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Aloysus couldn't look at the Eldar creature. It had scales instead of skin, and its red eyes seemed to look right through to his soul.

"Aloysus!" Dreph said, clapping him on the shoulder "What is wrong, brother?"

"Nothing, captain, it is nothing." Aloysus replied, before hastily turning away, pretending to fiddle with the settings on his Narthecium.

Nero was strapped to the altar.
"It is okay my boy, the pain is temporary, the power is forever." The old cracked Chaplain Erebus said, cutting a line down Nero's chest.
"Kill my son and I'll blast you out of the air-lock bitch." Horus growled.
"Shut up dog, I'll do as I please." Erebus replied. Horus bristled with anger but stayed calm.
"I can see them coming for me. They're huge. NO NO NO WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY" Nero shouted as his mind flickered into the Warp and he saw the gods fighting over him. They each had a foot on one of his limbs and were hammering each other with mighty blows. Nurgle knocked Tzeentch away with a mighty hack of his sword only to be backhanded away himself by Khorne. Now only Slaanesh and Khorne remained, and they were clubbing the crap out of each other. Khorne hacked and slashed, but Slaanesh dodged every blow and lunged at the opening. Gallons of the gods ichor flowed down onto him and he drank mightily. He felt invested with power. In one motion he let out a psychic shockwave that knocked them both back.
"I WILL CHOOSE MY FATE!" He shouted and jumped into Slaaneshes arms. In the Materium, Erebus lay against a wall, a smoldering hole in his power armor, seared open by the shockwave of the psychic blast. Pieces of machinery and glass lay everywhere, dead cultists littered the floor. Horus stood with a look of shock on his face.
"Son, you have made a choice. It is a good one, and the one I needed from you. I want you to kill your friend Cerberus. He has rejected the will of chaos, I will bring him here if you can manage it." Horus said.
"Show me his face." Nero said and Horus snapped. Cerberus was translated to his position, standing resplendent in his black armor. He took one look at Nero and turned on his Lightning Claws. Nero psychically pulled a power sword from across the room. He ran at his old friend and swung, quickened to an unfamiliar degree. He ducked a right hook and drove his foot into Cerberus' knee, sending him to the ground. He wasted no time in pressing this advantage and was on top of his old brother, beating him, before Cerberus could react. Cerberus, with his face a mess of bloody tatters tried to swing, but Nero was pinning his hands down. Nero reached into himself and built up a psychic lance. He summoned it and released it straight into Cerberus' chest. A dark green beam destroyed the entire mid-section of Cerberus and Nero stood slowly. He spiked the head on his sword and brought it up to his eye level.
"You could have been great, but you chose this. Goodbye you putrid excuse for a marine." Nero said and flicked the head into one of the fires around where Nero had been blessed.
"My boy, you have changed. That was a work of art, it was captivating, invigorating even." Horus said.
"What can I say father, I'm a new man." Nero said with a shrug.
"See Master Fabius, he will ensure that." Horus said and turned away, exiting the room.

Dreph turned away along with Elerion, stumbling across the Imperial Soldiers.

"Carvio? How did you get here?"

The officer said nothing. His head hung low.

A voice screamed through the Vox.

"ALL UNITS PREPARE FOR DEPARTURE!"

Dreph walked to the bridge. A Cryptek wandered in.

The captain raised his bolter, unaware of the treaty.

"Captain! It's me, Rephosus!"

He kept the bolter poised.

"You aren't Rephosus."

The Cryptek cowered.

Hectoris had been lying there for hours when Aloysus walked in. He greeted his old friend, his voice confusingly mellow and rather childish.
"Hello Marius..."
Aloysus looked at him, though Hectoris couldn't see.
"Hello Caecilius. Everything ok?"
Hectoris smiled and answered "Everything.is just dandy."
"Dandy? What do you mean."
"Dandy like a dandylion. Its a weed that grew millions of years ago on Terra. The phrase means I'm ok."
Aloysus asked "Are you feeling ok?"
Hectoris didn't here, his mind far away. He came back to say "I hear we are getting a new captain."
"Yeah. Dreph is a psyker. He has been removed from office. Our captaincy won't be announced untill Fulgrim returns to the Heliopolis, but I here Sergeant Krysander is a shoo-in"
Suddenly a Klaxon sounded and Aloysus raced for the dorr. He turned back to see Hectoris hadn't moved.
"Arn't you coming?"
"No."


