WARHAMMER DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. MASS EFFECT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME.

So… holy crap, amirite?

Honor-Bound

Chapter 51

Destiny, Part 7

"Don't talk to me about noble sacrifices. Only the people who never lost someone think sacrifices are noble. We mourn those we lost, and we try to make the best with whoever is left behind. That's it."—General Alexia Shepard

Ten thousand Averlanders smashed into the Chaos flank with a cry of righteous fury. Shepard watched from Stormwing's back as, in a strange sort of coordination, the tide of Orcs charged into the opposite flank just a few seconds later. Unholy might met steely discipline on one side, and primal savagery on the other.

For her part, Shepard was just confused. If she didn't know any better, she'd say that the Orcs were working with the Averland army, but that didn't make any sense. Orcs fought everyone, regardless of race or allegiance, and when they couldn't, they fought amongst themselves.

I need to talk to Marius, she thought. I need answers.

Fortunately, a small part of the Averland army broke off and headed for the gate—worryingly, so did quite a few Orcs. Somehow, by the time Shepard had landed by the gate, Marius had managed to talk the guards into letting the Orcs inside.

"Ah, Alexia!" Marius hopped off of Daisy and strode over to her, embracing her like they were meeting for a party, not a war. He glanced down at the Runefang on her belt, but other than a sad smile, didn't comment.

Next to Shepard, an exasperated Karl Franz shook his head. The motion caught Marius' attention, and he released Shepard so that he could bow.

"My Lord, it is good to see you again. Quite a nice evening for a glorious battle, no?"

"Indeed, my old friend," Karl Franz said, unable to keep a small smile off his face. "While I hate to cut our reunion short, I'm afraid I must ask about the Orcs."

"Oh, right." Marius waved his hand dismissively. "Well, they're fighting with us."

There was a long pause as the gathering officers and heroes took that in. Morgrim and Gotrek were particularly flabbergasted, and their jaws worked, as if trying to speak, but unable to find the words.

Shepard was the first to break the silence. "Um… why? And how did you convince them not to fight us at the same time?"

Marius frowned. "Is it not obvious?"

"No, that's why I'm asking!"

Marius tapped his chin. "I could have sworn I sent a missive explaining everything. Anyway, I was mustering my armies to march to Altdorf's defense, when all these fine Greenskin fellows came barreling down the mountains. Quite the rowdy bunch, and while I would have loved to show them how we Imperials get things done, I knew that I was needed here. I sent a message to the Orc leader and offered a deal. He accepted, and here we are."

"What was the offer?" the Emperor asked cautiously.

"Oh, that. Well, Orcs love a good fight, and I knew that this Chaos host was the big one, so I told old Grimgor here that if he promised not to kill us, I'd lead him to the biggest fight of his life, and if we all survived, we could fight it out later." Marius glanced off to the side, and for the first time, seemed a little nervous. "Perhaps you should speak with him. He's eager to get back into the fight."

Shepard swore the ground shook as the biggest Orc she'd ever seen stomped up to her. He was nearly twice as tall as her, and between his natural bulk and the thick armor he wore, he likely weighed more than a fully armored knight and horse. In one hand, he carried a crude, double-headed axe that probably weighed as much as an adult man; both blades were caked in dried blood, while fresh blood dripped to the ground. The Orc's face was heavily scarred, and his eyes glowed with barely-restrained rage.

"You da one dey call Shepard?" The Orc's voice was like rough thunder, and each syllable promised violence.

Shepard met his gaze evenly. "I am. Who are you?"

The Orc loomed over her; out of the corner of her eye, Shepard saw more than a few of her friends inch protectively toward her. "I'z Grimgor Ironhide, da biggest Orc ta evah fight an' win. Da mad git ovah dere said dat dis fight was da big one, an' I ain't gonna miss a scrap like dat."

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Sounds fair. I'm guessing you won't do anything we say beyond 'hit the Chaos guys', right?"

"Yeah."

Shepard turned to Karl Franz, who shrugged; behind him, Marius grinned madly. She sighed and turned back to Grimgor. "Fine. Just do as much damage to those freaks before they get into the city."

Grimgor leaned in close, and Shepard tried not to gag when she smelled the rotten meat in his teeth. "Just stay outta me way, humie."

As the massive Orc turned around, his elbow caught Shepard in the chest. If she hadn't seen the impact coming and braced herself accordingly, she would have been knocked flat on her back. Granted, a light tap from this Orc still felt like she'd been punched by Grunt, but a bad bruise was a small price to pay for not showing weakness to Grimgor. She had a feeling that that would have ended badly.

