Author's Note: For Anyone who may have read Realm of Madness and the follow up Sister Insane, it's best to think of this tale as a kind of prequel. These character will feature in the series at a later date in a prominent way. For those of you who haven't read either of those stories please feel free to read this as a standalone piece. Anyway for now please let me know what you think.
Jaigen, the one they would come to call Dire Heart, stood at the doors of the Great Hall buried deep within the twisting tunnels of The Aett. His armour was newly repaired, its dents and scratches polished and repainted, new runes and deeds sculpted in shining gold against the iron grey plate. Wolf pelts of charcoal black were draped over his broad shoulders, necklaces of bleached teeth and rune stones hung at his neck. His scalp was clean shaven but for two braids of black hair hanging from the right side of his head. He stood straight, head held high and proud but still sweat dampened his weathered brow. His eyes like pale silver moonlight glistened in the gloom but weariness and sorrow had taken their toll and dark circles sat beneath his eyelids. Unease boiled in the pit of his stomach and his hearts beat an irregular rhythm. Grimnar, the Great Wolf would name him Jarl and Jaigen was not sure he was worthy of the title. Only a select few knew of the events that had lead to this moment and as he stared at the weathered wooden doors he recalled those events with vivid clarity.
Greenskins had come to Cultio IV. Four years of vicious fighting across all five planets in the Res Rustica system followed in the wake of their arrival. Planetary governors of the agri worlds called for aid and The Sons of Russ answered in the form of Harald Deathwolf and his Great Company. Slowly but surely the Greenskin hordes were pushed back and unable to withstand the fury of the Emperors Executioners. The greenskin warlord, the one they called Mad Urk Grukka had fallen back to Cultio IV with what was left of his Waagh for what would likely be the final battle. It was here the greenskins had landed first, establishing the Orks equivalent of a staging post. A vast makeshift fortress had been built from a random assortment of cobbled together wreckage. Over the four year campaign before the Wolves arrived it had gradually built up into a massive complex of huge gun turrets and thick armoured walls. Somewhere in the middle, Mad Urk was waiting.
Jaigen, Vaerangi of the Wolf Guard unit known as Morkai's Teeth sat in silent contemplation, even as the red lit cabin around him lurched and shook he did not open his eyes. In the distance the crump of falling artillery could be heard and even the most distant shells could be felt as tiny vibrations in the Raiders hull as the shockwaves rolled over them. Cultio IV like the rest of Res Rustica was an agricultural world but its vast rolling hills of crops were now mostly blasted wasteland dotted here and there with smoking vehicle wrecks and piles of Greenskin and Imperial Guard corpses. It was here Grukka had built his base, dragging what could be salvaged back to be re-built in the insane manner the Greenskins specialised in.
"You're my battle leader laddie." Harald had told him from atop his Thunderwolf mount, Ice Tooth, just two hours before. He had gazed down on Jaigen, his flint grey eyes hard and unyielding beneath a heavy brow, his mouth twisted in a snarl behind a thick greying moustache. "We're gonna hit the greenskin bastards hard! I want you to lead the Land Raider assault. Smash right through their front door and drive a wedge to the centre of the complex, let's bring the fight right to Grukka and kill him on his throne." He'd smiled at that, a savage one that was all malice and fangs.
Jaigen had nodded, his hearts beat in anticipation of the kill. "It's about time we faced him. To busy cowering in his hole!"
Harald laughed, "We'll be right behind you." he patted Ice Tooth's neck. "But Grukka is mine so don't kill him till I get there."
Jaigen had chuckled, "I'll try."
Across Jaigen's lap was Sjaelafis, his frost axe, Jaigen's hand rested on the blade, steam gently coiling from the ice cold edge, as he quietly recited the Oath's of War. It was a tradition of his tribe before they went to battle, that each warrior would make an oath to the God's that their deeds would surpass those of their previous battle and if they should fall, then their death would be a glorious one. Jaigen kept up this tradition even upon his ascension into the ranks of the Vlka Fenryka only his oaths were made to Russ and the Allfather. He could feel Sjaelafis growling beneath his palm in anticipation of war. He would quench it's thirst for blood soon enough.
"Vaerangi?" Jaigen looked up to find Loken Blackpaw's grim visage staring down upon him.
