Early 36th Millennium, dawn of the Plague of Unbelief
Orbit over Abalus
Onboard Bellerophon's Fist, Strike Cruiser of Inquisitor Chele Masina
Astropathic Choir Chambers
The bright white light supplied by the fixtures installed within the Choir Chambers was still present but did not light the compartment. Its emanations were only noticeable if one stared directly at the fixtures. In place of the white light, a dim purple ambience filled the Chambers from every direction, negating any and all shadows. And although the many present cogitators and distribution panels hummed loudly with the power passing through them, they were drowned out by other sounds.
The sounds of the Ritual's hooded participants performing their parts, repeating their blasphemous verses in round.
Masina's human voice struggled to produce the strange utterances, but her voice still carried high over the others. Her clothing had been shed to the floor and Caorthannach, in the human form of a Stormtrooper Sergeant, kneaded Masina's shoulders and guided her, mouthing along the same utterances that she made. She was followed in round by the utterances of the daemon Nevali, hosted by the plump woman, and then by Assur, who was in turn hosted by the tall man. And they were followed by the daemons Nippur and Moloch hosted by the female child and male child, respectively.
Caorthannach felt an attempt to wrest control from him, like a fish nibbling on a lure, and laughed. Does one of the psykers freed from their Null Bays think to wrest control of this Ritual away from me? the Keeper laughed. Perhaps a minor daemon has taken control of a psyker in the Astropathic Chambers planet-side. No matter, all is working according as expected, the Keeper laughed to itself while guiding Masina along. It lapped up her uneasiness, and savored the sweet taste of her regret as the Ritual began to work its way into her bones. Caorthannach felt her grow physically stronger, even as raven black hair sprouted from her bald head and grew into a rich, soft mane. Her breasts enlarged and her hips widened, enhancing her sexuality with ancient aspects of fertility. The Keeper considered 'stimulating' Masina, but refrained from indulging its desires so that the woman could continue the Ritual, as She Who Thirsts commanded. Well, just a little stimulation won't hurt the Ritual, the Keeper laughed as it lowered its human hands from her shoulders. Maybe a little rough pain will enhance the Ritual too, it laughed.
The hatch to the Choir Chambers burst open.
Anger and delight filled the Keeper as the interlopers flooded into the room. First came a Space Marine in blue power armour with a force blade in his hand. Ah, the Librarian, Caorthannach recognized with a smile. And behind the Space Marine came an Inquisitor and an Astropath who he also recognized as an Inquisitor. I never got my hands on Ipabog or Matthias, but their successors will be a delight.
The Astropath began chanting and the body of the tall man, host to the daemon Assur, began to scream. Caorthannach frowned as he felt Assur's hold upon its host being stripped away through their connection via the Ritual. She is more knowledgeable than I realized. I will end her… The Keeper's thoughts stopped cold. It wanted to strip the hood from its head and destroy Sirsay while she was occupied with Assur but found itself denied the agency to act. As Assur became unable to continue its part, Caorthannach took its place in the round. I do not understand. Why am I doing this?
A great purple kyne shield formed around Masina, and her beautiful gaze locked with that of Draegoth. You and Matthias were always jealous of me, she psychically proclaimed in a voice that filled the Warp as she stood tall.
Yes, my love, the Keeper urged. Make him regret that he ignored you for the sake of the Corpse Emperor! You are so much stronger now. Now that you have given in to Chaos Undivided and accepted its gifts.
The Keeper saw the erotic visions she forced upon Draegoth in all their glory. Visions of him dominating…and being dominated. Visions of pleasure and pain. The Inquisitor struggled to remain standing. She has become so cruelly beautiful and strong, Caorthannach decided with delight as she shredded the psychic defenses Draegoth had erected.
"Emperor protect me," Draegoth cried and Masina laughed. Telekinetic blows began to rain down atop the Inquisitor, forcing him to his knees.
As Draegoth struggled to remain on his knees and not fully prostrate himself, Ansgar sprang forward at the plump, hooded woman, daemonhost to Nevali. She opened her mouth and wretched. A great stream of purple phlegm spewed forth, surrounded by a cloud of black droplets, but the Librarian sidestepped the cloud entirely and landed in front of the two children uttering their blasphemous verses. Two quick strikes with his force staff smashed the bodies that hosted Moloch and Nippur. Caorthannach felt their grasp on Reality dissolve and watched their essences drift away as the two young bodies collapsed to the floor, leaving their hoods hanging in the empty air.
A shame I could not find stronger psykers to contain their essences, Caorthannach sighed as he partitioned his mind into three parts and continued the Ritual without Moloch and Nippur. The Keeper's sigh turned to a grimace and then anger as it watched Sirsay finish her banishment of Assur. Why do you not let me step away from this Ritual and kill these interlopers, my Mistress? Caorthannach asked She Who Thirsts through the Warp. Its anger turned to shock when Nevali collapsed to the ground, blood spurting from her neck. What? How?
Masina stepped away from the dais in all her naked glory with a cruel smile upon her face, leaving her hood dangling from the black spire while blows continued to rain down upon Draegoth. You fools wanted to resurrect the Emperor, she laughed at Draegoth. Her gaze turned to Sirsay. I feel your treachery most sharply, she said. You are in the Adeptus Astra Telepathica and belong to me. I am your Provost!
"I will never join you!" Sirsay snapped.
To the Keeper's shock, the purple kyne shield surrounding Masina dropped as well as the blows raining down upon Draegoth. And blood began to pour from a wound in Masina's back. Her beautiful face turned toward the Keeper, filled with terror and dread. "Help me," she pleaded aloud.
Caorthannach did not struggle against his compulsion to complete the Ritual. He simply laughed and said, "Sorry, my love. You are on your own."
Her face turned to horror and then anger as she collapsed to her knees, surrounded by her mane of black hair on the ground and the blood pooling beneath her. "You are too late. The virus bombs have been released. The Ritual will continue on its own without me," she sneered and collapsed to the floor.
Ansgar leapt toward the Keeper, force staff poised to run the daemonhost through. But Caorthannach was not there, nor was its host. The Keeper watched the Choir Chambers from the Warp as it was slowly pulled away, still in the Sergeant's body. Confusion filled its mind.
"It's gone," Ansgar said. "I don't know where or how, but the Keeper is gone."
Sirsay nodded at the Librarian. "Good work, Gideon," she said to someone, or something, Caorthannach could not see.
A Null, the Keeper realized in anger. That's who killed Nevali and my love. Caorthannach then turned toward the Warp, turned to see the destination to which it was being pulled. And the Keeper smiled as it followed a stream of souls and psychic energy through the Warp. I now see your plan, my Mistress, the Keeper said in gratitude to She Who Thirsts. I will capture all you have sought!