# Erebus



## Dirge Eterna

Hey all! If you read _Only in Death_ and _The Emperor Protects_. then you will have SOME idea of my apparently random ramblings. Basically, these stories allow me to give you my ideas on what the 40k universe is all about: war, violence, twisted, convuluted storylines, and awesome characters. So, this is _Erebus_, my next idea. 

Quick changes: Chapters

Muhahhahaha! Well, I decided to not hang this in front of you for two days, and I'm sure I would have forgotten some ideas, so here we go! Part 3 of (hopefully) 5 stories.

In nominae Deimos!

Contents:

1:A Fresh Set of Arms

2:The Prophecies

3:Leap of Faith

4:Why do you fight?

5:Stormreaver

6:Warp Gates

7:The Amber World

8:Altair's Promise

9:Angel's Fall

10:To Kill a Demon

11:Reclaimed

12:Convergence

13:The Storm Breaks

14:Fighting Gods

15:Tomb of Stone

16:Inheiritance

17:Helldivers

18:Finest Hour

19:???? (This one would have given away the end. No cheating!)


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REYZAK

Altair opened his eyes. A stone ceiling soared to a peaked crest high above him, the pillars holding it up carved with breathtaking care into the shapes of creatures and demons, each holding the sky.

Altair followed Reyzak past a pusbag demon covered in weeping sores. Past a glimmering demon floating on air. Past an armored monster cradling a massive axe, and finally past a lithe feminine demon that winked seductively at Altair as he passed. Altair swallowed.

He did not recognize the figure staring at him from Reyzak's mirrored armor. A black-on-grey demonic visage with the same burning green eyes as his guide looked back at him. Two wings were folded at his back, and the only remnant of his armor was the Apothecarium necklace he always wore. It's chain was enlongated to compensate for his frame, but the same red symbol comforted him as he walked past ranks of demons, sparring, training, or spending a small amount of free time pursuing their interests. He bumped into Reyzak's back as the Tzeentchian stopped suddenly before a large stone structure built into a courtyard.

"Uraj." said Reyzak.

A massive blackened demon stood up from a smoking furnace, cradling a red-hot sword in both it's arms like a child. Altair noticed the demon was protected by a sheet of woven metal threads covering it's arms and chest.

"Yes, Reyzak. You are getting bad at sneaking about. I could hear you from three feet this time." rumbled Uraj. A wisp of smoke snorted from it's nostrils.

"Ah, we've developed a sense of humor now! What's next? Leaving your forge once in a while? Shock and Horror!" said Reyzak, a feral grin appearing on his face.

Uraj laughed. Altair smiled. The laughter reminded him of Fredric, loud and chuckling.

The demon turned it's back to them, and banged on the still red-hot blade with a massive hammer. "So, it is buisness that reunites us, yes?"

Reyzak leaned on the counter. "Of course, my firend. I've a Neophyte in need of some supplies."

"Ah! some new cannon fodder. Well, come're boy. Let's have a look at you."

At Reyzak's instruction Altair walked into the forge behind him and spread out his arms so they were parallel to his shoulders. Uraj pulled a long metal ruler from a cabinet and measured Altair's legs, chest, head, arms, and wings before snorting a second puff of smoke and grabbing Altair's jaw, twisting his head one way, then the next.

"Eh, a bit bigger than the ones I normally outfit, but he'll do. Reyzak, hand me that plate there."

Uraj placed a mirrored plate of armor on Altair's chest, then discarded it in favor of a slightly larger one. He matched it to a backplate and then strapped shoulderpads and vambraces to Altair's arms. Greaves went on his legs, and a set of overlapping strips covered the bones of his wings. A single curved piece of armor sat between his horns, allowing him to see through four slits cut into the metal. Uraj and Reyzak looked him over. The smith snorted. 

"Ah, my friend. Nothing like a fresh set of arms to brighten my day."

Reyzak nudged him. "Then would you fetch some? He'll be little use with no weapons."

Uraj nodded. "Aye, but look at the claws on him. Those'd be fine. I'll get him some sheaths for them later."

The smith left. Reyzak adjusted a strap on the armor, and looked Altair in the eye.

"You're quite blessed I found you before they did, otherwise you'd already be dead. Sacrificed to the Basillica Torment to fuel the spells...the Great Summoning, they're calling it."

Altair nodded. "Azulanthis said something about that."

Reyzak swallowed. "Yes, that cretin wishes for the realms to be forever linked. My warriors and all the Valhallens can not allow this to pass."

"You aren't with him?"

"No, we are not. We are the Castra Demonicum, a small alliance of the demons who wish to be free of the constraints of the Gods. Renegades. Perhaps you felt a certain kinship, and that drew you here."

Altair nodded sadly as Uraj entered again with an armful of weapondry. 

"What things are ya used to using?" asked the blackened smith.

"Swords, hammers, projectile weapons, fists." said Altair. Uraj grinned broadly at "fists"

"Good answer, boy! Perhaps we'll make a fighter of you yet!"

He gave Altair a long, jagged, black blade. It's finish was a matte coat, seeming to suck the light from the air. 

"That's Ristvak'baen, my finest Darkblade. Don't you dare bend it, or I'll bend _you_."

He then handed Altair a smaller token, a chip of some sort of black stone. It was on a chain.

"That is a Warpstone. It will prevent you from being affected by foul magic. Useful when confronting enemy demons."

Uraj turned to the sword he had been wroking on (now a dull greyish color) and immersed it in the coals, working the bellows with one clawed hand.

"I grow weary of this mindless chatter. Reyzak, excellent to see you and your thrall. Grab a kitbag for him on your way out. Izzik's been tanning hides for them. I'm sure she has one or two."

Reyzak pulled a leather bag from a shelf while Altair divested himself of the armor, except for his chest, greaves, and vambraces. His sword fit snugly into a leather sheath on his back, also given to him by Reyzak. Finally the demon pulled a black claok similar to his from the shelf and gave it to Altair. 

"This is the cloak of the Demonicum. Wear it at all times in Valhalla, except in the sparring rings."

Altair threw the cloak over his frame. He was pleased to see it had slits cut into it for wings.

Reyzak led him to a second stone building, this one had a seal over the entrance, a demon holding a white sword with the words "En Noiminae Mortis"

The demon gestured at the door. "This is the Death's order. My order. You can stay for the night, and tomorrow, we start your training."

Altair took the bag from Reyzak and opened the door. A short, yet hugely fat demon in a brown robe insisted on carrying his bag, and led him to a room on the second floor. A stout cot sat beneath the window, and a desk was placed against the wall. Altair smiled as he realized the pole extending from the window was a perch, in case a demon wanted to escape quickly or leave without fighting past the fat demon below.

He threw the leather bag onto the desk, took his armor and laid it out neatly next to it, and immediately fell asleep onto the bed, utterly exhausted.


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## Vitaeus

Very nice. I've been a fan of your work since I joined, and this is only helping your case. ^^ Keep it up!

By the way, when is this set? Judging by the title, it can't be too far after the Heresy.


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## Dirge Eterna

The title is a reference to a very importent thing...upcoming. It is not the Chaplain, but excellent guess! No, it's still set in M42.

-Dirge


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## Vitaeus

Ah. Well I guess I'll find out when the time comes. I'm looking forward to it! ^^


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## angels of fire

Nice very nice i can teel this is going to be a good one:grin:


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## Dirge Eterna

THE PROPHECIES

"Udesi! Udesi Burhiem!"

