“Hello, man. How is your non-life going?” - I sent telepathic message to him.

"Everything was fine until you woke me up." - I got the answer, and necron started to get to his feet.

He's a humorist. Or wasn't it a joke?

"Well, I'm sorry. I need your help in destroying life in another universe.”

I sensed a slight interest from the Necron. It wasn't even an emotion, he was waiting for more information.

“Did you come from another universe?” - Clarified the necron, completely getting out of the sarcophagus.

"Yes, I do.”

"Well, that's to be expected. Our mission cannot be limited to one world. Our duty is to bring salvation to the whole universe.”

"And what is your mission?"

"Mere mortals believe that we seek to destroy life in all its forms.” - Necron began his lecture. - "But in reality, our goal is peace for all the souls of the universe. Desires, passions, diseases, and the struggle for life - all this brings only suffering to souls. Only by finally getting rid of the contagion of organic life in the universe, we can achieve true happiness and peace.”

“Oh... I understand you completely” - I answered. - "When I got rid of the living body and replaced it with a specially created mechanism that I was able to feel how pathetic life is in an organic body.”

Necron examined me again with interest, scanning me in various ways.

"I am glad that you have taken the first step toward true peace. But your mind is still unstable.”

"Well, that's why I need your help. I'd like to study your philosophy and your technology. I also need Necrons to destroy a vile, immaterial creature whose purpose in life is to repeat the endless cycles of development and destruction of civilizations in the galaxy.”

"If so, it must be stopped immediately.” – Necron agreed with me. - "But, alas, I can't make such decisions. You should talk to our younger god Whathefuck. Come on, I'll take you to him.”

“Well, come on.” - I agreed, wondering how god could get such name.

After about twenty minutes of slow walking through empty and gloomy corridors, we came to another hall. There were several dozen vertically placed sarcophagi, in which stood Necrons, whose appearance was distinguished by a certain pretentiousness and strict beauty. There we awakened another Necron, from which I felt a decent pressure of the force. He was clearly a very powerful psionic.

Whathefuck exchanged glances with his relative, then immediately issued his verdict.

"We will help you destroy life in your universe. But first you must help us. In ancient times, the Eldar gods sealed our Star gods in the bottomless depths of the Warp. It's been millions of years since then. The Eldars lost their power, just as their gods had lost it. Release our Star gods from their captivity, and we will help you.”

"The Star gods?" – I asked again. - "I thought the Necrons didn't have gods."

"You can call them lords of dynasties. These were the most powerful rulers of our people who led us on the path of victory. Thanks to them, we destroyed the Old Ones. But alas, at the moment of our triumph, the treacherous Eldars, waiting for the complete destruction of their creators, used the power of their gods to imprison the souls of the most powerful Necrons in the depths of the Warp. Then we could not free our lords and went into hibernation. Now the power of the Eldar gods is weakened, and even the smallest help can free our Star gods. Alas, we ourselves are unable to control the Warp.”

"All right, I'll help you. But first I'd like to study your technology. In particular, your body. I want to be more like you.”

"It can be arranged.” - The younger god nodded, and then froze, plunging back into the stasis.

My further communication took place with the Necron gatekeeper, who gave me access to the repository of knowledge of his race. There I was able to learn the technology of creating the 'living metal' that consist the bodies of all Necrons. What I was most interested in was the many ways to 'regenerate' this material. There were nanorobots, astral matrices, time management, and dozens of other tricks, each of which allowed to achieve almost complete immortality. And together they created an incredible symbiosis of technologies that allowed to recreate the body, no matter how you try, but impossible to destroy it.

I spent almost a month studying the technologies the Necrons agreed to reveal to me. At the same time, I translated all of these technologies to the magic and chakra basis. As a result, the cost of magical energy to maintain and operate my vritras body has fallen a hundred times. Of course, I was not bothered by such a load before, but this increase in efficiency meant that the necrons were a few steps ahead of me in this matter.

