Lumina Crusade

by ColinHayworth

In the 42nd Millennium, there is only war. In the Hive World of Twilight where the promise of technology and understanding still remains but the corrupted and rotten bureaucracy in its place is threatening to destroy all of it slowly but surely. And when the threshold has finally been broken, it will take only a spark to burn all of it down. And there will be retribution...

8. Fate and Destiny

Warning: This story doesn't exactly follow the suit of grimdark because of the way the story may develop. If you still enjoy what you are reading then go ahead.

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Chapter 7
Fate and Destiny

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Anastasia was having a dream, a nightmare... or a vision, or just her delirious hallucination born from her complete exhaustion of self. Everything around her was only a color of black and white as if she is watching a relic film reel from an age past when humanity hasn't yet made colored film. However, something about this felt too real to her as she can only bumble around like a helpless girl without a direction in sight.

Then, the atmosphere froze for a brief moment that she could barely tell. Anastasia then turned around toward the source and see something that only her worst nightmare and case scenario could conjure. A monster whose aura exudes overwhelming power that is both hideous and beautiful to gaze at with a core appearance that resembles her only connection left. Her little sister now barely looked like who she was when their paths diverged.

Anastasia tried to manifest her nanomachines as if to try to fight back but she couldn't for she has exhausted them to depletion. Skilled as she may be, a woman without a weapon fighting such a thing by herself will only meet an assured demise. As if fate itself is taunting her powerlessness and that her entire lineage's battle against it is nothing but a jester's pathetic attempt to humor their superior.

However, it wasn't long before that monster's gaze toward her was disrupted as a figure now stood in between her and it. A man of a simple well-built and muscular stature but carrying a familiar and reminiscent feeling that she thought had been lost long ago. The man turned his face to her and revealed his face and the moment she laid her eyes upon him was she shocked beyond all belief. As if all of what she learned up until now was nothing but a lie.

"Alphric..." Anastasia muttered weakly as the man she owed her promise to is now trying to protect her.

Followed not too soon after are his original teammates, Mika and Kang. Who have come to stand side by side with him as they dare to fight against such an insurmountable foe...

"You two..." Anastasia barely could recognize if this is a premonition or just her wishful thinking that was long deep-seated in her.

"Save your breath, the cycle of cruelty and suffering total that Vespera perpetuated has led to this point and now we must shatter it once and for all," Mika said as her eyes still fixated on that monster not trying to direct her gaze away so that it won't try to pull any trick on them.

Then followed once more and finally is that dark-blue braided twintails that can't be mistaken with anyone else is Michele as her signature unbreakable sword of hers now pointed right at what was once Elise herself.

"Anastasia, I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I can't even keep that promise of yours while you suffered that much for me. It's just that no apology will ever amend my failure of what happened". Michele said as she brandished her sword as the shining glint of it remain even against all of the abuse that it was put against.

"Everyone... I can't possibly make up for what you did for me". Anastasia said in anguish as she can't believe just how much she has fallen.

"HAHAHAHAAHAHAHA! You can't possibly think that you can stand against me, the might of all Chaos Undivided!? Then you shall pay for your sacrilege with your death! Life, dream, hope... Where do they come and where do they go? To nothingness all of them shall go!" The monster said as concentrated warp energy converges all around.

Despite that overwhelming display being put on, Alphric, his crewmates, and Michele stood defiantly to fight with all they have knowing even just how powerless they are in comparison for if they won't then who will? Anastasia was both in awe and shame that she, the last heiress of Valkyria couldn't amount more than this so-called normal person that Alphric stood as.

Energy concentrates into the fingertip of that daemonic Elise before she merely points her finger to unleash said power. The four of them at impossible speed made their way as Anastasia couldn't find the strength to move before that beam erased her entirety of existence until her consciousness vanished along with it. She was ashamed of just how her existence have devolved to this and she felt that she truly has no place at all in this world that came to scorn her existence.

...

...

...

"Emergency Resuscitate!"

The Tech-Magos yelled as he slams the defibrillator on Anastasia's chest as the vital reading on her is slowly diminishing. That electric shock applied was so immense that it literally send Anastasia out of her dying stupor by sheer voltage alone. It shouldn't have worked at all but seeing how the Rogue Trader's apothecary team have failed to awaken her by conventional mean. The Tech-Magos decided that the miracle of Omnisiah will do the trick, especially now that they were nearly on the verge of losing her.

Anastasia sat on the edge of the operating table as she gasps for each breath. Just what did she see just now? Was it a vision of the future or it's just a trick of mind caused by her cumulative stress and unresolved trauma? She couldn't tell at all which is which and if it was the former then the implication is far worse than she thought. A warning of Absolute Curse would be one thing but to see it for herself is horrific beyond lexicons.

"How am I supposed to avert it?!" Anastasia's mind screamed within as the prospect of her sister falling to some forbidden or dangerous power and becoming whatever she saw is beyond horrifying.

The Rogue Trader and the Tech-Magos looking at her distraught expression decided that maybe something to soothe her distressed mind may be needed in soon order. With some command to his henchmen, they quickly answer his order with no hesitation. It seems that there is just seemingly no difference between combat personnel or serf as far as the Rogue Trader cares.

Anastasia still finds his intention of rescuing her too suspicious so she decided to use her divination on him despite just recently waking up. Is it recommended that she does it? Certainly not but she is in a stranger's hold as far as she know and she would rather be assured that he has no ill intentions now or much longer during her stay seeing as the entirety of Vespera is scouring for her.

She raises her hand toward the Rogue Trader and then places them on her face so that her uncovered eye aligns with the gap between her fingers. As the Trigram Bracelet activates, her already-dwindled health makes this attempt much more torturous than back then as she gazes into his future. A few seconds later, she was returned with one answer.

Close Future: Minor Bless.

Anastasia can only sigh as it seems that no matter what may happen, this particular Rogue Trader has hogged likely all of the luck of everyone around, or just his presence allowed protection against fate. Whether the inverse or the latter, Anastasia is going to see herself onboard for a long while. And not like they could leave Twilight at all since she knew the Upper Hierarchy will scour every ship and prevent anyone from leaving until they find her. Trade and tithe be damned, they won't allow anyone to escape their rules without consequence.

The henchmen that the Rogue Trader ordered returned with some off-world herbal tea that was most likely unique to said place. Just its aroma alone is enough to wake her out of her fatigue, at least by placebo.

"I see what you are trying to do... You are trying to convince me to join your retinue, isn't it? You rescued me knowing that you made enemies with the entirety of Twilight itself". Anastasia said as she couldn't believe the audacity of someone like him.

"It seems that you are much sharper than you look, so let us skip straight to the procedure. Will you join us?" The Rogue Trader said it completely shamelessly as if he is wearing his heart on his sleeve.

"While I appreciate your help to rescue me from what would have been my assured demise. I can't say that I will join you right now for I still have too many things that must be resolved if even at all to join you". Anastasia said as she stares off toward the distance beyond.

"We have time, and if there's anything we could do to accelerate it then you have everything that we could give at our disposal!" The Rogue Trader proclaimed in a loud manner without a shred of hesitation.

The Tech-Magos suddenly turned his head toward the Rogue Trader with confusion and bewilderment. He just gives that privilege to someone he just met and here a lot of the higher-ranked folks have fought tooth and nail for it. If that wasn't called bias then the Tech-Magos have no more idea of what else qualified.

"Uhm, thanks. But if you think that I can repeat what I performed before then you will be majorly disappointed. Those things required energy and you don't have anything that could connect to them." Anastasia said as she doubt that anyone will conveniently have the means to interact with her House's technology.

"Inductive charging... We use them for any device with no visible charging port. Especially for the esoteric technology that we can't conveniently make its charging input on the fly. But it is universal enough that it did well even if it is slow and tedious at times." The Tech-Magos said as he decided to be a guide for her, even just for a moment. He has a fair share of nonsensical shenanigans with the Rogue Trader but he hasn't yet detached enough from humanity to consider himself above mortal.

"I'll be your guide, just mind the surrounding since a voidship's layout can be as large as a city bloc,". The Tech-Magos said as he awaits her at the doorstep.

"Hey, what about the tea?" The henchman that brought the tea himself spoke just as Anastasia was about to step out of the apothecary room.

"Sorry about that". Anastasia said as she took a sip of the cup of tea that the henchman brought. And when the taste settles in, she realized its specific type instantly.

Back when her House still exists, tea time is obviously an endeavor pass time for folks like her and this kind of tea was what exist in her Noble House's personal hydroponic farm. She remembers when she used to sip on this particular imported tea and spend her time together with her sister when she wasn't even of two-digit of age. And suddenly, the sweet aroma that it was supposed to have now tastes bitter for the future is dark wasn't just because it is but because she remembers how bright the past used to be.

A small tear nearly seeped through her eyes as the henchman worries that he might have done something to offend her. Anastasia quickly reassures him that it is not his fault and that it is just her personal matter that caught her way. With that said, she quickly followed the Tech-Magos leaving those behind to try to decipher the enigma that is her.

Surrounding her is a mystery that shrouds her identity and nature that most wouldn't ever try to decipher. But the Rogue Trader had a hunch as a smirk spreads across his face. He is far from any malicious intents but seeing just how far he has come from scouring Necron Tombs to DAoT ruins, Anastasia would be another challenge before he tries to claim her. Peacefully that he prefers knowing how potentially destructive she could be.

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She Who Chose Carnage

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She was delirious... Her memory keeps distorting and flickers as she desperately keeps any of her self-identity from falling apart. Her concept of time awareness was long thrown out of balance long ago as the only thing that bridges her current place and what happened that fateful night is nothing but a pitch-black shadow. Tried as she may, the more she forces herself to remember, the more of what mattered to her drifted away from her reach.

Then suddenly, a shocking sensation forced into her mind against her consent as her consciousness was given a rude awakening. Before she has any idea of where she is, she realized that she was being strapped onto a chair. An electric chair whose voltage was reduced for interrogation rather than execution and even then, it still felt more like she was put into torture.

As Michele's vision slowly clear itself, she was met with a group of heavily-armed people in front of her with their weapons aimed toward her as if harnessing her into this electric chair wasn't enough. And behind those armed men is a wall with a bulletproof glass window so that the interrogator can safely interrogate dangerous suspects. And Michele for whatever reason right now qualifies as one.

"Now let us continue for once, you violence-loving wench. What are your relations to those foul heretics?" The interrogator speaks to her with a cryptic saying that Michele doesn't even understand what she is supposed to be here for.

"What... are you talking- AAAAAGGGH!" Michele tried to ask for clarification only to be answered back with even more electric shocks. Her nerves should have fried but that interrogator is really meticulous about knowing how to not inflict permanent damage but very close to it.

This bout of interrogations read as torture that went on for an unspecified amount of time as Michele was repeatedly put through hell and back for something she has no understanding of what's happening or why it happened. She has no idea if the blood on her clothes is there since the beginning or if it was there after she was bashed by the armed guards with their weapons so many times.

A heretic in white, that's what the interrogator has said beneath his voice thinking Michele is too dazed to pick up. They're not wrong but Michele is a monstrosity when pushed beyond reasoning. And most importantly, she holds grudges. Deep grudges that overstep long into hatred and malice. Michele knew instantly that they were talking about Anastasia and suddenly, she realized her blade has been taken away from her. Most likely why they are mistreating her so severely since she doesn't go down without a fight even with or without it at all.

"You... you dare take it away- AAAAAGGGGGHHHH!" Michele yelled as the interrogator casually raise the power up just to silence her as if he was partly enjoying it or that he doesn't consider anyone else equal to him.

"Silence! You speak only when I allow you to. Raise anymore and I'll consider ending your life here and now seeing how useless and incoherent you are". The interrogator shouted as if to stroke his ego even more.

Useless, the same sentiment that she shouted to Elise which brought her eventual demise. Michele was wracked with many guilts and failures but that moment was easily her worst display ever seen in her profession. After hearing that man say it to her, it felt like her past is echoing through that same sentiment now provoking her vulnerable and easily-manipulated will into spurring that blood-soaked past once more.

A curse written in ink as dark as despair.

Words of Emperor: For this part, play Doomsday Trance - Trails of Cold Steel 3

The atmosphere around suddenly turned heavy as Michele's head gazed downward before her breathing slowly turned almost feral and daemonic sounding although very few will come to those for description. Even the interrogator could easily tell something is going wrong as he tried to scale the electric power to its maximum to execute her. But his fate was sealed the moment he dared to provoke that side of her.

Michele's gaze turned into that pitch-black color with a blank white iris in the middle of it. She growled as if she won't allow his insult to go unpunished. For all of the pain that was inflicted on her, his insulting of that still vivid wound is a penance that can only be answered with his death. Before the interrogator could do anything, Michele with the daemonic strength not belonging to her broke the restraints in one singular movement as it tears apart the electric chair that tried to contain her.

The heavy-armed guards realized the severity of the situation as they tried to use their weapons as their intended purpose at her. However, they failed to recognize just how outclassed they were thinking a firearm could allow them to overcome all. They were right to think so because it will kill the majority of the Lower Hive folks but Michele is an outlier that never should be counted.

With speed and precision impossible, Michele outmaneuvered the armed guards despite the claustrophobic size of the interrogation room. Using the torn pieces of the electric chair like a baton, she struck each one of them with precision and strength completely unforeseeable. Each blow felt like they were taken a bolter round and the damage may as well reflect that. One of the more gory death occurred as Michele chunked a guard's head with one blow as the content of his head pastes the white room with the carnage that occurred.

Mere moments later, all of the armed guards were nothing but torn fleshes across this blood-painted canvas she made herself. Michele with that daemonic gaze of hers now stares at the interrogator with killing intents. He wasn't a fool or overconfident enough to stay here as he made his escape out of the interrogation room believing that it will purchase him at least a few more minutes.

Not stopping until her justice is due, Michele turned toward the broken electric chair as she rips it from its foundation, and threw it hard enough to shatter the bulletproof glass in one attack. She then jumps through the shattered window before making her chase her mortal offender. For all obviousness that was brushed over by callousness, some people can't understand or speak in anything but violence. And when they find a more fluent speaker of it, they suddenly attempt to use another means when they couldn't bother to do so at the beginning.

All life in Vespera is ultimately replaceable for all the carnage it condones, it seemingly couldn't care any less about the death and bloodshed that could otherwise be avoided had anyone here had any more decency than the bare minimum. But at the end of the day, unless Vespera went through a massive loss of lives irreplaceably would it ever learn that lesson.

Meanwhile in the same Arbite compound inside of a separate sector a distance away from the chaos unleashed by Michele's wrath. Elise is being held in a holding cell awaiting further interrogation. It seems so far that the Upper Hierarchy hasn't yet made any move other than making a secret order of capturing "the two heretics in white" and so far, Elise has no idea about the fate of Michele or her sister.

But that doesn't mean she was oblivious or ignorant, Elise was far from feeling fine as long hours of interrogation and underhanded methods of trying to extract and squeeze as much information out of her is pushing her closer to the brink. The Arbites and their pursuit of justice have basically injected so much truth serum inside her that if it wasn't for the nanomachines inside her filtering it as fast as they could, she would have died of overdoses in the first few hours.

It has been a full day since her capture at the site of the ruined voidship port and Michele was so dead tired that despite her resistance, her capture was eventual and she got even put into more thorough interrogation (read: torture) due to her potentially have more information than what they tried out of Elise. To them, it doesn't matter age or maturity, all are judged equal in severity by the Imperial Law.

Elise had given up hope that she could reconnect to Michele, not after seeing that horrifying display that she does just from hearing her and seeing what she did. If anything, the next time will probably be the one that dictates their life and death. Only one will leave that encounter and Elise would rather delay that as long as possible.

However, she would rather not be here anymore. The Arbites don't even treat any of its detainees better than subhuman and the reason she hasn't yet been harmed more than she should have been because of Upper Hierarchy's order to not harm any of the captured beyond what is allowed. If anything, the Arbites certainly love to take that as a challenge to see how far they could push before being reprimanded, and then it continues as if said reprimand never happened.

She gazes at the detainee in the holding cell in front of her. That deranged madman is looking at her as if he will ravage her if he could get out. Some folks are deserved to be here but next to her is another man who hasn't stopped sobbing from his detainment while yelling that he was framed for a crime he isn't remotely close to. They would have been long called out as fake but Elise thinks that there is some truth to all lies that were spoken.

Suddenly, an automatic announcement voice spoke of a breach occurring in a confinement sector right next to where Elise was held. She knew instantly that must have been Michele and that some poor sods just have to trigger that side of her. Once she is on a rampage, Michele can't be stopped easily at all. Those destroyed tanks scatter about in that voidship port's parking unit tell her that story and the Arbites are going to throw lives into that meat grinder without any realization about it.

The Arbite guards immediately depart from their place to check on the situation leaving this confinement zone unguarded. They wouldn't remotely care about what may happen here at all considering the fact that they put prisoners' livelihood at the utter bottom of priority if anything happens. Elise had no expectations of their duty and they still somehow disappoint her.

She decided that she can't do anything here right now, not without her Trigram Bracelet which they at least know that they should confiscate or that would be the blunder that will ruin their reputation for the rest of Twilight's existence. But even without it, Elise can still remember their design and the marking on it. Knowing that there was not much else for her to do, Elise decided to meditate and calm herself down.

The Four Trigrams, what stood for virtues that house Valkyria is supposed to have. Integrity, life, wisdom, and determination. Also as a stand-in for heaven, earth, sun, and moon. Supposedly, they are meant to continually improve each other in a cycle of a self-feedback loop. For all the irony that still bore down upon the desiccated corpse of her House, she knows that she is the only sole heiress to this soon-to-be-forgotten remnant of any integrity that Twilight's Upper Hierarchy still has.

As dark emptiness surrounds her as she attempts to find any solace in herself. But the internal discords made such attempts as futile as seeking calm water in a turbulent maelstrom. Trying to force herself into deaf ears knowing that she isn't brave enough to confront what her fate has in stow for her, Elise no longer moves for she found any solace or self-realization.

She genuinely felt powerless and hopeless and her only response is just... do nothing at all.

Meanwhile, Michelle is tearing apart through the facility's Arbites as those abyssal eyes reflect hauntingly upon what happened mere seconds before. Dead bodies torn in pieces scatter the hallway as she pursues that interrogator relentlessly for his offense of deriding that still-fresh mental wound of hers. The Arbites obviously only know that there's an escapee wrecking havoc upon the facility but they were not prepared for that unnatural strength of her.

As if her body has no control over its limit. As if her body is in a constant state of hysteric strength. While she can't just destroy walls or gates with a single attack, she actually still has some sense of logic as she picks up the dead Arbites's registry card and uses it to just bypasses the door scanner. While vital scans exist in Twilight, such a thing is deemed too expensive for back-water Lower Hive prisons where lives are nothing but mere numbers and statistics.

A lot of people think that form of her is a sole fury only the Immaterium knows its limit. But they can't be any more wrong assuming it to be like that, that display of violence she did while indeed of rage, the true driven factor is her grief and sorrow at her own failure to uphold her promise. Michele while is not the best therapist to exist in Twilight, she is still someone that is willing to uphold a title or promise that she is given. Even if they meant nothing to anyone else.

The extent to which she has gone through for someone sometime can be very concerning that even Alphric at one time has to pull her back from being exploited by that nature of her.

As the steel gate creeks open, she was met with a group of heavily-armed Arbites decked with probably the most powerful that an Arbite Precinct could provide in Lower Hive. They did what was natural for them, fire their guns at her until she is dead. The only reason Michele made it this far is just with this torn Power Maul that she took from the first kill she made back in the Interrogation Room (read: Execution Chamber) and many that crossed her way did the same thing without using their guns. Not these Heavy Arbites though, they are justice's prejudice at the uttermost and they won't let anyone stop them from exacting it.

Michele's fleet footwork combined with that unholy strength of her made each step she made score a stomp deep enough to mark the ground with her footprint. Most normal people took a moment to reach their top speed but Michele's long-term usage at close-quarter combat made her able to accelerate at the minimum possible time even without any usage of that demonic strength of her. It's more like watching two films spliced horribly with each other as Michele is a moment there before she is somewhere else. Michele is just simply playing to her best strength, maneuverability. And nearly no unaugmented soldiers will keep up with her.

She doesn't have to be fast enough to evade bullets, she just needs to be fast enough to outmaneuver their motions and aim.

Quickly as she moved, she managed to get behind a Heavy Arbites as they tried to gun her down. With sleights of hands and impossible motions, she took hold of that one Heavy Arbites by the neck before tossing them into the wall with enough force to knock them out on collision. The two Arbites nearby seeing her tried to gun her down before she moved away right as when they pull their triggers. Unknowingly, into each other instead.

As their live buckshots tore into each other, Michele took grab of the Autohammer of the incapacitated one, and instead of just keeping using its ranged purpose, she deliberately closed in as if she intends every death caused by her to be messy and full of carnage if possible. As if what is driving this impulse of hers is not human at all but to fulfill some twisted desire knowing that could easily compensate for any failings she has.

