Right, just to clarify a few things:
I'm writing this story based on my interpretation of the hints in the Horus Heresy novels based on what happened to the Lost Primarchs.
My understanding is as follows:
1. The Lost Primarchs were found.
2. The only Primarchs who hadn't met the Lost Primarchs were Corax and the twins (though Black Library states that Eleventh Primarch was the second last to be found AFTER Corax, Deliverance Lost states that by the time the Emperor found Corax, the Second and Eleventh Primarchs were already gone, so I'll be going along with this in the story).
3. Whatever happened to the Lost Primarchs, it was implied that the Emperor had commanded it (in Fear to Tread, Sanguinius reveals that he was terrified that he and the Blood Angels would suffer the same fate if he were to reveal the flaw in his Legion to the Emperor, Malcador warns Dorn from bringing up the Lost Primarchs in the Lightning Stuck Tower and in Prospero Burns, Russ sadly comments at the outbreak of the Horus Heresy that Astartes fighting Astartes was not unprecedented, Lorgar was described as being distraught at whatever happened to the Lost Primarchs and it was hinted that after they were gone, the Ultramarines' numbers swelled).
4. Based on what I've read, I'm assuming that ALL but Corax and the twins had met the Lost Primarchs in person at some point.
That's my understanding of it so that's what I'll be basing this fanfic on. I apologise if it displeases any of you.
In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
The Legion Master and the Lightning Rider
Gwaine was watching the skies as a ship many times the size of the largest aircraft on Tempestas descended from the Storm, making its way towards the Iron Roost bearing what Gwaine knew to be people from the Imperium.
The Imperium.
Gwaine was still trying to wrap his head around it.
Asghar had told them of Terra, of other worlds beyond Tempestas that other humans called home. He had told them of the variety of xenos that threaten Mankind throughout the cosmos: the savage Orks, the duplicitous Eldar and countless more. Asghar had also told them, with no small amount of pride of the Great Crusade; the armies of Terra setting forth to bring the various worlds of Man under the aegis of the Imperium and protect them from the horrors of the xenos.
And themselves.
In a more sombre tone, Asghar had spoken of how there were some worlds that failed to see the hope and Enlightenment brought by the Imperium. Many of these worlds embraced ancient religious superstition and worship various deities. Some were harmless enough, but many caused its populace to commit horrific acts. Fearing that their gods, ancient traditions and beliefs would be made into lies by the secular Imperial Truth, the people of these worlds would fight, and with great regret, the armies of Terra would be forced to subjugate them and integrate them into the Imperium.
The inevitable casualties were staggering, but, as Asghar often reiterated, it was for their own good.
Asghar had reluctantly revealed the number of lives lost in such campaigns, and Gwaine had been horrified by the scale of it. But to condemn the Imperium seemed hypocritical, for the Thunder Bearers had done the exact same thing on Tempestas, only on a much smaller scale.
The Emperor aimed to unify a galaxy.
Gwaine still found the magnitude of the goal staggering. To unify a world had been hard enough, but hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Millions?
"Lightning Rider."
Gwaine turned at the sound of his title and to his surprise, it was Asghar.
As the Astartes approached, Gwaine took in the massive armour, the battle-marks and honour rolls that hung from it as well as the sheer immensity of its wearer. With the faintest hint of resentment, Gwaine reflected that Asghar had more in common with Thorondor then he did.
"Legion Master," greeted Gwaine with a nod. "I'm surprised that you know of my title."
Asghar smiled, the expression looked out of place on his harsh, scarred face. "I've spoken with some of the other Storm Riders. They speak well of you."
Asghar joined Gwaine, watching over the vista of Tempestas; the jagged landmasses that dotted the violent oceans and Eternal Storm rumbling above.
"I've seen many worlds," remarked Asghar. "But Tempestas is truly magnificent."
"As magnificent as Terra?" asked Gwaine.
Asghar gestured out to the violent sea. "In ages past, Terra once had oceans too, before the nuclear wars boiled them all away. Now much of Terra is a barren wasteland and blasted ruins...most of the people live in hive cities that spread out for as far as the eye can see."
"Sounds dreadful," remarked Gwaine dryly.
"Perhaps," acknowledged Asghar. "But it is symbolic, I think, of the resilience of Mankind. No matter what adversity we face, we will always overcome them."
Asghar gestured towards the violent oceans and the Eternal Storm. "Just like the people of this world carving out a living even in the face of such unforgiving elements."