Reyzak shook Altair. He opened his eyes, instantly closing them again as light flooded his vision.

"Wha?" managed Altair, shielding his eyes. 

"You're due at the training rings! Now!"

"No... what did you say?"

Reyzak threw him the bag with his armor and weapons. "I said "Wake, wake stonehead". I've been trying to get you up for half an hour."

Altair threw off the thick blanket and donned his cloak. Reyzak pushed him onto the pole outside his window.

"Wha? I can't fly!"

Reyzak gave him an evil grin. "No time like the present to learn."

And with that the Tzeentchian pushed him from the perch. Altair frantically beat at the air with his wings. On the second stroke he came back to level with the window. The third brought him to the roof. The fourth he flopped, and fell ten feet before the fifth pulled him over the courtyard, to Reyzak's applause. Uraj stuck his head out of the forge's window and clapped twice as Altair stumbled across the sky to the rings of demons sparring. He landed badly, and tripped at the hooves of a blood-red monster in black armor. It held a massive axe in both hands. It snorted, then simply continued on it's way. 

A lithe demon wearing only a black tabard helped him to his feet. 

"Just learning to fly? I saw the landing" she sang. Altair gulped. 

"Yes...er. Yes. Just learning."

"Are you here to spar? Kodac is taking names for training." 

Altair picked up his bag. "Yes. I'm here to spar. Reyzak told me to come here to start training."

"He's right over there," she said, pointing. "If you like, I'll get Reyzak and meet you here after. He told me you haven't learned what you're fighting for yet."

Altair slung the bag over his shoulder. "I'd like that."

She smiled. "I'll see you soon then."

Altair drew his eyes away from her retreating figure and toward the gore-red demon in the center of a throng of lesser demons. Kodac was huge, easily the size of a Dreadnought. The demon carried an archaic bolter in one hand, and a writhing purplish sword in the other.

"Alright, whelps! I'll be your training sergeant, equipment master, barracks chief, executioner, judge, jury, and if need be executioner."

A plague demon in the back raised it's voice. "You said executioner twice."

Kodac gestured with the sword. "I like that part of the job. Now pair up! Get into your armor, or if you're Slanneshi, lack thereof. Grab your weapons, if you don't have them, then pick up a sharp object from someone who does."

Altair was paired with a black-on-white demon with spines running down his back. A pair of curved fangs exited his mouth and ended close to his chin. Two red eyes looked him up and down, while curved talons tightened on a black axe. 

Kodac shoved a few of the slower demons into partners. He picked up Altair and the other demon and tossed them into a muddy pit. Debris and discarded weapons lay everywhere. 

"Alright! First challenge, defeat your opponent. No blood!"

The monochrome demon snickered. "No problem. Come to my blade, Undivided, and we'll see who will win."

"May the best."

"Oh, he will."

Kodac blew a brass horn, and the demon charged. Altair swung Ristvak'baen in an arc, clanging off the smoking axe and tripping the demon. His opponent rolled past his stroke and swung back into a fighting stance. The axe came around again and Altair blocked it with the darkblade's edge, the axe creating black sparks that hissed as the touched the ground. A second stroke flashed by Altair's head.

He lunged forward, intending to "behead" his enemy. Just as he did so, he felt suddenly glorious energy sweep through him. The sword exploded into multicolored flame, sweeping through the air. The demon brought up the axe just in time. Clad in the flames, Ristvak'baen crashed into the demon weapon, and broke it.

Shards of gleaming warpstone and smoking energies flashed past as the dreadaxe shattered, Altair's sword passing straight through it like a hot knife through butter. The flames died as the blade met his opponent's helm, clanking off his armored skull with a sickening _clunk_ and knocking him out. Smoking shards fell all around them, remnants of the axe. Altair looked in awe and horror at the sword. Black runes etched themselves into the blade.

_You are surprised._

Altair looked around, then whispered "Yes."

_I am Ristvak'baen. Decendant of Be'lakor, the first Demon._

"You did this?"

_Yes. I am this blade. I created the warp fire, but the power came from you. You can learn warpcraft as well, as long as you are a demon, you are psychic incarnate._

Kodac leaned over the edge of the pit. The runes died instantly.

"Where's the fighting?! Oh. I see. Excellent work, lad. Khorne would be proud! Now haul his carcass out of that pit. We gotta pile up all the losers."

An hour later, after all the losing demons had been either nursed back to health (or buried. Apparently Kodac was quite lenient when it came to "no blood"), Altair met the Slanneshi demon and Reyzak under the spiked gates of the sparring fields. 

Reyzak gestured at Ristvak'baen. "I trust she served you well."

Altair gave him a confused look. "She?"

The demon smiled. "Yes. She. The daughter of Be'lakor, and his only decendant."

Altair touched the end of the sword, hanging out of it's sheath. "Yes. Without her, I would have had a much harder fight."

The Slanneshi beckoned him. "We've come to tell you of a story. The Prophecies, they're called."

The pair led Altair to a stone tablet, almost twenty feet high and obviously very, very old. Runes were etched into it with a chisel or some similar instrument.

_The Last Prophet. The blackened wielder of the Decendant's fire, will lead the host of Valhalla to the Amber World, to confront his own failings. To replay the Great Split. The light and dark shall once again clash at Angel's Fall, the last resting place of the Golden One. The light, led by the prophet. The soldiers of Valhalla, of Rann and Evandar, and Dragons from the farthest reaches. The Void. The renegades fight for the Prophet as well, for he is their only commander. Men will fight as well, few in number, but without failing.

The darkness is The Prophet's own creation. His wrongs. This is unavoidable, so long as the Prophet is alive, he shall commit sin, which in turn raises the creature who will rail against the light. The Nemesis. 

The Sentient will have a part to play as well. The creature, born of a thousand times a thousand pains, will be given the chance to redeem it's own sins, and will aid the Prophet when the time comes.

The last major arcana, the Leader. The Leader will lead a last crusade, a final, desperate gambit, as time runs out for Man. At his side will be five sons, the Five Lost who return to fight the Last War, the final and last war to end the Long War once and forever. To banish the Chaos Gods and bring peace everlasting._

Reyzak finished reading with a sigh. "Now you know why you are here. Why everything you have ever done, has led to this. This tablet is over six million years old. It's encased in stasis. Even touch it and it would crumble to dust. We had to preserve it, to keep it safe."

Altair lowered his gaze. "How do you know this is me? There could be so many others. More suited."

Reyzak laughed, surprising Altair. "Ristvak'baen is Be'lakor's daughter, yes. It is also a cursed blade. All who take it without being the one to wield it turn to ash, consumed by the Warp flame you saw in the pits. You did not. You are the One. The Last Prophet."

Altair looked Reyzak and the Slanneshi in the eye.

"So be it."


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## Ordo Xeno Commander

awesome stuff Dirge, next installment please!! haha

also have you read my latest installment of Fight for Titirus 7, no ones replied yet


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## Dirge Eterna

@OXC: I thought I had. I'll go now if I haven't!

Well, lads. This is always the best part for me. Writing the next part!
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LEAP OF FAITH

Altair again was woken by a voice, only this voice came from the stout demon that had met him on his first night.

"Master Altair! Master Altair! Reyzak wants you at the gates! There's been an attack!"

