Author's Note: This short story is based on an Index Astartes article on the Alpha Legion. It details the events leading up to Alpharius's death. In the article, the fight between Alpharius and Guilliman is somewhat shorter than what I have written, but I decided to make it a bit more dramatic seeing as it is the death of a god-like primarch. Apart from the duel between Alpharius and Guilliman, I have tried to keep it all true to the actual battle that took place. Another thing, I'm not sure if I have the dates right because it doesn't really say, but if they're wrong please feel free to correct me.
The Horus Heresy is coming to its climax, and as it does, Roboute Guilliman of the Ultramarines takes his legion to engage the Alpha Legion on the backwater world of Eskrador. In a valiant attempt to tear the heart from his enemy, Guilliman leads a strike force of Ultramarines deep into the Alpha Legion's command centre that is situated deep in Eskrador's northern mountains.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Warhammer 40,000 Universe.
The Shadows of Eskrador
22:49 – 412.8.M31
The chugging of heavy weapons shattered the once tranquil silence of the mountain valley, muzzles flashing brightly and casting a golden glow across the black rock, chasing away the darkness. The Ultramarines trudged up the steep slope, assault rounds hammering at their blue power armour. The bodies of their fallen comrades littered the mountainside as they made their steady advance towards the enemy.
Sergeant Sevarius ducked as the ground was torn open before him by an explosion, chunks of rock and dirt cascading down around him. The broken form of one of his Marines landed awkwardly beside him, a crumpled blue heap that leaked blood. Sevarius cursed, glancing up at the enemy positions. Tracers of bolter fire streaked down into the tide of Ultramarines as they pressed onward to meet their enemy, the Alpha Legion. The traitors, Sevarius thought as he hefted his chainsword, the deceivers. They had dared to defy the will of the Emperor, to cast aside their loyalty. For this treason, they would be cleansed from the Emperor's realm by the Ultramarines.
Another detonation caused the ground to tremble beneath Sevarius's feet, and he stumbled forwards, a bolter shell cutting straight through the banner that fluttered above his head. Juldon, a Space Marine under Sevarius's command, brought his heavy bolter to bear, planting his legs firmly on the rock to steady himself as the massive weapon buckled in his gauntlets. A hulking dark shape tumbled down the mountainside, its armour punctured in several places by the heavy bolter.
The Ultramarines were gradually making progress, climbing up the steep slopes of the valley. The Alpha Legion held their ground; their heavy weapons cutting bloody swathes through the blue ranks of Ultramarines. Sevarius shouted orders to his squad over the din of bolterfire and explosions.
'Juldon, target those heavy weapons!'
Sighting the enemy position, Juldon swung his heavy bolter to the left, pumping out round after round into the Traitor Marines of the Alpha Legion. Shell casings were ejected from the bulky gun in a cascading arc, sending them clattering across the ground. It wasn't long before Juldon had cut down all the enemies he had been ordered to eliminate, and just as he turned to acquire another target, an explosion threw him back down the mountainside, casting his broken body against the black rock.
Sevarius struggled to contain his rage, vowing to avenge Juldon's death. Together with his comrades, Sergeant Sevarius advanced up the slope towards the Alpha Legion, ducking down low as a spray of bolter rounds swept over their heads. Sevarius thumbed the activation switch of his chainsword, eager to face the Alpha Legion scum face to face. That was when the Alpha Legion commander stepped to the fore.
Alpharius, Primarch of the Alpha Legion strode into full view, clutching a crackling powersword in a bunched fist. A floor-length, crimson cloak billowed from his rounded shoulder plates, and he stood a head taller than any other Space Marine. Once Sevarius might have regarded the primarch as a god amongst men, but now Sevarius simply saw him as the traitorous and dishonourable villain he really was. Yet the power of the primarch could not be denied, and Sevarius feared that the turn of the battle was at hand.
Together with his personal bodyguard of chosen warriors, Alpharius charged to meet the Ultramarines, brandishing his powersword. Encased in dark armour, Alpharius was terrible to behold. Sevarius made the sign of the Imperial aquilla as the Alpha Legion's primarch smashed into the Ultramarines, slashing left and right, each stroke precise, each stroke felling a noble warrior of Ultramar.
Sevarius pushed forwards, the desire to get to grips with the enemy too strong for him to resist. He found himself charging with his squad towards the Alpha Legion, grasping his growling chainsword in both hands. It was the first time he saw them close-up, the first time he had really come face to face with them.
