Chapter 10
Eragon's eyes narrowed in annoyance. He was sure he wasn't the only one. Grumbles and curses echoed up and down the sewers as guardsmen vented their frustration about the Emperor forsaken tunnels they had been going through. Even Korosov was showing hints of impatience.
Their guide seemed determined to use the absolute longest route out of the sewers. Twice he had actually tried to lead the group into an ambush. Both times he had failed due to Eragon's mental probes. However, Eragon couldn't check him all the time. His willpower was spent due to his earlier psyking, and he did not want to give the daemons anymore opportunity to attack.
He tried to stifle a yawn but was too slow, letting his exhaustion become known. Korosov apparently heard it, because in the next chamber he came to he called a halt.
"Alright" he said, "Sergeant, organize your squad into a watch. The rest of you, rest"
There were some relieved mutters from most of the troops while the designated watch squad grumbled as they went about their assigned duty.
Korosov walked to Eragon and said, "You especially, I want to rest" Eragon nodded in relief. He walked over to the wall and sat against it. From there he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
After what felt like an indecent amount of time Eragon found himself being shaken awake by a guardsman. Korosov wanted to move out, and the squad was complying. Eragon stifled a groan and got up. Korosov waited impatiently for the squads to ready themselves, then started off again, his chainsword leveled at the cultist's back.
They had only gone a short distance when Eragon began to hear another set of noises. A faint clanking, like that of metal on metal, sounded down the tunnel. Eragon frowned. This was a new sound, and not one he had heard before in the sewers. He extended his mind forward, but sensed nothing. Shrugging, he continued forward.
They soon reached a point where the other guardsmen started to hear it as well. They gripped their weapons tighter and looked around for the noise. Korosov held up his hand in a fist, signaling a halt.
"You two" he said, pointing at the guardsmen in front, "Keep him from running" The men nodded and pointed their bayonets at the cultist. Korosov pointed to Eragon. "Come with me and stay quiet"
Eragon walked forward, and together they crept stealthily forwards. The clanking grew louder, along with a new noise. It sounded like many small legs hitting the ground. Eragon, curious, extended his mind again but again felt nothing. He frowned. Whatever was making that noise was beyond him. Perhaps it was yet another one of the strange machines this world was so fond of.
Eragon and Korosov carefully rounded a corner into a chamber. They immediately drew back.
The chamber extended far, both up and down, and was cylindrical. It was dominated by a gigantic metal column that supported the immense weight of the city above it. But what truly caught Eragon's attention were the figures that moved around the pillar.
They were tall, skeletal beings. Indeed, they looked like metal, armored skeletons. Their eyes shone a sinister green, as sinister as their faces were. Some appeared to be standing guard, while others were somehow attaching a strange device to the huge pillar that dominated the room. The device was large, and glowed a sickly green in multiple places.
Eragon had never seen these beings before, but Korosov seemed to have. "Xenos" he hissed.
Eragon gave him a puzzled look, but before he could ask he heard a massed chitter. It sounded like it was coming from above. He looked up and saw a multitude of small things climbing down the walls towards the two of them. They appeared to be made of the same metal as the skeletal beings, but these looked like beetles. Eragon reached out with his mind…and found he could not sense them. With a start he realized he must be facing beings like the Ra'zac, beings that couldn't be felt in the mind.
Korosov took one look at the descending swarm and shouted "Run!" With that, he turned on his heel and sprinted away. Eragon looked after him, then shouted as a lance of green lightening impacted on the wall by him. The sentries had noticed him as well apparently. Their first shot was all the encouragement Eragon needed to turn around and run.
He fled down the tunnel, catching up with Korosov. Behind him he heard screeches from the metal beetles as they massed in the entrance to the tunnel. Their noises dropped into a more predatory tone as they chased after the fleeing guardsmen like a silver colored tide.
Korosov and Eragon ran, and soon found the guardsmen they had rescued. They all stood up as they saw the fleeing pair, and their weapons were at the ready.
