Rayven's feather, Reaver's dagger

[Dosjetka]

Well, I was actually wanting to post in your RW story thread, but got mixed up :pinch:

[deathspectersgt7]

Hey !!! this is cool.another great read.

[Aqui]

Well, here is the next part of the story and yes it's a short one :( I hadn't realised that it's been over five months since the last one! Oh well, I won't promise that I'll not leave it so long, but hopefully I'll be able to write more sooner than later.

In any case, I hope it was worth the wait!

Part 7:

"We had been so concerned about ensuring egress from the Citadel was impossible, that we had not fully taken into account the actions of our enemies and how truly alien their methods were. That mistake was to prove a costly one. Over two hundred Marines died that day, such was the carnage. We lost our brothers, we lost our honour, we lost our estranged cousins.

"Little did we know that in their place, we would instead gain the most barbaric enemy imaginable..." - Lord Prodomus, the thirty-third Steel Liege of the Steel Wings.

"Daemons?!" despite his augemetic throat, the horror in DeCamps voice was evident. Up until this revelation, in all the history of the Chapter, such evil had never been encountered personally. False history it would seem.

Iron Lord Hubros looked at his Sergeant sadly and nodded. He knew that he was breaking the most solemn of oaths to his Lord, but in his hearts he knew that the lies had to be faced, the stain to their honour wiped clean.

It had to stop.

"We had no knowledge of how debased the citizens had become until it showed itself. We had managed to get to the opposite side of the Citadel as there was a distinct weakness in the defences. The Bahltimyr Rayvens had already entered and were slaughtering everyone within. We decided to try to ensure no one could escape the carnage wrought by our...allies by blocking the only other means of escape.

"That was where the monstrosity manifested."

Day Eighty: The day of shame.

Iron Lord Prodomus had organised his troops well. The Steel Liege had been following his actions closely of late, although Prodomus himself knew nothing of it. Lord Robante was approaching nine hundred years old, and whilst he was as hale and hearty as he ever was, he knew that he had held off one particular tradition of the Chapter long enough.

Naming his successor.

Robante was a fiery tempered man, which was not an usual aspect to the natives of Petracco. Some of his own personal retinue had afforded him the moniker "the Elemental Force", something that Robante himself knew of, but didn't let on. But watching Prodomus so intently, he knew he had found the one who would take the Chapter to greater glory after he was gone.

Prodomus was level headed, where he was head strong. Calm, when he was incensed. He had been inducted to the Chapters ranks under his command and was formerly his Veteran Sergeant. When the time came, it would be his final wish to elevate him to Iron Lord .

Had there been time enough, he would have announced his decision formally, but to follow Chapter tradition was impossible here on this planet. Robante motioned to an aide to approach.

"Summon Iron Father Versalus. I will have him hold charge of a Decree of Ascension."

++++++

It was going well. Too well.

Chapter Master Rai Lurweiss was at the forefront of the slaughter. It could not be called a battle, the cultists were ill prepared for the onslaught. And that bothered him greatly. The siege had gone on for weeks, so the enemy should have had the inner sanctum of the Capital prepared for a final assault. There were countless places perfect for ambushes, so many corridors that could have been used to bottleneck the advance of his troops.

But the enemy fell back, and by Bolter and Chainsword they were slaughtered.

Turning to his Terminator Sergeant, Flah Kuo, he voiced his opinion.

"True enough, Lord. I don't like this."

"Hr'Boor. Tell the Assault squads to circle around, close off the enemies escape. I don't like this one bit."

Hr'Boor paused as his vox unit relayed a message from the Chapter's Master of the Forge, Faustus.

"I have received telemetry from Faustus, Lord." Hr'Boor replied. Lurweiss stared at him, his rising ire evident.

"Faustus reports that our...allies have already moved to the rear of the Capital. It would seem they have finally decided to support us."

Lurweiss smiled, his humour returned, if only briefly.

