Chapter 4: Iron reunited and Through the flames of Khornes war
With the acquisition of Perturabo Erda introduced the primarch to the nursery on the Emperors Secret to what to her was a comedic moment, Perturabo repeatedly attempted to escape as he was dressed in a nappy and T-shirt complaining that this was not proper dress for the Lord of Iron. "And you would rather be a corpse in a dreadnought?" Erda said quizzically and the shrunken primarch pipes up before trying something else.
"But what will my legion think? Your tricks you have pulled with the Vox will only work for so long" Perturabo says and as Erda is about to respond she is taken off guard by Aurelius and Vigil clinging to her legs, "WE MISSED YOU!" they both exclaimed with Erda blushing slightly "is that? Seriously is that-" Perturabo asked with his hands flying to his mouth to stop himself from saying their names.
Erda leaned forward picking up Perty and taking his hands away from his mouth "you can say their names perty," she says with a smile sitting him on the floor "besides mama's gonna have to invite a guest to smooth everything over with your legion to make sure everythings going well" she adds leaveing the nursery with the golden servitors marked 2, 4 and 11 coming to life as she closes the door.
"Did she just... SIT ME ON THE GROUND LIKE A CHILD!" Perty roared with Aurelius and Vigil looking at each other before apprehensively approaching, "AND WHERE DID SHE FIND YOU TWO! I ASSUMED RUSS KILLED YOU!" Perty shouted his face both on the verge of tears mixed in with expressions of pure relief. "Well neither of us are too sure on who knocked us down but i do remember we were in the imperial dungeon for... I am not sure i was just locked in combat with that beast for so long" Vigil said with Aurelius nodding, "i had my arms stuck in this weird daemonic tree," he said in response to Vigil "with our legions erased from history we have nothing.. Hopefully mum lets us rebuild" he added on looking towards the door as the servitors stared at them their blank but kind expression unnerving them. With Aurelius nodding, "i had my arms stuck in this weird daemonic tree," he said in response to Vigil "with our legions erased from history we have nothing..
"OH NO! NO! IF WE ARE GOING BACK TO TERRA THAT MEANS THE IRON WARRIORS WILL BE BROKEN UP!" Perty said standing up now in full blown panic with the 4th servitor moving in ready to scoop him up, "wait.. Broken up?" Aurelius said confused as he watched his brother be lifted by the servitor that played canned responses asking him what was wrong and if there was anything for '4' what it called itself could do to make it all feel better.
Perty opened his mouth to respond as from the outside an officer passing by the door jumped in surprise hearing what both Aurelius and Vigil shouted, "HE DID WHAT!?" they both shouted their own servitors coming to them to pick them and attempt to sooth them.
Meanwhile as the boys began to have their temper tantrums Erda was in the planning room tapping away at the Etherial Environment Interface (EEI) using a mixture of memory and her powers to generate a digital version of the realms of khorne, "you sure this is right?" Gallius says with Erda eye rolling "I wouldn't build my holiday home there but yes this is what I remember it looking like" Erda says remembering the last time she had fought her way through the lord of skulls realm.
"Well I guess it beats going insane," the felinid says with a sigh before pointing to the image "well savant? Get to studying" he adds shouting at an elderly man who's augmetics left him hunched over a keyboard that he stabbed at with his fingers, each key firing a stencil against a ribbon of ink leaving high gothic glyphs against the page as another augmetic scratched at parchment drawing the map. "I am going as fast as I can master" the savant said through his speaker grill as Erda finished the holographic image.
"This is as good of a pic as you're going to get without your heads exploding, it's safe to say I am restricting mortal units on this one" Erda said with Gallius nodding in agreement, "so whats the game plan for Angron? Breaking up cults is more my speed" Gallius says with Erda taking her turn to nod. "Khorne may be the god of blood, murder and rage but he does have a sense of honour, we are going to exploit it by having me challenge him to a fight" Erda says with all eyes in the room looking at her in shock.
"You're going to challenge a chaos god?" a Grey Knight says actually confused before another one chimes in "for anyone other than the god emperor that is literal suicide" he says with Erda sighing, "then you do not know the great enemy like I do, khorne will not just let anyone fight him off the bat he is going to drag me to the arena at the base of the brass citadel that is where the grey knights and our new allies come in" Erda says with one of the grey knights shaking in his armour trying to prevent himself from shouting heresy.
