V A Malicious Malaise (Quest)

[Lord Boros]

Deal with the Devilfish

Boros forgot how long he had been on this planet. He has just been wandering the vast tundra for days. So bored out of his mind he stopped keeping track. However, there was another factor that worried him.

He felt a strange ominous feeling. It wasn't fear but it felt uncomfortable. And it grew more and more as he spent longer on here. It started to become more of an annoyance if anything. Perhaps it was best to find a way off this planet soon.

As he looks to a nearby cave he suddenly zones out and finds himself deeper within the caverns. Was this because of the strange feeling? Or something else. That is when he found a voice in his head.

"Don't be alarmed, I brought you here for a purpose." the voice said.

As he looked around, he realized he seemed to have been talking to a telepath. He began to speak back to the telepath through his thoughts.

"Oh, a psychic are you? It's pretty impressive power you got to hypnotize me to come here. However, invading my mind like this and giving me this aching feeling is something I cannot allow to continue. Show yourself right this instant," Boros demanded.

"I have read your memories and can read your thoughts. I know that you intend to kill me if I were to show myself and that I stand no chance against your power. Though I ask that you use your power to assist me and in exchange, I can strengthen your mind to free you from the malaise," the voice explained.

"The malaise, is it that strange feeling that's been plaguing me all this time?! Have you put it on me so you could release me from it so I could do your bidding? If so why can't I just find you and kill you to make it go away?" Boros asked.

"It is not my doing but that of this cursed moon. You see you're on a world called Inverxe which orbits a gas giant called Ioun. Just being on this corrupted planet affects people's minds. Some are driven to madness because of it," the voice explained.

Boros had no reason to believe the psychic was lying. After all, he hadn't had his mind invaded until he got near the cave and was hypnotized to come here. That means that the range from this being is a limited distance. Therefore he couldn't be the one affecting him with this malaise that indeed is what he would describe this feeling to be.

However, there was another thing that he considered. A chance to cure his gnawing boredom. Or at least keep his mind distracted. And he'd be rid of this awful feeling. Though of course there is just one question still on his mind.

"What is it that you want me to do?" Boros asked.

"You're an infamous thief from where you came from yes? I need you to steal something from a group known as the Izzet League in a place called the Azure Citadel. Genius inventors and masters of both science and magic. Me and my kind require vital information from them that they don't want to share with us. Take that intel from them and then bring it back here," the voice explained.

Is that all? An easy task for one such as himself. Though this talk of magic intrigued him. He never fought anyone with magic before though. He thought it was just the stuff of myth, a fairy tale.

"Magic huh? Could prove to be interesting to deal with. Fine I'll do it but how do I even find this Azure Citadel? I am unfamiliar with his world how am I supposed to know where to go?" he asked.

Suddenly images flashed through his mind. Showing him visions of a path out of the caverns and taking him to the location of the Azure Citadel. It was like watching from the POV of a flying creature. Until the vision stopped to a strange ornate hi-tech locked box in a heavily guarded room.

He then turned dramatically as his cape swayed. Hoping that whatever the Izzet League has for security would be enough to entertain him. If not at least he'd be rid of this curse that has been placed upon him just by being on this damned moon. After this is over the sooner he can leave the better.

 

[Lord Boros]

Boros was walking through the cavern system as the visions showed him. Going back the way he came while the stranger hypnotized him. He wasn't in a hurry as there was no deadline so he strolled. However, something has been bothering him since he first came here. He has felt weaker since he arrived on this planet.

And not just due to the armor that restrains his power. Whether this might be a side effect of the malaise or not he wasn't sure. Or maybe it had to do with the strange being from the dream that sent him to this world. Whatever the case once he is done with this distraction he shall find a way off the world.

There was that legendary seer he was on his way to meet who could have hopefully told him where he could find a worthy opponent. Yet he has never heard of a planet named Inverxe or one like this before that fits the description. This place is within a distant far corner of the universe that was uncharted most likely. Hard to believe there are even civilizations on here. He wonders if they are strong individuals who can adapt and survive on this frozen rock.

As he is making his way through the caverns he sees a shadow running by. He wasn't alone. It seems the local fauna are scared of his presence. At least they better be wise to do so because otherwise, it'd cost them their lives.

Just then a sharp tail went toward him and glanced off of his armor as he grabbed the tail and looked to the creature who dared to strike him. It was a hideous creature with an ebony exoskeleton, an elongated head, no eyes, and what appeared to be a second mouth within its mouth. He could tell just by looking at its aura that, compared to him, it was an incredibly weak nuisance.

"Disgusting," Boros responded.

He then picked up the xenomorph by the tail and slammed it into the ground it made a green bloody mess on the ground. Some of the blood getting on his armor and sizzling as it also began to melt the ground.

"Acidic blood? Such an odd creature?" he mused.

He heard more growling as he looked to see that there was more crawling along the walls and ceiling of the cave. They began to crawl on all fours surrounding him. Like lions getting ready to pounce on their prey. He just looked at them and sighed. Such annoying creatures without basic survival instincts.

As one leaped at him, all he needed was one punch and the xenomorph exploded. The punch generated a massive shockwave that knocked down the other xenomorphs and made a crater beneath Boros' feet. A xenomorph got up and tried to attack him from behind but he simply raised his fist and slammed it in its face caving the xenomorph's face in. As he was walking he absentmindedly stepped on a xenomorph's head crushing it as if it was an insect.

