“Meet my new battle-brothers, young lion,” said Cadmus. “Now if you will excuse me, it’s time for me to depart. I’m sure the interrogator-chaplain will forgive your failure.” The commander released Gabriella and stepped through the door. Suddenly, six Thousand Sons stepped out of the distortion into the room. Unlike the Space Wolves, their armour was not adorned with personal trophies or remembrances from previous battles, the eye of Tzeentch emblazoned across their chest was the only indication of their allegiance. The Chaos Marines stood like a wall between the Space Marines and their quarry.
Ragnar knew instantly that the real masterminds had finally revealed themselves. With a savage howl, he threw himself at the Thousand Sons.
TWELVE
The Real Enemy
Cadmus was furious. The Wolfblade were an enigma. His plan had been perfect; he never made mistakes. When the Space Wolves arrived on their patrol to discover the Dark Angels invasion force, war broke out. The Dark Angels kill team should have joined them in the fight, leaving Ragnar and the other Wolfblade to rescue Gabriella and meet their doom. They should not be working together: the Space Wolves hated the Dark Angels. Apparently, Ragnar was as troublesome as Madox said. He would think on this later, but for now he needed to make his escape.
He reached the back wall, and sliding his hand down along its surface, activated a hidden panel that slid up, revealing a keyed access pad. He entered a pass code.
The panel buzzed its rejection. Cadmus quickly reentered the code, only for it to be rejected again. He entered the code a third time, this time taking even more care to ensure that he was entering it correctly. Again, the panel buzzed its refusal.
“Running to hide again, Fallen?” The voice seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. Cadmus spun around to see a figure in the corner of the room.
It was Madox, his blue and gold armour shimmering slightly with mystical energies. Spiral horns curved up from his helmet and green light emanated from his eyes. In his right hand he clutched a staff tipped with a glowing orb.
Madox stepped lightly from the shadows.
“I sent the assistance you requested from me, Cadmus, and now you leave my warriors as you left your own battle-brothers all those centuries ago.”
“You don’t expect me to believe that you’re concerned about a few of your followers do you, Madox?” Cadmus asked, while turning back to the access panel.
“No, you are right. I’ve been waiting here for you Cadmus,” Madox said.
Again Cadmus tried the access panel, and again it failed to respond. He smashed his fist into the wall in anger.
“The panel no longer works, Cadmus, I’ve had it disabled,” Madox said.
“I’ve kept my part of the bargain! I lured the Dark Angels to Hyades! I’ve orchestrated a war between them and the Space Wolves, and I’ve even brought the Wolfblade here, as you wanted. Why are you blocking my escape?”
Madox’s maniacal chuckle filled the chamber. “Because Ragnar still lives and as far as you’re concerned, I have no further need of you.”
“But we had a bargain! I set all this in motion. You seem to forget, Madox, that without me none of this would have been possible,” Cadmus said, his voice quaking with anger.
“Are you really so naive that you actually think this all came about because of you? You really believe that all of this was part of your design?” Madox asked.
Cadmus filled with rage. Had he really been a pawn to Chaos? Was he really that easy to manipulate and deceive? He searched his memory for any sign, any clue that he had not been in control of any of it. Drawing his plasma pistol, he stepped towards Madox.
“So, you see the truth of it,” Madox gloated.
“I’m going to kill you,” said Cadmus. Raising his plasma pistol, he pulled the trigger.
“You are truly naive,” Madox’s laughter filled the room as he vanished.
Cadmus’s departure left Ragnar and the others squared off with the Thousand Sons. Gabriella lay unconscious on the floor at the back of the room. Crates, boxes and furniture lay strewn around. The Thousand Sons were not noted for their outstanding prowess in hand-to-hand combat, approaching a battle slowly and purposefully, laying down a hail of bolter fire, giving their sorcerers time to win the day. Ragnar guessed the Thousand Sons were merely a delaying tactic to buy the commander time to escape.
With a battle howl, Ragnar and the rest of the team leapt at the Chaos Marines.
