The Eye of Terror: End of Terror

[Shadow Chorus]

"Sorry lad." Gulgrim said, a knowing grin playing on his features as he looked at Cameron after his request. "Me boyz want ta get stuck in. Nuffin' I ken do 'bout dat now."

Outside, from the mayhem of the warp above the heads of the clashing armies, green lightning crackled. From the nothingness appeared a pair of massive, building-sized boulders of cosmic debris, soaring to the enemy lines on jets of oily smoke. With a deafening, earth-shaking crash, the Roks slammed into the enemy mass, and almost immediately Hordes of Boyz began to swarm out from the wreckage, choppas slashing and sluggas firing wildly as they rushed into the Chaos hordes with abandon.

"Don't worry 'tho." The warboss offered. "They gotz 'me plan 'in mind. I'z got da best o' me boyz in charge."

From amidst the rubble of the collapsing Rok a massive form stepped out, a Nob decked in more metal than perhaps even the Warboss himself. Gazgob the Big Mek, Chief Engineer o' Gulgrim's Bonecrunchas surveyed the battlefield, then offered a whack to the mekboyz sitting next to him mukkin' about.

"Alright you slogs, time ta get tha' tellyporta up n' runnin'! s'gotta be gud enough ta get thru all'a this warpstuff mukkin' up the signal! Get ta work!"

The Big Mek turned back to stride inside the Rok, a makeshift fortress from which the Orks would establish their supply line, sending more boyz into the fight as soon as he and his subordinate Mekboyz managed to get the Tellyporta online.

As it stood, there were already an uncountable number of Orkz pouring out from the two Roks already, swarming like a green tide upon the Chaos forces.

"Dey'z been told da spikey boyz' is dere only target. Can't 'elp a bit o' friendly fire though." There was a throaty chuckle from the Warboss, as outside a barrage of Stikkbomz lobbed toward the front-line where the allied forces were clashing in melee with the soldiers of Chaos. While the majority of them landed on the Chaos side of the battlefield, a good handful flew stray, and the debris from explosions threatened to throw rocks at anyone too slow to dodge.

"But dat's fer dem fightin' outside. Wot we'z gunna do about dese doors?"

[Kitharsis]

"Just us, then. Let's finish this."  Cameron says.

Kitharsis echos Mary's nod, before beginning to climb the staircase.  Minutes pass, and it is easy to tell that they are caught in another reality distortion.  Uneasy, Kitharsis ponders to what extent the Chaos could alter the world around them.  His answer greets him as Cameron stops abruptly, nearly causing a pile-up at the top of the staircase.

A single corridor stretches as far as Kitharsis can percieve.  Doors line either side.  A frown plants itself firmly across Kitharsis's face.

Jharm and Soul Reaver make attempts to determine what this unnatural corridor is hiding.  Everything else presented to them by this Chaos fortress has been very real, and very dangerous.  It would be no surprise to find this endless corridor is just as real as the warehouse they were caught in before.

"Hmph," Kitharsis grunts as he crosses his arms in front of him.  He waits to see what the others are able to discern of the situation, his patience wearing thin.

[Danyael]

He need only look and say nothing else. He saw the problem. He couldn't see the solution. Not in ways with which he could describe at least. But he saw something else. He saw no way out. No end to this madness. No end to this toil. And for that possible realization, the nephilim lord resigned himself back into silence. He closed his eyes and lowered his head beneath the shadows of his hood where the shade embraced him. He muttered nothing, said nothing, looked at nothing. Sure, of course he heard peculiar and intriguing theories. But what good would his be when he'd already done so much to accomplish so little? He had no idea what to do next. Every time the companions gained ground, another ridiculous cosmic contraption plonked itself right in their path, barring the way to the end. So much said and done and for what. To gaze up at whatever the hell it was that he got tired of looking at. All of it looked like hopelessness to him. And he was so very tired. So, he would say nothing. From here on out, silence and action would be his creed.

It would be so easy to leave once again. At least within the warp, he found his way home. Even if it did take what felt like several lifetimes in all timelines past, present and future. At least in the warp, he knew he had choices. He knew he had avenues. But here in this bedlam...? If anything, he felt a continuous sense of something else. Anger, maybe? Or was it indignation? Possibly indignation, considering how this rotten place continued to plague and provoke the companions over and over again with more parlor tricks and twists and turns. Never a straight ahead march. Even in what looked like a straight corridor before them did the Nephilim Lord suspect it was anything but that simple.

And then he felt a ping in the energy spectrum. Soul Reaver had once again pulled out that damnable dirk, consulting with that accursed thing in whatever dog's language of the mind he communed with. Just how many times were the companions going to trust this man and his wmd's to find the best solution when they'd been presented with counter proof that they should be all the more cautious of allowing him the freedom to skirt the banks of danger? But he said nothing. Saying nothing was best for now. Beneath his cloak, the nephilim lord gripped the yamato, though he made no motion toward the immortal - keeping his distance. He was tired of getting betrayed over and over again. By the same man, as well! Chaos at their front and that damnable tinkerer and his weapons of mass destruction at their backs. Or also at their front, considering the distance Danyael kept. His form stiffened and he prepared for the next engagement.

[Daccio]

Sepher folowed cameron up the spiral staircase. He was frowning by the time they got to the 'next floor' that took a quarter of an hour to reach.

"Huh"

He spoke softly as the corridor streteched out before them.

"This could go on forever. We need to think of something."

Hmmmm, sepher thought to himself. He didn't have much to help here, but he could think of one thing that might work, or could backfire, depending on how things went.

He let himself quest out with raw chaost energy, feeling about this place, searching for anything that might give them a clue as to which room they need to go in, if any.

