They all wore their flame suits as they watched the tiny ember glow inside the octagon. So tiny but then suddenly a wall of raging heat would flash through the walls making their knees buckle. There was something sentient inside. The ember floated up shining like a little star. It pulsed on and off then would burst again. There was a dreadful feeling permeating the dry air.

nice that your armour fluff.

The little ember floated in the center of the vacuum then froze still. Intense rays of heat began to pour out from the spark. Those watching had to turn their heads away as burning radiation seeped into the barrier making the inner metal seep down like quick silver. Before they could take one step to back away from the chamber the very air surrounding them blazed into a ball of super heated plasma roaring in their ears as the liquids inside their bodies vaporized steaming out from their molten eyes.

the explorator ship tumbled within the cold confines of the dark void as the little ember burned through its encasement, searching through the inner confines of the vessel. Klaxons screamed mindlessly as the last of the automated servitors fumbled with the navigation controls heedless of any command. The ember floated into the ship bridge hovering above the throne of the dead chief magos. The thin hot scalding air shimmered as the tiny star blazed within the darkness of the hutch. Warning beacons continued to blink on and off as the ship sank deeper into the cold fury of the maelstrom. Smoke poured off the last of the servitors as their dead flesh cooked.

"Free at last!" said a tiny metal voice as the ember began to cool. The burning heat simmered then faded. "The galaxy must burn!"

i had a great idea, your vindicators could shoot fire balls!

As the ship was pulled deeper into the void storm the ember began to glow again as it expanded taking on the shape of a large daemon with golden skin and eyes as red as dark rubies. Long tussles of a deep black mane spilled off of it's shoulders hanging down past its back. The entity sat upon the throne and watched as the last of the servitors went about preparing the space craft for the final jump back into real space. Puffs of grey smoke peeled out at the daemon opened its mouth and silently said the word.

The daemon looked upon his small crew of servitors and spoke "You will serve me now and as such I have the power to restore all of you to your former status as the men you once were. I have no need of mindless automatons to gather endless data and push little buttons."

The daemon leaned back into his throne and stared into the vidscreen. Slowly the servitor began to straighten as their mechanical limbs and inner artificial workings vanished to be replaced by their original human parts.

"Think of this as a priceless gift in return for your service. You must show no fear now and right this craft from the warp."

The small vessel began to buckle under the strain of the warp storm. The crew worked fast with the remaining energies still left within the reactor cores. The light inside the bridge flashed on and off as sections of wall imploded. The daemon remained upon his throne watching in silence. The ship took a nose dive deeper into the hungry vortex as the mouth of the storm closed in on its tail.

"Full power to the jump drive!" shouted a crewman as he punched down a large throttle. The ship quivered and the daemon felt his skin crawl as the vessel started to jump. There was the sound of a huge explosion then everything went black.

The ship had made the jump. The daemon crushed a Nurgle skull in one fist.

The daemon looked down and crushed another Nurgle skull.

The vessel had breached the warp storm and floated in real space. The daemon looked up the throne taking in the look on the faces of the men manning the small ship. They all looked at him intently. "I owe you all very much for bringing us safely out of the maelstrom. From here we move onto untold glory. The galaxy is ours for the taking!"

One of the crewmen looked down and spoke quietly "the reactors both have cracked casings and their cores are leaking. The tow engines are voided. We are running on the backup batteries now. The ship needs major repairs before it can run in deep space again."

"So be it. We will find the means to fly again. Our safety is the main concern. Are there any civilized star systems within hailing distance?" said the daemon.

"We came out of the warp into a sparse sector." said another of the crewmen. "We are surrounded by virtually nothing but cosmic debris for hundreds of light years in all directions."

The daemon sat back thinking in silence. "Initiate an SOS beacon immediately on all audible frequencies. We will have to call upon other resources."

The daemon crushed another Nurgle skull then smiled.

Pretty cool stuff man, I have absolutely no idea where it's going... which I like.

: )

The daemon's eyes began to glow like hot coals. "Khorne I invoke your aid. I and my immediate party are stranded."

The air inside the cabin grew hot as a small vortex of power opened. "My champion. I hear you. There is a reason for everything. There is a reason why you are where you are now. Soon a great warbird of the enemy shall arrive led by one our mutual enemies. You must prepare. I leave you these gifts for the occassion."

On the flooring appeared a brass suit of ancient armor inscribed with Khornate runes. A huge double headed axe lay beside the armor. The axe was huge with long barbed teeth of black steel.

"Use it well."

O-O


A demon who can talk directly to khorne?! A demon who, after alking directly to khorne get's some of his stuff?!

That... is scary.

I like to talk to Slaanesh... Always has a nice gift or two waiting in the wings.



G

"We have come upon an age of great darkness." said Captain Argozz. His bright green tactical dreadnaught armor shone under the light in the chapel of the battle cruiser. "There is an abomination we must strike down! In the name of the Emperor and all we hold as holy."

"You have brought here into the darkness Captain." said the Chaplain Ael. "Another vision quest."

The terminators stood still and did not speak.

"Brother Ael you are right to question me. You are an ancient and did raise me in the lode of our chapter." said the Captain.

Ael held his skull masked helmet underneath the crook of his elbow and sneered openly. "I will see this through."

The great daemon stooped down and lifted pieces of the brass armor fitting it to his torso. The armor closed upon itself as each piece was put in place. The brass shone as the heat from the daemon soaked through the metal.

"You must make a decision now." said the daemon to the crew. "In saving me you saved yourselves as well. I offer you the opportunity to fight with me now or you can flee. A great warbird of my enemy will arrive soon. You can leave this ship upon the lifeboats or you can stay."

... Wow.. I never expected this from a khornate

and on a completely unrelated note...

"Jimmy crack khorne and I don't care"

The daemon sniffed. "I can smell the enemy!" he shouted as he put the last piece of armor in place. He lifted up the great axe and swung it through the air. "Soon they shall arrive!" he shouted again.

Reaching down the daemon lifted up the last piece of armor. It was a silver helm crafted to look like a skull mask. The daemon pressed it upon his face as a crown of long barbed coils of bronze wire rolled down from the top of his skull. His dark red eyes glowed from within smoldering with hate. The daemon then stalked over to a gun cabinet and wrenched free a large double barreled meltagun. He hefted up the weapon holding it as lightly as a pistol. "So now you must decide." he said to the crewmen as the huge green battle cruiser materialized into place upon the vidscreen. "The enemy has finally arrived as promised by the Blood God. I am the Skulltaker! Join me and you will taste the bitter power of my hate!"

Captain Argozz checked the setting on his heavy flamer and then lifted his thunder hammer. His dragon skin cloak was furled back over the top of his bright green tactical dreadnaught armor. The scales of the cloak glistened under the glow lamps mounted along the high walls of the command room. "We have arrived. I want a report on the enemy location now."

The small navigator stood up and used her gnarled wooden cane to amble over beside the captain. "There is only one small ship in the immediate vicinity. It's engines are ruined. It is only managing not to completely run adrift using the last of it's batteries. It will be completely stranded within the next couple of hours." the old hag croaked.

"We can blast it out of space with one shot from a nova cannon." said the Admiral. His body had been grafted to his throne.

"Take them out with one shot you suggest?" said captain Argozz. "That's hardly sporting now." The captain frowned and his bionic eye glowered. "Prepare the teleport chambers for an immediate jump."

The navigator had made her way slowly back to her station and spoke out "I am registering a huge amount of warp energy building in the enemy craft. I recommend you raise the void shields immediately."

"Warp energy?" boomed Argozz. "How in the nine levels of Hades can that small craft I have just been told by you will soon be adrift can raise warp energy?". Before the old hag could reply the captain shouted out "If we raise the shields we cannot launch a teleport assault! I'll be thrice damned to the very heart of the Eye of Terror if we are going to raise the shields and decimate a rudderless craft with one blast from a nova cannon. We are Salamanders, not some spineless organization such as the Word Bearers. Ready the teleport chambers as ordered!". The captain turned about and headed towards the elevator shaft. In turn his retinue of assault terminators flanked in behind him.

"One moment please captain." said the chaplain Ael. Argozz stopped in his tracks and turned about. The chaplain held a huge storm shield by his side. A dragon had been engraved upon the front of the massive green shield. "I recommend you leave your flamer and use the drake shield. It has been the saving grace of many captains before you."

"I have my dragon cloak for protection. Flames cleanse and purify the enemy. You know my mantra Ael. Are you suggesting I need your shield to preserve my skin?"

"No captain that is not my meaning. However an extra measure on the side of safety could make the difference. This enemy you have chosen to engage is a monster unhinged. You will need every advantage you can muster."

Captain Argozz lowered his hammer and stared down at Ael. You must learn to see the forest from the trees. It is not only the Skulltaker we take the fight to. The abomidation will most surely summons his daemonkin to his side. The cloak is good enough and has seen me through over the course of hundreds of battles. This is our defining moment as a company. Lay down the shield and fall in Ael! I will discuss this no longer."

The Chaplain carefully positioned the giant storm shield against the wall then stepped in to join the assault party. Argozz had turned back again and Ael spied the many rents torn through the ancient dragon cloak. It was said that their primarch Vulkan had wrestled a great drake to the death while still only a mere child and had skinned the beast to fashion the hide into a cloak. Captain Argozz took great pride in wearing the arterfact to battle. The dragon scales rendered him virtually invulnerable to the greatest blows over the course of his long career as a commander but the cloak had certainly seen better days. It was at best a tattered remnant of what it once offered.

Suddenly without warning the cruiser rocked hard. "We are being boarded!" cried the ancient crone in fear.

Argozz lifted his thunder hammer and screamed "All this uneccesary bickering about has given the Skulltaker the iniative! Now everyone shut up for once and prepare for battle!"

It's a tad little complicated and blends some of it's scenes with Warhammer fantasy.

A large daemon clad in burning brass armor had assaulted into one of the main decks inside the Salamanders' battle cruiser. The beast was surrounded by scores of green Space Marines paying dearly with their very lives to hold up the daemon until the terminators could arrive.

The Skulltaker swung down the great axe chopping a Salamander in twain then blasted his meltagun into another Marine vaporizing the enemy. "Skulls for the Skull God!" shouted the daemon as he reversed his grip on the axe handle quickly beheading another Salamander. "Blood for the Blood God!" the daemon cursed. "Let your brave Captain show himself now."

The forward line of Marines fell back from the Skulltaker chucking fragmentation grenades in his wake as they scattered. Suddenly a blazing stream of condensed heat ripped through the chamber hitting the great daemon square in the chest. The Skulltaker absorbed the blast as he stumbled back. His chestplate was crumpled and a deep rent had been torn through the plates of interlocking brass armor. The daemon stopped for a moment and looked down at the gaping hole in his chest. Burning hot blood spurted out from the wound instantly cauterized by the remnant heat from the blast. The Skulltaker cracked his neck as he looked back up. A large of dreadnaughts armed with twin linked lascannons and huge glowing power fists had entered the chamber through a vast portal in the back. The two heavily armored walkers spread apart as they trundles down the huge plank. In unison the two dreadnaughts raised their lascannons and fired across the chamber, both squarely hitting their target. The strength of the mighty dual blasts knocked the daemon end over end as the Skulltaker was thrown back against the high wall behind him.

"Is that you Argozz?" called out the daemon as he lifted himself up again. "You know I can tear right through that armor as if it were nothing more than a thin film of tin plating."

The forward most dreadnaught lifted up his huge power fist as he began the charge. "We are neither Captain Argozz but the two of us is more than enough to finish you!" boomed it sallow voice through it's box caster.

"Har bar!" laughed the Skulltaker as he stood ready bracing himself for impact from the swiftly charging green behemoth. Already his chestplate had mended itself back together again and the dried blood had vanished.

Ducking under the swinging giant power fist the daemon came up and drove his great axe into the sarcoughphogus of the dreadnaught, slicing through the admantium plates with ease. Dark oily fluids dripped from the nasty deep gash. The daemon gripped his meltagun and fired point blank into the dreadnaught's exposed armor. There was the sound of a large boom as the first armored walker was blasted apart. The Skulltaker placed one boot a top the smoking wreck sniffing at the steaming air as he looked down. "That was not dear brother Argozz!"

The second dreadnaught fired his lascannon one last time as the huge metal walker launched his assault on the daemon. It's power fist came squarely upon the skull of the daemon, driving the daemon into the burning wreckage of the dead dreadnaught. The Skulltaker tried to roll had tried to roll with the swift blow but it had been a well aimed strike. His skull collasped as his head was driven backwards. The remaining dreadnaught struck again quickly punching the daemon in the chest. The force of the blow knocked the daemon back down as the Skulltaker tried to right himself, lifting up his giant axe to fend off another attack.

The Skulltaker took the brunt of the dreadnaught's blow squarely across the top of his skull. The daemon could feel his skull crushed by the hammer blow as he was driven through the wrecked armor of the first dreadnaught and smashed into the solid floor. The dreadnaught bellowed through it's box caster as it lifted it's toward leg to smash it's big metal foot down upon the prone body of the daemon. The Skulltaker quickly pulled himself out from under the fleet walker's foot and crawled back indiscriminately firing his double barreled melta. "You are the faster of the two that is for sure." said the daemon as his head swelled back out from the lump of mashed flesh, bone, ravaged skin and the silver mask. "I drew you in!".

The Skulltaker spun around leaping up and drove the great axe down shorning off the dreadnaught's power fist with one well placed smite. The huge metal fist clunked against the floor as the daemon drove the long spike on the end of his axe deep into the armor of the green behemoth. A blood curdling scream emitted from the dreadnaught's vox caster as the tip of the hot spike sluices about within stabbing into the meat of the ancient veteran entombed inside it's iron hide. The Skulltaker could not help but grin as he pried open the armor encasement. Then he frowned as his scolding eyes saw that the pilot was not Argozz. "Damn you to Hades Argozz! Hiding behind your Marines yet again. I won't leave this ship until your thick skull hangs from my belt, of that you can be most sure. I will search every crook and cranny within this ship to find you and when I find you I will kill you!"

The floor shook as the Skulltaker jumped off the destroyed walker and charged towards the closest group of Salamanders. The Marines froze in place rapid firing their bolters on full auto. One Marine fired his plasma gun hitting the daemon square in it's chest. The super heated plasma smoked as the small cloud of burning energy ate away the bronze armor. Sweeping his great axe in one long strike the Skulltaker split through each Salamander's torso as the whirring teeth of his weapon chewed them apart. The sergeant hit the daemon with his power fist punching into the hole in it's chestplate left by the plasma. Leaping over the tangle of dead Marines the Skulltaker looked up to choose his next target. The remainder of the Salamanders had fallen back, all aiming their guns at the daemon. The rent in his chestplate shimmered then was whole again. Cracking his neck the Khornate daemon brought up his great axe to deflect the bolter rounds streaming in as they imploded against his ancient suit of bronzed armor. The Skulltaker grunted then charged headlong towards the waiting Salamanders.

