#‘the bolter’ yes she did bolt

[poorlittlegreenie13]

Natalie Scatorccio ass song

[fairylights-throughthemist]

Eddie Munson as tracks on The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift

Fortnight

Exhusband!Eddie x Jealous!Reader

The Tortured Poets Department

Friends to Lovers to Strangers with Eddie

My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

Toxic!Mean!Eddie x Reader

Down Bad

Protective!Mafia!Eddie x Reader

So Long, London

Exboyfriend!Rockstar!Eddie x Reader

(Eddie and Reader have spent lots of time in London during their relationship. Now that it’s ended she never wants to return.)

But Daddy I Love Him

Dad’s Best Friend!Eddie / Older!Eddie x Reader

Fresh Out The Slammer

Ex-Con!Eddie x Reader

Florida!!!

Rockstar!Eddie x Reader

(Reader’s [now ex]boyfriend cheated on her, she went to Florida on vacation to forget about him. At a local bar she meets a certain rockstar touring the country with his band.)

Guilty As Sin?

Exboyfriend!Eddie x Reader

(Eddie broke up with you, yet you can’t stop thinking about him. Not even with another man in your bed.)

Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?

Rockstar!Eddie x Reader

(Eddie and Reader just made their relationship official and his fans can’t seem to keep their mouths shut. Haters online compare you to other women he’s been seen with, they make comments about your body and they don’t think you deserve Eddie.) (This description also fits for Delicate from Reputation.)

I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)

Mafia!Eddie x Catholic / Virgin / Good Girl / Shy! Reader

loml

Exboyfriend!Eddie x Reader

The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived

Situationship!Mean!Toxic!Eddie x Reader

The Alchemy

Hockey player!Eddie x Reader

Clara Bow

Rockstar!Eddie x Actress!Reader

(Reader always getting compared to other actresses, everyone wants her to be bigger and better than anyone before her. Eddie being the only one able to comfort her.)

The Black Dog

Exboyfriend!Eddie x Reader

imgonnagetyouback

Exboyfriend!Rockstar!Eddie x Jealous!Reader

The Albatross

Virgin!Eddie x “Slut”!Reader

Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus

Rockstar!Eddie x Reader

(Eddie becoming addicted to drugs, reader trying to help him but giving up when he cheats on her.)

How Did It End?

Rockstar!Eddie x Reader

(No one caring about how you’re doing, only asking about Eddie and asking what happened.)

So High School

Best Friends to Lovers, Eddie x Reader

(Eddie and Reader playing Kiss, Marry, Kill while high, Reader naming people when it’s Eddie’s turn, one of them being herself, leading her to ask “Are you gonna marry, kiss or kill me?”)

Read the fic here!

I Hate It Here

Eddie x You

(Yes you. We all know you read to escape reality.)

thanK you aIMee

Eddie x Reader

(Based on the title, not the lyrics)

(Think All Of The Girls You Loved Before, Reader thanking one of Eddie’s exes for contributing to the amazing man he is now.)

I Look In People’s Windows

Exboyfriend!Eddie x Reader

The Prophecy

Eddie x Reader

(Post Vecna…)

Cassandra

Toxic!Rockstar!Eddie x Reader

(Reader watching Eddie’s show in the pit and getting sexually harassed / groped by some creep. Not wanting to interrupt the show or cause a scene, she keeps quiet. Anxiety and stress leading up to a breakdown, Eddie being high out of his mind asking if everything’s okay. You snap at him and tell him about the incident at his concert but he doesn’t believe you. The day after your breakdown, Eddie asks you what happened last night, after a quick recap of the events your petty boyfriend chooses not to believe you.)

Peter

Exboyfriend!Rockstar!Eddie x Reader

(Similar to Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me. Eddie being ignorant and giving half assed advice like “Just ignore it”. He doesn’t show how much he cares due to his newfound love for drugs.)

The Bolter

Eddie x Reader

(Reader being afraid of relationships and attachment. Her trying to bolt from Eddie’s love but he doesn’t let her. Steve and Robin being supportive of Reader and Eddie’s relationship, they felt the need to tell him about her attachment style before it was too late.)

Robin

Dad!Eddie x Mom!Reader

The Manuscript

Exboyfriend!Eddie x Reader

A/N: This is my first time writing anything so please be nice !!!!

[taylortruther]

Saw the I can do it with a broken heart anon and uh here's my two cents for The Bolter and the dual symbolism of 'bolting' (essentially, fleeing) in Taylor's music.

Anyways, The Bolter gives me Now I'm running down the hallway and you know what they all say. When you're young, you run, but you come back to what you need. Maybe you ran with the wolves and refused to settle down, maybe I've stormed out of every single room in this town and Before you even knew I was gone. That was the last time you ever saw me OH AND The bravest thing I ever did was run...Remember how you watched me leave? What would you do if I break free and leave us in ruins? Dear Reader, get out your map, pick somewhere and JUST. RUN. You gotta leave before you get left. Stealing hearts and running off and never saying sorry. When I left I wanted you to chase after me.

Just. Running in Taylor's music. How it's both the most romantic and heart wrenching thing depending on the context. Just the overwhelming urge to let go and be free, for the worse or for better.

Like we have the quintessential romantic "run away WITH me" lyrics.

Like I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run and I would've read your love letters every single night and run away and left it all behind. Don't say yes, run away now...and You don't need to save me, but would you run away with me? We were always skipping town. They are the hunters we are the foxes and we RUN! Then Voted most likely to run away with you. SO TELL ME TO RUN or dare to sit and watch what will become.

Just running away as a form of dreamy escapism, to spend all your time with the one you love, away from the world. AND THEN. Running away from THEM when things go south. Ahh the parallels. Who could ever leave me darling, but who could stay?

these are good thoughts bestie but candidly a big part of me thinks the bolter could be more about... someone else running from problems while she stayed 🙃

[bisluthq]

With Matty pretending, the vibe I got was similar to the vibe I got with her and Jake - I.e. they were cosplaying a serious, adult relationship, which is something she sort of alluded to when talking about begin again. She said there was something "dark and too adult about what she experienced" and that the laugh line was meant to reflect the childlike joy that should always be present. That, to me, links back to a lot of TTPD where she makes allusions to youth and longing for it in almost every song.

I think the "pretend" she and Matty did was as she describes, the wedding rings, the "loml", the star-crossed lovers of it all. It was electrifying, and exciting, and deeply unhealthy, as "Red" relationships tend to be. Maybe I'm off-base with my Jake theorisation, but it really comes across as though the pace of that relationship led to things getting (or at least feeling) very serious, very quickly, which made them both invested, but also to some extent, a bit scared.

She makes allusions to both Jake and Matty being twins of sorts, and I don't think she's entirely wrong in that, at least from a behavioural standpoint. Whether you (or any other anons) agree on my stance that she is "the bolter", dipping at the last minute, or general fear of commitment, is a behavior she depicts often in her work, dating back to Speak Now if not earlier. She explicitly addressed it when talking about Mine, and her "back habit of running away from love at the last minute, right as you're about to commit".

This isn't me saying Taylor doesn't WANT to commit. It's clear that in theory, she wants a life-partner. However, in practice, things aren’t that simple, and she's a messy gal, just as the Jakes and Mattys of the world are messy guys. I genuinely think both of those dudes ALSO enjoy the idea of commitment, but in practise, by her account, they got scared of the potential in their relationships with Taylor for that future, and bolted. Do I think either of those men genuinely saw a future with her? In the moment, yeah maybe, though I agree with your general assessment that they were both V confused, especially Jake. Do I think he genuinely thought he and 20 year old Taylor were going to be together forever? Probably not. Do I think he hated the idea? Not necessarily. Do I think, despite seemingly looking down on her, he cared about her? Yes, I do.

I actually agree with everything you’ve said here. It all makes sense to me.

[northern-angel]

Cooke Household round 1

Julien Cooke

Aspiration: Popularity/Knowledge

LTW: Become Celebrity Chef

Job: Fast Food Shift manager (Culinary Level 3)

OTH: Cuisine

ACR Preference: Bisexual

We start with Julien cooking himself some breakfast.

Then, presumably after he ate the food he cooked, he moves on the daily crossword puzzle in the paper.

And then does some skill-related reading.

After all that I was thoroughly bored so I sent him out to the Veronaville Market, hoping something interesting might happen. Apparently he doesn’t like the flowers I used to decorate around the beautiful pond I built. Screw you Julien!

Now if George McCarthy thinking “who is this dapper gentleman?” or is he thinking “Dude it’s the 21st century, not the 19th!”

Julien is very happy with his aesthetic though, so who cares what forever teen over there thinks.

Maybe someone will come play with him?

These two are immediate Double Bolters, even if Nina is a bit of a sore loser.

Is Edwin Sharpe doing the kitten startle reflex or is he mocking the Human Statue NPC’s artistry?

Nina heads off to grab a bite, and I notice Florence Delarosa is walking by. I had somewaht hoped these two might be a match, but alas zero chemistry (I had also thought Julien might make a good match for Kent Capp, but again no lightning bolts)

Still despite their lack of sexual sparkage, the two hit it off and Florence thinks about kissing.

Silly Dormie and Host NPC, I do not care enough about you for you to get to marrying into a Playable family. But I will flail if Julien’s only good matches are the Sims equivalent of Red Shirts.

Oh great, just what the lot needed.

Should I be worried about Julien? Or is if perfectly normal to discuss trains with an empty seat...

Nothing sinister happening behind you at all there Julien.

Nina comes over to discuss their respective meals, whilst Romeo wonders if anyone would notice him eating those leftovers. The answer is yes, Hermia will totally notice and judge you and tell her sister.

I feel that Nina might be making a bit of a low blow here, I mean hate the Unsavoury Charlatan because he’s a conman and thief, not because you find him repellant sexually.

That waitress is totally pissed off that they are conversing in the worst possible place.

Back at home Julien has a nap in his new recliner (I really wish Sims could nap on their beds like they can in Sims 3)

And then off to work.

Whilst at work this chance card comes up. I mean who chooses the first option? It’s a burger place, people will be pissed off if there are no burgers.

Fortunately this choice goes well for me, but I know I’ve had a bad outcome choosing that way before.

Not only did he get a skill point and a bonus, but also a promotion to Host.

I think he’s talking to Florence there, but it could be Nina or someone else. I don’t know ok.

Off to work in his snazzy new uniform the next day.

And this time it’s a hobby chance card.

It’s a good thing I’d already had this one whilst playing the Pleasants.

Julien invites Florence over after work.

He really likes her milkshake, he’s just concerned he might be lactose intolerant.

For a supposedly skilled chef, Julien doesn’t actually have that many cooking skill points.

They end the night deciding that they make great friends but nothing else.

This must be the next day after work, and I assume he’s chatting to someone on that doorstep of a laptop.

And then I sent him out to the makeover of the Old Silo Farm. The next few pictures are just me showing off how pretty this lot is. I apologise!

Oh look here’s Julien cooking some burgers. That’s the sort of thing you’re all actually reading for right?

Julien likes the look of Lola, so I send him over to meet her. I think Ana Patel recognises Julien from work.

Another scenery pic, but have you ever seen such pretty toilets in your life?

Julien and Lola hit it off very quickly, possibly because Lola is under the false impression that Julien has money.

Thinks start to take a more romantic turn, and this is the point that I remember that Lola is already dating Ajay Loner. Oops.

Everyone loves being tickled in the Sims world, what kind of freakish world is that?

And now some kickey bag in the pouring rain.

Lola subtly feels Julien out over the size of his bank balance, and a lightning bolt nicely lights the scene. I need to go put more lights on this lot.

Some cute flirting going on here.

And now Julien is crushing on this beautiful green-skinned goddess.

Dancing in the rain.

And Julien goes in for his first kiss.

I had never noticed how pointy Julien’s ears where before this, and now I have this whole headcanon about how he’s adopted and he came to live in Veronaville to ask the Fae Royal Couple to help him track down his Fae parent.

This first kiss is so much better than the one Lola and Ajay had.

Awwww!!!! Also is there no view on this lot that isn’t pretty?

Another kiss, this time overlooking the pond.

Even the rain puddles don’t ruin the romantic atmosphere. Mental note, must send more Veronaville folk on dates to this lot.

Is it her alien genes that make her so strong or does she just hit the gym a lot?

I am incredibly proud of this picture, I just wish it wasn’t quite so dark.

At least in the dark it’s a little harder to see that lovely bright blue accessory mesh fail that is orbiting Lola.

The date ends as a Dream Date. I believe Ajay only managed a Great Date. How do I decide which paramour she stays with? Just lock the first engagement want? Or could they work out as a Thruple? Maybe Ajay isn’t entirely straight...

I have no idea what is going on with their body language here, they almost look like they are about to do a celebratory chest bump or something.

Back at home Lola pops by to leave a bouquet. That is quite the round trip to Strangetown just to leave flowers.

And that’s it for Julien. Hope you’ve enjoyed my silliness.

[castellankurze]

FSF - I would like it if you wrote a story about a Legion IX Astartes that was the last survivor of an engagement. Victory or defeat is not important, but they're the last one standing.

The exchange of weapons fire was fast and brutal, and in the halls of the battle barge there was scant cover to be found, save the bodies of the fallen.  There was no quarter to be given; none had in return.  Both sides were composed of men whose lives had been shaped, had been dedicated to one sole purpose: war.

At another time, another place, they might have stood shoulder to shoulder and turned their blades upon the enemy without.  That was the truly horrifying part of it, in truth.  There was no xenos foe to be found here, no eldritch or unclean touch of the Warp.  Instead, men and women in the armor of Astartes hurled themselves into the fray against one another lives claimed and traded with unrelenting fury by the warriors of the Emperor.

The Mater Lachrymarum shook with the force of its guns as it fired a tremendous broadside, the quaking of the decks felt all the way to the core of the ship where blades clashed and bolter rounds popped with explosive force as they pattered against armor and decking.  Energy crackled as a conversion beamer powered up to full strength and discharged, throwing one of the bronze-armored attackers backwards as the coruscating violet energy caught him in the shoulder.

“MINOTAURS!” a voice roared.  "BLEED THEM DRY!“

“For those we cherish,” a whispered voice crackled over the Lamenters’ vox.  "Stand firm.”

Techmarine Levistus stepped back, allowing one of his fellows to trade places with him as the c-beamer began recharging, just in time for the Minotaurs’ charge to hit the assembled squads with bone-crushing force.  Twenty marines of the Lamenters had gathered in the access corridor to the Mater Lachrymarum’s central processing - the nerve center of the ship’s network of cogitators and consoles.  If the Minotaurs were to take the great chamber, it mattered not if the bridge or the engines held - the battle barge would be as good as theirs.

A small wonder, then, that no less than four of the Lamenters’ techmarines had joined the effort, amongst them Forgemaster Pahaliah herself, her great axe hewing ceramite and flesh and bone even as her mechandrites flailed and snapped and spewed blurts of flame.  Nevertheless the Minotaurs came on undeterred, seemingly ignorant to the costs of wounded and dead that their repeated charges paid by both sides, as if by dint of fury the last of them would swim to the processing units atop an ocean of blood if they had to.

Vehuel, a man Levistas had known for near a century, crumpled as a Minotaur battered him with an unrelenting series of blows from a chainsword.  Eleleth fell in tandem with another of the bronze-armored attackers, a krak grenade ensuring she did not leave Emperor���s service alone.  Ipos, a marine so young his armor still seemed to gleam with the forge’s touch, put his bolt pistol to the mouth grille of his attacker and pulled the trigger, staggering back from the spear that had been put through his side.  They were all falling - men and women alongside whom he had stood his entire life, an increasingly doomed last stand to deny the Minotaurs their prize.  There was nowhere to fall back to, nowhere but the processors themselves.

A bronze-clad warrior was striking sparks from Pahaliah’s axe, dueling the experienced techmarine with a speed and ferocity that could only be appreciated by the transhuman Astartes, the defenders of humanity.  With the great rune ‘3’ emblazoned on one kneepad the Minotaur could be naught less than the captain of the attackers, a fact Pahaliah clearly recognized as she focused her attention upon the man, sweeping a servo-arm topped by a wicked claw towards him, only for the Minotaur to drop back and strike with his chainsword, cutting the weapon from its housing so that the heavy claw rang against the deck.

Pahaliah stepped back to redress with her axe and, in so doing, inadvertently gave Levistas the opening he needed.  Leveling his c-beamer, the techmarine fired on the Minotaur captain’s unguarded chest.  The beam struck him at the joint of his breastplate where it met the armored stomach of his Mark 8 armor, just below the double-headed eagle worked across his chest.  He flew backwards from the hit, sword tumbling from his hand as he folded all but in half.

“CAPTAIN PYLOS!” an outraged voice rang out from the ranks of the Minotaurs, and a moment later there came a roar as one of them hefted his chainsword and charged the techmarine, bellowing furiously.  Levistas began to raise his beamer, waiting for the tone that signified a full charge, knowing it would not come in time.

Then a bomb detonated in his ears.  Levistas froze along with every other space marine present, some clutching at their heads as a deafening howl rang over the vox.  Even the Minotaur that had moments ago been charging towards him with single-minded determination screeched to a halt, a hand clamped to the left side of his head.  

Levistas had never heard such a high-level override command.

“CEASE FIRE!” a voice hollered even as the Lyman Ear struggled to dampen the piercing howl.  "CEASE FIRE!  CEASE FIRE!“

——————

In the end, the Minotaurs’ gambit had paid off - their attack upon the Lamenters’ fortress-monastery had forced the other chapter to react or else forfeit their very home, and already reduced in numbers by the war, against the full strength of the Minotaurs there was scant chance of regaining the upper hand.

A surrender was forced, a knee armored in ceramite striking the deck at the feet of Asterion Moloc.

And the Lamenters’ role in the Badab War was ended.

