Merry Christmas y'all, here's your gift. Wishing everybody an awesome new year. Enjoy, and tell me what ya think.


When morning came the next day it was greeted by exhausted men covered in dirt and sweat, having worked all through the night to prepare for the coming battle. Along the wall defenses had been created, hardpoints for heavy weapons and mounds of dirt to hide behind. Work would continue for hours still, making ourselves as ready as we could be.

Being my size I wasn't able to help dig, human sized shovels where to small, so I busied myself with carrying munitions and weapons instead. I passed under the stone and back into the camp, heading up the stairs and into the command center. Reports from our scouts where coming in constantly, the Sentinels never stopping.

Nothing had changed in the Ork camp, still they created machines and weapons, their scrap forges running all through the night. I sighed as I sat down in a chair, weighing the options before me. Defense was our best bet, holding our position and ensuring our bastion held, but allowing the Orks to gather greater weapons to assault us with was foolish. I sat there a while, mind churning with idea's before there was a knock on the door, Zane entering.

"Some of the others are wondering what our next orders are." I stood up, chair grinding on stone and walked towards the door.

"We have to prepare as much as possible, but allowing them to do the same is unwise." The pair of us walked up the steps to the top of the wall.

"We will have to wait them out for now, we have the position we want, where will have to come to us eventually. Tell the others to be on standby for now." Zane nodded and I turned my attention to the valley, leaning on the ramparts. I didn't like it, but wading into an Ork camp was guaranteed to get somebody killed.

Death was no stranger to us, every life ended at some time or another, but that didn't mean that I wanted to throw away those lives. My hands grated on the stone as I wrestled with my thoughts. I stood there for the better part of an hour, sun climbing higher to beat on the backs of those who toiled below.

Knowing that I would accomplish nothing if I continued my brooding I walked back down the steps and into my tent, set up the day before. There I went to work on more designs for weapons and armor I would make once we returned to the Monastery. In these I lost myself, hours slipping away unnoticed until a voice came from outside.

"Thudin is requesting your presence my lord." A frown came over me before I could help myself, knowing that the news of his demotion had gotten to the rest of my sons. I knew that there would be fallout, but I had hoped to deal with it after the battle had been won.

I lifted the tent flap to see a young male waiting for me, dressed in the basic garb of our Serfs, the Chapters symbol embroidered onto the arms. He pointed towards a different tent a few down before bowing and departing. A few paces later and I entered, to my surprise seeing the entirety of his Clan standing there. Many of them looked nervous, eyes shifting, but Thudin was resolute. For a minute we stood there, both knowing what we were here to discuss. Our staring contest continued for another minute before Hakeal spoke.

"Aragorn, I asked you to change your mind, and I know the conditions you set for that to happen, but-" Thudin spoke over him.

"They don't want Zane to lead them, they don't know him like they know me." There was a touch of smugness in his voice that had me forcing a snarl off my face. Instead I stared at each of them.

"Is this true?" There must have been something in my voice, each of them looked at one another before nodding. One of his Clan stepping forward.

"With respect Primarch, we have been serving with Thudin for years, trained together and bleed together," He looked back at him. "I cannot deny that he treats the men like dirt, but the reason for tha-"

"Enough, he doesn't need to know." I stared at Thudin for just a moment before looking back at his Clan member.

"Continue." Thudin opened his mouth again but I snapped my eyes to his, glaring until he shut it with a clack. The tension between us grew as the Marine continued.

"His family was killed Primarch, a movement of anti-marine cultists sprung up without us noticing, they targeted his family since he is known by the people. We put them all to the sword, but by the time that was over…" He paused and looked back at Thudin, eyes hard. I took a deep breath and released it, pondering what to do next.

"I'm, sorry for your loss Thudin, I don't understand that pain that you went through. But that doesn't excuse your behavior, my decision stands. We were taught how humans make mistakes, how the are corrupt and greedy. But we are protectors, guardians, we all swore sacred oath to do our part to save whoever we could. That also means treating our soldiers, who fight and die alongside us accordance with their own oaths, with respect." I paused for a moment, looking around the tent.

"I know that I have been gone for a long time, that I didn't do my best to get to know each of you during our journey here. This is a failure of my own, and one I will hope to rectify, but right now we cannot be divided," I looked down at Thudin. "I told Hakeal that if you could change your behavior before this campaigns end I would reverse my decision. This isn't a good start to that. For the duration of the battle here you are in command of your men, after Zane will be taking control." Thudin's lips curled back in defiance until he nodded, glaring all the while. I turned my attention to the rest of Marines gathered.

"I expect all of you to follow his command as you would Thudin's." I got a nod from each of them and left the tent, breathing deep as I let my own frustrations dissipate. I decided to find Zane and inform him of my decision, having to ask a few of the soldiers around camp if they had seen him before I was lead to the back end of the camp, soldiers carrying out their tasks. He was in conversation with Solomon, the two looking over the flatlands we protected.

"- but he had to realize what would happen when he treated the soldiers so badly, his family dieing or not, that doesn't excuse his actions." I saw Solomon shake his head.

"Your right that it doesn't excuse his behavior, but Drake chose to trained us and teach us to still be human, there will be consequences because of it." The pair turned as I walked up, each giving me nod. I joined them in looking over the plains, grass waving softly in the wind.

"Because we still have our emotions we are able of compassion for our fellow man Zane, some of our brothers in other Chapters consider humans nothing but pests, you know this. There goal is to kill the alien, the witch and the heretic, not to protect humanity from them." Both of them nodded as Zane sighed in frustration.

"I know Aragorn, I know." Our attention was drawn to Solomon when his eyes widened, flashing blue as lightning crackled around his staff. His leaned on it for a moment before righting himself, eyes returned to normal as a bead of sweat rolled down his brow.

"There coming, and soon. Cotus taught me how to feel threads of fate, many are going to die today." I nodded, turning away from the peaceful field to the looming wall we defended.

"Then it begins." We marched through the camp, soldiers staring at our brisk walk, some understanding why and started to gather there weapons. A quick vox message to our officers had the entire camp bustling with activity, men gathered within there squads and went outside the wall or on top it, heavy weapons checked and ammunition loaded. Thudin was readying his Clan as I walked up, his brow in a frown.

"What."

"No matter discourse there is between us Thudin, when the battle starts I need you focused on killing Orks, nothing else matters." He held his staring until he put his magazine into his Bolter.

"Nothing comes before the mission, I know that." I nodded and found my own men assembled at the base of the wall. Each of them fully armed. No worlds were spoken as we marched through the wall, soldiers eyes filling with hope at the sight of us. They spread out into groups of three along the defences, I stood in the middle, staring out to where the Orks would come.

Hours passed until I stood up from where I had been kneeling in the dirt and stepped out of the trench, eyes of those around me on me.

"Today, we stand against the Xenos, savage and cruel Greenskins would pour over the land to pillage and destroy the homes of these people. We will not allow them passed this wall. Here, we will hold. None will find us wanting." The men cheered, courage renewed as the ground started to shake, the horde coming once again. Vultures were already making runs high above us, cannons and missiles wreaking havoc for the Ork vehicles, but it wouldn't be enough, still they poured forward, the death and blood that rained down around them only increasing their fury.

Marines atop the wall started to open fire, Heavy Bolters beginning the first salvo. Shells met Xenos flesh, cutting a swath of death through there lines, smaller vehicles exploding within their ranks. Along the line at the base of the wall we followed after them, weapons roaring in our hands as we added to the symphony.

Still they came, their own crude weapons returning fire from afar, Kannons roaring and rockets landing all around us, most found the wall, adding to the damage from the first assault, cracks spreading along its stone. Now within range, the officers of the Guard raised their own weapons, squads following after them, men screaming to fire over the sounds of our Bolters.

Lasguns added their might to our battle, skin and muscle of Ork Boyz burned away from the fire they faced, dozens fell, trampled by those behind them. Now closer the Orks made use of their Shootas and Sluggas, dakka raining around us. Several soldiers next to me went down, flak armor protecting some, while others were hit in vital points. A boy, no older than myself clawed as his throat for a few seconds, neck torn out. I felt a snarl build up in my throat and focused again on firing, targeting those with Deffguns.

We threw everything we had at them, but still they grew closer, meter by meter they gained ground, corpses of their fellows abandoned, Trukks crashing through those too slow as the Boyz that hung of the side smashed there Choppas on the side, yelling at the driver to go faster. Then, behind it all a Gorkanaut rumbled onto the field, the Warboss standing atop it, waving his still bloody weapon.

The warmachine spewed black smoke, its massive Shoota starting to spin up. I had time to force down the head of the soldier next to me before my eyes became full of nothing but bullets, the area around me disappearing from the explosion of stone and dirt kicked up. From within the cloud I looked down at my armor, made during my journey with Michael. It had held, but only just, part of my chest plate was completely ruined. I was sure that I had bruised under it all. I raised my weapon and shot at the metal attaching the weapon the Gorkanaut.

I was about to call over the vox for it to be targeted when a lascannon shot hit where I had damaged the metal, steel groaning as the weapons support was cut, leaving it dangling from the machine. Still it rumbled forward, Warmachine pushed ever forward by the pilot encased inside.

With attention drawn to the warmachine the Orks drew closer our lines, numbers endless as they continued to throw themselves into lasgun fire. But our casualties were starting to add up, more and more dieing to the shrapnel and storm of Dakka. All the soldiers around me were dead, the officer I had saved before clutching his arm, torn off. Medics tried to pull the wounded behind the wall for treatment, white cloth on their arms caked with blood and grime.

A younger man crouched next to me, looking through the corpses for anybody who was living, ears bleeding from the roar of the battle, wincing everytime my Bolter sang. Fresh troops came out from the wall, bolstering our dwindling numbers. Among this the Ork finally found our line, Chainswords roaring as we changed to melee, stepping out from the line in an attempt to keep the attention on ourselves instead of the guard. It was largely unsuccessful, screams beginning anew as the Orks started there butcher.

Our line folded, point blank as the bodies started to pile up, my sword rising and falling in endless motion as the corpses of Greenskins rose around me. Forty meters away the Gorkanaut rumbled ever closer, Lascannons and Heavy Bolters tearing and melting away chucks of its metal, but still it came, Gretchins inside working frantically to keep it powered.