Blackpaw was big even for an Astartes, so much so his power armour had been specially adapted by the Iron Priests to fit his huge frame. Adding to his fierce appearance was a grey goatee surrounding a scarred mouth fixed in a permanent snarl. His eyes were vivid yellow beneath a brow pierced with a dozen steel rings on each side. His scalp was shaven, save a closely cropped Mohawk and yet more rings and studs lined each ear. As befitting his name both of his gauntlets were painted black and in one fist he clenched Helvede, a thunder hammer Loken had forged himself under the tutelage of the legendary Arjac Rockfist.
"Our driver says we are close." Loken explained his thick tones.
Despite his bulk Loken was the most good natured of Morkai's Teeth, loving a good tale he was prone to leaping upon the banquette table and giving vivid re-enactments of Morkai's past glories much to the enjoyment of the others. He was also Jaigen's oldest companion having risen through the ranks together, when the choice came for Morkai's new Vaerangi it had been between Loken and Jaigen but Loken had politely refused claiming Jaigen would make a far better leader then he.
"Good." Jaigen replied. "Ready to knock some heads together?"
Loken grinned mischievously. "Always brother!"
"Ready the others."
"Aye."
Jaigen returned to his oath's. He stared at Sjaelafis, like Loken he had forged the weapon himself and named it for his brother after he had left The Aett in search of redemption as a Lone Wolf. It saddened Jaigen to know his blood brother was out there somewhere fighting alone on a crusade for vengeance or death. As children the two had been inseparable and after the battle which had seen their tribe wiped out and the duo chosen by the Wolf Priests to become Sky Warriors still they had not separated. Meeting Loken in the ranks of the Blood Claws they had fought upon hundreds of worlds in as many battlefields rising through the ranks to become Wolf Guard. It was only then that they went their separate ways when both were given command positions, though they would often fight together. Then a terrible fate had befallen his brother and his men. Jaigen did not know the exact details only that his brother had blamed himself and swore and oath of vengeance that lead to him to becoming a Lone Wolf. Many years had passed since and Jaigen had not heard anything of his brothers fate. As he gazed upon Sjaelafis' glittering blue blade he wondered if Soren was even still alive. He hoped that he one day be re-united with his sibling but until then the emptiness he felt in his soul would never truly heal.
An explosion sounded much closer than before pulling Jaigen out of his reverie. Around him Morkai's Teeth were preparing for war. Opposite Jaigen sat Fenrir a battle brother not part of Morkai's Teeth but had been assigned to them at Jaigen's request for the duration of the mission. He was a younger warrior, his long hair and braided beard as red as the setting sun and filled with all manner of trinkets and coloured beads. Upon his left temple he carried a tribal tattoo in the shape of a prowling wolf, it was a mark given to his tribes best hunters.
"How fairs Skadi?" Jaigen asked.
Fenrir looked up, his blue eyes marked with regret. "The Iron Priest's say she will lose her leg but that they can replace it with a bionic so she will fight once more. It feels strange to ride to war without her but you have my gratitude for allowing me to join you."
Skadi was Fenrir's Thunderwolf mount, Fenrir having raised her since she was a pup. She had taken the brunt of an Ork mortar and had been badly wounded meaning Fenrir would not be riding with Harald was his usual place. Upon hearing this Jaigen had asked Fenrir to accompany Morkai's Teeth in the spearhead.
"You shall have revenge on the greenskins my friend." Jaigen promised, taking Fenrir's wrist in a warriors grip.
"Brace yourselves brothers!" Loken yelled from the cockpit. "We're about to hit the Ork's barricades.
Jaigen got to his feet, activating his Vox link. "Hear me brothers!" he addressed the four land raiders in pursuit of his own, they contained the Grey Hunters units assigned to the spear head and one Blood Claws pack desperate to cut their teeth against the greenskins. The rest of the company would come in behind Harald and his Thunderwolves. "We are to carve a path through the greenskins so that our Jarl may meet the Warlord un-opposed and see his head severed so that we can slaughter these bastards all once and for all! For Russ and the Allfather!"
Behind him in the cabin brother Jarno, the one they called Redclaw, unleashed a savage howl which the rest of the pack took up, across the Vox net other packs took up the call drowning out even the engines of the Land Raiders.
"Here we go!" Loken growled.
Jaigen felt the impact reverberate through the hull as they crashed through the Ork's first line of defence, a poorly constructed wall of corrugated metal and looted support beams. Jaigen's land raider smashed it apart like kindling and carried on into the next, side mounted heavy bolters unleashing a barrage of fire to soften it up before impact.
