Prologue: A Dead Man Sitting
Nathaniel 'Nathan 'Brellius knew he was a dead man, he knew that he would already be dead if it wasn't for God-Emperor's grace, the blessings of his patron demigoddess and the timely intervention of hot-shot barrage of his fellow Deltic Lions.
Unfortunately, he had already been exposed to the chaos-born miasma from Unclean One; one greater daemon of the Lord of Plagues – Nurgle. The powerful and putrid neverborn had knocked to the ground destroyed his Omnishield Helm and Respirator, thus leaving him without the protection needed to resist its miasmatic attack.
Both had been replaced from their dwindling supply, but it was already too late.
The recollection drifted through his mind as he sat his meditative position within the quarantine zone that 68th Deltic Lions Stormtroopers had set up, trying to stave off the chaotic disease ravaging his inside.
Stave off, not fight off. Nathan intuitively knew that there was no chance of ridding his body of Nurgle's malediction, but by pushing his gene-enhanced immune system and the blessings of his patroness as far they could go, he could keep himself living long enough to buy time.
The time needed for his fellow brother and sister Lions, as well as the Adeptus Astartes of the Aurora Chapter to get off-world, so that could end the chaos blight that had befallen the Avatoid System once and for all.
As if responding to Nathan hopeful thoughts, the Nurglish disease surged in inside sent his body into rapid series of pain-wracked coughs, his mouth soon tasted of iron and he spat blood and his
He took a deep breath, stay calm Nate, and focus.
He soon felt the gifts of Life flow strongly through his body, pushing back against the Nurgle's cursed disease, bringing him some comfort.
Not now Nurgle, today sure, but most definitely not know.
As the pain subsided, he wondered if the Lord of Plagues had personally sent the Great Unclean after him.
It wouldn't be the first time, all the Deltic Lions were on the Plague God's shitlist by virtue of the Oath of Life they had sworn to their patroness.
He smiled; Nathan didn't regret taking that oath, even if doing so labelled him a Heretic in the eyes of Ecclesiarchy.
As he once again settled into a meditative state, his thoughts travelled back to the days that lead him to his patroness.
It was quite a story to tell.