Respect and Honour

[BlueWaterDragon]

This is a little piece that’s very much WIP. Please feel free to tear it apart. I’m a writer Emperor dammit what would I know of self esteem?

 

 

It should have been a simple cleansing but it is folly to believe that anything in the tottering colossus that is the Imperium could run to plan. Looking back at it from the outside I can’t understand how it has stood so long. No matter, it is enough that it is a testament to human brutality and control through fear. But enough, I will come to that later, what you wish to know are the events that lead me to where I am now. It feels odd to refer to myself as ‘she’ but as a narrator it is necessary. I hope this will help you better understand who I was and who I am

 

 

Her horror was complete, she had failed Him. They all had, she could hear her Sister’s chanting and she could feel her own mouth working in rhythm. But they were just words nothing more, any semblance of faith was gone from her heart and voice. She didn’t wince as the lash fell on her shoulders and back of her head. She heard its crack as it struck the sister next to her, and her soft whimper. She flicked her eyes to her; tears flowed down the woman’s face mingling with her blood. When they came to the Sisterhood, they were told they would be Sisters until they died; their death was now closer than it had been before. The lash fell again and again, each time the blood rose in arcs with it, spraying the floor and what was left of the walls around them.

 

“Mea culpa. In nominae Imperator, concede mea venia. Ego prodo mei animus ad Dominus.

[retlaw83]

Sounds like they stumbled into a cult of Slaanesh.

 

I'd imagine a few dozen bolter rounds would set them straight once the marines roll in.

[BlueWaterDragon]

It's never that simple though is it?

I'll get the next lot posted up when I have the net back!

[BlueWaterDragon]

“You’ll do as exactly as you’re told on the day Grandpa gets up off his most holy posterior and comes for us miscreants." The others in the room giggled. “Come on; get your self in gear Sorcerer. I don’t want the Orchestra getting to the final act before I do." Part of the mound of cushions shuddered and dropped off of the Sorcerer’s legs as he stood in a haze of smoke. Veneratio uncoiled from the dais and held out his arms to have his armour placed on them. Pauldrons in place he turned to face Kerath and the grin became a belly laugh. Veneratio reached up and ripped a cushion from Kerath’s horn. The remaining Sisters were fast asleep and Veneratio patted one on the exposed buttock.

 

“Very nice haul here, it will be a shame to have to leave this planet." He stretched languidly as the cultists hurried to put on the rest of his armour. He was barely a head taller than they were and only just reached Kerath’s chest, although the sorcerer was not gifted with Tactical Dreadnought armour, but fairly average for a Space Marine. Veneratio backhanded Kerath in the stomach. “Right, I’m ready." One of the cultists handed him his bolt gun and he grinned. “Thank you." He said, bowing slightly before cocking the weapon and sending the cultist to Slaanesh.

 

The sun had come out from behind the clouds as they stepped out, and Veneratio cocked his head to listen to the sounds of violence from his Brothers-in-Arms. He sniffed the air and could smell her, her scent overriding the melange of blood and death, that until recently he had fought so hard to maintain, all he wanted now was her. She had not gone far.

 

 

Carimonia had run as fast as she could manage away from the colonnade. The thought of what must be happening to her Sisters sickened her, but she had to keep on running. Someone had to warn the Imperial forces of the threat they faced. A thought struck her slowing her flight, she would still be a Repentia and the lash would fall. Had she not gloried when she had seen the Mistress impaled on the spear of a winged warrior? It was almost as if a voice spoke in the darkness.

 

“You are free," it said. “Come back to us and we will take care of you, you can be a warrior once more, fit to serve." Distracted by the voice, she tripped and fell sprawling. As she lifted her hand from the flagstones, she glanced past it down at the pool of congealed blood. A movement at the corner of her vision sent her into a reflexive roll across the courtyard. Before she even got to her feet she knew what it was, the Mistress’ body, it fell to a crumpled heap and she stared at it. A chill wind swept past her dragging leaves with it, a dancing vortex formed in the middle of the paving, Carimonia swallowed back her fear. Dust and the leaves swirled hypnotically; the tip of the disturbance seemed to be searching for something. It touched the body and its rotations picked up speed swirling the Mistress’ hair and robe. Carimonia realised that it was not just the flapping fabric but the corpse itself was rising into the air. As it came to the vertical the mouth fell open and Carimonia shivered. Then the sightless eyes opened and it screamed, she covered her ears as the noise washed over her, but her hands were ripped from the sides of her head and she was pinned, spread-eagled on a pillar. The ghastly apparition drifted towards her and she tried desperately to get away, the Litany of Failure forming on her lips. But what ever it was, it held her there with a grip as strong as her convictions had been. She felt the pillar melt around her arms; she looked down them and at her legs, also disappearing into the stone. Memories were ripped to the surface of her mind, the orphanage, her teachers, gaining her armour and finally her failure. It rose up in her mind, engulfing everything else, until she was once again living it.

[chaplain belisarius]

pretty cool! its not the normal black library actionfest! i think you need a bit in the middle of the 2 bits youve posted....just my humble opinion.

