Hey all! If you read Only in Death and The Emperor Protects. then you will have SOME idea of my apparently random ramblings. Basically, these stories allow me to give you my ideas on what the 40k universe is all about: war, violence, twisted, convuluted storylines, and awesome characters. So, this is Erebus, my next idea.
Quick changes: Chapters
Muhahhahaha! Well, I decided to not hang this in front of you for two days, and I'm sure I would have forgotten some ideas, so here we go! Part 3 of (hopefully) 5 stories.
In nominae Deimos!
Contents:
1:A Fresh Set of Arms
2:The Prophecies
3:Leap of Faith
4:Why do you fight?
5:Stormreaver
6:Warp Gates
7:The Amber World
8:Altair's Promise
9:Angel's Fall
10:To Kill a Demon
11:Reclaimed
12:Convergence
13:The Storm Breaks
14:Fighting Gods
15:Tomb of Stone
16:Inheiritance
17:Helldivers
18:Finest Hour
19:???? (This one would have given away the end. No cheating!)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
REYZAK
Altair opened his eyes. A stone ceiling soared to a peaked crest high above him, the pillars holding it up carved with breathtaking care into the shapes of creatures and demons, each holding the sky.
Altair followed Reyzak past a pusbag demon covered in weeping sores. Past a glimmering demon floating on air. Past an armored monster cradling a massive axe, and finally past a lithe feminine demon that winked seductively at Altair as he passed. Altair swallowed.
He did not recognize the figure staring at him from Reyzak's mirrored armor. A black-on-grey demonic visage with the same burning green eyes as his guide looked back at him. Two wings were folded at his back, and the only remnant of his armor was the Apothecarium necklace he always wore. It's chain was enlongated to compensate for his frame, but the same red symbol comforted him as he walked past ranks of demons, sparring, training, or spending a small amount of free time pursuing their interests. He bumped into Reyzak's back as the Tzeentchian stopped suddenly before a large stone structure built into a courtyard.
"Uraj." said Reyzak.
A massive blackened demon stood up from a smoking furnace, cradling a red-hot sword in both it's arms like a child. Altair noticed the demon was protected by a sheet of woven metal threads covering it's arms and chest.
"Yes, Reyzak. You are getting bad at sneaking about. I could hear you from three feet this time." rumbled Uraj. A wisp of smoke snorted from it's nostrils.
"Ah, we've developed a sense of humor now! What's next? Leaving your forge once in a while? Shock and Horror!" said Reyzak, a feral grin appearing on his face.
Uraj laughed. Altair smiled. The laughter reminded him of Fredric, loud and chuckling.
The demon turned it's back to them, and banged on the still red-hot blade with a massive hammer. "So, it is buisness that reunites us, yes?"
Reyzak leaned on the counter. "Of course, my firend. I've a Neophyte in need of some supplies."
"Ah! some new cannon fodder. Well, come're boy. Let's have a look at you."
At Reyzak's instruction Altair walked into the forge behind him and spread out his arms so they were parallel to his shoulders. Uraj pulled a long metal ruler from a cabinet and measured Altair's legs, chest, head, arms, and wings before snorting a second puff of smoke and grabbing Altair's jaw, twisting his head one way, then the next.
"Eh, a bit bigger than the ones I normally outfit, but he'll do. Reyzak, hand me that plate there."
Uraj placed a mirrored plate of armor on Altair's chest, then discarded it in favor of a slightly larger one. He matched it to a backplate and then strapped shoulderpads and vambraces to Altair's arms. Greaves went on his legs, and a set of overlapping strips covered the bones of his wings. A single curved piece of armor sat between his horns, allowing him to see through four slits cut into the metal. Uraj and Reyzak looked him over. The smith snorted.
"Ah, my friend. Nothing like a fresh set of arms to brighten my day."
Reyzak nudged him. "Then would you fetch some? He'll be little use with no weapons."
Uraj nodded. "Aye, but look at the claws on him. Those'd be fine. I'll get him some sheaths for them later."
The smith left. Reyzak adjusted a strap on the armor, and looked Altair in the eye.
"You're quite blessed I found you before they did, otherwise you'd already be dead. Sacrificed to the Basillica Torment to fuel the spells...the Great Summoning, they're calling it."
Altair nodded. "Azulanthis said something about that."
Reyzak swallowed. "Yes, that cretin wishes for the realms to be forever linked. My warriors and all the Valhallens can not allow this to pass."
"You aren't with him?"
