The warriors of the Fifth Company cleared the sporadic resistance at the cave entrance with extreme efficiency, quickly establishing contact with the remnants of the Inquisition holding out deep within the cave.
These Inquisitor and their combat personnel had suffered heavy losses, but still, relying on their familiarity with the terrain and unwavering determination, they fiercely defended the last few passages leading to the core area.
Company Captain Harvis Bell of the Fifth Company quickly assessed the situation and ordered the reinforcement and expansion of the Inquisition's existing defensive lines.
Tech-Sergeants immediately began setting up heavy Bolter positions, deploying traps and sensors, transforming this naturally formed massive underground cavity into a deadly fortress.
The faint energy fluctuations emanating from the ancient device deep within the cave, like a lighthouse in the darkness, reminded everyone of the critical importance of this location.
Meanwhile, in the vast scorched earth and shattered city ruins outside the cave, the warriors of the Third and Fourth Companies, coordinated by Lieutenant Gorden, fanned out in squad-sized units like hunting dogs, searching for traces of the Black Legion Chaos Astartes.
Captain Aurist of the Fourth Company personally led a portion of his warriors to act in conjunction with the Third Company, while another portion of the Fourth Company warriors remained at the cave entrance, serving as an outer perimeter and reserve for the Fifth Company's defensive line.
The battle soon erupted.
The traitors of the Black Legion were equally experienced, and even more cunning and cruel.
They used the ruins and terrain as cover, launching one deadly ambush after another.
The roar of Bolters, the hum of plasma weapons, the snarl of chainswords, and the eerie shriek of chaotic energy weapons echoed continuously through the crumbling ruins of Brewster.
Every Ultramarines squad encountered strong resistance.
These traitors came from different fallen legions, with varied fighting styles, but without exception, they were powerful and utterly devoid of honor.
Though the Ultramarines were brave, they often found themselves at a disadvantage in the initial firefights, even suffering casualties.
Gaius, Luna, and Draculas were responsible for clearing a relatively secluded edge of an industrial zone.
They had just used precise firepower to deal with a few wandering Tyranid Rippers, which seemed to have separated from the main swarm.
"Area temporarily clear," Luna reported, her sensors scanning the surroundings.
"Stay vigilant, the Black Legion..." Gaius's words were cut short!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several Bolter rounds suddenly struck from a high point in the ruins on their flank!
The targets were clear and vicious!
"Take cover!" Gaius warned sharply, but it was already too late!
Despite her best efforts to dodge, Luna was accurately hit by two Bolter rounds in the abdomen!
The immense impact instantly tore through her Power Armor, sending her flying backward to crash heavily on the ground, letting out a painful grunt, and instantly losing her combat effectiveness!
Blood seeped from her damaged armor.
"Luna!" Gaius's eyes were bloodshot; he himself had been hit in the shoulder plate by a Bolter round, and although the ceramite blocked direct penetration, the immense kinetic energy still left half his body numb, almost making him lose his footing.
Draculas reacted extremely quickly, using his massive Indomitus Terminator body as cover, and at the same time extending his huge Power Fist to drag the fallen Luna behind a broken concrete wall.
"Two enemies! Heavy targets!" Draculas's calm voice came through the comms.
Gaius quickly ducked behind cover, peered out, and his heart immediately sank.
Two extremely tall Black Legion warriors, clad in grotesque versions of Indomitus Terminator Armor, were charging out from behind the ruins, continuously suppressing fire with their Storm Bolters while advancing rapidly towards them with heavy strides!
Unlike the standard issue Indomitus Terminators of the Ultramarines, these two Chaos Terminator Armors were filled with blasphemy and the style of Khorne.
The original legion symbols had been crudely ripped off or painted over, replaced with crimson Chaos eight-pointed stars.
The armor was covered in spikes, barbs, and twisted skull decorations, as if they had just crawled out of a blood pool.
Most unsettling were their beast-like helmets; the originally dignified design was distorted, with two huge, curved, demon-like fangs extending from both sides of the faceplate, making them appear incredibly hideous and terrifying!
"They're Black Legion Terminators!" Gaius growled, looking at the seriously wounded Luna, knowing that he absolutely could not directly confront two Chaos Terminators in this place.
"Dogs of the False Emperor! Die!" A Chaos Terminator let out a muffled, malicious roar, and the Storm Bolter fire became even fiercer, suppressing Gaius and Draculas so much they could barely raise their heads.
The other one, wielding a massive Power Axe glowing with blood-red light, accelerated his charge!
"Sergeant Karl, cover me! Prioritize the wounded!" Draculas's voice remained calm; he suddenly flashed out from behind cover, his shoulder-mounted incinerator flamethrower spewing a searing jet, temporarily forcing back the axe-wielding Chaos Terminator, and at the same time attracting most of the fire.
Gaius immediately raised his weapon and fired, accurate bursts hitting the Chaos Terminator's helmet and joints, though it was difficult to inflict fatal damage, it successfully disrupted the enemy's aiming and movement.
The axe-wielding Chaos Terminator, enraged by Draculas's flamethrower, let out a roar, abandoned Gaius, and charged directly at Draculas!
"For the Dark Gods!"
Draculas met him without fear!
"For the Emperor! Traitor!" His white helmet was exceptionally conspicuous in the dim battlefield environment, forming a stark contrast with the enemy's foul and hideous armor.
Boom!
Two massive Indomitus Terminators collided like prehistoric behemoths!
Power Fists and Power Axes clashed violently, erupting in deafening roars and showering sparks!
The pure clash of power caused the ground beneath their feet to crack!
Their fighting styles were completely different.
Draculas was steady and precise, every punch heavy and powerful, balanced in offense and defense, fully utilizing the good visibility provided by his white helmet and the skills honed by the Deathwatch.
The Chaos Terminator, on the other hand, was more savage and ferocious, wielding his Power Axe with furious might, full of suicidal madness, constantly spouting obscenities and prayers to the Dark Gods.
For a time, the two steel behemoths were locked in combat, neither able to gain an advantage over the other.
On the other side, Gaius was in an extremely passive position.
He had to harass the other Chaos Terminator, who was using a Storm Bolter, with his "Eagle Eye" sniper rifle to prevent him from interfering with Draculas's fight, while also protecting the severely wounded and immobile Luna behind him!
