# Unending (The account of the Last War, as written by Vrael the Accursed)



## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

The Last one, huh guys? Seems like forever ago that I first thought up Lukas Altair and his band of renegades. Well, he's gone from loyal Black Watch marine, to Reclaimed renegade, to Demon, all in the space of five stories. 

For any newbies that missed the first four, I have them on file on my PC, I'd be more than happy to send you the entire story. 

This is _Unending_, the last story I'm going to write on Altair (Though if inspiration strikes, I may write about the other characters). 

Well, I forgot to make that kill-off I promised in the last story (which was rather short for my liking, but whatever).

Here we go, folks. One last story of the Daemonica. One more story of pain, war, death, love, and the way the world ends.

-Dirge
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(257 years previously)

Altair walked slowly to the portals set down by a Remembrancer, watching Terra's cities burn on the horizon. Unlike Mars, the Daemonica had left nothing alive on Terra. Eventually, Altair figured Humanity would return to their homeworld, and, hopefully, be completely ignorant of the Webway Gates that the Daemonica had destroyed. 

The Webway Gate had been the Emperor's failing. His mentor, Reyzak, had taught him, shortly before his death when they fought a rival demonlord on the surface of Terra.

They had reawakened the Emperor, who succeeded in pushing Azulanthis off the world, Altair personally killing him. 

Until the Emperor began to puch too far.

An expeditionary fleet had attempted to invade Deimos, the homeworld of the Daemonica alliance. The Imperials had been completely and utterly destroyed, and the Emperor branded his old allies as traitors.

So Altair had returned to Terra, and confronted the Emperor with the only weapon capable of nearing his power.

The Liber Daemonica.

It was said the orb had been crafted by Tzeentch himself, in the elder days of the God's life. It was given to the Daemonica as their ultimate weapon. The Orb had the ability to capture the soul of whoever struck it. Altair had the device locked in the deepest vault of the _Everto Justica_, his ship.

A year after Terra's second war, Altair had a daughter, Aleia. 

For the next two hundred and fifty six years they trained, prepared, fought, won, and lost. 

The galaxy endured, much as it always had. Armageddon fell to the Orks again, and was retaken. The last ragged remains of the Tau Empire were undone by the Ordo Xenos, who finally unlocked the secrets behind the Ethereals. Ghargatuloth rose again, and the Grey Knights banished him, for another thousand years. 

Until the last thing any of the Daemonica expected, happened. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*THE BEGINNING*
*184.M43, Everto Justica, Low Orbit, Deimos* 
"The nature of the demon is such that it cannot be understood, but must be in order to fight it. Therefore, demons must be learned of from circumstance and guesswork."
-Liber Demonicum, Librarium Malleus (Possible Moral Threat, Full texts denied.)

Altair slammed his back against the wall, feeling a tinge of pain shoot up his wings. Vrael hurled a Vortex charge around the corner, and a howl engulfed the two as the Warp swallowed up three figures. 

Altair leaned around the corner, his ancient Darkblade, Ristvak'baen, in his hand. Black runes flowed up the sword's blade.

_If you learned to do this properly, you wouldn't need so many grenades._

Altair sighed. "Be quiet. Can't you see I'm fighting?"

He swung the blade through another figure, pleased with himself as it came apart at the waist. 

Another demon vaulted from the ceiling high above them, slamming a halberd into an enemy's body. The creature spasmed as it died. Aleia stood amongst the carnage, swinging her vast weapon into two more enemies. Vrael stabbed the last through the eye with a wicked dagger. 

"Good. Ending the Exercise." yelled Uraj from the controls above them.

The dead flickered and disappeared. Vrael, Altair, and Aleia were left panting in a silver ring etched into the floor.

"You're a bit slow today, Lord. Usually you get the last one." said Vrael, spinning the dagger in his grip.

"Well, I would have had those two if you hadn't chosen to stop napping and join in." Altair shot at Aleia. His daughter smiled.

"Well, I couldn't allow the holowraiths to _kill_ you two, I have to be the competant one around here."

They all laughed, even Uraj in the control rooms.

Aleia was very young, by the standards of demons. But, then so was Altair. He was almost eight hundred, counting his years as a Space Marine. Only four hundred had been as a Demon, after Azulanthis had used an ancient and extremely rare blade to strip his soul, and bind it to Tzeentch.

The trio was joined by Uraj in the hallway, making their way to the feasting halls in the _Justica_'s innards. 

