A/N
I am alive, as you can see, and I am giving a new chapter. I apologize for waiting, but first of all, creativity is a hobby for me and I do it on my own at my own time. Secondly... This is my least favorite chapter because it is ... read at your own risk.
"Eli, can you tell me — why are you always running away from your problems? It won't solve them, after all," the phantom of war was flying between the trees. The mocking fellow traveler of the ex-khornith was in a relaxed sitting position, a boring old man's horn-rimmed glasses were on the beast mask, distorted by a serious expression, and a notebook and pencil were in ceramite gloves. "Does it take roots from childhood? Did your father beat you? Or maybe you don't want other girls because you wanted your mother to fu-..."
"Shut up, shut up! Shut up!" The astartes shouted at the ubiquitous warp parasite without slowing down his pace.
With a sigh, he literally fell into the ground, but only to emerge already ahead, with his arm outstretched to the side. Eli did not have time to completely slow down and the limb of his no longer quite ghostly double played the role of a barrier. The warrior sprawled on the ground, falling on his back.
"Well? Have you calmed down?"
"Uh-r-r," the chaosith growled. "One more trick like that, motherfucker, and I…"
"You what?" The original ghost rudely interrupted. "Are you going to scare me with an aquila? Sprinkle with holy water? There is only one thing in your interests right now — to listen to me. After all, I'm your only ally here".
"An ally?! Yeah, a good ally. You ditched me as soon as those two mares loomed on the horizon!"
"I had to think about a strategy! I'm the brain of our duo, remember, bully?" The doppelganger spread his hands to the sides. "Although to whom am I saying this, your former master considered the very word "strategy" an insult! Well, you've obviously broken away from these women so far. Can you rest for now and read the book we've already picked up?"
"Oh, okay. Just make sure that some new fucking mutant doesn't suddenly appear right out of the bushes. Well, for example, I don't know... a pigeon woman? What could be worse? I hate pigeons, they always spoil the blood on my armor".
"Yes, read you already, how much longer to wait?!"
Eli wanted to distract himself and pulled out of a small bag, not wanting to continue the altercation. He opened the first page:
"For those who will read it.
We don't know each other and are unlikely to meet, so I don't see any point in introducing myself. Just know that this is just unfinished work. In general, I often lose drafts with sketches and notes to my still unreleased volume, so I'm not really worried about this. But on the other hand, dear reader, your reader's interest may play out. In principle, you may not trust this book, especially since I'm more of an illustrator than a scholar. I don't even know where this nickname came from. This is generally the propaganda of demons, and I was bought for a bun and matches in order to slander the sacred and pure name of the Order (please note that I speak about my homeland in a positive way, although I do not agree with part of its policy). In short, don't pay attention, dear reader — I'm just complaining, because I had the inconvenience of meeting a one fantic (crossed out) buffoon. In short, I don't want to waste any more ink on you, my friend, so figure it out for yourself".
"Hmm," Eli significantly commented on what he read. The preface was very verbose and grandiloquent.
"Well, dismissing the superfluous, it is already possible to notice that there is a certain "Order" and "demons" here," his reflection responded. "It doesn't look like there are any Astartes loyalists or significant demon breakthroughs in the warp. Otherwise, I would have been able to sense the emanations. I will assume that there may be a country and a race of some xenos in mind here. Although considering the local Immaterium... we'll deal with this later. Go on".
Further down the text was a pair of so-called "profiles". These were torn and badly crumpled sheets, on which there were sketches of mutant girls, also called monsters or "mamono". There was also a text description of them — where they live, what they eat, what archetype they have, and so on. The main and common feature was one — they were all extremely, over lustful and almost obsessed with sex.
"That is, they really wanted me," Eli stammered, the blood heated up like the engine of a demonic tank, and burned so much that even those very thoughts barely restrained their master from turning into a wild beast. "They wanted to make me, a warrior, the embodiment of horror — A HUBBY FOR CONTINUOUS FUCKING?!"
"Calm down, idiot, you'll wake up the whole forest," Eli-from-Warp this time settled in the air in a very bizarre way, namely, head down, feet resting on the base of the thickest of the tree branches. "Are you sure you understand everything?" When Eli turned to him with a puzzled expression, the demon groaned. "Firstly, based on what we have seen, these creatures are not completely stupid and are able to create and maintain sufficiently developed settlements. Some of the imperial planets are far from that, frankly. This already says that they are clearly not busy breeding around the clock.""
