Chapter Sixteen
…
Let us sing then and let us sing together,
Of golden palaces and forests of winter gossamer.
Where weapons crack amid powers of Lightning and Thunder,
The Emperor of Mankind and the Hands of the World's Potter,"
-Snape Snivellus Severus, Royal Minstrel, Great Crusade
…..
Sector Unknown, Near the End of the Great Crusade
"Are you sure that this is the path you choose Anduin? Your father would not forgive you for this. He has expectations for you and your brothers, all of you. I am afraid that even I would not be assuage his wrath once he finds out that you and the entirety of your Legion deserts," says Morgana worriedly as she holds the hands of her son, the Primarch Anduin of the Alliance.
"This is the only way mother. Besides you know that father would never allow our research to continue. Our ability to find and manipulate Light in its purest form is a new and profound skill that is highly unexplored territory. You have seen how my brothers who are able to use Warpcraft are shunned. There are no place for Psykers at the Imperium that father is building. We will have no place there, I will have no place there," he sighs sadly, his chocolate brown eyes begging her to understand.
"Your place is with me, you are my son. I-I can keep you safe. I can keep this skill of yours secret. You don't have to leave Anduin," says Morgana pleadingly. Yet despite her words, she knows it is hollow. With John, there is little that can be kept secret. The Emperor's skill on sniffing Warpcraft usage from his sons is legendary and she knows that he would not approve. Even he after all never practiced using the Light as Anduin calls it. He would never allow it despite its uses.
"Mother, we already talked about this. Despite the Light being a defensive form of psychic manipulation that leans more on healing and corruption reducing, Father would not allow it. Especially with my knowledge of the entities that dwell beyond the Warp. This is the only way, I must leave and take my sons with me to keep them safe,"
"You should never have gone to that damned Aeldari Library," sniffs Morgana grouchingly with a little heat in her words. "What did I tell you always?"
"That my damned curiosity would get the best of me one day?" chuckles Anduin before clapping his larger hands around his mother's. "Fear not mother. I would be alright, besides my sons are with me and they will keep my sorry hide safe from trouble in the unknown,"
"Alright, alright, I understand your point Anduin. I just…..I will miss you my boy, so will your brothers, Especially Horus and Sanguinis. They will not understand why you left and I can't tell them about it,"
"I will miss you too mother and my brothers. I will miss the fun we have every year when we all get together. Do not cry mother for I am not walking to death but to life. Either way I will still protect humanity as best as I can wherever I go. That is what I will do no matter what father may label me as such,"
"Okay,okay," Morgana takes a deep breathe before letting go of his hands and watching him board the Stormwind, his battleship with the rest of his sons. Behind them the rest of the Eleventh Legion's fleet follows. Morgana just let her tears fall as her son stands at the ramp raising his hand above his head.
"WE STAND AS ONE!"
"FOR THE ALLIANCE!" responds the Eleventh Legion altogether as their progenitor leads them to the unknown.
It would be ten thousand years of wandering before Morgana and her son be laying eyes again with one another.
…..
Brief History of the Eleventh Legion
The Eleventh legion, little can be said about the Eleventh or the Alliance as it once was called during the time of the Great Crusade. Anduin, Lion Tamer is its Primarch. Crash landing on the planet of Azerite, the son of the Emperor is found by a farmer and adopted as his son.
Azerite suffices it to say is found in the far outskirts of the Titan System. Once it had been the experimental ground of the Human Federation as it tried to experiment on gene tweaking and body modifications. The entire planet was colonized for the sake of the experiments that would emerge from it. In the Federations Golden Years, the planet played host to billions of Cosplayers with permanent body modifications, from beautiful Elves to Dwarves, to many other alien looking creatures and things as the might of the Robot Legions keep the Federation safe. When the Iron Men revolted and the Federation was gutted from within, the System like everywhere else was caught with its pants down. The Metal legions of the rebellious AI turned every piece of technology to scrap and massacring the billions of civilians and scientists that still dwell on the planet. Satisfied that the remaining survivors would not be able to survive, the Iron Men left with their ships stranding those who remained with little to no knowledge how to operate the great machines left by the Federation. To add insult to injury, the Iron Men directed a Rokit, full of Orks on the planet to finish off the last survivors.
