So now to remove another from the list of what we don't have.

Title: Ciaphas Cain: Daemon of the Imperium.

As we penetrated deeper into the Slaaneshi sanctum, the corpses of the worshippers became more and more frequent. Evidently they were trying to halt the World Eaters' advance forwards- protecting something. I moved a bit closer to Jurgen, his unique ability protecting me a bit more from the rampant energy. The cultists had obviously taken forces from the outer lines to stem the tide, but all that did was allow Imperial forces to advance. I had ordered them to go slow- odds are, that if the daemon that I had seen appeared again, all that would happen would be that the soldiers would be devoured by it, and our only real hope was Jurgen… I clutched the golden Aquila I wore around my neck, whispering prayers to the God-Emperor.

"So now you find your faith?" Beije whispered.

"I've always been faithful to the God-Emperor," I spat back, as we approached. Apparently, one of the Traitors had been left behind, gasping. Beije raised his pistol, but I held up a hand. "Let me," I requested. He grumbled, but obviously hoped to have me die by his hands. I approached the Traitor Marine, and saw his eyes.

"The nails…" he whispered. I held the Aquila over him.

"Do you repent?" I asked him.

"What?" he whispered.

"What!?" Beije exclaimed, incensed.

"Do you repent, and reject the Dark Powers, and request that The Emperor grant you mercy?" I asked again. The Marine's arm reached for the Aquila- almost pitifully, in fact.

"I… I can't feel them…" he whispered. "I… I repent…"

"Do you want me to grant you the Emperor's Peace?" I asked him.

"Please… I don't want to feel the bite again…" He removed his helmet, and I put my laspistol between his eyes.

"May The Emperor grant you mercy," I intoned, shooting him. He slumped to the side, his soul at peace.

"How dare you-"

"Do you not see this?!" I exclaimed, holding the artifact up, clenching it as if my life depended on it. "The Emperor grants His mercy in more ways than The Emperor's Mercy!" I shouted, before collecting myself. "And on a practical level… we didn't have to fight him." The Tallarns looked at each other, my logic apparently sinking in. Margot nodded.

"Better that he let the Traitor die peacefully then have us be at risk," she pointed out.

"Fine," Beije spat, marching on. I wondered about letting him go forwards, but I figured it would be best if Jurgen and I went first. While this would normally be against my own base instincts and my self-preservation, it was important that, as the two who I knew had faced the powers of Slaanesh before, that we could warn the others. We picked up the pace, especially as my hairs began to stand on end. We had to end what they were doing now.

"Running away?!" Beije mocked.

"Running towards it! We don't have much time!" If worse came to worst… I clutched my Aquila, and looked at Jurgen knowingly.

"I can keep it safe, sir," he promised me.

"Thank you, Jurgen," I replied, shoulders sagging in relief.

"Sir… do you think it will… be necessary?" he asked.

"By The Emperor… I hope not," I whispered, making the sign of the Aquila. We raced through a heavily fought-over area, where another Traitor Marine went down, and tore through the cultists. Sweat was pouring from my brow.

"Sir…" Jurgen whispered, concerned.

"Just stay close to me," I pleaded, as I shakily grasped the golden Aquila once more. However, most of the team had to stay behind- I ordered them to stay there to provide covering fire. That, and they didn't know of Jurgen's ability… or my plan B. Beije was, unfortunately, still on that kick of his, and ordered some of his men to stay with us. This was bad for a variety of reasons. We then entered another sanctum.

"Throne on Terra!" Beije shouted, and for once, I agreed. We had gotten closer, and now there were more signs and symbols. Each one was blasting insanity-inducing waves of psychic energy.

"Don't look!" I shouted. It was too late for one of the Tallern soldiers, who began to collapse, balling into fetal position and began to bleed from the eyes and recite The Emperor's Benediction. "Jurgen. Help him."

"But sir…"

"Just do it!" I ordered, shaking as he left my side, taking his special ability with him. The Tallern began to calm down as Jurgen helped him up. I focused on the traitor marines carving a bloody swath through the cultists, and tried to fight my rising nausea.

Then I stumbled. "She comes! She comes!" a hundred voices called out, as the power of the Warp flowed through the room.

"Frak this!" I snarled, taking shots at the ritual etchings in desperation.

"Ahh, Ciaphas… how nice to see you again," a disturbingly familiar voice called.

No. no no no no no.

"This… this is sorcery most foul…" Beijre whimpered.

"It's worse than that… it's a summoning," I snarled, as several cultists' bodies began to melt like wax. That same feminine laughter filled the air, as the form took shape. She was beautiful and terrifying. "Jurgen…" I whispered.

