The rats were ninjas. It was a detail Yuki, in hindsight, should've remembered about the skaven. And holy shit, were they good at their job. With Laura at her side and backed up by the Celestian Sororitas and the Howling Banshees, Yuki dashed down the yawning cavern under the mountain. The uneven jagged stone walls and ten-meter-long stalagmites stabbing down from the unreachable ceiling were bathed in sickly stuttering orange light shining from the hundreds of bulbs nailed or wrapped to every surface thinkable. The dimness of the mountain didn't last though, for not ten minutes had elapsed before Yuki caught sight of the violent flashing up ahead, the pounding discharge of guns easily trumping the miniscule illumination.

"Up there! They're crawling out of those fucking chutes!" Nikki's voice blared across the intercom. Closer now Yuki saw that the advance column had come to a standstill and was getting peppered by hails of bullets and lasers from multiple directions.

"I see them – shit!" Tangmo bellowed the same moment staccato of heavy munitions, accompanied by obnoxiously loud jovial laughter, poured on the battlegroup. "Take cover, they're bringing out the big guns! Isha! Can you please stay still?! Holy shit dude!"

"Sounds like a fucking party," Yuki flashed a grin beneath her Aeldari mempo and traded badass nod with Laura as the reinforcement reached their embattled friends. A circular chamber the size of Budokan, a bad place to be caught in an ambush, but true to form Tangmo and Nikki had managed to arrange the troops into sturdy looking squares with every barrel and turret turned outward. The tanks were bearing the blunt of the attack but the brutality of their firepower were undiminished, the infantries huddling behind the war machines were equally ferocious in administering death upon the surrounding skavens. Unfortunately for the boys and girls of the battlegroup they were also getting assailed by black clad vermin ninjas, the shinobi rats were raising hell across the ranks and files. "Well, well, if isn't the natural enemies of the samurai."

"Can't remember the last time we took on ninjas," Laura drew her claymore and flashed Yuki a pretty smile. "You taking the lead, love?"

"Absolutely," Yuki slowed her hurried sprint into a saunter, Laura matching steps beside her. Around them the Sisters of Battle and the Howling Banshees spread out, guns and swords blazing as they crashed into the skavens with zealous frenzy. The beleaguered troops cheered loudly when the pressure was elevated off them. The katanas still in their sheaths, Yuki casually placed her palm on the pommel when a dozen ninja skavens, after dispatching a few Myrmidon jeeps, turned to face her with snarls and growls. "Can you keep them off my rear please?"

"As you command," Laura held her claymore up at the ready when the rats, believing the British inquisitor and the Japanese exarch to be easy and not particularly smart preys, approached them with large confident gaits, bloodied weapons gleamed hungrily. The lead skaven leapt at her, daggers inverted in each hand. Yuki pulled the katana free, the blade soundless as the rat impaled itself on the folded steel. The skaven, after taking a moment to realize what had just transpired, squealed loudly. "Bloody hell! What the – what did just…when did the sword came out?!"

"Just now," Yuki winked and tossed the spasming skaven away with an easy flick of the wrist. To say that the rat ninjas were stunned would be an understatement. But the moment of shock passed quick enough and they stalk forward again, so Yuki widened her legs and held the katana up at the ready, the grip firm but easy. "Careful babe, a group of them are swinging right."

"I see them," Laura grinned and raised her claymore in a HEMA guard. "After you love."

A shrieking skaven made the pounce the same moment Laura finished her sentence, wickedly curved daggers flashing as he spread his arms wide. Her feet never leaving the ground, Yuki glided forward and swung her katana upward. The rippling blade made a sliver whisper as it easily parted bones, muscles and sinews, heralding a cascading fountain of glittering crimson that bloomed like flower at the height of summer. The skaven was just starting to scream when Yuki brought the katana down on the next rat, bisecting him from shoulder to hip, before dashing at another rodent. For the next several minutes the rhythm of this dance was repeated with precise, brutal efficiency. Oh they tried to fight back, and Yuki truly appreciated the effort, but in the end out of about thirty skavens only one managed to cross blade with her, the brief flashes of flying sparks ended with a neat decapitation. Deeper she plunged into their midst, her mind and body becoming one with the void practitioners of bushido so venerated, where every attack happened before the enemies and herself can think. As easily as it had come, Yuki banished the void without effort when nothing but butchered cadavers carpeted her feet.

"Beautiful as always," Laura approached her and wiped thick sheen of rusty red from her face, "and not a drop of blood on you, bloody hell."

"What can I say," Yuki flicked the singular ruby droplet off her blade and sheathed it with a samurai flourish. "I'm amazing."

"Show off!" A bedraggled Tangmo and an equally scruffy Nikki walked up to them, the Thai and the Ukrainian was covered in ichor and grime and breathing heavily. "But seriously though, thanks for the save. That shit was getting ugly real quick."

"Happy to be of service," hands on hips, Yuki took a moment to observe their surrounding before nodding with a pleased grunt. A toothy smile curved up her lips as a group of rats got turned to charcoal mushes by the Sororitas's heavy flamers. "Glad we got that taken care of. I'm kinda surprised there are so many mofos in the mountain though."

"This is, in the most literal sense of the word, a rat nest lady exarch. Logic dictate that the skaven will amass here in great numbers," Celestine joined them. She limped visibly but was standing tall again in no time when Isha held a glowing palm toward her. "Thank you Isha…Katarinya took several hits also, would you be so kind as to see to her?"

"It will be my pleasure."

"I'm not injured," Greyfax moped petulantly but allowed Isha to heal her. The goddess spared nothing but kindness and sunshine for the dour inquisitor. Isha had just finished her ministration when the canonesses joined them, the flickering light and burning wreckages painted their bloody weapons in a daemonic gleam. The gaze the armored nuns shot Greyfax veered from suspicious to unfriendly. "Your assistant was greatly appreciated lady canonesses, thank you."

"You are welcome, lady inquisitor," Galatea said tersely and turned to Celestine, eyes widening when she saw the deep rents and holes adorning the Living Saint's breastplate and pauldrons. "By the God Emperor, are you hurt my lady?"

"Just a few scratches Galatea, no need to fret," Celestine waved away the concern and unfurled her wings. Mist of iridescent gold blossomed skyward with every gusty flap. "But the skavens were very resourceful and crafty."

"Those rat bastards threw a net on her when she was taking out those dangling pillboxes," Nikki pointed at the empty cables swaying above them, Celestine huffed when the Ukrainian exarch quirked a cheeky brow at her. "That was one scary drop dude. Everyone legit stopped breathing in that moment."

