Historian Belli: Changing of the Gaurd

[Schlitzaf]

B&C Character Story

 

Looking around these abandoned mining tunnels, I am surrounded by a squad of mortals, Imperial Guardsman from planet Vostroya. A few weeks ago, he launched n surprise assault on our world. An ally, Inquistor Tiena of Ordos Hereticus, left only a few hours before, to bring reinforcements from Terra.

 

Countless hours, have passed sense she left and his first attack. He, has tried many different ways to breach the keep. And his most recent, according to our scouts, is through the tunnels beneath the Keep. This time, he won’t get past us. The Traitor has snuck past our orbital defense, just as he had somehow snuck past the observers on the Hive World of Guytoga and our sister world the Mining World Purgatory of Soubirous. He defiled this world through eldritch means. Once more, my brothers and I have been shamed here, the center of the Templar V World’s.

 

The five worlds of Templar V, were reclaimed by us for the God-Emperor. Then we grew proud and blind. These leaky tunnels represent that failing, a failure by the mortals of this world and of ourselves to serve God Emperor. The one task they were meant to do. But I cannot help but think….our one task.

 

High Marshall had just over three centuries ago assigned my brother and I the task to reclaim the Calaxis Sector for the Imperium. Almerich, had recently launched his own Crusade to help defend Cadia from Abbadon. It was just another day.

 

We were joind by several regiments of Guardsman from planet Vostroya, alongside our own Chaplain Marius and the newly christened Emperor’s Champion Veltico, we set out with one goal to reclaim; Calaxis Sector. Looking at these walls, I cannot help but think, the mortals who made these tunnels, were they as naive as we were? That simply being his tools, guaranteed our success.

 

The arrival on the Mining World of Dalthus in the Hazeoth Subsector, we began our journey. Perhaps like those miners in our, we were naive and believed as His Angels of Death, were guaranteed to succeed. I, Iuris Schlitzaf, was the Marshall of the Crusade while my twin Geof Schlitzaf served as my Castellan, both indulged such naivety. Our mentors and teachers, the late Chaplain Marius and Emperor’s Champion Veltico, served as our advisors during those early foolish days.

 

Looking around the walls have been ill maintained, a rush job for the minerals beneath. They were greedy, and for that these tunnels foundations were weak and had to be abandoned. Perhaps had we not rushed against the Cult of Bloodied Iron, we would not have lost Marius. We are Angels not Mortals. Yet we still fail like the mortals we claim to avenge, protect and more. Did these mortals of this world see themselves above those neighboring Agri world of Hesoid’s Wake? Living their harsh day to day life often starving, while neighbors had food aplenty. Just like their neighbors they got complacent, and both worlds fell to Darkness. It’s why we were called in.

 

Much has changed we arrived, but much has stayed the same sense those days. Almost two centuries ago, we lost Marius who had fallen to forces of Chaos. Emperor’s Champion Veltico was lost soon after and thought to be dead, during Tragedy of Stygian Prime. He has sense returned to us, and revealed he was force to serve as a gladiator to the greenskins, for over a century.

 

Yes….the Greenskins. Three centuries, we have fought them, the Greenskins of the Stygian System. Led by Warboss Rafka, they have been our primary foe as we sought to retake the Calaxis Sector. The constant war with the Orks has slowed us down to just pacifying the Hazeorth Sub-Sector.

 

Tell me Emperor, why have we failed? Where did we go wrong? And now today, the center of our Crusade, the Mining World of Dalthus, the traitor has gotten past our Defenses. Have we been lax in our faith? If we have been no matter, I will avenge our fallen mentor Marius and the Man that brings shame to his name again and again.

 

That is where these mortals and I will differ, I will redeem myself in the Eyes of the Emperor. I am Marshall Iuris of the Black Templars, and as my late mentor taught, I Shall Not Falter. I turn on my twin claws of light I hear the prodding, of Power Armor come toward our location. The splashing of puddles, I look up and see him.

 

“Marshall, I extend my offer once more.” He smiles, the white skull has begun to chip near the mouth, “you have a choice to make.”

 

Looking at the traitor, his skull of white, is disfigured on the forehead. He points his maul at me as he extends that offer once more. I look at him in the eye, “there is no choice to make traitor. As my mentor had instructed me, I shall never falter.”

 

“You deceive yourself, brother! Why do you fight for that man! He deserves no loyalty, that man on that throne, is just a man. There are no gods! If He was, or those from the other side we’re, how come they are so weak!” He smashed the lining of the tunnel walls activating his maul.

 

I looked at fuming the traitor, “Because I know it’s true, I know he is a God! And I am his Angel of Death! And I shall never falter!” Entering battle stance I gestured to the mortals to stand behind me.

 

The traitor just drew his pistol and prepared himself, “you have made your decision. Prepare to Die.”

 

“There was never a decision to make, traitor.”

 

—————

 

“Castellan, your brother has not returned.”

 

I am Castellan Geof Schlitzaf, alongside my twin brother, years ago we launched a crusade to return this sector, the Calaxis Sector to his light. Three Centuries, and we have barely managed to lay reclaim this sub-sector and what once thought unthinkable has happened.

 

He has come and laid to siege to this place, “Ancient, grab your weapon. We shall go and meet them without my brother.”

