Index Astartes: Hope Bringers

by Drakefire

In the 31st Millennium, the Primarchs, were stolen from their father, the Emperor of Mankind. Twenty sons, scattered by the foul machinations of the Chaos Gods, were sent to worlds across the Galaxy, forcing the Emperor to the stars to reunite with his sons, to great a future for Mankind. One of these Primarchs landed on a world, ravaged by illness, and stalked by trolls.

There are probably a few of you that have been wondering why I went silent for the month of November. However, due to a combination of stresses early on in the month, I decided to partake in Novel November, where you try to write a novel for the month of November.

And here I am, at the end of the month. I've really liked working on this project. It's intended to be a one shot, for now, but I can see myself returning to this next November.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Index Astartes - Hope Bringers: The Miracle Workers

Sons of the Primarch Kalaeking, the Astartes of the Hope Bringers are both mighty warriors, and merciful doctors. They see their duty to the Imperium as just not warrior protectors, but as scholars and researchers, putting their minds to putting diseases before purging unfortunate, blighted souls becomes the only answer. Though their father has become lost to them, they seek to complete the work he had yet to complete. A cure for the Illness that has caused so much damage to their homeworld.

And to purge the twisted abominations that the Illness created, should they fail.

Origins

Like his brothers, Kalaeking was stolen by the Chaos Gods, birth pod sent hurtling through the Warp. What plans they had for the Second Primarch remain unknown, even to this day, though it is doubtful things went according to their designs.

To understand what a Primarch would become, one must understand the world they landed on. Nordurljos is unique, even among the world's the Primarchs arrived on. While all struggled, almost all had managed to reunite their world. Kalaeking did, of course, though he only managed to unite the parts of the world still fit for human habitation, and had not been overrun.

If Kalaeking had arrived a century beforehand, he would have found a fairly intact world, one with technology around that of the late second to very early third millennia. It is highly likely he could have united such a world, and even averted the disaster that claimed billions of lives.

But this was not the world the young Primarch had landed on. Ninety years before his arrival, there was an outbreak of a disease. What records that have been salvaged reveal that it was called the Rash, though the inhabitants today simply call it the Illness.

In truth, the name matters little. What does matter is the brutal loss of life of the disease inflicted. A world that housed several billion people, and annihilation feels insufficient of a descriptor. By the time of the Primarch's arrival, the Nordic nations believed themselves to be the sole survivors of the outbreak, a population of less than two hundred and fifty thousand souls. Though this was all not from the plague. Cutting itself off from international trade and travel, Iceland starved for a decade before the population could be supported. While starvation was an issue for the other nations, they had to deal with other issues.

The disease did more than inflict agonizing death on its victims, guaranteed to kill any who weren't immune. It targeted mammals as well, meaning large portions of the animal population were infected, both domestic and feral. Though the distinction between the two would become blurred as the disease showed its true horror. Mutation.

Beasts, Trolls, and Giants

The First Rule

For surviving outside of safe areas

If you come across

A Beast, a Troll, or a Giant

Do not run and call for help

But stand still, and be silent

It might go away

The disease ravaged the Old World, leaving in its wake nothing but mutated, horrid, monstrosities. The natives of this world divide them into three major categories. The Beasts are the most explanatory. They were once normal animals, mutated by the Rash. Outside of the Noble Feline, which is blessed with complete immunity, no mammal is safe from the Rash and its effects.

Sometimes, it is clear to see what the creature used to be. In others, such as the Bear Beast Montti, they have become so wrapped they can be mistaken for other creatures entirely. No two creatures mutate the same, either, much like their troll counterparts. Though there can be similarities when it comes to pack predators, such as wolves.

As a whole, they are much more resilient to the cold compared to their troll counterparts, but not wholly immune outside of beasts like the Fenrir.

Trolls were once human, though many don't resemble it. The Rash has wracked their bodies with terrible mutations, none looking exactly the same. They seem to retain a degree of intelligence, however, even if more akin to an animal.

These, like their much larger kin, Giants, loath exposure to extreme cold, hunkering down in troll nests for the winter. This is both the best and the worst time to hunt trolls. While the cold can make them lethargic and unwilling to exit their nests. However, the close quarters benefit many smaller creatures, and even a small troll can prove dangerous.

However, them being cooped up makes it easy to burn them out. Though this is easier said than done, as Troll's prefer to nest in solid structures that remain warm, and damp. Exposure to the cold can kill rapidly, especially smaller specimens It is almost noted that all those who become trolls also hold a distaste towards the sun. Why is presently unknown, but it gives another reason for their particular habits. As such, all but the largest of their kind are nocturnal hunters.

Alarmingly, the sun and the cold are the two biggest ways to deter a Troll or Giant. The moon sometimes works, reflecting the sun's rays, but it is much weaker and cannot be relied upon. Water can help, as many trolls lack the ability to move through the medium, unless they have either mutated into such a form or are a sea beasts themselves.

To complicate matters further, these two factors are the primary check on these creatures' growth. They are able to consume other infected, growing in size. This allows Troll's to twist into truly nightmarish monstrosities, eventually forming a Giant.

Giants are colossal beings to twisted flesh and power. They are incredibly difficult to bring down, with many different brains piloting these abominations. While the sun and cold are still effective, the bulk these creatures possess makes it take longer to wear them down.

The reason the world has yet to be fully reclaimed it simple. The further south one goes, the warmer it gets, as the days and nights become more consistent. While increased sunlight would deter trolls, other factors lead to massive growth. Psychic scans and observations from orbit confirm cities consumed by twisted flesh, entire biome's twisted in a perversion of nature.

However, the illness holds one, last secret. Though calling it a secret is a stretch, as any Psyker who visits the world will discover it in short order. The Rash traps the souls of those it infects in the Materium. If you die from the disease, your soul becomes trapped inside your body, a decaying prison to hold you until you are killed, and even that is not enough to set a soul free, without the proper rites. Those who die of other cases become trapped as vengeful shades, still able to affect the world around them, and perfectly able to kill.

It is unknown why the Emperor never decided to destroy the planet or at least eradicate the worst of the blight from orbit. While the people could be withdrawn and taken to a safer location, the world itself holds little value as anything more than a blighted mausoleum. But those who know of it's effects on the soul have to wonder if the Emperor may have had some use for it.

Or perhaps he knew the lesson his son learned long ago. That some things in the Silent World are better left undisturbed.

Kalaeking's crash was both a blessing and a curse. The drop pod crashed in the Silent World, in the old ruins of a city. His arrival caused many trolls to stir. If it wasn't for the fact his pod came down on a sizable artificial island, with only a minor bridge connecting it to the rest of the city, he likely would have been set upon. But he was, and winter was coming as well, meaning many trolls and giants were hunkering down for the winter. And while he was far from Civilization, such a trek would be beyond even a young Primarch, even if he knew the way.

While the earliest days of the Primarch's life are known to only him, and the Emperor, most of the Primarch's youth is surprisingly well recorded. A redacted version has been released to the greater Imperium as The Saga of Hope, a combination of The Saga of the Villi Lapsi, which covers the Primarch's younger years, and The Saga of the Kraftaver Konungur, which covers the Primarch's later exploits. Uncensored versions of the two texts do exist, defended by both Astartes, and stubborn oral traditions.

The Primarch, through nothing more than several strokes of luck, would be discovered by a group of explorers, though they didn't know it yet. The first to have breached the Silent World to have occurred in a decade, let alone one of its nature. Eventually, they made their way to the Primarch's oasis. Already, the small child had grown considerably, even though he was a few months old. Seeing his own kind for the first time in his life, he watched closely, unsure of what to do.

That was until he noticed that they had been followed. A troll, admittedly, a small one, slinking through the snow. The young Primarch, realizing the threat such a creature posessed, lept into action. Breaking out of the shadows, he hurled his weapon, a spear carved from wood. It managed to puncture the beast at a range, killing it instantly.

Surprise overtook the group, not knowing that the troll was there in the first place, nor the child. The fact that a human, much less a child, had survived in the Silent World. Faced with a choice between taking in the savage child with them, when they were already low on supplies, and feeding the mouth of a civilian that had been snuck into the operation by pure happenstance, or abandoning the child to meet death, they chose to bring him with them.

It didn't take long for the whole group to acknowledge that the boy grew quickly, and learned even faster. He observed the members of the crew, learning from Sigrund the art of both the blade, and the gun.

'Blades before bullets!'

-Attributed to Sigrund

He likewise picked up the importance of Cleansing from Emil, which would serve him well, even before the Second Battle of Kastrupt. From Tuuni, he learned engineering and literature, picking up on the language spoken by the various members of the crew, rapidly reaching the point where he could understand them all, and speak each as if it were his native tongue.

But it was under Mikkel he truly excelled. The young Primarch had a knack for fixing wounds, from bandaging, to stitching, to make sure an open cut stayed clean and free from infection. He also poured over journals and logs of the silent world, scratching his head in mystery, just like those who once lived, looking for any sign of a cure.

As it turned out, the old world had developed a cure, and shipped it out. That cure was death.

With the Rash's effect on souls, those killed through this cure did not become trolls, but their souls were trapped all the same. While the young Primarch had encountered these spirits previously, he had managed to fight them off, though both continued to avoid the other.

It was unknown how they had learned they could absorb the life force of other creatures, but they did. These vengeful shades, hating all life, pursued the crew, killing any troll they came across, and devouring the souls to add to themselves. Eventually, they decided to attack them. Driving trolls towards them to add numbers to their assault, they stormed the area, attempting to overwhelm the defenders.

Driving troll's forward like animals, sending them like lambs to a slaughter. While the defenders fought hard, there were only four of them, even with the magical defenses put in place to even the odds. Some wonder why they didn't let the Primarch join them in battle, for even by this point, it would have to be clear that he was not a normal child. However, it is likely that they did know if he was immune to the illness or not. Today, we know the answer is yes, they would have no means of knowing they were in the presence of one of the Emperor's lost sons.

As such, he was forced to remain in the vehicle, hearing the din of battle, the screams of the trolls, and the haunting voices of the spirits who had followed them. Kalaeking would have loved to do nothing more than to tear is way through the vehicle to join the fray. But he knew doing so would leave those without immunity exposed to the trolls. While Tuuli had been part of the Finnish military prior to this operation, and Reynir while a Pskyer following Icelandic tradition, had no experience in the military.

Thus, he had been forced to sit out the battle. Until the cat begin acting strange, hissing as its fur stood up on end. While the other two in the vehicle treated such behavior with caution, as warranted, given the feline's ability to detect those infected with the Illness. But their transhuman sense didn't allow them to hear what was going on underneath the tank, muted by the vehicle's armor, but also the fighting outside.

The Primarch managed to react in time, likely averting disaster in the process. He intercepted the monster as it pushed its way through the floor of the vehicle, bursting into the compartment in a shower of wire, metal, and wood.

A clash between a Primarch, even a young one, against a smaller troll, was no contest, even without weapons. The creature's mutated form withered in his grasp, attempting to escape as they clashed. Ultimately, he managed to crush the beast's head. While nobody had been harmed, besides for a few cuts on the Primarch that were already beginning to heal, the room had been thoroughly contaminated.

The Importance of Felines

The first lesson one learns on Nordurljos is that felines are not to be intentionally harmed. This is a rule that can be found in every town, city, and military outpost, from Iceland to the Bastion, the Feline is one of the most important animals on the planet. What had once been a simple household pet before the Illness, had become a savior.

As fortune would have it, felines are the only mammal species immune to the Illness. How is unknown. Before the days of the Emperor's arrival, they were considered blessed by the Gods of various peoples, those who believed in such. While this had died down over the Great Crusade, after the world had been found, it never fully went away, simply due to the world's nature.

Naturally, humans put the combination of their complete immunity and already being a domesticated animal to effective use. Felines are trained, sometimes from birth, to help humans track down trolls, beasts, and infected. The most elite of this core of felines are usually attached to military organizations, where their abilities prove invaluable in hunting down even the smallest beasts. They even know how to identify the highest ranking member of a group of groups to report sightings, if they are unable to handle things themselves.

But having a cat is considered better than having none, and as a result, they can be found all over the world, protecting farms from smaller beasts and acting as an early warning system. This remains true, even to this day, with even the Hope Bringers making use of felines on home guard duties. These are considered some of the best of the best, though are not taken on external campaigns too often.

Due to his injuries, the Primarch was quarantined. While an annoyance, it was ultimately a necessary one, as the risk of contaminating others with the Illness was too high.

While the group had all survived the experience, their vehicle had not, and while Tuuli had been able to get the machine running somewhat, it would eventually break down completely, leaving them on foot. Compounding things further were the spirits themselves, vengeful shades that they were. While Reynir had been able to create a rune that repealed them, they swore to hunt down the party for the rest of their days, telling them that they would slaughter everyone they cared about. For the spirits, themselves knew no peace.

Why such beings had been brought into existence was also revealed to the Primarch. As it turned out, one of the nations of the Silent World had completed a vaccine, before its fall. One that provided a cure, but also induced brain death in those who took it. While Reynir swore there was a way to lay these poor souls to rest, and would ultimately be proven correct, such a revelation concerned Kalaeking.

While the situation had been dire indeed, and those working on a cure were even aware of the Illness leading to the creation of Trolls abominations, the willingness to sacrifice those that could possibly be saved for the greater whole hung on him. Of course, by that point, a hope for a better option would have been mute anyway. After all, one must sometimes cut off a limb to save the rest of the body.

But for the time being, little could be done. It was a slow march towards the pick up point, even as temperatures slowly began to warm. Eventually, quarantine was lifted on the young Primarch, who showed no sign of infection, with the ghosts following every step of the way.

Eventually, Reynir managed to find the building they were looking for, an old temple, left in ruins. At the young psyker's insistence, they stayed the night there, where the Primarch slept with one eye open.

I saw them, plodding out of the darkness, approaching without fear. As if they expected us to lay down and die. Had Reynir been correct? Or were the visions some type of trap? They approached slowly. Sigurd and Mikkel couldn't see them, but I could.

When they reached the center of the room, I stood. I would not let them take anything. But before a fight could begin, a voice spoke, soft in faint, but firm, as if attempting to discipline me.

'That won't be necessary,' she was a spirit, but unlike the vengeful shades, she looked, human. Her features were distinct, with a pair of glasses sitting atop her nose. The spirits turn to face their own, one side a dark tide of vengeance and destruction, the other a comforting light glow. One stepped forward, its appearance even further warped, appearing like a horse with no flesh on its skull, and more legs than a horse should. It spat its rage at the woman that washed off her like a tide. An orb of light, brilliant and pure, stopped the assault, but the display was nothing compared to the words of the woman.

'Aren't you tired?' was all it took for the vengeful spirits to shrink down, taking the appearance of a tiny sheep, before being carried away into the sky under a beam of light.

-Attributed to The Saga of the Villi Laspi

With the threat of the spirits ebated, the group continued their march north, finally reaching their destination.

A month-long quarantine ensued, leaving the Primarch a long time with his thoughts, even as he continued to grow. Though he had yet to see all that his world's civilization had to offer, he had grown up in the ruins of what had once been. Kalaeking knew that humanity had the potential for more, something greater. Much like the Dans and the Swedes, there was a fire in him. But for humanity to have even a chance to reclaim what was once theirs, they would have to unite.

