Orb of Despair -- Secrets of the Hidden Library - 2nd Annual FIction Competition

"We’ve located it."

Della smiled, "Let’s go."

Della prided herself on the speed and efficiency of her Kabal.  It had filled her private spa with arcane torture objects scrounged from across the galaxy.  Ancient relics which were used to rip out every last delicious drop of anguish from her slaves.  Today, she was going to retrieve a new addition: the Orb of Despair.

Leaping onto her Reaver, she gunned it across the field.  The most loyal of her followers raced to catch up.  Night provided all of the cover she needed.

Soon she was amongst gigantic trees in a forest.  Jinking left, right, up and down as she screamed around branches that were larger than a Raider.  Faster she went until her map indicated the Orb was only moments away.  

Giving the signal for her Kabal to begin the attack, screams soon arose as Reavers assaulted a pitifully small group of future slaves.  In the midst of the Mon-keighs was a towering statue, no doubt raised to honour a long dead hero.  Like all things this despicable race touched it was crumbling and would soon rejoin the soil.  However, in its open palm was the Orb, just lying there beckoning for her.

Della leaped from her jet bike and landed on the statue.  Dead and dying covered the ground as her Kabal showed no mercy to the relic’s defenders.  For a passing moment she considered ordering her followers to stay their hand.  Then a Reaver whipped past, deftly slicing a hand off of a guardsman.  The raw nature of the scream was invigorating, so she turned back to her task.  

As Della reached out for the Orb, the statue’s hand exploded into a million shards and the Orb fell to the ground.  Quickly spinning her head she caught site of the offender: Harlequins.

"Tsk, tsk, Della.  This won’t do.  It won’t do at all. "

Della jumped down, facing the one who would deny her the prize.  

Keeping a tight leash on her anger Della demanded, "Who dares stand in my way?"

"No one of importance, my dear, I assure you.  However it’s best if you just be a good girl and move on to a difference scene."

The Harlequin was dressed in a domino pattern whose bright colors were hard to pin down.  Sometimes green, others blazing orange, the suit shimmered across the spectrum making it hard to follow.

Without further hesitation Della lashed out with her agoniser.   The Harlequin flipped to the left, landing easily out of range while bringing a fusion pistol to bear.  Della had no time to react as it burned a hole the size of a fist through her midsection.

The pain was wonderful in its excruciating exactness and Della knew this body would not return.  However, her last thoughts were filled with despair as she realized her Haemonculus had not been paid recently…

Chuckling at the ease with which the prize had been gained, the Harlequin opened a portal and reentered the webway.

A very bold goal with this one, a lot of sweeping action and big scenes that a lot of writer's just avoided as a matter of course.