# The First Wraith



## Serpion5

_Almost a century following the Necontyr`s discovery of the C`tan..._


Nayten Coren had been a warrior for his entire adult life. But that meant little when you live the life of a necrontyr. Adulthood came early. Old age followed within a few decades. And death was upon them all too soon. For countless generations, the people had strived to find a means to longer life. Their scientists had explored every angle, their warriors had searched every world. Nothing... Death had followed them everywhere....


Nayten sighed heavily, looking down on his slender, gaunt hand. How many of the Old Ones` spawn had died by his hand, he couldn`t remember. He had chosen to fight for his people, to cast down the Old Ones and take from them what they refused to share...

'Are you alright?' A soft female voice came from beside him.

'What...?' Nayten looked up, seeing a young woman approach. 

'You`re trembling.' She said. 'Are you alright?'

'I...' Nayten struggled to think, trying to clear his mind of the rage that had suddenly overcome him. Only now did he notice that his hand had clenched into a fist and was shaking slightly. 'Yes, Neka, I`m fine.' 

'Dad, why do you spend your time here?' Neka asked, approaching her father and helping him stand. She followed his gaze out across the city square, all but deserted at this late hour. This world was the heart of necrontyr controlled space, even the Old Ones were not yet brave enough to attempt an attack here. 

'I miss it.' Nayten replied. 'I miss the fighting.'

'How could you miss that?' Neka asked, leading her father back towards their dwelling. They entered a nearby building, Nayten remaining silent the whole time. The elevator arrived swiftly and carried them up to where Neka lived. As a scientist working on some secret project for the necrontyr High Council, she had been given a luxurious suite on this capital world. When Nayten had been retired from the military, she had practically insisted that he come and live with her.

Neka`s mother had died several years prior, so it had been an awkward time for both of them at first. But as the cycles went on, they had begun to grow close. Neka would spend her days in the necrontyr scientific research facility, whilst Nayten would roam the city streets, telling his story to any eager young children who would listen. 

'I... I don`t know.' Nayten answered her question as they enterd her dwelling. He looked around at the familiar setting. There was a feeling of technology and machinery all around, it was almost as though Neka had brought the laboratory home with her. 'I just feel as though my life has lost its purpose.' He expression saddened as he continued. 'All my life, I`ve been a soldier. All I`ve ever done is kill. The Old Ones, the enemies of the Star Gods, had been worthy foes. But now, things seem to have lost their way.' He strolled over to the window, taking a seat in his favourite chair.

'It was a losing battle.' Neka said. 'The Star Gods have...' She clamped her mouth shut, turning away.

'Is that what you`re working on?' Nayten asked. 'Have the gods given us a new way to fight?'

'No...' Neka shook her head. 'Dad, please understand, this is not supposed to be public knowledge. Not yet. The Messenger, he told the High Council how we could...' She trailed off, clearly conflicted about defying her orders of confidentiality. But this was her father...

'What?' Nayten demanded.

'He offered us a means of immortality.' She said, looking sadly back at him.

Nayten sat in stunned silence. He could scarcely believe what he had heard. His whole life, he had fought in the name of the Star Gods, because he had believed them to be truly holding the necrontyr`s best interests to heart. But they had the answer all along?

'Why did they not present this sooner?' Nayten demanded. 'Why have we been fighting all this time if the answer was already known to them?'

'Dad, please.' Neka raised a hand. 'This has been ongoing for some time.' She sat beside her father on the arm of the chair, taking his hand and looking pleadingly into his eyes.

'This cannot get out.' She insisted. 'Not yet. We`ve been developing this technology for close to a decade, but there have been a few setbacks and problems. We... We never would have considered this line of work if not for the words of the Messenger.'

'I once fought alongside the Master of Fear against an army of reptilian warriors sired by the Old Ones.' Nayten said. 'The god`s power was unimaginable. He slew scores of enemy warriors with every swing of his great scythe. I followed in his wake, killing those that slipped beneath his notice. I felt...'

'...Dad.' Neka interrupted. 'Why do you torture yourself like this?'

'...I felt his savage joy in killing.' Nayten continued, ignoring her. 'I felt the extreme delight he emanated at inflicting such terror and suffering upon them. He is the incarnation of death, he is certain doom for anything that opposes him. 

'But after each battle, when we had left his presence, I would reflect, and I would realise that we had become monsters. But no matter how disgusted I became with myself, I would always join the next fight.'

Neka turned away, not wanting him to see the tears that had begun to well up in her eyes. She knew what he wanted, she had the means to give it to him. 
He wanted to fight, to kill. He had become a dealer of death, and nothing else could fill the void that his forced retirement had left him with.
Crying softly beyond his notice, Neka made her decision. Nayten would be the next subject for the transference research...


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## Serpion5

It was a restless night for both of them. Neka found herself unable to sleep at all, kept awake by the feelings of guilt and concern. Despite everything that her father was, she was unable to tell him everything. The transference technology was still incomplete, all test subjects so far showing severe signs of mental atrophy.

But her father was stronger. At least, she kept telling herself that he was...

She stood out on the balcony of her dwelling, looking up at the stars in the night sky. Millions of stars shone down on her, and she was forced to wonder how many of them might be nests for the gods. The Star Borne, who had promised eternity and salvation, in exchange for service and worship...

'Couldn`t sleep?' Nayten asked from behind her.

'No.' She replied simply

'Neither could I.' He added.

'You nervous too?' She turned to him, concern rich in her features.

'No, Neka.' He laughed. 'I`m just old.' He laughed again, but it soon delved into a sickly cough. He leaned forward on the railing, simply staring off into the distant cityscape while Neka stood silently at his side. 

After several hours of silent contemplation, simply looking out over the city and stars, Neka finally plucked up the courage to ask the question that had been nagging at the back of her mind ever since she told her father of the transfer process. 

'Are you sure you wanna go through with this?' She asked him. 'I just want to make sure you`ve really thought this through. I mean... this is permanent. We`re talking about spending eternity as a machine. Are you sure you can do this? I can`t imagine what must be going through your mind right now, I just...' She trailed off, fighting back tears as he turned and met her youthful eyes with his wizened stare.

'I am sure, Neka.' Nayten nodded. 'Immortality is what our race has craved since our first encounter with the Old Ones, all those millennia ago. Do you remember, have you read from the chronicles?

'Our ancient forebearers approached the Old Ones and appraised those damn snakes of our plight. We begged them to help us, we offered our knowledge, our service, but they refused. That is why our hatred burns so strong, Neka. The aggression you feel at your heart, I know it is there. It is tens of thousands of years of hatred flowing through ancestral veins. It has become who we are.'

'I know that.' Neka replied sadly, lowering her gaze.

'Then what of you?' Nayten asked his daughter. 'When this technology is perfected, will you undergo this... transfer? Will you leave your mortal form behind, as you have convinced me to do, and take up existence as one of these... machines? That is what they are, correct?

'...Yes.' Neka replied, still not meeting his eyes. 'Machines... crafted loosely in our image.'

'But there is more.' Nayten said. Not a question, he knew of the High Council`s fondness for secrecy. 'There is something you cannot say, not even to me.'

Neka looked up at him. 'I`m worried!' She blurted out at last. 'What if the transfer doesn`t work? You`ll be trapped in that form forever, always less than what you should have been! Always...'

'A shadow?' Nayten suggested.

'A shadow...' She repeated.

Nayten stood and hobbled over to her, his tired legs moving slowly. He embrace his daughter tenderly, assuring her that he appreciated her concern and that she would always have his fatherly love.

'Do not be afraid.' He said. 'I have had my time, and if my fate is to be one step on out race`s road to immortality, then I will gladly be that step. Now please, get some rest.'

He let her go. She smiled gratefully and retreated back indoors. Nayten spent a final few minutes looking up at the stars before he too returned to his room and slept.


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## Inquisitor Varrius

Very well done. 

I like the story, and the installments come in bite-sized pieces, which is great. My only peeve is this:



> He laughed again, quickly it turned into a sickly cough.


This part bugs me. It's purely cosmetic, but the flow feels off. I'd suggest "again; quickly" or "again, and it/but it/etc." It's a weird transition.

And yes, I know I'm being incredibly picky, but I'm putting in my 2 cents anyways.


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## Serpion5

I see your point. Fixed it.



Yay, a response!


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## Chaosrider

This is really cool. Haven't read anything about Necrons before really, so looking forward to more!


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## Serpion5

Thanks ChaosRider. Next bit should be up in a few days.


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## Professor Pumpkin

Very nice reading, good on the eyes as well with the small paragraphs. Can't wait to see the rest. +rep that is deserved.


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## Serpion5

*Memories...*

Nayten had been in the antechamber of the laboratory for some time now. If he had to guess, and he did for the lack of chronometers in the room, he would have said about four and a half hours. His patience was enduring for the time being. He had spent most of the time over by the window, watching the necrontyr civilians going about their lives here, far from the warzone to the galactic south west. Most of them worked in factories of some kind, growing food in hydroponic farms, manufacturing various weapons and technologies used by the warriors, and others would be researchers. At least a third of the industries in the city were devoted to some form of research.

Nayten sighed again. What would his life had been like if he had forsaken the career of a warrior? Would he have been like one of the many individuals traversing the streets below? Milling about in their time off, travelling to and fro between their varying tasks? 

Nayten began to remember his time as a warrior. He had fought at the forefront, of many battles, some even in the presence of the Master of Fear itself. One such battle began to come back to him as he waited, and he could not stop a smile from creeping onto his face...

_‘Forward!’ The commander called, his voice distorted into a metallic roar by the armour he wore. The roar of affirmation from the necrontyr warriors around him brought a similar metallic din to the air. Nayten signalled a charge to his unit, the metal talons fixed to his armour glowing dimly with the inbuilt disruptive field. His warriors confirmed without speaking, their own claws flensing the air in their eagerness to spill some reptilian blood. 

Weapons fire began to impact them. The armour of the necrontyr was superior to the meagre defences of the Old One warriors, and Nayten laughed as he closed the distance. Always the first in his unit, always at the forefront, Nayten had become the epitome of close quarter fighting to his peers and superiors alike. He could almost feel the Commander`s eyes watching him from behind. In front of him, the expression of the snake like warrior began to show signs of fear.

‘HYAAAHHH!’ He roared in savage delight as his talons impacted flesh. The Old One cried out in pain, scrabbling for a concealed weapon near the base of its tail. Nayten did not give it the chance, swinging his other weapon for its throat and closing his bladed hand around the armour plates it wore. Little by little, the disruptive energy field dissolved the alien metal, until at last the naga like creature`s face was exposed. It screamed briefly as the field tore into its face and skull, leaving a charred and deformed mess. Nayten tossed the corpse aside, his armour enhancing his strength and making light work of the creature`s bulk. 

By now, the Old Ones had reacted to the melee, many of them having drawn weapons of otherworldly power to combat the superior technology of their anthromorphic foes. The snake-like Old Ones were more agile than Nayten remembered, and he watched with dismay as two of them slew one of his warriors. One of them had coiled tightly around the necrontyr`s form, immobilising him whilst the other brought its psionically radiating sword to bear on his defenceless head. Even the necrodermic armour of the necrontyr was sorely pressed to resist this power that they possessed, this... magic.

Before he could move to exact retribution, Nayten was assailed from behind by a slithering Old One who was clearly attempting a similar tactic. Nayten struggled uselessly, already able to feel the energies of the creature`s blade at the back of his neck. Death was moments away...

A sudden blast of heat snapped him out of his deathly dreaming as the creature went slack around him. Shaking off the scaly corpse, he looked to the commander, who had his plasma blaster raised. 

‘You`re welcome, trooper.’ His voice rang out to Nayten. ‘Now get back to work!’ 

‘Yes, Commander!’ Nayten laughed coarsely. With his renewed vigour, he surged forth once more, the talons connected to his arm lashing out and spilling alien blood with each stroke and swipe..._

The memory faded. Nayten raised his head, looking around the room. He didn`t know how much time had past while he had been reminiscing, but judging by the position of the sun in the cloudy sky, it must not have been long. Such was the tragedy of his life, he knew for a fact that he cherished every moment he spent on the battlefield, he only regretted that he could not remember anything beyond fleeting moments of combat. 

He wondered if his mind would continue to degenerate in his new form. Or if his mind would even survive at all. All he could do was hope. Focus on what he cherished most...


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## Inquisitor Varrius

I like it. 

I don't really have any complaints with anything in this, beyond that there's no more for the time being. It's good work!


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## Serpion5

Thank you Varrius. :so_happy: 

Can`t promise a time frame for the next piece, but I`ll try have it done within two or three weeks.


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## Shogun_Nate

Fine job I say. It's nice to see a story that comes at you from a different point of view; something you don't see in most 40k-related stories. Keep up the good work bud! 

Good luck and good gaming,

Nate


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## Serpion5

‘Master Nayten?’ A voice called from the door. Nayten turned and saw the aide, a young woman barely seventeen years old by the looks of her. Once again, the pain of a short life surfaced in the old warrior`s mind as he realized this girl would probably be a scientist within a year.

‘Yes, Miss...?’ He began, politely as he could.

‘Lirac.’ The girl replied. ‘I`m here to escort you to the prep room.’ She took another step into the room, and Nayten got a better look at her. She was of a light build, even for a necrontyr and her silver hair was tied back, reaching just past her shoulders. Her teal tinted eyes complimented the sash she wore about her waist, likely an heirloom from a parent or mentor. 

‘Ah.’ Nayten nodded with a smile. ‘Thank you, Lirac.’ She smiled briefly, before leading him down a series of corridors, each one lined with images of past scientists and a list of their individual accomplishments. 

‘What exactly is done in this facility?’ Nayten asked, noting a few weapon designs under the grim faces of some of the necrontyr. 

‘The Northern wing is dedicated to weapons research.’ Lirac explained. ‘At the moment they`re working on a new kind of magnetic based weapon. If it works, it could be applied almost universally.’

‘Sounds impressive.’ Nayten said. ‘Are you allowed to tell me all of this?’

‘Given the nature of what you`re about to do, the council has authorised us to give you full clearance.’ She stopped momentarily, turning around and giving him a sullen look of extreme respect. ‘I saw what happened to the others. Even though we`ve modified the technology, what you`re about to do is extremely risky and experimental. Everyone here has the deepest respect for you, Master Nayten.’

Nayten was speechless. All he could manage was a simple nod of thanks. He had never considered himself any manner of hero. After all, what was the worst that could happen? The procedure could fail, and he could die? Was that not the fate that awaited them all anyway? Lirac returned his nod with one of her own, before turning and resuming her walk. Nayten followed, entranced by her words.

After about fifteen minutes, they reached a large doorway. Lirac pressed her hand to a panel on the wall beside it, and winced as a small mechanism sampled her genetic code. A tone sounded, and the door began to slide smoothly open.

‘By the star gods...’ Nayten`s eyes shot wide with wonder as he took in the enormous room`s contents. 

