Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Iron Cross. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer or Halo, Gameshop and 343 do.
(Imperial Capital, January 15th, 2532.)
Halius hummed at the time being, something about it all had been able to think of.
He hummed and then looked to the ground, marble stone under his boots… And Linda to his left, watching as a pelican dropship began its final descent.
"No defenses?" Linda asked to which Halius hummed.
"If we wanted a warship destroyed? It would be… Only a madman would invade our homeworld, Linda… I assume that is the Master Chief and your team?" Halius asked before Linda nodded, looking to the side.
Halius seemed quiet, almost thoughtful for a second as he pondered what this galaxy held for Terra. Earth was… Odd for him, he had not set foot on Earth, only set eyes upon recordings.
The planet eluded the rest of his mind. He was all too curious as to what it would have been like when it came down for the time being. Halius turned to Linda and then motioned towards the pelican.
He was all too interested in it all for now… Something about it all had been odder and odder.
'This war is going to be much odder and odder… The plans that we have set in motion? They must be done or we will not survive the war to begin with.' Halius thought mentally as he sighed.
Something within him alerted him that the others were also busy. He turned to see Igaros approaching with several chapter serfs, making him turn.
"My lord… The captain requests you." One of the serfs stated as Halius nodded.
"I shall meet with him, thank you," Halius stated, greeting them with the Ultramar greeting. "It seems this ends as all things do… Spartan, I will return soon." Halius stated before walking with them.
"Glad you cleared your head a bit," Igaros stated to which Halius huffed in annoyance.
"I am FINE, Igaros," Halius stated to himself before he looked over to the side. "I simply do not want to rest until we have destroyed the Covenant and driven back the Orks. It is selfish to put ourselves before the rest." Halius added, shaking his head as if there was a bug within his helm.
"She is a friend… And she can tell you are letting the war get to you." Igaros stated before he sighed and then thought of it all as they relaxed.
Halius hummed, something that he could have to deal with for now… Something that they had to relax once more.
Halius hummed to himself before he cracked his fingers and then sighed once more. Linda hummed and then cracked her fingers as well before she walked towards the pelican which was slowly landing on the ground.
The thrusters on her armor flared a bit before she looked downwards. Linda seemed to be eager and eager to go and relax.
She looked over at Halius, the Ultramarine seemed to look upwards at the sky which had been filled with dozens and dozens of ships… They were tired, exhausted…. They would beat down the Covenant, they would need to fight better than now.
Halius hummed to himself as he walked forward… They had a lot more to deal with and it was bugging them both back and forth as they drilled themselves more and more with each little motive.
Halius shook his head, looking at the small little retinue that had managed to surround him to begin with. Halius seemed to be thinking of it all as he shook his head.
Halius sighed to himself, taking a deep breath as the Ultramarine seemed to be eager to think of it all before now, something which had been harder and harder to think of.
Something on her mind…. Something within them all had been harder and harder to deal with for now.
Halius walked with the crowd, the heavy boots of his armor leaving imprints in the ground, something that he could not have been harder and harder with it all.
Halius sighed being too tired as he clicked his fingers, his armor clanking once more… They had a LOT more to understand.
Igaros looked at him before he sighed to himself…. Thinking once more, an idea which had been slowly building in his mind.
"Are you sure you are secure?" Igaros stated before he looked to the side.
"I am fine, Igaros… Are you relaxed? It feels odd here in this world." Halius stated which made him relax. "The covenant will strike here soon… I do not at all know what will happen next." Halius said with annoyance.
Igaros said nothing, his helm reflecting silence… Something about it all had been harder and harder to think of it all. He knew that his friend was caring a lot more about Linda than he let on now.
Halius seemed to be all too interested in it all before now… He had no idea as to what was growing on his mind.
They had a lot more to try and figure it out now and for good reason. Halius hummed to himself before he thought of it all as he relaxed for now… Something that he could have dealt with for now.
Halius seemed to be tiresome with each second, an idea to try and figure it out. Halius seemed to be tired and for a good reason, Igaros would bring no attention to the issue, letting his friend relax.
They had a lot more to try and figure out as of now. Halius refused to admit this for a myriad of reasons, ones which would have crumbled into the dust now if he had known it.
The vapid hordes of demons seemed more of a comfort to a battle-seeking warrior like him. Halius asked for battle, a battle that had been consumed entirely by it all, all of which was something he was focusing on now.
He had been too interested in it all now… Something which would shake them to the core… Not that it was not at all something Halius looked forward to.
Halius thrived on the conflict… The battles to come were something that the Astartes were bred to fight.
