A Warboss's Retirement Plan: Chapter 12

The Sweetest of Lies

This does not make any sense, nothing here made sense. Magnsik knew he had ran away, that he had fled that faithful battle yet here he was, back in Ullanor where it all should have ended. He sat there in the same familiar throne his reign, his clutched upon a tankard of his favorite brew, while he listened to the reports of his generals. Why was he here?

Turning his gaze to the holographic display before him, he found himself staring at the star map dominated by his mark. Countless star systems, millions of worlds all under his control, bound together through his armies might. This, this was his empire.

Yes that was right, he never left did he? How long has it been since he won War for Ullanor? How long has been fighting ever since, to unite this wretched galaxy? It had been far too long as memories were starting. Even if he wanted to hold on, he had to turn his attention back to what was before him; that of the dream of a united galaxy.

All that stood now between him and total domination was the nascent Imperium of Man, However, that might not be the case for long. Slowly but surely, their already stretched lines were pushed back. Tiny golden dots which represented vast armies snuffed out as those of his own marched on, conquering world after world. His massive army, smashing through the opposition like a Storm Hammer on Plasteel; with total and utter annihilation.

"...With the collapse of the Imperial Defensive lines in Armageddon, the path to their Imperial Capital is all but open!" The giant ork declared as they slammed their fist against the holographic display and shattering Earth with an explosion of pixels.

He could only stare listlessly as the room broke out into cheers. He should be happy, he should be cheering along with the rest of his men. After all, this had been his dream since he woke up here, the one he had been striving for but why does he feel empty? Why does a small part of him still cling on to that distant dream, of a place away from it all, a place he could call his home.

Standing up, the armored Orc, one whose name he couldn't quite remember, then declared, "Their back's against the wall of their Homeworld and their lines are spread far too thin for them to respond," And indeed it was. He could see the lines thinning out as his forces smashes against the already stretched defenders, "This is our chance to deliver the killing blow!"

Turning to him, the orc eagerly shouted, "We're ready Warboss. All the stands before us and Galactic domination is Terra!" And he couldn't fault their excitement. He could see it written amongst the nebulous clouds of data and statistics, a path open for them.

"Who shall have honor of leading the charge, Warboss? Just say the word and well will be upon them like the Choppa of Gorka Morka!" they then asked as they clammored for his approval. They raised their voices, pounding their fist against their chest as they declared their intention.

Growing tired of their roars, he raised his and silenced the room. Looking eagerly upon him, they waited with bathed breath, their eyes locked on to him as he considered the path ahead. Despite his distractions, he still had enough of his wits to see it for what it was. Looking up from the display, he made his decision known, "Noone"

"But Warboss!", Almost immediately, he was met with roars of dismay and questions. He could already feel his growing headache as they pressed on, trying to convince him otherwise. Still, he refused to budge, "Why do have to hold back! We could end this war now!"

"Then tell me how such a glaring weakness to their lines could come to be," He cut them off, powering through as he questioned them, "Why did they spread out their armies in such a thin defensive line when we have yet to to spread out our own?" He asked as he pointed towards the map.

While the Imperium spread their lines thing, he had kept his into one cohesive mass. They might split and spread out but they still only took one path. Conventional wisdom would have called to layer the defenses ahead of his advancing army yet the Imperium chose to defend various worlds that his armies had passed by to take the important hub world in the Solar Segmentum.

"Why did they allow us to take such an important industrial hub when they could have poured their armies in its defense?" The imperiums scattered under their relentless attack, their entrenched position abandoned with little to no struggle at all, "A manufactorum that might remind you, supplies a large fraction of their main battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles and various mechanized units,"

With his attention now fully on the map, he told them what this "opportunity" truly was, "This isn't a route, This is a trap," It almost reminded him of Ulanor, "Keep on course with the current battle plan. Crush their manufactorums, starve their worlds, encircle them, and watch as they sputter out like the fires of a dying sun."

