Warhammer 40k: Rise of the Great Horned Rat

Chapter 172 172: The Utility of Twins

"While not entirely unexpected, I didn't think he would descend quite this soon," Lucius murmured to himself, watching the Khornate Primarch Angron suddenly take the field. Despite the escalation, he still could not commit the entirety of the Alpha Legion; that would align with neither Alpharius's style nor his own.

Khorne was acting like a common thrill-seeker, seemingly compelled to thrust a hand into every fray. The Blood God held zero interest in Isha, yet He relished the sheer magnitude of this upheaval.

At this moment, Angron, his mind entirely subsumed, reduced to nothing more than organic wetware for the Butcher's Nails, recognized no one. He merely roared as he was funneled by Khorne's will into this era, one that felt hauntingly familiar to his fractured consciousness.

"RAAAAAAGHHH—!!!"

With a fury-choked howl, Angron raised his twin axes and tore into the heart of the melee. Behind him, a tide of World Eaters in their bunny-eared helms surged forward alongside Khornate daemons: Bloodletters wielding Hellblades, Bloodcrushers, and Skull Cannons all fell upon the fray in a singular, crimson wave.

They cared nothing for the distinctions of Man, Aeldari, or Slaanesh, they lived only to reap.

Angron struck the battlefield like a rogue meteor of fire, his twin axes slamming first toward Fulgrim. This did not sit well with the Fallen Phoenix.

Twisting his serpentine form, Fulgrim fluidly evaded the strike. He let out a melodic peal of laughter, mocking the Lion and the Wolf. "I believe I shall leave you to deal with our brother. Go on then, Angron!"

Slyly voicing Angron's name just to savor the shock on the two Primarchs' faces, Fulgrim veiled his form and vanished. Deprived of his target, Angron immediately redirected his slaughterous intent toward the Lion and the Wolf.

"Angron? You've got to be joking. The lad was always a thick-skulled fool, but even he shouldn't have turned into... this!" the Wolf King snarled. Mjalnar and the Lion Sword clashed simultaneously against one of Angron's axes.

Even so, Leman Russ felt a shadow of a frown cross his mind. He could smell it, the daemon before him bore a scent almost identical to Angron's. Much like the daemon that had previously masqueraded as Fulgrim, it was impossible not to suspect a deeper, darker connection.

Once this was over, he resolved to interrogate his two brothers thoroughly.

"Alpharius? Damn it, he's gone again!"

The Lion looked back to find that Alpharius, who had been fighting at their side moments ago, had vanished. He knew immediately the Hydra had once again donned the guise of one of the countless soldiers on the field.

The mystery of the Alpha Legion at times eclipsed even that of the First Legion.

…

A bolt of psychic lightning reduced a dozen Seekers of Slaanesh to ash, exiling them back to the Warp. Eldrad Ulthran rushed forward, his eyes filled with awe and joy as he looked upon Isha. He turned to Yvraine. "There is a Webway Gate one thousand kilometers to the south. We must withdraw there before finding a way back."

"Agreed. We have no other choice," Yvraine replied. Seeing the Aeldari lines compressed by the combined weight of three hostile forces, she broadcast her command through the warp.

Masses of Aeldari fought with suicidal bravery, throwing themselves against any foe that dared approach their Mother Goddess. Even the Exodites, mounted on their great saurians, traded their lives to halt Bloodthirsters. In an unprecedented display, even the typically self-serving Archons of the Kabals personally led their elites to hold the rear against the Astartes.

"Their sacrifices... hah... will not... be in vain..." Isha whispered, her face etched with sorrow as she watched the souls of her children flicker out. She reached out with a delicate hand, and an invisible shroud of soul-energy instantly enveloped the planet's upper atmosphere.

Eldrad and the others watched in astonishment as the rapidly departing Aeldari souls were caught by Isha's power, held aloft like air trapped within a silken balloon.

"Ah! My revered Isha, this is...?" Yvraine looked upon the scene, her shock turning into soaring hope.

"I am temporarily housing the souls of my children within my own being," Isha said. Much like the Tears of Isha spirit stones, the Goddess had turned herself into the ultimate soul-vault for her race.

"Oh! Truly, she is Isha, our Mother!" At this sight, every Aeldari, regardless of faction, erupted into a frenzy of devotion. They had been prepared to be consumed by Slaanesh for their Goddess; now, their zeal knew no bounds.

