Imperium - Dynasty Begins Ch. 06

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

The water kept him from sleeping. At first he could tune it out, but eventually it was everything he could hear.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Water drips hit the floor repeatedly. Small puddle already formed on the floor. The droplets broke the surface and echoed in his head.

Dripping. Dripping. Dripping.

Constantly. All the time. Minutes turned to hours. He counted. Claude tried to count. At least to break the monotony of the dripping. But eventually hours turned to days. He was broken. He lied on the floor listening. Unable to tune out the insistent dripping. The only thing he heard was the godawful dripping.

Claude finally roused from deep sleep. He was still in his combat suit. His fingers darted unconsciously left and right, yet nothing happened. The helmet didn't respond to his commands. Seconds later his hands checked for any damage, but nothing. The helmet was intact. There were few things in the galaxy that could break the plexi-steel that Imperium's Space Marines were known for.

Finally, he noticed he was in a cell.

Bars were on his left. Made out of strange material much like his plexi-steel helmet, yet much thicker. Beyond them was a tight corridor that led further into the darkness.

Finally, he noticed a sharp outline of a bed on his right.

Everything around him felt wet. The sensors in his mask weren't working so good, his sense of smell wasn't registering anything, but the room he was in felt like it should smell like the jungle he was accustomed to.

He sat upright. Fingers dug deep and dragged piece of dirt before his eyes. Dark terracotta was in his fingertips.

A thought passed through his mind about his brothers. He hoped he was the only one that was captured, but then in a flash of light he remembered. Most were butchered, killed or captured. Like he was.

Sometimes the cruel hand of fate started painting everything as dark as possible.

A dark shadow opened the cell door.

He was dragged out by a bug he never saw before. This one reminded him almost of a human. Almost. The giant mandible on the side of its face gave it away. But before he could do or say anything he was thrown on the ground again. Another dark being was in front of him, sitting on a throne. A lavish throne at that.

This one looked human. Claude gasped at the creature unusual ashy skin.

"Apologies for the behavior of my children." The being voice echoed in his mind, the creature speaking in perfect English.

Claude gazed from behind his helmed, awestruck he asked, "What are you?"

"I am the Swarm. Or what your kind referred to as Swarm. Such a crude name for my children. I and my babies don't have a name yet. You see, we're still infants in this universe." The being smiled, "As to what I am, well I am simply God." The creature gazed at him with his lifeless dark eyes.

Claude swallowed hard, "What?"

The creature smiled, it's black lifeless eyes boring through Claude's soul, "You heard me. I am a God of sorts. I created them. I can feel them. They hunger. I feel their sadness, their pain. And also I miss the ones you murdered."

Before Claude could say anything the being moved and punched through his helmet like it was made out of Styrofoam. He could feel the rush of air, hear the crunching of plexi-steel. Before he could exclaim in horror the helmet lied in shambles. Electronic guts, glass and its components lying all over the floor. He gazed in awe as the being flexed his wrists.

"Don't disrespect their memory by claiming you were defending yourself. You weren't." The creature hissed.

"They attacked first." Claude spoke.

"Attacked? How do you feed my dear? Do you ask of your prey to lie down and wait for you to finish eating? I think not. You act. You feed. That's what we did... among other things." The being's cold smile frightened the seasoned veteran that sat on the floor.

Claude felt every bit of fear and cursed his own weaknesses.

The creature composed itself before saying, "Regardless, we're the ones who'll finish this war of yours."

Claude rose to his feet, his fists clenched, "What do you expect my men to do? Wait for these monsters to eat us alive?!"

"Yes. It's your purpose. You are our food. Nothing more. They were ravenous and you refused them the meal they deserved so very much." The being watched Claude carefully, "The countless you killed, I can hear their families weep. They demand retribution."

"But they're only bugs."

"And you're only cattle." The creature simply said, the voice echoing in Claude's mind.

It finally rose to his feet and moved quietly over to where Claude stood almost shivering. It made no noise as it moved to where Claude stood.

The man's body started shivering, the creature started spawning some form of area of effect on everything around it. Any creature caught in this circle would be riveted in place and surrender to its gruesome fate.

"Many will die. Men. Women. Children. We'll devour everything in our path." The creature simply said. "I can hear them moving restlessly. They want to kill. They will. My children seek betterment. They aim to be the best they can be. I'm expecting you to tremble. To run in fear. To fight. I wonder what will you chose to do. Your kind mostly. I do wonder. I anticipate you will fight. But how? Will you resort to your primitive weapons? Or will you simply be exterminated like the vermin that you are. I really want to see that." The man smiled in the dark, "I can hear your thoughts my dear morsel. You're wondering how am I able to speak so ... fluently." He walked a short distance away and watched something over the railing.

Claude stood next to him and watched in horror as many roach like bugs swarmed the dead bodies of his fellow marines. Several were conscious enough to start screaming as thousands upon thousands of baseball sized bugs swarmed their bodies. The screams echoed in the massive coliseum. One by one the soldier woke up to the horrors that waited.

