Ch.9: The Luna Maiden Conflict

Captain Cogadh held on right as the landraider sped across the volcanic terrain. Their convoy was heading to it's destination in paradise falls where with the assistance of the Excorsist Brothers they would be transported to the Luna Maiden. It was his job to assure that their Adeptus Mechanicum allies under his care would set up a base of operations on the sunken ship.

Sat opposite him was the tech priest dominus Vulpus Canix, a very powerful warrior of the cult mechanicus, until very recently she was the heart of the Mengnar Facility, but since The Fall she had been moved beneath ground to work closely with the Iron Father.

A sudden jolt lurched them forward, and suddenly bright midday light shone through the rear doors opening.

Stood in the light, the primaris marines in their red MK X Tacticus Armour, adorned in the unusual runes that marked them as Exorcists.

"The Thunderhawks are ready for departure."

No need for formalities. It was understandable why the relationship between the Iron Hands and the Excorsists worked so well. They understood. They knew. They had the same respect for the other.

****

As they approached the Luna Maidan they took another scan. Again no life, but... that same strange signal again, was this the dreaded Daemons of Sarcoma once more? What was the secret of the Luna Maiden?

****

Necron! It was not long after they had landed before the enemy was realised. The Luna Maiden was infiltrated by filthy Demos.

"Charge men! Show them no mercy!" Growled Captain Cogadh into his Vox. They pushed forward into the depths of the metal maze, looking for the power overs that would give them the advantage on the ship. The Kataphron destroyers pushed forward blasting away the cold grey figures with powerful blasts of grav weaponry.

Suddenly a bright flash of purple and a deep thud! Cogadh leapt behind a wall. Blasts of purple scorched the walls. Two more booming thuds shook the structure. The sound of metal feet clanking on metal floor, destructive hisses of gauss energy in the air.

"For the Emperor!" Cried thr captain as he leapt forth firing his combi-blaster into the Lych Guard that fell to his shots. He swung his holy blade into another that crumpled beneath his divine might.

"Access the port!" He yelled "if vulpus can-"

And with a blast of violet light he was extinguished, the brave captain eliminated.

Vulpus felt them. A rush. All of them, angry, and that rage filled her! Trespassers! Filthy Xenos attempted to corrupt the sacred machine spirits of Luna Maiden!

"++ Activate security servitors IIB-73++

++Activate security servitors IIB-74++

++Activate security servitors IIB-75++

++Activate security servitors IIB-76++

..."

She would eliminate them all, it was her task, she would eliminate them all.

"++Activate security servitors IIC-71++

++Activate security servitors IIC-72++

..."

Ch.9: Rising from the Fall

++Days after the Mengnar Facility was captured.++

"Iron Father, we discovered something. A secret tunnel beneath the facility." Vulpus' voice sounded softly over the vox, "evidence would suggest it is not natural, probably only formed in the last thirty planetary cycles. Though it is deep. Our initial exploratory team has informed us that it travels many miles deep underground. Before splintering different directions. We believe one may head towards mount Shatterer. The other heads north east. What are your orders?"

"We shall move north east, perhaps we can work our way behind the Thousand Sons and ambush them. Report what you find!"

++After the battles with the Black Legion. ++

"Iron Father, I regret to inform you that our second assault has failed. However evidence would suggest they have no interest in pursuing us."

"This is most unfortunate... return to the surface. We have issues above ground. We shall explore the tunnels further another time."

++ The Battle of Mengnar ++

A bright flash scratched the air burning a deadly blast at where the Iron Father Stoo, In the bloody burnt mess that was once his servitors. The whole building shook with the devistating blast...

Iron Father Seanair fell into darkness...

At the very moment he was targeted Vulpus knew what to do. The secret tunnel beneath him dropped him down into the facility l. All around him servitors helped him to his feet and head him away. He had done his bit, he had stalled the Pandemica long enough to bring his forces bellow into Under Krillion. For the last month the Iron Hands had pushed further and further into the secret labyrinth, meeting others aware of its secret, some friendly, others not.

