Zitesul pt.1

     "There weren't enough of the Emperor's Angels here." Breven said as he strode down the corridor.
     The corridors were littered with the corpses of humans. Walls were splattered with blood and scorch marks. Lamps would spark showering the hall with light. The stench of death lingered through the rebreather of Zitesul's helm. "They are off defending their False Emperor's holdings. They will die soon enough.' Zitesul followed Breven onto the bridge, clapping a shoulder pad of a marine as he passed and kicked the body of one of the Emperor's dead Angels. "These whelps sure didn't give us much of a fight. Definitely not like their predecessors."
     Zitesul remembered back to the two largest battles he had been in. The first was at the beginning of the Great Betrayal. He was led on the battlefield by the same man who leads him now, Breven. Even though it was ten thousand years ago, the betrayal at the drop site on Istvaan V was always fresh in Zitesul's mind. It was as if he tried hard enough, he could still smell the air during the fight.
     There were thousands upon thousands of marines covering the land as far as Zitesul could see. The XIX Legion was falling back to his position using displacement and covering bolter fire. The engines of bikes and the roar of jump packs came at the line of Iron Warriors. Heavy bolters and flamers opened on the Raven Guard and they closed with speed and efficiency. The crackle of power weapons, the bark of bolt guns and the revving of chainswords and chainaxes filled the air. Dust began filling Zitesul's view as the fighting drew closer and closer and a bike came crashing through. A mace or axe of some sort caught Zitesul in the midsection taking him down. The biker kept his throttle down dragging Zitesul along side the bike.
     "Die, traitor!" The Raven yelled through his vox.
     His power armor was taking a beating along the earth as the bike continued away from the fight. Both his bolt pistol and boltgun were lost. His chainaxe would most likely had been lost had he not taken to chaining it to his hand. He was thankful for the ritual he had seen done by some of the World Eaters and how he applied it to his own weapon. Zitesul could only speak through each bump or rock that he hit while skidding along the rocky terrain. "If. You. Keep. Going. Like. This. I. Just. Might."
     The bike rode up a jagged mountain side taking the smoothest path possible and moving at a high rate of speed. The massive battle at the drop site was still in view until more than half way up the mountain. The view changed from drop pods, rhinos, land raiders and hundreds of thousands of space marines to what looked like an endless mountain range. A clear sky blanketing the peaks in a soft pillow. If one didn't know any better, one could believe that the greatest betrayal in the history of the Imperium was not even taking place.
     The Raven brought the bike to a stop after a long while. He dropped his head, listening to the vox or sending his own to whatever was left of his squad or Legion. He pulled the pointed hammer from just under the breastplate of Zitesul, dismounted his bike off the right side and unsheathed his gladius. "You broke a solemn oath to the Emperor of Mankind, traitor. Prepare yourself for death."
     Zitesul rolled over onto his belly with a grunt of effort. The paint from his armor had been stripped away and all that remained was dull ceremite. His helm was beyond repair, both lenses broken out and the top cracked in half. He slowly slid his knees up under himself, gaining his bearings on where he was and what might be broken inside of himself. "I believe.' He said with a very gruff voice, "That you might have broken quite a few things inside of me." Zitesul placed his left hand on the side of the bike for leverage and to his astonishment, the chainaxe was still there. A little worse for wear, but it was there. He sat back on his heels and removed his broken helm showing his blood stained smile.
     "You will pay for your treachery here, traitor!" The Raven spat.
     "I'm sure I will.' Zitesul replied dryly as he slowly got to his feet. "Not just going to shoot me? How honorable of you."
     "I don't know how you can live turning from the Emperor's light. Turning on your own brothers." The Raven stalked around his prey.
     "Honestly brother, I don't know how I lived through that ride." Zitesul said with a crooked smile on his face.
     "Do not call me brother, traitor!" The Raven yelled.
     "Yes. Yes. Well then.' Zitesul rolled his shoulders back and tilted his head to the side cracking his neck. "Do you plan on using those weapons or are you going to bore me to death with a lecture?"
     The Raven gave no more words, but gave a warcry filled with hate as he lunged at Zitesul. The chainaxe roared to life as it parried the swing of the hammer and Zitesul had to jump back skidding his feet and lifting his arms as the Raven swung his gladius back through towards his mid section.
     Zitesul moved out to his left, away from the bike. "I've not had the chance to fight a member of the XIX Legion before. You are quite fast, brother.' Another lunge and clash of weapons. The Raven swung the gladius back towards the mid section again and this time Zitesul grabbed the wrist with his right hand using the Raven's momentum to start a spin. He brought the chainaxe down across the Raven's back from his right shoulder to left hip. His power pack ruined and a deep gash through the ceremite into his superhuman body. The Raven fell to his knees. The whirl of his power armor gone. The pain and weight too much to bear.
     The Raven unbuckled the seals on his helmet and pushed it off showing his pale face. "My brothers will see to your death for these atrocities." He whispered as he spit up blood.
     "No. No. I don't think so, Raven.' Zitesul shook his head as he walked to the front of the kneeling space marine, picked up the Raven's helm and sealed it to his armor. The retinal displays came to life showing the life signs of what remained of his squad. The vox became active and he heard the battle for a few moments before speaking. "How goes the battle, brothers? Do you miss me?"
     The first to speak was Breven. "I had thought we lost you, brother. You were taken far from the battle."
     Zitesul read the information readouts in the helm checking the distances he had to travel to get back into the fight. He clicked his vox again. "Any information on enemies that may be heading my way?"
     "Several have broken the lines trying to escape the wrath of the Warmaster. There may be small groups heading your way."
     "Well brothers, if you will excuse me, I will continue my venture through these hills and take in more of the scenery of Istvaan V.' Zitesul heard some of his brothers laugh before shutting off the vox and looked back down the mountain to a cloud of dust moving his way. The lenses of his new helmet enhanced his view of two bikes ridden by two more Raven Guard. Most likely following a beacon on the bike he was standing next too. "It is about time we part ways, Raven."
     "I told you.' The Raven stopped to take a short breath. "They would come."
     Zitesul started the chainaxe and did a backhanded swing across the Raven removing his head. He kept the motion turning himself to the bike on which he began to sit. There was a boltgun strapped under a rear saddle bag. He pulled it free, checked the ammunition, shrugged and placed it back where it was. The bike started with a roar and Zitesul smiled. "He should have just shot me."