Chapter Fifteen
…
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
…..
Morgana watches as the form of Lorgar Aurelion kneels before the Emperor of Mankind acknowledging the immortal as his liege lord and his father. Dressed in opulent armor with a chiseled handsome face Morgana can almost feel her heart breaking with joy as she once more reestablish contact with another of her lost sons.
"Hail to the Emperor, the god of Mankind, Hail to the Empress, the Lady of Divinity!" roars Lorgar to millions of people of Monarchia behind him who then cheers as they erupt into cheering the same words that their messiah slash leader shouts.
As for Morgana, she peers sideways at the face of John who has gone stony immediately at the words shouted by their son and the meaning behind it. While Morgana has indeed no issue being labeled as a goddess, John has a deep rooted issue about the Old gods of Terra and their history about mankind. For the record, the old gods do not have a stellar history about management and divinity which only gives credence to the rather skeptic hatred of the Emperor about their presence. Yet it is possibly again the death of Enkidu in Terra's forgotten past that fuels such immense annoyance and hatred from him.
"Do not make a scene," hisses Morgana to her Companion's mind.
"I don't need to. I' not a child and there is a proper place and time for everyone," replies the Emperor through their link making Morgana scowl.
"I can feel your vexation literally scratching at the edge of my psyche, you are pissed off. Keep a lid on it. Remember, this is your first meeting with our son and though he acknowledges you, it is not yet as a father. Make sure that you have a bond with him before you start spouting the non-religious dogma of the Imperium,"
"Thanks for the advice. Don't worry dearest one. I do not plan to alienate Lorgar at this meeting. I will rather need to break this ideology of his back at Terra once we bring him back for his proper education. Speaking of which Morgana, he is staring at you,"
Morgana closes the mental bridge between her and the Emperor as she stares back at Lorgar who is peering at her curiously. It would make for a comical sight as the rather tall Primarch stares down at the diminutive woman looking back at him.
"There is something farmiliar with you," says Lorgar Aurelion. "Your face and your voice I recognize somewhere. It is like a memory of within a memory. Tell me Lady of the Divine. Have we met somewhere before? Why am I feeling a connection between you and me?"
Morgana only laughs as she places a hand on the chest of the Primarch. "It should be, for I am your mother Lorgar,"
…
The Orion, Above the Exodite World
Helaena has always known that her relationship with Lorgar is rather complicated compared to the rest of his siblings. For starters they never have been able to be as close as the rest and that is entirely at her son's fault.
Lorgar is made according to John to have the gift of willpower and Faith. If the plans of the Emperor have not gone awry, Lorgar might have been a great leader of man, a prime example of willpower and steadfastness not seen in any of his brothers. He is as stubborn as he is loyal. When the Emperor found him, he probably is one of the Emperor's most steadfast supporters making great orations, speeches, speaking words of power that could make entire worlds weep or shout in fervor.
Yet thanks to the machinations of Chaos and the influence of the culture of Monarchia, Lorgar's gifts is almost a hindrance rather than a strength in the long run. The Primarch is a devoted Theist and truly believed with all his being that gods exist and man should worship them. That is why there is such a distance between him and Helaena. He has never failed to view his mother as the Lady of Divinity and a goddess on her own right. Thus despite Helaena's best efforts to bring them closer together, it fails due to the view point of Lorgar to his mother. Sure he loves her like all of her sons love her, but it is almost at a distance like one would between a worshipper and the god he worshipped. For the sake of peace in their family, Helaena let it be.
That is until Monarchia burns after the Emperor find out about the indoctrination that Lorgar has been doing to all the worlds he conquered preaching that the Emperor is a god and the Empress is divine. She can still remember the fury of John at that moment, so great and angry it is that the entire Imperial palace shakes. Then of course the destroying of the Shrine World of Monarchia by the Ultramarines. That is where it all started, that is where Lorgar comes from venerating both her and his father to hating them with a passion so great that it drove him to the waiting arms of the Chaos gods.
She herself has advised John not to take that rout, but blinded by anger and feeling betrayed by one of his sons, John expunged both hers and Malcador's advice before giving the order. She doesn't blame John either for her actions, for he regrets it as fast as it came. John always has it his way, either through subterfuge and influence during the Morning days of humanity to the days of when he is the Emperor of Mankind and rules over the swathes that is left behind by the ruins of the Federation of Humanity.
Then of course what follows is the heresy, a consequence of the ill fated decision of John and now leading to the shit show that they are about to start in. Helaena has no idea why the presence of Corax leads here at the Black Fortress slash Citadel of Lorgar hiding in this world, but she knows that she must once and finally bring the gift of death to another of her sons. They have committed enough atrocities and billions more innocent lives will perish as they continue to draw breathe. Either way she knows she must face him today.