---------------------------

Down at the battlefield
The tau fought with a deadly efficiency, backing up the other forces on the ground perfectly. Any time armor was spotted, marker lights were brought forward to light up the target before it was subsequently hit by a seeker missile. Precision fire from rail and pulse rifles tore through armor with ease. There was only one group of enemies in close combat when the orks showed up. That was Vash, in her prototype battle suit and her honor guard in their suits as well.
Suddenly, CAS lit up as stickbombs fell into the melee. Most missed, but one went sailing by Vash's head. Shouldering the Dawn blade in one hand, the other struck out to grab the grenade. It explode in the closed fist of suit, the Adamantine armor absorbing the blast.

Vash frowned, and Growled one word.

"Orks"

They were the mortal enemy of the tau.

Cas quickly spoke to her though.

"Shas'O, they appear to be fighting on our side, even with the indescriminate grenade use"

She sighed "Alright" She flicked on her comms to her troops.

"Listen up, we have Orks in the fray. Don't kill them unless you have to. They are on the side of greater good this day. Shas'O Vash'Aun out"

She turned her mic off and took the dawn blade up, before wading back out into the mass of enemies.

[Cameron]

Jharm can certainly feel the evil energies of the individuals who had traveled this way previously. A few of these trails are very recent. However, some kind of foul presence interferes with the Seraphim's ability to track them. Each time the trail hits a door, it seems to also hit two or three other doors as well. While you could eventually find your way through this way, it would be hours upon hours of trial and error.

Blooddrinker, on the other hand, has no difficulty discerning the nature of this place, though the Daemon is reluctant to share anything helpful at first. But with Soul Reaver back in control, it is only a few moments before he finally receives a pained reply.

I see the same as you. There is no illusion here. But they have stretched reality to it's breaking point by harnessing the vast warp energy gathered here. And it is their connection to the Warp that allows them to navigate it...

Cameron continues to gaze down the seemingly endless corridor, keeping an eye on Soul Reaver as he does so. Judging by his posture, the Immortal seems to be trying to use the Daemon blade to see through what lies before them. Cameron silently hopes that Soul Reaver is not choosing to trust the creature that so recently turned on them too quickly.

His thoughts turn again to the combat outside of the Spire. He can no longer tell what is happening outside due to the interference, but Gulgrim's words about his boys getting stuck in concern him. He reaches out with his mind, trying to feel for any of his allies, but only picks up vague muffled voices. While doing this, he notices something ahead of them. A familiar presence.

"Mary. Do you feel that?"

Having not been able to find an immediate solution to their problem, Mary had allowed her gaze to drift back to Danyael, who has yet to offer any input on the situation. She is about to say something to him when Cameron's words derail her train of thought. Cameron is clearly looking down the corridor again and she turns her attention to it, quieting her thoughts and allowing her attunement to the elements speak through her senses.

Warp energy rages all around her it is especially strong here. She can feel it pulsing from behind every wall, and beyond every door. It almost feels like the entire place is shaped by it. Held together by the vast and twisting depths of Chaos itself. But beyond that, she can also feel a faint, familiar presence.

"Yes. I feel it. There's something in here with us that I've felt before."

[Soul Reaver]

Blooddrinker answers, his Daemonic voice sounding somewhat strangled, as though its throat were held in an iron grip.

I see the same as you. There is no illusion here.  But they have stretched reality to it's breaking point by harnessing the vast warp energy gathered here. And it is their connection to the Warp that allows them to navigate it...

Soul Reaver relaxes and puts the sword away once more before turning to the others nearby.

"No glamour hides our path, but not all is as it appears.  Reality itself is being... bent by the chaotic Warp energies here."

He locks Mary in a meaningful gaze.

"Blooddrinker suggests that the path forward is only open to those with a connection to the Warp."

[Danyael]

He’d forgotten what the voice of Soul Reaver’s sword had sounded like. He’d even forgotten the thing wasn’t a sword at all. It made hearing the creature no less chilling, to be sure. The Nephilim lord’s senses, much like sonar, could pick up the ripples of power emanating from the source – the creature’s prison and the immortal’s weapon. And in that moment was the Nephilim Lord reminded as to why such power was to be feared… and recognized. And it made all the more sense as to why helping Soul when he’d gone berserk was so difficult. Still, though… too many wounds had been inflicted already.

When he heard Mary mention the familiarity with the forces around her, Danyael could feel some rare sense of familiarity himself – though it was no less alien to him than the other forces of this universe. He still couldn’t negate how he was drawn to the threads of energy around him. But he kept his eyes closed, allowing his awareness of the area to guide him instead. And then he heard it:

"Blooddrinker suggests that the path forward is only open to those with a connection to the Warp."

Danyael’s sigh let out next to Mary, having made his way to her in the same instant. He stepped forward not but an arm’s reach beyond the group, pulling back his hood before opening his eyes to once again behold the silent power of existence all around him through eyes and senses that had mutated them in the first place. He was more than connected to the warp. He translated the warp. Perceived it in deepest clarity. The warp had changed him in as many ways as he had forms. Turning to look back to the companions, he tossed them an exhausted, if not knowing, look. Then shrugged. “I volunteer as tribute.”

[Cameron]

Mary sighs as Soul Reaver confirms her suspicions regarding the composition of what lies before them.

"Of course. Makes sense, giving the amount of warp energy flowing through this place."

Mary looks to Danyael as he approaches her. She is glad that she will not have to navigate this maze on her own. She reaches out and grabs Danyael's hand as she turns back towards the corridor. Her eyes are already beginning to spill over with latent warp energy as she reaches out to her surroundings. Her physical connection to Danyael only strengthens this. She is reassured by the fact that if she loses sight of the threads, that Danyael should also be able to see them.

"I know the way. let's go."

