Chapter 45 No time to waste.


Russ was setting up the north side of the defensive. The building was already fortified, but she was helping by standing guard for Rogal. She was hand-making a bastion while slung over her back was a giant crossbow. That might as well shoot an entire tree. Rogal and Russ paused, feeling a tension in the air. The two had paused, looking deep within the woods.

With their excellent vision, allowing them to see great distances, they could see the enemy was slowly approaching them as many green-skin bastards stormed through barricade after barricade. Rogal face held its scorn, and unwrapped her giant chainsaw sword.

The Orks had only sent their simple ground troopers through the forest terrain; these trees were extremely durable. The bark that Rogal had spent a month working on. Knowing that material made excellent fortification, something that has been proven time and time again.

"Russ, may you assist me in this?" Rogal asked calmly.

"With pleasure, my dear sister, I'm sure the others can join in on the fun later," Russ said, raising her axe.

"Then enough talk," Rogal said, revving her chain sword.

The two had prepared ultimately for a backyard battle.


Issei ran through the halls. The walls covered him from the lights, and his strength was slowly coming back. Only one plan came to his mind, his key objective: getting everyone off this planet.

This task was an absolute to save everyone.

Running down the hall, the darkness was slowly able to reform his armor. The brief scent of smoke crossed his nose. Looking to his right noticing a small smoke strand leak from the dungeon. His eyes widened in terror, and he bolted down the stone stairs, stopping him were the giant metal door ahead of him. There was a light shining through the crack of the door.

Issei knew that the lost matriarchs, the sabotaging Alpharius, and that accursed Eldar were down there. The most concerning part was that gentle Vulkan was down there guarding them.

He slammed at the giant metal doors only to find resistance on the other side; something was blocking the doors from opening.

If something had happened to Vulkan, then those who did would face Issei's wrath. Taking a deep breath, Issei held his arms out and brought both of his hands to each door, then gripped the metal, his armored hands dug into the metal. With great power ripping apart the metal doors from the hinges and threw them behind into the hall.

Issei's eyes were blinded by a light it quickly cleared up finally able to see there was a hole in the dungeon ceiling, the bars and chains shattered into a million pieces.

Lying on the ground was her back to the sky, Vulkan, still trying to overcome the poison in her body. Issei ran towards Vulkan's side.

"Vulkan, are you alright?"

The matriarch's eyes weakly looked up at Issei. The young man felt relieved seeing that she was conscious. He used his strength to flipper over on her back. Then knelt on her face. Vulkan glanced up, a faint cry escaped her lips, finding it hard to move. Even the need to speak was moving a boulder with only your pinky finger.

"They escaped, all of them are gone," Vulkan said. Issei gritted his teeth, knowing that the people down here were future enemies. Looking at his friend, Issei used his hand to gently lift Vulkans head off the floor.

"They haven't stolen anything, but I doubt they'll attack. They know they are outnumbered, but we cannot just stand here and do nothing,"

Vulkan could watch Issei having a momentary pause. The young man was trying to think, and Vulkan could tell he had a plan.

"Vulkan, can you move?" He asked. A feeble voice responded to his question.

"No, whatever poison that they inflicted upon me is doing its job effectively. I am suffering from paralysis, forgive me for my recklessness. I cannot keep you safe while in this condition," Vulkan spoke truthfully. A gentle breeze blew through the hole and danced across the room. Issei looked into the hot, fiery eyes, a strong amber resolution burned bright. Making the matriarch truly look at him.

"Vulkan, do you trust me," He asked.

"What?"

"Do you trust me? Vulkan, I haven't been using my powers to my potential right now. I can get everyone off this planet now it acquires you to wait in a dark place, so I'm going to ask again: do you trust me?"

Vulkan looked at Issei, this time truly studying the strong youth. Understanding that their history was full of misunderstandings and trust issues. There were plenty of times when he could've left them to fend for themselves and never come back, it was so easy for him to hate them, but he didn't. In some miraculous way, Issei overcame the odds and kept proving them wrong.

