Dawn of War: Destiny War
(The strings of fate will always bring us to where we are meant to be. The path we forge will be our destiny. In the face of evil, miracles can change the course of history. And sometimes, the most incredible thing can happen that changes everything you believe in. Enjoy!)
Chapter 9: Section 9 – 1
Silence is golden; there is nothing to be said. The sound of absolutely no noise is peaceful to hear. Before the storm ravages the sky, there is harmony. When the sea is motionless before the tsunami, everything flows easy. As darkness surrounds the mind, there are only the dreams to keep the sanity intact. A dream can offer many images and events. Some offer pain; many show horrors. There are only a handful that reveal desire, happiness, and beauty. This is what the Masters of Chaos feed on. The thoughts of the living beings in the galaxy show them so much; the only thing more horrifying than a dream from the Dark Gods of Chaos is being a Blank. A Blank is the soulless; it is the unnatural void that will cause many deities of the warp to shriek in shock or fear. The soulless being is an opposite to a psyker of any warp power; they can cause communication problems if too strong. Many exist hidden in the galaxy. It is rare to discover one.
The round house kick to Max Johnson sends him crashing hard into the soil. A regular kick can do damage to any person; however, the difference from a normal kick is a warp charged kick to the head by an eldar autarch of craft world Alaitoc. Kayleth nearly smiles at her successful attack; she feels stronger than before. The humans are ready to pull the trigger and unleash their fury. Even if the first attacks happen too fast, the results devastate the morale of the soldiers. The silence and waiting stops when he breathes in air and slowly gets up. Kayleth stops smirking; the eldar look on with weapons ready. The guardsmen cheer yet can't believe what they see; Max slowly stands up only to rub his chin with ease. He is banged up enough from Kayleth, but the fight is far from over. He shakes off his dizziness and looks in her direction. She is still surprised that he is standing up from the attack.
Max looks to her and says, "Ugh, that really hurts. You have become stronger. Where did you get this power from?"
Kayleth grinds her teeth and harnesses her anger. She says, "You still question me as though you are my equal? You are sealing your own doom."
She charges up her warp power from Khaine's blessing. The heat waves of the flame burn more of the ground clean of snow. Before Max can guard against her assault, he feels her fist collide into his face. The human eyes of the imperial guard cannot follow what is happening to him; the eldar are amazed at how fast Kayleth has become. Though the sacrifice has failed, the ritual has granted Kayleth more strength and power than before. Every attack sent shockwaves through the ground and air; her movement is faster than before. Her rage is as strong as Khaine; Kayleth has become the first eldar avatar for Khaine. Veldoran looks closely at the fight. There is something coming and he feels it through the warp as if death is on the landscape. Kayleth may be using her rage and fury; however, the warlock feels something dangerous has yet to reveal itself. Max stumbles backwards as Kayleth relaxes her guard. The bruises and cuts are visible on him; the guardsmen are stunned and encourage him to stay strong. He nearly crumbles to the ground in pain. Kayleth walks towards him; she is disappointed. Not once has she raised her sword to him or cut at his body despite the fact she has it ready.
Kayleth looks down on him and says, "I see that you are less of a threat to us. So tell me, Noble One Max Johnson. What makes you so special? How are you able to withstand my power? Why are you now falling before my wrath? Were you only strong with farseer Elenwe around your neck? Did you feel in control with the power of an eldar passing through you?"
She grips his shirt and throttles him viciously. Everyone looks on at the damage Kayleth inflicts on him. Lucas and Lina keep the soldier at ease; they pray Max will overcome the eldar warrior. Many badly want to head through the gate and kill the eldar commander. Veldoran holds his kin at bay; he fears something is more powerful than Kayleth. As strong as she has become, Veldoran didn't understand the full extent of her power or how strong Max truly is.
Kayleth continues, "I still require an answer from you. You, the foolish mon-keigh, have been a thorn at my side for too long. I ask you again before I let you die. What made you so special to challenge me?"
Max looks up with a bloody cheek and scar on his lip. All he did is try to answer her question. Her rage increases more as the heat pushes the snow away; the snow disappears from the imperial walls. The more frustrated she becomes, the stronger her connection becomes. Her irises change to small flames; the hands burn and slowly drip blood to the soil. The flame bursts from her body and soars high into the sky. The guardsmen pull away and take cover as the warp flame sends out too much heat. A few small fires occur on the clothes of the guardsmen; Lucas and Lina look on as best they can. The eldar feel the inspiration of Khaine lash out from Kayleth. Veldoran tries to communicate with her telepathically only to receive her enrage emotions. Her warp power is too strong to make any connection. Everyone gets the glimpse of the new form Kayleth shows. Her skin burns with eldritch flames. The armor changes into an avatar of Khaine. Max looks at the core of her eye only to see nothing but rage and even hatred.
She screams, "YOU HAVE LIVED LONG ENOUGH! PREPARE TO DIE!"
She drags him on the ground by his shoulder. As she runs in a large circle, the speed begins to pick up. The flames burn a ring of fire on the ground. Once Kayleth is fast enough, she tightens her hand around the hilt of the flaming sword. Max feels his body launched into the air with incredible force; Kayleth throws him into the sky as the flame of Khaine enhances her for the striking finish. Once he is high enough, the eldar autarch shoots up. Max slows down once he is high enough. Before he can fall, she crushes her fist into his chest once more. Max rushes to the ground; he looks at Kayleth and sees her take on a small form of Khaine. The resemblance is nearly the same minus the feminine features showing. For a brief moment, Max thinks of nothing else; Kayleth looks down at him once more. She falls from the heavens and burns brightly in the sky. A wave of warp fire burst outward in every direction for a mile. Max slams into the ground hard. The guardsmen try to move in to save him; the eldar try to advance until Veldoran puts up a warp shield stronger than ever. When the captains question him, his answer frightens them.
He says, "Something is coming! We must be ready for it! We stand as one!"
As everything slows down for Max, he only sees what many will consider the end for him. He looks at her coming to him; he still can't believe what he sees. Despite all that his training and former imperial condition taught him, he sees something more beautiful than a flower. He reaches up as though he is ready to embrace what is coming to him. As she closes in, her flaming rage is still uncontrollable. Before the last hit occurs, Max mutters words that only farseer Elenwe heard deep from his soulless core once.
Max mutters, "I…can't…stop…until…I…"
Kayleth cries with a fierce banshee shriek that travels all around the area within five miles. She drives her blade into Max as the ground underneath him shakes from the violent impact. The air is covered in dust, dirt, and snow from every direction. The guardsmen try to maintain balance as the ground under them cracks and causes them to fall. Lucas calls to Max; Lina radios for a damage report on the foundry grounds. The eldar still stand ready to face the horrible fate that is coming. None can say how much is left of Max. Many believe that the Emperor himself didn't save him; Lucas calls to his troops to be ready for a charge. Only the eldar can see the results of how the end appears. Before the view becomes clear, the words of farseer Elenwe become clearer to Veldoran. He didn't understand her message until he recalls the words once more.