"Move! Until the last Aeldari falls, no harm shall come to Isha!" Yvraine shouted.

The Avatar of Khaine received its directive. The Visarch, currently piloting the Avatar, delivered a sweeping blow that forced N'Kari back before retreating into the Aeldari host.

"You shall not escape!" N'Kari roared, attempting to give chase. He was instantly met by a wall of Wraithguards and Ravager gunships. Their Dark Matter Cannons and Shuriken Cannons lit up the sky, providing a blistering curtain of fire to cover the Avatar's retreat.

As for the Yncarne, it required no escort; once Yvraine, the Emissary of Ynnead, ended the manifestation, it would simply dissolve back into her.

Aeldari jetbikes and light vehicles cleared the path, while heavy units like Talos Pain Engines, Wraithguards, and Wraithknights formed a flexible yet resolute web of firepower with the infantry to screen the retreat.

"Heh... Isha is craftier than she looks, for all that Snow White persona," Lucius remarked from within the Warp, watching her gambit.

Snatching food from Slaanesh's mouth was no different than slapping the Dark Prince across the face. In terms of sheer audacity, it was on par with trying to steal Skaven souls from the Great Horned Rat.

Isha had clearly realized that the Great Horned Rat did not want her falling back into Slaanesh's clutches, and she played that card perfectly. Had she tried to shield those souls under any other circumstance, Slaanesh would have crushed her instantly.

"Hehe~ Where do you think you're going, darling?"

As the Avatar of Khaine retreated, the veiled form of Fulgrim suddenly materialized from the flank. The Blade of Laer carved a deep rent into the Avatar's lower back, causing molten, lava-like blood to spray.

"Mmm~ such scorching blood. A pity I'm hunting a different prize!"

With that, Fulgrim bypassed the Avatar. He knew the manifestation was a one-time trick; the metal husk paled in comparison to the allure of Isha herself.

"Hahahaha!" Fulgrim tore into the Aeldari ranks. His massive, serpentine body moved with terrifying grace, carving through Wraithknights and Talos Pain Engines as if they were chaff. Ordinary Aeldari infantry were crushed beneath his coils without him even slowing down.

"Protect Isha! Don't let the Kabal of the Broken Claw lose face!" An Archon stood firm, brandishing an Aeldari power sword against the oncoming nightmare. This man, usually a coward who clung to life, stood utterly fearless.

He led dozens of his Incubi and hundreds of Half-born Kabalite Warriors in a desperate volley, standing like ants defiantly baring their mandibles before the wheels of a titan.

No miracle occurred. Fulgrim didn't even deign to notice them, simply trampling the overmatched Kabalites into the dust.

However, one of the "Incubi" narrowed his eyes. The Demiklaive in his hand suddenly transformed into a Pale Spear!

The thrust struck true, piercing Fulgrim's serpentine hide. A sensation, a mixture of agonizing pain and exquisite pleasure, akin to a sharp sting to one's most sensitive parts, wrung a silver-toned moan from Fulgrim: "Nngh... ahhh..."

"It is... a pity. I cannot let you pass." Omegon withdrew the Pale Spear. His Incubus disguise rippled and tore as his form expanded, towering upward until he stood revealed as a Verminlord clad in the Scales of the Pythia!

"Oh, my brother. You look positively dreadful like that~" Fulgrim squinted at Omegon's daemonic form. "And weren't you planning to give our 'stupid brothers' a surprise? You've exposed yourself so soon?"

Omegon's expression remained impassive. "I am Alpharius."

Meanwhile, back near the Lion, Alpharius emerged as if he had never left, coordinating with the Lion and the Wolf to repel Angron. Together with the warriors of the three Legions, they slammed the door on the World Eaters' berserk charge.

"Where the hell were you, you snake?" the Wolf King barked. The one before him was, indeed, the true Alpharius.

"Nowhere special. I was merely assisting my sons. Look, how honored I am. It seems even daemons are masquerading as me over there," Alpharius replied, gesturing toward the Verminlord Omegon, who was currently trading blows with Fulgrim using the Pale Spear.

Leman Russ glanced over and grunted. "Fine. After this is over, you're reporting to Father. I can smell your scent on all of them. You'd better not be holding out on me, Alpharius."

Alpharius nodded, a silent thought crossing his mind: For once, Leman, you're actually right.

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