"Issei, I do trust you," Vulkan answered. Issei nodded and gently laid Vulkan back.

"Okay, I'm going to explain this: one of my abilities is to store things in a great space of darkness. You don't have to worry because Ferrus is already there, I'm going to shelter you there and use the shadows to bring you all to the rescue ship. Do you understand,"

Vulkan was a little taken back at the information, this all sudden, incredibly complicated, and unthinkable, but this was Issei, the same boy who robbed the planet of its color. Her hand gently gripped Issei's hand. She wanted to make sure he knew what Issei was trying to accomplish.

"If this works, then please act hastily. I feel the presence of someone powerful nearby, and their rage is that of hellfire," Vulkan warned. Issei smirked, feeling his sense of humor take over.

"That might be the Lion's present, she has been in quite the mood lately,"

"Not to mention almost kill, but I think that's the usual at this point," Issei thought.

Vulkan had a faded smile, "I wish we had time to joke, yet I think our time must be carefully spent, please get on with it,"

Issei nodded and put his hands on the floor, a couple of moments past. The darkness within the room slowly began to move toward Vulkan, and a mass of shadow began to form under Vulkans body. Issei gently looked into hers.

"Vulkan, I'll protect you all no matter what," Issei said. Making the humble matriarch nod her head. The feeling of peace overflowed Vulkan, and she could feel the shades slowly drag her away to a different plane of existence. It was not forceful or rough, not even terrifying. The darkness simply guided her to a more gentle place. One where the touch of the warp was impossible.

The darkness guided her to a safer place, but before Vulkan could vanish, she mustard had one more glance at Issei.

"Please, don't fail us," Vulkan then vanished within the darkness,

Issei stood over the shade as it slowly dissipated. The room shook as another explosion rang from above. Letting out a tired sigh, seeing there was much work to be done.

"Two down, seven more to go," Que said in Issei's mind.

"I don't know if the Lion can keep up with that thing out there, I don't have that much more time," Issei said worriedly.

"Then take a page out of my book, enough thinking, just do,"

Issei had a stern face, Knowing what to do, the time for talk was over. The sound of hurrying steps echoed down the hall as Guilliman ran down the stairs, holding her sword.

She paused at the site, then quickly approached Issei.

"What happened here?" She asked. The matriarch had only blinked for a moment, but when she did. Issei had disappeared from her site. Only for the soft hand to touch her leg.

Guilliman glanced at Issei, seeing he was there. "I'm sorry, but I will never break my promise to you,"

"Issei-" Guilliman was cut off as she fell into the abyss where the others were. Issei took a deep exhale and began to rush out of the room. He opened his mind to the darkness around him and listened to their whispers.

All of the whispers informed Issei of the different locations of the other matriarchs. He ran up the steps with great haste, like a hunter who found its prey. Issei saw his next target standing on top of the steps. Horus watched as Issei was rushing towards her.

"Issei, what are you doing?" Horus asked only to have the touch of Issei's hands upon each side of her head, she wasn't able to react quickly enough and felt herself fall into the void.

"Don't worry, everyone will be safe, I promise," Issei said. Horus eyes widened as she fell into the abyss. She wasn't sure what was happening, but as soon as she landed in the void, a calm glow brushed the overseeing light above, making it vanish. Leaving her in an empty void.

Horus could only float in this void, feeling calm in some strange manner. It wasn't completely pitch black, though this was darkness. She could see herself not being obstructed by any shadow. She hastily screeched around, trying to understand her surroundings, and felt more confused.

"Horus," Guilliman cried as she strangely floated towards her way. This wasn't like being in space, yet there were no stars around them. There was no gravity, but there was a sense of command in one's action or movement. It was like their desired directions would be answered, and they would stop mid-air without any command. Horus found it to be strange but understood they were in someone else's house as a welcomed guest.

"Guilliman, what has Issei done?" Horus asked.

"I'm not sure. Vulkan and Ferrus are down here as well. I don't think this out of malice. I'm unaware of what his plan is,"

Horus looked up above where the light to the other world came from. A worryingly hand nervously rubbed itself.

