Blasted surface of Hemptor 337, Hive World
3323436.M38
Assault Space Marine Zeon of now Renegade Chapter Soul Drinkers, who had fallen from the makeshift sea craft during the assault on the fortress of Nurgle champion Ve'Meth, on nameless planet, has been lying motionless on hard surface. The ship he was standing on was assaulted by 150 meters long sea creature, and several of his brothers fell into dark waters and disapeared in depths. He remembered name of Captain Karraidin, who wore terminator armor, who was in command. Zeon looked at his purple armor, it still bore symbol of Imperium, which has betrayed him, and his whole chapter, when they left Adeptus Mechanicus to go unpunished after stealing Soul Drinker's chapter relic.
Now he remembered his fall: after sea snake had struck the ship, he fell into waters, and during fall his jump pack was torn from him, violently. When ship lurched under the impacts of huge tentacles, long metal rail construction sheared and pierced jump pack, tearing it from him and throwing him into blight waters. While sinking rapidly, sensors in his helmet indicated that water pressure was rising, outside his sealed armor, as he was sinking deep into foamy diseased sea.
He fell through blackness for good half an hour, as chronograph in his vision indicated. And after some time, he impacted into rocky and hard surface of the sea. Readouts indicated dangerous levels of pressure, even for power armor. Down on the ocean floor, Zeon was fighting black bulbous creatures chained to the rocks, and he remembered breach in power armor and ensuing blackness from drowning.
It seems that Emperor, Architect of Fate, decided to help him survive. Laying on the ground, on his back, he was staring though black lenses of powered down helmet, into an armored figure, standing above him, in black power armor. Armor was old and of rugged black paint, with yellow trim. Armor was dented on almost every edged surface, with crude welding work on left thigh area. Eyepieces were glowing red among scratched ceramite surface. There was decoration of gold eight pointed star on his chest and pauldrons. He had rusted chain aroud waist, which held long blade.
Armored giant was standing still and watching Zeon. He kicked Zeon into the hip, softly. The same way somebody would do to check if animal carcass is alive.
"I know you are alive", said the armored figure through vox grill, slowly with rough voice.
Zeon is Assault Space Marine and instinctively he wanted to jump and attack possible threat. But his arms could only move so much, with power armor powered off. Zeon noticed that the warrior carries a lot of weapons. He had large rusty chain around his waist, which held white sword and golden bolt pistol with blue decorations. On his back, he had black chainsword and black plasma gun.
There was no wind or any other sounds, only bright orange glow and repeated statement of Xerx.
"I know you are alive inside". - Xerx was ignoring downed warrior feeble attempt at standing up. "I can say that i have never had the honour of meeting some battle brothers from your chapter". "Nod with your head if you need assistance, and please ignore markings of this armor i am wearing, i borrowed it from unfortunate heretic, because mine was melted by warpspawn".
Zeon couldn't comprehend the situation. There was not much he could do, his own power armor was not responding to his black carapace. Zeon nodded.
Black armored figure helped his power armor power up. Zeon stood straight, checked for his weapons by looking around, disappointed he found none. He was standing on dry dark orange ground. Not far from him was five meter wide burning lick of flame in planet crust. A tear that was shining as a sun, moving irregularly across landscape. Icons on his retinal display warned about massive heat buildup in those cracks. Orange heat source played shining effect on his chalice iconography on his chest.
Zeon looked at space marine before him.
"Name is Zeon, Assault Marine of 7th company". "I should be dead, but i am not. It seems that Architect of Fate has other plans for me. Where am i?".
"You may call me Xerx. I have come here to find something. My armor was damaged during battle with warp beasts. I found battlefield, several days walk from here. There i salvaged this armor." -
Xerx made a gesture with his fingers, pointing towards the armor.
Hot wind washed over them, covering Zeon's dark purple plate with dust.
"I see. But aren't items from heretics cursed?" Asked Zeon.
"They may be. But my faith in the Emperor will protect, until i find my objective. Do you know what you will do now?"
"No, i do not know". Said Zeon with rough and slow voice. "Do you know where are we?"
Xerx replied: "Yes, i do know. You are on a world named Hemptor 337. There are more than 600 planets with that name in Divites Terrae Subsector, located in Forber Sector. Forber Sector belongs to Galactic West of Segmentum Tempestus. These clusters of planets are tightly packed and very rich with minerals and resources and are host to a chain of several Forge Worlds under the control of Mechanicus. Some of forge world planets are so close to each other, that mechanicus made interplanetary elevators that slide from one planet to the next by one hundred meter radius cables. My chapter, one of five that have homeworld in this subsector, is dedicated to protecting this sector and to act as ambassadors in many dealings with planetary governors and to prevent corruptions, which have had happened before. We have successfully prevented several separations initiated by Tau administration, albeit with very little casualties on both sides, and several invasion attempts by agents of chaos. We have failed to prevent this world for falling away from Emperor's Light, but all is not too late, world is yet to complete it's transformation to Chaos World. As you can see, Hemptor 338 is just above us, and is Imperial controlled Shrine World. People there pray to the Emperor day and night to save Hemptor 338, and they belive it is their prayers this planet is still not fully removed from Imperial Control. Imperium is trying for ten years to destroy Temor and other rising lords, with marginal success. Since Hemptor 337 has been corrupted by Purifier Temor, who is mostly responsible for disabling command structures during the fall of this world. There is a word that this person can grant immortality and even raise dead."