The other xenomorphs still reeling from the shockwave got up and ran off. Now afraid of the individual that they were trying to make its prey. An hour of walking later Boros finally made it to the entrance of the cave and was finally outside. As the sky was clear he managed to see the gas giant Ioun that the psychic stranger mentioned.

He continued his trek through these barren lands to get that special box that that psychic craves so much. He didn't care what was inside nor did he care about wanting to ask. All he cared about was curing this malaise before he could cure his boredom. However, he hopes that this journey might kill two birds with one stone. Only one way to find out.

 

[Lord Boros]

He continued making his way through the barren tundra. So far pretty uneventful. Not a single living being in sight. It didn't matter to him that much because if whatever came next was as weak as those monsters from the caves then there is nothing for him to fear, not that he has ever known fear for his whole life.

On the horizon, he sees a structure in the distance. Civilization perhaps? But he hasn't gotten close to this Azure Citadel that he was told to go to. He approaches it to investigate further.

Upon further inspection, it appears that the thing he is looking at appears to be a large crashed spaceship buried in the snow and ice. Perhaps he doesn't need to rely upon that psychic to cure him of this malaise if he can use this spaceship to get off of this planet. If it's still working that is. He walks inside the confines of the wreckage to see if it's still able to fly.

From the looks of the interior, it appears that the insides haven't been damaged, and the only available light came from the windows some of which were cracked or broken. While various things have been knocked over from the impact making a mess. A lot of the pipes and wiring seem to be alright. If the thing can turn on is another question. As he begins exploring he hears various moaning noises.

He is not alone in this vessel. Perhaps they are wounded crew members. Whatever their lives don't concern him though they could be of use to tell him about this craft before commandering it for himself. It's not as impressive as the spaceship he commanded but it is still a nice sized one.

However, as he ventured deeper within, the sources of light began to diminish as there were fewer and fewer windows to illuminate the insides. He looks around and spots a sign with arrows pointing to different rooms one of which said generator room. If the generator could turn on then that means that the ship is functioning and he could use it to get out of here.

Following the sign he managed to find the engine room. Though because the power was off the automatic door refused to open. So he used his hands to pry it open and upon getting inside he saw that some plugs that were plugged into the generator got unplugged possibly due to the impact of the crash. A simple fix to be sure.

After plugging everything back in the lights came back on as the ship started to hum back to life. Walking out of the generator room he hears something walking towards him. He turns his head to spy a hideous humanoid creature made out of warped flesh with spindly sharp appendages growing out of its arms. It was like he was looking at a walking disfigured corpse.

"And I thought the creatures from the cave were disgusting. This planet has such odd lifeforms." Boros remarked.

As the creature shambled toward him he crossed his arms. Waiting for the creature to him to him. He couldn't see or read its aura possibly due to it being some kind of undead creature. As it got close he simply swiped at it with his right arm as if he was trying to slap it and the entire upper portion of its body exploded.

Looking back at the sign. He then sees one of the arrows pointing toward the control room. As he is walking down the hall he is beginning to hear more moaning noises. He entered what seemed to be a storage room as there was a whole horde of those undead. Some of them looked like the one he killed earlier but there were a bunch of other variants. Each one is made of malformed flesh.

Some looked like infants with three spiked tentacles sprouting from their backs. Some had large pulsating orange sacks growing from their left arms. Some with their legs fused together to make a scorpion-like tail. Some had swollen abdomens as if they were pregnant.

However, what interested Boros the most was the large one in the back. A being composed of many corpses fused together. He wondered if that was the leader of them. And also just how strong it was considering he can't read its aura. A leaper springs at him as he lets out a punch causing it to explode in in a bloody pulp as the viscera gets onto his armor. The punch causes a shockwave emanating across the room and causing exploders to go off prematurely and taking some nearby Necromorphs with them.

Even with some of their organs ruptured from being near the shockwave the nearest necromorphs still closed in on Boros. He swiped at each one that dared to get close getting covered in more and more blood as he approached the brute. A lurker launched its spiked tentacles at him he grabbed the tentacles and began swinging the lurker around using it as a makeshift weapon knocking off the heads of more necromorphs which proved to be insufficient they still continued to move despite not having heads.

The infant part of the lurker is destroyed he begins using the tentacles as a whip. Dismembering the limbs of the remaining necromorphs. Causing them to become immobile on the ground. All that was left was him and the brute. As the brute readied its fist, Boros did also, their fists collided as the brute's right arm exploded.

It didn't react to pain and tried to slam down its other arm onto Boros before he punched it off as well. The brute then launched some kind of organic bomb at Boros but he caught it and just stuffed it into the abdomen that produced said bomb. The resulting chain reaction causes the brute to explode leaving behind only its legs which fall over. Boros flaps his right hand which was wet with the blood of his fallen foe as he then continued on.

Though as he reached the control room he found that the controls were all broken. Seeming to have been shot at due to sabotage or some other reason.

"What a waste of time," he noted.

He then walked back the way he came out of the spaceship and continued on his path to the Azure Citadel. Hoping that he could wash away the blood off of his armor once he arrived at the citadel. A few hours later he starts to see it in the distance. Then he hears something burrowing in the ice below him. Something really big. What pops out is a huge creature that looks like a cross between a giant worm and a giant centipede.

"Not the ugliest thing I've seen today but you're definitely close," Boros said.

The creature then lunged forward and Boros then punched its face cracking some of its teeth though surprisingly it was still alive. His armored fist was also red-hot and steaming. It seems that this creature generates a large amount of heat to be able to survive the freezing cold temperatures. The creature managed to swallow him when he was distracted.

