Dresarieth woke up with his face on a cold metal floor, opening his eyes and looking round he could see that he was in a human hangar bay, the room was huge and there were primitive human flying vehicles, sitting ready for takeoff. He looked around and as well as his Eldar kin who were also waking up, he saw some Tau lying on the floor as well. Twelve dark eldar and two tau, was this a good "haul" for these savages?

An escape plan was formulating in his head already; now that he was on their space ship, it would be easier. He would need to take a space worthy craft from the hanger and fly it out, but how would he get it? How would he get in it? Dresarieth was sure that patience was the answer, if he just waits, a solution would present itself.

His head was spinning, maybe it was the after effects of the knockout gas that they used in the rhino, but that didn't feel right, it was getting stronger. His head was starting to hurt, he grimaced and clasped his head in pain. His heart began to race and burn, this wasn't natural, why would he be experiencing this? He looked round and saw one of the doors open and in came a gigantic figure, a massive marine in terminator armour, his glowing pink eyes dominating his appearance. He could feel it, his stare, it only took a glance from the terminator for Dresarieth's very soul to lurch and twist and contort and writhe from the presence of this space marine. This was no normal being; the presence of Slaanesh followed him closely like a shadow and intoxicated the area around him.

"Lord Nidhiki," welcomed Brutaka with a slight bow. The other squad leaders followed his example by also bowing their heads.

"Brutaka," said Nidhiki, returning the welcome, "How was the mission?"

"The mission went well," replied Brutaka.

A smile grew across Nidhiki's face, "Did you find the source?"

Brutaka hesitated, he looked round at Reptile who answered for him, "we could not find any psychic energy there at all."

The smile dropped from Nidhiki's face, "none at all?"

"I'm sorry, my lord," said Reptile bowing his head again.

"Then how can you call this a success?"

"We found other things..."

"What? These prisoners?" asked Nidhiki while gesturing to the dark eldar. "You know my hatred for their kind. They make me sick, just them being here is enough to make me want to die to escape their repulsiveness, their souls are rotten."

Dresarieth tried to focus on the terminator who he had worked out was a chaos sorcerer, he had been followed by two more space marines, both in power armour, draped in red robes, one in a hood and carrying a book and the other with an ornate golden helm.

"In time I will want to see the highest ranking webway-eldar captive," he said while glancing once more at the prisoners, " and keep them in the place furthest from my cabin."

"Of course, my lord," said Brutaka with another nod of the head.

With that, the sorcerer turned and left the hangar. As he walked away Dresarieth could feel the affliction of the sorcerer's presence leave him.

Dresarieth looked around and saw that all the eldar around him were awake, and all had been affected by the sorcerer's presence. If Dresarieth wanted to escape, he would have to avoid Nidhiki at all costs; that may be easier than one would expect, as it does not look as if he wants to be around the eldar either.

The two marines who had entered with Nidhiki remained, "I'll ask the details that Nidhiki could not," announced the one in the golden helm. "Did you suffer any casualties in your encounter with these two forces?"

Reptile answered, "From the initial battle with Tau, we lost Aspasius and Falco; and from the webway eldar we lost Kyritz. Some of us received injuries, and will need medical attention."

'Surely not,' thought Dresarieth, he remembered seeing more marines falling in battle, surely not that many recovered.

"Did you face many?" asked the one in the golden helm.

"There were many eldar, Halphas" explained Brutaka, "but they were badly commanded. They sped towards us in plain sight, and the few that got to our lines were easily overpowered."

"Not so easy for Kyritz," said the marine in the golden helm, who Dresarieth had worked out was called Halphas "I will mourn his passing, it must be difficult for you."

"He was a fine fighter," commented Brutaka.

"I must ask you, how did the new squads perform?"

"Squad Myrsinus would have been flawless, if it wasn't for Falco's death," said Brutaka, "their lascannons always hit their mark."

"And Pantaleon, the terminator squad?"

"It's hard to say," said Brutaka, "they performed well in combat, but I doubt their loyalties to our chapter. Pantaleon did not seem to like taking orders from Reptile."

"This is their leader," said Halphas, dropping the dark eldar on the floor.

"How did you find out it was her?" asked Nidhiki, "Divination? Telepathy?"

"It wasn't me, my lord," admitted Halphas, removing his golden helm, he gestured to the marine to his left who had helped drag the eldar up to the sorcerer's chamber, "It was brother Myrsinus."

Nidhiki stood up, and looked down upon the squad leader of the devastator squad. "You are the champion of lascannons?"

Myrsinus had never been called that before, but he knew what he meant, "I am the sergeant of my squad, yes."

"And how did you tell that this was the one you were after?"

"It's hard to explain, my lord," said Myrsinus, "I could feel that it was her. I set my mind to the question and an answer presented itself."

A smile grew across Nidhiki's face as his the glare of his deep glowing eyes intensified, "It seems you are gifted with a connection to the warp. Perhaps one day you may join our ranks."

"Please, my lord, I have no great skill with the warp."