Zeon twitched when he heard the name Temor.
"I have never heard of him, but i know him. That name is familiar to me." Zeon inhaled and exhaled deeply the recycled air in his closed air system. "He is the one who follows the God of Rot and Decay…" Zeon clenched his fist, remembering Ve'Meth. "He is one of his greatest servants on this planet. His champion. And i am here to kill him." - said Zeon with slow and rough voice. "But how do i know this?"
"You will need some weapons for that." Xerx said while making dry laugh." He controls very large part of this planet, he has three hive cities, swarming with his corrupted followers, and is constantly sending his creatures to ravage settlements and other cities".
"Architect of Fate compels me. I need to destroy him". Said Zeon and clenched his fists.
"Who is this Architect of Fate?", asked Xerx and declined his armored head slowly, maintaining eye contact.
"The Emperor" - answered Zeon and made sign of Aquila with purple armored hands.
Xerx made the same sigh and inclined his head to look Xeon straight in eyelenses.
"I suggest you help me raid an armored bunker, which belongs to these traitors, whose armour i am wearing. They are called Corpsemakers and have armored vehicles and equipment. And we will do good favor to Imperium by killing them if we find them there."
Zeon was silent on those words. He murmured word Imperium barely audible. And said nothing else.
"I do not care much about their death, but i will help you raid that settlement. That's least i can do for you not shooting at me." Zeon shrugged with his pauldrons and made weaving gestures with his body.
"Then it is a deal. Take these, you will need them. I do not use these, so they are yours now".
Xerx handed plasma gun and chain sword to Zeon. "I had a feeling i had to take these. I found them in a demolished Rhino". Plasma gun was black, with gold chaos star. Chain sword also. They were not very well maintained. Chainsword has hilt and engine parts shaped in resemblance of jaws of snake like creature, probably is corrupted, you should replace it with something more suitable when possible.
Zeon made a gesture of disgust: "Tau? Chaos? I have never fought Tau, but I have ample experience fighting chaos abberations. What is the state of the forge worlds, are they functioning at full capacity? Since there are lot's of them, what are they making?".
Xerx: "Full range of imperial navy ships. So it is very important that these worlds remain under rule of Imperium, for we supply all other worlds in this part of universe. These forges have supplied one full crusade against vile greenskins. I heard the rumor from someone in my Librarius, I won't tell from whom, that mechanicus here can even make Battleships in their construction yards. Of those five chapters of Space Marines in this sector, each one is designated to guard over more than 100 worlds. Each one is equipped with enough ships and vehicles to sustain long periods of supply lines failure."
Xerx noted ammo count for his bolt pistol. Now it read 20 bolt shells. It was 12 before. "What's happening with this weapon?" - thought Xerx.
After few minutes of silence, as Zeon processed these informations: "I am going to help you handle those heretics and then i'm on my way to deal with Temor".
"Fine by me". Confirmed Xerxs with a nod. "But, still, even with assets that we raid from Corpsemakers, I highly doubt you will do anything to Temor. He is put here by Lord of Decay himself."
They started walking between burning cracks in planet crust, their power armor protecting them from heat. Librarian and Renegade Assault Marine from two different chapters formed temporary alliance.
Dusk orange coloration of landscape has altered their appearance. Shine of flaming earth crust scars reflected in their ceramite. While their ceramite boots crunched dry earth, Zeon asked Xerx: "What kind of chapters are those five? Five chapters dedicated to protection of this space is.. a lot." Zeon turned his head in Xerxes direction.
Xerx: "The chapters are not codex compliant. Each one has about 2500 marines, and every chapter has at least three hundred marines dedicated to each specialty of Devastator, Assault, Tactical, and so forth. My chapter, Adepts of the Tome, is consisted exclusively of Librarians, and we have six hundred marines to support our operations. Most of our devastators equip lascannons and ancient graviton weapons, gifted to us by Adeptus Mechanicus, as thanks for our centuries long service. As regular space marine chapter has companies, we have Librarium Companies, I belong to company seven, but you cannot see that, as I have replaced my armour. We also have large number of Librarians which are supported by other specialists. We have companies that specialize in rapid fast threat response that use drop pods and Hemptor-Pattern Thunderhawks".
Zeon turned his head forward again and asked: "And other four chapters?".
Xerx: "I'll tell you about them later. All of them are thousands years old. All were founded in M35, from one, truly ancient chapter, named just Adepts, a chapter dating back to M33 when these worlds were founded. That chapter still exists, and these four are derived from it. Same thing as with chapter founded by Ultramarines Chapter. But that history is clouded by time as these planets were under constant assaults. That ancient chapter is responsible for this chain of worlds, that cooperate together, bounding Planetary Lords under one treaty and purpose. Adepts could not use force to unite Planetary Lords, because that would never make any progress here, as there is more that six hundred worlds, it would take too long. Planetary Lords were famous and explicitly stubborn. So they used their influence as Sons of Emperor to calm boiling blood of planetary hotheaded lords. Well.. Now, there is a rumor that circulates in our chapter, from ear to ear, that Adepts chapter was in some form of relation of Tau invasion, so that planetary lords had common enemy, so they had to unite, but that is unconfirmed. And that would be highly heretical for Space Marine chapter, to dabble with hated Xenos. Tau invasion lasted for more that ninety standard imperial years, and during that time other four chapters are founded. All bear the name "Adepts of", then of what".
