Chapter 23: Hell on Fonral
The Emperor protects.
- Common saying in the Imperium
Rodemman had witnessed many horrific acts of cruelty through his seven years of service to the Imperium. Some were done to their ranks while others were committed by them. But in his life, he had never seen anything what lay before him. He watched as his fellow soldiers were slowly being ripped to pieces all the while retaining their consciousness and life. Yes, it was a corrupted and perverted miracle, for death to escape you despite the obviously fatal injuries that one had procured.
The 'Archangel' almost hurled whatever ration he had taken as he saw a head of a young guardsman roll on the ground beside him. His eyes were streaming tears as he mouthed 'Please, end me.' He was still alive despite the fact that he was reduced to a mere head. It was as if the orks has sided with the powers of Chaos. And to add with the death and gore, the normally calming light of the moons was replaced by the sickening glare of flames and acrid smoke once again.
"What in the Emperor's name is happening?" Rodemman simply mumbled as the madness continued, his eyes widened with both fear and shock.
It was something that far outweighed the horrors he had faced during his seven year servitude to the Imperium. It could be attributed to the fact that his regiment had minimal contact with the ruinous powers of Chaos, their only encounter was that of the Purge of Auraxis and the Defense of Alexandria. Still, such horrifying sights never happened, men and women who were supposed to be dead never screamed despite their mangled bodies.
"Rodemman, snap out of it!" He turned only to face the grime filled face of Uelesh.
It was far from the pristine beauty that she had when they reunited just moments ago. And the comfort that she brought was also far from the horror that he was facing. Uelesh now had her full light warrior armor as did he with his modified Imperium issued flak armor, both had their weapons. Her helm though had long have been lost during the confusions of the first few explosions. Rodemman's tent was also eaten by the flames as the heated fingers passed through rows upon rows of the flammable material that their makeshift dwellings were made of.
"We have to move, now!" She yelled under the torrent of noise that was surrounding them.
With a curt nod, he readied his lasgun as they sprinted to find safety. Uelesh fired her shuriken catapult with deadly precision against the orks that they were passing. The monomolecular projectiles seemed to be a bit more effective than his superheated las shots. Rodemman watched as the eldar's weapon tore through the substandard armor of the crimson orks.
Though it did some damage upon the horned beast, it did little to stop its brutality as it continued to bludgeon a guardswoman to death with her skull.
How is that even physically possible? This is hell! Rodemman thought as he continued to spray las fire upon the crimson xenos that they passed.
"We need help! The sergeant is dead! I repea-aaggghhh!" His vox-link broadcasted the general confusion and death that had once devastated Wyvern platoon.
Rounding the carcass of a flaming transport truck, the pair was faced with a black armored ork. It's back faced them as it held the upper torso of a young guardsman. Rodemman instantly recognized the young guardsman to be the medic that had tried to save Lieutenant Selina during an earlier engagement.
"Pl-please…jus-ghk!" The young medic's pleas were halted as the single horned ork pierced his chest with its bear fists.
With a wide grin bearing its fangs, it slowly enlarged the opening spilling vital organs, bones, muscle and blood alike. The medic screamed until it was reduced to mere gurgles. Rodemman's sight blackened as he charged the ork. His white scarf flew angrily as the guardsman unsheathed his bayonet. With an angered cry, he leapt into the air as he discarded his glorified flashlight. The ork, oblivious as he was absorbed by the activity that took his fancy, gasped as Rodemman planted his blade deep into the back of its head.
"Die you xenos scum! How dare you torment my brothers!?" Rodemman yelled in fury as he slowly circumvented his blade around the ork's head.
It trashed as its hands attempted to grab the human behind it. But as it was just about to grasp the guardsman's helmet, Uelesh's shuriken projectiles ripped its hands out of its arms. With one final bellow, the single horned ork slumped onto the dirt with a sickening thud. Scrambling to reach his quarry, he knelt beside him as the young medic drowned in his own blood.
Rodemman had to cup his mouth as he saw the opened torso of the guardsman revealing everything to him. He looked into his eyes as tears of blood flowed from his eyes. Despite the heaviness in his heart, Rodemman knew what must be done. Temporarily forgetting the madness that surrounded him and the multiple shouts of Uelesh directed to him, Rodemman whispered into the ears of the young soldier.
"I will now free you of your pain. May you pass on to the afterlife peacefully brave brother." He leaned away only to see the faintest of smiles plastered onto the medic's bloodied face.
Retrieving a laspistol lying nearby, he stood up and aimed it on the head of the fallen yet still breathing soldier. He took one last look at him, adding to the faces that he was unfortunate enough to witness their often gruesome deaths. Closing his eyes, he heard the sound of the last moments of the young man in the realm of the living. A flash of red light illuminated his already closed sights. His hand dangled lifelessly on his side as he looked at the splattered remains of what he hoped to be an individual that he had freed.
A firm yet gentle hand clasped his shoulder.
"Let's go." Ueleh's distinct voice brought him back to his senses.
In war, there is no time for mourning. He thought.
Grabbing his lasgun that was retrieved by his eldar companion, the pair continued on through the maze of burning tents and temporary structures. Rodemman decided to store the laspistol on one of the deep pockets of his khaki pants, both as an added protection and as a reminder of the fallen medic.
"It's Alexandria all over again." Rodemman mumbled to himself as he took the lead.
No Lulu, because this time, I'm here to take you and not leave you much like what I did to you before. The instance that the voice of the traitor entered his mind, he was stopped dead on his tracks.
