Dawn of War: Destiny War

by Big Boss Pugh

In the 40th millennium, there is nothing but war. Now, on the edge of the halo zone in the Segmentum Pacificus region, a new threat is coming. Follow the story of the imperial guard led by Max Johnson and Lucas Turner as they face orks and chaos worshippers of Slaanesh. Though they stand alone, alliances must be made if they are to survive the horrors.

4. Chapter 4

Dawn of War: Destiny War

(The elder continue their path of destiny. The Imperial Guard chase their enemy. In the center of the war, dark forces gather in strength and stand ready to strike. Enjoy the reading.)

Chapter 4: Section 4 – 1

She waits and calms her inner rage; the silence of the chamber is hers. Time seems to drift away at the moment. Nothing else matters than the success of the eldar. The loss of their kin is hurtful as any other lifeform losing its loved ones. Yet, hope endures within her chest. She recalls the events from planet Saneesh to now; every step has led her here. From the battling of orks to assisting the foolish mon-keigh against the savage beasts, everything has happened for a reason. The words of farseer Elenwe still sing loud to her, but they are not as loud as the last words she once said to her kin recently.

"Return me to the human Max Johnson," Elenwe said.

Though no amount of distrust can be expressed on the eldar and human teamwork, Kayleth honors her fallen farseer and did so. In her hubris though, she still believes that her kin and leadership will be the turning point for the eldar. She alone accepts that the right way to save her kind is by planning, strategy, tactics, and manipulation of other species. The words from her farseer may beg to differ; however, Kayleth did not want to accept the prophecy just yet. As she stands on her feet, she keeps her mind focus on the current events. The human vessel has left the ice world to return home to HQ. A few slow breaths leave her lips as she takes her blade in hand. When her eyes open, Kayleth strikes forward with a thrust. She twists her body and swings her sword to the left. Next, she hops in the air and swings her sword to the right. After landing softly, she wheels about and strikes with a low slash. She rises up with an upward slash and motions downward with a hard swing. Before she can continue her sword practice, the warlock Veldoran approaches her with news.

He says, "The humans are acting strange. Follow me to the observer."

Once they arrive and view the humans on the monitors, they see that several humans have started a fight against a small band of orks. Only ten thousand imperial guard troops are at the foundry maintaining the defenses and improving the systems. Strangely, a small skirmish is occurring within the walls of the foundry. Human groups are holding fast between the approaching orks and the splitter group of humans; Kayleth calls her war council together. It didn't take long for many of them to want nothing to do with the human problem against the orks. Veldoran and Kayleth persuade them to change their choice of action.

Veldoran says, "The humans are nothing but pawns for us to use. If the orks overcome them, then where will we find another species to manipulate to do our heavy fighting?"

Kayleth adds, "The humans have yet to run their full course. We will use less of our forces and allow many of the rangers to tip the scale of battle to their cause. I only need a small handful to assist me with this."

Only a few others agree to help. Many banshee warriors stand by to be ready to fall upon the orks. For now, the eldar keep their main force on hold until needed. Kayleth and the handful of eldar appear on the surface by teleporter. The Faded Light turns away from the anti-air guns near the foundry. The eldar squads advance quickly to the first wall; they get inside only to discover dead humans everywhere. Many are gunned down and only one survivor struggles to hold on. Kayleth approaches the person and quickly asks what happen. As the man speaks his final words, the other eldar disappear and conceal themselves.

The imperial guard soldier raises his hand and spits out blood, "They…came…out of…nowhere…dark…eldar…she was so…"

The soldier shuts his eyes; Kayleth hears the voices of a few guardsmen approaching her with guns ready. She slowly turns to them. The look on their face shows satisfaction at the deeds done to their own. Something else is wrong with them though. It is as if some form of taint has overcome them.

One person says, "The pleasure of killing a person never will get old. The sensation of feeling the trigger squeeze excites me. The noise of the lasrifle fire is so soothing to hear. To hear a person die is so sweet. To have an eldar die is even sweeter. Come to me, eldar Kayleth. No one is going to save you now."

Kayleth shows displeasure and replies, "I see you let the succubus influence you with power and pleasure. As for me, I am not the one who needs saving."

Two eldar snipers fire a bullet and eliminate two humans. Three eldar howling banshee warriors slit the throat of three more soldiers. A set of three eldar show up and gun down the next three humans in stealth mode. They reveal themselves to be Warp Spiders as they each stab the last three soldiers. The last man smiles at his foes and begins to laugh uncontrollable.

He says, "You may kill me, but I have seen more pleasure coming for you than anything imaginable. You will die beautiful, Kayleth of craft world Alaitoc. And your kind shall…"

Before he can speak, she runs her sword through his neck and says, "The only one who dies today is you and your corruption human."

Appearing from behind her with a small war host, Veldoran shows us with reinforcements.

He says, "It would seem that the dark eldar succubus is here and turning half of the humans to her cause. We cannot allow her to escape this time; I propose we keep the guardsmen alive to keep the orks busy. With their distraction, we can find out where she is hiding at."

Kayleth nods her head in agreement and sets her war camp in order. A small group of bone singers craft the small defense around the area as she and Veldoran advance forward. They come across a small unit of guardsmen under fire by the orks. The eldar ranger squad eliminates the ork bands with ease and keeps their presence hidden. The humans head further in and start reinforcing other areas against the orks. Kayleth and her kind come across a group of guardsmen being tortured by their former allies. Her warriors slip in and liberate the prisoners from their captors. The guardsmen didn't know what to do now. Many are unsure of what will happen next; Kayleth fiercely roars at the men.

Kayleth shouts, "Rise up, humans! You are soldiers to your empire! You dare call yourself men of the imperium you serve!?"

The words she speaks uplift the men. They each grab a lasrifle and assist others with their wounds.

One guard approaches her and says, "Thanks for saving us. We can hold back the orks once we get the base back under our control. One of the former allies told how the dark ones slipped in here. They came in from the south western territory. Something about a surprise there is waiting for anyone else that comes through. If you hurry, you may buy us more time and stop whatever it is they are doing."

Veldoran replies, "Thank you for the information. Go now and protect your base."