It was a cautious approach, a conservative one, but the logical choice given what he faced now. As much as he wish too, he couldn't risk his armies to a gamble. However, not everyone would see it that way.

"Hah, a simple trap that's all it take to scare you?" One of them spoke up as the rest started to mutter amongst them selves. Turning his attention towards them, he felt his blood started to boil as they all to boldly declare, "I say we spring this trap and show them what we're made off!"
"Are we not Orks? Are we not the endless horde that shattered the heavens?" They shouted as they stood up, raising their weapon high in his presence, "Are our Choppa's not sharp enough? Do we not have the Dakka to shake the very galaxy itself!" the ork shouted as he was met with intrigued rumbling.

Turning to his fellow Orks, the man then asked, "So what if it's a trap? What if they're waiting for us at the gates of their great fortress worlds? I say we show them the folly of their plans, spring their trap and feast atop their broken world!" the muttering soon grow into cheers as they declared their intention, "Now who's with me!"

Almost all of them declared their intent leaving him alone. As he sat there, all he could feel now was the rage now burning inside his chest. Barring his teeth, he growled out, "Have you all learned nothing? Has the Battle for Ullanor not shown you that even a superior army can shatter to a well entrenched defense?"

As their excitement fizzled out, he was quick to remind them of the hard fought battle they all endured together, "The might of the Imperium, five legions led by warriors that give pause to even myself, scattered to the four winds," he told them, "Their armies encircled, their fleet cut off from each other, their forces defeated in detail!"

He almost couldn't believe them for suggesting such a foolish and brutish plan. It was if they haven't listened to him at all. He had thought them time again and now they insist on this madness? "And you want to lead our forces into the exact same trap, the exact same scenario for what? For Pride? Glory?"

At his words, their cries grow more subdued. Good, there was still some brain cells under those thick skulls of theirs. "It's only getting worse after I got back", He swore as he leaned back against his throne.

Horus's defeat was merely a short reprieve as the fight almost immediately broke out but with the favorable lines he, he prevailed. Now, the imperium was on the back foot and it was now his turn to exact his plans but perhaps things had gone far too well. His generals had grown too emboldened, too eager. What he didn't expect was their reply.

"And what of your glorious plan? To grind away at their forces piecemeal when both you and I know that we could have chased them to the very edge of the Galaxy if we wanted to?" The very same Ork that dared suggest this boneheaded maneuver then replied.

Silence followed soon after as Magnsik looked back at them, his eyes meeting their mocking gaze. He could feel their eyes on him, the soft mutters of weakness amongst his crew as he sat there. Like hungry wolves, they lingered about, waiting for his answer.

"I'm sorry but I feel like I misheard that," He rumbled out as he set aside his drinks before resting his hands upon the head of his maul, "Care to say that again, General?" He asked pointedly as kept his features trained.

"You heard me Old Man, or is age finally catching up to you?" The man taunted, flashing their tusk at him. After all that he did, after everything that he had gone through, this was how they were going to repay him?

"You've grown soft ever since the Battle of Ullanor. You might have bested this Emperor in the field of battle but he took something from you that day," The Ork told him as they gazed at him with mock pity, "Perhaps you should take a rest, consider… retirement."

For a moment he sat there in silence as his features slowly twisted to that of anger. Fire blazed over his eyes as he felt the unfamiliar tug against the teether that binded him to his army. "Is that a challenge?" He asked softly as he slowly stood up, his form towering over the rest of them.

"And what if it is?" The man replied as he stood up, his arms clutching the choppa he had dared bring to the table.

"So you have chosen death," He replied as he pulled out his maul and threw it in one swift fluid motion. His hammer flew true, caving in their face before their head was rendered into nothing more than a blood pulp. Blood exploded all over the wall behind them as the hammer slammed into it like a bullet, burying itself almost halfway its length.

Slowly, he lowered his arms before he sat down just as the traitors body keeled over; their form twitching and spasming as blood stained the floor. Gesturing for a servant to clean up the mess, he then asked his generals, "Any objections?" but he was only met with the stunned silence as they averted their gaze from them, "I said, any objections!" He then roared out as he glared at them, barring his teeth to remind them of their place.

