Despair

''Despair
It was just another night on their small, forgotten world. Lone guard was standing near small hut, guarding small setllement with some hundred miners. There was nothing and no one here for him to look out, for this world was almost dead. It had breathable atmosphere but almost no flora and fauna. Only few simple plants lived on this planet and only near northern pole, where thin ice crust provided some water and few species of primitive insects not harmfull to humans. No one knew why this world was like that, some argued that it was probably heavily damaged in some natural catastrophy due to few very large craters in equatorial region. Non of that concerned that lonely guard. He was bored to death, hungry and almost frozen. Nights were cold here and he hated when his shift fell at night. He allways wandered why they even needed guard sine there was not a single dangerous animal or criminal or anything here. Just miners digging hard rock for some crystals which were pretty cheap but also needed for who knows what in endless maze of Imperium. Greatest event here was when once every six standard months middle sized cargo ship would come to collect crystals. Nighst were usualy  very dark here since this small planet had no moons, just black sky full of distant stars like tonight or even darker when dust clouds would start to roll down and up from south to north hemisphere. He was so bored that he started to cound stars.

Next moment, sky full of stars flared as a new star blazed from nowhere, one signle piece of it separated, burning as it fell towards dead, rocky plains north of settlement, second before another star flashed in the sky but remaind there, shining with sickening violet light.

It all lasted less than a minute when shockwave from impact came at him, raising dust as it boomed toward settllement. He was trained enough to at least barely understand what happened. Some spaceship got in trouble up there, maybe even their cargoship although he was due to come in two months. Falling star he saw must be a rescue pod, he thought. He started to run towards the impact site, hoping that there are survivors he could help. Not even a quarter of league after he started to run, he stopped as petrified. He heard runing footsteps comming at him, every single on of them loud like an blow from large mining pneumatic hammer. Not a few hertbeats later, he saw something that made his blood freeze. Two large shadows, almost two times the size od ordinary human, were comming at him, runing with incredible speed, dust clouds forming arround them. Then they saw him and stoped just few dosen feet away. They stayed like that for few moments.

Then, zwo giants approached, their armour dented, burnt, blackened. Guard was frozen with fear, seeing Astartes for the first time in his life. He could see some symbols on their armour but could not recognise any of them. Astartes were real, he knew that much, but to see one in person was a very rare accomplishment. They were mythic warriors, fighting in wars far away on borders of Imperium. Yet, two of them were in front of him. First one, a bit larger, had some huge caliber weapn in his right arm and on his wrist something that looked like a sword, its blade consisting of bloody, knifed chain. On his back he could see a hilt of another sword. The other one carried even larger multibarelled weapon connected by a thick flexible cable with massive container on his back. On his wrist there were other weapons; one big handgun and  a short sword. Their armour was coverd with vas ammounts of blood and gore, some of it burned and still smoking. They were also both wounded, blood dripping from places were armour was dmaaged by savage blows from unknown weapons. Both of them carried helmets that gave them scary, inhuman look.

 Then, suddenly, one of giants came at him and put his large metalic hand on his shoulder.

Forgive  us, human, for what we have brought upon your world, he said with synthetic, deep and painfull voice. Guard was completely overwhelmed with things he just saw when he realized that armoured giant was pointing towards black sky. He saw dosens of stars falling down on his world, all separating from large violet light. He was still confused but he realised that someone is comming, chasing two Astartes who were standing before him.

Go human, second giant said, his voice even deeper and hard like a rock. We are aware that there is a setllement nearby. Collect your fellow humans and all other people and run as far as you can, hide as deep as possible. We will stand our guard here and give you some time. It will not be much and it will not be enough. We will run no more.

Guard was still frozen but  then saw first stars impact into rocky plains, few leages away from place where first star with two giants fell.

GO YOU FOOL!!, first giant shouted,  his voice like hammer, as he raised large weapon he held in his arm. Guard started to run as fast as he could towards settlement. Few minutes later he heard the sound, chaotic music that vibrated air, making it taste foul. Still runing, he looked back and saw two giants standing firm, their weapons raised, chainsword howling like a wild beast, their armour shining with inner light. Northern horizont was burning as more and more stars were impacting and violet light was dancing in clouds of dust and smoke. He started to run faster, not looking back anymore. Just when he arrived into settlement, where scared people were allready on the streats, sounds of large calliber weapons discharging came. It was like thunder, every single of bursts, hundreds of them one after another. He urged people to run and that is what they did, panicking, carrying their children, runing toward mines, hills, just runing, scared and confused, not knowing what is happening. North was burning now, sounds of explosions mixing with horrid music that came from everywhere and unbelievable screams of joy.