"Brother Irontooth, mount the Storm Bolter, clear some of them off the wall. Target those with heavy weapons and rocket tubes."
Sven Irontooth stroked a hand through his thick blonde whiskers and grinned, his metal teeth glinting in the red light, giving him a strangely vampiric appearance.
"With pleasure." he straightened his eye patch and rose from his seat.
Jaigen watched him ascend the small ladders and throw open the top hatch. A moment later the roar of a Storm Bolter could be heard mixed with Irontooth's joyous laughter.
Jaigen could feel his blood singing for battle. His fists tightened on Sjaelafis' leather wrapped haft. As much as he hated Greenskins, fighting them was not simple slaughter. They were a worthy enemy of the Vlka Fenryka, fierce and almost immune to pain they were extremely difficult to kill and that would make victory all the more glorious and likely give Loken many more stories for his repertoire. Jaigen knew this would not be an easy fight but killing the Ork's warlord would throw them into disarray and probably spark infighting making the job of eradicating them much simpler.
"We're nearing the drop point!" Loken boomed, the excitement clear in his voice, "I can taste their blood already!"
"Try and leave some for me this time Blackpaw!" Brother Jesper declared. He was unlike the other members of Morkai's Teeth. Jesper was a marksman, his Bolter was fitted with a target finder and had been modified to fire single shots. He had requested his left eye removed and replaced with a bionic to better help his already spectacular aim. Of all of them he was also the most technically adept, in the absence of an Iron Priest, Jesper was the next best thing.
"Instead of hanging back, maybe you should join us at the front, I always worry you'll shoot me the back!" Blackpaw replied.
Jesper flicked the safety off his Bolter, "You know I never miss."
Blackpaw chuckled darkly, "There's always a first time."
Jaigen tensed, they were almost there. "Get ready!" He activated Sjaelafis, its inner energy bathing him in pale blue light.
Fenrir unsheathed his Wolf Claws, next to him Egil Stonehand also activated his power fist. Brothers Nygard and Arjoc Nighthowl revved their chain swords into motion with a dual roar. Jarno's single wolf claw, painted the colour of freshly spilt blood, lit up with a crackle of white energy, in his other hand a silver plated Bolt pistol loaded with a drum magazine. Irontooth clambered back down into the cabin to retrieve his own Storm Bolter, Ubarmhjertig from the weapons rack and the green haired warrior Deathwish Heagar thumbed the activation switch on his flamer. Lastly Loken activated Helvede and with that the Landraider was filled with the thrum and crackle of readied weapons. The Orks, like so many aliens and heretics before them, could not stand against Morkai's Teeth. Their death was inevitable.
"For Russ and the Allfather!" Jaigen repeated as the front ramp of the land raider slammed down, kicking up clods of dirt. A wall of noise rolled in, Orks roaring, Bolters thudding and the Wolves of Fenris howling above all else.
Power armoured legs propelling the battle leader down the ramp, Jaigen leapt from the access hatch, his knee rising to connect with the jaw of the first Ork he saw. Bone splintered, one of its tusks snapped by the impact. Before the stinking beast had fallen to the ground Jaigen brought Sjaelafis down to split its skull in half, blood and what little brains lay within were sprayed across Jaigen's breast plate the silver fangs of the wolf adoring it now stained in dark green gore. On Jaigen's left, Blackpaw hurled himself into the fray, swinging Helvede in both hands he bowled three Orks to the ground then shattered the next with a heavy downward swing, pulping its body like over ripe fruit.
"First blood to the battle leader!" Loken roared noting Jaigen stood atop a bloodied corpse.
"As it should be!" The Vaerangi replied.
As his howling battle brothers poured out of their tanks to meet the Greenskin horde, Jaigen took a moment to survey the battlefield, a fine drizzle of rain dampening his skin and pattering gently upon his armour. They stood in the midst of an Orkish shanty town, crude buildings put together with scraps and wood from trees cut down in the surrounding forests. Towers were dotted here and there throughout the compound, heavy weapons swivelling into position to open fire on the Wolves below. Across the way a factory bellowed thick greasy smoke into the misty air, the sound of churning gears and machinery spluttering beyond its doors, the sound almost rattling the building apart it was so badly assembled. In the wake of the Land Raiders assault several walls and barricades lay shattered, hundreds bodies crushed beneath treads or blown apart by mounted weapons and sponsons. Greenskins piled from the buildings, roaring and bellowing challenges, axes and crude pistols in their meaty fists. Ahead was a clean path into the centre of the compound, though Orks milled here and there Jaigen knew Harald and his Thunderwolves would have no trouble reaching the Warlord in his lair.
