Summary:

In the last chapter, we learn of Thalindra's father's despair alongside her teacher Eldrad, both dealing in their own way with the pain of losing someone so important to them. All the while in the Dark City our protagonists struggle with their differences, Marcus not being comfortable around Thalindra due to her mind-reading abilities and the Farseer with the suspicious behavior towards her even though she made it clear to only want the well-being of the group.

In the shadows a new character comes forth, old and extremely dangerous the Haemonculli Vyle finally reveals himself, as he awaits his next job which is to treat our dear party.


Shadows of the Dark City 9

The winds howled around him, the sound of a distant battle rang through the air, the quick sound of scuffling boots as they ran away from the incoming fire. Heretic bullets flew around him, a loud cacophony of fire and steel throughout the perimeter.

Even amidst the chaos and the literal hell erupting around him, Marcus didn't move, his eyes glued to her empty eyes as the lifeless body was laid on the ground. Those pools of blue staring at him, feeling the weight of judgment behind them, the burden of betrayal...his betrayal.

He should have died there, this was the moment his sins should have caught up to him, but no...He survived to live another day, even stuck in this nightmare for what may have been five thousand times already, the Captain knew that it was all a memory. Nothing from what was going on was actually happening, it was all in his head as Anessa told him once.

"Trauma", the former medic of his unit said, clear in explaining what that day had caused him. It was the last straw the proverbial camel needed for its back to break. Marcus was no Angel of the Emperor, he was normal, and even though he didn't like to admit he had limits, a truth that he had already reached a long time ago.

The Officer knew he was going crazy, it was getting worse even in Arina. Every day he spent on the front was one closer to total collapse, however now that he was stuck in this place it was ten times worse thanks to the complete lack of any entertainment or privacy to soothe his broken mind. They were worse than prisoners; they were slaves, property of the scum of the universe, forced to be mere playthings to the amusement of sick Xenos.

Marcus knew that the words of Thalindra were true, he was very aware of that, but the truth of the matter is that he didn't want to open the "Pandora's Box". One he spent half of his life to properly set up, so the Seer had to understand he would die rather than contain these problems or waste precious time addressing them.

Now awake and alert, he stood in vigil looking at where moments ago an Incubi brought a large bucket of water, this time one that contained what he assumed was pristine due to not being dirty like the last one. His men and Kais were digging in, taking turns drinking enthusiastically from the receptacle. He couldn't help himself and smile at their eagerness, once again distracted enough to not notice Thalindra's gaze upon him.

Her words came to his mind in a gentle tone:

'Marcus, you don't need to carry this burden alone.'

He couldn't lie, although her voice was comforting to him, he was not pleased discussing the matter.

'This is where you are wrong, I had to carry my own shit all my life, and I'll keep doing it until the day I die.'

He answered back within the confines of his own mind, wanting to keep the discussion private from the others.

'Listen, all of us carry burdens, even myself. But having the support and care for those close to us eases the suffering of our responsibilities. Shutting yourself from people will not help with your issue, so believe me when I say that you don't need to keep going like this.'

'Thalindra, you may have learned to deal with these problems by talking to people and bearing your pain to them. But I'm not like that in any capacity, throughout all my life I had to struggle alone to survive, having to run away, lie, steal, and kill to be granted another day upon this accursed existence. So I don't deal with my problems by talking about them, I just go and solve them.'

'Not everything can be solved with guns Marcus. And this right here is one of them, believe me when I say this you need help, not from yourself but from others. At the moment the flames of your soul are burning away each time your past comes to hunt you. I may not know what you were dreaming about yesterday, but I have seen the way your essence reacted before. I know a person who is haunted by the past when I see it.'

He sighed while refusing to look at her during this conversation inside his head.

'Here is the thing, being haunted by the past or not, you don't know me. You may be able to read my mind, soul, or whatever...But you actually don't know me, everything you learned of me did not come from my mouth, but your Xenos witchery.'

She rolled her eyes at the choice of his words and the downplay of her advice.

'Firstly, my attunement is not any "witchery", it's something all of my kin can do as I explained before, and I do know you! Second, not every form of communication is verbal Marcus, some are more profound and refined such as what we are doing now. I see you in your entirety, your essence dances around as fire irradiating many colors revealing what you truly feel, your sorrow, your despair, your fascination...'

This last one made him faintly blush since he knew exactly what the Seer meant by it, but the next one is what caught him by surprise.

'...and your regret.'

His eyes instantly locked with hers, the piercing aquamarine of the Eldar's eyes looking at him with a burning intensity almost making him doubt his next words, but this was a line he avoided crossing, one that led to a very painful road he did not want to take, now more than ever.

'Thalindra, you are treading on very thin ice here...'

'I don't know what causes you so much grief and regret, but I must say that I have enough reasons to feel both of those things. And even then I always...'

This time he got genuinely angry, cutting her short as his eyes returned twice its intensity to her, her own eyes widening in shock.

'I don't care what you do with your pain and baggage, but I know for a fact you don't have any idea of what true regret means. Almost no one does, and I don't blame them, since for all intents and purposes I should have died a long time ago. So forgive me if I don't want to share that with you, and also forgive me if I believe that this burden is mine to carry alone, it always was, is, and will be mine to carry...alone.'

He expected her to react just as him with hostility, or even a frown, but her face contorted to a saddened expression one that pained him, which made him regret the harshness of his words.

'You're wrong...I do know what regret means, more than your mortal mind can possibly understand.'

With that silence came upon them as both turned their gazes away from each other. Choosing deliberately to look anywhere else aside from the one right in front of them.