"Didn't they remind you of Orcs... well, our native Greenskins?" If you think about it, then they are, in some way, also more of a living weapon with an artificially elevated fundamental feature in the whole species?"
"I would have agreed with this if I hadn't had time to learn a little about this reality. And the reality shows us right with you that mutant she-wolves can be shy young ladies, and mutant horses are sedentary owners of inns, and not adventurers on their saddle".
"Listen… And in between things, so... didn't they start, uh, visiting you with... strange ideas?"
"My long-term moron, first become a demon prince to reproach me with carnal weaknesses, and only then understand that I'm just a smart tactician. If they behave like humans, and not orcs, it's better for us: it's easier to manipulate people and they want to measure forces less".
"I will continue reading anyway".
Further, after the part about different types of mammon, the text began to state that mamono are able to turn human women into their own kind with the help of some "demonic energy".
"Exactly like the genestealers?"
"Just like the genestealers".
The doppelganger managed to blink the eyepieces of the ghost helmet lenses as if they were real eyes and hesitated a bit before turning his gaze back to the original Eli.
"Although... no, you know, it's like, well... comparing glass and ice. It looks like they are similar from afar, but they are arranged completely according to the principle. Yes, and replace the tyranids with these ladies of their brain-suckers, then, I think, the Imperium would have fallen… Even with a walking Impy".
"Don't you overestimate them" the original Eli began to think about how to get rid of the annoying fellow traveler.
"Okay, I'm being dramatic. But all the same, if there is an opportunity, we should grab a couple on the way back and, who knows, maybe put together the first warp gang in my honor? It will at least be fun. The main thing is to find those who will not attack you first".
Then came the description of the so-called "incubi". This word denoted human men who had undergone the process of "incubazation", which was the result of living with a monster for a long time. The transformed Space Marine paid special attention to this section, abundantly interspersing quotes with his comments:
"After incubation, a man's mind changes... — Hmm, direct evidence of a change in thinking, that is, the phraseological meaning of the phrase "brainwashing".— ...Then his values become similar to the values of mamono… But human moral criteria also remain... — Aha, that is, an indication that criteria — preferences or qualities from the point of view of the individual remain, but fade into the background, cease to be principles.— However, values and thoughts... — A person ceases to be able to perceive his former self and control his own mind... — An incubus, a creature enchanted by a monster so much that his body and mind have changed... — Yes, what is it, again a statement about a change of mind!— ... Are transformed so that the incubus begins to want to make out more with his beloved monster, his lust will soar to the skies... — Again a direct indication of the appearance of sexual preoccupation.— ...And aversion to monster girls and sex with them...— And here is a direct indication of a change in perception. —...Also, being completely fascinated by the beauty of his monster-wife, the incubus will consider grotesque inhuman or animal parts of his monster-wife's body attractive...— A change in attitude and tastes — there is, — ...The incubus man's sense of perception of time and the importance of work and rest change... — Once again, the indicated change in priorities is present.— ...Which makes life with a monster girl even more convenient..."
"... Eli," the ghost sighed, paused and continued. "Tell me honestly, did you drive new, invisible nails into the place of the old ones while I wasn't looking?"
"What about? What are you talking about?
"You read it normally, but here are your "comments", ahem," the double intonation highlighted ironic quotes. "What is this inflamed delirium of an underhive drug addict?"
"What's the problem?!"
"The problem is that with such logic you can directly follow The Individed. Oh, in my name, why did I decide to follow you at all?.." the sight of a ghost in bulky armor, rubbing the temples of the helmet as if fighting a migraine, looked surreal. "Firstly, your verbiage will be envied by the planetary governor, who explains why the tithe has not been paid and where he got a new palace from. Secondly, your brain is probably affected by Nurgle rot, otherwise you cannot explain why you equate a change in perception with a change in taste preferences — and this is just the beginning. Thirdly... listen, you're not the author to finish writing for him".
"Hmm, since we're resting here anyway, can you name at least once when I've done this, eh, dear defender of every local xenos?"