With a population so small, however, a war would accomplish little. In truth a war to unite Nordurljos would have accomplished less than nothing, merely weakening the survivors to the real threat. Conquest, however, was scarcely the only way to that unity. There were times when a carrot would work far better than any stick.

It would take time, it would take effort. It would take resources. They had retrieved the building blocks, as flawed as they were.

If humanity was to have a future on this world, a cure would have to be made.

While the journey was uneventful, their landing was much less so. For Kalaeking, it had been his first time seeing civilization, leading many to wonder why one nearly the size of a man looked at the world around him with such wonder.

A few reporters were present to speak with the crew, which was considered a miracle. What had been considered by the public to be a suicide mission had been a great success. Returning with not only all crew members alive, but also two more people, as well as a cat? More than a few came to see the miracle child alone. How they had learned about such is unknown, and has remained such, but they were surprised to find a man, already appearing to be full-grown.

For a time, the group split up, though letters allowed the various members of the team to remain in touch.

Kalaeking threw himself into his plans, approaching a laboratory that had been working fruitlessly for a cure for the past fifty years. While many took it as a joke, he was ultimately brought on. After all, their work had been fruitless thus far, so why assume this would be any different?

It would be. Kalaeking absorbed decades of lessons and failed experiments, as well as knowledge from those that worked on the project before. Both in Iceland and in the project from the Old World. Days became weeks, as the young Primarch continued to sharpen his mind and understanding of the immunity, as well as of the Illness itself. His mind began to unravel it's secrets.

To Kalaeking's dismay, a cure, a way to reverse the transformation, did not work. It's a combination of the mutation of the flesh, and the twisting of the soul, which required both to be addressed in rapid order, and even if there was a biological means to mend the soul, there was no way to undo such mutations.

However, there may yet be a path. Though a cure was impossible, even for the mind of a Primarch, he could make sure the Illness would take no more lives. A way to prevent anyone alive, and those yet to be born, from ever having to fear the Illness, at least directly. Its abominations would still plague the world, but eventually?

They would be free.

Weeks became months, as his experiments progressed even further. Kalaeking was on the cusp of a breakthrough.

Until he received a letter from Onni, the older brother of Tuuli. Fear gripped at the young Primarch's heart. He had not received word from her in quite some time.

However, his fears had only been confirmed, as Onni claimed his sister had headed off towards their old village, and had yet to return.

Though not fully aware of the significance, as the Hotakainen cousins had not shared much about their past, Tuuli's older brother being panicked was not a good sign. As such, Kalaeking put forth feelers to the others of the group, each one effectively a parent in their own right. Tuuli, based on the Villi Laspi, would be the closest of the group to a mother figure for the young Primarch.

While the Primarch hoped that this was merely a case of Tuuli's wanderlust getting the better of her, he'd rather not leave things to chance. Thankfully, many responded well, including Reynir, and they agreed to investigate.

Mercifully, Lalli, the other mage of the original team, had yet to depart on his own hunt for Tuuli, allowing the group to further bolster their numbers.

Naturally, they visited the village in Onni claimed she had last visited.

They found a ruin, a town burned to the ground in part due to the actions of a Kade.

However, Onni had a several-week head start on them, and Tuuli had an even greater lead on them. Lacking any further leads they followed Onni's path, hoping it would lead them to the right place.

It led to a portion of the Silent World, isolated by four mages, making sure the creature remaining inside stayed that way. A Kade.

The Kade

Out of all the twisted forms the Rash can produce, none is no more horrifying than the Kade. Known to all but a few, and considered by many to be a children's tale, told to disobedient kids, the truth is creatures of this nature did exist.

And could exist again.

A Kade is the rarest form taken by those infected by the Rash, and for good reason. It is also by far the most dangerous.

Unlike Beasts, who wear the flesh and hide of their original forms to disguise themselves, if poorly, that are cleverly driven by old instinct, or the trolls, whose twisted forms give them far greater strength than their original forms, or even the giants, hulking monstrosities born of amalgamated, mutated flesh, the Kade is unique.

This is due to a psyker needing to be consumed by the rash, before subsuming other psykers, binding their souls to it. The result of such an infection is the dreaded Kade. While the souls of all those infected by the Rash are cursed to wander the Materium, either trapped in their decaying cells or remaining as dreadful apparitions, the Kade takes this Rot a step further.

A Kade is capable of killing lesser creatures with a glance, even those that are typically immune to the infection. They also retain most of their intelligence, now twisted and warped, like a troll, but capable of long-term planning and other higher functions.

While this combination of abilities makes for a dreadful opponent on its own, they also retain their connection to the Warp, and while how much of their former abilities they retain is unknown, it is cause for concern all the same.

Making matters worse is this union of psychic potential and rotting matter allows for new infection vectors, further enhanced by their largely incorporal body. It can infect others by making eye contact with them, influencing them as time goes in. Those under its influence can also pass the infection along through eye contact. Without proper protection measures, a Kade can consume many souls without detection.

Worst of all is that this manner of infection does not care for the biological immunity of the victims. Rather, the Rash assaults their very souls. It is unknown whether or not this applies to transhuman Astartes, or even possibly a Primarch. If it does, the Kade becomes an even bigger issue.

Some debate on whether or not a Kade could be considered a troll or not, instead suggesting that it is a spirit. In truth, it matters little. A Kade is dangerous, and as such, any discussion on what a Kade is is purely academic.

Mercifully, a Kade can only be started by a non-immune psyker, and the Hope Bringers have kept up their father's stringent Vaccination and Quarantine requirements through the Millennia. All those who live or visit their homeworld, by official channels, at least, are safe from infection, putting the threat of a Kade forming again to a non-existent rate.

Though the Hope Bringers are well aware that all it takes is but a single fool to lead a world to ruin. Be that foolishness born of greed, convenience, or malice.

A few more secrets remain. Word speaks of a ritual to purify one of a Kade's influence, and it is possible to shelter one's mind to prevent infection if one is aware of its presence. Such secrets are closely kept, however, especially after a few Inquisitors thought it was possible to use it to purge daemons from one's soul.

They were permitted to pass, and continued on the trail, though they were warned of a particular troll, one attracted to loud noises.

With that ominous warning aside, they slowly made their way through the woodlands, guided by string laid out. Its purpose was unknown, but its source was most likely Onni, so they followed it as best they were able, despite running into different types of trolls, including a pack of Hukka, a form of wolf beast found most commonly in Finland.

Soon afterward, they managed to meet up with Onni.

He was mostly silent on what had transpired, only stating he was hunting the Kade. However, it was under the protection of three separate bear beasts. A normal bear would already be a trying task for a normal human, much less one infected by the Illness. Three was a formidable line of defense. For a Primarch, this possibly wouldn't have been much of an issue, but during their travels, the noise they created had attracted unwanted attention. It was a horridly mutated thing, barely keeping its humanoid frame, with sharp claws on the end of each digit, capable of cleaving through stone as easily as it did flesh.

If the bears could be driven away, or even killed, Onni argued, he could isolate and destroy the Kade.

Then he showed why he had made his way this far into the Silent World. Tuuli.

While it is unknown why Tuuli had come into the silent world herself, as she was not a mage, unlike her brother or her cousin, she had come anyway. According to Onni, the Kade had managed to get ahold of her, using its power to keep lesser infected at bay. Onni managed to purify his sister of its influence, but part of her soul remained trapped.

If he could kill the Kade, perhaps she would wake up. Lacking any options, they agreed with his plan.

Their first plan was met with failure, but the bears were wounded and on the run.

Their second plan was much more successful. For a few moments. Kalaeking tried to intervene as the largest bear tore through the tree's roots, but it was much too late. The enraged beast pursued the group, its roars echoing across the realm, awakening the troll.

A clash of two fronts began one in the physical world, and the other in the psychic. As much as Kalaeking would love to aid Reynir, Onni, and Lalli in putting the Kade down, it was in the physical world where he was needed most. The clash could have been one of titanic proportions, but before the young Primarch could clash, they were interrupted by the troll they had been warned about.

Drawn to the sound of the beast's roars, it attacked the source in earnest. While together, they could have hurt the Kalaeking, who was still far from his prime, they instead fought amongst themselves.

In the end, however, both were a threat to his family. But with both tearing themselves apart in a brutal melee, the fight was far less glorious than it might have otherwise been, even if it had been much more dangerous. Kalaeking forced the two out a window, sending them plummeting down below.

The brawl between the two beasts continued for a time, as the rest tried to find the mages, who were now locked in battle with the Kade. That had proved simple enough, as the Kade had begun calling trolls to its defense, hoping to attack the trio of mages while their bodies were otherwise defenseless.

This proved to be fruitless, however, as the mages managed to destroy the creature, breaking its hold on the souls of countless individuals in the process.

I'm not sure how many of the others saw it. The red swan, whose eyes seemed to be filled with a lack of care. It looked upon me for a brief moment, its eyes appearing to widen. But it stopped itself, looking somewhat smug. Around it were several other birds, these more spiritual than the swan itself. One was a heron, radiating wisdom.

Another was smaller, a tiny bird, with a tuft of hair, resting upon the heron's beak. This time, it was my eyes that widened. Had they been too late?

He knew the stories, of course. He read much, even what few stories of Finnish traditions he could get his hands on in Iceland during his spare time.

However, the red swan shooed away the small bird, as it carried off the spirits into the sky, where they would finally know a peaceful rest.

-Attributed to the Villi Laspi

In the end, the group parted ways again. After the period of absence, Kalaeking threw himself deep into his work. He learned just how important a vaccination could be, even if creatures such as a Kade did have the ability to circumnavigate an immunity. And that an immunity would merely be a stepping stone, not the answer to cleaning his world.

It took nearly a year of the most rigorous scientific testing available for it to reach human trials. While Kalaeking was confident in his work, the fact of the matter was that safety needed to be observed, for a single misstep could spell utter disaster.

But that disaster did not come. When the findings and results were released to the public, Kalaeking went from a strange giant, a known but local legend, to what could pass as the international spotlight. Kalaeking played it off as a team effort, not entirely incorrectly, but whether he liked it or not.

While a handful wasn't happy, it is not much of an exaggeration that many would be willing to overthrow their governments, if the young Primarch so demanded. Many wondered what he would do next. Peace had existed between the dive surviving nations, as they all had bigger worries, but things seemed like they were about to change.

Things did change, but not in the way most nervous nations expected.

There is more to us than this. Humanity is stubborn and resilient. This may be all that you know, all that you think may have survived the Illness. But I think there are others still out there. In isolated communities, scattered across the roof of our world! They wish to be as free from this Illness, just like you do. They wish for a future free from the fear of trolls and beasts.

For we are far stronger United than we are divided! There is strength in numbers, strength in care, and compassion! For there is a new dawn coming this day! If you wish to join me, we can free this world for good, one small step at a time! Not just reclaiming lost ground for the sake of old glory!

But for a future Humanity has made for itself!

-Saga of the Kraftaver Konungur

While the Finnish population was less on board with the idea, as well as the more reserved Icelanders, much support for this expedition came from the backing of the Danes, the Swedes, and the Norwegians. Making use of amplified radio technology Kalaekong managed to repair, the two fleets and sailed in two separate directions. East, and west.

Greenland

An oxymoron when it comes to the name of a nation, this massive island was even further North than Iceland.

One may think it would have survived, much like Iceland had, with more extreme cold. It might have been possible, but the nation was much colder, and without international trade, the situation rapidly deteriorated. While Iceland lost a significant chunk of its population during a decade-long period of starvation, Greenland was hit even harder.

Records salvaged ultimately record a mass outbreak of Civil Unrest that lead to the death of humans on Greenland, an ominous start.

If the explorers going west visited. Ultimately, Kalaeking likely considered it to be useless to visit, and crippling to morale if they found no survivors. However, with the arrival of the Emperor, Greenland became useful. Isolated away from the rest of the world, and with very little Troll and beast presence, Greenland has become an important trade hub and is oftentimes the first stop of any legal travelers arriving on the world.

The headquarters of the Hope Bringers can also be found on the Northernmost reaches of the islands.

However, the Primarch didn't join the group traveling East. They were met with success, however, though it would take Kalaeking's personal touch for them to join with the other nations slowly growing to his banner, they were the first impression that allowed him to do so.

Reports of this first contact show mixed, but ultimately positive results. Pskyers between both groups seem to have mutual respect, even if neither understood the other's rites or practices. Those more oriented towards combat got the other's respect, though some of these groups felt that guns were too ineffective and noisy as weapons to truly serve a troll hunter.

Things started boring, at least at first, as they sailed around the North of Finland, keeping in sight of the coast. While there were a few villages that remained intact along the coast, ones Kalaeking made sure to stop at and investigate, most however were ruins, full of nothing but admonitions and the dead.

This process continued up until they reached Finland's old neighbor, the nation of Russia. When it came to land area, it was the largest nation on Nordurljos, though records show that it had considerably less population than some of its rivals, due to prior conflicts and unrest before the fall.

What records have been scavenged from the western portion of the nation paint a truly horrid state of affairs. While many nations struggled and fell against the Illness, Russia had errored in its response considerably, even by the standards of the day. When Trolls and other such beasts were discovered, the military was called upon to fight them, only for equipment to simply not exist.

It is believed that the Government tried to pass off the Illness as a lie, meant to weaken the nation, even as they closed down the borders. Then when it became too big to ignore, it was a hostile attack by the rest of the world. Russia's army had been called up, ready to do battle for the fate of the Motherland once more, but broke and ran as they lacked the numbers, equipment, and even airpower to destroy their foe. Western Russia quickly fell into ruin, and the abominations created by their negligence went to haunt the rest of the world.

As such, most of the seaside settlements being ruined caused morale to plummet. Many wanted to turn back, and even the Primarch considered that things, at least in the East, maybe a lost venture. Though his hopes proved to not be in vain, as they approached a mountain chain that lurked on the horizon.

Ural Rus

While Western Russia fell to the Illness, the east managed to survive. The mighty mountain chain known as the Ural's running North-South provided a bastion and a solid line of defense for those that remained. Chaos rained for a time, as a few isolated communities had yet to have even known that Russia had fallen, much less about a plague.

Slowly, however, the nation began to reconsolidate. Railroads leading through the Urals were blown, or otherwise closed off, preventing trolls and beasts from wandering in from the west. In the South, the Sayan and Yabianoi stand firm. As such, the nation of Ural Rus, renamed after what many considered its protectors, was fairly safe from trolls and beasts. Natural animals knew to avoid their sickly kind, though outbreaks could and did occur.

Ural Rus is rich in numerous natural resources, with a population far too small to exploit them all. Most small towns and cities are connected by railroads and protected by massive walls. While such noise runs the risk of attracting trolls, these are meant more for the transport of goods, and military operations, than for civilian convenience.

While this surviving slice of the Russian nation is considerably rougher in topography than its western half, portions are still fairly flat, and unwooded. This proves to be a double edge sword, as it can be hard to hide, but trolls and beasts have little shelter from the biting winter. This is problematic in some of the south-east regions, as there is a considerable gap in the Ural and the Sayan mountain ranges, one plugged by numerous defenses across the years, including ones by the Primarch's own hands, only to be filled by even grander works after the Imperium's arrival.