The bugs spat some sort of fluid on the bodies which would dissolve flesh in mere seconds, allowing the insects to feed on their helpless victims.

Many tried to fight off the onslaught of bugs that swarmed their broken bodies. But nothing they did could stop the inevitable.

Torn muscle, flesh and exposed bone would cripple any marine that saw what Claude saw in front of him.

The veteran slumped to his knees and dejectedly listened to the screams.

One by one, eventually, they went silent.

The being smiled as the only thing that could be heard in the room was feeding of his children.

"They finished sampling the flesh of their victims. Now it begins." The creature announced.

"What?" The man's dejected voice asked.

"The evolution of my newest child." The being sounded proud.

Claude slowly lifted his head to see the being carefully watching what was happening beyond the wall. Slowly he supported his weight by his hands as he rose to his feet and carefully watched what was happening in front of him.

Six armed creature suddenly appeared from the ground. A lift gently hoisted it in place. It blinked slowly, watching the being with reverence in his featureless face. Its round head twitching from Claude to the being next to him.

The creature was easily the size of a grown man. It was equipped with four arms. One set had 5 flexible elongated fingers, the other a 4 thick black claws. The creature had a long tail between its legs that unraveled once the lift stopped and started swinging from side to side. Hitting the air like a whip. Its body was dark greenish hue that reacted with the light.

"You are gorgeous," the being whispered.

The being either heard or sensed it was praised. It's head slowly lowered as if it said the creature itself was unworthy of the praise.

As soon as the creature lifted its head many others started walking into the oval ditch. Many were eerily similar to the creature on the metallic pad, but some were slightly bigger, their color darker green than the rest.

The being watched as his creations kneeled before him, "Rise. Today we reach a milestone in our evolution." He extended his hands and said with finality, "Stars!" The doors in the room started opening.

One by one the creatures walked out the room, the being beside Claude sighed, "I wonder if your kind experiences loss."

Claude turned his head toward him and asked, "What are you talking about?"

"My kids are leaving their nest; I'm just wondering if your species suffers like I do." The creature sighed.

Claude ignored his odd behavior. Eventually he asked, "Where are they going?"

The being sighed one more time before answering, "To find progress. A new home. Feeding grounds. Take your pick."

The beings showed on a screen in the coliseum.

They walked short distance and each entered a pod by themselves.

The pod was made out of organic material. As soon as one of them stepped inside it would seal itself by a membrane. Entire pod rose slowly from the ground before disappearing into the sky.

"There they go. On a mission to find new genes for our ever growing family."

"Where are they going?" Claude asked.

"Even I don't know that." The being smiled.

Before anything else could be said the creature lifted Claude by his neck and threw him over the railing into the pit. Claude landed hard on the ground knocking all the air out of him.

Seconds later he composed himself enough to rise on one knee. However, before he could do or say anything he was swarmed by thousands of bugs spewing acid and slurping his flesh. He felt the head then the tendons tear as the creatures' tiny mouths slurped their feed. His screams echoed through the pit as the last thing he saw was tiny mouth devouring his vision.

Always ravenous. The swarm started devouring.

***

The planet was overtaken by hordes of bugs devouring anything and everything on their way. By the time the Imperial army figured what was happening many marines' lives were lost in the most disturbing ways imaginable.

The camp set only a month ago was overrun. It's inhabitants dead or dying. Very few managed to escape. Only to be stopped by the bugs that were concealing themselves within their ranks.

One bug glanced towards their citadel and watched pods getting launched into the air.

The bugs pods exited the atmosphere of the jungle planet. The Imperial fleet already seeing they were losing the battle, assumed positions that was most advantageous to defend and attack the incoming threat.

Everything from Imperial corvettes, to city sized dreadnaughts were stationed around the planet. In total there were 10 heavily armed ship pointing their guns at the planet's surface waiting for their chance to burn everything down to crisp.

But, before they could react, every ship's hull was breached by several pods.

The true horror was about to begin.

The Xenos' that punched through the hull of the first ship was innocuous, at first.

Alarms sounded telling those on board that the breach has happened.

Men were sent to repair and bots to stop the breach.

Because the bugs were extremely intelligent.

The bugs never knew of defeat. They never knew of fear. They only know how to kill and devour. There was no mercy. There will never be any mercy.

"NO MERCY." The bug repeated as it sliced open its first victim a woman in her mid-30's lied severed on the floor.

The bug was ravenous, but he had a mission. Xzithit ignored the blood and guts and walked towards the door. His dexterous fingers working on a panel.

A bunch of shapes and symbols he didn't recognize appeared on the screen. He bared his razor sharp teeth in anger. However, through ravenous mind he remembered.

He stalked to the fallen victim and with his scythes opened her skull. He started ravenously devouring her brain. His vision started to blur.

The woman's name was Jane. She was a maintenance worker in the Imperial army. Her boyfriend was a fighter pilot stationed on the same ship. She came here to check the damage and repair the energy conduit that was blown apart by the sudden breach. The shapes and symbols on the console suddenly had sense. The woman's passcode worked as he opened the doors with his nimble fingers.