"No, we are not. We are the Castra Demonicum, a small alliance of the demons who wish to be free of the constraints of the Gods. Renegades. Perhaps you felt a certain kinship, and that drew you here."
Altair nodded sadly as Uraj entered again with an armful of weapondry.
"What things are ya used to using?" asked the blackened smith.
"Swords, hammers, projectile weapons, fists." said Altair. Uraj grinned broadly at "fists"
"Good answer, boy! Perhaps we'll make a fighter of you yet!"
He gave Altair a long, jagged, black blade. It's finish was a matte coat, seeming to suck the light from the air.
"That's Ristvak'baen, my finest Darkblade. Don't you dare bend it, or I'll bend you."
He then handed Altair a smaller token, a chip of some sort of black stone. It was on a chain.
"That is a Warpstone. It will prevent you from being affected by foul magic. Useful when confronting enemy demons."
Uraj turned to the sword he had been wroking on (now a dull greyish color) and immersed it in the coals, working the bellows with one clawed hand.
"I grow weary of this mindless chatter. Reyzak, excellent to see you and your thrall. Grab a kitbag for him on your way out. Izzik's been tanning hides for them. I'm sure she has one or two."
Reyzak pulled a leather bag from a shelf while Altair divested himself of the armor, except for his chest, greaves, and vambraces. His sword fit snugly into a leather sheath on his back, also given to him by Reyzak. Finally the demon pulled a black claok similar to his from the shelf and gave it to Altair.
"This is the cloak of the Demonicum. Wear it at all times in Valhalla, except in the sparring rings."
Altair threw the cloak over his frame. He was pleased to see it had slits cut into it for wings.
Reyzak led him to a second stone building, this one had a seal over the entrance, a demon holding a white sword with the words "En Noiminae Mortis"
The demon gestured at the door. "This is the Death's order. My order. You can stay for the night, and tomorrow, we start your training."
Altair took the bag from Reyzak and opened the door. A short, yet hugely fat demon in a brown robe insisted on carrying his bag, and led him to a room on the second floor. A stout cot sat beneath the window, and a desk was placed against the wall. Altair smiled as he realized the pole extending from the window was a perch, in case a demon wanted to escape quickly or leave without fighting past the fat demon below.
He threw the leather bag onto the desk, took his armor and laid it out neatly next to it, and immediately fell asleep onto the bed, utterly exhausted.
Quick changes: Chapters
Muhahhahaha! Well, I decided to not hang this in front of you for two days, and I'm sure I would have forgotten some ideas, so here we go! Part 3 of (hopefully) 5 stories.
In nominae Deimos!
Contents:
1:A Fresh Set of Arms
2:The Prophecies
3:Leap of Faith
4:Why do you fight?
5:Stormreaver
6:Warp Gates
7:The Amber World
8:Altair's Promise
9:Angel's Fall
10:To Kill a Demon
11:Reclaimed
12:Convergence
13:The Storm Breaks
14:Fighting Gods
15:Tomb of Stone
16:Inheiritance
17:Helldivers
18:Finest Hour
19:???? (This one would have given away the end. No cheating!)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
REYZAK
Altair opened his eyes. A stone ceiling soared to a peaked crest high above him, the pillars holding it up carved with breathtaking care into the shapes of creatures and demons, each holding the sky.
Altair followed Reyzak past a pusbag demon covered in weeping sores. Past a glimmering demon floating on air. Past an armored monster cradling a massive axe, and finally past a lithe feminine demon that winked seductively at Altair as he passed. Altair swallowed.
He did not recognize the figure staring at him from Reyzak's mirrored armor. A black-on-grey demonic visage with the same burning green eyes as his guide looked back at him. Two wings were folded at his back, and the only remnant of his armor was the Apothecarium necklace he always wore. It's chain was enlongated to compensate for his frame, but the same red symbol comforted him as he walked past ranks of demons, sparring, training, or spending a small amount of free time pursuing their interests. He bumped into Reyzak's back as the Tzeentchian stopped suddenly before a large stone structure built into a courtyard.
"Uraj." said Reyzak.
A massive blackened demon stood up from a smoking furnace, cradling a red-hot sword in both it's arms like a child. Altair noticed the demon was protected by a sheet of woven metal threads covering it's arms and chest.
"Yes, Reyzak. You are getting bad at sneaking about. I could hear you from three feet this time." rumbled Uraj. A wisp of smoke snorted from it's nostrils.
