Ascension of Balthasar by C Z Dunn

Author:C Z Dunn [Dunn, C Z]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: The Black Library
Published: 2012-04-26T10:04:52+00:00

The Ascension of Balthasar

43

into place and took aim at the blue globe.

ZADAKIEL:<<‘It had always been my

intention that it would be used

in the slaying of some daemonic

entity, though I imagine it is just

as effective against warp-born

sorcery. I never thought I’d fire it

in an Imperial cathedral, though,

considering its provenance, it seems

apt.’>>

The Company Master squeezed the trigger

and sent the blessed ammunition inexora-

bly towards its target.

FX – Bolter shot followed by energy ex-

plosion.

It impacted against the glowing sphere in

a blinding flash causing the two Space

Marines to avert their gaze, the sorcerous

burst of light being too much for their

armours’ visors to compensate for. With

the magick undone, the orb dissipated and

disgorged its contents, sending a black

figure crashing down the heap of corpses.

FX – Armoured figure sliding down a

mountain of corpses.

Bodies became dislodged as the dark form

slid over the dead and it tumbled towards

the Dark Angels at the toe of a macabre

avalanche comprised of limbs and torsos.

As abruptly as it began, the wave of

cadavers abated as it finally reached the

ground and bucked the dark figure from

its crest, sending it sprawling through

44

C Z Dunn

the lake of blood at the feet of the Dark

Angels.

The strange newcomer wiped the blood and

gore from his black armour to reveal

winged dagger icons on each pauldron,

before looking up with his augmetic eyes

to find a combi-bolter and cyclone missile

launcher aimed at his metallic head.

The Fallen opened his mouth as if to

speak but instead issued forth a long and

satisfied laugh.

FX – Laughter.

ATTIAS:‘You fools.’

FX – More laughter.

ATTIAS:‘It’s a trap.’

SCENE EIGHT – INT. CATHEDRAL

ATMOS: As per Scene Six.

ZADAKIEL:‘Explain yourself, traitor.

Why have you done this?

Attias knelt facing a wall of the cathedral,

hands on the back of his head. Zadakiel

had performed a thorough search of the

Fallen and, satisfied that he was not

armed, commenced preliminary questioning.

The real meat of his interrogation would

come later once he was on board the Rock

and the Chaplains were able to set to

work on him.

ATTIAS:‘You give me too much credit,

brother. This wasn’t-‘

His answer was rudely interrupted by the

butt of the company master’s combi-bolter

45

46

C Z Dunn

impacting hard against the back of his

neck.

FX – Clang of metal striking metal.

ZADAKIEL:‘Never, ever call me

“brother”. You and your kind lost

that privilege long ago.’

Though petty emotion had been conditioned

out of Zadakiel as it had all Space

Marines, the Dark Angel stood on the cusp

of something approaching anger. Though

ten thousand years had passed, the wounds

of treachery were still raw among his

Chapter and their successors. They were

dubbed ‘the Unforgiven’ and the capture

and ultimate repentance of the Fallen was

their sole route to benediction.

ZADAKIEL:‘Answer my question. Why did

you murder this planet?’

ATTIAS:‘I did not do this. I am

merely bait in the trap they set for

you, a trap that is being sprung even

as you waste time questioning me

here. Leave this place. Take me with

you to your ship and I will answer

your questions there. Let us go now

while we still have a chance to

escape.’

Balthasar circled the prisoner, his

cyclone missile launcher’s auto-targeting

system compensating and keeping the

shoulder mounted weapon constantly aimed

at the traitor’s head.

BALTHASAR:‘You wouldn’t be so keen to

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