Dawn of War: Destiny War

(The pain and pleasure has given the daemon what it needs. None will dare stand against the enemy for its power will consume anyone. The eldar stand in fear of what is meant to destroy their craft world. The imperial guard brace themselves for the evil that is ready to bring them pain. Only one will cry out against such evil.)

Final Chapter: Section 12 – 1

The lives taken can never be enough; the souls devoured are always not plenty. Some men of corruption are empty husks; many women of chaos dance before their eyes as ghosts. Xeno corpses burn away to ash and every eldar caught in the warp fall dead as empty as a shell. Men that are still alive tear off their own flesh to experience the painful sensation. Every piece of torn flesh brings them an experience beyond any thought of wondrous delight. Women dance away until they bleed from their wounds and eyes; the suffering gives them such joy before they collapse. The orks outside of the center flee from the place to escape the sound. Though orks know nothing of fear, they run away to bring back more to finish to the fight. At the front of the alliances, the pair looks on to see what they cannot comprehend.

It is larger than before and stands over five stories tall. The bones crack under its skin only to repair. The skin is now a beautiful purple; the armor shines brightly and sparks from the warp powers. The pleasure is there for the taking. Every kind of pain belongs to the daemon, but the creature will share the wonderful feeling with all. It smiles with an innocent face of excitement and torrent. Anyone caught outside of the shield is instantly pulled into the warp and consumed by the pain. The victims on the front lines crawl and reach out only to be pulled back in. The portal is slightly open for one person to enter. Pain is the realm around them. Escape may be possible. For now, they hear the words of horror spew forth from the bloody mouth of evil.

"Pain…it is such a delight. Pleasure…it is yours to have. There is no greater sensation to feel than the suffering of another. I welcome you all to experience such a promise if you accept the offer."

Lucas and Lina join Max at the front. The daemon roars as its voice damages the warp shield. As strong as Elenwe is, she feels herself weakening. The time is upon them all.

Lina says, "I can't get any readings; the warp energy in the air around us is making everything hard to do."

Lucas says, "How can we stand against such a thing?"

A Preacher steps beyond the protection of the warp shield. He turns to all as they witness him torn to piece by the warp.

He says, "I die today so that you can remember why…pleasure is yours for the taking."

The man is jerked into the air and dies with a twisted smile on his face. The guardsmen try to retreat out back; the few are taken into the air and die a horrible death. Everyone stands still and stays within the warp shield. The daemon howls again and weakens their protection further. Kayleth looks to see Max stand calmly still. She tries to approach him, but he slowly walks to the front more. He is unnerved and his expression is calm. He sees nothing holding him back. The only path for him now is to move forward. A howl from the daemon weakens the shield again. One more time and no one is safe. Every soldier panics until Max surprises everyone. All eyes look to him; Max sees a nearby chimera in need of repairs. He goes to the vehicle and stands on top of it and looks at the daemon lord. The creature looks back at him. He is seeing nothing but a weak human standing before everyone. Max looks at the monster and feels not afraid to do what must come next. Lucas, Lina, Veldoran, and Kayleth look on at Max as he turns to face everyone. He smiles at every face he sees. The human army and eldar army all look to Max with wonder. They all see him smile and proudly salutes everyone. No one understands what he is doing.

Max happily says, "I must leave you all. Do not fear what will happen to me. This is my fight alone; however, I am glad to have met you and hope to see you all after this is over. Farewell and may the Emperor protect you all."

He blindly hops off the vehicle and lands in front of the warp shield. The daemon lord keeps an eye on him and questions this new approach. As Max nearly steps out of the protective warp shield, Kayleth stops him once last time; she pulls on his arm roughly and express the doubt. She looks to him with eyes full of rage and confusion.

He says, "You know what I have to do to save everyone. I will face the daemon of Slaanesh alone. I will win."

Kayleth angrily says, "You are a damn fool! You can't step beyond the shield and expect to survive. How will you survive if the warp...?"

Every eye of the eldar, man, woman, ogryn, warp spider, guardian, banshee, skitarii, and living soul can't believe what they see. The daemon lord itself smirks at the sight with some look of displeasure. No one didn't think the desire Max has for Kayleth was real. In her moment of wrath and reason, he surprises her with something she didn't foresee. At the time of battle, everyone didn't expect this to happen. Everything at this moment seem to disappear around them. After he lets her go, he smiles at her one last time; Kayleth can't believe Max did that in front of all who are present; the endless questions slowly pass through her mind. Max walks away and mouths a set of words that sing forever to her. Lucas is lost for words. Lina didn't calculate the chances of it happening; Veldoran is dumbstruck. Elenwe is unsure by the method as she continues to use her powers to protect everyone. Kayleth finds herself unable to be mad or express what needs to be said. Once Max steps outside of the warp shield, the corruption and warp seek him out only to stop in its tracks. The daemon lord stops smiling. Once again, Max does the impossible. The energy of the warp pulls away from him or passes through him. He looks back at daemon lord and points to it.

