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Author Topic: A LONG story, by the Unseen  (Read 1235 times)

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Offline The Unseenly Invincible

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A LONG story, by the Unseen
« on: August 27, 2012, 01:25:17 AM »
   From Glorious to Graceless, Lord Verlax

   Very little is known about the Tzeentch Sorcerer, Lord Verlax – he is an evasive character, the Inquisitor tasked with eliminating him says that he, or rather it, should be considered much of a mirror to the Eldar view of these matter. That is to effectively always be the hunter, not the hunted, and to never show up to a battle you do not wish to fight.
   What is known about Lord Verlax, or actually is a plausible rumour about him, is that somewhere, on that obscure planet which he dominates, is a library. And, if one was to have the permission to go into this library unchecked, and search hard enough, he or she might find something rather interesting – something which Verlax refers to in his peculiar talks to himself, his “memory”.
   Velrax is unfathomably old – he saw the Emperor himself, and actually served under him once. But that was all long ago, and the only record Verlax keeps of it is in this “memory” of his. This memory is a strange tome. It looks, physically, like any old book, but it has some form of consciousness; one which is linked with Verlax at least. For every step Verlax takes, the book records it, for every action Verlax makes, he can always be sure to find it in his “memory”. Even more strangely, the “memory” never seems to run out of pages.
   And here, my dear reader, I have given you your final wish – a summary of this “memory” of my Lord. So make yourself comfortable, pay attention, as this will be the last time you will need to do so. Or who knows? Maybe the Dark Powers have an alternative path in mind for you.

   The first record of the “memory” comes in the bleak years before the Horus Heresy; praise Mater Horus, as he is the one who saw the true path of Chaos. Serritus Verlax, a young but still achieved Librarian of the Galvanisers was sent to exterminate the alien race of Kiruks. This was done without issue – the Kiruks were a race barely developed past the what one might call “Medieval Age”.
   But the Kiruks had a specific perk which many races don't have – their minds intermingle with the might of the Warp: they are a psychic race. This tome, the “memory”, was unearthed along with thousands of other alien artefacts, all to be exterminated. Whether it was through jealousy or through curiosity, Serritus kept this tome.
   It, from that point on, recorded Serritus's history, and this, to him at least, had its many advantages. One can learn from their mistakes, or more conveniently, from the mistakes of others, and this is best analysed in detail. This “memory” though it only writes facts, has that memory boost effect. Serritus could find a detail that he hadn't remembered, and as soon as he read it, all the images, ideas, feelings, all the impulse of that moment came rushing back to him. Whether this is the ability of the “memory” of Serritus himself, only Lord Verlax knows for certain.   
   Nonetheless, the discovery of the tome itself is actually of little consequence to Lord Verlax's history: it merely recorded it.
   Came the year of M31, and Warmaster Horus sided with the Dark Powers, and with that action war on the Imperium of Man was made. Serritus, of course, fought wars on behalf of the Emperor, but it was at this time that Serritus quietly began the questioning of the Imperium to himself. He had always thought that the Imperium was a grand connection of planets, thriving with human life and advances, the Emperor at the lead of it all.
   But it wasn't. The truth was far grimmer. Serritus landed to assist the planet Ikos XV against an alien invasion. What Serritus saw appalled him. Humans weren't like the free men and women he had imaged them – they were tools, which could be at any time thrown away. Or sacrificed in their millions for that matter. There wasn't any compassion towards anyone. Those who stepped out of line were killed. Those who mutated weren't cured – it was cheaper to kill them. Serritus felt similar disgust towards the aliens – they were civilised, social even, with only good to bring to the Imperium. But what was he supposed to do? Torch their houses, kill their children, exterminate all evidence that they even existed.
   So what was the point? He fought for a humanity that didn't exist? Uncountable numbers killed so that atrocities could be committed against the indigenous peoples of the galaxy? The point  of the Imperium was only that for the human race to survive at all costs, like a animal? Wasn't it more than that?
