The Imperium's Frontier: The Help of a "God"

"The Hive Fleet has launched its full assault, Vito. If you have a plan, you'd better put it into action now." "I'm already on it, Cole."

The communicator crackled in Vito's ear as he walked along the deserted street. It was ironic: this had once been the Upper Hive's favorite stretch of club-lined streets for the wealthy, but now it was quieter than anywhere else—even much quieter than the Lower Hive. And you had to remember, the Lower Hive had already been hit by the Tyranids once.

It wasn't hard to understand why. Normally, the Upper Hive sat at the very top of the Hive City, safely above the Adeptus Mechanicus factories' exhaust fumes, fuel, and all the other unpleasant things. It also had pleasant scenery and clean air.

But in wartime, that privilege didn't seem so appealing. Why? Simple: the Upper Hive had "upper" right there in its name. So enemies attacking from space usually made it their nearest target. And right now, being "upper" wasn't so desirable.

So the big shots had all fled below. Vito wasn't concerned about their quality of life in the Mid Hive. All right, maybe it wasn't great, but he didn't care. In truth, he'd never liked people from the Upper Hive. If things really got that bad, they could just pray the Adeptus Arbites reacted quickly.

Vito walked down the empty street. The luxurious mansions on either side stood deserted, and the endless queues that used to stretch along the road had vanished without a trace.

The street was so silent it sent a chill down your spine. Statues and angel-shaped streetlamps gazed down at passersby beneath the bleak sunlight. The gray sky was choked with the dust and debris of bombardment, making everything feel deeply unsettling, like the end of the world was just about to arrive.

And maybe that end wasn't a metaphor. Maybe it really was close.

Vito looked up at the firmament. Dazzling flashes and brilliant explosions flared across it from time to time, while fragments of warships and Tyranid wreckage streaked through the sky like meteors.

It was a dense meteor shower. Countless Mycetic Spores burned and exploded, their fragments blazing across the sky. The whole firmament was on fire, and beyond it, in the void of space, the fighting was drawing ever closer.

"How much longer can you hold out?" "Not long. I can't stop the swarm's drop pods, and honestly, I'm not even sure we'll last another day. We've got only a third of the fleet left."

Vito watched a blazing meteor. He could just make out the heavy cannon and Aquila insignia on it. "The fighting's fiercer than I expected." "I wouldn't use 'fiercer' to describe our current situation."

The Inquisitor chuckled, lowered his head, tucked his hands into his pockets, and walked along the deserted street. He turned at the corner and entered a narrow lane. Green flowers and plants spilled over the garden walls on either side, but under the light and in the current conditions, all their beauty had faded.

"Do you have a plan?" Cole asked. The sound of frantic crewmen shouting came from the other end, along with the echoes of the warship shuddering violently.

"I do. I think it could solve our current problem, but..." "It might cause even greater losses or something?" "You know me so well."

Vito laughed, but Cole sighed on the other end. He yelled something at someone, then returned to the communicator. "I wouldn't usually put it this way, but since we're almost done for, I don't care how we die. Go ahead and do your stupid plan."

Vito's laughter echoed through the empty street. He stopped in front of a building. "All right, I'm here. I'll hang up now. Don't die before I get this done." "I'll do my best."

Cole's voice fell silent. Vito looked at the quiet building and smiled at the sign by the entrance: Shaman Club. Then he headed inside.

Several guards sitting on sandbags by the entrance spotted Vito. They raised their guns and watched him warily, but when their captain got a good look at the approaching man, he immediately signaled for everyone to lower their weapons.

"Hey, Captain. How've you been?" Vito asked with a grin. The Shaman Club's guard captain looked confused and suspicious. "Inquisitor, why have you come here? Shouldn't you be—" "Organizing the Hive City's defenses? Of course. But when I have a better idea, I don't mind trying it."

The captain clearly hadn't understood, but Vito hadn't expected him to. He pointed toward the captain's pinkish-red door. "Is your boss here?" "Mr. Philus? Yes, he is." "Interesting. All the rich people have gone to hide below, but he's still here. Pretty confident of himself."

Vito chuckled softly, then looked toward the entrance. He nodded at the door. "Mind if I pay him a visit?"

The captain hesitated, then quickly slung his gun over his shoulder and opened the door. Vito walked up and entered through the redwood doors. The place really was deserted—especially compared to the last time he'd visited, when it had been quiet enough to seem a little sad.

