Part XI "The Eldar are a far-seeing race, and forever they watch the tides of the future. Ordinarily they do little to intervene, but when larger events begin to transpire they can be quick to lend assistance. Or resistance, as the case may be. They do not care about anything other than how it impacts themselves, and for that they are a selfish people. But when your aims and theirs intersect, they are a generous ally. "They have foreseen a time of great upheaval in their lives, caused by humanity. This, they are accustomed to, for to them humanity is but a child with dangerous toys. But amidst this upheaval they began to see their own destruction, and so they set out to counteract it before it began." Gideon paused, armored fingers clasping at empty air in search of words. "That is why they are here, on Mraba IV." Ezekial made as though to interrupt, but Gideon pressed on. "I know, you think they are here to stop the Imperium from reclaiming this world. And in one sense they are, for the knowledge contained on this planet would greatly strengthen Man, and consequently weaken them. But that is only a side benefit, a 'bonus' if you will. "They are truly here to stop the capture, however accidentally, of one man. This man, and what he represents in their future-sight, is the sole reason that they die in droves beneath your guns. In him they have foreseen a bypass to their destruction, or at least a lessening of the chance of it occurring. If he dies, then to them all is lost. They would rather all die now than to submit to the end Fate would give them." "Is it you?" Ezekial asked. Gideon laughed with surprise. "No, it is not I they seek to protect. They would, perhaps, not kill me right away, but they will not die for me. "There are others like me, already here on Mraba IV. Most have made their ways here over years of secretive travel, and many have been stranded here much longer than I, waiting for the rest to arrive. We chose this planet because it was isolated by the storms, and would make a secure rendezvous point; how could we know that those eon-lasting warp storms would abate almost at the same time as his arrival." Gideon stopped short, manner suddenly fully attentive. "What was that noise?" Ezekial, wrapped up in the story, had heard nothing. Attuning his hearing to a more sensitive pitch, he listened closely. After several long moments, both men shook their heads. "It was nothing. Perhaps the Eldar have gained entrance," he said. "My wounds weaken me. Finish your tale. Then we shall return to the main hall." "Very well then." Gathering his thoughts, Gideon resumed speaking. "I fully believe that the gods of Chaos somehow removed the blockade of warp surrounding this planet. Things are coming to a head, and they know it. They fear this man's arrival as much as the Eldar wish to allow it. So they permitted the Imperium to rediscover Mraba and hoped you would react as you have, by sending in enormous forces to secure it. The warp gods want the destruction of the Eldar to be brought on by this man's death, and fear the coming stillness his survival will bring. Do you understand me?" "The Eldar saw the Chaos gods lessening the warp storms so that the Imperium would find this man you speak of," Ezekial replied, "and if he is found they will die. So they have come here to prevent his being found." "Yes! If he lives, Mankind will prosper as it has not done since the Great Crusade! If he dies, so will the Eldar, and Chaos will reign supreme. Rank blackness will engulf the universe, and no one and nothing will stand before it. This is the man I have come here to meet. I, and others like me, seek to join his cause." "On what basis? Only that the selfish Eldar do not wish him to fall into men's hands? Or that, coincidentally, the warp abates now around the planet? Worlds are found and lost each day as the warp tides shift and flow! How can you risk your soul on such flimsy evidence?" "Because," Gideon answered slowly, "I knew him before. He was once a Dark Angel just as we are, from the time of the Emperor, just as I am. I served shoulder to shoulder with him in hundreds -- nay, thousands -- of campaigns! He is branded as heretic just as I am, but I know he is as loyal to the Emperor as I am. He carries a fierce weapon from the early days of our Chapter, straight from the hands of Lion himself. I am sure of it, though he has never drawn it from its scabbard to my knowledge. He will be the means of our salvation. His is the plan we shall follow. The glory of our Emperor will be restored, Zeke, and we shall be there to witness it!" Ezekial was willing to accept anything Gideon said now, but his curiosity still held sway over him. "But... who is he? What is his name?" "His name is forgotten, lost in the mists of time. It no longer matters," the other replied. "Now he