The Void Scorn(40K)

Yivroxhu shook, blood petered out from the gaps in his helmet, his left ear was covered in liquid. He wrenched his helmet free of his head. The entire battle fired muffled. Short trees of brown wood and yellow leaves, spattered with blood. Battle brothers in yellow armour were strewn about, thrown like rag doles. Yivroxhu grunted, picking up his bolter, and gathering the few remaining brothers that were left. The track monster infant, still spat metal towards, causing each one to take cover behind the hailing trees of gold. The ramp lowered and astartes in sickly purple armour strode forth like champions. Vox grilles and speakers glued to power packs with sonic blasters, that screamed with the intensity of the damned. One by one marines were ripped apart by sonic blasts, as the noise marines howled in pleasure, swaying back and forth. The assault marines took the brunt. Jetpacks thumbing with their boosters as they were knocked out of the sky in droves, causing them to crawl along the ground with twisted limbs. The trees claiming more victims.

Roaring, howling, a yellow, black and green striped gunship soared. Launching hunter killer’s that impacted with a righteous fury. It landed in a small clearing. The ramp lowering as two more astartes ran out. They called over Vox at the remaining marines. They scrambled back to the gunship, laying covering fire, causing the trees to splinter and groan. The beaked marine, wearing green metal, yellow and black was hooded, firing jets of lightning from his hands. The other, with his bolted helmet and pauldrons, fired off magazine after magazine from his bolt rifle. Until the metal eagle soared, to the kiss of the angel of justice. And by the will of the Emperor of Man.

The room was aflame. No matter the geneseed, the augmentations. A boy of Shioldan always had a knack for causing trouble. In an Instant Yivroxhu alongside the others of Cnathre began to bicker at Ivex. Finnik gazed on as Ctackle looked him over then the rest of Tethri. Choosing to talk amongst themselves. Long words and phrase of sibilant speech were exchanged over the command consul. While Ivex stood, motionless, his hallowed face looking down so his long matted hair covered his eyes.

“silence” he said, and yet the noise continued. The crew around them began to get fidgety, looking up in quick glances from their consuls and scanners.

“Silence” again but louder. Finnik gave a small chuckle under his breath, for all his words of honour and pompous posturing, Yivroxhu is like every other starts born of the darkened hive cities, slick with promethium and ran blue with its seas.

Ctackle hushed his squad, taking off his helmet to reveal his face alongside the others of tethri.

“Silence” a final nail in the coffin.

“I shall not be part of this” Yivroxhu spat, the grill of his MK VII helmet practically spouting flames into the room.

“They are no worse than heretics”

“But we are heretics Yivroxhu. We cannot change that now” The snide eyed Ctakle retorted.

“Enough” Ivex finally spoke, like slow rhythmic beats of heart about to die.

“We will go to the talons and seek refuge, we have no other alternative”

“This is wrong Ivex, this crosses the line.”

“And what else would we do? Cross the cicatrix maledictum? End up in the war master’s bloody hands?” Ivex had begun to slur, almost spitting onto the display before him. The room quietened.

He gave a long sigh, starting with a mutter.

“This meeting is adjured, Yivroxhu”

The ancient sergeant turned his head.

“I shall seek to engage with them as little as possible, you are not the only one who dislikes their worship sergeant”

He turned away, the glint of 3 power packs of Cnathre following in his wake.

A long silence followed, Finnik sat amid the dark, next to the command throne.

“You must reel him in Ivex” he said looking up.

“I see the danger Finnik, but too light or heavy a touch might cause the deaths of either me or them. We cannot afford to lose any astartes. I trust Yivroxhu as a veteran of the chapter. Just like any brother upon this ship or its captain.”

Ctakle gave a quick bow, a sly grin on his face, before exiting, the entourage of Tethri following.

“Xanac” Ivex suddenly spoke, the old man at once came, clad in rugged uniform

“yess sire?” The man gave even more slur to his speech with age, too long he had served, perhaps it was mercy to put him out of his misery. A bolt shell of the war band rather than V’akai.

“Do you miss Shiolda captain?” Ivex looked down at the haggard visage before him. Long white hairs that spindled out this way and that.

“I do Ivex” he answered.

“Despite it’s misgivings, I only wish that I could gaze upon the dark blue marble once more before I die in your service”

“Misgivings” 

The cast adamantine doors opened to Osata’s sanctuary, servitors whined in unison carrying cables and boxes. A handful of lesser mechanicus adepts moved about in old red robes, covering their technical feet, making them float. Ivex’s MKVI armour was bulky in comparison, rattling overhanging tubes and scraping against metal. Osatar stood in the cluttered corner of her abode. Empty weapon racks and pedestals surrounded them, some for suits of armour, others for relics and weapons. All were empty.

“Xethri” came a robotic voice.

“Librari-“

“Dispense with the dignitaries Osatar, respectfully, I have no right to be called my name or previous position honoured tech adept.”