Aleia threw the doors open. Hundreds of demons, most of the ship's compliment and Altair's elites, raised a mighty cheer.

Aleia took on a look of mock anger.

"My father! Such slovenlyness aboard your own vessel!" she yelled. She pointed at a demon. "You! Why is that blade unsheathed?"

She pointed at another. 

"And you! Your unbecoming lack of the slightest bit of armor demeans us all!"

Her face stayed straight for about ten seconds before she smiled. The assembled demons exploded into laughter and more cheers. Tankards clashed together.

Someone handed Altair four vast steins, two of which he passed to Vrael, who was already elbow deep into a tremendous pile of roasted boars on a silver platter.

"The culinarians have outdone themselves. This is a feast for kings!" exclaimed Altair. Uraj nodded in agreement, taking the third stein.

"Aye, a mighty feast! Come, laddie, you look like you haven't eaten in weeks!"

Aleia was already eating, sitting next to Vrael a few paces down from Altair and Uraj. The old smith grumbled at the other demons as he fought for the best food.

Altair pulled a leg off of one of the stuffed boars as a culinarian walked by with the platter.

Two hours later, Vrael was egregiously drunk, having challenged no less then five demons to a drinking game. The scariest part, at least for Altair, was that he had won. Aleia was telling a story, setting glasses on the table to represent enemies, and herself. Uraj had left for his forge. 

A messanger arrived three hours after the feast had ended, waving a fat envelope sealed with Lord Damias' personal mark. Lord Damias was the lord of the Daemonica. Only he could call the individual demons to war, or control them during peace.

Altair read the letter, all jokes fading instantly from his face.

When the noise level rose, he whispered to the messanger demon.

"_Ready the ship for immediate departure. Engage the Warp Drives. Send a reply to Lord Damias, telling him we are informed of the situation. Awaken the Immortals. And, unseal the Silent Casket._"

The demon suddenly looked fearful.

"The Silent Casket, Lord?"

Altair's eyes glinted.

"Yes. It's time an old friend was back among us."


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## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Damn good.

Now moar o_o!


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

*THE AWAKENING*
"The enemy must be learned through interpretation and parable, for the very fabric of the demon is lies made form. Therefore, the demon's own words are lies, for the lie made form cannot tell a truth."
-Liber Demonica, Surpressed by Order of the Inquisition

The Immortals were Altair's greatest warriors. Legend had it that at one point they were demons of Tzeentch, just like the majority of the Daemonica. Over the eons they had lain dormant in the _Justica_'s bowels, they slept.

Something took root in the depths. 

Eventually, the Immortals became fusions of machine, demon, and armor. Hulking warriors, as large as Astartes Dreadnoughts and twice as cunning. Able to support their smaller brethren, they were the shock troopers of the Daemonica and some of the most feared warriors of the demon armies.

When the call went out, thousands of burning green eyes were opened at once, and the Immortals awoke again.

=========================================================== 


The messanger demon sprinted down the hall, carrying a brass key in one claw. He felt _Everto Justica_ lurch under him as the ship began it's long journey. 

Khalis had his talons on the console and was snoring quietly when the demon came through the door with the message from Altair. 

"Unseal it! Unseal it!" yelled the demon, brandishing the letter.

Khalis woke with a start, and coughed violently.

"Uh, Gods be damned, creature! Spit it out!"

He grabbed the letter from the smaller demon.

Khalis' eyes flicked over the page, until he read the last line, and he looked towards his job for almost the last three hundred years.

A large cryo-tube sat squarely in the middle of the chamber, with the _Justica_'s standard torches and yellow lumiglobes providing light. Blue mist coiled around it's base. The surface was almost opaque with frost, but a body could just be made out.

Khalis reached for an ornate lever, covered in filgree and purity seals.

He removed the seals, and pulled the device.

[Warning: Cryogenic failure, pumps 3-5. System shutdown in 5.]

Khalis pulled the lever further.

[Warning: Cryogenic failure, all pumps. System shutdown imminent.]

[Warning: Complete system failure. Cryo pumps deactivated. System depressurizing. Failure.]

The tube opened with a sinister hiss of escaping air, and Altair's "old friend" stepped onto the deck for the first time in two hundred and seventy five years.


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## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Emperor? Emperor? Emperor o_o?

Must. Have. Moar.

You should compile your stories and make them into one almighty book. Try get BL to publish them too.