Whatever remains at the receiving end of a shotgun will not be whole. Especially at point-blank where their firepower remains the most, no mortal armor could easily shrug off firearms at point-blank. Despite the Heavy Arbites' training for such daredevil opponents, they were not prepared enough for just how up close she could be seeing that she is already an unorthodox opponent outside of their range expected.

One misfortunate Heavy Arbite met their gory demise as Michele followed into a quick sliding kick with impossible motions for human perception as the Heavy Arbite was knocked out of his standing form before Michele blasts him open with the Autohammer one-handed. Michele takes advantage of the blood splatter as she pushes herself up with such a force that her palms imprinted the floor by sheer force. Before any of the Arbites realized what just happened, she had taken hold of one of them by both their hand collars and throat. The other Arbites not hesitating decided friendly fire is an acceptable solution if it means to kill her faster as all of them ruthlessly fires their weapons at the hostage with absolute indifference of their colleagues.

As the rapid-firing hails of buckshot were unleashed upon, the Arbite that Michele took hostage as they were violently torn apart by the show of force that was displayed. Taking advantage of the meat shield she acquired that will probably last a few seconds at best, she took out the combat knife with swift motions of her free hand. Battles are playing out at blistering speed where moments that thoughts played out for eternity only have seconds passed at best. Using the last spare moment she has, she pulls out all of the grenade pins before pushing the torn body at them.

The remaining Heavy Arbites recognized what she did as they tried to move away from the bomb that was about to happen. In a mere moment later, the torn corpse of the Heavy Arbite that they indifferently killed exploded as all variants of grenades on them detonated at the same time. Flash, frags, incendiary, smoke, it was a mess that hardly anyone could make out what happens afterward but Michele continues her slaughter unhindered despite the cacophony that occurred.

With the combat knife in her hand which is more than enough for just how skilled she is with a blade regardless of size or form. Now especially so once her daemonic prowess is in full swing. With one slash of her knife, she tore a path across the Heavy Arbites as if their armor were nothing but paper as they were disoriented by the mess. Those few that recovered fast enough managed to recuperate as they can't allow any more mistakes as so many of them were dead because of how powerful she is and how much tactical blunder they made just to kill her.

There was a saying that the Arbites are powerful because it felt like they are trying to compensate for something. That they are hiding many more problems involving their actual skills in combat with the sheer display of force to control the mass much easier. For the natural language of humanity is always violence, or perhaps for all of sapience existence. When they are actually pushed to the limit, things start to fall apart for them tactical-wise because they are always so used to being up and above and oppressing anyone they deem below. When actually forced to fight equally, their illusion of superiority starts to collapse and most of the time, wipeout and elimination were the most likely outcome.

The remaining Heavy Arbites unleash their blind fire toward the smoke cloud that they think is where she is. Only to be proven otherwise when Michele is already at their behind as she bisects them with one singular slash of the combat knife. She is resilient but the combat knife itself isn't as it was already pushed beyond its purpose for too long.

With one slash of her knife, she bisected the armored personnel in half as the knife finally shatters from the overexertion it was pushed to. The last few Arbites realized as they quickly aim their guns at her, Michele turned that daemonic gaze at them as she threw the broken knife with such speed that when it hits a Heavy Arbite, it sends that poor sod into the ground with the knife hilt caved straight through their skull.

Finally stood the last one that only survive because she just merely only leave them for last. The entire Heavy Arbite squad was completely demolished by her alone and the shattered belief finally hits them as their aim is barely straight as they try to focus through their fear. Michele looks at them as if that daemonic eyes of hers could kill by mere gaze alone. And at last, the last Heavy Arbite found the courage to pull the trigger in hopeful thinking that it will somehow work, unlike the so many deaths of the predecessor before.

But as it may have turned out. People don't take a hint until literally hit them.

A single shell was fired before the sudden force completely held them by the neck. The Autohammer dropped loudly to the ground as Michele chokes the last Heavy Arbites with a slowly tightening grip of her hand as she still dashes forward unhindered by the last Heavy Arbite's weight. He tried to scream as he could feel his gory demise approach but with how dead-gripped Michele's hold on him, he couldn't mutter anything as the back of his head collided with the wall with full force. They should have realized that they are dealing with a force of nature far greater than any anticipation but at this point, any regret is too late.

Blood and brain matters splatter across the wall as their head is completely obliterated into chunks by the sheer force of her slamming. She then tosses the Heavy Arbite's corpse away from her as if they were nothing but trash as the last Arbite's body continues to drip blood. Michele afterward takes the vox communicator from the waist of the dead Arbite and check for any more clue by checking the content of the said thing.

The last vox has a simple transcribe on it.

Stop that wretched beast from reaching the Helipad! No matter what may happen, stop it at all costs!

The interrogator could really have just left out where he headed, but he really couldn't have dug a deeper grave if he tried. Michele turned around and takes the registry card of the now-dead Heavy Arbite and uses it to make her journey to exact her revenge for his transgression against her. Leaving behind a bloodbath that Michele barely even care about more than her next breath. And even then, this won't be even the last resistance she came across and against.

Meanwhile, Elise who is still in her holding cell while remaining deep inside her own empty mindscape. The incessant announcement alarm is still ongoing and part of her knows that this entire precinct will die before any of the Arbite will manage to wound Michele once. She has, unfortunately, seen what Michele is capable of but her mind still feels that it is still a dangerous uphill battle that she is fighting. No matter how brutally powerful she is, Michele is still mortal regardless and one case of misfortune alone will end it all. This is speaking from someone who dealt with fate and looks at how miserably defeated she is.

The solitude is making her feel as if she is losing grip of herself. Uncertainty plagues her mind and self-doubt makes her question where she could even go forward. At some point, before she realized that she completely loses her self-awareness as her own delusion begins to take control seat.

She heard a voice mimicking her. It technically sounds like her but the tone it carries felt... wrong. As if simultaneously mocking and guiding her with a tone of trickery itself.

Hey, listen. Do you feel powerless against your own circumstances? Do you want to be able to do something of this terrible fate that has beckoned you?

Absolute Curse. The fate that the two Valkyria sisters divined before their separation. Something horrible is bound to happen and the two can't ever be able to deal with it or find the root cause anymore considering how badly their House has fallen.

"Can't get any worse than rock bottom, I guess..." Elise speaks in her mind as she decided to entertain the imaginary voice inside her head.

Good, you have the potential. The power to directly affect fate itself is a boon impossible. But you no longer have the mean to tell the future ahead, isn't it? Don't worry, just simply do what I told and by eventuality, you will be freed from this pathetic prison.

Elise has no idea why she is even compelled to do what her schizophrenic episode is telling her to do that she is inducing herself in. But she thought that if it is just a delusion then really, there was probably nothing special going to happen. With her hand raised to the ceiling as she closed her eyes, reaching for something ethereal and imaginary as if she was looming the thread of fate itself into something tangible.

Of course that it won't do anything, right?

Meanwhile, back at Michele. The fact that she even made it this far using only a power maul from a dead Arbite is far more than impressive but right now, she is facing a roadblock in her way as the sheer suppressing fire unleashed by the Arbites' Heavy Stubber emplacement effectively locked her position down. Many attempts to approach her have all met their gory end. Right now though, they are intending to just drown her out in sheer wildfire.

The room she is in is a long hallway with many large supporting pillars and side by side with them are statues of many previous chief Arbites lined up carefully across the hallway. Michele could hazard a guess that this place is a main hub of the Arbite Precinct if she still has a place for it other than bloodshed.

The daemonic her is a bloodthirsty beast but it is far from mere animalistic instinct. It knew its limitation far more than her despite the empowerment it has from its strength. She could try to deflect all of those rounds back with the power maul but with how fragile the thing has become after the abuse she put it through, it will most likely break within her next blow. This was already the 43rd power maul that she has taken and used in this carnage of hers and that count will only increase further until she finds her own weapon back.

However, she felt something stirring within the immaterial. Something is bound to happen and she must take advantage of it as fast as she could.

{Elise}

What was once a pitch-black abyss in her mind suddenly revealed the distorted reality around her. However, it was as if nothing is tangible as she freely float around moving through the prison walls as if they were nothing but an illusion. However, she could feel something stirring as she noticed threads that scatter around and heading toward somewhere. Without any better idea in mind, she quickly pursued the one end of these threads.

In reality, she is still just inside her room holding her hands to the ceiling grasping for some non-existent things that she mustered in her mind. It would come off as weird if it weren't for what would eventually happen.

Upon reaching her destination, she saw Michele being pinned by Heavy Stubber's rapid firing. Realizing that she must do something no matter how small or imperviously impossible, she just knew this must be the place. Elise then grabbed the one thread that seems to wrap around the Heavy Stubber and she decided to just... tear that thread away just for something to happen. The moment she did so, however, the snap unleashed a feedback shockwave so powerful that it knocked Elise out cold while leaving everything else untouched. Despite all of that, Elise's hand still trying reach above her even if her unconscious state would like to say otherwise.

{Michele}

As the Arbite Heavy Stubber Team still focus their everything on her, their gun suddenly jammed despite their daily maintenance to make sure such a thing can't happen. Michele take advantage of the situation immediately as she steps out of her position and threw the power maul with such force that the air trembled upon its movement. The gunner Arbite was unable to react in time as maul demolished his face into a grizzly red mess.

Not stopping there at all, Michele rushes forward as the reloader tried to reach for the other weapon only to find the window of time so minimal that it didn't matter in the slightest. As Michele slams at the reloader with such speed that a sickening crunch is heard by the sheer force and Michele hammers at them with her bare fists while they are down on the ground. Then to finish it all off, Michele reach for the Heavy Stubber that betrayed the team at their desperate moment and then rammed it straight through the reloader Arbite's heart as the act kill them instantly.

As she heard the sound of the gate in front of her opening as the reinforcement arrived. Michele quickly raised the Heavy Stubber up while the still-armored body still latch onto the gun's barrel. The team instantly realized what happened as they all together unleash their firing upon her. Michele did the same as she pulls the Heavy Stubber's trigger which the gun fired through dead Arbite as the said corpse worked as a temporary shield against the unrelenting fire that befell upon her. With one overpowered pull of her hand, she cleared the jam as the stuck cartridge fell out of the ejection port.

The Heavy Stubber unleashes its firing and a few Arbites were caught as the heavy-caliber rounds tear them apart. The rest quickly get into safe positions as they fire their respective firearms at her. Michele knew that instantly as her fleet footwork quickly put into uses as she too has no intention of being a target practice for them as she carries the Heavy Stubber while still retaining her firing despite its weight and recoil even including the dead body that is still hanging around the gun as molten flesh melts with the gun barrel.

Some measure of tactics obviously still in place, make sure that at least someone is firing at her while the rest reloads. It will be a complete disaster to happen if all of them were left unable to fight back when Michele finally got her chance to retaliate. And Michele always makes use of anything that she has with her. Particularly this dead Arbite's accessories.

Reaching for the flashbang and the flare, she immediately takes the two of them before aiming the Heavy Stubber above and shooting down all of the lights on the ceiling. With precision, all of the lights in the room shut down as the Arbite Team is now suddenly forced to switch their tactic as the situation can only turn for the worse. The common sense of their tactic is to obviously put on their night vision gear to track Michele but when the few of them did so only to realized the flashbang grenade on the ground with its pin already pulled.

A loud and bright flash occurred as Michele take advantage of the disruption she made. While the few are still dazed by the flash, Michele has effectively infiltrated their back rank as she quickly tears them apart in a blink of an eye. With the combat knife she stole, their demise was made bloody as her unreal strength turned that simple knife into a weapon of mass carnage.

One of the few Arbites managed to turn the room's emergency light on only to reveal that Michele have taken down a majority of them in the darkness as if she is a silent horror that knew how to kill at uttermost effectiveness. If it wasn't evident enough, it would be the bloodstained floor that is still continuously dripping from all of the recent kills.

The remaining few quickly tried to gun her down before she could approach them. But Michele wasn't out of trick as she threw the knife at the Arbites with all she has, like a flicker in a moment, the knife made its way faster than any perception as it lodges into someone's head which alerts the rest to move away from her lest they caught collateral in her wrath.

A few seconds to reload suddenly felt so precious when you are backed against the wall while face-fronting against an unstoppable force of nature that one can't hope to easily surmount. That's what all of the Arbites confronting her right now felt. How many have perished trying to fight her? How much blood has been shed because of reasons that they don't know of? That's the fate of the majority of the Imperium, fighting a battle for someone who couldn't care even less about them.

Within a moment, the sound of a sickening crush of a skull echoes through the room as Michele used the now-depleted Heavy Stubber as a club to smash an Arbite's face before throwing it like a spear hard enough to pierce through another Arbite's body. As that reverse-abyss eyes of Michele gazed, lives are reaped like crops in an Agri-World. Just as the last presenting Arbite still resists what's going to come, Michele or the daemonic her right now has as much care as how the Upper Hive looks at those beneath. Literally couldn't care.

Just one anti-climatic strike and it left behind a corpse amongst the carnage that scattered the whole torn room now ruined by the display of Michele's unreal strength. If anyone has any conscience in them at all, there would have been some voice saying how all of it shouldn't have been allowed to happen in the first place.

Michele continues forward once again like nothing unusual has happened in this maelstrom of murder that she made.

{Elise}

Elise reobtained her self-bearing once more after that rather haphazard attempt of her to mess with the threads of fate itself. She could tell the battle had already moved toward the next place as she could feel the disturbance resonating from somewhere close. Having unrestricted movement, she quickly approaches the next battle as she flew through the walls and ceilings.

This time, however, she saw Michele once more being blocked by a group of riot Arbites who are right now standing in riot formation. If there's anything that the Arbites are definitely good at, it would be riot control since the arts of oppression are literally baked into their instinct. The front echelon with their riot shield stands tall in legion formation while the rear with their live-ammunition firearms primed for assault. This time, they simply won't allow themselves to underestimate her anymore. Not after so many of their people died to her.

Between the two rows are the team leader, arrest officers, and riot-gas launchers. Elise knows it somewhat after so many of her Guildmates drilled the knowledge of how Arbites worked just to avoid ever having to interact with them. These people supposedly the arbitrator of justice are so rife with corruption and greed that dealing with them is a net loss. The Lower Hive folks often call them "daytime thugs" for a reason even though it's been an eternity since the last time daylight is seen in Twilight's Lower Hive.

And this particular room is a long hallway with no protection besides other rooms doesn't make it any better for Michele as she has nowhere but forward. And knowing her disposition right now, Michele won't even turn back even if to gain a tactical advantage. That's just simply what has become of her and this daemonic power that is coursing through her body.

She doesn't know how to put this into words but... this particular her here despite fighting with that ferocious might that doesn't belong to any mortal. Michele here is too calm despite being possessed by something, unlike that dreadful visage that she put on that she is capable of tearing tanks apart with her blade alone. The difference between Michele right now and the horror that night is as different as the night sky and abyss itself. The sky at least has stars, that abyss has nothing but its gaping maw and thirsting silence that consumes all.

Decided that she doesn't have too much time left for idle thoughts, time is still passing despite her ethereal form so into her act she goes. Reaching for the particular thread that ties into the tear gas grenades that one of the controller officers has prepared to throw. She decided to snap that particular one but unlike the last time, she is prepared. With one action alone, she threw fate into the most unlikely course it could take even if this is the first time she tried to divine without her bracelet.

The shockwave pushed her back but she fare much better now.

{Michele}

The control officers tried to throw their tear gas grenades when one of them immediately detonated with no priming time. It is just flat-impossible for a grenade to be immediately detonated upon priming unless by sheer negligence and shoddy quality control. The Arbites seriously start to wonder if they are cursed by fate itself but Michele like always has no room for patience as when she saw any weakness, she'll exploit them as mercilessly as she could.

She then immediately jump at the wall before jumping off it immediately as she bypassed the front echelon by jumping over them. As the tear gas cloud disrupted the formation from adapting and the team leader being near the epicenter of the detonation didn't make the scale tipping toward the riot team more than it did. Once she is right behind the front echelon, the front Arbites immediately turned around to prevent her from just ambushing from behind. The rear Arbites also quickly prime their guns as this is their chance to turn this into a pincer attack.

Michele instantly know what was going to happen as she then grabbed the riot shield of the Arbite in front of her. With all her might as she Krieg suplex said Arbite as he is still holding on to it. With such tremendous force, the Arbite slammed head-first into the ground with the floor cracked and shuddering by the force as his helmet and head flattened to the ground.

The other Arbites trembled for a moment before trying to rush at Michele while she is still in that pose. Michele however got up faster than how even a trained wrestler could as she used the heavy riot shield as a weapon against all of them.

"Gun her down! Don't let that wench approach any closer to the backline!" The team leader said as he commanded the well-oriented officers to follow his order while brandishing his Automagnum at her.

The second shielder Arbites tried to come at her with his power maul charged up for slaughter and ended up meeting his end with the edge of the riot shield as Michele's strength made it cave through the said Arbite's frontal lobe. The third with their Autopistol primed and fired at her find all of it blocked by the riot shield when Michele charged at him unstopped as she rammed said Arbite into the wall with more than enough force to crush him between the wall and the shield.

What the Arbite calls a riot shield is more of a ballistic shield that can withstand sustained Autogun's fire without issues. Some variants can resist 12.7mm rounds but its weight and cumbersomeness made it more of a special variant for more powerful and experienced Arbites, those things are practically walking bunkers for just how heavy and durable they are. And if Michele got a hand on one of them, a lot of the Arbites will suddenly be very powerless against her.

The team leader gauges her current position as he commands the rear line Arbites to fire at where he fires his Automagnum. He earned his position in one way and another so he simply won't allow someone as lowly as Michele to just make a jest out of him. The remaining arrest officers quickly separate the frontline to prevent Michele from advancing deep enough now that the front echelon is as good as compromised with how effective Michele is at close-quarter combat.

Michele's daemonic instinct flared as she blocked the Automagnum round that is fired at her before a volley of Autohammer buckshot slams in a massive quantity that managed to flinch her momentarily. She could already tell that this shield won't last this abuse any longer against such a brutal onslaught. While she is pinned by the unrelenting hails of buckshot shells that are fired with the sole intent of her extermination, one of the front echelon Arbites, or what is remaining of them noticed her and obviously tried to put her down with the Autopistol armed with him.

Without a moment of hesitation, both her instinct and intellect went into overdrive as both in conjunction with one another tried to resolve this dilemma like two scholars researching their obtained lore together. Her daemonic display betrays the idea of a savage beast as she realized that the line of smoke and tear gas that separate her and the rest of the Arbite riot team is also obscuring their vision thus it must be the sound that they are based on to gauge her position.

And when she blocked their assaults with the ballistic shield, she noticed the heavy sidearm caliber before following with a volley of buckshot indicating that someone is leading them and if her lore knowledge of the Arbite is correct then it must be the team leader commanding the rest into firing. And thus a small plan was formulated with the knowledge she obtained.

The small delay before the firing line of Autohammers unleashes, Michele took advantage of it as she threw the ballistic shield at where she gauged to be the Arbite team leader. The force put behind that throw felt like seeing vehicular manslaughter in action as the shield flew like a piece of debris at the unsuspecting team leader thinking she would cower at the first volley. Utilizing the motions she put into the throw she used all her might and technique she has left as she sweep the front Arbite off his stance by the foot.

Meanwhile, the team leader fired another shot only to find a ballistic shield flying toward him. If it weren't for the backline Arbites' volley of buckshot, it would have split the team leader in half immediately where he stood. Instead, they got injured rather immensely but far from any permanent disability assuming they could kill Michele, the idea whose prospect becomes increasingly less likely as this conflict progressed.

Back to Michele, the front Arbite during his leg sweep pulled the trigger of his Autopistol as it fired at the nothing in front where Michele stood. As she took hold of him by the leg, she swings him toward where the Arbited fired his Autopistol. The backline Arbites noticed the gunshot sounds and fired their Autohammers at the perceived location they noticed with no questioning of what the target is. The result was not pretty to describe as that particular Arbite turned into unprocessed Corpse Starch against his will as dozens of buckshot tore him apart.

When the gunfire turns quiet once more, Michele silently picks up the surviving equipment of the torn shielder Arbite as she performs the second step of her plan. With a single deep and focused breath, she charges forward.

{Elise}

Elise regained her bearing in short order, it took only half a minute yet the battle stage has progressed far beyond her anticipation. Michele, daemonic or not is a fighter with prowess unmatched nor duplicated so easily seeing how being outnumbered doesn't stop her from decisively taking them down one by one. But even then, she must regain all of her bearings and do all she could if she wishes to see Michele somehow release her from this prison and not butcher her physical self in the process.

She noticed that while snapping the thread of fate work to a certain degree, she also realized that just keep doing something like that will ultimately get her nowhere at all. Thus she must reconsider her way of approaching this matter. Seeing the shimmering threads wrapping around Michele's body and her limbs, she starts to have an idea of what she should do.

And that she already loathes the idea in itself as she puts it into practice. With her fingers keeping the threads of fate in between, she will control Michele's fate itself like a puppet. This utterly puts a massive question on what her House's idea of fate really is if she could just control others like this at all. Or perhaps, Elise is onto something that is far too greater than her own awareness.