"What do you mean no?"
"I don't want to fight anymore. I don't like fighting."
Aloysus was about to speak but left as the klaxon sounded again.
Hectoris blinked for the first time since laying down.

Rephosus held his hand up and said captain you are a psyker you can feel my soul. He said as he walked towards him slowly he put Dreph's hand on rephosus's head and Dreph felt it he felt the pain i felt on the tomb world but he also felt that it was me rephosus and that i was still the same.
Rephosus said to the captain. ''Captain dreph can't you understand this way i can walk again. Otherwise i would be trapped in that knight forever haunted by my daemon you must understand that it is for the greater good.''

Aloysus watched the exchange between Dreph and the Rephosus-necron thing in disbelief. "Captain, this is unacceptable! Why has this been allowed. He is not our battle brother anymore, he is some sort of xenos construct. It will not stand. You must end his existence right now!"

"That is not for you to decide, Aloysus." Dreph replied "I have seen his soul and he is pure. That is the end of it. Now remember your place and obey. You forget yourself too much today, and my patience grows thin."

"No, Dreph, it is not the end. It is just the latest of this companies disgraces. We have a marine who will not fight, our Captain and brothers consort with daemons and xenos, and now our own brother has been made into some form of xenos plaything. We are no longer the pround brotherhood we once were. Your honour lies trampled in the dust, and you have taken mine along with it."

Aloysus turned and strode from the chamber, ignoring Kalar's orders that he return to speak to him. He saw his path now. He was ready to face the red eyes, and do what must be done.

Dreph raised his Bolter, leveling it with the Apothecary's head.

"Turn to me now, Aloysus!"

He kept on walking.

"NOW!"

He kept on walking.

Dreph took aim. All he needed to do was pull the trigger...

All he needed to do...

He couldn't draw himself to do it. Aloysus turned to him.

Red eyes.

A stoney silence befell the chamber. A silence so deep and cold it nearly penetrated Apollus' hull. He had been silent the whole time, listening with his ancient ears to the bickering and distrust that had nearly destroyed their company. He raised his might hand, slamming it down with force into the metal floor. The steel gave way leaving a massive dent and an explosive sound that obliterated the silence.

"ENOUGH!"

After the silence returned Rephosus turned to apollus and said. ''Thank you brother now i can explain it.''
He turned to the rest of his brothers and began speaking. ''First of all this was the only way for me to walk. And second of all as long as we follow the base prinicpal of our legion i have reached a form of it. I have found perfection on the inside as my daemon is expelled and i am pure again. And perfection on the outside as i can walk again. And last of all perfection in skill, because i can become the ultimate technician now i am one with the machine now i can fulfill my duties without the slightest problem. Now i hope you can all understand that i have found my own form of perfection like you all have.''

Antioch strode forward holding a helmet, not his, just a spare from the armory. He tossed it at Rephosus, who caught it.
"At least put on a suit of armour.... Techmarine.."
Then he spoke to the others "It is times like these that I recall our mortality. In war, we are gods, nigh invulnerable in our element, Angels of Death.. Here however, we are still men. Our company has been shattered and tainted, but we will resist. We must hold to what we have always believed as Emperor's Children, that the pursuit of perfection through war will bring us there. We must continue as brothers. Though my sight is clouded, and I cannot be sure, I see the fall of our legion. Our pursuit of perfection in all things shall be our ultimate demise. Brothers, we must continue to fight for the Emperor. We must weather the storm which may destroy the legion and father we know. The Imperium may yet accept us back. We must go to Istaan and see what awaits us, no matter what that is. Bind yourselves together, what has happened in our past matters not, what matters is our loyalty now. All of us, I believe, are still willing to fight and die to protect the Imperium, let us continue our mission, as a brotherhood, and as Emperor's Children. We will prevail."

\Hectoris rose from his bedding for te first time in days. He noticed a group of marines, along with Malcador and Fulgrim nearing one particular tent. |He walked over, identifying the marines as the Sergeants and officers of the Company, along with Magnus who was acting as squad leader in his absence. They fell silent as he approached. He wore a robe to conceal his flayed back, Fulgrim staring with hatred at him. Malcador spoke as he approached.
"Hectoris, finally. I have been waiting for all of you. As you all know, corrupton and Daemons have massecred this Legion. While they have been expunged, I cannot allow you to retain any memory of the encounter. I will begin mind wiping in this tent, and implant constructed memories as replacments. Start sending your underlings in. I shall entrust you to come last to ensure everyone is wiped."
"Look here Siglite," the Primarch exclaimed, "I won't allow you to remove my hildren's memories-"
"I meant you too Pheonician. Everyone means everyone."
Fulgrim and the rest of them stared at Malcador, except Hectoris.
"My father used to beat me, " he said, a dazed lok on his face, as if he could not remember who or where he was. "When I was bad he got out a chain and would beat my back untill I bled. He would do it all the time. It was aweful." Hectoris looked close to tears. he turned and left without another word.