"He said he was going to keep us safe, does he not trust us to fight?" Horus asked out loud. She quickly put away that idea because that didn't align with anything about the trust they had established with each other. "No, Issei is up to something I don't know why, he is trying to protect us."

"Is he going to pull off one of those Issei miracles," Guilliman said. Horus raised an eyebrow.

"Issei miracles?"

Guilliman, without any shame, had a stern face. "Well, what else am I supposed to say, magic good times,"

Horus began to think, looking toward the others.

"Issei, whatever you have planned, you have our trust, just please don't break it," Horus thought. What else could they do in this realm of tranquil twilight? Then, in strange realization, Horus knew what Issei meant by 'I Promise,'

"You're going to do it, aren't you," Horus asked out loud.


On the outer steps of Rogal Fortress.

The Lion's sword was held low by her hip, The Angel kept her guard up and could only stare at Lion El'jonson. This woman had been trained to fight in the most harness of conditions. She was locked in a checkmate, unsure of what her next move would be.

The Angel smirked and stepped on the corpse of a green body; her foot crunched the torso of the Ork while also igniting it in flames.

"You know I do appreciate the lack of small talk from you, number one," She said. The Lion raised an eyebrow at the nickname that was given.

"I can tell which number order you were all created, it's a feeling that binds me to know, forgive my curious intuition, but I wish to end you so I may whisk that pure rose out of this bush of thorns," The Angel took another step, The Lion's blade slashed across The Angel for the weapon to blocked by a single finger. The fire eyes peered down on The Lion as she forced herself to see through this laborious light.

"Why fight for a person when your intentions were that of hostility," Pointing out to the Lion, trying to resist her anomalous strength. The Lion remains silent, but the Angel can understand every expression that is given to her.

"Oh, I see you are afraid of him, his strength outmatches yours, and his skill and progression far exceed your limited expectations, with a slight hint of sexual suppression," The Angel stood strong as the Lion pulled back her blade and sucker punched, the prototype matriarch in the face.

The Lion quickly reeled in pain as she gripped her hand, saying that her attack could not even leave a scratch on The Angel's bright, flawless skin.

An angelic hand pushed her to the ground with such force that she cracked the stone floor under her as a hand had kept her pinned on her back.

"Is this how I end? No, I will fight on!" The Lion thought.

"Stop trying to fight me. You're not the improved version of me. You're a cheaper carbon-based version. You were meant to be controlled, not to succeed past the emperor's standards," The Angels mocked.

The Lion tried to hit or strike her enemy, her arms starting to dig into the earth. The Angel with such holy and beautiful eyes showed a horrendous amount of malice at Lion El'jonson.

The Angel then quickly threw the Lion into the building and stopped a giant mechanical fist that almost reached her head. The Angel's eyes narrowed in frustration; someone had spoiled her fun. While the other just found it.

"Oi, you'vee been mucking about, you big Umie!" The biggest Ork in this sector, wearing bright red armor, stood in front of the prototype. The Angel was able to catch the attack but found it quite strange that this Ork had passed her detection. A wise word from any person in the imperium: never underestimate the green skins.

"Names Bigclompa, you better be prepared for a WAAH! I'm going to make you eat pain!" The Ork war boss yelled it echoes throughout the land. The Angel brings her blade towards the Ork war boss, smiling at the attack. He did the most unpredictable thing. The Warboss smashed his forehead against the Angel's face, making the prototype flinch. Using his mechanical arm and pointing at his target, let out an onslaught of bullets, colliding with the Angel. Yet all of the bullets hit a surface that wasn't the angel's skin. Bigclompa flashed a toothy grin, seeing that his attack did nothing.

"This is going to be fun," Admiring this fight. The Angel raised her blade and brought it down upon the Ork. The Ork stepped out of the way, and the moment the blade tip hit the floor, it created a giant chasm that reached an unknown great distance.