Helaena of course know that this bout with her son would be anything but easy. Lorgar would be at his prime and would have command of the powers of Chaos Undivided. Plus they would be fighting in his citadel where his strength that he has been obviously storing would be at its fullest. Helaena also would not have the support of either the might of the Imperial Army or her other sons.
"Like before I would be facing my demons alone. As such is my penance," she sighs sadly to herself. As always she has to convince herself that killing Lorgar would be a greater good. Unlike before from Angron though, she would not have the weakness of emotion due to their shared bond. No. Killing Lorgar would be possible for her, but still it would hurt. Lorgar after all is still one of her sons.
"Your majesty, a call from Lilith Hesperax your majesty. I have redirected it at your console for your perusal,"
"Thank you Linar," Helaena replies before pressing the console at the front of her showing the hologram of Lilith whose almost naked form is covered with blood and bits of guts.
"Your majesty, looking as beautiful as ever," greets Lilith looking at her in those familiar "I want you eyes" she reserves for Helaena and if she can get away with it, the Inquisitor Abfequarn in her trysts.
"And you are looking the same as ever. How many is it this time?" asks Helaena raising an eyebrow at her bloodstained form.
"Not enough for me to fight at full strength," sniffs Lilith picking up a head of a Wordbearer proudly before throwing it at the side. "Already killed a hundred of these scouts and none of them can pose enough of a challenge,"
"I see and how is the plan working out so far?" asks Helaena. She watches as the Dark Eldar's eyes brighten considerably at that. Lilith might be Drukharii but like all Aeldari, she enjoys it when plans come together.
"Oh it's working out wonderfully. The chiefs of the Exodite clans have gathered and I'm telling you your majesty. They are pissed. It would not be hard for them to be galvanized into action. They cannot after all and would not tolerate the presence of the Black Citadel of your fallen son in this world of theirs. They will be having a war council this afternoon and me and Luna are invited to it. Apparently every little helps and they want my Cabal to fight alongside them,"
"That is good," Helaena simply smirks.
She has to admit it is an ingenious plan of Lilith to bring the fight to the Black Citadel. To cut it off simply, it is very Asuryani Aeldari in nature. Instead of charging ahead and risking their own forces to attack the Black Citadel of Lorgar, putting into danger their own troops. They would instead galvanize the different Exodite tribes all over the area about the "Chaos incursion" on their planet. A secret Chaos fortress that could threaten their dear World Circuit, would never be tolerated by them. It works like a charm suffices it to say. Nearly thirty Chiefs have gathered here and all that Lilith needs to do is show them the ruined village and voila, every single one of them is calling for a war council. While the Exodites deal with the majority of the corrupted Astartes of her fallen son, Helaena and her strike force would strike at the inner sanctum of Lorgar and cut off the head of the snake. It feels ironic to Helaena that they would be using the classic Aeldari form of fighting against the Aeldari themselves, making them take the higher risk so that the humans can preserve lives.
"And how are they treating Luna? Have they found out that she's not full Eldar yet?" asks Helaena.
"See for yourself," Lilith simply waves before nearly being bowled over by the form of Luna who waves frantically at her through the hologram.
"Hi mum! Everything is alright here. I am still alive! Auntie Lilith has been taking very good care of me!" she chirps loudly while Lilith at the background rolls her eyes at the antics of the half-Eldar.
"You're covered….in blood," points out Helaena at Luna whose blonde hair is literally unrecognizable and nearly purple in color with a mix of red.
"Yah! Yah! Yah!" she nods her head quickly. "You see there are these small daemons who are quite beautiful, so I said to Auntie Lilith that I would take care of them. She lets me do it, but mum, these daemons don't want to fight me. Instead they bring me to a floating raft with the most beautiful bed mum. They want to wrestle in the way you and Auntie Lilith wont to do. So I said yes and then they made me feel funny and happy at first. When one starts telling me to worship some god named Slaniz however I fought back since Guilliman Onii-chan told me that worshipping gods are bad. They fought back and I killed them. Then I go back to Auntie Lilith," she chirps quite proudly.
Helaena simply looks deadpan at Lilith who shrugs her shoulders. "What? I thought that her first time would be great with some daemonettes. I never thought that it would be that intense. Besides, she likes it,"
"You and I are going to have a long talk once all this is over Lilith,"
"Oooh does that involve whips?"
Helaena refuses the urge to slap her face at the excited tone of her Drukharii friend slash lover.
….
Outskirts of the Black Citadel, A Day Later
Fire blazes as two opposing armies charge one another at the open field of the Black Citadel. On one side are Chaos Space Marines bearing the banners of the Wordbearers, sons of Lorgar Aurelion. Their purplish armor and horned helmets making them stand out in the empty barren landscape of the Exodite World.
