TALE - Just Because

[simison]

Alexandros stepped forward into the circle of light. He didn't know where he was, for there was nought but darkness surrounding this isle of illumination. A moment passed, and another figure entered across from him. The being was a Primarch, that much was obvious from his giant size. Yet, Alex, to his great confusion, did not recognize the other's face. The other Primarch's armour provided no helpful clue to the man's identity as the ebony metal was decorated by red eyes and a giant wolf's pelt on top. 

 

The other Primarch seemed as confused as Alex was. "I do not know you. Are you another secret of Father's?"

 

Secret? Alexandros shook his head. "No, my existence is known to the entire galaxy. You are the one who seems to have been hidden. Or are you?" Darshan reached forward, ready to solve this mystery from the other's mind when he slammed into a wall of resistance. This was even more confusing to Alexandros. The resistance wasn't like the will of a powerful psyker, but something more inanimate. Darshan didn't detect any touch of the Warp upon this newcomer, let alone anything. Yet, at the same time, the other Primarch lacked the black hole sensation of a Pariah. Indeed, while Pariahs tended to unnerve everyone else, the other Primarch possessed great life to him and mighty charisma, undoubtedly an aspect given to him by the Emperor.

 

The other Primarch laughed, a biting and arrogant sound that fit the harsh maul in his hands. "Me? Hidden? I am Horus, the Warmaster! All know of me."

 

"I think you're mistaken," Alexandros began, even as he couldn't detect any sense of falsehood in Horus' words. "I am the Warmaster, appointed by the Emperor himself. I am Alexandros Darshan VonSalim."

 

Horus scoffed. "What deception is this?" 

 

Before another word was spoken, hovering screens appeared around the circle, floating around them in a lazy clockwise fashion. They showed scenes from Alex's history and, what he assumed, to be Horus' life. The screens showed decades of years in brief seconds, but, for whatever reason, Alex could see and remember each minute of the memory displayed in perfect detail. "Where am I?"

 

"I recognize Leman and Magnus," Horus added, "but not these other brothers."

 

Alex saw Horus crowned as Warmaster on a world cleansed of Orks, while Horus saw Alex crowned as Warmaster on a world of watery Qarith corpses. "Are we from different realities?"

 

"I think you're right," Alex murmured as the memories continued at their contradicting speeds. "You were first found and the greatest of your brothers." 

 

Horus took pleasure in the words but said, "You weren't. You were the second and not the greatest, but only because you rejected greatness. So many worlds brought to heel by your words alone. Not even Lorgar was as successful as you were on the field of politics."

 

The compliment brought no happiness to Alex as he had seen that Lorgar was already walking a darker path. "Your Luna Wolves, no, your Sons of Horus, all of you preferred audacious assaults aimed at the enemy's head."

 

"We are not the Imperial Army. We are transhumans. We do not just win battles, we must win them in a way suited to our power and skill. By crushing the head of the enemy for all to see, we crush the spirit of those who oppose us."

 

"It fed your pride," Alex noted.

 

Horus snorted. "As opposed to you and your Halcyon Wardens. You preferred your victories as bloodless as possible. Whether it was through your emphasis on the shield or your machinations you inflicted upon your opponents. Yet, you eschewed the glory you rightfully won to build others." Horus was pensive as he continued to watch. "You actively tried to keep your brothers tied together, until you became Warmaster. If only I had you at my side instead of the likes of Fulgrim of Alpharius. The Emperor would have stood no chance against us."

 

"What?" Instead of hearing Horus' reply, Alex saw the truth in another screen. He saw Horus fall only to rise corrupted. "You let them use your pride against you."

 

Horus' retort was quick and harsh. "I was shown me the truth!"

 

"You made a mockery of the office of Warmaster."

 

"Weak words from a man devoted to peace. You ignored the battlefield and disgraced your title."

 

Alex took his eyes away from the screens to glare at Horus. "I was faithful to Father."

 

"You are deluded," Horus said as his hand tightened his grip on his mace. "We were all tricked. Father had no intention of honoring us when the Great Crusade would come to an end." 

 

Likewise, Alex tensed as he held the Spear of Terra and Aegis at his sides. "I've heard those words before."

 

"Yes, from the one called Icarion. Your closest brother, and you spurned his warnings," Horus accused, a single talon stabbing in Alex's direction. "And you call me traitor?"

 

"Icarion is wrong," Alex insisted. "And so are you. After only a few years away from father's side, you lose all faith. What weakness. I served as Warmaster for decades without question."

 

Horus growled, "Only because you blind yourself with your unthinking devotion." 

 

The screens stopped, showing only a few years into the respective Heresy and Insurrection, hiding the truth that lay at the end of those wars. One Warmaster regarded another. "So, you maneuver your way to Terra."