Finally, having finished all my affairs with Necrons, I got to the surface of the planet and went to the structure of the Eldar. It was a tall white tower surrounded by a glowing power field. The material of the walls, most likely, was the famous psi-bone, which the Eldars could create literally from nothing, that is, from Warp.

Outside, the tower was protected by a force field that even magic could not penetrate. But my shadow clone easily passed through it, and then I teleported to it with hiraishin jutsu. From the outside, the tower looked the epitome of perfection and beauty. But inside, everything was not so rosy. The corridor I entered was smeared with something nasty. In some places there were traces of fighting - chipped, dents, pallets and so on. And most importantly, there was absolutely no lighting, so I had to create a 'firefly' to avoid groping around.

A study of the walls showed that at least a third of them consist of psi-energy. This state of energy could be called crystallization, but it also showed the properties of liquid. The remaining two-thirds of the wall material consisted of calcium, silicon and oxygen. In general, the psi-bone was quite an entertaining substance, and I even took a few samples for research, having a little trouble with separating these samples from the walls.

As might be expected in such a mess, no one was in a hurry to meet me, so I was able to safely walk around the premises, exploring the technology of the Eldar. There were not only bare walls, but also some mechanisms, electronics, and so on. Moreover, psionics were used everywhere, and I could not detect any material devices. Fortunately, I could interact with psi energy with help of magical energy, so I didn't have to break all the doors in a row. It was enough to study one and understand where to apply the control impulse to trigger the opening mechanism.

So, going around all the rooms, I went up from floor to floor in search of at least some indication of where I should look for the Eldars. About the thirtieth floor, opening the next doors got to a place that was once a greenhouse. The lighting was still working, the ceiling was more than ten meters high, and most importantly, I could see the remains of plants all around. Very strange plants, to be honest. Rather, they resembled meaty caterpillars growing out of the earth, spreading out their... paws?

Before I could make a couple of steps, a creature rushed at me from the bushes. I immediately intercepted it with a spell and hung it in the air, examining a rare specimen. It's definitely not an Eldar. And it was never even been an Eldar. Rather, it was a mad cross between an insect, a crab and two meters tall humanoid. The creature screamed and tried to reach me with a blow of its pincers and a spittle of suspiciously steaming saliva. Fortunately, nothing came of it, because all attacks were stopped by the force shield surrounding it.

Looks like I've encountered the tyranids that somehow penetrated to this building. It is unlikely that they passed through the outer barrier, so we can hope that somewhere there is a portal or device for instantaneous movement. The internal structure of the tyranids didn't surprise me. They were some pathetic semblance of Zerg, with no useful properties for me. So, I destroyed my 'catch' and moved on. The local 'vegetation' also turned out to be a form of tyranid, serving as food for more advanced species. I did not destroy them, because with their survivability it could consume a long time

I wandered the entire tower almost a week. After all, I have studied every mechanism I have encountered, trying to understand its purpose and principles of operation. Honestly, even in half the cases, I couldn't understand the physics of the processes occurring in these mechanisms. The local psionics were strange enough to take years to understand.

And now, almost at the top of the tower in one of the halls, I found an extremely interesting exhibit. They were Eldar and tyranid, frozen in a kind of stasis. At the moment of stopping time between them there was a battle, and the tyranid's paw pierced through the Eldar's chest.

After carefully examining this composition, I noticed that during the battle, the Eldar lost his armor along with the Tear of Isha enclosed in it. This piece was lying there, a little to one side. Apparently, the Eldar realized that he had lost, and now his soul would be consumed by the Warp. So, he preferred to imprison himself in stasis, and the tyranny fell into the trap as a free application.

After a little research, I was happy to find that I can read the memory of an Eldar using the chakra. I hung there for a long time, going over all his memories in detail, from his training in psionics to his life story. Actually, there wasn't much of that story.