Liliith watches with her cabal as the Exodite Aeldari chiefs lead their warriors against the servants of Chao intruding on their planet. So far it seems the plan they have concocted is working seamlessly. Lilith knows that the moment that the Exodite chiefs agree to "meet" to discuss the sudden appearance of the Black Citadel on their planet, that they would be going to war. One little lie in her part about how the fallen Mon-keigh's daemon seems to be searching for their World Circuit is enough to galvanize the Chiefs to war. Now here they are charging with all their might against the army of the fallen Mon-Keigh. Lilith and her Cabal have been put into reserve while the ordinary warrior charges first against the rabble of the Mon-Keigh's forces.
Normally it would be stupid and foolhardy to go toe to toe with the so-called Space Marines of the Mon-Keigh. The Corpse Emperor of the Mon-Keigh certainly knows what he's doing when he created his gene warriors. More than one foolhardy Aeldari warrior find out the hard way that facing Mon-Keigh Space Marines in an open field is tantamount to a walking disaster. Many of the veteran Aeldari warriors despite scoffing at the Mon-Keigh's barbarism and stupidity have a healthy respect at least to the specialized warriors if only because of their danger to even experienced Aspect Warriors. Tactical doctrine usually in fighting against such specialized brutes would be to ambush them and take them down from afar. Their big clunky suits might be impervious to the basic crystal shards but against Aeldari specialized weaponry, they are mush and potato.
That is for Asuryani and Drukharii Aeldari at least, not for Exodite Aeldari.
Exodite Aeldari eschews the automated systems that make menial work redundant for many of their cousins. These result to them to be bulkier and taller than the Asuryani or the Drukharii. The extra muscle tone makes them also stronger. It is necessary after all especially when taming the Dragons (Dinosaur-esque) that inhabit Exodite Worlds and which Exodites use for a variety of purposes from farmwork, beasts of burden and to riding them in times of war, like they are doing today.
The two armies meet in a deluge of steel and muscle down below. Exodite Warriors bashing shields, power swords and spears against members of the Seventeenth Legion. Lilith stares as warriors grunts and roars battle cries. Traitor Marines and Exodites fall from the direct clash of both armies. The Exodites have lesser technology but they have the advantage of natural speed and skill. The Traitors on the other hand have the advantage of strength and bulk, which they used to great effect crushing a couple dozen inexperienced warriors who tried going toe to toe with the Chaos Astartes. At the back Chaos corrupted Rhino artillery fire off purple flared missiles decimating the warriors at the back of the Exodite charging horde. In reply, the Exodite Witches at the back blaze forth in power summoning Eldritch fire and lightning which then snakes forward like charging vipers hitting dead set the artillery pieces of the Word Bearers, incinerating their tanks alongside their drivers and anyone too unlucky to be near the vicinity, scattering them and putting the Chaos Marines in the backfoot.
"Now!" hisses Lilith and immediately the entire Cabal is on the move with her the fastest to the battlefield. She especially targets the place where the artillery pieces have been decimated where a dozen or so Chaos Marines are still recovering their wits.
Wielding her sword above her head like a greatsword for extra piercing strength,she slashes the nearest Chaos Marine who bounces off like a rag doll before the momentum of her twirl swiftly makes her hair barbs slash at the throat of another Chaos Marine at her flank. One tries a double-handed stroke that would have cleaved her in half. In response, Lilith uses her free hand to hold the dull edge of her sword at the front and block the axe stroke at her power sword, halting its momentum quite easily. An upward counter sends the axe flying before with a masterful stroke, Lilith cuts through the traitor's chest cutting through his two hearts like butter.
Two bolter shots impacts her out of nowhere and might have killed her if not for the golden halo she has stashed in the pommel of her blade activating and protecting her. As it is, she just stumbles a bit looking at the perpetrator, a squad of Chaos Marines surrounding a corrupted Rhino which has its main gun trained on her.
Two blue blasts streaks past her hitting the nearest two Chaos Marines at the heads making them stumble before falling down dead with parts of their brains scattered all over. Far back, an Outcast smirks as Luna appears beside Lilith pulling her up even as she dissects the front of a Chaos Space Marine that tries to attack the Drukharii while she's disoriented.
"Come Auntie, we don't have time to lie around," chirps Luna with a grin before charging ahead of Lilith who rolls her eyes at the half-Eldar. Time with her certainly makes the daughter of the Empress more cheeky and self-confident in her skills.
Even as the Outcast provides them with cover fire that lessens the numbers of the Traitors between them and the Courrupted Rhino, she and Luna charges.