It was a shame Mengnar had to fall but the wheels were in motion. Seanair reveled in knowing more than anyone else, the secrets of Krillion were for him to take and if they were taken from him, well, Seanair didn't share his toys!

Seanair spoke in to his vox.

"Eliminate the Magos!"

****

The Marine raised his bolt pistol and then pulled the trigger.

The vox-caster of the Mad Magos crackles with his dying words "Eye awoken... storm BURNS... 01100100 01101000 01110101 01110101 01101101 00100111 01110011 00100000 01100100 01100001 01111001"

His mechadendrites reach out in death throes, pulling out all the stops before falling on the contraptions organ-like control panel. A violent discordant cacophony echoes through the caverns, triggering collapse as the Iron Hands forces escape to Under-Krillion.

Ch.8: Out of Time

Heracio Santos had been delighted at the news of Salbatore's return. In truth it was a matter that had taken him by surprise. The Timeflayer, surprised. The universe was littered with irony.
He had been in touch with the Captain, and promised his reunion once he had answers.
That had been 2 weeks ago.

In the time since, the Timeflayer had secured a meeting with the Shadow Keepers, the Adeptus Custodes whose duty it was to lock up and watcher over the cruellest and vilest of creatures human or otherwise that not even death could find purchase. Soulless monsters that required the greatest of the Emperor's servants to watch over. It was to their hands the Librarian had handed over Malachi, the thrice cursed. The demented champion and warlord of the Mortnek Pandemica.

Krillion had begun speaking, and the Timeflayer could not be allowed to be distracted with prison guarding. How right the Time seer was.


Smoke.
Ash.
Lightening.

Whether it was flesh, stone or metal. None were left to remain.

The vision had been so real. Santos could taste the burning air, the copper tinge of blood. He could hear the screaming, the alien tongues. They wailed and wept. He saw devastation. Mighty monuments laid low. The Timeflayer reached out and a hand grasped him. Pleading desperately for aid or comfort, before it too turned to nought but ash.
There it was. The hopelessness. That nothing could be done to ever change this fate. It was here.
Santos dared to look up, above the destruction. A terrible shadow that held itself aloft above the wreckage, the smoke and the ash. It spoke. Only a single word. The Timeflayer's mind could not comprehend, he fell to his knees unwillingly, his eyes rolled into his skull. Darkness.

****

"Time Seer" came a familiar voice, "Mon'keigh, awaken I beg you..."
Santos opened his eyes, he nearly had to shield them from the sharp stabs of bright blue light.
"We have little time...Alexandros is too far and Galen's council will come no where near. Ardashir and Sarcoma search...but you soon shall be gone, as will I. "
"What...Where am I?"
"The Shatterering, a place neither here nor there. A single moment. A prison. For my Kin and I."
The Timeflayer began to recognise the being before him, he had seen it before. In the warp, chased after it. Santos began to open his mouth.
"Please Time Seer. No time for questions. We can not keep you anchored here for much longer, you are slipping..."
Santos against his better judgement held his tongue.
"You must go to the Abyss. The mouth is opening. What will pour out is untold decimation..."
The visuals infront of the Timeflayer's eyes flickered, blinked.
"...Suania abhors Doom, and we failed. The betrayer's succeeded after our imprisonment. closing off our tunnels..."
Another blink.
"...had it been another's fate, it may never have come to this, but for the foul Promise that landed and cracked open the earth..."
Blink.
"...your race did this, and now all of the galaxy will suffer..."
Blink. Blink.
"...only hope is to follow my kin underground, they will show you how to get..."
Blink. Blink.
"No we are losing him... No, see to the others, we must show them the way, it is our sacrifice...
Blink. Blink. Blink.
"Time Seer... Stop D..."

