Karlsen found his voice. "Stop, heretic!" he screamed with authority! The authority of the adeptus custodes. Of the high lords of terra! Of the emperor himself! "You shall not harm the Beneficent Emperor, or your soul shall be damned for all Eternity!" At that, the figure threw back its head and laughed! A majestic and uproarious laugh! One swift movement, a flicker of his hands and the scabbard fell with a clatter to the floor! Stormbolters and super-charged lasguns trained on his body. They awaited Karlsens word! His command! He was the supreme authority here at this moment! The intruder raised both arms. Is he surrendering? Unlikely! The murmur of surprised anguish that rose from the white clad terminators was all but inaudible to Karlsen's ear. These were the members of the feared Deathwing. Deathwing who had liberated an entire world from genestealer invasion. Deathwing which fearlessly boarded genestealer infested spacehulks. Deathwing which led the charge at Piscina against the orks! Deathwing feared across the imperium! What could possibly surprise such warriors! "O Lord!", cried the figure, his voice rising in volume as he went, "In you infinite mercy and compassion, I Cypher, your most humble servant, ask for a pardon upon deeds done a hundred centuries past. Emperor Magnificent, I come to seek your forgiveness for Luthor and all those who followed him! Have mercy upon us Fallen, for our purgatory is almost over!" Who was Cypher? Who was Luthor? Why was his briefing prior to the Dark Angels arrival fail to include such information. What was the Deathwing doing here? It did not matter! He was in charge and the emperor was at risk The chronometer read 60 terran-seconds. "Step back now! Heretic! Or Die!" Karlsen prepared to fire! Then it happened. A swirling of fluids within the Golden Throne. Whirring of engines supporting the throne! Bubbles. A deep groan issued from the convoluted machinery of the Golden Throne. Emperor have mercy! He moved! Karlsen thought he was dreaming! Or was he? The emperor's carcass, immobile for millenia, moved! The index finger flickered. As far as Karlsen was concerned, he might as well have moved the entire universe. His training not withstanding, Karlsen felt weak at his knees. Karlsen stared on, open mouthed. Karlsen's sidearm clattered to the ground. Time stood still! A glowing, golden nimbus of light surrounded the man who called himself Cypher. Pulsating rhythmically but steadily increasing in intensity. Karlsen's visors auto-dimmed to maximum. He heard the terminator visors clicking and humming as they too fought to control the intensity. The light was building up rapidly, blinding, even through the visual compensations of the helmet visors. A blinding flash! Karlsen turned away protecting his eyes. He felt the terminators also do the same! And then it was gone. Where Cypher had been kneeling lay only a small pile of dust and ashes. The Golden throne returned to it's normal cyclical function. The hum and throb of servos died down. Karlsen tried to think. He tried, but could not comprehend. A tall figure stepped forward from the circle of unmoving terminators. He wore dark green power armour. He was covered in a robe of the same colour as the terminators' armour. Next to him were two others, one in black armour, white robes and a grinning skull mask. Undoubtedly a fearsome interrogator-chaplain in the Dark Angels. Behind him stood another in blue armour and white robes, a librarian. He carried a massive tome in his left arm with supernatural ease. The tall spacemarine commander stepped forward to where the remains of Cypher had piled. He slowly and deliberately reached down and picked up the sword. Emperor be praised. It was whole again! Reformed! Reforged! It was then that Karlsen realised that the room had nearly filled with bone white terminators and dark green power armoured spacemarines. It was then he also realised that the marines were forming a ring outside of his own Adeptus Custodes. It was at the same time that he realised that his communications equiopment in his helmet was no longer functioning. It was also then that he realised, from his briefing holo-vids that the man who had picked up the sword was none other than the Chapter Master of the Dark Angels, Supreme Grand Master Azrael!! "The Emperor _has_ forgiven!" His voice boomed! A gasp arose from the stoic warriors of the dark Angels and as one they knelt as the Grand master raised the reforged sword. As he did so a tiny robed figure materialised next to him. It was a third the height of the grandmaster. It carried a spacemarine helmet with large wings on it. He felt it's whispered words more than he heard it. "The sword is reforged" "The chapter is complete" "Return the sword to the sleeper in the Rock. He awaits!" "Forgive he who does not sleep" "The long cold night approaches" "The final battle is close!" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Ezekiel awoke with a start! He was sleeping in full armour! The dream was progressing every time! Was it a dream? Or was it a vision? He had consulted the emperor's tarot but found no help! He saw more of the sequence each time, but the time was close! That is why he was here on Terra! In the imperial palace! Because he believed! There was a knock on his chamber door! "Enter!" A tall man clad in the uniform and armour of an Adeptus Custodes Commander strode in. "Grandmaster of Librarians! Most honourable Ezekiel of the Dark Angels chapter! The third watch is about to commence. All preparations are complete as you requested!" "You have done well! We will be ready!" said Ezekile quietly, "Thank you! Commander Karlsen!" THE END |
END OF PURGATORY By Chris Brent ( Rewritten by Shadow Guard ) |
FABLES OF THE UNFORGIVEN |
(c) Copyright by Chris Brent. The story has been modified and rewritten by Shadow Guard. No challenge intended to the intellectual property of Chris Brent. If Chris Brent comes across this modification please contact Shadow Guard. Many terms used in this story (such as Space Marine, Eldar, and others) are Trademarks of Games Workshop, Inc. Their use here is not intended as a challenge to said trademarks |
