Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 320

Coluber pushed himself to the limit, racing to catch up before disaster fell. His legs pumped as his old wound ached, stabbing into his hip with every step. He ignored the pain as he fought for speed, knowing precious seconds were slipping away. The Gates of Perdition had fallen, an eventuality he had never considered. The supposed trap had been broken wide open, and now the invaders stood inches from victory.

At his sides the Amber Vipers pelted along, warriors in power armour and scout-plate racing as fast as a ground-cab. Several hundred of his Brothers were yet fit to fight and all desperate to close with the foe. Alongside them blue and grey Storm Heralds ran, pushing to the limit. They were dubious allies but their strength should have made victory certain, instead they watched as the supposedly invincible barrier fell, brought down by Auriga's cunning.

"What happens if they get in there?!" Toran yelled as he ran for all he was worth.

"The Cerberii guard our most feared weapons," Coluber yelled, "If Ryneon can hold that ground he can destroy us all in an instant."

"Exterminatus grade?" Toran gasped.

"Those things make virus bombs look quick and clean, we have to stop them!"

Ahead the Howling Griffons and Blood Ravens poured through the gaping hole where once a door stood. The high arch could have let a Warhound pass unimpeded and they had more than enough room to rush inside. Fission Blasts chased them as the Cerberii fought to gun them down from behind, but they were too few to stop the charge. Novak and Maru tried to follow, but the enemy refused to stop and engage. Bahamat, Scorpus and the Mastodon ground forward, weapons blazing. Coluber dreaded to think what would happen if they hit the wrong relic, but there was no other choice.

"Ferrac!" Coluber barked.

"Anaxar squad with me!" the Battle-Captain roared as he shot into the air.

Every Amber Viper with a jump pack joined him, trailing wings of fire. Storm Heralds joined him, Assault Marines and Inceptors shooting away. They fell upon the rear of the horde, chainswords and assault bolters roaring. A handful of Howling Griffons turned to provide a rearguard, fighting to slow the pursuing force. They fell quickly but held long enough to allow their brethren to enter the vault; Ryneon was inside.

Coluber at last reached the doors and leapt over piles of dead Space Marines. Ahead Bahamat blocked the way, Coluber grabbed a high exhaust and heaved himself up, scrambling over the top of the tank. From up here he could see into the vault. It was a broad cavern, whose high roof was fitted with strange baffles and shield generators. The floor was filled with bulky cabinets and free-standing walls, where the relics lay in isolation. Twisting corridors stretched out in all directions, jinking back and forth in a maze of confusing turns. Alcoves were visible here and there, where strange artefacts slumbered, some Coluber recognised, others he had yet to see deployed. The Howling Griffons and Blood Ravens were disappearing into the maze, where long-range firepower would be meaningless.

"Don't let them dig in," Coluber barked, "Run them down and take them hand to hand!"

Berio, Claviger of the Cerberii was a step behind and he bellowed, "For Throne's sake watch your shooting in here!"

The tanks rolled towards the widest passages but Coluber dove for a narrow corridor. The Brother-Exemplars were a step behind, Seyda and Hasak guarding their Master with fanatical devotion. The Amber Vipers and Storm Heralds spread out, racing into the maze. Coordination was impossible; they would have to trust their superior numbers to carry the day.

Coluber ran down a passage, blurring past alcoves where evil weapons brooded. He took a turn and nearly ran into a combat squad of Howling Griffon Intercessors, circling a strange silver orb thrice the height of a Space Marine. Coluber's Phusil was in hand and he discharged it at the nearest. A phosphor round struck and the warrior erupted into blinding light, searing flames engulfing his chest and head, burning through his mouth-grille to roast the Space Marine alive.

The first died quickly but the rest piled in. Venom's edge blurred as Coluber swept it upwards, shearing through a bolt rifle being used as a club. The son of Mancora was not dismayed and threw a punch that snapped Coluber's head back, making his vision turn purple. Coluber ducked the next blow and lashed low, aiming for the knee. The Howling Griffon's reflexes were astonishing as he pulled back, avoiding having his leg removed by a whisker.

Coluber swung his blade about but the Howling Griffon was fast, drawing his knife as he stabbed for an eye. Coluber jerked aside and the tip scored over the top of his helm, leaving a deep groove. Coluber stumbled back and nearly toppled into the silver sphere, which shimmered like water as light played over its surface. The enemy didn't relent though, coming after him with a snarl of fury. He was fast, he was strong and he was relentless, a brute killer Coluber would have been proud to stand alongside in other circumstances. Coluber knew he was sternly challenged but far from beaten.

Coluber hesitated an instant then dropped low, extending his boot. He caught the Howling Griffon by the ankle and caused him to stumble, bashing into the sphere. Coluber's intent was to stun the foe and pin him without room to manoeuvre, but the effect was more than he could ever expect. The foe's shoulder sunk into the silver surface like it was breaking a pond's surface. The Marine jerked back but could not pull free. The silver dragged at his body like an event horizon does light. The Howling Griffon froze for an instant then his whole arm was sucked within, he jerked wildly, trying to get free but then his head and upper torso were dragged under the surface. A pair of legs kicked futilely for a second, then were pulled inside too. The Space Marine vanished into the sphere without a trace, leaving the shimmering surface pristine.

Coluber had no idea what had just happened, but had more pressing concerns. The Brother-Exemplars were engaged with the rest of the Howling Griffons. Hasak's Burst-lance left trailing red sparks in the air as he spun it defensively. His foe was taller and stronger but the contact-Volkite field kept them at bay. Seyda was in trouble, two foes closed in from either side, leaving him with too many angles to defend.

