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He watches the child curiously as she waddles on her short, stubby legs in attempt to reach her father. Her bright, green eyes look up at him in adoration, and she thrusts out her arms while uttering a garbled coo. The sight brings a peculiar warmth in the man's heart, and he receives his beloved daughter well, planting a little kiss on her plump cheek.
Her mother leans against the doorpost, watching this exchange with a mirthful but reserved countenance. Farseer Taldeer swept a stray lock of hair from her face and approached her husband once the child had had enough of her little walks and was turned over to her crib to rest. She took his arm in hers and laid her head on his shoulder, basking in the pleasant atmosphere their love has created. It would not last long, however, for she had news of ill nature to share.
"Liivi."
Her husband's attention was devoted fully to her, she could tell from the way those piercing gray eyes remained affixed on hers. He hardly spoke a word since that morning, even now he remains silent, but this was enough for her.
His silence helps her focus, "The visions have returned to me. I have seen...I have seen the Primarch Horus return to the realms of Man. He brings with him the anger of a billion souls clamoring for justice."
Liivi blinks, words remaining unspoken.
"He comes not as the Archtraitor that he's condemned to be, but as the bearer of lost hope. And with his return, the Ruinous Powers stir." Taldeer's hand moves to her breast to calm her frantically beating heart. "I can feel She-Who-Thirsts tugging at my soul. She withdraws from her millennia-long reprieve. My love, I am afraid."
At this Liivi pulls his wife closer and holds her tenderly in his arms, still not uttering a single word, and yet manages to calm the Farseer in spite of the lack of exchange. The former Vindicare, though as stoic as was his nature, was deeply concerned. Never before has the aeldari oracle acted in this manner around him, and it could only mean that the fear was not misplaced. The peace never lasts, he knew this to be true, but not on this scale. "Do we have to leave?" He spoke for the first time that day.
Taldeer confessed, "I don't want to."
He understood what those words meant. For the first time in centuries, Taldeer and Liivi enjoyed that life they had together, far from the horrors of the Unending War. They sought to create a home for the child they birthed, where little Senua could grow in safety- far from the clutches of the Dark Prince Slaanesh. To leave the safety of their home in the Webway to be involved in the War they left behind, it would mean endangering their beloved daughter. "We can sit this one out, or we can take up arms and rejoin the struggle." Liivi whispered whilst stroking his wife's shiny black mane, "Whatever you decide, know that I will stand by you till the end."
"I know."
Horus heard the psychic scream of the Fateweaver, at this he bellows out a roar of frustration. Celestine was onboard the Macragge's Honour, and if his brother was trapped in there as the Greater Daemon's hostage, her fate would undoubtedly be similar maybe even worse. "Brothers and sisters of Man! To me!" He rallies his forces together, "They hold my brother Guilliman! Chaos has our allies in their grasp! Get onboard, we attack!"
They cheer at the imparted courage of his words and rush to join the Primarch in the next battle, scrambling into transporters to get themselves underway.
It wasn't a decision born out of recklessness, the opportunity yet presents itself, and Horus would seize it. Kairos had grown overconfident, and in his haste to bring an end to the conflict he had neglected to take into account the danger the Favored Son presented. Quickly, the Warmaster returned to the Golgo's Respite, intent on putting a stop to the Fateweaver's scheme to fracture the Imperial forces. Having freed his ships from the living planetoid's ethereal tendrils, Horus commanded all guns to fire upon the Chaos voidships encroached about the subdued Ultramarine cruisers. Lasfire hailed violently upon voidshields, they shimmer visibly for a brief moment before shattering completely. In their attempts to redirect their full attentions towards the Favored Son's onslaught, the Red Corsairs suffered heavy casualties, their losses mounting as Horus made a furious headway for the Macragge's Honour- which was now in Kairos' complete control.
The Greater Daemon of Tzeentch turned an eye towards the vessel pummeling aside voidships thrice its size in its attempt to get closer. His annoyance turns to frustration. He almost forgot the unyielding nature of the Lupercal- he would not stop at anything to save his brother. "It is time for us to leave." He decides, summoning all the powers at his disposal to tear another rift in reality. The portal opens before the captured Ultramarine flagship, and at the Fateweaver's command, the engines pour in for all they were worth to make a speedy withdrawal from the starship graveyard.
Aboard the Golgo's Respite, Horus takes note of the aftertrail of the battleship's thrusters and understands immediately what Kairos was up to. "Engines full!"
"We are to enter the breach, milord?" Maranda questioned. "But we do not know what lies beyond!"
"I do." Horus replied, "Trust in me, captain." The Primarch then turned to send a vox-message to all those who shared the same channel. But before he could even begin to speak, another ship joined the fray. Warheads scream across space, closing the distance with blinding speed and pinpoint accuracy as they struck the ancient flagship's vital propulsion systems, impairing its mobility greatly and allowing the loyalist ships to gain ground. Horus' eyes were wide with astonishment and recognition. Only one ship, among all others in the days of the Great Crusade, was ever gifted with such speed for one of its kind.
