Saga of the White Wyrm

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

"This ground is sanctuary." said Kayla. The Wolf Scout had long red hair falling down his back and his eyes were emerald green flashing in the night. A power axe hung upon his belt along with totems taken in battle. His face was weathered from a life time spent outside. The Wolf Scout removed one totem from his belt and placed it upon the ground before the mural.

 

"It is time to move on now." said Ronin. The Wolf Guard looked up at the steep path leading away from the shrine. He had pale skin and his hair was black as coal. "I believe this site serves as a direct warning to the Tyranids."

 

The Wolf Scouts stored their canteens and began to march again up the slope. They moved at a slower pace carefully sensing their immediate surroundings. The air was clean and there was no smell of any alien spore. The steps were high and sometimes they had to help each other reach the next level. It was slow going and they all felt tired even though they had just rested and drank. Moon light began to trickle down into the chasm causing the ice to sparkle like diamond. Finally they reached a point where the steps stopped - ahead was the stark wall of the mountain. The Wolf Scouts had broken out their crampons fitting the spikes to their boot soles for better purchase upon the slippery stone. Ronin took a long loop of rope from his pack uncoiling the slack and they all clipped to it fastening in their carabiners. Together as one they continued up the steep slope working their mountain tools into the cracks between the hard rock. Their muscles grew taut as they clawed at the stone. Only the sound of their hard breathing filled the air under the crescent moon.

[Russ Brother 92]

very nice haha I like the twist with the 'current' wolf scouts believing it to be a lost brother from the 13th whereas it's something and someone much more mysterious - nice way to tie it all in with the right amount of 'story length' and pace :teehee:

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Thanks bro !! :D

 

G :P

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

The Wolf Scouts slowly climbed up the huge rock wall. Kayla was the lead climber while Ronin was at the bottom of the line removing pitons, carefully feeding the iced rope up to the rest of the party. They had long since left the safety of the huge crevasse behind hanging like a taut string from the steep mountain face. The moon was bright red casting down pale filtered light through the clear night sky. The stars shone bright twinkling like polished gem stones upon a bed of black velvet cloth. This side of the great peak was sheltered from the strong mountain wind but the temperature had plummeted to stiff freezing sub zero levels. The granite face was cold as ice and often the Wolf Scouts had to pause along the long climb to blow upon their gloved fingers. Their toes were numb as their boots banged hard against the icy rock. They slowly advanced clutching at the tiny holds protruding from the granite wall and wedged their mountain tools deep into the few cracks.

 

Suddenly there came the cracking sound of ice breaking free as an avalanche broke loose from a corniced ridge running along the top of the mountain face. Kayla immediately ducked under a short ledge of jutting rock just above his head driving his tools deep into a tiny seam. The ice began to thunder as it poured down the mountain quickly gaining terminal velocity. Tons of broken ice and loose debris spilled down upon the Wolf Scouts trapping them against the freezing rock face. A huge chunk of stone collided into the head of the first Wolf Scout behind Kayla knocking him senseless. Ronin swung into the rock pulling himself hard against the steep wall. The moon was hidden as the avalanche poured over them. Their rope grew tight then snapped. One Scout after another was torn loose from their fragile holds as they were swept away down the mountain.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

The sound of the crashing avalanche rolled down through the valley as the wall of tumbling ice cascaded down into the crevasse below. Only Ronin, Kayla and the unconscious Wolf Scout hanging from a bit of rope dangling below the Wolf Guard were left. Ronin grabbed the Scout with his free hand pulling the limp body up against the rock. Slowly Kayla descended until he hung level with the Wolf Guard. "See if you can clip him onto my back." said Ronin as he gasped at the frigid air. Kayla pulled a carabiner free from his belt and slipped it through a dangling eyelet attached to Wolf Scout's pack. He then ran a bit of webbing through the free slack clipping it into Ronin's belt. Kayla then cut loose the rope that had anchored the Wolf Scout. The body slipped free from the mountain side and Ronin groaned as the full weight of the heavy body pulled down upon his back. "It only figures our stout brother Ahab would be the one to not fall." Ronin rolled his eyes then grimaced and spat blood. "Go on now Kayla. One of us at least must make it up to the top. You're our best climber. Move on." commanded the Wolf Guard. "I'll try my best to make it up behind you." He grunted in pain as he awkardly rolled flipping Ahab fully onto his back.

