127: River of Time

Chapter 679: 127. River of Time

The joy of old was gone. Splendid light poured through the glass windows beneath the soaring dome, falling upon the ruins scattered across the great hall.

Corpses lay piled atop one another. Slaves yearning for one last moment of tenderness begged like ants for the favor of the corpses' master.

"Take another bite, just one more. Its sweet juices have already passed between your lips. Why mourn what you will lose in the future? How happy we are now..."

The once-pure ivory white was still faintly recognizable, but it had long been soaked through by slaves' blood and fluids, turned the yellow-orange of overripe, rotting fruit. Glittering ornaments hung from the armor, chiming softly.

"But why am I in such pain? My serpent-tailed Queen..."

The Xenos held the severed head of another fallen Eldar and gently pressed it against its brilliant blue helmet, as though kissing it with deep affection. Blood seeped from the gaps around its lenses and helmet, dried and fetid.

The delicacies beneath its throne had long since rotted. Bare feet stepped among untouched food and blood, while a long tongue emerged from the broken lower half of its helmet.

It was so absorbed that it seemed to ignore the rustling outside the hall, like the scurrying of rodents.

"The outer perimeter of the sixth altar has been cleared. Group 08122, continue forward."

Outside the hall, Vokes spoke. A bell hung at his waist, and six Deathshrouds followed him in silence. Along the path they had taken, countless corrupted Eldar corpses lay in pools of blood—harpists, Serpent Daemons... among them were fallen Eldar whom only Soulless could barely contend with on other battlefields.

Vokes made several hand signals. The Deathshrouds split apart. Vokes and another stood at the main entrance, while