Tyranic Marta wrote:

Spoiler:

Marius gently takes the Terminator by his shoulder pad and instructs him to rise.

As a servant, son, warrior, and now Wolf Lord of Russ I would be honoured. I would speak with the other Wolf Lords of the chapter, they will listen. But first I must signal that this Bloodclaw, Mikal, has proven himself worthy of elevation to the ranks of Grey Hunters. However as he now wields the Twin Axes Heimdall and Jourmander he may not be perfectly suited to such a task, and as his wolf Lord I am instructing that he be taken into the Wolf Guard. He has shown himself worthy of the postition many times over.

(Time for me to bring in an old friend.)

From the fortress comes the howling of massive wolves and Marius's mind jumps to the battle of Megellan. His old friend Romulus and his thunderwolf cavalry. Sure enough, when Marius turns his massive frame to the fortress it is to see the massive Wolf, clad in armour plates striding towards him, with the aincient warrior atop its back. But only the one rider, and Marius can see something strange about the manner of his old friend. This was not the Jolly, joking warrior he knew of old, this was a Lone wolf, and by the kill marks on Bloodmaw's (His wolf) neck it was a long existance as one.

Romulus dismonts from his companion and strides over to Marius, nodding curtly to the terminators who chuckle into their Beards at the gruffness of the old Rider. Romulus stops infront of Marius and begins speaking in his slow stubborn way. "It is good to see you again old friend, allthough i must say you have canged somewhat from the warrior as fleet of foot as a cunning wolf, as I did so know you. But here we are. And yes i have changed also. But that is not the issue. I just came back form a scouting run on the western edge of asahiem and it appears that the chaos sorcerors there are creating some kind of warp rift. Clearly they are trying to summon a daemon of great power. I would have requested Hemlocks assistance in having them removed but he is not with us I hear and I was sent here to find you. You are certainly not the same warrior I knew of old if you Harbour the storm within you my old friend but agian that is for anouther time. Now i must request that you amke haste to the wastes andstop these unholy sorcerors... I must go old friend, and this may be the last time we see each other but I must go... Fairwell old friend."

Romulus heads back to Bloodmaw and mounts him, some kind of inner battle raging in the old wolf rider. But Marius cant speak, seeing such an old friend return in such a strange manner with none of his pack around him was something that Marius could not respond to. And so it was that his oldest friend left. Days later he left the planet for a strange planet named Raknoll, where he met his end in the jaws of a Mawlock of the Tyranids and Marius would never hear from him again.

Marius is visibly stunned and even Shas, who wasnt as fimiliar with the dreadnought could notice something wrong. But no sooner did they notice than it was over and Marius was gruffly excuseing himself to meet with the Wolf Lords, The sorcerors could wait, it was the infighting in his chapter that had to be fixed.

He left a stunned looking Mikal in his wake, with a bemused Kais alongside. Clearly something was wrong with thier friend but they had no knowlege of how to remedy it, that was if they even knew the issue. However Mikal isnt given time to think as he is taken in by the Wolf guard and some of shas's fellows come down in a Orca which lands outside the fang. Soon Shas is reunited with a squad of Fire warriors.

First Meeting the Old wolf Sven in his quaters he is shocked at the Brutality shown. Lord you must control yourself, that is not how we live as sons of Russ.

"Well maybe I'm not meant to be a son of Russ"

He takes the old wolf by the skull and gently crushes his mind with a burst of Psyker power, Rest in Peice old Friend

Marius moves down the corridors quickly, sending a Psykers request for a commune to the Other Wolf Lords currently in the fang, some dozen meet him in the Ancient conference room of the fang and they begin to converse. Marius sees alot of friction between the Great companies and over the course of an hour remedies alot of it within the borders of his new found order. The Wolf Lords welcome him gladly, such a protegee of power is well welcomed by the old Wolves.

