Cadian Remnants : The seeds of Despair
Lähetetty: Ti 27.12.2005 03:05
Uutta osaa pitkästä aikaan, ja perinteisesti aikaisemmat osat. Uudet lukijat, olettehan hyviä jos ette ymmärrä missä mennään, niin luet aikaisemmat osat ennenkuin rupeat ihmettelemään.
Prologue & Happy reunion
Holed in position
Turn of the tide
Ignition of Malice
Eye of Hatred
The Truth beyond the Death
The end of the road
For the Emperor
Lock and Load
The seeds of Despair
Hastings moaned and turned around painfully. He jumped up with a hoarse yell. He grasped his hand as he had accidentaly managed to put it against the plasma-heater. Then his stomach protested and he vomited. He coughed and wiped his mouth in the tattered sleeve of his coat. He grasped the flask and took a swig, water this time though. He looked his hand and grimaced in pain. The skin wreathed in blisters. He poured carefully water on his hand. He gasped as the water cooled the blisters and the skin stinged extremely painfully. Someone tapped on his shoulder. Hastings turned his head to see Ellard smiling mischievously at him. Hastings sneered back and turned his head around to spot the young lad, only to see that he wasn’t anywhere near.
´Where...´ Hastings started but the sore throath forced him to cough instead.
´ He’s cooking some breakfast, I was coming to wake you up to get some.´ Ellard stated. Hastings coughed again as he tried to say something in agreement. Ellard chuckled softly and guided Hastings through the abandoned floor of the wrecked skycraper. The smell of a cooked food filled their nostrils and both men almost darted forwards to get something to eat.
´Easy mates, there’s plenty of food for all of us.´ Ivan said smiling as the companions sat down and filled their mess kits with brown, sauce-like food.
´My secret recipie, an old family tradition too.´ Ivan explained with the eagerness of young boy. Ellard and Hastings muffled something as they lobbed food in their hungry mouths. As they swallowed, they looked blankly for a moment. Ellard sighed and continued eating.
´What’s in this? It’s helluva fiery.´ Hastings stated and took a swig from his flask.
´My own spice-mix. Only a small tip of this is enough to make even a wood taste good.´ Ivan answered and smiled. Hastings looked at Ivan under his brow and continued eating.
´Well, it’s damn good. Have been a long time since got that good food.´ Ellard stated and leaned back relaxed. Ivan nodded for the compliments. Then the vox barked alive, its static hiss carried easily at the other side of the floor.
´Better to answer it.´ Hastings stated and stood up, wiping dust off from his clothes.
´You just eat, we handle this, ok?´ Ellard said smiling at Ivan.
´Oh, okay.´ Ivan replied and filled his mess kit and started to eat as the two companions left the room.
´Hastings here.´ he replied at the mic of the vox-unit. Nothing but hiss came.
´I said, Hastings here.´ he repeated.
´Oh, yeah. Sorry, just tell the Ellard to get back down here.´ came the order which both men identified as Brim’s voice.
´Right...´ replied Hastings and shot a glance at Ellard. He didn’t say anything, just nodded as Ellard turned to the stairs. Ivan came at Hastings and looked after Ellard dumply. Then he looked at Hastings and nodded, as Ellard had vanished in the dark stairwell.
As Ellard jogged the stairs down he shot a glance at his right at the tenth floor. He continued for a while then frozing in his tracks. His mind raced as he tried to realize what had disturbed him in that corridor. Plain, dark corridor like they always were. The missing wall giving good sight at the grey-white city and... There was something beside the collapsed walls and torn doors. There was a flickering silhouette. But inside the silhouette was the grey-white city! He drew his laspistol and peered around the corner carefully. The silhouette was there for sure. Ellard felt a chill in his spine. There was a shimmering form of a unkown thing for a split second. Ellard stepped around the corner, pistol raised. He aimed in the center of the almost invisible silhouette. Suddenly there was a voice behind him. He panicked, voice inside his head mocked him for not remembering to secure his back as there were most likely more these things.
