Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 326
Alone in the dark Kazao cowered. At the bottom of an abandoned stairwell he huddled, shivering as if he was freezing to death. He wore no armour but his limbs were covered in fatigues and he gripped his chest tight. Under a borrowed Stormtrooper helmet he sweated profusely, teeth chattering as he fought for his life. It was not cold nor starvation he struggled with but raw need, the craving for Transhuman blood sinking rusty nails into his brain.
Kazao had thought the thrill of battle had driven the craving from him, that the rush had scoured it from his being. He had been lying to himself. Slowly the craving returned, hour by hour growing stronger. His hearts quickened every time the scent of Transhumans wafted into his nostrils, causing lips to draw back to expose sharp fangs. His throat closed like a vice of sand and his fingers shook as the craving grew. By the time the feast came Kazao could barely stand to look at his squad, so he feigned a lie that no Aberrant could attend and fled into the dark where none could see.
Kazao's delirium grew with every hour and words spilled out as he fought with his dark impulses, "I won't, I can't… No, I refuse… That's not true…They are my brothers… Matter? Of course, it matters. We are bonded, unbreakable in our loyalty to each other. I won't turn on them… You lie… Never! I will put this from my mind and it will pass… I can outlast it… Withdrawal, that's all this is… It's just a matter of willpower, that's all."
His sorrow was disturbed as a footfall rang loudly. Kazao started in shock, then huddled back into the dark. It made no difference, the footfalls grew louder as someone approached. Kazao slunk back but his nostrils flared as he detected Transhuman sweat, an Amber Viper was closing. Need surged up his gullet, demanding he fall upon this figure and drain every drop of blood, fill his guts and end this torment. Almost he rose to attack, but forced his knees down and clenched his jaw tight. He would not do it, he refused.
"Kazao?" came the voice and the Aberrant recognised it: Larus, it was Larus. Kazao's shame grew, of all the people it had to be Larus. Not one of his squad brothers, anyone but them. They couldn't see, they couldn't know. Kazao looked to flee, but there was no way out without being spotted. He was trapped.
"Kazao, we missed you at the feast," Larus called.
Kazao broke his silence, "Larus, stay back!"
"Where are you? What's wrong?"
"Don't come near me!"
Larus reached the bottom of the stairwell and in the gloomy twilight his shorn scalp glinted. He wore a shrift as was normal but over one shoulder he bore the relic bolter Chrysoar. The weapon hung on a leather strap, but Larus' hand never left its bulk, brushing it possessively over and over. Kazao's muscles clenched as the urge to throw himself at his Brother burned, but he clamped down and kept shivering in pain.
"There you are," Larus breathed.
"Stay back!" Kazao spat, "I don't know what I'll do to you!"
"The craving grows worse?"
Kazao's jaw fell in surprise, "You…. What did you say?!"
"The blood thirst, it increases?" Larus asked.
"You know?!"
Larus' hands kept brushing the bolter as he sighed, "It became clear, in hindsight. I caught the way you kept staring at my jugular, the speed and power of your motions. The bodies of the revenant and Velpecula, throats torn out. It was you wasn't it, your aberration has reached its next phase."
Kazao gulped, "You can't know these things! Your knowledge is impossible!"
"That doesn't matter," Larus sighed, "The real question is, do you want this?"
Kazao's eyes picked out a small vial on Larus' belt, filled with glistening red vitae. He was on his feet in an instant, unable to hold back anymore. Quick as a flash Larus plucked the vial from his belt and tossed it over. Kazao ripped the helmet off, uncaring for who saw as he snatched the vial from the air with his other hand. He uncorked it with a thumb and then tipped the vial down his throat. Glorious Transhuman blood touched his tongue, the vital substance coating his innards in pleasure. Bliss erupted in his mind as the craving abated, sinking back into the dark places of his mind, but not disappearing, it would return.
For moments Kazao was lost in bliss, but then shame returned, "Throne, what have I become?"
