The Wayward Son

The past few hours went by relatively peaceful for Seiras as he and Melisara worked on learning all the hidden phrases in the advanced sign language. While a normal person could have easily picked up on most of it thanks to Melisara's excellent instruction, Seiras' perfect memory made the task even easier.

Part of him was still surprised that he never even knew this hidden sign language existed. 'Knowledge truly is power…there's no denying that. I know a lot more now than a regular Astartes should. I have a responsibility to use it wisely.' the librarian thought to himself briefly as he practiced the gestures for Melisara to critique.

"Good Seiras, but don't forget to make the circle with your index finger and thumb. You have bigger hands, so you should probably adjust the spacing a bit to make it more legible," the haemonculus commented.

Doing as instructed, he replicated the gesture, "Like this?"

"It will do. I will also give you a download of what I know of this for you to read on your own time once you're out of here. For now that should give you a sufficiently decent vocabulary of hidden words to communicate with Meela," she added as she worked over a console.

The two were currently in her personal chambers, but for some reason it didn't feel awkward or uncomfortable to him. He felt no shame admitting in his thoughts that he actually enjoyed Melisara's company…at least compared to any other alien he had ever encountered.

"You're certain that Faelan doesn't know this, right?" he asked cautiously.

"Well to be honest, I don't know if he does or not. It's not a topic we've ever discussed. I've never seen him use it before. Regardless of whether he can recognize some of it or not, your true issue is to determine if Meela is still loyal to the Imperium. I doubt she would blatantly tell you, and even if she did, it could be a lie to set you up. Just figure out what she wants to say and let me know. Until then make sure you keep things vague," the alien responded.

"Faelan seemed to think there would be a counterattack on the palace spire. Who is he expecting to retaliate?" Seiras followed up anxiously.

"That I don't know for certain. Harlequins would be the only real threat to the palace other than a full-fledged army attacking. The latter seems unlikely considering Vect routed Malys' forces. Though opportunists are well aware that the Kabal of the Twilight Shadow is in a vulnerable position now. I imagine if there was an attack, it would be the opportune time for the shadowseer to take you. You should be even more wary of the harlequins targeting you now," Melisara stated sternly.

Seiras nodded, "I already have concerns about them reappearing. Faelan specifically mentioned that Sylandri Veilwalker was with the Ynnari. She already approached me several times before. She told me that I couldn't trust the solitaire. I am not certain if I can trust Aenaria either."

"Trust none of them. The only eldar you can trust in this place is me. You're the prize in this game they're all playing right now. Remember that, Seiras." The dark-haired haemonculus reminded him.

"I still don't know what kind of a distraction I can make to escape this place with the other slaves. Also, you mentioned earlier about how we had to make it look like an accident and you couldn't directly help us. Can you elaborate on your own plans in this? Perhaps it will help me come up with something," Seiras said hopefully.

Melisara frowned, "Yes, unfortunately you're going to have to 'kill' me to make it look convincing. I already have my backup body grown and ready for it."

"Wait…you want me to kill you before we escape?!" he said shocked.

She nodded, "Yes…with the Dark matter Hexcannon I have set up in the lab. It can actually kill me, you, and even Ferrus. It's a weapon that uses both the glass plague and singularity displacement to destroy things on a molecular level. Super high tech…but it only has one shot and is rigged to self-detonate afterwards."

"I…do I have to kill you though?" he asked slowly.

Melisara tilted her head and smirked at him, "What's wrong? You growing too attached to me? Can't kill an 'evil' haemonculus?"

"I can…but I don't understand the necessity," he looked away a bit reluctantly.

"I also want you to destroy my lab here too. No evidence of anything to leave behind. Don't worry, I've already begun to start relocating a lot of my valuables from the vaults. The rest is easily replaceable and it will seem a large enough loss for it to not appear suspicious," she instructed.

"What about your wracks? Won't they be witnesses?" he asked.

"I sent them away to go work on something they perceive as 'important' a few stellar cycles before we left," she said with a mischievous smile, "They won't be coming back any time soon. Not to mention, they're good at keeping secrets. I've made sure of that."

Seiras nodded, "Alright, well now I just have to come up with a distraction while we escape. Do you have anything in mind? I mean considering how well you've planned everything up until now, I'd imagine so."

"I have nothing specific planned, but you inciting a power struggle in the Kabal would be one of the most effective methods. You could also lure the harlequins into attacking the spire by pretending to go along with their plan. If none of that works then summoning daemons to cause a disjunction would be the best option. From what it sounds like, you might have to wait until the Kabal is attacked," she noted.