Kayleth, Veldoran, and the eldar quickly relocate to the south west area away from the foundry. Once they are clear, the bone singers teleport over the base to their location. It didn't take long for them to reset the base into a highly defensive area. As the eldar army advances, a loud shriek cracks in the sky. The eldar stop and check their surroundings. Soon, laughter is heard. As she steps from her dark veil of cover, Rela laughs with delight as she points to her kin. The hatred for one of the dark eldar reminds the others of how far one can fall.

Rela says, "I am glad to see that you here. Last time, we never got the chance to introduce ourselves. Allow me to do so. I am Rela. I am of the dark city that you all know of."

Kayleth scoffs at her and points her sword, "And you may call me Kayleth, the dark eldar kin slayer. You won't escape this time. Whatever your plans are, they will not be achieved. Stand and fight me now."

Kayleth lashes at her with a graceful leap, but Rela stops her sword with a blade of her own. The appearance of the sword frightens Kayleth as she jumps back to her allies and orders her warriors to move back; Veldoran shudders in fear himself as Rela strolls forward. They can't believe what she is holding in her hand. The weapon gives off a dark aura; many eldar know the dangers of the warp when any try to wield it through weapons. Instead of Rela suffering from the blade, she holds it with ease. Veldoran looks closely at the weapon. He sees a horrifying image that lurks within the blade; it is a blade housing a daemon of Slaanesh within.

Rela looks down and smiles, "Oh, you like my weapon of choice? Yes, it is a weapon infused with a daemon inside. A great daemon of She Who Thirsts is inside. Though at any time my soul can be devoured, it won't happen. You see, I am protected since my master has control over it. My soul is safe from the dangers."

Veldoran snarls at the dark eldar, "Who is your master? Tell me!"

She waves her finger, "Oh no, you don't get to know until it is time. For now, I must return. You can deal with the others."

As she disappears from their sight, former guardsmen rush forward swinging swords and axes. Though Kayleth and her war host are ready, the humans move slightly faster than ever. The howling warriors leap, jump, slide, and twist around every single attack the corrupt mon-keigh use against them. The men cry out for the blood of the eldar to spill on the ground; Veldoran gets cut on his arm surprisingly, but Kayleth strikes down his attacker. The eldar purse and advance further in to discover more disturbing sights. A small group of humans have offered sacrifices to She Who Thirsts. In return for the beautiful display of a human life and markings on their body, they are given the ability to move with such grace that leaves the eldar more than just infuriated.

Each small group is marked with a design of the Chaos God Slaanesh in honor for the deeds they have performed. There is a sacrifice here or a beautiful mark of pain symbol there; the eldar push forward going deeper into the twisted landscape. The majority of the eldar keep their rage in check; however, Kayleth throws herself at the enemy with such fury. Though the touch of Max on her hand caused her disrespect and disgust, the appearance of any cult dedicated to Slaanesh is too much for her to witness. After the eldar come to the last spot, they discover a place of great shame. Small areas of blood fill in the holes as the dead lay on the ground. Kayleth approaches the ground and views the damage. All the other eldar remain behind as their leader goes into the blood stain grounds. The area has a horrible smell. There is a possibility of one hundred men and women here with their body bleeding. A shout comes from above; Kayleth looks up to see Rela and a band of dark eldar Wyches ready for combat. High on a hilltop, the dark eldar smile at the sight of the battle field.

Rela says, "I look forward to seeing you suffer at my hands. For now, I promise my Wych cult the honor of fighting you and the howling banshees. I hope they find pleasure in killing your kin. Fear not, there are more of these where they come from. I can't wait to watch you suffer against me when the time comes."

Rela vanishes again and more Wyches rise up from the blood holes. Kayleth sees herself surrounded by her corrupt kin and corrupt guardsmen who have given in to temptation. As Kayleth tries to keep her mind focus, the power of her warlock shines brightly. Veldoran steps forward and calls to Kayleth to jump away.

He roars, "You are all damned to an eternal suffering far worse than this life! Feel the embrace of the warp fire!"

Kayleth manages to land safely away from the center as Veldoran and his fellow warlocks burn the center out with warp fire. The humans suffer a horrible fate as they die screaming. The Wych cult smile greatly upon their eternal suffering as they are finally able to embrace their end. The remaining enemy charges at the eldar, but it is a meager attempt that did not cause the howling banshee any trouble. Once the fighting is over, Kayleth and Veldoran speak for a time while the eldar warlocks burn away the evidence of the horrid area. The warlocks cast spells to erase the taint of the warp from the land.

Veldoran says, "I did not think it is possible for her to hold a weapon infused with a great daemon. Somehow, she is doing what is impossible and not losing her soul. She is more of a threat to us than ever."

Kayleth adds, "Rela of the dark eldar is proving to be more than just dangerous to everyone. She has used the orks for her own end. Now the humans are her pawns. We can no longer handle her alone; she seems certain to summon the daemon from the blade into this universe. If we do not stop her with our allies, then we are surely to be destroyed in the process as well. For now, we will set up a base in the south west area away from the human foundry. Once the War Harbinger returns, Max and Lucas must hear of this."

Veldoran questions her, "What is to stop them from turning against us? They will not take kindly to the fact we just slayed more of their soldiers."

"The only way he will stand against us is if the words of those left alive convince him to go down the wrong path," Kayleth said. She continues, "Unlike most of the mon-keigh we have slain, many more are still at the foundry watching over the base and stopping the orks. Once he returns, the stories of our deeds will set their mind at ease. Though he won't trust us yet, he will understand why it had to be done."

Veldoran adds, "You mean Max? The one that…"

She nods her head in agreement. As much as she didn't like the current situation, she knows what must be done to keep her kin safe. The eldar continue to set up their base in the south-west area; the guardsmen continue to hold the foundry. Many things are slowly being revealed.

