Suffer Not The Radiant

Chapter 59: Regret

'But without a purpose, an Astartes is nothing. A warrior without a war is no warrior at all.'

Malcador the Sigillite

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As the dawn broke, every supply had been meticulously arranged, and Kay/o managed to recharge himself after constructing his resupplier in an open space near where the agents had slept. A rudimentary corrugated metal roof now shielded it from the elements. The agents remained asleep, their beds disheveled, and the surroundings in disarray. However, Brimstone did not rest, unable to come to terms with the current reality. To him, just a few days ago the Protocol was still intact, and the world hadn't yet descended into chaos.

Throughout the night, the two Astartes had foregone sleep, each occupied with their own tasks. Tyberos ventured beyond the gates, his vigilant gaze scanning the nearby woods for any signs of potential threats to the small settlement. His imposing figure moved with purpose. Meanwhile, Ranesk engaged with the locals and soldiers, probing them for information about the surrounding area and the current state of affairs. However, the responses he received only served to compound his frustration. Most of the information offered was either redundant or inconsequential, offering little insight into the pressing matters at hand.

'Up early?' a voice spoke behind Ranesk, gazing at the distant treeline. He tilted his head. Brimstone stood there, holding a cup, his eyes weary.

'No, I never slept,' Ranesk replied.

'It seems you did not as well.'

Brimstone chuckled weakly. 'Yeah, I'm still taking in everything that's happening... I just can't believe it myself.'

Ranesk remained silent, unsure of what to say. Even before everything became chaotic, he sensed something horrible would happen. Fade's vision had been clear enough. He had thought the agents seen in her visions were from Omega, not theirs.

'Well, it is best you get used to it,' he said bluntly.

Brimstone chuckled again. 'Blunt as ever.'

Ranesk didn't answer. They both watched the distant treeline. The ominous red sky casting a red glare upon the landscape.

'How did this place not get detected?' Ranesk asked. 'This is quite a large group of people.'

'About that,' Brimstone replied, 'they've got a disruptor of some sort. Kingdom distributed these before they were shattered.'

He pointed to the center where a metallic structure resembling a satellite stood. It looked crude and primitive, almost makeshift.

'Is that so?' Ranesk asked.

'Yeah, it looks like shit, but it works.'

Ranesk stared at it, trying to comprehend how something so poor and crude could be so effective.

'Interesting.'

'Sir! We've got radio contact!' one of the soldiers inside a makeshift shed called out. Brimstone marched over, curious about the contact.

Ranesk turned towards the soldier before gazing back at the treeline. The inactivity was frustrating, but they had little information about the current state of things, so they couldn't just start attacking Radiants.

Reflecting, he questioned why he tolerated such things. Perhaps it was because they weren't what they seemed. He had expected betrayal yet still trusted and befriended them.