"N-no Warboss," They all replied in hushed whispered as they lowered their head in submission.

Huffing in disappointment, he replied, "Good," before pausing briefly as he reached out to rubbed his aching head. Waving them away, he commanded them, "Now leave me be, I need time to think," The sounds of chairs sliding and muttered apologize filled the room as they left one, "Just.. leave that for now," He then added softly, letting the poor servant go so that he could finally have some peace and quite.

Sitting there alone in the silence, Magsnik found himself once more staring at the map of his empire. He had conquered so much, he had won far more battles than he could even remember yet for all that he had, he no longer felt joy in it. He could conquer this very galaxy and then what? He knew all too well that his gods would demand more bloodshed even when there's no more fight to be had.

Why was he still fighting? Why does he keep on going knowing there was no end to this, "Why am I even here?" He asked himself as he reached up and covered his face, tired and weary. All he wished now was to lie down and rest for there was nothing for him to fight for in this cold and lonely galaxy.

-x-x-x-

As the war continued to wear on, Magsnik found himself ever more weary. The dream he once had almost forgotten, crushed beneath the weight of reality. He kept on going, drifting from one battle after another until he couldn't distinguish them any longer; his memories of those days nothing more than a blur of violence and rage all melting in together.

"Breach! Hold the line! Send them back to what ever hole they came from!"

Before he knew it, he stood there at the balcony of a golden palace as the war to end all war raged around him. Titanic god engines met gargant as fought one another in the streets while ships of all sizes traded shots, each capable of tearing continents apart. Orks in their untold numbers streaming out of their Roks as they threw themselves against the bitter and entrenched defenses.

"There's too many of them!"

He almost couldn't believe it even as the sound of gunfire filled the air. In the blink of an eye, years passed by and he couldn't even remember half of it. He would quickly be broken out of his melancholic thoughts as his guards, grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him wildly, "Warboss, orders!" They called out to him as the roar of bolters rang across the hallways.

"What?" Bewildered, he turned around to only to find the blood of the Ork all over his face. He could only stare numbly as the man staggered forward before falling with a hole over their forward. Nobs just barely smaller than he was started falling one by one as they moved in to cover his flank.

"Orders! We need orders!" The Ork shouted as the wet gurgling screams of his men ripped through the din battle, "We can't push them back! There's too many of them!" The man asked but Magnsik couldn't find himself to answer back. He didn't what to do.

Still, the fight raged on and the enemy were upon them. The faceless, horde marching up to them as sword and guns ripped through Orks and Armor alike. Faced with the overwhelming odds, he finally caved in to his baser instincts as it screamed out to him, "Fall back! Close the gate!"

He was no stranger to retreats, having done them a countless times before but this time, he ran due to fear. He ran for his life. He ran because he didn't know what to do. He ran till there was no place for him to go. Finding himself in the heart of the castle, he found himself alone as the gates behind him closed, the screams of his men echoing behind those doors until only silence remained.

All that there was was himself along with the broken remains of his friends and foe alike. He was finally alone yet not even here, he would not find solace. Climbing up the the steps of the Golden Throne, he sat down as he despair filled his heart, "I can't, I can't keep on like this," he whispered to himself as he reached up and covered his face, "I need this to end,"

Why was he here? Sitting there, staring at the corpses that surrounded the throne, he wonder why he was here. Why was he still fighting? Why does he keep pressing on knowing that there was nothing for him in the end. Staring down at a bolter in front of him, temptation filled his heart. He could end it here, to end this nightmare he found himself in and yet…

"Not yet, not here" a soft and feminine voice whispered, cutting through the deafening silence that pervaded these hallow halls, "Not when they're counting on you," those soft, melodic voice reminded him… of what? Why does he feel like he forgot something? Something important.
Shaking his head, he forced himself up to his feet as he called out, "Who's there!" his voice echoing through the pillars and shadows which hid his lone visitor, "Show yourself!"

