Chapter 8 – End Of The Great Work
Chapter 8.1 No Quarter
Omegon looked out at the burning ruins that had been the Impossible City. For both sides the Titans had made short work of any significant standing structures. Even now he watched as an Imperator class fired its main gun to blast apart an opposing Warlord. He would have been pleased if the Imperator had actually been fighting for the Loyalists.
Instead he watched as street by street, outcrop by outcrop, the Loyalists were being slowly pushed back.
The Ten Thousand had been earning their reputation as the most powerful of the Emperor's warriors. The Sisters of Silence had also proved themselves invaluable against Magnus' Thousand Sons. Even the Legions of the Imperial Fists, Death Guard and World Eaters had been fighting like beasts to try and hold the wave of forces that the Nikaean Traitors had brought. A cloud of Yellow, Green and White had held as best it could.
But it wasn't enough.
They faced near Five full Legions with millions of supporting units. The Sons of Horus in White. The Sons of Sanguinius in Black. The Word Bearers in Grey. The Thousand Sons in Red. And finally, the Raven Guard in their beak nosed Black plate.
On top of the Legions and their supporting forces of mortals, Knights and God Machines, there were also the random attacks by the Daemonic incursion inside the Webway. These monsters didn't seem to be coordinating with the Legions. At least, not with any Legion other than the Word Bearers. Even the Thousand Sons, using their warpcraft mostly seemed to be interested in shaping the field by themselves rather than summoning others to do their bidding.
From what Omegon could tell, these attacks were mostly opportunistic, taking out Astartes or Custodes when occupied with other Legion assaults. There was no organization to their strikes, but it didn't matter. Their very presence was a destabilizing factor which was weakening the Loyalists, inch by inch.
It was all going to fail. Sooner or later, more likely sooner, the Nikaean Rebels would either break through and surround the beleaguered Loyalists, or the thinning numbers of the Loyalists would be forced back to the very entrance of the Imperial Webway itself.
"But my place here is not to win…" murmured Omegon, "We just need to hold. Hold long enough for everything to be ready…"
Suddenly, a roar of a jetpack filled Omegon's senses. He stepped back, grabbing several pieces of the Pale Spear from about his person.
The weapon was likely of Xenos origin, and could be configured into many different combinations. With the towering figure of a bloodshot eyed Corvus Corax standing over Omegon, he would need a weapon that allowed him to keep some distance.
From his vantage point, concealed by an overhang, Omegon had thought few could see him here. Corvus Corax however had sharp eyes, and clearly something had driven him to strike at the isolated Primarch.
The Bloody Raven roared and slashed it blooded talons at the Alpha Legion Primarch. Omegon dodged and rolled out the way. Bringing the Pale Spear up to strike, Omegon made a feint, followed by a swift lunge at the Raven Guard. Corvus smacked the blade aside, almost dismissively.
"BLOOD!" screamed the Bloody Raven, pushing again to rend and tear.
Realizing the danger of keeping in such a confined space with the enemy, Omegon did a quick calculation, then jump down the side of the vantage point. Digging his hand in as he fell, Omegon tried to slow his descent as much as possible. It barely had any effect, and the Primarch tumbled to the ground, forcing himself up as the Bloody Raven swiftly followed.
The Pale Spear was out of reach, but Omegon drew the Hydra's Spite from its holster. The Plasma weapon seemed a combination of standard Imperial Plasma technology with some Xenos components. As Omegon fired bolt after bolt from the weapon, the enhancements prevented the weapon from overheating, forcing Corvus to dodge and weave to avoid receiving a burning hole in his armour.
The Bloody Raven would not be distracted from its prey however. Charging again, Corvus let a bolt of Plasma catch on his right talon, burning away one of the blades into fine mist and molten slag. It didn't make the Primarch any less deadly.
As the Bloody Raven came in for a mortal blow, Omegon took a step back as a Golden Figure leaped forward to catch the strike aimed at the Alpha Legion Primarch.
Constantine Valdor fought the Bloody Raven to a standstill, as 3 more Custodes rallied around Omegon.
"Having trouble?" called Constatine with gritted teeth, "Custodes, clip the bird's wings!"
