The Immaterium
The Warp is unknowable to the minds of the creatures populating the Material plane. It is a dimension of impossibilities. Endless seas of emotion rolled and collided. The closest mortal terms could come to describing the accursed realm of the Dark Gods fell endlessly short. Concepts that are bedrocks of the Material Plane; time, space and form are things that exist on the whim of whatever entity is in 'control' of that 'segment' of the endless Immaterium.
The Greatest of the Warp Entities are what the mortals label the Dark Gods: Khorne, Slaanesh, Tzeentch and Nurgle. These terrible sentiences were locked in an eternal game. Their 'armies' marched endlessly against each other fighting for absolute victory that would never come. In the event that one of the Great Warp Beings achieved ultimate victory, the Immaterium would calm, stagnate and die. Chaos would cease to exist. Therefore, even as the Daemons of the Gods marched against each other, they would fight against their kin in the army of one of the other Gods.
Chaos at its core is paradox.
So, the gathering of Khorne, Slaanesh and Tzeentch was an unusual and horrific gathering of power. Their 'proximity' generated Warp Storms throughout the Galaxy. In places, reality boiled and twisted. The Dark Gods did not notice. The affairs of the Materium rarely draw their dread attentions any more than humans give their attention to the grasses destroyed in their wars.
Tzeentch; the God of Sorcery, Machiavellian Plots and Mutation 'spoke first'. The Changer of Ways reached through the Warp and brought the latent psychic gifts of three thousand slaves in one of the Word Bearer's Hive Slums. This act served to 'greet' his brothers. He then caused these psykers to cure several thousand diseased slaves. His displeasure with Nurgle was made clear. On another world, he collapsed a dam and allowed the flooding of several miles.
Khorne raged as only the Lord of Battle, Murder and Bloodshed could. His provoked a warband of his Berserkers to attack a group of Nurglites that moments before they had been fighting alongside. Deep within the jungles of another world, he inspired an unnatural bloodlust in a tribe of primitive sapients. He guided their rage to attack the large hovel of their elder. Through the bloodshed, Khorne expressed his desire to strike at Nurgle's manse and eliminate the threat of Nurgle's Flood. That the world would soon be engulfed in a war of extermination launched from that village that would last three hundred years did not enter into the unfathomable mind of the Chaos God.
Slaanesh, beguiling as only an immortal can be spoke in honeyed tones. He whispered in the ears of his followers. The surprise of Nurgle's followers was tangible as the forces of Slaanesh suddenly joined in the assault spearheaded by their erstwhile Khornate allies. Thus did Slaanesh state his tacit approval of the alliance.
Tzeentch sought to further cement Slaanesh's position in the alliance by showing the youngest Chaos God, the potential of Nurgle's Flood. Tzeentch chose one of favored Champions and stripped his ability to even sense the most basic experiences. Slaanesh shrieked in horror at the realization. The Dark Prince of Excess quickly restored her champion's senses and countered the Architect of Fate's machinations. Slaanesh overloaded the senses of one of Tzeentch's magi and drove the old woman insane.
Khorne took up his dread sword and roared. His mighty strike caused a world's tectonic activity to go into overdrive and reduced the world to a dead husk. The two bickering gods were cowed by the Lord of Skulls' outburst and called a truce. Tzeentch and Slaanesh quietly swore to achieve a measure of petty revenge on the other after the threat of Nurgle's Flood was ended.
The three Chaos Gods marshaled their numberless legions and prepared for war.
Installation 05
Installation 05 was a scene of hellish total war between two all consuming races. The Flood and the Tyranids had even turned the surface of Halo into a weapon. Large swaths of the Forerunner installation were unrecognizable due to the level of Tyranno and Flood forming.
The surface of Halo, however, was buried under a sea of Tyranid Guants, Flood Combat forms and other horrors. A Tyranid Warrior's living whip cracked above a massive Gaunt brood. Even as Flood Controlled Wraith plasma mortars rained down all around them, they continued to advance. The Tyranid Warrior's Synaptic control allowed the Hive Mind to dominate the lesser creatures and remove any sense of fear, self-preservation or thoughts other than the complete destruction of the enemy.
The Flood Combat Forms were equally as focused. Even as several of their number were reduced to a soupy mess by a Tyranid Deathspitter, the Flood stood firm and continued to fire. The Flood was cutting down Gaunts by the hundreds, but still they came on. There seemed to be no give.
Until the ground gave way. As the ground exploded around the Flood position, broods of Raveners and Rippers in unseen numbers poured forth. The snake-like Tyranids' claws rended the armor of an infested Wraith and reduced it to scrap as the Rippers tore into the combat forms. The weight of numbers was too much, even for the stolen mechanized might of the Flood's position. In a horrible instant, the massive Tyranid broods had torn the Flood position apart. An eerie false silence descended as the Gravemind and the Hive Mind seemingly appraised the situation. The fighting, however, did not abate. Phalanxes of Flood Tank Forms battered their way through the ocean of Gaunts. The debased and corrupted forms of Humans and Sangheli serving as the backbone of the Gravemind's horde leapt amongst the endless swarm of Tyranids striking at Synapse Creatures and biovores. Though the Flood were bringing down numerous foes, they were markedly slower than most of the Gaunts and simply pulled down and butchered by sheer numbers.
The presence of the Covenant and Humans was noted by the dread sentiences engaged in mortal combat. At best, they were viewed as an annoyance to be eliminated. At worst, they were viewed as a resource to be utilized. The Sacred Rings of the Covenant had become anything but holy. The Milky Way was standing on the precipice of the abyss.