Fire sparked off combat weapons as the two sides clashed. Deflecting an attack with his sword, Ragnar crashed into one of the Thousand Sons, driving his shoulder deep into his opponent’s abdomen. Me had faced this menace before and although not known for their hand-to-hand fighting skill they were stalwart warriors, able to withstand a tremendous amount of damage. As the Thousand Son stepped forwards, Ragnar leapt, stepping on one of the plasteel crates elevating himself above the Chaos Marine. Wedging the point of his sword where his opponent’s helmet and neck armour met, he drove it straight down. The Thousand Son buckled and collapsed to the floor and the energy holding him together was released.
Haegr swung his hammer in an upper cut stroke bringing his target off his feet, and dumping him on the ground with a thundering crash. Raising his weapon over his head, he delivered a crushing blow. The helmet of the Thousand Son exploded into hundreds of pieces. The ancient dust that was once the physical form of the Marine poured out onto the rockcrete floor.
Jeremiah bolted for the door that Cadmus had left through moments ago. A Thousand Sons Marine stepped in his path. His chainsword ripped across his chest plate, the force of the attack sending Jeremiah stumbling backwards.
Although quickly regaining his footing, his opponent pressed his advantage, forcing the Dark Angel to retreat, deflecting blow after blow from the Chaos chainsword. The Thousand Son brought his bolt pistol around. Seeing this, Jeremiah deflected the weapon, but this left him exposed, a mistake that was soon exploited as the chainsword crashed down into his shoulder, driving him to his knees.
The Chaos Marine knew he had the advantage and intended to bring the fight to a quick end. As the killing blow came down, Jeremiah reached up, grabbing his opponent’s hand, while jabbing his own pistol into his enemy’s midsection, firing several rounds. The hollow, lifeless armour fell to the floor.
Torin found himself backed against the wall as one of the Chaos Marines closed on him. Ragnar had warned him that the Thousand Sons were slow, but he didn’t think the assessment was entirely accurate. He ducked his head as a chainsword dug into the rockcrete wall. It was the mistake he had been waiting for. Swinging his sword up and around, he sliced clean through his opponent’s armour, sending the chainsword and arm greave clanging to the floor. Using the momentum of his attack, Torin tucked into a shoulder roll which brought him up beside and just behind his opponent.
Spinning his sword in his hand, inverting his grip and placing his other hand over the pommel, he spun around, sinking his sword into the joint at the waist of the Chaos Marine’s armour. He continued his spin and the sword ripped through the entire side, cleaving the Thousand Son in two.
Nathaniel eliminated his adversary quickly and turned to assist Elijah. As he ran to the aid of his young battle-brother, a Chaos Marine helmet bounced across the floor past him. The Traitor that was facing Elijah slumped to its knees and then collapsed to the floor.
Within a few moments, the empty armour of six Thousand Sons Marines lay inactive and crumpled on the floor of Cadmus’s command centre.
Haegr stood at the side of the room, picking up a chest plate, bewildered by the fact that it was empty. Torin, Jeremiah and the other Dark Angels checked the room ensuring that they were safe.
Ragnar leapt to Gabriella’s side, removing her gag and bonds. “Gabriella, are you all right?” he asked.
The Navigator was barely conscious and felt so fragile, nothing like the person he knew. Her face was bruised and swollen. Red stripes of dried blood curved down the side of her face from t
he corner of her right eye. Fresh blood pooled in her ears.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, but it took her some time to focus properly. “Ragnar, is Magni alive?” Gabriella asked.
“Do not worry about that now, my lady. We must get you to safety,” said Ragnar, his voice reflecting his concern.
Gabriella started to wipe the blood away from her face, and Ragnar could tell that her faculties were returning. In her eyes he saw the grim determination and confidence that she had always possessed. She looked at Ragnar. “You must stop Cadmus,” she demanded.
“Once you are safely away from here, my lady. We must get you out,” Ragnar argued.
Gabriella grasped the edge of Ragnar’s armour and pulled herself up to a sitting position. “I will be fine. Cadmus must be stopped,” she said again, only this time Ragnar knew it was not the request of a delirious woman, but the request of a member of House Belisarius. Gently placing her against the wall, he stood. He was a warrior of the Astartes, a Son of Russ, and he knew what had to be done.