"Remember why you're here," The voice one called out as the scratching feeling return, that ever dreadful feeling that whispered at the corner of his mind, "Remember who you are!" They hissed out with more urgency before they were silenced as he picked up the bolter and shot at the source of the sound.
"Enough games!" He roared out, "If you want to fight, then face me now!" Who were they? Were they assassins or just figment to his imagination. Has he finally gone mad? No, he had already done so back in the farm. What farm?

"I do not wish to fight," The voice ever closer claimed as a lithe figure melted out of the shadows, their slender form moving with an almost unnatural gate, "All that I wish is to remind you great Warboss of what you can lose," They told him as the sound of bells filled the room.

"Eldar" He hissed at he felt the end of his non existent hair stand at their very sight. With their colorful ensemble and cheerful mask, one could have mistaken them for a mere clown yet he saw the purple blood in their hands and the cruel sword they wielded, "Off course it had to be one of your wretched kind!"

"Hello Magsnik," The woman greeted as they tilted their head, their expression with an almost child like curiosity, "Have you already forgotten who you are? Has you pride blinded you to what you truly loved the most?" They accused him and he felt his blood boil once more. Fire returned to his heart as he tossed the bolter aside and reached for his weapon, the maul that had served him well all these years.

"I know myself well enough Eldar," He spat back as he raised his weapon high and roared to the very heavens themselves, "I am Magnsik Kogchewa! Warboss of Ullanor, Conqueror of Worlds, and Chosen of Gorka Morka!" Yet all he'll receive was the mocking laughter of a Harlequin as she started circling around him.

"You say such yet your Empires lay divided, your army abandoned, and your gods long forsaken,"The woman laughed before they turned, their eyes locked on him. He barely had time to blink before they were on him, his maul barely raised high enough to stop the strike aimed at his neck, "Do you know yourself or have you forgotten," they taunted even as he pushed them back.

"Enough of these riddles," He shouted, rage filling his chest as their words burrowed into his head, leaving him all the more confused. He knows himself, he know who he was but the more he told himself, the more he started to doubt, "Die!"

"They're still waiting for you," They called out as they slipped around his strikes while all he struck was the air and the ground beneath, "Remember why you fight!" They shouted as shurikens rained down on his armored chest.

Without prompting, his hands raised themselves, blocking the shot even as blood seeped down his forearms. Growling he ripped the sharp shards of his hand as he charged at them, swinging his hammer with ever greater furiosity. Why did they block that shot?

"Remember why you're here!" They screamed at him as they charged in, headless of danger. With a ferocity he did not expect from such a lithe form, he was forced back as strike lashed out to his chest, forcing him to block even as the floor stained with his blood.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" He roared out in pain as memories long pass soon came back, of a farm that he thought only appeared in his dreams and a smile that haunted him. Who where they? Why did he feel did pain, this loss within his heart. He hated it, he hated that he didn't know why he felt like this!

"Remember who you are!" Sliding beneath a strike, they rushed in his wide open guard but he invited it, letting them in as he raised his hammer high. With a roar he gathered the fury that filled not just his being but that of all that Orks that stood with him even as his memories filled of a ever distant life he craved.

"I said shut up!" He screamed as he felt his power swell only to falter as the Eldari dropped their weapon and reached out to his chest, to the pendant that his beloved gave him all those years ago. Fury the likes of wich filled his veins as the fires of the WAAAGH grew to such intensity.

The world around them growing dim as the roaring flames came down like the hammer of god. He couldn't let them touch it, not her, not these wretched gods, not anyone! He can't have them take Beel, Justice and Hecate away from him. "Take your hands off them!" he roared as his hammer came slamming down.

As the heavy maul met the masked figure's face, he saw the Eldari smiling up to him. "So you haven't forgotten," they whispered with relief before the world shattered.

"WAAAGH!"

-x-x-x-
"WAAAGH!"