Sol System
Cairo Station was a scene of near panic. A fleet of several hundred Chaos Warships had emerged from the Warp and despite Tzavars' assurances they were all registering as real on every sensor in the system. The ships of the Imperium positioned themselves around the forward battle clusters.
Captain Paulos's withered form appeared on a communications screen. "Admiral Hood, my ships are in position. It has been an honor, but we will not sell our lives to the Great Enemy so cheaply. Ave Imperator! Ave Humanatus!"
Lord Hood nodded. Ave Humanatus? Terrence for once liked the sound of one of the Imperium's battle cries. "Ave Humanatus." He ran a hand over his Command Nueral Interface. A sudden cool breeze behind him caused him to reach for his pistol, but as he turned it was the astral projection of Behar.
"I really wish you would stop that, Dr. Tzavaras."
Dr. Tzavaras smiled weakly. "Apologies." The projection walked over to a sensor. "Admiral, a large concentration of psychic energy is concentrated on this ship... here. I recommend that you focus your fire on this ship."
Admiral Hood shook his head. "I don't care about psychic energies! That looks like nothing more than an armed merchantman! There are ships out there that are twice the size of the Palma!"
The projection shone as a beacon. "Look again, as the fog lifts."
Lord Hood blinked the brightness away and the ringing in his mind. He looked down at the sensor data again. There were only a handful of ships. The largest of which was a single Grand Cruiser. "What the hell is this?"
"Illusions, Lord Admiral. Chaos has hundreds of pyskers enthralled on that ship allowing the sorcerers to create powerful illusions. They are not fooling your sensors, they are clouding your minds."
Terrence Hood, freed of the Chaos sorcery saw what the pawns of the Warp were attempting. It was actually a beautifully subtle plan. The illusionary fleet was headed straight for Earth with a few existing warships mixed in to cause actual damage. The main body of armed Merchantmen and heaviest warships were rushing towards the Anomaly. If the Merchantmen all carried a cargo of captive psykers, their objective was obviously to collapse the Anomaly before the might of the Imperium could be brought to the aid of the UNSC.
"Fire Control. Target the Merchantmen I am highlighting. Fire for effect!" The crew looked around confused. "I said, Target the damn Merchantmen! They are carrying..."
Lord Hood took a deep breath. The words about to be spoken were unbelievable, even to himself. "Witches. They will use some form of psychic abilities to collapse the Anomaly."
Behar nodded. "A crude term, and distasteful, but accurate. I will lift the veil clouding the minds of the rest of the fleet."
Lord Hood nodded as the MAC Cannon roared its fury at the Chaos vessels. The Merchantman's weak void shields could not stand against the power of the UNSC's premier defensive weapon. The shell overwhelmed the pitiful void shields and tore the vessel in half. Debris, including people, servitors and even a handful of Chaos Space Marines, poured from the wound into the unforgiving and uncaring void. There was a moment of shared distress as the collection of psykers cried out in terror as they died. This fear quickly washed away. Shouts of surprise and shock flooded the battlenet as the illusionary fleet shimmered and collapsed.
Lord Hood turned and smiled at Behar. "You were right!"
Behar scowled as he attempted to pierce the Aether. "It is not over. The Chosen Sorcerer is still out there. We must be ready."
Terrence Hood nodded curtly as he spoke with a visibly enraged Captain Paulos. The Imperial Captain was a terror in the heat of battle. The veins in his neck and face bulged and were visible beneath his pallid skin and the mechanical connections surged and sparked.
"Admiral Hood, the fleet's astropaths and navigators have confirmed that the fleet of the Great Enemy was bolstered by sorcerous illusions. How were they dispersed?"
Lord Hood barked out a terse command to a group of Marathon cruisers. "It is a complex situation. I promise that you will have a full explanation."
Captain Paulos sneered, a combination of his displeasure of not receiving a full explanation and his religion-fueled hate of Chaos. "A debt that will most assuredly will be repaid."
Terrence Hood's response was cut short as the last psyker transport was torn apart by nearly a dozen Shiva Nukes. A roaring cheer erupted over the com channels as the last surviving Chaos Warship was destroyed by a withering bombardment from the Spartan Ward.
The sudden psychic shriek quelled the budding celebration. Deimos was shredded and changed by the Warp Eruption. A corrupted mass of asteroid, ship and even organic material spilled forth. There was no denying the beast's intent.
Space Hulk Artis di Aestus
Devadas trembled with a rage he hadn't felt in nearly ten thousand years. There was a part of him that wanted to deny it, but the presence was undeniable. The Betrayer. The hated creature that had built an empire on the backs of heroes like Lord Magnus, Perturabo and Lorgar and then abandoned them. The Emperor sicced the feral Wolves of Fenris on the beautiful world of Prospero. Devadas hated the Corpse-God of the Imperium more for the barbarity of the Space Wolves than anything.
He would receive absolution today.
Artis di Aestus was incredibly powerful for a Space Hulk, but it was merely a copy of the monstrosity that destroyed the Scrying. Devadas remembered the rage and horror he felt as his fellow Scryers were pulling out of Ghosn, an Adeptus Terra data world. They had just secured a great deal of data that revealed that the Imperium was pulling away from the Segmentum Pacificus to better deal with the Forces of the True Gods and the Tyranid Onslaughts. As the mighty ships of the Devadas' Warband prepared to enter the blessed Aether, a massive Space Hulk emerged from the Warp like a knife from a sheath. It was certainly not of the Dark Gods, for it bore the lightning and thunderbolt symbol of pre-Crusade Earth. The craft attacked with powerful Warp based weapons and overwhelmed the Scrying's ships with surprise and firepower. Devadas caught the faintest glimpse of the attackers as they boarded. A trio of female warriors were scything their way to the bridge and seemed to be cut from the same mold as the Grey Knights.
