The Dark Eldar had encountered Tyranids. The Zerg Swarm felt identical.
Too many. The numbers were too great.
"Withdraw!"
†Withdraw? You think I'll let you withdraw?!†
The ground beneath the Dark Eldar convulsed. Spines erupted from below. Lurkers—suboptimal for offense—excelled at defense. Their attacks: utterly unexpected!
The entire battlefield became a spine forest. Dozens of Dark Eldar instantly impaled. The imagery evoked ancient tales of "Vlad the Impaler."
Dark Eldar: accustomed to impaling others upon spikes. Unaccustomed to being spike-impaled themselves.
"It's a TRAP!"
"Back to the GATE!!!"
Survival consumed all cognitive bandwidth. Zerg capture ambitions: abandoned.
Terrestrial spines. Descending colossal spines from above. Any contact: severe trauma. The Dark Eldar, lacking orbital support, had no capacity to counter this engagement tier.
Those who reached the gate encountered viridian bugs. Infesters, finally deployed, secured the Webway Gate with Mycotic Spores.
"Damn it! What IS this?!"
"Can't move—I'm STUCK!!!"
"It's those bugs'!!!"
Dark Eldar glared at Infesters. Those diminutive oculars appeared so innocent, guileless. Harmless.
Then—as several Dark Eldar charged—the Infester's caudal spine lashed forth. Velocity exceeding even Dark Eldar reflexes. Impaled the foremost attacker.
This Dark Eldar promptly decapitated two comrades. Then, a third Dark Eldar decapitated him.
Enemy neutralized? Not quite. Infester-accompanying infected Guardsmen raised weapons. Dense fusillade denied any Dark Eldar approach.
Ultimately, Zagara concluded this engagement. By closing the Webway Gate.
The Dark Eldar's last escape route: severed.
†Now. Who are the slaves?†
A textbook "gate-trap." Three hundred-plus Dark Eldar, annihilated on this planet. Even airborne skyboards couldn't evade Mutalisks and Banelings.
"Airspace: cleared." Kans reported.
†Well done, Kans. Leave the rest to me.†
Dark Eldar: either slain or Infester-immobilized.
†Ah. Wyches too.†
An Infester dragged a Wych forward. And honestly? Pale skin. Crimson hair. Revealing attire. Objectively attractive.
Don't even think about it. Attempting coitus might result in fatal thigh-crushing. Wyches approximate Astartes strength. Velocity: exceeds average Astartes.
†Excellent. More specimens for Abathur.†
More samples. Live samples: optimal.
"Overmind. Disposition of captives?"
†Corpses: hatchery feedstock. Live subjects: Abathur's laboratory.†
"As you command."
Dark Eldar corpses: towed away. Live subjects: transported. Several protested vociferously.
One struggling captive shouted: "I demand to speak with your leader! I am a True-born! My House will pay handsomely for my ransom!"
The Overmind was utterly unimpressed.
†True-born. You could be an Archon. To the Zerg, you're still feedstock.†
True-born: naturally conceived Dark Eldar. Mostly aristocratic spawn. Universally spoiled brats.
This True-born sought "thrill-seeking" hunting. He became the hunted.
Even if the Swarm could negotiate—which it couldn't—they'd ignore you anyway.
Even the Emperor's son, delivered to the Zerg Swarm? They'd produce a "Blade-Emperor" before letting you go.
"Overmind."
Zagara spoke.
"What is that energy emanating from the slain enemies?"
†Energy?†
The Overmind examined the area. Nothing.
He shifted to Zagara's perception. Something anomalous: from each Dark Eldar corpse, faint, tenuous energy wisps.
†…Souls?†
Zagara's partial soul-genetic heritage permitted this perception. Vague impressions only.
This energy was rapidly enveloped by sudden violet warp energy. Vanished from Overmind perception.
†Slaanesh's warp signature?†
Switching to standard Zerg perception: nothing. No souls. No violet energy.
†At least Slaanesh only claimed the souls. Not here for me.†
Nurgle's daemonic incursion served as a cautionary tale. Daemons: petty. Provoke their interests, and retaliation may follow.
†Slaanesh I can handle. What I fear is excessive killing attracting Khorne's daemons.†
This universe: utterly unreasonable.
Show mercy? Nurgle notices. Mass slaughter? Khorne notices.
No winning.
At least Slaanesh likely won't target Zerg.
Slaanesh isn't Honkai: Star Rail's Propagation Aeon. If Slaanesh were the Propagation Aeon, Slaanesh would become Zerg.
"Overmind. What were those?" Inquisitive Zagara persisted.
†I don't know. Possibly what these entities term "souls." Souls are irrelevant to the Swarm.†
Hm. A thought occurred.
†…Perhaps not entirely irrelevant. But unnecessary for your consideration.†
"As you command, Overmind."
The Overmind considered Hybrids. Zerg-Protoss genetic amalgamations. Formidable entities. Even the lowest-tier Hybrids posed extreme threats.
The highest-tier Hybrids: crafted from Overmind essence. Potentially surpassing the current Overmind's own power.
†Fortunately, some unfortunate Protoss exist in this universe. Otherwise, Hybrids might never manifest.†