Just when first people where at the border of their small comunity, they realised that large, armoured shadows where waiting there for them. Everyone stoped, frozen with fear and horror as more and more giants emerged from shadows until they completely surrounded them. For the first time they could clearly see giants in detail. They were horrible, deformed monstrosites, barbed with spikes and decorated with flayed skins, bones, skulls, eyes hurting symbols, armed with strange looking weapons, swords and axes, chained tentacled whips. Their faces were painful to watch, scarred, cut, oozing with pinkish fluids, their eyes black as darkness in deepest mines, their lips cut, leaving bare vampiric teeth vissible. Their faces, horrible as they were, were even more sickening for they were showing pleasure, already drooling in expectation of upcoming orgy of mutilation.

They  came at them, herded them like cattle, still not hurting anyone, still silent and monstrous.

Then mutilation began. The torture, flaying, burnin, impaling, raping, cutting and countless other unimaginable ways of humiliation and destroying of flesh and soul. No one was spared.



 First they separated grown man from women and children. Then they tied them with rusty, bloody chains and took their weapons. They started to scream with joy as blood sprayed on their faces as they flayed people alive, penetrated them with barbed blades, drank their blood, eating their flesh alive. One of them came at Guard, grabbing him with ease. There was administrative building just nearby, small aquila decorating is wall above the door. He lifted him up there and using pieces of steel rebar he found nearby nailed him over the aquila trough his hands and thighs. Guard screamed, barely staying conscious as monstorus Astartes  took large, filigrantly decorated knife and started to cut him, taking pieces of skin from his face and chest, eating some of them and using other to decorate his armour.

I will not kill you human, he suddenly said, his voice like poison''. I want you to watch and scream, but your mouth seem to small from real screams so I will help you a bit.''

He raised his hand and shove clowed finger in guards mouth, tearing his cheeks, on by one, up to the base of jaws. Guard stared to gurgle and scream, his voice loosing human definition as his jaws widened in unnatural angle. 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">That is good, he hissed. Watch now and scream, enjoy my art of flesh and blood, scream in agony and anticipation, fill my ears with sweet melody of your horror.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Monster Astartes then approached group of scarred women, picked one and with a single blow skinned her face, then toss her away like a pice of garbage toward another monster that picked her from dust and clawed her eyes out, using them as earrings jewelry a moment later.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Do you like me more this way, he sad, comming towards guard, as he streched womans face skin over his disgusting visage. Guard scremed again with animalistic fear, begging fellow Astartes he saw before to help them, begging Emperor, Imperium, Guard, anyone to help them. Yet, there was no one to help them. His last hopes died when he saw group of monsters approachin from north, few of them pulling decimated corpse of one Space Marine and others carrying pieces of body of the another one.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Why did they died, he asked himself, raising eyes toward black sky. Why did the not help us, how could they just die? They were suposed to be immortal sons of God Emperor, never to yield, never to fall. Was it all lie, the stories he heard during his training? Was Imperum itself just a big lie? How could Imperum allow for things like this to happen? What are these monsters that looked almost alike to fellow Space Marines? What are all this lies?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Desperation clawed at him, eating last bits of reason. He started to curse everything, watching children being eaten alive, people torn to pieces for monster to bathe in their blood and innards, people being raped with barbed weapons. He cursed Imperim, cursed these monster, cursed Guard, his training, this world, whole univers and all stars he could see. He hated it all and then he realised that the biggest lie of all was God Emperor.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">He begged him, prayed for salvation that did not came. He cursed Emperor and Terra, cursed his sons that were mortal and weak, cursed monsters that mutilated his friends and cursed any god they worshiped.He screamed all those curses in darkness of night, realising that there is no one there who cared. Hate overwhelmed him yet he knew that he is powerless and that his screams are only bringing more joy to monsters.He just wanted to die but could not, although he was loosing blood from many wounds. Wave after wave of hate towards everything shaked his body until finally he lost his consciousness. Only darkness and silence remained, welcomed and calming. There was nothing here in coma but endless empty void.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">There was no time here, he knew that somehow. This was neither dream not reality. Far, far away, somewhere at the horison of this void, he could not see but rather feel vast forms coiling like giant water monsters that he heard about which lived in infamous death worlds. These forms looked organic but not alive, too far for him to see or feel clearly. Yet, all arround him there was nothing but empty and silent darnkess, like a bubble in a unrully ocean, surrounded by hungry monsters. He felt that he was alone but at one moment that changed and he felt another presence. It was all around him, not hiding in darkness but more like being part of it. Sudden flashes of blinding white light announced the change. Emptiness arround him started to vibrate and with sound similar to that of tightned wire being torn darkness got cut in two. One half was still pitch black and another  dazzling white. He was in the middle, aware that this is some dream like state and not reality. Yet, he could see right side of his body, bloodied and wounded while left side was in darkness, whole and ''undamaged. Mere moments later the voice struck him, powerfull and cold like ice.''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">You relinquished everyhing, mortal?, voice asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">You disclaimed loyaly to your un-god, martyr?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">You cursed his weakness, you wanted death to opressors, tormentors of your folk?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">''You deny them your soul, both to corpse god and to malformation your tortures  call their deity? Both to wretched god of war and rotten god of transience? To that tencatled liar?

