[Accompanied by your desperate, crazed assault, you pushed deeper into enemy lines.]
[One after another, chainswords and power swords wielded by corrupted Astartes slashed against your power armor. The blows landed with bone-jarring impacts, each strike accompanied by the shriek of tortured metal.]
[In the blink of an eye, terrible cracks spiderwebbed across your ceramite plating. Shattered fragments scattered across the ground beneath your feet, leaving a trail of broken armor in your wake.]
[Relying on the almost supernatural defensive capabilities of your machine spirit-blessed power armor and agile footwork that dared not cease for even a moment, you barely avoided complete annihilation. You wove between killing strokes, each dodge measured in millimeters.]
[With a ferocious expression made horrifying by your exposed skull, you drove your battered power armor straight into the Seekers of Truth' defensive array.]
[You continued swinging the chainsword and power sword gripped in both palms, carving out with tremendous difficulty a small space where you could barely survive. Each weapon stroke bought you another second of life.]
["Battle Sisters of the Bloody Rose! The success or failure of destroying these heretics depends on this moment! For the Emperor!"]
[Canoness Jayna's battle roar erupted above the chaos.]
[She led her squads of Battle Sisters forward in a renewed charge, their crimson armor flashing as they accelerated.]
[They exploited the brief gap you had created through your suicidal attack, using the opening to gradually tear a larger offensive channel through the Seekers of Truth' defensive formation.]
[For a critical moment, the terrifying momentum of these Battle Sisters, who seemed to have gained supernatural strength and determination, made it impossible for the Seekers of Truth to maintain even basic defensive cohesion.]
[With the continuous deaths of more Astartes brothers, their bodies piling higher with each passing second, the defensive array that had blocked your advance for so long finally collapsed completely.]
[However, just as you broke through the last remnants of the Seekers of Truth' defense, just as you drove your devastated power armor forward trying to close distance with Amara who continued brewing her Chaos sorcery, everything changed.]
[Accompanied by continuous impacts of bursting Chaotic psychic energy that rippled through the air like shockwaves, reality itself seemed to shudder.]
[One after another, blue-glowing marks of Tzeentch suddenly materialized from nothing. They appeared on the power armor of each Battle Sister, brands burning themselves deep into ceramite. Then they sank deeper still, searing into flesh and blood beneath.]
[Even on the half of your face that remained intact, not destroyed by promethium fire, the blue-glowing Tzeentch mark manifested with cruel clarity.]
[You instantly felt devastating pain as your physical strength and power drained away with terrifying speed. The sensation was like bleeding out from a mortal wound, watching your life pour away helplessly.]
[You found it increasingly difficult to maintain your grip on the power sword and chainsword. Your fingers weakened, nearly losing these vital weapons entirely.]
[You collapsed to one knee on the ground, gasping for breath that wouldn't come.]
[The Battle Sisters branded with Tzeentch's marks fared no better.]
[Their forward momentum slowed to a crawl. The power behind their weapon strikes gradually weakened, becoming ineffective against the corrupted Astartes.]
[What proved even more infuriating was the horrific trap embedded in the curse. Every time an Astartes who had regained advantage killed a marked Battle Sister, her broken body instantly exploded into a mass of bloody fragments and pulped flesh.]
[The detonations brought both mental and physical trauma to nearby Sisters who still fought with tenacious will, showering them in the remains of their squad-mates.]
["Hehe, didn't expect it? This was never sorcery to open a daemon portal. You were completely fooled!"]
[The words emerged accompanied by ethereal laughter that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.]
[Amara's eyes filled with heavy blue halos, glowing with unnatural light. The body that had once belonged to a human suddenly swelled with rapid, grotesque expansion.]
[In an instant, a massive figure wearing gorgeous blue robes inlaid with gold thread materialized fully. Its vague, illusory face remained perpetually hidden within the shadow of its hood. Six blue-skinned arms folded across its chest in a mockery of contemplation.]
[The daemon stood revealed before everyone.]
["Trickster of Tzeentch... Changeling!" You forced your blood-red eye open wider, recognition striking through the pain. You identified the specific daemon species confronting you.]
["Hehe, a rude and stupid human." A staff materialized from thin air in one blue-skinned palm, the wood twisted and wrong. Its illusory face twisted and changed constantly, never settling on a single form. "Eh? Your soul is not the original one..."]
[It stared directly at you, curiosity coloring its voice.]
["It's you! Inquisitor Steelhead! A traitor who betrayed the friendship of our Chapter!"]
[The accusation came from Chapter Master Gallus, who suddenly interrupted his Chaos ritual preparations. He turned and strode forward in his Terminator armor, servos grinding.]
[Feathers and scales covered his face completely now, the mutation advanced beyond any hope of reversal.]
[He suddenly reached out with one massive metal palm, seizing your silver metal skull before you could dodge. His grip closed like a vice.]
["Lies! You are a lie! Lies! The Emperor is also a lie! Lies... The Path of Change! Only Saint Tzeentch speaks truth!" The increasingly corrupted Chapter Master screamed directly into your face, spittle flying.]
[You tried desperately to detonate the melta bomb concealed beneath your power pack, your last resort, but the Tzeentch mark weakening you made even that simple action impossible. Your fingers wouldn't respond to commands.]
[Accompanied by Gallus's five metal fingers gradually tightening their crushing grip, you felt your skull begin to deform.]
[Most of your silver metal skull began producing a horrible sound of distortion, the metal creaking and buckling under impossible pressure.]
[Your brain suffered what must be irreparable fatal damage. Pressure built inside your cranium with nowhere to escape.]
[You opened your blood-red eye as wide as physically possible, releasing an irresistible, tragic howl of pure agony.]