It had taken the summoning of a Lord of Change and a host of Furies after transitioning to the Warp to force them to retreat.
From that day, Devadas had been obsessed with recreating his mysterious foe's weapon. He could not replicate the destructive main weapon's function, but he had created a weapon of unbelievable power. It had taken horrid pacts with dozens of Obliterator Cults, the Dark Mechanicum and the binding of five score Greater Daemons, but he had created a weapon that possibly surpassed the Planet Killer in fury.
Yes, after thousands of years of set backs and betrayals, Devadas would have his absolution.
Covenant Reverence Cruiser Transcendent Promulgation
Councilor N'gyven stood silently as the last of the holographic figures of his associates flickered away. It was done. N'gyven had just killed the Covenant as it currently existed. Despite the magnitude of N'gyven's actions, he felt strangely at peace. The buildup to this moment had been overwhelming. Now, he had a strange sense of contentment. He could move forward.
Oracle Master Yeur walked several paces behind the Councilor. "Councilor, the Ship Master requests a heading."
N'gyven turned. "Tell them we are heading to Rtho'dekal and then to Deserved Penance. I wish to investigate the cause of Sesa Refum's fall from grace."
The ancient Sangheli arced his head. "The Mausoleum world?"
"We will need the heirlooms of our forefathers. It will take all the might of Sanghelios to destroy the taint infesting this Galaxy."
The Oracle Master nodded. "But I will not be going with you will I? You have another task for me."
N'gyven nodded. "The College can only trust you with this. It is incredibly dangerous and cannot be told to anyone you do not trust utterly."
"Very well, Councilor."
The Councilor flexed his right hand. "We need you to make contact with the humans."
Yeur coughed loudly. "The College supports this?!"
The younger Elite nodded. "Yes, it was actually R'tas Vadumee and the Arbiter's idea. The College voted. Many were against it including myself, but the will of the College was made clear. Our War with the humans is not over, but we have greater concerns now. They are battered, down to a handful of worlds. We have either set their holdings to the torch, or Brute and Kig'Yar privateers have occupied them."
"The humans will likely kill me. However, if it is the will of the College, I will go."
"It is the will of Sanghelios. The humans are a minor threat in the larger picture, but they are tenacious and if the war continues as it rages now, they will fight to the last. We can not afford such a drain on resources that would be better used to cut the cancerous heresy from our Covenant."
Yeur nodded grimly. "It will be so."
The old warrior saluted and left. Councilor N'gyven raged in his mind. Yeur had been his mentor for decades and the councilor had just ordered him to die. N'gyven prayed to the Forerunners that if the Oracle Master were to die, that it would be in honorable combat. There was a part of N'gyven that hoped that the humans would see reason. The Elite found himself admitting that the humans had several positive traits; their tenacity foremost among their traits. Surely, they could see the threat posed by the hellspawn!
His concerns quieted temporarily, N'gyven marched resolutely to the command chamber.
Forerunner facility, Installation 05
Sergeant Johnson scanned the walls for further attacks by the Flood. The presence of the giant walking tank that could throw lightning and sense the approach of the Flood helped.
Avery still didn't fully trust the Space Marine. He had found out from some of the Guardsmen that psykers draw their power from the Warp. Daemons came from the Warp. In Johnson's mind, that connection would always cause him to be incredibly cautious around Psykers.
Casimiro halted in his tracks and shouted. "Incoming, take cover!" As soon as the words left his lips, a plasma grenade detonated mere feet from the Terminator. UNSC marines stood slack jawed at the complete lack of damage to the massive warrior.
Commander Keyes ducked behind a fleshy tower. "Take cover!"
The human soldiers ducked behind cover just as a large group of grunts charged around the corner. The poorly aimed plasma pistol fire impacted against the horribly contaminated walls. The humans returned fire in a devastating volley. Las shots and bullets tore chunks from the unfortunates they struck. However, compared to the terrifying damage inflicted by the Melta, flamer and Casimiro's storm bolter the mundane weapons were a mercy. It was a short bloody fight.
Johnson walked up to the Space Marine. "Strange. The chimpies didn't have an Elite with them. That means they were probably bait."
Casimiro nodded. "They were. There seems to be a large group in cover just beyond the corner. Unusual, there are very few Grunts and no Sangheli in the ambush position."
Commander Keyes reloaded her gun. "Then what is at the ambush position?"
Casimiro shook his massive head. "Jackals mostly. There is a type of Covenant Xenos I have not encountered at the position."
Johnson took a deep breath. "They're like giant apes aren't they."
The Astartes Librarian nodded. "Aye. I have never encountered their ilk in all my time in this galaxy."
Avery stared distantly at the ceiling. "I have. Back when the war started. Back on Harvest."
The mention of Harvest caused the blood to rise in all the humans present.
Commissar Halvorsen took a deep breath. "We must take that position! If the Covenant delays us here, they will continue to advance on the Index."
A marine spoke up. "They are pretty dug in. I mean, this will be tough, even with the armored guy."
