While the meeting was taking place, the Iron Maiden remained shielded in her dust. No one noticed her being stationed above a statue.
Everybody went by, careless of what was happening beyond their sight. Even the wiser Thawed who believed they had everything figured out.
The Iron Maiden felt her armor tighten, squeezing the life out of her. She struggled to open her palm, where she expected to see what was happening.
In there, through the Distorted Mind, she noticed Demon had given her the cue she had been waiting for. Her armor instantly returned to normal, allowing her to leap off the statue.
Before Infinus arrived, she had to make sure everything was in place before the siege began. Her eyes met her palm, making sure all actors were in their respective positions.
Detrass was in the city, along with Valiant and another elite known as Yazzo. The Iron Maiden was emotionless while watching them go along with their conversation.
She closed her palm, focusing on the next part of the plan. The mountain range has been calm ever since her arrival, usually there would be several Frost Waves due to the snow.
And there was a reason why there were so calm. The Iron Maiden sent out Syndicate Dust to hold it all in place, building up a Frost Wave unlike any other.
Many Thawed believed it was a miracle, a sign of mercy from the Nine. Not realizing they weren't there, only a creation made to go against them was.
Icicles and troopers played in the snow, having fights and tackling each other. Like good baby Thawed and Zegi.
The Iron Maiden gently pressed her thumb against her index finger, making sure everything was ready there. As expected, a hint of snow began to drift across the range.
Confirming all the dust was still operational. She then turned her attention to something else, the statue itself. The Iron Maiden looked up at it.
She gently pressed her thumb on her middle finger, causing it to crack a little towards the base. All the dust on the statue was ready to go.
During this conflict, she had to take the role of puppeteer. Pulling the strings on the whole event while being hidden from sight.
While the maiden scanned the city for anything else, she noticed something was watching her. A grey cloaked figure with a white mask. She closed her hands.
[You are back. Lessons never learnt. Do you love pain? You exist as puppet. No self-will. I must free you. I must clean you.]
The Iron Maiden lowered herself, getting ready for whatever came next in their encounter. She watched the Seeker dart towards her at insane speeds.
It only stopped after driving a knee into her gut, folding her body. As her armor absorbed the hit, the Seeker delivered a strike directly to her face.
While falling to the ground, she remembered orders. Her armor came loose, ready for her attacker's next move. When the Seeker came in for another attack, she opened herself up.
No struggle followed, only acceptance. Which surprised the Iron Maiden, she was expecting the Seeker to put up more of a fight.
[Life goes by. They grow old, die. Young take their place. My time to die.]
Everything on her came back into place with a snap. Spikes mangled the corpse, ensuring it would be dead for good.
However, now that the Seeker was inside of her. She was unsure of what he was capable of. Torturing her from the inside? Controlling her? Maybe even hindering her.
Despite each question being fair and valid, she ignored the thinking. Mostly because she couldn't do any of the thinking. All she could do was follow orders.
The Iron Maiden returned to her duties. She noticed some of the homes she rigged were empty for the day. Allowing her to safely experiment with them before anyone else could notice.
She gently pressed her thumb on her ring finger, which caused the homes to creak. Notifying her they were ready for the attack.
All that she could control was ready, so were the actors. The last thing she had to check on was the equipment.
Beginning with the armor, her mask focused on a nearby Thawed. His armor was smooth, dawning sickly green. All of that quickly transformed for dust in her eyes.
Using the Syndicate Dust, whatever tried to crush or pierce armor would be deflected. Ensuring Infinus needed a lot more than strategy, force, and numbers.
Nothing was going to go against the modified armor, except for the metal that protested against the Nine. Which she was sure no one had.
Her head turned to the weapon next to the Thawed, a pike. The metal pole stretched up to the Thawed's shoulder, where an elegant tip threatened anyone with extreme blood-loss.
In time, the pike went from a majestic silver to a sickening black. Notifying the Iron Maiden it was ready to go.
The Syndicate Dust would prevent the weapons from being broken, overweight, and even gift them special traits designed solely for combating against higher beings.
Armor and weapons were ready, next came the armor for the beasts. Dust engulfed the maiden, bringing her to the pens where she stood from afar.
Perfect vision allowed her to look at the armored Cemtrin and Yinmars with ease. Majestic silvers stood over sickly greens, making it easy to tell they came from the Volatile Legion.
When she glared at the plates, she watched them transform into a corrupted black. Even the beasts were ready.
Beasts would receive enhancements to their physical abilities, enforcing the needed victory. For the plan to continue strong, Infinus had to lose the invasion.
She opened her hand, then sent out a pulse. It entered the vast corrupted fields of the Distorted Mind, exiting out of it and landing into Demon's grasp. Pleasing her master.
He read through the advances, feeling proud of her the deeper he read. Until he reached the part saying the Seeker was encased within her. By then, Demon called her into the pocket universe.