Chapter II: In Blood We Are Reborn
The fading of color and noise came in and out as Orius felt his body being dragged away by two Zygerrians. The cold sensation of what felt like water run down the side of his head yet as it came to his lips he tasted copper and he realized it was his blood dripping from his head.
Upon being thrown into his cell, Orius looked at his surroundings as several aliens mainly Twi'lek's and one or two humans helped him to his feet. He looked around seeing Kera wasn't with him and wasn't sure where she was as searched through the crowded cell.
"Kera!" Orius yelled. "Where are you!?"
"She isn't here young one." A Twi'lek female stated as she looked to him. "They took her somewhere else."
"W-Where!?" Orius approached the woman. "Please tell me!"
"I'm not sure." She turned her gaze from Orius as she kept quiet.
"You do don't you!" Orius stated as he accused her. "You know what they'll do to her when she tried to help me!"
The woman remained quiet as she looked down. "Yes." She whispered as her fist clenched. "I know what they'll do. The same thing they did when I tried to fight back to help a friend."
Orius looked down, he could see the girls bruises around her wrists and neck and he knew as he clenched his fists in anger as he stood in silence knowing what would happen if she was returned.
Days passed, then weeks, and still no sign of Kera as Orius recovered from the beating from his masters. Yet the spot where she would usually work was left unattended which meant she hadn't been replaced, this in some way comforted him yet he was still tense about her being gone this long.
As he stared into the distance he felt the crack of the whip hitting his back as he fell to one knee, the pain caused him to grit his teeth as he saw one of his masters walking over to him.
"Who said you could stop working slave!" The Zygerrian stood before Orius as he cracked his whip.
"I..I'm sorry master." Orius breath grew raspy as he clenched his fist. "I won't fail in my service."
"Good heh." The Zygerrian cracked his whip across Orius's back once again. "I'd hate to see a good product go to waste like that girl who tried to help you heh."
Orius's eyes widened as he looked up at his masters. "W-What did you say!?" This was followed by them kicking him in the face again.
"How many times do we gotta remind you." The Zygerrian stated again as he whipped Orius. "TO NEVER LOOK AT THOSE ABOVE YOU!"
They continued to hit and kick Orius as he was down on the ground the beating continued for another few minutes before several alarms rang out.
This caught the Zygerrians off guard as they looked confused and ran to see what exactly was happening outside. Outside the slave pins, many gathered and saw as a strange anomaly took place before them.
A massive surge of electricity followed by a tear in the sky itself as several ships appeared over Zygerria. The people of Zygerria stood in confusion followed by them getting to battle stations to defend their home from these unknown visitors.
Overhead aboard Lorgar's Spite members of the Word Bearers gathered alongside their Dark Apostle who led them. Looking out over the world a smile gathered on the twisted face of the chaos marine as he turned to face his brothers.
"Brothers!" The Apostle stated. "We have made it!"
"PRAISE BE THE DARK GODS!" They said in unison.
"This world we've arrived at." He started. "It is a clear sign, my brothers we will find whom we seek here! The gods deem it so we shall find whom we seek and we will bring the true faith to these misguided children!
From the vessels, the Word Bearers deployed their forces to the ground surface using drop pods for quick dispersal across the Zygerria's capital.
Ground-To-Air guns opened fire on the oncoming drop pods but the pods punched through and once on the ground dozens of Word Bearers unleashed their fury upon the Zygerrian populace.
Bolter rounds flew quickly, ripping apart and destroying the Zygerrian fighters with ease as many tried to fight back but were quickly overrun and slaughtered by the Word Bearers.
Many more quickly arrived by jump packs many of whom landed ontop of Zygerrian positions squashing and ripping apart the Xenos before them. The fear was palpable as many fled or screamed in fear as the Word Bearers were bearing down onto them to either slaughter or capture.
In the capital fortress of the Zygerrians, Queen Scintel looked on in shock and horror as her city burned. In the distance, she could see the strange and opposing soldiers jump from one part of the city to another quickly eliminating any Zygerrian in their way as they made their way to her palace. The door to the queen's chambers burst open as Prime Minister Atai Molec entered with his guards.
"My queen we must get you to the shuttle at once," Molec stated as he made his way over to her. "We haven't much time."
"I will not allow these...Things take my home and my slaves!" Scintel yelled. "I am the queen of Zygerria and I will not leave."
"My queen I must insist!" Molec's eyes widened as he saw two imposing figures appear behind the queen.
Queen Scintel turned and faced the two opposing figures before her both wore a variation of the Mark III Iron Patterned Power Armour along with this in their hands were Axe-Rake's. These members of the Word Bearers were the Ashen Circle and soon more arrived surrounding the queen and capturing her, while Molec and his men withdrew out of fear.
"Come back you cowards!" Scintel yelled as a member of the Ashen Circle choked her to keep her quiet. "U-Unhand me you filth!"
"HA-HA!" The Ashen Circle member laughed as he held her. "She has quite the fight in her brothers!"
"Come let those cowards flee." Another member stated. "We must find whom we've come for brothers let us return."
"What of this muling cur?" He said as he looked at Queen Scintel.