"Admit it… You have come to care about the Spartans. You care for her, I can see it in your stance, how you move, brother." Halius heard as he sighed to himself.
Halius seemed to be tiresome as he shook his head out for now. They would fight and relax in equal measure… Halius paused to himself as he looked towards Igaros, his gaze tempered by the slight exhaustion.
"And? We are soldiers. We have served together, am I not allowed to make friends in the UNSC? We march towards the same goal." Halius stated before he sighed.
"I worry about you, Halius. You try to carry the entire imperium on your back… Not even the lord Primarch would do so alone." Igaros stated as he looked over towards the friends.
Something about it all had been too tiring now. They were exhausted and it showed in how Halius seemed to trudge forward. They had been too exhausted with each little measure of exhaustion that had beaten them into the ground.
"I worry you are not accepting that it is not your fault whenever we lose a battle, not your fault when we have something else to attend to." Halius heard as he huffed.
"Then who is it? We have lost brothers, soldiers… We have been able to relax. I am Astartes, I have a duty, Igaros… Each choice I make hurts someone because I must carry the second company on my spine as does Captain Titus and the others." Halius stated before he sighed.
Halius was all too exhausted with it all as if he had been dragged through the mud. It was clear the Lieutenant was reaching a breaking point and if he was asked any more of himself? He might scream.
Halius was beaten down and he refused to care. He refused to act as if he had been beaten even a bit and needed to relax.
Something about they had been too disturbed at the end of the day being… Something which they had been harder for now.
Halius hummed to himself, too disturbed at the end of the day with each little desire to push onwards.
Believing he had made his point? Igaros turned his attention towards another issue.
"The Salamanders have been busy fighting since they arrived… I have heard reports the Orks have lost 3 bases in the last few weeks." Halius heard as he hummed.
"Fire has done wonders to burn the Orks away… Our scouts located half a dozen battlecruisers destroyed. The Orks do not know how to properly strike at us." Igaros stated to which there was silence in his tone… Something within him had to be dealt with for now.
He had been too disturbed on the mind…. And something would come to a head sooner or later.
"Stop, stop!" They heard as he turned to the side, blinking.
There was a child, no older than 12 or so running like a blur towards them with several of the local citizens and a pair of Ultramar Auxilia chasing them.
One of the soldiers raised their weapons at him before a hand reached out and grasped the boy's arm. Linda and the others turned at this, interested in the commotion.
Halius held the child by one arm, easily capable of removing their limb with one tug… There was no force, only clasping their limb gently but keeping them held.
"What did this child do?" Halius asked, leveling a gaze at the pair of soldiers who backed down seeing a son of Guilliman confront them.
"He stole from the store, supplies we needed! Filthy traitor!" The man sneered, obviously uncaring about who the Ultramarine was.
"My sister needs this food! You would not allow….!" Halius heard as he hummed.
"You should be executed! Filthy traitor!" The man yelled before Halius glared at him.
"Leave," Halius ordered, his tone that of a soldier.
"What? But my lord….!" The man said before Halius glared at them.
"Leave. Now." Halius hissed before the man backed away, obviously not willing to take on a pair of Ultramarines clad in full armor. "Why did you steal food? You know our laws." Halius stated before looking at them.
"My sister is sick, my lord. She needs medicine." Halius heard before he looked to the side.
"And you have not asked for supplies?" Halius asked himself more than the child.
"They argue with Lord Guilliman, my lord." The child stated before Halius sighed.
Igaros watched as the Ultramarine Lieutenant seemed to lean down, kneeling in a manner that made the hulking soldier seem less like a warrior and more like a wall.
Halius looked the child in the eye before clasping his helm with his other hand and lifting it.
"Take the food, leave the medicine… Ask the other lord and they will give you some supplies. If you steal again? I will not be allowed to be as nice… Understood?" Halius asked as he tilted his head before the boy nodded. "Go," Halius stated before he slowly started to stand up.
Halius hummed as the child ran away before he looked to the side… Something which he had been too interested in as he blinked to himself.
Halius put his helm on his head once more before he sighed to himself as he clicked his tongue.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! A few things.
But Warhammer has! I know I know how Warhammer handles crimes. I also know Ultramar and its realm have issues with the Primarch.
I wrote that last part to show how Halius puts others before himself and while he is a ruthless soldier that does not extend to civilians.
I plan to introduce the Banished soon.
The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show more of Halius and Igaros speaking with Titus, setting up the next phase of the war, and setting up the Banished. Until the 900–6500-word chapter? Lighting Wolf out!