ben-j-man - Tumblr blog

ben-j-man · 3 years ago

Text

Secret War: Upon Blood Sands Chapter 25

Link to chapter 1- http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/180097372453/secret-war-chapter-1

After his organization is hired to hunt down an influential ganger on the Hive world, Omnartus. Attelus Kaltos is embroiled deeper into the complex world of the Assassin. This is the job which will change him, for better or for worse, forever more.

‘I am not a partier; I am an assassin who kills people for a living. And being the dangerous job it is and that I would quite like to live past my twenties, I spend every waking hour for training. Making sure I have the necessary skills to live to see the next day.’ -Attelus Kaltos Bursting from the seams with action, intrigue, suspense and full of twists and turns. With a character driven narrative which delves deep into the mind torn asunder by war as he tries to find purpose in the grim-dark universe of 40k where there is only war.

A Sanction for Sanity: Chapter 1 link a prequel

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/181441697383/secret-war-a-sanction-for-sanity-chapter-1

Link to Upon Blood Sands Chapter 1:

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/183400509673/secret-war-upon-blood-sands-chapter-1

"The Elbyrans have visual of the enemy!" said the vox man. "They are converging from the east and south-east!"

Jelket listened without a word; he didn't have to ask 'how many' the shaking of the sands beneath his feet was answer enough already.

Too many.

He looked to Dantian, who walked alongside him, trying to read the captain's response, but his expression was blank.

"Get me a line to the commissar," said Dantian.

"Yes, sir!" said the voxman as he set to work.

"What are you going to do, Dantian?" said Jelket, unable to keep the frown from his face.

Dantian smiled. "We will go south, then turn north and attack the Resurrected on their flank."

Jelket frowned. "That's going to take a long frigging time for us to advance that far."

"I know," said Dantian. "But what are we going to do? Just advance onto their back and join the line?"

"But if they get surrounded-"

"Then we'll open up a way for them to reach the objective," said Dantian. "Tell me, Throne Agent, what rank were you in the guard?"

Jelket clenched his teeth. "Trooper."

Dantian spat on the blood sands. "So let me call the damn shots; I know my tactics. Believe it or not."

"Sir! I have a line to the commissar," said the vox trooper. "They have engaged."

"Good, give it," said Dantian as he snatched the horn from his grasp.

"Commissar?"

"Captain Dantian wishes to speak to you," said Vark, handing Tathe the Vox horn.

The Elbyrans were advancing, jogging to gain as much ground as possible before being forced into a slow, dogged city fight. Tathe hated city fights; most sane soldiers did.

"Yes, captain, what is it?"

Dantain's reply was washed out by static.

"Dantian!" he yelled. "I cannot read you! Repeat!"

Still more static.

Tathe spat a curse and fought the urge to throw it on the ground. He was tired, tired beyond ever before; it was making him short-fused. He rubbed his eyes.

"Dantian? Dantian?"

Dantian seemed to straighten before starting to explain his plan to Tathe.

"Yes, commissar, understood and thank you," said the captain; once done, then he motioned for the vox trooper to cut the link.

"I take it that he agreed, then?" said Jelket.

Dantian smiled. "Yes, yes, he did."

Attelus clenched his jaw while watching the street below. He hated waiting; he always hated waiting.

Impatience was one of his many flaws, But was it actually a flaw when he was aware of it? That despite it, he could still manage it?

One thing that was a flaw was his in-experience in using explosives; that's why he was watching out for the enemy instead of setting them up.

Attelus' vox bead beeped, and in less than a split second, he activated it. "Yes, Adelana?"

"No sign of any enemy noticing us, yet," she said. While Attelus watched the north side, she kept an eye on the south. "They seem too intent on attacking the Elbyrans to advance carefully."

Attelus grimaced. "Let's just hope our luck keeps it that way. But I wouldn't underestimate them that freak general Tathe seems to know everything that's going on."

"I...I wasn't talking about them; I meant your father's group. They're still out there; how do we know they won't try to capture us again?"

Attelus frowned; why hadn't he considered that? "We don't keep an eye out and-"

He was interrupted by another vox call, so he switched channels.

"This is south building," said Dellenger. "The bombs have been planted."

"This is north building," said Hayden. "The explosives are ready."

"Good work," said Adreen.

Attelus was on his feet, turning, las gun raised, then aimed at Adreen, who stood only two metres away, her finger pressed to her microbead.

"By the Emperor, sergeant!" he cried.

Adreen sneered. "Start the timers, then get to the roof."

'Yes, ma'am!'s' echoed through the link.

That was the plan: to bomb the buildings then rendezvous with the rest of the contingent.

It didn't feel like years, but centuries, lifetimes ago.

"What are you doing?" Adreen snapped, smashing Attelus back into reality. "Stop standing around daydreaming. Get moving!"

"Y-yes ma'am!" he said, and they started toward the stairs.

"When we get to the roof, I think you and your girlfriend should go east."

"What? Why?"

"Because our objective is the tower if you and her go alone, you might-"

"No."

They came to the staircase, and Adelana joined them in the descent.

"What do you mean, no?" said Adreen, her jaw twitching.

"Well, for a few reasons, ma'am. We don't know what may lurk in the city's depths, and my father and his agents might be waiting to ambush us; it'd be easier for them to capture me again if we go it alone, but most of all..."

"Most of all?"

"I won't abandon you; we won't abandon you. We'll fight with you to the last."

Adreen smiled and shrugged. "Okay, I see your point, young man. It seems like you aren't just pretty face."

Adelana and Attelus stopped. Adelana gaped while Attelus fell into stammering idiocy.

The scout-sergeant laughed, leaving them behind. "Oh, thank you. I haven't laughed like that in years."

Attelus and Adelana turned to each other, then exchanged wide smiles.

"Hey, stop your mucking around!" said Adreen, over her shoulder. "There's a literal ticking time bomb in here, you know?"

It caused them to jump and start running after her.

"Don't let that go to your head, Attelus," said Adelana.

Attelus grinned. "It isn't anything I've heard countless times before, Adelana."

Adelana sighed but in amusement. "You're such an ass."

"Perhaps," he sighed. "But you're not arguing it, though."

She smiled.

Hunched beneath their cameleoline cloaks, they jogged back to the main force. The horde was still far behind them, but their hooting, roaring and jeering were clear in Adelana's ears.

It caused her ears to thud and her eyes to tingle in sympathy.

Cold pain clutched her heart. She'd never been in such a large scale battle before. It was going to be insane. Every small skirmish she'd fought were terrifying, chaotic. She was always scared; over the years, she'd hoped the fear would go away, but if anything, it'd just got worse. But Adelana had gotten better at fighting it, keeping it at bay.

No one knew about this, not even Attelus. She hid it; she'd always been good at hiding her emotions, even before receiving training in it.

Maybe she was failing at fighting it when it came to Attelus? That-

She shook away the thought.

The Elbyrans were getting closer and closer to Tathe and his 'command squad at their head. They were about ten metres away when Adreen ordered the scouts to drop their cloaks.

The scouts seemed to phase into reality, while Attelus, who walked alongside her, wasn't nearly as ghost-like. She'd always admired Attelus' skill at stealth, but every Velrosian scout seemed to make him look like an amateur.

"Good to have you back," said Tathe, smiling at Adreen. "We can all die together now."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," said Adreen.

Then the explosives went off, and despite knowing it was happening, both Attelus and Adelana couldn't help flinch and look over their shoulders. But Adreen and the other scouts didn't even blink.

Dozens of the Resurrected had advanced far enough to get caught in the explosions and the flying debris. Then followed the yawning, screaming of the buildings tipping as they fell on countless others.

Attelus and Adelana were so involved with watching the destruction: they would've walked into someone if the Elbyran's deafening, collective cheer hadn't forced their attentions forward to fall in step with Tathe and the others.

"What's wrong with you?" said Tathe, and his smile spread into a grin. "I thought cool guys don't look at explosions?"

Attelus and Adelana shared a glance.

"What?" said Attelus, and Adelana had never heard him so bewildered.

Tathe's grin disappeared. "What, what?"

"What did you just say?" said Attelus.

"I didn't say anything; I have no idea what you're on about," said Tathe, with confusing, almost eclipsing Attelus' and Adelana's own.

"Get your damn heads together," said Adreen. "The commissar didn't say anything. We're about to engage."

"Of course," said Attelus facing forward, las gun raised, and Adelana readied her bolter.

A second after the bellowing, screaming Resurrected emerged through the smoke and fire, over the debris. Bashing against the ground or anything near in obvious challenge. The intensity seemed to shake the very air as the entire horde which reached all the way to the city's centre did it?

Commissar Tathe raised his sword.

The Resurrected fell into a charge, their feet shaking the blood sands like never before.

A rather disturbing smile grew across the handsome commissar's face, with slow deliberateness.