[BlueWaterDragon]

I have another big chunk of this I'll dig it out and put it up.

[BlueWaterDragon]

Enjoy!!

 

Kerath’s horns were dripping blood, a sign he was using his abilities. He had been one of the first Librarians outside of the Thousand Sons and was considered to be on a par with most of them. Veneratio held out his hand and allowed the blood to fill his cupped palm. It tasted sweet to his corrupted senses, and dragged him into Carimonia’s nightmare.

 

He looked down at his armour, it was blue and the pauldrons were edged in yellow. Ultramarines, he thought with disgust. A bigger bunch of poncy ass-lickers than even Slaneesh’s own cultists, I’m going to strangle him when I wake up. Being in loyalist armour made his skin crawl, but he was back to his normal size, the loss of his stature his only regret. Damned Ultramarines! Anything would have been better even, and he shuddered at the thought, Sons of that Armoured Pigeon Sanguinius. He sneered inside his helmet and a voice cut over his vox.

 

“I could always make you a Space Wolf; a psychotic break might do you some good.”

 

“I could always find a tin opener and peel the armour off of you sorcerer.” Veneratio growled.

 

“You say the kindest things Captain, but we’ll have to play later. Oh and the Orchestra are pressing their advantage, we are almost at the starport. Just give the word and I’ll pull you out.”

 

“Thank you Kerath.” Veneratio smiled behind his mask of steel.

 

“Captain, one last thing, I’ve unloaded your bolter, we wouldn’t want a repeat of last time would we?” The traitor Marine giggled at the memory, his troops had kept out of his way for months afterwards and two of the Sergeants still flinched when he cocked his weapon. He did it now and fell into line, just sometimes he wished he could join the Alpha Legion, he had heard the tales and it sounded like fun to him.

 

The battle that he and Carimonia fought in was short and bloody; the Ultramarines had been the closest and as there was judged to be no threat to sanity, had been called in for support. The unarmoured and barely armed heretics had been cut down in swathes. He could do nothing to change the past but he could revel in the death and destruction around him. Then he saw her fighting and he almost lost his breath, his heart leapt in his breast.

 

Covered in blood, Carimonia stood on a rocky outcrop, her black armour reflecting the pure yellow light of the sun. Veneratio thought he might explode with desire, and realised that that was how he always wanted to see her. She is death to all who oppose her, he thought. I have to make her want me, and I think I know how I can do that now.

 

They fought bravely, and in some small way it hurt Veneratio’s heart to see them lose even if they were only followers of the Lord of Change. As the loyalists broke through to the city’s water reprocessing plant, the cultists thinned and then abruptly disappeared altogether. It was silent in the largest of the buildings as Veneratio’s squad, supported by a squad of the Sisters of Battle entered. He took up point and watched the Sisters stalk in behind him, his gaze becoming more intent as they walked past, powered armour should never move like that, he thought and was glad that he could change nothing major in this dream-state. He held completely still for a moment and then a memory struck him, he wondered at it for a moment. It was something they could not have known, but he had studied the followers of Tzeentch and liked to think he knew then rather well. It amounted to one phrase, 'when all goes quiet, then is the time to either run or die.'

 

The ground heaved under their feet, as it tried to rotate through 90 degrees on a plane that did not exist outside of the Eye of Terror. He ducked and briefly wondered why the low wall didn't protect him. Although he was proud to be gifted by Slaanesh, Being shorter than most of your men did occasionally lead to Veneratio having to re-establish his supremacy, not that he minded, he was still as strong as a taller Marine. It had it's advantages,he could at a very short push, pass for being a well built human, however he had misjudged it and had been hit several times already. He rolled over and examined his armour. There was a large smoking hole in his crotch plate.

 

“The swine!” He yelled at Kerath. “Just because the drekking fether son-of-a-grot can't, doesn't mean I don't want to!” His only response was a soft chuckle. “You do this for you're own entertainment don't you? I'll get you!”

 

A man stood up from the wreckage of an internal room the size of a small building, and raised a hand. “I call upon the Powers, to heed my call.” The Marines raised their bolters and fired a volley that should have sent him to his Gods, the man mere laughed as they ricocheted off of an invisible force. “Nothing can stop me, I have the Powers behind me, they will protect me! One day I shall rival the Emperor himself!” Veneratio sniggered and shook his head. “See the gifts I have been granted!!” With that he rose to his full height, the mass of writhing tentacles that supported him, slick and glowing in the afternoon sun, and catching Veneratio's attention just as Carimonia had done moments before. He tried to concentrate “And now you die! Servants of the False Emperor! Go and be with your Corpse God, may he rot forever!” He raised his other hand and one of the Marines became flat, not crushed, but merely two dimensional, Veneratio watched with mild interest.

 

“You need to learn that trick Kerath, it would be interesting at parties. I wonder what it would be like to...hmm.”

 

“Focus.”

