The Composer

PART THREE

The hunt began. On jetbikes, together with his captain and a few other Legionaries, the Composer raced across the wasteland of Istvaan, they knew some loyalists were out there and it was their task to search and kill them. The howling and incredible speed of the jetbike were satisfying, but the thought of fresh loyalist blood was even better.
They jetted over a hill and behind it they finally found some Legionaries, two in a bright green and the other five wore the black armour of the Raven Guard. The Captain of his squad raced before them, signalling them that there is no shooting allowed until he signals it otherwise. With high speed and roaring engines every second the loyalists became closer, the Composer could see that at least two of them were badly injured, as the other Legionaries started running they walked behind them a bit slower. "PATHETIC, ignore the weakling we will get them after we kill the strong ones" the captain chatted over the VOX. They raced right besides the two injured marines, as suddenly one of them drew his blade so perfectly, it cut across the engine of the Composer's jetbike, sending him into a red cloud of dust onto the ground. His comrades did not stop, rushing onwards on the thought of the sweet ecstatic feeling of killing the loyalists.
The Composer smiled, now he got two just for him alone. Drawing his bolt pistol and powersword as the injured Salamander slowly walked towards him.
"We don't have to fight brother... there has been enough dead for today."
"This is heresy! You ruin what our father took so long to create. Your will is weak, I feel that you don't even know why you are rebelling! Come and join us we can save you!"
The Composer's smile widened, hidden behind his helmet. He thought of joining them to deliver them right into the hands of the other Legions hunting loyalists. He could kill them on the spot and end it all... But he decided otherwise, "Alright Salamander", he said, "but first we have to get rid of my comrades, they will return shortly to get me back. Lay down in the sand, we will strike them in an surprise attack." The Composer layed a melta charge of his belt onto the sand and buried it, getting behind some stones for cover and awaiting the arrival of his captain.
Not long and he heard the roaring engines of the jetbikes, his captain riding as first and screaming for him on the VOX, the Composer ignored his calls and concentrated on his melta charge. Just as the captain flew over them he blew them up, ripping the rest of his squad apart, shattering their bodys and sending limbs and jetbike parts flying.
The Captain turned around. The Composer stood up and looked at him.
"What is this? ANSWER ME LEGIONARIE!"
"Its my turn now", the Composersaid smiling.
"Your turn? Do ypu think this is some kinda game boy? We are recreating the galaxy and you dare to betray your brothers like this? You know you will die! I'll cut your throat wide open! "
The Captain started his jetbike and charged full on the Composer, dodging the ram attack the Composer swung around, landing softly on the sand and screaming the signal for the Salamanders to get their part done. They sprang out of their cover and began shooting at the Captain with their bolters. Although the captain turned fast he couldn't avoid all shots, his bike got hit into the fuel system blowing it up instantly, luckily for him the captain flew away seemingly with all limbs still attached.
The Composer stood above his captain, one of his feet placed on his chestplate, pinning him to the ground.
"TRAITOR! YOU ARE A TRAITOR!" His captain spit angered. The Composer stomped a few times upon his plate, shattering it and sending him a flash of pain as several rips broke and organs got punctured. "Njargh! You... YOU will pay!... i am a noble of chemos... this is ... treachery..."
The Composer removed the airlock on his helmet releasing it with a hiss. He got on his knee and looked his captain right into the visor. "Remember my face, fool. We will meet again..." With these words he placed his hands on the place where the hearts of an astartes are and whispered a spell in the unknown language he learned through the song of Slaanesh. The Captain screamed, he wiggled and twitched in pain as the Composer removed his soul from his body.
Strengthened from this the Composer put on his helmet again and looked around, the salamanders stood not far from him, one removed his helmet and his look was truly terrified.
"You are a monster, why would you ever do this?... you lied to us! You are still a traitor! Brother, open FIRE!"
As the two injured salamanders got their bolters ready the Composer rushed towards them, strengthened through the consumed soul he ran faster than the salamanders thought and before they even drew their weapons one of them was already sliced in half by a powerful slash of his sword. A few bolter rounds and the other fell to the ground, coughing his last spark of life away.
The Composer kneeled down, absorbed the two souls and made his way back to his legion.
Upon arriving he could not recognise the battlefield where a massacre took place just a day ago.
A great stage rose in the middle, warriors of all legions that have sworn loyalty to Horus stood around it and cheered to the gathered primarchs. The Composer approached Marius and told him his Captain and brothers died in action, but got sent away told to join the feast and talk to a superior later.
So he made his way to the big festival, Horus held a speech and the cheering crowd exploded in oathsworns, laughing and praising to the Warmaster. The Composer joined, cheering for the battles that are to come and the great music the crowd made...
After this one night he decided not to sleep in the halls of hi brothers anymore and made his way to the former quarters of Bequa Kynska. It would be his new home, a place where he could do whatever he want.
The same night he begun to decorate his room, rich ornaments and powerful reliefs were placed all around. He painted the walls in bright colours and placed the mask carefully on the desk of the room.

