AN:
Hello some of you readers may know but this is my second story that I have written for this website.
I have been a huge fan of the Warhammer franchise and the show RWBY. I know there is a fair amount of Warhammer 40k and RWBY crossovers, but I want to do something a bit different compared to the other fics.
So I hope you readers enjoy this story, I put A LOT of research into this.
DISCLAIMER:
I don't own RWBY or Warhammer 40k, they're owned by Rooster Teeth and Gaming Workshop respectively.
"Normal"
"YELLING"
'Thoughts'
'Telepathic communication'
"Demonic/Other"
Prologue
'How did this happen...'
Jaune thought to himself as he and Pyrrha exited the elevator, escaping the ensuing fight bellow.
Just an hour ago, Professor Ozpin led Jaune and Pyrrha to a hidden underground vault right underneath Beacon Academy. Once there, Jaune saw two stasis pods connected to one another in an assortment of wires and a large tube, but what caught Jaune's attention was while one pod was empty, the other was occupied by a woman who seemed to be unconscious.
As soon as they arrived, Ozpin told Pyrrha to get in the unoccupied pod and for Jaune to stand guard. Jaune was both confused and worried of what was going on, but did as he was told.
However, he couldn't look away from what was going to happen next.
As soon as the pod holding his partner closed, Ozpin went to the terminal pad between the two pods and started typing something. Whatever he was doing, Jaune soon saw the unconscious woman's aura somehow being transferred to Pyrrha.
That's when the screams happened.
Pyrrha was screaming in pain as the aura started transferring into her. Of course Jaune was frightened for his partner's safety but Ozpin assured him that she would be fine and that this was necessary. Soon the unconscious woman slowly started to wake up from her coma.
However, that all changed when a black arrow whizzed past Jaune's head and pierced through the glass that held the unconscious woman, piercing her heart and killing her.
Jaune quickly spun around and saw the perpetrator. It was a woman with black hair, amber glowing eyes, and a red dress with gold flame like designs. This woman was also holding a black bow, further proving that she was the one who loosed the arrow.
As the woman in the pod died, the aura that was currently being transferred from her suddenly left Pyrrha as it soon shot out of the now deceased woman and into the unknown woman in front of Jaune. Soon enough the woman's eyes lit like flames as she slowly rose from the ground like a deity, then she started showcasing whatever power she just received in a form of a storm around her.
Jaune had no idea what the hell just happened, but he knew it wasn't good.
Soon Pyrrha burst from her pod, using her semblance, and stood beside Jaune, ready to fight.
That is until Ozpin told them to run and get Professor Goodwitch, General Ironwood, and Ruby's and Yang's Uncle.
Both Jaune and Pyrrha reluctantly complied as they ran for the elevator, leaving the Headmaster to fend off the unknown woman.
Now Jaune finds himself just outside of Beacon Tower, with more questions plaguing his mind than before.
"I think I have Goodwitch's number, let me just find it…" Jaune stated as he started searching through his phone. As he did this, he then turned his attention back to his somber looking partner. "Pyrrha. What was all of that?" Jaune asked in a serious tone. No more beating around the bush, he wanted answers.
"I-I-" Pyrrha went to answer but was soon interrupted by a small explosion emanating from the vault below. Soon Jaune saw, to his horror, the same woman that was fighting Ozpin, rocketed up the elevator shaft straight to the top of the tower.
There was a brief moment of silence until Jaune spoke. "But… Ozpin…" Jaune didn't want to believe it. The Headmaster of Beacon Academy, lost.
"There's no time…"
Jaune then turned his attention back to his partner, confused and worried.
Pyrrha gave him a determined expression. "Go! Get to Vale, and call for help!" Pyrrha ordered in a firm tone. Jaune's confusion rose. "Huh? What're you gonna do?" Jaune asked hesitantlyx.
Instead of answering, Pyrrha simply turned her gaze towards the top of the tower. Jaune knew right then what she was going to do.
"Pyrrha, no!" Jaune said in a serious tone, Pyrrha continued to stare up towards the tower.
Jaune continued. "I can't let you go up there! She is too powerful! Please Pyrrha don't do thi-" Jaune was soon cut off when Pyrrha suddenly turned and kissed him.
Jaune was taken by surprise, but deep down he knew. He knew of his partners feeling towards him, but was too much of a coward to reciprocate her feelings. However, as time went by his feelings for his partner grew. She has done so much for him, asking little in return. She supported him when no one else would, she trained him when he didn't know how to fight, she trusted him and stood by his side even after revealing his darkest secret.
She did the one thing that Jaune sought so hard from those around him.
She believed in him. She believed that he can become something great in the future.
After a few seconds Pyrrha broke the kiss as she started crying.
"I'm sorry Jaune I-" Jaune placed a single finger on her lips, cutting her off.
"No Pyrrha. I should be the one to apologize. I knew all along, but was afraid to say it. I mean, you did so much for me Pyrrha. You are the most talented, caring, and beautiful woman I know. You were the only one who believed in me when no one else would…" Jaune confessed with all his heart as he placed both hands and Pyrrha's shoulders. At first Pyrrha seemed shocked by his confession, but soon her shocked expression turned into a somber smile as she closed her eyes, crying.
Jaune gave a sad smile. "…and that is why I can't let you die."
Before Pyrrha could react, Jaune threw her into the rocket locker behind him and closed the door shut. He then pressed four random buttons, inputting a random location hopefully in Vale.
As he pressed the last button the locker locked the door and started boosting its engines as Pyrrha desperately banged on the door.
"JAUNE! PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS!" Pyrrha desperately screamed, her crying eyes desperately peering through the locker slits.
Jaune gave her a sad smile as he stepped away from the locker.
"Goodbye Pyrrha. I love you."
Soon the locker shot through the air towards Vale. As Jaune followed the locker's trajectory, he soon saw a black aura engulf the locker as the entire thing started to turn. But whatever Pyrrha was trying to do failed as the locker soon disappeared into the distance.
Jaune gave a shaky breath as he desperately tried to hold in his tears. Soon he gathered his courage as he looked towards the top of the tower with a determined expression.
