The Inquisitor
Chapter Five
I waited until night had fallen to begin my movement outside of the temple, I didn't have to be the most stealthy to really get out of my room. Due to the rooms being level to the ground and not being several stories in the air, I just had to jump out of my window's view into the lush gardens on its interior grounds. Honestly the hardest part would be explaining to anyone why I wasn't in my room so I had conjure an excuse for such a possible outcome. During the daylight hours when I remained resting inside my room, I thought of a few excuses and mainly I knew I could pull them off given the chance I didn't freak out per say.
Headaches racked my skull during a few times and I had to rest as a result.
Although before I closed my eyes, I locked my door immediately and kept a hand on my knife that was closest to be reached. I didn't like that expression on the blond caretakers face and the way her hands trailed down my back, I shivered as nightmares were starting to form at that sin alone. I had my doubts but no Holy subject of the Emperor should have been that familiar with children of any age. Throne of Terra I shuddered yet again when that phantom sensation lingered. Despite being confined to the room for a few hours, I tried to do what I had attempted back on the Glowing Sabre to at least try to understand how psyker abilities even came around at my will.
"Easier said then done."
I had no luck in doing anything except trying to sense others that I knew where close. The Adeptas Sororitas were the only people I could feel immediately when thoughts and feelings of comfort grew in my chest, I developed a certain protectiveness to withstand against the pain my mind consistently got battered by in the forms of migraines over the course of the hours. It took a great deal of calming myself down to just douse my head with cold water to ignore it mainly, I kept thinking about a steel wall or something along those lines to negate the effects out of a desperation. Yet to my utter shock when I thought of such defenses inside my mind.
The walls worked to block out the migraines!
But not completely...
Somehow I had softened the pains to where it didn't bother me as much.
"Alright! C'mon Marcos, it's just like running with the hive gangs. Keep your mouth shut, listen for anyone tailing you and look around quietly. You can do this." I whispered to myself with an unsteady grin because it brought back some scary times. Well at that point in my life I had been fearful of being jumped by another rival gang, or getting a shank into my back when running with the others. Even Jane had to kick my ass to get me jump-started to be on the look out, it worked despite my grievances and a small smile came to rest on my face.
Taking a breath I jumped down from the window to land on the soft grass, I looked around while adjusting my cloak to keep my face concealed under cloudy skies. The air itself cooled to the point where I shivered from the very weather alone and was a first! A first in other words since the under city of my hive word mainly was humid and warm always. Keeping my cloak over my small form, I looked back into the room with the golden lighting and candles illuminating my face in a subtle warm of comfort. A small pang of pain hit me inside my chest, I didn't want to leave Sister Anora or Theresa alone in this place that rightfully didn't seem right at all.
"Blessed thee for the Emperor will shield all those under his gaze, for we have Faith in him to watch over us and we in turn shall never turn from his light. Be safe Sisters, be safe and may the Emperor smile upon you to remain protected." I chanted a prayer before heading off into the night. I kept low next to the various flora and what not to keep myself in cover. Running lightly I completely bypassed the main road to avoid anyone at all costs, I just wanted to get away from this place and hopefully explore the city itself.
Apart of me knew this was a bad idea yet I wanted to find out what in the Emperor's name had gotten me so wired up. I had to find out and I'd be damning my soul to the warp to say I didn't try to search for dangers that would effect my friends. I'd place my own life at risk before they themselves, I had to atone for what I considered my penance in acting like a coward! As much as I tried, I still saw Jane's face twisting in an untold agony at the hands of that creature. I snarled unconsciously when my body heated up, so no matter how hard it seemed. I would destroy, banish or subjugate any daemon that dared to what had been experienced my own eyes.
I'd do it to atone!
So no force in the universe could state I'd be wrong otherwise!
I vowed that on my own terms as well.
Righteous fury erupted inside my chest when I wheezed out air that hissed due to the coldness of the world that provided its natural pattern. I felt hotter, I could feel my blood boil with a desire and an urge to destroy them as much as it pained my mind to accept that thirst for vengeance. Why did it hurt to be honest and truthful, I'd say that would be the sin of a person who couldn't accept his own faults and to be fair was I any different? I smiled bitterly when that recent prayer was more along the lines of me asking the God-Emperor to watch over actual devotees to the Imperial Faith, I couldn't have been since being able to think coherently.
Slipping past several statues along the road, I peaked around them to see not a soul on the temple grounds which was kind of odd. If there was a mass wouldn't people be leaving to go home? I didn't fully understand what a mass did within the Emperor's own holy places of worship, a chapel and a temple were two completely different things altogether. Frowning intently as the headaches started to go away, I continued on my journey down the main path leading back into the capital cities depths. I had to have faith that the Sisters knew how to defend themselves, I mean for Emperor's sake, they all had loaded bolters to really make my verbal prayers less practical.
Slipping past a grove of trees that bordered the gates surrounding the entrance to the plateau itself, I felt a bad vibe of sorts coming from the guard house. Wary I managed to keep my body level to the ground to sneak up to the small structure to hear murmuring inside. Slowly sliding up to the wall, I closed my eyes to concentrate on the words being spoken and let I heard more then enough within my mind alone. It was like the time on the Glowing Sabre when I awakened to all of those voices crushing my ability to think sanely. Breathing in intervals of five and exhaling at the same time, I heard clearly in what the two guards inside were saying as if I were standing right next to them in the very room.
"Never thought I'd see the day we get actual Sisters of Battle to visit this shrine. Fair and virtuous Maidens of the Emperor indeed, you see that one's face?" I heard them giggle with excitement as I tilted my head trying to read them through the solid concrete and metal structure. I had to maintain a consistent effort but other then that, I slowly started to feel more emotions that the pair was emitting much to my growing wariness of this place. I heard a just as eager reply from the companion who had an aura of glee surrounding his body alone.
It made me shudder at how potent such an emotion had been natural.
