Abandon All Hope, Embrace All Chaos Chapter 18: Fear and Loathing in Commorragh, a X-overs + Warhammer Crossover fanfic

Opening File: Commorragh

Commorragh, also known as the Dark City, is the massive city-state within the Eldar Webway that is the primary home of the Dark Eldar, or Drukhari, race. It is said to be impossible for outsiders to find, and anarchy and terrorism are a well-established way of life for its debased inhabitants. It is widely believed to be hidden deep within the inter-dimensional labyrinth known as the Webway, described by the Eldar as a "dark stain" growing within their holy pathways. Commorragh is no mere metropolis, for it is to the greatest cities of realspace as a soaring mountain is to a mound of termites. Its dimensions would be considered impossible if they could be read by conventional means, its population greater than that of whole star systems. If anything, Commorragh is more like a vast collection of satellite realms and cities linked by myriad portals and hidden pathways.

Viewed from one perspective, Commorragh is a loose collection of far-flung nodes spread throughout the arteries of the Webway like a malevolent virus. Its clustered concentrations are in reality scattered across the galaxy, thousands of light-years apart in places. Yet these locations are linked together by shimmering dimensional shortcuts. Within the Webway, the immense distances between each sub-realm can be crossed with a single step.

Commorragh's origins date to the apex of the lost Eldar empire, millennia before Mankind even knew of the Eldar's existence. It does not exist in realspace, but in the Labyrinthine Dimension of the Webway. Yet the Webway is not a true dimension of its own. It has been described instead as a complex network of glowing tunnels through the Warp, a mystic tapestry of hidden threads that breach the veil between the Immaterium and realspace. These analogies are only crude approximations of the reality that the Webway is a physical construct created to span the dimensions that underlie the material realm. The Webway sits between the material universe and the hyperdimensional, psychically reactive reality that is the Warp, a nexus comparable to the surface of a mirror or a thin piece of fabric cast over something foul and dangerous.

The ancient Eldar discovered that it was possible to harness their advanced technology to exist within that reflective interdimensional surface and to move within the interlocking threads of that veil. The Eldar mastered the original Webway network, though it has changed greatly in the long millennia since the end of the Eldar empire, reshaped by the disaster that claimed so many Eldar souls. Moving between the dimensions is an activity that is always fraught with danger, but such is the skill and technological prowess of the surviving Eldar that they still choose to do so without hesitation.

Though used by the Eldar, the Webway was originally forged by the ancient and immensely powerful species known as the Old Ones. They created its vast network of tunnels through the Immaterium millions of Terran years ago to allow them to travel at will to the far-flung worlds across the galaxy that served as their colonies, seed planets and research projects. The Webway allowed the Old Ones to enjoy near-instantaneous interstellar travel without risking exposure to the dangers of the Warp. Since the Fall of the Eldar, the Webway has become a shattered and extremely dangerous realm, its darkest corners infested by strange entities from the many different realities that comprise the Warp. Yet the Webway's myriad portals still allow the courageous and the malevolent to strike without warning at millions of locations in realspace throughout the Milky Way Galaxy.

Commorragh was originally the greatest of the Webway's portal-cities before the Fall and was intended to be used to transport a fleet to any of the homeworlds of the Eldar empire. Because of the access it could grant to even the most far-flung corners of the galaxy in realspace, Commorragh was held by the ancient Eldar to be the most important location within the entire Webway. Because of this intrinsic strategic value, it was not controlled by any of the dominant factions within the Eldar empire.

Precisely because of its autonomy from the jurisdiction of the great Eldar councils that governed the empire, the city-port soon became a magnet for all those inhabitants of the Eldar civilisation who wished to hide from prying eyes. The realm of Commorragh rapidly expanded as all the wealth and influence of the great Eldar empire and its allies flowed into its coffers. It spread outward into the Webway's void, consuming the other port-cities, private estates and satellite realms of the Labyrinthine Dimension, growing ever larger and even more impressive off the plunder of ten thousand worlds.

The Dark City is known to have "wandering shadows that tear apart the unwary" and is bathed in the crimson half-light of the Ilmaea, or "black suns," dying stars taken from realspace by the Aeldari at the height of their technological prowess and installed within their own sub-realms within the Webway to provide Commorragh with light and power.

However, sightings of the Drukhari have become increasing rare, to the point where several centuries have gone without sightings of the Dark Eldar. Several attempts by the Imperium to investigate have yielded no results as it has been revealed that several Webway entrances that led directly to the Dark City have been collapsed by the Craftworld Eldar.

As of writing, the Dark Eldar have yet to be considered extinct by the Adeptus Terra, however the possibility is still extant.

Close file

The Imperial Palace

The Throne Room

A moment of silence as the light receded from the throne room, all was still, all was frozen in a single moment, all while the skeletal form of the Emperor of Mankind remained silent before he spoke three words.

"IT HAS BEGUN."

Before he suddenly started spouting out, "BOY OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY OH THE BOYEST OF BOYS."

However, this obviously attracted the attention of Rogal Dorn who looked at his father alongside Custodisi who had equally grown interested in the Emperor's sudden babbling. "Father. Your senseless babbling is making me worry for your health."

"Perhaps you were a bit too generous with the anesthetics, lord Adorable." Custodisi piped in.

Suffice to say, the Emperor's irritated mood returned with a vengeance, "I NEVER BABBLE, I AM NEVER SENSELESS AND YOU SHOULD DO NOTHING BUT WORRY FOR MY HEALTH."

"Then please start giving context to this cryptic rambling." Rogal deadpanned.

"YOU ARE A SPOILED LITTLE SHIT, ROGAL." The Emperor deadpanned back.

"Calling excrement spoiled is redundant. I also do not believe I am excrement." Rogal's impossibility to grasp metaphors reared its blunt head yet again, "Unless you have been keeping some truly awful secret about our inception from us."

That last part caused so much anger in the Emperor that he let out a frenzied shriek as a blaze of warp power erupted from the right, nearly causing an earthquake around the entirety around the continent spanning palace before he forced himself to calm down, lest he create another Eye of Terror out of sheer rage, "LISTEN, SON-CREATURE. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN THE UNBOUND ARMIES OF THE INQUISITION STOMPED WITH THEIR FRILLY LITTLE GUMBOOTS RIGHT INTO MY IMPERIAL PALACE UNDER WHAT I HAVE A HARD TIME CALLING THE LEADERSHIP OF ONE FYODOR KARAMAZOV?"

"Yes." Rogal bluntly answered.

"Hot stuff sent them all to the Warp, far as I recall." Custodisi commented before the Emperor suddenly psychically grabbed him and started slapping him with a psychic hand.

"DO NOT SALIVATE OVER MY SON IN THE OPEN, PLEASE." The Emperor scolded, before setting the Custodes down who shook the pain off, "NEVERTHELESS, YOU ARE CORRECT. MAGNYMAGIC CAST CIRCA 68.8% OF THE INQUISITION INTO THE IMMATERIUM."

Custodisi let out a laugh filled with salacious schadenfreude, "A big win for the Imperium, no doubt. There was surely no particular need for a supervisory force dedicated to the safekeeping of mankind's life force."

The Emperor would have rolled his eyes had he still had them, "BEFORE YOU GO AND SKEWER THE REMAINDER OF BASIC HUMAN DECENCY BY BECOMING AN APOLOGETIC FOR THE FUCKING INQUISITION, HOLD ON TO YOUR HOLD ON TO YOUR DAIRY-STAINED MAMMARY CASKETS. FOR THE INQUISITION... HAS RETURNED FROM THE WARP."

His nonexistent lips would have curled into a smile at seeing Rogal and Custodisi's reactions. Rogal's eyes widened by a millimeter, before he muttered a flat, "What?" Custodisi had a slackened jaw for a split second that he shut immediately as he noted, "That... is rather shocking."

The Emperor then dropped the other bombshell, "AND WITH THEM IS ALSO YOUR BROTHER... LEMAN RUSS."

Rogal was silent while Custodisi let out a hearty laugh, "Ho-ho-ho, I say!"

"How do you know this, father?" Rogal inquired, his blunt tone hiding his urgency, "Have you had a vision?"

"I AM HAVING ONE AS WE SPEAK."

"What is happening?" Rogal inquired again, some of his urgency bleeding into his tone, "This is no prank, is it? I am extremely perplexed. And confused. And redundant."

"I CAN SHOW YOU." The Emperor interrupted before the visor on his left eye then turned on, projecting the image onto a nearby screen of white that rolled down. It showed Leman Russ, standing in a field of white that faded to show the other side of the Gate of Khaine, particles of snow falling around him as his fur cape flapped in the wind.

"IT'S THE WOLF BOY." The Emperor commented as both Rogal and one of the Caretakers stared at the image of the Wolf King.

"Wow..." Custodisi breathed out, staring at the image and for once at a loss for words, "Would you look at that."

"It truly is him. My brother. Leman." Rogal breathed at the sight of his brother before a semblance of joy bled into his tone, "That stubborn wolf breed yet lives."

"DID YOU REALLY THINK ANYTHING LESS?" The Emperor questioned the Praetorian of Terra.

"Of course not." Rogal replied as the barest traces of a smile tugged at his lips, "But I am immensely happy to see it confirmed before my eyes."

"GOOD SAVE. I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE PERSONAL OFFENSE." The Emperor replied, "NOW, PREPARE YOUR PEEPERS. WE SHALL FOLLOW LEMAN AND THE INQUISITION'S PROCESS FROM THIS FIRST-PERSON PERSPECTIVE. ALBEIT MUDDLED, WE SHOULD GET AN IDEA OF HOW THEY FARE."

"Say, whose perspective are we seeing this from?" Custodisi asked the golden question, not knowing how the Emperor could get a feed from... wherever Leman and the Inquisition were.

"MINE." The Emperor answered, before correcting himself, "OR, RATHER FYODOR KARAMAZOV'S."

Custodisi looked at the Emperor with a confused expression under his helm, "Both? How's that possible?"

"YOU WILL SEE."

As the Emperor and Custodisi got into an argument over the latter's lustful obsession of Magnus, neither the Emperor, Custodisi, or Rogal notice that two figures had been watching them from the shadows.

One was covered from head to toe in a long light-brown robe which was just one or two shades darker than the sand that composed the layers of earth underneath the Imperial Palace. A long sceptre was in his right hand, and the head of the white and black stone was decorated by a great double-headed golden eagle burning in golden fire. Grey-silver hairs were still visible thanks to the slight golden aura, as was a noble and patient face which had once been known and celebrated on a million of worlds.

The other was a woman of beautiful radiance, adorned in the armor of the Sisters of Battle, one of gold with white in the spaces between plates, long flowing golden blonde hair that seemed like it generated light of its own with sapphire starlight eyes and a heart shaped face. Sitting on her back with twin pearl white wings that glimmered in the immaterial, in its scabbard was Purity, a sword akin the Ardent Blade, able to slay daemons not even the Grey Knights could conceive of slaying. She was not known because she did not need to be known.

This was Malcador the Sigilite and Deandra the Compassionate. And they were currently still in the immaterial, watching the progress from the side of the Emperor on the Golden Throne.

"Again, are you sure we shouldn't go and help?" Dee Dee asked Malcador, concerned for both Russ and the others, "Who knows what could happen in Commorragh?"

"Russ can handle himself, and he has the Emperor's Compassion and the Vanquisher at his side." Malcador reminded her, noticing her concerned expression, "I know you care about others, Deandra, but we can only intervene unless things get truly dire."

Dee Dee didn't look happy about it, but she relented, knowing that Malcador had never deceived her before.

"NOW SHUT YOUR FACE BEFORE I SEND YOUR UPPER HALF TO THE WARP FOR SOME ONE-ON-ONE WITH THAT RED, SCREAMING BILLY GOAT ON SCREEN." The Emperor's words rang out, silencing both as they saw the screen.

The Webway

It was like a sun had been born in the Webway, flooding it with light that reached the darkest corners of the abandoned and fractured parts of the interdimensional tunnels of antediluvian origin. Things that had been hiding in the dark for when even the Eldar were little more than genetic plans in the Old Ones' gene gardens now saw light that had long been denied. Monster made from the flesh of tortured mortals felt themselves crawling back to sanity at the light. A serpent that slithering outside the barrier between the material and the Immaterial slithered forth at the warm touch of the light.

Meanwhile however, the torn open Gate of Khaine had been sealed by a golden barrier which blocked any attempts to break it, something that Skarbrand was learning the hard way.

"HEY, HEY! I HATE YOU! YOU FHAVFVHFFGGHHGHHGHGGGVFUCKING-!" Skarbrand roared out as he futilely tried to break the gold barrier that was now surrounding the Gate of Khaine, blocking both him, Kairos, the Red Lord, and Megalodrus from entering, "OPEN THIS GOLD... THING! RIGHT NOW! RIGHT FUCKING NOW!" And with that, Skarbrand starting bashing Slaughter and Carnage against the barriers with all his might, "OR ELSE... OR ELSE!" Unable to even form words from how much rage filled him, the Exiled One could only bellow in pure fury while the other daemons wisely decided not to interrupt or calm him down.

However, none of the Triumvirate heard him as they were all busy staring, and subconsciously salivating, at the form of the Star Child, once known as the Lord Inquisitor Fyodor Karamazov. The differences made it all the clearer: Fyodor now possessed a full head of brown hair with his beard now the same color, his black robes were now red, his sword had been replaced by a scepter with an Aquila, Dominique's dead body was replaced by a marble golden trimmed and golden chained coffin, and the left shoulder servitor's face plate had become golden with a crown upon his head. They all stared as it snowed around them like the lost winters of Fenris.

Leman Russ opened and closed his mouth several times before he finally found his voice, "Clear as the driven snow... Fyodor. Suffice to say, I find myself speechless, I must admit."

"Yes, my son." Fyodor chuckled lightheartedly, "As it is, as it were... I think I have proven my abilities."

"I... I'm..." The Primarch could barely speak from the shock of the raging emotions inside of him, "That gold... That hair-do... What happened? Is it... Is it really true...? Is this ragged, chairbound farm animal truly... truly..." Unable to process this, Leman then vomited on the chestplate of his armor with Slade patting him on the back.

"But! We have no time to settle." Fyodor says as he puts his left hand to his chin while he stares at the golden barrier that Skarbrand was viciously banging on, "It is difficult to tell just how long this barrier will remain."

"Yes. Good call." The Wolf King sighs as he feels the nausea settle down, before snapping Albia Thorne out of her subconscious salivating via a pat to the bum with his bolter, which she didn't seem to mind, "You there, ovular one. What do yer wee angry eyes see at the end of this passage?"

Said Sister of Battle shook her head to snap herself to normal and took out this era's equivalent of binoculars and stared down the passage they faced, "It's hard to say, but there is an unidentified light-source coming from the end of this passage. It's very bright. And hot. And radiates UV waves."

"Bah!" A nearby Commissar scoffed, gaining everyone's attention, "Don't sound so nervous, Cannoness! No matter where it leads, it could not possibly be more treacherous than the Warp!" He then turns around while boasting, "Onward soldiers! FOR GLORYYYYYYYYYY-" The Commissar was cut off when he was suddenly knocked off his feet and was dragged into what appeared to be massive mirror standing in the distance.

A moment passed before the mirror suddenly erupted in a blaze of blistering light that shined on the Triumvirate as a gate to the source of light opened. The well of gravity that veered towards them, pulling them in under its titanic grasp.

"Holy Emperor!" Scion Priestly yelled out in shock as they tried to stand their ground.

"Aaaw, mate!" Scion Matilda groaned, now resigned to whatever horrible fate that was coming.

"STAND FAST, SOLDIERS!" Tempestor Cromwell yelled out, his morale not cracking in the slightest.

"Oh, how bright!" The Star Emperor said as his hair fluttered in the wind generated by the gravity well, surprisingly not concerned for his wellbeing, "Wasn't expecting to get my retinas burned out today!"

"Canine's canines!" Leman barked in terror, not knowing and not caring that both Slade and V1 were clinging onto his armor so they were not pulled into the scorching mirror, "Brace yourselves! That be... THAT BE A-"

The Imperial Throneroom

The Emperor preemptively finished Leman's sentence, "A TRI-PRISMIC DIMENSIONAL MIRROR KEYED TO THE CENTER OF A SUN."

As they watched several members of the Inquisition got sucked into the mirror, with Deandra watching in horror, Custodisi looked up and asked, "A sun? Really! How did you know?"

"I FOUND IT ON PAGE 50 OF THIS UNPLEASENT RECORD YOU THREW AT ME." The Emperor explained as he telekinetically lifted the tome of the Dark Eldar that the Custodes had acquired from the Black Library.

"Oh, a tome of the Dark Eldar?" Custodisi questioned, "You mean to say that they are in-"

"IN COMMORRAGH." The Emperor interrupted him.

"Yes- that- that is- that is what I was going to say..."

"AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY BEING WELCOMED BY ITS MOST HAZARDOUS DEFENSE SYSTEMS." The Emperor finished.

Commorragh

Draigo was backstroking as he flew through the well of gravity until he was warped through the mirror, displaced at the surface of the Sun. The Supreme Grand Master remained still as the rumblings of solar winds beat wildly against his armor of the Grey Knights, eyes staring at the blinding flares of the sun with his Nemesis Force Weapon; Titansword in one hand and his Storm Shield in the other, his Storm Bolter and grenades hidden in their pouches. Before the fragmented mind of his seemed to piece together and he shouted.

"NO SUN!"

Raising Titansword, Draigo bellowed at the top of his lungs as he nosedived towards the sun while Warp fire blazed around him, acting as a protective shroud.

In a nearby Exterminatus ship, Inquisitor Headsmash looked tiredly as he spoke to the Servitor, two Daemonhosts, a servo skull, and the Jokaero with cybernetic implants standing beside the big red button that would initiate exterminatus, watching as he spoke in a tired tone.

"And on this, the eve of my FORTHY THOUSANDTH straight Exterminatus," The Inquisitor burst out on those two words before continuing, "I am happy to announce at long last... My retirement..."

Unseen to the occupants, the sun they were near began expanding rapidly into a red giant with violet and white flames intensifying. As the orangutan-like alien clapped for the Inquisitor, Draigo then burst from the other side of the sun, enveloping the ship.

The sun then went supernova but since it was away from any solar system, but the light produced from the explosion was seen for lightyears.

The mirror shattered as the Exterminatus ship crashed into the floor, while Draigo safely landed behind the empty frame along with the occupants of the ship, including the button. Including several of those that were dragged to the sun.

Now, out of the ship, Inquisitor Headsmash groaned as he sat up before seeing where he was, "Where am I?"

Before anyone could reply, the Primarch of the Space Wolves yelled at the top of his transhuman lungs, "WHO PUT A CRIPE SNEERING SUN AT THE END OF THE GODFORSAKEN CATACOMBS!?"

"MY TEETH ARE MELTING!" Scion Stuart screamed as he flails around in agony, feeling his liquifying teeth burning his mouth and flowing down his throat, gargling in mind shattering agony.

"Oh, this is proper naff..." Scion Matilda said, surprisingly calm due to the massive amounts of endorphins flowing through her system, since her legs had been burnt down to the bone.

"PAH-pa-p-pup-p... phh... PAIN... IS WEAKNESS... LEAVING THE BODY!" A severely burned Tempestor Cromwell tried to convince himself off before both him and an equally burned Scion Priestly collapsed due to the agony of the burns, actually whining and screaming out.

"Awww, Scions, come!" The Star Emperor said as he approached the burnt and fallen Tempestus Scions, "You will be fine!" And with but a gesture, the Scions were surrounded by an aura of white as their injuries healed almost instantly and were raised back to their feet, much to the shock of everyone present, though Scion Stuart was still panting a little from the pain.

"Just, hehe, just walk it off, sonny." The Fyodperor laughed, unable to control it as he giggled out at his dad joke, "Sunny. Hahaha! We have fun here."

Scion Stuart patted himself around, seeing that all the burns were gone, "Aw, shit, I'm still alive... Hheeh, how did that happen?"

"Oh my lordy lordy LOOOORD!" Inquisitor Headsmash yelled out as he took in the sight of the Star Fyodperor, "Is that the Emperor of Mankind? WITH A BEARD?!"

"It really does seem like it is..." Tempestor Cromwell replied without looking at the Inquisitor, still somewhat in shock.

"FaHCKing NORA!" Scion Matilda burst out, causing the other scions to look at her strangely.

"D'aaw..." The Star Child chuckled before composing himself, "As sweet as you are, pleasantries must be set aside for now. We shall be venturing forward. But, heed, my children." He spoke in a grave tone that conveyed the seriousness of his words, "We do not yet know where we have ended up and I must warn you... I can sense the quivers of dark hearts in the shadows, beating with malevolence, fatalism, drugs..." He shook in fatherly fright.

And with that, they departed. Weapons were raised as they knew something had scared the Star Emperor, and whatever scared the Emperor, scared them. Slade was behind V1 as the robot seemed unaffected by whatever was making him unsettled. The place was massive, seemingly spanning whatever part of the Webway they had come into, but something was wrong.

It was like there was... a wound in the Webway for lack of a better term. Like something was spilling into here from the immaterial, something... dark and evil.

Inquisitor Headsmash looked around the area that they found themselves in with both curiosity and disgust, especially at seeing a massive tower of twisted flesh that spiraled upwards, "What is this place?"

Scion Valentine looks around and makes a sound of disgust, "Nyuh. Looks like the Underhive of an Underhive."

"An UnderUnderhive!" Scion Priestly remarked, getting a chuckle from the others.

As they moved on, several of the Triumverate grew more and more unsettled as they passed a massive spire of red undulating flesh with bulbous black eyes, and yawning maws of razor teeth, seeing titanic spires of ancient Eldar design among an almost-infinite nest of architectural impossibilities and spatial anomalies. A crisis of sanity blasting sights came that they swiftly ignored, lest they go made. A profusion of dark jutting spires that seem to irradiate madness and darkness.

They soon came to the barest edges of the Dark City, where they stopped at a sign that made all their stomachs drop in terror.

"Ah! Our thoughtful hosts have set up a sigh for potential visitors." The Star Child said, still in good spirits, "Through the Warp Gate!"

"Meaning we are in the one place that makes the Warp seem safer." Slade says ominously as he points to the sign, everyone following his line of sight.

It was made of melted and vulcanized bone shaped into a massive sign as a horned skull hung underneath it, the words "WELCOME TO COMMORRAGH" written in ragged white were splayed on as they all took in the realization of where they were.

"Wait," Fyodor says with a concerned expression, looking around the part of the Dark City they were currently in as his eyes narrowed, "Something's wrong."

The others raised their weapons and scanned the area but were greeted with nothing. The Star Emperor looked around with a confused expression, the attack party should have confronted them by now, but they were nowhere to be seen. In fact, now that he noticed, the Dark City seemed... quiet. And not merely the quiet that one would associate with the silent calm of night, but the sheer emptiness of being locked in a cell by ones lonesome.

"Uh, Tempestor?" Scion Stuart asked Tempestor Cromwell as he looked around, "Don't it seemed kinda... quiet?"

Tempestor Cromwell opened his mouth to rebuke his scion, only to close it when he began to notice the lack of buzz around the entrance, "Huh. You make an exceptional observation, Scion Stuart. It is rather quiet."

"The fuck?" Calato whispered as he tried to focus on whatever noise he could hear, but all he could pick up was a slight breeze that seemed to flow in both one direction and in every direction. Wilford had a similar expression of confusion, usually the Dark City was buzzing with activity from both the Dark Eldar and the various Xenos that came across the galaxy.

Slade walked to the Star Fyodperor's side as did Russ as they looked around the Dark City strangely, knowing that it was never usually this quiet, "Russ, did you or your brothers even lead a crusade into Commorragh?"

"No, why do ye ask?" Russ replied, not looking at the hooded man as he keeps looking around the Dark City.

"Then why does it seem like its abandoned?" Slade stated the obvious, looking to see that he has yet to spot any Dark Eldar, not that he was complaining mind you.

"This... This isn't right..." The Star Child muttered as the Dreadnought legs of the Throne of Judgement walked forward, having a confused expression that spoke volumes.

Leman and Slade looked at each other, "What is it, Fyodor?"

"The Druhkari have... odd souls." The Star Emperor began, "Ones filled with obsesses and torment, like leeches upon reality as they sacrifice others to stave off Slaanesh. Due to that, they have a unique Warp signature that I can sense."

The others looked at each other before Scion Stuart said, "So...?"

"So..." The Star Child answered by looking around the entrance of the Dark City with a confused expression, "I don't sense any."

The Imperial Throneroom

Suffice to say, the ones in the Throneroom were rather shocked to hear that, especially the new arrivals.

"WHAT?" The Emperor blurted out, confusion would have flooded his voice had he not been using his Text to Speech Device.

"What?" Rogal said with utmost confusion bleeding into his voice, alongside his father's.

"What?" Karstodes, Whammudes, and Custodisi all said in unison, the former two having just walked in and saw them coming to Commorragh.

"What?" Decius blinked in surprise.

"What?" Malcador and Dee Dee whispered in confusion, looking at each other.

Commorragh

"What?" Leman blurted out in shock.

"What?" Slade blinked.

"WHAT?!" Draigo twisted in an obtuse way before shifting himself back in a normal way.

"What?" was displayed on V1's visor.

"WHAT?!" Inquisitor Headsmash yelled out.

"What?!" Inquisitor Kryptman, Calato, and Wilford all blinked in shock.

"I know." The Star Child said as he came to the edges of the entrance, staring into the dark depths of Commorragh, before he sighed and needed to figure out what happened here, "My children, please search the area around us but do not go too far. My light can only stretch so far."

The others nodded before forming into teams; Leman would go with his Wolves and Freki and Geri, Kryptman, Calato and Wilford. Slade would go with Headsmash and the Tempestus Scions. The Star Emperor and V1 would go with the Cannoness, Donklas, and some surviving stormtroopers.

And with that, they departed.

Slade's team headed east, finding themselves at what appeared to be a massive spaceport for lack of a better term, composite urban centre on an impossibly vast scale, a hazy, contradictory realm whose dimensions can overawe the sanity of any who approach it. Thousands of starships used to dock each day at its spires, for the Dark Eldar are a far more numerous species than the Imperium of Man or even their own Craftworld kin fully suspect.

But now, the Dark City had become empty, but a few inklings made themselves clear as they discovered fallen burnt Raiders, Reavers, and Ravagers dotting the ground in piles that burned like pyres that kept the darkness at bay. Echoing steps and growls of things hidden in the dark, that made even the Tempestus Scions fear which was only somewhat quenched when Slade grabbed a torch from one of the burning piles.

Several miles of walking later, Inquisitor Headsmash was consulting his journal to see if he could figure out what could have caused this while Slade kept the torch up so they could see as they came to the dark recesses of the city while the Scions scouted around.

"So, is your name literally Headsmash?" Slade asked, trying to make conversation with the Inquisitor.

"Not really. It was just a nickname, due to my... eagerness for using my head." The Inquisitor sheepishly admitted, "Eventually, it just sorta stuck..."

"Oi, smasher!" Scion Matilda yelled to Headsmash, who turned to see her pointing to a street that the two immediately jog over to the street where the Tempestous Scions were. The entire street was covered in an absurd amount of pink glimmering dust that seemed to stick it had been burned into the surfaces it clung to. As they got closer, it did not improve, shapes of abandoned Drukhari armor covered in the pink dust and drenched in dried and hardened fluid.

Headsmash made a sound of disgust as his servitor picked up a discarded helmet and breastplate that were covered in the gunk, examining it as the Servo skull scanned it. The Scions remained composed, but Scion Stuart voiced their thoughts, "The fuck is that shite?"

Raising whatever he had in place of an eyebrow, Slade knelt down at the piles of pink-glowing dust, taking a handful before doing the most unexpected thing imaginable: He snorted it like crack.

Not noticing nor caring about the incredulous looks at him, Slade felt the rush shoot through him like a fire in his veins, stumbling as he nearly fell onto Headsmash, who struggled as Slade was twice his height before the cloaked man shook it off, "Oh, that's potent... Oh, that's good stuff." The cloaked man then stood back up and gave his observation, "Just as I thought. Warp dust. Whatever came through here was Warp-based."

"Well, that doesn't exactly narrow it down-!" He was cut off when Slade placed two fingers on Headsmash's mouth, silencing him before then using the two fingers to point at something across the street with a narrowed eye. The others turned their gaze at the sight, it was a doorway outlined with bright pink light, as disgusting sounds came out from behind.

Slade and Headsmash looked at each other before the former beckoned them with his hand, letting them follow as they leveled their weapons at the door, ready to fire at whatever was behind that door. Suddenly, they stopped as pale tentacles slithered in and out of the open spaces. Pulling out HIVE, Slade crept slowly to the door as the noises slowly ceased, extending his hand out slowly...

"Oi, mate!" Stuart interrupted, "Why are you being so slow?!"

"Wow, way to ruin the mood, Stuart." Headsmash deadpanned at the Scion in an annoyed tone.

"Yer such a fhucking disease, Stuart." Valentine deadpanned at Stuart, who slumped.

After rolling his eye, Slade slowly grasped whatever the door had in place of a knob. Looking back, he saw the others aiming their guns at the door, ready for whatever was behind it. And with a mighty swing, he forced the door to swing open, revealing whatever was inside.

It was nothing like anything they had expected.

The entire room was covered in what appeared to be a vibrant pink sludge that transparently covered the black floors and walls, a collapsed chandelier had fallen onto a table where several dishes and utensils were strewn about the floor. Several large droplets of the sludge fell to the floor, almost like what happened was recent or just moments ago, and several lumps covered in sludge of varying sizes and lengths. The furniture of the room was near impossible to discern, either damaged beyond repair or heavily covered in the sludge.

Both Headsmash and Cromwell made expressions of disgust, while the Scions were vocally disgusted, especially Scion Stuart, Slade meanwhile was unfazed. The teams slowly entered the room, their weapons raised in case anything came for them. Slade discovered a destroyed Drukhari knife that appeared almost akin to being melted from some potent corrosives. Headsmash's servitor picked up a ribbon of flesh that decayed in but a second, dissolving into pink particles. Scion Priestly approached on of the lumps of sludge with a revolted expression under his helm, gently nudged with his barrel of his Hellgun which caused it to burst and deflated while oozing out the pink sludge, much to his disgust.

Scion Valentine looked at something, nudging Cromwell who turned and gave an expression of disgust when he saw a mass of flesh with a single lidless eye, a suppurating mouth, and a single underdeveloped arm which the Tempestor crushed with his boot, putting the poor thing out of its misery. Scion Matilda had a grim expression when she saw a sculpture seemingly made of human bones covered in the sludge. Scion Grant made a sound of disgust as he saw what he could only describe as a massive bong with many tongues and hearts floating in a purple liquid. Scion Stuart yelped when he saw a piece of what appeared to be an arm slithering in the sludge.

Headsmash poked what appeared to be the remains of a Talos Pain Engine, leaking fluids that mixed with the sludge. Headsmash's Jokaero scanned the sludge with a device, showing that it was unlike anything it had ever seen. It was then that Slade noticed there was a lump covered in the sludge that was as large as a torso.

Slade took Headsmash's power sword, much to the latter's consternation, and slowly prodded the tip to whatever was solid in the lump. When he thought he hit bone, he maneuvered the tip of the sword to whatever space was between it and then raised it up. It was revealed to be an Eldar ribcage and skull with the spine barely holding together on a few nerves connecting together.

The group stared at the frayed torso before the Jokaero held the device to the skull, letting a blue light shine across it before ceasing as it beeped in confirmation. It made a sound before handing it to Headsmash who looked at it and gained an incredibly interested expression.

"Apparently, whatever Drukhari that possessed this skull and ribcage has been dead for months, but it has yet to decay." Headsmash explained, showing Slade the device, which possessed a small screen the size of a hand.

"Meaning whatever did this isn't natural." Slade stated the obvious, "But that still begs the question; what the hell happened here?"

Meanwhile, back with Russ and his team, they had gone west, coming to the dark swathes that seemed paltry compared to the greater spires beyond their grasp. The meat slithering at their feet, smelling both fragrant and disgusting, several keeping their eyes above instead of below. The sounds around them were like a sleeping creature that was moaning as its tentacles slithered through spaces unseen.

Even when they got deeper, the uneasiness continued to grow. Low Commorragh now consists of a mixture of shattered ruins and scavenged former glories. Numerous dilapidated fortress complexes and barter-ports now spread out in every direction. The lesser Kabals riddle the extremities of the angular black spires with opportunistic growth. The labyrinthine depths of the outer zones are so congested that a traveller could travel for months on end without so much as a glimpse of a stolen sun. Many areas that have been twisted beyond recognition by the tremendous upheaval of the Fall are haunted by scavengers and spectres. Within the pitch-black catacombs of Low Commorragh there lurks far larger and uglier creatures than the Dark Eldar, for they are prowled by the lost, and the feral thrive there.

But now, it seemed like something had taken over Low Commorragh and infested it with darker pleasures and vices, inconceivable to those who had not been branded by its grasp. The streets and labyrinthine structures only inhabited with shadows that made reality cry and the catacombs now infested with horrors that crawled with terror and strive, grappling and drooling with antediluvian hunger.

The only thing that kept these things from corrupting and twisting the Triumvirate was the light of the Emperor's Compassion shining through the city, letting the things crawl back into the darker depths. Meanwhile, Russ and the others were trying to figure out what in the Emperor's name happened here.

"...And by the lack of penis he had, I found out this motherfucker was a lacrymole. So, I punched him right in the groin and he died." Lynius recalled to the others, trying to pass the time as they continued to search the western parts.

Calato and Wilford laughed, remembering that. Kryptman's lips curled to a smile before he muttered, "Amusing, but remember we must be careful. Who knows what horrid things are crawling through the shadows."

"Listen to him, he's the only one who makes sense." Leman deadpanned, getting a chuckled from the others. Suddenly, Freki started barking, making the others turn to the wolf who pointed his snout at an alley. The group turned to see the alley where the wolf was pointing, only to recoil in disgust.

It was a trail of purple viscous slime that came to a collapsed tower in street, the gate was smashed as the pink vibrant sludge was spilling out into the roads and a suppurating maggot-like mouth drooled the purple slime. More oddities came when they saw flaring multicolored lights shining through the doors, almost like raving mad hordes of decadence.

Silent, Leman beckoned with his hand for them to follow, their weapons raised as they slowly came to the fallen tower, the lights growing brighter as they got closer, discordant music growing louder to near unbearable to the point that one of them shot a bolt into the room, thankfully hitting whatever caused the music, so that they wouldn't go deaf.

Soon, they entered.

It was what they could only describe as a massive Drukhari ballroom, filled with refectory tables where several lavish feasts laid half eaten and covered in the sludge, the lights came from a series of torsos and heads sewn together and connected intravenously to machinery that kept them alive and in agony. A smoking series of machines that resembled subwoofers that had been played the discordant music, bizarre instruments and utensils strewn on what appeared to be a platform in the center and drenched in the sludge.

"Hmm, strange..." Kryptman mused as he put a hand to his heavily bearded chin, examining the sludge with an expression that mixed both intrigue and disgust. Calato grasped something off the ground, letting the sludge flow off it like a glistening tide that revealed a cannon-like device that possessed many chimneys of bone and a conical barrel that leaked liquid refuse. Wilford raised a pair of fingers to one of the heads, who's eyes then proceeded to follow his fingers as he moved them around the face, causing him to make a sound of disgust at that.

Russ and his wolves came to a lump of bodied where Freki and Geri then pulled out the largest one, revealing an emaciated body covered in tumorous growths and gnarled limbs, making the Wolf King cringe in disgust. Suddenly, its mauled, cracked lips parted by a millimeter as air began flowing out and sounds softly emitting with the silent wind.

"kill... me..." The thing whispered in a tone so soft that only a Primarch could hear it, "kill me... kill me... kill me..."

And Russ, being the warrior he was, drew Mjalnar and thrusts it into the thing's throat, piercing the jugulars and spine, ending its life in the process.

Wilford, meanwhile, after forcing himself to suppress the thoughts in his head, noticed something on the refectory tables. Raising an eyebrow under his helmet, the apothecary slowly approached the table, sifting through the sludge before he fished the object out of the mulch, before he wiped off the gunk. It was a parchment, more like something from the Imperium rather than the Dark City, more so it had a message on it.

"Fascinating." Wilford said before he turned to Leman's direction, "Lord Russ, I have found something!"

The primarch turned to the apothecary, along with the others as the latter walked up to the former, "Perhaps a clue?"

Kryptman took the parchment into his hand, his eyes scanning it underneath his tea-shade sunglasses as he read it out loud, "I am writing this so that any who come across this may know of my tale. I have forgotten my name, nor do I know if I ever possessed one, but my words must be recounted for those to come be informed of the events that have transpired. If any have found this parchment, then I am already dead."

And with that, the group brought their full attention to the parchment.

"It was another day, or perhaps night, in the Dark City. However, before the tools could be brought out and my pain be siphoned, there was an explosion." The Inquisitor started, "A bang that shook the city and rocked the barriers. Suddenly, there was a light, pale and baleful, almost scorching, shined from above, almost blindingly, burning my eyes as I forced myself to turn away. Then the screams came."

"The screams... If I ever heard them again, it would be as haunting as the first I heard it. Screams of agony, of ecstasy, of fear, of delight, of... joy... Shapes that I couldn't describe swarming through the streets in a frenzy, either inflicting or emitting the screams. The Drukhari attempted to flee but their attackers were too swift, and too precise. The attack seems to have quieted down, but I fear that they will soon breach this tower that I have hidden myself in, constantly tormented by the sounds of scratching on the walls. I fear what has happened to the Dark City during my time hidden in this tower, only that I am now recounting it. To those in the Dark City that survived, be you human or Astartes, here is my advice on how to survive."

"Keep away from the shadows, stay in a group, they will kill you if you go alone and are helpless. Keep moving, never stop, never stop even if your damned legs break from the stress. Find a source of light, they hate the light, and will run from any source of light. Lastly, find a way out of Low Commorragh, get to the higher parts of the Dark City and find a way out, you may be able to hijack a ship from the space ports, just get out of the lower parts and you may be able to survive another day."

"The scratching on the walls have stopped... they com-AGGGHH..."

Kryptman trailed off in confusion when the last part came, confusing everyone as well. "AGGGH...?" Wilford repeated as he took the parchment into his hands and scanning it with his eyes.

"He must have died while writing it." Calato hypothesized, peaking at the parchment and its message.

"Are you kidding me?" Lynius deadpanned at the Dark Angel.

"That is what's on the parchment." Wilford confirmed.

"Look if he was dying, he wouldn't bother to write it! He'd just say it out loud!" Kryptman retorted.

"Well, that's what's on the bloody parchment!" Wilford showed him again.

"Perhaps he was dictating." Calato offered.

As the others argued, Leman turned to one of the destroyed windows of the tower, staring out into the abyss of shadows that laid beyond... and feeling the eyes of the monsters that hid in them staring back. The Wolf King backed away, Freki and Geri growling at the things even as they backed away with their master, the sound getting the others attention.

"We have to get back to Fyodor, NOW!" Leman barked out, causing them to run out of the room and towards the light from the Emperor, all as the things in the dark watched like predators stalking their prey.

Meanwhile, back with the Emperor's Compassion, he, V1, Albia, and Donklas along with the surviving Grey Knights had ventured north, coming to what they believed to be the corridors that led to the outer rings of the city's core.

Within the inner rings that surround the Dark City's core can be found the oldest noble houses. Descendants of the architects of the Fall live in massive mansions that are crested by citadels full of proud aristocratic warriors. Sorrow Fell, the largest of these city-states, can trace its lineage to the ancient Eldar. It surrounds a massive promontory that leads into the region known as Corespur. Thirteen screaming statues of Supreme Overlord Asdrubael Vect stand sentinel over Sorrow Fell, each representing one of the Foundations of Vengeance, serving as stark reminders that even the most powerful of the Dark Eldar noble houses was ultimately undone by raw intellect.

Aelindrach is one of the Dark City's ancient city-states that has literally fallen into shadow, existing in more than one dimension at once. Here amongst the velvet domes the dreaded Mandrakes make their lairs, bathing in the darkness. The outskirts of Aelindrach give way to the Bone Middens of the Wych Cults, a district buried under mounds of calciferous matter. Here can be found a massive ossuary of millions of skeletons, representative of each sentient species in existence, ranging in size from insects to massive colossi, positioned in grim tableaus and mock battles. They stand throughout the Middens as a testament to the Dark Eldar's status as the apex predator of the galaxy.

But now, it was a little more than a graveyard, filled only with the smell of death and fragrant perfumes.

"V, can I ask you something please?" The Star Emperor asked V1, who turned to him with his camera like head, "Why do you kill?"

V1 stared at him like he had grown a second head, before the text appeared on the visor, "Blood is fuel. Organics are full. Need fuel to live."

The Emperor blinked, "You are... fueled by blood?"

"Used to. Now fueled by Warp. Warp blood works also." V1 replied in text, "In my programming to kill. Survived, because I killed."

"I see..." The Emperor replied as he put a hand to his chin in thought.

The Imperial Throneroom.

The others were just as puzzled as the Fyodperor when they saw how V1 powered himself.

"A robot that's powered by blood and Warp energy?" Karstodes repeated to both himself and the others, before asking out loud, "How in Terra's name is that possible?"

"Perhaps this 'V1' was a Man of Iron." Rogal hypothesized, "And the body that it is inhabiting was designed for war during the Cybernetic Revolt."

"I SUPPOSE THAT MAKES SENSE." The Emperor agreed, "THE THINGS THOSE METALLIC ASSHOLES CREATED. *SHUDDER.*"

"Your majesty!" Donklas interrupted the Emperor's thoughts as he pointed to something ahead, "I think we found something!"

Both the Emperor's Compassion and V1 turned to the Inquisitor and quickly made their way to where Donklas and Albia were.

It was a surreal sight, the wrecked and destroyed structures around the rings of the city core had been forcefully rearranged into abstract and disquieting monuments to the dark god that had claimed this city whose origins the Dark Eldar disgraced, runes of impossible hexagrammic writing were etched into the onyx crystalline composition, watching as the tendrils ending in thin shadowed hands that slithered along the jagged almost tooth-like edges of each piece, forming stalks of tentacles lined with curved and barbed thorns that held the bodies of that resembled neither human nor Druhkari.

Then the Emperor's Compassion noticed a sextuple group of bodies that floated against the greyed, almost clouded sky that shined a pale light from another source of radiance, shadowing the sextuplets that hung limply on invisible nooses that held them above. In the center was the queerest of them all; a massive orb of gelatinous radiant pink sludge that poured incessantly in a waterfall of pink that seemingly split through the cracks in the ground.

"Huh." Was all Fyodor could say as he guided his throne to the orb of sludge, sticking a hand out much to the protests of Donklas and Albia. The neon pink sludge flowing into his hand before it burnt into flames in contact with his anathemal presence.

The Emperor rubbed the ash that was the sludge in his hand, examining in curiously as he felt something vaguely familiar about the sludge.

"Fyodor!" He heard, causing him to turn to see Leman, Slade and the others running towards him, looking almost panicked. Before he could ask what was wrong, the Fyodperor got his answer when he saw what appeared to be millions of shadows rushing toward them.

A determined expression crossing his face, the Emperor conjured an orb of light in his palm, before unleashing a great light upon the shadows in front of them.

It was a split second but only the Emperor saw their shapes. They were long and lean, possessing numerous burning white eyes, rictus grins of saber-like fangs, gaunt frames with onyx skin that barely clung to their bones, long claws fingers that resembled arachnid limbs, and scars covering nearly every portion of the body. A profusion of burns began appearing as they screeched at the Emperor's light, crawling away to the shadows so they would not be burned alive by the light.

With them gone, Fyodor dismissed the light, turning back to his group, "What happened, my children?"

However, all of them did not answer as they all seemed quite out of breath, Slade and Leman both panting heavily with their hands on their knees, the former putting a single finger up to give them a minute to recuperate.

"We were regrouping after our investigations..." Wilford begun, pausing for breath before he composed himself, "We were beset by this... things."

"They chased us for 18 fuhcking miles!" Scion Stuart exclaimed, sounding close to passing out like Tempestor Cromwell and the other Scions, "Those fuckers are quick on their feet..."

"We..." Slade heaved for breath for a second before he continued, "We had to get to where you were. So, we happened to collapse a few buildings to stall them... had to sacrifice a few people." He shuddered, "That poor slave boy... They ripped him to pieces..."

Pointedly ignoring the fact that they sacrificed a few surviving slaves to survive, not that he wouldn't give them a stern talking to later, the Emperor's Compassion was quite frankly at a loss on what to do. The plan was that he needed to be in Commorragh so that the awakening of Ynnead would go off without a hitch, meaning that the Eldar god of the dead could subdue Slaanesh and free the untold number under the Dark Prince's thrall.

But now that the Dark Eldar have been wiped away and all points leading into the Dark City have seemingly collapsed, now his plan has been unintentionally foiled. It would seem that he now needed to form a new plan. One that would ensure that he could ensure his children's safety and the safety of all those still left in the Dark City.

The Emperor's Compassion then turned to his children, who were all standing despite being wracked with weariness. Despite their impressive determination, they were human, and human bodies and minds needed rest.

"Hmm. You all rest. V1 and I will take watch." Fyodor commanded them, earning looks of surprise from the others and a casual shrug from V1.

"My lord, not that I'm ungrateful, but should you not rest as well?" Calato asked the Emperor.

Fyodor smiled in understanding, "I appreciate the concern, but it is not needed. I do not require sleep. And evidently, neither does V1." The others had surprised looks, not so much at the fact that a robot didn't require sleep, "Now, rest all of you. We cannot remain here for a prolonged period."

The others nodded, seeing the merit of his words. However, Fyodor then noticed a light in the distance, faint but strong. Narrowing his eyes, his powers traced the origins of the faint light. It was the Crucibael Arena where blood sport had been flooding for millennia now, drowning in a blasting pale light that shined like a torch in the dark expanse. Fyodor frowned, knowing what was happening there, but was unable to do anything about it until now.

It wasn't much but it was a start.

"When you all awaken, we will venture to the arena." The Emperor declared, knowing that with his plan derailed, he had to make up a Plan B as he goes, "If any Druhkari survived, then they will most assuredly be there."

The Imperial Throneroom

The throne-Emperor meanwhile was completely silent as if in shock by something. The others turned to him, looking surprised at his lack of reaction, while Dee Dee and Malcador were surprised at the state of Commorragh.

"Father?" Rogal Dorn asked, wondering why his father had suddenly gone silent.

All that the Emperor typed was a quiet, "FUCK..." Before he metaphorically shrugged it off, "IT'S NOTHING. MOVE ON." They all looked at each other and decided not to press it lest they suffer the Emperor's wrath.

Commorragh

It was hours later, or days... time was weird in Commorragh, Fyodor was still awake, staring into the seemingly endless depths of the Dark City, the shadows seemingly swallowing several sections whole, feeling the dark gaze of the Prince burning down on its empty roads like a beast disgruntled at seeing bare bones of a meal.

At least, he had V1 to keep him company while everyone else slept.

It was then that he heard a splatter, turning to see V1 with quite literally splitting one of the dark creatures that tried to get near them in half with a kick. The thing's lower torso was sent flying and splattered against the nearest spire of the upper city, before the Vanquisher slammed the upper half into the ground, reducing it to pulp.

Fyodor winched but let out a smile. Leave it to V1 to be an excellent guard dog.

V1 returned to Fyodor casually, standing beside the Throne of Judgement, the two of the looking out into the emptied Dark City, almost like a hollowed shell of a thing that was once full of splendor and life, long destroyed by decadence and depravity. The shadows were another thing entirely, almost like the maws of the Dark Prince had come to swallow the city whole.

Even as he kept staring, something seemed... wrong. Again, it was like something was bleeding into the Dark City, after its fields had been reaped, after its toll had been expended, almost like something was trying to claim territory over the empty realm and was twisting it to their own. He could definitely feel Chaos sinking its claws into the city, the Dark Prince taking an interest, but it felt like another Chaos God wanted a piece of Commorragh as well.

Soon, the others began walking up, arming themselves and checking their gear so that they could be prepared for whatever was to come from whatever infested the Dark City.

"Fyodor..." Russ said while walking up to the Emperor's Compassion with Slade, who was currently staring at the orb that leaked the pink sludge, "What is it?"

"I've figured out what this sludge is." Fyodor said as he turned away from it, surprising the two as they looked at each other.

"What is it then?" Slade asked, confused as to what it could be.

"Necroplasm." The Emperor examined with a worried expression, explaining to the others, "When a body become incredibly saturated with Warp energy, everything from cellular processes to even chemical reactions change. So, when that body dies, the breakdown instead creates this sludge. This applies to any species, not just humans."

"Then..." Slade immediately put the pieces together as he looked down at the vast rivers of sludge flowing through the Dark City, "That means..."

"The sludge is what remains of the Dark Eldar." The Emperor finished grimly, showing the Wolf King and his companion the dark truth.

A slave, whose name has long been removed from his mind, wandered through the dark streets of Commorragh, carrying a Husk-Blade that he took from the river of sludge that he came across a while back. When he saw that there were none of the creatures, he beckoned with his hand for someone to come out of the shadows. It was a fellow slave, female, and as scared as him, taking his hand and following him through the empty streets.

She was almost 25 by his estimates, having a shaved head with several scars and bruises inflicted by their masters before the end came, her body clad in the same grey rags as his. What he looked like, he didn't know, and he didn't care at the moment.

They had been running for what felt like weeks, eating and drinking whatever they could to survive. But they haven't eaten in days, only subsisting on a liquid that they prayed was water. Given that they haven't suffered any effects and that they were hydrated, it probably was water.

But for three days, they haven't found anything to eat, and the hunger was starting to get to him. And her if the way she stared at a severed arm, nearly stripped to the bone was any indication.

Soon however, they came to another river of the pink vibrant sludge, running through the deep cracks around the Dark City, giving them what little light they had that kept them alive. However, in the two's starved madness, it seemed like almost a miracle.

The two stared at the deep well of pink sludge, wondering if it was something they could subsist on.

He was starving, all instincts telling him that this was a horrible idea, but his hunger overrode his logic. He looked to her, who nodded, too hungry to think straight as she came to the river. Digging his hands into the viscous river, he took in a handful of the pink vibrant sludge, looking almost like it was the greatest thing that he had ever seen since he came to the Dark City. Unable to contain his hunger anymore, the dreg brought the sludge to his lips and lapped it with his tongue.

It was the sweetest thing he ever tasted.

He started shoveling the sludge into his mouth by the fistful, gulping it down. He saw his friend doing the same, but was more feral, actually dunking her head in and gulping it down by the gallon. He kept gulping it down, intoxicated by the taste to where his mind seemed to become lost in its chemical imbalance.

(Warning: what I can only describe as erotic Body Horror ahead. Read at your own risk)

Suddenly, a feeling shot through his body, not pain nor pleasure, almost a mixture of both and nether. He and her stopped eating the sludge as it shot through them, spasming almost. He felt his heart beating against his ribs that pulsed so powerfully that the bones cracked at its rhythm. His blood seemed like it was boiling in his veins, the heat in his muscles burning like fire as he felt them tense and coil around each other.

There was a deep gurgling in his stomach as he began to bleed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, before he suddenly violently expelled a thick black fluid from his mouth as he suddenly writhed on the ground, ripping his shirt open to reveal his emaciated torso. Suddenly, his torso began to bulge and ripple with worm-like masses, his body thinning as his limbs darkened. A wet squelch was heard then as thick arachnid limbs sprouted from his back and writhing around the ground, dripping with oily fluids.