As if to underline his words, a burning stone cast itself across the courtyard outside and smashed into the ground, throwing flagstones into the air.

Altair leapt from the cot, thanking himself for his paranoia (he always slept in full armor). He grabbed Ristvak'baen, careful not to nudge the fat demon with it now that he knew what it could do. Altair jumped to the perch and flung himself into space, reaching the gates of Valhalla within three minutes. Reyzak and a dozen or so warriors were holding back a tide of thirty Khorne demons. Redskinned demons clad in black-on-bronze armor, swinging smoking axes. As Altair landed (again, roughly, but he was still learning) the demon in front of him was cut down by the biggest and loudest Khornate, yelling harsh threats and flailing around with a massive axe. Altair sprang forward, drawing his darkblade with a single sweeping movement. Once again warpfire exploded to life along the black edge of the sword, once again in cleaved the air at the demon's head and-

The smoking axe came up and clanked off Ristvak'baen. Altair's eyes widened in surprise. 

Runes etched onto the blade

_It's a demon wepon too! I can't break it as easily._

He parried a massvie swing and doubled up, rolling under the demon to slash at his back. The creature howled in rage and pain. Altair had a plan. As the demon swept around for a second stroke, he leapt inside the swing and stabbed Ristvak'baen through the slit in his opponent's helm.

Mulitcolored blood fountained from the mortal wound in the Khornate's face. He gave one final howl of pain and frustration, and exploded into strands of sticky gore. Altair gagged as the stentch hit him.

In the time it had taken him to kill the champion, Reyzak and his warriors had killed the last of the Berzerkers. 

"Nice kill! Twelve hundred more like it and we might have a chance!"

Uraj made himself known as a black smear against Rey'zak's pale reddish hue. The smith held a massive Kai Gun in both hands, and Altair noticed quite a few unpleasent stains on the ground behind him.

Reyzak nodded. "Excellent. I trust you are confused?"

Altair nodded. "Who were those attackers? who sent them?"

Uraj rumbled. "Raiders. From Deimos' southern cities. They plague us every few weeks, some warlord gets together a band and comes a-knocking. Think they'dve learned by now.

Reyzak shook his head. "No, these are not raiders," he kicked one, turning it over to reveal a large brand in it's flesh, in the shape of an A.

"These are Berzerkers, from Charon, sent by Azulanthis to test our defense. We can expect more. Thuren, set a watch on the surround, and rouse the guard."

The lithe demon from the tablet slunk past the bodies, flicking blood off her sword.

Reyzak nodded in her direction. "That is Machira, my consort."

The demon laughed, her voice filling the empty gatehouse. "He wishes, but yes, I am Machira. Tell me, youngblood, why did you fight the Skulltaker instead of one of his lackeys?"

Altair shrugged. "He was closest."

"He could have killed you with one swing."

"But he didn't get the chance."

"So how did you know he wouldn't?"

Altair eyed Ristvak'baen's black edge. "I didn't. I took a leap of faith, and it worked. My skills and this blade against blood rage and hate-forged axes."

Machira looked at him with something resembling respect. 

"And that is why you are the Prophet."


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## angels of fire

Still as awesome as ever!:victory:


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## Dirge Eterna

You know what's a kick-ass song? Vode An, from _Republic Commando_. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHY DO YOU FIGHT?

Machira sat down next to him in the dingy tavern that served as a meeting place, storage room, and, of course, a tavern.

The barkeeper (an odd mix of undivided demon and nurgle, though he didn't seem at all plagued) pushed a mug of something black and oily at the Slanneshi, she picked it up in one maniucured claw, and downed half.

"So," she said. "You're here to help."

Altair took a swig of his own drink, an interesting grey liquid flecked with green.

"No." he replied. "I'm here to train. Then I'm leaving."

"Why?"

"Because I can't stay here. I need to get back to real space, to my Marines. We have to stop Azulanthis. If I stay here, they'll all die when he attacks."

Machira nodded. "Yes, I'm afraid you're right. Every day you spend, Azulanthis grows stronger. In a week we march on Luna, to the Warp Gates."

"The gates?"

"Yes, they're the only reliable way in and out of Deimos. The only other way is to be summoned by mortals, but then you're tied to the mortal realm. It's confusing."

"Yes," agreed Altair. "It is."

Machira smiled Reyzak made himself known and pushed Machira down a seat, sitting between them.

"Well, my friends, I think we deserve a drink." he said, beckoning the barkeep.

He passed Reyzak a clear mug of grotesque multicolored fluid. The Tzeetchian took one look at it and chugged the entire potion. He rattled the mug until the barkeeper refilled it. 

He turned to the assembled warriors and demons. "Well, friends, we've fought for six hundred years, fighting from Valhalla itself to the very gates of Vroengard! In these years many have fallen. More have been wounded. But alas, we have finally located the Prophet, the warrior who will lead us to the Amber World, to the very end of the Long War. The time has come,"

He took a drink to fortify himself.

"The time has come to throw off the shackles of Valhalla! We are leaving tomorrow! Pack up, burn what you cannot take! We march for Luna, and after that, we make for the Amber World! To glory, to death, en nominae Daemonicum!"

"En nominae Daemonicum!" shouted the warriors, raising swords and mugs. The black-on-white demon from the sparring pits nodded respectfully at Altair from across the great hall, toasting him with a glass of the same ooze as Reyzak was happily chugging to the cheers of his warriors. Machira had a second mug, and was watching him, occasionally steadying the demon as he swayed on the stool.

Altair quickly lost track of time, later he realized he only remembered about half the night the celebrated the victory over the Berzerkers. 

He remembered many, many drinks. He remembered Machira and Reyzak leaving and returning quite a few times during the night, sometimes carrying more food or drinks for the warriors. He remembered singing a song whose words he didn't know, swaying in line with another Tzeentchian. He remembered tasting some of the barkeeper's food, finding it surprisingly good in contrast to it's appearence. 

He also remembered the blurry-eyed hangover the next morning.

Reyzak walked in early, the Tzeentchian relentlessly cheerful. 

"Good morning, sunshine! Feeling a bit sick are we?"

Altair stared with red-rimmed eyes at the demon, hatred scrawled across his face.

"Why aren't you sick? You drank a grotesque amount more than me!"

Reyzak laughed. Machira walked behind him, still wearing the black tabard. 

"I have a stomach ache." she said, winking at Altair. 

That didn't make him feel any better. Reyzak finally got tired of waiting for him and with three words, the bed flipped into the air, sending Altair to the floor. 

"I'm used to being a drunk. You need to get used to it." he said. 

Altair stood up, and swayed. Reyzak steadied him. 

Three hours later, after a very long, very cold, shower, Altair sat down opposite Reyzak in the tavern. 

Reyzak looked him dead in the eye. "There is one thing I must ask you, if you are going to be any help at all."

Altair nodded. "What?"

"Why do you fight?"

Altair didn't even blink. "To end tyranny and oppression."

Reyzak seemed pleased with his answer. "So you fight to help people."

"Exactly."

"Then tell me, won't your war with Azulanthis cause more harm then it would ever prevent? There are billions of people, living untouched by the demon's madness. How will you justify killing them, and destroying their lives?"

Altair was speechless. Azualnthis was _evil_. 

"So you don't think he should be overthrown?"

Reyzak leaned back in the seat. "Answer my question."