Bigclompa grabbed the Angel's arm and tried to yank it off. The attempt at ripping off the appendage failed, for the Angel didn't budge an inch. Nor did his brutish strength rip any flesh. Bigclompa glanced at the prototype with confusion.

"Uh, That Sortaz of Thingz Work," He said, only to be backhanded away into a grove of trees. Making a pile of trees and dirt on the war boss.

"Sicking Xeno," The Angel said. Then, the sound of rushing steps process. Bigclompa popped from the pile like a fresh spring daisy.

"You might be a match for me, but how about the rest of the boys," Bigclompa madly chuckled, glancing at the Angel. Many Ork began to surround the angel hundreds in numbers, each of them holding a unique, brutal, killing tool.

"Now let's have a good, proper WWAAAAAAHHH!"

The Angel let out a tired sigh. "Must you bring more rats to the slaughter,"

The Lion slowly rose to her feet, a couple of blonde strands of hair dangled in front of her face. The noble Knight stood ready for battle.

"I shall not be brought down so swiftly," The Lion gripped her handle tighter, gazing through the hole that she made being tossed through a wall. She looked down, seeing she was on the second floor. The Angel was busy facing off a giant Ork. The Loin felt her rage boil at how she was being treated in this battle.

"Waiting is all I need to do, then the battle shall be won,"


Rogal and Russ stood without any sign of exhaustion, the piles of Ork littered the battlefield while the carnage of their kills stained the ground.

"I don't know how many are still out there, but the way they attack tells me they are rushing in recklessly. They haven't mapped out this terrain," Rogal pointed out. Russ smiled and brought her Axe close to her face.

"Then that means we can slaughter them and take the fight to them," Russ said, rushing into the woods. Rogal wanted to call out, but the Wolf Queen was already gone in the thick grove of trees. Cursing under her breath, Rogal didn't follow.

A snap of a branch snapped her attention to another path, and her crossbow was ready to kill on what thought could get the drop on her.

The sound of fast steps from her right approached her, only for Jaghatai to run to her. Rogal raised a brow, seeing The Khan being so calm.

"Jaghatai, what did you see?" She asked.

"Orks surrounding the entire forest, there are many, but if we hurry, we can strike through their defenses and make their way into the city. We should be able to hold out there with hit-and-run tactics," Jaghatai Khan said. Rogal found that plan to be shameful, they would be more safe here.

"Jaghatai understands me, This fortress will be able to outlast those Ork as long if we stick together, the enemies shall not prevail, I know you are master at fast attacks, but the key to victory is to hold out, we are outnumbered but not out match," Rogal said. The Khan worryingly gripped her blade.

"We can't stay here and play guard while the green skin breaches this building we need-"

"Rogal, Jaghatai. I need you both to look over here,"

The two turned to see Issei calmly standing in front of the two. Rogal could feel something was off by the young man's body language. Issei wasn't so joyful. He gained a more stressed complexion.

Rogal slowly approaches Issei with the usually stern front, yet she is incredibly on edge, looking out for the next wave of Orks.

"Issei, I need you to stay inside-" Rogal vanished into a wisp of shadow. Leaving Issei staring at the ground. He let out a tired sigh, seeing that Rogal was sent to the hole of the unknown. Even the intense willpower to lead armies could not stop her from being sent to another dimension of darkness. Issei felt that maybe this action-first type of situation was working out, especially if he had to talk to them, which would've taken forever.

Rogal would have argued for at least an hour, so cutting out the talk was good, even if Issei felt a little guilty.

"Now that Rogal was saved, now to get to the Khan,"

Issei slowly saw a fist coming his way, noting the leather glove that was distinctively close to his right cheek. Issei had forgotten how fast the Khan was. However, the Khan felt her fist being halted as her body was tethered by long black wisps of shadows. The Khan, with eyes of fury, glared at Issei.

"WHAT ARE DOING!" The Khan yelled in rage. What Issei had done was wipe away Rogal in darkness and betray them. The Khan fought against the shadowy tethers. The cool demeanor she carried was now replaced with frustration and a hurt expression. The matriarch quickly pulled herself together. She had an outburst, and that wasn't gonna answer her question.