However, this was the remorhaz's biggest mistake of its life. As he began to punch it from within his stomach. The result is shockwaves within its body rupturing its organs from the inside as the creature screams in pain. Until finally the creature died from internal bleeding as it fell to the ground.

And Boros crawled out from the creature's throat and back out of its mouth. As he looked at his armor he noticed the stomach acid burnt the dried blood off of him but he was still covered in the gross mucus and saliva of the creature. He looks at his magnificent cape to see that it has been ruined as well. Having been partially melted.

He then looks back towards the remorhaz.

"Your armor is impressive to be able to protect you from one of my punches. However it was still not enough to protect you from me," Boros said to the corpse.

He walks away and hopes he can get himself cleaned and find a tailor at the Azure Citadel to fix his cape.

 

[Lord Boros]

Finally, after all this time, Boros made it to the Azure Citadel—or at least the gates. It is surrounded by an energy barrier and he sees various giant automatons patrol around the walls of the city. Boros stops at the gate and he looks up to see just how tall it is. Then a voice came from a speaker.

"What is your reason for coming here?" the voice asked.

"I just came here to clean myself up and get my cape fixed," Boros said.

It was true he did come here for also that. He was smart enough to omit the fact that he was stealing from them. A strange drone with a large eyeball came down and studied Boros. Squinting at him before flying back up. And then the gate finally opened.

He made his way inside and was admittedly impressed to see how advanced the people of this city were. It was a lot warmer within the city than it was outside though he is unsure if there's a heating system being spread through the city or if it's due to all of the steam from the pipes. Either way, he made his way to the nearest bathroom.

His species has evolved beyond the need to produce waste from their bodies, which is especially useful since he can't take his armor off. However, that doesn't mean they can't forgo good hygiene. Along the way, he noticed a lot of onlookers. Perhaps some people have heard legends about him and recognized him and are shocked to see him here. He has made quite a reputation across many galaxies.

He then goes inside and begins using water and soap to scrub his armor before doing so with his face and hair in the sink. Then he began doing the same to his cape before drying himself off. After leaving he made his way over to the nearest tailor and made his way inside. He took off his cape and put it on the table.

"I want my cape fixed," he said dryly.

"Oh my, this has seen better days. What happened to it exactly?" the tailor asked.

"I was swallowed by some strange giant creature," Boros said.

"Oh wow, well that doesn't narrow down things too much but still impressive you lived to tell the tale." the tailor said.

"I punched it from the inside until it died," Boros said.

From Boros's cold stern expression, the tailor could tell he was not joking and nervously chuckled. Before giving a lookover on his cape. It had quite a few holes burned through it from the acid.

"Hmm if you get into dangerous situations like that often I could enchant your cape to make it sturdier but would cost extra," the tailor explained.

"I have no money. You will be fixing my cape for free," Boros said.

"Sir I know you've been through a horrific experience but-"

And before he could finish his sentence Boros slammed his fist on the desk breaking it as the tailor jumped back and two customers screamed and ran out the door. That is when the tailor noticed some monster teeth stuck to the cape and plucked them out.

"Now now let's not be hasty. These monster teeth are sure to fetch a pretty penny from a monster collector. I'll accept these and fix your cape for you," the tailor said.

Now he didn't know for sure if the teeth were rare enough to be able to pay for it but he would do and say anything at this point to get this guy out of here soon. He then gets some matching fabric and brings the cape to a special sewing machine imbued with the spell Mending. Allowing it to seamlessly fill in the holes without any stitches showing. Then he places it in a device that looks kind of like an oven as it begins to glow for a while before a ding sound is made and he takes the cape out, nice and warm as if it came out of the dryer.

Boros noticed a strange aura coming from his restored cape. Must be that magic he heard about. As he put the cape on he walked out the door and was met with several different people surrounding the building with their wands pointed at him. This city's police force it seemed each member having the same magical aura as his cape.

He looked above them to see a bunch of strange winged flying cycloptic robotic creatures each one in a different shape.

"Stand down you are under arrest for threatening a citizen and property damage," one of the policemen said.

"But I just bought this cape, the owner said I could-"

"I said stand down sir!" the policeman shouted back.

"I assume you don't know who I am. I am the leader of the Dark Matter Thieves. Feared throughout many galaxies. I am Boros the Dominator of the Universe and I do as I please," Boros explained.

They then stood silent for a few seconds.

"Never heard of you before in my life," one cop said.

Was this planet so distant that even his name wasn't spread to here? He is in the intergalactic boondocks it seems. He then decided to ignore them and walked away.

"Sir don't move you're under arrest. Get a straight jacket for this one he's probably not all right in the head," the lead cop said.

Boros just side-eyed them before continue walking. Then all of the cops started blasting him with Magic Missiles. Yet they all glanced against his armor dealing no damage to him whatsoever. Even when some managed to hit the back of his head it did nothing. The Modrons then flew over and tried to surround him. He simply clapped his hands together and created a shockwave breaking them apart as well as breaking some nearby windows.

Before he began making his way to complete his mission. All of the cops stood there in disbelief before one used their Sending Stone.

"Yeah, the police won't be able to handle this one we're going to need the heavy artillery, over." the police lady called in.

 

[Lord Boros]

Walking through the streets Boros many people were continuing to stare at him. It seems that word of his resistance to being arrested hasn't spread through the city yet. However, he sees more police force members stopping and communicating through something before driving off on strange hover vehicles. It didn't concern him any because from what he's seen so far he doubted this place could give him a challenge. He then looks to see a towering building, the one he saw in his visions where his goal resides.

