Karmen fought the urge to roll her eyes and tore her attention from Attelus to Inquisitor Enandra. She knew almost everyone in the room besides Attelus could read her annoyance, but she hardly cared; she'd never been great at hiding her emotions; she had that in common with Attelus. Karmen bit her tongue; she wanted to tell him to get the frig over it; Elandria was dead and had been so for three years now. Elandria was now an enemy, and if he hesitated even for a millisecond...

During those six months on Omnartus, as Taryst waged that war against Brutis Bones and gangs, Karmen had been inside the minds of Attelus and Elandria many times. Attelus' attraction and growing affection towards Elandria was as unsubtle as it was annoying. Still, he also was slowly finding a strong friendship with the rest of his "squad" made of Taryst's direct employees Garrakson, Torris, Callague and Jarvus. Despite the constant drudgery and repetition of trying to find a way to track down Brutis Bones and the almost daily brutal skirmishes with Moody Hammers. Attelus had found the friendships he'd spent years looking for, although he only knew this deep in his subconscious, his crush on Elandria and misery of being a disposable pawn dominating his thoughts.

It was one of the reasons Karmen had asked Taryst to elevate him. An offer Attelus had refused. Despite how much she looked, though Karmen couldn't find the reason why Attelus was a mercenary as six years prior, she had tried to erase his memories of his traumatising time living in the ruins of Varander as an animalistic scavenger, then as a warrior killing Chaos patrols for their supplies so he wouldn't become an assassin but the historian he truly wished to be. She'd succeeded in erasing those memories, including their meeting and their fight against the enemy. Still, she couldn't find why the motivation to become a mercenary hadn't gone with them no matter how hard she looked.

And Elandria, well, Elandria was interesting. She was in a constant state of cognitive dissonance. She was meant to be a brainwashed assassin beyond the concepts of "love" or even "attraction", but she didn't just have a crush on Taryst, which she left out on her sleeve, too bad for her Taryst wasn't playing on her side.

Or actually, she was lucky. But she was...in love with Attelus. It was why she allowed him to call her "El" where she wouldn't have allowed anyone else do it. This "love" she tried to hide behind a wall of anger and resentment toward Attelus. But that anger and resentment were actually toward herself, as she believed she should've been above it.

It didn't help that everyone saw how they felt toward each other, and Garrakson would tease them about it. In fact, almost every young woman who worked in Taryst's organisation had some sort of crush on Attelus, frigging Adelana included. It was annoying. While Karmen was in an induced coma, she heard that after Attelus attempted to sacrifice himself to save people from a rampaging arco-flagellant, she was so upset, she emotionally tortured him by refusing to tell him if he managed to save the people or not, having lost his memory of the fight. That was likely her twisted way to express her upset and anxiety at almost losing him and trying to make sure he'd never do such a thing ever again. She was also taken up in pretending to be far more ignorant and unobservant than what she really was.

Karmen glanced at Tathe, and he nodded. Tathe then explained that daemons had begun to appear among the Resurrected's ranks, the accursed Bloodletters, but the flame troopers he'd sent to take point by then had taken care of them, mostly. But it wasn't taking long for their promethium to run out. Tathe was also forced to fight an old friend of his, a Marangerian Captain Valketh, power sword to power sword. Tathe praised Dellenger the most, though; his skill in close quarters combat was so great that if it weren't for him, the casualties would've been far, far worse. In hindsight, Tathe had never seen the scout fight so effectively in all the years they'd served together, almost as if Dellenger had been holding back until then. Dellenger seemed almost inhuman then. Tathe soon found he was fighting not just the captain but a Resurrected former Velrosian scout and a cultist. He would've been overwhelmed and impaled on the scout's bayonet if Scout-Sergeant Adreen didn't sacrifice herself.

Tears welled in Tathe's eyes, and Karmen couldn't understand how he didn't break down yet; they recalled a battle which he'd led his soldiers into that left only a few dozen alive from the just under one thousand that'd begun. Many of whom he'd known for decades.

'I...loved, Adreen,' Tathe said; he seemed to explode words out of his chest like he was exhaling a breath he'd been holding for hours. 'She wasn't just one of my most trusted officers and advisors, but my best friend. We grew up in that regiment together. Dellenger might have been a better scout and warrior, but Adreen was a true leader and one of the soldiers who was the glue of the regiment. Seeing her die made me lose my mind. I would've rushed forward and been killed if Karmen hadn't stopped me.'

Tathe looked at Karmen and gave her an appreciative nod. 'Karmen managed to bring me back. To continue fighting and make damned sure Adreen's sacrifice wasn't in vain. The men and women of the Elbyran regiments needed me if we were going to be victorious.'