‘That`s what I said.’ Lirac replied with a smile. ‘Many of these designs were pioneered by the gods themselves.’

‘Star gods?’ Nayten breathed. ‘Here?’ He was exhilarated at the thought. Being in the presence of one of the star borne was like being on some wonderful drug, their visions and dreams filled your mind, and your every desire and action seemed to be geared to their whims. During his service to the Master of Fear, Nayten had become a brutal and efficient warrior, bereft of fear or doubt, his every motivation derived from the Death God`s desire for destruction and suffering. Even after leaving the military, and not by choice at that, Nayten had not lost his taste for battle. He was of course reserved enough not to pick meaningless fights, content mostly to simply reminisce what little tidbits would flow through his memory.

‘Yes.’ Lirac answered, leading him down the hall. ‘We are graced by the presence of the Weaver of Illusions and the Lord of Machines. The Illusion God has been most illuminating in the development of these bodies.’

‘So I see.’ Nayten replied, staring at the evidence all around him. Rows of metal anthromorphic constructs lined the alcoves built into the walls and storage units lining the enormous laboratory. Most of them were of a similar design, skeletal in form with a visage that seemed to suggest malevolence. ‘These things are...’ He could not find the words.

‘Horrifying.’ Lirac said. ‘These are the warrior models. They`re intended for the armies when the transference array is complete. For now, they`re just shells. Once the technology is perfected, they`ll all be fitted with the relevant crystal cores and memory lattices, and we can begin the program en masse.

‘I assume the civilian models will be less...’ Nayten paused momentarily, staring into the leering face of one of the machines. ‘angry looking?’ He broke eye contact with the thing, a disturbing thought, and hurried to catch up to Lirac. He began to hear more voices at the other end of the lab, one of them sounded like Neka.

‘Well, presumably.’ Lirac shrugged. ‘But the military was given priority. We haven`t even begun to design any civilian models yet.’ They rounded the last corner around a rack full of empty machines, before a group of scientists came into view. Each of them was gathered around a working slab. One of the constructs was laid out between them.

‘Dad!’ Neka called. 

‘Neka...’ Nayten replied. ‘What is...that?!’ 

‘This,’ She began, hoisting the thing upright with the help of another scientist. ‘Is your new body.’


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## Inquisitor Varrius

I really like this story!

I agree with Shogun_Nate that the alternative viewpoint is nice, and I like that you're giving emotion to a race that doesn't really have any. Necrons as they exist in 40k are far less interesting in terms of character; this is so much better. Keep it up!


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## Serpion5

Thanks, Varrius. Well they`re not quite necrons yet, but even so, the degeneration of their spirits is an ongoing process. Some of the strongest retain their intellects even in the 40k era, so at this stage there isn`t too much problem. 

That said, the next installments will be a bit more illuminating on that little nutshell... :wink:


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## Serpion5

I would just like to take this oppurtunity to credit Farseer Darvaleth with the creation of this original character in Roleplay threads, and the post that inspired the idea. 

Something I should have done earlier... Sorry Darvy.


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## Farseer Darvaleth

No no, I must credit you. This is epic, and, ultimately, will help me for when my lovely little wraith is next used. Good job, I would've seen it sooner but I'm performing plays twice a day at the moment... anyway, this is amazing. Good work, have some rep!

EDIT: Poo I need to spread some. Anyway, I owe you some rep!


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## Serpion5

Thanks, Farseer. :biggrin: 

Glad you`re doing well and glad you approve! :thank_you:


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## Serpion5

Nayten looked at the machine in Neka`s grip. A look of morbid fascination and horror in equal measure took over his face as he slowly approached the workbench.

‘What do you think?’ he second scientist asked. 

‘It`s...’ Nayten shook his head in disbelief. He looked the construct from bottom to top, his gaze finally coming to rest on the machine`s glaring eye sockets. A sense of deep unease and even fear pervaded his thoughts as he stared at the eyes that were soon to be his own.

‘Are you okay, Dad?’ Neka interrupted. She and her fellow lowered the machine back to the bench, breaking the trance that seemed to have overtaken Nayten`s mind. He shook his head hastily and tried to compose himself. 

‘I-I`m sorry.’ He said. ‘I wasn`t expecting something so... different.’ He took another glance at the machine. The visage and torso resembled the rest of the machines in the hall behind him, but instead of legs it had been constructed with an elongated tail, almost in mocking imitation of the form of the Old Ones rather than the necrontyr. ‘Is it supposed to resemble one of...’ 

‘Them?’ The scientist who had helped Neka answered. ‘In a sense, yes. I`m sorry, where are my manners? My name is Seprin, I am the lead scientist on this project.’ He held out a gaunt hand. Nayten shook it graciously. 

‘It was a design pioneered by the Lord of Illusions.’ Neka began to explain. ‘The idea was that they be the image of death, so as well as looking like a necrontyr skeleton, we designed several to resemble an Old One skeleton as well. To the best of our knowledge, anyway.’ 

Nayten nodded. The Old One`s bodies had a tendency to dissolve into their strange other dimension when they died, so no examples of their bodies had been recovered for long enough to provide a thorough study. He approached the workbench, and took a closer look at the construct that would be his vessel for eternity. He looked at the tail, resemblant of an elongated spinal cord, the tip ending in what looked like some hind of blaster. Upon closer inspection, Nayten deduced that it was simply ornamental, as there was no possibility of fitting a weapon mount in the vertebrae sections leading to it. 
The other scientists and Neka watched with silent anticipation as he examined the machine, working his way up the tail and examining the torso. It was like a skeleton`s ribcage, albeit made of metal, but instead of the breastbone there was a plate bearing the glyph of royalty and nobility.

‘The glyph?’ Nayten asked. 

‘The mark of the gods.’ Seprin answered. ‘We are their chosen, Master Nayten. We will all bear their marks, and serve them through eternity.’ 

‘I see...’ Nayten answered, a slight nagging sensation forming at the back of his mind. He ignored it and turned his focus to the arms. The left hand ended in a bladed talon much like the gauntlets he used to wield. But the other looked like some kind of surgical tool. He was not impressed with it.

‘What is this?’ He demanded. ‘Who designed this arm? What the hell`s it for?’

‘It`s a torture weapon.’ Seprin explained. ‘You were a servant of the Bringer of Darkness, were you not? I thought that you would-‘

‘No!’ Nayten interrupted him. ‘I was never its servant in this regard. My purpose was to kill. Not to maim, not to burn, simply to kill!’ He raised the syringe laden arm and took another look, before dropping it and turning away in disgust. ‘When you`re on the battlefield, you don`t worry about inflicting pain for the sake of the gods! Trust me, the Bringer of Darkness was more than capable of doing its own deeds, if it wanted to inflict fear and pain, it did so of its own accord. We did not feed the god`s desire for suffering, rather it fed _our_ desire for vengeance!’ 

‘I see.’ Seprin nodded. ‘What would you prefer instead of that then?’

‘Well...’ Nayten thought back. Remembering at once the weapons he used to wield, a smile crossed his lips. ‘Ghost talons.’ He answered. He held up his hands, mimicking the movements of his old weapons with a fond sense of nostalgia. 

‘Alright then.’ Seprin conceded. ‘Lirac, tell the crew in the weapons division that we need a pair of ghost talons immediately.’

‘Yes, Master.’ Lirac bowed slightly and left. Her footsteps echoed rapidly as she jogged steadily back the way she and Nayten had come. 

‘She`ll be a fine scientist one day.’ Seprin nodded approvingly. 

‘She`ll be one of these things one day.’ Nayten said sourly. Seeing the unwanted implement on what was to be his body for eternity had awoken a thought that had yet to occur to him. ‘Are you all giving this the thought it warrants?’ He asked them.

‘What do you mean?’ Seprin asked.

‘I mean, are you content to look like one of these things for the rest of eternity?’ Nayten asked in wide eyed shock. ‘Think about it. I`m about to switch my mind into a body that is designed purely for destruction and carnage. What will become of me when all wars are finally over? Will I even be capable of existing in a time of peace?’ His old heart began to beat rapidly, as thoughts of degenerating into some mindless killing machine filled his head.

‘We`ve all considered that.’ Seprin began. ‘Do you remember the old Tomb Ships? The ones that would keep people in stasis as they travelled between the stars? We`ve come so much further since then, our ships can travel light years in the blink of an eye, the stasis VR programs are no longer needed, yet we still use them for recreation. Have you not considered that we could incorporate one of them to keep our warriors occupied in times of peace?’

‘So my eternity will be spent in combat regardless...’ Nayten muttered grimly. ‘What about you. Neka?’ He asked, turning to his daughter. ‘What has you motivated to go through with this?’

‘Simple.’ She replied. Through a saddened expression, her reply tore Nayten`s heart in half.

‘I don`t want to die.’


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## Inquisitor Varrius

:biggrin:
Excellent. I didn't know this character came from another thread, but your back story is wonderful. You've got a knack.


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## Shogun_Nate

Still a good read bud. You really have this down to an art. I reiterate earlier statements about the uniqueness of the point of view this story is written in. Finally glad I have a weekend to sit down and catch up on these stories! Keep up the good works!

Good luck and good gaming,

Nate


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## Serpion5

Thanks guys. I`ll be working on the next bit through the week.


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## Serpion5

I just want to say first that I`m really sorry for taking so long with the next part, I`ve been working on homebrew fluff for another guy, and on top of that I`ve been hit with writer`s block really hard. But here`s the next part. I anticipate another three, maybe four before it ends.  


--- --- --- 

‘I don`t want to die.’ 

Neka`s words were like a kick in the stomach to Nayten. He could not prevent a tear from forming at his eye as he realised he had forgotten the very reason for this whole research. Immortality? Wasn`t that the whole point?

‘Come now.’ Seprin interrupted. ‘Is this really the time to be discussing this? We need to modify the shell to Master Nayten`s specifications before His Lordship arrives.’

‘What?!’ Nayten asked, intrigued. ‘Who is coming here?’

‘Lord Mithrahc.’ Seprin said. ‘The emissary of the Weaver of Illusions. We are expecting both him and his patron to witness your transcendence in honour of this occasion.’

‘Illusion?’ Nayten breathed. He had heard of this star god only in passing before, understanding it to be an ally of the Bringer of Darkness. If he recalled correctly, Illusion`s power focussed on memory and emotion, seemingly it was able to manipulate both in its subjects and foes alike. 

‘Yes.’ Seprin continued. ‘Now Nayten, would you care to take a short break? I`m sure this little exchange has been a little tense, it would probably be best to get any stress out of your system before the process begins.’ He held out a supporting hand to Nayten, and the old warrior suddenly realized how tired he really was.

- - - 

...45...46...47... Nayten counted the chariots as they flew past the window. Normally counting helped him to get to sleep, but in this case it simply wasn`t working. Knowing that a star god would soon come to witness him risking his life for the pursuit of immortality was overwhelming. Part of him anticipated the presence of the god with a sense of joy and excitement, while another part of him paled with fear and apprehension. To be in the presence of a god.

In truth, he wanted nothing more. He wanted to share and revel in the star borne`s power and majesty, to feed his own emotions to the being and feel them fed back to him a hundred fold. He remembered his time serving the death god again. Never before or since had he felt such power, such raw hatred or such malevolent delight. Every life he took was a blessing, every drop of blood he spilt was like an ocean of ecstasy. Only after many months of separation did the bloodlust finally recede. Only then did he trust himself to be in the presence of his own daughter...
Nayten rolled over, counting wasn`t doing him any good. He sighed deeply, his ribs creaking with the effort, and tried his hardest to fall asleep. 

- - - 

‘Are you really sure about him?’ Seprin asked, delicately picking up a disconnector tool and beginning to work on the construct`s hand. 

‘What do you mean?’ Neka asked. ‘He`s wanted this for almost four years now. Retirement was a worse fate than being killed in his eyes. He never wanted to stop fighting, I mean it took him two and a half years to resolve his anger! He didn`t even want to see me until a year and a half ago...’ A glistening drop appeared in the corner of her eye and she turned away.

‘Neka?’ Seprin called. ‘Maybe you should take a rest as well.’

- - - 

It may have been two hours or even less, but Nayten did feel fairly refreshed when he awoke from his sleep. Standing and stretching with the telltale creak of an old man`s body, he limped steadily;y over to the door and pressed the activation glyph.
Lirac was a few strides away when the door opened. 

‘Master Nayten.’ She bowed curtly. ‘I was just on my way to find you. Your body has been modified, we just finished half an hour ago.’

‘Why the rush?’ Nayten asked, rubbing his eyes a little.

‘We`re expecting our honoured guests to arrive in ten minutes!’ Lirac replied. ‘Come on!’ 

They hurried as quickly as Nayten`s legs would allow, stopping once to allow him a brief rest. It took them six minutes to reach the reception chamber, where Seprin and Neka were waiting. A line of honour guard lined the main pathway and Nayten stood beside Neka opposite the senior scientist. 

‘I`m gonna go...’ Lirac started.

‘Yes yes, go!’ Seprin replied hurriedly. Nayten was momentarily confused, before noticing that Seprin had changed into a smart formal suit, in contrast to the slightly dirty work uniform Lirac still wore. She was gone in a few moments. 

‘Are you nervous?’ Neka asked. ‘I`ve never met this star god before. I`ve only ever had contact with the Messenger, and only once.’

‘I thought they pioneered these designs?’ Nayten asked her back. ‘Were they not here during your research at some point?’ 

‘Actually, Most of their ideas and demands were given to us in one go by the Messenger. We`ve been working off those concepts ever since. The Lord of Machines concerns itself primarily with weapons designs, and not long ago it left for some battlefront.’

‘What about the memory god?’ Nayten asked. ‘I thought it was pioneering these designs?’ 

‘It`s just returned from war.’ Seprin said. ‘The gods crave the destruction of the Old Ones. They have all taken to the battlefield at one stage or another. Now it returns to witness your ascendancy. ‘

They stood in silence for two more minutes. The tension was unbearable. Nayten was beginning to fear he would have a heart attack and die from anticipation.

Then at last...

The door at the end of the antechamber opened, and the three of them beheld a god.


----------



## Serpion5

*A god...*

Nayten stared in wonder as the three figures at the end of the room approached. The one in the middle, an emissary of sorts, most likely Lord Mithrahc. But the other two... 

Oh, the other two! 

One was a figure of magnificent gold, his horned head and perfect form glowing with an unworldly light. The honour guard lining the chamber dropped to their knees and averted their gaze as the Benevolent Messenger looked down upon them. 

The other was slightly larger and glowed with a dull metallic blue. Where the Messenger displayed a familiar and friendly face to those under its graces, the Blue Weaver of Illusions wore nothing but a blank mask of light where a face would be. There was no hint of emotion, not aura of benevolence, there was only its sheer overwhelming presence. 

Nayten could feel himself shrinking as the two beings approached. Beside him, Seprin and Neka did likewise. To be in the presence of a Star God was a privelige few of the necrontyr would ever know, yet here they stood before two of them! 