"Good, tell the Assault squads to fall in behind the First Company. Nothing, I repeat nothing is to be left alive. All will fall before His will!"

+++++++

The creature was ugly beyond measure. And its evil limitless. Towering above even the Terminators, this vile thing had already taken down thirty Marines, its claws seemingly able to tear through vaunted armour like paper.

"The Librarians! Bring them forward!" cried Prodomus bitterly. Like all Petraccan's, his deep mistrust of psykers came to the fore. He never doubted their devotion to both the legacy of Ferrus Manus, and indeed to the Emperor, but to use such vile magicks was in his mind a borderline heresy in itself.

Forbidden.

The Librarians formed up in front of the others, their armour covered in icons of warding, purity seals proudly displayed for all to see. Prodomus could smell and taste burnt metal, a stench of ozone as their abilities manifested as bolts of pure energy. Lightning. A pang of superstitious fear was pushed back into his psyche. Petraccan's had an instinctive...wariness of lightning. To a populace who relied on being able to fly to gather food and to defend their borders, lightning was both an ally and an enemy equally. Lightning could keep an enemy at bay indefinitely, grounding their aircraft. But that also meant that they too, would be grounded, forcing every sovereign nation of their home planet to be frugal with their supplies.

One such bolt of pure power hit the Daemon square in the chest. It roared angrily, it's skin blackened by the impact. The symbol it bore burnt into its chest was eye aching, a crude approximation of a skull.

Khorne said a voice in his mind. Prodomus shook his head vigorously.

Forgive my intrusion into your mind Iron Lord, but I felt it necessary to link your mind to mine. The creature is powerful, and there is a distinct possibility that my Brothers and I cannot defeat it.

Prodomus muttered and oath under his breath, an insult to all psykers. The voice in his mind chuckled. I understand your...distrust of us. Before my powers manifested, I had inclinations of my own, but of course my situation changed, and so did I. The voice was that of the Chief Librarian, Master Guidon. An unusual man, one who was quite hard to like. His abilities aside, Guidon was cheerful, far too much so. Most Petraccans viewed such optimism as suspicious, those few individuals using it to hide their intentions, or to distract others from ulterior motives.

Guidon knew full well how he felt, which made Prodomus's mood darken even more. I would advise you to prepare to evacuate your Company from this planet. I have already advised the Steel Liege the same thing. The rot of Chaos runs far too deep within the population.

Prodomus' eyes narrowed. How deep?

I would guess the figure to be near to ninety percent of the peoples of this world. We are too late.

We have but one chance to defeat our foes. It has already been decreed.

Prodomus was shocked to his core. He had heard of other Chapters resorting to such drastic measures in the past. It was a decision that was literally the last resort. The final solution when everything else has failed.

Exterminatus.

[deathspectersgt7]

I saw this coming ,but I having a bad feel of what happens next.

[Aqui]

This next part runs at the same time as the last one if that makes sense. After re-reading the last one, there were things I wanted to do that were not in it, so I had a choice, edit it or make the next one about those ideas and then move on. I took the latter. The next instalment will hopefully spend more time in the stories' present with a bit in its past to tie things up. Also, as usual I've left an in joke or two for those who are sharp enough to spot them

Anyway here it is:

Part 8:

To see it, with one's own eyes was a curse, a fate I had no wish to inflict on my worst mortal enemy. I emphasis Mortal as those who worship the ruinous powers truck with things that they ought not. I have prayed to our Primarch, Ferrus Manus, every night after that to scourge the weakness of fear, to expunge it from my breast. But of all the things I have seen in my time, that was truly the most frightening, the one that will persist in my nightmares until I join the Emperor.

Emperor willing, I may yet purge it from myself, but that day has yet to come" - Iron Lord Hubros in his own personal log.

Exterminatus.

The word hung in the air, the palpable emotions it brought to the fore almost drowning rational thought. It was a truly terrible thing to hear about much less have to execute. Whilst his subordinates could see the horror on his face, Iron Lord Hubros doubted their ability to truly understand the utter, utter carnage it caused.