"Well there's no going back now." Jaune said as he jogged towards the open elevator.
"Pleasebeworking. Pleasebeworking. Pleasebeworking!" Jaune prayed as he entered the elevator, but to his dismay the elevator was broken as the entire button panel was destroyed.
"Dang it! Whelp! Looks like I gotta use the stairs." Jaune made his way towards the door that led to the stairs. As soon as he went through the door and looked up, his heart dropped to his stomach.
The amount of stairs he had to climb was so vast that at he started silently cursing the sadistic bastard who built this place.
Jaune gulped. "This is going to take a while."
"Huff. Huff. Huff. *Gasp* Huff. I'm… *Gasp* going to kill… *Gasp* whoever built this place. *Gasp*" Jaune wheezed as he crawled up what seemed to be the hundredth flight of stairs.
He lost count after 67.
Luckily for the blond knight (and his legs) he made it to the top of the tower as he ran through the first door he saw.
"Finally made it!" He exclaimed in happiness, but his smile soon dropped when he came face to face with a fireball.
"EEK!" Jaune shrieked as he ducked the incoming fireball. He soon had to roll to the left in order to dodge another fiery projectile. Jaune then quickly unsheathed his sword and extended his shield, blocking the third fireball just in time.
Soon he stood in his stance, trained into him by Pyrrha, as he faced his enemy with a stern glare. The woman in front of him had a single hand lit with a large flame as her eyes glowed with power. But what caught Jaune's attention was that she was smiling, seemly amused by something.
The woman then chuckled.
"W-What's so funny?" Jaune nervously asked, keeping his serious expression. The woman stopped laughing as she stared back, still holding the same amused grin. "To think, out of all Ozpin's warriors that could've came up to face me, the most pathetic one has come to fight me all alone. Isn't that right, Jaune Arc." The woman said.
Jaune's eyes widened in shock. "H-How do you know my name?"
"I've been monitoring all of Beacon's star students for my plan. You just happen to be the partner of Pyrrha Nikos, other than that you're nothing special." The woman simply answered. Jaune then glared at the woman in front of him. "Who are you and what does this have to do with Pyrrha!?" Jaune demanded angrily.
The woman chuckled. "Since you won't live for long I'll humor you. I'm Cinder Fall, and your partner tried to take what was rightfully mine!" Cinder answered as she started glowing with power.
Jaune immediately dove to the right as Cinder started bombarding him with fireball after fireball. Jaune then rolled into a standing position as he continues to run around the room, dodging and occasionally blocking Cinder's attacks.
Soon Jaune was behind Ozpin's desk as he jumped off the desk and dove towards Cinder, Shield forward. However, Cinder simply dodged the knight as she fired another fire bolt straight into Jaune's back. Luckily Jaune's aura took the brunt of the attack as he quickly stood up and charged Cinder.
Cinder fired a large stream of flame trying to incinerate the blonde, but Jaune simply raised his shield and powered through the attack. Jaune was soon close enough to Cinder, he then started to swing Crocea Mors with practice precision taught to him by his partner. However, the fiery woman in front of him simply dodged his attacks, one after another.
After a few seconds, Cinder simply caught Jaune's last strike by the blade with her bare hand, surprising the blonde. Jaune was quickly brought out of his shock as Cinder pulled him towards her as she fired a burst of flame into Jaune's chest, knocking him back into a wall with sword and shield still in hand.
Jaune soon shook himself out of his stunned daze as he quickly stood up and charged Cinder once again. However, Cinder smirked when suddenly the floor bellow Jaune glowed and exploded, smashing the blonde against the ceiling and crashing onto the floor.
Jaune felt exhausted but was determine to win, no matter the cost. He soon stood back up once again as he quickly charged the woman in front of him. Cinder gave an annoyed sigh as the ground bellow Jaune glowed again, however, this time Jaune was ready.
Jaune quickly jumped as the floor exploded, the force of the explosion launched him towards Cinder at great speeds. Soon Jaune reached the surprised Cinder as he tackled her roughly into the ground.
The knight soon straddled Cinder and raised his sword with both hands as he brought the point of his blade down on Cinder's head. However, Cinder quickly grabbed the blade with both hands as both her and the blonde were now having a power struggle. Jaune put all of his body weight and strength onto the blade as his blade slowly neared her face. But just as the blade was about to pierce through Cinder's skull, Cinder looked to her left and smiled.
"SKKREEEEEEEAAAAIIIIIIIII!"
Jaune looked in the same direction and froze. Outside the office window, he saw, to his horror, the Dragon Grimm flying right towards them.
As soon as his attention was towards the Dragon, Cinder blasted Jaune off of her as the knight let go of his sword and crashed against a wall. Soon the Dragon Grimm crashed through the entire office, completely destroying the top portion of the tower.
As the dust settled Jaune groggily stood up, sword now missing but shield still in hand. As Jaune's vision cleared he saw Cinder floating above the ground without a single scratch, but what caught his attention was his sword in her hand. Cinder simply smirked as she threw the sword to the side, a good distance away from Jaune. Jaune then brought his attention back towards the floating Cinder, but soon realized too late that Cinder was about to fire a charged up attack.
Jaune quickly brought his shield up to bear as a large beam of fire soon hit his shield. He felt the sheer heat and force of the attack as he braced against it with all his remaining strength. However, his shield started to heat up till it glowed bright orange, slowly his shield started warping out of shape. Soon his shield, an ancient memento from his great-great-grandfather, cracked and shattered from the sheer intensity of the attack. However, the attack wasn't finished as Jaune's aura braced against the full force of the attack now that his shield broke.
As soon as the attack finished, Jaune's aura broke, signaling that he had no aura left to protect him. Jaune himself simply stood where he was, arms crossed protectively in front of him. His entire body smoking as some of his skin and clothes were burnt, the same could be said about the area around him.
Jaune stood for a good two seconds before falling to his knees, exhaustion and the pain taking its toll.