"The future of the damn remains unclear. The eldar will always be in a constant state of change. Though they fight against chaos like the humans do, the fate of the eldar is not to die any time soon. An individual of your enemy will create a change. From the interference of Max Johnson, Kayleth has achieved great power from the Eldar War God Khaine. Though no avatar of the War God, Khaine has given her the power she will need to burn his message in the stars and beyond. You will discover an ally and experience a wondrous power. Power is in her spirit more than ever. The wondrous power comes from an unexpected source that she didn't see coming. Her ally can be still at her side if he is willing to see the greater gain from his battles. The path will save your craft world from the Great Evil. The return of the Great Evil will be in the form of one of its daemons. It will show signs of threat; however, the craft world of Alaitoc will be safe from She Who Thirsts."
As the dust and smoke clear away, the look of shock is seen on the human and eldar factions. The shocking surprise to Kayleth leaves her speechless. The flame infused sword only penetrates less than an inch away from the heart of Max. She leaps away from him and watches this unnatural being stand up with a small open wound by his heart. He grips his wound carefully and groans in great pain. The eldar are quiet; the imperial guard is silent. No one dare say a word as to how did he survive that kind of attack. Max looks to Kayleth who snarls in fear and rage. She lifts up her blade and encases the weapon in flames.
She damns him and says, "How did you survive that? What are you?"
Max dusts himself off and picks up his sword. He stands before all bleeding and in pain. The armies watch him as he slowly steps forward. He feels as though his body is broken, but Max continues to go on.
He says, "Now, it is my turn. I am ready for you."
Everyone holds their breath. The eldar try to advance only to feel cold; Max roars loudly and endures his pain. He slowly advances towards her and the area becomes cold to everyone. Kayleth looks at the flame around her body; it is slowly vanishing from her. She believes this is the horrifying end; however, she charges at him. Kayleth raises her sword and tries to lop off Max's head. Max watches her blade come by her head and blocks her attack with ease. The sight of Max and her locking blades is impressive. Kayleth tries again only to feel colder than usual; she leaps back from Max. He roars one last time as the area all around them feels uncomfortable. The feeling is cold, dark, and nullifying. Veldoran looks to Max and sees a large void; the cold pain causes the eldar to back up. The guardsmen feel colder as well and back away. The unnatural powers of Max leave everyone in pain.
Max advances on Kayleth only to shock and amaze everyone. Every strike causes her to lean back; Max swings his blade at her. She feels weak from each strike that is blocked. As the eldar try to rush down, they feel the sudden urge to stay inside the warp shield Veldoran has up. Lucas, Lina, and every guardsman watch in amazement. Lina tries to understand what is happening. Everyone cheers Max on from the wall; Lucas looks closely at Max to see him over power Kayleth. Veldoran sees the warp power from Kayleth slowly drain away into the body of Max. The warlock uses all his power to maintain the shield and endures the pain. After pushing her back enough, Max moves from her sight and reappears behind her back. She barely leaps out of the way from the sword slash. Kayleth breathes hard; she nearly gets cut from his attack. The wounds on Max no longer give him pain.
Max lowers his sword and says, "You will not win this battle between us. Stand down and surrender."
Everyone watches and waits to see what will happen; they wish they can hear what the two are saying.
Kayleth scoffs at the idea, "You are sadly mistaken if you believe I am going to surrender to you. I will never be weak to destroy you or give up."
She charges at him; Max easily blocks her attacks with no trouble. He slashes his blade across her arm. The mark is made. She roars at him and begins again. Veldoran tries to speak with her numerous times through telepathic waves. Each attempt is blocked out by the cold feeling of death; all he can do is watch. Lucas and Lina don't understand how is it possible for Max to easily stop Kayleth with no trouble. With one last leap at him, Kayleth receives yet another cut on her body. She looks at herself and sees the warp flame nearly gone; the damage done to her shows greatly. A mark is on her leg, her arm, and her wrist.
She roars at him, "How are you making this possible? You should not be able to follow my attacks!"
Max replies, "You are right. No mere human can withstand the beating and damage I took from an eldar warrior such as you; however, I am not a normal human. Surrender now, or do I need to continue showing you why you will not win?"
Kayleth takes the aggressive stance against Max. He sighs softly and rushes at her only to move faster than the eye can see. Everyone looks to see only a blur move faster than they can keep up with. Kayleth tries to use her warp powers to find him only to see a void of nothingness surround her; she stumbles backwards for a moment suffering from the blank powers. Before she can even blink, a sharp pain to the back happens. She falls to the ground and looks up to find Max standing strong. She lashes at him; he moves again and strikes her back once more. Every hit is unblocked. The eldar and humans didn't understand what is happening. Kayleth did her best to try and keep up with him. Max reappears before her and back-hands her across the face. She stumbles backwards; a new cut appears on her. No one still can figure out how is Max doing this. The eldar shriek in fear as their commander falls to a knee. She looks up at Max to see him dissatisfied with her.
She shouts and curses him, "Do not take pity on me, foolish mon-keigh! I will not let you have this glory!"
Max offers his plea again, "Please, stop trying to fight me and surrender. For your sake and your people, it doesn't have to end like this."
She struggles to stand up; Max moves away from her. As the warp powers within her swell up, she plants her sword into the soil. The same flaming eyes return as she draws heavily on her power. The area shakes and heats up again; everyone is anxious to see how this will end. Veldoran telepathically sends his message to Max while he endures the painful experience; the attempt hurts him more and forces him to remain on defense. He has to warn him of what she is going to perform next.
Max thought, "This has to be her last strength. I fear she will not survive the attack; I must stop her or risk seeing everyone die. Her soul must be weak and the warp will take her."
He nods his head and replies, "I understand."
Kayleth wrathfully says, "Understand what? What can you possibly understand, mon-keigh Max Johnson? You will not have this battle for I won't allow you to overcome me."
As he stares at her warp power, Max sees the very soul of Kayleth weak and ready to perish. Max steps backward and gives himself enough space to run. Upon seeing this, Kayleth keeps on drawing more from the warp to enhance her strength; Lucas and Lina order every soldier to take cover behind the wall. Veldoran strengthens the warp shield as the heat wave from Kayleth slowly breaks through; the warlock acolytes add their power to the shield. With her power at its peak again, Kayleth takes one last look at Max. Her mind is ready to bring the fight to an end.
She howls, "This is where you will die, Max Johnson!"
Max sets himself to charge at her, "No. We will not die from this, Autarch Kayleth of Alaitoc."
He sprints towards her. Kayleth draws the warp power into her fist. Her blade falls from her hand. As Max runs at her, he brings up his own fist. She leaps towards him once; they collide their fist into each other. Instead of a massive wave of eldritch warp flames pushing everyone back, a powerful force nullifies the warp power and sends a cold chill down everyone's spine. The eldar and the imperial guard can't believe the results of the battle; nothing has happened to either one of them. Or so they all thought.