"None of you ever stop damn advancing!" Tathe said with a slash. "For Elbyra! For the Emperor! Open fire!"

Adelana didn't hesitate, and neither did Attelus. A disciplined wave of las fire erupted from the Elbyrans front line slaughtering countless Resurrected; many vaporised from the hips upward, such was the intensity.

More burst from the south and north streets, pouring through like a wave.

They were cut down the same as the ones before. Adelana fired, but she wasn't sure who she killed.

Firing his laspistol, Tathe led the advance, with Adreen and Dellenger on his flanks as they shot their las guns from the hip. His sword still raised high like one of those heroes of legend throughout the long history of the Imperium of Mankind. Attelus was the history buff so that he could draw a comparison, but Adelana struggled, but Tathe's presence inspired her, drove her to follow, to fight harder.

Attelus seemed even more driven, his eyes ablaze with determination. It took all her will to tear her gaze from him, but even without looking, she could hit an enemy.

It was then that the Guardsmen of the Resurrected emerged into view, dozens of them, using the rubble as makeshift cover. Their fire cut a swathe through the Elbyrans. One shot past less than a millimetre by Adelana's head and through the chest of the guardsman behind her.

"I've got this!" said Attelus over the vox as he drew his power sword and activated it in a blaze of blue. "Cover me!"

Without waiting for a reply, he exploded into a charge. A few hapless cultists were in his path and tried to cut him down and were sliced into ribbons for their efforts.

In a few seconds, he crossed what must've been a good fifteen metres, slowed by dodging and deflecting the hail of las fire firing his way and killing any cultist that charged him.

He fell upon them and began slaughtering. Adelana didn't bother trying to follow it; she knew her vision could barely follow his movements.

They emerged into the cross junction, and the cultists emerging from the side streets finally managed to get into close combat.

Adelana was forced to throw herself from a swinging meat cleaver before someone behind her put a round through his skull. She switched her bolter to burst fire and exploded the skull of one, then the chest of another. One with a huge bayonet blade threw himself at her; she battered it aside with her bolter, then bashed the butt into his jaw, breaking it in a crack so loud it managed to eclipse the chaos around. She knelt, allowing for las fire from behind to send his corpse writhing and falling littered by las.

Beside Adelana, a Velrosian fell as a cultist impaled him through the hip. Another, a Marangerian took his place, killing the cultist with a point-blank shot in the face. At the same time, two guardsmen helped up their injured comrade.

"You're good, little girl," said the Marangerian while impaling another's throat in mid charge. "Wish I had one of those bolters!"

"Well," said Adelana as she cut down three with another burst of her bolter. "I did learn from the best."

She caught a glimpse of Attelus through the melee; his blade was a bloody blur as he killed his way back to the Elbyrans.

"Indeed!" said the Marangerian while stabbing a cultist through the chin. "Never see any human move like that besides those freaks under the Inquisitor!"

He cut down another cultist with a horizontal swing before blasting down an enemy guardsman.

Even with their front line locked in close combat with the servants of the blood god, the Elbyrans still gained ground. Adelana's admiration for them grew even more.

Adelana smiled as she exploded the head of another with a bolt round. Then she saw Tathe amongst it, and her jaw dropped slack.

He wasn't nearly as quick as Attelus, but that made his ability all the more impressive as his power sword danced and darted, cutting down cultist after cultist with inhuman ease. As Adreen and Dellenger bashed and stabbed with their lasguns. Dellenger was almost effective as Tathe despite wielding a far inferior weapon as he spun, thrust and smashed it with incredible grace and skill.

Just behind them was Delathasi, whose monomolecular blade was coated in gore and blood, bisecting enemies with such speed they were in mid-cut down midway through their cuts.

Torris' shotgun barked and barked, sending cultist after cultist writhing, flying. Helma's, Vark's and Jelket's Hell guns seemed to stream into the horde, cutting down more enemies than anyone else. Vark monitoring vox traffic at the same time.

Verenth's pistols shot again and again, through and over the close combat: killing enemy guardsmen trying to gain an angle on the Elbyrans or leave cover.

Meanwhile, Karmen's bolter detonated body part after body part as her kine shields sent enemy shots deflecting back into their midst. It seemed she no longer had trouble wielding her power, a fact which Adelana was truly grateful.

Halsin was in the middle of the advance, riding inside a truck along with the remaining Elbyran medicaes, trying their best to attend to the injured.

All this time, Adelana had exploded enemy after enemy as the nameless Marangerian guardsman beside her embedded his bayonet in many too. He didn't have the proficiency of Dellenger, but he more than made up for it being bigger and brutal. All the Marangerian men seemed huge for some reason.

"What is your name, little girl?" he said, cracking the skull of a cultist with the butt of his rifle.

"Adelana," she said as her bolter clicked dry, so allowed a Despasian to move past to reload. "Yours?"

"Trooper Falmak! Don't know how long your ammunition for that bolter will last, Adelana!"

Adelana pursed her lips as she slammed a fresh clip home. She still had fifteen clips left, and Darrance was waiting in orbit to re-supply them.

"A while yet," she said.

"Good! After this, you'll have to give ma a shell! Y'know! For good luck! And in exchange, I'll buy ya a drink! Or twenty."

Attelus emerged from the press of enemies and joined the front line between Falmak and the Despasian. Attelus treating trooper Falmak with a piercing glare as he did.

Adelana couldn't help but grin.

After what seemed an age, the cultists in close combat were pushed back. Freeing the front line from the melee allowing the Elbyrans to pick up their pace to a slightly faster crawl.

Attelus had sheathed his sword and unslung his lasgun, and fired it from the hip alongside Adelana.

"Life signs!" bellowed Hayden over the vox. "In the buildings, the other side of the street, left and right."

Almost as if the enemy heard him, shots burst from the windows of the three-story and four-story hab blocks emerging from the blood sands, cutting into the Elbryan ranks or smashing off Karmen's shield.

"Missile launchers take care of that!" said Tathe.

Almost immediately, streams flew over Adelana's head and exploded into the buildings, collapsing rooms in deluges of rockcrete, and the shooting stopped.

The Elbyrans advanced through the cross junction, pushing the enemy back.

Adelana looked up from her shooting to the street before them, which spread for miles until it found the tower. It was full of Resurrected.

One block down, only a shit ton more to go. By the end, they'd be dry of ammunition and exhausted. That was the only guarantee; Adelana knew in any split second she could lose her life; that was what caused the thundering in her chest and her ears.

But by the Emperor, after seeing the people of Attelus' and Seleen's homeworld fight. Adelana knew they deserved the praise they got, and then some. They were going to reach the tower no matter what resistance they met or how long it took—no matter if and when they were reduced to using only their fists and bayonets.

Adelana just hoped she'd live long enough to see to the end of this road.

1 note · View note

ben-j-man · 3 years ago

Text

Secret War: Upon Blood Sands Chapter 24

Link to chapter 1- http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/180097372453/secret-war-chapter-1

A Sanction for Sanity: Chapter 1 link a prequel

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/181441697383/secret-war-a-sanction-for-sanity-chapter-1

Link to Upon Blood Sands Chapter 1:

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/183400509673/secret-war-upon-blood-sands-chapter-1

Attelus, Delathasi, Adelana and Hayden left the fortress with the Velrosian scouts. The sun had started to creep into the cloudless, beautiful blue sky. It wasn't the ideal time to stealth ahead of the rest of the contingent. But still, they sunk from the deep, long shadows shed by the tall towers that loomed around.

Attelus, who carried an old, beaten but well-maintained lasgun given to him by the Velrosians, struggled to keep up with them. Attelus had always prided his skill at stealth. He wouldn't have survived in the ruins of Varander if he wasn't good. He was one of the best among Inquisitor Enandra's agents. Perhaps the best. Attelus sunk and slipped through the city like born spectres. But the Velrosians didn't seem there; they seemed...almost non-existent.

There were twenty of them, including the four Throne Agents. They moved in two pairs per street from the west. Attelus and Adelana were with Adreen and Dellenger on the northernmost street. One pair would advance, one scout along each side of the street, stop at a turn or a four-way junction while the others followed a few metres behind. They moved at a pseudo jog, low with their cameleoline cloaks covering them. The first pair's weapons covered the windows and doors. Left and right, up and down. Left and right, up and down. As the second scout's guns swept side to side while they watched the street ahead. The first would check the corner or corners at the end of each street, Signal the all-clear via three vox taps, then the next pair would take point, while the last covered their advance.

They communicated almost exclusively through vox taps. Although the throne agents wore their re-breathers, allowing them to speak without being heard at a flick of a switch.

Hayden also had his Auspex again, so he and Delathasi moved through the middle street.

About half a kilometre behind, the rest of the Elbyran contingent moved, and about a kilometre behind them were the Sovrithans in support.