 

Kayla pulled himself back up and started to climb again. He moved much faster now without the weight of the rope. Drizzles of ice misted in the air as the last of the snowy residue floated down. There was a wide crack up ahead and the Wolf Scout wedged himself inside chimneying up against the freezing walls. He heard a faint grunt below from Ronin. Soon he was making good time in the dead silence of the night. The moon had started to recede and the stars grew dim as deep purple twilight began to fill the sky. What bad luck he thought to himself as he continued to climb. Kayla felt heavy with sorrow for his lost brothers.

 

The steep wall began to curb a bit as he ascended further up the mountain. There was another short rock ledge and he pulled himself upon it and looked down. All was dark below and there was no sight of the Wolf Guard and the other Wolf Scout. Kayla put his hands under his arm pits hugging himself. The sky above began to glow as the first rays of dawn broke through. Kayla stood up on the short ledge and started to climb again.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Finally Kayla came upon the remainder of the corniced ridge that had broken loose and avalanched down upon them. The Wolf Scout pulled himself onto the the icy ridge viewing the high mountain peak under the raw light of dawn. He took a pair of goggles from his pack placing them over his eyes to dim the stark brightness. Even an Astartes could go snow blind. The ridge had a steep drop off on both sides and lead up to the plateau they had seen the previous day. The cold mountain winds had swept away any loose debris. His crampons sank into the ice holding him steady as he began to cautiously advance up the ridge. The immediate atmosphere was rarified and he breathed hard sucking at the frozen air. Kayla used his axe as an aid to help him climb sticking the sharp tip of the long hilt into the ice. The wind cut at him like a razor numbing his senses. Again the high plateau looked far away and he felt a sinking feeling. He must find shelter by the next night fall or surely even he would die from the extreme exposure. Scout armor did not provide the same protection as a suit of power armor but it was far more agile. If only they had known from the beginning that their quarry was located on top of the high mountain peak.

 

Still there was no sign of Ronin or Ahab and his comm bead hissed with dull static crackling. The Wolf Scout continued his lonely trudge up the ridge.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

The sun had reached its zenith floating above the winter landscape casting down stark bright rays of light. The wind was blowing hard and thick dark clouds were racing towards the high peak from the far side. Bits of slick stone poked through the ice like spines of a broken vertebrae along the narrow path. Kayla could see where the ridge conjoined with the high plateau. A huge dark crevasse split the end of the ridge from a wall of steepled granite. There was a series of fracture lines running along the top of the ridge. There was just enough space along the razor edge for the Wolf Scout to continue along the sharp path and on either side the icy ridge dropped off into a void. Soon it would be besieged by the huge bank of rolling clouds. An afternoon storm was coming.

 

Above the sound of the moaning winds Kayla could hear the stifled sound of an aircraft engine roaring. The Wolf Scout quickened his pace moving along the ridge. He scanned the immediate surroundings but there was no sign of any flyer. The sound of the engine cut off and all that was left was the screaming wind. Kayla then paused for a moment to knock loose the long beard of hoar frost hanging from his bare chin. The only direction was up towards the looming dark crevasse. Kayla could see that the chasm was deep and it appeared bottomless from where he stood. He would have to cross the gulf and then scale the final mountain wall.

[Russ Brother 92]

a like it chap - by order of the Librarius keep up the good work :D

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Thanks for all the kudos bro !!

 

:D

 

G

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Kayla finally reached the gulf of the crevasse protecting the rock wall leading up to the high mountain plateau. The air was so thin and cold it would kill any ordinary man due to the extreme level of exposure. The Wolf Scout looked down into the gigantic chasm. There was trace material left from others who had unsuccessfully attempted to cross the huge gap. Kayla would have to leap across the frozen boundary and attach himself to the wall. If he fell it would be his end. The rock wall was slick with a thick coating of black ice. The Wolf Scout saw nothing to hold onto, there were no grips or cracks to purchase. The sound of an aircraft engine broke the silence again for just a moment then the cold wind picked back moaning like a possessed banshee. Someone else or a group was close by above the wall. Kayla looked up but there was nothing to see besides the high wall of granite. The clouds were streaming in filling the void with a blanket of freezing ice.