The booths and dance floor, usually packed with people, now stood empty. Only empty glasses and hookah pipes remained. The entire hall was eerily silent, and its sole patron sat at the bar, drinking.

"You're oddly relaxed, Mr. Philus. Haven't you noticed there's a swarm of big eaters above us, ready to devour us?" Vito said with a grin, leaning against the bar. Philus glanced at him, briefly surprised, then quickly composed himself and poured him a drink. "Panic is pointless. If destruction is inevitable, I choose to accept it calmly."

"Hmph. Fair enough." Vito picked up the glass and took a sip, then examined it with interest. "East of the East? Or Saint Fiore?" "The second." "Fancy. Serving me a wine this good?" "If we're going to be done for tomorrow, wealth and fine wine are worthless. We can't take them with us when we die."

"Where do you think you'll go when you die?" Vito asked, taking another sip. Philus was silent for a moment, then gave a slight shrug. "The Golden Throne? Same as you?" "I don't think we're going to the Golden Throne. I think the place we're headed won't be very pleasant."

Vito swirled his glass. "The realm of Slaanesh isn't much of a retirement home."

Philus froze for a moment, his fingers tightening around the glass until they briefly turned white. Still, he pretended nothing was wrong and took a sip. "That's not the sort of thing an Inquisitor should bring up, is it?"

"Just as it isn't the sort of thing a local crime lord should do to entertain Chaos Cultists," Vito replied with a grin, casually taking another sip. Philus watched him in silence for a moment, then sighed, apparently too tired to bother arguing.

What was there to argue about? Getting shot dead by an Inquisitor or being eaten by Tyranids—I'd say the former sounds more comfortable. At least it'd be quick.

But Vito showed no sign of wanting to kill him. He drained his drink and set the empty glass in front of Philus. Philus looked at him in surprise, but Vito tapped the glass with a finger, signaling for him to refill it.

Vito watched the wine being poured into his glass. "Do you want to die?" "No." "Funny, neither do I. That's why I came to make sure we don't have to worry about taking a trip into the Warp just yet."

Vito picked up his glass. Philus watched him, puzzled. "How do you plan to deal with the things up there?" "I have a plan, but I need your help." "What kind of help?" "Take me to the Slaanesh Cultists' altar. I know it's here."

As I said, Philus made no attempt to deny or disguise anything. Even though he was talking to an Inquisitor, he poured himself another drink and downed it in one go.

"So? What does that have to do with the giant bugs up there? Are you planning to summon Chaos Daemons to help?" "Come on, I'm an Inquisitor. Even I have some standards. I wouldn't do something that stupid."

"All right, maybe I'll summon one," Vito muttered under his breath, then quickly pretended nothing was wrong and took a sip.

Philus rubbed his neck and sighed. "If we survive, are you going to shoot me afterward?" "No." "Why should I believe you?" "Can you afford not to?"

Vito and Philus looked at each other and burst out laughing. Right, how could he not believe him? He could refuse, sure—but he could also go ask the Hive Fleet what it thought.

Philus sighed, braced himself against the table, and stood up. "Normally, I'd think I was an idiot for doing this, but I don't care anymore. Come with me."

The Inquisitor drained his drink, adjusted his Bolter holster, and followed Philus. He followed the king of the club to the innermost part of the most popular club in the district. They reached a carved stone mural in an inner courtyard. It depicted the earliest forms of life: naked men and women singing and dancing beside a beautiful stream in the forest. Then Philus reached out and pressed one of the reliefs.

When the relief's raised section clicked inward, the wall beside it suddenly recessed and slid down. As it descended, it revealed a flight of stairs.

"Wow. That's so damn Slaaneshi. Aren't you afraid some horny young guy will press it one day?" "If every woman in here pressed it once, I'd press the pretty ones first, then the less pretty ones over in that corner."

Philus went down the stairs. Vito clasped his hands behind his back and followed with a grin. They descended the steps. The décor on either side was undeniably impressive: purple walls, golden wainscoting, and plaster molding adorned the entire passage. Bright skull-shaped lanterns illuminated the corridor, which should have been dark.