"Are you all right?" Gregor asked quietly, once Grimgor and his mob of Black Orcs stomped off to rejoin the fighting.

Shepard glanced down at her breastplate and noticed the small dent. "Eh, I've had worse."

Gregor nodded and offered a gentle smile. "Even if you had not told me of your past, after everything I have seen and heard lately, I am not surprised."

The Emperor coughed politely, spoiling the couple's moment. "The Orcs are a surprise, but the Chaos host still outnumbers them. Count Leitdorf, I assume you have a plan for your soldiers?"

Marius grinned and nodded, making his oversized hat wobble. "Of course, my Lord! I assumed that the foe would do its damnedest to break into the city, and came up with several plans. Sadly, we were unable to prevent the enemy from reaching the walls, but my forces will link up with others outside the city and strike from the flanks and rear. Even if they do break into Altdorf proper, they will not escape."

"Then all we have to do is make them bleed for every inch, and hope the Orcs are too diminished to be much of a threat when the dust settles." Karl Franz turned to Shepard. "Countess Shepard, I will command the front line, but I will need the bulk of your army to bolster the city's defenses. Take the Knights of Ironrock and anyone else you need; find out how to turn that artifact against our enemy."

Shepard brought one fist over her heart. "As you command. Michael, Locke, take most of the troops and go with the Emperor. Morgrim, Tyrion, go wherever you're needed most. Teclis, Kroak, I want you two to brainstorm, figure out how we fix that artifact. Everyone else is with me, we're watching their backs!" She gave each of her friends one last smile. "Stay alive. Above everything else, stay alive."

Salutes, nods, and friendly smiles were their replies, before they all split up. Teclis and Kroak guided Shepard's group further into the city, while Karl Franz took everyone else to Altdorf's outer defenses.

"So, Teclis," Shepard said as they moved, "did you and Kroak figure out anything else about that artifact?"

"We have some theories, but no proof." Teclis sighed. "It will be easier when we are further from the front lines, and away from any distractions."

Despite the situation, Shepard laughed. "Yeah, warzones aren't the most conducive research environments. That's why I have a workshop."

"Oh, I intend to spend a great deal of time in my tower after this," Teclis said, his tired eyes twinkling in amusement.

"We're all getting a vacation when this is over," Shepard said.

"Amen to that!" Jacob chimed in, which got a laugh from most of the Normandy crew.

The slight upturn in Shepard's mood vanished when they turned the next corner. On reflex, she pulled Stormwing's reins, and he stopped with a squawk of protest. Only Kroak and his Temple Guard joined her. It took a moment for the others to realize that they had stopped.

"General, what is it?" Teclis asked.

Shepard pointed straight ahead. "What the hell is that?"

"Hold the line!" Karl Franz roared, raising Ghal Maraz to crush yet another Beastman that rushed the gate. "Make them pay for every inch of ground!"

While the Chaos forces had been taken by surprise by the Averland and Orc armies, they still vastly outnumbered both, and the attacks by Shepard's allies from the rear were barely noticed. The Everchosen was sending his cavalry in a countercharge against the flanking enemies, while the Beastmen crashed into Altdorf's defenses to tie them up while he massed his infantry. The Emperor knew that once the Everchosen's true host charged the gate, the length of time the Empire could hold them back would be measured in minutes.

The only true advantage the defenders held was in the air. Nearly all of the flying creatures accompanying the Chaos forces were dead, and the Imperial aircraft were now attacking the enemy with almost total impunity. The only threat came from the odd magical attack, but most of the Sorcerers were focused on protecting the bulk of the army from the artillery.

"Make a hole!" a soldier called out. "We have wounded coming in!"

The ranks of Imperials parted long enough for nearly a hundred men to pass through, paired off and carrying fifty injured between them. Without a word, they brought the wounded behind the line, to the groups of Jade Wizards that were waiting. Parral, the head healer of Shepard's army, had already organized the Wizards into efficient teams, and began healing spells almost before the wounded were placed on the ground.

"WAAAGH!"

Karl Franz suppressed a wince at the Orc war-cry that reached his ears. He'd heard it many times in his life, but hearing it when the Orcs shouting it were on his side was just… strange. Grimgor Ironhide was the biggest Orc he'd ever seen, and the mob of Black Orcs that had followed him were big enough that they could have been Warbosses in their own right, but they willingly served another. That spoke volumes of just how powerful Grimgor was, and if they all survived this, the Emperor planned on asking Marius about the details of how he managed to align with Orcs.

