Chaos Sorcerer Caleb Grams Without waiting for a reply the soldiers began to batter upon the door with thier heavy halberd. Marius was never a man to take a risk where none was necessary: that portal had been installed just three years ago when he made his first pledge to the Dark Gods. Behind it's two inches of Drakwarld oak he had summoned demons with rites so evil it made him shudder to recall. The dorr was bound in iron, and two black iron bolts secured it in place. He knew that he would be safe for the few minutes he needed to reach his hidden chamber. Marius bounded into the hidden passage and up the steep stairs that took him up to his secret lair. the wooden panel clicked shut behind him plunging the narrow stairway into darkness. Marius knew every step intimatley and barely slowed his upward flight. The small chamber was formed within a portion of the attic and lay directly above his private rooms. There were no windows, but a little daylight leaked through the gable end and by this means he was able to find the flint and tinder with which he lit the candles brought from below. The room was a clutter of ancient books and sinister curios. Ancient tapestries lay heaped upon the floor and piles of crumbling scrolls were stacked by the walls. In a clear patch on the uneven clay floor Marius had enscribed a twisted sigil of power-the Mark of Tzeentch, the Great Sorcerer of Chaos. In the flickering light of the candles the sigil writhed like a thing of pain. "Kithelabar!" cried the Sorcerer, "Come to your master." With a squeal like a suckling pig a small misshapen creature emerged from behind a pile of mouldering fabric. It might have been a bat at the knuckle of each wing it bore tiny clwed hands. It's head was black and porcine, it's lips long an flecked with rank pittle. Kitheabar jumped from it's hiding place and sprang into Marius arms licking excitedly at the Sorcerer's face. Marius calmed the small creature, stroking it's dark leathery flesh until it settled upon his shoulder. The creature's acrid odour reminded Marius of the scent of fresh blood, and he had spilled enough in his time to know that smell. I the room below, the oaken door fell with a boom that shook the house to it's foundations. Within a momen soldiers were within the Sorcerer's study, tossing aside his desk and books and bursting open his chest and lockers. Marius, safe in the chamber above, listened quietly to their din and then sensed the silence of confusion as the soldiers found thier quarry was gonne. Then he heard a sound that he recognised, the growling and humourless voice of the Grand Theogonist himself. ÒStand backÓ, ordered the voice, ÒSigmar will guide us to the abomination.Ó For a moment the house was silent and Marius knew that he would soon be discovered. It would take more than a secret panel and a hidden catch to keep out the likes of the Grand Theogonist of Sigmar, Volkmar the most potent enemy of Chaos in all of Alrdoef. Hurriedly Marius sought out thesmall caket for which there was no key. Three years he had put it upon a shelf together witth the darkest of ancient Grimoires the Liber Daemonicus. At the time he had sqorn to himself that he would touch neither even if his life depended upon it. Now the casket felt strangly warm to his touch and the runes upon itÕs silver case swirled and danced as his trembling hands met the delicately worked metal. The casket bore a lock but no hile for a key, for it needed noe, one thing alone would unlock that unholy box. Marius heard the familiar sound of a muted click and knew that Volkmar had discovered the hidden panel that led to his lair. His heart pounded as his lips worked ar an unholy prayer. Kithelabar squeled in panic as the creature cought scent of men in the passage below. SLow and wary foosteps mounted the steep stairway. The noise of steel agains steel echoed in itÕs narrow confines. Marius stomach tightened with terror. He feared death as much as any mortal, yet the casket held something infinitely more terryfying. until now he had always fancied he would have the cetter of it in the end, that he could somehow cheat fate and find the forgiveness of Sigmar. Had he but foreseen this moment, would he have made the pact that bound him so subtly to the Grate Sorser of Chaos? A final step brouoght Falconius into the chamber. For an instant the Captain stood silhouetted against the shifting candle-light, blinking uncertainly, barley able to contain his own fear. He saw at once that Marius was there, hunched over a small casket that glowed with a radiance of itÕs own. Upon th SorcerÕs shoulder there pearched a small foul creature, a familiar of uncertain form but hairless and vagualy bat-like. The thing skried and itÕs black eyes glowered malevolently at the soldier as he raised his sword. ÒHold There Sorcerer and be silent!