Chapter 4: Section 4 – 2

All over the ship, the morale of the imperial guard is in high spirits. Rounds of drinks are passed around and enough food is loaded to the brim in the storage. From the moment of saving the Avenging Spirit crew to returning back towards the planet Saneesh, this is the moment the guardsmen are proud of. Though the other half under the command of Max Johnson is still enduring trials, they too are pleased and over joyed with how everything has gone. The few smarter ogryns read books on new tactics and count their trophies. A handful of ogryns keep their units in line as they try to out muscle the lesser ones. Each deck of the War Harbinger ship is full of joy, activity, and progress. Level four has a variety of guns, armor, and weapons with new upgrades. The shuttle ships are heavily reinforced with new armor. The third level for engineering has upgrades on the reactors and critical medic staff. Level two has more storage space. Though the lower levels are in full joy, the top deck still has three people on alert.

Sergeant Major Lucas Turner draws up plans and strategy for the next battles; he is always thinking of ways to kill the orks and any other enemy to the imperium. Just across from him is Lina. The Techno Blessed Child looks through the status and monitors of the new upgrades over the ship. She is pleased to see how well fortified the ship is after each repair; they keep themselves busy and alert of any danger. At the head of the ship staring out into the void of space, Noble One Max Johnson waits and lets his thoughts drift. He never thought much of how the rest of the war will go; in fact, he didn't think of the people listening to his words in the beginning. He only desires peace and happiness. The war with the orks and dark eldar leave him with so much to think of. He thinks back to how he first encounters the orks. The brutal and vicious nature of the beasts remind him of the dangers he faced. Now, he remembers looking into the bright yet deadly eyes of the eldar warrior Kayleth. Her very feature for some awkward reason brings him a hint of happiness and peace. Even if she is of another species, he did at one time marvel at her beautiful she is.

The spirit stone around his neck glows. He hears the words of farseer Elenwe for the first time.

She whispers, "Please, watch out for Kayleth as you only know how."

Max feels nervous and calls to the others. He says, "It spoke to me."

Lucas and Lina question his words. He answers, "I don't know who just now spoke to me, but the voice from the amulet gave me a message about the eldar warrior Kayleth. We are only a few days away from the ice world. By day one, we must be ready for any surprises that will come to us."

With no doubt that the planet will show him a surprise, Max rushes pass them and alerts everyone aboard the ship with a message. Once he delivers it, he calls to Lina about readying the weapons. Lucas pulls Max to the side and questions him further.

He says, "Max, I understand you heard a voice, but if you are possessed by any deity of the warp, then by the grace of the Golden Throne, I will end you. You had better not tell anyone else about this. The others may look to do you harm if they knew."

Max pleads, "You don't get it. This isn't a voice of evil nor does the voice urge me to try and conspire to destroy you. I believe that this voice inside the amulet wants us to help the eldar. For what reason, I do not know."

Lucas shushes his friend and replies, "You really don't want anyone else to know about what you are hearing. Be more thankful that I am not trying to ask Vance to contact the inquisition to inquire about you. For now, this is between us and no other. We will keep the rest to ourselves unless things change."

Lina calls to both of them for an incoming transmission from the surface.

"Please, if you have returned and can hear us, we need help down here on the surface. There is something going on with a group of our soldiers. There are orks advancing on us. We need your assistance at once."

The soldiers rush outside trying to keep the turret guns and tower guns operational against the groups of orks. A handful of the faithful are lost to the infighting among the guardsmen. The situation becomes worse than before; a group huddles up near the entrance way of the main base. There is a series of explosions going off and too much infighting is at every area. A soldier points to the sky. Many look up to see the shuttles from the sky come flying down to the surface outside of the base. Once they are boots on the ground, the three able leaders march their company forward; Lina accesses a nearby panel and sees the situation has become hectic. She only disables the guns on their side. Lucas and Max march in as more guardsmen come rushing to them. Several beg for Lucas and Max to eliminate the traitors from within; Max and Lucas look to each other and nod in agreement that the traitors must die once they reach the center. As a few more groups run to them, they are told the same story over and over.

They make it to the center with Lina on the way with the rest. Any other guardsmen leave the foundry and flee; the last of the orks die off as order slowly comes back. A few guards open the main gate to the center of the foundry. They step out with guns drawn; the reaction from the other soldiers is still the same. Kill the enemy. Kill the traitors. Max grips the amulet and sighs heavily. Lucas orders that those who have come to surface by shuttle to head inside the foundry and fortify the position. Max orders all other guardsmen that joined them to head for the forward position just outside of the outer walls. In return for their loyalty, the leaders will execute the traitorous bunch they found cowering inside the foundry. The few groups left as Lina finally arrives and seals up the gates to the foundry behind the groups leaving with the acting officers. The ones still with their weapons drawn cry and plea for their faithfulness to the Imperium of Man. Max and Lucas smile and turn to Lina once she joins them.

Lina says, "I see. So, we only have a total of two thousand men who are left in the center and the other thousands are gone right?"

Lucas says, "Yes, we do. True and faithful soldiers of the imperial guard will never run to a commanding officer and beg for assistance. What about you Max? Do you believe we only have the remaining two thousand faithful guardsmen left here?"

Max looks to both and replies, "Thanks to a little help, we do have only two thousand of the faithful here with us. Once the enemy is at the forward position, Lina will turn on the guns and War Harbinger will bombard the area. We can't afford to let them back in."

Within minutes, Lina is walking inside the foundry to bring the system back online and targeting the soldiers at the front of the landscape. The War Harbinger ship flies closer in as more troops touch down all around the area in the foundry. Once the ship and gun turrets begin to fire, only the death cries of the traitors is heard. The remaining bunch inside ask how did they know which story to believe. Lucas talks the rest over while Lina works on the foundry with her tech priests. Max uses this moment to walk off and head out alone. He goes to the south side of the foundry. The same soft voice inside the amulet guides him further south west. Everything in the foundry slowly is brought back to order; Max comes to an area. He feels the hum of the amulet on his neck and looks down to see it shine brightly. The sound of footsteps alerts him to turn around and face a lone guardsman. The appearance is normal, but the face looks too pale. The man laughs softly as he approaches Max.

The man says, "She called to us. The dark one Rela showed us what we can experience once we embrace what she offers."

Before Max can ask anything, a blade of light blue color breaks through the man's torso. Once the man falls over, Max comes face to face with Kayleth. Instead of holding any grudge against her, Max puts away his gun and agrees to speak with her. Kayleth places her sword back inside her case and patiently waits to hear him out.