With a twirling charge and a shrieking battle cry, Lilith twirls with her dual swords sweeping off a Traitor off his feet with his lower extremities reduced to ribbons before leaping over the head of Luna and with two blades pierce the eyes of a Chaos Marine helmet. She judo kicks another of his ilk who tries aiding his ass before running alongside Luna who is doing her fair share of adding to the tally the number of dead Traitor Astartes as they finally clear the way to the Rhino who is just ready to fire at them. An Exodite Witch notices their plight and hurls a fireball at the Rhino who explodes in a bonfire of steel and iron clearing the way for the rest of the Exodite Warriors to advance. Grinning at the battle, Lilith only grins as a blazing ray of light appears in the sky flowing down like a spear heading towards the Black Citadel. Everyone pauses as the ray of light pierces the dark skies caused by the Chaotic taint of Lorgar's stronghold. It drives in like a lance at the main tower of the Black Citadel with the vengeance of the gods. A violet shade of energy surrounds the main tower like a bubble stopping the piercing light for a split second before exploding in a myriad of crystals as the light connects with the courtyard below the tower with an almighty explosion whose smoke can be seen even this far.
Lilith just smiles as she leads her Cabal forward. The Empress has done her part now she must do hers.
…..
Courtyard of the Black Citadel
Guards of every kind from Daemon to Chaos Marine floods the courtyard where the smoke emanates. Nearly every weapon is trained at the smoke which is slowly dissipitating. As the smoke finally slowly clears, everyone flinches at the sight of Eleven figures in a crouched position at the middle. Most obvious of course are the golden apparel of the Custodes but the last one is the one that catches the eyes of nearly every servant of Chaos in the area. Dressed in blue and black bodysuit with a golden visor, is no one else but the Empress herself.
"Let's dance, we don't stop for anything," the Empress commands answered with silent nods from the rest of the Custodes forming a U defensive formation with her at the middle.
With a snap of her fingers, twelve figures dash forward. The four Custodes at the front immediately open up with their weapons. Surprisingly they're not using the regular weaponry of Custodes but rather some of the relics that Helaena has given to them. The three Custodes at the left flank are supporting a large cannon emitting a blue light while the four at the right are supporting some type of shotgun with a bayonet at the front. At their hips also are submachine guns which are heavily modified railguns that can cut through Baneblade armor like drills. The ones at the front however are supporting the basic rifle railgun that marines at the Golden Age of Technology uses. The leading one however support a massive chaingun with eight barrels rolling.
The ones at the left immediately supports their fellow with the cannon as he lifts it up. With a humming sound, it blazes forth like a star and in an instant the entire walkway vanishes with a tremendous explosion sending Chaos Marines scattering from impact and debris.
The servants of Chaos counter fire but most of them are caught off guard and dizzy rendering many of their shots wild and inaccurate. The few that indeed manage to make contact ping off from the personalized shields of the Custodes.
As it is the front of the small group roars to life as the chain gun makes itself known. Thousands of rounds ping off the barrel and the Chaos forces are rendered to mincemeat chow as the golden group pushes forward swiftly. The others also open fire covering the flanks left and right as they cut through the chaos horde. Shotgun blasts from the left flank leave nothing but splattered armor and bodies as the pump action railguns reduce anything it makes contact at to mush. The particle cannon once more comes to life cutting through a giant gate being closed with the force of a battering ram blasting through it.
Chaos marines at the other side panic as once more the chain gun mows them down by the dozens before they can even get their wits in order. The rifles take care of anything that the chaingun misses. The lethality of old Federation weaponry with the godlike accuracy of the Custodes and Chaos forces are falling left right and center like bowling pins. Shotgun blasts clear anyone that dare ambush them splattering gore and innards all over the place. Once they tried to ambush even the Heavy Weapons team but SMG counter fire from the two Custodes supporting the cannon rips through the grunts that dare to make such an attack. They charge on until they reach a giant gate that leads to a crystal spiraling staircase inside.
"Your majesty go!" shouts one of the Custodes even as the cannon once more comes to life before blazing onward breaking through the doors. With a wordless nod, Helaena dashes inside the broken gate even as the Custodes form a cordon of bodies, their weapons facing outward to the mass of Chaos currently roaring towards them in anger.
"We hold here! For the Emperor! For the Empress! We shall not fail her again! HERE WE STAND!"
Eleven throats roar in agreement as they all stand firm at the horde currently rushing towards them. They will buy the Empress time while she does what needs to be done.
…
The Tower Hall, Black Citadel
Despite time being limited to her, Helaena slowly walks the steps of the great hall at the top of the tower. It seems only right as she faces the challenge like she did before with her fallen sons. There at the very end of the hall looking down a crystal basin which looks Aeldari in nature is a tall horrendous being.
