RWBY 40k fanfiction – Salem, mistress of Inquisition.

Ep 23: The Compliance of the Araaki spiral.

856.M30.

A grand coalition of the Iron Warriors, Imperial Fists, Dark Angels, and the Fifth Legion has formed for the Araaki Spiral Compliance.

Araaki is known to be a civilization for building very elaborate fortresses. Their fortresses were dug deep around narrow passes, remote peaks and natural barriers in the landscape.

The Iron Warriors were sent to besiege this turbulent planet.

The campaign led by Perturabo is very difficult because of the tenacity of their opponent.

A siege that would take several solar years and from which the IVth Legion suffered.

The brothers were talking among themselves.

Lion El'Jonson: "I will take the capital by the walls."

Fifth Legion Company Master: "We'll come up from the top."

Perturabo: "I would tackle the gates."

Rogal Dorn: "I don't think so Perturabo. Your Legion has suffered heavy losses. You should strike straight to the heart. Leave the gates to me."

Perturabo (coldly): "I know this planet better than you. I'll go through the doors. You can go through the sky if you want."

Rogal Dorn: "Don't blame me if you lose your Legion."

Everyone separates but Lion was confused, seeing the mutual contempt between Rogal Dorn and Perturabo.

He walked over to Sayla.

Lion El'Jonson: "Why are they so cold to each other?"

Sayla: "Perturabo took criticism from Rogal Dorn very badly during Schravaan's campaign. Since then, Perturabo despises Rogal as he criticizes him non-stop while Rogal Dorn considers Perturabo too proud and too arrogant."

Lion El'Jonson: "Too proud and arrogant? You're talking about someone else because Perturabo isn't like that."

Sayla: "I'm telling you the facts. Nothing more. Nothing less."

The great fleet set off with the Phalanx towards the great planet.

It was a mountainous planet with in places plains for crops.

On these mountains stood huge cities carved into the rock and reinforced by multiple guns and other turrets.

The planet for almost three years resisted and launched counter-attacks against the IVth Legion.

Thus, the seat of the planet was not stable. The 4th Legion was struggling to catch up with enemy ships leaving the planet to seek supplies. But it was going to be different with three more Legions.

The company of the 5th Legion fell from the sky and struck directly inside the cities, followed by the Imperials Fists.

The Dark Angels when to them arrived on the ground and charged on the walls.

Perturabo at this moment arrived in front of one of the cities.

He didn't show it, but his frustration was there.

Faced with a situation that was turning to his disadvantage, the Primarch had no choice but to ask his brothers for help.

Perturabo felt insulted by Rogal Dorn and could hear things in his head such as:

"You are truly shameful as a Primarch." or: "Your courage is no excuse for destroying human planets."

Perturabo had tried everything. Scorched earth, destruction of religious temples, sabotage and the rest. But nothing helped, the Araakians had a resistance worthy of a Space Marine fighting with a simple sword against a group of Orks.

Perturabo came out of his thoughts and went to his sons, few in number compared to the other Legions.

Iron Warrior: "What are we going to do father?"

Perturabo: "Concentrate your forces on the city gate. I want nothing left of it."

Iron Warrior: "Good, father."

This company of the 4th Legion launched with Perturabo at their head towards the gigantic gate of the city.

Some Iron Warriors with their heavy weapons broke down the door while others used their magic to weaken it and melt it.

But this Adamantium door was very solid against very aggressive magic and plasma weapons as well as other bolt cannons.

Perturabo seeing that this operation is falling behind ends up losing patience.

Perturabo: "Leave it to me."

He prepared a large ball of blue-colored energy like a star.

Then, he threw her towards the door but as she walked towards the door, he turned his hand away.

The ball of energy twisted into a very sharp, thin cone.

The ball ends up impacting the door but instead of exploding everywhere, the explosion crosses the door from side to side, digging a hole for a single human.

The Iron Warriors were surprised but decided to apply the same method and soon the defense door was pierced everywhere. The Space Marines rushed into the city and slaughtered everything that moved.

The Dark Angels saw that the situation turned to their advantage seeing that the forces arranged on the walls were taken aback by the Iron Warriors.

Thus, the Dark Angels cross the ramparts.

Perturabo as he entered the center of the city. The chaos and panic was gradually replaced by terror and immobility.

Perturabo arrived in the center of town and saw Lion El'Jonson finishing subjugating the ruler of the town.

Lion El'Jonson: "There you are, Perturabo."

Perturabo: "What are you doing?"

Lion El'Jonson: "I pacify this planet."

Perturabo: "Without decimation? They will revolt."

Lion El'Jonson: "Calm down Perturabo. Your way of conquering is not the only legitimate one. Take example from Horus and Roboute."

Perturabo remains silent but internally screams. His victory was taken by his brother, reinforcing his humiliation.

He decided to leave without looking back.

In the next few days, the Legions took the cities of Araaki one after another.

There was only one free city left and the four legions moved towards it.

Perturabo without waiting for his brothers rushed towards one of the doors despite the firing of bolters and laser rifles before breaking through the main door.

He had every intention of showing his brothers that Araaki will be His conquest and no one else.

As usual, he showed no mercy to his enemies, soldiers or civilians alike. He coldly killed those who came to him and paid no regard to grieving women, traumatized children and desperate men.

In the hours that followed, the city was subdued and a dead silence reigned in the city.

Perturabo had just executed the leader of the city and all his family whether fathers, grandfathers, uncles, nephews, sons and the same fate for women. Their lifeless corpses lay on the ground, in mud and blood.

The Primarch of Olympia was joined by his brothers. Rogal Dorn with a look of disapproval while Lion El'Jonson was nervous.

Perturabo: "What?"