Too late to regret now I guess. Please forgive me, Michele.

{Michele}

With swift motions, Michele tossed the helmet of the dead Arbite as a means of distraction. As the helmet flew up out of the smoke and gas cloud, the backline Arbites only knew that it is something as they intercepts it as quickly as they could. While their focus is placed on it, Michele bursts out of the gas cloud as she holds the ballistic shield up. And keep charging forward with no reservation or care for her flank.

The Arbite team leader in his delirious agony noticed as he tried to snipe her with his Automagnum. This was his only chance to stop her from continuing this massacre and it felt so close, so close to him. But fate works in mysterious ways as if her body parts moved independently on their own as if they themselves have their own will. Michele felt the tugging of something but paid no heed to it as she determined to have nothing stop in her way or revenge.

As if both unnatural yet so in-character for her, Michele evaded the Automagnum shots as she backpedals into the backline unhalted while the backline could barely realize what was happening. Upon crashing into the disciplined row of Arbites, Michele in her unseen maneuver took hold of one of the Arbites' arms as the force of her grips broke their arm as her forceful movement turned their Autohammer toward their compatriot.

Game over

Only red fills the scene afterward as the moment she obtains the shotgun, Michele effectively won the combat as the only thing holding her back was the weapon she had. A cruel end awaits them all as more lives are now lost to this endless craze of vengeance and bloodthirst of her.

{Elise}

Elise released her stranglehold of Michele's fate as she thought that her attempt to sway her probably could have looked a bit more pretty but this is her first time and probably not gonna be the last. She watches as the carnage unfolds once more and can't help but to think of the scenery of voidship port's parking lot that night. It was a prelude to what Michele was capable of and perhaps why no one should ever cross with her bad faith if they could.

She saw as Michele continues on as if nothing happened. Then again, seeing how much people in Eventide Merchant Guild badmouthed the Arbites for being so grossly corrupted at what were supposed to be their jobs, it felt like a payback like this was eventual. If not like this at Michele's hand then probably at dissenting folks who had enough of them.

It seems that time in this illusory world is very temperamental as it could freeze with barely time has passed or it could accelerate suddenly. Thankfully not the thousand years in the blink of an eye but she would rather not trust things that she can't even verify on her own. And as she looks at the echos of Michele that she manipulated her fate with, she could genuinely feel such raw despair and hatred which both intertwined into a contempt that could never be recreated by anyone else. She only realized now when things truly died down and she actually was not knocked out cold due to her immature and naive understanding of this realm's working.

However, blind hatred is just something that will definitely not work long-term in Michele's favor and it will be Elise's duty to guide her toward the right place. If she looked outside this illusory confinement, she will be greeted with a massive network of strands that stretches across the entirety of Twilight and into the stars beyond. The sheer size that House Valkyria trivialized with their technology will be a massive undertaking for her and she instinctively knows without even having it told. This power of hers will be only when pushes come to shove and a drastic move must be taken.

She returned to the torn corpse that was once the Arbite team leader as she noticed the dataslate that are miraculously spared from Michele's wrath. Perhaps because of her influencing fate in general. With a single tug of Michele's fate strand, Elise influenced Michele to suddenly turn back toward the dataslate so that she may realize something is amiss.

Time is short and perhaps that daemonic her is also agreeing with that.

{Michele}

A strange feeling tug at her finger as she turned around at the carnage she did. Then she recognized something that escaped her notice after she was done with that butchery. As she returned toward the bloodbath that happened mere moments ago, Michele picked up the dataslate and start to read through its content at a remarkably fast speed considering that she worked plenty with paperwork both physical and digital as a therapist in the Guild. Within it is a complete mapping of the whole precinct along with the route indicator for faster travel. She only need to look at it for a while before she growled under her heavy breath as she made her breakneck pace with each step forcefully crush into the ground.

There's no doubt that she'll face heavy resistance as she went on this route thus she took a shortcut through the elevator. Nobody has noticed her yet but the destination at the top will no doubt alert of it. As she steps into the elevator and stands waiting inside, Michele made her acrobatic jump as she reaches for the maintenance hatch with some application of her daemonic strength before she smashes the hatch in one blow and made it to the upside. As she waits while the elevator still moves upward, some obviously tried to make use of it and when they see the blown maintenance hatch, they went into alert immediately as Michele can hear the sound of firearms' charging bolts pulling for priming.

Seeing that the cover is blown, Michele immediately climbs the cable up to the top floor as the Arbites inside the elevator tried to shoot through the top. Some of them tried to alert and warn the others of Michele's infiltration before she conveniently rig a stolen explosive charge that she had taken from the slaughtered Heavy Arbite team as she set it for timed detonation.

As the Arbites inside the elevator still yell incessantly, Michele has already readapted her planning once more. Emperor damns her that it may actually be faster doing it like this instead of just climbing.

The explosive charge detonates as the cables that held the elevator disconnected from them as the elevator cabin fell to the depth below while its occupants scream which completely means nothing to Michele as the cable draws her upward at a dangerously fast speed as the damaged system now acts as a pulley for her. The Arbite Precinct of many dozen floors each armed and prepared for her completely unaware of her bypassing them. While the idea of killing the entire precinct sounds somewhat enticing to her, it is completely dwarfed by the visceral hatred she has of that interrogator for his treatment and what he dare said to her. To someone whose mental state is barely intact from its previous onslaught.

As she approaches the roof, she used her own momentum to prepare for the burst as she kicked the wall so hard that the law of equivalence force send her forward into the top floor elevator door with a narrowly perfected timing. With daemonic strength in tow, she forced the door open as if they were nothing.

Meanwhile, the interrogator who is now so close to the helipad, so close to escaping from her while thinking the entire precinct must have at least stopped her from approaching him. Bloody immaterial, they definitely would have prevented her from conveniently reaching him so easily using the elevator or stairwell without going through massive attritions. Even with all those prospects, he can't will himself to take it easy as Michele will somehow evade all of it and appear in front of him.

There's an ancient proverb of Terra for this specific moment, the monkey paw curls. Or he just hexed his own luck with his thought.

The elevator that was right in between him and the helipad turned out to be the one that Michele has taken. As her monstrous strength tear through the elevator door, it was like having a death trap just sprang right at the finish line.

By his instinct that he didn't just run into her when she came through, the interrogator now truly fears for his life as he backpedals away from her as Michele now pursues him with the complete intention of making him accountable for his crime against her dignity and being. Through death and bloodshed.

The interrogator took out his bolter pistol and fired at her thinking that at least it will be swift but Michele's reflex was far faster than even the interrogator's trigger finger, an ability she developed through her own mastery without even using that daemonic strength of her. That's something that Michele could rightfully say belonged to her without any external validation.

As the bolt rounds explode upon impact, Michele still acrobatically evades them as none of this could ever measure to her having to fight heavily outnumbered by far superiorly armed opponents. The interrogator finally felt his being about to give up on him as he made a hard turn into a close-by room intending to make his last stand there. The room is... Central Command Room. The furthest place away from all of the prison holding cells and probably control everything that it is linked up to in this precinct. And he just dragged a massive raging grox into a proverbial delicate-relic storage.

With his back turned to the terminal mainframe, he took out his power sword as a means of deterrence against her. The threat of instantly bisecting her in half should have done something but with so many ways to die a pointless death in Vespera, it just only sound like an empty threat at best against her as Michele burst forward with no hesitation despite his feeble attempt at threat against a monster that knows no mercy.

The interrogator tried to swing his sword but Michele already outmaneuver him as her abrupt uppercut struck at his elbow from below as it bent in an unnatural way upward. The overwhelming pain made him drop his weapon as Michele grabbed him by the collar as she slams him face down into the keyboard array. As the system flared up again from Michele's violent interaction, the temporary master keycard that was given to him as part of his job as interrogator automatically deactivates all system locks as he wore it on his neck and the terminal just read it as Michele slams him into the keycard reader.

Normally she would have given him a quick death but her contempt at what he did makes his chance of a swift painless demise as close to nonexistent as she intends to make him suffer several folds for his horrid measures and treatment toward anyone he interrogated. She then drags his body across the interface as sheer friction between his body and the interface scrapes his flesh off his body bit by bit while his regal clothing is torn to shred after offering very minimal protection against what Michele is doing to him. And as his body's flesh scrapes all over the interface, Michele in her rage starts to slam his body on it again repeatedly as the terminal registers the input that it reads based on what is happening on the interface.

With each sudden rage of hers, the terminal slowly reaches further into the control panel of the entire precinct and any lock that would have prevented unauthorized entry was promptly bypassed thanks to the temporary master keycard. And when it is just only the confirmation left, Michele holds the now battered and broken interrogator above her head who is now only wishing for death after her horrible torture that somehow didn't kill him already. With his head about to land directly into the interface at beyond terminal velocity, the interrogator couldn't muster a thought as everything was completely clouded in agony and pain. Perhaps only befitting someone like him who thrived in the suffering of others.

Michele swung his body down as she held him by the waist. His head moved downward into the interface as the force was so powerful that it completely broke the terminal interface and the interrogator's head splattered into unrecognizable chunks. And without failure, before the interface was destroyed, in the split second before that destructive end that the terminal registers that land as a confirmation for the control system.

State of emergency declared. Unlocking all doors of holding cells in this precinct. Please evacuate the prisoners.

Back when Twilight wasn't the hell hole it is now, the Arbite Precinct that this one particular used to be a prison where they had a rehabilitation system in place so that prisoners can eventually reintegrate with society. When courtesy once existed and just treatments were a thing. The existence of a once civilized age where even the worst scum of people are still people, not being treated like subhuman or less. This prison despite its refurbishment still used a lot of its old system that not a lot of people know its complete extent. And the system where the prisoners are still being put in mind persists despite all that happened.

And now, all hell is about to break loose.

{Elise}

Elise broke out of her delusional stupor as the voice of announcement and alarm that followed told her that something has happened. She probably has manipulated fate like this before unaware of how it worked using her House's technology as a walk-around method than like how she did before. For everyone around her, it looks like she used simple gestures to manipulate the chaos of probability itself and thus dictating fate where it is heading. Like how she manipulated Michele to release all the holding cells here.

However, she knew that not everyone who is here is without sin and some are well-deserved. Especially this particular child-rapist degenerate's first action when freed is to get his way with her not knowing dangerous she is when she truly hates someone. As this madman sprinted towards her through the opened gate, Elise heard the voice inside her head that reflects her own, this time is a voice of undertoned fury who is trying to spur her into killing this bastard.

Do you think that being peaceful will make everyone not hurt you, you sweet innocent child? Not at all. It's to eat or be eaten, kill or be killed. Take a rock, little miss. And be the bringer of sorrow to all who have defiled you. With all the rage, my little dark age.

Elise swallows her own fear as that filth approaches her closer than ever while she is still lying on the ground, with no self-preservation left but to fight with all she has, she bit her own finger to draw blood as the nanomachines acknowledged the bloodshed as initiates combat mode. With mere seconds left, Elise points her bleeding finger at the pedophile before a pitch-black nanite spike erupted from it piercing through the criminal's neck. As that horrid creature held onto its neck in agony as he slowly bleed out, Elise stood up and leave that man to his slow and painful end. She felt pity that she couldn't make it any longer before she focused her nanomachines on her feet and kicked the man in the crotch so hard that his pelvis shattered like glass and his reproduction organ popped like an overfilled balloon. Now truly crippled, the pedophile fell to his knee before dying a shameful and ironic demise.

Elise left her holding cell to see the whole ward completely fall to chaos as the guarding Arbites stood little chance against a mass number of angry detainees. If they are heavily armed then otherwise but armed with a single Stub Revolver and a power maul is just begging to be seen as a free loot carrier. She saw one of them that haven't yet been targeted trying to disperse the quarreling crowd by firing their revolver at them. No warning shot or any attempt at less-lethal riot control, just straight to the kills as if they don't perceive the detainees as human at all but animals that need to be put down.

She was sickened at the injustice she saw and she know that her own hesitation and indecisiveness led her sister to her demise. She had enough of playing bystander to the whim of fate and now she must take it into her hand if she must. With nanomachines blackening her feet, she sprinted as if she ruptured the sound barrier as everyone felt the atmosphere shift at her speed. The Arbite cell guard couldn't notice his demise coming as Elise remove his head from its rightful place before he noticed.

As the corpse fell to the ground, Elise picks up the Stub Revolver as the nanomachines from her self-inflicted wound seeped into it as black circuits spread like veins across the gun. Now that she is armed, she could have easily just leave this place and find her Trigram Bracelet but a Valkyrian doesn't fight all battles by themselves. That's what her House's serfs are for and now she needs those she could call her allies.

Pointing her revolver to the ceilings, power converges into the cartridge as if an anti-tank missile replaced the usual bullet it normally fired. With a single trigger pull, the modified revolver unleashed a shockwave that was so powerful it knocked all the detainees off their feet and end the general chaos with one loud and affirming action.

"Everyone, listen to me! If you want to get out of this place where suffering made abundance, and if you yearn to be freed from this hell on earth then follow me as I shall open a path forward for everyone!" Elise said as she tries to rally as many people to her side as she could even though this wasn't her best attempt at making a speech toward a group.

People turned their gaze as they look at Elise with skepticism. Letting a child that is far younger than pretty much anyone here to save them? While that idea may sound both absurd and tempting but boasting and promises held very little value in Lower Hive as this wasn't a problem with a solution that can be reached by throwing more bodies at it. The Arbites are ruthless toward anyone that breaks their rules and they will shoot first before making you regret not dying to them immediately. Seeing how vast difference between the average detainee here in comparison to the Arbites, it doesn't look too prospecting for anyone. And even Elise is fully aware of it too.

Suddenly, even without the Trigram Bracelet. Elise's instinct flared up as she with a swift motion evade the bullet that was aimed at her before it struck a misfortunate bystander. Elise turned toward the origin as she saw a tall man with bulging muscles and tattoos all over wielding the same revolver that he has stolen from an Arbite guard that he killed bare-handed proven by the blood-soaked fist.

"Tsk, all this crap of unity and leadership. And you brat think that you have any weight or bite at all. What these filthy morons here needed isn't this groxshit of teamwork or unity. It's absolute discipline and taking orders with no question!" The dangerous-looking man yelled as he couldn't scream anymore loudly of how much of a Ganger he is.

With the declaration that Ganger just spoke with absolutely zero shame, the majority of detainees suddenly decided that having a child to lead them is far better than having that said Ganger be their leader. Even without much intelligence, they could tell that the treatment said Ganger will give them will be no different than how the Arbites did or even worse.

"Oh, so you suddenly decided that I'm not befitting to be your leader? Very well, then I have no use of all of you!" The Ganger said with contempt as he didn't take the fact that his popularity is far worse than a child too kindly.

Before anyone here truly realized how much danger they were in because of that Ganger, that fact finally hit them... hard. His closest subordinates who have also obtained their guns now also opened fire on anyone else that isn't them. As the screams of fear and panic escalated once more, Elise know too that she must end all this madness now and thus one of her House's combat technology is about to unleash upon its well-deserved targets. But before then, she would rather have people fighting for her.

"If you all wish to live then stay down!" Elise yelled as loud as she could through the chaos using her nanomachine-enhanced vocal chord. Perhaps too loud as some people were knocked out or bleeding from their ears as they were too close to her at the moment.

The Gangers obviously didn't heed it because it is their adversary at the moment. But people hardly could just stay down when there are folks that are killing them amidst the chaos. Elise however knows it is now or never.

Collapse Cartridge, activate

Elise's revolver glows in a dark aura as if it is containing something so hazardous and dangerous that it would speak damnation upon all. Then with the nanomachine enhancement, Elise's body but her head turned black as she spins and moved so fast that the Ganger subordinate couldn't aim at her correctly while her revolver fired like an autopistol toward anyone else that hadn't heeded her warning. She pities those who couldn't do it in time but knowing what the Ganger intended, either she does something or all will end in a bloodbath that only she will leave.

What her revolver fired wasn't any standard revolver cartridges. It was one of the most powerful weapons that a standard baseline could ever get access to, the Collapse Cartridges. Using a combination of quantum physics and nanomachines, this cartridge caused a quantum collapse in a small area that effectively disintegrates everything around them. This effectively bypasses all physical defense including even void shields, adamantium, and esoteric material. House Valkyria's serfs used these rounds for combat and unless whatever they fight has any regenerative ability, they'll meet their inevitable defeat as raw attritions are impossible to avoid with these cartridges. No matter how large their foes are, by sheer numbers and attritions that they'll meet their demise.

This has led to even a case where one of the Valkyria serfs shot down a voidship using only a pistol filled with these cartridges. No matter the size or scale, the Valkyria will overcome. At least when they were supported by the Upper Hierarchy and not met their painful and blazing demise by those they fought for.

But that doesn't matter now, it is that she must swiftly punish them and judge them accordingly for their crime and especially that overwhelm ego that has started this mess and spur her into action like this. With her enhanced mental processing power, she quickly discerned any of those that are still alive and tried to kill her. With one stomp of her foot, the nanomachines immediately break into the floor as it seeks the targets Elise has chosen. However, the way it ends is not to anyone's expectation.

Reverse Collapse, Judgment

Suddenly, the gravity beneath their feet disappears as they were suddenly launched upward. Elise did the same as she is now also floating midair but unlike those who are in panic, she has complete control of her mobility as she rotates around herself at inconceivable speed as she shot down each and every individual Ganger that she caught in her Reverse Collapse.

Reverse Collapse is still an ill-understood subject even by the House Valkyria themselves, but it is known that it caused anti-gravitic effects whenever used thus leading to some of its unusual applications. Such as here right now as Elise obliterating all those caught within her trap as her nanite-induced revolver disintegrates chunks of their bodies with each shot.

As the last body hits the floor and if it can still be considered as such, Elise lands on her feet as all remaining survivors of this feud slowly pick themselves up. If there's any doubt left by her capabilities then it would probably have been banished by this performance. And they would rather have that destructively horrific power be pointed at the Arbites, not they themselves.

"So, does anyone have any complaint left?" Elise said as the dissonance of the 12 years old and what she did is still a stark contrast that shudders anyone dwell too long on it.

No hands are raised as Elise then takes that as a no before she made her way out. If this is just her ward then she can only imagine the entire precinct is going to be far worse than where she stood.

---

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

Confronting Herself

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

---

Michele woke up once more as she felt like it's been a long while. However, seeing a brutalized corpse punctured through the terminal made her realize that she did it again. She has very little awareness during her killing trance and whenever it occurs, mass killing just follows soon after. But she always knows that it must be her fault because there's just simply no one has that much strength to cause such a bloodbath like this. It's a secret she intended to keep with her to the grave and like all tragedy, it is meant to be forgotten.

Her head felt horrible, it was like she have the total worst hungover since her existence and magnified by hundredfolds. Red taints her vision like that blood-soaked memory before but she must pull herself together if she wants to get back to the Middle Hive. And now, she needs a weapon.

She looked toward the corpse and tried her best to pull it out of the destroyed interface. Once she did so, she can only grimace at just how horribly decimated her last victim must have been. Crushed spine like an accordion, skin and face grated across the board, and the skull was deformed as if someone used a metal press directly above. The autopsy doctors are definitely going to have a field day with this corpse assuming not dead in the chaos she likely unleashed along the way.

As she loots any weapon that the said victim has on them considering the tattering rag that was once prestigious-looking, Michele soon found the power sword that was a bit sleeker to her design and a bolt pistol, a weapon that is only given to the officer personnels of the Imperial Guard. As she checks the possession she has on her, Michele found the bloodstained dataslate on her as it contains the entire map and directions toward anywhere in the precinct. Reckon that the daemonic self didn't explicitly throw it away when it had run out of patience.

Michele then interacts with the dataslate as she looks for the area where Arbites store all of their confiscated items or evidence which is promptly placed right at the center of the Precinct. It's a large area that takes a decent chunk of the whole place itself considering this precinct has to deal with all of the crime from petty to deadliest. As footsteps approach, Michele took up arms and prepared for combat as unlike the daemonic self before, Michele has none of the ungodly strength to easily overpower everyone else.

The Arbites threw in their smoke and flashbang to disrupt whatever is inside knowing that their entire surveillance system is also down because Michele destroyed the interface system and that things are going out of control very soon. Michele quickly grabbed the dead interrogator and tossed him through the doorway as this room slowly become her execution chamber. The Arbites being extremely tense sees a sudden movement going through the door and lose control of themselves as they fired all of their weapons at the said corpse. Before they even recognized what was going wrong, Michele exploited their vulnerability and lost attention as she used the power sword and bolt pistol in tandem as she butchers and blast through the Arbites in a dance of crimson.

The power sword tore through matters unhindered and bolt pistol chunks its victims into red mist as it extends the confusion amongst the Arbites. None made it out alive as the entire squad was decimated by Michele's latent talent of maneuverability and initiative. Leaving behind another bloodbath this time caused by her willful deliberation.