Chapter 9: Section 9 – 2
No words can express what is being seen and no thought of understanding can comprehend the events. All that everyone feels is an unusual amount of nothingness. It covers the area like a void of lingering death. The eldar stand ready to advance; the imperial army are aiming into the field. As they pull away from each other, Kayleth stands before Max. She maintains her cold gaze. Max stands proud as he relaxes his stance. Is the fight over? Is he hurt? Did she shatter his soulless being? What is going on? He spits out a small amount of blood; Max is hurt and falls to one knee. He spits up more blood, but he is far from dying. There is a small set of grunts that softly escape her lips. Kayleth vomits up blood. The force from Max is too much for her to handle; the small wounds on her further weaken her. Many more older wounds open on her body. As she begins to bleed slowly, the last thing she recalls is him. Kayleth collapses on the ground.
The eldar grip their weapons and howl loudly at what they see. The dire avengers advance; warlocks draw upon their warp powers and warp Spiders try to teleport closer. A group of howling banshees sprint towards the area. Lucas and others come from cover; they see the army of eldar advance on Max. The imperial guard charges with a few ready for close combat. Max stares at her and rolls Kayleth over to her back. He barely found a pulse on her; he looks more closely to see that her vitals are weak. Before the eldar banshee can strike at him, Max stares in their direction and causes the whole army to halt their assault. The cold feeling frightens the entire eldar army as they all stop. Lucas orders the troops to be ready as they too stop in the tracks; Veldoran appears in front of the others. He nearly allows his anger to get the best of him. He looks over to Kayleth and prays that she did not die at the hands of Max.
Veldoran looks to him, "If our commander is dead, then I will kill you, mon-keigh scum."
Max picks Kayleth up and turns to him. Veldoran stands frozen in place as the other eldar back up for fear of what Max will do to him. The guardsmen feel the same cold feeling again and back up; the eldar slowly back up as Veldoran stands face to face with a soulless being. The void powers of Max nearly force the eldar to run away in fear as he brings over the eldar autarch. Instead of pain, the sensation dies down. The normal cold air surrounds them. Veldoran looks into the eyes of Max and prays he does not tear his soul to pieces with his abilities.
He says, "She is barely alive, warlock. If you care for her safety, please take Kayleth and retreat from this land. I will make certain that none of you are to be followed. You have my word."
Veldoran wants to thank him for not killing her, but the priority is to get her away from him; he still feels that Kayleth is dead. He signals the guardians to hurry and recover Kayleth. As they gather around her, Lucas radios to his friend. Max continues to look on at her; she looks vulnerable yet beautiful to his eyes.
Lucas says, "Now is our time. Your power has them frighten and in fear. Let us come and strike them down."
Max replies, "No, there will be no need to strike the eldar. Their leader is down but not dead. We will let them retreat with their army intact. I will make my walk back to you."
Veldoran nods his head in agreement. As the eldar take their fallen commander away, Max takes his leave of them. A few banshee warriors want to ambush Max; however, the eldar still feel the cold void when they try to get closer to him. The lingering sensation gives them pause. As the eldar retreat, Max rejoins his allies. They speak of his power being dangerous to the eldar. The officers cheer for how well he managed to hold his own. Some can't believe it; others are lost for words. Many thought the first attack would cripple him or shatter his body. All he walks away with is a scar on his lip, a bloody cheek, various areas of painful hits and a cut on his chest. Kayleth did hurt him greatly, but not enough to cause him to fall. No amount of praises or words can express what they all saw. Once inside the foundry, many repairs to the area are underway to the south-west wall. Lucas and Lina speak with Max as they head back to the command center.
Lina says, "My tech can not analyze what you did; I can barely understand what happen that allowed you to win. The only thing I can believe in is what I saw, but it is unbelievable. That went well beyond the words of belief in the Machine Spirit. You are truly a marvel of this time, Max."
Lucas adds, "I see some tales of a Blank may out weigh more than what I was told. You may be soulless to us, but the eldar now see you as a real threat. I hope this victory over Kayleth will change all accusations against you. Commander Vance will surely see you as more than a person for the Imperium of Man; I am convinced you did more for us than anyone can ever know."
Max shows sadness and says, "I did not want to hurt her. She had to be shown where her fault is at."
Lucas and Lina didn't follow his meaning. They ask him about it with more details being provided to support his words.
He answers, "Kayleth deeply believed in her cause. She truly felt that her life coming to an end will mean safety for her own kind against the enemy; I couldn't see how weak she was until I knew that her life force would be gone at the last moment. If she had continued her with her final attack on me, she would have died for nothing. I did what I had to do to save her; I didn't want to ever hurt her. She is too important to me. It should not have come to that."
The two pause at the words "She is too important to me". Though Lina understand the strategic view on having the eldar as allies on occasional events, Lucas wants to be sure that Max didn't mean something more damning than a xeno contact. After they arrive at the command center, Lina sets her tech priests to work. Lucas and Max step off to the side to talk more.
Lucas says, "What did you mean by that last part of your words? I understand that rouge traders of the imperium do hire xeno as hired guns; however, you speak of something else that I pray to the Emperor is not what you are truly feeling."
Max lowers his eyes and looks at his hands. Lucas presses his questions.
He says, "A long time ago, I met a woman. She had the same fury, rage, and drive that Kayleth has shown me. She was always ready to lay down her life; she would gladly die for her beliefs. There is only one time she showed me that she did care for someone like me. She was as sweet as honey. I only wish that I told her how I truly see her. Seeing Kayleth only reminds me of her. The same drive and need to preserve their people."
Before he can speak any more, Lucas interrupts, "I don't want to even know if what you say is either madness or not. The thought of what you desire from that eldar is complete heresy. What you speak of is more than a conviction in the imperium. I won't breathe a word of this to anyone, but please promise me that you won't let her lead you astray. I highly doubt she is having the same want for you as you do for her. For now, focus on the here and now. We still have to finish up our business here and you did one thing right. You have shown me that I need not doubt you again."
As Lucas leaves, he turns back to Max and adds, "I understand the part you truly see in her. It is a similar trait that I see in Lina. THe drive to see success for our kind is a trait not many have."
Max nearly widens his eyes at what he hears. He wants to ask more about it, but he stays on the objective. Rather than waste time feeling guilty, Max begins to order the soldiers around and help them keep their morale strong. The imperial guard repair and refit the foundry walls. Though the massive shock waves leave the place nearly falling to pieces in several areas, the place remains strong. At the eldar camp, all stand around and pray for a quick recovery from Kayleth. She is in a tank with blue warp energy circling around her; Veldoran and his warlock group do their best to speed up the recovery. As she lays unconscious, Kayleth sees images of what is to come. She will meet with Rela of the dark eldar. They will battle; the results are unknown to her. A new image appears to her. Before she sees any more, Kayleth awakens. The eldar around her let out a sigh of relief. Though healed, she didn't let her rage go away so quickly.
Kayleth asks, "What…happen?"