Reconnaissance at the head of an army in a battle zone was different than moving alone, in a pair or a small group of infiltrators. It was a new experience for Attelus; it took a huge amount of concentration, patience and discipline. Every inch, everything needed to be checked and double-checked. The ache which echoed through his thighs was hard to ignore; it caused Attleus to grit his teeth. Adreen had given him and the others a quick briefing before they left, and Attelus found he and Adelana were taking to it quite quickly. But the pressure of such responsibility was intense. If Attelus, or anyone, missed even the slightest detail, the Elbyran contingent could walk right into an ambush.

The enemy, the Resurrected, weren't to be underestimated. Especially since Attelus learned they could seem to appear from out of nowhere.

Attelus flinched as his vox bead beeped; he growled through gritted teeth but still accepted it.

"Adelana! What do you want?"

"About Hayden."

Attelus sighed. "Adelana, I thought we went over this already."

"We did. But..."

"But what, Adelana?"

"You still seem to trust him, Attelus."

"I do trust him, Adelana."

There was a long pause, and Attelus fought the urge to cut the link.

"What if he does something...You know, Attelus?"

"He won't. He's angry, Adelana. But he won't allow himself to be controlled by it. And in all honesty, his anger is justified. I have made many mistakes since we've made planetfall. Hell, I made a lot even before then."

"I-I don't think you have," she said, and Attelus almost slipped to a stop in surprise. "I think you've done all right, considering the things that happened. One thing I think I...We forget is that despite your...abilities, you are still human. A human who's burdened with more than any of us could imagine...How?"

"How, what?"

"How...How do you manage to keep going?"

Attelus shrugged, even though Adelana couldn't see it. "I just do."

Another long pause.

"Hayden thinks he should've been leader in your place."

"I know."

"Do you think so?"

Attelus thought about that, but the answer didn't take long. "No. I think if anyone else should've been in charge, it should've been Karmen or Helma. Hayden isn't exactly a people person."

And neither am I, he thought.

"I don't think so," said Adelana. "I think no one but you should've been put in charge. If you weren't in charge, we'd still be in the warp, back in the Calixis Sector or Emperor knows where else."

"Yes, but that's what my father and Etuarq wanted," said Attelus. "I should've seen it. I should've known."

"Again, Attelus. You're only human-"

"But I am meant to be a master assassin, Adelana. I should've performed better. Please stop trying to make me feel better because, in all honesty, I'm fine. I made mistakes, and I'm owning them. That's what I have to do; I learned that a long time ago. Thank you, though, Adelana. I appreciate it. Now, stop this. We've got to concentrate."

"Understood, master," she said, then cut the link.

The urge to bring back the link exploded through him. He needed to tell her he loved her. But he fought it, fought it with every ounce of his strength. Even if he didn't believe she'd say no, now wasn't the time. Now would be the worst time.

It was the first time she'd ever called him 'master.'

And it was the last.

Tathe walked at the head of the advance. Power sword in his right, laspistol in his left, both held at his sides in exaggerated confidence. With him was his makeshift command squad made of most of the Inquisition agents. The ex-captain Helma. The gunslinger, Verenth. Vark the Stormtrooper who carried the long-range vox. The medicae, Halsin. And the sanctioned psyker: Karmen Kons. It'd been Attelus' idea. Most of the Elbyran command staff had either been killed or turned, and they'd figured it'd be better than transferring junior offices from their squads. Despite Torris and Helma still recovering from their injuries.

Tathe had barely any time to get to know them before they'd left, but Karmen Kons had explained their abilities and temperaments via mind-speak. If even half of what she claimed was true, each one was almost a frigging army by themselves.

The Elbyrans walked the same five streets the scouts had checked. Tensions were high. Lasguns covered every inch of everything. They'd left the base without bothering to pack their tents and no garrison to defend it. This was the end, this was where they would win, or they would die.

A realisation hit him. One which he should've seen a long time ago. This was how it was always going to end. He'd clung to the idea of rescue, that somehow Tolbik and his ilk would get him and his men off this cursed world.

How foolishly naive of him. Surely he was old enough and ugly enough not even to consider such a thought? Tathe smiled to himself. He was certainly ugly enough, to be sure, and he couldn't help steal a glance at Karmen Kons. She was not hard on the eye that was certain and familiar too.

She caught him in less than an instant, causing him to snap his attention forwards again.

+Eyes forward, commissar.+

The foreign words echoing through his thoughts cause him to shiver. But he couldn't help smile at the obvious playfulness in her tone.

You have dyed your hair.

Karmen smiled. +Attelus told you about me, I remember. I'm not surprised you figured it out.+

I may not be a super, elite Throne Agent, but I managed it, somehow. You being the only woman who somewhat resembles her, kind of gave it away.

+My my, commissar. Your powers of deduction would make Marcel Torris jealous!+

Tathe shrugged and looked to the tall, well built, dark-skinned man walking a few metres to his left. His shotgun raised and ready.

+You know, just before the invasion, I tried to join the scouts. Scout sergeant Adreen was a hero to me.+

Tathe nodded.

+I didn't get in, of course. I nearly did, but I wasn't good enough. I enlisted as a trooper, but my father pulled some strings and made me stay in the PDF.+

He was afraid you'd get killed?

Karmen's eyes narrowed; it wasn't the expression he expected. +I think so.+

Tathe frowned, about to reply.

But that was when the blood sands began to shake.

The scouts felt it a split second before Tathe, and almost as one, they stopped.

"I-I didn't know that Kelitia was on a fault line," said Adelana over the squad channel.

"It isn't," said Attelus.

Then the speakers screeched into ear-piercing life.

"Again!" bellowed general Tathe's voice. "This is your general! And I must say that I am disappointed! I offered you, all of you, a privileged position in the eyes of the true lords and masters, the true gods of this galaxy! But in your foolish ignorance! Your stupidity! Move against me instead? Don't even think I don't know what you are doing! So I will make you. You will join the Resurrected!"

Then like a brackish, black tide, the Resurrected appeared into view. Emerging from the decline of the blood sands.

"By the throne!" gasped one of the scouts.

Adelana couldn't contend a response for a few seconds; they stood and watched as they poured and poured in an unending wave and the shaking of the sands became stronger and stronger.

"So I have gathered them!" said general Tathe. "From all over the planet. It doesn't matter how hard or smart or well, you fight! You will soon die and die badly! Knowing how truly and utterly pointless it is to resist the gods. To resist me!"

"Holy Throne!" said a scout. "What do we do? There's too frigging many!"

"Calm down, Faykel," said Adreen. "Get on the vox. Tell the commissar."

"I-I don't think he needs telling, ma'am!" said Faykel.

"Do it anyway, Faykel. Kaltos? Do you have much explosives?"

It took Adelana a split second to realise that she was addressing Attelus.

"Yes, of course, sergeant, Hayden Tresch is an explosives expert. He has most of it. Why?"

"We're going to collapse some buildings, crushing and funnelling them in," said Adreen. "One to the south, the other north."

"With respect, ma'am-"

"Shut it, Faykel! We're doing this!"

"Then what?" said another scout.

"Prove the good general wrong," said Adreen.

0 notes

ben-j-man · 3 years ago

Text

Secret War: Upon Blood Sands Chapter 23

Link to chapter 1- http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/180097372453/secret-war-chapter-1

A Sanction for Sanity: Chapter 1 link a prequel

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/181441697383/secret-war-a-sanction-for-sanity-chapter-1

Link to Upon Blood Sands Chapter 1:

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/183400509673/secret-war-upon-blood-sands-chapter-1

Adelana's footfalls clanged as she ascended the ramp with Delathasi and Hayden. Verenth and Vark waited for them in the cargo bay.

"Why didn't you shoot?" Hayden bellowed, and Adelana couldn't help flinching. Never had she ever seen him so riled before.

Vark and Verenth exchanged glances. Verenth leaned against one of the bikes, arms folded, while Vark pressed the switch to close the ramp behind Adelana and the others.

"It's good to see you too, Hayden," said Verenth.

"You could have killed them!" said Hayden.

"What? Killed those friggers who were slaughtering through the Velrosians?" said Vark. "Darrance figured we might hit a few, losing any chance to make an alliance. Figured it'd give little Attelus a real hard-on, so he can, y'know."

Verenth sniggered, and Darrance's voice echoed through the ship: "I heard that!"

The assassin walked onto the balcony, frowning down at them.

"That...Was...Serghar...Kaltos and his...allies," said Hayden through clenched teeth. "Who frigging cares if you kill a few guardsmen when you can put down the most dangerous assassin in the Calixis sector!"

Again, Verenth and Vark exchanged glances.

"What?" said Darrance.

"Don't 'what' me, Saderth," said Hayden. "You heard me."

There was a long silence, and it took Adelana all that time to realise Hayden was addressing Darrance by his first name.