"They did what?!" Bellona bellowed and spun sharply on a dead skaven, looking about ready to desecrate the corpse until nothing but red gibs remained. "The scums dare to insult lady Celestine in such a way?! I'll see them all dead for this!"

"Holy shit, then what happened?" Laura spoke up eagerly. "Good things obviously, considering Celestine is still with us."

"We happened," Tangmo chuckled darkly and waved his red smeared swords at himself and the maniacally giggling Nikki, the glints of their flashing canines can only be described as evil. "Fucking rats never got close, goddamn shinobis ain't got shit on Muay Thai and Krabi-Krabong and Boyovyy Hopak dude. We made red ribbons out of those sum bitches."

"Hey, Greyfax helped too," Nikki commented nonchalantly and the lady inquisitor turned her gaze bashfully downward. "Before Celestine can cut herself out, and those freaking nets were barbed by the way, Greyfax pretty much soloed the skavens. Shit was brutal, beautiful and epic, but very brutal."

"Your assistance was greatly appreciated, lord commissar, lady exarch, you have our deepest thank for making safe lady Celestine," Crestienne and the canonesses bowed politely at Tangmo and Nikki, both reciprocating with a tip of the awesome commissar cap and a friendly salute. The Argent Shroud canoness then shifted her attention to Greyfax, impolitely blank in expression. Even the moderate Sororitas did not like the lady inquisitor fraternization with the Living Saint. "And thank you too, lady inquisitor."

"Not that I don't enjoy your more bitchy side Crestienne," Yuki entered the conversation before more tense exchange can happened, her thumb stabbing at what she hoped was the northerly direction, "but shouldn't we be heading for the Warp Crystal?"

"A most correct assessment, lady exarch," Celestine shot the gathered canonesses a warning look, nodded at Greyfax, and trained the Ardent Blade at a wide cavernous corridor which was in the opposite direction Yuki was pointing. "We have tarried long enough. I can already feel the flux of the empyrean growing stronger." The Living Saint shifted her attention to Tangmo and Nikki. "This is the last significant chamber before we reach the crystal, I ask that you two hold this position with a sizeable force to prevent any pursuit or counterattack from happening."

"You got it my lady Saint," Tangmo saluted sharply then took out his data-pad, his fingers dancing deftly over the screen. "Okay, so, good news my lady, the Warp crystal is just ahead, fifteen minutes of running should get you there. Unfortunately my gut instinct tells me that the skavens are preparing an epic last stand…shit, you can hear the roaring from over here. I'm giving you tanks and heavy troops to back the lot of you up."

"My lady Saint, with your permission I would like to volunteer the Antari for this task," colonel Andren Fel of the Duskhound stepped forward and stood at attention before Celestine, shoulders squared, chest puffed. Behind him the Antari affected the same flawless martial display. Raine brimmed with pride and nodded sharply at her boyfriend. "If you would have us, of course."

"Nothing will please me more, colonel Andren," Celestine took up Andren's offer then glanced over his shoulder, one playful brow quirked, "and it looks like more volunteer had come forward."

"The Ice Warrior stand ready to assist you in this undertaking, my lady Saint," colonel Kasteen came to stand beside Andren, the Valhallan sharp posture was more than a match for her Antari counterpart, and she have an amazing cleavage to boots. Not far away Cain was giving a miffed Raine an endearing look. "Command and we shall obey."

"That settles it, the Valhallan and the Antari are going with you guys," Tangmo held up his thumb before anybody can raise an objection, then spun around and stabbed his finger at a petulant Sulla astride atop her King Russ. "Play nice Sulla."

"I know how to do my job lord commissar, thank you very much!" Sulla made her snappy reply and fixed the twin heavy bolters atop the turret in the direction of the Warp Crystal, the lady general standing at attention. "On your order, lord commissar Cain."

"She's all yours dude, good luck," Tangmo smirked, tapped Cain friendlily on the shoulder, and with Nikki started for the guardsmen and Aeldari main characters. "On your feet boys and girls, I want this entire cave turn into a fucking fortress. Nothing goes after Saint Celestine and Isha, do you get me?!"

"Yes sir!"

"Stay safe dude," Yuki clasped hand heartily with Tangmo and exchanged bro hug, smacking of back abounds. Around them the guardsmen and eldars hustled and bustled with precise purpose, going about their task with vigor. "I can leave Firnera and a contingent of Howling Banshees here, in case the rat ninja comes back."

"Nah we got this, the rats ain't getting a drop on us the second time," Tangmo released Yuki, tipped his awesome commissar cap in goodbye, and nudged his head at Celestine and Isha. "You better get a move on before the skavens spring any more surprises on us. Also, Sulla looks about ready to blow a casket from the delay."

"Gotcha," Yuki nodded and went to join Laura and the main characters at the front, her katana brandished high. "Let's go people, Mael Dannan!"

With the Sisters of Battle and Howling Banshees in the lead, followed by the Valhallan and Antari infantries and flanked on both side by tanks, the column headed down the corridor. The interior was glowing an ominous spectrum, the kaleidoscopic sickness turning the façade of rock and earth to churning liquid. The ground was firm though, for the moment at least.

"Damn Severina, that was some tough reception you got back there," Yuki sidled in beside the lady inquisitor while Laura performed an identical prodding maneuver on Celestine, the Living Saint appeared more irked than her girlfriend. "Kinda like going on a date with a hot single mum who has twelve angry daughters, all of them ready to pounce the moment you make a mistake."

"This is hardly the appropriate time for nonsensical gossip, lady exarch," Greyfax snapped but simmered down quickly as she busied herself with the Condemnor bolter. "But the comparison is apt."

"And you're not backing down," Yuki flashed one of her genuine smile, earning an amiable snort from Greyfax, "I'm very proud of you."

"It's too late to back out now, curse Celestine and her insistence. But truthfully, I have no regret," Greyfax glanced up and raised her Condemnor bolter, lips peeled back in a snarl. "Damn those bastards – enemies above us! On the railing and the ceiling…fuck, they've brought the nets again!"

"Slay them all sisters! Domine libra nos!" Never losing the tempo of their steps, the Celestians Sororitas shattered the air with pious war cry and unleashed their guns on the scampering skavens. Storm of bolts, plasmas and meltas tore into the rats in a hellish tidal wave of devouring inferno. Expecting to get the drop on the column like last time, the skaven's attempt at stealth was swiftly destroyed. Shrieks of shock and dismay echoed forlornly as they were obliterated by the merciless volley, so powerful was the hail that little remained of the corpses when they crashed to the ground in splatters of steaming red. Her ornate bolter clicking empty, Galatea magnetized it to her belt and thrust her power zweihander into the air. "Leave none alive sisters, make them regret ever being born!"