——————

And in the hall outside the central processing of the Mater Lachrymarum, the apothecaries and their serfs rushed to the fallen as the two differently-colored Astartes chapters stood but a few feet apart and traded hostile glares.  Levistas’ own attention was drawn to the fallen form of Ipos and the man bent over him, only to see the Sanguinary Priest to shake his head and begin the grim work of pulling the fallen marine’s gene-seed from his corpse.

Levistas closed his eyes for a long moment.  Domonos, Samigina, Vehuel, Eleleth…and now, Ipos.  They had all fallen.  Young and old alike.  For those they cherished.  They had died in…glory.  Yes.

As he was opening his eyes his attention was drawn by movement nearby, one of the Minotaurs shouldering several of his brethren out of the way as he came to stand less than an arms’ length from Levistas.  The techmarine recognized the brute that had roared when his captain fell, and turned to face the man, looking up the half a head’s distance between them.

The man’s nostrils flared as he struggled to breathe evenly, and Levistas could not help but be put in mind of a maddened bull.  "If my captain should perish,” he growled, “because of a coward’s blow like-”

Levistas was not to be cowed.  "If your captain should perish,“ he said, his voice soft and even, "I have four squadmates who go unavenged.”  He shrugged one shoulder.  "If not, then I yet have five.“

Shouting erupted across both groups of Astartes as the Minotaur was dragged back by the arms of several squadmates, and for a moment it seemed as if the war might resume, then and there.  Several of the Lamenters pushed Levistas back, and a mechanical augment put the final point on the matter as Forgemaster Pahaliah pinned him to the nearest wall.  "I grieve with you,” she said, her voice cold.  "But you will restrain yourself.  The Great Angel would not smile upon this conduct.“

"I apologize,” he said without bothering to hide the scorn in his voice, though he lowered his gaze so that he need not give flagrant insubordination to her face.  "I am not feeling very angelic at the moment.“

[oneblueumbrella]

The Silver Stud pt. 2

For @savvyblunders, who was the most enthusiastic about the continuation of this story. Soon to be on AO3.

{1}

Bloody hell, he was meeting Mycroft for a drink. The thought had dogged Greg all day Friday and a considerable part of the preceding day, too. He’d never thought Mycroft would be interested in him, and then one night the man himself just walks into Greg’s office and announces he’s gay, and by the way he’d quite like a date. Well, more or less.

Either way, Greg would be meeting Mycroft at a pub he’d never heard of, in a part of town he only frequented if someone had managed to get themselves stabbed.

Assuming that would not be the case, Greg was quietly panicking all day. At first he was doing a general ‘I have a date’ panic, which quickly morphed into ‘we’d better not pick up a murder’ panic as the day wore on. He might not get another shot at this, and if Mycroft was in the same state as he was, an excuse might be just the thing he was hoping for in order to cancel this whole event.

Just as Greg was worrying that Mycroft might have someone knifed to specifically to avoid their date, Sally stuck her head in his office door.

“Boss?”

“Yeah?” he answered distractedly.

“It’s five o’clock. Get your arse out of here, will you?” She grinned at him and he returned it as he grabbed his things and bolted. More than once a case had appeared between his office and the tube, and he was not going to be that unlucky sod. Not today.

Greg’s mind wandered all the way home and through his shower-and-a-shave routine. Before he knew it, he was standing in his bedroom wondering what to wear. Pants and socks, he’d managed without too much thought – little chance of Mycroft seeing those tonight.

Dressing for a pub was easy. Dressing for a date, also easy. Dressing for a date in a fancy pub was way beyond his comfort zone. The clock ticked inexorably by as he pulled out and considered almost everything in his wardrobe, despairing at his own lack of interest in clothes.

Finally, when the clock told him he had to get moving, Greg went by his old Academy roommates’ maxim – dress so you feel good. He chose his favourite dark blue shirt and navy blazer, with dark blue jeans. The jeans were made to fit his arse, so he’d been told, and the shirt and blazer combo would get him into all but the swankiest of pubs. If he was rejected from the place Mycroft had chosen, he didn’t belong there anyway. A quick spike of his hair – the silver stood out bright against the last of his holiday tan – and he was ready to go.

The place looked exactly as intimidating as Greg had imagined. No grungy side alleyway, no grotty windows plastered with posters advertising bands. No, the front of this pub screamed money and discretion. Greg wondered if anyone ever asked the barkeep to switch the telly to the football, or ordered the cheapest bourbon sight unseen. Unlikely, he thought, shoving his hands in his pockets as he stared at the tasteful gold lettering proclaiming Quirinus. Sounded like some kind of Roman God or something, Greg thought to himself. Not something he was too familiar with.

“Good evening, Greg,” Mycroft’s voice came from behind him.

“Hi,” Greg said, spinning around hastily.

“I see you found the venue easily enough,” Mycroft said.

“Yeah,” Greg replied, feeling dumb as an ox. Could he say nothing more intelligent? It was probably the sight of Mycroft, as dressed down as Greg had ever seen him.

“You’re not wearing a tie,” Greg said, feeling his cheeks redden at the obvious comment.

“No,” Mycroft allowed. He smoothed one hand over his waistcoat, a deep blue with some kind of tiny crosshatched pattern. The white shirt visible above it was crisp and perfect, and Greg wondered with a jolt whether Mycroft had changed from his work attire for their date. It would certainly bolter his confidence to think so, given the hand wringing that had accompanied his own dressing for this evening.

“You’re staring, Greg,” Mycroft’s voice admonished him gently, and Greg’s cheeks flushed even further.

“Sorry,” he murmured. “Never seen you in less than full battle dress.”

Mycroft’s eye brows rose at the description of his usual three piece suit tie and accruements. “I’m usually going into battle,” he replied.

“Not tonight?” Greg asked, a smile tugging at his lips.

“It seems not,” Mycroft replied. “Shall we?” he indicated the door, and Greg turned to enter. There was a bouncer, dressed in a suit worth more than anything Greg owned for sure. He eyed Greg before catching sight of Mycroft.

“Good evening, Mr. Holmes,” he said with a slight bow. Greg stared in astonishment as the door was opened for them. Only the gentle pressure of Mycroft’s hand on his lower back reminded him he was expected to walk through the opening.

The bar was exactly as Greg imagined many pubs looked on the day they were built, and then never again. Gold fixtures, deeply polished woodwork, every surface impeccable. The leather seats of the booths were gleaming, and he knew without checking that the floor would not be sticky with the remnants of some long spilled beer.

“May I buy you a drink, Greg?” Mycroft asked as they approached the bar. They had beer on tap, Greg saw with relief – better the safety of a pint than trying to navigate an intimidatingly long wine or spirits list.

“Pint of bitter, thanks Mycroft,” Greg replied. The barman poured their drinks, passing the beer to Greg and a white wine to Mycroft.

“This place is amazing,” Greg said, turning to survey the room. The room was comfortably full without being crowded, and he noticed quite a lot of well-dressed men. All well-dressed men, come to think of it.

“Mycroft,” Greg asked him casually, “is this pub….”

“Similar, yes,” Mycroft replied, leading the way towards a recently available booth. “The tables here are not as sticky, however,” he added as they slid onto opposite bench seats.

“True,” Greg replied. “It’s all very clean, actually.”

“The clientele at this venue are screened rather closely,” Mycroft admitted. “Anyone is free to join, and there is no cost; however only members and their immediate guests are permitted. As you can see,” he swept one arm around the gently pulsing room, “rowdy behaviour is not tolerated.”

“A well behaved gay bar, then,” Greg replied, feeling like the term was a slight oxymoron. His experience had obviously been at the seedy end of the spectrum. He sipped at his beer. “Is this where your group usually meets, then?”

Mycroft flushed at the mention of his social group. “We did initially meet at this bar. I believe it was one of the regulars who proposed it as a way of...”

“Meeting people?” Greg suggested.

“Yes,” Mycroft agreed.

“It can be hard to meet someone,” Greg said. “Anyone, really, around work. Especially when you’re looking to meet another bloke. It always has to be arranged, never seems to just happen.”

“I understand what you mean,” Mycroft said. “Work can be all encompassing.”

Greg wasn’t sure what to say. The last thing he wanted to do was start talking about work. This was meant to be a date, nothing like their previous meetings. Most of them had revolved around Sherlock, another topic he wanted to avoid tonight.

Greg’s mind raced, and he watched Mycroft play with the stem of his wine glass. Those fingers, he thought ruefully. His brain could not possibly find a new topic of conversation while Mycroft’s fingers did such suggestive things to the poor innocent wine glass.

Nope, there was nothing for it. He’d have to respond to the work comment.

“And it’s hardly a topic for conversation,” Greg added, hoping Mycroft would remember what they’d been talking about. “Assuming it’s something I can talk about at all.” He shot an amused glance at Mycroft. “I expect that’s something you can relate to.”

“Indeed,” Mycroft’s response was swift. “Some…men find it hard to accept that it is simply not appropriate for me to discuss my employment.”

“Yeah,” Greg said, his eyes still fixed on the fingers running up and down the slim glass stem. Christ. “I’ve had a few ask for favours. Ever had that happen?”

“Oh yes,” Mycroft agreed. “One odious man asked if I could have his neighbour’s garage demolished so his swimming pool would not be shaded in the summer.”

Greg snorted a laugh, relieved their conversation was moving again. “How charming.”

“Unfortunately this group did not turn out as I had hoped. While there are a few individuals I could potentially enjoy a cordial conversation with, none appealed for a more personal connection.”

“Lucky for me,” Greg said. Mycroft’s blush was adorable, he decided, watching the pale skin flame into a rosy glow.

“My mother remains disappointed,” Mycroft replied.

“As does mine,” Greg told him.

“But you were married.” Mycroft said. Greg could see the slight wince at such a brazen comment slipping out.

“Past tense,” Greg told him. “Clearly my fault for not fulfilling my wife.” The pain of that particular conversation with his mother was still fresh, and their relationship was still strained by her accusations.

An awkward silence fell again, and Greg kicked himself for the bitter words. Neither the time nor the place to start complaining about the ex, you idiot, he berated himself.

“I’m sorry,” Mycroft murmured.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure she thinks bi men are incapable of settling down with a woman. Or a man,” he added. Fuck. Also a not-so-good comment. He wanted to focus on Mycroft, not his pathetic past.

Shaking off the melancholy this conversation was bringing on him, Greg sat up and smiled at Mycroft.

“So this is more your speed than The Silver Stud?” Greg asked.

“Definitely.” Mycroft replied immediately. “May I ask what you were doing at that bar?”

“Meeting a mate,” Greg said easily. “I knew Rob before I was married and he’s very much into that kind of scene. I told him I’d meet him wherever he wanted and I think he took that as a challenge.”

“So it is not your usual haunt either,” Mycroft said.

“God, no,” Greg replied. “This place does me just fine. I usually go to the pub around the corner from work, or there’s one nearer home. Kind of like this but less clean. Somewhere you can get a bowl of chips and the football on.”

Mycroft nodded. “Somewhere comfortable.”

“Exactly.” Greg said. “The Silver Stud is a lot of things, but comfortable is not one of them.” He drained the last of his pint, wondering if he should order another. Mycroft’s glass was empty, and he had made no effort to replenish it. Glancing over at Mycroft gave him his answer – the man was looking at his pocket watch. Ready to leave, then. Greg ignored the stab of surprised hurt at the realisation.

Am I boring him?

“Well thanks for the drink, Mycroft. I don’t want to keep you.”

“Of course, Greg. Thank you for meeting me.” Mycroft stood immediately, ever polite as Greg slid from the booth.

“No problem, it’s a great place.”

“I can introduce you to David if you’d like to apply for membership. I would endorse you, of course.”

“Really? Thanks, I’ll think about it.” Greg replied. He didn’t want to intrude on Mycroft’s social space. Nothing worse than having to avoid somewhere in order to avoid someone.

They both stood awkwardly beside the booth. Christ, Greg thought, what the hell am I even doing?

“I’ll call you,” Greg said, then realised, “Actually, I don’t have your number.” It was awkward to ask for Mycroft’s number, he thought – presumptuous. “I’ll see you around.” He hesitated, then added, “I had a great time, Mycroft.”

He smiled briefly, the answering lift of Mycroft’s mouth far more automatic than happy. Greg left the pub, bracing for the cold night air. The date had just…ended, and he wasn’t really sure why. 

Wrapping his arms around himself, Greg started walking home, wondering what Mycroft’s deal was.

[askatemplarchampion40k-blog]

💛- A memory that makes them feel angry

Johan looked up at the ruins of the hive central spire. Great fires whisked around the hellish column of iron and steel that stabbed at the heavens. He sighed, and took up a canteen from his belt, satiating his thirst with some water. After days of fighting, his neophyte’s armor was battered and ruined. Traitors always died hard- if they were easy kills, there would be no need for astartes. The crusade here would be wrapping up soon, but this hive?

He looked at the ruins around him again.

This hive’s fate was looking grim.

“Johan.” the internal microbead asked.

“Jawohl, this is neophyte Johan. Do you need something Helmuth?”

“Come to my coordinates, alone. I have a lesson.”

Johan agreed, and did a quick bolter maintenance drill, checking the magazine and weapon- perfect as always. He jogged quickly down the warrens and streets- they had been cleared out hours ago, but he was wary of infiltration and ambush. Shortly, he came before a large building, but the function of the structure was a mystery as fire and battle damage had consumed its exterior turning it instead to a blackened husk of a place.

Johan stepped in.

“Im here mein herr. Alone as you say. No contacts.”

There was a slight pause, and Johan’s enhanced senses caught some muffled movement and a slight ‘thud’ one or two floors above.

“Third floor, second room to the right, boy.” Helmuth said, before cutting the line.

Johan moved as he asked. The hallways were a bizarre series of poorly made drawings, occasional motivational quotes, and colourful animals, with demonic eight pointed stars of the great enemy covering them over, and a painting or portrait of the arch-heretic of this hive in every chamber.

When Johan arrived, he found his master, Initiate Helmuth, standing in a door frame.

“Johan.” he said, not turning from whatever was in the room.

“Yes sir.”

“I need you to kill heretics today. It is a test.”

Johan was confused. He had been doing a lot of that lately, and with no complaint or issue.

“Naturally sir. And then we’ll move on to the next objective?”

Helmuth said nothing. There was muffled scuffling and moaning inside, perhaps even weeping?

Helmuth stood aside. “Before you shoot, look.” he said, gesturing Johan inside.

Johan did as commanded, his weapon raised, but did not like what he had found.

A young woman, probably in her 30′s lay dead slumped in the corner. a bloody trench knife lay just beyond her fingertips. Her skin was riddled with endless icons of the arch-enemy, stars, sigils heralding multiple dark gods, all manner of things discussed in the Liber Daemonicum. What was unusual was her civilian outfit, a fairly unassuming and normal looking one witha  short skirt and a small well fitted suit-coat that probably fit nicely and looked smart at one point. Take away the scars, and she could have very easily been an up and coming middle class hiver, in the prime years of her life.

Johan’s gaze drifted from her, to a pack of children, huddled among themselves, somewhat malnourished probably from the siege. Some were as young as five years. Others closer to 10 or 11, and these older ones did their best to cover and protect the younger ones.

Johan was about to reach out and calm them, when he saw to his horror more important details.

Each child bore the mark of chaos taint. A five year old boy that cried softly was adorned with the pox tattoo of nurgle, and looked sickly indeed. The oldest girl showed the mark of slaanesh and flicked a long forked tongue at him. One or two had eyes of glowing blue energy, and were surely owned by Tzeentch.

Johan hesitated. He lowered his bolter, and glanced at Helmuth.

“Sir- I, they���re only ki-”

There was a blurr as a 9 year old boy with ripped clothes and a full face tattoo of Khorne yanked the knife from his teacher or caretaker’s dead hand and stabbed at Johan, plunging the knife into the marine’s exposed leg, before ripping it out and preparing to go again.

“Blood!” the boy screamed, giddy.

Johan’s reflexes acted for him, and in as little as three movements,slit the child’s throat with his own captured trench knife, before dropping both to the deck and fumbling with his bolter.

“They are not innocent any more.” Helmuth said, flatly.

“This is not a galaxy where a man can act wholly in the light. This is not a world where goodness and purity can save a corrupt soul. These young ones never had a chance Johan. They were born in wickedness and taken by it. Everything they know, everything they are, is corruption.”

Johan still couldnt, even as he bled from a fresh wound in the leg.

“They’re just children!” he shouted, boltgun moving from target to target, the children remaining deathly still.

“In this universe, you will be expected to kill children, weak, infirm, mutants and plague bearers who hold only love for the Emperor, injured and surrendering xenos, and even me, if I fall Johan.”

Johan said nothing.

“Do you understand? That is the OATH, the one YOU TOOK. You said you would destroy the emperor’s enemies? HERE THEY ARE. FIRE YOUR WEAPON.”

Johan shouted back. “They couldnt possibly hurt the emperor! They’re just kids!”

Johan heard a click. Behind him, Helmuth had placed his bolt pistol Johan’s skull.

“I can make it easy on you boy. The reports will say you died a casualty to enemy fire. I’ll have you posthumously made an initiate. You wont have to make the hard call ever again. Only me, and the emperor will know your weakness. Son, if you can’t do this- if you cannot become what the emperor and the universe needs, let me know. It will be painless.”

Johan froze, not sure what to do.

“Or.”

Helmuth spoke slowly.

“You can wake up. One of these boys just stabbed you. The little boy with the mark of nurgle- what will he grow up to be? A herald carrying new taint to unsuspecting villages? A plague zombie? A demon host? The tzeentchian children, what will become of them? Sacrifices for some eldritch daemon? Daemonhosts? Witch psykers to terrorize our realms? Consider. Think.”

Johan did. He thought a lot, in a short period of time.

“In this room, theres you, the Emperor, me, and the Dark Gods of Chaos. Choose what side you’ll be on.”

Johan succumbed to emotion. His bolter shook with anguish. Letting out a howl of pain, he used precision to sweep the bolter from child to child, a bolt for each one as furious tears ran down his face.

