Sup, guys? Lighting Wolf here, back for another story, this one about Warhammer. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer. Games Workshops and a few others do.
Barquiel looked over the ruins of the town. Smoke, and ash from a previous dozen firefights all drifted into the sky as he and his brother looked upon it.
"I see no shelters, no guardsmen, no spaceports…. What occurred here?" Barquiel asked.
"Battle, but I see none of the civilians mentioned…. Perhaps we have traveled to the wrong coordinates? The trip was different than usual." He heard.
Indeed. He motioned for 4 of the group to move in and then fired his jump pack and followed. The trip here was different without the emperor and a few suspected the Chaos Gods might have died with the emperor's last strike against Horus, perhaps they had placed all power within Horus… And then fell as Horus was slain.
Barquiel and the group all spread out, rushing through the village, and checking for anything… They found corpses, broken bodies of those who seemed to have been slaughtered by the Banished.
It made them angry, VERY angry to see that whoever was stationed here had not organized a retreat for the civilians. The Imperium protected its own and they were given a task to protect the civilians of the Imperium.
"Lieutenant, I have noticed something," Barquiel stated before he hummed and then looked to the side.
"Yes?" Barquiel stated before he looked once more and he paused to let himself think.
He turned the corner and saw a group of soldiers on the hill, ones with odd armor which he did not understand but it was still Human enough… They held similar projectile weapons to the other Guardsmen.
"Hold fire," Barquiel stated. "I am Lieutenant Barquiel of the second company of the Astartes Blood Angels…. We have come to liberate this planet of hostile forces, you are human, yes?" Barquiel asked.
One of them gave a curt nod but neither side moved, Barquiel saw them match each movement the Blood Angels made with equal measure. They were either well-trained guardsmen or they were like Astartes.
That? And the gothic he heard from them was old, antiquated from the time before the Imperium.
"Are you with the Banished?" One of them, a dome-like helmet compassing their head spoke.
"The Xenos in Crimson armor that attacked the soldiers here?" Barquiel asked and got a nod. "No. We serve the emperor, our father known as Sanguinius. Me and the Astartes behind me mean no harm… Are you injured or in any fashion wounded by these soldiers?" Barquiel asked.
"No." One with a more visor-like helm stated.
"Good…. If I may? I wish to ask you some questions. I do not wish a fight; I would rather we speak." Barquiel stated. "Is that satisfactory with you?" Barquiel asked.
"Forgive us if we don't trust you." One with two optical lenses stated.
"I do not blame you… We did not give much warning we would arrive to not alert the enemy. I can assure you I wish no harm upon you or your group." Barquiel added.
It sounded less like attempting to reassure them when it came down to it and more like a child trying to coax a dog into not biting them. He had been so damn silent before he sighed and finally knew it might be better if they tried their best not to do much.
He finally decided and grasped his helm and with a hiss, pulled it slowly from his head, revealing his pale skin and fangs which were common with the Blood Angels.
"We are as human as you all…. We were sent here to liberate this planet…. And then encountered the Banished, we killed them if you wish to believe we are with them." Another Blood Angel stated.
"Yes, we have. We have torn them apart…. I have been trying to look for human survivors to evacuate." Barquiel stated.
"You don't look like any soldiers I know." The visor soldier stated.
"And your version of power armor reminds me of something from the dark age…. I will assume you are not familiar with the Imperium of Man?" Barquiel stated.
"No." The green one stated. "Is that the group that dispatched the fleet in orbit or the human soldiers we noticed?" They asked.
"Correct. There will be further reinforcements…. If there is any more of these 'Banished'? We will scour them from this planet…" Barquiel stated.
"We need to talk to your commander." The visored one stated.
"Will the Chapter Master even spare them a minute?" He heard.
"He will," Barquiel stated. "Very well. I do have questions but I shall hold them… I assume the large battalion of Banished corpses at your feet suggests you too are both human and against these soldiers?" Barquiel asked which garnered a nod.
"Follow us. We will take you to our camp, however. I request you do not draw weapons. We were dispatched to liberate this planet and that means of all possible threats, we have slain many foes. I do not wish you to be slain as well if it can be helped." Barquiel stated before he sighed.
He had been able to think of it well enough. They had other questions to deal with for now as he paused once more.
He had been able to try and figure out that there were more of these human soldiers. He was tired, confused…. But he held onto something in his heart and his soul, wishing the answers to come to him.