Magnsik raged, stoking the fire that burnt all. The large comfortable bed, the crudely made furnitures, and even the white washed walls of this painfully familiar room brunt away as he howled out in anguish. With his eyes opened, he could finally see the truth.

Memories came rushing in, off the fragrant breeze that filled the air, the soothing touch of his beloved, and their sweet whisper in his ears yet he still couldn't remember it all. He couldn't remember their faces, he couldn't remember the time he spent with them or even how he got here, in his own home. He was still trapped within his own mind, made a prisoner to the memories long past but no more! The fire will wash it all away. He will be free.

"Oh gods, Magi!" In the heart of the raging inferno, he heard her; Beel. Hearing the horror in her voice almost had him falter but he held strong. Stoking the fire as he tore through the room, trying desperately to get his mind clear.

As he raised his arms up high to smash the unfamiliar paintings adorning the wall, he felt slender arms wrap around him. Struggling against her immense strength, he cried out, "Get off! This isn't real!" He could feel her warmth against his skin, her desperate pleas as he felt her pull him back, "Nothing here is real!"

"Magi! What's gotten into you!" He heard her scream as he staggered forward, trying desperately to get her off, "Magi!" This was only an illusion, he told him, he needed to shatter, he needed to remember why he was here.

Reaching up, he tried grabbing her only to fall over as he felt someone crash against. With the air in his lungs driven out, he found himself overpowered and pinned to the ground. Despite the womans slender arms, he couldn't find the leverage to get up. Roaring out in pain, he felt her neck creak as she pulled her head back, "Just keep talking to him princess! Make snap him out of it!"

"I can't take this anymore!" He cried as he felt their hands force his eyes open while more of them piled on top of him, "Let me out you bastards!"

"Magi!" gritting his teeth, he tried to get up even as he felt his muscle starts to give. He struggled until he felt her soft lips against her and almost immediately, the world came back to focus. Gone was the foreign room he found himself in, gone were the faceless beings holding them as he found himself staring into Beel's deep red eyes.

"Magi, look at me," She whispered as she cupped his face and all the fight in him melted away. Collapsing to the floor, he stared up to her as the fires fizzled away, leaving what remained of his room charred and ruined.

"Beel?" like a dream, all those years seemed to melt away as her arms wrapped around him. Slowly, he held her, afraid that she would fade away, before pulling her in as he buried his face against her. "I thought I lost you."

"Hush now, everything's alright. It's just a dream," She whispered softly as her hands gently stroked her back. Sitting there, he found himself once more surrounded by his family as they joined in, "No one's going to hurt you anymore."

"You're not in Ullanor, not in the Prince's realm, not anywhere else," She told him as he felt his heart finally calm down, his rage all but a distant memory in her arms, "but here in our tiny little corner in this galaxy, back in our home,"

"You're finally home my love," he heard his beloved whispered as she held him as tightly against her form. "You don't have to worry anymore."

"Home," Magnsik whispered as he felt weariness fill his form. There was no more danger, no more fighting to be had, no more struggles to face. Slowly, his eyes fluttered close as the fear and confusion gave way to peace, "I'm home."

-x-x-x-

Once more, the days passed by but Magnsik found himself laughing as those days were filled with bliss and joy. Time flew by as he toiled away in his farm yet never did a day felt wasted with the girls. Still, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows in his little corner of the galaxy. There were days that he had to deal with a little bit of mischief.

Running across the field with a towel on hand, Magnsik felt his lungs burn as he honed in on the runaways. They were no mere gretchins he had to wrangle nor were they squigs that had gotten loose out of their pens. No, they were much worse. They were kids after they had just wrestled in the mud. Three tiny little red skinned demons all hollering while they were covered in dirt.
"Come here you little brats!" With his legs pumping away, he raised his fist up high as he called out, "Damn it all, it's just a bath!" His concern however would be met with the squeals and joyous laughter along with a withering barrage of mud and compost. Ducking under fire, he stumbled as crashed in to the hard ground beneath.

Groaning, he gazed up to see their form fading into the distance as they taunted him, "Catch us if you can!"