"Yeah I almost got my holy sword ready for battle, if ya know what I mean, I'd say this is a sign for things to be looking up. You think it's going to come through?" The interested question was said as I had a look of confusion on my features. Apart from the crude humor, I used it on occasion when not in the presence of the Sisters, I knew why the desire seemed common amongst people. They were beautiful for sure and I could admit that with a slight envy to know it reminded me of my dead friend. Shaking my head in resignation I managed to listen in for a bit longer, I didn't get anything bad or totally anything out of the ordinary here.
"Perhaps. We'll be given a sign, or maybe a message will be told. Point is man, we'll be here until whenever things kick off. So whose replacing us in the next hour..."
At this pointed I tuned out of that persons thoughts for in favor getting past the structure. It wasn't hard when I scaled the archaic building to literally climb over the gates which were too high up. Nimbly I had to slide down carefully to avoid burning my hands though. Exhaling relief I started on my exploration and search for whatever that had gotten me uneasy since arriving earlier in the day. I turned around to face the openness of this vast city yet a detail really stuck out to me immediately, I mean it literally was right in front of me.
The streets were so unnaturally silent.
There were no signs of a daily life indicated by the locals.
"This is creepier then the time of a rumored slasher who ran rampant in our hive block. At least people were armed with auto pistols and what not to tell anyone off, I mean this place. It's like everything is just dead." Twitching my lips uneasily I moved towards the alleyways in between the building, I took cover and a bit of solace within the darkened shadows. It was familiar territory for me to enjoy, I didn't see anyone's outlines hiding out in the darkness like in the earlier day hours. So I had the time to compose myself one last time to search the back routes to find that source of chills that got my attention earlier.
Every step I took I swore it echoed endlessly in my ears, I didn't understand what made me feel this guarded for whatever reason. I bypassed old dumps of garbage, pieces of construction and basically everything to show that this city was building itself up for the arrival of more people to settle. Emperor help me otherwise, I may have been paranoid after all and nothing seemed amiss in this evening of a Shrine World. Still I trusted my gut instinct to know if I had to do something! Then I'd do it on my terms and at least I'd feel better knowing I attempted to figure it out.
I came to a junction behind the main bulk of the structures to see a ladder of sorts leading to one of the rooftops. Humming in thought I swiftly got up the piece of metal and found myself walking to the edge of the said building to overlook a sight that got my eyes to go wide. I smiled yet I was in disbelief at how I missed such a feature within the city in itself! Crossing my arms over my chest I overlooked a natural wonder framed by the Imperium of Mankind to make it dedicated to the God-Emperor himself, I just felt my heart swoon at such a beautiful wonder of nature.
"Throne of Terra. This is just so awesome." I whispered completely amazed and flat out awed at how I was witnessing under this moon lit night.
A massive river had cut the city in half, I watched as the blue and white rapids fell over a cliff face to another lower sector of the capital. Mist arose from the massive drop as two Statues of Adeptus Astartes this time were stabbing their weapons into the ground to show a strong will to fight. They had their armored gauntlets which in the stone carvings over the pommel of their blades as they stood mightily over the horizon. The roar of the water alone made my ears rumble at how unreal such a force of liquid made it seem ungodly. I allowed myself to smile very happily at seeing such a majestic wonder that it was really my first time seeing such a thing in my entire life.
Maybe the unknown had some good things hidden away from my sight.
Shaking my head out of that unexpected sight, I glanced down into the alleyways to see not a soul out on this cool night. Glancing to the waterfalls once again I noticed a mist arising from the base to start spreading over the lower portion of the capital city, I guessed it had to be a natural formation of the environment itself. I sat down on the ledge with my legs hanging down while I started absently over the city's vast assortment of lights and other artificial sources to make it seem alive during this dark night. Opening my palms to see them as usual, I simply thought to myself that I never had a chance to experience a world so new yet familiar in one assumption.
"Home never had a place like this but to see so many people living next to something like that everyday is simple amazing. Come on Marcos, why are you so afraid for a gut feeling?" I whispered lightly while feeling a breeze that came off the vast yet mighty river's surface. I could taste the water in the air as much as I hadn't ever encountered a familiar sensation. I had to make a choice to continue looking or head back, I wanted to explore more and to be honest I did go by a simple saying.
It was better to be safe then sorry.
Shrugging lightly I got onto my feet to start running towards the edge of the building. Both of my legs burned with an intensity as I sprinted fully to make it over the gap between all similarly leveled buildings, I felt truly happier now. I ran so hard yet so easily that my mind seemingly became at peace when I leaped over yet another gap, "Alright! Get to where you felt that strange presence. Start from there and work your way into the area, come on man, you can do this! Better to live safely then regret anything that you didn't try to make sure about, Jane would say the same."
Grinning like a free little bastard, I could honestly say my heart felt relieved to know I was doing something similar to what I did before with the hive gangs. It made me happier, it made Jane happy to see me earning my cut and keep despite my young age amongst them all. I'd never forget that and I'd never allow friends like that to die on my watch ever again. I couldn't bare to see that happen to Anora, Theresa or anyone that I'd meet who truly made me feel like I had a chance to do something better in my life alone. I'd pray always to the God-Emperor to have faith in him to protect them and I would accept any danger to be a shield to atone for my cowardice regardless of what happened.
I'd live like the person I could be and I'd always try to do some good for those I cared about.
"Are you sure we can go? I heard a lot about the Fleece."
I paused to look down when I saw a pair of locals wandering below within the alleyways. From my guess there was a man and a woman of sorts. Well teenagers who were probably around the same age as Jane, yet I recognized that thrilling blood pumping excitement when I saw it. The older boy held the girl by her arm as he had a grin as I followed them from above on the rooftops. I kept my breathing in check to not make any sudden motions. Carefully I made sure I wasn't going to have myself fall down four, or five stories to get myself killed due to gravity.
