by Andy Smillie
‘Release him, Gabriel. His duty is at an end.’
Gabriel lifted his head and looked up at Appollus. The Chaplain stood at the head of the table, his oil-black armour blending with the shadows of the candle-lit chamber inlaid with inscriptions and litanies of purity, it was a noble reflection of the warplate worn by the Death Company Marine. Yet for all the blackness of Appollus’s armour, his eyes were darker still.
‘This is a waste of time,’ Appollus pressed the point. ‘He does not understand, Chapter Master.’
‘I am not a fool,’ Gabriel snarled and got to his feet, his stature seeming to grow with his rising temper. ‘It is enough that we understand, Chaplain.’ Gabriel slammed his fist into his breastplate, the staccato clang resounding around the stone walls of the enclosed space. ‘That we remember.’
‘Lord.’ Appollus nodded, bowing his head in deference.
Gabriel placed a hand on the Death Company Marine’s pauldron. He could feel the tension in the other warrior’s body as he struggled against his restraints. ‘Be at peace, brother. You have earned this final death.’ Withdrawing his hand, Gabriel nodded to Appollus.
The Chaplain turned to the reliquary inset into the chamber wall. The stasis field shivered as he pushed his hand through to retrieve the ornate bolt pistol from its centre. The weapon had once belonged to Chaplain Zophal, and had been used to end the suffering of the damned since Cretacia’s founding. ‘Requiescat.’ Appollus pressed the pistol to the Death Company Marine’s helm and fired.
Gabriel let his eyes linger on the dead warrior a moment.
‘How many more, Appollus? How many more of our brothers must we lose to this madness?’
Appollus remained silent, knowing Gabriel did not really seek an answer. Few knew of the heavy burden placed upon the Chapter Master. What Amit had done was just the beginning; the salvation of the Flesh Tearers was far from certain.
Gabriel sighed, and turned to his left where another of the cursed lay awaiting the final administrations.
‘I am sorry. We have failed you, brother.’
Acknowledgments
Eddie Eccles, thanks for reading all the drafts; Aaron Dembski-Bowden and John French – you guys; Laurie Goulding, for knowing the stuff you know; Rachel Docherty, Gayle Nicholson and Simon Price, for your kind words of encouragement; Rich ‘Snake Doc’ Packer and Eve Williams, for keeping me going; David Stevens, for teaching me how a Flesh Tearer fights; and of course, Jade for the endless hot drinks and occasional cookie.
About The Author
Hailing from Glasgow, Andy Smillie is best known for his visceral Flesh Tearers novella, Beneath the Flesh. He also has written a host of short stories starring this brutal Chapter of Space Marines and a number of audio dramas including Deathwolf and From the Blood. Andy lives in Nottingham, UK, drinks enough coffee to make his ears itch and cites napping as his favourite pastime.
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Published in 2012 by Black Library, Games Workshop Ltd., Willow Road, Nottingham, NG7 2WS, UK
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Cover illustration by Clint Langley
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