 

"While all you can do is retreat before the Stormlord," Horus said satisfactorily. 

 

Alex countered, "With Azus returned to the fold, Icarion's chances of victory dwindle."

 

Horus laughed again. "Such delusions." He hefted the mace. "Perhaps I shall strike you down with Worldbreaker, and save the Stormlord the trouble of having to kill you by his own hand."

 

At the sign of aggression, Alex slid into a defensive posture, the two weapons crafted by the Emperor's own hand, Worldbreaker and the Spear of Terra, aimed at each other. Although he could not affect his opponent, Darshan could still peer into the possibilities of the future, ready to find the one that would grant him victory against the fallen Warmaster. "You are the only one holding your rebellion together. You can put a stop to the insanity that afflicts your reality. Father is merciful. He loves us all dearly."

 

That incensed Horus. "You know nothing of the Emperor!" He shouted as he charged. 

Edited December 1, 2017 by Lord Thørn

[helterskelter]

Oh you devil

[Nomus Sardauk]

Oh my...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qvI7TPFQBTM/UO87p1UIsmI/AAAAAAAAFss/OluJOO3BZP4/s1600/highest-of-fives.gif

Edited October 11, 2016 by SanguiniusReborn

[simison]

I just wanted to write a little something where the two Warmasters met. Not sure if I will write their duel. I've thought about writing other parallel meetings. Travier and Lorgar would be one. The others are a little harder to nail down.

[MikhalLeNoir]

Hehe. Gwal amd Angron^^ your twelfth amd my twelfth^^

 

 

Or canon magnus versus broverse magnus

 

Canon: GET LOST!!!!

Broverse: Actually i did exact that

 

 

^^

Edited October 11, 2016 by MikhalLeNoir

[Kelborn]

Need to read your extract but how about

 

Sanguinius vs Morro

Jaghatai vs Andezo

Ferrus vs Daer'dd

Curze vs Anzo

Vulkan vs Pionus

Lorgar vs Alexos

Perturabo vs Niklaas

And so on :)

[Nomus Sardauk]

Need to read your extract but how about

 

Sanguinius vs Morro

Jaghatai vs Andezo

Ferrus vs Daer'dd

Curze vs Anzo

Vulkan vs Pionus

Lorgar vs Alexos

Perturabo vs Niklaas

And so on :)

Hmm, what's the logic behind these pairings? I see it with some of them, siege masters for Perty & Niki, mistakes first heretics with Alexos & Lorgar, etc. But what's the idea behind Sangi & Morro, or Curze & Azus?

[Kelborn]

Sangi as the ultimate good guy vs the ultimate betrayer and douchebag Morro in his half demon form

 

wait, not Azusa - Wyllem!

Mixing them too often ^^"

[Skalpynock]

I had written about Kozja meeting other realities during the destruction of Madrigal. Himself as Sanguinius, his end at the hands of Lorgar, the Lion and Russ where the Warbringers are Legion XI, and the "good end" of the Crusade.

[MikhalLeNoir]

Multiverse incoming^^

 

So the chaos gods are all the same... What if the star child is born...will it be the same in every.multiverse?

If the chaos gods win in one verse...will they win in every other too?

 

Maybe I let Gwal visit another verse during his wandership through the webway...thst would be cool.

 

Countless questions spring to my mind.

Edited October 11, 2016 by MikhalLeNoir

[Demus Ragnok]

Multiverse incoming^^

So the chaos gods are all the same... What if the star child is born...will it be the same in every.multiverse?

If the chaos gods win in one verse...will they win in every other too?

Maybe I let Gwal visit another verse during his wandership through the webway...thst would be cool.

Countless questions spring to my mind.

I have a friend that has fluff for a universe where there are sister primarchs.

[Kelborn]

We could also mention other fan projects, like the Dornian heresy or the project of Madrigal and his crew.

[MikhalLeNoir]

 

Multiverse incoming^^

So the chaos gods are all the same... What if the star child is born...will it be the same in every.multiverse?

If the chaos gods win in one verse...will they win in every other too?

Maybe I let Gwal visit another verse during his wandership through the webway...thst would be cool.

Countless questions spring to my mind.

I have a friend that has fluff for a universe where there are sister primarchs.

I think Gwal could be tempted to stay there^^

[Nomus Sardauk]

We could also mention other fan projects, like the Dornian heresy or the project of Madrigal and his crew.

Aren't you forgetting someone...?

 

-----

 

The two Warmasters circled each other slowly within the small circle of light, each studying the other as they awaited who would make the first move. Before they could however, both Primarch's attentions were suddenly drawn by an unusual sound, that of a slow clapping, accompanied by the unmistakable footfalls of another power-armoured individual approaching.