Arandur had come to his full senses a while ago, wherever he was vastly different from the cell he shared with the Mon-Keigh. He was in a bubble-like structure where he could see the outside in a hazy manner, managing to have an overall idea of the place but not any actual detail.

Based on what he could remember before being put there it was easy to deduce this was the domain of a Haemonculus. He never actually encountered one in his path, but he had heard enough from the Seers and Althorin on how being near such beings was a hazard in itself.

Their craft made them completely alienated from boundaries of any kind, and even in Dark Kin society they were feared as being unscrupulous bastards who had no code or limits to their depravity.

The Dire Avenger moved his shoulder around, the one where his former arm was torn off. It felt weird in a way as the body part did not fully synchronize with his soul, making his mind react as if his new limbs weren't his.

It was temporary, he was certain of that, but the foulness of whatever the Haemonculli had done to him, made him shiver in worry. Arandur could only hope that restoring him was the only thing it had done.

"By the Great Mother..." He uttered as he tried to stretch his left foot, discomfort filling his soul. But what haunted him more was the fact that these new constructs made by the unholy art of the Fleshcrafters were perfect copies of the original, if it were not for his attunement he would never be able to tell the difference between them and the real thing.

After certifying his body was operational he started inspecting his holding "cell", if it could be called that. The surface of the strange jelly wall was rigid when made under pressure, but completely liquid once it was not disturbed. The Dire Avenger made sure to touch every part of it to certify that there were no weak points to the structure, but to no avail.

"Curses." He muttered angrily as he only felt the smooth hardened surface of the bubble. Sitting once again he crossed his legs to meditate upon the fight he had with the Succubus, to better grasp her abilities and what she could do.

Closing his eyes he called forth his memories in detail of all their scuffle, with photographic precision he managed to recall exactly what strategy and approach Elyria chose to deal with him.

His first move was to use his legs to deliver quick and precise kicks towards her legs in an attempt to slow down her advance and to level up the playing even if by a small margin. The first kick was precise and elegant, hitting her right ankle, but it did little to deter her even with a blow of such strength.

His next attempts were met with evasion after evasion, Elyria moving as if dancing at each new kick. She was good, even him being an elite member of Ulthwe made no difference in her approach to that battle. As an exarch she read every movement with deadly precision, the Dire Avenger felt like an open book as every new change of strategy or approach was met with her either evading it or completely turning the tables and using his plans against him.

The scuffle lasted for some minutes before she finally had enough and used her superior strength and cunning to simply give him a sweep kick taking his legs from under him, in a single, elegant, and precise movement she used two daggers to slice his arm mid-air.

After that he just remembers his body falling limply on the grounds of that pit hole, his eyes widened in shock as he stared at her purple eyes gazing at him in a clear attempt to show her dominance. No words were spoken, at least not between them. Her stare still with that ever-present sadistic glee, it sickened him far more than what she had just done with him. For Elyria, all of this was just a game, a silly play as if she were a spoiled Eldar brat playing with its new expensive toy.

Even with his war mask he could not help himself and feel fear, not in a conventional sense, but the realization that a being such as her exists, and that she was one of many. It was a complete and utter shame to share the same species with these scum, and he was beyond appalled at how all of this can remain running without any interference from his people.

'Protect and save Eldar lives' came to his mind almost instantly, but at this moment he could not accept that the Dark Kin were Eldar to begin with. He had skirmishes with them in the past and managed to kill a few, but not once did he truly come to know the depth of their corruption, and for him, such beings are not of his kin in any capacity.

Then it hit him: a memory of the day of their capture, the moment Thalindra made her choice that sealed their fate, one since his capture he refused to dwell on...

Their mission was done and over with, the corrupted relic destroyed by their contraption, and Thalindra's plan worked perfectly as usual. That is, until the shadows of ships appeared in the sky and they knew exactly who had arrived at their planet, teven worse, a raiding party of their dark cousins, which meant that the scale of the plunder would be far more than a single town and village.

However it meant little to them since they had the humans to delay them, the perfect distraction for their retreat back to the Webway portal, none of them would even know that Ulthwe forces were at some point on the planet.

His brothers cheered with glee once they saw the ships descending into one of the big cities, their exit was completely covered, and there were no reasons to worry about humans noticing them since they would be too occupied facing a far bigger threat than them.

Once again his best friend "The Shadow of Ulthwe" managed to accomplish her mission with resounding success, her win streak unbroken, until that is, he noticed that from the group the only one who was not happy or satisfied was the one leading them.

He knew her well enough to know that her entire demeanor was the opposite of happiness or simple contemplation, something bothered her deeply. He approached from her right side as Kaelith came from her left, the Banshee was the first to speak.

"What is it Thally?" She used her nickname, one only Kaelith could use, her tone was worried as her hand rested upon the Seer's shoulders.

"...It feels wrong," Thalindra answered with such uncertainty, that was unfitting to what you would expect of a Farseer of her caliber.

"How come?" Arandur was quick to ask in confusion, not understanding this attitude of his friend.

"They are easy pray to the Dark Kin. I know they are just Mon-Keigh and also know that our priority should always be our people...but by Isha, I can feel their despair, the screams of pain, the children clutching to their mothers in search of some sense of security as the Drukhari go at them as a bloodthirsty predator go at a defenseless cub. It is unbearable."

Kaelith traded looks with the Dire Avenger, both worried for her well-being, but he tried to soothe his friend's suffering for the primitives.

"Thalindra they are just Mon-Keigh, their lives are a fickle second compared to ours, and their souls are mere torches as ours shines bright as the star themselves, also do not forget that they would not have the same worry as you are having just now."

Without looking at him she replied with sobriety, her conclusion appearing to be from a place of deep reflection and understanding.