"Gaius... go... don't mind me..." Luna's weak voice came through the comms; she watched Gaius risking his life to cover her, her heart filled with anxiety and self-reproach.
"No!" Gaius roared, rolling to dodge a volley of Bolter rounds, and simultaneously shooting the Chaos Terminator in the knee joint, causing the enemy to stumble.
But the Chaos Terminator's defenses were too strong!
Gaius's Bolter rounds could hardly inflict effective damage.
The enemy also seemed to realize Gaius's predicament, continuously suppressing fire with his Storm Bolter while approaching step by step, attempting to close the distance and end the fight with melee weapons.
Gaius drew the adamantium combat knife from his waist, preparing for a final stand.
However, when the Chaos Terminator finally rushed close and swung his Power Axe down, Gaius realized how vast the difference was!
He desperately blocked with his combat knife!
Clang—Crack!
The adamantium-forged combat knife was actually split in two by the Power Axe, which contained chaotic power!
The immense impact made Gaius's palm ache, and he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily beside Luna!
"Gaius!" Luna exclaimed.
The Chaos Terminator let out a triumphant sneer, then stepped forward with heavy strides, raising his Power Axe high, preparing to cleave both of them apart!
Just then!
Aow—!!!
An inhuman roar, filled with endless pain and fury, came from the side like a clap of thunder!
Immediately following, a massive, twisted, yet incredibly fast figure, like an out-of-control battering ram, violently crashed into the battlefield!
Its primary target was Draculas, who was currently entangled with the Chaos Terminator!
Draculas's entire attention was on the enemy in front of him; he had no idea such a high-speed attack would come from the flank!
Boom!
With a dull thud, Draculas's massive Indomitus Terminator body was actually sent flying off the ground, crashing heavily into the nearby ruins, raising a cloud of dust!
After knocking Draculas away, the figure did not stop, instantly turning, its next target directly at Gaius, who was just struggling to get up!
Gaius only saw a blurry, terrifying figure covered in thick chitin and twisted metal rushing towards him; he didn't even have time to react!
A huge, twisted palm covered in bone plates and sharp claws, carrying a tearing gust of wind, slammed heavily into Gaius's chest plate!
Bang!!!
Gaius felt as if he had been hit head-on by a Thunder beast! His chest plate instantly caved in, and his ribs let out a bone-jarring crack! He flew backward like a broken kite, crashing through two ruined walls before stopping, lying amidst the rubble, blood gushing from his mouth, instantly losing consciousness.
"Gaius!!!" Luna cried out in despair.
That terrifying figure finally stopped, revealing its full form—a Chaos Space Marines, even taller than a Terminator, with a severely mutated body, covered in thick plate armor fused with metal and flesh, and limbs alienation into massive claw-blades! Its face was twisted beyond recognition, leaving only endless rage and pain, and it made guttural, beast-like sounds from its throat!
A Blessed Son! A favored one of Khorne! A terrifying mutant that underwent dark blessings during bloody slaughter!
Its crimson eyes swept over Gaius and Luna lying on the ground, then looked at the Chaos Terminator who had just raised his axe, letting out a low growl of displeasure, as if blaming him for stealing its prey.
The Chaos Terminator seemed a bit wary of the Blessed Son as well, taking half a step back and respectfully lowering its head.
The Blessed Son grunted contentedly, taking heavy steps towards Luna, who seemed defenseless. Its massive claw-blade slowly rose, preparing to savor the pleasure of the kill.
Luna leaned against the cold, bullet-riddled broken wall, the sharp pain in her abdomen washing over her in waves, almost consuming her consciousness. Blood continuously seeped from the damaged parts of her Power Armor, staining the dust beneath her. She looked at the Chaos Terminator's raised Power Axe, gleaming with an ominous bloody light, and then at the even more terrifying Blessed Son next to it, radiating pure brutality, walking towards her step by step.
Despair, like a cold viper, coiled around her heart.
Gaius's fate was unknown, Draculas had been sent flying to an unknown location, and she was severely wounded... Was First Squad really going to be wiped out here?
No! Absolutely not!
The Ultramarines' resilience and the Tech-Sergeant's calmness finally overcame fear and pain at the last moment. A determined glint flashed in Luna's eyes. She painstakingly moved her still-functional right hand, fumbling for the equipment belt at her waist, and finally grasped a cold, heavy, cylindrical object—a melta bomb.
This was her last resort, and her dignity as a Tech-Sergeant. Even if she died, she would never allow these Chaos traitors to desecrate her body, or worse, turn her into a plaything of Chaos. She would drag these two, no, these three traitors, to hell with her!
She used her last ounce of strength, her thumb trembling but firmly pressing on the safety pin of the detonator. With just a little more force, after a delay of a few seconds, the terrifying melta stream, capable of melting through a tank's frontal armor, would turn everything around into molten iron!
A cruel expression, akin to 'playfulness,' seemed to appear on the Blessed Son's twisted, inhuman face. It seemed to enjoy the prey's death throes. Its massive, bone-plated claw-blade slowly rose, aimed at Luna's head, preparing to enjoy the 'beautiful sight' of her head exploding.
The other Chaos Terminator also temporarily paused, seemingly wanting to watch how the Blessed Son executed this lackey of the False Emperor.
Just at this critical moment!
A completely different, even sharper, more predatory, and soul-piercing shriek suddenly erupted without warning from the shadows of the ruins to the side and rear!
The sound was so sudden, so heart-stopping, it instantly broke the frozen atmosphere of slaughter in the field!
Both Chaos Terminators and the Blessed Son simultaneously froze, turning their heads sharply towards the source of the sound! Their attention was completely drawn to this sudden third-party threat!
However, the moment they turned their heads!
An almost completely transparent, light-distorting outline shot out from the shadows like a ghost! Its speed was extreme, not even stirring a breath of wind!
Its target was the Chaos Terminator who had just lowered his Power Axe and was turning to search!
Crack—Thwack!
The bone-jarring sound of metal tearing and flesh being sliced rang out almost simultaneously!
The Chaos Terminator's head, covered by a spiked helmet, along with a good part of its shoulder, was instantly separated from its body as if cut by an invisible blade! Foul blood erupted from its severed neck like a fountain! The massive, headless body stiffened for a moment, then heavily toppled forward, kicking up a cloud of dust!
