《The Divine Rite: A Warhammer 40,000 Fanfiction》Part 12
Advertisement
The Divine Rite: A Warhammer 40,000 Fanfiction
Part 12
My first trip into the bowels of my new home held as much fear as excitement. The air was thick, warm, and heat radiated from the obsidian on all sides. The smoke around me took on pink and purple hues, as did the motes of light dancing in the wall. Rather than flowing, the oil danced, twirled, pirouetted around the motes, occasionally embracing one and snuffing it out. Every step down into the earth, I drifted further out of my body, my mind adrift in an ocean of gentle sensation.
So enraptured was I that my foot reached out for another step, and instead found the bottom of the stairs. Stumbling, I entered the first temple, the southern temple.
The Chapel of Whispered Promise.
Lavender wisps of mist shrouded the vast space, the heights and depths lost to distance. Carved statues filled the floor, each upon a pedestal rising from a circular depression in the ground. Cushions, divans, couches, beds, these filled each depression, a place to recline and appreciate the art. And such magnificent art I had never even imagined.
A shy maiden, perfect in every aspect of her form, decency granted only by hands over her breasts and the casual caress of mist. A powerful male stood, head turned, gazing intently into the distance, his muscular body inspiring awe, and other sensations besides. There, a grizzled and wounded woman, head thrown back, roaring in rapturous triumph, her bare body honed with beauteous perfection akin to a hunting cat in aspect. The statues were everywhere, sometimes life sized, sometimes smaller, and some towering into the vaulted ceiling. All were of people, most were fully human, many were not.
Here, the caress of a hand was instead that of a claw. There, a playful tongue was forked, the teeth it flit across razor sharp. There, delicate tendrils replaced flowing hair. Graceful legs were reverse jointed, ending in dainty hooves. Little pieces of Shiss were everywhere, adding to the perfection of each piece, enhancing their impeccable beauty. I do not know how long I walked amongst them, I only recall the multitude of images seared into my mind, impossibly clear while I perceived them, then vanishing into ephemeral smoke the moment I turned away.
Advertisement
Then I reached the wall.
A kaleidoscope of colored glass painted infinite images into the walls. Scenes of ecstasy, joy, frivolity, passion, romance, love, everything that humanity had ever found pleasure in, or ever would. They were depicted with uncanny precision, ready to spring to life as the statues were, but this was not all.
Behind the mosaic panes drifted the motes of light, the oil dancing with them. They shone through, their own hues mingling with that tinted glass, transforming the steady illumination into ephemeral glimmers. The images portrayed by the glass seemed to shift with the lights, to move, to come alive. Very rarely one of the motes would ignite, burning brilliantly, throwing the colors all across the vast hall. And while it did, heavenly music hummed through the air and into my very core.
During those brief flashes, not only the mosaic was alive, but the statues shifted too.
It might have been hours I spent there, just staring, basking in the sights and sensations brought on by that incredible light. It could have been days. Had my whole life passed during that first visit, I’d barely have noticed, and certainly not regretted it.
But it was not my fate to fade away in such a leisurely manner.
Faint whispers tickled my ears, brushed across the fog that had settled over my thoughts, sweeping it away with reluctance only exceeded by my own. Eventually I managed to turn, to blink, and as the magical mosaic left my view, the world seemed to be made up of nothing more than grays. Even the marvelous statues seemed lifeless now, in light of what I had seen.
This journey back up was more typical, time no longer shifting and twisting around. Instead, the trip lagged for very mundane reasons.
Even the shining lights drifting in oil didn’t ignite me the way they did before. I longed to return to that room, to never leave. I could die there, be unmade there, and I’d be nothing but grateful.
Advertisement
But no. Such rewards would not be bestowed, not yet. I knew this much but I did not yet know why. What possible purpose could be important enough to keep me from that paradise? There was something, it itched the corner of my brain but refused to come forward. I did not grasp it then, for I had yet to see the state of the galaxy. To my mind, life was relatively leisurely with a few difficulties tossed in. My innocence had not yet been shattered by the horrors of a universe drowning in blood and violence, in hatred.
Soon, I would realize, but not yet.
