Darkness filled the halls and only a dim light shone from the glow orbs in recesses, deep into the gritty stone walls. Black armoured figures crept through the night, patrolling the corridors and maintaining security in the newly conquered fortress of shades; they saluted and parted as I wandered through this twilight realm. The combat had been harsh; many falling, battling the daemonic rulers of this world. But at last it had been wrested from them. The daemons screams echoed in the warp, this world would be cleansed and rededicated to the Emperor.
The silence and the foreboding atmosphere would have filled many men with terror, or even driven them to madness… but not I. Even the warlocks who have advised me for years cautioned me against the fortress. Evil magic was ingrained into the very blocks this building was made from. They called it a psychic footprint. However I feel safe here, the dark is like home, the atmosphere wraps around me like a blanket enveloping me in its black bosom.
Here I am, my power radiates from me and is amplified, every sense tingles, the memories of the battle fills my mind…
The daemonettes circled round my troops, bolter shells and missiles exploded into their ranks, they laughed at me, they goaded me… they thought that I didn't have the power to destroy them all and they were wrong. As my troops covered us I sallied forth with my terminators. They danced around us cavorting in ecstasy and feeling the bite of my chainsword as it tore through their skin covering me in gore. My combi-bolter spat shells into their chests cracking open their rib cages and hurling them back into the warp demonstrating the impotence of Chaos against the Imperium's light. A greater daemon loomed above me, I stood in admiration of this beauty, the perversion of the daemon, and the raw power that it possessed… it motioned for me to come close and I wandered forwards my combi-bolter clattered to the ground. The daemonettes parted letting me through, my bodyguard continued to fight as I left them behind. I knew at that moment the glory of Chaos, the glamour it possessed. I looked at it and saw its true nature. I could feel its tendrils curling round my mind. Every ounce of the daemon's will caressed me, begged me to join it, to lead my forces against the Emperor. I came closer and as it kneeled before me, it asked me the simplest thing, it asked me to love it and it would be so easy to accept. Around me my terminators were struggling, their lines buckling and breaking. The daemonettes were in combat with my other troops now, my havoc's leapt forwards from their hidden positions with a shower of grenades and pistol fire and landed behind them. Now the daemons were in the middle of the hammer and the anvil. We were alone the Daemon and I. As I advanced to within a meter of this dark and magnificent angel, it looked at me and filled me with a sense of longing even as I thrust my chainsword deep into its throat. Surprise glimmered in its single red eye and it collapsed to the ground. Gripping its hair I pulled up its head and decapitated it. Holding the head up for my troops to see, I watched as instability gripped the remaining daemons and they began to shimmer and fade.
I looked at the corpse on the ground and smiled.
"I am sorry daemon, your promises do not affect me, the night is my love, and there is no room in my heart for any other mistress. You never stood a chance."
Turning to my blooded and bruised troops I threw back my head and exclaimed.
"Night Lords! I call to you, this planet has worshipped daemons and fallen to Chaos. The population has committed every depravity known to man… but we are more than men. You… my loyal legion, will teach them exactly what the price of heresy is!" Viewing my soldiers with a bitter pride, I knew that they alone understood on this world understood the price of failure and the corruption that Chaos can set in your heart. It is like a drug; it makes you stronger, more confident but ultimately destroys you.
"Depopulate the planet; from children to geriatrics I want no survivors. Broadcast the executions to all the planets in the area, with the warning of what will happen to any that refuse to join the Imperium." We knew that people would never stop worshipping Chaos unless they had something they feared enough to keep them under control.
"For all their heresy, for all their false hopes they had failed. We had prevailed even against the might of Chaos, the Emperors finest had won yet another victory."
I relaxed on my throne, revelling in my own power, I, who could destroy worlds with a single command lingered before selecting a flask of the finest wine. I waited as reports of the massacre came in. No doubt father would disapprove as he always did, but already three worlds had offered their allegiance after only the first four hours of waiting. He cannot argue with the results of my methods. Worlds that I liberated from the hordes of Chaos rarely re-offended. The enforcers that I left behind kept crime to an almost non-existent level. After all they had the expertise of an ex-crimelord to lead their actions. Things were so much simpler when I ran my cartel, controlling the criminal activities of an empire, so much more black and white. It was then that I learnt that it was power that controlled the universe; those with it dominated those without. Some people were not strong enough to wield power, that was where people like me came into play, I controlled all the power that mortals were too weak to hold and used it protect them from themselves and those that would seek to hurt my servants. For I am Konrad Kurtze, Night Haunter and ruler of the dark.
A small rune appeared on my thrones display, tapping it I read the encoded report transmitted from the inner circle of warlocks. A courier had arrived, and father required my presence. Summoning my guards I prepared to move out. My flagship would leave with its escort immediately.