Turning to a nearby bystander he calls to her.

"You there, what building is this?" he asked.

"That's the archives. Various things are stored there to be preserved for a long time such as books, spell scrolls, and many other things," the lady explained.

An archive, now what could be so important in this archive that that psychic stranger would so seek after it? While he didn't care before now he is curious as to what he is stealing. Especially if it's so important enough to be locked up in a chest in the said archive. As he approached the door a knife was thrown and embedded into it. Then a voice calls out to him.

"Halt evildoer!"

He then turns to see five robotic beings each one with a different color and theme. A red warrior-looking one, a yellow brute, a pink female adorned in robes, and a blue one wearing monk robes. and a green one brandishing a dagger while wearing a ninja outfit. Each one then began to strike a pose to introduce themselves.

"The Red Paladin of Justice!"

"The Blue Monk of Power!"

"The Yellow Barbarian of Fury!"

"The Green Rogue of Stealth!"

"The Pink Cleric of Faith!"

"And!"

"Together!"

"We!"

"Are!"

"THE WARFORCE FIVE!"

As technicolor fireworks and smoke shoot out behind them the crowd begins to cheer for them as Boros just squints at them looking rather confused. The lead Warforged of the group then points toward Boros.

"We have no idea what business you have within the archives but it can't be good! You are a danger to others around you and must pay for your crimes! Either come with us peacefully or we'll have to take you in by force!" Red Paladin demanded.

Boros then started to chuckle, before he began to laugh maniacally. The Warforce Five looked confused while the crowd of bystanders was more creeped out. Boros stopped laughing and glared at them with his usual cold expression.

"The five of you are not worth my time. Despite being machines I can see your aura perhaps from the magic that brought you machines to sentience. I refuse to play your ridiculous game. Begone from my sight, you're all a bunch of eyesores," Boros said.

Yellow Barbarian took real offense to that statement as he charged forward. Red tried to stop him but it was too late. The bulky Warforged Barbarian swung his axe with all of his rage and might in an attempt to slice off Boros heads. Instead, Boros merely bit the blade of the axe taking a chunk out of it with his teeth before spitting it out. Yellow Barbarian looks bewildered before he is punched and sent several feet back creating a rut in the road from the impact and a large fist-sized dent in his torso.

"Huh, I am impressed, that one punch should have completely destroyed you. I guess you five are made out of sterner stuff than I anticipated. Well, I suppose I can take some time to mess around but five minutes is all I can spare for you," Boros said.

Boros then began doing some stretches in his armor loosening himself up. Green Rogue came from behind and stabbed him in the back of the head. Only for the knife the be dented from Boros skin. Boros swung a fist behind him hitting Green Rogue in the head and knocking it off as his body fell to the floor with a clang. Blue Monk began moving around with great speed. Punching Boros in the face with each opportunity he could get.

It didn't hurt though it was more annoying if anything. Like getting bit by an ant. Keeping his eye on Blue Monk's movement he then catches the Warforged and grabs it by the head. Squeezing it and applying more and more pressure as the construct's head began to compress.

Blue Monk kept punching the armor in vain as much as he could but the more he did the more his fists just kept being damaged from the armor. To the point that his hands were broken and he was punching with stumps. Boros finishes the job, crushing Blue Monk's robotic skull to the horror of the other members and the crowd watching. Yellow Barbarian comes back for more and begins swinging his axe at Boros with Boros using his armored arms to slowly parry each attack. He wasn't even putting much effort into blocking them yet the ax strikes still kept glancing off of his armor.

Then Boros noticed the dent that was in the yellow one's armor was gone. As if it had been quickly fixed. He then felt something being thrown at him. He turned his head to see the green one up and about with his head reattached to his body. Looking around he then sees the pink one with the blue one's body. Using some magic to heal him as his head was being reconstructed.

He picks up the yellow one and tosses him aside as he marches toward the pink one. The pink one looked up to see an armored foot coming to her head as it was crushed. Red Paladin is furious as he imbued his sword with holy energy in order to smite Boros before he has the chance to finish off the revived Blue Monk. It continued to glance off of Boros's armor with each strike. Then Red Paladin strikes the ground with his blade "Destructive Wave!" he shouts creating a large burst of divine energy that engulfs Boros.

Red Paladin jumps away and joins his remaining comrades. Yellow Barbarian throws his axe at Boros. The Green Rogue throws a whole set of a Bead of Fireballs. And the Blue Monk charges up a beam in his hands and unleashes a Kamehameha. Creating a brilliant explosion as they turned away from it and posed dramatically.

Finally, they have won. Though it cost the life of Pink Cleric hopefully she could be rebuilt. However, a hand emerges and grabs Red Paladin by the neck before crushing it as if it were a soda can. The remaining members then turn to see Boros still alive and suffering no damage looking down at them.

"Your five minutes are up," Boros said coldly.

He lets Red's corpse go as he then slams a fist onto Yellow Barbarian's head with such force it causes him to be flattened. Then he grabbed Blue and Green and smashed them together creating a pile of scrap before he began twisting their bodies and molding them into a metallic ball before dropping it. The crowd, disturbed by the violent deaths of their local heroes screamed and ran off in fear.

This was a sound Boros was familiar with. A long time ago it gave him joy to hear these sounds. And yet he still feels nothing even now. All except for that annoying malaise. He then bursts through the front doors of the archives as a receptionist lady looks shocked as Boros just walks his way over to a door.