"Yet they find joy in the rewards of their labor, wonder in a sunset, and grief for loved ones lost to the many horrors of the cosmos. Despite the dangers around them, Mon-Keigh love their families and are as capable of showing affection and fraternity as they are of hate and violence."

"What is the point Thally?" Kaelith asked, confused at the explanation.

Thalindra paused for a moment, her expression distant, as if she were looking beyond the present, beyond the material world.

"The point, Kaelith, is that we are not so different, though we like to believe we are. The Mon-Keigh may live fleeting lives, but in those brief moments, they experience something precious, perhaps even something we have lost."

She finally turned to look at Kaelith, her eyes softened, yet still gleaming with the weight of millenia.

"They struggle, they suffer, and yet they continue. Not out of some grand destiny or divine purpose like us, but because they must. And that… that persistence, their capacity for love and hope in the face of inevitable oblivion, makes them worthy of more than just dismissal."

Kaelith's eyes narrowed slightly, frustration lingering at the edges of her voice. "You speak as if we should pity them. As if their suffering should matter to us."

Thalindra shook her head slowly, her gaze unwavering. "It is not pity. It is understanding. We are the shepherds of fate, Kaelith. To guide the universe, we must first understand all of it. Not just the stars, the grand schemes of the gods, but the small lives too. If we forget that, then we risk becoming blind to the currents that truly shape destiny and once again be consumed by hubris. As I have for so many centuries..."

Kaelith hesitated, her usual confidence faltering for a moment. "And you think that… "new understanding" will change the course of the coming tides that will make a difference?"

Thalindra smiled faintly, a mix of hope and sadness in her eyes.

"Perhaps not. But it might change how we choose to sail them, to have an opportunity to not only destroy but also build. In the grand tapestry, their lives may not mean much, but it means enough to me. A blade that is incapable of delivering mercy and protecting those in need is not a mere weapon, is a curse."

The Farseer said that as she stared at "Sgàil na Strì" in her left hand. A sword that was given to her as a gift by her father, one that was used throughout her path.

"I've come to make my decision, I will not let these people to the ravenous hunger of the Dark Kin, even if it means my death. I'll not stand by letting innocents suffer a terrible fate for our betterment, they are not our kin, and yes they are Mon-Keigh, but I'll not stand idle hearing their screams as I turn my back on them. I took many lives in the name of duty, but this time I'll save them..."

That day sealed all of their fates, all of those who chose to accompany her were captured by the foul Druchii, at that time he did not comprehend why, he felt even a little betrayed just like the others of her actions to save the humans. But now...he understood if they did not put themselves between those people and them, now it could be a human child inside this bubble or somewhere else far worse.

He did not like the humans, and honestly did not value their life at all. But he did not wish this fate for any of them, for the Dark Kin were far worse than anything he ever encountered on his path, no one, not even an Imperial Inquisitor deserved what they were going through, and Thalindra knew that the moment she made that decision, she choose to give them a chance even if it cost her life.

He already respected her but now understanding this gave him a whole new perspective of the kind of Eldar the Seer was.

"You are truly remarkable Thalindra" he muttered as he kept his stare to the roof, the Dire Avenger had many things to ponder about the situation, his musings bringing him closer to the meaning of all this situation. He may not understand everything about the reasoning of his best friend, but now he at least could sympathize with the notion behind her decision.

One thing was certain though:

The Dark Kin are the true enemy, there was nothing worse than them, and even an Ork would be a preferable opponent. And this notion helped him to see reason for once in a while...


All of them were inside a tight windowless container, uncomfortably shoved one against the other as the transport they were in shook at each aerial turn it did.

They had been fetched by Elyria's minion Vespera to be taken somewhere in the Dark City that was not disclosed to them. All of them were nervous due to the unknown nature of this trip, but Thalindra's reaction had been the worst of all, it was very discreet but the moment the Wych had stepped inside their cell it was clear that whatever the Farseer saw on the recesses of the Dark Eldar mind had been disturbing, to say the least.

Her flush skin had become pale, her eyes widened in fear and her entire demeanor shifted to one of a cornered animal. It was very subtle but he was perceptive enough to understand that whatever waited for them at the end of this trip was horrible.

The smell inside this space was a mixture of grime and sweat since due to the closeness of all of them it was impossible to not notice what the lack of any hygiene for what could be days now could do to their bodies, however, another scent caught his attention amidst the tight space as they tumbled around with the fast maneuvers of the vehicle.

The fragrance that was very different from the rest came from the Farseer, reminding him of freshly cut flowers and incense. It was familiar but at the same time completely alien, nonetheless, his senses got overwhelmed with the pleasant feeling it brought him. Even though they were being taken to someplace that spelled doom due to the Eldar's reaction, he could not help himself and get lost in this single simple thing, one that until now went almost completely unnoticed by him, even though they were already days sharing the same cell.

This single factor that overcame his senses gave him a strange and unfamiliar sense of peace, taking the place of the war raging within that consumed his every thought. He felt drawn to it, recognizing it as a fleeting reminder of beauty in their otherwise brutal existence.

It was another thing that made him admire her as if she was some idealized version of the protagonist of his prized book, the daughter of a noble who all men of the city desired. Thalindra was perfect in all the senses of the word as it came to beauty and elegance, being almost too perfect, if he wrote poetry as some of his more "artistic" men did, Marcus was sure that she would be the muse of many of them.

He shakes his head side to side to try and snap out of it, remembering that she could read his mind. And the Imperial would be dead before being caught on such a scandalous train of thought, so at the moment he took notice of her to try and see if the Seer knew of his shameful thoughts, and to his surprise, she did not give any indication of that.