 

The Wolf Scout balanced himself precariously upon the outer lip of the crevasse then sprang across the long gap. Kayla bounced against the hard rock wall swinging the head of his axe into the black ice. It shattered and revealed a tiny seam leading up. His gloved fingers caught a hold of the tight lip as he crammed them in as deep as possible. His axe fell aside as the Wolf Scout fought with all his might to secure a solid purchase. The rubbery tips of his boots scratched against the rock driving him up onto the wall. Kayla hung there for a moment bracing the muscles in his arms as he scrambled madly against the frozen granite. His long axe dangled from its leash attached to his belt banging against his thigh. His tenacious grip held and he squeezed the toes of his boots into the thin crack for better purchase. Quickly he pulled himself up and jammed a piton into the crack above. His grip broke free and the Wolf Scout found himself hanging by a short bandolier threaded through the eye of the piton - it was all that held him in place as he slowly swung back and forth like a weighted pendulum.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Kayla quickly righted himself and leapt straight up. The tips of his fingers caught hold of the edge of the rock wall. Adrenal flowed through his bloodstream as he pulled hard lifting himself up. He threw his elbows over the edge and caught hold as his legs dangled in free space. The Wolf Scout wrenched up his knees against the rock and threw himself over the expanse. His body landed upon soft pack snow as he breathed through his nostrils snorting like a rabid wolf. Kayla laid in the snow for a brief moment giving silent thanks to Russ for his life. The sun shone down upon him and he felt a momentary respite as the feeble warmth spread through his body. He ached from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. His stomach churned and bile surged up in his throat filling his mouth with an acid metallic taste. Kayla sighed as he swallowed the thin vomit back down and climbed up on his knees. There was an Aquila Lander resting upon the open plain and one of the egress bay doors was open. The lift sat still in the snowfield as the rear thrusters pulsed on and off. A party of guardsmen dressed in black stood at attention around the craft holding their snubbed bull pup Hell guns level at their waists.

 

Kayla immediately crawled behind a small rising of rock to hide himself. The fiber of his camoflugued suit turned pure white blending into the background. There was no time for rest besides the brief moment the Wolf Scout had cambered in the fresh snow. The cloud bank was settling in and immediate sight dimmed into a void of abject whiteness. Kayla froze in place and listened. Another member of the Imperial party was just stepping off the ramp of the lander.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

The cloud cover was very thick. Kayla could no longer make the landing party. The jamming beacon clipped to his belt began to vibrate for a moment. The Aquila Lander must have a sensor array to trace the immediate area. He laid still in the snow and waited but no one came. The jammer had blocked the landing craft's sensors. Kayla climbed to his knees and drew his combat blade from the leather sheath attached to a strap on his pack. The blade had a sharp fractal edge on both sides, so sharp that it could cut through plasteel and even more hardened armor. The Wolf Scout held his knife by the hilt and rose up in a crouch as he sniffed at the freezing air. His acute senses told him that the guardsmen and whomever had joined them had already left the lander. Slowly he stalked towards the rear of the sitting craft. Landing lights blinked on and off in a steady rhythm and the engine had been killed. Kayla approached the rear struts and stopped to listen. All he heard was the wind cry as it raked the cold white plains. Warmth seeped from the metal skin of the lander soaking into the Wolf Scout. He flexed his muscles and cracked his stiff neck taking in the heat. Kayla drew forth his canteen for a quick sip to wet his cracked lips then stowed it away. The Wolf Scout crawled under the belly of the landing craft as he headed towards the lowered ramp. Still there was no sound from inside. He waited for a moment then righted himself crouching up beside the opening. It was dark inside except for the faint green glow of an illuminated lamp hanging from the top of the breach. His eyes looked within the immediate compartment prying at the darkness within the lander. Again Kayla sniffed taking in the smell of humans. The air inside was fresh and rich with oxygen. The Wolf Scout crept inside as he sucked at the filtered atmosphere. The warmth felt good.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Slowly the Wolf Scout moved through the inner cabin heading towards the front. Kayla found himself at a loss to explain how the Aquila Lander had got past their battle cruiser or from where it had originated. He looked around the cabin and finally spotted the official logo of the Inquisition plastered upon the far wall. The sigil was deep red and seemed to faintly glow with a soft pulse. There came some sound from the front of the craft and Kayla stepped into a pocket of dark shadows trying to conceal himself the best he could. A pilot stepped out of the cockpit walking into the cabin. Kayla remained still and waited in silence. The pilot headed over towards the ramp and pulled down on a lever beside the entrance. Slowly the ramp began to lift tucking itself back into its fold. The pilot wore a tanned leather jacket and had a fur lined skull cap tightly wrapped around his head. Swiftly the Wolf Scout moved towards the human grabbing him from behind to shut his mouth as he stabbed the pilot through the back puncturing his heart. The pilot spasmed for a moment then slumped over dead. Kayla lifted up the body and placed it upon a bench.