The safest area in the nation is behind the Verkhoyansk shield and is where the Capital of the Ural Rus government resided, in the City of New Vladivostok.

It is in the shadow of these mountains that they found the first sign of human life. Ural Rus knew how important the mountain range was to its continued survival, and knew it did not protect everything. A gap between the mountains and the sea had been fortified, serving as yet another defensive line.

Neither group was quite sure how to react to the other. Those under the Primarch's command were ecstatic of course, as morale swelled for the first time in weeks. But they knew little of these people, and that bred suspicion. Likewise, those of Ural Rus knew that whoever these strangers were, they had to be heavily armed. To make it this far, they'd have to be. The language barrier made matters worse, though the Primarch had been able to resolve this quickly.

When both groups seemed at odds, it was their similarities that allowed the first bridges to be planted.

Quarantine

All cultures of Nordurljos have a few traits in common, no matter what nation you are in. First and most obvious is the importance of the Feline. None may deny the importance of such animals.

But the second is the concept of Quarantine. While in the modern day, this is needed very little, as all regular inhabitants are either immune or vaccinated, sometimes both, a similar practice still occurs as a show of good faith. People and goods leaving the planet, however, are required to serve a two-week quarantine before leaving the world.

This has caused some trouble with the Adminstratum, however, after the first outbreak, the Emperor stepped in, and demanded that his Son's security measures be observed, on pain of death.

While this has been considered extreme by some, the fact simply is the Illness can take entire worlds.

Negotiations began during this two-week span. Many of the base's commanders were surprised by his claims but also knew of another surviving nation. However, there was little they could do when it came to the negotiation with the Primarch, as they lacked the type of authority necessary.

Reluctant to split his people, and knowing that winter was quickly making sea travel increasingly difficult, a rapid construction project began to give safe anchorage during the winter months, as word had been sent to the Capital.

The Government of Ural Rus took the news of outsiders from the west with concern, but also excitement. They had hoped that other parts of the world had survived. In part, because they needed a counterbalance to one of the other surviving nations, which had survived due to a combination of isolation, luck, and blessings from the Gods.

While neither group wanted war with one another, tensions remained high, as both groups had fought in the past, before the Illness.

However, that peace was mostly held by both sides willing to get what they wanted through trade, at least for the time being. While the regions that would later make up Ural Rus were thinly populated, the Japanese Union had been largely depopulated during the great famine. Like Iceland, the nation that would become the Japanese Union had closed off its borders early, though not soon enough, even though the Northernmost island was completely isolated, allowing it to remain safe.

The collapse of international trade sent the nation into a death spiral. While Iceland was colder, Japan was considerably more mountainous and sported a significantly larger population. While Iceland lost more than a hundred thousand people to starvation, Japan's death toll was counted as more than a hundred million, for both plague and starvation alike. Its larger population only added fuel to the disease, as the heavily populated island was ravaged. By the end of the Great Calamity, only 250,000 remained alive.

Unlike Ural Rus, the Danes, and the Swedes, who prefer to rely on human ingenuity and talent, the Japanese Union turned to faith during these dark days. This started when the then-last surviving member of the royal family prayed to the Gods to help them. Days later, Mount Kongo erupted in a blazing inferno. Soot filled the atmosphere, leading to a series of harsh winters that allowed most of the home islands to be reclaimed.

Though many of the old cities remain off limits, blocked off from the rest of Japan, even the brutal winter had proven insufficient for them to root out the monsters that still slumber within.

The Question

During the long night were Choas storms raged and the Emperor had yet to set out on the Great Crusade, many worlds were ravaged by countless horrors. Many turned to prayer for answers in their desperation for salvation. Most of the time, the salvation they found would be an even greater damnation.

So why not this time? What made Nordurljos so special to avoid the gaze of the Four? Especially since Nurgle, the Grandfather of Plagues, seems like a natural perpetrator for the illness that befell Nordurljos, and primed to exploit its very existence.

The answer is nothing about the planet was the answer. But rather, the Illness itself. It traps souls in their body, in the materium, free from the grasp of any netherborn. While this also prevents its victims from knowing the comfort of the Emperor's light, more than a few Inquisitors enjoy some form of humor in there being a disease that even Nurgle can't love.

But if Nurgle isn't the culprit, then who? Pskyer's had only begun to emerge on the world as a result of the Illness, and while there could be a connection, nothing has been proven. It is unlikely that the Illness is a natural disease as well, due to its effects on the soul. Nor has there been any proof of Xenos involvement.

Due to its unique effects, more than a few Inquisitors have attempted to answer what would happen if a daemon or other warp creature were to be infected with the Illness. These avenues of research are considered banned, as that, of course, requires getting some living sample of the illness off-world, a difficult task even at the best of times. That does not stop some of the more insane radicals from trying, however.

On paper, it seems rather promising, as the soul itself can be infected, and spiritual beings of the Illness, such as Kade's, do exist, meaning there should be some degree of effect.

Of course, nobody is wholly sure what releasing the Illness into the warp would ultimately do. On one hand, it is possible that it would spread like wildfire through the warp, punishing heretics and traitors alike, as well as their masters. Or it could do nothing, as the Immaterium works on completely different rules than our own.

Or that it might be used and repurposed, or possibly even follow along the light of the Astronomicon back to the Emperor.

As such, it has been considered too risky, outside of a truly last-ditch effort.

After all, if the Emperor didn't result to such dark measures during the days of the Hersey to kill the Chaos Gods, then he likely had good reasons not to do so.

While the Japanese Union held the largest population in the world and was considered the most militaristic power at that, it would be considered strange why the two powers never came to clash. While Japan had more area to grow, it had far less to grow in, and the lands of Ural Rus proved to be fairly safe, much of it empty.

But when one realizes both nations were close to the former largest populated nation on the planet, things become a lot clearer why both decided that clenching their teeth and trading was better than drawing attention. Especially as a naval conflict, both naturally fearing the beasts and even Levathians that were beneath the waves.

The diplomats of Ural Rus tried to keep the two nations separate, but in truth, it did not take long before the Japanese Union had become aware of the Primach's presence as well. Tension briefly spiked, especially after it came to the delegation's attention that the Primarch had managed to discover a vaccine for the Illness.

Much like Iceland, the Japanese Union had turned to genetic programs to increase the immune among their population. Another factor in the reason why there had been no conflict between the two nations. The Japanese Union was concerned that its program would ultimately lead to a lack of genetic diversity in the long run, without external sources of genetic material.

A vaccine was a game changer, in more ways than one. Naturally, the Japanese Union wanted in on that factor alone. But several of the more nationalist members viewed such a thing as a threat to their power. After all, if a vaccination had been made, what other technological marvels, or horrors, could be unleashed? While Kalaeking was much lighter in touch than many of his brothers, he was still a Primarch. If he truly desired war, he could have easily unleashed it.

However, having learned from a long list of past mistakes that could have once brought their nation to ruin, and could still yet do so, cooler heads were put in charge of the efforts.

Though things were tense, strong trade connections began to bloom, and with that, diplomacy. While the Primarch never sought leadership directly, he was respected by many, and the nation's leaders realized his visions lead to a more prosperous future for them all.

Setting up more towers to allow for communication to travel faster, the Primarch at last, turned his attention to the far west.

The Roofwalkers

The western portions of Nordurljos had been devastated by the Illness. By the time of the Primarch's arrival, most of the old governments of those regions had ceased to exist. Though people remained, it could only be considered a nation loosely.

While these people were considered part of Kalaeking's alliance, there was one major tribe that never joined, referred to as the Walkers of the World's Roof.

These people typically remained on the world's frozen ice caps, hunting, fishing, and killing trolls or beasts. It is believed that they lived almost the same as they did before the Illness.

Contact had been made with the tribes, though they didn't wish to join the alliance. Rather, they were content to remain as they were, under the protection of their own pantheon.

In the end, Kalaeking let them. Using force to bend the knee of a few dozen, in the long run was a waste of resources, time, and lives.

The rest of the peoples of the far west were left as they were. Though they had a seat at the table, they preferred to be left to their own devices. This changed over the years, as with the Arrival of the Imperium, Kalaeking had more resources to aid in reclaiming the region. While portions of the coastline have been built up, portions remain untamed, allowing the tribes to keep their identity, like many of the other nations.

With the Alliance secure, Kalaeking began focusing on reclaiming hostile territory, building defenses along the gap, though his work would be later outdone by Perturabo in happier days. With the Primarchs keen eye and instincts, areas that would take years to reclaim only took a few winters. Habitable areas in Sweden, Finland, and Norway grew, while Ural Rus became one of the safest non-islands in the world.

The experience and training by many soldiers, as well as the build up of other larger vehicles was a sign, however. The Danes had mostly kept quiet for the time, but with the expansion of space other nations increasing, they wanted more of their old territory liberated as well. A Second Battle of Kastrup.

Kalaeking knew such a fight wouldn't be easy, even under the best circumstances. The city was massive, the suburbs even more extensive, if less built up. While having Cleansers turn the place into a ruin was the first option, they lacked the manpower, and in some cases, the delivery system to do so safely.

To freeze as many of the trolls hiding in the city as possible out, Kalaeking had the city leveled to the ground. With support from new naval vessels built over the years, to truly massive amounts of artillery. Over the course of four winters, the entire old city had been reduced to a ruin. While some Dane's complained, many were content to simply retake the city, even if they had to build on the ashes.

Special rounds were made during this operation that could reduce concrete to slag, metal into liquid.

However, even the Primarch knew that no matter how much of the city surface was reduced to a charcoal wasteland, that these old cities had entire cities beneath them. This could easily serve as a refuge for any number of abominations. Which meant they would either need to be cleared out by hand, or lured out.

During the fifth and final winter, was when battle finally commenced after another span of shelling. Kalaeking led from the front, supported heavily by armored units and infantry alike. More heavy guns and artillery lure the surviving creatures out into the open, the noise being enough to convince the trolls to attack during the night, risking brutal winter cold. However, Kalaeking planned for this, fitting his soldiers apportatly for both the wintery conditions, and for night combat.

Even with a Primarch at their head, the fighting was brutal, but they were winning, slowly driving towards the city's heart. But towards the peak of the Battle, things nearly fell apart. While the city had very few places for trolls and other such creatures to hide outside of the sewer system, one had managed to do so. Consuming any it could get its grasp on, it contorted and twisted, using the flaming rubble to hide itself during rhetoric winter.

With Kalaeking forced to deal with it personally, the lines began to buckle, nearly breaking under the strain as casualties began to climb. It was only the Primarch's return, armor destroyed and bathed in ichor, that morale and discipline began to assert itself once again.

Soon, the rest of the city was liberated, many trolls fleeing into the countryside, later to be hunted down.

The Battle had been won, but for Kalaeking, the cost had been too great.

And it was at that moment, among the dead and the dying, the Emperor came for his son.

The Great Crusade

You are more than simple soldiers, my sons. Mighty is your power, but with power, comes responsibility. Strength without the will and restraint to use it helps none. Just as speed without direction or intelligence without focus. But it is also more than that. To the enemies of mankind, you are fearsome and should be.

But what do our allies see, when they gaze upon you? Is it fear?

No. It should not be fear. It should be hope. Hope that a better future has their backs, fighting at their side. You are that hope, a shining beacon against the dark, no matter how foul or deep its recesses! You are Hope's Bearers, and so long as hope is kept alight, we will never fail!

-expert of Kalaeking's first address to his son's

Unlike many of his brothers, Kalaeking did not return to Tera for instruction under his father. The Second Battle of Kastrup, while a success, had also resulted in more deaths than the Primarch found suitable. However, Nordurjlos proved to be an excellent learning ground for the Primarch of the Second Legion, when it came to both the use of his sons, and other Imperial assets. Fortifying Greenland, laying the seeds for what would become the largest spaceport on the planet, allowed Kalaeking to make use of Imperial airpower, a form of assault that had been denied to him due to a lack of resources.

The reclamation of the isle swiftly followed, with Kalaeking leading his sons into battle for the first time. Progress was swifter, as Astartes had far less to fear from trolls and beasts than the average human, but several learned that underestimating such beasts was nothing more than folly. But with the infected population purged, and old sewer systems being combed for any sign of life, infected or otherwise, Kalaeking took his place among his brothers in the stars, though he returned to Nordurjlos when needed. Before leaving, he set up the council.

The Council

Due to the split between the Primarch's attention between the duties of the Great Crusade and his homeworld, Kalaeking created a body of advisors, simply called the Council. While part of the organization would remain on Nordurjlos, the other would remain as part of the Great Crusade, though members could shift between roles, if an opposite was willing to make such a trade.

Those on Nordurjlos were in charge of aiding and organizing the training of recruits, aiding in local troll hunts, clearing out territory, and providing advice and mediating disputes between the mortal governments, when Kalaeking was not present himself.

Likewise, those who remained with the Crusade were in charge of the Legion's forces while Kalaeking was dealing with matters on Nordurjlos, or was otherwise unable to be reached.

This loose structure remains in place to this day, ruling in the Primarchs absence.

It was during the purge when Kalaeking came across a weapon that he would make use of throughout the Great Crusade, and the dark days beyond that. Named Isbrennsla, the blade was impossibly sharp, and produced such a deep chill it could burn its victims.

Kalaeking proved to be much like Horus, attempting to avoid bloodshed, where it could be avoided. Though, unlike his brother, diplomacy was his method of choice not out of a desire for a greater victory, but out of the belief that humanity needed to be united by something stronger than the chains of conquest.

But when war was required of him, Kalaeking did not balk from it. Oftentimes, when war proved inevitable, the Primarch would transmit a simple declaration.

'Those of you who surrender will be treated with dignity and respect. You will be prisoners but cared for. For those of you who still fight, I applaud your bravery, but can do nothing to guarantee your survival.'

Sometimes called Kalaeking's mercy, this strategy worked. With fewer soldiers shooting back, unwilling to fight to the death against the Primarch's forces, allowed for more lives to be saved, not just enemies, but friends as well. It was slower than some of his brothers, but worlds reunited through conquest in this manner ultimately ended up being considerably loyal, when Kalaeking needed to result in conquest at all.

At times, against various tyrant empires, both those led by humans as well as Xenos, human armies would surrender in mass at the first sign of Imperial troops, if not turn against their masters outright.

The only time Kalaeking showed even the hint of brutality that some of his siblings were willing to use against human populations was ones where the leaders used biological weapons to control their populations, either through fear, or their active use. Such empires, or, at least, the leaders of such, received no mercy from the Primarch. Decapitating strikes were used to break the back of such empires in the event they could be used, with leaders and scientists captured. These labs weren't destroyed outright when it could be helped, both to prevent the outbreak of any such biological agents, but also to preserve notes that could help their father concoct cures for the weapons these tyrants sought to use against their people.

Reports even suggest that Kalaeking forced them to watch, time and time again, as he concocted cures and vaccines for these various diseases, both as a means of showing that spirit of humanity could not be kept down, but also as a cruel form of punishment.

But it was against Xenos' populations that Kalaeking's method of war was shown to be truly effective.

Kalaeking is the most merciful of the Primarchs I have ever served under. Compassion for humanity is his greatest strength. But that compassion and mercy only extend as far as the enemies humanity does.