“Torin, see to her wounds. Haegr, cover the door,” Ragnar commanded.
Jeremiah and Nathaniel crossed the room to join Ragnar. Together, the three Space Marines went through the door Cadmus had left by.
As they entered the room beyond they found Cadmus, weapon in hand, staring blankly at a blazing blue-green fire in the corner. He seemed oblivious to the Space Marines’ presence. Ragnar took in the Chaos markings that adorned the floor and walls of the room as well as various racks of arcane-looking weapons.
When he saw Jeremiah, Cadmus broke out in laughter.
There was really nothing more for Ragnar to do except honour his oath to Jeremiah. Gabriella was safe with the Wolfblade; his duty was to bring this conflict between the Space Wolves and Dark Angels to an end. “It’s over Jeremiah,” he said. “I honour my oath to you. Cadmus is yours.”
“Ragnar, I have a message for you from an old acquaintance of yours.” Cadmus said.
“Silence, heretic.” Nathaniel shouted, striking the commander across the face.
Cadmus was defeated, his plan thwarted. What message could he possible have, Ragnar asked himself? He knew better than to listen to the final pleas of a condemned traitor. However, he was still unaware of what Cadmus’s true objectives were.
“What could you possibly have to say that I would want to hear, Cadmus?” Ragnar asked.
“I know why you were sent to Terra, and I know of your failure. I know you were sent to the Wolfblade in disgrace for losing the Spear of Russ.” Cadmus said, speaking quietly and with precision.
Jeremiah and Nathaniel exchanged quick glances, unsure of what to make of this information. Jeremiah began to grow concerned. He knew what Cadmus was trying to do. He was trying to divide them, trying to use this information to create a rift between the allies.
“You speak in vague generalities hoping to sound as if you know more than you really do. You speak as someone who is about to be brought to justice and scrambles to find a way out,” Ragnar said.
“That may be, Wolfblade, but I digress; as I said, I have a message for you from and old friend. Madox sends his greetings,” Cadmus said.
Ragnar failed to hide his surprise. He had spoken of the Spear many times while on Hyades. Cadmus’s surveillance equipment could have provided him with that information about the Spear of Russ, but how would he know its true name? Logic and reason told him that this was another of Cadmus’s attempts to manipulate the situation in his favour, to fracture the fragile alliance between the Space Wolves and the Dark Angels. He needed to proceed carefully.
“How do you know that name?” Ragnar growled.
“As I said, boy, I have much information, but all of it comes at a price.” Confidence grew in Cadmus’s voice.
“Ragnar, don’t listen to him,” said Jeremiah. “He is a heretic, a pawn of the Dark Ones.”
“Don’t interfere, Dark Angel! Or perhaps you’d like me to discuss other issues. Issues of a more personal nature, perhaps,” Cadmus threatened.
“As I said, Cadmus, how do you know that name,” Ragnar asked again.
“A price Ragnar. You should know that all information has its cost,” Cadmus said, almost gloating.
“Name it, then,” Ragnar demanded.
“A trifle really not much at all. I just want my life,” said Cadmus, all the fear gone from his voice.
“Tell me what I want to know and your life will be yours.” Ragnar said.
“Ragnar, you swore an oath! Is this how a Son of Russ keeps his word?” Jeremiah asked, stunned.
Ragnar saw the betrayal Jeremiah felt in his eyes and understood his anger. He had given his oath that Cadmus would be his to deal with as he saw fit, but this was a new development. He had to know how Madox fit in to this. Ragnar remembered his first encounter with the Chaos sorcerer. He had never known true evil until that day and never truly understood the scope of the danger that Chaos represented to the Imperium.
The learning machine had taught him of the nature of Chaos and shown him many battles between the forces of the Imperium and Chaos. However, being told what evil is and experiencing it first hand were entirely different. Madox hated everything about the Space Wolves and the Imperium. If he was involved, then everything that had transpired on Hyades had little or nothing to do with House Belisarius, Hyades or its promethium mines. Was that information more important than his oath or his honour?
