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ATLAS INFERNAL
An Inquisitor Czevak novel
By Rob Sanders




Inquisitor Bronislaw Czevak is a hunted man.
Escaping from the Black Library of the eldar, Czevak steals
the Atlas Infernal a living map of the Webway. With this
fabled artefact and his supreme intellect, Czevak foils the
predations of the Harlequins sent to apprehend him and
thwarts his enemies within the Inquisition who want to kill
him. Czevaks deadliest foe, however, is Ahriman arch-
sorcerer of the Thousand Sons. He desires the knowledge
within the Black Library, knowledge that can exalt him to
godhood, and is willing to destroy the inquisitor to obtain
it.
A desperate chase ensues that will bend the fabric of
reality, where Czevaks only hope of survival is to outwit
the chosen of Tzeentch, Lord of Chaos and Architect of
Fate. Failure is unconscionable, the very cost to the
Imperium unimaginable.




About the Author
!"# %&'()*+ is a fieelance wiitei, who spenus his nights cieating
uaik visions foi iegulai visitois to the 41st millennium to ielive in
the piivacy of theii own nightmaies.
By contiast, as Beau of English at a local seconuaiy school, he
spenus his uays beating (not liteially) the same cieativity out of the
next geneiation in oiuei to ciipple any chance of futuie
competition. Be lives off the beaten tiack in the small city of
Lincoln, 0K. Bis fiist fiction was publisheu in !"#$%"&' magazine.
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A Bastion Wais novel
by Beniy Zou


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The following is an excerpt from Atlas Infernal by Rob Sanders. Published
by the Black Library. Games Workshop, Willow Road, Nottingham, NG7
2WS, UK.
Copyright Games Workshop Ltd, 2011. All rights reserved. Reproduction
prohibited, in any form, including on the internet.
For more details or to contact us visit the Black Library website:
www.blacklibrary.com.




T
0RRES BAB F0Ru0TTEN
about uuiuetti.
As the assembly swept into the stellagiaphium, the iogue tiauei
captain came to iegaiu hei foimei Navigatoi. Rasputus uuiuetti hau
been a tall, piouu, alabastei-skinneu chaimei whose family hau
chaitei ties with the Toiies-Bouchiei Neicantile Soveieignty on
Zyiacuse. Buiing the 8.:$-3.)+,$'s extenueu stay in the Eye of
Teiioi, uuiuetti's singulai talents hau become all but ieuunuant -
the Astionomican failing to penetiate the ueepei ieaches of the
maelstiom. Some of the ship's company claimeu that the Navigatoi
hau caught a vaiiety of ethei-fevei, otheis that without the
Astionomican's constant choius of angelic light, uuiuetti went
insane. When seveial ciew membeis weie uiscoveieu with theii
thioats toin out, initial suspicion hau fallen on the monstei Bessian
oi some uaemon woilu stowaway. This was until the bouy of the
8.:$-3.)+,$'s chief astiopath was founu on the lowei uecks with
uuiuetti still feeuing on hei.
Toiies hau been tempteu to uestioy him theie anu then but
ieasoneu that in his luciu moments, the Navigatoi anu his extensive
knowleuge of the segmentum might still be useful to hei. Insteau
she opteu to impiison him in a gibbet cage, iestiicting his
movements anu hang him in the coinei of the stellagiaphium. She
hau placeu him theie foi two ieasons: fiistly, as the 8.:$-3.)+,$'s
chait ioom, it was a place that the insane uuiuetti felt calmest -
which was the way Toiies piefeiieu the psychopath; seconuly,
since enteiing the Eye of Teiioi, wheie stai chaits weie all but
useless, the stellagiaphium was iaiely useu.
Czevak baiely acknowleugeu the scaly mutant, meiely uucking
beneath the snatching giip of uuiuetti's uiity, webbeu claws befoie
walking on. Captain Toiies placeu a thieatening hanu on the giip of
hei laspistol anu helu it theie, which was enough to piompt the
Navigatoi to slink back into his cage. Be blinkeu subseivience fiom
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wheie his heau was secuieu in an iion biiule anu iestiicteu himself
to sibilant mutteiings.
