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Brother Eustis turned to look down upon the Inquisitor. Squee looked wilted and her face was drawn tight. "That was very powerful my friend." he said softly to her as he gently placed an arm around her for support.

"Look to the temple." said Sergeant Gannon. The air seemed to shimmer and swell.

"Daemonkin are inbound." Erastus snorted. "I sense they are channeled through the other greater daemon. It must be excised from the physical realm." The Blood Angel then leapt towards the temple in one bound landing upon it.

Nice. Love the detail.

Erastus landed hard vaulting straight at the Bloodthirster. The greater daemon was amused "So brazenly wanting your death... Khorne would take you." Swinging it's long flail the razors wrapped tightly around both of the outstretched arms of the Blood Angel. Erastus grunted as the heavy metal began to slice though the armor like foil then straight through his flesh and bone. The Bloodthirster laughed again in a taunting way then it noticed the Librarian was not fitted with any of the typical psychic paraphernalia normally fitted for the Astartes.

Erastus grunted again as the ends of his arms hit the deck, his gauntlets clutching at empty air. His visage boiled as waves of pure hatred shimmered off his blood red armor, gouts of blood spurting from his open bleeding elbows. The air grew super heated boiling away any trace of blood then the greater daemon watched intently in silence as quickly molecule by molecule the fallen limbs dispersed then re assembled back in place.

Erastus frowned as he struck out with his force axe cleaving through the Bloodthirster's armor. Spinning in place he showed the back of his neck. There were two gaping holes at the base showing white spine. "Once upon a time that is where the butcher's nails resided." The head of the force axe struck upwards with blinding speed catching the greater daemon upon the chin.

The Howling Griffons started to spill over onto the temple floor as Eustis levitated them up and over the barricade. Skulltaker was nowhere to be seen. The remaining Bloodthirster roared in frustration stranded by itself. Squee generated a kine shield to buff the terminators' stormshields. Sergeant Gannon watched intently as Erastus fought the greater daemon.

"Erastus you are a World Eater!" shouted the last Bloodthirster.

Bolts of lightning shot from the stretched fingertips of the Crimson Librarian, his eyes were pure black. "I was but Angron is a traitor. The Emperor guides my hand. The Aquila fills my soul. The Heretic must be purged." Erastus phased through the greater daemon distorting it's temporal placement within the corporeal bounds of finite reality.

"Angron was betrayed."

"He is insane and always was. This is for the betrayed at Ivstann."

Erastus pulled the greater daemon through the warp hole with him as they abruptly vanished from the corporeal plane of existence. They shimmered in the warp casting black shadows across each other. Untold numbers of daemonic lesser entities filled the void bristling around the astral form of the Bloodthirster. "You have sacrificed yourself." it said, it deep voice resonating across the frozen vacuum.

"I have been here before." replied Erastus as he projected an interlocking series of kine shields cutting his astral projection off from the daemons.

"You are one of us." said the Bloodthirster. "We here are all denizens of the warp. You know it well... Embrace your true inner being."

"Angron saw to it all his Librarians were slain during the Heresy. Whilst it is true there is a small part of me that is like you all that really matters it what's in your heart and mind." replied Erastus.

The greater daemon suppressed a snarl. "You have set yourself apart. Khorne would have you by his side. Exceptions can be made for true champions such as yourself."

There was a sudden flash of ectoplasmic energy as the Librarian unleashed a mountain of rage consuming all the lesser daemons. "I am the hand of the Emperor!"

"Now there is just you and I." said Erastus across the frozen void. "Because there is a part of me like you I can affect you unlike other psykers... And I will." The Librarian cleared his throat then continued. "You were happy enough to try taking my arms from me - and then you dare to offer me an alliance? Don't insult me again." Erastus focused his mind visualizing a storm of utter destruction.

"I did not know how empty was my soul until it was filled by the light of the Emperor."

The Bloodthirster frowned. "So be it lackey. You shall know my unbound rage!"

Khaban the Bloodthirster watched as the astral projection of Erastus transformed into a golden angel casting a bright crimson hue that transfixed the darkness. Waves of unbridled energy poured off the angelic form.