She gaped when she saw him mutate, before she suddenly clutched her stomach when a sharp pain came into her. Her stomach began to pulse like a heart, before it tensed, and she curled in on herself.

He saw his friend curled into a ball, letting out moans of agony as several tumorous growths began forming on her back, pushing against the grey rags she was clad in before they burst apart, revealing a cluster of pale pink tentacles. Suddenly, the bristles of her shaved head grew into a mop of midnight black hair as the rags fell, revealing her body as the skin seemed to emit a faint glow as it became healthy and pale with a shade of pink.

The woman exhaled, rubbing her hands around her shoulders, heat emitting from her breath as she felt like she was burning up on the inside. Putting a hand on her head, she blinked when she noticed that she had grown her hair back, before she then saw a reflective surface, her reflection ripping a gasp out of her throat.

It was almost like a flawless sculpture was staring back, skin unblemished by scars or markings, pale with a hue of pink, hair black as night that reached her jaws, black eyes with purple cross shaped pupils. The heat burning from her almost hourglass-like figure seemed to distort her mind into a primal state of emotion as her tentacles wriggled and dripped ropes of fluid.

She turned to him with an intoxicated expression, his gaze turning to her as she began walking towards him, her hips swaying seductively while he stared at her, almost mindlessly.

Suddenly, his torso then split open to reveal black spiky phallic tentacles in place of his intestines and his jaw slit to reveal a yawning maw of teeth. That didn't seem to stop her as she leaned in and kissed the suppurating inner mouth, her tentacles intertwining with his as the more phallic ones coiled around her waist and her legs dug themselves into his chest cavity.

The phallic tentacle forced themselves into her lower orifices, making her moan more before his ribs broke and extended out, becoming a massive maw of curved saber-like teeth before it closed around her and enveloping her in a cocoon of flesh that grew around her. The male forced himself to stand on his weary limbs, a distended gut and torso as his gorilla-like arms forced him into a hunched gape.

Suddenly, his body slowly began to distort as it swelled in size, the sounds of bones breaking filled the air as his flesh rippled like liquid, welts forming as skin was stretched to breaking. Three tendrils covered in twitching eyes lined with jagged teeth and suppurating maggot-like mouths suddenly burst out of his back, lashing at the air while horrid screeching filled the air before his flesh then started tearing and shaping into multiple maws filled with either fangs or eyes, grey fleshy tendrils slithering from wounds. The man started bleeding, ejaculating, excreting, and salivating before the fluids solidified in a black rubberous substance and wrapped around his body like a morbid burial shroud. His body tore and snapped in ways that should not have been possible, muscle mass and organs forming and rearranging, bones breaking and reshaping in unnatural ways, while the rubberous substance began hardening like an armor. Soon, several appendages then ripped themselves out of the shoulder blades, fanning out and coiling, fusing and reforming.

It grew and grew, becoming almost twice as vast as one of the Primarchs, resembling almost an angel. It stood on heavily muscled legs terminating in talon-like feet, a humanoid torso with a complex pink-ish scar shaped in akin to an arrowhead, black carapace with jutting bone-spikes dotting the frame, clawed hands capable of tearing a Space Marine apart, a head that possessed 3 pairs of burning pink eyes, a rictus grin of jutting saber teeth, a crown of horns, and a grey and tumorous tongue resembling a tentacle.

On its back rested twin chiropteran wings wreathed in course black fur that flared out to reveal purple membranes, nerves fraying under the skin as it felt a great joy in their presence.

(End... Or is it?)

It flared its wings again and let out an earsplitting roar that shattered any glass around them, echoing throughout the Dark City getting the attention of all those still living. The scar on the monster's chest split to reveal the woman, now connected to the monster via her tentacles and her legs nearly fused to a tube-like appendage underneath.

She was covered in a clear fluid that resembled saliva, moaning at the cold air on her wet skin. Another voice moaned out, "Ahh, I feel great." She turned to see a lipless mouth with uneven crooked teeth under two eyes with lids closed in a drowsy expression.

Yama, the name she decided for herself, spoke in a voice both husky and seductive, "We are strong, powerful."

Her companion merely moaned out, "Ahh...

"We can rush through this world, flying through the dust of the universe." Yama breathed as she stared into the darkness of this horrific city, like a child taking in the wonder of the world.

The face merely gurgled out, "Let's do it..."

Yama yelled out, her face a picture of furious rapture, "Our love can destroy this whole fucking world!"

The face merely drooled a thick pink refuse, not saying anything more.

"LET'S GET 'EM!" Yama screamed out as she formed and fires a gun from the black blood of her arm and their organic vents under their wings roar to life, propelling them down the streets of Commorragh at breakneck speed, "WE ARE THE HATE ANGEL!"

(Fallout 1 OST: City of Lost Angels)

Back with the Triumvirate, they were currently walking through the empty streets of Commorragh, avoiding the sludge whenever possible as they came to what they believed to be the most empty parts of the Dark City, making their way to the Arena in the hopes that maybe they could get there without encountering anymore of whatever monstrosities infested the interdimensional city.

Slade and V1 were side by side with Leman and the Emperor, the Scions and the Tempestor behind them, Albia and Donklas behind them, Headsmash and his retinue behind them, Kryptman and the remains of Deathwatch behind them, the Grey Knights behind them, and the nameless stormtroopers and guardsmen that came with them. Meanwhile the Throne Emperor, Rogal Dorn, the three Caretakers, Ecclesiarch Decius, Malcador the Hero, and Deandra the Compassionate watched from the Imperial Throneroom. Draigo meanwhile was nowhere to be seen.

So far, it was rather quiet aside from the occasional sounds of water running and wind rushing past them. It was only due to the Emperor's light that they had not gone completely insane after gazing into the shadows that seemed to span forever, eyes seemingly hidden in the shadows gazing at them, some in a ravenous hunger and others in obsessive madness.

"Well, at least it's peaceful here." Calato noted as he and Kryptman surveyed the area around them, having at least a moment of peace in this turbulent adventure.

The roar rang out across the section, causing everyone to jump and go for their weapons and aim them at the direction of the roar.

"...I just had to open my fucking mouth, didn't I?" Calato muttered as he readied his power sword.

There was another roar, causing them to turn to see the Hate Angel screeching towards them with it's claws out.

"What the FUCK is that thing?!" Decius screeched out, aghast at the thing's appearance. Rogal and the Custodes weren't fazed by the monster's presence, neither were Malcador and Dee Dee, though the latter was wishing she could be there to protect others.

"ONE OF THE MANY MONSTERS NOW INFESTING THE DARK CITY." The Emperor ominously stated, "MADE FROM DESPERATE, HUNGRY, AND LOST FORMER SLAVES OF THE DARK ELDAR. WARPED BEYOND THEIR FORMER SELVES AND NOW LITTLE MORE THAN RAVENOUS BEASTS NEEDING TO BE PUT DOWN. THEY ARE THE DRAUGER."

"Cool name." Karstodes noted as they all were prepared to see the Drauger get wrecked by Leman and his group.

(Bloodborne OST: Cleric Beast Theme)

The ones possessing long-ranged weaponry immediately fired upon it, but the las and hel bolts only seemed to lightly penetrate its skin while the bolter fire seemed to carve out large chunks of its arms and chest that closed almost as quickly as they were being made.

The Hate Angel rammed its massive claws at the Primarch who merely drew Mjalnar and slashed them away, leaving massive gashes in the thing's hand that sealed as quickly as they were made before it struck at him again, the Wolf King dodging before the other fist rammed into the space where he had been a second ago. Its rictus maw opened as a blast of warp fire escaped its throat that nearly incinerated several stormtroopers had the Emperor not erected a golden barrier in front of them.

Several oily tentacles ripped from its back and speared out, striking the ground as the others jumped away to avoid being skewered by their grasp, others firing on the slippery appendages that reduced them to salami, while Slade and V1 fired at its eyes. They only seemed to annoy the abomination as whatever wounds that they inflicted sealed instantly before it smacked Calato away when he tried to strike at it with his sword and then Wilford when he fired at it with his bolt pistol. When suddenly, there was a shout.

"WE ARE THE HAMMER!"

One of the three remaining Grey Knights, Brother Armis, suddenly slashed the Hate-Angel's leg, causing a howl of pain to erupt from its maw of fangs before its hateful gaze was directed at the Knight, who merely readied his Nemesis Force Sword in defiance. The two other battle brothers, Grathum and Rathen, then jumped and slashed the Angel's back, causing another howl to cry out.

It whirled around and backhanded both of the Grey Knights away, who skidded to a halt as they slashed away several slippery appendages that came rocketing at them before Armis, who stood bravely with his Nemesis Force Sword out. Sensing an opportunity to strike, Freki and Geri attacked, streams of fire and ice trailing behind them before they turned the beast's arm into sashimi. It screeched out before oily tentacles sprouted from the stump and weaved together into a new limb that resembled a serpent with a snapping maw that attempted to bite down on the nearest target, only before it to be blown into a bloody mulch when Lynius and Wilford fired at it with their bolt-weapons.

Seeing that it was nearly overwhelmed, the Hate Angel stopped and let out a gurgle, causing them to stop at the sound. Suddenly, the maw unfurled as it forcibly spawned a massive clump of flesh from its mouth, pink and pale, covered in saliva and fuselage. The clump then begun to unfurl, revealing thin humanoids with pincer-like claws, hooved legs, massive grinning mouths for faces, flaring purple feathered wings, and stinger tails as long as a man's arm.

The swarm immediately sicked themselves on the Inquisition, who fired at them with extreme reckless abandon, felling hundreds before they managed to close the gap. However, before they could be eviscerated, a massive golden barrier appeared, stopping them in their tracks as they tried to claw against the unbreakable barrier before them, their hands and feet burning at its holy essence.

Using this, the Scion and Cromwell fired upon them with Helguns that eviscerated them, causing their corpses to burn while sliding down the barrier, leaving nothing but ashes to fall onto the ground as others kept trying to swarm the others. V1 and Slade were firing on the Swarm with reckless abandon, their shots popped several of them like they were blood-filled cists, but several were getting closer and closer until they were near arm's length to him.

Suddenly, several of them were reduced to bloody mulch with the swipe of Mjalnar, revealing an angry Leman who then turned his attention to the Hate Angel who merely roared in defiance. However, Leman launched himself at the beast, Mjalnar drawn out. The Hate Angel screaming out as it attempted to strike him as he was in the air. Leman twisted himself out of the way so that the massive claws of the beast missed him by a hair, before the Balenight sword was plunged into its guts.

Before the Angel could even screech, much less retaliate, Leman dragged Mjalnar across its chest, gutting the Hate-Angel open as its liquified organs began spilling out, healing as quickly as it was formed.

It screeched, when suddenly its reformed intestines lashed at the Wolf King, wrapping around his waist as the wound suddenly gained rows of jagged fangs that seemed capable of rending even the body of a Primarch. More of the beast's intestines wrapped around the primarch's arm and leg, gaining enough tensile strength to slowly pull Leman towards it, before snaring his other arm when he attempted to slash at them.

"V! FASTBALL SPECIAL!" Slade called out to the Vanquisher, who nodded before jumping to Slade's extended hand, landing on his palm before he was thrown at the Hate Angel like a spear of blue. Rearing his fist back, V1 flew through the air before he was a millimeter from the beast, then impacting the ribs of the monster that broke under the force of his blows.

The Hate Angel burst open like a rotten pinata with one half sent into the air while the lower half fell to the ground as it spewed purple vicious blood and undulating organs out onto the ramp they were heading down. The top half screeched as it sprouted multiple tentacles from the area where its innards were exposed, growing in size to where they dwarfed the Primarch. However, before the monster could even act, its arm was blasted apart by gunfire with all turning to see V1 flying towards them.

It roared and managed to catch the machine with its saber fangs that barely even scratched his chasis, only to let go when it was shot in the eye by the gun in V1's left hand. The Vanquisher then rammed his foot into the thing's jaw, shattering its teeth and breaking its face as it screeches out. Suddenly, its fur seemed to fuse into what appeared to be a carapace lined with spikes that seemed to be able to pierce adamantium, with the destroyed eyes now lined with jagged caps that were made to protect from gunfire.

However, lasbolts and helbolts firing at the monster, piercing through the soft spaces by accident as V1 flew past them and blasted its face with a shot from the Core Discharge, nearly reducing its face to pulp as the head burst apart to where it only seemed like flaps of flesh. Several tentacles then burst from its neck as flailed around as they began to reform the head.

(Music Ends)

Yama, realizing that she was in danger, decided to abandon the Hate Angel and save her own skin. As the monster's head reformed, a tumorous mass bubbled on its back, before bursting to revealing several blasts of noxious purple gas that quickly began clouding the area around it, blocking the others' vision as the sound of ripping meat caught Leman's attention.

Leman's eyes widened. It was a woman, her skin pale with a hue of pink and covered in decorative purple markings as several tentacles slithered back into vaginal-like orifices on her shoulderblades. She was almost impossibly beautiful when she turned her head to him, short and shaggy raven hair, black eyes with purple cross shaped pupils, black lips, and a body that any woman would kill for.

She gave Leman a laciferous smile before blowing him a kiss and falling backwards off the ramp, falling into the darkness. Leman attempted to rush after her with Scornspitter, only for a hand to be put on his shoulder.

"Leman, wait." The Emperor put a hand on Scornspitter, forcing it down, "Let her be. We have more pressing matters." The truth was that the Emperor's Compassion did not want to kill anyone if he did not have to. Leman scowled but did as the Emperor said, who then turned to his forces and called out, "Is anyone hurt?"

The others checked themselves, seeing that the Emperor had protected them from all harm from the Hate Angel and the Swarm, with Scion Priestly calling out, "We're good, me'lord."

"Ah, very good!" The Emperor replied jovially, ignoring Leman blinking in surprise, "I thought you all did an amazing job!"

"This beast is fascinating." Kryptman said as he put a hand to his heavily bearded chin, examining the beast as it seemed to be either dead or unconscious, likely the latter as the small wounds inflicted by their lasguns slowly sealed, "It appears this creature was not spawned by the haemonculus cults. But it does not appear to be a natural creature of xenos origin."

"I think I figured it out." Slade said as the others looked at him kneeling at a pool of its blood, which was viscous and a deep purple, which he picked up with his two fingers, bringing them to his face as his single eye narrows, "Necroplasm."

That got a wince out of... pretty much the entire group, and it took quite a lot to make them wince after what they had experienced in the Warp.

"Necroplasm..." Kryptman says as he poked the sludge with his cane, watching it some of it slithered around the tip, "So, this thing is a mutant or a Possessed?"

"Neither it seems." Headsmash replied as he knelt down beside Kryptman, watching as it seemed to recoil at the refractory field of his Power Sword, "It seems this beast was something born of the sludge."

"Necroplasm is basically liquid Warp energy." The Emperor said with a pitied expression, running his hand near the crown of horns that it possessed as it exhaled a breath of steam, "This poor thing was probably a slave that grew desperate enough to eat it."

"Eat it?!" Scion Stuart screamed out, aghast that someone would willingly eat something called 'Necroplasm', "Who would eat that shite?!"

As the others argued, the beast became labored in breath as it felt the life bleed from it. Before the darkness came to it, a comforting hand from the Emperor's Compassion rested on its head. There was a peace that came over it almost, like a warm bath that his mother gave him when he was young. It gave a shuddering breath as it breathed its last, thinking of the girl that he saved from the slavers.

Feeling life depart from the creature, The Emperor's Compassion gave a sad smile as he looked back to the shadows that covered the Dark City. Despite his power, the Emperor stared out into the shadows, watching as it seemingly devoured a section of the city, growing so dark that not even the light could escape it. What was in those shadows?

Somewhere in the outer rims of the Dark City, two individuals both sharing the same blood were flying through the air of Low Commorragh, or whatever remains of it, riding on constructs of the dark flesh of the Nergalings. One was a massive monster, resembling an unholy chimera that resembles a polar bear, sabretooth tiger, harpy eagle, and a number of other animals. The other was more angelic, resembling a Greek stature with three pairs of angelic wings and clad in what appeared to be a toga that covered both halves of the body.

The two beings than perched onto a horizontally facing spike on one of the towers, the chests splitting to reveal their pilots.

A tall being composed of flesh and blackness, a black face with glowing green eyes and a mane of brown hair hidden under a hood, and in his hands a scythe that can command the spirits of the dead. A tattered cape hung behind him, raw muscle exposed between the spaces of Nergaling flesh, an eye surrounded by green sabre fangs, and the matted brown hair under his hood.

The other was a woman who was nearly identical to the Queen in her mortal form, with only her golden blonde hair cut at the jawline, her eyes a burning emerald that shined in the dark, her outfit resembling a gothic black rococo dress from the 18th century and made from the dark flesh of the Nergaling eyes in her sockets with accents of emerald. Other than her dress, she festooned herself in aristocratic finery; jewelry, necklaces, rings, earrings, and bracelets made from fine metals and hewn in priceless jewels.

"So, sister." Grim Junior sneered as he perched onto one of the many jutting spikes on the spires of Commorragh, "We are sent here, the Dark City, to do the impossible."

Minnie merely rolled her eyes, letting the covering of her construct recede so that she could speak to her brother, "Indeed, brother. And I must say, the Dark City has become rather... void of the chaos that it has been known for."

"I say good riddance." Grim Junior sneered again, feeling no pity for the apparent extinction of the Drukhari, "But... We're not here to sample whatever cuisine left in Commorragh, no?"

"Indeed not, brother." Minnie agreed, giving an apathetic stare at the ruined Drukhari city, "Mother gave us our orders: Slay this shard of the Emperor of Mankind."

"Regardless, I'll say it nicely, I never saw mom so scared in my entire life." Grim shuddered, remembering the disheveled look of terror on their mother's face when she gave him and his sister their orders. And he shuddered more when at the look of pure fury that she directed at him when he questioned her orders.

"Brother, one of the most powerful shards of the Emperor has found a suitable host." Minnie retorted, albeit that hid her immense terror at the matter, muttering out under her breath, "She has every reason to be afraid."

"That still belies the point, Minnie." Grim remined her, "Regardless, destroying a piece of the Emperor's soul is damn near impossible! I'm a little prideful, I admit, but I'm not considering suicide."

"And if we cannot..." Minnie trailed off as she extracted a relic from her dress. It was an ornate rapier akin to the Myrtenaster rapier that he saw in the Schnee Manor all those years ago, but instead of metal, it appeared to be composed of white crystal and ivory material that gleamed at whatever light shined upon it with the Star of Chaos as the guard, the main difference being a ball of fire burning in the center. The blade thicker and more curved, more-like a saber than a rapier though, however, the composition was something that set alarm bells in Grim's head.

"No..." Grim's eyes were wide with horror at the relic in her hand, looking at her like she was about to commit suicide, "You cannot be serious, Minnie!"

"Mother only gave it to me as an absolute last resort." Minnie soothed her brother's fears, holstering the dagger as she explained, "If indeed we are not able to destroy one of the largest shards of the Emperor, then we must summon the being made to kill the Emperor."

Grim stared at her in utter disbelieve before he outright swallowed his feelings and stated, "Then I pray we don't have to."

"I pray we do not have to either, brother." Minne agreed with him as she seated herself back in her construct that then took off in a trail of emerald flames.

Scowling but not vocalizing, Grim submerged back in his construct, the tendrils weaving back into its shape as it then took off after his sister, the mighty wings beating loudly like a dragon coming to claim its prey.

Back with the Bearded Triumvirate, they were currently traveling through the upper echelons of High Commorragh, the Emperor's light making all those who had been drowning in shadow reel as light was brought upon them once more. Soon, however, it seemed like the arena almost was ablaze with activity, seemingly like it had been infested with something.

Something dark and out of control.

However, as they grew near, the others were having a conversation on the Dark Eldar.

"So..." Bored out of his mind, Calato mumbled out to anyone in the group that is willing to listen, "What kind of weapons do the Drukhari possess?"

"The Drukhari's arsenal consists of Dark Lances, Agonizers, Electro-corrosive Whips, Flesh Gauntlets, Chain-Flails, Scissor Hands, Husk-Blades, Hellglaives, Punishers, Stingers, Destructors, Crucibles of Maledictions, Combat Drugs, Gruesome Talismans, Hellmasks, Shadow Fields," Headsmash inhaled deeply, due to how long the list is, "Terrorfexes, Horrorfexes, Tormentor Helms, Masks of the Damned, Goblets of Spite, Shard Carbines, Splinter Rifles, Nightmare Dolls, Archangels of Pain, Torture Amps, Xenospasms, Murderdick Shooters..."

"Oh, by the throne on Terra, could those weapon names be any more childishly grim?" Wilford did not facepalm merely due to how much his discipline overtook his usual behavior.

That question was not answered as the Emperor put a hand up, silencing them as he then muttered, "Something's wrong..." He turned to the arena, noting how its seemed like it had gone silent after they had drawn near.

The Wych Cults of the Dark Eldar stage originally displays of ultraviolence in the massive arenas built into their lofty citadels and razor-edged ziggurats, allowing the citizens of High Commorragh to feed upon the acts of wanton murder and killing refined to the level of an art form. These multi-level structures are clustered with barbed stages upon which thousands of warriors and slaves meet a gruesome end. The arena's spectators observe from ornate thrones or from anti-gravitic pleasure-craft, drinking in the pain from a thrillingly unsafe distance. Wyches are paragons of physical perfection, and the Syrens and Succubi that rule over them are supernaturally adept at the art of dealing death. The ruling Archons of the Kabals know that without the imaginative displays of killing put on in the Wych arenas, Dark Eldar society would soon collapse in order to slake its eternal thirst for suffering. This practice of feeding the populace of High Commorragh with regular displays of bloodletting is known amongst the Archons as Lith'antu Khlavh, "the knife that stays the blade."

But now, it seemed that something even darker had taken its place, something that burned as bright as a star but hid the claws and teeth under a veneer of entertainment, maybe neither participant nor spectator is safe when the horrid thing that they call 'games' begin. However, it seemed like whatever horrible thing that infested the arena now had their eyes on them now.

Suddenly, it seemed as if the shadows around the arena parted as spiked gates were revealed for all the Triumvirate to see, the sounds of clawing scratching out like the ringing of the doom bells that signal the apocalypse. The gates buckled under the weight of whatever was behind them, splintering into several obsidian fragments as swarms of purple and neon pink surged out.

"Standfast!" Leman Russ yelled out, as every single member of the group pulled out their weapons, aiming them directly at the monsters that came out of the gates, even the Emperor flaring his aura to protect his children from whatever this threat was.

The swarm however was unlike anything they had encouraged thus far. It was a circus of horrors and madmen, the ones at the helm being the worst of them all.

It was hard to differentiate them from either human or Eldar, tall and thin but lacking the pointed ears, almond shaped eyes or oval-shaped heads, their skin covered in so much face paint and cosmetics, or what they hoped was face paint and cosmetics, that pigmentation was impossible to discern. They were grinning, but it was akin to their lips being pulled by the hooks on the flesh of a corpse, their eyes were more akin to holes in the void that pierced through them, they had hair colored in purples, violets, pinks, emeralds, indigos, and golds. As they stared on, something about them was wrong. One had a series of tentacles slithering through their orifices, another had their eyelids peeled back by hooks on thin golden chains, another's teeth were replaced by metallic razors, while another breathed out an emerald mist from their mouth and nostrils.

Others had masks of porcelain that showed either a grinning face or merely a grinning mouth, some obsidian black with neon markings in place of carvings. Their clothing was similar to the bodysuits of the Harlequins and the costumes of clowns or jesters, but restrained to purples, violets, pinks, emeralds, indigos, and golds. They were all radiating with bloodlust, armed with Husk Blades, Chainaxes, Chainswords, Monomolecular Blades, Razorflails, Venom Blades, Hekatarii Blades, and Glimmersteel weapons that they were impatient to use.

Behind them was a pink radiant mist where other horrors waited as they saw pale tendrils slithering in the veil of neon, the sounds of beasts and the moans of women emitting from the back reaches, whatever was beyond that was hard to discern as it was akin to their heads suppressing the thoughts of what could be.

"Father... what are they?" Leman could barely even control the amount of disgust irradiating from his voice as his grip on Mjalnar begins to shake in utter rage.

"I think that Slaanesh made them as a mockery of Cegorach." The Emperor assumed with a narrowed look in his eyes.

The Imperial Throneroom

Whammudes and Custodisi yelped and winced at the sight of the clown-like daemons or cultists, earning a confused look from Karstodes, wondering why they were fearful of them when they were barely fazed at the Harlequins. He did not know that the two had a nightmarish experience with the Eldar Laughing God, Cegorach, when Whammudes accidently found the Black Library in the Imperial Webway.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THEM?" The Emperor asked as he too noticed the two custodes reeling at the sight of the Harlequin-like beings.

"They appear to be suffering from Coulrophobia, father." Rogal bluntly noted, something that both Dee Dee and Malcador noticed as well.

All thoughts of the room stopped when the projector showed the horde of clowns parting away, revealing the main event.

"THERE HE IS." The Emperor started as they stared at the monster that once ruled the Dark City.

Commorragh

"Asdrubael Vect." The Emperor's Compassion finished with narrowed eyes.

The lord of Commorragh had seen better days, most of his Ghostplate armor was now in tatters, a Husk Blade in his hand and rolling the Obsidian Orbs in the other, his oblong headwear was gone, the Shadowfield was flickering in and out, a belt holding his Splinter Pistol and lined with Plasma and Haywire Grenades, his Scepter of the Dark City was reduced nearly to scrap, his Dias of Destruction was nowhere in sight.

The black holes he had for eyes were directed towards the Emperor's Compassion, who did not even flinch at the Drukhari's gaze. Before he could do anything, Leman growled in a manner that would intimidate the wolves of Fenris, "Don't you dare speak, you filthy Drukhari!"

"Leman." Fyodor said in a tad forceful tone, putting a hand on his pauldron which calmed him down, "Calm yourself."

Despite that, Leman's words caused Vect's expression turned to a sneer but regardless he motioned for one of the Clowns to speak. He stood out like a sore thumb amongst the Clowns; tall, lanky as a skeleton, his skin white as milk, shaggy cherry red hair that reached his shoulders, molten orange eyes with black eyeliner, black lipstick, a surprisingly normal nose, and ill healed Glasgow smile scars that reached his ears and as red as exposed muscles, and crimson fangs in his mouth.

His outfit was almost as bizarre as the others. He wore a dark royal purple jacket that reached his calves with black flame designs with additional ones around the cuffs under a black dress shirt with a red bow tie, violet slacks with black knee length cowboy boots with spurs and wrapped black spike-studded bands. He had black gloves with imperial purple fingers, holding a black cane with a red ram-horned skull, a necklace with a ram skull pendant around his neck, and finally, dark violet top hat with black flame designs.

"Now, now, everyone put down your weapons. We're not here to fight." The Clown sheathed his blade, the other Clowns scowling but doing so, much to the surprise of the Imperials.

The Emperor nodded to the others, getting them to reluctantly putting down their weapons. Inquisitor Kryptman then marched to the front, clearing his throat and catching the attention of his retinue.

"Inquisitor Kryptman, what are you doing?" Wilford asked, noticing the Inquisitor going to the front.

"I will negotiate with this... forms." Kryptman replied, ignoring them.

"Do you truly believe that they will listen to your demands?" Calato inquired with a raised eyebrow under his helm.

"Nonsense, I am an excellent negotiator." Kryptman brushed them off as he prepared himself for the talk between the Imperials and whatever the clowns were.

"Ohh, big hypocrite Kryptman being a negotiator-" Headsmash's sarcasm was cut off when Kryptman, without even looking behind him, aimed his gun cane and fired, hitting the Inquistor in the shoulder and causing him to scream in pain as he fell to the ground.

Kryptman then made his annoyed tone clear, "My opinion IS: straight-laced, self-strangulating sheeplings slapping "heresy" on anything even halfway logical is what brought us into this mess in the first place. Maybe taking two seconds to consider options that aren't "purge this," "cleanse that," and "BURN BURN BURN!" might prove beneficial even if you don't wind up doing it."

The Imperial Throneroom

Upon seeing this rant from Kryptman, the Emperor made his admiration clear, "I like this Kryptman man."

"You should not." Rogal Dorn stated, "He committed the largest genocide in Imperial history in his attempts to repel the Tyranids. He was exiled from the Inquisition for being. Too. Cruel.

The Emperor, to his credit, was given pause by this before he replied, "I am sure it was nothing personal and absolutely necessary in the end."

"The worst part was that it was." Malcador whispered, making Dee Dee don a solemn expression, knowing that such a massive sacrifice was only to stall the Tyranids but it still galled her.

Custodisi looked at his two brothers, who merely shrugged before he then spoke up, "My lord, you can just retract your statement about liking him."

"I never err in my judgments, you flabby cockcarpet." The Emperor replied, refusing to admit fault, "I am sure he is a very rational and sympathetic individual."

Commorragh

"Now then!" Kryptman stated to the Clown at the front, "Xenos... Er, Daemons? Er. Whatever. We needed another one of your spikey reprobates to deliver your demands."

"Well, since you asked so nicely." The Clown began as he strutted to the front. "It's surprisingly straightforward."

"I doubt that." Kryptman deadpanned.

"You see, the whole city seemed to shake after Khaine's Gate was shattered. That's what alerted Vect to your arrival." The first Clown explained to them, "To be honest, we were sort of expecting an unstoppable horde of daemons when the Gate broke. We were pretty stoked about murderboning a bunch of temporal thoughtforms in the eyeballs!"

"Stoked, huh?" Leman growled, fury oozing off of him.

Sensing his hostile intensions, the Clown immediately flipped his script, as he pondered silently for a moment, "Well, I can't speak for all of us. Um..." He turned to one of his fellow Clowns, hoping to hear something that won't set the Primarch off, "Desisi! Were you stoked?"

It was almost a head taller than Vect with vibrant pink hair, burning emerald eyes, blackened lips, and pale skin, dressed in a bodysuit resembling a Harlequin's with a frilled collar and cuffs, blacks and purples with flame designs, humming as it twirled a monomolecular blade in its hand.

"Hell yeah, I was stoked!" The other Clown cheered out, jovial in his tone as he intentionally made in the situation worse for his friend, "My chainaxes were begging to be bathed in daemonic ichor!"

The Clown got even more nervous as Leman glowered at him, putting his hands up in an attempt to placate the Wolf King, "Okay, okay, bad example, but still, I can't speak for everyone. But skullfucking daemons aside, Vect gave us strict orders to bring you to him for an audience, but he kinda got bored and decided to come along."

Vect's self-assured smile made it all the more clear why he came.

"So, you take us back to your presumably quite slippery master's quarters and then what?" The Star Emperor asked, "We're all re and de-castrated for the rest of eternity? Pardon my Scintillian. I am really sorry, but I am not seeing much reason to take your word."

"Well, not all of you, just you, chair-mon-keigh." The Clown clarified, "The rest of you will have to wait, while Lord Vect parlays with you."

"Oh, Emperor, please no." Scion Grant whispered in horror when he heard this, knowing what horrors might await them.

"And where would they be waiting exactly?" The Emperor's Compassion inquired, still doubting their claims of hospitality.

"The Arena, of course! You'll all be fighting to the death! It will be quite the spectacle!" The Clown said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world before he asked, "Come the fuck on, Vect wants a word with you, and you expect us to immediately slaughter you wholesale?"

The response could not be any more deadpan from the humans.

The Imperial Throneroom

The Emperor typed, "YES."

Rogal bluntly stated, "Yes."

Karstodes flipped his hair to his shoulder with the back of his hand, "Yes!"

Custodisi crossed his arms, "mYes."

Whammudes shouted out, "YES!"

Decius had an incredulous expression, "Yes!"

Dee Dee had an expression similar to Decius', "Yes!"

Malcador bluntly said, "Yes."

Commorragh

The Star Child replied, "Yes!"

Slade deadpanned, "Yes."

Kryptman yelled out, "Yes!"

Headsmash at the same time as Kryptman, "Yes!"

Tempestor Cromwell and the Scions shouted in sync, "Yes!"

Calato and Wilford shouted in unison like the Scions, "Yes!"

Draigo suddenly appearing shouted out, "yES!"

Leman utterly roared out, "YES! By the grace of Fenris, yes! You must think we've all contracted NURGLITE HYPER-SYPHILS to be mad enough to trust your ill-begotten ilk! Eldar, or whatever you wolfin are, would never miss an opportunity to cause pain, mayhem, and suffering and you've got to be thirteen wolves a' gullible to assume good intentions from even a single one of their honeyed words! Phrases like 'delivery' and 'audience' are always euphemisms for 'torture horribly for eons and eons cuz' it tickles me willy!' to yer lot. If this isn't a trap, I'm gonna buy an ENTIRE LIVING CAT AND NOT EAT IT."

Freki and Geri barked in agreement. Some of the Clowns had to stifle their laughter at that last part but kept their composure with Vect only giving a smirk.

"I would be tempted to agree." Kryptman added in, "Dealing with the Eldar... or what I think these things are, is a very fickle prospect. They are prone to acting in ways that are counter-current to their own self-interest, making you think that they think that they're deceiving you when in reality they're being completely honest and counting on the fact that you think they're lying to you so that you'll completely discount the truth as the truth."

Leman stared at Kryptman as he deadpanned, "What was even a single word you just said."

"EXACTLY!" Kryptman shouted, "They engage in exasperating mental gymnastics like this all the time! It's why I prefer hunting Tyranids. They don't waste my time with all this 'thinking' nonsense."

Kryptman's words and Russ' retort caused any composure in the Clowns to disintegrate as they all almost collapsing to the ground as they all let out hysterical laughs with one of them slapping their knee and saying, "IT'S SO TRUE!"

"Good to see someone is finding this funny." Scion Stuart deadpanned.

"So." Tempestor Cromwell said, steeling himself so that he may be prepared for what was to come, "What say you, Kryptman? Should we stay or should we go?"

"If I am being completely and thoroughly honest, I just wanted to stop the trigger-happy amateur hour from discounting our leadership for considering a slight unorthodox position." Kryptman admitted, "Ultimately, the decision rests with you, Fyodor. Either way, we're probably all, in Eldar-terms, boned."

"I respect your candour, Kryptman." The Emperor nodded as he weighed his options in his head, I think, with all things considered at the moment, our best course of action is... hmm..." He then trailed off, pondering on what may be his greatest decision.

"Choose very carefully, Fyodor." Leman urged this shard of his father's soul, "The consequences of your decision could see everything we've fought for go up in smoke."

The Imperium Throneroom

As the others watched in nail biting tension, Custodisi made his thoughts known as he stared at the Emperor's Compassion pondering, "I do not see much of a choice in this. What do you reckon, Adorable?"

"If I know my brother, they will fight to the death." Rogal gave his opinion, internally worried at what could happen next, "None but the likes of father could persuade him to do anything else."

"THEY WOULD NOT SURVIVE THAT." The Emperor informed them, "AS STATED IN THESE FILTHY MAGAZINES YOU CALL DARK ELDAR CODEXES, COMMORRAGH IS NOT YOUR RUN OF THE MILL XENOS HOMEWORLD."

That got Dee Dee's attention as she had yet to hear about the Dark City, but she dreaded every second of it.

"IT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE DIMENSION IN THE DEPTHS OF THE WEBWAY, ABLE TO HOUSE ENTIRE STAR SYSTEM'S WORTH OF THESE WALKING TALKING SPIKE MATS." A tone of dread and disgust would have been in the Emperor's voice if he wasn't using a Text-To-Speech device, "LIKE DIFFERENT AVENUES IN A MONOLITHIC SUPER-SLUM, VAST COLLECTIONS OF MORBID SATELLITE REALMS THAT ARE, IN REALITY, THOUSANDS OF LIGHT YEARS APART, ARE PERMANENTLY SHACKLED TO IT THROUGH SHIMMERING DIMENSIONAL SHORTCUTS."

"IT'S STREETS ARE AN EVER-CHANGING CLUSTERFUCK OF FLESH HALLS, VENOM CANALS, AND GRAVITY DEFYING SPIRES, ALL COBBLED TOGEHTER ON A SCALE INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO HUMAN MINDS." The dread was palpable as Dee Dee felt herself shiver at that, "WHILE THE SWEATGOBLINS OF COMMORRAGH CAN NAVIGATE THIS BRISTLING TUMOUR ON THE WEBWAY THEMSELVES, OUR BEARDED TRIUMVIRATE AND THEIR INQUISITORIAL COMPATRIOTS CANNOT HOPE TO SURVIVE SIMPLY BY FIGHTING THROUGH IT."

"THEY MAY POSSESS THE WILLPOWER NECESSARY TO SURVIVE THE WARP BUT SURVIVING THE PHYSICAL HORRORS OF COMMORRAGH IS ANOTHER PAIN REGIMEN ENTIRELY." The Emperor finished to the confusion and horror of everyone present.

"B-But the Grey Knight Klador Draigo was just able to detonate a sun!" Custodisi pointed out, "Why, I saw him defeat Magnus the Red, effortlessly, in a single blur of motion! How could these deviant abominations possibly pose a challenge to not only him, but to Leman Russ as well?!"

"It's true." Karstodes confirmed with Whammudes nodding.

"NORMALLY, YES." The Emperor confirmed, "BUT NOW THAT THE DARK ELDAR ARE GONE AND THE ONLY VESTIGES LEFT ARE THESE SHITTY HARLEQUIN COSPLAYERS, AND FUCK KNOWS WHAT ELSE, THE COMMAND STUCTURE OF THE DARK CITY HAS BEEN SMASHED SO HARD THAT ITS NOW LITTLE MORE THAN SCATTERED POWDER IN THE PROVERBIAL WIND. IT SEEMS THAT THEY HAVE LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO WEIGH THEIR OPTIONS AND TRY TO THINK OF THE BEST ONE."

"Then... Their escape from the immaterium was for naught." Whammudes concluded, "The Wolf King's return is not a return at all!"

"I do not like this situation." Rogal bluntly expressed, his concern matching Dee Dee's while Malcador knew what would happen next.

"DO NOT WORRY, YOUR TINY LITTLE SKULLS." The Emperor replied, "COMMORRAGH MAY BE UNBREAKABLE PLAYING BY OUR RULES. BUT, FORTUNATELY FOR US, EVEN IF IT HAD TO CHANGE, THINGS ARE GOING. JUST. AS. PLANNED."

Commorragh

"PLANNED." The Star Emperor said at the exact same time, which did not go unnoticed by his followers.

"You what mate?" Scion Matilda asked in confusion at the sudden spout.

"I have come..." Fyodor replied, silencing them all as they awaited with bated breath at the decision of their leader, "To a decision."

"And it will be painful." Leman lamented silently as Slade and V1 steeled themselves.

"We will-" Fyodor began, then tension reaching several meters thick.

"Extremely, terribly, horribly painful!" Leman lamented more as he steeled himself for what make be the worst moment of his life.

"Follow them."

Fyodor's order was expressed in a flash of gold that washed over the entirety of the area around them, causing everyone from Leman to the lowliest of the Stromtroopers. They all leaned back in surprise, feeling as if they had seen something of great light and purity. Even the Clowns and Vect leaned back, feeling the intensity of the Emperor's aura around them. It was even felt in the Imperial Throneroom, where the Custodes leaned back.

All was quiet after it faded as the others awaited the word of the Primarch as the Emperor remained silent. Russ was still, maybe reeling from the psychic blast from the Emperor, his eyes wide and glossed over before they seemingly returned to their normal state, his jaw set, a few white follicles of his bristled hair fluttering briefly before resting upon his scalp, his transhuman mind seemingly bristling with thoughts on what should be done.

Suddenly, Leman then boasted out, "All rite, ye good for nothing' dungas, listen up! You heard the man! Not sure why I'm unconditionally agreeing to this, but we're temporarily not murdering the Clowns! We will petition their leader for safe passage, and if he refuses, or otherwise screws us over, we will summarily show them the might of Imperial steel!"

The Imperials started clapping and cheering, however the only one who objected was Inquisitor Headsmash, "So, like... am I actually going to have to be the straight man here in pointing out how bad this idea is? This feels... gross."

"Oh, it's a terrible idea. Both our options are terrible ideas." Kryptman agreed with him, much to his surprise, "But I'd relax just a tiny itty little bitty itty bitty tiny little itty-bitty itty-bitty bit. There's a reasonable precedent for this sort of thing."

"There is...?" Headsmash raised an eyebrow.

"There is?" Scion Stuart asked as well, only for him to be elbowed by Matilda.

"There is." She shut him up with.

"Well, rumor has it that the Cult Mechanicus sometimes hired Dark Eldar to help repair the Golden Throne." Kryptman revealed to them, dropping a rather massive bombshell on them.

"OH, WELL THAT SHOULD BE GOOD." Headsmash abruptly said, now scared for what could happen to the Imperium.

The Imperial Throneroom

Suffice to say, the occupants, save for the Emperor, Dee Dee and Malcador, were rather surprised by the Wolf King's and the Inquisition's acceptance of the peaceful solution of the Clowns.

"I am rather confused." Custodisi could not hide the puzzled tone in his voice.

"As am I." Karstodes admitted reluctantly as he drummed his fingers on his forearm.

"As am I." Whammudes also admitted as he tilted his head in confusion.

"Why would Leman Russ and the Inquisition agree to this without violent interjections?" Rogal also voiced his confusion at the sudden peaceful agreement.

"Did we really invite the Dark Eldar in here...?" Custodisi whispered to his brothers, who shrugged, surprised as him at that revelation.

"AS I SAID, THINGS ARE GOING JUST AS PLANNED." The Emperor stated, with Dee Dee and Malcador nodding.

"I do not see a plan." Rogal replied, "I only see terrible decisions being made."

"THIS PLAN IS ENTIRELY BASED ON TERRIBLE DECISIONS BEING MADE." The Emperor cryptically replied.

"I am... confused." Rogal admits, more confused than ever.

"YOU WILL SEE."

That was all the Emperor left at, as only he and his angels knew what to do next. Though the Dark Eldar may be vanquished, Commorragh has been infected by daemons and other horrors, now more dangerous than ever and a hotbed for Chaos Cults from the former slaves that they kept as pets, some now little more than raving monsters in the dark.

"I hate enigmatic cliffhangers." Custodisi grumbled along with his brothers.

"Who is hanging from a cliff?" Rogal asked the Custodes, still not grasping metaphors, none hearing Dee Dee giggle in amusement.

Commorragh

And without another word, the others awaited the ships to arrive to take them to the arena while the Emperor would speak to Vect as they watched the fights in the arena. The Clowns were actually surprised as the group was complying, with the leading one leaning to Vect's ear and whispered, "That was easier than I thought."

Vect, notably suspicious, whispered back to the Clown's ear, "Keep an eye out, their leader may be more powerful than I thought."

"You know, terrifying Wolf-Man." The Clown said, getting Leman's attention, "I am surprised you took us up on that offer. I assure you, trusting us is a decision that will not bite you in the ass immediately."

"I'm actually pretty sure it will in some capacity." Leman admitted, his cheerful tone not hiding the threat underneath, "But luckily for me, if you try any of yer hallmark Drukhari-like cockdrivel, our close personal friend Kaldor Draigo just ate a sun. If we ask him nicely, he could spit it right back out for us..." His tone turned dangerous causing the Clown to lean back and put his hands up with a nervous smile.

Suddenly, as if to demonstrate, Kaldor Draigo's eyes became brighter than the stars themselves before he inhaled deeply to where even his armor seemed to strain before then he exhaled a massive beam of pure solar power into the air. The beam cleaved through a nearby tower, splitting it in twain until it slowly fell both ways, whatever caught in its path burnt to slag as molten material rained down on whatever was unfortunate enough to get in the way.

"Oh, wow." The Clown muttered out in shock, along with the others, blinking in surprise at the sample of Draigo's power.

"'Oh wow' is very right." Kryptman deadpanned as he watched the split tower fall to whatever counted as the ground, shaking and taking down several other spires around them.

Soon after, the transport ships came down to the Bearded Triumvirate, cobbled together Raiders, Ravagers, Reapers, and Tantalus' descending to the ground. Almost immediately after, Clowns came out that resembled the Death Jesters of the Harlequins, but the white of the bones were replaced by vibrant pinks that contrasted with the blackness of their outfits and long coats. And with that, they beckoned the Inquisition to come in.

The others silently prayed while Slade inhaled and exhaled as he followed Leman into the ships, "Here goes everything."

Around the peaks of the Wych Houses are the toroid arenas, elaborately curved racetrack complexes famous for their death races. Cliques of elite Jetbike pilots known as Reavers take part in fighting battles at breakneck speeds around the curvilinear interior of each arena, hurtling past the ingenious traps and moving blades of each deathscape, careening into each other with their custom-bladed craft and mowing down those nearby with blasts from their sophisticated weaponry.

Now, it was empty, save for a few individuals.

A roar of the engines came as a black Assault Bike decorated in skulls, weapons, and Slaaneshi sigils, with a daemonic aesthetic, the wheels black with purple radiant details. Speakers blasting Daemon Rape (more unpopularly known as Slaaneshi Rock N Roll) were lined with golden faces, pikes with impaled skulls, and exhausts emitted purple smoke at that smelled strangely pleasant blazed through the streets at blinding speeds, leaving a trail of pink fire behind.

The one riding it was ever more intimidating; a large yet lanky man clad in a black leather uniform that concealed every part of his body, lined with belts, spikes, and studs, polymerized with a black leather duster or greatcoat, five belts across the torso, knee-high motorcycle boots with multiple buckles along the leg and shuriken-like spurs on the heels, bands lined with spikes wrapped around the forearms, a furred collar lined with spikes on his coat, chains around his torso like a bandolier, spiked gloves, and the Mark of Slaanesh emblazoned on the back of his coat. Adorned on his head was a helmet resembling a skull with two forward facing horns, purple lenses, and twin white streaks resembling gashes running from the back of the head to the jaw.

Doomrider revved the engines of his Assault Bike to the extreme, letting Unbound wheelie before slamming back to the track as he speared through the track, nearly tearing it apart from the speed he was going.

However, as he was driving, Doomrider kept thinking. He always came to these tracks whenever he wanted to clear his head, as the tracks always gave him a thrill no matter how many times he'd driven through them. But this was not thrills he was seeking, because he was remembering this. Things that he wished that he kept buried for so so so many years, buried deep in his head so that he wouldn't remember them.

He remembered when he was back in that filthy home, where that woman always tormenting him with the religious crap she'd spew from that filthy mouth of her's, left to his own imagination as he'd travel through all those disgusting places in his head as his tears fell and burned the darkness, coming out of the closet one day to see her dead in a pool of her own blood, piss, and shit before the police found him days later.

The horror on the police's faces was something that he would always remember when they barged in on his home, where they saw him standing naked in the filth of his mother's body. They covered him in blankets, cleaned him, gave him new clothes, and sent him to a new home. But he never healed from her, never disobeying, never acting out even if he would get mad or upset or defending himself if he would get bad grades and his dad and his new wife berated him for it. He was always the odd man out, the screw up, the loner and chew toy in school.

It all changed when he got a taste of freedom after high school. That one taste was all that he needed before he was sent spiraling: doing drugs, joining gangs, getting tattoos, drinking beers, hitting on pretty girls when he was seeing triple, getting into fights, riding with his friends, and just having a good time. As time went on, he wondered if he could do more than what he had ever before.

Or maybe he was just a loser who fantasized about being a supervillain, maybe he was a lonely rich kid who wanted more out of life, maybe he was just a gangster who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or maybe none of these were right. Honestly, his memory has gone to shit with all the times he was doped up to the eyeballs on all kinds of combat drugs from either the Wych Cults, the Hunter's Black Lodge, or any time he got bored and creative.

One of his personal creations was Blitz, made from Warp Dust, Terrazine, and chemicals harvested from the adrenal glands and spine of Klavigar Orok, marinated in the liver juices of a Bloodthrister. By the Prince, that stuff gave him a massive kick in the balls.

Regardless, only one thing was consistent.

His life changed forever when he heard that revving of a motorcycle. Ever since, he took up the mantle of Doomrider.

Something then snapped him out of his thoughts, causing Doomrider stopped at a part of the tract that overlooked the Crubael Arena. He turned to see another rider approaching him on his own personal assault bike. The other rider soon came close at blinding speeds, before stopping at the sight of Doomrider, screeching to a halt as it ended its skid next to the Black Rider.

He was a giant of a man, appeared almost thrice Doomrider's height. He appeared of Mongolian descent, having a fu manchu mustache and a long almost bushy beard, a head of long bone straight hair that came to his chest, a jagged lightning bolt shaped scar that ran down from his hairline to his chin on the right side of his face, his Wildfire Panoply the same as it was in the Horus Heresy, both the White Tiger Dao and Storm's Voice hanging in their holsters at his belt, the engines and thrusters of his Sojutsu Pattern Voidbike purring like the cubs of a tiger.

Jaghatai Khan, Primarch of the White Scars.

The two riders stared each other down, neither moving an inch as the other waited for the other to do something. Both were silent, their eyes burning into the other like suns burning into the universe, their bikes growling like two beasts circling for dominance.

Doomrider then suddenly pointed to the Primarch and then to himself, motioning then to the track around them before trailing down to a specific spot. Jaghatai turned to see it was a tower that overlooked the Crubael Arena, turning back to Doomrider as he rose his forearm up and slapped his hand onto his elbow before then revving his Assault Bike.

Jaghatai remained stoic, merely revving the engines of his Voidbike. A sign of accepting the challenge.

The tension was palpable as Doomrider extended his hand out. Suddenly, a violet portal formed above his open palm before a flare gun dropped into his hand and closed it with the portal vanishing as quickly as it formed. The Black Rider wordlessly raised the gun into the air before cocking the hammer back with his thumb, his finger curling around the trigger.

The only sound that either could hear was a heartbeat from both the Black Rider and the Warhawk, the ticking of a clock in their heads. Their fingers curled on the grips, their feet slowly pressing against the pedals, the engines seemingly grinning in anticipation.

One heartbeat

Two heartbeats.

Three heartbeats.

(Gemini Syndrome - Pain and Pleasure)

Doomrider's finger then squeezed the trigger, firing a massive purple flare into the air. Not even a nanosecond later, both of them rammed their feet on the accelerator, both spearing down the track, leaving trails of fire behind them as the flare gun flew into the air before falling into another violet portal that vanish as soon as it appeared.

Both were roaring down the track as trails of white and purple, tearing up the roads as they rocketed at speeds reaching light, clashing and slashing as they reached a massive incline. The two riders speared up the incline, the flames from their bikes melting the road where their tires hit, the two glaring at each other as they reached the apex of the incline.

The two then shot from peak of the incline, flying through the air and their engines roaring out. Suddenly, both the Black Rider and the Warhawk jumped from their bikes, flying towards the other like two comets as Jaghatai drew his Dao and Doomrider drew Teresa's Claymore from another of his violet portals. The clang from their blade rang for miles before the track below them exploded from the force of their strike.

Debris flew into the air as the two blazed around the building sized boulders, trading strikes as they raced around in streaks of black and white, their blows splintering several sections of the boulders they found themselves on before they appeared before each other on one the size of a hive city. They did not waste time as they speared towards each other, disappeared in streaks of black and white as they speared toward each other.

Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks while the force cracked the ground and the boulder they were standing on splintered into fragments. The two flashed, swerving through each shard, trading blows, before Doomrider landed back on Unbound and Jaghatai back on his Voidbike before they resumed their race after they landed on the track again.

Doomrider's coat billowed in the wind like a cape, especially as he accelerated, catching up to the Warhawk who merely raised a curious eyebrow at the Black Rider's attempt to beat him. Jaghatai unholstered Storm's Voice in but a blink and fired, only for a black gun with an extended barrel and stylized grip to appear in Doomrider's hand and fired back, resulting in both projectiles to explode against each other.

This only caused a smirk to form on Jaghatai's lips. So that's how the Black Rider wants to play it, eh?

The Primarch aimed Storm's Voice at one of the pieces of debris in the air before firing, splintering it into pieces that raced toward Doomrider at blinding speeds. The Black Rider merely rolled his eyes under his helm before brandishing Teresa's Claymore.

Amateur.

Doomrider deflected the shards with Teresa's Claymore, shattering them with its indestructible composition, reducing several to dust before the area in front of him was blasted to smithereens, causing him to nearly drop his sword before he swerved out of the way, banishing back his sword in sync before he could fall into its gaping void. A moment later, he saw Jaghatai speeding away. His eyes narrowed dangerously under his helmet. 'Clever Dick!'

He revved the accelerator as he glared furiously, spearing down the road in a blaze of vibrant pink flames. Not one to be outdone, Doomrider unwrapped the chain bandolier across his chest before lashing it out at whatever chuck of debris it would hit. By sheer luck, it's spear-like end hit a massive piece of floating debris before he yanked it down, allowing it to fall towards the Primarch.

Jaghatai felt the wind billow against his hair as he turned to see an apartment complex sized boulder barreling towards him. The Warhawk was unmoved, only to jump from his Voidbike, gripping his Dao before disappearing in a flash of white, reappearing behind the massive piece of debris with his blade drawn before he wordlessly sheathed it. In but a blink, the debris was suddenly split in half with both pieces now falling away from the track before the Warhawk reappeared in his Voidbike, smirking victoriously at the Black Rider.

Now seeing this as a challenge, Doomrider's chain then wrapped both ends onto the handles, before the Black Rider then summoned two of his extended barreled guns in his hands and fired a flurry of bullets at the Warhawk, who casually deflected them with his Dao still giving that damnable smirk. That same smirk then came on Doomrider's face under his helm, channeling power into his two pistols that glowed a vibrant pink and indigo before he fired.

Both shots would have blown Jaghatai's head clean off had he not ducked a nano second later, the two projectiles spiraling over his head before he unsheathed Storm's Voice and fired back. The shot collided with another shot from Doomrider, both exploding in a massive blaze of white fire that nearly engulfed both riders in its flash before they speared towards the finish line.

The clash continued, Doomrider jumping off of his assault bike, banishing both his guns and grasping his chain, using it as a blade as he became a veritable tornado of death, spinning at the Primarch with the intent of slaying. Jaghatai intercepted each of his opponent's blows with but one arm as he intercepted, parried, and countered each strike with his Dao. The Black Rider flipped back before kicking the bladed end of his chain at the Primarch, who leaned his head back, letting the piercing strike miss his forehead before he grabbed the chain and yanked it hard.

The Black Rider was yanked toward the Warhawk but maneuvered himself so that he landed on the edge of the front hood of the Voidbike before he pulled out a gun from a violet portal and aimed it at Jaghatai's head. The Primarch punched the Black Rider in the gut before he had a chance to fire, causing him to nearly be sent flying off the track. Before he could fall to the dark depths, he lashed his chain out, letting its kunai-like blade pierce through the dark matter that constructed it as he swung like a certain arachnid themed hero over the edge before lashing out his chain again at the still racing Unbound, yanking himself towards the bike and landing gracefully.

The line was approaching, both blazed toward it as swiftly as their bikes could roar out. Both glared head on, neither caring about the drops of sweat emitting from their pores, the wind blowing through their clothing, the engines of their bikes roaring like lions declaring victory.

They speared out, rearing the sub-light speed as the line was only inches away.

(Music Ends)

A nanosecond later, both bikes screeched as they skid to a halt, leaving both riders panting while their bikes simmered from the strain of the race. After a few moments, the heat simmered down enough for Jaghatai to rise from his Voidbike and ask.

"Who won?"

Doomrider was merely silent before he tapped his helm's temple. Suddenly, a chip-like device emerged that he grabbed and threw out to the ground. It unfurled like a flower, revealing several needle-like points before they emitted thin beams of light weaved into an image, showing both of the riders as they crossed the finish line. It seemed unclear, so Doomrider forced it to zoom in.

The front of Jaghatai's voidbike as approximately three millimeters ahead of Unbound.

The Black Rider merely huffed but did nothing, turning to Jaghatai and saying, "You won." Despite his loss, Doomrider grinned under his helm as he extended a hand to the Warhawk with a chortle, "Good game."

Jaghatai gave a smirk that was only visible because of the corner of his mustache rising as he took Doomrider's hand, "Good game."

The two shook hands as they overlooked the area of the tracks that they found themselves in. It was the Crubael arena, looking as lively as it was before it was ravaged. The two looked at the arena where the Carydon cheered and watched the current events unfold.

The two had their own thoughts as they watched, however, Jaghatai turned to Doomrider and asked, "So, you are the new Doomrider?"

"Indeed I am." Doomrider commented, resting his chin on his knuckles, "The original Doomrider was my idol."

"My sons killed the original Doomrider." The Warhawk claimed, having heard things from around the Webway.

Doomrider scoffed, "They killed a body. They didn't kill a soul." His tone turned wistful as he clenched his fist, "Regardless, he was on his last legs when he found me all those years ago. It meant so much that, even with my memories gone to shit, I remember it with full clarity. The roars of his bike, the feeling of the thrill, everything about him... He gave me purpose when I had none."

Jaghatai hummed as he stared at the colosseum when suddenly his eyes shot to a series of ships that were coming to the arena, standing up from his voidbike and going to the edge of the track, his eyes taking in a faint golden light, "What is that?"

The Black Rider got off Unbound and came to the Primarch's side, seeing the fleet of ships coming to the arena, "Seems like the Carydon are transporting new playthings to their arena."

"Then I believe I am going to the arena." Jaghatai's words left no room for argument, going back his voidbike and stirring it to life. However, before he took off, he gave a look to Doomrider and gave a grin, "Want to race to the arena."

Jaghatai could see the grin form from under Doomrider's helm, "All you needed to do was ask." He then proceeded to backflip onto Unbound, who roared to life with emerald flames burning out from the exhaust pipes.

With that, the two riders speared off towards the nearest route to the colosseum, their engines roaring all the way.

The Imperial Throneroom

Back with the Emperor and the others, they were currently watching the Inquisition being escorted to the Crubael Arena through the shard's eyes, taking in the sight of the Dark City as it passed them by as they came further and further into its dark depths. As they were watching, Karstodes then comments, "You know when a body part falls asleep, and it feels like said body part is being punctured by a thousand miniature needles in quick succession?"

"Acutely aware." Custodisi replied, not turning to face him.

"I feel that in my eyeballs when I'm staring directly at Commorragh." Karstodes replied, blinking away several tears in his eyes under his helm. "It is actually quite distressing."

"Where are those jagged rascals taking the Inquisition again?" Whammudes asked.

"EVER HEARD OF THE SUPREME OVERLORD OF COMMORRAGH?" The Emperor inquired via his text to speech device.

Whammudes scoffed and replied, "No. Why would we have?"

"GOOD POINT."

"Mwell, the Bearded Triumvirate, (what we like to call them now), are going to meet up with a 'Supreme Overlord Vect' in the arena of the city." Custodisi gave his answer, before pausing and correcting himself, "Or, well, I say city. More like a sector sized underhive with no gravity."

"Correction." Rogal piped in, "My brother Leman and the Grey Knight are not to meet this Vect. Only walking Vostroyan stereotype Fyodor Karamazov will."

The Emperor resisted the urge to facepalm while the Custodes rolled their eyes at Rogal's words while Dee Dee snickered, and Custodisi muttering, "Odd if you ask me."

"Wait..." Karstodes shook his head for a second to realize, "Fyodor Karamazov? The Inquisitor?"

"More like backseat line judge, with emphasis on seat." Custodisi comments and breathlessly laughs at his own joke, getting a laugh out of Decius and Dee Dee.

"Why would this Dark Eldar monarch reserve a meeting with a man wearing a potato sack when he has an actual honest to Terran Primarch there to deal with?" The utterly confused Karstodes questioned.

"They are Eldar, Shield-Captain." Whammudes drawled, "Naturally, they would assume the unswolest of the lot would be the figurehead.

"DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE SUPREME OVERLORD, KING-THIGH-HIGH." The Emperor piped in, "HE IS DEFINITELY AWARE THAT FYODOR IS NO MORE."

That caused Karstodes to snap his attention to the Emperor, confused at the events going on, "Wait... Karakrazypantsoff is dead?"

The Emperor paused, trying to think of a way to properly word the process of a shard of his soul possessing a mortal form, "Not as much dead as... overridden."

There was a moment of silence, before Whammudes then asked as his mind formed an inappropriate response, "Who is riding him?"

The Emperor proceeded to conjure a psychic hand and facepalmed with it while Malcador and Dee Dee hold their hands to their mouths to stop themselves from laughing. Rogal Dorn however unintentionally made it worse, "No one. He is riding his throne."

Whammudes however immediately took it the wrong way, "oooOOOH! That's how he controls the throne! Aah! That makes sense AND is blindingly revolting."

The Emperor interjected, his tone would have been filled with irritation if he spoke in his normal voice, "Do you know what? Your lube-addled brain could never grasp my explanation as anything more than a bawdy double entendre. So, there is barely a point in trying to describe to you my newfangled bond with Fyodor's body."

Whammudes was quiet for a second before he smacked his lips, "You are entirely correct in that assessment."

Commorragh

Who knew being transported to an arena to meet your death could be so boring?

Slade's head was against the walls of the ship that was carrying him to the arena, his single eye watching the Dark City pass by. V was currently doing tricks with his coins, flipping them or running them through his fingers, provided what little alleviation that both he and Leman had. Leman however was near catatonic with boredom, tapping the back of his head to alleviate the soul crushing boredom.

With nothing to do, Slade dug into his pocket and took out that card he found at Khaine's Gate. He examined it with a puzzled expression that would have been on his face had his mask not been fused to his head.

The background, tinted yellow, is almost entirely obstructed bar the upper left, which seems to emulate either warehouse windows or computer monitors stacked in a grid. Taking up the majority of space in dark hues of black, purple, and blue is machinery and wires forming a throne-like chair, viewed from behind and to the left. Hooked into the chair with many wires connecting to the head is a humanoid figure, head turned towards the viewer, with two bright red eyes, and no other clearly visible facial features. The figure is draped in loose, robe-like clothing.

It seemed like a picture of the Emperor on the Golden Throne, but more like an artist's depiction of it rather than the real thing.

He then remembered the words of someone that talked about the Tarot a while ago, "The Emperor represents patriarchal control and is pleased with the authority and power he possesses to shape the future. The Emperor makes the rules and enforces them for the common good. But prestige has its dark sides – the Emperor is dominating and ruthless and will climb over a mountain of bodies to achieve his aim."

"Hmmm." Slade grumbled to himself as he examined the card more closely, trying to think about what could be the reason for him finding this thing.

They were soon beset when the airship suddenly stopped and landed at what they assumed was a ship port. The three slowly got up, Slade pocketing his card and V pocketing his coins, Leman gripping Scornspitter, waiting for whatever could come out of the doors of that door.

It opened to reveal a Corydon, the name of the clowns that they learned before they took off, who peeked in and announced, "We're here."

The three relaxed before they slowly followed the Corydon out of the ship, seeing the others coming out of the other ships as they emerged to the half-circle platform that the port to the arena connected to a wide gate with hanging spikes above and on the frame. They followed the Corydons to the arena while Vect lead the Emperor up to a platform that then ascended via anti-gravity propulsion, out of sight of the group.

Slade calmed himself, knowing that it may be his final day alive, turning to V1, "V, if I die, you can have HIVE."

V1 only gave a nod in understanding. The others in the Inquisition tried to keep as silent as possible, trying to not give the foul things that resided here the satisfaction of their fear, but it slowly crept in as the sight of the defiled arena slowly crept in. The Corydons on the other side of the tunnel were grinning ghastly at them, thinking of the terrible things they want to inflict upon them.

The moment they were inside the tunnel, the gate closed behind them, sealing them into the arena.

With that done, the leading Corydon, named Revel, let out a sigh of relief and allowing himself to rest on one of the none spike covered parts of the area, running a hand down his face as he muttered, "Those poor bastards."

"Why pity them?" Desisi asked his leader with an apathetic expression, "That idiot Vect would do anything to slake the boredom that hangs over him like a guillotine."

Revel turned to Desisi with a glare, "Our alliance with Vect is one of the most important tools we have, and we cannot afford to screw that up. That does NOT mean we should trust him. I know he seems funny and charming, but believe me, when you've seen for yourself the depth to which he'll sink—"

In his inner chambers, Vect grinned as he looked over the monsters that had been created for this coming event, "I love it, but can we get more silver spandex on those costumes?"

"—you will never sleep well again." Revel finished to the now scared looking Desisi, who jumped, wondering what horrors could be lurking in the mind of that former ruler of this Dark City.

Hours later...

The abomination, made from the greatest sciences taken by the great covens of the Haemonculi, died with a decapitating blow from Mjalnar before Leman destroyed its head with a single punch, letting the body, spraying out a fusillade of green and purple sludge from the neck stump, fall to the ground of the arena. The cheers from the spectators turned deafening as the body was devoured by the other creatures enslaved by Vect.

The Primarch of the Space Wolves was drenched in blood of various colors, some green, red, blue, or purple, Mjalnar hungering for more as the Corydon spectators unleashed more beasts into the arena. Rolling his eyes, Russ merely swung Mjalnar at the nearest one, cleaving the beast composed only of limbs and eyes in twain before slashing around him, cleaving several other diminutive creatures into minced meat before then stomping his foot down on one that somehow survived. He didn't even look behind him as he impaled another abomination through the face with Mjalnar, reducing it to slurry.

Watching them were the Corydons that had stayed in the colosseum and another of their dark kindred, the Thralls that Thirst. They were more recognizable as former Aeldari, some male, some female, some impossible to tell, their skin varying shades of dark pink or purple, their eyes flooded in dark power, clad in leather belts or the skins of their human or alien victims, belts lined with their weapons and torture equipment.

Revel then raised the cane and yelled out to the audience, "Welcome, one and all, to the Circus of Doom!" He then let out a hearty laugh and said while tipping his top hat, "Let's go!"

They were truly a diabolical existence, a Drukhari unbound by their fear of Slaanesh's devouring maw, able to unleash their long-repressed psychic might on the world, able to inflict cruelty for cruelty's sake not merely for survival, able to indulge in the darkest impulses imaginable as their presence made reality groan, the dead to shriek, and the souls of the damned to cry out in terror.

What horrid things could be made from the darkest memories of an entire race?

Meanwhile, the others watched as Russ kept fight. Amazement, awe, fear, and hope coming from them as they kept watching him fight, killing monster after monster that their abominable masters sent after him, keeping up the fight as the others tried to think of a way out of this mess. The Emperor had gone with Vect to his personal seat, albeit reluctantly. V1 was contained in a separate area, one that had several monsters keeping him busy, and Draigo was bound to another area where he would overlook the arena, meaning all they had left was Slade. Even Freki and Geri were forcibly confined to them.

"Ah, fuck mate!" Scion Stuart began, sweat pouring from under his helmet, "When it's our turn, they're gonna fhucking flay us with rusty spatulas!"

"Calm yourself, Scion Stuart!" Tempestor Cromwell slapped him across the head, earning a yelp out of him, "We're not getting out of this alive by panicking! Now, does anyone have a plan on how to get out of this horrible place alive?" No one answered, not the Inquisitors, nor the Space Marines, so all of them looked to Slade for answers.

Seeing that it was up to him, Slade sighed, "Well, we have two options. One stay alive long enough for the Emperor or Fyodor, or whatever the hell he calls himself, to finish talking with the Supreme Overlord, which could take hours. Or two, we die fighting whatever abominations that they have stored up in this arena. While I prefer option one, I know many of you will probably take option two if there was no option left."

The others nodded, knowing that they would rather bleed to death than live forever tortured under these things.

"Fuck that!" Some however, had other ideas as Scion Stuart demonstrated, pointing to Slade, "I say we sacrifice the cloaked freak to them!"

Big mistake. Slade's single eye turned to the Scion, who immediately flinched, even more when he leaned in, meeting him eye to eye.

"Scion Stuart..." Slade said in a tone so cold that it would have frozen helium, Freki and Geri growling at him in anger, "If we get out of here, I will use you as a meatshield."

Now fearing for his life, Scion Stuart nodded, trying desperately to not wet his pants.

"You deserved that." Scion Valentine deadpanned, getting a nod from the other Scions. Suddenly, there were cheers that drew their attention back to the arena, the others running to the edges of their cage to see what was happening, Slade even gripping the bars of the cage walls, wondering that could be happening out there.

Little did they know that Jaghatai and Doomrider had arrived from the upper roads of the Dark City, landing at a part of the colosseum that overlooked the arena where he watched Leman fighting.

"Leman?" Jaghatai said as he rests his hands on the railing with Doomrider standing beside him, watching the Wolf King fighting in the arena.

"Is that your brother?" Doomrider questions, seeing the Primarch down in the fight ring.

"Yes, that is him." Jaghatai growled before he raced down the stairs, nearly leaving Doomrider with whiplash as he ran after him.

In Vect's personal anti-gravity suite, the Supreme Overlord was laughing as he supped a wine of an impossibly rare vintage while the Emperor's Compassion watched with a concerned expression on his face, knowing that there would be a matter of life or death for Leman on what would happen next.

In the Arena, Leman was still standing, panting venomously as he gripped Mjalnar which was dripping with blood and ichor and flesh, his predator eyes taking in the dead bodies of the thousands of abominable things that they had beset upon him. The Corydons and the Thralls were cheering out in utter glee. Never had so much alien blood drenched the arena. How could this be followed? The crowd cried out for more. There could be no end to the spectacle now.

Then Lelith herself strode into the arena.

The crowd hushed at the very sight of her beauty and elegance. Her flesh bared as if to taunt the blade to draw her blood. Her hair loose as if to tempt her adversary to grip it and strike the death blow. This was the way she liked to perform so calm, so confident, so cold.

Slaanesh's prized jewel, the Mistress of Death, the Queen of Blades once one of the deadliest beings in the galaxy and now one of the deadliest beings in the multiverse.

The Queen of Blades, Lelith Hesperex, her hair now a shade of midnight blue and loose, her skin a deep shade of violet, her eyes now seemingly amethyst, her Wychsuit now seemingly one with her skin, her twin short swords now black as midnight with golden screaming faces acting as the guards, curved fangs act as the pommels. The crowd gasped as she brandished her chosen weapons: a flashing of ice-cold silver, the kiss of death. The crowd roared their approval, the entertainment would last long into the bloody evening!

Lelith smiled at the Primarch, taking a stance as she raised her blades at Leman, who merely sneered with hatred as he leveled Mjalnar at her.

The Queen of Blades suddenly flashed in front of him, catching the Primarch off guard before he quickly raised Mjalnar, clashing with her twin blades as he broke it and pushed her back before parrying two more strikes and then attempting a downward slash that she parried before attempting a piercing strike at Leman's neck who managed to dodge by a hair before he struck her in the gut.

Such a blow would have broken a regular Druhkari in half, but Lelith stopped being a Dark Eldar long ago. As such, it merely sent her back, moaning at the pain in her gut but it faded and she brandished her blades, her hunger for a fight rising as she struck back like a serpent, her blades as her fangs. Leman parried a scissor kick as Lelith wielded one of her blades with her foot before she slashed Leman across the chest, nearly cleaving his sternum open were it not for his ability to heal. However, luck was not on his side as she unleashed a flurry of strikes at him, that he could barely parry before she slashed him across the cheek and attempted a decapitating blow before he headbutted her, nearly breaking her nose.

Using the opportunity, Leman knee'd her in the gut and then slashed her across the face with Mjalnar. Instead of slowing her down however, that only seemed to invigorate Lelith more judging by the ear-to-ear grin she suddenly supported. Screw cold and calm. She was gonna have fun with him.

Suddenly, it was as if she had become a tornado of death, striking so swiftly and numerously that Leman could not block or parry any strike that she lashed out. Two slashes to each of his joints, and Leman was already stumbling on his knees.

Blood spilled out like a geyser from his wounds, trailing from his shoulders, legs, chest, arms and face, his breathing became labored, barely able to stand even when Lelith sauntered towards him.

"Oh, tired already?" Lelith spoke, her voice silvery and filled with a childish mocking tone, before she grinned and raised her blades, "Then let me kill you quickly."

Knowing he had to do something, Slade decided that his voice must be heard.

"LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN!" Slade cheered out, which provided to be infectious as the Emperor soon joined as well from his stand with Vect, then Draigo, then Tempestor Cromwell and the Scions, then Kryptman, then Headsmash, then the Grey Knights, then Calato, then Wilford. Soon, all of the Inquisition joined in his cheers. Jaghatai and even Doomrider joined in their cheers. Even the Clowns and the Thralls joined in their cheers, finding the taste of the hope they generated to be delicious regardless of who they were truly rooting for. If one could hear closely, even those in the Imperial Throneroom were cheering.

"LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN! LEMAN!"

The Primarch heard their shouts, almost like they were his sons from times long past or yet to come. Even when they knew that there was no hope, they still kept cheering at the Wolf King, hoping to keep him going. Knowing what he must do now, Leman roared out, stabbing Mjalnar into the ground. The cheers quieted, the Wolf King stood back on his own two feet, standing up even as the world around him seemed like it was hopeless to even try.

And in all this hopelessness, in all this waste of energy, in all this monstrous force against him, what did Leman say?

"That all you got, you wolfen SKANK?!" The Wolf King roared as he brandished Mjalnar at the daemon prince.

The cheers resumed in full force, even to those who were rooting for the Queen of Blades. Instead of being insulted, Lelith laughed. Not in mockery, not in astonishment at his stupidity at standing up to her, but out of pure excitement at the feeling of a Primarch's determination. Her swords, the Glimmering Shredders, seemingly growled in anticipation at the upcoming fight.

The Wolf King howled as he struck down a wave of midnight at her, that she dodged gracefully before she flashed in front of him and slashed at him with both blades that he parried and then slashed her across the chest, drawing vibrant pink ichor before it healed instantly, getting a quiet moan before she suddenly whipped her at his arm. The hooks lining her locks, cut into his armor and his flesh, drawing blood from the latter but not even a flinch from the Wolf King who only then left hooked her across the face, almost assuredly breaking something in her face which only widened her grin.

Leman suddenly strafed to the side, letting her fly past him in her piercing attempt before he brought down Mjalnar in a bifurcating slash when Lelith suddenly twisted herself so that her twin blades caught the strike. The two clashed, their blades sparking like they were monsters with burning steel teeth, his strength vs her grace, both monstrous and unyielding.

However, Lelith was grinning more and more, almost akin to beyond rapture while Leman only answered with a hateful leer. The dark queen merely gave an even wider grin before she twirls out of the way of the clash and slashes Leman's side, drawing a geyser of blood from his body. He attempted to suppress the pain, only for her to slack the back of his legs and then appearing behind him with one of her Glimmering Shredders' to his throat.

"LEMAN!" That shout came from Rogal and Dee Dee in the Imperial Throneroom, but no one cared, they all stared at the Primarch's predicament. Lelith's grin became both a smile that was somehow both mocking and affectionate.

"Oh, Wolf King..." She said in a sultry tone like he was her lover, cooing as she forced him to look at her with her other hand, "You've been such a good toy. But dying in silence doesn't seem like what you do no?"

Leman's response was simple. He hurked up a mouthful of blood and spat it at her face. Instead of enraging her or causing her to break her composure, she smiled and lapped his blood with her thick tentacle like tongue.

"See? That's the spirit." Lelith grinned, showing off her pearl-like teeth as she readied her blade for the final strike.

Before the final blow could be struck, there was a crash and the roar of "NNNNOOOOOOOOO!" echoing out through the arena. Lelith suddenly ducked under a swing from the White Tiger Dao before she was then suddenly slashed across the back and kicked away by an angry Jagathai Khan. The crowd gasped in honest but not unwelcome surprise.

"We'll talk later." Jaghatai preemptively cut off Leman before the gaping brother could say anything.

The Imperial Throneroom

The surprise was palpable when Jaghatai Khan appear on screen. For once, the Emperor was silent, letting his skeletal fingers rest on his Text-To-Speech device, gazing at the sight of his son before he typed out, "WELL, FUCK ME."

"Jaghatai?" Both Rogal and Dee Dee said at the same time, both too in awe to notice.

"Huh." Karstodes could only blink while everyone else was in shock at the sight of the White Scars' Primarch.

Commorragh

The Crubael Arena

Meanwhile, the reaction from the Queen of Blades and the Star Child was much more jubilant.

"Jaghatai..." The Emperor's Compassion let out a tear as he saw one of his sons again. Vect gave a strange look at him but shrugged and took a sip of his wine, this unexpected event gaining his interest.

"Two primarchs?!" Lelith laughed like it was her birthday, as her Glimmering Shredders seemed to beam from her thoughts, "And I thought this day couldn't be any better!" She brandished both her blades at Jaghatai who merely leveled his Dao at her.

The two flashed at each other in trails of white and purple, clashing and weaving through each other's blows until they resembled tornados of death. Their strikes became also like blurs as several slashes and strikes were traded in blurs that seemed like they were faster than light itself, lines of heat burning through the air as they kept brawling out like a daemon and an angel, but none could tell which was the former or which was the latter.

"Not used to someone keeping up?" Jaghatai yelled as he blocked and slashed her across the face.

Lelith merely laughed, grinning at the agony, "No, but its welcome!"

The slashes seemed blinding, the clangs of metallic wrath ringing out like a massive torrent of flechette, However, before one could overcome the other, Lelith leapt back and unleashed several trails of blackness that tore through the ground however the Warhawk managed to dodge and then flash out of the way before reappearing in front of the dark queen and attempted to bifurcate her, which failed after she twisted herself out of the way and attempted to parry a downward strike.

Before she could react, the primarch changed his strike mid-swing, causing a massive slash to appear on her torso and spray out massive pink ichor that suddenly then came back into her torso before she kicked him way. Her face was one of utter rapture as she gripped her swords and then speared towards at the primarch, becoming a flash so swift that even Jaghatai could barely react.

She slashed through the Warhawk's tendons, nearly severing them had he not been a primarch, however they were healing too slowly. She charged at Jaghatai, attempting to slash his head clean off his shoulders. Jaghatai was for once too slow as the cut tendons prevented from gripping his Dao properly so he could only attempt to dodge.

Suddenly, before she could cut Jaghatai's throat, there was a crash and suddenly, Lelith was kicked in the jaw by the metal foot of V1. The Queen of Blades was sent skidding back as she took in the sight of the Vanquisher standing before her, who then kicked up two short swords that had been dropped by a former gladiator. The gasps were louder than before.

"Ah, shite!" Scion Matilda exclaimed, while the others in the Inquisition watched with bated breath, "Even V's joining the scrap!"

Lelith breathed when she saw V1, gripping the twin short swords in a reverse grip as he did his variant of a glare at her. She merely beamed all over again, laughing in utter glee that she was facing the Vanquisher. She then lashed out, attempting to split him in twain only for the drone to block her with one arm and then parried back another strike before he scissor-kicked her in the chest, sending her back before he came flying towards her practically irradiating a murderous aura.

Their strikes were like a series of blurs, unable to be traced by the human mind as they fought in a manner that was only comprehensible to gods, the ground around them splintering at the force of their clash, dust and debris kicking up as they kept clashing, almost akin to the wrathful things of legend. V1 blazed, leaving a trail of blue behind, knocking away several needle-like projectiles that came from Lelith swinging her hair at him, before he backflipped out of the way of two trails of blackness.

V1 rammed his foot into the ground, splintering the section of the ground before he speared towards her. Seeing him flying towards her, she grinned and then swung her razor hair at the Vanquisher, who merely extended an arm out. He then did something that shocked all the former Druhkari; he grabbed Hesperax' hair before wrapping it around his forearm. Before she could react, V yanked her towards him, raising his short sword to stab her in the heart.

However, the Queen of Blades twisted her body out of the way and then slashed her top knot off her head, severing it and letting her now very short pixie cut flare out before she skidded back, letting the crowd see her new haircut.

The gasps returned, and again when the machine discarded her severed locks without a care, with Jaghatai sneering out, "Nice haircut."

Lelith smirk, running a hand through her significantly shorter hair, seemingly not mad at the loss of her long follicles, "I'll regrow it later." She then flashed at V1, significantly more faster than before as she attempted to skewer the machine only for him to parry both of her strikes and slash her throat open to the point of near decapitation that sealed near instant before V1 drove both of his legs into her chest, caving her sternum in and whatever organs she possessed, sending her back and then pressuring her more and more as his strikes were akin to meteors reaching terminal velocity, actually forcing her on the defensive as she parried and bashed away his strikes.

However, when it seemed like V1 was about to lay a finishing blow on the Queen of Blades, she suddenly grinned. Suddenly, there was a massive slash that burst V's chest open, revealing several biological yet metallic looking organs covered in neon green sludge that was set ablaze by violet fire as he stumbled back. Lelith grinned, thinking she'd landed the fatal blow, only to blink when she saw the flames sinking, steadily disappearing which then revealed his chest void of any damage or even markings of damage.

To add insult to injury, V1 mockingly brushed the nonexistent soot off his chest with his right hand.

Lelith was silent, staring at the machine before a laugh stared to bubble from her throat that then morphed into an all-out cackle, one full of delight instead of mad rage as her burning eyes turned to the unfazed killing machine as she was all but oozing bloodlust and excitement.

"HEHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!" Lelith screamed out, her voice rapturous as a blazing violet aura surrounded her and her twin blades flaring with pink warp power like hungering spirits, causing bellowing winds to burst forth as the others covered their faces to stop themselves from going blind from the sand blown around and the light burning from her aura as she then screamed, "GIVE ME MORE, MACHINE!"

V1's only response was too brandish both of his short swords and utter out in a monotone voice, "Bring it."

The two then rocketed towards each other, almost like two comets of warp power that clashed in an explosion of light that nearly split the arena in half from the sheer force of their might. Both skidded back and then charged again, they're strikes akin to beams of light as their blades growing white hot as they burned through the arena, much to the amazement of the audience as they flew into the air and clashed multiple times, clapping at the fantastic performance.

"HAHAHAHA! THIS IS THE GREATEST FIGHT OF MY LIFE!" Hesperax screamed out with a manic grin, launching towards V1 who couldn't react in time as she nearly bifurcated the machine had he not sidestepped away before he countered the strike with a kick as the collision discharged a shockwave of air that blasted both away before he air-dashed towards her and right-hooked her in the jaw before she could recover, sending her to the ground where she crashed on her feet.

The daemon princess turned to the sky as V1 came spearing towards her like a comet, his blue plates emitting pale white flames that trailed behind before he crashed onto the ground, creating a crater where he stood.

Lelith's manic grin was all but oozing insane excitement and bloodlust as her aura flared out into a blaze of fuchsia, never feeling this fucking fantastic since she began fighting all those millennia ago, deciding to throw away any semblance of coolness and control to the wind, all she cared for now was this fight. V1 was unintimidated, the white flames surrounding him scorched the ground he walked on, small pebbles and stones reduced to smoldering particles as the blades in his hands channeled the power that he has absorbed since coming to Commorragh.

Meanwhile, the spectators were cheering out like kids on a sugar high, clapping and cheering at the entire fight, looking like it was the greatest thing they had ever witnessed, the cheering and the spectacle preventing them from turning on each other in a frenzy of violence and cruelty. Meanwhile, the Imperials were joining in on the cheers.

"YOU CAN DO THIS, V!" The Emperor's Compassion yelled, cheering for his metallic companion.

"GO ON, YOU TWO, CONTINUE THIS SPECTACLE OF A FIGHT!" Vect cheered out, abandoning his chalice filled with wine as he clapped at the fight.

"COME ON, V! POUR IT ON!" Inquisitor Headsmash roared as his Jokaero and Daemonhosts screamed out in agreement.

"GO, V, GO!" Scion Valentine cheered out with his fellow Scions.

"CHARGE FORTH, MACHINE!" Tempestor Cromwell cheered out with his troops.

"GO, YOU BIG BEAUTIFUL MACHINE!" Kryptman roared out, using all his strength to scream out his support.

"KILL HER GOOD, V!" Calato cheered with Wilford whooping in good cheer.

"BRING THE FLAME, MACHINE!" Albia cheered like a giddy schoolgirl.

"GO, V!" Inquisitor Donklas shouted out.

"WRITE A BIBLE STORY IN HER BLOOD, MACHINE!" The Grey Knights shouted in unison.

The cheers were deafening, only increasing in volume as both combatants took a stance. The moment was tense, burning with the same intensity as their blades seemed to hunger at their emotions. Both of them then burst worth, each clash and swing booming like comets colliding as the flames trailed and scorched the area around them like they were twin gods of fire.

However, each strike weakened V1's blades as they began breaking under the weight of the power channeled into them, cracks forming as he slashed into the ground to make a massive wave of whiteness that nearly cleaved her and the arena in half had it not been for her jumping out of the way and for the anti-ethereal pylons that surrounded the colosseum.

Lelith, her grin now beyond manic, laughed insanely as she did a downward strike, which V1 blocked with both blades. Unfortunately for V1, the strike and the pressure of the power flowing through them was too great and they shattered like glass, causing her twin blades to cleave through the machine and sever his left arm.

However, instead of screeching in pain, V1 then grabbed his severed limb as it was still in the air and then used it as a pseudo club, striking the Daemon Princess across the face, knocking her back before he forced the limb back to its stump. Suddenly, microscopic neon green tentacles sprouted from the stump and attached themselves to the limb as they fused the two pieces together, reattaching the limb to his body.

Lelith's aura then flared like a blaze as she turned her gaze back to V1, a trail of blood coming from the corner of her grinning face before licking it up with her long tongue. It was that moment that he knew... he fucked up.

The full force of her power roared out as she unleashed a blast of dark pink flames that scorched the ground, almost reducing the machine to slag had he not jumped into the air to avoid being scorched, Jaghatai speeding Leman and himself to the edge of the arena so they don't get scorched. The flame then parted to reveal Lelith with her new appearance, a menagerie of shapes forming from her flames that grew more monstrous as she stared at V1 who landed a hundred feet from her.

Lelith's hair was flaring out, not growing but not stilling, numerous spikes having grown on various parts of her body, her eyes now burning orbs of fuchsia on her still beautiful face, her teeth now fangs of neon pink, her sword now midnight black with auras of fuchsia, and crackling of warp power arching around her like a bomb almost ready to go off.

Gone was the cool and collected Hesperax, now was little more than a feral beast hungering for her prey.

She swung, waves of purple and pink at the machine who dodged with incredible grace, before Fear and Loathing appeared in his hands, aiming them directly at her before firing, both bolts spearing though the air before they detonated just a few inches from her face, almost blowing her head off had she not ducked at the last second.

"Done with the foreplay, are you?" The Daemon Princess grinned sadistically as she sheathed one of her blades, letting herself relax due to the immense arousal in her body as they walked towards each other. However, before she could make another move, V1 immediately holstered Loathing before dashing to her and grabbing the arm that held her single blade.

Before she could break her arm free, V1 clenched his fist hard, shattering every bone in her wrist with his iron grip. Instead of screaming in pain, all it resulted as an intoxicated and manic grin on her face, laughing all the way as she rammed her foot into his chest, sending him back and skidding. She was now practically feral, swinging wildly without any pattern or focus, almost like she didn't care what she hit so long as she hit something.

Deciding to end this now, V1 slowed, letting her get close enough. Taking the bait, she stabs him in the shoulder, letting her grin widen to nearly splitting her face before he rammed Fear against her throat.

Her breath becomes labored, drool spilling from the corners of her lips, wild eyes at his single optic, looking ready to split him in half, "Oh, you're good. Letting me stab you to gain an advantage? That takes-"

"I know what you're thinking."

Lelith stopped when that voice came from V1's speakers, as did most of the audience.

"You know with that busted arm you can't reach me in time." V1 started, keeping Fear's barrel pointed at her throat, "But you're thinking maybe. Maybe. Maybe you can slash me down. Get to me before I pull the trigger. Maybe you can. But maybe you can't. Maybe the bullet hits you first. And maybe the force of a bolt shell sends you plummeting straight to hell. Me? I like those odds. But you? You've got an eternity to lose. So, the question is, sweetheart... You wanna live forever?"

Silence came down. Lelith's eyes began weighed her decisions, her breath more labored by the minute as she tried to think of something before her eyes met V's glowing orb of an optic.

Suddenly, she grabbed her second blade and slashed him across the chest, gashing it open and sending him back but not before he pulled the trigger. The bolt exited the barrel and launched towards her. However, due to the force of her slash, instead of hitting her in the neck, it hit her in the chest. The blast was deafening as both fell to the ground, V1 bleeding a neon green ichor and Lelith slowly regenerating her chest wound while bleeding neon pink ichor.

The machine slowly forced himself to stand despite the protests in his joints that creaked at his movement, before gripping the blade in his shoulder and ripping it out of him, letting it drop onto the ground and holster Fear. He came to the downed Lelith, who by this point had regrown all that had been blasted off from his shot, labored breathing expelled from her mouth. Her eyes turned to him as he offered a hand.

Beaming like a schoolgirl, Lelith took his hand and pulled herself up. 'So, this is what it feels like to lose...'

The crowd cheered, as did the Inquisition, letting both combatants bask in the glory of the audience. Suddenly, the machine was covered in a golden aura as all the damage that was done to him was undone. He turned to the Emperor, sitting at Vect's suite as he waves at him.

V would have smiled if he could, giving a thumbs up to the Emperor who gave on back.

The Imperial Throneroom

The throne room had practically lit up, cheering and clapping at the spectacle of a fight that was V1 vs Lelith Hesperax. Dee Dee and the Custodes were cheering with their hearts' content, Rogal actually smiled but not clapping due to the massive drills on his Centurion armor, Malcador gave an honest chuckle, and Decius clapped with honest glee.

"THAT WAS FUCKING FANTASTIC!" The Emperor typed out on his Text-To-Speech device, clearly having enjoyed the fight.

Commorragh

Vect merely let out a noise of amusement as he poured another drink for himself and supped it as he left his suite to tend to other business, letting the Emperor's Compassion meet back with his children. Well, 'meet back' means that he jumped out of the balcony of the suite and fell to the area where the Inquisition was, landing with its dreadnought legs suffering no damage.

The Throne of Judgement slowly rose back up to where the Inquisition were as the Corydons let them into the courtyards of the colosseum, the stomps from the throne's dreadnought legs signaling that he was coming.

"By the bleached furs of Fenris, brother! Where have ye been for these last millennia?!" Leman chortled as he ruffled Jaghatai's hair who batted him away with a hand and a chuckle.

"Well-" All words in Jaghatai's mouth died as he gaped at the sight of the Emperor's Compassion, opening and closing his mouth several times before he finally regained his words and uttered out, "Father?"

The Emperor chuckled as he smiled at his dumbstruck son, "Hello, Jaghatai."

Jaghatai still gaped at the sight of his father before he muttered out, "Father, I... I don't know what to say..."

"You don't need to say anything, my son." The Emperor smiled out.

Suddenly, as they V1 noticed a blur of red, noting where it was currently heading. Letting his curiosity and suspicion get the better of him, the machine slowly broke from the group and ran off to where that red blur came from.

Meanwhile too, Vect turned his right, seeing a shadow that quickly fled from the corner of his eye. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, the former supreme overlord of Commorragh walked to the halls, wondering if this could be entertaining.

Further toward the core, the central mass of towers, statues and spires forms a close-packed threatre for inter-Kabalite war. Mercenaries and armoured bounty hunters clad in segmented Ghostplate move steathily under the vaulted arches, stalking those with a high price on their heads.

The battleground that exists above the thickets of spires and towers plays host to the deadly world of the Scourges, terrifying aerial predators, as well as the lightning-fast Jetbike pilots who hunt them for sport. Though most of High Commorragh is controlled under the iron rule of the Kabalite masters, this volatile region is firmly under the control of these aerial apex predators.

Those who dwell in the aeries of High Commorragh consider themselves blessed, and have little but contempt for those who fester in what they scornfully term, Ynnealidh, "the necropolis below," their term for the entire rest of the Dark City.

Further down into the murk of Commorragh lies the Middle Darkness, an area plagued by Hellion gangs. These skyboard-riding rebels fly through the foul air in great swarms that attack on sight. Though these gangs are known to be feral and wild, they are not adverse to allying with the Kabals for the right price when a realspace raid is in the offing.

V1's journey found himself entering what appeared to be a cathedral, kicking the dark glass doors open as he strolled into a circular room with several pedestals and a large pool filled with what he assumed was clear water. The walls were lined in stain glass windows that showed images of monsters and Drukhari brawling with each other in a desperate frenzy of violence and survival. The pictures seemed to become darker and more deranged until his optics fell to one that sat on the wall across from him.

It showed what he assumed was Commorragh, but its sky was split open in a jagged scar of pink that rained down fuchsia light upon them. Standing in the scar was a dark figure whose only features were twin pink eyes and a gaping maw of purple, with a swarm of screaming souls flying into its gaping mouth, while swarms of ethereal figures rushed past it and into the Dark City.

If V had eyebrows, he would have raised one but brushed it off. Where was that thing that made the red blur? And what did it want?

His questions were soon answered when the window ahead of him shattered, allowing a red blur to land at the other end of the pond. The shockwave caused by its landing sent V1 skidding back, quickly righting himself to face whatever had entered the room.

The thing that landed nearly sent him into whatever he had in place of shock.

It had lightweight, yet formidable looking armor comprised of sturdy metal. The armor plates were painted red, with a black 'V2' inscribed on its chest plate. Black and silver metal was visible on its joints and abdomen beneath its armor. Its right hand clutched a black revolver, something would have made V1 blink if he could. A single yellow optic appraised the machine, its head akin to that of an old school security camera. Each wing had four extensions of yellow light: the outline of several different guns visible in its wings.

V2 slowly stretched its arms out to its right and gave his brother a theatric bow in greeting.

V1 merely raised his gun and said, "What are you here for, V2?"

V2 let out a laugh as he gave a courteous clap as he then says, "I thought it would be obvious, brother. After all, I am you." He then cocked his shotgun and aimed at the machine that he called brother, "But, stronger."

The two machines charged.

One could not possibly visit all the outer districts of Low Commorroagh in a single lifetime, for they are many and varied. Attempting to catalogue them would prove fatal, for the Drukhari are highly territorial and tend to kill intruders on sight.

One such outer district is Hidden Blade, a crucially placed Kabalite stronghold that sticks out between Port Carmine and Nightsound Ghulen. Port Carmine is second only in violent reputation to the Port of Lost Souls, the largest port of the Dark City that is the principle spaceport from which slaves are brought into Commorragh and raiding parties dispatched to bring further captives.

Port Carmine is a violent realm, suffering from constant gang warfare between rival Kabals. The immensely tall spires of the starport sprout outward for kilometres, each host to a fleet of ornate spacecraft. Port Carmine's central docks play host to the spectacle of two major Kabalite fleets at full anchor, the Slashed Eye Kabal and the bloodthirsty Stolen Conscience, locked in a never-ending struggle for dominance.

Around Port Carmine lay the war-torn ruins known as the Sprawls. Their bleak streets play host to the "Parched," cadaverous Drukhari that have fallen from grace and wound up on the fringes of their violent society. These wretches are drawn ravenously to a battle whenever one breaks out, vicariously experiencing the acts of extreme violence and drinking in the bloody spectacle to rejuvenate their wasted bodies. Occasionally they will drag an unfortunate soul who has been fatally wounded into the dark alleyways, where the Parched will fight one another over the scraps of the departing soul.

The Sprawls eventually give way to a network of atriums and chambers through which flow the toxic acid-green waterway known as the River Khaïdes. This polluted waterway winds around and through the outer districts of central Corespur, shrouded in subterranean darkness and wreathed in mist. Above the toxic surface of the foul river drift thin grav-craft bedecked in faded grandeur. The sorry hosts of these craft earn what little they can by hooking corpses from the Khaïdes and selling them as slave-food. These corpse-fishers often fall prey to Jetbikes and sky-chariots which streak through the air above the river at dizzying velocity, slashing apart the unfortunate victims in merciless contests of speed.

The mercenary district of Sec Maegra is found further coreward, and is more popularly known as "Null City;" a nation-sized shanty town permanently riven by civil war. The permanent smell of cordite hangs over the roofs of the shanties, and every few solar minutes fresh screams pierce the silence. The scorched streets resound with solid-shot gunfire and the crack-spit of Splinter Rifles at night, as negotiations and assassinations turn out badly. It is said that occasionally xenos mercenaries can be found stalking the streets of Null City. It is even rumoured that from time to time the most vicious of their number are called upon to serve the Kabals.

Vect hummed, chugging down the rest of his wine before abandoning his cup as it clattered on the black floors of the halls. Soon, he came to a massive clearing that resembled a courtyard, possessing merely a handful of gates that lined the walls. Suddenly, one of them opened to reveal what appeared to be a Corydon, their face covered in lacerations and their clothing torn and bloodied.

"Help me..." The Corydon begged, crawling towards the overlord of Commorragh, desperately trying to find help.

"Don't bother." Vect interrupted and slashed the thing's throat, "The Corydons would enjoy torture of any kind. They wouldn't be begging for their lives at any point."

The Corydon stopped and suddenly its face split, letting out a guttural sound. It was a horrible sound. The most horrible sound anyone who was not Vect had ever heard. Crunching bones and sickening wetness, and a scream that dipped all the way down to Hell.

The Corydon stopped being a Corydon and started to become something else. His body folded in on itself, and when it re-emerged, it was inside-out. The slimy, mucus-coated organs quivered and gurgled as the ribcage split open and a strange suction-like head slithered out and began sliming across the floor towards Vect's feet.

Arachnid legs suddenly spawned and organs rearranging, forming bile that coated it like a shawl that hardened into a shell of near impossible durability as its suction-like head screeched and distended itself out, bearing impossible sized fangs that attempted to chomp upon the overlord... only to be split it twain by a single slash from his Husk Blade.

Another slash and the split head was severed clean off whatever it possessed for a neck as white spurting blood spewed from its wound before it collapsed onto the ground as it dissolved into a pile of green sickly mulch with pink flecks that spilt onto the ground.

"Hmh." Vect huffed arrogantly as he turned to the darkness while twirling his Husk Blade, "Anyone else? Anyone else wants a piece of the Supreme Overlord? I'm right here. There's no soul resurrection. There's no clones. There's no extra protection. I'm here and this defective Husk Blade all I have. So..." He brandished the Husk Blade, letting it warble before he finished, "Come and get me."

There was silence as the monsters and madmen in the shadows weighed their options before one of them made the decision for them.

"On candy stripe legs the Spiderman comes..." The voice, melodic and warm, like a mother's lullaby echoed through the shadows of the nightly damned. "Softly through the shadow of the evenin' sun."

"Stealing past the windows of the blissfully dead..." It coiled around the place like slithering thing as it burned through Vect's ears, "Looking for the victim shivering in bed."

"Searching out fear in the gathering gloom..." Vect suddenly turned around to an empty space where the voice was a second ago, "And suddenly a movement in the corner of the room."

"And there is nothing I can do when I realize with fright..." The monster's voice came behind him again, seeing a figure of feminine shape in the shadows, seeing it smiling, "That the Spiderman is having me for dinner tonight."

Suddenly, it crawled out of the shadow. It was a gigantic white horsefly, a black head with thorn-like fangs and pincer-like mandibles, black mantis arms and body, thick white spider and grasshopper legs, with a long white scorpion tail. It had two pairs of giant leathery wings with constantly changing shades of pink, purple, orange, and red that shined like a city of light.

It squalled out and the stinger lashed out at Vect, who slashed it to pieces, letting the green flesh be revealed and the pink ichor spurting out before he slashed the underside of the fly, letting its emerald gut fall out into the grounds before he wrenched and bifurcated the thing in half as it screeched. As both halves fell to the ground, bleeding and crawling, Vect swiftly chopped off the thing's head, ending its live quickly.

He suddenly avoided a blast of emerald energy attempted to blast him and only destroyed a pedestal that was next to him before he saw who was responsible. It was a thin and tall humanoid with clammy white skin and covered in a white long coat that resembled a straitjacket, white slacks, short, bleached hair with the face covered with a featureless white mask that the word 'KRV' written in red and a small horn on his left shoulder.

There he stood, seemingly unintimidated by the overlord of Commorragh before forming twin emerald fireballs in his palms.

Vect grinned in anticipation, readying his Husk Blade.

Krv sprinted towards the overlord, throwing multiple volleys of emerald fireballs at his opponent, who gracefully dodged and attempted to slash the thing in half who in return somersaulted and twirled out of the way his thrusts and slashes like a morbid dancer before he grabbed the horn on his shoulder and then yanked hard, ripping it out and revealing a sword almost the length of his body.

The two then clashed in a flurry of blades, clangs ringing out through the silence as this dance of death continued on as each of them kept the other on their toes. An opportunity then presented itself as he discovered an opening after delivering a strong strike that knocked him slightly off balance. Seizing this, he slashed the nearest limb off of the thing, which happened to be Krv's left arm.

However, much to Vect's surprise, there was no blood coming from the wound, not even a spurt of red. The stump then suddenly sprouted tentacles covered in mouths with needle-like fangs and cross pupiled eyes that weaved into a heavily muscled four fingered limb ending in piercing bone claws. Krv tested the limb before he turned back to Vect.

"Ready for round two, eh?" Vect grinned as he twirled his Husk Blade before Krv launched himself at the former Supreme Overlord, both his sword and claws outstretched before the emerald flames coated the blade as he twirled, releasing waves of them at the overlord who barely had a chance to dodge them. Vect somersaulted over them and attempted to slash him across the chest, who then sidestepped away, letting him fall before attempting another slash. However, Vect proved faster than he expected and dodged, before slashing the limb off by the shoulder.

Krv twirled out of the way of another strike before several tentacles composed of muscle fibers weaved together into a skinless arm with a black carapace covering the fingers and bone spikes on his knuckles. Before Vect could react again, Krv curled his hand into a fist as emerald lightning coiled around his paw before ramming it to the ground, sending an emerald wave through the floor and sending the overlord off his feet and on his ass.

Not given the overlord of Commorragh, Krv lashed out his tentacles at Vect who rolled out of the way before Krv threw out droplets of blood that hardened into spikes that nearly impaled through Vect's head had he not ducked before he attempted to impale the thing in the ribs, only to catch the blade between his thumb and finger before kicking him away and lashing his left arm which the overlord dodged.

However, Vect then made the biggest mistake of his life. As the overlord come to the thing's face, his blade cut the thick band that had been holding his mask to his face.

The mask fell as the others watched with bated breath. Krv's hands shot up and covered his face, fingers running through his short, bleached hair, almost like a frenzy was about to burst worth.

Suddenly, he became still and removed his hands, turning directly to the Dark Eldar, who gasped in ill-conceived horror at what they saw.