'Get up! You have to get up! If you don't stop her here, then she will-' Jaune was brought out of his panic thoughts when he saw Cinder approach him with an smirk of victory. Soon the Dragon Grimm landed on the side of the tower, seemly observing them.
"To think you have survived this long against me. I clearly underestimated your tenacity, that girl taught you well…" Cinder then created a black bow. As she pulled back the string a black arrow formed, aiming towards the kneeling blonde. "But it was all wasted on a pathetic fool." Cinder mocked as she loosed the arrow.
With nothing to block the attack, the arrow struck Jaune in the chest and pierced his heart. Jaune couldn't scream, only gasp in pain as he felt his entire body burning from the inside, emanating from the arrow in his chest. He desperately held his left hand over where the arrow pierced him as Cinder now stood in front of him, holding his cheek with an amused smile.
As the burning sensation slowly spread throughout his entire body, Jaune bowed his head and stared at the ground in defeat.
'I failed… I'm sorry everybody… I have failed you all… Mom… Dad… Ruby… Ren… Nora…'
A single tear fell from Jaune's eye.
'Pyrrha…'
Jaune closed his eyes, accepting defeat.
"JAUNE!"
Jaune's eyes slowly open. 'Ruby…'
"Well hello little red. You're just in time."
'Ruby… is here…'
"What have you done to Jaune!?"
"Ohh, don't worry about him. You will join him soon enough."
When Cinder said those words, Jaune felt something burning within him, and it wasn't from the arrow. It was an emotion he had felt only a few times in his life.
A burning hatred that grew with every second that past by.
'No…'
The burning pain from the arrow and his numerous wounds vanished as Jaune slowly raised his right hand towards his sword laying a good distance away from him. Cinder, Ruby, and the Dragon didn't notice.
"I'll stop you. No matter what!"
"I don't think you understand… right now you're no match for me little girl."
'No.'
Jaune then willed his sword to come to him.
"I can try!"
"How do you hope to defeat me when even Ozpin couldn't."
'No!'
Soon Crocea Mors faintly glowed white as it flew through the air and into Jaune's outstretched hand. Jaune gripped the sword as he slowly stood, no one noticed him yet.
"No… Your lying!"
"That's right child, the famed Headmaster of Beacon fell before my power. And soon, you and your little friends will suffer the same fate."
"NO!" Jaune yelled as he slowly looked up towards a shocked Cinder, his eyes burning with unrelenting hate and fury.
"You will not harm anyone else. Not anymore…" Jaune said in a calm but furious tone. Soon a bright white light engulfed the area, blinding both Cinder, Ruby, and the Dragon.
"WHAT!?" Cinder screamed. When the light finally dimmed, there Jaune stood with a glowing white aura sheathing him and his blade. Cinder tried to blast the knight away, however, Jaune quickly dashed towards her at an unnatural speed, shrugging off her first attack.
Cinder tried to back pedal but Jaune quickly grabbed her by the wrist and plunged his glowing sword through her heart, his blade completely ignoring her aura.
Jaune saw the shock and despair in Cinder's face as her once glowing eyes dimmed.
"I-Impossible…" Cinder choked as life started fading away from her eyes, soon Cinder slumped forwards, dead. Jaune pulled his blade out of her body as the unknown power she obtained flew out of her and disappeared into the night sky. Jaune, still glowing with power, turned towards the Dragon Grimm.
Said Grimm roared as it bought its head down, maw opened to consume the blonde knight. However, Jaune gripped the blade with both hands as he brought the blade over his head, gathering all the energy he had in his blade.
"RRRAAAAAAAAAAH!" Jaune roared as he brought his blade down, firing a vertical blade of pure white energy towards the Grimm.
The blade cut straight through the Grimm as it continued on and soon dissipated a few meters behind the massive Grimm. As the bisected body of the now dead Grimm fell and faded away, the powerful aura that coated Jaune soon vanished.
Jaune immediately felt the intense burning pain from the arrow still lodged in his chest as it once again slowly started spreading through out his body from the inside. He knew he didn't have long to live, his vision was blurry and he couldn't hear or feel anything but the burning sensation growing within him.
However, Jaune was smiling towards the blurry form of Ruby.
He did it.
With no energy left to keep him standing. Jaune fell backwards, off the destroyed tower.
As he was falling he vaguely saw something red falling after him. As it neared he can somewhat clearly see who it was.
It was Ruby. Trying to save him.
Jaune smiled as he felt himself starting to crumble away, orange ashes rushing from his body as he fell. Ruby was crying, hand stretched out trying desperately to grab him, to save him.
But Jaune knew his demise was near. So he closed his eyes as he soon faded away with a smile.
Empreror Class Battleship, Indomitable Wrath - Sanctuary of Worship
A lone Grey Knight opened his eyes after experiencing another memory. He is currently kneeling before a shrine dedicated to the God-Emperor of Mankind.
His name is Julius Arch, Brotherhood Champion to the 1st Brotherhood of the Grey Knights Chapter. Clad in his Aegis Terminator Armor and holding his Nemesis Force Sword with both hands in front of him as he kneeled in prayer. His helmet was laying on the ground beside him, showing his rough but strong looking face, eyes blue as the oceans that Holy Terra once had, and blonde crew cut hair somewhat of a rarity among space marines.
Julius is different from all his Brothers for he wasn't a Psyker and had no psychic abilities what so ever. However, instead he wields a power that is far more potent than anything the Grey Knights in his chapter or those in the Inquisition has ever seen.
His very soul.
His soul protects him like a shield, empowering his armour and wards as well as any of his Brothers, but to a greater degree. His very soul is incorruptible and virtually impenetrable from the foul sorcery and attacks of Chaos. He can empower his blade with this same energy in order to duel and slay the most powerful of deamons.
As Julius thought this, he brought his right hand in front of him and balled it into a fist, willing his power to show. Soon he was rewarded with a bright white aura encasing his right gauntlet, the protective wards inscribed into his armor glowed as he flared more of his power.
Julius soon stopped as the aura encasing his gauntlet's and the glow of his wards soon vanished.