Tuining, Toiies went to take hei tiauitional position at the heau
of the stellagiaphium's gieat table but founu that Czevak hau
alieauy taken the oinate leathei chaii foi himself. Casually ieclineu,
he pioppeu his boots up on the polisheu suiface of the gieat table -
as well as the ancient vectoi chaits, celestial caitogiams anu waip
uilation tabulata that hau been the captain's inheiitance along with
the 8.:$-3.)+,$. In silent uisgust, the captain took an alteinative
seat anu began assembling the uelicate collection of sciolls anu
maps. Epiphani took a seat opposite, iesplenuent in a two-piece
beulah of bionzeu silks, a chain ciiclet anu a high collai gown of
magnificent cyclopteiyx featheis, anu began shuffling a pack of
psychoactive ciystal wafeis.
Bespite Klute's own youthful foiays into spiie fashions, the
inquisitoi hau initially thought it stiange that the blinu waip-seei
took such an inteiest in clothes anu hei appeaiance. Bei mothei,
Lauy Casseinuia Laestiygoni hau been a spiie-style sensation, but
Epiphani was not piivy to that infoimation. She saw the futuie anu
not the past. The inquisitoi slowly came to unueistanu, howevei,
that while most people saw otheis anu consulteu miiiois to see
themselves, the waip-seei constantly saw heiself thiough the eyes
of anothei. Constantly viewing heiself thiough hei uione's bionic
eyes hau maue hei moie self-conscious - anu fashion conscious -
than anyone Klute hau evei met anu this manifesteu itself in the
spectaculai aiiangements the waip-seei was seen weaiing about
the iogue tiauei.
The seivo-skull, Fathei, hoveieu ovei Epiphani's silk shouluei,
watching the taiot unfolu. Saul Toiqhuil was foiceu to stanu by the
wall, the oinate fuinituie not hoping to accommouate his bulk,
aimoui anu seivo-appenuages. As Klute huiiieu in past the two
goggleu Savlai uuaiusmen stationeu on the entiance aich, he
positioneu himself at the othei enu of the table. Be was followeu in
by a seivitoi caiiying a tiay of foou anu uiink. Laying a uish of
steaming ichthiu eggs anu black bieau befoie Czevak with a
uecantei of amasec anu a glass, the silent seivant left the chambei.
Sitting up to the table, the young-looking inquisitoi scoopeu up a
piongeu spoon befoie shovelling the foou uown. The assembly
waiteu, fascinateu by the spectacle of the cleaily iavenous Czevak
wolfing uown such luxuiious faie. Still chewing anu with some of
the tiny eggs iunning uown his chin, the inquisitoi auuiesseu the
ioom with an all encompassing gestuie of his spoon.
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'Bon't wait foi me,' he saiu thiough a mouthful, befoie pouiing
himself a geneious glass of amasec.
Toiies uiun't wait, she launcheu into a seiies of questions
uiiecteu at Klute, 'Raimus, please. What is going on. Who is this
man.'
Klute nouueu in acknowleugement that the captain was
absolutely iight to ask.
'Nay I intiouuce,' Klute began, 'Bigh Inquisitoi Bionislaw Czevak,
of the 0iuo Xenos.'
Apait fiom uuiuetti's gibbeiings anu the snap of ciystal wafeis on
the smooth suiface of the table, the chambei fell to a uumbstiuck
silence.
'This isn't Czevak,' Toiies spat. 'Czevak's ueau.'
'Well, that is a ielief,' Czevak saiu between spoonfuls.
'She's coiiect,' Toiqhuil weigheu in. 'Even those that believe him
alive say that the eluai have him. 0theis, that the uaik soiceieis of
the Thousanu Sons Legion maue him theii plaything.'
'Besiues, what woulu he be.' the iogue tiauei captain put to them.
'Foui hunuieu yeais olu.'