Thalindra was just in front of him, her eyes closed in deep concentration as her lips moved very delicately uttering words in that alien tongue of hers. She was so immersed in this practice that the Eldar probably did not even notice her surroundings, this made him worried, to see someone like her be so out of it.

The Captain hated to disturb her at this moment so he asked her in his thoughts hoping to get her attention amidst her meditation.

'Farseer Thalindra, do you know where they are taking us?'

Silence is what greeted him, her posture remaining the same. He waited for some moments, but seeing as she did not react Marcus asked once again.

'Thalindra, where are they taking us?'

This time she reacted with her eyes opening slowly, her eyelashes fluttering at each blink, breathing deeply. She looked around as if to search for something before finally answering him.

'To the Haemonculli.'

Her tone was haunting as if she spoke of some warp creature, the Captain did not have a single clue of what this being was or why her reaction, her answer leaving far more questions than actual answers.

'What is that?'

Thalindra remained silenced as her eyes remained locked on his, moments passed in silence, her aquamarines locked on his amethysts. This was starting to get overwhelming even for him as her unreadable expression stared at him.

'The Haemonculi...' the Farseer's voice in his mind is somber. 'They can not be easily understood, but I'll try my best to explain to you.'

'They are sculptors of pain, weavers of flesh and torment. Their role in the dark underworld of Commorragh is akin to that of surgeons and artisans, but their work is far from what your crude Imperium would deem healing. No, they do not restore life out of kindness, but twist it to their whims. They shape bodies into grotesque forms, creating new abominations from the raw clay of suffering.'

She pauses, her eyes narrowing as she studies his reaction.

'These beings, once Eldar like me, but corrupted beyond recognition, have transcended death itself. They live for eons, perpetuating their existence by siphoning the agony of others. Every nerve, every bone, every muscle can be altered, enhanced, or tortured in ways you could not comprehend. Those they 'gift' with their dark arts are enslaved to them, eternally suffering, molded into living tools of their sadistic desires.'

Every hair on his body stood up, her words chilling his very core as the Seer continued with her explanation.

'The Haemonculi are immortals, of a sort, preserved not by honor or grace but by their mastery of death. They turn it inside out, laughing in the face of time. Do not think of them as mere butchers, Captain Marcus they are the nightmares that haunt even the darkest corners of my kin's past. To encounter one can not be described as a lack of luck or even a jest of the Cegorach, it can't be anything else aside from damnation .'

The Guardsman, struggling to fully grasp her words, can only shudder at the horrifying reality that it befell them. As for Thalindra, her expression unreadable, turns away, leaving him with a final warning.

'Pray that whatever is in store for us is quick, Marcus. There are fates far worse than death. And in the hands of the Haemonculi, death is only the beginning.'

With this silence settled once again as he kept his stare at the cold metallic wall. All of his will was now dedicated to praying for the Emperor, that whatever they were being brought to would not be as horrible as what they currently faced.

The vehicle they are in stops as two Incubi open the doors to reveal their destination and what all of them see just furthers their dread. In front of them was the opening of a large black Spire that reached high into the nightmarish skies of Commorrogah, in front of it there were two gates one was where a myriad of different Xenos and humans were being pushed by Khabalites as they poked and probed with strange devices, guiding them inside as if they were cattle.

And the other was currently locked with only a strange warden guarding it. The being created by the Haemonculus to guard its gates and serve as its guardian is a grotesque and menacing figure, twisted into a perfect blend of organic horror and mechanical monstrosity. Standing at nearly eight feet tall, its emaciated frame is a labyrinth of exposed muscles, sinew, and stretched skin stitched together with some kind of barbed wire. Its pallid flesh is slick with a sheen of unholy fluids, and its body radiates an aura of dread that chills the air around it.

Its head is elongated, skull-like, with a deathly, mask-like visage fused into its face empty eye sockets glowing faintly. Jagged tubes and metal rods puncture its neck, feeding into its spine and the hunched, disfigured hump on its back. These tubes pulse with some form of dark energy and chemicals that sustain it, giving it unnatural strength and resilience.

The arms are disproportionately long and end in grotesquely modified appendages. Its right arm has been replaced with a massive, mechanical claw that drips with corrosive venom, designed to both crush and tear apart any intruder. The left arm is a multi-jointed abomination of bone and steel, ending in a barbed whip that can extend and retract, lashing out with lethal precision.

The creature's torso is adorned with intricate carvings of prudish runes and cruelly wrought surgical scars, marking the handiwork of its Haemonculus master. Embedded into its chest is a simple mechanical mechanism, the control unit for the gate it protects.

Along its back are hooked chains that jangle eerily with every step, connected to various torture implements and surgical tools used to "tend" to any prisoners or intruders that the Haemonculus may desire alive. Despite its warped appearance, it moved with elegance and precision, denoting that although it was bulky it was capable of very agile movements and incredible speeds.

Its mere presence is enough to unnerve even the most hardened warriors, and the combination of its towering and mangled form is enough to send even more chill down Marcus's spine.

The Incubi start taking them out, rudely grabbing them, and tossing them outside of the container. All of them were nervous as they were put in a line and they were ordered to march towards the gate with the abomination beside it.

The Imperial could not help himself and ask something that was gnawing at him for each step they took towards the creature who awaited them, its empty sockets staring at their very souls with what was certainly malicious intent.

'What is that thing?' His thoughts were fearful but also filled with genuine curiosity, since he wanted to understand what exactly he was seeing, and may face if things went south.

'That is a Wrack. However are you sure you want to know? I warn you, the truth will be... unpleasant.'

'Everything about this place is far worse than unpleasant, plus from all we have seen until now, I got what it takes to handle this.'

Her explanation came quickly as she instantly started matter-of-factly explaining away what this abomination was.