This was the power he wields, the power to protect himself against the corruption of Chaos and to slay the same corruption, permanently. However, when it was first revealed many did not see it so.
Before, many within the chapter saw this as a blessing, given to him by the God-Emperor himself. However, at the same time those within the Ordo Hereticus and Ordo Malleus were suspicious of him and thought he was a secret agent of Chaos. If it weren't for the stalwart support of Brother Captain Cadrig Pelenas of the 1st Brotherhood, then Julius would've been branded a heretic and executed where he stood. After many hours of arguing the Captain made an ultimatum to the Inquisition, have Julius serve the 1st Brotherhood and prove himself in the deadliest battles against the deamons of Chaos.
The Inquisition accepted these terms, but warned both Julius and the Captain that they will keep a close eye on Julius's progress.
Normally Captain Pelenas would never support a suspected heretic, however, Julius was a special case. Supposedly, it was the very Captain himself that found Julius and recruited him after discovering Julius's unnatural power over his soul. The Brother Captain saw potential in Julius as did many of the Chapter Gatherers that he was brought to.
So for 127 years since he first served the 1st Brotherhood, Julius has faced many trials of faith and slayed countless of deamons and heretics in the Emperor's name. Under the watchful eye of the Brother Captain, Julius trained and used his power over his own soul to dominate his enemies and slayed the greatest of deamons and heretics, all to prove himself worthy to fight in His name. As Julius rose through the ranks, those that once had suspicions of him soon saw him too invaluable as a weapon against Chaos and soon changed their views of him.
Julius has proven himself to the Inquisition and most importantly to his Brother Captain, something that he is proud to achieve.
Soon after the Inquisition's judgement, Julius's years of service, experience, and skills fighting against the deamons of Chaos has earned him the position of Brotherhood Champion for the 1st Brotherhood when the previous champion died slaying a Greater Deamon of Slaanesh.
This position fitted Julius perfectly for his skills with his Nemesis Force Sword was matched only to the pervious champion whom he trained under. Julius had always had an affinity towards the sword, even though he is proficient with many other weapons that are accessible to him, the sword just felt right in his hands, as if he was born to wield one.
However, during his time slaying deamons, raising through the ranks of his Brotherhood, and facing numerous trials of faith, Julius's mind was plagued by unknown visions.
His first vision happened 33 years into his service. It was very brief, only showing a young human child named Jaune Arc talking to his father about wanting to become a hero called a Huntsman. Julius was confused and spoke to Brother Captain Cadrig Pelenas about his vision. The Captain had the Brotherhood's Librarian to check for any Chaos incursions within Julius's mind, fortunately the Librarian found none and deemed Julius's mind pure of taint. Julius was then mind wiped of the vision for safe measure.
Unfortunately, that was not the end of these visions.
20 years past when the second vision came. This time the vision was longer and the same human child from his previous vision has grown into an adolescent boy.
It showed the boy receiving his family's sword, Crocea Mors, from his father. However, the boy lied to his family, saying he was accepted into a Huntsmen schola named Beacon Academy, knowing that he faked his own personal file in order to be accepted. The vision ended when the boy left his family.
Julius once again went to the Brother Captain and told him of this vision. The Captain was just as confused as Julius was, so Captain Pelenas enlisted the aid of Grand Master Valdar Aurikon, Warden of the Librarius. The Grand Master delved deep into Julius's thoughts and saw the very same vision, as well as the previous. After hours of encrypting Julius's mind, the Grand Master himself confirmed that these visions that plagued Julius's mind were not of Chaos origin, but memories of the past life that Julius once had.
This greatly shocked Julius, upon the completion of his training the Grey Knights cleansed his mind of his past in order to ensure his undying loyalty to the God-Emperor. What the Grand Master had told him at that time seemed impossible, but what reason would the greatest psyker and one of the Grand Masters within the chapter lie?
In order to shed some possible light of the situation, the Grand Master gave permission to Brother Captain Pelenas to reveal to Julius one thing.
Julius's own past.
For as long as Julius has served the Grey Knight order, it was forbidden to reveal the past of another Grey Knight without the explicated permission from either the Supreme Grand Master himself or one of the Grand Masters if deemed necessary.
Julius, for the first time in his servitude, was hesitant. Hesitant of being told of his past life. However, his hesitance lasted only a brief moment before Julius nodded, ready to receive answers to these strange memories.
Soon, Captain Pelenas told Julius of where he first found him.
Over a hundred years ago before he found Julius, Captain Pelenas and a full Brotherhood of Grey Knights was in pursuit of a Black Legion warband led by a powerful Chaos Sorcerer. This warband was carrying a powerful relic of Khorne, The Skull of Blood, a blood red skull said to have a tiny piece from the Blood God's unholy Sword. This powerful relic is said to be able to open an indefinite rift to the Wrap and can summon countless of deamons of Khorne, no matter how powerful they might be. However, it is said that the artifact needed a sacrifice of 88,888,888 untainted skulls in order to create such a powerful portal.
This warband has eluded Captain Pelenas''s forces for five years, every planet they come across most of its population were either used to bolster their forces or used for sacrifices to fuel the relic. After five years of searching, Captain Pelenas and his Grey Knights found the Chaos warband on a Feudal World named Orion Prime, located on the very fringe of the galaxy.
When the Captain and his Grey Knights initiated their attack on a feudal village that the Warband took over, it was already too late as legions of Khorne's deamons spewed forth from an opened rift created by the relic. The battle was fierce as the Captain and his Brotherhood of Grey Knights fought through the bloody tide of deamons to reach the sorcerer and the relic.
However, the dreaded sorcerer called upon four Greater Deamons of Khorne to fend off the Grey Knight assault, while the sorcerer himself prepared the portal for the arrival of the Deamon Prince of Khorne, Angron.
The Captain and his Grey Knight fought tooth and nail to reach the damned sorcerer and his relic, but the deamons of Khorne held their ground against them, their numbers matching against the martial skill of the Grey Knights. The Brother Captain as well as the rest of his Astartes could sense that Angron was near, for the Captain saw the portal started to expand and burn like fire with Angron's rage and hatred for the Grey Knights.
