Hammer Of Daemons by Ben Counter

Author:Ben Counter [Counter, Ben]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Alaric slammed into the wall behind him. Shards of gold showered down around him as he slid to the floor. His mind reeled. Images of the daemon's life battered against him like gunfire.

He forced himself to breathe, and to ground his thoughts, to fight the flawed human instinct to run.

Raezazel the Cunning was flying above him. Silver wings unfolded from his robes. Fire rippled up off its body, and hundreds of mouths in its shining flesh sang at once.

You know that I can give you what you desire,' said Raezazel in its hundred voices. You are stronger than the others. You believe that you can see through the lie. Perhaps you are right.'

Alaric got to his feet. He felt weak and small. Never had he been so at the mercy of another creature.

'Do you desire death, Grey Knight?' asked Raezazel. 'I can give you that.'

Alaric forced a breath down. He was a Grey Knight. He had faced the lies of Chaos before, and thrown them back into the darkness with the power of truth. Daemons had tried to possess him before, too, and not one of them had prised open his mind.

However, none of them had ever attacked him while he was so unprotected. 'I desire freedom,' said Alaric. Then you can have it.'

'Freedom from you.'

Raezazel cocked its head to the side. Its burning eyes looked at him quizzically, as it might have regarded a particularly unusual kind of lunatic.

That,' it said, 'is something you will have to take from me.'

A hand coalesced from golden energy, picked Alaric up, and held him against the wall. Power was pouring off Raezazel, burning from the crystals, and turning the golden walls into sheets of molten light. Alaric fought back, feeling the hand closing around his mind. Dull pain throbbed behind his eyes.

'I will wear your flesh and leave this prison, Justicar Alaric. I will escape this world and become one with my god. That is what I desire. That is what Venalitor has offered me by sending you here, for even the Blood God's servants must perpetuate the lie.'

Alaric fought back with everything he had. It took all his remaining strength just to draw breath, but he would not let Raezazel in, never! He would die first. That would be his last service to the Emperor. The enemy would never have a possessed Grey Knight to parade before its armies, never... unless Raezazel was stronger.

Raezazel's burning face floated down low above Alaric's. A silver hand reached out to touch his head.

Alaric was filled with cold pain.

Raezazel was showing him what he could do to him: fill him up with agony a thousand times worse, for a thousand years. He was telling Alaric to give in.

'Not this mind,' hissed Alaric between his teeth. There is no pain save the fires of failure. There is no torture save a duty undone. My Emperor claims me, and no other may challenge.'

Raezazel dropped Alaric. The condition of your soul matters not,' he said.

'I will flay it alive if I have to.

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