Sing, for all to hear.

"My, my. You're quite the beast, aren't you!"

Now sleeping, I had strolled down the green hill in my mindscape, and over to Piper's little beach.

"Honestly I'm a bit concerned about Zana; that last part felt like a bit... much."

"I know, right?! You skewered that girl! I could see your cock bulging through her, you dirty mutt. You're lucky those light-worshippers had a few thousand millennium to get so stretchy, elves especially. I bet she came her brains out."

Shaking my head to try and work up some of that "post-coitus clarity" I had heard of in passing "So, when do you leave my head."

The siren pouted, swaying her tentacles about in the waters of my dream. "Aw, do you want me gone that badly? Fine. Come to me, oh Champion Mage-Fucker..."

Now I'm tempted to try to just eat you again.

"...and receive your reward."

I wade through the waters, making my way toward the Siren who had been so much of a thorn in my side, that I had been considering who I hated more, Her, Fawks, or the Twins. I feel a tug at my leg, ignoring it as I wade deeper into the water; Piper growing closer with each step. The tugging becomes a full **** pull, and I submerge my head as a result. Slightly panicked, I whirl by head about, searching for the source of the grasp. A hand...

Black gloves with white claws, grasping me.

"How lucky I was too have slept with you, whilst a claimed core remain unused in your body. Such a long-distance intrusion of your mind would otherwise be quite tricky." Said that same voice from my **** into that Domain; the cherry red eyes of Halicarnassus peering up at me from the waters below.

"Did I do well, my lady?" Asked Piper, clearly pleased with herself as she swims to hold the hand of her new master.

"Indeed. Now, don't struggle, little Monster. All I need is to touch your Core."

I blurt out curses and swears into the water; furious that the manipulator was here in my dream, even more so that I had been used again.

And again. And again!

I try to strangle Halicarnassus as she pulls me deeper down, but my hands seem to past right through her. Her own hand, however, digs painfully into my flesh; carving out a hole in my chest with ease. The water quickly begins to turn red, as I flail uselessly about. I stop my thrashing as soon as I feel her claws clasp around it; my Core.

"Oh, new masters of mine."

"Powers unholy, righteous, divine."

"Open wide, your mind's eye."

"The brothers, you deny."

"Core Control; Mind Melding Across the Stars."

My eyes are closed shut by her incantation, and my mind begins to change. From the stench of sea water mixed with blood, I instead smell perfumes, cologne, wine, and my own breath. I remember this vast room vaguely from my time in Urgog's mind, but I wasn't anywhere so high up, seated above a vast party of varied individuals; each wearing strange masks.

Ah, well done, sweet Hali. You've brought my Brother closer to me.

What the... where am I!?

My throne room, dear distant Brother; tonight is quite special. Our Brother Urgog brought us all a wonderful gift. I'm sure you've seen it before...

"Ladies, gentlemen, whores, and whore-sons!" The shouted, warped tongues of Naimad came from my mouth.

"Tonight, I shall prove to you our mission's viability. For I shall do my best to play... God. But first, we have two lovely guests. The once Pope of Pleasure, who now serves our cause against the Cycle! Lady Halicarnassus!"

I feel the cosmic vibrations around me shudder violently as reality bends in on itself, forcing the physical form of the Succubus in question to appear fully at the foot of the throne.

"And her newest servant, a slain soul, by the name of Piper. For her acts in my plan, I shall act as all good Gods do, and bless her. A new body, for a new soldier!"

The vibrations shift once more, worming their way into me, and pulling forth that same core I had swallowed nights prior. Flesh and bone began to form around the core, followed by scales and wing tissue. Before long, a blue serpentine dragon, with black spots dotting across her form, stood tall in the throne room; all present scattering from where she now stood. The creature began to shrink, slowly, until transforming into the much more familiar figure of Piper; now with long, voluputious legs, rather than tentacles, and the same scale placement I see on my own body. A pair of dainty wings and a long, swaying tail matching her old squid-parts in coloration now adorned her body.

"Miss Piper, you are looking oh so lovely, if I do say so myself." Says the thing holding my mind hostage. "For your first order; visit my quarters tonight."

The newly reborn sea-dragon blushes vibrantly, as she is handed some robes to cover her nudity. "Yes, my lord!"

Now. For the main event.

Naimad rises from his throne, removing the helmet that covered his face until now.

"Send in the body." He shouts.

Like some sort of strange entertainment, a metal cart is pushed past the crowd by an automaton, with a naked, the corpse of a woman with stitched scars wobbling atop it. Bandages stream out from underneath, wildly flailing due to the carts rapid movement, nearly causing the whole to crash.

Wait... her skin...

Each patch is differently colored. Some is dark like Ashes, others even paler than Cilla, and...

Her right hand... Zana's right hand.

"Normally, I would need both of my brothers present for such a display." Says Naimad. "But my power has grown, and such things as 'miracles' are now but mere child's play."

Not that they need to know one of my Brothers is right here, by my side... helping pay the cost.

A piano is pushed past the crowd as well; an unfortunate goblin getting run over as he fails to move out of the way.

I hated that one. Good riddance.

The piano now sitting before Naimad, and just before that, the stitchwork woman.

"Earlier, I gave flesh to life. An act all too simple for some of you flesh crafters here tonight. Now, I give life to flesh. No mere necromancy, putting a spark too kindling. No. Tonight, I create from nothing."

He glides his fingers across the keys, and begins to play a melancholy tune... and begins to Sing.

"Stitch by stitch, flesh to flesh. Mix and twist, it begins to mesh."

"Joint by joint, bone to bone. Tissue and tendon, secrets unknown."

"Guided by my hand!"

"Walk across this land!"

He continues his Song, and as he does so, the cosmic vibrations in the room become fully visible too all. They warp and flex like the muscles described by the lyrics, before folding in on themselves to form a brilliant light. A Core.

"Stitch by stitch, flesh too flesh. No regrets, no coming back from this."

"Joint by joint, bone to bone. No such thing as mistakes, nothing gone amiss."

"Guided by my will!"

"Across this land, you shall hunt and kill!"

The core lowers into the chest of the stitchwork woman, causing the corpse to shudder violently, bashing around its arms, legs and head onto the cart.

"Stitch by stitch, Flesh to flesh. Born from many an ingredient."

"Joint by joint, bone to bone. Another addition, so obedient."

"Guided by our cause!"

"I shall name you Un-Oz!"

The body stops moving, as the bandages from beneath the cart begin to snake their way around the body; pulsing with that same vibrant glow as the Core earlier.

The body rises, and I'm flung back into the world of the waking; shaking so violently, that I begin to hear my very bones begin to crack.