   It was that night that Tzeentch came to Serritus, while he prayed to the Emperor. Serritus was surprised, but Tzeentch pointed out that the Emperor is a false god. If, in a holy place that was dedicated to the Emperor had no actual holiness, no meaning to it, then there was no “god” in the Emperor. He was just another superhuman being with psychic powers, and one that had convinced humans to follow him, so that he could have all power and glory to himself.
   Serritus, upon hearing this sighed, and answered “Yes, I consider this true, but what is there to do about it?”
   At that point, Serritus could of seen Tzeentch grinning, and it proposed something. Something which would determine the allegiance of Serritus once and for all.
   At first, Serritus required some tricks. He proceed the next day to Ilgoth, the capital of Ikos, and large even amongst  hive cities where he immidientely went to the Governor of the planet. At first Serritus “inspected” what was in the Governors possession. He found something, and someone, interesting. The something was an STC device, perfectly functional.
   The someone was a Tech priest called Loizus. What was interesting, and rather lucky, for Serritus was that Loizus had been severely neglected by the Governor. He had settled with the fact that he couldn't do anything about it, but that spark of anger and need for vengeance still remained there, somewhere.
   Serritus pounced upon that spark, seizing his opportunity. He whispered promising words in Loizus's ears, a promise of a purpose, a promise of a freedom. And Loizus ate from Serritus's hand. He would activate the STC for Serritus, but had one concern – what would the governor think of this?
   But Serritus had just smiled politely, and said: “Fear not – my word will be the governor's word.”
   Serritus found a “substitute” for the current governor. He was Hesk, and he was a power hungry, but absolutely mindless, person. Serritus led Hesk to the tower in which the current Governor sat. Serritus barged in, and blamed the Governor for corruption, and having dealings with daemons.
   The Governors protests were ignored. He was taken out for all to see, and shot by Serritus who aptly said:
   “This is what happens to those who meddle with daemons and plot with traitors. Because of this inconvenience, the loss if a governor, here I present a temporary governor until this mess is sorted out – Sir Hesk!”
   Hesk had been led back to the Governor's tower, where Serritus had slammed him down said that he, similarly, would be blamed for having meddled with daemons unless a set of instructions that Serritus had drawn up would be followed by Hesk.
   In short, the papers said that Hesk was to permit Serritus to do anything he pleased, and not intervene.
   So Serritus returned to that blacked room with the STC, and gave Loizus a task of things to produce if he was to “buy his freedom”. He was also not supposed to ask questions to why Serritus needed such... peculiar things.
   A few days later, Serritus made was required to make a “special delivery” back to Sankor, the recently established hive city were the alien threat had been most present. Strangely enough, the “special delivery” also consisted of a few cargo ships worth of Astropaths and other psykers. 
   Meanwhile, while all this happened, Serritus had sent most the marines he had trusted, or those who had already sided with him, to the nearby Connections Station orbiting Ikos XV. First, Serritus's second in command, the sergeant Reklis, had found a collaborator upon the Station – a clerk called Gilxis. He led the force of Reklis's marines through the station, and all those who agreed to listen, not as questions, and do as they were told where spared, while all the others weren't.
   The Inquisition had been called upon Ikos XV, alongside a task force of about 1000 Adeptus Asterates, but those who had dedicated their lives to hunting the new-found horrors of the Warp, much like a premature version of the Grey Knights today.
   Why? A psychic message had been sent to them, stating that the alien race upon Ikos XV had become willingly possessed by daemons so save their species. The Inquisition didn't tolerate aliens who had doings with the Warp, and soon the task force arrived on Ikos XV, to be greeted by Serritus, who gleefully explained the situation.
   Strange tracks were found in obscure places, elusive shadows of the aliens appeared, people started disappearing. But Inquisitor Lethia stuck to her task, and it eventually became obvious that there was a massive tunnel system connecting the various hive cities which the aliens were using.
   So she, and her 1000 marines thundered into the tunnels underneath the city. Here they met these aliens possessed by the daemons. They made strange attacks, mostly without pattern, random amounts of them suddenly materialising, dispersing, firing lightning, suddenly growing swords, at other time splitting into two, or even becoming shapeless blobs that screeched around to evade the bolter fire. Then suddenly, they would disappear, and all would be silent once more.