As if on cue, Harald and his cavalry raced by, Orks knocked aside by the charging Thunderwolves or cut down by Chainblades and axes if they were to close. The Jarl offered a grim salute to Jaigen as he rode towards his goal. Fenrir watched his fellow cavalrymen pass by and roared in anger that he should be left behind, his wolf claws lashed out slicing ribbons of flesh from his foes in re-payment for the wounding of Skadi.
Jaigen activated his company wide Vox, "Brothers! Our Jarl faces the warlord! Hold the tide back and give our fellow Wolf Guard the room they need to win this war, let's clean up this mess!"
A Ork, one of the lesser of its race leap upon the Vaerangi, a pathetic choppa in his hand. Jaigen stepped aside and decapitated it with an lazy back swing. These beast's were worthy only of the Blood Claws to test themselves upon. He and his Wolf Guard would look for bigger prey.
"Morkai's Teeth, with me, we shall begin the push down the centre road in the Jarl's wake. Keep them from pouring in behind. Brother Lothbruck, you have command of this line."
"Aye battle leader!" Lothbruck was one of the older, more skilled and respected Grey Hunters, it would not be long before he too would become Wolf Guard. Harald had given Jaigen specific orders to allow Lothbruck command of the line as a test, Jaigen was confident the Grey Hunter would prove his worth.
Morkai's Teeth moved back away from the main battle line and followed the road and the corpses left in Harald's wake. Many of the Orks were massing towards the centre of the shanty town to meet the Wolves that had dared enter their Warlords lair. Some of these were the bigger more brutish Orks, the ones Jaigen relished the chance to fight. Morkai's Teeth cut a bloody swathe through the lesser ranks as they advanced. Loken and Jaigen lead the group, Sjaelafis cutting heads from shoulders and limbs from torso's in great gouts of thick greenish blood. Helvede by contrast mashed opponents to paste and shattered bone with every swing. Though Orks were naturally bigger than a normal man most of them were about the same size as average Astartes and Loken Blackpaw was bigger than most Space Marines. Until they finally met the larger Orks, the ones called Nobz it was unlikely that any of the Greenskins could match Loken's fury. He surged ahead of the pack leaving a trail of bloody pulp in his wake with the rest of Morkai's Teeth picking off what little remained alive.
Over the din of war Loken's chuckle of contentment came over the Vox. "Here come the big bastards!"
Jaigen jogged alongside his massive brother Sjaelafis dripping and steaming with hot blood. Ahead of them a group of Orks were heading down towards the centre of the compound, in the distance Jaigen could hear the howling of Thunderwolves and the bellow of something huge. These Orks were about as big as an Astartes in Terminator armour and their armour and weapons superior to the lesser ranks. They were heavily battle scarred and possessed of a limited intelligence that stood them above their smaller brethren, their hides thicker and skin darker. Russ knew how old they were no one really knew what age an Ork could reach but it mattered little, their lives were forfeit now.
"This way you ugly Bastards!" Loken roared in challenge.
The lead Ork turned, small red eyes squinting at the Wolves, ropey saliva dripped from blackened tusks as it regarded the new comers. Recognition passed over its face and the Ork lifted a meaty finger to point at the Astartes, lips moving to form the strange brutish words of their kind. All of the Orks turned, cleavers and rifles readied.
"The biggest is mine." Jaigen stated levelling Sjaelafis at the lead Ork.
The Greenskins charged, throwing curses and rude gestures at the Wolves, they believed they would win this fight. Jaigen grinned, showing his fangs, even the most intelligent Ork was too stupid to understand when it was outmatched.
The Vaerangi ducked beneath a the Orks massive axe as it flashed down to strike his head from his shoulders. He brought Sjaelafis up to block the next strike, sparks exploding from the clashing weapons. Jaigen stepped back allowing the Ork the illusion of gaining ground. It lashed in expecting the advantage but the battle leader stepped within its guard and Sjaelafis bit deep into the flesh of its hide, blood gushed forth. The Ork roared, its empty fist clenched to come crashing against Jaigen's shoulder pad, its metal glove scraping a gouge in the paintwork. Jaigen snarled, this Ork truly was a challenge and the Vaerangi revelled in it. Behind him Jaigen heard Ubarmhjertig open up, its thundering report joined by that of Jesper's bolter and the hiss of Heagar's flamer.