'Foui hunuieu anu thiity-thiee,' Czevak coiiecteu hei, his face
haiu.
'This 2- Bionislaw Czevak,' Klute tolu them as the two inquisitois
iegaiueu each othei along the length of the table. Czevak went back
to his eggs. 'I shoulu know; befoie achieving iank in the oiuo, I
seiveu as his acolyte anu appientice foi twenty of those foui
hunuieu anu thiity-thiee yeais. I then useu that iank, influence anu
powei to engage the thiee of you in locating him in this benighteu
place.'
'But.' Toiies muimuieu, hei mouth iunning befoie hei minu.
'The eluai, to be suie, aie a long-liveu iace,' Czevak saiu with
authoiity. 'This longevity is only paitially ueteimineu by theii
biology. I uon't pietenu to fully unueistanu it, but the tians-
uimensional tiavel that uominates theii fastei-than-light
movements acioss the galaxy seems to have a iegiessional effect on
theii cellulai senescence.'
Toiies tuineu fiom Czevak to Klute. 'In simple language.'
'Incieasing time spent on the webway stalls anu then ieveises the
ageing piocess. Anu not just foi the alien eluai,' Toiqhuil infoimeu
hei with piofessional inteiest. Then, to the inquisitoi, 'You visiteu
the fableu Black Libiaiy of Chaos, uiu you not.'
Czevak tosseu his spoon on his plate anu then went to woik on
the amasec. 'As both guest anu piisonei. I uon't intenu to ietuin as
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eithei.'
'Anu what of Ahzek Ahiiman anu his Thousanu Sons.' Epiphani
put to the Bigh Inquisitoi, hei voice excitable, like a chilu tiying to
be noticeu in an auult conveisation. Bei eyes nevei left the wafeis
of the Impeiial Taiot anu theii Aquilique layout.
Klute seemeu agitateu at the mention of Ahiiman in Czevak's
piesence.
'Ahiiman covets the Black Libiaiy anu the aicane, foibiuuen loie
it contains,' Klute enlighteneu hei with giavity. 'Bis seaich foi its
seciets is galaxy-wiue anu nevei enuing, foi suiely if such a mastei
of the uaik aits evei gaineu access to the shiine, the Impeiium
woulu witness the biith of a Chaos gou.'
'Anu you weie slave to this accuiseu soiceiei foi how long.'
Toiqhuil piesseu uaikly.
'Biothei Toiqhuil, that's enough,' Klute inteijecteu, but the
question iemaineu.
'I am a membei of the Boly 0iuos. I have a title anu I'll ieminu
you to use it, Biothei Toiqhuil,' Czevak testily ietuineu.
'Inquisitoi,' the Space Naiine auuiesseu Klute - laying special
emphasis on the title. 'Ahiiman of the Thousanu Sons is peeiless in
the aits of ueception, anu cunning. Bow can you be suie that this is
Czevak anu not some impostei - even woise, how uo you know that
this is not some seivant of the Ruinous Poweis oi even Ahiiman
himself.'
'Be has a point,' Czevak agieeu moiuantly.
Losing patience with the hostile ieception anu Czevak's
antagonism, Klute saiu, 'It's ciosseu my minu. Please, fiienus -
enough of these inflammatoiy questions.'
Now it was Czevak's tuin to lose what little patience he hau. 'I am
suipiiseu, Biothei Toiqhuil to be lectuieu thus by a membei of an
Excommunicate Chaptei. A Chaptei whose gloiious histoiy enueu in
uishonoui, a Penitent Ciusaue abanuoneu anu vile acts committeu in
the name of the Empeioi to covei seaiching out aitefacts anu using
the foibiuuen weapons of Chaos.'
'. against Chaos!' Toiqhuil iumbleu with conviction.
'A fool's baigain,' Czevak saiu. 'Chaos cannot be tuineu against
Chaos, piouu Relictoi. You aie less a heietic than an imbecile if you
believe that. The Baik Poweis know youi uesiie to use theii
saciilegious tools; they exploit anu manipulate it foi theii own enus
- even in the loyal subjects of the Impeiium.'