Not until the corpse hit the ground did the grotesque helmet, flying in mid-air, spin down, its eyes beneath the visor still showing shock and disbelief!
It was a Lictor! The Tyranids' most deadly assassin unit!
The remaining Chaos Terminator turned pale with fright, instinctively spraying its Storm Bolter wildly in the direction the Lictor might appear, but all shots missed! The terrifying invisible hunter, after successfully striking, once again vanished without a trace as if evaporated!
"Damn xenos!" The living Chaos Terminator let out an angry and terrified roar, nervously turning its body, trying to track the Lictor's whereabouts. The Blessed Son also let out a menacing growl, abandoning Luna for the moment, its crimson eyes scanning the surroundings, sensing the deadly threat.
They both knew the Lictor's terror; this creature was a pure killing machine, skilled in sneak attacks and assassination. Even a Chaos Terminator, if caught unprepared at close range, was extremely dangerous!
Just as they were fully on guard against the elusive Lictor—
The transparent shadow of death silently reappeared directly behind the surviving Chaos Terminator! As if it had been standing there waiting all along!
Its massive, scythe-like forelimbs, glowing with eerie green bio-luminescence, lunged out like a striking serpent, piercing precisely and viciously into the Chaos Terminator's relatively vulnerable power pack connection point on its back!
Thwack! Thwack!
Two muffled thuds! The pair of incredibly sharp, massive bone blades effortlessly pierced through the thick ceramite armor, plunging deep into the Terminator's body!
"Ugh, ah!" The Chaos Terminator let out a cry of pain, its body suddenly stiffening! He could feel the cold, highly corrosive xenos limbs churning inside him, destroying vital organs and nerve bundles!
The Blessed Son roared, spinning around abruptly, its massive claw-blade slashing with terrifying force at the now visible Lictor!
But the Lictor was incredibly cunning! It had no intention of staying to fight! After its twin blades pierced the target, injected deadly toxins, and inflicted massive damage, it immediately withdrew its bone blades, its body quickly becoming transparent and blurry again, leaping backward, and instantly vanishing into the shadows and dust of the ruins, as if it had never appeared!
It came fast and left even faster, leaving behind a heavily wounded, tottering Chaos Terminator, and a furious but target-less Blessed Son!
The Chaos Terminator stumbled a few steps forward, two large wounds on its back continuously gushing foul liquid mixed with green Tyranid acid and its own blood. He tried to raise his Storm Bolter but found he had lost most of his strength. Finally, his massive body crashed to its knees, then fell heavily face down, his power pack emitting unstable hums and electrical sparks, clearly not far from complete failure.
In an instant, the situation changed dramatically!
Two powerful Black Legion Indomitus Terminators were instantly killed in just a few seconds by a lurking Lictor using its classic "strike-and-fade" tactic!
Now, only the heavily wounded Luna, the enraged Blessed Son, and the deadly Lictor, hidden in the shadows and ready to strike again at any moment, remained on the field.
The Blessed Son seemed extremely enraged that the Lictor had stolen its "kills" and "skulls." It wildly swung its claw-blades, destroying the surrounding ruins, letting out deafening roars, trying to force the hidden assassin out.
Meanwhile, Luna, taking advantage of this sudden chaos and breathing room, gritted her teeth against the intense pain and carefully put away the melta bomb, which had already been disarmed—now was not the time for a mutual destruction. She had to survive, at least long enough to know whether Gaius and Draculas were alive or dead!
She leaned against the wall, gasping for air, her abdominal wound reopening from the recent tension, bleeding even more. Her vision began to blur, and her hearing became indistinct. She could only see the massive, furious Blessed Son venting its rage nearby, and feel the omnipresent, cold killing intent of the Lictor.
Hope seemed to reappear, but the crisis was far from over. She was still caught between two extremely dangerous creatures, her life hanging by a thread.
----
Gaius felt as if he had been struck head-on by a mountain, a suffocating pain and a clear sound of cracking bones echoing in his chest. He was sent flying like a ragdoll, crashing through two heavy walls before finally being buried under a deluge of rubble and metal debris.
Darkness.
Excruciating pain.
A sense of suffocation.
Every cell screamed, every breath was as painful and difficult as swallowing shards of glass. He could feel warm blood constantly gushing from his mouth, nose, and ears, and his left lung seemed to have ruptured, unable to function normally. His consciousness flickered like a candle in the wind, on the verge of extinguishing.
"...Luna...is...in danger..." an extremely faint thought struggled in the depths of his almost extinguished consciousness, "I...can't...fall...yet..."
He tried to move his arm, tried to push away the heavy pressure on him, but his body felt like it was filled with lead, completely unresponsive. The heavy ruins pressed down on him, and darkness surged like a tide, threatening to completely engulf him.
Just as he was about to completely lose consciousness, in that final moment... everything around him suddenly changed.
The intense pain in his body, the oppressive weight of the ruins, the clamor of the battlefield... all vanished.
He found himself standing in a space of absolute nothingness, absolute darkness. There was no up, down, left, or right, no passage of time, only endless void and dead silence.
However, in this dead silence, he felt the descent of a will so vast it was indescribable, so ancient it transcended time, and so cunning it saw through everything! This will was not unfamiliar to him; in fact, it was etched into his very soul—it was the aura of the Lord of Change, the Master of Ways and Change, Tzeentch himself! It was far beyond what his Great Daemon, Kairos Fateweaver, could ever compare to; this was the direct gaze of a true Warp God!
Pure, undisguised Chaos energy permeated this space, carrying maddening whispers and the temptation of endless knowledge. Gaius felt his soul tremble before such an existence.
In the darkness ahead, a light flickered, coalescing into a vague humanoid figure. It wore a deep blue robe, seemingly woven from flowing stars, with a hood deeply drawn, beneath which was a swirling, light-devouring blackness, as if hiding all the universe's secrets and lies. It had no specific face, yet it gave a bizarre impression of "smiling."
"We meet again... lost lamb..." a voice resonated directly in the depths of Gaius's consciousness, a blend of countless tones, sometimes like the whisper of a wise elder, sometimes like a tempting demon, and at other times like a cold, emotionless logic machine, "Or rather... my dear... Chosen?"
