VentUnbearable cold surrounds your body. Clenching your teeth and fists, you take a step. And another. The air is thick with ice crystals that burn your lungs and skin, but you close the distance separating you and reach Heinrix's side.
VentThe Interrogator's eyes have turned glassy, blind to you and the pieces on the board — he is staring into eternity instead. His hands and face are frozen, as though the moisture in his body has turned to ice.
YOU"Heinrix... I don't sense the presence of the open warp. Only your powers. You are killing yourself."
VentHeinrix laughs under his breath. "No. I'm protecting you. The warp-ice... is a physical manifestation of my sorcery. I am trying to hold back the breach. And the more I try, the stronger the ice becomes. That's good. It should. I'll become a block of ice if it lets me keep you safe."
YOU"Heinrix... I don't sense the presence of the open warp. Only your powers. You are killing yourself."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I want to help you. Just tell me how."
Vent"Help..." The word seems to pull Heinrix out of his trance for a moment — his entire body flinches. "Yes. I remember. I came here... because only you can help me. Only you, [Name]."
VentSlowly, very slowly, the otherworldly chill begins to retreat from the air around you. A flicker of life appears in Heinrix's face — his eyelids blink in exhaustion, he pulls a ragged breath in past his blue lips, and violent tremors wrack his body. "[Name]? What... happened?"
YOU"I found you here in the middle of the night. You almost killed yourself."
VentHeinrix's eyes scan the room. "I remember. I remember being on the deck... the officer... the breach..." He stares back at you. "And I remember that out of all the places on the ship, I came here. To you."
Vent(sequence)
Vent"Your words have been rolling around inside my head... about choice, duty, what to do with my life. I don't know if it's weakness or a spiritual defect, but I..." Heinrix pauses, struggling to find the words. "I don't want to give up the short span I have left serving people who squander our lives like coins."
YOU"The Imperium is not worth your life. Stay with me — we will be happy."
VentHeinrix takes your hands in his. "I did not know what happiness was until I held you for the first time. Either of us could die at any moment... and I don't want to spend any of the time before that moment apart from you. I'm leaving the Inquisition. I swear my eternal loyalty to you, [Name]."
end of branch
YOU"Don't throw away your life's work. We will find a way to be together — at least some of the time."
VentHeinrix is silent for a few seconds. "I was assigned to look into your activities and statements to try to find traces of heresy... and now you are showing me how to be a true citizen of the Imperium. We will find a way."
end of branch
YOU"You decide. I refuse to take on this responsibility."
VentHeinrix takes your hands in his. "I did not know what happiness was until I held you for the first time. Either of us could die at any moment... and I don't want to spend any of the time before that moment apart from you. I'm leaving the Inquisition. I swear my eternal loyalty to you, [Name]."continues where this line first appears above
VentHeinrix takes your hands in his. "I did not know what happiness was until I held you for the first time. Either of us could die at any moment... and I don't want to spend any of the time before that moment apart from you. I'm leaving the Inquisition. I swear my eternal loyalty to you, [Name]."
end of branch
Vent"[Name]..." Heinrix slowly stands. It is obviously a struggle for him. "You are incredible... You showed me what the world can be when your heart beats in unison with another's. You... saved me from myself. I love you."
YOU"I love you too."
VentHeinrix draws you to him. His hands are still cold and his body is shaking slightly. "Together. We're together. That is all I need."
end of branch
YOU"I love you. Now let me call the healers."
VentHeinrix laughs weakly. "Just give me a minute. Just let me hold you first..." He stretches out his still-cold arms and pulls you to him.
end of branch
YOU"It took you almost freezing to death to drag the words out of you, did it?"
VentHeinrix laughs weakly, tugging you close. "Stop. Come here."
end of branch
YOU"I'll call the healers."
Vent"No. No, wait. I'm fine. Relatively."
VentHeinrix's eyes scan the room. "I remember. I remember being on the deck... the officer... the breach..." He stares back at you. "And I remember that out of all the places on the ship, I came here. To you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Embrace Heinrix] "Wake up."
YOU[Take Heinrix's hand] "I'm here. Do you hear me? Look at me."
YOU[Let Heinrix freeze to death] "Stop the pain. Finish what you started."
Vent"Finish... what... I started... Stop..." Heinrix's voice grows weaker. The ice creeps up his body, covering him entirely, encasing his chest, shoulders, and arms... with a rasping sigh, the Interrogator goes still forever, his glassy eyes staring into empty space and a small, almost happy smile on his face.
end of branch
YOU[Kill Heinrix]
VentOne shot, and the Interrogator jerks, falling back against the seat. Immediately, the room begins to warm up and the ice and frost melt away to nothing before your eyes.
end of branch
YOU"I want to help you. Just tell me how."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Embrace Heinrix] "Wake up."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Take Heinrix's hand] "I'm here. Do you hear me? Look at me."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Let Heinrix freeze to death] "Stop the pain. Finish what you started."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 2 of 7
VentThe closer you move toward Heinrix, the more the cold intensifies — your hands begin to shake, your fingers cramp, and the skin of your face begins to burn as frost spreads across it. Gasping from the cold, you force your stiffening legs to stagger toward Heinrix.
