Tales of the Amber Viper Chapter 375

Serpens Rex lit her main drives, expelling a comet tail of plasma wash. The mighty starfort was anything but agile, her thrust-to-mass ratios lower than a garbage scow, but that hardly mattered. Swirling pilgrim ships and lumbering defence monitors hastened to clear her escape vector, lest they be swatted aside by towering gun batteries. Votive psalms rang over the vox waves from the planet below, speeding the God-Emperor's Finest on their way. Serpens Rex ignored them, uncaring for praise or thanks. Her holds were full of priceless Primaris warriors in cryo-sleep, the time for her to begin the long voyage back to Imperium Sanctus had come.

In her wake she left a bedraggled wanderer. Lamentantor, hanging in low orbit without support or ally. The Blood Talon's Chapter-barque had been refit during her time in drydrock, but there was only so much that could be done and her might was as nothing compared to a starfort's guns. The prayers of the faithful below were directed entirely at the departing Amber Vipers, ignoring the lone vessel hanging silently in orbit. So Lamentantor wallowed in bitterness, her pride shattered, frustration quickly mounting into fury.

Within the ship's primary launch bay the Blood made ready for war. Bolters were taken up and chainswords were tested. Armour was checked for void-proofing and thrust harnesses attached to backpacks. Storm Ravens were armed and fuelled, jetbikes were tuned and knives sharpened. The Blood may have been knocked back by the Amber Vipers, but they were anything but defeated.

Aronyx stood firm as the Host worked over his plate. Every seal was checked and nick buffed from the shining surface. He was silent as they worked, the picture of dignity and pride but inwardly he seethed. His humiliation at the hand of Coluber incensed his soul, stirring the Black Rage and sharpening his thirst. Normally past Regnators would soothe his ardour, but today they screamed in outrage. The insult to the Children of Sanguinius could not be allowed to pass without redress.

"We have a narrow window till they are out of range," Rovenator uttered as his claws flexed in time to his hands motions.

Aronyx replied, "Time enough, we shall make our approach via gunship and jetbike, less noticeable than a Chapter-Barque."

"We shall brave their guns and take back that which is ours," Rovenator agreed, "A slaughter will we make in their home."

"Death and destruction are but means to an end, recovering our honour is the goal."

Aronyx's declaration rang over the crowd and drew solemn nods of agreement. The Blood had been insulted and would greet this offence with fierce violence. The alliance between Amber Viper and Blood Talon had been brief and doomed from the outset, none had gained any sympathy for their wayward cousins. Aronyx would have been glad to see them go, save for the relics they had stolen.

Korinthus grasped his rod of office in a tight grip, "Without the Black Chalice we have no past or future, no true Blood can be forged. We should burn their home to the ground for this insult, make them suffer as we have suffered."

"Redress is coming, rest assured of that," Aronyx confirmed.

Rovenator however said, "My Regnator, I will fight and die for honour, but we are outnumbered and outgunned. The Amber Vipers have proved anything but weak."

"But in the past we were tempering our fury, holding back the Black Rage," Aronyx countered, "No longer shall we stay our fury."

Korinthus' brow furrowed, "You mean to unleash the Infernae?"

"I do," Aronyx confirmed, "Let our cursed brethren loose upon the Vipers. They shall not fail us."

"Better hurry," Rovenator urged, "If we don't launch in forty minutes we can't intercept them at all."

Aronyx felt the urgency of their task but suddenly a commotion was made in the ranks. He turned his head and saw the Blood parting to allow O'leia to close. The Lady of Hosts had not been required for this mission, mortals could not master a jetbike nor withstand the crushing velocities of a Storm Raven acceleration. Aronyx had assigned her to command Lamentantor in his absence, which made her presence here troubling.

"My Regnator!" O'leia cried in distress.

"My Lady of Hosts, what ails thee?" Aronyx replied calmly.

"Woeful tidings! They have come, the Sons of Garm are here!"

Aronyx was startled by the news and barked, "How can this be?"

O'leia halted before him and drew in a breath, "We intercepted a vox-call from a patrolling system boat. One of Dimmamar's defence flotillas was destroyed several light-minutes from the planet. The description of the invader was brief, but there is only one ship it can be: Naglfar."

The announcement sent shockwaves through the crowd and cries rang, "Skoll has found us. The Nighthowler never gives up his hunt. We must ready to break orbit. Flee, never, signal the defenders below to prepare for war!"