All hope in reaching the relic in time seemed lost, but from an open flank a tattered and wounded human boy charged towards the Chaos Sorcerer with nothing but a simple iron sword in both hands. The Sorcerer took notice of the boy and simply laughed as he fired a single doom bolt towards the frail looking boy.
However, instead of annihilating the boy right then and there, the Captain saw a flash of bright light. When the light died down, the boy was encased in an aura of white, protecting him from the attack.
The boy continued to charge as the sorcerer desperately fired all manners of spells to destroy the boy. However, as if the Emperor himself was protecting him the boy's aura protected him from the sorcerer's attacks. The sorcerer desperately tried to call for aid from the various deamons around him, however, the Captain and his Grey Knights were now the ones keeping the deamons at bay by his orders.
The boy was soon faced against the Chaos Sorcerer himself, but the boy did not falter nor did he show any ounce of fear when he faced the sorcerer.
The Captain saw a burning hatred in the eyes of the boy, the flames of righteous fury the Captain has only seen among his brothers. The boy leaped at the sorcerer, sword sheathed in the same glowing aura that protects him. The sorcerer tried to block but the boy's sword not only cut through the sorcerer's possessed staff, but also cut straight through his armor and his entire body, splitting the sorcerer vertically in half.
Then the boy turned to strike the artifact just as Angron was making his way through the portal.
The boy was successful in destroying the artifact as the portal started to implode, taking Angron and the deamons summoned with it.
It was only after the portal has disappeared did the boy's unknown aura left him, soon the boy collapsed from fatigue and exhaustion, and was soon unconscious.
The Captain and many of the surviving Grey Knights would never forget what had happened that day. A single human boy ended a full Chaos incursion before it can happen, with a power that can only be described as the Emperor's divine protection.
This same boy, was Julius Arch.
After Captain Pelenas finished his story, Julius was no less shocked. Questions were now plaguing his mind about his past, but the question remains, how does this answer about his recent memories?
Julius asked if Captain Pelenas if he met any humans that go by the title of Huntsman while he was on that Feudal World, any other humans with powers similar to his or the schola from his memories.
Unfortunately, the Captain denied his questions saying that he and his Grey Knights found no one with the same power or an establishment by the name of Beacon.
Julius was disappointed, he was told of his past in order to find some answers but he just received more questions then answers.
Before the Grandmaster and the Captain left that day, the Grandmaster advised Julius to study his memories for they might have the answers he's looking for.
That was 74 years ago, and since then he had two more memories. One was when the same boy faced against a large deamon of darkness called a Grimm in order to save his tormentor from death, and soon after finally accepting the training he desperately needed from his partner, a girl named Pyrrha.
The second memory was the one he just had a few moments ago.
As Julius was reminiscing about the past, he soon stood from his kneeling position as he magnetically attached his sword to his left hip. As he picked up his helmet from the ground the doors behind him opened as the very Captain he was sworn to protect entered the room.
"Champion, how goes your prayer?" Julius turned towards the Brother Captain. Captain Pelenas is donned in his personal Artificer Terminator Armor complete with a large white cape inscribed with golden runes along the edges. He is currently helmetless and in his right hand is his weapon, a Nemesis Force Halberd one off the more popular choice of weaponry among his brothers.
"I prayed for the Emperor's holy protection for the battles we're about to face next, Brother Captain." Julius answered as he approached the Captain, now holding his helmet underneath his left arm.
The Captain gave him a stern look. "You seemed troubled. Was it another memory?" Julius nodded as he replied. "Yes Brother Captain, I received another memory. But this time it was far longer then any of my previous memories."
The Captain's expression remained stoic. "What has it showed you?" Julius closed his eyes, recalling the memory. "It was the same boy, but this time the kingdom he was sworn to protect is in flames. Deamons of darkness flood the streets, the Planetary Defense Forces were shattered, and the witch behind it all gained a power that was said to be a myth. The boy fought this witch, at first he was losing, outmatched by whatever power this witch had gained. As he was dying from a fatal blow, an unknown power unlocked within him, giving him the strength to slay the witch and her greatest deamon of darkness. However, he soon died from the witches last attack and that's where it ended."
Captain Pelenas nodded. "I see… it seems this memory might be the last. But for now, I need you ready, we're about to exit the Warp." The Captain ordered as Julius brought his helmet to his head.
As the helmet locked in place and the visors glowed blue, Julius looked towards the Captain.
"Then let us smite the enemies of Man once more."
999.M41
Segmentum Obscurus
Cadian Sector
Cadia
Emperor Class Battleship, Indomitable Wrath – Bridge
Julius stood besides the Brother Captain alongside Librarian Galan Cortez, Chaplain Marcellus Grimm, Techmarine Antonius Haakinson, and Justicar Mussius Modrak. All these Grey Knights were currently in the bridge observing the ensuing battle happening just outside the deck.
Julius observed the ensuing space battle that was happening. Everywhere he looked there was at least two or more ships dueling one another among the numerous debris of destroyed ships.
On one side are the defenders of Cadia, the Imperial Navy and the first wave of Space Marine reinforcements with their remaining ships, ranging from the smallest's of Escorts to the largest of Battleships. On the other side, is the vile forces of Chaos, containing their corrupted warships, Space Hulks, and numerous transport ships ferrying traitors down to the planet.
The Imperial Navy and the first wave of Space Marine reinforcements defending Cadia were heavily outnumbered by the Chaos fleets sieging the planet. However, with the second wave reinforcements coming in from various Space Marine Chapters, including the Grey Knights themselves, the tide of battle will finally turn in their favor.
As Julius is observing the other Space Marine fleets moving towards the ensuing battle, the bridge doors behind him opened. He and the other Grey Knights in the bridge turned to see Lord Inquisitor Torquemada Coteaz of the Ordo Malleus walking in.
"Lord Inquisitor, it's good to see you have finally arrived." Brother Captain Pelenas said, greeting the famed Inquisitor. The Inquisitor nodded in reply as he made his way to stand beside both the Brother Captain and Chaplain Marcellus.