Then it hit him, something heavy and blunt hit him in the back of his head. Sharp pain spreaded through his body and the blackness engulfing his mind. His vision turned to blur as the figure appeared inside the silhouette. Its dark, sleek armour, its cloak floating in the wind, the strange alien language, the arms lifting him up as his vision turned black.
*****
Hastings snapped the mic from the com-unit.
´What?´ Hastings almost yelled.
´Is Ellard still there? For we haven’t still seen him here.´ came the reply throught the vox-unit.
´What?! He left here nearly two hours ago and you say he hasn’t come there yet?´ Hastings asked.
´Well no ... down here... seen him so ...´ the static hiss covering the message.
´You’re breaking up, repeat.´ Hastings growled at the vox.
´I said repeat, goddamn it!´ Hastings yelled and received nothing but cold static hiss.
´Now were lonely...´ Hastings sighed at Ivan.
´I don’t think so. I’m quite sure that I saw something moving from that stairwell into this room.´ Ivan whispered and turned the safety off from his lasgun. Hastings dropped the mic and grapped his shotgun quickly. Aiming down the iron sights he scanned the room and started to back at the room where they had been eating breakfast earlier this morning. Ivan followed his example. Hastings was sure he could hear somekind of whisper. As they managed to get into the room Hastings slammed the door shut. Only realizing that the door bore a man-sized hole in it. He sneered and backed to the corner, his shotgun trained at the door. There were no footsteps, no suffling noises from feets, nothing. Except the heartbeats of the lonely couple. The eerie silence mixed with the high altitude and sudden howl of the wind made Hastings swet. He suddenly realized something. What if the thing is already in this room? The thought on his mind, gnawing his courage as he spun around slowly, trying to see the invisible which maybe didn’t exist. He saw from the lips of the young boy that he was muttering prayers for the Emperor. Hastings got his mind sharpened as he thought the innocent, young boy.
Let them come, they won’t find me unprepared... he thought in his mind.
*****
´What you mean that we’ve lost a radio contact up there?´ Armstrode roared.
´It just faded out, like someone’s using some sort of jamming device or such.´ replied the nervous vox-operator. Julius stormed in and looked at Armstrode with inquiring look on his face.
´I heard you lost a contact at Hastings and Ivan?´ Julius asked.
´Well that’s what it seems to be, sergeant.´ Armstrode replied.
´I’ll go with Adolf and Brim to take a look up there.´ Julius stated and turned to leave. He was stopped by Piet’s suspicious gaze.
´Commisar.´ Julius started but Piet gestured him to silence.
´I have that sense in my spine so be very careful as you advance.´ Piet whispered and stepped aside. Julius nodded and strode away.
Julius bounded up the stairs, Brim and Adolf following quickly behind him. His legs were in fire, every step feeling heavier.
´What floor we are at now?´ Julius asked, gasping for air.
´If I remember correctly, we’re at the tenth floor by now.´ Brim replied.
´Okay, let’s take a break.´ Julius said and clipped his flask from the belt.
´What’s that?´ Adolf asked and pointed on a glitter in the midst of the rubble. Brim stepped over the rubble, kneeled and inspected the glitter. As Adolf and Julius leaned closer, Brim lifted something from the rubble.
´Dog tags.´ Brim stated.
´Whose?´ Adolf asked, fearing that he knew the answer.
´Ellard’s.´ Brim answered grimly.
´Okay, be careful now, but do not shoot until I say so or you’re being shot at, understood?´ Julius ordered and activated his power sword. Adolf and Brim nodded in agreement. Julius advanced, pointing his pistol at the doorway. Suddenly he fired. There were a thud and a boot was left revealed. He kneeled next to the doorway, shodded the cameoline cloak away from the body.
´Eldars...´ Adolf cursed.
´Lower your weapons and step inside, mon-keigh.´ said the eldar behind the trio. Julius signed them to obey. As they were stepping inside the room, Brim noticed something green in the dark city.
´Emperor’s throne! There’s a whole bunch of ‘skins coming this way!´ he yelled. Julius grapped the eldar in the collar.