****

The Timeflayer woke up, exhausted. He was knelt on the floor, his body drenched in sweat. Blood had dripped from his ears and nose, which were already clotting. What manner of vision had that been? He had not meditated nor begun a ritual of transition. The Exilium City Command Centre was a hive of activity. Santos senses return to their normality and he was able to pick up sensations around him. Something serious had occurred. He closed his eyes and listened. Phantoms. Phantoms had been reported flickering and blinking out of existence across Suania. Also, the dark eldritch storm had returned.

Ch.8: Hidden Woes

THE COLLAPSE. DOOM'S MAUL

Melchizedek strode up the winding path and found the Astartes Captain surveying the sea as it crashed it's salty, murky, waves against the rocks far below. Again and again and again.

"Duty is the greatest Honour, but a burden nevertheless..." Spoke the Custodian.
"...A burden I bear gladly for His glory." replied Stefano Salbatore's, finishing off the well known words of his Primarch.
The Captain should have known that one of the Golden Legion would be able to read him like words on a parchment.

Shield Captain Melchizedek of the Emissaries Imperatus stood beside the Crimson Fist, arms behind his back and his grey-white waist cloth flickered in the sea breeze. Eyes gazing across the ocean, towards Demensne.
The Crimson Fists were finally here, established and now ready to venture the Feral Continent. It was here in this dreadful and forsaken landscape where the Orks were believed to have set up base camp. Of course, except for long slaughtered Greenskin bodies, they were no where to be found. A spearhead force accompanied by their crusading allies, Wyrdmane's Wolves were attempting to push through the frozen north.

The Air here, tasted bitter sweet. You could not deny the thriving jungle and yet everything spoke of death. 'The Collapse' was a place of ruin, a long ago seafaring settlement that had part plummeted into the ocean and part eaten by the jungle. It was clear Doom's Maul did not wish to be tamed.

"You know... the Crimson Fists have a reputation even on Terra. One I am grateful to confirm, Dorn would be proud of." stated Melchizedek very matter of factly.
Salbatore allowed himself a rare smile.
"I thank you for your words Shield-Captain. How may I be of service?" Asked the Primaris marine, only turning his head after speaking his question.
"I have come to speak with you, Stefano Salbatore."

The Captain didn't know what to think, other than this was clearly a test. Melchizedek didn't waste a moment following up.

"You have walked this world these past months, speak to me of what you have witnessed with your own eyes...and judgement."
Salbatore said nothing, and silence hung between the two warriors, then he began as he understood  Melchizedek's intent.

"The Greenskins have abnormally overran a world far quicker than any known Waaagh! to date. Historical data-nodes of Krillion space record no known Ork activity in this sector, until this event. None of the defensive orbital platforms ever fired a shot. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they just appeared... This. This is what I seek to understand. So that no Ork can replicate this kind of tactic and go unchallenged."

The Custodian nodded, seemingly satisfied with Salbatore's assessment.
"What of the traitors?"

"The mongrels of chaos only seek to capitalise on this world's suffering. Colonel Cranis of the 86th is providing a bulwark to stem their interference, however reports from their lines suggest psychic phenomenons... Either there is an imminent daemon threat, such as the Plague ready to spew upon Suania anew or perhaps a message is seeking it's means to be made known, either to them or to us,as unpredictable a communication method as it is.
I think not the former, as your presence here suggests otherwise."

Melchizedek grunted, he was beginning to like the Captain.

"There is the matter of the Necrons. They were first brought to our attention in Demensne, as we defended the Cathedral. They have eluded us with their intentions, so too amongst the Crusade Council. Chief Arathon despite his conflicts is none the wiser."

"An anomaly..." pondered the Shield Captain aloud. "Arathon as been distracted with the south has he not?"
"From what I am able to piece together, his chapter along with a contingent of Iron Hands have been fighting a war in the Telokin Wastes from Thousand Sons and a band of vile war engines called 'Pandemica', until recently where a Plague of unclean daemons have swept across from the west...