As much as he tried, Altair could not think of a reason to justify this. Reyzak's face slowly grew into a smug smile, his four green eyes watching Altair wilt under the question.

After twenty minutes, Reyzak told Altair to leave. 

Altair opened the door too hard, wrenching one of it's joints off the wall.

"Have I upset you?" said Reyzak.

"Yes." said Altair.

Reyzak nodded. "Well, then. I'll expect your answer later. I hope it is a convincing one."


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## zboy234

Thats it Dirge you read Eldest, good story too look forward to the rest


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## Dirge Eterna

Yes, I'm a fanatic of the Inheiritance Cycle. Actually, I get alot of this stuff from books and video games if you look close enough.

-Dirge


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## Master Andael

yeah i saw you used Altair and Almuhalim (not sure how to spell it) from assasins creed

oh and you rock


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## Dirge Eterna

STORMREAVER

Altair woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, but still bitter about Reyzak's impossible question. Ristvak'baen's runes etched onto the sword.

_I have an answer._

"Really? Then tell me!"

_No._

"Be reasonable!"

_I am. If you don't know why you fight, you might as well surrender._

Altair rolled his eyes. He picked up the sword and his bag and leapt from the window, falling twenty feet to the hard-packed ground below. Reyzak and Machira waited with twenty other demons, carrying similar bundles and packages. Uraj had a massive pack filled to the brim with tools and half-finished weapondry.

"Might as well take it with." the smith growled.

Reyzak eyed him with disapproval. "The _Stormreaver_ has it's own forge, why take all this?"

Uraj chuckled. "Because these are all custom-made for certain jobs. Like this," he said pulling out a curious tong-shaped instrument "Is used to cut weaves into sword hilts."

Reyzak rubbed his eyes, and sighed. "Very well. Everyone! Two klicks north our ship awaits!"

The crowd eventually stopped chattering and followed Reyzak out of the compund. Lights flickered in the buildings, and Altair realized the entire structure was burning with multicolored warp fire. 

After a half-hour they finally made it to the _Stormreaver_, the massive gunmetal ship sitting quietly three massive landing gears on a knoll just north of Valhalla. Altair took one look back as the boarding ramp closed, and he saw Valhalla as nothing more than a black smudge against the green backdrop of Deimos. Reyzak pulled him furthur inboard as the ramp swung closed. Altair followed the demon to a room a level under the bridge. 

"You can put your things here. The warp jump to the Amber World won't take long."

And with that, Reyzak stepped out, leaving Altair to ponder his question. He felt a slight tremor run through the ship as _Stormreaver_ battled Deimos' gravity, then a lurch as it accelerated.

WARP GATES

The city of Luna had originally been built as a fortress, to keep out the malcontent demons of the Void, who were unalligned. These creatures regularly invaded the city, and as such it had formidable defenses. Vast defense lasers and hundreds of voidcannon stood ready to shred anything that might come through the gate. But the fatal flaw in this defense was that the Luna batteries were directed inward, only worrying about what might try to get out. 

And so it was completely unprepared for the _Stormreaver_ to come hurtling over the city, all weapons throbbing at the air, punching great holes in Deimos' soil and killing dozens of Luna's warriors. By the time voidcannon had been alligned with the ship, it had already cruised past, growing ever closer to the writhing portal that was the Warp Gate. 

Altair stood next to Reyzak at the ship's bridge, watching the Tzeetchian control the entire ship with single-minded intesity from the control chair built into the floor. Reyzak's hands were a half-inch off the chair's glowing control screens, built into the armrests. Ever once in a while he would tap one of his fingers, making a minor control change to _Stormreaver_. A red icon sometimes flashed onto the screen, indicating a weapon was out of ammunition or a system had been hit by the wildly-aimed ground fire. 

Reyzak finally stepped down from the chair, the ship suddenly flying itself. 

"Queran, take over." he said.

A booming voice filled the ship's speakers. "Of course, lordship."

Reyzak eyed Altair. "Have you thought any more about my question?"

Altair swallowed. "Yes, in some depth."

"Any answer worth sharing?"

"One."

"Let's hear it."

Altair cleared his throat. "We cannot wait for Azulanthis to die. He'll rule forever, tormenting people. We end their lives now to prevent future death."

Reyzak looked him in the eye. "No you understand."

Altair nodded. "Yes."

The Tzeentchian turned back to the transparent viewscreen, watching the Warp portal grow to enormous size before the ship. 

"All hands, brace for warp translation. Warp translation in ten seconds. Nine. Eight. Seven..."

Reyzak blinked. "Best brace yourself. The first one's always the worst."

Altair laughed to himself. He had been in hundreds of jumps. 

Apparently Reyzak knew what he was thinking. "There's no Geller field on this ship."

Altair looked at Reyzak in horror just as the ship collided with the Warp Gate' surface, and ceased to exist in Deimos.


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## Ordo Xeno Commander

haha nice ending there!


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## Dirge Eterna

THE AMBER WORLD

_Altai_

_Altair. Wake u_

_Wake up!_ 

Altair jeked back into conciousness as Reyzak shook his shoulders. He entire frame trembled as he looked through the transparent viewscreen. There was no solid ceramite plate over it. The sickly colors of the Void spilled into the room, lighting everything with a bluish purple glow. Reyzak's eyes seemed unnaturally bright. Altair realized his own eyes were also glowing with a faint greenish light, reflecting off Reyzak's armor. The Tzeentchian cocked his head as Altair swayed, suddenly lightheaded.

"Steady, this is your first jump without a Geller field, correct?"

Altair nodded. 

"It's an odd experience. Your body becomes weaker, you have to learn to adapt to the Void. However, your mind becomes much sharper, your warp abilities are far stronger."

Machira walked in, her own purple eyes glowing a soft pinkish color. "No breaches, warp field's holding." 

"Warp field?"

Reyzak eyed Altair. "Yes, it keeps the demons of the Void out, but not the energies. This ship is impervious to boarding actions. We dive into the warp, they die. You, me, Machira, everyone else on _Stormreaver_ is a demon, so we are unaffected by the energies that leech life and take sanity from lesser beings."

Altair's vision blurred. He swayed again. He heard Reyzak tell Machira to tek him back to his room, then passed out again.

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

Fredric stood with Sirius and Jaeknos on _Aay'han_'s bridge.

"I can't believe he's gone."

"You've been saying that for days."

"He saved my life. He saved yours. Hell, he even saved Fredric's once or twice."

Frdric threw Sirius a glare. "Once. A warrior of Fenris does not need to be rescued, but I do participate better if I'm free of Bolter rounds."

Jaeknos looked at his boots. "He wasn't the first. He won't be the last." 

Sirius nodded. "How far are we from our target?"

Kale looked up from the map table behind them. "Sixty radii, give or take. The last jump messed with the sensors."

They all started as a massive warp rift opened before the ship. A tremendous ironclad vessel was visible for a heartbeat before a second portal opened and sucked the ship in.

"What..?"

"Ghost ship. They're all around this area."

"There was a word on the side. Might check it against lost ship logs."

"What?"

Jaeknos held up a small pic-capture. "Ship cams got it. _Stormreaver_."

Kale nodded. "I'll run a sweep."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Altair woke again after they had exited the Warp for the last time. He groggily splashed water on his face from a basin of cold water. His vision cleared, and he put on his armor. Ristvak'baen was tightly bound in it's leather sheath. Runes clrawled across the sword.