'Such is the burden of leadership,' said Enandra, nodding, and if anyone else in the room knew this, it would be her. 'I am sorry for your loss, Commissar.'

'Thank you, mamzel Inquisitor,' said Tathe, and he cleared his throat and kept on with the report. An hour after hour of fighting and killing and walking over the corpses of their comrades, they finally reached the final four-way junction before the blood sands fell down to the bottom of the tower. But by then, they were exhausted, their ammunition almost runs dry, their numbers reduced to barely over two hundred. The enemy the Resurrected and daemons poured into them like a tidal wave. In the span of a few seconds, dozens of loyal Marangerian, Velrosian, Galak Heiman and Despasian soldiers were slaughtered en masse.

They would've lost then and there if it wasn't for the Sovrithian 81st rifles along with Throne Agent Jelket suddenly hitting the Resurrected's open flank. Their lasguns cut swathe after swathe through the enemy, who reeled and baulked, caught completely off guard.

'That had been the plan Captain Dantian and I had made,' said Tathe. 'I felt my father would focus on me and the Elbyrans, especially as we managed to get closer and closer to the main tower, allowing the Sovrithians to move freely. It was a huge gamble as Dantian wasn't exactly the most agreeable of men, and we'd been in conflict earlier. He told me later he was tempted just to leave us to our fate, but he didn't. Thank the Emperor.'

'Thank Jelket, too,' said Karmen.

'Yes, my apologies, Karmen. Thank you, Jelket. You were a damn fine soldier, indeed.'

Enandra made the sign of the Aquila. 'I never regretted taking Jelket into my service. Despite his insecurities, his skills not being the greatest and his...strange beliefs. He had heart and never hesitated in his duties and always managed to somehow overcome the odds.'

'That he did,' said Karmen, nodding. 'That he did.'

'I know we might be skipping ahead,' said Enandra. 'But how did he die?'

Karmen flinched, and Tathe couldn't help glance at Attelus, who was keeping his eyes still strictly downcast.

This made Enandra's brow knot and her lips purse while Arlathan's and Vex's eyes widened.

'If you don't mind, mamzel Inquisitor,' said Karmen smoothly. 'We'll get to that later, my apologies.'

Tathe frowned and continued; he told of how the Sovrithians brought them supplies and that they heroically managed to hold the line against the hordes of Resurrected to allow the Elbyrans and the Throne Agents to have some much, much-needed rest.

Tathe stopped and looked at Attelus; he flinched and seemed to blink his blank eyes back to life and gain control of himself again.

'Y-yes, sorry,' he said. 'Uhh, the medicae servitors patched me back up in the Guncutter up in orbit. Uhh, it was touch and go, but I got through it. Healed up.'

'And how long did that take?' said Vex.

'Not long, you know I heal fast due to my enhanced metabolism,' said Attelus with a shrug. 'I wanted to go straight down and get back into the fight, but Adelana, she...'

His eyes widened for a split second before his face was back to normal. Karmen frowned; she couldn't remember Attelus mentioning anything about that during their planning for this.

'Adelana and Kalakor wanted to wait for a more opportune time to strike.'

'Wait,' said Arlathan. 'Her and Kalakor?'

'Yes,' said Kalakor; the sudden deep resonation from the Space Marine made Vex and Hadrel wince. 'I had sneaked onboard their ship when it had landed to rescue Attelus Kaltos and Adelana Helgen on the roof of that building. I showed myself to them and proposed this. Young Adelana Helgen saw the merit, but Attelus Kaltos had fell into the trap of over-sentimentality and wished to throw away a tactical advantage because he did not to risk his people's lives for much longer. An arrogant presumption and-'

'Yes, thank you, Kalakor,' sighed Attelus. 'I followed your advice eventually, didn't I?'

'That you did,' said Kalakor. 'But if you truly are the "pragmatist" you claim to be so often, you should have either thought of it yourself or agreed to it quicker.'

Attelus sighed again. 'Please, just let me continue for frig's sake. Or do you want to take over?'

'No, you may continue, now.'

Attelus grimaced but still started to tell of how he called Tathe, then his team, about Kalakor's plan and that he agreed with it. To hold him, Kalakor, Adelana and the Guncutter in reserve for only when it was the most necessary, and this were during the time the Elbyrans had their rest.

'How did you feel about this, Karmen?' said Enandra, and Karmen couldn't help grin; she hoped Enandra would ask that.