Rogal Dorn: "You didn't have to kill them."

Perturabo: "I avoid any future revolt. You will be grateful in 100 years."

Rogal Dorn: "It is sure because this city is in ruins with your actions. Its inhabitants are decimated and you have produced a generation of neurotics. They will take 100 years to recover and then they will hate you forever."

Perturabo: "If they revolt. I will crush them again. Above all, I intend to make Araaki a decent planet."

Rogal Dorn frowned and Lion El'Jonson sighed as Perturabo left.

Araaki after the conquest began intense reconstruction work, performed by a Perturabo, who like many human worlds before, was rebuilding on the ruins of ancient cities, sumptuous works whose art reached heights of refinement.

But Perturabo to his surprise and anger. He saw that his brothers had erected poems and other architecture in honor of the Legions of Astartes but that the Iron Warriors did not appear there while the other 19 Legions (even the most despised like the Warhounds) were present.

But then Perturabo would once again argue with his brothers for this affront. He then saw something that made him even more angry.

It was an Imperial artist who had painted an Iron Warrior Apothecary removing a gene-seed with his technology and magic from a dying Astartes as a flag belonging to the Imperials Fists fluttered over a fortress in the distance. Such humiliation that he couldn't pass up.

Perturabo approached the artist.

Perturabo: "This painting, I would like to take it."

The Artist was surprised to see the Primarch of the Iron Warriors ask him that.

Artist: "Ah? Are you sure?"

Perturabo: "Yes, take it to better throw it on the fire!"

The Artist blanched at the outrage of the Fourth Primarch.

Perturabo: "Listen to me, if you hadn't decided to show my sons like other Space Marines in an honorable way... Then they shouldn't be part of it for the first place!"

He used his magic and burned the paint before leaving.

Rogal Dorn spotted the scene from afar and approached the artist as the paint was smoldering.

Rogal Dorn: "You know...I can pay you to do your work. It was well done."

Artist: "No thank you... It will be fine..."

Rogal Dorn cast his dazzling gaze on Perturabo, who walked away with a cold and angry step.

The fleets went their separate ways.

In the Iron Blood, the flagship of the Iron Warriors.

Perturabo had not digested this humiliation and the feeling of injustice growing in him.

Perturabo: "What the hell am I in for being so despised? What did I do wrong to be so humiliated? I don't understand and it makes me want to tear my skin off!"

Few weeks later...

Perturabo was in front of his mother Salem.

Perturabo: "I shouldn't have been so virulent towards Rogal Dorn in the Schravaan campaign. I apologize flatly and I swear that I will discuss with Rogal Dorn on this subject."

Salem looked at his son with a neutral air then after a silence.

Salem (Sternly): "I hope you will. Because I'm still disappointed with your behavior. And it's not by coming to beg me that you will regain my favors. You have a family to respect and if you manage to respect them then your brothers will give you the honor that you deserve. Your honor is determined by the values that you inspire and that you think. Also, I wish that you are more lenient towards the human populations. They are part of our race and have to treat them with benevolence and order. Not by half destroying their planet and building cities on an image that you impose on inhabitants who will surely not want them."

Perturabo: "Really?"

Salem: "You don't realize it. But you firmly believe that you and you alone are right. That the others are wrong that they are fools for believing it. The real fool is you for having this belief. Perturabo, I have no doubt in your capacity as a military strategist and your artistic soul. I even think that you are one of the best with Roboute, Rogal Dorn and Kira. The fact that you want to create sumptuous cities is very good thing for settlers. But and that's what I want from you: it's not because you have these qualities that it makes you perfect and right in everything."

Perturabo: "Perfection? I'm not as naive as Fulgrim."

Salem: "For Fulgrim, it's different. He thinks that perfection is being an eloquent human being and a master in his field. But he knows that to get there, he must make a permanent effort to get there and therefore questioning. You assume that you already have everything you need to achieve your goals and believe that it is the only thing to do. No, you are wrong, Perturabo. You're wrong. Besides, you just showed me your arrogance again."

Perturabo (confused): "So in that case. Why didn't anyone tell me before?"

Salem: "Rogal Dorn told you, Horus told you, Fulgrim told you and other of your brothers told you too. But you refuse to listen to them because according to you they are too dumb to understand. Also, I feel like saying that the Olympians, including Calliphone, held you in too high a regard. Since no one questioned you, you naively thought you were perfect. It's like I'm spoiling you to the limit and giving in to your every whim. But no, I'm not and it never will be. I've been sulking you since Schravaan to show you that you're nothing if there's no one to applaud you. Look at Mortarion, he is certainly sullen. But he is far from arrogant. If you had been in the same situation as him, you would never have been so arrogant and self-absorbed."

Perturabo was no longer speaking. He was reluctant to say it but his mother's words are glaringly true.

Salem: "I hope from now on you will understand that nothing revolves around you. There is everything else in the universe. Also, I remind you that if your father finds you too dangerous and too arrogant. He will suspend you. Watch your inclinations, Perturabo. Watch them well because otherwise you will be alone, sad and angry. Now I have to go visit Magnus. Goodbye and be well."

She left the room, leaving Perturabo lost in thought.

He didn't know what to think anymore and doubted.

Part of him was telling him not to listen to Salem's warnings, but another was telling him it was the truth.

Perturabo: "There's only one way to find out...Towards a new Crusade."

He would try to apply his mother's advice to the letter and to see if the population he conquered would be grateful to him or at least, would despise him very little.

To be continued... Lorgar Aurelian.

Young Lorgar Aurelian begins his pilgrimage to Colchis to find the deity he wishes to worship one day. He could see in his dreams a tall black haired man with a golden circle and a golden haired woman.