Vito had seen plenty of Slaanesh Cultists' lairs. He'd found that even within the ranks of Chaos Cultists, there were different levels of refinement. The Slaanesh Cultists of the Upper and Mid Hives could never match the entertainment offered by those in the Upper Hive. Honestly, Slaanesh and the human species were a very good match.

"I have a question," Vito said suddenly. Philus glanced down the stairs and casually replied, "Ask." "Are you a Slaanesh Cultist?" "No." "That was quick."

Philus chuckled. "I'm neither illiterate nor stupid. I know what happens to people who worship Chaos. The idiots who've been corrupted by Chaos might not notice their bodies mutating, but I can. So yes, I don't worship Slaanesh."

"But you still gave them a place to gather, risking being branded a traitor to your own faith?" "You see, Inquisitor, helping them has two advantages. First, they're all rich bastards. To avoid our devout and upright Lord Arbiter, they're more than happy to pay a reliable man to provide them with a place where the law won't bust them all in the middle of their fun. So I can make a fair bit of money, which I can then spend on other things."

"Second, it lets me get leverage over them for being Slaanesh Cultists, as well as for all their other strange little fetishes. That kind of dirt can be useful in all sorts of situations."

Vito chuckled and shrugged. "Smart move." "An Inquisitor's calling it smart to work with Chaos Cultists for profit?" "Ha. I'm no ordinary Inquisitor." "That much is obvious."

They reached the hall below. Vito looked at the enormous statue before them. Bathed in purple firelight, it was half man and half woman, with massive pincers on both hands—a perfect image of a Keeper of Secrets.

Vito gave a cold laugh and stepped onto the altar at the center of the white stone pillars. Philus stood to one side, watching him. Vito looked around, checking something. Apparently satisfied, he nodded, looked at Philus, and drew a small dagger. "Thank you, Mr. Philus. Please leave now."

Philus nodded and left without arguing. He had no intention of doing so. He knew that anything connected to Chaos was dangerous beyond measure. Even if no Inquisitor was going to shoot him, it was best not to touch any of it.

Vito watched Philus leave. The Inquisitor rolled his shoulders, then pushed up his sleeve. He cut a small gash in his wrist with the dagger. Scarlet blood dripped onto the white scales of the Coiled Serpent at the center of the altar, seeping into the narrow gaps between them and spreading outward.

He put away the dagger, took a deep breath, and snapped his fingers. The flames around him dimmed, leaving only a shaft of white light illuminating the spot where Vito stood.

Vito began to chant a blasphemous incantation in some unfamiliar, unknown language. His words echoed through the empty hall. With each syllable, the flames around him flickered. The three-dimensional carving of the white serpent suddenly seemed to come alive, slithering across the altar. Wherever it passed, the flames flared up, then subsided.

The flames began to flicker in a regular pattern, one after another, six times in all. When the sixth flame roared to life, it did not die down again. It leaped from its brazier and shot through the air toward Vito.

Purple fire instantly spread around him, forming a magic circle etched with slender lines. As the circle was completed, the flames suddenly converged in the center and surged upward.

A figure rose from the flames. She was completely naked, as if she'd just stepped out of a bath. Her purple skin was flawless and smooth, without a mark or wrinkle, enough to make any woman go mad with envy.

Her face was so beautiful that no combination of words could ever do it justice. It was enough to make any man fall for her. Silver hair spilled from her shoulders like a waterfall, glimmering with tiny points of starlight. She lifted her eyes from the flames and gazed at Vito with a captivating look. The beautiful Slaaneshi daemon smiled and traced a finger across her lips.

Her body flickered out of sight, then appeared in Vito's arms. He automatically wrapped his arms around the Slaaneshi daemon and smiled at her, but she kissed him at once, giving him a deep kiss.

"Ah, my dear Vito. Did you miss me?" the daemon asked, her voice as melodious as a beautiful song. Vito smiled. Her tail slid down from his shoulder and swayed teasingly across his chest.

"Of course, Lilith. I missed you too." "Liar. You've clearly been having so much fun with all those other women." The daemon stroked his neck tenderly with a finger. "Really, Lily. I missed you too." "Me too."

The Slaaneshi daemon named Lilith kissed Vito again, then sniffed him and frowned in displeasure. "You fought the Tyranid Will? You know it could have devoured your soul, right?"