'We were too frigging tired to get upset by it much,' said Karmen. 'And I have to admit, Attelus gave us a not too bad "amazing, awe-inspiring speech". Hayden, he wasn't happy though, he left the conversation about halfway through it. I couldn't blame him, he had some points about Attelus, but his anger and bitterness were...disturbing. He truly believed he should have been placed in charge; his age, his experience both exceeded Attelus', which is true, but it was also because he's always been so good at everything that he would be passed over for something implied he isn't as good at something as he thought, which implied he was imperfect. Which is everyone, in reality, including him, and that's a reality he didn't have to face until then.' Attelus also not too subtly tried to lay the blame on Kalakor.

'An excellent psychological evaluation,' said Arlathan. 'That and the corruption of the world was getting to him.'

'That too,' said Enandra. 'That's probably the most important reason, and Karmen is trying to avoid mentioning it as she is about them and-'

'We aren't corrupted,' said Attelus.

Enandra, Karmen and Arlathan turned to him. Attelus glared down at them, his gloved fists at his sides.

'Oh?' said Enandra. 'How do you figure that?'

'Well, firstly, you probably wouldn't be in this room with us right now if you truly believed we were. Secondly, we managed to defeat the corruption, all of us, even Hayden.'

'Please do elaborate, Attelus.'

Attelus sighed. 'Because most of us chose humanity, we defeated the temptation of Chaos. We made sure not to go down the easy route. I...I also realised the real way to fight Chaos corruption.'

'Really?' said Enandra, and Karmen didn't like the condescension in her tone. 'And what's that?'

'This...this might come off as heresy to many, but it isn't hatred, it isn't faith in the Emperor, it isn't sheer willpower, it isn't even "The Armour of Contempt", although all those things can help. It's self-awareness. You must know yourself well enough to know when the corruption is making your flaws take over...No, "flaws" isn't the right word. Your worst parts of yourself is a better word. I saw that I was...being taken over by my uhh, tendency to be ruthless and to enjoy battle and the fight too much. My...murderous side, if I may be blunt. So much so, even Kalakor thought I was disturbed. I realised this and fought to take control of it, to rein it in, so to speak. Not let it consume me...utterly.'

'That's...interesting...' said Arlathan.

Attelus nodded. 'If I hadn't learned of that side of myself during my time on Omnartus and embraced it. It might've consumed me. Just like Hayden almost let his...bad side consume him.'

'If he let his "bad side" consume him, why do you think he isn't corrupted?' said Enandra.

'Hmm, two reasons,' said Attelus. 'First that he chose his humanity or was forced to choose which will be elaborated on later. The second...is that the Eldar vouched for him.'

Now that made Enandra's, Arlathan's, and Vex's eyes go so wide they seemed to bulge out of their sockets.

'The Eldar vouched for him?' said Enandra, almost through her teeth.

'Or, to be more precise, one Eldar, a warlock named Klrith,' said Attelus. 'They can sense corruption better than us, it's almost natural to them, but he was better than most. But he also said that Hayden can still potentially fall; that's one of the reasons why we've been keeping him confined to his quarters and-'

'Tell me, Attelus Xanthis Kaltos, why should I believe the word of a duplicitous Eldar!' snapped Enandra.

'Because not all Eldar are like that,' said Attelus. 'Klrith is...alright. He used to hate mankind, but now he doesn't...as much, now. I trust him, isn't that enough? They helped us get to Sarkeath, didn't they?'

Enandra shrugged. 'That is all well and good, Attelus, but I do not know or have even met this Klrith. For all I know, this could be some far-reaching plan of theirs to pretend you aren't corrupted. That is what the Eldar do, damn it.'

'I can assure you they want to fight against Etuarq as much as we do.'

Enandra tilted her head. 'Do they? Do they now, Attelus? Then why in the Emperor's frigging name they let you and your team go down the Sarkeath alone?'

'Yes, but-'

'They're just using you, and you're too naive to see it!'

'I...believe they'll help next time I ask, I mean in a more militant way than just being glorified transportation service. They lost their Craftworld, and Farseer Faleaseen has been afraid to lose more of her people and that Etuarq would be able to steal their psychic souls to fuel his agenda faster.'

'Of course, she does. She'll give you every excuse in the damn book to make sure you dance on her strings.'

'It's true, I swear it, mamzel Inquisitor. I swear it. Faleaseen when she...She was at first going to use me as a pawn, but after Omnartus, I managed to earn her respect.'

Enandra rolled her eyes and looked to Karmen and Tathe. 'What do you two believe?'

'I...I think I believe them,' said Karmen. 'I think that Autarch Raloth Arlyandor genuinely wishes to extend a hand to us. To work with mankind for the benefit of both our species. Him and a few very liberal of his people we interacted with. I cannot speak for Faleaseen, though I have never met her. But Adelana and Torris will agree if you ask them if that means anything to you.'

