Trials of the Supplicor

[Brannick]

This story was written as an entrant to the Imperial-Literature.net "Calling All The Heroes" contest. The conditions were that you had to write a story featuring one of the "known" characters from a G-W based game.

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Conditions were now verging on the absurd for Kthelmir and his retinue. Not only had the drop-pods landed over twenty clicks from their destination but the horrendous weather had significantly worsened during their ensuing unplanned foot-slog. A very brief grimace contorted Kthelmir’s face as a particularly icy blast bludgeoned its way across the barren plains, caressing his exposed features as it continued on its relentless path. His pace slowed momentarily as he allowed himself a glance both left and right to rest his mind that no member of his retinue had seen the wince. Satisfied that none of them had witnessed the minor weakness, he picked up the pace as best possible following his fleeting deceleration.

Snow and ice reigned supreme like king and queen of the whitened wasteland. A perfect blanket it would have been if not for the minuscule taint of a haphazard black and gold colouring. A broken blemish spoiling the canvas of a typically one coloured splendour as it trudged lazily across the portrait. Boot prints and track marks scored the virgin land for mere moments only, as the healing blizzard reclaimed their existence. The armour worn by both man and vehicle alike had been indiscriminately coated by the pearlescent snowfall. The origins and allegiance of this force now only clearly visible by the untouched symbol of a single red eye encircled by eight golden arrowheads on the
Chaos Lord’s right-handed powerfist. Even the two hulking Obliterators, who flanked Kthelmir, could do nothing to halt the embrace of the snow king who ruled all and sundry here.

The slow progress enabled the shape-shifting leviathans to keep pace with the rest of the small Chaos force. The Obliterators had been air dropped along with the Predator and its trailer two cycles before Kthelmir and his retinue had arrived. A temporary respite in the weather conditions allowing a lone Thunderhawk gunship to deploy the tank and the accompanying monstrosities. Upon arrival the Predator crew had sought cover for their vehicle in a small forest bereft of foliage, and the Obliterators merely followed. Occasionally the crew of the Predator would start their vehicle and venture from the forest surroundings to ensure that the component parts of their tank would not fall foul to the grip of the sub-zero temperatures. The Obliterators, however, just stood like baroque statues, and simply, waited. Black and bronze Black Legion armour becoming all but hidden under deep layers of snow. An intermittent guttural roar being the only semblance of life beneath the ice-packed forms. Kthelmir had joined up with the heavy reinforcements after he and his Chosen retinue had journeyed the ten clicks from the wayward drop-pod landing zone. The enormous strength of the Obliterators aided their emergence from the encompassing snow tombs as if their daemonic senses had been triggered by the presence of the Chaos Lord. The colossal amalgamations of marine, armour and daemon seemed just as oblivious to the temperature as they appeared to be to everything else, they knew nothing but the joy of battle.

Kthelmir was an altogether different entity. Free thinking, ruthless, cunning, devious and absorbent of taint like no other. He answered only to The Despoiler and the four Gods of Chaos; he could not be further from the automaton nature of the Obliterators. The Chaos Lord’s terminator armour was adorned with the countless spikes and sharp
appendages that so unmistakably symbolised corruption. Spikes and appendages that had become the resting places for the skulls, which were in varying stages of decomposition, of numerous beings that had been unfortunate enough to have encountered the heretic champion. Barbed hooks of a sadistic appearance clung to the tips of rusted chains that swung indolently with Kthelmir’s every step. His left arm had long ceased being that of a Terran nature, the corrupt Mechanicus had transformed this limb to an auto-cannon, melta combination weapon. A maze of segmented piping filtered from the arcane weapon in to various housings within the great armour, and a belt of brass tipped
auto-cannon rounds hung rigidly from the feeding mechanism of the gun. The Imperium in its divine hatred toward the heretics would surely find the facial features of Kthelmir to be the most blasphemous part of his entire appearance. The Chaos Lord was quite evidently once human as his head and face bore next to no taint by his time spent serving the ruinous Gods, perhaps this had been an allowance afforded to Kthelmir for his service to Abaddon?

And it was The Despoiler himself who had presented this assignment to Kthelmir, who in turn had accepted the task without question when in front of his Warmaster, but had cursed the mission with every sluggish step taken since setting foot on this inhospitable planet. Ktehlmir, alone with his thoughts whilst labouring towards his objective, could only contemplate that Abaddon was either showing him great favour by presenting him with such a fraught mission, or The Despoiler had hoped that he would not return alive. He preferred to recognise the former option more readily as he knew only too well that he was in no position to challenge for the title of Warmaster, and
Abaddon would surely know this too. He decided to ponder for a while longer as he led the retinue toward a very frost bitten skeletal latticework of an all but dead forest.