What the Iron Men however failed in their many calculations was mankind's sheer will and determination to survive. From the ruins of the Old World, new empires emerged using the archaic forms of man to fight and live. The Coastal Knightly cities of Brettonia, the Powerful ever expanding Empire of Man, the Bright Cities of the Elves of Ulthuan, the Massive tunnels of Ironforge and Khazad-Dum of the Dwarves, all emerged turning disaster to a new light, all in the name of survival. It was needed after all. When the Warp Storms emerged from the Birth of Slaanesh, one awfully close appeared near the planet making regular planetfall of daemons on its surface. Also the Orks were a routine problem for its inhabitants as the Greenskins continually appear on the Wilds waging a massive Waaggh on the cities of the planet.
Anduin was raised in this world in one of the Coastal Cities of Bretonia as a farmer.
Ironically his road to greatness started when he was seventeen years old and quite big, growing fast like all Primarchs towering over everybody. Fair, gentle, kind and humble as he was raised by his foster father, he was the epitome of gentleman with three sisters and one younger brother. Yet like all fated by greatness however, such happiness do not last. The local Ork Warboss, Bon Muncha starts a Waagggh and invaded the Western Part of the Bretonia just a few months after the kingdom resisted another daemonic landfall from the sky. The kingdoms unprepared for the new threat are overrun at every corner with nations fighting for themselves in order to stop the Ork tide. Of course as per Ork Biology, the more Bon Muncha wins, the more Orks gather to his cause causing the green tide to be a tumultuous horde that is rampaging everywhere at all fronts. Anduin like all the local peasants had been conscripted for the army to made one last stand before the Orks arrive at the capital.
Long story short, the entire conscripted army was massacred by the Greenskrins with contemptuous ease. Within an hour, the fight became a rout as everyone fled for their lives. All except one.
Anduin stood his ground, taller than everyone else roaring his battle cry as he wielded the massive greatsword of the fallen general of the army, picked from his corpse. He stood alone against the horde, a one man army bashing skulls, bones and flesh, as he repelled the army from entering the narrow passage to the capital. No Ork can stand against him as he roared again and again his battle cry. The peasant conscripts taking heart joined the fight, the soldiers ashamed of their cowardice rallied and joined him, what few knights remained stood by the Primarch. His small ragtag group of survivors fighting against thousands strong fought back throwing assault upon assault till the dead piled up.
When the Knights of Bretonia from the Capital arrived later, all they would see were Anduin with ten survivors remaining standing in the corpses of thousands. He would be highlighted from a peasant nobody to one of the most esteemed of the realm in a day, the king Angrenost giving him the Title of the Roaring Lion as a Paladin of Bretonia. Anduin would then lead several major campaigns against the Orks uniting the broken empires of the Elves, Dwarves and the Empire of Man into one solid force, the Alliance. He pitted them against the Horde of Bon Muncha in a single decisive battle where he himself fought against the gargantum Ork who disemboweled the Kings of Bretonia and the Empire of Man along with their guards and knights. Anduin would win, his demigod blood giving him the necessary strength, crushing the Horde once and for all with the death of the Warboss.
When the Emperor founded him, Anduin was in the process of uniting the great kingdoms of Bretonia and the Empire into one. Sufficed it to say that the meeting was a bit of a standoff. While indeed glad of finally meeting his real father, Anduin was peeved with his opinion about the other races of Azerite labeling them as abhumans. When the Emperor demanded their surrender, of course they refused. It might had been a massacre if not for the Empress' objection to his father. Instead of swearing their fealty to the Emperor, they would swear their fealty to her, the Empress. The Elves were an easy sell. Morgana as Helaena was known that time was the most beautiful of all women and they were of the opinion she was one of their goddesses. Both Anduin and the Emperor did not see it fit to object for the alternative would be genocide. The Dwarves on the other hand were more practical and practically salivate on the promise of new technology. Such was their greed that they even converted to the Mechanicus religion and didn't even protest when they were labeled as Stunted Ones. Anduin on the other hand was given lordship of Azerite and taken to Terra to be educated for the Great Crusade and to meet with his brothers.