The group stared after him, "What has happened to him?" asked Antioch.
"He has beome a broken and shrivenn husk of the man he was. Question is, how did that happen? The Hectoris I knew, and fought the Ork alongside, was strong, vibrant, and would never back down from a fight. You know what he said to me in there? he didn't want to fight anymore! An Astartes, of the III legion, not fighting?"
Rephosus followed their lead "What causes a man to be like that, to die inside?"
Malcador answered. "Ask your Primarch."
His words were like a thunderbolt. Every head turned to first him, then Fulgrim, his face contorted in anger.
"What is the meaning of this witch?!" he exclaimed.
Antioch and Rephosus stared, and Dreph shook hishead in disbelief, knowing his primarch, their father, had nothing to do with this. Apollus' voice boomed, claiming lies.
"It is lies, my lord?" inquired Al;oysus.
"Yes."
"You are the liar Fulgrim!" Malcador spat, his voice hateful and angry. It was strange to see this man yelling at the giant, beautiful being, only just reaching his waist. "You had Caeiclius tortured in the most obscene fashion!"
"What is the meaning of this Siglite?" demanded tyhe enormous form of Apollus, who towered over even Fulgrim.
"Your friend and brother was flogged on Fulgrim's orders. Forty, Thousand, Lashes.2 he paused between each word, letting the message sink in. Cies of disbelief were answered. "Ask Magnus, he was there!" All eyes now fell for the Terminator, who looked down. He looked at hisfather, then at Malcador. He eyes came to rest on the flap of Hectoris tent.
"Its true. Caeclius would always flog you when the squad disobeyed him. I was flogged most because of my long service and disobediance. Lord Fulgrim thought it ironic if I were to carry out the sentence."
"Shut your fething mouth you worm!" growled Fulgrim, reaching for the silver handled blade at hi waist. The Laeran Blade.
"Silence Fulgrim! Continue please," Malcador shouted.
Magnus continued, tears of shame flooding down his face. "I did it. I thought it would be only 40 or so. Hectoris asked me to do it. After about 30000 or so, he broke. He wanted out. He had learned his lesson. Fulgrim would not allow him respite. I refused to go on, earnt myself a dozen lashes, and Fulgrim finished the other 10, 000 himself. hectoris was out cold by the time he was done. I thought he was dead." Magnus looked up.
"How could you?" demanded Dreph. "Your son, one o your geneseed?"
"I don't need to explain myself to you, Kalar. I am still Primarch of this Legion. He is an old dog anyway. Sometimes old dogs need to be put down." Fulgrim stormed off.


After he had left, Malcador said, sadly, "He's right." Faces and cockpits turned to him, grief anddistress on display. "Hectoris is broken and empty, andold. Maybe its time your legion reclaimed what was theirs." Her looked at the reductor on Aloysus' Narthecarium, the device for extracting geneseed. "Have your marines assembled here in an hour for the mind wipe." he left. The group disbanded, heading to their tents to gather their men. Aloysus headed back to the Medical tent where Hectoris was resting. he glanced at his Marthecarium, the reductor's shining steel.

"You go to far, Malcador. Sigillite or no, he is a borther of our legion with a long and honourable service behind him. I will not do this, and nor will my brothers." Aloysus strode from the chamber, furious.

In the hour that had been granted to him Aloysus prepared to meet the choice that haunted him. He went to his chambers and called the daemon forth. They met in the same room as before, the deamon cawing triumphantly.

"You have come to make your choice? That is good. My master is pleased that you chose him!"

Aloysus smiled "My bretheren were corrupted by your kind. I alone stayed untouched, I upheld the honour of our Company, Chapter and Brotherhood. I may not be the fastest, or the strongest, or the wisest or the best fighter, but I am on thing, and one thing only. I am the Loyalist. I know my master and who I serve. I, of all my brothers. must never fall from the Emperor's Grace. I show them the true path, and lead where I hope they will follow." he spat at the creatures feet "That for your offer."

With that he turned and strode from the chamber, and back to conciousness.