"You blasphemous bastard!" Gaius roared in his consciousness, weak but filled with extreme revulsion and defiance, "You're a persistent ghost! I will not submit to you! Give up your damned seduction!"
"Submission? What a crude word." Tzeentch's voice carried a hint of mockery, "What I offer is... choice, enlightenment, the possibility of transcending mortal shackles. Look at you now, Gaius, so fragile, so powerless. You can't even protect yourself, so how can you protect your cherished brothers?"
Gaius's heart clenched sharply.
Tzeentch's avatar seemed to see through every ripple of his soul; the darkness beneath its hood seemed to "look" in a certain direction, though nothing was there. "Your brave Assault Brother, Declan Catonia... he is currently immersed in a re-animation tank, fighting for his life. His future... hehe, is not bright at all. And that beautiful Tech-Sergeant, Luna..."
A clear, heartbreaking scene was forcibly thrust into Gaius's mind: Luna, leaning against a broken wall, severely wounded in the abdomen, bleeding profusely, clutching a melta-bomb in her hand, her eyes filled with despair. And a massive, twisted Chosen of Khorne, radiating an aura of extreme brutality, was slowly advancing towards her! In the shadows further away, a cold, predatory killing intent belonging to a Tyranid Lictor lurked!
"She's going to die, Gaius." Tzeentch's voice hissed like a viper, "Because of your incompetence, because of your weakness. You could have prevented all of this, you could have had the power to save them..."
"No! Shut up!" Gaius struggled frantically in his consciousness, but his deepest fears and vulnerabilities were precisely targeted! Dorian and Luna were his brothers whom he absolutely could not lose! He would rather die ten thousand times over than see them harmed!
"Why be so stubborn?" Tzeentch's voice was filled with "regret," "Look, you care for them so much, you yearn for power to protect them... This doesn't conflict with my 'blessing,' does it? I don't only seek destruction; I appreciate... change, I appreciate those... interesting choices made for 'noble' purposes."
An indescribable, cold and vast energy began to forcibly pour into the depths of Gaius's soul! It wasn't the power that Karlos had once tried to bestow, which carried clear connotations of corruption and coercion, but rather something more like a... "gift"? A boundless power that felt as if it had always belonged to him, merely forgotten for a time!
"Feel this great power, Gaius." Tzeentch's voice seemed to come from the end of the universe, "Go save your brothers. Go fulfill your 'noble' wishes. When you are out of danger, I will naturally reclaim this power, and no one will notice... except, perhaps, yourself. You might... come to love this feeling."
The avatar's figure began to fade, and its voice grew increasingly ethereal: "When you choose to truly embrace it, I will appear again... I look forward to it... ha ha ha ha..."
The voice and illusion receded like a tide.
Boom!!!!
The pain, pressure, and clamor of the real world instantly returned! But at the same time, a terrifying power that Gaius had never imagined, as if it could tear stars apart and reshape reality, erupted within him like a breaching flood!
Endless knowledge and insight flooded his mind! Innumerable possibilities of the past, present, and future flowed before his eyes like unrolled scrolls! He felt as if he had instantly seen through the laws of the material universe, seen through the mists of the Warp! He felt like a deity; with a mere gesture, he could manipulate laws!
"Ugh ah ah ah----!!!"
Gaius let out a non-human roar, and the tons of ruined debris pressing down on him were violently flung away as if by an invisible giant hand! He abruptly rose from the rubble!
No, at this moment, he should perhaps be called—Daemon Prince Gaius Fateweaver!
Innumerable subtle, glowing blue traces, like circuit boards and mysterious runes, appeared on his azure Power Armor. His eyes blazed with a cold, all-seeing blue-white light, and his body was surrounded by psychic fluctuations that twisted light and reality. Simply standing there, he exuded a suffocating pressure!
His gaze instantly pierced through countless obstacles, landing precisely on the distant battlefield.
He saw that the Chosen of Khorne had already torn the Lictor that tried to ambush it into shreds in the most brutal way, and was now, with an unfulfilled desire for slaughter, walking step by step towards the almost unconscious Luna!
The Chosen of Khorne let out a victorious roar, its massive clawed blade raised, about to tear Luna to shreds, to please the Blood God with her skull and blood!
Just at this critical moment!
Gaius—or rather, the entity temporarily embodying the immense power of Tzeentch himself—simply, casually, lightly raised his right hand and made a vague grasping motion in that direction.
The charging Chosen of Khorne was struck as if by an invisible, space-spanning giant hammer! Its massive, twisted body was uncontrollably sent flying off the ground, crashing like a cannonball against the metal outer wall of a giant factory building, still partially standing, a hundred meters away!
Boom!!!!
With a deafening crash, the thick metal wall was slammed into, creating a huge dent. The Chosen of Khorne's entire body was almost embedded in it, countless twisted metal and bone spurs snapping, letting out a cry of pain.
And this was merely a casual strike from Gaius.
The next moment, Gaius's figure, like a ghost, instantly traversed hundreds of meters, appearing beside the dying Luna. His speed was so great, it was as if he had been standing there all along.
Luna's consciousness was already blurry. She only felt an indescribable, cold and immense power suddenly appear, and then that terrifying Chosen of Khorne flew away. She laboriously lifted her eyelids and saw a figure glowing with ethereal blue light, somewhat blurry... Gaius?
"...Ka...rl...?" she weakly questioned, instinctively feeling a hint of fear. The Gaius before her, his aura had become incredibly strange and terrifying, that power... it was definitely not what an Astartes should possess!
Gaius did not answer. He merely knelt down, extended his right hand, which shimmered with ethereal blue runes, and gently pressed it onto Luna's horrific abdominal wound.
A pure and powerful energy surged into Luna's body. It was not Chaos energy, but something closer to... the power of "reality manipulation"! It forcibly stopped the bleeding, mended the torn internal organs, and even began to accelerate cell regeneration, repairing the damaged Power Armor! The intense pain rapidly receded, replaced by a strange, cold sensation of comfort.
Luna watched all of this in shock, feeling her injuries rapidly improving. She was even more convinced that the entity before her was far more than just Gaius!
