Galaxy in Flames

by Ben Counter

  Take the eastern passages along the servants' wing. That should bring you to me without too much trouble. We have an opportunity to hurt these bastards, Solathen, so I need you to get here with all possible speed!' 'Understood, sir,’ said Solathen, signing off. Tarvitz froze as he heard a voice say, 'It won't do any good, Saul. The Precentor's Palace is as good as lost. Even you should be able to see that,’

  He looked up and saw Lucius standing in the cen-tte of the dome in front of him, his shimmering sword in one hand and a shard of broken glass in the other. He raised the glass to his face and sliced its razor edge along his cheek, drawing a line of blood from his skin that dripped to the dome's floor.

  'Lucius,’ said Tarvitz, rising to his feet and enterВ­ing the dome to meet the swordsman. 'I thought you were dead,’

  Bright starlight filled the dome and Tarvitz saw it was filled with the corpses of Emperor's Children.

  Not traitors, but loyalists and he could see that not one had fallen to a gunshot wound, but had been carved up by a powerful edged weapon. These warВ­riors had been cut apart, and a horrible suspicion began to form in his mind.

  'Dead?' laughed Lucius. 'Mel Remember what Loken said to me when I humbled him in the pracВ­tice cages?'

  Wary now, Tarvitz nodded. 'He said there was someone out there who could beat you,’

  'And do you remember what I told him?'

  'Yes,’ replied Tarvitz, sliding his hand to the hilt of his broadsword. 'You said, "Not in this lifetime," didn't you?'

  'You have a good memory,’ said Lucius, dropping the bloody shard of glass to the floor.

  'Who's that latest scar for?' asked Tarvitz.

  Lucius smiled, though there was no warmth to it.

  'It's for you, Saul,’

  The great forum of the Mackaran Basilica was a desert of ashen bone, for as the virus bombs had dropped, thousands of Isstvanians had gathered there in the hope that the parliament house at one end of the forum would receive them. They had thronged the place and died there, their scorched remains resembling an ancient swamp from which rose the columns that bounded the forum on three sides. On the fourth was the parliament house itself, befouled by black tendrils of ash that reached up from the forum.

  The building had been the seat of the Choral City's civilian parliament, a counterpart to the nobles who had ruled from the Precentor's Palace, but the promiВ­nent citizens who had taken shelter inside had died as surely as the horde of civilians outside.

  Loken pushed through the sea of black bones, his sword ready in his hand as he forged through the thicket of bone. A skull grinned up at him, its burned and empty eye sockets accusing. Behind him, Torgaddon covered the forum beyond them.

  'Wait,’ said Loken quietly.

  Torgaddon halted and looked round. 'Is it them?'

  'I don't know, maybe,’ said Loken, looking up at the parliament house. Beyond it he could just see the lines of a spacecraft, a stormbird in Sons of Horus colours. 'Someone landed here, that's for sure,’

  They continued onwards to the edge of the parВ­liament building, climbing the smooth marble steps. Its great doors had been thick studded oak, but they had been eaten away by the virus and burned to ash by the firestorm.

  'Shall we?' asked Torgaddon.

  Loken nodded, suddenly wishing that they had not come here, as a terrible feeling of doom settled on him. He looked at Torgaddon and wished he had some fitting words to say to him before they took these last, fateful steps.

  Torgaddon seemed to understand what he was thinking and said, 'Yes. I know, but what choice do we have?'

  'None,’ said Loken, marching through the archВ­way and into the parliament house.

  The interior of the building had been protected from the worst of the virus bombing and firestorm, only a few tangled blackened corpses lying sprawled among the dark wood panels and furВ­nishings. The walls of the circular building were adorned with faded frescoes of the Choral City's magnificent past, telling the tales of its growth and conquests.

  The benches and voting-tables of the parliament were arranged around a central stage with a lectern from which the debates were led.

  On the stage, in front of the lectern, stood Ezekyle Abaddon and Horus Aximand.

  'You betrayed us,' said Tarvitz, the hurt and disapВ­pointment almost too much to bear. You killed your own men and let Eidolon and his warriors into the palace. Didn't you?'