´Give us our man, and we leave you alone, now!´ he roared. Someone took Julius by the arm and wrestled him to the ground.
´What is your word worth to trust, mon-keigh?´ asked the chilling voice.
´I saw you and your group taking our precious ship, and leaving us alone with the chaos.´ the voice continued. Julius cursed, and for his arrogance, he was lifted up and received an hard slam on his face.
´I pity you, mon-keigh and your race.´ Eldar spat at Julius.
´You... you are going to die.´ Julius whispered and drew his power sword. The eldar leaped backwards and draw his own blade.
´Foolish mon-keigh, you want to duel me? I can see, why your race is so short living type.´
´The Emperor is my strength and protector, you wretched witch.´ Julius roared and charged. Bringing his blade in a deadly arc, the eldar sidestepped and parried it easily. Eldar continued it’s retaliate with a kick at the back of his knee. As Julius’ leg betrayed and landed on his knees, he found the blade on his throat.
´Hatred is never the key to the answer, mon-keigh. Hatred may fuel your strength, but it is your greatest weakness. Remember this, and you shall survive from the upcoming test.´ the witch riddled.
´I do not wish us to settle our petty disagreement here. Yet. You, mon-keigh, have a greater foe to face.´ the eldar spoke, removing the blade slowly from Julius’ throat. Julius tried to ease a bit, and to accept the outcome. The eldar witch spoked in it’s native tongue. Then two xeno warrior’s came, dragging Ellard with them. They dumped the poor man at Adolf’s and Brim’s feet.
´Go now, mon-keigh, you have a little time left, before the savage orkoids attack. And beware, there is a greatest foe of the time within the horde.´ said the eldar. It gestured, and left the room with the eldar warriors. Ellard rose to sit, and whispered with a curious smile.
´Shouldn’t give those lucky cards away, my head hurts like hell.´
-------------------------------------------------------------
Näin ikään, toivottavasti ei nyt pahemmin tullut mitään mokia kun pitkän tauon jälkeen tätä jatkan. Mutta nyt, pallo on teillä hyvät lukijat, antakaa näppisten sauhua armottoman palautteen kanssa. Kyllä minä sen kestän.
Edit: Linkit korjattu. Kyllä niistä olisi voinut mainita, duh.
Prologue & Happy reunion
Holed in position
Turn of the tide
Ignition of Malice
Eye of Hatred
The Truth beyond the Death
The end of the road
For the Emperor
Lock and Load
The seeds of Despair
Hastings moaned and turned around painfully. He jumped up with a hoarse yell. He grasped his hand as he had accidentaly managed to put it against the plasma-heater. Then his stomach protested and he vomited. He coughed and wiped his mouth in the tattered sleeve of his coat. He grasped the flask and took a swig, water this time though. He looked his hand and grimaced in pain. The skin wreathed in blisters. He poured carefully water on his hand. He gasped as the water cooled the blisters and the skin stinged extremely painfully. Someone tapped on his shoulder. Hastings turned his head to see Ellard smiling mischievously at him. Hastings sneered back and turned his head around to spot the young lad, only to see that he wasn’t anywhere near.
´Where...´ Hastings started but the sore throath forced him to cough instead.
´ He’s cooking some breakfast, I was coming to wake you up to get some.´ Ellard stated. Hastings coughed again as he tried to say something in agreement. Ellard chuckled softly and guided Hastings through the abandoned floor of the wrecked skycraper. The smell of a cooked food filled their nostrils and both men almost darted forwards to get something to eat.
´Easy mates, there’s plenty of food for all of us.´ Ivan said smiling as the companions sat down and filled their mess kits with brown, sauce-like food.
´My secret recipie, an old family tradition too.´ Ivan explained with the eagerness of young boy. Ellard and Hastings muffled something as they lobbed food in their hungry mouths. As they swallowed, they looked blankly for a moment. Ellard sighed and continued eating.
´What’s in this? It’s helluva fiery.´ Hastings stated and took a swig from his flask.
´My own spice-mix. Only a small tip of this is enough to make even a wood taste good.´ Ivan answered and smiled. Hastings looked at Ivan under his brow and continued eating.