-Unknown

Taking knowledge from his campaigns against trolls, beasts, and giants on Nordurjlos, Kalaeking took his knowledge and applied it. Artillery erased enemy fortifications, leaving nothing but rubble, sometimes less before his sons moved in, flamers, bolters, and blades in hand to root out survivors from the rubble.

Among his brothers, Kalaeking was surprisingly contentious. Many of the traits that saw Imperial Army commanders flock to his banner were the ones that lead to some of his brothers considering Kalaeking weak. Ferrus was the first among them, believing that he was coddling humanity, making them weaker in the process. The tension between the Iron Hand and the Hope Bringers still exists to this day, despite all that has happened.

Metal rusts.

-Hope Bringer response to the Iron Hands

The relationship between Kalaeking and Fulgrim started strong, due to the aid Kalaeking provided to the Third Legion before Fulgrim was discovered by the Emperor. Though things had already begun to deteriorate before the Laers, due to the two's conflicting views on abhumans.

The tension between Leman Russ and Kalaeking was at its worst during the early days, before the Wolf King's Folly. Relationships were chilly afterward, but both legions were no longer at each other's throats. The exact details of the event are unknown, even today, as the Sons of Russ do not like speaking on the matter, and all the Hope Bringers are willing to say are vague hints. Of course, the main cause of the event is known, with Russ trying, and failing, to do better than Kalaeking at liberating his planet from the Illness and the beasts it produces.

Many other Primarchs who may have judged their brother for not retaking his world by himself ceased after that. Some had expected Guillimen to be among them, though the Primarch of the thirteenth legion, with his keen mind for administration and logistics, realized that he could have been hard-pressed to do better. Both Legions remained on respecting terms throughout the years.

Lion El' Johnson was one of the more neutral of the Primarchs, at least publicly. Privately, he was concerned about what Kalaeking might be hiding behind his good nature and compassion. Similarly, Mortarian cared little for his brother, though the few times they were forced to fight side by side lead to at least a degree of respect forming between the two.

Dorn, while considering his brother soft, had no issue admitting that the Hope Bringers produced the best Apothecaries out of any Legion.

It was with Cruz and the Night Haunters where relationships were at their worst. A fight between the Lord of Night and Kalaeking nearly broke on the one occasion the two legions fought side by side, only stopped from coming to blows by Horus himself. However, Kalaeking ceased all contact with the Night Butchers, as he called them, unwilling to fight alongside those who slaughtered innocent civilians and surrendered soldiers under the thin disguise of 'punishment'.

That was not to say Kalaeking did not have supporters among his brothers. Horus respected Kalaeking's talent for diplomacy, and willingness to save lives, which resulted in loyal worlds and hard-working devoted soldiers. Several Apothecaries of the Sons of Horus were trained under the eyes of the Hope Bringers, repayment for the work they had done after the Second Battle of Kastrup. Though was rare a Primarch that at least didn't respect Horus.

Kalaeking's pursuit of knowledge, especially knowledge medical in nature, led to a close friendship with both Magnus the Red, and Perturabo, Primarchs of the Thousand Sons and the Iron Warriors respectively. Magnus appreciated his brother's more peaceful and scientific nature, even if the cats that came with him could annoy the Primarch of the Fifteenth legions. A Librarius was ultimately founded among the Hope Bringers, even though many of the lessons taught were by the Storm Seers of the White Scars, due to the two legions sharing much closer traditions. Both Legions, however, remained close despite this, and while both argued on slightly different sides during the Council of Nikaea, a large amount of respect remained still.

Perturabo was considerably more of an outcast among his brothers, with only Magnus and Kalaeking as close friends. Kalaeking was the first to notice that his brother had been becoming increasingly worn down by his actions as a Primarch. Speaking with his father, and hoping to invigorate Perturabo's spirit, the Lord of the Iron was the first to set foot on Kalaeking's homeworld since Horus, though he would not be the last.

We are Primarchs. We are both destroyers and creators. So create what you wish.

However, some of the strongest bonds were with Vulcan and his Salamanders, as well as Jaghatia Khan of the White Scars.

The Salamanders and the Hope Bringers retain close bonds to this day, a friendship that has lasted since Vulcan's recovery by the Emperor of Mankind. Both shared a boundless compassion for humanity, and a desire to protect human life. While they both shared different methods, Kalaeking preferring medicine while Vulcan forged armor and weapons, they laughed such differences aside, knowing that in the end, both of them would do their job to the best of their abilities. Though both allowed for legionaries to work alongside the other's legions, with the Sons of Vulcan learning many medical secrets, and the Sons of Kalaeking learning the ways of the forge.

Jaghatia and Kalaeking shared a different relationship. To the average Imperial citizen, both their worlds were often considered backwater and savage, ignoring the vibrant cultures that each world produced. Combined with their unique psychic traditions, which they were willing to admit were such, resulted in a flourishing bond between the two Primarchs. Many recruited Pskyers not native to Nordurjlos trained under the Storm Seers as well, honing a strong sense of caution and respect for the Warp.

No relationship was quite like the one between the Hope Bringers and the World Eaters, however.

"Father?" The Lord of the Second Legion paused at the door. Rare were such requests from his father. The last time the Emperor sounded like he did, it was about the Sons of Magnus.

The Master of Mankind did not stand up. Rather, he was hunched over, reading outputs from a screen.

At last, he entered, no longer waiting for his Father's permission. If he had personally called him here, to this newly discovered world, it would have to be important.

"Come." The Emperor spoke, a strain in his voice the Primarch couldn't quite place.

But it took not a moment to realize why. On a table before him, attached to an array of sensors, was a Primarch. One of his brothers, one he had never met before. He was strapped down, twisting fitfully in what had to be a chemically induced sleep.

"Your brother. The people of this world have done something, to him," the Emperor spoke again, seemingly clamping down on his emotions, handing his second son a data slate.

Kalaeking looked at the device, a look of mute horror beginning to grow on his face. In his brother's brain, there were spikes. Brain matter had grown around them, a sign they were implanted in his brother before he had fully grown, and that such devices were meant for use on human beings, not Primarch's.

He hadn't seen such a thing in his life, but it was clear why his father had sent out such a call. This needed to be addressed. He almost ordered his sons to prepare for an assault as he read more and more. Stimulate the brain, increase aggression, and rip away rational and critical thought. No. That was an understatement of what they had done to his brother. The spikes had bit deep, reaching deeply into his spinal column. Large portions of his brain had been rewritten and were actively continuing their sick display. And that was where they hadn't replaced his brain in its entirety. Worse still was that he couldn't tell if it was simply a result of the implants, or if portions of his brother's brain had been surgically removed before they were forced, likely brutally, into his head.

The fact he was alive was a testament to his resilience. But would what his brother experienced be considered living? With the damage done, it would hurt to think, maybe even just breathe.

"I'm having my Custodes keep those under his command alive. I figured he would want his pound of flesh for this," the Emperor turned toward his son. "If you can help him, that is."

At once, Kalaeking felt a weight land on his shoulders. One he hadn't felt since his time with the Third Legion.

"I will do everything in my power."

Kalaeking would work hard in those days, ordering raids to obtain blueprints and other knowledge about the implements that tormented his brother. While the Hope Bringers were not known for their subtlety, there are still stories told on Nuceria, of hulking, human-shaped creatures covered in red and white armor, breaking into locations where the Butcher's Nails were kept.

Tapping the minds of many Apothecaries, as well as the Rune Sisters, Kalaeking spent weeks finding a way to remove the nails from the head of his brother. The operation was risky, but with each passing day, the nails only bit deeper and deeper into his brother's brain. Leaving Kalaeking little other option.

It worked. While Kalaeking was not fully able to undo the catastrophic neurological damage done to his brother's mind, he was free of the implants that would otherwise torture him for every waking moment of his life. There was a reason Kalaeking had addressed the Rune Sisters in the matter. Each crafted a special series of runes to help his brother suppress any lingering effects of his torment.

Nuceria's back was swiftly broken under the combined might of two Primarchs. Even Kalaeking found the brutal High Riders abhorrent but kept his anger directed at the rulers of the world, rather than the people, stepping in it looked like Angron may be getting out of hand.

While the two Primarchs never saw eye to eye, Angron owed Kalaeking a life debt he intended to repay, though Kalaeking hoped it would never come to such. Likewise, the War Hounds, now renamed the World Eaters, shared a strong bond with the Hope Bringers that lasted until the modern day.

The one who knows how to heal knows how to kill.

-World Eater saying

Sanguineous and Kalaeking respected one another but were never truly close. The same could be said for Corvus. While Kalaeking had no ill will towards how the Raven Guard fought their wars, the two simply never interacted much.

This was contrasted with Alpherious. While Kalaeking had no problem with a shadow war, even if such was not how he preferred to fight his wars, he did have problems with how his youngest brother treated the human soldiers under his command like pawns.

Logar, on the other hand, was perhaps the strangest relationship he had with his brothers. Both of them were spiritualists, as much as such a term could be applied to a Primarch. Kalaeking had seen many unexplainable things during his time on his homeworld. A natural effect of the Warp, as much of the local space, is devoid of netherborn and other Warp Predators.

However, Kalaeking did not put any stock in any pure gods, merely things that lacked scientific understanding, and might not ever be understood. In contrast, Lorgar worshiped his father as a God. Such a thing was a foreign concept to Kalaeking, for as far as he was concerned, the Emperor was a man, a mighty man, yes, but still a man. After all, the Emperor was flawed, and did not wish to be worshiped.

As such, both brothers argued and rarely campaigned together. Tensions only got worse after the Emperor censured Lorgar's worship of him, with Logar blaming Kalaeking for the damage done, though Lorgar's rage towards the Primarch of the Second paled before his fury towards the Primarch of the Ultramarines.

Kalaeking continued his march across the stars, still working on dividing his time to reclaiming sections of his homeworld and his other duties. Several other Primarchs would travel to Nordurjlos during this time, Angron, Jaghati, and Vulcan foremost among them, as well as Pertarobo. Part of this was building stronger ties with his brothers. Others were to help hunt a particular infected beast, the Manegarm.

Manegram

It is hard to imagine a Primarch struggling with merely a simple infected beast, but the Manegram is far from simple. They are some of the most deadly infected beasts found on land, especially in the normally safe region of Sweden. Their rarity is in part due to their hunting habits, only coming out during an eclipse to hunt and kill. Why is unknown, but it is illegal to step outside a settlement's walls during an eclipse even to this day.

The fear these creatures cause is not to be understated. Kalaeking was the first one to successfully kill such a beast in Nordurjlos's history. Though many of the Primarches that visited Nordurjlos killed at least one, bringing back replicates of Manegram skulls that still exist in their chapter monasteries to this day, some of these beasts remain alive, stalking and killing.

While some of the Hope Bringers attempt to hunt these beasts alone, few are successful in solo missions, resulting in proper squads being deployed to hunt and kill such creatures when they are spotted.

The Great Crusade reached its peak at the Battle of Ullanor. While Kalaeking was unable to partake in the battle, he made sure to attend the celebration afterward, a grand triumph for the Imperium. What surprised Kalaeking was the announcement of the Emperor would be retiring from the Great Crusade, naming Horus as Warmaster of the Imperium.

Kalaeking, much like many of his brothers, had reservations, though Kalaeking kept quiet. The Emperor had been pushing for as long as he had, only to step back once the Ork Empire had been broken did not sit well with him. It was a sign that the Orks had been a bigger threat than Kalaeking had believed them to be, something he found concerning. Not only that, it was clear the Emperor was working on something of considerable importance, to be willing to step back from the Great Crusade like he was.

On the matter of appointing Horus as Warmaster, Kalaeking could think of no better option. Horus was the first found son, after all. He had spent the longest portion of his life with the Emperor, and none of the other Primarchs had much of a positive view of the majority of the others to truly be a first among equals, grudgingly or otherwise.

As such, Kalaeking backed Horus to the hilt, doing everything in his power to aid his brother in whatever way he could.

Not everything was smooth sailing, however. The Emperor had also ordered the formation of the Council of Terra and the Administratum. Kalaeking, at first, approved of this move. After all, mortal leaders had proven effective on Nordurjlos, and things had been mostly peaceful between the nations. And while during his conquests, Kalaeking had come across many boneheaded and shorted-sighted leaders, many were also willing to negotiate.

However, a series of headbutting issues would ensue with the Administratum. As while they enjoyed Kalaeking's more peaceful methods giving them more intact worlds when it came to integration into the Imperium, they despised his quarantine measures around Nordurjlos itself. Ultimately, the Administratum, seeking a way around it, causes the death of an entire world.

Outbreak

The cause of the Outbreak, at the time, was a mystery, though Malcador the Sigillite later found out that it was the Administratum that was to blame for the tragedy, as they were growing tired of the necessary quarantine surrounding Nordurjlos. This resulted in the Emperor directly ordering that Kalaeking's quarantine would always be enforced.

When Kalaeking first learned of the Outbreak, it was already underway. Many of his sons on Nordurjlos had heard the distress calls from the afflicted world, reporting a strange new disease that sprung up as if overnight. However, what first seemed like a humanitarian crisis quickly began to devolve as more and more bodies began to pile up, infection spreading throughout the population like wildfire. And that was before trolls and giants began to take form, rapidly growing in the warm, damp environment.

The Hope Bringers weren't the only ones drawn to the carnage. The Death Guard, led by Mortarian himself, was in the area. At first, he ignored such calls, until reports of infected turning into twisted monsters arrived to his ears. This was something the Lord of Death was unable to ignore.

To his surprise, he found the Hope Bringers already embattled upon the world below, trying to hold back the tide while executing as much of the population that had yet to be infected into orbit. Neither legion had fought together before, due to both Primarchs never getting along, as Mortarian, much like Ferrus, felt his brother was too soft and coddling of regular humans. However, desperate times made for strange bedfellows, and the Hope Bringers weren't going to turn aside aid, given the situation at hand.

The Death Guard brutally waged war they were always known for, scouring countless abominations as the Hope Bringers unleashed enough artillery to blot out the sun, only for their rounds to recreate it when they came crashing down. However, with a warm, humid environment and a very little cold to slow down the spread, things tattered in the balance, even as Mortarian took to the field of battle himself. Such painted a terrifying vision of what had to have occurred on Nordurjlos in the more equatorial regions of the world.

However, Kalaeking had managed to arrive in orbit during the fighting, bringing the rest of his legion with him in a rushed attempt to close the distance between the front lines of the Great Crusade. He descended to the planet, linking up with his brother as Mortarian clashed with a Kade, the first of its kind to form in decades.

The brutal fighting continued, as the two Primarchs fought back to back until the last of the population had withdrawn. With the last of the population spared, but no end to the horrors that were being produced, both agreed that the world was no longer tenable, even with their combined might. Evacuations were swift, but orderly, leaving none behind as the planet was completely erased.

When the Emperor heard of this, he was beyond furious, ordering Malcador to find out exactly what happened. The report paints a startling picture of ignorance and neglect on the part of the Administratum, who, despite Kalaeking's warnings of why a quarantine was in place, decided that the best way to get around these restrictions was through smuggling.