"Bring her heh." He said chuckling. "She will have a special place at our Warmaster feet haha!"
Dragging the queen along the Ashen Circle departed while others began rounding up the Zygerrian forces and civilian population. While those who were already slaves on the planet had been rounded up as well to be handled when the time came for whatever the Word Bearers needed.
In the slavers quarters, Orius alongside several dozen other slaves had watched all that unfolded the arrival of the invaders to the slaughter of their masters. Orius used the opportunity to break free from his shackles alongside dozens of other slaves and with an opportunity they made their way through the ruined capital.
"Where are we going Orius?" A slave asked.
"If we can get to the shuttle bay we might be able to escape the planet." Orius peered around the corner and saw Word Bearers at work. "We need to get out of here before these people find us."
"There are too many of them Orius." Another slave said. "If they catch us who knows what they'll do to us."
"If we stay will either die or be captured," Orius stated. "And I will not be bound in chains again not by our former masters nor these invaders. Now let's go."
Orius alongside his fellow slaves managed to slip past the Word Bearers using a series of back alleys to get past the invading forces. Yet once at the docks Orius looked on seeing strange red-robed beings with mechanical limbs tearing apart several of the shuttlecraft and alongside them, several Word Bearer marines stood to watch.
"Dammit." Orius crouched alongside the others. Looking to them as they kept quiet while the Word Bearers marched about.
"What do we do now?" One of the slaves asked.
"I..I'll draw them away while you all make it to the shuttle," Orius stated.
"But what about you?" One of the slaves asked. "We can't leave without you."
"You will do it," Orius said as he kept his gaze fixed. "Besides I need to know if Kera is still alive. I won't leave her on this planet and not with these invaders."
"Fine." The slave said. "Once we make it to Republic space will send for Jedi to help we promise."
Orius gave a simple smile as he stood up and threw a rock at one of the members of the Dark Mechanicum. They turned to face Orius alongside the chaos marines who stood there slightly confused by the rock being thrown at them.
"HEY!" Orius shouted. "Follow me this way you overgrown droid freaks!"
"Capture that human. His body can be used for proper processing in our research into future projects." A Dark Mechanicum Adept stated.
Orius got their attention as he ran in the opposite direction being followed by the chaos marines and members of the Dark Mechanicum. The other slaves quickly snuck past and onto of the Zygerrian shuttles and began to lift off preparations to escape Zygerria quickly.
Running from the Chaos Marines was a difficult thing to do as they kept an incredible pace with Orius till finally surrounding him and grabbing ahold of his shoulder tightly that a very loud snap followed. Orius felt his shoulder break as the chaos marine held him in place while the members of the mechanicum stood around him.
"Gah!" Orius looked up as the Word Bearers eyed him. "What now you going to kill me?"
"No." A member of the mechanicum stated. "Research and study we shall do upon your feeble flesh heh." As it grabbed his face with its mechanical hand.
"No!" A voice came from within the Word Bearers.
In the crowd, the leader of the assault on Zygerria the Dark Apostle arrived and looked over the scene and saw the shuttle depart and looked back to Orius and gave a simple nod to his men.
"Bring him alongside the rest. Matters not about a few slaves escaping, bring this one to the capital at once he seems worth the trouble." The Dark Apostle stated.
The Word Bearers brought forth many both Zygerrian and slave alike to Queen Scintels palace as all were placed within a large singular chamber as at the center of the room was a Zygerrian chained up.
Orius and many looked on as the chains wrapped tighter pulling at the Zygerrian's flesh as it slowly pulled apart in immense torture and agony. The screams echoed throughout the room as many including the former queen herself watched this ritual being performed in her own palace.
The Word Bearers stood silent as the Dark Apostle had the ritual continue and soon the eyes of the sacrifice bled over and muted into a mixture of colors forming as the Zygerrian smiled and lifted into the air from the chains. Levitating forward the possessed tore free from its bonds as it levitated toward its target and pointed a bloody finger at Orius.
"I choose you." The possessed stated as he grew closer. "Orius Karr!"
Many stood silent while the Word Bearers themselves turned and faced the one they brought before them. The possessed ruptured in a squall of gore and blood as warp energy ruptured forth. The members of the Word Bearers kneeled before Orius many of the Zygerrians including Queen Scintel and even the slaves stood confused by this.
Orius himself was covered in the blood from the now-dead Zygerrian he said nothing as the Word Bearers began to chant and praise as they looked on at Orius removing their helms with pride in their burning eyes.
"PRAISE THE DARK GODS!" The Word Bearers shouted. "PRAISE THE FUTURE WARMASTER!"
The Dark Apostle walked forth and knelt at Orius's side as he looked down at the member who looked on at him.
"You have been chosen by the gods Orius." The apostle said with praise. "A moment of glory to be treasured. We await your command."
"My..command." Orius looked on at the Word Bearers.
"Yes." The apostle stated. "You will lead the Word Bearers. And not just us more will come soon, others who will swear their allegiance to you Warmaster. Yet you have a duty to perform to assure your title."
"What do you mean?" Orius stood still his heart raced and his mind aching from all this along with the worry for Kera. "W-What must I do."
