# Reflections in Light



## Logaan (May 10, 2012)

Something I wrote a while back.

The heavy rain lashed down in broad swathes, crashing audibly to the ground, turning the mud underfoot to a pulpy mass. Sporadic gunshots and muffled barking of orders cut through the sweeping downpour, the death throes of a short bloody encounter. Yet for some, the glory of victory lay just out of reach. 

“Are they ready?”

Scout Sergeant Brander's eyes fell upon the three initiates stood before him, bloodied, adrenaline coursing through their post combat heightened systems; systems of not yet marines, close, soon even, but not yet.

“Sure!” belly laughed Brander “What we've just emerged from was nothing more a combat simulation session compared to what they face now.” This was true, the insidious cultist rebellion had been crushed asunder in its infancy without remorse, but now they faced a sterner and infinitely deadlier test.

“Initiates” began Captain Stenius, resting his blue ceramite armoured foot upon the thick sewer cover that protruded from the mud. “What lies beneath us in these sewers is in many respects how you will live and fight should you become a marine; fighting an enemy in the darkness with faith, guile and steel is what this chapter has been doing since our founding, you are the future. With courage and skill you will best the enemy that sits beneath our feet. We know it's there, the bioscanners show us yet we cannot tell whether it is wounded, close to death or merely waiting. Your task is to seek out and eradicate this blasphemy”

“Sir, you speak of the enemy below us, but what is it? Cultist, spawn, abomination?” asked Levon. 

Brander and Stenius exchanged knowing glances before Stenius spoke “A brave question initiate, I have the answer, or as close to one as the auspex will tell me yet to tell you would serve no purpose at all; we rarely know what enemy we will encounter, its strength, its numbers. So it shall pass that you will not know of what lurks underfoot, merely know it is there”

Levon nodded in acknowledgment.

“Brander, remove the sewer cover” ordered Stenius. With a gruff strain of effort, the scout sergeant had exposed the opening to the dank labyrinthine tunnels that ran beneath them – a grim foetid odour of decay and decomposition being expelled. The enhanced nasal organs of Stenius and Brander filtered out this overpowering stench but to the three initiates, yet to receive their full compliment of implants, the pungent aroma was one of death and decay.

“Descend initiates, close with the enemy, embrace your future” urged Captain Stenius “For the Light!”

“For the Light!” barked back the three scouts in unison.

*
The cavernous depths that the trio had descended into was bitingly cold, dank and wet. A foot of dirty oily brown water lay at the foot of the ladder, a bubbling brew of filth and atrophy. Each winced at the pungent stench that pervaded the sewers. Carefully, they made their way through the waterlogged cavern, ascending a slight rise constructed of brick that took them into the tunnel system proper. It was still as rank yet drier and mercifully steadier underfoot.

“Scan shows target is stationary” whispered Levon, his face bathed in the green glow of the bioscanner clutched in his left hand. In his right he clutched a bolt pistol. 

“Do we outflank it or take it head on?” replied initiate Hellin, inserting a fresh clip into his boltgun. “It could be anything, we don't even now if our weapons will even harm it”

“Have faith Hellin” replied Ahman “Our Brother Captain would not have sent us on a forlorn suicide mission if he doubted our abilities, training or our arms. We shall prevail, we are doing the Emperors work and cleansing our bloodline of the evils that possessed our world. Never forget that”

“Agreed” added Levon nodding yet still pensive. “We are close brothers. Let us move out”

Slowly and stealthily, the three initiates descended into the twisting crypt like sewers, a bizarre amalgamation of crumbing archaic architecture and more modern steel supports and grills. Crude glyphs dedicated to blasphemous deities were daubed in blood and other fluids on the curved brickwork of the tunnels, malformed rats as large as curs snaked about their feet, chittering loudly as they made their way deeper into the labyrinth.