"I had considered that last option not too long ago. It seems like a dangerous and terrible idea, but it would certainly send this place into chaos. I would prefer to avoid that route though since we would have to fight them too on our way out. The other major problem is it would disturb a lot of my allies if they saw me do something that heretical," Seiras sighed.

"Have you considered trying to summon the Legion of the Damned then?" she asked.

Seiras' eyes went wide, "What?! Is that even possible? They only showed up in the warp because of the Emperor…I doubt I could summon them like that."

"Well…another, albeit it unreliable, option is to have the Astartes that are currently in Commorragh to come attack the spire," she suggested.

"That idea seems like a good one. I'm surprised I didn't consider it viable sooner. Though they don't entirely trust me. They might assume it's a trap or that I'm setting them up," he sighed again.

Melisara chuckled, "Well here's my advice. Try all of them at the same time. I am positive they would all be effective to some extent. If all else fails, you and Ferrus can just fight your way out of here. He is a primarch so not much around here is going to stop him. Your enhancements will also ensure your survival. Though if you do end up having to summon daemons, make sure it's while your collar is still on. They won't suspect you of it then."

"How will I use my powers with the collar on?" he shook his head confused.

Melisara smirked as she attached a small device next to the tracker on his collar, "Press that button when you're ready for me to release it remotely. The spikes will recede, and the collar will loosen. You can then summon daemons and use the warp with it still attached. Press the button three times afterwards and I will remotely clamp it again."

"One of the craftworlders in that slave chamber said she could take the collar off with the right tool. She was the fire dragon exarch," he added.

The haemonculus grinned, "Good…then here's how you should go about the order of doing things. Try all of the other options and then summon daemons last if you have to. Bring her with you to my lab when you come to 'kill' me and let her remove it. I honestly doubt it will be necessary, but you should at least try to summon the Legion. That wouldn't be considered 'daemon summoning' to your other allies or to Ferrus."

"Well I can only hope that the other options go well. I will try regardless though," he said confidently.

"To get started with the first options…you should go along with satisfying the wyches for now. They will eventually turn on each other and I'm certain they're on edge since Faelan didn't return immediately. People tend to act wild and suspicious around here when he's away. This is an ideal time to find out if anyone is plotting something," Melisara said optimistically.

"On the way back I told them that Meela warned me of Maeralya being up to something," he stated.

"Ooooh, good. You're bound to cause some strife there…especially with Faelan absent. Maeralya has been under suspicion for quite some time, so inciting strife there would prove effective," she smiled.

Seiras frowned, "Should I try to escape before Faelan and Renfaeda return? This seems like a good window already."

"No, sadly…Faelan has half of his fleet with him still and could easily intercept an escape ship of slaves in the webway. You want him here so he's easier to get away from. Plus, you also want to see if Meela is worth salvaging yes?" she responded wittily.

"You're right, Melisara…do you know when they are returning?" he asked solemnly.

She thought for a moment, "A few days by your Terran calendar probably. This is a good opportunity for you to go sleep around with Renfaeda's underlings. Don't hold anything back, Seiras…seduce them. Sow discord and find out if any of them are scheming."

"So there's no getting out of that after all then…" he sighed.

"They're going to rape you regardless with Renfaeda absent. You might as well use the situation to manipulate their emotions and observe them. Besides, you're safest from harlequin tricks in their company outside of this lab," the alien countered.

"I have one more question Melisara," Seiras trailed off almost shamefully, "why did you want so many semen samples from me? That's been bothering me for a while now."

"Oh my dear, you'll probably get disturbed if I tell you," Melisara almost giggled.

He shook his head, "You might as well…I don't like not knowing things."

"Very well then…I fixed your fertility. I wanted the samples to make sure it was a success and for…a more personal reason," she said with a creepy stare.

"My fertility?! What?!" he gasped.

"I want to make offspring with your DNA…and mine," she said with a shameless smirk.

He stared at her bewildered, "So…you wanted to make children from our DNA?! That's insane."

"Shhh not so loud now…that's a little secret between you and me. Even when we part ways, I'll always have something to remember you by," Melisara smiled.

'That is extremely concerning and disturbing…but I suppose it won't matter to me once we part ways. Wait a minute…I had sex with Sylea. Does that mean…' he immediately felt his hearts sink in his chest.

"Wait, so explain this in more detail to me. I can have children now?" he said disbelievingly, "that should be impossible since the DNA of Astartes is no longer compatible with humans."

"It is possible, but the Emperor purposely set it up to where Astartes couldn't reproduce. It's good he did or there would be a lot of transhuman mutants running around the galaxy. It would certainly be bad if Chaos marines could reproduce like that. I'm curious to see what the offspring of you and a regular human would be like though. I imagine they would look similar to a regular monkeigh, but with enhanced genes. They obviously wouldn't be close to an Astartes physically, but they would be naturally superior baseline humans. Isn't this fun?! I love genetics," Melisara chirped.