Casimiro smiled. "There is no alien bastion humanity cannot overcome. Besides, I'll act as bait. It'll be a lot easier for the rest of you if the Covenant is directing all their fire at me."
The giant's voice was full of humor, which surprised everyone present.
Private Connor raised his hand. "I am all for not getting shot at. Especially if I can kill some squiddies while not being shot at."
Commissar Halvorsen glared at Connor and instinctively reached for his laspistol before realizing Connor was continuing the humor.
Casimiro became harsh. "We need to attack now. I will draw the enemies fire and eliminate as many as possible. You must follow my assault immediately."
The Terminator surged around the corner, his abilities giving him mere seconds of foresight. It was enough to dodge the hail of needle and plasma fire from the position. Bolt shells roared their hatred for the enemies of mankind and in seconds, numerous aliens were dead. As the Covenant focused on the rampaging Marine, the other soldiers of Terra charged the position.
The Chief Librarian had no need of assistance and in his foresight he knew this. However, in his centuries of service to the Emperor, he had learned the value of diplomacy. Casimiro had no desire to alienate the soldiers of the UNSC or the Imperial Guard. He had instead directed them to advance at the proper moment to intercept a flanking maneuver by the Covenant. This would allow them to contribute to the fight and earn honor. The bulk of the attack consisted of Grunts. That fact alone saved many of the unaugmented soldiers. The fire of the Brutes was more accurate and one of the marines fell to a Brute Plasma round. The Guardsmen with the flamer turned his fiery rage on the flanking xenos. Grunts screamed in agony as they were engulfed. Las and bullet fire downed the rest of the cannon fodder. Sergeant Johnson's burst fire from his battle rifle dropped the Jiralhanae leading the attack.
The remaining Brute became enraged at the loss of its pack-mates and leapt clear over the barricade. In a blind rage, it lashed out at Casimiro. The fight was as bloody as it was short. The Terminator simply beheaded the xenos with a single swipe of his Force Ax. The head rolled down the hall.
"Let's not tempt Murphy, boys and girls. We need to secure the Index." Sergeant Johnson took point and kept moving. Casimiro felt the waves of distrust flowing from some of the UNSC soldiers, but did not speak of it.
Surface of Installation 05
Master Chief moved silently from cover to cover. As he approached the Forerunner bridge, a few Ghosts and a Wraith arrived escorting a number of Shadows. Something had really mauled the Ghosts and Shadows. As John inched forward, the voices of the Sangheli in charge and a Brute were clear and decipherable. The presence of the Jiralhanae was unusual. John, and UNSC intelligence, had been lead to believe that Brutes were second-line soldiers. The fact that they were on the main lines was testament to just how desperate the situation on Delta Halo was becoming. The Tyranids and the Flood were bloodying the Covenant just as much as humanity.
"Captain Eridikus, I demand an explanation for your units foolish and unauthorized attack! I had ordered your unit to remain in position. Your charge opened a highly exploitable hole in our lines. Your impudence cost the lives of over one hundred Uggnoy, several dozen Kig-Yar, several of your own kind and eight brave Sangheli. I demand an explanation."
The Jiralhanae roared a blast of wordless rage. "My pack launched a rescue mission! We received a plea for aid from members of our tribe and we rescued them from being absorbed into the Parasite! Our actions saved dozens of Jiralhanae and we managed to destroy a number of their wretched cocoons!"
The Sangheli stepped forward. "At the cost of hundreds of Covenant lives and several vital vehicles! The Covenant is fighting to protect the sanctity of this Sacred Ring from the tides of Parasites and Locusts devouring it! We have even come under attack from humans! If we are not united and follow the chain of command, this Ring will fall into darkness!"
Eridikus humphed. "Follow the chain of command? You mean be blindly subservient to your race! The armies of the Covenant cannot be defeated! Yet, you have us setting up 'defensive perimeters' and carrying out 'Surgical Strikes'! Why do we not attack the enemies of the Prophets!?"
The Elite commander snarled. "Have you seen the data on the areas of Halo outside our control? Most of the surface has either been stripped completely of all biological matter or has been corrupted by the Flood! The last major offensive we launched was utterly annihilated. Hundreds of warriors were taken by the Parasite! The other prong of the strike was consumed!"
"You Sangheli always over-think your strategies. I will admit, the attack plan might have succeeded against the pagan humans, but these foes are not the humans. There is no need for trickery! Brute, unthinking violence is the most effective way to smash these enemies."
John-117 had continued to move forward as the two Covenant soldiers continued to bicker. He eventually reached the Wraith. The Elite driver was tending to the wounds of another soldier and had left the Wraith unguarded. The SPARTAN ran nearly at full speed and leapt onto the alien tank. The aliens reacted to the sound of the armored human entering the tank and gathered their weapons. Chief first fired a Plasma Mortar shot into one of the Shadows. The APC exploded sending shrapnel and flaming debris in all directions. He then activated the defensive weapons and opened fire on the confused Grunts and enraged overseers. The surprise attack eliminated several dozen Covenant and crippled their position. Chief opened fire on the advancing Ghosts as Cortana relayed their position to the other human soldiers. As Chief fell back in good order, a Pelican strafed a collection of Covenant Grunts. An Imperial walker design Chief hadn't seen before detached from the Pelican. It landed a few dozen meters from a the Shadows.
The walker fired a volley of shots from its laser weapon into one of the Shadow buses. A plume of fire bloomed from the Ghost being carried by the carrier and several Uggnoy were scythed like wheat. The arrival of UNSC marines, Guardsmen and a Scorpion tank turned the fight into a total rout.