"Why did you do that?" She asked. Issei sternly faced Jaghatai, and his eyes showed how hurt they were. The Khan carefully studied the stoic gaze and felt the pain behind his eyes.

"You are not happy with your action? Then why are you doing this?" She asked.

"Just trying to save you guys, I hope you have the heart to forgive me," Issei said. The Khan was confused about Issei's words. The young man glanced away, ashamed of his actions.

"Issei, answer me," The Khan begged.

"Sorry for the unpleasant ride," Issei apologized, snapping his fingers and sending the Khan into the abyss. He was now the only one left behind.

"Two down, two to go," Issei looked around clearly, not finding what he wanted. "I could have sworn I heard Russ, well I'll just ask the shadows,"

"Heads up, you have company, Really big, dumb green company," Que warned. Issei spun around to see two big green orks glaring at him. Issei was told countless times about orks. However, the stories did not bring it any justice. They were very strange instead of the pig-faced orks Issei knew from fantasy media from his world, they were strange. The bright green skin and the red eyes did throw him in a loop.

Issei noticed the strange get they were wearing. It was as if they pulled all their clothing from a scrap yard. Staring at the two with an awkward semblance, he raised his hand and waved.

"Hey, how are you doing?" He asked.

"Oi, what did you do to those big Humies?" He asked. Issei clapped his hands and let out an annoyed huff.

"This one might be a wired Huime. I think he might be one of those weird boyz,"

"I don't have time for this, goodbye," Issei said, vanishing into the darkness and revealing along the abyss. One of the Ork glanced at the motherland and had a bewildered front.

"What just happened?"

"I don't know, you git, let's just keep smashing and will find something bigger to fight,"

"Thatz, the smartest thing you've said all day,"

The pair let out a warcry and circled the building. Seeing a light that shined bright. Something big had to be making that light.

Bigclompa stumbled back as many of his Ork were massacred, even the five Killer Khan that broke through the tree line. This was possible… the most fun this war boss had.

Standing up with a grin, missing a couple of teeth. However, with the amount of deaths that had unfolded in front of him, the Ork war boss got up and slowly backed away.

"Sacred?" The Angel asked.

"Naw, just getting a running start," The Warboss launched at the Angel with great strength only to be caught by the Angel's right hand, the Warboss glanced down, seeing he was being held up in the air with one hand.

"Put me down!" He yelled. The Angel smirked, thinking that her adversary should have chosen his words more wisely. The Angel threw Bigclompa deep into the ground, making a large hole in the stone floor.

From that hole, the ragged breathing of the Ork war boss could still be heard.

"You do realize thiz meanz WAH!"

The Angel found herself becoming bored of this insignificant scuffle. No one was offering her a challenge, the one she did wish to vanquish wasn't on the planet anymore, which meant she was left with cleaning up the scrap, but it wasn't all bad, the thief still was that pure human she wanted to investigate.

The Angel blocked an attack behind her, stopping a sword tip, trying to stan with only the broadside of her sword.

Lion El'jonson grunted furiously, trying to push past the weapon that blocked her. The Angel didn't even look behind her, not acknowledging or respecting the Lion.

"You are boring when will you understand that you are nothing compared to me," The Angel flicked her blade, making the Lion stumble back. Now, the Angel stood in front of her. Her golden eyes peered down upon her opponent.

"Enough of you," The Angel had performed a series of slashes that all made contact with the Lion El'jonson. Each moment was only an afterimage while her blade had done its damaging cuts.

Even one of the cuts had forced the Lion to drop her blade.

Lion El'jonson fell to her knee; she was bleeding from her arms, thighs, and chest. The crimson liquid leaked from the cracks of her majestic black armor. She then felt the hot tip of the blade burning her chin as it was forced up to look at the prototype.