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

*THE JOURNEY
183.M43, Everto Justica, On approach to Deimos Relay.*
"On the Warp Relay: The strange artifact orbiting Tzeentch's Eye remains active, with twelve energy pulses detected in the last six hours. These appear to correspond to demonship appearences in the Materium, though such assumptions are baseless."
-Document presented to the Fabricator General, ten minutes after the breaking of orbit at Deimos.


Altair's vessel shuddered as it obeyed the commands of it's master. Vast engines lit, lurching the vast cruiser from a standstill to full burn in less then a minute. A sick green glow built around the prow.

Altair stepped smoothly onto the bridge, followed closely by Aleia. A glow built around the controls. The runes set into the walls lit up, one by one.

"Engineering, check." said Uraj through the vox.

"Weapons, check."

"Docking, check."

"Librarium, ready."

"Barracks, locked." growled Vrael.

Altair made a quick sweep of the instruments. 

"_Everto Justica_ compliment, prepare for warp translation."

Khalis sat squarely in the front of the bridge, hands over the holographic controls.

"Shipmaster, hitting the relay in three....two....one."

A beam of green energy arced from the _Justica_ to the massive ring-shaped Warp Gate in orbit around Deimos.

"Warp translation!" screamed Khalis above the din.

The ship bucked. Metal screamed. The green glow exploded into radiance. Deep in the ship, the Immortals turned their gaze upwards, to the Warp Gem that powered the _Justica_.

And with a thousand screaming noises, the _Everto Justica_ hit the Deimos Relay, and dove into the Warp.

------------------------------------------------------------

The ship exited the Relay about fifty parsecs from Tzeentch's Eye, near the orbit of St. Jhallen's Hope. Altair slumped into the command seat. Aleia sighed. 

"Excellent jump." she patted Khalis on the shoulder.

"Excellent? I just threw us halfway across the Imperium, hitting the orbit of a planet two systems from where we're supposed to be, and all I get is an "excellent?!"

"Calm down. Try not to burn us up in the atmosphere." she snickered, leaving the bridge.

Khalis grumbled to himself about approach vectors and relay drift as he set a course for Valedor. 

Valedor had once been a prosperous world, like so much of the Imperium's eastern systems. Then, in M42, that all changed. A massive war had broken out, between the faithful of Tzeentch, and two Astartes chapters, the Avengers, and the Sons of Cerberus.

The Avengers had been completely annihilated in a five-day engagement over the capital city, Dariven. The Sons had lasted two months before being pushed off-world, and caught by the Daemonica picket fleet. None survived. 

Valedor had then become a sacred site to the demons of Tzeentch. It's own mystical properties prevented bombardment from orbit. The only way to destroy the world was to remove the World Jewel that connected the many sigils and wards woven into the crust with silver chain. 

And in the two hundred and fifty years since Altair had last seen it, many things had happened. 

First, the Imperial "Second Crusade" was well underway, and two regiments of Imperial Guard, supported by the Imperial Fists, were on the way.

Second, their last resort, a warp storm prison, had failed.

Azulanthis laughed insanely from Valedor's surface, his hand closing on the doors to the World Jewel's temple.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Altair was busy preparing himself for battle when his "old friend" entered the room.

Equipment pouches hung from it's frame. A slightly rusted heavy bolter was slung across it's back. Two claws scraped the ceiling.

The Lictor cocked it's head in question, looking at the world below.


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## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

Very nice indeed.
Can't wait for moar.


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## sea dragons (Jan 14, 2008)

sweeeeeet dude !!!


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm going to try and tie up all the ends with this one.

--------------------------------------------------------------
*THE RETURN
183.M43, Valedor LZ Gamma.*
"Old Friends always seem to turn up right after you need them, but just before you expect them."
-Corax (attr.)


The first sight of Valedor's surface was the rocky grounds before the Temple Mount, one of the thousands of shrines dotting the surface. Altair's ground legions numbered in the thousands, more then enough to take down Azulanthis' paltry five hundred, but he had also awakened the Immortals. Altair was going to make Azulanthis an example to all those who would defy the Daemonica. 

He found it slightly funny. A few hundred years before, he would have been fighting to defend the Imperium. Now, he was still fighting, just to preserve it.

Aleia stepped lightly off the teleport ring. Vrael and a host of heavily armed demons fanned out behind her.

Altair chewed his lower lip. "Set up a ring of defense around the Temple. Azulanthis' hordes won't stay under control, even with the Jewel in their grasp. They'll come to us."