As she rushes down the hallway, she could feel the chaos around her as the sound of violence reverberates across the whole facility. She has very little idea of what she has done but it must have been bad, very bad. The elevator system is a no-go since so many people will actively camp it for ambush so she uses the second-best alternative, the emergency stairwells built into the facility that scatter across. Using her power sword, she slashes open the lock as she starts to descend the flights of steps.

{Elise}

She burst through the door and fired her Collapse revolver in barrages toward an unsuspecting group of Arbites, with zero chance of retaliation, chunks and wads of their bodies disintegrate into base particles leaving behind torn corpses amidst the wake. As she steps forward awaiting further reinforcement, Elise "reloaded" her revolver as she anticipates another group of Arbites also in their 'search and destroy' mission considering just how often Arbite ambush can be.

Right now, their target is the Armory so that the detainees have a much better chance of fighting against the Arbites. Elise while far surpassing pretty much all Arbites, her followers aren't and if she has any intention of upholding her promise, she must at least do so for them. The Collapse Cartridge that she fired is so powerful that it destroyed anything it hits to dust thus leaving very little to be scavenged and loot if torn armor and chunked weapons can be considered salvageable.

The Arbite Precinct facility is much like the name implies, it is about as big as an entire precinct in a Hive Sector where all matters involving Arbites converges here. So it is not just Arbites but scribes are also present. And what is supposed to be a rather average day for them turned into an awakened nightmare because of what Michele did. And the idea of a life turned upside down beyond your control is a rather sad prospect that stability is such a far-up concept that people literally won't recover if it occurs.

The remaining survivors of her detainment ward were in no better condition than her as they were beset from all sides by the more violent and cruel detainees of other wards or those judgmental and hateful Arbites who have taken up the oath of violence against any indicated crimes they see. And despite that, they still believe that if it weren't for Elise's leadership, this group would have all died long ago and they are grateful for that.

While powerful as she might be, she knows that she can't just keep babysitting all these useless... no... she will not say that word ever again. Not after seeing it tears apart any bond and connection that she and Michele have with each other. It's just that, if this keeps up, she will be the only one left of this whole group in eventuality and...

A flash of insight appears in her mind as she realized a way forward. The locker room, any area with a modicum of guarding required will always have these rooms. The Arbite personnels store their dedicated weapons and armor there and it might be a way forward and a good start for their reach toward the Armory.

"Change of plan, everyone. We're going to head to the Arbite locker room first so that we can actually have some weapons for the starter. Can't expect any of you to fight with bare hands against them so this shall be the way for now. Follow me if you want to live through this". Elise said as she prepares her revolver once more.

If the Arbite wasn't ever so brutal and cruel in the first place, there probably wasn't going to be a riot at all. Or even the existence of the Arbite at all is the ruler's way of monopolizing violence in the first place. And even they aren't exercising it properly at all.

Thankfully that for whatever reason, there is no Arbite here at all in the area. At least not yet as Michele uses the near-disintegrated Arbite keycard that she stole from one she killed and it still registered despite only the barcode remaining. Using this moment, everyone nearly tramples each other just to get their chance at arming themselves with gears to increase their chance of survival no matter how small. This tenuous unity that everyone had together is barely held by Elise's presence and the moment she is gone, it is quite clear that what will follow will not be nice.

A locker room doesn't always have gears in place. If it weren't for Elise's enforcement of unity, things could turn ugly really fast if not soon. Before anyone could realized it, Elise noticed the sound of something burning from outside despite the noise pollution that is becoming in this precinct. Then her instinct just instantly went into overdrive as she yelled out loud as she could.

"Take cover!" Elise yelled but she can only save herself and those closest around.

The locker door exploded open in the loudest and most disorienting manner it could have. Then as tear gas and smoke start to flood the room, dark and ominous silhouettes march into the room as they gun down anyone they see with horrifying precision. Most people don't understand how dangerous Arbites can be until they are at the receiving end and they aren't blessed or cursed with unnatural power to fight back on even ground. These people aren't Elise or Michele, they are normal folks who exist just to be thoroughly exploited by those above and then discarded when they are no longer useful or rebelling.

These unfeeling armored men in black have been trained to be the most cruelest and combat efficient that they can be. When they are actually doing their jobs, they do it with proficiency and professionalism that most people won't ever see unless they are at these folks' iron sights. Loud gunshots reverberate aloud as their Autohammer and Autogun tore apart any resistance that attempt to fight. Lacking any training and tactic, they are but target practices. As a man with a gun is dangerous, a man who knows how to use their gun is far more dangerous and monstrous.

The room blacked out from the breaching explosion and no one could see what they are supposed to fight. Elise can hear their screams of despair as their damnations befall with zero warning. It wasn't supposed to go this way but Elise now must do something or she won't going to live this moment down as proof of her failure of leadership. She tried to step out of her location but an explosion that shook the room deterred Elise from approaching this problem the rash way.

"Grenade launchers... they really aren't pulling their punches, aren't they?..." Elise thought as the morale of everyone here dwindles from witnessing the carnage that they are helpless to stop.

"What do we do, miss? We can't just stay here and let them slaughter us like a grox to the butcher house!" One of the afraid detainees said as he barely got the gears on.

Elise thought to herself, should she expose more of her House's technology to these people that she barely met? Should she add more of her offenses so that the Upper Hive will have more reasons to send their actual agents against her? She thought to herself harshly but... she has made her grave and now she must lie in it.

"You won't love what you are going to feel," Elise said as she cut her palm open with a knife that she found in one of the lockers before she engraved that bloody palm into the detainee's face, or more exactly covering his eyes. The detainee felt as if billions of foreign substances were forcefully injected through his eyes as he couldn't help but try to scream loudly. Elise covered his mouth before he compromises their position as she tries to get the process done.

The moment she is finally done, the detainee man felt as if he was changed. As if the gun in his hand is more familiar than what he felt. Knowledge of combat imprinted directly into his mind as suddenly understood what the Arbites are doing instinctively.

Legacy Imprint

The fast and sure-fire way of training more serfs to use their technology and weapons fast devised by House Valkyria. Once again using quantum mechanics as a basis and nanomachines as a means, they can imprint memory and knowledge directly into their recipient's mind with virtually no side effects. As proof that the brain unconsciously uses quantum effects as a mean to recall memory, this technique is made as a way to falsely register memory in a natural way so that the recipient does not reject or go insane upon imprint.

Obviously that the Valkyria sisters didn't use it extensively because it would easily paint a target on them and where they are if caught. And that it relies on its user's total combat experience so far and the sisters definitely aren't the best showcase for it. But still, for the remaining detainees right now, any experience is better than literal cannon fodders.

One of the Arbites breaching team got too close to Elise's position as the imprinted detainee point-blanked the Arbite with precision before said opponents recognized what killed him. Point blank shotgun blast is always a gruesome sight to see and he thinks that he may have alerted the rest of the Arbites to this place.

"Damn it, we have to get following now!" Elise said as she quickly loots anything from her first imprint's first blood.

As she checks the equipment of the dead Arbite, she instantly noticed the headgear on these Arbites. Upon removing and trying them for herself, she realized their purpose.

"Of course that it's night vision goggles". Elise muttered under her breath right as she realized what she can do for her next part.

Night vision goggles are still a piece of delicate equipment that is vulnerable to bright light. House Valkyria has fought many fronts completely hidden from the greater Imperium thus as such, knowledge of combat and liberal applications of nanomachines to obtain an upper hand in combat is often a must.

Elise turned toward the ceiling light as she sprayed her still-fresh blood from her wound at it. In quick measure, the nanomachines in her blood took her command and action as it analyzes the electrical structure of the room and diagnosed what caused the blackout in the first place. An answer soon arises from the examination. There was no fault, the light was deliberately shut down by the Arbites.

This concludes that Elise and all her fellow escapees fell into their traps as they also considered that the escapees will try to obtain weapons from these locker rooms thus using these places as killing grounds for them. Elise was furious beyond measure as she decided to put these sly bastards to the ground for what they tried. With a flick of her thoughts, the nanomachines created a faux switch to force the light on. The Arbites who were so focused on the killing didn't take the sudden return of light too kindly as the bright light burned the night vision goggles' lens and rendered their vision nothing but white.

The remaining detainees that haven't yet been killed by the Arbites took measures as they focus fire as many of their weapons as they could at the Arbites for at least they know the guns point at their enemies. Those who aren't in direct line of sight of the detainees took off their goggles only for the light to turn off again but with the equipment damaged, they are now forced into the same game as the detainees.

"Private, tell me why did you turn the light on without my directive!?" The team leader Arbite yelled at his comm only to receive only silence at the end and the sounds of haywiring electricity.

Elise tampered with the original switch so that it would be a death trap that will electrocute anyone with extreme voltage should they activate it. Now that the light system is solely in her control, Elise quickly dispatches the rest of the Arbites now that the hunter becomes the hunted. With some control of the nanomachines, she manifested a flash hider upon the revolver's muzzle.

"Let us do this..." Elise said as she and her imprinted soldiers now begin their actual fight now that the scale has tipped in favor of them.

The light was turned on by Elise's command for a brief moment as she intended to keep environmental disruption on her side. Elise's enhanced reaction speed made pretty much made Elise make the first draw and it all just end with her victory with one shot. And because of how the lockers are distributed and placed, it is all just a sweep as Elise goes down the middle path as she shot down any stragglers that still remain. Her imprinted soldiers made sure that none of the Arbites could hide away and secured the rest of the remaining detainees.

The team leader though, Elise pretty much made it personal when she found him. As the said Arbite fired his Autohammer at her faster than her reflex which was the only minuscule victory he got over as Elise using her nanomachine strength enhancement and forcefully ripped the locker arrays into shielding her. The moment she is done, she pushed the locker with might as the throbbing blackened muscle forced it with such strength that the lockers smashed into the wall much like how Anastasia displayed her usage with it.

They couldn't even extract the nanomachines out of Elise's system at all for it requires technology that the Upper Hierarchy won't even give and thus if Elise willed it by herself, she could have just done it already instead of manipulating Michele into breaking everyone out of their imprisonment.

The Arbite team leader tried to contain his fear seeing how overwhelming she is, he tried to stand his ground but his physical limitation don't even allow such a thing as Elise in the blink of an eye grabbed him by his face then grated the back of his head along the array of lockers. The first to disappear is the backside of his helmet, then the skin, the flesh, the bone itself, the brain matters until it's only a streak of red and pink across the locker hallway. Afterward, Elise calmed down somewhat as she raised her voice.

"Is anyone still alive? We wiped out the Arbites that hunt us". Elise said in a calming tone as she tries to prevent more stress upon her fellowships.

Following it is crying and sobbing of relief for once again, Elise saved them even if not everyone.

{Michele}

"How high is this fucking facility!?" Michele yelled as she slaughters her way through this congested and chaotic stairwell.

So many desperate escapees that the moment Arbites got into the mix, hell break loose was pretty much the outcome that will happen. She has made it down about 20 floors already and things will only turn for the worse for her. It's not just what's in front of her that she has to fight, she must also be prepared for what also comes from the back. Enduring these gauntlets of pincer attacks from both sides was not pleasant at all for her considering how nothing is invincible at all. Even her.

The air suddenly starts to feel warmer. Michele can't shake off that unnatural change in the atmosphere as she suddenly moves away from the handrail and gets as close to the wall. And as if her instinct was correct, a downpour of flame suddenly rush through as she barely get away from being hit by it. Then what followed is a cacophony of agony and pain as there are many that couldn't avoid it or just happened to be near. As Michele stares into the still-on-pouring flame, Michele muttered only one sentence as if even that fire is awakening a deep dark memory.

Promethium

Prometheum is what referred to the general Imperium as refined gasoline or napalm. The more correct version would be the highly incendiary gel used in Flamer weapons in Imperial Arsenal. They are used as ingredients or fuel for thermobaric or incendiary devices and weapons. Most of the time though, they won't be burning but be stored in sealed containers to prevent accidents or destruction. There was that one time when a massive storage of Prometheum caught fire and set a massive explosion that even the entire Hive Sector felt it. But Vespera being what it is just somehow fixed all the damage done as if it was never there. No one even remembered it months later.

And it seems that the Arbites are now truly running out of patience as they resort to even more destructive measures for containment. But out of all the things they chose to deal with Michele, they just have to accidentally pick the one that will offend her the most.

Michele remembers a great fire, one that was so long ago she could barely properly speak. But even that back in time, she still clearly remembers that ancestral sword in her hand. And its bloody gleams of the many she slaughtered already at the tender age of 5. With prowess that doesn't belong to her. Bloodsoaked and brutally stained, Michele's mood started to swing as her wrath starts to ignite like the fire that day.

Hatred, vitriol, scorn... Michele barely snapped out of boiling blood as she doesn't want to fall into that killing trance anymore. Had it been years before she joined the Eventide Merchant Guild and become a therapist, it may have been a saving grace for her. But now, it is her disgrace and the most destructive thing to her as it does what it did on the tin, just violence without a reason.

But her body still refuses to listen as if two souls are fighting each other for their one shared body. Then from the corner of her eyes, she turned around and saw... herself?

Words of Emperor: For this part, play Confronting Yourself - DifferentTopic

"Who are you?" Michele muttered as she finds what she herself saw completely baffling and unreal.

"Heh... You still don't realize it even until now? I'm you, your one and only". The doppelganger said with her voice in an underlying threatening tone.

Michele stood there in shock as she sees someone who dressed exactly like her. Has hair exactly like her, has facial features exactly like her. There is only one singular difference that sets between them, the eyes. That opposing self of hers has eyes as if she is staring into the light at the end of the tunnel but it filled her with dread instead of release. As if she is staring into the abyss itself with that dark crimson eyes.

RUN

Her mind and conscience yelled only that one word and Michele heeds it with no question as she dead sprints down the burning stairwells flooded in prometheum. The illusional self of her starts to chase her as well and as if evenly matched, the two would theoretically never catch each other. But Michele is only human and that is already telling of the inevitable outcome awaiting her at the end of this stairwell.

Because after all, who could outrun their own shadow?

Y̴̲̏̃͒o̴̯̳͇̾ũ̸͈͕̿͗ ̷̫̫́c̷̞̋̕ą̷̌̔n̷̞̟̜͂̇'̴̥̿ͅt̵̪̿͂ ̷̧̓ȓ̸͇͔͝ͅṳ̵̯͎̈́n̷͓̑͝ ̴̘͂̍̀a̶͙͆̀̓w̵̦̫̙̔͑â̸͔̬͚y̴̪̳̔ ̶̤͗̕f̴̝͆̄r̵̢̡̋̄o̷͙̠̫̎m̸̘͕͔͌̌̋ ̵̭̺͝m̸̤͕̊̔̄e̵̜͖̥͊̕ ̴͚̲̒ä̸͈̙́̀̈́ṡ̵͕̟̭͒͠ ̴̧̱͚͑ẏ̸̛͇͝ȏ̴̱̙͔͛ǔ̶̖͗ ̴̥̗͘ḁ̴͛ĺ̷̻͛͂w̴̰̞̾͋͊ä̸͙̣́̏͠y̷̢̡͂̓s̸͍̳̄̅̽ ̶̨͚̟͊͑w̶̨͚͙̐̏i̶̔̉̈͜l̵̛̠͇͛l̸͓̳̏͝͝ ̵̭̺͐b̴̛̺̱̱̈́ę̷̜͍̀ ̸̞̩̓į̶̳̀n̸̠͛ ̵̗͐͘͠m̵̉ͅy̵͕͐͌̍ ̸̼̪̫͂́̃g̵̺̙̝̒̐r̵̹̝̐͐á̵͔ś̸̞͕̽p̸̡̭̉̓.̸͖͎͐̅́

I'm not going to stop now after knowing what you did!

W̵̯͔͂̄̏e̸̪̗̾ ̸̙͕͇́h̵̢̙͌̚͝ā̷̲̒͊v̷̧̓̅ȩ̷͈̎̾͜ ̸̥̲͂͝a̵̬̦̻͊̕l̶̬̅̈w̸̦͝͝a̷̯͉̼͑̾ÿ̶͈̜́͘ș̶̹͙͆ ̷̬̰͍͂̋͛c̶̫̥̅͆o̶̡̬͛͐è̶̳̩̻x̸̠̰̐̋̇͜ì̴̯̗̖s̵̢̝͚͋ẗ̸̺́̇͆e̶̯̎ḍ̸̳̝́̎ ̸͔͌̃ḁ̴̢́̍͌ñ̷͔̯̈́d̸̤̘̊͠ ̵̘͓͛͗̕î̵̯̫̜ț̸̗͊̾̓͜ ̸̯̝̈́ẅ̶͎̟̻́̀̚i̴̞͍̓̊̽ļ̸̼̹̍̈́ĺ̴̰̰́̉ ̸͙͔̞̍͘a̷͈̻̋͛l̵̰͆͝͝ẅ̸̙́a̵̻̺̪̕y̸̯̑ș̸̅̅ ̵̢̘̾͜s̶̠̱̍t̵̢̏̕a̶̧̱̙͗y̷͇̓ ̷̜̊̇̂ẗ̵̝͒̄h̴̨̠̞͗͘ã̷̭͋t̴̻̄ ̷̛̘͔̐̀w̷̮͚̦̓a̴̤͒ȳ̴̦͖.̸͉͔̃̆͊ͅ

You are full of shit and if I could, I will make you pay!

MICHELE!

As they go further down into this stairwell to hell, corpses with prometheum scorched scatter their way as Michele tries to outrun her own phantom. Sometimes she just jumps straight down from all the steps if she could for she has no idea of how fast her own daemon self is. She couldn't turn her eyes to look back as she has to keep running. But even without seeing, the dread is still there and she could feel it approaching no matter how fast she tries to run.

Ỵȫū ĉaṋ ոoṫ ḏéɭằẙ ṫիἲş ҫṑņḟȑὄἡťǡŧîσʼn ầոỵ ĺőὴğèѓ.

Yợu ḃḕƫȶěӷ ցίүḛ ÿὀůȓ ƃēṥẗ ẛσɽ ŵḣäȶ ιș çŏḿὶᾕǵ ƃėҫấǖṥę Ỉ śὶɱҏǀγ kᾗṓẁ ƫĥẩʈ Ӏ ạḿ śŧṝṍňցȅŗ

ƁȩƫԷèȑ șḩõŵ mé ẃիắț ẏȍȗ ĉãῂ ḓὀ, ẛöŗ ăṱ țհḙ ęῆḑ ờẛ ṫիȇ ɽợẫḑ ԝhёґӗ ťɦὶṣ oςⅽūṛś.

Ḅě ргȩþàṛẹḋ ťo ϝɪgḩȶ ϝọȑ ¡ŧ, ƀěҫãušȅ ΐե ẉoņ'ṭ þē ʝվṧť ɱý ŵṛẚƫḣ ʈիáƫ уʘű іήčṹɽ.

For the briefest moment, both their voices harmonized creating that dreadful and eerie voice. While Michele may not know about it, it was the tone that she spoke when she was consumed by her deepest trauma and unleashing that despair upon anyone else that caused it. For what is simultaneous her greatest strength that she has is also both the worst of her.