Lion El'jonson was beaten, bruised, ultimately outmatched, humiliated, and forced to kneel. She always will be the first of her siblings, the first to assemble her Legion. The first to be the best. No fear was in her eyes at staring down at her foe.

The Angel could see the disgusting pride of her father painted all over this failed experiment. Seeing the matriarch like this, still defiant until the very end, made the angel boil with unbridled rage.

"Die, the first failure,"

The Angel felt the piercing attack of a large bullet penetrating her side. She stood unfazed as the wound that the bullet had caused quickly healed. Lion El'jonson wasn't relieved at all to see the reinforcements that came to her beckoned aid.

"Russ, don't you know how to stay out of fights,"

The prototype matrix slowly turned her head to the right, seeing Leman Russ standing with a prideful snarl. She is holding a large bolt rifle in her hand. While in the other was her power axe.

"Go show you're on up your ass, I've finally got someone who needs a proper execution," Russ said. The Wolf Queen is finally able to plunge her teeth into combat.

Issei hid behind a tree, finding the cover it provided was great to store up the darkness. He cursed to himself, not sure how to approach this situation he needed to get Russ and The Lion out of there, but the Angel's light shone bright everywhere. It would make the task more difficult. Any time he got near her, the darkness would cower away. It was his natural counter.

"Que what do I do?" He asked.

"Issei, this isn't the best time for you to learn it, but trail by fire," Issei then felt a cold hand on his back and knew it wasn't the touch of a regular creature. The presence of overwhelming darkness. Yet in the shade was life and growth, this was the touch of a god.

"The most important thing to know is that even the brightest light can cast the greatest darkness,"


Deep within the heart of the eldar battle fleet, Eldrad looked in horror at what he was seeing. He couldn't understand the Angel that stared at his screen.

This was a mockery of the warp and life. He could think that this was a monument to humanity's pride and how it could get out of control.

The grip on his staff tightened, so many things had gone wrong.

What was he to do, just let their one chance of saving his race slip his grasp?

Orks were now tearing apart the planet and shrinking the safety of Issei; those damn Orks were swarming the planet. He looked at his command deck and was about to alert his troops for war. However, on the other hand, it was the flower of darkness. The black water Lily is a majestic site. Something he appreciated but knew that it was a sign that their goddess would be free.

He was about to press the button when the flower slowly withers. Eldrad was confused as his finger stopped from hitting a button that would unleash a troop of Eldar soldiers.

"What?" Shocked at what happened. The moment his hands moved away from the control panel, the flower regained its natural young beauty.

This was something that shocked him until he understood what it meant, feeling the raw psychic power form, Eldrad realized this wasn't some gift to show that hope of their goddess was still alive but knew it was the compass of destiny. His choice to attack the planet would hurt the future he's trying to achieve. To not do anything was gut-wrenching. Should he put his faith in this human even if his fate looked to be grim? All he had was hope for the best outcome.

Looking to the world suffering from a battle that decided the fate of the future. All that Eldard needed was... Hope.


Notes: So hey guys, I know it's been a while, but I have good news when the next chapter is posted on October 5 sorry for the long wait it's just that life has been going on, and I need time to work on my other fics, and this one has a lot of work. Also, we are almost done with the planet arc. So the next chapter is actually going to be the last on this planet crazy, ugh. It's been a wild ride, but with life, you have to move on from the old and venture into the new. On this journey, I have been blessed with you fans, and I'm happy for that.

I also have to say. It's been a while, but I want to clear this up: there are no Xenos in the harem. Got it, okay, we can continue with other stuff. So after this final epic battle. I did want to apologize for a lore mistake I made, by the way, thank you, the audience, for Ponting it out. I foolishly made the error of name-dropping the Krieg when they weren't even around during this time. So sorry about that also. It wasn't a hundred percent confirmed that the Carachan guardsmen were around during the heresy, but hey, it's cool that they're here. Also, Stalone Marbo is the ancestor of the legendary Sly Marbo. Fun call back or call forward.

So, see you guys next time, and I hope you all have a good day. Also, sorry for the late chapter I'm on vacation.