Their armour was dark purple, their shoulder plates outlined in silver. Their eye lenses glowed a ghostly green in the gloom. Except for the legion colours, Sevarius was slightly surprised to find that their armour was almost identical to that of the Ultramarines. He decided that it must be some kind of mockery.
The Traitor Marine cut down an Ultramarine with a single, downward stroke of his whirring chainsword. Sergeant Sevarius leapt forwards and struck the traitor in the faceplate with the hilt of his own weapon. The Alpha Legionnaire stumbled back, recovering before Sevarius could tear open the traitor's armour.
Traitor fought loyalist in a bloody eruption of carnage, the ground pasted with the blood of the fallen. Sevarius found himself giving in to his anger, hacking at the Traitor Marine, forcing his opponent further and further back. Sevarius howled with rage and fury, attacking, always attacking and never giving a thought to his own defence.
In a blur of movement Sevarius severed the traitor's left arm at the elbow, before ramming his chainsword two-handed through the Alpha Legionnaire's breastplate. The serrated teeth of his chainsword shredded and tore at his enemy's innards, blood spurting and gushing from the wound. A spray of red was flicked across Sevarius's blue armour, and he pulled his weapon from the traitor, stepping over the corpse to engage with another Traitor Marine.
Sevarius turned to see a traitor approaching him wielding a combat knife the length of Sevarius's forearm. Quickly Sergeant Sevarius raised his chainsword to block a stroke aimed at his neck. His chainsword chipped the metal blade, and he struck the traitor again and again, cleaving through the Alpha Legionnaire's armour. The Traitor Marine stumbled back and sank to his knees, the combat knife clattering against the rock. Sevarius sent his enemy sprawling back with a swift, upward stroke.
Alpharius had cut through to the heart of the Ultramarines strike force, a whirlwind of death that none could touch. With their advance halted by the primarch's counter-attack, Sevarius and his comrades could only struggle against the god-like power of the Alpha Legion's primarch.
Captain Diocletian, commander of the 5th Company defiantly stood before Alpharius, his mighty power fist crackling with energy. The primarch didn't hesitate, and went to behead the Ultramarine captain. Startled at the inhuman speed of Alpharius's attack, Diocletian brought up his power fist to shield himself. The blade cut into the ceramite fist, and with a flick of his wrist Alpharius made for another blow.
The two combatants fought, exchanging a flurry of strokes, but ultimately Captain Diocletian was no match for Alpharius. The Alpha Legion's primarch took up his powersword in both gauntlets and smashed the flat of his blade across Diocletian's head. The captain was sent reeling, clutching at his face. Alpharius took advantage while his opponent's defences were down and impaled Diocletian on his sword, the captain's staring wide-eyed into the faceplate of Alpherius's helmet. Eventually the Ultramarine captain slumped to the ground, lying in a crumpled heap at the primarch's armoured feet.
Sergeant Sevarius's heart sank, and it was then that he knew no one could stop Alpharius. He swept through the Ultramarines, slaughtering all who dared oppose him. Yet just as any hope of victory seemed to be slipping away, a giant clad in shining armour appeared.
The Lord and Primarch of the Ultramarines, Roboute Guilliman, was in command of the attack on the planet Eskrador. He had organised the swift strike into the Alpha Legion command centre that had been designed to tear out of the heart of the enemy force and leave it leaderless. Their attack had been unexpected, and because of it, Roboute was certain that it would succeed.
Sergeant Sevarius paused for a moment as Roboute Guilliman strode through the fray; his eyes locked on the one he had once called brother. Alpharius saw Guilliman approaching, and the traitorous primarch stepped forwards to meet him. The two primarchs stood before each other, each equal in stature and both clad in ornate power armour. Guilliman's sharp features were contorted in pure loathing for Alpharius, a betrayer and a liar. Alpharius's expression, however, was concealed beneath his helmet. No doubt a malicious grin creased his lips as he looked upon his former brother primarch.
For long moments, both primarchs were still. Both loyalists and traitors found themselves watching the two living gods as they stood there, their gazes locked. Sevarius wondered if they were measuring each other, searching for a weakness. Sevarius had no idea, and he doubted that he ever would. Then, in two twin arcs of blue and silver, Alpharius and Guilliman struck each other.
There was a loud clang of metal on metal, as well as a bright discharge of energy as the blades of the primarchs connected. With inches separating their colossal forms, Sevarius found himself transfixed by the display. Guilliman scowled, glaring into the glowing eyes of Alpharius's helmet.
