The sun slowly set as they quietly moved toward the Great Tree, its silhouette a dark pillar reaching into the sky. The last rays of daylight bled across the horizon, painting the clouds in shades of crimson and purple, casting long, deep shadows that clung to the forest floor.
The air, heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, grew cooler with each passing moment. As they drew closer, the full horror of the scene came into view.
The Great Tree, a silent sentinel from a distance, was now revealed to be a structure of menace.
—
Kochav climbed a nearby tree, the rough bark scraping against his fingertips, then jumped off mid-air, using a subtle burst of telekinesis to push himself to the top.
His movement was swift, even with only one arm. He landed on a steady branch with a soft thud, the wood barely groaning under his weight.
He brought his hand close to his face, and used his thumb and forefinger to form a circle. Condensed energy filled the small opening, humming softly; looking through it granted him enhanced distance and night vision.
There he saw it, resting high above.
The colossal Vraskariin hung from a branch like a grotesque, armored pinecone. Its membranous wings were covered in dark, purplish scales that caught the dim light like obsidian.
A low, grinding sound emanated from within, the wet crunch of bone and chitin echoing faintly in the stillness as the beast feasted.
Glowing red threads spat from the cocoon-like creature, pulsing with a faint, electrical energy that made the hairs on his arms stand on end.
They covered the whole area, an obvious warning to any who dared to approach.
Kochav glanced down at the figures of his friends below.
"There it is. Can I just shoot it?" he asked,
his voice low and distant, carried on the cooling breeze.
—
"No, its scales are the hardest material there is," Rouar's low, urgent purr came from below, the sound barely more than a vibration.
"One shot, and carnage will surely rain down on us."
—
Kochav remained on the high branch, his gaze slowly panning the entire area, his thumb still forming the glowing circle against his finger.
"Then what are our options?" he asked.
—
From his vantage point, Kochav could see everything in the clearing below.
The northern tribesmen were a force of savage, disciplined warriors, wearing armor forged from the Vraskariin's scales. At least eight columns had been formed, mostly equipped with shields and spears.
They moved about with an eerie, coordinated precision, the rhythmic shuffling of their boots the only sound.
They bowed at someone every time they walked past, but the person was covered by a moving wall of shields, making them impossible to identify.
Small bonfires had been lit around the tree, their flickering flames casting dancing shadows across the grim faces of the armored tribesmen.
The air, already heavy, filled with the acrid scent of burning wood and sweat, a final signal that the area was prepared for the assault.
—
"I can see around 400 of them, mostly ground troops, maybe 20 scouts in the nearby trees," Kochav reported, his gaze sweeping the terrain.
He fixed on one structure: a command tent of dark green fabric, lit by standing torches. Through the tent's opening, he could make out the shapes of furniture—a table, chests, chairs. Then he found a comfortable-looking chair, a throne perhaps?
There was a person resting on it. Just looking at it gave him a high-pitched headache that vibrated behind his eyes and a wave of deep nausea that churned in his gut.
He looked away, blinked his eyes, and looked at it again.
"What is this feeling? Am I sick?" Kochav whispered to himself, lost in thought.
A cold sweat slicked his skin. The more he looked, the worse it got.
—
"What is the hold-up?" Shadowgaze muttered, her voice sharp.
The words brought him back. He shook his head slightly, the movement a small effort, then vaulted down to join his allies, landing in a crouch. His one hand clutched his side, his face uncharacteristically pale in the dark.
—
"Nothing," he answered, his voice a strained whisper, meeting Shadowgaze's irritated gaze.
—
"Then let's discuss our plan," Shadowgaze said, her eyes narrowing as she looked up at the Great Tree.
—
They all sat down beneath the same tree, the rough ground cool against their bodies.
There was no campfire, as most of them could see well in the dark, and those who couldn't, had enhanced vision. The only light source was emanating from Bergelmir. The faint blue glow of his Aegis Terminator armor pierced through some of the cloak's openings, and the eye holes of his crude skull mask were highly lit by his visor.
The silence was heavy, punctuated only by the distant rustling of the Beastmen.
The group sat in a circle, their faces illuminated by Bergelmir's soft light. Shadowgaze looked from face to face, her own eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
—
After a long silence, Shadowgaze finally spoke.
