Chapter 8 - War of the Damned.
Time/Place 456 010.M42 / Battle Barge Courage of Carolus
Gustavus Carl Had moved the Imperial Fleet three light seconds from the center of the conflict and now watched the battle die down. The fleet had not faced any foes at this distance, aside from a few deranged lost Chaos Escort. Carl had hoped that the Xenos and Traitors would wipe each other out but no such luck. The Daemon World had seemed like it might turn the tide but even it had been ravaged and banished back into the Warp. The Tyranids also had been lost, they simply did not have the biomass to absorb their foe. Now he was faced with not three foes at each other's throats but a single stronger threat. Almost the entirety of the Chaos Fleets Line ships had been contaminated and consumed. The Spawn-Hulks now numbered in the hundreds and formed a veritable Battlefleet.
The Chapter Master weighed his options, this thing was after Kryptman and if they jettisoned the Traitorous bastard in an escape pod that would hopefully buy them enough time to escape back to Imperial Space, but what then? If they were lucky it would stay in Chaos held territory and attack them, even if it did that it would eventually wander into Imperial Space and Emperor knows how powerful it would be then…
Gustavus Carl knew his fleet could not win against this foe, all they could hope to do was delay it. Letting out a grim sigh he went to contact the Inquisitors, maybe if they Warped out of here and dumped Kryptman on some Emperor-forsaken rock near the Eye of Terror that would distract the Devouring World long enough for the Lord Commander to have time to mount a proper offense. Just as he was about to Vox the interrogation Room the Inquisitors in question entered the Bridge followed by a Pair of Medicae Acolytes who wheeled in a bandaged Kryptman, strapped to an ugly metal rack. The mysterious Custodes brought up the rear of this odd party.
The Ephoroi Custodes was a shadow that haunted the vessel, a phantom which would occasionally provide consult to him or the Inquisitors. Now he stood before them, a living embodiment of the Emperor's Will. In a voice deeper than even an Astartes Ephoroi Kyn spoke softly. "Chapter Master Gustavus Carl, the Inquisitors believe that no options remain and that all hope is lost. Do you agree with that assessment?" Taken aback by the abrupt tone Gustavus replied: "There is no conceivable option to destroy the Devouring World, all we can do is delay it." The Custodes walked up to the Viewport and looked at the Distant Monster and its swarm of Spawn-Hulks. "There's one final weapon we can use, the price to use it though will be heavy."
Time/Place 456 010.M42 / Battle Barge Courage of Carolus
The Custodes pulled a small case from a pouch on his armor and held it out to Gustavus. The Chapter Master was almost collapsed when he touched it, whatever was inside that case was empowered with a phenomenal amount of psychic power. It felt similar to being in his Primarchs presence but somehow more...raw. With trembling hands, he opened the case and examined its contents. A single Purity Seal lay inside, from it poured a constant wave of Holy-Power.
The Custodes began to speak "That is our last option, a Purity Seal that was placed upon the Golden Throne itself for a century. It is instilled with a drop of the Emperor's Power." Gustavus and the rest of the Bridge instantly dropped to one knee in reverence to this holiest artifact. Ephoroi Kyn continued "Under the right conditions the destruction of this Seal will summon the Emperor's Wrath made manifest.
I was given authority to use this artifact by my Captain-General in case the Traitors unleashed a weapon that not even Lord Guilliman could defeat. Unfortunately breaking the seal is just half of the ritual, it requires tremendous sacrifice." The Custodes took the Seal out of the box and held it in the palm of his massive hand. "I say this with no agenda, no lies, but with the simple truth. The Death of many Astartes is the only fuel to trigger the aid we need. Gustavus Carl, are you prepared to sacrifice your Battle-Brothers?'
The Chapter Master's face was a mask of grim resolve. "We are Astartes, we were born to die for Mankind." He gently took the Seal from the Custodes and asked softly "How many of us?" the Talon of the Emperor whispered "a Quarter of your Chapter brave Astartes" Nodding somberly Gustavus knew what must be done. The Inquisitors, the Custodes, and the Heretic Kryptman watched the grim procession as two hundred and fifty of the Emperor's Angels of Death in full regalia entered the main Hangar of the Battle Barge. The Chapter Master explained before to his Brothers what was required of them, they were Astartes and knew their duty. The only arguments that broke out were not of trying to flee this sacrifice but those not selected trying to take their Brothers place.
The Inquisitors and all of his Captain tried to convince him otherwise but Gustavus knew that he could only ask this of his Men if he was amongst them. The Chapter Master of the Imperial Lions gave his relics to his First Captain, Saluted his Brothers and joined the Astartes chosen to die. The Apothecaries stood by to collect the Gene-Seed, the Chaplains gave this Chapter of the Damned their last writes and as one they died by whatever method they had selected. Gustavus was the Last. As he Pulled the Bolt Pistols Trigger he crushed the Purity Seal in his grip and silently begged the Emperor to help his sons. His Prayers would be Answered.