"Hey! You...you can't go down there that's a restricted area!" the lady said.

Boros then turned toward the woman and told her "I do what I want".

He then walks through the door creating another large hole as he begins making his way down a stairwell. Going deeper into the archives.

 

[Lord Boros]

As Boros descends he finds himself in a large spacious hallway. Many safes reside among the walls each one possibly holding sensitive information that has been archived or perhaps forbidden knowledge. Whatever he couldn't care less about the people of this city nor of this planet. He then hears the flapping of wings beneath and looks up to see several avian women.

These harpies, however, were equipped with lightning guns on the sides of their torso which began firing electrical energy at Boros. Boros completely unphased by this continues walking forward. The harpies begin to swarm him and starting to get annoyed he claps his hands hard causing a shockwave that bursts the eardrums of all of the harpies. As they all fall onto the ground their corpses twitching.

As he steps forward a trapdoor opens up beneath him and he is dropped down into a murky slimy tunnel. That seems to go on for who knows how long.

"This tunnel better not be what I think it is otherwise I am going to kill that psychic," Boros said to himself.

As he continues marching forward he hears various squelching noises as he then comes across some kind of sentient slime creatures. The sight of which repulsed him. As one tries to reach him with its pseudopod he grabs it and then proceeds to tug the slime to him. Before popping the slime with one hand. The oozes come forward and begin surrounding him and enveloping him. A mixture of different colors covers Boros.

Though with but another punch he breaks himself free and wipes himself off as droplets of slime rain down and coat the area around him. Now he is going to need to clean himself again after this. Making his way through the tunnel he notices something strange. He can see an aura but not what it's emanating from. An invisible enemy perhaps or something that can camouflage itself. He walks forward paying it no mind as whatever it is should be of no issue for him.

Until he is enveloped in something. More of that slime but this time in the shape of what appears to be a big gelatinous cube. He tries to walk through but the cube seems to be keeping him in place. Impossible, he should be strong enough to get out of this with no issue. How he could be imprisoned by some kind of giant single-celled organism?

He tries to reach through the gelatinous cube's walls in front of him so he can pry himself open but to no avail. He then begins punching in front of him and the shockwave from it seems to be affecting it from the inside. He then keeps repeatedly punching as quickly as he can with each punch causing the gelatinous cube to expand. Losing its cube shape and becoming more curvier and spherical. Eventually, the slime bursts as Boros is now freed.

Boros then began gasping for breath. That took a lot more effort than it should have.

"Has this malaise weakened me after all? Could I truly no longer be fit to call myself the strongest? No, I refuse to accept this. That creature must have used some kind of trick it adapted or evolved to have to keep its prey trapped inside it. It still died in my hands anyway it's no different than everything else I killed before coming here." Boros thought.

Making his way through the tunnels he finally found a ladder that led him out of this cursed place. He then punched open a hole in the ceiling instead of just simply moving the grate aside and climbed out. Looking around to see if there are any more surprises. Before continuing through the archives. Whatever lies here they don't want people to take what's inside.

Though he wouldn't have it any other way. It's easy for him but not too easy. This is just a way for him to showcase to the people of this planet his strength. If they had feared him before wait until they see what he been doing to their precious security system. That's what this all is at the end of the day just showcasing the people of this backwater planet why he is the dominator of the universe.

 

[Lord Boros]

Boros then came across another hideous abomination. A mound of flesh with multiple eyes, and mouths, and covered in scales. Sickening the fauna on this planet is. If he wasn't wearing his armor he would blow this planet up and do the galaxy a huge favor. One of the mouths begins to inhale before exhaling a firey breath which Boros sidesteps.

The Squamous Spewer then begins slithering towards Boros. He runs forward before the Spewer begins exhaling another breath this one made of ice which freezes Boros in place. In mere seconds he breaks out by flexing hard. The shards of ice embedded themselves into the spewer and some of the shards stabbed the spewer in some of its eyes. This enraged it as it started breathing different dragon breaths chaotically. Besides fire and ice breath, it was also breathing electricity and acid. When the lightning came towards Boros he just flicked this cape and used it as a makeshift shield which surprisingly worked due to the enchantment on it.

He walks forward using his cape as a shield from the breaths before punching the spewer hard causing it to burst like a blood balloon coating Boros in its remains. If he needed to be cleaned before with the ooze encounter he certainly does now. He was very tempted to just give up and leave but his goal was so close by. If he just gave up from stealing something what kind of thief would he be? He keeps on walking before he sees various strange pods. They begin to open up as hideous green creatures with green glowing veins come out of them.

He punches one and as the top half explodes it begins regenerating.

"Interesting, reminds me of my regeneration, however," Boros said.

He then kicked the mutated troll's groin so hard the rest of exploded until there was nothing left but a blood puddle.

"You're still inferior to me," Boros declared.

He then ran to each one and unleashed a punch with all of the strength he could muster while restrained. Punching each one into a bloody mist. Then a new pod rose from the ground much larger than the other ones. It starts hissing steam as something seems to be trying to break free from the inside until the pod is torn apart revealing another one of those creatures but with two heads and four arms. The mutant dire troll then screamed and ran towards Boros.

Swiping at him and clawing at him, punching him, attempting to bite him. Yet it was doing nothing to him. It was like watching a kitten trying to fight a bear. Boros sighed, picked the creature up, turned it upside down, and then slammed it hard into the ground creating a large puddle of blood on the floor. Wiping his hands clean he pressed on.