"As all of you know, Abaddon is once again leading another Black Crusade against the Imperium. His forces have laid waste to numerous of planets within the Cadian Sector as well as crippled the Cadian Battlefleet and wiped out the Cadian high command. If it weren't for the efforts of Planetary Governor Ursarkar E. Creed, the Imperial forces protecting this sector will surely have crumbled." The Lord Inquisitor explained as every Grey Knight on the bridge listened with stoic discipline.
The Inquisitor continued. "However, the Archenemy are relentless and continued their merciless assault on Cadia. Creed called for any available reinforcements but said reinforcements couldn't penetrate the Chaos blockade and the numerous Warp Storms raging throughout the sector. Until now…" The Inquisitor then turned towards Captain Pelenas. "We are to aid with the defence of Kasr Partox along side with numerous other Chapters of Adeptus Astartes and the Cadian regiments there. There is a massive force of Chaos marching to the fortress city as we speak, we must defend this city and prevent it from falling to Chaos, is that understood?" Inquisitor Corteaz asked.
Captain Pelenas nodded. "My Grey Knights and I will fight along side you in this battle against the foul corruption of Chaos." The Captain replied as the Inquisitor nodded. "Good. Prepare your strike team. We shall leave immediately."
Kasr Partox
The battle was fierce.
Julius has fought in numerous battles against the forces of Chaos for over a century, with only the briefest of moments to rest. But all of that paled in comparison to the battle he is currently fighting in.
When Julius and three Grey Knight squads and the Inquisitor's forces arrived to the fortress city, they were met with the defenders. The defenders consist of 23 regiments of Cadian Shock Troops, conscripts from numerous world around the sector, Adeptus Astartes from numerous chapters, the Adeptas Sororitas, the Adepus Mechanicus with their two Scout-class Titans, a single Reaver-class Battle Titan, and Skitarii warriors, scores of Inquisitors, and finally the Confessors from the Imperial Cult.
Even with such a fearsome force, the numbers of the defenders' pale in comparison to the Archenemy at their door step.
From the very walls of the city, Julius saw the Chaos forces that were sent to attack them. Every inch of ground outside the city walls as far as the eye could see was covered by the armies of Chaos. To the defenders it was as if the full might of the Warp was against them.
The ensuing battle was a slaughter, no matter how many Julius slew with his sword, the slain were easily replaced by those behind them. The defenders held the city for hours, bodies stacked high from both sides as the very walls and streets run red with blood and gore. It wasn't until the foul deamons and war machines of Chaos started joining the fray and destruction of the mighty Titans did Governor Creed ordered the full retreat from the fortress city.
Thousands of loyal Imperial soldiers died in the retreat alone, even an entire squad from the Grey Knights were eliminated during the battle. The surviving defenders retreated to the Caducades Sea, where Julius stood with his brothers as they made their final stand along side with the remaining defenders.
But as the forces of Imperials and Chaos clashed once more, a large Necron fleet appeared seemly out of nowhere and started assaulting the armies of Chaos within the city. With the Necron intervention the surviving Imperial forces used this distraction in order to evacuate across the Caducades Sea.
However, the forces of Chaos are relentless, for they employed their foul sorcery to summon waves of deamons in order to overrun the retreating Imperial forces.
Julius would see to their destruction.
"The Necrons are attacking the Chaos forces! All units, use this is chance to retreat into the transport ships!" Ordered Governor Creed through the vox communications. The surviving Imperial guard regiments were the first to enter the transport ships while the Space Marines and Sisters of Battle slowly retreated back into the ships, covering the army's retreat.
Unfortunately, in order to save time, any heavy equipment was to be left behind. His included heavy weapons, tanks, and supplies that were too heavy to carry. While the transport ships were being loaded, alongside the other Space Marine Chapters Julius and the rest of the Grey Knights were holding against the tide of deamons and heretics, refusing to retreat.
Julius, sword sheathed in a faint white aura, cleaved through five lesser deamons of Khorne, his power banishing them back into the warp. He then immediately blocked a strike from a Khorne Berserker as it screamed for blood. Julius gave the corrupted Space Marine what he wanted as he parried the Berserker's second strike and drove his blade into its chest. He then removed his blade from the dying Berserker and quickly decapitated the heretic.
Julius then slashed a deamon vertically in half and bisected three more charging him. He turned to see Captain Pelenas fighting by his side, watching as the Captain skillfully wielded his halberd to slay droves upon droves of deamons and heretics. On his other side was Grey Knight Chaplain Marcellus, leading a squad of Grey Knights as he banished whole groups of deamons with his power mace. Just beside the Chaplain is Grey Knight Librarian Galan, using his superior psychic powers to both smite the Arch enemy and to boost his fellow Battle Brother.
After a brief moment of watching, he quickly bisected a Chaos Marine and fired his wrist mounted storm bolter at another, scoring a headshot.
However, no matter how many he or his Brothers killed, the slain were easily replaced. Even with the Necron intervention, their numbers are vastly superior.
But it did not matter to Julius or to his Brothers in arms. The Grey Knights are always in situations where they're greatly outnumbered, and had always triumphed over their enemies. The key is to destroy the source of the corruption, and Julius is staring right at the source.
Behind the vast army of Chaos is a large rift into the Warp, summoning the endless tide of deamons into battle. Surrounding the portal is five chaos sorcerers keeping the portal active with their foul sorcery. But what caught Julius's attention were the five distinct figures standing guard in front of the sorcerers.
Each of these figures were Chaos Terminators of the Black Legion. While two of these Terminators wielded corrupted lightning claws and the other two wielded power fists and auto cannons, the fifth one standing in the middle is different from the rest. It wore a black cape and equally dark terminator amour adorned with skulls, bones, and the symbol of Chaos, helmet fashioned into a demotic black skull with burning red eyes and horns, and finally wielded a possessed power maul radiating foul energies of the Warp.