  'I did,’ said Lucius, swinging his sword in loops around his body as he loosened his muscles in preparation for the fight Tarvitz knew must come next. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat,’

  Tarvitz circled the edge of the dome, his steps in time with those of the swordsman. He had no illuВ­sions as to the outcome of this fight, Lucius was the pre-eminent blade master of the Legion, perhaps all the Legions. He knew he could not defeat Lucius, but this betrayal demanded retribution.

  Honour must be satisfied.

  'Why, Lucius?' asked Tarvitz.

  'How can you ask me that, Saul?' demanded Lucius, drawing the circle closer and, step by step, the distance between the two warriors shrank. 'I am only here thanks to my misplaced acquaintance with you. I know what the lord commander and Fabius offered you. How could you turn such an opportunity down?'

  'It was an abomination, Lucius,’ said Tarvitz, knowing he had to keep Lucius talking for as long as he could. 'To tamper with the gene-seed? How can you possibly believe that the Emperor would condone such a thing?'

  The Emperor?' laughed Lucius. 'Are you so sure he would disapprove? Look at what he did to create the primarchs? Aren't we the result of genetic manipulaВ­tion? The experiments Fabius is conducting are the logical next link in that evolutionary chain. We are a superior race and we must establish that superiority over any lesser beings that stand in our way,’

  'Even your fellow warriors?' spat Tarvitz, gesturing to the corpses around the dome's circumference with the blade of his sword.

  Lucius shrugged. 'Even them. I am going to rejoin my Legion and they tried to stop me. What choice did I have? Just like you are going to try and stop me,’

  'You'll kill me too?' asked Tarvitz. 'After all the years we've fought together?'

  'Don't try and appeal to my sense of fond remiВ­niscences, Saul,’ warned Lucius. 'I am better than

  you and I am going to achieve great things in the service of my Legion. Neither you or any foolish sense of misplaced loyalty are going to stop me.'

  Lucius lifted the blade of his sword and dropped into a fighting crouch as Tarvitz approached him. The dome seemed suddenly silent as the two comВ­batants circled one another, each searching for a weakness in the other's defences. Tarvitz drew his combat knife in his left hand and reversed the blade, knowing he would need as many blades between him and Lucius as humanly possible.

  Tarvitz knew there were no more words to be spoВ­ken. This could only end in blood.

  Without warning, he leapt towards Lucius, thrustВ­ing with the smaller blade, but even as he attacked he saw that Lucius had been expecting it.

  Lucius swayed aside and swept the hilt of his sword down, smashing the knife from his hand. The swordsman ducked as Tarvitz turned on his heel and slashed high with his sword.

  Tarvitz's blade cut only air and Lucius hammered his elbow into his side.

  He danced away, expecting Lucius to land a blow, but the swordsman merely smiled and danced around him lightly on the balls of his feet. Lucius was playing with him, and he felt his anger mount in the face of such mockery.

  Lucius advanced towards Tarvitz, darting in with the speed of a striking snake to thrust at his stomВ­ach. Tarvitz blocked the thrust, rolling his wrists over Lucius's blade and slashing for his neck, but

  the swordsman had anticipated the move and nimВ­bly dodged the blow.

  Tarvitz attacked suddenly, his blade a flashing blur of steel that forced Lucius back step by step. Lucius parried a vicious slash aimed a
t his groin, spinning with a laugh to launch a lightning riposte at his foe.

  Tarvitz saw the blade cut the air towards him, knowing he was powerless to prevent it landing. He hurled himself back, but felt a red-hot line of agony as the energised edge bit deep into his side He clamped a hand to his side as blood spilled down his armour, gasping in pain before his armour disВ­pensed stimulants that blocked it.

  Tarvitz backed away from Lucius and the swordsВ­man followed with a grin of anticipation.

  'If that's the best you've got, Saul, then you'd best give up now,’ smirked Lucius. 'I promise I'll make it quick.'

  'I was just about to say the same thing, Lucius,' gasped Tarvitz, lifting his sword once again.

  The two warriors clashed once more, their swords shimmering streaks of silver and blue as coruscatВ­ing sparks spat from their blades. Tarvitz fought with every ounce of courage, strength and skill he could muster, but he knew it was hopeless. Lucius parried his every attack with ease and casually landed cut after cut on his flesh, enough to draw blood and hurt, but not enough to kill.