 

The tentacles came for them, like gigantic maggots, fat and swollen with their own impossibility, they crushed and ripped their way through the ranks. With them came the madman's laughter and his unholy magic, tearing through the minds and bodies of those who opposed it. Whispering promises of glory, searching for the one chink that would open the mind like an oyster, leaving nothing but pale and gibbering flesh in it's wake. They all heard the order to retreat, it came in a sister's voice, but as they turned to flee they found their way blocked by bodies, a seething mass of them, writhing over and though each other forming a wall of living tissues that repelled even Veneratio. Even pinned between these two horrors the Marines fought with gusto, conducting themselves

admirably under the circumstances, maybe it was knowing that they would never remember this day, or maybe it was self preservation and the preservation of their brothers that spurred them on, either way, the wall was soon breached and they moved through it ribbons of skin adhering to their armour, blood running all over them. He saw the line but too late they saw the Marines as loyalists. No armour could stand that volley and Veneratio hissed as he felt the sting of the rounds. Carimonia dropped down from her rocky parapet and gave the order to hold fire, but most of them had been cut down. The bewildered Battle Brothers fired back, but the cease in their flight was enough. The mage caught them in his coils, the Sergeant hacked at the questing tendrils with his chainsword but he soon began to scream as they wormed under his armour and into his soul. The view faded as the Sisters and the rest of the Marines opened fire.

 

Veneratio opened his eyes.

“Gotta feel that rush, I like it when they die.” He flipped onto his feet and cricked his neck. “Oh Kerath,” The sorcerer looked down at him. “Closer,” Veneratio hooked his finger almost seductively as the horned head leaned in. Quick as a flash Veneratio grabbed the pipe entering the Marines faceplate and pulled it out, Kerath gurgled as Veneratio smoked the Marine like the universe's largest pipe, the clouds of smoke dissipating in the cool air. After a few moments he held his thumb over the end, allowing the smoke to build up behind it. As quickly as he had removed it he returned it to it's hole, the excess choking the giant.

 

“We're even.” Veneratio walked away from the gently rocking Marine, in the vague direction that Carimonia had run in, following the smell of her, her could feel her anger and fear, all it did was excite him, he wanted to have to hunt her. But he knew she was in a delicate state and such a rash action might break her mind, rendering her useless to him.

He found her beneath a pillar, staring up at a tattered body in horror. He put his helmet on and walked up to her.

 

“Sister, come with me I'll see you're safe. This is an induced hallucination, a test of your faith, come with me and I will show you the truth.” He had found his lever. When she did not move he reached out and turned her face towards him. “Sister? Come on, I can carry you, should you wish.” She did not notice his armour or his height as he lifted her in his arms. Her eyes focussed on him as he bore her away.

 

“They betrayed me.”

[chaplain belisarius]

good....although you really dont like ultramarines do you?:(

[BlueWaterDragon]

Of course not. Gulliman was a bum kisser! ^_^ They all had their faults and strengths, lol. I Love all of them though! Yes it should be good when I've got five minutes to sit and write. Will be in a few weeks.

[chaplain belisarius]

he was not! guillimans great! take that back you...:P

 

am enjoying reading your fiction...hows the funny story about abaddon going?

[BlueWaterDragon]

I'm trying to find it at the moment. I had to format my hard drive, and I nearly lost a load of stuff. I'll have a look around.

[chaplain belisarius]

yay! cant wait to read that story....:unsure:

[BlueWaterDragon]

Chapter 2

 

Veneratio lay on his back, staring at the sumptuously painted ceiling of his cabin aboard the Terra's Ruin and listened to Carimonia's breathing as it slowed and sleep overcame her. He lit a cigarette of some illicit and powerful substance, and considered waking her up again.

 

It was not that he did not have anyone else to entertain him. She made him happy in way he had not experienced in years. Being with her gave him actual satisfaction, for while anyway, a servant of the Prince of Perfection is rarely satisfied for long.

 

He smoked and remembered the events of the past few months.

 

She had been silent as he had borne her away from the planet. In his private chambers he had stripped her of what little clothing remained. After spending at least half an hour just admiring his prize, he had kissed her gently. She had opened her eyes and tried to punch him, restraining her easily he had kissed her again, delighting as she fought against him.

 

He had restrained himself that night, wanting to relish the moment when he finally took her, he wanted it to be special. Some part of his corrupted soul wanted to feel love again. That and the fact that sometimes the pleasure was in the anticipation.

 

The other Sisters did not fare so well. Some died, they were the fortunate ones. Veneratio broke them, one by one, sating his fleshly desires. Kerath joined with his mind and enjoyed the experiences as much as Veneratio did.

 

One of the Sisters fought him with everything she had. He spent a satisfying month with her, and when he was finished, her body was a twisted wreck, and there was little left of her mind. He persuaded, (with a large amount of beating, some of it necessary, some of it purely entertainment) a heretic tech-adept, to put her back together, and Kerath returned the shattered pieces of her mind to a whole. But in doing so, Kerath bound her to him, her soul would forever be his. She was the price of his loyalty. Sealed in his armour, the only "entertainment" he received was through Veneratio's senses. With the woman bound to him however, he could enter her mind at will and pleasure himself as though they were making fleshly contact.

[Marshall Strat]

Wow. I forgot about this story. Nice addition. Well written.