"By the suns and the stars – ahhh!" Isha squealed when several skavens landed in front of them. The goddess leapt gracelessly over the rats while Yuki, Laura, Celestine, Greyfax and Elnys turned them inside out with a brutal application of melee weapons. "There are so many of them, we must've already killed thousands and they remained endless."

"Vermin are legions, dear Isha," Celestine grunted and flicked red droplets off the Ardent Blade. They were approaching the crystal chamber now, the interior a riot of abrasively bright color, the spectrum pulsing and churning to a manic rhythm. The visual chaos was underline by low chanting, the timbre evil. "You can sense living things, yes? Can you gauge the number of hostile beyond?"

"One moment," Isha closed her eyes and opened them a heartbeat later. The look of startlement was ill hidden. "Millions…there must be millions, by all that is holy."

"Shit, did anybody think this was gonna be easy?" Yuki laughed aloud then tapped her earbud. "Form an armor phalanx in front of the entrance. We're going in smart and hard."

"Roger that," gotta give it to Sulla, for all her childish need to banzai charge the enemies of the God Emperor the Valhallan general knew when to adopt a strict and grim demeanor, every bit the renowned woman of war who inspired awe and fear in equal measure. "King Russes and Castigators to the front, Falcons and Chimeras in the rear, I want infantries spread out amongst the armored units, be ready to support each other."

"You heard the lady general, get your arses moving," hellgun and Aeldari P90 now in hand, Laura and Yuki led the main characters to the front of the phalanx and positioned themselves behind Sulla's King Russ. They were joined by Cain and Raine and their command squads, Amberley and Jurgen included. The odorous guardsman bowed lowly to Isha while flashing his most dashing smile. Unlike everyone else who blanched at the toothy visage, the Aeldari goddess waved friendlily at the Blank Valhallan. "Damn Cain, I didn't know Sulla can be this calm and collected mate, seems like your attitude and lesson really rubs off her."

"I always strive to better the regiment," Cain tipped his awesome commissar cap at Laura, "even if I'm not quite sure of what I did."

"I'm just glad we don't have to run after Sulla's tank again," Amberley and Kasteen shared a snicker, but the moment of camaraderie ended when a hail of bullets swept over the phalanx, raising a symphony of sharp metallic pings and whistling air. "The rat had seen us at last."

"And have prepared accordingly," with colonel Andren and sergeant Wyck at her side Raine slipped out from behind Sulla's tank, traded a few shots with the skavens, and dashed back behind cover. "I saw a lot war machines and multiple rat ogres armed with plasma cannons and heavy bolters, backed by fortification bristling with guns. The skavens are more astute than the common Chaos cultists."

"Be that as it may, a great obstacle now stand before us," every eye turned to Farseer Celalira and Warlock Fanduin. The two eldar sorcerers were shimmering with iridescent arcane power, a halo of burning fae aura. Marching handsomely behind them came Black Guardians and Dark Reaper Aspect Warriors, commanded by Lendor and Elraleath respectively. "And our only option is to charge head on."

"Something tells me you're about to make things easier," Laura grinned wolfishly.

"I suppose we will," holding her Singing Spear high, the pure power of the Warp now coalescing upon the blade, Celalira traded sharp nod with Fanduin and together stride into the open. Before the battlegroup can react a great rippling transparent wall, the surface glimmering like ice, enveloped the phalanx. The skaven's armament made serene blooms across the barrier, the projectiles failing to pierce the sorcerous shield. "For life and for light! Back to the abyss from wench you came! Mael Dannan!"

With a graceful flourish, Celalira and Fanduin stabbed their weapons at the skavens and the Warp shield change. The placid veneer now churned with unbridled violence as it surged forward in a tsunami of pure undiluted energy. The chamber shook breathtakingly as the bulldozing tide crashed into the skaven's defensive line, scream of death and pain were swallowed by the calamitous thunder. But amidst the raging inferno pockets of calm, unblemished by the Aeldari sorcery, appeared. The skavens huddled fearfully within these domes of safety, snarling and snapping at the roiling flame around them.

"Just as I thought," Fanduin cocked his head to the side, annoyance clear as the kaleidoscopic tsunami settled down. Without being prompted the Black Guardians and Dark Reapers sprinted passed the pair and settled themselves into a pristine firing line. "There are those who practice Warp sorcery within the skaven's rank. Stay alert, their grasp of the empyrean might be crude but they are nevertheless deadly."

"It will not save them," Elraleath announced darkly and, his movement synchronized with the other Dark Reapers, fixed the Reaper Launcher on the emerging skavens that had survived the tidal wave and unleashed a rattling salvo of missiles. Explosion tore across the wide chamber and before the rats can even articulate their demise Lendor and the Black Guardians added another layer of firepower to the fray, scarlet mist now sizzled above the flame.

"Hey! Leave some for us!" Ah, Yuki was wondering where Sulla went. "Great! Now all of them are dead!"

"Rejoice then lady general, for skaven reinforcement had just arrived," Lendor pointed at the hodgepodge ensemble of war machines resembling tanks and buggies and holy goddamn, even those gigantic wheel monstrosities. What were they called again? Doomwheels? Yeah, Doomwheels. With no discernable application of tactics to be seen, the skaven armored horde took on the shape of an amorphous wall of billowing smoke and iron. "The battlefield is all yours."

"Finally! Come on then people let's show them what the Ice Warriors are made of!" By the time the King Russes charged the oncoming skavens, Sulla had already sent an uninterrupted stream of armor-piercing bolts at the rats, amazingly managing to kill two jeeps and a tank. Within heartbeats savage explosion rolled across the skaven's vanguard, with many gaping holes appearing along the frontline. "For the Emperor! Kill them all!"

"Now it is our turn sisters! Forward after the tanks with swords and prayers! For the Allfather…!"

"Eldul, please belay that order," gaoseng Zhensu of the Celestial Serenity politely stopped elskerinne Eldul of the Frost Bringer from leading the hyped up Sororitas after Sulla's tanks. Despite both of them wearing a full face Viking and Tang dynasty helm, Yuki can practically see Eldul glare at the aloofly smiling Zhensu. "Remember, our objective is not to vanquish the skaven," to emphasize her point Zhensu waved her power guandao at the crystalized pillar shinning at the center of the chamber, the hue a sickly pink and violet. "It is to neutralize that abominable crystal. And general Sulla had just kindly opened a path for us."

"Hmph, you're no fun at all," Eldul groaned as the Battle Sisters, the Aeldari and the guardsmen swiftly formed up behind Celestine and Isha.