Captain Argozz frowned as he watched the carnage unfold upon the small vidscreen mounted on the wall within the teleport chamber. "The daemon is unbound. Even our most venerable brothers Atrox and Anos were no match for him. The daemon must have some weakness we can exploit!"

"Implode that sector of the ship and cut him off before he can do more damage." said Chaplain Ael.

"We have a whole company of Salamanders onboard. We can win this fight but we must be smart. There is no reason to continue throwing our brothers to their death against the Skulltaker!" fumed Argozz.

"You should have used the ship's nova cannon while he was still vulnerable." said the Chaplain. "You have brought this madness here."

Captain Argozz strode up to Ael and looked down upon him. "Fire up the teleporter engines. We take the fight to the daemon now!".

The servitor pressed the sequence of activation runes upon the control panel and the engine underneath the individual teleport chambers began to hum. Each terminator stepped up onto the circular platforms and gripped their weapons.

"To the death!" shouted Argozz over the loud buzz of the teleport engine as he and his retinue of terminators began to de-materialize.

The Skulltaker heard the hum and watched as the shimmering shapes began to take form. He quickly counted 10 bodies. He looked over at the last of the Salamander Space Marines huddled against the far wall. Many dead Marines were sprawled across the floor, shredded, decapitated and completely torn asunder. The kill counter strapped to his wrist blinked over 30 fresh kills within the first hour of his arrival upon the battle cruiser. His thoughts turned dark as he brooded on Captain Argozz. The Salamanders commander was devious and always seemed to keep some trick hidden until the last moment. There would be no further running after this confrontation. The Captain would not teleport away just before the killing blow or call down a hellstrike attack instead of meeting the challenge. The Skulltaker had something that Argozz needed. There was no getting around that this time. There would be immense pain followed by an eternity of death.

The retinue of terminators had materialized in the furthest corner of the deck from the daemon. Captain Argozz had made sure his terminators could brace themselves for the coming charge. Each terminator carried both a thunder hammer and storm shield. The Chaplain was also armed as such. Three of the terminators had huge cyclone missile launchers fastened to the top of their armor. The Captain stood in the middle, his long thunder hammer held in one gauntlet and his trademark heavy flamer in the other. Argozz also had an ancient relic blade strapped to his back, the long doubled handed hilt stuck out from behind.

"It ends here." shouted the Captain across the vastness of the large chamber. "You shall be banished back to the warp from whence you came. These are my best here with me now. Our shields are impervious to your axe. Our hammers have always been your bane. You shall be beat town and utterly destroyed before the warp powers can re-assemble your bloody hide."

The Skulltaker sneered and then spat a bolt of black blood from his silver mask. As towering as the Captain was the daemon still stood higher. The daemon tossed aside the melta and gripped his great axe with both hands. The sharp teeth along the edge of the haft began to whir as hot sparks shot off. The suit of brass armor shone like lava and the daemon's eyes smoldered inside the mask lime a pair of burning coals. The daemon stood of straight and stretched. "I know you want to run like the coward you are but this one time you can't and I am here to mdke you pay in full."

Argozz gave the command to the trio of battle brothers topped off with the cyclones. Six missiles came rushing towards the daemon swirling about in tight spirals as they homed in on their solitary target. The Skulltaker watched as the speeding missiles quickly closed the distance then at the last possible moment he leapt aside. Exploding violently into the bunker behind him the payload ignited into a massive explosion with a deafening boom. The floor rumbled knocking about the dismembered arms and legs of the dead Marines. Like a bullet the Skulltaker launched himself at the terminators rapidly covering the bloody ground between them before the Salamander terminators could reload their missile launchers. The floor resonated as each armored step of the daemon carried him further into the deep corner where stood the enemy. Suddenly the Skulltaker lifted up his axe and aimed the hilt towards one of the terminators carrying a cyclone. The dark steel tip shot out from the axe like a spear and lanced through a lense of the Salamander skewering the terminator's skull as the long metal dart pierced through the back of his helmet. Argozz lifted up his heavy flamer rapidly thumbing the stiff trigger.

"Thrice damn him!" cursed Argozz as the dead terminator toppled over. "Close the line!" ordered the Captain as the remaining Salamanders pushed together and took a quick step back. They raised their storm shield in perfect unison now leary of the daemon's trick shot. One more steel dart spat forth from the butt end of the great daemon's axe bouncing harmlessly off the closest shield. Argozz spun about pouring his super heated liquid flame into the path of the charging enemy. The Skulltaker bounded up leaping over the terminators with one deft jump. His great axe came down like a scythe as he glided over the Salamanders but again his attack was blunted by another raised shield. Quickly the terminators spun about precisely holding up their shields and drawing back their might hammers. The Skulltaker leapt to the far side of their flank lashing out again with the axe. The teeth of the axe bit into the closest shield then harmlessly bounced off.

"Form up a circle now!" shouted Argozz. The stout line of the Salamanders wreathed in upon itself with the two ends meeting together. "The daemon cannot outflank us now. Keep up your shields and have your hammers ready. It only take but one blow to stun the evil beast and then he is done in."

The Skulltaker took a step back sharply eyeing the Salamanders' tight formation. Wherever he struck they could strike back as well. Then with a jolt of blinding speed he crashed into the armored circle swinging his great axe about in long looping figure eights. The force of his sudden attack forced the enemy back. One terminator lowered his storm shield as he prepared to counter attack. The Skulltaker saw the brief breech and immediately brought down his axe splitting the Salamander apart. The other Salamanders pushed back and the two who were closest on either side struck back. One of the hammers hit dead on knocking the Skulltaker hard. A large dent buckled along his bronze paldron and the daemon could feel a bone snap. Releasing the gripped on his axe from his useless hand the daemon could not help but wince from the pain of the strong blow.

The Skulltaker jumped back buying himself time for the warp to repair his broken limb. The circle of Salamanders watched intently as the daemon's brass paldron glowed like molten bronze reforming into it's original shape. The Skulltaker could feel the broken bone in his muscled arm reknit itself back together. The daemon flexed his arm and gripped the end of the axe hilt with his long sharp clawed hand. There were only eight left now of the enemy and they had failed to capitalize during the brief moment while the Skulltaker was both injured and stunned. Shaking his large head from side to side the long pointed metal dreadlocks jutting out from the top of the daemon's mask darted about like a cluster of angry vipers. They looked like a crown of dark wavering serpents.

Stalking around the Salamanders well out of reach from their awful hammers the Skulltaker glared at them. "I will continue to kill you off one at a time until only Argozzvis left!".

"Attempt to do so at your own peril!" shouted back the Salamanders' Captain. "We are ready for you now."

Too late the Skulltaker realized that the two remaining terminators armed with cyclones and moved into a forward firing position. Four missiles fired off at point blank range slamming hard into the gigantic daemon.

The missiles all struck exploding in a blinding flash of light. The terminators stood still intently watching. Captain Argozz lowered his heavy flamer and motioned for his retinue to slowly advance. The smoke from the explosion began to clear. The Skulltaker lay on the floor and his prone body had a slight twitch. His suit of brass armor smoked from the devastation. The daemon laid upon his back sprawled across the floor still tightly clutching at his great axe. His breath was ragged and course slowly wheezing out from his silver mask as his chest expanded.

"Attack!" shouted Argozz. The Captain and his terminators immediately charged towards the inert body of the Skulltaker.

One of the last Salamanders left wearing power armor looked at the terminators and said "They've come to snuff the daemon."

"You know he ain't gonna die. No he ain't never gonna die." said another Salamander.

The Skulltaker looked up as the terminators surged towards him. The Salamanders all held their hammers high above their heads ready to bring them down. "The replicant Marines..."

Suddenly Captain Argozz stopped and shouted out "Hold!". Immediately upon the order all of the terminators halted dead in their tracks. "Tell me what I want to know!" shouted Argozz. "And be quick about it. We won't stand around waiting while the warp bleeds you back."

"There are replicants here in your very company." whispered the daemon, his voice hoarse and dull. "It is your worse fear finally come true."

"I can smell their taint even now." said the Skulltaker as he slowly reached up with one of his brass gauntlets to remove his silver death mask. The helm fell to floor as his full face was revealed. His skin was copper colored and picked with flecks of bronze. The daemon's face was regal and his large red orbs for eyes flashed with fire. He sniffed at the thin air and grimaced. "That one." he said as he pointed towards one of the terminators. "He is a replicant."

"Brother Grimm has served under me for over the past fifty years." said Argozz. "I would know if it were so. You are simply stalling for time."

"Fifty years... One hundred years... It does not matter. The replicants have existed since not long after the heresy. Don't fool yourself Argozz. Your Salamander geneseed was depleted over two hundred years after the war on Nulnn IV. Your apothecaries were hard pressed. This Brother Grimm of yours... it is a simple test to see if what I say is true."

"Enough of his lies!" exclaimed Chaplain Ael. "To listen to a daemon is to consort with the warp. Let us finish the fiend off now and be done with it. The stories of the replicant Marines is just that, a myth and nothing more."

"You know better Argozz." whispered the daemon as he pulled himself up in a sitting position. His brass armor had reformed and started to shine again with the luster of freshly spilled blood. His eyes burned hot as he sniffed again. "I smell Grimm's tainted blood and the stench is strong. The replicants are an enemy to us both. One daemon is no match for you and your retinue. I say run the test. If I am wrong you will still win this day but if I am right then you had best know."

"No daemon of Khorne would ever admit defeat!" cried Ael. "This is heresy."

"Khorne values martial honor above all else. As his champion I must admit my defeat. Another more worthy will take my place. So be it." said the Skulltaker. The daemon gripped his great axe as his armor began to squeal.

Argozz lifted his thunder hammer and smote it down upon the daemon, striking with all his strength. "There will be time a plenty to test what you have said after I send you back to the warp where you belong!"

The Skulltaker quickly shifted aside just as the hammer fell, pointing the end of his axe up towards the terminator named Grimm. A steel spike shot out punching through Grimm's shoulder pad. "Look for yourself and behold!" said the daemon.

Argozz looked over at Grimm and caught himself before he let out a gasp. Icy black ichor dripped from the end of the spike jutting out from his wound.

"It is so!" said Argozz. "Kill it!" commanded the Salamander Captain pointing his heavy flamer at the replicant terminator.

Two terminators closest to the replicant turned about swinging their thunder hammers into the replicant. The hammer heads exploded as they bashed in. Chaplain Ael watched in shock as the imposter was mashed apart. A thick pool of slimey black ichor was all that was left of the replicant. Its storm shield clattered to the floor beside the long pointed steel barb.

Argozz turned back to look down upon the daemon but the Skulltaker was no longer there.

"Over here." said the Skulltaker.

Argozz turned to see the deamonkin standing off in the corner. His armor had that polished look again and the daemon had put back his silver mask in place. The spines from his metal dreadlocks rested upon his broad armored shoulders. The Skulltaker held his great axe against his chestplate. "The truth has finally dawned upon you."

Argozz felt his innate hate swell for the daemon swell inside. His anger was so potent and steeped that he could not speak. The Salamander Captain saw blurred red cloud his vision. All he could do was rage.

"Why are you here alone with your company in some forgotten corner of this galaxy? There are wars to fight! Your hate for me rivals that of my patron Khorne. I am here alone while you stand surrounded. I cannot beat you and your retinue so I challenge you to fight me alone. Prove yourself."

"Only a fool would accept that challenge." said Chaplain Ael. "Lets finish him off and be done with this. Argozz for once you have the advantage. We must not falter in the face of vanity."

"Ael we started with a full retinue and now we are down to close to half that. The Skulltaker is simply looking for a way out. I agree, we must press our advantage now!" said Argozz. "Brothers form a line and assault the daemon!"

The Skulltaker gripped his great axe and charged the closest Salamander. The axe came down splitting the storm shield in twain. "Blood for the Blood God!" shouted the daemon as he ripped his axe into the terminator. Blood poured out of the rended armor as the Skulltaker swerved his axe through the terminator tearing him apart. Argozz and Ael both swung their hammers in unison, countering the daemon's attack. The Skulltaker lifted his axe up then brought the weapon down blocking their blows in a rush with blinding speed. Argozz and his Chaplain were turned about by the sheer force of the Skulltaker's attack.

The writing is great, but I'm still not sure what the plot of the story will be... If the story is about Argozz, then the demon needs to either die or be sent to the warp. If the story is about The Skultaker, then Argozz needs to die soon... the fight scene is grinding on too long imho....

it is still good though..

thank you very much for the much needed feedback. The good news is someone is going to die herocially very soon.

G

The Skulltaker lifted one hand from the haft of his great axe and grabbed a hold on one of the terminators' storm shield. The daemon pulled the Salamander up from the floor and flung the veteran into the other terminators knocking them all aside. Quickly the Skulltaker grabbed his axe with both hands again and brought it down hard chopping the closest fallen Salamander in twain with one strong blow.

An immense series of explosions rocked the chamber and the floor suddenly split as the high vault was torn apart. The daemon found himself suddenly standing on one side of the gaping chasm as huge chunks of debris rained down from the ruined ceiling. The Salamanders picked themselves up standing on the other side of the giant breach.

"Argozz you are a replicant!" shouted the Skulltaker, then the daemon threw his great axe with all his might across the ever widening gulf between him and the Salamanders. The axe looped end over end as it flickered across the chasm. With a great thunk the head of the axe collided into the exposed skull of Captain Argozz, sinking deep into his head as the whirring bits of pointed blades tore deep into the commander's brain. Thick black oily ropes of slimy ichor spilled out from the messy ruin of Captain Argozz' face. The other Salamanders looked on in utter surprise.

"Skulls for the Skull God!" shouted the Skulltaker.

we now move forward in time... the Skulltaker has been tasked by his God to eliminate a warband of rogue Marines who rule upon an immense eldar craftworld they have taken over... there is also rumors of a second and secret task for the Skulltaker...

The lonely corridor lead into the very heart of the eldar craftworld. Jet black wraithbone covered the walls, ceiling and floors. Skulls from defeated dark eldrad had been mounted at even intervals along the long winding corridors. The top of each skull had been neatly cut off and burning coals filled inside. Evil Chaos runes painted in dark red blood were sprawled across the walls like maddened graffiti. At the end of the corridor a set of huge doors were locked closed with a gigantic brace of corroded iron. A small party of Brass Talons, the rogue Chapter of Marines that had seized control of the craftworld, stood guard. Their leader looked back into the heart of darkness that lay ahead leading back into the madness of the long dark corridor. A stiff wind began to blow and the coals within the mounted skulls shifted about as hot bits of red ash flittered down. "Something comes this way now." said the Brass Talon switched on his auto senses staring into the void. Several large humanoid forms came into view over the ultraviolet spectrum. In front of the group was the largest member towering about the rest. "Hostiles dead ahead! Activate your bolters for full automatic!"

