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Knightley wrote:Shame that Inushi doesn't have any grenades, in such a confined space an aerial detonated frag grenade would blind a whole bunch of them
Hah, here I am so invested in these characters I'm trying to come up with ways to keep them alive!

There is nothing wrong with being concerned for Inushi and trying to force ideas upon the writer, just don't be mad when I kill him, mwahahahahahaha......

Gitsplitta wrote:Things are looking grim for Inushi-san. Again. One of these days his luck's going to run out. (Which I guess is what the Inquisition had in mind when they sent him on this mission in the first place... buggers.)

The Inquisition did send him on a suicide run, those jerks.

Bobakos wrote:Very nice Ice!
A glorious death awaits!!!
Let him take many of them to the grave!

That's a proper 40k kind of attitude!

Mr Nobody wrote:I know Inushi's a good fighter, but is he that good?

You'll all find out on the next installment that involves Inushi. Who knows when that will get posted though.

The Ice Angels moved with cold efficiency. The sergeant of squad Rimsin with his white two bladed lightning claw along with four other tactical marines, none of which Inigo had met before, moved forward first. No orders were spoken nor had he seen any hand gestures. The marines all fell into place into perfect formation. Inigo studied their movements and once again wished his chapter had this advanced HUD system that the Angels employed. Captain Razzik and Vetov moved next, the slight whine of Vetov’s bionic leg was the only sound Inigo could hear once the black and blue quartered marine rounded the corner.

Squad Kujara then moved to follow. The six members broke into two groups of three. One tactical marine in the first group had on a bizarre skull helm and another wielded a lascannon. They too moved without any noticeable orders.

Inigo witnessed the Angels move and until he took his first step he didn’t realize how quiet they were. He paused after his step almost ashamed of the sound his boot made. None of the Angels paid him any heed as he did. Jaska and Nefas continued following the second unit and Inigo stayed close to them, his thunder hammer easily swinging in his gray gauntlets. They may be quiet, he thought to himself, but he was by far the strongest space marine in the group.

Inigo noticed that Nefas nearly matched the skill of the Ice Angels in stealth as they moved. Jaska was able to keep up but occasionally scuffed the floor. Inigo could have kicked each wall as he passed and been just as quiet.

Behind him followed three other tactical marines, one with a plasma gun, another with a green power sword sheathed at his hip. They were spread out taking extra precautions that nothing was following them, waiting at intersections as they passed and pausing by doors confirming nothing would surprise them from behind.

The bizarre xenos compound continued to bother Inigo as they moved. What xenos would create this seemingly endless maze of rooms and stairs, fill it with semi-living tortured humans, and then leave? He smiled to himself as images of him crushing the enemies of the Emperor floated through his mind.

After passing through the black wall and arriving here he had felt as if he were on some sort of ship, but as they continued exploring he began to see more and more exposed rock. The majority of it was sculpted to fit seemingly into the architecture but in between rooms or halls the raw stone could still be seen. According to Jaska it could easily be some sort of asteroid station or even stones brought on board to remind the xenos of home, but Inigo disagreed.

The Sons of Hades marine had spent countless hours underground on his home world working in the forges. He had chiseled stone into art and tempered steel into weapons. After becoming a neophyte in his chapter he then mastered his craft and worked with more exotic substances such as ceramite and adamantium, yet his favorite medium for crafting had always been the stone from Hades. His forge father often told him that he had an innate ability when it came to using stone. That same natural talent was telling him that the stone walls they were passing were natural, yet in his gut he didn’t feel as if they were in space or underground.

The conundrum briefly crossed his mind before the thought of his forge father brought back his wide smile. Forge Father Dorvelo, was one of the oldest, most gruff, and heavily scarred marines Inigo had ever set eyes upon. His ancient wisdom had been training Sons of Hades neophytes for nearly a century. His deep booming laugh was one that he hoped he’d hear again.