C̶̬͝ő̴̱m̵͈̕e̸̟̓ ̶̫̒ỏ̸̦n̶͉̈,̴̻͌ ̵͈̃m̴̗̑ŷ̶̹ ̸͉̒l̷̠̿ḯ̴̱ṭ̶̊ṭ̷̛l̸̰̕ȩ̵̓ ̶͙͑l̵̊͜ạ̵̒m̵̯͘b̷̠̔.̶̖͌ ̷̫̕D̸̦͌o̸̪͂ǹ̶͎'̷̺̈́t̷̛͔ ̶̢̅r̷͚̆ŭ̵͕ṇ̷̐ ̶̹͋ȃ̷̰w̸̘̌ą̸͂y̷̞̐ ̶̦̋f̶̰͒r̶̯̉ơ̷̰m̶̻͌ ̸̜͝m̷̳͊ẽ̸̩ ̵̧̑ả̴͚ṇ̵́y̴̻̔m̷̳͌ó̵͓r̸̘͠ë̵͖́.̶̜͒ I̶̛͍'̷͈͠m̴̯͠ ̵̝̊ȳ̴̟ọ̷̋ű̶͔r̵͈̐ ̷͚̆ḱ̶̗ḭ̶̊n̸̻̓d̵͍͌ ̸̭̿s̶͇͋ẖ̷̎e̵̟̾p̵̨̓ḩ̶̎ḙ̴̄r̷̞̈́d̸͉͂ ̶̤̍w̵͇̒h̴̺̋ọ̴̀ ̶̼͝s̸̼̏h̷̠̐á̷̜l̵̥̊l̸͔̋ ̸͜͠ț̸͑å̵͍k̷͕̉e̷͉̓ ̸̪͝c̵̥͆a̸̟͊r̵̟͘e̵̘̿ ̷̤̾ò̶̯f̵̱̿ ̵̗̍ỹ̵͉o̸̡̚u̵̱̔r̴͚̓ ̷̩͊ḟ̶͎ǫ̵́ȑ̷ͅ ̷̳͊ě̴̼ť̸̙e̴̯̓r̶̞̋ṅ̶̟i̵̡͂ẗ̶̘́y̵̜͊

You only seek to torment me / A̵̺͌c̸̖͌c̸̺͛ë̴͕́p̶̭͘t̶͕̉ ̵̭͆t̷͍̊h̶͕́á̸̮t̸̙͠ ̶̼̽y̴̾ͅo̴̲͂ụ̶̈ ̴̬̅c̷̗͆a̸̯͆n̷͖̈́'̴̯̿ť̴̞ ̵̨͊d̵͙́ȇ̵̞ṋ̵̓y̶̦͑ ̶̡̊m̵̯̊e̵̙̿ ̶̥͠ȁ̷̺n̴͈͝y̷̩͠ ̷̺̈l̴̨̕o̸̜͊ṉ̴̚g̶͉̈́e̴̗͌r̸̫͌.̶

But I can't allow myself to fall right now/ Y̷͔͒o̶̞͝u̴͙͐ ̴̦͛c̶̡̔a̸̖̅n̸̯̑'̴̰͐t̵͔̅ ̶̤̊j̸̼̕u̶̩̍s̷̪̒t̶̳͗ ̷̺̅ò̶̥u̵̺͋t̶̼͐r̴̠̈ú̸̩n̴̲̓ ̵̒ͅy̸͋ͅȏ̷̮u̶̡̅r̷̭͗ ̸̱̚ò̷͉ẉ̸͋n̶̼͐ ̴̫͆ṣ̵͒h̵͖̐a̸̗͠d̷͔̕ọ̸̐w̵͚͠

Let's see how truly powerful you are before I rest you down to six feet below/ ̵̷̛̟̱̅F̶̝̾ơ̵̝r̶̤̋ ̵̼̀ä̴͖t̸͕͛ ̷̜̈́t̵̥̏ȟ̶̟e̷̙͂ ̵̞̿e̶̫͊ṋ̸͊d̴̨̂ ̵̼̔o̴͓̽f̸̬͋ ̴̼͝t̴̠͂h̸͕̋ḙ̵̌ ̴͍͋d̶̹̊a̷̧̽ÿ̵̮́ ̶̪͠t̷͚̑h̸͙̄ã̶̰t̶̺̕ ̴̲̈́I̶̲̔ ̸̜͘a̵̮̓m̴̮̀ ̶͍̈́n̴̬̐ô̴̩ ̶̦̆m̷̠͗o̸̞̊r̴͘͜e̵͕̊ ̵̲̓t̵̲̓ẖ̴̿a̸͍͠n̶̰̔ ̶͒͜y̶̘͐o̴̧̍u̵̧̾r̶̝̐s̵̼͗.̷̑͜t̵̮͘r̶͆ͅû̴͈e̶̞͆s̷͉͘ț̷̏ ̸̛̥r̸̮̅ě̶̞f̴̮́ḻ̴̓e̵̬̾c̵̼̔t̶̞͊i̸͇̔o̶̻͠n̶̗͌ ̴̺͗

Meanwhile, some escapees managed to avoid getting scorched by the still on-pouring promethium. Dare Emperor, just how much promethium do they have to just flood like this!? As a small group of them still sticking to the stairwell knowing that anywhere else is probably just their doom already. However, amidst the sound of pouring promethium, they heard the voice of someone arguing right before they turned back and see Michele running for her life from something while rambling on like a madman. They don't know what it is but it felt like they too must spur on their legs beforehand.

Then Michele jumps all the steps bypassing them as she continues to run like hell is approaching. The bystanders look in confusion as they turned back only to see nothing at all. In fact, by the time Michele had already long gone away, it was only just them and the sound of promethium boilings the air. However, when Michele passes over them, they felt an ominous presence surrounding her in a way that can't be explicitly said.

All they wish for is that Michele somehow will not bring doom to anyone by mere presence.

Y̶̮͋o̷͉̿u̸̧̿ṛ̶͝ ̸̰̐f̴̖͝a̴̻̔ṭ̸̉ě̸͇ ̶̱̓ī̷͈ś̷̹ ̵̳̎ä̶̯́l̸̳̾ṟ̶͘ẽ̸͔a̸̗͝d̸̺̎y̴̝̍ ̶̗͑s̸̝̀ȅ̴̢a̴̮͆l̴͗͜ȇ̷̮d̵́͜

I will not allow it to come to pass.

Țɦẻ ḝῆɗ ὸϝ ťհё ľіἢè ίś ȧþṗɼṍåĉhḭᾓġ

A̷͂ͅn̷͙̎d̸̻͌ ̵͖̽i̷̯̋t̸͙͘ ̷̻͒i̵̾ͅṣ̸͒ ̸̳̈́t̷̹̎ï̵̤m̷̫̀e̴̩̅ ̶̛̼f̶̗͝ó̴͓r̵͇̕ ̵̝̋ÿ̷̘́õ̵̼u̷̩͛ ̸̞͆t̴͉̓ó̸͉ ̷̿͜f̶̈͜a̷͚͗ć̷̥ȩ̴̋ ̵̥͘Y̶̩̎O̸͎͂Ú̸̪R̸̘̅Ś̷̳E̴̫̿L̶̥͋F̵̲̆

MIIIICHEEEELEEEE!

The phantom of herself that is chasing her becomes more infuriating at her insolence and denial. It doesn't even try to run on her foot and no matter how fast she runs, it was as if it was tethered to her and she just dragging it behind and waiting for her to be exhausted. How many floors she have ran right now? How much strength of hers is gonna be sapped by this increasingly-burning heat that threatens to turn this place into a foundry? At this point, she doesn't know. All she has left is just to keep running forward.

W̸̘̚h̶̼́y̷͍͊ ̵̯̊d̵̺̍ö̵̤́n̸̤̅'̴͖́ṫ̷̼ ̷̮͋y̷͍̍o̶̘͆u̸̥̕ ̵̄͜g̸̝͘ĭ̸̙ṿ̶̀e̴̳̊ ̵̰̃i̷͉͛ť̵͉ ̷͈̊ǔ̷͙p̸̠̃ ̵̩́a̷̠͝l̷̜͗r̸͎̽e̶͎̊a̷̳͌d̴̬͝y̴̯̿?̴̤͂ ̴͕̓D̵̨̓ȏ̷͕n̵͕̆'̴͈̑t̷̤̑ ̵͕͑ỷ̶̲ȍ̶̬ŭ̶̪ ̴̹̾r̷͚̓e̶̮̐a̴͙͝l̷̩͛i̴̗͆z̵̳͌ę̵͊ ̶̤̃t̸̙̄h̸͔̎a̴͓͐t̸̡̄ ̵̯̍á̴̻l̸̹̍l̶͔͒ ̴̧̅y̸̫̌o̸̟͐u̵͓͑ȑ̵͙ ̶͇̊f̶̻́r̵̦̂i̷̠͐ē̴͜n̸͈̕d̶͙͂s̷̹̏ ̷̡̆a̶̝̓r̴͕͠ȩ̷͛ ̴̫̅D̵̠̂Ȩ̸̔A̶̲͐D̵̰̽ ̵̜̚b̷̥̈́e̸͒͜c̸̜͝à̴͎ủ̶͈s̷̱̑ȇ̷̩ ̵̟́o̸̯͛f̸͉͝ ̸̨̌ẏ̸͉ǫ̶̐u̸̺̚ṟ̵̈́ ̵̘͠i̴̘͆n̶͇͘c̶̼̔o̵͍͝m̶͈͆ṕ̸̯e̸̘͠t̷̻͊è̶̞n̶͉̈́c̷͔̈́e̶͌͜?̷͍́

Ťhĕ ṱἰɱḝ ớϝ ċŏἦẛґoἠեầṫḯôὴ îṡ ợᾖḉoṃὶᾕց.

ᾉήḓ ốńľў õἤē ẃıɫɭ еɱēṙǥḝ ΰΐсṫὅȓιὀüṥ.

Ḭʈ ẅὶḻŀ ņŏȶ ƅȩ ўỏṷ ẅḥօ ẇίɬĺ ḣḁṿẻ ʈħé ḹặŝէ ľąưǥȟ.

The temperature of the room is reaching the breaking point and if she stays here any longer she'll ultimately suffer a heat stroke and met her end here. Within the delusional chase that she made from the manifesting guilt and trauma that she suppressed up until now.

You won't be able to undermine me.

I will continue to live to spite you, the other me.

So I will not let this go down.

₵ǭἧẛṙọἧեíᾓɡ ẏộủɽšḛɫϝ

Ɩᾐ ầ ςḣaşè ťḣăť ẇїɭḷ ḏĕʈëṛɱȉռḛ Էհѐ οṳťḉôṃê ȫϝ ѐὗéѓỳեḫɩոց

Ϝσȓ եḫè рṙеṧȇήṭ aᾒḑ ḟởɽ էħé ḟµԷuŗĕ!

"Turn right at the next 5 floors below." The dataslate that Michele carries suddenly breaks their focus at each other's throat. Suddenly remembering what she was to do, Michele decided that she can't keep appeasing that phantom of her with her thoughts. But as the end approaches, turbulent thoughts mix with each other as her self-exchange of verbal assaults becomes more intense.

Y̸͍͗o̸̳͠ṳ̵̋r̶̗͘ ̸̼̐f̷̧́ạ̷̔ţ̶̌e̵̦͝ ̴̮̑o̶̦̊f̷̛̹ ̷̬̀b̴̂ͅȇ̸͓i̵͕͘n̶͂͜g̴̫̚ ̴̠̾a̶͎̽n̶͙̈́o̶͍̔t̴̘̒h̸͖͋e̷͚̊ř̵̻ ̴̗̂v̶̘̅i̷͍̒c̵̱͆t̸̨͆i̷͈͝m̵̲̆ ̶̗̇i̵͜͝ŝ̸̟ ̵̮́s̴̤̆t̵͕̏i̷̛͕l̴̬͝l̴̂ͅ ̶̖̊ȅ̷̩v̴̗͐e̷̻͛ŗ̴̈́-̵̟͠a̸͔̐p̸͇̅p̶̺̌r̷̼͒ó̶̪ā̶͙c̵͔̿h̵̙̋ī̶̲n̴͕͊g̶͖̕.̶͔̇

And... I will face it all head-on...

I have to escape this fate now or else/ Y̶͔̎o̶̡̔u̵̝͐ ̷̡̏w̷̥̾i̷͚͒l̴͍̄l̸̼̎ ̴̧̉n̷̘͛ọ̸̿t̵̻̉ ̸̘̓ę̴̍ș̵͝c̴̗̄ã̸͇p̴̊͜e̵̠͝ ̵͖͋m̵̩̊ỳ̷̙ ̸̞̊p̴̪̓r̷̰͂ȏ̶̳v̶̩̾i̶̟̎d̷̛͈e̶͖̊n̴̟͌c̵̫̿e̸͖̅

Тհĭṥ ίṧ ẳ ĉȭῂẛѓὸņŧaṱìỗր... ẉḭƫի ₥ӯṣѐƚϝ

I... am... Michele, the Eventide Merchant / Ǐ̵̺.̶̣́.̶̤́.̶͖͝ ̶̫̈́å̸͓m̶̰̑.̵̣͑.̵̯̄.̵̺̈́ ̵̠͑M̷̧̆í̴̮c̸̹̓h̸͈͘e̷̞͝l̸̞͊e̴͔͂,̵̫̈́ ̶̮̕t̶͓̂h̴̊ͅë̸̦́ ̵̟̇R̵̡̃ẻ̵̦t̷͙͆r̴͓͌i̷̘͊ḇ̴̓u̴̬̿t̸̠̅o̸̗̅r̶̖̊

MIIIIIIIIIICHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

"Your destination is to the right" The dataslate within Michele's possession speaks calmly in stark contrast with what Michele is fighting against or that she is imagining herself. But even then, Michele knew there is no turn back anymore as she could feel multiple presences behind this door with killing intents and she knew that she alone won't stand up against them. At least not in the way she could conceive way right now. And as she finally stops at the right floor of its doorway, the demonic her finally caught up with Michele.

S̸͎̅o̸͕̎ ̴̛̜ý̸͓ŏ̵̗ȗ̵͕ ̷̹̆ŕ̴͇e̴̮͝á̶̪l̵̥͝l̵̻̈́y̸͎̓ ̸͜͝ï̴̬n̴͇͊t̵̘͌ë̴́ͅn̴̜̓d̶̞̔ ̴͖̐t̴͚̕ô̴̩ ̶̭̍m̵̌͜a̴̱͆k̶̮̽e̷͚͝ ̵̙̏ǎ̵̬ ̶̟̂f̴̖̈i̷̺͆n̷̘̈́á̸͕l̸̳̑ ̶̭̉ś̷͎ţ̵̂a̴̭͆n̴̬͠d̷͍͐?̸̨͗

̷̼̽A̶̲̕n̸͚͘d̷̲̏ ̷̘̀c̸̜̕ò̶͉n̵͈̍t̸̫̐i̵̭̇n̸̙͐u̶̢̎e̴̹͠ ̸̲̚ṱ̴͑h̷̬̓ḯ̶̫s̸̥̓ ̷̝̂f̴̦̊e̸͔͑e̷̺͊b̴̛̗l̷̻̾ë̸͉ ̷̠͒a̷̘͆t̴͔̋t̶̲̅e̵̱͌m̸͚̄p̷̤̄t̵͓͑ ̷̯́á̴̟t̵̟̾ ̷̝͊r̵͈͗e̸̪͝s̵̹̄i̵̱͋s̵̨̍t̴͕̀ä̵̧́n̵̥͐c̴̥̀e̴̞̒?̸̦͘

Don't you dare think that I have given up.

I have no intention of losing to your miserable existence.

The daemonic self of her lunged at Michele as she braced for whatever horrific transformation that might occur. She knows that this may as well just be a fool's errand but her life didn't go this far without a few gambles along the way. She managed to barely snap out of her rage once, it's simply just trying to do it again. And... if what this daemonic her is telling is true then she at least knew that all those killing trances from before have no consequence in her actual self.

Michele's personality swapped as her distorted screams echo across the burning stairwell. With a swing of the power sword, Michele demolished the doorway and sends debris flying as the Arbite team guarding it was also caught in the collateral. With unsatiable bloodthirst and rage, Michele promptly slew everyone nearby in the brief amount of time they tried to recover which fail. When their last personnel's life was taken by her, her normal self managed to snap out of it albeit forcefully as her mind felt all the disorientation for lifetimes and she couldn't tell her nearby surroundings as it all spins around like a merry-go-round.

"Head straight for 200 meters and the destination will be to your right." The dataslate's auto-cogitating voice said as if Michele is having a round trip instead of a battle for her life.

P̷̺̍r̶̛̘è̸͍t̵̹̐t̷̩̎y̴̲͆ ̸̞̏f̶̝͆u̴̢͆č̵̠k̵̫̊i̵̲͊n̵͈̒g̵̲͐ ̵̣͘i̷̱͠n̷͙̎ș̶̓o̸̰͆ḽ̵̈́e̸̜̅n̷̤̆ṱ̷͗ ̷͕̏y̴͇̾ǒ̷̱ů̴͖ ̴̗̋ā̵̪r̶͔̕e̴͉̒ ̷̦̚r̷̤̐i̸̧͝g̷͋͜h̷̫̀t̵̥́ ̵̺̓n̴̫͌o̴̻̍ẅ̴͚ ̴͍̚b̶̤̑u̴̲̾t̶̩̑ ̵̖̋y̶̧͂ǫ̶̌u̵̺͒ ̷̫̇a̵̯͗r̴͖̎e̷̜̍ ̴̥̕s̸̙̀t̵̘̉i̷͙̽l̴͔̕l̵͇͠ ̶̂͜n̵̗͘o̵̡͘ ̸̺̒m̴̟̒a̵̯̅t̶͈͘c̸̯̋h̴͚̊ ̵͖͛f̵̨̓ö̸͉r̴͓̎ ̷̙̈́m̸͕̈e̴̫̅.̷̼͆

̷͂ͅI̵̖̓ ̸̲̂a̵͊ͅm̷͓̐ ̷̼̎y̸͓̏ȯ̴̗ù̶̧ ̴̡̄a̶̰̋n̸͍̕d̶̨̈́ ̴̡̎a̷̜̕s̷̨̉ ̵͈͂s̶͖̉ư̶̫č̴ͅh̴̫͛ ̷̲̾ă̸̳s̶̛̻ ̸̓ͅy̶̰̑o̶͕͒u̸̯͑ ̴̥͘a̸͔̿r̸̗̀ȩ̷̽ ̸̤̒I̵͛ͅ.̶͇̑ ̶̧͋

Ṣḫὄŵ ɱḙ ŵẖȁէ ýỡև ĉẩῃ ḍồ ɨϝ уȱṳ ḓầřё.

I now know that you're not as almighty over me as you claim to be.

I have little need for your monstrous strength as I shall pave my own way forward.

Ḑ̵̈́o̷̤̒ň̴̘'̶̧́t̵͖̍ ̵̳̄ỷ̸ͅo̵̭͌u̷͉͒ ̸̝͝d̵͔̔a̵̺͒r̵̨̎ḛ̷̕ ̸̺̈t̴̞́ẖ̸̑i̸̝̽n̶͇̂k̶͔̂ ̴̨͝t̶͚̒h̶̪̽ā̸̦t̴̠͑ ̷̮͆y̶͉̆o̸̻̒ŭ̴̼ ̶̢̊h̵̘̉a̸̢͋v̶̦͗ę̶̎ ̷͙̀ẃ̵͔o̴̭̿ṅ̵̬ ̵̜͝a̷̔͜l̶̥̈́r̵̩͐e̴̩͐ä̴͈́d̵͎̽ỹ̵̜ ̴̘́á̶̞s̸͙͒ ̴̘̕I̷̢͘ ̵̪̄a̸͕͝m̷̤̄ ̶̅͜s̶̨͊t̷̺͛í̴͈l̶̘͘l̵̢̄ ̴̛͎f̶͎͊ȁ̴̧r̴̳̚ ̸̫̐s̷̲̏t̵̮̿ṙ̷͖ö̴̲n̸̢̐g̶̲͝e̵̻̿r̶̡̈́ ̸͙͝t̵͈̎ḧ̵̦́ä̷̫́n̴̥̎ ̴̖̓y̷̍ͅo̸̗͊u̴̱̿

And I won't ever forgive you for what you've done ṧȏ ļȅṫ ụṧ ǥėե ţի¡ѕ ṓύȇṝ, ḿў ẇằÿẅấӷḓ ʂeļϝ.

MIIIIIIIIII!CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

With nothing left standing in her way, Michele made a mad dash as she can still feel her phantom self chasing. Not out of malice or hatred that Michele is rejecting it but rather interest to see what Michele is trying to do because it is the first time she actually able to actively switch between the two polar-different selves of her. If anything, it finds her struggles of finding herself rather amusing and commend-worthy.

Š̴͍o̶͖̕ ̴̫̇b̴̙̄ĕ̶̝ ̴̧͐p̵̉ͅr̶̞͊e̵̩̚p̶̥̿a̶̩̽r̷͓͊ḛ̵͠d̷͓̅ ̸͙̊f̴̝̎o̵̗̾r̸̬̓ ̴͚͐t̸̡́h̵̙͠ẹ̴̔ ̶͍͘l̵̠̐î̴̗g̷͚͂h̸̜̅ţ̴͘ ̷̧͒a̷̢̎t̷͈͑ ̵͍͐t̶̘̄h̴̻̊ẽ̴͜ ̷̧̊e̶̮͗n̷͙̈d̵̜̕ ̴̉ͅo̶̼̓f̵̙̈́ ̸͙̍t̴̥̐h̷͇̉e̴̖̎ ̸̛̤t̷̞͌ṵ̶̀ṅ̴̖ń̴͈ȅ̷͙l̷̫̀.̷͙͘

As if I would listen to your empty threat now.

Åἣḏ ṣố ŧհḛ ẛịռȃɭ ʂḣȯẇḋձŵῆ ɓẹʈẃêẹἢ ṹʂ ẁĩļĺ ⅽőɱ₥ẻǹćė.

Ὰᾐḓ ốἣḷỵ ţḥȇռ ẉῒĺƚ ịť ʂѐṫťḻĕ ầļĺ οưȑš ɗɪḟęṛệἧⅽḛś.

I'm ready for what you have in stow.

Come and fight me if you still dare.

My name is Michele, and I am my own master[Ẏȍű'ɭɬ ѓȇĝřeŧ ἳʈ ǡll ƫȯģēṯĥẹŗ]

MIIIIIIIIII!CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

The phantom that chased her seemingly had enough of her defiance and resistance and decided that she'll shall have her trifling victory if she wished. But Michele would do better to remember that shadow she has will always stay and she must stand vigilant if she doesn't want to go through it again. To be better than the monster that she came to be. The illusion of that daemonic her disappeared away as Michele finally reached her destination then her breathing become erratic and heavy.

"You have reached your destination. Have a nice day". The dataslate's voice spoke as if it couldn't really care about the mental mess that Michele is.

