I understood... some of that. He used an honorific, but it is clearly of a different... culture. I should really not be surprised, really... if the Imperium covers a million worlds, then of course different cultures would be present. I nodded, and said, "Welcome, Ulfar. What brings you and your axebearers to Hassia?"

Grinning, the space marine replied, "Fenris is... full."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Full?"

Ulfar nodded. "Full."

I briefly tried to recall where Fenris is in comparison to Hassia Prime, but nothing really came to mind. Was there even such a thing as galactic north in the Milky Way? Instead of pondering about that further, my thoughts were interrupted by Twilight, who leaned in and said, "You still with us?"

I nodded, even if the echo of Old Edo screaming seemed to drown out all other sounds. Even my quiet heartbeat seemed to be absent. I sighed and rubbed my head. I apologized by saying, "You'll have to excuse me. A noisome thing has entered into my head, and it will not leave. Even the exorcism..."

Twilight nodded. She turned to Magnus, and called out, "Are you ready?"

It was Magnus' turn to nod, as he said, "Yes, Auntie. I've gathered my finest for this task."

Ulfar and the other marines shared a look.... yeah, "Auntie" is a bit weird. I think. Magnus called out to me, saying, "Come forward, please. It's time."

That shut up Old Edo. Even if I lose my memories before the awakening, that'll be a fair price, I think. I got up and walked down the stairs.

You wouldn't, he pleaded in my head. You need me. Where will you be without my knowledge? My anger?

You should've thought of that before becoming a demon and attacking me... me.

Is it really our fault that I'm the piece the daemons broke off? Look at the other Rogue Traders.

Even if I had dismissed everybody else, something was keeping Ricarda and Cota here. They stood, each with their most trusted at their side. At Ricarda's side, I could see an elderly griffon nobleman... noblegriffon? He wore a psychic hood, stared at me with purple-white eyes, and a stiff, scarred, beaked face. He wore dark robes, and held himself in an upright position with a psychic staff, headed by a silver Aquila.

That's Ricarda's Master of Mysteries, her spymaster and head psyker, like Amber Sight. For the title, they traditionally give up their names, though.

Also next to Ricarda was one of the felenids, a dangerous-looking fellow. He looked at me with cat-like eyes from his cat-like face. It was an effect more... uncomfortable than cute if I'm being honest. He wore slim armor with petite pauldrons. He also carried a... melta gun at his side. From his demeanor, it was an old friend to him.

She calls her personal bodyguard and Arch-Militant "Coffee Maker". I don't... I don't get it.

Next to Cota was a pair of genome soldiers and an... alien? No, a human. He just... stared. Impassively. Like looking at a petri dish.

A Gene-Crafter of Krieg. A paradise that houses insane soldiers and even crazier vat-keepers.

To weave genetic material like fabric... it is a great power, but a terrible one. I looked at the genome soldiers again. They may as well have been... machines. Their appearance and stance were exact. From their posture, they took pride in being the same. A wall between House Vluct and the enemies of the Imperium.

Do you think you were the only one? Or that you should show weakness before them?

I ignored Old Edo and turned back to Magnus, to his Sorcerers. To Ulfar, and his Wolves. To Shem, and his Believers. I walked upon them all, upon the Emperor's own sons.

"This will hurt," warned Magnus.

I took a deep breath. To steel myself, I said, "Ever since that day, when I first awoke in this strange new life, when I was beset by demons who took my memories and wore my face..."

I turned back to my Princesses, who had followed me down the stairs and towards the gathering crowd. Now, a circle is forming around me, full of friends and allies.

And yet, safety is an illusion, Old Edo hissed in my ears. This is a waste of time. We should prepare for the storm of Chaos... and the storm after that. My hands shook. This is the 41st Millennium. There will always be another enemy that threatens us all.

Yes. That may very well be. But I think... we can do better without you, Old Edo.

Don't be absurd. I am the keystone of the entire Protectorate. Without me, who are you?

I shook my head. ...I am Edo von Hassia, Auric Rogue Trader of the Imperium of Man and Equus.

I looked back, more steadily towards Magnus.

"I know that I must walk the path of thorns."

Magnus nodded. Ulfar rubbed his chin. Shem made the sign of the Aquila.

You remembered.

The Sorcerer Space Marines formed another perimeter around me as I stood in the middle of the throne room.

Soon, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up as a psychic energy heightened in the room. I saw purple runes, previously hidden, alight in the walls of the throne room. Twilight's work. My Princesses also formed a perimeter. I am safe. I am in my home.