"Hench the reason why you preferred Naledi's company over mine," there was a wink in Zhensu's voice and Eldul barked a boisterous laugh. The gaoseng then turned to Celestine and gave her a Chinese bow. "On your order lady Saint, we shall escort you and her eminence Isha to the Warp Crystal."

"Thank you honorable gaoseng," Celestine thrust the Ardent Blade high into the air and unfurled her wings wide. "Purge the darkness with holy fire! For the Emperor! For life and for light! Forward!"

Yuki and Laura let out breaths of relief when Celestine, once again showcasing her penchant toward common sense, did not take to the sky. Instead she remained earthbound as she led the column into the skaven's disintegrating line. Her two wings now stood vertical on her back, the shimmering feathers fluttered like the sashimono banner of old. Despite being on foot the battlegroup was vicious and fast in speed, all guns blazing as they plunged into the groggy infantries that were trailing after the war machines, bolts, meltas, plasmas, las and shurikens reaping terrible death upon the rats. They fought hard, Yuki had to give them credit for that, the Storm Vermin especially managed to weather the unceasing barrage to get within melee range. They died quickly and easily, their shitty armor proving poor protection against Japanese Aeldari steel, folded a million times no less, but the tenacity displayed was very commendable.

"Be careful! The Warp is restless here…enemy psykers ahead!" Psyker Lydia stumbled and would've fallen if sergeant Wyck didn't grab her arm. Lips peeled back in a snarl, her visage rendered more feral by the blood pouring from her nose, Lydia pointed at the hastily erected and very ugly battlement that barred their approach to the Warp Crystal. "You…vermin…you dare?!"

With a powerful war cry, Lydia shrugged Wyck off and thrust her golden staff at the wall. White blue lighting shot forth at the parapet and obliterated a large swathe in blooming gouts of flame. Panting, Lydia leaned heavily upon her steaming staff, looking mightily pissed. Although the damage inflicted was epic, her Warp lightning was stopped by a murky translucent shield. When the fire and smoke dispersed, a group grey clad skavens now stood atop the wall, laughing and cackling at Lydia.

"Bloody fucking Grey Seers," Laura slipped behind a destroyed row of tanks and jeeps and let off several bursts from her hellgun, causing the rats to scurry for cover. Yuki and the guardsmen joined her, setting up a firing line as the Sororitas and Aeldari rushed the opening Lydia had made. "Oi Lydia, you doing okay?"

"I'm fine, lady inquisitor," Lydia's shoulders heaved up and down, "I am however very angry." Iridescent bolts started to crackle across the top of her staff. "They will pay for their insolence!"

"You have heart, young one, but your limit has be reach," Celalira stepped forward, calm and poise in stature, her nose tilted disdainfully high as she looked at where the skavens had scurried off. "We Aeldari shall take it from here, go now and replenish your strength. The fight is far from over."

"I can press on," Lydia showed Celalira how hale she was by sagging into her staff, every breath coming in long big gulp as if she'd just ran a marathon. Anticipating another bout of drama, Yuki had to do a double take when she saw the pleading sadness on Lydia's visage, to which Celalira reciprocated with stark maternal worry. "Please Celalira, I'm not weak."

"Your strength and conviction is not in question here, Lydia," Celalira said softly, the genuine concern drew looks of utter bafflement from Raine and the Antari. "You are but a flower that is starting to bud, and a beautiful flower you will become, this I know for a fact. Do not throw that future away, not after everything."

"…Alright," Lydia deflated with a sigh, the shimmering aura of power that had enveloped her fading away. When not suffused with Warp juice, the Antari psyker was very healthy in pallor. "You haven't led me astray so far."

"And I will never do so," Celalira nodded her thanks to Lydia, the moment of kindness died a nanosecond later when she shifted her dagger sharp gaze at the battlement. The Grey Seers had emerged again, this time accompanied by a gaggle of Storm Vermin bodyguards. "Me and mine shall deal with their misbegotten kind." Her hair billowing furiously like a freaking Super Saiyan, Celalira and a cadre of Farseers and Warlocks strode toward the walls and watchtowers. The rats opened fire but the bullets, las and bolts disintegrated to dust a good five inches before it can reach the eldars. "The skavens had erected a thick cluster of defenses around the crystal. We will take care of the psykers while you clear a path for the rest of us. Go!"

"You heard the Farseer, on your arses!" Laura adjusted her awesome inquisitor hat then rounded the destroyed vehicles she was hiding behind with Yuki, sprinting for the opening in the wall. Not far away Celalira was raising all kinds of fiery hell on the skavens and the Grey Seers, the poor motherfuckers were high tailing it. "Let's go! In the name of the God Emperor, let none survive! Oh, and kill them in the name of Isha too while you're at it!"

Before Isha can object to the usage of her name as a rallying cry for unrepentant killing, Celestine unfurled her majestic radiant wings and dashed into the breach on streamer of scintillating white. Fountains of blood shadowed her wake as the skavens who made the mistake of trying to stop the Living Saint were neatly cut to pieces.

"Oh for fuck sake Celestine! You're worse than Sulla!" Yuki groaned and turned to Laura. "You stay with Isha, I gotta go catch up to the suicidal Saint over there! Banshees, with me! Mael Dannan!"

Yuki sprinted after Celestine with Firnera and her Howling Banshees, thankfully the winged woman left an extremely clear glittering vapor trail for them to follow, that and the shit ton of dead rats littering the ground. She and the Banshees easily overtook Katarinya, even with the power armor her speed was no match for the Aeldari swordswomen. The lady inquisitor cried sharply when Yuki sped past. Thankfully, Celestine had stopped her heroic charge, but had gotten her ass surrounded by two rat ogres, several Storm Vermin and a deadly looking cadre of ninjas instead.

"And I thought you were supposed to be the calm collected one!" Yuki slid in beside Celestine, her two katanas flew from their sheaths in flashes of silver as she bisected a rat ninja from cranium to crotch. The two pieces flopped wetly to either side of them. "Seriously, what the fuck?!"

"The Warp Crystal is getting more and more unstable!" Celestine swept the Ardent Blade at said crystal and oh shit it did looked very freaking volatile, all shaking and flashing eldritch light like a nuclear core about to go boom. "It needs to be stop at once!"

"Yeah and how the fuck are you supposed to do that if you're dead?!" Yuki shot back as Firnera, the Howling Banshees and Greyfax joined them and formed a protective circle around Celestine, swords and Condemnor bolter brandished at the closing rats. "And don't you need Isha to do this? She's all the way back over yonder dude!"