´Well, it’s damn good. Have been a long time since got that good food.´ Ellard stated and leaned back relaxed. Ivan nodded for the compliments. Then the vox barked alive, its static hiss carried easily at the other side of the floor.
´Better to answer it.´ Hastings stated and stood up, wiping dust off from his clothes.
´You just eat, we handle this, ok?´ Ellard said smiling at Ivan.
´Oh, okay.´ Ivan replied and filled his mess kit and started to eat as the two companions left the room.
´Hastings here.´ he replied at the mic of the vox-unit. Nothing but hiss came.
´I said, Hastings here.´ he repeated.
´Oh, yeah. Sorry, just tell the Ellard to get back down here.´ came the order which both men identified as Brim’s voice.
´Right...´ replied Hastings and shot a glance at Ellard. He didn’t say anything, just nodded as Ellard turned to the stairs. Ivan came at Hastings and looked after Ellard dumply. Then he looked at Hastings and nodded, as Ellard had vanished in the dark stairwell.
As Ellard jogged the stairs down he shot a glance at his right at the tenth floor. He continued for a while then frozing in his tracks. His mind raced as he tried to realize what had disturbed him in that corridor. Plain, dark corridor like they always were. The missing wall giving good sight at the grey-white city and... There was something beside the collapsed walls and torn doors. There was a flickering silhouette. But inside the silhouette was the grey-white city! He drew his laspistol and peered around the corner carefully. The silhouette was there for sure. Ellard felt a chill in his spine. There was a shimmering form of a unkown thing for a split second. Ellard stepped around the corner, pistol raised. He aimed in the center of the almost invisible silhouette. Suddenly there was a voice behind him. He panicked, voice inside his head mocked him for not remembering to secure his back as there were most likely more these things.
Then it hit him, something heavy and blunt hit him in the back of his head. Sharp pain spreaded through his body and the blackness engulfing his mind. His vision turned to blur as the figure appeared inside the silhouette. Its dark, sleek armour, its cloak floating in the wind, the strange alien language, the arms lifting him up as his vision turned black.
*****
Hastings snapped the mic from the com-unit.
´What?´ Hastings almost yelled.
´Is Ellard still there? For we haven’t still seen him here.´ came the reply throught the vox-unit.
´What?! He left here nearly two hours ago and you say he hasn’t come there yet?´ Hastings asked.
´Well no ... down here... seen him so ...´ the static hiss covering the message.
´You’re breaking up, repeat.´ Hastings growled at the vox.
´I said repeat, goddamn it!´ Hastings yelled and received nothing but cold static hiss.
´Now were lonely...´ Hastings sighed at Ivan.
´I don’t think so. I’m quite sure that I saw something moving from that stairwell into this room.´ Ivan whispered and turned the safety off from his lasgun. Hastings dropped the mic and grapped his shotgun quickly. Aiming down the iron sights he scanned the room and started to back at the room where they had been eating breakfast earlier this morning. Ivan followed his example. Hastings was sure he could hear somekind of whisper. As they managed to get into the room Hastings slammed the door shut. Only realizing that the door bore a man-sized hole in it. He sneered and backed to the corner, his shotgun trained at the door. There were no footsteps, no suffling noises from feets, nothing. Except the heartbeats of the lonely couple. The eerie silence mixed with the high altitude and sudden howl of the wind made Hastings swet. He suddenly realized something. What if the thing is already in this room? The thought on his mind, gnawing his courage as he spun around slowly, trying to see the invisible which maybe didn’t exist. He saw from the lips of the young boy that he was muttering prayers for the Emperor. Hastings got his mind sharpened as he thought the innocent, young boy.
Let them come, they won’t find me unprepared... he thought in his mind.
*****
´What you mean that we’ve lost a radio contact up there?´ Armstrode roared.
´It just faded out, like someone’s using some sort of jamming device or such.´ replied the nervous vox-operator. Julius stormed in and looked at Armstrode with inquiring look on his face.
´I heard you lost a contact at Hastings and Ivan?´ Julius asked.