Another floor scuff made Inigo glance ahead at Jaska as the red armored marine slowed to examine another wall panel. He briefly looked but didn’t touch before moving again. He seemed to notice Inigo’s gaze and their eyes briefly met. With a nod Jaska rounded a corner ahead of him. Inigo wanted to speak with him and Nefas but they were constantly moving and flanked by Ice Angels.

Nefas’s earlier response to Razzik had surprised him, but what really shocked him was his inability to correct it. The conversation played out in his mind once again as he continued to move forward. They traversed another purple lit gallery, this one was full of medical looking examination tables sunk into the floor, and each was surrounded by a circle of chairs or couches. Pierced corpses and helmed bodies hung from the ceiling. Several swayed slowly as if they were incapable of sitting still even in death.

The gallery narrowed to a hall way that took a hard left. The walls turned to rough stone as the path moved up. The darkness of the hallway was brief as they took several steps up into the largest room they had yet seen. It expanded as far as Inigo could see to his right and approximately one hundred yards to his left. The room was lit by thousands of floating lights; each cast their illumination straight down into the room. Within the vast room were an astounding collection of creatures, weapons, tanks, motionless people, and all manner of objects. Inigo slowed substantially as he lowered his hammer and tried to absorb what he was seeing.

The Ice Angels continued to move as if oblivious to the contents of the room, soon Inigo stopped in one of the side isles with Nefas and Jaska, each transfixed on various objects nearby. A damaged wooden chariot sat on a plinth to his left, the statue of a wounded two headed lizard lay curled on the floor to his right, above him hovered a bar that a dozen different banners hung from. In front of him was a tank of murky water in which gems glittered in its depths, a small creature skittered amongst the sparkles. Behind his immediate exhibits were countless other devices, nearly all alien but some struck a familiar cord in shape and design.

Before he could make any connection Nefas walked past him and the murky tank towards a tall floating conglomeration of machine and flesh. Mesmerized by the determination of the Sinner marine Inigo followed. At arms length away they stopped and examined the monstrosity. A mechanical floating base was the lower half of the giant person. Its forearms were replaced by gruesome weapons of archaic design. Its torso was a mountain of muscle so tight that it looked as if it would explode outward at the slightest touch. The face of the creature was covered by a tight barred helm. All down its spine were glass vials of pastel liquids.

Inigo looked up at the face mask wondering what lay behind the tormented façade. Inigo stalked around the contraption before turning to look around the expansive hall once more.

“Marines, would you care to join us?” the voice of Razzik chimed in his vox. Inigo could hear the annoyance in the Captain’s question.

Jaska began to move towards the Ice Angel position. Nefas took a final glance around the hall before slowly moving to follow. He purposefully waited for Inigo to catch up. The Sons of Hades marine’s long strides closed the gap quickly. Inigo looked down at the lithe Sinners marine as they walked between statues of wounded beasts and destroyed machines.

“Have you seen anything like this before Inigo?” Nefas asked, his voice merely a whisper.

“This place looks like a museum, a really twisted museum.” Inigo responded as he saw a wide cannon laying on two wide treads. The design was not one he was familiar with.

“How about these contraptions,” Nefas asked again.

Next to an ancient rack of barbed weapons hovered another muscular creature. Her hands had been replaced by a massive flail and a pincer that was as long as Inigo’s arms. Once again her face was covered by a helm, only a single eye slit adorned the helm that was bolted directly onto her face. Her ragged hair poured over the helm and down her back. The vials gave off a faint ozone smell as he neared. Plates of some metal unknown to him had been nailed into her body, across her breasts, arms, and abdomen. Artistic scars and brands dotted her overly muscular frame.

The similarities to the first muscled monster were apparent and more so when Inigo noticed there was more then these two. Scattered between the weapons, tanks, statues, and various items hovered these things. Some were up in the air between banners, others were near the floor. All were motionless and quiet but each was an explosion of violence waiting to be triggered.

“No, thankfully I haven’t. Have you?” Inigo added as he picked up his pace, suddenly aware of the potential peril he was in.