Veldoran steps forward, "You were injured by Max. He left you in some pain, but the minor wounds easily healed up. Your connection to Khaine harmed you more than he did. Were it not for his ability as a soulless being, you might have died. His power somehow drained more from you and left you weak enough to be struck down. Before you continue to lead us, recover your strength. We will be here on stand-by."
Kayleth nods her head and dismisses the others. Many caution her on moving; however, she assures them all that all is well. Veldoran urges Kayleth to take it easy and heal for now until she has fully returned to her normal strength. Once they all leave, she falls to the floor on her knees. She wants to cry; she wants to be mad. No, instead Kayleth suffers from the hurt. Even with all her power and everything she knew about warfare, Max Johnson has gotten the best of her.
She thought, "Why did I lose? Why must this task be harder than before? I can never accept this defeat. I must become stronger if I am to protect my craft world."
As she lets herself feel sadness in every sense, she realizes the damage that has come to her. It is not power that allow her to fail. It was not even the fact he bested her. There is something else to this that Kayleth did not see; she stands on her feet. The war host gathers together to greet their new leader and avatar of Khaine. Kayleth will be able to burn the message of the eldar war God in the stars and pass the reality. They return to the Faded Light; everyone stands by. The eldar vessel conceals itself in the sky. For any more answers, she knows where she has to be at. Kayleth heads to the hidden warp gate at the bottom of the vessel. She needs to speak with farseer Elenwe. Once through, the spirit stone of Elenwe appears before Kayleth. The link is secure and answers will be given.
Kayleth says, "I need your guidance more than ever. What does the future for our species show us?"
Elenwe answers, "The future of our kin is secure. There is still trouble on the horizon. That is not why you seek answers though. You want to know if Max will play a role in the future. You already know the answer, but you seek something else that requires an answer."
Before she can ask, Elenwe continues, "Our future is secure and no harm shall come to us now. At the time of your great battle, you will receive something you didn't require until death is upon you. I know not what else to share with you, but I can share this with you. The human Max will be at the center of it. Go now and lead our kin to victory. I will accompany you and witness the glory as a sword of support when my time comes."
As the spirit stone falls quiet, Kayleth steps out from the warp portal. In her hands, the spirit stone of Elenwe rests. Kayleth didn't have many answers to give her comfort. The only good news is that the eldar of Alaitoc will be secure in the future. She places the spirit stone around her neck. The path is once more clear for the eldar to purse. After she returns to the helm of the ship, Kayleth addresses her kin.
She says, "The time has come to bring an end to Rela of the dark eldar. She will be ready for us. There will be no retreat for any of us. Hear me, my kin. We will not retreat for we shall bring them the battle they seek. Not a single dark eldar will escape our wrath. They will die like any other foe we face. Let us go and bring forth an end to their existence. We leave soon."
As the eldar ready their blades for battle, Kayleth leaves the command to Veldoran.
He says, "I need not ask anything of what you do. Be swift with your words as you are with your actions."
Kayleth is surprised at her warlock. She nods her head and teleports to the surface; she feels nervous and afraid. Yet, she is focused on what is to happen next. It didn't take her long to return to the last place. At the foundry, the guardsmen enjoy a night of rest and relaxation as many drink and speak of the return to Saneesh. They are expecting to be greeted with open arms and offered the chances for regiment recognition. Lina and Lucas are off duty until 0400 hours; they make sure none know of their private time together. A few patrols keep the foundry on alert despite the celebration. The morale of the guardsmen is at an all-time high. They faced orks, dark eldar, corruption, and still remain strong; the 20th imperial guard regiment will not give up.
Alone and hidden away in the cold air, Max looks at his recent victory; it brings him no comfort. All he can remember is how badly she looked. Kayleth was left in pain; she bleed from her mouth. The pain Max caused left her weaken. The weight of his actions remind Max of what he could now truly do if he ever decides to enhance his own ability.
He thought, "The battle didn't feel right. I didn't want to hurt her."
As he continues to think heavily, he hears a noise and becomes alert to the sound of footsteps in the snow. Max turns about to see her. She shines as bright as he always knows; she is still weak. Despite the battle they had, she comes to him with her weapon ready. Kayleth stops ten feet from him; Max lets his guard down to hear what she will say and leans against the wall. In his heart, he was glad that she is ok.
Kayleth sadly says, "…I need you to…provide me with the answers I seek."
Max adjusts his body and shakes his head in complete disappointment; Kayleth backs up more and becomes afraid of what he will do.
She continues, "When we first met, I would have killed you if it was not for the prophecy that Elenwe spoke of. At first, everything was going according to my own plans until things changed between us. You kept helping us and cooperating with me; in fact, you did more for us than any man or woman would do for our kind. You helped us find pieces from an avatar of Khaine. Then, you stopped me from being sacrificed to bring it into reality. Lastly, you fought me to a draw and still are willing to hear me out. Why are you helping us? Why are you helping me?"
Max sighs and looks into her eyes. His heart skips a beat; he can't help but love her emerald eyes.
He says, "I only did what I truly believe is right for both of our friends and species. You want to save your kind from a Great Evil that is coming; I want to only have peace for myself. It seems the only way I am going to get what I need is to help you and those guardsmen out. As for the saving you part, I did it because I know that losing you is not the best tactic for your people. Had you fulfilled the ritual to bring forth whatever you had in mind, then the eldar might have been lost in conflict without you. You are a great leader and must continue on. As for our duel, there was no draw between us. I easily stopped you thanks to my ability. You are strong, but you were not prepared for it. You lost to me."
The prideful Kayleth disagrees, "There was no need for any of your interference. You did as you always do. And our duel was to a draw."
Max scoffs at her statement and replies, "Prove it. Prove to me that you could have won. This time will we duel with no warp power at all nor shall I try to use any blank abilities against you. I hate for you to leave from here in a bitter attitude."
Kayleth turns and walks away, "I will not lower myself to your childish ways. I take my leave of you."
He rushes at her only to see Kayleth turn around. She backs up quickly and starts to breathe hard; Max looks at her closely as she is ready to unleash her blade. The fear in her eyes shows.
He says, "You're afraid of me or of what I am. Do I frighten you that much?"
She replies, "There is nothing to fear from you…"
Max rushes towards her with the use of his blank powers. Kayleth nearly cuts him down, but something feels different than before. She leaps away from him and sees nothing is being drained from her. Max leaps towards her, but she still keeps a large amount of space between the two. He looks at her; she looks at him. Something is different about this. Kayleth steps forward twice. Nothing happens to her.
She asks, "What sort of power is this? You were draining and blocking my warp powers early. Now, you are not causing anything to happen. Why is that?"
Max shrugs his arms in confusion. The uncertain reply only fuels her anger.
Kayleth says, "So, you mean to tell me that you only did everything as a reflex? That is unexplainable."
He sprints towards her again and catches her off guard; Kayleth feels her old wounds overcome her and stumbles to the ground. Max closes in towards her. She looks up to see nothing is happening. Max offers her a hand, but she slaps it away. Suddenly, he grips her hand and pulls her up to him. Kayleth feels her heart rate spike violently. Max listens to her hard breathing; he looks into her emerald eyes as she tries to move away.