'The Wracks are abominations born of the twisted will of the Haemonculi, the same fleshcrafters I explained earlier. They were once like you living, breathing beings. But through torment and cruel surgery, they have been reshaped into something far worse. Their flesh is molded, broken, and twisted into grotesque forms, their nerves pulled taut so they may endure and inflict endless suffering.'

'They are neither alive nor dead, existing in a state of perpetual agony, their bodies enhanced with the foul tools of their sadistic masters. These creatures serve as foot soldiers and torturers, their every action a testament to the unholy artistry of pain the Drukhari revel in. They are slaves to the will of the Haemonculi, yet eager to inflict the torment they have experienced on others.'

'To face a Wrack is to face a soul lost, twisted beyond recognition. Do not think of them as mindless. They are relentless and precise in their cruelty. And in the darkness of Commorragh, they know only one purpose...to spread the suffering that fuels their vile existence.'

'Any Mon-Keigh would be little more than prey to them, your flesh merely another canvas for their wicked art.'

"Halt!" The voice of the Incubi snapped them out of it as he signaled for them to stop in front of the Wrack as it stared down at them. The Dark Eldar then turned his full attention to the being staring at them with its empty sockets.

"Thug Elyria Vex feòil dhan bhùidsear."

The Warden stood there motionless for some seconds before releasing flute-like sounds, it was distorted and not one bit pleasant to their ears as the impossible sound left the creature. The Incubi did not react at all to the hellish notes, only waiting quietly for the Abomination to finish.

"Feoil ri càradh, craiceann ri fuaigheal, agus gus an neart a thoirt air ais."

The Dark Eldar replied with authority in his voice, the being then started responding on those same distorted notes, before finally turning around towards the gate behind it.

The Wrack slowly shambles to the gate and inserts one of its many bionic fingers into a small slot, twisting and turning with unnatural fluidity to unlock the heavily fortified door. Once the Abomination finished the gates started opening with a loud creaking sound as if its hinges needed oil, although Marcus doubted it was made from a normal metal alloy.

Once it is finally completely opened the Incubi starts guiding them inside but staying still outside the gate. The Captain was confused by this, but before he could ask one of the guards turned towards Thalindra.

"Treòraich iad gu Bana-bhuidseach Haemonculli. Ma theid sibh air seacharan o'n t-slighe a tha sibh an dùil, bithidh fios againn, agus creidibh mi 'n uair a their mi, gu'm bi gach ni a ni iad oirbh a dhà uiread cho dona o'n ni a dh'fhaodas bhur n-inntinn thruaillidh a chreidsinn."

With a single nod, she turned going first towards the opening leading them in. This confused him so he did the only thing he could do and ask her why inside his head since he was not comfortable to voice his questions out loud, especially in a place like this.

'Why are they not escorting us?'

Her answer was quick as they kept going inside the dark and damp corridor.

'The Cult does not have any jurisdiction here, the moment you cross the threshold, we are in the Haemonculli domain, which means that we are his responsibility for the duration of our stay here.'

'Did he tell you that or...'

'Learned that from my teacher when I was at the end of my days as a Warlock.'

Her reply was direct but it gave more questions than Marcus cared to admit, they continued down the path, however at the moment they were in the middle of the strange biomechanic dark corridor all stopped to stare at the back of Thalindra's head.

Ellias was the first to speak.

"Where are we going, Xeno?"

She turned around and her face held that same ethereal calm, her nervous expression completely gone. It was safe to assume that she had hidden her true reservations to not further their insecurities.

"To your human equivalent of a healer, although far from being a good-intentioned physician."

"Why are they sending us here? And what do you mean by far from being a "good intentioned physician"?"

The Farseer turned to the group trying her best to explain what she moments ago explained to him. So he took this opportunity to take a closer look at the environment they were in.

The walls were an unholy mixture of different porous metal alloys and biological matter that resembled living skin and veins that pumped rhythmically. The roof was incredibly tall, easily being over 65 feet, the structure was hypnotizing as this myriad of living tissue moved and strummed rhythmically and mucous liquids seeped through the different holes in the metal. This particular corridor reminded the Imperial of a throat as if they were being swallowed by a gigantic beast.

He tried to focus on the background noises to see if he could capture some out-of-place sound, besides the faraway screams ever present in the Dark City and the chilling winds that howled inside this room, he could feel the very faint sound of drumming. At first, it was very subtle, but once he really focused on it he could hear what appeared to be a beating heart coming from all around them.

This irked him on so many different levels he felt disgusted and horrified, not understanding what he was hearing or seeing. For a moment he truly believed they were consumed by a hungry beast based on the sounds alone that they were hearing. Thalindra's voice this time outside of his mind, as her elegant and calm voice addressed him.

"The Haemonculli are known to play with flesh and life itself. I don't know what this place is either, but dwelling on it will only make this trip worse. Let's keep going since I'm eager to end this just as any of you are."

Her tone was gentle but carried a certain urgency, it was clear by the last that her fear of whoever was waiting for them was real and still present, as she walked big and elegant steps down the corridor.

All of them followed without hesitation including him, not being dumb enough to be left behind or to doubt her words now. Even though the events that occurred in their cell were fresh on his mind, he could not help but shove their little discussion aside to the recesses of his mind in order to continue focusing on surviving whatever was in store for them.

The walk was long or at least seemed so as they navigated the straight passageway, with each step the drumming sound became louder and louder, seeming far more like actual drums than a beating heart, until they finally reached a larger room.

The walls were just the same as the rest, the same structures all around wriggling about, the strange mucous liquid dripping from the ceiling, although there was a huge hole upwards that at first glance did not have any seeable end, and at the middle of it a hole down to the abyss where no light came of it.

