Broken Promises

[Blackwyvern]

Chapter 1

Xiron IV, Now

In the distance a choir was singing the hymn Gloria et laudo dulce Imperatum in the courtyard their voices muffled by the thick adamantium walls of the prison. Deep within the heart of the prison was a cell with walls as thick as an imperial battleships hull. Outside the armoured door stood 2 warriors of the ultramarines chapter, resplendent in their rich blue armour with black trim denoting them to be from the 5th company. A messenger hurried to them “The investigation has been concluded, bring the prisoner.” They both nodded and turned to the door. One of them took a large key out of his auxiliary pouch and slotted into the lock turning it. At the same time the other entered a 15 digit sequence on the keypad.

 

The door opened inside the cell was 3 metres cube and carved with all manner of hexagrammatic wards. The prisoner was bound with chains thicker that their wrists. He looked up squinting against the dim light. “Is it time?” The 2 guards said nothing their faces unreadable behind their helms. Each of them grabbed the chains holding the prisoner and led him out.

 

The corridor was dank and dingy with flickering glowglobes only adding shades to the darkness. They reached a branch in the corridor and turned left continuing until they reached a plain unremarkable door. Keeping a firm grip on the chains the guard keyed in another long sequence of numbers and the door opened in side was 2 chairs and a table. One of the chairs was occupied by an unassuming man in a featureless grey suit. The only thing to set him apart from any ordinary imperial citizen was the stylised I handing from his neck. “Inquisitor” the prisoner said his voice deep and rich. The inquisitor looked up from the pile of paper work in front of him “You are Sergeant Rhisar of the Black Wyverns, currently acting commander of the third company?” The prisoner looked down at the inquisitor “yes”. The inquisitor continued “The investigation of Lord Commander Endrast’s death has concluded and you are charged with murder, high treason and heresy. Each of these sentences is punishable by death, however given that you are currently in charge of a company of marines however depleted, your impeccable reputation and due to your actions in defence of Xiron IV we have decided to send this case to a court of inquisitors to determine your fate. The trial will be in 3 standard month’s time. In these 3 months you must find a lawyer to defend you and inform your chapter master of the events here. Your time starts when you leave this room.”

 

More to come tommorow comments and criticism welcome

[Blackwyvern]

as promised the next part

 

 

Chapter 2

 

Xiron IV, 5 weeks earlier

 

Rhisar stared at the map. The lines of destruction wreaked by the invasion were spaced out by millions of miles the red area where the fighting had been spanning 2 and a half continents. These places had been scoured just a few days after the forces of Chaos had been driven from the planet and annihilated. For 500 miles beyond every edge of the battle zone ways an orange band. This represented the cities that had to be destroyed to prevent any possible threat of the unclean heretics spreading.

 

Lord commander Endrast looked up at him “We have cleared nearly all of the potentially contaminated cities form Xiron” he said. Rhisar nodded, it was grim sickening work but it had to be done. “However the commanders have come across a small problem”. “What?” asked Rhisar his voice easily cutting through the humdrum of the control centre. “Udgra Hive, here” explained Endrast gesturing to the edge of the orange band, Rhisar looked closer the hive sat right on the border of the orange band. “Leave them” said Rhisar “they are too far to have seen or experienced anything of the invasion. I made a promise to Captain Haddriath, may the Emperor bless his soul, when he still walked among us. I promised to save every citizen of the Imperium I could.” Endrast nodded “Very well, I will respect the late Captains wishes.” Suddenly Rhisars vox squawked “Sir we need you down here to conduct the Emperors rites for Brother Vandraal, the apothecary says he has an hour at most left.” Rhisar turned and left without another word. Endrast turned to a vox officer. “Signal the Pride of the Emperor; tell them to take out Udgra Hive”

 

30 minutes later the first of the 4 bombs fell. The People of Udgra Hive were clustered in the churches and temples thanking the emperor for sparing them. The lucky ones were atomised by the atomic war head. The unlucky ones survived mostly unscathed to see what came next. A promethium filled warhead air burst 100 metres above the city. Liquid fire gushed through the ruins burning those who had been caught outside instantly and seeping through cracks in walls and ceiling of collapsed buildings to immolate those inside. After that came another nuclear warhead this one filled with a cluster of 10 smaller nuclear devices. The city was flattened. The few nobles who had made it to bankers were trapped doomed to asphyxiate and starve in the days, weeks and months that followed. The final bomb was another airburst above the flattened Hive and it rained holy water blessed by the priests of the Pride of the Emperor designed to burn away the unclean and scour the soil so that nothing may grow on the tainted ground. Of the 2 and a half billion people in the hive not one survived.