 

Out from the shadows strode yet another Primarch, this one was clad in exquisitely-crafted armour the colour of dried blood, it's plating trimmed in black iron and decorated with strange, intricate chain iconography. The newcomer's face was lean and handsome, framed by a head of sleek raven hair that reached down to his shoulders, but any noblity that visage might have bore was tainted by the cruelty in those flint-coloured eyes. His expression fixed in a sneer of condescension as he studied the two Primarchs before him, evidently unimpressed as new memory windows materialised around the trio.

 

Both Darshan and Horus' gaze flitted between windows as a strange history played out before their eyes, in one window a dark-eyed child on a snowy mountainside was spirited away by a stern man dressed in lavish clothing, in another, a blood-drenched gladiator with crude bionic forearms & iron cables embedded in his skull swore fealty to the dark-eyed prince, the two giants towering over the human servants around then. Finally, and most disturbingly, they saw the Emperor fall in battle to a Ork the size of a Warhound, before being interred upon the Golden Throne. In the aftermath the dark-eyed prince, now represented as the newcomer who stood before them, rose to leadership above an already-fracturing brotherhood of Primarchs, only for a sinister angel in black armour to whisper honeyed words of corruption into his ear.

 

With that the windows faded into darkness again, leaving Darshan & Horus to face the newcomer as he stepped forward, his weapons drawn.

 

"Greetings little brothers, I do so hate to interrupt your little squabble but I'm afraid I have to correct your foolish mistake. There is only one Warmaster, and his name is Lanista Corax!"

Edited October 11, 2016 by SanguiniusReborn

[simison]

Is that the Corax Coup?

 

Sangi as the ultimate good guy vs the ultimate betrayer and douchebag Morro in his half demon form

wait, not Azusa - Wyllem!
Mixing them too often ^^"

 

My goal was to align similar positions. Hence, Warmaster against Warmaster. In the Travier meets Lorgar, it's the meeting of the Arch-Heretics. Another example would be K'awil and Night Haunter, both are the masters of terror.

[Nomus Sardauk]

Is that the Corax Coup?

 

Correct sir! I thought given you were already mashing two universes why not throw in a third for extra flavour? :)

[simison]

 

Is that the Corax Coup?

Correct sir! I thought given you were already mashing two universes why not throw in a third for extra flavour?

 

 

I have no issue with it. Just don't expect me to write 1300 different stories about Primarchs meeting from alternate universes.

[Nomus Sardauk]

 

 

 

Is that the Corax Coup?

Correct sir! I thought given you were already mashing two universes why not throw in a third for extra flavour?

I have no issue with it. Just don't expect me to write 1300 different stories about Primarchs meeting from alternate universes.

Fear not Sim, I would never try to push such a task upon you. :)

My adding of Lanista was merely a bit of fun on my part, reading your story got my creative juices flowing again and I just had to write something while it lasted, so apologies for the thread jack.

[simison]

You have not done so, so no worries. Heck, San, the title is 'Just Because'. Not sure if anyone could threadjack.

[bluntblade]

I just wanted to write a little something where the two Warmasters met. Not sure if I will write their duel. I've thought about writing other parallel meetings. Travier and Lorgar would be one. The others are a little harder to nail down.

I think I'd have been tempted to use a fragment of Horus' final self, all regret. "Had I enjoyed your counsel still, perhaps madness would never have found me. As for Raktra, I fear I would only have made him a more terrible monster. You kept the balance, Alex. Now it has all come crashing down."

[simison]

I decided to go with a 3 year interval into the two rebellions to synchronize them, hence the Fulgrim and Azus references. I suppose it'd be just as easy to do a post war meeting between their spirits.

[Kelborn]

Oh yeah, forgot about K'awil.

 

Wanted to suggest the same as you'd thought about, namely those Primarchs with identical roles.

 

Ferrus and Daer'dd both bring the masters of the forge, though Ferrus should be replaced by Vulkan, now that I think about it. Both are the tallest and strongest Primarchs.

 

Or Jaghatai vs Abdezo as both are restless souls, ever striving to continue the hunt / great crusade, both being wild cards and outsiders, both favoring fast and hard approaches. And a duel between the Emperors Warhawk and the Blind One could be really cool. ^^

 

Think that you got my point. :)

 

Of course, no one shall be forced to do these kind of duels. Could be a funny side reference to other projects.

[bluntblade]

Or it could just be a conversation

[~Drakzilla~]

Struggling to think of who Jade's counterpart would be. Lion? Perturabo? Heck, Alpharius?

[simison]

Struggling to think of who Jade's counterpart would be. Lion? Perturabo? Heck, Alpharius?

 

Alpharius is too underhanded for Jade, I think. The Lion or Pert would be much better analogs. The three of them are socially awkward with brilliant minds. Both Jade and Perturabo approach war like a science, while Lion and Jade share a mastery and fondness for close combat.