Farseer Falling

Chapter XIV

Caius stood back as the Webway gate began to glow brilliantly in a hot white blue. Energy arced angrily from it as the sensors and stones on Nuadan's helmet all glowed along with it, and he rested one hand on his shoulder as he leaned in closer, "Be swift, Bahad. We have little time." His mind turned to the brave militia fighting in the woods, and he hoped that the Cadians could do what they had to do and then get to safety, if they could. Then, he focused his attention on the areas up above them on the second level of the broken old building where the Webway gate was placed before, and it was then that he caught sight of the tech-priests scrambling overhead. Nuadan's little intrusion must have set off their sensors, because one flung himself to the banister and let out a shrill scream in Binharic. "Great," Caius grumbled and readied his weapons, unhooking his chainsword from his belt and giving one final glance to Nuadan.

The hereteks all rushed to the banister before the heavy sound of power armor heralded the arrival of Hepharion and who seemed to be his command squad. Caius recognized Ural among them, his imposing form towering over most of his brothers with a look that screamed violence. He looked worse for wear and figured that Nuadan must have gotten a few solid hits on him during their own fight, and that made him smile a little.

"Welcome, Lieutenant," Hepharion's voice rang out over the space like a bell. "Marvelous, is it not? For all of their faults, Xenotechnology is truly marvelous... Well, mostly the Aeldari. I have little use for the Orks..."

"Just come down here and fight me already, Hepharion! Or are you too much of a coward?" Caius called back, cutting off the Chaos Marine with a snap.

"Fighting you would be a waste on multiple levels," Hepharion's tone carried a level of dismissal that Caius hated more than anything else. "It would be a waste of my time, for one. In case you missed it, I beat you and your Eldar last time. However, I am nothing if not magnanimous. I have heard nothing but praise about you, Lieutenant Atelinas. Your death would be a waste of good geneseed. I am giving you another chance to turn your back on your Corpse Emperor and join me." The request was again a surprise.

"Wasn't Orphidian enough for you?" Caius asked, shifting himself to better shield Nuadan from the newly emerged enemies. He wasn't sure if the Farseer knew what was going on outside or now, but he didn't want to take any chances.

"The Ultramarines have a rather diverse set of skills. Collecting you would be a boon. Coupled with your skill, you make an asset I would prefer not to lose," Hepharion's voice was level and calm enough, and Caius could tell that he was being serious, even if the offer was clearly displeasing Ural beside him, who rolled his eyes beside the ex-Librarian.

"I would rather die than ever even think of joining you," Caius replied as he readied his bolter with a quiet exhale through his nose.

"A pity," he saw Hepharion shrug as his eyes began to emit a soft glow and the runs on his armor started to burn with light. "Then I suppose I shall exert my will onto the Farseer first. If he moves," he turned to Ural, who Caius saw get a sharkish grin on his scarred face, "shoot the Eldar."

"Go on, Ultramarine," Ural leered as he lifted his heavy bolter as Caius swore quietly under his breath. "Make my day."

"Come on, Bahad..." Caius whispered as he tried to find a way out for both him and his new friend. Then, from behind him, he felt the Webway gate begin to shift.

-----

Nuadan felt something slam into his mind like a bullet to the skull, and he lurched in his mind space as the other Farseers all seemed to feel something, too. He could feel something trying to push its way inside of his head and realized that the presence was all too familiar. Hepharion had tried this on time before, and he would fail again if Nuadan had anything to say about it. "We need to be faster," he grunted as he felt the intrusive whispers clawing and biting at the door, trying to push their way past his defenses. The Ghost Helm was dampening this, but he wasn't sure how long his fellow Farseer spirits would be able to fend off Hepharion's advance before things started to get concerning.