The Son of None (A Horus Heresy Story)

[Novelist947]

Year 213, Month 3, Day 11

005. M.31, Segmentum Obscurus

Istvaan Campaign, Great Crusade

 

I had audience with Captain Temeter today. His quarters were once plain, bare and well organised - now its the de-facto office of the Great Company’s high command. This coming campaign is being conducted with a very serious edge, that is only to be expected when you have a grand deployment of four entire legions. This is about the pride of the legion and we shall not be found wanting.

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Apart from he and I, there was also Captain Grulgor. I know it is unbecoming to speak ill of a superior officer, but I do not enjoy his company. I respect the blood of Barbarus, but I dislike all those poisonous fumes. They do strange things to strong men.

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We spoke about Istvaan III and the coming campaign, it was good talking about an issue that we all could agree upon. The world must be destroyed, the system cleansed. No traitor fanatics can be allowed to exist within the realm of the Imperium, they will all be purged. Captain Grulgor is surprisingly amicable when you share his hatred about something. We then spoke of the Great Crusade, and what will come after. I did not speak, it appeared that Captain Grulgor spoke for of us. He spoke of the Council of Terra and the weakness of men. Captain Temeter and I held our tongues, we had no wish to battle over words again.

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Then the reason of my summoning was made clear, I have been honoured with the overall leadership of an upcoming engagement. The fanatics have been busy, establishing outpost and strong points throughout the surrounding systems. So far the Imperial Army has made little progress in dislodging this outer defensive perimeter. The fanatics have deployed a sinister weapon - witches. They use some form of warp magic to create large swathes of destruction whilst also becoming virtually immune to small arms fire. The next phase of the campaign will have a large Astartes presence to deal with these threats.

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I have been assigned the command of a multi-legion attack group tasked with the neutralisation of the defensive satellite designated FK-1. Whilst the Death Guard will be leading the attack, there will also be a strong contingent of the other three legions. Grulgor, again gripped with another bout of inspirational soliloquy, boasted how such a show of unity would make the bureaucrats piss themselves from McCragge to Terra. I must admit, the remark was funny.

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Captain Temeter briefed me on my new allies, and the true objective of this mission. The supreme war council has determined that a live witch must be obtained for the purpose of study. The III legion has sent two specialist assets to assist us in this task, a seeker squad led by one Silac Hazyr and an apothecary name Hiran. My main responsibility is the organisation and implementation of a security zone so that the Emperor’s Children can secure the objective. The Sons of Horus will send a reaving force under the command of a Justaerin, I look forward to meeting this Chieftain Atal. Lastly, the World Eaters have sent a detachment under the command of ‘Staaruk, blood sworn of Captain Karnaugar’. That is all we know of the World Eater deployment, I do not look forward to meeting Staaruk.

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Grulgor then criticised my character. He does not believe I am ready for the hardship and pressures of command. I held my tongue. Not soon enough he ended the meeting with a toast, he had bought some poisons of his own concoction so we could toast to the health and strength of Mortarion. Temeter and I almost vomited, my stomach hasn't churned that much since I was inducted into the legion. Its still churning.

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I think Grulgor was insulted by our lack of enthusiasm.

[Soulhunter1995]

Can`t wait to read more my friend :) Keep it up 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Using white text makes your story unreadable on my smartphone (which displays it against a white background by default), unless I highlight the text or use the "Full Version".

[calgar101]

The text colour and style makes it hard to read. That aside i liked what I read and would like more.

[Novelist947]

Can`t wait to read more my friend Keep it up 

 

Thanks for the encouragement

 

Using white text makes your story unreadable on my smartphone (which displays it against a white background by default), unless I highlight the text or use the "Full Version".

 

The text colour and style makes it hard to read. That aside i liked what I read and would like more.

 

Thanks for the heads up about the text problems, it should be fixed now. 

 

This is a small little story I'm writing and I have 5 more releases planned. Hope everyone enjoys them 

[Novelist947]

Year 213, Month 3, Day 18
005. M.31, Segmentum Obscurus
Istvaan Campaign, Great Crusade 

 

The Battle of FK-1 will commenced in 14 days. Temeter keeps on jesting about a promotion, he tells me that Grulgor was sent to see if I was fit to lead my own company. If I serve with distinction in the upcoming engagement, I'll be rewarded with a company. This is an honour, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t want this. Temeter laughed at my earnestness and threw my crozius at me.