Post Merge: August 27, 2012, 01:26:25 AM
In the future, please use the modify button. Double posting is against the forum rules, and for that reason, the system merged your posts.

Whispers grew on Ilgoth that something terrible had happened to the Asterates that had been sent into those forsaken tunnels.
   Serritus had something else to do, in the meantime. His special delivery didn't go to Ilgoth, it had gone through ut – the short of it was that Serritus had lied, hunted and handed the records to Hesk, whom Serritus demanded that they be destroyed. The special delivery, the one consisting mostly of Astropaths, was sent to some strange obscure place, outside of civilisation.
   Here, Serritus gathered the Seven-Thousand, the literal number of Astropaths present. He recited a passage, and told the Astropaths to repeat. He told them that he had discovered a way to make a “protective barrier” around the planet, but all their psychic energy had to be contributed to erect this barrier.
   For a day and a night the words of Serritus rang out, followed by the seven-thousand voices of the Astropaths. There was a shimmer, a ray of light, then silence – only the crickets chirped. The barrier had been erect; the Astropaths fell to their knees in exhaustion. But they didn't die – Serritus put them into custody. They would be useful later.
   The Asterates and Inquisitor Lethia had been travelling in the tunnels for a Terran month now, fighting these strange things  - a mixture of alien and daemon. If they had a tracking device, they would find that these tunnels stretched beyond Ilgoth. Now, they were under Ilgoth desert, far away from any civilisation.
   Lethia, however kept stubbornly pressing on; her deductive and tracking skills had lead her to know that there was a strong Warp emittance point in the centre of the tunnel complex – probably the entry point of the daemons to the physical world.
   The Asterates, after furious, but short, skirmishes with the alien daemons reached their goal. Indeed there was a strong Warp emittance point – but not the one Lethia thought it was. It wasn't a Warp portal. It was a Warp bomb. And, as if it had been expecting them, it exploded.
   In that instant, all the Asterates, all 1000, and the Inquisitor were sucked into the Warp, never to be seen again.
   The truth was the Serritus had it planned from beginning to end. The alien threat had already been exterminated by him – he had lied about the aliens being possessed by the daemons. Rather, Tzeentch exploited the minds of psykers around Ikos XV to send it Pink Horrors, his personal army of daemons. The Horrors had taken shape, caused an illusion, of Ikos XV native aliens. The whole ploy behind them saving themselves by allowing daemons to possess them was just a cover up story for Serritus – so that he could just blame everything on these “aliens”. It was also a distraction, so that he could take over the Connections Station and create the “protective barrier”, all of which were just about to come into play.
   A Warp Bomb isn't something that goes about unnoticed, specifically when it explodes. The people of Ilgoth saw it, and it is unsurprising that people sent messages, both physical and psychic, to send for a detective to figure out what was going on. But guess what? None of them got through.
   For a physical message, such as an alpha wave, to get through, it must be first verified and sent by the Connections Tower. And who controlled the connections tower? Serritus's task force, who now received orders to delete and not verify and of the messages.
   The psychic messages were caught on this “protective barrier”. Serritus knew a specific power that made a barrier which prevented psychic contact through it. The size varied, but seven-thousand Astropaths made one large enough to encircle the entire planet. This means, in effect, they unwittingly prevented all psychic contact from and into the planet.
   This all rounded down to one thing – no-one from the outside worlds had any idea of what just happened in Ikos XV. Undoubtedly, no-one had probably given any though to what was happening, as now the Horus Heresy was in full swing, and Ikos XV was just some forgotten planet on the brink of the Imperium.
   But it did mean one thing for Serritus: the planet was at his feet. A planet with a few recently built hive worlds and massive amount of raw resource, along with billions of souls. Enough to build an army, in fact. An army of what one might call a mockery of the Imperial Army.
   Serritus had now two projects to work on. The first was the army, and the second was, what he called, a “backup” plan.