"A great ritual must be undertaken." The apostle stated. "You must become like us, and you will be at the head of this ritual sacrifice Warmaster."
"Sacrifice!?" Orius looked on at the apostle and to the other Word Bearers. "You want me to sacrifice these people all of them?"
"The ritual will allow the warp to tear through to bring forth the rest of the fleets all those who will swear loyalty to you." The apostle stated. "As I have said Warmaster you are chosen by the gods themselves."
Orius stepped forth his face and body covered still in the blood of the dead Zygerrian, his fists clenched and teeth closed tightly as his eyes closed. As they opened he was no longer in the chamber with the Word Bearers nor the Zygerrians or his fellow slaves he was in an open field.
Looking to his clothing he was wearing a simple grey tunic with black boots, he looked around and saw no one yet he walked on brushing through the grassy field as he saw someone in the distance.
Making his way to the figure he saw the woman was wearing a flowing purple and gold silk dress and her hair a deep almost blood-red coloring. As he turned her around it was Kera, her smile was radiant and constant as she held onto Orius's arm gently.
"Kera?" Orius stood confused as he held Kera close. "What is this place? I don't understand why are you here?"
"Shh." Kera's fingers pressed against Orius's as she grew closer to him. "Don't think about it Orius. Think of only me my dear."
"What?" Orius looked on as Kera's fingers wrapped slowly in his hair as her leg arched up against his side.
"Look only to me." She said as her lips grew closer to his. "Look into my eyes and see only me."
Orius looked nearly into Kera's eyes but as he touched her skin it felt different and he saw it becoming a shade of light purple as he pushed himself away he saw a shifting figure replace her.
"You're not Kera!" Orius stepped back further. "What are you!?"
"I'm all you can desire, your god of perfection, hedonism, and excess mmm. Please look unto me champion, I can be what you want Yesss." The ever-changing figure stated as it caressed his cheek.
"Silence yourself!" A voice boomed. A figure stepping forth with eyes like ember coals and formed in the armor of blackened brass. "Listen not to this horrid wench! It deceives and adles your mind with honeyed words!"
"Hehe, she thought she could deceive us. Oh, how you forget young prince heh!" Another voice spoke out as it formed into a mass of tentacles and eyes. "Mortal we come bringing our words as we said."
"Ahh! The grandchild of mine you heed our words, not simply the prince of pleasure for we all have words yes." Another voice spoke in a sickly tone as a bloated carcass formed with two small pupils inside a mass of teeth and rotting flesh.
"W-What are you!?" Orius stepped back out of fear.
The lone slave's surroundings altered and changed becoming more in line with what the four gods of chaos were used to. The Warp itself engulfed Orius as he looked on, while the four gods simply stood there in silence as each began to speak.
"We are the desires of a galaxy embodied in its entirety," Slannesh stated.
"We are emotions and belief given form." Khorne followed.
"We are that which makes you what you are. Emotion and thought crafted into a singular form." Tzeentch stated.
"You need us as we need you, grandchild. For without us you would be nothing and intern we would not be given true form to our aspect." Nurgle said.
"FOR WE ARE CHAOS! THE GODS OF CHAOS AND OUR CHOSEN!" The four stated in unison.
Orius stood in silence as his eyes kept low to the ground, his fists clenched in anger and finally releasing as he looked upon the Chaos Gods.
"And..what do you want me to do?" Orius stated his tone low and feeling empty.
"Lead those who sought you. Then we shall see in time little Warmaster." The four stated.
In the blink of any eye, Orius recovered and he was back inside the chamber alongside the Word Bearers and the Zygerrians and his fellow slaves as he turned to face the Dark Apostle.
"The Gods spoke!" The apostle's eyes lit aflame with devotion as he looked on at Orius. "What is their will Warmaster what shall we do with these slaves of the gods?" The apostle asked.
Orius looked on his eyes heavy and at a loss as he began to utter his words, the thoughts he was chosen by gods and unable to find Kera all blurred in his mind as he stepped forth toward the Zygerrians and only looking onto the those who held him in chains.
"S-Sacrifice." Orius lips uttered but within The Warp, these were all the daemons needed.
A cacophony of screams and guttural roars followed as daemons poured through tearing and bleeding the terrified Zygerrians. Queen Scintel was kept alive to watch as her people were torn apart and bled upon the ground, Orius himself stood at the center being bathed in the blood of his masters, and at that moment Khorne spoke.
"In blood you find retribution. In blood there is justice!" Khorne stated with pride.
"In..blood I am reborn." Orius looked as the blood poured onto his face as the daemons fed upon the weakling Zygerrians.
The screams echoed throughout the palace while the Word Bearers looked on silence in approval as Orius stood at the center as the blood washed over him at this moment and they knew he was what the gods wanted.
Author's Note: Well guys end of chapter 2 I hope you all enjoy it also I hope how I've written Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle, and Slaanesh fits them as how they are represented within the Warhammer lore. Also thank you all for the support and I hope you all continue enjoying the story as future chapters come out and don't forget to voice your opinions on the story with reviews so I know if I get something either mixed up or confused in the lore. So I hope you all have a fantastic day and may the Emperor guide you.