Thalindra raised her fist in the air signifying that they should stop. The drumming seemed to stop as they looked around expectantly. Instinctively they got closer, all of them making a circle looking in all directions, Thalindra keeping her eyes trained in the dark hole as the sound of sighs and murmurs caught their ears, another sound assaulted their senses.

It sounded like the shuffling of numerous naked feet on a metal surface, the sound coming from the hole as it reverberated throughout the environment. All of them waited in their posture ready for a possible fight although all of them lacked weapons of any kind, then at once in a very fluid and disturbing movement came the thing that was causing the sounds.

From the dark hole, came a chimera made of poorly strung beings, heads and arms sticking throughout all its form. It moved in weird sync as if this amalgamation of different flesh was a single entity, its arms helping it to settle in the opening of the maw under it.

All of them aside from Marcus gagged at the visage in front of them, the Captain not having the same reaction since his brain was still trying to piece together whatever he was seeing right now.

If the Wrack was a scary sight, this was beyond mere fright, this was utter and absolute horror, but then the thing decided to speak and it was right here that he almost lost his mind.

"Up you go...up you go...up you go..."

It muttered in precise intervals, the tone never changing, the drums could be heard once again as they matched their every chant, the worst part is that some of the faces sewn on it were not even human but for some reason, all of them spoke in perfect Gothic.

Thalindra's eyes were fixated on that abomination, he could notice her inner struggles at the horrible visage just in front of her, her pale skin shifting to what could only be described as greenish, a familiar color of someone feeling nauseated.

But surprisingly it was not the Eldar who vomited or even gagged, it was Ellias who dropped all the contents of his stomach on the ground in a single go heaving with each wave of nausea. All of them turned to him pity in their eyes, Darius the first to move towards the Corporal, but the Farseer was quicker managing to reach him first a single touch of her finger making him calm once again, any semblance of nausea completely gone, making the Corporal turn to her in a confused way.

Thalindra then traded looks with Darius and with a simple nod returned to her previous position.

"Thank you," Darius muttered under his breath as he did a quick check-up on the other Imperial.

Marcus moved slowly beside her both looking at the pitiful chimera just right in front of them, its horrible form wiggling around.

"Thalindra, look I..."

He started only to be cut off from her quickly raising her fingers.

"We talk later okay? Now we have more pressing matters at hand, although I appreciate your and Ellias's gratitude."

"Hey! I'm grateful for nothing weird, Xeno Witch."Ellias screamed from behind them, his tone embarassed but agitated as it usually was.

"Keep lying to yourself Mon-Keigh."

With that she climbed atop the creature going to the middle of it, each of her steps avoiding poking an eye or the faces of the numerous people making this being.

"It is an elevator, although it disturbs me much how even this simple thing the Dark Kin are capable of perverting in some way."

Noticing that no one joined her, she beckons them with her hands.

"The faster we get this done the faster we will get out of this accursed place. If all of you are finding this bad, just imagine being a Seer such as I in this accursed place..."

Still, none of them moved as they kept staring at her as if she had grown a second head.

"For the love of Isha...Could you all please climb atop this pitiful creature before I'm driven mad standing here?"

Her authoritative and serious tone left little to argue as every one of them climbed atop it, the last one being a very unsure Kais who awkwardly tried to evade the faces with his hooves but failed spectacularly.

The Tau spoke something in his language, and although none understood his words they knew what he meant thanks to the powers of the Seer guiding them through this hellish experience. And it was a simple 'When the Ethereals warned about the Dark Ones I've never thought that their exaggerations were this precise', the Captain did not understand who these supposed Ethereals were, but the Dark One's commentary it did not need to be a genius to know that his species knew of the Drukhari and were familiar with their cruel ways similar to his Imperium.

With all of them atop it, the shuffling resumed as the being used fleshy appendages to support itself to the next hole, moving about as tentacles to bring the "elevator" to the upper level of the room. As it adjusted, it stretched its arms and legs to quickly move from crevice to crevice on the wall, escalating it to its destiny.

It was fairly stable although the shape and form of their "elevator" looked otherwise, the ride silent, no one daring to speak as they stared at the light that flooded the top of the spiral that was quickly approaching them.

Marcus for a moment looked at Thalindra, wanting to gather her reaction to all of this, noticing her just as the others stared at their destination with fierce determination but still with that now familiar twinge of dread.

She shifted her eyes for a second to look back at him both trading knowing looks, each in a silent way guaranteeing that they were on this together even though no words were spoken, at the same time they turned their eyes to above now closer than ever to their destiny.

This next space was a single long corridor, an eerie green light present throughout the ambience. Thalindra was the first to advance going for the next passageway, all of the others following her closely behind as the Seer guided them through the narrow corridor, it was suffocating especially with a crescent smell of rotten flesh and death.

They continued down this corridor until the Farseer stopped to read something in one of the columns. Marcus could not discern what it was, but he recognized it as the crude markings in the body of that Wrack, whatever these Xeno symbols meant Thalindra seemed to understand or at least have an interest in them.

She read them out loud in her language, although she appeared to struggle a little with some of the characters of the message.

"FàGaibh a h-uile dòchas, sibhse a thig a-steach."

The Farseer hummed as she pondered on the message of this particular column, although Marcus needed to bring her down to earth once again.

"Thalindra, we need to get going. Remember what you told us moments ago?"

With that the Eldar snapped out of it as she turned to gather their reactions, once she noticed they waited for her, the Seer turned around and with no further words continued guiding the party through the narrow passage.

As they went along, minutes in silence the only thing on their minds was what was at the end of their path. Then they reached their final destination, a single door, marked with runes throughout it.