Zeon: "That's a lot of history… What is the name of your chapter master?"
Xerx: "Termenus the Third." Xerx made sign of Aquila.
Zeon: "How aggressive is their combat strategy?".
Xerx: "Not at all. They have lots of equipment and are well supplied, they usually employ indirect tactics, exploiting enemy weaknesses, or sowing confusion in their communication systems. Or any other systems. In case of very unsophisticated enemies, like orks, they never attack head on, instead infiltrating their lines, planting seeds of weakness and then swiftly hammering them down."
Zeon: "Definitely not standard Space Marine Chapters. Forgive me for asking, brother, but why are you alone?"
Xerx laughed. "Sometimes, a sting of needle can hurt more than iron nail".
They started walking towards underground bunker, towards north. Their steps made clanking sound as armor bore into hard stony earth. They left trails, which disappeared in the blaze. Ten years ago, planet was alive with forests and military installations, rich with activity. Now it was burning wasteland, crisscrossed with burning orange cracks, like if a planet is about to explode. Planet was place to five hive cities, each one supplying masses of workers to Mechanicus forges and infinite mines. Desert terrain was interrupted by dark rock formations, where huge inferno fires emerged from earth. They encountered ten kilometer long convoy of civilian vehicles, burned to black ash. Vehicles were black, from exposure to corrupted wasteland. It seems that sometime ago there was habitation nearby, but they did't know that.
Halfway to the Military Base
3338436.M38
"What are these burning scars on landscape, Xerx?".
"I do not know. But they are chaos made. It looks like something is trying to tear the planet into pieces. I have an idea what it may be, but if that is the case, then that are very bad news for us". - Xerx was serious and was crossing the burning scars with his eyes.
Zeon said nothing to that. "How do you intent to breach that bunker?" - Zeon was looking at Xerx while they walked around burning orange scar in planet crust.
"In my chapter every space marine has some role to fulfill. Mine role was that of Librarian. I wield power of the warp against enemies of Imperium." - Xerx told proudly. "And each Librarian has some kind of talents. My talents are around ability to make things disappear". A brief pause. "So do not worry, we will have them surprised and we will have upper hand."
Clusters of broken stone formations the size of titans appeared on horizon. Thick bleak orange mist filled landscape now, limiting vision to several dozen meters.
"Their base is after that stone protrusions, that are pretty far away, it will take us several dozen days by foot" - said Xerx over the vox.
Outskirts of infested hive under rule of Temor the Blighblessed
3201436.M38
Several hundred kilometers from them, a green blister pop up, releasing tormented fumes. There were thousands of them, scattered on the landscape, each one size the small tank. The ground around blisters appeared gray. Upon closer inspection, earth appears to writhe and wiggle, like as if something moves underneath it. Surface of Hemptor 337, or as some inhabitants called it now, Ragefire, was mostly of orange and blue, depending on which hemisphere was turned to massive yellow-blue giants of planets, that provided illumination to all planets in Forber sector. Cluster of 6 giants of gas based planets acted as a common sun for almost seven hundred planets of Hemptor family.
Under this blue glow, on this rotting ground, several brave souls were killing single horned muscular bipedal creatures in the name of Carrion Lord. They have been sent here by their own masters, as a way to repent for their crimes or failings. 10 of them, strong, armored. Armed with weapons requisitioned from their Chapter Armories, before their fall. Drop Pod that bear the words Condemned in High Gothic, was far behind them. Red, black, green chainswords rended rotting muscles and bellies in precise motion. A leg, armoured in Mark VI plate, was melted off as it owner pressed small blister. It flew upwards, to fall on a horned green head. Bolt pistol was stuck in open mawed jaw, moment before jaw exploded from bolt pistol. Here was Ascylos, Charcharadon Deathwatch Devastator, who was dishonored because of his ambition to kill Ork Warboss, fired a salvo from his heavy bolter, accidentally hitting his Deathwatch Blood Angel comrade. For this he was Discharged from Deathwatch, and along with his already faulty conduct in Charcharadon Chapter, he was designated Condemnatus Imperialis. Several of original ten of his condemned brothers, were dismembered already by infinite number of horned muscular foes.
"I will survive" - Ascylos's mind was repeating like broken recorder. His heavy bolter was barking devastating ammo at unrelenting tide of foes. Bolts exploded in mass, making spherical razing in three horned beings. He killed them by hundreds. Ammo indicator in his hud was depleting.
"I will survive". "But to survive, you must retreat, and betray your vow." "I need to remove myself from this" - second thought echoed. Punch to his left shoulder plate, from skeletal humanoid hand, turned his attention to cluster of blockish building to his left. On one of the buildings was a sign that read "Halziv Acid Containers".
"I will survive!"
