RWBY 40k – Salem, Mistress of Inquisition.

Ep 37: Xenocide of Kamenka Troika.

[Theme: Jo Wandrini – Freedom Fighters (Royalty Free Music)].

902.M30. Prospero.

Tizca has well changed since the arrival of the Imperium. The city was beautifully decorated and gigantic. The population was well and the city was only growing.

A new temple was dressed, a Pyramid where its use was being the Fortress Monastery of the XVth Legion.

The Thousand Sons with Magnus have acquired since decades a legendary reputation of warrior-magicians where nobody cannot beat them.

Especially, Magnus the Red has revolutionized the magic since his encounter with his mother, Salem.

Where Salem gives him, the knowledge accumulated from millenias, on Magnus side, he perfected the magic spells and even created better and more efficient magic spells than he has learned.

Salem with this new knowledge, has become more powerful than she has never imagined before. But she was still weaker than her own son and a Thousand Son. Because they have inherited the Emperor force and resistance, making their potential greater than the old witch.

Also, by her surprise. Magnus has managed the impossible: transmit the Magic to the Terran Humans. But it was only to humans where their mind has not psychic powers like the Psykers.

He transmitted by making long and difficult rituals to open their mind, then their spirit and finally their bodies to receive the magic, while putting them in great danger to be a prey of a Psychneuein or other Chaos Agents.

[End of the Theme].


This day, Magnus was teaching his mother about concentrating the mind to have a photographic memory. But Salem has a hard time to do so.

Salem was reading the most precious book of Magnus. The Book of the Thousand Sons, containing the knowledge of magic but also the psykers, witchcraft and sorcery.

The High Lady of Senatorum Imperialis was sweating feeling her head strikes by a hammer with repetition. She closes the book abruptly.

Salem: "By the gods… (releases her breath). This magic of Memory is so painful to my head…"

Magnus: "But you are immortal, you shouldn't be so affected by this."

Salem: "I am beginning to think that I am not that immortal in my mind. Yes, I cannot forget my past and memories are still here in my spirit. But, it's painful to force my spirit like that… I am still a simple woman. Not a demi-god like you."

Magnus sighed.

Magnus: "But you have learned things, right?"

Salem: "Yes… (she slouches to the desk) … I must rest my brain."

Magnus: "Okay…"

Magnus leave her in the guest room of his palace. After walking a little inside the city of Prospero. He goes to the Academy of the Six Cults of Prospero.

It was a gigantic ziggurat with the particularity who was composed of hexagonal form. Each side dedicated for one profession of the Psychic Powers or Magic. He arrived in the Aquilae part of the Academy, where in the courtyard, the young mages was training by launching balls of energy to destroy rocks.

He could see Amon talking with the other members of the Cults, with also a woman, possessing a white pale hair and red eyes, dressed in black and red peplos (Note: Ancient Greek clothes for womens).

Amon: "You have to restrain your father. I don't like his overuse of darkness."

Woman: "I know… I know… But father is really stubborn. He wants to control every aspect of the Grimm powers. And he aided by Marteus Olon! I cannot do anything…"

Magnus: "What's happening?"

Amon: "This is Toror. He has produced a new Grimm species."

Magnus: "And? He does it all the time for fighting the Psychneuein. What it's worrying you exactly?"

Amon: "You should see the teachings he gives to his students."

Magnus: "Hm… (turn to the woman). Maïa, why you don't manage to convince your father about the danger of his experiments?"

Maïa: "He is really stubborn. Ever since he has become the Prophet. He seems to not stop himself…"

Magnus: "But why you wanted to become the High Priestess of the Aquilae Cult in my absence? When you could just talk to him?"

Maïa: "He doesn't listen but I can give him this: he teaches me a lot but I turn to light, not Darkness. And so, I can at least watch him."

Magnus: "Then, where he is?"

Maïa: "In the Arena facing the Tree of Darkness."

Magnus: "Okay… Take care for the day."

Amon: "Of course."

Maïa nodded.


A few moments later. In the Arena in question. It was a small, black stoned Arena, on the coast of the lake separating the city from the Tree of Darkness.

Toror was here, his full face revealed and dressed to a formal priest clothes. His face was has a pale skin of a corpse, covered with black-red veins. His long hair was fully pale white. His eyes where blood-red and shining where his sclerae in his eyes are jet black.

He was on a platform, in the middle of the Arena, where his students, young men and women dressed in black and red uniforms with a same appearance as him. Some of them are exactly the same pale corpse-like appearance with black veins, blood red eyes and very pale hair. While others are much less pale, with simple natural red eyes, no veins and when their hair are simply pure white. They look attentively to him.