For centuries Anduin would lead the Eleventh Legion to great victories in the name of the Imperium of Man. Out of all his brothers he was gentle like his brother Sanguinis whom he loved. Unlike the angel though he had no fits of rage. He also had powers in the Warp though not as talented as his brother, Magnus or Lorgar. Instead he had the ability to heal, not only himself but also other people. Such latent power was present also not only on him but also on all of his sons. When Anduin would later discover that the power is Warp based, courtesy of some lost books from the Black Library he would make the final decision on abandoning the Great Crusade with his legion saying farewell only to his mother before eloping with his sons. The power they had were too useful and something that the Emperor would never allow. Anduin was also tired of the Crusade, not really seeing and feeling the glory that his brothers see in their victories. He's a protector not a conqueror and every world that he subdued grated his soul. Thus another thing that influenced his decision. The Emperor of course expunged all mention of them from every record from history making them almost non-existent.
Yet they skirted the edges of the Imperium, a mighty legion of healers and warriors fighting the good fight until the time they were needed again.
….
Two Years Since the Defeat of Lorgar, Location Unknown
"Are you ready for this?" Helaena asks the mutated bird-like figure of Corvus Corax who is standing at the middle of the altar naked, his entire body covered in fluffy feathers coloured black.
"No, but I trust you mother," answers the Primarch with a nervous voice making Helaena give him a confident smile. Corax is right to be nervous. What they are about to do is dangerous at best and disastrous at worst. Yet it is something that Corax must go through if he plans to rejoin society as a human being and not some monstrosity hybrid that he is right now.
"Don't worry my son. This will hurt like nothing you have ever felt but it will not kill you. I will try to dampen the pain as much as possible so please, whatever you do, don't leave the altar okay?"
"Yes mother," he nods before smiling nervously. "I-I will do my best. More than anything I want to return to my sons and to see my brothers again,"
"Good boy," Helaena smiles at him before turning her attention to Yvraine and Eldrad who is standing at the semi-circle of Farseers flanked by Custodes and Sisters of Silence.
"Are we ready?" she asks the elder Farseer who nods silently. "Then let us begin,"
Helaena breathes out as she stands at the middle of the empty arena with the Farseers immediately encircling her and the form of Corax bound at the table. She has specifically chosen this planet in an abandoned sector due to the large amount of ley lines it has. With what she's about to do, she needs as much magic as she can get and that means a rather large battery to form a conduit with. The problem is such magnification of power tends to attract the attention of the manevolent beings of the Warp. She is not their most favorite person right now due to her taking out of their champions and more than once she found their gaze being pointed at her. Usually when that happens, that means Chaos invasions and incursions on whatever planet near her or where she is at not long after which is bloody to say the least. It is irritating and time consuming, delaying her mostly and annoying the hell out of her. Thus she is here where life is barren but with a planet saturated with energy.
As for why she is here, it is simple. It is time to heal Corax of his feathery little problem and bring him back to his legion. It has taken Helaena this long since she has to bring back some of the instruments she has stashed on Terra here today to deal with Warp fuckery. Normally that would take months not two years, but the demands of Imperium Nihilus is great and Corax, the bleeding heart that he is decides to make a pit stop here and there allieviating a world being invaded, killing off marauding aliens, specially Orks, aiding a dying Chapter being besieged by Chaos, and other problems such as that. This caused to massive delays on their return making the travel an entire year. However there is one boon that this delays provided, Helaena finally managed to get in contact with the Asuryani Aeldari through Yvraine for a deal that at least prevents them from being an added trouble to the already broken Imperium.
The prophetess of Death thankfully has a good head on her shoulders and connected her with Eldrad of Ulthwe, one of the most powerful Psykers there is and quite pragmatic compared to his other counterparts. Through him, Helaena at least has been able to come to at least an understanding to many Craftwords reducing the troubles that the Imperium faces. It is not foolproof since the Craftworlds are not united under a single leadership but many a world would be saved and be put to better use than being invaded by an Aeldari warhost. That doesn't stop them from calling her other companions Mon-Keigh however. Not her however, nope. She is damned too beautiful for them to start associating her with that word.
The reason why Eldrad is here however right now is a gesture of goodwill in his part. Though Helaena rather believes that it is because he and his council of seers of Ulthwe wants to see how to siphon Warp flesh mutation out of a cursed being. Apparently the Asuryani doesn't have that skill yet. Imagine that.
There is a good reason of course. Normally there is no way for a flesh tainted by the Warp to return to its previous form. However with a little of her magic and a little help from the wonders of the archaic skill of humanity during its golden age it can be done. If it is any person, it would be impossible, yet Corax is a Primarch and his body would be able to take the damage and not go into shock from pain.