On their way to Military Base
3338436.M38
On the top of stone hill, just one kilometer from Corpsemaker Base, Xerx and Zeon saw large puddle of greenish liquid. It's surface was scattered with black and oily water lilies. Stink was serious and could be sensed even on bottom of hill.
Two armored figures, one black, second purple, were looking to massive muddy liquid.
"This looks like something i have seen already" - said Zeon. "This is corruption, seeping from Plague God, probably the work of Temor".
They turned and left for military base.
Bottom level of Military Base, under control of Corpsemakers
3322436.M38
The Corpsemaker base was probably Imperial Guard installation, several hundred years old. It was doing well for its age. Even with Hemptor 337 status of chaos planet, where temperature could reach boiling point, it was doing well. Installation was nested inside large rocky hills. Only frontal area of facility could be seen from outside, dotted with five giant blastdoors, each one fifty meters in length. Thousands vehicles could leave hangars in very short amount of time to respond to various threats. There were three massive spaceports near the hangar, where Imperial Tetrarch Heavy Landers could be stationed. Top of frontal area was protected by rockrete roof, so that rocks would not fall at front of entrances.
Inside structure was made of ten levels, interconnected by vertical and horisontal heavy lifts. Facility was home to several thousand humans, some free some enslaved to Corpsemakers and Death Guard.
Even after ten years, there were Imperial symbols around, and there were workgangs dispatched regularly to replace them with Chaos start or other symbols.
Lowermost area of base was home to dozen Imperial Knights and their maintenance crews and storage. At that level, cries of tortured Black Templar astartes soldier echoed. At first, Black Templar was cursing by mentioning the Emperor's Holy Name, then with treats, and now, only with roars, rarely using words. His power armor and his sword were far from him, in a corner of the hangar, where Imperial Knight was standing in his maintenace rigs. His armor… One thing that could protect him, his second skin. Astarius was chained for at least 150 standard imperial days on this floor. His muscles should have entrophied by now. They were not giving him any food, instead they attached crude intravenous apparatus to his arms and were suffusing him with blood from nine cauldrons.
Base was very dark as Techpriests who were responsible for maintenace, have dedicated themselves to Lord of Decay, and they have made all machines blessed with touch of Papa Nurgle. Cables and wiring become covered in moss, wet and cold with touch, dripping poison. Cable wall iron clips that were holding human arm sized cables, become purple fleshy and wiggling. Cables itself become like ribbed worms. Walls become black where cables touched them, looking like inflammation on rockrete.
Techpriests spent their time nurturing these techno abominations with gentle prayers and by removing mawed barnacles that spawned on machines surface. There removals are later used to torture slaves.
In the very center in that installation, conflict was raging. Eight humans in exqusite robes made of blue silks with golden decorations, were squabbling about sacrifice ritual to bring massive god of war to life. This squabbling went for several dozens of days, but psykers themselves didn't really care about time apparently. They were standing in massive vaulted hangar, underground and in total darkness, where fully equipped Imperial Knight of House Vornherr, almost ten thousand years old. Red and yellow color scheme of now doomed House Vornherr was not visible in near darkness. Hangar had no light, because Psykers didn't need it as they did not have the eyes, and space marines had Autosenses. About twenty apprentices were tasked with summoning bubbles of blue warp energy, which ascended and proved some form of illumination, but this was more done in honour of Master of Magic than for illumination, They have been ordered to make this machine functional, and have been provided by massive collection of books and slaves for sacrifice for conjuring deamon and to bind it inside the Knight. What they were doing was starting one ritual after another, but only making their master, Lord Probos angry. Each psyker wanted to be the one who will awake massive construct, and gain the favor of their deity, Lord of Change. They ordered their apprentices to annoint the machine with blood collected in cauldrons. While apprentices performed given task, Acolyte of Second Circle, who carried large eight pointed decoration, made of bright blue metal, above his head, punched Acolyte of Fourth Circle with that same iron star, to the head. In turn the other mage launched doom bolt at the first psyker but the first psyker dodged, and doombolt hit the cauldron and blood was spilled.
"Careful you fools" - Said black armoured Space Marine who was standing on the catwalk, in the darkness above ritualistic circles and imperial knight.
"You have had spilt the blood of hundred sacrifices now, if you continue like that, you may even gain favor of Khorne, i heard he likes blood, so maybe we can add yours to the mix" - loud laughter ensued from him and two more Chaos Marines.
The largest Corpsemaker, the one who made a joke, had massive lascannon slanted on the wall next to him.
Second chaos marine approached him. "Maybe we should kill one or two of them, to bolster morale, like Imperial Commisars do" - both started laughing dryly.
"Who are you going to kill" - First psyker said out loud and launched several doom bolts at them. Marines ducked and evaded bolts, but bolts struck catwalk and it shattered. Marines fell from ten meters height. First marine fell on his chest, and then falling lascannon struct his helmet directly.
All psykers started laughing. "You fools can do nothing without us, this machine is going nowhere without us and our master, blessed be his name".
"And if you do kill us, then you can all go and explain to Temor and his Death Guard why their engine is not yet functional". - Fifth psyker said, while blood dripped from his empty eye sockets.
"But we do not need these weak fools of the emperor on our backs, we can do this without them" - said the sixth.