The warp grew even colder until all residual matter in the surrounding area collapsed. There was only the frozen pitch black and the shining angel. Khaban could feel the hate coming off the golden armor in intense waves that rivaled even that of the Blood God. It seeped into the core of his very being tearing at the interwoven layers of ectoplasmic fabric. Khaban felt pain for the first time and roared in anger.

"Right is might!" came the cherubic voice which filled the void like a choir.

The greater daemon gathered itself and soared up towards the angelic form lashing at it with his long flail. The spiked chains passed harmlessly through the spectral form. Khaban gnashed his fangs grinding them in angst and frustration feeling trapped by the clasping grasp of the holy light burning away at his very being then all went dark.

Part 3 The Ancient

Erastus gathered himself as his astral form collected again. The warp region was devoid except for himself. He spied a hidden beacon emanating nearby. His form flowed through the ether as he moved closer to investigate. It was a doorway to another realm. Focusing his mind once more he sent a short message back to the Imperial war party and then waited.

+++

"Contact has been established with Erastus." said Eustis over the cyphered vox channel. "It is time to prepare the Infinity Gate." Eustis paused for a moment to collect his thoughts after scrying into the void. "The portal has been located. We must hurry while the warp is still."

Immediately the Howling Griffons began their true work laboring to construct the teleporting device, taking the delicate parts from hidden casks they carried. It was quickly assembled.

Squee dropped to a knee running her gloved fingers over the runes of teleport array. "The Infinity Gate creates a tunnel through both time and space to any other point including parallel universes. Through this dark technology we can cross over the warp and arrive at the location Erastus has found. It is the entrance to an ancient city that existed aeon upon untold aeon before the time of man. Legend shrouded in secrecy tells of an elder race composed of great beings that once controlled this very universe."

"We will carry the body of Erastus so he can be reunited with his soul. Sergeant Gannon has selected his brethren that will accompany us on this journey." said Eustis. "The rest will remain to guard the Infifinity Gate so that we can return."

+++

The Infinity Gate was fully assembled and Squee began to enter the coordinates for the jump location. The runes flashed red at first then began to glow pulsating in a spectrum of throbbing dull blue. Emerald colored rays flashed out shooting up into the night sky. "We will have to enter two at a time in pairs. You will arrive just inside the portal. Remember that traveling via the gate can cause momentary confusion and even a brief loss of some memory. Once you have crossed over the threshold into the forbidden city wait there for the rest of us to arrive. Brother Eustis will cross over first with Erastus' body." instructed the Inquisitor.

The Doom Warrior bent over lifting up the body of the Blood Angel then stepped through the boundary consumed by the contained ether. The rest of the party watched in utter silence as Eustis began to slowly dissolve disappearing from their view.

+++

Eustis fetl his body deconstructed by the gate each molecule separated and channeled into a beam shot across the void. His self sense was ripped apart and he lost all sensation. The Tachyon beam breached through the ether piercing the warp and lanced through the remote portal. One by one each particle of his being was re assembled at the subatomic level seamlessly reconstructing his physical self. Eustis' mind re awoke. His mind was clear and there was no disorientation.

A tightly gripped gauntlet clutched at his arm violently. Eustis turned to see Erastus looking him squarely in the face. "This place will be the death of us. It is corrupt and filled with a panoply of hatred. We must turn back now and abort the mission. Nothing good will come from this unholy ground. I have studied the murals here. The elder race we came here to investigate is mad beyond our collective level of reasoning. It is perverse. Failure is imminent. We must turn back now."

"Time is nonlinear when gating. I have been waiting for your arrival for over fifty years. A ghost amongst the ambient residual core left here by the ancients. You come in search of knowledge and secrets. You will find only horror and sheer madness. I stole myself away mediating upon nothingness to steel my mind. The Infinity Gate was a gift from my Chapter to aid you upon your quest. There is still time to avert the imminent disaster. Heed my words and warn the rest. I am departing now. We have no business here." Erastus frowned then donned his helm stepping away back towards the portal. His shape became fluid like quicksilver seeping into the core of the portal and then he was gone.