Coluber threw himself at the pair, taking them from behind. Venom's edge sheared through Ceramite as he cut the spine from one, neatly dissecting the backpack from the Primaris warrior. The other turned to face this fresh threat, only for Seyda's burning speartip to lance through his throat. The soft neck seal parted and flesh burst into ashes, spraying black motes in a cloud of drifting soot as the foe collapsed. Coluber spun about, only to find Hasak standing with his Burst-lance buried in his rival's chest, pushing through till it ripped out the lumbar spine. A moment's pause, then he whipped it back, leaving the enemy to fall.

"Five down," Hasak grumbled.

"A hundred and fifty to go," Coluber muttered.

"What happened to your foe?" Seyda gulped, "What is that… thing?"

Coluber spat, "I have no idea, and I don't want to find out. Just don't touch it, in fact don't touch anything."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Seyda muttered as he drew his lance close to his chest.

Coluber took off, racing down the next passage. Everywhere the sounds of battle rang, bolters firing and Chainswords roaring. Cries of pride and fury echoed everywhere, as the sounds of sundering flesh rang loud. The vox was a confused medley of conflicting reports. The maze was too tangled and winding to allow any coordination, it was every squad for themselves, without any prospect of effecting a wider strategy. The vault's designers had assumed the Cerberii would be outnumbered and so created a means to break up a larger army and divide them. The Cerberii's cunning defence hadn't been meant for foes like this, and was actively working against them.

Coluber took a turn and saw piled bodies in amber, blue and chequered yellow and red laying prone. They were all dead so he pressed on, finding a wider concourse, where Bahamat blazed streams of plasma at distant foes. He dashed across and threw himself into another corridor, running past dark and evil devices without pause. Twists and turns came and went, occasionally seeing battling figures dart past before he could intervene. Then he found a better fight.

In a circular opening a Blood Raven Devastator squad let rip with missiles. Streaking frag warheads exploded in sequence, spraying shrapnel everywhere. They were targeting a squad of Amber Vipers, and Coluber saw Sergeant Tarkus among them. They had overturned a bulky device for cover, and he shuddered to think what would happen it if was activated by a stray impact.

"Covering fire!" Coluber called as he fired his Phusil. A round clipped a Blood Raven, causing bright flares to erupt. The foe did not die but the blazing aura inundated the whole squad, blinding them momentarily. In that instant Tarkus broke from cover, armoured boots pounding the ground as he raced for a long barrel set atop a caterpillar track mounting. Coluber recognised that device, and he wondered what madness had overtaken Tarkus, before he realised the young Sergeant was not familiar with that particular nightmare.

"No, not that," Coluber barked but too late. Tarkus dove for the rear of the weapon and yanked it about to face the Blood Ravens. A squeeze of the triggers and the energy coils discharged, unleashing a rippling wave of distortion. An Ether-flux cannon discharged reality-warping packets of dimensional distortion. The wave passed over the Blood Ravens and when it was gone tangled fusions of flesh and Ceramite remained. Arms stuck out of chests, eyeballs sprouted from feet and tongues spilled from groins, in disgusting parodies of life. They were still alive, spewing nauseating wet screams as their tortured souls pleaded for death.

"I…. I…" Tarkus gulped as he dropped his hands, "I didn't know what it would do."

"Put them out of their misery," Coluber ordered sternly, "Then get back to the fight!"

Coluber had no time to watch the mercy kills as he raced on, seeking the next brawl. He found it around the corner, where Captain Toran was duelling Assault Intercessors with snarling Chainswords. He had become separated from his kin, fighting alone with nothing but the long relic blade to defend his life. He was beset by five Howling Griffons and could not last long.

"Ave Imperator!" Coluber bellowed as he joined the fray, sweeping Venom high. The curved edge caught a gorget in the side, searing through and parting the head from the foe before they even knew they had been engaged. The rest spun to counter but Hasak took the arm off the first, then ripped the hearts out. Seyda went low, sweeping the legs off one with a classic 'Grass-cutting' move. The foe hit the floor, then the burst-lance speared into the chest, ending the threat.

Surprise had aided the Amber Vipers but the rest would not fall so easily. The remaining pair had a choice, face three fresh foes or take out the lone Captain, they chose to press their attack. They closed on Toran, trying to overwhelm him. Toran was beset, but he was no stranger to poor odds. He swept his long blade about, cutting the hands off the first to close. The other struck, lashing a Chainsword across his chest. Coluber winced as Ceramite shards flew but Toran rode with the blow, letting momentum carry him about. He spun on the spot, red cloak flying, as he whipped about and brought his blade laterally to bear. The relic blade caught the foe by the waist and cut through entirely, neatly chopping the Space Marine in two. The warrior fell into two chunks, bleeding so profusely that even his Larraman cells couldn't save his life. Then Toran spun his blade about and took the head off the armless one.

Coluber lowered his blade, "Fine killing."

"Necessary work," Toran spat, "These are not Ryneon, I want that cur's head."

"We'll find him," Coluber assured the Captain, "He has to be here somewhere."

He was interrupted as the vox blared, "Maru to Coluber, come in!"

"Coluber here! Report!"

"I need you at the centre of the vault," Maru barked, "Come at once!"

"I'm needed everywhere!"

"No, you're needed here," Maru snarled, "It's Auriga, he's found the Corposant!"

"He's trying to secure it?!"

"No, he's trying to activate it. Coluber, if he awakens the device like this it will start a catastrophe. He will blow the Serpens Rex to scrap if he tries to use it!"

Coluber gasped, and then he was running. All other considerations fell by the wayside as he sprinted for the centre of the maze. Auriga was mad if he thought he could use the relic, but Coluber didn't doubt he would try. The situation was quickly going from bad to worse and Coluber dreaded the consequences if he didn't get there before it was too late. Emperor on Terra, let him be in time.