"You say that Terra's current state was caused by...what was it, nuclear weapons?" said Gwaine, shaking his head. "I find it hard to believe that there are weapons of such destruction that could scorch a world so."
Asghar nodded gravely. "Such is our potential...we were always capable of great things but also great destruction. Such is our nature; to indulge ourselves in self-destruction. But when guided, we can achieve more than that. That is what the Emperor wants for us all."
"The Emperor," said Gwaine. "What can you tell me about the Emperor?"
"I have been in his presence before," said Asghar. "But I have no words that would do the Emperor justice. He is a man...but far beyond all men. To be in his presence...it is indescribable."
"Like with Thorondor?" suggested Gwaine.
Asghar smiled. "As incredible as our lord is, even he pales in comparison to the Emperor. When he arrives, perhaps then you will understand."
While Thorondor had taken in everything Asghar had told him, he had still refused to fully commit to the Imperial cause until he had met the Emperor in person. He had allowed information and technology exchange between the Imperium and the Tempestas, and had also allowed a small contingent of Astartes from the Second Legion to stay at the Iron Roost in order to screen for potential recruits.
They had learned then that many of the Terran humans were just like the Tempestans in build and size though there were variations according to their origins. These brave men and women made up the bulk of the Imperial Army and the countless serfs and crew that kept the Great Crusade going.
The Astartes, they had learned, were the elite; men chosen from the ranks of humanity to be implanted with the gene-seed so that they may transcend their humanity and be reborn as the greatest warriors of Mankind. Not all were worthy of such an honour.
Gwaine, to his great bitterness, had been told that he was too old.
"So when the Emperor comes, he will take Thorondor from us?" asked Gwaine.
"For the greater good of Mankind," answered Asghar, nodding. "It is his destiny as Primarch of the Second Legion."
"Second Legion..." repeated Gwaine slowly. "Tell me of the Second."
"What do you wish to know?" asked Asghar.
"Well," began Gwaine, thinking carefully. "Why don't you have a name? Like the Sixth? The Wolves of Fenris, was it?"
"Outsiders call them the Space Wolves, but they dislike the title," answered Asghar. "As to your question; we haven't earned a name yet. There are other Legions that already have names; the Dusk Raiders, the War Hounds and the Luna Wolves. They've earned their names through their deeds."
"How many Legions are there?" asked Gwaine.
"Sixteen are now in active service," answered Asghar. "Four more are currently being built."
"So there are twenty," mused Gwaine. "How long has the Second Legion been in service?"
"For as long as the First Legion," answered Asghar proudly. "We have had the honour of serving the Emperor directly alongside the First. We have a rivalry of sorts with them; now that we are the third Legion to find our Primarch, we've got one up on them."
Asghar laughed roughly as Gwaine smiled.
"So each Legion has its own Primarch?"
"Yes," Asghar nodded. "All the Legions are created based on the genetic template of its Primarch."
"But only three have been found?"
"Yes; Lord Horus Lupercal, Lord Russ...and now, Lord Thorondor."
"But you say the Emperor created the Primarchs; how did they wind up on different worlds?" asked Gwaine.
Asghar hesitated; the first time Gwaine had ever seen the Astartes do so. "We don't know. To be honest, we thought the Primarchs to be lost forever...until we first found Lord Horus on Cthonia. That gave us hope; and then we found Lord Russ and now Lord Thorondor. I believe that the others are out there somewhere."
"And all of them are like Thorondor?" asked Gwaine.
"Lord Thorondor," corrected Asghar. "I suppose they would be. You've seen Lord Russ before, how did he compare to our lord?"
Gwaine pondered the question. When he had seen Leman Russ, the Primarch of the Sixth Legion, he had been overwhelmed by the dynamic savagery that exuded from the warrior. The Primarch's growling voice, his belligerent manner, the constant posturing had in many ways intimidated Gwaine, but he was still awed.
When he had seen Thorondor and Russ together though, Gwaine had felt as if all the air in his lungs had been driven out completely. He had grown used to Thorondor in the decades they had been together, but it was as though in the presence of his fellow Primarch, the magnificence of Thorondor's existence had been unleashed once more for all to see. In a way, it reminded Gwaine of flying close to the Eternal Storm: dangerous, heart-stopping, blood-racing and utterly exhilarating.
That was what he had felt in the presence of the two Primarchs.