"This is dangerous. The inquisition can never find out about this…if anyone finds out I sired a child they'll execute me…or worse experiment on me." Seiras said seriously.

"Oh relax, it's not like human women can rape you," Melisara laughed.

He looked away, "No…but I did have sex with that slave girl, Sylea."

"Luckily for you nobody will believe her that an Astartes is the father of her child. She was a sex slave in here after all. I wouldn't worry about it," Melisara said carelessly.

"It feels irresponsible. I remember growing up as a young boy how much my father's influence helped me. I would feel too guilty to do that…" he said shaking his head.

Melisara shrugged, "Well that's up to you to deal with then. If you truly feel that way, then maybe you can come meet our children in the future. Actually I like that idea."

'Just when I was starting to really like her, she does something sick like this…Melisara truly is the most unusual alien I've ever encountered. She's going to make half-breeds? I pity those creatures and the horrible lives they'll probably have. I know she has admiration for the Emperor, but that's taking things a bit too far. Then again, am I really in a position to complain? She's done nothing but help me here. She even enhanced me and helped me resurrect a primarch. I guess it's a small price to pay for all of this. Another sin to carry to my grave. I really need to talk with Sylea though assuming she survives this place,' Seiras reflected on the horror of the situation.

"But anyways, moving on. The best way to win the hearts of Renfaeda's underlings is to understand what they all like. Nelfaera wants to feel special since she lived in her mother's shadow forever and isn't as pretty as her. Her cousins treat her poorly and she seems to be the most ambitious opportunist around here. Nelfaera is very smart and multi-talented, but she's a thug by Drukhari standards. What she lacks in combat ability, she more than makes up for in cunning. Honestly, I think she's more suited to being a Kabalite leader since she's a great politician. Your butchering her in the arena hurt her self-esteem but also impressed her. She won't be too difficult for you to seduce, but you should be careful…she is very observant. It appears she's already suspicious of me, so don't underestimate her. Aelendriel is lonely, insecure, and absolutely loves to be seduced. She is also the least confident of the three and will only reciprocate affection privately. Initiate interest in her when you're both alone for the best results. Turning her against Nelfaera would be the easiest way to start drama. Mokaela is a tricky one. She's both the friendliest and cruelest one of the bunch. She is quite complex to understand. As you've probably noticed, she has a split personality. The calm and witty side and the psychopathic side. You'll have to draw her out into the latter state of mind to really get her anywhere emotionally. She isn't normally the jealous type and she doesn't aspire to usurp Renfaeda. She will be the most challenging. The best way to appeal to her is asking about harlequin topics and just talking to her in general. Learn what she likes and try to get her in a more serious mood if possible. Be wary of her though. She does have ties to that harlequin masque troupe that's after you. There's no telling if she if she has some loyalty towards them. As for Renfaeda, she enjoys dominating people, so continue making it fun for her. I trust you can figure out the rest," Melisara changed the subject.

"I'll admit, I'm not looking forward to this…but if you're certain it will benefit the escape plan then so be it," Seiras sighed.

"I'm going to send word to Nelfaera that I'm done with you. This is an opportune time to build rapport with the wyches. In the meantime go make some plans with your 'allies' in the slave chamber. Once we leave this lab, we won't be able to speak again for a while. Are you ready?" the haemonculus smiled wickedly.

He nodded, "Let's get on with it then."

"The hardest part is already over. It only gets easier from here. Just stay focused and your mission will be a success," Melisara said reassuringly as she opened her chamber door and led him out of the lab.

No more words were spoken as the librarian and the haemonculus exited her lab and headed towards the elevator along the bridge.

Upon their arrival, Melisara opened it for him to step inside. She gave him a dark look and spoke one last time, "Someone will be by to pick you up later, monkeigh. Try not to butcher any of my livestock down there."

'She knows somebody is watching us…' Seiras thought grimly.

He nodded without responding before the elevator began its descent. It went down for about a minute or so before stopping abruptly. The lights then flickered out entirely leaving him in pitch darkness.

He looked around calmly as his eyes quickly adjusted and didn't see anyone or anything yet. He finished his survey by looking up, but it was also absent of any presence.

"At least you look up now…I'm over here," a voice sounded from the darkness.

"What brings you back here?" he asked aloud.

His question was answered when two illusionary candles appeared in front of him. Out of the shadows a slender figure practically materialized into view. The sight of white hair and a horned mask led him to assume it was Aenaria. The sight of candles made it more convincing as well.

"Echoes from the shadow realm, whispers of things yet to come. Thought's strange sister dwells in the night, and she is swept away by dawning light. Of what do I speak?" Aenaria asked a riddle right away.