Vrael nodded, and sent one of his subordinates to relay the order.

--------------------------------------------------------------
ONE HOUR LATER

Altair knelt alone in the temple's inner sanctum. They had initially swept it for traps or lurking defenders, but there were none to be found. 

He stood, finished with his prayers, and frowned. An indent marred the surface of the altar. On closer inspection, it was not an error. A long grove was cut with perfect precision into the stone. The shape looked somewhat familiar....

He drew Ristvak'baen, holding the sword in front of his face. A realization grew on him that the sword fit perfectly into the groove. He slowly placed the sword in the altar. 

A flash of black light blew him backwards. A figure in black silver armor clattered to the floor for a split second. Altair stared into the astonished face of Ristvak'baen for a second, before a second flash and an ethereal scream told him the blade had claimed her again. In her place, a cloaked figure slowly rose to clawed feet. Four burning green eyes regarded him with a humorous wisdom.

"Marine, I leave you for two hundred years and look what happens! The whole galaxy's gone to warp!"

Altair's face broke into a crying laugh as he realized who he was addressing.

Reyzak laughed, and Altair grabbed his robes and hugged him, his armor clattering against Reyzak's hidden array of blades.

"I thought..on Terra, Azulanthis..."

"You didn't think he could actually keep one such as me away, did you? Boy, I was killing Tzeentch's enemies before your Chapter even existed! Now, lad. Tell me everything!"

Uraj, Vrael, Aleia, and Khalis clattered down the stairs, Vrael's Impaler first. They stopped in awe when they entered the chamber. Even Aleia, who had never met Reyzak, stopped dead.

"What can I say, my friends?" said Reyzak, gesturing with one arm. "I'm back."


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## Sniper (Mar 9, 2008)

Hey Dirge, could u please email me the full story as i cant seem to find the other parts. My email adress is [email protected].
Cheers,
Sniper


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Sorry I haven't gotten to it by now, I've been pretty busy helping Katie move in, and throwing all my grodelated old stuff away (too much spent on old tank parts and miniatures and not enough on furniture, methinks.)

Oh, and Sniper, my apologies, see above for my excuse...I'll coagulate it into one file for you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

*THE ATTEMPT
183.M43, Ground Zero, Valedor*
"Well, that was unexpected."
-Famous last words of Warmaster Vladamer the Undefeatable

"My lord, the Immortals answer the call. The cohorts are assembled and awaiting furhtur instruction." 

Altair turned to address Zhacarias the Unchallenged, leader of the Immortal contigent aboard _Everto Justica_. 

"Of course, Zhacarias. Make for the teleport decks, have your soldiers planetside by 1500 tomorrow."

Zhacarias nodded. "Your will be done, Lord Altair."

The hololith flicked off with a _blip_. Reyzak pulled back the flap covering the door to Altair's tent. 

"Lord Altair? Dear god, laddie. They've run out of so many leaders they put you in charge?"

Altair smiled. "Lord Damias said I showed promise."

"Well, that makes two of you I suppose."

Aleia spoke up from the corner. "You're the one who spent three hundred years dead. I can't see how it's _not_ your fault."

Reyzak's eyes glinted with mischief. "Fledgling, I can't see how your erstwhile father managed to raise you. I figured he'd be lying atop a pile of dead people somewhere."

Altair turned from the projector. "You know the saying. The demon wins all his fights, except his last."

Reyzak toasted him with a vast drinking horn. "Then I should plan on living forever!"
----------------------------------------------------------

Griz moved quietly through the sucking mud surrounding the traitor's encampment. The barrel of his longrifle was wrapped in burlap, and his skin was painted grey and black to blend in as best he could.

Sentries moved along the trench walls. One massive demon caught his attention. The black-grey giant was at least twenty feet tall, clad in black armor embellished with piles of skulls. An equally huge runeblade was strapped to his back, between a pair of wings hung with silver rings. A single curved piece of warpmetal sat between it's horns, a softly glowing optic hanging over it's eye.

He crawled to the edge of a small incline, and pointed his rifle over the edge. The sight clicked as the logic-engines in the weapon calculated distance and wind ratios. Griz's finger tightened on the trigger. 

If he made this shot, Azulanthis would be pleased....
--------------------------------------------------------------

A clod of earth exploded a foot from Altair's armored talons. 