'Master Nayten, I presume?' The Emissary called. 

'I...' Nayten could not muster any words as the three figures came to a stop before them. Neka and Seprin dropped to one knee before the figures and bowed their heads. 

'Please, rise.' The emissary spoke again. 'You are before the Benevolent Messenger and his brother the Weaver of Illusions. My name is Mithrahc, the emissary of the Anubic quadrant.' 

'Lord Mithrahc, we are honoured by your presence and the presence of our masters.' Seprin said, rising to his feet. 

'And we are eager to witness your progress.' The Messenger said. Its words were spoken in an almost whispered voice, quiet and soothing. 

Nayten remembered back to when he had fought under the Bringer of Darkness. The god`s words had been booming and permeated his very being, but the Messenger`s words were spoken at a level a mortal could truly hear and respond to without being overwhelmed. 

'As you wish, O Holiness.' Seprin bowed again, and with as much ceremony as he could muster, led the group into the lab. 

- - -

Lirac was already prepping the machine when they arrived, and was dressed far more smartly than she had been previously. Her simple work clothes had been replaced with a formal wear akin to that worn by servants of the nobles and royarchs rather than a mere labouror. 

'We`re almost ready, My Lords.' She said as they entered the room. When the two gods entered behind them she dropped to one knee. 

'Do not feel the need to stall your endeavours on our account.' The Messenger said kindly. 'Please, go about your business as you otherwise would.' It smiled warmly, and Lirac rose to her feet. She and the other two scientists began making preparations immediately following the Messenger`s words. 

Nayten watched as they worked. The makeshift workstation did seem a little hastily erected, but he nonetheless had faith in his daughter`s trust. 

_'Where are the others?_ A voice asked suddenly, reverbeating heavily and shaking them all. It took a few moments for the necrontyr to register that Illusion had spoken. 

'The others, O Holiness?' Seprin asked. 'You refer to the previous attempts?' 

_'Yes.'_ It replied. _'Has our courageous volunteer seen what possible fate awaits him?'_

'Brother, surely there is no need for-' The Messenger began to speak.

_'Silence.'_ Illusion cut him off. _'In any case, I wish to observe the scale of improvement in this technology.'_

'I will fetch one of them.' Seprin said hastily, and rushed from the room. 

'Others.' Nayten muttered. 'Clearly my predecessors did not simply die?' He shot an inquisitive glance at Neka and Lirac. 

'No.' Neka replied sadly. 'I`m sorry.' 

_'Enough.'_ The Weaver of Illusions began. _'Make it happen. Now.'_

Neka brought forth a chair on a hovering platform and set it down next to the bench containing the construct. With considered hesitation, Nayten sat and inhaled sharply. 

'Good luck.' Neka whispered as she affixed the machine`s parts. She gave him one final kiss on the cheek before withdrawing. 

'Are you ready?' He heard Lirac`s voice from somewhere behind him. He looked forward and met the gaze of Lord Mithrahc, as well as the intrigued face of the Messenger and the blank visage of the Weaver of Illusions. 

Before he could respond, the Blus God answered the question for him. 

_Do it.'_

--- --- ---


----------



## Serpion5

*A necron is born. Immortality?*

_'Do it.'_

Neka squeezed her eyes shut and hit the activation glyph on the main terminal. At the same time, Lirac activated a device a short distance away which recorded the events before them for study in the event of a failure. 

A few moments passed with nothing more than a low humming. As the humming increased, Mithrahc and the two gods beside him began to notice a twitch of movement in the skeletal construct. 

'It was like this before.' Mithrahc observed, meeting Nayten`s gaze. 'The others all started out well. But we must wait and see if his mind truly survives the process.' 

- - -​
Nayten looked back at Mithrahc, not really hearing his words as he struggled against the supreme sense of disorientation he felt. Mithrahc`s form seemed hazy and indistinct, as though it was not really there. But not just the royarch, everything seemed translucent. 

And then... Pain. Pure, undiluted pain. He screamed now, at the very top of his lungs. He tried to move, to stand, but it seemed heis every muscle was paralysed with unremitting agony. All he could do was scream, wishing hoping begging for the pain to stop! 

- - -​
Neka couldn`t stop the tears from flowing as her father screamed in the transferrence throne. None but Seprin truly understood how this device worked, and if this was a normal part of the device`s intended function he couldn`t say so in his absence. 

'This is... hard to watch.' Lirac said, almost at tears herself. 

'Will this be a normal part of the transferrence?' Mithrahc called over the screaming. 

_'Not likely.'_ Illusion replied. _'I can see something abnormal in the machine`s function. This was not its intended purpose.'_

Before anyone could question further, the screaming stopped. A flicker of something almost tangible passed between the two gods, and the Messenger stepped forward. Placing a hand on Nayten`s chest, it looked around at the others with a look of what appeared to be sadness. 

'The life has left this form.' It said. 'Now, we must see if his mind has transferred intact.' 

They looked at the skeletal serpent form still strapped to the makeshift worktable. It was silent and still for a long minute. 

And then, it began to scream. 

- - -​
Nayten was relieved as the pain finally stopped. But by now his vision had faded completely, and all he could see was darkness. He could not feel a thing, wasn`t breathing, and was only dimly aware of his own existence at any level. 

_Am I... dead?_ He wondered. _Did it... fail?_ 

No, it couldn`t be. He still remembered, he still thought! If his mind was this intact, then surely the transferrence must have worked?! He tried to shout, tried to move, tried to _DO SOMETHING!_ This was hell, unable to even percieve his own self was like being a prisoner of oblivion, there was simply nothing. Nothing. It was maddening. 

A noise. Yes, he had heard a noise, like someone`s voice. He listened, trying vainly to focus, but with no form or direction, all he could do was hope to catch the voice again. 

_Life.. left this form..._ He heard. That voice. The Messenger? 

He tried again to do something, then he heard an almighty metallic scream. It was as though a hundred blades were being scraped along a metal floor, and only when he tried to drown out the noise did Nayten realize that it was in fact _him_ that was screaming. 

_I`m intact!_ He cried ecstatically. _It worked! It worked! IT WORKED!_ He writhed, trying to move, trying to speak. 

_It`s moving!'_ He heard. 

'I`m moving!' He screamed, hearing his new voice for the first time. But still he could not see. 'Where is everything?!' 

_Open your eyes!'_ He heard. Neka? Neka was calling him! He tried to feel, to perceive something. He had no eyelids, no eyes! How could he-? 

Suddenly, hie world was filled with light, and he could see. He could... see. He looked up, and saw the amazed faces of Lirac and Neka. He somehow had moved into the far corner of the chamber, curled up on the floor, despite having no recollection of moving. But wait, he thought and realized that made perfect sense. He had no sense of touch anymore. Would he need to navigate entirely by sight now? 

'I cannot feel anything!' He shouted. He saw, rather than felt, as his bladed hand slammed into the floor in frustration. 

'You need to focus, Father!' Neka called to him. His gaze shifted, evidently as his head lifted. 'You have inbuilt senses now, you need to focus to activate them!' 

'How do I feel?' He cried. 'This is unbearable! I cannot function by sight! I need to... feel.' His voice lowered as a new sensation suddenly came to him. He could feel air brushing against his body. He moved an arm, and felt the air resistance. 

'Did it work?' Neka asked, inching closer. 

'Yes.' He replied. He looked down, seeing for the first time the coiled serpentine tail that supported his new form on the ground. 'I look like one of them...' He said, seeming a little disappointed. He felt the cold metal floor on his... tail, as he slithered across the floor, getting the hang of moving without legs. 

'Wonderful!' Mithrahc`s voice filled his senses. 'Nayten, are you truly in there?' 

Nayten turned around, seeing the two gods looking on, nodding their approval and seeming to be locked into a discussion of their own, Mithrahc approached alone. Nayten looked at the bench that had held this body and noticed with a little trepidation that it had been cut to ribbons. It had obviously occured before he had full control of his form. And... His former body must have already been removed from the chamber. Lirac was also gone. 

'I am here, Royarch.' Nayten answered, sliding over and meeting Mithrahc`s entranced gaze. 'It would seem that they... were successful.' 

'You remember everything?' Mithrahc asked, unable to divine any emotion or thought from Nayten`s... face. 

Nayten tilted his head back. What did he remember?


----------



## ThatOtherGuy

Good work Serpion. I see that your quality in writing has improved since you began. I like this interesting take on this story, a refreshing angle from the majority of plots around here. Its also nice that its about the Necrons rather than the Imperium or Chaos (both are good to write about, but both are over done here.)

+Rep


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## Serpion5

Thank you Sir.  

That means a lot. :thank_you:


----------



## Serpion5

*Deceit?! True colours...*

Nayten awoke, groggy and spent. He was sitting in the same chair, hernessed and hooked up to the strange machine intended to transfer his mind to the skeletal construct. But nothing had happened. There had been pain, pure unrelenting pain, and then he had passed out. Now he was in a room of silence and darkness. There was only a dim light source from a nearby terminal and from what he could see he seemed to be in a secondary laboratory or observation room somewhere. 

Had the procedure failed? 

'Can anybody hear me?' He called. It was difficult, but he managed to turn his head slightly in either direction despite the headstrap. He was alone, unheard and it felt as though he had been abandoned here... 

_Oh, have no fear little soldier, rather be proud of your success!_ A familiar voice entered his head. He knew that voice, he had heard it so recently! 

'Messenger?' He asked, looking around in trepidation. 'Are you here? Did the device fail?' 

_'Far from it.'_ The Messenger answered, materialising through the wall before him. 'The duplication process was a complete success. You should be proud of having such a powerful mind.' 

'Dupli...' Nayten trailed off, his thoughts making the conclusion that his heart could not bear to hear. 'How can that be?!' 

'It`s rather simple.' The Messenger began. 'You see, the construct is quite capable of autonomous function, however the AI will only work at a fairly fundamental level. The design Seprin and I devised was to allow for an organic mind to become part of the mech`s functions. In essence, the mind of a necrontyr was theperfect catalyst to allow the constructs to think on a higher level.' 

'So what? You`re duplicating our minds into those things?' Nayten protested. 'You`re using us to create immortal slaves and then leaving us to die anyway?!' His shock was quickly turning to anger. 

'Don`t be silly.' The god laughed. 'I won`t leave you to die. I fully intend to kill you here and now.' 

'NOOO!' Nayten screamed. 'You`re gonna do this to all of them, aren`t you?! Betray us all and turn us into slaves and then feed on our true selves for your own damn amusement?! Damn you, you wretched being! You hear me?! You won`t get away with this!' 

'Oh, but I will.' The Messenger replied sweetly, moving in close. It placed a hand on Nayten`s chest. 'I will. You want to know the best part of this? Well, two best parts actually.' 

'Go to hell.' Nayten spat, feeling his energy already leaving him through the god`s touch. 

'So rude.' It replied. 'Anyway, did you know it was all Seprin`s idea? There really is a transferrence machine, he built it for himself alone.' 

Nayten growled in resigned frustration. Seprin had betrayed his entire friggin` species to live forever. What a worthless sack of shit. Damn... 

'But the best part, you`ll love this.' The god leaned in close, timing the last words perfectly. 'Your daughter has volunteered to be next.' 

Nayten died before he could reply... 

- - -​
Seprin and Mithrahc watched with interest as Nayten spoke with his daughter and Lirac, discussing the functions of his new form and trying to assist him in understanding its abilities. The lab was empty aside from the five of them and one extra, and the mood was a unique blend of celebration and concern. 

'Do you think this will be ready for widespread use anytime soon?' Mithrahc asked. 

'I cannot say.' Seprin replied. 'There are a few volunteers here who have agreed to undergo the procedure at the next oppurtunity, myself and Neka included, but I have also received word from certain nobles who have expressed their doubts.' 

'As have I.' Mithrahc nodded. 'It would seem they want assurances of their dominance. None of them wish to lose the status they hold currently. I must confess I do not like the idea of being reduced to a mere automaton like thos earlier.' 

Both of them looked at the sixth figure standing silently in the corner. It was one of their earlier attempts at transferrence and had failed abysmally to live up to expectations. Nayten had looked at it briefly, and made no effort to hide how disgusted he was. 

In truth, Seprin didn`t care. It would still function when the time came, all that mattered was that those who mattered would still be around to see it. 


--- --- ---​

Big revelation on the way...


----------



## Keen4e

Great story. The mindless killers Necrons are my favorite faction after the Imperium. I was always fascinated by emotionless races and Necrons also have fine technologies. So I definitely enjoyed reading it.


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## Farseer Darvaleth

Oh Serp I just saw this on your sig link.... wow. Loved the Ghost's Talons introduction, and the transferral... very awesome. :victory:


Keep it up, it's amazing. :goodpost:


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## Serpion5

Keen4e said:


> Great story. The mindless killers Necrons are my favorite faction after the Imperium. I was always fascinated by emotionless races and Necrons also have fine technologies. So I definitely enjoyed reading it.


Thank you mate. I do these because I enjoy the challenge of making xenos relatable.  



Farseer Darvaleth said:


> Oh Serp I just saw this on your sig link.... wow. Loved the Ghost's Talons introduction, and the transferral... very awesome. :victory:
> 
> 
> Keep it up, it's amazing. :goodpost:


Thanks Darvy. :biggrin: 

I am now beginning the process of instigating plot and character changes to tie him in with the... erm, disaggreeable fellow, that you write about in your posts. :wink:


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## Farseer Darvaleth

Tsk. :laugh: It had to happen at some stage, I mean he's sorta nice now. He'll be an utter bastard at one stage. :biggrin:


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## Serpion5

*Combat Training.*

_Three Days later... _​
Nayten flexed his back and leaned slightly backwards, he had found it helped to keep balance in this form. If he remembered correctly, the Old Ones also positioned themselves this way at rest, and seemed to lurch forward when on the attack. He had to move quite rapidly to keep from falling forward, but with practice he had found himself more than capable. 

'Ready?' Seprin called from the side of the training hall. 

'Ready.' Nayten replied, still unused to his metallic voice. 'Activate it.' 

Seprin nodded, hitting a switch on his remote, and the training droid opposite Nayten whirred into life. It resembled one of the Old One`s creations for combat and focus purposes. Necrontyr military intelligence had achieved a lot in the way of appealing to the average mentality of their soldiers. 

Nayten let loose a metallic warcry and darted forth, still surprised at his agility and still learning the limits of this form. He flicked his tail, leaping into the air and sailing over the creature. He aimed a swipe at its reflexively raised arm, slicing deep into the metal and following through with a stab into the droid`s back. He had clearly hit a vital system because the thing slumped. It tried to turn and face him, raising a pathetically aimed strike. Nayten dodged it easily and finished with a brutal decapitation. 

'This is getting pathetic.' Nayten called. 'No offense to your droids Seprin, but surely we`ve learned enough?' He slid over to where the cryptek was standing and noting something on his control pad. 