Mary moves forward with Danyael. Cameron follows. They seem to move randomly through hallways and doorways, with Mary occasionally pausing to get her bearings. At first it seems like they are making no progress. Time seems to lose all meaning in this place. But after an indeterminate amount of time, the hallways begin to grow wider, and the doors and decorations begin to look more and more ornate. They were obviously getting closer to whatever the inner sanctum of this place is.

Mary is too focused on the threads of the Warp to notice, but Cameron starts to lag behind the group. That familiar presence he felt earlier is getting stronger and stronger. He finally comes to a complete stop next to a large door ordained with a bass relief of the Eye of Chaos.

"Mary. Keep going. I'll catch up with you."

Mary glances back at Cameron. She is about to say something in reply, but stops short. Her expression is that of someone who had forgotten something but suddenly remembered it. She turns back to the corridor ahead.

"Yes. That would be best."

Mary continues to move forward with the rest of the group. Cameron tries the door but finds it locked.

"Hmm. No time to be subtle about it."

Cameron levels an arm-mounted Storm Bolter at the door and kicks the door. The door, reinforced as it is, buckles and bends inward. A second kick forces it open.

Inside is a lavish bedchamber which has apparently not seen use in quite some time. Personal effects are scattered around the chamber. Some are pbvious Chaos artifacts and trophies, but others look alien to this place. Cameron winces as he recognizes objects and paintings that could have only been crafted on his homeworld. There could be only one explanation for this.

"Kronos."

The Chaos Lord that Cameron slew back on Aldrean. His first full mission with the companions at his side, which seems to Cameron as if it were a lifetime ago. The traitor, Kronos, who betrayed the Ahrment’il and destroyed their home planet, committing genocide in the process.

"So this is the "seat of power" you gave your entire race up for. A bedchamber tucked away in the depths of an illusion."

The presence that drew Cameron in here is emanating from the corner of the room. As Cameron crosses the room, he sees a computer system that comes to life as he approaches. He decides to investigate, curious to see if the system contains anything that may be able to shed some light on what was ahead.

The computer is unlocked. Khronos obviously was not expecting any one unauthorized to ever make it this far into the central bastion of Chaos. The programs displaying on the screen must have been whatever he was working on before he left for Aldrean.

Cameron quickly sifts through screen after screen. Maps of the surface of Aldrean. Force deployments. Battle plans. Communications with the other Chaos lords. Abbadon was the only Chaos Lord to not participate directly in the battle, though it was clear by these documents that he had helped provide some of the force deployment strategies and even some of his Black Legion. None of this is important now, however. That battle is over. The Chaos forces had been routed due to the interference of the Companions.

Cameron is just about to give up this fruitless search when he discovers a program that was running underneath all of the battle planning applications. It appears to be a map of the Imperial Plane. Cameron scans it, noting with a hint of anger that the area his homeworld, Inferia, was located in is marked with a red X. He notices a panel underneath the map.

SCAN FOR ENERGY SIGNATURE 0000X0Y7B-ZZ? Y/N

Curious, Cameron selects "Y." The panel is replaced with the blinking word "WAIT" in red letters. Then there is a power surge. The entire tower shakes underneath Cameron as he stumbles backwards.

"What the fuck?"

Further ahead, Mary and Danyael have just led the rest of the companions through a large door into a corridor much bigger than the others. Each side of the corridor is lined with sets of Chaos Space Marine armor. One set from each of the Traitor Legions. The walls and ceilings are painted with scenes of war and chaos, dating from the Horus Heresy to more recent conflicts. Abbadon himself is depicted more than once. A massive set of double doors marked with the Eye of Chaos sit at the end of the hallway. Mary points at it.

"That's it. That's the center-"

Mary is cut off as a tremor rocks the tower. Dust and debris falls from the ceiling and some of the suits of power armor topple and fall over. Mary struggles to keep her balance, letting go of Danyael's hand to grasp the nearest wall with both hands.

"That was a massive power surge. It came from behind us."

Back in the bedchamber, Cameron had stumbled to one knee and now returns to his feet. He stares at the map. it is now filled with dots. Some are off by themselves in remote areas, while some are clustered around more densely populated locations. But what was this actually scanning for? What was this energy signature?

"Wait..."

Cameron notices dots on the area of the map marked as their current location. He zooms in, revealing a map of the Eye of Terror. He zooms in further, localizing the map on the center of the Eye. This tower, and it's immediate surroundings. Two dots appear inside the tower. Three more appear just outside of it.

"That's impossible."

Cameron zooms back out. He silently counts the number of dots he sees.

"That's... that's not possible. That can't be. Unless..."

Cameron stares at the map for another moment. He still feels the presence just beneath the computer system's screen. He begins frantically searching for a way to access the system hardware. Locating a panel under the screen, he rips it open.

"Khronos... you murderous bastard."

The system is connected directly to the power grid for the tower, meaning that it is probably drawing Warp energy, which explains the tremors. But wedged into the circuitry along with the data disks that serve as the system's storage, is a sky blue crystal that looks nothing like the rest of the components. Cameron recognizes it instantly.

"That explains everything."

Cameron works quickly, splicing his armor's central CPU into the Chaos system. Within moments, he has copied all of the data from the system into his armor.'s data storage. He then reaches in and rips the crystal from it's housing, ignoring the sparks and flames that gutter from the terminally damaged equipment. As he does this, both Elemental blades sheathed at his side speak in unison.

The source.

Cameron stares at the crystal in his hands.

"The source."

The other Elemental blades repeat the message from Valermos and Anathros. Mary simply nods as Morthoseth speaks into her mind.

Finally. This battle is reaching it's end.

Back in the bedchamber, Cameron tucks the crystal safely away inside his armor.

"Fuck you, Kronos. I know what your goal was. But you failed. And now I'm going to use this to undo everything you sought to accomplish."