   His first act after the explosion of the Warp bomb was something he didn't do often; a public appearance. He stood up, and made a speech. One that spoke of a freedom, one that spoke of a purpose, one that spoke of the inferiority of the Emperor to the Dark Power known as Tzeentch. Serritus declared himself Lord Verlax, the Bringer of Tzeentch's Word, known as such hereafter.  Now, humans were a easy thing to manipulate, and ate out of Verlax's hands – they wanted these things, they wanted a purpose and a freedom. For was not the Imperium, the Asterates, the Inquisition the very symbol to the oppression of the common man? A did not just Verlax prove that it wasn't as indestructible as the people though these symbols were?
   A few weeks later, when Verlax was certain that everyone was now his devote follower, and that everyone who though otherwise disappeared from the face of Ikos XV, made another speech. This time, he spoke of a Master, Warmaster Horus, who was the first to see the glory of the Dark Powers, and who now pushed to challenge the Emperor himself. So, for that freedom and purpose, the people were to work in factories harder than before, and were to train as soldiers. This they did with a fiery purpose and renewed enthusiasm. When one has a purpose to become free, he or she will do anything to gain it.
   While the factories groaned and the orders were shouted, Verlax tramped back to that blacked room which contained the STC and Loizus. Verlax nodded politely, and thanked Loizus and the STC for the Warp bomb that they had created. He then gave them a new task, a little something as  a “backup”, a plan B, just in case it was needed. Also, a nice battle cruiser design would be nice. Because Verlax's favourite saying is “It's better to be safe than sorry.”
   Somewhere, sometime later, nearby Terra, lay the gigantic forces of Chaos, prepared for the final assault upon the loyalist and their false god-Emperor. From the horizon came a battle cruiser – an Imperial design, but with Chaos icons of Tzeentch. Then came another, similar ship. And another. And yet another. Soon, a fleet of battle cruisers came. But as they got closer, another one of their strange elements, proof that they were Chaos ones, showed. They were there – but only sort of. They flickered between the Warp and Realspace. Warpships, they were soon named.
   Warmaster Horus had been warned, and sent a message demanding to meet the one in charge of all this. A single ship, strangely enough the smallest one, entered orbit, and out came Lord Verlax, who greeted Horus, praised him, and informed them that his “Chaos version of the Imperial Army” was prepared for combat. Verlax answered all of Horus's questions, apart from the one: “how did you manage to create such an army without the notice of anyone.” Verlax had just grinned and said “A coincidence of events.” Verlax also requested that his army be “integrated” with the rest of the forces – he didn't actually want anyone to know that this army had arrived. So most of the Chaos forces just accepted the new arrivals, and soon focused on the main assault of Terra.
   Verlax, of course, participated alongside his force of marines, who had for so long been in that Connections station. Verlax also handed over “general management” of his forces to the Clerk Gilxis, who had proven a most adept commander.
   His forces did infiltration work, as was Verlax's proffered style of combat. He disrupted reinforcements, cut off supply lines, blew up ammunition crates, and struck with overwhelming force on isolated units.
   A few days into the battle, Lord Verlax received a message, stating that a Eldar force was coming to the nearby moon of Terra. Most other commanders would of ignored that, but Verlax knew that when the Eldar appeared somewhere, it was generally that they were after something interesting.
   Firstly, Verlax played the waiting game, ant let the Eldar fall into a trap. They would show him what it was they were after, and then he would cut them off and butcher them. The Eldar went into a temple, where they were easily trapped, isolated, and slaughtered. Apart from one. A female Farseer, called Illthel, cried on her knees in front of Verlax, crying and begging for mercy. The “interesting” object that the Eldar had come for was a soulstone of Illthel's child. Verlax, in perhaps the first, and last act of major compassion in his life, agreed. But under one condition – she would foresee the outcome of the duel of Horus and the Emperor. Both sides had nothing to lose – Verlax had not use for a child's soulstone, and the Eldar didn't care about human wars and outcomes, so the exchange only benefited them both.   
   The Farseer foretold this:
   “There is night and there is day. Night meets day at sunset. And there shall be night, but after night there is sunrise. Yet there shall be no more day.”
