“No place will be safe for my people.”

Felix felt a thrill of fear. The last thing anybody in the human lands wanted was a full-scale invasion by the followers of the Ruinous Powers. They were numberless and powerful, and Felix suspected, after what he had seen in these Wastes, that only their constant internecine fighting kept them from sweeping away human civilisation.
“Good. I could use a decent fight,” Gotrek said.
“I would have thought you’d had enough of that recently,” Felix said sourly.
“There’s never enough fighting for a Slayer, Felix Jaeger,” said Borek. “You should know that by now.”
“Unfortunately I do.” A new worry entered Felix’s mind, one he knew he had been trying to keep out all day. “If they invade, the Chaos hordes will come through the AxebitePass.”
“What of it, manling?”
“Ivan Straghov’s mansion is right in their path.”
“Then we had best hurry on and warn them, hadn’t we?”

Excitement and tension filled Felix’s mind. They were through the pass. The land of Kislev lay before them. In hours he would see Ulrika again. He felt more nervous than he cared to admit. As nervous as he had ever been before a battle, perhaps more so. He wondered if she would be as pleased to see him as he was going to be to see her. He wondered what she would say, what he would say, what she would be wearing. He shook his head. He knew he was behaving like a schoolboy with a crush, yet he could not help himself. It had been a long time since he had felt this way about anyone. Not since the death of Kirsten at Fort von Diehl, which seemed like years ago. It was a pity that he had to be bringing such bad tidings.
He placed the spyglass to his eye and scanned the horizon, hoping for a first glimpse of the mansion, and was rewarded with a view of what he thought was the mooring tower. Soon, he thought, soon.
“Looking forward to being back?” said a voice from beside him. Felix looked down at Varek. The young dwarf was looking at him with something uncomfortably like hero worship. Felix had no idea why. Varek had shared in all the perils of the descent into Karag Dum Felix had faced and had done his part to bring their quest to a successful conclusion. There was no reason for him to idolise Felix but it was apparent that he did. Varek wore a leather helmet and flying goggles. Makaisson had been teaching him how to fly a gyrocopter on the return trip. He had just come back from a flight, Felix realised.
“Course young Felix is,” said Snorri Nosebiter. “Even Snorri can see that. He’s going to see his lady friend.”
Snorri winked across at Felix knowingly. It was not a reassuring sight.