Cadian Honour by Justin D Hill

Author:Justin D Hill
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2018-11-05T11:51:16+00:00

Ten

The day began to darken as the Brotherhood assembled on the plains beyond the tent city. The massed brown-clad ranks fell silent as Shaliah Starborn, the Bringer of News, climbed barefooted onto the back of the Leman Russ Faith of our Fathers and prepared to address the faithful.

He could feel their gaze upon him. Their mood was expectant. The wind caught his robes as he closed his eyes and felt the spirit of the Emperor settle upon him like an eagle on his shoulder. He inhaled deeply.

‘Brethren! For four thousand years we have suffered. The Imperium has suffered. Humanity has suffered. At this moment the fate of our race is in doubt. We are weighed down by the criminals and apes that hang about our neck.’

The crowd began to fidget. His heartbeat quickened. His speeches always went like this, a little clumsy and hesitant at first, before finding their route, in the way that water will find a path down from the mountainside.

As he started to warm to his theme, his volume and tempo began to rise and quicken. Within minutes he was shouting and the crowd was responding with cheers.

‘Darkness surrounds us, brothers! Shadows encroach upon our world. Dread stalks through Holy Terra. The foundations of the Imperial Palace tremble. The Gallows Cluster itself falls to darkness. It is at this moment that the God-Emperor calls out to us. He cries for help. Will you help Him?’

‘Aye!’ a hundred thousand voices chorused back.

‘Will you fight for Him?’

‘Aye!’ The words rolled over him, louder and more passionate now. Some lifted lasrifles into the air.

‘Will you return His Holy Church back to its rightful place? Will you throw down the unrighteous?’

The Brotherhood answered with resounding words. At the end there were flecks of foam at the sides of Shaliah’s mouth and in his beard. ‘Will you kill His enemies?’

‘We shall!’ his army answered as one.

In the distance, over the plain, he could see the acropolis of the Evercity. At the top of the rock stood the ancient cathedral. Its bronze roof gleamed gold with setting sunlight.

Shaliah pointed over his shoulder. ‘They cannot hear you!’ he roared.

A hundred thousand voices roared back, ‘We shall! We shall! They shall die!’

The voices were like thunder. As he spoke, files of transports began to make their way among the bands of the Frateris.

The crowd’s voices made the earth beneath their feet tremble and when all was ready, Shaliah Starborn lifted his arms wide and took their hatred into himself. He let them chant, and then, at last, he held up his hands for silence. ‘The time for violence has come!’ he announced. ‘Brothers! Are you ready to die for the Emperor?’

They answered with another roar.

Squad by squad, the gallants of Pitt’s company pulled themselves up into the vehicles. There was a struggle to be the first. Carkal elbowed the others aside, shoved to be in Confessor Pitt’s own truck.

The confessor stood on a metal crate. His bloodshot eyeballs seemed to gleam with excitement. ‘Brothers! The Emperor is calling you.

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