Just then, the Chosen of Khorne, embedded in the wall, struggled to pull itself out. Although severely wounded, the madness and vitality bestowed by Khorne kept it powerfully combat-ready. It let out an even more enraged roar, dropped to all fours like a mad beast, and charged again towards Gaius! It would tear this intruder, who had interrupted its slaughter and harmed it, to shreds!
Facing this thunderous charge, Gaius didn't even turn his head to look.
His attention seemed entirely focused on healing Luna. He merely, very casually, as if shooing a fly, lightly waved his left hand in the direction of the charging enemy behind him.
There was no light, no sound, no energy fluctuation.
The incredibly powerful Chosen of Khorne, in the midst of its furious charge, under Luna's incredulous gaze, its body, starting from the most microscopic particle level, instantly disintegrated, dissolved, and turned into primordial dust!
It was as if an invisible giant hand had "erased" it from this universe!
The terrifying monster that was roaring and charging a moment ago completely vanished without a trace the next, not even leaving a speck of ash, as if it had never existed.
After doing all this, Gaius's internal power seemed to have been significantly depleted. The ethereal blue light and runes around him gradually dimmed, and the cold, all-seeing divine light in his eyes slowly receded.
He withdrew his hand from Luna's wound. Although Luna's abdominal injury had not fully healed, it was no longer fatal and even allowed her to move slightly.
Gaius's body swayed, and a look of extreme fatigue and... bewilderment appeared on his face. He seemed to barely remember what had just happened, only vaguely feeling that he had done something to save Luna.
...Luna... Are you... alright now? Gaius's voice was hoarse and uncertain. He looked at Luna's noticeably improved injuries and the... vanished Chosen of Khorne around them, his eyes filled with confusion.
Luna looked at him, at those blue eyes that had regained some familiarity, and the fear in her heart lessened slightly, but countless questions and worries sprouted like vines.
What... was that just now?
Just as Gaius looked around in confusion, trying to comprehend the situation, and Luna was filled with shock and uncertainty, a dense and familiar sound of Bolter fire and the heavy thud of power armor running came from afar!
First Squad! Report your position! Lieutenant Golden's anxious but steady voice came through the squad channel.
Immediately after, several Ultramarines in azure power armor appeared at the end of the ruins. They advanced rapidly in standard tactical formation, searching vigilantly. Leading them was Lieutenant Golden, who immediately saw Gaius standing by the broken wall and Luna lying nearby, her injuries seemingly stabilized, as well as... the horrific battle traces around them and the two corpses of Black Legion Terminators!
Gaius! Luna! Lieutenant Golden immediately rushed over with his men. Seeing that both were disheveled, Gaius with a dented chest plate and blood at the corner of his mouth, Luna with damaged abdominal armor but seemingly treated, and at least both still alive, his taut nerves finally slowly relaxed, and he let out a long sigh of relief. By the Emperor's grace, you're alive!
He quickly gestured, and the warriors behind him immediately fanned out, established a perimeter, examined the two Chaos Terminator corpses, and began searching the surrounding area.
Lieutenant... Gaius's voice was still a little hoarse. He shook his head, trying to dispel that unreal, blurry feeling.
Don't move, you're badly injured. Lieutenant Golden knelt down and quickly checked Luna's injuries, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. This wound... was it given emergency treatment? A very professional method, but not the result of a standard field medical kit... He then looked at Gaius's dented chest plate. How are you?
I... I'm alright... Gaius frowned, trying hard to recall. It seems... a few ribs are broken... my lung might be injured... but now I feel... not so bad... He himself found it strange; he clearly felt like he was dying just now, but now, although still in pain, it seemed... bearable?
The doubt in Lieutenant Golden's eyes deepened. Just then, a warrior found Brother Draculus buried in a pile of ruins not far away.
Lieutenant! Over here! It's Brother Draculus! He's alive! But he's severely injured!
Lieutenant Golden and Gaius immediately looked over. Several warriors were carefully moving Draculus out of his severely damaged Indomitus Terminator Armor. His white helmet was half shattered, revealing a face covered in blood and contusions below, and his breathing was weak, clearly having suffered a fatal impact from the Chosen of Khorne's furious charge.
Immediately prepare a medical stretcher! Prioritize sending him back to the Cleansing Blade! Lieutenant Golden ordered immediately, his tone urgent. Draculus's injuries looked much more severe than Gaius's and Luna's.
The warriors acted swiftly, carefully securing the unconscious Draculus.
Lieutenant Golden then had time to carefully examine the battlefield. His gaze swept over the two gruesomely dead Chaos Terminator corpses — one decapitated, the other with two huge, terrible wounds on its back, burned by corrosive liquid.
Was it a Lictor? Lieutenant Golden judged based on the wounds, but then he frowned. No... a Lictor's attacks are usually more... precise and efficient. This decapitation and the punctures in the back... it's somewhat similar, but also a bit... overkill? And why would a Lictor actively attack the Black Legion?
His gaze swept around again, discovering more traces of fighting — impact dents on Draculus's armor, the wall Gaius crashed through, and... a huge crater on the distant factory wall, as if struck by some massive creature, but the crater was empty, with no corresponding body or bloodstains around it.
The strangest thing was... where was that Chosen of Khorne? According to Luna's initial emergency distress signal, they had clearly encountered a Chosen of Khorne! A Chaos monster of that level could never leave without a sound.
Lieutenant Golden's gaze finally returned to Gaius and Luna, and his tone became unusually serious: Gaius, Luna, tell me, what exactly happened? How did you take down these two Chaos Terminators? Where is that Chosen of Khorne? And how was Draculus injured?
A barrage of questions came, and Gaius instinctively wanted to answer, but as he opened his mouth, he found that the memories in his mind were like a thick fog, many details blurry and even contradictory.
He remembered the Black Legion's sneak attack... remembered Luna's severe injuries... remembered Draculus fighting one of the Terminators... remembered being swatted away by the Chosen of Khorne... remembered intense pain and a sense of suffocation... and then... what then?
A strange blank and confusion appeared in his memory.
He seemed... to have a very short dream? Dreaming of... darkness? And a... hooded shadow? It seemed... it said something? But the specific content was completely forgotten, leaving only a feeling of extreme revulsion and resistance.
