The first thing Celestia notices upon regaining focus is that she is lying down, her body half submerged in liquid. She opens her eyes, shifting her head to prevent the liquid from splashing in her eyes, and reaches out with her soul to determine where she is within the Warp.

It is a hall, or at least a construct of one. It rises above her like the ruins of Everfree, broken from time and neglect. Flickering lights of Warp beasts come and go, eyeing her as she remains submerged in a puddle of... She pauses and looks down, quickly scrambling to her feet when she realizes what she has landed in.

Blood. A thick puddle of blood that rises up to her shins. It stretches to fill the cavernous hall, bending and clotting around ruins and other debris. Even within a realm where physical sense matters little the place reeks, Celestia’s nose scrunching as she channels her powers to dry herself off.

It is then that she realizes her spirit is unarmored, exposed even. Only the image of her body remains, caked in blood that is not her own and surrounded by ruins of a dead empire. A chill comes over her, and she is no longer alone.

“How does it feel to stand in the shoes of those that came before you?” the voice whispers, drifting around her like a spectre. “To be naked, exposed, defenseless... weak?”

“I am not weak, daemon,” Celestia counters, turning to face the voice but finding only shadows. “If you have any intelligence about you, you would know who I am!”

“Oh, I know very well who you are, Empress,” The voice chuckles. “In fact, I probably know you better than you do. You say you are a beacon of strength, but you cannot even swat a particularly bothersome insect from your mind; what kind of strength is that?”

“Show yourself, and then we will see how hollow your claim of strength is.”

“You amuse me, Empress. But you are still weak.” Celestia cannot react before something slams into her back, sending her sprawling into the blood once more. She catches herself, growling before spinning and releasing a blast of energy, but all she strikes is air as the voice cackles. “Did I strike a nerve?”

“Your very existence strikes a nerve, daemon.” Celestia growls, rising back up to her feet and drying herself again.

“How very petty of you. But then, that is what I have struggled with for an eternity...” the voice drifts away. “Come. Would you like to see true strength? I have so much to show you before you must leave.”

“I am no slave to you.”

“But you will still come. I know you Empress, and your curiosity cannot be so easily suppressed.” Celestia grimaces, but the voice says nothing more. She pauses only to focus her power, her mental shields raising while her soul perceives her armor closing in around her. Fully defended once more, Celestia steps through the mire, blood flowing around her legs as she searches for solid ground... and her foe.

The Warp around her is calm. Far too calm for this universe, Celestia keeping her defenses up in case anything tries to surprise her. She keeps walking, searching for her opponent, but all she finds is ruins and more blood, the slosh of fluid being the only sound she has. She looks about, furrowing her brow as she senses nothing, nothing but more blood.

The Great Game is Broken, Old Gods cast aside. Celestia freezes as she hears a new voice echoing through the ruins. She summons her sword, flames enveloping her as she prepares for an attack, but all that greets her is a rush of wind and emotions, directing her vision to a section of the ruins that she had ignored.

Four heads, staked to the wall by pikes of blackened steel. Each one appears to have rotten for centuries, yet still drips fresh blood from their wounds. The stench mingles with the reek of the blood, an acidic smell that causes Celestia to step back. Instinct tells her to fight, to strike against this symbol of carnage, but Celestia finds herself fixated on the spot, watching the slow rot of her greatest enemies.

“It was simply a matter of picking up where you left off,” the voice whispers behind Celestia. “Each gate that Lorgar opened gave me strength, strength enough to slay these fools and devour their realms.”

“Impossible,” Celestia breathes. “Killing the Four Gods of Chaos would throw the Warp into complete disarray. Even my attempt left the Warp mostly destroyed and cast me to parts unknown.” the voice cackles again.

“Silly Empress,” It says. “When you conquer a planet, do you immediately raze it to the ground? Do you not re-purpose its resources so they become yours? I slew the Chaos Gods and took their power for my own, and the channels of Reality provided me all I needed to bind their slaves to my will without alerting your little bands of followers. It would have been seamless save for one message.”

“The Game is Broken; only Destruction Remains.” Celestia searches for her opponent once more, but all she can find is more blood and the rotting corpses of the Four. “That would also explain why you were able to face the Hive Mind on its own footing, for what is the power of one God compared to five?”

“An excellent observation, no?” the voice asks. “Perhaps that is how you managed to convince so many idiots that you were worth following. It certainly fits you, dear Empress.”

“If you seek to get under my skin by insulting me and my subjects, you are wasting your time, daemon. Remember, you would not be in this position of power were it not for my strength.”