*

_It didn't know pain anymore, it hadn't for as long as it could remember, plague and pestilence had strangled senses and corrupted reason a millenia ago, yet it felt...........weak. A strange sensation. The thing knelt on one knee of its puckered and weeping armour, boils festered, breaking through cracks of armour and carapace, skin and ceramite had become one living epidermis a long time ago and it welcomed more welts, more pus, more decay; obscenity and blight was a holy offering to its master, it begged for more, yearned for more ways to please and destroy and kill. The thick viscous jelly that now oozed from between the plates of its armour was something new to it, a new disease, a fresh affliction for it to revel in but not without its debilitating effects; standing was a laboured chore, fatigue clogging its movement. Yet it still knew something was approaching. The thick pink translucent tentacles that was its right arm snaked audibly round the archaic and rusted boltgun and it prepared to deal death once more._

*

The rhythmic blip emitting from the bioscanner gained in intensity, the three initiates knew they were now closing on their target. “Levon, what does the scan tell us?” asked Ahman, his eyes nervously flicking between his brother scout and the daunting crumbling archway that loomed above them. 

“The target is humanoid but.......the scan cannot ascertain a definite readout, life signs are barely traceable, no definite confirmation of xenos, all I can see is that someone, something, is at these co-ordinates” replied Levon.

“So we're blind” added Hellin tentatively stepping towards the archway.

“Blind Hellin? Blind?” fired back Ahman disgusted “We are the Light, blind or with sight we fight and we prevail”

“I just meant-” Hellin stuttered back. Ahman's zealousness was something he could never possess. Becoming a marine was all he had ever desired, and yes he loved his Emperor, but part of him was still Hellin, native of Riska, memories of himself retained knowing that should he pass this test, centuries of service would erode his memories, he would be brother marine Hellin of the Emperors Light.

“Ahman” came Levon's calm voice, cutting through the stony silence. “Now is not the time for a theology tutorial .Caution will see us prevail, an unknown enemy is still an enemy.”

“Do not quote approved tactics at me Levon” snapped back Ahman, scowling, his eyes still fixed upon Hellin. “Tell me, is there any escape route for the target?”

Levon looked back to the scanner “The scan suggests that there is no further tunnels from the target area, it is cut off as far as I can tell.”

“Good” grinned Ahman snapping a flash grenade from his belt. “We blind it, we kill it”

*

_It heard the rattling as the object clattered against the brickwork before pirouetting to the stone floor – it grimly knew what would follow. A blinding flash of piercing white light. The twelve milky pale eyes that blinked and wept beneath its twisted and deformed helmet recoiled and closed quickly, but the weakness infecting its body was strangling its reactions. Blindness followed. It let out a guttural howl from a corrupted throat before summoning its remaining strength and rising to its full imposing height. _

*

“Traitor!” bellowed Ahman as his eyes fell upon the monstrous traitor marine that stood before them. “You shall pay for your blasphemy a thousand times!”

The traitor marine loomed malevolently above the three initiates; Ahman's flash grenade had performed its task and the thing before them was blinded and disorientated. In its left gauntlet it clutched a rusted and broken yet wicked power axe, runes burning with anger from the blades surface as it blindly sweeped the weapon in broad arcs, spewing globlets of mucus and other contagions from its poisoned edge. Its other arm was a broad thick mass of discoloured tentacles that wrapped inhumanly around a boltgun that appeared older than the Chapter itself. Its armour was rusted, battered and cracked displaying festering wounds, weeping welts and bleeding pustules. 

“For the Light!” shouted Levon bringing his bolt pistol to bear on the decaying traitor marine, snapping off five rapid shots which all landed on the monstrous target before them. If the thing had felt any pain it did not show it and it continued to edge towards the three scouts, still swinging the foetid axe before them. 

