Chapter 1: 3rd War for Armageddon

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Chapter 1: bitter Memories

Grimaldus stood inside the Company Chapel inside the Flagship of his Company. The Lupercal's Wrath is an ancient Battleship, serving the Legion since the Great Scouring. He looked on the Crozius of his Master. Mordred the former High-Chaplain of the of the Sons of Horus. On the Top of the Plinth was a Keypad, each key bearing a Gothic sigil in Gold leaf. Now that Mordred has fallen, it is Grimaldus duty to take his weapon." For I am Grimaldus the Heir of High-Chaplain Mordred loyal Son of the First Warmaster." Slowly Grimaldus was entering the deactivation Code for the Stasis field into the Keypad. There was a grinding of ancient engines inside the stone plinth as the blue Field disappeared. Upon the flat surface of the white Stone column, the Crozius rested, freed of the blue illumination that had protected it from the ravage of time. Humbly Grimaldus gripped the maul's haft and raised it in his sure grip. The head was a hammer of Gold and blessed Adamantium fashioned into the shape of eagle wings over a stylised Eye of Lupercal. The shaft was darkened metal as long as the Chaplains own arm. The weapon's ornate caught the dim glow from the lume-globes ensconced in the walls and was painted briefly in flashes of reflected light as he turned it in his hands. Grimaldus stood like this for some time. Admiring the beauty of this piece of war and art.

"Brother", came a voice from behind, he turned, deeply ingrained instincts bringing the weapon to bear. Despite never holding this relict before Grimaldus scarred fingertips found the activation rune on its handle before his hearts could even beat once. The figure smiled to be revealed in such stark illumination. In a face pockmarked and crevassed by decades of battle, he saw the amusement in the younger Marines Eyes. "High-Chaplain", the figure inclined his head in greeting. "Artarion". "We draw near our destination. Estimates put translation back into realspace within the hour. I took the liberty of readying the squad for planetfall." Artarion's grin, much like Artarion himself, was ugly to look upon.

"This World will burn", Grimaldus said without even a shadow of doubt in his voice. "Like all others before."

Artarion's scratched lips parted to reveal steel teeth – implanted replacements due to a sniper shot fifteen years before. The rifle round had taken him in the side of the face, shattering his jaw. The mess of jar tissue webbing the flesh around the left side of his lips added to the thin, sneering image he projected when his helm was removed. Then Grimaldus saw the honour badge on his shoulder Guard. On the parchment were two crossed swords. The Symbol of their last Battle. His perfect Memory cast him back in time.

The Warband of White Scars had plagued the Sector for more than forty years but now the XXV. together with their partner Companies the XX and the XI had them cornered. Since the Great Crusade they fought together and now they brought more than 1000 Sons of Horus against around maybe 150 White Scars to bear. For more than three months they had eluded their wrath with the hit and run attacks they were so famous for. Now Grimaldus stood on the Bridge of the Lupercal's Wrath and looked on the Ship's of the White Scars around the 3 Planet of the System. They had found their Base. Grimaldus turned around as Captain Helbrecht stepped on the bridge together with High-Chaplain Mordred. Helbrecht wore the black Terminator of a Justaerin while Modred wore the same black painted Servoarmor and Skull Helmet like Grimaldus. He bowed to both of them. "My Lords the Traitors have held their Position above the Planet but we are detecting a flow of Dropships coming from the Planet."

Helbrecht's Face showed disgust and it looked like he wanted to spat on the Deck. "The Traitors prepare to flee." He looked to a human officer. "Give me a Com connection to Captain Almerich and Captain Ricard." The Human bowed. "Yes My Lord." Mere Minutes later the Images of the Captains in their Sea Green Armours appeared. Helbrecht was the most senior Captain of the three so he was first among equals. The three of them also represented aspects of the character of their Primarch Horus. Helbrecht represented the Primarchs determination and stubbornness. Captain Almerich was the Primarchs cool Mind and Captain Ricard had Horus diplomatic skills. "Brothers the Traitors prepare to flee we must stop them now or we will never catch them." Almerich looked back as some Mortal Crewmen told him something.