Putting aside the antics of his friend for the moment, the Emperor mounted Deathclaw and urged his oldest ally into the sky so that he could better observe the battle. After so many years as a leader in war, Karl Franz had an instinctive eye for the tide of battle. From the way the main Chaos host was massing, he estimated that Altdorf had less than an hour before the battle turned into grueling house-to-house fighting.

Hurry, Shepard, he thought. We need one more miracle from you.

And then the screaming began.

Parral sat on his throne of vines, which empowered his spells as he worked feverishly to heal the wounded men in front of him. He and the other Jade Wizards had been working since the battle began, and all were beginning to tire. More than one had drawn too much power into himself in an effort to save lives, one even to the point of dying.

Though he had kept it hidden, Parral was sure that his own time was coming to a close. An hour ago, while trying to keep a man's organs inside his body, he had noticed part of his arm no longer had skin, but had taken on the texture and hue of bark. He had plunged too deeply into the power of Ghyran, and it wouldn't be long before he paid the price. Until then, however, he would save as many as he could.

I just hope General Shepard forgives me, he thought with a wry smirk. After all my lectures about taking care of herself, I'm dying from overworking.

A scream caught his attention; it wasn't just a scream of agony, but also one of terror. One of the men that had recently been brought in was convulsing and twisting on his cot; his arms seemed to liquefy, and then solidified into thrashing tentacles, while his head transformed into a single, pulsating eyeball. Despite not having a mouth, the new Chaos Spawn continued to scream.

"Protect the injured!" Parral ordered as the Spawn lurched to rapidly thickening legs and flailed about.

Another man began shaking uncontrollably, his skin falling off like old leaves, replaced by thousands of blood-slicked spikes. Two malformed wings sprouted from his back, and his hands became curving blades of bone. With an inhuman shriek, he lunged forward and eviscerated the nearest soldier.

Parral pointed is gnarled staff at the second Spawn, and thick vines sprouted up to entangle it. The vines wouldn't hold it for long, but it would buy time to move some of the injured.

Thankfully, a bolt of lightning hit the first Spawn before it could kill too many people. Parral blinked to clear the afterimage from his eyes, and saw Gettmann nod at him. The Celestial Wizard's smile turned to horror, but before he could shout a warning, Parral felt a horrible pain in his back, and then an arm punched out of his chest. A small part of him realized that the second Spawn had freed itself faster than he had anticipated.

"Back, abomination!" Michael charged in, swinging his hammer in a wide arc that tore the Spawn's head from its shoulders, but also ripped its arm out of Parral's back.

The Jade Wizard sank into his throne. Blood poured from his wounds, but he desperately tried to heal the injuries. Healing magic poured from his blood-soaked hands onto his chest, and with some relief, the pain began to fade. Relief turned to terror when he saw that, instead of new skin over his chest, there was bark, and it was spreading to the rest of his body.

"Parral!" Hearing his name made him look up. Gettmann, Michael and Locke surrounded him; from their expressions, they all knew what was happening.

"I'm…" Parral coughed, and a combination of blood and leaves poured from his mouth. "I'm sorry…"

There was a burst of pain as Parral's body twisted and reformed. Flesh became wood, vines, and leaves as he merged with his conjured throne. A few moments later, Parral was gone, replaced by a man-sized tree; its roots buried through the cobblestones of Altdorf, and its leaves were slick with fresh blood. The only sign that that tree had once been a man was a face in the middle of the trunk, its expression sad, while its eyes wept blood-red sap.

Parral's friends would have grieved, but a great roar from just outside the gates distracted them. The attack from the Chaos Spawn, created by foul sorcery and mixed in with the wounded, had kept the defenders occupied long enough for the Everchosen's army to reach the gate.

The end had come for Altdorf.

"What am I looking at?" Shepard asked.

Felix looked at her, and then followed her gaze. "Alexia… there's nothing there. You're staring at empty space."

Shepard grimaced. "Please tell me I'm not going crazy."

Nearly everyone else just shrugged; to them, it appeared that Shepard was just looking at nothing. Only two people could reassure her.

"I may not be able to see it," Teclis said, "but I can sense it. There is great power here. Tell me, what can you see?"

Shepard hopped off Stormwing and walked over to the phenomenon. "It looks like a… doorway. It's like a golden portal—the same color as that light from earlier."