"Dominix Sancti, illuminati," whispers Helaena, her eyes immediately glowing golden and a pair of fiery wings appear at her back. Immediately the entire arena is filled with her presence and the Seers begins chanting as they guide the Ley Lines of the World to the Empress fueling her magic, using her as a conduit of power.
Helaena snaps her fingers and immediately golden chains wrap around Corax making the bird man howl as his entire body sizzles where the chains touch it, the warp mutation burning badly against the anathema power of the Empress. He stares however in no small amount of fear as his mother approaches him still with golden eyes raising both hands now wearing gauntlets of bronze which seems to be shimmering with power and vibrating hard.
"Let us begin," Helaena's voice is three dimensional as she grabs the extended the beak mouth of Corax and with one twist, breaks it apart, removing it from his body, fire eviscerating the bloody remains.
The screams of Corax can be heard all over again and again for at least a day before it goes silent and the smell of burning flesh and feather finally stops.
…..
Julius Nebula, The Citadel, the Forward Operations Base at Imperium Nihilus
The Citadel is the brain child of the Empress and probably one of the most ambitious to boot both in size and in construction time. Concerned with the rather great separation of Imperium Nihilus as a whole to the homeworld of Terra, the Citadel is established as a forward operations base both in logistics, command and resupply. It is almost a moon in size with great rings surrounding it providing for the artificial gravity of the station. It takes the resources, manpower and the workload of at least fifteen systems and countless Forge Worlds from both Imperium Sanctus and Imperium Nihilus to make it possible. Massive amounts of raw materials, technological skill and manpower have been called into service to make it possible. The designs are from the Empress herself making the leading Tech Priests of the job to kow-tow to her in prayer due to her skill, calling her a Saint of the Omnissiah. In the end in the span of two years, The Citadel is ready and functioning.
It is a metal planetoid hidden from sight in a great nebula blazing with light. Its entire surface are massive spires and wide open spaces dedicated either to administration, storage, development, military use and of course, giant space docks numbering in the thousands that would serve as hangars for repairs and docking of ships. On its rings massive defense turbolasers and AA batteries have been placed for its defense with enough firepower to reduce an entire battlefleet to cinders. Also on rotation are at least three thousand Space Marines from different Chapters that serve as both guard and deterrent for anyone foolhardy enough to dare attack the capital of Imperium Nihilus. Suffice it to say is that The Citadel is a masterpiece of engineering by Imperial standards. During the time of the Golden Age however, this would be just one of many that would serve as outposts for the human Federation.
Docked on the Citadel right now however the ships of legends and myths are. At the docks, the massive ship of the Ultramarines, the Macragge's Honour rests with all its glory, the personal ship of Roubutte Guilliman. The one beside it painted in burnished yellow with a mighty fist on it is the newly christened, Might of the Imperium of the Imperial Fists. It is a giant battle barge bigger than even the Macragge's Honour belonging to Rogal Dorn. At the side freshly mothballed and called back to service from the abandoned docks of the Rock is the Invicible Reason, the flagship of the Dark Angels that now serves as Lion El' Johnson's ship. Beside it is the archaic Emperor Class battleship seen only during the days of the Great Crusade is the Storm Wind, capital of Anduin, the latest of the Primarchs found by the Empress.
"Brothers," Guilliman greets Rogal Dorn and Lion El Johnson as he enters the command deck of the The Citadel where majority of the operations occur. It seems that his two brothers have beaten him to it in punctuality. Looking around he can see dozens of men and women in black uniform on their consoles typing and working ignoring the presence of the three Primarchs as they focus on the traffic and the running of the Citadel instead.
"Brother," both Dorn and Lion El Johnson returns the gesture clasping hands with him.
He can see that the Lion indeed has recovered the confident swagger he has. With a clear purpose and enemy with the support of his sons, the Primarch of the Dark Angels seems to be full of life and vigor, nothing like that bedraggled man he met before when their mother brought him back from his sleeping beauty time. Guilliman however can't help but raise an eyebrow at the rather ragged state of Dorne. Unlike him the Primarch of the Imperial Fists looks like he has seen better days with his centurion armor all torn and ripped off.