He says, "I suppose you have a reason for staying here on the ice world. Not to mention, there must be a reason why the amulet has guided me here to you. I also want to know why you and your kind killed more guardsmen. Speak your words and be quick, Autarch Kayleth."

She answers, "After you and your company left, the orks attacked the foundry. Everything went badly for the ones you spared inside the place. They all nearly fell under the influence of Rela; she is the dark eldar you met before on Saneesh. It was the same time we crossed paths. She has left a small war host on this ice world. They are joined with those who follow her. You would do well to continue an alliance with us. As for the death of your soldiers, many used the fighting to attack their own. My hand was forced and it was unavoidable."

Max walks slowly over to her leaving only five feet of space between each other. She nervously keeps a hand on her blade.

Max says, "I know you are telling the truth. You need not raise your sword against me at all; I have received a gift from my amulet that allows me to see when a person is corrupt. As for your inability to simply ask for help, I was told by your friend to work with you. She wants the same thing you do; the need for peace and save your craft world. Her name is farseer Elenwe. She is a member of your craft world, right? And do not lie or mislead me. If my ally Lucas was here, he will be able to spot your lies. Lucas has a natural ability to sense a lie being told to him."

Kayleth changes her expression and moves a step closer to Max with curiosity. He listens to her and relaxes his guard.

She says, "I see you finally know who is hanging from your neck and what you have. Now, you understand why I only want to retrieve my farseer back. We lost her long after the third Aurelian Crusade."

Max leans against a barrel and folds his arm. He allows her to explain everything she knows.

Kayleth continues, "On our journey back to our craft world, farseer Elenwe sensed an evil presence on a nearby planet just south of the sub-sector of Aurelia. We arrive there shortly after Ronahn took his sister home. The planet was actually a small moon. Once we settled on the surface, we were ambushed by the dark eldar. The army killed many of my kin. Only Elenwe stayed behind to sacrifice herself to hold back the enemy. She was carrying her own spirit stone at the time, but we never knew. Before I left my farseer to die against the horrors of the dark eldar, she told me a message that I carried to the others. To this day, I still wish I didn't leave her. We all thought her soul had been taken by The Great Evil. Somehow, her spirit stone kept her safe from the warp. And now you have her. A human holds claim over that which is not his. So, maybe you can answer the great question of all, how did farseer Elenwe ended up in your possession, Max?"

Max shrugs his shoulders in confusion, and she says, "What do you mean, you don't know? Is there anything useful you can tell me?"

He sighs and says, "If I knew how she ended up here on this side of the galaxy, I would gladly share that information with you. Sadly, I do not know. Now, I must return to the others than lurk around out here."

Just as tries to leave, Kayleth sprints in front of him. Max looks into her eyes again and becomes struck with wonder.

She says, "You may still hold her for now, but once we are done, I will expect you to return her back to me. She has been too long in your care."

Max places his hands on her hers. Kayleth lifts her blade to his face and pulls away from him. She listens to him and feels irritated; she feels nothing for him.

He says, "When we stop the enemy, I promise to return her to you. For now, you would do well to keep your weapons sharp as your tongue is."

At the moment he offers to shake her hand, her heart rate speeds up. Though she didn't feel anything towards him, Kayleth feels more at peace with Max than ever. She pulls away from him; Kayleth hides her emotions with distrust. Max has a hard time of not wanting to look at her. His heart beats quickly. When he finally snaps out of his daze, Max breathes easy and lowers his hand. Max turns and heads back to his company leaving her there; Kayleth looks at her hand only to feel that something should be there.

She thought, "Why did I not kill him? Why did every thought of hate and rage turn to peace? He…is unusual."

Chapter 4: Section 4 – 3

The foundry is safe; the orks are dead. The traitors are eliminated. Yet, something is still wrong on the ice world. The three leaders sit in silence in a small chamber. They try to understand the events slowly happening around them. At first, they were fighting orks. Now, the situation has went from orks to eldar to dark eldar and finally to a daemon being summoned. Lucas, Max, and Lina alone hold secrets that are not meant to be heard by ordinary people. Based on what Max has shared with his two most trusted allies, he didn't know where their thoughts are on the subject.

Lucas says, "So, let me make sure I understand you. The eldar warrior Kayleth told you that your amulet is a spirit stone of a half-dead eldar farseer witch? And now, she wants us to help her kind out with the dark eldar led by a Rela? This Rela is a dark eldar who is using the orks under Bone Snappa to empower herself? So, what else is next for us that we have to lose?"

Max answers, "I understand how unusual and frustrating this is. Ever since the eldar came to you and me, they have been strange in their activities with us. Only now today did she decide to tell me the reason why she wanted this eldar spirit stone from me so badly. She didn't feel so willing to share much else; however, we all can agree that the faces of evil for us are here in two. We still have to purse the ork War Boss Bone Snappa to the last known direction he went. And if these dark eldar are causing them to attack us, then we must also eliminate them should they come and attack us. Not to mention, we don't need any great daemon of the warp appearing here in this part of the galaxy."

Lina interrupts, "Not to put you aside Max, but our only object is to stop Bone Snappa from causing us trouble at the imperium borders. He may be under the influence of another evil, but we cannot afford to waste time chasing down other foes when we are still grasping some events. What if this is all a trap to use our power and resources to help the eldar? How can we be sure that her information is reliable? They can bleed our resources dry and leave us on the verge of death against the orks. Are you willing to try and risk that calculation not knowing if the eldar will not help us?"

As the three chat back and forward, the eldar camp in the south west holds their own council about the next course to take. At the center of the group, Kayleth and Veldoran hear the words of their kin.

A guardian captain says, "We must not rush off to ask for their aid, Kayleth. What you did truly may have damned us all for the future. You shared private information with a mere mon-keigh about our farseer that he did not deserve to know."

Kayleth replies, "I did what I must if it will help ease the tension between us and the humans. We already know that we face more danger than ever. Many of you know that the dark eldar succubus Rela is in possession of an ancient daemon infused weapon."

A howling banshee captain steps forward and says, "We follow you into battle for any great cause, but to make the humans our allies any longer may endanger us. The only purpose they serve us is to be used until they are dead or have eliminated our enemy; Elenwe has been in human hands for too long. We demand that you take her back so we can be done with this."