"Got it," he said, dragging Stoch- that was the Tallern he was by- with him to the rest of the group. Bejie was away from them, paralyzed, as the figure finally caleased into a lithe, feminine figure twice the size of a man, with very, very familiar features.

All of my nightmares came true at once.

"Emeli," I spat.

Said Daemon giggled. "I told you I'd return, you ravishing, foolish man," she giggled, pacing around the worshippers, devouring their souls with a tap. I watched, shivering even harder.

"This was to get me here, wasn't it?" I asked. "The nightmares… the rituals…"

"Nightmares?" Beije murmured.

"Oh indeed. I wanted you to be here, Ciaphas. To show you what I have become… what you threw away."

"I had the option of saving a planet or personal power. I chose the planet," I declared. "And choosing the other option would have damned me."

"Oh no, Ciaphas… it would have freed you," she said, returning herself to me, staring down at me with amusement… and oh dear, that was affection. "But your actions did not go unnoticed. Thanks to my service, when the Prince took my soul, he rewarded me. So in a way, I have all this thanks to you."

"Heretic…" Beije whispered, fingers twitching.

"A friend of yours?" Emeli asked.

"Honestly, no," I replied, hoping that since the Tallerns were now a little less paralyzed, they wouldn't begin to wonder why I hadn't been affected. "As much as I'd like him out of my hair, damnation isn't something I think he deserves."

Emeli let out another giggle, moving over to Beije, looking him over. "Hmmm… you're right. A drab, dreary, idiot of a man. Your Emperor can have him. He'll probably throw him to the Plague God anyways." She turned around, careful not to touch him. I decided to not ask any more in that direction. "But you… your soul almost shines… you had Ascension in your grasp… but you gave it away for my home."

"I didn't know that Soulstone held the one soul your boss wanted the most," I replied evenly. "Only that she wanted it. The parlay was effective."

Emeli frowned. "And you made him promise to leave the world alone for eternity… but such a vow doesn't apply here. I'll do what I wanted to do there… and with these sacrifices…"

"What are you plotting?" I snarled.

"Not plotting- nearly achieved. This planet will become my realm- and beyond that, it will be half in and out of the Warp, creating a massive portal. The entire sector will become my domain"

"Not if we banish you," I spat, raising my laspistol. To my surprise, Emeli just laughed.

"It's too late, dear Ciaphas," she cooed, kneeling down and peering at me from inches away. "This world is now the Prince's, and he decides who controls it."

Frak. Frak frak frak. My fists began to shake in rage. "You… you bitch…" I snarled. Damn her!

"Oh, the naughty words already?" she teased. She took steps back, and threw open her arms. "See how it is, Cain! You cannot stop me!"

"You're wrong," I growled out, holding the Aquila in my hands. "I can stop this."

My last card.

"Hah! A mortal?!"

"Jurgen? Catch." I threw the amulet across the room, and Jurgen caught it. His status nullified it immediately.

The presence in the room doubled.

Emeli's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

"When I made that bargain… I thought I was saved. That my soul would be out of her reach. I was wrong." I flexed. Immediately, the spell that was binding the Tallerns, Beije included, broke. They were under my sway now. "Her offer still stood, unfortunately." The energy of the room began to flow around me.

"No… no no no! That's not fair! It's not it's not it's not!" she howled. "I did all the work! It's mine! Mine mine mine!"

"What sorcery is this?!" Beije shouted at me, pulling up his pistol, and firing. The bolt scarred against me, but my flesh healed.

"Call your patron, Emeli," I spat, my rage palpable. "You brought me here. You wanted me here. Well, you got me." I reached, and yanked the souls of the damned out, making sure that they felt the pain they deserved.

"But… but you threw it away…" she whimpered, moving back in genuine fear.

"I did. But I got it anyway," I sighed, feeling the power flowing through me. "Slaanesh. There seems to be a disagreement over ownership of this world."

"You're bluffing! Somehow, you're bluffing!" Emeli was panicking, looking around.

"He's not." A new voice entered the fray. I grit my teeth as I extended my influence over the humans in the room, blocking them from the sight before me. Emeli knelt. I remained standing. "Ciaphas… I missed you." A figure stepped into place. It was similar to that of an Eldar female. Jurgen, who was not being protected by me, blinked.

"Sir… is that what I think it is?" he asked me.

"Yes, Jurgen," I replied.

"What?! Who's that?! Who's talking!?" Beije screamed, firing more rounds into me. I ignored them.

"A bit rude, isn't he? Inconsiderate too," Slaanesh mused.

"My Prince, I implore-"

"Shush," Slaanesh told Emeli. "What is the disagreement?"

"Who gets this world? Which Daemon Prince or Princess gets to decide the fate of the planet?"