“Hah! You are a tired old man trapped in a body that is not their own. The Four allowed you to win so they would be rid of you; who are you, that you cannot even harm your greatest enemies permanently?” Celestia can feel a presence drifting around her, yet she can still see no one to speak to. She braces in case the voice tries to push her again, but it seems content to talk. “Unlike them, I knew you would return. I knew your ties to this empire are stronger than any other bonds. A pity, then, that I must sever such a strong relationship.”

“You will fail.” Celestia replies. “Thousands of years and countless days of assault could never overcome me, even when the Four were still alive. For all your strength, even you cannot break me.”

“So certain are you?”

“I still stand before you, unbowed and unharmed. Seeing as you merely killed the Four and the Hive Mind outright you do not strike me as a sadist, so you are not toying with me before delivering the final strike. So either you brought me here merely to gloat and display a puffed-up semblance of power, or you really do not think you have the strength to overcome me.” No sooner has Celestia finished that a wall of force slams into her stomach. She lets out a gasp of air as she is sent sprawling back, shattering the wall on which rests the heads of the Four.

“IS THIS A SATISFACTORY DISPLAY OF STRENGTH, EMPRESS?!” the voice bellows. Celestia can say nothing before something closes around her neck, Celestia shifting her energy to keep from breaking focus on her soul. “I AM BEYOND YOU! I CAN DESTROY YOUR SOUL WITH BUT A THOUGHT, AND YOUR PRECIOUS IMPERIUM WILL DIE WITH YOU!”

“Why don’t you?” Celestia asks. There is a pause before the pressure on her soul releases, the presence backing away from her.

“In time, Empress,” the voice says. “There is still more that must transpire before we are to have our final battle. As amusing as it would be to crush you now, I find myself to be a patient god.”

“As one who has been mistaken for a deity most of my life, I do not find you to be a very convincing specimen.”

“As you are a weakling, it would be like you to say that.” Celestia feels the presence leaving her. A thought comes to mind, just one question to probe her enemy’s weaknesses.

“If you truly are beyond me,” she says. “Perhaps you would be so ‘noble’ as to offer me a name by which I might address my ‘better’?” There is a pause, the presence lingering before it drifts back to her.

“That, Empress, is a question you already know the answer to.”

Celestia gasped as she was forced back to reality, pulling herself from the command chair and staggering forward. The officers on the bridge stepped back, keeping their distance lest Celestia lash out and crush one under her armored bulk. Celestia took a few deep breaths, just enough to calm herself now that her body and soul were reunited.

Celestia trembled, a chill running down her back. She could still feel the creature, Chaos God or not, looming over her as she recovered. She tried to keep her mental shields raised, just in case it decided to come back in force, but it merely watched. And all Celestia could do was try and pull herself together, to be the calm figurehead the Imperium needed.

They need their Empress, she thought. Not someone easily winded by the Warp.

“Status report.” she said, straightening up as best she could.

“We have just entered space around Rynn’s World.” one officer said. “We are at three percent casualties from Warp transit. And... well, all the Tyranid ships are dead.”

“I am well aware of that.” Celestia replied. “What of our forces on the ground?”

“... Status unknown,” the officer said after swallowing. “Our systems are picking up unusual energy spikes coming from New Rynn City. We believe a warp portal might be forming on the surface.” One of those Gates the daemon mentioned? Celestia thought.

“Prep the teleportarium, and have all units be ready to deploy.” Celestia growled, turning towards the exit. “I will go ahead of them to make sure this ends quickly.”

Lorgar stepped lightly around the corpses of Tyranids. The insects all had the same dull expression as one another, staring blankly into the void as their life force was torn asunder. The Dark God had done its work well, and now it was up to Lorgar to solidify its claim over the Materium.

As all things should be.

He stopped on the bank of the river, looking to the defense line guarding the northern half of New Rynn City. The Imperials’ stare was just as dumbstruck as the Tyranids, mortals and cowards gaping as they tried to comprehend what had just transpired. Lorgar smirked, thankful that the perfect audience had been delivered to him on this day.

“Slaves of the Imperium!” he called, raising the Book of Chaos towards the sky. “The Hive Mind is dead, slain by the Dark God Ascendant! Hear now the Truth of Chaos, and the death of your empire of lies!” with his other hand he gestured towards the corpses of the Tyranids with his mace. “Look upon your enemies, you servants of a dead god! See how with but a word the Dark God has slain what all your guns and swords could not! This is the might of Chaos, might that you have glimpsed and thus will dread to face!