Soon however he is returning to the "Icehammers Wings" And is boarding up. He is stopped in his tracks by a rail rifle tapping agaisnt his leg and he looks down to see shas and his squad loaded up and ready to go. With a grim looking Mikal behind them, "Were with you Marius"

Marius feels a great source of gratitude well up inside him and he gestures to the seating areas of the Dropship, still unable to speak. Once locked into his Mag harness with the Squad and his friends onboard he takes of and makes his way west with a pair of wingmen dropships with more Grey Hunters and Long fangs inside.
Mikal's ride in the ship is a silent one, full of contemplation. Many things had happened in a very short period of time, The Wolf Lord was now gone, replace by Marius, his oldest friend, and while Mikal knew the position was in more than capable hands, he could not help but be a little concerned that the position might also drive Marius to the same low that Sven had gone. Mikal shook such thoughts from his mind, Marius was not Sven, he was harder than adamantium, stronger than diamond, it would take more than the enemy could muster to break him.

Mikal's thoughts shifted to himself, the transition from Blood Claw to Wolf Guard, something that takes normal wolves decades to accomplish, sometimes even centuries, was accomplished by him in the span of almost a year. Such a thing was unheard of in the Space Wolves...well not unheard of, there was one other case, but that did not concern Mikal. He looked around the cabin at the rest of Marius'---he meant Lord Marius' retinue, they were all the remainders of Sven's before he had gone mad. Mikal looked around at the faces; old, covered with scars, long fangs and brave heroes, beings with centuries of experience under their belts. Did Mikal belong here? Did he deserve to wear the milennia old artificer armor he wore now with engraved runes and warding talismans? Did he deserve, had he earned the right to use the mighty frost axes, weapons ten times older than he was, in battle?

Mikal again shoved the thoughts aside, he was surrounded by so many doubts now, the infighting in the Chapter had made him prone to it, afterwards he would see a Wolf Priest, if there was an afterwards. Mikal gritted his fangs and shook his head, Lord Marius had decreed that he had deserved such powers and responsibilities, he had good enough reasons, and even though he already knew that was enough to prove he deserved all of this, he also knew that he would add to that proof by slaughtering the chapter's enemies on the battlefield. Mikal was thankful for such friends as Shas, Marius, and the Farseer, together, no mater the tricks and scandals, they would shake the foundations of Chaos yet again, just as they had in the Eye of Terror.

One of the Wolf Guard, the youngest one after Mikal, looked at him with a feral grin and simply said. "Not much longer now, Boltsplitter."

That was something Mikal was glad to have gotten rid of, before he had been frowned upon in the ranks for his origins, now that he had been given such a rank, nobody doubted him, not even the other Wolf Guard, if they harbored any doubts, they never showed it, Marius was Lord and his word was now law. The name also rang in his mind "Boltsplitter." it was something he had put on his blood claw armor more as a personal joke than anything else, but Mikal had taken it a step further. When the Iron Priest had presented him with the armor, Mikal had requested a set of Runes be put on the right shoulder guard. They were ancient and magical runes that were engraved to spell Mikal's nickname. Mikal was not a superstitious man, but he figured there was nothing wrong with making one's own luck sometimes.

Eager for blood, Mikal opened the comm bead. "Lord Marius." He said in a steady voice, no longer so reckless, now full of purpose. "What is our ETA?"

Marius's voice comes through on the vox. ETA 3 minutes, so far no resistance, priming warheads for initial firestorm. Lock and load boys
The Space Wolves and Tau force begins to move towards the sight of the Chaos summoning , their is little resistance during the journey as any Chaos AA-guns have been destroyed after their crews lost any hope of gaining ground after the first Strike force failed to truly defeat the Space Wolf defense. Shas'O is given a large body guard of Elite Fire-Warriors while Marius prepares his new Wolf Guard for a full scale war against the Thousand Son's and their maniacal Allies who dared to seek Fenris's wrath and they had brought it upon themselves.
"For Russ!"
"For Fenris!"
"For Marius!"
"For the Emperor!"
The Space Wolves and Tau begin to land and move towards the large Chaos portal base were many Sorcerers have gathered to summon a Daemon off great power and strength , the many Chaos Space Marine defenders are camped around the base along with Dreadnoughts, Defilers and Predators. Shas'O , Mikal and Marius stand at the forefront of the Space Wolf and Tau forces ready for a war like no other.