Antioch stood still, thinking. He was stunned and appalled by the actions of the Primarch, their leader and follower, and distressed by the words of the Sigilite. He turned and spoke again "This is no place for us, this legion is no longer our own, I don't know if I speak for only myself, but I believe this is no service to the Emperor. Bound by these damned rules, and unable to be free from the tyranny of those who claim to speak for him. From now onwards I receive my orders from what he sends to me through visions, not through another man or false servant."

Antioch strode back to his quarters down the hall.

Elsewhere, Nemesor Tokarn was standing on the bridge of his flagship, in front of the hologram table. He was watching the plight of the ninth company with both interest and disgust; each important member on a different holo-screen. The Nemesor was in absolute disbelief that the midget they called Malcador, the one that had given the Emperor class Battleship that Tokarn was now standing in, was going to eradicate all memories of the unfortunate trail of events. Not only would it effectivley destroy what remained of the 9th, but also make them unknown to the facts of what Chaos, and his own armada (currently docked within the Empeoro class) for that matter, can do to them. The Necron general was contemplating stepping in and helping the ninth by temporarily bio-leeching thier memories, so that Malcador wiped what was not there, then putting them back with a forged memory of a conversation saying what had happened and to keep thier mouths shut.

As these thoughts were flying around inside the Nemesor's head, Varguard Caldrek called him up to the bridge front.
"What is it Caldrek?"
"Nemesor, three Imperial warships have dropped out of warp travel on the otherside of the Craftworld, and are moving as though to engage us." replied the Vargard quickly.
Nemesor Tokarn looked down towards the burnt-out husk of the Eldar Craftworld, recently Exterminated, and wondered how the ships could even hope to damage his vessel.
"What size are the ships, and what legion are they from?" asked the Nemesor
"Three Battle Barges, bearing no insignia at all. They must be here on Malcador's orders."
"Nemesor, we are being contancted by the Imperials" informed one of the bridge workers; Servitors bent to keep the ship operational while the Nemesor's soldiers slept.
"Put it on the main screen" ordered Caldrek, correctly interpreting his commander's silence as planning how to destroy the Imperial warships, which had just rounded the Craftworld's lifeless hulk and entered the Necron's field of view. A grey-haired admiral of the Imperial Navy appeared on the large holo-screen at the front of the bridge, just as the Nemesor silently ordered the ship's weapons to be energised.
"What do you want, Imperial?" asked Caldrek. "I will speak on behalf of my master".
The Imperial on the screen looked angry that he had to negotiate with Xenos, but got straight to the point.
"Necron, you are currently flying in an ilegally obtained Imperial Warship. We have been sent by Lord Malcador to claim back the Warship."
Caldrek laughed mechanicly.
"What is so funny, Xeno?" barked the Imperial.
Nemesor Tokarn stepped up. "It is funny because this is not the same ship that Malcador gave to us. We have upgraded the shields, weaponry, and engines. If we turn over the ship to you, it will go straight to a furnace to be melted down because of all the 'Xenos technology' that has tainted the ship"
The Imperial actually smiled, and then it was Tokarn's turn to ask what was funny,
"It means we have to destroy your ship, and considering you are on your ship, it means destroying you too" explained the Imperial, very slowly as though to a child.
"Not if we destroy you first" replied Caldrek, mockingly.
Now the Imperial admiral actually laughed.
"Battle Barge weaponry goes further than Emperor class weaponry, so you are out of range." laughed the admiral, as did his bridge, from what the Necrons could see.
"Prepare to fire. All weapons, target the Exterminatus cannon at the front, if we can get one of tose shells to detonate the ship will be destroyed." finished the admiral, now ordering his own fleet around. Fifteen seconds later, thirty torpedos were flying towards the Necron capital ship. Nemesor Tokarn looked up at the holo-screen.
"Bad move" Tokarn waited until all the totpedos had crossed seventy of the hundred miles between the his ship and the Battle Barges, the ordered a phase jump fifty miles forward.

Now in range with all of his ship's weapons, Nemesor Tokarn didn'tneven need to say 'open fire'. All of the weapons on the ship, except the Exterminatus cannon at the front, began tearing into the battle barges. Caldrek witnessed two direct PhaseLance hits on the central Barge's bridge, cutting the transmission from the holo-screen, which was mostly disarrayed screaming and incoherent orders, into static. The sheer amount of shots landing on the Imperial Warships soon had them completely destroyed, thier wreckages added to the floating debris around the Craftworld's remains.