He stands like a man for once a man he is. His barbed scaly tail sweeps back and forth. He wears no boots for no boot can swap for the goat-like legs and hooves he has. He stands half a body taller than the Empress, his dark purple armor pulsing with light blue energy through the crevices. At his hip hangs the corrupted Mace, Illuminarium. His hands ends into giant effigies that have claws instead of fingers. Atop his head is a crown of horns with three jutting out largely, especially on the left, right and at the forehead. His skin is dark brown in scale-like look and a fiery ensemble of Chaos Undivided hang in the air at his back like a medal of some sort.
"So you have come mother, at the end of all things. Are you here to get rid of me as you killed my brothers?" the triple voice of the Daemon Prince, Lorgar Aurelion speaks out.
"I am here to correct the mistakes of the past, nothing more," replies Helaena simply.
It takes all of her self-control not to break down at the sight of her son. Once more the gods of Chaos has taken what is once beautiful and turn it to a monstrosity. She remembers the fervent and serious Lorgar from before. There is so much conviction and strength in those eyes. She remembers the faith he once bears, the faith for a cause greater than he is and his faith for mankind. Now all she sees on those same eyes are madness, and hate, twisted and grotesque like those of his brothers she had put down.
"Mistake? That is what you call me when I have done all I could for the truth I believed in. Father lied to us! Lied to me! There are gods, they are real and they hate all of us!" with a bellow Lorgar raises his clawed hand and immediately a lightning of violet sickly energy comes from his palm heads towards Helaena. The Empress simply replies by raising her own hand and a rictus of red lightning meets the violet one sparkling against one another like fireworks as they push and pull against one another. Helaena grits her teeth at the strength behind the simple lightning attack. It feels like pushing against a brick wall. Lorgar has the entire blessing of Chaos Undivided unlike his brothers.
"I BELIEVED IN THE TRUTH OF THE GODS! NOW I AM THE TRUTH! I Will RID THIS UNIVERSE OF THE MADNESS BROUGHT ON BY MY FATHER AND I WILL STAND AS THE ONE WHO IS RIGHT AT THE END!" he roars angrily sending tendrils of lightning through the connection that smacks at Helaena's bodysuit making her hiss as several splotches makes contact burning through her wards and cooking skin.
"You are a disease to be purged! Nothing more!" she grits out pushing even more power on her own attack , her nature immediately forcing Lorgar's power back bit by bit before forcing him to break off as he instead cuts the lightning and instead with a roar summons a giant fat bloated figure oozing with slime and sickness towering over the Empress. If anyone else is in the room, they might have already died by plague and infection in seconds. One can see the strain in the Empress' immune system as her nerves coalesced black through her bodysuit and eyes. Lorgar only laughs manically as the Oozing Ogre Monster barrels towards his mother.
"I WILL SHOW YOU DISEASE!" he boasts loudly as it bears down on the Empress.
Helaena focuses her own power as the monstrosity comes near her. Feeling her magic coming to life, she immediately makes a slapping motion with her own right hand. The Ogre monstrosity screeches in surprise as it is bitch slapped by a giant hand of fire that burns through its being, the antithesis of life eating through the blessing of Nurgle. Before it can recover, Helaena slaps both hands and two hands made of fire closes over the monstrosity. Its pained screeches can be heard echoing as the Empress closes her hands over it burning it alive. Looking at a furious Lorgar, Helaena slaps both hands forward making the fire slam out like a tidal wave at his direction. He just has enough time to banish it away to nothingness when Helaena summons a blizzard of snow that immediately wraps the fallen Primarch in a ball of ice and snow. With a twist of her arm, the ball squeezes like a vice trying to break through metal, flesh and bone inside. For a second it seems to have worked. Next thing however, cracks appeared and the ball of snow and ice explodes like an egg dropping a heaving Lorgar Aurelion glaring hatefully at her.
"You are not getting rid of me that easily mother!" he hisses out trying to wobbly gain his feet.
Helaena simply says nothing as she blasts him with a concentrated force of gravity forcing him to block it with both forearms, his feet grounding him even as he struggles against the ball of heavy energy forcing him back and squishing him. Growling, he crosses his arms before with a loud yell, snaps them outward surprising even Helaena at the sudden counter throwing her off her feet and unto her knees. The sudden outward counter is so strong that every window in the Hall explodes showering the entire hall in a rain of broken glass. Lorgar just laughs as he raises his hands making the broken glass shards levitate before surging them onwards like a drill at the Empress.
"Always impatient Lorgar," Helaena raises her left hand erecting a ward just in time as the first glass hits her. What happens however is a flow of sand falling on the ground as the crystals pass through the Transfiguration ward that eliminates the power of Tzeentch. A furious look appears at Lorgar's face as he can see that his attack does not even faze the Empress one bit as she regains her feet.
