I'll take this time to respond to the comments I've gotten thus far on this story, theres probably a better way to do this but in any event i havnt found it. First of all I'd like to say I am happy to see I've gotten no hate spams, this can either mean that I'm doing something right or that i'm beneath contempt. Anywhoo
Maugen- Thanks for the comment, being the first to do so you win a free flamer of Tzeentch. I'll fedex him as soon as i get a chance, does anyone know their policy on transporting live, pyromaniac daemons?
Gutsu- Interesting, I've been trying to find the DoW books but they have, unfortunately eluded me. I dont plan to make any mention of the Blood Ravens short of maybe a footnote so my my utter lack of knowledge about them shouldnt be a problem.
Emperor Bass- Fear not, I do plan to finish The Changebringer Chronicles, but i just dont feel comfortable not having half a dozen projects going at once.
Chapter 2: Trial by Fire
Odirion struggled to get comfortable in his cell, not an easy task, the cold gaze of the two inquisitors made him uneasy. "Put your tongue to use, heretic, or I may be forced to tear it out," Hablion snarled.
Faust held up one had to silence her companion, "You may continue, Odirion."
The sorcerer collected his thoughts:
Ahriman and I had never crossed paths in any meaningful way before the council of Nikaea, but I knew quite well of his work. Prospero, you see is… was… such a small world and news travelled fast. We did not meet in the most pleasurable of circumstances. Our Lord Magnus had been summoned to some insignificant little rock called Nikaea to defend the practice of sorcery against those Neanderthals Mortarion and Russ. He called a council his finest librarians and psykers with hopes of displaying how we were paragons of the new imperial soldier; a cunning warrior, loyal and stalwart towards the then living tyrant emperor and his creed and able to strike down the enemies of man with his mind alone. Magnus urged us nine psykers to become acquainted with each other during our voyage if we hadn't already. Even then, Magnus might have known that our lives would be hopelessly entangled.
It is odd, but I never forgot the first conversation we had, there was something strange about his manner, he greeted my like an old friend the first time we met. "Do you know," he said after some time, "that Nikaea is the closest planet to our own that would absolutely require us to utilize warp travel to reach it?"
Somewhat curious as to why he brought up this bit of trivia I asked, "You don't suppose they expect us to get caught in a storm and be done with us then and there do you?"
Ahriman laughed heartily, "I wish that wasn't such a plausible explanation. There may be a grain of truth in that, this region is, after all so close to the Eye of terror."
"Are we really so close?"
"I believe it should be visible to the naked eye," he showed me to a view port. That was the first time I had ever seen the eye. I cannot say I knew what to make of it; the eye was, and indeed is, such a fantastic sight. Far larger then anything else in the galaxy, save perhaps for an Eldar's ego.
Odirion's comment drew blank stares from his two interrogators, "Its an expression we use," the prisoner clarified, "I suppose it just hasn't caught on yet. But I digress, where was I."Ahriman starred at the swirling mass of colour for what might have been an eternity. At last he said, "You know, any two men will look at that, and see something they don't understand. But there are some who look at it and see a miracle, a sign, a prophecy that no matter what there is someone watching out for us. And that fills them with hope. There are also those who see that same storm, the same eye of terror and they see something that is suspicious, something beyond their control and therefore something they must destroy. But what little they know of the Eye of Terror tells them that it cannot be destroyed, that it is something that will remain forever in creation, here to stay. And that fills them with fear."
"The emperor, which do you suppose he is?"
"The emperor," Ahriman was visibly shaken, "wishes to hold this entire galaxy within his grasp, I doubt that he will not be vexed by the eye because he cannot control it, just as he cannot bind the warp to his power, the emperor will not see reason, Magnus realizes that this is a fool's errand, that we go not to our trials but to our executions. All that we have left to do is accept whatever punishment we are dealt and win whatever hearts and minds we can at the council." That was my first encounter with the seed of heresy, the first time I had ever heard a word spoken against the Imperium. Strangely, it felt right to listen to him, even then. A klaxon blared its warning from somewhere on the ship signalling that we would soon be entering warp-space. "But don't listen to me, no one can predict the future that is unwritten. After all," he gave a slight smile, "it's the lost causes that are worth fighting for."
