Thanks to their elevated position and solid plasteel parapets they'd made the corpses of The Resurrected pile up at the bases of the four escalators, so it was almost impossible for them to climb over, so they now tried to clear them; that just made them easier targets. Even still Adelana kept her lasgun on semi-automatic and was careful with each shot.
The enemy swarmed within the confines of the foyer about ten metres below. If they exhibited any discipline they'd have Adelana and the others pinned at the very least, but they just kept trying and trying to ascend the escalators like mindless beasts, even the Elbyran and Sovrithian soldiers. Adelana couldn't help wonder why, but she shook away that train of thought; trying to understand that shit was what led to madness.
She also didn't know why there weren't materialising all around like in the city, she supposed it was the...beaked daemon doing it.
Attelus and the inquisitor had taught her the names of each deity of the Ruinous Powers, but Attelus especially had told her to say rarely them or even think them.
He was paranoid, among many other things, but in this case, he seemed on point, especially after Inquisitor Enandra said so too. It was all so complicated, it'd been only three years since she was recruited into the Inquisition and she was already tired of it.
Another las blast from her rifle took the head off yet another Resurrected, she didn't even know if it was an Imperial Guardsman or woman or cultist any more neither did she care.
She thought about Attelus, how he and the Space Marine had disappeared up the stairs after trying the elevator, leaving them to hold off the horde. She'd wanted to try to convince Attelus not to take the sword again, she knew it wouldn't work, but she wanted to...no, needed to try. But before she could, the massive doors swung opened and the Resurrected exploded inside.
So Attelus with his new Space Marine best friend was going to defeat the surely possessed general in an epic battle. They will win then Attelus will find the sword of Kalncerak, thus damning his soul to corruption. Because the ends always justified the means, didn't it? Didn't it!? If the drug he took didn't kill him first.
Tears welled in her gaze, which caused Adelana to curse. She wiped them away then increased her rate of fire into the massed Resurrected, it was frigging impossible to miss anyway.
Adelana then wondered if the beaked daemon's death made it the Resurrected could no longer teleport, so with the death and entrapment of the Bloodthirster, could they no longer resurrect? She also saw there were no more Bloodletters among them either.
Even if they no longer came back to life, it didn't matter they still numbered in the thousands.
The big, blue ball of energy was still shrinking too. That couldn't mean anything good for Commissar Tathe and the rest of the Imperial Guard trapped inside.
Adelana knelt as another burst of fire erupted their way.
She was beginning to re-think her transferring. Now she was starting to want to leave the Inquisition entirely and why shouldn't she? They go on about doing what it takes to protect the Imperium and humanity, but what good did that do her homeworld? Attelus' and Seleen's world? Three years ago, Inquisitor Enandra went on at her about her potential and 'only in death does duty end.' What a load of shit.
Adelana rubbed her eyes, she was tired, not just the exhaustion from all the damned fighting but from everything.
It had been only three years, but it was more than enough.
More than enough.
Attelus took the steps three at a time, while Kalakor took six but even still Attelus lead the way. The bashing of the Space Marine's boots was merely an echo in Attelus' ears as his breathing dominated his world.
He barely felt his muscles as his legs pumped, again and again, just his knees. It was strange like his legs were made from air.
Strange but good.
Through his red-addled mind, Attelus' tried to remember Kalakor's plan. They were going to run to the second to the top floor and there Kalakor was going to open another tear, in reality, allowing Attelus to step onto the top floor to assassinate general Tathe finally.
A grin spread across his face, he grinned for two reasons, first being the coming fight against the general who undoubtedly will be bloated by the gifts of his gods making him surely a worthy challenge and the second, being that Attelus' was finally being an assassin not just in name.
For...a reason Attelus couldn't remember Kalakor couldn't come with him. Was it because of the powers protecting the general's world? Or did the Space Marine lie and had another agenda? Which he wanted Attelus not to take part in? Or both, perhaps? Karmen had told Attelus not to trust the Space Marine and she was right. But he didn't have much choice in the matter.