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“Have some more faith in yourself man, we both know you’ve earned it. Besides, who do you think sent him?”

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The past 5 days have gone by in a flurry of action. Whilst I have previously served as a C.O. in many large engagements, I have never commanded a force of this size before. Death Guard elements of the 4th Great Company have been placed under my personal command under orders of Captain Temeter. I know all of them, they will serve me well. This ad-hoc company will be further bolstered with three more company sized contingents drawn from the other legions. Furthermore, I have been further reinforced with 3 regiments of the Lastran Rifles. I will be the overall commander of over 400 legionaries and 15'000 human auxiliaries.

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I’ve liaised extensively with Chieftain Atal, he will do his part. The Emperor’s Children contingent will also do their part, of that I have no doubt. However it is extremely difficult to talk to them. I must make efforts as the C.O. to better integrate them into the operation. The World Eaters remain as difficult as always, their vox contact have been wildly spontaneous. I still do not know what forces Staaruk will commit to the engagement, or even his rank or position in the legion. We will see if they do their part.

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The current battle plan is as followed: the defensive installation is built into an asteroid, the only way in or out is through a heavily fortified hangar bay. The World Eaters have volunteered to secure the hangar. The second wave will then gather in the secured hangar and regroup with the 12th. The Lastrans will then advance deeper into the facility to probe the enemy defences with quick response astartes teams in close support. Once a witches reveal itself, the main team will secure the objective. The Emperor's Children have developed a psycho-sedative bolt thrower for this purpose - Sergeant Silac and Apothecary Hiran have ensured me that the fancy crossbow will work. Just for extra security, I’ve also issued every Death Guard with extra stun grenades.

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I spend most nights just lying there and looking at the roof of my bare steel ceiling. A company; a personal command squad; a ship to call my own; the privileges of command. I think about the mortals, butchers, peacocks and gangers; and how they will ruin my mission. I even think of ways that my Death Guard will fail me. And how I will fail myself. What do I even do about these thoughts? I'm suppose to be one who resolves these anxieties in others. Who is suppose to fix me?

I don't know. 

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All I know is that the Battle of FK-1 will be an astounding victory for Mortarion and the Emperor. 

[Tarvek Val]

I'm enjoying this piece. It's interesting to see some of the minor characters of the Heresy expanded and fleshed out, and you've done a good job setting the scene and making the different personas interesting. Well done.

[Novelist947]

Year 213, Month 3, Day 25
005. M.31, Segmentum Obscurus

Istvaan Campaign, Great Crusade

 

All of the officers of my upcoming battle assembled for a final war council today. First impressions are extremely important and I hope my performance was satisfactory. I did as Temeter advised, “Do not order them like a common line captain, command them as a leader. And never allow anyone to weaken your authority”.
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The Emperor’s Children were first to arrive. They were not talkative throughout the war talks and their manners and attitude were not conducive to unity. However they were extremely cooperative and I believe I can rely on their continual support. Second to arrive were the Sons of Horus. I finally met Atal and he is a much more jovial in person than on the vox link, he made a very funny joke about the 1st Legion. He and I have become the main voices of the task force, if not for his support I do not think I could control the World Eater or Sons of Horus. I’m glad he supports my leadership, I will ensure that my reports speaks highly of him. The World Eaters were last to arrive, and they are going to be a problem.
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They do not seem to care about the objective, rather than focusing on the mission they are more concerned with matters of bloodshed and slaughter. Staaruk is the worst of them, in the middle of the meeting he leaped on the table and declared: “I SHALL RIP THE ARMS OFF EVERY DAMN WITCH I GET MY HANDS ON”. When Apothecary Hiran began to chide him, I saw the blood madness rise in Staaruk’s eyes. Atal, Sergeant Silac and I managed to resolve the confrontation peacefully - but it was a close call.
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The three of us had a private meeting afterwards. We all agreed to not bring this issue to high command, the image of the legions are at stake here. This campaign cannot be allowed to reveal and deepen the rifts between us. As such, this mission has become more complicated than I would have hoped. We must beat the World Eaters to the objective, lest they turn them into red paste.
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The new plan is as followed. Once the World Eaters secure the hangar, Chieftain Atal will arrive in the 2nd wave and command the boarders. The Lastrans will then proceed with their part of the plan. Once they identify the location of the witch, the Sons of Horus will distract the World Eaters as the 14th and 3rd close in on the witch’s location. Sergeant Silac and his seeker squad will be held back in teleport reserves, accompanying him will be Apothecary Hiran. I will also be teleporting in with my personal honour guard. When our forces locate the witch, we all hone in on their vox signals and teleport in. The Emperor’s Children will bag the witch, my honour guard and I will protect them with our lives. Even with over 200 legionnaires, this is going to be a tough fight.
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“How do you plan on distracting those butchers?” asked Sergeant Silac.
Atal shot a toothy grin my way. “With poetry.” I hope he is able to be present when we secure the objective, I do not want glory to elude him.
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If my previous run in with witches can be learnt from - this will not be a pleasant fight. However Staaruk and his butchers are my main concern. If they kill the objective, than this mission would have been a failure. And I will not allow that. The only thing we can do is capture one before they do.
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Strange as it sounds, I must suffer the witch to live. I place its odds of survival at 3:2.