At his questioning gaze, Dorn simply grunts out. "Tyranids along the way, don't ask,"
"Aaahh," Guilliman blinks out in understanding. He has to admit that the damned critters are nasty as hell with their sheer numbers and their adaptability. He himself has faced in this past year a remnant fleet of the Nids at the planet of Marboro at Imperium Sanctus near the Cicatrix Maledictum. He lost nearly an entire company of Ultramarines in the campaign to pacify the jungle world of the Nids which are feeding on the planet.
"So we are going to meet again our rather elusive brother?" asks Lion El Johnson.
"Yes," Guilliman mentally winces. He has no idea how to react to the presence of the rather wayward Primarch. On one hand he is pissed that he isn't there during all the troubles that the Imperium has gotten into, but on the other hand, what he can offer is too great for the Imperium as a whole to simply shout "traitor" over it. An entire Space Marine legion and a Primarch not corrupted by Chaos. With how the Imperium is now, it needs all the help it can get.
"Anduin has always been rather stern and stuck up like our dear brother Guilliman here," Dorn says making the Ultramarine Primarch scowl at the two. "However one could say he is also the kindest of us, able to relate to the masses in a way that only our brother Sanguinis can. Other than the fallen angel, he probably is the only one who has that ability that seems elusive to us,"
Guilliman simply "hmms" in response. The Primarch of the Imperial Fists has a point. He and his brothers have always felt separated from humanity, seeing themselves better than them in every way. Call it hubris, call it pride but the Emperor did his work to well on them. That is maybe why so many of his brothers felt insulted when their father announced that he would be handing the control of Terra to regular humans instead of them. Many of them felt betrayed and undermined. It is not exactly a big wonder to think about.
"My lords, the tower has been made ready for you. The Empress is waiting," says one of the Custodians cutting off Guilliman from his thinking.
With a wordless nod from him, Guilliman strides forward into the awaiting elevator with his brothers, the large contraption big enough to deliver a Leman Russ to accommodate the large girths of the Primarchs. The trip up is uneventful with a small music singing "Stayin Alive" again and again before the elevator finally dings and they enter into a spacious small hall designed to be the personal quarters of the Empress of Mankind every time she would arrive at the Citadel. It is spacious and full of soft comforts looking kinda homely with a living room that has a lot of couches and comfy pillows on them, a kitchen has been attached to it where utensils of every kind can be found. A corridor then leads to a bedroom hidden from sight by satin curtains. Custodes can be seen posted at every corner standing as still as statues while a couple of Silent Sisters are at the side playing regicide.
Currently a fragrant aroma is coming from the kitchen side making the three Primarchs smile as they realize where their mother is. They barely made five steps out of the elevator however when a white blur slams into Roubutte's waist nearly bowling him over from the sheer force of it.
"Oniiii Chan!" chimes Luna loudly looking up at the taller Primarch. "I'm glad you're back,"
"Luna? What-,"
Before Guilliman can do more than reply, the half-Aeldari Primarch crawl like a spider all over him before ending up at his back with her legs dangling from his shoulders, her long hair sprawled as she looks down at him. "Neh-neh Oni-Chan. I'm happy you're her. Brother Corax and brother Anduin are such a bore and they always tell me to behave,"
Guilliman's mind takes a few seconds to absorb the information that he has just been given especially about the other Primarchs when chuckles makes the three turn to see two other beings there approaching them wearing also armor. One is wearing plain black armor with the Raven Guard insignia and the other is more archaic in nature coloured blue with a golden lion at its center roaring.
"Anduin? Corax?" breathes out Guilliman as he can't believe his eyes, landing especially at Corax. "I am led to believe that Anduin would be the only one brought back by our mother,"
"Our mother can be quite persuasive when she wants me to be," grins Corax, before enveloping Guilliman with a manly hug. "It's good to see you again brother,"
"And I you, brother," replies Guilliman reciprocating the hug. As Corax turns to do the same to the Lion and to Dorn, Guilliman turns to his rather wayward brother who looks a bit unsure.
"I guess, I have a lot of explaining to do huh?" the Primarch of the Alliance says making Guilliman silently nod.
"Yes you do, you left at the middle of the Great Crusade and were not there after the many years of troubles the Imperium faced," Guilliman grimly speaks before letting a small smirk appear on his expression. "Yet I never forgot you brother, even though father did make sure that all mention about you in record were expunged,"
"It is good to see you again Robu," says Anduin with a nod. "And I'm back now. No more running else mother will tan my hide"
"See, I told you Onii-Chan would like you. He's good that way you worrywart!" chimes Luna scrabbling Guilliman's hair to a nest much to the annoyance of the said Primarch. He does not have the heart to tell her to get off though.