'To think I once called you brother,' Guilliman growled. 'The veil, it would seem, has now been lifted from my sight, and I can see you for the vile, dishonourable traitor you truly are.'
The Lord of the Ultramarines, using his inhuman strength, pushed Alpharius onto the back foot, and leapt forwards, his crackling powersword scattering sparks as it clattered and rang against his opponent's weapon. The two primarchs clashed in a titanic struggle, moving with such speed they were mere blurs to Sevarius's eyes. Each stroke was precise, each parry perfect. They slashed and thrust, the duel closer to resembling an elaborate dance than a battle of god-like proportions.
Alpharius ducked as Guilliman's powersword flashed over his head, a smear of light as it cut through the air in a horizontal arc. Alpharius straightened himself and slashed his own blade across Guilliman's golden breastplate. The Ultramarines primarch staggered back, and Sevarius's breath was caught in his throat. Guilliman stumbled as Alpharius pressed the attack, hammering at Guilliman's defence with such ferocity that Sevarius had never witnessed before. Roboute Guilliman smashed aside Alpharius's blade, giving him a chance to recover from his wound properly.
There was a brief pause, and time seemed to slow as once again their gazes were locked on each other. Guilliman took his sword in one hand, lowering it by his side. The Alpha Legion's primarch charged, his armoured boots pounding the ground and cracking the black rock of the mountainside. The Lord of the Ultramarines remained where he was, holding his blade out in front of him so it was mere inches from his face.
Alpharius brought his powersword back and was about to swing. The traitor primarch put all his strength behind the stroke, and his crackling weapon swooped round in a diagonal arc. There was a flash of movement, a flicker of silver followed by a clatter of metal on metal. Guilliman had struck Alpharius's sword with such power that it almost slipped from his opponent's grasp.
Roboute Guilliman stepped forwards and cracked the pommel of his glowing powersword into Alpharius's faceplate, shattering the eye-lenses. The traitor stumbled slightly, lashing out to keep Guilliman at arms-length. His blade sliced cleanly through Guilliman's right shoulder guard, dissecting the golden eagle insignia that was emblazoned there.
With a powerful horizontal stroke, Guilliman cut open Alpharius's chest plate and struck him again in roughly the same place. The traitor primarch quickly brought up his own powersword to deflect some of the blows that were aimed at ending his life. Guilliman was relentless, constantly attacking and forcing Alpharius to defend.
It looked as if Guilliman had the upper hand, and he raised his powersword high above his head to deliver a powerful stroke that would carve Alpharius in two. As the blade came down in a crescent arc, the traitor primarch leapt aside. With Guilliman now open to an attack, Alpharius didn't hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity. He brought his blade up in a vertical arc, cleaving through Guilliman's armour and throwing him several paces back.
Guilliman fell, collapsing against a large rock. He looked up as Alpharius loomed over him, clutching his powersword in a single gauntlet. Sevarius somehow felt that he should intervene, that he should charge the Alpha Legion's primarch in a desperate bid to save Guilliman, but something held him in place. He could not interrupt the battle between the two gods.
'I spent years trying to prove my legion's worth, trying to show our strength. I deliberately sought out the greatest challenges to test my legion, but clearly it was not enough to satisfy you, or the others.' Alpharius paused, gazing down at Guilliman. 'My legion is strong. We had claimed countless worlds in the name of the Emperor, and all for nothing. No one save the Warmaster himself praised me for the battles won by the Alpha Legion.'
Alpharius ripped off his helmet, casting it to one side to reveal his pale, shaven head. His eyes were dark and piercing, gazing deep into Guilliman's. He stepped closer, his powersword lowered by his side. 'You thought me weak, brother. Yet it is you, who is weak, and I shall prove it to you. Strength, brother, is measured only in success.'
The Primarch of the Alpha Legion held his sword out before him, but instead of plunging it through Guilliman's heart, he turned it on himself. Alpharius impaled himself, grinning manically as blood trickled down his ornate armour. Guilliman watched in silence, glaring up at the traitor primarch who stood with the pommel of his own blade protruding from his breastplate. Eventually Alpharius slumped to the ground.
In an instant, carnage ensued. Bloody hand-to-hand combat erupted across the valley as the Ultramarines battled against the Alpha Legion. Roboute Guilliman's plan had worked: the heart of the enemy had been torn out.