_You seem to be quite short on health. First the beer then the warp jumps._

"You're not helping."

The sword shivered. Altair smiled as he realized the demon was laughing.

He made the short trek to the bridge, glad to see it was devoid of the sickly warp-lit glow, and looked out the viewport, eager to see what their destination was.

"No."

Terra rose before the ship, her home fleet shattered, hundreds of defense lasers fired at an equal number of possessed battlecruisers and frigates, while the few remaining Imperial ships exchanged fire with escort carriers and destroyers. As Altair watched a red-clad demonship was punctured by a glowing beam fired from a planetside defense array. It exploded into a rain of debris, shredding it's escorts and an unlucky Imperial Sword-class that couldn't run fast enough.

A single massive vessel dwarfed all the others, almost as big as a Space Hulk Altair had once seen. It was bone white, completely covered by skulls of every shape and size. It destroyed defense lasers and Imperial ships with every shot, and vast numbers of Hell Talon and Hell Blade fighters swarmed around it. 

"The _Hellforger_." said Reyzak. "I thought it was a myth."

"What?" asked Altair, also staring at the warship.

"It's a demon vessel, supposedly piloted by Khorne himself. My ancestors told stories about how it isn't even a ship on the inside, only a tomb of every soul killed in Khorne's name."

"Do we have to fight it to get through?"

"No," said Reyzak. He spoke into a vox built into the command chair. "Valjurn, fire a warp shell at the planet, two klicks inside the Eternity Wall, we don't want to get stuck outside."

_Stormreaver_ shook as a single arc of fire flew at breathtaking speed, followed by a speck of silvery matter. The fire blasted a hole clean through a festering plagueship, allowing the silver bullet to soar through it and down to the planet. A green icon suddenly appeared on Reyzak's chair.

"The portal is down, lordship. Ready to transport."

Reyzak indicated a circle of silver set into the floor of the bridge. "Come, young Prophet. We're going down there."


----------



## Dirge Eterna

Hellorf? Is anybody there? Anyone who isn't paraplegic and has an excuse for not posting feedback?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALTAIR'S PROMISE

The writhing energies of Reyzak's warp portal eventually deposited Altair, Reyzak, Machira, Uraj, Valjurn, Kodac, and four warriors to Terra's surface, inside the Eternity Wall. Gunfire and screams could be heard from the direction of the gates.

"Damnation. We're already short on time. Azulanthis has started his attack. Everyone! make for the Aquila gates!" shouted Reyzak over the din.

Altair set off at a loping run, followed by the rest of the pact. They reached the gate in a short delay, and Reyzak turned to Uraj. "Do you have it?"

The smith snarled. "Yes. And I was loathe to part with it. Make sure this works."

Reyzak set a small triangular devize to the gates. "Warp charge. Sends anything within a few feet on each side of it straight into the Immaterium. Might want to step back."

The demons ran back to ten feet, and Reyzak hit a rune on his gauntlet.

For a moment, nothing happened. Altair tilted his head at Reyzak in confusion. Then there was the sound of rushing air and a silent explosion and a _bang_ as air rushed into the gap left behind by the charge. A fifteen-foot deep hole extended into the Imperial Palace's main gallery. 

Valjurn was first in, his Kai Gun swinging left and right, looking for threats. They moved up the gallery, backs to the wall, scanning for anything.

A servo-skull darted out of a small opening and screamed toward them, a wicked needle-like protrusion extending as it ripped throught the air, aiming directly at Reyzak's skull.

It exploded in a cloud of purple fire, and Valjurn blew the smoke off the barrel of his weapon.

"There may be more. Stay alert."

They continued on, until they came to a vast chamber, at least a mile high, and completely carved from a single piece of marble, inlaid with gold and silver depicting gloriously rendered art. The Emperor stood before eighteen figures, each unique. Altair recognized Corax, the Raven Guard's primarch, and Gullimen, father of the Ultramarines. He saw the Emperor fighting innumerable horrors while a massive terminator-armored warrior stabbed a screeching devil through it's heart. A list of names, tens of thousands strong, under the words ISTVAAN V, carved into the stone. At the very end of the gallery a huge cathedral-like spire rose out of the palace, culminating in a tremendous black bell. Altair breathed in as he realized that the Black Bell of Terra stood above them.

The last mural left him baffled. 

It was carved from marble on the doors at the end of the gallery, thousands of feet high. There were six figure depicted on them.

One was obviously the Emperor, but something was different about him. He no longer wore the magnificent golden armor as he did during the Great Crusade, but a suit of bare metal Power Armor, it's only adornment a golden lightning bolt superimposed over the Imperial Aquila on his shoulderpad. The second figure was a bearded giant in archaic Power Armor. He had a wolf pelt thrown over his backpack, and golden runes hung from chains around his neck. The third was a beastial creature, it's open maw obviously screeching some challenge to an unseen foe. It had two massive claws, while a pair of scythe-like talons grew from it's back.

The Fourth and Fifth were easier for Altair to identify. Azulanthis was depicted, in his mirrored power armor. The fifth was himself. 

Altair stared at the picture, his marble image almost exactly the same as his demonic form, even the small Apothecarium necklace was present.

The sixth was a bulky figure in smooth, curved armor. Standing about seven feet tallk, it had reversed joints at it's ankles, giving it a reptillian, alien appearence. Altair smiled as he realized a Kytharin Eternal Guard was depicted. He was in awe that everything had come together like this. Almost like destiny.

Reyzak, appearing unimpressed by the majesty of the Imperial Palace, simply placed a group of eight Warp charges onto the gates. 

"This place loses it's charm once you've seen it before." he said.

Altair eyed him. "You've been here before? How!?"

Reyzak smiled without humor. "The Seige of the Emperor's Palace, almost twenty thousand years ago. Fought my way all the way into the sanctum, found it deserted. We later learned the Emperor had teleported to the Warmaster's barge, killed him."

Altair nodded in wonder. Twenty thousand years! It was an impossible span, even considering Reyzak was immortal.

The ancient demon beckoned them back, and set off the charges.

A hole almost a hundred feet in depth and twenty wide opened into a sickly yellow glow.

"The sanctum. Be wary. Even though the Custodians are busy entertaining Azulanthis' army, I have no way of knowing it the chamber had changed."

Reyzak looked at Altair. "I want you to promise me, that you will not speak of what we are to accomplish, not even to your god. You are Daemonicum now, in body, and in mind."

Altair looked the Tzeentchian dead in the eye. 

"Of course. I hold fast to the Daemonicum's creed." 

The demons filed into the room, and looked upon the Emperor of Mankind.


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## Ordo Xeno Commander

omg so freaking awesome. now i realy want to know what happens!!!!


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## zboy234

Good story now if you don't deliver another one within 24 hours of this post a large horde of snotlings will come for you and beat you up! :biggrin:


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## sea dragons

ooh man i was really getting in to that what happens next i have to know !!!!!!! nice work buddy you always produce the good stuff.


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## thomas2

Just posting to say I'm loving the story, always annoys me when people don't post on my stories so I feel I should do it for everyone else.


----------



## Dirge Eterna

I thought the God-Emperor of Mankind might shake some feedback loose. The next part'll be in a few hours. 

Cheers!
-Dirge


----------



## Dirge Eterna

ANGEL'S FALL

Altair's first thought was to avert his eyes. His second was of overwhelming curiousity and he looked up.

