Suffer Not The Radiant

Chapter 51: Divide

The roars of the crowd resonated through the air as Ranesk delivered his address, a chorus eerily reminiscent of the fervor exhibited during the obliteration of the cult mere hours prior. Each pair of eyes fixated upon Ranesk emitted a pungent aura of fury, a palpable hunger for violence lurking beneath. Ranesk's imposing figure cast a foreboding shadow over the countenances of the agents. This formidable soldier who now stood before them bore no resemblance to the comrade who had fought at their side not long ago. He had momentarily set aside his animosity towards the Radiants, and it was as if hatred had never dwelled within him.

Yet this was the unadulterated core of his being. He was no longer a compatriot, no longer a companion, no longer a friend. He was an Astartes. He was an emissary of the Emperor, a harbinger of humanity's will.

An angel of death.

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Brimstone stood in front of other agents, who found themselves relegated to the corner, their uncertainty palpable. Ranesk had, with astonishing ease, ignited a fervor for war among every inhabitant of the building. His words needed no theatrical gesticulations to underscore their gravity; his mere speech was enough to galvanize the crowd.

"Ranesk... Do you have any idea what you're doing?!" Brimstone's voice thundered, his arms outstretched protectively, guarding the stunned agents standing behind him.

Slowly, Ranesk turned, his face obscured by the imposing helm he wore. His response was delivered with an icy detachment, "Exactly what you think I am doing, Brimstone."

"These... things have ever been the root of our troubles, Brimstone," Ranesk continued, his tone seething with contempt. "It perplexes me that I arrived here in time to witness a world still basking under blue skies. It torments me that I did not draw blood the moment I stepped foot into this Emperor-forsaken world."

Brimstone's desperation escalated, his voice reaching a crescendo as he practically screamed his plea at Ranesk, "Ranesk, can't you see?! What you're doing will only plunge us deeper into chaos! We can't afford this madness, not now, not ever!"

Ranesk's helm seemed to echo with the weight of his resolve, his stature unmoving. "Chaos, Brimstone? Chaos is what they have brought upon us all. I'll bring order, even if it means tearing down the walls of this world."

"We've witnessed enough horrors, Ranesk!" Brimstone shouted, his voice raw and hoarse from the intensity of his plea. "We've seen the Omega agents, we've seen rogue terrorists and cults. We must not become the very monsters we've fought against!"

Ranesk's fists clenched tighter within his gauntleted gloves, and his retort was unyielding. "You speak of monsters, yet you fail to realize that the true monsters lurked among all of us, manipulating us."

A tumultuous wave of unrest coursed through the crowd as Ranesk's words resonated with some, while others remained uncertain.

Brimstone's eyes locked onto Ranesk's, his voice shaking but unwavering. "Ranesk, I won't deny they betrayed us, but this path—it's vengeance, not justice. It's hatred, not righteousness. It's the path of the very darkness we've fought against!"

Ranesk's helm turned slightly, regarding Brimstone with an unsettling intensity. "Justice, Brimstone? After all that has been done, justice has eluded us. It is time we seize it with our own hands, no matter the cost."

Brimstone persisted, his voice nearly a scream, "We can find a solution that doesn't involve more bloodshed, that doesn't turn us into the slaughterers and murderers Radiant propaganda says us to be!"