[Novelist947]

Year 213, Month 4, Day 1
005. M.31, Segmentum Obscurus
Istvaan Campaign, Great Crusade

Page 1

 

The battle was a bloody disaster, but we managed to secure the objectives. I knew Staaruk was trouble, I just had no idea how mad those damn butchers are.
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Everything went wrong when the 12th started their attack. The fanatics have learnt new tricks, there was a witch in the hangar. We didn't expect the defenders to be so aggressive. They knew they would die on that rock and that had emboldened them. "Never do an enemy a small injury". 
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Mass servitor assault waves, heavy weapon saturation, bunkers, suicide teams, mines, witchcraft - I saw the aftermath. For all I will say about them, they shouldn’t have died like that. However, once it became apparent that the World Eaters would claim final victory in the hangar, the witch and its personal retinue retreated into the depths of the installation.
Rather than securing the beachhead, Staaruk ordered his butchers to abandon the beachhead and pursue. He did all of this without informing us. When the first Lastran landing crafts entered the hangar, they were met with an overwhelming counter attack. It was another bloodbath.

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Damn Staaruk. And damn the World Eaters.
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Atal managed to salvage the situation. Though the Lastrans took unacceptable losses. 

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They caught up with Staaruk in the central space of the installation, it had been transformed into a monstrous place of worship. A shrine for human sacrifice, built on the bones of the slain. The witch was at the heart of it - on a bloody altar raised on pillars made of half-slain believers. Their faces were all permanently contorted in ecstasy and decadence. I ordered it all burnt. "Suffer not the witch to live". 
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The fight in the hangar had just been a cunning trick, they had saved their trump card for the last stand, a squad of mutant ogryns.

On their own they would have poised no issue for the butchers, but they were led by a second witch. It made them stronger, faster, tougher - they refused to die and pain only made them angrier. The irony is not lost on me. One witch was leading the ogryns and one was sonically suppressing the World Eaters with savage glee.

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Staaruk is strong, but he would have died if Atal hadn’t saved him.

[calgar101]

I am really enjoying this, HH fan fiction is a sweet spot for me. More please.

[Novelist947]

Year 213, Month 4, Day 1
005. M.31, Segmentum Obscurus
Istvaan Campaign, Great Crusade
Page 2

 