"Rouar, Tanui, Jude. You three will approach from here," she said, placing her finger on the ground and scribbling a hand-drawn map.
"Get rid of their scouts on this side, and take their place."
—
The three Felinids placed their paws on their chests and nodded gracefully, their movements fluid and silent, answering in unison,
"Yes, my lady."
—
PEW-PEW-PEW.
Silent darts pierced through the air, their faint whispers lost in the night.
Three Beastman scouts fell from the trees with a low thud, their lifeless bodies hitting the ground.
A few more scouts, hearing the soft sounds, began to investigate, their eyes wide with confusion. As they hurriedly tried to run and alert the others, more silent darts pierced the air.
PEW-PEW-PEW.
Three more shots, three more bodies.
The Felinids then took their place in the trees, their forms blending perfectly with the dark branches as they waited for any more oblivious Beastmen.
—
Shadowgaze then shifted her focus to Kochav and the two Kroot.
"You will take Ruk'tan and Chi'vak and silently move past the secured corner," she said,
dragging her finger across the ground to create a straight line past the Felinids' position and toward the tree.
"Avoid the enemies and climb up the Great Tree. You should be able to see everything from there." She finished before meeting Kochav's eyes.
—
"What about the beast?" Kochav asked.
—
"Just avoid the threads. Even you could manage that, right?" Shadowgaze muttered.
Kochav sighed, a ragged sound in the quiet.
He nodded to the two Kroot warriors beside him. The three of them began to move silently through the shadows, melting into the forest toward the massive tree.
—
Shadowgaze then turned her gaze to Bergelmir.
"You will accompany me. They are targeting the tree, which means they want me."
Shadowgaze paused, a slight grin on her lips.
"They have an idiotic custom, something about obeying the strong. You will fight on my behalf; then perhaps we can get them to our side."
—
"What if they resist?" Bergelmir asked, his voice stoic and deep, rumbling like distant thunder.
—
Shadowgaze's grin widened slightly.
"Then they will die," she said simply, her tone devoid of emotion.
"I don't simply accept their violated aggression; they hurt my people, and I intend to give it back. Even if I have to take weeks to get back home," she finished,
before turning her gaze to the Great Tree.
"When they start climbing, that is our signal," she muttered,
standing up and striding toward the tree. Bergelmir slowly moved behind her, his form lighting up the trees as they went.
—
Kochav and the two Kroot arrived before the three Felinids, and they exchanged silent nods.
He took a deep breath, the cold air burning in his lungs, glancing at his two avian companions before looking ahead.
The Beastmen were many, organized, and strategic. He crouched low and stepped forward.
The moment his boot hit the ground, a shiver ran down his spine. He became nauseous, sweaty, and his vision blurred.
He staggered, and Ruk'tan, the Kroot, caught him before he hit the ground.
"You seem sick, Mon'keigh," the Kroot whispered, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Bear with it. There is no turning back now." Ruk'tan finished, then walked past Kochav. Chi'vak silently followed.
—
Kochav touched the side of his temple, reeling himself back steady. He put his mask back on before sighing at the recurring feelings and pushing forward, following behind the two Kroot.
Moving past the first few layers of Beastmen was no problem, but the further he got, the worse the symptoms became.
The low hum in his head became a sharp, insistent ringing, a high-pitched whine that grated on his nerves, and the nausea was a constant, churning weight in his gut.
He was behind a set of equipment when he accidentally hit a standing torch, but he caught it in time. A piece of hot charcoal fell off it, however, and dropped to the ground with a soft hiss, alerting a nearby Beastman.
Kochav quickly put the torch back in place, and suddenly, he saw a shadow getting bigger on the ground.
The approaching Beastman was right before him, its leathery hide reflecting the torchlight. He was out of arm's reach. So he picked up a nearby rock, its surface rough and cold, aimed at its head, and used his psychic force to throw it.
He was expecting a wet splash of a rock going through the cranium, but all he heard was a soft thud, and a low growl of anger rumbled in the Beastman's chest as it quickly turned his way.
Both of them were startled—Kochav at the unexpected weakness in his psychic power, and the Beastman at the unexpected intruder.
Kochav quickly grabbed his dagger, the hilt cold in his hand, and dashed forward to stab, but the Beastman caught his hand in time—Kochav's reflexes were slow, dulled by something.