Aronyx's head swirled at the news, no matter where they ran Skoll was ever on their heels. He would never give up, never. The Sons of Garm were a blight upon the universe, relentless as evenfall and cruel as ice. Aronyx knew they would never be free of Skoll, not even if they sailed to Baal itself. Certainty grew within him, Skoll would be the end of them all. And that made his path clear.

Rovenator urged, "We cannot face him alone. We must deploy to the planet and gather the armies of Dimmamar to fight with us."

Korinthus nodded, "The faithful are mad, but many. Together we can repulse him."

"Lamentantor's drives have never been in better state, we can keep him at bay in orbit," O'leia proposed.

"No," said Aronyx firmly. All paused to look at him, confusion writ large on every face.

"No?" Korinthus frowned.

"No more running, no more fights to hold the Nighthowler at bay," Aronyx explained.

"I do not understand," Rovenator blurted.

Aronyx drew in a breath, "Too long have we run from Skoll, too long have we sought to find a wall to stand behind or a means to evade our doom. Generation after generation we have clashed, earning beautiful deaths as individuals, but never embracing the end of our line. A hollow half-life, lived in fear and shame. The loss of the Black Chalice has put an end to that. Our future is taken from us, there shall be no more of the Blood without it. Our doom is at hand, and lo, Skoll appears as if ordained. To bring about our final ending."

Korinthus blinked, "You see the loss of the Black Chalice as a sign?"

"I do, the timing is too perfect. The Infernae did not stir because they sensed it was time at last for the Blood to pass into history. The day of days is upon us, and we shall not flinch."

"But what of the Amber Vipers?" Rovenator pressed.

"Forget them, they were but the means to reach this point. Their role is done, ours alone will be the glory."

O'leia looked concerned, "Is this the counsel of past Regnators?"

"It is mine," Aronyx affirmed, "And it is right."

"Some would call this madness," O'leia gasped.

Aronyx looked about the bay and saw all his kin similarly bewildered, none of them understanding his intent. The Regnator lifted his arms to proclaim, "We have ever sought a beautiful death, but as a Chapter all we have ever done is die running. No matter how far or how fast we sail Skoll always finds us, there is no star in the galaxy where he will not stalk us. No more I say! We have renewed strength and might at arms, our ship has never been stronger, and our fury is at its peak. Billions of innocent lives dwell on Dimmamar, all to perish if Skoll has his way with this world, and he will. We have never had a more worthy cause to fight for, never had a better chance at ending the Nighthowler once and for all. I am done running, I intend to fight!"

His words rang loud and many jaws were set with determination but not all, Rovenator frowned, "If we fight him on our own, we will all die."

Aronyx however countered, "Then we will die together. Honouring the past and fighting for the future of mankind. In the sight of billions the Blood Talons will take the fight to the Nighthowler and die fighting. It will be the most beautiful ending ever conceived, and the masses will tell that we ended our sagas as Angels of Death!"

Heads turned to the Sacredos and Rovenator pressed, "Is this true?"

Korinthus could not deny it, "To die in such a fashion would indeed be the ultimate embodiment of our creed. All who fall in such a conflict would be elevated to the highest ranks of esteem. No matter how lowly, or how new to the ranks, this death be a triumph for the ages."

Urgent whispers broke out as all began to excitedly chatter among themselves. To die in battle was the dream of all the Blood, but some deaths were greater than others. To ascend the hierarchies of the Chapter's laurels and earn the greatest title of all had not been done in lifetimes. To die with the coveted title 'Angel of Death' was glory undeniable. What was a life of battle and conflict worth compared to that?

O'leia looked less keen, "How shall this be done?"

Aronyx ordered, "Break orbit in a vector Naglfar will see, do not push the drives, make us appear slow and wounded. Skoll has never passed up the chance to end us with his own hand before, he will not turn aside now. He will give chase, but this time we shall not wait for him. When he closes upon us, we will board his ship first, and take the fight to his home for once!"

A ragged cheer erupted at the order, swiftly taken up by all. Rovenator grinned, "The moment is all but gone, the odds are grim, but never has the chance of glory been greater!"

Korinthus nodded, "I shall send forth the Infernae, all of them. They must share in this most noble of passings."

O'leia looked solemn, "Truly, this is the close."

Aronyx however proclaimed, "Be not afraid, destiny is at hand. We shall meet the foe in battle and make such a finale to our tale that it shall ring down the ages. Before the sight of billions we will expire and of the Blood Talons it shall be forever said that we found a beautiful death!"