'This has to be the real Aenaria…she's asking me riddles and she used candles to illuminate herself.' Seiras felt some reassurance.

He then thought about the answer for a moment, 'Thought's strange sister of the night…swept away by dawning light? Is that a dream then?'

"Dreams," he answered confidently.

"Yes, you are correct Seiras. I had a dream about you…or perhaps it was an echo of the warp that manifested in my dream. You were standing at Khaine's Gate," she stated emotionlessly.

"Do you have visions of the future?" he asked.

"Yes, and of the past and present. In my dream you were walking through Khaine's Gate…alone. The Great Enemy called out to you and you called out to the Emperor of Mankind," Aenaria added.

"Tell me more about this dream of yours. What else did you see?" he asked carefully without looking suspicious.

Aenaria moved closer in a ghostly flash and answered, "A wolf in the warp answering your call."

'Does she know about Lord Russ? I suppose she's going to be vague about it. I wonder if she knows about Melisara and Ferrus then? She mentioned I was alone didn't she…but if she saw that then maybe she didn't see what really happened?! I don't have a good feeling about this,' he thought anxiously.

"So what you brings you here?" he asked again.

She tilted her head slightly, "What is always in front of you but difficult to see?"

"My nose...or the future I suppose," he answered immediately.

"I've watched your behavior here…I've seen you endure this place all for the faint hope of a better future. You have become numb to your present surroundings and placed aside your own morals all for the greater good of your species. You walk a path of damnation and sacrifice. Willing to do things others won't…or can't. I admire that about you. In a way we're quite similar in this regard," Aenaria responded.

"I'm doing the wrong thing for the right reason," he replied.

"A dangerous mindset to have. It sits upon a knife's edge and is a slippery slope to corruption…though I am hardly one to condemn it," Aenaria stated.

"I have a question for you, Aenaria…what is your goal? What exactly do solitaires do and why did you become one?" he wondered.

Aenaria didn't respond for a few moments as she creepily stared at him. She ghosted closer towards him at unseen speed before speaking, "For the same reason you walk your path. I did it because nobody else could…or would. I play my part in the Dance Without End, and when my times comes I hope my sacrifice gives others a life I could never have."

"Say you could live that life…what would you want?" he prodded further.

"To not be alone," she replied honestly and depressingly. Her gloominess was oozing out now and he could literally feel the sincerity in her words.

Seiras had no idea what to say in response, but finally spoke up again, "So…why are you talking to me again? Was it just to mention that vision? Most eldar other than these Drukhari seem to detest conversations with humans."

"Understandably so. Most of your species is especially dull, slow, and uninteresting. They are zealously ignorant and simple in both awareness and understanding. They think they can categorize and summarize everything into neat little labels. Most are too narrow-minded to see past their own prejudices and self-righteous dogma. Too willing to walk the easy path and believe everything they're told. Yet in their reckless assurance they think they know what's best for the universe as they righteously declare their beliefs in delusional mobs. You're different. You seek the truth, and you don't shy away from things that invalidate your indoctrination. To put it simply, I just enjoy speaking to you. I wish there were more people like you in this galaxy. People who aren't superficially obsessed with everything they see, hear, and want to belief…people who want to understand others. Your interest in me is quite flattering and unexpected," she elaborated in her own language and in more detail than he expected.

"I thought you said I wouldn't see you again unless you decided to help me," he said uncertainly as he dodged her compliment without acknowledgement.

"I am simply passing along some information. I would hardly call it help, but its usefulness will depend on how you use it," Aenaria explained.

"Okay then, what is it then?" he asked uncertainly.

She tilted her head at him, "A great battle is coming to this spire…a retaliation, a betrayal, and a rescue. It is when she plans to take you…and when you should break free."

"A great battle? Between the kabal and who else?" he wondered.

"You will have your answers in due time…and you will know when that time has come," she followed up.

"Sylandri Veilwaker is going to come for me during an attack? Is there anything else you can tell me about it?" he asked.

A moment later Aenaria transformed into the shadowseer Sylandri and spoke in her voice, "How do you know I'm not Sylandri?"

"Say Slaanesh." he asked.

"Slaanesh," Aenaria repeated the name without any hesitation. She then transformed back to her original appearance.

She let out a light uncharacteristic chuckle, "Smart of you…not many Aeldari are brave enough to say her name…especially psykers. Only the damned or the bravest among the Drukhari would. You continue to impress me with your wit. I very much hope you succeed in your goals."

"Why do you have to hope? I would greatly welcome your assistance and give you whatever you asked of me. What do I have to do to 'win you over' exactly? You never did give me an answer for that." he asked.