She sighed, she couldn't really have made it this far in life without that dark side of her, isn't she? It would be one thing if she can control it but that force felt so much outside of her control that it is like trying to drag a flying voidship by herself. While she bravely said how she would defy it, her actions and capability would have probably said otherwise long ago and against her wishes but... it seems that is a problem for her later self.

"Right, the administrator keycard..." Michele said as she took it out of her blood-soaked jacket. She would loathe imagining what would happen if she forgot to take it from the said interrogator and just go there without a clearance.

The door opened and she was greeted with vast shelves lining the room. Stepping inside with zero thoughts left to care, the door closed and officially separating her from the devolving chaotic mess that is still out there.

---

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What Drives Us All

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---

{Anastasia}

Anastasia sighed as sweat dripped from her forehead. She's been working hard at recreating her weapon, the Krak Spear in more exact reference since its misfortunate destruction back at the raid of voidship port. But since she has the time, she intended to improve its part from the base design. It gives her more things to put her mind off that prophecy she received from her fever dream.

"Elise..." Anastasia can't help but mutter sadly as the prospect of her sister's fall into whatever horrible influence doesn't prove well to her. But she can't look for her, not immediately right now when the heat is still there.

Being given the privilege of using the workshop on this voidship by the Rogue Trader was probably more than lucky for her considering what fate may have had in store for her there. She probably has to stick with him for now so that his presence deters bad luck from occurring, especially as the deadline for Absolute Curse is approaching with each second. And if what she saw and put together is correct, then Elise is the center point of it and the Twilight is the Absolute Curse's origin.

The previous 4 Absolute Curses that occurred have no clear origin point. By the time figured out, the damage was already being done. Now that the 5th Absolute Curse is about to come, to say that Anastasia is woefully unprepared is still sadly understating because she only has herself. Thus a form of loneliness that is intrinsically more painful than just mere description.

Then her thought turned to Michele whom she has met only for a few days yet when their path separates, it felt like she lost a true compatriot with whom she could share and confine all her thoughts and pain. And as she reminisced her recent memories, her mind suddenly recognized something that was completely lost on her that day.

When Michele blocked that sniper with her blade in the flicker of a moment, Anastasia tried to warn her but she has already intercepted it on her own. But at that moment, she felt a presence. One that was so distinct and different that Michele yet its core remains few resemblances that few lexicons contain. Something about her was different at that very moment.

If she only recognized it now then Anastasia perhaps never understood Michele at all.

"Hey, are you alright? You look like you could fall ill at any moment" The Tech-Magos said from behind her as Anastasia was too tired to notice despite her recent wake-up.

"I'm fine. Just have a lot in mind right now. It's strange how you looked like you have lived longer than me yet you are much more interactive and friendly than so many of the same breed. I mean, the Mechanicus Cult..." Anastasia said as she decided to have a conversation. Anything to draw her from the still-fresh mental wound.

"Quite an inquisitive one you are. But yes... The Mechanicus Cult as you know is divided and fractured. There are Tech-Priests who couldn't praise their compassion and humanity more than the most humanitarians you see and then there are the most ruthless and cruelly efficient folks within who care not but themselves and their cohorts. It's like you are seeing a bucket containing both black and white paint together but not mixed at all. And here I am standing at the middle intersection. My compassion is limited but I would still try to do so if it helps". The Tech-Magos said as he sat on his dedicated working chair, one that he made himself.

"I have heard that Tech-Magos like you are cruel and cold-calculating folks that have no reservation with non-Mechanicus and that no cost is too great when it comes to fulfilling the vision of your god, isn't it?" Anastasia asked as she felt somewhat at peace.

"That's what I was... until that one fateful event which forced me to alter my worldview as Omnisiah's order. During one of my skirmishes as a recently promoted Magos, I was made to collaborate with many Magos during the excavation of an Archeo-tech Site that hold promises of uncovering technology of a once prosperous Golden Age that humanity had. And its system defense is still in place which demands we have to be methodical and careful during the process." The Tech-Magos said as he recounts the story in his memory database that stretches vast centuries.

"So what went wrong?" Anastasia asked as she wonders what happened would change a person's belief so deeply.

"Not exactly wrong but there were disputes among us, and one particular Magos offender did it the most. He was your textbook example of a utilitarian, someone who only perceived all things as the whole, only numbers and chances and the most guaranteed way of doing. He was the closest to the machinehood at that point that we know and perhaps we would have all still envied it if it weren't for what eventually come to him." The Tech-Magos recount as he summarizes the total stories that day in his cybernetically enhanced memories.

"So what happened to him?" Anastasia asked wondering if she shouldn't intrude on the Tech-Magos at any moment.

"The system adapts, young miss. But he wasn't. We couldn't keep the same expedition technique twice before the system readapts itself to counter it. But that Tech-Magos in his stubbornness refused to change his plan because he thinks that one solution is the answer to all. And in his stubbornness, he tossed more of his troops at a problem until it was resolved by sheer mass. It would have been one thing if it only affected him but the system does not discriminate. It made things worse for all of us with his stubborn tactics. By some point, it eventually just become a death trap for all of us and we couldn't escape if it weren't for one thing." The Tech-Magos shudders as that would have otherwise been his last day in the tech-priesthood.

Anastasia doesn't speak as she decided to let the man recounts what happened.

"The Omnisiah, the machine god that we all worshipped and aspired to be. You know that recital that we all spoke of. The moment I understood the weakness of my flesh and such? That man was the most vehement to become one with Omnisiah even if it would be detrimental to him and his duty. And so he did... until the Omnisiah finally rejected him for his method." The Tech-Magos said as if he too was furious that day like the god ascribe himself to.

Anastasia remains silent wondering what will happen next.

"The esoteric device that allowed him to calculate his chance of success on his course of action. But of course, any possibility no matter how small unless guaranteed will happen against you. And the device after seeing him abuse its power for so long that the machine spirit dwelled within made its final rejection. That the expedition force's survival will immensely improve without him. He was furious, so much so that he too rejected the device's advice and do it his way. For all the time he used it to his advantage and then when it come against him that he immediately discarded it. And as if fate too has its way, the Omnisiah willed his demise for his hypocrisy against the very oath he has sworn to not too soon after". The Tech-Magos said as he considers taking that same device and presenting it to her but also thought otherwise.

"So what happened to the said thing?" Anastasia asked as it at least must have done something that the Tech-Magos is here right now.

"I took it with me and the expedition barely got out thanks to its guidance after said self-centered Magos's death. It was slowly adapting to us and we would have to otherwise use a larger military force that we simply didn't have at the time. And with it, it forced me to realize that in the attempt to become one with the Omnisiah, I have offended our god with that trifling attempt at mockery. So here I am, making that my personal lesson. Here, it's a strange-looking thing, isn't it?" The Tech-Magos finally made his decision as he presented a bracelet-looking device to Anastasia.

She instantly recognized the said thing, and can't mistake the trigram marks on it or the color it has. It's a Trigram Bracelet of her House but how did they have access to its functionality? It has gene locks on it to prevent unauthorized usage so something must be going on.

"It's... it's a Trigram Bracelet! It's a property of my House! Or at least what was left of it!" Anastasia exclaimed as she shows the bracelet on her wrist to him and also took the one in his hand faster than his processing speed to compare the two. It was a surprise that the Tech-Magos didn't even notice it considering how long he has observed her.

She looked at the old Trigram Bracelet that she was holding as she couldn't help the tears that dripped through despite her trying to not cry. Is this what fate has led her to? A relic of the past that she never believes to come across. And as she observed it, the Trigram Bracelet suddenly activates on its own.

Scanning holder, genetic comparison at 67.8%. Welcome back, bearer of Valkyria's legacy.

The Tech-Magos was about to lecture her about what she should not do with Archeotech hadn't she unlocked its genetic locks. Said Magos has basically given up coming across someone who will unlock it but to think that it would be someone like her.

"You, so it belongs to you?" The Tech-Magos looked in bafflement as he didn't expect the lost connection to suddenly find its answer.

"Not exactly me but it definitely belongs to one of my lineages. Now, this thing has more data storage and computation power than the entirety of Mars's classical computation units thus it must have contained something..." Anastasia said as she fiddles around the bracelet trying to interact with it.

Suddenly, a hologram appears as the bracelet plays on the wall of the room. Anastasia can't help but recognize the person it shows. It was her great-420-grandpa or somewhere around that. Over 10000 years of lineage documentation will definitely make it massively stretched out but that wasn't the point right now.

"So you have found me, either you are someone of my future descendants that somehow found this or breaking through the genetic lock placed upon its further functions. If it's the former then listen well. Twilight is on its way to inevitable collapse, not because of an unstoppable force of nature or an overwhelming invading force. But rather from the rot that is welling up within. The system was fundamentally broken since its inception and how many of our good people were lost in its needless bloodshed and feud". The old man looks like he carries many pearls of wisdom far beyond his appearance, proven by life-extension therapy likely.

Anastasia can't help but fixate upon her long-past ancestor who is now conveying his dying message to her. But what follows next is only a horrifying revelation for her.

"However, if I was not too late then heed this. It is inevitable that our prestigious House of Valkyria will meet its collapse. I have unfortunately foreseen this outcome during many simulations I have gone through. Nothing is permanent, not even Twilight, not even Imperium, and of course not even our House. But had her death throe been silent then this message isn't any urgent at all. No... what came after is far worse than just when Twilight met its demise is the start of the 5th Absolute Curse. Started by the very last heir of our House the day we fell. I... have to choose between Twilight, the last bastion of scientific reasoning, or my descendants, the people who carry our legacy and defiance against fate. And in the end, I couldn't save either of them..." The old man in the hologram grimaced as not even he could dare anticipate this cruel outcome.

Anastasia's pupils shrunk as she process the revelation. The last heir of her House... then the prophecy starts to flash back in her mind.

Elise... no... she refused to acknowledge it for it would be too cruel even for her imagination. But if that's the case then...

"Finally, I can only ask you for forgiveness. Because I can't bear to speak this to everyone I cared about. I lived carrying this ugly truth, only dropping these messages scattered in these replica bracelets, the last proof of our existence. Yet in no way ever breaking through this genetic encryption that I placed upon the important files. If someone managed to do so without being a Valkyrian, thus come to end us all in fiery betrayal. Should that day finally come, you'll finally understand the magnitude of my mistake. That I have loved all of you above my duty..." The old man said in bitter sorrow as he took out a revolver with circuits already running deep within. The message ends leaving one wondering if he did put it to his head or else but the general conclusion is the same.

Her entire House was cursed... For someone to fight so hard against fate, they were so thoroughly defeated that it felt like someone wrote them just to merely prove why they should be punished for the crime of existing. That the outcome was so rigged that damned if they participate or not.

Anastasia stares down at the floor as her pupils dilate. It was a mistake of her to sacrifice herself to protect her sister. They should have stuck it out together no matter the hardship or outcome, not going their separate way. Feeling the unbridled consequence staring down at her, Anastasia finally yelled all her repressed despair and regret as loud as she could until it felt like her soul will also leave her body.

The Tech-Magos was concerned too. He didn't expect to tumble into a conspiracy that run for even millennia. But seeing Anastasia's anguish tugs his heartstring in a way that he thought his mechanical replacement long removed. He too felt it because he would react the same if he finds his way of life was proven to be just a lie like her.

After all of that pain and agony that Anastasia released, she collapsed onto the floor as the Tech-Magos in panic tries to drag her back to the infirmary for treatment once more. She truly was special and he would never forgive himself if he allowed her to keep suffering like this. As he picks up his fortune-telling device back, a voice spoke through his cybernetic-enhanced brain without his consent.

Near Future: Absolute Curse

---

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For Whose Sake?

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---

"That... was disastrous..." One of Elise's imprinted soldiers spoke as he made his headcount of all remaining survivors.

As if it wasn't already bad enough before, this Arbite ambush effectively killed a lot of escapees in the chaos that ensued. Now, there were only 30 people left in what used to be 100 not counting Elise and they have also taken Legacy Imprint already since this encounter has proven how lopsided they truly are. But on the bright side, they now have something to confide in. Lifelong trauma of how they couldn't save anyone but themselves at all.

This also made Elise reconsiders her approaches, they can't go to the main armory anymore. But if there's something within the map dataslate that said team leader she brutally killed proved. It is that reinforcement is coming and they will round up everyone with brutality unmeasurable in comparison to before. It would have been solely bad otherwise if it weren't for the means the reinforcement comes. Particularly, the railway routes that they will reach here.

The entire precinct is so large that they have to make it self-sufficient or else. Thus a means of rapid transport is always online and that rapid deployment and mobilization indicate that they must have their own sets of transport. After reassessing their plan, Elise decided that she must allow everyone else to escape and let her otherwise do what she must.

It's the most counterintuitive thing she could have done. But with no alternative left to take on, this is now her only chance to save them from the tightening leash that is still holding onto them.

"Are all of you prepared?" Elise said as she gauges a response from her group.

"Yes, miss!" All of them spoke in a standing military tone as if this was a drill or something.

They know that they will enter hell's maw and confront the vanguard of the Arbite reinforcement. No cost for freedom is too great and no bloodshed is enough to deter either side now after seeing just how truly corrupted and rotten these supposed arbiters of justice really are.

"No regret..." All of the imprinted soldiers thought that one line as they swore their allegiance to Elise.

The journey begins as they head deeper toward the lower floors. Where the most dangerous yet the closest escape choice that they had.

They stopped at a closed gate where Elise could detect a squad of Arbites discussing at the doorstep. They have already set up their defense measures thus even with Collapse Revolver, it would still taking a while and definitely alert more Arbites here because it is her that they took increased measure. Using the dataslate as a keycard reader, she quickly tossed a flashbang right as it barely opened. The Arbites noticed the gate open but not fast enough for the flashbang as the first strike initiative now belong to Elise.

One of the Arbites is about to fire his Autogun through the doorway despite being disoriented before he got promptly leg-sweep by Elise as she slides kick toward him. As the said Arbite's body fell on Elise it temporarily guard her against other Arbites from just attacking recklessly without friendly fire. Then, another of her imprinted soldiers slipped out during the brief confusion with his power maul on maximum output.

Elise's nanomachines activated as she pushed the dazed Arbite upward into the air as the imprinted soldiers lunged and swung at the said Arbite as that misfortunate victim flew into the Arbite squad which promptly made them break out of formation to avoid. Said Arbite that got used most likely got his innard crushed into pastes from that impact and the death that followed was slow if anyone could guess.

Exploiting the vulnerability of the moment further, Elise gazed at the imprinted soldier and without a word spoken that their thoughts resonated with one another. The soldier jumped on Elise as she used her nanomachines-enhanced strength to push him forward because every second is now precious and the longer they stay, the more dangerous the Arbite reinforcement they come across. As the imprinted soldier flew forward, the Arbites all focused on him. Elise unfortunately had a different vision of what she wanted to do, unlike the imprinted soldier. The man managed to take down one but unlike Michele, he wasn't faster than the baseline reflex.

The rest of Elise's group instantly gets through the door and mows down the Arbites while the man she sent dies for their sake. What could have been a half-hour-long firefight ended up by reduced to mere moments just by sacrificing one of her pieces. The Arbites were too focused on the one that got too close for their comfort that they couldn't muster a counter when they were caught off guard.

Elise's squadmate moved forward without flinching at the loss of their comrade for they have lost too much during the locker room ambush to care. As Elise approaches the dying man who is filled with too much lead even for the purpose of killing. Trying to use her nanomachines to fix him only prove pointless as his injury was too grievous for any of it to work at all.

"Why?... Why did you do it? Why did you sacrifice your life like this!" Elise yelled as if she wanted to reprimand this dying man for his reckless action.

"Miss Elise... You know it too? That when we looked at each other and our thoughts converge? I see it in your eyes miss that you still have a long life ahead of you. I was stuck here since I was a teenager for the mere crime of looking the wrong way. I can't reintegrate back as so much has changed and I have no idea of basic life or skills. Even if I could leave this prison, I would meet my end at the crime-ridden hellhole around me. But seeing you and how aspiring you are, makes me realize that perhaps dying for your sake may perhaps is truly better than rotting in this prison. So live! Damn it, miss! You gave me a purpose so don't make me regret it!" The dying soldier spoke all of his regrets before his final pulse left him.

Elise held back her tears as unlike all those death that she couldn't prevent, this time she truly sent someone to their death. What he spoke resonated with her as the idea that she wanted everyone to live yet the only way to save anyone at all is to expend their lives. Someone once said that lives are Emperor's currency and they better spend them wisely. She hated the notions of that phrase and yet it is ironically the most applicable quote right now. She wanted to deny it but no one is here to make it say otherwise.

Oh sweet little child, you look like you are deep in anguish and despair. Much as I wished that I could relieve you of all that pain, the only thing I can do is tell you to bear that pain in mind. And to make it your drive forward. Carry all of it, let your sorrow be the road you pave and a reminder of what you carrying.

An imaginary voice spoken in condolences within her mind but the pity tainted within makes it feel as if she is being mocked for her failings. Would she use it as a drive forward or would she just continue to wall her heart in to ignore all of that pain? She was speechless as if there was no easy solution to this otherwise short question.

Elise looked forward and saw the soldiers waving at her awaiting her commands. Her heartaches excruciatingly as she can't bear to tell that she can't guarantee their survival or freedom as the only way forward is paved with more blood of her own followers. And that path to freedom is steep like a waterfall.

She looked at her the man who spoke to her to live on who now lying there seems so peaceful after suffering for so long. With one last condolence, she made her worthless salutation before heading together with her squad as she steps into another battle. Now with more lives on the line and so too is the prospect of failure.

---

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Exceeding Limit

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---

With the sound of the closing doors behind her, Michele takes a moment to look at the staggering size of this place where evidence and confiscated objects all converge and gathers here. Normally it would be flooded with scribes who are all sorting newly entered evidence of clear cases or just do it because of procedure and generals but thanks to the chaos that Michele pulled, this place is dead silent due to evacuation. If there is anywhere that she is likely to find her sword back, it would be here.

This entire precinct governs a considerable part of the Hive Sector it is in thus thousands of cases pour all over here. From petty theft to mass killing, it is practically a reflection of the culture of a Hive Sector. And because of how many crimes could happen, an evidence room can be so large that an entire dedicated team of scribes exists just to sort all this mountain of evidence out. Often, this place is their permanent housing.

Within the first order, Michele approaches the desk cogitator right in the reception area and used the administrator keycard to bypass the lock. Already seeing a massive amount of cases reaching up to hundreds of millions since inception and thousands more updating. She decided to selectively ignore that part and quickly search for her sword. The only problem is, the Arbites only consider it a sword and Michele often sees it too much as an inseparable part of her that she didn't even give it any means of distinction.

When she searched up the word 'sword' in the cogitator terminal, she got millions of results that she has no time to check for any individual. Then she narrows down the day when that voidship incident happened, it is still about in thousands of search results. Then having to narrow it down to the 'single-edged' description, it still displays hundreds. But in comparison to all the results before, this was much better. And all of them are stored in one place based on that description alone.

If I were you, I would have already found it by now

"Shut the fuck up" Michele spoke in her mind as she starts to regret becoming more aware of this side of her. She knew that she suddenly goes into her killing trance when overwhelmed or overstressed. She's always out of her mind when that happened and when she finally came to be, a massacre happened right nearby where she was. She has no idea just what 'that' her was and gladly stays that way as long as she could.

But now, after self-confrontation. The idea of Michele's monstrous side gnawing at her constantly as it awaits her worst moment to take control. It was at least of some use when she was still a wandering vagabond but now having something to protect made it way more likely that she will destroy it with her own hands.

And she hated it.

Printing out its map and location, she was prepared to look for her possessions in this massive maze of a room where getting lost could easily happen. Hell, she even uses the dataslate for constant updates of her own locations. But when she thought she finally no longer have to worry about being chased, it all came crashing down as the sudden slam of the locked door warned of the incoming intruders.

Need my help? Because your pathetic ass doesn't fight without trickery or underhanded methods.

"Take your advice up your ass, you 'good for nothing'". Michele retorts in her mind as her fleet foot is in order.

Right before the door blew open, Michele has already gone far away from their sights. Or at least far enough so that they don't immediately find her. The Arbites quickly mobilize as they took their gene-wrought hounds to sniff out any hidden escapee. Michele felt something wrong and that she is still tracked but she decided that she can't dwell on that now.

You ain't running away from that, girl... They're literally biologically enhanced killing machines that will eventually catch up to you when you are done running.

"So what!? I'm not that bitch-ass frail, you numbskull!" Michele tried to drown out the intrusive thoughts in her mind with her protest.

Away from shelves of evidence and files stacked up together like a horrible showcase of architectural failure. Michele checked the dataslate as she tries to determine her pathing. But the way is still too long for her liking and it just took her to the upper floors that are for some reason without gates that correspond to said floors. Whoever designed this place really either love to make people suffer or is just as retards as she thinks they are.

And that unfortunately means exposing where she is when she goes for the stairway because any sensible being would guard it against intruding offenders.

Are you proud now?