Toror: "I will show you my new creation. Exit from hiding, Behemoth."

A loud rumble is here and from of the cages, a creature exited. A creature with 6.4 meters of height for 9.4 meters of width. The Behemoth in question is really large, armoured with slabs of tough, rock-like material. The Behemoth is quadrupedal, lumbering forward on two short hind legs and two comparatively. He has massive club-like front legs.

The Behemoth's head is asymmetrical and rock, directly connected to the creature's torso via a short neck. He has six different eyes that are unevenly disperse around the creature's face. One of them who is large and glaring out in the center of his face. The creature has a massive pair of tusks jutting from its lower jaw, and also possesses an incredibly long, barbed tongue in his mouth.

The jagged plates of tough and rock-like armour covered most of its skin even is some an exposed flesh is visible by cracks. The front of Behemoth's torso is completely exposed, where its internal organs dangling from its open chest cavity.

(Note: I will use monsters of Evolve the video game for some Imperium-maked Grimms).

The students were fascinated and some of them began to write on their notebook.

Toror: "Now. I will show the capacities of the Behemoth. By showing them to a few captured Psychneueins."

He shows cages of Psychneueins.

Toror: "Now, let loose your wrath."

He pulls a lever and the Psychneueins are liberated and began to attack the Behemoth with their stings. But the Behemoth strikes back while screaming with his fists, destroying a whole pack of them.

Then the Behemoth opens his mouth and spites several lava bombs, killing another group of Psychneueins. He strikes the ground, killing another group of Psychneueins by erecting a rock wall, piercing them. His tongue grabbed several of them before eating them. Then the Behemoth smashes the ground, splitting it open in a line of front of him a series of miniature explosions and dealing damage to anything caught in the way, especially the last group of Psychneueins. He screamed with rage before standing still.

The crowd of the arena applaud the demonstration.

Toror: "Thanks… Thanks… Now you will learn about the control of the Behemoth."

Suddenly, Magnus appears in front of everyone by flying down to the platform of Toror.

Magnus: "What are you doing, Toror?"

Toror: "Oh… my lord."

He knelled down to Magnus.

Magnus: "Stand up and explain yourself."

Toror: "My creation? The Behemoth will bring doom to the Psychneueins."

Magnus: "I have enough of this. Why won't you stop yourself creating more Grimms?"

Toror: "Because I can't stop now, my lord. The power of Darkness must be fully explored. As we talk, I have almost finished my exploration. Also, I remember perfectly this quote you wrote in your book: Knowing our darkness is better knowing ourselves."

Magnus stays silent for a moment but unfazed about this.

Magnus: "I have saw that you gained tremendous power in a matter of months. Don't it from me. It was Marteus Olon who give you advice?"

Toror stay silent a moment.

Toror: "Yes, my lord. But it was for the greater good. He doesn't want us to be driven by desire, destruction and corruption."

Magnus stays unfazed.

Magnus: "Last time I come back to Tizca. I don't want any Grimm inside the city. Do you make myself clear?"

Toror: "Of course, my lord."

Magnus turns to the students.

Magnus: "You, return to the Academy. You have skipped too much lessons to my taste."

The students look nervously each other before turning standing up and leaving the arena. One by one, then groups after groups and finally, crowd after crowd.

Magnus turn to Toror again.

Magnus: "Don't test me Toror. You are still valuable for the city but I think you are doing too much."

Magnus levitate and fly out of the arena, returning to the center of the city, to the Fortress Monastery of the XVth Legion.


After searching a little from the sky, he sees the group of the Black Phalanx training in a small courtyard.

Marteus Olon, recognizable by his long white hair, his elegant face and his scarlet burning eyes was powering a big ball of magic in his hand when other was using a magic to immobilize a Grimm Nevermore.

Marteus Olon: "By concentrating the Nature Energy in your hands after a long time. You can make the ultimate attack to defeat an unvanquished foe, even he his too powerful for you. I have named this technique: the Soul Bomb." (Note: Equivalent of Genkidama or Spirit Bomb in Dragon Ball).

He launched the ball to the chained Nevermore close to him and when the bomb impacted it, it vaporised it completely.

Marteus Olon: "Unfortunately, it takes almost an hour to charge it. So, use it has a last resort."

Magnus was quite impressed but also irritated that Marteus Olon was creating techniques behind his back.

Magnus: "Marteus Olon. What are you doing?"

Marteus to Magnus and kneeled before him.