“I’M SORRY!” he screamed, continuing to fire long after all had died.

“I’M SO SORRY!”

The bolter clicked dry. The magazine was empty. Johan pulled the trigger again and again anyway.

“WHY?! WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT TO YOU?”

Helmuth said nothing.

“WHY!” Johan shouted throwing the heavy weapon to the floor and falling to his knees.

Helmuth at last spoke, softly.

“Because there are two truths in this universe, neophyte. There is the Imperial Truth, and the laughter of thirsting gods. Did you think the arch enemy was some kind of joke? Did you join this crusade resolute that there was but one power in the universe? No. The emperor is not the only god. There are many, they are powerful, and they are malevolent. They will use people as puppets. They will twist their flesh and their innocence rotten. They will plant doubt in your heart and attack when you are weakest.”

Helmuth grabbed Johan and held him at eye level.

“I did not lie. I brought you here to kill heretics. You killed them. You passed the test. There will be others, all throughout your time as a crusader. Some will be this difficult, others, even more so. Always remember that there is a choice, and that you must live with that choice. Do not be weak, boy. Accept what you have done. Do not lie and say the Imperial cult releases you from that sinking feeling in your gut.”

Johan was visibly confused. “But the holy light of terra purifies us of sin.”

Helmuth shook his head. “It does not. the holy light of terra teaches us not to sin, and teaches us the paths which we must tread in life, but sin is eternal, my son. Only a saint or the emperor himself could dare to presume so much as to forgive it. This is why the wickedness of the fallen is irredeemable.”

“Then, Helmuth, how do we carry on, wading through endless sin and misery as we wage the emperor’s wars?”

“We follow the Emperor’s path to balance the atrocities we must commit to save his realm, and more important, we understand always, that the alternative- giving into sin, is infinitely worse”

An incendiary grenade was tossed into the room, and both left the building in silence.

[askbranwen]

‘✂’

AO ‘FRONTIER TOWN’MAELSTROM BORDER, ULTIMA SEGMENTUM - M.42

“Contact front!” The Raptor called over the bark of his bolt rifle. “Eyes on HVT! Eyes on HV-”

His voice was cut off as Huron Blackheart rammed the Tyrant’s Claw through the Intercessor’s torso with a curse. Amazingly, the Loyalist remained alive, attempting to reach for a grenade on his belt. Almost as an afterthought, Huron swept his power axe across the Raptor’s neck, sending it’s head across the room with a twin jet of bright blood to follow it.

I’ll be damned-again, these Primaris take some killing.

He let the dead Astartes sag from his claw as he strode down the hallway towards the hangar and his gunship. The staccato roar of bolter fire and the whine of gunships was everywhere, as well as the stink of gunpowder and ruined bodies. The radio was alive with the clipped, professional chatter of the Raptors - all phonetic alphabets and acronyms. It had given Huron a headache a thousand years ago and it still did now.

How in the warp did the Raptors find us? Huron wondered. Had someone betrayed the location of this compound to those Imperial bootlickers?

Oh yes, heads were going to roll for this when he got back to his flagship.

As the doors to the hangar bay opened, Hamadrya hissed a warning. It made him linger at the threshold for a moment -

- As the Stormraven before him disappeared in a ball of fire.

If Huron had been inside the hangar, that would have been his end - Either incinerated or otherwise cut to pieces by the debris of his escape craft. Instead, he was thrown hard across the hallway, slamming into the opposite wall with enough force to dent the bulkhead.

”Get up.”

The voice cut through the ringing in his ears - a woman’s. She was striding through the burning wreckage of the hangar towards him. A Primaris Astartes, as was apparent by her Mark X armor. Not a Raptor, though. This one wore the midnight black of the Raven Guard, a cameleoline cloak draped over one shoulder. She was old, too - black hair streaked with grey, fine lines at the corners of her dark eyes. In her hands was a long bolt rifle, adorned with scopes and other tactical gear.

“Seems like you owe me a new gunship.” Huron growled, getting to his feet. “I quite liked that one.”

The Raven Guard’s weapon let out a muffled explosion, sending an armor-piercing bolt into Huron’s stomach. He staggered, cursing her.

“Huron Blackheart.” She spoke again. “For your treachery against the Imperium of Humanity, your life is forefit.” Letting her rifle hang from a sling, she reached to her waist to draw an ornate sword. It was a long, single-edged blade with a basket hilt scuplted to look like a bird’s wing. At the touch of a rune on the hilt, it’s blade glowed blue.

The Tyrant of Badab laughed. “Better Astartes than you have been saying that for a while now.” Reaching down to his belt, he drew his power axe. “I won’t stop you from trying, though.”

Hamadrya was pulsing a steady warning into his mind now. No. Stop. Run. Leave.

It droned repeatedly, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. On any other day, Huron Blackheart would have listened. But this old Raven had annoyed him sufficiently. Killing her was a matter of principle.

He leapt forward, closing the distance in a few long strides before bringing the Tyrant’s Claw around in a sweeping horizontal assault. The Raven Guard dodged the blow, also managing to parry the follow up strike of his axe. He snarled - she was good with a sword, this one.

For several seconds, the two traded furious strikes, parries and ripostes amongst the burning wreckage of the hangar, neither managing a telling blow. The decisive moment came when the Raven Guard’s blade slipped past Huron’s guard and sliced a deep furrow of sparking augmetics away from his prosthetic arm. Roaring in anger, the Tyrant of Badab brought his axe down in a furious counter-strike, burying it in her shoulder pauldron. She snarled in pain, forcing her own blade up to prevent Huron from taking her arm off.

”A fine duel, I must say.” Huron chuckled, keeping the pressure on his axe. “Tell me, who do I have the honor of killing?”

Hamadrya’s warnings became more insistent, screeching in his mind. No. Stop. Run. Leave.

The woman managed a fierce smile of her own through her grimace of pain. He could see the light of an active vox link on her collar.

“My name is Branwen.” She spat up at him. “Sic semper tyrannis.”

Hamadrya’s warning pulses lost their enunciation, devolving into wordless screams as he noticed the squad of Raptors Hellblasters perched on the catwalk above them.

For once, the Master of the Red Corsairs found himself without words. All he could manage was an astonished laugh.

In an instant, the Raven Guard Captain pulled back, axe wrenching out of her shoulder. Then the Hellblasters fired, and his world became one of searing blue-white plasma and pain. The last thing he saw as he died were three words etched onto Branwen’s blade. They were the very same words she’d spoken to spring the trap.

How fitting.

“Raptor Prime-Actual, Old Crow-Actual. HVT “Keelhaul” is KIA. Kill Confirmed.”

[just-another-warsmith]

Imperial records would claim that the siege of Hive Primus on the shrine world of Messanica lasted three months, twelve days, and twenty seven hours.

In truth, it ended the moment the Iron Warriors fleet arrived in system and smashed aside the local defense fleet.

Messanica was, before the Great Rift bisected the Imperium, a relatively minor shrine world, not on any of the major pilgrimage routes or on any of the hallowed crusade paths of any era of the Imperium short of the Great Crusade. It was of importance to no one particular Imperial Saint or Eccleisarch, a minor hub world, almost forgotten except by those who collected tithes for the Imperium. It was defended by a handful of vessels, none larger than a cruiser, and a number of PDF regiments, the largest number stationed around Hive Primus.

The Iron Warriors fleet came from the outer system hard, twenty-five ships in all, surrounding a battle barge class vessel that screamed its name in fell blasts of scrapcode: Iron Infinite! Iron Infinite! They cut their way through the meager defense fleet in a matter of hours, ringing Messanica in the wreckage of overmatched ships, and assumed orbit over Hive Primus. Over the next twenty-four hours, the Iron Warriors deployed: seven hundred Legionaries, three divisions of armor, enough artillery to reduce mountain ranges to rubble, and tens of thousands of cultist troops, and thrice that in worker slaves. The PDF regiments deployed to defend Hive Primus were pinned down by orbital strikes and by flights of Heldrakes that ended air superiority over the hive for the Imperium in hours. The Imperial commanders knew that the Iron Warriors themselves could have invested the hive in hours, but for some reason, they were moving to besiege it.

It made no sense to them, they said over and over as the Iron Warriors systematically destroyed the defenses of the hive, with artillery bombardments that lasted days, with their Land Raiders and Predator tanks drawing out and destroying what armor the PDF could muster. They moved slowly towards the hive, encircling it in a ring of iron, reducing the defenses with clinical precision. It finally dawned upon the defenders that the Iron Warriors sought to Hive Primus reasonably intact, for reasons that never came to them. Reasonably intact, though, did not mean that destruction didn’t rain down on the hive and millions did not die. They died, horribly.

Three months, ten days, and seven hours into the siege, the outer walls of the hive were breached, and at long last, the Iron Warriors moved into the fray.

The rest was mopping up.

 Talorax, Warsmith of the 150th Grand Battalion, the Ironsworn, stepped down from his command Predator and looked around a shockingly intact square in front of a cathedral known as the Cathedral of the Emperor’s Grace, a certain satisfaction radiating from him. It was one thing, he knew, to destroy an Imperial city and leave it a guttering ruin. It was easy, he knew, to level worlds. His Grand Battalion was a force that could conquer star systems, and here he had used it as a scalpel, slowly investing the city until he could stand here, in front of the Cathedral, watching as a company of his legionaries moved into the last sanctuary in the hive. He heard no bolter fire from within the church, merely the roar of chainswords and the hiss of power weapons as the sheep that cowered within were slaughtered. Livestock wasn’t worth wasting bolt rounds on, he mused, moving forward, his Terminator armor humming with mechanical precision as his stride turned rubble into dust. He strode up the stairs leading to the great doors of the cathedral, where the chaos sorcerer Mythxix waited. Normally, Talorax did not treat with sorcery, beyond the great work done to infuse daemonic spirits into the Defilers and Maulerfiends that he had used to reduce the walls of the hive, but times demanded change. “Is it here?” Talorax growled, looking past Mythxix into the bloody ruin of the cathedral.

“It is, Warsmith. As I told you it would be in the Eternal Vaults, when I brought to you word of this prize to the Goddess.” Mythxix nodded into the Cathedral, where Iron Warriors were already setting charges in the floor. “Beneath the floor, a forgotten vault, hidden here thousands of years ago, during some minor crusade. The fools had no idea what they had buried here when they prayed to their False Emperor.”

“You had best be correct, sorcerer. It took sizable effort to restrain my forces to insure this fane was taken intact.” Talorax reached over his shoulder, drawing the massive chainaxe that he had claimed centuries ago from a rival Warsmith that had fallen to the blood furies of Khorne and had turned against Perturabo, using it to gesture at the combat engineers working on the explosives. Mythxix got the point. “Begin,” he ordered.

As his engineers worked, at long last, restraint was gone, and the Iron Warriors unleashed their full fury upon Hive Primus, and the streets ran with blood.

Talorax returned to the halls of the Eternal Vaults at a time of celebration for the Goddess. Some hapless Ultramarine had been taken prisoner, and had been hung by chains in one corner of the room, being tormented by some of the Eternal Keepers. It was a time of mirth and celebration dedicated to the goddess Fuuko, the Chaos goddess of Avarice, where her champions and followers met to honor her, on her ever shifting throne.

Talorax decided to make an entrance.

Behind him, bearing on its back a casket of iron, marched one of his Maulerfiends, a massive daemonic engine of war, its tread shaking the ground. The thunder of the Maulerfiend brought the revelry around the throne to an end; Vico, the Champion of the Goddess, shot a glare at Talorax that the Warsmith impressively ignored. I saw your gene-father in battle, little Blood Angel, he thought. You have a ways to go, even with Fuuko’s favor.

Rivalry was always the way of things in the Eye.

The goddess regarded Talorax for a moment, mirth shining in her eyes, before she addressed him. “My Warsmith,” she said. “You’ve been gone a while, beyond the Eternal Vaults. I’m guessing you brought me something, then?”

Talorax nodded solemnly, gesturing at the Maulerfiend. Reaching above its back with tentacles tipped with plasma cutters, it lowered the casket to the floor beside of Talorax. With a single motion, he unshipped his chainaxe, which roared into life as he struck the casket, opening it. He reached within it and drew out an ancient weapon, a powersword of Imperial make that practically keened with offense for being within the Empyrean. “On the world of Messanica, buried forgotten beneath a cathedral, lost by the sheer ineptitude of the Imperium, the weapons of two dozen crusaders, men deemed living saints by the False Emperor. Two dozen weapons, waiting to be corrupted into the service of Chaos and the Goddess.” He regarded Vico, and then Vico’s chief rival Icarus, and gave them a thin lipped smile. “Weapons for your champions to use as they will.”

The Goddess laughed. “And are you not one of my champions, Talorax?”

He bowed briefly to her, aware of what he risked here, if Perturabo discovered that an Iron Warrior had placed any Chaos god on the level of his Primarch, of the fury and destruction that would fall upon him if that happened. “No, my lady. I am your Warsmith.”

@fuukonomiko

(Why yes, I DID have him throw a bunch of Imperial swords in front of his rivals!)

[techpriestess]

Drabble: Catching Up

His rapid footfalls echoed far down the corridor, melting into the cacophony of hissing pipes and clicking machinery. Dim lumen strips cast long shadows cut in odd places by sporadic warning panels. A juncture lay up ahead. ‘She cannot be far now…’

The Inquisitor adjusted his grip on his polearm as he rounded the corner, his thoughts almost lost in the bitter longing he felt for his missing wife. The click of a primed bolter snapped his attention forward to the figure standing at the opposite end of the hall. He stopped short, his breath catching in his chest. “Rebeckah…”

She stood still, leaning heavily on her Omnissian power axe, draped in dark robes. A bolter was pointed square at his chest. “No tricks, daemon. I won’t be fooled.” Her voice was pained, low and gravely.

“Amoira, what’re you talking about?” Radcliffe took a step forward, reaching for her. Her lips tightened into a grimace. “Put that down and let’s talk…” He took another step and the muzzle flashed. A bolt skipped off his kinetic barrier and burst a pipe behind him, filling the hall with a rush of smoke. Several more bolts flashed around him as he charged her. She discarded the weapon and raised her poweraxe to meet him.

They exchanged blows, Radcliffe pressing her defense. ‘This could not be her… Bec would never shoot me…’ The thought pained him; a daemon either wore her skin or had taken her shape, but this could not be her. Rebeckah moved slowly, only putting forth just enough effort to deflect his assault. No mechadendrites writhed around her, providing none of their usual additional challenge. It took him minimal effort to find an opening. A kinetically enhanced kick sent her tumbling. She was lighter than he knew her to be; the blow sent her much farther than it should have. ‘It’s not her…’

She curled up, cradling her belly with one arm. He used the end of his polearm to force her to look at him. Without the shadow of her hood, her face was drawn and defeated. “Any last words?” Radcliffe growled.

“… If Gabriel is still alive somewhere in there, tell him I tried to protect our son…”

Radcliffe balked. “… What?” His eyes glowed blue and he pressed into her mind. Anguish, fear, and nausea flooded around him. She didn’t bother to put up much of a fight- systems were shutting down as she was giving up. Warnings in her dataspheres were being extinguished one by one. Memories flashed around him of the pict recordings of him and Dremora, manipulated to look as if they were friends. Reports of activity that could only be him covered her dataslates, informing of how the ruinous powers had tainted him. She had figured out she was pregnant, just in time to start running. The grief was overwhelming. But he found no taint in her. No ruinous power controlled her. He withdrew of her mind, his ghost-sight revealing the truth hiding in her belly.

“Rebeckah, Amoira… It’s really you? You’re really…” He dropped his weapon, tears rolling down his face from their mingling pain, and crouched down beside her.

She recoiled, confused. “… Gabriel?”

A black streak dropped from the ceiling, laying flat the Inquisitor.

“Silvanus!” Rebeckah gasped. [Explain your delay.] She demanded.

[Magos.] He acknowledged her with a blank expression. He held a null rod to the back of Radcliffe’s neck in addition to pinning him down. [‘Request permission: Extermination order #35562.]

She looked to her husband, who struggled with the weight of Silvanus on top of him. [Request denied. Complete examination: custom order #62241 before permission reevaluated.]

“Rebeckah…?” Radcliffe grunted, lost to the conversation.

“… I’m sorry for this…” she looked away as Silvanus pulled a talisman from his robes. Radcliffe’s brows furrowed and he looked as if he were going to ask what she meant, but Silvanus touched the cool stone to his forehead and light exploded between his temples. A scream tore from his lungs as ice flooded his body.

[Enough. Diagnosis?] Rebeckah directed.

[… Diagnosis: Untainted.] Silvanus was reluctant to remove the stone from his face, but he stowed it away as a threat of static curled with Rebeckah’s grimace.

[Release him.] He made a noise of disapproval, but removed the null rod and got off the Inquisitor.

“What was that?” Radcliffe rasped, struggling to sit up.

“A Saint’s relic.” She watched Silvanus collect her bolter and power axe.

“Where did you get it?”

“… I can’t tell you that.” She finally looked back at him. Silvanus crouched beside her, checking for wounds.

Radcliffe pursed his lips. “… And you are with child…”

“For the moment.” She looked away again, recoiling from Silvanus’ touch as his mechadendrites pressed into her side.

“Did I wound you?”

“Yes.” Her voice was quiet.

Radcliffe breathed slowly and leaned forward to touch her hand. “Amoura… I’m so sorry...” Her synth skin was cool and clammy.

[Magos, we must go.] Silvanus chirped. Her gaze fell to the floor.

[Parameters have changed. Reevaluate.] She laced her fingers with Radcliffe’s.

[Negative. Insufficient time. Available time after arrival on Baransk Cosk.]

[Command prompt: Reevaluate.]

Radcliffe glanced briefly between the two. “… The Rampant waits close by. Come home with me.”

[Insufficient data to calculate the safety of the Rampant.] Rebeckah grimaced. [Rendevous departure: 5:47 minutes. We must go.]