Azgrok leapt down from his place on the warmachine, bellowing his warcry and spurring his fellow Orks to further their savagery. My weapon a blur to mortal eyes I carved a path through the horde to get to his location, missiles and bolt shells tearing the Gorkanaut to pieces, but still it trudged forward, its massive clawed hand rising in preparation. I met the furious swing of the Warboss with my own, energy crackling as our weapons collided.

"Ready for annuver round 'umie? Lets get ta fight'n'!" I shoved off his power claw and lept back as his Choppa slashed the air between us, catching an unfortunate Greenskin in its swing.

"You turned tail and ran last time filth." The remark made the Warboss snarl, our duel resumed as several of his Nobz entered into our battle, each equipped with heavier armor than any of the Boyz, most of them wielding Big Choppas. Thankfully only the Bosses weapon was of power enhanced, my own blade cutting through their own, each falling as the Azgrok rallied more of his minions to our battle.

My attention focused on my own battle I almost missed the arrival of the Gorkanaut arriving at our lines, smoking and limping forward, but still its massive metal klaw came down, killing several Guardsmen. Only a few meters away Erik shot his Bolter at the massive machine, diving out of the way as the Klaw came down again, Olok and Zyron keeping the Orks that rushed them at bay. Next to them Solomon did his part, lightning crackling from his fingers and rushing forward to fry his enemies, the smell of charred flesh permeating the air

I forced myself to keep my attention to the fight in front of me, ending the life of another Nob and advancing on the Warboss once again. Breaking him was the key to breaking the will of the Orks assaulting us. I renewed my attack, forcing him on the back foot as I delved ever deeper into the rushing Orks. An opportunity arose as Azgrok tripped on the corpse of one his Nobz, falling backwards as his Klaw flailed in an attempt to right himself. His life was saved by the Klaw of the Gorkanaut smashing between us, my sword ripped from my hands as it was held under its massive weapon.

For half a second I stared in surprise until a snarl forced its way from my throat, turning toward the massive machine and leaping onto where its head sat, thrusting my hand through the metal I ripped it off, the body of the Nob who commanded the machine visible. For a moment he looked up in bafflement before I placed a hand around his skull and crushed, blood and bone splashing across the inside of his cage. The machine finally fell silent, the Orks across the battlefield stilled as their main warmachine laid in ruin. I turned from my place utop the machine to see Azgrok fleeing, the Orks around him following, soon the entire Waaagh was in retreat.

I fell to the ground with grunt, gripping my sword and pulled it out from under the metal klaw. Weapon in hand I walked toward our line, the bloodied helmets of my Clan gathering to meet me. All of them bore some kind of injury, Erik limping from a wounded leg. For a moment we stood in silence before a cheer started from the Guard, a smile making its way to my face as we joined them.

We didn't notice the Orks that flung themselves down from the mountains until the screaming started.

Drake pov.

I sighed as I placed down the Vox after giving my answer to Aragorn. Placing him and Thudin together was a risky gambit, but I hoped to teach both of them something import from the experience.

Leaving the tent I traveled through camp to where Malachi was working on Dran, the younger Marine having woken only hours before, brought into consciousness after it was deemed safe. I lifted away the tent flap to see our Apothecary seated next to his brother, both giving me a nod as I entered, shame clear to see on Dran's face.

"I'm sorry Chapter Master, I should have been more careful and-" I held up a hand to quiet him.

"You fought a Nob in Mega Armor, the fact you were able to fight him and only lose an arm is a feat unto itself Dran, I know Marines far older who died doing what you did." Dran could only shake his head.

"I only lived because the Greenskin didn't have a helmet on and hesitated for a moment to gloat before Varus put a bolt shell in his head. I should be dead."

"It's important to learn from your mistakes Dran, not everybody gets to live through them as you did, some lessons are learned best from first hand experience." He looked up at me and nodded, my attention turning to Malachi.

"Is he cleared for duty Apothecary?" Our medic nodded and Dran smiled, waving to his caretaker as we walked out of the tent. As we walked I could see the looks of bafflement in the eyes of the soldiers we walked passed, eyes trailing after us. Dran notices as well, a frown making its way onto his face.

"I'm useless as I am now," He turned his head toward me. "Chapter Master, should I head back to the Emperor's Light? It can't be good for the men to see one of us like this." I shook my head.

"You can still help around camp and wield a Bolt Pistol can't you?" he nodded, shame flashing across his face.

"I didn't mean to try to get out of fighting Chapter Master, I only-" I held up a hand.

"I know what you meant Dran, I too once asked the same question, but I was knocked upside the head for it. Even with one arm a Marine is still a formidable foe, as the Orks will soon learn." Dran nodded and we continued in silence, a low sigh making its way from my lips when I saw a messenger from Betram standing at my tent. The curious eyes widened when he saw me and he started toward us.

"Greetings Chapter Master, Lord Betram is wondering if you might join him for dinner this afternoon in the Capital, he's very interested in seeing you again." I was glad for the helmet I wore to hide my annoyance, this invitation was one I received every day since I had first met him when we landed on the planet. For an hour a day I spoke to him on the Vox, asking for my opinion on his troop movements.

It was tiresome, his military adviser was also a thorn in my side. Still, it was in my best interest to appease him, at least for today.

"I will, I seem to have a moment of peace from the war we currently find ourselves waging." I looked over to where Dran still stood. "Would you like to get a taste of high politics?" His eyes widened and shook his head quickly.

"I think Amber was more than enough for most of us Chapter Master, I'll leave that to you." I chuckled and nodded, letting him leave before following the messenger into an awaiting transport, the planetary shuttle lifting off and flying us directly over the city to the Palace. Many buildings below were still smoking from the siege of the Orks.

The door opened with a hiss after we landed in an open court, several guards awaiting as a Noble came rushing from opening doors. He was dressed in a suit of fine silks, two servants scurrying after him. He smiled as I descended from the steps, opening his arms in invitation.

"Greetings Chapter Master, we heard of your grand victory over those fowl Orks days ago, you came and left so soon after the battle, there were many who had hoped to congratulate you in your accomplishment!" I tilted my head and continued walk toward the open doors, the noble stretching his gate to keep up.

"We simply did our duty, nothing more nothing less." The man smiled again and lead me further into the palace, statues and paintings of famous battles and scenes covering the walls, tall windows allowing in light with heavy curtains of deep red. Soon our group came to large set of doors, two more servants opening them for us.

Inside was a large hall, a table taking up a good part of the floor more tall windows lined the walls, four golden chandeliers golden hanging from the ceiling. Noble men and woman turned from the feast they were attending to stare at the newcomers, many rising and starting to clap. Why these people hadn't evacuated along with the civilians was beyond me. At the top of the table Betram smiled and stood, motioning for me to walk to where he had set a place for me, his voice rising for the others to hear.

"And here is our guest of honor! The Chapter Master Drake! We owe great thanks to and your Space Marines. Now your celebration can begin in earnest!" I let out one last sigh as I walked to the front of the table, removing my helmet and watching as people pretended not to stare. I sat next to him, chair creaking slightly as it held up my weight, Betram leaning over to whisper.

"I had the servants bring out the sturdiest chair we had." I nodded my thanks as a servant tried to reach around my arm to put food on my plate without reaching in front of me, a task the he was failing at. I saw Betram's lip curl and picked it up, holding it slightly to the side for him. His eyes widened and he mumbled a thanks before fleeing.

The meal was eight different dishes, each more extravagant than the one before. The marrow of a deadly beast some light years away, a salad made from a carnivorous plant. On and on the feast continued, deserts of different kinds paraded around as the people here ate and drank there fill. I tuned out most of the conversations happening farther down the table, half listening as Betram spoke about the victories we had won.

"With the evacuation under way in the north and your men holding in the south, I do believe we might win this war soon." He finished with a smile while biting into a piece of meat. I wished I had my helmet on again as I felt a pang of annoyance curl in my chest.

"There are still many Ork hordes in the wilderness Governor, as well as the fact that most of the continent will need to be burned." Betram choked, dozens of faces turning to look at him with shock. He took a breath and swallowed, drinking a bit of wine before turning to me, a small smile on his face.

"I'm sorry Chapter Master, I must have misheard you," He chuckled a little bit, drinking more from his goblet. "What did you say?" I couldn't help the sign that came out that time, shifting in my seat to face him better.

"When Orks invade a world Betram, even if you destroy them all, the release spores in death, it's how they reproduce. In another ten or more years, you could face another Ork invasion, this time from your own land if you don't burn it and rid yourself of the spores before they can grow into Orks."

"I-I had no idea…" He looked down in deep thought for a few moments before raising his head.

"Why is information like this not more known to people?" My eyes flickered to his military adviser for just a moment before I shrugged.

"Your world has been at peace for a very long time Governor, I'm sure the information was simply lost over time." He nodded before standing, conversation dying as he clapped twice.

"Friends, thank you for joining me for this stupendous feast, with the help of the brave soldiers outside our city and the Space Marines who have come from the heavens to help us, I know that victory over the Orks is assured. The Emperor protects." The people repeated it back to him and started to file out of the hall. Betram taking a step to get out from in front of his chair before turning toward me.

"My Lord Drake, perhaps you would join me in a more private setting so we would discuss the matters at hand." I nodded, rising and following him through his palace, going ever deeper as the wealth that hung off the walls grew even more extravagant.

Our path diverged into another double door, pushed open by Betram's military adviser. Inside was spacious, a holotable sat in the middle, dozens of thick metal cable powering the machine. The lights were dimmed and the table turned on, a hum filling the room as projected map of the planet appeared, Betram zooming in on the contested land.

The three of us stood there in silence for a moment, blue areas highlighted Imperial Controlled land, red areas where Orks still held domain, very little was blue.

"Chapter Master, the evacuation of the remaining cities is still underway, my troops are moving those we can into shuttles and to the coast to get onto boats. Some are found by Ork parties, but most are getting away fine." He paused, changing so the map was overlooking the mountain filled center of his lands.