"Ah, we've developed a sense of humor now! What's next? Leaving your forge once in a while? Shock and Horror!" said Reyzak, a feral grin appearing on his face.
Uraj laughed. Altair smiled. The laughter reminded him of Fredric, loud and chuckling.
The demon turned it's back to them, and banged on the still red-hot blade with a massive hammer. "So, it is buisness that reunites us, yes?"
Reyzak leaned on the counter. "Of course, my firend. I've a Neophyte in need of some supplies."
"Ah! some new cannon fodder. Well, come're boy. Let's have a look at you."
At Reyzak's instruction Altair walked into the forge behind him and spread out his arms so they were parallel to his shoulders. Uraj pulled a long metal ruler from a cabinet and measured Altair's legs, chest, head, arms, and wings before snorting a second puff of smoke and grabbing Altair's jaw, twisting his head one way, then the next.
"Eh, a bit bigger than the ones I normally outfit, but he'll do. Reyzak, hand me that plate there."
Uraj placed a mirrored plate of armor on Altair's chest, then discarded it in favor of a slightly larger one. He matched it to a backplate and then strapped shoulderpads and vambraces to Altair's arms. Greaves went on his legs, and a set of overlapping strips covered the bones of his wings. A single curved piece of armor sat between his horns, allowing him to see through four slits cut into the metal. Uraj and Reyzak looked him over. The smith snorted.
"Ah, my friend. Nothing like a fresh set of arms to brighten my day."
Reyzak nudged him. "Then would you fetch some? He'll be little use with no weapons."
Uraj nodded. "Aye, but look at the claws on him. Those'd be fine. I'll get him some sheaths for them later."
The smith left. Reyzak adjusted a strap on the armor, and looked Altair in the eye.
"You're quite blessed I found you before they did, otherwise you'd already be dead. Sacrificed to the Basillica Torment to fuel the spells...the Great Summoning, they're calling it."
Altair nodded. "Azulanthis said something about that."
Reyzak swallowed. "Yes, that cretin wishes for the realms to be forever linked. My warriors and all the Valhallens can not allow this to pass."
"You aren't with him?"
"No, we are not. We are the Castra Demonicum, a small alliance of the demons who wish to be free of the constraints of the Gods. Renegades. Perhaps you felt a certain kinship, and that drew you here."
Altair nodded sadly as Uraj entered again with an armful of weapondry.
"What things are ya used to using?" asked the blackened smith.
"Swords, hammers, projectile weapons, fists." said Altair. Uraj grinned broadly at "fists"
"Good answer, boy! Perhaps we'll make a fighter of you yet!"
He gave Altair a long, jagged, black blade. It's finish was a matte coat, seeming to suck the light from the air.
"That's Ristvak'baen, my finest Darkblade. Don't you dare bend it, or I'll bend you."
He then handed Altair a smaller token, a chip of some sort of black stone. It was on a chain.
"That is a Warpstone. It will prevent you from being affected by foul magic. Useful when confronting enemy demons."
Uraj turned to the sword he had been wroking on (now a dull greyish color) and immersed it in the coals, working the bellows with one clawed hand.
"I grow weary of this mindless chatter. Reyzak, excellent to see you and your thrall. Grab a kitbag for him on your way out. Izzik's been tanning hides for them. I'm sure she has one or two."
Reyzak pulled a leather bag from a shelf while Altair divested himself of the armor, except for his chest, greaves, and vambraces. His sword fit snugly into a leather sheath on his back, also given to him by Reyzak. Finally the demon pulled a black claok similar to his from the shelf and gave it to Altair.
"This is the cloak of the Demonicum. Wear it at all times in Valhalla, except in the sparring rings."
Altair threw the cloak over his frame. He was pleased to see it had slits cut into it for wings.
Reyzak led him to a second stone building, this one had a seal over the entrance, a demon holding a white sword with the words "En Noiminae Mortis"
The demon gestured at the door. "This is the Death's order. My order. You can stay for the night, and tomorrow, we start your training."
Altair took the bag from Reyzak and opened the door. A short, yet hugely fat demon in a brown robe insisted on carrying his bag, and led him to a room on the second floor. A stout cot sat beneath the window, and a desk was placed against the wall. Altair smiled as he realized the pole extending from the window was a perch, in case a demon wanted to escape quickly or leave without fighting past the fat demon below.
He threw the leather bag onto the desk, took his armor and laid it out neatly next to it, and immediately fell asleep onto the bed, utterly exhausted.