It did not have any remarkable features aside from the weird writing on it. Thalindra once again was frozen, staring at it as if she spied a demon of the warp.

"Thalindra?"

She shook her head as if snapping out of a trance, her expression a complete enigma to the Captain as she regained her bearings.

"It is here.

The farseer then knocked on the door, and each time her knuckle met the frame of the doorway, the corridor seemed to reverberate as if reacting to her touch. Then silence resumed once again as all of them waited expectantly for someone to appear through the threshold.

A clicking sound could be heard as the door slowly opened, soon they were met with a morbidly fascinating sight. Thalindra was the first to step inside what was some kind of twisted lab Marcus followed shortly after.

The lab was dimly lit with a sickly green glow emanating from luminescent, liquid-filled vats lining the walls. These vats contain half-formed abominations, slaves in various states of mutation, Eldar, and even preserved specimens waiting to be shaped. The air was thick with the stench of decay, the metallic tang of blood, and the acrid fumes of chemical concoctions. A constant low hum of machinery and occasional screams or moans of agony resonated throughout the chamber, blending into a sinister symphony.

The layout of the room was chaotic yet meticulously arranged to suit the Haemonculus's cruel whims. Surgical tables crafted from dark, twisted metal stained with the remnants of previous subjects, each equipped with restraints and intricate mechanisms to keep victims alive despite the torturous modifications. Spikes, hooks, and various instruments dangled from the ceiling, ready to be called upon for the next procedure.

Walls adorned with macabre trophies, skeletal remains, flayed skins, and preserved organs, serving as both decoration and a reminder of the Haemonculus's mastery over life and death. Thin tendrils of organic and mechanical tubes snaked across the floor, pulsating with fluids and connecting different parts of the lab to life-support systems and regeneration tanks.

Everywhere in the lab, remnants of the Haemonculus's "work" were visible. Victims hung suspended in vats or cages, their bodies horrifically reshaped into nightmarish forms spliced with alien DNA, limbs replaced with barbed appendages, or transformed into grotesque mockeries of their former selves. These living sculptures writhe in agony, unable to die due to the regenerative techniques the Haemonculi employ.

On some tables, new creations lie cybernetic limbs grotesquely fused with flesh, slaves grafted together into twisted shapes, or creatures designed to endure eternal torment. All of this for the Haemonculus's amusement which only brought further dread to all as they basked in the horrific scene in front of them.

"Shit..." Was all he could mutter as he looked around the scenery, too lost in the nightmarish creations and the many torture devices around him. This was certainly one of the worst places Marcus had the displeasure of seeing in his entire life.

"Arandur!" Thalindra screamed as she looked at the far side of the laboratory. The Farseer could not contain herself and ran towards her friend.

"Wait!"

Marcus tried to get her attention but it was too late the Seer was already rushing in towards the Dire Avenger. Not having any choice the Captain ran after her, trying to slow her down, but it was futile; the Eldar woman was far too fast and reached Arandur before the Imperial could hold her.

The other Eldar was inside a bubble-like cell, it was greenish and its texture reminded him of petrified tree resin. However, it was still viscous as Thalindra touched and it moved around as some kind of jelly.

"Praised be Isha's name! You're fine... you're fine." Her tone contained immense relief, her forehead touched the wall of the cell as she breathed quickly, it was clear that the Farseer was overjoyed for being reunited with her warrior, but something was off.

Arandur was screaming inside the bubble motioning with his hand desperately. He could not hear a single thing uttered by the Dire Avenger but it was obvious that he was trying to warn them of something.

Thalindra also took notice of this although she looked confused and puzzled at him.

"I don't understand..."

"What you don't understand?" Marcus asked nervously, seeing her reaction as if she was surprised by something.

"I can't read his thoughts nor feel his presence as if he is not even here. Although we can see him perfectly and I believe he can see us also."

Arandur was even more desperate now frantically motioning to something, Thalindra was struggling to understand his hand signaling due to the hazy image created by the viscous wall.

That is until Kais spoke something in his language 'Why is he pointing to the ceiling?'. All of them stopped noting that indeed the Eldar was pointing above frantically, this made all of them slowly look at the ceiling and what they saw was beyond any of their expectations.

Staring right back at them in the ceiling were two glowing eyes, their owner slithering above them. Then in a fluid-like motion pouring itself right in front of Arandur's cell, its shape took the form of a tall imponent figure wearing dark robes.

"Well, well, if it is not the talk of the moment in the Dark City herself."

His voice was soft and calm, the complete opposite of its intimidating figure and the overall debased nature of its owner.

"Haemonculi..."

The Seer whispered with disdain as she retreated from the being.

"Do you know how long I waited to meet someone of your kind? How hard it is to have one of you down here in our little home?"

The silence was all that greeted the green-haired Drukhari, but this did not seem to deter him from talking.

"Far too long dear...far too long. So forgive my eagerness to take a closer look at you."

Then surprising all of them meaty appendages shot out from the ground to hold each of her limbs still. This got her by complete surprise who did not have any time to react, being now held on by the tentacle-like structures.

Marcus thought of intervening but quickly found himself being restrained in a similar fashion as the Eldar. Soon all of them were in the same predicatment being held by the ground of all things.

"You must be wondering why you could not read my thoughts Seer or why you could not read my next moves..."

He walked around her analyzing her, taking in every tiny detail of her clothes, appearance, and equipment.

"However I'm afraid I'll not answer that, every craft has its secrets, doesn't it?"

Once he did a full lap around her the Haemonculus stopped right in front of her before going away once again to some dark recess of his lab.

"My name is Acharon Vyle, and yours from what I could gather is Thalindra Starweaver."

His voice sounded from all around them as if the wall themselves replicated his voice.