"I've been there for the past two weeks, it's spine tingling and I bet no data slates can tell you otherwise. It's fecking amazing to hear the music and the pleasures alone in the Fleece are second to none! I've wanted to take you there for a few days now." I raised an eyebrow at the way the older boy was so eager to get someone to go with him. Was it like a bar perhaps? I had seen them in the under city at times and the Glowing Sabre had such places available for people to do whatever they wanted. Not to mention I reached out with my mind to feel what I'd peg to an invisible arm to latch onto the boy just to see a outline start to form about his very body.
It became a dark purplish if not reddish coloration...
And the girl's was a bright white near grayish.
"Really? Mother is going to be worried if she finds out I'm not at home. You know how she is at times." The boy's companion said worried as he laughed it off, "Oh trust me. It'll be worth the pleasures to know you did a naughty thing for your own benefit. Relax you'll be fine and be back home in a few hours, I mean feck, thousands show up easily every night." His laughter became a little more genuinely thrilled at doing something what I considered, illegal to him, so oddly enough it wasn't so much to my own understanding. Still this lead was certainly worth my time to figure out what this place, the Fleece, would be located at all.
The two quickly moved when I followed from above, I kept my senses honed on them and I felt their adrenaline sensations increase. The outlines were turning into a lighter purple yet bright red that made my mind ache from a similar sensation. I widened my eyes to know this was apart of the source that I felt earlier in the day, I couldn't lose track of these two and I sprinted over gaps to stay perpendicular to their route. Jumping over another gap between buildings I came to a point in where the two wandering local teenagers were heading to the edge of the mighty river that I had admiring. I felt my body burn with anticipation to find out what they were up to now and it certainly gave me strength to hound their steps quickly.
I came to a dead stop when a building came to face the mighty roaring river.
When I saw them climb over a concrete barrier to a sub-level access entrance, my body froze when an eagerness came over me. Cautiously I waited for them to disappear underneath the ground next to the massive structures bordering the river's edge, I wanted to get down there immediately. However another wave of excited voices caused me to look down, I saw a small group of men and women alike chanting praises of someone in the darkened night. I couldn't make them out because the groups were advancing impatiently to climb down the sub-level access point. So I guessed this Fleece place would be underneath the main bulk of the city's surface.
"An under city like a hive world, I'm surprised this place would have one. It must be hidden, or not as commonly used for guests to consider it'd exist."
I started to undo my back strapped to my shoulder, I wanted to be safer then sorry at this point if something went wrong. I needed Skit to be operational and fully capable to send a message to Tartarus if this Fleece place wasn't truly what I considered it. Setting the bag down, I looked inside to see the servo-skull in an idle state of power saving and consumption. Tartarus assured me that Skit would be capable to be consistently active for a week, if not months on end without any sort of advanced strained tasks programmed, so all the servo-skulls were meant to be for any usage on the fly. The vox communicator could transmit to the servo-skull on the surface while I'd be potentially underground, so it'd be easier for Skit to get a suitable position and remain out of sight altogether.
Last thing I wanted would be having Skit spotted in an open area,
So I needed him in a secure position, I activated the switch needed for him to awaken. The servo-skull's eye lit up when I stepped back, the machine floated above the bag while scanning the area briefly. His singular glowing red eye took in my cloaked form, "Confirmed. Acolyte Eius's presence detected, logged onto previous existent directives. In what task do you require for this unit's activation?" His module wasn't set to the highest levels due to being apart of this mission yet I smiled a bit happily, "Nice to see you alive and well too Skit. I hope the drop down here didn't effect any internal components." The humor relieved the tension within my chest as the servo-skull floated around scanning the environment for a moment as his programming processed my concerns.
"No anomalies or faults detected Acolyte Eius." I shrugged completely fine with the machine replying back to the concern even if it wasn't required. I searched the various pockets and pouches on the bag to find the small wireless vox communicator to keep in contact with the servo-skull himself. "Skit I need you to broadcast a message to Tartarus whenever I tell you too over the vox. I don't have any proof of what's up with this city but I just want to be better safe then sorry. In any case, I need you to get a suitable location high enough and out of sight from anyone, so can you do that?"
Skit merely replied in his monotone module of a voice that made me grin. I loved it when he told me the best information possible and I'd dare say this was Tartarus's best gift ever. Hands down to the God-Emperor to having the Tech-Priests of Mars itself create this technology. I listened a bit happily to the servo skull as a result, "Acolyte Eius's orders confirmed. Vox systems test successful, maximum range for accurate translation of orders established at one point five kilometers. Proceeding to suitable location and to remain idle."
As the servo-skull floated away I did say a brief sense of concern to the floating companion of mine. "Hey, Skit. Stay safe and be careful, please."
And I got a single reply in return.
"Acknowledged."
Returning my gaze to the sub-level access point below, I prepared myself for whatever awaited me in the unknown.
I maybe felt a little much at home now beneath the very bowels of the city on the surface, I had explored a tunnel system of sorts that carved the base supports of this capital. Pipes, steam and so many other familiar details caught my attention to make feel comfortable. The damp moisture in the air marred the fowl yet very robust smells of an under-city, I had to tread in ankle high water during my search of these depths. I hadn't witnessed, or encountered any single other human body down in these sub-level tunnels which struck me as odd.
Several groups of people certainly entered before my own attempt, so where did they all disappear too? I mean for the sake of all that was holy and throne have it all! Just how did people vanish beneath these systems without even leaving signs in where to go in the first place? I had to rub my forehead at how brilliant of an idea this had certainly turned out to be really. Now where did I focus my senses and attention onto now that I was officially lost in the sub-levels of this city?
I moved around a bend to come to a large open area, I looked up to see droplets of water fall from the earth like spikes hanging down. Large metallic pipes were carrying liquids from the surface into a massive line of recycling plants, I had a view of the metal grates in where rapidly rushing waters could be seen. Apart from that occasional a glowing panel or a console on the wall flickered as if the machinery were running functionally. All in all I had considered that conventionally searching would be a waste of time, or rather it'd just probably be ineffective for this situation.
