Ardors Ruin

> "*Pain and suffering is all Iverda offers and it will remain so until strings are wrapped around that whore Countess' neck.*"
>
> **- Ainu the broken**
>
>

**Year**
23 NAC

## Ardors Ruin

### Prologue

Lying face first in a puddle of water, Ainu wheezes weakly as warm rain pelts his whip scarred back. Broken and with pain throbbing from all sides of his body, he is prepared to die and willing accepted it. He had been dishonored, his life taken from him and all that remained now was for the Gods to whisk him away to whatever paradise or hell awaited him. That was until he felt two cold metallic hands that grasped each side of him, perhaps she wanted more of him? Panicking and trying to wrestle out of their grasp, a dry bag is thrown over his head as it begins to be soaked by the rain and a sharp needle finds its way into his neck.

Darkness once more claimed him.

Coming to with a throbbing headache, Ainu begins to opening his eyes before closing them at the sight of a bright light shining directly on him. The sound of water being placed in a bucket can be heard behind him alongside the feeling of a wet towel rubbing his back which causes him to winch in pain somewhat. Silent and finally opening his eyes despite the glaring light, he finds himself in a worse off location than that damn palace, in fact it looked like an abandoned building of all places. With torn wall paper and a rickety wooden floor, hopefully some organ harvesters picked him up and was preparing to end it all; however this thought quickly changes as he looks at the weirdly alien spotlight which appears to be a slim metal black tripod with a large bulbous light at the end, it facing him directly and shining pure white upon him.

"W-whah" is all he says before looking at a white armored man with black eyes off to the right, his arms are crossed and it makes Ainu nearly scream at such a horrific sight. The white figure remains silent as a man behind him speaks perfect Cestian and says calmly "Do not despair, we are here to nurse you back to health."

"W-why? How are you two?!"

The white one sighs before saying "We are Coronans, that ring a bell?"

Ainu seems unaware of that is, the White Coronan becoming obviously irritated as a Black one steps out from behind Ainu and washes his hands.

"That will not mean anything to him Viran, he is of the peasant class; no we are two people who have been observing God-Countess Derakryss and how she treats her people like yourself."

Ainus eyes widen at such a putrid name leaving the Coronans lips, him entering traumatic shock which the two Coronans seem accustom to at this point.

Viran shakes his head and sits down at a desk behind the spotlight, him opening some electronic contraption and beginning to record. His partner meanwhile goes off to the left somewhere Ainu isn't looking and returns with a syringe he injects into the mans neck.

"Ngh" says Ainu as he slowly comes back to his senses over an unknown amount of time and now finds himself face to face with the black Coronan. Standing tall and nearly towering over him, the Coronan sits upright and intimidates Ainu somewhat with his appearance.

"Can you hear me?"

Ainu simply nods.

"Good, because I am going to ask something very personal and I need you to answer me truthfully."

"Yeah" says the Cestian with a raised eyebrow.

"What color guards did you see in the Palace?"

"The fuck? I don't know, there was green and red."

The Coronan leans forward slightly and says "Purple?"

"Yeah there were a few, I don't remember how many...ita blur for me still."

"Good and how busy was it?"

"Pretty dead, I think it was...HER a-and a few others."

Standing the Coronan seems satisfied with Ainus answers as he says "It seems we have the perfect opportunity to act."

"Mmhm, then we can bag us a Countess."

"Wait? Bag her, are you going to kidnap the God-Countess?" says Ainu in a curious voice.

Viran nods and says "She is a threat to herself and everyone around her, we must put an end to her suffering."

Shaking his head, Ainu says "No. Pain and suffering is all Iverda offers and it will remain so until strings are wrapped around that whore Countess' neck. She's pure evil."

Looking over at him, Viran says "I agree, but she has no heir for starters and she is your God whether you like it or not."

"Not anymore, she forsake her God and so I forsake her!"

Looking at the two as they talk, the Black Coronan says "Well do not worry Ainu, we will give her what she deserves. For now, we need to take you to your new home for the time being."

"And what's that" he says in a more aggressive tone.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, the Coronan says "Come and I will show you."

Seeming to calm the angered Cestian with kindness or intimidation, Ainu just nods in response before he is untied and follows the Coronan down a flight of stairs.

### Ardor Servant

Looking over the footage recorded on that damaged Cestian, Viran waits for Wiak to come back for about forty minutes before the door creaks open. Glancing up at Wiak as he enters and walks over, Viran says "Run into problems?"

"No, I was just making sure he was accommodated, he is the worse I have seen yet honestly."

"Well perhaps our little Countess felt extra angry the day she had her hands on him."

Giving a glare somewhat, Wiak tries to change subjects as he says "Now we know our men are in the building at least, hopefully we can halt this tragedy before anyone else is tortured."