Suddenly red beams of bright death lanced out from the pitch black cutting like lasers through the Brass Talons' armor. "Drop back behind the bunker!" commanded their sergeant but the order had come too late as the clandestine group emerged from the black throat of the corridor. Huge Bloodletters wearing plated brass armor charged forth firing their plasma weapons into the Marines. In the center came the Skulltaker carrying a large stormshield on one arm with a great axe in his hands.

"No survivors! No surrender!" screamed the daemon as his Bloodletters surged over the bunker slashing wildly with their burning hell blades.

No sooner had the brief encounter started then it was over. The Bloodletters quickly pried the helmets loose from the dead Brass Talons and set about severing the Space Karines' heads off so they could get at their skulls. The Skulltaker set down his pirated stormshield and looked at the locked doors. "The barrier is warded with grey magicks."

The Skulltaker reached down grabbing the jutting spines from two beheaded Marines. Grunting the deamon pulled hard ripping free both spinal columns clean. The Skulltaker then set about to work carefully wrapping the dangling chains of vertebrae about the rusted iron lock. As soon as he was finished he bent over and tore out two more sets of spines. The Bloodletters were very busy polishing their vanquished foes' skulls and took no notice of their master.

Finally all the Space Marine spines had been ripped free and intricately wrapped around the large iron brace. The Skulltaker took a loped skull from the wall pouring out the hot coals and then filled it full of blood from the Brass Talons sergeant. The deep red fluids seeped slowly from the large eye sockets as the daemon held up the skull. "Blood magick to pry open this lock..."

The spinal columns from the dead Marines began to writhe like skeletal serpents using the hardened edges out the severed vertebrae to slowly score against the thick iron.

The Bloodletters looked up to watch having just finished attached the smooth skulls of their latest victims to their tight bronze waist chains. The fiends grinned for a brief moment then bowed to the Skulltaker. Slowly they all stepped back pumping more plasma cartridges into the long barrels of their rifles.

The spines continued crawling around the girth of the lock cutting grooves deep into the pitted surface. From within the locked doors came the muted sounds of pitiful wailing. One of the Bloodletters took a step forward and sniffed. "they are in their master. I smell their thin blood scent even now."

The Skulltaker looked down upon the Bloodletter. "We must be very quick Angrath. There will be more Brass Talons here soon. We must not let them interfere."

Finally the ghostly spines of the dead Brass Talons had sawed through the giant iron lock. It split in two crashing down. The Skulltaker reached out firmly grasping the large door handles pulling hard with all his strength. A sickly sweet smell of rotted meat came wafting from out between the doors as the huge daemon pulled them open.

The doors creaked upon their stiff hinges as the Skulltaker pulled them open. The mob of Bloodletters had pulled their long barbed fractual edged war knives free from their iron sheaths attaching them to the ends of their long bsrrelled plasma rifles. Inside the tiny dim alcove the daemons spied a cluster of eldar fastened to the curved walls. Long jagged spikes had been driven through their slender limbs piercing into the jet black Wraithbone glistening upon the curved walls. In the middle of the cluster a tall spindly eldar seer groaned. A huge collar of brass with deep studs had been fastened tightly around his neck. The seer looked taking in his view of the Skulltaker and the muscular daemons suited in bronze plates of armor surrounding the ancient daemon. "Life is a best a cruel hoax played upon us at the whims of the Gods."

"I have no life." said the Skulltaker. "For I and my kind are immortal. You have reaped what you have sowned. The price is steep but I am free while you are bound." With that the great daemon took a spike from his nest of metal dreadlocks hanging from his masked head and poked it through an eye of the old eldar seer, pushing it deep into the alien's skull, piercing through the brain. The eldar spasmed against the wall then fell still as it's gemstone blazed with a life of it's own. The Skulltaker ripped the gem free from the dead seer throwing the flashing stone upon the ground and grinder it into dust with steel shod hoof. There was the sound of laughing as a tortured scream emitted from beneath the daemon's heel. "Go now to your new master for your kind created him in your wanton ways. You are most deserving of this harsh fate."

The other eldar squirmed against the walls as the Skulltaker looked down upon them. Slowly he made his way from each imprisoned xenos slaying them one at a time in the exact same manner. When he was done the Skulltaket began to unfasten the collars of Khorne from their necks tucking them all into a pouch of dark crimson leather fastened to his belt.

"More of the Brass Talons approach." said Agnrath.

From outside the small room came the sound of many armored boots marching. The constant thud had a tight cadence and the daemons could feel it as the floor beneath them began to pulse.

"Agnrath do what you do best." commanded the Skulltaker.

"Oh tee wah!" shouted the Bloodletter Angrath as the large daemon stepped out into the narrow hall. "Oh tee wah!" The Bloodletter began to grow. His muscles bulged and pulsated. The horns protruding from his forehead sprouted out twisting about at their sharp pointed ends. "Oh tee wah!"

Massive multitudes of Brass Talons looked at the front of their forward ranks to see a gigantic Bloodthirster looming before them. The greater of daemon of Khorne opened its huge maw and belched forth an incinerating ball of searing flames enveloping the closest Brass Talons. The Marines were vaporized in an instant. "Oh Tee Wah!" cried Angrath has the great daemon tore into the rank and file of the Brass Talons scouring them with his long wicked cat of nine tails. The tips ended in long barbed bits of razor sharp hardened bronze that cut through their power armor as if it were nothing more than paper. "Oh Tee Wah!" bellowed Angrath the unbound bloodthirster.

The Skulltaker grabbed a hold of his great axe charging into the fray swinging the large axe in a loop figure eight shredding power armor as he stepped forward cutting a spot for himself to fight against the Brass Talons. His Bloodletters surged into the open gaps thrusting their hellblades into the enemy.

"Fallback!" came the command from the rear of the Space Marines' rank and file. The Brass Talons immediately began to drop back sheathing their chainswords and pulling out their bolters so they could start rapid firing.

"Forward ho!" yelled the Skulltaker. Angrath bellowed out more fire and charged forward knocking the Brass Talons aside as the greater daemon surged deep into the enemy rank.

2/10

The Skulltaker spun around cleaving his axe through the air. His Bloodletters had to jump out of their master's path of destruction, leaping outside the Skulltaker's long reach. "Skulls for the Skull God!" shouted the Bloodthirster Angrath as the greater daemon brought down a cleft armored hoof smashing the closest Marine into a bloody pulp of gore and broken armor.

"We need those collars back daemon." spoke a towering Brass Talon standing back just outside the mad carnage. The Marine wore a suit of highly ornamented dark blue armor and a huge psychic enveloped his barr head. Three bronze service studs stuck out from his pale forehead, the end of each stud pressed with a different symbol bearing the mark of Tzneetch.

"So the rogue Librarian finally shows himself!" shouted the Skulltaker as he brought down the head of his huge axe splitting another Brass Talon apart with ease. The huge daemon lifted up the bag holding the eight collars of Khorne with his free hand. "Here they are. Let's see you take them."

The Librarian lifted his huge sword called by the name of the Executioner as he began to levitate about the floor. "The collars are necessary to bind the psychic force of the eldar. This craftworld cannot run without their bound power."

"The seer council is dead." spoke the Skulltaker. "It was a mercy killing." The daemon through the ground remains of several gemstones against the floor. "Their spirits were consumed by She Who Thirsts."

"You call that a mercy killing?" spat the Librarian.

"Far better to die a quick horrid death than prolonged suffering.

"Your psychic power is meaningless versus the children of Khorne. Your skull will hang from my belt."

The Librarian sneered.

Author's note:

I sent a PM to the guy who rated the story 2/10 to find out why he thinks it's so horrible... Reply came back as follows:

Typographical errors - I am writing this on my cell phone... It's really hard to go back and fix everything. I was planning to edit this as I get closer to finishing the story.

Space Marine saying the word 'ain't'... That appears in a phrase where I was quoting a line from a song to pay homage to the band.

Daemons firing plasma guns... I am actually planning to address this aspect of the story further along but I'd rather not go into any detail now.

I don't mind if someone wants to rate the story but I think it's only fair to give some reasons for a poor rating. This story still has a long way to go.

G

The Librarian began to move towards the melée. Angrath the Bloodthirster was surrounded by a score of Brass Talons, busy crushing them one by one as more of the rogue Marines charged in to fill any gap in the line surrounding the greater daemon. The Bloodletters finally had begun to take some losses becoming slowly overwhelmed by the vast numbers of Brass Talons. Swinging his axe from left to right and then back again the Skulltaker kept an eye on the tainted psyker. The bag of collars he held onto tight with the other hand. Scores of dead Marines littered the floor as the Khornate warband forced their way forward.

The dark Librarian held up a gauntlet and whispered a secret spell. Bolts of fiery lightning crashed down upon Angrath. The Bloodthirster hissed as the bolts harmlessy bounced off his hardened armored hide then he flicked his cat of nine tails whipping the barbed ends toward the Librarian.

"Angrath fall back!" commanded the Skulltaker.

The gigantic winged daemon flexed, knocking Brass Talons aside as the Bloodthirster fell back towards his master and the last of the Bloodletters. A gap suddenly formed between the two sides. The Skulltaker somersaulted through the air switching his grip on his great axe for two huge mega patterned bolt pistols sitting in their holsters upon his bronze belt. He landed with a hard thump in front of Angrath aiming the pair of pistols side by side towards the enemy. Eerie blue lights played out through the dark void between the two forces as the laser sights dripped across the armor of the Brass Talons. The Skulltaker slowly squeezed both triggers simultaneouly. The multi barrels of both pistols barked as their daemon headed muzzles spit out raw death. Tiny rockets shot out spiralling tightly into the first rank of rogue Marines. The Skulltaker fanned both pistols laying down every shot dead center. Blasting through the front rank the payload erupted out from their backs ripping through the next in line. The Librarian jumped aside at the last moment possible watching silently as the salvo continued on it's course of death tearing through rank after rank of Marines. Finally the miniature rockets came to a steep bend in the tight hallway sweeping around in an arc to continue on. The Librarian looked around astonished to see that all of his command had been laid to waste. Not one Brass Talon besides the rogue Librarian was left standing.

"Those shells were vortex rounds!" shouted the Skulltaker as he shoved the pistols back into their holsters.

Angrath held down the rogue Librarian while the Skulltaker lifted his great axe. "Another skull for the Skull God!" shouted the armored daemon swiftly bringing down the axe. The Librarian's head hit the floor hard and bounced off. Angrath released the spasming body letting it crash down beside the head. The Skulltaker set his axe down beside the storm shield and pulled out his flaying knife lifting up the severed head. Carefully cutting off first the nose then the ears the daemon carved off the flesh then finally plucked out the dead blue eyes and yanked the bit of vertebrae attached to the base of the skull. The last of the Bloodletters all watched intently as the Skulltaker wiped the gore and ligaments from the smooth bone with a square piece of coarse sandpaper. A ring of bronze was then carefully inserted into the top of the skull and the Skulltaker clipped it onto his belt beside the ruined skull of the replicant Marine Argozz.

"I am sure there are still some of the Brass Talons left so keep an ear out for them. We must now move inwards to the dark heart of this ruined craftworld and explode the core reactors before we can depart." said the chief daemon.

Angrath howled then slowly began to shrink taking on once more the shape of a Bloodletter. There were only a few Bloodletters left and they set about reloading their long barreled plasma rifles.

The Bloodletters crawled through the inner service tunnel keeping their heads tucked low so as not to scrape against the hot blow tubes. The Skulltaker lead the small party forward on into the heart of the darkness. Each daemon had to press their arms and legs out stiff against the circular walls to keep from falling. Residual heat from the core reactor flashed like lightning deep down below. The Skulltaker continued to move down suddenly feeling avery sticky ichor dripping out from small fissures cracked through the wall. Looking ahead for a moment the chief daemon saw a mass of many limbed bodies pressed up against the alien service tunnel. Sniffing the humid air he took note of a sickly spore drifting about like a damp blanket. "Genestealers ahead!" whispered the Skulltaker as he lifted his clawed hand from the filthy goo to slowly pull loose one of his mega patterned bolt pistols.

Chattering and the sounds of sharp mandibles clicking began to fill the tight space. The genestealers began to crawl up easily gliding across the rotted surface of the inner service tunnel. Bracing both magnetized soles of his armored boots against conjoining blow tubes the Skulltaker howled at the xenos killers then fired into them. Genestealer limbs and pieces of their dark purples torsos exploded in a mist of ichor falling down the tunnel back towards the core reactors. The Skulltaker continued to shoot squeezing the trigger with a quick repeated pulse so that a steady fire of mega bolter rounds rained up into the genestealers. More of the aliens pushed through the dead ones continuing on ahead. Click click went the pistol as it was finally drained of it's last rounds of ammuntion. Quickly the Skulltaker switched grips with the second bolt pistol and started to fire again. More of the genestealers were pulverized as the huge bolter rounds exploded into them but the forward press continued. The Skulltaker now was firing at almost point blank range as the xenos horde kept moving up the service tunnel. They were face to face as the chief daemon drained his last shots screaming with cold fury. Long barrels poked out as the Bloodletters began to rapid fire their plasma rifles. The Skulltaker grabbed a hold of the closest blow tubes and started to kick with a frenzy crashing his boots into the skulls of the genestealers. Their sharp long clawed talons shot out stabbing back at the Skulltaker. Suddenly the daemon let go barreling into the maddening horde. His fierce charge broke them loose from the walls as they started to fall down the shaft. The Bloodletters watched as their leader and the xenos tumbled away.

"Be quick now!" said Angrath as he began to climb back up the tunnel. The rest of the daemons followed behind.

The Skulltaker reached with both hands grabbing a pair of genestealers by their throats and squeezed hard. The genestealers' eyes began to bulge out and their long tongues shot out from their mouths swelling up like a pair up balloons. The daemon applied more pressure until their heads popped open with dark sticky green ichor shooting out from their necks. Releasing them the Skulltaker reached down and pulled two long pointed stilettos from his belt and started to thrash about cutting the closest xenos into bloody ribbons. The genestealers squealed in pain as the pointed knives jabbed into their carapaces landing the hidden organs underneath the hardened exoskeletons. The daemon roared then bit another genestealer in the neck ripping out it's throat with his sharp fangs.

The mass of bodies continued to fall faster and faster towards the core reactors until they finally reached terminal velocity. They bounced against the circular walls of the service tunnel as they careened down deeper into the very heart of the craftworld.