And then... there was an... indescribable, cold and vast sense of power? And... a strange perspective that seemed to see everything?
He vaguely remembered standing up... and seemingly healing Luna effortlessly? And... dealing with that charging Chosen of Khorne... How did he deal with it? He had no recollection at all!
I... I don't remember clearly... Gaius rubbed his temples forcefully, a pained and confused expression on his face. I was thrown by that monster... badly injured, thought I was going to die... then... it seemed I was in a daze... when I became a little clearer... I saw Luna's injuries had improved... those two Terminators were dead... that Chosen of Khorne... was gone...
His description was fragmented and vague.
Lieutenant Golden's brows furrowed tightly. He looked at Luna: Luna, what about you? What did you see?
Luna's face was still pale. She looked at the bewildered Gaius, then recalled the heart-pounding, terrifying sight of the unfamiliar, ethereal blue-glowing Gaius casually obliterating the Chosen of Khorne, and that cold yet powerful healing energy... She opened her mouth, but didn't know how to describe it.
Was that really Gaius? Or... something else? If she said it, what impact would it have on Gaius? If the Inquisition knew... A strong protective instinct and worry made her swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue. She lowered her eyes and whispered: I... I was severely injured at the time, my consciousness was blurry... I only saw Gaius suddenly stand up... and then that charging Chosen of Khorne... flew out... After that... I'm not very clear...
Lieutenant Golden's sharp gaze swept back and forth between Gaius and Luna. He could tell that neither of them was telling the whole truth, at least withholding some key information. Especially Gaius's state and the bizarre disappearance of the Chosen of Khorne, everything was strange. The impact crater on that wall was clearly caused by a monster of the Chosen of Khorne's size, but where did it go? How could it leave no trace at all?
Could it be... related to Gaius's missing memory from that period?
Lieutenant Golden's heart sank. He remembered Luna being branded by Karlos before, and the Tzeentchian power that once belonged to Gaius... Could it be... He dared not think further. Some things, the more you know, the more dangerous they become, especially in the current urgent battle situation.
He was silent for a moment, ultimately not pressing further, but only said in a deep voice: ...I understand. You did very well, surviving is the greatest victory. Specific details, we'll discuss when we return to the warship. For now, the priority is to treat injuries and continue the mission.
He stood up and commanded: Apothecary! Prioritize sending Brother Draculus and Tech-Sergeant Luna back to the Thunderhawk! Sergeant Karl, can you still move?
Gaius tried to move. Although he was in pain all over, that inexplicable power seemed to have strengthened his recovery, and he nodded: Yes, Lieutenant.
Good, then you'll move with me. We must clear this area as quickly as possible and secure the route to the cave. Lieutenant Golden made his decision; he temporarily suppressed his doubts, prioritizing the mission.
The warriors quickly sprang into action. Luna and the unconscious Draculus were placed on medical stretchers and sent to the waiting Thunderhawk Gunship in the rear. Gaius, taking a deep breath, picked up the broken combat knife hilt from the ground, looked at it, shook his head, and then picked up his 'Hawkeye' sniper rifle, following Lieutenant Golden's squad.
Amidst the ruins, only the wreckage of the two Chaos Terminators and countless unsolved mysteries remained. Lieutenant Golden took one last look at the empty impact crater on the wall, his gaze deep, burying this doubt deep in his heart.
The immediate crisis on the battlefield was resolved, but the fog surrounding Gaius and the potential danger seemed to have only just begun.
The Cleansing Blade's medical deck once again welcomed the wounded. Draculas was immediately rushed into the highest-level emergency bay, where apothecaries and Tech-Priests busied themselves around his severely injured body, with various life support and regeneration systems operating at full capacity, battling death for this returning Deathwatch veteran.
In contrast, Gaius and Luna's conditions seemed... unusually light.
When the medical servitors and apothecaries conducted detailed examinations, they both showed expressions of disbelief. According to Luna's initial emergency distress signal and Lieutenant Golden's rough battlefield description, both of them should have suffered life-threatening severe injuries—Gaius with multiple fractures and ruptured internal organs, Luna with a bomb blast to her abdomen and severe blood loss.
However, the actual examination results showed: Gaius only had a slight rib fracture, with a small amount of bruising and contusion in his lungs, his overall condition was stable, and he didn't even need to enter a regeneration chamber, only requiring some bio-gel injections and external fixation. Luna's abdominal wound was even more bizarre; that terrifying penetrating injury seemed to have been initially treated and healed by some highly efficient and unknown method. Although it still required suturing and further treatment, she was completely out of danger and likewise did not need to enter a regeneration chamber.
"This... this is a miracle..." the apothecary in charge of the examination murmured, looking at the data pad. He had been practicing medicine for decades and had never seen such a strange recovery from injuries. This was beyond explanation by standard battlefield medicine or Astartes self-healing capabilities.
Gaius and Luna exchanged glances, both seeing deep unease and confusion in each other's eyes. They could also feel that their physical conditions were far better than expected, especially Gaius; he clearly remembered almost dying, but now he only felt a dull ache in his chest.
Lieutenant Golden returned them to the medical deck, and after confirming their stable condition, he didn't linger for a moment, immediately turning and leaving to return to the fierce battlefield on Brewster's surface. Before leaving, he looked deeply at Gaius, his gaze complex and unreadable, containing concern, doubt, and a subtle, hard-to-detect warning. But in the end, he said nothing more, just patted Gaius's shoulder: "Get some good rest. We'll be back."
The medical deck temporarily returned to quiet, with only the faint hum of instruments. After receiving simple suturing, Luna insisted on sitting on the medical bed next to Gaius.
They were silent for a moment, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.
Finally, Luna took a deep breath, breaking the silence. Her voice was very low, ensuring only Gaius could hear: "Gaius... there's something I must tell you. About... how we survived."
Gaius's heart tightened, and he looked at her: "Tell me."
Luna's gaze became somewhat unfocused, as if recalling an extremely terrifying scene: "I thought... I was going to die. That Chosen of Khorne walked towards me... and then... you suddenly stood up from the ruins..."