With practiced poise, Magnus said, "Edo, I will need to draw out the entity and bind it. It may try to take control. A quick tip..."

Magnus took a few steps towards me and then took a knee. I crossed my arms as he leaned over to whisper something in my ear.

"Let it."

I swallowed hard and had only one thing to ask. Stammering, I blinked incredulously and asked, "Uh, h-how?"

With a hum, Magnus told me, "We provoke it."

"Well, it believes it's me," I pointed out.

With a nod, Magnus sighed, then said, "Then I'm sorry for what we have to do now, Uncle."

Standing up and stepping away, Magnus announced, "The daemon that lives inside of Edo von Hassia's mind is convinced that it is Edo von Hassia. That is why we must haze him."

I cocked my head.

"Rile him up! Make him mad!"

Oh, no.

Seriously? Old Edo taunted.

From the look on his face, Magnus could read that thought. His grin could not be wider. "Oh, yes, Uncle! We've got to get you riled up!"

I raised an eyebrow and scratched my face. "Doesn't..." I wondered aloud. "Telling me about this part of the plan makes it harder?"

Magnus laughed. "Maybe!" He admitted.

At that moment, I just about jumped out of my skin at a stinging, electric sensation that struck the base of my back. I turned around to see a sheepily grinning Twilight, her horn having discharged some sort of static shock spell. I wheezily laughed.

"Such a betrayal!" I taunted. I rolled my neck. I suppose I have to play my part in this plan.

"Hey!" I called out aloud, to the spirit within my head. "Daemon! Your joyride's over!"

I'm still you.

"If you're me, then what am I, huh? Chopped liver?"

From what I remember... we're both shards. Incomplete. You can feel it, can't you?

I turned to Magnus. "How do I know if I'm not dealing with... a shard of my soul?" I asked.

Magnus, for his part, rubbed his eyes as he read a tome. "It's... possible. A human soul doesn't usually... survive being split and put back together. If it was, you'd have assimilated it by now. Don't worry, Rogue Trader. It's a daemon."

I am looking out for your best interest, Edo. Our best interests. Even if I am... I'm loyal. I have to be...

You sound... unsure, Old Edo.

Don't call me that.

"Old Edo!" I chirped aloud. "Not much of a demon name, but it'll do!"

I turned to one of my Princesses. The first I saw was Cherry Heart. "Quick!" I called out. "What's something super embarrassing for me?"

While I gave my Princesses something to think about, I turned to Ulfar. I called out, saying, "This guy has my memories, and he really doesn't like Space Marines. Can you brag?"

Ulfar laughed a howling laugh. "Can I brag? Does Fenris not howl with ice and fury?"

I blinked. That doesn't tell me anything. Ulfar noticed my lack of reaction and cleared his throat.

Not this again, Old Edo moaned between my ears. Ulfar flicked his fur cloak, and traced some of the runes inscribed in his armor with an iron-clad finger, and began what I can only describe as a... saga.

"Hear you well, sons and daughters of the All-Father.

Hear the tales of our band of Wolf Brothers.

Hear how our foes reek of cowardice,

Those whose hearts are full of malice,

Whose bones turn to ice at the sight of our steel,

And their doom comes from our zeal!

The Great Wolf calls us forth from our home of snow—"

Azure Fire, cutting in, shouted, impatiently, "This is taking too long!" And she zapped me. New jolts of painful energies raced from my hands through my head.

Moving to intervene, Cherry Heart said, "Wait—!" Before being interrupted herself by one of the Marines.

"Have faith," was all he said.

I wheeled around to face my Princess.

My Paladin Matriarch.

No, mine, stupid spirit.

The sacrifices were ours! We need to make more preparations for the Crusade of Ending!

I clutched my head, even as more jolts and verbal jabs hit me. My responsibilities, not yours, Old Edo.

You are a forgetful fool. Once we weather this, we need to send all our guests, and the Marines, home. They will be hit, too!

I blinked, but my train of thought was interrupted by the sight of Rogue Trader Ricarda Cremont Lomathier. She stood before me, a figure paradoxically uncertain and set. A malevolence shone behind her eyes. She leaned close and whispered in my ears,

"Star Rum Baby."

I had no idea what she was talking about... but it seems that Old Edo did, because he roared, through my lips, with an unnatural reverb,

"That happened one time!"

A wicked smile graced Ricarda's own lips as she triumphantly said, "Yes. I loved that child we made, eh!"

