"So adorable when you loose hope. I think you really did want her~" The voice purred as he was putting on his helmet and marching towards a general and commissar waiting for him. "Ah, it is good to know that you're awake. It is time to decide what to do with you." Spoke General Sturnn. Sean frowned and nodded. "As you already know, your... sudden appearance... has raised suspicion among the guards as a dead man walking." Spoke the commissar as the general gestured them to walk with them. "So I doubt that I can rejoin my squad anytime soon, right?" He asked as the commissar nodded. "They've been ordered to silence. They vowed to it and it's already apparent that the eldar know." He said as they moved by the bay, which the base was built to close off.
"We also wish to know how your body adapts to the chaos energies. Not to tread into heresy though, we decided to let you try and expand you powers." He said as Sean frowned. "Sir, if I may ask: Is there anyway that you could remove these curses? Can the priests do anything to help me?" He asked as he hummed. "Your file says you're from the dead planet, St. Josmane's Hope. Correct?" He asked as Sean winced at the name of his hellish home planet. "Yes sir." He said as they stopped at a secluded part of the bay. "However we need to pinpoint what to expect from your abilities. What gods have the most influence." Spoke the general as he leaned over the railing.
"In the meantime you survived weeks on end of torment. That makes us interested." He said as a squad of kasrkin joined up and saluted the general. They wore the same attire as Sean did, and they only consisted of four people. "This is you new squad, but step out of line, then they're your executioners as well." He said as the leader stepped up. "Heard your marked with some pretty iffy stuff. Better pray to the emperor that you hold your sanity." He said as he eyed him behind his semi-transparent visor.
"I count everyday sir. I just want to add some notches to my belt before that day comes." He said as a girl gave a giggle. "Strapping and head strong? If I were courting you, I'd never let go." She said as the leader gave her a bump. "No flirting with squad members Spex." He said as he turned to Sean. "Son, what's your name?" He asked.
"Se-" Sean was about to talk only to be interrupted. "Wrong. You're now code name Edgewalker. Seeing as you tiptoe on the line of heresy as far as I see it." He said as he looked at the other two members in the squad. "Say hello to Bolt and Breach." He said as the two silent troopers nodded. "I'm Apex. You already figured out she's Spex." He said jabbing a thumb to the flirty woman. "Is she always like this?" He asked as Apex shook his head.
"Never. She acted like this the minute she looked at you." He said as he grimaced at him. "Just so you know, I don't like you." He growled as he stepped closer and jabbed his finger against his armor. "You are too close to a heretic, and I normally would shoot you. Chaos killed many good men so watch your back." He growled as Sean frowned.
"Asshole." Spoke a voice as everyone looked around. They turned to Sean as he covered him mouth. "Come again guardsman!?" Shouted Apex as Sean tried to stop him, only for a certain eldar stopped the altercation. "Don't punish a mon'kiegh for speaking truth." Said Telria as she walked forward. "Who may you be?" Asked the kasrkin as she took off her helmet. Her black hair flowing in the chilling wind. Her features strong, but beautiful. She marched forward and gripped Sean by the collar. "I am Telria. I had grievances first, so I get first shot." She hissed as she looked at him.
"W-What do you mean? Is it because you insulted the a-" He as quickly stopped by a slap. "We never had that fight. Some guardsmen had made a fighting pit and I got energy to burn." She hissed, her voice laced with an oddly attractive malice. He than was hoisted to her, face to face as he stared at her eyes in shock. A light grey decorated her eyes. He was then dropped as she marched away.
"Mind telling us your relationship with that xeno?" Asked Apex as he already pulled his lazgun. "Someone I had a bad time with during my death march." He said as he looked back. "I'll be right back." He said as they brass and squad looked at each other and hummed. "Fine. We will continue this next time." Said Apex as he nodded to the commissar and general.