'Of course, it means something to me,' said Enandra. She seemed hurt by this. 'I do intend to interview them after this as well.'

Karmen nodded. Over their time travelling, after Attelus' had talked to Kalakor, she and Warlock Klrith had been subtly changing the memories of all of the survivors to coincide with their "report". Vark had said that'd happen when they were travelling to Sarkeath, and, damn it, he was right. Karmen hoped the false memories would hold up to any probing by that bitch Selva. But she'd watched Klrith work, and he was the most deft and skilled psyker she'd ever seen.

It made Karmen think of the daemon's words yet again.

'Alright,' said Enandra after a few seconds of consideration, then she looked at Tathe.

'What do you think, Commissar?'

'I'm sorry, mamzel Inquisitor, but I didn't interact much with any of the Eldar, so my opinion isn't worth much. I can tell you it took me a while to get used to, most of the time I'd just been killing them, well, except for one time...' But they did pick us up from that accursed world and many of them I spoke to during our time travelling with them were polite enough.

Tathe's eyes glazed over, making everyone look at him.

'Except for one time?' said Enandra.

'Never mind,' said Tathe. 'I can tell you about that. Let's just say it was the time I got this...'

Tathe raised his augmetic hand in a fist.

'Hmm, interesting, yes,' said Attelus. 'I never read in the records of you having a more peaceful encounter with the Eldar, commissar. How that happened was omitted from the reports. I would like to know, especially.'

'Me as well,' said Karmen. 'Anyway, continue your report, please, Attelus.'

'Of course,' said Attelus. 'Our plan to the wait in orbit came to an end when daemonic fighter ships started to emerge from the warp and came after us and, it was incredible. Darrance was amazing as a pilot. They shot at us with missiles which he used Sarkeath's atmosphere to blow up. But then a bunch of enemies teleported on the ship in our cargo bay, and Kalakor, Adelana and myself had to fight them off. It was...'

'Fun?' said Enandra.

'I've got to admit it was,' said Attelus, not bothering to hide a smile. 'Once we'd killed them, Darrance really pulled out the stops, and he destroyed the daemonic craft by dropping a building on them.'

'That's...impressive,' said Arlathan.

'Yeah, he lured them by flying through it. I've never been so terrified in my life,' said Attelus.

'I bet,' said Enandra.

'While that was happening...' said Tathe; he then described how the Elbyrans and the Sovrithians finally began to push over the lip of the blood sands hill and towards the tower. How there they suffered far too many casualties, despite Karmen's kine-shield. But the enemy suffered much, much more, morale was up, and their blood boiled.

Until a frigging Bloodthirster emerged from the huge main entrance of the tower and the report of enemy ships bearing down on them.

'By then, we'd just managed to arrive on time,' said Attelus. 'Darrance destroyed the enemy ships and went up against the Bloodthirster. Dodging its whip, which seemed to stretch out for the ship while firing the lascannons into it over and over, but they didn't seem to do anything. Until I got an idea, a typically insane idea.'

'What was that?'

Attelus exchanged a smile with Karmen. 'I told Darrance to try to get above the Bloodthirster, but that was incredibly easier said than done as he weathered attack after attack from the daemon, so...'

'I saw what was going on,' said Tathe. 'So I asked Karmen to try to hold back the Bloodthirster with her telekinesis.'

Everyone turned to Karmen then.

'I am presuming you managed this nigh impossible feat because all of you are still alive and telling us about this?' said Enandra.

Karmen felt pride blaze inside her chest. 'I did, the effort made me use all of my strength, blackout, and it was only for a few seconds, but I managed it, somehow. It prevented me from protecting many soldiers, but it was worth it as it helped Darrance fly above the daemon.'

'I didn't know it was her at the time, but Kalakor and I took advantage of the opening. We leapt out of the airlock and, using the momentum of our falls, cut through the Bloodthirster's wings, making it fall back to the ground. Kalakor rode it down while I used a grav-chute.'

'I saw all of it,' said Tathe. 'It was one of the most spectacular things I've ever witnessed.'

Attelus frowned. 'Awww, not the most spectacular? That's a bit disappointing, in all honesty.'

Tathe shrugged. 'I've been in the guard for decades, now. I've seen a lot of things.'

'What the frig happened next?' said Vex. He seemed now utterly enamoured in the story.

Attelus shared another glance with Karmen, this was where another lie was coming up, and they had to play this just right. Then they both looked to Kalakor.