They needn't have bothered. Korosov shouted "Xenos! Run!" The guardsmen were confused at first, and then paled as they saw the tide of silver beetles coming down the hallway. The sergeants bellowed a retreat, and the men started running. The cultist was too slow to start, and Eragon watched in horror as the cultist was engulfed by the beetles. He shrieked as they flayed the flesh from his bones.
The beetles finished their work in seconds, and then continued their pursuit of the rest of the guardsmen. In horror, Eragon realized that they were faster than the fleeing guardsmen, and they would catch their prey in seconds. There were too many to shoot, and it would be hard to hit such small targets. No, he had to psyke. Again.
Eragon stopped running, and broke the barrier in his mind. The energy roiled out, almost impossible to control. With difficulty he focused it in his mind, and, ignoring Korosov's shout, shouted "Jierda!"
The beetles were all caught between two opposing waves of force that roiled into each other with all the force of a charging dragon. The beetles flailed their limbs as they were thrown into the air by the force. The waves continued ruthlessly forward, smashing into the group of beetles. Somehow they held.
Eragon, desperate, poured more power into the spell while ignoring the shrieking daemons that started to enter his mind. Pushing harder he smashed the beetles into a pulp. He let the spell go, but was too late to stop an attack. A malevolent entity invaded his mind and immediately started attacking it. It felt as if it was trying to claw Eragon's consciousness apart. The thing tore and rent at Eragon's sanity, and Eragon howled in pain. He fought back as hard as he could, but the daemon was relentless, forcing its malign self further into Eragon's inner thoughts. Eragon fought back desperately. His whole body was in pain. His limbs shuddered with spasms uncontrollably. His vision grew dark.
Saphira jolted upright from her sleep. She had just felt the most terrible pain, but it wasn't her own. It was her rider's. As tenuous as their bond had become over the distance Eragon had covered, it ran too deep for some things to ever be blocked out. And right now she knew that Eragon was suffering terrible pain, perhaps even dying.
Alarm shot through her, and she sprang from her bedding. She leaped from the tree house where she was staying to the ground and ran. She barreled down the avenues of the elves forest-nest and ran to Tialderi Hall, where the nobles and royals stayed. She stopped in front of it and roared as loudly as she could.
Arya! She yelled.
Within seconds an elf servant came rushing out. "Brightscales" he asked fearfully, "What is it?"
I need to see Arya, or Dathedr, or anyone who can scry Saphira said frantically.
"Please Brightscales, can't this wait until a later hour?"
"NO!" Saphira thundered.
The elf immediately sped away, leaving Saphira to wait, almost panicking in her worry for her rider.
In scarcely a minute Arya herself sped out. "Saphira, what is it?" she asked, alarmed.
Arya, I need you to scry Eragon. He's in pain, terrible pain, maybe even dying!
Arya immediately intoned a spell of scrying. An image formed in midair. It was of Eragon, clearly wracked with terrible pain. He spasmed and cried out. His flesh was rent asunder in multiple places. He then collapsed, utterly still.
Severus Ullmar walked alongside his captain. The sun was setting, coloring the sky a rainbow of hues through the pollution that surrounded the city. Severus found that he did not like this sight, instead thinking of the beautiful sunsets that he had seen at the Fortress of Hera. But, as different as it was, this was part of the Emperor's dominion. And so it was to be treasured and preserved.
Just perhaps not as much as Macragge.
Severus angled some of his sensors to Captain Sinon. Sinon's helmet was off, and his features were creased with irritation.
"So how was the meeting?" Severus asked, although he had a good idea of what the answer would be.
Sinon sighed. "Same as ever. I had to work hard just to keep Ezekiel on topic. I almost don't know why I even bother meeting with him"
"Because he is the general of the Hammer of the Emperor" Severus answered. "And we are duty bound to protect His dominions and to cooperate with His other servants"
Sinon smiled. "Thank you, old friend"
Severus acknowledged the thanks. "I was a chaplain. What can I say?"
"I think you should give the general one of your sermons. If that does not improve him then he is hopeless"
"He doesn't listen to his own priests. What makes you think he'll listen to me?"
Sinon laughed. "Severus, there is a big difference between an Ecclesiarchy priest and a chaplain turned dreadnought. About twelve feet and six tons to be exact"
Severus joined in with his own laughter, imagining the look on the indolent general's face if the dreadnought decided to force a sermon upon him.