Telria was already in the ring as Sean approached. "Show her who's boss!" Shouted a guardsman as Sean rolled his shoulder and stripped his armor off. The eldar was dressed only in the skin tight suit piece of the wraith armor. "Kick his ass ma'am!" Called some wraiths. They came into the circle as both sides cheered their own races. "So what now?" He asked as the wraith smirked.
"We fight." She says simply as they slowly circled the pit. The only thing separating them and the crowd is a little makeshift circle out of scrap wood and spray paint. As they slowly moved around the edges of the circle, they eyed each other as they prepared.
Soon a man, whom may have made the arrangements, grabbed a bucket and held it up. "5 Rounds. No biting, pulling of hair, or unneeded face touching." He shouted out of the crowd. Telria's blood was on fire. She longed for a fight with the chaos scarred man. He than hit the bucket a couple times, properly beginning the round. Telria charged forward at break neck speed, while Sean just changed his stance to defense.
She was quick and had lunged for him. Her fist had made contact with a blocking forearm as Sean shifted suddenly to an offense stance. The wraith grabbed his arm and yanked him forward as he swung a fist at her. Their momentum shifted constantly as the wraith dodged and grappled the man. They were quickly dragged to the ground, with her changing positions to land on him. She strattled the man and was about to strike him.
Just as her fist was about to make contact, he grabbed it and shifted its to his side. Another was following quick and he snatched it. Instead of guiding it, he simply jutted it up and slammed into the ground. They were close, extremely close. They felt their breath pound her faces as the fight came to a small halt. Suddenly, Sean's head snapped up and hit her chin. She reeled back as the guardsmen cheered. "Not bad Telr- xeno." He said, trying to remember that they weren't marching in snowny isolation anymore.
She growled, but smiled as he rose. They then took their stances, only for a bucket to be pounded. They returned to their ends of the circle. "Damn! Maybe eldar are really weak." Said some soldiers as Sean turned to them. "Don't assume that I didn't struggle with her. She's tough, maybe the rest can just be better." He said as he sat down on a small box.
Telria was rubbing her chin and her wraiths nodded to her. "That one must be the scarred one right?" Asked one of them. Telria nodded. "He's not using his abilities though. Must be trying his hardest to make this fair." She said as the wraiths looked over at him. "A diamond in the rough. He at least has some honor." Said on of them as they observed him.
Another round was about to start, until a commissar came up. "Men! To your posts now!" He said firing a shot into the air. The men scrambled to their regular duties, leaving the Telria, Sean, and the remaining eldar at the fight pit. "Wanna call it a draw since I gotta leave?" He asked as she nodded. Her blood still pumped as she saw him. She began to remember the struggle he gave fighting her, and fighting their elite forces. He was strong, elite, clever, and never buckled under the pressure.
"Just what are you?" She muttered as she turned to her comrades. Mealaeth was among those who watched and was astonished by him. She had seen him fight with aggression and fury, but had yet to see his normal state of combat. Yet she still wondered if he was holding back more than he let on.
She didn't have time to wonder as an alarm sounded, and Sean joined up with kasrkin squad. She watched as he and the other armored men grab their weapons and charged to the fort entrance. She and her guardian squads soon came across the sight of battle. Men and women dug into trenches and turrets aimed at the horizon. A loud boom was heard as she turned her head to see a basilisk line firing its artillery.
"Hold your ground guardsmen! Kasrkin, CHARGE!" Shouted Sean's squad leader as they charged into battle. There she saw a structure being build and gasped. A Warp gate.
Sean was charging with his squad until he they came in range with the chaos worshippers. "Strike true and strike with precision!" Screamed the kasrkins as they pushed into the fray. When Sean made contact, he took full advantage of the frail bodies of the burned out heretics, he gripped one by the throat and slammed his heads against some jagged and twisted metal shrapnel in the ground. He than turned and shot at two more charging toward him. He than saw one coming behind him and crouched down to avoid a blow to the head.