"Well, my friends, get ready for the battle, as this will be one that will go down in history," I say, slowly wielding my rail rifle. "Elite Fire Warriors, I know that your allegiance lies with me, but I want no Tau to die because of me this day. Fight with me, not for me."

I turn, to see the grand scale of our forces, before turning back to my allies, and friends.

"We need our more powerful forces to help break through thier line of defense. Thenb the smaller forces will seperate the different types of thier army, and take them down. I want this to go fast, smoothly, and to the plan."

"It will be good to fight with you once more Kais, lets make this a good fight,"! I hear Mikal say.

"The feeling is mutual," I say, with a smile that is not visible through my helmet. "Now. ATTACK! FOR THE GREATER GOOD!!!

Marius feels the power behind him, the raw energy of the Space Wolves, but there is also a less familiar power, the low thrumming bass note emmitted from the amplifiers of Tau weaponry when massed.

Marius would have smiled
When would anyone have ever guessed that a tau army this large would ever be defending Fenris. He chuckles, the sound is not lost on Mikal swo smiles, "What causes the sudden change of humour Marius?"

Only the strength we have here the strength of a pair of Friendships. It is true that without our crusade in the Eye of Terror this would never be happening, however if it wasnt for that same Crusade then Shas would not be here either.

He lifts his voice one the vox amplifier so that the whole army may hear him

Today sons of Russ, we have a foe on our doorstep!!! A foe that many of you will never have seen before, even in your many long decades!!! This foe is one that I have fought before. And I have had victory. With a far smaller less passionate force behind me!!!

Today this foe at our door is desperate, he seeks to bring reinforcements through an Infernal Rift. One that most probably will consume our beloved homeworld if we do not stop him. Desperation is the plight of our foe, Passion is ours. We will bring them the Fury of the Wolves.

Our Allies, The Tau of the greater good. The very empire that has denied us our fury in the past has come to aid us, Thier mighty gunships and brave warriors, skilled marksmen all. Have come to aid us here. And I thank them, from the bottom of my mettallic soul, I thank them. For they give us a position from which no defeat is possible!!!

Many of you may die, many of you may see your bitter end on our beloved snows.

But listen to me Brothers, this day is not our day to fail, spent bolter casings and the blood of dozens of fallen may lie at your feet. But this is not our day to fail. That day will be heralded with the end of our world, when the seas rise in the time of fire to consume us for eternity, BUT THIS IS NOT THAT DAY!!!

Today we FIGHT, for FENRIS, FOR GLORY, FOR THE ALLFATHER!!!!!!! CHAAAARGE!!!!!

Marius Leads the Charge, huge pounding strides taking him forwards with a passion and fury only seen in a dreadnought of the wolves, or perhaps of the death company of the blood angels, but here on this snowy plain only Marius can display that kind of raw fury, unbound, and unbidable until it is spend. In the snow or through his sword. His wolf guard fan out on either side, the sound of the land raider behind them carrying the Terminators that would disembark into the thick of the enemy. The Shas'o mounts into a devilfish and with one of these on his left, anouther on his right, the land raider driver keeps pace happily with Marius firing bursts from the heavy bolter into the foe. Marius has not yet drawn his sword, at this point he is still far out of range, so instead his Auto cannon howls one long continuous chattering stream of death into the front lines of the foe. He sees Mikal sprinting along beside him a grim snarl etched on his savage cheeks and overhead he sees the contrails of Seeker missles from dozens of skyray gunships creating a firesrom for the wolves to assault into.

Soon Marius runs out of ammo for the Autocannon, prefering to have less of those heavy rounds so that he may not be to far encumbered. His hand places the weapon on his Mag harness then draws the Blade of Fenris. The master crafted runic weapon already channeling his potent energies ready for the battle to come. HIs force hits the line like the solid tip of a hammer. skyclaws dropping down from above to then rocket down into the enemy smashing them back. Grey hunters disgorge from Rhinos on all sides spraying death from thier bolters. And whats more, the lances of blue light from the Lasscannons of Long Fang packs rip into the great Foe's vehicles.