"Okay. Come on Marcos, remember when you woke up on the Glowing Sabre, try to listen to the voices you can hear. Just get worked up over anything." I tried to think of a reason and it all came too suddenly when I pictured Sister Anora. Feeling my heart race when images came to float into my mind of a dangerous imagination, I clenched both fists as result. Shifting impatiently on both feet I felt my emotions getting more openly when I started to strain myself by groaning in frustration. Soon enough I had tears leaking down my eyes and plenty of reasons to not find out what was wrong in this place if I couldn't get a hint.
And soon enough, my efforts were rewarded when I felt the world seemingly contort.
I began to hear a distant...
"Music?"
Wandering towards the furthest right tunnel leading on a slanting slope, I winced when I the distant musical notes made my head hurt. Gnashing my teeth I ignored this pain to concentrate on the larger picture, I'd just bare with it and my spine tingled in a warning. I knew I had to have found wherever this place was located at now, I could see why many would be lost if not one new the way, yet I bet few of them were a psyker who could do what I could. Shivering when a cool wave of air whipped past my face, I tightened my cloak and hood around my body to warm myself up.
I continued on my descent further without any signs of other people.
"What in the name of Terra is that?"
However when I came to a certain point, I witnessed a half covered laddering leading upwards while in the same junction in where I saw a faint glowing pulsating light. Apart of me wanted to directly walk to wherever that light's source was at but the ladder made the height advantage tempting. I followed on through my instinct to climb up and the metal groaned under my weight despite how little weighed really compared to most. Nearly my foot slipped due to how moist the metal bars were, I had to scoff at how bad in condition this upper access level seemed compared to the rest of the other tunnels I witness already.
I guessed I'd have to climb about ten or so meters.
Grunting briefly I pulled myself over to see a really rotten out and a truly neglected access tunnel. Fallen sections metal steel were evident when they were decaying on the ground. Pieces of stone were visible that fell from the ceiling and occasionally the flickering lights shorted overall. So overall it looked like a dumb yet I could see the source of the music likely off in the distance. I felt an instinct in my gut just tell to start heading back but I ignored it fully.
"This is a maintenance access way, I recognize the lack of actual panels pertaining to overseeing the pipe lines. So this might be a level above where those lights are at, now talk about getting the aerial view of whatever is happening down here. Alright Marcos, just take it easy and figure out what's going on for your sake." Making way towards the end of the tunnel, I felt the pangs of another migraine really hit the confines of my skull hard. I had to stop myself from stumbling when an overwhelming sense of happiness and wild abandonment of delight slammed into me like a botler round. I gasped out in out in shock when my gut clenched due to my lungs heaving in air, I felt both of knees tremble when the sounds got louder.
Biting the interior of my cheek, I drew blood when I continued forward and started to think about the steel walls to block everything out! I desperately shut my eyes while thinking of the silence that came to me back on the ship, I needed to relax. So focusing on a good memory, I did what I could in order to slowly appease this pain and it barely went away. Even with the walls that I conjured as a means of desperation, I couldn't hear the sounds of that music but the tempo of whatever lay ahead was still heard by my ears.
Stopping dead in my tracks, I lowered my head to forcefully bite down on my tongue to stop a scream erupting from slipping past my throat into the tunnel. My muddy encrusted boots were what greeted my efforts to stop this pain from racking my head into pieces, I started to chant a prayer of strength and resolution to the God-Emperor. "Blessed is thou the ruler of man, blessed does he guide my spirit into the darkness of the unknown. For his light shall guide my way into this despair that beseeches the mind of his faithful." These were generic prayers I had to study up on during my lessons with the Sisters of Battle on-board the ship. I memorized more then a few for my own solace during the nightmares that plagued my conscious during the warp jump.
I chanted this mantra as much as I allowed.
With this I continued moving despite the pain that I inwardly continuously grew. When I came around a turn I witnessed a sight that got my heart thundering in absolute terror. Due to my mind's ability to pick up on whatever I could tell in people, I only felt a hideous wave of pleasure and abundance strike me full in the chest. I covered my mouth to prevent an expulsion of my stomach's contents to stain the murky puddle of the muddied floor within this access tunnel. "Oh feck me! Fecking shit! This is not what I wanted to see, oh throne."
An eight pointed circular star had been carved into a corpse of sorts hanging from the ceiling.
But really the corpse was more of a half decomposing skeleton, "Well great. Least that explains the smell in this place." I grimaced while shielding the said part of my face, I pressed onwards ignoring rational thoughts to leave this place. Yet I felt a pull! A really genuine pull to explore further and I had to be sure that this place was really what I thought it'd be. Glancing back at the lightly swaying corpse, I shifted uncomfortably at how the dead half rotten flesh followed my steps. I had to be completely terrified to consider that line of thought.
Water splashed lightly when I tread through it when I looked around.
And I promptly realized that the stone walls had turned into something different.
It looked like it had turned into a sphere like metal circle that sloped downwards, so I grinned. "I'm in a large pipe? Drainage canal, or maybe a dead ventilation shaft? It looks similar to when I used to hide out with the other gangsters to escape from other competition." I shook at my head at my idiot self to not realize that sooner. Cracks were aligned in the metal to expose the sounds that I had been hearing for the past five or so minutes, it really echoed endlessly within this damned enclosed piece of old steel. Rust, moss and water all seemingly formed or leaked to nearly hit both of my facial cheeks.
It got really annoying to avoid sinking into old mud and moss alike.
Yet as I traveled deeper into this old enclosed steel structure, I heard a voice echoing from the sides. It sounded female yet I couldn't tell for sure. Frowning intently I kept my prayers and the wall like thoughts to block out any potential pain from the music, or sounds being played. I came to an opening to see the origin of the person speaking, or screaming in sheer earnest to make my back crawl. I knelt down to get the best vantage point in seeing what I had been hearing, "Give in nothing but your eternal pleasure! Desire perfection, for your perfection is all of desire! Embrace it, love it and most of all never say you cannot feel the pain in pleasure!"
