Legends of the Smoke Jaguars Chapter 40

"We need a new name," Arkqas remarked from the copilot seat.

"What?" Sedaxus grunted as he flew Victory's Crucible over a mountain range.

"A new name," Arkqas continued, "It says here that all new 'Chapters' must adopt unique names and heraldry, to distinguish themselves from the old Legions."

"What drivel are you reading?" Sedaxus snorted.

"It's called the Codex Astartes, someone shoved it into the arms locker, under a pile of greasy rags, but it's interesting reading."

Sedaxus glanced over, seeing the strange Night Lord bent over a weighty tome resting on his thighs. He was turning pages rapidly, absorbing the material with frantic haste. He'd been occupied like that since they departed Implacable Judgment, not bothering to look up as they crashed through re-entry. He was reading as fast as an Astartes could, the wings on his helm fluttering as his head jerked to and fro, but still had barely made a dent on the massive book.

Sedaxus rolled his eyes and said, "I glanced at that, but didn't find much use in it."

"You should look closer, there's wisdom in these pages. Bit dry and long-winded if I'm honest, not what I'd expect from Corvus Corax. I thought he'd be bleakly poetic and morose."

Sedaxus snorted, "Corax didn't write that, it's Guilliman's hand that penned it, and demanded all Space Marines adhere to his prescriptions."

Arkqas sighed, "That explains a lot. Still, he must have spoken to someone who really knew small unit tactics, his treaties on maximising effectiveness are remarkable. With this formula a squad could pull off missions the Legions needed a company to achieve. Not sure how he plans for a mere thousand Marines to win wars though, haven't read that far yet."

Sedaxus sneered, "Everyone's got a plan, till someone sheds blood."

Arkqas retorted, "Still he's got a point. Calling ourselves Raven Guard and Night Lords won't work, we can't function as two halves. We need a new name, a new identity, to symbolise our union."

From the hold Damolos called up, "What about Solar Eagles?!"

"Urgh, no," Engar retorted, "Oblivion Knights is the one."

"It's taken," Xavaar stated, "Shadow Judges has a nice ring."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," Sedaxus scoffed loudly, "Because it's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life."

"How about: Sons of the Smoke Jaguar?" Damolos ventured, "You are in charge now."

"Not bad," Sedaxus allowed, "But too wordy."

"We'll finesse it after we return," Arkqas said, "Speaking of which, are we sure it's a good idea to leave the others alone together?"

Sedaxus snorted, "I went around and explained what I would do to them if they caused trouble while we're gone. I was graphic and inventive with my threats."

Arkqas sniffed, "Herran won't forget how you maimed him."

"Good," Sedaxus snorted, "I want him to remember. Deliverance-born, I can appeal to their sense of duty, but for sons of Nostramo there is only strength and fear. I need them to believe I can and will enact my threats. So long as they respect my strength, they should fall in line."

"I'm starting to think you enjoy making enemies," Arkqas grumbled.

Sedaxus didn't reply as he steered the Shadowhawk between two soaring peaks. The journey's end was near and his eyes sought their destination. Rocky crags flew past the windows, replete with ice and vertical bluffs that would make an Elysian droptrooper sweat. They had flown over leagues of impassable cliffs and majestic waterfalls, tracing a route he had memorised long ago. On foot it would have taken weeks to pass over this range, freezing every inch of the way, but by air it was merely turbulent. Sedaxus steered around a bluff and emerged into a vast caldera, ringed by sharp peaks topped with snow. In a circular depression ten kilometres wide lay a tangled forest, thick with vines and reaching trees. The sun was just setting behind the mountaintops, turning it into a black bowl of ink, rising ever higher as the light vanished.

"I give up," Arkqas sighed, "What are we here for?"

"You'll see," Sedaxus replied as he triangulated several peaks to establish his destination. With a careful hand he took up a stationary position, riding on vector thrust, then began to lower the gunship. Arkqas tensed as they descended towards the forest canopy, seemingly about to crash into the jungle but Sedaxus was confident of his course and lowered them down. The black forest surged up to meet them but just as the Shadowhawk's wings reached the top of the highest trees the landing claws struck something hard and they set down.

