Imperium At War by Various authors

Author:Various authors
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-12-01T15:03:01+00:00

Chapter 6

Isha’s Lament

The darkness was warm and comforting. He felt sure that beyond this cocoon pain awaited. It seemed a shame to hurry to face it.

‘Brakus Andradus.’ The voice was a cold rasp. It punched through the pleasant stillness and started to drag him towards the light. Grudgingly, he obliged. There was work to be done, he sensed.

Brakus opened his eyes and gazed up into the alloy cranium of Exactius-ζ94. Several sensor probes were trained on him and the cyborg was crouched over him. The huntsman coughed and winced as the pain in the rest of his body dutifully came rushing back in. Every inch of him throbbed as if he’d been beaten with a stick.

‘Exactius,’ he managed to say. His voice didn’t sound much better than the cyborg’s. ‘I never thought I’d say this, but you’re a sight for sore eyes.’ Brakus levered himself up to a sitting position and saw the two aeldari standing nearby. Maugra watched with evident amusement, while Amallyn looked on ahead. ‘You’re all here.’

‘Affirmative,’ the cyborg responded.

‘What happened?’ Brakus asked.

‘Your guess is as good as ours.’ Maugra shrugged. ‘We made it to the top of the labyrinth and we all got snatched away. Then one way or another we all woke up here.’

Brakus took a second to absorb his surroundings. They were on a winding stony path between high walls. What caught the eye, however, was the profusion of colour. Everything still seemed to be the same blackstone material as always, but strange lights writhed beneath the surface in waves. It was like watching auroras flare and wave in rock. He’d never seen the like.

‘Where is here, exactly?’ Brakus asked.

‘Can’t you feel it?’ Amallyn spoke finally. ‘We’ve reached the source of the scourge. The blackstone is reacting to its growing power.’

Now that she mentioned it, there was a strange heaviness to the air. It was like the calm before a storm. Brakus gathered his legs under him and stood unsteadily. He was forced to balance with a hand on Exactius and gave it an apologetic look, but the cyborg didn’t react. ‘So what happened to all of you after the labyrinth?’

Exactius and Amallyn said nothing. Maugra smirked, but she wouldn’t meet his eyes when he looked at her.

‘Glad we’re all on the same page,’ muttered Brakus. ‘Well, I had… I don’t know. But if what I saw was even marginally correct, we need to hurry and finish our task here.’

‘Why?’ Amallyn asked.

‘Because we might not be the only ones after the derelict.’ Brakus took account of his weapons, relieved they were still intact and with him. ‘The Archenemy may come for it as well.’

Amallyn appeared troubled. ‘That is… possible,’ she conceded. ‘It is radiating enough etheric power at this point that many sensitives might be able to hone in on it.’

‘Chances of repurposing by hostiles?’ enquired Exactius.

The aeldari ranger looked away. ‘Corruption towards foul ends is what the Primordial Annihilator does best.’

Brakus nodded. ‘Then as I said, we should hurry.’

The group set off at a brisk pace along the winding path.

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