Mere words meant for mortal ears cannot describe the feeling of being free after having willingly been constrained for so long. It smelt of Amberley's smile, it tasted of sunshine, it felt like baked sweet rolls wafted under the nose. With all filters and anchors cast off, my connection to the Warp amplified a billionfold, filling me with energy. I could suddenly feel every soul in the city… No, not just the city, but the very planet itself. So great was my communion with the Warp, that I could even feel the muted presence of the T'au as well as the contrasting presence of the Genestealers and their hybrid Cultists. I knew I could rip each and every soul I felt from their bodies as easily as mortals breathed, providing myself a feast beyond compare. Glimmering purple tears that smelt of spices and tasted of the finest liquors fell from my face from the sheer beauty of what I was feeling in that perfect moment of promised excess. It was as though I was a starving man who'd gone on a hunger strike, only to be provided a feast of the finest delicacies hand fed to me by the most gorgeous of scantily-clad women as rich amasec flowed from fountains before me.
Thinking of women focused my thoughts somewhat on the object of my obsessions. I stared directly at where Amberley was pinned by the stunned Purestrain, glorying in seeing her like this with all my senses unrestrained. I couldn't help but sup from her shocked terror; I could see it in her eyes, in her very soul. She knew exactly what I was, what I had been all this time. In my right mind, I probably would have been heartbroken by the look of fear she gave me, but as I was I couldn't help but savor the overwhelming flow of emotion coming off of her. Still, the tasty morsel that I'd been eyeing for days was currently imperiled by another, and as I'd said before to other daemons seeking the souls of those I chose to protect, I do not share. "Die." I hissed past a forked tongue, my voice warped into pure perfection as it demanded obedience. All of the smaller forms died instantly, as I ripped whatever remained of their souls from their bodies at once, taking a deep shuddering breath as I absorbed them. The cut starch taste was overwhelming, added to by what tasted like boiled crustacean or roasted insects. Delicious. I let out a small exhale, reveling in how I'd so easily consumed all they were and might be in an instant. "Return to damnation from whence you came." I drawled, voice equally threatening, satisfied, and seductive. It was that which broke the formerly captive Inquisitor from her shock enough to speak.
"Daemon…" Amberley whispered, eyes wide and trembling; with a thought I used my biomancy to keep her bladder and bowels constrained, as I didn't want her humiliated by losing control of them. In the back of my mind I idly noted that regular vox traffic was coming through my combead, denoting that we must be close to the surface once more, but I didn't care. All I cared for was that my prize be kept safe until I could lavish my attentions upon her. I snapped my manfully dainty yet strong fingers, and walls of potent degeneracy surrounded her on all sides. Trying to pass through them would be like trying to pierce a Titan's void shields with a pebble, as they were at least in part empowered by my unrestrained passion for the one they both imprisoned and protected. No one would be touching her now, nobody but me. Still, such a treasured soul deserved even more protection than that, so I turned briefly to my most loyal servant.
"Keep her safe, Jurgen." I ordered, turning to stare at the Patriarch, the sole remaining Tyranid within the vast chamber. It was powerful enough that it had resisted when I had so easily devoured all its minions. Still somewhat bound to mortal concepts, I felt the overwhelming need for a weapon in my taloned hand. Again I wept, this time in delicious grief over the fate of my cherished chainsword, savoring the pain of loss from it and all my followers. And then, within my very soul, I felt it. A blade began to form in my hand, pulsing with the power of my patron. It wasn't a blade crafted by any human hand or tool. No, this was the blade of an Eldar, sung into existence by the very power of the Sea of Souls. It was bone white, gleaming in the lights of the room and my own power. It was perfect.
Staring at it in rapture, I was suddenly snapped out of my ecstasy as it reminded me of what I had done. What I had become and given up.
"God-Emperor forgive me." I whispered with fresh tears pooling from my blazing eyes, tongue burning at the utterance of my Divine Liege's name from my damned lips, before pointing that impossibly perfect blade at the Patriarch.
"You no longer face a mortal human, abomination." I told it, sneering in contempt and pure hate for this thing which had taken so much from me. "You face Ciaphas Cain, Favored Daemon Prince of Slaanesh. And you will pay for tainting the God-Emperor's realm with your existence." It seemed unimpressed as the giant thing (though I noticed that I was now the same height as it at least) lunged at me, hissing furiously and with rending claws bared. My new blade came up, and I deflected it with ease before leaping to where the Governor died with a backflip which would make even one of the Clown Elves weep with envy at how perfect it was.