"Is it safe to assume that most of the Orks are holled up in the hills Lord Drake?" I nodded, studying the map before me.

"Aragorn is currently defending one of the few large passes on this side of the mountains against an Ork horde moving through it, after he returns we may need to go on the offensive to lure the remaining Orks into a position we can use the Fleets cannons to burn them to ashes. Beside me Betram nodded, a grimace on his face.

"But the damage to the area you lead them too will be severe won't it? There are many valuable mines in the mountains. If they are destroyed…" He let the words hang and I nodded in understanding. Ruling over Tarth had given me a new appreciation for natural resources, something I had only taken into statistical analysis before.

"I understand, we can hope the Orks can be tricked into a location we want, but if it comes between mines and saving your world Governor." He sighed and nodded, eyes unfocused for a moment as he pondered something.

"I do believe this attack has shown me how weak my world has become Chapter Master, how limited my knowledge of war truly is." I didn't miss the way his eyes flickered to his military adviser, the man having a bead of sweat roll down his neck, his eyes shifting to the door.

I frowned, useless or not, the man had a grasp of some basic military knowledge, enough to helping to a Governor who had little to none. He stood up from the chair he had taken residence in and walked toward the door, nodding his head to us both.

"If you gentlemen could excuse me, I have other matters I must attend to." Betram waved a hand in dismissal, a slight curl of his advisors lips at it. He closed the door behind him, footsteps leaving down the hallway as Betram went back to looking at the map, descending into talking about the evacuation of some of the remaining cities. Time clicked by, the hours passing as discussed our planning. After a good while the man stood up and rolled his shoulders, bone cracking.

"I do thank you for joining me tonight Chapter Master, without your assistance I'm not sure my people would have a leader right now." I shook my head.

"Your not a bad leader Betram, only lack experience." I pondered for just a moment if I should ask him about becoming a vassal, but thought better of it. Perhaps after we had saved his world, not during the middle of it. The Governor smiled and walked to the door, his guards waiting outside. From there he bid me goodnight and I made my way back through the palace. This late at night it was largely empty, a few servants who endlessly cleaned bowed and mumbled prayer at my passing. I almost voxed David to have him pick me up but decided instead to walk through the capital, the guards at the gatehouse opening it with shock written on their faces.

The darkness did little to hinder my progress as I made my way through the streets, some without power while others maintained well lit lamps. Besides the rubble that was still being cleared from the buildings destroyed the walkways were largely clear, the civilians having evacuated days ago. Now only the occasional rat scuttered by, sometimes enforcers would pass by, largely looking for those who had skipped out on evacuation to loot the homes of those who had fled.

Those who saw me bowed in respect, returned by a nod as I made my way to the outer walls. There the gate was manned by a few squads of PDF, their officer yelling to open the gate when he saw me approach. I thanked him as I passed by, a short walk later seeing me returned to our camp. The next few days passes as I continued to mark my map with changed to the Orks movements. Like most of Ork war doctrine, if one could even say they had one, there movements where sporadic at best, warbosses rising and falling as new lines where drawn and loyalties written.

The fact that most of them continued to congregated in the mountains after sacking a few of the cities on the other side of the continent puzzled me, but there was always the possibility they were gathering there to decide on a new boss to lead them all. I frowned as I looked over the map, gauging what path to take forward when a Serf pulled the tent flap open.

"My lord, there is a problem with Ignis, he's growing more agitated, we can't be sure we can keep him in the camp much longer." I followed the Serf out and looked a few dozen meters away to where the Drake was having a staring match with Despair. Neither of the two moved, each almost completely still save for the slightest flicker of a tail. I moved towards them, feeling a great amount of irritation radiating off Despair through our bond. I raised my voice before things escalate any further.

"Enough! Aragorn bade you stay here Ignis" The Drakes eyes flickered to mine for just a moment, his tail settling from its constant motion. Smoke billowed out from his nostrils as he snorted, bits of fire shooting out as he turned away. He was angry, being separated from Aragorn for years had taken their toll on him, passing the time by sleeping and traveling among the mountains, sometimes being gone for months for a time. He listened to me only because I knew him as a baby.

The commotion had drawn the attention of much of the surrounding population, soldiers and Marines alike gathering to watch the Drake head back to his companions tent and lay down. From beside me Varus was shaking his head.

"Sometimes I wonder why you gave Despair his name, then I think about what it would be like to face down an angry Drake." The men around us chuckled, a smile forming on my lips as I thought about the first time I climbed the mountain to meet the Matriarch of the Drakes. Helimidus took a place beside me, his hands resting on his belt as he spoke.

"Do you know what it takes one of us to be worthy of being given a Drake by the Queen Chapter Master?" I shrugged.

"That is up to her, I don't often make it to the top of the mountain for idle chats." The next day I left my tent to the roar of engines above us, a single Thunderhawk touching down. I looked to the Marines around me and together we set off towards the landing zones, a victorious Thorak walking down the ramp of the transport. His Clan walked out after him, each with their head held high.

There armor was damaged, new scratches or small punctures from Ork weaponry, but it seemed none of them had any real injuries, something I was both pleased and surprised by. I walked toward the child I raised into a man and clasped his outstretched arm, his smile breaking into a wide grin.

"Chapter Master, glad you could be here to welcome us back," He motioned with is head his men behind him. "Everybody is fine, the Orks didn't put up nearly the fight we thought they would. Gave us a few good attacks but we threw them back every time, then one day they didn't show up to fight." His grin turned into a frown for a moment.

"We sent out scouts to try and find out what they where doing, but they retreated well into the mountains. We left the Third there just in case they came back." I nodded and motioned for him to follow, the two of us making our way to the command tent, the map from before filled with information.

"Aragorn reported in two days ago, they managed to pushed back the Orks there led by Azgrok, the name of the Warboss leading them. They faced some casualties among the guard, but only superficial injuries otherwise." Thorak grimaced, knowing the cost of war.

"The Governor should soon be sending materials there to reinforce and repair the location, it took a beating from the Orks there." Thorak tapped his fingers on the table for a few seconds before responding.

"Aragorn and Thudin are both good fighters, I don't know if any amount of Orks could really bring Aragorn down, he thrashed all of us when he got home from his trip with Michael, reminded me of the times when we would spar with you when we were kids." I couldn't help the chuckle that came from that, memories of those one sided fights coming to my mind. It also brought my thoughts to that fact that after Aragorn left I started to pay less and less attention to the other Aspirants. With each year and more children coming to our home, it became impossible to train all of them myself, Serfs doing much of the teaching.

"I was a bit surprised by that act, but after being away from you all of you for ten years I guess he wanted to test all of you." Thorak could only shake his head and smile.

"It was a surprise for sure, a hell of a way to welcome yourself back." I could only smile and shake my head. Thorak picked up one of the pieces left on the side of the table and turned it over in his hands.

"Did he tell you about his last few months with the Inquisitor?" He placed the piece back down, sombering our discussion.

"He did… It's not an easy thing to grasp Thorak, for much of your life I have done my best to teach all of you to value human life, to protect it. But sometimes to protect the hole you must cut out what is corrupted, not by choice, but by the manipulations of our greatest enemy." He scowled for a moment as I continued.

"I'm sure he explained what could have happened to the Planet if the knowledge of Chaos had reached the rest of the population, on Hive-Worlds it's worse than others, that many people, some of them Psykers without their knowledge. Entire worlds can be consumed by Deamons in only a matter of weeks." He shook his head, cutting his hand through the air.

"I know, I know… I just wish there was a better way than killing so many. But if this knowledge is our curse to bare so that others may live without its burden, I'll do so gladly." I moved around the table and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"It is our curse, our fallen brethren from the time of the Great Scouring and those born from their bastard stock must be hunted down and put to the sword. As long as they exist, they pose the greatest threat to the Imperium." Thorak chuckled.

"Besides the Nids, Orks that grow like weeds and the Tau Empire to our east. Minor problems." I could only sigh, the vox machine sparking to life, a new report coming through. I patched the message through to my helmet, a update on the movements of the Orks in the mountains. As before, they continued to gather, some squads getting close enough to see them building, something, from the piles of scrap they pillaged. I had hopes of them placing a beacon close enough for the fleet to precision strike them, but as of yet any squad that tried was found and killed.

In all my preparation I had forgotten to have the Forges make Jump Packs, a necessity if anybody was to place a beacon and flee. I didn't fancy our chances of running through the mountains with a horde of angry Orks after us. Perhaps more of the landscape would have to be sacrificed that I originally wanted. Still, it was better than losing more squads to Ork hands.

In low Orbit above Alexander awaited the orders to begin, the ships cogitators and Tech-Priests having worked for days to narrow down target size. Still I waited, knowing that after this attack they splinter again and regroup in the far corners of the continent. It was a risk, but everything in war was. For what it was worth, this was easily one of the tamest campaigns I had ever fought against Orks, and for that I was glad.

I said goodbye to Thorak as I made my way to the workshop of my Techmarines, Bran and Mortis working on a project, both looking over a dateslate before resuming the pounding of metal. A number of Artificers helped them, placing wires and welding metal. The arm design Aragorn had given the days ago was coming together, piece by piece being created for Dran. Supposedly a few days ago they had stopped by the medical tent to get measurements, refusing his questions of why for when he was older, much to his annoyance

The pair nodded as I walked inside, pieces of armor from Thorak's Clan that had been repaired being carried off by Serfs to their owners. Bran wiped the sweat that clung to his brow and placed down his hammer, walking over and grasping my forearm.

"Chapter Master. How is the preparation for killing the rest of those Xenos going?"

"Good, waiting for the Orks to finish gathering in the mountains before we turn them to ashes. But I still want to know why there gathering… All the squads that get to close die or have to flee, so far we still don't know what they are up to." Bran nodded, turning back and pointing towards the worktable.

"The design that Aragorn gave us is coming along, a bit of a mad design if I say so myself, its taking us just as long to decipher what he means with his rambling instructions a it does for us to put it together." I smiled and looked over their work. The way of machines was lost on me, my only knowledge being able to maintain my equipment. Why gaining one such as Octavian was such a boon all those years ago.