"You had more connection with the shards of the artifact than anyone," Kroak said, and the excitement in the ancient Slann's 'voice' did not go unnoticed. "It is possible that that connection allows you a sight beyond what we are capable of."

"Okay, so I'm not going crazy." Shepard took a deep breath. "Good to know. What do we do now?"

"We may not be able to see it, but Lord Kroak and I now have something to more closely study." Teclis nodded, almost to himself. "This is where we must make our stand."

"All right, you heard him," Shepard said. "Everyone get ready, just in case."

The Ironrock Knights had just formed up when bells began to toll. Everyone knew that those bells meant that the enemy was through the gates, or they were about to be.

"Shit, that was fast," Shepard muttered. "I was hoping we'd keep them out a little longer."

"There are over twenty thousand of the Empire's finest guarding the inside of the city," Gregor said calmly. "And that is not including the Elves, Dwarfs, and Lizardmen that are helping us."

Shepard shrugged. "Plus, we've got Marius and his army, and everyone else outside. And the Orcs… which is weird as hell, but I'll take it." She looked back at Teclis and Kroak, who were near the portal—which only she could see, which was very strange to her—in deep conversation. "I hope they figure out a way to turn this around, or else this is going to be… a challenge." She looked around and frowned. "Kasumi?"

The thief deactivated her cloak just a few feet away, making Gregor and a few nearby knights reflexively reach for their weapons.

"What's up, Shep?"

Shepard jerked her head towards the wall. "Go back the way we came and keep an eye out. If something breaks through the defenses, I want to know before it gets here."

Kasumi gave a playful little salute. "You got it!"

"And take Ahuila with you, just in case," Shepard added. "She's almost as stealthy as you."

The Amazon raised an eyebrow. "Almost?"

"You can't turn invisible," Shepard pointed out, "but you can be there in case something gets too close. And your experience means that you can identify the biggest threats."

Ahuila accepted that with a nod, and after a moment, so did Kasumi. The thief wasn't used to being paired up on assignments, but she trusted Shepard's judgment. A moment later, the two were gone, vanished into the shadows.

The Everchosen scowled behind his helm as his warriors smashed their way into Altdorf. Even with his plans thrown off-course by the Dark Gods, he had hoped that his assault would not have been so costly. Thousands dead just trying to get through the gate, and thousands more trying to hold off the Imperial reinforcements and Orcs—which he was still shocked about. He had to give his grudging respect for the weak Emperor; the man was a brilliant tactician, and knew how to inspire the weakling southerners.

Still, it wasn't enough to hold back the tide, even when some of the Orcs had managed to force their way through and join up with the Imperials. Archaon had fought many Orcs in his life, but this Warboss was impressive; he and his cronies had slaughtered their way through hundreds of Chaos worshippers on their way to the gate, and it was taking far more effort than Archaon would like to push them back.

Indeed, the defenders were falling back in good order, keeping the Chaos hordes at bay with disciplined volleys of fire, and cutting down survivors with halberd and sword. If not for the brief panic caused by turning wounded Imperials into Spawn behind their lines, Archaon mused that he might not have been able to take the gate at all.

But that was a moot point now. He sat tall in his saddle as he rode through the gate; he paused for a moment as he passed a strange, blood-drenched tree, when another pulse of light flowed through the city. So close to the source, the light caused unbelievable agony, and even killed some of the weaker warriors. With a sneer of disdain and rage, Archaon cut the tree in two with a single blow of the Slayer of Kings to vent his frustration. He then pointed his sword toward the center of Altdorf, in the direction the Chaos Gods were practically forcing him.

"Kill them all."

"Damn, looks like they broke through the defenses," Kasumi muttered as she watched dozens of madmen stream past. She and Ahuila were safely tucked away in the shadows on a nearby rooftop, feeding targeting information to the Normandy. Risky as it was to the civilian population, the ship flew in dangerously close to the city to destroy the larger clusters of enemies. It wasn't enough to stop the tide, but it made them cautious, and that slowed them down, and every minute they delayed was another minute that reinforcements could arrive.

"It would appear that the chaff is gone," Ahuila noted. "They will send in their elites, and then we will have to pull back. I do not doubt that some of them will be able to sense us."

Kasumi pouted. "Magic makes everything so unfair." She peeked her head out again, and stared. "Whoa. Are those guys wearing gold?"