But it is the Wolf guard and Marius that make the biggest dent. Thier solid wall of plasteel and ceramite smacks into the enemy like a thunderhammer. and indeed many of them have thunderhammers. This wall.. this wave of Space wolves utterly crushes the enemy back, throws them into a state of raw panick the likes of which no thousand son could ever achieve. These are clearly not all Chaos Marines of the thousand sons chapter, many of them bear the markings of the alpha legion and the night lords... the night lords.. what does Marius know about those? His viewfinder snaps up and sees the contrails of Chaos jumppacks twirling up into the sky.

EYES ON THE SKY, BRING THEM DOWN REPEAT BRING THEM DOWN

This is when The shas'o and his warriors disembark. Marius's bawled order is soon realised as the pulse rifles fired by elite marksmen hammer into the Night Lords jump packs and bring them crashing to the ground.
Marius waves his sword at shas who nods from behind his helmet, this wasnt over yet.

Mass gunfire is exchanged between the Tau Fire-Warriors and Thousand Sons Rubric Phalanx moves to engage the enemy , a massive group of Blood Claws and Grey Hunters backed by Wolf guard clash with the Khornate Allied War-bands of the Thousand Sons on the snowy plains , bloody close quarters combat rages across the battle field as the Space Wolves test their abilities against the Bezerkers of Khonre. Mikal and Marius fight back to armored rear as a Khornate Champion charges towards them and is killed instantly by Shas'O who uses his Rail-Rifle to a deadly extent while Syrath supports them. Marius tackles his vile counterpart, a maddened Chaos Dreadnought with the numbers GLa-328 printer on its hull , he plunges his Blade into its Sarcophagus and kills the captive within ending his centuries long torment.

But it does not end yet , a Nightlord baring the mask of a Gargoyle lands on his hull attempts to pry it open with his sword but fails and is crushed under foot of the Dreadnought. A Predator appears but has its turret torn off by a psychic blast from the Farseer that kills several Alpha Legion marines around it as its burning derbies crash and explode as they pierce the hulls of several tanks and vehicles. Alpha Legion marines move forward lead by a Aspiring Champion who carries a Power Maul and swings it around madly crushing the bones of Space Wolves with ease but is sliced in half by Mikal in a bloody fury.

Two Hammer Heads fly overhead firing barrages of missiles that destroy Chaos vehicles with ease but are countered by Gun-Ships and Drop-Ships as they deploy Raptors or Jump-troops to the battle field but Thunder-Hawks assist the Tau craft forming a powerful pair of air-craft.The Battle intensifies as Daemons are summoned by crazed Cultists and Word-bearers as they seek favor allowing Bloodletters to tare into the lower Space Wolves but are crushed by the Thunder-Wolves who devour terrified Cultists.

The horns had sounded, the charge began, Mikal ran through the snow, his legs pistoning powerfully as he ran. Behind him an army, howling with rage, two forces met and had set the stage. The wolves of light paired against the servants gloom, one today, one side would meet their doom. The frigid wind rushed by, blowing through the Space wolves hair, two mighty frost axes held high in the cold air. Steel met flesh, blood poured on the snow. How many lives lost? Only the Emperor would know. Time slowed near to a stop, Mikal's senses raged, it was time to let the beast out of its iron cage.

Adrenaline pounded in Mikal's ears and raised his hackles, this was the fury and anger unleashed in a Space Wolf. His features took on the visage of Fenris most terrifying wolves and he howled as he slew. Cultists and marines alike fell to his blades. Black blood spurted and stained the virgin white snow. Unstoppable, men ran from him, only to be cut down by his wrath.

"Don't Run!" He laughed fiercely, the battle glee only a wolf brother could experience upon him. "You'll only die tired you traitorous bastards!"