“Recall the squad, Silvanus. I want to go home.” She murmured, watching her hand in Radcliffe’s. Silvanus held still for a moment, his cold gaze on the Inquisitor.

[I disagree with this action, but as you wish, Magos.] He paused, studying Radcliffe. “There is a loose bulkhead to the left at the end of the hallway that leads to the ventilation system. Take her there and wait for my return. Can you handle that, Lord Inquisitor?”

Radcliffe ignored the insult. “We will wait for you there.”

Silvanus touched his forehead to Rebeckah’s, humming for a moment, and then disappeared as quickly as he had come. Radcliffe felt a flare of jealousy in his chest.

“… Would you help me up?” Rebeckah asked quietly. He rose and guided her to her feet, then collected her halberd. “Thank you…”

“Always, Amoura.”

[ben-j-man]

Secret War chapter 31

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

A microsecond after my feet hit the debris; I was running diagonally across the width of the corridor. My eyes fixed on the Space Marines as their bolters opened up in a deafening crescendo and strafed my wake.

It was only four metres between them and me, but it may as well have been miles. As it was earlier, time seemed to slow. I could see and feel it all innately, when they were pulling the triggers and where exactly they were aiming a microsecond before it happened.

I weaved, ducked and darted countless bolter rounds. I'd lost sight of Darrance in the utter chaos of light and sound, being too involved in me living from one split second to the next.

My progress slowed to a snail's pace; I'd barely been at it for a second or two, only made it half a metre before feeling fatigue ebb at my limbs.

Hellgun lasers started to stream overhead and sliced into one of the Space Marines' torso. The bastard barely flinched and just fired at the shot's source.

I cursed, smashing away a bolt round flying for my head. I needed to get into close combat to stop them firing at the others, but I couldn't. I knew I couldn't. Even if I did, even with my enhanced abilities there was no way I could take on four of the Emperor's finest for very long.

"Faleaseen!" I screamed through clenched teeth. "I could really use your help right now!"

There was no answer, nothing, as a bolt round managed to skim my shoulder, but luckily didn't detonate making me reel back. Utter agony and blood abruptly ran down the length of my arm.

I cried out but managed to keep my focus.

"Frig it!" I roared, giving up on trying to advance and purely devoted myself in deflecting the bolt rounds, sending countless of them hurtling away to detonate on the walls or floor.

Another shot skimmed me, glancing off my ribs, throwing me off my feet and to the floor.

Winded, gasping in agony, I kicked out my feet and was up again darting and winding through the fuselage to draw their fire. I wanted dearly to look back to how my comrades were faring, but frigging didn't dare.

For a split second the Space Marines seemed surprised at this, then concentrated their fire even more on me.

"You aren't going to kill any more of my friends!" I snarled. "You ugly, misshapen bastards!"

+Attelus!+ Karmen cried. +Everyone is off the flier now! Get back and down, now!+

"Why?" I snapped. "What the hell do you plan on doing?"

+Just do it!+

I threw myself to the floor, screaming at the pain it caused, just a nanosecond before the flier smashed suddenly through the left side wall and into the Space Marines. The impact rocked the whole tower to its very foundation. The integrity of the entire corridor had already weakened, cracked by the Lascannon fire or else this would've been impossible. The flier's momentum caused it to slide and screech briefly across the floor then crash out the opposite side of the corridor. It transformed into a hurtling fireball that plunged through the sky like a meteor, and I could see the now laughably small figures of the Marines falling along with it.

It all happened so quickly that it seemed they were there, then they just weren't.

Then the void shield flickered and disappeared.

+Move! Move!+ urged Karmen. +More of them will be here soon!+

Slowly, I picked myself up, still awed by it all as the others hurried passed me. I saw much to my surprise that both Verenth and the stormtrooper (Who I was ashamed to admit, I'd already forgotten the name of) had made it. Verenth was helping the medicae assistant, while the stormtrooper did the same for Helma.

Arlathan was now up, helping the somehow still alive and breathing Jelket. Darrance walked by too, looking unharmed besides his broken arm and was supporting Hayden, who seemed pale and pained. How the hell the sniper was still conscious after suffering his injury was beyond me.

Next was Adelana, she wheeled Karmen's bed, and I tried to meet her gaze, but her attention stayed firmly forward. Her mask of fearlessness was gone, and she looked terrified, completely, utterly terrified. I had a horrible feeling she was scared of me.

Lastly, it was Vex, and the old woman, both of them had Torris' arms laid across their shoulders. Her attention was to the floor, but Vex was looking at me.

"Remind me to never to punch you again," he said, raising his black bruised knuckles to me. "Still hurts like a frigger and after seeing you do that..."

I nodded nervously, after seeing what I'd just done. Dodging and deflecting all that, they must've thought I was some freak, that I was as unnatural as one of those Space Marines and I was, to an extent.

With a sigh, I deactivated my sword's power field and sheathed it, slipped my hands into the pockets of my pants and followed them.

I was entering through the crimson curtains when I heard the elevator open and turned to see another two Space Marines emerge.

One was wearing very modified power armour and carried a bolter, a large crane jutted from the top of his back, and I could see he had the cog on his left shoulder plate, announcing his allegiance to the Tech-Priests of Mars.

He must've been the one who had hacked the security of Taryst's personal elevator, that was how they'd been here before we'd arrived.

The other was in very ornate armour his left hand was a power claw, sheathed in dancing light. His right held a plasma pistol.

I smiled at them, and as they raised their weapons and opened fire, I'd already stepped through the curtains, and the void shield was activated.

+Yes, Attelus,+ said Karmen. +Taunt the Space Marines, such a good idea.+

I took out a lho stick, placed it in my mouth with index finger and thumb then lit it.

"Come on Karmen," I breathed, even though the very act of speaking hurt. "Allow me some fun in life, please."

Her reply was an exasperated sigh.

In silence, we rode the elevator down to Taryst's quarters. I sat alone in one of the corners trying to cope with the constant agony.

All of us were exhausted or injured in one way or another. I was both. There was a massive tear right through the skin and tissue, down to the bone in my left arm. But already, the blood had clotted despite the hideousness of the wound, frig it was agony. It seemed my bone had deflected the bolt before it could properly detonate or else I would've ended up just like poor Jelket.

Disarmed, literally, and I couldn't help but smile at the terrible joke.

The bolt round that had hit my side had torn a huge gash in my bodyglove; there, a horrific blue-black bruise was in plain sight. Again my wraithbone bone structure had deflected the shot before it blew a hole in my torso and before the kinetic force could pulp my internal organs into mush.

Adelana was kneeling next to the old woman who was curled up in pain against the opposite wall. I don't know what I'd broken when I'd thrown her, but she'd seemed to be able to cope with the pain it caused until now. She was quite a tough old bird; I had to admit. It didn't lessen the guilt I felt over hurting her, though I'd saved her life. I could've been a bit more gentle in the process. Guess I didn't know my own strength.

Adelana suddenly noticed I was looking at them and looked back at me with wide eyes.

I smiled at her and despite the pain it caused gave her a small wave, but much to my hurt she flinched and her eyes abruptly fell to the floor.

Arlathan approached, limping the way while clutching at his side then sat beside me but said nothing.

I sighed, "what, you think I'm some kind of freak as well?"

"No," he said, and my attention snapped to him, seeing it for the lie it was instantly.

Arlathan sighed too and with a pained grunt adjusted his seating, "yeah alright, maybe a bit. We all saw you do all that stuff, dodging all those frigging bullets. I've never seen anyone move nearly as fast as you. Then we saw you get hit not once but twice, but still get up and still keep going, that's just...that's just…"

"Impossible?" I said.

Arlathan only shrugged, "it's more, unnatural. How? How did you get that way?"

I hissed through clenched teeth and closed my eyes as a new wave of pain passed through me. I almost lost myself to sleep in that second; it was an act of tempered will just to open my eyes again.

"It's...It's a long story," I hissed. "I'll tell you later."

Arlathan looked pointedly at my arm, "and that wound. I was given basic medicae training in the scholarium, and that wound shouldn't have stopped bleeding, hell you should be unconscious from blood loss!"

"You say that with Jelket in the room," I growled. "Now can you leave me alone, it's pretty frigging obvious I don't want to talk about this right now, okay?"

"You were the one who brought it up," said Arlathan with a shrug he instantly regretted. "At least give me smoke, could really use one right now."

With a heavy sigh, I opened my case of Lhos and handed him one. I was getting low, only five were left.

Arlathan smiled, took it and I hesitantly lit it for him with my igniter.

"Think about this," Arlathan said as he exhaled smoke. "If I thought you were some; therefore, would I be sitting next to you, smoking your Lhos?"

"Yes," I said, without missing a beat.

Then we laughed, laughed like there was no tomorrow, laughed with the idiot joy that only those who knew they had survived something they shouldn't have survived, could. I laughed even though each time it hurt.

Our laughter drew all attention to us and took us a good half a minute for us to stop.

I looked at Adelana once finally done, her expression was one of bemused, gaping horror as she gazed at me. The old woman had regained some of herself as she smiled at us in understanding.

"I can't believe, we are still alive," gasped someone, and we looked to see it was the stormtrooper, he kneeled on the floor, his Hellgun pointed to the ceiling. "We should all be dead, Space Marines I can't believe it, I just can't…"

He trailed off in his sentence, then he turned to me, his expression unreadable beneath his helm, "all because of you."

I furrowed my brow, unsure what to make of his panicked tone and started to get to my feet, sensing something wrong, I reached for my sword.

The stormtrooper tore off his helmet revealing plain, ruddy features and short messy blonde hair stood up and abruptly approached, his heavy boots clanging across the metal floor.

Then he suddenly fell into a kneel.

"Surely you are blessed," he said. "Surely you are an avatar of the Emperor's will! To be able to move so fast and survive those bolt rounds, you truly must be. The God-Emperor must have sent you to protect us!"

I took a step back, utterly bewildered and Torris burst out in a bitter barking laugh, followed immediately by a horrid groan of pain.

"I'm not, I'm not," I stammered.

"Yes you must be!" he said on. "In the scholam, they taught us of the saints, ones said to be an embodiment of the God-Emperor himself, they taught us they fought with inhuman strength, speed; Iand endurance. Just the same as you."

I laughed nervously and realised everyone's attention was on me. Arlathan looked on with an amused smile. Adelana's expression was that of deep confusion, but I could see a bit of understanding glinting in her bright blue eyes, she too must've been wondering how I was able to do what I did and she must've thought his explanation made sense, the old woman had a very similar look. My heart sunk at such a thought.

Verenth's brow furrowed, and his arms folded over his chest as if the mere thought I could be the chosen of the Emperor made him want to break something, probably me.

Vex was sitting, arms wrapped around his knees, looking up at me through his glasses, his expression unreadable and yet again I was reminded how frigging young he was.

Torris seemed amused like Arlathan, but sarcastically, as though he knew that I was so far from being chosen by the Emperor the Stormtrooper couldn't have been any more mistaken.

And I wholeheartedly agreed with him.

"I'm not!" I snapped managing to regain my wits. "Get the frig up, now!"

"But..!"

"Get the frig up!" I yelled, anger abruptly overtaking me. "I don't even think the Emperor is even a god! I Haven't even been to an ecclesiarchy service for years! I'm the least pious person you could ever meet! You're so frigging mistaken it isn't funny! Now get the hell up!"

Again, the stormtrooper hesitated.

"Now!" I roared.

He slowly got to his feet, glaring at me balefully and almost nose to nose, "so, what are you then, huh?" he snarled through his teeth.

I said nothing, just glared back, a glare that said, 'someone who can kill you before you can blink, so shut up and back down.'

The stormtrooper did, spitting on the floor before retreating into a corner, his face foul.

I held back a sigh and turned away, trying to look discretely sidelong at Adelana, to see how she'd reacted to that. She watched me walk by, gaping up at me in what could've been awe or fear in equal measure.

The elevator then abruptly found the floor, shaking to a halt, before the doors slid swiftly open.

I was the first to step into that familiar white, brightly lit corridor, the cells lining the sides of the walls and couldn't help but blanch as I realised the others were going to see the corpses still in them.

Vex who was helping Halsin was the next out; then it was the stormtrooper with Helma and Verenth aiding Jelket. Last were the bewildered Adelana and old woman, pushing Karmen's bed I meant to ask what the woman's name was, but felt would've seemed rude.

I allowed the others to pass and fell in step with Adelana.

"I'm sorry, Adelana" I whispered to her. "I have no idea what you can make of all this."

She looked at me there tears were welling in her eyes, "I don't understand what's going on, Attelus," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Space Marines? Why are we here, why are they killing us? I heard you talking to yourself, or her," she nodded at Karmen as she laid lifeless on the bed. "You were saying something about this world dying soon and that you feel guilty about it, that at least when she dies she could escape her guilt, but you won't be able to, what did you mean by that? How were you able to hit the Marines gunshots with your sword and dodge them? If you aren't chosen by the Emperor, then how were you able to do all of that? The way you said it, it seemed you knew for a complete fact that you weren't and she's a psyker, how did she become part of this organisation? I...I...I."

She looked like she was going to have a panic attack and I reached out to comfort her, but abruptly drew it back as I thought better. I barely knew her, she barely knew me, I didn't know if it'd be appreciated.

"I'm sorry Adelana," I sighed and shook my head. "I will tell you everything soon, I swear I will, but I will say this. This is reality; this is the era we live in, there is only war, Adelana. There may not have been war on Omnartus, nor most worlds in the Calixis sector but it is always somewhere. It has found you; I'm sorry to say, as it had found me, as it has found countless upon of others. Trillions before us and more to come. I'm sorry, so, so sorry."

She looked at me, a sad almost sympathetic smile on her face, that seemed to say, 'what happened to you that made you like this? Whatever it was, I am sorry.'

I looked away, unable to stand her pity.

"What's the password?" growled the stormtrooper, he stood at the keypad, his eyes hooded sullenly and looking at me. Everyone else looked into the cells with wide-eyed horror."

I cleared my throat, "it's j-garrakson."

The stormtrooper raised an eyebrow, but that was that as he turned away and typed it in. The door swished open, and he flinched in slight fright.

"Vex!" I said, he was staring into the cell that contained Interrogator Heartsa's corpse. He instantly snapped from his stupor and looked at me.

"What?" he asked dumbly.

"Get onto Taryst's cogitator," I said, even though I knew he knew what we expected of him. "Hack it and get all the data you can."

Vex nodded, and we filed into the small room. Jelket was placed on the bed along with the Halsin and Helma, while the rest of us milled around the room. I fought the urge to join them and my eyelids from closing.

Vex pulled out a miniature cogitator from a bag slung under his shoulder, pulled out a cord and connected it into the giant black table and began to type into it loudly.

I leaned my back against the wall and began to take out my ceramic case of Lhos. Then I caught Adelana looking at me again from the other side of the room, still with that damnable smile and she didn't look away when I looked back.

I wanted to tell her to keep her pity to herself but felt it was more than I deserved from someone like her. But the more I saw, the more it didn't seem like pity; it was something else, something I couldn't place my finger on.

Before I could think more on it, Darrance walked up to me, "we have better take a look at that ship. You know where it is, there might be medicae facilities on it."

I nodded, pushed myself off the wall and walked for that small door. It slid open, and we began down the corridor lined with shelves holding many plasteek supply boxes.

"Attelus Xanthis Kaltos," said Darrance and it made me stop in my tracks and turn back.

"What did you just call me?" I said.

Darrance, shrugged, "your name, or has it been so long since you have heard it, that you have forgotten it?"

"Is that your idea of a joke?" I asked with genuine bemusement.

He shook his head, "you really don't know anything about me, do you?"

"No I don't," I said with an uncaring shrug and folding my arms across my chest.

"Just like I don't know how you became what you are now," he said. "But I do know that it all happened after that psyker had visited your medicae room. It seemed strange to me why Glaitis had made them keep you on life support for so long after the Twilight Bar incident, and now I know why. You were going to be her new little super assassin, that you were made, no. Engineered to be the one to finally kill your father. What did that psyker do to you, exactly? I saw frigging bolter rounds bounce off you. It has scared the others, but you know that already, right?"

"Yeah I know," I sighed and turned to start. "It's even more complicated than that, believe me."

"You just have to be careful," he said. "If an Inquisitor besides Brutis Bones sees that, they might have you captured and on an operating table before even you can blink, okay?"

"Good to know you care, Darrance!" I said with a slight wave of my hand still walking and keeping my back to him. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You bloody well better!" he snapped at my back.

The small door slid open, and I stepped into the hanger. The massive ship loomed over me and dominated the place. Weapons bristled all over it; there was a Lascannon on each wing, three high yield heavy bolter turrets, one on top, one on the bottom and one on the back. Lastly was a Plasma cannon set underneath the nose.

It was streamlined and smooth, made for speed as well as comfort, thirty metres long and a good sixteen wide, excluding the wings which were both about half the length of the body. I couldn't identify what design it was or make; I didn't have much knowledge in such subjects. But I could tell it would easily transport us all no problem.

I just hoped it was warp travel capable, Glaitis' ship in orbit had warp drives, a Geller field all of it, assuming it was even still there, with the vox down there was no way to know.

The door swished open behind me, and I heard Darrance let out a long whistle.

"Nice," he said, and I looked over my shoulder at him.

"What's nice?" I asked.

"Why the ship of course," he said. "A Salvani class VIII Guncutter, I can see Taryst spared no expense and had a good taste while at it."

"A Guncutter?" I said. "So, not warp capable?"

Darrance snorted and shook his head with an amused smile then approached the ship, rubbing his hand on it's sheened metal surface.

"A ship this size isn't even slightly large enough to house a warp drive let alone a Geller field, too," he said. "You show your ignorance spectacularly."

I pursed my lips and shrugged, feeling he was merely stating a fact rather than trying to insult me.

"We all can't know everything about everything," I said.