This worked for a time until a small infected beast managed to sneak aboard the vessel, infecting the crew. By the time they made it to their destination, the majority had fallen deathly ill, and not knowing the cause, exposed the sickness to others.

From there, the Illness spread like wildfire, with people having no idea what to do, who was safe, or even how to treat the disease. Despite several worlds supposedly teaching what to do if the Illness did make its way off Nordurjlos, also at the Primarch's request, as a matter of insurance.

When the report finally arrived, the only person angrier than the Emperor at the fact a massive string of mistakes had cost the Imperium an entire world through sheer incompetence was Kalaeking himself. In a twist of fate, it was Angron that advised restraint in his brother. The Emperor allowed Kalaeking to render judgment on the one that made the call to do such.

Many expected the merciful Primarch to be at his limit, as the man had consigned billions of souls to death. Instead, Kalaeking imparted the full weight of what he had done onto the man's mind and soul. Overcome by the ocean of blood on his hands, the man wept, begging the Primarch to put him out of his misery.

Only for Kalaeking to tell the man no. He would not kill him. The Primarch said that death was too good for him. Too painless. Too merciful. Instead, the man would have to live with the weight of all the ocean of blood he had on his hands.

For however long he had left to live.

Despite Kalaeking's best efforts, relationships between his brothers only worsened. Not through lack of action on Horus's end, either, but relationships began to fray without the Emperor on the front lines. Whether it was because some truly chafed under the command of the Warmaster, or that being led by first among equals, it ultimately matters little. Cracks that could have been papered over in the presence of the Master of Mankind had begun to widen and fester in his absence, a foreboding sign of things to come. The Council of Nikea only made things worse, in more ways than one.

Council of Nikea

When it came to Librarians, the Hope Bringers made use of such an organization. While it was differently structured than those found in many legions, taking the time to incorporate Nordurjlos's many different traditions, including Runic magic, and the Finnish Luonto. These schools of magic only really came to those born on the Primarch's homeworld. This, combined with the rarity of male practitioners of the Icelandic Runic magic, ultimately lead to the creation of the Rune Sisters, with the Emperor's blessing.

The Rune Sisters

As their name implies, the Rune Sisters are an all-female detachment. Psychic traditions on Nordurjlos are subtle in their nature. As such, Psykers of these disciplines are extremely specialized, working in their own groups rather than the rest of the Librarians. And Icelandic Runes are the most subtle of all.

Its signs are hard to spot, but its effectiveness, in both military use, and civilian life, is truly massive. As its name suggests, it involves carving runes into objects. Fences, paper, bits of metal, to even weapons and armor, are all effective mediums for these Runes. The effects produced are just as varied as the material they can be carved into. From keeping sheep in their pins to warding away evil spirits and bad luck, to preventing passive detection, or enhancing the many weapons used by the Imperium of Man.

Given the poignancy of such Pskyers and the benefits they provide, it is no surprise that the Hope Bringers would try to bring as many of them into their ranks as humanly possible. Unfortunately, male Pskyers of this type are rare. This is not a matter of people hiding their Pskyhicaly attuned children from the Hope Bringers, as some Imperial Officers have thought, but rather they're generally rare by nature.

As such, the Rune Sisters were formed. While such can frankly consider more of a job posting than as part of the Legion proper, Rune Sisters are still trained for combat, in the event of the worst-case scenarios. They've grown increasingly more militant and capable ever since the Heresy.

The organization has also been confused as part of the Sisters of Battle, or a mortal group involved with Space Wolf Rune Priests. This has led to confusion at points, as while the Rune Sisters have about as good a relationship with the Rune Priests as the Hope Bringers do with the Spaces Wolves, the Sisters of Battle have no love for the Rune Sisters, and the Rune Sisters are more than willing to return the favor.

It is believed the incorporation of the Psychic traditions on Nordorjlos is what lead to the first break in the relationship between Leman Russ and Kalaeking, as the Wolf King saw the Runes and Luonto's in the same light that he saw his Rune Priests. However, Kalaeking was unwilling to lie to himself about what the traditions of his homeworld were. The use of Psychic powers, no matter how unorthodox they were, was still the use of Psychic powers.

However, Russ had changed considerably since the Folly, resulting in Motarian largely standing alone as the most outspoken voice against the use of psychic powers. While his argument was potent, calling on his experiences of his Homeworld, Barbarus, painting a tale of doom, a fate that Humanity could one day share through the use of their powers. But the words of one Primarch would not be enough to convenience the Emperor.

While historically, the Council of Nikea is considered by some to have two sides, in truth, there might as well be three, the argument being over whether or not there should be a Librarius, but rather what form it should take. Magnus the Red argued for an unrestrained Librarius. Others, like Kalaeking, wanted a more restrained approach, though the exact extent of which was different, depending on which part of the group you asked. Russ called for the heaviest hand by far, but despite said heavy hand, his arguments were very much similar to Kalaeking's own, as well as Jaghati Khan.

However, many of those who were in favor of the Librarius were against the use of Sorcery, bargaining with Warp entities. While Kalaeking had experience with a handful of warp being on his homeworld, ranging from benign to malevolent, he quickly learned that most others were simply malevolent.

I've heard many today call the use of Psychic powers a weapon, something to be cultivated and grown carefully. This is both true, and untrue.

Psychic powers can be used as a weapon. But they are not so simple as the use of a bolter, or a sword. A man can be disarmed of their weapons. But how do you disarm someone of their mind? You cannot, not without killing them. Psykers can use their powers for good, and for evil. For Pskyers are human.

Therein lies the crux of this Council. Humanity. Is humanity strong enough to use the power of the Warp? Without falling for its taint? Without making pacts with the whispers?

I say that the answer is yes. Humanity is strong enough. Strong enough to make use of Psychic powers without resorting to sorcery. But not without training. It is one training that humanities efforts should be focused on. Not just for Astartes, but all of humanity.

Yes, careful monitoring is necessary. I may have faith in Humanity, but I will not blind myself to its faults in doing so. Some people will slip, and some people will fall. Psychic powers are far from without risk. But it would serve humanity best if we had people capable of making sure those people don't slip, and if they fall, protect others from the consequences.

-Expert of Kalaeking's speech at the Council of Nikea

While Magnus's use of sorcery, as well as of that his Legion, the Thousand Sons, earned condemnation from the Emperor and nearly led to the strangling of the Librarius Magnus had helped to spread in his Brother's Legions, the Emperor ultimately saw the wisdom in the words of his other Son's, despite his anger towards Magnus.

However, all Librarius would submit their rites for review by the Emperor and Malcador, and a Chaplin would be put in place, to make sure the Emperor's edicts were enforced. When it came to helping train this new generation of Librarians, Kalaeking argued that the Storm Seers had the best model, teaching how important it was to ignore the whispers of the Warp, but offered his own homeworld as well, as Nordorjlos had its own type of whispers that called out to Pskyers.

While it was ultimately different, it was still excellent practice, as one who could not ignore them was unable to survive for long.

Magnus ultimately conceded to the Emperor's demands, and while he was angry, the Librarius had been spared. Though it would be his Legion that would be looked into first.

Of course, that wasn't the only announcement the Emperor made at the Council. He named Dorn Praetorian of Terra, in charge of building defenses of the Imperial Palace.

This announcement angered Perturabo, who saw himself to be a far greater fit for such an honor. While Kalaeking tried to soothe Perturabo's anger at what he considered an insult from both Dorn and the Emperor himself, this proved to be the first major strain in the two's relationship, leading the two to leave the Council on bitter terms, though Kalaeking did hope that his brother's temper would cool.

Of course, there would be little time for them to interact before the Heresy, as Horus had a special assignment for his brother.

The Plaugedeath Crusade

While some Imperial historians question why Kalaeking was sent on what would later become known as the Plaugedeath Crusade after the Heresy. Some think that Horus, knowing his brother would never fall to Chaos, sent him off so as to not interfere with his plans. However, it seems unlikely, as Horus likely had not fallen to Ruinous powers by this point in time.

Regardless of whether or not Horus sent his brother out of the way to pave the path of his conquest of the Imperium, or it was merely the Chaos Gods taking advantage of the situation, the end results remain the same. When Kalaeking and the Second Legion arrived in the system, a massive Warp Storm erupted, locking them in with a small star empire, which worshiped Nurgle, the God of Rot and Diseases.

While it is without a doubt that all four could have easily played a role in the events that transpired, Nurgle is the most likely culprit. After all, they were his followers, and Kalaeking had knocked over several star kingdoms much like this one in the past. While their souls feed Nurgle all the same, erasing the blister upon the reality that his cultists created offended Nurgle greatly, as did Kalaeking's medical skill.

Many diseases made by Nurgle had previously been eradicated by Kalaeking's work, and while a cure or even crafting a vaccination to Nurgle's Rot was beyond the Primarch's capabilities, it was still a matter of twisted principle for the Chaos God. While Nurgle's cultists seemed capable, much of Kalaeking's vessels were intact and undamaged, a significant portion of his Legion at his side, alongside numerous mortal auxiliary troops. This was likely due to a combination of skilled Navigators, and the fact the Chaos Gods waited until Kalaeking stumbled into their trap.

Kalaeking quickly took stock of the situation. With the Warp Storm, the retreat was impossible, just as much as communication with the rest of the Imperial Forces. Meaning no reinforcements were coming for them. However, Kalaeking pushed forward, hoping that peace would prove to be a more likely solution than battle. However, when they came across the disease-ridden worlds, it was very clear that there would be no peace.

Having seen such mutations before, illness-ridden sores full of pox and rot, Kalaeking unleashed his fury against any world that could even harbor the twisted forms that Nurgle dares to call life. Such brutality may seem out of character for the Primarch, but when looking at Nordurjlos and the strategies the Primarch employed against the Trolls there, the logic becomes clear. The harsh calculus was simple. Waste lives, men, and ammunition on disease-ridden holes, or annihilate them from orbit, saving his men for worlds that could not simply be wiped out.

While this star nation under Nurgle's sway was sizable, they typically relied on his plagues as their primary line of offense, and defense. As such, their navy, where physical ships did exist, was small, more designed to carry infected troops to their targets, be they to planets or enemy ships, before spreading their taint. As such, numerous worlds fell to virus bombs, cyclonic torpedoes, and specially made weapons designed to fight those infected by Nurgle's Rot, a form of Hersey against the God of Rot.

Death is the only Mercy we can give them.

-Attributed to Kalaeking, during the Plaguedeath Crusade

Nurgle crafted new plagues and illnesses, as his mortal followers called upon daemons and other foul creatures of the warp, as well as prepared defenses against such forms of orbital bombardment. The prior required the Primarch's full attention, and it is said the Book of Cures had become full as a result of this conflict, requiring the Primarch to acquire an empty book, unless he lost even more pace with his battle against the God of Decay.

However, it was only a matter of time before Kalaeking managed to arrive in the empire's capital, the last world left standing amid the firestorm of destruction. It had managed to devise a void shield strong enough to resist the battering of the many ships in the fleet, forcing Kalaeking to engage them in a ground campaign. While the outcome by this point was unlikely to be in doubt, the fighting was brutal. City after city fell, but at considerable cost.

Eventually, the Capital was the only city left standing, defended by legions of daemons and mortal cultists alike, ready to die in the Grandfather's name. The siege was brutal, bombarding the void shields from above, concentrating their fire as artillery rained shell after shell down, and entire defensive fortifications melted and burned. Eventually, Kalaeking marched into the city, burning all his wake. Much of these stories have been lost to time, as the horror of the things they witnessed are too much for mortal eyes, though stories remain of Kalaeking doing battle with a Greater Daemon, managing to send it screaming back into the Warp.

While the city and the void shields within were eventually destroyed, the cost was great. Between the illnesses and the enemy forces, forty percent of their mortal auxiliary forces had been killed, as well as a third of the Legion that Kalaeking brought with him, despite the Primarch's best efforts.

It was a victory, yet it was a bitter one, one that Kalaeking had not tasted in more than a century.

Sadly, it would be far from the only one, as, in the outside Galaxy, the Hersey was in full swing. With the destruction of the final world, the Warp Storm began to dissipate, and Astropathic communication became possible once again.

The first message was a warning, spent through the warp thanks to the combined power of Magnus the Red and the Emperor himself, telling Kalaeking of the Hersey, and what his brother Horus had done.

As much as the words of his brother and father turned his blood cold, it was the second that made it freeze.

Nordurjlos was under attack.

The Battle of Nordurjlos

During the early days of the Heresy, Horus considered Kalaeking's homeworld a considerable threat. While his brother was away, fighting horrors during the Plaguedeath Crusade, it was still a formidable fortress. In truth, while it was likely the commands of the Chaos Gods that ultimately lead to selecting Nordurjlos as a target for his war effort, it is just as likely that Nordurjlos would prove to be a bastion to the rear of his Unholy Crusade, and the Fallen Warmaster did not wish to have such a force to become a threat later in the war. After all, while their oaths to their posts were strong, it was unlikely they'd sit back as the Imperium descended into chaos.

Perturabo offered to take on the grim duty. He had built many of the defenses himself and knew their secrets well. If he couldn't convenience them to join Horus's cause, he would be could easily break them. Lorgar also offered to take his Legion and burn the world until nothing was left but cinders and ash.

However, Horus knew that a subtle touch was required. Word of Horus's betrayal had likely already reached the world, resulting in a heightened awareness and an increase in fortifications. Landing a force in the world's safe zones would be difficult, even with a fraction of the Legion defending the world. It might even be impossible. Which meant landing in the unsafe zones, the Silent world, and Horus remembered Leman Russ's folly as well as the Primarch of the Sixth legion. Such a direct assault that Lorgar and Perturabo would likely commit would likely result in a disaster, even if both Legions joined forces, which would be a considerable waste of manpower, something Horus could ill afford to spend casually, even after the near destruction of three Legions during the Dropsite Massacre. Even with them being joined by a large contingent of Thousand Sons, some of the Fifteenth Legion remained loyal, including their Primarch, Magnus. Making matters worse was Fabius Bile, one of the Apothecaries of the Third Legion, who Fulgrim had trusted during the lead up to Istvaan 3, was in truth loyal. The man had, in a brutal calculation, faked his allegiance to the cause, leading to the death of many that would follow Fulgrim in Horus's plot to overthrow the Emperor. While the Apothecary had been outnumbered, those still loyal to the Emperor had managed to seize control of several vessel's, doing damage to the fleet before racing off after the Death Guard Frigate Eistenstien, vanishing into the Warp.

A subtler hand would be required to bring Nordurjlos to ruin. After all, the plant contained many twisted forms of life that could be used just as easily as a bolter. All that would be required was to strip away the hope and warmth that Kalaeking had brought them, and a harsh reminder that all things feared the night. In that, Konrad would likely do better than his brothers. For all the Night Lords' brutality, they understood how to best strike from the shadows.

Lorgar and Perturabo, alongside their Legions would go on to fight in the Shadow Crusade, fighting against the combined might of the Ultramarines and the World Eaters, who, despite their Primarch's strong hatred for one another, were forced to work together in the crucibles of war, as well both Legion's respective Primarchs, Roboute Guilliman and Angron.