Salbatore paused then added "Things seem too messy on Krillion, there is something I'm missing. Too much is going on for it to be coincidence. All the activity, the shroud of chaos, the waves of Orks, even the amount of Imperial presence. A veil has been cast. Something hiding in all the noise. What is Krillion hiding...?

"A question we have come to answer... shall we go Captain Salbatore, to look so we may find..."

Melchizedek wasn't asking. He was directing. The Primaris Captain turned and followed the Golden Warrior. Duty called.

ISILORE'S PATH, ROGUE'S OCEAN

The ancient path and derelict ruins of a bygone age that married the regions of Suania and Rogue's Ocean had until now been silent and all but forgotten. Now they stirred.
phantom's flickered as they moved, the moonlight barely capturing their existence in the dark overhang of the cliffs and jungle tops. Rune's pulsed with a shimmering energy from a long slumber...only to die.
Phantoms from a dozen, began to swell in size as they congregated down the stony steps towards the lowly coast line that looked eastward.
Powerless they watched. hoping. fading.

THE FORGOTTEN VALLEY, SUANIA
They couldn't wait no longer.
They had to try.
They had to do something.
They would march.

It could not be allowed.

Ch.8: Assault on Mengnar

Vulpus vibrated softly, a sharp high pitched whistle emitting from her body. Her eyes glowed green as she scoured through ancient texts for clues about the breach. Her mind spilled out deep into the machine spirits of the mighty Facility. Multiple wires and cords plugged her body into the consoles. Acolytes gathered around chanting holy rites to the omnissiah above her quivering form.

The Iron Father Stood, observing, scowling, deep in thought. This was indeed a worrying turn of events. An unexpected attack upon Mengnar, but from who? Perhaps the Orks who had blown up the pipelines? Surprisingly stealthy for the Brutish Xenos, and what would the green skins want from the data banks? Perhaps then not Xeno? Seanair had no doubts that NEGATIVE-5T4R would have had survivors, Zero-Four would be interested in what the Iron Hands had discovered. The Exorcists also came to mind, the relationship between the two had become rocky when they had requested entry into the facility, had they gone behind The Iron Hands back? This would be most troublesome. A fight amongst themselves would only make them weaker against the filthy Xeno and the disgusting heretics of this planet. Speaking of Heretics, what of the Mortenok Pandemica? They had rooted themselves deep within this planet, rotting it from the inside out. Seanair pondered if the presence if the warp entities had anything to do with them. Or perhaps the Thousand Sons? Crafty witches of deceit and guile, their ways dripping with cruel rites and forbidden powers. They were a dirty festering wound upon the galaxy that needed to be scrubbed away. Many sides to this complex war.

What ever happened next the Iron Hands knew their next move. All they needed was the assistance of their only ally on Krillion. The Omnissiah's Wrath had proven to have many uses, and if what was to be believed was true no life forms had been detected upon the ship. Clearly its secrets left untouched. Krillion was filled with many hidden surprises so what was waiting for them uncovered by the tsunami?

"Iron Father," a voice cracked with static from a nearby Tech Priest "An urgent message from above. There has been a breach."

"Another!? How are they entering undetected into the data vaults?" Seanair boomed in fury.

No sir, you misunderstand," the crackling voice continued "The breach is the outer wall."

The priest drew back his robes revealing a data slate in his chest. On the screen it showed massive towering knights marching across the snowy landscape.

"Prepare for battle! Bring the storm to Mengnar! The Pandemica will be stopped!"

Ch.7: The Roja Revelation

"Halt! Stand down!" Salbatore cried out.

The Crimson Fist strike force had wasted no time rushing upon the Roja Plantation. Repulsor Tanks, Stormhawk and Inceptors struck within the perimeters. Interim Captain Tadeas lead the Intercessor squads marching out of their transports to begin searching and locking down districts.