"I know before anyone says it I am going to talk to my son, the great enemy do not know that they have abandoned their post so using them I am going to announce my presence in a way that will get the blood gods attention" Erda says and Gallius narrows his eyes, "where does Angron come into all this?" he asks getting a Cheshire cat-like grin from Erda "he will be in the arena I fully expect khorne to throw him at me, il beat him, shrink him down then thats where you grey knights come in along side the iron warriors you're going to evacuate me and you will work along side them is that clear?" Erda asked and the Grey Knights bow acknowledging the command.
With the plan clear Erda went down to the diplomats welcoming area a lounge that for normal humans was a place to relax with jugs of wine as they waited for the inquisitor or Erda to be done with their business, instead of a baseline human stood a towering man the new first captain of the iron warriors since the 13th black crusade and the death of Kydromor Forrix. His terminator plate to Erda's delight showed no sign of physical corruption and his eyes twitched looking at holo displays that were projected through his optical nerves, "Conaen Azanus?" Erda asked and the iron warrior snapping back to reality nodded "that would be I yes" he said plainly nodding his acknowledgement.
"So… has the order been carried out?" Erda asked with Conaen staring down at her, "as instructed those weak enough to breakdown to the worship of the gods have been purged our numbers are down to 123,498 marines, though we do have concerns and questions" Conaen asks with Erda cocking her head. "For now you only get a single one answered the rest shall come after you help me with something" Erda says with Conaen's face becoming stern, "very well, my question is where is our primarch? We haven't seen him physically in almost a week and I am concerned that the men will get sloppy if the lord of iron isn't around to bash them into shape" Conaen says, Erda smiles "walk with me then I shall show you and explain" she says turning and walking with the iron warrior in toe tech priests and adepts often shivering in the Warsmiths presence.
"After your primarch decided to come back into my embrace understand I had to heal his body, he was no daemon primarch he was-" Erda said being interrupted by the iron warriors first captain, "sick I know, he confided in me his up and coming death we were looking into how to heal him" Conaen said curious as they approached a simple wooden door.
"Then see that I have done the job for you" Erda said opening the door her jaw would of hit the floor if it wasn't attached to her skull at the 3 crying toddlers screaming about broken legions. "WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE!" Erda exclaims splitting into her 3 forms the main mother form taking Perturabo into her arms rubbing the lord of irons shouting until it turned to more of a stressed and annoyed breathing.
"Perturabo?" Conaen says with the iron warriors primarch straightening his back "yes it's me and yes I will order you killed if you laugh Conaen" Perturabo says attempting to put a gruff edge to his voice and failing, "but YOU HAVE SOME EXPLAINING!" Perturabo says with Aurelius and Vigil nodding in agreement. "Oh right… better do what your father does not" Erda says with the primarchs raising their eye brows, "tell us the truth?" Perturabo says with Erda nodding "I don't intend to break up your legion Perturabo, in fact I have more of an intent to rebuild all 20 legions as smart as Robute is," Erda says getting a laugh from Perturabo before continuing "it's a serious tactical blunder we designed the astartes to work together as entire military forces in a structure not as indipendent chapters like some sort of motorbike gang" she adds on getting understanding looks from the primarchs.
"So…. I still get to run my legion? Il just be leading from a nursery?" Perturabo asks and Erda nods "would you rather do it from the middle of a battlefield?" she asked with Perturabo looking shocked, "with the iron circle gone I must say for his protection he be anywhere but a battlefield" Conaen says with Perturabo for once in his life blushing. "You brought him here for more to do more than just make me realize how physically small I am right?" Perturabo said with Erda nodding "I need your legion my son," Erda said grimly as the crone and maiden forms grabbed small stuffed toys to keep Vigil and Aurelius occupied "it's about your brother Angron" and upon mentioning this Perturabo looks annoyed.
"The red 'angel'?," he said his face scrunching up "one of the brothers that I had to beat and bind into behaving for the battle of Terra? Why on Terra would you want to bring him back?" Perturabo says recalling the pain the World Eaters primarch has caused him, "do you even know what ability we gave him? An ability that those nails stopped him from using, he can take away anguish and damage from your mind" Erda said with Perturabo's jaw going slack.
