Warhammer 40k : Space Marine Kayvaan

"A miracle, perhaps," Syladria admitted. "But I've no illusions. The Rosina I knew is dead. All that remains is a Daemon wearing her face. I want to stop her, but I lack the strength. My people are scattered—some suppressing your soldiers at the fortress to prevent them from causing more chaos, others hunting Rosina in the jungle. As you've seen, we've had no success."

Kayvaan shrugged. "From what I've seen, you're the ones being hunted. So, what do you want from me? Cooperation?"

"Exactly. A verbal covenant," Syladria said firmly. "We share a common enemy. Until that enemy is defeated, we must act as allies."

Kayvaan frowned. "I'm just a scout. I can't make promises on behalf of others."

"And I don't represent all Eldar," Syladria countered. "This is merely a practical arrangement. A temporary truce with no formal record. When this is over, we'll return to our separate paths. In peace, we might speak again. In war, we'll fight for our people. But for now, we must stand together. I need you to deliver this message to the decision-makers at your fortress. No matter the tensions between us, they must understand the stakes."

Kayvaan considered her words. "That... actually sounds reasonable. So, those are the words I'm supposed to take back?"

"Yes, and be quick. We don't have much time," Syladria said, her tone grave. "Rosina's movements have been consistent. She goes hunting every three days, then disappears, only to repeat the cycle. During these intervals, the warp rift above us grows more defined. I suspect she conducts a sacrificial ritual to strengthen the passage while she's inactive. Today, the rift is visible to the naked eye, and she killed four of my kin in the last engagement. If we do nothing, the rift will stabilize in three days, allowing weaker Serapheas to cross over. We must act now. After three days, it will be too late—Serapheas will start pouring through, and this world will become their playground."

Kayvaan frowned. "I understand. But how should we stay in contact once I return to the fortress?"

"Outside Fort Gallan. If you come out alone, I'll know. I'll find you."

"Understood."

The return to Fort Gallan was swift. Without the need for stealth or tracking, Kayvaan pushed himself to his limit, sprinting through the jungle. He covered the distance in a single day.

As soon as he entered the meeting room, Elizabeth greeted him with her usual impatience. "You're alive? Wonderful. Now tell me, what the hell happened out there? And what was that psychic explosion that disrupted our communications?"

Kayvaan wasted no time, delivering a concise report of the events. "The Eldar have set up a ritual altar," he concluded. "They're trying to open a warp rift."

Elizabeth's expression darkened. "Describe the rift in detail."

Rather than waste words, Kayvaan pulled up the photos he had taken and projected them onto the screen. Elizabeth studied them in silence, her brow furrowed. After a long pause, she exhaled. "This isn't as bad as it could be."

Kayvaan's frown deepened. "Not a big deal? That rift will bring Serapheas into this world. Shouldn't we be panicking?"

Elizabeth crossed her arms, her tone matter-of-fact. "Because it's a temporary rift. This isn't the first time we've dealt with incursions from the Warp. Every year, Serapheas find ways into realspace—whether through natural tears caused by cosmic phenomena or the rituals of cultists. But these breaches are usually unstable. Once the rift closes, Serapheas are forced back. They can't stay indefinitely. What's left behind is a corrupted wasteland—like spoiled food in a fridge. Open the door, and the smell leaks out. Close it, and the smell lingers but fades with time." She gestured to the image of the rift. "This crack is unstable. Even with their rituals, it won't hold for long. I'd wager it'll collapse within a week. Space in this sector is too stable for a permanent breach."

Kayvaan wasn't convinced. "What about the Eldar? Should we trust what they've told us?"

Elizabeth smirked. "Trust them? Of course not. Even if the Eldar you spoke to told the truth, they'd never reveal the whole picture. They're using us. Their internal conflict has spiraled beyond their control, and now they want us to clean up their mess."

Kayvaan nodded, agreeing with her assessment. "What's your recommendation?"

Elizabeth tapped her chin thoughtfully. "We're always on the back foot when it comes to Chaos incursions. We rarely know their full objectives, so we stick to defensive strategies—fortify key positions, protect critical assets. But there's nothing here worth defending. My suggestion? Evacuate immediately. Let the Eldar fight their own battle. In a week or two, the rift will collapse on its own. Afterward, we'll come back and mop up whatever's left." She paused, then added, "Oh, and before we leave, capture two Eldar. That's our original mission, after all. This is just a border planet—there's not even an Imperial colony here. Frankly, I don't understand what Chaos hopes to gain. Maybe Serapheas want to collect antiques from that old outpost. Who knows? Either way, let them have it."

Kayvaan grinned. "I like it. The 101st Regiment can evacuate with us. The Iron Hawk can make a few extra trips—five hundred people is nothing for the Ebony Shadow." Before Elizabeth could respond, the deputy commander of the 101st Regiment, Marlborough, interjected with a forced smile. "I appreciate your offer, Mr. Kayvaan, but we can't evacuate with you."

Kayvaan raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"I'm sure you can see for yourself," Deputy Commander Marlborough began, rubbing his hands together nervously, "that the 101st Regiment has suffered greatly. We've been battered by a recent battle, and we're far from combat-ready. Technically, we were sent here to recover—give the soldiers a moment to breathe before returning to full operational status. But…" He sighed heavily, his voice tinged with resignation. "Orders are orders. Officially, we've been tasked to defend this Imperial border world, Aion. And until those orders change, we are bound to hold Fort Gallan. No matter what."

Elizabeth snorted, her gaze flicking to the lasguns mounted on the wall. "You were already trapped in the fortress by a handful of rangers. Now you're supposed to hold this place against Chaos Serapheas? With what? Those 'flashlights'?"

Marlborough bristled but maintained his composure. "Those are not 'flashlights.' They are standard-issue lasguns of the Imperial Defense Force. They may lack the raw firepower of your fancy weaponry, but they've served countless Guardsmen in defending the Emperor's realm."

For a moment, Elizabeth looked ready to snap back, but she held her tongue, her smirk fading. She said nothing.

Marlborough exhaled deeply, continuing. "Even at full strength, the 101st could never hold this fortress against a Seraphea incursion. We're ordinary men and women, unlike you. We rely on discipline and the Emperor's orders to stand firm. But we are soldiers. And as soldiers, our duty is to obey, even if it costs us everything." His gaze hardened as he went on. "I want to live, but my duty is to this fortress. Even if there's nothing of value here—just a single cursed rock—we will defend it. Serapheas will learn that even for a pebble, we will fight until our last breath. This may seem foolish to you, but we're not just protecting Aion. We're defending the honor of Cadia itself."

Elizabeth turned to Kayvaan, her voice cold and sharp. "Some people have no choice. What about you? What's your choice?"