# Callidus



## Talonmaster Raptoris (Jul 5, 2008)

okay, this is my last atempt at a short story before you all get pissed off at me for posting so much!!:grin: enjoy!!


All was still. The discrete quietude seemed to echo around the atrium, not a single sound tarnished the silence. The sentries stood slouched, obviously not expecting any disturbance to undo their so far uneventful watch. One glanced at the 24-hour shift clock hanging above the arched entrance, seemingly the only piece of technology in the otherwise spartan yard. He grumbled to his companion, and they trudged off comfortably oblivious to what lay beneath their feet.

Zadan felt the tiny tremors in the ground as their boots clomped over his head, crunching on the hard packed gravel. “Not much longer” he thought bleakly. He had been entombed underground for three days waiting for the slim window of opportunity to present itself to complete his mission. The traitor, Inquisitor Ignatius Vaminov, had holed up here after he attempted the assassination of fellow Inquisitor Drchenan with picayune hope he would escape the Emperor’s wrath.	

He pushed himself free of his earthy prison, shacking the clay from his armor. He took a brief look around for errant eyes that might be watching. Satisfied of his invisibility, he darted away. Zadan crouched in a bantam fissure on the eroded flank of the courtyard wall. Reaching into his satchel, he produced a magnesium charge, and planted it to the wall with a soft click.
As he pushed the arm button, flourescent red lights flared on the toggle screen beginning their countdown.

He pushed a small button on his temple, and was rewarded with a flash of information in his bionic eye. The thin nano-wires projected a detailed architectural schematic into his retina, giving him an exit. Pressing his back on the dusty masonry, he shimmed along the wall keeping to the evening shadows. Finally, he came to an air vent, opening the bolts, and climbing inside, replacing the grille soundlessly.

He crawled through the tunnel with arachnidian grace, making little noise as he maneuvered the crawlspace. He wrinkled his nose as the air became stagnant and recycled, the allergens and particles filtered and sanitized. His implant fed him a constant stream of data to his cortex, depicting him as a red dot on the wall. His yellow objective marker was rapidly overtaken as he met his destination.

Zadan peered through the grille. Beneath him was another sentry, adhering to the pattern of lax and unobservant, his shotgun not even loaded. He snorted with disgust.
“It seems that Vaminov’s arrogance has grown as well as his treachery” Without further ceremony he leapt from the vent. Mid-air, hr drew his falchion-Esq. short sword and plunged it into the guard’s vertebrae, sundering the spine and ending his life with a neural spasm. 
The blade’s crystalline matrix hummed with energy as he wiped the blood off the dagger and advanced down the corridor. He moved with startling guile, his feet landing toe-heel for added furtiveness, blade flat against his wrist. He came to an intersection, and began accessing more data on the layout of the building. Abruptly an impact jarred into his shoulder, sending him stumbling forward. He wheeled around to face his attacker hissing like a wounded serpent. Another sentry stood in front of him holding a laspistol at his head. Zadan began to feel the nano mesh armor repairing itself sealing the hole and treating the wound. He chastised himself mentally for being caught unawares by these torpid fools, and made sure it would not happen again.

Brandishing his short blade, he lunged forward with impossible speed at the would-be assailant. His knife lashed out, lacerating the guards throat in a spray of ichor. The guard managed a choked scream before falling in a bloody heap to the ground. The data gathered by his implant told him to go left, and he proceeded down the hall .

After an uneventful five minutes, he peered around a corner at the entrance to his objective. Two massive figures flanked the ornate portcullis, both garbed in similar slate grey armor and livery. “Astartes” he hissed. This was not anticipated. He reached into his satchel, grabbed a small syringe and plunged it into his knee. He shuddered as the polymorphine took effect. Confident his disguise as the Inquisitor’s interrogator had succeeded, he strode out in front of the World Bearer sentries. Zadan entered the sanctum, receiving a curt nod from the massive chaos warriors.

Rogue Inquisitor Ignatius Vaminov sat at his desk, idly scribbling on parchment. He glanced up at Zadan and smiled. 
“That is a formidable disguise assassin, but it seems your subject is quite dead” he pointed to a mutilated pile of what was Daarniv Greyt. 
“I won’t call the guards assassin, I will kill you myself”. Proclaiming this neon lightning erupted from his chest sizzling through the air towards Zadan. He rolled out of it’s path, the energy boring a hole into the rockrete wall.
Zadan darted towards the traitorous bastard and sliced downwards in a ‘u’ shaped slash.

The blow eviscerated Vaminov, raw viscera exposed. The traitor grinned maniacally and waved his hand. His entrails writhed and accrued lamprey like teeth, lashing at his life. He sliced furiously at the vile creatures in a fullicade of gore, all the while Vaminov laughed. Gritting his teeth, Zadan beheaded the last lamprey and stabbed the Inquisitor through the mouth. The smile melted from the heretic’s face as he choked on his own blood, spluttering raw guts. He fell at last chest heaving, and still smiling.

Unconsciousness tugged at his lids, and he fell to the ground exhausted but satisfied that whatever happens next, he completed his mission.


----------



## KellysGrenadier (Jul 13, 2008)

Bravo! Bravo!


----------