“Chaos is the truth that unites us all, but you are too blinded by your false faith to see it! Do you not take pleasure in such a great victory, find comfort in the strength of arms and camaraderie that brought you to this point? Why deny the full embrace of Chaos, which honors and empowers those very emotions which you have felt since you first began your battle against the Hive Mind? Do you truly think your Emperor has slain these beasts, that your own shreds of faith were what saved you this day?

“The Dark God is responsible for all of your triumph! It is the embodiment of man, the purest form of the base desire that lies within us all! You say that you are in control, but every action you take is praise to the Dark God Ascendant, the Four brought in to One, the Warp made manifest! Your Emperor is but a false god, stealing your worship and leaving you to rot alone and forgotten! Cast off your chains, slaves, and become what you were truly meant to-”

“Oh would you just shut up already!” It took most of Lorgar’s fifteen thousand years of experience as a preacher to not sputter as a new figure stepped out of the Imperial lines. It was a young woman, dressed in lavender and gold armor and wielding a silver sword, and her scowl was quite apparent even from across the river. “Your Dark God had nothing to do with today’s events.” Ah, a Naysayer. This will be amusing.

“You doubt what you see, do you not?” Lorgar asked before gesturing back to the corpses around him “Look around. Can you so flatly deny what you see before you? Did you pray for your Emperor’s deliverance before you went to sleep and now seek to justify your little farce? You delude yourself with false worship to a god that cannot hear you, when there is one who will gladly accept your worship.”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” the woman said. “What does matter is that you’re lying to these people, and quite badly too. Truth of Chaos? Humans being beholden to their base emotions? You really know nothing about life, do you?”

“I have beheld Chaos and Order for fifteen thousand years, child,” Lorgar said. “Time and again I have seen men deny themselves, only to be liberated once they embrace Chaos. No pretense, no lies to one’s self: only the truth of who they really are.”

“No.” there was a pause before the girl winked out with a blink of purple light, Lorgar taking a small step back as she teleported in front of him. “What you offer is a means where humans can never truly grow. Humanity’s greatest strength isn’t surrendering to base instincts, but rising above and mastering them. Your offer would just turn them all into a bunch of brainless monsters with no desires, no ambition.”

“You would think that, but the freedom of Chaos is such that you would never be bound by the limitations of mortal morality and existence.” Lorgar dismissed the Book of Chaos and held a hand towards the woman. “You are one of great magic skill, no? You must be, for your voice enhancement spell and teleportation is magic few have ever mastered. Would you not welcome a chance to grasp true power, to learn spells and rituals that mere mortals could never comprehend? Knowledge and power not glimpsed in eons rests within my grasp, and it can be yours too if you so desire.” the woman seemed unconvinced, but Lorgar could see a flicker of interest in her eyes.

“Yes, you understand,” Lorgar said, smiling. “Chaos is more than just violence and bloodshed. It is knowledge, truth. You would be unbound by all constructs of law, all limits that you place upon yourself. I do not offer slavery, but freedom, freedom to choose what path you shall follow and make a true name for yourself. Boundless power is yours, if only you can reach it.”

“... Fascinating, but I’m the personal student of the Empress herself.” the woman said, giving Lorgar a friendly smile. “If there was anything I ever needed help with, I could always ask her.” Lorgar frowned. The temptation to smash this woman into the mud and get back to his sermon flared in his mind, but a good evangelist knew that some converts needed more work than others.

“You place too much trust in your Emperor, girl.” Lorgar spat. “He will only betray you when the time is convenient, and what will you be left with? Shattered promises and misplaced loyalty to a petty dictator who only cares about himself.”

“You obviously haven’t spent a whole lot of time around her, have you?” the girl asked. “Yes, there have been times when she has allowed her pettiness to come forward, but to focus solely on that is to deny all the rest of who she is. Can your Dark God possess the power to move a star with a flick of their wrist, yet with that same flick be gentle enough to dry a tear from the eye of a sad child? Can it mend a broken heart or calmly correct a wrong, rather than just providing an out for one to indulge themselves without actually growing from the experience?”

“You place your trust in a man that slaughtered innocents on a whim,” Lorgar snapped. “Can you fault Monarchia, where thousands of faithful just like you were killed for no greater reason than the Emperor was displeased with them?”