"I do not plan on dying, lady exarch," Celestine countered testily, "and I am here to make sure that Isha can arrive unharmed and proceed with the ritual…I simply miscalculate the strength of the skavens."

"Funny thing about dying, they don't give you a heads up," Yuki was bracing for the rat ogres onslaught when the Sororitas made their bombastic entrance. The explosive hails of bolts and plasmas killed one of the giants outright while sending the other tumbling to the ground. "So for yours and Greyfax's sake, please stay behind me and Laura. Because I'm not gonna let a tragedy happen."

"Very well then lady exarch," although clearly irked by Yuki's request Celestine nevertheless complied, not allowing her ego to jeopardize their overall mission. Fixing her gaze forward once more, Celestine pointed the Ardent Blade at the ramshackle scaffoldings ringing the Warp Crystal. The crisscrossing skeletons of wires and irons was decked out in ledges, platforms, pillboxes and watchtowers, impossibly held together by maddened ingenuity. "We need to scale that to reach the Warp Crystal. Do I have your permission to fly, lady exarch?"

"Permission deny, because we don't need to climb that fucking thing," Yuki reciprocated Celestine rare instance of sass with a cheeky wink, then tapped the side of her mempo helm. "Can you nice ladies of the Sororitas burn all this shit down?"

"It will be our pleasure, lady exarch," there was a demented edge to Bellona's very please utterance as the flamer wielding Battle Sisters marched forward with crisp synchronized steps, shoulders to shoulders like line infantries from the Napoleonic Era, took aim with their incendiary weapons, and pulled the trigger. The roaring promethium flames made short work of the skaven's minimalist structure, from the foundation to the tip the scaffolding was vaporized in a torrent of fire so hot that Yuki had to turn away lest she suffocates. Blinking back tears and inhaling quick lungful, Yuki laughed loudly when the Sororitas called off the attack and she beheld the wide pool of shimmering sludge where the scaffolding used to be, iron and meat melded together until they became indistinguishable. "The path is clear."

"Shall we, lady exarch?" Celestine grinned as she took the lead with Greyfax and Isha, the trio absolutely unbothered by the hardening ooze at their feet. "The ground is cool enough for us to walk on."

"Jesus walks on water, Celestine walks on molten iron," Laura appeared beside Yuki, "very biblical, don't you think?"

"See, not everything from the Bible is bad – ah! Fucking shit, that's hot!" Yuki leapt into the air when her booted feet made contact with the bubbling slush, although not scalding it was hot enough to draw an embarrassing squawk from her. Getting herself under control quickly, Yuki affected a samurai swagger and caught Celestine shooting a very satisfied grin her way. "Holy shit Celestine, did you just pulled a fast one over me?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Celestine said, but her playfulness disappeared as she slowed her steps and came to a stop before the pulsing eldritch obelisk that was the Warp Crystal. This close Yuki can see ephemeral tendrils coiling about the length of the glowing rock, the questing digits moved with clear terrible sentiency. Surrounding the hellish crystal were the Grey Seers, all of whom were ululating their blasphemous hymns and prayers. Yuki and Laura did not like how Celestine's visage darkened, her gaze was an amalgamation of anger and concern. "God Emperor's mercy, are we too late?"

"No, we're not," Isha declared adamantly and held her palm toward the Warp Crystal. The inanimate object shrieked. The inhuman enunciation was far away but pronounced enough that it caused the entire chamber to quake terribly. The bloodcurdling acoustic went up another notch when the Grey Seers collapsed to the ground and screamed, blood poured from eyes, noses and mouths. "But our window of opportunity shrinks. Come Celestine, the crystal must be neutralized."

"Of course Isha," Celestine nodded and with Isha at her side strode forward with heavy, purposeful steps. The Aeldari goddess held the Warp energy at bay with a raised hand, while the Living Saint cut down any Grey Seers that tried to stop them. The Ardent Blade ending their feeble attempt in geysers of blood.

"Cover Celestine and Isha! Shoot anything that moves and form a crescent around them! Get moving people, we're in the middle of the freaking rat nest now!" Yuki bellowed her command and the troops swiftly went about their task with hearty vigor. With the guardsmen, Guardians and Dark Reapers forming the outer perimeter, Yuki and Laura joined the canonesses, the Celestians, the Banshees and Raine and Cain and their command squads in the inner crescent. "That being said, things are fortunately going well on our front."

"Every fucking time someone says that," Laura had barely finished her sentence when an abhorrently loud tolling bell shattered the air. The battering timbre was an assault not only on the ears. The reverberating melody was a poison that burrowed through skins, bones, veins, until the very soul was tainted. Yuki was on one knee, not quite remembering how she got there, teeth gritted as she leaned on her katana. The folded steel anchored her to the earth as the vile bell continued pounding. "See?! What did I say?! What did I fucking say?!"

"Sorry! I didn't know it would be this bad!" Yuki managed to regain her footing and spotted a horde of Grey Seers and Storm Vermin bulling for the dazed Celestine and Isha. "Oh fuck! Defend Isha and Celestine, the rats are counterattacking!"

Yuki and Laura leapt in front of the two godly ladies, katanas and claymore plowing into the skavens. A Grey Seer sneered and pointed his staff at them. The Warp Stone atop the gnarled length of iron pulsed menacingly, adding a horrific shade to the rat's drooling grin. Yuki and Laura had no defense against Warp energy but it was too late to stop the attack, so they brought their swords down with a roar. Scream shattered the air as Japanese and British steels cleaved the Grey Seer in three. His staff, like those belonging to his peers, was dull and lightless.

"The fuck?!"

"Yuki! Laura! Are you alright – ahhh!" It was Isha, the Aeldari goddess had used her power to neuter the Grey Seers, her hands outstretch at the cowl wearing rats. The concern Isha bestowed upon Yuki and Laura ruptured into shrieking pain when a dozen Storm Vermin jumped her, red streaked the air as daggers and swords fell in furious strokes. "Help!"

"Get off her!" Celestine leapt at the squirming dogpile and stabbed a Storm Vermin through the chest with the Ardent Blade. She let the sanctified sword fell to the ground with the corpse and started punching and pulling the skavens off the Aeldari goddess. Elnys and Greyfax joined in a heartbeat later, making short merciless work of the rats. "Isha! God Emperor's mercy, talk to me!"