Before Kayleth speaks, Veldoran answers, "You all know that by retrieving the spirit stone of Elenwe from the human Max may be our undoing. We can't afford to take the risk. For now, we are better off as the allies of the humans until their war against Bone Snappa is over. Once that war ends, we can expect our precious farseer to be ours again. If the humans can be useful against the dark eldar, then they will be the sheep for the wolfs. For now, retire and wait until we have a plan for the human and ourselves."

As the leaders head out, Kayleth stands at ease. Veldoran comes to her.

"You seem at peace more than ever again. What are you not telling us, Kayleth?" He asks.

Kayleth answers, "I do believe that Max will be more than a tool of war for us to use. He is quite unusual for a human. There is something that has given the humans a great reason to help us so long as Max leads them. We will wait for now and seek out what the reason is."

Veldoran takes his leave but says, "I will continue to trust your words, Kayleth; however, I do believe something else is going on that you wish to keep to yourself. For now, I will wait until you tell me."

Once she is alone, Kayleth feels calmer than ever. She looks at her hand again. The touch of Max gives her a calm feeling. She can't shake the emotion and it is slowly growing every second; she feels certain of the human Max. As much as she wants to be mad, she lets the strong emotion of peace and success overcome her mind. She knows what must be done regardless of how it makes her feel. As she heads to the bridge of the Faded Light, she walks with determination. The next plan will help her kind. Max and Lucas both head up to the communications console. Lucas assures Max that he will trust in his words. Lina promises to aid in any way she can. After she brings up the communications for the foundry, Max delivers his message to all.

He broadcasts: "Attention! I need everyone to hear me now. For what I say will come as a shock. Our war against the War Boss Bone Snappa has become much worse than we expected. The ork is not the only one attacking us. We had double agents within the army; they have turned their backs on us and side with a more sinister enemy. The eldar have been fighting this enemy without us knowing. I just now have been informed by eldar commander Kayleth. She has told me about who seeks to destroy us. It is the dark eldar; they are ruthless as their name sounds. I am not sharing this information with you out of fear nor do I want us to be afraid. I share this with you so there are no secrets among those who you believe in. You placed your faith and trust in us. So, I rather you know what we face than to keep you hidden in the dark. I want us to be ready for what we face. Before we travel after any forces that oppose us, we will finish up here with the conflict. And if the eldar help us, so be it. This war they have with the dark eldar is their fight. Our fight is against the orks. If the dark eldar get in our way, we will break them. If the other eldar come to our aid, we shall give it in return. We may be surrounded by xenos, but we will not turn away those that help us. We know where our loyalty lies. So, join us. And remember, you are all soldiers of the imperial guard. We do not run in the face of defeat. We do not give up to the enemy. And more importantly, we do not betray who we fight for. I hope you are all ready to face a new challenge."

Lina cuts the communication. Lucas and her stand with Max eagerly as they walk pass others. Every face shows determination, each person shows support, and every movement is towards the doorway. Once they step outside, a wave of support, cheers, and applause is heard. Instead of fear, hatred, and a gun to the face, the whole company is more than ready to face the dangerous foes. The motion sensors go off. As everyone rushes to their station, Max feels the spirit stone of Elenwe hum with a low vibrate. He smirks and goes to the front. Inside the foundry, Lucas and Lina pull up monitors of where the problem is at. Lucas sees a monitor of Max walking to the south west of the base. Before he can radio him, Max calls to Lucas.

He says, "Do not worry. It is our fleeing friends here to parley with us. Put everyone at ease and be ready for battle soon."

Lucas replies, "I am going to trust you, but if those damn eldar pull any more stunts like before, all guns will come online to kill."

Max agrees, but in his heart, he knows that this is not an attack. After a long hard walk to the south western gate, he sees nothing. He walks out with his gun ready, but he didn't have to take too long to find Kayleth. He stops suddenly and hears an eerie sound. He quickly turns around and comes face to face with the eldar warrior. She slightly smirks as he jumps back from her.

She says, "If I was an assassin, you would truly be dead by now."

Max shakes off his shock and asks, "What brings you here now?"

She gives him a serious look; Max looks around the area and sees several eldar appear around her. Max hears approaching tanks and hellhounds. He orders them to stop advancing on the eldar. The eldar stand ready to strike if the word is given.

A soldier comes out, but Max says, "Do not fire. They are here to offer peace and assist us."

The soldiers arrive and stand ready to fire. Max looks to Kayleth.

She says, "We are the eldar of craft world Alaitoc. I am the commander. We face a threat that will destroy us both. Allow us to ally with you."

Kayleth steps forward to Max. Surprisingly, she bows before him. The soldiers can't believe what they see. The whole eldar army bows their head to the humans as an offer of support. Many think of this as a trick; some are still waiting for the trap is occur. Max extends his hand to Kayleth and pulls her towards him. She comes close to him and her heart beats faster. Her emotions spike up.

He says, "Please, there is no need to bow. We will accept any help you offer us. For now, show us the threat and let us eliminate it together; I only request that you do not back out on your word and share with us your plans to an extent."

Kayleth agrees to the proposal and shakes his hand. As the eldar move inside the Foundry walls, Lina turns the weapons system off. Many more eldar come to the base by warping in from the roof tops. Snipers and guardians take up quarters near small isolated areas. Veldoran joins Kayleth as they follow Max to the center of the foundry. Lucas is found issuing orders to all guardsmen to not fire a single shot. Lucas and Lina meet with Kayleth and Veldoran. The tension is heavy; however, Max ensures everyone that this is a peaceful solution if only for the moment. The tech priests and bone singers continue to setup more defenses for the foundry. Though both the humans and eldar are not too comfortable around each other, both factions do what they can to stay out of the way. A lone guardsman sees one of the banshee warriors alone. His comrades urge him to go and speak to the white warrior. He looks at the masked eldar with curious and some faith. With no thought or want to cause trouble, the soldier walks over. Nearly every eye falls on the soldier as he speaks to her; she stands perfectly still like a stature.

The soldier nervously says, "Nice to meet with you, miss."