Hayden said. "If I was in charge-"

Darrance shrugged. "We do not know what would have been done, Hayden. I did not know it was them."

"Who did you think they could be?" Hayden snarled. "Attelus had briefed you on the agents of Etuarq!"

"Calm down," said Verenth. "This isn't like you, Hayden. It's too late now for anger. We were too busy trying to rescue you guys. Karmen was listening into your conversation as we landed, but she couldn't get any more information. If you still had your commlinks..."

The ex-ganger turned to and opened a large metal box at his feet.

"...We might have been able to co-operate," he said while tossing Hayden a vox bead which the sniper caught neatly.

Without a further word, Hayden walked up to the box and knelt before it.

"Thank the Emperor!" he exclaimed and reached in to take out his coveted long las.

"Yeah," said Vark. "We got all your stuff back from the Sovrithans."

Hayden stood and turned back, his gaze still hard. "If I were in charge, we would never have been separated," he said. "None of this farce would've happened."

Then he turned and stormed off.

"What happened to get him so riled up?" said Vark.

"Shit happened," said Delathasi.

Adelana swallowed. "This world happened," she said. "This place is getting to him, bringing out his flaws. Like it did to Attelus-"

"Like it's doing to all of us," said Verenth.

"We need to keep an eye on him," said Delathasi.

"Yeah, but who's going to keep an eye on the rest of us?" said Adelana.

"I think, more importantly," said Vark. "Who's going to keep an eye on the Sovrithans and the Velrosians? If this world is getting to even Hayden. And we've been here for such a short time, how about them?"

Adelana couldn't help admit, he had a point. She recalled captain Dantian and his arrogance and deplorable manner. Then she remembered commissar Tathe; he seemed noble, strong, honourable, despite his eternal weariness. Maybe his corruption was more subtle than Dantian? But unlike Dantian, Tathe seemed to have a measure of self-awareness. She could see commissar Tathe deserved Attelus' and his men's respect. Delan Tathe was a good man, a great man, the kind that deserved even more recognition and remembrance than already.

She just hoped Tathe and his men were truly, actually on their side.

"That's...That is..." Tathe trailed off; his blank wide eyes stared into space as he sat back on his cot.

"Unbelievable?" said Attelus.

Tathe nodded a barely discernible nod.

Karmen shared a glance with Attelus. Both scout sergeant Adreen and Dellenger exhibited similar expressions, and she couldn't blame them. It'd taken her and Attelus five minutes to tell a rushed, abridged version of the why they were there. The how they decided to keep still secret. All the while, they would discuss what to tell and what not through thought-speak, despite the pain it caused her.

They told of the death of Omnartus that it was Serghar Kaltos and his master's agents who'd manipulated it and many other Exterminatus' in the past. That it was for as a yet unknown agenda. And they'd made it their life's goal to bring Inquisitor Etuarq to justice. They'd emphasised the need to fight their way to the Tower.

"But, you have that ship," Adreen had said. "Surely you can just fly there."

"Too risky," Karmen said. "We need that ship to leave this world, and we don't know what lies in wait further into the city. We cannot risk it."

"You have a ship capable of warp travel in orbit, then?" said Dellenger. "One that somehow managed to get through the storm?"

"Not yet," said Attelus, in a tone that exclaimed he wouldn't brook more questions on the subject.

The entire time, Karmen had yearned to delve into their minds, to try to locate the missing memories, but it was hard enough to just share secret the link with Attelus.

"But despite that," said Tathe. "And despite the fact I'm sure you haven't told us everything, I believe you. It is too strange not to be true."

The commissar shook with sudden rage. "I can't believe it! I can't believe that my men and I were so gullible! So easily manipulated!"

Attelus smiled. "Believe me, commissar. I know exactly how you feel. But don't blame yourself too much. They wielded an Inquisitorial rosette; you were duty-bound to follow their orders."

As he said this, he gave Karmen a meaningful look. It was the same with Attelus back on Omnartus. He didn't need to reaffirm that with her but understood why he felt he did.

"Do the Sovrithans know of this?" said Dellenger.

Karmen nodded, eliciting a glare from Attelus, and she cursed internally. She'd forgotten to inform him of that.

"Their leader, captain Dantian, does," she said. "And it might allow them to swallow their pride and co-operate with you."

Tathe nodded again, stroked his strong jawline, and then stood with such swiftness it caused Karmen to start. "Then we are with you!" he said, his eyes afire with determination. "The Elbyrans will fight! We will do what we must to get to the Tower and stop my father. And we will help you find Serghar Kaltos and his men in any way we can. Take them down and avenge the men they killed."

Attelus smiled while tapping the tip of his long nose with an index finger. "You needn't worry about them, not yet. Their goal lies in the tower, too. They will be headed there."

Tathe smiled. "I could tell you were a scheming little bastard the first second I met you."

Attelus shrugged, the action-filled with uncertainty.

"We'll be ready to move in half an hour," said Tathe, his eyebrow raised at Attelus' strange reply.

Karmen frowned. She could only pray the Resurrected attack before then, trapping them.

"Dellenger! Adreen," Tathe said. "Gather your scouts and scout the perimeter! If the Resurrected come, I need to know the second they do!"

"Understood!" they said as one and both walked out of the tent.

Tathe turned to Attelus and Karmen. "I would like to thank you."

Karmen shared bemused looks.

"Thank us for what?" said Karmen.

"Thank you for finally giving us purpose, true purpose," said Tathe. "Now, do you have the codes for the vox channels of the Sovritans? I need to speak with their leader."

"First, that psyker woman told me to call off the attack! And now we are working with them now?" roared Dantian, his face red with rage.

Jelket didn't back down. They were in a makeshift command centre inside the offices of a mineral refinery. Small glow globes scattered across the countless desks imbued dim light into the windowless room. The surviving junior officers hustled about or sat at the few cogitators the Sovrithans had managed to rescue during their escape from the Resurrected.

"Yes," said Jelket, teeth clenched, his hands in fists. "I understand how you feel, captain. But if we are to succeed, we have to."

Frig you, Karmen, Jelket thought. Why did you have to leave me here as a liaison?

In truth, Jelket knew why. He was the closest they had to a guardsman; he understood soldiers more than most. It would've been Helma if she wasn't injured.

It should've been Helma; she would do a better job than he ever could, even in her condition. In fact, Jelket knew it. He also couldn't help feel that Karmen had given this assignment as a test. As a way for him to expand his skills beyond just being a killer. A realisation hit him; Karmen wouldn't have put him on this if she didn't believe he could do it. The thought caused Jelket to straighten as a wave of confidence moved through him.

"It was meant to be a rescue mission!" said Dantian. "For that leader of yours! That little fairy boy! We were not meant to join forces with the bastards!"

"I must remind you that 'fairy boy' bet you in a sparring match in less than a second. Knocked you out cold," said Jelket, and he felt a smile spread. Jelket didn't like Dantian; the man was haughty, arrogant. He couldn't help enjoy rubbing it in. "His name is Attelus Kaltos, and he is a senior throne agent of the Ordo Hereticus. He deserves your respect, captain."

Dantian grimaced. "Maybe so. But that will not happen a second time, that I assure you! Next time, I will be ready."

Jelket fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Do you know how many men I lost to their attack?" snapped the captain. "Then how many I lost in that assault on their 'fortress?' Too many!"

"Do you want to lose countless more?" said Jelket. "Because if that general Tathe was truthful..."

Jelket let it hang, holding Dantian's gaze. The captain's face was twitching into enraged grimaces.

"Sir!" said the trooper sitting at the vox caster.

"What?" bellowed Dantian through gritted teeth.

"We've got a communication from the Velrosians. From a commissar Tathe. He wishes to speak with you, captain."

Dantian turned his glare on Jelket.

"If we are to survive this," said Jelket. "You have to take that. You know what is at stake. This is beyond you. Beyond your entire regiment. Beyond even this cursed world and-"

"Yes! Yes!" snapped Dantian. "I will do it. Just if it makes you shut up!"

And he turned and snatched up the vox horn. "Speak fug you!" Dantian said into it. "Speak now, and you'd better say it well!"

Tathe flinched as the words burst through his ears. He fought the urge to yell back, and the pain bulging in his brain, and his exhaustion induced grumpiness.

"This is captain Dantian, I assume," he said with forced politeness.

"Of course it is. Who else do you think it is?"

Tathe's eye twitched, and he looked at Attelus and Karmen as they stood over him, watching on. Attelus smiled, and Karmen's expression was still unreadable. Outside the tent, the sound of moving, readying soldiers bellowed.

The commissar sighed and shook his head.

"Captain, you are angry, and I can understand your anger. But please, control yourself. There has been a misunderstanding. A severe misunderstanding that led us into fighting and killing each other."

Dantian snorted. "Killing each other? You have killed much, much more of us than we of you."

"I...and I will forever regret that, captain. It was by my order. I'm sorry."