You abjure them all, do you martyr? ''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">''Choose your words wisely mortal, for there is no turning back now. Speak!''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Nameless guard was struck by power that adressed him, overwhelmed by its power yet he was no scared anymore. Pain was not here anymore.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">''Yes, I relinquish everything for everything abbandoned me and my people. Imperium could help us, sons of God Emperor were just a lie, just a myth, they are mortal just as I am. Everything is a lie and no one cares for us. No one heard screams of inocent people. How could all powerfull God Emperor allow this monsters to exist, to bring such demise to its servants? I  disclaim loyalty to him and wish only death to this monsters and their masters. I hate them and want to bring them the most miserable death imaginable.''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">'' Who are you, speaker and where is this, where am I?''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">There was just silence for a few moments and then voice speaked again, now sympathetic and with compassion.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">''You deserve my gift, mortal. You will be a brother of mine, a servant, a soldier, a warrior, an equal. You will be my son and you will be blessed by your new mother, for she will tend to your wounds and whisper words of power in your ears and I will give you power, armour and weapon and strengt to wield them. You will join your brothers and equals but first fullfill what your heart desire.''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Suddenly guard heard footsteps and from border between dark and light large figure emerged. It was dragonlike giant,  black  and white armour covering his body. As it approached it scaled down until it was the size or normal, masculine human. Now up close, guard could see that his face was covered in skull mask. Newcomer reached with his left hand and put it on guards forehead.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">''See now, my son, and learn. When you open your eyes again, I will be gone and you will be back, yet you will not be alone. You will become part of me and I will become part of you, to burn in your heart and fuel your hate.''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">And then he saw. Endless voids of warp, monsters coiling and feasting on souls and each other, 4 chaos gods in their full majesty, Emperor rotting on his throne, his sons dying on endless battlefields, tide of chitinous beasts devouring whole worlds, mechanical warriors erradicate all life, blue beings bringing sickenig order, whole galaxy in flames of endless war. He was struck and when he looked again, there was someone else with them. Feminine figure, a beutifull motherly priestess of his new god. She came at him and touched his cheek.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Come my son, she said, ''let me tend your wounds, let me heal you. Embrace me and I will be your mother to protect you, to ease your every pain, your every doubt. Give me your hand, my son, for your suffering has come to an end. Give me your hand and wake up for I will be there for you, waiting to present to you gifts of our god and to witness your revenge. Wake up now and call me. I will come.''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">He reached for her, his heart free from fear and doubt, only cold hate and resolve remaining there, together with newfound loyalty.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">He woke up, barely able to open his eyes. Air was putrid with stench of blood, charred flesh, with unnatural, deviant smells of monster Astartes. His body was weak and heavy, wounds pulsating with pain. All that happened  was like a dream now he was almost unable to remember clearly. Almost everything was forgotten except that gentle, motherly voice and deep black eyes full of care. Call me, he remembered she said, and I will come. With last breaths he had, last bits of life that remained, he called her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Mother, he whispered with pain, his lips torn, tongue stiff, whole mouth full of coagulated blood.