+++

Inquisitor Squee listened intently as Eustis debriefed her. "It would be akin to heresy to leave now that we just arrived. Blood Angels are well known for their brashness. We can't really confirm anything Erastus told you." she replied.

"He seemed quite sincere and I sensed nothing wrong in his psyche." Eustis said. "We should at the very least take some precaution."

"You are old and wise my mentor." Squee smiled. "The potential we can unlock here is unknowable. Many would give their very lives to be here amongst us. We come in search of things to aid the Imperium and weapons to defeat our enemies."

One of the newly arrived Howling Griffons approached them. The terminator was bare headed and had a solemn look. "Sergeant Gannon is not well." he said.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Squee.

"The sergeant is in a state of unconsciousness and cannot be awoken." said Brother Asche.

"It is said that the fell powers of Chaos originated from this very place." said Squee. "Unlike Eratus I have no qualms or fear. My faith is true."

Eustis spoke out "Our faith is what sets us apart and our belief in the divine cleanses us. That said Squee do not be so rash to dismiss what the Blood Angel told us. If not for him we would have never reached here. You saw what he accomplished and his faith is strong too. I am with you all the way but it's prudent not to be overly zealous. Our faith will be put to the test. A little wisdom can go a long way." Eustis bowed his head and made the sign of the Aquila. "I will be beside you every step of the way. We are not fanatics nor were we ever. We are here to observe and report back what we experience."

"We must journey now to the very heat of this ancient city." said Squee.

They took a moment to look around and absorb the immediate area. A shelf of high mountains capped in snow bordered the furthest region. The land was broken and covered in a thin dust of ground bone. A whirling mosaic of silver mirrored images broke the surface in a long slow spiral progressing towards the outline of a sunken cityscape several miles off towards the distant horizon.

"My eyes are blind." said Gannon. The terminator sergeant was reawakened standing on the outer edge of the spiral path. "The Emperor took my sight so I cannot see the evil here. I will fight though."

"What do you see Sergeant?" asked the Inquisitor.

"Nothing." said Gannon. "You will learn to smell it too soon enough. It is all that is here."

The search party marched along the spiral trail into the heart of the descending darkness. Silent arcs of forked lightning flashed across the the heavy voided ceiling. The path lead them past of the remains of others who had come and perished. There were the remains of eldar and fallen legion. The dead had been flayed apart and scattered beside the sparkling path. The broken armor of Death Guard lay transfixed upon toppled pillars. Their helmets were cracked open exposing parched skulls. A filigreed force stave of heavy iron was wrapped around a crooked crossbar.

There a came a heavy voice that sounded like gravel from just beyond the steep hill covered in glittering gemstone. "Who comes?"

Squee quickly looked up at Eustis silencing him with her hooded eyes. "We are from the Inperium of mankind." she said.

"Many others of your race have come before you. Identify yourself."

"I am Inquistor Squee and this is the Librarian Eustis of the Doom Warriors." Squee then named those of the Howling Griffons in attendance. "We are members of the Ordo Xenos, an organisation known as the Imperial Inquisition.

"Who are you?" asked Squee.

"I am the Guardian." said the voice then a gigantic being covered in a tattered trailing cowl rose up on top of the hillock. "Other races have come and it has never ended well either. What do you want and why are you here?"

"I am not here to answer questions. I am here on a quest I was trained to succeed. My mind is focused like a laser beam so I can eradicate any enemy. You are xenos... You are scum!" Squee's voice took on the tone of command. "The enemy must be eliminated." A fusion beam suddenly erupted from a digital ring the Inquisitor wore breaking the thin artificial seal. The beam cut through the center of the hill vaporizing the top. Huge fragments exploded hazing the immediate area. Squee self levitated moving to the the forward point of her party. "If you are not with me you are against me."

"Puny impudent female." replied the Guardian. "You are overconfident... Like the others who came here before you in search of whatever it is you think you need. You will find only pain and death." The giant lifted a palm and in response the ground exploded all around sending the Deathwatch apart like rampant beings.

Eustis immediately leveled the team riding through the shockwaves. "You too have much to learn." The Librarian answered in return simultaneously ricocheting back the energy blast. For a moment the Guardian was obscured but only briefly re-appearing in full strident return. Eustis floated up swiftly like a bird of prey circling the predator.