"Your apology means nothing to me, commissar," said Dantian.

"That...That is understandable, captain Dantian. I did not expect it would. But you must understand we...I believed we were doing the Emperor's work. That you and your own were traitors, heretics. I foolishly believed what the enemy told me. We thought they were servants of the Inquisition. But they were imposters. They were the true heretics."

"Do you think that is a good enough excuse? Really?"

"No, captain. But it is the truth, and that is all I can say. Tell me, Dantian. Are you a servant of the Emperor?"

"I am. The God-Emperor's will guides me. Unlike you."

"For us to work together. To fight our way to the Tower and to stop them, that His will. You must see that."

Dantian laughed. "I argue that it is His will is for us to wipe you out!"

"You know as well as I that you couldn't. No matter how hard you tried," said Tathe.

"Are you sure about that?"

"I am," said Tathe without hesitation. "Almost as sure as I am that it is His will for us to fight together. That we need to fight together, Dantian. I have been told you know what is at stake. So you must, you have no other choice. Now, Dantian. We are running out of time! You must agree; you must tell me that you will put your understandable anger and hatred aside and do what's right!"

There was a long, weighted pause.

"Many of the men won't like this," said Dantian.

Tathe fought back a relieved sigh. "Then tell them why captain. Make sure they will understand that is your role as their leader, isn't it? We are all in this together."

"Y-yes, of course, commissar. I can't believe I'm doing this."

"May the God-Emperor be with you, captain."

"And you, commissar."

Then Dantian cut the link.

Tathe sighed again, rubbed his eyes and turned to Attelus and Karmen.

They both looked on, awestruck.

Tathe stood.

"This is it," said Tathe. "This is the time that we finally fight the fight which truly matters."

1 note · View note

ben-j-man · 3 years ago

Text

Secret War: Upon Blood Sands Chapter 22

Attelus didn't hesitate to smash his heel into the back of the nearest stormtrooper, sending him sprawling onto his face. The next Stormtrooper spun around with incredible speed, but just in time for Attelus to use the chain of his manacles to send his aim off course. So the high yield las round burned through the back of the skull of another Stormtrooper instead. Attelus ignored the pain flaring through his shin as he kicked the Stormtroopers legs out under him. That'd happened all in less than two seconds.

"Get down!" Attelus roared as he stomped on the prone Stormtrooper's head and threw himself to the rockcrete less than a second before the Elbyrans and the Stormtroopers opened fire. He could only hope Adelana and the others had managed it too.

Attelus didn't see the death but heard the storm of las shots and the screams. The screams of those nearest eclipsed those of the many dying Elbyrans around. Attelus looked up, the Stormtroopers were already dead, but Serghar and his three agents were running west; they slaughtered countless Elbyran guardsmen as they moved. In flawless concert, they protected and flowed around one another, dodging and deflecting incoming fire. The blue power fields of their blades vaporised blood and gore in such permanence it seemed as permanent as the fields themselves. The screams of the dying guardsmen were almost deafening.

Attelus clenched his jaw; he wanted to, needed to charge them. To try to stop their dances of death. But he fought the urge. Even if he were armed, he wouldn't stand a chance against all four. Attelus doubted he even stood a chance just against his father. They needed him, but he doubted they would try to take him alive when in such a desperate flight.

"Attelus!" cried Adelana, forcing him to turn to her. She knelt over him, her brow furrowed in annoyance. Delathasi moved past a scavenged knife in hand, which she plunged into the throat of the stormtrooper Attelus had kicked the legs under as he was getting back up.

"We have to go!" Adelana yelled and pointed up to the Guncutter; it hung over them in the midst of landing. Attelus had been too ingrained in watching his father and his agent's slaughter; he'd failed to hear its screaming engines.

The sound of running footfalls stopped Attelus' reply, and he turned to find it was Tathe. In Tathe's right hand was his activated power sword; in his left was Attelus' own sheathed sword.

Attelus leapt to his feet as Hayden stepped beside him, a stolen las pistol covering the commissar.

But before the sniper could fire, Attelus forced his aim to the ground.

Attelus raised his hands to his face, and Tathe cut. The power blade sliced through the manacle's chain, then he handed Attelus his sword.

The commissar's face was a mask of utter determination; his eyes met Attelus'.

Attelus nodded.

"Come on!" roared Hayden.

"No!" said Attelus as he burst into a charge, Tathe just behind him.

But they were too late. Serghar and the others had already climbed the wall and were leaping out of sight. Leaving a sea of cut-up injured and corpses in their wake.

With great hesitation, Karmen, Vark and Verenth descended the ramp of the guncutter, and Attelus couldn't help feel a wave of relief at the sight of them. Relief mixed with worry at the absence of the others—dozens of weapons trained on the trio. The echo of the battle with the Sovrithians still thundered in the south, along with the screaming, crying of the injured from Serghar's slaughter, were being carried and looked after by the medicaes.

Attelus, Adelana, Hayden and Delathasi stood amongst the Elbyrans. All of them had their manacles removed but still had guns covering their backs. Tathe stepped forward, sword at his side, but las pistol raised.

"Attelus Kaltos said he is your leader," said the commissar. "I am assuming that you have used the

Sovrithans as a distraction for this rescue. Tell them to break off their attack, now."

Karmen had her helm off, and her beautiful blue eyes looked to Attelus.

Attelus gave her a nod which Karmen returned, and she reached to activate her vox link. "Captain

Dantian, break off the attack, please."

She looked at Tathe, face unreadable. "Is that better, commissar?"

"Well, if they actually do as you ask," said Tathe. "Names?"

"I am Karmen Kons, sanctioned psyker of the Ordo Hereticus. This is Kamal Vark, my bodyguard, and this is Leng Verenth. We are here in peace."

Tathe nodded, then reached for his earbud. "Adreen? Yes, got you. Understood, thank you! Get yourself and Dellenger back here. The Sovrithans are retreating."

There was no reply from the surrounding guardsmen; such news was of little comfort. Their anger, almost palpable. They needed to unleash their vengeance after the deaths of so many of their comrades, and with the escape of Serghar and his agents, Karmen and the others were dangerously close to becoming the objects of the Elbyran's ire.

It spoke of remarkable discipline that they didn't.

"So, what now?" said Tathe. "You were planning to just fly in and rescue the boy and the others here. Now that plan has gone wrong..."

"We are to co-operate," said Attelus. "We need to co-operate."

Tathe turned to Attelus, eyebrows raised. "And I am assuming that you wish for us to work with the Sovrithians as well? After our earlier attack, I doubt they would, and I wouldn't blame them."

"They will," said Karmen. "Soon, the true enemy will be upon us, and they will have no choice in the matter."

Tathe barked a laugh. "Let's just hope that their pragmatism will outdo their righteous anger. With the influence of this world, I doubt it."

Karmen sighed and looked again to Attelus.

"They will," said Attelus. "We need to talk, commissar. If we are to co-operate, you will need to be briefed. There is more at stake here than you could imagine."

Tathe stroked his chin. To Attelus, the weariness seemed to flow from the commissar like heat waves, but he still kept a façade of casual confidence for his men and Karmen.

"You have already claimed that this inquisitor Tolbik or this Serghar Kaltos is responsible for the deaths of billions," said Tathe.

"And will cause many, many more," said Karmen, any surprise she felt at Serghar Kaltos being here was well hidden. "If we don't catch him, it would be a great service to the Emperor."

The commissar's eyes narrowed as he turned to Karmen. "Tolbik, I mean Serghar Kaltos, claimed the same thing, Karmen Kons. He claimed it with far more conviction and zealotry than you. Both I am sure were real-"

"He is...Was a high-level throne agent of the Holy Ordos," said Karmen. "He can lie about anything and-"

"Excuse me, mamzel," said Tathe through clenched teeth. "I am a commissar of the Imperial Guard; I have served for many years now. I can tell lies from truth, and he was telling the truth. Believe you me."

"Or what he believed was truth," said Adelana beneath her breath.

Attelus couldn't help smile at her words.

"Look!" said Karmen. "We have little time! Please release my...colleagues and allow us to speak, in private."

Tathe shrugged as Dellenger and Adreen stepped onto his flanks.

"Okay," he said. "We will speak in my tent, Dellenger and Adreen with me. Just you and Attelus, understood?"

Karmen nodded. "Understood." Her full lips spread into a smile that caused Attelus' heart to flutter. "And thank you."

With guardsmen surrounding them, Karmen and Attelus followed Tathe to his tent. Karmen couldn't keep the smile from her face, even while pain coursed through her head as she injected her thoughts into Attelus'. It was slowly getting easier and easier for her to use her gift, but Karmen wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing.

+What has happened, Attelus?+

His sigh was internal. It's a long and sordid story, Karmen. Where's Torris? Helma? Halsin and Jelket? Are they okay?