The Skulltaker landed with a hard thud on a flat deck encircling the primary core reactor. A large set of snaking cables sprouted up through the center of the deck covered in ancient greyed wraithbone. The cables hummed with a life of their own vibrating with a slow mesmerising off frequency. "These must tie into this craftworld's infinity matrix." thought the daemon as he began to grin behind his silver mask. "All their deads' spirits are tied into the matrix."

There was the sound of thunder and then the Avatar stepped out from a large dark shadow. His eyes burned like lava. "There is no hope for you now Kharathx. I will break every bone in your body after I peel off your armor. You are nothing."

"So you say, so you say eternal brother of mine." said the Skulltaker.

"I am not your brother. You are a base creature spat out from the cold abyss."

The Skulltaker snarled as he reached up to remove his silver mask. The daemon then reached for his pair of dueling knives. The blades were long and serrated. "I smell your kin closeby hidden. Their magicks will not help you." said the Skulltaker as he pointed the tip of one knife towards the huge brass studded collar fastened around his neck. "You will have to win this all by yourself." The Skulltaker took a step forward towards the Avatar as his stature grew. "You are a traitor to our Master. I will make swear back an oath of fealty before I sever off that huge mishapen growth you call a skull."

The Avatar shouted out a warcry unleashing the wailing doom. The Skulltaker leapt aside just as the blast hit the spot where he had been standing. The floor exploded as the tiles of wraithbone were vaporized. Leaping high into the air the daemon shot up above the Avatar bringing down both knives as he came down on top of the giant. The Avatar moved with blinding speed batting aside both blades with a thrust from his long spear. He knocked the Skulltaker aside like a doll then spun about thrusting out again with the spear. The tip lanced straight through the daemon's armor skewering his chest. Lifting up his spear with the Skulltaker impaled upon it the Avatar smashed the daemon against an ornate pillar. The shaft broke apart as the daemon twisted about trying to free himself from the spear. Tossing aside the spent handle the towering giant reached down and savagely gripped the Skulltaker bashing the daemon repeatedly against the floor. The Skulltaker stuck both of his blades into the Avatar's bowels twisting the knives about. Screaming in sudden pain the Avatar brought down both his fists fiercely club the Skulltaker's bare face. The bronzed skin smeared off revealing a metal skull within. The daemon rolled off the broken pillar dropping one knife to grasp at his ruined face. Bracing himself upon one boot the Skulltaker kicked out with his other hoofed brass boot kicking the Avatar aside. The Skulltaker dropped the other blade and grasped at the end of the broken spear pulling it loose from the deep wound in his chest. As the Avatar climbed back up he watched intently as the Skulltaker's face reformed knitting itself back together. The daemon snarled and spat out a black gout of burning acid.

"I am something! I am!" yelled the daemon as he plunged the broken spear into the chest of the Avatar. The spear punched through the wraithbone armor and flames shot out from the fresh wound.

"More pain!" shouted the daemon as he leapt on top of the Avatar sinking his long pointed fangs into it's neck. Molten ore spilled out from the fresh wound sizzling as it dripped upon the dark wraithbone armor. Gripping the daemon by it's armored collar the Avatar flung the Skulltaker aside. The daemon hit an outer wall of the reactor smashing off pieces from the xenos control panel. The Skulltaker felt a couple ribs break inside his chestplate as he crashed to ground. Quickly reaching out for one of his blades the huge daemon grabbed it by the hilt and deftly threw it at the Avatar. The knife spun tip over end as it sailed through the air piercing the Avatar through an eyehole in his helm. Screaming in mad fury the towering monstrosity gripped the knife and pried it loose from his skull. The Skulltaker came in hard ramming the Avatar with his left shoulder driving it into the wall. Big cracks split the wall on impact and the daemon punched one knurled gauntlet up fiercely decking the monster's jaw. The Skulltaker had gathered up his other short blade and drove it into the Avatar's midsection repeatedly stabbing through the suit of ancient wraithbone armor.

Feeling his life force slowly beginning to drain the Avatar blocked the next incoming blow blunting the sharp edge of the daemon's knife with his forearm. The daemon was much stronger than he had reckoned and the warp creature appeared to be able to quickly regenerate any wound he inflicted. The battle should have been over already but the Skulltaker had siezed the initiative fighting on with a flurry of blazing speed.

Again the Avatar reached out to grapple with the daemon but the Skulltaker stepped inside his outstretched arms and drove his knife with both hands into his throat twisting the serrated edges cruelly about. Focusing all his might into one swift blow the monster punched the Skulltaker hard in the chest cracking it's brass chestplate. The daemon stumbled dropping his weapon as his knees gave out for just a moment.

The Skulltaker saw black spots beginning to form before his eyes. He was utterly exhausted. Kneeling down the askulltaker placed the palms of both hands upon the floor to steady himself. He looked over to see that the Avatar was also taking a brief moment to rest. The daemon breathed in and out slowly trying to relax. His breath came short and he wheezed. His cracked ribs had not yet finished healing. The knife was a short distance from his left outstretched hand. He saw that his adversary was closely watching him, focusing intently upon his next move. The tip of the Avatar's lance lay beside the giant but it did not seem to realize the weapon was closeby.

"It's almost over now." said the Skulltaker through his gritted fangs. "I have scored your precious suit of armor in over a dozen places and wounded you deeply. It's a wonder that huge mishapen skull of yours has not toppled off yet."

The Avatar snarled as he stood up straight scooping up the broken lance in one fluid motion. "I am infinite in power. One so low and base as yourself could never hope to defeat me. It is time for you to die now." said the Avatar as he unleashed the wailing doom again blazing the daemon in a bath of super heated flame.

The Skulltaker bent down his head shielding himself as much as possible from the heat attack. The infernal energies of the wailing doom encircling him like a huge serpent crushing him in it's tight coils. The stinging heat from the blast soaked his bronzed armor until it began to glow red. Wisps of smoke poured off from the Skulltaker as the last of the blast finally withered away. The daemon stood back up with his arms outstretched to help dissipate the burning heat. "That hurt." said the Skulltaker, "But not as much as this will!" Snapping his wrist the daemon released his knife in a straight arc towards the Avatar. The tip of the blade sunk into the other eyehole of the giant's helmet instantly blinding him. The Avatar howled out dropping the broken lance to clutch desperately at the hilt of the deeply embedded knife. With a fierce rush the Skulltaker charged his eternal enemy knocking him off the edge of the platform sending into the bottomless depths below.

The Skulltaker sucks in a breath of hot air shifting his silver helm back into place upon his heavily bruised face. The cold metal fit snug against his skull. His ribs had finally healed and the tend in his chestplate had closed back neatly. Slowly the dark etheral fibers of the warp suttered shut all his gashes and wounds. He sat down upon the floor fiddling with his last knife. The great axe and storm shield he had lifted from a dead Salamander terminator had been lost in the long fall down through the service tunnel. The daemon sat still allowing himself a brief moment of respite while his warp energies coursed within replenishing his vast reserves of strength. While sitting he heard the high pitched laughter of a female hidden in the darkness veiling the the service ramp. He turned his head to and from casting out his daemonic visage in a futile search for the source of laughter. Next he sniffed again carefully drawing in the thin air masticating as the fragrant smell of the xenos filled his nostrils. If his enhanced sense of smell served him right then there was a group of lithe bodied jesters closeby ready to strike. Keeping his seat upon the floor he lifted his head looking towards the direction of the perfume. A hazy cluster of tall eldar were standing in the shadows checking their weapons one last time.

"You pariahs that you are. If you had even the slightest modicum of tactics you would joined your Avatar in the melée. You could have possibly turned the tides in his favor. I know though that you all tend to be a cowardly lot preferring others to do your work for you. I see you are ready now though and can wait no longer. The lust for my blood consumes you just as it did for the Avatar of Khaine. Khaine and My God are one in the same though I know you would deny that. It's okay by me though. Your pointed skulls with adorn my belt when this is all said and done. I have fought more than my fair share of pariahs such as yourself. It shall end as it always does and that is inevitable but I must commend you for having come here. Show yourselves and let's be done with this final battle."

The Harlequins bounded out from the shadow with such speed that the Skulltaker lost sight of them. Relying solely upon his heightened sense of smell and gut instincts he tracked their position as landed in a full circle totally enclosing him on all sides. The daemon stiffened as bristling barbs erupted from suit of armor spiking out like spines. The Harlequins immediately unleashed their kisses and the monomolecular whips wrapped around the spins unable to penetrate the brass armor below. Quickly spinning in place the Skulltaker lifted the troupe off their feet. "Haaa!" snorted the evil daemon as he used his single knife to cut each lash sending the Harlequins sailing out into the void. "That was almost too easy."

The Solitaire stepped out from the shadows stopping only a few steps away from the Skulltaker. The jester carried a pair of long barbed power blades built into the armor enclosing his arms. His long narrow face was fitted with a skull mask that had a pair of bright green eyes. "You are the destroyer of my race. I know why you are here. Collecting the collars of Khorne was but a small trifling task compared to your primary purpose. You are very close to completing your goal now. Only I stand between you and your task. Know that I alone can stop you. I can and you know this. I have watched in silence while you slaughtered our sacred Avatar and then cleverly outwitted my kin. You are evil incarnate. I reckon you will be raised to the rank of daemon prince if you can get past me. Your thirst for more power and reigning death boggles my mind. Aren't you powerful enough as it is? You have eventually killed all your most ancient and hated foes. My race is at it's final nadhir. Your actions are not necessary for the outcome will be the same regardless of you. Leave it be and I will sing of your fiendish exploits until the end of time."

"I have no choice in the matter." said the Skulltaker. "I am absolutely loyal to my God. I will do whatever he commands of me. I have an offer you you in turn. Turn away now and I will spare you. I am both immortal and invulnerable. You cannot stop what fate has in store for you and your fallen kin. If you leave here now you can live yet another day. That is all I have to offer for you."

- edited -

The Solitaire took a step back and lowered his power blades. "I also am bound by duty nor could I allow you to go on uncontested... So we must fight this last duel."

"I have killed your Avatar and kin with only a pair of knives. Now I only have one left." growled the daemon.

For those of you that have been following along any feedback at this point would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

G

The Skulltaker removed his mask to show his face. "I was born of fire pariah." His metallic skin turned to flesh and was pale. His eyes were dark green and sparkled In the glow from the reactor's heat. His ears were longated and pointed on top.

"Abraxas!" whispered the Solitare.

The daemon frowned. "All eldar must die." His hands shot out catching the Harlequin by the throat and he crushed the jester's neck throwing the dead body off the deck. "Now finally I can inject the T virus into the infinity matrix. Their doom is ensured. OH TEE WAH !!! "

Flash to a future time...

The Skulltaker sits upon a brass throne resting on top of hill of skulls.

"Abraxas you have done very well as my current incarnation of the Skulltaker." said Lord Khorne. "Who would know that you were once a proud eldar that took up the sword of Khaine upon my black altar on the forgotten crone world Arcana? Your hate is hard. Here you shall remain by my side for the next millenium. I shall elevate you to the sacred rank of daemon prince in honor of all the skulls you took in my name and all the blood you have split. Your deeds have not gone unnoticed and I have kept my promise in return to you for fulfilling our ancient bargain. Your throne of skulls in only less in height than mine." the Blood God spoke in a whisper.

Abraxas smiled for a brief moment then straightened his back against the high brass throne. The daemon looked upon all the skull he had smote and was pleased. "I am eternally in your debt Lord Khorne and I thank you for this high honor you have bestowed upon me."

The Skulltaker sat upon his throne staring at the eldar gemstones embedded into the back of the skulls mounted as hand rests. The gems would flash from time to time then extinguish again. His long nails were pointed and hard as diamonds as the daemon prince scratched his name into the bronze.

"Abraxas."

"Lord Khorne I have sat here by your side now for 1,000 years and a day. I yearn for more battle again and thirst for the enemies' blood." said the daemon prince.

"That you have done and it is time to send you back out again to take more skulls in my name. The eldar have fallen like wheat to the scythe since you infected their infinity matrix with the T virus. There are but a few tribes left and it is time for to finish them. They have banded together on a Crone world hidden deep within the Eye. I will send you forth with a great legion of daemons to ensure their fall is complete. The mighty Bloodthirster Angrath will fight by your side and the most hardened Of the World Eaters will assist you. Remember that the eldar are quite cunning and know how to manipulate the strands of fate. You must the universe of this race once and for all." said the Blood God. "Here is my most prized suit of armor and the dark blade of Khaine for you to wield against them. It is said the sword bears a curse to whoever lifts it but you shall prove immune. Go forth and destroy the last of this barren race in my name."

The exodites are the survivalists of the eldar. They left the eldar homeworld prior to the great fall choosing to live upon backwater planets hidden within the corners of the galaxy. There was one tribe brave enough to journey into the great Eye long after the fall when they discovered it's legend. Here dwells the last tribe of eldar lead by their Everqueen Namora and championed by the warseer Diamocles. The two are part of three triplets born long ago before the great fall. No one speaks of the third member of the triplets and an empty throne sits besides those for Namora and Diamocles hidden in dark shadows.

The exodites live off the land and have dragons which they ride to hunt beasts upon their secret world. They have prospered while the rest of their fallen race disappeared from the universe.

There was the sound of metal scraping metal back within the depths of the chamber room. Namora turned to look upon the third throne. A large daemonic looking entity sat upon the hidden throne slumped back against the wall. The Everqueen remained silent while sending a psychic message to her brother Diamocles. Someone is here in the throne room with me. I did not hear them enter and it sits upon the third throne. The Everqueen slowly looked up to see that the mysterious stranger had vanished from the room. The sickening smell of burning sulphur filled the air as a thin red mist hovered over the empty throne. A pile of brazened skulls lay upon the floor, each one etched in bronze with Chaos runes. The skulls' jaws silently gnashed their teeth shuddering as they chomped down hard. Namora stood up and carefully made her way out from the chamber quietly slinking through the dark trail of black shadows that painted the floor. It's gone now. Namora told her brother as she came about to face the closest exit.

Namora lay in her bed covered in sweat. The fever was intense and she had experienced frequent bouts of vomitting. The Warseer sat beside her watching the Everqueen intently. Namora's skin was ghostly pale and deep dark circles ringed her eyes. Diamocles wiped her hot brow with a cold sponge and sat back.

"Namora the crystal city has been beseiged by a vast daemonic invasion for over a week now. World Eaters form up their vanguard. We need you. Concentrate. Focus your will and banish this fever."

Namora screamed out in pain as a fever chill ran up her spine. The Everqueen coughed up dark red blood that flecked her cheeks and ran down her chin. The hand maiden quickly wiped away the blood. Namora's body was soaking the sheets with sweat as tears of thin blood ran down from the corners of her eyes. Her skin was deathly pale and hard blue veins ran underneath. "I would rather die than spend another minute suffering from this adominal pain." she whispered to her maiden. "If only the pain would subside for just a moment."