The giant stumbled then automatically self righted.

The Guardian

"I can tell you what you find here." said the Guardian as it unclasped it humongous fists. "The Illuminati are long since deceased. Their spoils of war cover the city grounds towering and spilling into their abandoned palaces. All who have come before you died horrible deaths worse than anything you could ever imagine. There are things here left behind you could never even imagine and drove many to sheer madness."

"Our minds are steel traps." countered Squee. "We come not for ourselves but for the benefit of our race. We are incorruptible."

The Guardian guffawed unleashing ionized energy beams from his outstretched hands. Squee immediately reacted raising a kineshield that encompasses her party. They could feel the acid heat from the attack as it leeched through the psychic ether working its way quickly down upon them.

"This place is sealed off from the warp." the Guardian said through a sneer. "Soon the residual vestiges of your psychic battery will be gutted dry."

"Yet brother Erastus claims to have waited 50 years for our arrival." said Eustis. "His power level never waning."

"Attack!" came the cry from sergeant Gannon. The blind terminator lead his men in a shield wall counter formation striking at the Guardian. Their thunderhammers rose in perfectly timed unison then descended punching into the enemy. The Guardian ended his immediate attack gathering his hands into a pair of humongous fists crashing against the raised stormshields. The punches boomed like thunder thwarted by the shields then the Howling Griffons swung again in counter attack.

Inquisitor Squee focused upon an ancient lore no longer practiced in modern times. Her brow broke in sweat and her eye grew pure white as she silently mouthed the words. The enemy began to shimmer as his form started to buckle from within. Striking with renewed vigor the thunderhammers blunted against the giant's skull denting the hardened brow. Eustis drew his force axe swinging the head between the giant's eyes splitting the dense skull.

The Guardian moaned then burst apart spraying the area with long thick ropey tendrils of slick black ectoplasm. Eustis snapped his fingers setting the emulsion on fire burning it to ash. "It was not humanoid." said Eustis knocking the spent ash from his armor. "It took our form to fool us."

"Let us continue onward." Squee replied. "Fear not the monstrosity's retorts. We have come this far. Look upon the barren grounds of those before whom were slain."

The kill team took time to check their armor for any damage and rest a moment from the incursion. Sergeant Gannon squatted and made a silent prayer to the Emperor. The sky was the hue of soft red with no clouds. A silky breeze blew blowing small clouds of dust about the path.

++ Some time passes as the kill team journeys further towards the lost city. The path is open and they meet with no further resistance finally arriving at the outer boundary of the city ++

"My sight had returned but it is not like before." said Sergeant Gannon.

"How is it different?" asked brother Eustis.

"I can see into things now and the true nature is revealed." Gannon replied.

"You have changed." said Squee. "There has been a transformation."

"This is possibly what Erastus warned me about prior to his departure." Eustis walked over looking directly into the sergeant's eyes. There was a dull glow from within and the orbs were bronzed over. "While I sense no immediate taint this could be a direct effect of the warp."

"I am true to the Emperor." replied Gannon steadfastly. "My soul is pure."

"We have no experience in this realm and do not know how it can affect us. Obviously this change must have come about due your exposure here." Eustis turned to face the rest of the Howling Griffons. "Does anyone else feel affected or different in any way?"

The veterans all shook their heads in unison.

"Tell me what you see when you look at me." said the Inquisitor to Gannon.

"I see what I have always known. You are strong willed and fully believe in yourself with absolutely no doubt whatsoever. Your will is adamantium to all others."

"We will have to keep a close watch on Gannon." Squee spoke telepathically to Eustis. "This does not bode well."

"Finally some doubt?" questioned the Librarian.

"There is no doubt in my mind but taking cautionary measures is obvious. I sense this is only the beginning of the sergeant's transformation."

"Maybe it would be better to give him the Emperor's blessing now." said Eustis.

"We don't know for sure how his battle brothers would react and I sense they trust him... They have served together for well 100 years."

Eustis closed the secret conversation "Keep an eye on him at all times. If you sense danger you know what to do."