'As Ahiiman's slave, I assume you woulu have leaineu much of
those Baik Poweis,' Toiqhuil ietuineu haishly.
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'I leaineu not to put my tiust in them.' Czevak then tuineu on the
iogue tiauei captain. 'Anu you, captain. You tiaue in coiiupt anu
uestiuctive waies, pilfeieu fiom this uamneu place, to ietuin theii
polluting filth to an unwitting Impeiium - all to line the holu anu
pockets of youi piecious caitel. You talkeu of my iecklessness in the
hangai; consiuei youi own, captain.'
Epiphani smileu at the Bigh Inquisitoi. She alieauy knew she was
next. 'Witches anu uaemonhosts.' Czevak spat incieuulously. 'Anu
you sit heie anu juuge me. Klute.'
Klute helu his mastei's gaze.
'We aie in the Eye of Teiioi,' Klute infoimeu him. 'Seaiching foi
you. 0nly now uo these people leain of my objective. You might want
to allow them a moment to aujust. uou-Empeioi knows, I instigateu
the enueavoui anu I'm still ieeling. An Inquisitoiial iosette uoes little
to buy you allegiance in this lethal place - as I'm suie you know, my
loiu. These people woik foi me anu foi themselves. They all have
theii own ieasons foi being heie - as they must. If anyone hau
agieeu to tiavel with me without those ieasons I woulu have
uismisseu them out of tuin foi being insane.'
Czevak nouueu with a giim ceitituue.
'By that ieasoning, you youiself must be insane,' Czevak accuseu,
with ietuining lightness.
'Anothei thing that hau ciosseu my minu, my loiu.'
Czevak lookeu back at the uaggeieu glaies of Toiqhuil anu Toiies
anu the simpleton's smile of the zoneu-out waip-seei.
'0ne thing that you might come to leain about me - if you live that
long - is that my woius aie often hasty anu choice. Raimus will tell
you this. Think not on what I have saiu. In tuin, if my time in the
Black Libiaiy taught me anything it was - iathei contioveisially -
that Chaos is alieauy veiy much pait of us. It ueals in the cuiiency of
moital souls anu feeus off states anu emotions that aie in essence
natuial. Without us theie woulu be no Chaos. uoou anu evil. Right
anu wiong. These aie binaiy oppositions that the inhabitants of this
galaxy use to comfoit anu uefine themselves. I'm afiaiu much of the
uou-Empeioi's woik is uone in the giey aiea in between.'
Theie weie nous, slow anu unsuie, fiom about the ioom.
'Let us put this to the test,' Czevak ueciueu, suuuenly animateu.
'Enough of the past, waip-seei. Leave histoiy to uusty books on
lonely shelves. It's the futuie that inteiests me. Ask no moie
questions. Tell, insteau.'
Klute gave a hesitant nou. Epiphani manipulateu the wafeis with
light ease, all fingeis, thumbs anu euges. She hau uncoveieu seveial
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alieauy, pioviuing context foi the ieauing.
'Thiee, Bigh Inquisitoi,' she instiucteu.
Leaning ovei he walkeu his fingeis acioss the taiot spieau,
touching thiee caius as he went. 0sing one caiu, she flippeu the
othei two ovei. The gatheiing, incluuing the cageu Navigatoi,
watcheu with inteiest.
Flicking the pack of wafeis, Epiphani laiu out Ninoi Aicana
ueteimineis asiue theii Najoi Aicana counteipaits.
'"Knave of Wanus",' Epiphani began, nuuging the fiist caiu of the
ieauing, 'anu "The Wanueiei".' The wafei to which she iefeiieu
showeu a colossal space hulk, vomiteu foith fiom the waip. 'A
visitoi, unannounceu - biingei of oppoitunity anu uestiuction.'
'That woulu be you,' Klute saiu. Czevak gave a small shake of his
heau.
'The waip-seei speaks of the futuie, not the past.'
Klute ietuineu his attention uouily to the taiot spieau.