*

_It felt gunshots impact against it, it was a familiar sensation, and one that had played out more times than it could recall. But this occasion was different, it could feel the explosive shells burrow deeply beneath his battered armour, shredding flesh, causing more of the thick ooze to gush out from within. It shook its head and slowly sight was returning, the incandescent flash that had permeated its vision gradually subsiding so that its many eyes could fall upon its assailants finally._

*

Ahman had deftly dodged the swinging axe blade and was closing on the traitor marine, his chainsword whirring and spitting in a high pitched mechanical fury, looking for an opening to unleash the blades grinding action upon the hideous monstrosity that towered over him.

“Ahman!” yelled Levon in warning.

The thing pivoted lazily on its right leg, the squeal of rusted centuries old servos and motors emitted from its armour as its tentacled arm raised the archaic boltgun at the scout. Its aim was awry and the two shots missed Ahman and thudded deeply against the brickwork behind him.

*
_It was dying. It knew this. But even as the life trickled from beneath its rent armour, it drew some morbidly grim satisfaction that the weak Imperium of Man had sent mere children to face it. It would crush them mercilessly before bowing before its master, it had seen a million worlds in its lifetime, killed countless foes, reveled in decay and carnage for centuries, its master would reward it well for its service to chaos, it knew no regrets. It had died and been reborn during the glorious days of heresy._

*

To the horror of the three initiates, the traitor marine spoke, a choking gargling obscene noise from a throat now unaccustomed to human speech.

_“So they send pups to defeat me? The weak and dying Empire never ceases to insult me or mine brethren. So be it whelps, come taste defeat for I will show you such beautiful lingering deaths”_

Levon composed his thoughts, it was obvious that the thing was wounded, possibly fatally, but this was balanced with the notion that the creature that stood before them was a marine, a treacherous marine, but still a marine nonetheless; biologically superior and with centuries of experience to call upon it would always be a threat regardless of wounds inflicted upon it. 

With a speed that took the initiates sharply aback, the thing lashed out suddenly; Ahman was struck in the chest with the haft of the axe. Levon could hear the sharp cracking of ribs as the scout was flung back, crashing into the brickwork of the wall behind him. Seeing his brother initiate down, Hellin closed and loosed shot after shot, explosive bolts slamming into the great armoured form of the traitor marine; gore and pus spewed forth from torn and ragged exit holes. As he reloaded his boltgun, the traitor wheeled once again sending three shots at Hellin, two missed, puckering the masonry, expelling sharp shards of brick and choking dust. The third found its mark, the initiate crumpled and fell, his weapon clattered to the dank wet stony floor.

“No!” bellowed Levon, seeing both his comrades felled. The marine turned to face the remaining scout, swinging the rusted toxic axe in a broad swipe. Levon ducked and rolled to his right, feeling the air cut by the force of the blades descent. It impacted sharply on the stone floor, bright sparks leaping from the weapon. The force of the blow reverberated up the traitors arm, unbalancing it somewhat before it dug the axe from the cracked floor. With his back against the slimy curved brick wall, Levon fired a rapid volley at the monstrous traitor marine; again the shots impacted, more vile liquids being spat out. This time the thing bellowed and faltered.

*

_They would soon know death first hand, the beauty that is decay and blight would descend upon these pathetic fools it thought, as more shots buried deep within. The weakness was growing, gripping its every movement. It offered up a vow to its master to not let its feeble shell give out until it had taken the time to eradicate these puny specimens of man. Fixing its many eyes upon the human that had avoided its blade, it raised its snaking tentacles and levelled the ancient bolt gun..........but......biting, cutting, even stinging.....no, this cannot be it thought, not now, it needed more time. _
*