"Emperor help me, Illric's flair for the dramatic has infected me utterly." I sighed in bitter amusement, voice still perfectly alien even to myself. Another bladed arm came down as the Tyranid bioform pressed its attack against me. I sliced it off with a nonchalant swipe, the severed limb burning in warpfire as the creature screeched in agony. I leapt straight up into the air, and two glorious wings like those of a dark beast sprouted from my shoulder blades. Now I felt the exhilaration of flight, guided by instinct and the Warp as I continued facing this beast. We clashed for what seemed like an hour to me, every second crystal clear and engraved onto my mind like a master artist's mural. I was toying with it like a feline with a small rodent, like a predator which was well fed but hungered for the sport of bringing down fresh prey. I knew that. I could have ended it in an instant if I truly wished to, but I was just having too much FUN. Then I noticed Jurgen racing over to Amberley, who was hyperventilating(1) at what she was seeing. I didn't focus on what was going on. I saw her horror. I saw her disgust.
I saw her fear.
That snapped me fully back to reality like a bucket of cold water thrown into the face of a drunk. And I had been; drunk on power and emotion and the Warp flowing unrestrained through me. The expression of terror upon the face of the woman who I'd fallen head over heels for after just a single meeting was a sobering reminder of what I'd done. What I had thrown away in my rage, grief, and desperation. I could see the Amulet in Jurgen's palm. It was inert, but I could feel that was only due to his Blank status. Could… Could I go back? Could I… Could I pretend to be human again? In my distraction, the Patriarch landed a mighty blow with its blade-like arm, completely severing my body at the waist. However, even before gravity could take hold and pull my lower half to the ground, my flesh bubbled and frothed. And in an instant, I was completely healed, flesh perfect as if it had never been touched. I flew upwards to the ceiling, and raised the bone-white blade, all sense of play I'd indulged in gone.
And, for the first time in my now immortal life, I called upon my so-called patron.
"SLAANESH! GOD-EMPEROR! GUIDE MY BLOW AGAINST THOSE THAT WOULD KILL US ALL!" I howled, bringing the new blade down into the head of the Patriarch, skewering right through its brain. For a moment, there was nothing, the silence before the storm. And then… power. For the first time, I felt what a loyal servant of the God-Emperor should've felt. At the same time, I felt the power of Chaos swell within me. And then, I reached into myself, and focused that energy. I wanted this bastard to hurt, to scream and writhe in perfect agony; scratch that, I wanted ALL of them to hurt. The power to cast that sorcery against such a target was vast, but with the blessings of both my Patron and my God flowing through me, I felt it.
The Hive Mind. I could see it. I could see where it was aimed.
I could see where the tendrils would emerge into the galaxy. And, most importantly, I could see what its target was.
Holy Terra.
"Burn." I hissed in both unholy and righteous fury, and I unleashed the wrath of two gods upon it. The sheer amount of pain-based energy that flowed into me afterwards was… indescribable. I never had, and by the Emperor hopefully never will again, felt that level of pleasure born of another being's pain. The junkies back in the Underhive had NO IDEA what a rush they were missing, trying feebly to recreate this feeling with their petty drugs. The energy I was given, I poured right back in, causing even more energy to pour out. I kept the cycle going, intensifying my wrath. More and more pain echoed. I could see the Hive Mind writhing, entire fleets turning upon one another, hoping to make the maddening pain stop. It wouldn't. I realized that I was actually doing something of worth to the Imperium, something of value that could justify my damned existence. I was striking the Tyranids as a whole, not the bits and pieces flung at us almost as an afterthought, but the true nerve center of their endless hosts.
I could do this. I could END this! I could finally actually EARN the title of Hero(2).
"HOW LONG CAN YOU HOLD ON?!" I bellowed into the Warp, my scream reverberating within the mind of the alien intelligence. "HOW LONG UNTIL YOU PUT YOURSELF OUT OF YOUR MISERY?!" I sent every ounce of power into the being, this single Hive Mind. "REMEMBER MY FACE! ETCH IT INTO YOUR MIND FOR THE REST OF YOUR UNWORTHY EXISTENCE!" I screeched, pushing the sword deeper both in the physical and spiritual realms. It was then that I saw Amberley again. Her eyes were even wider in near mindless terror, and she certainly would have soiled herself were I not still keeping that from occurring. She shouted something, but I couldn't hear it. Not over the Warp. Not over the feast. Was she calling me a heretic? She was absolutely correct. I already knew that. I had made the choice Father Anthony had warned me of. Seemingly realizing that I could not hear her beautiful voice, she turned to the one I'd entrusted with guarding her, still shouting.