Cameron looks back up at the screen, which is now displaying numerous error messages. He puts a mailed fist through it. It sparks once and dies. Cameron then turns and marches out of the chamber. As he does, he places his hand on Valermos's hilt, using it to relay a message to Mary.

Mary. I'm coming back. And I've found something that Khronos was hiding from us. Something that might be able to save our people.

Mary places her hands on Morthoseth's hilt and replies.

I know. We've found the final door. Hurry.

She turns back to the Companions.

"Cameron will be rejoining us shortly. The center of the gathering Warp energy is just through this door. Whoever is behind this must also be there."

Mary draws her two-handed sword.

"This is it."

[Soul Reaver]

Where Mary and Danyael lead, Soul Reaver follows.  He is alert, all his senses sharply scanning the area for any ambush - but none comes.

When Cameron begins to lag behind, Soul Reaver notices.  It seems he is preoccupied by something that the others cannot see.  As he is about to inquire what Cameron has noticed, Cameron speaks.

"Mary. Keep going. I'll catch up with you."

Soul Reaver decides to hold his tongue.  He would trust Cameron's judgement - the warrior would not stay behind in a place like this without very good reason.  And so they press on through the ever-more elaborate corridor, passing through a set of large doulbe doors and into a massive, ornate antechamber.  The Eye of Chaos inscribed on the doors opposite gazes balefully down at the companions and scenes of battle adorn the painted walls.

The entire tower suddenly shudders and heaves, and Soul Reaver stumbles as he is thrown momentarily off-balance.  He catches his footing quickly enough, Blooddrinker somehow already in one hand, his other poised to trace a rune into the air.  A few more wisps of stone dust drift down the from the ceiling near him, but now everything is still again.

"That was a massive power surge. It came from behind us."

Soul Reaver keeps the blade unsheathed as they approach the huge doors.

"Cameron will be rejoining us shortly. The center of the gathering Warp energy is just through this door. Whoever is behind this must also be there."  She unsheathes her weapon as well.  "This is it."

While superfically impassive, Soul Reaver's expression betrays a drawn weariness - this adventure has taken its toll both in body and spirit.

"Our enemies are not to be underestimated.  They can and will exploit our weaknesses.  We must protect not just ourselves, but also each other."

Sometimes, from ourselves.

[Kitharsis]

Mary and Danyael seem to have discerned a path through the seemingly endless corridor.  Doorways lead to hallways lead to doorways.  Kitharsis loses his bearings almost immediately.  He could swear that they doubled back on more than one occasion, only to be greeted by a subtly different corridor than the previous.

Cameron, uncharacteristically lagging behind the group, finally stops next to a large door.  He indicates his intentions to linger behind, which are greeted with Kitharsis's brow wrinkling in concern.  Mary nearly objects, but seems to think better of it.  Not wanting to argue, Kitharsis nods in acknowledgement and follows after Mary.

The sounds of Cameron kicking in the door reach his ears, but are soon lost as they pass through yet another doorway.  The power surge, shaking the entire tower, is certainly not lost, as Kitharsis's tattoos flare to life in response. 

"Cameron will be rejoining us shortly. The center of the gathering Warp energy is just through this door. Whoever is behind this must also be there."

Mary draws her two-handed sword.

"This is it."

The tattoos scrawling across his body fade back to normal.  There is no telling what will be greeting them on the other side of the door, no need to be over excited.  The skeletal wings on his back unfurl as he rolls his shoulders, then fold back in.  The tiny mage sits stoic on his back, its typical campy demeanor giving way to the severity of the upcoming battle.

"Finally."  Is the only word he says, as he stares intently at the door ahead of them.

[Veldanya Venalla]

The Seraphim follows behind Mary, noticing when Cameron splits off from the group but Jharm continues to follow behind the Warp elemental.  After quite a few twists and turns they finally reach a set of large doors.

"Cameron will be rejoining us shortly. The center of the gathering Warp energy is just through this door. Whoever is behind this must also be there."

Jharm grips his large hammer in both of his hands as he prepares himself for what will likely be the final battle of this long campaign to eliminate yet another source of Darkness from the multiverse.  He glances around at his companions, many he has fought beside for quite some time now.  They had faced many trials during this journey, some more then others.  The Seraphims gaze lingers on Soul Reaver for a moment as he ponders this but then continues on.  The angellic warrior then drops to a knee and seems to softly chant a prayer, light flashing around each of the Companions as he stands up once more.

"The Light is with us my friends....victory shall be ours."

The Seraphims words, coupled with the glowing light that recently bathed each of the Companions seems to resonate an aura of....certainty.  It's as if the Seraph refuses to accept anything but a successful outcome, his words and demeanor resonating out to bolster the spirits of his fellow warriors as they prepare to face the unknown.

[Daccio]

Sepher let's the energy he was channeling disperse, having gotten nothing from it. He looked around with a frown, but looked to mary as she spoke.

"I know the way, let's go"

Sepher followed cameron, his senses on high alert, the voices in his head quiet for once, as if they sensed the tension. Wether that was why they were quiet or the souls of the daemons he had captured were planning something was another story.

He looked to Cameron curiously as he told mary to continue on with the rest of the group. Sepher did not like the idea of him splitting off.

He sighed and followed mary, ad they entered through a large door. His head whipped about, assessing what he saw as the suits of chaos space marine armor were seen. His eyes finally settled on the double doors at the end of the hallway.

As a tremor shakes the tower, sepher dodged a falling set of armor.

Mary spoke

"Cameron will be rejoining us shortly. The center of the gathering Warp energy is just through this door. Whoever is behind this must also be there."  She unsheathes her weapon as well.  "This is it."