"For your sake it's best that I help indirectly. You shouldn't make offers like that to lonely girls. It's a price I wouldn't ask of you…it's one I know wouldn't pay." Aenaria depressingly.

"Maybe I'll surprise you…" he followed up.

"You don't understand what I'm saying, Seiras…" she shook her head doubtfully.

He shook his head, "Just tell me then. If it's that high a price the worst I can do is say no."

"If you're serious then touch me," she responded anxiously as she moved closer.

He looked at her uncertainly as he reached his hand over towards her, 'Why does she want me to touch her? I don't understand what she's asking, but I suppose I can…I just have this feeling that I shouldn't.'

As his hand got closer, he felt a crippling anxiety and resistance as if he would be struck down for fulfilling the request. His hesitation and concern over it was apparent which simply caused Aenaria to back away a moment later. She sounded gloomy and defeated as she sighed, "Never mind…I have my answer. Good luck, Seiras."

"Wait, Aenaria!" he called out, but it was to no avail. She was gone now. The green lights of the elevator flickered back on upon her departure as the elevator began to move again. Seiras stood there frozen in confusion now.

He stared at the wall as he pondered her advice, 'I don't understand what she was asking me…why couldn't I touch her? Was it some kind of test? I wonder if the other eldar are right and that she is cursed?'

Slave Chamber 4

As he reached the bottom, the elevator opened allowing Seiras to reenter the slave chamber. He felt a small measure of relief being in here for some reason. He barely made it a few steps around a corner before someone called out to him from the shadows, "Monkeigh…here."

Glancing over, he saw Ashera standing there. The fire dragon exarch motioned for him to follow her. He really didn't want to deal with them right now but followed nonetheless as she guided him through a stealthy backway towards the opposite end of the slave chamber from where he normally stayed.

She looked at him briefly as she whispered, "I've been checking the elevator every time someone arrives. We've been awaiting your return."

"What's this about?" he asked quietly.

"Tallath and I want to speak with you about some important matters…you can also fill us in on how this Kabal war went." she answered vaguely.

'Great…this can't be good,' he thought solemnly.

Upon reaching the corner, he saw Ashera jump up into some type of rafter area and into a hidden nook in the wall. Despite his bulky size, he nimbly squeezed in behind her. As he entered the area, he saw Tallath, Atharen, and Sorellia all sitting there. The Howling Banshee was sitting a bit further away from the others and had a strange look on her face.

Seiras immediately knew it wasn't good when he saw the glares directed at him. Ashera motioned for him to sit down as she took a seat next to Tallath.

The Striking Scorpion broke the uncomfortable silence now, "How did the Kabal War go, monkeigh?"

"Faelan's forces fought Archon Velatha's Bladed Sun Kabal. The battle was in Faelan's favor until Lady Malys arrived with a Blackstone Fortress and her own Kabal along with Ynnari reinforcements. Ultimately, Asdrubael Vect showed up on his ziggurat and repelled her. Half of Faelan's forces have returned now but he's still out there handling politics I imagine," he stated bluntly and to the point.

"Hmm, A Talisman of Vaul? How could Lady Malys have acquired one of those?" Atharen asked the others.

"I find it more concerning that the Ynnari would help someone as unstable as Lady Malys. Though it could be possible they hope to secure her Talisman of Vaul as a war asset," The golden-haired Tallath noted.

Ashera crossed her arms and looked at her allies, "Are we going to address the reason I brought him here?"

"By all means, Ashera, he seems to like you the most out of all of us. You ask him," Tallath sighed.

Staring intensely at Seiras, Ashera spoke in gothic now, "What is in Melisara's lab that you're so adamant about getting? Is it truly an STC? I get the impression you don't trust us, which makes me wary about working with you. I know you assume all of our kind are duplicitous by nature, but we're warriors and we have more honour than that. Besides…we're going to find out eventually. I'd rather know now so the surprise won't slow us down. That's assuming you can trust us. If you cannot then I fail to see how we can truly trust you."

Seiras was silent for a long moment as he thought about whether it was a good idea to be honest or not. Part of him knew deep down that trusting them wasn't a good idea, but another part of him saw an opportunity here that he didn't before. He had leverage now…especially considering Ferrus was genuinely alive and could back him up. His mind weighed the options, 'If I do tell them about Ferrus being in there, it would negate a possible betrayal down the line. Even exarchs have to know that a primarch is extremely powerful. Plus telling them the truth would come across as me trusting them more and double as a security precaution for the future. I think I'll tell then and hear what they say to each other in their language.'

"She has a primarch in there…a living breathing primarch. Ferrus Manus the Gorgon of Medusa to be specific," he told them the truth.