His Forge-moon idea had come into practise, getting the initial materials and equipment there provided a challenge, but with only small amounts of changes to its surface it was quickly becoming a massive boon to our growing kingdom.

I held no misbelief that what I was building was anything but a kingdom, an Empire. My very own Five Hundred Worlds of Ultimar. I had doubts it would ever grow to such an extent, but we walked a knife's edge. Being branded as traitors and heretics. Part of the reason I let Aragorn go on that journey with Michael for most of his life was for him to understand the line we must walk if we sought to bring change to the Imperium. The fact that a single misstep could see us being branded as traitors was another.

At best it was a fools dream, the Imperial Truth I found on the Agri-World years ago tucked away in my personal chamber from the best lock Marcus could make me. But I felt that I needed to try, to bring back reason to the worlds I could bring under the banner of the Iron Drakes.

I blinked as I realized that Bran was staring at me, a single eyebrow raised as he spoke.

"Are you alright Chapter Master? You've been staring at the tent wall for a minute now." I blinked myself out of my thoughts and giving him a nod before waving a goodbye to Mortis, ignoring the way they shared a look as I departed back to my tent.

Over the years Aragorn had been gone we had grown, men and women added to the ranks of our army, two worlds brought under our banner, but it wasn't enough. I had sent us on a campaign so soon after Aragorn returned to integrate him back into the ranks of his sons. If working with them had taught me anything, they respected military prowess like the creatures they were named after.

I knew that upon our return I would need to ensure that Aragorn spent time with the Neophytes and Aspirants, already there was a divide among those who had grown up alongside him and those who had never seen his face. We told those coming into the Monastery about him, his role as the Primarch of the Chapter, but for many he was a far off figure. It was my hope that this campaign would help bring his name into something away from reverence among those who still trained.

I didn't want his name becoming like those of the other Primarchs, worshiped and prayed to. The priest I had allowed so long ago to create his church in the capitol had flourished, teaching like minded individuals his practice of worship. Others had come to Tarth, men of the cloth who tried to create problems in my cities. They didn't stay on planet long.

I sighed and looked over the new reports once again, trying to figure out what the Orks where up to when the tent flap was thrown open, a frantic young woman with the clothes of our Serfs speaking quickly.

"Chapter Master, you need to come quick! Fight might broke out between the PDF and the Guard!" I rose and clipped my helmet to my belt, striding out of the tent and passed the woman, jogging to keep up.

"I don't know what happened, one minute we heard shouting coming from Sosa's tent, I was sent to get you." I looked out to the sea of tents and saw my general's tent, a number of men around it, uniforms of both forces gathering. As we grew closer I could hear Sosa arguing with an officer of the PDF.

"You have no authority here anymore! If I choose to take my men and kill Orks then I will!" The crowd parted as I strode up, Sosa with a scowl on his face, the same officer from before turning his eyes up to me, widening in fear for a moment before he squared his shoulders.

"Chapter Master, I'm sorry for causing a disruption, but your man here thinks he has the authority to order my men to stand down from a mobilization order! I don't answer to him." I pointed towards the city we defended.

"You answer to the Planetary Governor do you not? I have discussed such matters with him, he is leaving any offensive maneuvers to our forces." The man scowled before he shook his head.

"Bertram isn't in charge anymore." Silence meet his declaration, I raised a single eyebrow, reservation starting to coil in my chest. The officer turned towards the gathered troops, raising his voice.

"Betram cowers behind his walls while we fight and die here in the dirt! Troops we could be using to kill the Orks are sitting in other lands while we had to be saved! Betram is weak and idle, throwing feasts instead of helping our planet fight on an invasion! But we have one who will fight for us, Governor Aldred is taking over! He has the support of dozens of the other Lords! Already there troops move to destroy the Ork threat!" The sea of faces around us where filled with a mixture of emotions, my own soldiers filled with a manner of disgust, while those who served the planet itself where looking at each other, trying to gauge the mood of the crowd.

My hand lashed forward and grasped the shirt of the officer, holding him off the ground and bringing him close to my face. His eyes were wide, fear rolling off him in waves.

"It's in your best interest to tell your men to stand down Colonel, we don't want a bloodbath on our hands today." He did his best to hold himself up by his arms, clinging to my armored wrist like a lifeline. But his gaze hardened.

"Over half the soldiers among us are loyal to Aldred already, more officers are seeing reason everyday. His own advisors are against him! It's over for him Chapter Master, help us liberate our world, don't fall for his honeyed words! Betram is weak and foolish, Aldred would make a better ally." For a moment I considered it, revolutions among the worlds of the Imperium where common, a cruel Governor dethroned by his rivals through the manipulation of the people that hated him. For a few years they would pretend to be better, but soon conditions would resume, a new authoritarian in the old leaders place.

I shook my head, the man in my grasp snarling in fury. Helping Betram would put him in my debt and guarantee that he would join me as a vassal. A new player in this game was simply a risk I couldn't take. Besides, I liked Betram, a bit of a fool he was, he cared for his people, a quality almost impossible to find in the Imperium today. I dropped he officer at my feet and raised my voice, looking out to the sea of faces.

"Men of the PDF, hear me now. If you join sides with this traitorous Governor, only death will come for you, the strategy that Betram uses is one to ensure the Orks don't gain a foothold to attack the rest of your planet. You fight here so that your children and family can sleep at night without fear of savage Xenos killing them in the night! I know it has been hard, but put your faith in me and my Space Marines, put your faith in the Emperor!" The mood of men changed, hundreds of heads nodding as I spoke. At my feet the Colonel stood, reaching into a satchel on his side.

"Your a traitor to-" A bolt round boomed from my left, Thorak standing there with smoke curling from his pistol. The Colonel was blown apart, blood and bits of flesh splashing onto my armor. I knelt down and pulled out the pistol the man had been pulling out, throwing it to the ground.

"These traitors would attempt to assassinate those who disagree with them, those who stand in the light of the Emperor." I stood up and looked among the masses once again.

"If you have sworn loyalty to this traitorous Governor, I would rethink it now. Least you end up like this missled fool." I turned and walked back towards my tent, a quick vox call had my Clan preparing and David starting up his Thunderhawk. Thorak fell into step beside me.

"What will you do?" His eyes where hard, ready to do what must be done.

"I'm going to ensure that Betram is protected and take the head of that worthless advisor of his. I need you to ensure the camp does not' fall into chaos while I'm gone, speak with Sosa, the two of you need to make sure the PDF are watched." He nodded and splintered off to speak with the General. I opened my tent and went to my weapons, grasping my Bolter and swords, holstering them before walking out and towards the landing areas.

David's transport was already running, the pilot waving as I walked up, standing outside as my Clan assembled before me. Dran wasn't among them, his arm still being created by the Techmarines. I started to speak as Varus walked up, giving one of my first sons a nod.

"Where headed into the capital to ensure that Betram is safe, I'm sure you know what happened in the camp already," I paused for a moment, sighing as I spoke. "We have to go in with the possibility that the Palace has become compromised. Treat all soldiers as possible threats until we know we have control." They all nodded and we loaded into our transport, engines whirling as we lifted off the ground. With no time to lose David shot forward as we locked in, Bolters held in our hands as the buildings raced below us, engines turned forward as we lurched to a stop above the courtyard, landing with a crunch as the stone broke below us. Our harnesses let go and the front door opened, the Clan pouring out and into the open space.

All around us there were no signs of a fight, a few terrified servants sat in shock, a pitcher of wine laid spilled at their feet. The others formed a perimeter as I walked up to the cowering humans.

"Where is Betram?" A single shaking finger was raised to the doors to my left, I gave them a single nod before I raised a hand and signalled the others to follow me into the palace. Doors pushed open as servants scattered from from our passing. A single soldier darted out from a open hallway, out Bolters trained on him from the first moment he stepped out. He was out of breath, eyes widened as he stared down the barrel of my weapon.

"Lords, we heard you arrived, what is wrong? Nobody knew you were coming." I asked him the same thing I asked the servants.

"Where is Betram?" The man pointed back down the hallway he came from.

"He's eating with his family currently, I don't think he would take kindly to-"

"Take us to him." The soldier's mouth opened and closed for a moment before he simply nodded and started walking, the impact of our boots sounding on the spaces between the rich rugs, several that where now probubly ruined. It took us a few minutes to reach our destination, our guide pointing towards a set of doors that I pushed open, Betram had a servant whispering in his ear, the eyes of his wife and two children zeroing in on us.

The others fanned out and secured the hallway and room, the Governor rising from his seat, a mixture of fear and annoyance in his eyes.

"I would like to think we are on good terms Chapter Master, you coming into my home just days before, but barging in like this is beyond rude, please explain yourself."

"There was a problem in our camp, the Colonel there spoke of a Governor named Aldred has gathered support to usurp you from your throne. Do you know anything of this?" The man's eyes widened and he cursed.

"I thought them only rumors of my rivals, Aldred has supported me and my kin for years, his family being loyal for generations." He moved from behind his table, his wife rising and clutching his arm.

"What do you want us to do." He looked up at me before smiling at them.

"I'm going to go with the Marine and get this mess sorted out, I need you to go to the bunker room, you will be safe from anybody attempting to harm you there, the soldiers assigned to it are loyal to a fault." He kissed her and scratched the heads of his kids, the guards that had stood silent so far taking them away. He nodded to me and started to walk, headed towards a different part of the palace. While on the way there we gathered a number of his personal guards that took to following after us, trailing behind the super soldiers.

He opened the doors to a massive room filled with wires and projectors, one very similar to that which I used aboard the Emperor's Light. A single servent sat in a chair, a adept who controlled the communications hub. Betram snapped his fingers as he pointed towards him.

"Get me Governor Aldred now." The man nodded and started to work, a low hum filling the room as the machines started up. For a few minutes nothing happened, then slowly the image of a older man filled the screen, hair graying, but there was a kind of steel in his eyes. He stared at Betram for a few moments before speaking.

"Well, I have to admit, I thought it would take you far longer to figure it out than you did."

"Your bringing betral to our planet at a time when we need to be unified more than ever! How do you explain yourself?" Aldred chuckled, shaking his head.