"Sniper! Down!" yelled one of Vrael's soldiers. 

Aleia reached over her back and pulled a Eviscerator from her back. The weapon had been developed for sniping by Uraj's cadre of inventors. The same team was behind the tried-and-tested Impaler rifle.

She placed the weapon's barrel on the clod of displaced ground, peering through the scope. 

"Where are you, my friend?" she whispered, making minute adjustments to the scope.

Altair's daughter whispered a silent prayer, and pulled the trigger.

A scream echoed over the trenches, before it fell silent again. Aleia looked through the Eviscerator at a bright red splash against the brown-grey mud.

"Got him." she said without emotion.

Altair clapped her on the shoulder. "A fine shot."

"Yes, it was, wasn't it?" she laughed.

Altair looked at Reyzak and his other higher-ups. "Well, we should get to that planning, eh?"


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Sniper, sorry about the delay, I'll PM you the entire thing...my Email is screwed up. 

Update tomorrow!
-Dirge


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

*THE COST
World Temple outer sanctum, Valedor, 183.M43*
"A defeat is most potent when your enemy is defeated with the least possible effort, as this shows your enemy how you can destroy him with but a word."
-Alpharius (attr.)

Zacharias moved through the wreckage surrounded by his Immortals. Dead demons in the armor of Azulanthis' warriors littered the ground around them, hewn by darkblades and cut apart by massed Impaler fire. 

Azura, his second, tracked her massive Redeemer cannon across the room. The Redeemer was the heaviest weapon the Daemonica could field that wasn't mounted on a Soulgrider or Deathdealer. 

Altair, followed by Vrael, Aleia, Reyzak, and Uraj, stomped behind the Immortals. A frosted glass door rose ten stories above their heads, at the end of the Hall of Remembrance, the largest room of the World Temple.

A grotesque rune was daubed in gore on the doors.

"Vengeance." said Uraj, studying the rune. 

Altair smiled without humor. "We'll see."

Altair nodded to Zacharias, who turned to Azura. "Do it."

Azura chuckled mechanically before lifting the Redeemer in her massive hydraulic claws.

-------------------------------------------------------------

"Lordship, Daemonica covens are approaching.......we've not heard from any of the warrior positions in some time. Perhaps retreat is in order?"

Azulanthis smote the messenger with one swing of his axe. "Damned whelp..two hundred and eighty years I was trapped, and yet he still lives to be a thorn in my side."

He turned at an odd humming noise building behind the doors to the temple. A fiendish green glow was building on the other side.

"Cover!" shrieked Azulanthis, diving down as the Redeemer cannon blew the door into a million glass shards. The majority of his warriors hadn't ducked in time, and their shrapnel-ridden bodies tumbled to the floor in heaps. Smoke belched from the doors, and a massive grey-armored warrior appeared. The demon was completely covered in armor, and was cradling the Redeemer. Nine other figures surrounded it, followed by Altair.

Azulanthis rose to his full height with a terrible roar. Even after three hundred years, he still towered above Altair. 

The younger demon crashed into Azulanthis' side, slashing Ristvak'baen across Azulanthis' back. Altair landed badly, and tripped. Two of the Immortals were struck by Azulanthis' massive axe, turning to ash. Aleia vaulted from the ceiling to stick her halberd deep into Azulanthis' back. The demon screamed and batted her against the far wall. 

Vrael was smashed by a hammer held in Azulanthis' other hand, cracking his armor and sending him against a second wall in a bloody heap.

Uraj helped Altair up, and simed Vrael's dropped Impaler. Altair took off with a _whoosh_ of displaced air, rising above the demonlord. Azulanthis swung the mighty axe at him, but couldn't reach. Altair dove, like he had seen the birds of his homeworld, aiming for a gap in Azulanthis' armor.

The sword flashed into blue flame and stuck in Azulanthis' shoulder, just below the neck. Azulanthis grabbed Altair in one massive fist and hurled him at the ground. He felt bones snap under the impact. His vision greyed. 

The world swam back into focus just as Azulanthis raised the hammer.

"Only human." said the creature, a grin of insane victory over his face.

Altair laughed. 

The demonlord hesitated, unsure.

"_Incohare Ornus_" whispered Altair.

Ristvak'baen, still wedged in Azulanthis' shoulder, heeded it's master's word.

Azulanthis suddenly screamed. He swung the axe. 

It never connected.

