Paul Shirley's footsteps echoed as he made his way along the corridor of the ancient clockwork tower that was home to the Oblivion Squadron. This was up in the tower's higher limits... Not quite as high up as his own residence, where he and the other Oblivion's made their home, but not far from it... The home of the Entropies, those most loyal servants of Oblivion who had proven their worth with considerable contributions to the cause. He reached his destination and didn't bother knocking on the door, simply swinging it open and boldly striding into the room. It's inhabitant, a giant monstrosity swung around to face him, it's massive tail making a swooshing sound as it did so, with murderous intent in it's eyes. It was easily three times the size of Shirley, it's hands ending in long, sharp, blood encrusted claws, with great leathern wings sprouting out form between the thick plates of natural armour that covered it's back – and, indeed, the majority of the rest of it's body. A lesser man than Paul might have shook with fear had they come face to face with this most fearsome of Infernal Behemoths and yet the Wizard stood there undisturbed by the creature. With justification as, upon recognizing the intruder upon it's lair, the monster's expression changed from a threatening glare, contorting into a display of pure contempt. Shirley took a further step into the room and began to speak.
“Super Dragon,” he began, pausing briefly more to agitate his audience than to collect his thoughts, “You know, I've seen a lot of Infernal Behemoths in my time. Hundreds of them... And you are perhaps the brightest I've ever seen.”
Paul smirked as he looked up into the face of Super Dragon, who did not seem at all honoured by this compliment. Regardless, he continued.
“Of course, that still doesn't make you very bright at all. But certainly amongst your kind, you are exceptional.”
Super Dragon remained silent. He looked down at the puny frame before him... Clad in a T-Shirt and jeans, Shirley – and what sort of a name is that!? - didn't look at all like the master Wizard Super Dragon knew him to be. Who was he to walk into his abode, mocking him, insulting him? For a moment he considered how easy it would be... How incredibly easy to reach forward with one of his giant hands and crush his little pea head between his fingers, splattering his brains all over the floor. He didn't entertain that thought for long though... He knew only too well from seeing the Wizard in action that he was far from the helpless mortal you might mistake him for.
“How many times have you led our troops into enemy strongholds, Super Dragon? How many times have you gone after the soft targets when nobody else could fit them into their schedule... When noone else had the time to be wasting on them? Do you know how many times?”
Super Dragon shook his head... No, he didn't know. He had led many successful raids against lesser factions than their own.
“Don't you think it's time you started pulling your weight around here? Odesseiron and I, we can only carry the rest of you useless underlings for so long... We can only do so much. Don't you feel it's time that you stepped up? That you started to spearhead our campaigns?”
Finally, the creature opened it's mouth and responded.
“What are you saying?”
Shirley smiled and paced a little to the Behemoth's right, as he did so stepping over the remnants of the lower part of the wall that Super Dragon had knocked through to the next room in a crude extension to his abode.
“I'm saying that I have... I have some business to attend to. I've been working on something... Something that could help us to gain the edge in this war. Too often you big, dumb Behemoth's lose track of the big picture. You get so wrapped up in enjoying tearing people to shreds that you forget that right here we're fighting for the resolution of this conflict... To user in a new breath, that we might finally take our long sleep in the void. I have greater matters to attend to than leading the troops into action...”
For the first time, Super Dragon showed a small, yet noticeable, sign of approval to his superior's comments as the corners of his mouth turned into the faintest sign of a smile.
“You can take that stupid grin off your face, Super Dragon. I'm not promoting you. I'm not giving you my spot. This doesn't mean anything. All it means is that I'm busy and while I'm busy I want you to keep Baphomet active. I want you to organize things and keep the ship running smoothly. As soon as I'm finished, I'll be back to claim my rightful place.”
He didn't wait for an answer from Super Dragon, simply turning and making his way out of the room. However, as he was in the doorway, he was surprised to hear Super Dragon speak up. While Shirley might have tried to say it in the least complimentary way possible, Super Dragon knew what this meant... It meant he was important. It meant that he couldn't just be carelessly tossed aside as any other minion who dared to anger an Oblivion might be. It meant that he could be defiant.
“Fine,” he said, “You go play with your balls. Just you keep this in mind... By the time you get back, there won't be any conflict to win, nothing for you to give us the edge in. I will grind our enemies into dust and I will be the one who takes all the glory!”
Shirley sighed. He wished there was another option... Someone better suited to the job than this dim witted killing machine that he could put in charge in his stead.
“Oh... One more thing. It might be best if you kept your mouth shut in enemy strongholds. When you try to sound ominous it just comes off sounding pathetic. Leave the talking to those of us who know how to do it.”
And with that the Wizard was gone. Super Dragon stared at the empty doorway for a moment... Thinking... Before turning back round with a great, sadistic smile which exposed his huge, sharp, yellow teeth, to the mortal woman he had strung up captive on the wall behind him.
This news called for a celebration.