However, Konrad Curze, the Night Haunter only took a portion of his Legion to assault the homeworld of the Second Legion. Enough that his victory would be assured, but many Night Lord's scattered throughout the Warmasters treacherous forces. Why is unknown. If the full might of the Legion had been brought to bare, then the world might have been crushed. But Konrad, either in a move of uncharacteristic arrogance, or more likely, believing he would meet his doom, chose to scatter his forces, making sure the Night Lord's didn't end with him.

By the time the Night Lord's arrived, they found the system heavily fortified, and already mobilizing forces in an attempt to put out the erupting fires of Heresy spreading throughout the Galaxy. Numerous transport ships were forced back to ground, though a few managed to escape the Night Lord's net. In doing so, a significant number would unite with scattered Imperial forces, including the survivors of the Drop Site Massacre, as well as some of the survivors of Istvaan 3.

The resulting battle in orbit was fierce, though while outnumbered, the Captains of the Hope Bringer vessels were extremely skilled. Heavy damage was inflicted to the Night Lord's fleet, but the Hope Bringer ships were ultimately pushed away, forced to pull back, unless they were completely wiped out. They merely had to Hope that reinforcements would make it in time, and that their brothers on the ground could hold.

They were led by Oran Thal, the commander of the Hope Bringers, back when they were simply called the Purifiers. Though by the end of the conflict, he would have another name. Kertaberi.

Oran Thal

There are very few Legions that have changed their stripes as drastically as the 2nd Legion. Outside of the Traitor Legions, though in truth, the nature of the likes of Konrad Cruz was never in question. The Hope Bringers have changed greatly under Kalaeking's leadership.

Once called Purifiers, they removed the taint of those too far gone by the forces of Chaos, something that was sadly, too needed during the early days of the Crusade, even on Holy Terra. While this hasn't changed much, as even those twisted by Chaos, and have given themselves to it, are beyond even the Primarchs boundless mercy. However, when unleashed upon non-chaos affiliated groups, there would be little change in their doctrine, leaving a burning path in their wake. Some wonder what might have happened if the 2nd Legion never found its Primarch, or worse, Kalaeking had not been the beacon he is known as today.

As can be expected, there was much unrest when they eventually found their gene-father, as while their Father's preferred method of war against the monsters of his homeland, everything else did not. While Kalaeking kept many institutional structures, such as the Council in place, much of things had been overhauled.

Oran Thal questioned the wisdom of his gene father countless times when it came to matters of diplomacy, and how the Primarch waged war. However, unlike many of his brothers, who were unlikely to tolerate such for long, Kalaeking simply smiled. While many were willing to take counsel from among their sons, as Primarchs could overlook important details, and having a second opinion was always useful, none did so as frequently as Oran Thal did, which could toe outright on insubordination.

Eventually, the Astartes could not figure out why his gene-father was willing to act in such a way. In the end, he swore to Exile himself to Nordurjlos, only to return when he understood why his Primarch made the choices he did, as that was the only place he could find the answers, and swore to only return to the Great Crusade when he understood why.

He remained on the Council itself throughout, slowly becoming respected, and mellowed, as time went on. However, he still couldn't understand the Primarch.

Not until the tides of Heresy began to arrive on Nordurjlos, did he understand.

With the fleet no longer a threat, Konrad began his assault. This was unlike most invasion forces, as the nature of Nordurjlos made it nearly impossible to conventionally assault. Rather Night Lord's came down to the planet in small groups, prey on the population. Leaders of nations were found butchered without sign of a struggle. Garrisons on the frontier that had stood centuries, with the Night Lord's leaving the gates open for Nordurjlos's many nightmares into the safe regions for the first time in lifetimes. Soon. The Night Lord's began killing people on the streets another night, Konrad clear in his intention to torture Kalaeking's people into submission.

Oran Thal was used to conventional warfare, and as such, this type of assault was foreign to him. One could not simply rain artillery on every shadow, nor did he have the manpower to patrol every street, or be everywhere all at once. And the people knew it. Panic and discord was already beginning to set in, even with the true enemy above them in orbit.

Oran Thal needed an unorthodox strategy for an unorthodox war.

They wish to terrorize us. They wish to make us feel afraid. They believe this fear, this terror, is enough to break us.

It is alright to feel fear. Many do. It is only natural. But it is also natural to fight against one's fears. Our ancestors were afraid of the dark, in our earliest days as a species, and it is no less true here. Where monsters hunt in the shadows, rather than simple predators!

They wish to remind us of this primal fear! Then we should remind them, that it's in the darkest of nights that light shines the brightest!

-Expert of Oran Thal's 'Embers' speech.

Night Lord's, who had once roamed the night with impunity, now started to face stiff resistance. One attempt to ambush a garrison ultimately led to the complete destruction of an entire squad of Night Lord's, as Hope Bringers had expected the move, aiding human forces to destroy them. Cities became increasingly dangerous, as every shadow became a trap, be it chimes or noise makers to alert patrolling guards, countless types of devices that only reacted to certain combinations of conditions, and of course, cats leading Hope Bringer squads through the night, allowing them to intercept Night Lord's.

Konrad watched as what he had thought would be an easily terrified population began to steel itself. Realizing the source of the problem, the Night Haunter ordered Oran Thal to be assassinated. However, none of the attempts took, as the man, while rusty, had been fighting in the great Crusade from the start. It seemed as if it would take Konrads personal hand to smoother the embers of hope, but such a fight never came.

For Kalaeking had arrived during his planets darkest hour.

Fearbreak

For the Primarch, it had been a long journey, but Nordurjlos was closer than Terra, and one way or another, he needed repair, and safety for his men. Nordurjlos was the safest harbor, if it hadn't fallen. But Kalaeking had faith in his sons, a faith that proved not to be displaced.

Repairs, as much as they could, had been done on the way, taking a stop every so often in real space, where the Warp was somewhat calm.

It was during one of these moments of calm where the Primarch's battered fleet came across a smaller, but equally battered ship, under the command of a handful of Salamander's. The sons of Vulcan were surprised, but suspicious of Kalaekings arrival, for while the two Legions were close during the days before the Heresy, that meant little now, especially after Flugrim had killed Ferrus.

Kalaeking was shocked by their claims, as the bonds of brotherhood had always been strong between the Iron Hands and the Emperor's Children. While the relationship they had was never strong, he mourned the loss of Ferrus at Fulgrims hands, and the loss of Fulgrim to madness.

Sensing that Kalaeking's response to the news was genuine, the Salamanders gave the Primarch of the Second Legion equally grim news. That Vulcan had been captured by Konrad. They intended to reclaim their gene-father or die trying. Kalaeking didn't ask how they had such information, or if he did, their answer had been lost to time.

It is likely that by that point, Kalaeking didn't care. Out of all his relationships with his brothers, Konrad was the only one he was hostile towards. So it made sense to Kalaeking, that out of all his brothers, Konrad Curze would be one of the traitors.

Noting that they were heading in the same direction on the galactic plain, Kalaeking deduced that Konrad was the most likely one to be launching such an assault on his homeworld. Seeing as their destination was the same, Kalaeking would love to rescue his brother, if not as well force Konrad into chains for his various slaughters, including the Drop Site Massacre and the one he was without a doubt trying to engage in.

This small group of Salamanders agreed, leading the fleet back home.

Konrad seemed surprised to see the wounded fleet appear out of the Warp, but to his credit, he prepared his fleet to meet the enemy. It was during this maneuver when the survivors of Nordurjlos's home fleet made their move, pouncing from their hiding places.

The Night Lord fleet, once united and orderly, turned into a chaotic mothball at the sudden reappearance of their foes. Ships rapidly turned, attempting to avoid enemy weapons, only to crash into other vessels, making them easier targets as Kalaeking's vessels moved into the fray.

While the Night Lord's had the advantage in undamaged vessels, that was something quickly rectified, as unlike most of their cousins, the Hope Bringers have no problem fighting a naval engagement without boarding action, though it was a tactic to be employed.

The Nightfall was hammered by the weapons of Hope Bringer's flagship, Burning Dawn, as Nightfall had been damaged during the initial orbital clash, as many ships attempted to bring down the Night Lord flagship when it became clear the battle would unlikely end in victory. Eventually, the Nightfall's guns fell silent, as its engines became disabled and much of the power was lost.

The Night Lords rushed to the aid of their stricken vessel, but it only added to disorder among their ranks. Ships tried to flee the system, while others tried to fight their way through the opposition. With Konrad unable to reestablish command, what ships weren't able to flee were hunted down, and destroyed, until only the Nightfall remained.

The boarding action was swift, hammering into the stricken vessel with vigor and wrath, Kalaeking leading the way, as the remainder of the fleet left to join those on the planet below to help hunt down the surviving Night Lords. However, Konrad Curze was not on the bridge when Kalaeking and his honor guard stormed it.

Rather, Konrad would be found deep in the bowels of his vessel. A complete Charnel House before the Legion's fall to Chaos, it was now a literal house of horrors. It was there that Kalaeking found his brother. Both of them. The twisted Konrad, grinning like a madman, while Vulcan was unconscious, wrapped tightly in chains capable of restraining the Primarch's mighty strength.

Kalaeking demanded that Konrad surrender, and face judgement for his countless atrocities. Konrad merely laughed, claiming that he knew that from the beginning, this was how he would die.

"You knew?" Kalaeking's voice was raised, the only thing keeping it from breaking into anger was the sheer absurdity of it all. "And you did nothing to change yourself from this path!"

Konrad merely continued to laugh, face twisted in mockery of glee.

"You are no better than I, brother! Either of you! You pretend to be virtuous, pretend to be kind, pretend not to be monsters!"

Kalaeking felt his face twist. "You chose those things! You chose to slaughter! You chose to be a monster! Your choice to be cruel has yours, nobody else's!"

"It is Fated! I've seen it in my Nightmares! A future torn apart by war and suffering uncounting!"

"Fate? Fate! Fate is nothing! An excuse for those who are too weak to make their own choices to fall back on as a convenient lie! You are here because of your choices Konrad! Surrender! I won't ask again!"

The battle between Primarchs was something of legend, the King of the Night clashing with the Miracle King. Kalaeking's words had worked Konrad into a frenzy, as he lashed out wildly, while Kalaeking was full of conviction. Their clash was brutal, both inflicting wounds upon the other that would be fatal for lesser beings. Kalaeking managed to gain the upper hand in the battle, blinding Konrad with the use of his heavy flamer, burning his face and eyes. While such an injury was something a Primarch could recover from in time, time was not something Konrad had much of.

Still, Konrad continued to fight, struggling the same way any animal backed into a corner would. While Kalaeking wished to take his brother in alive, not because he deserved to live, but rather needed to stand trial for his crimes, and for real justice to have its day.

But even blinded, Konrad was a deadly opponent. In the end, Kalaeking was forced to slay his Brother, or be slain in turn. Rescuing Vulcan and leaving Nightfall to its fate, as the vessel had become tainted by Konrads butchery.

As Nightfall was destroyed under the main guns of the Burning Dawn, Kalaeking prepared to rearm his Legion and repair his ships, as much as he could. As the rest of the Heresy continued to rage, and wouldn't end until it reached the Throneworld.

The Battle of Nordurjlos had been won, but Kalaekings fleet was heavily damaged, and in desperate need of repairs. Any attempt to strike at the Traitor forces would be met with certain death, and as such, the Hope Bringers were forced to lick their wounds.

However, Vulcan had miraculously survived the events of the drop site Massacre, though his Legion, the Salamanders, had effectively been shattered.

Kalaeking quickly took charge, fortifying defenses and repairing the damage inflicted by the Night Lord's assault. Countless fortifications had fallen, and trolls, beasts, and Giants pushed further into safe areas than had been seen in centuries.

Vulcan filled in Kalaeking of the details of what happened when the Lord of Flame returned to consciousness. Kalaeking was aghast at events, and how Horus had baited three Legions into a trap, effectively taming them out of the war.

Worse was that Perturabo was among the first of those that had betrayed the Emperor. Joining the initial ranks of the traitors was the Alpha Legion, the Night Lords, who as a threat Kalaeking hoped had been decapitated with the death of Konrad, and the Word Bearers.

Kalaeking knew that Magnus remained loyal, as it was with his power combined with the Emperor's own that allowed them to pierce the Warpstorm. But for the rest of his brothers, only questions remained. Vulcan, Corvus, and Ferrus were loyal, but the latter was dead and the former two Legions were broken at best.

Kalaeking knew not else remained loyal, for if Horus had fallen, then who else had listened to the poisoned tongue of treason?

It was then Vulcan revealed he had overheard Konrad talking about how Horus had sent Perturabo and Lorgar to cut off Ultramar from the rest of the Imperium, hoping to cut off the largest Legion from the rest of the Imperium, and even possibly convince Angron to join their cause.

The Primarch of the Second Legion was concerned, though this concern proved unnecessary, as Angron refused to bend the knee to the Ruinous Powers. The Shadow Crusade was brutal, but the unlikely combination of Ultramarines and the World Eaters proved effective.

Kalaeking also began preparing war plans of his own. While he could not counter the Traitor's thrust toward the Throneworld, not without help, he could inconvenience Horus's forces in other ways.

The United Legions

Not all those of the Traitor Legions were willing to follow their Fathers into treason. And not all of them died on Istvaan three. Nor did a Primarch campaign with the whole of their Legions at all times. While those to partake in the Treason had made sure to muster as much of their Legions as possible, they could not do so for all of their Son's. And while many were swept up in the fires of Heresy, some remained loyal, hunted down by their traitorous kin and Imperial forces.

Things began to calm somewhat, but it was still far from safe for the loyal sons of traitor Legions. It wasn't until pockets of resistance began to form, drawing Astartes that put their oaths over their fathers and survivors of near-shattered Legions alike. Combined with other small pockets of the still loyal Legions, what became known as the United Legions proved a consistent thorn in Horus's side throughout the course of the Heresy. The largest force among them was the Loyalist Emperor's Children, led by Chief Apothecary Vile himself. Such naturally drew the attention of Fulgrim, tying up a portion of the attention of the Primarch of the Third Legion during the Heresy, hoping to slay his Loyalist son.

Another critical backbone for the United Legions where the Hope Bringers themselves. Their medical skills provided critical in keeping Astartes among the United Legion alive, despite oftentimes the grievous injuries they suffered. They worked together with the White Scars to bleed Horus's forces dry, striking at supply lines and isolated forces. The United Legions would play a role after the Heresy as well, striking at retreating traitor forces all the way back to the Eye of Terror.

For Kalaeking, he would love to do nothing more than halt Horus's advance. However, Kalaeking knew that to throw his forces before Horus's own would simply result in his annihilation. So Kalaeking was once again forced to husband his resources. Repairs went swiftly, but by the time Kalaeking's fleet was ready to depart for combat once again, the Ruinstorm had been unleashed, cutting the galaxy in half, and the light of the Astronamican snuffed out. The path to the throneworld was now blocked.

Kalaeking figured if Horus could not be stopped directly, then Terra would be the best place to make a stand. The Imperial Fists would have fortified the cradle of humanity to the best of their ability, under the eye of their Primarch, Rogal Dorn. While he was not among the brothers Kalaeking was close with, he had faith in Dorn's abilities. But even the best could fall beneath such an overwhelming force.