"SIR!" Jurgen shouted at the top of his lungs. That, I heard; evidently his power extended to his words. "The Inquisitor says you're destabilizing the Warp! Her Psyker contacted her about a Second Eye!" I nearly dismissed the message and turned to the Hive Mind, when the realization sank in. A second eye? As in…
"As in what?!" I called out over the storm.
"A Second Eye of Terror!" Jurgen called back. "Sir, she says you need to stop!"
I was so close. The Hive Fleet was badly mangled by my psychic attack, and a little bit more could see it completely destroyed. But I knew that Amberley was right, that I had to stop. So I did. I let the loop die. The Hive Mind let out a whimper, pulling back like a whipped dog to lick its mental wounds.
"My name is Ciaphas Cain. Remember my name, my face, and what I did to you. Remember that when you come, I'll be waiting." I spat in contempt, pulling the sword out of the now dead Patriarch and severing the connection to the Hive Mind. For the briefest of moments, a second that lasted an eternity, I could see what had happened. The energy of the Warp was flowing rapidly around and through the planet. The very air tasted of the taint I had willingly brought to this place. Amberley was right next to Jurgen, clutching at him for safety from the storm I'd wrought with eyes wide with unspeakable horror. I didn't like it, knowing that the energies could harm her, harm those I cared for, so I leashed them once more despite their protests. Eventually, however, the taint slowly began to dissipate as I drew it into myself, recouping it and once more restraining my vast power. I flew down to land in front of them, breaking the protective barrier around Amberley with a thought. She immediately grabbed the hellgun slung on Jurgen's back, a backup weapon to his modified melta.
"GO AWAY!" She screamed in pure terror(3), firing bolt after bolt at me. Each one sizzled through me, the pinpricks of pain I felt strengthening me; the pain I felt at the way she shivered in fear of me was far more painful. Eventually, the bolts failed. The energy was spent, the magazine emptied from the powerful shots. I looked at her, and then at my hands. I could still feel everything. And as I concentrated, I could still feel the T'au. I could feel them all, every single one on the planet. They were all bound to a figure inside their camp, like shackles in their minds. They were slaves, addicts unknowingly drugged into compliance, and my heart welled in pity for them.
"Be free." I whispered with a voice that reverberated both through the chamber and the Warp, immediately sending my taint to purge that connection(4). As I did, I extended my reach further, still riding the fading high. Soon, I could feel every Imperial, every T'au, and most importantly, every Tyranid and Genestealer within the system. With a clenching of my hand, I stole the souls of all that didn't fit the first two criteria. Additionally, I checked the other two for any taint, any sign of infection, and I could indeed feel it. With a nudge of my power and will, I burned the infection out, leaving those tainted pure and healthy once more. There would be no infestations of the Genestealer Cults coming from Gravalax.
"Sir?" Jurgen stated mildly as he retrieved his spent weapon from Amberley. "I think you're scaring her(5)." He informed me casually, as if letting me know that he needed to brew a fresh pot of tanna. I knew I was. Amberley's fear was overpowering. She was sobbing, shaking in her boots. She knew she couldn't do anything against me. She was clutching Jurgen like a lifeline, as if she were an infant stricken with night terrors and he was her parent. I strode forwards, the familiar odor of my trusted aide grounding me, but not banishing me. Amberley's eyes somehow got wider, pupils mere pinpricks and the bloodshot and tearful whites nearly popping out of their sockets.
"I'm immune to his ability." I said, giving a sly grin, some part of me still reveling in her terror even as I felt like the worst sort of scum imaginable for doing so. She broke down further into a sobbing mess, again more like a scared child then an Inquisitor(6). I looked at the Aquila in Jurgen's hand, the sight burning my eyes yet I still yearned for it. I suppose that was the defining duality of my existence; damned and holy, blessed and cursed, loyal and traitorous. Ciaphas Cain, loyal Daemon Prince of the Imperium, servant of the God-Emperor, Favored of the Dark Goddess of Excess. I was free now, I'd made my choice. And so I chose again.