"Betram you have become so deluded to your own politics that you haven't realized that we have been planning this for a long time, the Orks? They were just a bonus to distract you further. Even now public declaration will soon be coming in from all around the planet, the nobles are done with you, your dynasty ends here." I saw a vein on Betram's neck pulse as he snarled.

"I think not. You see Aldred what you have forgotten is that I have the support of the Emperor's finest, they will help me put you down." I stepped behind Betram, the man's eyes widening in fear for a moment before grasped control of his emotions.

"No matter, legends about you mutants are exaggerations at best. I would recommend you stand down the both of you. If you leave now Space Marine I wont have your men killed." I crossed my arms as my Clan stirred behind me, faces in fierce scowls.

"Traitor Aldred, I will see you soon." His eyes widened as I nodded to the Vox officer, the communications cut. Betram turned towards me and nodded his thanks, a sigh escaping him.

"I, have a lot to do right now Chapter Master, I need to see which of my subjects are still loyal and how many troops are still mine." I grinned, looking to the Vox officer.

"Broadcast a message to the entire world, an open frequency." Betram cocked his head in confusion as I walked up to the consol.

"You should never underestimate the power that the prestedge a Space Marine carries with him Betram. Now, Vox officer, is the line open?" He nodded and I started to speak.

"To the people of Belbora, this is the Chapter Master of the Iron Drakes. I stand behind your rightful Governor Betram, as does the Emperor. Those of who you support the traitor Aldred will face my wrath. If you are forced into obedience fear not, we will be your salvation. Those who remain true to the Imperium have nothing to fear. Cast down the traitor, remember that the Emperor sees all." I looked to the servant once again and continued.

"Put that message on repeat and let its words ring." Betram paused for a moment before giving me grin.

"I owe you another favor it seems my friend. I had truly forgotten the days of my youth, the wonder that a Marine can carry in their names."

"Your a Planetary Governor Betram, you don't have time to hold on to fictitious ideas, but to a citizen of yours, we are demigods." He nodded, our attention taken when the adept raised his head.

"My lord, you have an incoming message." I gave him a nod and walked out into the hallway, looking to Domhnall and Atarius.

"You two will be staying here to guard him, I expect they will try to assassinate him, don't let it happen." They pounded their chest plates once and took up residence on either side of the door, those remaining joining me as I walked back through the palace. I expected his 'military advisor' to have already fled. It was no matter, the man was weak and hopefully now without many allies. I had used such tactics on Rivia so long ago. I expected much of the same results this time around.

When we reached the Thunderhawk David was waiting in the pilot seat, the door to the cockpit sealed shut as was protocol. He waved from the window and opened the doors, the seven of us climbing inside. I needed to get back to camp and contact Aragorn, he hadn't checked in for a few days, expected if there was a lengthy siege, but the Orks here didn't seem to favor them. Ignis had run off a few days ago, taking off in the night while Despair had been sleeping..

I needed to put down this rebellion as quickly as possible, I couldn't spare many troops to fight another war, plus having to fight other humans would be hit to moral, traitors or not. Varus spoke as we flew, a slower pace than the one we had taken here.

"Are we going to launch an assault on the traitors Drake?" I nodded, looking at each of them. I had trained them to fight everything that the Imperium could throw at them. Fighting humans would be no different.

"As soon as I touch base with Aragorn we will make plans to kill the traitor. More than likely he will have some loyal troops even after my message, so be prepared for a fight once we land in his palace." I got a nod and the Thunderhawk touched down, Thorak waiting for me. I stepped down the ramp and he started to walk beside me.

"Nothing here has changed, the officers of the PDF have been detained and are being questioned, but after your broadcast nobody has wanted to say they are loyal to anybody but Betram, the camp is a powder keg however, I have my Clan out patrolling to ensure somebody doesn't try to shoot one of our men and cause a bloodbath." I nodded and walked into our communications tent.

"Vox Officer, get a line through to Aragorn." He nodded and started his work, he paused for a moment, his headset crackling for a few minutes before he looked back at me and shook his head.

"Nothing my lord, it's possible there is interference with the signal." I sighed and shook my head, off all the times.

Aragorn pov.

Blood and death was all our lives had been for the past few days, bodies stacking higher and higher as we continued the defence. We had abandoned the area below the wall when they had come from the mountains, distracted the fleeing Orks had turned around, charging right back into the fray. Now they sat at its base, ignoring the grenades we dropped on them and the slaughter to their ranks. Sometimes they would try to bring explosives to speed the progress, we ensured they didn't make it.

I raised from where I crouched along the wall and opened fire on another vehicle, this one carrying a bomb strapped to its back. It didn't make it much farther, the blast taking a dozen Boyz with it, limbs flying A few feet away Zane opened fire as well, another explosion booming. Along the sides of the wall the guard shot another Ork boyz band that tried to climb the mountains, their numbers growing less everyday.

I looked down the other side of the wall to where the camp had stood, now it was trampled, our aircraft and supplies destroyed. None of our aircraft were operational, the engines destroyed by the rampaging Orks. In much the same way our communications where cut off, the machine smashed when the Orks had almost overrun the wall.

My grip on my Bolter tightened as I opened fire again. Nobody would say it, but this was my fault. I had gotten flanked by Orks. Three of our member laid dead because I had underestimated our enemy. Thudin had gone to the other side of the wall and hadn't looked at me since, two of those dead had been his.

Without reinforcements and communications all we could do was hold out, but more Orks poured in everyday, called by the thrill of a fight. A few of the Engineers that were attached to the guard where currently trying to repair the transports but most of the tools they needed had been destroyed when the Orks had flanked us.

We had been like this for to long, something had to change before we were overwhelmed. Our ammunition was starting to run dry, priority targets only for the heavy weapons. I tensed for a moment as the wall shook, more cracks forming in its base the Orks getting ever closer to falling it. I cursed myself again, Zane looking over.

"It won't help our current situation Aragorn, you need to be focused." I nodded, forcing myself to move passed the anger and the guilt. Ducking as a missile flew passed us. I picked up my sword and walked down the stone steps into the wall, bodies of Orks and man still laid strewn about. Inside the communications room a Adept worked, looking over at me for a moment before he continued his work.

"How goes it? Can you get a signal out at all?" He shook his head, voice coming out of a box around this thoat.

"The damage is substantial, I have had to take apart multiple parts of other machines to try to repair it, but some cannot be replaced." I sighed and gave him a nod before walking back up the steps, the wall shaking again as. Uptop the roar of gunfire was still everpresent, the wounded seen to by what remained of the medics.

I looked up when I saw a number of transports flying close, they didn't have the sigil of the Iron Drakes on them, instead painted in the colors of the Planetary Governor. Several soldiers guided them down to land, myself making my way down the stairs and to them. Shocked crews walked out of the open cargo bays, some going white from the gore that they stepped in.

An officer looked up at me as I approached, saluting and pointing to the supplies, voice shaking slightly.

"This supplies is for you my lord, we heard your defenses where taking some damage," He looked around at the carnage before continuing." Why haven't you voxed this in my lord?"

"Our vox communications have been down, our transports grounded when the Orks… Came down from the mountains. I put to much thought on a frontal assault." The officer didn't comment and instead pointed to the crews unloading the supplies.

"You heard him! Pilot you need to fly back the Iron Drakes camp and tell them what has happened here." He turned back to me." I'll leave whatever men I can with you my lord, I'm sorry we didn't come sooner, gathering what supplies we could took longer than we thought it would considering what has happened." I tilted my head in silent question and he continued.

"A Governor named Aldred has risen up in revolt against Betram, your Chapter Master is dealing with him as we speak." I muttered a curse, just what we needed right now, traitors.

"Thank you for the update and the assistance." The man gave me a salute and issued orders to his men, climbing into his transport and lifting off, the engines roaring as they raced back to camp. Even with the possibility to repair our defences the Orks wouldn't give us respite to do so, the constant waves of attackers making sure we had to stay on constant guard. I climbed back up the stairs, seeing the eyes of those who remained following me. Casualties among the guard had been devastating, most of the Regiment wiped out when we had surprised. Out of the five thousand that had joined us, only a bit more than a thousand remained, those that had been out front or ontop the wall. The others, caught into melee within the camp had stood no chance, the chaos too great for any organized defence to be mounted.

We had rushed back and cleared the camp, our weapons soaked in Ork blood by the time we had finished, the bodies in mounds, but we had been to slow. Now all that could be done was to wait for support, eventually the Orks would run out of troops, but I feared that we would sooner run out of bullets.

I turned my head once again to south of the wall when I felt pull there, in the distance a shape was moving, growing ever closer. Zane turned around and peered as well, but his eyes couldn't make it out just yet. It was Ignis, defying my order to stay behind, and for once I was glad. I picked up another magazine and replaced my empty one, firing and killing more Orks as I grinned. Perhaps out luck would hold out after all.

It took Ignis another two hours to reach us, I left my place on the wall and went down to see him, his eyes taking in everything around us. At the end he blew a fair amount of smoke in my face and made his way to the gate, the pounding of Orks on the other side as they tried to hack through the thick metal. I could only shake my head at his enthusiasm, but opening those gates would doom what was left of us.

"We have to wait for support before we throw the Orks back, you'll get your chance to spill Ork blood." Bits of flame shot out of his teeth, his tail flickering slightly. I paused, mind whirling as I thought about what I could have my companion do while he waited, a smile gracing my lips as I jumped up to his back, walking across his flattened neck and grasping the spines that grew there, pointing up the mountain.

"Lets go and show the Orks what awaits them should they breach the walls." Ignis growled in agreement and turned his claws to the mountain, scaling it with ease, leaving goudges on the dirt and stone. Within a few minutes we reached the top, the guard there yelped in surprise from the sudden appearance of a Drake, the Orks that assaulted them screamed as they burned. The attention of every Ork turned towards Ignis as he stood atop the edge of the wall, his chest rumbling as he opened his jaws and roared, the ground below us shaking.

The Orks responded with a massive cry of their own, abandoning reason as they turned towards the mountain side and rushed it, attempting to climb over one another to fight the Drake. He burned most that got close, others falling to the weapons of the guard or the Marines. I leapt down from his head and grasped my own Bolter, adding to the symphony of gunfire that chewed through the Ork ranks. A few meters away Turgon laughed, his weapon roaring as he called for the Xenos to keep coming. I wondered what his kill count had grown to during our battle.