“Yes,” Nefas responded as they passed a dripping weapon encased in a black tinted box. Runes swirled around its base in some foreign language.

They passed a broken quadruped walker, it had a vaguely Imperial design but wires dangled out of it like someone had torn out its innards. On the other side hovered yet another mountain of muscle, silently waiting.

Ahead of them lingered the Ice Angels, set up in a defensive semi circle. They were near a wide double door. A shattered Imperial Aquila was built into the wall above them.

Nefas walked past the first pair of Ice Angels towards Captain Razzik, “Hope they never begin to move Inigo, or we will all be visiting the Emperor sooner then we’d like.”

Gretchin!

I mean Grots!

(whatever those things are that Mechanicum Jon's been painting so well lately)

Precisely.

That was my first thought as well, Dark Eldar gribblies!

Great set up Ice, I could feel the sense of malice within the room.

Man that was a really fethed up place!!!

Cant wait to see whats behind that door!!!

Great job m8!

Thanks guys!

I can't wait to see whats behind that door too. I have actually been holding out on writing the next section because there are TOO many things that I want to put behind that door. I need to make sure I only put the neatest / evilest / coolest / deadlist / cutiest / fuzziest things behind it. (I realized by choosing just one adjective I'd be hinting at whats behind the door therefore I added in several that may or may not be used to describe what is behind that door)

neatest / evilest / coolest / deadlist / cutiest / fuzziest

Sounds like a group of wyches in need of Brazillians...

 Gitsplitta wrote:

neatest / evilest / coolest / deadlist / cutiest / fuzziest

Sounds like a group of wyches in need of Brazillians...

Thanks Gits, you made spill my tea over the keyboard...

HA! That's awesome.

Captain Razzik closed the vox with Sergeant Maranu after giving him another update to pass along to Cyaxeres. He took another look around while he impatiently waited for Shu-Takii to complete his examination of the double doors. Nefas and Jaska were nearby quietly examining one of the floating hulks. Ice Angels were paired off taking what cover they could behind works of art, massive broken weapons, and other items that reminded Razzik of war trophies. Inigo stood in the open a few yards away staring deep into the cavernous room.

“What can you tell me Shu-Takii?” Razzik asked as he stood over the kneeling marine. The tech marine in training had several long flexible probes snaked out around the door trying to examine the hinges and all other aspects of the door, in his left hand was a large auspex running a serious of diagnostics. Above him a servo skull silently waited to enter the closed room.

“The signal coming from inside is an old one, possibly from a teleport or distress beacon. Either way it’s emitting Imperial codes on hundreds of frequencies, many of which I’ve only seen on the oldest of devices.” He paused and sighed, “The door itself is air tight. It does show some sign of use, but nothing recent,” Shu-Takii continued. “It is made of several layers of marble with a metallic core. All my scans lead me to believe it is an actual Imperial crafted door, only the materials in the frame match the xenos architecture around us.”

The probes around Shu-Takii began to recoil as he stood up. “We could easily destroy the door if needed, but I see nothing out of the ordinary with it.”

“Very well,” Razzik responded. He checked several reports that Sergeant Maranu sent him before his gaze returned to the door. He wanted nothing other then to reach out and open it, but the years of tactical experience throbbed in his head like a sore muscle. He wanted to be free of this place but everything about this complex, even down to the gravity felt wrong. An Imperial door with an Imperial emitter in an alien unexplainable seemingly endless compound screamed trap.

Brother Nefas stepped closer and cleared his throat; “If I may give a suggestion?” he began.

Razzik glared at him before issuing an order that everyone could hear, “Rimsin plant charges on the nearest hulks just in case this is a trap.”

The tactical unit broke from their positions and began to place primed grenades on exposed flesh. Razzik watched for a moment before looking back to Nefas, “What do you………… suggest?” he spat.