"Vaerangi!" Irontooth's thick tones grumbling through the vox net, "Orks trying to flank us. We'll hold them back while you deal with the Nobz!"
"Understood brother."
Growling, the Ork leader came in again, Jaigen side stepped its vertical blow and cut a deep gash across its forearm. He twisted around its follow up strike and swung Sjaelafis ready to cut the beasts head from its shoulders but once again it proved a worthy foe, its weapon rising faster than Jaigen anticipated to knock his frost axe aside, the impact rebounding along his arm. It's next blow came from above, Jaigen caught the haft of its axe, his muscles bunching, legs braced to absorb the impact and hold the weapon away from his head. The Ork growled and its hot foetid breath assaulted his senses, the battle leader emitted a savage wolfish snarl and head butted the Ork in reply. As it reeled Sjaelafis cleaved its arm off at the elbow then swept down to slit open the flesh of its gut, spilling entrails. The Nob leader roared up at Jaigen as it dropped to its knees. Jaigen allowed himself a satisfied smile and buried Sjaelafis in its skull with a dull crack. The Ork toppled with a clatter of armour and lay dead, eyes staring accusingly at the sky.
Loken dispatched his foe with a devastating swing of Helvede that exploded the beasts head in a shower of brains and skull fragments. Fenrir leapt upon his opponent, using its bent knee to propel himself over its head to drive both wolf claws down through its back. The Ork was split from shoulder to groin, organs and blood spilling messily across the ground. Nygard discharged his bolt pistol into an Orks mouth blowing its brain pan out showering him in blood, next to him Redclaw decapitated another with a deft swipe of his wolf claw. Arjoc disembowelled his opponent with his chain sword and Stonehand brought the fight to a close by pounding the last Ork into the ground with his power fist, leaving only a green smear and piles of meat on the damp earth. Jaigen took stock of the situation. The Orks trying to flank were driven back, most of them ripped apart by Ubarmhjertig and the rest scorched husks still smoking in the morning mist their bodies having been torched by the touch of Heagar's flamer. The stink of death was thick and heavy in the air.
"Battle leader." Lothbruck's gruff voice declared into the Vox snapping Jaigen's attention away from the Ork corpses.
"Go ahead Lothbruck."
"We seem to have broken their back. The Orks are faltering, some running headless, Jarl Harald must have killed their warlord."
"Copy brother, well done. I'll contact the Jarl. Hold the line in case they regroup."
"Aye battle leader, I'll send some lads in to clean up the stragglers."
"Good. Battle leader out." Jaigen cut the line and changed channel. "My Jarl, Lothbruck claims the Orks are falling back, are you victorious?"
Static replied.
"My Jarl?" still nothing. "Harald?"
Jaigen cut the link concern written across his face. He tried the Wolf Guard channel hoping to get one of the Thunderwolf cavalry but still only received static.
"Problem?" Loken asked nearby reading his old friends expression.
"No response from Harald." Jaigen replied. He looked out down the street but saw only smoke rising from the middle of the compound.
"Interference?" Loken shrugged.
"Possibly." The battle leader thought for a moment. "Blackpaw, Fenrir, Redclaw, Nighthowl, with me we're going to find the Jarl. The rest of you stay here and cover the street, make sure the greenskins don't come in behind us. We haven't killed them all yet."
"Aye Vaerangi!" Irontooth replied reloading Ubarmhjertig.
Nothing but drifting smoke and bodies greeted the small group of Wolves as they advanced along the narrow streets of the Ork shanty town. Most of the corpses were Orks and the small creatures called Gretchin, they had suffered a multitude of wounds from chain blades and Bolter shells to the savage teeth of the Thunderwolves. Not much was left but blood, guts and scraps smeared up the walls and pooling in the dirt road. A couple of Astartes had fallen, Brother Heamdal was the first they found with an Orkish choppa buried in his skull, his Thunderwolf mount a few metres away seemingly having been surrounded and hacked apart even as her teeth chewed a dozen Orks into paste. Next was brother Jurgen riddled with bullets and half his arm missing. He too had taken many more Orks with him before his death, his mount was nowhere to be seen. The entire scene was eerily quiet. Vox links with all of the Cavalry were nothing but static. As the Wolves neared the centre of the compound the din of Lothbruck's clean up faded away to mere background noise, muted by distance and the closely packed nature of the buildings.
