Mind of a Chosen Chapter 0 - Grief
The heat pounds down onto my dry skin. It s still better then following the men into the storms of cold winter s wrath. It s been 28 long years, since mother threw me away . . . To rot here. Keep moving Torque! More blood awaits us! The commander pushes me, causing me to stumble slightly.
"Yes Sir!" I responded, putting myself back into place, and marching forward with the others. This serum keeps me alive, pushing me beyond that of what humans are able to do. Food, sleep, water, and recovery for my muscles, it feels like a thought of the past, as I no longer need to keep them in mind for the road ahead. Khorn gave us the orders, Move to the south! Slay anyone in the Empire! Feast, and let their blood spill my chosen! He s words seemed full of force, power, and desire. Ever since the first day I met him, he s given me this feeling of rage. My blood boils, and this desire is created, one I hadn't had before, The desire to kill. We had been moving for miles. Would it have been better to sail, like Nurgle s men? Our armor was made for harsh winters, with a mixing of steel, and fur. Each soldier of the chosen s army would be given a special weapon, and armor, each fitting to the soldier s style. It would have still been hard to tell who, was who, if it wasn't for the rankings that each one got. For every hundred kills, we would get a spike. For each ten captain kills a stain of Khorne s blood. For each General, we could place their skull somewhere onto our armor.
I was given 28 spikes, 13 markings, and 4 heads. After all these years, I walk as a legend, but I feel like I'm still a whelp, for every day, the grief of my mother consumes me.
"We're here boys!" Commander Gurrac screams. Looking over the situation, it had appeared we were already at an Empire village.
"See those pretty little lights?!" Everyone looks to where he's pointing. It looked like the village was having a festival of some sort.
"Most won't be hiding. Easy pickins . . . " He's right. Deep inside me, I want to run down, yelling, and telling them to get away, but he s always watching us, always hungry.
We all wait, as the rest of the group arrives. "Seems like there s a lot of people here, looks like I ll get another spike. You ready boys!?" Gurrac screams followed by the howl of a hundred, bloodthirsty men. It seems the villagers are being too loud, or having too much fun to notice. It's too late . . . "Feast" . . . The charge is on, and torches are thrown onto roof tops. The screams, howls, and growls heard are always unsettling to the ears. "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!" We re running, setting everything around us on fire. A small amount of people are away from the festival. They're the first. Screams of frighten souls echo. I ignore them, and keep moving towards the town's center. After a few minutes of running, I turn around to see none of my brothers had kept up. There must have been a lot to feast upon before. I hadn't thought of the amount, until I was caught standing in front of the rest of the village.
The shock on their face led me to believe they hadn't known what was happening till now. They stood frozen in place. No more happy music, no dancing, no smiles. A never ending thrill, until I lose control. It s happening again. Oh, no . . . I stumble again, losing my sanity.
"More blood!" Brothers start to catch up, and the villagers snap out of their shock, now running. The men that had finally caught up started their chase. Some of the children couldn't run fast enough. Small screams now echo. Their small limp bodies rose on top of pikes, and spears. My brothers loved to bathe in the blood of the innocent. Why . . . "C'mon Torgue! These pastie little ones are the best, heh heh. . ." A small runt came up to me, patting my back, trying to get me to join in. This angered me. I took my axe, and went towards another direction that the villagers ran; I had hoped I wouldn't run into any of them. "No! Blood is our love!" Walking slowly, my mind ate away at me. We only kill soldiers . . . Some of the buildings are already crumbling around me. It seemed quieter, almost as if everyone ran, or is dead. This sunk more deeply into my heart. I had only fought in battles, never raided. I took off my helmet to get some fresh air, walking into an area that hadn't been torched yet. No sound, other than the screams, and howls from the distance. I opened a building, and walked in. It was dark, and didn't seem like anyone was here either. I was wrong. A child came running out, a small girl that must have been no older than four. "Are you here to save us mister!?" Her face was bright, almost shining in the darkness. Most humans around here would be raided by Skaven, or Beast-men. She must think I'm an Empire knight . . . A light flickered in the corner of my eye. Her mother had come out of a cellar. "Honey, please come ba-" She cut herself off, seeing me.
"Momma! Look it's a soldier, and he s here to protect us!" The mother knew what I was. No soldier from the Empire wore spikes, and skulls. She ran and grabbed her child. They both try to run away out the door, but something inside of me makes me grab her arm. "Fresh . . . " I easily break her arm, and she collapses. "Mommy!" The child begins to scream, and shout, both at me, and her mother. "Stop! You can have me, but leave my child alone!" I lift my leg, and smash it down onto her head. "My mind is no longer my own, a phantom of nine rises." Blood lust takes over, as I smear her open head all over the wooden floor. "Mom!" The girl screams much louder now. I take my axe, and lift. "No hope . . . " Her face reminds me of the day I left home, the same face I gave my own mother. Within seconds, it s over.
I leave the little shop, and move back towards my brothers. After hours of pillaging, the brothers do what they please, drinking, eating, and raping. Even though they don't need to anymore. I walk around the town until, I leave. I sit on a small hill, not even 50 feet away from the entrance.
"I forgot my helmet . . . " I whisper under my breath. A single tear falls, and hits the ground. The flame of battle, no longer lingers. It has left me with a deep feeling of regret, and grief. This hole, it grows like the void. The weight of the world is on my shoulders, and I ll carry it as long as I exist. "Khorne, take this pain away."
Trying something new here. This is a story I've been brewing for 2 years. Slowly putting it together, and hopefully will. Let me know how you like it!