Prologue
'You are heretic, Astartes.'
The inquisitor tilted his head as he leered down at the huge framed man before him. The single halo lamp above him cast his drawn features into a pale ghostly vision. His ageing hair was drawn back into a knot and lit up like chain mail. He played idly with his index finger and readjusted one of many jewelled rings that adorned his hands. He turned and began to circle the former marine, who sat in the centre of the gloomy cell. The long gold gilded robes of the office of the Ordos swaying with the motion.
'I need not your answers, for your actions display your guilt. You are damned by the Emperor, but I can yet spare your suffering.' He paused behind the metal restraining chair. 'Which, considering your ...advantages of physiognomy shall we say, would be quite exceptional'
Sweat trickled down the marine's torso. Mixing with streaks of blood, it pooled on the seat of the heavy metal chair before running to the floor to quickly congeal. The marine breathed deeply, his head bowed forward as his shoulders rose and fell with each breath. The action increased in speed and soon they rocked with suppressed laughter. He lifted his shaved head and showed the Inquisitor his defiant smile. Despite the bruises around his face, his eyes were wide and lit up an emerald green.
The inquisitor swung his staff and smashed it across the marine's face. The inquisitorial insignia at its head carved a deep gash into his left cheek. The wound sprayed blood and then began to close instantly.
'That is what you think of mercy?!' the Inquisitor raged. 'Your soul is tainted and your corruption evident. Your dark gods offer you nothing, Astartes! Your death will earn you nothing.'
The marine glowered back at the man with contempt. This place, this man, both represented all that he hated. There would be no reasoning and in his many years he was yet to hear of Inquisitorial mercy. For all that he had fought for he now felt empty. All the blood spilt just to be imprisoned and tortured by this vile excuse of a servant of the holy Emperor. A week he had been here. Besides the beating and physical pain, the inquisitor had tested the marine's mind with his will, but the warrior had resisted and blocked the searches for answers. Answers to questions they didn't even know to ask yet. They would need someone with greater skill and powers in order to pry open his consciousness. They had not even begun to push him to his limits of tolerance. Not that it mattered, for they would and every one breaks eventually.
'Heresy?' he yelled suddenly. The sound broke the still air like a mortar landing.
The inquisitor remained unmoved, merely pausing in his stride. The two guards that stood either side of the thick bolted door flinched noticeably and began to bring their shortened las-guns up. They regained some composure and resumed their position after a wary glance to each other. Both flicked off the safety.
It was the first word to pass his lips since he'd been dragged unconscious into the dank chamber and the interrogation had begun. Silence was expected of him. So far he'd gone along with that, enduring the escalating punishments. Thoughts had prayed upon his mind however. Others needed him still and they needed more than just his silence. Somehow he would have to find them again. However his captors had him contained. To stand a chance he would have to be moved and that meant engaging with elaborately dressed bastard strutting around him.
'You see any marks of Chaos upon me? I shall not justify myself to one so blind.'
'Justify?' the Inquisitor smirked. 'I am no Arbites, here to crawl through procedure and dispense petty justice.'
He moved round before the prisoner and bent down to the giant man's eye level. The marine's thick arms tensed and strained at the shackles. His wrists and ankles twisted in their clamps causing the reddened skin to tear some more. The guardsmen at the door turned their guns on him. Their fingers caressed the trigger guard.
'It is you who are blind, traitor. Blind to the Emperor's light. From the day you turned form his righteousness, you are damned. You know of the day I speak.'
'I do. I served the Emperor that day and ever since, and shall do until my death. Look to yourself Inquisitor; that is where you will find your prey.' The marine rasped through clenched teeth.
The inquisitors smile broadened and his eyes narrowed. He leant in closer and dropped his voice to barely a whisper.
'Believe what you will, for you will die. But knows this; you have damned your battle brothers by having them follow you. Your Chapter has been deemed Heretitcus. All will be destroyed, and on your head be it… Brother.'
Anger fuelled the Astartes' lungs and he unleashed a roar that only an Emperor's chosen warrior could muster.
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Hi all, never done a fan fic before so interested in all reviews especially from the regulars. I'm not an active hobbyist so please forgive any fluff errors and put me right. Cheers.
Disclamer - I do not own anything Games Workshop related.