"Please, intercessor of the "alternative mind". In just half a minute, I already had a whole list," the double took out a notebook from somewhere behind his back, opened it and, with a demonstrative cough, began to read through the items. "First, I quote you verbatim — "an indication that the criteria — preferences or qualities from the point of view of the individual remain, but fade into the background, cease to be principles." Where did you see something like that there? Where does it say about the "second plan"? Further, you say that "a person ceases to be able to perceive his former self and control his own mind." Why is that? In what way, eh? Going further, you say that sex with a monster, according to the text, "overrides all other priorities" and something about "the appearance of sexual preoccupation." Where did you see that there? Well, I mean "overrides everything else"? And this is just the beginning. In general, according to all the rules of logic, you should be beaten with a broom, personally pissed by Mortarion. And if you're going to accuse me of "heresy", then it's better not even open your mouth. I am interested in the more or less real state of affairs, and not the propaganda of the Ordo Xenos, which in your performance will be unrealistically hilarious to listen to".
The ex-khornith did not bother to answer the ghost, continuing to read, simply noting his "superiority in the dispute." Of the variety of mamono species, three varieties attracted his attention: lilim, devil bug and alp. The first gave knowledge about the approximate political structure of this world and about a certain "Lord"; the second made it clear with all her appearance that Eli should not try to try on the fate of the Death Guard; and the third ... the third was unusual. It wasn't that there weren't men among people in the vast expanses of the infinite galaxy who wanted to feel like a woman, but something else was confusing. According to the description, before turning into this kind of monsters, the incubation stage, though rapidly passing, followed. The former khornith strained his brains and remembered that lilim can be turned into any kind of mammon, and men into incubi. And considering that thoughts had already appeared in his mind that he himself could characterize as "lustful"... the Astartes was stunned, putting two and two together in his mind and unexpectedly realizing his increased risks.
"Human… I know what you're thinking. No need. Just don't," the phantom slowly began to approach the supehurman, trying not to scare him off.
"They can..." Eli slowly whispered these difficult words for consciousness.
"Wait, no, don't say that," drops of moisture even somehow appeared on the surface of the helmet of the ghostly double - just like the sweat that appeared on the forehead from nervous overexertion.
"...Turn me…"
"... Please," the phantom unexpectedly descended even to such baseness as a mortal's plea for mercy, just not to listen to the conclusions.
"... In a cockroach".
"…"
"Um, you have to comme-.." the astartes did not have time to finish his thought, as he was interrupted by the loud sound of a blow, both muffled and clanking, as if the flesh collided with the metal surface with all its might. The failed god of war, performed the hand-face gesture literally at lightning speed. And then a real sound wave hit the neighborhood:
FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!
Even enhanced by superhuman hearing, the ears could not cope with a sound wave of such strength and Eli felt a frantic ringing in his head. His own eyes saw the sight of how his copy, engulfed in flames, began to crack, and bright light beat from all the cracks of the ghost's armor. After half a minute of pure chaos, the symphony of agony reached its climax and ended only with a quiet pop and a weak flash, after which harmony came again. It wasn't long before the warrior was able to stand up, still trying to get his mind in order.
"Yeah… I expected at least fireworks," he looked around, but he did not find his only more or less good friend anywhere. "Hey, where are you?"
No one responded. There was silence. Not even animals and birds could be heard, although they might not survive the monstrous shock wave in the immediate vicinity.
"Listen, I... blurted it out without thinking, it's just... it's too easy, there's bound to be some kind of trick," the superhuman has already started checking the bushes and treetops. All to no avail. "The other me?" A warp helminth? A doppelganger? Frag, what should I call you? Where are you?"
Several hours were spent searching, but no signs of a flying clone were found.
"Well... at least he will stop getting under my arm. Just to know where to go now?.."
"Ja'mes, when you already lead us to the road, succubi tear you apart?!"
"Je'ssi, don't distract me and then I'll find her".
The small company continued to wander through the forest and its two sharp-eared members continued to bicker. She looked extremely extraordinary. From afar, one would think that this is a young human couple walking a very large and strange cat, and a blue ball with a crookedly painted face is flying nearby. Few people could have known that this is an incredibly dangerous and strong team of fighters against evil spirits. The famous (in extremely narrow circles) team L.