However, Kalaeking refused to sit idle, as did Vulcan. While both Legions could do little to directly impede Horus's assault, they could still nip at the traitor's heels, as well as find a way around the Ruinstorm and its effects on the galaxy.

It was then that they were joined by Lion El'Jonson. The Primarch of the First Legion was surprised to find Nordurjlos intact, and both his brother's alive, especially Vulcan. Kalaeking was somewhat suspicious but recalled that out of all of them, Loin seemed to choke under Horus being Warmaster the most. Fresh from the Thramas Crusade, which had been led by Servitor of the Night Lords, as well as battles made with the Death Guard. However, he had managed to prevent the traitors from claiming a powerful artifact, the Tuchuicha Engine. This is what had allowed them to continue to make precise Warp Jumps, though even with its power, they were unable to reinforce the Throneworld.

Vulcan was able to deduce that the engine was part of some greater whole and that it might be possible to amplify the effects of the engine if its sister components were found. However, none of them had any idea where to start looking for such a device. The Galaxy was vast, after all, and while something like that could prove useful for the future, now was hardly the time for such an undertaking.

However, the Primarchs were able to find a focal point in the chaos, and decided to make a jump for it. Nordurjlos would remain a return point, however, as even now, the Warp in the region was fairly calm.

This beacon proved to be the Xenos device, the Pharos, leading the three Primarchs to the Realm of Ultramar. All three were surprised that despite everything, Guilliman 's realm stood firm. There they were met by Angron and Sanginius. Sanginius had arrived before them, while Angron had been trapped in the Ruinstorm since the start.

It was there Guilliman revealed his plans for Imperium Secundus, in an attempt to continue on their Father's work, and continue resisting Horus and the rest of the Traitors. Kalaeking voiced his dissent against such a move, arguing that they should attempt to break out of the Ruinstorm.

Kalaeking argued that by using the Pharos in tandem with the Tuchuicha Engine, they could, in theory, make a break towards Terra, and arrive there before the Traitor Legions. Guilliman voiced his concerns that the Throneworld may have already fallen, which Kalaeking countered with the point that if the Emperor was already dead, then Horus would have already come for them.

Sanguinius, who Guilliman had named Emperor, agreed with Kalaekings reasoning. Kalaeking further argued that the advantage in numbers was on their side. Even after the Shattering of the Iron Hands, Salamanders, and Raven Guard, it was still likely things were even, at the absolute worst.

Of course, at the time, Kalaeking didn't know just how many of the Thousand Sons had left their fathers side, or where the White Scars and Space Wolves sat in all this.

Surprised, but relenting, Guilliman turned to planning just how to accomplish such a task. The Word Bearers still mentioned their Shadow Crusade, and while the Iron Warriors appear to have departed, a sizable contingent of Night Lord's had taken their place, joined by members of the Alpha Legion.

With the arrival of the Hope Bringers and the Dark Angels, what had once been an even fight in the void was one they now held the advantage.

Guilliman's plan was bold. While he didn't know much about the mysterious 20th Legion, the Shadow Crusade had granted him insight into Lorgars twisted mind. Combined with the Night Lord's coming off the loss of both the Battle of Nordurjlos and the Thramas Crusade, the former of which meant they would be out for blood, as it was there the Night Lord's had lost their Primarch.

The bait was set over Sotha. The Night Lord's, seeing not one but two hated foes 'appear', lept at the chance to attack the disorganized group. Lorgar, who had gained as much insight into Guilliman's mind as Guilliman had Lorgar, expected a trap, keeping a sizable portion of his forces at bay, but several, already addicted to the bloodshed, charged in after their allies, joined by the Alpha Legion.

Eventually, Lorgar's ships began to join the battle as well, the situation appearing to not be the trap Lorgar feared it had been. Only for the situation to turn, the fleets of the Blood Ravens, World Eaters, and the Ultramarines break through the Warp.

It would be unfit to call the resulting clash a battle proper. The minds of six Primarchs working against one is simply impossible odds

While Lorgar managed to escape with his life, only a portion of his fleet remained intact. While he had been able to warn Horus of Battle, Horus was confident that the five Legions would be trapped within the Ruinstorm until it began to weaken.

Certainly their combined might could prove to be an issue, but if he claimed the Throneworld, it would be much too late for further resistance.

However, he could not predict the results of the combination of the Pharos and the Tuchuicha Engine. In truth, none of them could.

Kalaeking's gamble paid off, as the combination of artifacts worked somewhat as intended. Eventually, the five Legions would arrive at Terra.

When they arrived would be a much different story.

The Warp heaved with the Screams of the Chaos Gods, who knew if all five fleets had managed to arrive before Horus, under the command of the six Primarchs, then the Horus Heresy would be a failure. But between the power of the two artifacts, their course could not be disrupted, nor their advance be stopped, merely delayed. As such, it was the Blood Angels that managed to arrive first. They quickly began to dig in, joining what few Thousand Sons remained loyal, and on the Throneworld, alongside the Space Wolfs, who had been launching hit-and-run raids against traitor forces from Terra itself, the White Scars, which had been battered during their push to reinforce Terra, and lastly, the Imperial Fists.

While Sanguineous was worried about his brothers, he believed that they would make it in time, ideally to dash Horus's plans.

As for the Fallen Warmaster himself, Horus was surprised to find the Blood Angels as part of the defending forces. While his forces outnumber the defenders on both in space and on the ground, there were no signs of the other four Legions that should have been with them and his Warpborn allies had lost track of said Legions.

However, it was far too late to back down now. Terra had to be seized for victory to be achieved, and this would be their best chance to do so. The assaults on Luna and Mars were brutal, as was the Orbital bombardment that followed. However, the Imperial Palace stood firm, sturdily built. But the orbital bombardment was merely a prelude for the coming assault. Horus knew that would only be a matter of time before the remaining Loyalist forces arrived. As such, drop pods rained down just as the bombardment finished.

Thousands of Traitorous Astartes joined traitor forces already on the ground, alongside their demonic allies, aimed towards the two starports to allow for more traitors and Chaos Titans to be deployed.

Slowly the traitors began to push the Loyalist forces back. Within the next few days, the Eternity Wall had been captured, and the Lions Gate hung on by a thread. It was then the Warp began to twist and convulse, spitting out the World Eaters and Dark Angels fleets, joined by escort craft from the Hope Bringers, clustered around the medical vessel Aurora, and a special weapon transport Kjempejeger.

To his credit, Horus reacted to the appearance of two near full strength Legions at his rear, through the pulling ships aiding in the orbital bombardment of less important regions of the Throneworld to counteract the new thrust. However, it would be Chaos's own nature that would prove to be its undoing.

As Horus began to organize his counterattack, hoping to simply smash the Loyalists before they could reach Terra, regardless of the short-term costs, a significant portion of the Iron Warriors broke away. Without their Primarch's brutal and efficient calculations there to tame their bloodlust, the Iron Warriors sought to engage the most worthy foe.

This reckless attack played in Angron's favor, as the World Eaters had appeared to be undertaking a reckless advance of their own through the void. In truth, however, it was Angron who understood Kalaeking's methods of void war the best, recognizing many of the Hope Bringers ships as Platburk style ships.

Platburk

While it is some of the largest vessels in the annals of history that gain the greatest renown, it is important to realize the smaller craft that helps keep monstrous vessels that are the backbone of any fleet. However, even the smallest of vessels can bring down giants.

On Nordurjlos, there had been a major conflict, decades before the Illness. While the nation that played a role in winning that conflict was unable to survive, parts of its history remained, in bits and pieces. One of these stories came from the Japanese Union. While they were considered one of the greatest losers of the war, stories of a handful of battles remained. Specifically, the Stand of the Tin Cans, a story of how a handful of smaller ships drove away a vastly superior force.

The Japanese Union, taking Imperial technology and incorporating ideas of that conflict, lead to the idea behind the Platburk. While these vessels are lightly armed, compared to their contemporaries of similar size, they made up for it with their absolutely devastating payloads.

With the bulk of the World Eater's fleet acting as a distraction, the smaller Warships of the Hope Bringers spread out in all directions. Horus saw the trap coming, warning the Iron Warriors, but it was too late. Point defense systems opened up in all directions, attempting to shoot down the attack. But with the massive, fast-moving torpedoes coming in, the protective ring of the Iron Warriors fleet was breached.

Lesser vessels were destroyed outright upon impact, cruisers, destroyers, and frigates breaking apart. Even larger vessels weren't safe, large sections being opened to the void, beyond what could be easily shielded or blocked off.

Even the Iron Blood didn't survive unscathed. While the void shields absorbed several hits, they eventually shattered. Between the point defense systems and the void shields, only half a dozen slipped through.

Explosions of massive force rocked the vessel, leaving massive gashes in its hull as the air was vented into the vacuum of space. This was not enough to kill the mighty vessel, as it had been designed to Perturabo's exacting specifications, but it was crippled.

Conqueror wasted no time closing the range between itself at the vessel. While Angron would have no doubt loved an honorable duel between the two warships, the Iron Warriors had gone traitor, and thus were completely without honor, deserving none in return.

Lion, initially surprised, joined his brother's assault, their flagship firing away at the Iron Blood. The ship put up as fierce a resistance as a ship in its state could manage, but eventually, its guns fell silent.

Angron and Lion quickly advanced, rallying part of the defensive fleet that still fought over Terra. Enough space was cleared for the World Eaters to insert in drop pods of their own, surrounding the traitor forces at the Lions Gate. Taking advantage of their brother's arrival, Russ and the Great Khan launched an attack of their own, shattering the Traitor forces and the greater daemon commanding them.

With the Lions Gate firmly in Loyalists' hands, the Aurora and the Kjempejeger were able to land. The Aurora brought much-needed medical supplies, as well as personnel, both Astartes and mortal, to the fray. Many Imperial saints would be named, each a life given to protect their charges and the Imperium at large.

But the Kjempejeger brought something else to the fight. The mightiest weapons Nordurjlos had to offer.

You requested of us a field gun that could kill a giant in a single shell. Instead, we give you a weapon capable of killing Jormungandr.

-Unknown

The mightiest artillery guns ever designed by mortal hands were built so large that to man and fire the weapon required Astartes and only Astartes. Built to such a scale they were given their own names, the Hope Bringers had brought three with them to Terra. The last time they had been used was during the Plaguedeath Crusade, and they only saw battle when Kalaeking knew something needed to die. Two more existed on Nordurjlos, both destroyed during the fighting with the Night Lords.

It is said such cannons firing sounded as if the earth would split open, a screaming, primordial roar of some base, if angry, god. Horus began to panic, as his carefully laid plans began to unravel. Lion chose to remain in the void, opting to direct the battle there, as it was in the space above Terra that a Primarchs leadership was most desperately needed.

Deals were struck, and bargains were made, with hordes of netherborn trying to make up for the increase in loyalist numbers. Things went from bad to worse for the traitors, as the artillery brought by the Hope Bringers began to rain fire down on the traitorous Titan Legions. While such abominations could hold for a brief time, the monstrous field guns were more than capable of bringing down the twisted machines.

But the daemons were not enough to make the difference, as Perturabo's assault began to falter. With the destruction of Horus's Titan Legions only increasing by the minute, Horus played a desperate gamble, calling his other brothers to the front lines, and preparing to shatter the Loyalist defensive line.

The first to answer was Mortarian, the Lord of Death, alongside his brother Fulgrim, and Perturabo. As a group of three, they smashed through the defenses around the Eternity Gate, while the Titan Legions turned their weapons towards the walls of the Imperial Palace, blowing holes into the wall, and allowing traitor forces to breach the defenses.

Horus prepared to join the battle himself personally until another upheaval in the warp spat out the last three Primarchs, as well as two whole Legions.

The Hope Bringers and Ultramarines had finally arrived.

The arrival of two mostly fresh Legions was the last thing Horus wanted to hear at that moment. However, it was the reality of the situation at hand. With their arrival, the Traitorous Warmaster was undoubtedly outnumbered. At the same time, retreat had become just as much of an impossibility with their arrival. The Traitors had made a gamble in their thrust towards the Throneworld, hoping to take advantage of a divided Imperium, split in half by the Ruinstorm.

A gamble that teetered on the precipice of failure. However, Horus lacked the ships necessary to stop this new attack, the second wave of drop pods and transports heading towards the planet as Kalaeking, Vulcan, and Gulliman at their lead. It took all of Horus's command to keep the traitors from breaking right then and there.

The Primarchs Rogal Dorn, Jaghatai Khan, and Angron launched a counterattack of their own hoping to encircle the Traitor Legions and cut them off at the Eternity Spaceport, ideally putting down this rebellion for good.

It was during this moment that Horus made one final, desperate gamble, by lowering the Void Shields of the Vengeful Spirit, inviting his Father to fight him. The Emperor accepted the challenge from his wayward son Teleporting aboard the mighty warship, bringing Sanguinius, Leman Russ, and Magnus the Red with him. However, the invitation was a trap, and while Magnus was able to prevent them from being scattered throughout the ship, they were still split into two groups.

On the ground, however, things only continued to get worse for the traitors. Even Perturabo, who desired little more than putting Rogal's head on a pike, knew that the battle on the ground was likely lost, even if the Emperor died that day. A retreat was ordered, and the spaceport was reinforced as much as possible to hold out for the Traitor Legions to evacuate. The Traitorous Thousand Sons wiped up mighty rituals, calling forth hordes of daemons to impede the two Legions attempting to encircle the Starport.

This maneuver was briefly effective against the Ultramarines, until the time their Librarians joined the fray. For the Hope Bringers, what few Rune Sisters that had been aboard worked overtime, engraving potent runes into each bolter and melee weapon they could. Each Rune granted considerable power, and the ability for the average Battle-Brother to be able to wound a netherborn.

It was only a matter of time before the Traitor and Loyalist Primarchs clashed. At the Eternity Gate, is where the two forces finally met.

Mortarion, blessed by Nurgle, the God of Rot and Decay. Fulgrim, blessed by the youngest, Slaanesh, the God of Pleasure, Excess, and Pain. Perturabo, blessed by the Khorne, the God of Blood and Skulls. Each had been elevated by their respective God to the rank of Daemon Primarch, among the most powerful beings in the service of the Ruinous Powers. They had become something more than a simple Primarch, as far as simple could ever be used to describe a Primarch.

This gave the three traitors the advantage in the initial clash. Perturabo leapt at Dorn, Khorne's bloodlust proving too much for the Primarch analytical mind, when confronted by his most hated brother. Mortarion, Lord of Death, squared off against Angron, pitting his resilience against his brother's immense strength. Meanwhile, Fulgrim fought the Great Khan, his inhuman reflexes allowing him to match Jaghatai's speed.

The Loyalist Primarchs were slowly driven back by their brothers. However, as Traitor fought Loyalists at the gate, the Primarchs attention was turned towards the battle before them. Absorbed in their duels, they were unable to command their Legions, leaving the command of the retreat to lesser officers.

Normally, this would be no issue, as by this point, the Traitors that had made their way to Terra were veterans of not just the Heresy, but the Great Crusade as well. However, the poison of treason runs deep, and is all consuming. Not only that, they were tasked with keeping two Legions at bay, as well as three Primarchs. A tall task, even under the best of circumstances. But the Iron Warriors had been bloodied by the siege and the March to Terra, as were the Sons of Horus. The Emperor's Children and the Death Guard were much more intact, but the Emperor's Children held many still loyal to the Emperor, and the Death Guard had been ravaged by Nurgle and his Plagues.