The Beastman was about to shout—
Pew-Thud.
A dart hit its neck, killing it almost instantly.
The body fell on Kochav, a heavy, dead weight.
It was Rouar who had helped him. Kochav quickly hid the body in the darkness and gave a thumbs-up to Rouar, who watched him with a questioning gaze.
After hiding the body inside the equipment's stash, Kochav quickly and quietly moved forward, the mud squelching softly under his boots.
The two Kroot were already at the base of the tree. Reaching them, he started to climb.
While on the way to the top, he realized something.
The symptoms he had been experiencing—the weakened psychic power, the nausea—it was the same feeling he had in a cage in the carriage-class transport.
It was the exact same feeling as when he looked at Mira.
—
He sighed, the cold air misting in front of his mask, and immediately looked at the command tent to confirm his suspicion.
"Yep, there she is, sleeping like a baby." He could see Mira resting on the throne, a figure of serene stillness, and Kochav just shook his head in disbelief.
A smile formed on his face. The realization that his comrades were alive brightened his mood, a fleeting warmth in the cold, dead air.
"Now, how am I supposed to stop them from killing each other?" he muttered, glancing around again.
"Where is Helsin?"
His arm was starting to lose its grip, his muscles aching, so he decided to climb to the very top, sitting right above the sleeping Vraskariin.
—
Though, in his moment of disbelief and profound happiness, Kochav forgot about the danger entirely. He let his legs hang down from the branch and accidentally hit a glowing thread, the contact sending a sharp, static-like sting up his leg.
Luckily, the thread did not break. The beast just grunted in annoyance, the sound a low, rumbling vibration from deep within its body, ignoring the small insect that had disturbed its feast.
—
He quickly avoided it, calming himself down, and looked for Helsin again. But all he saw were Beastmen moving about.
Then he noticed something in the distance, where Rouar was.
—
A faint, glowing blue light was moving, and he did not have to guess who the source was. He let out a chuckle. In his mind, the threat was already over.
Bergelmir should recognize Mira's presence as soon as he stepped into the clearing.
"Uh, what is that, moving in the tree line?" Chi'valk muttered from a nearby branch to his right.
—
Kochav followed the Kroot's gaze, narrowing his eyes to focus.
"It... looks like..." His eyes widened, the humming in his head intensifying, as he realized what he was looking at.
"A fucking artillery!" he finished, the words tight with shock.
"We have to do something. If that thing shoots, we are fucked. Not just from the Xarcarions, the sleeping nightmare below us will wake up and we will be extra fucked."
He finished, and started thinking of a way to alert them.
—
"What is he doing? Why is he flapping around like a beastman trying to remove something stuck to its horn?" Rouar muttered in disbelief.
—
"Though he looks very funny with one arm," Jude answered, her laughter a soft, breathless sound in the stillness, at the ridiculous-looking Mon'keigh.
"Why are you chattering?" Shadowgaze muttered, her form slowly emerging from the shadows. Her ranger long rifle hung behind her back.
Bergelmir walked over and stood next to her, his heavy footsteps muffled by the soft earth.
—
Rouar's ears flattened slightly. "It is the Mon'keigh. He is behaving like a fool," he answered,
his gaze still fixed on Kochav flapping around on the branch.
—
Her eyes narrowed on Kochav, who coincidentally facepalmed the moment she looked. She then straightened her back, shifting her gaze back to Rouar.
"He seemed to be his usual idiotic self."
—
"We got no time for distraction, let's do this. You three get ready," she ordered.
The three Felinids immediately broke their gaze from Kochav. Rouar's ears twitched as he gave a subtle nod to his companions.
They crouched down, their lithe forms poised for a silent hunt. Shadowgaze then turned her attention back to Bergelmir, her face serious once more.
They exchanged a glance of affirmation before proceeding.
—
The moment both of them stepped into the clearing, they felt the same thing Kochav was experiencing: a presence of a blank, a pariah, someone whose presence could sever the connection between realspace and the Immaterium.
Shadowgaze could feel her mind suddenly unburdened, a brief quietness showering her. As she tried to gaze into the warp, the response was faint, almost useless.
Bergelmir felt it too, but it was not as bad; it was more like being anchored, hindered. He clenched his fist, and lightning crackled around it. His power was still there, albeit slightly weaker.