However? He would have to wait; he would have to pray to his father the answers would come and would make a home here… Otherwise? He did not even know what would become of his attempts to calm things down.
Yes, it would end eventually and end sooner or later. All he could do was prepare for a good reason where he could fight once more at the end of it all now and such.
If it was wrong? Well, they needed to be correct in the best way possible and all of it seemed to be something nicer and nicer than it was now, something which had been too realistic.
To be fair? There was silence in the air otherwise, he needed answers.
The group walked behind him and he kept whatever reservations he had about them bottled up. They were humans and soldiers; the machine spirit issues aside? He would treat them as soldiers until stated otherwise.
"Chapter Master?" Barquiel asked, taking a knee. "I have found these warriors…. Among dozens of slain Banished. They seem capable and yet are some of the only survivors I have noticed." Barquiel stated.
He looked at them, knowing that Dante might have more questions than he did. He knew there was nothing there and nothing to be done then.
The Chapter Master walked past them. He glanced at them, taking in their features while surrounded.
Barquiel looked at them, even with his helm. Everyone could feel his interest, his fear. His interest in them, his fear he had failed the emperor, failed the people he had sworn to protect.
It was a lot more than the interest he held as the Chapter Master spoke.
"They are not Imperial… But they are not enemies." Dante stated. "As Barquiel has stated? We are here for humanity… These banished? You know of them, yes? They are enemies of humanity?" Dante asked.
"Yes." The visored one stated.
"Then they are enemies of the Blood Angels," Dante stated. "We have questions, I will not force you to answer. However? we have questions as you have, I do not expect an answer for each one but I do expect an answer for each question we ask. If you answer? I will answer." Dante stated.
"Why else are you here?" The visored one asked.
"Our emperor sent us to liberate this planet and secure it. We have heard reports of enemy forces attempting to claim it… The emperor demanded we protect it." Dante stated.
"What of you? You were sent here to secure this planet as well, no? you are outfitted as soldiers and you look at me, not as a warrior of countless battles but as a simple threat. I assume you have come from another faction of humanity?" Dante asked.
No answer came but he did not need one. He could see it written on how they acted that someone had sent them, something had sent them here and it had not told them of the Blood Angels.
This was fine, it arranged transport for a more secure meeting.
"Second question," Dante stated.
"What are Blood Angels?" The 2 lensed soldier asked.
"Astartes. Elite super soldiers bred for combat, the will of the Imperium… We are one legion and we excel at war as any of our groups do." Dante stated before he sighed and looked to the side once more.
Yes, he knew of what they wished for and needed for he needed something like exist at the end of this moment and all of it seemed to be done and dusted.
He was too interested in what was going to be dealt with for now. He was all too eager to see what was going on before he clicked his fingers.
The Spartans all seemed to share looks at each other before he seemed to be done and dusted before long.
All that needed to be done was pushing it over the threshold. It was clear even on the shortest level that they were unclear if these Astartes were friends or foes.
Barquiel was too fascinated by it all as he paused to turn towards them.
"If you are not enemies and you are not Xenos? Perhaps we could work out an alliance. None of us wish any harm upon humanity and none of us came here with the intent to destroy unless you count the Banished." Barquiel stated before he sighed.
He could not tell how they felt but he was too committed to what was going on when it was all said and done. He glanced to the side, looking at his friends as he crossed his arms and then smirked once more.
He crossed his arms and then looked at them before another few explosions caused them to turn to look at them. All the Blood Angels raised their weapons for a battle.
"Well, it seems that we are going to see what the Banished are capable of," Barquiel stated before he lifted his bolter and chain sword.
They prepared for a battle, knowing that more Banished were coming to the battle. They had yet to sweep the board clear and he felt anger ebb over his very being.
The quartet of soldiers all took battle positions as well…. So? It seemed they were going to fight sooner or later.
He clicked his weapons and then prepared for battle, he spun his weapons in his hands and then thought of what the Banished could have properly deployed in such a large time.
It seemed though that most of them set up defensive positions, all of them lined up and aimed their weapons at the Spartans and the Astartes.
Barquiel revved the engines of his weapons and wished for battle with the enemies now. He was too clearly set on battle when it came crashing down, he wished to try and fight through it.
Barquiel was eager to try and figure it out when it was all said and done. He simply readied himself for battle otherwise.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the change in Covenant to Banished is to not overuse an enemy…. And because it matches more the story. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and show more of the Blood Angels and Blue Team vs the Banished. Until the 900–6500-word chapter, Lighting Wolf out!