The Endless sat patiently upon his throne, watching as Crest strode angrily into the throne room. Crest stopped right before the massive throne and spoke without bowing, "You recalled me too soon! Who knows how that battle could have turned out? I may have been able to end one of them. Or both!" The Aberration growled, his raspy voice full of anger.
The Endless dismissed his minion's accusations with a lazy wave. "Look around you Crest; we have company." It was only then that the knightly reptile realized who stood around him: the others of his kind, the Aberrations of immense power.
Twist prowled silently around Crest, maneuvering behind him with his lithe, feline-like body. Unnoticed, Twist twisted and extended his neck to place his smooth, featureless head next to Crest's own. "It isn't polite to interrupt," Twist cackled into Crest's ear as a wide grin spontaneously split his face, his voice a crazed mix of anger and pleasure.
Crest slid to his left to avoid the madman, only to be interrupted as he bumped into Justicar, who merely grunted. Though Crest was large, Justicar was larger, easily towering over Crest by ten feet or more. The cracks in his rough, rocky body were dotted with tufts of black, bristly fur. His hands and feet were great, powerful claws, his limbs a rippling mix of muscle and stone. Justicar's head was like nothing more than that of a black jackal.
As Crest stepped away from Justicar, the last of their number came crashing down from the ceiling. It's dark, leathery wings folded next to it's lumbering, black-green body. It craned it's long neck down to look Crest eye-to-enormous-eye. "Crest," it's ancient, rumbling voice acknowledged.
Crest nodded his own scaly head. "Drake," he rasped before turning back toward their master. "Why are they all gathered here?" Crest asked, gesturing toward his brethren with no small amount of disdain.
Twist pounced on Crest, toppling the reptile to the ground. Pinned to the cold, white floor, Crest gazed into the eyeless, noseless face as a grin split the black plate Twist called a face, "Isn't it obvious?" The Aberration cackled. Crest violently shook free, grabbing Twist and casting it's panther-like body against the nearest pillar. The beast impacted with a loud, dull thud, it's body wrapping about the pillar. Twist redoubled his incoherent cackling as he returned to his original shape. The two Aberrations began circling each other as Justicar and Drake watched.
I've seen enough. They always fight. Such foolishness... The Endless thought, sighing in exasperation. "Enough!" His voice thundered throughout his Domain, shaking far more than the four Aberrations before him. "I have gathered you here for a reason. You each have a mission." His minions perked up, each coming to stand before the throne and bow.
"Twist. I want you to continue to observe the puppet-lord in Crest's place." Crest growled at his nemesis, who responded by constricting it's body into a tight black ball, reshaping itself into a mock of the puppet's Marionettes. Twist bowed one final time before he melted into a black splotch upon the floor and slithered away.
"Justicar. There are... others near us. Watch the borders of my Empire and stop any who would enter." Justicar nodded, bowed, and then stalked silently away.
"Drake. For now, I want you to find Maestro and remind him that there are other things to be done." The dragonic beast nodded it's scaly head and took flight, diving through the glyph and into spaces beyond.
Crest had grown impatient. "And what purpose do you have for me?" He exploded, his voice angry and desperate.
"Oh, do not doubt me," The Endless replied. "I have a special task for you." As the lizard cocked his head dubiously, a grin split The Endless' ageless, stone face. Very special indeed...