A cool breeze came spilling out from the open doorway. The light wind caressed the Everqueen's naked body drying away her persperation. Namora sighed then fell into a deep slumber.

Namora sat at the head of the war table ready to address her council. Diamocles the Warseer sat to the right of her and the chair to her left was empty. The generals all sat still all eyes upon the Everqueen absorbing her dominant aura.

"Our Calvary must take the fight to Khorne and break their back with one decisive blow. We must make one rapid strike before the war engines of Khorne are deployed. Our dragonguard is our most elite force. We can end this quickly. Khorne is satisfied to fight upon the field of battle killing for the sake of blood shed. Our tactical prowess is greater and we must take the long view. As long as we can keep their war machines at bay Khorne cannot press our inner strength. Our high walls are safe."

Diamocles waited until the Everqueen was finished with her opening speech and then spoke. "Generals report our positions and plan of attack."

Runefest was eager and spoke in reply first "The dragons of the burning caverns are positioned above the valley of death and only await your order to to take flight. The rear of the Khornate forces are exposed and open. Speak the word and we shall commence."

Next spoke ancient Esmarlda "The dragon riders of the hidden sect are also ready and positioned to strike at your command our Everqueen. Say the word."

Finally the young general Nounce spoke up "The dragonguard of the ancient sun are also ready. We can hammer the forward vanguard of Khorne in a crushing pincer. Say the word."

Namora rose up from her seat looking down upon the council. "Engage!"

Khorne sat at the head of his inner war council surrounded by his closest daemon princes and greater daemons. Angron sat to his left and a huge empty brass throne sat to his right. "We stand on the brink of a genocide. If the Skulltaker is successful the eldar will be completely eliminated. Their blood will flow like dark red wine!"

Angron scratched his square chin and sat straight up. "The Skulltaker was an elf. As long as he remains the race will continue."

Khorne suddenly brought down his fist swiftly striking the brass table. His fist boomed as it struck the table. "The Skulltaker is a son to me. Many and far are the origins of my council. My name is spoken in countless languages across this galaxy. What you suggest is blasphemy."

"You may not the sound of what I said but it is the truth. If you truly desire the total extinction of the elder race then all of them must die." said Angron.

Angrath the giant Bloodthirster sat at the back and frowned inwardly. "Angron you are jealous."

The primarch stood up and unslung his massive war axe. "What I say is simply the truth. Our lord seeks the utter demise of the eldar. To do so they all must die in the end."

Angrath stood up as well. "All humans must die as well. I am pure daemon as are most here. Your skull could be one more on the mountain of skulls taken in this aim. Your skull could rest rest right beside Kharn's."

Angron sneered. "I dare you to try!"

The giant Bloodthirster lifted up the bronze table smashing the end into Angron's face. The primarch stumbled back then lifted up his war axe ready to charge the greater daemon.

"Cease and desist right now!" commanded the god Khorne. "I have the final say on these matters and I see no reason to change anything already decreed. The Skulltaker's mound of skulls is lower only than mine. None here has taken as many skulls as he. He is my right hand.

"Angron I see the flames of green jealousy burning deep within your eyes. Yet you are my left hand. We all stand together. Put aside your hate for Abraxas and take a moment to respect his accomplishments. No one here is more committed to the taking of skulls than he. He has risen through the ranks based upon his acheivements. That is the way of Khorne!"

"But you gifted him with the sword of Khaine! I should wield the dark blade not Abraxas!" fumed Angron.

"Angron you shame us all. Do I have to resort to punishing you?" said Lord Khorne. "We are all brothers here. The Mark of Khorne is the most sacred mark. We only speak the truth." Lord Khorne cupped his claws together behind his back and pondered. "I will send you into the mortal realm again albeit the cost. Angrath will accompany you. I beseech you to give aid to Abraxas. Let us finally rid this universe of the eldar. All Chaos will give praise to this deed. I gift you and brother Angrath with my most potent collars of Khorne. The enemy shall have no defense against you. Reap their skulls in my name."

Namora looked in the mirror and smiled. The Everqueen looked into her own eyes and studied the dark red flames flashing in the back behind her dark round pupils. She sneered at herself then suddenly looked away from the mirror. Her hand maiden had entered her bedroom carrying a silver plate piled high with mounds of rare red cooked meat. "Leave it on the table and begone. I am busy and must prepare for the battle."

"The meal has been prepared exactly as you wish my queen. You have been quite carnivourous as of late."

"I need the cooked flesh to finish healing my bout with the fever. Begone!" Namora clapped her hands and grimaced at her hand maiden. "Now be quick and don't make me have to tell you again. I'll be down when I'm ready." She frowned then began to move towards the silver plate. The rare meat smelled divine.

The Everqueen slowly strode up on top of the Dias mounted upon the highest outer tower sitting perched to the castle wall. The Warseer stood beside surveying the field of battle. "Our northern scouts report a group of Bloodthirsters roosting on top of Mount Pyre. Below the mountain in the valley you can see the vast horde of Khornate lesser daemons. Bloodletters and packs of Flesh Hounds patrol the ground ready for the fight." said Diamocles.

"And where is their general the Skulltaker?" asked Namora.

"That we do not know as of yet. My best guess is the daemon prince is amongst the greater daemons ready to swoop down when he gives the order. One of the Bloodthirsters carries a large and I believe he will use it to sound off when the Skulltaker is ready to fight."

"I see the lesser daemons are moving up their warmachines in preparation to break our mighty siege walls." said Namora. "Our dragon knights are safely hidden and ready to plunge down upon the foe. They must break the warmachines quickly then return to fend off the large host of Bloodthirsters. They must not fail so I shall join them mounted on top of the ancient winged worymm Strider. You shall remain here as the captain of our seige works."

Diamocles spoke "Honestly I think it is too soon after your fever. The best course is to keep you safe here deep within our high walls."

"There is no time left to play it safe any longer. We must throw everything we have at the forces of Khaine the god of murder."

The dragonguard took flight fleeting high above the masses below. Namora searched the skies ever vigilant for her long lost dear brother Abraxas. The Bloodthirsters took flight from their rocky pyre beating their wings high above lost in the blood red sky.

"Namora my sister I am here right beside you. Day after day there is a ghost of a chance. I can't let go. Keep your eyes wide open. Like a circle of light I can't let you go. It follows me blindly day after day. The voice deep inside... The voice deep inside you. You know me, I'm still the same. I am everything you've ever broken. The voice is still deep inside me, I'm inside you under your skin. My heart still beats but I am not the same. I just can't let you go."

The Everqueen shock her head. "Abraxas you've come back and I still love my once gentle brother! You've come back to find me. My heart still beats for you too! I've kept my eyes wide open. Please don't let go now. I'll follow you blindly!"

"My heart still beats. Like a circle of light and I just can't let go. Together we shall take down Angron."


"Day after day my dearest brother. There's still a ghost of a chance."

Pros:

1) At times the writing is gorgeous, and your stories are well-written, to be sure.
2)There is nothing technical in the writing that distracts the reader.
3) Your style is descriptive and quickly draws the reader in, no clever or contrived plot devices necessary.
4) That random Bloodthirster was a hoot, for sure, adding an appropriate level of comic relief.

Cons (and since you wanted an explaination, I'll give you one for each)

1) I guess that I don't particularly like a main character who can more or less inflict his will on the plot of the story without anyone at all being able to stop him. He's chewed through two SM Companies, the Avatar of Khaine, the Solitare, the random Genestealers (still not sure what they were doing there, surrounded by Eldar and SMs). He's successfully deceived a Chaos God of his intent (albeit not the brightest or tricksiest one). There you go - it's boring knowing that a) he has no internal conflict, b) he doesn't really have any external conflict with characters (whom he just steamrolls with little to no help, pure and simple), and he has c) no conflict with his environment.
2) The "hero" has done no cost-benefit analysis. How much damage has he done to the galaxy in the name of killing off one daemon? Sure, he'll get one drop of blood from his stone in the end, but despite his arguably advanced age, he doesn't seem to have much in the way of critical thinking skills. Heck, he already seems more powerful than Angron, so why not just end his foe?
3) My opinion on him aside, I think the part on the Craftworld served no real purpose other than to once again reassert how great he is (I already had figured it out from the first SM chapter) and to get his name and true race out of the last being left alive. Then again, I'm sort of a thinkin' man, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who would enjoy reading a story about a daemon wandering around slaughtering. I'd prefer if he had a bit more depth, as he is somewhat of a 1.5dimensional hero at this point IMHO.

Hope this helps. I am quite interested to see the end, and that's really what matters.

Well I really appreciate the feedback a lot. If you remember his battle with the Salamander terminators he could not just charge in and destroy them at will. In fact he had to keep out of their charge range at times... It was supposed to be a bit of cat and mouse. His power grows over the course of the story and it has reached a climax. I don't want to give anything away so I'm not going to say anything about the end. If you have read Blood for the Blood God which served as the inspiration for this story you'll find that the Skulltaker in that novel is pretty much unstoppable. This Skulltaker did have his hands full with the Avatar and only won through sheer will in the end, at least that is how I meant it to come across.

Some people have asked me the following:

what was his origin? How did he come to be trapped as an ember in the beginning of the story and what happened after he killed the replicant Captain Agrozz?

What are the replicant Marines and what role do they play in the story?

If I can manage to keep writing enough it will all be revealed.

Again the feedback is greatly appreciated.

G

The Skulltaker suddenly appeared to the right of Namora beating his great wings which kept the daemon prince aloft and moving at great speed. He carried a long great aex with twin blades and a long metal tail skunk out from behind him whipping the air. The Skulltaker wore a bronze helmet that covered his huge head and two sharp horns sprouted out from the fore. His eyes were bright red orbs that shone like a pair of stars deep in the night.

"Oh how low you have fallen my brother!" Namora could not help but cry out at the sudden shock of finally seeing her long lost brother after all the years of separation.

"It is my path to follow and I have followed it to the end. To me it has always been a level journey with each step forward. Your kinsmen denied me my right at the head of your kingdom. Now they will finally pay for their treachery with blood and skulls.

"In truth I am still just as much an eldar as you or anyone else from our tribe, but I have also become something more. I worship at the altar of Khaine. I have no fear or compulsion not to murder in his name. Our kinsmen you can blame if you find me debased, disgusting and fallen. Of all I have ever known you were always the one to see through all the deceit and lies to find the simple truth that cowards and tyrants wish to hide. Our brother Diamocles is a liar as well. I know you love him best as you chose to follow him, not me. Know this though! I was the firstborn not Diamocles and I stood within the burning flames of the secret temple unharmed. Hate is in my heart and it has made me invulnerable. I have no weakness and even my love for you shall change nothing here today.

"Now we shall do what we must and that will be the end of it once and for all. All the cards have been played and this is the final hand. You can see yonder the great and mighty Angron making his way towards us now. He is accompanied by his vast retinue of loyal Bloodthirsters. Only Angrath is my companion. Angron means to kill us all and be done with it. All below us are doomed. There is nothing you can do to save them now. So we shall fight together this one last time. How fickle fate truly is to bring us back together now as such." With that the Skulltaker dropped down from the sky speeding towards Angron and his Bloodthirsters.

The dragon riders of Pernth came from the left of Namora. Their dragons pulled back in the air and unleashed sizzling hot gouts of flame broiling into Angron and his small horde. The daemons were encased in the flames and seemed to lose their sense of direction for a moment. From above the dragon riders of the Ridden Wyrm dropped down in a quick swoop. Their dragons uncoiled their vast clawed feet grasping hold of some of the greater daemons throwing them down away from the center of the horde. Angron bellowed loudly grabbing one dragon by it's long tail and ripped it loose from the skies above. From the right another group of dragon riders entered the fray. Each dragon carried on eldar steering the mount while there was also another firing great bolt throwers into the Bloodthirsters. The bolts sang out quickly piercing the brass armor and skewering the closest of the greater daemons. Some of the Bloodthirsters lost or had a wing crippled and they fell from the skies like plunging meteors. Angron bellowed again rushing towards these dragons realizing they were the biggest threat yet. His horde followed behind slashing their axes through the cold air.

The Skulltaker held out the end of his aex handle sighting it on Angron. A long steely barb shot out and sank into the daemon primarch's shoulder. Angron roared with rage turning his attention on Abraxas. "You are a traitor! Khorne summoned me to your aid and I come here to find you fighting with the eldar! You have finally shown your true color at last!"

"Angron you have forever been dull in mind." said Abraxas. "You cannot even begin to fathom what is taking place. I would never take aid from you for you are one that would sink your axe in my back if you thought you had half the chance. You are nothing more than a petty mortal whom by sheer luck rose to the status of an immortal. Khorne had no choice but to take you to his side, it was simple fate and nothing else. You have butchered many of your own for no good reason. Remember that the god of murder does not care whose blood is split as long as it flows deep. I make my own fate while you are but a tool."

Angron bellowed again pulling the sharp steel barb from his wounded shoulder. "I will grind your bones Skulltaker and wipe that smile off your face!"

The Skulltaker's long prehensile armor covered tail shot out like a snaking serpent wrapping tight around Angron's throat. Abraxas yanked hard and drove the speared tip end of his great aex deep into Angron's muscled stomach. The primarch reached out and grabbed the Skulltaker with both his giant fists. They both hung in the air beating their wings wrestling with each other. A dragon came in from behind Angron tearing at the primarch's wings. Abraxas shifted his weight pushing the haft of his aex up into Angron's throat, then he stopped beating his wings. The primarch could not keep them both aloft and as a pair they began to plunge down from the red skies.

The two monsters collided into the earth. A great explosion boomed and large cloud of red dirt sprayed up covering their impact. There was a huge crater from where they had crashed with dead bodies of eldar sprawled all about from the deadly impact. The Skulltaker lay on top of Angron, one head of his great aex deeply embedded in his own chest and the other head cleanly punched through the the primarch's. Abraxas rolled off Angron, dark red blood seeping out from his split lips. His vision was cloudy as the Skulltaker slowly pulled himself hand over hand crawling out from the crater with his aex still lodged in his chest. Angron was out stone cold not moving at all. Legion upon teeming legion stood around the skirt of the huge crater silently watching as the Skulltaker continued to pull himself up. Both his legs were broke in several places and bright clean pieces of bone shard stuck out of his skewered skin and tended armor. "Go forth now and kill them off! There is little time left." whispered Abraxas hoarsely. The Bloodletters continued to watch then one by one the daemons started to descend down into the pit grasping hold of their champion, pulling with all their might to lift him out from the crater. Abraxas let his head drop to the side, his long forked tongue stuck out from his mouth as he gasped and spit up frothing blood

Finally the Bloodletters managed to pull him free and right him on the edge with his broken legs dangling down below. He flapped his wings a few times and found they had not been damaged by the great fall but the effort hurt immensely. Looking down the Skulltaker could see Angron still lay at the bottom of the pit still unmoving. The primarch's wings were both broken falling over limply on both sides.