Then a barrage of Flesh began.
"Tyranid Spores!" The voice was tinged with fear. The spores bloomed like gory flowers and dozens of scuttling creatures clawed from their organic transports. The Guardsmen immediately began firing as they fell back in good order towards the Sentinel and the Scorpion. The Marines provided cover fire. It was a text book operation.
But the Tyranids kept coming. Gaunts used the mounds of their own dead for cover. The Sentinel's multilaser and the Wraith's plasma ordnance were thinning the swarm. Only a few Gaunts reached the humans to reap a bloody tally, but those were quickly cut down by the vengeful humans.
The sound of the screaming Sentinel pilot and the sound of straining metal turned the soldiers' attention from the killing grounds. The Tyranid creature tearing into the Sentinel was seemingly covered in a permanent haze. A series of fleshy spears shot from the chest of the assassin and ripped the screaming pilot from the cockpit.
Sergeant Kolak tore the Sniper Rifle out of the hands of a marine and put a bullet through the pilot's brain. The 14.5x114mm sabot round did not do considerable visible damage, but accomplished its goal. The knowledge of the Sentinel pilot was denied to the Hive. The round also managed to do some severe damage to the Lictor.
"What the hell was that for?!" A UNSC marine yelled.
Rogal turned and shook his head. "It was a mercy. That thing was going to eat the pilot's brain and gain all his knowledge."
Sergeant Ross Keller shouldered his weapon. "That things not dead! Stay Focused!"
As if the universe wished to accent his point, the Scorpion was tossed aside like a children's toy. The largest creature any of the UNSC troops had ever seen was tearing into the armored vehicle like a maddened living can opener.
"Carnifex!" A Guardsmen screamed the monster roared in triumph. John-117 wasted no time and turbo-boosted closer to the Carnifex. The thorn-backed monstrosity barely had time to register the approach of the Wraith before a Plasma Mortar shot sent it reeling. In a rage, the giant Tyranid barreled through the wreckage towards Master Chief. The las and bullet fire from the other humans failing to even penetrate the bonded exoskeleton of the Tyranid.
The Wraith's plasma cannons spat defiance at the charging beast. The creature ignored most of the wounds, but a pair of lucky blasts damaged the monstrosity's movement leg.
"Chief, bail! Get out now!" Cortana yelled as she realized the Tyranid was still charging despite the numerous wounds it had suffered. The charge hit home right as the Spartan leapt from the Covenant Wraith. It exploded violently as the Carnifex's Scything Talons pierced the Core.
"Cortana to any UNSC aircraft. Support needed at my location!"
"This is Alley-Sigma. Hornet Flight inbound to your location. Designate Target."
Cortana described the rampaging Carnifex in detail.
"Damn, one of those?"
Cortana paused as Chief rolled out of the way of the Carnifex and grabbed a Covenant Plasma pistol. The giant Tyranid was stunned by the explosion of the Covenant Grav tank. "Have you encountered one of these things?"
"Once, on a flyby of the Flood zones."
The lead AV-14 swooped over the ridge with a pair of Hornets on his flanks. The VTOL attack craft swooped in low and opened fire with their Gatling cannons. The rounds tore into the Carnifex. Royal purple ichor oozed from the gaping wounds. Still the Tyranid continued its rampage. The beast suddenly came to a stop a few meters from Master Chief and a terrible whine filled the air. John began to overcharge the Plasma Pistol. A bolt of energy appeared in the throat of the Monstrous Creature. The massive front scything talons slammed into the ground. John released the plasma bolt from it's magnetic hold.
The overcharge struck the bioplasma and through a strange reaction, exploded violently. The Tyranid collapsed in a bloody heap. It's head was clearly gone.
The Marines and Guardsmen whooped loudly, thankful to have survived an encounter with a beast like that.
Cortana, her voice completely deadpan, simply said. "Holy Shit."
The Daemon World of Rhodes
Her eyes had been closed for longer than she could remember. Every muscle in her body burned and screamed for rest. She could not stop. If she stopped, the defilers of her home and friends and families would likely consume her as they had everyone else.
As she danced, she felt two of the smaller feminine beasts fall in beside her and time slowed and warped. Hours, maybe days, passed as Glaia danced to appease her tormentors. The jeers of some of the demons never stopped. Glaia wept at the horrors she refused to look upon. She nearly tripped as a toothless maw drank the tears as they fell to the ground.
"I grow bored!" A voice that was both repulsive and alluring rang out.
"Plria'bviu'dinus, you cannot have already gorged yourself on the subtle delicacies of suffering and pain this mortal gives off?"
The first voice gave a horrible braying sound. "There are countless other worlds! Why must we watch this single mortal for so long?"
Why indeed? The voice was so utterly perfect that Glaia nearly fell to the ground in an ecstatic fit. However, she managed to transition her stumble into a new dance, a simplistic exercise from her first days as a dancer.
The hordes of daemons were immediately cowed. I could watch this one forever. Hmm... In fact I will. Open your eyes, dancer.
A part of Glaia's mind pleaded and begged for her to resist, to keep her eyes closed, but the voice was so calming, so wonderful she had to obey. Glaia wailed at the sight of her homeworld and the demons who had been watching her performance for the untold age. There were thousands of entities all around her. Many were lithe feminine creatures, but demonic in appearance. They had a crablike claw in the place of one of their arms. Their hair was a nest of vipers or for some a mass of tentacles. The largest of the creatures varied in form from giant equine beasts to horrifically beautiful feminine or hermaphroditic creatures. All had six limbs and occasionally shifted into the illusion of Glaia's loved ones or objects of desire.
