Book excerpt: With the hordes of Chaos marshalling in the north and the Emperor lost, it falls to Reiksmarshal Kurt Helborg to prepare to meet the forces of the Ruinous Powers. The End Times are coming. With the hordes of Chaos marshalling in the north, Emperor Karl Franz leads his armies in defence of his realm. But when the worst happens and the Emperor is lost, it falls to Reiksmarshal Kurt Helborg to return to Altdorf, capital of the Empire, and prepare to meet the forces of the Ruinous Powers in a final battle for that ancient city. As plague spreads and the defences weaken, all seems lost, until help arrives from a most unexpected source... if Helborg can bring himself to accept it.