Larus sniffed, "You are becoming what you were always meant to be."
"A monster?"
"Is that how you see yourself?"
Kazao glanced down at his abandoned helmet and in its reflection saw his face. He hadn't looked into a mirror for years, ashamed of the mutations, but he was horrified by what he saw. His scales had grown thick and black, with ridged coils running down the sides of his neck. All hair had disappeared from his scalp and his brow was thicker, while his nose retreated into his bulging cheekbones. His fangs were long and from his chin jutted a pair of nascent tusks.
"The blood thirst, it's changed me!" Kazao wailed.
"Hardly," Larus snorted, "You've been changing steadily for years. The others pretend not to see, but I know."
"I'm an abomination!"
"No, a champion," Larus stated, "Stronger, faster, more deadly. You are on the path to glory, the greatest Amber Viper who ever lived. I want to help you on that path, to help you become all you can be."
Kazao glanced at the vial, "This was yours?"
"It was, and there is more where that came from, for a price."
"What price?"
Larus brushed Chrysoar as he mused, "Changes are coming, great changes, and we need your strength. Deeds must be done that require the mightiest of warriors, one who will not flinch. If you will but swear to help us we can supply you with blood indefinitely. Refuse and we will expose you to the whole Chapter and be culled as a rabid mastiff. Make your choice."
Kazao was aghast by what he was hearing. Larus had gone mad, he spoke words none would ever have expected from him, but he said them without hesitation. Kazao's disbelief was stunning but yet he knew he must agree. The need for blood compelled him, he could not refuse. For blood he would do anything, the craving too powerful to resist. His will was set against instinct and proved brittle, leaving him unable to resist.
Kazao lowered his head but yet he frowned, "Who is 'We'?" More footsteps rang loud as another descended, a second Transhuman coming to join the conspiracy. Kazao's eyes widened as he saw who it was, a figure as respected and honoured as any. He shouldn't be here, the very thought was incomprehensible and yet he was. Shrios, the Apothecary stepping into the dark of his own free will.
Shrios looked upon him and remarked, "Your Aberration has progressed faster than I suspected."
"Shrios?!" Kazao gasped, "What's going on?!"
Larus grinned, "We are claiming our just rewards."
"No, it is justice!" Shrios growled, "For the overlooked and the scorned, those who gave all and got nothing in return. I built this Chapter with my own two hands, me! I made each and every single one of you and what did I get for my troubles? I get to sweat over the dying, youths I ascended breathe their last and Coluber goes and throws a party! That is not justice! Too many of us have died for his dream of a proud Chapter, too many have been sacrificed upon the altar of glory. The Amber Vipers will never be what Coluber dreams, but he lives in denial of reality!"
Kazao looked from face to face as he gulped, "What do you ask of me?"
Larus smiled as he brushed Chrysoar, "We three are going to turn the Amber Vipers to their proper course. Make the Chapter accept who we are, and stop trying to be that which we are not. It is time to accept the truth of our hearts and stop pretending we will ever be anything else."
"Tell me what you plan!" Kazao barked.
Shrios smiled coldly, "It's quite simple, you are going to help us remove that blundering oaf who calls himself a Chapter Master. We three are going to kill Coluber."
To be continued…
Afterword
The Characters Thaddis and Tarkus are stars of their own spin offs, by various writers who have taken on the challenge of writing Amber vipers adventures on Fanfiction and on the Inquisitors Archives. I encourage readers to check them out.
A couple of questions asked in the reviews I'd like to respond to: first I am planning a Smoke Jaguars arc of stories, once I get a bit further along with the Amber Vipers. They are difficult to write for so i'm working out the details. I also did have a plan for an Imperial Knight story, House Frostwyrm, based on the backlore for GRR Martin's Dance of Dragons. Sadly other ideas keep getting in the way and it may be a long time before I work through my backlog to attempt it.