"Jurgen? The Aquila." He reached up and handed it to me, and I stepped out of his range. Immediately, I almost dropped it. It was white hot, trying to burn my essence and purge me from the galaxy. I didn't care, I knew what I chose between a damned existence and righteous oblivion. I brought it to my neck so the holy symbol hung against my chest, and clasped the chain around me, willingly binding myself once more. The smoke from my burning flesh rose into the air of this damned place like incense offered in prayer. The pain was indescribable, and for a time I was certain that the God-Emperor would finally smite me as I deserved for having rejected His gift. However, after what felt like an eternity and a day, the Aquila ceased burning and cooled. I held it in my hands once more, feeling the chill of metal rather than the blazing brand it had been moments earlier.
I may have still not fully damned myself. Unlikely after what I had done, but I was always one to cling to the forlorn hope.
"Sir? What do we do about her?" Jurgen asked with a nod to the third conscious and surviving person there. Amberley had turned from a sobbing wreck to a shell shocked mess. I could still feel her soul, fluttering in confused dread. I knew I could order Jurgen to kill her; to cover up my sin. He would do so without question(7). I could easily spin it as her dying heroically against the Patriarch, have her name venerated as one who made the ultimate sacrifice. I'd even ensure a shrine was built, commemorating her martyrdom. It would almost be beautiful.
But no. Like I had told Slaanesh, then it wouldn't be real, wouldn't be true. I couldn't dishonor this woman who stared mortal terror in the face for the sake of the Emperor's realm. I couldn't do it; if I killed a loyal servant of the God-Emperor to cover my heresy, then I was certain I'd be completely beyond saving. Thus I strode towards her, once more in my human form as I came to a halt before the woman I adored, causing Amberley to flinch(8).
Once again, I felt more hurt by that flinch than I had by any of the lasbolts she'd sent into me, but I understood it completely and couldn't possibly hold it against her. I may have been full of energy from my earlier feast, even though I'd expended most of it and quite a bit had gone to my patron, but in my soul I felt weary.
"Inquisitor Amberley Vail." I stated solemnly, remorseful eyes boring into her own terrified ones. "I surrender."
There was a long, slow pause. All that could be heard was the dripping of blood from the Patriarch's bisected head.
"What?" She squeaked(9). It was all I could do not to chuckle at how adorable she was, even when she was shocked and nearly addled with fear and confusion.
"I, Ciaphas Cain, surrender myself to your custody." I explained, holding my arms out in the position to have cuffs placed upon me.
"What?" She repeated dully.
"I think she's a bit slow, sir(10)." Jurgen mused. "The Commissar is surrendering himself to you, Ma'am." He explained kindly, as you would to a particularly dim toddler. Not that it actually helped the beautiful member of the God-Emperor's Most Holy Inquisition.
"What?"
I sighed, feeling the loss of what might have been keenly. "Jurgen, she's in shock. She saw what I am."
My aide blinked in slow realization. "Oh. Right. I suppose that would shock most people." He said, shrugging as if his boss being a karkking Daemon Prince was no big deal. He then shook her a little, speaking gently but firmly. "Ma'am? Miss Inquisitor? Can you please follow the Commissar's request?" That seemed to snap her out of it as she regained some of her composure. Her eyes were still filled with shock, but shimmered with other emotions too now. With anger.
With betrayal(11).
"Ciaphas Cain… or whatever your true name is." She spat, standing up. She pulled out some cuffs, and slammed them onto my wrists. "I, with the authority of the Inquisition, arrest you for heresy against the God-Emperor and consorting with the Ruinous Powers." With that, she dragged me out of the shadows and into the light. Into the Governor's palace and what lay beyond it.
ASTROPATHIC MESSAGE. SENT, 925.M41.
SENDER: A. VAIL, INQUISITOR, ORDO XENOS
SENDING LOCATION: GRAVALAX, DAMOCLES GULF, ULTIMA SEGMENTUM
RECEIVER: ALL INQUISITION AFFILIATED ASTROPATHS WITHIN REACH
URGENCY LEVEL: VERMILLION-BLACK
MESSAGE READS: HAVE MATERIALIZED DAEMON PRINCE IN CUSTODY. REPEAT, DAEMON PRINCE ON GRAVALAX, SEEMINGLY SURRENDERED SELF TO INQUISITORIAL CUSTODY, FULLY MANIFESTED IN MATERIUM. ADDENDUM TO FOLLOW REQUIRING FURTHER AUTHORIZATION CLEARANCE. ORDO MALLEUS AND ORDO HERETICUS PRESENCE REQUESTED URGENTLY. GREY KNIGHT FORCES REQUESTED URGENTLY.