He quickly spun around, his leg extended and sweeping the radius. He kicked the cultist's leg out, then rammed his lazgun down his throat and held the trigger. He slowly stood up and charged forward as he heard his comms crackle to life. "Edgewalker! Our objective is to shut down that portal by any means!" Shouted Apex as he replied. "Got it sir. I'm deep in the swarm. You may wanna stay back though." He said as he through his lazgun down and heard his questions over the radio. "What do you plan to do?" He called out as he smirked.
"You'll see." He said as he felt the anger and pain flair up as cultists swarmed him. Soon corrupt space marines came to him. "A stronger guardsman then most. You must have excepted our gods." Said the fallen astartes as he approached. The minute he was in arms distance, he bolted towards him and slammed his fist against his chest plate.
The marine flew back as Sean snickered. "Have you finally given up!? Are we one now!?" Asked a voice as it was expecting an answer. "No. But then again, you don't want to die do you?" He asked as a marine charged. A massive migraine tore though him as he barley could stand. He felt his body heat up faster than a nuclear reactor and charged the marine. The marine tried to slash at him with a chainaxe, only for his sword arm gripped, then ripped off. He cackled as the bloodlust was screaming to him as he hacked him up into bits.
The other marines charged, but instead were turned to mush the same as there brother. Suddenly he had cultists and legions of space marines charging at him as he screamed at them. "Come on then! FOR THE EMEROR!" He screamed as he charged in. Every cut healed aggressively as well as every gunshot wound. He roared and slashed and killed further and further. He continued until he was just out the portal. He dodged a axe swing and slashed another marines throat out until he saw the gate.
"Edgewalker! Respond now or I will get a commissar on you!" Screamed a voice in his radio that he turned to. "No more gate? NO MORE GATE!" He screamed as he felt his entire body ignite on fire. Arcs of chaotic energy ripped and off and crosses his arm as the axe was discarded and he cocked his arm. His muscles ripped and tore at the feeling of the overwhelming power surge as the guardsmen stood far and watched.
"YOU MANIPULATIVE COWARD! I SHALL RIP YOUR MIND APART JUST AS YOUR BODY!" She screamed, but he smiled as blood had leaked from his eye as the energy surged and pulsed. His fist shot forward as a shock wave of chaotic energy ripped across the air as the gate had a massive chunk of the gate was blown off, Sean's arm with it. He gasped at the pain and headache as he collapsed backward and covered himself from the debris as the gate's side crumbled.
His kasirkin squad slowly moved forward and saw him. He twitched as jolts of electricity pulsed through him as he held the exploded part of his arm. He felt the deamon scream in his mind as she was attempting to rip it apart in an attempt to break him.
Then darkness...
Sean was face to face with it. He picked every detail out about her, and hated it. She had a slender body like slaanesh, her arms decorated with blue feathers from shoulder to wrist, her skin crimson red with dark veins exposed, and to top it all off; fangs gritting with anger and a tongue that was half the size of his body. "You. Utter. FOOL!" She screamed as her skin ignited and she grabbed his throat.
She hoisted him up and growled as her eyes were tinted with hatred. "YOU DARE MANIPULATE ME?! YOU DARE BELIEVE YOU CAN CONTROL ME!?" She screeched as she slammed him onto the flood of his mind. It was dark, nothing signifying the light of day or night. He felt oddly at peace, granted the circumstance.
"YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN US KILLED!" She screamed as he just glanced at her. "And?" He asked as she was now in silence. She fumed as she looked at him. "Do you not want life!? I could give you a life beyond that of a soldier! I could grant you power beyond imagination!" She said pacing around him as he laid on the dark floor.
"Can I really believe what you say?" He asked as he rose from the slam. She looked at him as he turned to her. "My life has been nothing but suffering. The minute I fall for someone, their ripped away. The second I make friends, I'm taken from them with out second thought." He said as he walked up to her as she took some steps back. "I've killed in the name of my god because that's all that I think I can live for now." He said as he continued his approach. She than growled as she took more steps back.