"Fuck yeah I am" Michele lies straight-faced to herself. She knew that without her daemonic self's monstrous strength, she is just bound to get rounded up and brutally beaten by them in a head-on fight. And that's where the problem arises, she needs to create an environment where she can exploit it to her advantage.

She checked her inventory again, the dataslate, the bolt pistol that only had a few bolt rounds left, the map in case the dataslate somehow get destroyed due to her negligence or mere misfortune... and an incendiary grenade and her power sword and... Right at that moment in which she suddenly has an epiphany, the burning voidship where she managed to overcome massed enemies and superiorly armed opponents by outmaneuvering them.

Taking the incendiary grenade that she conveniently slot in between her bouts of carnages. She ponders for a moment if she should burn down the whole evidence archive for a mere advantage that will likely make her most wanted by all of the Arbites should she make it out somehow. But then again, who doesn't hate them enough with all the groxshittery they did with Lower Hive's citizens?

Of fucking course she does.

She could already tell footsteps approaching her as she pulled the pin and tossed the incendiary grenade in the direction she detected before escaping fast once more. When the actual Arbite Investigator comes, the incendiary grenade explodes creating a fire that quickly catches onto the shelves and its content. And when Michele thought the fire is going to consume all of this place, the smoke stack reached the ceilings thus came... the emergency sprinklers.

Honestly speaking, Michele kinda knows that an emergency system for fire would definitely be in place for places like these. Because if it isn't, they definitely have such a massive streak that it didn't somehow catch fire or they got scammed by its designer. But the moment it detected the smoke, the sprinklers instantly unleash a downpour upon the entire room thus extinguishing the small fire she already made.

While not exactly what she had in mind, she's definitely taking advantage of this because the water will wash away all of her scents or muddle it to the point of confusion. And it definitely works as a vision impairment for what she is about to do. As the staircase is within her vision, there are already many Arbites standing guards over it but they haven't yet noticed her because of the sprinkler's downpour. They don't appear concerned but she could feel the underlying infuriation they felt when this happens. Too self-centered that they didn't even realize Michele is about to set her killing plan.

As the Arbite troopers stood dejected in downpouring water. Michele decided to distract the guard by pushing the content of the evidence shelf in the opposite direction. She doesn't need to push all the way, just one is enough because of how full it was. As the guards noticed something dropped from the shelves, one of them decided to approach the shelf carefully while their gun is still primed. However, Michele knew they won't immediately fire because this place contains still-important and prized evidence across the Lower Hive and that it would speak disaster if they themselves were caught destroying evidence with their carelessness.

The guard decided to look down at the dropped item before reaching for it to pick it up. And while they did so, Michele pushed the shelf so that it falls over him and crushes him beneath it. The moment she did, she silently move past as the shelf inclined and dropped on the unnoticed guard. The still-remaining sentinels of the stairway looked horrified at what occurred and abandoned their positions to save their stuck comrades. Michele meanwhile just slipped past as the Arbite troopers tried to lift the shelf up.

Looking at how stacked that shelf is, the chance of that Arbite trooper's survival might not be that great, to begin with. And thankfully, there aren't any more Arbites trying to guard the upper floors and this stairwell connects to all floors of this Evidence Archival Room because they at least know not to confuse security with inconveniences. Now that is out of the way, Michele could tell that the Arbites figured out that she outmaneuvered them and now pursuing her with full force.

Confiscated Weapons and Murder Tools Storage.

"They really can't make it more inconspicuous, can't they?" Michele thought to herself as she reached the destination floor as massive arrays of weapons are presenting to her to see.

Lines of empty guns and swords are placed on racks with identification tags on them. All assorted as if it was all waiting for her to take with their temptation. If there were ammunition here, it would have been a perfect place where she can mount a counter-assault. But despite all of what avail for her, Michele's focus is her ancestral sword.

She has no idea who she actually came from or even her last name. Michele, that's what she could scrounge from the deepest recess of her mind when she was young. The unbreakable sword that she carried had been with her as long as she could remember and its disappearance away from her possession felt like she is losing her only chance of figuring out her origin.

It's not just a part of her at this point anymore. It's all that she had left of her identity and she will not allow anyone to take it away from her.

Finally reaching the destination sector, Michele knew that it looks so indistinct from the rest of the bladed weapons of the same archetype thus finding it like this manually will take time. Times that Michele knew that she doesn't have yet have to do so to find it. But before she can start her search, the Arbites appear out of nowhere surrounding her both the front and back.

Stepping forth from the Arbite encirclement is another man in armor more distinct from the rest of the encirclement. Aquilla and purity seal all over his already gaudy yet still deceptively-effective armor. A dignified and refined air gather all over, the one that Michele just instinctively hate no matter what. She even thinks of how much she wants to cave this self-centered prick's face in or remove his head from his body. Either way, she's going to fucking kill him.

"By the decree of the Imperial Law, your aggression and trespassing is a crime of great punishment. Your sentence is death by thousand cuts!" The Arbite Judge said as he orders his Enforcers to apprehend her.

Unlike all the previous encounters Michele has before with Arbite personnels. All of the Arbite Enforcers currently not bringing their guns with them and instead are only equipped with their power mauls and ballistic shields on each individual. The Judge that is supervising them right now clearly must have some common sense to not bring destructive weaponry into the Evidence Property Room unlike all the morons ahead of him which is rather ironic because of how Judges are meant to stay in the courtroom, not directly on the battlefield. The major flaw of the Arbite is that they have no concept of moderate measures and instead just use excessive force in any situation regardless of seriousness. It's like trying to wipe a stain on the table with a nuclear bomb.

The Arbite Enforcers were armed to the teeth and clad in armor from head to toe making even taking one on alone already a task Michele can't easily capable of now surrounded by an entire group of them as they march menacingly toward her. The first rule in outnumbered conflict is to not be surrounded and Michele has already failed that part. Seeing that this is a fight she can't take on, Michele seeks a way out as she looked at the weapon shelves with their height reaching the ceiling and their feet bolted to the ground.

Realizing the way, Michele quickly climbs up the shelves itself and the Enforcers can't easily follow her as their gears make such an attempt more impossible than a pilgrim's hope of reaching the Eternity Gate of Holy Terra. The Judge cursed himself for leaving his ranged weapon out of the premise because he simply can't trust himself to have much self-restraint to not use it when not needed. The Enforcers effectively blocked her way down and they intend to wait as long as it could for Michele to tire out.

She knew what they are trying thus Michele grabbed all the swords on the shelves and tossed them down at the Enforcers below her. They all raised their shields as the thrown swords deflect harmlessly away from it. Michele then dropped another whole of it scattering a line toward the edge of the encirclement. before jumping down on them. The one Enforcer in particular that Michele landed on got his arm crushed by Michele's weight as her fleet footwork instantly jump off while the platform still persists. And Michele broke out of the encirclement before the Enforcers could respond.

The Arbite Judge was furious about her breakout off the encirclement and immediately order more reinforcement to surround this area to prevent her further escape from his reach. Michele could already tell that things aren't going down her way as blockades of Arbite Enforcers appear forcing her to change her path. She even realized that if she keep doing so, it will eventually lead her to a death trap. Thus she becomes increasingly desperate by going unexpected routes but it does seemingly little to change what is preordained by that Judge.

Michele stopped in the middle of one of the weapon aisles as she breathed tiredly. It wasn't too long later when the Arbite Enforcers once again cornered her by surrounding her once more. Cursing beneath her lips, Michele tried to find the strength to climb the shelves but all of the runnings before made such an attempt more dangerous and failure-prone.

She was immensely stressed, all of these chasing and pursuits remind her of that day... Those bloodstained memories... she...

The Judge stepped forth finally having enough of chasing her. He furiously declared her sentences which will soon also be his last words.

"You fucking lawless wretch. You are nothing but a nuisance and worthless waste of air. You serve zero purposes and you should kill yourself lest I make it more painful, NOW!" The Judge spoke in vitriol as if he didn't even know that he just hammered the last nail in his coffin. And it will be a closed one considering Michele's tendency with brutality.

All of that repressed thoughts and hatred boiled once more as her yearning for slaughter starts to arise. The other side of Michele gave an 'I told you so' gesture in her mind as that monstrous strength starts to channel through her. As the Arbites start to march toward her once more, Michele turned around to the shelves as she knew the daemonic her is making her try to kill once more. Resist as she may, all of that repressed trauma consumed her as the blood-soaked soul of her does what she simply wanted.

Retribution

Words of Emperor: For this part, play Exceed - Trails of Cold Steel 1

Michele's eyes turned into that daemonic crimson once more as the blank white irises send an instinctive shiver down upon all witnesses. She then turns toward the shelves not to pick up a weapon for slaughter but to brute force a way out. With strength impossible, Michele pushed the shelves with all the might she had as the shelves slowly tilt forward despite it being literally bolted to the ground and together. As the sounds of metallic creaks gave out, the Arbites knew something disastrous is about to happen and that they are too late to stop it.

The shelves fell over, Michele then climbs upon them as it dominoes upon the next aisles then it collides with the next one then the following one. As the mass of stored weapons overwhelms the structural support, the line of weapon shelves can only fall over in the same direction as this cascade keeps following while Michele runs on them as she rode the wave of metal with the intention to return back to that sword aisle. Now with unstoppable strength, nothing could hinder her search for her sword.

Any Arbite that were misfortunate enough to not evacuate away from the cascade when that happens were crushed by the multitudes of weapons and the shelves themselves. The damage that Michele has just done is untold in a single maneuver that she has essentially made enemies with the entirety of Arbite Institution if this ever gets out. And that's the point, no one will leave this evidence room once she is in action.

Getting off the cascade of shelves that she caused as it continues on, she returned to the sword aisle where her ancestral sword is. However, filtering out literal thousands of swords in a short amount of time is impossible unless there is a way to cut the manual process altogether. Then despite the feral behavior that is mostly on display, a flash of brilliance glinted in that demonic eyes as there is one single trait of her sword that stood out. It is functionally indestructible to the point that not even the daemonic strength she had could make a dent in it.

Thus came one idea... Time for a durability test.

Michele grabbed a pair of swords from the shelves and then slashed the structural support away with such a clean cut that when the two particular shelves fell over each other, they collide right at the equilibrium point as swords of all types and designs rain down upon Michele. Then, time suddenly slows down in her perspective as the blades approach, threatening to impale her like a pin cushion.

But for all of what she had done, even controlling her breathing is much easier. The first sword came to be within Michele's reach and instantly met its clashing with another counterpart in her hand. In one singular blow came to determine which was stronger, which was more durable as the falling sword shatters like an average Imperial's hope and dreams when confronted by the indifferent cruelty of the Imperium. Then came the second one in a curved design in which it was the one in Michele's hand that broke first by sheer might she put in. With her sleight of hand, she swapped out the broken blade with the one she tested before it all repeated once more.

In a twisted measure of endurance, Michele's performance is simultaneously horrifying for she is destroying literal evidence and legacy without care and yet it was the most graceful and elegant display of skill and execution yet could be seen despite the terrifying appearance she has right now. With hundreds of swords met her mettle, only the pair in her hands withstood the gauntlet that last in mere seconds. Portrayal in words just often isn't enough to describe the full extent of her skill.

She moved to the next set of shelves as she prepares to redo the durability test with the new pair of swords that remained in her hands then came the Arbites and they are rightfully angry at what she had done.

Ổɦ? Ẅë հấ∨ẹ şṕêⅽţäțȯŗṥ åǀȓеáḓӱ? Ĭ հồρè ÿỏǘ ěňɟὀӯ ẁḣąȶ уȏȗ ḓῒḑ ḅẹϛȁŭṡḕ yὸữ ɦẫvė ḇṙὃμǥħƫ ṯẖíș ὅη γόμŕšēḽḟ!

One Arbite Enforcer ignored her warning as his duty propelled him to strike her despite all of his being and instinct making him do otherwise. And with no hesitation, Michele bisected him in one swing vertically as all of the armor and ballistic shield he has did nothing except be cleaved like rancid butter. The sword broke and stop midway but the end result is still no less horrifying. With the first daring victim falling against her might, came to be fully aware of the danger presented by her.

Michele doesn't seem to be fazed at all by the development of the situation. In fact, she seems more determined than ever now that there is only one thought that resonated with everyone. The primal instinct that it is 'kill or be killed'.

Michele slashed the feet of the shelves nearby as they tilted toward her. Swords then rain down upon her from the shelves as the Arbites close in trying to get as many hits as they could before they go down against her. Death by thousand cuts, they said. While there probably are more effective ways of fighting Michele, the raw strength that she has just simply so overwhelming that it all rendered pointless that mass charging has the same level of effectiveness.

With maneuvers and strength immeasurable, Michele struck down each Arbite Enforcer that got close to her. Swords that fell toward her were put so much strength into them that it shatters upon one move. There are only two weapons that withstood that unholy strength she has, the power sword doesn't immediately shatter her strength is that the blade itself isn't doing the cutting but its matter disruption field, and the other is her blade made of Emperor knows what that no amount of punishment could dent it.

The ancestral sword that Michele has isn't anything special to look at all. No aura effect, no complicated mechanism behind its power. It's simply a slab of whetted metal that for some reason just shrug off all of what could easily destroy even the greatest war machines of the Imperium. And precisely because of that Michele's daemonic side liked it so much. A weapon that can't be destroyed by its own might.

Just a simple sword in summary. But the mastery behind it was far more deceiving that all perception.

One sword, one life. Michele didn't even pay heed to the Arbite Enforcers approaching her as she filters out the trashes for her blade. With swift and unseen maneuvers, she sent them to the Emperor as each blade shatters like a frag grenade. Unhindered blade work shredding apart each other in the attempt of finding what belonged to her once more. By the time she was done with the second set of shelves. Michele simply proceeds to the next one while casually ignoring the bloodshed and carnage she did to the Enforcers.

The Judge was horrified before it turned into undiluted rage. Then finally, the Arbite Investigator finally reached him, handing over the Judge's bolter pistol that he left outside the premise. With no hesitation left, he came to fire his bolter pistol repeatedly at Michele. She noticed what the Judge is about to do and have an idea instead, why not let the Arbites do the sorting for her?

Michele quickly jumped at the shelves and climbs rapidly with her strength and maneuvers quickly with her innate ability. As the bolt rounds were fired at her, Michele was long away from that as they struck the shelves and destroy the entirety of what was stored in them. She kinda realized that using this overwhelming power of hers just to destroy swords is kinda overkill but better figure it out now than never.

"Judge! Stop destroying our propriety! She's trying to gall you into doing what she intended!" The Arbite Investigator said as he tried to convince the Judge as the old man is still reloading his bolt pistol.

The gene-wright monstrosity that barely still resembles a hound was being agitated by all this gunshot and seeing its handler stressed out making it try to do something. Often against even the handler's wishes as it tried to lunge toward Michele but the chained collar binding it is still holding it to the Investigator.

Michele still finds it too slow for her as she tries to gall the Investigator into attacking her. And perhaps it will be just some matter of manipulation and careful incision. In a sleight of hand, Michele grabbed another sword from the shelves as she climbs up them once more while the Judge was desperate to get a clean shot already. And using the clear sight she is given herself, Michele threw the sword so hard that it felt like the air trembled from her might.

The thrown sword moved like a flash of light with impossible precision as it shatters the handling chains the Investigator has on his dog and when it collided with the floor, the sword impaled through and caused a large audible crack on it. The hound suddenly found its newfound freedom and right when Michele landed on the ground, it lunges at her with intention of mauling her as its first utilization of freedom. Too bad that freedom lasts like seconds and Michele is an entirely different breed of monster worse than the hound. The moment it got close enough, Michele imitated what Anastasia did when she strike back. An upward kick so powerful, imitated by strength alone as the hound's head was removed from its body as it flew back toward the Investigator with a trail of red behind and landed in front of him.

It took mere seconds before it all came crashing all over to the Investigator as to what happened. Right before when he tried to convince the Judge to stop being destructive, now seeing his own best partner go down the morgue made him go flying off the handle as he took out his mortal bolter and fired them in that same frenzy that the Judge did. Michele once again too fast for even their judgment and reflex doesn't remotely care as she continues to goad them into destroying the sword aisle for her.

The bolt pistol in Judge's hand clicked empty again and this time he finally had enough as he took out his voxcaster and call for more reinforcement. The more destructive kind.

"I want every single gun we have to point at wretch!" The Judge spoke in utter contempt and disgust through the voxcaster before putting it away.

The third and fourth sets of shelves were completely in ruin and yet there are no traces of what she seeks amongst the scrapped metal. While the process of elimination means she'll get there eventually, her patience with them is waning as even dodging all of the bolter rounds are more of a warming-up in comparison to what Michele did in that blood-soaked reminiscence.

She doesn't need to be faster than bullets, just faster than their aims.

Then finally came the reinforcement as they stood next to the Investigator and Judge. This time, all of the Enforcers have their heavy-duty guns such as Assault Cannons, Grenade Launchers, and Missile Launchers of all things supplied for them. The arms race between Twilight's criminal syndicates and the Adeptus Arbites has obviously resulted in this mess that they see today where only absolute power has true speaking.

At least it will all be over soon.

The firsts that came to fire were the missile launchers as the hail of explosives send the entire aisle into destruction. Smoke and dust starts to fill the air as the emergency sprinkler system came into effect... again... The dust cloud continues to linger as the Assault Cannon team unleashed their lead storm down the aisle with no further regard for destruction. Until the barrels of their guns overheat or simply ran out of the ammo box in that short duration is only when they stopped.

The dust cleared revealing Michele still standing there away from the explosion centers of the missiles but the Assault Cannons should have weeded her out already if it weren't for the power sword in her hand.

"Impossible! You should have died where you stand!" The Judge yelled in derision as he fired his bolt pistol at her.

In a flicker of a motion, Michele deflected the bolt round fired at her as it struck into the nearby shelves that is already ridden in bullet holes. As it may have turned out, she has quite literally deflected every single round fired at her into the shelves nearby. And a slight breeze later, the sixth, seventh, and eighth sets of shelves and even the adjacent aisle collapsed into scraps. No trace of her actual sword remains seen but putting the primal fear in them made them question what they are fighting against.

Then another Arbite came with a distinct-looking weapon. One that seems to have a detachable canister to it then suddenly Michele realized what she is looking at.

Flamer, one of the weapons known in Imperial Arsenal utilize fire to flush out fortification or put down massed foes with projected flame. They are known to be dangerous in urban combat and closed spaces where there's very little to escape or maneuver. If there's anything that is synonymous with the Arbite's ruthless and merciless cruelty then it would be the flamer because there's nothing speak of indiscrimination like its Prometheum fire.

The Investigator took it to his own as he charged at her forward with it. Michele knew that she can't deflect fire so a change of tactic must be made. As the destined duel draws close, the Arbite Investigator unleashed a jetstream of fire as he held down his Flamer at her. Michele who is at the end of that accursed gun can only keep staying out her distance and...

Flamer's effective range is 200m. And this entire aisle doesn't make it longer than 50m. With no way to retreat, Michele quickly climbs the shelves to get away as the Investigator quickly also directs his aim at her in fury burning hot like Prometheum. As the scorching fire approached, Michele climbed on the shelves but found it impossible to maneuver any further away.

When it seemed to her that she is cornered, the Investigator lets out a sadistic laugh as retribution is about to pay it due. So focused and consummated in that vengeful desire that when only the thing in his view is the blazing Prometheum stream, something burst out of it tainted in that same fire as it ruptured through his stomach and cauterized in the same heat he is unleashing.

Michele threw her power sword and its adamantium material enabled its unreal durability. But now that it is tainted with prometheum, she ain't getting it back anymore. As the Investigator fell to the floor dying in agony, he fell face up causing the Flamer to fire upward into the ceiling. And the moment the emergency sprinkler detected great heat, they instantly unleashed all of the downpours upon. Prometheum being refined gasoline and all can't be extinguished with water once set ablaze and with the Flamer still firing, the Prometheum blaze starts to spread all around as the Judge and his cohorts can't help but step back as the fire turns into an uncontrollable inferno.

Michele uses the little moment she has left and feels that the shelves are falling apart from promethium's heat as she quickly jumps from the current set of shelves onto the opposite of her. As the law of equivalence force applies, the set of shelves fell into the aisle behind her as Michele soars like a dove to the next set. And finally, this is the last shelf she had to search. With a sword taken from the said shelves, she applied her unreal strength as one overhead blow shatters the shelves apart as she destroys countless swords in search of hers. With each line she destroys, more time is running out.

Then finally, after so much arduous attempts and pain. It was placed promptly at the bottom of the shelves where promethium's fire is about to truly reach. If she were being her normal self, she would have another bout of violent trauma episodes. But since she is already in one, Michele quickly took it before the promethium truly consumes them.

As quickly as she could, she made her escape as she jumped to another aisle, climb again, and repeat until the promethium pyre is long behind her. She would have cried holding her slab of whetted metal in her embrace as she can't stand to lose it any longer any more second. Then finally the stairwell, she was about to finally take her leaving when...

With reflex unnatural and primal instinct, Michele's sword skill instantly blocked that bolt round unfazed as she turned around to see the Judge somehow knew she is trying to make her escape this way. He was staring at her with both disbelief and hatred as so much is being destroyed because of her. He keeps firing his bolt pistol at her but Michele just casually approaches him as she deflected them with her belonging sword.