It was a mass of scar tissue, slash scars, burn scars, one even going ear to ear in a sick red facsimile of a smile, so many that they couldn't tell which one started and which one ended. Some even spread to the neck where they seemingly faded, others stopping at the hairline or temples. What makes it worse was not his features… but the lack of them. He possessed no eyes, no nose, no mouth, no ears, even the length of the cheekbones were impossible to discern.

Suddenly, several sections bloodily split to reveal bulging purple eyes with cross shaped pupils, some sections lined with jutting crooked teeth and other with lashing bleached white tendril-like tongues. But that was when the real horror began.

Suddenly, darkness surrounded the overlord of Commorragh, the sight of his city vanishing into blackness as he turned around in desperation to find something, anything, that was not blackness incarnate and silence only permeated the land.

And then, he was surrounded by a series of clones of the mad thing that had besieged his mind; the face now little that a mouth of white pearling fangs, long and stake-like, breathing labored whilst from the vacant abyss overhead there was a disquieting suggestion of rhythmical sounds of surging or lapping as they began to circle the overlord like a pack of lions surrounding a wounded gazelle.

And then they spoke.

"Ring around Drukhari,"

"We'll fuck him up so easy,"

"Ashes," their voices deepen, "Ashes..."

Suddenly, the overlord of Commorragh found himself under a red sky and black landscape, with endless rows of crucifixions lining the ground. A flurry of mist and red flecks swarmed above him as his gaze began to turn towards it.

"We all crash..."

It was a thing that was indescribable, a thing of death and light, affixed to nothing as it roared out in a thousand voices from a thousand universes.

"Down!"

The thing screeched out as it brought its hands down on the overlord, attempting to crush him. Vect screamed, he screamed like he had never screamed before.

But in the real world, the overlord was unconscious, his eyes open as they darted rapidly in sleep as Krv picked up his mask and tied it back to his face before picking him up and slinging him over his shoulder.

A purring moan caused the masked mutant to turn towards the source, watching as the source comes from Yama, who covered herself in the skins of those she'd slain, "Good work, Krv. Finally, after all these years, we will have our revenge against the Dark Eldar."

Snapping her fingers, the hordes that had been hiding in the shadows emerged and followed her as she and Krv took the lead, carrying Vect to the blackest parts of Low Commorragh.

Back at the Arena, the Emperor found himself sitting in the edge of the courtyard, staring at the quiet city that seemed to span forever. In front of him was the spikes rail guards, some plants of exotic origin lining the edges of the rails as whatever horrors in the shadows of the Dark City slithered about.

"Quite a sight to behold, Emperor?"

The Emperor turned to see Lelith Hesperax walking up to the side of his throne, dressed in her usual attire, her hair undone and swaying beautifully in the wind, staring at him with her Amythest eyes, "The Dark City seems like it had quite the party after it burned."

"I assume." Fyodor answered as he looked at her, before gently saying, "You are... quite beautiful, I must say."

Lelith giggled at the Star Emperor's gentleness, "You're not that bad for a monkeigh." She leaned on one of the non-spikey parts of the guard as her eyes trailed up to the sky, watching it shift and coil as the Emperor's eyes trailed to where her's were, only to gasp.

It was faint, but one could see the glimmer of pink, purple, orange, and red on thin jagged lines that seemed like a spiderweb of cracks that shined through the other dimension.

"It's a crack in the fabric of this dimension." The Emperor observed, things slowly coming together in his mind, "That's what happened to Commorragh."

She nodded, "It all felt so long ago." Hesperax said as she leaned against the railing, staring at the tear in Commorragh as well as the Fyodperor, "It all began with a crack after I had finished fighting one of the Astartes. It was as if everything in Commorragh went still in that moment. The cracks spread. And spread. Until there was a spiderweb of fuchsia in the sky."

The Emperor's eyes widened as he realized what happened. "Slaanesh."

Lelith nodded, seemingly neither sad nor happy, "The Dark Prince cracked Commorragh open like it was nothing but fragile glass, and we all were forced to bear the agony. Our bodies broke to dust or melted into necroplasm. I felt the flesh melt from my bones and my bones break and dissolve into Warp dust. At the same time, I felt my soul ascend into Slaanesh's maw, feeling the teeth and tongues in my being. Perhaps it was a moment, but it felt like a thousand years, my being remade and rebirthed."

"That's how you were reborn into a daemon prince." The Emperor realized, knowing that not even the Prince of Pleasure would waste such an opportunity, "Slaanesh saw how powerful you were and they wanted to turn you into their greatest pawn."

Lelith nodded, looking back to the cracks, "Slaanesh was practically dancing in delight as she glutted on our souls, filling her gullet before an idea as terrible as it was opportunistic. The cruelest and most depraved were reborn into Daemon Princes, the rest were warped into the Thralls that Thirst, and the Haemonculus were warped into the Evisorax. She only left Vect as a sign to show how she had crushed us and burned whatever remains of our great empire."

The Imperial Throneroom

Dee Dee put her hands to her mouth in horror, "That's horrible." Even if she knew full well of the horrors inflicted by the Dark Eldar, she wouldn't wish such a fate on her worst enemy.

Karstodes, on the other hand, hummed to himself, "I'm conflicted. On one hand, that's got to be the worse fate in the existence of the galaxy. On the other hand... I mean, it's the Dark Eldar."

Whammudes curtly snorted, "They reap what they sow, Shield Captain."

"On the other hand... Slaanesh now has an army of former Drukhari." Custodisi noted before he bitterly muttered, "That certainly puts a dent in morale."

Rogal merely crooked an eyebrow at the metaphor but said nothing as he focused on how his father had yet to comment.

Commorragh

"What about the Corydons?" The Emperor's Compassion asked, "They don't seem like the Drukhari or the Harlequins."

"You know... I actually don't where they came from." Lelith admitted, resting her chin on her clasped hands, "They suddenly appeared a few years after Commorragh burned, and they replaced those who used to rule the Dark City. Vect convinced them to be aligned with him, due to them being delighted by the torments he promised them. But to say that alliance is tenable is quite the understatement. The only reason they tolerate him is due to him keeping them entertained."

"I see." The Emperor replied as he turned to the Dark City, seeing that it was little more than another victim of the Chaos Gods, "May I ask is there any way why out of Commorragh?"

Despite blinking in confusion, Lelith then hummed in thought, pondering due to so many routes having been collapsed by the Craftworlders, "Well... for mortals, there is one way. It requires you to convince Vect to allow you to leave though."

The Emperor, and the Throne Emperor if he could have, gained a smirk as he said, "That may be easier than you think, my dear." However, fate could be as cruel as the Dark Prince it seemed.

"Madam!" Both of them jumped when they saw the Corydon, Revel, running up to them with a panicked expression from the path leading to Vect's suite, "Lord Vect is gone!"

The two then blinked, knowing that Vect was not easy to kidnap as the daemon princess uttered, "What do you mean he's gone?"

"I mean, he's gone, ma'am!" Revel replied before he holds up Vect's Husk Blade, "All we found was his sword, but there's a message on it. We don't know what it says though."

He held the blade to Lelith, which had "VECT IS BENEATH LOW COMMORRAGH" written in English. She grasped the blade and examined, a frown coming to her face.

"I do not know this dialect." Lelith muttered as she tried to make out whatever this dialect is.

The Emperor suppressed his laughter before he coughed, "Uh, may I?" He offered a hand which was then filled with Vect's blade. He then read aloud for both Aeldari and Corydon to hear, "Vect is beneath Low Commorragh."

However, that only caused worry to irradiate off both of them as they both shouted, "BENEATH LOW COMMORRAGH?!"

"Oh, my!" The Emperor jumped at that shout, thinking it must be bad if that explicated that kind of reaction, "Is that bad?"

Revel explained it to the Emperor, "The darkness beneath Low Commorragh is filled up the ass with Draugr. Whenever a new Draugr appears from the various former slaves that got hungry enough to consume Necroplasm, they would either be killed or flee to Low Commorragh. You would need someone who is either mad or brilliant."

The Emperor gave a smile, "I think I know the man."

Meanwhile, near them was the son and daughter of the Queen, who had perched themselves on the nearest ledge where they were directly above the Emperor, but away enough that he could not hear or detect them. However, the two realized that they should probably wait for the moment when the Emperor was alone before they could strike.

"There he is, brother: the Emperor's Compassion. We just have to wait, and he'll be ours." Minnie mused as she childishly swings her legs while sitting on the railing, before she stared up at the dark skies of Commorragh, causing her to somewhat relax as a rueful smile formed on her lips, "Well, this place brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Grim looked up at the black skies of the Dark City, letting a sigh escape his nostrils, "Yeah, it does." He then chuckled, "I remember when Mom had us try to survive here for three days all on our own. Every time it seemed like we found somewhere safe, it was the hiding place for a bunch of freaks."

Minnie giggled at that, "Yeah, and every time, we would have to fight them off." She giggled again, "Remember when we both got smashed on snorting Warp Dust? I can't even remember what we did while we were blazed out of our minds!"

That got a laugh out of Jr as he thought about all their times together, "I miss the times when it seems like it was just us against the world."

"Hmph, the son and daughter of the Daemon Queen and Goge Vandire." Minnie mumbled, resting her head on her brother's shoulder almost like a lover, "Used to be survivors and now generals in the eternal war. Still serving their mother even when she has become a Daemon Prince."

"Mother always dangled us on strings." Grim Junior scowled mentally, looking back to his hand before clenching it hard, "She uses us like we're pieces in her game against the entire multiverse."

"It's our purpose, brother." Minnie said in a tone that made it seem like she agreed but was resigned to whatever fate her mother had for her, "Without her, we're nothing. Less than nothing."

She pictured it now; both of them, clawing up a mountain, desperate to reach the pinnacle — a mother's acknowledgement, if never respect — only to be dashed down its slopes again and again. Mutilating themselves, twisted into eldritch generals of the dark by their Nergaling eyes. Betraying everything, only to trade one uncaring master for another. Never free. Always a slave.

Their thoughts were halted when they saw the Emperor talking to a man in a grey furred cloak who then nodded and jogged off. They turned to each other and nodded, getting ready as both Lelith and Revel left him alone.

Suddenly, before they could strike at the Emperor while he was distracted, V1 and V2 happened to quietly land near the area where they were about to resume their brawl before they saw the Nergaling bearers planning their attack. Their optics turned to the two warriors before turning to the Emperor and then turning back to the children of the Queen who were unaware of their presence.

"Truce?" V2 asked his blue brother, staring at the sister.

"Truce." V1 replied to his red brother, staring at the brother.

"We're almost there, brother." Minnie grinned as she unsheathed a unique blade that her mother bequeathed her, an Anathame from the armory of the Interex. With one strike, they would be able to poison the Emperor, even if it would not kill him, it would give them plenty of time to capture him, and send him to their mother, stopping whatever plans he had.

However, just as she was about to jump down and use the Anathame, the daughter of the Queen was suddenly kicked in the back by V1, sending her flying before Grim was kicked in the face by V2. As both were sent flying, both V units dashed towards the two, leaving a sonic boom behind that caused the Emperor to jump and see them flying away.

Minnie maneuvered her body to that she landed on the large balcony, skidding to a halt as she saw Grim form wings as he skidded to a halt and landed near her. She grimaced as she felt her symbiote realign her spine from the force of that strike before she turned to her brother and yelled out, "What the hell happened?!"

"Them." Grim pointed, causing her to turn and gape.

V1 and V2 landed in front of the siblings, the former revealed his Piercer and gave a 'Bring It' taunt while the latter gave a theatrical bow and cocked his double-barreled shotgun.

"Oh, you want to go, machines?" She said with air quotes at the 'go', before she formed twin sabers from her Nergaling and her dress formed into a formfitting bodysuit, "Well, I'm happy to oblige!"

Grim held in a sigh as he readied his scythe for a fight.

"Oh, C'MON! I break FREE, and now I have to go back to rescue that little rat that left me to rot?! WHYYY must it beeee!?"

Is what Slade would have said if he had been a pettier man, but he forced himself to calm down as the Emperor made it clear that Vect's DNA was the only way to activate the Transmat, which would give them a free ticket out of the Dark City. Slade meanwhile was forced to got to the dark pits below Low Commorragh if he wanted to get Vect out of whatever situation that he found himself in.

Soon, however, he seemed to come to a dark impasse as he saw what he could only describe as a nightmare. The upper parts that composed Low Commorragh were darkened with patches of emerald light and forbidden shapes of shadow painting a mosaic of light and shadow that seduced the eye and the ear with sounds of lapping and crashing of dark immaterial tides in the black sea.

Stertorous breathing almost came upon Slade as he stared into the sky before he turned to the ground below.

It was a city of corpses, some the size and length of 11 football fields or as small as a truck, spanning beyond the horizon as they rested on a bleak and blasted waste of a landscape, shapes of unnamable blasphemy unformed and unformed in the drowning shadow of the city, parts gutted and shaped into arduous boney structures as flags of skin waved listlessly in the unfelt wind. Several of these shapes seemed to be dragging the oversized or necrotic organs of the horde of the dead towards pyres as if preparation for a feast or sacrifice.

At the same time, he noticed orgiastic prayers of frenzied passion dotting the city, festivals of madness and decadence flooded through the open spaces resting in the carcass fields. Herds of bones used as timber were restructured and labored by the strong to building the next house or skyscraper of flesh that began growing as they hammered a piece that took the form of a rib as vast as a pillar to the base frame.

It seemed almost impossible for any structure or society to form in this field of the dead, only to for his gaze to lock upon the woman who seemingly guided them along with a masked form having Vect over his shoulder. The monsters and madmen that populated it seemed to be extatically cheering at the last of the Drukhari's capture had come to them after years of prayer and sacrilege.

He growled at the sight but forced himself to continue fighting on, as he ran down the path, trying to find a way to get to Vect in time before he suddenly saw something in the distance.

"What…is…THAT?" He asked softly, staring at the object of his great interest before he sprinted towards it without hesitation.

Yama sighed as she and her companions approached the main cathedral, composed of bones and melted metal, Krv still having Vect over his shoulder as they came through the tents and structures formed from the bodies of the dead.

She felt a limb brush against her hand, making her look to her side. It was a little girl, covered in rags but with a series of eye-like scars on her face. She smiled at her brightly, before her mother, hidden under a cloaks and strips of cloth, gently took her away into her loving grasp.

Yama still smiled at the gesture. It was a few days after she abandoned the Hate Angel, Yama found this place, filled with monsters and tortured souls warped by the Dark Eldar and the Necroplasmic rivers. Despite her newest addition to the Drauger, they welcomed her with open arms, both entranced by her beauty and how she seemed to have a magnetic presence to her, all of them seemingly raising her to their leader as they told her their history.

When the day that they deemed The Blaze, all of Commorragh was ablaze, swarms of daemons and champions invading after the Dark Prince feasted on the Dark Eldar, hunting them as they fled from their masters into the dark. Eventually, they grew hungry enough to either eat their own flesh or the Necroplasm that flooded the streets. The sludge they consumed then warped their bodies and their minds, warping them into the Draugr.

Some went feral, becoming little more than animals that the Corydons enslaved for attack dogs or mounts. Others retained their minds and slowly fled to below Low Commorragh, forming their own tribes or societies. Others even gained hyper-intelligence from the sludge, becoming the rulers or the advisers of the rulers. All of them however fled down here to escape from whatever the hell was happening above.

However, one wanderer came down to the dark underground. They did not know who he was, where he came from, not even what he was. He whispered promises to them and gave them the knowledge of the Dark Gods. For that, they let him stay and became their teacher, telling them stories about the Warp and those that came before them in the dark sanguine sea of the Dark City.

But, before she could continue her thoughts, Vect groaned as he stirred back to consciousness. However, before he could act against them, Krv immediately put the overlord in a chokehold, who immediately started struggling as he tried to break free, when suddenly he grabbed the horn on the Draugr's shoulder and ripped the blade out and then impaled himself and Krv at the same time.

After that and a headbutt, Krv released him and he ripped the blade out before attempting to decapitate the boy, who ducked as the blade swung over him and Vect was then tackled by two hulking monsters that saw he had broken free from his shock induced slumber. Vect however impaled both and cleaved their heads off, kicking them away before other foolish or brave or both madmen dogpiled onto the overlord before he could move.

Yama sighed at this. Here they go again.

After losing about 30 Draugr to Vect's struggles, the mutants managed to nail the former Supreme Overlord of Commorragh to a cross that they had made from random materials they had laying around, binding him both with strong bonds and gagging him with leather as they forced him to walk as they passed through the markets that always seemed to form around the cathedral.

Beasts of various forms filled the markets, some either carrying their warriors or chained and moving lethargically. Other more noticeable so Draugr barely resembled people, more akin to monsters. Their faces concealed by iron helms, tubes going in and out of their skin that barely contained their muscles filled with godknowswhat, augmented with cybernetics like a Tech Priest's' but more cruder and terminating in claws, blades, or even machine guns. Others weren't even human, more resembled anthropomorphic cockroaches or mantises, others resembling beasts with lupine, hircine, porcine, ursine, cervine, and octopine features. Several hundred of the mutants and monsters seemed to be covered in festering sores and wounds of unnamable origins, patches of their skin missing as blood and bodily fluid leaked from exposed muscles, bones jutting out from tore flesh, and suppurating stubby mouths randomly placed across their disgusting forms.

Soon they came to the cathedral where in front laid a figure of their worship.

It was a tall hulking figure, draped in ragged black shawls that hid a thing of almost unnamable hideousness, the head was hidden in a hood that shaded its face in an impenetrable darkness marred only by the numerous blood-colored eyes that glimmered faintly. A jagged crown of silver was wrenched on its head and a as if coiled like a noose, shining like a congregation of diamonds bathing in sunlight, the only vestige of a body visible where the thick pale tentacles on the floor, slick with clear oily fluid.

Yama shivered at its presence, feeling rushing airy presences slithering against her skin, hearing eerie cries of decadent cries of half insane madmen and madwomen from a city beyond reach before she snapped her finger.

Krv proceeded to kick Vect to his knees, getting a glare from him that the masked Draugr ignored. Yama grinned at the sight of the overlord laid low, as she coyly leaned in and whispered to him, "Make yourself comfortable, Vect, for your execution is nigh."

Slade sat down in the pilot seat of the machine in his possession. The cockpit was circular with some seats behind him, but the pilot seat had handles and pedals with the armrests doubling as the control panels. He couldn't tell what color or whatever details decorated the interior of the cockpit from the darkness, except for the port that led to what he assumed was the fuel tank.

However, before he attempted to activate it, Slade saw a blinking light that read in Aeldari script, "Power cells depleted, backup power in place."

"Of course..." Slade rolled his eye, knowing that this thing obviously needed a fuel source in order to function. Thanks to the Emperor implanting him with the ability to understand Aeldari language, he saw that it was running on emergency power for the past 10,000 years. Apparently, it could reconfigure its systems so that it could utilize any power source available.

"Come on, think Slade think..." Slade pondered what to do when then he got an idea. Reaching into his cloak, he pulled out a sealed tankard containing an even stronger variant of Russ' ale. He opened the tankard, revealing a vibrant purple viscous fluid that bubbled and roiled with yellow flecks as pink mist rose from the bursting bubbles.

It's a shame, he was saving this one for a special occasion, but desperate times called for desperate measures. With that, he poured the concoction down the port, watching as the vibrant purple gunk trailed down into the mechanism that acted as the fuel tank. Slade waited in anticipation, hoping that the concoction would do something.

He got his answer when the cockpit started lighting up. Normally, a grin would have formed on his face, but given that he literally couldn't smile, he just had to settle with an excited glint in his eye.

Vect merely grumbled in humiliation as he was tied to the cross after what felt like months of torture and execution attempts, with the only thing that actually hurt him was when she had taken his hat and crushed it with her tentacles. After that, he swore to kill her after he would escape from this cross.

She merely laughed at him and ruffled his red hair, with the humiliation reaching a breaking point as he started to think of various ways to make this bitch's death as slowly and painfully as possible with the crude tools around him. Meanwhile, Yama merely brushed off whatever threats that Vect was coming up with as she stood unclothed in front of the hordes, her tentacles weaving together into a pair of wings, akin to that of an angel, inspiring their hopes.

"Draugr!" Yama yelled out to the horde, "Today is a day blessed by the gods themselves! We have captured the Hated One! The Glutton of the Monstrous! The Supreme Overlord of Commorragh! Asdrubael Vect!" She then motioned to the tied Dark Eldar as the others cheered at his state, which he just refused to give them the satisfaction of his humiliation.

While he tuned out her words, what he could not tune out were the hulking figures in brass helms and rags that were dumping kindling and pouring foul smelling liquids on the bottom of the cross, giving him an inkling on what they were gonna do to him. Well, at least when he dies, it'll activate the dead man's switch within his body which'll collapse the Dark City when he dies.

"Any last word, Asdrubael Vect?" She mockingly allowed the overlord to speak his last words, knowing it was futile.

His only response was simple. He hurked up a mouthful of blood before he spat it at her face.

Her response was a smirk as she wiped the blood off her cheek with a hand before she yelled out while backing away, "Light em up, boys!" The brass helmed Draugr then ignited several torches and approached the kindling and flammable fluid as Vect took a deep breath, preparing for the inevitable.

Suddenly, there was a massive and deafening crashing sound, causing them to stop and turned to the source. It was a massive shape flying through the air and falling at a rapid pace, causing all in its shadow to immediately flee before they were reduced to paste by its feet as it then landed and kicked up dust as they covered their eyes so that they wouldn't be blinded before they gaped when they uncovered.

It was a massive titan of ancient aeldari but warped into something different and horrible, resembling a thin monster with a demonic face, violet eyes, and long curved upward facing horns, the chest resembling a skull with the eyeholes burning emerald, limber limbs terminating in prehensile hands with butcher knife fingers, goat-ish forward bending legs with hoove-like pads, and a scorpion-like tail with an emerald barbed end.

The thing's mouth then unfurled like a lamprey with the cockpit coming out on a metallic tentacle to reveal Slade sitting in the cockpit.

"Slade, my boy!" Slade said happily at the sight of the cloaked man. Slade gave the overlord an odd 'You're actually GLAD to see me' look before he shook it off and pressed a button. In the blink of an eye, two mechanical tentacles shot out from the area near the forehead of the skull, and lashed towards Vect, curling around his torso.

"Later, sweatheart." Vect mocked the furious Yama before Slade yanked him off the cross and towards the front of the mech to safety before he then took in the annoyed look in Slade's eye, frowning at that.

"Oh, come on!" Vect yelled out at seeing him eyeing at him, "You're not mad about that whole 'throwing you into the arena' thing, are you?"

Slade's single eye twitching indicated that he was indeed mad about that.

Suddenly, the claw around Vect's torso swiftly closed in, crushing the Dark Eldar's organs as the former Lord of Commorragh choked out, "Organs... being... crushed..." Slade then relented, letting the claw relax and letting Vect breathe.

"I'm not here because I like you, Vect!" Slade yelled from the cockpit, "I'm just here so that we can get out of here!"

"Oh, how touching-" Slade didn't let him finish his smug rambling as he was flung into the cockpit with a yelp before then being restrained by a series of metallic tentacles that bound him to one of the seats behind Slade as the mouth furled back up before it closed and the external cameras activated, the screen showing the outside. Giving a glare at Slade who promptly ignored him, the former lord of Commorragh then noticed that they were in an ancient mechanical suit, but not from the Aeldari Empire, "Wait, do you even know how to pilot this machine?"

"Nope." Slade bluntly replied before he pressed a random button.

Suddenly, several orbs of purple energy shot from the several spikes on the titan's tail, homing in on the hordes of mutants who attempted to flee from them. The orbs then exploded on impact; several mushroom clouds wreathed in purple flames, engulfing large portions of the mutant cults and setting the City of Corpse ablaze as ethereal screams of fear and terror rang out.

"Nice!" Vect yelled in approval as Slade aimed the tail at Yama.

Deciding that she must do all that she can to destroy Vect, Yama roared out before her tentacles pierced several Draugr cultists, much to their and Slade and Vect's surprise. Suddenly, the bodies swelled as they bled both blood and oily fluids that suddenly formed into liquescent tentacles that lashed out to the hordes, who welcomed it with open arms and accepting smiles.

They seemed to merge into this sea of flesh that overcame and ate those that didn't flee or escaped to the shelters. Krv hid as he watched his Yama become shrouded in a cockpit of flesh that sealed and built upon a growing mount of meat. More and more of the hordes were devoured by the maws and pseudopods that were forming as quickly as they devoured the accepting hordes.

Slade subconsciously allowed the titan to back away from the growing mass of flesh as he and Vect watched in morbid fascination at the sight of the burgeoning beast before them.

It was a massive tower of flesh, pale, white, and flabby with slithering tentacles terminating in sucker mouths, bony barbs or spikes, or disturbingly human-like hands with shining plastic-like skin. Several sections split to reveal mile long mouths of crooked jagged fangs, eyes with millions of irises or pupils, liquescent tentacles forming as bursting sores and open wounds split thick black resin that coiled and formed.

The head was conical and covered in red eyes and crooked saber-like bone spikes with drool and having many layered mouths that screeched with many rows of teeth, spraying drizzle and drool everywhere as its tentacles readied to strike the titan down.

Slade and Vect looked at each other before the latter gained the widest smile the former had ever seen, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Oh." Slade pushed another button, letting twin blades emerge from the titan's wrists that were then raised at the beast, "Yeah."

The titan then charged headlong towards the Tower as it screeched out at them.

V1 meanwhile twirled out of the way of several emerald beams as he fired back with Fear and Loathing, unleashing several large blasts at Minimandy who formed a shield that saved her from the flames before she formed several guns that fired back at the machine, who weaved through them before a punch that she countered with another shield she formed from her symbiote.

Forming a rifle in her hand, Minnie aimed it at V1's chest before firing, hoping that the bullet would rip him in half, only for the machine to both parry it and backhand her at once, sending her tumbling and flying before she skidded to a halt and leaving her open. The Vanquisher immediately seized the opportunity and brought out his twin minigun, firing at Minnie who backflipped out of the way.

She growled and nursed her stinging cheek before she formed wings that she used to take flight to avoid another fusillade of bullets from V1. "Alright, machine. You wanna play?" The Princess of the Damned growled as several tentacles formed before they coiled around her and melded into a great set of armor, "LET'S PLAY!" She charged headlong at the machine who didn't seem intimidated by her in the slightest.

Grim Junior was not having an easy time either, as V2 proved to be as quick and powerful as his brother, who then unleashed a flurry of punches that felt like they were comets reaching terminal velocity to where it seemed that even his symbiote could barely handle it before he was left hooked across the face so hard that sent him flying before he grounded his feet to skid him to a halt.

"Seems you're getting desperate, junior!" V2 boasted as he then elbowed Junior in the ribs, getting a grunt out of him before he attempted to decapitate the red machine with a swing of his scythe, but he ducked and delivered a kick to the back of the Prince's head. A blow like that would have shattered Junior's skull but his symbiote kept his skull intact from the force.

Shaking it off, he had to assess the situation. It seems the red one was the more arrogant of the two, especially given the haughty laugh that issued from his speakers and the 'bring it' taunt that he gave.

Grim Jr. merely rolled his shoulders and brandished his scythe. V2 would have grinned if he could. The two then charged headlong at each other, their strikes almost blurs of black and red before their fists collided and the shockwaves sent both of them back. The two then kicked at the same time, before Grim grew another fist that uppercutted the machine in the face and sent him back, before forming several hundred fists that then unleashed a fusillade of punches that rammed into V2's chest, sending him back slowly.

"Give up yet?!" Grim taunted the machine.

His answer came in the form of a scissor kick to the gut from V2 after he ducked under the punches.

"NOT EVEN CLOSE!" V2 yelled out before he brought out his shotgun and fired point blank, ripping through the symbiote before he dodged the second shot and attempts to impale the machine through the head who ducked out of the way. Suddenly, he struck Grim in the face and fired his Knuckleduster, the shot nearly blowing his head off.

The symbiote bore the brunt of all the explosion, nearly burning off his face before it regenerated, and he formed a massive fist that then rammed itself into V2's chest. The machine skidded to a halt before he stopped another punch by catching the fist and throwing the Prince over his shoulder with all his strength, sending him through the air. However, Grim then before he warped the fist into a massive cannon and fired a colossal beam of emerald that swiftly raced towards the Machine who fled with blinding speed and grace.

Minnie meanwhile was having trouble keeping up with V1 as he was moving at speeds so blinding that they were like mirages. Her armor was holding against the onslaught of strikes, but even when it seemed like she landed a blow, it was merely an afterimage. She was unleashing strike after strike, beam after beam, weapon after weapon, nothing she did seemed to even graze V1.

Such, her rage reached a boiling point where V1 backhanded her across the face, sending her to the ground and leaving a crater before he attempted to shot her in the head. Acting swiftly, she formed several tentacles that grabbed his arm and forced him to miss as she yanked his aim away from her face. The Princess then slugged V1 across the face and sending him back before he fired at her, hitting her shoulder before the bolt detonated, nearly taking off her shoulder as she screamed in pain.

Before he could take further action, Minnie uppercutted him away as the symbiote began healing her shoulder. Suddenly, she was struck in the face by V2 who saw his brother getting sucker punched and responded with a kick of his own. She was sent flying but was stopped by her brother catching her in midair, which almost knocked the wind out of his lungs before he landed with his sister in his arms.

Minnie groaned as she then saw her brother had caught her, turning to him and exclaiming, "Are you hurt, brother?!"

Grim merely coughed as he forced the air back in his lungs and wheezed out, "I'm fine, sister."

"Are you wounded, brother?!" V2 takes his hand and pulls him up to his feet.

"This changes nothing." V1 replied as he and his brothered readied themselves for another fight with the siblings.

Suddenly, there was massive earsplitting crash, cause the four to cease their attack. All of them turn to see what Grim could only describe as a mountain-sized tower of flesh erupting out of the ground with a black titan riding it like a horse, with her swearing that she heard Asdrubael Vect screaming out, "YEEEEHHHAAAAAAWWW!" at the top of his lungs while the titan jumped off and backflipped off the tower.

The Tower screeched out as the titan cleaved it open with a wide slash, nearly disemboweling the thing before its guts suddenly came to life and attempted to strangle the titan who struggled against it. Before any ground could be gained, the titan's sword ignited and cut through the massive tentacle-like entrails, releasing it before it impaled the thing in wherever the pilot assumed whatever it had for a heart was.

The titan was pleasantly surprised to see the flesh of the Tower warped and shifted, pushing the blade out of its being before it unleashed a flurry of tentacles that the massive mechsuit backflipped out of the way of. The titan then looked to the massive Cherubael Arena, where there was a brief blink of gold, seemingly a signal for the pilot.

Suddenly, the titan leapt towards the arena, with the Tower of Flesh screeching out as it used its tentacles to move via attracting to the stationary towers and dragging itself onwards through the Dark City, its massive girth crushing through any intersecting roads and buildings in its way as it chased after the titan. The titan kept leaping from building to building, avoiding shots from the Tower as it spat out orbs of acid that melted each tower that it landed on just a second after it leapt off.

V1 and V2 looked at each other before they nodded and took off, speeding off into trails of blue and red as they chased after the Tower of Flesh. Grim and Minnie then looked at each other before they nodded and formed wings, taking off after the Tower and the V-units.

Two minutes earlier...

The Emperor hummed as he waited for Slade and Vect to come and bring this whole trip to a close. Meanwhile, the Bearded Triumvirate came up behind him, wondering what their next move would be now that they survived the sadistic sports of the Corydons.

Leman gently or rather forcefully nudged Jaghatai forwards to speak to their father. The Warhawk glared at the Wolf King but did so as he turned to the Emperor and gently asked, "Father, why are you merely sitting here?" He then noticed that two of their members were currently missing from their group, "And come to think of it... where are Slade and V1? They have been gone for hours."

"Oh, fuck mate!" Scion Stuart exclaimed at that, "What if they got captured or killed or... whatever the fuck could happen down here!" That earned him another slap from Tempestor Cromwell, but the possibility festered the idea of something happening their heads. What could be out there that could do anything to Slade or V?

"Do not worry, everyone." The Emperor calmed their fears as he mentally counted down, "They should be back right about..."

Suddenly, before the two could ask what he was talking about, there was a crash that reached an earsplitting volume, causing them to source... where most of their jaws dropped, save for the Emperor and the Primarchs, and the latter two blinked in surprise while the former merely laughed.

The Imperial Throneroom

"BY THE THRONE, WHAT IS THAT THING?!" Whammudes screeched out as he and the others beheld the sight of the Tower of Flesh. The looks of absolute disgust on the faces of both Karstodes and Custodisi was beyond words, even when they were hidden by their helms. Rogal's visage was as stony as always, but the slight twitch in his lips showed all that needed to be said.

Dee Dee's hands shot to her mouth as she stared at the Tower in horror, and Macaldor having a scowl of disgust at the monster.

"GREAT, NOW MY OTHER SELF HAS TO DEAL WITH THAT OVERSIZED PILE OF FLAB AND FLESH." The Emperor would have scowled if he had possessed a face.

Suddenly, the screen then showed a massive ancient mechanical titan racing towards them, jumping from building to building with Headsmash's ship in its hand. The others, save for the Emperor, Macador, and Rogal, gaped at that.

Commorragh

In the cockpit of the titan, Vect turned back to see the Tower quickly closing the gap as its speed increased, "It's gaining on us!"

Slade however, remained calm and collected as he drove the titan towards the arena, "I know. That's the plan." The titan then jumped and twisted itself to face the Tower before its arm warped into a massive cannon that unleashed an eclipsing beam of purple at the behemoth. It had no chance of dodging, screeching out as it pierced through its body as easily as wet paper, leaving a stadium sized hole in its mountainous bulk that began dripping with melted fat and gristle.

It screeched in agony before the wound seemed to close like flowing liquid as the mouths and tentacles destroyed by the beam began reforming. Regardless, it distracted the Tower which gave them time to escape to the arena, where the Emperor resided.

Meanwhile, the others were watching the fight with tepid gazes. The only one who did not waver is Tempestor Cromwell who merely raised his guns and roared to the others, "ARE WE COWARDS?!" The Tempestor berated them all before he roared out, "EVERYONE FIRE!" Invigorated by his words, the others raised their guns and fired on the Tower of Flesh, momentarily gaining its attention as it growled despite the thousands of hell-bolts and bolt rounds peppering its frame.

Unknown to them, the Corydons saw the Tower and decided they wanted in on the fight to come. Several turrets and gun batteries emerged from the arena that began firing at the Tower of Flesh, firing at it like a torrents of scarlet and emerald. Lelith did not participate in the fight, merely watching in amusement as the Mon-Keigh fought off these disgusting things.

The Tower screeched out and lashed out a tentacle ending in bone barbs in an attempt to crush these insects. However, before they could be crushed by the tentacles or before the Emperor could protect them, the two V-units appeared in front of the barded appendage. Both V1 and V2 cocked their hands back before they threw their punches at the tip of the appendage, the shockwave rippling through the limb like a tsunami.

Suddenly, the tentacle was practically reduced to slurry until it popped like a fleshy balloon. The Tower of Flesh screeched in agony as blood sprayed out like a falling ocean of crimson before the stump grew saber-like teeth as it reformed into a mouth.

"It's losing biomass!" The Emperor shouted, noting that it couldn't regrow the tentacle it just lost, "Keep attacking!"

And that was what they did, before the two V-units landed on the titan's shoulders as its tail aimed and fired at the Tower. The burnt flesh that seared its flesh healed in an instant, but they seemed to be slowing with each shot that followed.

Seeing that it couldn't do this alone, the Tower decided it needed reinforcements. Suddenly, several of its mouths bulged before they expelled clumps of flesh that were the size of skyscrapers. Before the Triumvirate could fire on them, they unfurled, forming into hundreds of thousands of winged humanoids with pale skin, claws, rictus grins, and black void-like eyes.

The pale swarm immediately swarmed the Imperials before the Emperor's shield protected them from their claws, their bolts and hell-blasts passing through as they shredded the screeching abominations, but every one that they slain, ten more took its place. As for the titan, it was defended by the V-units who jumped off and proceeded to have a contest on who could slay as many of them as possible, letting the titan fight the Tower without these distractions.

Several tentacles spawned and lashed out as they wrapped around the titan's arm as its pilot attempted to shoot them off. The Tower growled out, before one mouth split four-ways and breathed a massive torrent of violet flames upon the massive mechanical form, waves of impossible heat beating against the ancient living metal of the machine. The metal was holding against the torrent of infernal power that crashed against it, even as the tentacles that held it in place burned away against the hot wrath of its attack.

Slade gripped the controls as more mouths began spitting torrents of fire at the machine as it was forced to step away, several of its pale swarm dying in the infernal crossfire. His fingers curled against the sticks that controlled the machine as he felt a pulse in his head. He could feel the titan's rage, as if it was a beast that just awakened and was hungry for more destruction.

The titan then let out a veritable roar before it speared its hand through the main mouth and gripped whatever it had that felt like a heart and proceeded to rip it out as green ichor sprayed out like a high pressure hose before it began ripping chunks out of the Tower. Before it could reach Yama and its heart, the Tower unleashed a series of emerald slime covered tentacles that speared against the titan, sending it back to the side of a building as they pinned it down.

Slade tried to move the titan's tail to fire but the tentacles had a grip of steel that kept it pinned down. Vect growled, trying to find some secret weapon in the cockpit to get them out of this and the V-units are too preoccupied with the swarms to help.

Suddenly, there was a roar of a motorcycle, causing the pale swarm to turn to the source.

It was Doomrider, riding on Unbound as he raced toward them with no hesitation in his heart. Before the swarm could attack, Doomrider pressed a red button on the accelerator, causing several ports in the back of Unbound to open before several micro missiles launched through the air, trailing pink smoke before they exploded on contact, taking out several hundred of the swarm in one swoop.

That certainly drew the attention of the swarm, that rushed towards the Black Rider like a pale tide of bodies. Unfazed, Doomrider summoned a massive multi-barreled gun from his Armory that he fired on, spent shells flying like pebbles in the wind as several bodies were reduced to slurry by the shots, while his Assault Bike moved fast enough that the pale monsters couldn't touch him.

Before a single pale creature could attack him from behind, V1 appeared in front of it and kicked it away to hard that it was reduced to spaghetti sauce, letting the Black Rider speed off as he rides up a spire towards the Tower's massive bulk. He rode to the side as he reached a precipice on the tower and sped on the rails that connected it to the rest of the city.

Just as he swerved out of the way of another swoop of pale death, Doomrider summoned a massive warhammer from his Armory before he jumped off Unbound, soaring into the air as he reared the hammer back and yelled out dramatically, "STOP!"

The Imperial Throneroom

Whammudes, realizing what he was referring to, shrieked out, "OH, DON'T DO IT!"

"HAMMER TIME!" Doomrider yelled as he rammed his warhammer into the head of the Tower, shaking it and causing it to crash into the nearest towers, releasing its hold on the titan.

"He did it anyways." Karstodes deadpanned as Whammudes facepalmed and Dee Dee laughed.

Commorragh

Doomrider maneuvered his body so that he fell towards his bike, before he grabbed both handles and maneuvered back to the seat. Unbound roared to live as it arced with warp lightning before they sparked by the wheels and created pseudo-tracks for it to ride on, spearing through the air.

In the cockpit, Slade immediately gripped the controls and took action. The titan immediately grabbed one dark building nearby, before, with all its strength, it ripped it out of the ground before wielding it like a spear and then it charged. The Tower screeched out before the spike-like tip of the building impaled it through the midsection, pinning it to the side of several other buildings, ichor of multiple color spewing out as it writhed and screeched in agony.

Inside, Yama yelled out in frustration, deciding that she was done playing games. Gathering all the biomass she had left, the tip of the tower swelled out before it burst like a rotten tumor.

The body was grotesquely muscular, covered in spikes of bone as the exposed muscles leaked fluid, the chest, head, forearms and legs were covered in bone plates, with massive wings with red membranes, the face merely encompassed by a massive singular eye of bleeding azure, claws the size of swords, and a mouth on its neck with emerald fangs.

The Final Testament screeched out and jumped out of the tip, spreading its wings like a majestic eagle as it flew towards the cockpit with the intension of killing the pilots. Suddenly, there was a moment where her everything became pain, as V1 and V2 kicked her in the chest and sent her new body flying before it flared its wings to stop itself.

Inside, Yama screeched in fury as did the Final Testament. Several sucker mouths opened on its back as conical projectiles emerged before they fired off, almost like organic missiles at the robots, who either dodged or parried them out the way as they exploded. However, before they could counterattack, the Final Testament surged forth like a burning comet as it batted V2 away and attempted to kick V1, but the blue drone parried it away before he shot it in the head with his shotgun.

The thing's head burst in half before it regrew quickly, the mouth opened and out blasted a massive torrent of fire and death, attempting to incinerate them when suddenly the red one's fist rammed into its jaw before it blasts its knuckledusters into the Testament's mouth, blowing its head off before V1 stomped on its chest, caving it in before it healed just a second later.

However, Vect suddenly jumped out of the cockpit of the titan, his Husk Blade now fixed and able to kill with a single strike.

"Eat this!" Vect roared before he slashed into the forearm of the Final Testament as he flew past it and was caught by V1.

The stricken limb immediately became drying to a husk and crumbling to ash. Suddenly, however, the blackened flesh flaked off to reveal healed muscle fibers before the limb rapidly began regrowing. The Testament merely tested the regrown limb before it turned back to the overlord of Commorragh who was still in V1's arm.

Vect blinked when he saw the Last Testament not only not crumbling to dust but also regrowing the limb that had, "Okay, perhaps this will be harder than I thought."

The Testament roared while the body it had separated from suddenly began splitting apart. Centipedes of flabby flesh lined with wriggling bone appendages, wings creatures with grub-like bodies, worms resembling intestines spawning from the guts of the Tower, and myriads of creatures and horrors that would not have been out of place in nightmares emerged from the bowels of the Tower as they all crawled towards the Imperials and the Corydons, who watched in bewilderment before they decide to fight upon them with all their might.

Their shots left massive holes in the creatures' flesh that closed as quickly as they had been torn open, advancing as quickly as they were shooting.

"Oh, I fhucking hate regenerators!" Scion Valentine shouted as he kept firing as much as his helgun could expel.

One of the worms snaked towards Albia, who merely gave a righteous yell (forever denying that it was a squeal of fear) and fired her bolter. The bolt shells immediately reduced it to slurry, before whatever was left of it fell into the darkness below before she turned to the other monsters and kept firing at them. The Grey Knights merely resorted to their blades as they didn't wish to waste their bolts on mere mutants, not that they needed to as their blades did as good a job as shooting them. One attempted to eat one of the scions, only for it to be reduced to sashimi by the lightspeed slashes from Jaghatai Khan before doing the same to another like slabs of meat.

Leman aimed Scornspitter at the nearest of these abominations before firing, the bolt reducing half of its body to spaghetti sauce before the rest of its body sprayed out and died, being devoured by the swarm. Suddenly, Freki and Geri joined their brother in the fight, tearing the monsters to shreds in streaks of black and white, some either burned to ashes or frozen solid and shattered to pieces.

However, the pale swarm seemed to begin losing their numbers and the bigger ones eating those that survived to fuel their regeneration as they were slowly wearing down by the continuous firepower directed at them. This obviously worked in their favor as they continued to fire fusillades of rounds at them until they either dropped dead or devoured their kind for more biomass before keeling over when they were reduced to mulch when said biomass was expended.

Headsmash grinned before he yelled out, "NOW!" His two Daemonhosts suddenly appeared in front of him before they each raised a limb, one the right arm and the other the left before one unleashed a bolt of iridescent lightning and the other unleashed a dark emerald wind with black flecks in unison. The first caused the monster it struck to swell before bursting apart into a rain of crystals and the other enveloped the creature it struck before it faded and revealed nothing left but a skeleton with various tumorous growths before it collapsed.

Scion Priestly blinked at the display, both for the display of power from the Daemonhosts and then the sight of his Jokaero firing its plasma rifle into the crowd of monsters and madness, turning to Headsmash incredulously, "Mind telling me why the fuck you didn't use them earlier?!"

"You try reigning in daemons!" Headsmash shot back before he flinched when the head of a creature that was about to attack him from behind by Inquisitor Kryptman's gun-cane, blinking before he yelled, "THANKS!"

"DON'T THINK OF IT!" Kryptman says before he aimed at the next beast in his way and fired while Calato, Wilford, and Lynius fired upon the rest.

Meanwhile, Vect, still flying thanks to V1, slashed the Final Testament, the flesh crumbling before it regrew as quickly as they came before it attempted to lash out and strike them. Suddenly, a massive conical spike spawned from its back before it launched in a blaze of emerald fire, soaring above before it suddenly unfurled and fired millions of thin pillar-sized needles in flechette storm.

Seeing that, the two Vs and the Overlord was suddenly protected by the arm of the titan, while the Emperor protected his children with another golden barrier, with the needles either bounced off the barrier like rainfall or were imbedded in the metal by the millimeter. After a few minutes, the needles stopped falling, when they suddenly started glowing and bulging out like tumorous growths.

Immediately knowing what was about to happen, the Emperor intensified his barrier while Slade could feel the titan brace itself.

The explosion of emerald erupted exponentially as the Emperor shielded his entourage from the blast while Slade's titan was thrown back and skidded to a halt after it grabbed the nearest ledge as Vect and the V-Units held on for dear life. Dangling on the edge as smoke and miniscule debris rained down on it, the titan tried to pull itself up when, inside, Slade grunted when he felt a sharp pain in his arm. He then raised the right arm of the machine and saw the extent it had been damaged; sparks and holes dotting the forearm, the fingers were bent forwards, backwards, to the sides, and broken to where they were only dangling on by a pair of wires.

The pain ceased as he saw the metal flowing liquescently and reforming the limb, the ligaments forcibly reconnecting on liquid tentacles that reattached each piece to the hand, no damage seen on its visage.

Slade blinked before he shook it off and piloted the thing to climb up the ledge, seeing V1 and V2 landing on the area before the titan's chest when it reached up to the line. Just as the Titan's feet reached to solid ground, there was an ear-piercing screech and Slade saw the Final Testament spearing towards him in animalistic rage.

Suddenly, before it had a chance to attack Slade, both of the two V-units speared forth and rammed their fists into the chest of the Testament, before they grabbed both sides of the cracked ribs and ripped them open in a spray of blood, oily fluids, shredded viscera, and broken bones, revealing its core. Yama, covered in tentacles connecting to every nerve and bone on the inside, piloting the Testament, her eyes wide with fear and terror.

Seizing the chance, Slade rammed both his thumbs on the blue buttons on the controls. Suddenly, the titans' eyes burned in radiant fury before they erupted into twin crimson beams of incinerating death that roared toward her.

An expression of panic came upon Yama's face before pink warp lightning arced around her. Taking in all the power inside her, her eyes and mouth burned with pink light before she unleashed a beam of pure warp power that collided with the eyebeams of the titan. Both beams of pure power struggled against each other like a clash of two gods of warp power, force blaring out like a star being born.

Waves of red and pink crashed into the area around them, feeling the arena rumble around them as the others tried to withstand the power being unleashed upon them like a monster of energy and blight.

Before either could be a victor, Vect suddenly leaped off the shoulder of the titan, sprinting as swiftly as could be drawn from his biology, practically flying like a majestic eagle. Swift as a blur of light, Vect slashed his Husk Blade across the back of the Final Testament, watching as Now unable to focus due to the agony in her back, Yama was unable to focus her energy, weakening before she was overwhelmed.

The beams from the Titan overpowered her's, rending it apart into particles of nothingness before they speared towards her like an infernal scythe of the reaper coming. However, what they did not realize was that in that split second, Yama broke free and burst out of the backside of the Final Testament that to its weakening by the Husk Blade, abandoning it just as the crimson beams brushed against its supple flesh.

The crimson rays of death incinerated the Final Testament without so much as a pause, burning away before disappearing like ash in the wind.

Slade relaxed as he saw the Final Testament die, feeling the titan relax along with him before he slowly climbed over the edge of the platform, letting the mechanical beast walk on two feet. The cloaked man saw the Imperials killing the rest of whatever monsters were left, burning, shooting, slashing, and bludgeoning whatever was left of them. But none of them noticed that there was a massive beast composed of whatever was left of the Tower rising behind them for a sneak attack.

Deciding why not, Slade aimed at the creature before he fired. The crimson beams immediately speared towards the creature before it could even twitch another muscle before it was then blasted to smithereens in a spray of blood and bits that splashed near the Imperials who then saw the titan standing before them.

"Oi!" Slade turned to the others, the one who spoke was a miffed Scion Stuart, "YOU COULD HAVE USED THOSE AT ANY TIME!"

"No, not anytime." Slade replied, his voice somehow coming from the titan's metal jaws, before he smugly stated with his and his mechs arms crossed, "Just any time I felt like it."

He could tell Scion Stuart's eyes twitched underneath his Omnishield Helm, while the rest of the group, especially Leman, laughing out loud, thinking that his joke was hilarious. Even Doomrider, and the Prince and Princess of Daemons, who were watching from afar, found it hilarious.

"Slade, that wasn't very nice." The Emperor scolded despite the fact that he was smiling as well.

Slade merely shrugged, a motion that the mech mimicked.

Unknown to any of them, except the Emperor and Vect, Yama slowly crept away, trying to get away alive. And when she did, she would find her way out of Commorragh and get back to her home planet. Then she would spread the word of the Dark Gods, gather all her soon to be brothers and sisters, and rise against the Imperium that abandoned her.

Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in her calf, causing her to fall to the ground with a painfilled yelp. Fighting through the stinging pain, Yama turned her head behind her, only for her eyes to shrink to pinpricks.

Embedded in her calf was a throwing knife. And behind and approaching her was Asdrubael Vect, who had an ear-to-ear grin pulled on his face so tightly that the fibers in his lips were close to snapping, his eyes burning in raw white-hot sadism that threatened to burst from his sockets.

"Well, well, well, my dear. You certainly made a mess of things." The cheerful tone of his voice did nothing to hide the sadism that was bleeding out of him, "And I'm not mad! Today was amazing! I got to see a fight between Lelith and the Vanquisher! And then I got to ride a titan on that massive tower of flesh of your's! It was awesome!" But then his grin was replaced by a frown, "Then you had to ruin it by doing one. Fucking. Thing."

Before she could ask, he plunged his Husk Blade into her heart, getting a screech of pain to erupt from her throat.

"You destroyed my hat." Vect snarled before he twisted the blade, crushing her ribs as she let out a screech of agony, before he ripped it out of her, "I liked my hat."

Yama coughed up chucks of blood before she fell to the ground, hacking as blood and phlegm flooded into her lungs while the flesh around the stab wound began to slowly blacken and chip away. As she choked, Yama's eyes turned to Vect, who merely scoffed in disgust as he flicked the bodily fluids off his Husk Blade, before they turned to the Emperor, who stared at her with nothing but sympathy in his eyes.

Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over her. Even as she continued to crumble away, there was no fear, no desperation, no screaming, no hatred. Just peace with herself, leaving only her last thoughts of her existence. She thought of her home, the friends she made as they played in the fields while they were children, growing up working as they farmed in the agri-fields, her first love...

Then she remembered the raids, the things they did to her, the laughter that came from their throats as they watched her destroy herself.