Your offering had pleased me. Your suffering has intrigued me. I claim you Glaia and will gift you to forever dance. You are my herald.
Glaia shivered as the painfully pleasurable sensation of a clawed hand caressing her mind filled her. I will give you a gifts, tools to spread the joy you have given me to other worlds.
A Daemonette, one of the blessed handmaidens of the Dark Prince of Excess approached and carried a pair of ornate swords and a strange brooch.. The swords were carried on a silver platter of unmatched quality. Glaia, compelled to dance by the will of the otherworldly voice took the swords and the brooch.
The ages of torment and darkness welled up in Glaia and she attacked the gift bearer. She sliced the creature desiring to bring some measure of the suffering she herself had endured upon this monster. Instead of crying out in pain, the daemon cried out as if she was experiencing sexual climax. The rational part of Glaia's brain, the part buried underneath the joy of her senses to simply be experiencing light and color and feeling something other than the rough rocky ground and her bleeding feet, was calling on Glaia to realize the horrors of what she was experiencing.
She didn't care.
Now, slave, go forth. Glaia, driven by the seductive will of the voice and the fear of rousing the wells of anger her mysterious patron undoubtedly possessed, moved gracefully amongst the Daemon World of Rhodes towards a waiting shuttle.
Sol System
Artis di Aestus burned as gas vented from numerous wounds inflicted by the UNSC and Imperial fleet. It wasn't enough. The massive bulk of the Chaos Space Hulk and it's highly decentralized nature prevented the united humanity from striking the decisive killing blow it so desperately needed. Laser Batteries and even some primitive chemical fueled rockets were fired in response from the enormous Chaos Craft. UNSC and Imperial fighter craft managed to intercept the physical ordinance.
The behemoth's void shields were layered and had numerous redundant generators. An additional layer of protection was provided by a thousand and one dark blessings.
The UNSC had learned to keep to their maximum range. Several ships that ventured closer to the Space Hulk to inflict greater damage where quickly overrun by numerous Warp Creatures. After five ships had been devourered by the Legions of Chaos, closing to point blank range was forbidden by Lord Hood.
"Attention all UNSC and Imperial Naval Personnel. The Enemy has reached the L2 Defensive Line. Repeat, the Enemy has reached the L2 Defensive Line."
Aboard the UNSC frigate Montevideo, Lord Hood's announcement was another blow against their morale. They had survived the Covenant attack and the first Chaos Assault. The arrival of the Space Hulk and the running battle from Mars to L2 had been a drain on morale, crew energy and lives.
"Captain, there is something wrong in the Archer Pods."
Captain Gopal Tilak shook his head. "When it's something as important as our Archer Pods, I need you to be a lot more specific than 'something wrong', Mr. Hollis!"
Hollis gulped. "It... It sounds like a very angry cat sir."
Captain Tilak snorted. "It's an illusion. Just like the bulk of the first Chaos attack. Recycle the Pods and get them back online."
"Aye sir. Recycle commencing..."
Another member of the bridge crew shouted out. "Something is forcing its way through the loading door for Archer Pod 3!"
Captain Tilak rose from his command position. "Seal bulkheads and open Archer Pod 3 to vacuum. Get a security detail in position in case whatever it is gets through."
"Aye sir." The chief of ship security shouted as he ran began to contact all security teams.
Gopal tapped out a command and opened a channel to the fleet. "This is Captain Tilak of the Montevideo, FFG-412. A hostile Warp Entity has compromised the Montevideo. We are maneuvering away from the fleet in case our containment efforts fail."
The voice of Admiral Harper was grave. "Understood Montevideo. Route all updates on containment efforts to Imphäl Station."
A voice called out from the bridge of Admiral Harper's Marathon-class. "Admiral! Energy spike in the Anomaly!"
The Luna Anomaly, the UNSC's link to the distant and numberless forces of the Imperium of Man, flared and grew larger.
A mighty cheer erupted over the battlenet. The Imperium had truly arrived! The first vessels through the bleeding breach in reality were the mighty battle barges Litany of Fury of the Blood Ravens, Leonidas of the Celestial Lions, Penitent Warden, of the Lamenters and the Strike cruisers of the Imperial Fists, Ultramarines, Knight Brothers of Kadesh and the other Space Marine Chapters who had answered the call to defend the UNSC.
The Space Marines' vessels surged forward to support the raging battle. Behind them, scores of Imperial Navy vessels emerged from the swirling miasma of the Warp. Nimble escorts and light cruisers pushed their engines to flank speed to reach the battle.
It was a sight of glory. Despite the fact that several dozen vessels bore the scars of recent combat, the UNSC only saw the beauty of hope.
The Montevideo's communication suite crackled as one of the Imperium's ships attempted to make contact. "Montevideo, do you copy? This is Gabriel Angelos of the Blood Ravens."
Gopal sat up in his command chair. The voice was deeper than any human voice he had ever heard, but it possessed an unmistakable air of nobility. "This is Captain Gopal Tilak of the Montevideo. We copy."
"Captain Tilak, is there a way you can increase your ships sensor profile. It is difficult for the Litany of Fury's teleporters to get a concrete lock on your vessel."
Gopal felt his jaw slacken. "Teleport?"