+All of them are alive,+ said, Karmen. +Although, poor Torris and Helma were injured. Halsin is tending to them in the guncutter as we speak. Attelus, you must tell me everything before we talk to the commissar. He said Serghar Kaltos was here? Is this true?+

Yes, it's true. And you're right. I'll tell you everything.

He told her his story; his word thoughts flooded and rushed. When he got meeting veteran sergeant Kalakor, she couldn't help interrupting.

+Veteran sergeant Kalakor already told us about that and everything he saw.+

You found Kalakor?

+Yes, or rather, he found us. He acted as an ambassador between us and the Sovrithan regiment.+

Do you know where he is?

Karmen couldn't help frown. "No, after we met with the captain and his men, the veteran-sergeant disappeared."

Attelus frowned. There's something off about him, Karmen. Something not quite right. I've never met a more manipulative Space Marine before.

+Neither have I. But I had yet to meet a Space Marine of the Raven Guard, and they are well known for their...more specialist tactics.+

Attelus pursed his lips and shrugged before carrying on his story.

Once he was done, Karmen said, +so that is why you are so beaten. You must get over your fear of your father, Attelus. It will just hold you back. If anyone is going to kill him, it is you. It has to be you.+

I know. I'd never hated him, Karmen. And even after truly learning how much of a monster he is. I still don't. But if that time comes, I won't hesitate. As much as we need answers, he can't be taken alive. He's too dangerous, and it won't be a matter of if, but when he'll escape.

+So, the world itself or something talked to you in a vision?+

Yes, although I can't recall much of it.

Karmen's smile widened. +And this sword, this Kalncerak is in the tower with, maybe, general Tathe.+

Yes, although I suspect this sword is what spoke to me, Karmen. A world doesn't have sentience, but a daemon blade does.

+How do you know that?+ sent Karmen, humour in her tone. +Have you been to every world in the universe?+

Attelus smiled, about to send a retort, but he straightened as though a realisation had hit him.

They don't know!

+They don't know what?+

They don't know about the Exterminatus! The Elbyrans!

+How do you figure that?+

I have mentioned on a few occasions that my father was responsible for the deaths of billions, Karmen! But Tathe showed no reaction to it at all! They don't know, or they don't remember. Either way, something is wrong.

Karmen allowed a sigh. +Something was always wrong, Attelus. But now it's just even more wrong than before.+

2 notes · View notes

ben-j-man · 3 years ago

Text

Secret War: Upon Blood Sands Chapter 21

Link to chapter 1- http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/180097372453/secret-war-chapter-1

A Sanction for Sanity: Chapter 1 link a prequel

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/181441697383/secret-war-a-sanction-for-sanity-chapter-1

Link to Upon Blood Sands Chapter 1:

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/183400509673/secret-war-upon-blood-sands-chapter-1

Once the general's speech finished, Attelus, Adelana, Hayden and Delathasi were silent. Attelus was too busy deep in thought to speak.

His mind was brought back to the vision. When the world seemed to speak to him, he could barely recall much, the fire raging from the tower. It'd warned him, warned him about, something. Was it of his father? Or the tower? It mentioned something about people it couldn't sense that they were looking for something in the tower. It must've been the sword. It also said it could only communicate with a perpetual.

Attelus frowned and stole a glance at Adelana. She saw him and smiled at him; he couldn't help smile back then flinch away as he felt his heart flutter. Perhaps, it wasn't the world that talked to him? Was it the sword? It seemed like a daemon blade; if it were, it'd then be sentient and apparently only able to be retrieved from the tower by a perpetual.

Why the tower? How the tower? How long had it been in there? Why could only a perpetual get it? How was it guarded? Was general Tathe there?

"You never answered my question," said Delathasi, bringing Attelus back to reality.

"What?"

"You didn't answer my question, Attelus; if you are immortal, why does it matter if you die?"

Attelus sighed; he'd hoped she'd forgotten that. "It's hard to explain, Delathasi. Let's just say, in the situation we're in, if I die, I won't be able to be brought back on Sarkeath, and it may take months or even years for it to happen."

"Sounds pointless," said Hayden.

"It's complicated, with the warp storm and..." he trailed off, unsure if he'd given away too much.

They looked down at him, bemused.

It was times like this Attelus was reminded just how ignorant people were. Faleaseen had educated him over the years; she'd taught him much of the nature of the soul and the immaterium, a lot of which wouldn't be known by most veteran Inquisitors.

"How?" said Adelana.

"It's uhh where, uhh. The warp-"

"No," said Adelana. "How did you become immortal?"

Attelus first instinct was to tell the truth, that he was what Faleaseen deemed a 'synthetic' perpetual changed into one by her but stopped himself.

"I was born one," he said.

"If you haven't died yet," said Hayden. "So, how do you know?"

"I don't," said Attelus. "But my father needing me to take the sword is evidence enough. Maybe."

"So how did you find out?" said Hayden. "Did your father just tell you now? Or have you known since the beginning and been hiding it?"

Yet again, Attelus sighed. He wanted to tell them to shut up, to stop asking questions. He fought the urge, remembering Raloth's words. That they were human, not mindless beings to just order around, that way was the way of the tyrant, something Attelus swore he'd never be. But now wasn't the best time, with the Imperial Guardsmen looming over them and all. So he mouthed, 'I'll tell you later. Can't now.'

Hayden's eyes narrowed. After studying him for a few seconds, Adelana nodded in understanding, and Delathasi's expression stayed neutral.

Attelus swore he'd tell the truth. It felt good to get it out in the open.

He just hoped he'd get an opportunity to tell it.

"We need to leave," said Tolbik.

"What?" said Tathe. "Why?"

"I shouldn't have to explain, commissar," said the inquisitor. "We must leave now. Get your men ready to move within the hour."

"I think with my father's threat, it would be better to stay here," said Tathe after spending a few seconds to gain his courage. "We're in a defensible position, and we have a way to fall back-"

"And into the desert?" said Tolbik. "Do not be absurd, and a defensible position would be better in the conventional sense if we could bleed our enemy dry. But we can't; they come back from the dead, remember? And every one of your precious men that die will join them in the assault. It's better that we start moving, get to the tower as soon as we can to cut this corruption at the head."

"How do you know that?" said Tathe.

Tolbik's face darkened. "I just do, commissar. Just get you men ready! Take it as an order from the Emperor himself. Now go!"

Tathe grimaced but turned and went for the tent's exit.

He paused. "You ask us to take a lot on faith, Inquisitor," said Tathe. "To risk our lives just on your words."

Tolbik sniffed. "As a commissar, thus one raised in the Schola Progenium, you should know that, 'blessed is the mind too small for doubt' and that 'faith is purest when it is unquestioning.' Do you still have faith in the emperor, Commissar? Because it seems that you do not. We have a word for that."

Tathe turned and left. He knew the word, and he knew it well.

Heresy.

Attelus was almost asleep when the hustle and bustle began. The sound of shouting and stomping boots echoed in his ears, and he sighed, glancing at the others. All of them were asleep, and he cursed himself for being such a light sleeper.

With a growl, he rolled himself over to face the two guards. One was a battle-scarred Velrosian woman, the other a tall, broad Despasian man. They both looked down at him with weary eyes. They were new, having changed the guard during Attelus' attempt at going to sleep.

"What's going on?" Attelus said, trying to inflict authority and confidence into his voice in the way which Inquisitor Enandra taught him.

The way which Glaitis taught him.

The Despasian trooper shrugged. "I see no problem in telling. You will find out eventually. We are moving out."

"Where?" said Attelus, unsure what to make of this.

"Dunno," said the women. "The commissar didn't tell us, just his holiness; the inquisitor ordered it."

Attelus frowned. "You must know that we are not your enemy."

"Couldn't care less, boy," said the woman. "We're just here to guard you."

"Just following orders, huh?" Attelus sneered.

"Even if we were not," said the Despasian man. "We have not a reason to believe anything you say. You have appeared out of nowhere, and we know nothing about you, not even your name. Besides that, you claim you are immortal and frigged in the head."

"Attelus."

"What?" said the woman.

"My name is Attelus Kaltos. There, now you know my name. What are yours?"

They exchanged a glance.

"Oh no, no way," said the woman. "I've been on this for long enough to know not to give my name. You might be some kind of daemon that can use my name for some sorcery shit."

Attelus flinched. Her words hurt him more than he could say. They didn't trust him; no one trusted him, not even Adelana and as much as he understood why it still hurt. He wished beyond wished that they would suddenly change their minds and free him. He'd dreamed of meeting the famous men and women of the Elbyran contingent on the voyage to Sarkeath, fighting side by side with his heroes Commissar Tathe, Dellenger. Saving them from their doom in the eleventh hour.

Never did he even consider he'd have his hands and ankles bound, lying on the ground as their helpless prisoner. Trying to warn them, to tell them the truth.