Then she remembered the day where the light burned Commorragh, where her tormentors screamed as they melted and burned away, as she fled into the darkness and never came back.

As each memory passed, she felt herself become lighter and lighter, seeing the friends and family she's lost, the souls of those now freed from the claws of the Drukhari and their monsters. Yama's eyes turned to the light above as a smile of sadness came to her crumbling visage.

"I would have..." She coughed out her last words as she felt the life fade from her body, her eyelids suddenly feeling heavy as she stared at the last sun in Commorragh, "I would have liked to see the sun... one last time."

And with that, her eyes closed for the final time. And then the rest of her body crumbled to ashes, fluttering away like dust in the wind.

The Emperor's Compassion allowed a single golden tear to fall as he held her soul in his hands, soft and peaceful like the others as he had saved before. Releasing it like it was a dove, he walked as it flew into the distance, disappearing as it departed for the afterlife.

"Good night, Anne." The Emperor whispered to the dearly departed.

The Imperial Throneroom

Dee Dee shed a single tear as well for the lost soul. While she knew there was no other choice, given that the woman had fallen for the Dark Gods, the Angel always did shed a tear for those that had fallen to their lies.

Commorragh

The Emperor wiped away another tear from his eye before he breathed in and steeled himself, turning to Vect with a stern look, "Now that we've dealt with that, I believe you owe us a way out of Commorragh." Seeing that it would take more to convince him, judging by the smug look in the overlord's face, the Emperor then added, "Considering Slade just saved your life." Vect then scowled at that, which the Emperor admittedly felt bad about but he and his children needed to get out of Commorragh by any means.

Vect sneered but gave an aggravated sigh, "Follow me."

The Emperor nodded before he beckoned his two sons and the Imperials to follow, with Slade and the Vs following behind as the Supreme Overlord of Commorragh to wherever he was taking them. Unknown to all of them, both Grim Junior and Minimandy followed behind quietly.

And unknown to them, Doomrider followed them on his Assault Bike, interested in what would happen next.

The Overlord of Commorragh led them to a massive field that was in the deepest parts of Low Commorragh, resting in the shadows of the upper cities, so hidden that only the barest traces of light could break through the cracks. It seemed as if there was a god of nightmares sleeping in the darkness, dreaming cruel dreams as he rested under veils of reality and unreality.

The Emperor's presence seemed to be akin to a bright torch that forced the darkness back into the corners of the emptiness, especially as Slade basically used him as a torch as he carried the Imperials with his titan, with Vect in the cockpit giving directions and the Vs standing on the shoulders, keeping watch. The rest of the Imperials were kept at ease by the calming presence of the Master of Mankind, but it seemed the deeper they went, the further they were teetering to the hairline between reality and the Warp.

Soon, they arrived at a vast expanse, the ground unseeable under the endless piles of bodies that rose higher than the towers. They were akin to something out of a nightmare; bodies upon bodies crushing under the weight of the multitudes of the dead, barely rotted with hardened blood and bodily fluids mixed into a mortar that held them together like an unbreakable structure. Some of their faces frozen in the death howls of their final moments, black eyeholes and stretched mouths in blackness, limbs peering through like branches on a morbid tree, the ones at the base level of the piles were practically paste covered in black hardened resin composed of the blood and oily fluids.

The path they were on was composed of scrap metal haphazardly welded together from the wrecked Ravagers and Raiders that had been destroyed in the dread moments of Slaanesh's feast upon the Drukhari. The Imperials merely gave looks of disgust and horror at the titanic piles of bodies that littered the expanse, only a small orb of whiteness to illuminate the encroaching darkness around them, revealing every horrid detail of the piles.

"Why the fuck would you keep the Transmat here?!" Scion Stuart called out to the Supreme Overlord of Commorragh.

"Because no one ever comes here." Vect replied through the speakers of the titan, "Not that anyone wants to come here."

Soon, the titan came to a circular clearing with a grey chrome dome that covered the center. It was non-reflective; the light of whatever light was coming down from the orb let them come down to the inches closest to it. Slade set the Imperials down while the cockpit opened as Slade and Vect jumped out while the Vs jumped off the shoulders.

Vect exhaled, still can't believing that his doing this, but given that both Lelith and Corydons seemingly abandoned him, and that the Imperials were aiming all their guns at him despite the Emperor's disapproval, he had no choice. Approaching the dome, he merely raised a finger before touching the chrome metal, when suddenly, there was a pulse as a wave rippled throughout the liquid frame.

Suddenly, the dome liquescently receded into the floor, revealing a circular frame propped up by several lines and cables, each inert and placed haphazardly around it in a disarray of apathy. It was both advanced and primitive at the same time.

"It hasn't been used in thousands of years." Vect explained to the Emperor who seemingly remained undaunted, "If you can get it to work again, then do so."

The Emperor smiled, "I think I can do so then." The Master of Mankind then raised a hand, before an aura of gold covered the mechanisms, lifting them into the air as his great mind began to decipher the machines and the spirits controlling them, "This may take me a while. So, please guard me while I try to decipher the machine and its functions."

The Imperials nodded before they assumed defensive positions, forming a perimeter around the Emperor to defend should anything come their way. Vect turned his head to the Emperor who was still setting up the Transmat with his powers, connecting each cable and device together, assembling it like it was some kind of children's toy.

"Go on. Say it." Vect abruptly said, getting the Emperor's attention as he turned to the Supreme Overlord, prompting him to explain, "I can feel it off of you. With Slaanesh no longer interested in Commorragh, my psychic abilities have returned somewhat. So, I can feel what you feel." A smug smirk then came over his face, "So I know you hate the aeldari's guts."

That definitely got the Emperor's attention, but Vect didn't let up, "You think you're above the influence of the other members of the Imperium, that you're the embodiment of compassion, when you look at all other aliens and think that they're just scum ready to die because of your glorious Imperium." The scorn he felt from the Imperials was blazing but he continued on, "Face it, great Emperor of Mankind, you're just no different than all the xenophobes in your empire!"

All was silent at that proclamation. The Emperor's face was stony, while the Imperials, minus Slade and the V-units, looked almost like they were going to shoot Vect on the spot, even Leman and Jaghatai, only to stop when the Emperor put a hand up, stopping them from attempting to jihad the last of the Drukhari. With that, the Emperor of Mankind and the Overlord of Commorragh stared each other down in silence, waiting for one to speak first so that they could begin.

"You think I'm filled with the same hate that my followers are? Well, since you want it, then here's the truth." He began before he inhaled and exhaled, "No... I don't hate you." The Emperor's Compassion stated to the Supreme Overlord of Commorragh before saying three words that would silence the Dark City.

"I pity you."

Vect's smug face shattered at those three words, even the Primarchs and the others turned to him in shock, the Emperor had a stony but pity filled expression.

"You flail about in the dark, killing and torturing because you feed on the suffering of others, never knowing the touch of genuine love and compassion, feeding on suffering to fill a void that never will." The Emperor continued, "You wallow in the death and suffering of others to slake a hunger that consumes your being, spiraling ever downwards into a dark abyss of shadows and decadence that never ends until you are nothing more than a beast that silently cries out for the pride it used to have. No music, no art, no love for your fellow neighbor, nothing left but the emptiness of your life."

"Life has no MEANING!" Asdrubael Vect roared out, interrupting the Emperor before breathing out, "Not really. Regardless of how long we extend our lifespans, regardless of our emotions, thoughts, and memories, regardless of everything that defines life to us - amalgams of matter who can reflect upon it - the universe itself shall dissipate, and as it does, so shall WE. In a million cycles, in a billion cycles, in a doudecillion cycles! In the dying throes of the galaxy, what will you find?!"

"I'm not trying to win." The Emperor's Compassion snapped back to Vect, who blinked back in shock, "I'm not doing this because I want to defeat someone, because I hate someone, or because I want to blame someone. It's not because it's fun." He scoffed with the shake of his head, having almost a forlorn expression, "I know it's not because it's easy. It's not even because it works, because it hardly ever does. I do what I do because it's right! Because it's decent! And above all, because it's kind!"

Vect stared unblinkingly while the Emperor continued on, "It's just that... Just kind. If I run away today, good people will die. If I stay and fight, some of them might live. Maybe not many, maybe not for long. Who knows? Maybe you're right. Maybe there's no point to any of this at all. But it's the best I can do."

The Emperor then steels himself and continued on with his speech to the overlord of Commorragh, "So, regardless of whether it will work or not, I'm going to do it anyway. And I'm going to stand here doing it until it kills me. And you're going to die too! Someday... And how will that be? Have you thought about it? What would you die for? Who I am is where I stand. Where I stand is where I fall. It's where we all must stand. So... here I stand."

Vect stared before he broke out into a fit of laughter, not one that was maniacal or hysterical, just a soft genuine laugh. He ran a hand down his filthy face and gave an amused look at the Emperor, "You are impossible. You are absolutely impossible."

The Emperor smiled back, a genuine smile, "Not impossible, just a bit unlikely."

The Imperial Throneroom

Dee Dee stared at the Emperor's Compassion with an awed expression, feeling as inspired as ever when she first met the Emperor for the first time and her respect for him growing even bigger. And from the awe that she felt come from the Custodes meant that they felt the same, even if their expressions were hidden under helms of auramite. Malcador smiled as well, knowing this side of the Emperor that he had long forgotten.

"Wise words, father." Rogal gave the barest traces of a smile.

The Emperor merely typed out, "HMPH." But all those around him knew that, if he possessed lips, they would have been curled into a smile.

Commorragh

Slade would have smiled had he still had a mouth, while V1 looked at V2 who gave the closest thing he had to a smile before the two robots fist bumped. The Imperials stared at the Emperor with reverence, but unfortunately his sons were not as convinced as his followers.

"Fyodor... Are you..." Leman tried to protest but the words failed him, while Jaghatai tried to come up with an argument himself, but his words failed him.

"Leman..." The Emperor put a hand on the Wolf King's pauldron, before motioning to the Supreme Overlord, "Look at him. He's nothing now. He's not worth it."

Leman looked at Vect, who only scowled in annoyance, but the Wolf King merely shook his head, not bothering with the Drukhari anymore. Jaghatai exhaled through his nose, the hairs of his beard bristling, as he crossed his arms. Seeing this, Vect smirked.

"What about you?" Vect intentionally pressed, "You chased some raiders into the Webway for revenge. What happened to that?"

"...I had my revenge." Jaghatai replied, thinking of the day Comorragh burned.

He remembered when he raced across the tracks that spanned the Dark City, the engines of his Jetbike burning like an inferno as he rocketed like a comet from a lost realm of the universe, the frame bloodied by the latest Drukhari to die at his blade, attempting to fight the next raider that he had encountered. The foul being's eyes had turned to him, wide and afraid, before he suddenly appeared in front of the raider, his Dao drawn and bloodied.

Suddenly, the raider upchucked massive amounts of blood before his upper body flew off his lower body, splattering onto the road before his jetbike crashed, exploding into a blast of orange. Jaghatai sheathed the White Tiger Dao and continued riding, intending to murder the next of the filthy Knife-ears that come his way.

However, before he could race off to slay the next group of raiders, there was a blast.

It was a sound unlike anything he had ever heard or will hear. It was a crack, a hiss and then a shattering screech. His head turned towards it so much that his transhuman neck nearly snapped from the force, when his eyes widened and his jaw slackened at the sight of the blast.

The black skies of the Dark City had been ripped open, broken like glass, in the shape of a jagged maw. A tide of pink ethereum expelled itself from the maw, screams of joy and agony echoing out as it began to flood Commorragh.

Jaghatai could only stare on in barely lidded horror.

The Khan merely exhaled as he shook his head, "What's done is done. Fath-" He stops himself, thinking about how he felt about this shard of his father's soul before he finalized his conflicting thoughts, "Father, how long will it take for you to repair the Transmat?"

The Emperor's Compassion hummed in thought before he turned his attention back to the device, "It shouldn't take more than a few-" Suddenly, there was a flinch before he turned around and quickly extended a hand.

A golden barrier appeared and blocked a massive emerald beam that appeared out of nowhere, its brightness searing through the area before it suddenly ceased with the barrier undamaged nonetheless to the shock of the entire group, when the sounds of beating wings echoed through the air, causing them to turn to the source.

It was the Prince and Princess of Daemons, both on mounts that resembled horses with massive wings. As soon as they touched down on the bridge, their mounts dissolved back into tentacles that were absorbed back into their symbiotes.

"I told you that wouldn't work." Grim scolded his sister who merely shrugged with an apathetic expression.

"It doesn't matter." Minnie waved off his concerns, before a look of refined pride came over her face as she confidently announced, "Well, well, the Emperor of Mankind. You've finally found a host that doesn't crumble under the weight of your power. If I may ask, why are you in the Dark City?"

The Emperor's expression was stony as he answered, "My obligations aren't limited to just the Warp, Minerva."

Minnie let out a haughty laugh, an air of confidence irradiating off of her person, "I suppose, since that little stunt of yours at that Gate of Khaine gave her quite a scare. Hence, she sent my brother and moi."

"Then he's gonna give your harlot of a mother a heart attack next!" Brother Armis yelled as he brandished Nemesis Force Sword at the siblings along with his brothers each of the Imperials drew their weapons that the Prince and Princess.

"Ready? Then by all means, try." Minnie gained a sadistic grin when suddenly her gothic dress changed to that of the armor of the Stormtroopers, but more formfitting and streamlined like power armor, covering all but her head. However, when Scion Matilda scowled under her Omnishield helm and fired at Minnie, everyone present saw that her cranium was protected by a powerful conversion field as the hot-shot bolt hit her between the eyes only for the bolt to disperse without even a flinch from the Princess herself.

Grim didn't have so dramatic a change; a pole-like handle emerging from his shoulder that he grasped before yanking it out, revealing a massive dark green scythe blade with spikes and eyes on the bands of flesh connecting it to the staff.

A hilt, jagged like glass and black as onyx, appeared on Minnie's hip that she grabbed and then unsheathed a massive simitar-like blade, colored fuchsia with crackling violet aura; the daemon blade, Prophaniti.

Before others could open fire, the V units walked towards the Prince and Princess, their fists tightened and their weapons out, ready to fight for the group that they came to like. V1 drew out both Fear and Loathing while V2 revealed a double-barreled Remington shotgun called Temperance, both of them ready to kill these two spoiled brats.

Grim Junior remained stoic in the face of fighting both the Vanquisher and his brother, while Minnie had an eager, almost sadistic, grin on her face, due to being humiliated by the two robots earlier, she was itching for some payback.

However, she wasn't arrogant enough to think that she could take on two Primarchs without aid. So, she decided to get some allies into the fray.

Minnie suddenly raised Prophaniti to the air and a massive bolt of violet rocketed from the tip, branching out into multiple arcs that struck each and every pile of corpses in the area.

Suddenly, it was as if the piles began... melting, stretching out to the shock of the Imperials as they then slithered and weaved together, bulging out and taking shape into something horrible and blasphemous. Features and limbs swam through its liquescent body, forming and unforming, viscous tentacles composed of resin and oil flowing from their eyes and mouths.

The writhing mass of liquified bodies took the form of a massive beast with ram-like horns, a burning orange maw of pillar-sized fangs, thick grotesquely muscular arms terminating in rending claws, a barrel shaped chest, and massive wings with purple membranes, the lower half little more than a trunkish mount of bile and resin forced into the shape of a series of tentacles holding the upper half up.

It emitted an ear-piercing screech, nearly deafening all those that heard it before unleashing a massive torrent of purple and pink at the Imperials while the Emperor raised a shield in front of them, protecting them from the fire as the soldiers fired upon it without even a command from him. Their shots however were made worthless as the wounds inflicted by them were glued back together by the flowing liquid that was it's being, with the Emperor preoccupied building the Transmat and protecting them, he wouldn't be able to assist.

The Grey Knights narrowed their eyes, knowing what they had to do.

"Guard his majesty! We will burn this Aberration!" Brother Armis commanded the Triumvirate as he and his brothers stepped forth to defeat the Aberration. The monster growled at them like they were blights upon the universe, with them thinking the same thing. The three remaining Grey Knights with Armis unsheathing Grand Master Elirush's halberd as they readied themselves to fight the Aberration.

Before Minnie could laugh haughtily, V1 fired both Fear and Loathing at her, catching her off guard before she quickly regained her wits and blocked both bolts with her sword's flat sides, diverting them as they detonated behind her. She glared fiercely at the Vanquisher who was unintimidated by her before both she and her brother charged at the machine and his brother.

V2 suddenly suckerpunched her in the chin before his knuckleduster fired, something that would have taken her head off would it not have been the conversion field protecting her skull, sending her back as she dug her heels into the ground, skidding to a halt. Grim Junior meanwhile then swung his scythe at V1, who nimbly dodged and ducked under his rapid swings before the Vanquisher fired a bolt from Fear and Loathing that collided with Grim's head, which would have killed him as his symbiote lashed out twin small tentacles that caught the rounds before they hit his face, detonating and destroy both pseudopods in the blast, nearly scorching his visage.

Running through the explosion, Grim felt the skin of his face burn as he swung his scythe of death through the flames, parting them as the air dragged by the slash ignited, sending a blast of fire at V1 who merely sidestepped out of the way when suddenly both Fear and Loathing spawned long saber-like bayonets before the drone launched itself at the Reaper, who readied his scythe for another fight.

Back with Minnie, she deflected shot after shot from V2's Temperance, some pellets of burning white hot warp-fire ripping into her sides before she got close enough to the red brother of the Vanquisher and slashed downward, hoping that she would rip the damn robot in half only for V2 to block it with his knuckleduster before he rammed both barrels of Temperance into her chest and fired, nearly ripping her insides open had her symbiote not immediately sealed and kept her guts from spilling out while working to repair the damage.

Gritting her teeth from the pain, Minnie swung against, sending a wave of pink and purple energy at V2 who merely leaped over it and fired Temperance at her head with the conversion field taking the brunt of the damage but causing her to grunt before she slashed at him again, only for him to somersault out of the way before his knuckleduster fired, skidding her back before she growled and roared as she charged back into the fight.

Back with the Grey Knights, they unleashed Cleansing Flames against the Aberration, which cried out in agony at the burning touch of the pale-white flames before it lashed out its limbs to impale the Knights on its claws turned tentacles, who all dodged out of the way or slashed them apart with their Nemesis Force Weapons. The Aberration suddenly then flared its wings out as several thick droplets fell from its membranes and splatted onto the ground.

However, before the Knights could do anything more, the droplets began to bubble and swell tumorously, swirling up and taking disgusting shape. They seemed almost humanoid, their vacant eyes and gaping mouths flowed out black viscous fluid, liquified flesh and bone swam and shaped themselves constantly, dripping, sloshing, flowing with each step as they walked towards the Grey Knights in a mindless gaunt.

Suddenly, they shot towards the Knights, their arm elongated and whiplike as they tried to tear down the armor of grey they were clad in, only to be met with Cleansing Flames and arcing lightning of the Knights, burning and breaking them as they perished in their purity. More came but none survived, breaking against the shield as they kept burning under the purity of their flames.

The Aberration, sensing it required stronger reinforcements, then expended parts of its essence into the sea of liquid flesh that surrounded the area around the Imperials. Several toiling monsters bubbled to the surface, unhinged jaws stretching and bellowing out as purple baleful light shined through their nonexistent throats, lumbering like giants on scorched land, their limbs capable of splitting the earth.

Before any of them could attack, there was a deafening howl. One of the giants abruptly grasp its nonexistent ears as its body swelled and became wracked with agony before it popped like a bile filled balloon as whatever was left sloshed into the sea of flesh and whatever structure of barely solid bone was left in it fell way like they were the crumbling remains of a destroyed tower.

The remaining giants turned to see Leman Russ, who had both Mjalnar and Scornspitter out before he fired the latter at the giants, the explosive shots ripping open chunks of flesh before their wounds closed liquescently, unaffected and undaunted by his attack as they advanced to the shield that covered the Emperor. Jaghatai then stepped in, slashing hard enough that the air dragged by it ignited and erupted into a flaming arc that cut through the arm of a giant that attempted to reach out and crush them.

The brothers looked at each other before they nodded and readied their weapons.

Suddenly, a massive purple beam shot through one of the giants before it could strike, leaving an airplane-sized hole in its torso. The giant gave an agonized howl as its upper half and lower half fell apart, causing both halves to fall into the slurry and disappear while the other giants and the Primarchs turned to the source.

It was the titan, piloted by Slade, its arm cannon smoking and pointed to the giants before its other arm reached behind it and its wrist opened up, revealing several thousand missiles that promptly fired. Thousands of conical missiles fired out, leaving trails of green smoke behind before they embedded themselves into the gelatinous forms of the giants that were rising behind, when they detonated, splattering them across the sea of flesh that they had risen from.

The Imperials cheered at seeing the titan rise in their time of need, with its tail aiming at the Aberration and firing rapidly moving projectiles that burned through its liquescent being, wounds that sealed as quickly as they came. Bellows of ectoplasm spewed out from the sea of flesh, squeals of agony bubbling as it seemed to feel the agony of the Aberration.

"HAHA!" Leman yelled out like a party was starting, "Good on you, Sladey boy!"

Jaghatai let out a laugh as well.

Grim turned to see both of the Primarchs distracted, seizing the chance and readied his scythe, launching himself at the two sons of the Emperor. But before he could strike at the Primarchs, Grim was suddenly kicked in the face by V1, sending him flying into the air before forming wings and twisting his body so the membranes flared, letting him gain back control as he swooped back to the Vanquisher, who suddenly leapt into the air after him.

The Prince's scythe burned with emerald flames before he swung it when V1 was close, only for the Vanquisher to twist his body out of the way of the strike before he struck Grim Jr in the sternum, sending him back before he fired both Fear and Loathing at the same time. Both bolts had suddenly erupted in in black and white flames that seemed to burn whatever had been in its way to void before both struck both shoulders.

The bolts exploded, blowing his arms off their sockets as radiant emerald ichor sprayed out and a scream ripped out of his throat. Suddenly, he glared fiercely at the Vanquisher as uncountable tentacles abruptly shot from his shoulders that swiftly pierced the falling limbs before they were wrenched back to their sockets as millions of microscopic tentacles weaved them back together like a fabric of cells and ectoplasm.

Once the feeling swiftly returned to his recently returned arms, Grim Junior extended one out. Suddenly, the scythe he had dropped was covered in an emerald aura just as it was centimeters away from touching the sea of flesh before twirling back to his hand that grasped it tightly.

"While this has been fun, kindly die please, drone." The Prince seethed before he reared the scythe back, the blade a radiant dark emerald when he swung and abruptly struck the air in front of him.

Suddenly, cracks that leaked black ethereal began to spread in front of the spot his scythe had stricken. They spread more and more, becoming akin to a spiderweb as the spaces between cracks began to blur, as if like fogged glass as the cracks bled darkness before they intensified deeply, like the veil between realities was breaking.

Then, it shattered.

The tear sent an echo of blackness and green that shot towards the Vanquisher, faster than he could react, slamming into his chest and sending him through the air before he was rammed into the ground, layers upon layers of blackness that crashed on top of him as he seemed to be buried in it.

Before they could truly bury him, the layers cracked and shattered while a now thoroughly pissed off V1 rocketed out and speared toward Grim Junior like a comet. He reared his fist back, now ignited with white searing flames, before he threw a massive punch, one that seemed to splinter the rift the Prince had formed, much to the latter's brief shock before he was sent flying with a sonic boom, almost disappearing in the blackness.

"BROTHER!" Minnie screamed out in horror before she was struck in the face by V2's axe kick. Regaining her footing within a microsecond, the Princess grits her teeth to where she swore one chipped, before she raised Prophaniti and unleashed torrents of pink and fuchsia flames around her, intending on incinerating them in the inferno.

Suddenly, V2 unleashed an emerald energy whip from the back of his hand that he then used to seemingly slashed at the inferno. Suddenly, the flames were parted in a blast of emerald, revealing a dumbstruck Minnie before she yelped and ducked under the next slash, before she dodged and parried whatever slash or lash came her way, being pressured back by his speed and strength.

Back with the Emperor, he connected each piece and mechanism to the best of his ability, his transhuman mind calculating the exact position and connection needed for it to work as quickly as possible so it would not fail when he would use it. Meanwhile, the Imperials fired upon the golems that the Aberration dripped to life, each shot felling on only for ten more to take their place, and they were nearly running out of ammunition.

Before they could, Armis suddenly slashed one golem in twain with his Nemesis Force Sword covered in its white pure flames, that incinerated both halves of its liquified body. More golems were felled by his blade as his two remaining brothers raced behind him, breaking whatever ones that he hadn't crushed with hammer and shield.

Two of the giants were both frozen and incinerated from the white and black streaks from Freki and Geri, the frozen chunks fell into the sea while the ashes fell like snow before the twin wolves returned to their master. Jaghatai delivered a tornado of strikes against the golems, the winds so razor sharp that they cut the monsters to the cellular level and reduced them to black ectoplasmic mist, causing them to be blasted back and unable to reform.

At seeing Leman blink in surprise at the technique, Jaghatai replied preemptively, "I based it on the Death Spinners of the Warp Spiders, said weapons can cut a being down to cells."

"Damn, knife ears have good taste!" Leman laughed as he swung Mjalnar at the next one.

Back with the Aberration, it roared, trying to keep itself from expending too much essence, feeling more of itself drain with each limb that they severed. Deciding to change tactics, it recalled the essence it had expended.

Leman raised Mjalnar to strike another one of the golems, only for it to suddenly melt and droop to the ground as all of whatever animated it left its form. The Wolf King blinked in bemusement before he turned to see Jaghatai having a face of utter confusion. Tracing his gaze, Leman saw the giants fall apart, splitting and spilling like thick mulch that splattered into the sea of liquified flesh that surrounded them just as Slade was about to blast them.

It continued, much to the confusion of the Imperials, only for a creaking groan to emit out the mouth of the monster. Several turned to see the Aberration suddenly open its mouth to where it glowed in hellish light, like a gateway to hell itself breathing cotangent to the earth.

Its guts seemed to heave and roil as light burned in its veins, before a massive beam of light rocketed from the deepest pits of its stomach.

The Emperor only had a femtosecond to erect an even stronger psychic field, blocking the beam as it split into several parts that flew throughout the arena, burning away whatever was caught in their infernal presence. Blasts of warp surged against the barrier as the Emperor held fast against the assault of ethereal madness, before he let out a veritable roar of fraternal fury.

A pulse of gold splintered the beam before it burned through the Aberration's head and chest, letting out a screech of agony as the golden aura washed over it. The Aberration writhed and writhed until it fell silent, and its features slacked before they began drooping like melted wax. Whatever structure was left boiled and slid back to the pools of flesh that surrounded the area.

The rest of its body begin to slosh apart, even parts that were bone and muscles broke or slid off, until all that was left was a heaping pile of muck-covered bones that seemed to heave as if like lungs taking in breath. And in but another few seconds, they were reduced to mere muck that slithered back into the writhing sea of flesh and marrow. Suddenly, the sea began to freeze, for lack of a greater term, with a creaking groan like water flash freezing to ice as a sheen of steel blue spread across the horizon, stopping it cold.

Minnie gaped and gained a furious glare at the Imperials, only for her to be cut off by V2, who stood in the way of whatever attack she had planned.

"Oh, is someone getting angry?" V2 mockingly said as he readied both Temperance and his emerald whip.

Minnie let out a howl of humiliated anger as she lashed out, attempting to skewer the Vanquisher's brother who only lashed his whip, wrapping it around her blade before he pulled tautly, pulling her off her feet before he punched her across the face, the field taking the brunt of the blow but the backlash sent a pulse that struck her cheek as if from actual punch, nearly cracking several of her teeth in the process. He then lashed out, the whip wrapping around Minerva and pulling it taunt, restraining her as several of the Imperials aimed at her ready to fire.

Unseen to her, Slade aimed the titan's arm cannon at the Princess, attempting to destroy her and deal a blow to the Queen of Daemons. His finger was curling to the trigger as it was pointed at Minnie, the mechanisms whirling to live at it readied.

Suddenly, before he could fire, he was suddenly body-slammed by something massive, throwing off his aim and sending him flying through the air before he somersaulted and landed on his feet on the frozen sea of flesh. The monster was a massive creature of black flesh with emerald eyes with black slits acting as joints and ligaments, it possessed four legs set like a spider terminating in three-pronged claws, the torso was skeletal and lined with rows of spikes and jutting emerald ribs, the head possessing a maw of emerald teeth and a mop of tentacle hair lined in eyes, long arms with eyes as the joints and ligaments.

Slade's eye widened at the creature before he noticed the same colors as the Princess who broke out of V2's whip and slashed a wave of fuchsia flames at him and the Imperials, who dodged out of the way. It was then that he figured it out.

Grim Junior.

Slade growled as he readied his mech's weapons, while the Prince summoned a massive scythe with a jawless skull attached to the section where the blade and staff connect. The titan immediately armed his arms cannons, firing incessantly at the Prince's form as he dodged, surprising Slade at its nimbleness before it reappeared in front of it with his scythe reared back, only for the titan to duck and ram his fist into the monster's chest.

Grim let out a spray of ichor from his mouth before the titan attempted to use its barbed tail to slash his throat, but he leaned back, with the blade barely brushing against the skin of his meat mech before he swung again to kill only for the mech to kick him away before its fist rammed into the side of his head. Suddenly, its fist burst into light and sent him flying back before it skidded to a halt when he hit the Emperor's barrier.

The Prince shook off the pain before he moved his head out of the way of a punch from the titan that bounded off the Emperor's barrier, before a blade of energy erupted from the wrist and attempted to slashed him in twain, but the Prince ducked under the slash before kicking the titan away. Slade, getting annoyed, fired the titan's eyebeams at Grim, who blocked with his scythe before attempting to cleave the mech in half, only for Slade to dodge and scissor kick him away, before Grim readied himself.

Back with Minnie, she rammed the tip of Prophaniti to the floor, sending surges of lightning through the floor before forming into a wall of energy that held against the Grey Knights that she knew not last for long before she turned to her brother in worry. Though he seemed to be able to hold his own against the titan, which took the threat of it off of her, that left her with the rest of the Imperials, a squad of Grey Knights, two Primarchs, and a shard of the Emperor to deal with.

And it was very likely that she can't summon another one of mother's daemonic allies, even that this one happened to be one of the Emperor's strongest shards in her presence. Which means that she needs a new plan of attack so that she wouldn't be humiliated by these damned Imperials.

Minnie gazed at the Saber of Ivory sitting in her symbiote. Mother told her to use it if all other options are exhausted, but what it would summon...

There were few things that would give her the shivers as much as what using the sword would bring. It may guarantee victory, but would it be worth the cost? Filing that thought away for now, she then raised Prophaniti to the air, causing the Imperials to tense. This wouldn't buy much time, but it'll buy enough for her to come up with a new plan of attack.

Her sword erupted with torrents of Warp fire that burned a rift, one swirling with flames at the edges before hordes of Furies burst forth like a tidal-wave. Caught off guard, the Imperials immediately fired upon the monsters and flame from the Grey Knights, causing that the daemonic tide to be stemmed, distracting them from her, giving her time to think.

Minnie's warp infused mind pondered what to do next. Like most men and women infused with warp power, she could feel the currents of the Warp and the Nergaling eyes helped, but she couldn't tell the future, nor could she predict where the currents would shift. Meaning unlike those arrogant blowhards who could see the future, she had to plan and think about how she could defeat her opponents.

Unfortunately, most those blessed by the Warp would probably flee on sight with the Emperor and two Primarchs, so her options were pretty limited. Even if she could kill one of the Primarchs, which was already a death sentence given how either of the brothers, or the Emperor for that matter, would react. But still, she needed to do something to make whatever victory that comes from this a pyrrhic one for the Emperor.

The rift had closed, but the damage was done; furies, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, were swarming the Imperials who, even under the protection of the Emperor's barrier, had a hard time shaving down the forces of the daemons. Meanwhile, those outside the barrier, the Primarchs, the Vanquisher and his brother, and the three remaining Grey Knights, were fighting in a frenzy of slashes, material blades hitting immaterial flesh, each in an indescribable surge to overpower the other, but both stood undaunted.

Her brother was keeping Slade occupied, while V1 and V2 were too busy fighting the Furies to assist in helping. A howl rang out, and waves of blue-white erupted from Leman's mouth before several hundred furies burst apart, while Jaghatai's slashes were dicing them at a slower rate than they were swarming him. The Princess grinned, knowing which target to get to first.

Before she could attack the primarchs, however, someone decided to intervene. Something rammed into his spine, nearly breaking it in half had it not been for her symbiote. The Princess cried out in agony before she wheels around to see the culprit.

It was from a bolter with a smoking bullet in the hand of Doomrider. He was on Unbound, its flaming wheeling pulsing like a heartbeat and he immediately reeved his motorbike, charging headlong toward the Princess and swapping out his bolter for another weapon in a flash of violet.

Before Minnie could react, suddenly her torso was wrapped in chains wreathed in emerald flames that the Black Rider yanked harshly, throwing her off her feet as she was dragged across the frozen sea so cold that not even Unbound's flaming wheels could melt them. After speeding for 12 miles, Doomrider abruptly stopped, skidding to a halt and yanking on his flaming chain, the momentum unwrapping Minnie as she was sent flying.

Minnie somersaulted and landed on her feet, bending her knees as she dug her feet into the ground until she skidded to a halt, becoming dead silent as she stands back up, still as a statue that weathered the world. Doomrider dismounted Unbound, gripping his kusarigama as he twirled it around, waiting for her to break the silence.

And she did.

Her glare was alone seemed to be the onset of a typhoon, unleashing such killing intent that it seemed almost drowning in blackness, her aura like death itself coming to slay this blasphemer. Her teeth seemed to grind against each other, the aura intensified as her emerald eyes bore into Doomrider, hoping that he'd burst into flames. But since he didn't, she settled for vocals instead.

"Why... DID YOU ATTACK ME?!" Minnie roared, her voice taking on a demonic reverb as an aura of black with emerald flecks formed around her, the black flesh that her symbiote armor was composed of swam like it was barely keeping cohesive, her daemon sword seemingly flaring in tune with its wielder, "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"

"Oh, I know." Doomrider said in the most nonchalant tone she'd ever heard, before finishing with, "And I don't care."

That statement nearly broke Minnie as she let out a howl of fury, while Prophaniti seemed to be an empathetic weapon as the fuchsia flames erupted into a torrent of pink and purple infernal death in response to its master's rage. She reared her sword back and swung down, her expression like that of a frenzied animal as trail of fuchsia flame a mile both in height and length slashed through the ground, seemingly blasting through the ground as she sought to obliterate the Black Rider for his blasphemy.

Doomrider suddenly appeared a few kilometers away from her with dual large barreled flintlock-like pistols before he fired, sending fist sized orbs of warp infused steel at her, but as if she possessed a sixth sense, the Princess immediately wheeled around and cleaved them all in half with a single swing, letting them fall to the ground with both halves molten from the intense flames. She then lashed again with such intensity that the wind formed razor blades that cut through the ground in an attempted to bifurcate him, only for Doomrider to nimbly dodged before swapping the guns out for a massive battle axe that he then used to swing at her.

Minnie barely had a chance to duck out of the way before she swung, only for Doomrider to use the flat end of his battle axe as a shield which stopped her strike before he used it to bash her away, before then swapping it for a sword that he used to spear her through the gut, causing her to cry out in agony before he ripped it out of her and swapped it for a pair of black hook-like short swords with hilts in the shape of horned demonic faces attached to black chains, lashing both out at Minnie that slashed at her stomach and spine, getting a cry of agony as she tried to bash them away.

Before she could attempt another attack, Doomrider swapped out his chain blades for what appeared to be a steel grey briefcase with many cracks detailed onto, one set resembling glowing yellow circuitry and the second being a vein-looking pattern of cracks while in the center of these cracks silver circle encompassing a three-eyed skull with fangs. The demon weapon, Pandora.

Then, before her eyes, Pandora transformed into its Jealousy form before Doomrider fired, sending a fusillade of demon lead at Minnie who quickly formed a shield from her symbiote, blocking the barrage of bullets before blitzing towards the Black Rider. Just as it seemed like she closed the gap, Pandora suddenly shifted into its Grief form, blocking a strike from Prophaniti before he bashed her away.

Just as Minnie was a considerable distance away, Doomrider threw Pandora at her. The spinning shuriken-like form sailed towards her before she bashed it back at the Black Rider, who remained calm before he then suddenly summoned his kusarigama and lashed it at Pandora. The sickle-blade attached itself to Pandora, effectively turning it into a chain flail.

Immediately after, Doomrider swung his makeshift chain flail, which Minnie parried, but the force of the swing made her loose her foot which the Black Rider immediately took advantage of and swung again, its massive spade shaped blades spinning like a tornado before they dug into Minnie's torso, tearing into it until it reached her organs, nearly shredding them before she kicked Pandora away, biting down a cry of pain and attempted to slash him, only getting a small nick on his helm as he leaned back to dodge.

Disconnecting Pandora from his kusarigama, Doomrider grabbed the demon weapon as it shifted into its Hatred form and fired a trio of missiles at the Princess who dug her heels into the ground and swung, slicing two in half before the third hit her in the thigh, nearly taking her leg off as he then slashed her other leg with his flaming kusarigama.

Minnie cried out as she fell to her knees, stabbing Prophaniti to the ground and gripping the pommel to keep herself up, the symbiote around the slashes on her legs dissolving into tendrils that knitted her wounds. Good, she unfocused. Now was the time to strike.

He then switched Pandora to its Vengeance form, before he charged it up, watching the umbral energy arc as it collected around the core. Just as Minnie seemed healed, she stood back up, but he fired before she could even react.

Suddenly, unknown to him, she smirked before raising her sword to the beam, splitting it in half and sending both beams wayside. When the beam ceased, she speared towards him, catching him off guard before she slashes him from waist to hairline, cutting into his outfit and helm, drawing blood and nearly splitting him in two.

The Black Rider staggered back, digging his spurred boots into the ground to gain back his footing. Suddenly, he raised his hand as a violet aura surrounded his limbs as black ethereal tentacles knitted his clothes and helm back together, erasing the slash in both as if they had never existed.

After the damage was undone, Doomrider glared under his helm. Oh, so that's how she wants to play it, huh? Well, two can play at that game!

He then made a strangling motion with his hand as an orb of Warp lighting arced and collected around his palm, the ground suddenly seemed to shake as Minnie blinked in surprised as she stopped in her tracks. The Black Rider than threw his arm to the side as the orb erupts into a shimmering and flaring portal of dark velvet with white edges that flared and receded at random intervals.

The portal remained and the Black Rider reached in as Minnie watched with curious consternation. As a dark intensity formed around him, Doomrider withdrew his guitar, Fuckslayer, from a part of the immaterial dimension where all screamed for naught. A silver double sided battle axe-shaped guitar with four black strings, two machine heads, black flames printed around the edges, gnarled black horns on the bottom of the body, the neck composed of silver horns weaved together, and the head being a silver demonic head with upward facing horns and crossbones that acted as the volume and tone knobs.

Wrought from the silver heart of the Dark Prince's black promise, laced with heart strings that pulsed with Angyl's flaming quintessence, hewn from the horns of Slaanesh's generals, it laughed as it was set loose, a laugh that only Doomrider could hear, but no one could share.

Before Minnie could even react, Doomrider then strung a power cord, causing a massive blast of sound to erupt around him. The soundwave blew Minnie away with a yelp of surprise ripping itself out of her mouth before she stabbed the ground in midair, stopping her from flying away and hanging onto it as several tentacles spawned and stabbed the ground to keep her anchored.

The blast drew the attention of the Imperials and the Furies, who saw the wave of sound as it reached them, now having dispersed enough that it did little but brush their hair. The furies, now focused on the sound of whatever that was, immediately left the fight as they soared in a great flock towards the source of the soundwave, leaving the Imperials dumbstruck.

However, without the Furies to distract them, V1 and V2 turned to see Slade struggling against Grim Junior. Turning to each other and then nodding in agreement, the two drones launched towards the dark Nergaling form, leaving trails of fire on the ground behind them before they rocketed toward him. Just as the Prince noticed them via one of the eyes on his back, he formed an idea.

Just as V1 and V2 dashed up the Nergaling monster's leg, several sections of its flesh began to twist inwards and bulged, as if something was being created inside. A moment later, these sections ripped open, revealing viscous emerald flesh and blood that spilled as out came several figures that slithered from the inner layers of skin and muscle; proto-forms from the Prince's symbiote that launched themselves at the twin V-Units, resembling humanoids with a single emerald eye with a slitted pupil and crack-like markings on their bodies.

One of them enlarged their fist and struck V1 in the face, only for V2 to blast its head off with a shot from Temperance. Two others combined via dissolving into tentacles and weaving together into the shape of a horrific bat-like creature that opened its jaw willed with eyes that fired a beam of emerald energy at the two robots, to strafed away before dashing upwards, using their speed to slash its wings off before V2 then slashed it in half with his emerald whip. Another's chest burst open as a massive umbilical cord-like tentacle ending in a maw of curved teeth shot towards V1, who parried, the force ripping both the tentacle and the protoform into a slurry of black and green.

Two protoforms latched onto another one's arms, fusing to it before they became massive, serrated blades that resembled mantis pincers as it tried to halve V1, only for the Vanquisher to kick him in the face with such force that it was shred to ribbons, leaving only the twin blades before those were destroyed by two shots from V2's knuckleduster. Before one could even transform, it was pierced in the gut by V1's hands before being ripped in half in a spray of green gore, leaving both halves to fall to the leg of the giant. Another protoform deformed its arm into a whip-like shape, lashing towards V2 who simply grabbed the appendage before swiftly wrapping it around the protoform's neck and then pulling taut, squeezing its neck until its head popped off like a cork of a champagne bottle.

The final five protoforms then stopped before they all connected to hands that then fused together before the middle on lifted both up into the air as they all dissolved into tentacles and reformed into a massive impractical looking gun, aiming it at V1 before firing at a car sized shell at the robot. In a microsecond, both V1 and V2 reared their fists back before punching the bullet so hard that the tip caved in before it was returned to sender, reducing both the gun and the last protoform to slurry that was then reabsorbed by the Nergaling.

Soon, the two V-units got to the shoulders of the Nergaling beast before several eyes and mouths suddenly opened as they formed spindly boneless arms that elongated in an attempt to grab them. However, the two units proved too nimble to grab, before the eyes fired blasts of energy at them, only for their speed to allow the robots to dodge and continue their advance.

Before they could attack the Prince however, the part of the Nergaling form they were standing on suddenly opened up to reveal a massive maw of pillar-sized fangs that then closed as the two robots fell into its depths, trapping both of them in the crushing layers of flesh as they tried to break out.

Back with Doomrider, he began playing a random tune on Fuckslayer, causing the guitar to unleash blasts of Warp lightning that tore through the air towards Minnie, but she proved to be swift enough to either dodge or block them with Prophaniti, or durable enough to tank them as she tried to close the gap, only for her path to be blocked by torrents of violet flames that erupted from the ground that rocketed to the sky when he played another.

Suddenly, the torrents shaped themselves to the form of eastern dragons, rocketing towards the Princess who immediately jumped out of the way of several of them crashing into the ground as Doomrider kept strumming Fuckslayer. As she ducked under and leapt over the dragons, Minnie sprinted towards the Black Rider in an attempt to skewer him, however he seemed to anticipate this as another dragon blocked her path before she could close the gap, its white eyes glaring at her before it let loose a massive torrent of Warp lightning at her.

Minnie screeched, "Shit!" before she ducked under the blast, slashing the dragon in half and dispersing it before she turned to the Black Rider, seemingly grinning under his helm mockingly which infuriated her more. He then pointed the head of Fuckslayer at Minnie, the space between the horns now occupied by a forming of pink as Warp lightning coiled around the horns.

Suddenly, as if by instinct, he immediately aimed it at the horde of Furies that were only a few feet away and released the beam. The furies, caught completely off guard, were incinerated by the blast, sending waves of bright purple flames across the area as they were sent screaming back to the Warp. He before he suddenly turned to Minnie with a nonchalant body language.

Incensed by his lack of seriousness, Minnie decided to pull out one last trick up her sleeve. She readied Prophaniti in a side grip and putting her hand to the blade before she started chanting in a dead dialect from before the stars as the flames from the daemon blade seemingly growing and seizuring at the alien words of dark origin. As she kept chanting, the flames grew in intensity and power, akin to the birth breaths of a new god, roiling like a tempest.

Suddenly, the fuchsia flames that the blade was wreathed in suddenly surrounded the Princess before they shot to the skies in a pilar of inferno, barely getting a hint of uncertainty from Doomrider. A moment later however, the flames shaped themselves into a massive daemonic shape, resembling a winged vaguely humanoid thing with a horned head and white eyes, wielding a massive zweihander the size of a skyscraper.

Minnie grinned, shielded by the wall of flames that composed the avatar of Prophaniti. This would drain the sword's power for the next few days, due to the amount of essence the daemon is forced to expend but if it gives her the chance to kill this betrayer, then so be it. She then reared her sword back, the avatar mimicking her movements as the massive zweihander reared back for a strike.

Doomrider barely even seemed fazed by the massive blade about to strike him as he then whistled a tune. Suddenly, Unbound rocketed towards him, pink flames trailing behind it before he leapt into the air and landed on the bike, standing up as it suddenly flew into the air on an invisible track, playing massive riffs on Fuckslayer that released waves and waves of Warp power.

The Black Rider rocketed towards the avatar of Prophaniti, who then reared its sword back all the way before then swinging its massive zweihander at him. The blow missed him by several hundred feet, crashing into the frozen sea and creating a massive fissure that spanned for miles. Suddenly, a massive veil of fuchsia flames erupted upwards from the fissure, rocketing towards him. Doomrider, eyes wide under his helm, swerved out of the way of the rising flames before they could roast him alive, mile high blasts brushing against his bike before it steered him to safety.

Now glaring at her, Doomrider raised his pick to the air before he strummed a power cord, white flames practically burning from the guitar as he did. Suddenly, lightning erupted from Fuckslayer before they coiled and formed into what could be described as a hideous face in front of Unbound. The face cackled dementedly before a pillar-sized beam of purple erupted from its mouth at Minnie.

The avatar blocked the beam with its flaming zweihander, splitting it in half and sending both beams to the sides. What it didn't realize was that this was a distraction as just as it ceased, several compartments in Unbound opened to reveal several missiles that immediately launched at the avatar, streaks of steam roaring out before they collided with the body and head of the beast as it roared out in pain.

Minnie grunted as she felt the heat of the blasts against her skin before she shrugged it off and extended an arm out, the avatar mimicking her. A massive orb of energy then formed in its hand before it then reared its arm back and threw it at Doomrider, who grinned under his helm before strumming another power cord, summoning his own energy orb that launched at the other orb.

The two energy orbs collided in a blast of purple and fuchsia, nearly rupturing the ground as cracks formed and pieces of petrified flesh rocketed to the air. Minnie growled and willed the avatar as several orbs formed behind it that fired upon the Black Rider, who rocketed towards the flaming beast, dodging all the beams at blinding speed, readying to attack.

Back with the Vs, they were trying to get out of the wet guts of the Nergaling, shooting and ripping their way through the emerald mulch that they found themselves in, wasting ammo to rip their way out of the internal layers of flesh. Meanwhile, the tunnel they carved out behind them was slowly closing as pseudopods of black and green sprouted and thickened, connecting and becoming a web as they grew, sealing the wounds inside.

The two robots kept digging through the beast's flesh with either their fists or their guns, continuously getting drenched in emerald blood that they kept absorbing to keep themselves fueled and to keep regenerating the metal in their plates from all the digestive juices that were threatening to dissolve them. However, their journey was becoming increasingly harrowed with the narrowing of their carved tunnel, leading to a more desperate increase from the two machines of death.

V1's punches, strong enough to pulverize ceramite, liquified the masses of black and green in front of him as he and his brother, who was using his whip to conserve ammunition, kept pushing and pushing through the beast's flesh, desperate to get back into the fight and help his friends. Another slash from V2's whip and another punch from V1 gave them another 3 feet as they crawled and lost 3 feet as the tunnel closed up behind them.

Suddenly, the walls began closing in on them, tightening like a noose as they seemed to shrink and encroach on them. They compressed on them like a crushing vice, nearly breaking his endoskeleton as V2 flailed his whip around frantically, carving out chunks of the walls that gave them room and time to breath, but the walls kept pressed on tighter and tighter, nearly crushing them.

Was this it? After all he had fought through, after decades of fighting through the Warp, was this how he was going to die? Crushed inside of a massive beast?

His fist then clenched.

No.

V wouldn't accept defeat. Because he couldn't.

The Vanquisher then reared his fist back, hoping that whatever he had put into this punch would be enough to break through. His fist seemed to blaze with fire as he poured every ounce of energy in his frame into his limb, almost like a supernova of warp.

It was only when that he threw the punch that he realized that it was.

A burst of emerald blood and torn flesh, V1's fist erupted from the shoulder blade of the beast, before he grabbed whatever was closest to him and then pulled the rest of him out of the tunnel of flesh. The Vanquisher then grabbed his brother's hand and slowly pulled him out of the beast's flesh, the brothers quickly ripping themselves free from the inside of the Nergaling as the wound closed behind them just as V2 got his foot out from it.

They didn't have a second to spare as one of the eyes immediately fired upon them before V2 fired upon it, popping it in a blast of bright green mulch. The robots then turned to see the monster battling with the Titan, blasting with his eyes and lashing with his tentacles, Slade struck with the first but dodging the second as he backflipped away and let loose a volley of blasts from the mech's tail.

The robots then noticed the abundance of eyes on the Nergaling, some firing on the Imperials that attempted to fire back on it, protected only by the Emperor's barriers. The brothers immediately knew what to do before they disappeared into blurs of blue and red.

Suddenly, eyes all across the Nergaling beast of the Prince popped like balloons of green slime, as blurs of red and blue raced across its form. Even the ones that acted as joints and ligaments popped, tentacles quickly connecting them back together before the form could fall apart, but it left the thing blind as the Prince tried to form more eyes.

Seeing the opportunity and grinning if he could, Slade reared the Titan's fist back as its claws elongated before he threw a spearing strike. The blow pierced the head of the beast before closing it into a fist and ripping out whatever he grabbed as ribbons and veins of emerald and black were ripped from the form, decapitating it as the rest of its body slackened before falling to the ground with a thud.

"There you are..." Slade growled as he saw part of the piece he grabbed bubble and emerged out as a mass of tentacles and eyes that attempted to wrap around the titan's arm, before he threw it away, letting it recede until its revealed to be the Prince, who merely had an annoyed expression in his eyes before he was beset upon by V2.

Slade then turned to the Avatar of Prophaniti before, giving a smirk if he could, readying another cannon that rose from the forearm of the Titan. Aiming at the Avatar, the Titan's mechanisms loaded a special shell into the barrel, prepping it to fire.

Just as Doomrider was about to be stricken by the massive zweihander, the titan fired.

The shell rocketed through the air before it blazed into a trail of blackness surrounded by a white aura. The noise was shrill and piercing, getting Minnie's attention as she instinctively turned to the source of the noise, causing the head of the avatar to turn and for the shell to hit it directly between the eyes.

Normally, any other shell would have been reduced to slag had it hit the avatar, but this shell happened to be what is essentially a Psyk-Out grenade in the form of an artillery shell.