Sepher took a deep breath. He was tired, he thought to himself, but he could do this one more time. The other companions would feel sepher building energy as he closed his eyes. The energy was unmistakebly daemon in nature, and the others woould know he was drawing on his daemon souls once more. The energy welled within him, ready to be released. His eyes opened and inky blakness blanket his iris. Sepher opened and clowsed his hands, seemingly on the point of breaking, but walking the knife edge required to do what he had to do. He was ready.

[Shadow Chorus]

Everyone was gathering. The big fight was on its way. Gulgrim could taste it. At the back of the group of warriors, the WAAAGH!!! energy began to build within the warboss. Green lightning began to dance across his body as it surged, longing to be released on an unsuspecting enemy.

'This is it' one of them said.

"I'z bloody hope so." The warboss's voice rumbled with energy as he spoke. It was beginning to swirl off of him now, dancing on the ground around him as his form physically swelled with power. Every muscle was on fire with the need to kill, to fight, to maim and destroy. "Dunno 'ow much longer I'z ken wait. Anticipashun iz killin' me."

Any dust or small rocks or debris near the Warboss's form was vaporized, as his energy sought anything it was allowed to fight. Gulgrim's sheer determination kept it from lashing out at those he had declared his allies. He'd said they weren't gonna get krumped, and a Warboss is never wrong. Even when they change their mind, they were always right. But for now, he wasn't going to hurt the people he'd signed on to smash chaos boys with, and the energy within him obeyed, if reluctantly.

But if he let it build too long, even he ran the risk of being damaged by it. And an explosion of the magnitude Gulgrim would produce would likely lay waste to everything-and every one- within an unpredictable distance. He was fine for now, but this fight better happen soon.

[Cameron]

Mary glances at Gulgrim with some measure of concern. She has been working very hard to keep her power in check her entire time in the Eye, but it wasn't nearly as much of a problem for her as it seemed to be for the Ork Warboss.

"Hang in there, big guy. We're moving on now. I just want to wait for-"

Mary cuts herself off as Cameron strides into the room. The expression on his face is almost triumphant.

"No need to wait. I'm here."

Determination fills Cameron's eyes and his voice, mixed with restrained excitement. This is clearly the best he's looked since Kalana's fall. Mary knows better than to question why. She already knows what he found and it's implications.

"Mary, I-"

Mary speaks over Cameron, cutting him off.

"I know. We'll have time for that later. We need to get to Ahriman before Abbadon does."

Cameron nods.

"You're absolutely right. Is this it?"

Mary turns to the door.

"Beyond this doorway is the source of all that energy. Every warp trail leads to this spot. This has to be the top."

Cameron strides through the room, passing Mary as he approaches the door.

"No time to waste, then."

Cameron lowers his shoulder and charges the door, projecting Elemental and Psychic energy into the charge. The door explodes inward and Cameron's momentum carries him forward into the chamber beyond. What he sees leaves him at a loss for words.

The door Cameron crashed through is still behind him, but it hovers in midair with no wall to support it. Instead, Cameron finds himself standing in a massive cathedral-like chamber that appears to take up the entire summit of the Spire. Huge pillars of obsidian and other unknown materials support a roof a good 200 feet above their heads, the entirety of which is carved with Chaos iconography. The view between these pillars reveals the entire City and the Plains beyond in every direction, seemingly miles below them. And in the center of the room, a massive latticework of crystal, with the channeled warp energy roaring through it and upward, through the center of the roof and into the sky beyond.

A strange pedestal floats directly ahead of Cameron, just in front of the crystal latticework. A figure sits on a throne on top of this pedestal. A small podium holds a book open just in front of him. Behind this is a large floating rune that glows so bright that Cameron cannot look at it directly. The energy bound within it appears to be purely spiritual in nature. The final destination of the souls they detected being absorbed by the Spire earlier.

The figure rises from the throne as he sees Cameron enter, with the other Companions not far behind him. He gestures with his right hand, and a massive black staff appears within it.

"Well done. You finally made it. Allow me to be the first to congratulate you. Your long, difficult journey has finally reached it's conclusion."



The figure walks to the edge of the platform. As he passes the podium, the massive book resting on it hovers into the air and begins to move with him, still open.

"I have to admit that I was starting to worry. I was expecting you much sooner than this. I lost track of you briefly after you left the Labyrinth. I'm glad to see that whatever waylaid you was finally bested."

Cameron eyes the figure warily. He has not yet made any move to draw his weapons.

"Ahriman, right?"

The figure has reached the edge of the platform. He begins to step off of it, and as he does so, a hunk of obsidian breaks off from the floor below and flies up to him. It comes to a stop underneath his foot just as he puts his weight onto it. More chunks of obsidian follow suit as he begins to descend towards the Companions.

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry. I seem to have forgotten my manners. Ahzek Ahriman. Sorceror Lord. Former Grand Librarian of the Thousand Sons. Possessor of the secrets of the Book of Magnus and the Black LIbrary. And until very recently, the Grand Master of Chaos. I believe that title is now officially contested."

Ahriman continues to descend his makeshift stairway as he speaks. Behind him, the obsidian steps he had summoned crumble to dust.

"And you must be Cameron Aileron. I have heard much about you and your friends. I am extremely pleased that you have finally accepted my invitation."

Cameron raises an eyebrow.

"Your invitation? It took us so long to get here because your forces were doing everything they could to stop us."

Ahriman laughs.

"I threw nothing at you that you were incapable of dealing with. It was Abbadon, and that other creature, who interfered. Against my orders, in fact. But I had to at least make it look like I was trying to stop you. Abbadon suspected my treachery. Any less of an effort of my part would have seen him turn on me much sooner."

Cameron takes a hesitant step forward. Mary is standing just behind him, prepared to draw her weapon. Cameron continues talking to the Chaos Sorcerer.

"So you admit that you've turned your back on your Chaos allies. If that is the case, we should be working together. Abbadon and his powerful ally are on their way here to destroy you, and us as well. If we work together, we can easily defeat them."