'Without a doubt, they cannot match you.' Seprin nodded, not even baulking as Nayten`s towering form stopped and coiled up next to him. 'But this is about more than simply destroying my tools, I want you to learn your own limitations and abilities as well.' 

Nayten shuffled slightly. 'That isn`t possible.' He retorted. 'Unless my limits are truly being tested. You cannot simply conduct these lab tests for weeks at a time and expect accurate results. I need to see... True battle.' 

Seprin was silent. He simply stared back at Nayten`s dimly glowing eyes whilst seemingly lost in thought. 

'Well?' Nayten asked impatiently, lowering himself to Seprin`s eye level. 

'So you think you`re ready?' Seprin asked. 

'Of course!' Nayten replied, his voice sounding strange and unfamiliar in its excitement. 

'Then follow me.' Seprin said, leading Nayten from the lab. 'The Messenger and Illusionist will want to hear of your... confidence.' 

- - -​
Mithrahc and the Messenger were exalted to hear that Nayten was eager to see combat. 

'This is indeed good news.' Mithrahc replied, meeting Nayten`s eyes and nodding approvingly. Nayten wasn`t sure, but it almost looked as though there was some tinge of regret or sadness there. It passed as the Royarch continued; 'Why, The Lord and I were just discussing when this might come up. You see, a joined effort by the Messenger and his brother has resulted in a success on the battlefield that we have never attained in the past. One that may see us advance in a whole new direction.' 

Nayten was taken back. He looked sideways at Seprin, then looked up at the Messenger. 'Was this the reason for your return?' He asked. He began to suspect...

'Yes.' The Messenger replied. 'I am sorry, it pains me to have deceived you Nayten, but I wanted to ensure the transferrence was working before I committed you to such a dangerous situation. You are quite valuable you see, if you were lost it would set this operation back a fair bit. We still need to properly ascertain the extent, if any, of your mental weaknesses from the transferrance.' 

'I feel fine.' Nayten said. 'I am ready for this, Lord. Let me prove myself to you.' 

'Are you absolutely sure Nayten?' Mithrahc interjected. 'You must be aware that this is no ordinary foe we have captured. It`s...' 

As Mithrahc trailed off, Nayten leaned in. The suspicion he felt was all but confirmed when the royarch met his gaze at last. 

'That`s it isn`t it?' He asked, almost laughing in glee. 'You captured one at last? You want to test my new form against an Old One warrior?' He could hold himself back no longer, at last he would realize the limits of his new form and mind, at last, at very long last... 

He would fight a true fight. 

--- --- ---​
Next: Nayten vs Old One?!


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## Farseer Darvaleth

Fight fight fight! :laugh:


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## johnbriner

This is well written and I like how the story progresses. Looking forward to read your next post.


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## Serpion5

*Grand Design*

Nayten, Mithrahc, the Messenger and Seprin looked down into the containment cell. From high above, in a secure chamber, they were able to see it without being seen in return. Seprin was conversing with the two attending scientists in the far end of the station. 

The other three meanwhile, looked down at the captive creature in the cell beneath. An Old One... 

'How did you capture it?' Nayten asked in astonishment. 'Whenever we fought them, they would always vanish when we tried to take one alive. They would cross over into that other realm of theirs...' 

'Indeed.' Mithrahc replied. 'But Master Nayten, there was far more to our military efforts than simply trying to kill or capture these beings. We were also studying them as they fought. You were no doubt accompanied by Science Teams on occasion, yes? They were able to record various pieces of data, among which were the energy waves they emit when using their powers.' 

'You can block their abilities?!' Nayten asked, stupefied. 

'More than that.' The Messenger stepped in. 'We can actually weaken them. When you fight this creature, it will be a battle of flesh against metal. There will be not extradimensional interference.' 

'Not all of them seemed to have the same level of talent.' Nayten advised. 'I had killed more than a few in my years of service. All of them simply vanish when slain, disappearing into whatever realm empowers them.' 

'We think that is likely a manifestation of their link to that realm.' The Messenger replied. 'We will see if it still happens that way while the link is severed.' 

Nayten stared, in silent contemplation, for a few more moments. If this worked, coupled with the success of the transferrence technology, then the war was about to take an entirely different direction... 

'I`m ready.' He said. 

- - -​
Nayten was still as the heavy steel doors hissed open. Sliding forward slowly and silently, he stared at the creature in the centre of the giant chamber. Even now the room was being flooded with energy wavelengths somehow attuned to negate the alien`s connection to its cursed other realm. As Nayten approached, he got a good look at it. Its form was a chilling reminder of the body he now inhabited. 

'Old One.' He said, his voice hostile and tinged with echo. 'Are you prepared to meet your fate?' 

It stared back at him, before lowering its gaze and unfurling to full size. Its top section, torso upwards was similarly anthromorphic to most sentient races, albeit a bit stockier than that of a necrontyr. Its face bore the same facial features as most, two eyes, a nose, mouth and ears. Almost unsettlingly, it looked back with a tinge of sadness as it uncoiled its tail. Long and sinuous, like the serpentine form of Nayten himself.

'Do you still call us thusly?' It asked. 'Old Ones? Can your mind not grasp our true name?' It almost sounded mocking, in a smooth lightly reptilian voice. Yet its face lost none of the sadness it had held since Nayten had entered. 

'Do not mock me, creature.' Nayten hissed. 'Or else I will prolong your suffering.' He was aware of a slight change in the room`s illumination. Raising a hand, he saw the reflected glow of his own eyed in the metal. 

_Glowing eyes? Really?_ He thought to himself. _My my, Seprin. That is so cliche`._ He almost laughed to himself. Oh well, if intimidation tactics worked. 

'You cut me off from the Warp.' It said, moving on the spot to follow Nayten as he began to circle it. 'And now, you wish to prolong my suffering and kill me?' It now seemed confused, looking down on him with a look of bewilderment. 'I don`t understand your kind. You so desperately want to live, yet you pursue actions that lead to your death? We don`t want to kill you. But we cannot let you destroy what we try to create.' 

'You had a chance to help us, and you chose not to!' Nayten shouted, baring his talons. He would not hold back much longer. 

'Your kind, casts a darkness in the warp.' It began, again expressing sadness. 'It is borne from your own fears and hatreds, and will one day destroy you. If we were to grant your kind longer life, greater power, that darkness would become a very real threat. Right now it is small, weak. It cannot feed for more than a few decades from each of you, severely limiting its influence. We dare not risk making it stronger.' 

'I DON`T KNOW WHAT YOU`RE TALKING ABOUT!' Nayten screamed and launced himself at the creature. Bereft as it was of any psychic ability, it was still about one and a half times bigger than Nayten and fairly strong to boot. Nayten impacted heavily against the creature, his claws digging deep into the flesh of its lower torso. It struck back with a powerful palm strike, hitting Nayten in the chest and knocking him back. Nayten lowered himself slightly and sprang up, jumping over the alien`s head and lashing out. 

'Ugh!' It recoiled from his strikes, suffering a deep gash below its left eye and then retreated several paces from where Nayten landed. 

He sprang after it, delivering a flurry of strikes that hit the creature in the forearms as it tried to defend itself. So focussed was Nayten on attacking that he did not see the Old One`s tail coiling around him. Too late he realized, and tried to jump out of the way. 

He was a fraction too slow, his leap offset by and interfering swipe and he landed hard off balance and fell to the floor. Reacting swiftly, he coiled and sprang upright, expecting an attack. But it simply stood there, watching him rise. 

'Why are you not taking this seriously?!' He roared. 'Have you given up so easily?' His voice hummed constantly in his anger, a low metallic growling that sounded like a vengeful spirit out for blood. 

'Why do you defy your fate?' It asked. 'Is your will to exist so strong that you seek... this?' It gestured to the metal form seething before it. 

'Your kind lives forever.' Nayten replied, trembling with pure rage. 'And you ignore our plight? Why do we have no right to live forever as you do?! This path was forced upon us by your inaction!' He raised an accusing talon at the creature. 

'We don`t live forever.' It replied. 'In time, all living things must perish. It is the way of this world, this universe. The new must supplant the old. In time, our races will both be gone, and the young will inherit the stars. I do not grieve for knowing this. I simply accept my place in the grand design.' 

'Whose design!' Nayten screamed again, launching into a flurry of attacks. His talons moved like quicksilver, too fast to see , too strong to block. As the Old One retreated against his onslaught, suffering grievous wounds with every metre taken, Nayten roared his frustrations for all to hear. 'You speak of accepting our place? You who would have seen thousands of generations of necrontyr perish? You who have access to the fathomless depths of your damned other realm? I say Never! There is no fairness in it! If our kind are to die and be forgotten, then so shall you! I will not simply accept that I do not matter in this supposed "Grand Design!" I will defy your hand! I will defy what cruel fate has decided for us!' 

With a final slash, he punctured the creature`s torso and threw it backwards. The alien lay on its back, bleeding heavily from itschest wound. 

'Now you, like us, will know and fear death!' Nayten hissed, looking down on the dying creature as it was bathed in the intense glow of his own hate filled eyes. 

'I will know death.' It replied between gasping breath. 'But unlike you...' 

It struggled to form the last words... 

'I will... not be... afraid...' 

And then, it lay still, cold and dead...


----------



## komanko

So serp, when do you plan to start selling those books you've been writing XD


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## Serpion5

komanko said:


> So serp, when do you plan to start selling those books you've been writing XD


When I actually finish one... Drafts are all there, just need to finish typing them. :wacko: 

So far I have one chapter of the first book done. It took me four months. :laugh:

I just need to establish a routine. Haven`t been working for the past month, so any semblance of dicipline is just gone.


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## komanko

Mista Flynn, you should really get yourself organized


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## Serpion5

Yessir Mista Belenky...  

*_starts typing_*


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## komanko

Good, good, Tzeentch's plan is coming to fruitation.

*Begins to laugh and cackle madly.*

Edit: If you played DoW2 retri, imagine me saying the Mista part like the warboss says to Mista Nailbrain.


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## WarpSpawned

Very good, Serpion, I like how its going


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## Serpion5

Thanks to Warp and John Briner for the positive Feedback.  And Komanko for his... encouragement? :laugh: 

--- --- ---​
Nayten looked down at the dead thing beneath him. As his rage subsided, clarity began to return to his mind. Only now did he realize how bizarre the change felt. There was no adrenalin coursing through his system, no rapid breathing or heartbeat. Without these, the emotion, the anger was somehow... stronger? Yes, he could not remember ever feeling a burning hate as deep as the one he had felt just now. It was fantastic, beyond any thrill he had ever experienced before. 

_'Nayten?'_ A voice called him from a speak-caster somewhere. He looked up to the observation port, seeing Mithrahc and Seprin looking down at him. 

'You seem to have won.' The Messenger spoke from just beside him, causing Nayten to recoil slightly in surprise. 

'How did you get there so fast?' He asked. The Ghost talons were still flensing the air at his sides, Nayten having made no conciouss effort to stop them. 

'I`m a god, I can do what I want.' The Messensger replied with a grin. It walked past the blood covered form of Nayten and looked down on the shredded alien before him. 'Quite interesting. It appears that they are creatures of flesh after all. Their ability to disappaite and vanish upon death must have something to do with their connection to this other realm of theirs. The Warp did he call it?' 

'I believe so.' Nayten replied, still curious. 'Did you... Did you walk through the wall?' 

'Is that so surprising?' The Messenger asked in amusement. 'In all your years serving the Nightbringer, did you never see it pass through anything?' 

'Not without the thing in question being utterly annihilated.' Nayten replied. 'I was aware that your forms were made of metal, so I thought you were somewhat limited by them. Are you truly able to manipulate your body so deftly?' He looked at the Messenger`s golden metal form with renewed interest. This was the same metal his own body was made of. Would it be possible...

'Oh, I see.' The Messenger caught on. 'Quite an interesting concept, Master Nayten. You see, we of the Stars simultaneously exist in many dimensions and layers of this universe, the ability to move out of some but not others is a mere fraction of the power such an existence entails.' 

'So it is not something I can do...' Nayten realized in disappointment. 

The door to the chamber opened and Seprin approached with a science team. They rushed over to the form of the Old One, amazed and scared in equal measure. 

'I assure you, it`s dead.' Nayten said to them.

'Of course.' Seprin nodded, turning back to his aides. 'Get it to the dissection lab immediately, I`ll be there as soon as I can!' He turned to the Messenger and Nayten as the two junior crypteks set to work, removing the corpse with the aide of a spyder drone.

'You seem excited.' Nayten said glumly.

'And you quite the opposite.' Seprin remarked with curiosity. 'Something the matter?' 

'Hardly.' Nayten replied. 'I`ve never felt more alive, ironic as that may seem. I am now... unliving to be technical. But the flow of emotion seems so much more real than it was before, without the limitations of flesh, I am so much stronger.' 

'Calm yourself, Nayten.' The Messenger chided. 'This could be a dangerous drug, one you must learn to master. If you allow these new highs to overwhelm you, you may end up becoming less than you were.' 

'Wise words.' Seprin nodded. 'I can`t imagine what this must be like, Nayten. But we should keep an eye on your mental state over the coming months.' 

Nayten didn`t truly care. 

- - -​
Lirac and Neka fussed with some of the inner workings of the next construct while talking in low voices about their latest triumph. Around the workshop, a few other aides fussed with their own tasks, from software uploading to maintenance checks. 

'He seems to be taking to the transferrence well.' Lirac said. The skeletal form lay open and bare before her as she made a few adjustments to the main power artery. 

'I know.' Neka replied. She had a continuity scanner over one of the leg joins, checking that all connections were secure. 'But something seems wrong. His mind seems to have mellowed. He used to be so passionate and temperamental when he spoke. Remember when he spoke out against the torture arm? Now he just seems so clam and accepting of everything.' 

'What are you saying?' Lirac asked. 

'All of these things have basic protocols.' Neka explained. 'I wrote the program myself. I made it a secondary system, to be used if the dominating mind failed. But now I`m worried that it may be affecting his mental state.' 

'The Messenger seems to think it`s fine.' Lirac stated. 'Mithrahc and Seprin seem satisfied as well.' 

'None of them know him like I do.' Neka said sadly. 

Lirac paused for a moment. 'Listen, if you like, I`ll have a look at the systems of the transferrence device. Seprin explained a lot of it to me as we went. I didn`t see the last couple of stages, but I could double check the last activation records and make sure there wasn`t a glitch in the process?' 

Neka nodded. 'Well, thank you.' She said. 'I`d appreciate that.'


----------



## Serpion5

*Truth...*

Lirac entered her code at the tertiary lab entrance. To her shock, the terminal beeped red and the word _Rejected_ appeared on screen. Taken aback, she tried again only to be similarly disappointed. 

'What`s wrong here?' She wondered out loud, before removing the casing of the terminal and examining the wires. 'Circuit broken? Loose wire? frayed cable? What is it?!' She looked over it several times, unable to find fault. With a shake of her head, she resolved to simply bypass the security protocol and fix the problem later. Her more immediate goal if investigating Neka`s concerns about her father was more important. 