All the time though, he was looking over his shoulder, however briefly, to make sure that he was not neglecting his job. That would have been to protect Lord Marius, but the word "protect" really had more meaning if it was applied as "Killing everything that was left standing when Marius was done." Mikal laughed at that thought mostly because it was true. In the slowed time, he saw many things, the savage brutalization of the enemy crumpling in front of them like paper and his brothers fighting beside him. He saw Shas' fire warriors with them, volleying high precision fire into the chaos defenders ranks. Mikal took pride with that too, to imagine, one of the Imperium's enemies, fighting by him, to defend his home, it was almost unthinkable to imagine that friendship had been forged right at the Archenemy's doorstep that long time ago.

Mikal's focus snapped back to the present. The enemy was getting reinforcements....good. Mikal had already more than his share of Alpha Legion and Thousand sons, so much so that his grey armor was now completely red with gore and speckled white with bone fragments. That was nothing compared to his axes which had bits and pieces of flesh sloughing off of them and blood dripping in streams into the snow and freezing onto the hilt. Mikal was truly a berzerker, a horrid and horrifying sight to behold even for the enemy. Mikal watched Raptors of the Night lords launch at the space wolves and snarled loudly. Yet another traitorous force of former Marines that he would add to the list of traitors executed.

A screaming banshee streaked over Mikal's head, intending to hit the wolf behind him who was busy killing one of his traitorous comrades....bad move...

Mikal reached up with his blood axes and by the mere momentum of the raptor, he was impaled on the mighty axes and brought low. Mikal slammed his bleeding frame into the snow, not waiting for the marine to recover and tore him limb from limb with the two axes, blood and guts flying this way and that even after the marine was dead. The tainted black blood covered Mikal's face and hair his eyes wild with feral fury and joy. Mikal breathed a deep breath and the cold air snapped him back to himself. He could not loose control to the beast within, that way lead toward the damned path of the wulfen, a path Mikal never intended to tread. Two more Raptors landed in front of him. Mikal expertly timed a strike so that one of the raptor's heads was cleaved in two when he landed, the other brought his chainsword down which was blocked by a powerful axe and then had his torso cloven in two by the other axe that Mikal wielded. Looking around, seeing no other enemies in the immediate vicinity, Mikal picked up a severed traitor head and held it up to the sky for all the enemy to see.

"PRO TOTUS ABBUS!!!" He yelled, claiming the kill in honor of his Lord.

Ahead, Bloodletters form yet another traitorous force, this time Word Bearers, strode forward on lithe daemonic legs and juggernauts alike. Mikal bared his fangs gleefully. Marching to stand beside his Lord as the battle continued and the daemons powered forward.

"Hey, I bet you a barrel of mead that we make it through this..." Mikal panted, talking to one of the other Wolf guard, nearly equally as bloody as Mikal.

"But how will you pay me if we dont make it and die?"

"Why do you think I made that bet? I never make one I intend on loosing." The other Wolf Guard laughed at that, his voice drowned out by the scream of the daemons coming at them.

"Come here and bring your pretty face to my axe! They hunger for daemon blood!" Mikal shouted, fangs bared, defiantly.

For the Allfather, for Fenris, for the Allfather, for Fenris, for the...
This chant reverberated through Marius's head over and over. Never stopping, never ceasing. His arm never slowed, with no way for him to fatigue he never stopped killing. All those that came within reach of his mighty Runeblade fell to it, and those he could not reach fell to Psykic blasts of pure will channeled through is sword, or his hand, or indeed by using one of his own warriors for the focal point of a devastating explosion that only seemed to kill warriors touched by chaos. Marius's mind became blank, only the chant going through his mind, and his vision literally redded over, blood splattering the lenses of his Autosights. Nothing could stay his wrath. Soon even his own body guard stayed out of his way, nothing could stop this behemoth as it strode blindly thorugh the conflict, smiting all within reach. However Marius's hand never strayed to an ally, only those touched by Chaos fell to his blade.