Engaging the Transdimensional Hyperdrive, Nemesor Tokarn ordered his ship to go to where the ninth company was currently camped, staying in cloak. He momentarily overtook Rephosus and used his vox to tell the rest of the important ninth members that salvation from Malcador was possible if they desired it.

Apollus looked into the night sky filled with brightly lit stars and three moons basking the jungle floor. Even he was still impressed with such magnificant sights as these. How many planets lay out there, beyond even the reach of the mighty imperium. It made him feel small, smaller than he had for a very long time. His former self would have ignored such spectacals as these, brushing them off with rash bravado. Now in his ghostly state of mind he thought less about himself, about his honor and his glory.

Being rendered in this form had taught him to appreciate the things he had taken for granted. Things long forgotten. A cool night breeze carressing bare flesh. The taste of food, fine music not played through a connection of audio systems connected to his half concious mind. The touch of grass, the scrape of silk....

The heat of explosions, the rasps of wind as bulllets let fligh, the blood splashing against his face, the feeling of crushing a skull with bare hands....

Servos whined with stress in his power fist. He realised he was nearly crushing his own armoured hand. He released without hesatation. Memories of old fell away and he again made his mind's home inside the cold lonesome shell.
"Are you ok venerable-brother?"
A marine crouched in the foliage beside him had spoken up.
"Yes... young... Valks"
He turned away from the curious marines eyes and once again stared into the night sky. Brillant stars of all colors and shape once again fell upon his staring eyes. Something caught his attention. A sudden disturbance of light amongst countless others. More followed. Little in comparison they seemed to expand and then die away. Segari realised they were explosions. Some distant battle raging away, interrupting the beauty of it all. For a moment he pondered the futility of it all....
He quickly snuffed those thoughts out as heretical... but it hid in the shadows. A scratch at the back of his mind he knew he would never forget.
"We are required at the tents" interupted Valks.
Apollus took one last look into the sky, but the disturbance had ceased as quickly as it had started. He strode back again to his brothers gathered by the tents, preparing for the inevitable. So futile it all was...

Aloysus felt stonger than ever. He had faced his last temptation, and turned it aside, he had learned and he had grown. The hour was up, and it was time to face Malcador . He strode through the corridors, full of confidence, with a question in his mind.

He arrived before his brothers, moving onto the deck, his white armour gleaming. "Malcador, I would speak with you." he called.

"What is it, Apothecary?" Malcador replied.

"I have a question. Why must we forget what we have learned? We have faced a great enemy and learned how to best it. We may have taken a hard path and made many bad decisions, but in the end we have come out stronger, and our knowledge may benefit the Imperium in many ways. We have earned this knowledge in fire, and paid for it with the blood of our brothers, I will not give that up easily without a good reason. Tell me, that I might understand the reaspn that this must be taken from me, tell me truly - even if I must forget the reason too."

"How dare you question me Apothecary!" Malcador stepped behind his desk, turning away, muttering curses. he knew this question was coming. "What i do is not your concern.
"Malcador, this is my company, my legion, my father and brothers. It is completely my concern.
Malcador turned back, anger alight in his eyes. "Fine," he said. "You want to know?" Aloysus nodded. "It is because I don't trust you. Once a theif, always a theif. Once a traitor, always a traitor. I believe their possession came about due to temptation. By emlimating those memeroies I also wipe the memory of the power they wielded while possessed. I hope to remove the temptation to go back. By deleting what they were temptated by, though can't be tempted again.
"My brothers would never go back, nor my father after what we have just lived through. I know that for sure."
Malcador slammed his fist into the desk, sending a purple spark that made even a space marine flicnch in surprise.
"You know NOTHING. Your brothers have colaberated with Xenos, tried to harnass warppawn in the form of Daemons and that Eldar Avatar to become more powerful than the Emperor intended, disobeying him, and nearly killed all of your friends in the process. The II legion were annihilated for less!" Malcador stopped himself. He had said too much.
"Be at the mind wipe shortly. You shall go second, after Fulgrim."

The current events had concerned rephosus greatly he was now wearing full techmarine armor. He decided he should go speak to brother antioch he was walking towards his tent when he heard a transmission from the necrons. They said. ''We can bring you salvation from malcador.''
Rephosus turned around and tried to open a vox to them but heard nothing just at that moment a group of imperial army soldiers approached him. With guns raised they said. ''On order of malcador you have been placed under arrest under the pretences of mingling with xenos technology.''
I raised my head towards them and said. ''So it has come to this you want to eradicate me? You want to erase me and the company from history? I advice you that you have made a very very bad mistake'' He said when he began charging towards them he crushed two of them with his bare hands by pressing the heads of two soldiers together.

