The Eagle Ascending

[Dosjetka]

This is the fifth time I read this and I still love it :D

This is really good and I await patiently for more...:lol:

[Walter Payton]

This is the fifth time I read this and I still love it :P

This is really good and I await patiently for more...;)

 

Agiselus has gone through about fifty re-writes, because I can't get it right in my mind. I have just planned Jaghatai Khan's tale, with a view to doing Corax and Sanguinius at a later date. I will finish this, then get on to JK, then the rest.

[Dosjetka]

Ok, well I just can't wait to read them! ;)

 

I'll be doing Angron, Vulkan and Curze, and when I've finished those, I'll see what I'll do :sweat:

[Walter Payton]

Grrr, I wanted Curze! Oh well, Corax, Sanguinius and Jaghatai (in that order)

[Dosjetka]

Not Curze anymore. Doing Dorn instead :)

[Walter Payton]

Not Curze anymore. Doing Dorn instead :angry:

 

Dude, please, please, please don't not do Curze because I am doing him-you got there first. I am just going to do the next darkest primarch-CORAX!

[Dosjetka]

Not Curze anymore. Doing Dorn instead :)

 

Dude, please, please, please don't not do Curze because I am doing him-you got there first. I am just going to do the next darkest primarch-CORAX!

Sorry, check my thread in Amicus and someone has already taken Curze. But Corax, you're free to take him :D

[Walter Payton]

Chapter II

 

Prodigal

 

The clash of weapons and armour echoed through the winding streets of Macragge city, the ringing blows the heartbeat of the city. In the early morning, vendors had already set up stalls and were selling a variety of miscellaneous objects. The sky was grey and overcast. A troop of soldiers were marching down the main street, their rhythmic shouts overcoming even the noise of the barracks. The first sheets of rain began to fall from the sky.

 

A carriage, decorated with the sigil of the house of Guilliman, a lightning bolt, held in the grip of a screaming eagle, and pulled by a team of white horses, wound its way through the watery alleys and wide boulevards. A team of soldiers, their grey carapace armour and blue cloaks splattered with mud, shouted for way, and their visible chain-gladii, merely reinforced the point. The cart stopped, the horses whinnying and tossing their heads, outside a low, pillared building, with the symbol of Guilliman inscribed over the door, along with the legend: Agiselus.

 

The door to the carriage opened, and a young figure leapt out, dressed in the sandals and tunic of a trainee at the barracks. Roboute flexed his shoulders, and grinned. Today was his first day, training to be a warrior. He had always wanted to be a hero, ever since Konor had read him tales of the ancient saviours of Macragge, Alexandros, and Iulius, who had united the disparate tribes, winning fabulous victories in battle. Of course, Alexandros had later seceeded from the Kingdon to found the tribes of Illyricum, but that was another story.

 

He tapped the body of the carriage, and the wooden device sped off into the rain, the coachman cracking his whip, winding it towards the Amphiteatrum. Roboute walked indoors.

 

He found himself in a cloistered training ground, surrounded by pillars, and other youths, ready for their days at the barracks. The barracks would be their home for the next seven months, and Roboute, armed with the stories of his father and the impenetrable resolve of youth, revelled in it. Around the courtyard, lines of youths took weapons and armour from racks, before forming lines and enacting mock charges against the opposing lines.

 

“Use the point, the point!” yelled a harsh voice, and Roboute watched with some trepidation as a huge man, taller than any of the youths there, shouldered his way towards a boy hacking and slashing with his rudius, the short wooden swords used by the Macraggeii to practice and spar.

 

“Give me that, oaf” bellowed the man, snatching the sword from the terrified boy. He raised it, then slashed into the youth’s neck, with an audible swish as the air was torn in two. The boy crumpled.

 

“That didn’t hurt very much, did it?” said the drillmaster, pulling the boy to his feet by his hair. Then he raised the sword, and stabbed it into the youth’s belly. The boy flew backwards several feet, and landed on the cobbles, whimpering.

 

“That, on the other hand?” asked the drillmaster, as the boy writhed, in agony. “Well!” shouted the drillmaster. Groaning, the boy raised himself to his feet, and threw a salute that even injury could not dull the sharpness of, before nodding once. Satisfied, the drillmaster dismissed the men, then sighted Roboute, looking on with a look of half apprehension and half eagerness. Seeing the sign of Konor upon his tunic, he smiled, and beckoned the boy closer. Roboute walked through the tide of recruits, and faced the drillmaster.

 

“Konor’s boy, eh?” said the man. If he was impressed with Roboute’s height and already visible muscles, he didn’t show it. Roboute had always been a tall youth, even amongst the scions of the other Macraggeii families. Indeed, the only youth amongst his father’s colleagues’ sons who was even up to his chest was Caracalla, the son of his father’s co-consul, Gallan. Uncle Gallan had always been interested in Roboute. Of course, Roboute had known that Gallan was not his father’s sibling, but a close…friend? Gallan had always doted on young Roboute, but the young boy, even as he grew up, had noticed the wary eye that Konor kept upon his Uncle.

 

“Come this…what have we here?” said the drillmaster, as a tall, thin boy, with pale skin and a bowl of smooth black hair skidded into the courtyard. A sigil on his tunic marked him as part of the Gallan household. Laertes Caracalla Gallan dusted himself off For Roboute, he was a friend, a cousin, and a sparring-mate. Roboute made to embrace his friend, but before he could move, the drillmaster placed himself between him and Laertes.

 

“My, aren’t I honoured today?” he laughed, “Two consuls in waiting, full of excitement and eagerness to get to fighting. Know you of Cicero’s Arch.”

Laertes looked quizzical. Roboute answered.

 

“Yes, sir, it is the arch commemorating Lord Cicero’s victory over the Illyrians of Catilina. It is over past the Amphiteatrum. Around five miles from here.”