He fought countless other things along the way. Shield golems, iron golems, more Warforged of varying sizes, various clockwork machines, and all fell before him. Leaving behind piles of scrap behind him. He was starting to yawn growing increasingly tired of all of this. Then he stopped to be surprised to see more sapient individuals.

Various humanoids cloaked in red robes all with great auras surrounding them. One wizard put up a wand and used the spell Hold Monster to keep Boros trapped in place. Another then shot him with a Lightning Bolt spell. Another summoned a Cone of Cold encasing him in ice. Before another shoots out a Delayed Blast Fireball which comes into contact with the frozen Boros and engulfs his ice-covered body in a giant explosion.

Smoke filled the area as Boros's silhouette came into view. He punched the smoke away creating a shockwave that burst the wizards' eardrums and causing them to be stunned. One by one Boros tore through them like they were nothing. Looking at their mangled bodies. He recognized from some of the corpses that they all looked identically similar. Clones perhaps or even quadruplets?

Whatever they were all just another minor nuisance. Moving along he comes across a more open grand chamber, he then notices a large silhouette growing on the ground and looks up. Before he is slammed into the ground by some giant fist. He sees a huge cycloptic creature that seems to be part machine. He could tell from its aura it was really strong.

He pulled himself up out of the ground he was embedded in before staring up at the giant. Getting up very close to him. His fists trembling.

"Are you the one that I've been looking for?" he asked.

The Nivix Cyclops slammed a fist but Boros met with a punch from his fist. The Nivix Cyclops then tries to slam Boros with its other arm. Then Boros parried with his other arm and punched it. The two kept clashing their fists at a steady pace. Boros was honestly surprised that it was lasting this long. However, the cracks in the Nivix Cyclop's metallic fists were beginning to show.

Until finally the Nivix Cyclop's hands broke as it was no longer able to slam them onto Boros. Before it then felt a sharp pain. It looked down to see Boros driving a fist through its torso. Creating a large gaping bleeding wound. As Boros was walking away the Nivix Cyclops tried slamming its hole as if it was trying to stop the bleeding somehow before trying to grab the blood on the floor to put it back inside him in vain. Eventually, the giant soon succumbs to blood loss as it falls to the ground.

"No, not you, how pathetic," Boros said.

 

[Lord Boros]

The hallways started to get much wider. With towering lockers that stretched high up to the ceiling. All of these safes filled with who knows what kind of tantalizing knowledge and yet none of these are the ones he was shown in his vision. From what he remembered from the psychic vision, he is nearing the end of it.

Boros then came across a strange large reptilian beast. Had a long snake-like neck, sharp teeth, and a crocodilian body. It roared at him and lunged at him and he responded by punching its head off before it regrew and made another one. He repeated the process until it kept growing more and more heads. Until there were one hundred heads.

The hydra heads then began biting at Boros but he kept punching their teeth out or breaking their jaws. Growing weary of this. He runs forward and goes to Hydra's side before punching it creating a large bloody hole and blasting away most of its internal organs. It falls on the ground with all of its heads piling on top of each other.

Then he came to a large sanctum. With what appeared to be a large metallic dragon statue in the middle that was painted red. Boros didn't know but this statue was made in the image of Niv-Mizzet himself the leader of the Izzet League not that Boros would know that or even care unless, unless of course, Niv-Mizzet might prove to be a worthy adversary if he did learn about him. Boros recognized this room from the visions he was given and since this seemed to be the last room at the end of the archives it must mean whatever he came for is here. He finally is almost done with all of this.

Then gears in the statue begin to turn. As it's shining lights for eyes open before peering at Boros. The Clockwork Dragon fires a repulsion breath sending Boros sixty feet away. And knocking back into the hydra's corpse. Pissed off he begins running toward the Clockwork Dragon before it begins firing another repulsion blast. Boros uses his cape as a shield again but still struggles against the beam as he keeps pushing himself forward against the force of it. Finally, the beam dissipates and he goes to punch it hard only to make just a dent in its armor.

He was shocked to see such little damage done to the machine. Little did he know it was made from an adamantine and Mythril alloy that was very expensive and very hard to create. Made to be the guardian of something very special. Boros kept punching the Clockwork Dragon making dent after dent only for the dragon to bat him away with a claw. He roared furiously as he kept running towards it, punching it, only to be knocked back. This kept repeating on and on for an hour and the construct was still not yielding despite all of the dents it was covered in.

"No, not like this. I refuse to lose to something that not only can't damage me but can't make me unleash my full power. This thing must have a weakness of some kind but where-" and then Boros spotted it.

The gaps between its armor where the gears are make it function. For the first time in a while, he made a malicious grin as he ran forward and punched in the gap in between one of the Clockwork Dragon's legs causing it to break off. He did the same with the other leg, then the third, then the fourth. Until the construct had no leg to stand on.

Immobilized it tried to fire its repulsor blast at Boros but he then punched it in the sweet spot in the neck causing its head to pop off as it began shooting the repulsor blast in the air. Causing the ceiling to begin collapsing. Boros not wanting to waste any more of his precious time then goes to the safe, pries it open with ease, and gets the chest before lifting it with one arm and carrying it over one of his shoulders. He then began running out of the sanctum before the ceiling finally collapsed and buried the room in rubble. He climbed up on the hydra's corpse's back while backtracking to the beginning.