"Since Death Guard is here in our bunker, when we awake imperial machine with demon infusion, we can reap all the benefits" - Sharp laughter occured again from seventh psyker.
Purple lascannon ray lighted floor area of massive dark hangar, emitted from barrel that was pulsing with techno veins, veins expanding on weapon discharge and shifiting colors from gunmetal gray to fleshy violet and reverting back. Second and Fourth Acolytes disapeared in disintegration ray, only their spiked metal boots remained smoking, symbol of number nine in high gothic still visible.
"I like the sharp resonating sound your weapon makes" - Said second chaos marine to lascannon operator.
"Yes, i took it from that Obliterator we killed back in Outpost 14." - First marine said as he turned his head in his direction. "I have rippet it from him, while he was still barely twitching, he he he".
"And it doesn't need ammo" - Ozar thought himself, happily, he didn't want to reveal this information.
"Now, you six have six hours to finish this, and i will kill each one of you every hour until i get some results".
"You would make a fine comissar in Imperial Guard" - Said second marine to Ozar.
"Maybe i would even get my own Leman Russ, Terso, ahaha" - Ozar returned back to Terso.
Terso nodded to the massive humanoid figure hunched in the center of sacrificial circle.
Surrounded by eight human bodies, in a circle drawn in blood, was crucified astartes. His body was scarred and acolytes were brading chaos stars to his skin with branding tools. This lasted for several months, as incompetent psykers squabbled.
"Where did we get this one?" - Terso asked Ozar. "That's the one we captured on Hemptor 12, during our raid of Mechanicus Forges, where we stole that Frigate".
"Well, only proper sacrifice will draw out Most Valorous Hazkiel from the warp, so that psykers can bind him to Imperial Knight" - Terso said amusingly.
Spilled blood from cauldron vanished from the iron floor. Nobody seemed to notice. Black Templar Astarius, clenched his chained arms as new brand was added to his collection of scars with hissing sound and maniacal noise from acolyte. Astarius was chained in smallest of nine ricles that were inscripted on the rockrete floor in front of nine meter tall machine.
Two chaos marines were watching branding process.
Ozar: "I always imagined Black Templars to have more spirit".
Terso: "Yes, i heard they are insane in their hate toward xenos".
Ozar: "Maybe he needs a little inspiration?" - Ozar said this mockingly.
Terso: "Well yes, it is not proper for pious servants of the Corpse Lord, to have their spirits down" - He spread his arms wide and approached chained astartes who is laying on the ground naked and stabbed his stomach with a piece of iron. Since astartes physiology makes their bodies to clot wounds fast, he left the iron in his stomach.
Terso: "There, fixed it". Black Templar was roaring now.
Ozar: "Can you imagine we were our brothers once with these fools".
Ritual of Power
3349434.M38
Zeon was thinking about Temor. Temor is just a name to him, representing an object that needs to be destroyed. How is he supposed to do just that? Zeon doesn't know where Temor is, who he is, or his defense strategy. He will need to obtain some informations for all that. Zeon voiced his concerns to the Xerx, while they walked towards spaceport of the military base, on secure vox channel.
Xerx: "Well, I also need some information, and there is a person, nay, an astartes here that is well informed. I need to question him. So we are not here simply to raid them and set them back, we also need to capture Probos. There we will have a challenge. Probos is an heretic astartes, most probably of psyker kind. Like me. Now, he may or may not have assistance of warp entities, and may or may not know we are coming. But this changes nothing in our design, we need to infiltrate the base, scout their capabilities, and decide on the fly what we can do. It would be very good to be undetectable while scouting, and attention of our enemies concentrated on something else. Me being an librarian, has granted me unique powers that my astartes training provided. I can make us undetectable to our enemies, neither by vision nor by sound, and neither by automated optical systems. But, if anybody comes very close to us, we can be detected. So that is my plan. While I am concentrating on maintaining our non detectable status, I will not be able to do anything else. You will need to open doors with levers, or move boxes around."
Xerx, thinking for himself: "i hope my knowledge of telepathic powers are not diminished on this warp touched Emperor forsaken planet… When I find some time I will need to practice my most complex power, that I practiced with my Master. Good thing that I spent years practicing from those books Insidion acquired from corrupted tech priest. It was unusal for member of Adeptus Mechanicus to have interest in such knowlegde, but then, that must be how he convinced his fellows to trust him. He even knew Delude, Thought Sending, and Compel. All those are psychic powers that Chaos Psykers and Chaos Sorcerers. Insidion correctly assumed that magos used Delude to make others like him more, and Thought Sending to provoke inconvenient thoughts while they were alone, and Compel to force his will".
Zeon: "How will we find that Probos? I sincerely do not expect someone to just tell us.".
Xerx: "I have other librarian power also, that I was thought. I can also use warp to locate persons or objects, especially if I know how they look or their names."
Zeon: "Then your… our mission has much more sense. We will find this Probos, scout the facility and disappear.. Do you hear that?".
Xerx, after two second pause, concentrating: "Yes.., sound of chain weapons… It is coming from that ravine over there. I suggest to investigate, I can shroud us with my power".