"Where in Hel are they?" Redclaw muttered.
At the very centre of the compound was the Warlord's throne, it was basically a raised platform and a huge chair built from scraps and vehicle bits. Jaigen lead the way through the corpses that surrounded it. Mad Urk Grukka himself was dead, his huge body draped over the throne, disembowelled and partially decapitated, his head hung from his neck by nothing more than strands of skin and sinew. He had been a psychic Ork, or at least what passed for Psychic among Ork kind. One side of his brain was hugely swollen and one eye bulbous and white, the other red like the rest of his race. Grukka was also huge in stature and immensely strong, there was no wonder the Waagh had followed him. Now that his body lay ripped apart he seemed somewhat pathetic.
There were Wolf bodies strewn among the Orks. All of Harald's Wolf Guard were dead.
"Blood of Russ." Fenrir swore. He knelt by the body of a Wolf Guard, he had been ripped limb from limb. "These wounds were not caused by Ork weapons."
Jaigen stood by Grukka's body. "Nor these."
"Where is the Jarl?" Arjoc voiced everyone's thoughts.
Across the way Loken lifted a Thunderwolves head from the ground. It had been severed at the neck, a messy wound that was not caused an axe or sword. "Only a chain weapon could have done this." Loken dropped the head.
"Do you see any save those wielded by our brothers?" Jaigen asked, part of him already knew what they were likely to find. He could feel it though he didn't want to believe it. He had felt it before. It was the reason his brother had left but more than that he could smell it. He knew Loken could too.
"No." Loken replied evenly. "No I don't."
"I found Ice Tooth." Fenrir stated nearby, unsheathing his Wolf Claws once more.
"Dead?" Jaigen asked already knowing the answer.
"Torn apart and not at the hands of Greenskins."
"By the Allfather what happened here?" Redclaw demanded.
"I think we have a very serious problem." Jaigen replied descending from Grukka's throne, kicking a corpse down the stairs as he went.
Loken grimaced, "Again? This company is surely cursed!"
"We have to find him." Jaigen looked out across the plaza. "This needs to be dealt with before it gets beyond our control, I will not have a repeat of Razek."
Redclaw threw up his hands incredulously. "Before what gets out of our control? Vaerangi what happened here?"
"Our Jarl seems to have fallen from grace." Loken bowed his head.
"That cannot be!" Redclaw retorted angrily. "He is merely wounded somewhere, or at the worst dead. He has not become one of them, not Harald!"
"I don't want to believe it either brother." Fenrir added calmly, "But the evidence is clear, we've all seen this before and the scent on the air, that too is familiar to us all."
"There's something moving in the streets on our left." Arjoc announced.
"Ork?" Jaigen asked.
"To fast."
Jaigen sighed deeply, he clenched his fist around the haft of Sjaelafis. "Then let's get this over with."
"Why didn't we see it coming?" Loken growled.
"Did we see it coming in Razek?" Jaigen answered. "Chaos took hold of him and unleashed the beast within and we could not have predicted it had we tried. We may never know what happened to Harald, only that we have to stop him before any more damage is caused." Though he could scarcely believe it and despite how hard he tried to deny the evidence before him Jaigen resigned himself to one simple fact. He would have to kill his Jarl.
Morkai's Teeth made wary progress further into the Ork compound, their weapons held ready, sharp eyes alert from any movement. Arjoc had spotted a dark shape darting in the mist but they had lost sight of it and its scent was thinning, carried away by the winds. Jaigen had ordered the remainder of Morkai's Teeth to sweep around and cover the flanks with a pack of Grey Hunters in support while the rest of the company dealt with the remaining Orks. Each Wolf paid keen attention to their other senses lest they give away their prey's position, even for Space Marines the members of the Vlka Fenryka had an extremely powerful sense of smell and hearing, the trouble was their quarry would have senses that were greater still. Jaigen didn't take long in realising that it was Morkai's Teeth that were being hunted not the other way around. In this part of the shantytown, the buildings were more closely packed together, some leaning so far over they touched the adjacent structure and blotted out the sky. Add to that the fine drizzle and mist that came with it and you had some areas where visibility was almost zero, even for the sharp eyes of the Wolves.
Loken suddenly paused, throwing his hand up for a halt. "Smell that?" he asked Jaigen.
