Rae van Daleon – The Roots of the Storm
by Lea von Löwenstein
Chapter 31: Into the Labyrinth
The battle sounds from the depths were unlike anything Rae and her team had ever heard. The echoes of bolter fire and the guttural roars of the Chaos-infested beast reverberated through the walls, shaking dust loose from the ancient stone. The anguished screams of cultists—and something far worse—pierced the air like shards of ice.
Rae sat on the cold floor with her team, their backs pressed against the corridor wall just beyond the melted door. They were silent, their faces pale, their breaths shallow. Even Marcus, usually unshakable, gripped his weapon with white-knuckled tension. Celestine crouched near the edge of the melted doorway, peering into the flickering shadows, her blade ready.
Then the noises stopped.
The silence was deafening, oppressive, as though the very air held its breath. Rae exchanged glances with her team, her gut churning. Something wasn’t right.
The sound of heavy boots broke the silence, drawing nearer. Rae tensed, her hand moving to her blade, but a familiar figure emerged from the shadows.
Inquisitor Kael.
Her black coat was tattered at the edges, and blood—human and otherwise—splattered her armor. Her face remained calm, but her sharp eyes gleamed with urgency.
The Request
“You,” Kael said, pointing directly at Rae. Her voice carried no anger, only command. “We need you.”
Rae rose slowly, her expression carefully neutral. “What happened?”
Kael’s gaze swept over Rae’s team, assessing each of them in turn. “The corridors beyond the ritual chamber form a labyrinth—a network of tunnels corrupted by the Warp. My stormtroopers and I fought through the initial defenses, but the further we went, the more the pathways shifted. We’ve lost two squads to the Chaos-born tricks of this place.”
Her voice hardened. “You’ve been down here. You know the terrain. You will guide us.”
Rae’s jaw tightened. “I’ve been through some of the tunnels, but the deeper areas—”
“—you know more than we do,” Kael interrupted, her tone brooking no argument. “You will guide us. Your team will assist. You’ve seen the shadows, and you know how to move in them.”
Celestine stepped forward, her eyes blazing with defiance. “We’re not cannon fodder for your war, Inquisitor.”
Kael turned her cold gaze on Celestine, her hand resting on the hilt of her power sword. “You misunderstand. This is not a request. You called the Inquisition here. You chose to involve yourselves in this battle. Now, you will see it through.”
Rae raised a hand, stepping between Kael and Celestine. “We’ll do it,” she said, her voice calm but firm. “But we do this as a team. If we’re going in, we do it our way.”
Kael stared at Rae for a long moment, then nodded. “Very well. But make no mistake—failure will not be tolerated. The Emperor’s judgment is absolute.”
The Plan
Kael led them back to the remaining stormtroopers, who were tending to their wounded and preparing for another push. The flickering flames of their torches illuminated the grim expressions on their faces. The air was thick with the stench of blood, burnt flesh, and the faint, nauseating tang of Warp corruption.
Rae studied the map Kael provided—a crude sketch based on the corridors they had traversed so far. Tyren leaned in, his fingers dancing across his cogitator as he overlaid the map with the data he’d gathered during their previous forays.
“These paths are unstable,” Tyren said, his voice low. “The Warp is twisting them. What was a straight corridor yesterday might be a dead end today.”
“That’s why we stick together,” Rae said, her voice steady. “No splitting up, no unnecessary risks. We move like shadows. Quick, silent, and unseen.”
Kael folded her arms. “We’re not here to play games. If we encounter resistance, we eliminate it.”
“And if we make too much noise, we draw the entire labyrinth down on us,” Rae countered. “Let us handle the movement. You handle the firepower.”
Kael’s lips twitched in the faintest hint of approval. “You’ve got fifteen minutes. Prepare yourselves.”
Into the Labyrinth
The group moved as one, their steps silent and measured. Rae led the way, her flashlight dimmed to avoid drawing attention. Tyren followed close behind, his cogitator tracking subtle shifts in the terrain. Celestine and Marcus flanked the group, their weapons ready. Soren brought up the rear, his eyes darting nervously at every shadow.
Kael and her stormtroopers stayed close, their flamers casting flickering light on the warped walls. The tunnels seemed alive, pulsing faintly as if breathing. Strange whispers echoed in the distance, words just beyond comprehension.
Rae stopped at a fork in the path, holding up a hand. “Wait.”
Tyren scanned the area, his cogitator humming softly. “The left path looks clear. The right… I’m picking up fluctuations. Heavy Warp energy.”
“Then we go left,” Rae said.
Kael frowned. “The right path might lead us closer to the source of the corruption.”
“And it might lead us straight into a trap,” Rae replied. “We stick to the stable routes.”
Kael hesitated, then nodded. “Lead on.”
The First Encounter
The corridor narrowed, forcing the group into single file. The air grew colder, and the faint sound of chanting reached their ears. Rae motioned for the group to halt, her hand moving to her blade.
Celestine crept forward, her sharp eyes scanning the shadows. She returned moments later, her voice barely audible. “Cultists. Five of them, guarding a choke point.”
Kael stepped forward, her power sword humming softly. “We strike quickly and silently. No survivors.”
Rae nodded, signaling her team. They moved like ghosts, each step precise and deliberate. The cultists never saw them coming.
Marcus struck first, his massive blade cleaving through two of them before they could react. Celestine followed, her knife flashing as she dispatched another. Rae took the last two, her blade finding their throats with practiced precision.
The bodies fell silently to the ground. The group moved on.
The Chaos Gate
After what felt like hours of navigating the twisting corridors, the group reached a massive, ornate door. Its surface was covered in pulsating runes, the foul symbols of Chaos glowing faintly in the dim light. The air here was suffocating, heavy with the stench of decay and burnt blood.
“This is it,” Kael said, her voice cold. “The heart of the corruption lies beyond.”
Rae stared at the door, her jaw tightening. “Once we go through, there’s no turning back.”
Kael stepped forward, raising her power sword. “The Emperor’s light will guide us.”
She turned to Rae and her team, her gaze sharp. “You’ve done well to get us here. Now, let’s see if you’re ready to face what lies ahead.”
Rae exchanged a glance with her team, their resolve mirrored in each other’s eyes. They nodded as one.
The door creaked open, and the darkness beyond seemed to reach out like a living thing.
“Stay close,” Rae said, her voice steady. “And don’t lose focus. This isn’t over.”
And with that, they stepped into the heart of the labyrinth.