An irreplaceable duo and the basis of the team was a pair of elves: Ja'mes and Je'ssi. The appearance of the elven couple made one doubt their belonging to the "light" branch of their relatives — it was too much their daring wardrobe and style resembled those of the dark elves. Trousers with a new-fangled belt and an unusually short skirt for chaste forest dwellers and a shirt with a V-shaped slit at the bottom are both made of white fabric with a red L on the chest. Black, tight—fitting T-shirts and rubber gloves with boots are gifts from dark, pointy-eared cousins as an apology for an insufficiently noisy orgy. A one-hundred-twenty-year—old boy dyed his hair pale blue - the color of luck, as he himself believed. His companion and the same age decided to break the centuries-old traditions of her people and painted her luxurious, dashing mane, pulled into a braid, purple-red.
This couple was accompanied by two more non-standard reasonable for these places. A very large and strange "cat" on closer inspection refused to be a simple young elf girl in sand pajamas with a tail attached and a hood with ears. And next to it, tied to a balloon, the fairy of inspiration floated carelessly through the air. She used her brush like a propeller, spinning it in front of her to move through space.
"Leanan Sidhe!" a small mamono-artist held out the name of the species with pride, in combination with her name, like a business card.
"Yes, we should have taken the map," the girl understood the meaning of the shout without any problems. Maybe because of a child's insight, maybe because of magic, or maybe because she invented everything herself - no one will ever know the answer.
"Listen, is that why we brought your sister with us at all?" Ja'mes asked his companion in a whisper.
"Understand, I couldn't leave Meowtie alone, she would just suffocate from boredom," the scarlet-haired elf replied quietly. "Well, yes, she's a little... ahem, special, it happens".
"A little? Je'ssi, she thinks she's a cait sith!"
"But she's only fifty, she's still almost a small child. Who among us wasn't a weirdo at that age? It seems that it even has its own name on Zipangu, what's this name there... Chunibye, it seems, or something like that. I'm sure that at her age you make something even crazier, and I'm not talking about the habits of our "dark" relatives at all. So Meowtie is a nice girl. Plus, she's our mascot, and what team can be without a mascot?
"Okay, okay," Ja'mes waved his hand, probably not eager to recall his own teenage hobbies. "And why do we need a fairy then?"
"I see you forgot that she has a nose for rare mamono. She is an irreplaceable member of the team".
"I forgot, of course, yeah. You'll forget that. Such a good nose that we fell into traps a couple of times! Demons, I still can't tear all this damn cobwebs off my clothes!"
"Ja'mes, don't be a coward, all horizons are open before us!"
"... Forty thousand ways for you to corrupt - in the near dark future, someone will get dumbed..." the knife-eared "cat girl" purred an obsessive tune, clearly wanting to tease a gloomy comrade.
"We just need to find a simpler goal first," the irritated woman ignored the fooling relative. "Can we catch a smaller werewolf?"
"Didn't our cooperation with the Tail Collectors suffice for you before that?" the elf objected with skepticism.
The "Tail Collectors" were among the bravest and strongest human warriors, with whom only the heroes of the Chief God could compete. Once they were extremely organized and their cells were even in the most remote villages. Only an experienced hunter with hand-to-hand combat skills could become a "tail collector", since the archers, for the most part, were not fast enough to put several dozen arrows into the infernal creature in less than a dozen seconds before their unenviable demise. Especially appreciated were those who used special brass knuckles with claw blades in battle. Their masters could kill with their help with one or two blows, so much so that they could then remove the unspoiled skin. At the final test, the "young blood" had to kill a monster alone in a special arena simulating a wild forest. There were only beastmen captured alive in the arena, considering that demons and undead had to be killed on the spot right away, as a particularly grave insult to the Goddess and especially difficult to contain monsters. The most common, of course, were werewolves-wolves, as the most relatively easy to catch, but at the same time being quite strong creatures, sometimes dying only after a dozen dead recruits. Since hunters liked to show off the trophy they got in the arena and try to track down this particular kind of monsters, the nickname "tail collectors" was fixed for them.
Having received a specific hunting lot, the collectors began to wander around it, according to the maps and notes of their predecessors. But no matter how many werewolves they caught in the same village, no matter how much they cut the throats of the giant minotaurs in the caves, and no matter how much they smashed the raid and then the lairs of the orcs, history repeated itself over and over again; werewolves bit and infected people again, bull monsters sometimes returned to the same caves, and prolific pig people literally tried to throw meat. On the other hand, the collectors were not going to give up — they were always and everywhere in demand. As a nice bonus, they could make wolf fur coats, powder from horns, as a means of "solving men's problems", and even cutlets from fresh ork also remained a very popular commodity. It was only necessary to give a percentage of taxes to the local lord and the native organization.