The white helmed Sinner marine quickly responded, “Your tactics continue to prove correct Captain. You have already followed through with what I was about to suggest. Please pardon my interruption.” He tilted his head as he spoke.

“Captain,” Inigo added from his sentinel position. The Sons of Hades marine spoke without turning to regard the Ice Angel or the Sinner. He continued to look further into the hall as he continued, “May I also plant several charges. I have extra to spare.”

Razzik regarded the marine from the side but saw no reason to deny the request. “Certainly, Honored Brother Inigo. Place them and return. I’m opening this door the moment my men are finished.”

Nefas and Razzik stood next to one another as the gray armored Sons of Hades purposefully walked away. He passed several hulks and was soon out of sight behind a towering treaded vehicle covered in scales and bones.

"Would you like what's behind door #1?"

I still dont get the agitation and the tension between them...

@ bobakos - One problem that I've run into in the past, that thankfully no one has pointed out to often, is that sometimes my characters change a little bit from episode to episode. Not the good kind of change, like character growth. I'd like to say that this is on purpose, but more often its simply because in my head a character is a certain way and due to the fact that I haven't written anything in X number of days, that way has changed. All of these characters are organic beings in my head and if I don't reread or step away for an extended period of time they may change slightly. Despite having in depth documents explaining every character, vehicle, and weapon lay out I've discussed. I still manage to muck things up from time to time.

In this particular case, Razzik's distrust should really be directed at Jaska because in the past he falsified orders and took a mission into his own hands. Jaska openly admitted to it and Razzik scolded him but nothing occurred beyond that. Some where between then and now those feelings grew to include Nefas. I think in the next post where Razzik is the protagonist I may have to specify, or flush out his feelings a bit more. I planned on doing that in my last post but when I was writing, it didn't pan out that way.

Does that make sense?

It does make sense...but still Jaska's disobedience led to a reduced casualty rate. Anyway, some small insight in the characters thoughts might resolve this (I think)

Thank you for taking the time clarifying this

Right downward block, left thrust, side step away from low kick, jump knee tuck followed by part-the-seas swipe. Inushi’s frame of mind was focused down to each swing, each muscle movement. There was no flourish, no fancy sword play, not a single motion was wasted. The orks pressed in, showing one another to get closer to the green armored Mantis Warrior. His space was minimal. Footing became hazardous as the floor became a carpet of greenskin bodies. Blocked slice, lower shoulder to deflect axe, tilt body, head butt, upward cut with off hand, accept punch to left ribs. Step back, push off wall, dodge under over head chop. Inushi didn’t even have time to remember the lessons on “damage management” as he fought the intense melee. He could only act on instinct and the ingrained muscle memory that decades of training had given him.

The smog in the room was thickening as the columned engines continued to leak filth into the air. The stench of open wounds and cauterized flesh hovered around Inushi like a cloak.

Large greenskins pushed forward the front lines of orks into Inushi’s whirling blades. His katana speared through two orks to his right, his left hand pinned above his head, the ork bodies were pressed up against him jamming him into the corner. Over his left shoulder a pinned ork was screaming in pain and anger. Inushi responded with a glancing elbow into the orks face. The bodies continued to press. The movement wrenched the katana from his hand as the dead bodies to his right contorted and fell before him. An ork with a chest the size of a promethium barrel stepped over them, his steel cleat boots sinking deep into the ork carpet. Inushi attempted to fall towards him to make some space but the ork grabbed him with amazing speed for such a bulky figure. The greenskin held him up right with one hand and punched with a spiked gauntlet. The short wide blade pierced through his shoulder pad. The green ceramite absorbed and dispersed the force of the blow but the blade still bit deep into this shoulder. Inushi gritted his teeth in pain as the blade dug to the bone.

The dark blade went back. Inushi witnessed the blood, his own blood, fling off the blade as the blade ceased moving back and began to speed towards him once again. He couldn’t move to fully avoid the blade and the ork was too strong to block. As the gauntlet approached he brought up his combat blade, it was too late to deflect the short blade but it still dug into the orks forearm.

