It wasn't just Cawl and Greyfax who were puzzled.
Even Eldrad and the Eldar seers looked at Datch with confusion.
Again, they tried to divine his fate,
only to find a swirling chaos—nothing at all.
As if his fate didn't belong to this universe.
Datch ignored their stares, holstered his weapon, and hopped around the battlefield scavenging.
Not much good loot—most of it common junk.
He focused on wounded Imperial soldiers.
Each had a green exclamation mark above their head.
Whenever Datch carried a wounded man over to a vehicle, it lit up.
Placing them in, he got a prompt:
[You recovered one Loyalist Token for the Emperor. Gained 10 XP, 10 Points.]
"Nice. Save one, get 10 XP and 10 points."
"If I ever reach an apocalypse-tier battlefield, I'll be rolling in profits!"
Energized, Datch moved wounded men to vehicles, farming points and XP.
Cawl, Creed, Greyfax, and the others frowned at the sight.
Though Chaos had been repelled, an uncertain journey lay ahead.
If they took these wounded, it would slow them down.
The Despoiler's fleet still blockaded the planet—no help could come.
The best solution was to grant the wounded the Emperor's Mercy.
Cruel and inhuman, perhaps,
but Abaddon had not truly left; his Vengeful Spirit orbited Klaisus still.
If he attacked again, more would die.
Necessary ruthlessness would save more lives.
Yet the nameless warrior kept loading wounded into vehicles, intent on taking them all.
As the group pondered how to convince him to stop,
one grievously wounded soldier slid off a vehicle:
"I'm too badly hurt—leave me here."
"If you bring me along, I'll only slow you down."
Creed sighed.
If possible, he'd have persuaded the man to stay.
But mercy was a luxury.
Those who'd survived so far were all strong-willed and loyal.
Death was nothing to them.
When one led, others followed—crawling off the vehicles.
A prompt popped up:
[About to lose one Loyalist Token. Will lose 10 XP, 10 Points.]
[About to...]
Datch's eyes widened.
NANI!!
You can lose points?!
He sprinted back, Terminator armor booming.
He loaded the wounded back on.
"Leave me here,"
pleaded several.
Datch ignored them, putting them back.
These are points and XP, he thought—they're not getting away!
The sight left everyone speechless.
This Emperor's Angel—was he too obsessed with saving people?
Creed looked helplessly at Greyfax and Cawl.
Celestine stepped forward.
"Let him do as he wishes."
Saints carried weight—no one argued further.
Galien and others joined the rescue.
All surviving soldiers were found and loaded onto transports.
Greyfax seized the moment to approach Celestine.
She glanced at the xenos, then said to the Saint,
"Is this the 'redemption' you spoke of? Relying on xenos charity?"
Her tone was sharp.
Even now, the Inquisitor did not fully trust Celestine.
"It is the Emperor's guidance,"
Celestine replied calmly, unoffended.
"That is a lie for the ignorant," Greyfax sneered, "One day, I'll expose you."
Celestine smiled serenely,
"You serve and trust the Emperor; why not trust His hand guiding me?"
Greyfax rested her hand on her pistol.
"Maybe you are guided, but not by the Emperor. How many horrors have been called miracles—each one led to tragedy."
"Remember—when I expose your lies, it will be your death."
Celestine smiled,
"I look forward to it, but that day will never come. Besides, He has plans for you too. Be patient, Inquisitor."
Greyfax glared but felt oddly comforted.
When the wounded were tended, Yvraine, Visarch, Eldrad, and others approached Celestine.
Compared to the hostile Inquisitor and rigid Martians, they trusted the Saint more.
Autarch Meliniel of Biel-Tan bowed to Celestine:
"We know you hate us, and have every reason. But in return for our aid, grant us the chance to speak the truth and of the future."
"What do you have but lies?"
Greyfax spat.
"What more do you want to take?"
Imperials eyed the Eldar warily, ready to open fire at a sign of betrayal.
"Let them speak,"
Celestine said.
Greyfax sneered,
"Fine, why are you here?"
"The Dark Gods rise. Only united can we oppose them,"
Yvraine replied gravely, gesturing at the transport:
"This cumbersome thing holds hope. A legend of myth will return to lead humanity, to resist the Great Destroyer and the darkness."
…
Negotiations lasted for hours.
After the Eldar spoke, Celestine and others conferred.
She explained her prophecy: only with Eldar aid could they bring their precious cargo to Ultramar.
Thanks to her efforts, the Imperials agreed to accept the Eldar's aid and trust them.
Yvraine and the Eldar promised to ferry them swiftly through the Webway to Macragge, ensuring Cawl's cargo reached its destination.
With agreement reached, the armies merged, entered the Webway, and boarded Eldar ships for Ultramar.