"Your reason is not satisfactory. I will not go at all. Knowlege is power, as Magnus always says. I intend to keep it and guard it, with my life if neccessary."

Nemesor Tokarn sent Caldrek to assist the ninth. Phase-Jumping to infront of Rephosus, the Vargard dispatched the two remainig imperials without even drawing one of his weapons, snapping ones neck and stabbing the other with his own bayonet.
"Why are you helping us Caldrek?" enquired the Techmarine.
"That two faced sigilite Malcador just tried to have our Emperor class shot down, so we want people who can get right up to him without raising suspicion, such as your brothers, and assassinate him for us." answered the Necron quickly. "We can protect and extract you after, so you wont be executed"
Rephosus shuffled a little, his question already answered. He skipped to the next in his list.
"So how are you going to prevent a mindwipe?"
"With these." replied Caldrek holding up numerous pairs of small devices. "You must swallow one, and put the other in onemof you ears. There is a pair for each prominent member of the company, save Fulgrim and yourself. You dont need one because Necrons are practically immune to such arcane forms of Psychic powers. Fulgrim dosent get one, plain and simple. Prominent members being the Captain, Apothacary and the squad sergeants, including whats left of Hectoris. You must give them out, I will prevent anyone getting in your way, astartes or otherwise"

Rephosus took the devices and began walking away. A marine rounded the corner, stopping dead in his tracks when he caught sight of the Necron, the Techmarine and the bodies. Before he could even raise his bolter, the ruby red beam from one of Caldrek's weapons lanced through the marines head. He was dead before he began falling.
"Go." ordered Caldrek. Rephosus didnt need telling twice

Name: Marcus Leviath
Posistion: Terminator
Personality: Hate all chaos scum and will never fall back or surrender, even after death. With storm sheild and hammer I shall beat the xenos hordes back into the abiss, and then I shall follow and hunt them down should my commander will it so.

We're all going to end this now. No more new people.

but did i get in PLZ

Gaunt32 wrote:but did i get in PLZ

No. We are finished/finishing this off now. Feel free to join any other RPGs if you want to.

Nothing good can last forever-Caecilius Maximus Hectoris, Sereant of the Jaded Watch, Terminator Assaut Squad of the Emperor's Children 9th company.

And so came
The End of Brotherhood of Orion


As the officers of the company gathered, Librarian Kalar looked at each and every one of their faces, trying to read their expressions, refraining fromtheir minds. Sergeant Antioch and Apothecary Aloysus stood shoulder to sholder, Brother Apollus towering above their backs. Sergeant Hectoris stood,dazed, next to them. He was recovering, but slowly. Brothers Faberon, Nero and Malvarian stood behind them. Rephosus stood apart, his new form causing distain and in some cases, hatred, for hisCryptek body. Gannicus and Markus stood beside Faberon.
Kalar stood and addressed the asembly.
"As you all know, Malcador has declared our minds unsafe, and so our company, our Brotherhood, has been mindwiped. Our brothers and subbordiantes have undergone treatment, and we are all that are remain. But he shall not allow us life brothers!" He yelled, smashing his fist into the wartable. "I had a vision, of our Wolven Brothers of the VI Legion, coming to detroy us. moments ago a vessel of Russ arrived in orbit, and engaged the ork fleet, destroying three ships with the wormhole and a further Kruiser with its guns. They descend even now to destroy us. We must strike back, and kill before we are killed ourselves."

The room wa silent. Apollus' voice boomed "Then let us away my brothers! I shall not die without a fight!"

Cheers chorused through the tent. They made plans. Malcador had only two guardsmen as bodyguards. Kalar and Feberon would assassinate Malcador, Kalar beating down his defenses so Faberon could strike. A golden blade emerged from the depths of the armoury Rephosus had set up. It was an ancient blade, unused in battle. Malcador's blood would be its first stain. A beautiful set of armour came with it, enchanted with runes of warding, protecting the wearer from all psychic attacks as well as physical harm. kalar took up hi force sword and a suit of Cataphractii Terminator armour. if was mopre cumbersome than Indomitus of Tartauros but much heavily armoured.