Something grasped me in that moment, a fervor for battle and vengeance. I took hold of my sword and echoed my companions roar, diving into the flames as Ignis clacked his jaws shut, driving down the mountain with me in a gluttony of blood. My sons joined me, chainswords roaring as we slaughtered the Orks where their numbers didn't matter. With a snarl I threw the head of a Mega Nob at his fellow, knocking him down and allowing Olok to tear into him, the normally reserved Marine fueled with bloodlust like the rest of us.

Down the mountain we fought, the guard adding what support they could to the Orks we assaulted, soon out feet touching flat ground. I noticed that Zane and the men under his command had joined us, the two Clans forming a physical barrier of Cerminite and hatred. Still the Xenos came, their cries growing ever stronger for their battlelust to be sated. Today we denied them, standing at the base and letting their numbers smash into our fury.

The bodies piled up that we had to take steps back up the mountain to keep our advantage, Ignis in the middle of them all, fire and death made manifest. What heavy weapons they brought to bring us down where targeted by the guard, the men invigorated once again. I saw Azgrok braining his own boyz in the back of their horde, his orders mostly ignored in the chaos. The fact that his voice couldn't be heard by most of the battle over the Drake slaughtering his men may have paid a part.

I drove my sword into an Ork boy and twisted my blade, bring it out to meet the wild swing of the Xenos beside him. A feral smile graced my lips as I killed the next, limbs a blur to the Orks and Marines alike. I looked down the mountain, uncountable Ork corpses laid before us, if an hour or four had passed I wouldn't know. Only the battle mattered. The Orks had to climb over the corpses of their brethren to reach us now, more and more getting picked off by the guard, some of the Clans even pulling out their boltpistols when the Orks became less and less. Ignis was still in the middle of the battle taking most of the attention of the enemy away from us, his hide damaged and mouth filled with blood, but he alone had killed just as many as we had.

Still the slaughter continued, two of my sons having to fall back from injuries sustained as we stepped farther and farther up the hill, our mound of corpses growing with us. I cut another Xenos in half before lashing out with my boot, kicking a Nob back to bowl into the fellows, his screaming continuing all the way down. Beside me my Librarian roared, an explosion of lighting cracking from his open mouth and eyes, killing dozens in moments. I raised my voice as their numbers lessoned to Ignis.

"Return to us! This is over!" His head perked up from the Nob currently in his jaws, fire cooking the Ork alive before he was thrown into the next group of enemies. He charged through the Ork ranks to return to us, the Orks numbers decimated by our actions. Up the mountain of corpses he climbed, blood from out battle flowing down the hillside like a river. The Clan parted to let the Drake pass, blood and soot covering his body. The Orks had now realized that their assault would meet in failure, Azgrok regaining control of his horde, or what was left of it.

He glared with all the hate he could muster at Ignis's back before screaming at his boyz, the lot of them retreating from the valley. I raised my sword in victory as my sons and the guard joined me in our celebration, bloodied and wounded, we had our revenge.

We left the Ork corpses where they lay, for the first time in days being able to breath. Much of the remaining guard passed out, only a few stalwart souls able to stay awake and help us move the dead and the wounded, the rooms that we had left alone before in the wall new serving as medical stations. Supplies and food were brought to the top of the wall, repairs starting and meals served, the first some had in days. Still we kept busy, the two sentinel squads that had been out on patrol and survived sent out to check if the Orks had truly retreated.

A few hours before the sun started to set came it came with the arrival of Thorak, his Clan stepping down from the Thunderhawk with him. He took one look around at the wrecked camp and walked up to me, clasping my hand in greeting.

"We came as soon as we heard, Drake wanted to come himself but problems in the Capital had him staying." His eyes took in the bloodied armor of me and my Clan.

"Is seems you have the Orks as good as you got it?" I smiled and he followed me through the camp.

"I'm afraid you missed most of the action, when Ignis got here he threw the Orks into a frenzy, they tried to climb up the mountain to get to him, we meet them where their numbers meant nothing." I pointed down from the all to the mound of Ork corpses, Thorak's eyebrows raising.

"I see our assistance might not be as needed as I first thought, the men of the Second are coming as well, they might as well give the Fourth a break and take up the defence here." I nodded, looking around at the weary eyes of the guardsmen, I knew some of them by thier faces. I had grown to like them, the fighting spirit they held onto even after all that had happened.

"They deserve it." Thorak looked at me for a moment and nodded, switching to our native tongue.

"What about Thudin? Drake filled me in on what you did, I can't disagree, but removing him from command?" I saw the faces of the guard around us turn to confusion as the unfamiliar words, but they didn't question it. I could only sigh.

"What choice did I have? He knows what we stand for, if he can't follow that, then he shouldn't be leading. I know what happened to his family, and I'm sorry for that. But that doesn't mean he can act out like a child." Thorak nodded, his head turning to look up and down the wall.

"Where are Fuross, Nev and Odell?" Something in my eyes must have told him, a quiet curse escaping his lips.

"Damn these Orks," He looked back down at the mountain of corpses.

"Now I know why you did that. I'll have my Clan bring down the bodies." I shook my head, already walking down the stone steps and deeper into the wall. There the bodies laid. Still encased in their armor I picked them up, one by one and walked them down the steps and into the waiting Thunderhawk. I saw Thudin stare from a way off, but he still wouldn't speak to me. Laying down Nev into the Thunderhawk I turned away from the corpses, climbing down to the gathered Marines before me. I wasn't sure if I should say a few words or not, the silence bearing down on all of us for a moment before I broke the silence.

"Sacrifice is our duty, our price to pay for the protection of humanity. Their deaths are on my hands. It is a lesson I will never forget."

The Second Regiment came only hours after, fresh faces to support the weary soldiers of the Fourth. As the dead were loaded and the wounded stabilized for transport I climbed into Jon's Thunderhawk, repaired with the fresh supplies brought to us. I had taken a hand in helping the Tech-Priests, learning a bit about the machine that carried me, but it was largely for something to take my mind off of the dead.

With the camp being repaired and our soldiers loaded we left, the ride back was quiet, a few of my sons sharing soft conversation. The bodies of the fallen Marines would be taken to the Emperor's Light, put into stasis for the journey home where they would be buried. I followed my sons out when we touched down, Drake awaiting us alone. I walked up to him and stared, waiting for some kind of reprimand, all the wargames all the teachings, still I had let my men die.

"It will never get easier Aragorn, but ensure such sacrifice never goes to waste. They died for a purpose, remember this." I nodded, watching the transport lift off to the Emperor's Light, it would be empty when it returned.

"I heard what happened with the traitor. What will we do?" Drake sighed and we started to walk to the command tent.

"The Orks are gathering for something, most likely they will regroup, find a new Warboss and come back for another fight, I have a plan to ensure that doesn't happen." He pointed at the map.

"Alexander has moved the fleet to a position he can bombard the Orks from orbit, it's not guaranteed to kill them all, but it will wipe their numbers down to the point that we can move in and destroy what is left. As for the traitor." He looked up at me.

"You can have either assignment, this campaign has shown me the weaknesses of our current fighting strength." I nodded, knowing our lack of heavier weapons had let the Orks hit our lines. While we Marines had access to Heavy Bolters and Lascannons. We also lacked Flamer, Meltas and Plasma weapons. Power Swords and Axes would be a massive boon as well.

The guard had their own standard issued weapons, Lasrifles and some mounted heavy weapons, but they still lacked the Carapace Armor we wished for them all to have. Still, considering the number of guard we held the line with our improvements to the standard Lasgun had been a wise choice, but still there was room for improvement.

I resolved to put my skills at the forge to full use once we returned. I couldn't make wargear for the entire Chapter, but I'd be damned if I didn't try.

"I'll lead the assault on the traitor, leaving the Orks to you." Drake nodded, moving a few pieces on his map.

"I'll make sure none of them get away." I turned my head to the outside where a pair of boots stopped, giving Drake a nod before starting towards the outside.

"Give me two days to repair my armor and let my sons rest, the we will be ready to start the operation." I walked out of the tent, Thorak walking passed me to catch the still falling tent flap. I didn't bother waiting around to hear what he had to say, already knowing what would happen. Instead I made my way to the repair tent, watching in the distance as the Third left their transports.

I entered to see Bran and Mortis already working on the armor of those just returned from battle. The pair waved as they worked, Artificers they had trained working on smaller repairs beside them. A Serf bowed and moved, clearing the counter space as I undid the locks on my armor, letting it fall loose and thud onto the ground below. It had taken even more damage since I had been shot by the Gorkanaut, mangled and dented to the Immaterium.

I went about repairing what I could, salvaging the arm pieces and lower body armor. The helmet would require only a small amount of patching. I handed it to an Artificer who began to work. I sighed and looked down the the shredded chestpiece, picking up my tools to begin, removing the broken armor off from the small amount suit underneath.

When I had originally made the armor I hadn't made it with the idea of connecting the the Black Carapace under my skin, instead functioning much more like a Guardsmen's flack vest. With the ceramite off the undersuit I went about grinding down the jagged edges of what remained, gathering the clay like substance of the unhardened material and patching the holes. With a small knife I added details and shaped the snarling drake head that made up the front piece. When I was done I placed it into the fire, the heat reacting and hardening the substance. Picking it out of the fire I tested the patch work, the new material was bland and uncolored, a task I would have to do later.

From there I reattached it to the under armour. With the rest of the pieces repaired I painted the in accordance with our colors and stepped outside to put it on. Bran came out while I was shifting my gauntlet and threw me something. It was the mechanical arm I had designed days ago, almost exactly as I had imagined it.

"It took us a fair amount of work, but we it. Fitting it with the power armor is another thing, but we might need Malachi's help with that." I smiled and handed him the piece back.

"I'm sure Dran will be more than pleased with the work, he's going to get his chance to fight soon enough." He smiled as he gazed out over the camp.

"Mortis and I haven't seen as much action as we would like, haven't even gotten to bash any Ork skulls yet." I chuckled as he sighed.

