The buildings folded, rotated, and twisted according to laws beyond the mathematics of the Material Universe, revealing nauseating angles that could not possibly exist in the Material Universe. Chaotic mirror images flashed and shifted constantly, fitting together, compressing, and stretching like a kaleidoscope. The cramped elevator car climbed and plunged like a roller coaster. Its steel-and-brass doors came apart and replicated one strip at a time, gaining potential energy seemingly drawn from beyond the atmosphere as the cables kept rising. Wrapped in plasma generated by friction with the air, they shrieked as they pierced toward the two golden figures below.
Threat. Threat. Threat!
The holographic projection of the tactical system inside his helmet kept flashing symbols denoting the highest level of danger. Amon had never encountered such a situation. Even when he had faced that monster from another dimension in Attilan, the highest-level threat warnings had only flashed. Before the needles arrived, Amon heard the piercing screech of air being torn apart. Then the sound became a dull roar as the Power Armor detected abnormal changes in wind speed and air pressure. The Praetorian Guard did not understand what was happening, but he still pulled the trigger one-handed while holding his halberd, firing at the source of the noise. Several explosive rounds destroyed a few burning steel needles two kilometers away, but that did nothing against the millions of burning steel needles covering the sky, like a few pebbles tossed into the ocean waves.
The Emperor raised a hand. Apart from the psychic radiance emanating from his eyes and behind his head, nothing else seemed unusual. Amon had rarely witnessed the Emperor display such pure fury. Now, he saw the psychic radiance around the Emperor burn with rage once again, making the air boil and ignite. Then the relative position