His arms turned into black ash, followed by his chest, and then his face. Blue fire belched from his eyes as he was consumed by the sword's curse. 

A pile of ashes remained, with Ristvak'baen sitting proudly atop the dust.

Altair tested his limbs. His left arm and wing were broken, and at least two of his ribs. Vrael was unconcious on the other side of the chamber, a long cut on his forehead. Aleia was lying in a small pool of blood, coughing. Uraj, Zacharias and Azura were unhurt.

He helped his daughter to her feet, then moved to the doors. Zacharias threw Vrael over his armored shoulder.

Altair opened the doors to the Jewel Room.

"Damnation! Get us out of here! Now!"

The jewel was gone.

The world was falling apart.

------------------------------------------------

Altair's teleport ring got the party back to the _Everto Justica_ safely, and Iridea took away the wounded. She fussed over Altair's wounds for a moment before he assured her he was less needing of her skills then some of the others. 

He returned to the bridge to witness the final moments of Valedor. Khalis was at the controls. 

"Shipmaster, we won't be totally clear of the blast, I took the liberty of putting all power to the aft shields and drives." 

Altair nodded. "Very well. Surge all coils to 125%"

"Aye, Shipmaster."

He felt a shudder run through the ship.

"General order, brace for impact."

_Everto Justica_ was thrown like a leaf in the wind at the planet's volcanic death. Her shields flared brightly, then failed completely. A chunk of Valedor's crust struck the ship just below the drives. A few unlucky demons were sucked into space, screaming. _Justica_ continued her drive from the planet. Small sections of the hull began to melt in the heat.

With a lurch, the drives propelled Altair's vessel from the planet's demise.

The bridge crew started clapping. Khalis smiled.

"That's a grade-A, there, Shipmaster."

Altair nodded. "Good work. Damage report?"

A demon on the far side of the room answered him. "Enginseers report breaches between spars 267 and 289, decks 2 to 8. One big breach between 287 and 300 on decks 8-12. Drives down to 75%, shields are down and charging."

"Better then it could have been."

"Better then it should have."

Khalis piped up from the helm.

"I'll take a shipmaster who's lucky over one who's wise any day."

Altair chuckled. "Good thing I'm both, then."

"Modest about it too, Shipmaster."

"Indeed. Now, I want tracking on the Jewel, and get the drives back up to double zeros."

"Aye, Shipmaster."


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## Sniper (Mar 9, 2008)

Thanks Dirge I just checked this thread again dont worry about delays im a patient guy..... unless your Xenos then you must DIE NOW FOOL!!!:crazy: lol :mrgreen::mrgreen:

Sniper


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

*THE PLAN
Redemptor Orbital Station, Deimos, 183.M43*
"The Daemonica are unique amongst the known factions of demons, it seems they actually have tactics. Besides, y'know, kill them all!"
-Fleet Admiral Justinian DuGall

Lukas Altair stabbed Ristvak'baen into the stone globe as he entered the room. Twelve other demons were sitting around a vast table of obsidian glass, inlaid with the planets and galaxies surrounding Deimos.

He wiped a clawed finger across the table. "Now _this_ is nice. I hope nobody ever complains about resources going to the warfleets."

Lord Daemonica Damias' face twitched into a half-smile. The flunkies around him all scowled in contempt. 

"Just so, Lukas. I'm glad you saw fit to join us." he rumbled.

Altair nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid Azulanthis is a bit busy at the moment, but he sends his regards."

Damias chuckled. "Being dead tends to impact one's schedule. Now then."

He pressed one of the glowing runes on his command chair. The planets and galaxies rose from the table, hovering in midair. Deimos, Thassocles, Valedor, and Terra lit up, along with several planets Altair had only heard of.

"These are confirmed Daemonica sightings, hard contact. Fighting. From Lukas' report, we can glean that Azulanthis was trying to determine the location of Valedor for some time. Now that he has the Jewel, however, it will make our job much more difficult."

Altair sat bolt upright. "He's dead."

Damias shook his head, the silver links of the chieftan's mail clinking. "No. He's not. You banished him. Somehow he retained a footing in the materium after you destroyed his body. He probably had a proxy aboard his vessel in orbit. You killed his first body."

The lord demon continued. "We need two Shipmasters to take the fleets to the Relay, to prevent Azulanthis' court in the Eye from sending reinforcements. This is the first time we've had him on the ropes since he was last killed on Terra. I've selected Brakspur and Evandar for this task."