“I won’t deny that she wasn’t a good person in the past,” the woman said, still calm despite the increasingly angry Primarch looming over her. “But she has worked to make amends, even if it takes her the rest of her life to do so. And how did you respond? Seems like you just ran off to find something that would make you feel better rather than actually solving the problem between the two of you. Was following some Dark God that only seems to care about you debasing yourself really worth it?”

“That does not change that fact that the Dark God was responsible for the victory you see here,” Lorgar said, pointing back to the corpses. “To deny that fact is to deny all reason entirely. It was by the Power of Chaos that you claimed victory, not your Emperor.”

“No, it was the spirit of humanity that won us this battle.” the woman said, her hands balling into fists. “Where was your Dark God when the walls of this city fell? Where were you when thousands of men, women, and children died in the face of an alien monstrosity? Yet despite all that we held out, we fought and died to save what was left, and where were you? Just waiting on the sideline for a convenient time to show up? Just admit it, you don’t actually care about Humanity at all: you just want to get people to bow down to you and your coward god instead of making something better for themselves.”

“Your Emperor has not shown his face to rescue you, and yet you accuse me of cowardice?!”

“I know for a fact that the Empress is on her way to assist us. I can’t say I have too much faith in your Dark God who doesn’t even have the courtesy or timing to be genuinely useful.” Lorgar’s hand tightened around his mace. He was about to bring it down on the woman’s head before she disappeared in a flash of purple light, reappearing safely on the other side of the river as she turned to face her fellow Imperials.

“Don’t listen to this guy,” Lorgar heard her say. “He wants you to forsake the Empress for his own pleasure. We stand strong and united against all threats, and will continue to stand when the Empress arrives. Ours is a strength no false god can overcome, but he’s too much of a fool to realize what he’s given up.”

“I threw off the shackles of slavery!” Lorgar bellowed. “I made a choice! I chose to throw away the reins of a murderer and a coward, to become a true herald for humanity! Your Emperor will betray you, your strength will fail and you will see that I was right! Not this false prophet who leads you astray, me!”

“You gave up one ruler for another who likes it better when you act like some kind of animal rather than an actual human being.” the woman countered. “If you’re a true herald of humanity, I’d hate to think we’re all destined to be shambling monsters.” a pause. “Though, how exactly does one get to look like you? The Empress really didn’t go into depth about the mutagenic properties of the Warp, so I want to have a good idea of what it does from one victim so we can all avoid it.” Now she was taunting him. Launching a Doombolt across the river to kill the false prophet would be the easiest method of dealing with her, but the Daemon Primarch would not let her taunting get to him that easily... he would not...

“So, you seem content to follow your False Emperor,” he said finally, taking a few breaths to compose himself. “A pity, for one as strong as you could perform miracles if only you opened your mind to the truth. But if you will not do so willingly, then perhaps I must force you to accept the Will of the Dark God!” With that Lorgar raised his hand toward the sky, channeling his power to interact with the magics coming from the Tenth Gate. There was a pause before the sky over the central spire ripped open, a purple and red gash tearing through reality above the city. Tendrils of arcane energy snaked down from the rift, twisting about like some great beast reaching out towards the mortals below. A low drone filled the air, small ripples forming on the surface of the River Rynn as the drone bored into the planet itself.

The tendrils began to take more solid shapes. Bodies, arms, heads, weapons, all stitching together piece by piece until the horde had formed around Lorgar. Scantily clad Daemonettes cackled as they prepared for a coming slaughter, joined by giggling balls of energy that made up a variety of Pink and Blue Horrors. Corpse-like Plaguebearers shambled forward with rusted knives and pus-covered swords, and leading the charge was a great throng of Bloodletters, the daemons roaring as they brought their flame-covered Hellblades to bear. Daemons of all shapes and sizes stormed out of the rift, the only common denominator they had among themselves was a single black mark set in the center of their foreheads.

“Kill all the non believers,” Lorgar said. “Slaughter them without remorse, for your Dark God commands it. But bring the false prophet to me alive, so I may show her the folly of her ways.” the daemons howled and charged forward, the water of the river solidifying under their feet as they rushed the Imperial lines. The Loyalists opened fire almost immediately, but there was only so much the weapons of reality could do against the Legions of the Warp. Lorgar did not move to join them, instead watching as daemon and man crashed against one another.

A sight of the false prophet fighting a hopeless battle against what she should have accepted would have been nice, but other matters called.

Lorgar... the voice of the Dark God echoed through his mind. What are you doing?

Dealing with a particularly troublesome false prophet, my Lord. Lorgar replied. Once she is done away with, thousands shall bow before you.

