Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 78

The fighting arena was filled with a heady clamour, the shouting of Brothers and the beating of hands into fists. The Amber Vipers called out encouragement and jeers as they watched the duel play out, their throaty cries filling the hall with exuberant noise. Their arms were bare, as power armour had been returned to the artisans for consecration and repair but they kept their weapons close to hand. The heat of so many bodies pressed together was intense as was the smell of genhanced muscles and transhuman sweat, yet nobody commented on that. All eyes were fixed upon the stage, where Glord was duelling with another Space Marine, Brother Thutha both in plain tunics that left their arms and legs bare. The pair had been battering each other for three minutes, stabbing and hacking with dulled blades as they sought to best each other.

At the edge of the crowd Sergeant Reddam leant on his spear alongside his squad and together they watched Glord's duel. The Marine had fully recovered from his injuries, though the scar tissue on his bicep pulled when he exerted himself. Still it was good to be standing, he would never admit it but flying a Vulture in combat so soon after his injury had taxed his stamina. He remembered the battle well, the flurry of wings and arrows, the desperate chases and the hard-won victory. So close had they come to disaster but through cunning and ruthlessness they had defeated the Xenos and taken their prize. He knew Athelling would enter the Chapter's history as a triumph, a mark of honour for future generations to swoon over but he would always remember the blood spent and the lives lost there. The Amber Vipers had skirted the edge of extinction and Reddam would always think of that cursed planet with a mixture of pride and regret.

He was distracted as Joffel called out, "Watch the foot! Glord, watch his… too late."

Reddam focussed and saw Glord falling back before the younger Thutha, desperately defending against a vicious series of blows. Their Brother was fighting hard but the match was too even to call. Reddam muttered, "This is taking too long, Glord should have put him down already."
Kazao muttered from under his helmet, "Glord's bigger but Thutha is skilled, plus he's got more to prove."

It was true, the young marine had just been promoted to Secundus, drawn from Tertitus to make up the losses suffered in recent days. There had been a lot of that recently; the ranks of the fighting companies had to be maintained so the Snakelet-scouts had been elevated en-masse. The Chapter effectively had no scouts anymore, a situation that could not be suffered for long; they would have to go recruiting sooner rather than later. Reddam had heard from the other Sergeants that the Chapter Master was already seeking another war, one where they could recruit orphans to join the Chapter as Aspirants. Thutha had been full of himself at the promotion and his swagger had seen him challenge Glord to a bout, one that was proving surprisingly tricky.

Among the shouting crowds Reddam muttered, "Come on Glord, take him down."
Yet Larus commented, "Glord's too used to swinging a Heavy Bolter, he's never been a master with a blade."
Reddam's nose crinkled at the criticism and he said, "Glord can take that mewling snot-nosed pup, trust in your Brother."

Eyes glanced around curiously and Larus asked, "You two really bonded in the woods didn't you?"
Reddam replied sternly, "Glord's faith is his strength, in his squadmates and himself. Watch, you'll see."

Suddenly Thutha thrust with his knife, stabbing the blade into Glord's shoulder but even as he did so the bigger Marine put his head down and barged into the youth. Thutha cried out in surprise as Glord's charge slammed him backwards, carrying them both towards the edge of the ring. He beat his fists on Glord's back but was unable to resist the momentum that saw them both go sailing out of ring and fall. It was only a short drop but the sound of Thutha's back hitting the floor rang out clear, cutting through the noise of the crowd. There was a moment's silence then everybody began shouting, proclaiming one Brother the victor or the other. Some claimed Thutha had lost for touching the ground, others Glord for deliberately leaving the ring. Reddam looked about but saw no clear resolution and took up his spear before slamming the butt to the floor three times. All eyes turned to look at him and he proclaimed, "Quit griping, you all know the Coda. Duellists fight until one is incapacitated or knocked out of the ring. First one to touch the floor outside the ring loses. Thutha touched the ground first, Glord wins."

Moans rang out as small trinkets and devotional tokens exchanged hands and to Reddam's surprise Larus pressed an engraved Bolt round into Tebes' hand. The Sergeant lifted an eyebrow and asked, "You best against Glord?"

Larus looked abashed as he admitted, "I underestimated him."
"Everyone does," Reddam sighed, "I think he likes it that way."