["Boss! Hold on! I'm coming!"]
[At that critical moment, a familiar, honest voice seemed to pass through barriers of space and time itself. The sound reached your ears despite blood pouring from them in steady streams.]
[Bolter rounds from a storm bolter hammered continuously against Chapter Master Gallus's Terminator armor.]
[The violent explosions forced his tall body to stagger backward. He instinctively loosened his grip on your silver metal skull, needing both hands for balance.]
[Simultaneously, several melta bombs trailing activation beeps cut through the lingering Chaotic psychic energy. They arced overhead, falling directly above the Changeling's hooded head.]
[Then they detonated.]
[The extremely terrifying explosion and scorching heat from the melta bombs instantly submerged the Changeling's huge form. Temperature spiked to levels that could vaporize ceramite.]
[Its illusious face hidden beneath the hood underwent violent shaking and transformation, stability failing. It released a painful scream that resonated throughout the entire hive level.]
[Three of its blue-skinned arms and most of the blurred body covered by the ornate robes evaporated instantly, molecular bonds severed by impossible heat.]
[The massive shockwave from the melta bombs even affected the Astartes who had been systematically slaughtering the weakened Battle Sisters. The blast gave the Sisters holding desperately against overwhelming attacks a brief opportunity for counterattack.]
[You vaguely sensed the gradual dissipation of Tzeentch's mark burning on your flesh. Lost physical strength and power returned to your mortal body in a rush of sensation.]
[Then a blood-red agile figure suddenly passed through the scorching heat that hadn't yet dissipated. Canoness Jayna leaped toward the sky directly above the wounded Changeling.]
[Her power claw rose high, energy field crackling with blue lightning.]
[She swung the weapon viciously at the illusory face hidden in the shadow of the hood.]
["Damn daemon! Repent to the Emperor!" Canoness Jayna roared while airborne, her voice carrying absolute conviction.]
[The next moment, accompanied by an extremely terrifying scream of pain and a powerful shockwave of released Chaotic psychic energy, the Changeling whose head had been crushed by the power claw gradually dissipated.]
[Its form broke apart like smoke on wind, fragmenting into nothing. It returned completely to the Warp, banished back to the Realm of Chaos.]
[You struggled to support your bloody body, pushing yourself upright through sheer willpower.]
[The power and physical strength you had lost returned completely. But they came back changed, far more potent than before. The strength felt wrong, tainted.]
[You opened your blood-red eye wide in sudden realization.]
[You sensed the nature of this returning power with horrifying clarity. The malicious blessing came from Khorne, the Blood God himself, rewarding your violence and carnage.]
[You relied on your rapidly expanding brute strength to force your damaged power armor upright. The servos had failed entirely, but raw muscle moved the ceramite shell through determination alone.]
[You clenched the power sword and chainsword gripped in both hands. Without hesitation, you charged at Chapter Master Gallus.]
[The heavy ceramite shell of his Terminator armor shattered under your enhanced blows, producing loud cracking sounds as plates buckled and broke.]
[Both weapons embedded deeply into Gallus's chest, punching through the compromised armor. You forced him down, driving him to his knees on the blood-soaked ground.]
[You blinked your blood-red eye slightly, staring down at Chapter Master Gallus. More signs of corruption covered his face with each passing second, the mutation accelerating in his final moments.]
[Then you pulled both weapons simultaneously with merciless force.]
[Chapter Master Gallus, who had been attempting to break free from the weapons impaling him, was completely disemboweled. His enhanced organs spilled onto the ground. He gradually ceased his final struggles, breathing stopping entirely.]
[You stared at his cooling, broken body for a long moment. Then you drew a deep breath.]
[You released your tight grip on both weapons with blank expression. They clattered to the ground as you sat down heavily, strength finally deserting you.]
[At that moment, Canoness Jayna holding her power claw slowly drove her blood-red armor forward. She stopped directly before you.]
["You are filled with the stench of Chaos." Her voice carried certainty and profound sadness. "Inquisitor Steelhead, you have been contaminated by the power of Chaos. Though you proved your loyalty to the Emperor by preventing the daemon's victory, I cannot watch you fall further into corruption. You must pay with your life as the price, making final confession and atonement."]
[The words emerged in a sonorous, powerful voice that brooked no argument.]
[You drew a deep breath, your ruined chest rising and falling. You nodded slightly in agreement, accepting the inevitable.]
[You made a final request with calm expression, your voice steady despite everything.]
[Canoness Jayna promised you solemnly. She would treat Chunkus and his Ogryn squad well, ensuring they received proper care and honorable service.]
[Then you turned your head toward Chunkus, who desperately wanted to rush forward but was restrained by Battle Sisters holding him back. His massive frame struggled against their grip.]
[You smiled at him. Despite your destroyed face, despite the horror of your appearance, the expression carried genuine warmth.]
[You slowly rose from the ground, gathering yourself. Then you knelt again before Canoness Jayna, assuming the position of penitence.]
["Respected Inquisitor, may your soul finally return to the Golden Throne."]
[As the blessing finished leaving her lips, the power claw wreathed in blue energy field swung down gently but inexorably.]
[It completely shattered your deformed silver metal skull.]
[Your vague consciousness, already fading toward oblivion, seemed to hear the angry roar and anguished crying from Chunkus. His voice called your name over and over, refusing to accept what he witnessed.]
[You slowly fell into darkness that seemed eternal and absolute.]
[At the same time, an illusory human soul, the original owner of this body, seemed to bow deeply to you in gratitude before dissipating into the endless void.]
[You released a last sigh, barely a whisper of expelled air.]
[You are dead.]