The entity leapt high enough to strike the Iron Maiden with its knee, keeping her pinned against the stone chimney behind her. She was emotionless, it did not bother her.
But she knew it came time to fight. Right as she lashed out using Syndicate Dust, the creation caught her neck in its grasp. The white mask lifelessly stared into her own.
[I warned you. You did not listen. Now I'm here. No threat, only warning. Continue, I get physical. And you get dead.]
She wrapped her arms around the cloaked hand of the attacker, using her hidden legs to strike the lower stomach of the attacker. The creation did not care because it was still up there with her.
[Truth, you seek? Time will show truth. You are mindless, putrid. Crawl back. Your Mind needs it.]
Utter darkness consumed the maiden's vision, everything faded out of existence. Including her emotions. Everything was numb to her, just like normal.
Beautiful stars danced in far away worlds, she looked up to them. Curious of what they were, or if they were even real. When she tried to move, she realized something was off.
Arms, legs, torso, neck, head. It was all tied up, she was immobile. No one was there to free her, but there was someone there to release her soul.
[Lights, beautiful to watch. Were you beautiful? I think so. But now you're not. Now you are bad. So I will help. Be free! Little, little pawn!]
The creation drove a pike through her eye, the maiden was emotionless. But the pain was there, she could feel the cold substance swirl in her skull.
Despite how much she wanted to scream, she couldn't. No one would be there to hear her, after all, she wanted as little attention as she could get.
However, she struggled against her bond. Trying to break the dusted chains from the tree, if not erupt off the trunk. But it was firm, unwilling to bow.
[No threat, warning. Your creator won't die. But you will. So when you awake. Tell him, Seeker. I find and hunt. He is corrupt creation. I must cleanse it.]
Seeker drove another pike through her other eye, blinding the maiden. Her attempts at struggling against it were impressive, it thought.
But it had seen victims struggle when it arrived. They cried and pleaded, but it quickly and effortlessly killed. No hard feelings, only duty.
[You suffer nicely. Your master taught you? Will he suffer, too? I will find him. That world is isolated. But not unreachable. I will reach it. And kill him in it. Then you, too.]
The maiden struggled to comprehend what it was saying, she did not understand what was happening. All she knew was she was tasked. Whatever this Seeker is would not hinder her task.
For several more minutes, she struggled against the pain. Feeling the urge to scream and struggle harder, but only entertaining her attacker.
It stepped back, understanding it had to take a different approach in killing her. If normal dust would not cut it, then it would have to use what it forged.
Purple dust engulfed its frame, touching its grey cloak but leaving the mask alone. The Seeker then wrapped its hands around her head.
[Die, putrid thing. Return to him. Message in hand. Last warning. I will seek. I will kill. He will suffer.]
Just like earlier, the world went dark for the maiden. But from the Seeker's perspective, it backed off from the creation. It fell silent, watching the remains of its victim.
The maiden's head erupted from all the pressure the dust applied, killing her almost instantly. She returned to the pocket universe that she learned was home.
But the Seeker remained on Koroth, it looked up to the stars. Keeping its eyes on something else. Despite it not being able to see them, it still knew they were up there.
[You let exist, corruption. I have to clean. You stand and watch. I get busy. One day, destruction. Koroth will be uncorrupted. But for now, no. I must continue.]
-Inside the pocket universe-
Demon frowned, looking down at his servant. She was kneeling, almost begging for forgiveness. It was not her fault, something was out there looking for her.
But she could not speak, no way to tell Demon there was something coming for him in this very world. Let alone that it knew about this universe's existence.
"Give me your hand," he ordered.
She obeyed, hesitantly lifting up her left hand. Demon examined it, looking for any possible explanations of her sudden arrival. But when none were found, he grabbed it.
He locked hands with her, then began to examine everything about her. Heartbeats, it was operating properly. All the replaced organs were producing dust effectively. And brain was working fine.
It all changed when he reached the memories. Something leaping up to her caught his attention, prompting him to replay the memory.
The maiden sat emotionless on the floor, waiting for her master to stop digging through her mind. When he did, she slowly brought back her hand.
"Was that why?" Demon sighed. "I guess those weren't empty threats, it does know we exist. Next time you encounter it, fight back at all costs. Encase him in your body if you need to."
She nodded, heeding instructions like a good servant. Demon brought his hand over her stomach, forcing her up from her defeated position. They locked eyes for a brief moment.
"Get ready, it is only a matter of time until the conflict begins. When it does, keep an eye on a Thawed with an ice plate, and the one with the hardened soul. Those two are interesting to me."
Dust bit away at her armor, slowly returning her to Koroth but in different location. Instead of Krugi, she was in Hail-Heart. Where she would remain until her cue was given.
As for Demon, he remained inside the pocket universe. Palm open, looking through his reality to observe Krugi in close detail. It was what he waited for, and he was not going to let the launch of his next plan get messy.