"So the prodigal son returns. What say you of your sudden return….brother," snarks the Lion and Guilliman mentally grimaces as he notices that Johnson has also finally turned his attention from Corax to their wayward brother. The Primarch of the Dark Angels places a big value on honor and Anduin in every word had broken it when he left.
"That I have my reasons for leaving though I never aimed to hurt any of you. Whatever I do, I do for my sons and to the Imperium as a whole,"
"Really that seems not to be the case in-,"
"ENOUGH Johnson!" the sudden voice of Helaena snaps the slowly bubbling argument to a grinding halt as everyone turns to see their mother with her hair askew and wearing an apron with a simple homemade dress with her hands on her hips. "Anduin, apologize to your brother! Johnson! Man up and accept the apology!" she barks making the two stand ramrod straight like deers caught on headlights.
"But mother I-," Anduin starts to protest but a glare from her makes the Primarch of the Eleventh Legion quail before being cowed down.
"I-I am sorry for abandoning you all and leaving the Imperium brothers," he starts before bowing from his hip.
"Johnson," growls Helaena making the Dark Angels Primarch to nod his head quickly in fear before gulping. "I accept your apology Anduin, you will have no quarrel with me,"
"And the rest of you," she pins the remaining three who immediately make their own versions of acceptance of forgive and forget. Luna just yawns at the back of Roubutte showing that the half-Aeldari can care less about who is fighting who.
"Now all this nonsense is over, come and help me serve the food. Make yourselves useful," she sniffs gesturing to them in the kitchen.
None dares to delay as they all barrel after her to follow her in.
…
Royal Quarters, The Citadel
Helaena watches in silent amusement as her sons and one lazy daughter help put the food to the table. It is quite comical watching beings who can literally be classified as demigods run around arguing who gets while gingerly placing the food platters she made at the kitchen before being put at the large table. They can be surprisingly nimble even with their large armors on and their She can see the Lion who is more at home wielding a sword all day gingerly placing the forks and spoons on the right place while memorizing to his head where goes where. She can see Guilliman laughing with Luna as the Half-Aeldari struggles to open the wine corks. It is a familiar sight when her family is still complete.
Soon, everyone is sitting at their places with Helaena at the front of the table laughing and joking as they indulged in their meal. As she gingerly drinks her wine and nibbles on her pastry, Helaena observes the ravenous appetites of her sons. She has always known that her cooking skills are legendary but seeing her children rather quickly wolfing it down, it tickles the vain bones of her body. Primarchs are big and they eat a lot if they indulge themselves. She has always noted that one can eat the equivalent of a small feast. That is why she prepares extra today giving her sons the free rein to stuff themselves. It is pleasantly satisfying looking at them eat it all. Of course as usual it is not a dinner without one argument and it is not long for Dorn and the Lion to start fighting about the French Bread topped with honey and casseroles with a stuffing of chicken and pork laced with bitter herbs. It is quite a tasty cuisine and quickly gets to disappear. The last remain course of course are grabbed by the Lion and the Centurion resulting to them dueling it out with forks. She lets it be as the two dances this way and that trying to steal the last course while everyone ignores them. Corax as usual is stuffing himself on the pudding greedily. Anduin is demolishing cake after cake of meat pies. Roubutte Guilliman is sipping on tea like a princess and Luna is trying to eat a warthog leg beside him.
It is quite a satisfying meal as far as it goes.
Three hours later and everyone is stuffed and full lying on their backs at the comfy sofas with their armor haphazardly placed in the corners. The Custodes Helaena has dismissed along with the Sisters of Silence so that they can have some personal time.
"I missed your food mother, that is great," groans Corax patting his stomach. "I have to live with rats and any undesirables I can find while hunting down that traitorous cur, Lorgar. Good riddance to the scum,"
"At least you get to get your fill of it and enjoyed it Corax," grunts Dorn from where he is sitting. "Imagine eating mother's cooking and then you find yourself eating dried out rations the next few years. I tell you its torture, torture," he bemoans.
"I am glad you enjoyed my food, both of you," says Helaena smiling at her two sons who beams at the attention.