Attelus shook his head; he wasn't sure if he was mastering the drug or it had almost drained through his metabolism as he could begin to think.
He held up a fist for a halt, stopped and reached into his pouch for the second injector, then turned to Kalakor. The Raven Guard loomed over Attelus despite being four stairs below him.
'Are you sure that is wise?' said Kalakor.
Attelus wanted to grin, but realised he was already. 'W-w-when d-did you-you b-begin to c-care?'
The Space Marine shrugged. 'Have you wondered why we have not encountered any resistance?'
Attelus hesitated in stabbing the injector into his neck and shook his head.
Kalakor sighed and gazed up the stairs. 'I suppose with the death of the daemon of Tzeentch, the enemy are not able to teleport around, but there must be something guarding the upper levels.'
It was Attelus' turn to shrug and managed to stop himself from injecting the syringe again; he needed to keep his head clear now.
'M-makes s-s-s-sense I suppose,' said Attelus. 'B-but, i-in all h-honesty we're r-running out o-o-of time, Kalakor. I-I think we have-have to throw a-all caution to the w-w-wind.'
Kalakor shrugged. 'You are the one standing there, speaking to me instead of running ahead with skinny those little legs of yours. Hurry it up.'
Attelus nodded, turned and exploded back into a sprint, but a thought hit him, and he reached for his micro-bead. 'K-Kalakor wh-whatever happens n-next. I-I-I'd l-like to say, it' s-it's been an honour, f-fighting a-alongside y-you.'
The Space Marine snorted, it was like an explosion in Attelus' ear. 'What do you know of honour, assassin?'
'I k-k-know e-enough to k-know i-it's overrated i-in most c-circumstances, a-anyway. B-but n-not in this case.'
There was a long silence.
'You are...an interesting little man,' said Kalakor. 'But I am...inclined to...say the same to you.'
Attelus smiled wider, he was 'little man' now, which was light years better than 'little girl' he supposed.
Kalakor's huge boot sent the double doors flinging from their hinges like rockets had been attached to them and turned on.
Attelus and he slipped inside, guns sweeping, covering the room. It was once a vast stateroom of sorts, for visiting dignitaries, Attelus managed to guess through his hazy mind. A long marble table sat at its centre and surrounding it were about a dozen leather-backed chairs. On the northern wall windows surely made of glassteel allowed an almost 180-degree view of the blood sand eclipsed city far below. Beneath were numerous cupboards, which Attelus couldn't help suspect were filled to the brim with all the most expensive alcohol in existence.
'This room is below the governor's suite,' said Kalakor as he stormed inside. 'I will cut an entrance into the warp that will allow you-'
'Y-yes, yes, I-I-I k-know,' said Attelus. 'But I-I s-still d-don't-don't-don't u-understand why-why you can't c-come with me.'
'I already explained why, Throne Agent.'
Attelus sighed.
'You do not believe me, that is understandable,' said Kalakor. 'I had hoped you would be more willing to now, but alas. Your whining and mistrust are understandable, but pointless, now and cover me while I cut.'
'C-cover y-you? W-why?'
'Because the enemy will detect me attempting to penetrate the barrier. Now, by the Emperor, watch the door.'
Kalakor raised his hand.
'Y-you think-think th-they'll s-send daemons?' said Attelus through gritted teeth and shuddering breaths which shook his shoulders. 'Th-the Bloodletters? Or w-whatever they-they're c-called?'
'Oh, most definitely, my young friend,' said Kalakor. 'Now shut up and let me concentrate, the barrier is not thin here so this will take me a while.'
Great, Attelus thought as he pulled out another injector. It's frigging convenient you didn't inform me of this, Kalakor, or I may not have agreed to this idiotic suicide mission. Now, we're even more frigged as hell.