"The Everqueen and her retinue are coming. Open up a clearing for them and do not attack unless I command you to do so." said the Skulltaker.

A great shadow passed over the deamonic brood as the Bloodletters stepped back. One by one the last of the dragons settled upon the blood soaked soil. At the front landed the ancient dragon Namora had chosen as her mount. The eldar looked around fearfully taking in the vast masses of daemons that surrounded them. The Everqueen dismounted stepping down slowly walking towards her fiendish brother. She lowered her sceptre and stood still.

"I hold the sword of Khaine." said Abraxas. "It was forged in the ninth pit of hell while the ancient godsmith hammered it out upon an iron forge. The metal comes from beyond our material and was folded over so many times that the fractal patterns the cover its surface are microscopic and infinitesmally hidden. This ore holds no bound daemon but has soaked up the blood and life force of millions upon millions of sacrifices. It is a thing of hate and to wield it is said to bring a curse so great that anyone half sane would be to frightened to grasp it. Not even the god Khorne would use it but he gave it to me presented as a gift. Who is to say what will be my fate for carrying this cursed blade? None can say. It is an artefact of unlimited power so great as to corrupt anyone or anything that would dare lift it up to strike out in battle." the Skulltaker held the hilt of the sword in both hands and lifted it above his head. The dark blade hummed so loud it filled the air with a sound like 1000 Banshees crying out. Abraxas cut into the very fabric of time and space opening up a void. A black hole split open and from the void there came a bright blue light that shone down upon the red earth. "Namora I give you this one opportunity to flee this realm. I have opened a doorway to another universe to which you and the last of your kinsmen may escape. I cannot tell you what is on the other side but mayhaps it is a fate less worse than the one that awaits you here. I bid you to leave this mortal coil and begone."

Namora was silent as she stared into the very depths of the void before her. "So be it then. We shall depart from this universe." With that she remounted her dragon and flew into the gaping maw before her. The last of the dragon riders followed her into the void just it began to close.


Some time passed and finally the daemon primarch came to again. His giant form stirred back to life as the great daemon lifted himself up from the bottom of the crater. Angron stood up looking out. The Skulltaker stood above with a hand extended into the pit. Angron sneered as he made his up the tilted slope and climbed out. "What has happened here?"

"The eldar are finished to the very last as was demanded by our lord Khorne. We have brought about the demise of an entire race." said the Skulltaker.

Angron sniffed the cool night air. "All I can smell are the dead. It would seem what you say is true but I will scour every inch of this planet before I accept your word as the truth!"

"Go ahead then Angron. I won't try to stop you. Take a thousand flesh hounds and search until the ends of this world. You'll see for yourself." said the Skulltaker.

time moves on... The Skulltaker has successfully eliminated the most hated race in the universe while at the same time saving his sister's life. Time moves on until the end of time... Chaos fights to survive...

"My dear sister I still think of you every day. So much time has passed since the last time I saw you. I wonder if you still remember me. I feel under my skin. My heart still beats like a circle of life out of control day after day." thought Abraxas. He sat upon his throne mounted on a mountain of skulls. "Day after day." The daemon placed his hand upon the hilt of his sword. "I long to leave this place and be by your side again. I shall never forget you my dear sister."

The lith female daemon Shardona looked up at Abraxas smiling "We all wonder why you sit there upon your High throne brooding." Bright red flames flickered in her eyes. "The super Colussi are here now. You still command one million million daemonkin! Break this funk and lead us to battle! It's time to take another skull in the name of our god!"

Abraxas looked down upon the female daemon, his great eyes hooded and his mouth curled in a frown. "Who sent you Shardona? Time is at an end now. The super Colussi signal the final time. Entropy reigns supreme."

"You will sit here and just watch the very universe torn asunder? There is a foe worthy of you! I beseech you to lead us into battle once more."

"Learn to say goodbye."

Expect more soon!



G

The Skulltaker stared into the shallow red pool watching the dark images play about in the shrouded mist. An eye opened deep within the pool and stared back then blinked.

"Here is the gate leading to the world where your sister Namora lives. All you have to do is step through the mist." said the stony voice.

Abraxas laughed. "Yet another ploy by the dead god Tzneetch to pull the wool over my eyes." The Skulltaker tugged absently on the huge brass collar fitted tightly around his muscular neck. "No sorcery in this world or any other can deceive me warp creature. Go and find yourself another fool to listen to your lies."

The voice spoke again "What I say is true. I am a meme sent by your sister to seek you out and lead you back to her. I can do you no harm just as you have said yourself. Give peace a chance."

Abraxas frowned hard then lifted up a huge skull throwing it into the center of the pool. The hidden images broke and disappeared as the red mist rolled back in place covering the illusion. Standing up and lifting himself from the side of the small pool the Skulltaker patted the huge pair of automated pistols in their leather holsters then checked to make sure his sword was still resting in the scabbard slung across his armored back. Next Abraxas reached down picking up his long mega rifle. A cold wind started to blow across the open plains and large chunks of broken hail fell down from the heavens above. The Skulltaker lifted up his hunting horn and blew upon the small lip. The horn boomed. "Super Colossi I am here! You say that you have finally hunted me down but in truth I have hunted you! Here I shall make my final stand and rid this galaxy of your taint or die trying. I am immortal and a true son of Khaine, the bloody handed God of murder. I am invulnerable. All who stand before shall fall! Your mishapen skulls shall rest upon my mountain of death! Come forth and prepare to die now!" shouted the Skulltaker.

The fog swirled maddeningly upon the hardened plains. Large boulders lay strewn about the valley tossed about like small stones. Hard black ice covered the rocky earth below. Suddenly there was quaking and the boulders began to roll. The steps of walking giants filled the freezing air. Looking up the Skulltaker watched silently as three enormous beings clad in black armor marched out from the fog. Each giant carried both a huge double headed axe and a long throwing spear. Their shadows eclisped the moons above.

"We have come to answer your call daemon." said the central giant. "I am Strider." The Titan lifted up his spear pointing towards his left. "This is Bender." Next he pointed towards his right. "And this is Forge.

"Long have we hunted you and there is no place left for you to run. The Daemon sword you carry shall be our prize after we grind down your bones to dust. Your immortality and invulnerability mean nothing to us for we are from a different place. Together we three have defeated many much more powerful than yourself. You are nothing to us." Strider's voice was deep and thundered as he spoke.

"So we shall see." Abraxas challenged back as he lowered his mega rifle training the barrel upon Strider's great helmeted head. "It was divined long ago that a race of giant cyclops would come in the end." Then the Skulltaker gently squeezed the trigger firing off a vortex tipped shell. "I shall see if you are truly what you say you are." The bolt spun about arcing slowly towards the giant's head. Strider lifted his axe to parry the shot but the tiny rocket drifted above his enormous reach then curved back down striking the Titan in his eye socket. There was a great explosion.

The vortex tipped shell imploded into the giant's helmet gouging a deep hole into the solitary eye slit. The helmet glowered around the point of impact as shards of black armor peeled away burning like large embers. Strider yelled so loud it sounded like a hundred claps of thunder simultaneously discharging. The giant dropped his axe and ripped off his helm exposing a cruel face. His single eye was a cloudy red orb that burned with hate. Row upon row of sharp jagged teeth filled his mouth. His skin was mottled and dark grey covered in a complex pattern of swirling scars that criss crossed his bare skull. Strider lifted up his wrecked helmet and flung it at the Skulltaker. It rolled end over end as it sailed through the fog. Abraxas leapt aside at the last moment just avoiding the impact. The helmet crashed into the rocky soil digging a huge gaping crater into the frozen wasteland.

Gripping the mega rifle with both hands the daemon squeezed off three more shots that barked as the broke out from the clipped muzzle. The three shots split apart rolling along separate arcs towards the giant. They slowly rolled about as tracer fire screamed off their tails. One took a direct course straight at Strider while the other two hooked in from right to left. The giant quickly took a step back dropping out of sight as the fog closed in. The miniature rockets punched through the vapor and disappeared, sucked into the abyss. Abraxas stood still listening and then a trio of explosions sounded. As each rocket struck the titan it's armored body lit up through the mists as if hit by lightning. The sound of Strider screaming filled the night then the giant toppled over.

So intent was the Skulltaker watching the fall that he had failed to notice Bender and Forge swiftly flanking upon him from either side. One Titan hurled his spear while the other was uncoiling a long spike whip from it's waist.

+++
Vivid memories quickly played back through Abraxas' mind. He remembered the ancient world of his true origin with two moons hunting with the most powerful and bitter sorceror his race had ever known. The sorceror's name was on the tip of his tongue but it had been so long ago. Next came back the memories of slipping through an extra dimensional warp that carried him to a parallel future world. His new kin were at the very height of their vast power but had succumbed to to their over excited powers giving rise to a new and terrible god. Abraxas had seen the great fall coming and hated the new god with every fiber of his being. He also despised the radicals of his new kin. To Abraxas they were penultimate hypocrites and over the vast track of time this proved to be the truth. He turned his back on them all taking up worship of the Blood God. Lord Khorne looked down upon him and chose Abraxas as one of his many champions to take skulls in his name. His life changed that day and became ever more dark which he fully embraced. Slowly he rose in power and was finally chosen as the Skulltaker, Khorne's most personal herald. Long ago he had lost count of how many skulls he had taken. The enemies' blood flow like a raging sea during the darkest storm. More power with each kill. His hatred was unbound.

+++
The crack of the Titan's whip brought the Skulltaker back to the immediate. Abraxas spun through the air as he cartwheeled above the sharp lash landing upright upon a single stark boulder. "Blood for the Blood God!" shouted Abraxas as he spun in place lifting up his mega rifle.

"Your meme said give peace a chance!" shouted the Skulltaker at Forge then he laughed cruelly. His long sharp fangs sparkled under the moonlight as he licked his lips. "To be honest I'm surprised you did not come to try and enslave me."

The Titan looked down at the daemon and stopped for a moment.

"I know more about you than you know about me! There are traitors amongst your rank." said Abraxas as the cold winds began to howl. "There is not secret you can hide from me. Those who sent you know may fail." The Skulltaker lifted up his rifle aiming at the Titan's hip. "Your own kind has betrayed you in fear of my brand of retribution!" Abraxas repeatedly pulled hard on the trigger emptying the last clip of the mega rifle. There was no room for the giant to dodge away as the rockets exploded into it's hip cutting the Titan in twain.

"Yes there are traitors amongst your rank!" shouted Abraxas. "First I will flay your bones then they will taste my own personal brand of justice."

Bender's voice boomed like a cannon "You are a traitor to your own kind daemon spawn. You are demented and nothing more than a base killer. Your every thought is centered around your next kill. Nothing else matters to you."

The Skulltaker sniffed the air. Something dark and twisted was rapidly approaching from both sides. His eyes glowed bright red as Abraxas stared into the void surrounding him. The last Titan towered over him ready to strike. Suddenly from the left and right came two packs of large beasts. They charged in loping over the frozen earth as their long pointed claws tore into the stone underneath. Quickly the Skulltaker reached for his two pistols pulling them from their stiff braces. Just as the first creature was ready to strike Abraxas squeezed a trigger blasting it's head apart. The beast's body collided into the daemon knocking him down. More of the beasts assaulted sinking their stinking jagged fangs into his armor. The Skulltaker stuck the barrel of one pistol deep into the maw of the beast sitting upon his chest and fired another round exploding the creature into blazing bits of rended flesh and sundered bone. Another beast sunk it's jaws around his arm savagely pulling his right gun away. Abraxas rolled underneath and fired his other pistol knocking the creature away with the muzzle flash. There were too many and they all fought each other to rip apart his armor. Abraxas felt his limbs pinned down by their sheer weight of numbers. The Skulltaker could feel the intense pressure of their huge jaws tearing at him. Still his armor held and slowly the daemon righted himself lifting his body back up as he fought against the beasts. Dropping either pistol Abraxas reached for the Sword of Khaine grasping the cursed blade by the long hilt with both hands and wrenched it free from it's red lacquered sheath. The sword blazed to life as it came free and the Skulltaker savagely swung his weapon about cleaving the closest creatures in twain. The beasts continued to charge in but the daemon had cleared a small circle of death around him. The black sword sang as it struck down repeatedly cutting through more and more of the large beasts.

Bender looked down as he stomped. The Skulltaker leapt aside and landed upon another boulder. The skulls of the dead beasts gnashed their teeth together chomping off the forked ends of their rough tongues. Abraxas looked up and spat. Again the Titan stomped. The daemon jumped off of the boulder firing both his pistols in Bender's giant armored boot. The bullets drilled through the Titan's black armor smoking as they screwed in deep. Bender cursed out loud when he felt the hot vortex tipped shells rip through his flesh and bone. In anger the Titan lashed out with his long steely whip knocking the Skulltaker aside. The whip tore through the daemon's armor cutting his hardened flesh. Dark red blood flowed out from the deep long gash. Again Bender snapped his whip sending the Skulltaker flying through the cold night air. Abraxas collided into another boulder and dropped his spent pistols. The daemon looked down at his wound. Already the flesh had begun to re-knit itself and the rent in his armor closed in upon itself.

The Titan stepped back as Abraxas climbed to his feet. He could hear the sound of many metal shod hooves clambering down upon the rocky soil. Tall armored shapes filled the air as the army of warriors closed in. Abraxas drew the Sword of Khaine snarling with bestial rage. His nostrils flared.

"Come to me." said the Skulltaker as he charged into the masses swinging his sword from left to right in a long swooping arc. The blade cut through the warriors laying waste. Abraxas screamed in pure unbridled rage. His hate filled the night air as the heat from the sword blazed like wildfire. Warriors combusted instantly burned to ash and the hot wind blew them down like dust. The Skulltaker moved so fast that the daemon became nothing more than just a blur. Everywhere the enemy collapsed upon themselves as Abraxas cut through them. The Titan stepped back on his wounded foot watching intently trying unsuccessfully to keep track of the Skulltaker. Suddenly the great Titan felt a burst of intense pain as the Sword of Khaine lanced through his neck. The Skulltaker had launched himself high into the darkness landing astride upon Bender's left shoulder stabbing his sword deep into the Titan's throat. The blade burned as it cut through Bender's vocal cords. The Titan faltered then tumbled down smashing into the ranks of the warriors surrounding him. Abraxas jumped off climbing up a huge boulder. The daemon held his sword above his head as the blade began to shriek. The sound of the sword was extremely high pitched and completely deafening. The last of the warriors covered their ears and kneeled down together. The pitch of the sword continued to intensify. The very ground trembled and quaked as the rocks vibrated and began to roll. A zenith opened and quickly the Skulltaker threw down his weapon leaping through the opening. The zenith immediately closed in upon itself and the daemon vanished forever gone from this mortal coil. Then there was silence and the air grew frigid again.