There was an ancient Terran legend Attelus had found during his many hours of study back in the Audacious Edge libraries. The Greeca legend of Cassanria, a prophet who could see the dangers in the future, was forever cursed that no one would believe her desperate warnings.

Attelus was starting to know how this Cassanria must've felt.

He had been a fool, a naive fool. He should've known that his father would be here, that he'd already have manipulated the Elbyran guardsmen against him.

Serghar frigging Kaltos. Attelus didn't hate his father, despite the claims of Etuarq three years ago, of how his father had let him be used, knew that his son would bear the burden of billions of deaths. Wanted it to happen, in the name of whatever agenda his cruel master had warped fate for. He'd thought Etuarq was lying, but now it seemed the bastard had told the truth.

It turned out Attelus had never known Serghar Kaltos, the real Serghar Kaltos.

His father was an unredeemable, abusive arsehole. Yet even after seeing this, Attelus couldn't bring himself to hate him. The Imperium of Mankind always preached hate, hate for the mutant, the heretic, the Xenos. Attelus had long ago preached against hate to Adelana, warned her of its destruction. After all his father had done and how he'd beat him, Attelus should hate him, it would make him a hypocrite, but by the Emperor, he'd be justified in his hypocrisy.

The abrupt bark caused Attelus to flinch in fright, as did the guards. Attelus heard the gasps as Hayden, Adelana, and Delathasi awoke. Another and another followed it in a horrific crescendo.

"What the hell?" said Hayden.

Attelus didn't reply; he knew where it was coming from, the south entrance of the fortress, and knew what it was.

Heavy bolter fire.

As Tathe stormed through the camp with Dellenger and Adreen struggling to keep up, his vox bead beeped, and he reached to activate it.

"Yes?" he growled. "What is it?"

"Sir!" Valketh's voice erupted. "We've got targets converging on us."

Tathe's heart sank, and he stopped.

"The Resurrected?"

"No! It's-"

He was interrupted by the sound of las fire and the roar of heavy bolters.

"Valketh?"

No reply.

"Valketh!"

Silence.

"Frig!"

Tathe burst into a sprint while tuning into the general line.

"Sergeant Kralt, sergeant Gotrus! Converge on the south! Reinforce Valketh!"

There was a chorus of confirmations.

If it wasn't the Resurrected, who was it?

"It's the Sovrithans," said Adreen. "They have found us. They want revenge. His Highness underestimated them; we underestimated them."

Tathe drew his laspistol and frowned. He couldn't help believe that they were more than justified in their want for revenge.

Valketh was dead. Their vox transmission hadn't been interfered with; the captain was interrupted by a las round to the face.

According to trooper Rolin, the shot was made at a good three hundred metres. It wasn't even a hotshot, or Valketh's corpse wouldn't have ahead. Tathe knew that someone or something that looked and acted like Valketh would soon be amongst the Resurrected, along with the dozens of dead Sovrithan guardsmen at the base of the freeway. He would've been disgusted by this, but it'd happened so often; it was just a reality, now. He'd killed countless of his people over the months, many again and again. Valketh was a good man, an excellent commander who was never afraid to lead from the front. Ironic, Tathe had believed that was what would get him killed.

With a new, healthy respect for the Sovrithan's marksmanship. Tathe hugged the cover of the highest sandbag wall with Dellenger, Adreen and most of Valketh's squad. The Sovrithan las fire rained upon them as they advanced in disciplined ranks. There was no cover for the hundreds, but their constant shots had them almost pinned.

Dellenger let out a burst over the cover; he wasn't the best shot in the regiment but managed to send two to the ground, the first with a shot to the chest, the second by blowing out his knee. The other Sovrithans around stumbled or hunkered down, it caused their fire to flail, and Adreen and the others to pop up and cut down many more in a hail of las.

A las shot from Tathe's pistol sent one enemy sprawling, then flailing onto his back.

Tathe clenched his jaw, kneeling while the others kept firing. The screams of dying Sovrithan soldiers tore through his ears.

They should be fighting side by side! Not slaughtering each other en mass!

He spat, cursing Inquisitor Tolbik's name. Then cursed this 'Serghar Kaltos.'

The enemy las fire returned to its rate, forcing the others back into cover.

"Everything okay, Commissar?" said Dellenger, sounding a bit too enthusiastic for Tathe's liking.

Tathe didn't reply; he slipped past the scout and beside Adreen.

'Adreen! You're in charge!'

Adreen raised an eyebrow, but she saw Tathe's face; she nodded.

'Understood, sir, may the Emperor be with you.'

Tathe nodded back and hunched, turned and began toward the gate.

He was going to need the bloody Emperor with him.

The tent flaps burst open, and Serghar Kaltos stormed in, his three agents in his wake. Everyone but Attelus straightened in shock. Before the flaps shut, Attelus caught a glimpse of at least five Storm Troopers standing outside.

"Get them up," Serghar snarled at the Elbyran guards. 'We are leaving. Now.'

The guardsmen gaped.

"That is an order; get them up, now."

Like ducks frightened into flight, they moved. The large Despasian man undid the manacles around Attelus' ankles. He hauled him to his feet while the woman went to untie the rope tying the manacles of Adelana, Hayden and Delathasi to the tent pole. All the while, Serghar and his followers stood watch, all but Attelus' father held their swords ready.

'You two are to be their guards,' said Serghar. 'Keep an eye on them, as though your lives depended on it.'

"O-of course, sir," said the woman.

'Where are we going?' said Hayden as they were being herded toward the exit, las guns aimed at their backs.

"I am sure your incompetent leader has told you already," said Serghar. "Now shut up and just follow my lead."

Attelus stepped out and into the chaos of the camp. The ten-man Storm Trooper squad spread out in escort formation with the speed and skill they were known for. Attelus knew why his father had chosen now to slip away. Probably been planning it for months, and there wouldn't be any commissar Tathe to stop him.

"Inquisitor!" said a familiar voice which rang over the cacophony, and Attelus couldn't help smile as he turned to see Tathe approaching, his sword unsheathed and with at least forty men behind him.

Serghar Kaltos clenched his teeth.

"What are you doing?" said Tathe as he stopped.

"I am leaving," said Serghar. "And I am taking the prisoners with me."

Tathe sniggered. "And obviously, you were going to do it without consulting me."

"You must be aware by now that I care little for your consulting, commissar," said Serghar. "Now stand down before-"

"Before what? Inquisitor? Before you kill me? Kill me right in front of my men who surround you right now? Smart! And believe me, I figured out that you cared little for my consulting a long time ago."

Serghar sneered, and almost in tandem, the Stormtrooper raised their hell guns on the Elbyrans. Around. A split second later, at least two hundred las guns were aimed back.

Attelus couldn't help clenching his teeth; his heart thundered through his ears, he glanced over his shoulder at the two troopers, and both had fanned out, they too aiming at Serghar and his followers.

"Do not test me, commissar," said Serghar. "You have seen what I and my own are capable of; stand down. I am taking the prisoners. That is my will, and my will is that of the-"

"Oh, just shut the hell up! Even if that were true, the Emperor isn't here! This world is in the grasp of chaos! We are all in the grasp of chaos! Why do you think we're all in-fighting like this? Make your men lower their weapons before we make you!"

Serghar's face darkened. "You sound dangerously close to heresy, commissar."

Tathe laughed again. "Perhaps! But perhaps we are all close to heresy, Inquisitor!"

Attelus heard it then, and he smiled.

"Stand down!" repeated Serghar, and Attelus noted the hint of urgency in his father's tone. The first proper emotion Serghar had shown.

A second after everyone heard the downwash of jet engines, and all attention rose to see the Guncutter hovering above the heavy bolter turrets sweeping their aims over the crowd.

"Here's a better idea!" Darrance's voice boomed from the speaker. "How about all of you stand down!"

1 note · View note

ben-j-man · 3 years ago

Photo

Daaaamnnn

187 notes · View notes

ben-j-man · 3 years ago

Text

Secret War: Upon Blood Sands Chapter 20

Link to chapter 1- http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/180097372453/secret-war-chapter-1

A Sanction for Sanity: Chapter 1 link a prequel

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/181441697383/secret-war-a-sanction-for-sanity-chapter-1

Link to Upon Blood Sands Chapter 1:

http://ben-j-man.tumblr.com/post/183400509673/secret-war-upon-blood-sands-chapter-1

Tathe stormed toward Inquisitor Tolbik's tent. His fear had mixed with anger. They coagulated into an emotion he couldn't begin to describe. The mixture of fear and hatred was a familiar friend to him. But never fear and anger. Tathe could feel Adreen studying him as they walked; she always knew what he was thinking and feeling. He knew what she was too. Adreen was certain that that smug young man was telling the truth. That his words had just proven the misgivings that everyone in the regiment felt toward the agents.