"I too enjoyed it mother, as ever your food is sublime," says Guilliman patting his lips daintily in a napkin. Luna is at his lap snoring softly.
"Oh shut it princess," the Lion croaks out from where he's reclining lazily. "Nobody asked you,"
"Boys," Helaena chides before another argument can break out as Guilliman throws an irritated glare at his brother for being called princess.
"Now that we are all stuffed and full, how are all of you since we last met?" she asks resulting to a symphony of voices that immediately try to answer before she silences it with a wave of her hand. "One at a time. Roubutte, how is Macragge and the Five Hundred Worlds? Did you manage to unite it?"
"As good as it can be mother. I am glad to report that I have successfully brought the old Realm of Ultramar together. I would not have done it without your Imperial seal that might have slowed me down a lot in the bureaucracy part mother. I applaud your foresight of such a problem,"
"Kiss ass," murmurs Anduin from where he is sipping a cup of tea making everyone snigger at the reddening face of Guilliman.
"The forces of the Plague god have also been pushed back as best as it can. We lost many worlds to there ravaging though. Even without Mortarion in the lead, the remnants of his sons are still a force to deal with. They are a handful and they are many but my sons are dealing with them as best as they can even with our current predicament with the Cicatrix Maledictum,"
"I see, that is good news Roubutte. I'm proud of you," replies Helaena. She sweatdrops though at the beaming face of the Primarch who looks as if she has just given him a gift. She espies his brothers rolling their eyes at the background.
"Thank you Mother!"
"Of course Roubutte, you're welcome," answers Helaena before turning to Rogal Dorn. "What about you Rogal? Have you finished what I ask of you?"
"I am fifty percent done mother," answers Rogal Dorn. "Quite a good estimate from my original calculations. Majority of the inner worlds near Terra have been placed with those floating strongholds. Those clones of yours are as industrious as any laborer I have seen. They are like ants when building, non-stop till they get it right and complete. I believe in the next five years we would be able to fully arm the inner worlds of Imperium Sanctus with those floating stations,"
"Nice work Rogal, as usual. You impressed me with your skills. Glad to see ten thousand years have not dulled your talent acumen,"
A small proud smile adorns the Imperial Fists Primarch's face at that. "I aim to please mother,"
"Johnson, what about you?" she turns her attention to The Lion who grunts unhappily. "How are things in the borders if Imperium Sanctus?"
"Terrible," huffs the Lion. "I believe that if not for the bolstering of the Clone Legions to the Imperial Guard we would have lost entire swaths of the Eastern Fringe of Imperium Sanctus to the Chaos hordes alone from the Cicactrix Maledictum. That is not counting the other problems from Orks to Tyranid Hive fleets poking outlying systems everywhere. Surprisingly these past two years the problems about the Necrons awakenings have been greatly lessened of late. My outlying sources tell that we are receiving words from anonymous tips that help us greatly in pinpointing dormant tombs before they could fully awaken,"
"That is my doing I am afraid. I've been in contact with Ulthwe of the Aeldari Asuryani. Let's just say that they are more than happy to point out awakening worlds that they can divine while we squash them down,"
"You've been in contact with Xenos mother?" asks Lion El Johnson in surprise. Helaena only snorts at his words
"I'm sleeping with one if you seem to recall Johnson or did you forget?" she replies smirking as her sons grimace, the idea of their mother sleeping with anyone never a pleasant thought. "Anyway you are doing the best you can with what you're given. I could say good job also Johnson, you made me proud,"
"Thank you mother," replies Lion El Johnson.
"Now all of you might be wondering why I have gathered all of you here right now and pulled you away from all your duties right? Other than of course welcoming back your two brothers back to the fold,"
At five affirmative nods and one loud snore from Luna, Helaena presses on. "The finding of your brothers here has yielded more fruit than we expected. Corax will you take the lead," Helaena gestures for the Primarch of the Raven Guard to stand up who coughs once before speaking.