"Lord...this stain on our Honour. Why were we not made aware of it?" DeCamp's vox unit could not reproduce the quaver in his heart, managing to merely stutter.

"As I said, the Steel Liege decreed that it would be buried. Our Chapter were never blamed for the loss of the Ravens of Bahltimyr, but in our own hearts, we knew otherwise. We searched and searched, but after weeks and weeks of fruitless effort, we could no longer neglect our duty. We were reassigned to fight another battle, other wars. The Ravens were eventually found to be wanting in their duty after the High Lords themselves examined all of the ship logs. They were excommunicated."

"That does not explain why our Chapter has taken to lie to itself!" DeCamp's manner had turned to anger, his augmetic vocal implant hissing, a static sound, grating and discordant.

"You speak out of turn, Sergeant!" the emphasis on rank reminding everyone watching that there was still a command structure.

"Do so again, and I will ensure it will be your last time!

"I understand your anger. I do. But understand this, the stain as you call it, was kept from most of the Chapter because it was the task of those who were there to bear it. Those of you who have come to the Chapter later should not have to. It is not your burden to bear."

"Isn't it? Are we not Brothers, Hubros, son of Evenus? Are you not Brothers with everyone here? Am I not a Brother to the Steel Liege himself? Well?"

Hubros could see DeCamps point, but he was not there. He should not have to shoulder the blame for an event that happened before he was born, and told him so.

DeCamp fell silent. "I appreciate the circumstances of the vow you have taken, but I knew what to expect when I undertook the trial to become an Astartes. Our Chapter has proudly proclaimed that when one shoulders a burden, that all help share it. What you have told us all makes a mockery of that proclamation."

Clypius stared into his leaders eyes. "Continue Lord."

Hubros could see the disappointment in his eyes. Lowering his own to look at the dirt, he gathered his thoughts, sifting through everything that happened that fateful day.

"The last day, we had taken the rear entrance, thinking that we could pincer the enemy and allow our errant Cousins their chance for glory. We had no idea at all what was waiting for us.

Or what it would cost to destroy it....."

++++

The creature roared, baring teeth stained in blood. It's skin was a dull crimson, save for where it was slick with gore from its latest victims. It reared up, overturning a Rhino APC with ease. The stricken vehicle somersaulted overhead, making everyone duck instinctively, despite the fact that it had been thrown over twenty feet into the air. This creature was horrifying, its cloven feet leaving prints larger than a Marine's body. Some of those prints indeed bore the corpses of more than a few Brothers, their mangled remains flattened by its weight.

A Whirlwind had fired at it, it's payload screaming hate at the Daemon on its way to impact. The explosion shoved the creature forward, making it less than sure footed for the first time.

The Tactical squad led by Hubros, surged forwards, covered by the Whirlwinds' firepower. Another missile had impacted on its shoulder. No penetration, but it was at least making it lose its footing. One more had exploded directly in its face. The Daemon screamed oaths that made the blood of all who heard it run cold, but there was no let up in attacking it. There couldn't be, as everything thrown at it hadn't even bruised its skin, much less serious trauma. They had to get it prone on the ground, to allow the Librarium to get close enough to banish it.

To his left, he could see Chief Librarian Guidon and his subordinates taking cover as a large chunk of building was thrown at them. It was obvious that the Daemon knew of their plan. A devoted and willing pawn of the Chaos power known as Khorne, it was acutely aware of pyskers in it's midst.

Another Rhino, the Boon of Ferrus was wrecked as it was thrown at a Whirlwind, the same one that was causing it to lose footing. Hubros squinted at its ident plate. It proudly bore the name Ferrus Digitus Tertius. Hubros' face broke out in a rare smile. It was a rather apt name.