She turns to him and responds in kind, "I am honored to be here. Who are you?"

He answers, "I am with this regiment here. We are the 20th regiment of the imperial guard."

She moves to him. Every other soldier and warrior stands ready; no one knows if he upset her or if she wants to kill him.

She asks, "I ask you of your name, not your regiment. Who are you?"

He tries to relax his nerves and extends his hand, "I am Carl. Carl of the imperial regiment…"

She grips his hand firmly and answers, "I am Shelia of the Howling Banshees."

Kayleth, Lucas, Max, Lina, and Veldoran look on at the two. They are more amazed at how well the two individuals greet one another. Neither is high in rank or importance. They treat each other fairly before they go back to their groups. Everyone else waits patiently to see how the five leaders will spear the eldar and human alliance at the enemy. Lucas and Lina stand against the wall; Veldoran and Kayleth wait until Max leads everyone with his words. He didn't know what to say, but he begins with his opening statement.

He says, "Well, this is not the most unusual spot I had to be in today, but we are all here under the banner of peace. We know why we are here, Commander Kayleth. Why don't you fill in the blanks? For the rest of your part, you must have a very good reason for following us from planet Saneesh to the ice world. The dark eldar are a threat enough and influencing the orks makes them more dangerous. We would appreciate it if you tell us more about what you know."

Kayleth looks to Veldoran. The idea of sharing secrets with the humans makes him uneasy and annoyed.

She says, "As I told you, we are after a single dark eldar succubus named Rela. She has turned some of your soldiers against you. At first, we believe she is here to only capture more slaves for her entertainment and to prolong her life span. Instead, she showed me something more terrifying. The last known location she was at is the south west. I humbly request that you aid us in destroying what is left of her followers and providing us support in battle. We can do it alone, but I rather step cautiously than advance foolishly given the state of the issue."

The situation didn't offer much for the guardsmen to gain. Lucas is still on the untrusting thought; Lina is unsure about what the eldar will do. Max thought only of what can be done to make all this better for both sides. The conversation between the five comes to an agreement. None didn't know what they share. The only thing certain is the action.

Chapter 4: Section 4 – 4

The journey to the south west and beyond brings them to interesting sights. They come across more of the fallen and corrupt; many who left the imperium have been reduce to inhuman markings and sacrifice of other life. Dark elder beasts snarl and fight as each group is encountering the eldar and human groups. No one dare thought it possible for the two species to co-exist side by side. Yet, here they are. The humans inside their transport vehicles are ready to pour out into the opening. To the left and right, eldar rangers and dire avengers sit comfortable with their guns ready to fire as they travel nearby. The journey to the south west lands is cold and annoying. Many are ready for a fight. Others are ready to stay inside a warm place. At the foundry, the Blessed Techno Child Lina is relaying information on what the terrain is like. At her side, an engineer and tech priest wait for her to finish up her paperwork on the repairs to the guns and turrets. With the information she relays to the commanders in the field, she does as much as she can to continue to secure the foundry and make it impossible to infiltrate. Just outside of the foundry, guardsmen continue to patrol and upgrade the base as best they can. Around them and standing by, the eldar warriors, guardians, and rangers watch for the ever approaching orks. The foundry is a fortress of power. It would be the shield from the evil that crawls on the ice world.

Once the human-xeno alliance arrives at their destination, the camp is set up. Eldar groups of howling banshees, dire avengers, rangers, and warp spiders are more alert than ever. They even bring a set of War Walkers and Night Spinners to the field for additional support. Though less in number to the imperial guard, the eldar stand more of a threat to any other species foolish enough to challenge them. The imperial guard brings various companies; the guardsmen are made of infantry companies, a few packs of ogryns, chimera APCs, hellhounds and battle tanks. The imperial guard stands strong. The human-xeno alliance strength is at thirty thousand strong on the battle field. The foundry holds with five thousand for the imperial guard and three thousand for the eldar. As the army keeps their base alert and ready, four leaders stand by and discuss battle plans among each other. Lucas keeps the defense strong and sets up a large perimeter; Veldoran orders his warlocks to set up small warp spells and improve on the few guardians that have come to battle with them. Though only two handle the defense and troop morale, two others argue over tactics more than coming to an agreement.

Kayleth says, "You only see the numbers that can win a battle. Your method of war is child's play as though you are still fresh off the teat. You should take more advice from one who has lived longer than your kind has. The best plans for this battle is to wait until the enemy is within range. Our ranged teams can easily dispose of the foe then we move in to eliminate any that are left. Our second choice is to let our heavy teams move up the field and we provide support when needed. Our base is already set for any surprises. The longer we wait, the more harm they will inflict on us."

Max stops her and says, "Your strategy is fair, but it lacks more focus. You only speak of minor ways. Every battle has possible advantages. It is still hard to believe you are their commander; we should scout out the area and see what the enemy is doing. Once we have our intel, the rest will go easy for us. The next choice is obvious. We dig in and let our enemy see when we will slip up only to surprise them with our ambush parties."

She nearly laughs and replies, "And I suppose our ambush parties will cripple the enemy forces? Your view on this is such a waste of time."

He quickly adds, "And I suppose you will make it easier on everyone before making mistakes? You can't win all your wars on brute strength alone."

Kayleth and Max continue to argue over which is best. Veldoran and Lucas look to each other and nearly laugh at how simple the path is. Before the chatter keeps going, an explosion happens just ahead of the camp. Everyone becomes alert and focuses on the incident. At the top of the hill just out of range, Rela roars loudly at her foes. She waves her hand forward; the noise of the corrupt guardsmen is heard. Among them, the dark eldar warriors run beside them ready to unleash the fury of battle. Veldoran, Kayleth, Max, and Lucas ready their soldiers, ogryns, eldar, and warp spiders for battle. Once the enemy closes in, the howling banshees strike at the dark eldar fighters. As the eldar and dark eldar battle around the humans, Lucas and Max lead their charge against their former comrades. The tattoos and symbol markings on each corrupt person's body reveals much of who they now serve in the name of chaos. The symbols and scars of Slaanesh are made clearly on anyone who follows Rela. The lasrifle fire cracks through the air. The swords and axes clash against one another. Though the first wave of soldiers and dark eldar easily fall dead, the army advances to the top of the hill and see a horrifying sight.