'I held off the daemon after we hit the ground,' said the Marine, taking the floor smoothly. 'The Greater Daemon's fall disconcerted the Resurrected, damaging their morale. It was also injured somewhat by the fall, I was unable to fight it, but I managed to evade its blow as they flew my way like, rain. Attelus eventually managed to join me soon, which took some pressure off me.'

'As this was happening, my remaining soldiers and I were fighting our way to the entrance, taking advantage of the stunned enemy to advance as fast as we could,' said Tathe. 'Mr Darrance and the Guncutter stayed above us, protecting us from the enemy ships flying in to shoot us. Karmen, Torris, Halsin, Delathasi, Jelket and Helma decided to go help Attelus and Kalakor.'

'Adelana, because of the suggestion of Darrance, left the Guncutter and gravchuted to the ground,' said Karmen. 'She was going to land amongst the hordes of the Resurrected, so I pulled her to us with the last of my strength.'

'That's good,' said Arlathan. 'That's good of you.'

Karmen looked at the Interrogator, trying to find any condescension in his tone and face, but she found none. He knew more than anyone how she felt about little Adelana as they had confided with each other about their frustrations over the years. Arlathan with Enandra, Karmen with Attelus. For a while, Karmen and Arlathan been lovers, frigging each other almost in a way that was an outlet rather than much else. There was a mutual attraction; Arlathan was a damn handsome man even with his beard, which Karmen had never found men with facial hair that attractive. Although it was a nice one, he grew it because Enandra had expressed she liked it.

After months of frigging behind everyone's back, Karmen and Arlathan seemed to drift apart, as if they'd got out their frustration then. But ever since they'd been close as friends, using each other as sounding boards for things, they didn't dare tell anyone else. Karmen had grown to respect him immensely over the years. Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, Arlathan had turned out to be a frigging excellent Interrogator. He'd come a long way from the sleazy, cowardly Magistratum detective she'd met, then verbally tore apart back on Omnartus.

Karmen looked away from Arlathan and to Kalakor.

'As Attelus and I evaded the daemon's attacks,' said Kalakor, 'Attelus and the Bloodthirster then just abruptly disappeared.'

'Just...abruptly disappeared?' said Vex.

'Indeed,' said Kalakor. 'How many times must I re-iterate that it penetrates through the thick, wide landscape you call a forehead.'

Attelus snorted, and Vex's jaw dropped.

'Anyway,' said Enandra as she seemed to fight to keep from smiling. 'They disappeared? How?'

'Sorcery,' said Karmen. 'We earlier mentioned the god of change was involved. This was one of its contributions to the war. We managed to reach Kalakor not long after the daemon's and Attelus' disappearances.'

'So, where'd you disappear to, Attelus?' said Arlathan.

Attelus shrugged. 'To some white void of nothingness, trapped there with the Bloodthirster, but we are going ahead a bit.'

Attelus then looked at Tathe.

'Vark and Hayden decided to come with us,' said Tathe. 'They wanted to leave Attelus and Kalakor to their fate with the Bloodthirster.'

'Did you too wish to leave him?' said Enandra.

'Yes,' said Tathe. 'I was too focused on getting to the tower. I was...almost falling into it, mamzel. I'm not ashamed to admit it. If it wasn't for Dellenger, my best friend, I probably would've too. He made me see that I was losing my humanity. As Attelus had said, the true way to fight corruption is to know yourself, know your negative traits, your darkness so you can see when it's taking you over. I didn't have that self-awareness. It was Dellenger who pulled me out of that darkness. It prevented me from becoming like my father. Kept me from rendering Adreen's sacrifice and all of the men and women's sacrifices under my command worthless.'

Enandra nodded. 'Sometimes the end does not justify the means, and I cannot believe you are being so open about your potential corruption, commissar.'

'I only tell it so openly because I am so certain that my actions speak loud enough to get rid of any doubt of my purity.'

Enandra studied him for a good while before nodding ever so slightly. 'And you have truly embraced the purpose of this war.'

'I have, and so have all the men and women who have chosen to come with us back to the Calixis Sector. And we are soldiers of the Imperial Guard. Our oaths to the Emperor and the Imperium of Mankind are more binding than anything else in this vast galaxy, mamzel Inquisitor. By coming here, by risking our deaths at the behest of the hardline and infamous Inquisition, I think this proves how seriously we take this purpose of yours.'

Tathe waved his hand at Attelus and Karmen. 'Of there's and-'

'You do know, good commissar, that over the millennia, too many soldiers of the Imperial Guard to count have broken their oaths,' said Enandra. 'Too many have turned their backs on the Emperor and the Imperium of Mankind, whether to serve the ruinous powers or Xenos...'

