Shadow of the Changeling

Chapter 4: A Lead

Kel'Acthar’s nostrils flared as he sniffed the air, the taint of Warp energy faint but unmistakable. It clung to the air like an invisible miasma, guiding them through twisting alleys and crumbling corridors. Each step took them closer to the heart of the Changeling’s influence. But now, the trail had gone cold.

Elara watched Kel’s expression darken as he came to a halt. Her fingers hovered near the hilt of her blade. “You’ve lost it, haven’t you?”

Kel let out a low, frustrated grunt, his crimson eyes scanning the dim surroundings. “It’s like he’s slipped into the shadows. But he’s close—I can feel it.”

A faint shuffle of footsteps behind them made them both whirl around, weapons ready. From the gloom emerged a hunched, ragged figure. The man’s clothes were torn and stained with grime, and his face was pale and gaunt. He glanced around nervously, his bloodshot eyes darting to the shadows as though expecting pursuit.

“You’re the Inquisition, aren’t you?” the man rasped, his voice barely more than a whisper. He held his hands up defensively. “Please, I mean no harm.”

Kel narrowed his eyes, his fists clenching. “How do you know who we are?”

The man hesitated, his trembling hands fumbling with a crude charm around his neck. “The… the seal on her cloak,” he stammered, pointing toward Elara. “I saw it when you passed earlier. Only the Inquisition carries that mark.”

Elara glanced at the faintly visible Inquisitorial seal clipped to her cloak, her expression hardening. She stepped forward, her tone sharp. “And how do you know anything about the Inquisition?”

“I’ve… I’ve seen your kind before,” the man stammered, shrinking back under her gaze. “A long time ago. I know you hunt things like the Changeling.”

Kel loomed over the man, his voice low and menacing. “If you know where it is, start talking.”

The man flinched but nodded hurriedly. “There’s a place… deep in the underhive. They call it the Rusting Depths. That’s where his loyal cultists gather. They worship him, protect him. If you’re looking for the Changeling, that’s where you’ll find him.”

Elara’s eyes narrowed. “How do we know you’re not leading us into a trap?”

The man’s face twisted in fear, his hands trembling. “If I wanted to betray you, I’d already be dead. The Changeling doesn’t tolerate betrayal. But you’re the Inquisition. If anyone can stop him, it’s you.”

Kel studied the man for a long moment, his crimson eyes piercing. Finally, he gave a short nod. “Then lead the way.”

The man shook his head violently, stepping back. “No! I can’t go back there. They’d kill me if they saw me again.” He gestured toward a narrow passageway shrouded in darkness. “Follow that path. It’ll take you to the Depths.”

With a final, frightened glance, the man turned and disappeared into the shadows. Kel watched him go, his expression grim.

“He’s scared enough to be telling the truth,” Kel said finally.

Elara frowned, her grip tightening on her blade. “This could still be a trap.”

Kel shrugged, the motion casual despite the tension in his voice. “Maybe. But if there’s even a chance he’s right, we can’t ignore it.”

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The Descent

The path wound deeper into the underhive, the air growing colder and more oppressive with each step. The walls of the passage were streaked with rust and grime, their surfaces etched with strange, jagged symbols. The faint, rhythmic sound of chanting echoed from far below, carried on a breeze that smelled of blood and decay.

“The Warp is stronger here,” Elara murmured, her voice tight with unease. “His influence is everywhere.”

Kel sniffed the air, his face twisting into a scowl. “It stinks. He’s close.”

The passage opened into a massive chamber, half-filled with the rusting remains of ancient machinery. The light of crude torches cast flickering shadows on the walls, and dozens of figures knelt in a circle around a makeshift altar. Their low, droning chants filled the air, rising and falling in an eerie rhythm.

Elara’s eyes fixed on the altar at the center of the chamber. A grotesque effigy sat atop it, its many faces twisted in a mockery of humanity. The sight of it sent a shiver down her spine. “They’re channeling the Warp here. The Changeling’s influence is feeding them.”

Kel’s knuckles cracked as he flexed his hands, the power packs on Truth and Cull humming faintly. “Then let’s break it.”

Without waiting for a response, Kel charged forward, his hooves pounding against the metal floor. The cultists turned at the sound, their chanting faltering. Confusion turned to panic as the beastman barreled into their midst, his fists swinging.

Kel’s first blow struck a cultist square in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. The second cultist barely had time to scream before Cull connected with his skull, silencing him instantly.

“Elara!” Kel barked over the chaos.

Elara moved swiftly, her blade flashing as she cut down a cultist who lunged at her. Psychic energy crackled around her, a faint aura of power amplifying her movements. Her strikes were precise and deadly, each one taking down another frenzied follower.

The cultists were no match for the combined might of the two Inquisitors. One by one, they fell, their prayers turning to screams. But even as the last of them crumpled to the ground, a slow, mocking applause echoed through the chamber.

“Well done, Inquisitors,” a voice drawled, dripping with malice. “But you’ve only just begun.”

From the shadows emerged a robed figure, his face marked with grotesque symbols. His eyes burned with unnatural light, and the stench of the Warp clung to him like a second skin.

“Who are you?” Elara demanded, her blade still raised.

The man chuckled, spreading his arms wide. “Just a humble servant of the Changeling. But you… you’ve come far, haven’t you? I wonder… how much farther can you go?”

Kel stepped forward, his fists still glowing faintly. “We’ll go through anyone who gets in our way. Including you.”

The cultist laughed, his voice echoing unnaturally. “Oh, you’ll have to. The Rusting Depths are filled with our kind. You’ll never reach the Changeling… but you’re welcome to try.”

Before they could react, the cultist’s body convulsed violently, and the air around him rippled with dark energy. His form exploded in a burst of corrupted Warp energy, leaving behind only a charred mark on the floor.

Kel growled, shaking his head. “They’re stalling us.”

Elara’s eyes hardened, her voice cold. “Then we’ll cut through every last one of them.”

Without another word, they turned and pressed deeper into the darkness, the echoes of chanting and laughter guiding them toward their next confrontation.

The hunt for the Changeling continued.