It was Darrance's turn to shrug, but he said nothing, so enraptured by the Guncutter.

"It'll have an internal medicae capability, right?" I said. "If this ship is so frigging super special awesome and all."

"Yeah," he said while beginning to walk around the ship, gaping in awe.

I had no idea that Darrance was so into ships, he would've been the last person I could've imagined being interested in such a subject.

"I would even say the medicae facility would even be automated," he said, after a long pause. "I would suggest you get the psyker and the other injured here."

"She has a name, you know," I said.

"I'm sure she does," he said almost wistfully, still keeping his back to me, still sliding his hand across the Guncutter.

"Fine," I said. "Be that way, then."

I turned to walk away when the door suddenly slid open, and Adelana stepped into the hanger.

"Oh, hi!" I said and felt a smile unintentionally crossing my face.

She smiled back, but it didn't reach her eyes, "Vex sent me, he's managed to get into the cogitator's vox system. We've received a communique, and she wants to talk to you."

I nodded, she looked very visibly scared all of a sudden.

"Yes," she said, shivering despite the warmth in here. "She said...She said that she was an Inquisitor."

Adelana, Darrance and I emerged back into the quarters.

Everyone who could still stand was crowded around the cogitator desk gazing down at the large display. It was now showing the image of the head and shoulders of; I woman wearing black, ornate power armour. Her skin was a dark, chocolate brown and her blue eyes incredibly piercing that suggested they were extremely advanced augmetics. Her long, thin white hair tied into a top knot.

I stepped into view of the display the others stepping aside to allow me in.

The woman's eyes narrowed as she saw me.

"You are Attelus Kaltos," she said, her voice boomed from the speaker, it was the confident voice of someone who was a leader, a true leader and who knew it but didn't revel in this knowledge. It was a statement, not a question.

I managed a nod, and she smiled, it was a sensual smile, but it wasn't pleasant at all. It was almost predatory.

"Yes," she said. "Wesley had told me much about you in his reports. I apologise, allow me to introduce myself. I am Inquisitor Jelcine Enandra of the Ordo Hereticus."

She held up a Rosette, briefly, casually as though such a thing didn't give her power and influence beyond measure.

"I have just arrived in the system," she said. "I have brought with me ten ships of the Calixis battlefleet and they are about to engage the Space Marines."

I involuntarily flinched as some of the others suddenly let out a cheer.

Their elation didn't last long as Enandra's expression darkened and said, "I doubt they will last long, though, they are merely a distraction."

"A distraction?" said Arlathan. "A distraction for what?"

She sighed, "a distraction for your escape. My personal ship, the Audacious Edge is built for battle and stealth, and we have entered the system undetected. We are orbiting the blind spot of the local star. It is at great risk that I am talking to you now."

"How?" said Darrance. "How did you get this frequency?"

Her eyes narrowed again, but in bemusement, "Wesley gave it to me in one of his astropathic messages, he never told you that?"

"No," I said and wondered how the hell he got it in the first place, he seemed to have neglected to tell us a lot before his death.

+I gave it to him,+ said Karmen. +I gave him this frequency, I knew Taryst had a high powered vox situated down here, one capable of interplanetary communication. I felt that the reinforcements he sent for would need to know it, although I didn't believe it would amount to anything. Obviously, I was wrong.+

'Wesley also told us he never got any reply," I said. "Did you send anything back, mamzel?"

Enandra's eyes widened and straightened as if I'd asked the most stupid question in the verse.

"Yes, of course, I did," she said. "Where is he?"

"He's...He's dead," I answered hesitantly. "I'm sorry."

"Really?" she said but didn't seem at all upset by this, more surprised. "Always thought that old bastard was indestructible. Tell me later how and why he died, we don't have the time now. It's sad to hear; I was hoping he might be able to talk my former master down from this, rather disproportionate, retribution for Omnartus and it's people."

Adelana and the old woman looked at me then, looking very anxious all of a sudden.

"You two should get to the ship," Arlathan said to them. "Take Karmen with you, please."

They both nodded and hurriedly, they took Karmen's bed then left the room.

"Did I say something wrong?" said Inquisitor Enandra.

I hissed air through clenched teeth, "not everyone knows everything."

"Frig yeah we don't," said the Stormtrooper sullenly.

"What's happened to the System Defence Force ships?" said Arlathan.

"Already dead," stated Enandra. "Or to be more precise, destroyed. The Space Marines had lost none of theirs in the process, but a few were damaged. The Marine ships are all now in orbit, blockading the planet's air traffic and destroying the orbital platforms and soon, very soon they'll initiate the Exterminatus once the orbital battle is won."

"What about the surface to orbit defense turrets?" said Arlathan.

Enandra sighed again, "from what I understand, according to the PDF vox; he I have been monitoring, they seemed to have been...sabotaged."

"What?" said Arlathan his eyes wide with disbelief.

Then it hit me, "it might've been the Adeptus arbites!"

Enandra turned her head and said sceptically, "Adeptus arbites?"

I nodded and quickly relayed the events of their earlier ambush. It was rushed and abridged, and I withheld some details.

Enandra looked at me sidelong once I finished, her jaw clenched slightly. She could tell that I'd skipped some things but after a few seconds of pondering she eventually nodded.

"I see," she said. "After you had informed me of that, your theory does have some merit, that they are either under the influence of my former master, or Inquisitor Edracian but at this point, it matters little. Do you have a void capable ship?"

"Yeah," I said. "We also have a ship in orbit…"

"I don't care if you do!" Enandra interrupted me suddenly. "You are to go to my ship and none other! Any other ship is suicide at this point and besides."

She smiled but again it was that predatory and strangely sensual smile, "I would like to talk to all of you face to face, and I mean literally, so I can make sure you are…"

She paused and raised her eyes to whatever ceiling was over her, in mock, exaggerated imitation of someone struggling to find the right word to use.

"Proper," she said eventually.

"In all honesty, mamzel," I said, leaning close to the screen. "The way you said that, doesn't give us much incentive."

She laughed, and it was a genuine laugh, it was almost musical and couldn't help but like it, "yes I guess it wouldn't. I like you, boy. From what Wesley told me I knew I would like you, Attelus Xanthis Kaltos. Son of the infamous Serghar Kaltos, it seems you didn't inherit his anti-social qualities."

"You know my father?" I asked as I felt my face flush.

"No," she said, for the first time smiling genuinely. "I know of your father; there are very few within the Inquisition who do not."

"Of course there isn't," I sighed.

"Anyway, your ship has more than likely been destroyed anyway," she said, becoming sober and professional again.

"So, what happens now, mamzel Inquisitor?" said Verenth, his voice shaky.

"The Calixis battlefleet ships will be first engaging the Marine spacecraft in about half an hour," said Enandra. "They will be fully engaged another fifteen minutes after that, so I need for you to wait for that timeout then leave Omnartus. Fly for the local star and once you are ten thousand kilometres away send me a brief communique on this frequency. There I will give you the coordinates of the Audacious Edge. Then I will allow you to board and from then on wait it out until the Space Marines and my erstwhile master have left the system. Does that make any sense?"

"Wait, with respect mamzel Inquisitor," said Verenth and I couldn't help wince and hiss through clenched teeth. "Did you just say, 'wait it out until the Space Marines leave?'"

Enandra glared at him, her jaw twitching slightly, dangerously, "that isn't quite verbatim, but it's close. So, yes."

"Aren't we gonna do something?" he cried. "We can't just stand by and watch! They're gonna destroy my world!"

Enandra sighed, her eyes falling to the floor and for a second there was true despair on her attractive face.

"Yeah," she said as her gaze suddenly snapped back on us, a look of fiery determination on her face. "Yeah I do and if you don't want to there is another option. You have a weapon, you can use it on yourself, or I could do it for you. I'm sorry, I am. I wish it could've ended in another way, but it's too late. Just too late."

Verenth listened with wide, teary-eyed horror, his mouth gaping and I felt sorry for the Hammer.

"I must end this communique," said Inquisitor Enandra. "I have almost gone over the safe time gap already. I am sorry, I wish all of you luck and hope to see you soon."

Then the screen abruptly went blank.

For a long time, we were silent. The only sound, the pained moans, and groans of the injured.

The first one to find his head was Arlathan, "alright!" he snapped. "We've got three-quarters of an hour to get things ready! Attelus, Darrance, Verenth, Vark! You four get the heavily injured into the ship."

"What are you doing?" said a voice and we turned to see Helma was groggily getting off the bed, she was smiling at us. "Brutis Bones put me in charge, didn't he?"

"You shouldn't be up, captain!" cried Vark but she waved him off.

"I have been unconscious and useless for much of what has happened," she said. "I'm sorry, now it's about time I will be of use."

Helma turned away and hauled up Jelket by his good arm, then placed it across her shoulders,

"I heard what the Inquisitor had said," said the captain. "She's right; we can't stop this. But if we escape with all we know we can make sure that Etuarq will never be able to do it again."

She started to the door, and I held out my hand to offer help, but she shook her head in decline.

As she passed, I once again saw the enormous black bruise on the side of her skull and fought the urge to flinch at the sight of it. I had no idea how she was awake let alone moving.

I reached down and hauled up Hayden; he was the heaviest of the injured so thought it fitting I was the one to carry him.

"Well!" I said. "You heard the mamzel! We've got work to do."

It took us a good ten minutes to take the injured into the ship. The interior was almost beautiful, comfortable and well made. Soft, red carpet with slight gold lining was on the floor the walls were cream, curling waves produced from thin lines of gold. The corridors were as thin as any other ship its size but seemed slightly wider because of the decoration. Darrance was with, he seemed to know the ship's layout and showed us to the medicae area. We laid Hayden, Jelket on two of the four gurneys while Torris who was still conscious laid himself down. The two servitors which staffed it immediately began to treat their wounds. Darrance left for the cockpit claiming he needed to 'get to know the controls.' Or something.

In all honesty, I wasn't sure if I was at all comfortable with Darrance piloting, but kept this thought to myself.

I wandered off to explore; I found the lines of small personal quarters, near the medicae area, eight of them on the lowest level of the ship, all of them a good size and luxurious. Then the engine room at the other end.

I ascended the stairs into the large common room, kitchen and found both Adelana and the old woman were there. The old woman's torso was covered in bandages, and they sat in silence in the corner, on one of the large comfortable couches. Adelana seemed to be staring out into space, looking hunched and defeated, my black flak jacket laid crumpled on the floor at her feet. The old woman was asleep, her head hung forward, and her snoring reverberated through the room.

For a few seconds, I stood, looking at Adelana and admired yet again just how attractive the young redhead was. Quickly, I decided not to disturb them and turned to walk up the stairs I assumed led to the cockpit.

"What's going to happen, Attelus?" Adelana asked abruptly, making me stop in my tracks.

I turned back to her, but I had no idea what to say, what to do.

Then again she started to cry, "how?" she cried. "How could this happen?"

My attention fell to the floor.

"My world!" she yelled. "Is my world really going to die?"

All I could manage was a slight nod; I saw no reason to lie anymore.

"But why?" she whimpered. "Why?"

I didn't answer, couldn't answer.

"What's going to happen to my friends? My family? My mother, my father, my little brother and sister? Can't we save them?"

I only shuffled my feet.

She shuddered with tears and looked away.

"Why? Why did you save me?" she cried her face abruptly turning into a mask of anger. "Why have you brought me here?"

"I thought…"

"No! I bet you didn't think!" she snarled. "You never stopped to consider what I wanted. Was it because I was nice to you? Talked to you? Are you really that pathetic? You said that this was reality, this was the 41st millennium, that there is only war. What if I didn't want to know that? What if I wanted to live in ignorance? What if I wanted to die in ignorance?"

"It's not just that," I murmured, fighting back the tears starting to well in my own eyes.

"What?" Adelana snapped.

"It's not just that!" I cried, my hands curling into fists at my sides and just then Helma, Verenth and Vark walked into the room. "...It's not just that."

"What is it then?" she yelled.

"I'm...I'm not a good person, Adelana," I said. "I've killed a lot of people, and I'm going to continue killing a lot of people."

I pursed my lips and gave Helma, Verenth and Vark a glance.

"When I met you Adelana, when we talked, it lent me a new perspective," I paused. "No, sorry it renewed an old perspective. I'd just been through hell, but you, talking to you made what I'd went through, worth it because it assured me that there were good people out there worth fighting for and worth dying for. Even though this galaxy is a horrid, dark place and I've seen the worst of it, I believe that you deserve to live and…"

"So, you wanted to save me, just because it inspires you?" she interrupted, sounding horrified.

"N-no, that's not what I meant," I stammered. "I couldn't save Omnartus, hell I couldn't even save your friends! I...I."

I stopped and sighed, "no, no you're right, Adelana. I brought you here for selfish reasons, I never even considered how you would feel about. I was warned, but I didn't listen. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."

"Go away!" she screamed, and the abruptness made me flinch in fright. "Get away from me!"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't even talk to me!" she roared. "Leave me alone you selfish bastard! I hate you."

I recoiled at her fury, nodded then turned and started toward the exit. The others moved aside to let me past.

I paused at the peak of the stairs and looked over my shoulder at her, "I still intend on telling you the truth, Adelana," I said. "When the time is right, of course. I'll tell you everything I know, and once you know it, you will have a new purpose, a reason to live. You can hate me all you like, and I understand if you do, but please don't hate me. I was selfish and idiotic, without a shadow of a doubt, but that's because I'm only human. I'm a flawed, idiotic human. But hate, hate, Adelana is the worst emotion us humans possess. It has been the source of so many of our problems; it can be manipulated by those who know how. It can twist and contort and drive good people like you into becoming monsters. Monsters like me, like my master, like the man who has ordered the death of this world, like my father. So I ask you not to hate me, not because I don't want you to hate me, but for yourself, for your humanity and your sanity. I hope you can one day forgive me, Adelana. I truly hope you can, but I'd understand if you can't."

She continued to glare at me, her expression still set in anger, but I could see in her sea blue eyes, that she'd understood what I'd just said.

I turned and started down the stairs, ignoring the others as they watched me leave.

"I'm sorry," I said under my breath, finally letting the tears to flow down my face freely.

In sullen silence, I went to the medicae servitors and had one bandaged my arm then applied soothing salve to my ribs while I smoked my last Lhos as I winced and hissed with the pain.

+Attelus?+ Karmen said as I was in the midst of slipping my body glove back on.

"What do you want, Karmen?" I growled.

+I heard what you said to that Adelana girl.+

"Of course you did," I sighed.

+Now are you aware of what Glaitis tried to make you into?+

"Yes."

+Do you remember what I said to you in this bunker a day ago?+

"You said quite a few things back then," I said. "Elaborate."

+I said I was here to save from losing your sanity,+ she said. +Like I had back in the ruins of Varander seven years ago, do you remember that?+

"Yes I do," I said. "And I'll always appreciate what Estella Erith did for me back all those years ago, no matter how much she has changed. I needed you back then when I was a stupid teenager…"

+But you don't need that now,+ she finished. +I don't know how you managed to keep your sanity after all you've been through in the last few months.+

I laughed suddenly, bitterly, "how do you know I'm still even sane, Karmen? What does that even mean? Is there some indelible line between sanity and insanity? Torris had said that I suffered from something called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. That doesn't sound sane to me!"

She didn't reply.

"No, I think you need me more than I need you," I said. "The woman that was once so caring and kind is now a woman who can callously control and have thousands of people slaughtered..."

I paused and sighed, "the woman I'd once loved, now I know she is capable of such acts."

+I...I won't try to justify what I've done, Attelus+ she said, her voice breaking with utter sadness. +I'll just say I did what I believed I had to, that none of us would be here right now if I didn't do it. But you are right it is morally wrong.+

Yet again I sighed and remembered the saying, 'anything and everything to win,' Karmen had adhered to it too it's most logical extreme. She was the embodiment of pragmatism; she was far stronger than I could ever claim to be. Karmen showed the dark side of that philosophy, the philosophy I've always tried to live to, I hoped that I wouldn't wind up that way.

But was sacrificing all those men worth it? Just to save the few of us? Just because of the meagre knowledge we know. In all honesty, I wasn't sure.

Inquisitor Enandra also adhered to that, sacrificing all those ships, all those Navy personnel, so that we could escape the fate of Omnartus. A fate we had a hand in causing. I should've felt privileged I suppose, but it made me feel sick more than anything else.

+Do you hate me?+ she said, interrupting my train of thought. +Do you hate me, Attelus Kaltos?+

"No," I said without a second's hesitation. "Do you think I'd hate you after what I'd told Adelana? That'd make me the biggest hypocrite in the millennia-long history of hypocrites. So no I don't, I won't."

She sighed with palpable relief.

+But you don't love me anymore?+

"No," I said, it was a lie, but it was one of those few lies that needed to be told. "I can't, I'm sorry."

Her reply was silence.

I left the Guncutter and walked back to Taryst's quarters. Only Arlathan and Vex were still there, and both glanced up at me as I entered. Vex was knelt in front of his portable cogitator his fingers a blur as they worked over the keyboard while Arlathan stood over him, leaning forward to watch Vex work. I was surprised the temperamental little teenager would put up with that.

"How goes it?" I asked, trying to attempt to hide my severe depression under a mask of fake cheer.

"As good as it can go with such a short time limit," said Vex sullenly. "I have managed to hack in, and I am uploading as much data as I can into my cogitator, but it's all frigging encrypted. It's an encryption code I've never seen before. I'm hoping that I can find something, anything I can use to decrypt it."

I sighed and scratched the back of my head, "I know that the sniper, Hayden Tresch is also pretty good with cogitators. He'd hacked into the Adeptus Arbites data stream a few months ago; he'd have been able to help you if he wasn't fighting for his life right now."

Vex shrugged, "I wouldn't want his help anyway, I am Vex Carpompter. Vex Carpompter doesn't need any help."

"Don't be stupid," I said, folding my arms across my chest. "Everyone needs help from time to time. You needed help from sergeant Garrakson so you could effectively punch me in the face. I've needed help on numerous occasions to survive many of my battles."

