Lifetime of war

The Abyss

Von Ryke forced herself to disregard the increasingly building fear inside her, entrusting her fate into the hands of her God – the holy and eternal Emperor. Even though she knew Kriegs threaded only a few steps behind her, she still turned around as if to confirm something she could have taken for granted. Expectedly, the two usually silent and observative soldiers followed her without as much as a complaint, ready to charge forward if need be. Strangely enough, in these silhouettes clad in heavy trench coats and gas masks, the Inquisitor found a semblance of hope – something close to reassurance that no matter what would happen, she would not be alone till death inevitably took them. If the situation were any different, she would have allowed a small smile to creep in, but no ... she was the manifestation of God's will; her heart must remain as cold as ice, her senses sharp, and her dedication unquivering. Perhaps today, she was meant to meet her end or be forced to let go of her loyal guards finally. All in all, it was not worth the time or effort to delve deeper into these kinds of deliberations.

No matter; she kept staring at these poor children of Krieg, knowing fully well that they had been bred solely to die in the Emperor's name for crimes they did not commit. A paradise turned into a nuclear wasteland that served only one purpose: to atone for their forefathers' sins. A humanly common concept of fear did not concern them, for they knew no fear and bravery. One can only be brave if one conquers one's weaknesses and deepest fears. They moved like machines, neatly covered in a somewhat appealing meat suit to fool everyone.

Soon enough, the entire team passed through the gateway, bringing in the much-needed light and scattering away the seemingly endless darkness around them. With a slight relief, von Ryke moved forward, shocked by the sheer emptiness. The pathway leading to the entrance resembled a long, straight corridor filled with nothing but dust. It was a shocking discovery, to put it mildly. After all, the woman would have expected dozens upon dozens of metallic crates filled with various goods to be scattered all over the passage, leaving only as much space as vehicles going in and out required - a twisted Imperium's logic in its most basic form. Yet, it was hardly the case.

Nonetheless, she pressed forward, trying to make any sense of what was happening around her as she went. As always, she preferred to lead the party upfront, paving the way. It was a rather reckless act, but the Inquisitor did not care. If Chaos were involved, it would matter little whether she was in the first or last line. The plan was simple: gather as much information as possible, then retreat to adjust. However, it was easier said than done. Even though the shadows were forced to recede, it was but a temporal solution, as there was no telling what lurked deeper into the complex. Perhaps they would find only dust and empty crates, yet the woman had a tingling sensation that this little venture would be much more eventful.

They kept their pace fast and steady, crossing the pathway leading to yet another large, metallic gate, which rather conveniently remained open, allowing free traffic between the complex segments. Von Ryke did not like this discovery one bit; it reeked of trap and inevitable death, stirring the most basic feeling inside the woman: mainly barely controllable fear and urge to turn around on her heel and run away, not looking behind. What had happened there, she wondered. What had tainted this place so much that she dreaded to face it? The Inquisitor would have killed for these answers, but expectedly, no angel descended from heaven to enlighten her. No ... no matter the power the Emperor had bestowed upon her, she was but a human: imperfect and fragile. Perhaps if the lives of accompanying her soldiers were not intertwined with her, she would have fled, even if it meant being shot in the back for cowardliness. With that in mind, she passed through the gate, her head going back and forth, scanning the distant shadows.

Once again, the group faced nothingness and stillness, making the scenery far more horrifying. Near-complete silence ruled over this part of the storage hub, making the occasional clacking of the old and clearly unmaintained steel machines into something akin to wailing in the depths of the night. Time after time, the sound raised only to fade away unexpectedly, giving an illusion as if it never happened. Considering their sole source of light was flashlights, their field of vision was severely limited. Abruptly, a trivial thought crossed the woman's mind, making her doubt her sanity and rational thinking. What had happened with the power system? All things considered, it should have been naturally the first question to ask, given the circumstances, yet strangely enough, it was pushed back into the depths of her conflicted consciousness. If her memory served her well, Avengarth had not mentioned a thing regarding power fluctuations in the hub or straight-up outages.