|Meanwhile, Antioch, Nero and Aloysus, as well as Hectoris, for his life was Aloysus' charge, would be teleported aboard the Icefang and crash it into malcador's flaship, ensuring none of his henchmen wouldlive to tell the tale. Apollus, Rephosus, Magnus and Markus would hold the fort and try to hack the teleport arrays in the camp, to transport their Primarch and Fulgrim away. Rephsosu would perform the invasion with the others as defense. Brother Gannicus came in, late again, and was assigned to Rephsosus task force. With tasks set, the headed out.
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Rephosus and his battlegroup arrived at the teleport controls, and the CrypTechmarine began the interface. Within moments he was through, his machine interface enhanced to ungodly levels. He laughed, robotic and hollow as he watched his brothers and Primarch vanish, spirited away to the main fleet of the legion. But the joy was short lived. Rephosus heard a ound, and the flash of a teleporter. He turned, with the others, to find a force of Space Wolves, the VI Legion, arrayed before them. One hundred of them arrayed, wolf pelts and ice grey armour stark against the greenery. a Trio of Dreadnoughts stood to the side, ready for battle, armed with Powerfists and chainblades. Apollus was now glad he had swapped to a dual powerfist loadout. Elite warriors in Terminator Armour led the charge, and a great warrior led the force, wearing a bearskin cloak and wielding a pair of ice-like axes. With a savge roar they charged, and the 5 went to meet them.
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Antioch, Aloysus and Nero land on the 15th deck, several hundred meters from the engines. It would cake. if they had landed on the right ship. They arrived on Malcador's ship, which was a good thing, for moments later the Space Wolves' battlebarge exploded as firey kannon shells hit the bridge and engines. They would have only 1 problem. the 20 Custodes arrayed before them, as if waiting. Without a doubt, the 4 ran, heading the opposite way, firing bolt rounds and hurling grenades. 3 custodes fell, though they did not return fire, their spears older than the current mark, and not equipped with the inbuilt bolter. They ran, for their lives and their brothers'
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Malcador spun, a noise sounding behind him. 2 marines stood before him. kalar and Faberon. The former wielding bolts of lightning that incinerated his guards, the latter a golden blade and masterfully crafted armour.
"You know we have come," said Kalar. "You have seen it as I have."
"Indeed." Without a word, Malcador drew a pair of curved blades, before folding them in on themselves, a broadsword in their place. A battery of psychic attacks tore his mind, and Faberon lept, instantly seeking to slay with a crushing stroke. He parried both mentally and physically, stabbing both mind and blade. His attackers fought as a pair, each strike timed to through him offguard so the other could finish thim. He parried and cut yet no blows landed on either side. A bolt of lightning lept at him, and he raised his sword to deflect it, the mirrored sheen sending it into Faberon. His armour shone bright, the runes glowing as they absorbed the energy. No spll would touch him. Malcador saw. he changed tactics, instead focusing his mind into battering kalar out, who staggered. It was all he needed. He drew his power, ptting into his knuckle,. He punched out at Faberons chest. ther blow satggered him but moreimportantly, the ancient plate cracked. It was tiny, just small enough to let in air. But it was enough. Calling his power again, |Malcaor drew up dormant bateria, merging them untill the were the same as those found in virus bombs. There were few, but enough fo the job at hand. He fire them n a tiny sphere, the handfull of enzyes seeping through the crack. Black liquid immediately began to seeop as Faberon's body turned to sldge. His empty armour clanged on the floor.
Kalar recovered, takin in the horo of his brother and riend'sdeath. He aimed a mentl lance at Malcador, aiming to destroy him where he was weakest. He shot the spear, only to hae it shatter against the psychic shields. Malcador's mind touchd his and only then did he fully appreciate Malcador's power. He watched, horrified, as his shinguard bckled, followed by a shoulder. His chest next. More and more parts dentd as he imploded. He screamed a final curse before being condensed into a cue he sizeof a bolt round. Malcador tore out of the tent to find the battle, crushing the cube as he went.
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Hectoris' miond awoke. He was running, through a ship, golden Custodians chaing them. he stopped. Aloysus pulled to a stop. He turned to the others.
"Run!" he shouted. Hectoris was armoured once more, a hammer and his shield, bearing his imagery. He turned to the oncoming enemy.
"Go on Marius. I shall hold them!" He wasn't going to die a coward or broken. He would die in battle.
As if reading his thoughts, Aloysus said the same. He would die to do this. He drew his on sword, and togther they rushed, Hectoris in front, bashing the golden warriors' first ranks asunder, and Aloysus danced through, finish the survivors.
