"I don't want you to stop until I hear the number two hundred!" Shouted Asmond. He turned to face Gideon. "Is Malachai done with you?" He asked. "Yes, sir." Gideon replied. "Good, grab that knife over there." "Yes, sir." Gideon jogged over to the wall and took hold of the knife by its handle. Bracing his foot on the wall, he pulled it gritting his teeth. It slowly crept out of the wall, inch by inch. Finally, with a piercing shriek, the nine inch mono-filament edge slid completely out of the stone wall. Gideon walked back to Asmond holding the knife by its blade. He presented the handle to Asmond, who glared at him in return. "I don't want that boy, get rid of it." Asmond Yelled. "Yes, sir!" Gideon screamed back as he twirled in place, throwing the Knife. It landed, shivering just below the bulls-eye on the target. The other recruits gaped at Gideon as he stood at attention. Michael just smirked at him. "You couldn't hit that banth'ua if it was the size of my grandpa's hut." "Yes I could!" "Then do it." He looked at the stone knife in his hand, then at the small animal in front of him. Its tiny, beady eyes were staring intently at them as it chewed some grass. The weight of the stone weapon seemed to increase in his hand. Raising it, he aimed just above the ball of fur. The knife hit the dirt just in front of the creature, startling it. A second knife caught it in the air. Landing belly up, the banth'ua crashed into the dirt, clawing at the sky with six legs. "Told yah you couldn't do it!" Asmond turned to address the men in front of him. His sentence died before the first word could come out of his mouth. He caught Michael's smirk before it disappeared into a stern face. "So you think that was funny?" Asked Asmond. "Draw your weapon!" Michael pulled his knife from its' sheath. He looked strait ahead now, not daring to move. "If you can do better than Gideon, you walk. If you Fail, you will spend the rest of the day polishing rust off every vehicle this chapter has. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir!" Michael yelled. The nine inch blade imbedded itself in the red circle at the middle of the target. It rang clean and clear in the training room. A silence fell into the room like a curtain. Asmond stared at the silver knife, not speaking a word. After a few seconds of the most intense silence Gideon had ever known, Asmond turned on his heals. "Trainee Michael, you may step aside. I will convene with you after training. Trainee Gideon, Accompany him to storage. You two are going to stack metal crates until lights out. Dismissed!" Gideon and Michael had sorted half of the storage room by the time Asmond arrived to relieve them. He entered with his usual attitude and harshness. Gideon was tired, not knowing how long they had been working. The storage room was not exactly cramped, but offered little in the way of light or heat. "Lights out in fifteen minutes. Get moving." Asmond spoke with a calm voice this time. He stepped to the side and allowed the two recruits passage through the small doorway. They jogged down the corridor, and split up. It was easy to get lost on the rock. Gideon traced his movements with a small map built into a bracelet. They were given to all recruits to find their way around until they could memorize the labyrinth of rock and plasteel. Little red stones were crafted into the metal band. They projected a small holographic display a few inches from his arm. Stopping in front of his dorm, Gideon caught his breath. He pushed a small button on his bracelet, and a number appeared. Twelve miles in 15 minutes Gideon thought to himself. Putting his hand on the door caused it to slide up. Sergai sat at his desk. A chain sword in one hand, and a small rag in the other. The marine wiped down the sword, making sure that all the teeth on the blade were shining. "Your late" Sergai commented as Gideon entered the room. "Asmond busted my butt after training." Replied Gideon. "Not an uncommon practice." "That is because you are still an initiate. You will be an initiate until your first battle has come to pass." Sergai paused for a moment. " I know you must have a hundred questions. All of us did. In time, they will be answered, either by you, or by those of the inner circle." The veteran marine held out a small object. "Every senior marine that is given an initiate to tutor must pass down this data crystal. After you read it, hit the bunk." Gideon took the small crystal from Sergai. It had a piece of forked metal attached to the bottom of it. A small object lay in the center with tendrils of metal coruscating through the clear obelisk. He plugged it into his computer and watched it glow red. A message appeared on the computer screen. It was a proverb from the battle rights. Tears; Sweat; Blood; Tears for weakness of mind Sweat for weakness of body; Blood for weakness of ability Marines know only one thing... service. They are the Imperium's life and its death. Marines do only one thing... fight. They are the Imperium's shield and its sword. Marines feel only one thing... devotion. They are the Imperium's finest and its feared. They are the Adeptus Astartes, The strong, The vigilant, The loyal, and they shall know no fear, for they are fear incarnate. Battle rights 3.16.58 Gideon sat reading the proverb over and over again. After some time he stood up and turned off the monitor. He noticed that Sergai had taken the top bunk, so Gideon crawled into the bottom bunk. He looked up towards the ceiling. Darkness filled his vision as he inhaled the cold and damp air. The back of his eyelids looked the same as the room he decided. In the comfort of darkness he thought to himself. Of times past, and to come. So many questions unanswered. "Are you asking the right questions?" "Of course." "Are you sure of this?" "Not really." "Could you really be ready for the task ahead?" "What task?" "You aren't prepared. In time, you will understand." "Who are you?" A face. Accusing eyes. Anger. "Well, are you going to nap all day, or would you like to get some work done?" Gideon blinked. The voice sounded familiar, too familiar. The face came into focus slowly. "Wake up!" Shouted Asmond. |
OUTSIDE INFLUENCE VOLUME I By Brother Gideon |
TOMES OF VALOUR |
This story has been reproduced with permission from the author. 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. |