“Compliance” it responded, newly reddened cheeks, flush with the flesh’s defiance against the metallic rods, just peeking out beneath them.

“Brallax has been reawakened, the machine spirit is semi functional”

“How much ammo do we have?”

“Enough to keep the heavy bolters functional. I have recharged it’s generator as much as the Omnissaiah wills with Indomitable bleeding as she does”

“You have done well, honoured tech adept. Yet. Do not speak of the Omnissaiah in my presence”

“Compliance”

A voice came from within the Vox of his neck plate.

“Lord, the astropaths, have made contact with The Viper’s Bite”

“Good, I shall head to the bridge now, tell Tyllalb and Zhouggath to make for Gammorrah, tell Tyllalb first”

The tech priest pulled a piece of fabric from the side, red runes covered it. Scrawlings in gothic, and new ones in Shioldan. He gave a respectful bow to Osatar. Taking the cloth. Turning abruptly

“We are to have guests?” Arsalax pivoted his mighty frame, servo arms swinging every which way and clicking in unison.

“Yes” he said through the iron grill of his helmet. A low gruff voice of Chemos, traced with former elegance and beauty.

“You are to meet them when they arrive, they shall be useful”

Elash watched as the marine infront of Arsalax nodded. Causing the sound speakers and alarms on his back to ring and clang.

“Are they fellow servants of the prince?”

“No”

“Then fodder they shall be”

The bridge was ringed in the darkness of the internal lighting. Shutters once again barred, less the warp be seen. Ivex stared through the blue lenses of his helmet. New bonding studs and hammer marks were visible along its side, he pawed at it with his ceramite clad gauntlet, glancing over the thick metallic screws, hefting termite plates in the hemet’s side.

The air was still and quiet. All crew, even the servitors, worked in silence when astartes were present, but for the Yaczharri and Ivex, so much so. Ivex could see it in their eyes every time they risked a glance up from their monitors. A mix of fear and respect. He listened, a slow creeping whispering, scratched at his mind, like the begging of a dog or a house cat it continued. Like vines it wrapped and coiled itself in his helmet. He grabbed at the torn fabric around his neck and gradually draped it over. Letting the whispering cease. He felt his heart rate lessen. As silence reclaimed the room. He heard the doors creak as they opened alongside 4 pairs of heavy footsteps.

Yivroxhu stood at the back of the group, helmet off, bolter in hand like the others, resting for now.

“It is time for you to step down. Xethri” this time a venomous call, like a snake in eden.

Cnathre aimed their bolters forward and trained them upon Ivex.

“Going to the Talons was the last straw librarian, foulest mutant”

He smiled, one that parted his dried lips and pale cheeks for the first time in millennia.

“You defined yourself by our rotten homeworld, and therefore shall die by it”

Ivex looked upon the traitor, a cold malice beginning to emanate from his blue lenses. The whispering started again, this time more coherent and spiteful. Kill, kill, kill. Like a soft purr of a caring loved one, twisted into malice. Energy began to fill his body, like static all at once, the pinned and pricked at his flesh. The howling of bolters began, thudding into the lightning as it began to spark from his hands. He charged, the MKVI plate making him accelerate towards the first marine, he raised his bolder in a guard position, as bolt shells began to lick at his shins. Lightning engulfed him quickly, just a simple touch to his armour quickly encased him within shivering blues and greens, frying him inside his suit. Until the smell of cooked meat, caked the chamber.

 Several thunks rang as the boltguns were reloaded. He started running again, the servos in his armour whirring with excitement. The whispering only grew worse, becoming a headache, scratching at his psyche. Several thuds took him in the chest, grabbing at his armour. This one was smarter, pulling his chainsword quick, dodging the first lightning bolt that Ivex through from his arms. The teeth scraped across his gauntlets, scraping paint and giving off a hideous whine, failing to find purchase across the hard ceramite. Ivex drew his bolt pistol, thrusting the battle brother down just enough to hook him off balance from his swing. Several more shells hit him in the power pack and back, as he jammed the pistol into the marine’s soft neck muscle fibres. Causing a quick flare of blood, and his head to swing loosely, upon short strings of red leather. 

Several more shells hit him in the back, and the left side of the helmet, stunning him, as the waves echoed through his skull through the patchwork plating. Warning signs flared across his display, as he scrambled to turn around and cover his weakened power pack. The answer was the excited hum of his suit slowly replaced by silence, it was then ripped from his back, causing him to sprawl onto his knees. A marine stood above him, taking his helmet off gently, and giving him a quick nod. Training the gaping mouth of his bolt gun directly against Ivex’s forehead. Ivex scowled, struggling against his inactive suit of power armour.

“May your soul fall to the immaterium, and I find you when mine does also. You were not fit to lead us, you who take the chapter master’s teachings in vein and hold our homeworld’s customs upon a pedestal. May you be ripped apart by the never born you bade us run to for aid heretic”

His scowl turned into a smile, strikes across his face. As he faced his end.