   It was a simple explanation, to the likes of Lord Verlax at least. Night was a substitute for Horus, Day was the Emperor. They would duel at sunset, and for a time Horus would be winning, but the Emperor will destroy Horus – but he too will be dealt a mortal wound.
   Lord Verlax calmly agreed, and left to Farseer to clutch the soulstone. Within him there was anger, however. He sent a message to Loizus to activate the backup plan, and returned to Terra.  He did this for no reason other than to destroy as many loyalists as he could. Where his tactics had been patient and precise, now they were brutal and sharp; thousands of battle cannons, plasma guns, missiles, rockets, occasional titan weapons guns flew in the enemies direction, only to cause as much damage as possible.
   Verlax also lost himself a bit in his anger. He observed a Primarch of some forgotten chapter wade through Chaos marines and his “guardsmen” as if they he was a cruel boy playing throwing his toys around. Verlax, instead of slinking away to save himself, instead threw himself at the Primarch with all his fury, and screamed the battle cries of Khorne.
   The battle between the two raged, whatever technical ability Verlax lacked in combat were made up by his bloody-mindlessness. The Primarch finally stumbled, and Verlax seized the opportunity – he smote the Primarch with the most potent psychic power he could think of. His sword hit the Primarch's chest, and here came an explosion of energy, which consumed both Verlax and the Primarch.
   Gilxis, seeing this, and knowing the day was lost through the brief, but very clear, message Verlax had sent him, took over. Gilxis progressively withdrew Lord Verlax's forces back to his ships, but what happened now?
   Somewhere else on the same ship lay the STC, Loizus standing by its side. Something whispered in the air, it whispered of its agony, it whispered of its foolishness, and begged to be spared. In front of Loizus lay a metal body – another produce of the STC.
   A cry was heard: “Master, let this become your body!”
   Then silence. A whirring noise came. Then a clicking one. The whispering in the air died out, and the metal man on the table arose. Loizus bowed, and said “ My Lord Verlax.”
   Verlax had had a backup plan in case he died on the battlefield, which seemed like a realistic idea. His psychic gifts from Tzeentch were so powerful that he could maintain his consciousness after death, but only for a moment. That moment was long enough for Verlax to enter the body of the metal figure – how the metal figure was able to do this only the STC which designed it knew, and after that never seemed to want to reproduce another such “metal man”.
   Nonetheless, Lord Verlax knew what must be done – the forces were withdrawn, so now they hastily made their way back to Ikos XV. These “Warpships” did this in a matter of minutes. The warpships, with whatever diabolical technology the STC made them from could “blend” with the Warp – become one with it, as did the ships contents. Thus they screamed across the Warp, and time and space flows differently – effectively the ships could show up wherever the warp existed, and disintegrate, “blend”, wherever the warp existed.       
   Upon Ikos XV Verlax hastily gathered the Astropaths, who though surprised at his new form, still psychically registered Verlax. He told the to perform another ritual, another Seven-Thousand. This time the ritual was brief, but brutal – as soon as the last word was said, and screaming portal opened behind the Astropaths, who all went pale, and died as their souls were sucked out from their bodies and into the Warp.
   Verlax returned to his ship, and the fleet flew into the portal. As soon as the last ship entered, the portal closed behind them. Even so much psychic power could sustain a warp portal for so long.
   And Verlax was lucky. The portal led them to what became know as the Tear-duct of the Eye of Terror. Here there was a section of four planets who rotated around a black sun. Crone worlds. And there, Verlax could continue to plot an scheme, while his billions of soldiers constructed Verlax's small Empire that exists to this day.
   And all this time, Tzeentch watched, grinning to itself.

   There is much more, much, much more reader to the life of Lord Verlax, this is but a portion of it, but now the black sun rises upon the horizon, and you, dear reader, have been granted your final wish. Now, behold pure Chaos!
-Reklis, the First of the Nine Sorcerers of Lord Verlax, Bringer of Tzeentche's word.         
« Last Edit: August 27, 2012, 01:26:25 AM by The_Unseen »
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