When she said Xenos, she gave Attelus the slightest of glances, but he didn't baulk, which Karmen couldn't help be impressed by.

'I would argue, mamzel Inquisitor. Those traitors were not true guardsmen, and I would know, I have been a commissar for many decades now.'

Enandra barked a laugh. 'Yes, I suppose you would know you are a commissar and a well known and effective one at that. But your proclamation speaks of arrogance, Tathe.'

Tathe shrugged. 'I suppose it could, but it isn't. This is me making a statement, mamzel. It is truth, this I swear.'

Karmen couldn't help gape and share a look with Attelus. None of that they'd rehearsed; Karmen shouldn't have been surprised; he was famous for his oratory skill.

Smiling, Enandra sat back in her chair and placed her palms behind her head. 'I see...I understand what you say, but you must be aware that you are using a logical fallacy-'

'The "No True Scotireman fallacy,"' said Kalakor.

'That's it,' said Enandra. 'Although, we have another term for it.'

Tathe's eyes narrowed. 'What does that mean?'

Enandra sighed. 'Never mind. Despite that fallacy, I find I cannot help agreeing with you. Anyway, please continue with your novel-length story.'

Kalakor nodded. This was a time to lie. 'It was then that Serghar Kaltos and his people appeared seemingly from nowhere and Serghar Kaltos used a ritual knife, what he called an athame to pierce the veil allowing us entrance into the...realm that Attelus Kaltos and the Bloodthirster fought inside-'

'Wait,' said Enandra. 'Why did Serghar Kaltos suddenly decide to help you?'

'Because Attelus' survival was intrinsic to his mission,' said Kalakor. 'And with that strange knife, he claimed he could get rid of the Bloodthirster, and he needed our aid to do it.'

'And you trusted him?' said Arlathan, and Karmen had never heard his voice so high-pitched before. Good, that was what they wanted.

Kalakor nodded. 'We had no choice, so we and his agents fought off the enemy as Serghar sliced a hole through the wall of reality.'

'So, what was this knife? How did it work?' said Enandra, she seemed to bleed frustration, but Karmen wasn't sure why. Was it the fact that she seemed ignorant of something for once? Or at their co-operation with Serghar Kaltos? Or she could tell they were...twisting the truth?

Kalakor shrugged. 'I do not know, some foul sorcery of a kind beyond me, that is the purview of the Holy Ordos, is it not?'

'Not mine, I assure you, Sergeant,' said Enandra. 'I have never heard of such a weapon before an "athame", was it? Our enemy has summoned daemonic beings and caused the deaths of billions and brought back people from the dead, and I should not be surprised they make use of such...esoteric items.'

Karmen fought back a smile, and it seemed Enandra had believed him.

Hopefully.

Enandra looked to Attelus. 'And what in the Emperor's name was happening to you while this was going on? You weren't seriously fighting a Bloodthirster all this while alone?'

Attelus' pale face went bright red as his attention fell to the floor, and he shuffled his foot, how frigging childish. 'I wouldn't say "fighting", mamzel Enandra. It was more like me constantly dodging it as it attacked again and again and again. So I wasn't fighting it, that'd imply-'

'Yes, Attelus, just shut up with your damned semantics,' said Enandra.

'How. In. The Golden Throne did you manage that?' said Arlathan.

'Dodging, darting, ducking, weaving, all of the adjectives along those lines. Just constant desperate as frig dodging, Arlathan. I have no idea how long I did that, It could've been a few hours or a few seconds, but I'd never done more evasive manoeuvres in my life. Perhaps I did more evasive manoeuvres than all of my other fights combined. The Bloodthirster's reach and speed made it utterly impossible for me to take even a single step forwards.'

'So, is that the only reason it went to the effort to pull you into that sub-dimension?' said Enandra. 'To fight you and kill you?'

Attelus pursed his red lips and shrugged in his childish way. 'Perhaps? I don't know, in all honesty, mamzel Enandra. It never spoke to me. I don't understand the ways and reasons of daemons.'

That was another lie. The Bloodthirster had asked Attelus to pledge his soul to the blood god in exchange for enough "power" to defeat his father. Attelus had obviously refused much to Karmen's pride, but they didn't want the Inquisitor to know that Attelus had the interest of one of the most powerful of Khorne's servants. It made sense due to his...more bloodthirsty side he has to keep control of. But if Farseer Faleaseen didn't have his soul, would he have even been able to refuse?

Karmen fought a smile, Attelus' lie was without any hint of falsehood, just the exact right amount of eye contact and everything that was because he was adhering to the philosophy of "the best way to lie is, to tell the truth" as he truly didn't understand the ways of daemons, that was the purview of the Chaos corrupted and insane, or at least they believed it was. But also, he seemed better at it than before, his encounter with Inquisitor Draven had taught him something it seemed, even though he could act like a child, he was always learning from his experiences, especially from his mistakes which were now far too many to count.