"I'm fine, I'm already healing, see?" With Celestine and Elnys's help Isha sprang back to her feet, her clothes and armors hellishly bloodied but the injuries she'd suffered were already mended. Only splotches of red remained. "Don't worry about me, our priority should be with the Warp Crystal…"

"Get your grimy paws away from her you fucking rat scums!" Isha almost jumped out of her skirt when none other than Jurgen, Ciaphas Cain's one and only aide, rushed up to meet another pack of skavens and incinerated them with his heavy melta. Within heartbeats nothing remained of the screeching rats but bubbling mush of melted flesh. Panting heavily, very satisfied with his work, Jurgen spun around to face Isha and bowed lowly. "Not to worry my lady eminence mam, I'll protect you while you deal with that ugly stone over there."

"Thank you, brave guardsmen," Isha lay a gentle hand on Jurgen's shoulder and the Valhallan smiled brightly from the contact, said smile causing even Celestine to flinch. With a parting tap, Isha returned her attention to the shimmering crystal and took the lead, waving for Celestine to follow. "Come then my friend, let us end this."

"Nice safe there Jurgen my main man," Yuki and Laura slipped in beside Jurgen, the overwhelming cadaverous stench of the battlefield made the Valhallan's odor bearable. About twenty paces away Celestine placed the tip of the Ardent Blade on the Warp Crystal while Isha raised her hands at the scintillating façade. Rumbling roar boomed from the crystalized tower, colors out of reality roiled with daemonic animation across the surface as shuddering tremor rocked the chamber. Celestine and Isha were starting to buckle from the Warp Crystal overpowering energy when Lydia, Celalira, Fanduin and the psyker Sororitas sprinted up to join them, the combined power now pushing the taint of the empyrean back. "Holy shit, now that is epic."

"Yeah, but the fucking gong is still a bloody pain in the arse though," Laura cringed when another loud ringing concussed the air. "There has to be a way to shut that fucking thing up before our collective brains turn to mush!"

Yuki was about to suggest a cunning and daring plan to take out the bell when another sound bled into the encompassing cacophony, the timbre a lot more pleasant on the ears. Soon the tolling started to lose volume, the pounding ring remained a nagging constant but the change in ambience was a tangible relief felt throughout the battlegroup. Now able to stand up straight, the acoustic weight trying to pull her down more or less gone, Yuki followed the melodic voice and squealed in delight when she saw that the Sisters of Battle were singing. A heavenly mezzo-soprano, the Celestian Battle Sisters and the canonesses sang a powerful hymn that set the heart ablaze with fury and courage. The rousing performance earned a roaring ovation from the guardsmen, Guardians and Dark Reapers as the fusillade of las and shurikens went up a notch.

"That was beautiful dude!" Yuki skipped up to Galatea when the hymn came to an end, the canoness turned to her and nodded, "nice to see you taking a que from Tangmo, when can we expect a duet?"

"Not in this life, lady exarch," Galatea shot back testily, blasted a group of skaven warriors with her gilded bolter, and sighed. "I would like to sing more lady exarch, but I seem unable to prioritize fighting and singing. The hymn are nullifying the skaven's bell, therefore we require you and the lady inquisitor's help."

"You want us to sing while y'all fight," Laura grinned brightly at the Martyred Lady canoness. "Say no more pretty ladies, me and Yuki will give you a show for the ages!"

"Don't worry lady inquisitor we'll be doing the backing vocal, you two won't be singing alone," Crestienne was obviously winking under her helm, and after flashing a series of hand signal the Celestian Sisters started harmonizing. "I'm sure you'll recognize the song, lord commissar Tangmo told me this is one of your favorite."

It took a moment but when Yuki and Laura's brains clicked they laughed joyously as the opening notes of an epic Finnish power metal song rumbled from the Sisters of Battle, half were soprano, half contralto. Katanas and claymore brandished heroically, Yuki and Laura waited until the Battle Sisters reached the correct moment, and sang.

"The dark clouds are gathering. Chaos entwined. Thunder and lightning, I need shelter tonight."

It has been a while since Yuki and Laura performed a duet, she honestly can't remember the last time they sang together. But despite the long absent hers and Laura's voice never lost their melodic synchronicity, the combined mezzo-soprano weaving together into a union of sublime virtuosity, bombastic but graceful, serene yet deep with power. Gotta hand it to the Sororitas, they have great taste for picking the Battle Beast song.

"The edge of what I can endure, been there, riding through the storm, in the snow. Must go! Flee before the fall, to the place where I can feel the love…through the cold."

The abhorrent tolling of the skaven's evil bell had pretty much lost its earlier effect, no longer was the ringing a physical assault upon the body and soul, instead the acoustic nuisance was reduced to an annoyance. Nothing can withstand hers and Laura angelic singing it seems! The skavens themselves started to notice the shift in the musical tide and redoubled their effort to break through the battlegroup's line, howling like mad to try and drown out the singing. The Battle Sisters, guardsmen and Aeldari responded by unleashing a vengeful volley on the rat, right on time too because here comes the chorus.

"My heaven, the eye of the storm! The place I want to go, serene and beautiful, a place to rest my heart and soul! My heaven, the eye of the storm! Shrouded by the fog, protected from the cold, where its warm, where I'll endure!"

Of course the rat's suicidal conviction would be able to carry them through the storm of lasers and bullets, for although a good number were reduced to flaming gibs the bulk of the horde were now within spitting distant of the battlegroup. Still harmonizing, and never losing their tempo and octave, the Sisters of Battle and the Howling Banshees met the skaven head on in glorious close quarter combat. Not one to be outdone, Yuki and Laura lifted their katanas and claymore high and jumped into the mosh pit after the nuns and elves.

"The light keeps on burning, as the storm rages on. It's time for hope and learning, a golden future unfolds."

It quickly became evident that whatever eldritch power had spurred the skavens to a spirited frenzy had lost its potency, for the rats' earlier ferocity had clearly lessened. More and more the warriors, slaves, even the Storm Vermin started displaying extreme hesitation at the prospect of standing their ground against the nuns and elves. Yuki, Laura and the main characters wasted no time in diving into the faltering mass. Glittering fountains of scarlet bloomed in great multitudes as the skavens were mutilated, eviscerated and slaughtered without mercy, every muzzle flash and every streak of blade reaping terrible death upon the enemies of the God Emperor and Isha. And through it all the song went on unceasing.

"Enough! The past exists no more! The pain, the darkness in my soul, finally gone! Carry on! Escape the masquerade, get away, before it's just too late…break the chains!"

And like every enemy that had stood against the battlegroup, the skavens broke. Their spirit shattered, the tide that had carried them forward now receded into a messy rout, the beautiful ladies of the Immortal Spirit made easy killing of the vermin as Yuki and Laura belted out the chorus once more.

"My heaven, the eye of the storm! The place I want to go, serene and beautiful, a place to rest my heart and soul! My heaven, the eye of the storm! Shrouded by the fog, protected from the cold, where its warm, where I'll endure!"