Tallath looked horrified at the notion, "I was under the impression all your god-princes died out. You're saying the haemonculus has one captive in there? How exactly did you discover this?"

"Melisara showed me in one of her locked vaults…I think it was meant to demoralize me. I don't know what she's doing with him, but I can't leave him here," Seiras stated distantly.

Atharen shook his head, "We can't unleash a primarch back into their Imperium! It would doom countless Eldar! How do we know this monkeigh prince won't try to kill us?!"

"Your concerns are valid, Atharen, but the monkeigh didn't hesitate to tell us which means he's not trying to deceive us later on," Tallath replied.

Ashera gave Seiras a bewildered look, "That actually makes me more concerned about our alliance. What's to stop this primarch from turning on us?"

"What's to stop your aspect warriors from killing us once we're clear of Commorragh? None of us can truly trust each other, but I am taking a leap of faith in telling you about him. Getting him out of here is the most important thing to me. I'm certain he would find your craftworld more trustworthy if you helped me free him. At the very least it might ensure some form of non-aggression with the Imperium and Iybraesil," Seiras replied.

"Could this be a part of Iruna's plan as well? To restore the primarch back to the Imperium? It just seems so…dangerous," Atharen said doubtfully.

Ashera sighed heavily, "It's certainly a gamble…though the primarch might be more receptive to an armistice with our craftworld if we help free him from here. I don't know how powerful their god-princes are, but we'd be negligent to let that evil Haemonculus keep it. Asuryan only knows what foul purpose she would turn it to here. If it did turn out well, then we would be on this primarch's good side…which could save Iybraesil later down the line. I am certain the farseer wouldn't make a reckless decision about something this big."

"That is a valid point, Ashera…we can't let Melisara keep a primarch. I say we go along with this and if the primarch shows any sign of turning against us we should leave the monkeigh behind. The payoff seems worth it though. Iruna always sought to temper the zealous ignorance of the monkeigh Imperium…perhaps this is her plan. These are desperate times, and it serves no purpose warring with the monkeigh right now. The Great Enemy and the Necrons are a much bigger threat. This primarch would cause major damage to our enemies and indirectly safeguard the Aeldari," Tallath nodded.

"Do you have anything to say about it, Sorellia?" Ashera asked the quiet banshee.

Sorellia had been silent the entire time staring off absent-mindedly. She looked over and spoke back, "I think it's a good thing. Our chances of escaping are much higher if a primarch is helping us. This also explains why Seiras has been so willing to endure this place so passively. I find it commendable he would throw away his own pride for the betterment of his species."

"Sorellia? You're actually willing to escape now? You've been ranting about how this plan was going to fail for twelve cycles now." Tallath asked her somewhat concerned.

"If there really is a primarch in Melisara's lab, then he could probably kill Faelan and all the others…he could ensure they die before we escape! This is a good thing! Even if the primarch doesn't work with us, he could cause major havoc here at the very least!" Sorellia shifted into a bloodthirsty dark tone halfway through her statement much to everyone's concern.

"It is good to see the anger of Khaine returning to you, Sorellia. Your point is noted. A primarch could certainly ensure the deaths of Faelan and his cohort. Very well…are the rest of you in favor of this then?" Tallath asked the other exarchs.

They all nodded in unison.

Ashera then looked at Seiras again, "Thank you for telling us the truth, Seiras. We feel more confident in this escape plan and in trusting you now. That brings us to my next concern. What kind of distraction are you planning to do? Please tell me you have something planned by now."

"There is a small fleet of space marines in the webway currently. They are Ultramarines and White Scars. I encountered them when I was forced to go recruit hellions and reavers with Nelfaera. While they were distrustful of me, I told them I found a primarch and was undercover here. Luckily, they didn't kill me. If I could message them, they might attack the spire for us to help free Ferrus Manus," Seiras gave one of his best options.

"Hmm…that does seem promising, but that brings up another concern about them killing us as well. What we're doing right now is considered heresy in your Imperium is it not? I can't imagine overzealous space marines would be able to distinguish between our warriors and the commorrites." Ashera countered.

He nodded, "Yes, but considering that they're in the webway I'm under the impression someone let them in…"

"Someone…you mean the Ynnari then?" Tallath speculated.

Seiras nodded, "That seems the most logical option. I heard they will work with the Imperium sometimes."

"Why are those space marines here though?" Atharen wondered.

"They told me they were looking for Jaghatai Khan. That's all I know," the librarian answered.

Ashera nodded in approval, "Very well, that does seem like a valid option. Though you should certainly have back up plans as well. When do you want to make this escape attempt?"