Marteus: "Hello father."

Magnus: "I have two questions. First, why are you hiding techniques who could be valuable for the magicians. Second, why did you help Toror in the creation of Grimms?"

Marteus: "I was about to write the Soul Bomb in the Book of the Thousand Sons. For Toror, this is to finish the gathering of knowledge about darkness. To better transcend it."

Magnus: "By creating new Grimms? I have said to you that creating new Grimms is dangerous that it could attacks the citizens of Tizca! Also, I remind that you and the Black Phalanx created the Soul Sword."

Marteus: "You are misunderstanding it father. The Grimm is only the surface part of the Darkness. It's inner potential is about Nature. Nature of Flesh. Nature of Living. Nature of Death. Nature of Purity. The Grimm only devours the nature to become perfect beings. Look at the Soul Bomb that I created. This is divine, this is pure and could save life by its use."

Magnus was speechless and doesn't know how to respond.

Marteus: "I know you don't trust us fully because we embraced Darkness. But you have to make a difference between Mastery and Transcendence. The Mastery is mastering power but you are still driven by it, like powerful Dark Magician who cannot restrain themselves to overuse it. The Transcendence is beyond mastery. You can take a step back and reflect about your power before use it, because you perfectly know what is about began you transcend your nature. The Black Phalanx have Transcended their nature, Toror and his students are in the way to this same Transcendence. Nobody will kill each other when you return, believe me."

Magnus cannot think was about to think now. One part wanted to believe Marteus words but another part stay cautious.

Magnus: "We will see when we return from the campaign against the Kamenka Troika."

Marteus smiled.

Marteus: "You won't be disappointed. Believe me father."

Magnus fly out from the Fortress Monastery. He goes outside the city to see the Tree of Darkness he has summoned.

The Tree of Darkness since his first encounter with his parents has grown significantly. It was now a gigantic Tree of hundreds of meters of height for the trunk for kilometers of width with his roots. A lot of holes where inside like nests were everywhere on the trunk of the tree and the biggest roots. Grimm puddles and small Lakes were everywhere between the gigantic roots.

The leaves were scarlet red, shining with pure red light. And everywhere, all the Grimms were roaming like guarding this tree from any threat.

At some moments, swarms of Psychneueins come to attack some Grimms before a lot of them are killed and destroyed by the Grimms. Some are thrown inside the holes of the Tree where the rest are devoured, making the Grimm who eats them a bit larger, more ferocious and powerful. Where some of the Grimm dies because larvae of Psychneueins devoured them from the interior before flying away.

More Magnus approached the center of this small Land of Darkness. More the Grimms are elder because not being killed of Psychneuein and living for decades or have evolved by devouring a lot of these Warp insects.

Magnus arrived in front of the trunk of the Tree. And could see something he has not seen before.

A heart like an orb, being hold by the branches. It was shining like a sun.

Magnus: "What could it be…?"

By searching a little more. He could see where the Land of Darkness ends, a normal forest or plain was beginning. But these places were filled with a strange energy, who brings to Magnus a sensation of peace inside of these bucolic forests and plains.

Magnus: "I understand now… Where is Darkness, Light shine even more."

He turns back to the Tree and fly closer to it. And could see a few leaves between the sea of red leaves. It was gold leaves, shining in reassuring light. Magnus turn his gaze to the Heart of the Tree.

Magnus: "This Tree is changing… What could happen in the next decades? I have to watch it closely when I will have time…"


A few moments later in Tizca…

Salem was speechless, she was holding a shining gold leave that Magnus gives it to her.

Salem: "Really? Are you serious Magnus?"

Magnus: "Yes. The Tree is changing. It's filling with light. A few leaves and an Orb of light in the Heart of its branches."

Salem: "Okay… This is unexcepted…"

Magnus: "I think I began to understand what could the Darkness could bring to the world."

Salem: "Me too… (she observes the leave again) … You are right about 'Darkness make the Light shining more'. But you have to control the followers, to limit the risks of those who wants only bring doom."

Magnus: "Don't worry mother. I am reflecting about it since I returned from the Tree. Do you trust me?"

Salem was silent for a moment then smile a little.

Salem: "Be careful. You have to find this truth about what you discovered."

Magnus: "Of course."


Then months later… The Crusade in the Kamenka Troika system was beginning.

Magnus was with in his flagship, the Photep, with the Hologram of the Emperor. The three satellite planets of Kamenka Troika, Forge-World of Kamenka Ulizarna was filled with Orks.

Emperor of Mankind: "Are you ready, Magnus?"