He says, "You are afraid of me. Why?"
She frightfully replies, "I am not afraid of you."
Kayleth looks away still breathing hard. Max places his hand on her heart; he feels the panic. He feels her heart beat with a fast pace. He looks at her to see her shake and tremble. Max moves in closer; Kayleth can't bring her weapon up. She is too close to him; she thought how this will end badly if she tries to slay him. Yet, there is nothing but the wind and cold air making noise.
He calmly says, "Why don't you tell me now? Why are you afraid of me when I get this close to you?"
Kayleth realizes what he is doing and tries to release his hold on her. Max holds her firmly as she continues to shake. Instead, he pulls her close to him. Her warp power doesn't fade away. Instead, a blue flame encases around her and him.
She says, "I…I…. please let me go. There is no deeper thought than this. Please, let me go Max. I...I...beg..."
Kayleth struggles to get free; Max brings her closer and leaves only a foot of space between them. Her rage slowly boils. The snow around them melts away. Her expression is of rage now. As she gets hotter, Max lets her go.
He laughs at her and replies, "Thanks for the fun time. You may go."
Max turns to leave until she grabs him by his shoulder, "What was that about? What were you trying to do to me?"
He only smiles as he looks her up and down; Max tries to leave again only to see a small warp flame go pass his head.
Kayleth slowly lets her flame of Khaine come out from her body. He turns about to see her ready to unleash her rage.
She walks to him, "I demand an answer from you, Max mon-keigh. What was all of that about? If you believe that you seek to charm me and put me under a gaze, it will not work. I am a warrior before ever becoming your slave or prisoner of war. I have fought more than you ever will."
In that heated moment, Max walks to her. She stops her raving and calms down. Even with her warp power rising, Max didn't use his powers against her. The moment leaves Kayleth uneasy and unsure; the issue is confusing.
Max smiles once more and says, "I wasn't looking to charm you, put you in a gaze, or even seduce you. I was just reminded by how beautiful you are when you get mad. You do have an unusual way of wanting to talk to me. Now, I must let you go. And thanks for showing me that you somehow care."
She thought, "Seduce? Is he a daemon of the warp or just a mindless mon-keigh with no knowledge of his own actions?"
After she leaves again, Max heads back to join the others. He smiles harder than ever and feels more at peace. He enters a nearby room and everyone salutes him. Max goes to the man serving drinks and orders a round for all present. The guardsmen cheer as he tells them stories of what his life was like on Saneesh before he joined them. He didn't know how to say anything of his old life. All that is certain is his thrilling time he had with Kayleth.
Chapter 9: Section 9 – 3
On the planet Saneesh, the war rages out of control. The imperial fortress stands strong as men and women battle on the front lines against inhuman hordes. The orks have return in full force to take the fortress; the dark eldar ambush both parties on the field of battle. As the front gates of the imperial fortress keep repelling the orks, the other battles across the landscape become chaotic. For every ork that dies, a new wave approaches. Elsewhere, storm troopers and imperial recruits try to keep the ork parties off balance. As the two sides engage in battle and melee combat, the dark eldar swoop in and slaughter all save only the wounded. Commander Vance looks on from the consoles; he does what he can to keep his fortress secure. In the distant land far from the battle, Rela and her dark eldar indulge their desire with as much pain, suffering, and death as they can inflict on their victims. The daemon infused sword takes in the pain to strengthen its power. As she swallows a vial of souls, the informer comes to her with a message.
The informer says, "Mistress Rela, I bring you news. The prey is strong and endless. More than enough guardsmen are here to slake your need for pain and sensation. The ork presence would have been gone had you not saved a few. I am getting reports from the inside of the imperial guard on what their next plans are."
Rela replies, "You have done well for now. Let me enjoy my pain and suffering, If anything else changes, you will let me know. Keep me updated on any imperial progress and the ork activity."
The informer rushes away and returns back to the imperial fortress.
Rela thought, "The informer has been doing really well. Though the foolish mon-keigh Vance believes victory is his to claim, he is falling into my trap. It will be time for my plan to begin once I have enough. I just need a few souls more and true power will be at my fingertips."
The informer journeys through the safest parts of the land. As patrol units and ork packs come by to fight, the informer keeps his presence unknown the entire time. After he returns to the fortress, he hurries to Commander Vance at his forward base of operations. Once he finds him, the report is given.
The informer says, "Commander Vance. The dark eldar are still holding position and continue to let the orks move in. We lost about a few dozen companies out there to them. What are your orders?"
Commander Vance answers, "We are to hold this territory regardless; they will not get inside the fortress. We have well over a million troops here. I will send those dark eldar and savage orks to their graves in the name of the Emperor. Keep me updated on any of the enemy details and activities."
After the informer leaves, Vance smiles at how the front lines are holding back the orks.
Vance thought, "That dark eldar is clever to send orks at my fortress. It will not save her for long once she completes her part of the plan. I will get what I need and be more powerful than ever. She will never see it coming until I take her life."
As both sides continue to fight, the informer lurks away from the battle field. He travels far into the west away from any signs of patrols and conflict. He arrives at an open field with tall grass. He passes through the last few bushes and comes to the center of unholy ground. After he steps into the center, a voice contacts him through the warp. The ground has a warp spell that was craved into the soil.
The voice says, "You have done well in your tasks for me. My time will come soon. Once I am free, you will offer me a way to enter into the universe to destroy any standing before me."
The informer agrees, "Yes, I have done as you have asked. You will have what you need."
As the voice quiets down, it marks the informer with a new brand on his body.
He thought, "Soon, I will have the real power. Those two fools believe in their false plans yet fail to see that they are going to self-destruct. It was foretold to me long before I went to service under Commander Vance. Now, it continues to grow since Rela discovered the daemon infused blade; I will have what I need. For now, I will play both sides of the field and perfect my art. I will sacrifice both sides in the name of She Who Thirsts."
At the imperial fortress, the imperial guard and storm troopers take a moment to rest from the ork assault. Vance takes his personal guard with him out into the field for recon. No one knows how the orks got to numerous and out-numbering. At first, it was only the orks at the costal territory. Now, there is more than enough to challenge the imperial army. As the group under Vance advances, it didn't take him long to go ahead to a more secluded area of the forest. He walks pass a few bushes. After a time of walking, he walks into a hidden object. He feels his lips lock tightly against someone; Vance pulls away and sees Rela reveal herself to him with the tags of the fallen guardsmen. Vance lashes at her only to be easily knocked down; he tries to reach for his weapon only to see Rela stand over him with her crimson eyes looking into his irises. She steps back from him and drops the dog tags at his feet.
She says, "Oh, why so rough? I thought you would have enjoyed our little time spent together?"
Vance stands to his feet and damns the dark eldar succubus, "You have slaughtered my men for your own personal enjoyment. You have best to trend carefully, dark witch. I will not send you any more for sacrifice."