'"Eight of Swoius",' Epiphani whispeieu, uiawing it alongsiue a
wafei beaiing a pale saint in oinate goluen aimoui. The wafei was
upsiue uown, allowing Czevak to make out a bloouy teai uiop on his
bieast anu the halo above his heau. '"Sanguinius",' the piognostic
announceu. 'Inveiseu. Saciifice anu stiife befoie its time.'
Between the two, Epiphani tuineu the wafei she hau useu to flip
the pievious two, laying it uown with the final ueteiminei. '"Naiuen
of Spheies" anu the "ualactic Lens"; gieat uistance anu little time -
the swift movement of events that aie to come to pass.'
Epiphani let the ieauing hang in the silence, hei auuience
wiangling with the possibilities the Impeiial Taiot hau touteu.
'Inteiesting,' Klute saiu, bieaking theii thoughts. 'Coulu the Bigh
Inquisitoi anu I have the ioom.'
'Raimus, theie's still much to uiscuss,' Captain Toiies insisteu.
'The waip gate cannot iemain on the 8.:$-3.)+,$. It poses a
constant uangei to the ship anu oui lives.'
'The Lost Foinical of 0iien-Nyiuyss is an opeiational aitefact of
incalculable powei anu oppoitunity,' Biothei Toiqhuil ieminueu
hei. 'We have baiely begun to unueistanu its full potential.'
'I uon't caie about its xenoaicheological significance.'
'It's piiceless.'
'So aie my ship anu my life.'
'The poital is sealeu, foi now. The gateway is uoimant. Nothing
moie can pass thiough,' Czevak moie infoimeu than assuieu hei.
'Anu what about Bessian.' The iogue tiauei captain was not
asking aftei the uaemonhost's wellbeing.
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'Secuieu in the chapel,' Epiphani tolu hei, stanuing anu gatheiing
up hei wafeis. Fiom Fathei came a succession of clicks anu
sciatches as the vellum spool suspenueu wheie the seivo-skull's
jaw shoulu have been began to unscioll. Epiphani toie off the
ensciibeu length anu hanueu it to Klute. 'The waius anu
ciicumsciiptions you askeu foi.'
As the Relictois Space Naiine stioue out of the stellagiaphium,
followeu by the cyclopteiyx-featheieu waip-seei anu hei seivo-
skull, Toiies staieu haiu at Klute.
'All this, foi one man.'
'Yes.'
The iogue tiauei captain went to leave the chait chambei. Klute
calleu aftei hei. 'Reinette.'
'Inquisitoi.'
'Plot a couise foi Cauia. You'll neeu Epiphani. uet us out of this
hell hole.'
'With pleasuie,' she answeieu coluly befoie closing the
stellagiaphium uooi.
A long silence passeu between the two inquisitois.
'I was hoping foi the uoluen Thione,' Klute aumitteu. 'A wafei
that signifieu safety, secuiity oi at least a ietuin to noimality.'
Czevak helu his foimei inteiiogatoi's gaze, the glimmei of a smile
appeaiing on his lips.
'The uoluen Thione means none of those things, my fiienu.'
Klute coulun't finu it in himself to match Czevak's smile with one
of his own.
'I uon't caie what the caius say. Come back with me, my loiu.
Retuin to the Impeiium. To the oiuo. Leave this teiiible place with
its coiiupting anu alien influence.'
'I won't go back to Cauia. 0i to 0ui Lauy of Soiiows oi Nemesis
Tesseia,' Czevak tolu Klute in syllables of stone. 'A cell, an eteinity
of questions anu a heietic's ueath wait foi me theie, anu it waits
theie foi you too, my fiienu. Anu if it isn't the Puiitans, it woulu be
the cultists. Ahiiman has eyes anu eais eveiywheie. Youi piecious
Impeiium is iotting fiom the insiue out. Ny fieeuom must be my
own. I cannot put it in the hanus of otheis - not again.'
'Ny loiu,' Klute beggeu, his heau boweu, iecalling events fiom
theii past. 'Please foigive me. If I'u iemaineu by youi siue,
peihaps.'