But after the end of the era of the old monster lords, everything changed. Werewolves preferred to migrate to the forest, away from noisy neighbors, minotaurs did not forget to install a couple of tripwires with empty bottles as an alarm, and orcs began to use more cunning tactics like "surround-smash", "swoop-bounce" and the most insidious — "remove-stick". Monsters evolved, becoming smarter. A massive change in the behavior of monsters caused a decrease in successful hunts, and as a result, huge losses. Many feudal lords who lived off the share from the sale of trophies instantly burned out and gave way to those aristocrats who sponsored the growth of artisan cities and the plowing of land. And their blood boiled with righteous rage when they heard rumors that some of the inhumans managed to tame and even tame, forcing them to work in the fields, thereby creating a new source of extremely hardy labor. Then the leadership of the "tail collectors" took a desperate step and summoned all their forces for a decisive battle with demons and other monsters. They gathered everyone they could, starting from the chief clergy, ending with adventurous feudal lords, they concentrated their forces and went forward to the demonic lands. Thus began a new war, which went down in history as the War at Dawn.
At first, the campaign was in favor of the people; the monsters, still recovering from unexpected changes in consciousness, preferred to retreat, having no opportunity and motivation to offer organized resistance. This only angered the "collectors" more, because they hoped for a quick and good catch. But even successful hunting caused strange consequences. Instead of the bestial rage of a cornered animal, the new monsters, who took on an almost human appearance, had signs of human intelligence in their eyes — from conscious anger and contempt for the captors to horror, apathy and resignation to fate. There was also no need to talk about goods from monsters — there could no longer be a question of meat products from "new" monsters or fur coats from their skins, since they did not weigh as before, and the thick fur was replaced by naked skin. The rest also quickly came to naught — powders and medicines from horns, hooves and claws quickly disappeared from the market after a series of extremely unpleasant incidents. People who used them for their intended purpose either went crazy or turned into monsters themselves. The Order and the Church of the Chief God could not close their eyes to this and refused to spread filth in the holy lands, leaving the common troops. The main motivation of this campaign disappeared, replaced only by the increased risk, and after it the determination of the army disappeared. Some of the generals also ordered their soldiers to return home, trying to adapt to the changes that would sooner or later reach them. Another group decided to desert and go on a journey around the new world, some of whom settled in the abandoned territories, creating their own independent states. There were also some people who rejected the light of the Chief and completely defected to the side of the new monsters, helping them escape. But there were also those who stayed and continued their path as a fighter against the threat to humanity: someone out of principle, someone out of a desperate desire to get at least something.
But a few weeks later, when they had already come close to the castle of the Demon Lord, the situation at the front changed dramatically and the Mamono (as they now called themselves) struck back. As it turned out, the demons did not sit idly by, but created demonic silver — metal, wounding not the body, but the soul, depriving the victim of any strength to fight. Also, thanks to the discovery of the magical direction of sciences, the so-called "eromancy" or "nymphomancy", inhumans were able to present an unpleasant surprise and give a worthy rebuff to "collectors" who are used to dealing with small primitive groups. Though with difficulty, but the mamono were able to break and put people to flight. After a series of counterattacks, they reached the territories of the newly founded kingdoms, and contrary to the hopes and fears of the anti-demonic army, the monsters did not attack the neutral countries. As it turned out, the inhumans understood such a concept as "diplomacy" and decided to interact with people on a more subtle level. So the War ended at Dawn, although there were those who tried to take revenge, both on the part of mamono and on the part of people.
Nevertheless, few of the human states wanted to deal with the "tail collectors" who had lost their influence. Not only did they no longer bring the same profit, but also the "gatherers" often became the target, and sometimes the cause of new monster raids on the surrounding villages. Thus, this once respected vocation has become the mark of a "pariah", alienated from society. Nevertheless, it continued to live in the form of semi-legal hunters of rare mamono. Yes, it is no longer possible to butcher them into ingredients for obvious reasons... but as living slaves, wild monstrgirls were valued much more dearly. And oddly enough, some of the mamono, for unknown reasons, even sympathized in their own way with the "gatherers" leading the hunt for them. But of course, the relatives of the victims asked to explain the quality and source of the "goods".