"Rodemman what ar-" Uelesh's voice stopped as the pair watched the wall of flames part away revealing what could only be described as a daemon clad in a corrupted adepta sororita power armor.
The symbols of the four dark gods glowed with power but that of the pleasure god was more vibrant than the rest. Rodemman was not that knowledgeable in the field of Chaos but he was certain that it showed as to which dark god Leona sided more despite her being a priestess of Chaos Undivided.
She walked with a certain sway on her steps, a slight smile played on her face.
"I finally found you, Lulu." Her rather sultry voice made Rodemman raise his lasgun.
"Leona. I should've known." He simply said as he positioned himself between the witch and his now shaken companion.
"Hmmm…where's the warm welcome? I thought we were in love?" Her eyes narrowed as her hand rested on the hilt of her blade.
"Or have you found someone else to replace me?" She inquired poisonously as she regarded Uelesh with much disdain as hinted by her words.
"No Leona. Perhaps we once did hold some semblance of such relationship but whatever love or friendship that I had for you was shattered the moment you betrayed us." He replied, hardened by the anger that he was currently feeling.
Unlike their first meeting after several years, he was not suffering from any illness. His mind was not clouded by the fog of emotions for the woman that he once grew up and fought with. No, now, there was only anger and the want to end the madness.
"Uelesh, get out of here. This is not your fight." He looked at her frightened face over his shoulder.
As if his words had cleared her mind, he watched as she returned to her composed self and walked to stand beside him. Aiming her shuriken catapult towards Leona, she shook her head.
"No Rodemman. You have saved my life. I will not leave you to die here."
Leona chuckled as she unsheathed her blade. "My dear eldar slut, I assure you that he will not die. In fact, I am here to give him salvation."
She pointed her sword towards Uelesh as she wore a predatory grin. "But as for you, there will be no salvation. Lord Slaanesh will be pleased to have another eldar in her toy collection."
In a blink of an eye, she was already upon them. Ignoring the cries of Rodemman as she kicked him away, Leona attempted to stab Uelesh only to hit empty air. The guardsman was sent flying a few feet away. As he struggled to return to his feet, he watched as Uelesh desperately parried Leona's attacks using her shuriken catapult as if it was a sword. Grunting, he once again brought up his lasgun and started to take well placed burst shots upon Leona.
It proved to be nothing of great effect as she easily shrugged ignored as if it was nothing. But as Rodemman continued to lay fire, it soon became, at the very least, an annoyance to her as she turned to look at him with burning eyes. That single moment of distraction was instantly exploited by Uelesh as she bashed the back of Leona's skull using her weapon.
Her rifle shattered into a million pieces upon contact but left Leona in a daze as she fell on all fours. Rushing to aide his companion, Rodemman brought his knee on the witch's face which prompted her to scream in pain but as a backlash, she swiped at him with her sword drawing blood from his face. He stumbled back the same time Leona fell to her back. Pain engulfed Rodemman as he closed his right eye shut.
"Damn it all!" He shouted as he began to shoot at Leona's form at full auto and maximum energy levels.
She slowly stood up as the guardsman emptied his clip. Uelesh, now wielding a simple dagger charged at the recovering priestess only to be met by the sharp end of her tail. Uelesh cried out in pain as it pierced the mesh armor and embedded itself on her stomach before whipping the eldar away. She crashed in one of the flaming troop transports much to the guardsman's horror.
"Uele-ghk!" Rodemman was abruptly interrupted as a firm hand wrapped around his neck.
His remaining brown eye was forced to look onto hers. Her brown eyes were replaced by the almost constant shifting of colors. Slowly, as the sounds of combat started to be lost upon him, he watched as her eyes returned to that of its original state as so as her blonde hair. The other features of her mutation retained but she once again held the saddened look as he stared into her.
"Please…just come with me." She pleaded as she released her hold on him.
Rodemman's mind struggled to fight. He did not wish to be a part of what her gods was about to do. He wished to fight to protect, both for his newfound people and for Uelesh. He had sworn to protect her. Flashes of the short time that they had spent with each other raced through his mind in an attempt to combat whatever Leona was doing to him. But despite his efforts, his body did not respond.
Then of the scenes that he had seen tonight. He imagined if it were to spread throughout the planet, then throughout the galaxy. The thought of his home world, Kallidia and its inhabitants suffering from the same fate reinforced his resolve.
He watched in horror as his hand moved to reach to her outstretched hand. A small pendant was on her hands in shape of a heart, he did not know what it was but he was fairly certain that if his stubborn body managed to make contact with the item, then he might as well have killed himself and damned himself to a lifetime of torment.
"What…are…you…doing?" He managed to say through gritted teeth.
He was now certain that Leona had somehow found a way to control his body.
"Shhh…everything is alright. It will all be over soon, Lulu. Then we can finally raise the family that you have always wanted." She replied fondly.
Rodemman closed his eyes as he screamed internally.
Forgive me, mother, father, Uelesh. I have failed you.
As he felt his palm upon hers and to such extent, on the pendant, he felt a warm feeling course through his body. Through his closed eyes, he saw a blinding white light. He heard his eldar companion scream out his name as well as Leona's surprised yelp before everything went silent.
Stay strong young one. You have much work to do to bring the two races together. A familiar female voice called out to him then everything was enveloped by a golden light.
Awaken my champion. Another voice, this time a man called out to him.