She puts on a pouting appearance only to strike the tree behind Vance. The tree is consumed in dark warp fire.
He stands his ground with nerves of rage and fear; Rela walks towards him with the daemon weapon drawn, "That could have been you just now. If you dare to break away and discard our agreement, then I will have no choice. I will reveal your traitorous ways to your fellow comrades through my informer. I am sure your leaders in high command will want to know that a promising commander is allowing his men to be slaughtered in order to take over and upsurge them for more power. They will gladly destroy you if they found out. Only after they strip you of your rank, your name, and title."
Commander Vance laughs happily at the dark eldar, "You are more foolish than I thought, dark witch. No person under my watch will fall under your enchanted whispers or honeyed words. You will die before you have any chance to get back to your dark city Commorragh. Do not make threats to me. I am sure your high lords of the dark city will not like a daemon weapon in their own city."
Vance steps to her as she smiles with crimson eyes. She looks down on him with some joy and rage.
She says, "I will have what I need. And you will die. So, bring me all that you can bear against me. I look forward to showing you what I have."
He replies, "And you better make sure every one of your corrupt followers and dark kin are present when I kill you. I want them to see you suffer before I finish you."
After their business is finish, Rela disappears one last time. Her body shakes with delight as she rallies her warriors for a hunt of humans and orks again. Vance returns to his unit; they go back to the fortress. Though there are orks and humans battling everywhere, the dark eldar still seek to enslave as many as they can. When Vance returns to the command base, he is informed of many surprises.
The first report states: "Sir, the 2nd companies of recruits have left the fortress. The 3rd conscripts are close to deserting us as well. An example must be made to keep the morale high."
A second report comes in: "The orks are coming back in waves again. We must be ready for them. Now we can bury these filthy xenos, sir."
Every report is quickly put from his mind.
Commander Vance broadcast: "The enemy seems numerous, but they are not invincible. I say let them come and try to take this fortress. The imperial guard will see this conflict end. We shall find glory."
With the guardsmen ready, they mount up a strong defense as orks run at them to fight. As the war continues on Saneesh, the War Harbinger is refit and heading back home. Lina takes in the reports of the repair work done on the system and ship. If they should ever return to the ice world, they will be expecting the condition to be better. As always, ten thousand are left behind for upkeep and military watch. Once the War Harbinger takes to the sky, it didn't take the eldar long to follow. As the five month journey to home is long and enduring, a skeleton crew operates the ship. Lina and Lucas finish up their reports and system checks. Once finish, they enjoy the time spent together alone during the trip. Max enjoys his time spent aboard the ship. For each passing moment, he smiles as he recalls her face. The beautiful eldar Kayleth of craft world Alaitoc is all he can think of. Though rough and strong, her passion to save her people makes him smile too hard. After the four month journey passes, the ship becomes active with the last month journey almost complete.
Only fifteen more days are left until they reach Saneesh. All the systems are green across the board. Every single weapon is safely secure. Each vehicle, shuttle, and aircraft carrier is fully repaired. As everyone keeps to their duties, the trio of the imperial guard go over the details of the reports each will give.
Lina states: "All shuttles and vehicles have been report to the tech priests. Repairs were completed by twenty four hour grace period. Each Machine Spirit suffers greatly and benefited from the add-ons. Shuttles have better weapon systems and greater flight capabilities. All vehicles can endure more punishment. The Omnissiah would be greatly pleased."
Lucas reads his report out loud: "At 1500 hours, imperial guard regiment encounters eldar activity. Storm trooper companies engaged the enemy. No survivors. Eldar retreated due to unknown reasons."
Max adds, "You will want to put additional information in the report. Anything less will cause Vance to be suspicious of the activity."
After Lucas writes in a few more details, Max reads his report: "Though exiled from the imperial guard, I am guilty for misleading the companies. A precaution had to be taken based on unknown variables. I, Max Johnson, possess the Pariah Gene. I didn't know how or when this occurred until my encounter with the eldar. Due to its unknown nature, all warp powers used against me are useless. The warp does not harm me; I can absorb the warp but never keep it. I am more than willing to submit myself over to the imperial guard command to further help the Imperium of Man."
Lucas and Lina look at Max with interest. He says, "I may be able to live peacefully in this life once I am done helping you two out; the only problem is the forces of evil will not stop. They will continue until there is nothing left. I will stay and help secure this side of the galaxy for the imperium. In return, I only want back my original planet to live in peace."
Lina laughs and says, "I am sure that high command will be more than willing to let you be the ruler of Saneesh. There will be some modification done to you to enhance your abilities and power."
Lucas gladly shakes his hand, "It will be alright. You did help us out; I owe you a debt that must be repaid. Even if they won't give you a planet, I promise you that you have earned a place in the imperium once again and on this ship."
The three agree to the reports they will submit to Vance after more words are written. As they continue to go about their work, the Faded Light flies slowly behind them. All eldar stand ready for battle; Kayleth and Veldoran watch with eagerness. There is no more time to waste; they will bring an end to Rela and her dark allies. After flying fifteen days straight, the War Harbinger and Faded Light arrive at planet Saneesh. The eldar and imperial guard didn't expect it to look terrifying on the surface.
Chapter 9: Section 9 – 4
Radios of chatter are scattering on many channels. There are bright orange-red spots everywhere and various monitors broadcast surface activities. One screen shows guardsmen fighting back against dark beings. The next monitor broadcasts fighting between orks and humans. Max, Lucas, and Lina didn't need any more shows. A button is pressed; the alarms on the War Harbinger alert everyone to be ready for another battle. The Preachers let their voice ring loud and proud as they rally the guardsmen and guardswomen for battle. As Lina assigns the operators for the ship, she heads down to the fourth deck to help and gear up for battle. Lucas stops her along the way down.
He says, "I need you here aboard the ship. Leave the fighting to us."
Lina stops him, "Do not try to persuade me to stay here while you and Max are fighting down there. I don't need to here with my tech priests any more. I am here to fight along with you. The skitarii teams will need my guidance and I have their skills to operate any of the guns. I already upgrade…"
Lucas interrupts her with a kiss and answers, "Just don't you die on me. That is an order."
She agrees to obey his order. Max looks at the two and says, "If you two need some time alone, I can take another shuttle and let you both be alone."
They both chuckle at the humor Max gives. As the three exit the elevator, they go to their groups on deck four. The weapons are being loaded. Shuttle guns are being set up. Battle tanks are ready for a hard drop. As the three take the lead, they turn and face everyone. They see men, women, skitarii, ogryns, recruits, conscripts, and veteran jungle teams; they each lead them as a whole.
Lina says, "We have come far in this war. Now, we face a threat together as a united company. We fight not as the space marines. We annihilate the enemy as the hammer of the imperium."
Lucas adds, "The enemy on the planet will show us no mercy. They will not stop unless we are dead. If they want a fight, we will give them one. For the Emperor of Mankind and Omnissiah of the Machine Spirit, the imperial guard will find victory here."