Her maddened voice was not her own.

Ricarda... no, Old Ricarda grabbed my face and pulled me in for a deep, breathy kiss. Old Edo replied with a fist to her jaw. My head swam, though I'm not sure if it's because Old Edo had taken control, or that Ricarda was so... forceful. I was still too close, as we were both zapped by the Princesses.

"Get away from him!" Twilight screamed.

"You bitch!" Cherry Heart added.

Azure Fire howled with rage.

Silver Sword howled with laughter.

Forest Grace sighed with a long-suffering look on her face.

Each was restrained by Wolves or Shem's Marines. From the way they moved, even these superhumans struggled with my Princesses.

Ricarda and I, however, were seized by clouds of pink Warp energy, and from the glowing hands of Magnus and his sorcerors, it seems that it finally happened... with some complications.

"Woah, there!" Magnus jeered as he pulled and weaved ethereal energies.

"Two for one!" He laughed.

Old Edo locked my eyes with Ricarda.

"Why!?" He screamed in my voice. "Why expose yourself?! You'll die, too, asshole!"

Ricarda issued forth a crone's haunting laughter. Then, she said, even as she was also held in the trap, "I figured my time was up, eh! Might as well go out messing with you one last time!"

"Go to hell, woman! You're compromising the safety of both our Protectorates!" We started to float into the air, but neither of... us? Seemed to notice.

"I have faith in myself!" Ricarda taunted. "Do you?!"

That shut Old Edo up just long enough for the ritual to complete. There was a flash of light... I... I blacked out.

"... E... Edo? Edo!"

I was on the floor of my Throne Room, surrounded by my Princesses. I rose up and rested on my hands and rump. I was promptly surrounded by a pile of ponies. I felt my eyes grow wet, though my poor voice was in no position to say much of anything. I blinked, and looked past Silver Sword's head to see Ricarda, who had pulled her psyker and her... coffee maker into a hug, as well.

That just left... Cota Vlucht, who was receiving a lot of stares from the Marines.

He sighed, and said, "I thought maybe I was the only one to lose my memories. My medical staff noticed the daemon right away."

Nodding, the Gene-Crafter standing next to Cota stated, matter-of-factly, "Vlucht Medicine is the finest in the galaxy."

I bitterly chuckled. Of course one of us would be able to skip the stages of pain and dreams. Although... I swallowed and tried to speak up.

"H-How many?" I hoarsely asked.

"What's what?" Magnus asked. I noticed two new trinkets dangling from his hands, glowing gold glass orbs reinforced with metal. I almost felt bad.

"How many of us were attacked... like this?" I asked, breathlessly.

"I... don't know," Magnus admitted.

I felt the heartbeats of my Princesses. I closed my eyes and saw the light again. I'll... wait to draw on its power again. For now, I was content to breathe... and to be.

"You are all dismissed," I announced. "I want to take the rest of today off... if you all don't mind."

I felt and heard the marines, Magnus, the Rogue Traders, and their retinue leave the room. I opened my eyes to see that Ulfar had not yet left the room. We locked eyes.

"You are fortunate we did not have to use the Wulfen restraining technique," mused Ulfar. "The usual plan for that is 'we all tackle you'." Upon seeing my face, he heartily laughed and departed, his thunderous step matching the rest of him.

I hugged my Princesses tighter, even as the last of my waking world left me.

I awoke in a bitter, cold sweat. Though Old Edo's presence was gone, the dread hanging over me had not. Everybody had gone home, but the Marines had stayed. Ulfar and Captain Shem had more or less moved into my Palace whilst a Fortress Monastery was being prepared by the House Hassia Mechanicum. Magos Polarscale just smirked when I said "Spare no expense." Several locations on Hassia were being discussed, including the options of constructing something in orbit of this world, a new addition to the Hive City, or even being built as an extension of my own Palace.

When I asked about how that would work, logistically, Polarscale informed me that we could always simply "just make the island bigger". Nothing to say of potentially requiring the demolition of surrounding Insulae, even if it would hardly render any nobleman... or noble pony homeless. They may exist in my shadow, but their own individual wealth was not insignificant.

All this, of course, in service to the founding of a new chapter of Space Marines, one undoubtedly founded by Wolves, Zealots, a few Sorcerors that Magnus left behind, as well as a few others I was told were coming from a few other Nephews.

To draw my favor, or offload surplus Astartes?