Zeon make muffling sound: "Hmm. Let's investigate it then."
Xerx concentrated and imagined rippling field around both of them, cloudy elliptical bubble that moves with them.
Zeon, with questioning tone: "I see nothing changed.".
Xerx, speaking very slowly: "We. Are. Not. Visible. Anymore. Come."
Both space marines, an Adept of the Tome and Soul Drinker, black and purple, walked up the rocky hillside of a ravine, and when they reached to the top, they saw in the shallow valley, a gathering. There was smoke, there were burning pyres, eight of them, arranged in some shape. There were Astartes present, standing on a platform made of pile of broken vehicles, platform the same height as dreadnought. At the bottom of the platform were twelve astertes bikes, each bike was red and dark orange, from rust and each sported large symbol on front panel. Symbol was made of bolted iron bars, almost resembling character X and at the base, vertical bars. Some were made from blood and bones.
At the top of the platform stood, with hands extended to the sides, with open clenched fists, as posture of power, an astartes. Rust covered his power armor, quad edged spikes adorned vambraces, powerfist on left arm, black and red chain axe attached on chains around waist. Chest was decorated with same mark as bikes, in large red metal artwork. There were humans. There were vehicles. There were more astartes around. Everyone was yelling. Pyres were burning. Pyres formed a circle. Large circle. Circle was made of earth, filled with blood, covered with body parts. Circle was surrounded with old metal planks, with spikes turned inwards. Walls were spiked with metal hooks and rebar spears.
There were normal humans, some armoured in Imperial Guard fatigues and armor, some having to armor at all, but instead sported chains around their bodies, from shoulder to hip, with either sharp metal objects like hooks or curved blades, or body pieces like fingers, hands and even heads.
"Hruth, the greatest champion of the Blood God is forcing you to make a choice."
Stein was sometime ago driver of chimera transport. He was charged of delivering imperial guardsmen to designated coordinates. Stein was excellent driver, born on Imperial world named Hemptor 116, an peaceful ice world. Hemptor 116 was far from massive sun that powered other worlds. Bright days were few and far. Hemptor 116 had three massive hive cities and massive mining installations. Hive cities were not haphazard as hive cities can be, but were instead carefully constructed by Most Prominent Project Bureau. Each hive was shielded by gigantic ceramic dome, which prevented hives from expanding. Life was not very hard, everyone was either working in mines or were conscripted into army. Life was not very hard. Until Tau invasion. After Imperial Guard managed to kill every one of Tau expansion tank and soldier, only one hive remained. Life was hard after that. Personally he never saw any of Tau soldiers, since he never left his chimera, so he always wondered how they look like.
Stein was saved from certain death by metal giant, helmet with grille where his mouth were supposed to be. This human was large and armored in large plates of metal with accented large plates on shoulders. Metal was non-reflective dark teal ceramite, with white edges. Several human soldiers were saved when this tank began raining explosions into tau forces, who were hiding in gray smoke, and slew dozen of them with one clip of ammo from his handheld weapon. The figure then disappeared into smoke.
A decade later, Stein have had been sent as a driver to the world of Hemptor 337, which was apparently designated as Extraordinary Operation Status, as seen on his Battle Order. They were told in their transport barge that there was some kind of chemical disaster, as chemical processing plants were damaged by Tau assault forces. Stein has never saw any Tau on this world. What he did saw was grassland and forests. And lots of bunkers, paved roads for tanks, and lots of rocky plains. There were rock cliffs scattered everywhere. Anti-aircraft batteries were massive rockrete structures, with bronze imperial eagle decoration. Batteries were scattered across whole continents. But they were useless as there was nothing to shoot at. There are three separated oceans on this world, with violet waters, made by reflection of cobalt sun's light from ocean's bottom. They were issued camouflaged fatigues, so they can easiliy melt into surroundings. Joker was with him. Joker. Heavy weapon operator, from other world. Joker was special jungle forces fighter, one of Catachan's devils. He had longes knife of all ten of them. Stein delivered Catachan squad to their designated coordinates, and over time, objective has been accomplished. They killed insurgents, all human, most of them conscripted workers of the kilometres long Halziv chemical factory installations.
Twenty of them were standing in one of many processing plants, and briefed by Commisar. They have been told by Commisar Yollus that they have all performed admirably. They have been told that Tau invaders have been dealt with by Astartes soldiers personally, to prevent them from organizing proper defense of these installations. Tau have fooled administration officers and work personnel to server their purpose. Comissar then left the concrete chamber, riddled with open piping. Circular hatch, closed with slow hissing. Bloodied Joker looked at Stein, still clutching his flamer weapon.
"What's going on?", asked Joker. "Um, I have no idea, maybe some form of cleaning?", shrugged Stein. Near the hatch, there was thick clanking sound. Tech priest said that is bolting of the hatch, securely closing it. One soldier yelled. Second yelled. Nervousness spread the room.
"You have all served Imperium honorably. You have not failed the Emperor, it is shame that you have served your purpose", voice of Commisar sounded inside dark chamber, over vox unit hidden somehwere.
Wave of curses could be heard. Soldiers didn't accept their fate easily. They did not surrender. They clawed at the walls. Shoot weapons. But rockrete structural walls, made to contain hazardous liquids, were resilient.