The Thousand Sons fought without their Primarch, and many had been driven to madness when Ahriman's lies about their Father's fate had been revealed. Those that remained loyal to the Fallen Warmaster had to deal with madness, counter-magic from their Loyalist brothers, who worked alongside Ruin Priests and Stormseers, while the arrival Hope Bringers brought their Scouts, psykers that were far less powerful than the average Librarian of other Legions, but were deadly and stealthy in equal measure.

However, under the onslaught, the rear lines of the Traitor formation broke, shattering their lines as Vulcan, Guilliman, and Kalaeking came to their embattled brother's aid. Vulcan charged Perturabo, choosing to fight the Lord of Iron not only out of vengeance, but also to spare Kalaeking from having to fight the brother he was once so close to. Guilliman engaged Fulgrim, echoing a battle yet to be fought.

Kalaeking engaged Mortarion, firing his heavy bolter into the Lord of Death's back, giving Angron time to recover. Kalaeking's initial assault was fast and brutal, hoping to overwhelm Nurgle's chosen Primarch before his body could recover. This did not work, as Mortarion was resilient by Primarch standards before Nurgle's Rot began to set in.

Mortarion took a few blows that would have been the death of a normal Primarch, but he was able to force Kalaeking on the defensive. Power scythe and blade clashed together, a brutal clash of sparks and frost.

But that managed to buy enough time for Angron to recover his strength. The Primarch of the World Eaters bellowed out his challenge to his Traitorous brother, taking Mortarion by surprise, grabbing hold of one of Mortarion's wings, before cutting it clean off with his axe.

For the first time since the start of the Battle, that had been the first time Mortarion had shown even a sign of pain. The Primarch of the Death Guard, who prided himself for his resilience, was now the one on the defensive. An ugly truth was revealed that day to the Traitor Primarchs. While the powers granted to them by their dark masters were great, making them stronger than their Loyalist brothers, it was not enough for them to challenge two of their brother's at the same time.

It was Fulgrim that fell first, chest pierced by Jaghatai's sword, despite his supposed perfection. The blow alone would be enough to banish a Traitor Primarch back into the Warp, but Guilliman, bleeding from several cuts, took the moment of Fulgrims twisted pain and decapitated his brother.

While the Traitor Legions that hadn't escaped into orbit were still fighting, the fall of the Primarch of the Emperor's Children started a rout. Panic gripped the Traitor lines, and things only became worse with the fall of Mortarion. The Lord of Death was unable to keep up with the Lord of the Red Sands, not without the Miracle King battling alongside him. Mortarion attempted to take one of his brothers with him, some said he aimed for Kalaeking, as Nurgle despised the miracle worker. Others say it was Angron that he attempted to slice in twain.

In the end, the result was the same. Kalaeking's arm was severed at the elbow, hindering medical efforts during the Heresy's final and most pivotal hours.

However, despite the searing pain, Kalaeking refused to let such a wound stop him, grabbing his sword as it flew from his severed hand, using it impale Mortarion through his twin dark hearts, as Angron buried his axe in Mortarion's skull, breaking his hold on the materium.

Last standing was Perturabo, fighting like a wild animal. The Lord of Iron was now a Lord of Blood, covered head to toe in both his enemies and his own blood. Vulcan, however, refused to fall, revealing his nature as a Perpetual to his family. Dorn was shocked by the revelation, but the battle had to continue on. Guilliman and Jaghatai were needed to finally break the body of their hate filled brother, as Angron helped Kalaeking's Sons tend to their wounded and bleeding father.

But the Heresy wasn't over. Even as the Loyalists retreated, and the battle on the ground won, there would be no true victory so long as Horus lived. Unfortunately, it was Russ and Sanguinius who first came across the Fallen Warmaster. The mournful angel and the wrathful wolf prepared to battle. There were no words spoken by Horus to convince his brothers to join his cause. The Traitors' loss was clear for all to see. There would be no more turncoats, not for Horus. Now it was a matter of poisoning as much of the soul of Mankind as he could manage.

Russ struck first, iridescent rage over the fact that Horus attempted to trick him into killing his brother, Magnus the Red. It was up until then that Horus could roughly guess what had happened during the Primarchs' folly on Nordurjlos. But now Leman revealed the truth, a howling gale of ice and snow whipping up around him. Sanguinius joined his Brother's assault. Two Primarchs fighting side by side was a formidable thing, difficult to overcome, even at the best of times.

But Horus was beyond a Primarch, even above his Traitor brothers by this point. His strength ballooned with the twisted power of the Warp, slaying Sanguinius and nearly killing Russ. It would be without a doubt that the Warmaster would have done so, if it weren't for the arrival of the Emperor and Magnus.

The duel was just as much physical as it was mental, the raging storm in both reality in the Warp. However, with their powers combined, Magnus and the Emperor were able to break Horus's power in the Warp, opening the way for the Emperor to slay his favored son.

Both Magnus and the Emperor were wounded in the clash, and mentally drained from the clash. It was Lion that saved them, bringing them aboard his flagship as the Traitor fleet began to flee.

Kalaeking was forced to work fast, and with one arm to boot. Leman Russ was saved, though he would carry many scars for the rest of his days, as would his Legion. Magnus, out of the three survivors of the strike, was in the best shape, though Horus's foul sorcery claimed Magnus's single eye.

The Emperor, however, was heavily wounded, for Horus had been his favored son, and thus, he had hesitated at a crucial moment. It was due to Magnus that the Emperor still lived. He was returned to consciousness, but was in constant pain, despite Kalaeking's best efforts.

In the end, seeing no other option, as the Dark Gods were now presently preparing a new attack through the Eldar Webway, and fearing that Magnus in his current state would be unable to handle the strain, requested to be placed upon the Golden Throne. This moment of sacrifice sealed the way to Terra. Despite the pain of his wounds, and that of the throne, the Emperor retained his voice. He ordered his sons to prepare for the Scouring to come.

The Scouring

The World Eaters, White Scars, and the Space Wolves were the first to begin their pursuit. All three were suited for hunting down fleeing prey, something their Primarch's knew all too well. They were joined by detachments of the Imperial Fists, lead by Rogal Dorn, and a sizable contingent of Hope Bringers.

Lion and his Dark Angels would return to Caliban, for new recruits to continue the hunt, but an unknown event occured, shattering the planet as Lion went missing. The first of the Primarch's to go missing in this new age.

Guilliman joined his brother's on their pursuit. With one of the more intact Legions, his sons proved their effectiveness, seizing many traitor held worlds, where such hadn't been executed. However, they were unable to prevent most of the traitor assets from linking up with Lorgar, the sole standing Traitorous Primarch of the Heresy, as they fleet towards the Eye of Terror.

Vulcan was unable to partake in the Scouring, as his Legion, already shattered by the events of the Drop Site Massacre, had incurred even more casualties throughout the Heresy. The Salamanders would need to be rebuilt, practically from the ground up. The sake could be said for the Iron Hands and the Raven Guard. While the Blood Angels were almost equally devastated by the loss of their Primarch.

Magnus's Legion was an even worse state, with scarcely more than a few dozen sons still loyal spread across the galaxy. Not only that, his homeworld was ravaged by Ahriman's sorcery, leaving him little means of recruitment by which to rebuild his Legion.

To make matters worse, beyond his new blind state, was that Ahriman was snatched away into the Warp by Tzeentch. The Chaos Gods of Fate, Lies, and Deception was the only one of the main four that did not have a Daemon Primarch of their own, and was thus unwilling to part with even the slightest disadvantage, though this would eventually change.

As such, Magnus remained on the Throneworld for a time, adjusting to his new state. It was there he and Kalaeking reminisced about the days before the Heresy, when things were simpler. But that was not the only thing they discussed, as the Primarch of the Hope Bringers considered options for the loss of his arm, as well as the Golden Throne.

The mysterious device occupied much of Kalaekings concern about his father. While it was keeping the Emperor alive, that much he could tell, and keeping the Warp at bay. But for such a device, there had to be a cost. As such, Kalaeking did as much as possible to mend his Father's wounds.

While the Emperor was grateful for his Sons work, he revealed that the reason he couldn't leave the Throne had nothing to do with his physical wounds, but rather, someone had to sit on the Golden Throne to keep the gate to the Webway open, and he was the only one strong enough to fight the Forces of the Ruinous Powers trying to break in and consume Terra.

Kalaeking had heard of the Eldar Webway, and in that moment, understood his father's plans for the future, at least in part.

However, the damage to the Webway was beyond Kalaeking's ability to fix. While all Primarchs are Psykers by nature, not all of them were as trained or skilled as their father, or even Magnus.

However, with his work to help keep the Emperor alive, Kalaeking was once again ready to join his sons. There was one more matter that required the Primarchs attention.

What to do with the United Legions.

These Loyalist cells proved devastating to Horus and the rest of the Traitor forces. This was in large part due to them consisting largely of Loyalists from Traitor Legions.

Many had little clue about what to do with them. While some questioned whether or not they were in truth, Loyalists, or simply opportunists seeking to throw in their lot with the winners. However, they had been willing to stand against their gene Father's, nor had they been the only to do so.

Eventually the question of Loyalty was hashed out, but there were more issues to be brought up. Many of them were few in number, and had limited supplies of gene seed. Outside of the Emperor's Children, under the leadership of Bile, none had enough to rebuild their Legions, especially without their Primarch.

At the same time, many refused to be rolled into other Legions, believing it to be an insult to those that also fought against their Gene Father's in the service of the Emperor, making the ultimate sacrifice. The Emperor's Children were even more against such a move, with Fabius Vile declaring.

We are the Emperor's Children! We will not allow the Emperor's name to be slandered by our Traitorous Father and Brothers!

-Fabius Vile

It was Leman and Jaghatai that suggested that the United Legion remain, at least in part. While each did not match the strength of a whole Legion, even when combined, splitting them up would hurt even more. Trying to erase their identities, they argued, would end up doing more harm than good for the Loyalists. Especially when many had formed such strong inter-Legion bonds.

The Emperor listened to the arguments presented, before coming to a conclusion. While the command structure would need to be drastically reworked, to give each surviving Legion that served as part of the United Legion a degree of say in critical matters. But he believed the Legion would have a place within the Imperium, and permitted its continued existence, as well as allowing the names of their Legions to remain in use.

However, the Sons of Horus wished that their old name would be reinstated for their Legion, in part due to shame, but because many in the Imperium could already see the complications of a Legion being named after the Arch Traitor. The Emperor agreed, and the Sons of Horus became the Luna Wolves once more.

In time, many would wonder out of all the Legions, it was the fragmented but unified one that had the greatest hatred for traitor forces, with many of the names of those traitor Legions lost to history.

Each Primarch took to the stars once more. While the Horus Heresy had broken the Great Crusade, the mission remained to protect humanity. And now each Primarch knew the full weight of the horrors existing beyond the veil. However, few expected the last remaining poison of Lorgar's treason. One that had been made well before his fall to Chaos. The worship of his Father, the Emperor of Mankind. Or as Lorgar called him, the God Emperor of Mankind.

The Emperor punished Lorgar, likely hoping to impart to him the truth that in reality the Gods are little more than cruel, fickle beings. However, based on Lorgar's fall to Chaos, this lesson didn't stick, or Lorgar didn't care about the truth, choosing masters that were in reality a form of cancer.

However, much of the Word Bearers' time was spent constructing temples and churches in the Emperor's honor, wasting time as countless humans suffered on numerous worlds, another reason for Lorgar's punishment. Of course, the taint of Chaos followed in their wake, as the Legion was already marked by Lorgars foster father.

During the madness of the Horus Heresy, several worlds had turned to the Book of Truth, penned by Lorgar himself, for some degree of comfort in an increasingly maddening universe. Those worlds that managed to survive untouched, attributed it to their newfound faith, and sought to spread it to the rest of the Imperium.

When the Emperor heard of this new cult, his fury shook the Imperial Palace all the way to its foundations. After all, at the start of the Crusade, did the Emperor say there were no Gods?

It had been a lie, but in truth, the Gods were shown to be foul and cruel beings, unworthy of worship by any sane being. Comparing the Emperor to them was nothing more than an insult, though the followers of this faith did not seem to think so.

As much as the Emperor would love nothing more to purge them and move on, a direct confrontation could likely cause a further break in the Imperium, one that would be ill afforded. And while the Emperor would live to resolve the issue himself, he was forced to use his Sons to help remind the people of the tenants of the Imperial Truth. For while they were not him, few could resist a Primarch's charisma in person.

This tactic proved less and less effective as the decades after the Heresy began to drag into centuries. Not due to a lack of potency of the tactic, but slowly, the Primarchs began to fade into myths and Legends.

Vulcan had been last seen battling the Beast, an Ork at the head of a mighty Wagh that had developed to the point of basic diplomacy, which posed the greatest threat to the Imperium since the Heresy. The blow had crippled the now recovering Imperium, to the point where a Black Crusade thought they could finish off the Imperium in the aftermath.

Guilliman was lost to a poisoned blade in a duel with Fulgrim, and put into stasis to save his life. It is possible Kalaeking would be able to purge the poison from his brother's system, but the Primarch of the Hope Bringers had gone missing by that point.

Angron had been wounded in a battle against his Traitorous brother Perturabo. While the Lord of the Red Sands was able to hurl his brother screaming back into the Warp. However, Angron's wounds were severe, the Primarch falling into a deep slumber.

Jaghatai went missing, following Dark Eldar raiders into the Webway.

It is said that Magnus followed his brother some time later, making sure the Thousand Sons would be able to survive in this new Galaxy. He also cast a powerful spell, sacrificing part of his immense psychic powers to shield his new sons from the effects of the Warp. Part of their Lore maintains that Magnus wasn't purely motivated by recalling his lost brother, and he sought a way to undo the damage done to the Webway.

Dorn was believed to be slain after the Heresy, but unlike many of his brothers, a single arm was all that remained of the Primarch of the Imperial Fists. This has led to some believing that the Primarch may yet live.

Corvus also went missing, though unlike Vulcan, very little clue remains as to where he could have gone, and why.

Leman Russ also disappeared, though the Space Wolves seem to have an understanding of where their Father went, and why he went, even if they do not say so to the rest of the Imperium.

As for Kalaeking's fate, there are a few stories. But the most common one was that during a fight with his brother Lorgar, fighting alongside Leman Russ, that Lorgar cast Kalaeking into the Warp at the last moment before Leman severed his hold on reality. There, Lorgar hoped that his brother would either fall to Chaos, or simply be slain.

However, Kalaeking had understood Chaos for what it is. A lie, a sham, a fraud. Chaos only had as much hold over a person as they let it, and Kalaeking had given Chaos none. Thus, the Primarch of the Hope Bringers was forced to do battle with the Ruinous Powers until the end of days.

However the Hope Bringers Martian that their father will one day break free of his bounds, one way or another, and come to lead them once more. Thus far, they have waited nearly ten thousand years.

But despite that, their hope still Burns bright.