"I thought about doing it now since Faelan is away with half the Kabal still, but considering they're still mobilized with the fleet out there, they could easily intercept us during an escape in the webway. Plus, I want a bit of payback myself," the Blood Raven looked them over as he finished.

"We will come up with some additional solutions to aid in that regard, but your plan seems acceptable enough for now," Tallath nodded approvingly.

Ashera chuckled at the others, "If he weren't a monkeigh, I'd actually like him. He's halfway tolerable and his head isn't filled with air."

"As a show of good faith for your honesty, Seiras, this area up here leads past a ventilation shaft all the way out of the slave chamber. We've already been constructing a makeshift ladder with it and clearing out the obstructions. It will lead close to the top of the elevator lift which we can use to get to the bridge. Atharen has already snuck out multiple times and stolen a number of additional tools for us. They will allow us to bypass the security systems at the armoury," Tallath explained to Seiras as he pointed up to a vent.

"That's good to know," he nodded in response.

"One more thing you should know, Maeralya came down here to retrieve the slave girl you arrived with. She could very well be questioning her for information as we speak. I'm surprised she didn't come for Sorellia as well, but she likely knew we were all with her and didn't want to risk it. They usually send the Incubi to retrieve us since we're not easy prey for Kabalites," Ashera interjected.

"So she has Sylea then? That's not good…" he trailed off.

"Maeralya needs to die before she extracts the truth from Sylea. If you ignore her, then this plan of yours will fail," Sorellia pointed out.

"I'll find a way to get rid of her," Seiras nodded calmly.

"Killing that slave girl would be much easier to do," Ashera replied seriously.

Seiras gave her a stoic glance, "If that's what it takes…I'll do it. One way or another, we're getting out of this place. We've endured too much to fail now."

"I'm surprised you wouldn't object to that. Truly you're the most sensible monkeigh I've ever met," Ashera nodded in approval.

Sorellia found his easy agreement a bit surprising, "You would kill her? She seemed to trust and like you a great deal."

"Ashera is right…if she becomes a liability, then I have to get rid of her. Although I have every intention of killing Maeralya if possible. Fortunately the wyches hate Maeralya and they believe she is up to something here. I'm going to try and sow discord between them," he replied.

"It's good to see your mind is not clouded by sentimentality or illogical pride. I can truly see why Iruna sent you now," Tallath added.

Their conversation was cut short a moment later when they heard the elevator lift moving again. The exarchs all perked up vigilantly.

"I wonder who that is?" Ashera asked aloud.

"It might be someone coming for me. I'll speak with you again later," Seiras stated before exiting their hiding spot and walking around the corner.

Ashera followed behind him surprisingly as she snuck through the shadows to get a closer look. Before long Seiras caught sight of the elevator reaching the bottom and opening up.

Out of it came none other than Nelfaera. The syren looked around casually as she took a few steps into the chamber. She was by herself and didn't look all that worried as a few slaves came to check the elevator for the new arrival.

A few bold gang members tried to ambush her since she was alone but were immediately flung back and cut in half by a razorflail. Seiras was surprised to see Nelfaera wielding a razorflail as she easily murdered the dozen or so slaves in two clean sweeps.

Everyone else even remotely close to the area scattered and hid as the syren peppily strutted further in. She looked at her wrist and pressed a button causing Seiras' collar to light up. She then glanced in his direction.

Ashera stealthily slipped back out of view as Seiras took a few steps into the light. He knew the fire dragon was still in range, but Nelfaera clearly didn't sense her.

'Ashera is spying on this…I should be careful what I say. It looks like Sorellia didn't mention anything unnecessary to the other exarchs thankfully,' Seiras thought as he approached the syren.

"Ah Seiras, there you are! I'm surprised you're not in your little corner," Nelfaera chuckled as she licked the blood off her razorflail before strapping it to the side.

"I haven't been down here for very long. I am surprised how quickly you got here," the librarian answered.

She nodded, "I didn't really go all the way back to the palace spire. I was dealing with some politics with Karyphea. I find it interesting that you haven't been here long, but you were in the other corner of the slave chamber. What's over there I wonder?"

'Melisara was right…Nelfaera is the most perceptive of the wyches,' he thought concerned.

"I was just exploring," he shrugged.

"Haha, sure you were…" she said unconvinced.

"So why do you have a razorflail right now?" he changed the subject as quickly as he could.

It didn't go unnoticed, but Nelfaera answered him anyways, "Oh this? Well it was a gift from my aunt. This was my mother's razorflail. It's a specially made one. I was a never a big fan of these things, but my mother was really good with them. Seeing how you used a razorflail I figured why not hone my skills with it too. Maybe we can practice together, haha."

"So you came here to get me, right?" he asked.

"Yes, but why don't we take a little walk first. I want to test something…" she remarked with a sinister smile.