The Golden Throne of Earth sat quietly before them, humming gently in time with a pulsing white light, coming from a lantern hung high above the room. Arcane machinery surrounded the edifice, tubes and gauges like parasitic growths on the machinery of the Palace.

The figure bound to the throne was covered in a perfect, white veil, all it's features wiped away by the death shroud's thickness. Golden threads etched High Gothic runes onto the sheets, entire chapters from the Tome Imperialis. A crested helmet sat on a pedestal at the base of the throne's steps, it's golden color reflecting onto the assembled demons' armor. A perfect red crest rose above it. A red-tinted sword and a massive power claw sat on two other pedestals nearby. 

Reyzak breathed in. "Daemonicum, deliever us. By Tzeentch, forgive us of this sin, what we do we do in your name."

He removed a glass orb from the depths of his cloak. Inside swirled six distinct shapes, one grey-blue, one black, and the rest were green, white, and a second green. They were all eclipsed by a larger golden spark, it's light seeming dim in comparison.

He weighed the orb in his hand. "This is Angel's Fall. The ancestral home of the Emperor's forefathers. This is where the first Imperial ships were sent into the far reaches, to begin the Great Crusade."

Machira chimed in. "The last stand of the Custodians. The place where Alicia Dominica and the Daughters of the Emperor were taken to see him."

Altair looked at the orb. "What are you doing?"

Reyzak looked from the shrouded figure, to the orb, to Altair.

"Completing the circle." said Reyzak, every word holding deadly menace.

He drew a curved knife and whipped it at the shrouded figure's throat. Black gore and decaying flesh exploded onto the pristine white blanket. A number of red runes flicked onto the Golden Throne's screens, while a screeching whine built in the air. The golden spark in Reyzak's orb burst to life, suddenly glowing white-gold in his fist.

Altair stood in shock. Reyzak spoke something inaudible. Machira gestured with a bone-colored blade. Uraj picked up the golden helm and placed it on the floor. The demons drew black knives and carved a petagram into the stone. It glowed with ruddy red lights. 

"From the beginning, unto the ending of time, and the destruction of all things, we ask, mighty Tzeentch, Deliever the imprisoned into form!"

He smashed the orb against the helm, and the world went white.


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## sea dragons

nice ! left it on a real cliff hanger to ....... so wat happens next


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## Ordo Xeno Commander

the emporer is dead, say what!!!! or maybe its an imposter..... nice cliff hanger


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## Dirge Eterna

Hey everybody! Don't have the next segment yet, just kind of bumping this thread. Thanks for all the support you guys've given me. Gets me going when I run out of caffiene.

-Dirge


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## angels of fire

Great this story is more gripping than even the last ones.:shok: Sorry for not posting but my internets been a bit funny at the moment and keeps stalling or being really slow.


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## Dirge Eterna

Thanks all. I just figured out how this will end. There will be deaths.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
TO KILL A DEMON

When the world's color drained back into Altair's vision, he saw that six figures stood in the pentagram.

The first was clad in golden armor, with a flowing red cape. The second had a massive hammer, his armor functional and painted green. The third was black, with a golden trim. A lion's head was engraved onto his shoulderpad.

The fourth was also black, but his armor simply had a Raven's head painted onto it. A plasma pistol hung in a holster and he had a gaunt expression. The fifth was a massive blue-grey armored figure, holding a glowing axe his hand. 

But it was the last man that caught everyone's attention.

The last figure was armored in a simple gunmetal suit of Power Armor. Even so, he dwarfed all the others, his presence filling the massive chamber. Altair noticed the swathed figure from the Golden Throne had vanished, leaving behind a bloodstained sheet. The metallic warrior picked up the golden helm from the floor and replaced his own, letting the metal helmet clank off the floor and roll to the base of the Throne. He took off one of his gauntlets, and placed the huge claw Altair had seen over his forearm. The red-tinted sword went into his other fist. It burst into orange flame as he touched it.

Altair realised with a sharp intake of breath that Janghati Khan, Leman Russ, Corax, Vulkan, and Lion El'Johnson all stood in the room, facing the metallic Marine.

The Emperor raised the burning sword, and pointed it at the assembled demons. 

"Demon filth." he said, the helmet's vox arrays booming his voice.

And with that, The Emperor nodded to the golden-armored giant.

Altair frantically drew Ristvak'baen as Janghati Khan smashed into him, throwing him to the floor. The golden warrior raised the massive sword he had in both his hands and brought it down, the very motion being blurred by the superhuman speed. He brought up the demonblade in a panicked motion, deflecting the sword in a shower of bruning shards. Janghati Khan looked at the deep grove in his sword with something approaching respect, then swung again. Altair felt the warp energies soar through him, and the giant stopped.

Not only had Janghati Khan stopped, but everyone in the room had. The Emeperor stood with his four other sons, a confident smile on his face. Reyzak and Machira, with hope and fear respectivly. Altair simply stepped behind the master of the White Scars with confusion. Ristvak'baen's black runes comforted him.

_Warptime. I told you that you were a psyker now._

Altair let the sorcery go, and Janghati Khan's sword smashed into the floor, cutting a foot down with his strangth. Altair raised the darkblade, and swung. The blow (from the flat of the blade) knocked into the Primarch's head with a dull _thunk_. Vibrations rattled up Altair's arms. The golden giant toppled over, his eyes rolling back into his head.

Altair stood in shock, looking from the Khan's body to Ristvak'baen. The Emperor clapped slowly, the demons flinched.

"Very good creature, nicely played. Now, I'm afraid you will all die."

"Wait!" Altair said frantically. The Emperor stopped. "What if I told you we needed your help?"

The Emperor seemed to consider this. "You'd have to give me proof."

Altair's clawed hand reached inside his armor, and he pulled the small Apothecarium necklace from his cloak.

"Corax." said the Emperor.

Corax took the small charm from Altair's hand, and ran a small scanner over it. "My lord, the auspex indicates the sigil is registered to Lukas Altair, KIA over two weeks ago."

"It's mine," said Altair. "I needed to be this in order to kill the foe we face."

Corax consulted the auspex. "It has a DNA trace."

He stabbed the auspex's sensor into Altair's shoulder. "Matches. It's the same marine."

The Emperor nodded. "Russ, help Janghati and El'Johnson seal up the breach. Our warriors will want to know their fathers have returned. It seems we owe you our ressurection, Lukas Altair. What is it that you fight?"

Altair swallowed. "Chaos. Of the most fearsome kind."

Reyzak chimed in. "A demonlord called Azulanthis has crushed your domain, my lord. Over the last hundred years he has conquered every one of your "segmentums" except for this one, Solar. Here the hammer's stroke will fall hardest. Here the great battle of our time will be decided. Your people need their leader. Your people need _you._"

The Emperor's helm nodded. "So it shall be," he spoke into a vox-caster. "Warriors of the Imperium! Heed my call! For twenty thousand years I have watched over you all, now is the time! Now is our hour! Destroy the demonspawn and his army! For The Imperium!"

A massive noise rose outside, and Altair realised Russ and the others must have made themselves known to the Imperials. A cheer rose from the battle.

The Emperor turned. "I hope my son did nothing to harm you, demon. We will need you and your band before the day is out. We will need you to do what no other, not even myself, have done. We need you to kill a demon."


----------



## Ordo Xeno Commander

awesome, such a twist! i love it!