Captain Angelos gave an unseen nod. "Affirmative Captain."
Gopal sat silent for a moment. "Mr. Hollis, divert power from the MAC coils to the sensors. I want as much energy in an active ping as you can without frying ourselves."
Mr. Hollis raised an eyebrow. "Sir?"
The horrified screams reverberating from the inter-ship comms ended all debate. "My God in heaven! Fall back!"
Other shouts of utter terror and even weeping chilled the crew to the bone.
"On it sir!"
The other members of the bridge crew shouted out terse and fearful updates on the progression of the Warp Entity. The sensor ping was undetectable by humans and other than the announcement from Lt. Hollis, went completely unnoticed.
Moments later, the smell of ozone filled the bridge and a milky blue light appeared at the back of the bridge. The haze coalesced into a gigantic figure. Gopal realized that the man was as tall as a SPARTAN and much broader. He was encased in ornate power armor. There were many sections of the armor that seemed to be encased in gold. However, that was highly unlikely as gold was a soft, malleable metal that was ill suited for armor. The soldier, and he clearly was a soldier, wielded a massive hammer that glowed from an unknown power source. A massive pistol rested in the man's gigantic hand. Captain Tilak then looked the man in the eyes. The warrior looked as though the wait of ages was upon him.
Gopal took a deep breath. There was clear Imperial iconography on the man's armor. That was a comfort as from all evidence, the Warp Entities had some sort of aversion to Imperial iconography. In the briefing given by Fleet Admiral Harper and Commander Kale of the Imperial Fleet, it was revealed that the 'demons' could not accurately, or willfully, create icons of the Holy. ONI had predicted that it was due to the low-level gestalt psychic potential of the human race.
"Welcome aboard the Montevideo, Imperial."
The Imperial bowed slightly. "Thank you Captain Gopal. I am Captain Gabriel Angelos of the 3rd Company of the Blood Ravens. What is the status of your containment efforts of the Daemon?"
Gopal motioned for the Blood Raven to follow him to a datascreen. "Currently, our security forces are being pushed back. We are taking severe losses. We aren't getting much solid information as Warp Entities are, as you undoubtedly know, anathema to human thought."
"Daemons are more that anathema to our way of thinking, Captain. They are anathema to our very existence. Inform your security detail to fall back. I will cleanse this taint myself."
Artis di Aestus
Devadas, Sorcerer of Tzeentch and the final survivor of the Scrying, roared his displeasure. He did not usually vent his anger like a maddened follower of the Soul Eater, but this situation was near unbearable. The Betrayer had dispersed his sorcery far quicker than he could have ever imagined. Worse, he had underestimated the power of the UNSC's MAC guns. Alone, they could not hope to even slow the Artis di Aestus, but they could combine their fire to drop swaths of the Hulk's void shields to the wrath of the Imperial Navy's Lance and weapon batteries and the Nuclear missiles of the UNSC ships.
And now, the Juggernaut of the Imperial Navy's vast numbers had arrived.
Expanding his psychic might to the very limits, he interfaced with the Greater Daemons bound to the primary weapon. He was too far from Terra to crack the planet like an egg, but he was close enough to burn away the atmosphere and boil the oceans.
He realized that he was doomed and embraced his role in the grand designs of Tzeentch. Devedas bargained his soul for more power to the main cannon and one last spiteful curse to the defenders.
Death to the False Emperor!
Bamburi, Kenya
Behar Tzavaras looked up in shock as he sensed the immense build up in power in the Space Hulk. He reached inward and drew upon his reservoir of power. It took Behar a heartbeat to realize that it was far easier to draw upon his psychic curse. The sharp increase in his power was undoubtedly thanks to the millions of Imperials directing 'worship' towards him. As he further directed his attention into the Aether, he followed the strains of emotion and energy. The Chaos Psyker was preparing an a Daemon Cannon to fire. The sorcerer was pouring every ounce of his accursed being into the attack.
The Daemons of Chaos were swarming toward the build up in energy, waiting eagerly for the opportunity to tear through the rift in numbers unseen since the birth of their masters. Behar was forced to divert more and more energy to waging a struggle that the average human mind thankfully could not comprehend. It was a terrible struggle in which the hopes and dreams of billions were used as weapons to counter the utter anguish of the dead.
The weapon fired.
Lagrange Point 2
The void shrieked in agony. Warp energy spread like a tumor from the central orifice Several of the UNSC and Imperial ships could not clear the path of the writhing energy and were consumed. Death would have been a simple mercy. It was fortunate for the defenders of humanity only a handful of ships, mostly light cruisers and frigates were lost.
Reality roared in even greater pain as a second wound into the Warp tore open. This new maw seemed to position itself in front of the Artis di Aestus's main weapon. The beam of pure malice and rage was gulped greedily into this new rift. It took almost a minute for the energy of the Daemon cannon to be redirected back into the Immaterium. In the wake of the attack, space glowed and shifted.
Aboard the Montevideo, the crew sat in stunned silence as they watched the horrific exchange of energy. At times, the minds of the crew buckled and threatened to shatter. Gopal desperately tried to speak, but he found himself totally transfixed by the dance of power.