The designated captains nodded, and rose to leave.

"The other eight of you," he said, looking at everyone but Altair, "Will hold the lines at the worlds in Tzeentch's Eye. We can't afford to lose a single one of them."

The Shipmasters rose and left.

Damias stood, and turned his back to Altair, looking out a massive window at the assembled Demon fleets.

"Lukas, allow me to be frank."

Altair stood, and joined Damias at the window.

"Of course, my lord."

"Lukas," he said, turning to face Altair, "Do you know what _black ops_ means?"

"Of course, lord. I was trained in sabatoge and stealth during Basic as a marine."

"Good. We've located the Jewel. Unfortunately, it's been given to a cult whom, we believe, is none-too-likely to give it up."

"Name them."

"We can't. They don't have a name. All we know about them is their general location. They've been under the eyes of the Arbites for some time. Keep blowing things up. Makes quite a mess."

"A surgical raid, then."

Damias nodded. 

"Yes, but you'll be working alone. You and nine of your choosing. The remainder go with me and the Lords to the Eye."

"Sir, I'll take Azura on Redeemer, Zacharias, Vrael, Iridea, Aleia, the Lictor, Khalis, Reyzak, and Uraj."

Damias noted the names. 

"Very well. Meet them in the ship bays at 0800 tomorrow."

"Sir, where are we going?"

Damias' smile came back.

"Well, have you ever heard of Cadia?"


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## Master Andael (Jan 18, 2008)

Very nice to hear the lictor is going to be in action again.


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Update tomorrow.

-Dirge


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Altair pulled the cloak over his head. The long garment hid most of his figure, making him look like any of Cadia's mismatched species. He remembered the fortress world that Cadia had been, almost a thousand years ago. After the last Black Crusade, the forces of Chaos had taken it and then moved on. A few dozen Rogue Traders had taken the planet, and used it as a port, and storehouse. A few dozen more showed up, and after a few years, the planet was one of only a handfull that boasted members of all the major and minor species in the galaxy.

Aleia edged past a group of eldar rangers, the cloaked aliens talking in low tones to each other. Zacharias and Azura were Altair's main concern. The two were the most noticable, each being fifteen feet tall, and clad in massive warpiron plates. Azura's Redeemer cannon glowed a greenish light through the shroud.

Fortunately, most of the locals didn't care what you were, as long as you paid.

"What's the first move?" asked Vrael. Of them all, he seemed the most at home among the massive buildings and crowds. He had on a tattered cloak over a loose bodysuit. Multiple weapons hung from his back, and a black knife was stuck in his armored boot.

"I've got a buddy here. He owes me." said Altair, pointing to a seedy hotel/bar. A sign read "Patrons please observe the no-weapons rule". 

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"Who the hell are you?" asked the bartender.

Altair stepped into the bar, and sat in front of the man. "Where's Vindare?"

The bartender leaned over the bar.

"He ain't here."

"The guard tells me otherwise."

The man reached under the bar.

Aleia whipped an Impaler pistol over the bar, and held in between the man's eyes. He hesitated, which probably saved his life. Aleia grabbed his wrist, and twisted. A small _snick_ indicated his wrist was broken. The man yelped and pointed to a door. "Back there. He's back there!"

Altair walked past the stunned guard. He shoved open the door. Vindare was behind a fat desk, with a holochart open in front of him. 

"What do you want?" he demanded.

Altair smiled, showing his fangs.

"Vindare, don't you remember me? Or, your grandfather would. I was here quite a while ago."

Vindare started. "You're the demon. The one my father told me about."

"That'd be me. Now, I'm here for my money."

"I don't have that much. Give me time-"

"We don't have. Listen. I'm a tourist. If I like what I see, we'll stay awhile."

Reyzak and Uraj stomped out of the elevator. "Lots of room at the top. Private landing pads for a bit of privacy, seems nice."

Altair chuckled. "Excellent. A bit of customer focus is good for business."

Vindare deflated. "Fine. But I want a cut of your little endevour here. Demons don't come to Cadia to get honest jobs and walk landladies across streets."


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## angels of fire (Dec 4, 2007)

Cool, I like it as I haven't read one of your stories for a while. Keep up the good work.


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Ha ha! To all those who thought this was over, it's not!!!

Update in 2 weeks, right after I get back from exercise. I have the story finished, so I'll be posting bits and pieces. Oh, and be sure to check out _Shadow of Dawn_.

-Dirge


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