"Of course."

Clicking through the video, Viran goes silent as Wiak looks at him.

"...That is why I want you to spearhead this mission."

Stopping, Viran looks up at him and says "What?"

"You heard me Viran, I want you to be the one who captures her; I have done covert missions countless times, you are the one who needs a reputation still."

"So you plan to send me into a rape dungeon to 'establish a reputation' eh?"

"You and I both know that is just not true, I am sending you into a rape palace to establish a reputation."

Moving back in his seat and standing up, Viran snarls as his mouthpiece clicks.

"I am not about to risk my life over some whore we could have shot months ago and gone home."

"You and I both know the chaos that would ensue if an heirless Monarch was assassinated, these people idolize her and see her as a God, you cannot just take that away from them and assume all is fine."

Walking back and fourth, Viran says "Yes, but why are we risking our lives for some backwards aliens that never asked for our help? Atleast the Uzika wanted our help or the Rylins. These farmers barely can read yet think they can fix things without us, so why not let them burn?"

"Because we have orders Viran and we both know you want to help them as much as I do. You are fearful is all."

"Of course I am, we are trusting these xenos to not betray us when barely any of them have a reason to like us aside 'we fixed them up'. What leverage do we have to ensure they will not backstab us?"

"Because we are promising them a future and do not be so daft to assume I never came with a backup plan, I have a fail safe in case you are betrayed."

Tilting his head, Viran remains silent and shows that Wiak has his attention.

"I will be there as well, however my duty is to extract you seamlessly without issue. We will remain in touch during the ordeal and given the information these countless victims have disclosed to us, I believe we can make an educated escape if the need arises."

Calming down somewhat, Viran crosses his arms and says "At least you are not sitting back here all cozy while I do the hard work."

Wiak shakes his head and says "I would never do such a thing, you are my brother in arms Viran, we are in this till the end."

Walking over, Viran interlocks arms with him for a moment, the two staring at each others eyes before he sits back down across from Wiak.

"What is the plan" he says in a less annoyed voice.

Wiak remains silent as he unrolls a sketched map he has been working on of the palace, the two beginning to go over tomorrow nights plan.

Opening his eyes once the bag is removed from his head, Viran finds himself face to face with an armored guard in sleek yet bulky armor. Shorter than Viran, the guard has on a purple paludamentum and pushes him back into a metallic cage before shutting the door and locking it. Glaring at him as he does so, the guard remains silent before walking off. Left behind in a dimly lite stone room, Viran has shackles on his hands and ankles along with a luxurious velvet tunic that drapes around his more toned figure. Glancing about at the cages to his left and right, he sees other victims here as well, along with damaged goods who had survived one or two encounters with the Countess; them being jittery or just shutdown completely like a robot.

Shifting through his tunic, he feels for the key the guard had slipped him on the way to his cell and eventually finds it lodged between his tunic and belt; it being snug and awaiting him to yank it out whenever. Sitting down, he waits for anyone to notice or come for him, two hours passing before four guards come down with red paludamentums and begin yanking prisoners out to send them upstairs. Some don't resist while others flail and scream, their voices echoing through the empty halls with no one to hear. Those that resist too much are seemingly drugged with syringes, Virans turn eventually coming up and him moving out without much issue aside a single threat for taking too long.

Organized and placed into sets of lines, the guards begin to march up the prisoners until eventually Virans group is brought up from the cold stone floor below up onto a warm wooden one with elegant music playing off somewhere to the right. Lavish in furnishings and design, they are brought into a large living room which has an assortment of high class masquerade guests who all wear scant clothing as they coalesce one another or stare with covet eyes at the selection before them. Of course they all remain behind the main hostess of this debauched occasion, a lithe yet beautiful woman with raven hair and eyes to match such a predatory creature. Adorned in black lingerie which shows off her toned legs, she has thigh high stockings on and a feathered black coat which covers her entire figure aside what she desires to show. With pointed ears that move slightly at the sight of her newfound selection, Viran can see several slaves from earlier groups sitting alongside the guests; others being entirely absent for one reason or another.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe this will be the last batch of the night! So please do hold yourselves off until I've picked my poison ehehehe" she says in an elegant yet malicious voice as she walks up and inspects the victims; some being grabbed or whispered to as she takes a sick sort of joy out of causing uncomfortable misery. The sight very well made Viran want to see the life drain from her eyes, but the ramifications of such an act could never compare to her horrendous hobbies. Standing upright and looking at her, he watches her eyes and shows no fear as he attempts to draw the Countess' attention like a fishermen throwing bait out to bite; he certainly succeeds with defiance and stature as her eyes look him over.

"My! Aren't you the tall one hehe."

Walks up and snatches his hands feeling them as she looks at his physique and giggles.

"I'm sure you've killed men with these hands my exotic friend."