She yanked loose one of the wires and connected it to a lower circuit. Thankfully this facility was still quite old and had yet to be completely refitted with the new crystalline circuitry that had so recently become the norm. As she completed the circuit the locks released, and she was able to prise the heavy doors apart just enough to squeeze her slender body through. She switched on the room lights with a wave over the activation sensor then proceeded to the main console of the room. She flicked quickly through all the files she had seen when working with Seprin, then slowed down when she reached the final few pages. 

As she scanned the code Seprin had written, her eyes widened in horror... 

- - -​
With notthing to do and no need to rest, Nayten was fast becoming agitated. Seprin and the Messenger had left for some unknown purpose, leaving Mithrahc and Nayten to wander back towards the main laboratory. An escort of Mithrahc`s guard followed a respectful distance behind, but were not beyond reach in case of an emergency. 

'Tell me Lord Mithrahc, how long have you known of this research?' Nayten asked. Though unintentional, his voice carried a booming authority that the small necrontyr could not ignore. 

'Well...' The royarch began. 'In terms of the necrodermic bodies, I was aware from the beginning, almost a decade ago now. As for researching the Old Ones, that was an ongoing subjuct of interest for the past few generations. It has taken us several centuries to finally succeed.' 

'Interesting.' Nayten remarked. 'The other who was transferred before me, who was he and why did he volunteer?' 

Mithrahc stopped walking. Nayten stopped a few feet later then turned to face him. 

'Is there a problem?' Nayten asked. 'I didn`t mean to cause upset...' 

'It isn`t important.' Mithrahc said. Seeking to change the topic swiftly as he resumed walking beside Nayten. 'Suffice to say i knew him quite well. Anyway, what do you feel at the moment? Without any biological urges, I cannot imagine what kind of emotional state you must be in.' 

'Emotion?' Nayten scoffed. 'I felt hate and rage on a level I`d never experienced before back there. Without fatigue or pain to distract me, my ire was focussed... Perfectly.' 

'Would you go so far as to say the process has clarified your senses and feelings?' The royarch asked. Nayten could somewhat sense a hint of concern. 

'Are you worried for my mental stability?' Nayten laughed a low tinny chuckle. 'Because I assure you, I am not about to turn homicidal simply because there are no battles to be had. I am still quite in control of my own thoughts and actions.' 

'I am relieved to hear that.' Mithrahc said. 'For the sake of our next subject.' 

'Oh?' Nayten asked in vague amusement. "And just who would that be?' 

- - -​
Lirac stared in horrified fascination at the screen before her, fighting back tears as she realized what Seprin had done. She shut the console down and took a few steps backward. This was terrible, her heartbeat raced as she processed what she had just seen. Nayten had... He had... 

And Neka was volunteering to be next. 

Lirac turned and fled back to the door. Squirming through, she ran as fast as her legs would take her. Not back to the lab. Not back to Neka. Not yet... 

This was too deep, too intense for her to process right now. She wove her way through the corridors, avoiding her colleagues to the best of her ability. She had only a vague idea of where she was heading, back to her quarters perhaps? The only thing she was truly aare of was her own feet hammering against the floor and the terrifying reality she had just discovered. 

She rounded a corner, checking behind her to ensure she wasn`t being followed, and collided with something heavy. 

She fell backwards in a daze. Shaking her head, she cleared the stars from her vision and looked up. 

The Weaver of Illusions looked down at her... 

--- --- ---​


----------



## jfvz

Wow, i must say that is a really good story, keep it up
Would +rep if i could, need 2 spread it around first...


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## Serpion5

Thank you jfvz. :thank_you:


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## WarpSpawned

:good:
Once again, excellant


----------



## Iron Angel

Oh my God seropion, this is amazing. Its like... Its like we're working together you know? You took the late half and I took the early half. We should write the official Necron fluff.

+rep for you my old friend.

EDIT: Says I cant give it to you again! Must have given you rep before I took off for a year... It will be on its way soon, dont you worry.

You've inspired me to pick up my story once more.


----------



## Serpion5

WarpSpawned said:


> :good:
> Once again, excellant


:thank_you:



Iron Angel said:


> Oh my God seropion, this is amazing. Its like... Its like we're working together you know? You took the late half and I took the early half. We should write the official Necron fluff.
> 
> +rep for you my old friend.
> 
> EDIT: Says I cant give it to you again! Must have given you rep before I took off for a year... It will be on its way soon, dont you worry.
> 
> You've inspired me to pick up my story once more.


Glad to hear that. :so_happy: 

I will confess I drew a bit of inspiration from your work IA, the idea of doing a necrontyr based story was one I couldn`t resist. One of Farseer Darvaleth`s posts in an Rp I ran gave me the perfect catalyst, and tada! :laugh: 

I did not want to simply copy your work however, so I have my own notions of their society and their relationship to the gods. I also have a different view of the Old Ones, which I borrowed on from the Naga of the Warcraft universe.


----------



## Serpion5

*Outrage*

Neka stood at the window of her overnight quarters. Seprin had not long given her leave to think and mentally prepare for the next day. She was nervous unlike anything she had ever felt before which was hardly surprising considering that the procedure could only boast a fifty percent success rate at this point. She remembered Mithrahc`s expression at their earlier failure. He had been devastated. It was not merely a friend he had lost on that day. The first volunteer had been the royarch`s own brother...

The view outside had not been as calming as she had hoped. The citadel sprawled before them, a perfectly symmetrical city map woven out in a pleasing geometrical design. It was a beautiful sight, pyramidal structures signifying places of import such as the main starport and the reigning minister`s palace. Ordinarily, they would have had a visit from the minister today due to Mithrahc`s arrival, but the information had been classified even beyond his clearance until at least it had proven successful.

Neka thought on her own future for a moment. If this worked, she would be more than immortal. She would be a figurehead, an inspiration for the masses. It would fall upon her to prove that the transferrance was indeed the way forward. But even such knowledge could not calm her nerves. 

She kept thinking back to her father. When he had been attached to the machine, he had been in pain. He had screamed unlike anything she had ever seen. Had it really been so agonising that even a seasoned warrior could be so affected? 

--- --- ---​
_'What are you doing, childling?'_ The blue star god asked, leaning in close to Lirac. She did not need to respond, nor could she if she had tried, for the very essence of the star borne creature started to seep effortlessly into her mind. She was immobilised, unable to move and struggling to breathe.

'Please...' She begged feebly, writhing with strain and fear. '...Stop... Please...' 

To her relief, the unfathomable presence withdrew. The god simply stood before her. as she caught her breath at its feet, staring in terrified fascination at the being`s featureless face... If it could be called that. 

_'You were in there against protocol.'_ It said to her. _'What has prompted this odd behaviour? This kind of action is akin to one who does not trust her superiors.'_ 

'I... I was concerned for Nayten`s coding.' She said. 'I wanted to make sure the base code did not intrude upon his own thoughts.' 

_'And you found something more?'_ It said to her. _'Something that frightens you. The device Seprin built functions differently to what he told you it would.'_

'Did...' Lirac formed a horrifying suspicion in her mind. 'Did you know this?' She began to tremble, thinking that the gods had not come to save them after all. What if they were nothing but cosmic predators come to take advantage of them? 

_'No, I was not aware of this.'_ It said to her, remaining motionless as ever. _'I intend to speak with Seprin on this matter immediately.'_ 

With that, the immense figure moved past her, gliding effortlessly through the air as it did so. To Lirac it almost appeared to be walking on air.

--- --- ---​
Seprin was finding it hard to keep himself awake as he sat at his terminal and sifted through the various pieces of data they had recorded that day. He had been pleasantly surprised to find that the psionic suppressors had worked, reducing the Old One warrior into a mere beast to be slaughtered. Granted it had been a brute of a thing even when severed from its power source, but Nayten had proven that the creatures could be killed. 

At last, the necrontyr had reason to believe that the Old Ones truly could die. 

He double checked one of the readings. Curious, he had not noticed this before. There was another set of readings that the psionic suppressor was picking up on. He snapped to focus, all exhaustion forgotten. There had only been two beings in that chamber when these recordings were taken, Nayten and the Old One itself. How was it possible for him to have recorded two seperate signatures? 

He looked at them both as their data flowed across the screen. One of them was definitely the Old One, it had to be considering how strong it was. The other was weaker. It made sense that it be a necrontyr signal, but how could that be so? 

Seprin knew better than anyone else that Nayten was dead.


----------



## Serpion5

*Deceit...*

Nayten slid through the corridors of the living section. He had not been up here since his transferrence, and his new body was far larger than his former, making the hallway seem cramped and awkward. There was nobody walking about at this late hour, but damn them if they were woken up by his noise. He needed to see his daughter now, and damn it if she was asleep too. 

She had volunteered for the next transferrence. Why? How could the others be okay with this? She was still young, she still had a life to live before it came to this for her! Nayten could not fathom in his wildest imaginings why she would want to give up her life so soon. 

He reached her chamber, and looked at the terminal on the wall. It was designed to react to touch, but wouldn`t work with his new metal hands. Suppressing a growl of frustration, he instead tapped the door with his talon. Softly at first, but when there was no reply for a minute he tapped much harder. A few seconds later the door slid open and Neka stood in the entryway. Her eyes widened in shock to see the hulking metal form of her father before her. 

'Father?!' She exclaimed in shock. 'What are you doing up here?'

'Do not seek to seem naive.' Nayten replied sternly, coiled up and jittering in agitation. 'I know you are far too smart not to have figured out why I am here. Why are you doing it, Neka?' 

Seeing that there would be no talking her way out of an explanation, she sighed and looked back at him. 'I have to. If the transferrence works, then I can become the figurehead for this movement. Don`t you see? You may be the first warrior to successfuly transfer, but the masses will be reluctant to accept this if they think it only serves a military purpose. My new form does not look like yours. I can be a positive display.' 

'But why must it be you?' Nayten demanded. 'Why not Mithrahc? Surely the royarch of this world would be as good a representative as any to carry this message to his people?'

'No.' Neka shook her head. 'If he was the first, it would just be viewed as favouritism. This way, it looks like a researcher testing the new tech on herself. It looks far better in the public`s eye.' 

'It`s a blatant deception!' Nayten protested.

'You served in the military!' Neka retorted angrily. 'Don`t tell me you`ve never had to cover something up for the sake of greater peace! We`re doing this for the future of our species! My mind is made up, now let me get back to sleep!' She turned and began to walk away as the door started to slide shut.

Nayten lost himself to a moment of rage and was moving before he was aware of his actions. With one flickering hand, he tore the door from its tracks and moved inside. With his other hand he reached out and took Neka by the arm. By reflex, she jumped in surprise and tried to pull away, and by reflex Nayten`s grip tightened...

- - -​
Seprin looked at the chronograph. It had been close to an hour since he had made the disturbing discovery, but he was no closer to discovering how it could have possibly occurred. He sighed and gave up, spinning on his chair and looking away. Maybe some time away from it would help him think, maybe a distraction and something to eat... 

Movement caught his eye as he made to stand up. Standing in front of the closed door was the Weaver of Illusions. In the darkened room, there had been nothing to reflect off the being`s metallic form until Seprin had moved away from the lit monitor. 

'M-My Lord.' Seprin bowed nervously. 'To what do I owe this pleasure?' 

_'To what purpose are you deceiving your kin?'_ The Blue God demanded. 

'I...' Seprin stammered, unable to formulate a response. It would be utterly useless to lie to a being that could see straight through him in every sense of the phrase, and it would be just as hazardous to tell the truth! He was in trouble, there was only one avenue of possible escape... 

'I followed the instructions of the Messenger.' Seprin said, dropping to one knee. It was not a lie at least. 'He bade me create the device with this function, that the gods may enjoy an army of loyal servants and feast upon the lives of the people.' 

_'You know very well that he wanted that energy for himself. He has killed the warrior Nayten and will kill the cryptek Neka. It astounds me that any being could be so unfeeling for his own kind.'_ The Blue God`s feet made no sound as he approached the cowering cryptek before him. 

Suddenly, a voice came over the interlink system. ++_Medical Emergency in in Living Quarters East Block!_++

'That`s Neka`s area. I should-' Seprin began to move. 

The god`s hand shot out and gripped him by the neck. _'No. You`re not going anywhere just yet. You and I have something to discuss.'_


----------



## WarpSpawned

I bet Seprin is like 'Oh shi-'


----------



## Serpion5

Hehehe. You`re gonna love what happens to him. :spiteful:


----------



## Serpion5

*Killer and Saviour*

'What are you going to do?' Seprin asked, cowering in the Blue God`s grip. 'You cannot kill me, there is too much dependant on what I know, what I can do!' he struggled vainly against the deity`s powerful hands. 

_'Amusing.'_ The god said, and Seprin could sense the emotion in the air, permeating his being as it radiated through his form from the being that held him. _'Where did such knowledge come from if not from us? Any other could be gifted as easily as you were with such talent. Don`t you see? The Messenger is using you to serve his own purpose, buying your co-operation with false promises and honeyed lies. That has always been his way. It was his purpose to subjugate you on behalf of the others.'_

Seprin simply shook hios head, breathing rapidly as he struggled to comprehend what he was hearing. The Messenger had always brought them nothing but solid knowledge and gifts of understanding. Granted the golden skinned god had intended to commit genocide in a sense, but he had shareda true affinity with the Messenger, he was sure of it! 

'This cannot be true.' Seprin protested. 'He promised me...' 

_'As he does with any other you fool.'_ The Illusionist dropped him to the floor. Seprin coughed and spluttered as he rubbed his neck where the unnatural energies of the god`s hand had singed his skin. _'Your blind greed will be your undoing, cryptek. It will not be Neka who tests the device next. It will be you.'_

'No!' Seprin cried. 'I will never agree to this! You`d sooner kill me than force me to either!' 

_'I don`t intend to force you.'_ The god replied. _'You don`t seem to understand just how powerful I really am. I will simply alter your memories until they suit my ends. I assure you Seprin, you will volunteer completely of your own free will.'_

Seprin trembled on the floor, unable to resist, unable to scream, as the god`s powers enveloped his mind... 

- - -​
_What have I done?_ Nayten asked himself continuously. He sat coiled up in the corner of Neka`s bedchamber while his wounded daughter convulsed on the floor bleeding heavily from her lacerated arm. Around her were three medteks and a fellow cryptek. They worked feverishly, desperately trying to stem the flow of blood that even now soaked the floor in an ever expanding puddle around her prone form. 

'Bleeding`s stopped!' One of them said. He looked up at the cryptek who was standing nearby. 'Do you have a stretcher we can use? Or a drone handy?' 

'I`ll see what I can find.' The man replied. He had been woken by the ruckus, and it was he who had summoned the medteks. 

'Will you-' Nayten began speaking, hesitating at the sound of his own voice. 'Will you be able to save her?' 