He shouts, "YOU LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE! YOUR FIGHT IS WITH ME NOW!"

Max charges towards the tower. The daemon roars once at Max; he takes on the full impact of the roar. Instead of falling down, Max picks up his pace. The abilities of Max begin to cause the warp to react violently as it travels through his body. The landscape with warp energy slowly becomes nullified; the daemon lord is shaken by this sudden change. Everyone looks on to see Max keeping up his pace. Once he is close enough, he leaps into the air at the daemon. Though confident in its abilities to rip a man to shreds, it didn't count on a surprise from Max. He brings his arm back and creates a fist. With one hard swing, Max collides his fist into the face of the daemon. Before any words can be expressed, the warp engulfs both Max and the daemon lord. Everyone looks on to see the warp gather in full strength around the two as a massive sphere of warp power swallows them whole. With a blink of an eye, the warp takes both Max and the daemon lord together to unknown areas. The results of their act sends massive vibrations in the air and ground.

Elenwe drop the warp shield; they watch the warp fly upward towards the top of the fortress. Lucas and Kayleth order everyone to retreat away from the area. Every living being scurries from of the warp as more of it pours into the center. Anything left dead is pulled into the warp and torn to pieces; the damage done to the fortress is massive. The walls fall over and crumble. As everyone runs for cover, lighting strikes the ground and thunder shatters the sky. After everyone of the alliance reaches the outside wall of the imperial fortress, they all look on with amazement to see the warp sphere. Everything in the center is covered heavily by it. The warp energy intensifies; the eldar howl and cry out in pain. Only Veldoran, Elenwe, and Kayleth are able to withstand the pain as the warp cracks from inside the massive warp sphere. Suddenly, the warp instantly disappears from the center. It takes the entire imperial command center with it; the only thing left is a massive crater in the center.

Everyone looks to the fortress. As they advance inside, the entire place is cleared of the dead. The ground itself is dry. Not a single drop of blood, flesh, or bone is anywhere to be found. A few small camps are set up just around the outer wall of the fortress. Kayleth journeys to the center of the fortress; her concerns for Max became present to all. She arrives at the center to see everything completely cleansed of any chaotic form. She calls to Max; there is no answer. She leaps around the area to find nothing but an empty crater. She uses her warp powers to enhance her vision. Kayleth locates something in the center of the crater and leaps toward the impact; all she found is a small cloth belonging to Max. She falls to the ground on her knees and whispers a prayer for Max. In her mind, she knows that he is gone from this life. In her heart, she feels sadness to lose someone that changed her. Veldoran and Lucas arrive to see the autarch of Alaitoc on the ground. Veldoran tries to speak with her, but Lucas forbids him to do so.

Veldoran questions the reason for holding him back and Lucas says, "I understand very little about the eldar way; however, you can tell that she is troubled by the disappearance of Max. Please, allow her a moment of peace to mourn the loss of someone who cared for her deeply. I won't try to tell you how to handle her after she is ready."

Veldoran and Lucas look back to her; they step away and keep everyone else away from the center. Kayleth looks into the sky where Max was last seen at. The last thought going through her head is how he marked her with his final act; it leaves her vulnerable and weak. She mutters words of ancient eldar tongue that are rarely spoken and holds in her tears; she begs that what has come to pass is the not the future for her. She shuts off her personal thoughts and closes her heart from everything. Kayleth promises to honor Max not only as an ally but as someone dear to her. Even now, many speak and wonder what did the last notion from Max mean. The endless questions that Kayleth will have to answer become her highest priority. Though her kin did understand some human notions, the last act of Max sent several important questions through their mind.

"Why did he do it? What did he whisper to her? Was there something more to the time they spent together?"