Spitting a mouthful of dirt, Magsnik laid down and rolled over, not even deigning to stand up as he knew he was defeated. Patting his growing belly, he muttered, "Fuck, I really should lay off on those Beers," While time flew by, there was a few things that changed.

"They grew so fast huh?" An amused voice called out from above him. Looking up, he found Beel smiling down before she suddenly jumped atop him. Their laughter filled the air as he and his beloved cuddled up in the middle of the field. While things changed, there were a few things that never did such as his beautiful wife.

"Yeah, they really did," He sighed out as he wrapped his arm around her form, "It almost feels like a dream" He added wistfully as he planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Still going on about that, silly?" She then replied, poking him on the cheeks as he leaned up and nuzzled against his shoulders, "Come on Magi, do I really have to show you again that you're not dreaming?" She asked before she suddenly opened her mouth and bit down, "Nom!"
Shaking his head, he gave her a pat on the head as he relented, "Alright, alright, you little hellion, I give," and how could he with the adorably smug smile she had on her face, "And here I thought you'd be a little more mature once we had little Annie."

"Nope! Not when I'm the cool parent," She giggled as she got atop him, straddling his chest. With the light of the stars behind her, she looked as radiant as the day he found her stuffing her face with his sausages.

"Still, can you really blame me after everything that we've done together?" The heist in her aunt's castle, the battle for our farm and now this," "It's almost feel too good to be-! Ow!" He added only to flinch as his wife bit him on the cheeks. Giving her a look, he then asked her, "What was that for!"

"Oh just me collecting Silly Tax, nothing much. Plus it also allows me to do this~" She grinned back as she gave him another kiss. Cupping his cheeks, she whispered, "But really Magi, you worry too much. It's already over Magi. Aunty won't be coming after us, the Imperium doesn't even know where we are, and the twins are long gone."

Gazing away, he found his mind drifting as he asked her, "But what if they're not?" He still got nightmares of the days before this all, fragments of that horrible fight. Clenching his fist, he worried about the future, "What if they come back? What if-!" but he would be silence with a finger placed gently upon his lips.

"What if," She told him as she slid off his chest sat down beside his head, "You just lay down on my lap and relax, hmm?"

For a moment, hesitated before he gave in to the temptation, "I… I can do that," Perhaps he was just overthinking things. Maybe he should just relax.

Scooting over so that his head now rest down on her thighs, he found his mind clear of thought. With her hands over his head, he felt like everything would be alright. Still, there were lingering doubts deep inside him, that made it feel like it there was still something wrong, "So what's in your mind?" She asked as she stroked his head.

He paused for a moment before he sighed, "I'm afraid Beel, I'm afraid that all of this would be taken away," He admitted, "That after everything that we've gone through, that all of this would go away," Even today he felt like a small piece of him was there. His head still cloudy from time to time, like he was walking through a fog.

"I don't want to lose you," He whispered as he closed his eyes. He never wanted to go back there, he didn't want those nightmares anymore.

Smiling, she held him closer as she whispered back, "You won't, I promise," For a few moment, they just laid there as they let the world pass by. The clouds up above slowly passing as the sky full of stars kept turning.

Their silence would be broken as his robotic maids called out to them, "Master!" their tiny form across the other end of the field waving them over, "The grills ready"

"I'll be there in a minute Emmy! Just throw in some cuts for the kids!" he commanded as he shifted, sitting up. They had their little fine, it was now time to return to the real world, "And make sure the steak under lock and key! That's for later!"

"Got it master!" She shouted back before she disappeared to the house.

Staring back at him, Beel gave him a wry, teasing smile as she asked, "Really Magsnik?"

He grinned back as he raised his hands in surrender, "Hey, you're the one that jumped to conclusions!" He quickly pointed out as he let out chuckle, "I was just making sure the kids don't dig in before it's ready. Now that you've mentioned it though…" he considered, stroking his chin as he walked away before calling out once more, "Molly! Tell Hecate to cast a spe-Ack!"