The buzzing whirring blade severed through the ropey mass of tentacles, tearing and shredding. The ruined limb dropped to the ground with a dull squelch, expelling thousands of deathly white maggots that writhed obscenely in the pink viscous goo that dripped from the wound. Levon saw the battered figure of Ahman as he rent his chainsaw through the marines hideously deformed arm, his face etched with both pain and rage as he was showered with vile liquids excreted from the gaping wound. Again the marine roared in anger and turned once more with a speed that belied its wounds and slammed the haft once more against Ahman with a sickening thud. The initiate dropped lifelessly to the ground. 
Levon could see the marine was close to death but even that would not assure them of victory, his eyes fell upon a great tear in the bronze green armour of the creatures back, within he could see several obscenely beating organs, dilating and expanding with dribbling slurps. He reached to his belt and unclipped the krak grenade that hung there. Feeling the metal reassuringly in his hand, he made a clenched fist and charged towards the traitor marine, aiming for the unnatural organs exposed beneath the battered armour. The sensation was one of utter disgust; at this proximity, the stench was cloying and overbearing and Levon fought the urge to gag and purge his system as he drove his fist as far as it would reach inside the marines bloated torso before releasing the grenade. He hoped the internal mass of the thing would cushion the concussion of the krak grenades explosion. If he was wrong.......he wouldn't get to think about his error for long.

*
_Its eyes fell upon its tentacled limb as it fell from its body and offered up a further incantation to its master for strength to crush these weak willed pawns of humanity. If its last moments were to be thus, let it revel in victory and chaos and.........._

*

The traitor marine exploded from within, a terrible shock wave careering through the floor and the masonry, loosing bricks and sending clouds of dust cascading from above. Huge chunks of armour and discoloured flesh and organs lay scattered all around, the stench clogging, a pungent acrid smell of centuries of decay and decomposition that caused Levon to wretch as he rose to his feet, the concussion flattening him with ease, showering him in foetid ooze. Through the smoke and pink flecked cloud, he saw Ahman to was rising to his feet. A silence gripped the chamber save for the drip dropping of droplets of dirty water from the domed roof above them.

“Hellin?” Ahman asked, breaking the silence, looking to the lifeless figure of the initiate lying crumpled against the far wall. Levon looked to the floor and shook his head. 
Ahman limped over to the fallen scout, picking his way thorough the fleshy metal chunks that littered the chamber floor, each step echoed by a painful wince, crushed ribs aching in a dull throb.

“May the Emperor take another fallen brother into his eternal salvation.” he spoke solemnly as he bent over and gently hauled Hellins lifeless body over his shoulder. 

“Ahman, you are wounded, let me take Hellin to the surface” came Levon's voice, sensing the initiates obvious discomfort.

“My wounds will heal Levon, I feel shame that I doubted Hellin so I must carry him” whispered Ahman as he slowly made his way from the chamber. “We must hurry, brother captain Stenius will be thinking we have all perished here should we tarry any longer. Our duty has been carried out.”
*

The rain had ceased to fall and a pastel shade dusk had descended when the two initiates emerged from the confines of the dank sewers.

“You have battled well my students” spoke scout sergeant Brander, gripping the wrist of each scout in turn in commendation. His eyes fell upon the body that Ahman stood over, unceasing, stoic, refusing medical aid from the apothecary until Hellin had been taken away.

“He was a brave initiate and would have made a proud brother marine, but what the Emperor willswill be, take solace in this thought and reflect” added Brander, gesturing for the body to be removed. Two servitor serfs hurried to them and picked Hellin from the dirty puddled ground, mechanically, efficiently. “Fall out initiates” ordered Brander gruffly. “Debrief aboard the Tempest at 23.00 hours”

*

The land raiders engine growled as the huge armoured vehicle hummed and rattled into life, its deep blue angled armour mud spattered and streaked, its vast wide tracks gouging up chunks of soft wet earth as it prepared to depart.

“We faced our real enemy today Levon” spoke Ahman after a long silence, as they paced tiredly towards the transport. He had been quiet, lost deep within thoughts since they had left the sewers. “I am aware we have faced numerous enemies before, but today we defeated those that sought to destroy Riska, sought to destroy our home. It felt good, it felt just, I want to continue carrying out the Emperors duties as far as I am able. I must become a marine.”

“I share your thoughts” echoed Levon “I saw the future today my brother. For the light.”

“For the light”Ahman answered.


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