Room lit red. There were no visible lights.
Then, all of the sudden, a boom was heard. One soldier stopped kicking wall with his worn our lasgun. And looked in the direction of the hatch. Red light subsided. One catachan approached metal hatch and examined it. Hatch was made round metal plates. Eight bolts where holding plates together, in a circle. Metal clank was heard, soldier with red bandana stepped back. Hatch opened. A body of a commisar flew right through the opened hatch, headless and with bloodied shoulders. He fell ten meters from the door. One catachan came and spat on the body. Next one came, and kicked it. There was hazy smoke coming into the chamber from the hatch, and large figure was visible in outline. Two bright red eyes were watching twenty soldiers. Figure was armored, with large shoulders.
"You have all been deceived. This was not what you were told it was." Mechanical voice filled the room. "You now have two options. Follow me, to deliver bloody death to the ones that tricked you. Or stay here and rot. I am Hroth. I am greatest killing machine that exists. And I want my revenge. I want blood!".
Stein and Joker followed Hroth for a decade. Hroth was space marine. He had dozens of loyal followers under his command. Their army was killing and pillaging military bases and imperial settlements for years. Their tactics changed considarbly over years, and became much more direct and bold. That resulted in many losses, both mechanical and alive. Much of this astarted died. Some even challenged him.
Stein and Joker now stood and watched battle unfolding before their eyes. Massive pillars were buring. Valley was filled with dense dark grey smoke. Hroth was standing on massive platform, were several of his men stood in silence, at the bottom. Banners of red cloth and with golden symbol of Eight, waved in smoke. Gold was one material Hroth was very fond of. He was instructing his tech priests to create these symbols of gold and then vehicles were decorated with it. Astarte's bikes were decorated with it. It was mark of their god, who gave them strength and power to survive.
"If you survive, you will be rewarded with weapon and armor, and you will not be weak anymore", Hruth was roaring. Ring of human spectators and astartes both, confirmed with a roar and raising of weapons. Two combatants were inside arena of piercing walls. Both were muscular with dark skin. Their faces were frozen in grimace of anger. Both were bald. Their torso's were armored in a shell made from construction metal bolted together. Chain were rusted decorations. Both were sweaty, from heat that was coming from burning pyres. Black and red colors dominated the scene. Ground was reddish, dark reddish. Vehicles were orange and red, all rusted. Bandanas the Khorne catachans wore were red. Smoke from pyres was becoming black, and filled whole valley. "You are deciding to kill the other and wield mighty weapon, infused by power of the blood domain, ruled by the Perfect Warrior, the Lord of Skulls. Begiiiiin." Crowd raged again. Sacrifices were perfomed on captives, taken from unnamed settlement. Captives were also bald, with same bolted armor. Battle began, red dust rose from groud as combatants started striking each other.
Zeon opened vox link to Xerx: "I think we cannot kill them all."
Xerx replied, also on vox: "I think so too. This is not our fight. Good thing you are not from Ultramarines or Flesh Tearers Chapter, they would make a mess here."
Xerx and Zeon turned their head into direction of footsteps on the opposing side of gladiator pit.
There stood… broken, rusted and saliva-spitting sickly green power armor, and organic horn sprouted from it's forehead. Several more, all in similar fashion stood around him. And a dozen or more Pleague Bearers around him and host of Nurglings. Hruth noticed them, his gaze was locked to Plague Marines, instead of a melee battle in front of him. He returned gaze to the battle.
In his mind, Hruth remembered a time, when he and the cursed Plague Marine fought together against enemies of man, when they were World Eater and Deathguard.
Red crowd raised hand and roared in victory of a combatant. Several hundred voices chanted in the same time "Blood for the Blood God". This was lasting several long minutes.
Defeated warrior lay on the ground, without left arm, and half his stomach was torn of, entrails were dangling. Some entrails were on his opponent's weapon. Hruth told the victor to finish his enemy quickly. There is no point in suffering. Hruth threw chainsword, black metal and dark metal teeth. Hilt was beast head, with glowing eyes and jawning mouth.
Defeated oponent was quickly finished by beheading.
Hruth told to the masses "Battle was so great, that even Lord of Rot came to enjoy.", and raised his Legion Power fist in the direction of Plague Marines.
Plague Marine had curcular opening below his horn on his helm. This was silver like and brown from pus. Ooze leaked through it and spitted downward on armor. Triplet circle was on his chest, also silver like and gray. Helm had no eye lenses nor vox grill.
With slow and coughing voice, like one from human with lung disease, he clapped hands and spoke: "Tthheeyy ffoouugghhtt wweeeell", and some laughter ensured.
All followers of Khorne looked to new arrivals.
"Tthhiiss llaanndd iiss ttoo bbeelloonngg ttoo Fatthheerr Nnuurrgglle. Eeaacchh oonnee ooff yyoouu ccaann..."
Shot from shotgun from one catachan warrior interrupted the speech.
"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD, BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD", and rought three hundred humans armored and unarmored and armed with autoguns and hatchets charged uphill, and Hruth and his Chaos Space Marines jumped to their bikes and drove uphill. Paguebeares saw through red dust golden symbols of Khorne on space marine bikes, moments before their heads were chopped of.