A team of elves and an unknown fairy who had forgotten among them just the day before faced angry "potential buyers". As a result, they were forced to leave their old place of work and look for a new source of honest livelihood.
"Ja'mes, it's your own fault that you didn't put a gag in her mouth, and she gave us all away!"
"I'd rather cut off my ears and eat them than touch that vile, red ball! I don't even want to know where those dark sluts put it. It's disgusting to even think about it!"
"Leanan Sidhe!" suddenly the little artist shouted, pointing with her brush at a young tree.
"Yes, it's a beautiful tree, but I'm more interested in this red armor that hides behind it," scratching her chin, Meowtie spoke out.
"Still noticed," Eli sighed disappointingly to himself, coming out of hiding. He was just going to follow the travelers and eavesdrop on their conversation in order to learn, if possible, something valuable. But, as it turned out, a two-meter figure in red armor is very easy to spot among the young forest.
"Ja'mes, are you thinking the same thing as me?" a female with an incomprehensible shade of hair on her head quietly addressed her companion, but Eli heard everything.
"Two adults. In appearance — a strange cross between Eldar and human. But still, from the arrogant food for a Hungry Bitch, they only have ears, and in everything else they are very much like people ... Hmm, and how human were those "humans" from the village?.."
"Um, so we need to run away now?" the blue-haired man asked his companion.
"... The others look even more ridiculous than the minions of Cegorach. A cub in a wool suit, and... what is it anyway? An overgrown butterfly? I think they call it fairies here, according to that little book... Warp, if only she didn't want to play with me or try to look for sweets from me!"
"No, stupid, it's a living armor! They'll give us a lot of gold for it! Although she's kind of strange, too big, I've never seen such before…"
"Exactly. Listen, I have an idea. Let's give her to the elf Queen! She is strong and will resist seduction!" the male xenos replied with a smug grin.
"Yeah, and imagine how happy she will be with the new power and how proud she will be of us! "What a great armor! Team L is now my very best servants!", the non-human changed her voice, clearly mimicking someone. "They'll give us a whole castle!"
"And a century-old supply of catnip!" a girl in a cat suit happily supported the enthusiasm of her comrades.
"Leanan Sidhe!"
"It's decided, we'll take it!"
The group suddenly took the most unexpected step... namely, it stood in poses that were more appropriate for propaganda holo-paintings of the Imperials with a "non-standard plot". The blue-haired man snapped his fingers and the fairy twirled her brush, creating a magical mist that quickly hid the group from prying eyes. In the next moment, from the place where the xenos were standing, a bright multicolored light began to beat and cheerful, pathos music began to play. An adult elven couple emerged from the smoke screen again, this time with roses in their hands.
"You want problems?.." the scarlet-haired elf began.
"Get it double!.." picked up the blue-haired pointy-eared.
"To save the elves from corruption!"
"To unite all our generation!"
"Demon debauchery forever to outlive!"
"To reach the tops we go into battle!"
"Je'ssi"
"Ja'mes"
"L the Team serves good!"
"Your choice is to surrender, or to battle?!"
"Meow, and this is fact!" the "cat girl" has wedged in between them.
"Leanan Sidhe!" after the fairy's salute, a huge red letter "L" flashed behind them.
...
"... Yes, they are definitely the most ridiculous of the Jester's minions that the universe has ever seen..."
"Um, she doesn't seem impressed," after a minute of silence, the baby in pajamas pessimistically remarked. "Well, months of rehearsals for nothing".
"It doesn't matter," the woman replied and turned to the Chaosith. "Hey you, living armor! Put your hands up and we'll spare you".
"I'm not a living armor!" "Well, it's time to try this thing called negotiation. Maybe we'll get lucky this time."
"Yeah, that's how we believed it," the blue-haired parody of the Eldar objected. "Any sane person at the sight of you will understand that you are a walking evil. What good guy would wear a helmet like that?"
The Astartes did not argue and simply took off his helmet, revealing his face to the world. Perhaps it was even worth rejoicing at the transformation that this world had done to him — no diplomacy would have helped with his previous physiognomy. And would he even think about such an option? Now the strangers who called themselves "Team L" just froze in disbelief.