Vex shot me a withering glare, "that is all to do with physical violence. When Vex Carpompter works with data, Vex Carpompter does not need help!"

I shared a bemused look with Arlathan who smiled and said, "Vex Carpompter better stop referring to himself in the third person. It makes Vex Carpompter sound like a complete arsehole."

Vex let out an animalistic growl. "Okie frigging dokie!" he snarled through gritted teeth. "Just shut up and let me concentrate, okay?"

I smiled and shook my head; if I was even half as skilled in something at the same age as Vex. I'd have been almost as arrogant as him.

On second thought, perhaps not, I could've been classed as a master swordsman at seventeen. I guessed the difference between him and me would've been that I didn't know I was as good as I was. Vex knew he was, his skills were in huge demand, in fact, he'd probably earned more thrones in his short life than I would in decades. Also, I'd never intended to use my martial arts and fighting abilities besides being a mere hobby.

I was just another killer, an effective one but still only one among billions upon billions of others. Now Vex, he was one of the very few who held such skill outside the Adeptus Mechanicus, and I couldn't help but wonder, how he'd gained such knowledge, especially at such a young age.

We acquiesced his request, Arlathan and I wandered the room in silence as we waited for Vex to finish his work.

I kept glancing at my wrist chron, seeing the remaining fifteen minutes quickly whittle away. Every once in a while Vex would announce some set back with another animal roar of frustrated rage, and he hit the floor with his fists.

It wasn't until one minute remained when we heard something other than an utterance of anger from the young Hacker. It was a whoop of triumph.

"Got you, you son of a bitch!" he cried. "I've got you!"

"What did you get?" I asked as I approached.

"This!" exclaimed Vex, pointing at a line of code that looked like all the others to me. "This will allow me to decrypt the data! It's all binary, but binary made in numbers from another language! I see it's Cartharsian! A language from…"

"Yes, that's all well and good and all," interrupted Arlathan. "But how much data did you get, exactly?"

"As much as my miniature cogitator's memory core is able to hold," he said, the sullen tone returning. "Only about two hundred years worth, if I didn't have to leave my main cogitator behind…"

"Oh shut up!" snapped Arlathan. "We couldn't bring those with us even if we weren't running from Space Marines! Two hundred years will have to do, now come on! We've got to go!"

"But I still have to decrypt it!" Vex whined.

"Can you do that later?" I growled.

"Y-yeah."

"Well then do it later!"

Pouting his lips in anger, Vex abruptly tore out the cord and climbed to his feet.

Arlathan grabbed Vex by the arm as the hacker closed the cover of his portable cogitator and we moved quickly out the door. Most of the plasteek supply crates had been taken off the shelves, carried into the ship I assumed.

"So," said Vex as he tore his arm from Arlathan's grip. "What happens now?"

"Now," I said. "Now we're onto the hard part."

[tabletopwargaming]

short story one

Knight hawk’s  Daemon slayer

Chapter one

 Phila hawk the third chapter master of the Knight Hawks chapter of space marines. A chapter born from the imperial fist on the world hawk maw has watched it since the thirty second millennia. Time and the planet have changed the chapter from its founding beyond simple tradition but not its purpose. Wind blows into his grand chamber from opened stained glass.  Air cold and clouds within reach from it Phila took no notice.  Grand desk the size of two full grown men sat before his post human bulk a book in hand of great interest.

The planets inhabitants the knightly houses of the hawk named for the great wing beasts that patrolled the sky in ancient times.  Each house was beyond reproach in fervor for humanities great crusade. Upon the coming of the great heresy and brother turned on brother mistrust took hold and they broke from the imperium taking a single STC most valued by their houses. Forgotten in those hectic days inquisitors soon discovered it and sent imperial fists to this world for its safety. Broken away from the chapter they became the hawk’s rulers of hawk maw by inquisitional order.  The houses of the world mistrust if made manifest would have brought war and broken the ties of honor between each house and the new chapter.  The chapter master of the day took a chance and challenged the high king for his title. Refused an honor battle was held in its stead chapter against the houses.

Within the month battle broke out. It was a war like any other only with a pretense of nobility to it. Forty foot giant humanoid machines piloted by feudal houses stood little chance against the emperors angels.  

Knightly servos groan as vindicator shells blistered past. The holy ion shields equipped to each knight blocked ineffective bolter just as well as lascanon shoot. The few strikes made by the razor back lascanon’s  that hit wounded but slowed none of the knights down as the forces clashed in the last battle.  Vindicator exploding the chapter master ducted battle cannon shoots streaking overhead. Another vindicator explodes in a wreck behind him. Thunder strike gauntlet hurling a husk of a rhino a chain blade cleaved the ground beside him. Devastator teams firing lascannon’s and krak missiles pierce the knights shield toppling it backwards.  

Taller monster than the rest striding towards them it was the creasteus knight of the high king. Its castigator bolt gun chews the devastators to blood paste without pause. The smoke from the wrecked knight giving little cover the command squad gathered round the chapter master with rhino and razor back support charged the towering war machine.  Power sword like tempest war blade on its other arm swinging cleaves two of his ten man command squad to ruin as its energies rip another in half. Stomping feet take five more as melta bombs are pressed to its leg.  Two more dead in the combat the rhino was cleave apart. Razor back a bullet ridden husk the chapter master duct behind the sundered vehicle as the charges blew. Knight toppled into the forces gathered before it the hatch was ripped form its hinges as a storm bolter pressed against the high king’s head.  The war was over and the Knight hawks chapter was truly born.

The high king’s title stripped of him his last request was granted on his noble death. The chapter master took his daughter as a consort to any other man it was a lover to him it was a peace offering for complete stability and loyalty to the chapter. Along with it came the knights of the high king’s house. The consorts use proven as a political advisor and council on human matters brought them to each member of the chapter soon enough. They soon found a second use as recruiting tools of the chapter not by any law or threat but by child rearing. Bringing them into more well respected rolls among the chapter and giving them privilege to command chapter serfs.

Phila having studied this since child hood knew this by heart but it fascinated him to see these changes seep into the chapter over millennia. Could this lead them down darker paths or save them.  the thought pushed aside  he looked over to his open arming chamber inside sat the relic terminator armor forged that day  its chest reinforce with a shrine to the emperor and Dorn. The left arm mounted storm bolter a gift from the inquisition for the subjugation of the houses that day. A plasma pistol mounted on the right with integrated fire controls to the armour. Silver on the right side the deep blue on the left half the chapters colors.

The book down he took up a dispatch from the inquisition its seal along the bottom. Though the inquisition was able to command the chapter it chaffed phila that they kept it from larger actions across the imperium.  Today though he thought he might have found a way to loosen their hold a secret he just found.  The door to the chamber creaked open as a petite woman Isabella enters an inquisitor behind her. Isabella phila’s third consort over his life time was blessed with beauty of no compare but an augmetic hand he himself caused when she was young. A punishment he knew but also a gift. Phila’s first consort bond mate was given when he became part of the Knight Hawk scouts after the trails around his fifteen standard year. Her name was Helen as an unmodified scout he learned the trade and having children with her at eighteen standard years. Once proven as a scout the modifications began and she died as he became a full space marine. On her death he received a second and his own kids grow the boy joined the scouts, his daughter became a fine consort of her own, losing his second bond mate to diseases   Isabella was choosen by the other consorts as punishment for a mistake he made in a spar. Her hand the victim of the accident she was his now.  Growing from girl to women he became a captain of the second then first companies. In doing so Isabella was well taught by him and senior consorts in politics of hawk maw and came to be more suited for it than him. She hand relations with a serf and was with child. As chapter tradition hand it that child was now his. Upon his rise to chapter master she had two more and he sees she has a fourth on the way now.

The inquisitor before him the hilt of his sword in hand Body pressed forward to phila a scowl was present on his face.  “you know why I have come dear chapter master”.

“yes I requested your presence  here and I respectfully request you rest for tonight and think on what I gave you .

“you walk a thin line chapter master  even for one of your standing”.

“inquisitor we will discuss this tomorrow but my only wish is to fight for the imperium you can be sure”.

“that will be for me to tell chapter master not you”.

“ if you think me disloyal to request more autonomy you find fault where there is none”.

“No my issue is your ways spreading like an infection to others”.

“inquisitor joseph our ways are unorthodox I admit , we all know it but they are our ways born from generations of noble service to the ordo xenos and the knights we command cannot be over looked, they let the chapter take whole planetary campaigns alone”.

“how does the campaign in subsector loth go by the way, I hear no news from you on it”.

“Well enough two companies with knight support have contained the planets corruption and I wait on a report soon inquisitor, from what is coming in it is not xeno activity “.

“that does sound troubling I will speak to a ‘friend’ if he can help, good night chapter master “.

The inquisitor lead away by Isabella Phila stood closing the arming chamber activating a lift that sends it to his private chambers. The candle lights on the arch of the doorway put out by her the door to the hallway is open where great stained glass window were. Glow orbs in the hall lighting the way he scanned them as he walked behind both inquisitor and Isabella. The one to his left was of dorn surrounded by imperial fist, the right was a black fist symbol of their birth chapter stern as always, above in a circle that would catch the light projecting its image down during the day was the emperor surrounded by marine in the Knight hawks colors and knights towering above ready to slay the emperors foes. Inquisitor’s armed escorts joining him they leave Isabella and Phila alone in hall. Her hand pulling hard as the post human noticed no less they entered the adjacent hall into a lift for the state room below. Door opened they entered a grand room circular  in nature  a hololith sits at its center  chairs around it the room functioned as a council chamber for the chapter master to discuss matters with captains and heads of the librarium and forges on the world. walls with banners of every company and knightly house on the planet statues of chapter heroes stood in relief looking at those to remind them of what their duty was and how it should be honored.  Heading north of the hololith the oak doors opened to a grand state room a desk equal to the one in the room above at its center, Grand bed fitting of the space was just behind, terminator arming chamber left of the desk held his sacred armour and weapons of war its lift settled.  Post human cot just behind phila went the other way towards a small child’s bed and two cribs.  The cribs full of a crying girl and a sleeping boy the boy on the bed slept without complaint.

The girl would make a good consort phila remarked as she had a strong voice. The child in the bed phila IV was already a strong squire as he out did many of the planter defense force. the day of his trials was soon coming and phila III only wished him luck in them. The baby behind him was of Isabella’s stock the high kings many decedents so he would be the same.  When his inevitable death came his gene seed would be given to one of these children by the consorts that held it as was the chapter’s way now. He himself could trace his linage back through the consorts to the first high king and chapter master.  His role as the child’s angel as the children are taught are to train them in battle and weapons , the consorts taught the history and battle records of each chapters heroes. The record of his victories long Isabella inherited the duty of its record upon her appointment of his consort as did his previous one had.

With the matter of the inquisitor still in the air phila III went to his cot as Isabella the bed. Lonely to night she slept knowing that the babes would need care in the morn. Sun coming to quick Isabella nursed the babes as the boy dressed in the chapter tunic. Phila IV off to morning lessons Phila III would train him later that day. Serfs entering the room he sat in the arming station as they loving place the terminator armor round his body. Each having an augmetic limb from failing the trails of honor and duty they served as the lowest in the chapter. The fate kinder than the few chapters phila III saw as each serf was still a brother in the eyes of their betters only to a lesser degree.  The last of the armors piece place on was a cape of blood red a symbol of serving in the first company the knight guard. This group among all the companies in the chapter knew the truth of why the chapter came to this world. Each was sworn to silence as they protected it by that and the strength of their cataphractii terminator armor.  If they were not protecting that they were deployed with every group of knights the chapter sent out as was another of their duties. With both tasks in mind the first was chapter’s largest companies excluding the scouts. It number only know by him it was hard to equip them all with the relic armour but the more common terminator armor filled the gaps.

Leaving the chamber and the chapter’s future to Isabella he goes to confront the inquisitor on his terms. Taking the lift from the state room to several levels above he came to a hall holding the relics of the chapters dead. Door on his left leading to the reliquary the right leads to a massive cathedral to the emperor. Leaving the reliquary for later he marched to the cathedral pushing open imperial knight sized doors.   At the center a warlord titan sized statue of the emperor took his view over. It stood over the fist of dorn with the chapter’s half knightly helm and hawk symbol emblazoned on it.

Chaplin leading services for the serfs and marines there they part as he walks. The  inquisitor seeing him nods and approached.  Phila’s hand on his shoulder pointed to a door to the outside. The two leaving the monastery for the outside leave through an air lock to an exterior parapet. The clouds below them the great forest that housed the beasts of hawk maw greater than any marine alone were a sea of green. The fortress monastery large than most hive cities housed thousands of serfs and consorts of the knightly houses.

It commanded a view over the continent itself as it held a void shield able to block all but the strongest of sieges of that same continent.  Built after the knightly houses subjugation it functioned as the nerve center of three hundred forts and monasteries all equipped with their own void shield and knights. The captains of each company held the title of baron presiding over many of the forts on the other continents that dot the planet.  This network allowed the knightly houses access to materials and the tech marines now in charge of their war machines maintenance. Intern with their consorts and assets within reach of the chapter master the deployment of this planet’s forces are under his supreme control. A space port linked directly to this structure and five other sites like it meant no single loss would leave the planet unprotected. To all but the most determined of men it was a planetary fortress unbreakable in a wall of a thousand orbital batteries spread across each fort.                        

  Phila watching the inquisitor choke on the thin air hands him a breather and oxygen tank.  He looked over the northern horizon to see the far fort from here as a small marble stone dot.  Inquisitor feeling the chill of the air through this thermal coat now able to breath spoke “do you threaten me with this I know of this planets defenses chapter master my ordo holds records of its construction”.

“Then I hope to provide clarity   inquisitor joseph, this chapter has held this world since I was a child protected your secret of building an army of imperial knights and the tempest blades we forge for you, blades I reminded you are extremely costly to produce, and you question my chapters sense of duty and honor when all I want is to serve”!

“you think you don’t serve the imperium or are you so bold to question the way you serve the imperium”.

“no inquisitor I fear this is a danger to the imperium itself , your ordo says it protects but from what, why not share this with the mechanicum  surely it could be of more use, what plots do you have planned”.

“That is for me to know only chapter master you are obsessed with honor and duty as all your chapter from  those petty knightly traditions you follow , to serve the emperor is honor and duty enough so I will let this slight go and grant your request , ultima  needs a few good arms have a force sent there”.

“Thank you inquisitor but it is that very honor and duty that holds this world and chapter together”.

“Chapter master let not pride blind you and keep your influence from infecting other chapters”.  

“Infecting! , the consorts connect us to the very humanity we defend as without them what would humanity be, nothing with no humans to protect our mission becomes all but failure as the emperor has tasked us with its protection, he abhors failure and to fail is a dishonor worse than death on the battle field”!

“chapter master you send children into a jungle by the thousands why, to make space marines does that not dishonor you”.

“Inquisitor those that survive those trials are raw steel of the chapter to forge , not wailing children eaten by orks ,or men corrupted by  tau, they willing take them to join brothers and sisters in equal service to the chapter”.

“good you still have emperor’s will with you so I will depart for more important duties of my own, the emperor protects”.

The inquisitor gone to the space port below Phila heard another leave the air lock.  Storm ravens streak over head nearly knocking over the person he hears. Body swiveling Phila catches them now seeing Isabella holding some paper. Standing on her own he takes the note and reads it surprised. Thrown the plasma pistol on his armour fired burned it with the heat of a sun. shame across his face as he looked at the augmetic hand “ seems my brothers will have a fight on their hands  the fourth company will be heading to ultima have the consorts packed to go ,and send one of the houses with them the knights will be of use”.

“and you’re headed to the loth sector to reinforce our brothers”. Isabella says respectfully

“Yes if all the report was true the battle does not go as I wish, you will be the governor well I am gone I trust in your steady hands, please tell russ to ready the first , I will speak to oberen”.           

Chapter 2

Mash oberen chief librarian of the Knight hawk’s floats on warp trails in the monastery’s librarium. Floor meters below he studies an ancient book from the thirty fifth millennium.  Born to a consort of high esteem she floated above the slab as he was delivered was such the power of his psychic might. Channeled by intense study and struggle he master telekinesis at a young age. Learning biomancy when becoming an angel of the emperor he was proficient in both beyond all but those focused in the fields. Watched as he grew by the very institution he now leads from that day he was well versed in chapter history and battle.  Head turned he shot bio- lightning as the door creek opened.

Phila laughing at the display waved oberen to come over. The attack by any other would have provoked an instant reprimand but oberen was a longtime friend and a brother that has seen him safely through battle after battle. As kids he remembered they would spar and every time oberen psychic might was used to turn it to his favor. He would be scolded by consort and librarian for it but phila knew then it would be the strength to turn the battle in his favor as an angel. The truth made manifest when they fought on a thousand battle fields in a thousand worlds. Oberen never would let him forget it even now.

“chapter master you have need of me “? Oberen asked

“Yes, the first company is joining me in the campaign on loth I want you and some of your conclave to join us”. Phila replied  

“xenos”?  

“I fear worse brother”.

“chaos, what of the knights ”! anger undercuts oberen’s relaxed manor.

“they stand with many of our brothers, but more are lost , reports hint at a daemons presence”.

Phila leaving the librarium heads for the space port and his battle barge knight of the maw.  Space port busy with servitors and storm ravens heading to the battle barge beside storm talons and thunder hawks loaded with munitions and vehicles from the chapters motor pool.   Russ on the barge leads the knight guard readying the ship for departure.  With preparations moving swiftly phila, oberen and russ left hawk maw for the battle on loth.

A hololith displayed the planets of loth from Imperial record to those on the bridge. Centered on a single planet loth -23 its primary continent highlighted.  Data slates showed transmitted loses kept current by astropath and servitor. The third was in poor shape with a hand full of marines still standing and a near decimated motor pool the fifth little better had most of the motor pool intact. The current unknowns to great the meeting adjured and the ship readied for war on its arrival.