"I see that our skill would not be measured by our knowledge of the Warp, but by our skills with a blade," growls Lorgar as he hefts his weapon, the war mace Illuminarium with his right hand.
"Forgive me for what I am about to do Lorgar," Helaena simply says as she summons the two knives she has gotten out of the inventory of the Orion for this fight, the ever changing weapon, Incursio. Once it is the weapon of the planet Nihon-Ja when the Aeldari in their pleasure cults invaded the Federation East. Its makers make it with the power of the Immaterium to be ever flexible, able to change its shape and form to be able to accommodate any warrior that picks it up.
"I WILL KILL YOU WHORE OF THE CORPSE EMPEROR!" roars out Lorgar spittle flying the blessing of Khorne nearly making him half-mad as he bulldozes forward making twirling his mace above his head like a baton.
The downward blow of Illuminarium is stopped flat by Incursio when the twin knives in an X blocks its path. Even then Helaena grits her teeth as her muscles strain against the power and weight of Lorgar bearing down on her.
When they broke contact, Lorgar immediately swings for her face but Helaena steps backward, as it barely grazes her helmet. She counters with an attack at the gut but the Mace blocks it making her take slashing cuts that chips away pieces of Lorgar's armor. One thing about Lorgar is that fighting is not his strongest suit and he is more an orator than a fighter. Still, he is maddened by the blessing of Khorne and he roars out as he bashes his mace against her. This forces Helaena to parry and backpedal a bit giving ground as the much heavier weapon has an advantage against hers.
Lorgar bellows out " ALL I EVER I DID, I DID TO MAKE YOU PROUD!" As he keeps swinging his power maul, Illuminarum at Helana who blocks it at every step.
"TELL ME HOW PROUD YOU ARE, MOTHER! The second swing has Helana falter as memories start to come forth…mistakes made upon her family come to surface.
"TELL ME!"Lorgar swings got angrier as the Daemonic Primarch pours out years of anger and resentment that is fueling him.
"TELL ME!"
Helaena really wants to tell him that she's sorry. Sorry that she can't stop John from burning Monarchia, sorry that she allows it. She regrets it so, regrets it so much as she remembers the lost look of Lorgar full of helplessness as his beloved planet burns. She wants to comfort him then, to tell him that he's okay. But "it's a lesson that he has to learn," the Emperor reasons out. "He has to be punished or he'll keep repeating the same mistake,". Like a fool, she listens to him instead of her instincts and now, look at her result, a madman of a daemon that is the son she loves. She just stares then as Lorgar and his Legion is forced to bow before the Emperor and made to swear to cast away their beliefs and faith. She has thought it right, she has thought it correct.
CLANG!
The two weapons meet once more. Helaena twists with her body, the twin daggers forming into a sword before slashing at the exposed back of her son.
CLANG! The sword meets a now elongated mace twisting with eldritch energy. It seems that not only her weapon can change. She can feel the Blessing of Tzeentch on it.
"My entire planet burns because of your SILENCE!" shouts Lorgar parrying a punch of the Empress before landing one of his own at her head making her skull clang inside her helmet stunning her and forcing her back a step.
"Obeying your father is not a weakness!" hisses Helaena as she dodges another swing of Lorgar's mace by rolling to the side.
"You know of my beliefs. You always know! " he roars swinging madly forcing Helaena to parry each attack full of fury. "Yet when father knows about it. What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?! NOTHING!"
The overhead stroke is so powerful that Helaena is forced to roll again as it cracks the tiled floors. Another downward stroke forces her to shift Incursio from sword form to the double knives again as she blocks it.
"You know your father's beliefs and his orders to all of you. That is not my fault!" hisses Helaena pushing Lorgar off and kicking him away.
"Not your fault?!" Lorgar roars before charging again at her with an overhead stroke.
"WHO FILLED MY HEAD WITH IDEAS OF FREEDOM?!" the attack she sidesteps destroying another section of the floor.
"WHO MADE ME CHARGE AHEAD TILL MY BONES CRACKED ON AN ENDLESS CRUSADE?!" the pointy end of the mace is used like a spear forcing Helaena to twist her body to avoid it.
"WHO STOOD ASIDE AS FATHER DENIED ME MY FAITH AND DESTINY?!" he shouts wildly swinging like a madman making Helaena parry each attack forcing her to jump over one wild swing, Incursio automatically transforming into a battle-axe which Helaena swings two handed forcing Lorgar to block with his mace sending him skidding away.
"RAAGGHH!" he roars out in anger jumping up transforming Illuminarium to a short handed mace just as Incursio returns to being a sword. The two weapons meet and blazes forth. Human ingenuity against Warp Construct. Human Ingenuity lost.