Wicked looking splinters were shredded from the helpless trees as the two dual lightning clawed terminators from the Chosen retinue took the lead from their Lord so that an accessible path could be created for the Predator and its trailer. The chainfist of a third terminator was put to good use reducing the felled innocents to even smaller pieces so that there would be absolutely no risk of damage to the tracks of the Predator so vital to the success of the mission. A large burst of flame followed by a bestial howl drew Kthelmir’s gaze to Dar’Shun. Kthelmir had always held a seed of scepticism about his Chosen terminator champion’s undivided loyalty. Dar’Shun seemed more and more drawn to the path of Khorne in every way, especially in his explicit eagerness to butcher everyone and everything to an unrecognisable pulp when in close combat. And recently the champion had been blessed with a number of inscribed daemonic chains to further confirm the suspicions of his Lord; Kthelmir looked on with a small shake of his head. Dar’Shun was truly now a daemonic vessel in every way. Great tusks protruded from his helm and mutated horns had developed from his temples in an extraordinarily small period of time. A tree of immense size was plucked from the snow covered earth by the powerfist armed Dar’Shun as if in demonstration of what he was to become, launching the prize to his left whilst at the same time searing the mammoth javelin with a stream from the heavy flamer. Dar’Shun turned toward Kthelmir and roared with his chest expanded and arms unfurled to their limit, the animalistic display sending the two Obliterators into a frenzy as they began tearing the forest asunder by all manner of destruction within their capability. Kthelmir took a brief glance skyward as if in almost disbelief before
commencing his march through the burning cacophony, for the time being he allowed his retinue to proceed as they saw fit.

The frenzied procession through the now charred forest turned in to an unnerving silence almost instantaneously as Kthelmir fired a salvo to the heavens. All eyes focused on the Chaos Lord as his own eyes narrowed at a point on the horizon. He was positive that he had caught a glimpse of a red hue through the driving snow as they approached the exit to the woodland. Ocular senses strained to their enhanced maximum as he struggled to focus through the conditions. And there it was again, creating a tiny smattering of colour through the ever white. The re-loading of flamers and various other weaponry became Kthelmir’s signal that his retinue had also sensed what awaited them. Dar’Shun and the Chosen returned to their positions behind the flanking Obliterators, the arms of the two monstrosities continued to change form through a whole cycle of weaponry as if they could not decide upon which would be most effective. Kthelmir walked the short distance back passed his retinue and to the side hatch of the Predator. A sharp two-pronged tap of auto-cannon barrels against hatch unsettled the occupants of the vehicle, and a flurry of movement became audible to the Chaos Lord. The hatch began to retract from the hull, slowly at first, and then plummeting in to the snow with a muffled thud. A figure clad from head to toe in red robes peered from the dark innards of the Predator.

“Wellâ€￾ enquired Kthelmir, as he looked down at the being. A face covered in a criss-cross pattern of bloody open wounds emerged from the recesses of the crimson hood.

“He is there.â€￾

The dome was of a magnitude that Kthelmir had not seen before; colossal just did not do the structure justice. There was no apparent composition to the building, no masonry or plascrete construct could be seen, only a shimmering almost fluid like outer shell from which the red tint was emitted. The retinue came to a halt as they pondered their next move.

“Fetch himâ€￾ Kthelmir gestured to Dar’Shun with a small wave of the outstretched index finger of his powerfist. Dar’Shun’s body language made it all too evident that the order was only begrudgingly followed.

The fact that the snowfall did not settle on the gargantuan structure was one of the first things Kthelmir had noticed, along with the small matter of there being no visible entrance. The latter being something he was about to overcome, as his insolent champion unceremoniously slammed the Khornate cultist face first in to the snow in front of him. Ephytam Korda got to his feet leaving a reddened stain where the open wounds on his face had met with the pristine snow.

“You should seek a replacement for that repugnant menace before I use him to bring forth the doom for all of youâ€￾ hissed the infamous cultist.

“Now, now Ephytam, you are amongst friends here – you know why I require your helpâ€￾. Kthelmir placed his large armoured hand on the shoulder of the aggrieved cultist, who in turn shrugged off the sympathy and began the short walk towards the surface of the dome, placing his right hand up against it upon his arrival.