He was almost a young boy in front of me. He was sent to this outpost as a security guard. Once, through the Web, a tyranid penetrated the tower. It killed the relaxed guards and began to reproduce. Pretty quickly it became clear that ordinary Eldars have nothing to oppose these monsters. This Eldar was sent to the communications hall to warn the main Craftworld about the attack. But here the boy faced a tyranid, and at the moment of his death was able to use the psionic technique of stasis.

Having finished reading the memory, I looked around with new look. Now I understood what devices surrounded me, how to use them, and most importantly I could read the Eldar language. When I reached the communications hub, I activated the holographic interface and started looking at the history of events.

As it turned out, the tyranid invasion took place more than half a century ago. This tower was an outpost of the Craftworld Ulthwe, but now communication with it has been blocked. Apparently, the Eldars missed the attack on the outpost and then decided not to repel it, but simply to exclude the possibility of a tyranid invasion from here.

The second available address was the Craftworld Yanden. That's where the first tyranid came from. Moreover, this Craftworld was still sending distress signals, asking for help. I wonder if this is a tyranid trap, or if there really are Eldars left alive?

I decided to visit this ship, for which I took the form of the same Eldar, who was standing only a few meters away from me. I didn't know how to get him out of his stasis, so I couldn't help him. As you can guess, even he himself did not know how to disable stasis. Now I was an Eldar by the name of Mirak Ultran. By the way, this kid was a distant relative of Eldrad Ultran - the great visionary of the Eldar, who died a couple of hundred years ago.

I activated the communication channel, and a picture of the wrecked room appeared on the monitor. Also, in this picture, I could see a tyranid posing for the cameras. Looks like things are going really bad on Yanden. Since communication with the ship-world itself worked normally, I tried to switch the connection to another communication terminal inside the ship. Five minutes later I succeeded, and I saw a living Eldar, staring at me with suspicion.

"Greetings, brother.” - I addressed to him in the standard equal-to-equal manner. - "My name is Mirak Ultran. I heard your call and decided to help you in the fight against the tyranids.”

"Hey, kid, didn't you enough play heroes when was a child??" - The Eldar replied contemptuously, without even introducing himself. - "Do you have an army of billions of Eldar behind you?"

"Behind me?" - I turned and noticed that a tyranid was standing behind me. The one that is in stasis. Fortunately, camera didn’t capture my identity donor. - "No, it's a tyranid. Can't you even tell the difference between a tyranid and Eldar? Seems you become feral very much.”

In response, the Eldar naturally growled.

"How dare you, boy!” - He yelled.

"Your diagnosis is clear to me. We'll have to find someone more adequate.”

With these words, I continued to search another working terminal on the ship. But just a couple of minutes later I got an incoming call. As I took it, I saw a pretty woman whose face bore the stamp of age. Eldar did not age in principle, but experience and centuries of life affected the expression of their faces. Mirak was aware of such effects, so that his memory stored the signs by which it was possible to distinguish a young Eldar from a thousand-year-old sage.

"My name is Janna Arienal.” – Elder introduced herself. - "Did you want offer help to us?"

“Yes. I think I can help you.”

"I had visions that some power from outside would offer help to us. You are not an Eldar, are you?” – Seer’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm not an Eldar." - After all, I have a complete copy of the Eldar's memory, so I know their culture and traditions. - "But at the same time, I am much more than just an Eldar. My power is enough to save you... on certain conditions.”

“What are these conditions?” - Suspicion in Arienal's gaze has increased.

"I propose to discuss it face to face. How can I get on your ship?

"The only way is to travel through the Webway. But now it is captured by the tyranids and Warp daemons, so nothing living can pass through it.”

"What about the non-living?" – I interested. - "For example, a tyranid's corpse?"

"Yes, you can send us the tyranid's corpse.” - The seer agreed. - "But what will be the benefit of that?”

“It has big benefit. Then, prepare a platform for the opening of the portal, and I'll find a suitable corpse.”