The drillmaster nodded.

 

“Dinner is in an hour and a half. I am sure that you can make it there and back in time.” Laertes and Roboute looked at each other, unsure if the man was joking. He wasn’t.

[Dosjetka]

Wow, this is good! There are a couple of mistakes, though nothing important (if you want I can point them out). Can't wait for the next update :)

[Walter Payton]

Wow, this is good! There are a couple of mistakes, though nothing important (if you want I can point them out). Can't wait for the next update :)

 

Thanks-please point out the mistakes

[Dosjetka]

A troop of soldiers was marching down the main street,

I think that that's the only one...:)

[calgar101]

Just caught up and i must say thats a fine piece of writing Alecto! Keep up with it and i look forwards to reading more; Oh i must get it in my head that Roboutes still young ;)

[DarKnight]

Excellent work as always brother. As I said you are an inspiration, gotta get these Space Wolves and Blood Angels stories done...

[Walter Payton]

Thanks DarkKnight!

 

Any more C&C?

[Midgard]

Just saw that this was updated. Still very enjoyable, and I like the Roman references, specifically the Late Republic ones. Are the names (in particular Caracalla, a soldier-Emperor of the IIIrd century Severan line and the one that doesn't fit with the rest, which are Late Republic/early Principate characters) chosen as allusions to historical characters, or simply to give the story a Romanesque feel?

[Walter Payton]

Just saw that this was updated. Still very enjoyable, and I like the Roman references, specifically the Late Republic ones. Are the names (in particular Caracalla, a soldier-Emperor of the IIIrd century Severan line and the one that doesn't fit with the rest, which are Late Republic/early Principate characters) chosen as allusions to historical characters, or simply to give the story a Romanesque feel?

 

Oh, they have a purpose, trust me. Laertes, now what happened to him in Hamlet?

[Midgard]

Oh. Missed that one. I guess I was focusing on the Romanesque theme too much. :) :)

[Walter Payton]

Oh. Missed that one. I guess I was focusing on the Romanesque theme too much. :P :)

 

In fact, my inspirations are from a lot of Hamlet and Shakespearean stuff. I hope that you guys enjoy it.

[Walter Payton]

The Senatorial Amphitheatrum was in uproar.

Men howled and clamoured, retinues bickered across the great flagstone floor, emblazoned with the crest of Macragge, The Eternium Ultra, an Eagle, clutching the consular emblem, a stylized ‘U’. Around, arranged in ranked tiers according to their place, the Macraggeii Senators, the aediles, the quaestors, the praetors and the two Consuls, Gallan and Konor, stood, howling and arguing. With each man, a sizeable retinue of retainers would whisper and advise, passing scrolls of cartridge paper on which were written key statistics, lines of dreary text and names and rosters of arriving shipments from the ports of Ostianum, Saeclus and Vinostatum, or one of the far rarer shipments from off-world, Talassar, or Calth.

 

Today, however, they were on their feet, barracking and defaming those advisors and senators of rivals and enemies with threats and accusations and declarations. Gallan, his swollen mass kept cool by a pair of Illyrian slave boys with feather fans, howled and heckled from his lofty seat, and several of his sycophants and beneficiaries joined him. Opposite his rival consul, who now resembled a large and particularly verbose arachnid, stood Konor, wearing his purple trimmed senatorial tunica, his orator’s tones cutting through the verbal mire.

 

“Order!” It was a simple enough phrase, robust, yet subtly offensive. Where they, the senate, not ordered? Had they not gone through the rigours and agonies of the barracks too? On a normal day, the clarion note of the Consul would have been enough to calm any ocean of malcontent, but today was different. Today, the news from Illyricum had stirred the Senate to fever pitch. Upon his dais at the back of the chamber, the Speaker of the Senate Eternium sagged, seemingly unable to bring calm to the proceedings. Behind Konor, his principal advisor, Aldrius, leaned forwards, and spoke in his usual sardonic tones.

‘Yet another fine example of Macraggeii democracy.’

‘Oh, shut up.’

[Skirax]

Upon his dais at the back of the chamber, the Speaker of the Senate Eternium lolled

:ph34r: :P

 

Very nice update, I take it to be a preview?

[Dosjetka]

I like this and I know where this is going...I'm gonna enjoy this sooo much! :D

[Jonas Stromclaw]

.

‘Yet another fine example of Macraggeii democracy.’

‘Oh, shut up.’

:D This made my day! keep it up!

[Walter Payton]

.

‘Yet another fine example of Macraggeii democracy.’

‘Oh, shut up.’

:) This made my day! keep it up!

 

Thanks very much-I was inspired by Soul Hunter, where the Astartes have a few humourous moments, often at the expense of others-in fact, the best bit of the whole book is when they ask for a status report:

 

Brother Uzas: "Blood for the Blood God, Souls for the Soul Eater!"

Brother Talos: "No one asked you"

 

Upon his dais at the back of the chamber, the Speaker of the Senate Eternium lolled

:lol: :D

 

Very nice update, I take it to be a preview?

 

Yep, changed the word to 'sagged'

 

I like this and I know where this is going...I'm gonna enjoy this sooo much! :D

 

Oh, you think he is off to fight the Illyrians? Not yet, but soon. Little Roboute still has lots of training to do at Agiselus before he 'hi-ho's off to war. Rest assured, there will be plenty of action and bloodshed between now and then :P

 

Thanks for the compliments guys, they are a great motivator and mean a lot,

 

Until next update!

[calgar101]

Bllod shed... I like :) Keep up the good work Alecto, i await the full chapter with much anticipation.

[Skirax]

When I posted, I was just showing how other people would put it, though it did make me laugh to have a mental image of a guy sitting at the back laughing his head off.