In the landscape around him, he stands on his feet. Though the warp tries to harm him, it passes through his fingers and around his body. Many who enter the warp come back changed and more become lost to the warp after wandering aimlessly; Max is lost in a place where time has no meaning for him. He stands ready to face any inhuman being or warp deity that will approach him. He takes his first step and it sends a ripple throughout the area. Max looks up to see the many minor warp deities back away from him. Despite his current whereabouts, Max being a blank in the warp causes madness among others. He rushes forward stepping on the land around him. A daemon tries to tackle him, but it falls to his feet and dies quickly; he looks up to the high land in front of him. He sees steps leading to the imperial command center. Several daemons block his way only to move completely back as Max steps towards them. The nothingness of a blank frightens them and causes them all to pull away in horror. After he climbs his first few steps, Max encounters a Space Marine of Slaanesh in front of him. No longer having a normal face or unable to be recognized, the once human is now an inhuman being of the warp. The hands are claws and armor looks like skin. One of Fulgrim's space marines swings his mighty axe. The space marine snarls at him; however, Max boldly steps to fighter. Before combat can begin, the space marine speaks.

He says, "My Lord is away for now. I stand here to guard against any who come here. I do not sense your soul. You do not belong here. Turn back."

Max roars at the being, "A daemon lord has me trapped here. Allow me to face it in combat. If I defeat it, then I will leave. If not, you can take my life."

The space marine gladly smiles and tries to engage him. Max easily throws his hand forward and the warp shatters the space marine completely. Though unaware as to how it happened, the space marine smiles in pain.

The space marine weakly replies, "You are…not of…this warp. You will…fail."

As the space marine fades away, Max picks up the axe. It is a golden weapon tainted by the warp. As the energy from it circles around him, he feels none of the energy harm him. Max continues his way up the rock steps. Many daemons along the way flee from the sight of him; they all fall back to the command center of the imperial fortress. Once he arrives, he finds the same daemon lord waiting for him; the creature roars at him. Though strong in the warp, Max did not feel any harm come to him. His mind is clear; he raises the axe. Max throws it at the daemon lord. It cracks into skin of the monster with ease. The daemon pulls it from it shoulder and throws it away. It looks at Max to feel the same cold void come from him.

It screams, "You are not welcomed here! My queen will not tolerate your presence here in my kingdom! You will die before you leave here."

Max roars loudly. The unchecked blank powers stretch from him and frighten all in the area. Every daemon within the area runs away in horror of the void feeling from Max. The daemon lord reaches for the bones popping out of its skin; it pulls out bones from its own body. The pain is greatly wonderful as the daemon lord smiles; Max draws his sword. The small bones in the hands of the daemon morph into blades. The bones form into two golden swords. Max smirks at the beast. It questions his reason for smiling.

It says, "Are you ready to accept your fate? Will you give into your pleasures and embrace the pain She offers to us all? Is that why you smile?"

Max stops smirking and angrily replies, "And surrender my soul to chaos? No, nothing you say or offer me will ever be enough. I came to this part of the warp to deliver a message to your master. Tell your master that Noble One Max Johnson of the imperial guard does not fear the grave. And I smile knowing that I will strike you down in the name of the Immortal Emperor."

Max charges at the daemon and swings his sword. It blocks his first attack and prepares to stab him. Max leaps back and fires his laspistol at the daemon. The bullets easily break through the body of the daemon, but it smiles as the pain gives it such pleasure. It leaps at Max and tries to stab him; he moves out of the way with no trouble. The daemon moves behind his back to slash him from behind. Max flips into the air and kicks the daemon. The kick only gives the daemon more desire to see how far Max will go. With a set of fury attacks, the daemon puts Max on the defense. He stabs the arm of the daemon. It did nothing but bring it more of a smile. Max is knocked back with a strong back hand from the daemon and loses his sword. As he tries to gun down the daemon, it only smiles more and more as the pain causes a rush of ecstasy. Unable to damage the daemon with conventional means, Max places his gun away.

It says, "In here, I am the unbeatable! In the warp, I hold all the means to your end! I am the Daemon Lord of Slaanesh! I will return and take the lives of your allies! You will not win, MAX!"

Max realizes the trouble he is in. Even with the warp as a tool for him, Max had no real way of damaging the daemon. In a surprising move, Max falls to his knees. The daemon looks at him puzzled.

Max says, "Then, prove it."

The daemon looks at him with curiosity; the creature is at a lost.

It thought, "Is this a trick? Did the foolish man give up to die at my hands?"

Max says once more, "Prove to me that you are the one with all the power!"

The daemon smiles as it tears away its skin. It exposes the beating heart and the pain sends a tremendous rush through its body. The daemon moans loudly as it nearly falls over. The warp around the entire area is pulled into the daemon. It sends more of the unimaginable rush through its body. The pain is exciting; the pleasure is exquisite. No words can express how the experience feels to the daemon at this moment. Once enough warp energy is inside the daemon and the blades, it cries loudly one more time.

It screams, "YOU WILL KNOW PAIN AND PLEASURE BEFORE YOU DIED HERE!"