Her eyes widened at the mention of her entire name coming from the foul mouth of Vyle. How could this man know about that? What exactly was this man?

"Wondering how I know that Farseer?"

Once again the ethereal voice reverberated this time even the meaty ground shook with his sentence.

She nodded once again, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"You are well known amidst some circles of the Dark City, especially those affiliated with the Obsidian Fang. "The Shadow of Ulthwe" responsible for various successful incursions, known to be a front-line Seer who has no qualms in being the spearhead of your Craftworld operations. One of the more likely candidates for capture was chosen by Kaltharis, a worthy try he says."

Acharon appeared behind her his mouth just near her right ear, as he whispered his next words.

"Also it doesn't help to know that a very influential Ulthwe Exarch has put a prize for any who manages to give him some information about his daughter."

At the mention of her father, her eyes widened in shock, he was searching for her. She did not expect him to just forget her, but if he decided to go to the Dark City himself this could mean his death, or worse, she could not help herself but feel worried for her dear father.

The Drukhari made a full turn around her as he extended his skeletal hands towards her face, which furthered her disgust, she felt inclined to shove a bolt of kinetic energy right on her face but he stopped her right in her tracks as if the Haemonculus could read her thoughts.

"And if you are thinking of doing anything funny, just remember I have total control of you with this."

He showed a small shiny black device, which he proceeded to press which instantly brought a searing pain to her brain making her contort in pain as the feeling overwhelmed her senses, but as it came it was over as Acharon dropped the device back to a pocket on his coat.

"Before you hurl anything at my face I would have exploded your head three times over. So, mighty Farseer of Ulthwe, be… mindful, of your actions while staying in my domain."

She resigned, giving him no answer as he once again resumed his analytical inspection. Using some fingers to put her hair behind her ear, feeling the smoothness of her skin.

Then he proceeded to extend a single finger towards the little pin in her collar, the one containing her soulstone. She desperately tried to wriggle free from the hold of the appendages holding her but it was pointless, as he touched it and analyzed. The fear of him destroying the only thing that could spare her eternal damnation was being held by one of the most despicable beings in the galaxy.

He hummed as he left her prized stone alone, once again looking with his eerie eyes straight into her.

"Elyria sent you and these Mon-Keigh to be treated by me, to make sure all of you are in peak condition for her next event. And I'm a professional so I'll do that, but before we can continue... I need to see if the rumors are true."

"Which rumors?"

She asked before her mind could actually put a stop to her words.

"That the infamous "Shadow of Ulthwe" has grown soft for the inferiors."

Her eyes widened as the Haemonculus smirked and with the same device he used earlier on her, he pressed again to cause the same agonizing pain for the group behind her, all screaming bloody murder in excruciating suffering.

Thalindra closed her eyes, uttering a prayer to Isha and Asuryan, pleading for strength, to not give the reaction the foul creature in front of her wanted.

Seeing her struggle to retain her composure he pushed harder on the device making all howl in distress which made her pray even harder, their pain resonating, vibrating inside her core. While she did not feel their discomfort, she did feel the mental damage that it was causing, all of their souls flared wildly like raging flames.

A single tear left her right eye, her posture completely impassive although she knew she had failed in not giving him a reaction. Acharon got close to her face again, staring at the single drop going down her cheek, as if a ravenous animal seeing prey.

"It appears that the rumors were true...fascinating."

With that he released the button making them all free of the pain, giving instant relief to all of them.

"Is not often you encounter a Farseer, even less one such as yourself Thalindra, count me impressed."

His tone was the same calm and soft, although now had a small twinge of excitement. With that, he finally steps aside towards the bubble-like structure behind him.

"Now let's organize this shall we, the first one I'll evaluate is you, then the rest."

He stopped to address the other members of their weird party this time his voice rising in volume.

"You all will step inside the cell, while I do my job, once everything is done you all wait for Elyria to fetch you. Understood?"

All of them did not have any choice aside from nodding positively, the tentacles released her, but freedom was short-lived as he motioned her to follow him. The others had to reluctantly enter the cell that now for some reason allowed them to go inside, and with that she was separated from the group, to deal with this abomination wearing an Eldar's face alone...


Marcus could do nothing aside from trying to figure out what was going outside through the hazed surface of the bubble, but it was futile bringing him no results. He was fearful for her well-being, unsure of how to proceed in his current predicament.

"She'll handle it." Arandur's voice reached his ears as he kept his gaze to the ground in contemplation, his tone coarse.

"Great, another one of you reading my mind, exactly what I need right now."

Marcus spoke in clear annoyance, remembering the earlier discussion he had with the Farseer. He heard a scoff coming from the Dire Avenger who still refused to look at him.

"I don't need to read your mind to know exactly what is going on inside it. It is written on your face that you are worried about her."

This made him lightly blush with his words, not liking the way he worded it. He is indeed worried for her, but it comes out of necessity for her to be their way out of this horrible situation or at least to make it more bearable.

However, something was off in the Eldar warrior, he was speaking normally with him, not using violence or threats of any kind as it is expected of him.

"Are you well?"

Marcus could not help himself and was confused with such a radical change of behavior. He did not answer at first, but after some moments after a long sigh, Arandur answered with exhaustion in his voice, as if he was pondering this for a while now.

"To be honest? No..."

Then he questioned something that completely got Marcus off guard.

"Would you be okay if you realized you were navigating in the shadows fumbling around not noticing that the light has been beside you the entire time?"

An interesting question to be answered, that's for sure.


Welp hoped you guys liked these ones! Just remembered you all to check BillyFish and Boyo's work if you have not already, also since we did not have any guest comments, the replies are in your PMs, so if you are wondering why I didn't answer, take a look at your inbox ;)!