After a few seconds Perturabo looked down his face going tense unable to process what exact emotion he is feeling, Guilt? Empathy? The Lord of iron had no idea but his thought process was broken by Erda. "You pity him my little Perty," Erda said smoothing his cheek with a finger "grant me the ability to command your legion and once I have him back you can rebuild a relationship as actual brothers, not just generals in an army" she adds with Perturabo looking nervous before looking resolute, "obey her commands as if I had said them" Perturabo said to Conaen with the first captain bowing his head "it shall be done my primarch" he responded obediently.
With all things prepared the fleet aimed itself towards the Eye of terror and dove full speed into the warps depth, weeks pass as they sailed through the warps tides destination the brass citadel of khorne.
Loaded into drop pods Erda fired herself and her Grey Knight honour guard under the guard of an Iron Warriors creeping barrage, she cut down blood letters with her sickle like she was harvesting wheat and gored blood thirsters organs her fist as easily as removing a tic from a dogs body all while screaming obscenities aimed at the god of blood and murder. Safe to say her plan was working as the citadel in the distance scraped itself towards her and her guard, the destain the blood god had for her was so tangible she could taste it like the scent of blood in the air.
Her three forms raised their weapons up at the citadel challenging khorne calling him by name taunting him for be afraid of the primarchs as infants, khorne did not leave her insults unanswered as the brass gate lifted pulling Erda inside leaving her Grey Knight guards outside to begin the long slaughter through and into the building.
She spent 8 weeks, 8 days and 8 hours fighting through that arena defeating many daemons of khorne that dared to have names including oddly a single ork that didn't seem to be worshipping the blood god, eventually she stood ready for what she knew came next.
Khorne laughed telling her that theres only 1 daemon left to fight before she would be deemed worthy of fighting blade to blade with the god of blood and skulls,"THEN BRING HIM OUT!," Erda screamed "LET ME SEE MY SON! LET ME SHOW HIM HOW MUCH HIS MOTHER CARES!" she added getting another deep throated chuckle from khornes demonic throat.
Everything was going as planned she just hoped that when the time came he would get his ass off that throne and help.
The gate her contenders entered in opened once more to allow the behemoth that is Angron in revving Spinegrinders brutilized engine and holding aloft Samni'arius, she looked into his eyes with all 3 of her own features growing soft as she brandished her weapons once more. "ANGRON!" she called "MY SON WHO WAS LOST ON NUCERIA! MOTHER HAS COME TO BRING YOU HOME!" she proclaimed before Angron roared in feral rage launching himself at her.
Erda scattered herself focusing the Crone on running around pelting Angron with bolts of warp energy that she knew wouldn't harm him but would most certainly piss him off, "WITCH FIRE! CANNOT HURT! YOU CANNOT ENSLAVE!" Angron screamed throwing Spinegrinder and missing the Crone by inches.
The Maiden took a swipe with her sickle removing Angrons tail leaving behind a burned stump as she yelled, "LOOK AT YOURSELF! YOU ARE ENSLAVED ANGRON!" before the Mother form leaped forward with her strings and cut the head clean off of the chainaxe. "You screamed at Robute about courage and honour… where is the courage in fighting for the god of MURDER Angron, where is the honour in your enslavement to him?" the Mother form said before leaping back to avoid his sword.
Erda had to steady her forms as Angron screamed stamping his hoofed feet on the ground the impacts sound horrendous that it would of sent mortals or even space marines flying with each impact, "FATHER! I SMELL HIM! I SENSE HIM!" Angron shouts leaping towards the Maiden form sword raised.
Erda blocked with her sickle her knees buckling under the weight "FATHER SHALL NOT TAKE ME!" Angron focusing all his rage down on the Maiden, "then be glad my son that I am the one that will take you" Erda says as the Mother and Crone forms pounced on Angrons head gripping onto the demented dreads that is the butchered nails.
She put both her backs into it and ripped the infernal device more ancient than the primarch himself in a spew of blood and gore, his grip on his weapon slipped and Erda's maiden form moved forward grasping his head and did something the mother of the primarchs never thought she would do.
She asked for the assistance of a god…
The crimson sky had a breach above the arena with the blood infested clouds parting as a lightning bolt of pure gold struck down onto Angron breaking Khornes hold over his soul for the briefest of moments, that brief moment was all that Erda needed to link hers an Angron's minds or at least what's left of his.