My eyes went wide as to what I saw finally.
A massive mass of people who were literally doing extremes that made my skin crawl. I heard music being played by beautiful men and women alike, they had tattoos, piercings or what I dared to imagine. Banners of a symbol akin to the eight pointed star I witnessed. Greed and absolute lust were what I imagined to see down in this massive gathering of thousands upon thousands of people. Whole crowds of hundreds were literally smashing their bodies in gruesome yet somehow sensual acts of perversion that made my stomach churn. Screams of pain, pleasure and literal unrestrained screeching roared into the place I sat.
Women and men were literally cutting themselves while mingling with each other as I nearly committed to vomit.
Groans, moans and Emperor knew what I heard from down in that massive orgy of madness. Shuddering heavily I witnessed people chained in suspended cages of spikes and metal, they were being whipped yet they screamed in a blissful agony for more pain. Around were massive banquets of food in where people were gorging themselves greedily and so full of slothful mannerisms akin to a parasites. I managed to see a massive pit of people dancing, or sway to a music that made their ears bleed out in full earnest. Unfortunately I realized some of them were having their wrists, or throats slit to have blood pool below in their movements.
"What the feck!" I turned away from those sights to ward off the sickness inside my gut.
Even as I could hear chants and praising in whatever they wanted to acknowledge those acts of heathenism and barbaric perversions. I prayed for the God-Emperor to watch over my zeal inside my heart to continue onwards, I ignored the dull roaring of the thousands below my position. Occasionally the rumbling of the crowds below made the pipe shift a little, I quivered at how much force it took to create such a feat. I managed to keep on exploring further inside the pipe and more so this underground heathenish mockery of a haven. Feck myself, I'd call this the literal blatant heresy that many of the Imperial Faith wished to find.
Disgusted I continued on both feet, I came to a junction of the pipe that split into two ways. The right path seemingly had been covered in overgrown moss and literally pieces of slim were creating a gruesome curtain blockading that route. While the left hand side which I decided to follow up into was lesser of a dirtier experience to avoid at this moment. Although the gravity of this planet made the pipe slope a bit more vertically downwards. Plus I had to consistently watch my footing on the downward descent that drew me closer to the crowds below.
The pipe leveled out into a slant that made my footing equally acceptable to move naturally.
"It's finally coming together! Months and months of bored waiting! Now to have the same old boring pickings, I consider it a dreadful waste our own perfections. I finally see the sign the mistress has given." I heard a giggling high pitched woman's voice speak up directly below me. Curious I crouched down while leaning against the wall to see a partial private quarter like section, I could see hundreds if not thousands of skulls aligned along the outer walls. Many of them had that eight pointed star embedded on the foreheads,
"Patience. Our lady is very adamant that our guests of honor are tucked in and warmly ready to be accepted by our open arms. After all it's more satisfying to make the bed and claim their bodies in a glorious pleasuring conquest, right?" Another voice chimed in gleefully yet I detected a very well pronounced hunger in the tone. I waited for a moment as two purple garbed woman with braided hair walked into my gaze, they were casually looking over at someone off to the far right. I couldn't tell because of my position truthfully.
"Indulge yourselves for now my dears, but the main course is all in well being prepared." A seductive yet deeper voice whispered to them again out of sight. My spine almost curled at how inviting that speaker sounded and really it scared the living crap out of me now. Carpets stained in organs were starting to be made out as I gagged silently at seeing hearts, livers and intestines all arranged in a mockery of decoration. The entire room below me seemed to be in a darkened purplish coloration, I couldn't sense what exactly those people were like due to my wall like thoughts making the sounds going silent.
I just assumed it was all bad news down there for honesty's existence.
"Of course my mistress. The convert should be arriving soon to deliver us the news in when the preparations will be set." My vision adjusted to the darkened room below to see features of a woman whose hair was so red, I'd swear it'd be the color of fresh blood itself and wearing vest like garments leaving little to conceal her breasts. I saw tattoos of sorts glowing a fierce orange and unnatural illuminate the very presence about her. A forked tongue lip between her lips which were hidden due to angle I hid myself.
"Mistress I heard that those maidens of that corpse Emperor have brought a real delectable treat." The second woman stated very eagerly as I winced at what came next. A gesture had to be made for her to be continue in a tone that froze natural promethium dead. "Apparently our guests of esteemed honor may be with child, there was a little one right next to them the entire time I watched them. I almost wanted to snatch him up."
My face paled when all the blood ceased to flow when I made the connection.
They were talking about me.
I put a hand on the las-pistol on my waist line to get comfort back into my numbing body. I wished I hadn't caught the next words, "Not one of their blood my sweet little servant, but perhaps a stray orphan who seeks a loving gesture from them. If you recall their rules and codes do not permit such acts of sexual commitment. All Sisters of that pitiful corpse of that parasitic throne are virgins and as thus prime materials needed to appease our Dark Prince." The deeper tone purred out all the more happily as the two below me tilted their heads in confusion. I got the impression the person who was speaking about the Sororitas, well they'd actually knew about their ways.
It was an odd feeling to consider them becoming heretics.
Despite the troubling picture as for sure I never knew any in the recent history to say otherwise, "Children. Always so innocent and absolutely the sweetest when it comes to awakening their emotions to pleasure. So raw, so untamed and so utterly lust defying, I can't help myself mistress. I want to claim him for my own devices, if you'd permit it." Her companion laughed or rather giggled in a creepy manner while adding to the request, "Don't hog all of that little morsel to yourself my sister. Indulgence is so much more perfected when all feel that pleasure!"
A swift rebuttal to them both were cut off rather smoothly, "Unfortunately that little boy isn't meant for such a tasty delicacy that you two have in mind. We can gather others in time yet I sense you two are curious. Oh so interested, the Great Prince issued me a vision, it was during my devoted prayers as a champion of his faith alone. I am very, very interested in the boy and the convert senses such potential as well." The two looked up at the person speaking as I shivered at how cruelly the curiosity that other woman had about me. I really didn't want to know why but I had a hunch it wasn't due to me being normal.