In the rest of the Heresy he mostly played a small role, carefully hiding his betrayal and psychic abilities. On the travel of the Emperor's Children to find the Angel Exterminatus the giant opera on the pride of the Emperor, La Fenice, got renovated and on the ruined stage he found the skull of the mad Composer Bequa Kynska, deciding to take it with him since it had a certain psychic power stored inside it.
After the war on Terra when the Emperor's Children fled in splintered warbands, he was on a small ship with his squad, raiding leftover planets on their way to the eye of terror.

They made planetfall on a small world, it was mostly barren with the exception of a hive city and a giant fortress on the northern half. After a camp was established the Squad was calling for reinforcements to raid the city, but seemingly none answered. Sometimes even the VOX didn't work properly. But the Squad indulged in selfish acts, leading to them trying to raidthe hive city all by themselves. It went well but just after a few hours a bunch of loyalist space marines made planetfall to stop them. The Loyalists were Space Wolves hunting down the fleeing traitors and the Composer and his squad barely made it out of the city, just to be encircledby a pack of wolves. Knowing he had no other way to survive the Composer finally showed his psychic abilites, which he trained a lot over the course ofthe Horus heresy. But seemingly he didn't train enough...
He flew a few metres above the ground, warpfire was circling around him burning the loyalists alive. But the fire took control and burned his squad to death too. It grew more and more even setting the Hive City aflame and devastating it's outer districts. Barely able to control such power the Composer broke down, his sorcery robbed him of all of his powers and made him weak. He robbed over to the burned corpse of his captain, reaching to him to absorb his soul and strengthen himself. With this bit of power he began to absorb every space marine's soul around hi , eventually getting strong. But this procedure had a high psychological impact on the young sorcerer. Abusing his brothers dead bodies to straighten himself after he killed them all in unending agony. He would never forget this moment, his greatest failure, as a small reminder of it he walked over tohis former Captain and took his powerclaw, arming his right hand with it.
A quick view to the horizon revealed the planetfall of more loyalist marines, the Composer fled from them eventually being able to take control of a scoutship of the Wolven.
With his psychic abilities he managed to loose his hunters and even find his way back to the Pride of the Emperor, the third region's flagship.
Making the scoutship destruct itself he teleported into the vessel and made his way to the bridge, expecting to find a superior and report his return. He did find one but it was the Lord Commander Eidolon himself, which he never quite liked. After a few words the Lord Commander managed to get the truth out of the young psyker. Without even thinking about it Eidolon declared the Composer as a traitor, taking him in chains and imprisoning him on board. Not accepting the judgement the Composer decided to flee and leave his Legion behind, for he was no longer part of it.
With no reason to hold back anymore he ruthlessly manipulated the prison guards into freeing them. He was already on his way to the docks but reminded himself of one last thing to do before leaving the ship. The mask.
Swiftly making his way to the remembrancer deck all the way to the Quarters he took for himself. He took the mask from the desk and the Skull of Bequa Kynska and hid them under his cloak as suddenly a legionary entered behind him, one of the prison guards. "What did you do? How did you get out?" The Guard was visibly confused and devastated of the manipulation. "I must kill you now... or must I? Please... What did you do?" Seeing the despair on his face the Composer decided to push his pain a bit further. "You again? Weren't you wanting to go traitor to flee from here?" "Was I?" The Guard's face now streamed with tears. "Was I really? How can I even think of such heresy..." Smiling wide the young sorcerer said " You are already a traitor. Don't you remember killing your brothers over the last years?" "I did what? I don't... I can't believe this. You are lying!" With this cry the guard threw himself into the Composer's direction, drawing his sword. Evading the slash the Composer laughed out loud, grabbing the Guard by the head with claw and bending it around. The cracking of his neck was loud and the Composer watched with joy as the life spark of the legionary vanished whilehe absorbed his soul through the claw.
Now he finally went to the docks and manipulated even more of his former brothers to secure a ship for himself without getting blasted right away. He flew out into the void of the space, not knowing where to go or what to do...