The inside of his mind made Erda frown he was trapped in this single moment in the arena of Nuceria the crowd mid roar, in the centre of the arena Angron his head split open his brain exposed and kneeled over a corpse that was pummelled and torn beyond recognition. She cautiously moved along the sand feeling an extra presence behind her as she walked.
Pulling her forms together to show the mother form Erda heard Angron's soft sobs as she approached and kneeled beside her son, "don't you dare say it's ok," Angron heaved through his tears "don't even-" he said being interrupted by Erda wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "Considering what you have been through my son those words would never come from my lips" Erda said in attempt to sooth him, the other presence kneeled in the sand materializing not as the gold clad Emperor of man but how he truly was Neoth a man clad in simple robes.
Angron looked away at Erda and straight at Neoth "YOU LEFT THEM TO DIE!" he screamed throwing punch after punch straight into Neoths unmoving chest breaking away from Erda's embrace, "MY BROTHERS! MY SISTERS! WE WERE ALL IN CHAINS WHY DID YOU ONLY TAKE ME!?" Angron shouted his sobs growing into full grown wails of rage and sadness.
Neoth took no damage and did not move as Angron let out everything that was in his mind and heart for ten thousand years, Erda could only look on in disbelief before her eyes glanced down at the corpse clad in Nucerian gladiator plate that was twisted by Angrons hand into a mangled mess of flesh, bone and metal.
"They all meant a lot to you Angron but who was he?" Erda asked her voice softened getting Angrons attention, his breathing was unsteady as he screamed the name Oenomaus a gladiator that took in Angron and looked after him like he was his son. Screaming the name again he bashed his fist into the blood drenched sand of the arena floor as if he could punish the very planet into giving him his father figure-back.
"Angron," Neoth said gone was the imperius voice and all decorations that came with the title of emperor let alone his new title as a god, "there is nothing I can say, nothing I can do that can or ever make up for what I and I alone have done. My only wish now Angron is for you to move on not for my sake or even the entire human races but yours" he said looking down at Angron not with the eyes of the warlord of Terra but with the eyes of a concerned father.
"You lied to me… you lied to us all" Angron said his voice becoming weak becoming visibly tired stopping his punishment of the ground, "I know," Neoth said with a sigh "but she won't" he added on getting Angron to look at Erda, "It wasn't ok before Angron but… now it will be just come home with me" Erda said lifting Angrons head by the chin before her jerked it away to look back at the corpse.
"NO!" Angron said before his voice softened "you.. you only ripped out my nails it's only a matter of time before my master puts them back in, plus he has claim of my soul" he says bitterly his fists bawling into fists, "not any more" Neoth said with Angron snapping his head towards his father.
"What!?" Angron said with a surprised expression getting a nod from Neoth, "I have broken his hold and should you want to be free of both my and Chao's tyranny simply go with your mother" Neoth explain Angron turning to look at Erda.
Erda hugged Angron smiling as the gladiator wrapped his arms around her at first tentatively but then hugged onto Erda tight as if letting her go was signing his death warrant, Neoth smiled and got up "I am going to get going enjoy your new life Angron my son," Neoth said before looking at Erda "and one more thing my desert flower" he said getting Erda to raise an eyebrow.
"What is it? My Golden Star" she asks and Neoth dawns his golden armour once more leaving Erda with only a single word.
Run….
Back in the brass citadels arena the Grey Knights breached the gate bolters firing gunning down daemons and souls alike forming a barrier of psykic might to repel their advances, Erda held the now infantile Angron healed of his injuries the nails on the floor covered in blood and viscera. Khorne screamed and moved to stand up from his throne when the golden lightning returned striking at Khorne who seemingly was at war with it, taking the opportunity Erda stood pulling all 3 of herself together and took off as fast as she could.
With her the Grey Knights fell back calling for the Iron Warrior ships to make them path, a request they answered with the biggest insult to the blood god they could think of. Daemon engines made from the enslaved daemons of Khorne were commanded by Warpsmiths to protect them to help them cleave a path to the safety of an evac ship.
Once they got back aboard the iron warriors ship they departed back for the Emperors Secret, back to real space and back to safety.