Pouting, Beel stood up before marching right up at him before running full tilt. "Come here you!" She shouted as she launched herself right at him. Magsnik laughed as he staggered, catching her as he spun around. Holding her closely, she pressed herself close while her mouth latched on to his shoulder.

"Aren't you going?" He asked as he turned towards his house and smelt the scent of roasting meat filling the air. Even he himself was getting hungry as his stomach rumbled. Beel though doesn't seem quite eager to let got.

"Nah, maybe a bit later," Beel replied as she nuzzled closely, "Not when I just found the perfect spot," Perfect… things were perfect huh? Looking at his home along with his children finally caught by Justice while he had Beel were in his arms, he could confidently say that yes, it was indeed just perfect.
"Oh hey, you still have this?" Feeling her hands, he found it wandering to the old amulet that she and the girls once made. Even as cracked and rusted it looked, the three gems shone as brightly as ever, "I thought you got rid of this along with the rest of your armor?"

"Huh, I've almost forgotten about it," Staring down at the medal, he wondered why it was there before shaking his head, "Still feels nice to have though," He told her as he felt it in his hands. Staring it the shine, he found himself drawn in as he felt their warmth against his chest, "It always reminds me that where ever I may be, I still have you by my side,"

"Still, that Thirsty Bitch dinged up it with her mess," She then spoke up and Magsnik felt his mind grind to a halt. Thirsty Bitch? Why was Beel talking to her auntie like that?

"Who…?" He asked, wondering if he had misheard but dread filled his veins at her reply.
"You know, She Who Thirst. The Prince of Pleasure? Rival to my master?" She answered, looking back at him with an amused smile on her face, " Ringing any bell?"

Looking around, he felt the world around them spin as her words echoed inside his head. Standing there in that grassy field, he felt his world all but shatter as he turned back towards Beel who was all to busy admiring the pendant.

"You know, now that I think about it, maybe we should fix this right up," She pouted as she shook her head in dismay, "It's all beat up. It'd be a shame to have it like this. Maybe we can even have our entire family light this up!" Lifting it over his head, she then said, "Now just help me take this off and-!" But she wouldn't lift it an inch as he reached out and grabbed her hands

"No" He told her as he looked up to her. He could feel the cold creeping hands of fear gripping his heart as a sense of denial bubbled up to his chest. Surely he was just over reacting, right?

"No?" Beel asked as her confusion quickly gave way to that of fear. With a frown, she dropped down to the ground as she looked up to him in concern, "What? Is there something wrong?"

"Beel, tell me your name," He asked her as he grabbed both her hands before he got to his knees, refusing to believe the fear inside his heart.

Tugging at his grips, desperation started seeping into his voice, "Come on is this really necessary?" she questioned him before she tried to reassure him, "I'm real, am I?" All it did however was feeding the growing doubt inside him.

"Please, just tell me your name, your real name," He begged her, pleading to her to simply tell her the name she gave her all those years ago, the one he held deep inside his heart and the one thing he couldn't forget, "Please tell me this is real, that this isn't a lie. Just please… please tell me your name."

"I-I don't understand?" Beel… or rather this woman feigned ignorance once more. There and then Magsnik knew that this was a lie. Refusing to let go, he allowed the rage that long settled down blaze back to life. He draw the force coursing through his orkish frame as it bound him to all he hold dominion over. "Magsnik, you're scaring me!" He squeezed it down as the world around them was drowned out by the light, "Magsnik! Let go!"

Pulling the effigy of his beloved close to his chest, he whispered, "I'm sorry," He had almost failed her but not he knew where he was once again. Closing his eyes, he let go and the world turned to that of fire and ash. The world burn leaving nothing behind.

A/N:

This honestly took me longer than I wished it to be and it could have been longer. There was one last scene I wanted to sneak in but at 6k words, I think this is long enough. Sorry for the delay but finally, Warboss has another chapter. I'll probably try writing the next part to this if I find some free time. For now though, on with July's winner.