´Well that’s what it seems to be, sergeant.´ Armstrode replied.
´I’ll go with Adolf and Brim to take a look up there.´ Julius stated and turned to leave. He was stopped by Piet’s suspicious gaze.
´Commisar.´ Julius started but Piet gestured him to silence.
´I have that sense in my spine so be very careful as you advance.´ Piet whispered and stepped aside. Julius nodded and strode away.
Julius bounded up the stairs, Brim and Adolf following quickly behind him. His legs were in fire, every step feeling heavier.
´What floor we are at now?´ Julius asked, gasping for air.
´If I remember correctly, we’re at the tenth floor by now.´ Brim replied.
´Okay, let’s take a break.´ Julius said and clipped his flask from the belt.
´What’s that?´ Adolf asked and pointed on a glitter in the midst of the rubble. Brim stepped over the rubble, kneeled and inspected the glitter. As Adolf and Julius leaned closer, Brim lifted something from the rubble.
´Dog tags.´ Brim stated.
´Whose?´ Adolf asked, fearing that he knew the answer.
´Ellard’s.´ Brim answered grimly.
´Okay, be careful now, but do not shoot until I say so or you’re being shot at, understood?´ Julius ordered and activated his power sword. Adolf and Brim nodded in agreement. Julius advanced, pointing his pistol at the doorway. Suddenly he fired. There were a thud and a boot was left revealed. He kneeled next to the doorway, shodded the cameoline cloak away from the body.
´Eldars...´ Adolf cursed.
´Lower your weapons and step inside, mon-keigh.´ said the eldar behind the trio. Julius signed them to obey. As they were stepping inside the room, Brim noticed something green in the dark city.
´Emperor’s throne! There’s a whole bunch of ‘skins coming this way!´ he yelled. Julius grapped the eldar in the collar.
´Give us our man, and we leave you alone, now!´ he roared. Someone took Julius by the arm and wrestled him to the ground.
´What is your word worth to trust, mon-keigh?´ asked the chilling voice.
´I saw you and your group taking our precious ship, and leaving us alone with the chaos.´ the voice continued. Julius cursed, and for his arrogance, he was lifted up and received an hard slam on his face.
´I pity you, mon-keigh and your race.´ Eldar spat at Julius.
´You... you are going to die.´ Julius whispered and drew his power sword. The eldar leaped backwards and draw his own blade.
´Foolish mon-keigh, you want to duel me? I can see, why your race is so short living type.´
´The Emperor is my strength and protector, you wretched witch.´ Julius roared and charged. Bringing his blade in a deadly arc, the eldar sidestepped and parried it easily. Eldar continued it’s retaliate with a kick at the back of his knee. As Julius’ leg betrayed and landed on his knees, he found the blade on his throat.
´Hatred is never the key to the answer, mon-keigh. Hatred may fuel your strength, but it is your greatest weakness. Remember this, and you shall survive from the upcoming test.´ the witch riddled.
´I do not wish us to settle our petty disagreement here. Yet. You, mon-keigh, have a greater foe to face.´ the eldar spoke, removing the blade slowly from Julius’ throat. Julius tried to ease a bit, and to accept the outcome. The eldar witch spoked in it’s native tongue. Then two xeno warrior’s came, dragging Ellard with them. They dumped the poor man at Adolf’s and Brim’s feet.
´Go now, mon-keigh, you have a little time left, before the savage orkoids attack. And beware, there is a greatest foe of the time within the horde.´ said the eldar. It gestured, and left the room with the eldar warriors. Ellard rose to sit, and whispered with a curious smile.
´Shouldn’t give those lucky cards away, my head hurts like hell.´
-------------------------------------------------------------
Näin ikään, toivottavasti ei nyt pahemmin tullut mitään mokia kun pitkän tauon jälkeen tätä jatkan. Mutta nyt, pallo on teillä hyvät lukijat, antakaa näppisten sauhua armottoman palautteen kanssa. Kyllä minä sen kestän.
Edit: Linkit korjattu. Kyllä niistä olisi voinut mainita, duh.