Piercing the vail between immaterium and reality the battle barge’s augurs pick up the strike cruisers maw of death and fort breaker engaged with chaos warships. Vox opened phila tells the masters of their ships to line the enemy up with the battle barge.  The barges forward mounted lances fire off as bombardment cannons blew a hole in the first chaos frigate. Another behind it has its void shields collapse from the blast. With a shutter from broad sides and lance batteries the second frigate becomes a ball of fire in the void. Cruiser behind the frigate charging forward chaos went for a desperate final assault.    Knight of the maw picking up speed phila rammed the bombarded cruiser breaking it across its hull. Chunks of armour plating bursting from the frame the chaos cruiser became a smear of debris along the battle barges rear.  

The final frigate from the chaos war fleet trying to flee saw the strike cruisers do a hard turn lining their broad sides and bombardment turrets with the ship. Battle barge’s lances just in range phila ordered they open fire. Lances breaking the void shields the broad sides weakened the armour as the bombardment cannon shells hit. The ship a miniature star for the briefest of moments the void was clear and course set for the planet.

Damage to the barge minimal phila got on the vox “all vessels prepare for orbital strike and deployment, fort breaker once you have deployed your remaining forces patrol for more chaos vessels, maw of death resupply from the knight of maw then remain as an escort.  The frigates coming with the battle barges are ordered to join the patrols as well.

Knight of maws hangers opening storm ravens and thunder hawks of the first company flew down in tiny a sea of blue against the void. Strom talons follow escorting cargo variants of the thunder hawks with imperial knights in drop pod like armored containers. Drops pods launched next came like rain to the planets dry corrupted sky. Drop pods hitting as the aircraft make land fall tactical squads reinforce battered knight hawk positions in the ruined capital.

The city a blaze with promethium hollowed out hab units line the street.  A safe landing zone secured by defenders holds a dozen human survivors. Architecture thousands if not older lay in rubble.  Symbol of the emperor a grand cathedral swath in blood and skulls defiled imperial knight’s strike by blowing chaos rhinos to hollow wrecks. One husk thrown by a thunder gauntlet crushed an infantry unit under the husk.  Swarms of cultists in a fanatical fury swarm the knights and are swiftly crushed below their tread. Razor backs charge forward beside the knights heavy bolters and lascannons blaring. Bolts cutting down cultists the las hit their defaced transports.  Rhinos behind surged forward deploying more stern guard of the first company bolters and chain swords cleaving into a counter charge of chaos marines. With the fires of war raged above as below. Strom talons took out chaos hell drakes and storm raven landed deploying their terminators. Off the ground as they came the storm raven join the furious battle in the sky. Oberen having command of the ground with Russ, Phila had his storm raven loaded with centurion assaulter body guard charge forward behind the enemy lines.  Flak and missiles taken out by storm talon escorts he reaches the center of the chaos lines. With little place to land and the thermal and battle cannons of the knights in the distance he leapt from the front of the raven. The raven ‘eater of souls’ clearing the ground with hurricane bolters as phila lands storm bolter cutting down a chaos marine as the plasma pistol makes another join the traitor in a blood head exploding death.  Relic blade drawn with his power sword with the strength and weight of terminator armour behind him the blades strike deep. Blood drips from their blade as their pulled out and cleaving two more. Ponderous steps of the centurion assaulters behind him their siege drills shred ceramite and traitor all the same. Chest mounted hurricane bolters gives the wary enemy no time to ponder. Flamers and melta guns joining in the enemy now had two fronts to fight.

The advancing knight’s melting with thermal blasts and explosive battle cannon the traitors broke. The skies above clearing to silver and blue all the Knight hawk’s remaining air craft turn their considerable fire power on the enemy below. A knight crusader the first to reach Phila cuts down men in the open with vengeance Gatling and thermal blast.  Phila giving a nod heads towards his lines to organize a base camp and its defenses.

Chaos taint burned from the emerging base camp round the defiled cathedral. Knight scion removed from his war machine walked towards phila as he plans a counter attack with oberen and russ. The cathedral restored to some of its glory the knight scion bowed to him. Phila recognizing his newest knight nods for him to speak. “it’s an honor to meet  you chapter king your skills are like the tales say”.

“you’re oberens cousin  Joshua quite the display young knight”. Phila complements

“You do me great honor with your praise, if I may inquire will we be deployed to slay theses traitorous scum”.

“Joshua you reach over your station to ask the chapter king” a voice boomed.

Joshua turning to see his baron standing by the holotih between the commanders humbles himself. Phila looking at the baron has him with hold punishment.

“the lad is eager is all baron Morton but child that is  for your betters to know for now”. Phila directs towards Morton……… “Baron you will deploy with the eager on oberen’s scout mission ahead of our flanking force, have the paladins hang back for fire support I don’t want them to know we’re there to soon, oberen scout teams have taken out some of the forward relay towers defiled by chaos so the skies should be clear, may the emperor be with you”.

Oberen taking off in the storm raven ‘bladed first’ leads a force of two dozen scouts, twelve razor backs loaded with men, and five rhino loaded as well. A dozen knights lead by Morton follow behind the war machines moving quite. The force goes north to the melted polar cap by land bridge from dried seas. The trek uneventful as they march scouts take out vox relays as marines slit the throats of sleeping cultists. The tattered uniforms of traitor guard’s men on them they held little discipline of the guard the chapter knew.

Phila taking ‘eater of souls’ through the void with a force of a dozen knight’s and half the first company aboard the ‘knight of maw’.  Russ was ordered to check a signal south for survivors to join them after the sweep. Augurs and visuals from Eater of Souls cockpit showed a planet consumed by taint and chaos. The battle for this world had been costly and would cost the chapter more of its blood soon. With the recovered gene seed secure in the battle barge’s consort shrine he vowed this world would not fall to exterminatus.

Phila voxs over the fleet channel “burn the heretic, save the loyal, and slay the xeno”.

Oberen voxed back “leave no corpse”!

Those that heard bellowed the chant back and the chapter readied for its next battle.  

Chapter 3

The ‘bladed fist’ shifting in the winds of the chaos consumed planet reports filter in from below. Vox towers discovered are disabled quietly by scouts as the main force travels through a dense corrupted forest. The trees burned by no natural flame writhe on whims not their own.  Heading into a storm of lighting and acid rain the rhinos and razorbacks below provide shelter from the toxic mix. Storm talon exploding beside ‘bladed fist’ the pilot jinks flax battering the hardened adamantium hull of the ship Oberen maglocks his boots signaling his conclave to do the same.  Pilot placed on the vox “where we spotted”? Oberen asked angered at the loss of surprise.  

“no librarian”. The pilot replied in a distracted voice

“to all forces we have been spotted, engage the enemy in force  the flanking force will be arriving soon”. Oberen yells over the explosions of flax and rattling hull in the vox.  

Bladed fist dives joined by the other storm ravens and talons hurricane bolters and plasma turrets reaping a heavy toll on the enemy. Talons autocannons in the mix traitor guard’s men turned cultist’s pulp under the explosive fire power. Razorbacks joining seconds later heavy bolters cut down those not killed by the strafing aircraft. Those armed with lascannons target corrupted rhinos now charging forward. Knight hawk’s rhinos loaded with men behind go through forming gaps in the enemy line and deploy the marines inside.  Enemy predator annihilator’s moving forward imperial knights burst from the trees battle cannons reaping each with the fury of the emperor. Ion shields flaring from lascannon shots they charge through brother knights with thermal cannons taking the lead. Their thunder gauntlets sparking the air as tossed wrecks explode on emerging cultists.

           Marines with bolters ready flood from the rhinos and razor backs giving the knights cover and taking out small mobs of cultists. Rocket equipped marine’s fire frag missile between the knight’s legs taking squads of cultists in a storm of shrapnel.  Anti-air guns opening several dagger shaped aircraft take to the sky. Storm talons shoot down on a strafe crash in burning wrecks.

           Bladed fist pulling up from a strafe shutters the hull twisting as it spiraled for the briefest of moments. Front falling away oberen joins his conclaves psychic might and begins to levitate the falling craft.  Jarring motions stopped in an instant the tons of twisted metal and equipment becomes still. Flames the only sound in oberen’s head the plane is let go and plummets toward the dirt. Terminator armors taking blow after blow they descend another of the conclave gives them flame form.  Becoming the essence of flame deadly blows travel through them harmless.  A conclave user of geokinesis pulls the very land around them forming a wall of stone as they touch the ground.  The wrecked ‘bladed first’ burning around them the psykers hurl bolts of biokinetic lighting, stone and breaths of flame at incoming cultists. Battle cannon shell blowing away a growing horde of them a knight charges the position in the enemy lines. Traitor marines crumpled shells another knight with thermal cannon cripples and hurls an rhino full of chaos marines as child’s play. The oberen seeing Joshua’s knight in the group of his defenders smiles.  Rhino charging forward gives the conclave cover to retreat to a position back from the front. “All forces halt and hold position”. Oberen voxed

           The five librarians of the conclave joined in thought and will begin to shake the very earth. Powers magnified to untold levels by the union they sky shutters as the warps power fills the air. Towers of a former imperial base shaking apart their foundations rockcrete cracks. Men abandoning defensive positions the warps power turned against them as fuel lines buried in the earth burst to flames. Ground heaving for kilometers half the make shift chaos base is torn from the very planet and imperial bunker complex hangs like guts of a disemboweled human.  Fires raging across the removed earth the chaos forces were in disarray as it hung in the sky. Unified twisting of the conclaves arms floating rock turns on the ground that birthed it bodies tumble down as towers crumble on the remains of the base in the planet.  Tanks of promethium bursting in the cataclysmic fall the traitors died like they should in the flames of an enraged emperor.

           Small section of the base saved by high walls and strange psychic barrier the enemy did not run standing their ground. To the knight hawk marines there it seemed some twisted sense of honor kept them from running.

           Imperial knights arriving by thunder hawks to the rear watched the carnage from above. Ground beneath them seconds later the pod opens and the knight crusader rides out avenger Gatling   cleaving the forces from behind well its thermal cannon blasts half functioning tanks away.  More hit ground cleaning some of the now retreating enemy forces.   Flash of a rust covered object slams the knight’s leg and it falls, leg crippled in an instant. The pilot feeling the blow let loss at where it can from. Door hacked away from above him a rust blade looks down on him a horn beast heard behind it. Pilot blood paste along his controls next the horned figure moved on to the next knight.  Wasted ceramite armour under the knight cracked from inside lost in the creatures assault.

           Pulses of this terrible presence filling oberen the conclave still of one mind takes flight to reach the rear. The strain of destroying the base still on them oberen pushes his strength beyond any limit he has before. Another borrows a sliver of its might to crack the very earth between the creature and the knights as another fall victim to its blade.  Strength wavering the levitation ends and oberen refocused their might to hurl the ground once more at the daemon he now can senses.

          Imperial knight watching the very earth rise up watched the daemon fall opening fire with its battle cannon. Daemon charging thermal blasts wash past him the warp his shield.  Knight fallen its brother’s rain death only to ineffectual results. The knight’s armour busted the pilot stubbles out daemon behind as red armored warriors fall from a diving thunder hawk. Knight Guard hitting earth chain blades blaze to life. Cataphractii terminator of crimson red charged the daemon without pause. Sergeants master crafted bolter and power sword joining the fray the daemon was stopped in its cloven footsteps.   Imperial knights shooting through the gaps the knight guard have trained to make allowing the great fire power to keep the daemon on his heels. The tactic dangerous it was a specialty the Knight Guard trained years in.

           First captain Har Russ charges from behind with more knight guard as ancient combi bolter and chain fist release their fury.  Daemon laughs at the petty forces before him flicks Russ away and kills most of his men in the blow. Terminator armour cut like common flak vests the men lay crippled in their sundered armour.

           Russ smirk’s blood dripping from his lip. This daemon having once pledge the subsector a millennia ago was of Khorn’s wretched lot. Reports of the time said it would survive any wound only having a scar remain.  Russ spotting oberen coming over the ridge wanted to test that reports accuracy. Stood up by oberen he joined the conclaves charge their bioknetic lighting sparking off its flesh.  Rocks smashing on its unarmored muscular frame it showed no visible affect. Knight guard still engaged Russ joins the last seven of his men cleaving at its flesh. Wave of blood as its axe carves a path towards oberen and conclave. Russ thrown with the conclave five more lay dead armours open like cans.  

           Strom raven barreling forward hurricane bolters blare bolts onto the scarred hide of the daemon. Ramps down plasma blooms in front of the craft clear the way for assault centurions to stomp the earth. In the lead was phila relic and power sword drawn. Plasma pistol flaring and storm bolter thundering the world focused on the master of the Knight Hawks as he charges forward.  

 Chapter 4

Daemons laughing with all his contempt for the mortal rages towards him axe cleaving the air. Stray bolter round pulping the right side of his face the contempt vanished replaced by fury. The wound scarred over his one blazing eye took aim axe cleaving down. relic blade sheathed for a master crafted storm bolter rusty axe eats into the terminator armor cutting the wrist. Power sword cleaving the axe back the hand tumbles away. Hoofed foot kicking phila the reinforced terminator armour takes the blow and he tumbles in midair.   Rock and rokcrete blasted apart from the impact the terminator armour held the chapter master in one piece itself nicked and frame contorted slightly.

           Wounded stump in unnatural pain it smelt of the warp. Phila in a holy fury stood drew the relic blade, power sword now at the daemons feet.  Daemon on top of him the blades clang as the two exchanged blows in a flurry.  The blade ancient and wielded by an imperial fist from the crusade era the rusty axe could not cleave it. Voices echo in his head as the two clash in the open field. Fury and rage at the corruption eating at him he yells “for holy terra, for the chapter, for the emperor”.  The relic blade a glow within the power field the daemon backed off fear of it taking him back.  

           Ragging at the fear of a mortal the daemons rusty axe thrusts forward tearing the right side of Phila’s face. Eye no more the two wounded the same looked from their one eye blades clashing with Phila hurled back a grinding noise thundered above him.  A centurion holding back the bloody axe hurricane bolters and melta guns pummel the daemon. Two other centurions pulling the chapter master away the daemon vanished into the warp its taunting growl a reminder it was not through with them yet. Oberen and the chapter masters command squad surrounding him the apothecary looks over his wounds. Every survivor loaded on landing storm ravens or thunder hawks the battle field was purged by the remaining knights their broken war machines retrieved by tech marines in cargo thunder hawks.

           Phila concusses sits oberen and one of his conclave use geo-kinesis on him to heal the wound for the moment. The battle draining on oberen he hides it behind a kind smile of friend ship they shared.   Oberen wounded himself leans on the thunder hawks wall.

                  “Chapter master we are lucky it retreated”.

           “Oberen you saw it the daemon feared this blade and it makes me uneasy to see that”.

           “ the librarium is not like that on hawk maw but I will look into it, as for its origins the inquisition gifted it to us on our founding, that should be troubling in its self I now feel”.

           “oberen look into it if you find anything please tell me , and when we return to hawk maw the inquisitor will answer for he keeps more secret’s than I like”.

Thunder hawk landing on the flight deck engines spool down as servitors arrive to tend the might war bird. Front ramp clanging on the steel of the deck Russ disembarks gene seed enshrined in cases of adamantium carried by servitor to the consort shrine in the monastery of the knight of maw.  Phila wounded but alert is escorted to the artificer under guard by centurion assaulter and knight guard terminators. Rescued civilians on the bay cleared of corruption by the members of the conclave are placed in the brig for safety of the ship. Oberen leaving the bay relic blade in hand heads for the ships librarium to study it.  

           The walls of the librarium full of tomes from the long past servo skulls dust the shelves in a constant cycle.  Each indexing the books so each is not out of place or uncounted. Statue of the emperor holds torches lighting the space.  Servitor summoned over Oberen inputs for it to grab the tome on the chapter relics.  The servo skull coming back in moments Oberen takes the tome thumbing through a thousand pages to find the record. Hands trailing the gothic script he begins to read. With every line he begins to understand the danger the blade holds. In a cold sweat without realizing the taint of the warp on the ship becomes apparent.

           Using his psychic might to send word to the inquisitor he runs from the librarium stave in hand. Terminator armor slow the last three centuries of wearing it has made it a small issue to him. Levitating past battle brothers he waves them forward and they follow. The taint in the apothacarian the doors opened. The daemon walking the sterile deck is rust blade hung over the chapter master. Psychic hood flaring bio-kinetic flares and the daemon vanished. Scorched mural of a famed apothecary burned with some litany of hate on the wall.   Techmarines on the floor standing no worse for wear return to the task of rebuilding the chapter master.

           Phila woke hours later is told of the episode and the link the daemon Oberen felt It forged with him.  now in a private chamber Oberen watches over him a hololith between them.  

           “Brother I have informed the inquisition as to what has happened, they will be some time before they get here, so you have one more battle in you chapter master”? Oberen asked as he told him.

           “Oberen I fear not the daemon for he will pay with his death for this crime against the emperors angels”.

           “That blade is cursed it was thought lost at the start of the heresy, those that wield it die in dishonor from what I can find, as for its aspects it was forged on terra and has slain many a xenos it power field never failing, found in the hand of the traitor and corrupted it took our greats master of the forge to purify the blade for use by the emperors angels, it still holds some taint if the daemon took notice”.

               “Oberen will this tainted blade hurt that daemon if so I will gladly shove this blade threw it and die for the emperor, until that moment I persecute the emperors justice if he deems me pure we will speak again”.

           Phila finished with the conversation pulls the planet into view loth-023 as imperial records have it. The world shows four lush and fertile continents each producing a common substance to the imperium. It was of little worth little over one hundred thousand souls on the planet. Cogitator clicking the display shows the current state of the world. A red sore on the galaxy it had a likeness to mars.  Summoning his war gear phila had Russ and Oberen plan a planetary bombardment from recent reports. The southern continent full of mountains and valleys scout reports point to a chaos gate in the area. Augurs confirming it with hordes of daemon below they have a target.  