"Your skills in combat are no less than any other here, your skills are valuable to the Chapter in other ways Bran, without you two who would repair our armor?" He glared for a moment before rolling his eyes and waving as he walked back into the tent.

I smiled at his back before heading back to my own tent, stopping by to refill my bolter ammo and pick up a few grenades. I had noted several instances where having some would have proved helpful but I had forgotten to take them before.

Ignis was lying nearby when I finished walking back, somehow he had coaxed a number of Serfs into cleaning his hide, his massive forked tongue coming out to wipe away blood from his claws. I gave him a curious look and he looked distinctly smug when I walked inside, picking up a dataslate and beginning to work once again.

The next two days passed in a blur, the Third integrated back into camp life, their losses felt by the entire army. My sons were ready by the allotted time, the Clans gathering in front of the command tent as Drake spoke.

"In three hours Alexander will have the fleet begin its bombardment, at the same time Aragorn will go and kill the traitorous Governor while the rest of us hunt down any Orks crawling around in the ashes. Every Ork must be put down, or we will have to return in a few years to repeat the entire war again. Questions?" There were none, our Chapter Master pounding his chest once before loading into his Thunderhawk, I followed suit, exchanging a nod with Thorak before my remaining sons settling down with me for the flight across the planet. Just as they finished walking up the ramp I spotted Solomon off the side, walking away with the specialists.

"Solomon, come on!" He turned his head in surprise, the Techmarines and Apothecary doing the same.

"We can't have you missing out on the action now." He smiled and walked up the ramp, Zane and Fane greeting him. It was good to get him involved with the Clan, break out of the stigma around him.

As we lifted off I went to the front, standing in the doorway and having to crouch a bit to look out the front window. Jon was engrossed in planning his route, turning to set a switch when he finally saw me looming over him.

He jumped, knocking the controls to the side as the Thunderhawk lurched, an annoyed hell coming from the back and the thud of ceremite on metal. Erik hadn't finished strapping himself in, ending up slammed on the side of the Thunderhawk. He righted himself and glared through his helmet, almost coming up to the cockpit till I raised a hand.

Jon turned in his seat, fear in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Lord Aragorn, I had no idea you were there." I waved off his concern with a chuckle.

"It's no problem, however you may have bruised Erik's pride." The pilot paled and muttered a curse to himself, the two of us descending into silence as he increased the throttle, the craft soon rising into the sunlight. High above the land below the space was beautiful, untouched by war or Xenos taint. Light wispy clouds parted in our coming, blown away by our speed. While the mood in the transport was light, there was still a tinge of sadness in the air. The loss of one of our brothers still stung, but we had to move forward.

"What did you do before you were trained to be a pilot by David?" Jon's eyes darted up to mine, for just a moment before he answered.

"I was a Serf to your Chapter my Lord. I took an interest in the program and he taught me everything he knew."

"When did you come to serve the Chapter?" Jon's eyes grew darker for a moment.

"Years ago when the Chapter Master went to Rivia he brought back a number of refugees. Me and my parents were among them. I was only fourteen at the time, but we took his offer and swore our fealty for what he did for us." I blinked in surprise, knowing that a good part of the original population of Serfs had come from Rivia, but I hadn't knowingly meet one. I didn't ask him about the plague, even if I wanted to, it seemed it carried painful memories for him.

"I'm glad he could help, we will always do our best to ensure such things never happen on our worlds again." Jon smiled as he flew, giving me a nod as I finally retreated from the front. In the bay the Marines sat ready, our flight across the planet would take us a few hours still, our arrival being timed with the bombing of the Orks.

The majority of our journey progressed much the same, a vox call coming through from the Emperor's Light as we passed over the forested lands of the other continent, the bombardment had started. Jon pushed the Thunderhawk faster, the city appearing below us. Their radar must have shown us when a boom came from outside anti air attempting to down us. Jon and his copilot went into action, maneuvering around the flack, shooting down toward the open courtyard, the gunner opening fire on the turrets there, their defenses being destroyed one by one. We checked our weapons once more and the readed ourselves, the front door slamming open, bolters on the sides covering our exit as we rushed out.

Traitors descended upon us, filling the towers and walls around us, each dieing to the return fire they faced. With the last Marine down the ramp Jon lifted off, the Clan moving towards the first open door, more traitors pouring out. My weapon roared and tore through their ranks, the twenty or so who rushed out reduced to gore in seconds. I stepped over the bodies and through the open door, Erik and Zane covering out backs, closing the entry.

The palace was rich with things of luxury, all those with wealth no matter what world you went to hoarded paintings, fine silks and pure marble from grand windows glowed in color, images of saints stained into them. It was all about the display of power, I doubted those who lived in the palaces even looked at the things they collected, simply purchasing depending on the price.

Another squad of defenders blocked out path, poking out from behind the hallway and firing their guns, I was faster, each who tried died before he could shoot, the corpses we left behind marked our passing, blood now soaking the marble floor. Not knowing the location of the Governor I split our forces, three groups split to hunt our pray. I went alone, something that nobody questioned.

We spread through the palace like a fire, killing any who opposed us in our hunt for blood. Solomon, Olok and Turgon encountered more resistance than any other, emplaced heavy stubbers making them pause before they were blown to pieces by bolter fire. Eventually I grew tired of knocking down every door and killing the house guards, sparing one while the rest laid spattered the floor. I advanced on him, grasping his lasgun and crushing it.

"Where is Aldred." He pointed down the hallway.

"There is a safe room, he ran there as soon as he heard you had arrived! That's the truth, I swear!" I didn't give him a second glance as his head left his shoulders, walking down the hallway and to a massive door, sighing that I hadn't seen it before. I made a quick vox call to the others to let them know I had found the traitor before grasping my sword and slashing the door, the material was weaker than I thought, my sword passing clean through. I lifted a leg and kicked forward, blowing the damaged pieces forward. They slammed into different parts of the room, blood splattering from those crushed. Two surviving soldiers opened fire, heavy stubbers shaking in their hands. They died a moment later, my pistol smoking. Aldred cowered behind a desk, laspistol in his hands that he pointed at me and fired, the round hitting my shoulder, again he fired, again and again until I tore the weapon from his hands, chucking it away where it smashed into pieces. He sunk to his knees, hand up to plead.

"Please, I made a mistake, I know this, but I can make it up to Betram, I can give him anything he wants, I will swear loyalty!" I sighed, annoyance spiking through me. I had heard this speech again and again during my time with Michael, while a good part of our time had been spent hunting down traitors and heretics, a few cases we would uncover a plot involving a major planetary player.

I turned my head when saw Solomon coming down the hall, the rest of my Clan spread out around the area, guarding from attackers, from the sporadic Bolter fire I heard, they were still trying. I looked to the Vox installed into the wall and pointed to it.

"Send a call out to your traitors, throw down their weapons, any Governor who surrenders won't be thrown into the sun." He scrambled up, almost tripping over the body of his guards as he fumbled with the controls, eventually broadcasting a message on an open channel.

"This is Aldred to all forces," He paused for a moment, his eyes turning from fear to cold resolution. I saw the change, sword already rising. "Never surre-" His head fell from his body, falling to the ground like a puppet with his strings cut. A fresh wave of Bolter fire, and I knew he had somehow inspired his forces in the face of having to die by the hands as Astartes. A annoyed growl made its way from my throat, stalking passed Solomon as I walked out the doors, slamming a new clip into my Bolter and rounding the corner, five quick shots taking more lives of the emmased soldiers.

"Were going to burn through this place until our enemy lays dead, today we send a message." I didn't wait for confirmation, storming forward and cutting down all in my path.

Like wildfire we ravaged through the palace, the carpets and walls ran red from our passing. Making our way through we came out to the main doors, a set of stairs leading down to the walls and then to the city beyond. Ontop the walls sat more of the guards, turrets and other defences we had flown over turning towards us. A moment later and they were destroyed, Jon unleashing his weapons from above. With their defences confused we charged, cutting a swath through their ranks.

For almost an hour we culled the remaining forces of the palace. Closing the gates and watched as our enemy amassed outside, thousands of human soldiers readied themselves for a charge. As much as I didn't care for the lives of traitors, they could be useful tool. With this in mind, I stood on the wall, in clear view of the enemy, raising my voice for them all to hear.

"Aldred may have told you to fight on, but doing so is to throw away your lives. Repent, turn back to the Emperor's grace, and we will grant clemency. Turn on your traitorous masters, or die like dogs to our swords." The massed before us sturred, I could see the men looking to one another, trying to guess their loyalty. They only needed one more push. I stepped off the wall, falling to the ground with a crash, cracking the cobblestone under my feet.

"The Emperor sees all! You swore loyalty, prove that loyalty now!" With that we charged their ranks, fire erupting from within as men turned on one another, bayonets becoming slick with blood as officers died to their soldiers. Knowing the loyalty of who was impossible, we entered into the fray killing those who attacked us, a small party soon gathering at our backs as we purged their ranks. Using the confusion of the battle to slay without mercy. Even through the melee I kept an eye on those who turned back to loyalty, time spent with Michael guaranteeing I couldn't trust them fully.

Men screamed as Chainswords cut flesh and bone, it was a terrible weapon, made to tear and rip before granting sweet death. By the time we were done the thousands that had been where reduced by over half, a single officer who had turned back made his way up to us. Erik had taken a few lucky shots to his armor, lip curled back in pain. The officer sank to one knee as I towered above him, his words coming out true.

"I thank you for reminding us of our pledge my lords, many of us didn't wish to follow Aldred but we feared for our lives, we were cowards, I see that now. I pray that we can be redeemed in the Emperor's eyes for our actions. We our your lives my lord, do with us as you will." I looked to the sea of faces, knowing his words where true.

"Even if you have stepped off the Emperor's path redemption is within your reach. Soon we will be on the field of battle with more traitors, and you can prove yourselves then. For now, secure this city for the Emperor, rute out any remaining traitors from your ranks. When the time comes to fight, we will call upon you." He nodded, saluting us as Jon landed in the open space behind us, blood splashing from the propulsion of the engines.