It seemed that there was no more security heading his way as nothing was showing up to impede his progress. Finally, he made it back up the stairs and exited the archives. As various citizens screamed in terror seeing this large cycloptic armored being covered in blood and ooze. Running away from the sight of Boros and using Sending Stones to make calls. That's a noise Boros was all too familiar with.

He then sees a nearby fountain. And he goes toward it setting the chest down for a second before rinsing himself off in the water. It was nice and heated so it helped clean the stuff well. Now all that's left is to figure out how to take this chest back to the strange psychic. Yet there was a problem with that as the gate seemed to have been heavily guarded with an energy field and giant automatons and if he couldn't beat that construct at the end of the archives easily in this state he would have to find some other way.

Perhaps a spaceship that he could borrow to take him back to the cave. Yes that could work all he needed to find was a spaceport. He began wandering the streets to search through the Azure Citadel for a spaceport that would be his way out of here.

 

[Lord Boros]

Now at this point, Boros was wishing that people in this city weren't afraid of him. Cause every time he tries to attract the attention of someone for directions they just run away. It seems news about him is spreading fast. He looks up to see some airships with his face plastered on it. He hasn't been here long and he already has a mugshot perhaps he should feel honored.

The ground then began to rumble as something was coming around the corner. It looked to be a giant tank of some kind, and yet as it got closer it was less of a tank and more of a colossal shelled reptilian creature with tank treads attached to it and a turret/cannon attached on the top. More of this planet's engineering. Boros can't help but be impressed at the very least how these weak creatures keep making strong monsters and machines or at the very least enhancing already strong creatures even if they are all weak relative to him. They're all just grains of sand on the beach while he is an ocean.

A small diminutive ornery being pops out of a compartment on the Dragon Turtle Tank. Getting out a wand he used Thaumaturgy to enhance his voice like one would do with a megaphone

"Intruder that goes by Boros! You have become an enemy of the Izzet League and a danger to the Azure Citadel! Turn yourself into us or I will be forced to use lethal force!" the gnome announced.

"Oh yeah and what of this I took from the archives? Considering how well-guarded it was I assume you wouldn't want to risk damaging it. You are bluffing," Boros declared.

A vein popped on the gnome's forehead.

"Put the chest down and we can talk of the conditions of the terms of your surrender!" the gnome declared.

Boros walks to the side of the street and places the chest down. At first, the man thought that Boros was beginning to comply. However, as Boros walks beside the Dragon Turtle Tank he sees a building next to him sitting next to where the Dragon Turtle was. Boros then punches the building with all of his might repeatedly until the building begins crashing down and toppling over on the Dragon Turtle Tank the screams of many civilians who were inside the large building were heard as they fell to their deaths or got injured/maimed in the process.

As the Dragon Turtle Tank is buried in scrap and debris. Boros walked back to get the chest, but the Dragon Turtle's head popped out of the rubble and blasted Boros with a steam blast while his back was turned. As the tank pulls out of the rubble the small man emerges from his compartment. More pissed off than ever.

"That's it you're dead!" the gnome yelled out.

Going back in he begins charging up a cannon attached to the Dragon Turtle which is pointed towards Boros. Boros stands his ground and readies himself. As a giant beam came toward Boros. Boros then simply kicks the blast back which pierces through the tank segment killing the gnome on top of the Dragon Turtle and over a building before it begins leaving the city and leaving Inverxe's atmosphere. Before it finally disappears.

The Dragon Turtle roars and tries to bite Boros with its massive beak but Boros punches it causing the beak to be cracked as the creature whimpers and retreats back inside its shell. Looking up he then sees an aircraft heading somewhere. Going to pick up the chest he follows where the craft is going as it lands on top of a building. He makes his way inside to access the stairs to the rooftop.

Meanwhile, on the top of the building, a young woman named Kobeni lands on the rooftop to make a delivery. Being brought into another world sure was stressful but at least she got a better job as a delivery woman than she did working as a Devil Hunter or at her fast food job. Leagues are better than working in the latter especially cause retail is Hell, and she's literally gone to Hell once.

It also pays more, but she admittedly was nervous. She heard a lot of horror stories about this planet but she was assured that Azure Citadel is one of the few safe havens of the planet and is heavily secure. She made her way downstairs completed her delivery and returned to her ship. She checked her rearview mirror only to find a stranger sitting in the back. A tall armored cyclops with elf-like ears, blue skin, and spiky purple hair. He had some kind of box next to him and was staring at Kobeni.

"Drive," Boros demanded.

"But...but I have deliveries to make," Kobeni said.

"Well, now you have a new one. Deliver me to my destination, now," Boros said.

Kobeni was trying to open the door, but Boros put a hand next to her sleep and put his face close to hers.

"If you value your life I suggest you drive or else I'll kill you and take this vehicle for myself," Boros said.

Kobeni gulps as she turns on the ignition and starts the ship as it flies off the rooftop. Boros sits back down with his arms crossed. As they are flying off, a large swarm of Modrons begins flying after the ship. More after Boros than Kobeni. These beings of the order are fed up with the chaos that Boros has been causing and want to avenge the ones that he killed.

The Modron swarm then makes a wall in front of the ship's path. Kobeni was about to turn or stop or do anything else but then Boros put his foot down.

"Drive through them," he demanded.

"But my ship will be damaged and it belongs to the company that I-"

"I said drive," Boros demanded again.

As she is flying through the swarm of Modrons that ship begins taking dent after dents as the windows begin to crack. One Modron breaks through the front window which causes Kobeni to scream as Boros catches it and crushes it with one hand before tossing it aside. Finally, they flew over the walls and energy field that surrounded the city. One of the giant automatons tries to swipe at the ship but Kobeni can swerve to the ship to dodge it just in time but barely. She broke out in a cold sweat breathing heavily from that traumatic experience.