He had wanted to kill that smug young man for saying he was scared. No one had spoken so boldly to him since he was a cadet. But he was right, and now was the time for Tathe to face that fear.

Two of the Inquisitor's agents stood guard, the tall one and the male with the curved sword.

"What are you doing here?" said the tall one. "The master did not summon you."

"I need to talk to your master," said Tathe.

"He is...indisposed," said the shorter one and as if on cue, Tathe heard a crack! And a cry of pain erupted from the tent.

Tathe clenched his teeth. "What in the Emperor's name is going on in there?"

"That is none of your concern," said the curved swordsman. "Leave."

Tathe steeled himself. "No. Let me in now."

The agents shared a glance, and Tathe had to fight from wincing as another scream came from the tent.

The one with the curved sword tilted his head. "You have spoken to the prisoners."

Tathe frowned.

"Nobody said you could talk to them," said the tall one.

"No one said I couldn't," said Tathe through clenched teeth.

"We assumed that you would not be so foolish to risk our ire and our working relationship," said the tall one. "That you were logical enough to see it was not a good idea."

Tathe sighed. "Look, I don't know how old you are with your mask and voice modulator. You can be seventeen or a thousand for all I care, but what I have learned over the years is to follow my instincts, and I'm sure you can guess with all your logic what my gut screams at me. Why I saw this Attelus Kaltos and his allies and why I..."

Tathe showed the sword. "And why I had my men scout the Sovrithan camp during the distraction."

Both agents seemed taken off guard. "Where did you get that?" said the curved swordsman.

"I believe he answered that in his implication," said the tall one and the condescension in his tone was obvious even through the modulator.

"I need to talk to your leader," repeated Tathe.

The agents looked at each other, and Tathe heard the click of an activated vox link. Tathe, Dellenger and Adreen, waited for a few seconds before the curved swordsman turned to them and said, "you may see the master, but you and only you, commissar. Take the sword."

Tathe frowned and exchanged glances with Dellenger and Adreen, who both gave nods. He shouldn't have been surprised they would have such limitations.

"Okay," said Tathe as he steeled himself and pushed into the tent.

What caught Tathe attention was the young woman lying on the ground. He knew it was the girl of the trio, but her mask was off, revealing a pale face of remarkable beauty. A swollen, purple visage ruined beauty. Her brown hair cut to her jawline with remarkable symmetry.

"Put on your mask," said Tolbik, who stood over her, "and get up."

"Yes, master," said the young woman, her voice like silk and as beautiful as her. With impressive speed and grace for someone so beaten, she climbed to her feet, picked up her mask. She struggled to slip it back on due to the swelling.

"Get out," said Tolbik. "We will speak more of this later; your punishment is not finished, merely delayed."

"Yes, master," repeated the young woman, and Tathe's heart dropped. Saddened just as much by the modulator masking her voice as her face being hidden. But what hurt him most was the resounding sadness and pain in her large brown eyes.

Tathe shook himself into sanity as she passed him, then left the tent.

"What did she do?" said Tathe after a pause, despite knowing that's what Tolbik wanted him to ask.

"Respect."

Tathe fought back a sigh. "What did she do, Inquisitor?"

"She disobeyed me, commissar. For that, I had to punish her. I hear that you have gone behind my back too."

Tathe grimaced and showed Tolbik the sword. "This was in the prisoner's confiscated items at the Sovrithian camp. This-"

"I know what that sword is, commissar," said Tolbik. "I do not think it matters; you are being foolish. I should kill you for this insubordination. Snuff your worthless life out in a second. You know I am more than capable of it. Both physically and I am within my God-Emperor given rights."

"Yes," said Tathe. "But you won't."

Tolbik raised an eyebrow. "And how did you figure that out? Did that worthless boy somehow convince you he could defeat me?"

The Inquisitor laughed; it held no humour; it echoed with smug self-assuredness. "If you believe him in that regard, you are even more idiotic than I gave you credit for. You are a commissar who doesn't even kill his own men. That is the allotment you were given in life, and yet do not follow it. Instead, you mollycoddle them, treat them as equals. What a foolish thing to do."

"He never claimed that," said Tathe through clenched teeth. "You won't kill me or even punish me because you know that despite all your skill and all your influence, my men will not take that lying down, and they will kill you. Even after you and your agents kill dozens of us, they will keep coming and coming until you die. That's why."

Tolbik's eyes glazed with rage.

"That 'worthless boy' as you call him said he was your son," said Tathe, seizing the initiative. "That-"

The high pitched whine of a speaker's activation erupted through the air; it eclipsed all other sounds.

It caused Tathe and even Tolbik to wince. Tathe knew about the system of speakers that littered the entire city. Once used by the Ministorum or the city governor like countless cities across the Imperium of Mankind.

Tathe had thought them beyond repair, apparently not.

The incessant whining and screaming went on and on before it finally briefly turned into static and a voice all too familiar to Tathe echoed.

"This is the general," said Tathe's father. "This is your general, men and woman of Velrosia, Maranger, Galak Heim and Despasia."

Even still, the confidence in general Tathe's voice was beyond belief; the strength, the projection was that of a man who had spent decades as a war hero and leader. Delan Tathe had always envied that as did every other leader of the Elbyran contingent, even colonel Vonlet, the Velrosian regiment leader, a great leader and tactician of the ages himself, but still overshadowed by Tathe's father.

Vonlet, like most of the regiment's upper echelons, had been killed when most of the Elbyran contingent followed general Tathe in damnation and joined the ranks of the Resurrected. Why Tathe's father had turned traitor, Tathe had no idea, but for months before they came to Sarkeath, Tathe could see that something had been weighing on his father's mind. Something that had got to the implacable general.

"Many of you believe that I am a traitor and a heretic," said general Tathe. "That I have turned my back on the golden throne and the Imperium of Mankind."

There was a pause.

"This is somewhat true, I must admit," said general Tathe. "But-"

"What the hell is this about?" said Hayden, struggling in his bonds.

Attelus didn't answer, too busy listening to the broadcast.

"-But would you really call me a traitor and a heretic when the society I have, we have fought for and died for, for so long is so weak it cannot even defend itself.-"

"That's general Tathe!" said Adelana.

"Yeah, sure as hell sounds like him," said Attelus. "But never be so sure; it could be anyone with a voice modulator or someone who's excellent at mimicry."

Like the Mimic, Attelus reminded himself.

"-This society, this Imperium of Mankind is corrupt," said the general. "It is dying. It is upon the cusp of extinction I know this, I have seen this-"

"Heresy!" said one of the guards, a Marangerian male. "The Imperium of Mankind will last forever!"

Attelus frowned; he wanted to tell the guardsman that nothing lasts forever, that what the general claimed was actually true. The Imperium of Mankind was over the Millennia slowly, but surely withering, dying. But wisely held his tongue.

"-The Emperor is nothing but a corpse, a shadow who was and never will be a god. He is a liar, and his power is nothing compared to that of the gods-"

"Here we go," said Karmen Kons as she gazed out the window. "The same old spiel of the heretic and traitor trying to qualify themselves, heard it all before."

No one replied as they stood in the makeshift medicae room; they'd been in the midst of talking with the Space Marine when the broadcast started. It'd taken them off guard, but Sergeant Kalakor had fallen into combat mode. He glanced about with such intensity Karmen couldn't help fear he might attack them.

"-The gods of the warp are our only hope! Our only hope for the survival of the human race is to embrace their power! Their strength will allow us to destroy the Xenos encroaching on us!-"

"Foolish words," said Verenth. "Devoting ourselves to the Ruinous Powers would lead to our destruction in only a few short decades."

Karmen nodded. Chaos was a cancer, and like a cancer, if it were allowed to consume the host, the host would die.

A thought hit Karmen. What would happen to the cancer if the host died? Would the cancer then die too?

"-over generations, the Imperium have been brainwashing you! Lying about the dangers of Chaos. I have embraced their power. They have given me their gifts; I command those whom you call the Resurrected. A fitting title.-"

"The Resurrected?" said Helma as she sat up from her cot. "Are they the traitor guardsmen and the cultists we fought earlier?"

No one answered.

"-I am giving you that still claim to be loyal to the false Emperor, even my own traitorous son, the opportunity to join me. To join us in the light of the chaos gods, willingly-"

Tolbik and Tathe had stood in silence, listening to the general's rant.

"-you will be granted my favour. If you do not! I will send the Resurrected against you enforce. You will die at their hands; it is inevitable, and once you do, you will join us as one of the Resurrected! You will fight glorious battle after battle, dying, again and again, to strengthen you so you may one day leave this world and fight amongst the stars in the name of Khorne!"

The signal cut off.

Tathe couldn't help laughing.

"What is so damned funny, commissar?" snapped Tolbik.

"He didn't even bother to tell us how to do it," said Tathe.

2 notes · View notes