It was raining when they began to leave the tower, the first time it'd rained for Emperor only knew how long. Attelus supposed it could be the rain which will wash away the blood and corruption of this world.

Attelus and Tathe lead the survivors who agreed to leave toward the door, Dellenger who was still unconscious being carried on a stretcher. The fifty or so who chose to remain on Sarkeath watched on; most were local civilians and all most all the Sovirithian soldiers were among them, but there were a few Elbyrans too. Whether they stayed because of their hatred for Attelus, their disgust of the Eldar, or not wishing to leave their home, their world or a combination of them Attelus understood. He didn't expect even half the number would agree to go that did, in all honesty.

Along with the rain which had grown stronger and stronger over the last hour, the atmosphere was almost insufferably sombre; it weighed down Attelus' limbs like his bones were made from Adamantium rather than Wraithbone. He fought the urge to glance at the watchers as he walked. Attelus also wanted to look over his shoulder at Adelana as she walked just behind him, they had hardly spoken over the last couple of days unless it was necessary. Those words were cold, full of stammering and downcast gazes. Attelus couldn't help think in a few spare moments that she might've chosen to stay on Sarkeath and was relieved when she didn't. He had yet to work up the courage to suggest she stay with the organisation. He hoped he could gather strength to ask her on the trip back to the Calixis Sector.

Also, Kalakor had disappeared only a few hours after they'd spread out to search the tower, again, Emperor only knew where, although Attelus suspected that even He wouldn't know.

The foyer was now free of the corpses of the Resurrected which allowed their free traversal and Attelus and Tathe opened the large double doors and stepped upon the Blood Sands.

Attelus couldn't help shivering as the rain ran down his neck and soaked his long hair, pasting it to his face and scalp almost instantly. It pattered off his black flak jacket and his grey syn-skin bodyglove and made his jeans cling to his bodygloved legs. He watched as the blood sands bound and bounced as the rain crashed against it. Almost like it was a sea of blood rather than a desert.

They began to ascend the hill, back the way they'd fought from two days ago. The bloodiest, most horrific fight Attelus had ever taken part in, and he suspected it was the same for the Imperial Guardsmen of the Elbyran contingent as well.

When they'd finally reached the peak of the hill, Attelus' micro-bead beeped, and he reached to accept the call.

'Hello?'

'It is I wait for me.'

Attelus couldn't help freeze, which made Tathe look at him. Attelus nodded, so the Commissar raised his hand for a halt. Attelus turned and began back down the hill, the remaining soldiers, as well as Adelana, Torris and Halsin, moved out of his way.

Kalakor then emerged out of the tower, gazing up at them.

'Kalakor?' said Attelus. 'What are you doing?'

'I have been considering the story the she-psyker told and...it is incredible...hard to believe, but in my long lifetime I have encountered many strange occurrences, so I believe it. It is too insane to not be true if you understand me,' said the Space Marine.

'I do.'

'And after much evaluation, I think it might be best if I go with you...I have other missions, but this one seems too important not to make the priority. If you would allow me to join with you, of course.'

Attelus shrugged. 'I...I suppose so, but there's no guarantee Inquisitor Enandra will accept you.'

Kalakor had already begun up the hill while Attelus was in mid-sentence. 'That is a risk I am willing to take. I will fight along-side you and your fellow Throne Agents to defeat this Inquisitor Etuarq and bring him to justice!'

Attelus couldn't help flinch; he hadn't heard so much expression from the Space Marine before. Then Kalakor approached and held out his huge, armoured hand. It took Attelus a good second or two what the Space Marine was doing and blinking, Attelus placed his hand into Kalakor's ludicrously large palm. Having always had small hands, Attelus was used to having to shake hands with people who had hands bigger than his, but this was ridiculous.

'You aren't a Veteran-Sergeant of the Raven Guard,' said Attelus. 'Who are you really, Kalakor?'