While I am flattered by your devotion, there are other matters to deal with, the Dark God said. Return to the Cadian Gate and summon your brothers. It is time that we show the Imperium the true might of Chaos. Lorgar hesitated. He wanted to be sure that the false prophet was captured, but the callings of the Dark God...

... At your command, my Lord. Lorgar turned from the battle, summoning a smaller Warp Portal to cross in to. The daemons paid him no mind, staying focused on the battle ahead as the Lord of the Word Bearers stepped back into the Warp and out of sight.

Just as Lorgar closed the portal behind him, a shimmering column of light began to form where he had stood.

Under most circumstances, Celestia would have brought at least some of her Companions with her when going into combat. She was powerful, not stupid, and with the Warp as it was it would be prudent to take all possible precautions.

But Jonson, Corax, and Twilight were in danger. Patience could wait.

Celestia opened her eyes once she had finished her teleport to the surface of Rynn’s World. Dead Tyranids littered the island she had arrived on, with various daemons and other Warp-beasts scrambling over the corpses in search of new victims. Off to her right she could hear gunfire from the Imperial lines, matched by the various howls and warcries of the daemons as they rushed to take more souls into the Warp. The sky directly above the spire had been torn asunder by a great rift, the Warp itself spilling over into reality with maddening images and lights. It bore into her, the presence of the Dark God pulsing at the edge of her vision as if the foul creature meant to reach down and pull her bodily into the Warp.

Celestia turned her attention forward. No need to fight the monster on its terms.

Celestia did not bother speaking; there was no point in reminding the daemons of just who stood in their presence. She merely held her sword at the ready and advanced, focusing her powers so that a cluster of Plaguebearers that had not noticed her exploded into fine mist as she drew close. This caught the attention of the horde, most of the lesser creatures recoiling in terror at the mere sight of Celestia while some Daemonic Heralds moved forward to try and restore order. Celestia barely broke stride, whipping her sword about as a curtain of fire formed before her and torched any daemon foolish enough to try and close with her.

This is what you see as strength? Celestia thought as she readied herself to plunge into the fray. You know nothing, do you, daemon?

Celestia charged, using her taloned hand as a shield as she brought her sword up for a strike. Lesser daemons tried to flee, only to be vaporized or crushed by the power she brought to bear. With a yell she swung her sword down, cleaving a Herald in half and sending a shockwave through the ranks that knocked down even more of the lesser daemons. She drew her sword back and punched with her other hand, a lance blasting through the enemy ranks and sending dozens of Warpspawn screaming back to the Immaterium.

The daemons were actively retreating now, some Horrors flinging small bolts of warpflame towards Celestia as they scrambled from her gaze. She barely noticed as she advanced, her vision focused entirely on the central spire. A flick of her left hand backwards sent a blast of lightning into a testing horde of Bloodletters, the daemons bursting as the energy punched through them. Through the mass Celestia could see an opening near the base of the spire, the hole radiating Warp Energy that tugged at her senses. This must be the source of the Warp Portal, she thought, whipping her sword around to create another curtain of fire between her and the Chaos Daemons. With the daemons held at bay, for now, Celestia stepped through the entrance and into the hallway, a blast of Warpflame scouring the walls of any signs of Chaotic iconography.

You think to stop me like this, Empress? The voice of the Dark God asked as Celestia advanced. She could hear more daemons scrambling about to try and slow her, but a flex of her hand crushed the entrance closed, leaving her alone as she advanced down the hall. Close the portal if you must, but the damage has been done. I have struck down the Hive Mind, and will strike your precious Imperium while you can do nothing.

“Do not think to taunt me, daemon.” Celestia growled, scowling into the flickering light before her as she advanced. “Your show of ‘force’ is nothing. The Imperium will weather this storm as it has all others, and you will die screaming when I am finished with you.”

Don’t make threats you have no intention of following through on, Empress. You saw what happened to the Tyranids, after all. Celestia said nothing more, stepping into the main hall. Another rift hung in the air before her, passing through the ceiling and up into the spire, wind whipped through the chamber, tugging at Celestia’s hair so much she had to concentrate a small bit of her power to keep it from blinding her. A dull roar filled the room, the sound of a thousand shrieking souls speaking their doom to Celestia as the power of the Warp twisted into realspace.

Celestia stood in silence, staring down into the void once more. After millennia of seeing the Warp as relatively calm, watching as it roiled like this was... disconcerting, for lack of a better word.