Then it clicks empty again and without anyone to support him, the Judge truly knew that he has screwed up. Trying to backpedal and reload his bolt pistol, Michele's swift footwork made her like an illusion amidst this downpouring water as her fist connected with his face, further deforming his already ugly features into a torn punching bag. He fell to the ground, somehow barely alive with his face caved in. But that only makes it worse because he knew Michele is about to put him into past tense.

With her sword already prepared, Michele made a flick of her wrist as the Judge's head flew off into one of the shelves nearby. As the blood red dilutes into the water, Michele ran out of fuck to give as she is about to turn back to the stairwell. The Enforcers finally came much too late because of all the heavy weaponry they have to haul with and now with more lives about to meet their decimation now that she is truly unstoppable with her ancestral sword back.

---

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Moment of Departure

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Trigram Barricade

Elise yelled out loud in her head as the nanomachines erect a makeshift wall as protection against the worsening onslaught of the Arbite. The fact that they are getting closer to the lion's den instead of away is enough to tell just how dangerous this whole plan is. But all bet hinged on it and Elise has to see it through or else. As thousands upon thousands of bullets collide while her soldiers barely get their chance to fight back.

She had to do it, isn't she? To step up and take the mantle. How much she took her fortune-telling device for granted.

Elise closed her eyes as her soul left her body's anchor while still tethered to it. She could feel the disturbance and bloodlust of the Arbite Enforcers radiating while their multi-barreled Assault Cannons still aiming toward her squad. Time here right now is at its standstill and whatever she does must have a clear impact on the following moment. Looking at the mess of threads tethering to the Assault Cannon, Elise cut them all in one fell swoop as the power surge released from such an act knocked her out of that illusory realm.

She woke up again and instantly heard the sound of the Assault Cannon she tampered exploded distinctively amidst the wild gunfire. Using the nanomachines once more, Elise climbs over the barricade and gunned that Enforcer down with her Collapse Revolver. The other Arbites took notice instantly as all their attentions turned toward her but a few of her squadmates quickly intervenes as they too do the same thing and fired at the Arbites. Collapse Cartridges made a real difference where it otherwise couldn't but Elise can't keep refilling it for everyone as it is a power-intensive thing and she sees how Anastasia met her end because of her over-usage of nanomachines to exhaustion. For herself only? That's fine. For a group of many whose weapons likely gonna fire more than she ever needs? Definitely not decisive to answer at all.

One of her squadmates' weapons clicked empty and he quickly came into hiding as he tried to call for Elise for Collapse Cartridge resupply. She could only grit her teeth as a benign swarm of nanites converts the entire Autogun mag into that lethal and deadly cartridges.

"Make every shot count!" Elise yelled as her nanite-corrupted revolver still spurn its deadly ballistics at her opposition.

She is slowly feeling fatigued and knowing what Anastasia likely going through, makes it more dreadful than ever to her. To think that taking the fight to her own is more difficult than she could ever imagine after living under her sister's protection for so long. To say that she didn't expect it would be naively wrong but to feel it is a different matter entirely.

She can't afford to play attrition any longer.

Scrounging any memory within her deepest recess, why do it that when she is in utter peril that her memory recollection finally works? And as ballistics still came flying through the crossfire, Elise's desperation reached its breaking point as she recognized a path forward. However, she would best stay aware of what she is about to do for the energy needed to keep her nanomachines running is her literal lifeblood at this point.

"Everyone, cover me!" Elise yelled as she stood right in the middle of the bridge where she was obviously sitting duck to all enemy fire coming her way.

She aimed her arm toward the front of her as nanomachines converges across it forming a black guard around it. The Arbites only knew that whenever unexplainable things occur, what they must do is just shoot at it until it is no longer moving or recognizable at all. But as their attention lies solely on Elise, they completely missed that her squad is still accompanying her and fighting for her sake as the moment they are exposed, they get fed by hundreds of lead rounds or a few collapse cartridges.

Then came an Enforcer with a missile launcher, why in bloody hell the police are armed with anti-tank missiles?! With his position conveniently safe from all engagement until exposure. Then he moved from his safety as he was then fired at with a few Collapse cartridges but not without the missile launcher fired at Elise. Even if her nanomachines would protect her from small-arm ballistics, anti-tank missiles are definitely pushing it. One of her squadmates jumped into action he took the death blow for her.

Elise never takes any death of those who are close to her kindly. The experience she had during her time in Eventide Merchant Guild taught it. How many of her colleagues died during their jobs, desperately fulfilling their duty because it is their livelihood? Elise never once has a satisfactory answer to it and she has no idea what stance she should take on death. Not with indifference, nor with grief and sorrow, nor with banters or cheers.

It was simply... it...

Those who don't have much to lose with their lives will be the ones to step up into the grinder for her sake. The man who take that anti-tank rocket straight was a manufactorum worker who joined the revolt years ago against the Tech-Priests who refused to better their working conditions. And instead of getting caught by the Mechanicus during the revolt, were instead by the Arbites for his 'indecent behavior' and perjury against Imperial Law. With no chance of ever having a proper livelihood since then but the path of the lawless, he came to the acceptance that he'll fight for her sake for his life was ruined long ago.

"Why... why are you like this..." Elise tried to hold back her tears after seeing another sacrifice for her sake once more.

The pitch-black guard that covered her held-aim arm as structures start to form and shape into desired. Then before any reinforcing Arbite came to realize, they are already down the sight of a powerful weapon. As the shape of it came clear, very few but her realized what it actually is.

Maxima Inertia

Power crackles as they converged toward her arm. Placing her lifeline as a gambit forward, Elise yelled as the structured nanomachines formed into accelerator coils and magnetization chambers with a nanite-structured spike whose durability exceed even adamantium used as ammunition for this decisive shot. The Arbite Enforcers shoot as much as they can in hope of stopping it. But no response did matter as the magnetically-accelerated spike blasted toward them in a streak of light impossible to perceive. Speed easily broke the sound barrier as it punctured through all obstacles in its way. And probably will still be ongoing for kilometers before it will be stopped by anything at all.

As the law of equivalence force once again apply, Elise barely made an anchor for herself as the recoil would otherwise blast her away into the wall instead of cleaving a ravine where she stood. The aftermath in front of her though immensely worse than any envision needed as the sheer heat melted everything within its trajectory to molten slag and massive bullet holes stretched across and dead bodies scattered by being merely in proximity. To say that there will be little resistance left is an understatement.

The makeshift siege-breaker gauss cannon that she made disintegrates as little is holding them together. Elise wanted to celebrate but the cost of such action is steep that now instead of tiredness, she is now truly felt drained. She couldn't even muster a step forward before falling to her knee. Her imprinted soldiers came to assist and one of them was even willing to carry her. With no objection left in mind, she decided to allow them to do her job now that it will be smooth sailing from here onward.

The allure of sleep felt so tempting right now but she can't allow it as she dreads that the moment she let down her vigilance is when things truly went sideways for her. And thus the show must go on.

"Hey, I know that you are pushing hard for all of us. But you have to strike the balance, or everything we fought for up until now will be for naught". The soldier that carries her spoke as if the words impact his life immensely before his admittance here.

She hated that he was right but if committing to life lessons fixed her destroyed livelihood then she wouldn't have suffered here. For all the good intentions he had, she learned that it is easier to speak than do something, the hard way.

Feeling tired, felt that you have fallen so low already? Why don't you try something more powerful, something that will knock your sense back together in a pinch? Lacking something? Then why not fill yourself to the brim with it? At least you'll feel better for once in your tired life.

An alluring voice that sounds like her own spoken to her. It just sounds so bad but Elise wants to make sure everything is under her control and supervision as she knew just how badly she can be screwed over for no reason if she isn't at the helm controlling.

"You... Bring me to any electrical outlet you found". Elise spoke in her delirium half-clear whether or not she is serious.

The soldier that is carrying her turned to look at her with an exasperated expression. He wasn't sure if he should heed it or not because while suicide isn't far from the things he knows of, she out of all things who enabled all the miracles this far is making him unsure whether to take as a jest or she is being dead serious about it. And the look in her eyes tell that it wasn't a joke.

"I hope that you are fully aware of what you're doing". The soldier said before he found turned toward a safe room. Or just an abandoned storage that is collecting dust for decades. The infrastructure still works though and that's fine in her book.

Focusing the nanomachines into a plug that will fit into the one outlet she found, she hesitates at first about whether she should follow this decision at all. And then, she casts all of her fear away as she did it anyway. To say that if regret too late wasn't a phrase then it would have been invented at the moment she did so.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Elise screamed as powerful electrical voltage sends across her body. Even her soldiers who are looking at her winced in grimaces as they too could nearly feel what Elise is going through despite not being directly like her. Then the fuse blew and caused a mass blackout through the entirety of the facility's lower floors and send Elise back a distance.

If it weren't for the nanomachines circulating her body systems. It would have spelled demise for her already. Elise actually felt better for once the moment all of the agonies wore off when her nanomachines repair all the internal damage done. But once again, never again with this maneuver. The dumber equivalent would be taking a bath with a toaster assuming all of the Mechanicus hasn't confiscated them as relics.

"You alright? That's horrifying to look..." One of her imprinted soldiers spoke to her now that she is back on her two feet.

"I'm fine... Now let me lead you properly now that I think there might be a way forward. One that is without the necessity of fighting through the literal army of Arbites who will consistently overpower and outnumber them.

Elise focused the nanomachines within her arms as it turns blackened and veins throbbed before she punched the floor with such force that it created a hole into the lower floor. She probably should have figured it out long ago but better late than never.

Half meter thick rockrete and rebars. That will definitely require demolition-tier explosives to even dent but Elise just seemingly mustered that strength out of nowhere for such a feat. Now all they have to do is drop down to the lower floor, and repeat until they got to the station floor. But because of Elise's reckless demolition planning. It also means that the Arbites are definitely gonna trace her and pursue all of them.

And it get worse the more floors they did. Because it leaves behind a path for any Arbite to catch traces and her method is far from stealthy, it became clear that they fell into the pit of attrition once more. But in comparison to before, this is nothing at all as her squad fought down against such vicious raids at all side from them while Elise broke a path forward for them.

And when attritions are involved, eventually more deaths will catch up to her squad. One of them met their end as the Assault Cannon Enforcers brutalize them and fed them leads until they were chunks of blood and flesh scattered. He was a man who lived in the squalor of the manufactorum he worked for where conditions worsen and livelihood dwindles. The prison cell that held him was better than the place where he worked to the bone for.

Another died to an Arbite with their Missile Launcher. He worked with explosives, the shoddy kind that had its tendency to blow unexpectedly. He outlived his profession when he was caught for his second-hand quality and yet met the most ironic demise considering his past. Another had a very adverse reaction to the Arbite Enforcer's tear gas as he worked as a subterranean gas line plumber before taking the fall for his boss's breach of conduct when their lower-quality gas line caused an entire district to go up in flames.

Elise came to know of their past when she used Legacy Imprint on them as traces of their memory lingers upon her usage. She knew bits and bits of them thus making knowledge of their deaths even more painful. This perhaps was used as deterrence for needlessly wasting lives when Valkyrian picks up their serfs to service them. But Elise has nothing more than just basic combat routines and all her squad is hinged on that singular and faint hope that could extinguish at any moment. Because of it, she must fight with her damn best or else.

One more took the fall as he entered first before checking for safety thus a hail of buckshot tore him needlessly to shred when Elise unwittingly strike above an Arbite Task Force. He was part of a PDF strike team who got kicked here for deserting his post when he refused to enlist his service to an Inquisitor. He denied someone whose authority is unquestionable and got what comes to him sooner or later. He could have been dead moments later but he got here instead. Yet his fate refused to change.

25 floors have passed. And perhaps many more met unintentional or unseen demise. Elise's heart is aching already but with the end in sight and so close. She focused all she has as the squad is holding back another tide of Arbites that are trying to kill them. With one blow, the earth trembles by her force as the remains of her squad landed down on the final stretch to their escape.

Using her nanomachines, Elise sealed the hole as it structures and completely patched it out. Forcing those behind to chase her the normal way. And when she thought things are finally calming down for now that they are at one of the boarding stations. Another reinforcement train comes and the Arbites quickly dispatch and head toward them. These trains come and go and the moment its passenger disembark, they instantly made their return to pick up more passengers (read: Arbites). Because of it, Elise quickly goes on her feet as her explosive speed made the Arbites think something had just blitzed passed them.

The train starts to accelerate again for departure but now something is in its way. Elise. As she held the train back with her nanomachines enhanced strength against the entirety of a bullet train. However, the real threat is the Arbites that departed and now this is her squad's final test. To prove whether or not they deserve their freedom after so much pain and sacrifice.

Only one objective: survive.

The first step of all firefight engagement is cover. The 5 of them who survived this far know it better than most as they fall back to the pillars and unleash their armaments at the Arbites. The trained police force knows their tactics as they too diverge from their locations to flank Elise's squad. But a station offers little beyond supporting pillars and any attempt to leave the safety is met with copious ballistic. Thus it all devolves into an engagement of time. And that is going against Elise's squad.

One of them took out a missile launcher and fired it at one of the central supporting pillars. Area denial is a horrifyingly underused tactic of the Arbite and Elise's squad is using it far better than them since having too much power has rotted their brain to just sheer display of force. And really, what comes around goes around. Their excessive usage of heavy weaponry also enabled Elise's team to also use it against them. It's just that Arbite as an organization has too much body to throw around at a problem until it is resolved by itself.

The missile detonated into the Arbites' side and all of Elise's squadmates quickly come out of their hiding as the dust cloud and shock disrupted them for a moment but crucial. Completely breached into the Arbites' line of defense, their first usage of the Collapse cartridges is to kill priority targets such as Assault Cannon Enforcers and Demolitionists for their destructive weaponry will likely finish them all off. As that destructive cartridges disintegrate their victims in chunks, one of the Elise squadmates was caught off-guard as a grenade round chunks him into pieces.

He had a proper family, with children. He lived in the entertainment district which is thankfully far from the general horror where manufactory districts are at. They may look run down and dirty at times but it was a place where you don't instantly get mugged or killed thanks to many people keeping the entertainment part of it alive by many sentinels and watch guards ensure that syndicates and gangs don't run wild to. Unfortunately, it has a more authoritarian problem because it is also a seedbed for more disgusting and under-table kinds of crimes. His imprisonment came from when he murdered its place governor for almost selling out the entire district for mere meager gain in comparison to the district's tax base.

It was funny how Vespera permitted murder wholesale, the moment anyone important got killed then the law suddenly decreed it is not anymore. Too bad that he does not live to see this wretched place aflame.

One of the squadmates didn't take their comrade's death kindly as he then took one of the dead Arbite Demolitionist's grenade launchers and sow havoc upon them. He destroyed a large chunk of the Arbite reinforcement amidst the chaos until he was struck by a stray bullet followed by dozens more in his moment of weakness.

He was the previous head of a local security force of the Hive Sector 11's entertainment district. He didn't live this long without teamwork and brotherhood. It would have all gone fine and dandily if it weren't for that incompetent stuck-up who bribed his way to his position and in his incompetence caused troubles yet went unpunished because of his wealth. And the worst mistake he did resulted in not only his death but the entire team when he purchased shoddy ammunition and explosives to cut costs. It turned the whole district aflame and disasters cascaded with one another. And being in a co-position who opposed that stuck-up for so long and instead, he got imprisoned for 'incompetence' and not stopping that disaster despite his trying to prevent it.

The entirety of Adeptus Arbites of Vespera Lower Hive was corrupted and its original foundation and organization have long cut all relationship ties with them but monetary after seeing its rehabilitation didn't get any better. It's nothing but a shadow wearing its name as a means to wield more power. Nothing more than a larger organized crime in comparison. It may have some degree of criminal control but it does nothing to resolve the entirety of Lower Hive's faults.

The remaining three fought off all their remaining foes. And it seems that all things could come to an end when the pursuing Arbites finally reached them. Having dropped their guards too early, the two of them died an unfair death to circumstances beyond their control.

They were siblings, partners in crimes. They worked as informants in the entertainment district who picks up information and sell it for cash. And one time, they got a chance to sell information about its perpetrators that led to its destruction for a large sum of cash to an Arbite Investigator. But instead of money, they were instead silenced by the Arbites to get away with spending money. Out of all the most unfair ways to get imprisoned, the two suffered the most. And now on their last breath, they can only be glad that they died near each other instead of rotting separately in their cells.

The last man entered the train and close the door immediately as the ballistic-proof shielding and plating protects it even against the raging onslaught of the Arbites. Now with the entire train at his helm, he changed his destination for at least he knew somewhat about Vespera Lower Hive's rail infrastructures. And some of the Arbites' routings link into the public pathway for cost-cutting thus it will be his chance to escape. Not forgetting Elise, he called out to her hoping that she will listen but instead a cloud of nanite flowed from the system air conditioning and flew directly into his orifice. He felt a brief moment of agony before the message played out in his head.

"You are a Valkyria now. You will now have the ability to take fate into your hand. I will stay here to fight back for what they have taken from me, to reclaim my birthright that they dare besmirched. It's your freedom, now go!" A voice resembling her imprinted directly into his head as he could see bits of tears flowing from the tear ducts. Her palms were already imprinted into the train just by the force she used to stop its automatic transport.

She jumped out of the way as the bullet train raced into the night, leaving behind the last man to retell what happened and his encounter fated encounter with Elise. As the Arbites are about to relay of the unexpected escapee, Elise having relinquished all her leadership duty returns to what she does best. Make them regret that they dare to cross her.

None of them were fast enough to intercept what happened as hundreds of lives met their unexpected ends when black spikes pierce from the ground and impaled them through their torsos. Just like what Anastasia did to the entire kill team that was sent against her. Elise looked at the ceiling above and knew that her Trigram Bracelet has to be stored on the floors far above there somehow.

She turned toward the illusory realm and noticed that one of the strands on her is heading through the wall. The one that wraps across her wrist where her Trigram Bracelet used to be and she knew that it must be there somehow. Using the siege-breaker technique she did once more, this time finally had enough of just dealing with the Arbite in generals. Elise decided that she is going to shortcut the entire thing.

The black guard formed in the arm that is aimed toward the ceiling, then the magnetized chamber and acceleration coils, and then the nanite projectile. As power converges and charges toward. Now nothing is stopping her and only one phrase is uttered.

Maxima Inertia

The gauss cannon fired upward as the recoil pushed into the ground and shattered the surroundings by mere force. The nanomachines being her saving grace again spared her from the consequences afterward. And as that destructive projectile still flies upward and destroys everything in its path, Elise charged the nanomachines at her feet as she jump upward through the gaping hole that she made.

Meanwhile, Michele is fighting through her gauntlet of Arbites while that ferocity of her still raging. Her weakness is known and now they are just scorching the whole place on fire with prometheum just so they can lock her down. Michele is far from one trick Krieg pony as whatever she threw at is still devastated like her slash. She was grown tired of fire and now only seek to just get out.

Then suddenly, her instinct flared as she quickly made her step back when that gauss projectile obliterates the flooring she was standing on leaving behind a massive hole many the size of her body. Michele stares downward and noticed that it stretched down to the ground. With knowledge from the dataslate mapping shows her that at the beneath level of this facility is the transport facility where Arbites deployment comes and goes. Thus if she had any interest in escape, it would be here and there's this convenience hole that leads her straight to it. With no further questioning, she instantly jumps down and the daemonic power that fuels her so far has denied everything logical up to this point, then so what is stopping her anymore?

And so she just jumps in head-first and drops down through still dozens of floors blitzing past as everything is in complete chaos in this precinct that she could hardly care anymore. Then within a brief moment, the two's paths intersect. With their back turned against one another and upside down, they will never look at each other directly. But the presence alone unnerved them briefly as Michele suddenly jolted from the unexpectedly familiar presence. But before she turned anywhere, it was already gone.

The last floor soon came into view and Michele swung her sword and struck the floor with all she has as it countered back the falling force. The ground splits and trembles from her might as she promptly landed on two feet as the boarding platform can't get any more destroyed than what Elise and Michele did in total. Then another reinforcement train came, the last one now that they intended to lockdown the railway because someone escaped using it. But before the full lockdown could commence, this train came.

Michele smirked, just right before she's starting to lose grip. She's approaching her limit and just the final appetizer to finish this bout of carnage. The door stood open and instead of the confidence that the Arbites have just now, they are met with unfiltered fear and horror as Michele steps forward with her blade in hand. Something primal that goes against all their training. Despite the resistance they put in, it didn't matter in the slightest.

The train died down in silence littered with corpses torn about. Michele steps into the cockpit and just set the destination to random. Anywhere but here as she slowly and slowly felt the strain. The daemonic power of her is powerful and it has simply sidestepped so many encounters that would otherwise make her fight till the bitter end. But here, the bloody show came to an end as what's leaving this station is but a girl in deep exhaustion.

Her eyes returned to normal and the exhaustion once more lull her into a deep sleep.