  Blood gathered in the corner of his mouth as he staggered away from yet another wounding blow.

  'A hit,' sniggered Lucius. 'A palpable hit.'

  Tarvitz knew he was fighting with the last of his reserves and the fight could not go on much longer. Soon Lucius would tire of his poor sport and finish him, but perhaps he had held him here for long enough.

  'Had enough?' coughed Tarvitz. 'You don't have to die here.'

  Lucius cocked his head to one side as he advanced towards him and said, 'You're serious, aren't you? You actually think you can beat me.'

  Tarvitz nodded and spat blood. 'Come on and have a go if you think you can kill me,’

  Lucius leapt forwards to attack and Tarvitz dropped his sword and leapt to meet him. SurВ­prised by such an obviously suicidal move, Lucius was a fraction of a second too late to dodge Tarvitz's attack.

  The two warriors clashed in the air and Tarvitz smashed his fist into the swordsman's face. Lucius turned his head to rob the blow of its force, but Tarvitz gave him no chance to right himself as they fell to the floor, and pistoned his fist into his former comrade's face. Lucius's sword skittered away and they fought with fists and elbows, knees and feet.

  At such close quarters, skill with a blade was irrelВ­evant and Tarvitz let his hate and anger spill out in every thunderous hammer blow he landed. They rolled and grappled like brawling street thugs, Tarvitz punching Lucius with powerful blows that

  would have killed a mortal man a dozen times over, the swordsman struggling to push Tarvitz clear.

  'I also remember what Loken taught you the first time he brought you down,’ gasped Tarvitz as he saw movement at the edge of the dome. 'UnderВ­stand your foe and do whatever is necessary to bring him down.'

  He released his grip on Lucius and rolled clear, pushing himself as far away from the swordsman as he could. Lucius sprang to his feet in an instant, scrambling across the floor to retrieve his weapon.

  'Now, Solathen!' shouted Tarvitz. 'Kill him! He betrayed us all!'

  He watched as Lucius turned towards the dome's entrance, seeing the warriors Solathen had rallied and brought to him. Solathen obeyed Tarvitz's command instantly, as a good Emperor's Children should, and the dome was suddenly filled with the bark of gunfire. Lucius dived out of the way, but even he wasn't quick enough to avoid a volley of bolter shells.

  Lucius jerked and danced in the fusillade, sparks and blood flying from his armour. He rolled across the floor, scrabbling for a hole in the wall blasted by the months of battle as the gunfire of the loyalВ­ist Emperor's Children tore into him.

  'Kill him!' yelled Tarvitz, but Lucius was faster than he would have believed possible, diving from the dome as shells tore up scorched frescoes around him.

  Tarvitz pushed himself to his feet and staggered over towards where Lucius had escaped.

  Beyond the dome, the outer precincts of the palace were a nightmarish landscape of craters and blackened ruins. A pall of smoke hung over the batВ­tlefield the palace had become and he smashed his fist into the wall in frustration as he saw that the swordsman had vanished.

  'Captain Tarvitz?' said Solathen. 'Reporting as ordered.'

  Tarvitz turned from his search for Lucius, pushing his frustrations aside and focusing on the more immediate matter of counter-attacking Eidolon's warriors.

  'My thanks, Solathen. I owe you my life,’ he said.

  The warrior nodded as Tarvitz picked up a fallen bolter and checked the magazine to make sure he had a full load.

  'Now come on,’ he said grimly. 'Let's show these bastards how the real Emperor's Children fight!'

  SEVENTEEN

  Winning is survival

  Dies Irae

  The end

  'Betrayer,’ said Loken, stepping into the parliaВ­ment house.

  There was nothing to betray,' retorted Abaddon.

  Even after all mat had happened on Isstvan III, the word betrayal had the power to ignite the ever-present anger inside him.

  'I envy you this, Loken,’ continued Abaddon. To you the galaxy must seem so simple. So long as there's someone you can call enemy you'll fight to the death and think you are right,’

  'I know I am right, Ezekyle!' shouted Loken. 'How can this be anything but wrong? The death of this city and the murder of your brothers? What has happened to you, Abaddon, to turn you into this?'