“Empress!” Celestia blinked as reality returned to her. She turned and saw Corax, the wall having closed in around the Primarch’s jump pack and left arm. From the rubble around him he had only just freed his right arm, raking his Lightning Claws across the stone to free the rest of his body.

“Corax!” she called. “What happened here?!”

“Never mind that!” Corax countered. “There’s a rune at the base of the rift! Destroy it and the portal should collapse on itself!” Celestia nodded, turning her attention to the rift. Faintly she could see the rune Corax spoke of, a glowing symbol that briefly caused her eyes to ache before she shifted her power. Using more of her power to anchor herself in case the Dark God tried to attack her, Celestia put her sword away and reached out with her hand, the Warp twisting around her hand as she reached out towards the rune.

A snap, and Celestia drew her hand back, hissing as steam rose from a rend in her armor. Not enough shielding. I’ll have to be careful. Celestia focused again, approaching the rift slower this time to avoid more psychic backlash. The power of the Warp pressed against her, as if she were pushing her hand through sand, but Celestia pressed on regardless. Finally she found a break, a weak spot where she could reach the rune and disrupt its power. Celestia closed her hand, a glass-like crunch filling the air as she broke the Chaos glyph.

Two seconds later, the spire exploded.

Celestia raised her hand above her head, a golden shield forming as thousands of tons of rubble and metal came crashing down on her and Corax. The pinned Primarch raised his free arm in an attempt to defend himself as well, though Celestia was quick to extend her shield to protect him... she hoped. Every impact sent a shudder through Celestia’s body, her shield flaring with every strike, but it still held firm. She grimaced, pouring more power into the shield as the spire continued its collapse, the stone beneath her feet cracking from the force bearing down on her.

Finally, the onrush of rubble slacked. Celestia kept the shield raised, waiting for the last few pebbles and motes of dust to come to a stop. She turned her head slightly, just enough to see Corax still keeping his arm up in the event something slipped. “Are you alright?”

“No injuries beyond my pride,” the Primarch mumbled, lowering his arm before continuing. “Lorgar was here.”

“I see.” Celestia looked up at the rubble hovering over her head. “I presume he is a cause in all this chaos.”

“Not for my lack of trying,” Corax replied. “Forgive me, but I was not fast enough to kill the traitor.”

“You cannot blame yourself for that, Corax,” Celestia said, looking back to Corax. “Lorgar has grown crafty since his betrayal, and you did what you could to stop him I’m sure. For now, we must work with what we have and prepare for the onslaught to come.”

“Lorgar spoke a bit about that.” Corax scoffed. “I’m glad he spared me a grand speech, but I presume you have a greater idea of what we face?” Celestia fell silent, looking away for a moment.

“... When we are fully assembled, I will explain everything,” she said. “For now, let’s get out of here.” With that Celestia pushed, her power flaring against the pile of rubble above her. The stone was tossed away with ease, sunlight beaming down on Celestia and Corax as their prison was undone. That task complete, Celestia refocused her power to the stone surrounding Corax, crumbling his restraints as the Primarch stepped away from the wall.

“Thank you, Empress,” he said, dusting a few pieces of rubble off his armor. “Being stuck there was marginally less annoying than Lorgar’s prattling.”

“I’m sure.” Celestia saw that some of the rubble had collapsed against the wall of the room, providing a small ramp she could climb out of. Corax followed behind her, the jump pack apparently damaged from being encased in rock.

As Celestia climbed from the hole, she got a good look at the Imperial defenses on the other side of the river. Smoke rose from damaged and destroyed battle tanks, great gouges ripped through fortifications and the ground from alien and daemonic weaponry, but Celestia could still see men and women holding the bank, their weapons trained on the other side of the river in case any new threats came to face them.

And standing before the ranks, caked in blood that was not her own, was a familiar purple-clad woman.

“See? See?!” Twilight called, pointing across the river. “Did I not tell you the Empress would come to our aid?! The way of Chaos is a lie, and only the Empress remains!” this drew a roar of praise from the Guardsmen, thousands of soldiers raising their weapons in celebration as they sang praises to Celestia, the Astartes, and to Twilight. Celestia watched them in silence, the wind tugging her hair like a war banner, and despite the carnage and stress she found herself smiling at the sight.

Twilight’s victory would be remembered. Her student had passed with flying colors.

Author's Notes:

Now for some dialing back before the next big setpiece fight... or a few. I have a few plans here and there.

Thanks again to Deatheater55 for the editing. Likes and comments are appreciated, and if there was something we missed please let me know.