One of the medteks simply shot him a deathly glare whilst another ignored him completely. The third looked back at him and simply said 'She`ll be fine.' Moments later the cryptek returned with a lab spyder drone, one of the smaller versions used for simple labour and maintenance. 

'Will this work? It`s the best I could do in a hurry.' He said in concern. 

'That will do fine.' The third medtek replied. Though Nayten felt relief at the news his daughter would survive, he could not suppress the hatred he felt at himself for doing her harm in the first place, as well as a strong annoyance for the medteks who had shunned him. As if he was nothing but...

...some worthless machine...

- - -​
The following morning, Nayten had returned to the main lab where he had taken to passing the nights while the others slept. He would count the skeletal warrior forms all arrayed on the racks lining the lab storage chamber. Then he would count them again. And sometimes a third time, just to make sure none had gotten out of their alcoves and walked away when he wasn`t looking. There were three thousand nine hundred and ninety eight forms. 

Presumably there had been four thousand originally. But one had gone to their first test subject, and the other had been modified into the form he now occupied. He heard footsteps halfway through counting a fourth time. Apparently he could only manage three full countings. 

In that moment, Nayten realized how pathetic his existence had been recently. He turned and looked at the newcomers. It was someone vaguely familiar... One of the medteks from last night? Yes, it was him. The only one who had deigned to speak with him. Lirac was there too, seemingly having escorted him.

Nayten shuffled over and looked at the man. He was middle aged at least, wearing the clothes of the upper class. 

'Yes?' Nayten asked. 'Will she be alright? I did not mean to harm her.' 

'She will live.' The man replied. 'But unfortunately, the damage to her arm was severe, and we were forced to amputate through the night. A replacement graft should become available shortly. She`ll be mobile again by this afternoon at the latest.' 

'Thank you.' Nayten replied, making to turn away. 

'What were you thinking?!' The man blurted suddenly, fixing Nayten with an intense stare. 

'I lost focus in a moment of rage.' Nayten began. 'It is not so strange to think that-

'Nonono.' The medtek interrupted. 'I mean _you._ What were you thinking when you agreed to let them turn you into a weapon? You realize you will never again be able to hold your child, don`t you? Why would any sane man make that choice?' 

'How could I expect you to understand?' Nayten retorted. 'You`ve probably never fought in the Death God`s shadow have you? Never felt the thrill that only killing can bring?!' 

'No.' Came the reply. 'But if that was your life, warrior, then I will respect your choice. Despite my inability to understand it. I for one could never imagine replacing my hands with those... deathly things you have.' 

'Hahahahaa!' Nayten laughed. 'Even in life, I wore these far more often than my own hands.' 

'Wonderful.' He replied with an awkward smile. 'Well, please be careful Master...' He paused, realizing he did not know the metal warrior`s name. 

'Nayten.' The warrior answered for him. 'And you? I would like to know the name of the man who saved my daughter`s life from my foolishness.' 

'Oh, okay.' The medtek replied. 'My name is Re`kyt. You`ll forgive me if I don`t shake your hand.'


----------



## WarpSpawned

Bwahaha, I certainly did love what happened to Seprin.
Conniving bastard got what was coming to him

Ah, I see Re'kyt has come along. Excellent, I look forward to reading more


----------



## Serpion5

*Vengeance*

Two days had passed. Nayten had continued to whittle away his time in the main storage section, seeming to prefer being surrounded by inanimate machines than tolerate the presence of other necrontyr. Whether this was due to the social awkwardness he had caused or simply a sign of slight depression from it even he was uncertain of. In any case, there was little he or any other could do until Mithrahc or one of the gods decided to proceed further. Nayten had refrained with a supreme force of will the urge to attempt to visit his daughter. He could not imagine what she must be thinking of him now... 

Instead he had relied on updates heard from Lirac and Re`kyt whenever they deigned to visit. Both of them had refrained from relaying any direct messages from either Neka or Nayten, which he took as a somewhat negative sign. He never attempted to send an apology, seemingly the thought had not occured to him. 

On the third day, Mithrahc approached Nayten and bade him sit and talk for a while. It was with reluctance yet a strong curiosity that Nayten agreed. And so the two of them left the laboratory and sat in the outdoor courtyard in the centre of the compound. It was the first time Nayten had been outside since he had come to the complex still clothed in flesh. They rested beneath a large tree while staring at the azure night sky. 

'Tell me nayten, what do you see up there?' Mithrahc asked. 

'The universe.' Nayten replied. 'Our rightful empire, torn from our grasp by uncaring tyrants. Our goal. Our prize.' 

'Is that all?' The royarch asked. There was a hint of reproach in his voice, as if Nayten was forgetting something obvious. 

'What?' The warrior asked. 

'The stars Nayten!' Mithrahc said with a laugh. 'The stars. Have you never simply looked at them? Just look, from those stars were born the star gods, the beings who have granted us the means to immortality!' 

'Eternity embodied...' Nayten said. 'Neka told me, she said she was going to undergo the transferrence next. Why? She is too young to give up her life just yet.' 

'Our lives are short Nayten.' Mithrahc replied. 'Perhaps she simply sees no reason to prolong something that in the end won`t matter?' He paused for a moment and stood. 'In any case, she isn`t strong enough at the moment to undergo the procedure. But not to worry, Cryptek Seprin has volunteered to be next.' 

'Oh?' Nayten perked up. 'Seprin has? What prompted such a change of heart?' 

'I`m not sure.' Mithrahc replied. 'I think he ses it as his duty. He plans to undergo the process tomorrow at noon. Neka will be present, she should be fully recovered by then.' 

'How can I face her?' Nayten asked, hanging his head in shame and regret. 

'Chin up, warrior!' Mithrahc laughed. 'You`ll be fine, just be... sincere.' 

- - -​
'What is this I hear of Seprin undergoing the transferrence next?' The Messenger asked. 'Was it not the fool`s daughter who had volunteered?' 

_Not anymore.'_ The Illusionist replied. The two of them stood on the roof of the compound. They could see the royarch and warrior form in the courtyard below but were unseen in return. _'I was not made aware of the device`s true function. This does not please me Brother, not at all.'_

'Is there some problem?' The Messenger asked exasperated. 

_'I do not like being deceived.'_ Was the reply. _'These people believe us to be their saviours and you intend to kill them all to slake your thirst? Have their notions of honour had no impact on you at all?'_

'They are amusing concepts, nothing more.' The Messenger retorted. 'You`re growing soft, Brother. You will not find any support in this regard among the others, and I would know.' 

They were both silent after that. Silent and still until the sun rose... 

- - -​
The following morning saw Neka finally deemed fit enough to return to duty. As she walked slowly back to her living quarters from the medical bay, escorted by a medtek apprentice, she could not stop staring at her arm. From her shoulder onward, it had been replaced by a bionic substitute. She had not retained a solid memory of what had happened but did not think her father`s hand had damaged her arm so severely. 

She looked at the reflection of her face in the metal, a distorted representation of her nervous features. What would she say to him? What would he say to her? She had been supposed to undergo the transferrence today but now Seprin had volunteered instead. She was disappointed, not necessarily jealous but it was an unfortunate fact that few ever remembered the second of anything. Everybody knew that the Nightbringer was the first of the star gods to be awakened just over a century ago, but how many people could name the second? Few, Neka not among them... 

Theology had not been her strong point, she had been an advocate of science first and service second. She could name a dozen of the gods at best and most of them she had never seen. To be on the same planet as two of the beings was a very rare prospect for most, considering they seemed to spend most of their time upon the battlefronts. 

She entered her room reluctantly. Though two days had passed, the priority given to the room`s repair had obviously been very low. The doorway was only semi functioning and had not been attuned to her genetic signature. As it slid open and she looked in, she almost threw up. The silhouette of where she had fallen in a pool of her own blood was still faintly visible in the faint stains on the floor. She backed away, leaning on her back against the opposite wall and sliding to the floor. She brought both hands to her face as if to shield herself, then recoiled at the sight of her metal limb. 

Unable to contain herself, she burst into tears as the young apprentice looked on, helpless to ease the cryptek`s suffering.


----------



## Serpion5

> I anticipate another three, maybe four before it ends.


Boy, was I off when I said that. :laugh: 

I`ll have another piece up over the weekend.


----------



## Serpion5

*Dissent...*

Neka took deep breaths and calmed herself, feeling her heartbeat slow to a more reasonable level. The panic attack had passed and now she simply sat still as she composed herself. She shakily stood and straightened herself out. This was embarressing, having a nervous breakdown in front of a younger individual when she herself was supposed to be an accomplished cryptek. She forced her legs to move, entering her room and readying herself for the day`s work. She averted her gaze from the blood stain in the floor, the claw marks around the doorway and the scuffed walls in the corner. She hurried through her own personal morning ritual as quickly as she could manage and exited her room in a rush. The young medtek was waiting with concern.

'I`m sorry about that.' She said. 

'It`s okay.' The medtek apprentice replied assuredly. 'You`re not the first to have stress related mental fatigue or a simple panic attack. I`ve seen a lot of soldiers lose their minds in my job.' 

'That must be hard.' Neka said sympathetically. The apprentice didn`t reply, but instead ushered her to continue. Leading down the corridor towards the main district of the complex, Neka flexed her metal arm at regular intervals, getting it accustomed to her own nervous impulses. She wondered if this was how her father felt in his new form, then her thoughts froze again. 

_No! Focus!_ She told herself. _Worry about your father when the time comes, you cannot keep running!_ 

She increased her pace immediately, enthusiasm mixing with trepidation as the main lab got ever closer. 

--- --- ---​
Seprin ran his hand over the machine, contemplating his destiny. A few metres away, Nayten sat coiled on the floor and watched. The two of them had been the first to arrive, Nayten because he all but lived in the lab at the moment and Seprin was overcome with a sudden eagerness to undergo this process. Nayten had thus far refrained from telling him how painful it had been. Who knew, perhaps he had since modified it or refined the transferrence mechanisms. 

Instead, a new thought arose in Nayten`s mind. 'Why was it so painful?' 

Stunned, Seprin stopped and met the warrior`s gaze. 'I`m not sure.' He replied. 'I`ve been thinking on it actually. the best I can divine is that it is a result of direct interaction between the synapses of the brain and connection to the machine. If I`m honest, it may not be something I can change, though I will try.' 

'But not before your time I see?' Nayten observed. 

'What`s a minute of pain compared to eternal life!' The cryptek replied with a laugh. 'Come to think of it, who wouldn`t pay that price?' 

Nayten was silent for a few minutes before speaking up again. 'Did you know that Neka was going to volunteer, Seprin?' 

'I did.' Seprin replied. 'Forgive me Nayten, I tried harder than anyone to get her to change her mind, but she was adamant from the begnning that she wanted to be part of the testing process. When the first one failed, I told her I was not going to risk her life until we`d had a successful run. It was a few weeks after that she mentioned you.' 

'I wonder why she suggested me. And why did it take her weeks to decide?' 

'Well...' The cryptek hesitated. 'Understand that she said this to me in confidence, so please don`t repeat it to anyone. She was sad for you. She saw you devoid of purpose, robbed of what your life had been. She wanted to suggest you immediately but she was afraid the transfer would fail again. She worked harder than ever in those few weeks before she was confident enough to put your name forward. But even so...' 

'She truly though so much of me?' Nayten was surprised. They had never been close. She had been born shortly before he enlisted as a warrior, having spent his youth as a pilot before seeking first hand battle experience. He had spent a year with her before departing for his first campaign and the life that would lead him to who he was now. That Neka still regarded him so highly was unexpected, but then he had to confess a strong attachment to her as well as of late. Perhaps ties of blood really were strong... 

--- --- ---​
Neka was silent as she entered the lab. a few eyes turned to face her, technicians mostly who had heard of her injury but had yet to see the result. She ignored the sympathetic looks and instead walked straight towards the main work station where the transferrence device was set up. Seprin was silent, giving a xursory glance to her arm before meeting her gaze and giving her a simple nod of greeting. 

Her father was less reserved, sliding forward with his head bowed and his hands firmly at his sides. 'Neka. Please forgive me.' His voice betrayed little emotion, but that was just the curse of this form right? Surely he was truly repentant? 

'I... I forgive you.' She said, fighting back tears. She kept her brave face as she turned and nodded her thanks to the young medtek. Thus dismissed, the apprentice bowed and left, returning to his duties. 

Nayten spoke no further, instead opting to withdraw to a nearby alcove. They were only waiting on Mithrahc to arrive now. Nayten simply watched in silence as Seprin and Neka discussed things far too complicated for him to understand. 

It was fifteen more minutes before the royarch arrived. A precession of four palace guards filed into the chamber beforehand moments before Mithrahc himself entered, walking with the steady dignity of the noble ruler he was. To his side was the medtek Re`kyt and the cryptek apprentice Lirac. They were followed by the Blue God of Illusions. Strangely, the Messenger was absent. 

'Cryptek Seprin!' Mithrahc called, coming within speaking distance as Lirac approached Neka to the side and Re`kyt took a seat on one of the workbenches not too far from Nayten. 'Are you ready?' 

'That I am, Your Majesty.' Seprin replied with a polite bow of his head. 'Are we not awaiting the Messenger`s presence?' 

_'My brother has departed.'_ The Blue God answered. _'He performs an errand on my request, one that only he can fulfil.'_ 

'We are as ready as we will ever be, Cryptek Seprin.' Mithrahc said. 'We can begin as soon as you`re ready.' 

'Alright then.' Seprin nodded. He returned to the machine, and began making all of the last minute checks and connections required. 

Nayten watched Neka and Lirac speaking in whispers, exchanging glances between themselves and looking at Seprin frequently. From the look on Neka`s face, it was a matter of something unpleasant. But then she looked straight at him. He had seen that look before. The look she had given him as a child, when her mother had died. 

It was grief. 

There was little to be said at the moment however. For at that moment, Seprin completed his preparations. 'I`m ready!'


----------



## WarpSpawned

Ahaha, Seprin about to get what he deserves, although, knowing you, there's bound to be a devious twist of some sort.

On another note, Mourn's death was great. Darned Observer (Hehheh)


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## Hammer49

Look forward to reading the next part.


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## gothik

Serp this is fantastic will read the rest when i get home from work...really got into this nice work. +rep


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## vulkan1793

all i have to say is wow this story is really amazing and i cant wait for the next installments keep up he great work


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## Serpion5

Thank you.  

Writers Block is slowing me down atm. I know what has to happen, but the words just won`t... something... :scratchhead: 

I`ll keep at it. :so_happy:


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## Serpion5

Attention to those who have been following this story. 

My apologies, but the rumours of new necron fluff have me concerned that my fic may prove innacurate given the direction I am intending to take. 

As such, I have decided to postpone continuing this story until I have seen the new fluff, so I can ensure it will still tie in. Thanks to those who have been following. Rest assured I will see this through to its end.