Yuki and Laura were striking an extremely dashing pose after dispatching a wizened Grey Seer and his chemically enlarged bodyguards when they realized that every rat within sight was dead. Blinking and wiping blood from their faces, Yuki and Laura lowered their weapons and took in the carnage, holy shit the corpses came up to the knees.

"Uh…did we just won?" Laura traded unbelieving look with Yuki. "And I'm not hearing that fucking bell anymore."

"We have taken care of it," Elraleath and his Dark Reaper waded through the gore to come and stand before them, badass and solemn. "When you started singing me and my cohort broke formation to pursue the bell and its handlers. The song greatly weakened the abominable device and it was easily dealt with."

"Oh yeah, our singing is fucking amazing," Yuki fist bump Laura, flicked ruby droplets off her katanas, but didn't sheathed the folded steel. "Now, I understand that being optimistic is an invitation for calamity, but seriously, I'm not seeing or hearing any skavens around…did we win?"

"Your optimism is very much founded, lady exarch," elskerinne Eldul announced boisterously, power spear raised high as she shared hearty laughter with the Frost Bringers and the more bloody thirsty Sororitas. The moderate sisters however, were scanning the now silent battlefield. "A great victory was won today! And you two weren't half bad either, the song truly was stirring."

"A lull in the storm does not herald it's passing, my dear Eldul," always the calm sensible one, Zhensu stabbed the butt of her power guandao to the ground. Eldul huffed rudely and spun to face the gaoseng. "We have won this battle, but more will come."

"Has anyone ever told you how much of a killjoy you are?" Eldul's tone was cheeky, lacking any real venom.

"Daily, by Myorin," Zhensu snickered and koso Myorin was totally rolling her eyes beneath the mempo helm.

"Yo, what's happening on your front my dude?" Tangmo's voice blared across the intercom. Yuki was able to detect a breathless hopefulness to his enunciation. "Because things are getting suspiciously quiet where I'm at, all the skavens are running and we're gunning them down in drove."

"Things are for the moment quiet on our front," Laura tapped her earbud, like Yuki she refused to be complacent with the situation. "But we're keeping an eye open. Given everything we've seen so far, I don't think the skavens are bowing out yet."

"Acknowledged, we'll be holding our position," Tangmo responded crisply, "holler if you need reinforcement, I got a team ready to go in case you need backup."

"Thanks mate, we'll let you know if we need anything," Laura cut the transmission and turned to the Warp Crystal. The crystalized manifestation of the Warp was still glowing, the countless facets shimmering with abhorrent light, but the longer Yuki and Laura stared at the blasphemous illumination they felt…nothing really. Annoyed and indifference perhaps but the invasive nausea, the most common symptom when Warp fuckery was concern, was strangely absent. "Considering that I'm not having vertigo right now, I'm gonna assume that things are going well?"

"Damn right it's going well, look at the crystal's surface," Yuki pointed energetically and Laura whistled brightly, the pair very pleased with what they were seeing. The transparent façade of the crystal was quickly becoming opaque, like frost gathering on a pane of glass, the icy mist snaked across the surface in sharp piercing angles until the towering rock was covered from top to bottom. "Whatever is happening, it's good."

"You are correct lady exarch," Isha, hands still held out at the Warp Crystal, turned to Yuki and Laura with a soft grin. "The skaven might be adept at harnessing the power of the Warp Crystal, but they're woeful neophytes when it comes to the actual interaction with the empyrean. They were not able to access the full power of the Warp, which make sealing this breach a lot easier."

"And said task is about to be accomplish," Celestine, her visage one of rictus concentration, turned to Isha. "This is it then."

"Indeed," Isha tried to mimicked Celestine serious face but wasn't really quite successful. It was very cute to behold though and Yuki had to hold back a grin lest she hurt the goddess's feeling. "I'm putting on the final touch now, this won't take long."

Isha's finger swished across the air and Aeldari symbols were arrayed across the crystal's surface, every letter a luminescent gold that pushed back the horrid spectrum of the Warp, the incantations swirling like something out of Evangelion. When she was finished Isha ushered Celestine forward. The Living Saint hefted the Ardent Blade up to her face, recited a prayer to the God Emperor, and pressed the tip of the sword to the center of Isha's glowing ward.

"You have failed, daemon," lips peeled back in a vicious snarl, Celestine gave the Ardent Blade a powerful thrust. The sword plunged into the Warp Crystal soundlessly, the surface rippled like water as Celestine buried the blade almost to the hilt. The swirling Aeldari letters shone bright and followed the trajectory of the Ardent Blade into the Warp Crystal, the minuscule crack more than enough for Isha's holy invocation to bleed into the daemonic structure. The noise that erupted from the Warp Crystal could only be described as a death throne. Yuki almost felt bad for the mournful reverberation, but then remembered that it was probably a bunch of daemon assholes making a ruckus, so she flipped them off instead. Thankfully for everyone presence the baleful chorus didn't last long, and in less than a minute the color out of space inside the Warp Crystal dimmed until the pillar turned black. No more sound, no more light, everything was utterly dead.

"We win again," Yuki announced, but before Laura and the main characters can respond with a rousing hurrah the chamber started quaking. The vibration didn't come from the dead crystal or any other supernatural sources, oh no, this bout of tremor was very familiar to Yuki because it's the stampeding tempo of an approaching army. "Yep, of course." Yuki twirled her two katanas with an annoyed groan as the main characters closed ranks and Sulla's tank cohort rejoined them. "Because why the fuck not? It's always gotta be harrowing and epic for the battlegroup."

"Nothing new for us, eh love?" Laura snickered but her eyes widened a moment later as she beheld the host rushing into the chamber, and Yuki was forced to share her apprehension. It was like something out of a horror movie, the gory kind ala Evil Dead and Nightmare On Elm Street, the visual macabre they were witnessing could very well be described as an exterminator's worse nightmare. From crevices, cracks, holes and pores poured skavens, a massive heaving flood of flesh and fur, an unstoppable chittering tide that have no end. Not a single surface was free of the howling, churning vermin. "Holy fucking shit that's a lot of rat, and here I forgot to bring the spring trap from Tom & Jerry."

"We're the fucking spring traps," Yuki tilted her neck until it popped with a satisfying crack. The skavens swiftly formed a calamitous circle around the now inert pillar, roaring and spitting in rage at the people who had just destroyed their ultimate source of power. Said people were currently boxed in from all direction. "But seriously, this is gonna be one hell of fight."