—
Shadowgaze sighed, looking over at Bergelmir with a questioning gaze.
"Is this your warlock hunter friend doing?" she asked, a firm edge to her voice.
—
Bergelmir grunted and answered with a simple "yes."
—
"Let's hope that they are still your friends then," Shadowgaze muttered.
—
"Hope isn't necessary when we are bound not by trust, but by conviction," Bergelmir answered, his voice resolute.
—
They kept moving forward, and the Beastmen finally noticed them, causing a ruckus and murmuring that was a mix of panic and expectancy.
The organized columns of tribesmen began to stir, their shields and spears shifting with a low rattle as they faced the two new intruders.
The command tent remained silent and still, the shield wall surrounding it unwavering.
—
"You have finally come, Queen of the Underwoods, the fallen Aeldari," a human voice cut through the murmuring crowd, bringing a sudden, absolute silence.
—
The layers of the shield wall parted as a figure moved forward, walking past the front row. There he was, clad in the black and red garb of an Inquisitor. It was Theolard Helsin.
—
Helsin's eyes were fixed on Shadowgaze, sizing her up.
"An Autarch, I presumed," he said, his eyes darting away from her to meet the Grey Knight. A small grin was barely visible on his face.
"Praise the Emperor, there you are, Bergelmir."
—
Bergelmir nodded then asked, "Where is Mira?"
—
Helsin sighed and pointed his thumb backward, toward the command tent.
"Being carefree as usual. She is the queen of this lot, you see."
—
Bergelmir let out a light chuckle. "That is quite an achievement."
—
"Enough!" Shadowgaze interrupted, her voice sharp.
"You can reminisce as much as you like later, but first, are you forgetting a colossal threat right above us?" She pointed to the Vraskariin.
"How do you plan on getting rid of that?"
—
Helsin's eyes fixed on the resting beast for a second, then turned back toward them, a wry smirk on his face.
"Right, I was thinking we could just avoid it. We should be fine, right?"
—
"Wait a second," he said, his smirk vanishing as he glanced back.
"Is that Kochav? What is he signing?"
—
All eyes were fixed on the branch high above the Great Tree, trying to figure out what he was signaling.
The Kroot, Chi'vak, had his hands high next to his head, and Ruk'tan was chest-pounding.
"Ape? No, Mon'keigh," Shadowgaze muttered, guessing the words.
—
Bergelmir's eyes were fixed on Kochav's hand. He translated the complex gestures in a low, rumbling voice.
"2, 19, 12(B,S,L). Basilisk, Artillery?"
—
Helsin's smirk vanished entirely. The mention of the Imperial artillery piece snapped at him.
He looked at Bergelmir, then at the branch where Kochav was perched, his face a mask of sudden seriousness.
—
They all exhaled in exhaustion, a universal understanding looming over them.
"So we run?" Helsin asked, his voice low but devoid of emotion.
—
"Yes, we run," Bergelmir answered in the same low, emotionless manner.
Shadowgaze just shouted in anger as they heard the first of the barrages being fired.
"Damn you, Mon'keigh! Why are your kind so infuriating? You people are like stupidity made manifest!"
"Why am I surrounded by idiots?" Her voices slowly being consumed by the incoming fire.
—
The first shell hit the ground, not in the clearing but in the outer forest where the Felinids were.
A colossal explosion ripped through the night, a flash of blinding light followed by a shockwave that rattled their teeth and vibrated through the ground.
The terrified screams of the Beastmen were a piercing chorus. The trees were ripped apart, and a fire started to spread, its heat a tangible, burning presence in the air.
The tribesmen, who had been an organized, disciplined force, were now a terrified, panicked mob.
They ran in all directions, their shields and spears abandoned as they sought cover from the incoming barrage. The air was thick with the smell of ozone and burnt wood.
Above them, the Vraskariin's glowing threads trembled violently, the pulsing accelerating. The great beast began to stir, its silent feast disturbed.
A loud, ear-splitting screech echoed through the jungle. The Vraskariin, now awake, tore down the branch that Kochav was on.
As he fell, he managed to catch its wings, their scaly surface slick and warm, as the beast ascended into the sky.
"I should have just shot you, damn it!" Kochav's last words echoed across the clearing.