Mother...master...come...were his last words. His body was dying, his mind fading. Breathe later and he was gone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Not a single Traitor Marine noticed what was happening. They were all indulged in monstrous acts of mutilation, gorging upon the feast of suffering and pain, destined by the will of their father forerver to seek deeper and more intense pleasures, cursed by the will of their god never to reach or find it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Feroconcrete wall where guard was nailed suddenly became like fluid, oscilating like disturbed water. It encompassed his whole body and formed starlike pattern of black and white with guards body in center. Then, surface of fluid mass stirred and two feminine, clawed hands slowly started to rise, coiling around the tortured body. Hands embraced him as upper torso of female giant, covered in cuirass, emerged. Horned head was vissible now, face hidden behind chained veil. It embraced guards body like a mother would embarce sleeping child and whispered something in his ear.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">One of Traitors noticed that something was happening but it was too late. Everything that followed happened in a blink of an eye.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Guards body spasmed, his eyes now wide open and pitch black, not human anymore. Female giant still kept him in his embrace as he writhed, his body changing. Skin hardened, growing in armoured forms, bones broke and form anew in more corpulent shapes. His jaw malformed, growing, torn cheeks forming new monstorus maw full of beastlike canines. His body was growing from inside, fueled by the power of his new master, growing in giant form of warrior covered in bonelike armour, fingers forming claws.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Spasms slowed down, his body still limp. Female giant slowly loosened its embrace and let guard-warrior fall to soil. As he fell, she remained standing above him, watching over his immovable form.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Traitors were now all aware that something happened. They were standing there, confused, wretched bodies of their victims still in their hands.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Guard-warrior stirred and slowly stand up. He seemed completely lost, unaware of his surroundings. Female demon, for demon she had to be, put here large, clawed hand upon his armoured, barbed shoulder.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Go my son, find your vengeance!, she said as he fully woke up. He looked towards group of Traitors, more than a dosen of them, all armoured and armed beasts. He roared and they screamed, rushing at him. He rushed at them with ferocity even they never witnesed in their ten milenia long unlife.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">They clawed at him, shot him, struck him with whips, swords, chainblades, axes, with bare hands, yet not a single on of them was able to struck a blow on him for he was too fast even for veteran traitors who fought long forgotten fratricidal war milenia ago. With blows of his clawed hands he tore their bodies, tearing ther limbs, their heads, pulling their innards out and strangling them with their entrails. He clawed their hearts out, chewing them and spitting them at the faces of next wave. He impaled them on large pieces of metallic beams. Settlement vanished in hail of blows of ferocios combat, air full of blodied mist. It all lasted few moments and suddenly it was over. All Traitor Astartes were dead, not a single body in one piece. Guard-warriors body was completely covered in warm blood that evaporated in coldness of night as he was standing there, breathing deep and slowly. Not a single human was allive either. No one was there to witness what was happening except armoured, veiled female giant.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">''You have fought well, my son. Your master was right to choose you, to hear upon your words as you were dying. ''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">See my son, she said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Look up for there are more of them above us, she said, pointing with clawed hand upon  the unmoving violet star in the sky.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Veil between worlds is thin here, she said.Come and I will take you to them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">She lend her hand and he took it. They approached liquifed wall there female demon came out and dissapeared inside.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Everything was quite now. Cold, dead world was even more cold and silent now. Streets of destroyed mining colony were covered in torn pieces of both humans and Traitor Marines. Just a bit far to the north, two heaps of flesh were all that remaind of two heroic Space Marines who gave their life in order to buy some time for their fellow humans, all in vain now. Only sound that remaind was slow dripping of cogulated blood from bodies of Traitors, impaled on high errected metallic beams.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Briliant flash of nuclear fire was the last light to shine upon this world. High in orbit, Traitors spaceship exploded, vanishing in fires hot as heart of a star.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">As last rays of light faded, darkness fell to the small, dead mining colony, never to rise again.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">