"This will be our glorious end, brothers and sisters!" Sulla bellowed joyously from atop her King Russ, her fist pumping the air. The lady general's infectious enthusiasm were quickly taken up by the Sisters of Battle, guns and melee weapons brandished boisterously. "Come on then abomination! You will witness the might of the God Emperor and his army!"

"Lady general Sulla is to be commended for her conviction," Cain was doing a great job of hiding his emotion, that being bowel emptying fear. Raine snorted at the attempt, earning a glare from Amberley. "But I believe if we concentrate all of our firepower on a single spot, we should be able to create an avenue of escape."

"For once, I agree with Ciaphas," lady commissar Raine glanced above the snarling horde of skaven, eyes narrowed on the hallway they had entered. "It will be a long and hard fight. Please tell Sulla to line up the tanks adjacent to the exit, I'll advise the troops to form up."

"Excellent idea Severina," Cain tipped his awesome commissar cap at Raine then glanced at Celestine and Isha. "My lady Saint, your eminence, I would ask that you board the lady general's tank immediately, we will be attacking with speed."

"Affirmative lord commissar. Come Isha, we need to…!"

A bang, thunderous in timbre and volume, erupted across the chamber. A single jarring note that was both undeniable and inescapable. Then came another, the octave and declaration unchanging in its ominous singular note, and finally one more before silence reclaimed its dominion. Yuki traded alarm look with Laura, because the skavens' reaction made her hair stood up on end. The rats were confused, their long snouted faces darting left and right, the complete bafflement was a reflection of the battlegroup's own. The skavens were not responsible for this latest development.

"Umm…Yuki, love, what in the bloody hell was…"

"AHHHHH!"

Laura stumbled forward and landed hard on the viscera slicked ground when a screaming Verity crashed into her, the hospitaller's armored posterior now planted firmly on her back.

"Verity, what in the bloody fuck?!" Laura roared, although Yuki was sure under less messy circumstances she would enjoy getting topped by Verity.

"W-What in the God Emperor is that?!" Verity pointed in the direction of the dead Warp Crystal, and before Yuki can make sense of what in the fuck she was seeing more cries of distress erupted from the guardsmen, eldars and even the Sororitas. The loudest predictably coming from Isha. Blinking several times to be sure, Yuki concluded that a gigantic eyeball was staring at them from within the lifeless crystal tower. Yuki thought that the Horned Rat had come upon them in person, but the longer she stared at this newcomer something unexpected happened. She had seen this eye before. The composition, the size, and the radiating malice were easily recognizable to her. And it didn't come from the Warhammer 40k universe.

"Sulla, punch us a path back to the outer chamber now," Yuki hissed into her earbud as she helped Laura and Verity back on their feet. "The fucking rats are distracted. Plow them with your tanks please."

"But a new enemy had emerged from the crystal!" Sulla shot back, the Valhallan already swerving her twin heavy bolters at the eye. "That is our target now, it need to be destroy!"

"Bitch, fuck the crystal we need to get out of the fucking mountain!" Yuki shouted, the vehemence stunning Laura and the main characters. "Now clear us a fucking path!"

"Do as the lady exarch had requested Sulla, if you would be so kind," seeing the chance to haul ass from a potentially fatal situation, Cain quickly seized upon it. His words were leveled and polite, but with clear sharpness that brokered no argument.

"As you command lord commissar," Sulla obeyed Cain without question and swung her attention back at the corridor beyond. "All tanks form a wedge around me. We'll be punching a path through the skavens. Make ready!"

"Forgive me Isha, but time is of the essence," Isha squealed loudly when Celestine hefted her up in a fireman carry, spread her wings wide, and flew at Sulla's tank. Elnys cried out in distress when Isha was dumbed unceremonious behind the turret with Celestine standing guard over her. Greyfax only narrowed her eyes. Celestine then pointed the Ardent Blade over Sulla's head, extremely heroic in her statuesque bearing. "When you're ready, lady general."

"Forward! For the Emperor!" The tanks roared mightily, belching black smoke as the thunderous war machines plunged into the skavens. Celestine remained pristine in her stance while Isha wailed jaggedly. Too enraptured by the newcomer inside the crystal, the skavens failed to react in a timely manner and got obliterated in plumes of sizzling viscera. Yuki couldn't help but winced as she watched scores of skaven get crushed beneath the tanks' merciless tracks, that shit would be a pain to get clean.

"Cain, Raine, get the guardsmen and Aeldari moving, the Sororitas and the Banshees will cover you," Yuki waved her katana at the bloody charnel the tanks had made, and without another word the two commissars led the infantries onward at a sprint. When they were a good fifty paces ahead, Yuki and Laura took off with the nuns and elves. "Our turn ladies, let's go! Fuck the rats, we need to get out of here now!"

"Why are you so perturbed, lady exarch?" Galatea demanded as she matched pace with Yuki. The rats paid the battlegroup only halfhearted attention, not really caring that they were getting cut down as the horde slowly closed in on the dead crystal. The crashing boom came again, this time accompanied by sharp shattering cracks.

"Because I know what had come upon this cursed land, and he's worse than the Chaos Gods combined," Yuki said ominously. Around her the guardsmen, eldars and Sororitas held down the triggers of their weapons, effectively turning the battlegroup's column into a Disneyland Electric Parade. The skavens offered only smidgen return fire, the bullets wholly ineffective at killing anyone. "If we manage to get out of here I'll explain it to you. Right now, just run!"

Galatea was thankfully not in a difficult mood, merely grunting as she continued to pump her legs. Then came the roar, the volume was of such terrible majesty that the kinetic force knocked the gathered skavens off their feet, the rats dashed painfully across the ground by the hurricane grade octave. Since they were pretty far away from the epicenter, Yuki, Laura and the main characters only suffered a few stumbles here and there. In only a quarter of the time it took to storm the Warp Crystal, they managed to return to the chamber Tangmo and Nikki occupied. The Thai commissar and the Ukrainian exarch were still inside the cavern, helping herd the guardsmen, eldars and Sororitas into the waiting Chimeras and Falcons.

"Tangmo! Nikki!" Yuki and Laura sprinted for the Chimera her buddies were standing on. Tangmo reached down and helped her up while Nikki did the same for Laura. "Thanks dude. Where's Celestine and Isha?"

"They're probably half way out of the mountain by now," Tangmo pressed his finger to his earbud, nodded, and then slammed his fist on the hatch of the Chimera. "Everyone's inside, get us the hell out of here now!" The armored personnel carrier was taking off when Tangmo turned to Yuki. "Was that him? My ears are not fucking with me right?"

"No, it's him," Yuki shook her head. "It's Gojira."