Doors opened when a groaning sound of hinges being pushed out of the play drew all the attention off the topic.
I witnessed a person move into view and I immediately almost wanted to pull out my las-pistol. I bit my lip to see a familiar person walking a submissive yet having a very clear smile plastered on their face. The blond strands of hair along with the kind face were of the very same person that greeted us at the temple gates earlier in the day. Anger surged into my veins now, I felt that very rage at knowing my instincts had been right and now I had the proof to know something truly was wrong. "I don't believe yet I fecking knew it! This bitch wasn't what she looked like at all."
As I watched the person lift their head.
Oh I saw the caretaker's face in clear detail.
"Forgive my tardiness my lady. Preparations were being underway when I had to greet the maidens of that corpse this afternoon, I've set all the details according to your will and to the Pleasure of our Great Prince who has rewarded us with this opportunity." There wasn't any mistaking that desirably excitement much to the person being addressed. A seducing chuckle echoed its potency around the chamber even when my spine tingled in a warning tremor. Paranoia gnawed within my mind when I briefly looked to my left and right to make sure no one was inside the pipe with me.
"Perfect my sweet little convert. You've done well. Perfection of destruction for this world is under way and we are going to reap all the sweetest desires that shall surge forth." The speaker said all too easily as the giggling inside the chamber below me reached a tempo. I noted that the blond merely tilted her head to the side, "My lady. I have a question and a concern to be addressed about those maidens, or rather about one who travels with them."
It didn't take a genius or any psyker, to know what she meant by now.
An amused tone followed the question, "The boy?"
"Yes. I don't have proof yet I have a suspicion he's not so easily fooled by my facade to the sisters who land here. I've been told by others who were observing the group say he was anxious for a better lack of a word around all the sites blessed by our Great Prince." Again the convert elaborated all too happily as a humming followed. Laughter erupted from the two already near naked women in the chamber, I guess they found something oddly amusing, I didn't dare to imagine what really. My fears were realized when this supposed leader of the heretics snapped her fingers as if coming to answer.
My back curled when I remembered that physical contact.
Feck my life, I knew for sure by now it disgusted me.
The blond looked a bit sheepish when a knowing question came out. "Did you lay a hand on him personally convert? I know you've been eager to have your way with a child as a firsthand way to viewing the rawest of desires and pain, but you may have inadvertently tipped him off. Any believer of that corpse on that throne can be wary of enlightenment." Both of the other two were smiling, or grinning as the blond caretaker nodded a bit chastised. I found the expression to be so unworldly twisted that I gagged silently at how envious she sounded in explaining such an answer.
An answer that got me sick all too commonly now.
"I couldn't resist in having a goal of my dedication to the Dark Prince within my grasp. I know I could have gotten any other children but having one along with the maidens of that corpse, it'd be a beautiful perfection of my own desires to see him brake, please forgive my over eagerness." Another series of chuckles were given out to the genuinely apology as I leaned back in my spot. Glancing down at my hands I gripped them out of reflex before placing an index finger to my ear, I activated the vox communicator to Skit on the surface.
I had all I needed and it was time for Skit to let Tartarus know exactly where a cult of heretics were based at now.
"All of you leave my chambers. The Great Prince sends an emissary, I must pray to him and I shall summon you when I demand it. Now! Begone!"
I glanced down to see surprise on all of the people before they nodded at the request. As all three left the place via a doorway leading away from the angle to my position. Sighing heavily I heard my servo-skull's monotone voice inside my ear-piece, I prayed to the Emperor for such a reliving sound. The transmission wasn't bad yet I had an occasional static noise, "Connection established. What is your status Acolyte Eius?"
Taking a breath I glared at the opposite wall.
And I heard words underneath me, I ignored them mainly for now.
I whispered while turning away from the view point as well, "Skit. I've located the heretics, a whole base of them in the sub-levels under the capital. The Sororitas are in danger and are the prime targets for something to happen at the temple. Something about a Dark Prince, or whatever, I need you to get this to Tartarus immediately!" My nerves grew ever more frayed when I only heard a sporadic series of static and broken words from the servo-skull. It made sweat form down my face to drip onto the floor, I felt cold really quickly all of a sudden now.
All I heard became a monotone jumble of noises.
"..c...irm...wo...ds...tor...Eius"
"What the feck?" I said whispering in confusion, no way I didn't just believe that happened.
Clearly Skit heard me on the other end but I couldn't take heads, or tails about what he responded. Something was blocking the signal from coming in yet it could get out? What in the blasted grox or Emperor's will could make vox communications that disrupted? Feeling a growing sense of dread I hissed into the communicator, "Skit! Get Tartarus back to the Capital and get a warning to Sisters! I don't care how, just get them all a warning, please! Warn Tatartus, Sister Anora and Theresa! Confirm!"
Again a bunch of twisted words got through to me.
"...itive...rence...firm...Eius...ion..."
The las-pistol felt a lot more comforting then I realized now, I had my hand over it's grip pretty quickly. I turned to see down the left hand side to see that the pipe was empty, I witnessed no living thing inside along with me. I looked to the right and to the left, nothing stood out and yet the hairs on the back of my neck were standing high as the spires on my home world. With the sound of thunder clamoring inside my ears due to my heart beat, I felt like I had just walked over someones grave now. A cold dreading fear possibly made that one to be my own for some reason I didn't understand why.
Why?
Why I did feel like something was...
"Such a naughty little eavesdropper you are in trying to spoil the party." My heart dropped when I heard a seductively chastising voice say inside my mind!
"Where?" I whispered fearfully when my eyes darted around my frame, to see nothing but the metal interior of this pipe. So where in the living bowls of the Immaterium did such a voice originate from. I was sure, I was so sure that nothing had found out about me and yet that fear gave way to disbelief. Shock coursed through my body when I tried to stand, my knees were so numb and locked into place by an unseen force akin to a weight. I couldn't move, I couldn't even move my limbs and this invisible weight crushed my will to think straight.