"Then I'll have to compliment you on that Soul Crystal you gave me. It worked pretty well." "Of course it did. I made it from the souls of several Aeldari Farseers. And then you used it up. I gave it to you so that, if you died, no one but me could take your soul away."

"It's fine. I just won't die, then." Vito gave her a teasing smile. Lilith sighed and rolled her eyes, then wrapped her arms around his neck. "All right, tell me. Why did you summon me? Lonely?"

"Not right now. But I wouldn't mind seeing you again later. I just hope you won't use your Chaos energy to 'spice things up' while we're in bed this time. Last time, it felt like there was a sandstorm raging in my head."

Lilith's beautiful smile spread across her face. "I thought it was fun. But tell me, what do you need me to do?" "Help me tear a hole in the Shadow in the Warp and let in reinforcements."

Lilith's smile faded. Holding Vito around the neck, she gazed into his eyes. "You know that's difficult, right? Fighting the will of another god." "I know. But please, darling, could you at least try for me?"

Lilith sighed and folded her arms as she leaned against Vito's wrist. "I can't do it alone." "You're a Greater Daemon. That's a pretty big deal." "A Greater Daemon is still a daemon, not a god. I might count as half of one, but I can't face the Tyranid Will head-on. Even opening a hole in the Shadow in the Warp to let them through is no small feat."

"Then ask your sister." The moment Vito said it, Lilith's gaze turned murderous. Vito gave a wry smile and shook his head. "Just ask your sister to help out. What's so hard about her opening a little hole and giving that bastard a whack?"

"Oh? Why don't you go with her, then?" "No, no. You're great, really. Honestly, could you ask your sister to take a moment away from her busy schedule of plotting how to devour more Aeldari souls and help me out?"

"You know she doesn't do favors for free." "I know. I'll owe her one and pay her back later. And you too. That's two favors. I'm making out like a bandit."

Lilith sighed helplessly at the man before her, then slid down from him. Her long legs touched the floor, and the dim space around them seemed to brighten at once. She folded her arms and looked at him. "Fine. I'll talk to her." "I knew you'd help me."

Lilith gave a cold laugh, then seemed to think of something. She leaned close to Vito's ear and whispered, "Abaddon's been making moves lately. Big moves." "Abaddon? What's he planning?"

Lilith chuckled, waved a hand, and walked away. "I'll tell you on our next date. Good luck~"

As she spoke, the Slaaneshi daemon vanished after only a few steps. Her body dissolved into purple flames and disappeared. Vito let out a long sigh and rubbed his head. "Just when one thing gets settled, another crops up."

With that, Vito headed down the long corridor.

"Where's Vito?" Ragnar asked as he entered the command center. He looked around the bustling hall. The arrival of five Astartes drew everyone's attention. They all stopped what they were doing and knelt to pay their respects.

"Please carry on with your work, everyone. There's no need to mind us," Company Commander Mikael told them. The command center soon sprang back into action. The five giants looked at the planetary governor before them. Olivia stood in front of them, unsure what to do.

"Ma'am, where's the Inquisitor?" Olaf asked, stepping forward with great courtesy. Olivia shook her head, apparently just as uncertain. "I don't know, my lord. He suddenly said he had something to take care of and left a while ago. He didn't tell me why."

"What? He didn't tell his latest woman? He must be off to die gloriously!" Ragnar declared with grim certainty. Then an apple smacked him on the back of the head.

Everyone looked toward Vito, standing by the doorway behind them. The Inquisitor straightened his collar and walked into the hall. "I'm not ready to report to the Golden Throne and retire just yet."

"Where did you go?" Lancelot asked. Vito stepped up to them, clasped his hands behind his back, and looked at the five giants. "To save the world." "What?" Ragnar asked, picking up the apple and taking a bite.

"You four, go prep the Blue Shark and the Thunderhawk. Mikael, please take over command of the Hive City's defenses for me." "What are you going to do? Inquisitor, take all four of them with you."

"Kick the Tyranid queen's ass." Vito said it as he hurried toward the command center's exit. "You four! Get the aircraft ready! We're short on time!"

"Then where are you going?" Ragnar shouted, sticking his head around the doorway. Three more heads appeared beside his, all watching Vito run off.

"To get my ship! Let's hope those idiots haven't scratched it!"

The four giants exchanged glances, then sprinted out, leaving Olivia and Company Commander Mikael to stare awkwardly at one another before sighing in unison.