 

The banner bearer nods as takes out his Power Ax. I look around, and nod to myself. In front of me, is a weapon forged by artisans of my chapter, and blessed by our chaplains, including my brothers and I former mentor Marius. It’s a pole-arm tipped with chainsword like extensions. Marius told us, during training told us “You are His Angels of Death.”

 

And as swung his crozius demonstrate how to attack, “but you are also humanity’s finest.” He then shifted his stance to deflect his partners blow by twirling his weapon. Before giving tripping his and giving a shock to the neck. “As Space Marines, and Sigismund’s Legacy, we never stop His Crusade, that had begun several millennia ago. But we must never forget what His Crusade was meant for, to fight in humanity’s stead. We fight because Mortals cannot.”

 

At the time, I didn’t think much about the lecture, I was focused on processing his movements during the spar. Now as Castellan of a Crusade, mortals looks at me, in fear and awe. But they see hope. Where they flee, I stand. Where they lose, I refuse to accept the possibility. I am an Astartes.

 

Despite that must admit I am afraid, despite being an Astartes, I do know fear. Especially when almost a century ago, his light went out. And rumors of a primarch returning, Magnus and Mortarion, but a third one too.

 

Leaving my chambers with the Ancient Gladius, assembled before is 30 of my remaining battle brothers, and their neophytes. Amongst them are the remnants of Vostroyan and Hesoid’s Regiments, they look to me...for hope.

 

“Today, my brothers and men of the Imperial Guard, as my Mentor told me, we shall not falter. The enemy seeks to tear down these walls of ours. They seek to end us. And corrupt his Domain. But tonight, Astartes Or Guardsman, we shall tell them nay!”

 

I then marched forward as the crowd parted way for me. Behind me, came the Astartes, then the Guardsmen. Uncertain and with trepidation at first, but then I heard the clamor of feet, “Ancient unfold the banner.”

 

——

 

“Brother, the Gates are opening, perhaps your other half has accept reality?”

 

Iuris thrown forward, as his body bloodied, but not broken. He looked at the traitor, “my brother would die before he would betray Him.”

 

“HE is not worth loyalty, he lies and deceives. Even if he was a man of value, his Realm is corrupt and diseased. Failing, and collapsing under their own weight. And he can do nothing, for he is just a man, nothing more.”

 

Iuris stood, activating his damaged claws he smiled as the gates of Dalthus Keep opened behind him, “Because we are more than simply his Angels Of Death.”

 

“What are you then!” The traitor drew his weapon, the maul began to radiate electricity all about him.

 

“We are Humanity’s Finest. We are Space Marines! Like many fortresses of Dorn, and just as Sigismund fought in front of the Gates of Terra. We Shall Never Falter,” Doing a little twirl, he parried the traitors blow. But not giving an inch.

 

“My late mentor, told my brother and I, the reason we fight. Not for Him, Dorn or even Sigismund, just as our forebears did ten millennia ago, we fight where a human would flee, we fight where a mortal has no chance, we fight so that humanity has a tomorrow!”

 

The traitor scowled looking at Iuris, “I was wrong!”

 

The Marshall doesn’t even respond as behind him a hail of Bolter and Lasgun Fire opens up against our foes. And his brother, Geof swings his staff down on the traitor. The traitor rolls backward to avoid the blow.

 

Iuris smiles and joined Geof in front of the traitor, “Brother sorry I am late.”

 

“But you are here now,” Geof smiles as he points the staff at the traitor “Let’s pays our respect to the dead, one last time brother.”

 

The two brothers leapt out and move in unison against the traitor. Each move in harmony with one another, but there were so many.

 

The traitors and their deluded allies, had caught the Templars and the garrison unprepared, when the siege begun weeks ago. And the battle had dragged on. And on. Now this final charge, and this duel between brothers and their fallen mentor took center stage.

 

The brothers, Iuris stabbed the enemy, as Geof deflected the maul. And pushed enemy back, and then Geof swinging his weapon tripped the foe. Iuris holding his claw to his enemy eye, “it’s over, you lose traitor.”

 

“Fools,” The traitor then beamed at the two Templars. Raising his hand he kneeled and then pointed at the twins, “If you will not join, open fire!”

 

The traitors whom during the duel took the chance to surround the two leaders of the Dalthus Crusade, lowered their bolters, and begun to pull the trigger. When a hopeful shout pierced the battlefield.

 

“With me! To the Marshalls!” Ancient Gladius roared as Bolter Fire was unleashed. All around them loud thunks, were heard, “Here!”

 

The Ancient swayed his flag as a signal, guiding the drop pods to their target, “He-”

One Bolter founds it mark. He stood up again, “I shall not-”. Second volley found it marks, “I bear their colors, I will not let it fa-”. Third volley. Then the second wave of drop pods. Disgorging larger, and hulking looking Marines, without missing a beat cut down the traitors.

 

The Iuris turned “Traitor!” He went to threw his claw, into treasonous Astartes crippled body. But his claw, only met air. The enemy, mortal and Astartes began to fade all around them.

 

The battle was over, the traitor in the commotion had vanished. However, these new arrivals, are known as Primaris, a new generation of Astartes. And herald a new era for the Dalthus Crusade and the Imperium at large.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Schlitzaf