Deep within the bowels of the Montevideo, Gabriel Angelos was involved in his own dance of power with a surprisingly powerful Daemonic entity. The entity possessed the head of a tiger on a bipedal frame. The frame was emaciated and possessed numerous boils and lesions. It was quiet unlike anything Gabriel had encountered in the Chapter's librarium. Even as he rolled out of the way of a rusted machete swipe, he was observing and cataloging every detail of the enemy. Knowledge is power and using it, the Blood Ravens were destined to secure the future of the Imperium and the human race as a whole. The Nurgle Daemon screeched as it shambled towards the Angelos. The hall reverberated with the crack of the Captain's bolt pistol. The bolt struck home and sent the daemon reeling. Captain Angelos was quick to exploit the opening the infliction of the wound provided. He yelled the mighty battle cry of his chapter as he swung God-Splitter in a violent arc. The Nurgle creature was seeping contaminants and pus from the bolter wound in his leg and could not react fast enough. The Daemon-hammer smashed into the demon's physical form with the might of humanity's rage and desire to not just survive but to dominate the galaxy. In a howl and explosion of gore, the Demon vanished.
The Blood Raven offered his thanks to the Unknown Primarch and to the Emperor for guiding his strikes against the Great Enemy. He then activated his comlink
"Captain Tilak. Do you copy?"
The surprised, huh? caught Gabriel slightly off guard. "I copy, Angelos. Did you kill it?"
Gabriel continued to walk down the hall towards the sealed bulkhead. "I have successfully banished the scion of the Great Enemy. How fares the battle?"
"The enemy fired some massive Immaterium-based weapon against Earth." Gabriel's jaw clinched and for a moment he knew rage, but his vast experience over his centuries of service held that fount of power in check so it could be unleashed at the proper time. Gopal did not see this reaction and merely continued.
"It didn't hit. A tear in reality just appeared. The enemy weapon didn't hit Earth! I... I don't know how it happened."
The Space Marine knew a moment of relief and joy. There was only one being with that level of Psychic power who would want to defend Earth. Could it be? Could the Emperor be walking amongst his people? Could he hope?
Gabriel nodded. "I will be returning to the bridge shortly."
L2 Defensive Line
The unsuccessful firing of the Artis di Aestus had overloaded most of the void shields on the massive Space Hulk. As soon as the human fleet detected the drop in the protective shields of the massive vessel, they swarmed over it like a nest of enraged hornets. Lance, MAC, laser and all of humanity's space weapons were unleashed upon the hated beast. The wrathful weapons of the fleet tore huge gouts into the superstructure. Several pieces shattered and drifted aimlessly after being freed. A single Dauntless light cruiser reported that one of the pieces seemed to maneuver on its own power and even enter the warp. Command dutifully filed it away to be investigated later. The Chaos Hulk was being battered by hundreds of ships and in moments, would fall to the triumphant fleets of man.
Devadas knew that his gambit had failed. Something in this galaxy had been hiding the presence of the hated False-Emperor from his sight. Devadas called upon his patron, offering his soul in exchange for his failure and for one last chance to unleash his spite upon that most hated being. The inscrutable Changer of Ways accepted, knowing that Devadas's petty request would actually advance the Weaver of Fate's grand scheme.
The Artis di Aestus finally succumbed to the relentless bombardment of the Iron Snakes Strike Cruiser Iku-Turso and the Avenger Grand Cruiser Sword of Macharia that included both weapons batteries and a pair of cyclonic torpedoes.
The Space Hulk exploded spectacularly. Throughout the Sol system, sailors and soldiers celebrated the victory. Terra had weathered two brutal battles in scant days from two hated enemies. The utter defeat both enemies had suffered was a mammoth boost to morale.
On Cairo Station, Lord Hood was returning a hearty congratulatory handshake from one of his officers. He turned to the view screen and grinned as he saw the debris field that had once been a monstrous threat to all of humanity.
"That's the fate of all the monsters of Chaos!" It was an outburst the normally composed Admiral rarely let happen, but given the mighty accomplishment he could forgive himself. The Imperial Admiral, a grim ethnic African looking man, named Obvi Kaal had just informed him that the entirety of the 'First Fleet of the UNSC Relief Crusade' had arrived and achieved satisfactory orbit. Thousands of landers carrying millions of Imperial Guardsmen were streaming to the surface of Earth to reinforce the planet. It was the first time in thirty years that Lord Hood truly and completely believed that the Covenant could actually be defeated. Recently, even in his most optimistic moments had only believed that the UNSC could reach a settlement with the Covenant. The emotion, the pride was overwhelming.
Then, a voice entered his head. No, 'Lord' Hood, you are the monster. The voice was strained, but there was no hiding the desperate malice or the arrogance even as it faded into oblivion.
Lt. Herd cried out in horror. "Reactor spike detected in the debris field of the Chaos fleet!"
Magos Micel feverishly worked the sensor controls of the bridge. "Reactor profile identified! It is a Class-Four Ore Hauler. The craft is heading for the Anomaly!"
Lord Hood called out, the horror clear in his voice. "Take it out! All craft, weapons free!"
The small vessel had powered down and hidden itself amongst the wreckage of the two fleets when the Artis di Aestus had arrived. The craft was too far out of range of the Orbital MAC stations and the Fleet was tragically out of position at the L2 Defensive Line.
The sight of the small craft and its cargo of captive psykers entering the Anomaly felt like a physical wound to Lord Hood. When the Class-Four Ore Hauler detonated, it was a quiet thing. The explosion was barely visible due to the distance from Cairo Station and the roaring majesty of the Anomaly. The link to the Imperium of Man quaked and fluctuated before expanding violently. Every man, woman and child on Earth and in the Fleets heard the death scream echo in their mind. The Link collapsed.
They were alone.