She described the scene in detail: that "Gaius" whose body was entwined with ethereal blue runes, whose eyes glowed with cold divine light, and who exuded a suffocating pressure; that terrifying power that, with a casual wave, sent the berserk Chosen of Khorne flying hundreds of meters like a toy; that mysterious energy that, with a gentle touch, rapidly healed her fatal wound; and finally... that miraculous scene where, without even turning back, he simply waved his hand, completely turning the powerful Chosen of Khorne into dust... As Luna narrated, those vague, fragmented memories in Gaius's mind seemed to gradually light up and connect. That endless darkness... that shadowy scholar figure beneath a dark cowl... those seductive and threatening whispers... and that cold, vast, seemingly all-controlling infinite power that suddenly surged into his body... "...It was Tzeentch..." Gaius's face turned pale, his voice dry and hoarse, "It was the Lord of Change... It came for me again... It gave me this power..."
Despite having suspected it, hearing it confirmed by Gaius himself sent a chill down Luna's spine. The Warp's Chaos God itself... actually directly intervened?!
"But it... it did save us..." Luna's voice trembled, "And after dealing with the enemy, that power disappeared... It didn't leave a mark like it did on me last time... What exactly does it want?"
This was also Gaius's greatest confusion. Tzeentch was by no means a benevolent god; it always demanded a return for its efforts. To so "generously" bestow power and then retract it, merely to save them? This absolutely did not align with the Lord of Change's cunning and unpredictable style.
They would never have guessed that, not long ago on the battlefield, in that forgotten corner.
The Lictor's remains, torn apart by the Chosen of Khorne and supposed to gradually decompose and dissipate, suddenly silently transformed into wisps of strange blue smoke. These wisps of smoke did not scatter; instead, they gathered, twisted, and reshaped as if alive... Finally, the blue smoke coalesced, forming a large crow with eerie blue-black feathers. It silently landed on a broken steel bar, its six eyes, shimmering with wisdom and malice, coldly scanning the battlefield, finally settling on the spot where Gaius had been buried earlier.
It was Kairos Fateweaver!
All of this, from beginning to end, was a meticulously designed trap!
From the Lictor's appearance coincidentally interfering with and heavily wounding the Black Legion Terminators, to its timely tearing apart by the Chosen of Khorne creating a perfect exit... All of this was to create a plausible, unsuspicious "opportunity" for the Lord of Change's true self to descend and bestow its "gift"!
A cunning glint of successful scheming flashed in Kairos's six eyes simultaneously. It let out a low, satisfied chuckle, as if from countless overlapping spaces, then once again transformed into a wisp of blue smoke and completely vanished.
Tzeentch's schemes, interlocking and full of deception, manipulated everyone in its grasp, making them impossible to guard against!
And a deeper hidden danger had already been sown.
Gaius did not know that when the supreme divine power belonging to Tzeentch's true self surged into his body, healing his injuries and granting him temporary god-like power, something deeper and more secretive was also quietly planted.
The "Mark of Change," once purified by the Emperor's divine power and seemingly vanished, was not truly eradicated. Its most fundamental trace had long been deeply intertwined with Gaius's soul.
This direct infusion of Tzeentch's true power acted like the most fertile nutrient, not only temporarily activating this trace of the mark but also subtly and deeply hiding it, burying it in the deepest recesses of Gaius's mind, a corner even he couldn't detect. It didn't leave a conspicuous brand like it did on Luna, but rather chose a more hidden, more insidious method—dormancy.
The Lord of Change possessed endless patience. It didn't need to immediately seize this perfect vessel. It was waiting, waiting for the optimal moment.
Waiting for Gaius's faith in the Imperium to completely waver... Waiting for his cherished brothers to fall one by one on the battlefield... Waiting for him to sink into complete despair and helplessness... At that time, this deeply buried "Mark of Change" would be fully detonated, instantly devouring Gaius's will, welcoming back its most perfect Daemon Prince—Gaius Fateweaver!
It could even... personally create opportunities and pave the way for that day to arrive.
Gaius sat on the medical bed, feeling a chill run straight up his spine to the top of his head. He thought he had long escaped the shadows of the past, but he never imagined he had never truly escaped the black hand that manipulated fate. Tzeentch saving him was not out of benevolence, but for a more long-term, more terrifying scheme.
"What... what should we do?" Luna's voice was filled with worry and lingering fear.
Gaius was silent for a long time, finally slowly raising his head. Although there was still fear in his eyes, there was more of a cold determination: "We can't tell anyone... especially the Inquisition. As for Lieutenant Golden... I'll find a chance to talk to him. As for Tzeentch..."
He clenched his fist: "It wants to wait for me to despair? To betray? Dream on! I will become stronger, I will protect every one of my brothers! I will never let it succeed!"
His words were firm, but deep within him, the quietly planted shadow, like a ticking time bomb, remained silent. The path ahead was destined to be even darker and more difficult.
The soft lights of the medical deck shone down, but they could not dispel the gloom in Gaius and Luna's hearts. They sat in silence, digesting the chilling truth. The air was filled with the scent of disinfectant and the regular ticking of instruments, yet it seemed unable to mask the silent mockery from the depths of the Warp.
"This matter must not be known by a fourth person," Gaius emphasized again, his voice low and firm, his gaze sweeping over the medical deck entrance to ensure no one was listening. "Especially not the Inquisition. Once the news gets out, no matter the reason, we will be listed as highly suspicious, and might even be directly 'purified'."
Luna nodded heavily, her face still pale. She knew full well the Inquisition's zero-tolerance policy towards Chaos corruption, especially when it involved direct intervention from a Chaos God, which was beyond any "extenuating circumstances."
"Lieutenant Golden…" Luna hesitated, "He's clearly suspicious. The traces on the battlefield are too strange…"
Gaius took a deep breath, which pulled at the wound on his chest, making him frown slightly: "I'll find an opportunity to talk to him alone. The Lieutenant… he's trustworthy, and he understands us, and Kairos Fateweaver's tricks. Perhaps… he can offer some advice, or at least, help us cover up some unnecessary trouble." This was a last resort, but also the only option currently. Hiding it from a Lieutenant who cared for them so much and was so perceptive was not easy, and could lead to greater risks.
"As for us…" Gaius looked at Luna, his eyes becoming unusually serious, "We must be more vigilant than ever, Luna. Not just against external enemies, but against ourselves… especially against me." He pointed to his chest, where not only physical scars lay, but also an invisible bomb, "If… if I show any abnormality in the future, any sign of being influenced… you must stop me without hesitation, and even… report it."