"I have walked through hell and back, my own mother betrayed me, I was tormented and nearly killed multiple times by the civilians of my own home world, and the worst of all..." He said now in her face as she had stopped her pace. "I'm stuck here with YOU." He said as he than grabbed her hand and lifted up to his mouth. He placed a gentle kiss on it and stared at her. "I will applaud you for my death, and will love you the rest of my life if I'm granted it."
She looked at him as he opened his arms and looked at her with dead eyes. "So go ahead. You know you'll die too right? You thought I was scared of death, but you yourself are. Ironic isn't it?" He asked as he looked at her. "Do you really want me to "succeed"? Want me to be happy? Then kill me now." He hissed as he looked at her.
"Because I will reflect on my torment, as I have up until now, for the rest of my life." He said as she looked at him in shock. She never had thought he would stoop this low. She gritted her teeth as she looked at him. Kill him: She dies. He lives: He'll use her chaos abilities to serve his emperor. He looked onward waiting for a response as they stared each other down. She then walked too him as she growled. "You better thank me for this pass." She hissed as she grabbed his collar and rammed her lips onto his.
He gave a shocked grunt as he felt his body being pulled into reality.
Mealaeth was next to Sean again with the general and commissar at the foot of his bed. The farseer even thought to visit. Nobody was expecting him to suddenly jolt up and sputter. They all, but the general, jumped as he wiped his mouth and muttered curses. "Sean. Are you ok?" She asked as he looked up and saw them. "Depends." He said as he looked at his arm. It was still there, but he had a scar tapered around the area were it was once destroyed. "Sean, what you did was incredibly risky." She said as he smirked. "We guardsmen are kind known for that." He said as she rolled her eyes.
"If I may interject." Spoke the commissar as he caught their attention. "Sean, we have reason to think that what you did was heroic, but I would like to ask if you knew what you were doing." Said the commissar as the general and him shared a grim look. Sean nodded as he looked at the scar. "Yeah. This deamon is scared of death, so I gave her a choice she couldn't refuse." He said as he grimaced at the scar.
"Sean, the Inquisition has a lead on your link to chaos. I'm afraid that your time may come to an end." Said General Sturnn as Sean frowned. "Sir, what do you mean?" He asked the obviously dumb question as the general gave a sigh. "Your presence with be erased after this campaign." He said as Sean just gave a sigh. "So they really don't like me. Another one to the list I guess." He said as he looked at everyone. "Why are the eldar here? Surely the Inquisition would have your head for this as well." He said as the clunking of metal footsteps entered the room.
"That is were you're wrong guardsman." Said the voice through the helmet as he appeared, hulking over the smaller humans. A ultra marine. "My chapter and I have vouched for the general's safety. You on the other hand use chaos for your benefit." He said as Sean gave a growl. "Never for my own! I fight for the emperor, and will die for him as well!" He protested as the commissar pulled his lazgun, only for the marine to stop him.
"Exactly why. Chaos must not taint the name of the emperor or his warriors. You use it without control and still let that deamon ravage your mind." He said as he turned more sympathetic. "We had made a vow to destroy all tainted chaos, but if you learn to master this deamon. We might just show you mercy at the end of this fight." He said as Sean grumbled. "I'm not sure. This deamon is different from the others. She's not at all what you would expect from a normal one at that." He said as he explained.
"Unlike a normal deamon. She uses full fledged force and manipulation, rather than wear someone down over time like the whispers of chaos." He said as a small pain appeared. "She also has been able to give me headaches and migraines to the point were a concussion feels like a day trip." He said as they nodded. The marine spoke up. "For now, you are given permission to enter out chapels. You will pray to the emperor everyday and a priest shall give you purity writes." He said as he looked at the general. "I must return to my brothers now. I pray you can assist him?" Asked the marine as the general nodded. "He shall be in good hands. Let us leave him to his recovery." He said as they all walked.
Only one that stayed was Mealaeth.