           All forces loaded onto the strike cruisers and battle barge bombardment cannons took aim. Terminator armor repaired as new phila watched from the battle barges bridge. Maximum yelled strikes blast mountains’ to dust filling the sky with black clouds. Daemon below pulverized in the rain of rock and fire the signal is given. Phila leaves the bridge for his personal storm raven on the battle barges launch deck. Its engines hot Oberen and Russ on board already it fly out to the void. The ships thunder hawks and storm ravens behind a sea of silver and blue filled the void.

           New augmetic eye in his skull phila cycled through its magnifications and visual settings as it linked with the storm ravens systems. Names of his men in the cabin flash on with ammo count of his storm bolter and plasma pistol. Tactical display of all his forces coming next phila was impressed with its construction. Shaken from his admiration a third of his forces vanished. Climbing to the pilot he saw through the armoured glass two chaos frigates moving towards his deploying forces. Battle barge and strike cruisers moving to intercept phila got on the vox.

           “all forces we count our losses tomorrow, this day we get vengeance”.  Phila barks

           Pilot nods to the chapter master putting the storm raven on overdrive towards the planet. Venerable dreadnaught locked to its rear the planet comes into view quickly.  Knights already deployed with razor backs and squads of men the battle was on its way. The forty foot hundred ton behemoths brutalize the chaos tanks and rhinos. Marines at their feet cut down daemon and traitor all the same.   Knight guard protecting their rear combi bolters flash as chain blades cleave at chaos marines.  Storm talons hurling across keeping air superiority as the last of the forces land.

           Phila, Russ and Oberen cutting a swath through the hordes lead the bravest of his men to a tower of skulls.  Blades cleaving through un-kept power armour, warp lighting make men stumble as the fry in their own skin. Chain blade heard barreling through cultist’s combi bolter bursts send shells through a raging daemon.  Skulls convulsing pure warp energy pulsed outward knocking phila down. Oberen absorbing the power his conclave teleports down their might combined with his enhanced connection lighting surged forth killing all his enemies for meters.  

           Daemon taking notice of the carnage emerges from the pillar of skulls bathed in blood.  Skulls beginning to bleed russ nods to phila taking command and summoning two knight guard squads to surround them.  Knights breaking from combat with skull lords fire battle cannons blasting the tower to oblivion. Blood and skulls raining down phila charges the daemon relic blade thrust forward.   Storm bolters clear blood letters from his path daemon laughing as he approaches.  Oberen draws on the conclaves vast might forming an arena of stone round them Phila, and the knight guard. The very immaterium dampened in the domed arena by the psychic hoods the final battle began.

           Power sword parrying the axe phila’s relic blade digs into the greater daemon its essence flickering. Rusty axe blade dislodging the blade hooved foot hurls the chapter master back. Storm bolter braking along does nothing as the daemon jumps overhead landing square on his chest. Oberen holding the arena together with the conclave the knight guard charge fourth chain blades slicing at its back.  Reinforced chest plate cracked phila stood blades chopping down leaving large gashes behind.  Knight guard on the ground a battle cannon shell blasts through the dome blowing away the daemons arm. Axe tumbling with it a bloody hand grabbed the chapter master tearing the crux terminaus from the chapters armour.

           The arena blown away in a roar of rage the battle slowed. Phila dragged away from the battle by the now one armed daemon vanished into the warp.  Russ enraged orders the complete destruction of all that remind before them. Traitor or daemon mattered little as all was purged with great prejudice.

           Oberen weak and drained receives vox of a gray knight’s strike cruiser along with and inquisitorial ship coming in orbit. Weary from the fight those that could make preparations for the arrival of the inquisitor. Field littered with dead the third and firth companies lay in ruin with less than ten men between them. The knight guard having lost tweeny nine of its best in both engagements the toll was high. In space the chapter was luckier thanks to quick interception by the battle barge no knights were lost though a dozen will take time to fix along with replacement of two whole companies worth of vehicles and equipment. Oberen knowing the losses steep could see a win as they saved a whole subsector a daemonic invasion.

           Equipment salvaged and brought aboard to the fleet above what could be fixed now would the rest would wait till they returned to hawk maw.

           Russ steps to Oberen “if the inquisition does not slay us the chapter will have a lot to rebuild”.            

           “we will need a chapter master as well the honor battle will have to be held”. Oberen finishes as the in inquisitors thunder hawks lands feet away.

           Assault ramp hitting the ash covered ground the dark cloud above closes the hole it cut. Tossed up ash by the engines blocking the view, the inquisitor walks through passing crater made by heavy weapons fire. The sight of the gray knights struck Oberen with a tremble as he felt their psychic might. Having interacted with them on a few decades ago he knew the truth of what they would do to fight corruption it was not something he wanted to see again.   Noticing the ash fell like snow finally he knew the orbital strike would scar this planet for decades to come.

           The inquisitor joseph joined by another one from the ordo malleus     had the gray knight’s fan out. Each ready for war against any corrupted brother astartes. Russ voxing the chapter has them cooperate as their loyalty would not lay in doubt for long.  The inquisitor joseph   going up to Russ looks over the battle field.

           “Your chapter master, librarian”? The inquisitor asked well sizing up Russ.

           “Taken to the warp by a daemon”. Oberen answered

           “So the honor battles will be held soon”.

           “Yes after the third and fifth are of proper strength”.  Russ barked to the shorter inquisitor.

            “The ordo malleus will hunt for any corruption in this chapter, let me assure you though this is a great victory for your chapter and the imperium, we will aid in the resupply of the chapter as agreed in your founding”. Inquisitor joseph nods to his returning counterpart as she approached.

           “we have survivors detained aboard our battle barge the ordo malleus would be interested in talking to , they are not corrupted”. Oberen states firmly

           The female inquisitor looking over the chief librarian waves a gray knight over “we will judge you and then them, as for your service we will take that into consideration”. The inquisitors grayed hair and stone face giving nothing away she left.  

Chapter 5  

           Colosseum of bleeding skulls piled to the sky stare down on daemon and chapter master. Axe swing cleaving the air a cracked and battered relic blade parries the blow. Armour long stripped away by a thousand deaths he could not remember happening Time meant nothing here.  Phila had this battle and it alone. Axe strike parried once again the reposes with a thrust burning the daemons essence for the hundredth time. The beast a mass of scars its rage was unending. Flung away hilt slipped away blade heard clanging on the sand stone ground of the arena.

           Phila fumbling finds his power sword turning to hold off the daemons axe from cleaving him in twain. Power field failing the blade buckles and snaps before he could rise. Axe siting by his head the heft released the clawed appendage picks him up.  Fangs showed as the daemon snarled eating his entire chest and stomach in a bite. Bleeding out body limp Phila smiles knowing he would stand in days or weeks to fight once more.

           Fists grabbing a defiled golden twin head eagle statue of the imperium the axe of the daemon shattered. Infuriated statue and chapter master tumble through the air striking the skull walls of the arena. Hawk maw a distant memory his faith in the emperor tested in this place hollows of rage belch out his mouth. Statue no better than a rock he hurls it cursing the daemon in what little he could remember “for the emperor”!   Statue glowing in a golden light it strikes with the force of a bane blade cannon halting the daemons advance.  Searching for the nearest object to throw the relic blade is in his hand. Hurled again the blade flares with warp fire like the emperors blade lodging into the daemons chest where the eagle statue struck moments before.  Rage boiling out him as the same flame engulfed his charging body hands out stretched. Howl coming from his lips when he reached the daemon they gripped its horns.

           The sound of cracking bone and tearing flesh heard it gave the chapter master pleasure. Blood leaking in gallons from the wound he pulled harder. The fury of the struggle snapping the daemon back its only arm claws him but phila won’t stop. Arms bleed from a thousand cuts holy fury burning in each. Roar of the dying daemon deafening a bell tolls and it falls lifeless neck a bloody ruin.  Statue of the emperor’s eagle taken in his free hand he had the skull of the daemon in the other.

           Skulls of the arena chatter as bits of his long decimated armor coble together in the golden flames of the eagle.  The augmetic replacements seizing up phila III felt the insanity of the warp tumble away. Screaming in victory or pain the chapter master feel unbroken in will if  body.

           The shattered tower of skulls taking shape once again the inquisitor of the ordo malleus stops. Gray knights move towards the abomination nemesis weapons drawn. Collapsing under its weight the inquisitor and gray knights are stunned to see the Knight Hawks chapter master. The armour of his station near perfect it only missed the crux lost before the daemon took him. Russ coming their way the gray knights surround the area and turn the first captain away. The graying inquisitor orders the body taken along with the armour and blades beside him. The statue of the golden eagle restored to glory and skull of a daemon in hand were removed from the chapter masters grip and placed under wards in stasis tubes.

           Slab in the exam room of her strike cruiser cleared they lay him unconscious chains of adamantium on each limb.  Servo skulls and probes descend on the body. Gene seed extracted first a full exam of each limb was done. No mutations found beyond that of his chapter’s norm the inquisitor sat back. Gray knight justicar summoned to her officer quarters deliberation began.

           “justicar he is found pure of body what of spirit”? The inquisitor asked.

           “His spirit is fragmented, pure but jumbled it knows only rage and violence”. The justicar answered.

           “can he be save from this insanity of spirit”?

           “Our epistolary is attempting that task now, from his thoughts yes but he will need to be tested”.

           “We have tasks to attend to our pray draws near and will not stay long”?

           “inquisitor this task with be his test, for he slain a daemon and  he will have to do so again”.

           “justicar if it comes to it give him a hero’s death”.  

 Gray knight Strike cruiser leaving loth-023 Russ tracks it with knight of the maw augurs till it enters the warp.  Crew ready and equipment loaded the three knight hawks vessels leave the system in inquisitor josephs hands and the imperial guard yet to arrive.      

 Chapter 6

           Arms heavy mind clear then before Phila pulls with all his strength. The weight of a post human hand on his chest a blind fold is removed. The silver armour and the seal of the inquisition on the marine’s breast give horror and relief.  Horror of betrayal put aside as the weight on his arm is removed and the gray knight helps him stand. The librarian holding his flesh and blood hand firm locks eyes with him.

           “you survive by the will of the emperor daemon slayer” the librarian spoke

           “So that monster is slain, how long it felt so long” phila whispered

           “days since we found you, I pieced your mind back together as the warp seemed to make time fluid, chapter master the inquisitor has had our artificers repair your augmetics and would like to speak with you”.

           Phila up right follows the gray knight’s librarian to a small study. Runes on the door and floor books of all studies line the walls on racks. The gray haired inquisitor stone face waves to a seat. A coffee table with tea from terra in finely inscribed china from a lost time waits for them.  Man servant leaving with the gray knight phila waits for her to speak.

           “chapter master you have the emperors blessing to have survived and kill a greater daemon, marks have been left on you though deep scars that will not heal, you are no psyker though even now you are more open to temptations of the warp from your battle, you are marked and before we return you to your chapter you are to be tested”. The inquisitor states in a flat tone.

             “I will serve as the emperor demands”. Phila responds

           “Good we hunt a space hulk infested by a greater daemon, we are to send the infested hulk to oblivion, I’ve named it ‘spire of torment’ you and the gray knight’s will deploy with in the day as we reach ‘spire of torment’ in that time, chapter master your armor has been give wards as to see you safe, should you fail you will be slain”.

………

Phila in an arming chamber servo skulls and servitors place his terminator on. Loving restored he found an imperial eagle eerily similar to the one found in the warp mounted were his chapter badge would have been. A new crux terminaus replaced the one he lost which now hosted a daemon skull slug under its horns wrapping round the crux.  Justicar coming in a re-forged blade in his power sword the hilt was in noted with holy adamantium seals. The relic blade handed over next its blade gleamed as an exemplar of all blades.  Justicar leaving after phila checked the arm mounted storm bolter and plasma pistol masterfully fixed.  

Chapter 7

   Knight of maw translating to real space near hawk maw the planets blue sun comes into view. The chapters loss sent by secure astropath to the planet it prepares accordingly. Isabella now planetary governor gives her thanks to the dead.  Orbital station above hawk maw receiving the battle barge locks the ship down for refit with the accompanying strike cruisers. Gene seed is brought by thunder hawks to the consorts below.  Bulk transports used to transport the damage relics and vehicles for repair planet side.

           Oberen, Russ, Isabella in the council chamber before the chapter masters room with all captains on planet, and the master of the forge in attendance. Their chapter master gone the council would decide the fate of planet and chapter.  The staff of the speaker in Isabella’s hand she begins.

           “It saddens me at the great number lost to our angels and holy knight’s, the loss of their master will be felt keenly, as of this moment the battles of succession will be on hold as the third and fifth rebuild, I also hope the fourth will return in time, in the interim Russ will lead the chapter in rebuilding”. Staff handed to Russ her time was up.

           “ I stand with the governor on this, till we rebuild the battles will be halted this will take time so recruits will be selected to ascend to the scout company and those in the scout company will be promoted to full stats with haste, Oberen I have a task for you that shell not be spoken out side this council, I fear the inquisition has abducted our chapter master, a body was taken along with armour that resembles the chapter masters, find them and get me  answers, better get our chapter master back”. Russ says with the most commanding tone he has an hands the staff to Oberen.

           “as you wish , tracking them with take time and a ship but it will be done, Isabella before I go I will have a list of squires to go for trials as well, please have them join the consort’s picks”. Finished he hands it over to Russ  

             “that will be arranged with the governor, emperor travel with you librarian”.

The captains of each company speak next with Isabella excusing herself from the room. The selection of those up for trial was a heavy burden to any consort as they send most of them to die. This though was the most scared and noble of their duties as those live join the heroes of the planet. Phila IV training in the chapter masters room with a servitor its shock arms busted at the joints from many heavy blows.  She grabs him by the shoulder mid swing metallic hand stopping the blow.

           “child you are to take the trails of duty and honor as the angels have lost many this day, your angel is missing and I have your sibling on the way, so I ask you return an angel or gain honor as a holy knight”.

           “how” phila IV asked taking her augmetic hand.

           “an accident your angel caused, the cut was clean” she replied

           “about the angel”. He said next.

           “sure it was a glorious battle of three hundred angels and many more holy knights on a corrupt world ……” as she began to weave a heroic tale.

           As she spoke of the post-human she watched since child hood being bound to him was no true marriage as the consorts of knight scions knew.  For every consort of an angel it was the same they saw the pride, arrogance, and false hood they lived. They say their beyond humanity, no they are humanity at its worse and best. Physical capable of feats no man dreamed of and hearts closed to all but battle. True for most of their kind she and many of the consorts saw them know fear as they tell tale of battles won, and brothers lost, the fear was not for them but failure. They fight to save those that can’t be, worlds so corrupt they should be destroyed. The children that follow become theses heartless paragons of humanity was it the galaxies fault or humanities.  

           Thought banished as she finished her tale the truth she believe was they are sacrifices so humanity may continue in an unforgiving galaxy. Angel born to bare the weight of duty no normal man could. Hers provide solace to them out of battle by telling of that sacrifice to those after. The children birthed from her since her age allowed the second of those duties gave voice to that sacrifice by sending more to stand where angels fell. This a quiet pain she looked at Phila IV the angels born of her and all the consorts kept what she knew alive and safe for that alone these duties of her were worth any trial and sacrifice she made.  Tears running down her face  her boy stops one as she send him on his way to prepare for the coming trials.

           The morning sun brings the parade for the fallen and a victory won. Below in areas on any other world that would be an under hive just below the consort’s gathered those chosen for the trials. Forest canopy blocking the light glow orbs and fences surround them. Each boy striped of squire robes is handed a blunt knife. Scouts around the area wave bolt guns and snipers scanning the forest. The sounds of creatures larger than a knight can be heard. Two thousand boys gathered from the planets noble houses and chapters own are sent through a stone arched gate to become the chapters steel.  

           Isabella in the grand room of the chapter master records what is to believe his last battle. Despite first captain Har Russ claim it still wounded her to not have certainty on the matter. Dress of sapphire and silver smoothed of creases she heads for the emperors statue in the grand chapel. Arriving in the chamber the curxterminus rested before the statues base. Quill pulled from a leather pouch those in attendance part giving her a clear view.

“Phila III chapter master of the Knight hawks was a space marine of space marines. Fearless and at the head of every charge he could be , those that stood by him knew little of pain as the enemy was laid low by his blades”. She says with the fervor of a marine.

Crowd breaking up she continued to record his deeds for those that say and reported to her. Small flourishes added for those who would come later it was still truthful as all consorts records. A chaplain kneeling in respect to the honorable consort placed a hand on her dainty shoulder.

           “Governor well said , as the chapter protects you, protect this world, may the emperor protect”.

 ……..

Oberen arrives in system as a space hulk explodes in the fires of the sun. a gray knights strike cruiser in the distance a recover ship tethered to its hull.  A vox channel opened the hail receives no answer. Oberen taking the device nearly breaks it.

           “Inquisitor I want my chapter master back” Oberen growls

           “Librarian why do you think we let you find us, after your months on the hunt”.

           “Then there need not be blood”.

           “please land on flight deck two”.

Oberen aboard swiftly two squads of marines from eighth company join aboard the strike cruiser.  Squads now in ceremonial positions Phila III stands beside the age inquisitor terminator armor adorned with the crest of the chapter under a double headed eagle statue. Relief on Oberen’s face apparent the two smile.  Daemon skull slung under a new crux bewildered the librarian so he left if for later and they depart to the knight hawks strike cruiser. Another ship leaving with a large cargo box followed.

The object placed in the deployment bay its container opened to show a cerastus knight-castigator in chapter colors.  Phila looks to Oberen who is mystified by the grandeur of the machine.

           “this is a gift for a service rendered and honor earned brother, my dishonor will come, and it will be found wanting on that day”.phila states

             “ I will be your witness old friend” Oberen replied.