 

Rhisar stormed into the command centre “what did you do?” he hissed with barely concealed rage. The Lord Commander looked at him apparently unconcerned by the raging astartes less than a metre from him “What needed to be done.” With a visible effort Rhisar reined in his temper. “You promised to respect Haddriath’s order” Rhisars voice was strained with anger. Endrast shrugged “he was my subordinate, I had no need to obey any orders he may have given.” Rhisar’s voice became dangerously calm “Those orders came directly from the Warmaster. You disobey his orders by…” Endrasts interruption was cold and flinty “I have been given no such orders by the Warmaster and you come close to heresy by suggesting that I…” he was cut short as Rhisar grabbed him round the neck and pinned him to the wall. “You dare!” he hissed his eyes blazing with rage “You dare to suggest I am a heretic?! I stood on the frontline in this war! I stood before the Demon prince Rarkroth! I spat the emperors defiance as him as I and my brothers kept him distracted long enough for Haddriath to give his life to take Rarkroth down! You dare to suggest I am a heretic?!” Rhisar’s voice had risen to a bellow of pure rage and hate. Endrast began to go purple as Rhisar drew his bolt pistol, pointing it at Endrasts head.

 

“As a devout astartes of the Emperor I appoint myself as your judge. You are charged with disobeying the orders of the Warmaster and ordering the murder of 2 and a half billion loyal imperial citizens”

 

“As a devout astartes of the Emperor I appoint myself as your jury. You are found guilty on both charges and are hereby senetenced to death effective immediately.”

 

Endrast began to blubber and plead

 

“As a devout astartes of the Emperor I appoint myself your executioner. You make speak your last words.” Endrast chocked something unintelligible “I absolve you of your sins in life, that you may go to the Emperors side in death.”

 

The bolt pistol fired.

[Blackwyvern]

can i please have some respnse so i know whether its good bad or just outright terrible

[Blackwyvern]

Chapter 3

Xiron, Now

A week later the Great Wyrm arrived. He marched down the corridor only just fitting in his massive terminator armour. Behind him marched 2 of his honour guard their shining black armour making then almost invisible in the gloom. They reached the door to Rhisar’s preparation room for the case. “Let us see our brother now” growled the Great Wyrm his voice metallic, devoid of emotion by his stylised helm. The Ultramarines nodded and opened the door. Inside Rhisar looked up sharply a muttered prayer dying on his lips. “Great Wyrm” he said bowing his head in respect. “Rhisar” replied the Great Wyrm “Given your current situation I think we can dispense with the formalities, call me Escandon” Rhisar smiled “very well… Escandon”

 

His face turned to a frown “How many first founding chapters can we call upon as our allies?” Escandon looked taken aback “The Salamanders and the Wolves” Rhisar laughed “The Chapter of fire and the Chapter of ice, any others?” Escandon looked thoughtful “The Hearts of blood under Xathule Tetron and Rakai and his band of misfits are the only ones that could arrive within the time limit ‘till the trial” Rhisar looked thoughtful “It will have to do, please send the chapter masters a message for a representative.” Escnadon wondered aloud “Why the representatives?” Rhisar looked sheepish “It was my lawyers idea to ask you.”

 

At that moment the door opened and a man carrying a pile of books that teetered over his head stumbled in dropping the books on the desk. “Well Mr Rhisar it seems to me that if we can…”he stopped noticing for the first time Escandon. “Oh” his mouthed flopped open “My Great Lord of the Emperors astartes of the Black Wyverns of…” Escandon shushed him “Just my lord will do.” The man muttered something approaching an appropriate greeting. Rhisar smiled “Mr Redia is the best lawyer I could find” Redia blushed.

 

Can I please have some comments so I know how good or bad this is