Julius can tell that this corrupted Space Marine is the one leading this army, you would have to be a fool not to notice. Julius spoke directly to Captain Pelenas. "Brother Captain! I see the Chaos Lord leading this attack! He's cowering behind his main force, protecting the foul sorcerers keeping that portal open." Julius explained as he bisected four deamons in one swing.
The Captain turned towards the Warp rift with a battle hardened expression."I see him Champion!" The Brother Captain confirmed as he turned to the rest of the Grey Knights around him. "BROTHERS! WITH ME! WE'RE GOING TO DSTROY THE SOURCE OF THIS CHAOS INCURSION!"
"WE ARE THE HAMMER!" The Grey Knights roared in unison as they gathered behind the Brother Captain. The Captain then raised his halberd high into the air as he concentrated his and his Brother's psychic energies into his weapon. After a brief moment the Captain slammed the fully charged halberd onto the ground, releasing all the stored energy in a large wave of psychic power. The psychic wave decimated and incinerated every deamon and heretic in a line, clearing a direct path towards the Chaos Lord.
"NOW BROTHERS! CHARGE! FOR THE EMPEROR!"
"FOR THE EMPEROR!"
Like an unstoppable engine of war, the group of Grey Knights charged relentlessly towards their intended target. The deamons and heretics surrounding them tried to close their path and block their charge, but their efforts were futile as many were brutally cut down and trampled on by the Grey Knight's unstoppable charge spear headed by the Captain and his own retinue.
As they were half way towards the Chaos Lord, their path was soon blocked by numerous of deamons once again. However, they made it just close enough.
"BROTHERS! LIGHTENING STRIKE!" The Captain ordered, immediately Julius activated his Teleport Homer built into his armor as it hummed with power. Soon the entire group of Grey Knights disappeared in a bright flash and instantly reappeared in front of the Chaos Lord and his retinue in a sound reminiscent of a thunder clap.
"WE ARE THE HAMMER!"
Many of the Grey Knights held off the deamons trying to assist the Chaos Lord, Julius and the rest of his Captain's retinue fought the Chaos Lord and his corrupted body guards.
Julius immediately dueled with the one of the Chaos Terminators with the lightning claws while his Captain face against the Chaos Lord himself. The Corrupted Marine in front of him snarled as Julius blocked another strike from its claws. Julius went for a diagonal slash followed quickly by a vertical slash, the Chaos Terminator blocked the first strike as well the second but Julius quickly spun feigning a horizontal slash. The heretic fell for the feign as Julius, in a show of great speed, brought up his sword for another vertical strike. However, the Chaos Terminator barely managed to raise both claws just in time to block the attack, soon both warriors were locked in a power struggle.
As both weapons grinded against one another in a show of sparks, the Chaos Terminator snarled. "You Imperial dogs don't know when you have lost! Lord Abaddon will burn this entire sector until there is nothing left! Once he is finished with your pathetic forces, he will then plunge this entire universe in the fires of Chaos! And there is nothing you or your Corpse Emperor can do anything about it!" The Terminator mocked in Julius's face, however, this only further fueled Julius's anger.
Julius's sword started glowing brighter as well as his wards, this confused the Chaos Terminator. Underneath his helmet, Julius fixed his opponent with a hardened glare. "For as long as I can wield my sword! I will continue to fight in His name!" Julius started to slowly overpower the heretic, his sword's bright aura cleansed whatever corrupted power that was powering the Terminator's claws.
"FOR I AM SPACE MARINE! HIS ANGEL OF DEATH! AND YOU SHALL KNOW HIS POWER!" Julius roared as he brutally broke the power struggle simultaneously destroying the Chaos Terminator's own lighting claws.
The Terminator stared in both shock and disbelief at his now broken claws, however, the shock of his broken weapons left him open to another strike from Julius. Julius brought down his sword, slicing the Chaos Terminator from shoulder to hip killing him instantly.
As the now bisected body crashed onto the ground, Julius heard an anguish cry of pain as he turns to see the source. Julius smiled in triumph as he saw his Brother Captain slicing off the arm holding the weapon of the Chaos Lord, leaving the Lord weaponless. Soon the remaining Chaos Terminators were eliminated by the rest of the Captains retinue.
As Julius stood by his Captain's side, Captain Pelenas pointed his halberd towards the Chaos Lord, who was standing in front of the Warp Rift. "You are defeated corrupted Lord of Chaos! By the Emperor's name I will smite you down where you stand!" Stated the Brother Captain in a strong tone. However, the Chaos Lord simply laughed. "HAHAHAHAHA! You think you have won!? I'm am just one of many! My death will not end Lord Abaddon's Crusade against your rotting Imperium! It makes no difference whether I live or die! But if I'm going to die anyway might as well take all of you with me!"
The Chaos Lord then started chanting in the language of deamons. Julius eyes widened as the Captain immediately threw his halberd like a spear towards the Chaos Lord, spearing him through the chest. However, it was too late as the rift behind the dead Chaos Lord started to rupture violently as it started to suck everything in like a black hole. The first to go were the Chaos Sorcerers maintaining the rift as well as the deamons that were once pouring from the rift. Julius, his Captain's retinue, and the surviving Grey Knights drove their weapons deep into the ground trying to brace against the powerful vacuum.
The Captain himself held onto both Julius's and Chaplain Marcellus's shoulder pauldrons against the rift's vacuum. However, the Warp Rifts vacuum only increased in power and size as some of the Grey Knights were barley holding on.
At this rate Julius, his captain, and the entire strike force will be sucked into the Warp with no hope of return.
He then made his decision.
Julius slowly rose from his crouched position using the sword as a brace against the vacuum.
"CHAMPION! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" His Captain yelled over the noise of the vacuum. Julius kept his sights towards the rift as he answered. "If that portal is not closed, we will all perish. I'm going to close it!"
The Captain gave Julius a stern stare.
"You might not survive!"
"I may not! But If it means that you and my Brothers can live to fight another day, then I will gladly give my life!" Julius said with conviction.
After a brief moment of silence between the two, the Captain bowed his head. "Then it was an honor to have you fight by my side, Brother Julius! May the Emperor protect you wherever you may go!" The Captain said as the rest of the Grey Knights bowed their heads in respect. Julius pulled his sword out of the ground. "Farewell Brother Captain. Thank you for all you have done for me." Julius replied, he then charged straight towards the Warp Rift.
