The world has gone cold, and the ground beneath froze. Trees lost their leaves, and snow covered the road in white. Forschner's newly formed group trudged through inches of snow in blistering cold. Rem looked rather fine, but the rest were mere humans. As tough as they were, they weren't immune to the cold. Lexandros silently thanked the Emperor that he wasn't part of the Valhallans. In prolonged silence, the three continued to walk towards the manor, where the horror await. Lexandros remembered what his master had told him and felt slightly uneasy.

"Commissar, sir."

He broke the silence. Forschner, who was up ahead at the time, looked back with irritation.

"What is it, trooper?"

Lexandros ran up to his side with his gun slung over his shoulder.

"I feel the need to tell you, sir. Lord Holtz had informed me already of his... visions."

Forschner continued walking as he listened. He looked back to see that Rem was following them from two steps behind, for courtesy's sake. Lexandros continued.

"My lord has informed me that in his vision, which are never wrong, he had seen all of our deaths, including his own."

Forschner did not stop or slow.

"So is the inquisitor sending us to our deaths?" the commissar asked with the same irritated tone.

"He said that the Lord Inquisitor claimed that victory is certain, but if my lord does not see such victory in his vision..."

"What has the inquisitor said regarding this matter?" the commissar asked.

"He wishes to follow the Lord Inquisitor's orders, but-"

"But?"

Forschner stopped and turned with menacing eyes. Lexandros also stopped, noticing a bolt pistol placed at his throat. Rem watched with shocked eyes but did not interject.

"Do tell me, trooper..." the commissar spoke with voice colder than the surroundings, "Do you think your judgment wiser than the Lord Inquisitor or Inquisitor Holtz, himself?"

"No, sir."

"Then?"

"Nothing, sir. It's just the cold talking."

Forschner lowered his weapon and continued walking. Rem followed right after with a sigh of relief.

"I understand that you care dearly for your master, but if the Inquisitor believes that our death will result in victory, what say do any of us have in this matter?"

Forschner spoke, without turning or looking back.

"Now is your time to leave... Rem," Forschner changed his tone. Rem jolted slightly at the unexpected comment.

"Lexandros and I are sworn warriors of the Emperor. It is our duty to die for the glory of His name. You, however, owe no such duty."

Lexandros wanted to interject that all beings owe the Emperor their lives, but he felt that he should not throw his life away yet.

"Rem owes you, sir. Rem will not leave until her debt is paid."

Forschner chuckled.

"Is that so..."

No one else spoke after. They continued walking in their newly found silence.

…...

The beast looked back with glowing yellow eyes. A lone man in golden armour walked up to the monstrous feline like creature.

Who are you?

The monster spoke as if speaking into the inquisitor's mind. Holtz did not like anyone speaking into his mind, but he was quite familiar with the experience.

"I have come to speak with you, Beast of the End."

The beast turned its massive body towards the inquisitor. The inquisitor realized that the air has become much colder than before. Without his power armour, he might have just froze to death.

I have none to say to you, mortal!

"But I have plenty to say to you," said Holtz, pointing his hammer at the beast, "I have come to ask that you halt the destruction of this world. Your actions achieve nothing."

The beast's yellow eyes grew increasing menacing. The creature bore down, its gigantic head stopping only metres before the inquisitor.

And who are you to speak to me as such?

The inquisitor did not flinch or retreat.

"You know better than anyone that you can not stop her. Your tantrum will not solve a thing. But I know someone you can fix this. He needs time."

Foolish mortal. What makes you believe that I will listen to your request after such mockery?

Holtz let out a bitter a sigh.

"I knew that words will not get through that thick mutant skull of yours," he said, swing his hammer over his shoulder.

Fool. Do you think to defeat me?

"I have seen the glory of the Emperor at the end of this journey. I will buy him time."

The beast struck down with monstrous claws, but the inquisitor evaded with flashing speed.

You will die with the rest of this cursed world that has taken my child.

"And so I shall."

The inquisitor raised his hammer and charged at the beast with a thundering cry.

…...

A knife dug itself into Lexandros's leg, causing him to loose balance.

"Frak! How many of these heretics are there?"

He cursed at he returned a hail of volley fire towards the cultist that threw the knife. Forschner was picking out his targets and counting his shots with his bolt pistol. Rem flung her flail over, knocking down several cultists at once.

"Rem, behind you!"

Forschner screamed as he fired upon the cultist that tried to attack her. Rem turned her bloodied face back to see that the foe was down and continued fling her flail.

"How far is the bloody manor, sir?"

Lexandros shouted over the howling of his weapon.

"Just up ahead. Come trooper! We will move through the treeline for better cover."

Just then, a ball of flame flew towards the commissar. Rem jumped in front of him with her hand out.

"Huma!"

Rem created a protective ward of water before her. The fireball dissipated, but it left a nasty burn on Rem's right hand. She groaned in pain.

"Rem?"

Forschner fired at the castor. With a deafening roar, the bolt round exploded upon contact with the cultist, shattering his skull and spraying his brains.

"It's okay, sir."

Rem raised her flail with her other hand.

"That is the true spirit of a soldier. Carry on, Rem."

Rem saw the proud look on Forschner's face. A face that can only be seen during battles. She grit her teeth and lunged towards a crowd of cultist.

"Sir!"

Lexandros called out, still raining a hail of laser fire down towards the cultists.

"I can draw their attention here. I will only drag you down if I continue. You and the abhuman can go on."

Forschner looked slightly shocked but nodded at the trooper's resolve.

"Emperor protects, trooper."

Lexandros looked as if he remembered something and drew a Krak grenade from his pouch.

"This is for the witch, sir. I was saving it, but it seems that I won't get to use it. You send her my regards."

Forschner took the grenade and stuffed it in his pocket.

"Now go, sir. I will cover your back."

Lexandros pulled the knife from his leg and laid down a volley of laser fire for cover.

"Rem! On me! Clear the path!"

Forschner charged with his bolt pistol pointed forward. Rem seemed to have understood as she darted towards the same direction.

Lexandros formed a kneeling position and continue to fire.

"Come get some you filthy heretics! I got enough battery here for all of you to share!"

Forschner and Rem moved on until the howling sound of the hot-shot volley gun was no longer heard.