The daemon leaps into the air at Max. All he did is continue to wait and opens his arms to embrace the pain coming. Max smirks at the daemon as it falls onto him. With one thunderous stab, the whole area around them shakes violently as the pain finally gives the daemon a rush like never before. Max never looks away from the daemon; however, a cough is made. As the daemon coughs up blood, it looks down to see a wonderful shock. The blade only breaks through the skin of Max by only an inch. The daemon continues to cough up more blood as it pulls away from Max. It can't believe nor understand how it is happening. Max stands on his feet and tries to approach the daemon. It moves back quickly crying in pain.

It says, "How…how is this…possible…?"

Final Chapter: Section 12 – 2

The abilities and powers of a blank are always unstable; they can be deemed too dangerous and highly lethal to all psykers when in range of any. No one truly understand how or why a person born a soulless being can ever exist. The only thing certain is how dangerous they are to any being of the warp regardless of how strong it is. For the first time in centuries, a daemon lord of Slaanesh receives pain that is too unbearable. It keeps falling back from Max as it tries to understand how this is possible. Max collects his sword from the ground and aims it at the daemon; it roars at him in pain.

He says, "So, you can feel real pain after all. This fight isn't over yet."

Max charges at the daemon. Though it tries to use the warp to power itself up, the abilities of Max nullifies the daemon's advantage. Max drives the monster back and strikes at it. Even with its abilities and combat, it shows signs of weakens. Max slips the sword slash and cuts into the daemon's side. It leaps back and screams in pain instead of pleasure. Max didn't let up on his attacks. Every time the daemon tries to draw on the warp power, it feels the cold void from Max approaching it. Max makes several more slashes on the daemon. It falls to the ground in shame and flies to the top of the command center; the daemon lord shrieks in rage at Max. Every cut is painful and stings.

Max says, "Is that all you have to offer me daemon? You dare call yourself a deity of pain and pleasure? You are showing weakens before your master."

It screams, "Damn you to the warp, Max! I…Will…Not…Fall…To…You!"

The daemon draws in the warp energy around them. As it pulls in more, its flesh is tearing and repairing in various spots. Max holds his position in the stance of a high guard as the daemon lord smiles one more time. It experiences the pain and pleasure of what is being offered. Before it makes the final strike, a voice comes to it.

"Fail me now and I will show you something sweeter than the pain you feel that you think of as pleasure."

The daemon lord shouts, "In the name of my Chaos God Slaanesh, I will strike you now!"

Max stands ready as the daemon launches into the air; the images of his allies flash in his mind. The friendship of Lucas and Lina comes to him. They were the ones who always expected greatness from him. Though Lucas is hard and Lina is critical, they both show care when humanity is in danger. The farseer Elenwe and warlock Veldoran prove useful as allies. Though only a spirit stone, Elenwe showed Max that hope exists within him; Veldoran may not have said much to him, but he sees that not everything needs to require an answer. Lastly, the eldar commander of Alaitoc comes to him. She is strong and fierce; she is fearless and brave. She will make a fine queen to her people. The only issue she faces now is the care Max has given her so much of. The beautiful autarch Kayleth is now his focus. He can still see her; Max lets his own actions guide him upward against the daemon as they come to the climax of their battle. The daemon is full of rage as it is ready to strike. Max brings his sword up to stab the daemon one last time. The destiny of Max Johnson has finally come to an end. With a thunderous sound, the impact between the man and daemon sent ripples of warp energy all around. The results of their strike makes everything feel as though nothing else has happened. They both land on the ground; Max turns and faces the daemon only to fall to his knee. He bleeds from his leg and arm. The daemon turns to see Max. It just smiles as it experiences the final moment that brings it such pleasure beyond words.

It says, "Thank…you…Max…"

The daemon falls to the floor as blood spews out from its wound. The cut from Max's blade went through the heart. The final experience of death is so strong that nothing else matters. Max feels the ground around him collapsing on itself. As the daemon is lifted in the air, Max tries to look for a way out. Before he can move, the ground crumbles under him. He looks at the daemon to see it smile once more at him; Max slowly falls through a warp portal. He can see the end of the daemon and ends up back in a familiar place. Once he falls through, Max finds himself on familiar ground and sees the warp portal close. The soil is dry and trees stand tall. He didn't understand what happen and why he is instantly out of the warp. As he checks around his area, he sees familiar markings. He strolls to an open area and finds a familiar river. He begins to smile; Max takes a few more walks before he looks to his right and spots the same small shack made out of an escape pod parts. Somehow, the warp portal sent him to his home. He didn't understand how nor could he explain it. The only thing certain is now. He is home and alive. He had done the impossible; Max went through the warp and found his way home.