  Abaddon stepped down off the stage, leaving Aximand to stand alone at the lectern. In his

  Terminator armour Abaddon was far taller than Loken and he knew from witnessing the first capВ­tain in battle that he could still fight as skilfully as any Astartes in power armour.

  'Isstvan III was forced upon us by the inability of small minds to understand reality,’ said Abaddon. 'Do you think I have been a part of this, and that I am here, because I enjoy killing my brothers? I believe, Loken, as surely as you do. There are powers in this galaxy that even the Emperor does not understand. If he leaves humanity to wither on the vine in his selfish quest for godhood then those powers will swamp us and every single human being in this galaxy will die. Can you understand the enormity of that concept? The whole human race! The Warmaster does, and that is why he must take the Emperor's place to deal with these threats.'

  'Deal with them?' said Torgaddon, shaking his head. 'You are a fool, Ezekyle, we saw what Erebus was doing. He has lied to you all. You have made a pact with evil powers.'

  'Evil?' said Aximand. 'They saved the Warmaster's life. I have seen their power and it is within the War-master's ability to control them. You think we are fools, that we are blind? The forces of the warp are the key to this galaxy. That is what the Emperor canВ­not understand. The Warmaster will be lord of the warp as well of the Imperium and then we will rule the stars.'

  'No,’ replied Loken. 'The Warmaster has become corrupted. If he takes the throne it will not be

  humanity that rules the galaxy, it will be something else. You know that, Little Horus, even if Ezekyle doesn't. He doesn't care about the galaxy; he just wants to be on the winning side,’

  Abaddon smiled, slowly approaching Loken as Torgaddon circled towards Horus Aximand. 'WinВ­ning is survival, Loken. You die, you lose, and nothing you ever believed ever meant anything. I live, I win, and you might as well have never existed. Victory, Loken. It's the only thing in the galaxy that means anything. You should have spent more time being a soldier, maybe then you would have ended up on the winning side,’

  Loken held up his sword, trying to gauge AbadВ­don's movements. 'There is always time to decide who wins,’

  He could see Abaddon tensing up, ready to strike, and knew that the first captain's taunting was just a cover.

  'Loken, you have come so far,’ said Abaddon, 'and you still don't understand what we're doing here. We're not so far from human that we're not allowed a few mistakes, but to fight us instead of realising wh
at the Warmaster is trying to achieve… that's unforgivable,’

  Then what's your mistake, Ezekyle?'

  'Talking too much,’ replied Abaddon, launching himself towards Loken with his bladed fist bathed in lethal energies.

  S * S

  Torgaddon watched as Abaddon charged towards Loken, taking that as his cue to attack Little Horus. His former comrade had seen the intent in his eyes and leapt to meet him as Loken and Abaddon smashed apart the pews along the nave.

  They met in a clatter of battle plate, fighting with all the strength and hatred that only those who were once brothers, but are now bitter enemies, can muster. They grappled like wrestlers until Aximand flung Torgaddon's arms wide and smashed his elbow into his jaw.

  He fell back, blocked the right cross slashing for his face, and closed with Aximand, cracking an armoured knee into his opponent's midriff.

  Little Horus stumbled and Torgaddon knew that it would take more than a knee in the guts to halt a warrior such as Aximand. His former brother was powerfully built, his strength, poise and skill the equal of Torgaddon's.

  The two warriors faced one another, and TorgadВ­don could see a look of regret flash across Little Horus's face.

  'Why are you doing this?' asked Torgaddon.

  'You said you were against us,' replied Aximand.

  'And we are.'

  Both warriors lowered their guards; they were brothers, members of the Moumival who had seen so many battles together that there was no need for posturing. They both knew how the other fought.

  Tarik,’ said Aximand, 'if this could have ended another way, we would have taken it. None of us would have chosen this way,’

  'Little Horus, when did you realise how far you had gone? Was it when the Warmaster told you we were going to be bombed, or some time before?'

  Aximand glanced over to where Loken and AbadВ­don fought. 'You can walk away from this, Tarik. The Warmaster wants Loken dead, but he said nothing about you.'

  Torgaddon laughed. 'We called you Little Horus because you looked so like him, but we were wrong. Horus never had that doubt in his eyes. You're not sure, Aximand. Maybe you're on the wrong side. Maybe this is the last chance you've got to end your life as a Space Marine and not as a slave,’