I heard a cooing gesture to the next words spoken to me, "Don't be so scared. After all what kind of host would I be for someone in my own home? I cater to many who seek what they want."
Despite every sane, or rational thought process I had learned over my time. I had to shakily reply since it became so impossibly difficult to just breath, I needed time to adjust! So warily I replied back to the thing that made contact with my mind. As much as I felt chills running along inside my veins, "What do you want from me?"
"Perfection."
All of my blood froze when that word reverberated within my heart.
That word...
"I've heard that before and it never sounds, or seems what it promises. Don't even try me to play with me you fecking piece of work." Those nightmares were very fresh in my mind, I didn't dare to relive them now in reality. I snarled angrily forcing my knees to obey my mind alone, I slowly started to get myself up and it was all in a slow motion of sorts. Weights kept forcing me to go back down yet I clenched both fists as a life line to slowly stand up finally. However moving was entirely another matter when my migraines started to return in a blaze of heat and anguish alike.
"Indeed it is a grand piece of work, little one, Perfection is often attained through pleasures of those orgasmic pains to earn its right. The Dark Prince offers all who seek it, yet your desires are more aligned to destruction of those who are beyond your sight." The laughter forced me to bite down on my tongue to stop screaming in agony. I kept my feet planted when I started to move one step at a time towards the way back I came in the first place. Static vox communications were ringing my inner ears like someone scratching a plate of metal, I shook my head. Sweat started to form on my forehead when it stung my eyes blurring out my vision in the process.
"All the effort to find this beautiful place and you simply want to leave? Come now, no need to be hasty, you can spend an eternity seeking eternal pleasures. Perfection is merely an art, an art of various forms little one, War and Destruction are merely in demand for those in service to the Great Prince of Ecstasy." I raised a finger to the wall, I let all of them drop except for my middle one. I knew for a fact I'd be damned and being swimming fires of purification after this day, but I'd be vulgar as all sin to tell this piece of fecking sorcery off.
Another step forward I took in a herculean effort to rid myself of this fowl place.
"Struggle all you want little one. It pleases me to see such a raw passion, so unrefined but given time, an art of perfected destruction. You have potential, so much yet so little of you knows this to be true, I offer you a means to become perfection incarnate." Those thoughts about the walls inside my head were feeling more difficult to manage now, I kept biting my tongue to ignore it. I managed to walk several steps forwards as my lungs strained to take in air, I could see outlines around at the edge of my peripherals. Like a subtly endued steam of purple and black, I resisted so hard to do anything but retort in a spiteful manner.
"Sure. I'll give you potential, the potential to ram a retched metal club down your throat to shut that hole in your face. So give me a reason to do it you mother fecker." I spat out blood when the biting of my cheeks finally reached an impasse, I had to struggle to maintain this bleak pace. "Are you so eager to meet me child? Many in your place would be sending prayers of that corpse on his meager throne to spite me, so you have my attention and interest in you. So are you sure you'd 'shut this hole in my face' would you?" That laughter became more bemused and less threatening as if trying to become a friendlier tone. I shuddered at how quick this intent got me to consider it, I crushed that thought within seconds of its conception. What a pain in the ass to really get out of here now, that I swore next time I'd just do something different.
I kept my mouth shut in favor concentrating on moving one foot past over the other.
The voice cooed out gently yet very truthfully much to my growing terror. It seemed like my retorts had yielded into a danger that went expectant. My heart almost ceased to beat when I crashed down onto the ground, "You know child I'll have to admit this much. You're the first to flat out tell me off and quite frankly, I want to see you face to face." If I thought that before moving was impossible, well now every fiber of my body screamed at me as if it were on fire. My knees came curling into a fetal position when my head practically went under an assault as fists akin to pound on a metal wall thundered so viciously that I thought it was real.
When I blearily looked up I swore an image of a massive figure standing in front of me!
I couldn't tell exactly who, or what due to waves of agony assailing me.
"Oh so young too. I like those eyes of yours, so full of a hidden hatred and a piercing coveting desire for knowledge to destroy. Very raw yet all you need is the proper push toward perfection, oh I could just eat you up and call it a delectable treat." That laughter shifted into a harmonic giggling that made my stomach upchuck its contents over to my right side. I heaved up anything and everything as I wheezed in air to rasp out, "Feck off! Is that all you can do to me? So go on you fecker, speak in riddles and vague promises, then I'd rather piss out glass in a heart beat." That scathing remark made the voice laugh only more intrigued, or rather amused at my defiance. I kept on pulling myself back around the junction towards the entrance of the ventilation pipe.
In my haze I could see the corpse hanging and it was swaying side to side.
I swore it's eyes were bright red and all the symbols of that eight pointed star were glowing a sickly orange.
"That can be arranged. Only if you so desire, I do love the pains that turn into pleasures. Struggle mightily all you want little one, raw talent and power alone is not enough to attain perfection. It is an art and like all arts in the hands of mortal kind, it takes skill to envision it's beauty at heart." Tears were streaming down my face when I struggled to crawl towards the exit, I witnessed as the end of the shaft got closer, the image of this shaded figure in front of me got further away. Relief and a resurgence of hope got my limbs working at the will of a man possessed to leave this insanity. Water, mud and green moss splashed into my face when I started to pick up the pace.
"Never liked art and being perfect? No such thing, so feck off and off yourself with a sharp object blessed by the Emperor's holiness. Let's see you envision that kind of perfection! Bitch!" Elbows became sullied in grim to get my entire body a little closer to the inflamed corpse as the orange symbols were spreading along the walls. I felt the heat and the unnatural urge to exhale in relief, I had to make my way through this shaft of the madness itself. My eyes were aflame to get out of this place, I would not be denied and I would not be stall by some heretical voice whose very tendencies made my body cry out in pain.
"Art comes in many forms. None more potent then the mind itself, an art so perfect that you'll scream for more to attain."