He goes inside his shack and searches through his belongings. Everything is slightly dusty, but he finds what he needs. Max finds the last bit of supplies from his first aid kit still fresh and ready to use. He applies his home made ointments to his wounds and bandages up each cut. He sits back in his chair and wonders about everything that has happen. He looks to his left and finds the last reserve bottle full of water. He takes a long sip of the water.

Max thought, "What do I do now? I stopped the daemon. Yet, I am back on my planet. I hope the others have not left; I wish to see them. How much time has passed since I went through the warp portal? How long did it take for them to restore order?"

After four hours of rest, Max awakens and begins to walk off his wounds to try and find the others. His journey takes him back down a familiar road as he recalls the small changes in the area. A few traps are laid around the landscape. Handfuls of orks are dead from pit falls and traps they ran into. Max examines the bodies and discovers that each ork is a fresh kill. The ork bodies are new with each passing; he hurries to the next area and discovers an abandon lasrifle. He picks it up and journeys further into the same area. Not a single imperial guard body is among the dead. He arrives in the next area only to duck behind a bush. He sees that the orks are looking for something or someone. Before he can move, a rifle sound clicks near his head.

A voice says, "Don't move or you will give away our position."

Shortly after the words are spoken, gun fire shoots out from various directions as the orks die quickly. A hand grips Max by his shirt. He is shoved forward into the opening as various guns are aimed at him. He didn't understand what is going on. Max looks over the attire the people wear. They are storm troopers; the symbol of the imperial guard has changed. Something is wrong with this situation.

He thought, "This must be a new unit of imperial storm troopers, or they are a new regiment sent to my home."

An officer comes forward and says, "What in the name of the Emperor are you doing out here? This is ork territory. Identify yourself."

Max replies, "I live out here. This has been my home for ten years. I am Noble One."

As much as he wants to inform them of his true name, Max keeps it short and conceals his true identity. The storm troopers laugh at him; one trooper scans him up from head to toe; they look over his gear to see that he is wearing old clothes of an imperial soldier. They all relax and keep their senses alert for any more orks.

The officer says, "Well, today is your lucky day. Welcome to the…"

Max finishes his sentence, "The Imperium of Man. Yes, I know all about it. You are a small group of storm troopers sent to keep the orks in check. You're with the 20th regiment of the imperial guard that was under the command of Vance the Bright."

Before any more words are spoken, the lasrifle in the hands of each storm trooper click. They are aimed at Max; the officer calls Max a heretic and demands that he is brought to the imperial camp for further questioning. They haul him to the transports. Once they all climb in, they bind Max and radio back to the imperial base. The drive takes hours before they reach the new imperial camp. Max tries to reason with the officer; the soldiers threaten him with the rifles pointing at his face. He decides to play it safe and not provoke the soldiers. Once there, Max is amazed and shocked. He looks over how well fortified the new fortress is. There are towers of massive size and some house guardsmen. Others have gun turrets ready to fire; Max smiles when he sees everything. He speaks to the officer and asks if a Sergeant Major Turner is still around with the Blessed Techno Child Lina. The storm troopers beat Max down to the floor and accuse him of heresy. The very word "Heresy" spreads like wild fire among the others; the officers prepare to execute Max until word from high command comes to them. They spare the man until Max is judged fairly. He looks up in time to see the trucks pass through the entrance of the base. Everything is heavily fortified and reinforced; there is nothing that the army would not see coming. After transports come to the destination, the drivers stop. They bring Max through the base camp and march him straight to the commanding officers. It would not be long before he comes face to face with the new leader of this regiment.

In the central command hub, Lucas and Lina over see everything that goes on. Despite the constant attacks from the orks left alive, they do what any imperial citizen does best. Each day is a reminder to them that they must be not only prepared but ready for the unexpected. There is no shortage of orks; the enemies of the mankind are relentless. Even when there are moments of rest and peace, none can say how long they will last. Lucas looks over the monitors and keeps studying the methods of how each ork group attacks. He sees similar patterns they have constantly used against them; the ambushes parties are easy to catch the orks off guard. The green horde tries overwhelming numbers, but they fail. Every attempt to out think Lucas becomes hardly a challenge for him or the soldiers. He nearly sighs each time they try to think that bigger means better.