This concludes the first part of the story. I hope you have enjoyed it. I thank those who offered constructive criticism.... others like Fetterkey just come across as having a stick up their arse. I am now working on the second part of the story over on the WC forums under the title Last Man Standing.

Okay, so i just read it all and i must say i did enjoy it. I mean it kept me up for like an extra 3 hours. However i did prefer the first 2 pages, as i sort of got confused. So what happened to all the eldar on that craftworld? When is this set? Whats all this with titans. One thing that i think could really help is if at the start of your time changes you set the scene a little bit so we knew whats going down, as i don't know where or what the skulltaker was fighting in, is it the immaterium or in the eye of terror. I think that you sort of left the 40k universe behind and thats when i felt your writing style improve but it meant there was no scene for the fights and stuff to be based upon. If you get what i mean?

Dannijt wrote:
So what happened to all the eldar on that craftworld?

The eldar on that craftworld were all killed as the end of their race is the Skulltaker's primary mission at that point in the story.

When is this set?

The story begins in the present 40k time reference and moves forward. The end of the story takes place 10s of 1000 of years beyond the beginning.

Whats all this with titans.

They are called Titans but don't confuse them with the Imperial war machines. These Titans are giants that came from another galaxy to kill the Skulltaker.

One thing that i think could really help is if at the start of your time changes you set the scene a little bit so we knew whats going down, as i don't know where or what the skulltaker was fighting in, is it the immaterium or in the eye of terror.

Thank you for the advice! : )

G

If you like the story it continues on over at:

40kwreckingcrew.aceboard.com

Go to the bottom forum and look for the thread entitled Last Man Standing.

G

So I am ready now to write the final chapter! More coming very soon.

G

The End of Time
Time has progressed far into the future. All life within the universe has come to an end except for Abraxas. Lord Khorne slowly withered away after the last of his worshippers ceased to exist. The Skulltaker, being able to draw substance in the form of love from his sister Namora, continued on and took over the role as the one true God of Khorne. Abraxas consumed the last of his daemons to harbor their warp powers and still holds claim on the dark Sword of Khaine. There is no thermal energy left within the universe. All matter left slowly clumped together over the aeons of time forming a long chain of super heavy matter known as the Garden of Oblivion. This vast chain of super heavy matter and the Skulltaker are all that is left that still exists. Abraxas most often chooses to reside within warp space bidding his time at the Palace of the Skull God. The walls are endlessly covered with the polished skulls of those he killed in battle. Most often he sits upon the Skull Throne lost in endless meditation. Finally he is taken by a vision. The Skull God must journey to the Garden of Oblivion and destroy it. The vast chains of super heavy matter are tied to a dark center and at the black heart of this conglomeration there lies an entrance to the very center of all the multiverses. Some great and eternal being resides there and has corrupted everything everywhere over the course of a million milion aeons. The threads from every universe are tangled there and the slow rot of mindless death has reached out claiming all and everything. Only the Skulltaker can cut the tangled strands of fate and start time moving forward again. To do so the Skulltaker must reach the Garden of Oblivion and face the unknown in battle. Drawing upon the unbound power of his Sword of Khaine Abraxas leaves the Palace of Skulls to re-enter real time and space. Before the daemon god floats the inner domain. He must first pass through the Barrier of Total Death to set foot on the Garden of Oblivion. A great black void blankets the Garden an abyss.

My biggest complaint is your sig. Normally large sigs are a minor annoyance double the annoyance for sigs with pics but in page 3 it was more often then not longer then your entry.

That being said I liked this, it got a bit long winded at times and it felt like it was battle battle battle with no story but that isn't really a story killer for some reason.

The Skulltaker waited as his corpereal form began to take shape in real space. Slowly his huge body solidified upon the rocky outcrop overlooking the vast void separating the daemon god from the Garden of Oblivion. Abraxas stood up covered from head to toe in a suit of the finest armor any warrior of the Blood God had worn to battle. Glowing runes of power and destruction were intricately carved into the plate armor pulsing with a life of their own. Huge rivets had been hammered into the brass covered plates fastening them together. The plate armor swirled about like dragon scales as Abraxas stepped up to the lip of the outcrop. He wore a full helmet shaped like a skull with two large eyelets so he could look forth unencumbered. His large eyes blazed bright red like orbs of crimson death from above. A pair of long pointed horns curled out from the forehead of the helmet pointing straight up. In one guantlet Abraxas held a large mace terminated at the end with a wicked cudgel bearing row upon row of sharp pointed spikes that stuck out. Each spike was serrated with smaller prickly bits that could tear through the toughest armor. In his other gauntlet the daemon god held a long black sword with razorsharp double edges. Upon his wide heavily muscled back the ancient Sword of Khaine was fastened tightly in it's long black lacquered sheath. Sparkling red rubbies were encrusted along the sheath and they blazed even in the complete absence of light. A pair of twin dueling blades with long thick hilts finely crafted from the skin of dead enemies sat upon his metallic belt. He also carried a pair of megabolters, each grip jutting out from the twin holsters strapped tightly under his armpits. Both gigantic auto pistol was loaded with doubled magazines carrying his last rounds of Vortex tipped bolts.

Abraxas looked across the abyss and roared a battlecry into the void "Blood for the Blood God! More skulls for the Skull Throne! Oh Tee Waaaa!!!"

The void answered back with silence engulfing the daemon god's battlecry.

Abraxas lifted the faceplate on his helmet and sniffed. Even within the the utter cold of empty space the daemon's nostrils detected a faint hint of something purely evil. His skin prickled under his warp forged armor and he felt a quick shiver run up his spine. Something here was wrong, very wrong. There were no skulls or blood to be taken in his name. For once in his life he could not help but question himself. All the millions and millions of battles had been fought long long ago. Abraxas lifted his long sword up running his his forked tongue along the sharp fractal edge. The daemon god could taste the ancient blood trapped when the folded metal. His skin hardened as he exhaled, small whiffs of crimson vapor rolled off his grinning leer.

Abraxas stepped up to the edge of the outcrop lifting his arms out wide embracing the void. To cross the gulf lead to the garden but to fail meant death even for the last god. His body and mind would die while in the abyss but life and power would return after passing through. The void was a maze of death. Abraxas had studied ever tome ever written about the passing over and over and it was all thoroughly memorized. His suit of armor had been programmed with sigils of arcane power to execute the thirteen steps required to cross through the void. Each step must be perfectly placed or else the sentinel would fail, die an eternal death and be forever committed to the vast prison that had trapped the infinite multiverse. Abraxas breathed in one last time then stepped off into the void. As the daemon god entered into the black void Abraxas could feel all his vast power begin to drain away. Icy knives of dark ether cut into his very being leeching away his essence. Then there was nothing. Abraxas ceased to exist, his body and mind completely inert. The suit of armor began to glow as the first sigil blazed into being. The left boot landed upon a floating chunk of glassy black rock then pushed off thrusting the dead body of the daemon god further into the cold embrace of the waiting death. As the first rune dimmed then blinked out the second sigil glowed bright red. The right boot lifted up kicking against a hard wall of stone spinning the dead body around. As the second rune died the third sigil came online. The long armored arms of the armored suit reached up spreading the huge pair of cybernetic wings then pulling down to catapult the dead warrior across an opening within the twisting myriad of guarded giant boulders. The suit of armor went stiff taking on the shape of a spear. The third rune died away just as the fourth sigil started to glow an eerie green. Once again the long arms shot out pushing the pair of wings out into space. Abraxas' dead body continued to soar through the void narrowly missing a collecting ring of bristling stalactites.
The fourth rune dimmed breaking off the left shoulderguard just as the sixth sigil blazed to life. The suit of armor righted itself as both boots dropped down planting the thick metal soles against the top of a descending rock. It's shoulders slumped and the helmet slumped down against the wide chestplate. Time passed as the free chunk of rock silently slipped through the voidstream. The sixth rune fell from the armor and the seventh sigil started to vibrate. Bending over the suit of armor flexed it's long legs pushing off from the top spiralling out above the second ring. The sixth rune dissolved into a pile of bitter ash spilling away into the emptiness as the seventh sigil was awoken. The left arm lifted up casting the double edged sword out like a missile. Striking a column of high stone the tip of the sword bit into a deep crack splitting the barrier in twain. Leaping through the opening the suit of armor carried through the sudden split before the column could close again. The seventh rune fell away as both the eighth and ninth runes blazed together casting a sheen of deep strobing crimson warpfire around the armor. Stinging nettles of icy cold vapors spilled out from the third ring coating the floating rock with slippery ice. The warpfire burst into flame melting away the ice. The left arm reached out as the gauntlet grasped at the hilt of the rebounding sword. Fumbling for the grip the fingers caught hold pulling the weapon back in again. One after another the eighth and ninth runes died turning black as the last of the energy was spent. The suit of armor stood still waiting for the tenth sigil to turn on.

The tenth sigil ignited upon the faceplate of the Skulltaker's helmet casting a series of swirling lines that drifted across the mask. His eyes were dead and shut closed but the glow from the sigil filled the two large eyelets with a bright green shade that slowly pulsed. The suit of warp forged armor drew it's knees high as the brass paldrons came together. Pushing off from the tumbling rock with it's legs the suit of armor leaped high catapulting up towards the inner boundary of the third ring. Both armored boots came down hard landing on top of another huge rock cyclindrical in shape. The thin veneer of stone began to crack and fracture as the tenth rune dissolved. The dead body of the daemon God was still slumped inside it's armor. Before the eleventh signal could activate the thin stone broke apart like ice and the dead God collasped through the rent falling into the seething pit of darkness below. Within the cyclinder lay a deep pool of caustic acid which began to eat away at the plates of interlocking armor. Wisps of black smoke drifted up from the burning armor spilling out into the cold embrace of the abyss. Suddenly the eleventh sigil started to glow a bright red filling the bottom of the deadly tank with a thin sheen of red mist. Both armored boots had been fitted with sharp pointed steel horns at the toe. One after the other each boot lifted up kicking their spikes deep into the round wall enclosing Abraxas. The acid sluiced through to cracks eating away at the inner wall of hardened rock. A pair of small liquid jets spilled out from the pinpoint cracks driving the cyclinder forwards and slowly tipping it over. The death mosque drifted forward towards the boundary of the third ring as the acid spilled out from the opening at the top. Swarms of smaller chunks of rock collided into the cyclinder further cracking against it's outer layer. The Skulltaker laid dead inside as the eleventh rune winked out leaving the inner clutch of the death trap in utter blackness. Eventually the last of the acid leeched away as the cyclinder shot put past the third ring hovering on it's side floating towards the end of the void. The icy barbs of death then started to recede from within the Skulltaker.

-Edit due to double post-

The stone coffin was caught within a mindless eddy slowly drifting away from the end of the void then circling back in again. Each time the coffin passed through the outer boundary of the abyss the daemon god began to stir back alive then Abraxas would die again as the coffin was pulled back inside the void. The last of his armor's sigils had been burned away by the acid before they could activate... but the fifth sigil had been cast inside the suit of plated armor and had remained intact. The fifth sigil had been created as a contingency. Each time that life and power started to reform Abraxas would concentrate al his thoughts upon the last sigil willing it to ignite but each brief period of thought was not long enough to activate the fifth sigil. The coffin continued to drift back and forth across the eddy for an eternity, the daemon god forced to relive each dying moment of brief life over and over again. Abraxas lay upon the frozen stone tabulet trapped until the very end of time.

The Garden of Oblivion loomed just beyond the reach of the dead yet living daemon god's grasp. Raging cosmic gales blew across the void in perfect cadence rythmically stirring the little eddy which had caught the eerie stone sarchopgagus. Super gravity wells spewed up the cosmic storms boiling across the abyss. Aeon upon aeon passed one after another and nothing changed. The grand multiverse had died all tied together at a single point forming a dark nexus which bound everything. The Garden of Oblivion had remained unchallenged.

Then finally there came a small change, infinitesmal in comparison to all else. The stone coffin broke apart as it crossed the outer boundary of the abyss casting Lord Khorne beyond. Abraxas stirred to life again one final time his mind broken by the endless chain of life following death and then back alive again. The Skulltaker landed upon the edge of the Garden staring at the utter madness through his pair of insane eyes. His memories were all lost to him as he slowly trudged upon the Garden's grounds. Immense formations of super dense matter spiralled up reaching out like twisted sheaths of empty doom assailing the void. Abraxas howled casting his mace and double edged sword aside. His ruined armor creaked as the giant daemon stumbled about blindly through the wilderness. The Skulltaker sniffed at the vacuum taking in a thin scent of evil. It ignited an ancient bloodlust trapped deep within his the dark black core of his very soul. Seas of burning blood crashed upon shores of a billion skulls within his crazed mind. Blood for the Blood God came the whispered taunt from the Garden. The Giant charged about clutching at imaginary foes that surrounded him from all sides. He fought like a mad daemon raging through the open ground. The scent of evil drew him along like a shark to blood. Deeper and deeper Abraxas descended along the twisting path leading the mad god towards the nexus. Massive chains of the trapped multiverses screamed in pain as they twisted about one another tighter. Finally the Skulltaker came to the hidden entrance of the dark nexus. He stared into the darkness taking in all the evil radiating from the malignant focal point. Suddenly the sound of laughter spilled out. Something dark and twisted lay inside. Ducking his head down tight Abraxas entered the nexus...

A vast palace of shining marble lay within and at the very center floated a high throne mounted upon a rotating disc. Another god sat upon the throne and looked down upon the insane form of Abraxas. The floating god wore a scintillating robe of many bright colors. It's large head was shaped like that of a bird of prey, it's many eyes focusing upon the other. "Not that you can understand one word I say now but how ironic that the God named Khorne stands below bereft of mind, the utter fool. Yes how ironic." hissed the floating god. "You stand there nothing more than a crazed spawn of Chaos helpless before me, Lord Tzneetch!" it cackled. "I need but one item from you to complete my grand domain. I reign supreme now over everything, every single bit of matter and energy captured here in my garden. I am the Lord of Change and now I will finally have the means to recreate everything as I see fit. Nurgle is dead and gone as so is our fellow God the dark prince commonly referred to as Slaanesh. So there is only you and I left but of course you are a complete wreck as I had always planned. You stand down there before me a totally mindless spawn to do my bidding. For you see there is stil one place left untouched by by my infinite domain... Some of small piece of reality where you hid your one true love, your sister Namora to be exact." Again Lord Tzneetch cackled rubbing his feathery hands together. "You will show me how to access this sanctuary so that I can claim it and then my domain will be complete and I will begin anew, master of all things."