As two more Brothers mounted the ring Glord pushed his way through the crowd and brushed his tunic clean. Showers of sandy grit fell from his hands as the dust of the ring was wiped away, then he approached the squad. His shoulder was scabbing over where he had been stabbed but otherwise he was unhurt. Reddam nodded to him and said, "Well done, that was a good fight."

Glord stretched his arms and said, "It was close, that youngster thirsted for the victory. With a blade in hand he's a devil."
"He's yet to learn the lengths one must go to in order to win," Reddam commented, "A lesson you taught him this day."

Glord muttered, "Extreme lengths are not a problem for the Amber Vipers, not after what we did to the Eldar."
Tebes spoke up then, "They were Xenos, waste no tears on them, they deserve no pity and no mercy."

Glord sniffed, "Yes of course, still I desire our next mission to be on the ground. I've had enough of flying, I want my attack bike back."
"Our attack bike," Larus replied, "Back to lugging your arse around and I was so enjoying driving with someone else."

Reddam addressed them both by saying, "We shall go where we are sent and fight as required."
"And come back for a good beer," Joffel quipped.

The noise of the crowd surged as the next duel began and amid the clamour Glord looked about and changed the subject by asking, "Where is the Chapter headed next?"
Reddam sighed, "Back to House Chamandley to seal our bargain. Then we have a recruitment drive to launch. We need more fresh blood to replenish the ranks, so we better find a worthy war to engage in."

Joffel sighed, "Putting down more rebellions? Culling pirates and smugglers; inglorious work. How am I to ever reach the Primus Cohort?"
Tebes muttered, "I wouldn't be so eager to join right now, Battle-Captain Ferrac's been in a sour mood ever since we got back."

"Aye," Kazao concurred, "Two week since we left Athelling and he's been bearing down on the Cohorts like an avalanche."
Larus added, "I'm not surprised, if the rumours about what happened in the lost starship are true."

Everybody paused at that, for dark tales of sedition and Heresy had been spreading through the ranks of the Amber Vipers, growing more vile and depraved with each telling. Glord said, "I heard Excelsium was a Traitor, sworn to the Dark Gods. He tried to knife Ferrac in the back only to be decapitated."
Tebes stated, "I heard he conducted dark rites and tried to summon a Daemon."
Joffel waded in, "That nothing, I heard he was secretly an Alpha Legionnaire infiltrator. Ferrac fought off the Traitor with his bare hands, wrestling his trident from him and stabbing him through the hearts."

"That's enough," Reddam admonished them, "Don't listen to idle gossip, it does not concern us."
Eyes fell but Glord dared to ask, "Sergeant, then why hasn't Excelsium squad been seen for two weeks?"
Joffel added, "And why are Anaxar squad being fitted for jump packs? Only Ferrac's elites use those."

Reddam sighed, "Emperor save me from your bothersome questions. We'll learn what we need to know when we need to know it. Now quiet down, I want to see this."

On the raised stage the duel had come to its conclusion, ending with one Brother standing proud while another sprawled on the cold hard floor outside the ring. The crowd cheered or booed for their respective champions but Reddam's eye spotted a familiar sight bearing down on him. It was Sergeant Treno and he had a sour expression. Reddam faced the warrior square on and called, "Treno, something the matter?"

Treno faced him and said, "You, I challenge you."
Reddam was surprised and said, "You seek a grudge match?"
Treno snarled, "You didn't fight fair last time, I should have beaten you."

Glord interrupted to say, "You can't challenge the same person twice."
But Reddam overrode him, "Yes he can. The Coda only says a warrior can only fight once a day, no more, to prevent squads ganging up. Plus I haven't fought today so I can fight anyone I please."

Treno sneered and turned to push his way through the crowd then jumped into the ring. Reddam smiled confidently as he took up his spear and followed, carefully flexing his muscles to warm up. His shoulder pulled slightly under his tunic but he was sure his strength was unaffected and he needed to keep limber lest his tendons cramp. He climbed onto the short stage and felt the grit crunch under his boots. As his opponent shook out his arms the crowd began to make their bets, for and against trying to predict the winner. Reddam however merely took up his de-energised spear and placed his feet surely as his mind cleared. No more doubts plagued him, no visions of a dishonourable past, even the origin of his spear was a but a distant memory. Reddam had a new Chapter and new Brothers, who trusted him and he trusted in turn. He had moved beyond his shame and embraced a new destiny. As the duel began Reddam knew his past was past and the future beckoned. Then he sprang at his foe and the blood began to flow.