In the technology section, Lina has been elevated to a higher standing from Blessed Techno Child. She keeps her tech priests busy with small repairs for the weapons. The lasrifles fire a stronger shot; every gun the skitarii member uses is more deadly than before. The armor upgrades to the soldiers make them have a higher standing with a design similar to a space marine. As she finishes up her daily work, Lina goes to Lucas to give her report. He looks at her with great happiness to see her wonderful smile. In the last few months, their relationship has grown stronger than ever. A radio chatter comes to Lucas; they hear reports of the word 'heresy' spreading through the ranks. It didn't take them long to go find the source of trouble. The officer of the storm troopers presents them the troublesome person; Lucas and Lina are appalled. Both of them look closely at the same person that left them long ago. They order and push back the storm troopers to pat Max down; it is as real as it gets. They are amazed to see him whole and intact. Lucas calls to everyone in the area and broadcasts his message.

He says, "Noble One Max Johnson is alive and has returned!"

When word of his return is heard, the whole imperial base rejoices. The storm troopers apologize over and over for the way they treated him. Max begs everyone that he will see their improvements after he speaks with Lina and Lucas. The three head inside the command base. All officers, cadets, tech priests, and trainees salute Max and praise his return. Many preachers come by and try to bless his return as a sign from the Emperor; a handful of soldiers happily shake his hand and return to their daily routine. Once the greetings are done, Max discovers how long he has been gone. The news of his absence is unsettling, but the time that went by still makes it difficult for him to accept.

He says, "It has been only eight months since I left through the warp portal?"

Lucas confirms, "Yes, only eight months since we last saw you take the charge to the daemon. The whole time you were gone is the months we used to solidified the planet; I was given the rank of Commander Lucas Turner and changed the name of my regiment. We are now Imperial Guardians. No more are we the average guardsmen of the imperium. We have been compared to the space marines; however, I dismissed that claim due to what it will lead to. We don't want the space marines to believe they were being replaced nor cause tension. Ever since we received word from Terra that the Emperor's "Avenging Son" Roboute Guiliman has returned, the Imperium of Man now stands stronger than ever. We now know this is not the end for us."

Lina adds, "And, since you were gone, Lucas and I became closer than ever. Our first child will be born here on Saneesh. The inquisition tried to cover up the issue with former Commander Vance being corrupt, but it didn't last long enough. Instead, they promoted Lucas to lead these guardsmen and have given us the Rogue Trader clearance to keep exploring the outer edges of the north western galaxy beyond the halo zone. We start within a few more months once we have gotten rid of the ork problem here. Our eldar companions are willing to join us if you can convince their commander. You still have to explain the last act you performed before you left."

Max happily smiles at the success of the imperial guard now known as the Imperial Guardians. He swears to them that he will never disappear again like before. As Lina returns to her faithful duties, Lucas gives Max the signal to walk and talk about the fight between him and the daemon lord. As they stroll throughout the camp, many soldiers and veterans praise Max for coming back. A lot of fellow guardsmen shake his hand greatly; some try to bow before him. Max quickly dismisses any idea from their mind that he is something sent from the Emperor as a sign. He thinks of what else will become of the imperium now that he is back. As Lucas hears the details of the warp experience from Max, the events and description of how it went leaves the Commander breathless. The daemons that ran from him left him speechless; the encounter of a space marine of chaos is impossible to believe. All of the details makes Lucas wish he never hear of what lurks in the warp. Max looks off into the distant to see a flicker of light. Lucas catches the flickering lights and smirks. The chat finishes up with Max and Lucas feeling proud that the imperium of man is now stronger than ever. It is also good to know that the eldar will see a familiar face back among them; Lucas asks about the events eight months ago involving the unusual farewell between him and a certain eldar.

Lucas says, "Well, ever since you left, we have kept ourselves at a distance from the eldar due to your sudden surprise on Kayleth at the end. She has been willing to cooperate with us; however, she mostly sends Veldoran the Enchanter to associate with us. I can only guess you left more than a mark on her. For now, I did agree that the imperial high command need not know of our association with them for our own safety. And they certainly don't need to know of your abilities either."

Before Max speaks, Lucas continues, "Nearly a year ago, the eldar commander Kayleth would have used us and killed you had your ability and power not shake her at times. Months later, the eldar show signs of betraying us only later to work with us for a common goal. Finally, before you disappear on us, you showed us that you and Kayleth are more than just allies. Care to explain that away before she gives you her full attention?"

Max laughs loudly and replies, "That is a story for another time. For now, all you need to remember is that some people are worth it."