The Battle Leader could, the whiff of damp fur on the wind mixed with natural body odour and the unmistakeable scent of the Vlka Fenryka, it was stronger here than it had been anywhere else. It was the only warning they got. Behind Jaigen a gurgled yelp was abruptly cut short by the severing of a windpipe. Jaigen whirled his bolter rising, down his iron sight he saw Arjoc Nighthowl lifted from the ground, an impossibly muscled and furred arm holding him aloft, a meaty fist wrapped around his throat. With a twist of its wrist Arjoc's neck was broken and the blood jetting from his jugular weakened in its ferocity as his hearts stopped beating. Jaigen heard a bestial snarl, deeper and more feral than any noise he'd heard before. He glimpsed a pair of yellow eyes slashed with vertical slits of pure bottomless black. The Battle Leaders finger tightened on the trigger, his weapon banged twice, echoing loudly in the narrow alley. All life drained from his body the hulking figure tossed Arjoc's corpse into the firing line. Both shots impacted in his torso blowing gaping holes in his power armour and the flesh beneath before it fell with a clatter to the ground, weapons slipping from limp fingers. Jaigen cursed and re-sighted but the beast moved to fast. A fist rammed into his breast plate and hurled him backwards down the alley, bowling Redclaw to the ground at the same time.
Jaigen rolled as the beast leapt over his head to land between himself and Redclaw and Loken and Fenrir. Trapped between two walls of ceramite and fury the beast paused assessing its options giving them a good look at the horrid fate of their former Jarl. Jaigen was in no doubt it was Harald, even without the heraldry upon his armour, its facial features were familiar but elongated, the same heavy brow and cheek bones. His snout was filled with razor sharp teeth, his head covered in thick grey fur that spilled about his shoulders in a matted mane. His arms and legs had become so packed with muscle even the ceramite plates of his armour had been unable to contain them and had split and broken in a dozen places. He walked taller, even than Loken, on three toed feet, his fingers ending in long black claws capable of ripping an Astartes in half.
"Harald!" Jaigen yelled, "My Jarl! Stop!"
The beast turned its head staring Jaigen down, he saw the briefest flicker of recognition, perhaps remorse also but it was gone and the Wulfen was bearing down on Jaigen once more.
Claws flashed for his neck but Jaigen parried at the last moment, sparks dancing from Sjaelafis edge. The Battle Leader rolled beneath anther attack, he kicked at the Wulfen's legs in an attempt to bring it down but the beast sprang away. Loken stepped up roaring in anger, Helvede bearing down. Harald dodged, striking Loken with a back hand and driving him away, the thunder hammer smashed through the nearest wall collapsing part of the building and dust billowed out to clog the alley. Fenrir bounded over Loken's back driving both Wolf Claws through Harald's chest so they erupted from his back in a spurt of hot blood. The Wulfen howled clawing at Fenrir and tearing deep gouges in his shoulder and chest plates. Fenrir held on, retracting one claw then stabbing in again. Harald heaved Fenrir off him and slammed him brutally into the collapsed wall, bringing yet more down on top of his prone form. Wounded and bleeding Harald sprang away into the dust and mist. Jaigen loosed off a few shots in his wake but none found their mark.
Jaigen snarled in frustrated anger. "Redclaw see to Fenrir, Blackpaw you come with me!"
As the duo loped through the mist shrouded streets, following the scent of spilt blood, it became apparent the Orks were well and truly defeated, the streets were practically deserted save the odd gibbering Gretchin darting out of sight. Jaigen would not deny his relief to not have to wade through Greenskins to get to Harald. It made their search easier and faster.
"I have him!" Blackpaw snarled.
Ahead of them a dark shape took form in the white out, Harald growled savagely, his chest wounds bleeding freely.
"Time to end this madness." Jaigen announced twirling Sjaelafis around his hand.
Hefting Helvede, Blackpaw nodded his agreement.
"Harald!" Jaigen yelled again. "Time to meet your end brother!"
There was definite recognition in the Wulfen's eyes but he was too blind with animalistic rage and desired only to kill. He hurled himself at them, claws extended. Loken blocked with the haft of Helvede, Jaigen stepping round to catch the Wulfen off guard and strike off his arm at the elbow. Harald pushed Loken aside, ducking at the same time and swung for the battle leader in reply. Sjaelafis met empty air and Harald's claws scratched a deep trench in Jaigen's shoulder plate, his other claw slashing round to take the battle leaders head. Jaigen brought Sjaelafis up to block and the Wulfen howled in rage as two of his fingers were ripped away by the freezing blade.