"Maybe I will do that" Severus mused.
"You have my support" Sinon said, grinning.
They lapsed into comfortable silence as the old friends continued their walk. Severus looked out over the hive city. He had seen the great metropolises of Holy Terra itself, so he was in no way overawed by what he saw here. Indeed, as he thought about it, Severus really did find that he preferred the landscape of macragge over any hive city. He would have shrugged if he could have. It was still the Emperor's.
"So" Sinon asked, "What have you heard of Bromsson?" Despite his efforst to sound neutral, Severus could still pick up a hint of reluctance in his friend's voice. Severus sighed mentally.
He could understand his captain's reluctance to trust the newcomer. After all, Eragon Shadeslayer was a very hard person to trust. He was not an Astartes, yet he possessed the reactions and some of the strength of one. His physical prowess was unnatural. His features deviated from the form chosen by the Emperor towards that of the blasphemous Eldar. And he was an unsanctioned psyker with some training. Many would call him a sorcerer or a witch. If only Sinon had been there to see the miracle, to see the Emperor's holy power mark Eragon with the symbol of the rosarius.
"He's doing fine. My contact told me he singlehandedly annihilated five gangers in melee combat the other day"
Sinon grunted. "I'm not surprised. Between his own prowess and their incompetence it was bound to end that way. It would have been better if he had destroyed them at range however. His armor will not stand charging blindly into combat"
Severus grunted. As much as he did wish that Sinon would accept the miracle for what it was, his captain did have a point. Flak armor may as well be paper on the battlefield. He pressed on.
"What worries me is that he was sent into the sewers this morning"
Sinon glanced at the dreadnought. "Then it will be a true test for him. If he is chosen of the Emperor then he will survive. If not…" he shrugged, and the dreadnought knew what he meant. Severus continued forward, resigned. His friend was right. And that was why they had set him in the Imperial Guard in the first place.
The friends' walk was interrupted by a low rumble. They stopped.
"What is…" Sinon began.
"Look!" Severus shouted in horror.
One of the city's colossal spires swayed slightly. Its surface cracked and windows shattered. And then it started to fall. It sank down, slowly but surely, into the ground. Severus looked at the ground and saw that it too was caving in, sinking down and forming a large depression. The spire appeared to hit something. It stopped, but the impact was too much for it. It imploded, collapsing in on itself. The other buildings surrounding it tipped into the center of the newly formed crater. They smashed into each other as well as the spire in the middle. They then collapsed downward, their integrity lost.
Something moved in the corner of Severus' eye sensor. He turned and saw another section of ground collapse in on itself, taking every building unfortunate enough to be in its radius with it.
With a prolonged cracking noise another section split open, yawning like the mouth of some titanic beast. Buildings and spires swayed and smashed into each other before tumbling down into the crack.
Looking around, Severus saw the same sight being repeated all over the hive city. The hive itself was caving in on itself.
"Severus, look" Sinon commanded.
Severus did so, and saw flashes of green light all over the city. A stream of communication flooded his vox caster, mostly filled with screams of dying guardsmen and desperate requests for support. Other channels were ominously silent, their soldiers obviously slain.
Severus listened, horrified at what he heard. A blast of green lightening hit him, singeing his armor. He turned to see a squad of Necrons phasing in around him and Sinon. With a roar he charged forward, his storm bolter roaring death and defiance. Three of them he vaporized with his lascannons. Another was shredded by bolter fire before being stomped into the ground by the dreadnought. Two more were crushed by his power fist.
Meanwhile, the others were engaged at melee range by Sinon. He bisected one of them with his power sword. Whipping out his plasma pistol at the same time, he turned and immolated another of the foul xenos. One tried to melee him, slamming its weapon into Sinon's shoulder. Sinon staggered back a bit but kept his footing. Another plasma blast turned the metallic adversary into melted slag.
He turned to see the last two being torn apart by Severus. Contented that the dreadnought had things in hand, Sino warily scanned the fallen Necrons. Two were attempting to rise, but were slashed apart before they could cause any major damage.