As I came to within feet of the hanging corpse, I felt something stop me literally and I winced when a massive pressure forced me to look up. When I stared up in a haze, I witnessed a sight that made my eyes go wide in sheer terror. Terror not in a fearful sense in what I recognized but rather what overlooked me in a manner akin to hunger! A terrible hunger so vividly sinister in what it sought and I'd be the prey of its attention. No force on any planet, nor would I cease to forget in what I saw as every movement became a thousand miles to pull myself forward.
"Struggle all you want. For you shall say my name and I shall embrace you as a mother, a lover and grant you the most desirable thing you wish for the most. It may not come now, so struggle against my whispers little one, struggle all you want and I shall keep my word to claim you. But in the end it is all the same to me."
This shaded figure reseeded into a loving visage of a woman so beautiful that my heart threatened to explode, I felt beat so strong yet I fear for my life. Eyes akin to a gentle shade of amethyst, her skin so fair that it seemed to glow in an unnatural sense of natural beauty and lips drench in a healthy red. This thing, or whatever the flying feck crouched right in front of me smiling alluringly. I started to scream out loud as the music within this place seemed to reach a tempo on the outside of this metallic hellish contraption, I felt something leak down my ears and nose alike.
In a frenzied manner to move I cried out mentally screaming, "Anyone! Please! Help me!"
I witnessed red staining the murky water below my chin! As I stared up at the woman whose hair seemingly streaked down her onto her shoulders. Plus I could see a velvet vest of sorts but it was obscured when she reached out towards me. Golden strands so lively yet so fake to my gaze made me close my eyes to move another few meager feet past the hanging corpse. Why was it so fecking hard to move another two, or three feet to get past this maddening torture?
"Look upon me child, look upon me and say my name. Say it and all your desires will given to you, for I shall give you everything and anything you crave. Say my name Marcos Eius, say it and I shall become whatever you desire to perfection." By some unholy will my head was forced to stare up as I felt something prying my eyes open. Resistance became a mighty struggle when my eyes burned as a fire so hot forced me to open wide and a strength erupted inside my heart. I glared so fully of hatred and utterly loathing at this beautiful masquerade of an evil, I trembled so strongly that the corpse next to me started to burn away in a flash of light.
"So you want me to say your name? Is that it, huh?" That scathing rage manifested when I started to get onto my feet, I got a strength so powerful and yet so utterly righteous I could feel the hold over me start to crumble. The woman's face tried in vain to tempt me yet I merely lashed out to grip the figure of this blond woman by her very neck! I glared so full of a hatred that became a familiar feeling when I destroyed that very creature that killed my best friend, I felt rage, loyalty and my will to destroy this fecked up thing.
I inhaled deeply as the manifestation of whatever this thing was struggled to screech out. My ears bled at the next word as it screeched out one last sentence. The smile twisted into a demonic fury as the face shifted with horns sprouting from the forehead. My instincts were right to never dare listen to such a deception ever again, "Struggle all you want boy as for one of my champions will claim you in my name soon enough!"
I smirked right at it and raised my middle fingers at it to deliver my response.
"BEGONE!"
One single flash shattered the beauty into millions upon millions of pieces.
That single word destroyed the image as it shattered like glass as reality returned to me when I fell onto my knees. I coughed out loud so violently blood splashed onto the water when I looked around in a haze to figure out. It felt like I had been dreaming, dreaming so vivid I remembered where I was now and my body refused to response. My legs numbly carried me forward past the hanging corpse when I fell onto my knees to pant heavily as if I had just sprinted over a kilometer without pause, or rest at all. Everything seemed to fill in normally when I groaned in pain, I couldn't feel anything below my waist for now and by the Holy Throne.
I smiled in relief to know whatever happened...
I had beaten it back for now.
And I twisted onto my back in an exhausted manner, "If that was a daemon then Throne! That wasn't normal, not by a long shot and I somehow managed to shut it out. What in the name of the Emperor am I becoming now? I can't feel my back, or anything for that matter now." I whispered tiredly when my eyes started to close, I had to to sleep. Everything hurt so much yet I couldn't resist this allure for now. My mind have been strong yet my body ached to move, I had to sleep for now and regain my strength to continue onwards back to the surface.
Yet by some act of the Emperor's will, I slowly got up.
"I got to reach Skit, I have to reach the others soon or..."
And with one step, my will alone fled my body.
Darkness greeted me...
Just when my face smashed into the steel ground with a dull thud.
End Chapter Five
Author's Note: Leave a Review!
Please my dear readers, is it not hard to press a button and type in what you like, or not about this story's generalized concept? I mean come on, I don't ask for a lot, I mean when its suitable sure but this is Warhammer 40K, I should be seeing a lot more popularity for its genre or else I'm severely overestimating how lively it seems.
Before anyone asks me was that who you thought it could be then if you mean by Slaanesh, I'd let you make the assumptions first. I don't like spoiling anything and more so revealing why, it's just a matter of Marcos being a psyker. The whispers of Chaos are very vague in the lore, the Gods in all cultures in Warhammer 40K have a spiritual awareness beyond anything comprehensible. Apparently Gods of the Eldar/Human/Chaos all exist somehow, I mean know the Old Ones created the Eldar/Orks but how did that influence the conceptions of the Eldar pantheon of Gods?
Heck between the C'tan and their Necron slaves...
Well I'd say having a water downed version of a Chaos God influence a potential convert is not impossible. But hey it's a new take on what being a psyker could do, they see things that normal people usually would attribute to as sensations/feelings. So having a mental battle with the whispers of a Chaos God/Daemon in a cult dedicated to said god, I mean the possibilities will be there in spirit and within a literal sense.
But next chapter, I'd say you're going to witness a vivid overturning conflict that as too common in the lore for Warhammer 40K as Worlds Fall, or fight to remain within the realm of sanity.
So until next time...
Leave a review, I only ask for those and always for those little things from my readers.