A near-perfect imitation of the Gloriana-class Battleship that was the pride of the 15th Legion, the Shadow of the Emperor, the Duskbringer weaved in and out of the exchange with the finesse of an eel amongst boulders as it spearheaded the assault of a massive Ravenguard flotilla come to bolster the ranks of the exhausted Crusade.
The vox-channel crackles as the connection between flagships was established, and a familiar voice addresses the Lupercal. "Apologies for the delay, brother. I meant to come sooner. Alas, these Warp-storms have not made it easier on us."
"Corvus Corax." Horus grinned. Another ally had come to aid in his quest, "Your timing could not have been better."
"I'd prattle on with the pleasantries, but our dear brother Roboute seems to be in a bind. I will begin the assault on the bridge as soon as that rift closes. You're welcome to join us. A Greater Daemon isn't something to take lightly. I will need all the help I can get."
"I will be there, you can count on it." Horus agreed, turning to Maranda Goodwill as the connection was terminated. "Captain, I leave the ship in your command once again. Keep the enemy off our backs while I make for the Greater Daemon who holds my brother prisoner."
"Yes, milord." She said with a nod.
Horus summons the host of mighty Black Templars, Blood Angels and loyal Battlesisters- all eager to wrest their beloved Saint free from the Fateweaver's clutches. They board the drop-pods at the Golgo's Respite's portside chambers, standing-by for the deployment sequence to be initiated. Horus would've opted to teleport aboard the Macragge's Honour, but alas, Kairos' psychic attunement with the Empyrean was so strong that it threw off his concentration- preventing him from doing as planned.
"And so the Raven-Lord has finally dragged himself out of his millennia long walk of penance." Kairos mused, having foreseen this possibility before. "Commendable, but quite brash." He turned to the Primarch chained at his feet. "The same could be said of your decisions as of late, Perfect Son."
Guilliman utters a low groan in reply.
Beyond the rift lay the Blackstone Fortress held by the Tyrant of Badab- Horun Blackheart, the monstrous chapter-master of the Red Corsairs. The wrecked and battered Macragge's Honour was slow in its descent into the gaping maw of the portal, but its plunge into the abyss was inevitable. Whatever attempt made to liberate the vessel would force the loyalists boarding it to be dragged down as well, so Kairos cared little for the sudden shift of power in the struggle.
Further down the halls, as the prisoners were being herded into separate holding cells, the Red Corsair traitor marines had the fleeting notion that something was amiss. The clamor that had persisted from the end of the last battle had died down, giving way for an eerie silence that could only spell trouble on their part. And yet, against all instinct, overconfidence has blinded the traitors to the danger lurking in the shadows.
Then, the blades struck out without warning.
Seemingly materializing out of thin air, the adeptus astartes of the 19th Legion burst free from the darkness and fell upon the Red Corsairs from all sides! Assault marines drove sword and claw through blood-encrusted ceramite, spilling traitor's life upon the hallowed floor. Lead personally by the Raven Lord himself, the rescue team executed the next phase of their operation with brutal efficiency. So swift was their judgement that not a single bolter or shout was sounded in the span of six seconds! The bodies fell where they stood, and the liberated loyalists looked upon their saviors with aghast expressions.
They beheld Corvus Corax with awe, another Primarch returned from the depths to aid the Imperium in its darkest hour.
"Again, the Emperor has heard my prayer!" Celestine exclaimed, stretching forth her hands so that her arcanic bonds may be severed. The Ravenguard have come at the best of times, for the prisoners were being herded to be sacrificed later to fuel the machinations of the Ruinous Powers.
"Is my brother among you?" Corvus asked, kohl-black eyes searching the line of prisoners stretched across the long corridor leading into the bowels of the ancient battleship. He needn't hear the answer, he knew where he must go. "Arm yourselves." He tells the liberated ones, commanding his sons to surrender their bolters to the champions among them, knowing that they would need it more than they will in the coming battle. He left a homing device with one of the sergeants of the Ultramarine Chapter before heading down the way, "Take this, my brother Horus Lupercal will follow its signal. Regroup with his company and clear out any opposition lurking within the ship's depths. I will see to your Primarch's retrieval."
"No milord!" The sergeant protested, "He is our gene-sire! We are duty-bound to protect our Lord! Please, do not deny us this!"
"You're only going to get in my way." Corvus answered, but then saw the opportunity presented with the sergeant's conviction. The Ravenguard highly preferred a stealthy approach, whereas the Ultramarines had a tendency to announce their arrival at a battle with bombastic overtures. In this instance, they would make for an excellent distraction. "But since you're all so eager..."
A plan was made, and soon put into action.
The bridge was stormed by the Ultramarines, their pace grown swift and their hearts filled with zeal as they fought to free their captured Primarch. The roar of their bolters could be mirrored by the ear-graining howls amplified by their vox-grills as they rained shells upon the Tzeentchian daemonic hordes, spilling gore and ectoplasm across the stained walls and bloodied floor, adding to the mess of the earlier conflict. The Greater Daemon screeched, calling forth more of his kin from the depths of the Warp to slay the interlopers who would dare defy his will. More rifts opened upon the bridge, belching out more and more cackling horrors until the air grew thick with the disturbances wrought by the influx of psychic energies.