The Avatar screamed out as a blast of negative psychic energy, causing it to dissipate in a flash of white. Before this could even register to Minnie, Doomrider jumped off of Unbound and rocketed towards the Princess, his leg extended out in a spear kick as his foot rammed into her gut, nearly breaking her in half as she was sent flying and rocketed away screaming, dropping the now powerless Prophaniti.

Doomrider landed on his feet and skidded to a halt, before stabilizing his footing and resting Fuckslayer on his shoulder, his mask hiding the grin on his lips. Kicking Minnie was something he'd been wanting to do for a looong time now.

Back with Slade, despite that shot, he felt like something was... off about this titan. It seemed to manifest weapons depending on the situation at hand, could repair itself, and strangest of all, it seemed to possess a sentience of its own. Like it was a beast hidden in the dark on shackles of forgotten, now unshackled and in the hands of a great master.

Slade curled his hands into fists, the mech suit mimicking the motions like it was a second body rather than a thing that he could just pilot. He could feel the Titan's exuberance, like it had been experiencing battle for the first time in millennia, the scraping at the back of his head its demand for more.

Looking back, Doomrider waved to the titan, who surprisingly waved back before he turned to Minnie who was getting up. She lashed out a tentacle at the blade she had dropped, returning it to her hand before she scowled to see that it was now devoid of power. Her mood was worsened by Doomrider lackadaisically strutting towards her.

"Game's not as fun when you're losing, is it?" Doomrider said as he readied Fuckslayer for another round of fighting.

"...Game? GAME?! YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME?!" Minnie shouted out, before her eyes narrowed dangerously, turning emerald as she seethed, "I haven't even begun to play."

Before the Black Rider had a chance to react, Minnie formed a single emerald eye on her palm before it unleashed a beam of energy at him. The blow was only strong enough to knock him down, making him drop Fuckslayer, which was all she needed to do.

Immediately seizing the chance, Minnie formed a serrated whip from her symbiote that she then lashed it out at Doomrider before it wrapped around his neck and then grabbed the other end as the Black Rider fell and she stomped onto his chest, pinning him to the ground. Doomrider gripped the whip in an attempt to rip it off of him as the serrated edges slowly tightened. The grin on Minnie's face was akin to a Slaaneshi's as she attempted to garrot the Black Rider, tightening it like a noose as the serrated edges dug into the cloth around his neck, slowly trying to pierce the skin and pop the blood vessels.

Doomrider seemed to choke as he tried to pull the rope off of him, only for Minnie to pull it taut, grinning as she watched him struggle more and more, wanting to see him in as much pain as could be inflicted.

Before she could finish him, she was suddenly kicked in the face by V1 and kicked in the stomach by Doomrider, sending her back and losing her grip on her garroting whip, which was ripped from her hand much to Doomrider's fortune.

"What?" The Black Rider said as he forcefully pulled the garroting whip loose from his neck and stood back up, grabbing Fuckslayer in the process, "You think I don't choke myself?"

Minnie, ignoring him and deciding screw all caution, sheathed the powerless Prophaniti before pulling out the Diamond Rapier, a dark aura surging from the blade as black lightning coiled at the tip. Though she has yet to use its main function, it had other abilities she could use.

She immediately slashed twice before slashes of black rocketed toward him in an X shape, causing both of them to jump out of the way before Minnie sent wave after wave of blackness at them, hoping that each one would kill them in a foul swoop. V1 shot at her with his revolver, only for his bullets to vanish into the oblivion as they intercepted the slash.

Doomrider strummed Fuckslayer, causing orbs of purple wreathed in pink flames to appear and home in on Minnie, some being destroyed by the slashes and some reaching her, but she slashed them away with the Rapier and dispersed them. V1 continued to dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge out of the way of the various black waves that Minnie slashed out, who didn't seem to be relenting at all.

"What, Doomrider?!" Minnie grinned in cocky insanity as she slashed and slashed away like a child playing with a new toy, "Where's that confidence of your's? Where's the bravado?! Was it just a mask? ALLOW ME TO SHATTER IT!" She screamed out before unleashed a massive wave of blackness at Doomrider, who strummed a power cord, unleashing a massive beam of pink that collided headfirst with the wave, resting in a blast of pink and black.

The Black Rider didn't give her the satisfaction of a verbal response as he unleashed a fuselage of flaming purple skulls at the Princess. Minnie was laughing haughtily before jumping to the air, making a circle of blackness before she trusted the Rapier forth, causing the circle to fill and fire a beam of darkness at an off-guard Doomrider, who's barrage of skulls exploded upon contact.

Unfortunately for Doomrider, the force of the explosion knocked him off his feet, allowing Minnie the golden opportunity she had been waiting for.

Laughing like someone gone mad with vengeance as she landed on the ground, Minnie raised the Saber of Ivory to the air. "This is your end!" The Princess of Daemons shouted with a wild grin, her sword becoming a beacon of darkness, staining the night itself black. No, it wasn't even a sword anymore, but a shaft of energy, as the Princess pooled as much Warp energy as she could into this one blow, one that will wipe the abomination in front of her off the face of the fabric of reality.

"BE…" The Princess of Darkness said, her emerald eyes burning with determination.

Doomrider roared, and screeched to a halt, knowing that it was too late. Suddenly, he was kicked out of the way by V1, who grabbed Fuckslayer from the Black Rider before he could react and held it in front of him, defending himself as best as he could.

"GONE!"

The dark power of the Princess of Darkness was unleashed.

A tidal wave of darkness was sent from the Saber of Ivory. It washed over and consumed anything in its path, instantly disintegrating them into dust. The darkness blew multiple skyscraper-sized chunks of the ground out of its way, as debris of varying sizes and shapes were thrown into the air. It was the very embodiment of Minerva's hate, her ambition…and her desire to crush both the Black Rider and the Vanquisher in front of her.

The black wave reached V1, who covered himself with Fuckslayer. The darkness hit, engulfing the form of the Vanquisher.

Seeing this, Minerva smirked, confident that she had finally finished off V1 for good.

And then…

"What?!"

Inconceivable. Unthinkable. Illogical. Those were the thoughts that ran through The Princess of Daemon's head as she looked on into the heart of the dark wave she had unleashed. Under such an attack, nothing should have been able to stand against it, and would have been either blown away or destroyed.

And yet there was the Vanquisher, standing right in the middle of the storm of dark light, with Doomrider's daemonic guitar raised in front of him like a shield. The ground crumbled and cracked around him, and he dug his feet into the rocks, so much that they began to bleed. But he was holding his ground against her assault, and the burning eye of the Vanquisher were fixed right on the woman with Nergaling eyes, glaring at her in absolute hatred.

Slowly, agonizingly, V1 took a step forward, pushing against the darkness. His legs were cracked and bloodied under the strain, but he didn't care. All he needed to do was reach her. That was all.

He took another step. Then another, then another, and then another. Pushing his cracked arms against the oncoming assault, Fuckslayer showing no signs of damage as the berserker made his way forwards, step by step.

Minnie's mouth hung open in shock as she witnessed the impossibility that was happening right in front of her eyes. She poured more and more energy into her attack, but the black swordsman didn't falter.

Chunks of his armor flew off, and his wing-like extensions was torn to shreds. He didn't care. His arms were being crushed under the sheer force of the blow against him. He didn't care. His frame was burning like molten lava, and every part in his body was screaming out in pain. And yet he still didn't care. He was a machine of destruction, moving through its path no matter what stood in his way.

The distance between them was closing, bit-by-bit. The wave of darkness still didn't falter, and neither did V1.

There was a crack, and the frames around his optic suddenly shattered into a million metal fragments, revealing the face underneath. V1's head was a mess of blood, and parts of his circuits were torn off, revealing bits of sparking wire underneath. Yet his eye were no different from what the berserker's had been: Overflowing with rage, resolve, and will – will to pull through, because losing was not an option.

Another step. And another. They were only ten feet apart now, and The Vanquisher still showed no sign of slowing down. The Princess of Daemons cried out, almost in desperation, as she kept blasting her foe with darkness, to no avail.

Eight feet, seven feet, six feet…and now, both of them were so close that he could see every drop of blood and sweat on her face, and she could see every drop of blood, melted metal, and oil on his as they strained to overcome one another, having long gone past their limits.

Limits? That didn't exist to them. The only thing that mattered was their goal, and their enemy.

Suddenly, Minnie drew her sword back, cutting off the flow of darkness. Then, as V1 leapt forward for the final blow, she too stabbed at her opponent.

The Saber of Ivory plunged right into V1's main reactor.

The Vanquisher froze in his tracks. For a moment, Minimandy thought that she had stopped the monster.

But that fantasy was broken as The Vanquisher still pushed onwards. The blade was stabbed deeper and deeper into his body, but he still moved forward, one step at a time. He was walking through the unholy sword itself, paying no attention to the blood that was spilling to the ground.

And finally, as the distance between them was reduced to just a few steps, Guts struck, one last time.

"GRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The earsplitting cry from V1's speakers roared through the Dark City, throwing a fist that reached speeds beyond the terminal velocity. Minnie did not have a chance to back away when...

CCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH!

V1's fist connected to her ribs and sternum, shattering both as several bone shards that used to be her ribs speared into her lungs before she was flung back to hard that her spine broke in half as the force split the ground they were standing on, ripping the Ivory Saber out of him in the process. She screamed as she puked out a gallon of blood and pulverized viscera, flying until she crashed into a massive piece of rock upturned from the blast that stopped her flight and burying her in the frozen flesh.

The shockwave from V's strike sent a wave of spiderweb cracks throughout the frozen ocean of flesh, sending a massive blast of air through the area, nearly taking out the Titan as he had rammed his legs into the ground to stop himself from being blown away from the force. The Emperor had no problems defending his sons and children against the force of the blast, while the Prince was blown away before he formed wings to stop himself from being blown away. Doomrider, who was near ground zero however, summoned several dozen black chains ending in sickle blades that kept him anchored to the ground before he lashed out another one to grab Fuckslayer when the guitar flew past him, the chain wrapping around the neck of the daemon instrument and keeping it to him.

As the shockwave slowly faded, Doomrider relaxed as he ripped the chains out of the ground, wrapping them around his arms before he yanked a chain and caught Fuckslayer without even looking.

The Black Rider then saw V1 in the middle of the crater. He was barely recognizable: several sections of his armor had been obliterated, exposing his leaking fuel lines and sparking circuitry, oil and blood dripping from the cracks of his plates, black synthetic muscles exposed and profusely bleeding, fire leaking from his damaged reactor as the temperature seemed to reach a melting point for his frames. The hand that he had used for the punch was blown apart, fingers bent out of shape as the hand was practically torn in half. Finally, the leg that V was standing on gave out, causing him to fall.

"V!" Doomrider bolted to the Vanquisher before the machine could hit the ground, catching him. Before he could inquire anything further, the Vanquisher weakly pointed a finger from his none destroyed hand to the massive puddle of blood that Minnie puked up.

"Right." Doomrider immediately hoist the machine over his shoulder before he carried him to the puddle of blood. Thankfully, it was on a massive piece of debris that kept it from falling over the edges, giving Doomrider a breath of fresh air, jumping and skipping over the cracks around him before he came to the edge of the piece which went up to his neck.

V1 slowly extended his intact hand to the puddle as it came to the edges, the palm resting deeply in the crimson liquid. Suddenly, tendrils of red slithered from the pools, coiling around his fingers and arm, the Black Rider watching as the damage was being knitted back together. The plates regrew slowly as the fires in the reactor ceased, fuel lines and circuitry repaired, and whatever damaged he received from Minnie's attack seemed to slowly vanish. His pulverized hand twisted back into place as the two halves reconnected on tentacles of oil that quickly receded into his hand.

Soon, the Vanquisher was seemingly fully repaired, but still had his arm around Doomrider's shoulder to stand.

Back with the Imperials, the Emperor managed to connect the last of the parts to the Transmat together. However, the blast distracted him enough for Vect to notice that he had missed one part of the machine, a cable that wasn't connected.

Looking to confirm that the Emperor was distracted, Vect looked back at the Transmat, thinking that he could turn it on the Emperor and the Imperials, trapping them in a based subrealm where he can feed on their agony forever and live as a king once more. However, just as he was about to use it, a feeling overcame him, something he hadn't experienced before, something that he thought he could never feel.

He gripped the part, still struggling with the roiling feelings in his head.

"Fuck..." Vect swore in a whisper, unable to believe he is doing this, before he connected the cable to its correct socket.

Unknown to him, the Emperor smiled as the Transmat whirled to life. He then cuffed his hands over his mouth and called out, "V1! V2! WE HAVE THE TRANSMAT READY! HURRY BACK BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!"

Doomrider and V turned to the source of the shout before the latter tapped onto the former's chest and then pointed at the area when he got the Black Rider's attention. He nodded before he suddenly whistled out to something.

Unbound suddenly roared to life before speeding towards the two, stopping at Doomrider's as it skidded to a halt, its burning wheels hot like a pyre while its engines purred like a fed beast with the bellowing smoke from the exhausts. Doomrider backflipped onto the seat while V1 simply got on behind him, still recovering as his systems passively absorbed remaining slivers of Warp energy before the two rocketed off, flying into the air.

V2, seeing this as well, dashed to the Emperor as both of the two flew towards the platform where they resided. Doomrider and V1 landed first, with the red drone landing not far behind before he then dashed to his brother.

"Are you wounded, brother?" V2 asked as he helped his brother stand, who replied with a simple 'so and so' gesture. After that the two slowly walked to the Imperials, who were waiting by the Emperor, before the red one turned to Doomrider, "What about you?"

"Relax, I have my ways out of here." The Black Rider waved off the drone's concerns.

V2 shrugged before V1 motioned in respect, "See you around."

Doomrider nodded with a mock salute, before Jaghatai called out, "Doomrider!"

Leman, who had recalled Freki and Geri for the time being, turned to his brother with a shocked expression, "What are you doing?"

"Something I never thought I'd do." Jaghatai replied before he called out to the Black Rider, smiling actually, "I'd like to race you again someday.

Doomrider let out a hmph, clearly grinning under his helm as he gave another mock salute, "Anytime, old man."

The Emperor, hiding a smile at everyone getting along, focused on the Transmat as its coordinates were set and it was near full power.

Unknown to everyone else, Grim Junior flew to the rock where his sister was embedded in, thrusting his hands in and slowly pulling the unconscious body of his sibling out of the frozen flesh. She was in really bad shape; green blood leaked from her eyes and mouth, the telltale signs of the symbiote reconstructing all the internal damage that was done by V's punch.

Branch-like tentacles swam around her chest as they formed and unformed, slowly pulling out the destroyed fragments of her bones out of her bronchial tubes and the even smaller fragments out of her alveoli, keeping oxygen flowing as they slowly pieced her ribs back together while fusing them back to the main cage. Other tentacles were slowly sowing her ruptured organs back together, regrowing the parts that were lost in the blow, restoring function to them and letting her live again.

A heave of froth corrupted lung and a cough that blew out the green fluid infesting it, Minnie woke up. She was in her brother's arms, like he was a knight in shining armor while she was the princess to be rescued.

Turning away to hide the blush on her face, Minnie grasped her brother's shoulder and stood back up just as he did too. Panting heavily, she looked back to her brother before she saw that the Emperor and the Imperials had gathered to the Transmat, ready to leave the Dark City.

Suddenly, Minnie's features became calm, too calm, almost like a temperature that reached so below that it burned whatever it touched to atoms. She grabbed the Ivory Saber, walking a few steps forwards before she suddenly warped to near the Imperials' position without them noticing.

"So, that it's then?" Minnie softly spoke before her face twisted to a barely visible snarl, "It seems I have no choice." She then stabbed the Saber of Ivory into the ground. Suddenly, a massive Star of Chaos appeared on the ground, but this one was different; more like flames taking the shape of the Star with a single slitted eye in the center, surrounded by trails of mist.

Nearby, Grim's eyes widened as his calm disposition disintegrated into utter terror as he desperately screamed out and tried to fly to stop her, "NONO! MINNIE, DON'T!" But his sister was too far gone to listen as a massive vortex of blackness exploded from the blade, getting the Imperial's attention as it coiled and grew in intensity in tune with her wrath.

"BEHOLD THE ONE BORN FROM GOD AND VOID!" Minnie yelled out as the dark vortex spiraled around her, "BEHOLD THE MASTER OF THE ABYSS, WHO BARES THE TEETH OF THE BLACK AND CLAWS OF OBLIVION! BEHOLD THE MONSTER BOUND IN ARMOR HEWN FROM THE STARS! A BEAST WHO EATS THE ESSENSE OF MAN AND DAEMON! AN ABOMINATION THAT EVEN THE NEVERBORN FEAR!"

The vortex began enveloping the arena, practically acting as a shroud of void that echoed through the menagerie of subrealms that was Commorragh. Minnie ripped the saber from the ground, getting out of the ritual circle before she roared out.

"BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE HOLLOW KNIGHT!"

The rift seized and warped until a blinding white light came through, causing all those present to cover their eyes as to not be blinded by its opulence. When it faded to bearable levels, they lowered whatever they used to cover their sight before they gawked at the sight of the thing before them.

The Imperial Throneroom

"Oh, that cannot be good." Custodisi said as everyone in the Throneroom wearily stared at the vortex of blackness that began enveloping the area where the screen went blank for the briefest moments before the whiteness slowly faded... only to reveal the monster that the Princess had summoned.

"Wh... What is that?" Rogal could barely breath at the sight of the thing before the Emperor's Compassion.

Even the Fabulous Custodes were rendered silent at the sight of the abomination on the projector.

Dee Dee subconsciously knew she was shaking but was too scared to keep still, her eyes locked into the projector as she felt something horrible even in the Emperor's presence. It was akin to a shadow swallowing the world around her, drowning her in eternal blackness until her soul would disappear in the horrid teeth of its abyss.

Malcador's breath hitched in his lungs, his eyes wide under his hood as he gripped his staff tightly. Never in a million years, or a thousand millennia, would he feel the fear that he did now...

"OH, NO..." Was all the Emperor typed on his Text to Speech device.

The Warp

On the other side, Skarbrand suddenly stopped beating against the barrier that separated the Warp from the Dark City, getting the attention of the other daemons around him. Ever since the barrier stopped them from going through the Gate of Khaine, and with Skarbrand banging on the barrier on stop for days, the daemons decided to settle down and wait for the barrier to weak enough for them to get through.

Kairos and his Blue and Pink Horrors were playing card games, the reforming Epidemius was playing games with the other Plaguebearers, the Bloodletters were fighting, and the Daemonettes were lazing around. The K'Daai had jumped into the massive chasm created by the battle to fish out the Bronze Taurus, while Megalodrus and the Tiderippers were swimming in the dark waters.

So, when Skarbrand stopped banging his Carnage and Slaughter against the golden barrier, that drew the attention of the daemons. Most of them immediately raced to the barrier, wondering what could have happened... when they felt it.

They all felt it when it was first forged, acting as a pillar of black that burned through the Warp. It slaughtered through universes, turning entire sectors of various galaxies of various Milky Ways in various universes to the Gods, most of them being hells of unfathomable darkness as the followers formed from the chaos were mad even by the standards of the Cults.

The daemons knew who this was, and they were terrified.

"Oh, by the Prince's spike fetish, they didn't..." One of the Daemonettes put her non-clawed hand to her mouth in horror.

"G-G-Grandfather protect us..." One of the Plaguebearers stuttered as his rotten bowels nearly loosened.

Skarbrand actually backed away from the Gate of Khaine, feeling fear like never before, his grip on Slaughter and Carnage nearly crushing them out of his terror.

Megalodrus shook in place, the aura akin a flood of blackness so deep that he couldn't breath.

The Red Lord stopped laughing. A sign of the apocalypse in of itself.

"The Hollow Knight." Both of Kairos' heads spoke in unison as he backed away in terror.

Commorragh

The vortex faded, revealing the massive thing of eldritch horror that had been summoned to the Dark City.

(Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 OST- Mephiles theme)

It was impossibly elongated and thin, a dread polymerization of scales, segments, spikes, and claws, twin segmented tails ending in needle-like stingers, jagged diaphanous wings, twin sets of arms, the lower set crossed over its chest, and the head a skull-like helm with twin black voids as eyes and twin forward facing horns akin to Doomrider's. In its hands was the Nightmare Blade, a sword composed of radiant white crystal with the guard being the Star of Chaos with each point ending in dagger-like fangs, slick and thirsting for flesh and the pommel being the screaming face of a dragon.

The Emperor gaped, feeling as if darkness had swallowed the world around him. Vect slowly backed away as its aura was akin to that of a void that swallowed the universe. Leman and Jaghatai found themselves backing away, their swords drawn and pointed at the Knight. Freki and Geri whined in terror before they retreated back to the Warp, too scared to fight. The Grey Knights raised their weapons that the aberration, noticing that they were shaking in terror at the sight of the creature. Both Kryptman and Headsmash were paralyzed with terror, Wilford suddenly started praying out of terror, Calato and Lynius were shaking in fear, Albia and Donklas were silent with their expressions frozen in fear, Tempestor Cromwell and the scions frozen in terror by the presence of the beast, V1 and V2 were backing away slowly from the force they felt at gazing at it, Doomrider was driving Unbound backwards in an attempt to get away, and Slade's single eye was wide with fear and surprise.

Even the one that summoned it immediately withdrew the dark, eldritch presence it emitted, feeling like she was drowning in the liquid void of the Abyss at merely the sight of the azure thing under the radiant ivory armor that it was bound in. Her brother was equally tremulous, his footfalls guiding his body in reverse as he felt the symbiote that fused with his being shivering at the dark antediluvian thing born from the black depths and the woeful hammers of the Black Dragon.

Suddenly, both of Headsmash's Daemonhosts screeched at the display of power before they suddenly started melting, the seals that bound them fizzling away while the leather bonds burnt and snapped, the bodies that held their essence burst as they died and were sent screaming back to the Warp. And just as suddenly, Headsmash's servitor sparked before it fell limb, leaving only his Jokareo and his Servo Skull back with him.

Everyone stared at the melted bodies of the Daemonhosts before Scion Valentine meekly muttered, "Well, that's not good..."

Unknown to all, should it have a face to express, the Knight would have had a curious expression at the world around him, the sections where eyes should have laid took in the sight of the Emperor's Compassion gaping in barely lidded horror at his presence.

It felt nothing has it could not feel anything, as if it was a muted consciousness made of starlight, only capable of the basic feelings that allowed it to act and react. It took in the sight of the Primarch, the Vanquisher, and those that followed them.

They followed the Anathema? It found that both logical and illogical. The Anathema was a great leader, but he was an even greater manipulator, yet the Knight barely felt even the barest traces of his influence upon them. Did they follow him out of genuine loyalty? Was it something else entirely?

Despite that, it couldn't help but think of its birth.

In the instant it was completed, the armour was raised to the living platform, gleaming like a star that had been born from dust. It was impossibly elongated and thin, a dread polymerization of scales, segments, spikes, and claws, twin segmented tails ending in needle-like stingers, jagged diaphanous wings, twin sets of arms, and the head a skull-like helm with twin black voids as eyes and twin forward facing horns akin to Doomrider's. In its hands was the Nightmare Blade, a sword composed of radiant white crystal with the guard being the Star of Chaos with each point ending in dagger-like fangs, slick and thirsting for flesh and the pommel being the screaming face of a dragon.

The empty ghost armor was then moved to the section of the forge where they grinded the souls of their slaves into rending fuel, kept in place by black root-ish tendrils, and placed under the Soul Harvester. The machine pulsing like the heart of a blasphemous thing that breathed hate in all things, and with but the throwing of a switch by the Dragon's rending claws, the dreadful machine was activated.

A deep churning grind rang from the deep parts of the machine's inner workings, a stream of dark blue and grey flowed into the armour like a vigintillion lost souls grinded down into a distilled thing that could never be called a daemon nor a geist. The armour was then filled to overflowing by the dark soul liquid, hardening and shaping into a body for the armour to wear.

Umbral energy arced, the armour seizing and twitching spasmodically, the muted sound of a vigintillion crying souls echoing silently and fused into one, green blood flowing into the wings as they flared out, the hands twitching and then clenching in this horrid parody of life. The armour then became animate, grey and azure mist flowed in the empty spaces in the plates as runoff that could barely contain the power it itself was composed of. Its hand grasped the Nightmare Blade and hoisted it up as it shined like the stars of the material world before it roared, an unholy sound that echoed in the deepest nightmares of every being on every planet near the forge. Suddenly, the Undivided appeared before them in a gateway of shadow, quietly impressed by the creation of the Black Dragon before them.

The specter filled Knight bowed to the Undivided in unparalleled reverence. The Queen of Daemons then spoke as she and Black Hat carved the polymerized sigil of the Daemon Queen and the Dark Master onto the head of the Knight.

"No cost too great.

No mind to think.

No will to break.

No voice to cry suffering.

Born of God and Void.

You shall destroy the blinding light that plagues our dreams.

You are the Vessel of the Void and our Will.

You are the Hollow Knight.

And you will know no fear."

The Hollow Knight rose to his feet, the Nightmare Blade pointed to the floor and ready to be used at any moment, before it spoke in a million disquieting voices made of the madness and nightmares of the souls grinded down in its creation, "WhAt Is ThY bIdDiNg, My MaStErS?"

Mandy gave a menacing grin, her eyes gleaming red as crimson energy arced and living blackness flared before she threw her head back and let out a maniacal and dark cackle. One that echoed throughout the Warp... and the things that called themselves transhuman or ascended beyond mortality... feel a very human chill crawl up their spines.

Unfortunately for everyone, it's silence as it pondered unnerved most that he turned to see the massive thing of antediluvian void remained still as a statue, dead as an empty world.

"It's just standing there... menacingly..." Scion Stuart whimpered as he shrunk at the sight of the Knight.

The Emperor had a scared expression, knowing that it'll be quite the battle against this 'Hollow Knight', even if he was capable of protecting his children. He doubted even having V1, V2, or even Slade's titan would barely tip the scales for them. The other Imperials were just as scared as him, leveling their guns at it so that they would be prepared if the monster would make a move.

Doomrider was out of sight, the monster either not noticing or not caring of his presence, Unbound seemingly reeling at whatever this thing was. The Vs were seemingly unfazed, but no one could know what they were thinking. Both Grim Junior and Minimandy had terrified expressions, the latter supremely regretting summoning it and the former trying to keep it together at the ominous aura that it seemed to emit.

The rest was only silence. One not moving from the spot where it was summoned and the others too terrified to move from the overwhelmingly dark presence that was flowing from its form of abyssal azure under the radiant white.

"Let's let the Hollow Knight deal with this." Grim Jr. whispered as he and sister backed away in fright, feeling the gelid aura that it was emitting.

"Yes, let's..." Minnie squeaked in fright, immensely regretting summoning the Knight due to the monstrous power she felt coming from it.

The tension grew to being neigh unbearable. Sweat began to build and drip from nervous pores, nerves frayed as some couldn't stop shaking like Scion Stuart or Inquisitor Donklas, air blowing from nostrils like Tempestor Cromwell to calm his rapidly beating heart, silent prayers came mumbling out of Albia's lips, and several others tried to steel themselves for whatever horrors that might come.

(Music changes)

(Resident Evil Revelations OST- "O vendetta di Dio" extended begins)

Before anyone else could give their thoughts however, the Hollow Knight raised its left arm to the air as a dark aura formed around its palm. Suddenly, it was as if all of Commorragh shook, deafening sounds of stone cracking and breaking, flesh ripping, liquid spewing, and tectonic shifting.

As the ground shook, the Imperials and the Chaos aligned watched as several building sized debris fell and entire lakes worth of acid and venom pools fell like hellish rain while chunks of bus-sized flesh bloodily splattered on the ground. The Emperor held up a barrier that protected them, but he gaped when he saw what was truly happening. Leman and Jaghatai's expressions soon matched their father's when they watched several continent spanning cracks form in the black layer above them, V1 and V2 would have slackened jaws if they possessed them, while Slade watched with a widened eye even as he used the titan to bash away all the falling debris with its arms.

On the top of the Arena, Lelith and the Corydons watched with slack jaws as they saw the massive piece of the city ascend into the air. The monsters that dwell in its dark pits receded to the darkest corners in fright, all shadows seemingly growing darker as the Knight's hellish presence seemed to expand for miles and miles.

Everyone else, both Imperial and Chaos, could only stop and gap with slackened jaws as they beheld the sight of a continent sized piece of the Dark City, the section they were currently under mind you, was ascending into the air. Several dozen kilometers into the air.

The rest of the Dark City watched as the continent sized piece continued to ascend into the air, storms of debris and acid swirling underneath with the flashes of lightning and thunder, tentacle shapes slithering in and out of the shadows, yawning maws of darkness roaring out from the black abyss.

The Imperials watched in fear and terror, the same emotions bubbling in the Prince and Princess of Daemons as they backed away to make themselves as much out of the way of the Hollow Knight's way as possible. Even with their power, they doubted that their mother had programmed the Knight to recognize them as allies.

"A mErE dEmOnStRaTiOn." The Hollow Knight responded in its garbbled voice, sounding like a million voices speaking at once, "nOw PlEaSe DiE."

The Knight raised another finger, before doing a spinning motion and then pointing forward. The ground suddenly split as black flames shot from the cracks, nearly splitting them until they stopped at the Emperor's presence, the golden light seemingly cutting off whatever power this Knight possessed. A determined look came to the Emperor's face as he then extended a hand before a beam of light shot out and hit the Knight in the face, exploding but not even causing the thing to flinch.

A swipe of its hand wafted away the smoke and dust, revealing that it had not even been scratched by the beam.

At this, however, the Knight seemed to grow interested. This power was the opposite of his, the former is light and the latter is darkness. Even if the Knight hadn't encountered it, the feeling was the same as his was when he discovered his own. It was only then that the Hollow Knight knew that the kingdom it was born from was not empty. It was not dead, not hollow like him, the endlessness of ectoplasmic blackness it was born from was not the thing the Dark Master, the Queen, and her children knew it as.

No, the Abyss breathes.

The Abyss has teeth.

(Music Change)

(Demon Soul Remastered OST - Tower Knight)

His annoyed gaze turned to the Gate of Khaine, seeing that imbecile Skarbrand attempting to break down the still holding barrier again. And then, with all the casualty of rolling one's eyes, he pointed his accursed blade to the Gate.

Suddenly, a thin beam of blackness shot from the tip, rocketing towards the Gate and causing all to stop and stare in horror. The beam immediately shot towards the Gate, hitting it directly as it expanded, compassing the Gate and sealing it off from the rest of the Dark City.

The Imperial stared in terror at the power this thing possessed before the Knight rolled its shoulders, despite the needless of such, leveling its sword at them.

Suddenly, the blade drew back and clashed against the White Tiger Dao and Mjalnar, watching as the Hollow Knight clashed blades with the Primarchs. Jaghatai ducked under a swing, spinning as he slashed at its side, noting as how his strike barely even left a nanometer of damage on its ivory armor. Mjalnar glanced against the neck of the Knight, barely even scratching its armor before it struck again, only to be met and parried by the Nightmare Blade, Leman struggling against the monster's strength.

With but a push from the Knight, the Wolf King's stance was broken, leading him staggering before the Knight held the Nightmare Blade in a reverse grip before he swung, only to meet the White Tiger Dao from Jaghatai before its head was suddenly stricken with a bolt from Scornspitter. The blast only gave a brief flinch but not even so much as soot remaining between the eyes where it struck, before it then scissor-kicked Jaghatai away only for Leman to dash and cut against its outstretched legs, however the blade only glanced against the joint.

Before it even had a chance to attack, the Knight was thrown off its feet by a punch from V1, who suddenly dashed from the barrier, unable to watch anymore. The Knight skidded to a halt before he dashed toward the Vanquisher, who sidestepped from a downward swing and then rammed his fist into his side, sending the Knight back a centimeter before regaining his footing and thrusting his sword forward, attempting to impale the machine who ducked and somersaulted away.

V1 then flipped a single coin into the air and fired a bullet, the shot deflecting off whatever side it impacted and sent rocketing toward the Knight's eye. However, in but a nanosecond, the eldritch knight adjusted its sword to the exact angle where it intercepted the bullet, splitting the shot in half without the bat of its nonexistent eye.

The Knight immediately caught the next shot from V1's revolver with its left hand, only to be caught off guard when the Vanquisher shot the magnet from its nail gun at its shoulder before he fired countless streams of bullets at the thing, the fusillade collecting around it before detonating in a blast of red. Smoke emerging out before the Knight blew it away with but the flap of its wing, revealing it to be not even scratched.

Not even letting the others get the chance to attack, the Hollow Knight let out a howl, a sound so dark and blasphemous that it echoed through the Dark City, destroying the morale of the Imperials and whatever was listening to the fight.

Suddenly, the shadows seemed to lengthen and cry out in terror, warbling and stretching. Then, one of shadow cast by a fallen rock, shot out an arm of blackness that unfurled to reveal a clawed prehensile paw before the rest of its horrid body ripped out of the immaterial pool. Dark sludge parted, revealing a bat like head that possessed bulging red eyes and lipless grin of short zipper-like fangs, another limb emerged with the head, grey fur on barrel shaped torso. The arms resembling folded bat wings, the lower limbs on the torso strong and clawed as it hunched in a gape as a cluster of oily black tentacles unfurled.

Another thing immerged from the shadows, more resembling a collection of shadows shaped into the form of the first one, covered in pale undulating eyes that stared unblinking. Another that resembled metal than flesh, another composed of obsidian, another composed of viscous blackness. More and more emerged, coming into the dozens, all staring at the Imperial like hungry beasts.

These were the Feasters In The Abyss, one of the many species of horrors that inhabited the Abyss.

"KiLl ThEm!" The Knight roared as he gestured with his sword, causing his hordes to roar and shoot out towards the Imperials.

They immediately fired upon the Feasters, bolters and las-bolts burst into their dark flesh that sealed as quickly as they were formed, the only thing stopping them being the barrier that the Emperor suddenly formed. Their claws burned against it, ending their advance to them before they attempted to strike out at whatever was closest to them, being the Primarchs and V1.

Suddenly, it was like they had all become a tornado of slaughter and vengeance, several Feasters meeting the blades of the Primarchs, cutting and healing as they clashed in an unending tide. Despite that, whatever wound that was inflicted on the Feasters healed in but a second later. V1 fighting with feral ferocity that the Feasters matched, an unstoppable spear attempting to pierce an indestructible wall.

One opened its jaws and let out a blast of white flames at V1, who jumped out of the way and hit another of its kind, who screeched before the Vanquisher ripped its head off and tore its body in half before the other blasted him with another stream of white flames. V1 ducked and threw an uppercut, breaking its jaw and causing it to cough midnight blue blood before he then threw a right hook, breaking its neck as it fell puking up white flames.

Before more could attack V1, multiple explosions rang out as Slade fired every weapon in the Titan's arsenal, attempting to give as much advantages as possible, volleys of missiles and energy blasts blazing out as they hammered the swarm. A great number of Feasters then turned their attention to the Titan as he kept firing, not matter the damage, they reformed and kept coming like the swarm that they were.

However, even a dreg could see that the three were being overwhelmed, the swarm of darkness so thick that the Knight seemed so far away. It was then that the Grey Knights knew what they must do.

"Your majesty!" Brother Armis yelled, after all of the Grey Knights looked at each other and nodded, getting the Emperor's attention, "Let us go and assist Lord Russ and Khan!"

"But-" The Emperor tried to convince them not to so that they would live, but a look from his sons saw that they were nearly overwhelmed his sons. Grimacing, he relented and allowed them to go. The Grey Knights exited and charged off, their purifying flames raging out as they slashed at the monsters summoned by the eldritch knight.

However, one turned to the Emperor and smiled under his helm, "We know you care, your majesty." The brother replied, "But it is our duty, unto the end of eternity itself."

He then turned to the hordes and charged, their purifying flames burning brightly in the darkness as several Feasters screeched in agony at their light and burned at their touch, the most cowardly falling back into the Abyss out of terror, but the vast majority of them kept coming no matter who brightly they shined. A claw against the pure armor, a blade cutting the black flesh, maws of black fangs attempting to pierce the spirit, a crushing hammer breaking spines and ribs, the halberd of their lost master spearing one's sternum and splitting its heart in half.

Black and white blurred as each side seemed to be in a ceaseless struggle for one to conquer the other in a blazing burn of abyssal fury. The Emperor struggled on, expanding his barrier to keep the darkness at bay and protect his children, while V1 kept fighting.

The Vanquisher uppercutted one Fester in the head, causing its head to pop off only for a series of black oily tentacles to shoot from the neck and reconnect to the head, receding and reattracting it before it lashed out its claws that he dodged and then fired his Pump Charge into its chest, blowing a hole open to reveal blistering fluids that healed just a moment later.

They kept attacking, seemingly unable to stem the tide as it kept pushing and pushing them back to the Emperor while all the artillery Slade seemed to be barely keeping them at bay as they regenerated more and more. The only hope was the Emperor's Shield, whose light shined brighter and brighter, keeping them at least safe as they kept attempting to send as many of these beasts back to the Abyss.

However...

"Tempestor, I hate to be that lad, but I'm running on empty!" Scion Valentine exclaimed as he saw that his Helgun was slowly running out of energy for him to fire.

"Same, Tempestor!" The other Scions repeated as their energy packs for their helguns seemed to be running low on energy.

Cromwell exhaled before he shouted, "Then keep a stiff upper lip, soldier! Choose your shots!"

More and more, others began telling the other that they were losing ammo; bolters, lasguns, and flamers began to run dry, and they were left unable to attack if they wished not to be ripped apart with V2 being the only one to fire upon them and keep them back before they could get closer. Only the Primarchs, V1, Slade, and the Grey Knights had a chance and even they seemed to be slowly overwhelmed.

Just as all seemed lost, the Grey Knights looked upon each other with a nod of acceptance. One by one, they grasped onto Grand Master Elirush's Nemesis Force Halberd, feeling the might that it possessed burning into them like a pure fire. As it did, the Grey Knights poured every single ounce of power into the halberd, causing it burn brightly with purity, so much that it brought the attention of the Feasters and causing those nearest to hiss back at its intensity.

Before the Feasters could attack again, the halberd erupted in white-blue flames, flares erupting as the blasts of purity caused several to look away, not just the Feasters but several Imperials, including the Primarchs, and including Grim Junior and Minimandy. Its power burned more and more, placing more of their essence into its great composition, the light shining brighter than before as several of the Feasters hissed and fled back into the Abyss, while those more unfortunate bursts to flames and were rended to ash.

The Emperor let out a single golden tear for them. And the Knights were more honored for that than anything in their lives.

As one, the last of the Grey Knights that joined Fyodor on his crusade to the Imperial Palace chanted their battle cry one last time, "I am the hammer, I am the right hand of the Emperor, the instrument of His will, the gauntlet about His fist, the tip of His spear, the edge of His sword!"

And then, with nothing but sheer force of their will, they screamed out as one.

"WILL OF ETERNITY!"

The blast of whiteness erupted out as the Feasters that didn't escape were reduced to nothing more that smoldering dust, burning them to the barest traces before whiteness enveloped everything. Minerva and Grim ducked under some rubble, while the Hollow Knight was unfazed even as it burned blindingly. The Emperor closed his eyes so out of respect and so that his retinas don't get burned out like before with the mirror at the edges of Commorragh, while the rest including the Primarchs shielded their eyes from the brightness. Slade's titan was thrown back, causing its pilot to flare its wings and watch as it adjusted its screens to that he wouldn't be blinded.

The whiteness reached the deepest reaches of the Dark City, causing everything daemonic and horrendous to screech and cry out as they retreated even deeper into the shadows or died in the fires that erupted from their disrupted essence. More brighter it became, spreading out to the furthest reaches of Commorragh, burning so brightly that it's effect would burn for an eternity.

It was almost like a storm, burning up in the atmosphere like a supernova, cleansing blasts of purity that pierced the veils of reality and perception, and scorching rays of white that turned whatever they shined upon to the barest specks of dust. Lelith and the Corydons hissed at its brightness, shielded themselves under the dark metal of the arena from its burning presence as did the Thralls that Thirst. The Draugr that were not consumed in the Tower of Flesh hissed and retreated back to the darkness while the most unfortunate were burned away in the lights of purity.

The blazing whiteness kept burning brightly, almost like a star that had been born in an empty soul. It then slowly faded, letting the shadow length back as the continent piece still lifting in the air was untouched, even at its peak. Light and purity soon faded, letting the darkness overflow the City of Commorragh once more. A blast of purity had rung out and breathed its last, letting it burn away and leave nothing.

As it faded, the others slowly uncovered their eyes, but the sight before them left them speechless. It was the Hollow Knight, standing with wings wrapped around him like a protective shroud that slowly unfurled, revealing him nary having a splotch of soot on his ivory panoply. It's body language was unreadable, the midnight liquid in the armor rippling like a pond as its void eyes bore into their souls.

But there was another sight in the blasted landscape around them, the Transmat shielded by the Emperor's shield, and the Overlord cowering in terror at the Hollow Knight. But there was something else that shined even more brightly.

It was Elirush's halberd.

There was no Grey Knights holding it, the blade seemingly embedded into the ground. It's color now an incorruptible silver as it gleamed against the light of whatever sun was in Commorragh, an aura of whiteness surrounding it, as if it was imbued with all the power of the Grand Master and the three that sacrificed themselves. It kept shining more and more, gleaming in the starlight, a single purity seal on it as the roll of parchment attached had the names and lives of the Grand Master and the Brothers transcribed, radiant even as the Hollow Knight approached it.

The Knight looked at the halberd, admiring the shine of purity that it seemed to irradiate from its composition. He grabbed the shaft, ripping it from the ground and seeing the blade, noticing it had become almost like Damascus steel, liquid-like and moving in the light. The Knight then noticed the smoking coming from his hand, seeing several wisps of smoke coming from the two metals touching.

(Music change)

(Sonic and the Black Knight OST- Fight the Knight)

Before he could contemplate it even further, the Knight was punched in the face by V1 while the former was caught off guard, losing his grip on the halberd before the Vanquisher grabbed it and then used his newly acquired weapon to slash down at the Knight's head, who raised his blade to parry it before he kicked V1 away. The Supreme Machine skidded to a halt, raising the halberd to his head as he brandished it at the Knight.

The Hollow Knight responded by raising his sword into the air and slashed downwards, unleashing waves and waves of blackness at the Vanquisher who twirled the halberd unleashing blasts of white at the Knight, both attacks colliding like a blast of white and black. The collision blew V1 away, an opportunity of which the Hollow Knight attempted to seize by leveling the Nightmare Blade in the motions of a thrust, but the Vanquisher then leveled his halberd at the Knight and firing a bolt of Warp imbued power from the built-in bolter, hitting it in the neck as it burst into a blaze of purity.

The Knight let out a barely audible grunt as the explosion knocked him back a millimeter before he locked blades with V1, sparks flaring out as both metals clashed. A dance of strikes then commenced as the Imperials watched as blurs took the places of both combatants, clanging and sparks flying as they seemed to be both an unstoppable force and an immovable object at the same time.

The Knight thrust his Nightmare Blade forward, causing V1 to duck and slash at the former's wrist, barely even getting a flinch from him before he stomped on V's chest, sending him flying before he stabbed the halberd into the ground. Gripping the shaft with both hands, V1 swung and launched himself at the Knight, still holding the weapon and ripping it out of the ground as he flew.

Seeing this, the Hollow Knight raised his sword in a blocking motion as V1 swung the halberd down, both blades clashing again before the Vanquisher fired, breaking his stance and V1 kicking him in the face. The Knight's left arms then grabbed the Vanquisher by the leg and threw him to the ground, only for the machine to land on his feet and thrust the halberd into the most vulnerable part of Knight's chest. But it didn't so much as make a slight crack in its armor, before V1 was punched in the chest and sending skidded back as he used the halberd to stop his momentum.

The Hollow Knight brandished the Nightmare Blade while V1 leveled Elirush's halberd before they charged back in.

Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess were watching the fight with slackened jaws as they saw the Iron Vanquisher continue to fight evenly with the Hollow Knight.

"They're... They're evenly matched..." Minnie breathed as she saw the fight between V1 and the Hollow Knight, especially after the latter rapidly blocked a series of blindingly fast thrusts from the former.

"I don't know... The Knight's barely used any of its' powers, only relying on physical strength alone." Grim observed, sensing that it knew it possessed them but was choosing not to use them. Was it out of some sense of honor that it suddenly developed? Or was it something else? "We'll have to wait and see."

They kept clashing, becoming blurring of blue and white that tore apart the landscape they found themselves in. They were monsters of combat, one an unstoppable force and the other an immovable object.

However, just as the Knight reared his sword back for a downward strike, V1 backed away to evade... only for his foot to step one a small stone that just happened to be sitting innocuously before being stepped on. One might call this ridiculous; the Vanquisher about to be killed by a single stone? But one would be surprised how much a single small object could affect a fight between two titans of war.

V1 lost his footing for a brief moment, unfortunately, this brief moment was all the Knight needed. The Knight swung swifter than a comet streaking through the void, too fast for the Vanquisher to dodge or parry... causing his torso to be torn open like a rotten fruit. Blood and oil sprayed out from the massive gash in his chest, while the force of the slash caused him to fly and fall to the ground, motionless...

Before anyone could so much as breath in shock, someone reacted rather... viscerally to the sight.

(Music change)

(Ultrakill OST- Gabriel Fight Act 2)

"BROOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR!" V2 screamed as he shot towards his brother's fallen body, leaving a trail of flames behind him, his fist reared back in a punch. Before the Hollow Knight could even react to the scream, he was suddenly slashed across the chest by V2's chest plate before he then punched the eldritch knight as the knuckleduster fired at the same time.

The blast sent the Hollow Knight was sent back about 100 feet, its feet halting its advance and the broken trail produced scorching with friction created heat. The searing hot spot where V2's fist had struck his torso cooled, leaving only a splotch of soot on its breastplate. Not even fazed by the sudden action, the Knight brushed the soot off in a mocking manner before rolling his nonexistent shoulders and approaching the two V units.

Suddenly, a massive fuchsia beam rocketed towards the Knight, who turned his attention to it in but a femtosecond before it raised its hand to the air. Before the beam could hit him, it was as if some invisible wall stopped it in its tracks, raging against whatever was in its way until it stopped. The Knight then turned to see the titan that had fired the beam backing away in terror, as it should.

And then, without any effort, he formed an orb of black fire before it chucked it at the giant machine without even looking at it. The orb hit the titan in the shoulder, but it was akin to a cyclonic torpedo and sent Slade flying to the other side of the arena, slamming into the biggest piece of debris.

Slade grunted loudly as he felt the mech crash into the mountain sized stone, feeling the cockpit rattle at the impact. Shaking it off, he grabbed the controls to get back into fight... only to discover that the mechanical destroyer was embedded quite deeply in the stone.

"Great." Slade grumbled as he started the process of wrenching himself out.

Meanwhile, V2, seeing that he needed to stall for time, took his brother into his arms and then grabbed the halberd, aiming it at the Knight who was slowly approaching in a menacing manner. Taking aim, V2 fired, sending a bolt of imbued purity at the Knight, but he moved his head to the side, causing the shot to miss.

Scowling if he could, V2 took aim again and fired twice. However, it proved to be too swift as it dodged both in but a single nanosecond from coming to its head.

However, before it could get any closer, a beam from a helgun hit the cheek of the Knight's helm. The shot didn't even get a flinch from the Knight but caused enough of a distraction for V2 to rush his brother back to the Emperor.

The one who took the shot was Scion Valentine. The scion had swallowed his fear and exited the barrier, taking aim at the Knight and firing. When he saw his shot did nothing, the scion merely scowled defiantly and kept firing his helgun, his shots more like spit in the wind against the Knight's armor yet he fired regardless.

However, just moments later, his ears beheld the dreaded sound of dry firing.

At the same moment, the Hollow Knight raised his finger as an orb of blackness formed at the tip.

"Shit..." Scion Valentine, realizing he was already dead, decided to just to close his eyes so that he wouldn't see it coming... only to open them when he didn't whatever projectile coming towards him piercing his head and reducing it to gore and when he heard the sound of something crashing into stone. The scion's eyes bulged when he saw a massive golden fist ram into the Knight's chest that sent it flying into a nearby piece of debris the size of a building.

The Hollow Knight wretched itself out of the piece of building sized debris, seeing the Scion flee back to the Emperor's barrier as the monster flared its wings. It flew and landed about fifty feet from the Imperials and attempted to slash down only for the section of the barrier to distort and take the shape of a hand as it caught the Nightmare Blade before both Leman and Jaghatai kicked it away.

"Okay, think E." The Emperor's Compassion mentally said as he scrolled through his thoughts at a rapid pace so that he would be ready if the Knight made a sudden move, watching as it recovered from the latest attack, "We're at a standstill. It can't advance as I am blocking it from attacking, but I can't make a move as it might take advantage of my distraction and attack my children or the Transmat. I have to play this smart. I used my powers to keep their weapons stocked but that won't do much against it's armor. We are both holding each other back, but a small tip in the scale could shatter that."

"All of you stay behind me." The Emperor commanded his forces, who did not look in any way ready to disobey, before he looked at the two robots, "Are you alright, V?"

V1 gave a so-and-so gesture as did V2.

"All right, now for a little test."

"FIRE!" The Emperor commanded his forces, who immediately fired upon the thing with reckless abandon.

They would have done better spitting in the wind; their lasbolts and bolt rounds did not even leave a mark upon the armor of the Knight, who merely strolled forward, not even attempting to block any of their shots as it raised its sword for another strike, but it glanced off the barrier. Seeing directly striking is futile, the Hollow Knight decided to do the next option available.

Before there was another moment from the Emperor, there was a blast of darkness. The barrier seemed to creak as it seemed to compress, feelings of nihilism, rage, and fear overwhelming as the Emperor seemed to sweat at the strain it took him to keep it up. It kept coming, almost like it was a small stone against a tide wave of oblivion, struggling as its power was overwhelming.

Even those in the barrier felt the effects, not voices in their head tempting them to join the Dark Gods, but more like screams of things damned to the blackness crying for help. Several of them, especially Scion Stuart and Inquisitor Donklas, put their hands to their ears and screamed, unable to bare the cries that came from the blackness. A monster that kept baring down antediluvian power upon them as they struggled to keep themselves sane and functional enough to fight.

The screams soon ceased when the wave faded, liberating them from its ghastly presence to where they released breaths that they didn't know they were holding in.

A touch of perplexity came to the Knight when he noticed that the barrier was still holding. Most barriers would have collapsed at his power, but it appeared that the Emperor was stronger than the most Chaos Lords it was sent to hunt.

The Emperor's Compassion scowled. This thing possessed such power that he was not even sure it was a Warp entity bound in this eldritch armor. But then he kept thinking, "Darn... That aura felt like I was being drowned. What was it? It couldn't have been Warp power. Warp energy is something I can control and redirect, even if it contains the taint of the Chaos Gods. This was different. More rigged and controllable. In fact, now that I think about it, the currents of the Warp seem almost... calm, like Rogal's ability to calm and silence the Warp around him. Almost like it was a..."

It was then that the realization hit the Emperor like it was a bolt of death itself.

"...a Null!"

"By Terra's good earth..." The Emperor gaped as the realization hit him, "The Knight: it's a Chaos Pariah!" The others immediately shot the Emperor's Compassion, who had a horrified expression marring his face, "That's how it can seemingly use the power of the Warp while none such power can work in its presence! It's capable of manipulating its immense Null aura to mimic psychic abilities!"