Using the force of the vacuum, Julius literally flew straight towards the Warp Rift, Sword at the ready. Julius didn't feel fear or worry; those emotions are for the weak willed, he instead felt satisfied as his duty to the Chapter, to his Captain, and to the God-Emperor fulfilled. As he neared the rift Julius charged his sword as he brought it over his head, ready to strike.
"FOR THE EMPEROR!"
As Julius sliced the unstable Warp Rift, there was a large flash of white light that could be seen for miles. Soon the light died down, as the Captain and his Grey Knights felt the pressure of the vacuum vanished as well as the very Warp Rift itself.
However, no matter where the Captain looked, he couldn't find or sensed Julius anywhere. After a brief moment of looking, Brother Captain Cadrig Pelenas turned and started walking towards the remaining transport ships, his Grey Knights following.
In honor of their Brother's sacrifice, they had a war to win.
Location: The Immaterium
The Immaterium has many names.
Empyrean.
The Sea of Souls.
The Aether.
The Realms of Chaos.
Warpspace.
And the most commonly used, The Warp.
It's a realm separate from the material realm where time, physics, and logic doesn't exist as it's always changing. The Warp is filled with psychic energy which rages like a storm across this realm, where every psyker derives their powers from, where almost every race uses this realm for faster than light travel, and most importantly where the Gods of Chaos and their countless deamons resides.
Suffice to say the Deamons of Chaos is what makes the Warp so dangerous to venture through or to harness for power, for the Deamons of Chaos will feast upon any who would use their home.
That is why when a flash of bright light appeared in the Warp only to fade away to reveal an unconscious Grey Knight, this caught the attention of every deamon within the vicinity.
Like vultures, the deamons were immediately upon this dangerous but delicious morsel. Even though this Grey Knight's very presence alone hurt and deterred the weaker deamons, the stronger deamons ignored their pain as they desperately reach for the body that held such a pure and delicious soul that can catch the eyes of even the Chaos Gods themselves. In fact, it was the very Chaos Gods themselves that ordered their minions to retrieve this Grey Knight as soon as they sensed him within their realm.
Just as the first deamon was about to reach the unconscious body, a large figure smashed into the deamon, crushing it. The tide of deamons recoiled from the figure as it rose to its full height.
The figure was a man clad in similar armor as the unconscious Grey Knight except without a helmet, showing his old but battle hardened expression. This man also donned a red cape and wielded a sword of great power in his right hand and a powerful kite shield inscribed with numerous wards of protection in his left.
Every deamon in the Warp knew who this man was for he had made a name for himself when he arrived in the Immaterium. He slew countless of Khorne's greatest warriors, burned the plague jungles and rotting gardens of Nurgle, broke the very walls of Tzeentch's domain, and brutally rebuked the irresistible seduction of Slaneesh's personal handmaidens and concubines.
This man standing before the tide of deamons was none other than Kaldor Draigo.
Kaldor Draigo raised his mighty weapon, Titansword, towards the army of deamons in front of him. "DEAMONS OF CHAOS! YOU SHALL NOT FEAST ON THIS KNIGHT AS LONG AS HE IS UNDER MY PROTECTION AND THAT OF THE GOD EMPEROR!" Draigo yelled in a powerful tone. If it were anyone else, the deamons would've kill them and take the unconscious knight. However, this was Kaldor Draigo, someone that even the Chaos Gods themselves warned to stay away from. So it was to no surprise that the surrounding deamons retreated, leaving Draigo and the unconscious knight.
When the last deamon had fled, Kaldor Draigo lowered his sword as he turned to the knight he was tasked under his care.
"I can see why He has taken such an interest with you. You do not belong in this realm or the realm where my Chapter resides. You belonged in another realm, specifically a world embroiled in darkness." Draigo said to the unconscious knight. Draigo then nodded his head agreeing with himself. "I can definitely see why He is so interested in you. He didn't tell me everything, only that He reincarnated you into His realm after you died on your world. But alas the God-Emperor deemed you ready to return home young knight and I'm here to make sure your safely seen off." Draigo said mainly to himself since the knight was unconscious.
Suddenly a golden portal appeared in front of Draigo and the unconscious knight. When the portal appeared Draigo stabbed his sword into the ground beside him and knelt beside the unconscious knight as he placed his hand on the knight's helmet where the forehead was. Draigo then closed his eyes and started concentrating, soon his hand glowed bright white as well as the unconscious knight's entire body, Draigo opened his eyes as they now glowed bright white as he did his work. Soon the light from both knights faded as Draigo lifted his hand from the unconscious knight's helmet.
"Now that takes care of that. The next time you wake up, you should receive all the memories of your previous life. Should make it easier for you when you arrive back to your home and for anyone who you were familiar with. Now I think I took too much of your time, it's now time for you to return home." Draigo said as the unconscious knight's body was soon encased in a golden aura and started floating towards the portal.
As the unconscious knight pass through the portal, said portal closed and disappeared, leaving Kaldor Draigo alone once again.
Draigo picked up his sword as he stared at the empty space where the portal once was.
He smiled. "May the Emperor guide your way. Jaune Arc."
AN:
Finished the prologue!
Sorry about this prologue but as some of you may know, Prologues are very important for story development. But I promise you that next chapter will be going into the main story, so don't you worry.
Also sorry if some parts of this story seems confusing or not canon to the Warhammer 40k verse. I do all my research online for I can't get any of the books or Codex because I'm poor like that.
I try to be as loyal to the Warhammer 40k canon as possible unlike the DEV's for Dawn of War 3. (Seriously, Gaberial Angelos jumping in Terminator Armor… *sigh*)
For those who read my other story Remnant of the Swarm, I'll get back to working on that AFTER finishing the next chapter for this story.
Now if you have questions, reviews, comments, suggestions, then either PM me or put it in the comment selection below and I will do my best to answer them.
Good bye and see you next time.