He felt stronger than ever, thn when hehadbeen a Daemonhost. He was perfecton. True completion. he had been to the brink and back, to where no Astartes should go. And reurned. He broke skulls and armour with every sipe, and Aloysus blade finished them.
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Nero and Antioch reached the engine room. They stopped at a contol panel, pullin out supply of meltabombs and hooking them up to the drives. They tinkered and toyed, trying to connectthe detonator. A brighter-than-usual lasround knocked it away. Stormtroopers, carrying enhanced hellgun Patern Laguns and Pistols, swarmed in, opening fire. They dived behind cover, the bolts powerful enough to cut their armour like butter with a hot knife. They caught each others eye. Knowing the plan imediately, they rose, a bolter and pistol each, killing guardsmen with every round. They dived back as they reloaded. Nero noticed the detonator within reach. It was now or never. He dived for it as Antioch open fire again. He snatched up the datapad, only to find it manled beyond recovery. Antioch turned to him briefly and staggered. Malcador assailed his mind, bttering aay. Through him he saw a company of Space Wolves, butchering through the Emperor's children. Gannicus fell, axe in hand, a frost axe embedded in his head. Brave brother markus fired from a standoff with a rifle, only to be felled by an autocannon round. Brave, brave Apllosus fell to the third dreadnought, rent apart by the whirring chainblades ashe fleed the first two, the reactor exploding and tank several marines and the dreadnought with him.Magnus Malvarian crushed many Astartes, only to be butchered by the wolf lord, who Antioch recognised as none other than one of Russ' closest, Vorick Darktooth himself. Only Rephosus stood, firing engy that sent the ground rumbling through a stave, plasma weapons and flamer blasting away as he impaled enemies on a power spear. Antioch wept as he struld to hold it off, to give Nero more time. Nero atched in horror, still rying to activate the bombs in this suicide run. A plasma bolt flashed and Antioch's head andchest vanished, rplaced by slag and green glowing flesh. Nero pressed the button once more. Nothing. The guardsmen swept around as he fired his last rounds at the bomb, trying to etonate it, but it wouldn't work. A soldier in garis red stood over him, a smoking plasma pistol in hand. he took careful aim atNero's chest. The trigger squeezed,and Nero was gone. Dead. His death spams occured slowly, but enough so that the trigger on hi bolt pistol slammed off a last shell. As if by design, the round flew true, striking the bomb on the detonation pin. With a sound to shake the stars themselves, the entire rear of the ship exploded in a devasting chain reaction
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Rephosus fired bolt after bolt of transgeographic energy, rupturing the ground. It was too late. He could not hold them. He was out of bolt ammo and his servo harnass was out ofpower, the strain too great to sustain his armour and weapons. His stave shattered as a bolt pistol round hit the head. he collapsed to his knees, shocked toh his core by Aploosu' death. His sergeant and mentor, and all of his friends an brothers. A Wolf lord towered above him, xe raised for a final strike. He closed hi optic circuitry, praying for salvation. He poened his eyes knowing it wouldnot arrive. An eerie green light danced over the Wolf Lords head, and a green pulse struc him between the eyes. His head exploded along with those around him, similarly marked. Deathmarked. Rephosus rose, seeing a squad of no less than 9 Lychguard cutting through the wolves like a blade, as their warscythes cleaved armour asunder. Caldrek was at their head, slaying all before him.
"Rephosus, " he called, "come quickly!"
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The explosion rocked the ship, and Aloysus sword clattered away. The Apothacary looked up, just in time to see the lasrblade spear pierce the Aquila on his chest, shattering it asunder. He azed at the emblem as he dropped off the blade, dead beforehe hit the floor.
"NNOOOOOOOOOO!" Hectoris screamed, beating the life from the killer. A rage overtook him and hi armour fused with his skin. he grew, taller than any Astartes or even Primarch. He towered over the Custodes. He dropped his weapons, crshing them with his bare fists. he had become a Daemon, and Daemon Pnce, truly and finally.
From the depths of the ranks came a sinle warrior, clutching a shining blue sword. Its light stung hectoris like a cursed wound and he shielded his eyes. The blade bit deep into his leg, and he fell, unable to move. The being moved to his head. hi power vanish in the wake of this weapon, unable to remain, and he lay naked, pinned by a golden boot.

He did have last words left for when the warrior asked.
"I am Caecilius Maximus Hectoris! Son of the III and Fulgrim. May the Emperor have mercy on your, because when I find you, I shall destroy you. In this life or the next."


A thrust of the blade.