----------



## angels of fire

The emperor comes back, I know you hate the Ultrasmurfs Dirge but is Guilliman coming into this at all or was Macragge destroyed? I don't know how you can hope to follow this one up. Keep it up.:victory::grin:


----------



## Dirge Eterna

(I think I mentioned this in _The Emperor Protects_, I'm not sure. If not, here!)

Macragge was completely destroyed six months before the Tyranids split into two factions (the inter-species war that made the Lictor a plausible character.) Plus, I finally got to destroy the Ultramarines! Nope, the surviving Primarchs (the ones GW never had an end for) are all there.

EDIT: I just noticed I have 666 posts. *spooky noises*

-Dirge


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## zboy234

what that isnt fair the Ultrasmurfs may be twats but they are still space marines and another dead primarch is a waste of precious geneseed! but what of the naughty primarchs, does the emp open a can of whoop ass on them or what?

P.s great story now lets see the next installments


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## angels of fire

Sorry I forgot:blush::blush:


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## Dirge Eterna

zboy234 said:


> what that isnt fair


Life isn't fair. Muhahaahhahaa!

No, I wouldn't worry. I'll have a lot of answers by the end of this, but a whole bunch of new questions.

Post next chapter today or tomorrow (if I'm horrifically lazy)

-Dirge


----------



## Dirge Eterna

Turns out I was extra horrifically lazy. Here we go again!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
RECLAIMED

Altair and Reyzak walked down the steps of the Imperial Palace, and into hell.

Imperial Guard and a few Space Marines fired madly at a horde of demons, filling the firezones with corpses and blackening the air with their chants. Huge Greater Demons reared up among their diminuative minions, firing vast weapons or leading their subjects in heretical prayer. Leman Russ stood in a knot of Space Wolves, with half a demon in each hand. As Altair watched, he tossed the corpse away and swung a glowing axe, cleaving six in half. 

A host of Khorne burst through the lines, hacking at frantic Guardsmen. Golden figures sprang to meet them, swinging Force halberds and Psycannon. The Custodes cleared the line within seconds and the survivors wearily stepped to the firing lines.

Altair ran to the embankment where a Space Marine swung a combat knife into the thigh of a Greater Demon. It screeched and batted the man aside. Altair drew Ristvak'baen and swung, cleaving the legs from the demon. It roared in agony and swung it's own weapon. The screaming blade was cut in half by Altair's parry, and he beheaded his foe. The demon's body slumped to the ground, pouring multicolored gore. The marine got to his feet and nodded his thanks. 

"They're coming, you know." he said.

"I'll be ready." said Altair, gesturing with the demonblade.

"No, not these heretics. Not them at all."

Then he turned away. Altair shrugged and followed Reyzak into the next group of Berzerkers, rolling into the fight sword first.

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

Sirius looked at Kale. 

"Why are we doing this?"

"We got a distress signal, from Terra. We're going."

Dvorn stood impatient at the door. "Come on, the pods are waiting on us."

Sirius looked at Jaeknos. "Surely you can't be serious. Terra? We swore never to fight for the Emperor again. Not after he betrayed us."

Jaeknos shrugged, the movement exaggerated by his armor. "I'm serious. And don't call me Shirly."

Fredric had his drop gear on. "Come on, lads. Glory awaits!"

Together they walked down the gangway to the drop pods.

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

Altair was tired.

The fight had lasted long into the evening. Demons clashed on the gore-stained earth, while the few Imperials fought valiantly alongside the Daemonicum. Azulanthis' horde seemed to be without number. Every time the Emperor and his few remaining Custodians charged, they slew hundreds of demons, falling back to avoid being surrounded. The Primarchs led their men well, killing more then their share of the horde themselves. As the hordes of Azulanthis retreated again, the warriors regrouped fro the last charge.

An hour later, the last offensive came. Led by a massive group of Greater Demons, Azulanthis' army crashed into the Imperial lines. Swords clanged against armor, bullets into flesh. Screams lifted into the darkening sky. Altair was fighting a demon when a vast, screaming wind knocked him from his feet. 

A piece of black metal slammed into the earth ten feet from him, it's surface glowing cherry red from the heat. The hatches blew outwards, catching dozens of heretics, and there, in the doorway, stood Fredric. 

Altair stood up, flabbergasted, as the former Space Wolf ran down the gangplank, screaming. He swung a frostblade into the first of the dazed demons, hacking clean through it. The next fell to his blade as well. On the third foe, the Reclaimed stormed out of dozens of drop-pods, and multicolored Thunderhawks and Longswords filled the sky, raining fire on the hordes. Altair cut another demon from shoulder to groin, then swiped sideways, catching a Berzerker in the middle and cutting him in half. He parried a lunge, then broke the blade and beheaded it's owner.

Fredric swung wildly at Altair's head. He stopped a foot from his skull, staring at the necklace around Altair's neck.

"What have you done, creature!?" he yelled, drawing the sword back.

"Fredric! Stop!" yelled Altair, reaching into his armor to withdraw the Apothecarium symbol. "It's me..I'm me."

Fredric looked at him with a confused expression. "Laddie? What've they done to you?"

"I was changed, by the foe we fight. But we have no time right now! Come, old friend. Gather the Reclaimed and let's have us a real fight!"

Fredric toasted him with a flask. "So be it, Altair." 

The Reclaimed threw a mighty cheer into the smoky air, and charged. Demons died, banners fell, and bolters rattled as nearly five hundred Space Marines smashed into the demons' line. Within ten minutes, they had cut a quarter-mile gap into the horde, and broke it. 

The demons ran, throwing down standards and weapons in their haste to retreat from the blood-soaked marines. Altair stopped with Fredric and his command team, breathing heavily. 

"We saw em' off, lad. We gave those heretics a good fight!"

Altair nodded. "Yes, we did. Nice timing."

"Indeed it was. Now, laddie. You've got some explaining to do. I want to know everything."


----------



## Ordo Xeno Commander

awesome clash of fates again Dirge, i LOVE IT!


----------



## angels of fire

Awesome just awesome this is some of the best fiction I've read! MORE.:victory:


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## Dirge Eterna

CONVERGENCE

Altair stood quietly in the makeshift chapel, a multicolored idol of Tzeentch next to a golden statue of the Emperor. He gazed from one to the next, unsure.

Reyzak materialized beside him, his black cloak swishing back and forth on the rockrete floor. The demon looked from the Emperor to the idol of Tzeentch, then bowed to the Tzeentch statue, folding his hands over the hilt of his sword. He mouthed a prayer, then turned to Altair.

"I sense you are, confused, young Altair."

Altair nodded. "Yes. Conflicted, to be exact. I am devoted to the Daemonicum in soul, but my oaths to the Imperium compell me to abhor the creeds I swore to."

Reyzak sighed. "Yes, it happens to all the Nerzhulan at one point or another, they become divided in their loyalties....you must choose, eventually. You must decide to follow your elder gods, or to a new destiny. Be cautious. Once you refuse the tenants of the Daemonicum, there will be no return."

Altair looked at Reyzak. "Nerzhulan?"

"Yes, Azulanthis stabbed you with the daggers all the Daemonicum carry. A _Nerzhul_, as we call it."

Altair nodded sadly. "There always has to be a choice, doesn't there?"

Reyzak smiled. "Yes, young one. There is always a choice, it's what keeps us different from the beasts."