 

"What's taking so long?" came a voice from the cockpit. Again Kayla stepped back into the dark shadows and waited. He heard the sound of the navigator entering the cabin and watched as the human pressed a panel illuminating the inside of the lander. The navigator gasped when he saw the body of the dead pilot sprawled on the bench then Kayla was upon him as well slitting the man's throat. The Wolf Scout then slipped inside the cockpit staring at the tight array of flight instrumentation. He looked through the canopy and watched the storm rolling across the high mountain plateau. The lander rocked briefly in the gale winds then settled down. Kayla sat down in one of the two small seats and began to study the array in earnest.

[Russ Brother 92]

interesting... very interesting... I like the sudden appearance of the Inquisition and the fact that the Scout doesn't care, he simply kills the crew members and has a nosey haha

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Kayla worked quickly attaching his krak grenades at key points inside the landing craft. Each grenade was equipped with a remoted controlled detonator all keyed on the same high frequency. The Wolf Scout had placed the bodies of the pilot and navigator back inside the cockpit resting their dead weight in the flight chairs. Kayla pulled the lever and waited for the ramp to unfold. He could feel the cold mountain air seeping back into the cabin as the ramp slowly lowered itself. He scanned his miniature auspex and there was no sign of the guardsmen return. Stepping back out into the frozen atmosphere Kayla climbed under the lander and secured a grenade to each of the landing struts then placed one underneath the point where the left wing attached to the craft. He was out of grenades and hurriedly scurried away looking for a spot to hide that would offer some protection from the freezing cold.

 

Even though the cloud cover was still thick as wolf stew he could sense that the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon. Kayla dropped his pack and pulled out a camoflugued parka. Quickly he pulled the jacket on and sealed the front then replaced his pack. His goggles automatically adjusted to another spectrum as he tightened the head strap. Finally he whistled into his comm bead but again the only sound in return was a sharp static crackle. He accepted the solemn thought that he was most likely the only surviving member of his pack. Kayla and the other scouts had worked together for such a long time. He could not blot out the sadness that filled him as he searched the plateau for cover.

 

As he moved along the snow bank the lone Wolf Scout tumbled upon a pile of rock. Kayla cursed himself then realized the pile was a cairn. Someone had piled the stones upon each other. Where there was one cairn there must be another. Kayla carefully retuned his auspex and scanned the immediate area. Sure enough the miniature sensor detected another pile of rock approximately 100 meters away heading into the heart of the high mountain plain. The Wolf Scout pulled the detonator from his belt and keyed the arming sequence. He then set the detonator down in the snow and left it as he headed towards the next cairn. He would either hear the ensuing explosion upon the return of the guardsmen or his auspex would flag the event. The Wolf Scout slipped into the white mist as he left the Aquila Lander behind.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