Barely panting at all, Sinon turned to Severus, who had finished with the two Necron warriors. Severus looked at him, and they both thought the same thing: the Necrons had returned.
"How did they collapse the city?" Severus asked.
"They must have infiltrated the sewers and taken out the supports for the hive" Sinon answered.
Severus stiffened. The Necrons were in the sewers, which was where Eragon was as well.
Severus immediately turned away and started running, only to stop when he realized there was no way he could fit into the sewers. He stopped, and slammed a fist down.
"What is it?" Sinon asked, concerned.
"Eragon is in the sewers with the xenos" Severus answered.
Sinon thought rapidly. "There's nothing we can do for him. Even if there was a way to find him in the sewers we are all needed up here to repel the Necrons"
"But" the dreadnought began.
"Severus, we waste our time arguing. Every moment more of the Emperor's subjects die. The man will have to fend for himself. If he is chosen by the Emperor he will succeed"
Severus thought about it, and then reluctantly agreed. He could not place the welfare of one over the good of many. "As you wish" he said reluctantly.
Sinon put a hand on the dreadnought, the closest he could come to putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. Then they both heard the vox call that was broadcasted on all channels.
"This is Lord Commissar Gagarin. The situation is untenable. All military forces are ordered to evacuate the planet"
Eragon's sight swam slowly into focus. He was aware of a rumbling all around him. He realized that his legs weren't moving, but he was still going forward. How he was doing that he didn't know. His body hurt all over. Part of his vision was obscured by a black dot.
Eragon shook his head, then winced as pain shot through it. "Sir!" a voice shouted, a voice by his side. "He's awake"
"Keep moving" another voice answered. Eragon frowned. The voice sounded familiar, like a man he knew.
"Yes sir" the first voice said, and they continued. Eragon realized his feet were dragging on the floor. He weakly thrust down with his legs and tried to run forward. His legs bore some of his weight, but he was still forced to rely on the soldiers who were supporting him.
His vision cleared completely, aside from the black dot that stubbornly sat in his eyesight. Eragon looked around and realized that they were running into a wide chamber of the sewers.
"Sir" one of the guardsmen called. "There's our way out"
"Finally" Korosov said. "Alright, everyone up the…"
With a prolonged rumble the ceiling in front of them started to collapse.
"Back! Back into the tunnel!" Korosov yelled.
The group turned and ran. The ceiling kept collapsing around them until it ended just short of the tunnel. Korosov and the other soldiers swore explosively.
"Alright men, looks like we'll have to dig our way out. We're not that far from the surface, just a few feet away. You two" he said, these last words directed at the two soldiers supporting Eragon "Prop him up against the wall"
The guardsmen did so, and then rushed to help dig a way through the boulders. Eragon tried to get up and help, but Korosov forced him back down. "No, you stay here" he said. Eragon started to protest, but Korosov would have none of it. "Look at yourself" he said.
Eragon did so. He was bandaged in half a dozen places, one of which clearly covered a major wound. Judging by the black spot in his eye, he also had a minor cataract. "What happened?" he asked weakly.
"You nearly died" Korosov said. "After you psyked you collapsed to the ground, spasming. You struggled so hard you tore your skin open, and some muscle too. Then you collapsed and stopped moving. Your heart nearly stopped. We had to carry you after you were bandaged. Now how do you feel?"
"My body hurts all over, and I think I have a cataract"
"Stay where you are then"
Eragon did so, waiting. The guardsmen dug slowly through the rubble, cursing whenever they met a stubborn rock or shifted one onto their feet. Still, they made progress, and after what felt like half an hour, when they had cleared partway into the chamber, one of them pulled a piece of rubble away and exposed a shaft of light.
The guardsmen cheered and enlarged the hole until it was big enough for a single guardsman to go through.
"Alright, first squad, go through" Korosov ordered. They did so, and the rest of the guardsmen followed until it was just Eragon and Korosov left.
By now Eragon was feeling better. He was well enough to stand and walk, although he still hurt.
Korosov had just gone through the hole when a series of footsteps approached them. Eragon made out a series of lighter footsteps along with a pair of much heavier ones. Then he saw the source of the noise.