A Wave of Holy Power poured out of the broken Purity Seal, it emanated outwards washing over the fallen Astartes. At first, nothing happened but after a few fearful seconds, Gustavus's plea was answered. One by one the Astartes bodies burst into ethereal flames, gouts of this strange fire covered them, obscuring the armored forms of the Astartes. The Custodes began to speak to the mystified Inquisitors and shocked Astartes as they watched the flames dance over the sacrificed two hundred and fifty.
"The Inquisition have searched for the truth of a certain phenomenon for centuries, the Army of Ghosts that appear from nowhere to help the Imperium and then fade out of existence. We Custodes were the first to encounter them actually, they have appeared occasionally in the Imperial Palace from as early as M33. It took centuries of study and investigation to discover who these Flaming Spirits were. It took even longer to discover how to summon them. It was the psychic backlash of the Death of the Firehawks Chapter that allowed us to discover the Truth. Whenever a loyal Astartes falls in battle their soul is returned to their Creator, The Master of Mankind. They then become one with him and help him in his eternal war against the Ruinous Powers."
The 1st Captain then spoke up "So that is the fate that awaits us Astartes, it is a noble one." The Custodes turned to him and spoke softly. "True but not the fate of all. Some Astartes refuse this fate, not out of disloyalty or even cowardice but a desire to continue the fight against those who threaten Mankind. These souls are subjected to the Emperor's Glory and face a millisecond of the pain and suffering the Emperor faces on the Golden Throne. If the Astartes souls can survive are empowered by He on Terra to continue their duty beyond even death. The few that survive this crucible are damaged and scarred, but fight on for they have been touched by our Emperor and his will. This Army of Ghosts is slowly but surely growing, an army Damned to an eternity of pain and insanity as no longer the Emperor's Angels but the Emperors Daemons."
Inquisitor Heimdall half whispered "So it is true, they do exist and are servants of our Lord." The Custodes finished his speech "Yes the Legion of the Damned exist and those today who have sacrificed themselves joined its immortal ranks." and with that, the first of the sacrificed arose. What had been Chapter Master Gustavus rose to its feet as the flames died down but did not disappear. His armor was blackened and damaged at places. Its Adamantium had been reforged with Ribs and Skulls decorating it. All while Warp-Fire leaked from the Armors Joints. The Other Astartes slowly arose after him in their new form. The Legion of the Damned had grown by Two-Hundred and Fifty Souls.
The new Damned Legionnaires stood as one, they rippled with Warp Energies and gave off an aura of raw psychic energy that felt oh so similar and yet so different from the divine light of the Astronomicon. The Devouring World was just a Single Light Second away from the fleet and its swarm of Spawn-Hulk speed forth eager to meet the Imperials and consume them. The Custodes then remarked, "The Purity Seal has twofold effects, ensuring they survive the ritual, and it acts as a beacon for their Kin." Void then exploded into a blaze of Supernatural Flame.
The Custodes Kyn spoke as they watched from the Hanger this display "That is a Warp Rifts opened by the Master of Mankind, they are different from the usual gashes in reality that spill insanity. These Gates are purified with the Flame of the Anathema and his Daemons come forth" The Golden Sun-Like blaze slowly faded and in its place was a fleet. Dozens of Battle-Barges and Hundreds of Strike Cruisers stood in between the Imperial Fleet and the Cannibal Planet. Each Vessel was cloaked in Holy Fire and was the Obsidian black of the Legion of the Damned. At the Head of this fleet was a truly massive vessel, More Star-Fort than Battle-Barge this Titanic vessel burned with a Nova of Anathema-Fire, The Raptorus Rex of the Fire Hawks had arrived.
What had Been Chapter Master Gustavus walked over to First Captain Adolphus and saluted him, his Successor Returned the salute and with that, the Two Hundred and Fifty former Imperial Lions disappeared with a gout of Holy Flame. The Devouring World was dead and could not die, but now it Faced a Legion that had gone beyond Death and Sanity. The Inquisitors, the Custodes, and the others returned to the Bridge where the New Chapter Master took the Helm and prepared to join their Fallen Brothers in the final battle in this War of the Damned.
It seemed every single Astartes Vessel that had been lost in the Warp since the Great Crusade was with them. Each one's hull was blackened and burnt by the Might of the Emperor. He On Terra is a great Sun of psychic power and these Vessels had been saved from the Clutches of the Ruinous Power by Him but flown too close to His very Divine Star. The Devouring World let out a Psychic Roar that shook the Materium but did not even phase the Emperors Daemons. Instead, they let out their own War-Cry. Every Vox in the Entire system roared the ghostly cry of the Legion of the Damned "We are the Gods of the New World Order! We are the Soldiers, the Legion of Light! We are the Center, the Death of the Sun! Fire and flame, We are One!" With that Thousands of Ghostly Macro Cannons and Lances opened Fire on Devouring World.
Time/Place 457 010.M42 / .5 Light Seconds from the Devouring World
A Wave of Macro-shells and Lance Beams screamed through the void. The Damned Fleet and the Imperials had begun the assault on the Devouring World. The First volley of Lances struck one of the Spawn-Hulks that was getting close. The Las-blasts tore off chunks of the corrupted Vessels, atomizing literal tons of Metal and Mutated Flesh. The Imperials watched waiting for the Spawn-Hulks to regenerate from the damage as they always did, instead, each crater in its fetid hide burned with Holy-Fire.