A camp of blood, screams, torture, and suffering is beheld. There seems to be no end to the torturing they all see. Many soldiers are nailed to a pole. Orks are hanging upside down as they struggling to get free with no arms or legs. A few men and women are strapped down to various devices. Some machines pull at a person to see their limps come off. A few insert drill heads into the flesh of others. Many are victims of sharp objects that pierce the body. It is a landscape of pain and suffering. Though many are still suffering, the rage builds. As the land is stained with blood, the hatred starts to swell. Kayleth is disgusted. Veldoran is infuriated; Lucas is upset. Max is ready for vengeance. Lucas looks to everyone. With a wave of his hand, he leads the charge down into the area of pain. Max charges right behind him. The eldar understand that species will suffer in times of war, but there should never be a prolonged suffering. As the torture masters and captors of the victims look up, they see a hill of men and women rush at them; Lucas and Max are at the front. They bring with them the army of liberators. They are armed with the righteous might. Each lasrifle that is fired sounds with the noise of hope. They give the enemy their just rewards. A good death to the forces of evil from a clean stab and shot to the head.

The eldar warriors look on as the humans slaughter their former allies. Lucas pulls out his sword and runs it through many corrupt soldiers. Max fires and stabs several at close range. Imperial guardsmen with grenade launchers fire at groups of the enemy and begin pushing them back. As more of the foe gathers in numbers, the guardsmen push on and take down as many as they can. Other troops free captive victims and rush them to safety. Kayleth raises her sword high into the air. With her fierce war cry, the howling banshees rush to the battle and provide assistance. The wounded foes are slain before they can rise. The unexpected are cut down before they can react. Warp spiders appear and disappear from sight with every strike; the War Walkers fire into the small groups. Any orks left alive are given a quick death. Once the area is cleared, the alliance helps out the less fortunate. Those that can be saved are recovered. The people too badly hurt are put to sleep; Lucas and Max tend to any who need help. Kayleth and Veldoran explore the ground to see several familiar markings. Many read bad omens of the coming evil.

Veldoran says, "The land here has been more than just a place for pain and suffering. It is showing us a message."

Kayleth pushes the idea away and says, "There is no message here to be found. The humans have saved who can be helped. Anything else is a waste of time."

Max walks up and replies, "No, there is a clear message here that even you should be able to see. Look again, Kayleth."

Max steps forward and guides her eyes to the markings on the ground. A small set of wooden sticks are laid bare; the message is hard for the untrained eye to see, but Max uses the spirit stone to help him see what others can't. The spirit stone of farseer Elenwe shines rays of blue light on the ground. Many eldar and guardsmen come over to see; Max screams in anger and backs away. Veldoran shudders and feels cold. The message comes to them both; Lucas and Kayleth look at Max unsure and unaware.

He says, "I know what is going on now. Your eldar farseer has shown me the terror that will come. A great summoning will happen; a daemon will come. A daemon of Slaanesh will show and bring forth an army to conquer this side of the galaxy."

Lucas asks Max how can he be sure that a daemon will come; Veldoran looks to Kayleth and nods his head.

She says, "A Great daemon of Slaanesh will mean the death of my craft world; I will not let it happen. We must find Rela quickly and end her."

Lucas stops her, "Hold on, Kayleth. If this Great Evil means the death of your kind, then that means trouble for us as well. We can't afford you and your kind to bring it towards imperial space."

Veldoran replies, "This is a death sentence upon us. It is no threat to you, human. We will not sit idly by and wait to be consumed by She Who Thirsts."

Max halts all the chatter and listens to the hum of the spirit stone. The stone shines brightly and everyone pays close attention to him; no one can say what is being done. The eldar wait eagerly to hear what else will be said. The spirit stone stops shinning and Max falls to the ground weaken. Lucas helps him up.

He says, "Are you alright? What just happen?"

Max weakly says, "Let's get back to the foundry at once. I will explain everything there to you all. Yes, the eldar have to be there. I may have found out what will happen during our war against the orks and dark eldar."

Lucas eagerly helps Max to his feet. The eldar warriors and imperial army hurry back to the base. Once everyone starts heading back, the dark path seems clear. No longer will there be dust thrown in the eyes of the eldar. The true path to take in saving their craft world will be finally revealed. As the alliance leaves the area, Rela appears on the remains of the battle. She is delighted by the sight. Though more could have been done on her part, she smiles at the success it has brought her. She pulls out the daemon infused weapon and stabs it into the ground. It slowly drinks in the blood, the dead, the warp power used, and anything left behind. The entire landscape grows colder. In mere seconds, the entire land is clean of the blood, bones, and corpses. Out from the hilt of the sword, a veil of dark warp power surrounds Rela. As she digs her nails into her chest for comfort, she sees the purple flame of the daemon inside the sword. It howls at her; it demands more blood, screams, and death to fill the landscape. She feels her soul slightly getting pulled at. Instead of a quick death, the daemon delivers a message to her.

It says, "You…have…done…well…."

Rela replies, "As long as you honor our agreement, I will forever to serve you."

The daemon growls, "You…belong…to…me…until…She…wants…you…"

The purple flame dies out. The veil quickly retreats back into the sword; Rela looks down to see her soul still intact. Though now her body is covered in fresh cuts, she delights at how well she has kept the daemon at bay. Ever since she left the dark city Commorragh with her small war band of ten thousand, each has been willing to give their life to her. Yet, none suspect her of being at the mercy of a great daemon from She Who Thirsts. Rela takes up the sword and feels the tingling sensation rush through her. She gives up one of her bottles of screams to satisfy the daemon inside the sword. As she leaves the battle field, she looks forward to her chat with the informer.

Back at the foundry, the five leaders of the eldar and human alliance speak in private. The eldar stand by as many men drink their troubles away. Though neither group wants to share anything, a few guardsmen try to speak with the eldar. Inside the center of the foundry, shock and awe surround Kayleth, Lina, Veldoran, and Lucas. Max didn't have any other way of telling them what the spirit stone of farseer Elenwe shared with him. It almost sounds too crazy to believe.