"They are similar," said Gwaine slowly. "But still different. And there eighteen others still out there?"
"Seventeen," corrected Asghar. "Don't forget that Lord Horus was the first to be found."
"And what is he like?"
Asghar smiled. "In a way, I'd say his presence is possibly even more awe-inspiring and humbling than Lord Thorondor and Lord Russ. But then, you'd expect that from one who has been personally guided by the Emperor for three decades."
"Incredible," said Gwaine, shaking his head wistfully. "I wish I could see it."
Asghar watched Gwaine carefully. "Yes, you are too old for the gene-seed implantation, are you not?"
Gwaine nodded his head bitterly.
"You have had the honour to serve Lord Thorondor for a long time, have you not?" asked Asghar.
"Serve him?" echoed Gwaine indignantly. "I grew up with him! I looked after him when he was still a child! We became Storm Riders together! We fought side by side for decades!"
"My apologies," replied Asghar, inclining his head. "You've known him longer and better than most, I see."
"Yes," said Gwaine. "You Astartes are practically immortal, as hard as it is for me to believe, but I am destined to die...as an old man by the looks of things. Thor...Lord Thorondor will be going to the stars and I...I can't follow..."
Gwaine's shoulders slumped and he turned his gaze away from Asghar, looking out at the ocean, ignoring the thoughtful stare that Asghar was giving him.
"Lord Thorondor spoke to me about this," said Asghar. "This is why I came to talk to you. You say you can't follow our lord...I'm here to tell you that you can."
Hope flared in Gwaine's heart. "What are you talking about?"
"It is true that you are too old for the gene-seed, but we can...enhance you," said Asghar. "You would not be a true Astartes...but close. If you wish it, Lord Thorondor has asked that this be done for you."
"I don't need charity," said Gwaine bitterly. "You'd do this for me because of your Primarch's sentimental attachment to me?"
"Our Primarch," corrected Asghar calmly. He studied Gwaine for a moment before continuing. "The Second Legion as you can expect, is one of the older Legions. We've already established our traditions, our structure, our modus operandi and we already have numerous victory honours under our belt. But now that we've found Lord Thorondor, we're expecting changes to come. Our ranks are expected to swell with Tempestans coming in; they will be integrating with the Terran-born veterans."
Asghar looked out over the ocean, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"I know you Tempestans are a proud people; your brave commander and soldiers' response to our...visit, is testament to that. But our veterans are proud too. They've fought on numerous worlds. There will be some friction."
"What are you getting at, Legion Master?"
"I am saying that your presence would help smooth the integration; the Tempestans know you, respect you. You are a hero second only to the Storm Lord. I've read your service record; you are great leader and general. Your presence would be an invaluable addition to the Second Legion."
Gwaine stared silently out at the ocean for a long moment. "Wouldn't the Legion simply accept Lord Thorondor's word?"
"We would," Asghar nodded. "But there would still be underlying tensions. The Terrans might fear that favouritism would be shown to the Tempestans, and vice versa. Lord Thorondor is aware of this and has spoken to me of it."
"So Thor went to you about it then?" asked Gwaine, hurt in his voice.
"He would've asked you too, but he knows you've been avoiding him since you were rejected for the gene-seed implantation," replied Asghar with a bite of impatience in his voice. "Lord Thorondor plans to add four new companies to the existing eight...and one elite company; one that would be under his personal command, made up of the best warriors in the Legion from all companies, both Terran and Tempestan."
"And I would lead this company," deduced Gwaine.
Asghar nodded. "You'd be equal to me in rank. This will help to dispel any potential tension between the Terrans and Tempestans."
"It's a good idea," admitted Gwaine. He hesitated. "How long will the...enhancements keep me alive?"
"I can't be sure of the exact number, but I'd say nearly triple the live expectancy of the average human," answered Asghar. "You would be able to follow our lord to the stars, Lightning Rider."
Gwaine was silent for a long moment until Asghar became impatient.
"Well? What do you say?"
Gwaine looked Asghar in the eye. "I have a condition, Legion Master."
"Oh?"
"If we are to be truly equal," said Gwaine. "Then you stop calling me Lightning Rider, and call me Gwaine."
Gwaine offered his hand to the towering Astartes. Asghar smiled.
"Then you must call me Asghar...Gwaine."
The Astartes took Gwaine's hand, enveloping it effortlessly as Astartes and man both shook hands.