Loken roared, swinging Helvede over his head to bring it down on Harald but the beast was too quick and dodged aside letting the thunder hammer slam into the ground with an earth shaking boom. With more agility than Jaigen would have given him credit for Harald leapt clean over Loken and landed behind him, clawed hands lashing out to grab the Wolf Guards back pack. Muscles bunching with the effort the Wulfen tossed Blackpaw to the right slamming him into another of the Orks makeshift shacks. It collapsed in a cloud of rubble and dust, burying the Wolf Guard. Jaigen sprang in regardless, Sjaelafis rising in and upward strike to bury itself in Harald's midriff. Blood jetted from the wound and the Wulfen reared back, jaws wide in a pain filled wail. Jaigen struck again, this time hacking into the already weakened chest plate. Sjaelafis cut neatly through the ceramite and bit the flesh beneath. Harald punched Jaigen square in the jaw in reply, the force of which tossed the battle leader fifteen feet away from his opponent.
Jaigen skidded across the ground momentarily dazed by a blow that would have exploded the skull of a lesser man. He was vaguely aware of another huge shape leaping over his prone from, fangs bared in fury. Loken landed in front of Harald, dust still trailing from his armour and the Wulfen barely had time to avoid another blow from Helvede. Blackpaw was fast and strong but Harald's Wulfen form was faster and stronger still, it would take both Jaigen and Loken to bring him down. That thought in mind, the battle leader surged once more to his feet, blinking away the stars assailing his vision. He powered across the road, armoured boot steps echoing loudly. Harald was weaving around Loken's strikes with ease, looking for a way through the warriors guard but he was wounded and slowing. Seeing his chance Jaigen struck fast with Sjaelafis taking the opposite side to Loken. Caught between two attacks the Wulfen blocked Sjaelafis with his palm in a burst of sparks and blood but Helvede struck home. Howling in rage and pain the Wulfen was thrown across the road, his left shoulder guard shattered. Jaigen swiftly followed his former Jarl, watching as the beast slid to a halt. It struggled to rise, the bones in its arm turned to powder. Jaigen still approached cautiously, aware that even wounded the Wulfen could still kill him if he let his guard down, a wounded animal could be twice as dangerous after all.
Jaigen expected the attack that came next as he drew nearer Harald. He ducked beneath the swinging claw, lashing back with Sjaelafis to bite into the soft knee joint of the beasts armour. Harald buckled, his leg partially severed and venting crimson. Before he had fallen to his knees however Loken was there swinging Helvede in a two handed grip, slamming its head into Harald's breast plate and sending him sprawling inelegantly onto his back, a shower of shattered ceramite erupting in his wake.
Jaigen stood over his fallen foe. "It has been an honour to serve under you, Jarl Deathwolf." He lifted Sjaelafis for the killing stroke.
Jaigen, the one they would come to call Dire Heart reached out to part the doors to the Great Hall with a creak of ancient metal hinges. Harald's former great company were arrayed either side of him, leading to the throne of the Wolf King. Ulrik the Slayer, his black armour a stark contrast to the grey of those around him, glared out from the lenses of the Wolf Helm of Russ and its red gaze seemed to judge every step Jaigen took. He stood visible at the foot of the throne but the Wolf King himself was concealed in shadows, all Jaigen could make out from here were his massive boots and gauntlets gripping the arms of his throne. Jaigen could sense the eyes of every battle brother in the great company upon but he felt no malice or resentment as he'd expected. If anything those closest to him, Blackpaw, Irontooth and the rest of Morkai's Teeth had only pride in their eyes. Jaigen stopped a respectful distance from the throne and knelt.
From the shadows Logan Grimnar leaned forward, his white hair falling about his shoulders, his deeply lined face was marred by scars and a thick white moustache hid his mouth. His yellow eyes glittered like the sun and Jaigen lifted his gaze to meet them. There the battle leader saw centuries of combat and wisdom far beyond his own. He saw the determination and ferocity that no living Astartes could match. He saw the warmth there too and the pride Grimnar held towards his brothers. Jaigen felts his hearts swell, in that moment as the Wolf King regarded his kneeling form the battle leader knew his place in the universe. He would take the mantle of Jarl and wear it with pride and in doing so he would honour the name of Harald Deathwolf.
When Grimnar spoke Jaigen felt it resonate deep in his chest like the sound of distant thunder over the hills of his homeland.
"Rise son of Russ."