Lucas says, "So, your new companion of the eldar told you that we face more than just another war after the ork war boss is defeated? Was it the same threat that the spirit stone showed you early?"

Max nods and replies, "Yes, it is not just a threat any more to the eldar here. This threat will try to appear in this part of the galaxy. It starts with the eldar; it ends with their death. From their craft world dying, the great daemon comes towards imperial space. There is no way for even the imperium of man to ignore this danger."

Kayleth says, "We appreciate what you have shared with us, but now is the time for us to be ready for battle. We go elsewhere and take our leave of you provided you give up the spirit stone of farseer Elenwe."

Max disagrees only for Veldoran to reply, "Leaving her in your clutches is more than enough, human. We now know what we must face and you no longer need an eldar spirit stone. Turn her over at once."

Lucas stands alert, but Max happily discards the spirit stone. Before Kayleth can reach for it, the spirit stone shoots back into the hand of Max. It shines and brightens up the room.

She says, "I will remain with the human, Max. Do not take me from him."

Kayleth and Veldoran are left puzzled by the words of farseer Elenwe. Though only a spirit stone, she demands no eldar hand to remove her away from Max Johnson.

Chapter 4: Section 4 – 5

The area is dark; there is no sound. The quiet is perfect for now. It makes it easier to receive information from one person. Soon, buzzing is heard. A voice is broadcasting to the unknown figure. With a cautious hand, the person accepts the incoming vox.

"The plan is going well. I still have my own soul, but the daemon infused blade needs more. How long will it be before you begin?"

The figure says, "My part of the plan is going as it should. The orks should be at a planet in the northwest area away from the ice world the guardsmen are at. If the ork war boss has solidified his position, it won't long before he attracts attention. The planet is more hostile than anything and anyone. Keep yourself and your warriors ready when you go to the planet also. It is a dangerous place that will end you as fast as you land. I found out that the eldar are after you also, Rela. You had best take care of your kin problems before they discover your plan. By now, they have discovered you are wielding the daemon blade."

Rela growls angrily, "The eldar of the damned craft world Alaitoc are no more than pawns following every bit of the way into my trap. They will provide what I need long before the daemon claims my soul. The eldar commander Autarch Kayleth will make a fine prize for me to torture in my arena of battle."

The unknown figure adds, "Aside from your delight to torture your fellow kin, you had better be ready to execute the next part of your plan. I am doing well keeping my presence unknown to certain people within the imperial guard, but it will be only a matter of time before they discover me. I do not have time to keep myself in the dark."

Rela playfully laughs, "I will take my time with my next plan. It will be ready by the time they arrive at the warp planet Ragnar. You can rest assure that the plan will go wonderful. Till then, stay hidden as a blade, my informer."

The communication ends and everything falls silent. The plan to use the daemon infused weapon is slowly becoming known. With the eldar leader aware of the weapon Rela uses, the next part of the plan is underway. An alarm sounds all around the area. As the lights flash, several people run by. It is time for battle to commence; there is nothing else to do for now.

At the ice world, the guardsmen reinforce their losses with two thousand more soldiers to provide support. The eldar agree to stay behind to add their support to the foundry. The news of the events happening is high priority. Though Max and Lucas agree to keep the spirit stone of farseer Elenwe a secret from Commander Vance, everything else is on a must-know list. The War Harbinger ship leaves the ice world with great haste. As the journey back to planet Saneesh takes two months to travel, Lucas and Max have a moment of comparing notes.

Lucas says, "This is all too much to know; I still can't believe this is happening. My unit was supposed to fight only the orks. We have broken too many imperial regulations that are only meant for a rogue trader. Xeno infiltration is at the top of the list. Now, we are allowing the eldar to continue lingering around us. We have dark eldar and a sinister plot going on that we are not aware of. Commander Vance will not like any of this when we report to him. He will likely have our heads for this or declare us traitors to the Imperium of Man. How can I go before him and tell him that I am not worthy of imperial command?"

Max shrugs his shoulders, "All you can do is report to him. If he deems you and this regiment a traitor, then you need not worry about following imperial regulations ever again. You may lose a lot now, but it can be gained back; I don't know a lot about anything else that is going on. I find no great words to explain all of this. The only path left to us is to push on. We still agreed that stopping the war boss is our priority; the dark eldar are secondary and only if they get in our way."

After the FTL quiets down, the War Harbinger is now only a few weeks out from planet Saneesh.

Max stretches his arms, "Do you know how you will present the information to him?"

Lucas replies, "As a commanding officer of the imperial guard, I do not know how to even begin it. I feel as if I am signing my own execution."

The two walk back to the monitors and issue orders for everyone to be ready with a few weeks. The guardsmen still celebrate all that has happen for them yet mourn their fallen allies. With only a few weeks away from Saneesh, the future of the guardsmen would be decided shortly. Lucas and Max go down to the breakroom level to enjoy a tall drink of the finest beer; they will either be convicted as traitors of the imperial guard or will be hailed as heroes of the guardsmen. Neither one of them knows how Commander Vance the Bright will react to the news. The only thing certain is he must know of the latest update from the ice world and the ork War Boss Bone Snappa. On the ice world, Kayleth and Veldoran speak together away from the others. The mission to save their craft world from danger is becoming ever clear. To make matters worse, the spirit stone of Elenwe is becoming more and more impossible to obtain.

Kayleth says, "The spirit stone of Elenwe is slipping from our grasps each day. Why would she insist that she remain with the human?"

Veldoran looks to the sky, "I do not know why, but she has her reasons. If the prophecy demands that we work with the humans until our mutual ends are complete, then so be it. For now, we will fight as one and be a unified front against the enemies. Let us put the issue behind us for now and wait to hear back from our allies."

Kayleth scoffs at the notion of the eldar and human alliance. After all the assistance and providing fire support in battle, she still has to watch Max treat her farseer as though she is nothing more than a mere trinket. As the eldar continue to improve on the defenses and support the humans on the foundry, the wars to come show much at stake. There is an ork war boss in the north-western area. A dark eldar wishes to bring forth a daemon. The questions keep on rising. What else is going on that is not being told?