The sound of the name of his sister stirred up some image from his clouded mind forcing the Skulltaker to look up for a moment and take in the radiant form of his arch adversary. Abraxas frowned bringing his huge muscled arms by his sides. The Skulltaker had lost his pair of megabolters while rampaging through the Garden as well as his pair of dueling knives. Only the dread Sword of Khaine remained fastened to his broad back. His red eyes were pools of crimson madness, insane hatred blazed out from the smoldering orbs. Buried deep within the rage the image of his sister Namora lay still pristine. The Skulltaker looked back down upon the tiled floor and grunted.

"You must listen very carefully now to what I tell you that which you must do. If you can find it within yourself to to follow my direction then you will once again be reunited with your loved one, the only creature to ever love you in return. Open your mind to me so that I can see where you have hidden her! Cast aside all resistance! It's futile!"

The floating throne slowly descended upon the round disc touching down up the marbled floor. Lord Tzneetch store up towering above his high throne. He opened his robe and drew out a pouch filled with fine grains of pure white sand. Carefully pulling the binding strings apart Tzneetch overturned the pouch letting the contents spill out. Slowly the sand built up as it poured down taking on the form of a beautiful eldar maiden, then it came to lift singing an ancient song of the elder race. The sound of the tilting words calmed Abraxas and his mighty rage began to simmer. A few of his most precious memories came back to him as he began to remember again. His mind grew focused as he started to focus upon the fifth sigil hidden with his suit of ruined armor. The sigil glowed from within filling him with peace of mind. He kept his eyes cast down and grunted again playing the part of a mad spawn.

"If you want to be with your dear Namora again then do exactly as I say. If you help me then I can help you as well. A favor in return for this last bit of necessary information is all I need from you now and everything will be sorted just as I have so carefully planned. Cast down your psychic wards and open your mind to me." commanded Tzneetch.

Abraxas stepped towards the facsimile of his sister intently watching her and listening to her sing. The Skulltaker reached up with one gauntlet behind his head grasping for the hilt of the Sword of Khaine. His armored fingers locked tight around the grip squeezing it hard. Tzneetch watch intently saying nothing. Abraxas pulled the blade free from it's lacquered scabbard bringing the sword around en guarde. The supernatural power of the ancient weapon forged on the lowest pits of the warp seeped into his being bringing back his lost clarity. Again Abraxas grunted keeping his shoulders slumped over as if it in despair. Khorne spoke quietly as if in subservience to his new master. "The Sword can cut through the very fabric of reality and open a portal to any place in time. This is how I freed my sister and kinsmen. Now you ask me to reopen the portal leading to where I placed her so long ago. It's a secret place looked deep within the last vestiges of my mind. To do so I will need complete recall of my mental facilities." Abraxas looked up thoughtfully at Tzneetch. "You are just going to have to trust me on this one."

Tzneetch looked down upon the Skulltaker. "So be it then." said the ultimate Lord of Change. It's birdlike beak turned up forming into a grin. Many rows of razorsharp teeth lined the inside of the bill and they flashed in the bright light trapped within the Garden palace. "So be it then!"

Abraxas placed the tip of his sword against the marble tiles of the palace floor. The daemon god held the hilt tightly with both of his gauntlets. The blade began to vibrate and hum. Pools of bright red blood flowed down from it's sharp edges spilling over the marble. Heat eminated from the sword filling the inner sanctum with shimmering waves of warp energy. The Skulltaker lifted one gauntlet from the long hilt gripping the bottom of his helmet's facemask pulling it free. Tzneetch watched as the other daemon god began to slowly transform. Abraxas' dark metalled skin face softened taking on the hue of pale flesh. His long braids of iron hair straightened out changing to a flowing mane of jet black hair. His bright red eyes shrank into a pair of mortal eyes. The dark irises looked on in amusement. Slowly Abraxas shrank in size and girth until only a young eldar male stood in place of the daemon. His hard plates of burnt armor fell away one by one clanking against the bloody floor.

"What is this?" said the Lord of Change.

"I have cast off my daemonic form finally reverting back to my original form. As you are well aware I once an eldar. I yearn to be at the side of my dear sister Namora and I know she dreaded what I have become. Now hold to our bargain and free my mind of this awful madness."

"You are not mad at all." said Tzneetch. He pointed towards the sigil mounted to Abraxas' chest. "That rune of yours you kept hidden away has obviously fully restored your mental facilities. As it has been whispered you are truly a far greater liar than I ever was!"

Abraxas laughed as he lifted the Sword of Khaine. "You are the mad one indeed and in a most extraordinary way. You have tangled all the strands of fate here with your Garden walls. They are so deeply twisted and intertwined that no one, not even a god could ever even hope to pull them all loose. In your reign of sheer madness you have stopped all time and brought about the very end.

"Behold the Sword of Khaine!" Abraxas swung the weapon at the Lord of Change forcing Tzneetch to jump back out of it's blazing arc. "This artefact humbles you! You were a fool to let me come here. The Sword of Khaine holds my daemonic essence and I can will it back at anytime I desire. I studied the void surrounding your Garden for ages. I knew you laid here in wait at this nexus. I had to devise a scheme that would fool the greatest cheat of all time and I did. You are not as wise and smart as you think brother god. I am the new Khorne not the old one! Your vanity was your ultimate undoing. I knew if I came here broken and spent you would buy into my charade and you did indeed. You are a sucker and there is no better word for it." With those final words Abraxas began to grow again taking back the shape of the murderous daemon god. His armor was recast to perfection and shone. Taking up his huge pair of cybernetic wings the Skulltaker rose up into the air charging the high throne. The Sword of Khaine came down hard cleaving the throne in twain. Each half split off reforming into a new throne. One was pink and one was blue. Next the blade cut down Tzneetch also chopping the Lord of Change in two perfect halves. One half morphed into a huge pink Horror and the other into a tiny blue Horror. The pair of daemons scuttled over to the two thrones, the pink Horror sat down upon the blue throne and the blue one sat down upon the pink throne. Abraxas' laughter filled the palace as he soared up to the top of the hall cutting sharply at the twisted strands of fate. The sword burned through them as Khorne continued his attack upon the nexus.

The strands of Fate were finally unbound raveling free again. Time began to move forward. As the strands broke loose untwisting and spinning about their trapped energies poured out into the multiverse. The Garden of Oblivion began to shake as the dark matter collasped. Huge cracks opened and hard tremors raced through the super shards. Abraxas watched silently. His work had been done.

"I am free of this mortal coil and can finally return to my beloved Namora!" thought the daemon god. Abraxas smiled as he lifted the Sword of Khaine ready to cut a path open to his sister's world.

There was the sound of an immense explosion as the ground before the Skulltaker blew apart. A huge Space Marine clad in red power armor stood upon the open ground. "You there daemon. I have come forth from the center of the nexus to slay you." The giant Marine had dark bronzed skin and his face was covered with deep long scars. Long brilliant blonde hair spilled down upon his shoulderguards and his eyes were a deep icy blue. "All things must come to an end."

"So finally something I was not expecting." thought the Skulltaker to himself. "Lord Khorne told me that for which we are not prepared will have the biggest effect upon us." Abraxas pointed his sword towards the giant Marine. "So it would seem we are the last two sentient beings left. I have no wish to fight you. My time here in real space is at and end now and I wish to return to a time and place beyond this material realm where I can shed this skin so to speak. Let me pass unchallenged and I will do you no harm. You can rule the new universe unbound. Consider my offer carefully for you stand before the very God of War."

"I can't do that." said the huge red Marine. "Its not of my nature."

Abraxas carefully studied his new adversary. The daemon god realized the warrior wore a life like mask fastened over his face. The scars suddenly vanished and the stark face of an angry angel stared back at him. The face of the mask looked very familiar but he could not place it. "Who are you stranger and why should I such as I pay any heedto your challenge. I could cleave you in twain right now before you could even so much as twitch one muscle."

The Marine sneered and spat upon the quaking ground. A black mantle had been fastened to one of his shoulderguards and the name Scipio was embossed upon the silk cover stitched in blood red.

- edited for double post -

The giant crimson Marine bunched his huge gauntlets making large red fists. Dark energy poured off his hands in scarlet waves. His eyes shone bright from within as he frowned and the death mask turned to shining gold.

"I recognize the mask now." said Abraxas. "You wear the face of Sanguinius, the dead primarch of the Blood Angels. Are you an avatar crafted from his lost spirit?"

"As you said we are the last two sentient beings left. Only the most hardy could have survived this long. If the pitch is so rank that only weeds can grow that does not make a dandelion a flower." said Scipio.

"So you like riddles then." Abraxas countered. "So be it. I offered you the chance to leave me be. By your own choice there can only be one." The Skulltaker rose up to full form slashing down at the Blood Angel with the Sword of Khaine.

Scipio roared. A sonic crash wave hit the daemon god knocking him aside like a limp doll. Abraxas rolled to his feet soaring up into the pitch black void that surrounded them. The Garden of Oblivion was coming apart at the seams around them. "The heavens are falling." the Skulltaker shouted at the Blood Angel. "Even two as mighty as we are at risk here. Time and space do not follow the normal rules of reality within this black dungeon of Tzneetch."

"I am the guardian of the Cube." cried Scipio. "I am immune to the dangers here."

"What is the Cube?" asked the daemon god as he lifted up the Sword of Khaine.

"The Cube is an artefact of a sentient being from beyond all other multiverses. One cube exists in each universe tying them all together. While there are an infinite number of parallel universes many have been corrupted by the Cube. Each Cube has a guardian to help it spread the corruption. Each Cube can be configured as an Infinity Gauntlet if you will and as such grants infinite power within it's own universe. A cult of highly evolved humans helped me unlock the power of this Cube and wield it as an Infinity Gauntlet. Unlike other guardians I did not succumb to the eventual and complete corruption from the Cube because I am a psychic blank, such as yourself. I was able to resist." Scipio explained.

"How could you not become corrupt if you wield a source of infinite power? Total power corrupts totally." said Abraxas.

"I had no choice but to except the responsibility of wielding the Cube, otherwise it would have fallen into the hands of one who would have been corrupted. It's a paradox but there it is." spoke the Blood Angel.

"Where are these humans who helped you to create the Infinity Gauntlet?" asked the Skulltaker.

"There life essence was drained by the Cube during the transformation. It was necessary to complete the process." said Scipio.

"And you tell me you are not corrupted!" laughed the daemon god. The Sword of Khaine ignited into a blazing spear and Abraxas hurled it at Scipio.

The spear hit Scipio square across his chestplate exploding into a sphere of bright red energy. The Blood Angel tumbled back hurled against the very cosmic fiber of the newly born universe. The High Priest tucked himself into a tight ball rolling away from the blast zone. Scipio looked up to see Abraxas hovering above him gripping the scarlet spear with both gauntlets.

"We are the old guard you stubborn fool!" shouted the Skulltaker. "All is reborn except for us, our dominion is over now!"

Scipio stood up gripping his red gauntlets together tightly. They began to glow then a pulse of nocturnal power shot out at the daemon god knocking Abraxas down. "Order must be maintained." said the High Priest.

Abraxas felt the weight of the world bearing down upon his shoulders. The Blood Angel stood below ready to renew his attack. The Angel's eyes were red orbs of death staring up with unbridled hate. Gripping the spear above his left shoulder the Skulltaker looked down again aiming the tip of his spear towards the bare head of the High Priest. "How did you come to find me here?" said Abraxas.

"The Cube lead me here. As you said we are the last two sentient beings left. As such we are the most powerful having passed the test of time. I remained in wait within my etheric realm. Time passed endlessly before my dead eyes while I sat upon my throne waiting. My final quest is to destroy you, the last daemon god, thus sparing the new cosmos from the curse of the Cube." said the Blood Angel as he watched the daemon god hovering above.

"This is the first I have heard of your Cube and I have read each and every tome held within the Black Library from cover to cover. I have slain over a million million and not one of them ever mentioned something so powerful as this artefact you hold. Why is that so? Why do you assume I would ever desire such a curse? This spear I carry is enough of a curse for an entire infinity of lifetimes. To wield the Sword of Khaine is to know more than endless death. I see constant visions of blood red oceans crashing their high waves upon beaches of bleached skulls. Death is the only constant and I want to finally be free of the endless misery and suffering." shouted the Blood God.

"Misery and suffering you say!" Scipio laughed then brooded. "You have been called a hypocrite and that phrase rings true of the accusation! You yourself are the source of more suffering and misery than any other being ever! You hold title to the mantle of the Blood God and bare the cursed weapon. Your dead god chose you to wield the Sword of Khaine as a direct sign you had been chosen to take his place. You are the successor and as such the curse has been and always will be harmless to you! You are very deceptive indeed." shouted the High Priest.

"So be it then fool." whispered the Blood God as he launched his spear. Scipio tried to dodge aside but for all his great speed he was too slow. The spear struck him square on the chestplate exploding into a rain of violent crimson power. Abraxas followed in behind grasping the Blood Angel by his neck thrashing him to and fro. Scipio grabbed the Blood God's wrists trying to break them loose. The Skulltaker gripped his throat harder forcing the High Priest to his knees. "Infinity gauntlet be damned to the ninth shade of Hades! No one has more brute power than I!"

Abraxas gripped Scipio by his iron collar and threw the High Priest against a towering stone column. The rock shattered breaking into pieces cascading upon the Blood Angel. "My memory keeps coming back to me in bits and pieces. My hatred for Tzneetch drove me insane to destroy the Lord of Change. I am sane again now though and every blow I deliver is a step back towards dominion. I remember now! I remember the Cube was the portal which delivered the twisted replicants to this shard of space. You say you are justice incarnate but your source of power is twisted and corrupt. It has brought forth monsters from the abyss! I wanted nothing more than to leave this space and time behind but no you said! You think yourself yourself an Angel of vengeance! Look upon me! It is a fool's quest to bring order about!" Khorne looked down upon his foe lifting up the Sword of Khaine. "Here is my source of power! Now watch what you have brought about!" Abraxas gripped the ancient blade twisting the runed sword until it broke. There was an immense explosion rocking the very fabric of time and space. A legion of daemons slaved to the fell sword erupted from the broken blade leaping into the gates of eternity. Scipio watched in dread silence as the unbound warp poured forth. "This is truly a new beginning." whispered Khorne. "My very children are born again to fill the cosmos with my lust for death. This is your justice Scipio. Go forth and right all the wrongs. This is your destiny." Abraxas released his grip fading slowly into the nell. The Blood Angel stood up and righted himself. Daemons clawed at his armor leaping into the void surrounding him. "I am a Phoenix born anew from the flames of my destruction." whispered Khorne. "Hate is a flame that sets the world on fire and you sparked it." Khorne's suit of brass armor shone then extinguished as the vast horde of daemons ascended into the warp again. "Your hate is my love." said the Skulltaker then there was silence.

Finis.