Red soldiers collided with green nurglings, bodies started to pile up so artificial cliff was created, and dark green liquid from nurglings mixed with blood of corrupted soldiers, making walking uphill difficult.
Xerx: "Let's move, nothing for us here." So they left, under cloak of invisibility. Sounds of swords striking rotten bodies, and automatic weapons were lessening every moment, as they walked away.
Zeon: "Those were followers of the God of Rot."
Xerx: "Yes. They have the most of this god forsaken world. Most of people living here are following him. He offers them salvation from pain. And air. There is no air on this planet in most areas as all plant life died. Nurgle's champion Temor is gaining much influence with still undecided lords."
Zeon: "What undecided lords?"
Xerx: "This planet is ten years under influence of chaos, ever since it fell from grace. There are those in Imperium, cursed be their name, that have rejected Holy Emperor and followed interdimensional entities. Temor is one of them. He has made two hive cities to become one and has greatest number of soldiers, who raise from dead when killed, like Necrons."
Zeon: "So he rules on this world then?"
Xerx: "Well, no. Not yet, almost but not yet. Lady Ksamicana from Noise City has greatest military presence and commands a Knight House so she keeps Temor at bay, with her Knight House and Titans."
Zeon: "Noise City? I can imaging she likes music..."
Xerx: "there are three large towers in that city, kilometres tall and hundreds wide. These are sonic weapons that can direct their power. Imagine how armies of Temor enjoyed when they assaulted her city. And yes, Emperor's Children are there. They somehow arrived through the warp, equipped with sonic weapons and other nasty artifacts."
Xerx: "Magnar, master of Magnarus, a hive he conquered as Renegade Brazen Skulls Space Marine from underhive Cults of Change, has his independence because he trains the best infantry and has determination to keep his domain independent and functioning. Magnar has several dozens or maybe even hundreds Space Marines in his command, and he has still functioning foundries that produces tanks and basilisks. His hive is fortress, in shape if steep pyramid, like pinecone, dotted with gun emplacements. He recently purchased geneseed stocks of Imperial Fists, from Dark Eldar traders, so he is making even more marines. He is making his own chapter, named Obsidian Blaze, and has Librarians that wield warp powers of inferno."
Zeon: "Brazen Skulls? I know of them, they helped in Sabbat Worlds Crusade, that ended in late M41."
Zeon tried to remove dark red, wed, dust, that rose in Khorne's Pit, from his Aquila on his chestplate.
Zeon: "Xerx, you are very well informed. How do you know all that?"
They were standing, and looking at each other.
Xerx: "I need to be informed, to perform my duties, given to me by my chapter. We have ways to obtain information. We are Adepts of the Tome. We like to know everything." Xerx put emphasis on "everything".
Brief silence, as they were looking at each other.
They were breathing recycled air.
Xerx: "Zeon, what happened to you, when you fell from that ship into waters? How did you survive?".
Zeon: "I.. Do not know. I remember falling through dark water. On that blasted Ve'Meth's planet, there were poisoned grey seas, that we were crossing, and foul influence could be felt everywhere. I remember touch rock bottom, and then darkness. After that, I remember only you. Our leader Sarpedon has..." Zeon fell silent.
Xerx: "Zeon.. You are in M38. This is current time. Here, let me help you to synchronise your chronometer". Short binary transmission happened between two suits of armor.
Zeon stared at High Gothic numerals, with colon separators. Time indicated M38.
Zeon: "There was.. civil war in our chapter… Many brave marine died. We lost our chapter master Gorgoleon. Sarpedon resumed leadership. We.. were.. are.. Mechanicus betrayed us, stole the Spear."
There was minute of silence.
Zeon: "Let's move, we still have that base to handle. We will finish this along the way."
Xerx: "Yes... But we will not attack them directly. Direct assault in this case will lead to failure. We will help from inside. There are lots of guns for hire that Corpsemakers have, and they probably have some Tech Priests maintaining sensor arrays."
Purple and black walked on orange field of dust and ruck, with bright orange spears of flame cutting scars into landscape.
3347436.M38
Two days before arrival of Xerx and Zeon to Corpsemaker's Base
Lowermost floor, chamber of Eight Acolyte of Change, servant of the Lord of the Ninth Circle.
The Acolyte of the Eight, Fasmoz, had a vision in his chamber, during his worship of Master of Mages. Chamber was small, but modest, dull red carpet, old military style double door wardrobe, small metal desk. Walls were bare gray rockrete, black cabling surrounded by organic purple-green inflammation.
Vision was strong. Two shapes, black and purple, approaching from afar, from blazing landscape. He was blue spark that was meeting them. Message was interpreted as one from Lord of Change. Vision was absolute. Silvery talismans in shapes of orbs with fire, dangles everywhere in his twenty meter wide chambers. He had a staff from accolyte that was killed by space marines, during the ritual. Staff was standing on a ornate low metal slab, decoared with sapphires as an oltar. Whole chamber had deep blue glow. He knew what he had to do to ascent to the rank of Ninth. Ninth was to be replaced, he may be cursed super human Space Marine, but these apparations will be his doom. So he smiled and cackled.