I switch off the connection and headed to the lower floors of the tower. During my research, I had encountered several dozen tyranids, so it was not difficult to find a suitable corpse. I took the chitin-covered leg and put on it the Hiraishin label. After that, all I had to do was stuff the 'gift' into a shipping container and dial the address of the exit gate on the portal. A passage opened in the arch of the Webway, where I threw the container. Then it had to fly on its own on the Webway and get to the portal associated with Yanden.

Fifteen minutes later, I felt returning of Hiraishin's label from the Webway space to normal three-dimensional reality, and then my shadow clone jumped to the mark. He found himself in a room with walls of psi-bone that didn't even have doors leading out. But there were enough weapons to dust someone like a high daemon. However, my clone did not linger in this uncomfortable room, and slipped through the wall towards the cluster of living creatures. There my clone saw Janna Arienal herself. After that, all I had to do was read the coordinates of this place and open the stargate portal through which I passed.

“Greetings, Janna.” - I said, walking forward. Eldars present here pointed their weapons at me, but I didn't pay attention to them. Such farts can’t scare me.

“Mirak Ultran...” - The seer drawled with some confusion in her voice. - "That's not your real name, is it?"

"You can call me Atman if you're more comfortable." - I grinned, studying her closely.

“Atman... So, what do you want offer to us?”

"How about reviving your race, ridding you of the threat of Slaanesh and all the other Chaos Gods, and personal immortality in the bargain?"

"Sounds like some kind of pre-election speech." - The seer smirked impassively.

“But unlike politicians, I can fulfill my promises.”

“What will be the price?”

“Your Craftworld will go to the universe of another game, where it will help me to defeat the evil forces. After that, the entire galaxy will be at your disposal.”

I didn't accidentally mention the game. After all, in front of me was a game figure, on the soul of which stood already familiar to me the mark of the victim. And the parasite in my soul was suspiciously mesmerizing.

“Are you offering me to join to another game?” - Arienal was surprised.

“Yes. It doesn't look like you have a chance of winning this game.” - I nodded.

"It's a bit of fun, but to win I need to completely restore Yanden. So, if you keep your promise, I'll be the winner.”

"Well, then you will give me Eldars knowledge that you have accumulated over the course of your existence as compensate.”

"You're asking too much, stranger!” - One of the Eldars who accompanied the prophetess came forward.

"Calm down, Iriel.” - Arienal answered to him. - "Don't push away a stretched hand of help. As for the price, all our knowledge was useless against Slaanesh. So, as much as it is sad to admit, the value of this knowledge is not comparable to the knowledge that will allow us to get rid of the threat from the Gods of Chaos.”

"If he has any such knowledge." - Iriel interfered into the conversation again.

“Are you ready to sign a contract with me?” - Arienal continued her speech.

“Of course. A full contract, certified by the Game's Judge.”

“What is the game?” - The brazen upstart didn't let up.

"Prince Iriel! Shut up.” - The seer besieged him. - "This question is beyond your comprehension.”

“No! I'm not going to keep quiet! We had an incomprehensible stranger on the ship, and you immediately promised him to reveal all our secrets, flattered by his empty words.” - Iriel shouted.

"You're the only one who's throwing around empty words.” - I said scornfully. - "What's the use of your yapping? Or for the sake of preserving your 'great secrets' are you willing to sacrifice the lives of all your comrades? Ready to give up the future of your race?”

Eldar sneered, squired at me, and turned to Arienal, completely ignoring my presence.

"Do whatever you want, but remember that I am against it!"

With these words, he proudly threw up his head and left the room. I snorted for such a tantrum and began to discuss the terms of the contract in a substantive way.

The following conditions were determined as a result of the trade. They will give me access to all the scientific knowledge of Eldar and taught the possession of psionic power. I'm helping the Eldars to rebuild their numbers and clean up the Craftworld from the tyranids. I also protect their souls from the influence of Slaanesh, and after the conditions for Arienal's victory have been reached, I will teleport the Craftworld into the universe of the Mass Effect. And there the Eldars will help me to fight Reaper.

After the contract was signed and approved, the seer asked me.

"So how are you going to protect us from Slaanesh?"