The Emperor's Flames washed over the Abominations Hull, scorching it both in the materium and the immaterium. The Legion of the Damned are beings of both reality and the Warp and they wreak destruction and bring salvation on both planes. Damned Escorts circled around the Spawn-Hulk as its hide blistered and boiled from the Supernatural Flames that were charged with the fury of the Emperors Daemons. The Hulk gave off a vicious psychic screech and tried to smash into one of the Legion escorts. When it seemed like the Spawn-Hulk was about to crush the vessel, the escort flickered like a flame and its attacker passed right through it. The Legion of the Damned's Fleet shared its crew's ability to flicker in between dimensions.
The Fire coursed through the Spawn-Hulk as it thrashed in impotent rage as it was purified before the rest of the fleet advanced to its locations. The Hulk had been reduced to a charred skeleton of Adamantium. It's putrid flesh had been stripped off by the Flames. Spawn-Hulk after Spawn-Hulk was bombarded into slag skeletons by the Damned Fleet as it approached the Devouring World. Orifice-Turrets spat Psi-Bile into the Void as Bone-Cannons fired their hideous volleys. The Imperial Vessels weaved through the void, dodging the fire as the Legion ships just continued forward in their relentless push. The Spawn-Hulks were now all ash and slag and the Fleet turned their fire power to the Devouring World. Millions of Holy-Flame Drenched Macro-Shells pelted the Flesh-Crust of the Devouring World. City Sized configurations dotted the Cannibal Planet. The Flames chewed away at it, turning armies of Corpse-Thralls to ash as the Holy-Flame burned through the corruption like a Forest Fire through underbrush..
The Monster unleashed it Country sized tendrils desperately trying to swat the Ghost-Ships out of its orbit, the blows that could shatter tectonic plates just passed through their targets and it let forth a furious Psychic Wail. The Raptorus Rex then moved into orbit above the Devouring Worlds continent-sized maw and prepared to unleash the full fury of the Emperor and the Imperium. The Ghostly Star Fort was equipped with a truly formidable weapon, an Imperial Nova Cannon. Nova Cannons already are tools of utter destruction that fire Titan-sized shells near light-speed and this Nova Cannon was fruther strengthened by the Emperor's blessing. The former home of Fire Hawks fired its salvo of annihilation straight into the Devouring Worlds mouth. For a split-second, it seemed that the Spawnhole system had a second Sun.
The Devouring World had a colossal crack bisecting the planet, a grin shaped scar that bled Psi-Bile and Lava. Its Corpse-Flesh tried to knit itself back together but the Emperors Flames burnt away any and all new Growth. It's Great Tendrils tried to reach to the void as it let out a psychic wail of desperation and pain. The Great pillars of Flesh that were its Arms gave up in their grasping and collapsed into its bulk and joined the conflagration on the surface. Patches of Imperial Fire feasted on the rampant corruption on the World and grew larger and larger while the Damned Fleet Continued their bombardment. Hive-Fleet Ghoul was burning to death in a great funeral pyre of Holy-Flame.
The Imperial Fleet watched as the monster that had consumed a thousand worlds was broken and burnt by the Emperor's Will, but the Devouring World was ever the canny monster and like most things was most dangerous when cornered... The Chief Librarian of the Imperial Lions was the first to notice that something was wrong, something was disturbing the Warp. He gazed into the Warp and saw it, the Devouring Worlds psychic presence was consolidating. When it was controlling the Spawn Hulks it had stretched its aura to the size of a system to puppet them. Now it was shrinking rapidly, the Full psychic might of the Devouring World was condensed and used. A moon-sized hunk of flesh exploded out of its burning husk. Like some gross parasite erupting from a wound, this unscathed Flesh-Moon used its psychic power to desperately keep the Holy Flames from it as it tried to escape the Damned Fleet.
It seemed for a few short seconds this abomination would succeed, but the Legion of the Damned is not foiled so quickly. Battle-barges and the Raptorus Rex moved with supernatural speed to surround the Devouring World. Great Harpoons of Blessed Adamantium were fired from the Fleet and pierced the Monster's hide. Colossal chains forged in holy flames and marked with countless runes of arcane might linked the Vessels and the Harpoons. The Devouring Worlds core was immobilized by the Chains as the Battle-barges flew around it wrapping the Moon-sized hunk of mutant flesh with the burning chains empowered by the Emperor himself.
Bound by the chains the Devouring World let out a pitiful psychic moan as The Raptorus Rex began to haul it like some grotesque parody of a shackled prisoner. The Legion opened up a colossal Warp Rift and The Raptorus Rex entered it slowly pulling the frantically fighting Devouring World with it. There was no resisting and the Cannibal Planet was dragged screaming into the Warp. As the rift shut behind it the Legion fleet began to slowly flicker out of existence, like candles being snuffed. Until all that was left in the system was the Imperial Fleet.