His vision was blurry. He wiped away the blood that ran down from his forehead and spit out a glob of red mucus on the snowy field. The creature before him was a towering feline monster, at least 20 metres tall. Holtz used his thunder hammer to raise himself to his feet. He was bruised and injured, despite his power armour and Rosarius protecting him.

But neither was the creature unscathed. Its ear has been severely damage as well parts of its hands.

Well done, fighting me toe to toe. I commend you, mortal.

The creature swung its giant claws at the inquisitor. Holtz raised his hammer to block, but the strike threw him several metres back.

Holtz spit out even more blood.

"Not yet..." he said to himself, "I must buy him more time."

The inquisitor's eyes burned with conviction.

"DEAR GOD EMPEROR OF MANKIND! DELIVER UNTO ME THE POWER TO DO YOUR WILL!"

With a thundering cry, the inquisitor raised his hammer.

Useless.

The creature swung once more, only this time, the inquisitor jumped out of the way of harm.

"I have traveled weeks just to get here, creature. It would be a shame to die without making much progress."

The inquisitor jumped up towards the creature's face with his hammer swinging behind him.

"For the EMPEROR!"

He swung his hammer at the creature head.

…...

Forschner and Rem made their way towards the manor. They were greeted by the stench of burnt flesh and blood. There were several dead cultists lying around the courtyard. It appeared that there were two different factions, represented by the marks on their forehead.

"An internal conflict?" Rem wondered.

"Perhaps. The more of these heretics kill each other, the better it is," Forschner commented, satisfied at the view.

Before the two, a familiar face stopped them. Rem almost dropped to her knee. Forschner made a grim face.

"Rem. How are you?"

The pink haired maid stood before them, her dress dripping in blood. On her forehead, there was a different mark, one that Forschner recognized.

"Sister-" Rem choked out what words she can find.

"Fallen to the hands of the Dark Gods, have you?" Forschner questioned.

Ram shrugged, a crude and bloody blade on her hand.

"He asked for you as well, but I think I will bring him your skull instead."

Forschner aimed his bolt pistol, but Rem stopped him.

"Sir, this is Rem's fight. You must go on."

Forschner looked at Rem from the corner of his eyes and nodded. Ram simply smiled.

"Go on, Forschner. I will come hunting for your skull in just a bit."

Forschner withdrew his weapon and made his way towards the manor, still facing his enemy.

"Come join me when you are done, Rem. That is an order!"

Forschner ran off. Rem smiled bitterly.

"That's cruel, sir."

She whispered before raising her flail.

…...

There were no other obstacle on his way to the manor. Forschner kicked down the door and aimed his bolt pistol. There he found the girl with white hair and pointy ears, except in completely purple dress, coming down from the stairs.

Without much hesitation, Forschner fired off his bolt pistol twice.

The shots stopped before coming in contact with the witch. Her Unseen Hands stopped them.

"Welcome, Viktor. It's been a while."

She greeted him with a cold smile.

"I did not believe that this would work anyway."

Forschner cast away his empty bolt pistol to the side.

"So I hear that you were waiting for me, witch. Why?"

Forschner asked, maintaining his bravado before the abomination.

The witch gracefully walked towards him.

"My, my... Look at you, Viktor. All grown."

Forschner cringed his face.

"All grown?"

The witch smiled. It was the same face that Forschner was used to seeing. However, it was without a doubt a different person, or entity.

"Didn't you ever wonder why you were here? How you even got here?"

The witch asked, walking in circles around the commissar.

"I was indeed curious about it."

Forschner answered, observing his foe with keen eyes, watching her every movement. Despite how unguarded she seemed, she had no openings. If he made a sudden move, he would die. That much, he knew.

"Your survival aboard the Invictus was no accident. It was a deal."

"What?"

Forschner stuttered.

"It was a deal. Struck upon by your mother to save your pathetic life. To spare your life there for eternity of damnation. Your soul was mine from that moment on."

The witch walked away towards the stairs, leaving the stunned commissar in place.

"It was decades ago. I was defeated and banished into the Warp, drifting away without physical form. But by design or twisted fate, a lone Imperial ship came into my view. I was so hungry that I couldn't miss it. But there I saw a young boy who shined like a lantern in the dark – you, Viktor."

The witch's smile grew even more sadistic. Her Unseen Hand stroked Forschner's hair and face.

"Your soul shined brighter than anything I've seen. I wanted it so badly. And there your parents were, so eager to offer you up for a mere decade or two of your survival. Your mother was the one to suggest letting you go."

"What do you mean my soul shined?" Forschner asked, nearly choking for words.

The witch stopped caressing his face with her Unseen Hand.

"Your presence, Viktor. Your psychic presence. You are a pysker. Why do you think every slobbering gods and their minions want a piece of you? But somehow, you've been hiding, and quite well actually. It wasn't until recently until you just came back under my radar. But it was strange..."

The witch tapped on her chin as if curious.

"I set a displacement spell on you so that your soul returns to me when you die, but instead, here you are, in your physical body, standing before me."

Forschner was in utter shock.

"If that is true, then what psychic powers do I have?"

The witch giggled like a child and shrugged.

"How are you going to ask me? I don't know. All I know is how bright you shine, Viktor."

The Witch of Envy stretched her arms out, as if to give a hug.

"Now, you have a choice. Be devoured or become my eternal servant. I won't let any other gods have you, Viktor, you are mine!"

This story is finally nearing the end. Next chapter will be the last, followed by an epilogue.