The battle at the Schneider family fortress concluded swiftly. With the support of well-equipped Astartes and overwhelming fire support from the Battlecruisers, the entire engagement lasted less than half a day. After all, once those 2,000 Astartes and a massive contingent of heavy vehicles joined the fray, the enemies' lives were already on a final countdown.
Alexei walked down a broad thoroughfare alongside Heinrich. They were surrounded by the mangled remains of cultists clad in flak armor—protection that proved no more effective than paper against the weaponry of the Aiur-soldiers.
The sounds of gunfire within the fortress grew sparse as the Aiur-warriors began clearing the battlefield. Alexei headed toward the largest structure within the compound; it was highly likely to house artifacts or entities related to Slaanesh, which he intended to obliterate using his C'tan powers.
Suddenly, as they passed a dim alleyway, several muzzle flashes accompanied by the desperate roars of the enemy surged toward them. Heinrich cried out in terror, "Watch out!"
But Alexei did not even turn his head. The moment the bullets entered his immediate vicinity, they disintegrated into drifting dust. Simultaneously, the sound of weapons hitting the floor echoed from the darkness followed by total silence. Heinrich peered cautiously into the alley, finding only piles of ash where the assassins had stood.
In an instant, the hair on the Governor's neck stood on end, and he hurried to keep pace with the man. To the current Alexei, low-level daemons appearing before him would be crushed instantly by his authority over the laws of the physical dimension—resulting in true, permanent death. Unless he were in a region where the Warp was exceptionally active, such as near the Great Rift or the MAiurstrom, where Warp energy might suppress him, only legendary Greater Daemons could hope to contend with him.
Following Alexei's lead, the two arrived at the steps of the black building. A fierce battle had evidently taken place here; a scorched crater dominated their vision. Alexei recognized this as the result of a Firebat's self-detonation; he could already catch the faint scent of char in the air.
He sighed inwardly. The greatest loss of this battle was sustained by the vanguard scout company. Over thirty men, including the company commander, were either killed or severely wounded—specifically the squad that had directly faced the mortal who had successfully ascended to daemonhood.
However, the silver lining was that most were only heavily injured. That arrogant fool had intended to torture them slowly, but he hadn't expected a sergeant to break into the building and successfully plant a beacon, allowing Aly to arrive just in time.
Alexei pushed open the heavy doors and looked into the dim interior. They bypassed the ruined Void Shield arrays and ventured deeper into the structure. The scenes along the way became increasingly horrific: countless mutilated human corpses were displayed before them. The ruined faces of these victims radiated despair and agony; even in death, their tongueless mouths remained open in a silent wail, their hollow eyes seemingly staring at the two men as they passed.
Despite Alexei shielding him, Heinrich's body trembled slightly. "Damned Schneiders... have they lost their minds?" He even recognized some of the faces among the dead; some had been members of the Schneider family themselves.
"This is the place." Alexei stopped before a stone wall. A repulsive scent wafted from behind it. This was clearly a hidden door requiring a mechanism to open, but to him, the concept of an "obstacle" did not exist.
Alexei placed his hand on the wall. In an instant, the stone began to age rapidly, countless cracks surfacing until it crumbled into fine sand. The sight beyond caused him to knit his brows in disgust, while Heinrich immediately began to vomit. He had never witnessed such a sickening scene.
It was a forest of flesh and a lake of blood. Every inch of this place challenged the biological limits of human sensation; a single glance could make a faint-hearted person pass out. The stench and a cloying, sweet fragrance combined into an indescribable odor. The blood pond in the center bubbled incessantly as unknown objects rose and sank with the nauseating sound of dissolution.
"Beyond saving." Alexei waved his hand. Everything in sight began to slowly turn to ash. Once the blood pond evaporated, a sacrificial altar etched with blasphemous runes was revealed—perhaps the very source of the Schneider family's corruption. Accompanied by a piercing shriek, the altar disintegrated into dust under the power of reality's laws.
Afterward, Alexei led Heinrich through the rest of the fortress, destroying several more Slaaneshi artifacts. After ensuring no more daemonic items remained, they arrived at the fortress gates. The battlefield had been largely cleared. All flak armor and master-crafted autoguns were confiscated and moved to the sealed warehouses of the Battlecruisers. Items produced by the system possessed a certain resistance to the Warp; they would eventually be dismantled into basic materials.
"What do you plan to do with this fortress?" Heinrich asked.
"Level it. It will serve as a base for the Aiur-army," Alexei replied without looking back. These buildings weren't worth preserving. An SCV corps was already on its way to rebuild the site.
"How are the others reacting to the battle here?" Alexei asked, watching a Medivac descend. He still needed time to fully assimilate all the high-ranking officials.
"There has been no reaction," Heinrich answered respectfully.
"How unexpected," Alexei chuckled, uncertain if the other factions were intimidated or plotting something. He boarded the transport and turned to Heinrich. "Come. You can continue showing me the way to the Astropathic Tower."
As the Medivac roared to life, Alexei headed back toward the white tower, while the Astartes returned to their Battlecruisers.
"My lord, the Schneider family has been wiped out. Their assets in the Underhive have been completely seized by those people."
"Hmph. A pack of pleasure-seeking fools. How could they compare to those who pursue Truth?"
"Should we...?"
"No, do not rush. Now is not the time. Everything is proceeding according to plan. The Great Master will give us signs. That soul is our only path to Truth."
"Praise be to the Great Changer of Ways! Thinking long leads to knowing; knowing much leads to a thirst for thought..."
Accompanied by the rhythmic chanting, a shifting starlight obscured the area. Everything dissolved into endless change.