A hail of bolter rounds peppered the Bloody Raven. Rounds blasted through Corvus' jetpack, causing a small explosion on the back of the Primarch. Corax howled with rage, but this did not temper his blood lust one inch.
One of the Custodes quickly grabbed the Pale Spear and handed it back to Omegon. Valdor formed up with the warriors, the quintet forming an ad hoc phalanx formation, their spears pointed directly at the Bloody Raven.
"We need to cut off as many heads as possible," growled Valdor to Omegon, "I've got units hunting the Primarchs and senior commanders across the field. I've not heard from ones sent after Magnus but Lorgar is likely tied down. Once we're done here, we move onto the next."
"Agreed," nodded Omegon. He had allowed the Captain-General of the Ten Thousand to have greater strategic control of his command than the other Loyalist forces, and this was the reason why. Valdor was considered the equal of almost any Primarch, and his knowledge of Custodes operational abilities meant they worked better applied where Valdor thought best.
The warriors leveled their spears at the Bloody Raven as it charged once more, a mindless, rage driven charge that would see him impaled on the row of spears before him.
Suddenly, a blast of psychic shockwave hit the warriors like grenade. The perfectly formed phalanx staggered, giving the Bloody Raven the small opening it needed. Omegon clutched is head as he felt the scream of anguish and pain echo throughout his mind.
Valdor recovered the quickest. Corvus seemed completely unphased by the shockwave, his blood fury overwhelming all other mental activity. Omegon took a few steps back, then composed himself again. One of Valdor's Custodes was not quite so lucky.
Corvus tore into the Golden warrior, ripping away his armour like tissue paper. The Bloody Raven slammed the body of the Emperor's chosen into a nearby wall, slicing clean through the neck and spilling the warrior's head to the floor.
"SKULLS!" roared Corax, "BLOOD AND SKULLS!"
"Sanguinius…" murmured Omegon, still feeling the after echo of the shockwave rattling around inside his mind.
Valdor nodded in agreement, "Perhaps one of the kill teams got lucky."
"I'm afraid not…"
Magnus descended from the sky, a line of perfect burning destruction arrayed behind him. Titan wrecks burned. Squads of Astartes lay crippled and broken. Shells of empty golden armour, devoid of life. Vehicles torn asunder.
The Sisters of Silence were scattered across the field, fighting the Thousand Sons on multiple fronts. The few that had faced Magnus had not been enough to stop the Crimson King's advance, especially with the other Legions tearing through anything that got in their way.
Had it been a direct combat, the pariah genes of the Sisters of Silence might well have broken the Thousand Sons and their Primarch. Unfortunately, Magnus was not the only foe on the field.
The Crimson King turned his baleful yellow eyes onto the figure just below, landing just beside the frenzied form of Corax. The Bloody Raven seemed unsure whom he should attack next, the remaining 4 Loyalists, or the Red Giant beside him.
Magnus smiled at Omegon, his malevolent aura radiating off him like waves.
"Hello Omegon," said the Crimson King calmly.
Omegon said nothing. Magnus simply shook his head.
"Come, brother, you expect your secrets to remain hidden from me? I have access to knowledge you can only dream of. Secrets to inflame the soul and shatter courage. Secrets to make the disregarded become known throughout the galaxy, and others which could topple Empires. Yours are but simple trifles to me. What is a name, but a personal truth? I now possess more truth than any being alive, even Father."
"You left him broken," accused Omegon, "We keep secrets to maintain order, to keep the peace."
"Yes, I did, didn't I?" grinned Magnus, "Maybe he if had been a better Father to us, we would not all be here, eh?"
"I will break you for what you have done," hissed Valdor, "By the Emperor's name I swear I will vanquish you."
"A little hard to promise when you don't know his name," smirked Magnus, "Because you don't know his name do you? The name he was born with. The name he has chosen for himself. You don't know either of them. But I do. And I make you this promise Valdor, on my Father's name. You're going to die. Right here. Right now."
"Is this necessary Magnus?" asked Omegon, "You may have a difficult relationship with our Father, but do the people of the Imperium need to suffer because of your familial disagreements? You know Terra will be plunged into the warp from this."