"In all my wanderings in the Warp and my hunting down of Lorgar, may his soul rot in hell for all eternity," he pauses as his brothers claps at that. "I have come across a snippet of conversation that I can't believe at first when I heard it. The Traitors are talking about the "game" they call skinning the Wolf. I let it be at first thinking that it is nothing more than hearsay and just another of the intricancies the mutated bastards are doing to those planets unlucky enough to be swallowed by Warp Storms and such. Then I heard it, a ship's name that I never thought I'd hear again, Hrafnkel. That is the name of the ship of-,"
"-Leman Russ whom as the archives stated has disappeared along with his fleet when he searched for the Tree of Life to revive our father," exclaims Guilliman. "This makes perfect sense, it seems that according to the records, his fleet simply disappears into thin air never to be seen again. He must have a Warp drive core anomaly or such trapping him and his fleet in the Warp. That is why they've never returned,"
"Tell me brother, do you have the exact location of his trapped ship?" asks Dorn.
"In the warp there's no such thing as an exact location my brother. The laws of the Materium don't work there. Sometimes up is down and down is up. You can never truly guess. Water may be solid one minute then liquid again before turning to plasma. It is a hellscape there. The best you can guess when navigating it is a feeling. I still remember it, though it is vague like a memory of a memory, but I do know the feeling of where it is if the dying screams of that Traitor is any indication. They apparently make it a sport sending small warbands inside the derelict fleet to find out who can get the honor of claiming the wolf king's head,"
"How long has it been since you last pinpointed the location of the Hrafnkel Corax?" questions the Lion.
"I don't know brother. Time works differently in the Warp. A few minutes there might be a hundred years here. Or a second here might be a week there," shrugs Corax.
"I believe that is our next destination mother?" asks Guilliman looking at Helaena who has so far simply observed her sons as they devised it all to one another.
"Yes, I am coming with you for I am not letting any of my sons go into that monster infected realm," Helaena nods at Guilliman. "We would not need a full fleet for this. Just a few squads of your most trusted sons and me. We will use my ship, the Orion on finding your lost brother. We must do this in secrecy and with haste. Right now Chaos must be toying with your brother, but any information of him about to be rescued and he would have his head chopped off to little pieces,"
"Very well, a rescue operation it is. Us six with the five of us with our personal guards," says Guilliman to his brothers transforming to his Imperial Regent persona in a second. "Mother, I believe that you would bring at least a squad of Custodes and Sisters of Silence for this,"
"And me! Don't forget about me," the sudden entrance of a very naked Lilith from the bathroom wearing only a bathrobe saunters in making every Primarch jump away in surprise in a fighting position. The Drukharii however ignores them as she saunters to where Helaena is sitting before draping herself all over the Empress' back placing a kiss on her cheek before leering at the Primarchs who all look ready to blow a gasket at her presence and rather sudden appearance.
"What? Where my Empress go, I go. Besides, I might finally get that duel that I am looking forward with Lucius the Eternal,"
…
Omake:After Effects of the Primarchs raiding their mother's collection of Pop Culture, Books and Films
A very confused sons of Konrad Curze would be wondering why their gene father is dressed up as batman.
Corvus Corax would be reciting the Phantom of the Opera and other nevermore poems a few days later.
Jaghataii Khan would be binging the fast and the furious movies with his sons, the White Scars resulting later to a lot of traffic accidents in the streets of the Imperium due to Space Marines street racing.
Vulkan, Fulgrim and Ferrus would accidentally set off a dormant volcano into erupting after and destroying a world after they try to forge the One Ring after watching the Lord of the Rings.
Lionel El Johnson would meet a nasty grenade accident after he tries make a holy hand grenade after seeing Killer Bunny in Monthy Python.
Angron would be binging Doom game releasing his pent up stress against his enemies.
Roubutte Guilliman of course would be watching Disney with Luna, since it is child friendly and rather feeds his princes side.
Sanguinis be all about Modern Christianity resulting to an existential Crisis to the Angel of the Emperor wondering if he is a fallen angel due to his wings.
Mortarion would be all about those doctor films from KDramas. It would not be a surprise that he's turned to a romantic later on.
Omegon and Alpharius be binging Tom and Jerry. The two would be found later punching each other in the face.
Rogal Dorn would be all about those documentaries about ancient Terra buildings. Even in tastes, he is a bore.
Anduin of course would be playing Warcraft and not at all surprised where his mother got his name from.
Horus after watching the Great Below would be a lot more dog friendly and would start the first ever Dog Protection Office at Terra.
…
Author's Note:
So that's it another chapter done and my last this Year of 2023. Happy New Year folks. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As we near the end, I thank you all for the support and the help that you guys have been doing to this story. May 2024 be more productive to us all in the Emperor's Name.