Lucas proudly hugs his friend and takes his leave as Max begins to head into the forest away from the camp. Before he completely goes, Lucas gives him an upgraded sword, gun, and new radio com. With his near gear attached, Max promises to return to his allies. Lucas also promises to keep Max away from any political issues that may raises suspicion. As Max journeys into the forest, he can hear the constant flickering around him. As he progresses through the land, he sees so many trees have now covered the once barren landscape; everything is blooming. The traveling is a long one, but he enjoys everything he can see. Once he makes it five miles away from the imperial base, Max stops in his tracks as the flickering becomes more common than ever. He comes to a small area just in the south-east land away from the fortress. He takes a moment to admire the landscape. There is a coast just ahead of him; Max walks towards the water. After fifteen minutes of walking, the bright lights flicker more. Out from the flickering lights, the warp portals open and eldar greet Max with an unusual gesture. The howling banshees all bow their heads as the Enchanter Veldoran steps forward from his portal. His appearance is different. Max smiles to see such a grand display of respect. Veldoran looks at Max with great wonder. There are only a few who have ever gone through the warp and return unscratched by its effects.

He says, "You were gone a long time, Max. It is an honor to see that the warp has not changed you; you are a rare sight to see. We, the eldar of Alaitoc, honor you and welcome you back to your home. You saved us from a threat we didn't know how to beat and we honor you for it; we will not take too much time from you for she has waited for you as though you more than a precious stone. Kayleth will be here shortly to see you."

The eldar take their leave of Max. Veldoran attempts to press him for questions.

He says, "What was the warp like for you? Surely, you must have something to share."

Max replies, "It was difficult to understand at first, but it was nothing. And before you ask me, let me just clear the air. If you have any questions about what happen eight months ago, I will tell you what I told Lucas before I came here. Some people are worth it."

Veldoran looks at him with confusion. He didn't understand, but says, "I didn't require an answer of what is between you and my commander; I only took notice that the warp didn't change you when you were lost in it. If anything, you sent more ripples through the warp than any other being ever could. For now, I will let Kayleth question you for as long as she needs. When the time is right, she will tell us what is to come."

Veldoran finally leaves; Max didn't expect Kayleth to be so worried about him or concern for his living condition. He adjusts his clothes and looks around the area. The calm sea rolls in from the tide; it has a beautiful sound. So much time has passed yet it all seems so short. Max is anxious to see her again and can't help his thoughts of how Kayleth will look. She will look upon him hopefully with happiness. Soon, a small warp flame hangs in the air. Max looks at it with interest until the flame grows more. The warp flame is now the size of a small ball and it floats to the right of Max. Suddenly, it continues to grow until it is large enough for a person to be covered by it. Max continues to watch it closely. He is ready to reach for his weapon. Once large enough, a being is formed from the warp fire.

A bright red armor covers the torso. The area becomes slightly hotter than ever; Max braces himself as a being steps forward. The bright being calms the flame down. Once it is gone, red armor covers the torso, legs and arms. Max recognizes the mark of Khaine on the shoulder pads and chest. He looks up to see a set of eyes closed. The eyes open to reveal the irises are now orange red. Max smiles to see Kayleth. No words come forth as she looks at a person she didn't believe can come back from the warp. Her expression is calm and peaceful; Kayleth sees Max for what seems like an eternity for her. There is a moment of peace and quietness.

Max says, "Hey Kayleth. It is good to see you again. I am sure you are curious about my time in the warp against the daemon lord."

Before he takes a step, the flame of Khaine erupts brightly from within her body. Her eyes change to hellfire as she roars at him. She pulls her blade out and shouts loudly into the air. Max backs up slowly as she looks at him with rage; he is unsure as to why she is allowing her flame of Khaine to shoot out from her body. As Max tries to speak, Kayleth leaps at him with her sword ready to cut him down. Max quickly pulls his sword out and blocks the attack only to slide backwards from her. Most of her body are charged by the warp power from the avatar of Khaine. Max slips into the water just as the tide comes in. Before he can get up, Kayleth rushes upon him and drags him from the ground to the sky. Like before, she throws him high into the air; Kayleth jumps just enough to be ahead of him. She sends him crashing to the soil with a warp charged kick. The impact nearly knocks the wind out of him; he crashes on the ground yet again. Max slowly gets up to recover his strength; he moves away just in time as Kayleth comes crashing into the soil by the water. The flames of Khaine boil the water around her and Max stops thinking of trying to understand her rage. He focuses on his blank powers to nullify the warp energy around him. Kayleth sprints at him. With the warp being absorbed by him, Max uses the little energy to dodge the attacks until more is gone from her. Kayleth leaps at Max and tries to strike him down with her weapon. He blocks the attack with his own weapon and continues to let his own power dominate Kayleth and the warp power. As she draws on her warp power more, Max tries not to allow his power to harm her, knowing he has yet to master it.