Incursion breaks to pieces catching Helaena off guard. Lorgar is quick to seize the element and blasts the Empress with Warp Lightning in full force at point blank range. Helaena can't stop from screaming as the power of Chaos Undivided courses through her throwing her off past a wall to the side of Lorgar's tower inches away from a freefall.
Her entire body hurt and she can feel her nerves twitching as her augments repair herself from the inside. Despite her protections, she just takes a full blast in full power unprotected and that takes time to repair. The crunching sound of the Daemon Prince makes Helaena glare as Lorgar looms above her, his mace powered up and waiting.
"Farewell, mother," he sneers at her raising Illuminarium above his head.
That is as far as he gets.
CRUNCH! Something pierces the chest of Lorgar and the Daemon Prince coughs out blood as he turns in horror at the sight of a giant humanoid figure wearing a broken armor with the Aquila on it with a raven's head instead of a human at his back piercing his armor with a gauntlet that has claws attached.
"C-Cora-ax," coughs out Lorgar, blood spurting from his mouth as another claw pierces his back jutting out from his chest.
"And so the hunt ends," the mutated Raven Lord says simply and with one motion rips Lorgar into two with his giant arms splattering the entire walkway with eldritch blood. And just like that, the life of Lorgar Aurelion, Fallen Primarch and Priest of Chaos Undivided is over.
Helaena just stares as her blood covered and obviously mutated son stands still for a few moments before walking towards her and taking a knee. Despite the face being that of a raven, Helaena can see they still resemble those piercing emerald eyes that Corax inherits from her.
"Hello mother, I am sorry I'm late," greets the Raven Lord helping her stand up wobbly on her feet.
"You saved me," breathes out Helaena as her son hauls her up before engulfing her in a hug. Corax has always been the silent and conservative when it comes to his brothers but he always has been rather receptive to her hugs the most. Helaena is more than happy to indulge him now feeling like her heart might burst that one of her sons, the ones that remain who they are, or at least most of what they are is still here.
If birds can smile, this one just did. "I guess I did mother. Do I get a reward for that?" he smirks standing back as he pulls back. Despite his appearance that would have set off anyone in the Imperium, she feels no disgust or fear at him. Corax is her son and he just returned.
"Yes you do, I don't like seeing you like this," Helaena sadly looks at the bird form of Corax touching one of his feathers. "You stayed in the Warp too long my son,"
"Anything to bring down Lorgar and his ilk, thank you mother. If not for your distraction and the chaos, I would never had the chance," says Corax looking at the pieces of Lorgar on the ground. "Now I can come home, if there is a home that waits for me that is," he says morosely as he once more gestures at his form.
"There is always will Corvus, you know that. As for this little feathery problem of yours. I can repair this, you did ask for a reward," smirks Helaena making Corax laugh as the two embraces once more.
"It is good to see you again mother," the Raven Lord admits wholeheartedly.
"I could say the same my son,"
An explosion down below brings the two's attentions, especially Helaena's back to the present. In her fight against Lorgar, she has almost forgotten the Custodes down below fighting tooth and nail against an entire army to buy her time. Add the fact that she reunites with Corax and all memory about the poor men fighting for their lives down below has completely been blow off from her mind.
"We need to evacuate them, they are fighting an army down there," exclaims Helaena urgently as she can hear that the fighting below has stopped. That only can mean two things. Either the Custodes has all defeated their enemies or the Word Bearers wipe them out. She's got a feeling that it is the latter more than the former. Despite the weapons she rents to them from the Golden Age of Technology, they are still numerically outnumbered and outgunned after all.
To her surprise though Corvus Corax laughs as he steps away from her embrace. "Do not worry mother. Father's bodyguards are safe. My dearest companion in my long hunt against Lorgar has gone that way to aid them in their fight. They just might be finishing now,"
"What do you mean Corax?" asks Helaena.
Her question however is answered when the great doors of the hall open and in stomps the Custodes, at least the remaining five that is their armors rent and bloody but still looking as disciplined as ever as they stand in attention at her presence. Behind them march figures in blue and gold, each with a shield that has a roaring lion emblazoned on them. Their armor however is ancient in design bearing that of the Mark Four Maximus Pattern Power Armor used by the Astartes during the climax of the Thirty First Millenium and that of the Great Crusade. It is the number however emblazoned on their left pauldrons that marks them out. The symbol of the Eleventh legion stands out like a sore thumb, one of the lost ones expunged from all arecords.
