The Brutas Chronicle

THE CRAZED GIANT

(Artwork by @Kranidude on Instagram)

    Have you seen nightmares? Do you know what true terror is? To run from your own logic and understanding, to witness the birth of something impossibly true, yet it must not be? To know despair is to know one's desires, ambitions, dreams.. I once had these, although they were primitive and uncontrolled, but what can one do when they have been betrayed? A lifetime of servitude to the Imperium that lead to our branding as traitors.  I watched them flee into damnation, my reality swallowed by the maw of the void.. that, is how my story begins.. not in some glorious war upon one of the galaxies infinite planets, nor was it a climatic end that so suits the infamous reckoning of a hero. I, am Brutas and these words chronicle my life.

The Crazed Giant
    "Do you hear that?" Gratian stood still, his eyes shifted left to right searching for the origin of the disturbance. It was an odd question, because upon the vessel "Wrath" there was never a moment to settle the soul. In fact, Jonelle seldom recalled a time where the vessel they sailed the stars upon had a moment of silence.
    "What am I listening for?" Jonelle traced the areas Gratian looked towards, unsure if they were listening or searching for something. "I've been hearing this noise around here, have you not heard it?" He gestures towards a section of the wall beside them. Confused as to what Gratian spoke of, Jonelle began to slowly continue her path she had set upon. Coming across the young Imperial officer Gratian was not on her agenda, she had much to attend to and his little games only interrupted the day.
    "Do you not hear that noise?" He began to press against the wall, "Honestly, what is your duty on this ship? We have wars to fight, supplies to send, everything the Imperium would and could demand of us.. yet.. here you are.. hearing things in the walls" she spoke in disbelief. Years of serving upon the "Wrath" she had seen every type of Naval officer come and go, but Gratian had made a different impact.
    "Just.. listen, you need to come closer, in fact, just humor me once. Just once, please, I'll never speak to you again if I'm wrong" he kept his ear to the wall as he spoke. It wasn't as if Jonelle would see him again, hardly had they crossed paths to begin with but to ensure it never happened again only intrigued her. She gave it a moment, "The terms are acceptable."
     It was a tiresome tone of annoyance but she followed Gratian's motion, ear pressed firm against the cold vessel, listening. Moments pass, "Is it going to happen?" She asked, "it should, give it a second." He held a hand up motioning for patience.
    Thump, Thump.. ever so quietly she heard the sound, "By the Emperor, there is a noise." Surprised she too a step back. "I knew I wasn't mad! I've been hearing this for the past nine days and-" a sudden burst of metal fragmented across the area bringing with it a deafening blast. Gratian laid on the floor faceless, metal shards lodged within his body, a voiced boomed across the corridors echoing muffled warnings as red hazard lights flashed with a dancing rhythm.
    Through the concussion Jonelle struggled to get up, her body responded with pain at her every attempt. Fire, heat, blood, a cacophony of screams and blaring servitor voices all screeched into her head, her eyes sluggishly opened. "Nine days! Nine damned days I have been stuck in that wall!" A distorted deep growl scraped across the air, it was unknown, alien to her senses.
    She finally felt the strength return to her, she pushed away from the heat and voice. As her vision swirled into organization she could see smoke and debris, Gratian's broken body laid on pieces scattered from the blast. The stunning realization of what happened began to stricken her limbs with fear, her stomach dropped as if falling from a height. Automated systems bled water as the heat triggered sensors, servitors slowly dredged their way from other corridors onto the scene holding tanks of oxygen choking foam.
    In the middle of the dramatic scene stood a towering eight foot giant, his arms were raised above as if controlling the situation. An augmented war cry blasted down the corridors alerting all who could hear. "I, Am Brutas! And I have come to-" a sudden force crashed into the side of the tall warrior. "You blasted thing, out of my way!" His anger reflected in his actions as he grabbed the servitor by its neck tossing it down the corridor. White foam sprayed in every direction as it attempted to conduct its fire suppression mindlessly.
    Jonelle tried to comprehend what had happened, her first thoughts were of Gratian, a helpless officer that occasionally annoyed her. He had done Emperor knows what aboard the ship but she knew he never deserved such a humiliating death. "How did you get here?" She whispered to herself as her eyes finally looked at the towering traitor, "You!" Brutas spoke with anger. His helm looked down at Jonelle as she struggled to sit up, a long shard of metal protruded from her stomach.
    "Where is this vessel heading? Why is no one answering the vox!" The words were said through gritted teeth as his realization was awaiting the confirmation. For nine days Brutas struggled in a maze of pipes and electrical wiring, he had gotten aboard the ship before the crew escaped the grasps of his squad. His last directive he still followed, board the vessel before its crew got on and disable its engines, of course it was easier said than done.
    Brutas was a primitive being, he had relished the hunt more so than others, in fact it was almost all he lived for. "We are gone from that world.. we escaped." Jonelle's words were dying, she coughed up blood after she spoke. With a grunt of frustration Brutas walked over the bleeding woman, he had no plan or idea of how to get back with Pha'Raz. The only thought inside his tired mind was the same as it had ever been: hunt.. and this he continued to do.