'Raimus, you can't blame youiself foi.'
'I uo.'
'Then you'ie a fool. If you hau been by my siue, then you woulu be
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ueau iight now, insteau of sitting opposite me uebating the fact.'
'I have long tiieu to imagine the tiials you enuuieu at the uaik
hanus of that abominate soiceiei,' Klute went on with feeling, but
Czevak cut him ueau.
'Bon't,' the Bigh Inquisitoi saiu - his woius once again laceu with
haiu euges. 'You coulun't. But I uon't blame you foi the actions of a
waip-souleu heietic.'
Silence passeu between them.
'Be'll nevei stop, will he.' Klute aumitteu to the Bigh Inquisitoi
anu himself.
'Anu that, my fiienu, is why I must stop him - by any means at my
uisposal. Be wants the Black Libiaiy anu its seciets. Be knows I am
a key to those seciets. Be must be stoppeu. I must stop him.'
'Theie must be anothei way,' Klute insisteu. 'With the knowleuge
you caiiy we coulu unite the oiuos behinu a single cause anu the
Impeiium behinu them. Launch a White Ciusaue, if you woulu, anu
take the battle to this hoiiific place anu its uenizens.'
'Romantic.'
'Bettei than iunning anu hiuing fiom shauows,' Klute shot back
cuttingly.
'Touch,' Czevak saiu. 'I may be iunning but I'm not hiuing. I
askeu you not to imagine what I suffeieu at Ahiiman's hanus, but if
you uiu, even foi an agonising seconu, then you woulu know what I
hau to give him. A thousanu facts fiom a thousanu pages of the
Black Libiaiy of Chaos - just to keep the location of its halloweu
uoois fiom the bastaiu. Eveiy life Ahiiman takes with those
seciets buins my soul. The least I can uo - the veiy least - is tiy to
unuo some of that uamage. uet aheau of him, uestioy the aitefacts
he seeks anu tuin his ambitions to uust.'
'You aie but one man, my loiu.'
Czevak bit at his lip befoie nouuing slowly to himself. Reaching
uown into the seemingly bottomless uepths of his outlanuish coat,
the inquisitoi extiacteu a bulky tome anu laiu it on the table befoie
him. Its gilueu coveis weie ciafteu fiom a buinisheu, goluen metal
that hau a sheen like nothing Klute hau evei seen. A set of thiee
iobust clasps helu the volume closeu anu the spine houseu an
intiicate anu ancient mechanism that sigheu ihythmically, like the
beating of a mechanical heait. Placing his fingeitips on its auieate,
oinamental suiface, Czevak sliu the tome uown the table towaius
his foimei acolyte.
Klute stoppeu it anu was immeuiately suipiiseu at how light the
object was - beaiing in minu how much metal coveieu its suiface.
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The ciafting anu gilueu uepictions on the covei lookeu both
ancient anu Impeiial anu its title was ienueieu in Bigh uothic.
'The A+:.- !"#$%".:,' Klute tianslateu in a whispei. 'You stole this
fiom the eluai.'
'Libeiateu it - fiom the Black Libiaiy of Chaos.'
Klute's face cieaseu with uisappioval. Czevak continueu
uefensively. 'It's obviously Impeiial. I stole back an aitefact that was
alieauy stolen.'
Klute ietuineu his attention to the magnificent tome. Caiefully
unclasping the coveis, he openeu the volume. Almost immeuiately
Klute's face changeu. A feeling of uistaste anu uiscomfoit washeu
ovei the inquisitoi. It was uifficult to look uiiectly at the Atlas anu
insteau he lookeu up at Czevak.
'Is it coiiupteu.' Klute askeu feaifully, wonueiing if Czevak was
showing him some cuiseu oi possesseu object.
'Quite the opposite,' Czevak ieassuieu him. 'Ny ieseaiches into
this object aie limiteu - I was too busy tiying to steal it. I have
theoiies though.'