Part of this was due to the Farseer, using her Psykic prowess she would pick out those touched by chaos, and have them burn white in his auto senses. Eventually their minds melded to such a degree that Marius was picking his own targets out of the murk before the Farseer could even point them out to him. Eventually however he slowed. Bringing his mind back together from the fragmented vision that it was. Looking again through clear eyes and wiping the blood from his lenses with a charge he surveyed the battle field. Or what was left of it. The white snows of Fenris were now crimson. So much blood had been spilled that the field would forever be known as "The plain of bleeding snow". And because of the massive levels of Psyker power expended on the field the snows here would always fall red. Hundreds of years from now blood claws would Pilgrim here to see the place of the battle that purged Fenris's greatest foe and placed him so far on the back foot that he would never be able to recover. All year round redness would fall from the sky here. In the Winter it would be red snow, in the time of fire boiling ash would touch down. And in the short spring of fenris there would be rain dyed red, falling on this field. When there would be rain it would rain red, snow would fall crimson and the ash would burn. That is the everlasting memorial that this place would bear for the lives expended upon this plain.

Wrenching his mind back to the present Marius noted that the final elements of the chaos army were being wiped out. Squads of roaming Tau firewarriors picking out traitor warriors on the red snows and purging their souls with plasma fire. Packs of Space wolves, swift claws, sky claws and landspeeders rushing around the field hunting out pockets of resistance. And his own wolf guard arrayed around him watching for signs of those who may, try, and harm thier lord. Marius calls to them in his emotionless voice. But something in his words makes them wonder. How much of Marius's soul would stay on this plain? So much death. So many brothers fallen.
My Wolf Guard, my brothers, we have indeed won this day, through no small cost I might add. But we have indeed won. Nothing makes me prouder than seeing you all here, alive. Indeed when I count you I cannot find a single man missing amoungst your number. Indeed many of you have taken harm, and for this I humbly request your forgiveness. Nothing Pains me more than seeing you fine young Wolfs injured. I know your pain. Why do you think I am in this chassis in the first place? At the end of my crusade into the Eye of Terror I was more machine than man, my brothers cut down around me I had to endure and bring their saga's home. And here I stand, before you. A machine in name and being. But not in soul. And this old warriors soul crys out in triumph at what we have accomplished here this day. Nothing makes me more proud, nothing. than what I see in you this day.

Victory

Marius raises one blood drenched mettalic battered hand, and in it is a similarly gore soaked blade, upon which runes can be seen dimly glinting in the light. From Marius's vox comes a long echoing howl. One that stirs the mens hearts and souls and soon all the sons of Russ are howling to the sky. Howls of lamentation and triumph, howls of victory and sadness. But most of all howls of joy, the joy of battle, of seeing the strength of your arms protect your home of seeing your brothers around you fighting by your side. The joy of brotherhood. The tau all stand to attention and salute the Longfangs let forth old howls of Remorse for the fallen and jubilation for their friends, and above a trio of thunderhawks pays a tribute flyby for this momentus victory.

Marius slowly lowers his blood covered blade and begins to speak once more but now to the whole army
You all know of course, that this war is not over, and this is only one battle in what appears to be a growing conflict. We have set them back and we will win, however, that day may be a long time coming, and I would have you all remember that just because we have been victorious, and continue to do so. That we are not invulnerable, I am not invulnerable. I would have met my match on this plain, in a cowardly dog with a chainfist, if it were not for my brethren. We all must fight as one, none of use are stronger than the rest, or weaker than a friend. We are all equal in each others eyes as we strive for victory. As we are one. Blood claw, Grey hunter, Long Fang, Wolf Guard, Wolf Lord, Shas'la, Shas'ui, Shas'vre and Shas'o. we are all equal here. none more so than anouther. For this is true equality the equality of Alliance.

Now let us descend upon these sorcerors, let us show them our fury, our steel. Lets us show them what it means to poke a sleeping wolf in the eye. A sleeping wolf with 4 Bionic legs and a steel trap jaw!!!

For those of you who want to read it all as one continuous post here it is