"How in the bleached furs of Fenris/in Terra's name is that possible?!" Leman and Karstodes shouted, incredulous that such a power was possible.

"I... I don't know..." The Emperor could only shake his head, baffled at how such a thing was possible even for something from the Abyss.

The Hollow Knight would have raised an eyebrow if it had possessed one. A Null? That's was the shadows it sees in the Warp are called? Is that was he could be called?

He shook off the thought. It mattered not. Since it appears it needs to use its power to bring the Emperor's Compassion to the Queen, it would do so.

With inhuman grace, the Hollow Knight raised its sword horizontally, before placing its main left hand on the hilt and then running it against the blade. Suddenly, tendrils of darkness then emerged from the sword, wrapping themselves around the blade and slowly enveloping it in the viscous midnight blue liquid.

"NuLl BlAdE." The Hollow Knight echoed as the liquid darkness covered its sword from the hilt to the tip, white mist rising from his hand before he raised it to the air, practically seeing the air burn with its touch.

The Emperor gasped when the Knight suddenly brought the blade down faster than anyone could react... and it sliced the barrier cleanly in half, leaving the Emperor and his children exposed to his wrath.

(Music change)

(Borderlands 3 OST - The Rampager Part 2)

Before it could attack them however, the Knight was suddenly stricken by a massive beam of energy that suddenly collided with its head, barely scorching his armor but getting his attention before he was then struck in the chest by a triplet of missiles. Annoyed at the interruption, the Knight turned to see whomever was firing upon him...

And much to everyone's shock, it was Doomrider.

He was sitting on Unbound, having Pandora in its Hatred Form with its barrels smoking, indicating that it had just been fired. He had a relaxed yet alert body language to him, a glint behind the lenses of his helm as he lazily kept it aimed at his opponent, not flinching at the sight of the Knight but inwardly terrified at the prospect of having to fight this thing. Regardless, even if he was unable to believe he was doing this, he had to, because Jaghatai earned his respect, and that earned his assistance.

"Mine if I cut in?" Doomrider punned as Pandora transformed into its Dominant form, a seven-foot-long golden katana with chainsaw teeth, the blocky hilt and ebony handle having twin triggers as it seemed to purr like a cat.

Before anyone could reply, the Black Rider jumped off of Unbound, squeezing the twin triggers as the teeth of the blade reeved before he slashed at the air, leaving golden crescent slashes that rocketed toward the Hollow Knight. The Knight bashed both of the slashes away with his sword before leveling it at the Black Rider and thrust forth to impale him, only for Doomrider to twist out of the way as Pandora changed into its Revenge form before he aimed it at the thing's side.

Pandora fired, the force of the beam sending into the air before its wings flared, stopping as it remained undamaged. The Knight raised his sword to the air as tendrils of darkness coiled in the air and formed into several spear shapes that he sent flying at the Black Rider, jumped and backflipped away from before he shifted Pandora into its Sorrow form, a massive mechanical whip coated in yellow lightning that he lashed at the Knight.

The Knight moved out of the way casually and attempts to grab it, only for Doomrider to switch it to its Epidemic form. and fired several missiles at once. They impacted the chest and head of the monster, getting a quiet grunt before suddenly it was hit in the back of its head and sent flying back down to the ground. It landed on its feet before it turned just a nanosecond later and grabbed the arm of a surprised V2 before throwing him away.

Turning to Doomrider, the Knight then suddenly slashed the ground in front of him, before a wall of flames erupted from the slash and block off another barrage of missiles from the Black Rider. With that taken care off, the Hollow Knight then turned his attention to the Emperor and the Primarchs, twirling his blade and pointing it to them.

Just as he raised his arm to strike however, an emerald whip suddenly wrapped around the Knight's wrist before yanking it back, restraining its arm before the ivory beast trailed to the lash's origins, blinking if it could as it saw V2. The Vanquisher's brother was pulling the whip taut, barely restraining the Knight's arm before the beast attempted to pull itself free, causing stone to uproot as the machine's feet didn't break.

Before there was another harsher pull, the Hollow Knight was taken by surprise when the Silver Halberd was pierced into one of the spaces between his armor's plates before he was stricken across the face. The Knight was knocked back before it saw V1 rushing towards him, attempting another slash. Faster than the machine could react, the Knight closed its left fist and threw a punch, with V1 barely able to move his head out of the way of the strike, when suddenly the crack of a gunshot rang out.

From Scornspitter's barrel came a bolt that struck the Knight's wrist, causing it to lose its grip on the Nightmare Blade, sending it flying before it was imbedded in the nearest building sized piece of debris. Before he had a chance to retrieve it, the Knight was suddenly struck in the face by both V1 and slashed in the throat by Jaghatai Khan, whom he and his brother decided to assist the Black Rider.

The Knight staggered, before a voice yelled out, "EAT IT, MOTHERFUCKER!" And then he was stricken in the back by V2's Knuckleduster, knocking it back but its momentum halted as its feet dug themselves into the ground. It then whipped its head to its attackers, before it then swung both its tails at them, sweeping them to the ground as they bashed away.

"Right." V2 commented, as he got back with the others, "Forgot it had those." Suddenly, V1 kicked one of the tails away just as it was about to impale V2 through the head by its barbed tip, before Leman grabbed on that was about to strike the former just a femtosecond after kicking away the first. The Primarch was visibly struggling against the strength of limb before he then caught the other tail just as its barb was about to pierce through his eye.

Leman's armor strained under the overwhelming strength of the Knight, the Primarch himself stunned that even its tails seemed to be stronger than him. What was worse was that the Knight itself seemed to recognize this, pushing on and straining his strength even more. Leman couldn't keep his footing as his boots began grinding against the ground, the barb getting closer and closer to his eye and ripping it out of his socket.

Before he finally lost his grip and lost an eye, the Hollow Knight was suddenly stricken across the face before whatever hit it exploded, knocking it back before it then regaining its footing to see the assailant.

It was Doomrider with Pandora in its Rejection form, a massive black fist with several golden barrels lining the wrist and forearm, primed to fire, attached to his right arm. The Black Rider hoisted Pandora up and cocked it like it was a shotgun before he aimed it at the Knight, who would have narrowed its eyes if it could. Before it could attack, Doomrider fired the weapon.

Each barrel fired a fusillade of red-hot demon lead at the Knight, each round detonating as they impacted its armor like a bolter round, quickly engulfing the Knight in smokes and flames. A second passed, before the Knight emerged unscathed, tanking each and every shot as it advanced on the Black Rider. However, regardless, it was slowing to an extent.

Using the opportunity, Jaghatai immediately raced to Leman, who had nearly collapsed from the strain of the Knight's strength. He put his brother's arm around his shoulders and helped him stand back up, the Wolf King seemingly out of breath before the Khan asked, "Are you alright, brother?"

"Damn thing's strong." Leman panted as Jaghatai helped him stand back up, "It was like I was lifting an Emperor-class titan." The Khan blinked incredulously.

Suddenly, just as the Knight got close enough, Doomrider attempted an uppercut with the massive fist, only for the former to catch it with one of its hands. However, the Black Rider smirked as he pulled the trigger, each barrel firing simultaneously and causing an explosion that blew its hand off the weapon. The hand was scorched but undamaged, waving off the heat before it turned its attention back to the Emperor, who had put the barrier back up.

"The damn thing doesn't know when to quit." Leman growled.

Jaghatai scowled as well, when a thought suddenly occurred when he analyzed the Knight as it fought Doomrider. It wasn't attempting to retrieve its sword, nor was it using any of its powers that it displayed at the beginning, only using them when it was convenient. Right now, it seemed like it was only letting itself be an equal to Doomrider, letting itself only rely on its physical prowess rather than using its monstrous power like before.

"Something's wrong." Jaghatai's eyes narrowed in thought, "The Knight's power; it's inconsistent. It took out Slade's xeno titan would so much as a cinch of effort yet its struggling to keep up with V1 and Doomrider. Like its holding back or simply sees itself as not needing them."

Leman scowled at that, "What? Does it see us as unworthy of its strength?"

"No that's not it." Jaghatai shook his head, still thinking about what the cause could be for its inconsistence, "This feels more like... honor? Or is it something else entirely..."

Before that conversation could continue, the Knight suddenly struck Doomrider in the ribs with both a kick and a smack of one of its tails just as the Black Rider was about to attack again. Just as he was sent flying, the Knight then turned to the Primarchs and curled all four of its hands into fists before they were coated in the same black flames as before.

Suddenly, just as it threw a punch, it was suddenly knocked back when its fist met a golden barrier that sent the mountain cracking force of the punch back at the Knight. Both it and the Primarchs turned to see the Emperor, his light shining ever brighter with a determined expression before he brandished his scepter. A nanosecond later, a massive beam of gold attempted to burn the void born knight to ashes but was met by its one of its wings that folded in to act as a shield, letting it rage against the ivory limb of eldritch alloy until it ceased.

Undeterred, the Knight closed its fists before rearing its arm back again, seemingly for a punch as the Emperor and the Primarchs readied themselves for whatever this abomination might unleash.

No one was prepared when the Knight threw a punch at its own shadow, or when its fist sunk into the shadow like it was a small pond of blackness. Suddenly, it seemed like it had grabbed something before tendrils of darkness coiled around its wrist and it slowly pulled a massive zweihander from its shadow. The shadow sword, as long as the Knight was tall and three feet wide, rested itself on the monster's shoulder as it released trails of blackness that slithered into the air.

Before anyone could react, the Knight swung its dark blade with a single hand with unfathomable strength and swiftness. A massive wave of darkness was unleashed as it roared existence asunder, the barriers breaking under its force. An idea formed in the Emperor's head as they crashed against his radiant gold of his shield. The way that the darkness beat against the shields and how it was directed at him, perhaps he knew what to do...

Suddenly, just as another second passed, the shields shattered and the dark waves crashed into the Emperor, engulfing him in liquid blackness as the rest of the Imperials stared in horror.

"FATHER!" Leman, Rogal, and Jaghatai screamed out as they saw their father engulfed in its endlessness.

"YOUR MAJESTY!" The Imperials in Commorragh and the Imperial Palace yelled out in fear for their leader.

Suddenly, before their fears were confirmed, the wave burst apart with a blast of gold. The others were blinded by the sudden blaze, goblets of darkness splattering around them before they were ignited and reduced to smothering soot. As it seemed to die, the Imperials were suddenly greeted with the sight of the unscathed Emperor's Compassion, glaring fiercely before he summoned blasts of gold fire that burned the darkness away.

The Knight in response merely raised its sword, challenging the Anathema to a fight to see the superior being.

The Knight dashed towards the Emperor who sent out an inferno of golden flames at the latter, who in turn intercepted them with its dark blade, letting lose tidal waves of blackness that kept it back but kept it burning as well. Both sides struggled against each other before they broke in a blast, which the Knight attempted to take advantage of, but his shadow blade was suddenly bashed away by a golden fist made from the Emperor's aura. Taking advantage of this, more fists were created that hammered on the Knight, most destroyed by the swings of its swords but a few lucky ones hit its hip and shoulder, getting its attention on the Emperor more.

Unknown to it, the Emperor did so as he gave a wink. And also unknown to it, was V1 leveling the Silver Halberd at the Knight, aiming the built in bolter at the back of the void born monster's head.

And in the femtosecond that the space between the neckplate and the helm was exposed, the Vanquisher fired.

The bolt rocketed fast, but it would not have hit the Knight if he was not focused on the Emperor. As such, the Emperor sent a message to V1 in the few seconds that he had before he was in the blackness. After he escaped, he would get the Knight to focus on him and whenever V1 saw an opportunity to exploit a weak spot, he would take it.

And then just as the Knight heard the sound, the bolt hit the spot that separated the two plates before it could even turn its head.

The explosion nearly sent it to the ground, its feet caving in the ground it was standing on. The rest of its body snaped from the force as its head bent forward, before it's regained its footing and stopped itself from falling in but a millisecond. Before another thought of gain could reproduce into the Imperials' heads, the Knight's left hand placed itself on the face of the helm like an expression of exasperation, when it abruptly snapped its head back into proper place with the gunshot crack of bones snapping.

Barely acknowledging the stunned looks of the Imperials and the Royal Family of Chaos that watched from afar, the Knight rolled its neck and its shoulders, feeling the faint flames from the bolt's pure essence burning the section of its flesh between the helm and neckplate. It ignored the blinding agony as they sputtered out, turning to the Imperials as they backed away.

It then saw the xeno titan piloted by the Wanderer wrestling itself out of the mountainous ebony stone he was driven into and the Black Rider getting back up as he morphed Pandora into its Epidemic form. It felt nothing of it, just affirming its final assessment as it stared down at all its opponents.

This amusement had ended. Now, it was time to win.

(Music Change)

(Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides OST- Blackbeard's theme (Start 1:00))

Before another thought could sprout in the heads of the Imperials, the Hollow Knight raised its sword high above its head, letting its opponents react with flinches and drawn weapons before it held the shadow blade in a reverse grip, the tip poised to strike downwards. Both its opponents and the twin children of the Queen recoiled at the position it had suddenly taken, speculating what it would do in the split seconds they had.

Then, just before another thought could form, the Knight then plunged the shadow blade into the ground, the tip buried in the ground as the sound cracked through the area like a gunshot.

The ground shook lightly, as dust was raised into the air in the pulse that emitted from the strike. The Imperials paused as they waited for whatever it had planned to unfold, clearly in terror as they knew not the extent of its terrible power. Another moment passed, and all that remained was stillness as if the world had become silent at its airy possession.

Suddenly, just as the stillness was reaching a climax, the liquid darkness composing the shadow blade began to sprout numerous slender tendrils that wove together into a building pool of black, swiftly spreading as it came to the size of a baneblade. It kept spreading, slithering past pieces of debris before they were brushed past them uncaringly in lapping waves as the pool swiftly became a pond.

The Emperor, immediately sensing the horrid intentions of what laid next, shouted out, "EVERYONE, TO ME!"

Everyone on the Emperor's side immediately raced towards him, knowing whatever was coming would be serious. His barrier around the Transmat and Vect soon elongated to act as a platform, letting them ascend into the air as soon as the rest of them came back on. The platform ignited as the flames took the form of a majestic eagle, flying into the air as soon as the pool of darkness grew to the size of a lake.

Slade, immediately knowing what laid before him, swiftly scaled the mountainous stone pillar, the jets of the titan burning out as it flew upward to escape whatever horrible fate would claim him had he remained.

Doomrider, seeing the writing on the walls, called to his daemon bike with a whistle. Unbound immediately bolted towards its owner, who then jumped on, reeving the engine before he sped up the nearest piece of building sized debris when the blackness grew too close.

Grim and Minnie, also seeing the writing on the walls, had their symbiotes form wings that they immediately used to fly away when the darkness got near them.

(1:40)

Just as they fled, the massive pieces of debris sitting in the now ocean of darkness then slowly began to sink into the black ectoplasm. The ground shook as the building sized stones began sinking, the smaller pieces engulfed immediately in the liquid void, other pieces sinking slower as the largest moved inch by inch, falling deeper and deeper into the dark ooze.

Several pieces shook and cracked, raining down truck-sized boulders that splashed and sunk into the darkness as the rest of them kept sinking. Something feeding on the pieces like an abyssal predator, shown when one piece kept moving and stirring, progressively growing more miniscule until it disappeared into the growing blackness as did several more did follow.

The ocean of blackness began stirring, becoming almost like a typhoon as the pieces still above the darkness began to be pulled to the center where its dread creator laid, its shadow blade still imbedded in the porous stone. Shapes of almost antediluvian origin began to form in the liquescent darkness that stirred still, as a great aura of fear and loathing began to infest in the air that burned at the lapping waves of black.

Soon, just as the ocean grew even larger, the Hollow Knight shot up from the center, flaring its wings out as it flew higher and higher until it was miles above the blackness.

(Music Change)

(Devil May Cry 3 OST- Devils Never Cry)

Though the observers had fled to the upper parts that held floating pieces separated by the continent piece of Commorragh, taking refuge there as they watched the development of this void shape under them. Slade in his xeno titan that hovered at the Emperor's side, with the Black Rider and the Vs on his shoulders. The Emperor himself still floating on the eagle shaped construct of flame, his sons and his small army at his side. The Prince and Princess of Daemons watching from a distance as they laid their sickened yet curious gazes on the events unfuring.

Horror was on their faces as they watched the eldritch Knight rise and rise, seeing the unnamable shapes from the Abyss sprout from the blackness, shrilling and gaping. Numerous bulging eyes and snapping, yawning mouths, swimming together as they began to bulge and shriek at the one above from their yapping slithering presence. Grinning things began to coil around each other as they seemed to weave their limbs together, building upon each other like they were growing.

Turning its head, the Hollow Knight then extended it hand outward as if to catch something. Suddenly, the Nightmare Blade, undamaged and unmarred, shot out from the ocean and was caught in the Knight's upper left arm without its own even turning its gaze. After a brief examination to ensure it had been undamaged, the Knight then turned to its target, still floating with the Transmat behind him.

"It... It was just toying with us." Albia said as she fell to her knees, horror hidden behind her helm, "The entire fight... It was just toying with us." None of her fellow imperials said anything, drawing in the horror of the monstrous power of the Knight.

The Emperor stared as the monster, his transhuman mind trying to concoct a plan. He knew he did not possess the power to kill the Hollow Knight, but perhaps he could find a way to incapacitate it long enough to use the Transmat. But what could he use?

(Ends at 1:00)

(Music Change)

(Devil May Cry 3 OST- Divine Hate)

However, unknown to both him and the Knight, his answer would come as something caught the eye of the Black Rider.

Unbound had a small splotch of the liquid blackness on its hydraulics. Hydraulics that he spent several hours cleaning up.

"Oh... THAT TEARS IT!" Doomrider roared before he raised his open hand into the air. Suddenly, a portal opened above the titan, larger than any of his previous Hellgates, and a massive weapon came through, resembling a Multi-Melta for an Imperial Titan albeit sleeker and more efficiently designed. Just as it dropped down, Slade caught it as it could only be aimed by something of his titan's size.

Slade blinked as he caught the cannon in the arms of the titan, examining it like it was a lost weapon of old before Doomrider yelled, "Slade! Charge up the cannon! It should be able to deal with the Knight!"

The wanderer seemed to understand the plan nodded, before he called out to the Emperor via the loudspeakers, "E!" The shout gained the attention of the Emperor's Compassion, who turned his gaze to the titan, along with his sons and army, watching as Slade brandished the cannon, "Keep that monster and whatever its summoning busy while I charge this thing!" After that, he hit the oddly convenient "ON" button that was located near the cylindrical reactor, which began to slowly stir and light up with activity.

Surprising, the Emperor then settled his face before he nodded, "Keep the Knight busy! Slade may be able to incapacitate it!"

His encouraging words, filled with hope and determination, seemed to cleanse the Imperials of the unnamable horror of the Knight's being and regained their fury as they proceeded to aim their newly loaded weapons at the abyssal creature below. They fired upon the Knight, their fusillade of enhanced las beams and bolts that battered against its armor, doing as much damage as spitting in the wind other than gaining a touch of amusement in its mind.

The Knight, mimicking at being amused at their attempts, snapped the fingers of its lower right hand. Suddenly, the mad things that it spawned from the Abyss began to coalesce, combining into a greater mass as it grew and grew, snapping minuscule mouths that lined roils of darkness. It still grew, becoming vaguely humanoid in shape, the barrage of armaments that then assaulted it did little to stem its growth.

The thing stopped growing soon, and the form it took was a massive human shaped mass of inky blackness, with 2 glowing white eyes and mouth. The arms were clawed but constantly dripping tarry darkness that formed into what can only be described as black lotuses fused with arachnid limbs and avian wings. Large metal tendrils stuck out in various parts and wriggled in an unnatural way as if alive.

A horrid sound emitted from its mouth, echoing through the dark spectral corners of the Dark City, before it lashed out its black arms that came mountainous spears of ectoplasm with the intension of killing the Anathema. The massive spear tipped tentacles raced toward him only to be blocked by a gargantuan wall of golden flames summoned by the Emperor, causing it to screech it agony as it retracted his arms, seeing pieces of its burning arms break off and fall to the ocean of blackness connected to its feet. The monster then glared at the Emperor as it slogged whatever burning parts of its arms off, bulking itself even larger as its head bulged into an oblong shape.

The creature then spewed out a beam of abyssal flame that met various bolts of light, blasts that burned both brightly and dark. The metal tendrils aimed at the titan piloted by Slade, as if they were rifles. Suddenly, the tips of the tendrils bulged like growing tumors before they burst, revealing maws of metallic teeth. Orbs of darkness formed in the maws before fired at the Imperials.

The Emperor's fiery barriers seemed to barely stem the beams as his flaming mount strafed and ducked under the ebony beams that pierced the flame. Leman let loud a warp disrupting howl as one beam speared towards him, the waves battering against the dark projectile that shimmered before disrupting it entirely. Just as it seemed they had survived, several more appeared.

"Oh, canine's canines!" Leman growled, only to stop when he saw a shield suddenly formed in front and protected them from the onslaught. Jaghatai was stunned before he turned to see Doomrider behind them, his arm extended like he had thrown something.

"Consider us even." The Black Rider said, none noticing the raw agony he was in at being in the presence of the Emperor.

Back with Slade, he quickly steers the titan away, the black beams grazing the machine's frame but none of them had stricken the cannon. Just as a single beam came to the Titan's head, there was a beam of power that intercepted it, causing an explosion that blinded Slade for a moment as the flinch caused his finger to curl and fire the left arm of the titan.

A beam of ivory shot out from the wrist and swiftly struck the monster in the head, blowing it head off in a splatter of ebony viscousness. However, its body still stood before the neck bulged and out sprouted a new head, unmarred and shaking off a fit of confusion. It then screeched at its opponent before it spawned dozens of tentacles that then shot at Slade, who then thrust out a hand as a refracting shield was formed in front, protecting him as the sharp shapes crashed against the hard light construct.

Before anyone could react, Slade, deciding that he was done just standing on the side and waiting to attack, suddenly flung the cannon into the air and then dived down at the monster, ignoring the Vs who fired their weapons on the Knight as it shot past them. Before the thing could reach the Emperor, both V1 and V2 dashed into the air at the Knight, who turned to see them. And just as it swung down both blades at V1, who skillfully twisted his body out of the way of the strike, its wrist was suddenly stricken by the emerald whip of the machine's brother, wrapping around before he fired a bullet that the Knight moved its head out of the way as swiftly as a beam of light.

However, that shot allowed the Vanquisher a brief opportunity as he thrust the Silver Halberd at the Knight's neck, but it leaned its head back barely enough that the blade merely left a small graze between the helm and neckplate. At this, V1 then unleashed a flurry of thrusts at the Knight that it parried with both blades as swiftly as the machine, before it hooked the blade of the halberd in the guard of the Nightmare Blade before it thrust the shadow sword at the Vanquisher's head. Just as it was about to pierce V1's head, he moved his head out of the way before V2 kicked the arm holding the blade away, giving the former the opportunity to aim at the Knight's eye and fired.

The bullet struck the eyehole of the Knight, who barely even flinched when the projectile suddenly bounced off the substance that composed its inner self. It didn't even flinch before the monster attempted to sting him with one of its tails, that V1 ducked out of the way off before he unhooked the halberd from the guard and parried another side from the Nightmare Blade with his fist.

Suddenly, before there could be another move, the titan shot to the massive abyssal monster, extending its leg to a kick. Just as the leg was about to hit the chest of the monster, its foot opened up to reveal a massive cannon that charged up with power. And in but the split second that he revealed it, a massive beam of energy blasted through the abyssal giant.

Just as it ripped through the monster as it screeched in rage and horror, there was a massive explosion that engulfed the both of them in the flames. The boom shook the area they were in, before Slade suddenly shot out of the flames, the metal frame wreathed in fire like an enraged god rising from hell itself. He then turned, hovering over the black tarry water before shooting into the air like a comet rocketing through space.

Just as he shot through the air, the V immediately saw opportunity.

The Knight attempted to slash down on both of the machines, but the two of them simply dashed off after they dodged its strikes. Before the Hollow Knight could even process what happened next, it was suddenly stricken by what felt like a massive fist, sending it flying through the air. The Knight flared its wings, ceasing its momentum and seeing what hit it.

Before the Knight could see the titan, Slade was already rocketing towards the cannon as fast as the engines could burn. The Knight, a tad annoyed, shot towards the titan at neck break speeds, leaving a trail of flames behind as it soared. Both were racing towards the sky like they were twin stars roaring into the universe.

Inside the cockpit, an alarm sounded, causing Slade to turn and see the Knight catching up to him. Slade grit his teeth inside his helm; he needed to finish this now!

It was just a second later before the back of the titan opened up to reveal several thousand missiles that then fired. All of them curved in midair before they all rocketed toward the Knight at neck break speeds, only for the Knight to keep coming without pause. The Hollow Knight slashed and carved through each and every missile that was sent its way, most detonating but not even damaging it in the process.

Fortunately for Slade, this distracted the Knight long enough.

Slade reached the cannon as it fell back down, falling into his arms as a beeping indicated it being fully charged. A whirring and spooling sound then emitted from its inner mechanisms as it lit up like it was a star about to go supernova, the others turning to it in shock just as Slade leveled it at the Knight, who had just slashed through the last missile, only to see the cannon aimed at it.

"EVERYBODY DUCK!" Slade roared as the cannon finished charging for a shot, pointed directly at the Hollow Knight.

(Music ends)

Suffice to say the others quickly got the hell out of the way as Slade aimed the cannon at the charging Knight, who kept coming like a blinding comet. It was only a few hundred feet away from the cannon.

THUM-THUM.

Everything seemed to slow. The orb around the barrel grew by the second as tachyons roiled inside the spooling mechanisms.

THUM-THUM

The Knight was closer and closer. Slade's finger slowly curling on the trigger.

THUM-THUM

The Vs and the Imperials moving out of the way as Doomrider watches from behind the mechanical giant.

THUM-THUM

His finger tightened and pulled the trigger.

THUM-THUM

The Knight only had a second left to react as the mechanisms stopped spooling, unleashing a beam of pure tachyon death.

The beam of blue-white energy hit the Knight headfirst, sending it spearing through the Dark City, with light so intense that it all that saw it nearly were rendering sightless fury at the beast. The dark sludge monster whom had just finished regenerating from the explosion, only had a second to look up before its eyes widened in shock and then it was hit by the blinding beam of energy, destroying it in an instant before it dragged the Knight through the city. It carved a path, miles deep and planet spanning, tearing through anything and anyone that got in its way, leaving behind white hot slag on whatever survived its wrath.

The beam kept going and going until it collided with the furthest tower from where they were, before exploding in a white blaze of infernal death. The explosion rocked the foundations of the Dark City, sending shockwaves of tectonic destruction through Commorragh, leveling several thousand buildings as clouds of dust and burning smoke rolled through the streets leaving whatever organisms that survived to be scorched by the hot, searing ash that followed. Sounds of collapsing structures then came as if like a massive quake that were soon silenced as quickly as they came.

Only the sounds of sizzling and the gushes of winds were left as the others stared on at the massive chasm that was formed by the cannon's fire. The barrel was searing and smoking as it cooled, the titan holding it staring off into the planet sized cloud of dust and volcanic ash in the distance. Slade abruptly dropped the cannon, letting it fall before it was caught in another Hellgate, disappearing back to Doomrider's armory.

"Choke on that." Slade quipped as he saw the scanners not picking anything up from the epicenter of the explosion.

The Imperials were silent, and curious, slowly crept forwards to confirm that the beam either killed, or at the very least incapacitated, the Hollow Knight. Leman and Jaghatai looked at each other as they anticipated the worse, the Tempestor and the Scions were stunned into silence, Kryptman and Headsmash slowly creeping to the edge to get a better sight, Calato, Wilford, and Lynius leaned in to get a better sight, Donklas and Albia pulled their helms off to confirm that they weren't hallucinating. Vect meanwhile sat at his place behind the barrier that protected the Transmat with a surprised expression, while the Vs' feelings weren't known, and Doomrider could barely restrain himself from cheering out loud lest he jinx them.

Silence still prevailed, even as seconds became minutes. They still didn't know what to do, or should they dare go to whatever part of the Dark City that it landed in to confirm the Hollow Knight's statis. Several looked at each other and the Emperor, who was still cautiously staring at the cloud left behind by the explosion.

"...I'm gonna say it." Scion Grant suddenly piped, before he thought things over and turned to the Emperor, "May I saw it, my lord?"

The Emperor nodded, his eyes never leaving the cloud of ashes, "You may saw it, Scion Grant."

Scion Grant nodded before he inhaled deeply to calm himself just as he was about to take the dive, "...Did we do it?"

He and the others winced, expecting something to happen just a few moments later... only to open their eyes from under their Omnishield helms when nothing happened. Even the Inquisitors and Space Marines relaxed a little when there was no sign of the Knight. The Primarchs were still skeptical but relaxed slightly at the lack of anything from the cloud.

"Did we really do it?" Calato asked Wilford, who shrugged but didn't look at his... begrudging friend.

Albia and Donklas looked at each other before the latter opened and closed his mouth, struggling to cobble together words, until he finally spoke, "We did it..."

"We did it..." Scion Stuart breathed, before his arms shot in the air, whooping, "WE DID IT!"

The others, thinking that they had actually defeated the Hollow Knight, cheered and whooped with him. The Emperor let out a chuckle, Leman let out a hearty laugh while Jaghatai let out a low chuckle, Tempestor Cromwell practically bearhugged all of his Scions. Calato and Lynius cheered while Wilford grinned under his helmet, Kryptman and Headsmash jovially cheered, and Donklas, in the heat of the moment, suddenly grabbed a surprised Albia and planted his lips on her's. Albia's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the kiss, only for her eyes to roll back and close as she kissed back. The rest of the Imperials cheered at their apparent victory over the Hollow Knight.

Doomrider let out that laugh he was holding in, V1 and V2 fistpumped, while Slade let out a breath in relief, thinking that it was over.

With Grim Junior and Minimandy however, they were stunned into silence. Every fight they saw with the Hollow Knight, every test of power, and every single demonstration of its ability, it has been shown that it would be more than capable of killing any host that possessed a Shard of the Emperor. Mother even used it to assassinate several Chaos Lords that grew too bold, and never once did it fail in its goals.

And yet, here they saw; one of their greatest weapons defeated.

"They did it..." Minnie whispered in both shock and awe, "They actually did it..."

"Impossible..." Grim breathed, feeling both horrified and relieved. With the Knight defeated and this Shard of the Emperor about to escape from the Dark City, Mother will most definitely not be happy.

The Imperial Palace

Dee Dee let out a loud sigh of relief at their apparent victory, same with the others in the room, save Rogal who merely exhaled softly.

"Thank the Throne that abomination has been dealt with." Karstodes let out a shuddering breath at the results.

"Indeed, now they must activate the Transmat and get out of that horrid city." Whammudes replied.

Malcador however, had not lowered his guard, knowing that something was still happening back in the Dark City.

Commorragh

The Emperor, now thinking that they had a chance to act, yelled out, "Remember! The continent chunk is still in the air, meaning that it's not dead but it's likely stunned! We must strike while the iron is hot!"

"YES, YOUR MAJESTY!" The Imperials shouted as they saluted the Emperor.

A moment later, the Emperor's mount flew to the nearest piece of floating debris, one the size of a skyscraper as they settled down. Slade piloted to his titan to the piece, V1 and V2 jumping from his shoulders to the 'ground', Doomrider soon coming to the arm of the titan. And with that, they all gathered in defensive formations to protect their majesty until he was ready.

The Emperor lifted the Transmat down to the 'ground', the dust on the spot where it landed blew away into the air as the machine whirled to life. The panel rose to meet the hands of the Emperor, who began typing the inputs into the machine, his eyes darting rapidly as he worked.

"Okay... okay..." He mumbled under his breath as he seemed to be working at a rate only he could comprehend before there was a small beep. His eyes took in the data scrolling on the screen before he nodded, "All right, it needs few minutes to triangulate the location I imputed. So long as we have a few minutes to spare, we should be fine."

The others nodded, hoping that there wouldn't be any more unexpected attacks now.

"Say, D." V2 asked Doomrider, "What was that cannon you summoned?"

Doomrider stated in a laid-back tone. "Oh, it was a tachyon cannon from the Dark Age that I swiped from Zim awhile back. It was a funny story actually-"

Suddenly, there was a massive bellow of wind, causing the Imperials to turn to the cloud of smoke and burning ashes. There was a slight quaking, sounds of abstract thing between the Warp and Realspace cracking as something seemed to come alive. Before anyone else could react, a black wave shot from the center of the cloud like a hellbeast from the outer spheres.

Just as it seemed like there was an eruption of darkness, the cloud suddenly parted as something came through.

(Dark Souls 2 OST - Burnt Ivory King)

It was the Hollow Knight.

The beast's armor was undamaged, only smoldering rising steam from the hot plates of the armor. Its shadow blade was missing while it was gripping the Nightmare Blade in both left hands, the blade engulfed in tendrils of darkness that coiled around it like strangling serpents. Its tails seemed tense and coiling to strike, its wings outstretched, its posture rigged, and its armor undamaged save for spots of soot.

It was surrounded with a dark, hurricane-like aura, the air seemingly trembling at its very presence, black lightning crackling and arcing. The hollow hole where eyes should have been bore holes into their very souls, the dark azure sludge roiling inside the armor like an explosion of anti-immateria, burning power irradiating off of its dread form.

"OH, COME ON!" Scion Stuart and Dee Dee yelled out incredulously at the sight of the Hollow Knight.

"E-Even that wasn't enough?" Calato and Karsodes asked fearfully, stepping at the Knight's piercing gaze.

The Emperor scowled at the Knight, he needed more time for the Transmat to triangulate. Leman and Jaghatai merely drew their blades back out, trying to resist the fear inducing aura that it was producing. Slade's eye widened at how little damage was done, the Vs merely readied their weapons again, while Doomrider merely summoned Pandora.

Away from them, both Grim and Minnie watched with agape mouths. Neither could belief what they were seeing: in all their lives, very few things have terrified their mother more than the capability of the technology of the Dark Age. To see one of the Black Dragon's creations surviving one of them is truly a testament to its strength and durability.

"It survived a blast from a Tachyon cannon..." Minnie whispered in awe and horror, wondering how powerful this thing must be.

"Amazing..." Grim Junior breathed out at the durability of the Knight.

All thoughts and potential speak was silenced when the Knight suddenly raised the Nightmare Blade into the air. A bolt of black lightning struck the tip of the blade as it erupted into a blast of an eldritch darkness. Its gaze never left them as it then leveled the blade at the Imperials and Vect.

"VeRy WeLl." The Knight spoke at long last, its empty voice cold enough to freeze helium, "ThIs Is No LoNgEr A bAtTlE: tHiS iS aN EXTERMINATION."

The Knight then swung, not at the Emperor and his army, but at the continent in the air as a massive black wave erupted and surged forth. The blast hit the underside of the continent, before it roiled into the shape of a sphere and then erupted out. The blinding light that emitted from the blast nearly stole the sight of those that saw it as a rumbling sound really deafened all those around it as it reverberated in their ears.

Just as it faded, the Imperials and the other residents of Commorragh uncovered their eyes... only to gape in horror. The continent sized piece of the Dark City that it had lifted into the air had been utterly obliterated, only city sized chunks still floating as the rest became a veritable storm of debris and dust that was currently rocketing towards them!

Acting out of instinct, Slade rocketed toward the others and shielded them as the storm of debris and dust rolled over them, thousands of building sized chunks of stone and metal bashed against the machine's metal carapace. Even as they weathered the storm, Slade saw red flashing on the screens around him, showing damage to various systems of the titan even as the winds and pieces kept battering down on his machine. A massive piece of debris speared through the titan's side, almost piercing the Emperor had he not erected a barrier just as the storm came.

Several minutes passed, more damage ripped into the Titan as whatever was caught in the explosion rained down on it. As the storm began to pass, Slade saw the screens as klaxons blared, grasping the controls as he tried to get the death machine moving. But as he did, the mechanisms seemed to freeze up like an old machine worn by the sands of time.

Just as the storm passed, the others unbraced themselves from the storm, only to see the damage done. Several massive spikes were driven into the back of the titan, the wings had been broken, the tail had been driven into the ground by a massive piece, several tears and gashes in the metal were prevalent, fluids leaking out as it still tried to move.

"By the Bleached Furs of Fenris!" Leman shouted, concerned for his friend, "Slade, are you alright!"

"I'm fine! A little banged up but I'm fine." Slade shouted, looking over the controls. One of the screens reported that full repairs required a few minutes. He scowled before he shouted, "But the titan needs some time to repair itself! I'll guard the Transmat, but you guys have to keep the Knight off me and the Emperor!"

"Righty, Slade!" Leman shouted before he raised Mjalnar, rallying the Imperials to fight, "Arighty, lads! Raise yer blades and cock yer guns! Keep the Knight off Slade and Fyodor!"

The other Imperial roared in rally supported before they fired a fusillade of lasbeams and bolter fire upon the Knight as it shot towards them.

Three seconds.

That was how long the fight lasted. The Knight was so fast that not even the Primarchs could react, bashing them all away without even using its sword. Apparently, the Knight thought they were so insignificant that they were not even worth killing.

Doomrider wisely decided not to intervene, when he saw the Knight trounce both Leman and Jaghatai with a single swipe of its tail. Only V1 and V2 seemed to have a chance, becoming such blurs that they blitzed the Knight, who moved both its tails at such speeds that they couldn't close the gape. V1 then unleashed a flurry of golden coins and shot the nearest one a nanosecond later.

The bullet chained on the coins, hitting each and every single one of them until the nearest one was about to hit and ricochet to the Knight's neck... only to fly out of the way just as it hit the last coin. What V1 didn't know is that, in the femtosecond before he took the shot, the Knight used one of its tails to tip the coin closest to its neck by just a bit so that the shot would miss him.

Even then, the two kept fighting, neither gaining nor losing ground. Suddenly, the Knight moved out of the way of another strike before he grabbed both of the drones and threw them away, not bothering with them anymore. Both V1 and V2 skidded as they dug their hands and feet to the ground to stem their momentum, but the force nearly cracked the edges they were hanging on.

"ENOUGH!" The Emperor roared out, dropping the barrier as his Throne of Judgement came closer to the Knight. The Hollow Knight would have furrowed a brow if it possessed them, but it was content, as now it could do its job.

"You want me? Here I am!" The Emperor declared, not afraid to die to protect his followers, "Raise your dreaded blade, Knight of Nothing! I AM NOT AFRAID!"

The Knight merely took that as a decree of surrender before he leveled his blade at the Emperor's Compassion, who merely exhaled and closed his eyes. At the very least, he saved them by getting the Transmat online.

However, something, somewhere in an insane man's mind snapped as several memories came back to his head.

"We are the warriors of the Grey Knights, armoured in faith, shielded by devotion and armed with purity of purpose. But greater even than these, we carry the light of the divine Emperor of Man into the dark places to purge the daemonic wherever it may be found."

"One unbreakable shield against the coming darkness, one last blade forged in defiance of fate, let them be my legacy to the galaxy I conquered, and my final gift to the species I failed."

"Why should I fear the Daemon? He has no power over me."

"The Daemon has many forms. You must know them all. You must tell the Daemon from his disguise and root him out from the hidden places. Trust no one. Trust not even yourself. It is better to die in vain than to live in abomination. The zealous martyr is praised for his valour, the craven and the unready are justly abhorred."

"There is nothing in the arcane and blasphemous arsenal of the forces of Chaos that can compare to faith. With the power of faith, our weapons become shining instruments of deliverance that can cleave the mightiest daemon in twain. With the power of faith, our minds appear as slivers of pure agony to the daemon, driving into the wretched forms of those who would dare stand before us. With the power of faith, our words become commands that cause the daemon to cower and cringe in terror. I could meet my enemies unarmed without a shred of fear in my chest, for I know that the Emperor watches over me and guides my hand. So let them come. We shall show them what the power of faith can do."

(Dissidia 012 OST- God in Fire)

Suddenly, there was a cry. Something muted, but gained the Knight's attention and staying his hand enough to turn.

"STAND FAST, ABOMINATION!"

The shout echoed out like a before the Knight, reacting in a femtosecond, brought his blade up and blocked the strike from a particularly pissed off Kaldor Draigo's Titansword. Both blades clashed in a storm of sparks, both titanic force of power before they erupted in a blast of force, sending both back. Before the Knight could react next, Draigo's fist suddenly came to the former's face before the wrist mounted storm bolter fired, striking the monster and sending him back with his feet digging into the ground.

Before the Knight could react next, Draigo swung down, sending a trail of pure light at the eldritch thing, striking it in the chest before it was launched off the piece and into the air. The Supreme Grand Master then raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, all the other Imperials were healed from all the injuries that the Knight's beatdown had inflicted on them.

And it was then that all of them noticed their savior.

"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU-" Scion Stuart's incredulous shout was cut off by Draigo firing a storm bolt that missed him by just inches away from his head, making him yelp in terror before the Supreme Grand Master lowered his arm.

"What is your plan, your majesty?!" Kaldor Draigo said to the Emperor who was still wide-eyed at his knight's arrival.

The Emperor shook off his shock before he relayed his scheme, "I need you to buy time for the Transmat to find the location I just imputed! If you can, we'll have a way out of Commorragh!"

"How long, your Majesty?" Draigo said as he readied both Titansword and Stormshield for a fight.

The Emperor turned to the screen of the Transmat as the data continued to scroll, the advanced systems of the machine scrying through the Warp as it tried to find the location that had been imputed. A look of contemplation came as the Emperor's transhuman mind tried to calculate the estimated time of completion. Finally, after a few seconds, he had an answer, "About three minutes! Maybe five!"

Draigo merely let a grin cross his face, "That's more than enough time."

Suddenly, there was a blast of wind as the Knight shot back towards the Emperor, only to see his bodyguard standing in the way. Just as his opponent stomped back onto the piece, Draigo approached the eldritch knight with no fear in his hearts. Both the Supreme Grand Master of the Grey Knights and the Hollow Knight stood off against each other, the former's fractured mind having been pulled back together under the massive Null aura that emitted from the latter.

Before there was even a second that passed, both Knights immediately engaged in a flurry of slashes so swift and precise that not even the Primarchs could perceive, sparks and arcing energy flying everywhere before Draigo ducked under a swing and then, seizing the split-second opportunity, uppercuts the Hollowed one into the air before blasting after it. The Supreme Grand Master dodged two thrusts and deflected both vertical slashes, before he bashed his stormshield in the Knight's face, stunning it before it blocked another strike with one of its tails. The Knight attempted to pierce Draigo's sternum with both its tails, but he used his shield to block the strike before he hooked them with his arm and attempted to pierce the head, but the former broke out and dodged, getting away from the Supreme Grand Master.

Draigo didn't give the Knight the chance as he speared forth at the speed of light, tackling the Knight as the both of them rocketed through the Dark City. They tore through tower after tower like they were little more than wet paper, before the Knight broke out of the hold, skidding to a halt and leaving blue flames behind. Draigo speared forth before the Hollowed one let out a blast of darkness from his mouth, which the Supreme Grand Master responded with a blast of purity.

The two blasts collided and incinerated the area in an inferno of black and white, reducing everything unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity to dust. In the flames, the Knight swung the Nightmare Blade wreathed in darkness at the Supreme Grand Master who swung Titansword coated in flames of purity. The clash blasted the inferno away, revealing the two as showers of sparks and arching lightning flaring out, before it broke with Draigo forcing both blades down before swinging upward, breaking the Knight's stance and giving the Supreme Grand Master an opening to attack.

However, when he thrust Titansword forth, the Hollow Knight dodged and then struck the Supreme Grand Master in the chest with its leg, tails and wing, sending him flying back. But a moment later, Draigo raised his arm and fired his Storm bolter, sending a bolt at the head of the Knight who moved its head out of the way, only to then see that the Supreme Grand Master had disappeared. Before it could react again, the Knight heard the sound of armor creaking.

Just as the Knight swerved around, Draigo suddenly unleashed a flurry of kicks that it didn't have time to parry, striking it in the head and chest so rapidly that it was akin to a blur, akin to an unstoppable force clashing with an unbreakable object. The Knight suddenly folded a wing to act as a shield against the kicks before it swung the Nightmare Blade at Draigo intending to decapitate him, but he ducked in time and slashed the thing in a reverse grip that barely even scratched the Knight's armor. But before the Knight could react again, Draigo uppercutted it, the stormshield hitting the chin before he did so again with his right arm, the barrels of the storm bolter pressed against the chin before they fired.

The blast sent the Knight into the sky, as it flared its wings to stop the momentum. It raised its arm to shoot a beam of darkness at the Supreme Grand Master, only for Draigo to appear in front of the Hollowed One. Before it could react, the Supreme Grand Master rammed both fists down on its head, sending it flying to the ground only for the Knight to land on its feet, leaving a crater where it landed, staring back up at the Supreme Grand Master still in the sky.

Suddenly, before it could attack again, Kaldor Draigo's eyes became brighter than the stars themselves before he inhaled deeply to where even his armor seemed to strain before then he exhaled a massive beam of pure solar power into the air. A microsecond before the beam hit the Knight, it raised the Nightmare Blade as it intercepted the solar death ray. It split the beam in half, but the force was kind to that of a meteor the size of a continent crashing on top of it, sending it spearing down to the ground before it stood its ground.

The beam of solar death kept coming, lighting up the Dark City as it kept blasting down on the Knight, blocking it with both its blade and its wings, the ground it stood on cracking under its feet. It kept burning down at him, the solar flames scorching the area around him to slag and ash, the million-degree heat blasting on the armor as it remained unbroken even under the weight of an entire star.

Draigo kept blasting the Knight as much power as remained in the sun in his gullet, funneling all that gravity and heat into a single beam that tore into the Dark City like a spear of divine judgement from the creators of the universe. However, the sun was slowly beginning to lose power as it burned an entire continent's worth of space of the Dark City, structures that had been twisted by the dark desires of the dark inhabitants melted away like a dream of lost alien origin. The Knight, now having the weight of worlds bearing down on it, suddenly summoned its great power as the ground around it began to melt while whatever solid parts began to crack under the pressure.

However, suddenly, a beam of darkness shot from the mouth of the Hollow Knight, tearing through the solar beam until it was halted in the halfway point.

The Supreme Grand Master of the Grey Knights suppressed his surprise, merely letting lose all the power in the sun still in his gullet. The beam grew in size and intensity as it bore down on the beam of darkness from the Hollow Knight, which stood defiantly as it kept the beam back even as it was pushed down slowly. Blinding light emitted as both powers collided to a climax, seeming shuddering reality and unreality as they clashed together.

Unfortunately, the solar beam seemed to falter before it seemed to petter out, causing the Hollow Knight's attack to break through. It would have killed Draigo had he not moved out of the way in time, however the Knight flashstepped toward the Supreme Grand Master. The abomination had already reared its dread blade back at an angle which, combined with its strength and speed, would cleave the Supreme Grand Master in half.

But before he could, Draigo suddenly gained a face-splitting grin just as the Knight closed in. Just as the blow was coming down, Draigo's face bulged as something bright came to his mouth, light spewing from his eyes and between his lips. The Nightmare Blade was about to strike his Armor of the Grey Knights when suddenly, Draigo spat out the core of the star at his opponent!

The Knight only had seconds to react as he swung almost as fast as light, cleaving the core of the sun in half. Unfortunately for the Knight, the two halves of the solar core immediately exploded, engulfing it in a nuclear inferno that spanned continents! The others covered their eyes as the blinding explosion nearly burned their retinas out of their sockets.

The boom nearly deafened the rest of the Dark City, causing several to flinch and turn away to not go blind and deaf. Unfortunately for everyone, when the light died down enough, the Imperials were greeted with the sight of Kaldor Draigo flying towards them. He crashed into the piece, skidding across the ground towards the Emperor, leaving a trail of smoking rubble behind.

He grunted as he forced himself to stand back up, his armor smoking and about a thousand degrees hotter, shaking off the confusion as he turned to the Knight whom was rocketing towards them. The Knight was smoldering, its armor wreathed in nuclear fire that was put out when it came towards them. It flared its wings and readied its blade for another devastating strike.

Inside the titan, Slade wasn't sweating as he possessed no sweat glands, but if he had, they would have been drenching his skin in his armor. He looked around the midair field of continent's worth of debris and structures, desperately trying to find something that would give Draigo some kind of advantage. Suddenly, all thoughts that were in his head went silent when he saw a faint golden glow in the corner of his eye before he looked down and saw it coming from one of the pockets on his cloak.

Reaching inside, the wanderer pulled out the card that he found at the Gate of Khaine, now glowing brighter than ever before. And it was then that the idea came to his head.

Slade hit a button on the side, causing the cockpit to open up. Just as the screens moved to the sides and the jaws parted to reveal the outside, a gust of wind hit him like a hurricane, causing the wanderer to shield his face with his arm before he got to the edge of the open cockpit. Moving his hand to the side for a second, Slade saw Draigo as he stood strong against the storm. And then, taking aim, Slade readied his arm for a throw over his shoulder, the card between his pointer and middle fingers.

"DRAIGO, CATCH!" Slade roared at the top of his lungs before he threw the card at the Supreme Grand Master.

Thankfully, Draigo heard him just in time to see the card flying at him. The Grey Knight caught the card between his thumb and pointer finger without even looking, before he examined it. There was a feeling like the Emperor himself had been sealed into the card, waiting for the right moment to strike the forces of darkness. And in a fit of sanity, Draigo placed the card on the hilt of Titansword.

Suddenly, an aura of gold slowly came from the card and trailed down the blade, wreathing it in a golden shine like that of the eyes of the Emperor himself. It was a feeling greater than anything Draigo had felt ever in his entire life, like it was a star being born inside his chest. The Supreme Grand Master raised his blade to the air, before he turned to the Emperor with a nod.

The Emperor nodded back with a nod, raising his hands as energy gathered around them. Just as the Knight was about to strike, the Emperor shot twin beams of light at the Titansword, causing both it and its wielder to erupt in a blaze of golden light. The Supreme Grand Master was engulfed in a blinding golden light that then collided with the black wave that came from the Knight attempting to strike at him while it had the chance.

However, much to the shock of the Imperial, the Royal twins, and even the Knight itself, Draigo bashed the wave away with his sword before he slammed his stormshield to the ground as the skull emblem began to glow with a vibrant glimmer. Just a second later, there was a blast that struck the Knight swifter than it could react, sending it flying into the nearest piece of debris, smashing it to pieces. The Hollow Knight wretched itself out of the rubble, but it staggered, dazed by the blast as he stabbed the Nightmare Blade into whatever ground it stood on to regain its balance.

"So, that's it, huh? You can't be damaged, but you can be dazed?" The Supreme Grand Master whispered before he turned to Slade, "OPEN YOUR TITAN'S PALM, SLADE!"

Though surprised by the sudden address, Slade nodded and jumped back in the pilot's seat. The jaw closed as the rest of the titan came back online, the eyes on the head and chest lighting up as it moved in a shaking gaunt. Damaged, but not destroyed, Slade forced the damaged arm to move as it opened its hand and moved it so that Draigo could stand on it.

Draigo grinned and jumped to the palm of Slade's titan, metal creaking against his weight before he placed a hand on the damaged metal. Suddenly, the golden aura around him spread to the titan, running up the arm before enveloping the rest of the machine in its radiance. Seconds later, all the damage that had been done during the storm was slowly mended, pieces embedded in the back slowly pushing out until the wounds sealed, damaged systems and arragements repaired almost instantly as it began to stand back up.