Within moments of the Crimsons' entrance, red armoured Primaris Astartes in turn revealed themselves and their strength of numbers right across the plantation.

There was a cold stand off. Defenders vs Invaders.

Stefano Salbatore, Captain of the Crimson Fists Primaris Company walked out from The Exorcists Command hab. Interim Captain Tadeas, betrayed his steely stance as he relaxed, his eyes spotting the Captain.

Tadaes blinked the 'At Ease' Icon to all squads, the Crimson Fist all lowered their weapons.

****

"...The Exorcist's have walked Krillion for as long as we have" Salbatore educated Tadaes and the Lieutenants.
"It appears the south have known conflicts with Chaos, just as the Krillion Liberation Crusade as known in the north, and east. The Exorcist's believes the key to ending the Krillion Invasion lies across the seas, 'Doom's Maul. It delights me greatly that in my absence we have managed to breach this location..."
"My Lord" Tadeas injected his information "we are establishing ourselves upon on a former settlement, an old port hub that has collapsed into the sea. It was the only option available to us, the feral continent is unwelcoming but your orders were carried out nevertheless. Nothing will stop our duty."
"Duty is honour." Salbatore affirmed "There is however more happening upon Krillion than we are lead to believe and we are waiting on the Emperor's word to guide us, this is why I delayed my return to you..."
"My Lord, The Emperor's Word?" Tadeas asked perplexed.
"The Golden Legion is here. We are being joined by the Ardent Halo Shield Host.
This fight is bigger than us, now, and...always was."

Ch.7: Commanding Destiny

All that broke the silence was Alexandros’s breathing, his closed eyelids flickered as if asleep, but he was very much awake.  The warp lay before him, a series of shards broken and shattered in to pieces, it had taken him days to find this place, if there is such a thing as place in the warp. 

 This point contained the future of Krillion but whatever had passed here had made sure to leave little trace of what that may be. Alexandros watched the shards that drifted pasted, his body nothing more than a shadow, a cloud of smoke in the warp. Some were of events he’d seen himself take place and others from a time before he’d taken up the mantel of Astarte or even been born. 

These he let drift by for they were not what he was searching for, “there” he breathed to himself, it was a small thread in among the larger shards but it was the thread he’d been looking for, ‘Stefano Salbatore’ nothing more than a name but connected to so many parts of Krillion, slowly Alexandros reached down and gently pulled the thread. 

 As his finger took hold of it, images began to flash in front of him, great battles, the burden of a duty to something more than one's self, rage and hate for what had happen and finally a mission to save a planet on the fringe. Alexandros looked deeper into this last image, “there” the shard shrunk back has Alexandros drew near to in as if trying to hide itself from him but it was of no use and with a quick wave of his hand, the shard was bound in place. It was of a lone marine charging into what could only be described as hell fire, his amour chipped and damaged but his soul unflinching even when faced with the full power of the warp unleashed in real space. Alexandros watch as he charged though the flames his power armor cracking and buckling under the pressure but still, he pressed on through the fire his gauntlet ablaze with crackling light and has he pushed his ruby red fist forward, past the flames the shard was consumed by a blinding light and shattered turning to dust.

As the dust drifted away Alexandros saw one last picture, it showed the same lone marine standing by himself amidst a field of bodies and flames but then the image shifted, and he was no longer standing alone in the field but was joined by another marine upon the field of battle.

Before Alexandros could see any more the warp once more let out a deafening screech as if it was a wounded beast and the currents that had laid clam at his feet began to take on form and twist into creatures from people's darkest dreams. Then Alexandros open his eyes and once more the only sound was his steady breathing in and out.

The Vox to the chamber then broke into life “My Lord urgent message from Captain Silas, he requests your presence in the burning veil there has been an encounter.”

Alexandros took a moment before relying “Ready my shuttle immediately and inform the Halo.”

“It will be done my lord.”