there is a third. We get to be together forever and ever. Never alone again. Does that not sound divine? It's what you've always wanted with her. With Elisa."

It falls to its knees, screaming in pain, the dimension shaking in terrible spasms of reality. My wrath focuses on its meager existence, on its limited mind, boring into its deepest recesses, peeling away whatever shallow thoughts are rattling within, crushing them into a tiny speck, and flooding its senses with my influence.

I squat down, grab its chin, and lift its quivering body, turning its head so it can look into my eyes. My voice is a tiny whisper. "Do not say her name." The Amusement disappears, no longer in my grasp. The shaking stops, like it was never there.

An amused laugh sounds behind me. "No names. Got it."

I blow out a sigh and return to my work, tuning out its insufferable jabbering.

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