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## waltzmelancholy_07

Amazing men... Simply amazing... Hope this story has an ending....

Hehehe...

Cheers!...


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## Serpion5

On reflection, I have decided to hell with the new fluff for now. 

I should have a new piece up sometime soon.


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## vulkan1793

sounds great


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## jfvz

Serpion5 said:


> On reflection, I have decided to hell with the new fluff for now.


Thats the spirit! I like your new necron fluff better then the gw stuff anyway.


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## WarpSpawned

Cant contain that overactive imagination of yours anymore, eh Serp?


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## Serpion5

*Karma*

'I`m ready!' Seprin was wearing an eager face as he turned to look at the royarch. Mithrahc nodded his approval with a smile and an intense look of interest. Seprin then nodded to Neka and Lirac to take their positions. 

Neka was conflicted. She had trusted Seprin for most of her adult life, she had learned from him almost everything she knew about technology and engineering. He had often told her that it would be she that overtook the facility when he was gone, but now he was about to become permanent. In a twisted sense. The horror of what Lirac had just told her was almost overwhelming. That Seprin had planned to let them all die. That the Messenger had betrayed them all, with Seprin as an accomplice in the act... 

Forcing herself to focus, she manned the control panel as Lirac helped Seprin to attach himself to the device. Neka noted chillingly that Lirac`s expression was oddly enthusiastic. She wanted this. She knew that Seprin was about to die, and she was glad. Neka almost lost her nerve, almost put a stop. Her jaw worked numbly, but she couldn`t force the words out. In heartbeat she glanced at her father, no, the thing that thought it was her father, and her mind was set. 

'Are you ready for it?' She asked. 

'Yes.' Seprin replied. Lirac stepped away and nodded to Neka. She nodded back and hit the activation glyph. 

A low humming permeated the silence. After a few moments, Seprin winced visibly and started to shift restlessly. Neka saw Nayten... lean forward. He seemed to almost empathise with what Seprin was experiencing but it was impossible to tell with that blank face.

Seprin started to scream. Breathing rapidly, trying not to close his eyes. His voice had become a fluctuating siren between whisper and wailing as he thrashed against the restraints. 

Neka shuddered involuntarily. She wanted this, but she did not want to watch. The metal form on the bench began to twitch as the effects began to show through, and within a minute the skeletal body began to echo the cryptek`s screams of agony until it was finally screaming alone. At a gesture from Illusion, Lirac cut the power to the machine and the screaming stopped. Lirac then proceeded to disconnect the transferrance device from the power source and took it from the room, Seprin`s limp form sitting immobile in its harness. 

Nayten slid forward, Re`kyt and Illusion approaching as well. Two minutes passed with nothing but silence. 

'Did it work?' Neka asked. 

_'The engrams are functioning. His mind is active. He has yet to connect the two.'_

'Much like me.' Nayten observed. 'He may struggle at first to perceive his new senses. Give him a few more minutes.' They waited further, until at last the new form of Seprin began to move with purpose. 

His head turned, dimly glowing eyes perceiving the faces of Neka and Re`kyt as they looked on in concern. He sat upright with a jerky motion, grunts of dissatisfaction coming from his metal mouth as he tested out his new movements and limitations. 

'Seprin?' Mithrahc called, approaching steadily. 'Were you successful?' 

'Indeed, Your Majesty.' Seprin replied. 'Though I must admit this form is not as efficient as I had hoped. There are limitations on the axes of movement that I had not intended.' 

'What do you mean?' Nayten asked. 'I can move fine, as much as i normally could... except the legs of course.' 

'Precisely!' Seprin shouted enthusiastically. With a swift kick and jump he leaped from the bench to the floor. 'Ah, swift and strong, but not to the degree I had intended! My apologies Nayten, had I known I would have remedied the problem much sooner.' 

'What do you mean?!' Nayten demanded. 'You`re saying I should be stronger and faster than I already am?' 

'Of course!' Seprin hollered, filling the entire lab with his booming voice. 'And while I think of it, why don`t we make a new modification toyour form!' 

'What do you mean?' Nayten asked. 'What are you getting at?' 

'How would you like to fly?' Seprin asked. 

--- --- ---​
Seprin awoke in a darkened room. He was still strapped to the chair that had served as the transferer. What had happened? 

'Hello?' He called weakly. His voice was hoarse and his head was throbbing with pain. 'What has happened? Where am I?!' His breathing grew rapid as he begun to feel very afraid. Something was definitely wrong, he could sense danger close by. 

'It`s your lab.' A familiar voice answered. 

'Lirac?' Seprin called. 'Where are you? What`s going on here?' 

As if to respond, a screen lit up before him, stinging his eyes with the sudden brightness. Lirac approached from behind him, her footsteps echoing softly as she walked into Seprin`s field of vision. 

'What are you doing?' He asked. 'Untie me, I have to figure out what went wrong.' 

'Nothing went wrong you bastard!' Lirac shouted suddenly. In the dim green glow from the monitor, he could see the anger on her face, the grief and rage permeating her usually attractive features. 

'What are you talking about?' Seprin asked in a hushed whisper.

'Look!' She pointed to the screen, and Seprin now took the time to take notice. 'The machine worked, _Master_. It did exactly what you built it to do!' She spat at his title, pacing restlessly as his eyes scanned the display before him. 

As Seprin read the specs on screen, his eyes widened in horror. His memories altered, he now felt the full force of the betrayal the Messenger had intended to play upon their race. 'Why...?' He cursed himself for a fool and wept, only when it was too late realizing that he was a puppet to a tyrannical god.

'Lirac.' He said, letting his tears fall. 'I beg you to fix this. Don`t let our people perish because of my misguided greed. And if there is another... me, walking around out there, please don`t tell him of this. Let him... Let him pay for his own foolishness.' 

With that he hung his head and screamed his frustrations into the gound. When he looked up, he met Lirac`s gaze. She too was weeping now, but what drew his eyes was the knife in her hand. 

'You haven`t changed.' She said tearfully. 'You`re still the same selfish gloryseeker you`ve always been. The only reason you feel sadness now is because the Blue God changed your memories, made you think differently. But deep down, you`ll always be a traitor.' She raised the knife in her trembling hand. 

Seprin was silent, until the Blue God materialised through the laboratory walls. In the presence of the divine being, all of Seprin`s memories came flooding back. He turned back to Lirac, the tears no longer falling. 

'Hmph.' He laughed arrogantly. 'I guess you`re right.'


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## arlins

really very good , keep it up regardless of the new Necron fluff


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## Serpion5

Aye, I think I will.


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## vulkan1793

keep up the good work that bastard got what he deserved


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## Serpion5

Aye, he did didn`t he? :laugh: Thanks again to all who have taken the time to read. :victory: 

New piece up soon.


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## Serpion5

'There is so very much work to do.' Seprin grunted, his new body twitching in agitation as his mind worked through impossible algorithms and equations that previously would have required an advanced computer terminal to calculate. The engrams now containing what was Seprin`s mind were close to their limits with the extent of the cryptek`s knowledge, which even now was being extensively built upon as he interfaced with the main terminal`s database. 

'Seprin? Are you okay?' Mithrahc asked, approaching cautiously. 

'Leave him be.' Nayten advised. 'His mind will adjust in time. For now, he is overwhelmed by his new knowledge, and the lack of physical limitations means he is no longer distracted by thoughts of hunger or tiredness.' 

'Was it like this for you?' Mithrahc asked. 'What you said before, your anger was clearer was it not?' 

'Indeed.' Nayten nodded. 'For Seprin, all the advancements he ever envisioned are now within reach. He no longer needs to rest, so his work need never stop. This transferrance idea... I had my reservations I admit, but seeing this convinces me that it is the way forward.' 

Neka blanched unnoticed by all except Re`kyt. Mithrahc and Nayten watched in amusement as Seprin interfaced with the console, metal fingers tapping almost constantly. 

'This is taking too long!' He grumbled, metallic voice echoing heavily. 'I`ll have to incorporate some kind of direct link. Maybe an inter-engram network to allow me to control this with my mind rather than this damned terminal.' 

'Interesting.' Nayten slithered over. 'A matrix of sorts you say? I can see military application for this as well, imagina a commander able to direct his forces with nothing but his own will!' 

Mithrahc lit up at this. 'Yes!' He said. 'This development will ensure your place as an honoured dignitary for all eternity Seprin! Make it so, and meanwhile I shall arrange a meeting with the other royarchs of the twelve kingdoms. The council will surely vote this policy forward if they see the results it is sure to yield.' 

'As you will it your Majesty.' Seprin turned away from the terminal to offer a curt bow. 'Though may I request three weeks to make the necessary preparations? What I have planned is quite extensive.' 

Mithrahc paused and looked back at the cryptek thoughtfully. 'Very well.' He said at last. 'But I want to know the very instant you are finished if you complete this task sooner.' 

'Of course.' Seprin replied. 'I live... I exist to serve.'

--- --- ---​
As Mithrahc approached the sky chariot that would take him back to the palace where he resided, he was stopped by a voice calling his name. 

'Lord Mithrahc!' He turned and saw Neka, running to catch up with him. His bodyguards bristled at this intrusion but he bade them stand down with a simple gesture. 

'What troubles you, young Neka?' He asked. 

'My lord,' Neka panted. 'If you can spare the time, I have a matter of great urgency to speak of with you.' She looked back at him pleadingly. 

The royarch considered her words carefully. 'Does this pertain to the transferrence?' 

'It does my Lord.' She replied. 'I do not wish to alarm you, but there is something I feel you must know. Before I speak further however, I must know; where is the Messenger?' 

'What?!' Mithrahc snapped to attention and turned fully to face her. 'Why do you dare question the actions of the gods? You, not royalty, a mere cryptek have the audacity to demand such knowledge of me?' His anger was palpable and, despite the old man`s apparent frailty, his demeanour was genuinely intimidating as she dropped to one knee. 

'Please forgive me.' She begged. She raised a hand to her heart, the silver metal of the bionic limb flickering in the dim lighting of the entrance courtyard of the complex. 'But surely it speaks to the urgency of this situation that I would take such a risk! I swear on my father`s honour that what I must say to you is of the utmost importance for our future!' 

Mithrahc was silent. Looking back at her eyes and seeing the clear sincerity that showed there, he made his choice. 

'Very well then. Come with me.' He conceded. The two of them boarded the chariot as his guards took up their flanking positions aboard their own craft. They left a trail of light across the sky as they traversed the distance between the laboratory complex and the palace in mere minutes. 

Neka looked back nervously. She could only shudder at knowing what Seprin would do in her absence.


----------



## Serpion5

*Progress*

A bunch of exposition on this one. Sorry.  

--- --- --- --- ---​
'So then, perhaps you`d best explain yourself young Cryptek?' Mithrahc said, taking a seat at the head of a long table and beckoning for Neka to sit close by. She seated herself two spaces down from the head, a respectful distance to her liege without having to speak loudly to be heard. 

'I am sorry for the intrusion Your majesty, but this simply cannot wait.' She explained. 'The Messenger has betrayed us, and Seprin was in collusion with his plans.' She braced herself for the outrage and accusations of blasphemy that were sure to follow. 

Far from the outrage that she had expected, Mithrahc simply stared back. 'Is that all?' He asked of her. 'Would you care to elaborate?' 

'But-!' Neka was stunned at his complete lack of surprise. 'You`re not shocked, you`re not at least a little hurt or betrayed that I would think this?' 

'Of course not.' Mithrahc scoffed. 'I have known of their true colours for some time now. There is not a single one among their number that I trust, save perhaps the Weaver of Illusions or the Bringer of Darkness. At least the two of them do not hide behind false forms. They speak only the truth as they see it, and they are not afraid of what the other star borne consider of them.' 

'I didn`t realize you knew them so well.' Neka said. 

'It was my Grandfather who oversaw the first awakening.' Mithrahc explained. 'He was killed in the Nightbringer`s first manifestation, before we had convinced the being of our plight. Since then, our family and the families of the other kingdoms have competed with one another for the patronage of these beings, seeking political and physical might to add weight to our positions. True allies are few and far between, and for every kingdom that prospers in the fight against the Old Ones, two more perish for having fallen out of favour.' 

He paused, and looked at the ceiling wistfully before finishing. 'I know what their true nature is. But our predicament leaves us with little choice other than co-existence.' 

'But do you know what Seprin`s machine does?' Neka asked. 

'I confess, I do not.' Mithrahc shook his head. 'Enlighten me please?' He leaned forward on the table and gave Neka his full focus. 

'Well,' She began. 'I was concerned for the effects it might have had on my father`s mentality, so I asked Lirac to check on the datastreaming and make sure there were no anomalies in the process. She was reading the output, and it didn`t match what it was supposed to be. It did not transfer the minds of my father and Seprin, Your Majesty. It _duplicated_ them.' 

Mithrahc`s eyes went wide. 'You mean...?' 

Neka nodded. 'Those... things back there. They have all the memories of Seprin and Father, but it`s not them. They`re both... dead.' Neka inhaled a deep breath and tried to calm herself, she had become hysterical during the explanation. Finally acknowledging aloud that her own father had died was a difficult act and she found herself in a losing battle against the tears that had begun to roll down her cheeks. 

'Who else knows of this?' Mithrahc demanded. 

'Lirac, and the Weaver of Illusions.' Neka answered. 'I don`t know whose idea it was but the Messenger and Seprin were both in on it. Illusion rewrote Seprin`s memories, that`s why he volunteered. The Seprin over there now, he doesn`t realize what his own machine does. I`m afraid of what`s going to happen when he finds out...' 

Mithrahc was silent as he contemplated the implications of this new information. If Seprin reacted badly it would be a disaster. He was now in control of an entire laboratory full of the very latest advanced technologies, as well as an almost impervious metal form. And what of Nayten? The old warrior had already shown what he was capable of when enraged, so what would happen if this news was revealed to him? 

'What is Seprin doing now?' Mithrahc asked at last. 

'I don`t know. Last I heard he was trying to integrate himself with the lab mainframe.' Neka explained. 'That`s bad enough, but the lab is connected in part to the entire city, and the city is networked across the whole planet. If he got ambitious enough...' 

'Then it is clear what must be done.' Mithrahc interrupted. 'Neka, how well do you understand the transfer engrams? How long would it take you to reprogram them?' 

'I... know them well enough.' Neka answered, a horrifying thought forming in her mind. 'It would only take me a few hours. Your Majesty, you`re not thinking of-'

'Yes.' Mithrahc stated. 'We`re going back first thing tomorrow morning Neka. I want you to get straight on to reprograming the device. As soon as you`re confident it will function as intended, I will undergo the process. I will keep Seprin under control.' 

- - -​
Neka could not sleep. She stood on the balcony where she had been given guest quarters for the night. By chance or by design she couldn`t tell, but her room was facing the lab on the edge of the horizon across the city. Sparing a glance at her replaced arm, she shuddered. The feeling, the sense of touch it conveyed was... too artificial. Perhaps it would be harder to tell when it was her whole body rather than just part of it. 

