You can give me nothing demon! Your words are poison!" The rage in Taber's voice echoing through the blank space. Loran shrugged and turned away. "You are already bound to me anyway Astartes, I can kill you in a heartbeat and wait for the next person who performs the ritual. I have all the time in the universe." Her words trailing off as she began to walk away.
"Ritual, I performed no ritual!" "Ah, but you did. "Loran looking over her shoulder with a grin. "You spilt your own blood with the katana did you not?" Taber's mind racing now. He couldn't remember any ritual. He couldn't remember anything of his past, but then it clicked. The librarian Astoras had told him that the blades were a gift to him from the chapter master and that there was a ceremony when he received them. Was the ceremony the blood pact of the blade masters? the first step in a long journey to becoming a true blade master and joining the revered close combat elite of the chapter?
Could the demon be telling the truth? No, it's a trap thought Taber. "I am no fool, you lie." he said almost laughing at such an obvious trap. "If I were lying and you truly were not bound to me, could I do this?" Loran snapped her fingers and instantly burning pain shot through the space marine. As if acid had replaced his blood and making Taber writhe in pain, unable to break the bonds holding his body.
Still unable to move in this world controlled by the demon all Taber could do was scream. "I am Loran Tor and you and I are bound in Blood Astartes! Either you can help me or I can kill you!" Taber had never felt anything like this pain, even his transhuman mind began to falter as it continued. He began to long for his memories, wishing that he could think of something from his past that would aid him in this nightmare. but all that happened was pain, more and more pain. Then finally Hypno indoctrination took over pulling him back to a small level of focus"kill me!" Was all that he could roar. even through his screams he cursed himself for the moment of weakness and wishing for his memories. Refusing to give in to the offer he spat. "End it now demon, I will not falter!"
The pain stopped but Taber was not dead. he was still trapped kneeling in front of the woman, body slumped as he took a seconds respite. slowly he raised his head to look Loran in the eye. "I will give you the memories and you will come back to me. If you tell anyone they will only kill you for heresy anyway." Ever grinning Loran began to fade away. "see you soon Astartes." Those were her last words before completely vanishing.
All around him the blank space changed into a multitude of colour, blurring and shifting until it made images. Now Taber was in his power armour, facing down a ruined hive city street. All of Achilles squad was with him and they were pinned down in a small alcove off the main street. The city around the squad had been completely ravaged by ordinance of all sizes, toppled spires and smashed windows, Gargoyle statues laying shattered everywhere and the walls blackened with ash as fire on the horizon burned uncontrolled, giving the whole area a dull red glow.
Two Red Hunters lay dead at Taber's feet and a third sitting slumped but alive at the feet of Oritar. Taber realised this was a memory. He had no proof that it wasn't simply a fabrication of the demon to make him accept her offer. But deep inside he felt it was real.
Oritar peeked the corner of the alcove and on the private vox reported. "Two squads of berserkers coming, I count nineteen total." Sergeant Achilles voice cut in. " We can't fight them and win and we can't fall back without them seeing us." The fallen brother on the ground began to stir. "you must get the Intel back to the chapter master. They need to know where the demon gate is hidden before it can be activated." the squad knew it was true. If the world eaters could activate the gate it would become an anchor of Khorne in this system, allowing them to stage demonic assaults and traitor marine raids in near-endless waves. The fallen Astartes raised his head from his slumped form. " I can stop them if you give me all of your grenades."
Achilles knelt down to look the injured Astartes in the eye. "You will not be left behind to die Xavius." He said putting a hand on his battle-brothers shoulder. "Duty calls Sergeant, we will all die if you don't let me do this." Sergeant Achilles' shoulders dropped knowing it was the way it had to be. "Everyone hand over your grenades." Achilles muttered solemnly. Astartes were built for war but Sergeant Achillies never liked saying goodbye to a brother. especially when he knew there would be no gene-seed recovery, no body to perform rites over and that it was a member of his own squad.
One by one the battle-brothers of squad Achilles handed over their grenades and said goodbye as their brother Xavius clambered to his feet. All across his torso and left arm, his armour was destroyed. The chain axes of Khorne berserkers leaving his body a mess. Only his will to save his brothers was keeping him alive now. He attached all the grenades of his brothers to his belt approached the edge of the alcove. With hatred in his eyes and a burning desire for revenge, he looked back. "Get moving."
With those words, Achilles squad moved into the open laying down bolter fire as they began their retreat. Their guns talking backwards and forwards as some fired while others reloaded in a pattern designed to keep the berserkers in cover as long as possible.
The berserkers broke into a sprint weaving side to side taking quick cover amongst the rubble here and there but always rushing forward thousands of years of experience shining through as they dodged their way through the sheets of bolter fire. As they got closer and closer Taber could Their chain axes scream louder and louder, their voices swearing pledges of blood to the blood god.
Taber's bolter ran dry on its last magazine, everyone else except Oritar already out of ammo his heavy bolter spraying the emperor's holy wrath downrange. They had made it maybe 80 meters but the berserkers were gaining rapidly. Achilles squad drew their weapons ready to face the merciless world eaters.
The enemy passed the alcove where Xavius was hiding, he waited a full two seconds and then jumped out to behind them. "LET THE HERETIC BURN!" with his one good hand he started firing his bolter into the enemies backs. Four berserkers dead before they even knew who had spoken. The closest to him rushed from all directions a total of eight. Eight chain axes coming to collect his skull for Khorne's throne.
Just before they reached striking range Xavius pulled the pins of the grenades, all ten of the squad's frag grenades all went off one after another. In a spray of fire, shrapnel and viscera Xavius was engulfed taking all the berserker with him in a death worthy of an Astartes. All that remained when the dust and smoke settled was the broken bits of body and armour jumbled in a scorched heap.