Ahriman reaches the floor with the remainder of the stairway collapsing behind him. Ripples of magic constantly twist the appearance of his robe and armor, making it difficult to focus on anything other than the piercing blue eyes that glow from behind his mask.

"Ah, yes. Join the Companions! Champions of Order and Justice."

Ahriman stops walking. He gestures with his free hand, and the massive tome that has been following him swings around in front of him, flipping pages until he commands it to stop. He seems to read something from the page before continuing to speak.

"Most worshipers of Chaos embrace mutation. I abhor it. The lasting legacy of my Rubric should clearly be enough to tell you that I speak truth in this matter. I feel that order has it's place. But I am also a follower of Change. And I do not believe those two concepts are in odds with each other."

Ahriman gestures at his surroundings.

"Look at my Spire. The number of massive chambers and hallways that make up this place would normally be enough to occupy an unwieldy, maze-like structure that would take up the entire space offered by this dead rock. Yet I contain it in a perfect Spire. A majestic construct, piercing the heavens of this dead world. Perfect in shape and orientation. The centerpiece of this grand empire. Chaos, creating Order."

Ahriman gazes at his work for a moment longer before focusing back on the companions.

"That is why I have invited you here. That is why I have allowed this to happen. I want to bring Order to the Multiverse. And I know that it can only be done through Chaos.You and your friends have simply been going about it the wrong way."

Ahriman flips a page in his book.

"You are to be the catalyst of my masterwork. One which will make the Rubric which bears my name seem like a mere parlor trick. I have invited you here not only to bear witness to the dawning of a new age, but also because I need you, all of you, to set us on the path."

Ahriman gestures at the book in front of him and it slams shut, floating into a position just behind him. He then grabs his staff in both hands and levels it at the Companions.

"I will be more than happy to explain my intentions to you. In great detail. So that you can understand the concept that has occupied my every thought and action since discovering the Black Library. But alas, you are correct that we are short on time. I cannot deal with both you and Abbadon at once. So I will simply have to multitask. Suffice it to say that I have not brought you here because I need your help. I have brought you here because your deaths are the final piece in my grand design. I'll teach you my ways as I destroy you all."

Cameron narrows his eyes and reaches for the force swords sheathed at his sides, but before he can do anything, Ahriman shouts a word of power. In an instant, every one of the Companions is met with multiple copies of Ahriman's great staff. These are hurled at all of them, at least 20 per Companion, with the intent to pin them to the floor of the chamber.

[Veldanya Venalla]

The Seraphim follows in after Cameron as the Elemental charges through the doorway.  His gaze moves around, taking in the rather surprising scenery and view before coming to rest on the being before them.  Jharm assumes it to be the Chaos leader they had been tracking down and soon after the man starts to speak it is confirmed; Ahzek Ahriman.  The angellic warrior scowls underneath his helmet as he listens to the dark beings twisted words.  His glowing gaze passes from Cameron to Ahzek and back again as he waits to see what shall happen next.  He gets his answer soon enough though.

"I will be more than happy to explain my intentions to you. In great detail. So that you can understand the concept that has occupied my every thought and action since discovering the Black Library. But alas, you are correct that we are short on time. I cannot deal with both you and Abbadon at once. So I will simply have to multitask. Suffice it to say that I have not brought you here because I need your help. I have brought you here because your deaths are the final piece in my grand design. I'll teach you my ways as I destroy you all."

A moment later the Chaos sorcerer shouts a dark word of power and a multitude of his dark staff appears around each of the Companions, including the Seraphim.  A large shield forms on Jharms left forearm as he drops down onto his right knee, raising the shield above him as if to protect himself from a rain of arrows.  A flash of light radiates out from him as a bubble materializes around him, similar bubbles appearing over each of the Companions as the light reaches them.

"Order out of Chaos?!?  Your words are nonsense, servant of Darkness!  Your idea of "order" is simply you in charge while all else are mindless servants with no desire other then to serve you!  Your foul creations are proof enough of that....dark automatons who's sole purpose is to serve and endlessly die for you.  The Light shall not stand for it!"

As he speaks he focuses his powers into both the shield on his arm as well as the bubble around him, knowing that he can't allow any of the malevolent weapons directed at him to reach him.

[Shadow Chorus]

As a barrage of spears rained down on Gulgrim, green lightning danced across his frame, building in intensity. They were nearly on him before the massive Warboss's face broke into a smirk. His form crackled and vanished, disappearing into a bolt of green lightning. This was different than the usual teleportation, however. Rather than instantaneously appearing somewhere else, the lightning moved slowly, lazily, at least by lightning's standards. It danced across the ground away from the spears, toward Ahriman before bursting outward, sparks of green lightning blasting toward the sorcerer as Gulgrim's form reappeared. With him were a pair of Orks decked in pirate hats and other accoutrement, with a pair of squigs on their shoulders and massive, kustum blastas in their hands. The pair of Flash Gitz leveled their huge weapons at the same time as Gulgrim lifted both Mork's teef and Gork's teef from his shoulders. "We'z in it now boyz! Ahahahaha!" The warboss's voice bellowed across the room as a torrent of fire unleashed toward the Thousand Sons' Exile.

It's incredible how fast the warboss's mood shifted when a fight was present. From aggravated in anticipation to suddenly joyous in the midst of the fight.

[Soul Reaver]

Soul Reaver enters the chamber just a few steps behind Cameron, Blooddrinker still ready in his hands.  He stands grim-faced as Ahriman speaks.  He did not come here expecting any friendship from Ahriman, but he had hoped for perhaps a temporary alliance against a common foe.  But as Ahriman spoke, it soon became clear that even this much was not to be.