'It...it is a long, long story, young Attelus Kaltos,' said Kalakor. 'But I suppose you deserve to know, although I suspect you mightn't like it you are more open-minded than many hailing from the Imperium of Mankind...'

The four of them entered the Throne room; their footfalls echoed in the cavernous, darkened place. The screaming of trapped tortured souls in Serghar Kaltos' ears increased from a subtle chattering to a full forced, deafening cacophony.

Serghar's enhanced eyes instantly adjusted to the darkness allowing him to see his master. The wizened, withered man seemed even smaller as he sat on the huge, silver throne which was a good three metres wide and fifteen metres tall, a throne not meant for a mortal man to sit on, but still one sat on it nonetheless.

No, Serghar corrected himself, praying his master wasn't listening to his thoughts. No longer a mortal man, but the new God-Emperor of Mankind.

It shone in the darkness, pulsating with a silver light as the trillions of souls trapped within it wavered throughout it. Trillions of souls Serghar and his master had spent decades collecting through their manipulation of the vast, convoluted Imperial machine.

When they came to around twenty metres from the Throne, as one, Serghar and his agents fell to their knees and placed their faces on the green alien marble floor in ritual, deserving abasement.

+You have failed me,+ the God-Emperor's wheezing mind-voice blasted through Serghar's skull, making him blink and fighting against the urge to blanch with the sudden agony, thumping inside his brain. +Where is the corpse of Attelus Kaltos? I need it for my true apotheosis.+

'An anomaly, my God-Emperor,' said Serghar. 'One unforeseen interrupted our fate.'

+An...anomaly? That is not possible; I have spent countless days searching through all the possible strands of fate and weaved them together to make sure my goal is preordained. How is this possible, your foolish son's corpse should be before me, ready for my possession. Dead at your hand with that cursed daemon blade.+

Serghar clenched his teeth; his life depended on his next few words, he had to choose them well. 'My God-Emperor, the anomaly was a Space Marine, his name Kalakor. His armour in the colours of the Raven Guard chapter, his rank sergeant, but...'

+But...what? Serghar Kaltos you may be my most long-serving and loyal servant, but your life is on the edge of a knife now. But...what?+

'But he was a sorcerer, he knew how to break the wall between the material universe and the immaterium without the ritual Athame, he must have hidden himself from our view with his knowledge. It is the only possible explanation I can think of...'

+I see. It was at the Space Marine's hand that you lost your arm?+

Serghar couldn't help frown. 'It was at the zenith of our plan, as I was about to stab the blade through my son's heart when the Space Marine intervened. A bolter shot I somehow did not see coming-'

+Yes, I see that. Then this Space Marine took the sword?+

'I am afraid that I must correct you, my God-Emperor,' said Serghar. 'He used sorcery to annihilate the blade

of Kalncerak.'

Anger abruptly blasted from the God-Emperor's essence and into Serghar Kaltos like the heat of a point-blank explosion of a Melta Bomb. +This is a fate I never foresaw! This is a timeline that is foreign to me! This cannot be! All of that work for nought! This day of days was meant to be the day of my ascension! To my true godhood!+

The God-Emperor of Mankind, the true God-Emperor of Mankind let out a massive roar of rage, which flung Serghar and his agents into the air and toppling backwards.

'Master! Master!' Serghar cried as he tried to cling to keep from crashing against the wall. 'It is not over yet! You foresaw that General Tathe would tell my son of the Exterminatus, of Inquisitor Soloston!'

+Yes, but Soloston is also hidden from my sight! His usefulness has passed, but he managed to realise my machinations behind him, so hid like the coward he is!+

'But my son and his foolish friends will try to find him!' Serghar yelled. 'And if they find him...'

The psychic force drizzled away as suddenly as it came, and Serghar felt the smile slide inside his guts. +I see, he will lead them right back here.+

Serghar allowed himself to smile. 'Right back his home, to the world of his birth.'

+Yes, to here, the world of Elbrya itself,+ said the next God-Emperor of Mankind.