The mumblings and chants of the Khornate cultist carried on in to a second cycle as the Black Legion retinue became visibly agitated with the wait. Snow had piled up in the trailer towed by the Predator and all of the terminator armoured heretics, plus the Obliterators, were now heavily covered by ice and snow. Gerrick’s patience was the first to expire as he trudged his way to the dome. The crackling energy from his dual lightning claws could quite clearly be heard over the continued mutterings of Korda and the harsh wind. Kthelmir and the rest of the
retinue looked on with interest as the marine drew back his right arm and unleashed his close combat weapon upon the dome. Gerrick created a trench within the snow of near twenty paces in length as he was hurled backwards by the forces created by his attack. A sorry looking marine gradually sat himself upright whilst shaking his head to clear whatever internal damage may have been done by the meeting of the powerful energies. He realised that all eyes were now focused upon him and broad grins were soundly in place on all of his brothers who chose not to
wear a helm. Verdun and Ffenter grabbed an arm between them and hauled
the large marine to his feet.

“It appears that we have been granted access gentlemenâ€￾ The whole retinue looked on in an almost tranquil fascination at the writhing archway that had been fashioned within the shimmering surface of the dome. A purple colouration now bathed the heretics as the essence of a blue light, which seeped from the split within the breach, merged with the red tint of the dome’s surface.

“Ffenter, Gerrick follow me, and Korda, if you would be so kind as to lead the way?â€￾ Ktehlmir ushered the cultist passed him to the head of the party with a gracious swoop of his powerfist. “Dar’Shun, make sure the transport is ready, we want immediate evacuation if this all goes well, and the same if it does not. And make sure that you and Verdun let nothing else in here whilst we are insideâ€￾ Verdun snapped a quick glance to Dar’Shun who in turn noted the dissatisfaction on his brother marine’s face as their Lord disappeared within the confines of the dome.

A single corridor ending in an inexplicable subdued light confronted Kthelmir and the selected remnants of his divided retinue. The Khornate cultist, with head downward, began shuffling along the passageway at a criminally unhurried pace, which in turn made the marines look unusually sluggish and awkward as they slowed their own march so as not take the lead from the hooded figure. Silhouettes and shadows, created by the distant light, rhythmically danced along the vast metallic walls toward them, passing in a fleeting moment whilst highlighting a previously unseen treasure to the new guests of the dome. Three pairs of eyes enthusiastically scanned the metallurgy of the walls and flooring as the haphazard shimmering gradually unveiled the engravings of a most
complex and awe-inspiring nature. Flashlights built in to terminator armour were swiftly activated by each marine in turn and directed at the embossed metalwork. Great battles were depicted to the very finest detail and to the very
tops of the walls, which Kthelmir estimated were fifty feet in height. All too familiar was a particular illustration of a palace with a mountain of bodies piled high against the ramparts, an axe-wielding marine standing atop the dead, beckoning forth his troops whilst taking numerous wounds. Kthelmir panned his light across the expanse of the
floor and for the second time in mere moments he noticed the etched form of the celebrated marine, his gaze broken suddenly by the activation of the soft whirring motors of the temperature regulators within his armour. He triggered the heads up display within his ocular senses, immediately noticing the temperature counter that increased by a
further digit with every few paces. A flicker of light then drew his gaze from the active counter and through the display graphic. He hadn’t realised that they neared the end of the passageway, his focus had been elsewhere for the duration and he cursed his own curiosity. Concentration restored, it dawned upon him that the cause of the temperature increase and shimmering light could only be created by one element.

The four individuals dispersed from the majesty and grandeur of the passageway and across a craggy scorched wasteland coated in filthy red soot, finally coming to a halt at the verge of a chasm.The three marines, in an almost comical fashion, edged forward in unison to look down in to the abyss, darkness swallowed their sight as they
were all unable to judge the depth. Torrents of fire burst forth in erratic bouts from hundreds upon hundreds of tunnels gauged out of the far rock-face. Winged daemon’s relentlessly lashed barbed whips towards shadowy figures of numerous shapes and sizes that pulled carts full of rubble along a narrow pathway to a destination unbeknown to the marines. A scream drew their attention further up the canyon as they tracked the descent of a creature that plunged uncontrollably to the inevitable. The heat haze distorted their view of the tumbling form whose body began to dismantle as it intermittently collided with the cliff wall. Chain gangs covered the canyon; too many for Kthelmir to keep track of, but they all headed in the same direction. He stood as an onlooker as a procession of slaves began to flee from one of the tunnels; a great burst of flame following their exit. A handful of the beings were caught within the inferno and they sporadically dropped to the ground, writhing in an audible agony as their bodies continued to cook. The accompanying daemon set upon them with its chain-axe, ripping flailing limbs from torsos;
it was not only the flames that were extinguished from the burning creatures.

“It appears we have stepped in to the realm of Khorneâ€￾ Korda sensed an unsettled tone within Ffenter’s comment.