"I will fix it," replied Magnus cooly, "Once my Primordial Essence is finished I shall have the power to do anything. I can pull Terra from the warp and put it somewhere else. I could build a new Terra from nothing and populate it with the spirits of all that dwell there in new bodies. I could do anything. Trust me, Omegon, this is but a small obstacle before the creation of something much greater."
"And what if you can't control it?" questioned Omegon, stalling for as long as possible, "What if it doesn't work or does something you didn't consider?"
"It. Won't," said Magnus darkly, "I like you brother. You trade in knowledge. Had we known each other better I'm sure Perturabo and I would have gladly spent much time with you. But my patience wears thin. I will give you a choice. Come with us, join the Crusade Vitae and I shall share my knowledge with you freely, without restriction. Refuse, then you had better make yourself scarce. Sanguinius would not be happy if I destroyed you but if you hang around with Valdor I will not be responsible of what befalls you."
"You will find me a more difficult challenge than you might expect," said Valdor, lowering his spear at the Crimson King.
Magnus simply laughed.
"You think I would fight you with crude mortal blades, Valdor? You ARE an idiot. The pen is mightier than the sword. Knowledge, my dear Custodian, knowledge is power. And right now, I am the most powerful being on this battlefield."
Magnus whispered a few words, and 2 remaining Custodes exploded into a fine mist of dust. Their amour collapsed to the ground, empty of their former occupants. Valdor could only watch, dumbstruck.
"Father did well making you," smiled Magnus, "Your endless names accounting your deeds. As we all know, true names hold power. Ordinary Sorcerers and Daemons would never be able to find out your true names, and so you would be safe from their… interventions. Likewise, knowing a Daemon's full name means you can banish them back to the warp. But here's a little secret Captain-General."
Magnus leaned in, like a child sharing forbidden stories with a peer.
"Every event that happens in real space has echos in the warp. And now, with my power, I can see them all. I spent days after my ascension peering into the warp, learning every event of every Custodes before this march on Terra. I know ALL of your names. Even the ones you don't know yourselves. I told you, Valdor. Knowledge is power. I have power over the entire Ten Thousand. I could bend you all to my will if I so chose… But I won't. I won't take Father's cast offs. Maybe when we are victorious I will turn my sons into my own Ten Thousand. I have yet to decide. But what matters to you from all this is one simple fact… you are nothing to me but DUST."
With the final word, Constantine Valdor exploded, like the Custodes before. The dust like sand blew away into the air, the particles of the Captain General scattered across the Impossible City for all time.
Magnus stood back up, glancing at where Omegon had been moments ago. The Alpha Legion Primarch had gone. The Crimson King shook his head.
"Smart enough to run. I'm too generous. Sanguinius better be grateful when I tell him of this."
The Bloody Raven, finally unable to control himself any longer, lunged at Magnus with a roar of blood lust.
"No brother," said Magnus, raising a hand like a puppet master.
For a moment Corax frozen, straining against force applied by the Crimson King. Magnus smiled, a self-satisfied smile of one who held all the cards.
Then the Bloody Raven broke free. Talons tore through Magnus' outstretch arm, leaving bloody trails dripping onto the ground. Magnus took a step back, applying more force to his command with his other hand, forcing Corvus to halt once more.
Quickly spinning the Bloody Raven like a dancer on a music box, Magnus pointed his brother at the Loyalist line and let go. Corvus, free at last charged once more into the fray, his screams of blood echoing as he ran.
Magnus raised his arm, pulling off his gauntlet to reveal the wound just an inch away from the ritual carving he had inflicted on himself during his time on Molech. The Blood pooled and clotted with his advanced Primarch physiology, but the blood stains on the ground gave truth to what had just occurred.
"Obey me!" hissed the Crimson King, "Do not defy me again! I am the one in control here! Fail me again and I shall remove our pact and devote myself only to the other three! Do you understand?!"
Silence rang out.
Tossing his broken gauntlet aside, Magnus turned his attention back to the battle. They needed to get to Terra. The needed to reach the Imperial Dungeons. He needed to fulfill his destiny.