I climbed into the transport and up the vox caster, contacting Drake to give him an update on the situation. Aldred's message had spurred on some of his fellows. Out of the all the governors, dozens with powerful cities, ten remained up in arms, Aldred's death having them sending out a message about their coalition of free cities. They claimed that his death was murder, their rebellion now justified even more.

The Orks had been decimated, whatever machine they had built destroyed in the berrage of Macrocannon fire. What remained a crater in the mountains, what few Xenos remained died quickly. Drake ordered us back to camp once again, ready to tell us the next step of our campaign.

I ordered my Clan into the Thunderhawk, the door closing on our blood soaked forms. Lights inside illuminated when it hissed shut, steel locks engaging. A few of them took their helmets off, speaking quietly among themselves. It was then that I saw the far away look in Zyron eyes, his voice rising above the others.

"Does it not weight on your mind that we just slaughtered humans?" The transport went silent, the only sound being the hum of the engines. He raised his head and continued.

"They were traitors true, but they were mislead, only following orders. We didn't have to kill so many." Eyes turned to me, awaiting a response.

"I understand why you might think that Zyron. In honestly I wish we didn't have to kill humans. But for the good of the whole sometimes you must cut out infected parts, that includes heretics and traitors. Traitors may be redeemable, but they cannot be trusted, if they turn their backs once they may do so again, and that time the consequences may be much higher." He held my gaze for a moment before he nodded, sitting back and closing his eyes to catch up on some sleep. The Thunderhawk was quiet now, the mood dampened as we flew in silence.

A few hours later and back at camp we gathered around Drake, ready to hear the next step of our plan. Dran I noticed, was making use of his new arm, it having been finished recently.

"Betram has not asked our assistance in breaking the hold of the traitor Governor's but we will give it to him all the same. Perhaps fortunately or foolishly they have gathered their forces in a single city, the largest off this continent, their troops number in seventy thousand troops, a good number of what had been stationed to repel the Ork invasions of the other lands. We will be besieging the city."

What followed was a month of exchanges with their forces. The walls where thick, the defenders knew that what awaited them was victory or death, and they fought with that mentality. We drew up lines encircling the city, unwilling to use artillery on them for fear of killing the still loyal civilians. Some of them fought back, an explosion coming from the city as one of their generators went up in smoke.

Day by day the cracks in their defences grew larger, we targeted the heavy defences more that we did the men, reducing them to nothing but their lasguns. A week into the second month we choose our time for an assault, having weighed the possible costs with the fruits of victory. With the redeemed traitor guard leading the charge we readied our soldiers, leveled the guns of our tanks at the weak points of the walls we had slowly created and waited for the signal.

At once the cannons fired, shells booming across the land to shatter stone and metal, throwing dust and debris into the air. Again they boomed, going into free fire as cracks showed in the walls, spiderwebs out from the impact points. The defenders returned fire, lasguns claiming a few lives in retaliation, but it was too little too late. With the crack of stone and bones the walls fell, men screaming as they were caught and crushed by the rubble, our forces cheered, savoring the moment for a few seconds before we joined our voices with theirs and charged. With chainswords screaming and pistols roaring we advanced. I abandoned the pretence of holding back my abilities as Ignis roared beside me, the pair of outstripping the others as we leapt into the fray, first to claim blood.

We hunted through the dust, the screams of the dying the only sound as Ignis was illuminated as he opened his jaws and melted the stone under him. By the time the others reached us the battlements where already slick with blood, the two of us rushing down from the rubble and into the city. I could hear the frantic heartbeats of those hiding in the houses around us, my ire rising when I came to the realization that they traitors hadn't even evacuated them to the center of the city.

I only needed to exchange a look with Ignis and he nodded, taking care down the narrow streets as stalked. Coming out to one of the major first roads a group of traitors gathered in ranks, lasguns rising as their commander screaming out to fire. My world became light, but their shots never found me, Ignis stood between me and them, his hide absorbing the fire like pinpricks. He snarled and breathed deep, fire as hot as the sun exploded out, killing dozens in seconds, he turned, casting a swath across their lines as they broke formation and ran screaming.

We gave chase, between the buildings I could see our Guardsmen exchanging fire with the enemy forces,some of them holding chokepoints between the buildings, forcing a firefight. I turned my eyes to the palace above us, sitting on a hill and surrounded by a wall, bristling with anti-air and heavy guns. It seemed the enemy cared more for defending themselves than they did the lives of their soldiers. A single large gate was open, broken enemy soldiers fleeing into the safety of a new set of defences. I turned my attention away from them, a flick of my head having Ignis walking beside my, footfalls shaking the ground as we walked through the blood and bodies we had created.

I sheathed my blade and grasped by Bolter, coming across another few squads that had taken up to defending a street. Ignis growling, his claws grating on the stone as he curled then in preparation. I raised my bolter, pausing when motion took my attention to the left of them, Turgon and Erik crashed into the sides of their ranks, chainswords roaring and tearing flesh, their own roars enhanced by the amplifiers in their helmets. Ignis charged forward, the men turning to see fire and claws descending upon them, most broke rank and fled, my Bolter roaring and sundering their ranks, splattering the signs of our passing even farther.

I saw more of the Clan coming from between the buildings, armor scorched and blackened, but blood covered their weapons. I gave them a nod and we started our march forward, other gathering at our backs. We ended this now. Through the bodies we walked, eyes on the defenders above us. Soon all of us gathered, chainswords hungry for more flesh. Drake and I walked at the front, Ignis and Despair beside us, footfalls making those without armor almost stumble. We advanced up the road, turning our feet to the stairs that lead up the palace.

We raised our weapons and fired, bolt shells claiming the lives of those who gathered on their walls, Drake and Ignis charged forward through the returning fire to break open the gates, metal wrenching as they smashed against it. I raised my blade and charged forward, the others at my backs as we swept upon the enemy, their defence unorganized and ineffective. Leaving the Drakes to revenge the outside I kicked open the main doors, throwing them off their hinges and crashing through the hallway.

Inside a few defenders tried to stem my passing, dieing to the sword as I advanced through their ranks without mercy. Bolter fire coming from other parts let me know that the others were looking with me, chasing after the heads of the hydra.

Our hunt continued for half and hour, my vox crackling as Zane notified me that they had found them. I entered the room, the ten of them kneeling before Drake, eyes filled with fear.

"What are we going to do with them." I stared down at them, eager to see it finished and over with.

"Taking them to the Capital for execution, Betram will take care of it." He turned to face the doorway.

"We are going home." I nodded, the traitors in the city where surrendering, what would happen to them was of no concern of mine.

A week later and the heads of the traitors rolled, a crowd of thousand cheering as stability was restored as quickly as it had been disrupted.

During this time I busied myself with organizing our packing, tents taken down and munitions storage overseen by quartermasters. Mortis and Bran where noting how the arm of Dran had performed, taking careful notes on a dataslate for further inspection.

By the time the week had passed what had been a sprawling complex of tents was soon almost barren ground. The wounded were moved first, into the onboard medical facilities of the ships. The Serfs took down our own tent as we helped with carrying the largest of munitions, Sky Talons came and picked up the Sevenths and Eighths Regiments tanks, the transports groaning under the weight of the warmachines they carried.

When the last transports where leaving the surface of the planet I stayed for a time, my gaze drawn to the mountains and the sun that set there, soft red light filling the sky. Signs still remained from the first battle here, the smell of blood and decay permeated the air when a breeze blew by. Thorak waved from a ways off as he climbed into a Thunderhawk, Ignis and I waiting as the sun set. His transport and its crew waited patiently nearby.

Our first true campaign and the only thing I could think of was all the mistakes that I had made. Being flanked by Orks, letting my sons and soldiers die. Leaving behind Ignis, something I never should have done. I sighed and sat against him, leaning on his massive head. A low rumble sound from his chest. Then there was Solomon, dealing with Thorak. The dream I had. The wargear I needed to create for my sons so that we would never be so ill equipped again.

My vox crackled, Drake letting me know that his business in the capital was done, Betram had agreed to join us as allies. Soon only me and Ignis remained, darkness claiming the light of the star as we watched shadows dancing across the blood stained earth. I knew we had only just set foot onto the larger board and I had to worry if we were ready.

"We will need to do better in the future." Ignis opened his eye, the slitted pupil gazing into my one for a moment before his second eyelid snapped across it. He blew a bit of smoke from his nostrils and stood, a nudge of his head forcing me up.

"I know we will, but for now we need to head home." We rose and walked the short distance to his transport, the Serfs manning it quickly closing the doors and the engines rumbled as we took off the planet. Even if it had been less than a full success, I couldn't help but feel a small bit of pride all the same. Unlike the work for the Inquisitor, our mission was clear and straightforward. The protection of humanity. In that at least, we had succeeded.

We landed into the main hangar of the Light, Ignis stomping down the ramp and through the ship, already knowing where his resting place was. I walked down at a more leisurely pace, even now the last of the supplies were being loaded onto carts and moved. Still in a somewhat grim mood I simply wandered through the ship, taken by my thoughts as I wandered. As it sometimes seemed to my journey stopped at the chapel to the Emperor that was on the ship, one of many.

I hadn't been in a place such as this for years, discounting the times I had been expected to join while with Michael. Not since meeting the Salamander Chaplain had I come here of my own choice. I gazed upon the visage of my gene father, the man who had created me so many years ago.

I still did not know how I felt about the Emperor of Mankind. He was my leader, a symbol for humanity. But beyond that, I had never spoken to him, never seen him with my own eyes. Perhaps if any of my brothers remained I could ask them what he had been like in life, but since the only ones known to be active where the ones attempting to destroy humanity, I doubt they would want to sit down and chat. I wanted to know why. Why my brothers would turn on our father and plunge humanity into the sick and twisted perversion of what it was today. Perhaps one day I would get the chance to ask.


Well, that was a bit different than I was going to do, added a few bits here and there but still wanted to wrap it up and have the Drakes headed home, got a few plans on where they might go next now that I have had a taste of writing a few battles. Next chapter will be a bit more, slow paced, with a fun surprise at the end, expect to see a lot more character interaction as I showcase some of the newer Iron Drakes. So many names to keep track off. ;-;