“Yes, yes it does, doesn’t it. And we are truly blessed that the devil himself is here to greet usâ€￾ a cackled laugh immersed the three marines with a chilling intent.The armoured heretics turned to see Ephytam Korda kneeled, as if in prayer, in the opposite direction to where they stood at the edge of the chasm. Above the passageway where they had entered the domain was a throne from what appeared to be forged from solid bronze, and seated
upon the enormous construct was An’Ggrath The Unbound. The great Bloodthirster moved forwards from his seated position resting his weight on the left arm of his throne as he leaned toward the marines and the kneeling cultist.

“You come to acquire the service of that which is my most treasured possession?â€￾ all activity within the realm appeared to stop for a split moment as the presiding Bloodthirster spoke.
“Warmaster Abaddon has requested that we seek your consent for the release of your champion to aid with the forthcoming crusade Lord An’Ggrathâ€￾ Kthelmir bowed his head and his brother marines did likewise.

“Abaddon shows no respect for meâ€￾ bellowed the Bloodthirster whilst wiping away a fountain of frothing saliva from his maw. “He sends his pathetic followers to grovel before me rather than attend himself, such cowardice from one so favouredâ€￾ a baritone laugh resonated from behind the fang filled grin of the great Bloodthirster. “Did you not think to bring me a sacrifice Kthelmir?â€￾ the great daemon looked down upon them from his lofty seat as if searching for his prize.

“We have indeed brought another skull to add to your Gods throne my Lordâ€￾ a mechanism upon Kthelmir’s autocannon cocked itself as he pointed the weapon towards the kneeling Korda, who turned with a gaze of sheer
terror.

“Devram will hear of this you wretched traitorâ€￾ the shrill voice of the Khornate cultist was soon overpowered by the salvo from the autocannon, which plastered the cultist across the expanse in front of the marines. An’Ggrath’s eyes shone like red beacons and his tongue traced the tips of his fangs.

“Far from an honourable death, but, a death of some status – your objective I believe?â€￾ the giant Bloodthirster gestured towards two smaller daemons that swooped over the three marines carrying a large bronze slab, which was square in design. Numerous chains, which looked as if they were sewn in to the bronze, shackled Ktehlmir’s prize to the block of metal; it was Kthelmir’s turn to have the glint of satisfaction within his eyes. The chained figure had a white –knuckled clasp upon a chain-axe in the left hand and a plasma pistol in the right, the being was relentless in its attempts to break free of the restraints.

“I need not tell you what would happen if he gains his freedom upon your Warmaster’s ship Kthelmir, and, I want Kharn brought back to Skalathrax as soon as the crusade is completedâ€￾ with that the Bloodthirster settled back upon his throne with a confident grin firmly in place.

Kthelmir turned to Gerrick “contact Dar’shun, get that Predator in here nowâ€￾.

[IBBoard]

Another great story sorry for the delay, but it's now available on the HWT website ([url=http://www.hiveworldterra.co.uk/FanFiction/read_10.html]Reply to topic
Trials of the Supplicor[/url])

Is Kthelmir a mentioned character? because all I can find is references to a member of Relic News and other forums I know Abaddon gets a mention, and the whole story revolves around retrieving Kharn (no, I couldn't be bothered with the umlauts on his name either!) but I didn't know if Kthelmir had been mentioned elsewhere.

I made a couple of corrections again - mainly punctuation at the end of speech, it seems to be most people's weak point (don't ask - my fiancee runs Perfect Imagination, which is a Harry Potter beta reading site, so I learn all sorts of grammatical errors). You also used "passed" in a couple of places where "past" would be the correct word (again tenses - "he walked past" is an on-going action, where as "he passed by" is a past tense). I also made a minor change to the wording of "two smaller daemons that swooped over the three marines carrying a large bronze slab, which was square in design" so that it was more obvious that it was the daemons carrying the slab, and not the marines (comma after marines, and then change "comma which" to "that"). I hope you don't mind the corrections

Still a great piece though. I'd never attempt to use actual existing characters in case I got them wrong I know a little bit about lots of things, but not enough about any one thing to make it convincing without basing it mainly on my own made up stuff!

[Brannick]

Page 15 Codex: Chaos - if you have this text then hopefully you can match my text to his appearance.

I never shy away from a little bit of help IB. My cries for assistance are becoming infamous across netland

Gav

[IBBoard]

Ah, not read the latest Codex: Chaos - he must be a new one. As for the help - I try to do real Beta Reading: fix grammatical errors etc while keeping the author's style intact. Through my fiancee's website (it has an entry test to check quality) I've seen people mangle stories so much that they might as well have written it themselves!