'This is bad…' he growled mentally.

With reluctance, Seiras followed Nelfaera as she walked into the main open area of the slave chamber. Countless people were still hiding as best they could, but Seiras knew that hundreds of eyes were on him right now.

"Here, I want you to try it out," Nelfaera handed him the razorflail much to his disbelief.

He held it in his hand and looked at it uncertainly as an awkward silence followed.

"On what?" he finally asked.

"On those Imperial Guardsmen hiding over there…" Nelfaera pointed towards where the Cadians were taking cover and hiding in shabby cells.

"No," he replied immediately.

She rose a brow at him, "Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to slaughter people for your amusement. You are not my master, Nelfaera…" he replied strongly and loudly.

"Well…that's too bad," she chuckled before pressing the switch on his collar.

Electrical agony flooded his body as he howled in pain and sank to his knees. Nelfaera held it down for almost two minutes straight as she stared at him unfazed. His agonizing screams filled the chamber as countless hidden onlookers probably watched on with dread and fear.

After what felt like an eternity she released it causing him to slump down and start panting heavily. She crossed her arms, "Are you ready to obey me now?"

"I'm not your slave, Nelfaera!" he growled as he stood up now.

She was about to press the switch again before splinter rounds started flying in her direction. Nelfaera nimbly dodged them and took cover behind Seiras. She glanced over and saw Major Medina aiming the Drukhari weapon at her hostilely.

The proud Cadian officer shouted at her, "Shock him again and see what happens you alien bitch!"

'Emperor no! What the hell is she doing?!' Seiras thought disbelievingly as he sent a sharp glare towards Arika for trying to kill Nelfaera.

"Hmm…Melisara must be getting lazy if she's letting slaves keep weapons down here. Though I did notice a lack of wracks around her lab," Nelfaera mused.

The syren turned almost knowingly towards Seiras, "That's all I wanted to see…come Seiras. I think it's time we have a serious talk about your recent behavior. If you refuse I'll kill all your little guardsmen friends in here. I'll start with that bitch right there."

Arika looked like she was about to shoot again but seemed to get the message to back down as Seiras blocked her line of sight by following directly behind the Nelfaera as the wych strutted back to the elevator.

Shortly after their ascent began, Nelfaera laughed, "I knew it…"

"Knew what exactly? That I didn't want to slaughter people for no reason?" he asked annoyed.

She sent him a cocky look, "I knew that you were pretending."

"Of course I am…you honestly think an Astartes would break that easily? I serve because I have no choice, but I'm not here to amuse you by slaughtering slaves. I would only obey that order from Renfaeda or Faelan," he countered.

She glanced at him knowingly, "So how was your personal time with Melisara?"

"Painful as always," he lied.

"Oh yes, I'm certain that it was. Well, sorry to upset you. How's about I make it up to you by taking you back to my room?" she said suggestively.

"Lead the way then," he nodded.

Her golden eyes lit up surprised, "What?! No protest? No complaining or stubborn defiance? Hahaha, you must be looking forward to spending time with me again. I'm not your master and you want to come spend time with me? How lovely."

"It just beats sitting in a slave chamber." he said stoically as he looked away.

She smirked at him, "You can admit you like me…I certainly like you."

"I like you more than the other wyches. I suppose it would be more accurate to say I hate you the least. You're still a vile creature though," he begrudgingly responded as the elevator began its ascent again.

Her eyes locked onto him briefly, "You never did give me a reason for that. What would you say is your favorite feature about me? Is it because of my looks, my personality, or my excellent cooking skills?"

"You're simply different than the others. I know you're the most intelligent wych around here." He answered vaguely.

Nelfaera nodded, "Indeed I am. They'll never admit it, but I'm definitely smarter than our three succubi. Maybe that's why you and I mesh so well. You're rather unique for a monkeigh…and a space marine at that. You and I share something in common…our awareness. Believe me...I am well aware that you have friends in that slave chamber down there."

"What was the point of that little incident back there then? Are you still trying to test my loyalty?" he responded.

"I was simply curious. We'll talk about it more in my room. Let's hurry up so we don't encounter Mokaela and Aelendriel along the way," she responded as they reached the top.

Not much else was said in their silent walk, but he could tell that there was something off about Nelfaera. She seemed like the real Nelfaera, but the syren looked almost anxious and deep in thought. Her demeanor was the only sign of proof that it was really her.

'Nelfaera is up to something here. Why would she of all people suspect I have allies in this slave chamber? Didn't my butchering of the gang members in that last one negate this line of thought? I have a really bad feeling about this. I might have to kill her, but I should find out what she knows and who she's talked to first...' he was already anticipating possibilities.