Helaena's breath however hitches as the Astartes from time immemorial stands in attention as one taller than they are walks forward. He wears no helmet and his blonde hair is tied to a short ponytail revealing his handsome features and chocolate brown eyes. His armor is coated also in grime and blood but one cannot mistake the roaring lion emblazoned on it. Unlike his sons, his armor is almost archaic in design with shoulder plates, chainmail. Bracers at his hands along with gauntlets, a sabaton covers his lower extremities along with armored greaves with leg guards being hold together with a greatbelt. Finally a satin cloak is tied at his back flowing freely. At his hip is the shortsword, the Twinblade of the Phoenix.
Helaena immediately knows who she is for she's the one who lets him go along with his legions when he asked for it. She's the one who chose his name in honor of the great game culture of the old world where she came from. He who is named as the Roaring Lion of the Alliance when he united ten worlds in peace with only diplomacy and pure moral fiber. The one who inherits the kindness of Sanguinis to the common folk and his sons and the brilliant mind of the Emperor in statecraft.
"Anduin," breathes out Helaena as his youngest boy smiles with an extremely pleased expression in his face as he falls on his knees in front of her.
"Hello mother," the Primarch of the Eleventh Legion greets out.
...
Omake: Animagus Gone Wrong. Imperial Palace
"MOOOOTTTHER!" Helaena sighs as she turns away from her experiment to reach with her mind the mental bridge that her son Magnus established with her. Knowing him, it is another mishap of magic since these are the only times that he dare connect with her mind.
"What is it this time Magnus?" Helaena asks a little testily. Her son has just interrupted her from rediscovering the cure of severe pox outbreaks which seems to be rampant on the African Continent due to the noxious gas that just erupted from ancient vents there.
"Ermm, I may have messed with Leman Mother and dosed his wineskin with that animal changing potion I made. Unfortunately he shared it as a drink to others and well, you better come and see here at the Dining Area mother,"
Sighing to herself and knowing very well that Magnus is just way over his head on this one, Helaena apparatus herself to the dining room and is greeted by an entire menagerie of animals running around chasing one another. If it is anyone else, they might not have knowh who is which among the animals for Primarchs. Helaena however has a profound and unique connection with her sons making her know exactly who they are the moment her eyes lay on them.
Lion El Johnson being a loner, a master of the hunt and kind of an asshole has been transformed to a tiger now licking his own balls at the top of the dining table.
Fulgrim is a peacock, which surprises nobody since even in human form he is called a peacock by his own brothers.
Perturarbo is a cat since he has that penchant on destroying stuff when you don't give him enough attention.
Flying above is the Khan which surprise surprise, is a falcon cawing his heart out and speeding like a rocket.
Leman Russ is at the corner as a Chihuahua,his nature of being helpful by barking at all other friends and siblings influencing him so.
He is chasing what seems to be a squirrel which is Magnus which is not that all surprising. He hordes knowledge after all likes nuts and accidentally breaks infrastructure while doing it.
Beside the fireplace making what seems to be a small house is Dorn as a beaver since you know, he is a master of construction.
A giant bear is at the middle of the room marking as Sanguinish due to his love for his kids and his rather impressive temper.
Ferrus Manus is a honey badger since he's strong, touch, ferocious and an asshole.
Angron is a wolverine scratching his nose since he's the embodiment of rage. Ironically even as an animal he is still trying to take in his aspirin medication.
Guilliman is a penguin waddling seems he's so exotic and organized and gets easily annoyed when one makes a mess.
Snoring at the side is Vulkan which is a big elephant. It must have been influenced due to his niceness but also in his nature not a good idea to be pissed off. Tends to love being left alone.
Corax is a raven, period, no explanations needed.
Flopping at the side is a Clownfish which is Mortarion. He tends to intentionally poison himself to build up resistance that allow it to survive an environment few could.
Lorgar is a jumping Cicada since he just never shuts up.
Alpharius is a lizard since he tends to have a head-like tail to distract everyone.
Horus is a wolf since you know, he is a good boy and beloved by both his mother and father.
Curze is a…is that a slime? The poor emo kid at the side which is pretty hard to understand.
All in all it is a right menagerie and Helaena can feel her eye twitching at the ruckus it is causing to the entire dining room. A couple of Custodes at the side looking as lost as her and quite confused. She just massages the bridge of her nose as she starts first by trying to keep the Chihuahua from murdering the squirrel who seems to be hell bent on running for its life.
…..
Author's Review:
Hi guys so another chapter done 8K words. I admit not the best work of my life. Been losing interest fast in the story. So we have five more chapters to go before the End. I hope I can make it before I lose full interest. Already dreaming of a proper ending for the story. Anyway hope you have a Merry Christmas. Enjoy the holiday.
Just a thought. How do you guys see the ending for this story? Since you know Warhammer 40k is an open ended story and there's literally nothing that could come out as a good ending for it especially when you are the Emperor or in this case, the Empress of Mankind.
As usual please Review your opinions for your opinions are the song to this writer's heart.