Chereads / A Bloody Rose Story / Chapter 20 - A Plague of Horrors  

Chapter 20 - A Plague of Horrors  

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No one truly understands how the grandfather came to be, some say it was during the time of the great plagues that ravaged the humans! While others say he is just a monster born from within the warp… I say it both! A truly malicious God who claims to love his followers only to make them suffer beyond mortal means… A God born from death… a fear of death… but a God who also gives life… though it is not the kind of life anyone would want! 

 

If not for the Eldar god Isha's help, then all worlds would be doomed to 'his' gifts… though it pains me to receive help from a Xenos false god, it is but for the betterment of the imperium… Thus, I will reluctantly accept it… at least until the day 'He' is purged from the galaxy! On that day may we finally be able to put this Isha to 'rest'! 

 

The imperium has no need for more Gods… I'm so sick of them! I believe the Necrons had it right! You can't reason with crazy! You can only hope you can trap and break it into billions of pieces! Every empire that has ever risen in the galaxy had been destroyed by a god of their own making or one that came with a deal! And the 'grandfather' is no different! 

 

The monster seeks to expand his cursed garden of death beyond our sector of space! The grey knights do their job... And they do it well... But sadly, there's too few of them to stop 'his' expansion! At the height of his power, numerous worlds beyond count became a wasteland of disgust! Rampaging cyclops, disease mutant traitors, and roaming heralds of the father! 

 

Herald of Music: The Sloppity Bilpiper! Should you hear his joyful music... Run for with it comes death by sound! 

 

Herald of warriors: Poxbingers! These warriors know no fear, they were formed from resisting Nurgle Rot for far too long! They come ringing giant bells on their person… while welding a Balesword from their death guard roots! 

 

Herald of words: Spoilpox Scrivener! Though they rarely appear on the battlefield for they are the 'fathers' accountants! With a feather stolen from a rival God, they tally all of Nurgle's important work! 

 

Demons… and their dis-eatery… one day… One day we shall be free from them! For Mortarion has stolen something she wants… he has stolen souls he shouldn't have… 

 

May his garden burn forever! 

 

→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→Excerpt from edict Ectar 

 

A thick choking green mist haunts the tunnels of the third floor, while a roaming monster stocks its prey! With no light to speak of, other than their three tiny flashlights, the girls continue on a lonely path of death! For the floor was riddled with dead servitors and cherubs! Their dismembered bodies were a scene of horrors, as their tiny wings lay trampled on by fungus and spores! While their mechanical spirit lay broken and corrupted by followers of the grandfather! 

 

Their tiny baby heads were impaled on the church gates and mural artworks that were done by their hands… destroyed statues of the emperor and destroyed quarter doors by the unfortunate! With slime slurs and creepy things that hid from the light in their pipe homes, their eyes glowed with mischief as they planned to play when the lights left. 

 

 [Layla… what are those... things in the pipes?] asked Molly as she griped her mace tightly 

 

{Don't look at them, Molly…} replied Layla 

 

[why? Will something happen if I do?] replay Molly 

 

{No... But if you knew what they are… I'm not sure I could control your rage…} replied Layla 

 

[OH! Now I have to know! After all, they somewhat resemble people…] replied Molly 

 

{sigh, fine! Those tiny creatures were once human children!} replied Layla to Molly and Mary in shock! 

 

[what! those ugly freaks are…] replied Mary with a hand over her helmet where her mouth would be. 

 

{yes, they are children… though most kids die right away from Nurgle gifts, their souls being but a footnote worth of substance to them… while the other more unfortunate souls become what you see now! Round fat slimy disease monsters that keep their child-like demeanor but are anything but sweet!} replied Layla 

 

[you were right Layla... I was better off not knowing!] replied Molly whose eyes were bursting with rage! 

 

{That being said, Molly… I know you're mad... But we don't have time to waste on lesser demons!} replied Layla as she watched Molly shake. 

 

[demons! Layla, they were human once! how could you just...] replied Molly fuming as she turned to face Layla. 

 

{Molly! I know what you're feeling, but right now just think of them as only demons! What you see before you are not human kids… but monsters who stole their bodies! Alright…} replied Layla, placing her hand on Molly's shivering shoulders. 

 

As Layla touched Molly's shoulder, the girls heard an echoing giggle that sent shivers down Layla's spine! 

 

{Damit! They're down here already!] said Layla in a fright 

 

[was that the herald, we heard back on the second floor?] asked Mary 

 

{yes! I recognize that stupid Laugh anywhere! We better hurry… Molly take the…} said Layla as the sound of something moving ahead of the girls rolled on the cold metal floor. 

 

As the girls flash their lights and weapons at the floor in front of them, they forget about the small demons that hide just above their heads! With a childish smile, the demons above decide to play their mischief games by tossing themselves at the girls from the dark corners of the ceiling! 

 

As one of the bloated demons' lands on top of Mary suddenly, she panics as the demon uses their tiny fist to punch and gnaw at her helmet, while laughing happily! But its joy was cut short as Layla blew a hole right through its head! Which only made the demons laugh harder as they banged the walls like some kind of terrible song. 