"A gift may not start as anything of note," said Nidhiki, "it must be harnessed by the individual and developed into something magnificent."

Nidhiki was incredible, his stature was greater than that of any terminator Myrsinus had seen before, even as he sat in his throne; and his aura was invasive. He felt that even without doing anything, Nidhiki's power was pulsating in the air around him. The energies of the warp were alive in this sorcerer; and Myrsinus was in awe.

"I am sorry, my lord," said Myrsinus, averting his gaze, "I am not even worthy of your instruction."

Nidhiki smiled once more, "I am not offering that you learn from me, champion of lascannon," he gestured to the marine with the golden helm, "If you are willing, you will learn from Halphas," Halphas gave a nod or acceptance to Mysinus, "And in time, Drusas may even share his secrets."

A marine who was sitting in the shadows stood up, red robes draped over his armour and a black tome in his hand, "You will find that the ways of Slaanesh hold many secrets."

Myrsinus considered what was being offered; he had not always had this power. Was it stirred by all those hours spent staring into the warp while traveling? Was his power awoken by submitting himself to chaos? It didn't matter, what did matter were his brothers and his desire to be with his squad were far stronger and far reaching than his desire to be closer to the warp.

"You will not need to leave your brothers," said Halphas reaching out to put his hand on his shoulder, "If anything you will be encouraged to stay…"

"I'm still here!" shouted the eldar, "Am I needed here or is this a waste of my time?"

"Your time won't be wasted," said Nidhiki to the eldar woman. "Myrsinus, I want you to tell me who she is?"

"She is a Succubus, a leader of the wych cult, that much is obvious."

"Tell me more," Nidhiki had his gaze on Myrsinus again, Myrsinus knew what he was being asked.

He gazed upon the dark eldar woman, asking the question in his mind 'what is your name?' and after a minute of searching her face, he made a guess, "Arielle," he said, she took a step back and fixed her eyes on Myrsinus, "Her name is Arielle." It felt like a guess, but he could feel his 'guess' being guided. "And she leads the wych cult of Ruinous Virtue."

"Very good," acknowledged Nidhiki, "now why did she lose the battle?"

"She commanded like a fool," said Myrsinus, "she underestimated how powerful we were."

"You didn't use your psychic abilities for that," commented Halphas.

"I didn't need to."

Nidhiki let out a small laugh.

"Fuck you, 'Champion of Lascannons'" she shouted, "it must be easy to command a band of mindless apes with big guns."

"Do you not know where you are?" asked Halphas, "Do you not know who we are? You are not scared enough."

"Reading minds is one thing," began Nidhiki, "Do you have a good eye for beauty, Myrsinus?"

"I am not used to judging such things, my lord."

"That's OK, I understand that you have not been with Slaanesh for a long time," Nidhiki said, "I want you to tell me what you think of Arielle. Is she beautiful?"

"Have you brought me here just to look at me?" asked the eldar, "we have no reason to fear you chaos marines, you are so boring."

Myrsinus took a look at her slim and elegant physique, and well-kept appearance, apart from the bruising she had got in the battle, she was a fine example of the eldar species. "She looks…" Myrsinus searched his mind for the words to describe her, but in the end he simply said "…nice."

Arielle scoffed.

"Look deeper," demanded Nidhiki.

Myrsinus stared into her face, but could not see anything other than her pleasing and palid outward appearance. He closed his eyes and inhaled, he could feel the energies of the warp, swirling around him, around his body, at his fingertips and in the centre of his mind. He opened his eyes but could only see her body again. She glanced up at him and their eyes met…

She did not like the silence "why don't you just fuck me and…"

"She is hideous," said Myrsinus, "she is all withered and hollow."

"What are you talking about," argued Arielle, "You're insane!"

"Life is not meant to exist like this," he said.

"You're right," said Nidhiki, "her being is an abomination."

"I thought you were going to ask me questions when I got here," she said, "This has been so…"

"You gave me all the answers I needed whenever you entered this room," said Nidhiki, "My interest in Myrsinus' gifts are all that have kept you in this reality for longer than I would normally tolerate."

Nidhiki raised his hand and with it, a soft violet mist rose from nowhere and filled the room with its glow. The mist faded and two beautiful creatures had materialised next to the sorcerer.

"Is that?" began Arielle, "No, no, don't…" she turned and ran to the door frantically slammed her fists against it, "Help! Let me out!" she screamed. No one would answer her cries. She looked around briefly and saw the two feminine creatures approaching her, "Open the door! Please! PLEASE!" she begged, tears streaming down her face.

The creatures laid their hands on her shoulders; she screamed and struggled no more, only cried. The purple mist swirled around them until it completely engulfed them. It faded and they had vanished.

"I do not understand," said Myrsinus.

"Yes you do," argued Nidhiki, with a smile.

"Daemonettes?" said Myrsinus, realising what the creatures were.

"We call them handmaidens," said Halphas, "Beautiful creatures, no?"

"Beyond comparison."