The lights across the citadel were dimmer than they had been, to allow for the majority to sleep whilst the few who worked at night could safely navigate the streets. She could see them in the distance travelling the roads that surrounded the palace. Ground Chariots drawn by augmented steeds passed by on occasion while a handful of sky chariots drawn by bionic raptors could be seen against the starlight. 

Being out of the lab had given her a chance to truly contemplate what the long term implications might be. The talk of ambition and advancement had sparked a line of thought that she had not given any consideration beforehand. 

Mithrahc was a royarch. With this process, he would rule forever. Her father would be a warrior forever. She and Seprin would forever be crypteks and scientists. She would never attain Seprin`s rank. 

In essence, they were freezing their entire civilisation in one moment of its history. Would it last? Would it work? Would it all collapse in a flaming wreck, destroyed by infighting and shortsightedness? The necrontyr lifespan had imbued all of their species with the need to rush, to see things through to their completions as quickly as possible. She had been so sure that this was they way forward. This was the way to cheat death, to exist forever. But seeing what it had already done to two of her closest fellows, she had become more afraid than she had ever been in her life. 


--- --- --- --- ---​
Big finale comin` up! :so_happy:


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## vulkan1793

very nice i cant wait for the big bang so to speak keep up all the great work


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## Serpion5

*End in Sight...*

Neka paced relentlessly as she waited for Mithrahc to prepare himself. She had received the summons to meet him in the palace courtyard just before the main gates so they could board the chariot to the Laboratory complex. But he was evidently running late. 

'Miss Neka!' a voice called. Neka turned and recognised Re`kyt, flanked by two of Seprin`s royal guards. 'Forgive our tardiness. His Majesty bids us to proceed, and he will follow shortly. Shall we go then?' 

'If you`re sure?' Neka asked. Reluctantly, she followed Re`kyt aboard the nearest sky chariot and took handle of the controls, seeing Re`kyt step aside. 'You don`t want to fly this?' 

'I uh... I`m not much of a pilot.' Re`kyt replied nervously. 'I was never good with heights.' He gripped the main harness tightly as Neka smiled and took the chariot into the air. A second chariot followed close behind as the guards formed up in an escort position.

'So what`s his Majesty doing?' Neka asked over the din of the engine as they approached the lab. 

'I`m not too sure.' The medtek replied. 'He mentioned something about a failsafe system and backup plan. I believe he`s getting his last will in order in case whatever you two are planning goes wrong.'

Neka was silent as she began to descend towards the lab entrance. 

'So.' Re`kyt continued. 'If you don`t mind my asking, what the hell are you two planning?'

Neka shook her head in response and disembarked. She headed towards the lab resolutely with Re`kyt and the palace guards following close behind. One of the guards took her by the shoulder, stopping her just short of entering the main door. 

'Miss Neka, you are too valuable to take this risk.' He said, gripping his staff tensely. 'If Seprin truly is planning a coup, we cannot let any harm befall you.' 

Sudden realization hit Neka hard. Mithrahc was not preparing anything, he was simply waiting to see if it was safe! Though the thought sickened her, she kept quiet as the guard proceeded into the doorway. The second guard followed close behind, only to re-emerge a few moments later. 

'I think you should come in.' He said. 

Feeling a little trepidation, Neka followed the burly warrior back inside, with Re`kyt a few steps behind. What she saw was unexpected to say the least, gathered in the main entrance chamber were many of the laboratory staff. They sat, stood and paced at seemingly random points in the large room, bereft of purpose. Neka was relieved to see Lirac as the young apprentice approached. 

'Neka, thank the gods you`re back!' The girl exclaimed. 

'What`s going on here?' Neka demanded in bewilderment. The guards had begun to head towards the main research lab, despite the protests of several of the staff. 

'Seprin has sealed the lab.' Lirac explained. 'It`s him and Nayten in there alone, I`m not sure what they`re doing exactly, but he said something about improving the efficiency of the citadel network. I don`t know what he`s doing, but he won`t let any of us back inside!' 

'Don`t worry.' Neka said, sounding far more confident than she felt. 'We`ll figure this out.' She moved hastily to follow the guards with Re`kyt following close behind her. The two of them broke into a job to catch up. 

At the end of the corridor, the four of them approached the doorway. It had been sealed, but the identification panel was still set up. 

'I tried to get in before.' Lirac called from a short distance behind. 'But he barred my access code. I don`t think that will work.' 

Neka simply shrugged and leaned down to the terminal. She input her numeric code and allowed the device to test her genetic sample. Ignoring her now bleeding hand and declining the bandage that was dispensed. To everyone`s surprise, the door slid open. They saw the main walkway of the lab stretching down to the main terminal. The lights had been deactivated, and only the dim glow of the monitors at the far side gave any indication of activity. 

Neka began to walk towards the glow, only to be stopped by a guard. 

'If yours is the only code that works, it means they were expecting you.' He said. 'Be careful. I will go first.' 

Neka nodded slowly, and the two of them advanced steadily towards the end of the corridor. With trepidation, the approached the last corner. Peering cautiously, they saw Seprin`s form standing motionless before a terminal. After a few moments, he gestured, and the display changed, now showing a complex diagram of the inter citadel network. Shaking his head, he returned it to the display it had been before. Making a few more movements with his hands, he seemed to make some alterations to the programming. 

'What is he doing?' The guard whispered. 

'I can`t tell from here.' Neka replied. 'Just wait...' 

At that moment, another shape appeared. Descending from the higher levels, Nayten approached Seprin, who turned to meet the warrior`s gaze. 

_'The connections are complete.'_ Nayten said. _Try the engrams now.'_

_Thank you, Nayten.'_ Seprin replied. _'By the way, Neka? How long do you plan to hide there?'_ 

Neka froze, overcome with shock and trepidation.

_'Come daughter, there is nothing to be afraid of.'_ Nayten laughed. _'You`re not afraid of your own father and your mentor are you?'_ He laughed, a chilling metallic sound that proved to her beyond all doubt that this... thing was no longer her father. She clutched her bionic arm nervously, trying her hardest to think of a reply. 

'...Of course not.' She lied. 'I just, uh. Why is it so dark in here?' 

'Oh, the lights were draining too much power.' Seprin replied. 'And it`s not like either of us actually need them anyway.' 

'What are you doing?' Neka asked. 

'Reconfiguring the main systems to directly interface with our own engrams.' Nayten explained. 'It is actually rather interesting. Before, I had no clue how any of these machines worked. But now, I can see and understand their functions as easily as any cryptek.' He seemed genuinely excited by this prospect, despite having never shown any interest in technology before.

Neka hid her sadness. Perhaps this was a sign that the linking of their engrams was having a negative influence. If Seprin`s affinity for technology could afflict Nayten, wasn`t it possible that Nayten`s aggression could also afflict the cryptek? 

In any case, they did not seem out to overthrow the world. At least not yet. Looking at the guard, Neka nodded. 

'Call His Majesty.' Neka said. 'I`ll get to work at once.'


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## Serpion5

I`d like to apologise in advance, the final post may take a little longer than I planned.


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## Serpion5

*The creation of Misery*

Mithrahc had waited by the complex entrance as Neka and two of his guards had entered. He felt bad for sending her and Re`kyt in first as a test for his own security, but his guards had all agreed that his own safety was of paramount importance if the kingdom was truly under threat. The two guards that had accompanied them inside had not sent any word just yet. Alkvar, the most senior of the guards, had remained with his liegelord whilst his two most able recruits investigated. 

'Alkvar, how long do you anticipate it should take them?' The royarch asked. 

'I could not say for certain, My Lord.' The guard replied, hand gripping his staff tensely. 'But I imagine it would only take ten minutes to perform a cursory sweep. So long as those two... things in there are not hostile, we should know before long.' 

Mithrahc grunted and began pacing. He looked at the two sky chariots that Re`kyt and Neka had arrived on. He wondered if they suspected that they were being used as guinea pigs, then shook his head. Even if they had suspected, it would not accomplish anything by worrying now. He simply had to wait, and hope that they were alright...

--- --- ---​
Almost ten minutes passed, before Alkvar raised a hand to his ear. The earpiece was buzzing slightly with the voice on the other end, and after a few moments Alkvar responded to the call with a simple afirmative. 

'Is it safe?' Mithrahc asked. 

'Yes, my Lord.' Alkvar bowed. 'We are clear to proceed. I will lead.'

Mithrahc followed the large warrior at a short distance, the second guard following him close behind. They were silent, treading softly through the vestibule and into the main entrance chamber. The facility staff had gathered here for some reason, but for the most part seemed content to allow the royarch and his guards to pass. Only a few showed concern, but even these few did nothing to bar their progress. As they left the room and progressed down the corridor that would lead to the main laboratory, they relaxed slightly. 

One of the other guards met them near the end, bowing before the royarch and offering his report. 

'My Lord, Miss Neka is preparing the device as we speak.' He explained. 'Master Re`kyt is speaking with Seprin and Nayten, seemingly keeping their attention elsewhere. This is our best chance.' 

'Understood, let`s go.' Mithrahc nodded, and their pace was increased. The guard led them through several back corridors, avoiding the main lab to arrive at the secondary programming room where Neka had set herself up with the machine. 

Quick greetings were exchanged as Mithrahc entered. Lirac was also present, assisting Neka with what she knew of the program. The chair hummed softly as adjustments were made and the device itself registered the changes. 

'I estimate another twenty minutes.' Neka replied. 'As long as those two don`t interfere.' She suppressed a concerned glance, and briefly wondered how Re`kyt was doing.

--- --- ---​
The medtek had been watching ever since he had arrived, and for the most part could not discern any malice of intent from either of them. Seprin had been immobile except for slight movements of his head and arms, the direct interface of the computer system to his own mental engrams had apparently made all conventional interactions redundant. Nayten hovered several metres in the air above, flickering in and out of vision. 

His curiosity finally got the better of him, and Re`kyt just had to ask. 'Nayten, what did he do to you?'

'These upgrades?' Nayten asked. 'Simple actually. The flight was installed so I could access the upper levels without need of a gravity skiff, and the phase shifting technology was added to eliminate the need for access hatches and elevators.' 

'I understand, but why?' The medtek asked. 

'There are many sections of the complex that need a few adjustments for what we are doing.' Nayten explained. 'When Seprin finds them, I can simply fly to where I am needed and make the adjustments manually. Once we have the mainframe running at peak efficiency, we can begin to refine the transference technology. Seprin has estimated that we will be done within the hour, then we can begin the transfers en masse.' 

'I see.' Re`kyt nodded, seeking to stall for more time. Despite his attempts to gain the cryptek`s attention, all of his questions seemed answerable by Nayten. The link between them was strong, and Re`kyt could not help thinking that Seprin was the dominant personality between the two. What would that mean when masses of necrontyr civilians were subjected to this? That the many would simply become slaves to the will of the few and powerful? The thought was... terrifying.

--- --- ---​
Twenty four minutes had passed. Neka and Lirac were both looking exasperated, but despite Mithrahc`s concerns, they were successful. 

'Are you ready, Your Majesty?' Neka asked at last. 

'I`m ready.' He said. He looked past her at the skeletal metal form that sat regally upon the far terminal. No chair could accommodate the giant thing. 'If this is to be my eternity...' 

With solemn dignity, he placed himself upon the seat. ‘Do it.’ 

Neka closed her eyes and threw the switch. The humming of the device grew louder and louder as the thoughts, memories and emotions of the old royarch were extracted directly from his mind piece by piece and instilled within the metal form behind him. 

‘Neka, open your eyes.’ Lirac called.

‘What?’ She replied. 

‘Our leader is becoming what some might call a god.’ Lirac answered. ‘You should witness this. It will be a memory forever, do you want to remember that you simply cowered behind closed eyes? Or would you rather look back and be proud of the role you played in shaping our eternity?’

Neka opened her eyes at that, and looked back at the young apprentice. She had no answer for Lirac other than to shake her head softly. Then, taking several deep breaths, she forced her eyes to turn upon Mithrahc. For all her regrets, she had to agree with Lirac; she would not get another chance to witness this. The royarch`s face was a contorted mask of agony, but so far he had not voiced a cry of pain. His breathing was sharp and sudden, and Neka could only imagine what his mind must be experiencing. 

Suddenly his body began to convulse, and everyone present gasped in alarm. 

‘What is happening to him?’ Alkvar demanded, brandishing his staff and levelling the gun barrel at Neka`s head.

‘I don`t know.’ She replied. ‘So far, everyone has experienced extreme pain during the process. All we can do is wait, the machine has not failed in its task yet.’ 

Lirac shot her a glance, but agreed it was best not to mention the first test subject. Mithrahc`s own brother. The long minutes passed in silence, but Alkvar refused to lower his weapon. Eventually, Mithrahc gave Neka one final look of acceptance, and closed his eyes with a smile. The machine hummed for a minute further before it finally shut down, its task complete. 

‘Check his Majesty`s condition!’ Alkvar ordered one of the other guards. Immediately the guard approached the old man`s form, placing two fingers to his neck. He looked back at Alkvar and nodded. 

‘This better have worked.’ Alkvar growled, approaching the metal form at the room`s wall. 

_’I should have hoped so as well, loyal guard.’_ A metallic voice answered. At once the metal body looked up, a dim green glow emanating from the eyes. 

‘My Liege!’ Alkvar responded and dropped to his knee immediately. His two guards did likewise and even Neka found herself kneeling before the metal giant.

--- --- ---​
Back in the lab, Seprin suddenly shot to attention. He spared a glance over to Nayten. The floating former warrior looked back and nodded slightly. He had sensed it as well. The arrival of a new mind in the system mainframe.

_Does this mean...?_ Nayten asked silently via the link.

_Yes._ Seprin replied. _They acted exactly as I predicted they would._ 

Hidden from Re`kyt`s sight, the cryptek`s living metal mask twisted into a malicious and savage grin... 


--- --- ---​


There we have it folks, the ending to this portion of the story. Fans rejoice, for there will be a sequel! :king:


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## arlins

good , look forward to it mate :victory:


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## Serpion5

Don`t hold your breath. It`ll be a while in the works I`m afraid.  

When I wrote this, it was intended to consist of about six parts. But as I wrote, new ideas cropped up and I just had to make it longer. This isn`t even the intended ending, that will actually tie into the next story. 

While I am committing myself to a sequel, I don`t want to lose control. As such, I want to do a better job of planning this one. Stay tuned to Original Works though! :victory:


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## vulkan1793

nice work ...keep it up and no worries i think we are all on the band wagon :grin: here have some rep


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## Ambush Beast

*Wow!!!*

Well, I finally finished it. I am very glad I put in the time to finish it. Your story is a great read and I look forward to the sequel. k:


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## WarpSpawned

And what an amazing story it has been, Serpion.
I love it and am definitely going to read the second


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## Serpion5

The sequel is begun. 

From Death to Eternity.


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