Sedaxus spooled down the engines then said, "Come on." He left the cockpit and slid down the ladder, meeting the others who had gathered at the front ramp. All looked curious as he opened the ramp and stepped out of the gunship, setting foot on smooth black rock. The small party spread out, exploring the strange plateau, instantly seeing it was too smooth and uniform to be natural, someone had fashioned and set it out among the trees for an unknown purpose. It was roughly square, a hundred metres to a side and set perfectly level with the nearby treetops.

"What is it?" Damolos asked as he stamped his foot on the rock, producing no echo.

"Don't know," Sedaxus sighed, "But it was built by whoever made Oblivioni Cavum, the architecture is too similar to be anything else."

Xavaar hissed, "No, this is different. A powerful psychic resonance lingers within, this artefact is powerful... if Kharkul had known about this."

Arkqas had wandered over to the edge and called out, "There's more, another level extending below us, covered in trees, and another, I think."

"It's a Ziggurat," Sedaxus explained, "We landed on the roof, it's a lot bigger as you go down each level. I counted nineteen levels last time I was here, but I suspect there's more under the ground."

"You wandered a long way from anywhere," Damolos commented, "Were you trying to get lost?"

"Anything was better than hanging around with my Legion, but that isn't why we're here. Come, I'll show you the way."

Sedaxus led them to a flank, where a broad staircase descended into the thick canopy. The steps were fashioned for mortal feet and they took them three at a time. They passed into the shadows under the trees and activated thin stablights to see by. Revealed in the dark were tangled vines and knotted branches, clinging tight to the ziggurat but not penetrating its surface. Each level was composed of single blocks, three times the height of a man, fitted together without bricks or mortar but so perfectly flushed that even a razor blade couldn't slot between them. The stairway became tangled within a few feet and Sedaxus had to resort to using his claws to hack a path for them to proceed in single file.

He led them to about halfway down the front and then the stairs divided to frame a wide doorway. The lintel was carved in foreign runes and the interior was inky black, resisting their stab beams beyond a few feet. It boded like the open maw of a predator but more interesting were the white bones blocking the entrance, thicker than a Space Marine's thigh and fashioned like a feline predator. A massive skull topped the corpse, scoured white by questing root tendrils, but easily thrice the size of the skull that adorned his helm.

"What is that?" Damolos asked.

"A Smoke Jaguar," Sedaxus said proudly, "Killed her myself."

"There's something unnatural about it," Xavaar commented, "A faint psychic spoor."

"Yes, they wrap themselves in shadows, disappearing into a haze of fear and confusion. I think it's how they hunt, making their prey see enemies in all directions, not knowing which way to run. It's not quite wraith-slipping, but it's damn distracting."

Engar sounded impressed as he said, "I thought that skull on your helm was big but this..."

"She was the mother, couldn't carry that skull back with me but her cub made for a fine trophy.."

"I see why you took the name Smoke Jaguar. Remind me not to piss you off," Arkqas muttered as he peered down the corridor inside.

Sedaxus pushed past them and led the way, marching down the familiar corridor with a sure step. Various corridors branched off at random points, some heading up, others heading down. He took the second right, a left, then dropped two levels down a steep slope, following a route he had memorised long ago. He'd explored many of the tunnels riddling this structure but not all, something about this place confused and disorientated, making a mockery of his perfect recall and he was sure had hadn't uncovered all the secrets within. But those he had held great promise, perhaps an answer to the Mutilators.

Eventually his winding route brought him to a square room, lined with dozens of Sarcophaguses. The roof was high and the far wall etched with arcane symbology, a form of astral calendar, or astrolabe, Sedaxus had never figured it out. He paused to twist a flare, filling the room with yellow light, more than enough for Space Marine eyes to see all.

"This is remarkable," Xavaar breathed in awe.

"Doesn't look like much to me," Damolos grunted, "Just an old burial chamber."

"Then inspect the walls," Sedaxus prompted.