Atal sent my Death Guards and the Emperor’s Children to assault the shrine whilst he personally led his Sons of Horus to rescue the World Eaters. The work was slow and bloody, by the time I teleported down the entire shrine complex was a charnel house. Dozens of dead legionnaires and hundreds of dead Lastrans.
Eventually Hiran and Silac teleported in and delivered the psycho-sedative bolt straight into the neck of the altar witch. I still remember its face when it realised what had happened. My heart skipped a beat and I remember thinking ‘It worked’.
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Then its eyes went black, then purple, then they started glowing. I knew everything had gone wrong when the witch started wailing. The fancy crossbow didn’t work.
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Its screams were made out of nightmares and suffering. It was like someone was smashing a hammer into my forehead. We were all on our knees, just trying to cling onto sanity - barely surviving.
I don’t know how, but the World Eaters and ogryns were still managing to stand and fight even through that unholy screaming. I saw Staaruk lead his men and that sight gave me clarity. I knew what I had to do.
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This was my mission and victory was up to me.
I began to ascend the altar.
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Every step was a battle and the pain was absolute. Every time I put one foot after the other, I felt a fresh wave of nausea and screaming wash over me. I was drenched in cold sweat by the time I reached the top of the altar. The witch spotted me and it looked into my eyes - I met its disgusting gaze.
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I saw the chaos. I saw colours that did not exist and things that were not real. There was evil and darkness - lust, joy, pleasure, want, flesh, souls and so much more. But most of all, I saw it. I saw what the witch had become and what it was trying to achieve. A galaxy that slaughtered for joy and inflicted cruelty to appease the whims of an evil god. I became very angry.
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Summoning all of my anger, I smashed my power maul into its stomach - “FOR MORTARION AND THE EMPEROR”.
The weights immediately lifted from my shoulders.

[Son of Sacrifice]

Very well written and paces, I like the short and sweet installments. I'll be following along.

[Novelist947]

Year 213, Month 4, Day 1

005. M.31, Segmentum Obscurus
Istvaan Campaign, Great Crusade
 

Page 3

 

With the witch laid low, the pain and chaos cleared from everyone’s mind. It felt good to be free.
The fall of that witch staggered the other. A moment was all the World Eaters needed to regain the momentum of battle. By the time I descended the altar, the ogryns were all but butchered. However, the victory was short lived.
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Before I had time to react, Staaruk had the witch by the throat and was dangling it over his head for all to see. True to his word, he ripped the witch’s right arm off. His men flew into a savage frenzy at this. They were beating their chest and chanting war hymns. When he threw the arm into the crowd, they all but tore at each other to grab the trophy.
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All of this as the witch was slowly dying in Staaruk’s grip. It was then that Atal came out of nowhere and slammed Staaruk to the ground. If not for that tackle, the witch would have certainly died and the mission would’ve been a greater disaster than it already was.
When Staaruk got back to his feet he was blood mad – throwing himself at Atal. Not with blade or bolter, but with fist. It reminded me of my childhood, when I killed my first slaver. It was not a fight between legionaries, but a brawl between men. Before long, the 12th and 16th joined in on the carnage. Sea green and stained white, the battlefield once again became consumed with violence.
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I had fought with enough World Eaters to know when the nails were singing. When they were on the crimson path their only language was violence. I rushed into the melee with all speed. By the time I took my place beside Atal, Staaruk was gone. A madman had taken his place.
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He kept on coming.
Atal and I used every trick, every combo, every skill we had between us to bring him down.
But he kept on coming.
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Both of my hearts were pumping at full capacity. All three of my lungs were working in overtime. My blood was flooded with a concoction of combat stims. It had been a long while since I allowed my body to fight without hindrance. The sweat, the concentration, the adrenaline.
I made me feel alive.
But Staaruk kept on coming. 
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On the 9th pass he went inside my guard and delivered a ferocious flurry, I felt my black carapace and some bones crack. I feigned a left sweep and was countered with a roundhouse. Atal got into position and gave me an opening with a shoulder bash.
Staaruk was momentarily staggered and I knew that enough was enough. 
I unlatched my power maul and swung it straight into Staaruk’s ribs.
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Bleeding, battered, but not broken, he somehow managed to remain on his feet. On the second swing, my maul struck him square on the jaw. He didn’t rise from that. With their butcher lord incapacitated, the blood rage cleared from the minds of the berzerkers and combat finally ceased.
The day was ours.
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Silac and Hiran used the time to bag both witches. I joined them in escorting the objectives to the hangar. On the way one of the surviving Lastrans started chanting “Slayer.” One became two. Two became ten. Ten became a twenty.
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When I boarded the Stormbird to deliver both live objectives to the R.Z., the whole station seemed to pulsing with one line.
“Odikinya, the Slayer.”
By the blood of Mortarion, if all my engagements end up like this, damn being a consul. And damn the World Eaters.