His lack of fear only further incenses her, a desire to break him being obvious as she wraps herself up in his arms and says "I believe I've chosen my pet for the time being, the floor is yours my dear friends."

Selections are made and some victims even act like willing guests for one odd reason or another, the whole ordeal disgusting Viran to his core as he follows behind the Countess to her room on the top floor. Moving past drug den rooms, decadence and all sorts of misbegotten activities, he eventually reaches the velvet door which he is brought to and into the Countess' room proper. With a black dyed velvet bed and a glass door leading to the balcony, it certainly cost money and her masterclass wardrobe and makeup booth only added more proof to this. Aside the obvious, Viran also noticed pictures of a much younger woman, one pure of heart and soul that used to exist yet died and turned into this husk before him. Gleeful in one picture with a first kill on a hunt, she used to be full of energy now replaced with a constant wanton desire that she drew energy from.

Speaking repulsive words and desires to his face, he remains unphased which only further draws her into the mystery surrounding him and what exactly will break such a man. Moving up, she draws him over to the bed, Viran knowing that this was his only chance before he became as broken as the "entertainers" downstairs. Looking down at her and leaning in, her face becomes excited with anticipation as he breaks the capsule Wiak gave him and kisses her cheek; a velvet mark being left behind as he smiles.

Somewhat disappointed, but also taking on his challenge, the Countess begins trying to undress him and force a reaction before she inevitably starts to lose steam and begins snoring to his left. Spitting out the bitter capsule, Viran begins to unlock his shackles as he goes grabs the small Countess and goes over to the balcony. Opening the door and looking down below, he sees his escape and drapes the Countess over one shoulder and holds her there. Carefully climbing down and making sure to take his time, Viran drops down onto the grass below as relief washes over him; he was almost out. Doing a click with his mouthpiece, Wiak soon runs out of cover nearby and says "Get in" before motioning to the back of a truck.

All three pile into the back, a black drape over the top as Wiak contacts one of his operatives with his ear piece. Soon a purple guard walks out of the main entrance and gets into the truck, him starting it up and beginning to drive. Passing by the moss covered stone fencing on the perimeter of the Palace, they drive back into the streets and leave the accursed palace behind.

"Finally! We did it" says Wiak quietly, him linking arms with Viran who looks at the Countess and then the palace with a smile.

"We actually did."

### Epilogue

Three days following the Countess' kidnapping and failure to show before the Chamber of Saints, the Cestian Empire sends state troops into the palace to investigate the staff and guests which had attended the night of her absence. Learning of her Coronan lover she had taken up to her bedroom, investigators would search meticulously and discover an incapacitating drug capsule half chewed on the floor.

Observing the evidence so far in his throne room, God-Emperor Tyvius III scrolls through his royal blue datapad with a disgusted look on his face. Several of his robotic arms bring over a drink for him or continue operating his daily assignments task as he sits in contemplation with his devoted Saints.

Warped with flesh and metal, the Saints appear more robotic than Cestian as centuries of bodily modifications have seen them surpass their lifespans several times over; so was the normality of cybernetics that even Tyvius himself had adorned a few in his short time as Emperor. Only the backwards counties such as Iverda had yet to accept the gifts of technology and all it had to offer. Silent in meditation, they stand with robotic eyes blinking every so often at their glorious God-Emperor as Saint Archimedes finally speaks up in a digitized voice.

"My God-Emperor, the Black and White are behind this, those southern degenerates have the gall to discreetly invade our lands with agents of discourse."

Remaining silent, Tyvius makes them wait for his answer as he finally closes the datapad, the gleam of the cursed Cilac star bringing only further dread to his words.

"I will not shed a tear for the loss of Derakryss, she was a degenerate and one I planned to do away with once she lost her peoples favor; but I agree Archimedes. Our Empire cannot endure another Great Trial, we must act before more barbarous nations take interest in our affairs."

Standing, he grabs his gilded two handed battleaxe with a robotic arm and slams it down.

"Make the call, I will contact these Coronans and see what they have to say for themselves."

Saint Sisenna speaks up and says "Even if they are not the perpetrators, they have gone far too long unchecked. Perhaps we can inform them of our authority in this region so that they may be humbled."

"I am not asking for war my Saints, all I desire is answers; it is there choice to be of good heart or deceitful and I will act accordingly."

In unison the Saints all say "Praise to the God-Emperor, Celestial eternal!"

Walking forth with the approval of his Saints, Tyvius for the first time in his life felt as if he truly was the Celestial Emperor.

## Trivia

Ardors cover went through three iterations before the heart and spikes were picked.

Countess Derakryss and her counties flag was inspired by Dark Eldar designs from 40k.

Ardors Ruins originally took place in 28 NAC before being changed to fit Zoscias new timeline.