Kayleth shouts, "Why did you do that to me?! Why?!"

In a surprising display of strength, Max becomes over powered by her need to win. She shoves him back greatly and crushes her fist in his side. Max counters her next move with his own fist crashing into her stomach. The impact is strong; however, Kayleth fights through the pain and continues to drive him back. Her strikes against his blade produce warp shock waves with each hit; the waves of warp energy sent ripples in the air and ground. Before she can react to his next move, Max moves again and surprises her from behind. He grips her waist; she didn't expect it to happen again. The uncomfortable feeling returns to her like before. Kayleth twists herself around in his arms and tries to stab him in the shoulder. Instead, Max holds her wrist and forces her to fall down. With her rage unchecked, Kayleth howls loudly as her warp power spreads across the area. In the distance, Elenwe and Veldoran look on. At their side, Lina and Lucas smile eagerly. The four question each other's information on the present events; the air and ground continue to feel the waves of warp energy expand.

Elenwe says, "I wonder why she didn't tell us. Did Max tell you anything?"

Lina replies, "As he told my lover, some people are worth it."

As the four turn away to head back to their base, the fighting between the two continues. Max finally wrestles her down; he looks into her eyes to see the flames burn strongly. Kayleth uses her warp power to launch them in the air; Max sees this as a moment of weakness in her defense. Not wanting to let her gain the advantage, Max finally lets his powers nullify the area with a strong void feeling. All the warp energy disappears greatly. Kayleth becomes hurt by the effects; she falls to her knees and cries out in anger. Max rushes upon her and holds her against the ground. Though her rage slowly quiets down, Max feels annoyed and wrathful. Instead of trying to hold her down, he stops and listens to her breathe heavily. He lets her go; Max gets up from the ground and watches her stand. She tries to bring back her power as she recovers her blade with warp energy.

Max warns her, "You already tried that. Now, if you are done trying to hurt me, speak. Why did you attack me?"

Kayleth looks at Max with eyes of rage and hurt; he looks at her and tries to not show concern. He attempts to approach her, but she backs away. Kayleth keeps her blade drawn on him.

She says, "Why did you do that? Eight months ago, you burned that act into my mind. Why did you kiss me in front of our allies? Do you have any idea how much it hurts? Why did you mark me in such a way?"

In a sudden display of burning affection, Max rushes upon her and holds her. Kayleth tries to move, but her body is weak from the warp drain on her abilities. She breathes hard as Max holds her hands to prevent her from trying anything; he looks into her eyes to see that she is still afraid of him. Instead, he moves in closer to her; the heart rate goes up. She is panicking. Instead of seeing a kiss, Max stops in front of her face. He lets his grip on her hands become loose. Kayleth breathes still heavy with deep inhales of air.

Max says, "Kayleth, I am not here to fight or hurt you. I just want to see you. Yes, I shouldn't have done that to you, but I didn't know if I was going to come back to you."

Before she can speak, Max steps back completely and allows Kayleth to stop breathing so hard. He pulls away from her more and places his sword away; she tries to not feel weak about the unexplainable. Kayleth grips her blade tightly and keeps her emotions in check. She feels her heart rate rise; Max smiles slightly. Though everyone knows of the affection Max showed her once before, they are allowed more time to be alone. The last thing going through her mind is one simple question:

"What does the future hold for us now?"

With the daemon lord defeat and the forces of chaos routed, everything will change for the Imperial Guardians and eldar of Alaitoc. Max and Kayleth take a moment to breathe easy. He backs up from her and tries to understand what he did wrong.

Max says, "What did that kiss from me do to you?"

Kayleth shows her rage, but tearfully answers, "I am not suppose to be that vulnerable or feel such a trifling thing. It hurts in ways more dangerous to us than you can ever know. Why did you do that to me? Why did you mark me like that?"

He looks at her with worry as tears slowly roll from her eyes. The act Max did damaged her more than he knows. As he stands alone with Kayleth, he tries to still show her that his love for her has never changed.

To the readers, this has been a Big Boss production dedicated to the 40k Warhammer series both video games and novels. I hope you enjoyed the reading and will leave remarks on any chapters of the sections. The story continues in Fateful Journey with our heroes facing a new threat.

The adventures of Max Johnson and the imperial guardians with their allies the eldar of craft world Alaitoc led by Kayleth will continue and will have an end. Till then, have a wonderful day. (Also, I have taken the moment to update the sentences as best I can this last time. Feel free to read over what has been added and changed. Expect new additions added on the next series: Fateful Journey. And yes, I will finish it and if I must, I will keep going should I have time.)

Writer: Big Boss Pugh