VentThe Interrogator's eyes have turned glassy, blind to you and the pieces on the board — he is staring into eternity instead. His hands and face are frozen, as though the moisture in his body has turned to ice.continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 3 of 7
VentTouching Heinrix's frozen body is painful. It feels as if you are embracing a block of ice. Steeling yourself, you wrap your arms around him.
VentIt seems like an eternity passes. Suddenly you realise that breathing no longer burns your lungs, and the body beneath your hands is becoming more yielding, as if thawed blood is flowing through his veins. You hear a ragged, tortured gasp: "[Name]? What... happened?"
YOU"I found you here in the middle of the night. You almost killed yourself."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'll call the healers."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 4 of 7
VentYou can barely touch his frozen body. The unbearable cold burns your skin and, after lasting only a few seconds, you stumble back.
YOU"Heinrix... I don't sense the presence of the open warp. Only your powers. You are killing yourself."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I want to help you. Just tell me how."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Embrace Heinrix] "Wake up."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Take Heinrix's hand] "I'm here. Do you hear me? Look at me."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Let Heinrix freeze to death] "Stop the pain. Finish what you started."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 5 of 7
VentHeinrix's hand is icy and stiff — and yet you feel the barest squeeze of his fingers around yours in response. Slowly, seemingly with great effort, Heinrix turns his head and lifts his eyes to yours. You see a shadow of recognition in that gaze.
VentSlowly, very slowly, the otherworldly chill begins to retreat from the air around you. A flicker of life appears in Heinrix's face — his eyelids blink in exhaustion, he pulls a ragged breath in past his blue lips, and violent tremors wrack his body. "[Name]? What... happened?"continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 6 of 7
VentThe Interrogator's hand is icy and stiff. He does not seem to hear you — his gaze remains distant.
YOU"Heinrix... I don't sense the presence of the open warp. Only your powers. You are killing yourself."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I want to help you. Just tell me how."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Embrace Heinrix] "Wake up."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Take Heinrix's hand] "I'm here. Do you hear me? Look at me."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Let Heinrix freeze to death] "Stop the pain. Finish what you started."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 7 of 7
VentIce covers the floor, walls, and objects in the dimly lit room. The air in the study is cold — your breath forms clouds of vapour in the air. At the epicentre of the icy emanations is Heinrix, slumped in one of the chairs next to the regicide board.
VentThe Interrogator stares at the playing pieces, immersed in thought, and the hand resting at his jaw is shaking. Heinrix looks as though he has been drained of blood: the veins on his face stand out starkly against his pallid skin, and his cuff and collar glitter with a fringe of hoarfrost.
YOU[Step closer]
VentAs soon as you take a step, your body is gripped in a prickling vice of unbearable cold. You see ice crystals beginning to snake up Heinrix's legs. He makes the barest motion with his hand: "Don't come any closer. I am dangerous right now. I am trying to stave off a breach, but I could still hurt you."
YOU[Step closer]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Heinrix? What is happening?"
VentHeinrix lets out a mournful laugh, moving one of the pieces on the board. "The inevitable. A breach. A slip-up. The sorcerous powers have overridden my training and discipline. I snapped. I lashed out and..."
VentHe gulps down air with obvious effort. "I killed someone. It was not planned, and I had no good reason. A junior officer came to me with some idiotic issue... and I snapped. I let the powers get the better of me. He didn't even have time to cry out."
VentYou watch the ice around his legs begin to spread: it encases his knees, twisting in garlands of ice around the legs of the table and chair. "The breach is ongoing. Warp corruption is pouring off me. I am holding it back... as much as I can."
YOU"Whom did you kill? When?"
Vent"A junior officer... What stripes was he wearing? I can't remember. It happened an hour ago or thereabouts. I couldn't sleep, so I decided to do something to occupy myself... I went to the place where I'd seen the marks last time..." Heinrix breaks off, taking in ragged gulps of air once more.
YOU"Whom did you kill? When?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You are not yourself."
Vent"Not myself, no... No matter what move we make, it will lead to people getting hurt. Commorragh. Achilleas. Emelina..." Heinrix falls silent for several seconds. "Xavier. What was he hiding on Eufrates? What game was he playing, unbeknownst to his own acolytes?"
VentHis voice becomes ragged, as though he is not getting enough air. "If I'd paid more attention, had more self-control... but no. I allowed myself to be distracted. I thought that I... that you... that we wouldn't get in the way of my mission. My work. But instead... I allowed myself to lose focus. You supplanted everything that once fully occupied my mind."
Vent"Zugzwang, [Name]. Every... subsequent... move puts me in an even worse position. Me... and the people I'm supposed to protect."
YOU"Whom did you kill? When?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You are not yourself."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Approach Heinrix]
YOU[Kill Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Approach Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"You are not yourself."continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Approach Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Heinrix? What is happening?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU[Kill Heinrix]continues where this line first appears above