Ahuila followed her gaze and nodded. A large group of Chaos Warriors, over a hundred strong, was marching in perfect lockstep, each wearing brilliant gold armor and carrying weapons that glowed with infernal power. At the head of the force were even more luxuriously equipped warriors, carrying shields that were polished to a perfect sheen. At their center was, to Kasumi's eyes, the embodiment of Human perfection.

While his warriors marched like soldiers, the man leading them acted as if he was taking a leisurely stroll. His armor was sculpted perfectly to fit his flawless skin, and his long hair flowed like liquid gold. Though he didn't see her, it seemed to Kasumi that he was smiling right at her. Her mind grew fuzzy; all she could think to do was go to this man and do anything he wanted—

"Snap out of it!" Ahuila hissed, and slapped Kasumi across the face. The pain drove away the feelings of lust, and she shook her head.

"What was that?" she demanded.

Ahuila scowled. "They serve the God of Pleasure. Their very presence will cloud your mind. Do not let them corrupt you."

Kasumi looked at the perfect man again, and felt herself being lost. She quickly bit the inside of her cheek hard enough to draw blood. "We need to get back to Shep. Those guys are headed right for her, and the Normandy isn't due back for another three minutes."

"Agreed." The two women ran across the rooftops, abandoning stealth for speed.

"Hey, how come you didn't get all messed up by that guy?" Kasumi asked.

Ahuila scoffed. "I am an Amazon. I would never fall for the charms of a man, no matter how powerful he may be."

Kasumi blinked. "Oh." She shook her head again, and went for her comms. "Shep, you've got incoming."

Shepard was quick to respond. "Tell me what we're up against."

Kasumi briefly described the force heading towards her friend, and the otherworldly power their leader possessed.

"That sounds… annoying," Shepard said when Kasumi was done. "Try to get here before the bad guys do, okay?"

"Will do, Shep." Despite the insanity breaking out across the city, Kasumi grinned at Ahuila. "Race you!"

"They're wearing gold?" Felix shook his head in bitter amusement. "How gauche."

"I know, right?" Shepard laughed. "They might as well have signs saying 'shoot me, I'm stupid'!"

Those who heard her joined in the laughter. They knew that there was a tough battle ahead, and any excuse to break the tension was welcome.

"Hey, Shep," Kasumi said as she and Ahuila skidded to a stop. "They'll be here any minute." She glanced at the Amazon. "By the way, I win."

Ahuila scowled and shook her bloodstained spear. "Only because I had to kill the fool who got in my way!"

"Excuses, excuses."

Shepard rolled her eyes. "All right, you two, get in line." She raised her voice. "Anyone from the Normandy, I want you in a firing line; try to take out as many of the bastards as you can, but when they get close, fall back and let the knights do their job."

Her old friends and their forces nodded or saluted, and then positioned themselves just in front of the Ironrock Knights. They had barely finished preparing when the gold-clad warriors rounded the corner.

Shepard raised her rifle. "Fire at will!"

Bullets, tech attacks and biotics hammered the front ranks of the Chaos force. Many died, screaming in ecstasy or even thanking their killers, but those who were merely wounded began to charge. The barrage continued until there was only a hundred-meter gap between them.

"Cease fire!" Shepard ordered, and then she urged Stormwing into the air. "Charge!"

Gregor raised his war-pick and led his Inner Circle, the absolute tip of the spear. Shepard flew just above him, but rather than slam into the Chaos ranks, the Griffon flew over them, and then wheeled around to hit them from behind. Before her maneuver, however, Shepard dropped off her secret weapon; laughing madly, Gotrek leaped off the saddle and plummeted like an orange-tipped comet into the midst of the enemy. While the Slayer caused havoc and disrupted their formation, two forces hit from the front and behind.

The Chaos Warriors tried to form a shield wall, but for all the blessings their dark master had bestowed, they were ill-equipped to handle a force of heavy cavalry over two hundred strong, especially while Gotrek was rampaging in their midst. Dozens of them were pitched off their feet by lances, or hacked down by war-picks. Gregor himself accounted for almost fifteen kills before he felt a burning pain in his leg. Smiling up at him was the Chaos leader, who withdrew his bloody sword with a flourish.

"Such a simple matter," the man said, his voice as beautiful as his face. "You fight like a brute, and will die like a beast. So sayeth Sigvald the Magnificent."

Gregor didn't bother replying, and readied his war-pick; however, Sigvald noticed something in the mirrored inside of his shield and spun around to easily parry Shepard's axe.

"Stay away from my husband, you son of a bitch!" Shepard roared. Enraged, Stormwing echoed her shout with his own roar.