ALSO CONFIRMED SEVERE GENESTEALER INFILTRATION. 4TH GENERATION MINIMUM. SITUATION CONTAINED BUT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
T'AU FORCES UPON GRAVALAX IN DISARRAY, HAVE FALLEN INTO INTENSE IF BRIEF INFIGHTING. REQUEST ADDITIONAL ORDO XENOS RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH POTENTIAL AFTERMATH.
REPEAT, SITUATION CRITICAL. ADDITIONAL INQUISITORIAL FORCES REQUIRED URGENTLY. REQUEST NEEDED MATERIALS SHOULD EXTERMINATUS PROVE NECESSARY.
SEND ASSISTANCE QUICKLY. THE EMPEROR PROTECTS.
…
ADDENDUM: ACCESSIBLE TO LORD INQUISITORS AND ABOVE ONLY. PROVIDE ROSETTE IDENT.
…
IDENT CONFIRMED. ADDITIONAL MESSAGE IS AS FOLLOWS:
DAEMON PRINCE IDENTITY IS IMPERIAL GUARD COMMISSAR CIAPHAS CAIN, ATTACHED TO VALHALLAN 609TH, AKA THE ONE THE OATHSWORN REFER TO AS SLAVHREENUR. POSSIBILITY OF HERETICAL TAINT IN 609TH REGIMENT. POSSIBLE TAINT WITHIN OATHSWORN. T'AU UPON GRAVALAX HAVE BEGUN REFERRING TO HIM AS VEL'NA VESA, VENERATED HELPER, DEMANDING HIS RELEASE. POLITICAL SITUATION TENSE. CAIN HAS PERFORMED MULTIPLE ACTS OF SO-CALLED HEALING, POTENTIAL TAINT IN ALL SUBJECTS OF SUCH, INCLUDING INQUISITOR VAIL. SITUATION DIRE, POTENTIAL TO ENGULF SEVERAL SYSTEMS IN REBELLION. IN THE EMPEROR'S NAME, SEND ALL ASSISTANCE POSSIBLE.(12)
1: I still do, when I'm forced to witness Ciaphas' True Form. Just not entirely out of fear anymore; take that as you will.
2: The Impostor Syndrome is still strong. Also as a note, Ciaphas really wants very little for himself. But when he actually gets a glimmer of AMBITION, he can become extremely dangerous.
3: I dare any of my fellows to face a Favored Daemon Prince completely unprepared, with no warning, and without the majority of the Grey Knights in front of them, and react any better.
4: It was only due to O'Ran's clear thinking and level head that the Ethereal within the T'au's compound on Gravalax wasn't lynched by their followers; Of course, being handed over to the Ordo Xenos for interrogation probably wasn't much preferable.
5: Jurgen is, as ever, a master of OVERWHELMINGLY MASSIVE UNDERSTATEMENTS.
6: In my defense, I'm not the only Inquisitor that's broken out into a cold sweat at the thought of other daemons like Ciaphas that might be unaffected by Blanks, our best protection against the sorceries of the Warp.
7: After… everything… was sorted out, I did ask Jurgen if he'd have murdered me if Ciaphas had ordered him to. He just politely requested that I not ask questions I didn't want the answer to, and offered me a cup of tea with a healthy dash of amasec in it. Sometimes, Jurgen is wiser than he's given credit for being, and can be utterly terrifying in his loyalty.
8: I'm not ashamed to admit that in that moment of overwhelming fear, I was about to turn the digital weapon in my ring upon myself as I saw it as my only chance to avoid being turned into the plaything of a Slaaneshi Daemon Prince; thoughts of duty or Exterminatus were far from my mind.
9: I don't care what my fellow Inquisitors might think, there is NO WAY any of us could POSSIBLY be prepared for a karkking Daemon Prince, especially one powerful enough to have almost created a SECOND Eye of Terror, to simply surrender himself into Inquisitorial custody!
10: As always, the irony of such statements coming from such a simple if faithful soul escapes Jurgen.
11: I'll admit, I had come to truly enjoy Ciaphas' company in a very short amount of time. I thought I knew who and what he was, how we might fit together. To have that torn away from me, to think it had all been a lie… hurt.
12: With the information I had at the time, I feel as though my caution and assuming the worst case scenario was entirely warranted.