At that time, all I felt was the tug to move forward.
Advertisement
Settlement of Safehaven - A Hearthtree Series
"Welcome to the ECS Asgard, your ride through the stars to your new home-" Or so goes the sales spiel of this one of four and first-produced colonization ship, a spiel meant to placate the portions of humanity who would be selected for such a journey through the stars. It was meant to be a simple thing; people would sleep in hibernation or stasis, to experience their lives within the virtual reality world which kept their minds occupied. The virtual world was meant to simulate a fantasy world of Viking or Roman lore. But not all with this virtual world was fine; nor were the humans who were selected for its maiden and only voyage. One colonist lost everything dear to him, but through his pain and torment, he gained the attention of the colony ship's AI.
8 405The Atropos Schema
Book 1 is now complete! NOTE: I'm adding the "Traumatising Content" tag because important characters are mind-controlled in this story. If you dislike reading about mind control, then this story is not for you. Summary: Tutorials. Monster invasions. Fantasy towns in a post-apocalyptic world. Follow Jarek Novak as he fights for survival with the “help” of his personal A.I. “To recap,” I said, trying to ignore my growing headache. “I have a mind-controlling parasite in my brain. The Atropos Schema is facilitating the destruction of my world as I know it, and if it discovers this parasite, then I’m as good as dead. Currently, my world is being overrun by monsters and soon other sapient species will fight for control over my world—unless they already control my world from the shadows.” Samantha said.
8 159Artificial Mind[Edited]
AI creation is something that has been on the minds of people for decades. The concept of artificial minds learning just like us. Maybe even better than us. This idea is something people have strived to make more than conceptual. But, they have failed. Until now. This is an edited version of another fiction of mine. Cover by Astria
8 413Wild Blood: Corridors of Stone
In a land filled with quests, monsters, and the undead, comes a girl and her corgi on an adventure of magic and self discovery.
8 199Invictus
[RANDOM PRIVATE CHATBOX]Topic: Rumors tell of a player that actually managed to conquer at least half of Invictus, the Knight of Mercy. Any thoughts on this?Guest1624 - """"FAKE!"""Guest3758 - """"Shut up! It's true I heard he even turned down all that territory and honor"""Guest3692 - """" I got word that he doesn't kill players, not even PKers"""Guest1624 - """"What a load of BULL!"""Guest6814 - """" I'm more worried about the Shadow that kills whoever crosses him, I mean does he even know about it, or does he order it to do all the killing?"""Guest5206 - """"Whatever, just make sure he joins our guild, he could be our greatest asset or even our biggest obstacle, if he even refuses, tag him and KOS we don't need any more competitors"""All in chat - """"Understood""""
8 125Destined [YoonKook]
The would be CEO of an international company Jeon Empresa, Jeon Jungkook is a soft friendly and a emotional person as well as confident, smart and handsome. He is a highschool student. He has quite a few friends as well as enemies. Jungkook is an extrovert who is good at almost everything. Hundreds of girls are after him, not for love but his looks and his money. But the heart-throb has a crush for a girl since middle school and she is now his girlfriend. He is head over heels in love with the famous girl from his class Lee Ji-Eun . On the other hand Yoongi, an orphan who's a highschool student as well and Jungkook's junior. He's not an out going person although he works in a cafe. He dosen't have any friends cause he's not that good at studies. He is well aware to his sexuality since he was middle school. He fell for his one and only friend Hyunjin from his class but when he confessed to him he stopped talking to him cause he was straight. Since then he is afraid to talk with other and he dosen't want to do love now after all these happened. He loves being lonly. He hate the fact that everyone abondons him, first his parents, family and then his one and only friend.Both the boys knows eachother just as a senior and juniour. they never talks to eachother cause Yoongi personally hates Jungkook for his show off at everything and Jungkook dosen't like Yoongi's cold aura....But if only they would know that-> The perfect Jungkook will fell out of his so called meant to be love for Yoongi a guy who is nothing in front of him... ...and..> Yoongi will find some one to rely on will love Jungkook unconditionally without even him realizing....Yes....They were dest🌻ned to became the mates of dieties💫
8 84