For now, I would have to consider just how to form this new chapter and how best to deploy it in the coming struggle. We settled on "Vaeringi of Hassia". They would harmonize under a new coat of arms, new paint schemes, and armor trims. I had no doubt, though, that the martial culture of the Varangians would take time to form, mutually assimilating quirks and practices from different Legions and homeworlds.

More busy work, but such a thing was an admittedly welcome distraction. I opened my eyes and looked out the round window towards the hive city of Hassia Prime. The Crown Jewel of the Hassian Protectorate.

It shone with golden light coming from its many towering spires. The very image of a shining, perfect megapolis.

However, as I got up and walked over to the window, phantom memories emerged from my mind of my time in its dark, dreary depths, in this, the dark hours of the morning. More than once, my personal intervention was required when the Arbites failed to take down a particularly dangerous criminal gang. To my eternal shame, more than one shared my blood. The shadow I cast is long, and those who are born in it can often be... bitter.

I shivered, shaking my head to clear it of thoughts of traitors and betrayals. For now, I would need all the blood and fire I could muster. I had my trusty sword, Pagtum. It waited in its scabbard, which hung on the marble wall. It thirsted for daemonic flesh. I should probably be more concerned that I could sense what my crystalline-steel sword wants and desires... but it, too, is an old friend. Next to it was Lil' Stubby, my short-barreled, bayoneted rifle. But another weapon caught my eye.

It was a crystalline firearm, like 'Lil Stubby. A fusion of Terran technologies and Equestrian magics. A sawn-down pump shotgun, fitted with a chainsaw grip and a crystal muzzle. Runes of destruction were carved onto every available metal and even wooden surface.

Lil' Shotty. I smiled. What was with me and firearms that were sawn down to smaller size?

Though by the shape, number, and quality of weapons on my walls, I was not exactly wanting for standard, even larger weapons, either... not that I'd try carrying a great many into battle.

I looked into the glowing spires of Hassia Prime. I could almost hear the weapon shops, the hammering ring on plasteel, the roar of furnaces, the boiling energies powering it all...

But I also could see the banners. The marching of many feet, paws, and hooves. Ordinary people doing ordinary things. Living ordinary lives, working ordinary jobs. They would see smiles, bright murals, and grim, but cheery propaganda on the metal walls. They would eat good, hot food with many friends and family.

As it turns out, a good quality of life is one of the best defenses against heresy.

..."Heresy". A strange word, but I suppose... fitting. The worship of dark powers is an affront to life and liberty.

I made a mental checklist of every threat that was likely to be out here, including the false gods. I remember the Imperial names given, the ones to obscure their true names.

The one called He-Who-Rots, promising an end to pain, the satisfaction of the cycle of life... a lie, since an eternity of swamp rot is nothing to a real garden.

The Collector-of-Skulls... an appeal to violence. An ocean of blood... which turns into a very shallow puddle when one compares the complexity of human war to the screaming and flailing of children.

The That-Which-Plans... plans within plans, enigmas within enigmas... until the time comes for the "full plan". It usually just involves a lot of violence and fire.

Finally, She-Who-Thirsts.

Enough said.

I sighed, my gaze still facing out the window. There are enough foes around the galaxy even before you consider the immortal ones.

The Greenskins. The Genestealers and the coming Tide. The fractured Eldar, whose Webway we compete over, even if the Solarch continues her attempts at diplomacy with the Craftworlders. The Drukhari, whose Dark City we will either conquer... or destroy. The Brain-snatchers, or whatever they were called. The Necrons...

Those were going to be trouble.

Terrible still, could there be a legion of traitors just behind our sight, looking to re-establish their master's whims across the Imperium? Imperium Intelligence will need more contributions. Agent Reginald should be very happy with that.

Endless spending, endless sacrifices, endless war.

A thought comes to my mind, as I stare at the glow of the distant city. Perhaps it is a leftover from Old Edo.

In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future, there can Be No Victor.

Well... we'll see about that.

It is the 41st Millennium.

For more than 100 centuries, the Milky Way Galaxy has burned in the crucible of war. The Emperor and the Solarch are the Masters of Mankind and Equus-kind by the will of the gods.

They are the Master of a Million Worlds by the will of their Immortal Servants and the might of their Inexhaustible Armies.

Hold fast to the Promise of Progress and Understanding, for in the Grim Dark Future, There is Only War.

There is no Peace Amongst the Stars, only an Eternity of Carnage and Slaughter, and the Laughter of Thirsting Gods... for now.

Author's Note

Would this be a good place to stop?