The other Whirlwinds had already been turned to scrap metal, their hulls ablaze, the final resting place and funeral pyre for those who crewed them. This last one was the only heavy ordinance they had in the vicinity. The other vehicles were either elsewhere or scrap metal. It had to be protected. Gathering his squad, he circled the Daemon, who's attention entirely on the scrappy Whirlwind. Hubros risked a glance at it. It surely wouldn't have much in the way of munitions left, it fired salvo after salvo at its target, never missing once.

Finally behind the creature, Hubros beckoned a Marine with a Heavy Plasma gun. The Marine nodded, knowing what his Sergeant wanted him to do. The vile apparition had stood on top of a Rhino that had been kicked onto its roof. The crew were dead, crushed as they tried to get out, but the power plant was intact. One well placed blast with an energy weapon would certainly make things...hot for anything standing on top of it.

Whispering a benediction to the Omnissiah and the fallen Rhino's machine spirit, the Marine fired.

The Bloodthirster turned, hearing a whine of an energy generator charging, the cacophony getting louder and louder. A sudden flash overloaded its alien eyes and it raised a hand instinctively. There was a sudden lack of noise, not silence, but its opposite, before heat engulfed it, its own skin actually searing in it. A pain it hadn't known in millennia threatened to make it cry out, but through sheer force of will, it rejected it, consumed it and threw it back at it's would be conquerors as a snarl, loud, its baseline shatter in steel like plate glass. The ground trembled with the shockwave, toppling buildings and shattering the road like sweet molasses. The source of its pain was found. With a brief snarl, it hurled its axe, the head larger than a Marine in Terminator armour at it. The Marine had no time to react, save trying to throw his heavy weapon away. He knew that if the axe hit its generator....

The blast threw Hubros into the air like a rag doll, spinning head over heels before being deposited near the group of Librarians. Standing was impossible as his leg was bent unnaturally behind him. A Scout group nearby rushed over to drag him back, away from the most evil creature imaginable. Hubros could not hear anything, his ears ringing with the sonic boom the explosion made. Looking around wildly he tried to read the mouths of those around him. Patchy words said in panic.

Retreat.

Recall Order. One Zero Zero One.

Confirmed.

Fall back.

Notify the Ravens.

No response so far..

Fall Back.

Steel Liege has called it.

NO! I will not let this planet fall!

Exterminatus. We have no choices left to us!

Emperor spare us!

Die, Daemon, Die!

[Aqui]

A small one to try and get back on track with this story.  Hope you like! ^_^

 

 

 

Part 9:

 

I stood witness of the devastation wrought by the ordinance fired upon that accursed planet with my own eyes and shuddered in disgust.  I have learnt since that there are things even worse than Exterminatus.  But not much.  Once the Emperor's Divine wrath was spent, we searched for our Cousins in the remains of that unholy orb.  There was nothing left.

Or so we thought. "- Iron Lord Hubros on the last minutes of Ghilberti.

 

 

Utter silence.

 

The group were shocked to their core, their own minds trying to comprehend what their leader had told them.

 

That their Chapter was responsible for the destruction of another.

 

"That wasn't all." Hubros continued, after a pause, too long.  "When we launched the Exterminatus, The Ravens fired at our flagship.  They must have thought we had turned against them, but we fired back regardless."  The tremor in his voice adding credence that he was just as disgusted as they were. 

"By that time, there was no choice but to retaliate, no choice but to destroy our cousins.  Their own flagship was crippled, and left adrift in orbit.  We spent many weeks searching for any survivors and found nothing.  It was as if the very ground had swallowed them whole.  The upper command decreed that they were an unstable element in the campaign, and that their actions were questionable to say the least.

"However, I felt it was a move to cover our own shame.  It did not, reveal the weakness in our own hearts that we so callously destroyed another Chapter.  It certainly did not when the Inquisition came to investigate.  The Steel Liege ordered every Marine planet side to never talk of that day again.  Until now, I kept that promise.

"We shamed our Primarch, and we shamed ourselves that day."

