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 Unleashed - Mentirius +++Thought for the day+++ |
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It was dark in the cell, horribly dark. The only sound was the rasping breath of the creature that crouched within, chained to the four walls by its powerful limbs. Then light cut into the blackness like a slash of pure white, and a voice spoke. is ready, master." "Good, bring it out. We have a quarry." creature snarled and strained at its chains as two figures entered, then something hit it and the darkness returned. **** awoke, and now there was true light, all around it. It was in a long room, with plain white walls. And it was free of the chains and restraints that had held it for as long as it could remember. It flexed its limbs experimentally. Then, screeching in anticipation, it darted down the passage and clutched at the portal it knew would free it from endless confinement. It heard a voice in its head, a voice telling it what it had to do. It did not know why it must obey, only that it must. Filled with purpose, its mind focussed on the objective, it waited. Then the gateway opened and Raven leapt into the air, its wings snapping open as the wind took it. rode the currents of the warp in streamlined wings, hurtling towards the unmistakable scent of its prey. Nothing went through its mind, save for a single thought. A single image. The quarry. Up ahead, a sleek black ship loomed... have delivered as promised. Tell your master that he is to fulfil his side of the bargain. But you had better be swift, Raven can hold an impressive speed." ship is swifter. My master will meet you at the rendezvous point. He will honour the pact, now that you have shown us the truth." had better do so. It was not easy to engineer this." "Don't mock me, my master knows full well schemes like this are child's play for you." will mock whom I wish, sorcerer. Though I will concede you are correct, it was a mere thread in a web too complex for your simple mind." that case, I will proceed with the pursuit. You know when and where my master will contact you." eyes see all, Thaalor. I trust this agreement will be honoured. If it is not, even your master had better not think he is beyond their gaze." is aware of that. Until next time, Lord. There is no end." "There is only change." madman lay in his own filth on the floor of the cell, talking quietly to himself, when they entered. His captors. The ones who always asked him questions. The ones who went inside his head, and broke it from the inside. up, scum." cringed away into a corner, flinching from the deep voice. Someone kicked him, and he curled tightly into a ball. Then rough hands seized him, and he was dragged from the room, screaming insanely "The rat runs! It all comes from the rat runs! Eyes! Too many eyes!" **** It had taken them months. But they had found it. Sifting through the broken ramblings of the pitiful creature, they had got what they had been waiting for. Now he sat slumped on a chair, blood running down the specially made grooves, kept in place by restraints that cut off his circulation and rubbed his skin raw. He wept soundlessly, head drooping limply. "Where's the llama? Where's the llama? Where's..." He stopped and began sobbing. The torturers turned away, and one of them signalled for him to be untied and taken back. They had their lead. The first thing they did was contact Delat. This was information he would be most interested in. dreams. Yellow eyes in the dark. The pawn is ready, let it begin. Somewhere, a warrior takes up his weapon and gathers an army. Elsewhere, a girl in a purple dress sits up and reaches for a blade. A new player enters the game. dreams on hooded man stood silently looking up at the towering form before him. Resplendent in ornate power armour, leaning on a staff that pulsed with energy, the sorcerer was an imposing sight. His eyes glowed with balefire as he stared down at Greeneye. They were surrounded by rank upon rank of Thousand Sons, silent and unmoving, bolters held ready. Then the sorcerer spoke, his voice at once a whisper and a booming echo. have what you wish, Fragmented One. I trust there has been no deceit?” “should know better than to trust me, exile.” laughter began, echoing around the gathered legion, and in the mind of the sorcerer. He raised his staff, his voice calm but the signal was clear as dozens of bolters took aim at the robed man. He spoke again. are cursed, are you not, exile? To wander the warp until you understand the nature of Tzeentch? Well I shall tell you this of the Changer of the Way; your mind is not capable of comprehending such a being. When you find the library, it will be of no help to you. You have been of use. But I must leave you to your curse.” sorcerer hissed at him with venom. “You are arrogant, daemon. But the favour of our master is as fickle for you as for me, and everything changes. Your time draws near…” Dull laughed. “I have no master, exile. And my time does indeed draw near, but not the time you are referring to. There will be no end. There cannot. There can only be change.” staff fell. A hail of bolter shells blew the robed man apart, and as the form of the daemon began to coalesce, the sorcerer tore into it with the full strength of his psychic power, channelled through his great staff. The daemon was obliterated. But the laugh continued. **** Elsewhere... stopped, and hung in the air, suddenly unsure. Such purpose it had had…gone. It turned slowly with two beats of its wings, and saw what was behind it. A Despoiler Class Battleship, displaying the colours and emblems of the Thousand Sons. How did Raven know that? Uncertain even of its identity, Raven watched the ship bear down on it. Then it found purpose again. The mental imperative flowed through it. DESTROY launched itself at the Battleship, homing in on one mind...the prey... single lifeform left the webway. Staggering through the gate, the battered Space Marine collapsed at last, safe from his pursuer after days of gruelling pursuit. Even with his considerable powers, Thaalor had barely made it. Betrayed. The daemon had betrayed him. The ship had been destroyed. His army and his countless artifacts and grimoires had perished with it. Only through Tzeentch's blessing had the sorcerer escaped. Through sheer chance, the Eldar had arrived, and noticed the intruders. As Raven met their attack, Thaalor had fled. He had felt it coming after him, felt its hatred and its hunger. But he had made it. He looked up. Thousand Sons stood around him, looking down with sightless eyes at his bedraggled form. He stood, slowly, leaning on his sword. me...to our master. I bring news of the Black Library." nodded, and a pair broke off and marched out of the chamber, Thaalor slowly following. |