The lone Wolf Scout continued to follow the path of the cairns. Night had fallen and the temperature plummeted again to sub-zero. The clouds had finally swept over the icy mountain top revealing bright stars and the red moon. Kayla plotted the course of the cairns with the auspex and discovered they spiraled inwards along the high mountain plain. His clothing was stiff from the cold and cut like dull razors against his skin. He had to keep moving or die from extreme exposure. There suddenly came the sound of growling. Kayla turned back to spot a pair of large Mastifs following his trail. Both hounds were covered with cyber augmentation built into their muscular frames and frozen breath poured from their gaping mouths as their long tongues rolled. The Mastifs gnashed their large teeth as they moved slowly forward circling around the Wolf Scout. Kayla drew his bolt pistol as the dogs began their charge. The first hound knocked him over and he lost his grip on the pistol. The beast clamped its maw on his leg. Kayla could feel the intense pressure of the beast's tight grip then there was a deep howl that blotted out the crying winds. The white wolf appeared as if a ghost in the night. Releasing its grip the first Mastif turned to face the wolf but it was too slow. The white wolf opened its jaws revealing rows of long sharp fangs. It bit into the beast snapping it in twain with one hard chomp then spit out the severed ends. The other Mastif yelped and ran off.

 

Kayla climbed to his feet and retrieved his bolt pistol returning it to the holster. The white wolf looked at him with its sky blue eyes for a moment then cantered off into the night. Running as fast he could the Wolf Scout followed along. It hurt to breathe and his body ached from head to toe. They ran on and on until Kayla began to stumble from sheer exhaustion. His sight dimmed and he saw blinding spots of darkness growing before his eyes. The white wolf veered off running into a hidden cave. Kayla fought to keep himself upright and tumbled into the cavern. There was the bright glow of a fire burning inside an open pit. The lone scout crept up beside the blazing flame and sat down to rest his weary body. It was warm inside the cave and sheltered from the hard blowing mountain wind. Kayla relaxed and dropped his pack drawing out his canteen. He unscrewed the top and guzzled the tepid broth. Slowly the aches and pain started to finally recede. He looked around to find that the wolf was gone.

 

"Hello my young cousin." came a soft voice. Kayla looked across the flames to see a tall lithe warrior clad in grey plate armor standing there. Shadows played along the cavern walls like great dragons rising from some untold ocean.

[Russ Brother 92]

I hope I'm not the only person reading this - either way I hope you get some of your stories published :( - I really love the work so far and can't wait for more :P

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Thanks again brother !

 

:P

 

G :P

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

...

 

The kill team marched on through the night lead by the Inquisitor. The veteran guardsmen had been hand picked from some of the most elite armies across Imperial occupied space. They all wore heavy jackets with the long hoods pulled tight over their heads and had rebreathers to handle the depleted atmosphere at the extreme elevation. Each veteran had a set of night vision goggles. They held their Hellguns to their chests as they marched along in the deep snow drifts. Captain Krell held an electronic torch and swept it back and forth.

 

"I can sense the witch is close by but I'll be fethed to spot her exact location." said Inquisitor Grimm over the comm link. "This high elevation is messing with my sixth sense." Grimm lowered his hood for a brief moment to take in his surroundings undeterred but it was to no effect. "Why haven't the cyber hounds returned yet?" he questioned the Captain angrily.

 

"I have no idea." replied Krell. "Maybe their augmentations were not quite enough to handle the environment here atop this peak."

 

"We will keep looking for awhile longer then return to the lander." said Grimm. "I don't ever remember ever being anywhere this cold before. It'd freeze even a Valhallan."

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Inquistor Grimm held up his gloved hand giving the signal to halt. Immediately the kill team stopped dead in their tracks and waited in silence. "I smell another stinking wolf... And where there is one there is always more. That you can be certain." said Grimm over the comm link. "Follow me." The Inquisitor lead them back away from their Aquila Lander. He gestured to Krell and took the torch holding it down low so that the light illuminated the snow. The Inquisitor then knelt down upon one knee and dug into the snow and ice with his free hand. He yanked hard at something underneath the surface. Grimm stood back up and held his open hand displaying the detonator left behind by Kayla. "Well it looks like those armored cretins must have figured out a way to get some of their dumb mutts up here after all. That answers my question in regards to the hounds and I have to admit though I'm rather impressed... I really didn't think they had it in them."

 

"What is it?" asked Krell.