"My Auspex are reading Plasma emissions coming from the White Scars Ships. We must attack now." Now Ricard spoke for the first time. "I agree. Prepare the Justaerin for War." All Captains gave their agreement and Mordred turned his head to look Grimaldus on his unhelmed Face. "Come Grimaldus we will join the Boarding Party." With these words, he began to walk to the door to leave the Bridge and Grimaldus quickly followed him. As they walked through the Corridors of their ancient Flagship he mustered the Walls of the Corridor. During the Great Crusade the Lupercal's Fury was known as the Imperial Fists Battleship Tribune, but when Treachery struck the Master of the Tribune remained loyal and he managed to bring a warning to Terra. His name was now long lost to history, but he was still honoured by the Astartes of the XXV . During the Heresy, the Ship was first mothballed because it has suffered dearly under the strain of Warp Travel. But during the Scouring, the Tribune was finally repaired and gifted to the Sons of Horus where it received the Name Lupercal's Fury in memory to their slain Primarch. Since then the ship had proudly served the Emperor. Finally, they arrived in one of the four boarding Torpedo bays where about 80 Sons of Horus waited. 12 of them wore Terminator Armour. The Sergeant of the Terminators walked to them. His Cataphractii Pattern Terminator Armour hindering his Movement. "High-Chaplain it is an honour that you go to War with us." Mordred nodded in return as did Grimaldus. Before anybody of them could say more an Alarm sounded. "All selected Marines to the boarding Torpedoes!" Quickly they boarded the Torpedos together with a Breacher Command Squad was ordered to remain on the Ships so this time he was without their aid. Silently they watched on their Helmets displays how the Void Battle unfolded. A White Scars Strike Cruiser was breaking apart under the constant barrage of the Lupercal's Fury's Lances. But the Stalwart Defender Captain Almerichs Ship was taking a heavy beating from the Traitors Flagship a Vengeance Class Grand Cruiser. Identified as the "Soul Hunter" a ship lost to the Imperium more than 8.000 years ago. Grimaldus was listening to the Command Channel. "The Attack Craft have destroyed the Point Defence in the Sectors A-10 to D-1. Launching boarding Torpedos now." With a loud "clack" the Torpedo was started and despite the internal Dampers Grimaldus had to tense all his muscles to resist the pressure. The flight was relatively short only 3. Fleets attack Crafts lead by the Thunderhawks of the Sons of Horus held the few Attacks Crafts of the Traitors away from the Torpedos and so not a single Torpedo was lost. The Torpedo slammed into the Ship's Hull and drilled an part into the ship trough meters of armour. The front opened and the Marines poured into the Ship. The Breacher Squad formed a Perimeter and Mordred and Grimaldus slowly walked out of the Torpedo. In Mordreds Hands his Crozius and a Volkite Serpenta, in Grimaldus Hand his own Crozius and a Plasma Pistol. His first kill on this day was a mutant that had slipped through the Line of his brothers. It met his end when his Crozius turned the mutants head in a red paste. Then slammed further boarding Torpedos into the ship and one of them disgorged Terminators. Mordred and Grimaldus charged shouting their Battle-Cry. "Lupercal!" Their fellow Marines picked the Cry up and soon they smashed through the mortal servants of the Traitors. One of the Terminators carried a Heavy Flamer and bathed the Heretics in cleansing a short time it seemed nothing could stop them. Then they encountered the first heretic Astartes. They guarded an Entry to the Core hull. But instead of holding their Position they attacked with all the Speed they were famous for. The Terminator who was leading the Group didn't even get the Chance to react. A Plasma Bolt hit him in the Head. Everybody except the Terminators searched Cover, while the Terminator with the Assault Cannon filled the Corridor with bullets. The Traitor who still stood in the Corridor with his Plasma Gun was torn to shreds.

"Push forward!" Mordred lead the Charge as always. The remaining White Scars fired some Bolt shots, but the return Fire of the Sons of Horus pinned them down. Grimaldus killed the first Traitor whit a straight shoot through the belly. Then he brought his Crozius down on the Traitors Head, just to be sure. In just a few heartbeats the Traitors were wiped out. Grimaldus looked at their casualties. Except for the Terminator they hadn't lost anymore Marines.

They destroyed the Bulkhead to the Core Hull with a Melta Charge and proceeded to the bridge. There were no more Traitor Marines until they reached the Bridge doors. 47 Sons of Jagathai Khan stood there. Power Weapons drawn, Bolters aimed and they didn't wasted time. The first Salvo killed three Breacher Marines who were to bring their Shields up in Time. But now the Sons of Horus fired everything they had. The Breacher fired controlled Bursts with their Bolters, while the Terminators stomped forward covered by the fire from their Assault Cannon armed Squadmate. As soon as the Terminators crashed into the Heretics line, Mordred charged. "Sons of Horus for the Emperor and the Primarch!" Grimaldus followed his Master closely. A White Scar aimed his Bolter at his Head but Grimaldus brought his Crozius down on the Weapon and destroyed it completely. Grimaldus proceeded by ramming the Hilt of his Weapon in the Traitors Face. The Traitors Helmet buckled and he slammed his Fist in Grimaldus belly and forced him Back, then he tore his Helmet off and exposed a scarred, tattooed Face. "A Son of the dead Warmaster. How amusing! I saw your Father dye back then on Terra. You are weak as he was." Grimaldus roared as he jumped on the Heretic. He has lost control over his temper. The first Strike was parried by the White Scars Power Sword, but the second was too fast for the Traitor and his left leg was shattered. Grimaldus stood over the Heretic and aimed his Plasma Pistol directly on his head. "Any last Words, traitorous Scum." The fallen Astartes spat some Blood. "Hail Chaos." Then his Head disappeared in miniature Sun. Grimaldus looked up and saw the Carnage. Almost all Members of their Boarding Party lied on the ground. Breacher, Tacticals and Terminators lied next to the Traitors. Mordred was no were to see, but Grimaldus heard battle noise from the Bridge. So he walked through the melted Door on the Bridge. There Mordred was fighting the Warbands Leader, while the last three Justaerin fought some sort of Mutant. Grimaldus sprinted to the Mutant thing and lifted his Crozius for a decisive Attack when a Tentacle wrapped around his Hand and began to squeeze. With a roar of fury, he shot the Tentacle with his Plasma Pistol. At this Moment the Terminator Sergeant brought his Power Axt down on the Mutants Head and killed it. Grimaldus turned and his Eyes widened in Shock. Mordred was laying on the Ground his Front a single big wound, his enemy was also laying on the Ground his Head completely gone.

Grimaldus closed his Eyes for a Moment and was back on the Lupercals Fury. "Brother, have you heard what I said?" Grimaldus shook his Head. "Sorry Brother I was with my thought's away." Artarion smiled. "The Navigator said, that we should arrive in about an Hour. The War on Armageddon will start soon."

AN: I thank Zahariel that he permitted me to set this piece into the Roboutian Heresy. Ave Imperator