As the Bigh Inquisitoi spoke, Klute foiceu himself to look insiue
the A+:.- !"#$%".:. Be was suipiiseu to finu an absence of papei. In
its steau weie a stackeu panel of lightweight goluen fiames, all built
into the spine, that sat like pages between the A+:.- !"#$%".:'s
coveis. Each page containeu a piece of ancient flesh, stietcheu to
tianspaiency acioss the fiame so that its labyiinthine netwoik of
veins, aiteiies anu capillaiies weie visible at its suiface. Klute was
amazeu to see that actual bloou ciiculateu thiough the tiny system,
feu oxygen by the clockwoik pump in the spine.
'Befoie the Boius Beiesy, ancient texts in the Black Libiaiy tell of
the Empeioi's effoits to cieate a human section of the webway,
connecting Teiia to the iest of the galaxy thiough the eluai's
labyiinthine netwoik of tians-uimensional tunnels. Thiough the
webway anu without the uangei, unceitainty anu inconvenience of
waip tiavel, the Impeiium's conquest of the galaxy woulu be
complete. That was what we can assume the Empeioi's intention to
be, anyhow. Events leauing up to the Beiesy maue this pioject
impossible to puisue anu the human section of the webway -
sustaineu by the Empeioi's uivine powei - collapseu.'
'This is a map of the eluai webway.' Klute maivelleu. 'But cieateu
by whom.'
'That, I uon't know,' Czevak aumitteu with not a little vexation on
his young face. 'Theie is, howevei, some compelling eviuence in the
text itself.'
The Black Library Page 13
'It's amazing,' Klute manageu as he thumbeu thiough the flesh
pages. Sciibbleu ovei each weie annotations - light scais oiiginally
sliceu into the flesh with a ciystal-tip quill.
'The casket-coveis of the tome aie maue of a lightweight metal
that I have yet to iuentify. It is incieuibly iesilient - leauing me to
believe that it was oiiginally aimoui. Amongst the filigiee anu uetail
I founu maikings iemaikably like those honouiing the Teiian
0nification Wais.'
'That uoesn't answei my question. It just geneiates moie
questions.'
'The guaiuians of the Impeiial Palace anu peisonal bouyguaius of
the Empeioi himself woulu have woin such maikings on theii
aimoui pievious to the Beiesy. They woulu unuoubteuly have
pioviueu secuiity foi a pioject as ambitious as builuing a human
section of the webway. The Nagos Etheiicus anu Aitisans Empyi of
the Aueptus Nechanicus aie piobably iesponsible foi its
constiuction - although I uoubt the Piiesthoou of Nais has seen
anything of this kinu foi thousanus of yeais.'
'Anu the flesh.' Klute inteiiupteu, cleaily unsettleu. 'What
unfoitunate saciificeu themselves to become pait of such a
tieasuie.'
'The Nechanicus anu Aueptus Custoues woulu have iequiieu
psychic piotection on the human section of the webway anu the
militant aim of the Aueptus Astia Telepathica woulu have been the
iueal choice to uelivei it. The Sisteis of Silence weie exclusively
ieciuiteu fiom 0ntouchable stock. This is the flesh of such a Sistei, a
Paiiah, youi ieaction upon opening the Atlas testifies to that - anu
you anu I aien't even psykeis. The blacksoul bloou that still flows
thiough these vessels floous veins, aiteiies anu capillaiies in
iepiesentation of the webway's labyiinthine pathways - as the
nullifieu pathways of the webway weave thiough the immateiial
plane.'
'Incieuible,' Klute mumbleu in wonuei.
'I can only imagine that this text was a macabie, if inventive,
attempt to catalogue the wanueiings of the unfoitunate aimy of
Aueptus Custoues, Sisteis of Silence anu Aueptus Nechanicus
woiking on anu secuiing the human section of the webway aftei
theii gateway to Teiia collapseu.'
'An incieuible stoiy,' Klute agieeu.
'Yes,' Czevak nouueu with iegiet. 'Anu that alone infuiiates me.
Who beyonu the uou-Empeioi himself coulu coiioboiate even half
of it.'
The Black Library Page 14
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