Max steps forward, "There will be orks, dark eldar, and death all around us. We know that they are expecting us. Once we step on the field of battle, we will be neck deep in all of it. And if we have to give these xenos bastards our life, we will give them hell before they take it."
The roar of victory vibrates in the War Harbinger. As the ship passes through the atmosphere of Saneesh, the reports below come through clear. The ship flies over the imperial fortress; they see the walls breached by the orks. Half of the fortress has orks occupying several areas. The remaining half shows a strong resistance of imperial forces. The operators on the first deck arm the main gun until Lina forbids firing it. The ship flies over to the ork infested side. Each medium cannon aims and fires at the parties of orks. Many orks die as they watch the imperial forces move in at the enemy. Lina keeps trying to establish a communication to the command center. She manages to get Commander Vance on the small screen. As the imperial forces push the orks out of the area, a single shot is fired from the fortress. The blast strikes the War Harbinger; everyone thought the orks are attacking with anti-air missiles. The whole ship pulls back; Lucas and Max look for a nearby terminal and contact the command center in the fortress. None dare use any shuttles to make any landing spots until the sky is secure.
Lucas says, "This is Sergeant Major Lucas Turner of the 20th regiment. Why are we being fired upon? Did the orks take over the anti-air guns?"
A second shot comes and misses the ship by a few feet.
Max takes the console, "This is Noble One Max Johnson of the imperial guard. Why do you fire your weapons at us? We are here to provide reinforcements and air support."
Commander Vance appears on the main screen of each deck. He is not pleased to see them; no one didn't understand what is going on until the message is delivered.
He says, "By Imperial Guard law and codex, I ordered the capture of Max Johnson to be carried out. Instead, I see that he has corrupted the rest of the regiment; you leave me no choice now. Sergeant Major Lucas Turner is hereby declared a heretic of chaos. He is a traitor to the imperium and must be stopped. Any that serve or follow him are heretics as well; I am issuing protocol ten. All former imperial guard soldiers, tech priests, ogryns, and the War Harbinger are to be treated as the enemy. There will be no amnesty for any aboard the ship. No mercy will be granted to the prisoners. All must die. In the name of the Emperor, I will bring his justice unto you all."
Once the communication is cut, the eldar look on from their ship to see the War Harbinger fly away. Many fortress guns and turrets fire at the ship. Though partially damage, the humans aboard leave with only a few dents. The Faded Light turns away from the fortress area and heads further towards the south region. Unsure of the last few acts against the War Harbinger and its people, the eldar remain on alert. Kayleth guides her kin to a quiet zone; they begin to set up their ground operations. The warlock and autarch teleport to the surface with the bone singers; they set up the base as fast as possible. As Kayleth and Veldoran go over their plans, the eldar hear footsteps. Everyone looks to the front and see a lone woman walking towards them. She is marked with symbols of dedication to Rela and She Who Thirst. She stops in front of the eldar; they look upon her and see her horrid expression of pain and happiness.
She says, "My master Rela knows you are here. She feels your desire to be her slave. I am here to relay a message to you. You are to journey a certain location marked by trees; there she waits for you to battle her. Your capture will sing songs of sweet suffering to come."
The woman falls over dead. Her back shows marks and cuts that bleed heavily. Kayleth holds a gathering to discuss the plans for the future of their battle. Though many of the eldar follow her words, her primary warlock sees only a mistake that will come.
Veldoran says, "This is a trap she has laid for you. You should not go at it alone."
Kayleth assures him, "I grow tired of this game; I will emerge victorious from this conflict. You are to stay here and strengthen our defenses for the future battle. The rest of you are to be ready to march upon my return."
After the other eldar leave to continue their work, Veldoran speaks to her privately, "To go at this alone is utter suicide. She wields a daemon weapon. She is leading you into a trap by words. And if you should fail at stopping her, what will become of us? How will we achieve victory if you are dead?"
She assures her warlock once again, "I know perfectly well what is going on. She seeks to capture me and have her way. This will be the battle I obtain victory in. The time has come to stop her now. Once she is defeated, her army will be broken. Do not try to change my mind. I go to face Rela alone and none are to follow me."
With her orders given, Kayleth sets off to find Rela. Sensing that her mind is only thinking of battle, Veldoran sends a scout out with a message for the only person he can trust. Before the scout leaves, the words of caution are spoken.
Veldoran says, "You must go and find him. He will do as he must to ensure her life is stable."
Chapter 9: Section 9 – 5
Betrayal…heresy…traitor…damnation. Every possible word that comes to mind has labelled the 20th regiment as the enemy. All the soldiers aboard can't believe they are accused of betraying the Imperium of Man. Many skitarii and ogryns are unsure about what has transpired. The War Harbinger locates the first imperial setup. It was here where the guardsmen met Max at. Once the ship stops, imperial shuttles fly troops to the ground. The morale of the army is low. Heresy is what they are convicted of. Traitor to the Immortal Emperor of Mankind are how they are viewed. Every single thought turns to one single question: How do we continue the fight when there is nothing to fight for? Lucas and Lina spend time alone; they both feel the life they have is over. Before they can hold each other tightly, a commotion occurs outside. They rush to the problem to see men and women fight among each other. Many want to accept the idea of turning traitor; the others still want to receive the Emperor's blessing. The fight ends with a bolter shot into the sky. Everyone turns to see Max is mad and upset; he looks at everyone with sheer rage.
He shouts, "Steel your mind and quiet your anger! This is not the way. Yes, this regiment is now considered a threat to the imperium of mankind. Commander Vance calls you a betrayer to the Emperor. His men would fire weapons at you since you are a heretic. Well, I say to you that they are all wrong. We are no traitors to any one of the imperium. We did not turn from the light of the Emperor to become heretics."
Max continues, "We will continue our fight against the enemy and stand proud in the face of our accusation. We will not betray what we still fight for. This war will not end until we stop the madness. All of this will end once we bear down the might of the imperial guard on our enemies. Only when the smoke clears will we be seen as heroes in the eyes of the Emperor. Commander Vance wants us to be treated as the enemy? Fine, let him come at us. The orks will fail to stop us; the dark eldar will not defeat us. Once we clear this planet of evil and traitors, the Emperor of man and Omnissiah of the machine spirit will see us as righteous ones."
He orders his troops to move and continue setting up the base. Though most are non-responsive, a second speaker encourages them.
Lucas calls to his men, "Max is right. This is not the time to give up. We are here to stop the problem from spreading. We face the army of Commander Vance, the savage orks from Bone Snappa, and the dark eldar of Rela. None of you under my command are traitors nor are any of you committing heresy. I say that all the accusations against this regiment are false and wrongful. If this was a space marine chapter still fighting for the Emperor, do you believe they will quit after being declared enemies of the empire?"
The army cries, "No! The space marines fight! The Imperial guard fights! For the imperium, we will fight and stop the madness!"