As he said this, his heart was filled with pain and resolve. To ask a comrade to monitor him, and even be prepared to sacrifice him if necessary, was an act of such helplessness and sorrow.
Luna looked at the deep pain and unwavering determination in Gaius's eyes, and her heart tightened. But she didn't hesitate at all, nodding solemnly: "I understand, Gaius. I swear on my honor as a Tech-Sergeant."
After a brief exchange, both fell silent again, each processing the heavy burden and the hidden worries of the future.
After an unknown period, the medical deck's door slid open again. Heavy footsteps approached, and Lieutenant Golden, covered in the smell of gunpowder and blood, returned. The fatigue on his face was undeniable, and his azure armor had several new scratches and scorch marks, but his gaze was still sharp.
He first hurried to Draculas's emergency pod and checked the situation through the observation window. The Apothecary inside gave him a gesture indicating "stable but still under observation," and only then did Lieutenant Golden slightly relax, turning to walk towards Gaius and Luna.
His gaze swept over both of them carefully, lingering for a moment on Gaius's chest, which was almost fine after simple treatment, and Luna's abdomen, which was fine after being stitched.
"How are you feeling?" Lieutenant Golden asked, his tone sounding normal, but Gaius and Luna could both sense the scrutiny beneath the calm.
"Much better, Lieutenant. It won't affect continued fighting," Gaius replied, sitting up straight.
Luna also nodded: "I can handle some logistics and technical support work."
Lieutenant Golden hummed, pulled over a chair, and sat down, looking directly at Gaius: "Ground clearing operations are largely complete. The remnants of the Black Legion have been eliminated. The Fourth Company and Fifth Company are working with the Inquisition to consolidate the cave defenses and assess that ancient device. The Krieg regiments have repelled several Tyranid assaults, suffering heavy losses, but the defense line is temporarily stable."
He paused, then changed the subject, his tone deepening: "Now, Gaius, tell me. Before I arrived, what exactly happened in that ruin? What about the impact crater on that wall? Where did that Chosen of Khorne go? And your injuries… they've recovered too quickly."
What had to come, finally came. Gaius and Luna's hearts raced.
Gaius took a deep breath, meeting Lieutenant Golden's gaze. He knew it was impossible to lie completely, so he could only selectively reveal parts of the "truth" and guide it towards a relatively "reasonable" and acceptable direction.
"Lieutenant, the specific details… I can't quite remember," Gaius began to narrate, his tone carrying appropriate confusion and pain. "I was heavily wounded at the time, my consciousness blurry… I only remember seeing… a blue light at the end… very dazzling… then I seemed to hear something explode or… annihilate… When I woke up again, all the enemies were gone, and my and Luna's injuries also seemed… to have been stabilized by some force."
He cleverly described Tzeentch's power vaguely as "a blue light" and "the sound of annihilation," linking it to the Chosen of Khorne's disappearance, implying a possible mutual destruction or an unknown energy burst.
Luna chimed in at the appropriate moment, confirming Gaius's statement: "Yes… I also saw a strong flash… and then that Chosen of Khorne… disappeared… After that, Gaius helped me with my wounds…" She still concealed the details of Gaius's form change and the instantaneous disintegration of enemies with a wave of his hand.
Lieutenant Golden listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping his knee. His gaze, like a searchlight, scanned Gaius's face, trying to find any trace of a lie. Gaius's description, though bizarre, was not entirely impossible. Certain powerful psychic bursts or unknown device effects could indeed cause similar results. Moreover, the strange recovery of their injuries also seemed to corroborate some kind of "energy intervention."
He certainly wouldn't fully believe it, especially considering Gaius's past experiences. But he also knew that pressing further would likely not yield a more truthful answer, and might instead push things in an uncontrollable direction.
After a long silence, Lieutenant Golden slowly spoke, his tone meaningful: "…A blue light… an unknown energy burst… I understand." He neither expressed belief nor doubt.
He stood up, patted Gaius's shoulder: "Heal well, don't overthink it. Some battles aren't just fought on the battlefield. Hold onto your heart, Gaius, trust your brothers, and trust the Emperor's guidance."
This sentence seemed like ordinary encouragement, but Gaius and Luna both understood its deeper meaning—the Lieutenant clearly hadn't fully accepted their explanation, but he chose not to delve deeper for now, and offered a warning and reminder.
"Yes, Lieutenant," Gaius replied solemnly, his heart a mix of emotions.
Lieutenant Golden nodded, said no more, and turned to leave to handle other military affairs. Only Gaius, Luna, and the unconscious Draculas remained on the medical deck.
Both knew that this matter was far from over. The Lieutenant's doubts were only temporarily suppressed, and the hidden danger buried deep in Gaius's soul was a crisis that could erupt at any moment.
Meanwhile, in orbit around the planet Bruceter, the Cleansing Blade, along with other Ultramarines vessels and the remaining Imperial Navy fleet, patrolled and guarded against counterattacks from the Black Legion or other Chaos forces.
In a secluded observation deck of the warship, Gaius stood alone before a massive viewport, gazing at the vast starry sky outside and the still war-torn planet below.
His body was mostly recovered, but the turmoil in his heart had never subsided. He repeatedly recalled that dark space, the whispers of Tzeentch, the brief yet intoxicating supreme power… Just then, an extremely subtle, almost illusory whisper, echoed again deep in his mind, as ethereal as stardust, yet carrying a fatal temptation:
"…Look… this boundless starry sky, this trivial conflict… you should have a broader stage…"
"…The Empire's rules will only shackle your wings…"
"…When your brothers fall into despair again… will you still refuse this power?…"
"…We… are one…"
Gaius shivered violently, shaking his head forcefully, and the whisper instantly vanished, as if it had never appeared.
But he knew it wasn't an illusion.
It was the deeply buried Mark of Change, whispering to him.
He clenched his fists tightly, looking at his slightly pale reflection in the glass, his eyes filled with struggle and determined light.
"No…" he whispered to his reflection, and to the shadow hidden deep in his soul, "I will never yield…"
The star sea was silent, the battle still continued. And a more perilous war, one fought deep within the soul, had just begun.