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say that I am truly ashamed of being part of our Chapter today!" DeCamp snarled, all decorum in his manner lost.  "It is one thing to consign traitors to death, but to allies?!"

 

Hubros stood in silence.  "Do not think that I took that oath lightly, for it was given directly from our Liege himself!  However, I truly feel that my own silence in this matter, this complicity has gone on for too long.  But for now, we must go on.  We must find out who is responsible for baiting us.  For bringing us here."

 

The group left, heading north towards the nearest settlement.  The sun was setting, leaving the drab horizon even more colourless, the rain making the flora droop morosely.  The ground was boggy, and the groups' armour was already filthy.  Appearance was not an issue, but many were sporting abrasions, and armour penetration from the crash.  It would not do to have their armour's machine spirit be disgruntled by atmospheric conditions or even fatally malfunction.

 

"Do we have a plan, Iron Lord?" DeCamp's demeanour was formal, too much so, his inability to let the revelation he was privy to, go.  He was angry, and rightfully so, but still, his cantankerous attitude was raising his own ire.

"Not currently, sergeant.  However, our first point of call would be to the capital of this miserable world.  I would have words with its leader. 

"And find our would be tormenters.  They will pay for their audacity!"

 

They carried on, unaware that their ever movement was being watched by another offworlder.  Keeping their distance, they stalked their prey, enjoying the temporary freedom their current mission afforded.

 

 

++++

 

 

It was a sound the likes of which he had never heard before.  A horrible screech, the very earth torn asunder.  The air was boiling, the sky had turned from a pale blue, to a burnt orange.  It might have been pleasant to look at ,were it not for the screaming, the blood thundering in his ears, his tear ducts bleeding.  Staggering to his feet, he could see the traitors wail, their own confidence in their false gods broken.  Many had raised their arms skywards, beseeching alien, unknowable creatures, to whom they were naught but mayflies.  Others had decided to take matters into their own hands and ended their lives, grim determination set on their faces, knowing that what lay beyond was not worth their souls.  Others still had actually carried on fighting, oblivious to events.  Chapter Master Rai Lurweiss had managed to steady himself and lurched towards the nearest cultist.  Without pause he grabbed the woman by the neck and lifted her easily.  Despite the noise, she could hear her squeal, the pain she felt throwing her into a perverse ecstasy.  Her eyes met his, and she squirmed, trying to press her body against his arm, rubbing herself against his armour.  Disgusted, he flicked his wrist and neatly broke her neck.  A sibilant sigh of pleasure escaped from her lips, her lower body twitching in response.  Dropping the corpse, he could see the way was almost clear.  In vain, he called to his remaining brothers to follow him.  He knew what was coming and was desperate to get everyone below ground.  It was a slim chance, very slim, but still.  It was the only way to escape the coming storm.

 

Looking up at the sky one last time, he cursed his so called cousins and mouthed a single word.

Barely four hundred Marines had made it underground, the chamber below was full to bursting.  Brothers had taken to stand so close together, their armour touched.  Many had put themselves into Sus-An, to preserve precious energy.  Lurweiss summoned his Chaplain, Hr'Boor.

 

"We are betrayed!  Our Cousins have taken leave of their senses!"

"Not so, Lord.  They had given an evacuation order, before unleashing the Emperor's wrath.  We had chosen to ignore their transmissions."

"You seem rather...calm considering the situation!"

"There is little we can do now.  If we wait, the Sons of Petracco will come for us.  They will realise their error and rectify it."

Lurweiss snorted in derision.

"I doubt our Cousins care.  We are undone, Brother.  Undone.  The Tech Marines had ascertained that the explosions caused the nearby volcano to erupt.  It has covered the entrance to the surface.  We are over five hundred feet underground amidst some of the toughest strata known."

Hr'Boor stood seemingly impassive.  Under his mask, he was saddened beyond belief.  Allowing himself to rest, he stood to attention, his body becoming lucid, dreamless.  Hoping beyond hope that his Lord was wrong.