Magnus: "Yes, I will attack a to the west planet. And you in the East. Our junction is the third planet in the middle."

Emperor of Mankind: "Of course."

Magnus: "I will show you how much I progressed."

The hologram closes.

Magnus: "Let's go."

The XVth Legion fleet approached the third satellite planet and after engaging the fleet.

Magnus: "Let's go."

He exits the bridge of the Photep and goes to the main hall, where the XVth Legion is.

Magnus: "Let's go my sons!"

He prepared a magic incantation and teleported himself on the planet, quickly followed by the XVth Legion.

They appeared on the planet's surface. The Orks present are caught by surprise but before they could react. The XVth Legion began to massacre the Ork army who was on sight.

But the resistance of the Orks was fierce and the XVth Legion. But Magnus was someone whose power is impossible to beat. His magic since his encounter with his mother Salem, was only ascending and so he managed to slaughter dozens and dozens of Orks, hundreds of Gretchins and Snotlings.

Magnus: "ROOOAAH!"

Has the fight continued. He is little by little by reinforcements by the other Thousand Sons but also the Legio Astorum and the Titan Legion of Kamenka Ulizarna.

But also, the impact force of the Black Phalanx of the Thousand Sons striked against the local Warbosses who charged at them. Cursing, dooming and pierce them with Darkness Magic.

And after a long fight of an entire day, the Ork forces are killed but for a great price to Magnus.

Magnus could see a very small but still consequent part of his sons being killed by Orks who was stronger and numerous than usual. He couldn't believe it at actually happened.

Magnus approached a dying Thousand Son.

Thousand Son: "Father… Tell me… We have won…?"

Magnus: "Hm… Yes… This is the beginning of the battle. Your sacrifice will be not in vain."

Thousand Son release his last breath before dying. Magnus shed a tear for this loss before turning to the mountains far from the battlefield.

Magnus: "Let's go… For the Imperium."

The campaign was hard fought and lasted for two years. The Orks were Blood Axes Klan who have learned tactics like running away were the enemy army is more powerful than them or using the advantage of the field.

The first year was dedicated on the purge of the west satellite planet, when the second was the middle planet, making the junction of with the Emperor's army. But the loses were atrocious for the Thousand Sons, losing one ten of his army, an entire Fellowship of the XVth Legion. The division of Legio Astorum was annihilated because of Ork resistance.

And so, the Emperor and Magnus find themselves in front of each other, were the body of the last Warboss of the Kamenka Troika empire was lied down.

Magnus: "Father. What a loss."

Emperor: "I know. This is why we will never underestimate our enemies."

Magnus nodded.

The Emperor of Mankind launched a dazzling look to the Black Phalanx of the XVth Legion. Magnus could feel his distrust about this part. Then, the Emperor of Mankind turn his back.

Emperor of mankind: "This is time to let the Forge World to deal with his business."

Magnus: "Yes, father."


Some months later…

Magnus was kneeled down to a statue dedicated to the fallen of the 5th Fellowship. Salem deposed flowers on the statue. They turned to the wreckage of a Titan of Legio Astorum.

Salem: "You will rebuild this Titan?"

Magnus: "Yes and putting up on the Pyramid of the Fortress Monastery, to remind this tragedy of this loss."

Salem put her hand on his arm.

Salem: "Be strong Magnus. A lot of enemies are waiting to us."

Magnus could see the cold expression of his mother face.

Salem: "Don't worry. The Corpus Inquivisitum will grow. And so, the threats will be purged before it could bring this kind of tragedy to you and your brothers. This is a promise."


The Compliance of 47-10 (Khur) – Episode 38.

Lorgar after conquering the world of Khur, decided to build the most beautiful religious city of all Imperium. To show before all his devotion to his father, the Emperor of Mankind.


Salem's Counterattack – Episode 39.

The civilisation of Bordomer is close to a Maiden World and is about to colonizing it since they are numerous and confident enough to do. Weeks after that, the Imperium finds the planet being a complete wasteland with no survivors. Salem expresses an anger that her fellow Imperials have rarely see and so, her thirst will lead her to the responsible: Autarch Mauryon, militant commander of Biel-Tan.


The Golgothan Slaughter – Episode 40.

The World Eaters Legion launch an attack to the stellar wasteland of the Golgotha Sector, close from the Maelstrom. Here, in the part named the Sarum Sector, with the Forge-World of Sarum is besieged by the Abhuman empire of the Brotherhood of the ruin. This massacre will soak the mantle of the XIIth Legion.