It didn't take the army long to set up their base of operations. All cannons on the War Harbinger become active. Each scan across the planet is wide and narrow. As the base expands outward, squads encounter lost recruits and additional conscripts from the imperial fortress; Lucas allows the group to enter provided they are tested for loyalty. As the morale starts to return to normal, the three leaders call together a meeting. Lina and her skitarii captains accompany her. Lucas brings in his commanding officers. Max invites in those who speak for others. In the center of the camp, a party of thirty stands in attendance to discuss plans to continue their fight against the enemy and prove their innocence. As the meeting gets under way, Max hears a voice that sounds weak; he excuses himself to go search for the person calling him. The walk takes him outside of the camp. Once alone, the voice clears up.
The voice says, "She is weak and hurt by what you did. She will throw her life away if you don't find and save her. Please, save the Alaitoc Autarch from death."
Max asks, "Who are you? What do you know of me?"
The voice replies, "I know who you are Max Johnson and you have wound Autarch Kayleth of Alaitoc. I ask that you save her from her arrogance. As strong willed as she is, she needs your help. When the time comes, I will reveal myself to my kin. The final battle will begin soon. All will be needed to win this war."
He tries to ask for the name, but the voice stops speaking. As Max turns back to the camp, he feels his pocket vibrate. He reaches into it and pulls out a small amulet; Max can't believe it. The same amulet is the spirit stone of farseer Elenwe. It is back in his hands. Unsure as to how this happen, he tries to head back camp only to feel the object vibrate. It tries to send images through his mind as he barely can think or focus. The more he wants to turn back, the stronger the spirit stone vibrates; Max sighs and silences his radio com. He grips the spirit stone firmly wanting to believe this is not a trick.
He presses it to his forehead, "Please, show me a sign of where I must go."
The spirit stone of Elenwe begins to shine. As he turns to the right, it glows low. Once he turns to the left, the glow becomes slightly brighter. Max nods his head and rushes off into the direction. He didn't know how far he will have to travel to find her. All he can do is believe in what is happening as events unfold. The planet Saneesh shows many old ruins that remind Kayleth of her travels. Many planets she went to hold the same features. The old ruins barely stand and have a rusty scent. The plants bring life back as they grow around the landscape. Nature does as it will to continue thriving. Once she clears pass most of the ruins, Kayleth comes to the worse view to see. The mark of Rela is on a tree. A symbol to Slaanesh is marked on the ground. After walking a few more yards, Kayleth is ambushed by dark eldar warriors.
She says, "Tell you master I am waiting for her to accept defeat."
A dark eldar replies, "She will never be defeated by you. Mistress Rela has given us the honor to kill you. Prepare to die."
As the dark eldar move on Kayleth, she allows her flame of Khaine to burn away the souls of her attackers. The path to Rela is more dangerous than ever. She unsheathes her sword and allows the flame to burn away all that stand against her. The next encounter is against corrupt humans who have fallen under the influence of Rela; Kayleth easily cuts them down and presses on. A group of dark eldar and humans try to eliminate her. She leaps into the air and swings her body in a full circle. She lets her blade send out a wave of warp fire that burns everyone alive. Though the humans die quickly, the dark eldar suffer pain before smiling at their death. Kayleth remains calm in her attacks; she doesn't allow small enemies to cloud her thoughts with rage. She reserves all her skills for the time.
She thought, "She sends me victims to be sacrificed for her gain. It will not save her."
The final journey brings Kayleth to a cliff with no forms of cover. There are a few trees in the area that have been stripped of the life they once had. She looks over the edge to see a forest below her. Once she turns away from the edge, a group of orks, corrupt humans, and dark eldar stand before her. Kayleth sees the look of madness and damnation in their expression. With her calm attitude disappearing, she sends a massive wave of flames at the enemy. Every ork, human, and dark eldar fall to the ground smiling at their own demise. Despite the overwhelming pain, they all feel at peace. Before they are all completely burnt, every being in the area is lifted into the air and pulled into a single spot. There is no blood and no remains left behind. Out from the shadows, she steps forward as before. She holds the same daemon infused blade at her side and smiles with pleasure. Rela has changed; Kayleth has evolved. The true test of power will be decided now.
Rela says, "I thank you for the offerings you gave me. There is so much pain, blood, death, and sacrifice to make my abilities stronger and the daemon blade powerful. I would truly spare you if it means your future cooperation, but I can't do that. I still want you as my personal slave and pet."
Kayleth lets her rage build and flame grow, "Your appreciation is not called for. I have come to kill you, Rela of the dark eldar. Your plans will not be fulfilled."
She strikes at the dark eldar succubus. Rela easily stands perfectly still. With just a tap from her sword, she easily throws Kayleth back. Rela smiles and laughs.
Rela says, "You really believe that this is how it would end? Let me reveal to you just how foolish you are."
The daemon weapon is plunged into the soil; it sends out an inhuman cry and slowly chats. The warp energy from the blade curls around Rela. For every sensation of pain and pleasure she feels, the dark eldar succubus smiles happily. Her bones crack and grow. The armor changes shape and her eyes change to blood red. Suddenly, a blast of dark warp power consumes her; Kayleth is shoved back by the force of it. As she investigates the maw of the warp, a small hint of fear slowly covers her. Kayleth quickly shakes off the thought of being afraid. As the darkness pulls back into the blade, a final scream of pleasure is heard. Once it clears away, the dark eldar succubus steps forward. Her skin is smooth; her armor has changed. The appetite is great. A set of horns rise from her head. Rela is reborn stronger than before.
She says, "My name is Mistress Rela, the Unholy Dark Succubus of Commorragh. I am finally free and reborn as a true daemon of the warp. Slaanesh can never claim my soul. You will be the first to die to fuel my power."
Kayleth smiles at her foe, "You are truly a fool of our kin. She Who Thirsts will still have your soul to devour in the end. You merely halt your own demise."
Rela leaps at Kayleth to strike her down; Kayleth stops her attack and ends up falling backwards. Her rage is ready. As the dark eldar fiend attacks again, Kayleth slams her blade against daemon weapon. As strong as she is, Kayleth proves herself worthy of being no weaker than Rela. In a blaze of blinding light, the flames of Khaine return and cover her body. Rela jumps back and witnesses the power of Autarch Kayleth of the craft world Alaitoc. The flames burn her armor into a new form. Her sword burns brightly. Her irises turn to small flames. After she steps forward, her hands drip blood. Each blood drop is burning. Kayleth grips her weapon and smiles at her chances. She is ready to stop Rela at any cost.
She says, "I am Kayleth of the craft world. The avatar of Khaine has given me the chance to end your misery and burn his message into the stars. Come forth and fight me. You will perish this night."
Rela smiles at the pleasure and pain to come. Kayleth smirks at her chance to deal the death blow. Both warriors leap at each other with determination. The true battle between the dark and light begins now. As the dark eldar succubus and eldar autarch fight, the guardsmen continue to improve, take in, and ready their base for their own war. Lucas and Lina assign the captains and officers their duties; Max journeys far out in the land in search of Kayleth. The forces of Commander Vance hold back ork waves. The true battle of Saneesh will end in victory for the ones who want it.