"Where...where to next?" she asked shakily.

Boros then pointed in the direction where the cave he was at was.

"There is a cave over there, drop me off there, and then you can leave."

Kobeni had no choice but to comply because she had no means to defend herself and if it would get this guy to leave her alone all the better for it.

 

[Lord Boros]

After about an hour Kobeni finally drove the ship to Boros's destination. He then walks out as Kobeni then speeds off. She would have to get the ship repaired before going back to her company and she will probably get in major trouble for this. She just hopes she'll be able to keep this job.

Boros continues walking through the caverns with the chest once again over his shoulder. He then comes across the xenomorphs again which begin to hiss at him. Before something began stomping towards them. The xenomorphs flee as Boros looks up to see an even larger Xenomorph. A xenomorph queen no less.

The xenomorph queen brings her hand down and Boro grabs it with one arm before pulling with enough force to rip it off. The xenomorph queen screeches in pain. Boros takes the arm and swings it as if it were a baseball bat and then knocks the xenomorph's queen head clean off from the sheer force of the swing. Acidic blood begins gushing out of the neck as the body then flops to the ground. Boros then walked around the corpse and made his way further down underground.

Finally, he made it to where the psychic was.

"Alright psychic, I did your bidding, now show yourself and claim your reward!" Boros shouted.

"Be patient, first I must read your mind to see if you succeeded and are not trying to trick me," the psychic said telepathically.

Boros then felt a strange feeling enter his brain as he was beginning to have a flashback of everything that had happened but in reverse order.

"Ah, I was right to use your power to get what we seek. You certainly gave those fools in the citadel trouble. On behalf of my people I thank you," the psychic said.

"What are you? Who are you?" Boros asked.

The figure then comes out of the shadows. A robed figure with a squid-like tentacled face. It reminded Boros of a legendary seer he was seeking.

"Are you, the seer that I have been trying to find? The one who would show me to the one who would bring me joy again in a fight?" Boros asked.

"I am not the seer you seek nor are you in your universe anymore. You're in the Crossroads a dimension where many lost souls come to this from across the omniverse including my people from the Farplanes. And those who are sent here can never leave." the psychic explained.

So was this place a prison? Some kind of interdimensional space made to contain him and several others? Trapped alongside a bunch of weaklings. This infuriated him. However, that can wait till later.

"You haven't answered my question." Boros pointed out.

"Ah, my apologies. I am a Mindflayer and as for my name, it would be incomprehensible to you in your tongue. Besides our great psychic powers, we find nourishment in the brains of others. I knew that trying to devour your brain would result in my death but peering into your memories deeper I knew you could help acquire what would be a great help for me and my kind" the mindflayer explained.

Boros then threw the chest over to the Mindflayer.

"Just get this over with so you can remove the malaise from me. As well as stop speaking to me within my head." Boros said.

The Mindflayer approaches the chest and through his psychic powers unlocks it as it opens as he reaches inside to show a blue piece of paper.

"A blue parchment? I don't see what's so special about it." Boros noted.

"Not just any parchment. The schematics for the entire Azure Citadel including their defense systems. If me and my kind plan accordingly we can find a weakness in their defenses and invade their city so we can enjoy their succulent advanced minds and brains. However, we must make haste. It would take them but a couple of months to catch on and to strengthen their defenses causing this blueprint to be outdated. Yet this intel is still invaluable." the Mindflayer explained.

He then pockets the blueprints into his robes. As the Mindflayer approaches Boros. Before placing his fingers on Boros's forehead. He felt some sort of calm go over him as that annoying feeling that had been bugging him for as long as he'd been on this planet had finally gone away.

"Now I didn't simply remove it from your mind. I simply strengthened your mind so that it would be immune to the effects of the malaise. It will take some time for your mind to heal from the effects of the malaise that already happened. Now then you probably should find a way off this planet. You have made an enemy of the Izzet League and they will find you and kill or capture you or at least send someone to do the job," the Mindflayer explained.

"I am not scared of any that will come after me. The more that come so be it at least one might finally prove to be somewhat of a challenge," Boros said.

"Still arrogant to a fault I see. However, there is one group you might be interested in joining. A gang of space pirates similar to the ones you used to command named WYVERN. Perhaps you should turn your attention to them." the Mindflayer suggested.

A group like the Dark Matter Thieves here in this dimension he says. Well, that certainly does sound enticing. Only to have a new group to rule over. As long as they are strong that is.

"Very well. I shall find this WYVERN and see if they are worthy of being led by me. Though don't think I will aid you and your kind again. This whole ordeal has been...an annoyance to say the least," Boros said.

He then walked away and made his way back out of the cavern and stared into the sky. Finally free of the awful influence of this planet. And somehow he felt a little stronger because of it as if he's managed to get some of his strength back. Perhaps helping that Mindflayer wasn't entirely a mistake or waste of time. He then marches through the snowy tundra hoping to find someone belonging to WYVERN so that he can claim his rightful place as their leader if even they are worthy enough of being acknowledged by him.

This Crossroads that he is now in, intrigues him. Was it fate that brought him here or was it just the being that he saw in his dream that banished him here? Could he finally find the opponent that would make him feel something, anything, to satisfy his lust for battle? There are boundless possibilities in this strange new world totally unfamiliar territory and perhaps infinite possibilities.