Slade blinked as the screen that flashed damage reports went away and the alarm klaxons silenced, feeling like the beast inside this machine roaring to live in renewed vigor, ready to tear the world apart. With that, the monster stood tall and roared out with spread holographic wings before the awed Imperials and the smiling Emperor. Slade turned, the titan's head turning to see the Knight looking on while flying, interested in this development.

The golden aura then condensed itself into the titan's hand where Draigo stood, when suddenly it glowed ever brighter, almost like a star being born. Just as the titan's fist curled into a fist, the aura warped until it suddenly formed into a massive claymore of solid gold, burning with golden flames for all the Dark City to see. The titan then grabbed the sword by both hands as he reared it back for a swing, the golden flames scorching the air as they blazed.

The Hollow Knight, taking this as a challenge, gripped the Nightmare Blade with all four of his hands, rearing it back for a swing. Suddenly, the blade erupted in a blaze of darkness, nearly in equal size to that of his opponent. It would be grinning if it could, readying for this final strike.

"Oh, wolf me in the mouth." Leman whimpered with an agape mouth, same with Jaghatai and the other Imperials as they watched the blaze of gold and darkness grow and grow. The Emperor meanwhile merely gave a smile.

It seemed as if the air around them turned viscous, each opponent tensing as they readied themselves for their final attack. Back down in the city , Lelith, the Corydons, and the Thrall watched in both awe and terror at the dance of gold and black in the sky. And even further down, Krv watched on even with his masked face, feeling something that he never felt in the entire time he had been in the Dark City... hope.

Unfortunately for the Hollow Knight, just as it was about to unleash its greatest attack, it was suddenly stricken in the back of its neck by a bullet before then being stricken in the eyehole but a bolt, before then being hit in the chest by a beam of energy.

Little did the Knight realize that, in the few seconds that remained before he swung, V1 threw a bunch of coins in the side before shooting the nearest on, creating a chain shot that ended with the bullet hitting the back of the exposed area on its neck. And then, seizing the opportunity, V2 aimed the Silver Halberd and fired, hitting the Knight in the eye before it detonated, doing nothing to the armor but stunning it more. And then Doomrider seized the moment, shifting Pandora into its Revenge form and fired the beam at the Knight just a microsecond after the bolt hit.

The distraction caused the Knight to swing prematurely, eliciting a wave of blackness to erupt from the blade like a cataclysmic blast of darkness. Unfortunately for the Knight, his attack to miss the by a mile, only destroying a piece behind him a blast of darkness. And this was just what the three were hoping for.

"SWING, SLADE!" Doomrider roared out now that the Knight was distracted.

And with that, and a nod from Slade, the titan swung.

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"AVE IMPERATOR!"

Both Slade and Draigo roared out as they brought down the titanic golden claymore, the titan's heavy arm swinging with enough force to tear apart a starship. The ground they stood on cracked as the machine's strength made the piece buckle. The swing sent a massive blazing gold wave at the Knight, who was too distracted by the attacks on it to react in time.

The Hollow Knight only had a second to react before the golden blast hit it in the chest.

(Music ends)

It was almost like a supernova. The Dark City was suddenly awash with light that nearly blinded everyone and everything inside its dark corridors, before the blast nearly deafened nearly everyone that heard it. The blast was a massive boom of golden flames that erupted like a second sun, tearing through waves upon waves of debris in the sky, resembling almost like a blooming golden flower.

If one could see in the blinding light, they would have seen the Hollow Knight flying out of the explosion, wreathed in the golden flames as it soared into the distance.

Just as the light and sound died down, the Imperials opened their eyes and uncovered their ears to see the titan standing proud as the claymore in its hand faded to into gold dust that flowed back to the Emperor. Kaldor Draigo then hopped from the titan's hand and jumped up the shoulder, both him and Slade looking on at the Dark City as the explosion faded. And as its last lights faded, the titan raised its fist to it's shoulder, where it then fistpumped Draigo.

For a few seconds, everyone seemed to catch their breaths, before the Emperor heard the sound of a ping. He turned to see the screen on the Transmat, which showed the message in ancient Aeldari: DESTINATION LOCATIONED. WARPGATE READY FOR ACTIVATION.

A smile practically split the Emperor's face but he calmed himself enough to tell them, "Everyone! The Transmat is ready!" The Primarchs and the Space Marines, Slade and Kaldor, and Doomrider and the Vs turned to him, but several others didn't turn as if in a daze.

Leman frowned as he patted Inquistor Donklas on the back, getting his attention as he blinked at the Primarch, "Oh, father's talking to y'all!"

"What?" Donklas yelled, the others noticing his bleeding ears.

"What?" Albia yelled, bleeding from both the ears and eyes.

"What?" Several others repeated, or slurred, stumbling around they like about to pass out.

"Oh," The Emperor realized that the explosion likely deafened them before he snapped his fingers. A golden aura surrounded each of the deafened and likely blinded Imperials, feeling the burst eardrums healing and reconnecting to their brains while their burnt-out retinas and corneas healed. The healed Imperials blinked as they could see and hear again, before they turned to the Emperor.

With that taken care of, the Emperor turned to the Transmat and typed in something before he hit a button with a red sigil.

Suddenly, the Transmat's arcane and alien machinery slowly whirled to live, blue and white lights flaring to life as they coursed through the cables and into the main conduit. As it did, the main piece opened to reveal a chrome sphere that seemed to swirl in place before it began to split apart into millions of pinprick-sized cubes that slowly formed into a massive hollow circle.

Energy arced around the circle, coiling around the center as they slowly formed into a dark blue orb that slowly expanded. The Imperials backed away, watching as the circle and orb of blue expanded to nearly the size of Slade's titan, the sounds of electric heartbeats echoing through the area. Suddenly, it stopped and let out a small pulse of blue energy, finalizing the sequence.

"Hurry, it won't stay up for long!" The Emperor yelled as he motioned for them to get to the portal.

Suffice to say, the Imperials wasted no time. They rushed to the portal, some jumping headfirst into the gate of xeno origin, ignoring the xenophobia engrained in them since birth as their survival instincts were currently in complete overdrive. Slade had his titan crouch like a tiger ready to strike before he leaped into the portal with Draigo still on the back, where he was waving a cowboy had that he suddenly produced, shouting "YEEEHAAAAAAWWW!"

In but five seconds, half of the group had already gone into the portal, but the only one who had any intention of staying was the city's overlord; Vect.

The Supreme Overlord of Commorragh moved from his spot, brushing pasted the hundreds of Imperials as they rushed to the portal. His mind was clear and thinking, even as the realization dawned on him; he knew that it was his time. That couldn't have killed the Knight and now he knew that when they escaped, it would likely take out its anger on the nearest thing, which would most likely be him.

He was not scared. Having grown bored of all the suffering that he had inflicted on the Mon'keigh and other species, and with even the darkest of the dark growing boring, Vect had finally resigned himself to his fate, deciding that he might as well die to the most horrid abomination ever created by the Warp Gods. Still, a part of him wished that he could add a little pizzazz to his final moments.

And it was then that he spotted Headsmash's ship floating in the air above him, still intact and likely still loaded with Cyclonic Torpedoes. And then that he saw that Headsmash had yet to enter the portal and still possessed the button that would initiate Exterminatus.

The devious idea came to his head, and it stayed there. "Oh, I have an idea, and it's quite a good one." Vect muttered to himself as he walked past the Inquisitor before he proceeded to swipe the massive Exterminatus button from his side, snidely and mockingly politely saying, "Excuse me, but I'll be taking this."

"MY BUTTON!" Headsmash screamed before he tried to go back after it, only to be tackled to the ground by Kryptman and his followers.

"LEAVE IT, IDIOT!" Kryptman screamed as he and Calato manhandled the other Inquisitor, dragging him to the portal before throwing him in headfirst, screaming all the way before him and his followers jumped in after.

Before they entered, V1 and V2 looked at Vect before they saluted him. Doomrider stayed too, watching the Surpreme Overlord who happened to turn to see, the former giving the latter a mock salute, "It's been nice working with ya, Vect. Had a lot of fun times."

"You, too." Vect nodded with a lopsided smile and a thumbs up, before he felt that presence once more, like a storm of ice in his soul. "Now, get out of here before it gets back! GO!"

Doomrider nodded before he raised a purple skull pendant to the air, as a thin beam of light speared out. The tip of the beam expanded, forming into a small spiraling portal big enough for him and Unbound to fit through. Before he entered the portal, the Black Rider turned to the Emperor and the Primarchs, specifically Jaghatai, and gave a nod of respect.

And with that, Doomrider entered his portal, which closed behind him.

Now, with it only being the Emperor and Primarchs left, they were about to leave when suddenly the last of the Drukhari yelled out, "Wait! I have something to say!"

The Emperor turned to him with a questioning expression, wondering what it could be.

"Thank you." Vect gave a smile. Not a malicious smile, not a psychopathic smirk, not even a maniacal grin. Just a sincere, grateful smile. "You've made this the greatest day of my life."

The Emperor's Compassion blinked at the declaration but gave a smile as well, before Jaghatai put a hand to his shoulder and said, "Father, we have to go." He nodded in agreement before he turned back to Vect and said his final piece.

"Godspeed, Asdrubael Vect. Godspeed."

And with that, the Emperor, Jaghatai Khan, and Leman Russ jumped into the portal, leaving the Dark City behind.

Just after they entered the portal, the Nightmare Blade suddenly impaled the Transmat's main conduit, causing the portal to suddenly warp and spasm before it collapsed in a blast of azure. Just as the blade was ripped back out and into the hand of its wielder, Vect smiled and looked around Commorragh, thinking of all the amazing times he had in since becoming the Supreme Overlord.

He remembered all the torments, the tournaments, gladiator fights, the races, Carnivals of Pain, feasts, parties and all kinds of horrific spectacles never fathomed by mere Mon'keigh. And yet for some reason, this day which gave him the fight between V1 and Lelith, the war against the Draugr, the fights against the two royal brats, and finally that showdown with the Hollow Knight... It made him an oddly happy man.

Vect knew that the Hollow Knight was almost upon him before he produced a vase shaped decanter from somewhere as he kicked around some gravel, it was purple, and the surface lined with short stud-like needles. He uncorked the decanter and took a drink, feeling the liquid burn down his throat as he felt the stone-cold eyes of the Knight boring into the back of his skull. Finally, after taking a longer drink, Vect turns to see the Hollow Knight standing right behind him, his sword pointed to the ground with all four of its hands on the pommel.

"Hm..." Vect merely gave a smug smile that contrasted the feeling of blind panic and primordial terror in his heart, turning to see the Hollow Knight standing before him. The Knight's eyeholes were gazing into him like a pair of penetrating spears, before he then noticed the Prince and Princess of Daemons flying down and landing by the Knight as the wings they formed retracted back into their symbiotes.

"You're too late, kids." Vect smugly stated as he motioned behind him to the destroyed Transmat and to the space where the Emperor and the Primarchs were standing just moments ago, "They're already gone."

He could only grin at the expression of mortified anger that came on Minnie's face while Grim remained stoic, taking a sip from his great drink before looking back to them with a smirk, "What are you two going to tell Mommy?"

That seemed to break something in Minnie, she looked like she was about to impale the Supreme Overlord in a thousand different places only for the hand of her brother to placate her. She seethes in anger but acquiesces, glaring at Vect as he drinks again from his decanter. As the opening came down from his lips and he wiped his face from slight droplets, Vect gave a dark stare with a smirk.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get this over with." Vect challenged the Hollow Knight, before he raised his vase up for a toast, "But first, let an Archon finish his last drink, no?"

Grim had a ponderous expression, before he gave a nod and motioned for the Knight to stay his hand for a moment. The Knight nodded back, keeping its hands on the pommel, awaiting for Vect to finish, but a twitch that only the three could perceive gave the impression that it was getting impatient. Grinning, Vect knocks back the decanter and started gulping down the liquid quickly, emptying it quickly as he kept chugging.

As the last droplets of his wine trickled down his throat, Vect let out a content sigh as he dropped the decanter, breathing contently as he stared back up to the Knight, "Now, I'm ready."

The Hollow Knight nodded, rolling its shoulders as it raised the Nightmare Blade to reap the soul of the Supreme Overlord.

However, just before he could, Vect then stomped his foot on a part of the ground.

"HERE'S MY VICTORY!" Vect yelled out in defiance before the Princess saw the place where he had just stomped. It was a massive button covered in gravel that had been shaken off by the stomp, the orange surface clearly reading: EXTERMINATUS.

Minnie's eyes quickly shot above her, before she gasped loudly, getting the attention of both her brother and the Knight as they followed her line of sight. And it was then that the two took in the sight of Headsmash's ship, positioned directly over them. Just as they looked up, all of the underside barrels of Headsmash's ship, suddenly fired every single Cyclonic Torpedo in storage upon the trio.

The Princess panicked utterly, not doubting that she could not survive even a single Cyclonic Torpedo, much less hundreds of thousands. Time slowing down for her, she looked to the button, thinking that it could cancel the detonation and reduce them to little more than useless hunks of metal. But that hope was dashed when she saw that Vect's foot utterly smashed the button to pieces.

Before either she or her brother could react, the Hollow Knight suddenly grabbed them with all of its arms and pulled them closed, its wings wrapping around itself like a protective shroud before it was then surrounded by a dark shield.

Vect didn't care, he closed his eyes and gave a content smile, even as the heat came down on him and began to burn his skin.

"I have no regrets."

Suddenly, there was an earsplitting boom as for thousands of miles the ground shook with the detonation of several thousands of Cyclonic Torpedoes detonating at once. A massive pillar of flames erupted as all the Dark City seemed to watch in awe and horror at the destruction caused on this night. It rang for what felt like millennia, but the flames soon faded into silence.

Earth

Jump City

2023

The Emperor and the Primarchs jumped out of the portal in the split second they had before it closed behind them. He and his two sons landed on their feet, panting as they took in breaths of rather... clean air.

Leman blinked as he noticed the soft green grass near his boots, the sound of rushing water and clear skies, something so... peaceful. The Wolf King and the Warhawk both had agape mouths at the sight of the beautiful landscape, with the Emperor smiling and breathing in delight at the sight.

Even with the purple sky and the Maw of Annihilation in the distance, the city in the distance was almost peaceful, sounds of cars driving across roads and people talking, the gentle wind brushing against the hair of the Primarchs. Jaghatai held a hand out as he caught a falling leaf. Leman noticed a small dog barking as his owner gently tried to calm him down.

"It's beautiful..." Jaghatai breathed as he took in the sight of this place.

"Fyo-..." Leman stopped as he pondered slightly before he sighed and forced himself to say it, "Father, what is this place?"

"Home..." The Emperor breathed, seeing something that he hadn't seen in so many millennia.

Just as they were getting lost in the beauty of this place, the three were taken back to reality by the shout from Kaldor Draigo, "Your majesty!"

The three were then saw the Imperials that came with them through the portal, led by Slade in his new titan and the V Units. They were all in formation, saluting him as the Supreme Grand Master came back down from the titan's shoulder, stabbing his Titansword to the ground. The titan then took to a knee, the cockpit opening as Slade jumped out, sliding down the chest and then the leg of the titan before he landed near Leman.

"Very good to see you all made it." The Emperor replied, relaying his plan to the others, "Now that we're out of Commorragh, we need to get to the GDF and prepare for Chaos' next attack on this world. Remember, the plan has changed, but I've decided to adapt and adjust my strategy. Get ready for tomorrow, because by morning, we're heading out. But for now, let us find a place to rest.

"YES!" Draigo roared out like a jovial kid, his arms in the air, "ANOTHER ROAD TRIP!"

The Imperials all gave a laugh at Draigo's antics, more out of relief at that nightmare being over than anything else, while V1 and V2 both gave a light and soft chuckle as well before they fist bumped. Slade gave a slight snort before his eye turned to see where they had landed. His single eye widened as he recognized something in the distance, watching on as others followed his line of sight.

"Slade?" Surprisingly, it was Albia who asked the mutant in question, walking up to him, though she only came to his hip.

"I'm home..." Slade whispered before he gave a brief and soft chuckle of joy as he stared at Jump City in nostalgia overflowing, "I'm actually home..."

The Imperials blinked at that statement. Calato looked at Wilford, who looked as puzzled as him, "This is his home?"

"Leman, Jaghatai, everyone..." The Emperor smiled as he spread his arms out, taking in a place that he never thought he'd see again, "Welcome to Terra. Welcome to home, during the 21st century."

That was akin to a bomb being dropped onto them. Both Leman and Jaghatai looked around at the beauty of a Terra they never knew, the Space Marines and several inquisitors fell to their knees as they took in the information, Donklas breathing at the world in awe with Albia leaning against him like a lover with the same awed expression on her face. Tempestor Cromwell laughed heartily in joy due to never thinking he'd be so blessed, while his scions fell to their asses, nearly catatonic from the info that this was the cradle of man itself.

Kaldor Draigo meanwhile just gives a hearty laugh like Tempestor Cromwell, his maddened mind now calmed by how blessed he is to see Terra so beautiful. V1 and V2 just stared on, entranced by the beauty of Terra, reminded of their earth before the war and before Chaos came.

However, Slade was focused on something else. It was a tower in the shape of a massive T lined with black window panels, standing on a minuscule island in the bay of Jump City. So many memories came back to him, so many moments that he hadn't thought of in a long time...

"Huh..." Slade would have cracked a smirk if he could, "I'd never thought I'd miss that place."

The Imperial Palace

The Throne Room was silent now that the Emperor's Compassion had escaped the Dark City, and with that the others had left to do their duty and the Throne Emperor convinced the Caretakers to check on a random part of the Palace that might need protection. With that, the Emperor was alone to talk to the three people that he knew he could relay his plans to.

"Are you sure the Custodians needs to be kept unaware of your plan, father?" Rogal queried.

"I ALWAYS SURE, ROGAL." The Emperor typed on his text to speech device, "WITH THE OPENING OF THE MAW, AND THE MACHINATIONS OF THE ARKIFANE, WE'LL HAVE TO EXECUTE THE NEXT PHASE NOW THAT GETTING YNNNEAD IS OUT OF THE QUESTION."

"Indeed." Malcador said grimly, "With the coming tides of the Arks led the new Warmaster with the Shepherd of the Damned, we must act now while they are preparing another crusade into the multiverse. Even if... we must enact... that measure."

The others were silent as well, hoping that it would not come to such a drastic measure.

"Your majesty, forgive my... soft-heartedness, but..." Deandra looked down in shame but continued talking, unconsciously placing her hands on her stomach, "I truly, truly hope that such a measure won't be needed."

"OH, I FUCKING HOPE NOT, EITHER." The Emperor shared her discomfort, "BUT IF IT MUST BE DONE... IT MUST BE DONE."

Dee Dee nodded solemnly, taking comfort in the face that she was not the only one who was unwilling to resort to such measures. Before there was another word, she remembered something that she had been meaning to ask of the Emperor for a while now, "Your majesty, before we can continue, may I ask you of something?"

She was aware of both Malcador and Dorn looking at her with questioning gazes, but the Emperor cut them off before they could speak, "ALRIGHT, WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

"I'm just curious, but do you have anything good to say about your sons?" Dee Dee gently asked the Emperor about his feelings on his children. He already said the negatives to Kitten, maybe she could hear the positives.

Dorn blinked before he turned to the Emperor with a questioning look, while Malcador merely had a curious expression.

"WELL, NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT..." The Emperor trailed off before he continued, "VULKAN WAS SUPER DUPER NICE. EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING, IT IS A GOOD THING NONETHELESS. ALSO, I LIKED HIS GUNS."

MORTARION WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO DO THE DIRTIEST OF DEEDS IN MY NAME AND NEVER FAULTED ANYONE FOR HOW AWFULLY BAD THEY SMELLED."

ROGAL DORN TURNED MY GLORIOUS GOLDEN PALACE INTO ITS CURRENT STATE AS AN IMPENETRABLE GLORIOUS GOLDEN PALACE, AND I FOUND HIS QUIPS TO BE QUITE AMUSING WHEN I WAS NOT ON THE RECEIVING END OF THEM."

Rogal allowed a little bit of the corner of his lip to curl up.

"PERTURABO WAS THE SMARTEST DAMN PERSON I HAVE EVER KNOWN. HE COULDN'T BUILD COOL SWORDS AND GUNS LIKE VULKAN OR FERRUS MANUS, BUT FUCKING DAMMIT COULD HE MAKE ALL KINDS OF STUFF."

LEMAN RUSS WAS LIKE A FUSION OF KRAMPUS AND A GOLDEN RETRIEVER. HAIRY, LOYAL, AND KNEW HOW TO HAVE A DAMN JOLLY GOOD TIME PUNCHING NAUGHTY KIDS IN THEIR STUPID NASALLY FACES. HIS DOG-LIKE MANNERISMS WERE ALSO ADORABLE FOR A TIME BEFORE THEY GOT WEIRD."

KONRAD WAS SPACE BATMAN. THAT ALONE SHOULD SPEAK VOLUMES OF HOW AWESOME HE WAS. IF YOU COULD OVERLOOK THE WHOLE KILLING AND BUTCHERING THING OF COURSE. I GUESS THAT MAKES HIM SPACE PUNISHER THEN."

FERRUS MANUS HAD HIGH HOPES FOR HUMANITY, AND THOUGH PURGING IT OF "WEAKNESS", HE WISHED TO ASCEND MANKIND TO A NEW LEVEL OF CAPABILITY SO THAT NO TOOL SHALL BECOME A CRUTCH FOR MANKIND."

LORGAR LOVED ME LIKE NO OTHER IN HIS YOUNGER YEARS. IF ONLY HE STOPPED WORSHIPING ME AS A GOD, AND STARTED WORSHIPING ME AS HIS DADDY, WE COULD HAVE HAD AN AMAZING TIME TOGETHER AS FATHER AND SON."

JAGHATAI KHAN WAS REALLY FAST AND HONORABLE. HE WAS SO FAST THAT HE DID WHATEVER I ASKED OF HIM YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, AND PROBABLY SAID "FUCK THAT" TO BETRAYING ME IN THE SHORTEST AMOUNT OF TIME. TALK ABOUT FUCKING DEDICATION."

ANGRON GOT SHIT DONE. SERIOUSLY, NO MATTER WHO'S IN HIS WAY, NO MATTER WHAT OBSTACLES ARE IN HIS PATH. HE. GETS. SHIT. DONE."

CORVUS CORAX KEPT MOST OF HIS ANGST TO HIMSELF AND ASKED LITTLE IN RETURN. AND YET DESPITE HIS SECLUSION, HE PROVED FAR MORE LOYAL THAN SOME OF MY MORE EXTROVERTED SONS."

ALPHARIUS AND OMEGON, DESPITE BEING FUCKING TRAITORS, STILL ACTED IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE GALAXY, AND PROBABLY STILL WOULD HAVE BEEN LOYAL OF THOSE CABAL ASSHOLES DIDN'T SHOW UP AND SAY MY PERFECT PLAN WAS SHIT."

ROBOUTE GUILLIMAN WAS THE BEST PENCIL PUSHER I HAVE EVER SEEN. IF I HAD A BUNCH OF STUPID PAPERWORK I DID NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH, I COULD JUST MAKE IT HIS PROBLEM AND HE COULD HAVE IT DONE YESTERDAY WITHOUT COMPLAINT. IF ONLY BUREAUCRATS WERE NON-BLUE VERSIONS OF HIM, THEN HALF THE SHIT THAT'S GOING ON IN THIS GALAXY WOULDN'T BE HERE, AND NO ONE WOULD RUN OUT OF TOILET PAPER."

FULGRIM KNEW HOW TO APPRECIATE THE CULTURE AND ART WHICH MAKE MANKIND THE SPECIAL LITTLE SNOWFLAKE THAT IT IS, AND ALWAYS STRIVED TO BE BETTER THAN THE PERSON HE WAS YESTERDAY."

LION EL'JONSON WAS THE BEST GENERAL I EVER HAD AND A COURAGEOUS, HONORABLE, AND LOYAL SERVANT OF MANKIND.

MAGNUS WAS THE SECOND BEST ART AFICIONADO OF MY SONS AND WAS A GIANT SPACE WIZARD TO BOOT. ONLY HE, WITH HIS MAGICAL POWERS, COULD HAVE FUCKED UP MY WEBWAY PROJECT SO MUCH, AND FOR THAT HE OWNS A SPECIAL PLACE AS NOT ONLY A GIANT FUCKUP, BUT ALSO AS THE SECOND MOST POWERFUL PSYKER IN THE GALAXY. MY LITTLE MANGY-MAGIC MAKES THE MOST ADORABLE REACTIONS WHENEVER HE IS FLUSTERED TOO."

SANGUINIUS WAS THE BEST SON I HAVE EVER HAD. BEING A PERFECT MIX OF ALL THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT ME, SPORTING THOSE KICKASS ANGELIC WINGS OF AWESOMENESS, AND SACRIFICING HIS LIFE FOR MYSELF. HE IS MY FABULOUS FUCKING HAWKBOY HE HIS."

THOSE OTHER TWO PRIMARCHS' GOOD TRAITS ARE FOR ME AND ONLY MYSELF TO KNOW."

AND AS FOR FUCKING HORUS...

The Emperor went silent for a moment, before he continued, "SIGH... FUCKING HORUS WAS THE FIRST PRIMARCH I HAD REUNITED WITH DURING THE GREAT CRUSADE. HE HAD NOT EVEN REACHED ADULTHOOD YET WHEN I ARRIVED ON HIS HOMEPLANET OF CTHONIA. AND THROUGH THE CENTURIES, I HAD RAISED HIM, TAUGHT HIM TECHNIQUES, AND ENDOWED HIM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE TO COMMAND THE GREATEST SOLDIERS IN HUMAN HISTORY. AND TOGETHER, WE FOUGHT SIDE BY SIDE IN THE GREAT CRUSADE, BASHING XENO HEADS LEFT AND RIGHT IN SOME OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS OF OUR LIVES. WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR HIM TO BEAR THE TITLE OF WARMASTER, I COULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PROUDER OF HIM, FOR HE HAS DONE GREAT THINGS TO COME TO THAT POINT, AND HAD THE POTENTIAL TO DO MANY MORE GREAT THINGS. NOT ONLY IS HE THE FIRST PRIMARCH TO BE FOUND, HE IS THE FIRST THAT I COULD CALL..."

"SON."

Deandra teared up at that last part, wiping them away with a finger. Dorn merely exhaled, thinking of times long past before Horus fell to those dark things. Malcador had similar thoughts, thinking of the Age of Technology before the Iron Rebellion.

"UNTIL THAT LITTLE SHIT STAIN ON THE MATTRESS DECIDED HE WAS TOO GOOD FOR ALL MY GIFTS AND VIOLENTLY REJECTED EVERYTHING I GAVE HIM UNTIL I FINALLY KILLED HIM SO DEAD THAT HIS DEATH DIED AN AGONIZING THIRD-DEATH." The Emperor finished off, obviously and understandably still sore about the end fight of the Horus Heresy.

Dee Dee gave an awkward chuckle at that last part, scratching the back of her head. Dorn let out a snort, amused while Malcador laughed.

"...though, they were few and far in between, the days where we could be a family, were the best days of my life." The Emperor finished, the dust motes on his skull seemingly taking the shape of a wistful smile.

The angel nodded, glad that she could hear something like this.

"Now, let us continue then." Deandra said, maintaining her seriousness as she straightened her posture and schooled her features.

"INDEED."

Commorragh

The blast from the surge of Cyclonic Torpedoes began to fade and the heat from the explosion died down, the hundred mile long and million miles deep hole that had been formed from Draigo unleashing the power of a sun on the Hollowed Knight was now three times as long and three times as deep. Yet even when the heat faded, there was a feeling like the Dark City, as if effected by the emotions riling from its victims in times long past, would heal. But unfortunately for the universe, the blast was not enough.

In the very deepest part of the pit before from the battle, around a lake of melted dark grey materials resembling liquid plastic that dripped from the walls around it, was a massive half orb of darkness that seemed to freeze the melted materials around it. It seemed it almost be liquescent, reflecting coiling and clustering shapes almost like a cloudy sky, while around it was a dull grey thick circle of the frozen slag. It emitted a low sound like the soft wind as it tensed and writhed in the sea of grey slag.

Suddenly, the orb of darkness vanished, revealing an unscathed Hollow Knight with the equally unscathed Grim Junior and Minimandy.

After letting go of the two and unfurling its wings, the siblings saw the destruction around them. Minnie's jaw nearly hit the ground, while Grim blinked in surprise at the power that the Imperials had in their arsenal. However, they were then blasted by the heat around them, almost like they were inside a blazing furnace, Grim was mostly unaffected due to his symbiote replacing most of his skin while Minnie felt the full effects; panting, sweating gallons, and fanning herself.

The Knight merely stepped to the edges of the circle, where the melted grey slag immediately froze solid when its feet touched upon them. The heat began to reach a tolerable level for Minnie as she slowly stopped sweating, able to breathe again, before she looked around.

"By Nurgle's putrid breath, this place is destroyed." The Princess breathed as she took in the sight of the desolated area around them.

"Indeed, what's worse is that the Emperor escaped." Grim replied, having a bitter expression on his face as he knew how their mother would react to this news.

Minnie put a hand to her head and groaned, "She'll skin us alive for this, brother." She gripped her bangs tightly knowing that their mother's punishments would be harsh beyond measure for their failure.

The Knight tuned out their conversation as it let its mind wander, thinking of itself and what it was. Looking at one piece of the frozen slag, the Knight picked it up from the ground, watching as Warpfrost began to cover it before it broke apart into several thousand pieces and fell off its palm. The Hollowed one was merely content to look around, taking in the dark whimsy of the Dark City.

But even as it did, it couldn't help but to think.

It had millions of memories that weren't its own: a mother falling to her knees as her son was taken away by the Imperium, an injured Imperial Guard running through the dense forests of Irana in a desperate dash to get away from whatever was slaughtering his comrades, a boy running down the street to his father coming home from a long day of work, a serial killer who was then pinned to the wall by his latest victim who happened to be an Inquisitorial agent, a teenage girl who stared blankly into space as her horrible father forced himself upon her, a drunkard in a tavern who sifted through his change for one more stiff drink, a haberdasher who was selling a three piece suit to a local noble which was cured in cheap chemicals that caused erosion of the skin, a little girl who was wondering why her mother was crying before she gave her a hug.

Millions of these pinprick fragments of souls all washing together and pressed, drowning in the blackness as they strafed on the lines between existence and nonexistence, wallowing in their lostness as they stared up into the entrance of the Abyss, where the only light they could see shined upon their hideousness. It was only when they were captured by the sons of the Black Dragon, confining it to the machine as they stared at it in disgust.

Even after it waited and dreamed in sadness, all it could do was pin those memories together to paint of picture of identity it had not possessed. It stirred in sadness as it tried to create something it wasn't; a self. Even as it was confined to the machine, waiting for the Salamanders to put it to use, it saw the Black Dragon and his sons create things both great and terrible before it dreamt of being... something.

It didn't matter as a builder or a destroyer, a thing to be loved or a thing to be feared, something that tore the world down or something that rebuilt it, just so long as it could be... something, it could be the most terrifying thing imaginable.

And it was then that it remembered something from just after it was festooned in this armor of eldritch origin.

XXX

The Garden of Nurgle

The Conjurers of Pestilence were gathered together, chatting together over their discoveries about the latest ailments to worlds unbeknownst to mankind. That is, until one turned out of the shadows to address its kin.

Where feet should've been where the suckers of a creature that knew not how to walk on anything except the surface of a ceiling. Its body-formerly bloated with fat and pustules-was deflated, hanging like empty trash bags on a telephone pole as the being had used itself as a test subject and all of the viral flesh it once had was consumed when no one disease could kill it.

One, disabled arm was larger than the other, voids in the flabby, wrapped skin of its body...housing invertebrates that acted as its accountants and assistants. This swollen home for large insects was given the benefit of being connected to a couple of the chittering scarabs within by tendrils of synaptic tendons. In his smaller, less deformed limb was a book, shaped from the rotting matter of a great beast and the now fibrous flesh of a Necron Flayer which this being had bought at a market.

Atop its mismatched shoulders was a ghastly sight. Where one would've expected a face, the visage they found was a mask made of skin and bone, shaped into the shape of a bird's head to mock and honor the Grandfather's greatest foe. This curved beak was tinged yellow as urine, shaped like a banana yet it parted open, revealing leathery jaws housing three eyes in the back of the throat.

However, before Undergrowth and the Conjurors was the Knight, bound in indestructible rusted chains that weathered his struggles, his baleful white armor stained with the grime and plant life of the Father of All. However, even as it grew, it withered and flaked off to reveal the stainless whiteness that was the armor that contained its being, leaving it as pure as the day it was forged in the Dragon's dark world.

"Fascinating." One of the Conjurors said to both Undergrowth and himself, "The armor it is bound in is resisting the gifts of the Father. Even the Destroyer Plague and Nurgle's Rot are unless against it."

Undergrowth put a clawed hand to the underside of his peak, a thoughtful expression crossing his floral and spiked face. As they said this, several other Conjurors came with a cauldron of pure distilled decay and death, attempting to create a virulent substance so vile that not even others blessed by the Plaguefather could resist its potency. If any mortal would be drenched in the substance, they would dissolve until nothing would be left except a puddle of sludge that would then be possessed by the new spirit born from the decay and remade into a fitting shape.

When they reached the edges of the dark circle where the Knight sat cross-legged, Undergrowth took the cauldron in his hand before he poured the substance on the abyssal thing.

The substance didn't even elicit a scream of pain from whatever was wearing its armor, but the growth immediately began forming on the surface of the white plates as green immediately replaced ivory. Grass, spiked vines, moss, mold, and fungi began sprouting and wrapping around the Knight like a cocoon of nature, every single disease and pathogen in existence being pumped into the metal surrounding it so it would rot into oblivion. There was no trace of the Knight left as the flora and disease filled mist erupted around it.

Suddenly, there was a subtle hissing from the cocoon before it began to blacken in spots that began to grow in size, slowly beginning to wither away. The flora began to fall off like rotten branches on a dead tree, the mist of disease began to slowly die away. Several parts of it flaking off to reveal the pure and pristine whiteness of the Hollow Knight, unmoored as the blackened flora blew away like a cloud of ashes.

Undergrowth blinked as his beaked mouth was agape, exhaling a breath of disbelief, same as the other Conjurors. One of them even muttered out, "Impossible..." as it put a hand to its head in disbelief.

This was... they lost count of how many times they had failed to infect the Knight. Because, even the Nurglites, in their infinite cheer, feel an unknown tremulousness when it was near or in the Garden. There was almost a profound wrongness to it, like a soul that had been grounded to sand and inverted in its essence, the grass withered as it breathed, the leaves died at its gaze, the fruit infested with the plague gifts of the Grandfather would spoil and be reduced to slurry at its touch while the ones that were not seemed to carry its wrongness.

One Plague Marine once grew annoyed at its seemingly infinite endurance before striking it with a Plague Knife that was dripped in the very Cauldron of Nurgle. The moment it struck the Knight's armor, the blade blackened before flaking away like ashes, much to the shock of all those present.

After that, the Conjurors grew curious by its near immunity to Nurgle's gift, making and conjuring all the diseases and pathogens imaginable to create something that would corrupt the abyssal creature adorned in eldritch horror armor. But every attempt of theirs ended in failure, or even worse. However, this was boon to them as they test the effects of their creations on something that could withstand them.

With that, and with the last of their creations for now being tested, they decided that they would leave the Knight to his lonesome, letting it continue the last days of this vigil in silence.

However, a few hours after the Conjurors left it alone, the Knight raised its head as a sound pricked at whatever it had for a sense of hearing. The Knight turned to the forest as it heard a rustling sound in the distance, before something came it into the garden through the foliage.

The Hollow Knight blinked at the creature standing alone. It was tall, almost a head taller than the Plague Marines, standing on thick Equus legs with orb-like emerald eyes on its hips, its skin a polymerization of a black carapace and dark green fur, a narrow prehensile tail swaying like a cobra ready to strike, the arms long and fingers terminating in needle-like claws. The face was narrow and feminine with pale skin, milk-white eyes, knife-shaped ears, a mop of dirty emerald hair with thick antlers as long as a human forearm resting on its head.

Tears flowed down its face as it quietly sobbed, hugging itself as it saw a wilted rose in its hand.

Staring at the entity in a silence, the Hollow Knight then turned to a rose infested with the essence of the plague god before it turned back to the sobbing entity.

Suddenly, it slowly nudged its upper right arm out of the chains, enough for the forearm to emerge out as it raised into one finger from the hand. After that, the Knight slowly leaned towards the rose, pushing to the limits that the chains would allow but enough that it gently brushed its fingertip against the black-green pedal of the flower.

Then a change came over the rose, the black and filth seemed to flake off it as the pedals turned a majestic white that matched its armor, the essence of Nurgle leaving it as whatever rot and decay that had been infesting it faded into the garden. Soon, it resembled an unblemished winter rose that the Knight gently plucked from the ground as it raised it to the entity.

The entity seemed to sense its attention as it turned a fearful gave to the Knight, only to blink in surprise when it saw the rose in its hand. It looked at the Knight and then the rose before the Knight again, expecting the holder to do something. After several seconds of nothing happening, the entity extended a hand out to reach the rose, cautious as it brushed the tips of its claws against the pure white pedals, before it took the white flower into its hands.

It gazed at the winter rose like it was the greatest gift it had ever received. The entity then looked at the Knight and gave a smile before it vanished back into the forest.

XXX

The Knight interrupted the argument from the sibling by placing a hand on both of their shoulders, silencing them as they turned to him in shock.

"I will take the blame." The Knight replied in the voice of an old man before its voice then became like that of a man and woman speaking, "ThE tAsK oF oBtAiNiNg ThE eMpErOr WaS My DuTy. I WiLl EnDuRe YoUr MoThEr'S wRaTh."

The two looked at each other with shocked expressions, before they slowly nodded, at least thinking that the Knight may be able to reason with their mother. After that, the Knight raised the Nightmare Blade and wreathed it in the black flames before it swung down, leaving a scar in the fabric of reality. The slash warped into a gateway through the Warp, expanding out into a circular shape, red mist leaking from the dread place that was their destination.

Minnie gulped as she took her brother's hand into hers, hoping that they would survive their mother's rage, but blushed at his touch, "Let us face the music, brother."

Grim turned to his sister, who looked away to hide her blush, and merely raised an eyebrow, before he nodded in agreement, "Very well, sister. Let us face the music of our mother."

And with that, the three ended the portal that closed behind them.

Lelith Hesperex sighed as she leaned against the railing of the lab she found herself in. The light from the explosion had faded into the darkness, letting the Dark City regain its name as the blackness overtook it again, yet she felt something that she hadn't before. Like the beast born from the sadism, hate, and all dark thoughts spawned from the sufferer's final breathes, it jeered and howled out in demoniac laughter as it tried to slither its way into the minds of the things that had been born and raised in this dark horror city.

The gladiator then shook her head and turned her piercing gaze to the creature that she had summoned to the black tower that was always the home of the Supreme Overlord whenever he was in hiding from an assassination attempt or in need of regeneration. She trailed a finger over the smooth stainless surfaces of a lab bench, seeing the several jars containing several emerald slivers resembling coiling and writhing worms, suspended in an odd clear fluid that was viscous and like protoplasm from old arcane origin.

As she traced a clawed finger over the stained and murky glass of the soul sliver jars, a slithering and crackling came to the sharp ears that she still possessed and with a turn of her head to the west, Lelith bore the unpleasant sight of the monster that she summoned.

It was only vaguely Aeldari, its pointed ears and nose contrasted the tentacles slick with glistening enzyme filled slime drooping over its shoulders, the violet skin stretched into what resembled a jagged and warped skeleton, dark eyes like orbs of lusterless liquid sitting in their imprisoning sockets, and the wide rictus grin barely hidden by sculpted grafted cheeks. Its amorphous body forcefully restrained in a Drukhari body suit of frightening colorlessness, twin pairs of long ropey arms terminating in in sinewy prehensile paws possessing boney stinger-like claws filled with colored fluids of unknowable effect, an organic rack of limbs grown on its back as it floated toward her, much of itself was draped in the sewn and avidly altered skin of the truly unfortunate beings that had encountered it.

Below it was a slithering mass of pale wet writhing tentacles as it left a trail of clear slime behind in its trek, terminating in suppurating maws of haemovore worms that shrieked and whined, snapping at anything possessing blood or ichor. In its hand was the Casket of Flensing, still caging the green festering spirits of evil writhed and pounded against the fleshy walls that entrapped them. It possessed steel surgical tools that had been fused into its being like new organs that it would manifest like a kit of metal and flesh, but whatever shape it had now become had been tightly constrained by the restraining attire that it had clad itself in.

"Urien Rakarth." Lelith issued his name with a nausea like she had bitten into a rotting tumor, "Is it done?"

The monster that he had become merely become beckoned with a hand, disappearing into the pulsing tunnel that led to her request which she followed with less haste than him. After a minute of traversing the dark writhing fleshy tunnel, the gladiator turned daemoness found the one that she requested to see.

Laying there was Asdrubael Vect.

He was laying on the platform in the center of the circular room, more akin to a surgery slab than a bed, but the one who occupied it was more than horrid a state than before. The skin was coated in a menagerie of fourth and fifth-degree burns, burnt flesh chaffing off to reveal writhing red muscle fiber that leaked oily fluid, the chest and legs exposed to reveal the pale sections of skin that were barely spared from the explosion. The only clothing that remained was the destroyed section of the body suit that covered the lower half that reached the knees, leaving the rest exposed and barely intact.

The right arm had been stapled back onto the socket by the shoulder, leaving a cut with clotting ichor with metallic stables acting as the new muscles that kept the limb connected, while the left hand seemed to twitch lightly, a sinewy finger either curling or attempting to. There was a subtle distending and contacting in the chest, signifying breath as the black scorched pieces of former flesh broke as its movement, while the face seemed permanently shaped to a closed eyed content expression with a soft happy smile pulling the lips into.

Connected to the body was a series of clear cables that pumped an emerald or violet compound into the veins of the creature on the table, surgical scars sealed with stables and healed flesh, an odd object resembling an orb of chrome with extended slithering tendrils connecting to the eyes, intact ears, and mouth containing on it a sliver of emerald energy that writhed and coiled around.

"Understand that my labs were destroyed in the Day of Flames." Rakarth preemptively replied before Lelith could query on the poor shape of Vect, "Even then this was but a rushed job as the Mon'keigh would call it. Though I guarantee that he will heal and awaken, I cannot guarantee when he will awaken."

Lelith placed a hand on the tender head of Vect, her fingers brushing against the soft unburnt follicles as she breathed a rueful sigh, "Thank you, Rakarth. That will be all."

Rakarth only have a curt nod as he slithered out of sight and out of Lelith's mind, leaving her to fall to her knees, resting on the bedside where Vect laid. Her head rested on the arm as she ran a finger on the edge, her eyes looking down as her ears picked up the sound of a heart beating.

When she saw the explosions come, something inside her made her move against her will, becoming almost a streak of light that raced to the sight of the blast where she knew Vect was at the epicenter. Just as the explosion would have reduced the Supreme Overlord to little more than ash, Lelith grabbed him and the arm that was severed before speeding back to the arena.

Just as the explosions rocked Commorragh, she arrived back at the Arena, holding Vect's burnt body in her arms. And with that, she rushed him to whatever labs of the Haemonculi were left and called for Rakarth, calling in a favor that she had long held onto for some great occasion. Afterward, when the mad shaper of flesh and spirit had commenced his work, Lelith waited in a state of franticness that she never remembered finding herself in.

She let a smile grace her lips, feeling herself think back. What would have happened had she accepted Yvraine's offer to leave the Dark City? Would she have found the greatest fight of her live like she had when that machine fought her in the arena? She couldn't remember how long ago that was, but now she couldn't bring herself to care.

Lelith stood back up before she whispered, "Get some rest, Vect."

The gladiator then left for another dual to take her mind off of these events... not noticing a single tear rolling down her face.

Unknown to all in the Dark City, the Oracle, now freed from the dark bonds that bound him to the decadent and animalistic Draugr, calmly watched as the twin children of the Daemon Queen and her Hollow Knight departed from the Dark City like a shepherd rounding up stray heifers. The black pigment that plagued the ragged shawls that hid his eldritch being had faded, revealing the white rags that he enveloped him as he rested hand with clammy azure flesh ending in obsidian claws.

The wind brushed the hood to the barest traces of light that revealed his face unconcealed in a series of tightly bound bandages, the loose-fitting shawls flaring and billowing in the wind as his azure slickened tentacles in place of legs coiled around the ledge that he had perched himself upon, before the eyeless face perceived an object resting in the destroyed ship still loaded with armaments of planetary destruction and death.

It was a broken Husk Blade, sitting the great blaze that was the result of its ignited liquid ethereal fluid that it subsisted for fuel.

The Oracle descended to the pyre of fuchsia, parting them with but a gesture as his dark tentacles slithered across the fleshy undulating mass that counted as the ground. He grasped the object in his palms, noting the still intact hilt and guard, the broken blade and its steaming composite, soot and smoldering oils draping its former grace. Others emerged, shapes of blackness and masses of ropey eye covered tentacles of a viscous oil, crystal beasts, and meat puppets stuffed with shadow things from beyond the grave.

Deciding it is an object worth collecting, the Oracle reached for his dark satchel, opening its red leathered flap and dropping it uncouthly into the unfathomable depths of its capacity, letting it join his horrid collection. Then as he took in the maddening scale of the Dark City, he felt something pierce his brain as his hand shot to the side of his head, falling to whatever he now possessed in place of knees.

It came in the form of a voice, heavy and base, echoing over his shoulder and into his ears as it wove into the latest prophecy.

"What. Is. It. Thoust. See...?

Doth Thine eyes... See it... Oracle?

Gaze into... mine Crimson Miasma.

Thine Faeder laid bare...

Desiccated on the rocks by thy hand...

The Emperor will know.

Of Two, One Falls...

One rises.

Damnation.

The third eye opens.

The Half-man will feed and warm her gullet.

The Emperor, will know.

The Patriarch, in mastering Luna, ends hamstrung...

He will wish death upon his flesh...

But no mercy shall be given, for none he hath gave.

The rising three shall signal wars end.

Woe and triumph.

The Emperor will know.

From them...

Bloodshed.

Armageddon for all.

Human, Eldar, Greenskins, T'au, Kryptonians, Martians.

In the light they all will see the Queen."

'I. AM. THE. NEW. GOD.

ALL IS ONE IN I. THIS MIGHTY BODY IS MY CHURCH.

WHEN I COMMAND YOUR SURRENDER, I SPEAK WITH TEN BILLION VOICES...

WHEN I MAKE A FIST TO CRUSH YOUR RESISTANCE. IT IS WITH TEN BILLION HANDS!

WHEN I STARE INTO YOUR EYES AND SHATTER YOUR DREAMS. AND BREAK YOUR HEART. IT IS WITH TWENTY BILLION EYES!

NOTHING LIKE I HAS EVER COME AMONG YOU: NOTHING WILL AGAIN.

I WILL TAKE YOU TO A HELL WITHOUT EXIT OR END.

AND THERE I WILL MURDER YOUR SOULS!

AND MAKE YOU CRAWL AND BEG!

AND DIE!

DIE! DIE FOR DARKSEID!'

It suddenly stopped, causing the Oracle to grasp the nearest thing so that he would not collapse onto the ground once more. Quite discomposed by the sudden visions, the Oracle swiftly decided to vacate the Dark City before whatever event that had been prophesied would come be. Suddenly, another feeling besieged him, causing the Oracle to turn around and see a man standing before him, wearing a white mask with "KRV' written on it in red.

The two masked figures stared upon each other, before it seemed like a quiet understanding overtook them. The Oracle raised a hand, which Krv took with a slight hesitance.

After which, reaching into his satchel, the Oracle grabbed a handful of Warp dust that he had obtained from the dark corners of this city before he let it fall in a thin stream into a hollow circle where he then stood in front of. Then from whatever sound producing organs that he now possessed, he uttered an alien jargon that would have driven many to madness at its horrid sound as his long bony finger drew a spiral in the dust that remained upon the glazing flesh of his palm that began to glow faintly.

Krv slowly backed away, wondering what is happening as the Oracle continued his eldritch rite. Soon, as he finished the last verse of this blasphemous alien jargon, the Oracle threw out the glowing collection of Warp dust at the circle he drew. The change was profound almost, like the opening of an eldritch thing from beyond, a gateway of old origin soon came in a spiraling and shimmering fashion.

Beyond it was a light bending way filled with sights and sounds only the darkest of minds could produce, almost entrancing in its pure chaos incarnation. Krv seemed transfixed upon the loving light before him, but the Oracle then beckoned for him to go first. And then, with a bow, the masked man entered, leaving the Dark City behind.

Giving one singular look at Commorragh before entering his gateway, the Oracle couldn't help but to ponder what could be the next events that would shake the multiverse. He only hoped that they gained a better understanding of the Gods that those in his universe did.

And so, Commorragh, the chaotic city of the Drukhari, was left to the mad whims of the horrors, madmen, degenerates, and miscreants that ran avidly in its depraved streets.

And that's a wrap!

Jesus Christ, this took a while. Sorry, if I couldn't capture the feeling of TTS, but I am nowhere near the master of wordplay that is Bruva Alfabusa. Cause let me tell you, writing the TTS Emperor's dialog was not easy. I always had to go, "Okay Z, what would the Emperor say?" And I hope I captured it well.

And yep, this is why the Drukhari have yet to appear in Embrace All Chaos, they were all devoured by Slaanesh after she got supercharged on all the power they got when the Maw opened and his first act was to crack Commorragh open like an egg and feast on the Dark Eldar wholesale. Fun Fact, originally, I was going to have a Tyranid Hive Fleet accidentally be warped into Commorragh, but I put that idea on the backburner.

For those that are wondering why Rogal's still in the Throneroom instead of escaping the Castle of Sin, all I can say is... time fuckery. In the material world, the battle that resulted in Rogal's capture hasn't happened yet.

Also, yes, Vashtorr the Arkifane will appear, sooner than you think actually. Obviously, this story was written before Ark of Omens came out, and let me tell you, I freaking LOVE Ark of Omens! Especially Vastorr, as I think he's a breath of fresh air when compared to the other chaos characters, being cold, logical, and creating all kinds of cool new horrors for the setting! Being a mad scientist connoisseur myself, I know I'm going to have fun with him!

And as for that scene where those two become the Hate Angel... I have no excuse, I am a sick, sick person.

Anyway, I hope you're ready because Chapter 19 will be an even bigger spectacle than this!

Feel free to make a Reaction fic or a TV Tropes page!

See Ya!

Shredder stumbled around before slurring, "My face feels like magic..."

He then fell down with the tankard holding the beverage flew into the air.

Reacting fast, Slade caught the tankard while the liquid flowed into it like an invisible dispenser.

It was then that he noticed the droplets on the floor were beginning to dissolve the plastics.

Curiosity got the better of him as Slade took a small sip.

He yelped before nearly stumbling, muttering hoarsely, "That has a hell of a kick."

Russ took the tankard and took a swig.

The Primarch let out and 'omph' before saying, "Now it's like Fenrisian Ale.