He went into the dark stalking his next prey. The group of workers unaware of the danger that was approaching them.

And again before anyone realized what was happening the ship and it's 20 inhabitants became fodder to the creature immense appetite. However, it wasn't sent to feed but to overtake. It's ravenous hunger always taking over. Guiding him to his next meal. But he had to exert what little will he possessed.

****

The Psyker's cold eyes watched the scene unfold.

The group of marines fired into the hallway as their guns decimated the bug. It's husk falling limply on the floor.

The camp on the planet was overrun. The fate of other marines echoed through the navy. And these men ached for revenge.

The bridge was in a hurry as the High Lord in charge started to demand they wipe any living creature on the planet.

"We're about to lose everything, we need to act now," the man thundered to his superiors.

The eerie Psyker in charge simply whispered, "You'll act when I say."

"But our men are losing their lives..." The High Lord started to say, but was quickly silenced by the psyker's cold stare.

The High Lord Decimus gave out the orders never taken them from anyone. Psychically dull, he never understood the warp and its machinations. The real fire, for him, was in the fight the individual would give with his bare hands. Not using myth and ether of the energy known as Warp. However, the Psyker before him was something different. The only one in the Imperium that gave him orders. His attitude overwhelming him.

The body on the floor still twitched occasionally, "Do I need to remind you what happens when you disobey Her Majesty's orders?"

The prior High Lord frothed at the mouth before collapsing on the floor. Psyker snapped his fingers and pointed him as the successor.

"No sir. But I need to state that we should act quickly. We lost this planet." The man said.

The Psyker nodded, "Yes, I'm aware. But consider this their...your evaluation." The man smiled.

"Evaluation sir?" The High Lord shivered.

Psyker sensed the shift in the Warp, "Yes, hmm. I'm evaluating if your fleet has anything to contribute to the Imperium. This little invasion force; this backwater planet is preparing, is nothing. Keep a cool head."

"I hope you're right Sir." The man swallowed.

Psyker coldly smiled as he watched the carnage on the screen, "Yes. Motivation is key in this case. We gave him ample motivation. Wouldn't you agree?"

The man shivered as the Psyker started laughing.

On the screen more and more marines were losing their lives as the bugs swarmed them one by one.

"Decimus. Decimus. Your name sounds very roman to me." Psyker suddenly said as he watched the marines getting dragged one by one.

Decimus squared his shoulders, "Yes, sir. My family has roots going back to the Roman Empire."

"Very curious. Were they famed generals, or maybe scholars of old?" the Psyker asked.

Decimus shook his head, "I'm not sure sir, perhaps."

The odd man's eyes glowed eerily as he watched the scenes unfold.

Eventually the Psyker sneered, "Alright burn it all."

The true carnage was about to begin.

The carriers and the dreadnaughts started sending their fleets into combat. The ships came down firing their heavy artillery into the structure in the sky.

Their guns singing through the sky as millions of rounds plowed through the structure's walls. Eventually heavy rockets were fired and burned the inside thoroughly.

As the high walls burned it started crashing down in the heavy jungle. Crushing and burning everything in its path.

The ships' lined up in the sky.

A heavy noise filled the air as their started to fire their draconic weapons into the surface. One by one the weapons fired. Rockets hurled down into the ground exploding as they touched the ground. Upon impact they released a compound of highly flammable liquid.

Greek fire as it was once known. Now, by thousands of iterations the man-made weapon had a different name.

Eternal Flame. It couldn't be stopped, put out or slowed down. Once exposed to the air the only thing anyone or anything could do was to run. It continued feeding, growing and consuming everything in its path. The scientist 400 years ago released this potent and powerful compound on a lush planet in the imperium not knowing of it destructive nature. The fire consumed the once rich planet and reduced to smoldering rubble. Forever burning.

This time it was no different. The devices released the chemicals into the air and everything in the vicinity started burning. The ships spread their fire across the continent and reduced everything to ashes.

By the time they returned to their respective ships, there was nothing. Not even bones to save.

Psychic screams of the ones that died filled the air around the Psyker. The man fed delightfully on the energy provided by extinguishing countless lives. The bridge watched in confusion as the man rolled his head around in ecstasy.

Very few fed on the death energy. Those that did strayed further and further from what Psykers' stood for.

Psyker lost his name few decades ago. Throwing it away after finding out several scriptures of old, colorfully describing the rise of true power.

He spent decades traveling through the inner systems. Devouring the weak. The strong. Eventually learning the way with which he could take their warp energy. Adding it to his own.

He learned of dreams. People had countless dreams. Even those locked on backwater dust planets where they spent their lives in the Imperial mines.

Psyker eventually learned he too had dreams.

He learned he craved power. More power. The death so gladly offering to what he was looking for. All he needed was to kill. Take away their life and their energy and add it to his own.

Eventually he learned he wanted more. And more. One day he started to believe.

He set his sights on the throne and the Penultimate being in the Galaxy.