Inushi felt every millimeter of pain as the orks punch bent and cracked his already demolished chest plate, the blade sinking deep into his chest. The ork snarled in victory as blood sprayed out from the wound. He didn’t even get a chance to see Inushi pull out his plasma pistol and melt the orks head off of its shoulders.

The orks paused, stunned from witnessing their largest member being beheaded.

Inushi fell to his knees as the ork released its grip. Slowly he stood back up. His bloody combat blade was in his left hand and purple plasma pistol in his right. Warm blood hemorrhaged out of his chest before the wound sealed up, his super human anatomy was trying to work over time. He silently muttered a prayer when Inushi saw the momentary fear in the faces of the remaining orks. He had reached the point where they may break and run.

“None of you can stop me!” he slowly shouted. Theatrics were not his forte but he knew how grave his wounds were. He had to try.

The orks looked from one another before the next largest raised his choppa to scream. It wasn’t the response he was looking for.

Inushi prepared himself to die when his world exploded.

You are SO BAD about leaving us in the middle of a cliff hanger!!

I think I can guess what happen next lol...

They are fighting at different levels right? And the other team just planted explosives right? So ... BOOM (?)

Either that or the orcs said something that went like this:

-Oi dis iz one tagh Hummie, give da rokkit launcha 'ere ya git...

BOOM

Regardless excellent (but small ) addition!

Brilliant,favourate bit has to be
"Inushi fell to his knees as the ork released its grip. Slowly he stood back up. His bloody combat blade was in his left hand and purple plasma pistol in his right. Warm blood hemorrhaged out of his chest before the wound sealed up, his super human anatomy was trying to work over time. He silently muttered a prayer when Inushi saw the momentary fear in the faces of the remaining orks."
just Awesomly graffic. would look great as a picture too, just him standing there half defeated but surrounded by ork corpses.

Thanks guys.

@Gitsplitta - You know the cliff hangers make it that much better.
@bigfish - I completely agree. Someone make a T-Shirt!
@Bobakos - You'll have to wait until next time to see what happened!

Somebody say something so I can post more story!

Something.






Loving the story Ice. Noticed a minor error: "The smog in the room was thickening as the columned engines continued to leak filth into the air."
Minor verb tense edit- otherwise its great!

Keep it up! I cant wait to see what happens!

Inigo took slow strides as he wandered the great hall. He didn’t know where he was going but he felt as if he had a destination. After every couple of statues or bodies, tanks or weapons he would pause. Before he could question what he was doing something would pull at him. Something distant yet familiar would tug at his soul. This urge led him passed more bizarre battlefield like wreckage. Inigo felt like he had been wandering for hours yet only minutes had passed. When he paused yet again, the urge returned but this time he resisted. The questions in his head finally overcoming the simple urge to investigate the unknown. The pull didn’t intensify, it didn’t force him to move, it was simply there for him to feel. Inigo knelt and placed his right hand palm down on the floor. He held his breath and concentrated. For several seconds he didn’t move, nearly becoming another one of the countless statues that filled the cavernous room. His twin hearts were the only sounds he could hear, yet he waited.

A simple pulse passed beneath the ground after a minute of waiting. Inigo stayed motionless until it passed again. It was as if the ground beneath the floor was alive with its own distant heart beat.

Logic and rules dictated that he immediately report to his superiors, but Inigo disregarded those thoughts and continued to move. His slow strides once again carried him further away from the Ice Angels and his companions.

I get the feeling this guy is going to get himself killed...

@alie - that is entirely possible

Whats that small piece? Give us more man!!! (Does that sound good for motivation to post more or do I need to make more orkish sounds with it? )

But to be fair we dont want to pressure you since you have the baby and all So take your time and give us something whenever you have something (make it soon though cause addic...erm you readers are anxious)

“Am I dead?” Inushi thought to himself. He could see only darkness before him. His entire body throbbed and he could hardly move. A high pitched ringing answered his question. Slowly the ringing subsided enough for him to utilize his senses once again. He was face down on the floor. He felt the pressure of a lot of weight on his back and legs. His left arm was numbed beyond recognition, either it was severed or the pain killers his armor automatically gave him had completely blocked the nerves from communicating with his brain.

