Category:Down Time Fiction

E16

Alexander Dynasty

Convert Svartalf vs Khir (Success)

Mhaugir Khir knelt in his private sanctum, a spartan chamber of polished obsidian. He was using every ounce of his inhuman willpower to maintain his focus, his control, his breathing. He had lived a hundred mortal lifetimes and he was being outplayed by a rabble of Mon’Keigh, of primates. His lungs slowly filled and he envisioned his hatred as a black ichor slithering through his veins. “I will master my Rage as I master myself” he intoned, the sharp cadence of the ancient Drukhai incantation echoed on the smooth glistening walls. In a single fluid motion he stood and drew his klaive and took stance III of the “Flower of Flesh and Blood” martial form. Slowly his body moved through each strike of the form, perfected through innumerable hours of practice and thousands of lives taken. His breathing was measured and controlled, his heartbeat perfectly in time with his movements. His body had muscle memory older than the lifetimes of men. For all his rote precision his mind rushed and roared like a storm wracked sea. His web of spies had reported a great deal of disquieting information. His once iron grip on this station and this sector were slipping. While his raids on The Arbour had been extremely successful they had come at great cost, he could not quickly recoup the losses to his Kabal. As the form continued the speed of his movements increased. His klaive whirled in the empty chamber, each stroke delivered with enough force to bisect any human who stood before it. His mind was as polished as his blade, his near eidetic memory remembering every name and every face of Arkangel’s Captains table and their crews. In extreme,surgical detail he envisioned the horrors he would inflict upon these dung hurling chimps. The one who attempted to converse with him using a clumsy approximation of Drukhari Etiquette would have the tongue torn from his mouth. He would kill another's lover before their very eyes, eat their heart and drink their tears like spring water. He would sign his name on charter using their blood. One in particular would be spared to the very end; however, one had earned his special attention.

He was a blur of sinew, wraithbone and seething, frothing, utter hatred. His muscles, tendons, nerves, and weapon were now as one. Every movement was a finely honed expression of sadistic intent. With every lethal step he thought of one Mon’Keigh. The colour of his eyes, the sound of his voice, his grunting primate voice, his foetid animal stink.

As his rage reached its crescendo, he turned about and swung his Klaive and felt the unmistakable sensation of his blade slicing through flesh. He closed his eyes and stood still as he was drenched in gore. He trembled slightly and listened to a symphony of carnage, warm blood ran down his body and spattered on the floor, the slithering sounds of entrails escaping the body. He opened his eyes to see a frantic terrified gaze, he savoured the helplessness of that begging stare. More than anything Maugur Khir hated the sounds Mon’Keigh make with their mouths. Their voices were somewhere between belching and retching, even their screams had a certain vulgarity that he could not abide. All of his personal stock would have their vocal cords removed prior to use so he could savour their torment in exquisite silence.

He turned from his victim, as they sobbed mutely and summoned one of his attendants with a gesture. A pale bald headed Drukhari entered and bowed silently. “We must conserve our strength” he seethed. “Cut our losses on Svartalf for now and be prepared to withdraw if the time comes. Gaius should keep them busy for now at least.” The attendant stood and moved to leave as quietly as he entered but was stopped dead in his tracks by Khir making direct eye contact. His eyes, black as the void, staring stabbing into him. “Bring me everything you can find on Lord Captain Maximillian Alexander” he smirked mirthlessly. “This creature shall be taught a lesson, I shall teach it the Philosophy of a Blade.”