Cords of muscle tense across Soul Reaver's body as Ahriman speaks of destroying them all and Soul Reaver's iris flare a fiery red.  Arcs of scarlet lightning ripple over his body and earth themselves in the ground around him - there was no doubt that the foe he faced now would not hesitate to destroy them all.

Copies of Ahriman's staff manifest themselves all around Soul Reaver and launch themselves forward.

A sphere of white protective power pulses into being, a blessing from Jharm.  But Soul Reaver had no idea of the strength of the weapons arrayed against him, and would not test the limits of Jharm's protective shield to stand against them alone.

He looks upwards, braces his legs, and leaps in straight line directly upwards into the air.  Blooddrinker is a blur before him, knocking aside the few staves in his way.  When he reaches the apex of his leap, he is well clear of the dome of weapons that had surrounded him - they are now all below him, and as such, are forced to come at him from a single, predictable direction.

Focussing some of his own mana and weaving it into Jharm's shield, he strengthens it at the frontmost point where he will be meeting the staves, then plunges downward once more, Blooddrinker impacting the staves with jarring forces as he falls.  The blade throws a rain of sparks and threatens to shatter whatever it hits into little more than kindling.

Despite being occupied, Soul Reaver is already at work attempting to discern more details about Ahriman's machinations, in the hope that it would reveal something that Ahriman's monologue would not.  The souls that were being syphoned here were gathering into a blazing, glowing glyph.  Soul Reaver understood such energies in a way that few others could, and could see such souls distinctly and clearly.  With his minds eye he probed the glyph, hoping to discover how it functioned, what it did... and perhaps, a way to turn it against Ahriman.

[Danyael]

“Grand Master, he says…” one voice whispered to Danyael. “Of all Chaos, he claims.” Another sneered, oozing cynical curiosity. The next voice was all too familiar. “What would the Nephilim Lord of all Chaos look like, hmm? What could he do? What would he do?” the voice asked. But Danyael said nothing in response at first. But the pull, the lull, the tempt of the voice could neither be ignored or denied. The voice knew how to tempt him. The voice knew how to twist his desires. “What expanses we could reach with the power of this behind the imperium’s might. What we could gain.” The voice crooned the words, the temptation wrapped in the seductiveness of its tone.

“What we would gain, at the very least, are a few more googolplexian mouths to feed.” He avoided the true answer. It didn’t convince the voice. “and that many more souls to rekindle the forges. To restart the conquest.”

“We are too large. The largest even. We’ve no need of conquest. We haven’t long before I came to rule. And we won’t long after I’m gone.” He spoke back to the voice with finality. But the voice still wasn’t convinced. “And yet… it’s still here. Ripe for the culling.” There was almost a spot of amusement to its tone. But now, Danyael’d had enough; his patience worn too thin. “Your counsel is noted, and this conversation is over. Be ready to assist and nothing more, Dyriel.”

His perception of the energies around him beheld the rising clash of storms and hues from the whirling abyss that was Ahriman, to the flaring shockwaves of the companions rushing to meet him. One hue in particular, he noticed, originated from the Seraphim. The perception of time slowed all the more as Danyael’s speed began to take over and he looked to Mary. The rising lights fizzling into existence around each of the companions, only for it now to be their turn. In that moment, Danyael begrudgingly released hold of Mary’s hand, sidestepping out of the way -  at the same time flinging his everworld cloak around Mary as a secondary shield -  just as Jharm’s barrier closed around her.

The Nephilim Lord stood, Yamato unsheathed in a reverse grip as silent power whipped around him. His eyes beheld the very maelstrom of power that was Ahriman, more a sentient force of nature than a living and breathing being. He looked to the power around them, seeing them more as shafts of pale, dead light, given form by force of will. He looked once more to Mary, then spun ‘round to meet the first lance, his free hand now suddenly wrapped in a long thin red cloth. By the time he’d finished his spin, the slow motion of the spears had come within arms reach and he clanged, with great force, the spear away with what was now a second sword in his hand, wrapped in the very cloth he’d been holding. The new companion weapon, the Orchid Howl, snarled with a bestiality all to itself, as if it possessed a beast all to its own within. Because it did. Several beasts, in fact. He sidestepped as several more came close and, with a sledgehammer blow, hammered them down into the ground.

But something was wrong here. Of all the fighting they’d endured, this was his first attack? 20 spears? They’d faced worse from for less impressive figures. So the Nephilim Lord would test the waters further. As the remaining group of the 20 came closer, he spun both the Yamato and the Orchid Howl with such speed they gave the semblance of silver and platinum/crimson discs, building in power as they gained in momentum, battering them away with meteoric force, right back at Ahriman with triple the speed from which they were sent.

[Cameron]

As Ahriman's word of power rips through the chamber, Kitharsis reacts quickly. He leaps backwards before throwing himself into the air, dodging all but a few of the staff copies that threaten to impale him. Jharm's bubble appears around him as he leaps, and the skeletal mage on his shoulder pours additional magic into it, strengthening it just enough to ward off the few attacks that still find their target.

Sepher also uses Jharm's bubble to his advantage. As it appears, Daccio pumps his own daemonic energy into it, corrupting it. The aura turns a bright bronze and begins to spin rapidly. The corrupted energy is enough to knock all of the attacks away.


Cameron had been reaching for his force blades at the time that Ahriman spoke, and he draws them in the instant before the staves plunge in his direction. Cameron forces extra psychic energy into his weapons before launching into a spin with them extended. This creates a wave of psychic power that deflects all but a few lucky strikes, which are fortunately countered by Jharm's bubble.

