"Bloodhowl, do you know why this war where Abaddon tries to capture Cadia is called the 13th Black Crusade?" Zeke asked.
Bloodhowl's mind was working unusually well at that moment. "Does it mean the previous twelve were all...".
"Exactly! The previous twelve were all failures, which is why there's a thirteenth," Zeke laughed loudly. Twelve times. Twelve whole times. Zeke wondered if Abaddon had relatives among the Four Gods, considering he hadn't been abandoned after twelve failures.
Abaddon's face turned ashen. He didn't attack Zeke this time. He had seen the trick behind that potion—nearly invincible defense at the cost of drastically reduced movement speed. Since the human couldn't move, he decided to eliminate the troublesome Space Wolf first. The Warmaster turned his gaze toward Bloodhowl.
"Bloodhowl, don't be overconfident," Zeke warned, sensing the Wolf Lord's desire to duel Abaddon. The daemon sword in Abaddon's hand was specialized against humans, like an ultra-high-level "Bane of Arthropods" but for people; it might actually one-shot the Wolf Lord. (TL/N: Bane of Arthropods is a Minecraft weapon enchantment (swords, axes, maces) that deals significantly increased damage and applies a Slowness IV effect to spider-like mobs, including Spiders, Cave Spiders, Silverfish, Endermites, and Bees)
Licking his lips, Bloodhowl finally took Zeke's advice and downed a Potion of the Turtle Master II. The Warmaster's body trembled; these two "despicable" individuals only knew how to use such "underhanded" methods.
"Come on!" Bloodhowl roared, performing a daring move. He took off his helmet and hurled it at the Warmaster's back. With a heavy clang, the helmet struck Abaddon squarely.
Enraged by the provocation, Abaddon leaped forward, slashing and clawing. Since Bloodhowl had consumed the potion, the attacks were reduced to one-fifth damage. Combined with the regeneration from the Enchanted Golden Apple, the damage dealt was less than the health he was recovering.
Ignoring the heavy strikes raining down on him, Bloodhowl pounced on the Warmaster. He wrapped his legs around Abaddon, pinning him. Since the potion made moving difficult, he simply held Abaddon in place so he wouldn't need to move. One hand gripped the Warmaster while the other pummeled Abaddon's iron-hard face as he laughed.
"Haha! I, Bloodhowl, never learned how to spell the word 'lose'!".
Crude and insulting names poured from Bloodhowl's mouth as he tried every taunt he knew to provoke the Warmaster. "Abaddon the Loser! Abaddon the Harmless! Abaddon the Incompetent! Aba-Aba-Abaddon!".
"Enough! I've had enough of all of this!" Abaddon roared, unable to bear it any longer, he punched the clinging Wolf Lord repeatedly. The damage was low, but the knockback was strong enough to throw Bloodhowl off.
"Do you think I don't know what you're planning?" Abaddon looked at Zeke. "You're trying to stall for reinforcements, right?". He sneered at Zeke's expression. "Did you honestly think only you had reinforcements? How naive".
"Your ragtag group is on its way to wipe me out," Abaddon continued. "But is it possible that I was also just playing along with your acting? I lured you, and all the Cadian forces behind you, here to wipe you out in one fell swoop!".
"The time has come. I can finally end this damned play!". Abaddon raised Drach'nyen high and plunged it into the floor of the Blackstone Fortress. The narrow corridor began to crack and expand outward. A massive arena was forming, and behind Abaddon, a vast army of Chaos scum appeared.
The Black Legion and Terminators flooded Zeke's vision. Large daemons of every stripe walked among them—some winged like raptors, some slender and decadent, others bloated and self-satisfied. It was a literal dance of demons. Having come to conquer Cadia, the forces Abaddon brought were of a terrifying scale.
"Your only mistake was intruding into the Blackstone Fortress," Abaddon declared.
"Oh, is that so?" a familiar voice rang out from behind Zeke. Lord Castellan Creed had arrived.
At Creed's call, the Cadian army appeared before the Chaos host. Saint Celestine soared through the sky, gazing at Abaddon. A massive line of Iron Golems pressed forward steadily. Ordinary Cadian soldiers stepped forward with their rifles leveled.
Then, Space Marines appeared, their armor decorated with emblems of bone and flame, their heads surrounded by halos of fire. These were the Legion of the Damned, who had arrived with the Phalanx to provide support.
Iron Golems, Cadians, Battle Sisters, Inquisitors, and Astartes overwhelmed the Chaos army. Zeke brushed off the dust from his tumble and stood beside Creed. He had to admit Abaddon was right: both sides had been stalling for time, both intending to kill the other once and for all. The real war was beginning.
"Creed!". "Abaddon!".
Abaddon observed Creed from a close distance. He knew the man's name well; he had heard it since the time he sent the Volscani traitors. Creed was the man who had maintained the defenders' morale through speeches and visits to the front, withstanding the largest and most terrible offensive in the Empire's history.
Creed turned to face his lifelong enemy. Abaddon advanced, his smoke-wreathed armor hissing. "I will conquer you. I will conquer Cadia," Abaddon roared. "Cadians, I will conquer everything you are. Your bones, your blood, your screams, and your futile prayers. I will conquer your lives and your world".
"Everyone, take your positions!" Creed shouted. The sound of steel being drawn rang through the line. Creed took a deep breath, unbuttoned the top button of his uniform shirt, and stepped toward the Chaos Warmaster. His friend Kell followed, as did every Cadian soldier.
The fate Dance had prayed for since childhood was now coming to pass. Abaddon and Creed raised their hands simultaneously. As they dropped them, shouts and gunfire instantly swept through the Blackstone Fortress.