Although, the state of Attelus' sanity was highly questionable. And so was Karmen's too, now she thought about it. But such an impeccable lie might not be enough against Enandra as she knew and followed said philosophy.

Karmen looked to Enandra; her face was unreadable as she stared at Attelus with her large, wizened eyes that gave away her true age despite her regular and extensive rejuvenant procedures. That was something Karmen and Enandra had in common. When Karmen was named Estella Erith, she too was vain enough to begin rejuvenant in her early twenties, effectively freezing them at that age. But eventually, no matter how many times you have your treatments, you'll eventually be brought down by the ravages of time as the decades fly by like an Eldar star-ship phasing and slicing through the void. She couldn't help envy Attelus for his supposed immortality, but in his case, it seemed more a curse than anything else.

'Well, you don't,' said Enandra, finally breaking the silence, and Karmen had to fight from flinching. 'And I understand your ignorance, but you should know more than anyone that you must "know your enemy", Attelus Kaltos. So, you have to find a way to learn why the daemon wanted you dead so much, the and attention ire from such a beast is very much beyond important, I cannot emphasise that enough, understood?'

Karmen forced down a relieved sigh as Attelus nodded so fast his long, brown hair writhed and whipped out into Karmen's face.

'Y-yes, mamzel.'

Enandra studied Attelus for a good few seconds more before looking back to Kalakor. 'May I guess what occurred next, Lord Astartes?'

'Go ahead, mamzel Inquisitor.'

Enandra smiled, which was thin despite her magnificently full lips, before looking back to Attelus. 'I am guessing that Attelus was driven far and beyond his limits, and a split-second before the Bloodthirster killed him, he was saved. By who, though?'

'It was my father,' said Attelus. 'Then he, Kalakor, Delathasi and his agents excluding...excluding Elandria charged the Bloodthirster. They held it at bay as...Elandria used the athame to open another portal, this one into the tower itself.'

That was another lie, and another lie Attelus delivered impeccably. It was Kalakor who opened the portal, and the Elandria-thing took part in fighting the Bloodthirster.

'I...I must commend Delathasi for showing such incredible courage,' said Attelus. 'She didn't hesitate, mamzel Enandra. Three years ago, as an apprentice, like a coward, I'd run in terror from just a frigging Arco Flaggelant, but she'd faced down one of the most terrifying and dangerous creatures in this galaxy and fought it like a bastard.'

Enandra shrugged. 'You did...but you weren't pumped up with combat drugs, and you did overcome your fear and face it, did you not? You saved all of those innocent Imperial citizens. So, do not beat yourself up too much. But I agree, that is impressive, incredibly impressive.'

'I suggest she is permanently employed into our organisation, mamzel Enandra. Darrance her m'

'Oh, really?' said Enandra. 'Well, alright. If you wish to ask the Blades of Vengeance for her permanent transfer, tell them you have my backing. But I must inform you. If I were another Inquisitor, I would likely have you killed, all of you, for merely being in a near proximity of such a creature.'

Attelus shrugged. 'I am aware your friend Inquisitor Draven would very likely be one of those.'

'I am confused about that,' said Enandra. 'You arrive in the Scintilla system in his ship and him inside of one a cell. That's...quite incredible. He was working in Askellon Sector, wasn't he?'

She trailed off in her sentence. 'As much as I would like to hear how you managed to defeat and humiliate that arsehole so entirely, we should continue on the subject at hand. What happened next?'

'Torris,' said Attelus. 'It was Marcel "frigging" Torris frigging stepped up, mamzel Enandra. He, with his meltagun, perfectly timed a shot through the melee. A shot that hit the daemon square in the chest, hurting a shit ton and making it fall to its misshapen knees.'

Enandra grinned and pumped her fist. 'Excellent! That's excellent! Great job, Marcel! What were you doing while this was happening, Attelus? You and Karmen and the others?'

'I...vomited all over myself,' said Attelus. 'Adelana was with me. She was concerned to hell and back. Verenth and Halsin were helping me stand. The exertion destroyed me. I couldn't move at all. Karmen was too exhausted to do anything, drained of her power as well.'

'I understand. You did excellently, Attelus. Hmm,' Enandra looked at Kalakor, her eyes narrowing. 'And you were fighting against the daemon alongside the Bloodthirster? After its defeat, what did you do?'

'I retreated, carrying the exhausted Delathasi as Serghar Kaltos finished it with the athame, using my invisibility while they were distracted.'