“If Madox is here then it is imperative that we have all the information, Jeremiah.”
“Ragnar, we had an agreement! I trusted you,” said Jeremiah.
“Then continue to trust me, Jeremiah,” said Ragnar. “You do not know what Madox is capable of. We must have answers.”
He looked to Jeremiah and then to Nathaniel, trying to determine their course of action. He did not want a conflict with them, since they had earned his respect several times over, but he would have the answers, above all else he would have them.
“Get on with it, Cadmus! What does Madox have to do with what’s going on here?” Ragnar demanded.
“He wants you dead, wolf, and once you are dead he intends to destroy the rest of Russ’s sons,” Cadmus explained.
“How does he intend to do that and what does Hyades have to do with all this?” Ragnar asked, a growl rising in his voice.
“Hyades is merely a battlefield. He wanted to spark conflict between the Lion and the Wolf. This would give him access to one of the two components he would need, the sacred gene-seed,” Cadmus continued.
“Gene-seed!” The three Marines were horrified. The future of every Chapter of Marines rested in the gene-seed. The most sacred of all things: without it each Chapter would eventually diminish and become extinct.
“I see that got your attention.” Cadmus’s voice lowered to a sinister growl.
“You mentioned two components. What’s the second?” Ragnar demanded.
Madox hesitated. “Some kind of ancient relic, a weapon or a device. It was imperative that he have both of these components for the ritual. That much I am sure of.” Cadmus answered.
Ragnar’s mind raced back to the day when he had lost the sacred Spear. He saw himself wielding the most cherished of his Chapter’s relics. In painstakingly vivid recollection, he witnessed himself throwing the Spear into the portal, striking the giant, one-eyed primarch of the Thousand Sons. Ragnar had forced the evil primarch back into the warp, saving his battle-brothers, but forever losing the Spear! Could Madox have found it? If so, then his failure was even greater than he had thought.
“What artifact is it, and does he have it?” Ragnar asked.
“I’m not sure if he actually has possession of the bauble. If not, I am fairly certain that he knows where to find it.” Cadmus answered with a devious smile, enjoying the effect his words were having on Ragnar.
“So you started this conflict to give Madox access to the gene-seed for use with this unknown artefact for some sort of ritual. To what end?” Ragnar asked.
“But why involve the Wolfblade?” Jeremiah asked.
Cadmus pointed at Ragnar. “Oh, it’s not the Wolfblade he’s after, It’s Ragnar.” Cadmus replied. “I told you all I am prepared to. Now it’s time for me to leave.”
“Very well, Cadmus, you’ve kept your word and I in turn will keep mine.” Ragnar said.
Ragnar crossed the room as if clearing the way for Cadmus’s departure. Nathaniel and Jeremiah closed ranks, blocking his exit. Jeremiah looked anxiously towards Ragnar, longing to trust his oath. Cadmus stopped, looking puzzled, wondering why he was not being allowed to leave. He looked over his shoulder in Ragnar’s direction. “I’ve told you all I know. Anything else you will have to find out yourself. You gave me your word that I would be able to leave.”
“Ragnar, I cannot allow him to leave! He has unfinished business with the Dark Angels.” Jeremiah said, controlling his tone, but not his intentions.
“Jeremiah, I gave him my word,” said Ragnar stopping in front of one of the weapons racks on the opposite wall.
“You are not bound to keep your word when it is given to a traitor such as this.” Nathaniel said, compelled to voice his opinion.
“If that were the case then you would be no different than those you call enemies.” Cadmus said.
“Loyal servants of the Emperor cannot choose. They must honour their oaths and follow their masters regardless of the path. I know this better than anyone, and so do you, Son of the Lion.” Cadmus said, sorrow and regret apparent in his words.
“Cadmus is correct, Jeremiah. I have given him my oath. I cannot break my word, just as I am bound to honour my oath to you.” Ragnar said.
“They are in conflict Ragnar,” said Jeremiah.
“Yes, Wolfblade, they would appear to be in conflict.” Cadmus said, spitting the words out like poison.
[Space Wolf 05] - Sons of Fenris Page 22