 

With their vigor pumped, their fear gone, they all began to jump like one, at the girls! As Molly bludgeoned them with her mace, Layla burned them with her flames, while Mary shot at them with her rifle! 

 

[theirs too many of them!] screamed Mary as she kept killing the ones on top that brandished their tiny claws. 

 

{shit! Fine, forget caution just run for it!} yelled Layla as the girls ran and fired at their backs! 

 

But as they ran, the noise of their fight, along with the demon's childish laughter, pique the interest of something… something that gurgled… 

 

 As the girls ran deeper into the third floor, the once dry blood walls, and pristine corroded floors, turned into sticky fleshly goo! 

 

[Layla the floor!] called out Molly 

 

{I know! We're really entering it now!} yelled back Layla as they could hear the sound of howls. 

 

[what's making those howls?" asked Mary as her heavy metal boot got stuck in some flesh goo! 

 

With her foot trapped, a low ferocious growl came abruptly from her right! Turned to shoot at whatever it was, but the demon was just a bit faster and pinned Mary to the floor! Trapped between a rifle and jaw filled with disease, Mary screamed for help! 

Seeing her companion on the floor by death's jaws, Layla pulled out her sword! With its untarnished beauty, she slayed the hound that aimed to bite at Mary's throat! 

 

{Damit I'm so sick of dogs! First it fleshes hounds and now pox hounds! Give me a break!} yelled Layla out loud venting. 

 

[If you're done helping Mary, I could use some help here] yelled Molly as she was fighting her own group of pox hounds that jumped at her shield while the small kid demons mocked her back. 

 

Thankfully the small demons weren't any actual threat other than being annoying and in large groups, but their playful attitude made them fall easily to distractions. 

 

As the girls mopped up the rest of the pox hounds, to the choir of the demons, a big heavy thud shakes the very floor! And with the thud came the silence of the small demons… like someone hit their off switch, they stared motionless at a thin metal door that had a fist-size imprint on it! 

 

The girl stared frozen at the door, as another loud bang hit against the door! Then came a third hit and with it, a hole was formed right in the middle… with their light flashing through they saw it! A big empty jaw with an eye at the center that defies all logic! With little eel-like tentacles coming out of its head-like hair, the horror saw its prey right before it and vomited out its bile through the small hole! 

 

Like a firing hose, it shot out its burning fluids melting the door! As the door gave way the monster tried to squeeze its fat body out of the door! As the girls and demons alike decided to make a run for it! 

 

[we're just going to keep running away from this thing?] yelled out Molly 

 

{we don't have a choice! It is too big to fight in these tiny hallways!} replied Layla as she thought: 

 

{fuck me! I rather read about the beast of Nurgle than actually see them!] thought Layla to herself as they kept running from room to room, from corridor to corridor, while killing the weaker Nurgle followers that stood in the way! 

 

[these pox walkers are slowing us down! At this rate that thing will catch up to us!] yelled Mary as she used her melee weapon to kill a deranged pox walker. 

 

{I know but what else can we do!} yelled Layla as she tore the pox walker in half with her sword! 

 

[I see a cathedral just up ahead! Maybe we can use it to hold up for a while!] yelled Molly as she was clubbing her fair share of enemies. 

 

Taking a moment Layla looked at her two friends and knew they were exhausted as much as she was! They had been running and fighting ever since they got to this floor and were badly in need of some rest! And what better place to rest than a small chapel built to worship the emperor? After all, they are built to last through almost anything! But more importantly, was that the chapel was where the path in her eyes led her to go! 

 

{All alright let's seal up the chapel for a quick rest... Hopefully the door will hold long enough for us to get the hell out of here} said, Layla 

 

 

But as Layla opened those old, abandoned doors, a blazing green sword swiftly struck her! Surprised by the attack, Layla raised her sword half hazard-ly to block it, but she wasn't quick enough! The green sword stuck home! Eating her right eye! As she screamed, the poisoned-tipped sword that pulsed disease death threatened to shallow her veins! As Molly quickly pulled Layla back a cheerful giggle filled the church. 

 

As three servants of Nurgle step forward to say: 

 

[aw… there you are… little rabbits! Now what do you say to our earlier conversation… will you join us now? Hahaha!] bellowed the former death-guard 

 

As Molly prepared herself to attack, along with Mary, Layla suddenly began screaming in unbearable pain! 

 

[ha! Now we shall see if you will eat your words from earlier!] laughed the death-guard as he watched Layla screaming smugly 

 

[what were your words again... Oh! Yes… that we should have chosen death instead… alright, let's see what you will choose! Death or entropy!] continued the death guard 

 

[you're sick!] yelled Mary 

 

[I thank you for the compliment my dear… but unfortunately for you our master only wants her… as for you and this other human… I'm afraid our master has no need of you! But don't worry we're not going to kill you…] said the death guard as a big slug-like monster was nearing the chapel doors! 

 

[He will!] said the death guard as a giant monster burst through the chapel doors like paper. 

 

[Now choose! Little rabbit! What will you do? How will you handle the rot? How will you handle 'his' gift!] said the death guard with a cheery smile with a small herald demon on his shoulder.