Mary feels Danyael's hand leave hers and looks to him as he drapes the Everworld Cloak around her. She has just enough time to clasp it before Ahriman's attacks are upon her. The combined protection of the cloak and Jharm's bubble are enough to stop the first two staves, and then Mary vanishes in a pulse of Warp energy. She reappears on the other side of the chamber, Warp energy swirling around her. More Warp energy begins to draw towards her from the center of the Spire and she feels control slipping. For a split second, her vision doubles and she can see herself, as if she was outside of her own body. She pulls the cloak around herself and focuses on it's owner, grounding herself. The aura of Warp energy slips away as she regains control and her vision returns to normal.

"That was close. I need to be careful."

Ahriman, meanwhile, is laughing.

"Wonderful!"

Gulgrim and his Flash Gitz appear in front of him, unleashing a torrent of weapon fire in his direction. Ahriman gestures lazily, and a wall of Warp-infused obsidian blasts from the ground, sheltering him. he swiftly traces a rune on his side of the wall, and it suddenly explodes outward, sending a shockwave of razor-sharp obsidian glass and Warp fire at the orks. He then disappears, re-appearing in mid-air.

"Glorious!"

Ahriman looks down. A wave of his own staff copies have been redirected at him by Danyael. The Book of Magnus flutters open, stopping on a page which Ahriman barks words from. The staves explode into fragments, which dissolve into pure energy. These are absorbed into Ahriman's original Staff.

Safe for the moment, Abbadon responds to Jharm.

"Jharm! The holy Seraphim! Champion of the Light."

The word "Light" is practically dripping with sarcasm.

"You seem to misunderstand my intentions. My Rubric was flawed. I spent years trying to undo it. Nameless automatons was never what I wanted. I was trying to halt their mutations. But that was not the will of Tzeentch, and they punished me for it."

Ahriman bows his head.

"The Thousand Sons legion were my family. They were my brothers and sisters. My sons and daughters. And Tzeentch was destroying them. Twisting them in their own misguided image. I merely tried to save them. But I failed. I did not yet possess the knowledge that I now have gained."

Mary receives a telepathic message from Cameron.

This asshole talks too much. Let's hit him while he's distracted.

Mary, who at this point is behind Ahriman, nods and draws her two-handed sword.

"As much at it pains me, it is too late to undo what I have done. I simply must wipe the slate clean and start over. But why simply settle for wiping my own slate clean? When I can do the same thing with this entire Plane of Exist-"

Ahriman is cut off as Cameron lunges at him from the ground. He pivots to face him only to feel another presence rapidly approaching him from behind. Mary has her two-handed sword, which is now engulfed in Warp fire, raised over her head for a two-handed strike. Ahriman gestures and pages turn in the Book of Magnus. He shouts another command just as Cameron and Mary arrive and swing their weapons in his direction.

While this is happening, Soul Reaver has successfully destroyed the staff copies that were thrown at him and is now attempting to study the rune that still hangs in the center of the chamber, close to the ever-present cone of Warp energy feeding the Eye. Spiritual energy travelling up the spire is being diverted from this cone into the rune itself. The vast number of souls already stored in the rune is staggering. It is very possible that this rune has absorbed the souls of every casualty that has taken place in the Eye since the Imperial attack began. And as for the rune's purpose...

As Ahriman shouts, he splits into a dozen identical copies of himself. Cameron and Mary plunge into these headlong and immediately become disoriented. They both lash out wildly before colliding with each other and plummeting to the ground. Mary lands on top of Cameron, who's power armor takes the brunt of the impact from the fall. They both return to their feet, fuming. Cameron snaps at Mary.

"Okay, yeah. Good job. Great teamwork."

Mary retorts, straightening the Everworld Cloak.

"Yeah, well maybe next time we attack together instead of from opposite sides."

Cameron and Mary look away from each other, clearly embarrassed.

"Nice cloak." Cameron mutters, half to himself.

"Yeah, thanks. I might keep it. Focus on the damn fight." Mary replies. They both look up as Ahriman resolves back into one figure. The Book of Magnus slams shut again.

"AS I WAS SAYING, there is no point in simply wiping my own slate clean when I could simply wipe out this entire Plane of existence. And that, my friends, is what I intend to do today. That is why you are here. This rune, when detonated, will tear down the barriers that separate this Plane from the Warp. I will plunge the so called "Imperial Plane" into the warp, erasing all life in an instant."

Ahriman gestures at the rune. Soul Reaver, having had extra time to study it, can now clearly see that it is an amalgamation of many different spells woven together for a singular purpose. And at it's heart lies the patterns of a spell that he would be all too familiar with. The Sphere of Annihilation.

"Unfortunately, despite absorbing nearly every soul that has perished on this battlefield, and continuing to do so, the rune is not quite powerful enough to perform it's intended task."

Ahriman levels his Black Staff at the Companions.

"But it will be shortly."

Black lightning arcs from the Staff, engulfing the entire room. The immense power behind this spell will make it lethal to anyone caught in it if it is not countered correctly.

[Veldanya Venalla]

As the assault by the staff copies ceases and Ahriman speaks once more the Seraphim ponders what he is hearing.

Wipe the slate clean and start over....order out of chaos...his plan all along.

"AS I WAS SAYING, there is no point in simply wiping my own slate clean when I could simply wipe out this entire Plane of existence. And that, my friends, is what I intend to do today. That is why you are here. This rune, when detonated, will tear down the barriers that separate this Plane from the Warp. I will plunge the so called "Imperial Plane" into the warp, erasing all life in an instant."

Jharms eyes seem to glow brighter for a moment as if suddenly the last piece of the puzzle seems to fall into place.  His words, while spoken aloud, do not seem to be to anyone but more of a "thinking out loud" moment.

"That's how you will bring "order out of chaos".  Destroy everything and then recreate it from the Warp using your own twisted "rules"."

His thoughts are interrupted however by Ahriman suddenly unleashing black lightning throughout the room.   While a familiar bubble of light forms around the Seraphim, similiar ones do not appear around the other Companions this time, as Jharm focuses all of his power into his own defense this time.