'Why didn't you fight them?'

'They were formidable, most especially Serghar Kaltos and all wielded power weapons. The overall mission at hand was too important for me to die there. Not as of then, anyway. Especially because they were not.'

'How...pragmatic,' said Enandra as she gave Attelus and Karmen glances, which caused Karmen to frown. Whydid she look at me? 'From what little I know of your chapter, the Raven Guard, it does sound like a tactic they would approve of.'

'Of course, mamzel Inquisitor, us and our successor The Raptors, them especially. Victory is all that matters, and that is that.'

'Indeed,' said Enandra. 'In the name of the Emperor and His Imperium of Mankind.'

'Indeed,' said Kalakor with a slight nod.

'Enandra looked back to Attelus. 'And you were aware that the reason why your father saved you and defeated the daemon was so you lived on for his machinations?'

'I was...' said Attelus. 'Well, I'd forgotten, in all honesty. Too busy fighting to breathe and vomiting to remember much or think straight.'

'But yet you and everyone else went through the portal created for you at your father's behest?'

Attelus and Karmen shared looks, and Attelus replied, 'Yeah, we did.'

'Yeah, we did...?'

'Yeah, we did, Mamzel Enandra.'

'That's better, Attelus Kaltos. You can make all the excuses in the galaxy, young man. But there must be more, something beside the need to defeat general Tathe driving you so blindly into the enemy's agenda. What was that something else? Please do enlighten me, Attelus.'

Attelus sighed and folded his arms, they'd known this question would come and this part they'd rehearsed and planned out more than anything else. Karmen just prayed he didn't frig it up.

'Mamzel Enandra,' said Attelus. 'Have you heard of something called a Perpetual?'

'I cannot say I have. I would ask you what that is, but you mentioning it, I assume, means you are about to tell me, anyway.'

Attelus nodded, he looked nervous, and Karmen couldn't blame him. 'It's an immortal, someone or something that can die but it's...temporary and Farseer Faleaseen had hinted that our enemy former Inquisitor Etuarq with all of his power could be one and-'

'And what? What does that have to do with it?'

'I was just about to get to that part, Mamzel. I learned from my father that there was a sword, a sword somehow hidden in the top of the main tower by some sorcery millennia ago. It was a daemon weapon named The Sword of Kalncerak or Kalncerak, or whatever it was called. And that it ate souls. So, I thought...'

Sudden anger blazed in Enandra's eyes. 'So you thought what, Attelus? So you frigging thought what?'

'I thought...if Inquisitor Etuarq was a perpetual-'

Enandra stood and slammed her palms on the table, causing all of the cups and cutlery to shake. 'You fool! You little fool! A daemon weapon? You considered using a daemon weapon!'

Attelus didn't reply, his eyes becoming plastered on the floor.

Enandra stared at him, but the anger in her eyes slipped away and seemed to be replaced with shining sadness, and she shook her head.

'Attelus...I know you're pragmatic, but that's just taking it too far. Consorting with Xenos is one thing, but...'

Enandra drained off in her sentence, rolled her eyes and sighed. 'This is my fault, isn't it? I encouraged you to do what must be done for victory. The ends justifies the means...But as we have established sometimes, it doesn't, such as sacrificing our souls to Chaos! You should know this, Attelus! And you were considering doing it in one of the most spectacular ways one can! And not just that, but wasn't it obvious your father was manipulating you? That your retrieval of that sword of whatever the frig it was called as part of their agenda?'

'You see why I said I shouldn't have been put in charge of this mission, now?' said Attelus.

Enandra rubbed her eyes and shook her head. 'I think I am, Attelus. I think I am. It was you, wasn't it, Attelus? You killed Jelket, Vark, Verenth and Helma? You became ensnared by that daemon sword's influence, didn't you?'

Attelus winced but kept his attention downcast, and Karmen frowned. She didn't expect Enandra would guess it so fast; she should have realised it. Enandra was an Inquisitor and an incredibly skilled one at that. Karmen couldn't help think back, back to their time in the Audacious Edge after they were rescued from Omnartus when Attelus said that they just so happened to be hired by an Inquisitor like Enandra seemed too good to be true. After everything, Karmen could see his point, she saw it a long time ago, but that'd been for Etuarq's plans. But now, now it seemed the machinations of something else, especially after her encounter with the Tzeentchian daemon on Omnartus.

'You are correct, mamzel Inquisitor,' said Tathe. 'But young Attelus Kaltos didn't kill Vark.'

Enandra shot her hard gaze to the commissar. 'Then who or what did, then?'

'I did,' said Tathe. 'And it needed to be done.'