"Um... yeah, I think we made a mistake. Although-," the kitty pondered. "Take off your pants!"
"What?!" everyone gave out in chorus, except the fairy, who did not change herself and her catchphrase, even holding her face in her hands.
"Well, I heard that they can imitate a human appearance, well, a head for example and all that," a fan of cat cosplay began to justify herself uncertainly. "Hey! What are you even thinking about? I'm not even a hundred!"
"This is too much," Eli said. "What do you want from me?"
"We're going to catch you and give you to our queen for a good reward!" enthusiastically replied the "under-a-century" baby in a cat suit.
"So you're slavers?"
"Are you crazy?! No!" The whole company almost shouted in chorus. — Um, we call it… Coaching, yes! This is not at all a barbaric slave trade, like those dark savage perverts!"
"Dark? Yes, it's just wonderful, now i should expect a meeting with local drukhari".
"That's enough talking!" the elf with purple-red hair raised her sword. "You will be ours! Ten-faced putana!"
"This is the most ridiculous cry I've ever heard. It's even a pity that there are no slaaneshiths in this world."
The elf turned out to be much more agile than one might have expected due to her ridiculous behavior. Using the man's confusion, she approached him and made a couple of clumsy lunges with her sword. But he was even faster and jumped aside. Eli definitely didn't want to retreat anymore — fighting instinct, which began to dull, take control him. He threw the helmet to the ground, grabbed the non-human by the wrist, turned it around its own axis, and then knocked the weapon out of his hand. The blade was picked up by the free hand of the warrior and he brought it over the back of the former host. A blow, a short cry and silence.
All this happened in less than a second, but everyone froze, almost gaping.
"J-Je'ssi!"
"Sister!"
"Leanan Sidhe!"
The chorus of voices brought Eli out of his trance and he took a couple of steps back, himself amazed by what had happened.
"I... I did it… Finally, how long have I been missing this..."
His face contorted into a ghastly grimace of dark satisfaction. The cooled and seemingly gone joy of taking someone else's life has now returned! Unsurprisingly, after a long time without blood, he was happier than when he killed an orc warboss with his bare hands or shoved a chain axe into the very depths of carnifex's throat. Destruction and death are his life, his essence, himself. Weakness and regret are the lot of weaklings and nonentities, unworthy of the title of enemy and even prey, only the fate of victims. Eli looked at the sentients gathered around the elf's body. They cried and begged her not to leave them.
"Je'sii, I'm... I'm sorry, Je, I didn't even say…"
"Sis, please get up, I don't want to play without you anymore! Please…"
"L... Le…"
"A pitiful and insignificant sight. Instead of abandoning the weak link and continuing the fight, they cling to it, exposing themselves to the blow. Disgusting."
The Astartes approached them deliberately slowly, mocking them like a cat over a mouse with broken legs. The menacing and sinister look of their partner's killer almost paralyzed their hearts with horror and they barely found the strength to move back.
"Look at you! You little cockroaches want to escape from me? Where is your old courage, eh? Where is your desire to throw chains on me?" Stepping over the remains of their friend, chaosith haughtily addressed his prey. "You blue-haired coxcomb! You look like the strongest... by the standards of these boogers, of course. Come on, get up and fight like a warrior!"
The man stopped, waiting for an answer. The elf, who was frozen in shock, began to recover - Eli's words had an effect. Realizing that the monstrous enemy does not take them seriously enough that he does not even want to attack first, he quickly whispered to the frightened and crying child in a cat suit who clung to him
"Meowtie, listen carefully. As soon as I get up, you and the fairy will run from here as fast as you can. Run away from here and this is not discussed. Don't look back and don't turn around. And don't worry about me and my sister, the forest will take care of us.
"W-wait, J-..." the girl did not have time to finish, because the elf abruptly jumped up from the ground and rushed at the chaosith.
"Team L, go ahead!"
"Heh-heh-heh... Blood to the blood me!"
A/N
It was... shamefully. I've talked about this before, but now I'll clarify that the work contains a lot of references and banter over the rufandom itself. And yes, I literally had to be in the place of a ghost, listening to the arguments of a mamono-hater (especially the last one about devil bug...) although not so toxic. As they say in Russia, "Eto pizdezc" and even the scene at the end does not really save from ...
Write an opinion about what you read
That's it, gentlemen and ladies. See you.