The ringing subsided a bit more, just enough for him to hear distant gun shots and explosions. Several closer gun shots went off and an ork grunted before crashing to the ground nearby. Inushi felt the debris behind him move slightly from its fall.

Inushi began to try and adjust enough to turn his head but his body resisted. After several attempts he managed to push himself up, just enough to turn his head to his right. His head pounded at the movement, he slammed shut his eyes trying to clear his head. He could feel the demands of his body to give in and rest. His Larraman organ was gearing up to put him into a coma so that his body could focus on healing but Inushi refused. At the edge of his peripheral vision he could see light. Not the artificial light from the interior of the ork land train but the light from the sun over Glossinai.

The clanging sound of boots quickly surged through the room. Chainswords could be heard revving their small engines. Metal shifted and gun fire ensued, the sounds moved on into another compartment away from Inushi. He wanted to speak but the marines continued on before Inushi could attempt to alert them.

Pounding in Inushi’s chest echoed through his body as the Larraman organ sent out waives of chemicals to knock him out and attempt to heal his wounds. His eyes began to feel heavy. He soon lost feeling in his legs. A soothing cool sensation tickled in his brain as the chemicals began to shut him down.

Another set of boots landed in the room with him. He tried to fight the chemicals, to resist the oncoming coma, but he was too tired, too weak from all the wounds his body may not be able to recover from.

The footfalls came closer, they didn’t sound like the others that had passed. It may not be another marine he thought to himself. He concentrated on keeping his eyes open. He couldn’t move but he would at least die staring into the face of his assailant.

Metal sheets quickly moved aside. Inushi could hear them move but didn’t feel anything. His entire torso was numb. Something grabbed him and rolled him over. Despite the numbness, agonizing pain coursed through his body before the chemical coolness surged through him once again. Above Inushi the familiar helm of Philsoir looked down at him.

The bright sun gleamed off the tech marines red armor. Optical units on his shoulders and back pack twitched as they gathered all the visual data they could. Inushi’s vision was blurred and he couldn’t focus on anything other then the Ice Angel. He tried to speak but the only sound coming from him was the wheezing of his breathing.

“Inushi, excellent work clearing out the engine room.” The tech marine stated before standing back up. He reached back for his axe while hefting his shield back into place. “Your work here is done. The land train will be under our control shortly.” He paused for a moment before looking past Inushi. “May the Emperor protect you.”

The Techmarine then turned and walked away. Inushi was unable to speak, turn his head, or move any part of his body. His head swam. He couldn’t fight it any longer. He could only stare up with numb detachment as his eyes slowly shut and the sound's of the tech marines foot fall's slowly faded away.

Nothing says, "Way to lead the charge, dismantle the enemy and lead us to overall tactical success" better than leaving you lieing on the floor and succumbing to your wounds.

Fantastic entry yet again. I was almost hopping for a warriors death for Inushi but near fatal victory is fantastic.

I always wondered what a spacemarine would experience when their status coma took them, very interesting insight you've written

@1-i - Thanks 1-i. I thought that the lack of compassion and obvious statement coming from Philosir worked out great too!

@Knightley - Me too! I love that old article where they listed all the implanted organs Space Marines receive. I have never experience a coma, personally, but I tried to imagine that short period of time right before you go under from anesthesia. I think it turned out pretty good. Another nice short post to move our story along.

On a side note, thanks to all of you, my readers, that visit my story fluff. I just surpassed 23,000 views. That may seem like a random number to celebrate but I'm a random kind of guy. I know dakka isn't known for its fluff but I'm glad you guys have helped keep me motivated to continue writing. Thanks again!