 

"Watch and see." Grimm pressed down upon a tiny blinking rune on top of the device. There was the sound of a series of swift explosions as they watched the landing craft blow apart from a safe distance. There was a bright flash of light as the fuel tanks exploded then it went dark again.

 

"What about the pilot and navigator?" shouted Krell. There was anger in his voice and his face darkened with rage.

 

"Calm down Captain." said the Inquistor flatly with a trace of glee. "It's not like they would have left either of them alive to ruin their trap." Grimm tossed aside the detonator and handed the torch back to Krell. "I'll tell what we are going to do now... We are going to play along with their little game. I think it'll be most amusing."

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

The sun would soon break frigid dawn. The red moon was falling low. One by one each star winked out. Only the monstrous howling wind remained along with the fresh rain of heavy falling snow. In the shape of a super gigantic disk came down a lofty form so great in size as to blot out the twilight sky. It descended slowly hovering above the high peak. Tendrils of iron lathes splayed out from the opening orifices of the vast black metal ship. Black ants began to pour forth from the suspended hive. Under the cover of a purple dawn they descended to cover the high ground row upon row ever descending in a stomping march of abject death. The voice of the Inquisitor screamed out within their coded minds "Kill the witch! Burn the witch! Kill the witch now!!!" Hatred raged in their blood making them impervious to the cold as they fanned out across the frozen tundra. They searched the high mountain plain covering every crack and crevice. From a single point came the howl of a wolf and the Valkyrie emerged brandishing a long heavy shard of black iron in each gauntlet. They immediately began to converge upon her and the shards began to crash down cracking skulls within their cheaply armored helms. They felt no pain nor fear but they were nothing more than drops of rain in the sea. None could gain aim to fire as the Valkyrie stepped from one fight to another smashing bone and cleaving armor. In their haste to follow the rigid command of Grimm they continued to press forward. One by one the heavy shards came down crushing one skull after another. Dead bodies littered the high ground cast aside and utterly spent. The Valkyrie stepped onto one of the long spiralling gang planks. She removed her helm and stuck two fingers in her mouth then whistled. The white wolf emerged from the cave poking out its huge head to look around then it began to race over the dead towards it's master. She waited until the great beast finally reached her side and together they started the ascent up into the very bowels of the black ship.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

...

Kayla felt someone rousing him from his deep sleep. They had a hold of his shoulders rocking him hard back and forth. Kayla opened his eyes and yawned out loud. He saw the haggard face of Ronin looking at him. Ahab stood behind the Wolf Guard gnawing on a bone stripping off the last bits of meat. "Wake up Kayla!" shouted the Wolf Guard. Kayla jolted at the sight. "We've got to go now!" Ronin helped him up and Ahab handed him his pack. They bustled to the entrance of the cavern stepping out into the dawn light. Litters of dead guardsmen dressed in black fatigues filled the ground as far as the eye could see. All their heads and been smashed in as the dead lay still quivering as fresh falling snow started to cover their ruined remains. "Look up there Kayla!" shouted the Wolf Guard over the roaring howl of the wind. Ronin pointed up into the sky. A massive ship floated over the high peak resting in the air. One long winding gang plank still touched the earth. "It's an Inquisitorial Black Ship!" Ronin had switched over to their comm link. "It must be fully shielded, that's why it went undetected."

 

They ran out onto the cold white plain jumping over one dead body after another as they made their way towards the landing point. "I saw the Warrior just before I passed out." Kayla whispered to them. "The white wolf is his totem." There came the sound of a vast mechanical churning from the lower bowels of the ship. They ran as hard as they could against the freezing winds. The churning sound turned into a primal scream and the elongated plank began to pull up back into the bottom of the black ship. Ronin leapt onto the end and held out both hands. Kayla and Ahab jumped up after the Wolf Guard. Ronin caught a hold of them both dragging them up onto the end of the plank. Together they began to climb up towards the waiting barge.

[Russ Brother 92]

interesting... very interesting, I can't wait to see where this goes mate - either way I'll be reading it B)

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I feel like the story is really just to begin now.

 

G ;)

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/283/1/2/valkyrie_by_thebastardson-d4cf24f.jpg