Into the chamber spilled a mob of a dozen men, all with the star of Chaos somewhere on their bodies. Behind them came two enormous figures. They were bigger even than space marines, and were covered in huge, bulky armor from head to toe. Chains fell from their belts and ran through skulls that hung like grotesque trophies. Spears stuck up behind him, through which were impaled a series of heads. Their armor was festooned with sickly sigils and malefic runes, symbols against which Eragon's very essence rebelled.
The giant in front stopped. It stared at Eragon and then hissed "So it is true, and my end has come, just as Luchance predicted" It stared at him a moment longer, and then said "But if I am to die, then you, the omen of my defeat, will die too"
It gestured forwards toward Eragon. "Attack" it ordered. The cultists surged forward, eager to please their dread master. The first giant stopped the second from attacking however, seeming to be content to overwhelm Eragon with sheer numbers.
"Bromsson!" Korosov shouted. Eragon turned to see the commissar toss his chainsword to him. Eragon caught it and, powering it up, he countercharged the attacking cultists with a sword in each hand.
Eragon had fought with both hands before, but not at the same time. His best bet would be to utilize his speed and strength and cut his attackers down before they overwhelmed him. He roared. His chainswords mimicked his cry, and he fell upon the cultists.
He used his right sword to knock his opponents weapons aside. His second blow tore through their chests, and the first row of men collapsed. An axe came whizzing at his head, and Eragon ducked it, before decapitating the man, who fell with a spray of blood. The other sword whipped around and cut through the abdomen of his sixth opponent.
The cultists hesitated, afraid of this man who had butchered their allies. It was the wrong move. Eragon used their hesitation to spear two of them through the gut. He yanked the swords apart from each other, and the men to the side fell, their viscera escaping through the gashes in their chests.
By now only four were left. Those four turned and ran, but even in that they were hopelessly out matched. Eragon caught up with them and cut them from behind, watching as his swords severed each man's spine.
With a scream, the last man fell. Eragon looked up from his victims to see the two malefic giants standing there, watching. The one in front hissed in fury "So, you think to stop me? Well, the omen of my death shall not be my slayer! Know that you shall fall before Kyras Ikardon, lord of the Word Bearers" With that he hefted his weapon, a giant war hammer, and with his weapon and shield raised he charged forward, roaring a battle cry that would have routed a pack of Kull.
Eragon knew he was no match for this being. If it was an Astartes, then he was dead if he confronted it. Fully rested and healed he would have hesitated to go against the meanest space marine. In his current state he had no chance.
Eragon turned and ran. He sprinted up the rock pile, slipping as he clawed his way up. He pulled himself through the hole that the guardsmen had dug, and then stood up. Some part of him noted that he was surrounded by guardsmen. It also noted that the buildings around him were mostly in ruin, and that he was standing at the edge of a giant sinkhole. But the majority of his mind only cared about one thing: survival.
"Run!" he shouted.
The guardsmen all backed up nervously. Korosov opened his mouth to shout…when a thunderous noise split the air. With a sound akin to a lightning bolt the rubble behind Eragon exploded outwards. Eragon was caught in the spray of rocks, and he tumbled down further into the crater. He got up, slowly, painfully, and saw Kyras Ikardon climbing out of the opening he had just smashed open. He sighted Eragon and, bellowing, started to charge. Las shots flickered all around him, hitting his armor with absolutely no effect. Ikardon soon reached Eragon, who struggled to his feet.
"This is it?" the warlord snarled. "This is all the one who bears the Corpse Emperor's symbol can do? Get your sword up and FIGHT!" He swung his hammer back. Eragon tried to parry, but Ikardon simply smashed the chainsword with his hammer. The sound of thunder boomed again, and the sword was shattered in his hand. The shockwave from the strange war hammer pushed Eragon off his feet. He fell back onto the ground and cried out as his wounds were reopened. He feebly put his other sword up, but the Word Bearer swung his hammer again. With a boom the second sword was destroyed. Eragon now lay defenseless before the giant. He lifted his hammer, readying a blow that would utterly annihilate the helpless Rider.
Eragon looked up with tears in his eyes. He only wished he could see Saphira again.