has a new name, one that tells who he is without revealing anything: Cypher." If Gideon had hoped for a response from the younger man, he was disappointed. Ezekial had not served with the Dark Angels long enough to be inducted into any of the inner Circles of knowledge, and consequently had not heard the truth of the Fallen. Cypher was the most feared and despised of the Fallen, and as such his name was whispered only in the most secret conclaves. A mere Sergeant could not be expected to know anything of the dark shame that rode the Chapter like a hag. Instead, he simply shrugged his shoulders, and said, "How will we find him now?" Gideon was still wrapped up in the picture he had painted, but quickly shook himself back to awareness. Looking around, he started gathering up the dead Marines' weapons, and handed Ezekial back his helmet. The black-armored man's own helmet was already in his hands, as he prepared to replace it. "First, we must stop the Eldar from killing your Guardsmen, and stop your Guardsmen from killing more Eldar," he answered. "Then we will send the Stirkans deeper into this fortress where they will wait in ignorance of all that has transpired. You see, Zeke, I do not wish for the killing of innocents. Just do not show me any more zealots, and we will be fine." With a trace of wry humor, he placed his arm around the wounded Sergeant to help support him. Ezekial, more weakened by his wounds than he realized, leaned heavily against his friend. Together, they began making their way back to the entrance of the City of Might. They continued speaking as they walked, talking of lesser things. Their attention distracted, they did not see the grenade until it landed at their feet. In the instant before it exploded, a thousand thoughts rushed through their minds. They tried to throw themselves away from it, but their entangled bodies prevented them from escaping. It exploded with a thunderous noise, showering their unprotected heads with murderous shrapnel. Still supporting each other, they died. The blast echoed up and down the corridors for several long seconds, reverberating deeper each time. As the last sound ebbed away, a hobbling figure moved next to the two still forms. Interrogator-Chaplain Vicconius had been gravely wounded by this Fallen Marine called Gideon, but he had not died. Unconscious, bleeding profusely, he had lain exposed to the killing blow, and the heretic, no doubt thinking him already dead, had not finished him off. Eventually he had awakened, and, seeing his soldiers strewn around him, had started walking, not knowing which way he was headed. The sounds of fighting, and then of voices, had stopped him before he had revealed himself. His heart had broken then as he listened to his favored Sergeant turn from the love of the Chapter at the honeyed words of the renegade Dark Angel. He reprimanded himself for not being stronger with Ezekial sooner, but he did not blame himself for the other's failure. A Dark Angel was a Dark Angel only so long as he followed the Chapter's teachings. There was no middle ground for the Fallen, and by renouncing the Chapter and voluntarily listening to Gideon, Ezekial had become a Fallen. For such insurrection, death would come before redemption for the Sergeant; Vicconius would not waste his time seeking his confessions. For Gideon... let him count himself fortunate that the Interrogator-Chaplain was too wounded to subdue both men; he would die with his corrupted companion, cleanly and quickly, which was surely more than either deserved. The heretic was accounted for, that was what truly mattered. This time, there was no other way. Vicconius was fortunate that they had spoken of Cypher before they began walking towards him, towards the entrance. Otherwise he would not have known of the hated enemy's presence on this world. His brother Chaplains would be pleased to find their nemesis so near to capture, after all this time. The Interrogator-Chaplain's thoughts were already on his next steps, on how he could convey his knowledge to his surviving Chapter, as he threw the grenade at Ezekial and Gideon. Then he turned and walked away, back up to the main room of the City of Might. |
REDEMPTION By Kelly L'Roy |
TOMES OF VALOUR |
This item has been reproduced without the permission of the author. It's use here is not intended as a challenge to the original authors copyright and is reproduced here for the sole purpose of enhancing the Dark Angel spirrit and the warhammer 40,000 experience. Sadly all attempts at contacting the author have been unsuccessful and the original site where this was published no longer in existence. The story has been too invaluable to the DA community to be simply lost in the warp and therefre been reproduced here. If Kellt L'Roy happens to read these pages, please contact by email. |