And then, the Ravenguard struck.
Like before, they removed themselves from the shadows, descending like birds-of-prey with frightening agility and dispatching the sorcerers lending Kairos their power, severely weakening the Daemon's influence upon reality. Corvus took it upon himself to face the Fateweaver personally, and he reveals himself to the forces of the Great Deceiver for the first time in a millennia.
Guilliman, though weak and worn from the effects of the psychic torment he endured from Kairos, sees his brother's face and his heart lifts. "Corvus..."
The Raven Lord's claws rend the rubricae standing in his way, and he makes for the pedestal upon which the Fateweaver stood. The whip unravels, and it lashes out across the Daemon's body, tearing apart the arcane barrier shielding him from the bolter shells all throughout the battle and exposing him to Corvus' assault. In response, the Oracle stretched out his hand and blasted away at the Raven Lord with forked lightning bolts stemming from the heart of the Maelstrom swirling outside.
Corvus had only to will it, and his wings folded forward to absorb the eldritch energies, converting it into powering his own shields. Having spent time in the Warp had taught the Raven Lord a few tricks in dealing with sorcerers, and with Kairos it was only differed by a small margin. He just needed to strike quickly while the Daemon was vulnerable and stay as far away from the Staff of Tomorrow, knowing full well the effects of that malevolent weapon if it manages to even graze him.
Corvus had no intention of going mad that day.
Time slows to a crawl as Kairos twists the very fabric of space in his favor, he sees every move Corvus makes and would make, and acts accordingly. He detested having to deal with him personally, but with the Raven Lord's persistence it would seem he had no choice in the matter. The Daemon withdrew, casting lancing bolt after bolt to keep Corvus at bay. He only needed a few more minutes before the Macragge's Honour was safely through the rift in the Maelstrom, and it would be another victory for him.
But there was another flaw in the Fateweaver's plans that persisted, and had long gone unnoticed. Blind to the present, Kairos had forgotten the rogue element that was Horus Lupercal. While all others have had their attentions occupied- Ultramarine and Ravenguard engaging daemon and Red Corsair- the Wolf of Terra had already joined the battle for the flagship's bridge and had seized the opportunity to rid the chessboard of a vital piece. At his heels came a host of valiant Black Templars, frenzied guardsmen and vindictive sisters-of-battle.
His footfalls thunder across the stained floor, he leaps high into the smoke-filled air, Soulrender raised and poised to deliver the killing blow. Seeing an opening, Horus hurled his spear across the bridge, bypassing the Greater Daemon's barriers just as they returned to defend the Fateweaver from the Raven Lord's assaults and burying itself deep into Kairos' chest!
The eyes upon those twin heads blink in disbelief at the excruciating pain lancing through that wound where the very waters of the Well of Eternity spilled from. Kairos dropped his staff and clutches at the divine weapon robbing him of life, gasping as the breath left his body. He could feel Tzeentch tugging at his soul in an attempt to bring him back to be used another day, but then found his connection to the Empyrean severed completely by that accursed piece of metal! "Wha...what is this?"
"A gift from the Emperor." Horus growled, ascending the ramp quickly and grasping the shaft of his weapon.
"Wait..." Kairos pleaded desperately, "I have so much to offer...we can make a deal..." The sheer insolence of the Daemon's plea disgusts Horus to no end, and the Primarch drives the spear even further, wishing a quick end to the Oracle before he convinces him to do otherwise. Whatever secrets he wished to impart can burn with him. The Fateweaver, his soul and psychic essence consumed by the power of the godspear, soon bursts into a ball of blue flames as the body collapses in on itself, leaving nothing but ashes and charred remains of embroided garments.
At the Oracle's death, the chains upon the Favored Son dissolved into nothing, freeing Guilliman from the manifested bonds of his doubts and traces of guilt. His strength returned, and he rises from the ruined floor. His eyes fill with tears of happiness, and he embraces his brothers. The sight of all three Primarchs together in one place elicits a thunderous cheer from all the loyalists present, and they hack away eagerly at the traitors unfortunate enough to survive the aftermath.
"There is so much I want to tell you, my brother." Horus said to Corvus, "So many wrongs I must right."
"And I as well." Guilliman joined in.
Corvus looked out at the shattered observatorium, "I'd rather not get into it at the moment." He referred to the Blackstone Fortress sitting beyond the great tear. The Macragge's Honour had slipped into the rift, alone and right in the middle of enemy territory. "We still have them to worry about."
"Agreed." Horus acknowledged, "But we must have these words soon, you must know that."
"Perhaps." Corvus replied, tucking his whip back into his belt.
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Okay, so technically that whole Liivi x Taldeer story isn't canon- but who cares?! Love can bloom!