Ó cried the Captain of the TheogonistÕs Guard. ÒBut a single word and you die this dayÓ Falconius strode into the room his sword heold before him like a ward to the SorfereÕs power. Another soldier appeared behid him and others hesitanly crept up the stairway. A sudden and powerful anger welled within the sorcerer Marius. Confronted by his pursuers at last, all fear left him and he was overcume with indignation. How dare this feeble sell-sward challenge him, he who had devoted his life to the study of the arcane arts. Whar power did steel have over him when the power of Tzeentch, th Great Sorcerer of Chaos, flowed like fire through his veins? He seemed to grow and staighten in stature and the black candles that lit the room burst into writhing flames of bleu and pink. ÒFool!Ó Cried Marius, his voice echoed round the chamber strong and clear. He made a gestukre as quick as lighting that sent Falconius sprawling upon the floor. Sparks of magic crakled and spat over the soldier as he lay twisting in agony. A smell of hot metal filled the small room and blue smoke swirled about the Sorcerer s head. The other soldiers gaped in confusion, unsure whether to rush forward or tun and flee. Marius breathed deeply of the magic soaked air. As his lungs filled he felt a surge of power and an exhilaration that was unlike anything he had experienced before. His mind seemed to expand beyond the confines of the room, so that it was as if he were looking down upon the scene from a great height. He saw the shuddering body of Falconius as if it were a tiny shrunken thing and he heard his own laughter like the boom of a distant drum. ÒOh foul and corrupted Fiend know ye not what base evil thouhast embraced and even now succourÓ Volkmar stepped past the trembling soldiers, his gaze fixed upon the Sorcerer. The Grand Theogonist betrayed no sign of terror for he had confronted and defeated the of CHaos many times and he had learned long ago to trust in the righteos power of his god. ABout his neck hung a tiny golden hammer which he clasped in his roght hand, holding it between himself and Marius. Kithelabar hissed evilliy and the daemon cringed as it cought sight of the potent symbol ebb, as if the very faith of the Grand Theogonist were a barrier to him. Spell work would not save him now. He had expected no little energy already and Volkmar was an adversary roo powerful for such as he. He felt panic rise within his breast. ÒOh Freat MasterÓ he cried out, turning his voice ro the heavens, ÒImake th Dark Promise at lastÓ Beneath his feet the sigil of Tzeentch glowed brightly, itÕs shape shifting faster and faster like a serpent formed f pure light. The silver casket whose lock bore of no key rose into the air and hoverd before him. The room filled slowly with a din like a demonÕs cry so that the men within dropped whatever weapons they held and clasped thir hand about their ears. All that is, exceptfor Volkmar, who resolytely hyng on to the tiny golden hammer of Sigmar, though it plainly pained him to do so. ÒSigmatÓ shouted the Grand Theogonist, ÒSigmat have mercy on us all.Ó ÒTzeentch,Ó bellowed Marius, ÒChanger of the Ways, Great Sorcerer of Choas, take your sercantÕs body and soul, I embrace damnation now and submit myself to your irresistible will.Ó ÒOh damned fool!Ó cried Volkmar above the turmoil of damenoiv voices, ÒIn but a moment thou shlt be beyound redemption. Repent now and die a mortal death while there is still time.Ó The casket opened and Marius say what was inside. Of all those in that cursed room. only Volkmar himself could see MairusÕd face for that brief second before the end. Wver afterwards the Grand theognisst would fall silent if the fate of Marius should be mentioned and others would whisper, ÒQuiet the name! For he say the manÕs face that witnessed his own damnation.Ó