All eyes turned to black walls, glassy in the dancing light. The room was reflected within but only the furnishings, sarcophagus, mural, even the flare were present but of living beings there was no sign. The reflected rooms were empty and bare, serene in their vacancy. Damolos waved his hand up and down but saw no trace of motion in the reflection and remarked, "That is impossible."

"I know," Sedaxus smugly replied, "Must be unique in the galaxy."

"Not unique," Engar rejoined, "Its Noctilith, a supremely rare substance, almost unheard of. It's expensive as hell and annoyingly dense, barely anybody uses it causes it's a bitch to work."

Sedaxus was deflated by the comment but Xavaar breathed, "No, it is wondrous. The psychic resonances attract and repel warp energies in a manner I've never seen. It lies dormant, but when awake... the ancients were more sophisticated than I believed."

"That's just the sideshow, wait till you see the best part," Sedaxus stated. He strode over to the nearest coffin and flipped the lid off with one hand. Revealed within was a dusty corpse, wrapped in mummification robes. It was encrusted with gold and precious jewels, rings and amulets, making it heavy while a gold death mask was placed over the skull. Sedaxus casually tossed the corpse out of the bier and heard it smash as he dug in the bottom of the casket, before pulling out a knife. It was odd to look upon, a twin-bladed weapon with a thin separation between the prongs, making it look like a sharp tuning fork.

Damolos didn't sound impressed as he sniffed, "A knife, that's it?"

"Watch," Sedaxus explained. He leaned the knife against the side of the casket, seeing the hard stone resist the points. Then he flipped a switch and a subsonic hum filled the air. The blade turned black as obsidian and then slid into the rock, effortlessly penetrating the hard substance like it was parchment. Sedaxus grinned as he pulled back the knife, leaving a vicious cut without any sign of damage to the metal.

"That's amazing," Arkqas gasped.

"How does it work?" Xavaar pressed.

"Transonic weaponry," Engar spluttered, "Very rare, very powerful and restricted. The Mechanicus would lose their minds if they knew we had this."

"Better not tell them I found hundreds of these laying about," Sedaxus quipped, "Bigger versions too and an STC data-crystal to go with them."

Xavaar's head snapped about as he spat, "You found an STC, on your own, why didn't you report it to the Legion?!"

"In case I ever had to fight my way past you lot," Sedaxus retorted.

"Never mind that," Arkqas snapped, "Will they stop a Mutilator?"

"With Obsidian Blades like these, we'll stand a chance. You'd have to dig their hearts out, but it's better than what we had before," Xavaar allowed.

Damolos sniffed, "A knife, I suppose it will have to do."

"Perhaps this is more to your liking?" Sedaxus quipped as he pulled a broad axe from the coffin and tossed it over. Damolos' face lit up as he snatched it from the air, swinging the twin-headed blade about himself with one hand. The air shimmered as the arcane mechanism sang, making a whistling hum echo off the walls. Damolos swept a tight figure-eight about himself then stopped with the ebony weapon held upright before him and exclaimed gleefully, "This is a worthy axe, my arm is complete!"

"Glad you like it. Check the other coffins, I've got swords and maces, I've got spears and staves, I've got enough knives for all."

"I..." Xavaar mused, "I could use a staff."

"Here," Sedaxus replied pulling out a rod topped with a ram's skull effigy, "Head's Transonic, but the haft is Noctilith."

"Mighty," Xavaar stated as he took up the weapon, "My power will double with this."

"I'll take a knife," Engar grunted.

"Me too," Arkqas affirmed.

"Help yourself," Sedaxus said, "This is one is mine."

He reached into the coffin again and came out with a strange collection of wires and sharp points. It pulled over his right gauntlet like a glove, covering his hand in threads of gold and silver. It took a moment to fit but once applied sharp claws had been added to his fingertips, making his hand resemble a taloned claw. Shorter and less threatening than his left arm, but deadlier, with Transonic claws hidden in his grip, ready to spring out and tear apart anything he touched. Sedaxus held his hand up before his face and grinned, "Next time Kharkul, we'll be ready for you."