Sigvald raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "A woman? How curious. I wonder how you look beneath that armor. It has been some time since I bedded an Imperial."

Now it was Gregor's turn to be furious, and he spurred Mortis back into battle. The married couple swung their weapons with indignant ferocity, while their mounts lashed out with beak, claw and talon. To their frustration, Sigvald parried or blocked each strike with ease, moving so fast that they could barely track him.

"This conflict bores me," he said, even yawning as he flicked Gregor's war-pick out of the way. "I shall claim the glory of—"

He was interrupted by a bullet whizzing toward him. Incredibly, he was able to raise his shield in time to prevent his head from being blown off. Instead, the bullet bounced off the edge of the shield and nicked his cheek. Across the battlefield, Garrus huffed and turned to find another target. Where before, Sigvald had been calm and collected, the sensation of pain twisted his beatific features with rage.

"You dare mar my beauty!?" he screamed, even as the tiny cut on his face regenerated. "I will feed your guts to the hounds!"

Now it was Sigvald's turn to attack; he was as fast as ever, but his fury robbed him of his skill. The man flailed about like a child throwing a tantrum, even stomping his feet when Shepard and Gregor leaped out of his range.

"Enough of this crap," Shepard growled, then glanced at Gregor. "I'll go high, you go low?"

Her husband smiled grimly. "As you wish."

Stormwing leaped into the air, while Mortis lunged forward. Rather than try to jump on top of Sigvald, the Demigryph landed on his front paws just in front of him and spun around. His armored hind legs smashed against Sigvald's shield, driving him back long enough for Shepard to swoop down and bring her axe into the man's arm. Sigvald screamed as his sword, and the arm that held it, fell to the bloody ground; his scream turned into a cough when Gregor's pick slipped underneath his guard and pierced his lungs. Sigvald's golden armor was stained with blood as he fell to his knees.

"Pain in the ass," Shepard said as she landed.

"Indeed," Gregor agreed, but then his eyes went wide when he saw Sigvald's wound begin to close, and a new arm started to grow from the stump. "It's like fighting a troll!"

"Well, the best way to kill one of those is with fire." Shepard raised a hand to her helmet. "Zaeed, we're gonna need you to burn something for us."

Stormwing pinned Sigvald to the ground, just in case, while the battle wrapped up. Zaeed rushed over with a primed incendiary grenade, and waited for the Griffon to move before lighting up the Chaos Lord. With his regeneration blunted, Shepard drew her pistol and emptied an entire clip into the man's head.

"He's dead, right?" Shepard peered at the smoldering corpse suspiciously. "I just want to be sure."

Zaeed grinned. "No problem, Shepard."

A few bursts of plasma reduced the body to ash, and Shepard nodded in approval. "All right, that's one problem solved. Everyone, form back up!"

The battle had been short, but costly. Thirty knights were dead, and over a dozen more were too injured to fight. Gregor's wound was easily healed, thanks to some medigel, but Shepard still worried about him; he was skilled, but he was also getting old, and even a wound that was nonlethal to most might be too much for him.

"Don't worry," Gregor whispered when he noticed his wife's concern. "I am aware of my limits, and I have no intention of dying here."

Shepard smiled at him. "Good."

"General!" Shepard turned and saw Teclis waving her over. "We've figured it out! We know how to win this war!"

"Oh." Shepard grinned. "Awesome!"

And that's where the chapter ends! I'm pretty sure that next chapter will be the finale, followed by a brief epilogue chapter, so be prepared!

Not going to say much about this chapter, other than 'yes, I killed Parral'. I'm not sorry. If you thought that my original characters had plot armor, that is no longer the case. And I while I did want Grimgor in this, I didn't want to drag the chapter on and on by going into detail about what he's doing. He's Grimgor. He kills stuff real good. Oh, and I know that I've never put Sigvald into this story before, but I know he was in the End Times, so I thought I'd throw in the biggest narcissist in Warhammer Fantasy. And now he's dead.

Anyway, yeah, things are still not so great for me. At this point, I'm counting down the weeks until my parents kick me out, and I have almost no money, and no one is hiring me. Please help me by buying my book at my website (link in my profile), or look up Alpha Sanction by Josh Gottlieb on Amazon. If you've done that already, or just want to be a really cool person who earns some serious good karma, please become one of my patrons (also a link in my profile). Remember, if all of you donate at least five bucks a month, I'll be able to write fan fiction all the time!

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Next Chapter: Chaos makes its final charge! Who will live… and who will die?

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