Altair picked up Ristvak'baen from where he had placed it against the idol of Tzeentch (the sword insisted it be allowed to continue it's worship), and passed Reyzak to the door. Opening it, he continued to the dugouts where Kale's Eternal Guard stood, talking quietly.

He walked past the chatting figures to the Reclaimed's command bunker. Kale stood talking with Fredric, flanked by two massive Immortals. The unliving warriors' heavy Eviscerator cannons tracked him until the pair decided he wasn't a threat. Fredric nodded to Altair as he walked to the opposite side of the map table. 

"Well, laddie, we've got some new high orbit shots, since our fleet saw off the heretics. Here."

He nodded to Kale, who hit a button on the side of the table. A green-tinted vision of the surface of Terra blossomed between the three warriors. A mass of green dots indicated the combined Daemonicum and Reclaimed forces, while a blue mass formed the Emperor's Armies. The lower half of the map contained a relatively small mass of red dots, showing the shattered remains of Azulanthis' armies.

Altair nodded. The hardest part of their campaign was over, yet Azulanthis wasn't beaten yet. The Emperor's army had pressed the demons against the Eternity Wall, allowing Altair and Reyzak to cut a swath through the fleeing hordes. Three days after the Reclaimed had fallen from the sky to destroy the demonic hordes, they were at the end.

A long, sonorous horn called from the trenches outside. Kale and Fredric rushed outside, followed by the massive Immortals, and Altair. 

A single demon stood on a finger of rock, a massive horn held in both hands.

A voice reverberated through the air, and Altair realized only the Daemonicum could understand it's meaning.

_We are at the End, the Ultimatum. The forces of the Great Enemy gather at our doors, yet we destroy them. Forces of Mighty Tzeentch, one final effort, to drive the Great Enemy back forever._

Altair nodded. He turned to Fredric. 

"Move up the attack. We march tonight."


----------



## angels of fire

The final battle... WE ARE DAEMON!!!


----------



## Dirge Eterna

Hey angel, anybody else. Celebrating my modship, next part up tomorrow.

-Dirge


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## Dirge Eterna

Been a long one. Got pizza to celebrate myself and all the other new mods. Anyhow, post feedback if you're reading, since I have yet to figure out a poll.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE STORM BREAKS

Azulanthis' army was a sight to behold, despite the fatal losses they had taken fighting the combined Kytharin, Reclaimed, and Daemonicum armies. Rows of red-skinned devils and lithe feminine demons supported by crackling sorceries and weeping, dieseased demons. At the head of this host stood Azulanthis himself, nearly twenty feet tall, holding a howling blade that dripped black ichor.

Altair stood next to Reyzak on the hill, the Daemonicum's banner flapping lazily in the soft breeze. Fredric and Jaeknos stood farther down the line, before the four hundred Reclaimed. Kale stood to Altair's left, at the head of nearly a thousand Immortal Guard and Stormserpents. 

Altair leaned to Reyzak. The demon cocked his head.

"Give the order."

Reyzak nodded. "Aye. It is time."

He gestured to the demon Altair had seen earlier, who raised the massive horn and blew, the sonorous noise reverberated across the assembled warriors, who loosed a massive cry of hatred and vengeance. Altair took the first step, his armored claw sinking an inch into the muddy earth, and suddenly he was at the head of the charge, bolter shells flying past his shoulders as the Reclaimed took up positions. The Stormserpents and the few Daemonicum with ranged weapons fell back, firing on the move. The rest of the army smashed into Azulanthis' front lines, throwing mortals and demons aside as they slew foes by the dozen. Azulanthis snarled something incomprehensible to his lieutenant, a burly blue-white demon in thick black armor. The creature nodded and flew into the air, landing just as Altair and Reyzak dispatched the first rank of demons. 

"Whelp, you've come far enough. My master will grant you mercy if you surrender. To refuse means death."

It raised a smoking glaive.

Altair chuckled. "No, I've come too far and slain too many foes to bow to your master. I have earned my place, and he will not take it, creature."

The demon snarled. "Well, then."

It charged, swinging the glaive violently. Altair blocked the blow and swung around, taking a chunck of flesh from the demon's shoulder. It howled and swung back, Altair blocked again. The demon kicked Altair's legs out from under him, and swung the glaive into the earth just as Altair rolled away. Getting to his feet, Altair whipped Ristvak'baen past the demon's glaive, and clamped both weapons to the ground.

"Ready to give up?"

"Never."

Altair drew back the weapon, slashing the demon across the chest. Black ichor leaked from the wound, and the demon swung again, missing Altair by a fraction. He pushed the demon back a pace, and waited. 

Sure enough, the demon charged again, glaive raised. Altair ducked under the blow, and stabbed the demon through the midriff, hauling it over his shoulder, and throwing it to the ground behind him. He swung around, and the demon lay coughing in a small pool of gore.

"By the gods.."

"Told you so." said Altair, stabbing the demon through the throat and ending the fight.

The demons of Azulanthis' army soon refused to confront Altair and Reyzak. They tried to retreat back into the mass of their army rather then confront the blood-soaked Immortals (As Reyzak called his guards). The fight lasted long into the morning, for even with the massive army Reyzak had conjured, Azualnthis' host was not small either. The ground soon became a swamp of bodies, rain, and blood, tripping warriors and fouling weapons. Altair finally escaped the morass after five grueling hours, panting. Ristvak'baen was still pristine, the sword having sucked the blood out of the warriors it killed. He clutched painfully at a deep cut on his upper arm, where a lucky Berzerker chieftan had landed a blow with a Dreadaxe. Machira had wrapped a bandage around the wound, but it still throbbed painfully whenever Altair moved the muscle. 

He rested an hour, watching the ebb and flow of the battle. He then noticed a huge shape making itself known in the middle of the fight, throwing demons and Reclaimed into the air.

_Azulanthis._ 

"It's time to finish this." said Altair quietly, picking up his blade.


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## Ordo Xeno Commander

awesome, absolutely awesome stuff Dirge. just make sure it isnt as long until the next piece is posted :wink:


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## angels of fire

Great as usual...


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## Master Andael

A great story:grin:


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## Dirge Eterna

Thanks all. Been busy lately, killing Covenant (Terrorists, King Richard's men, other drivers, etc.)

I'm hoping to ge the next part done by tonight. Having fun writing up a death.


Alright? See you tomorrow!
-Dirge

EDIT: Ran into a roadblock regarding myself, an apparently AFK Ebay seller, and a box of Gas Mask filters. Next Chapter Sunday.


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## Axe

Some very good stuff here Dirge, keep up the brilliant writing!


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## Dirge Eterna

Well, here it is folks! Only (what?) three more?

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

FIGHTING GODS

Altair strode through the morass, Ristvak'baen reflecting the blood-soaked earth around it. He stepped over a pile of burned carcasses, mostly demons. He walked past a roupd of Daemonicum standing on a relatively quiet part of the field, praying to a golden idol in the mud. He walked to a pile of dead, a Champion of Khorne atop the pile.

_Look at his hands..._ 

Altair looked at a Reclaimed, his armor torn and soaked with gore. Shrapnel stuck out of the joints. The man's hand were around the neck of a demon. The demon had no other wounds on it's body. The marine had killed it from the other side of death. 

Altair looked away.

He continued on, occasionally stopping to fight a demon or two, or to give the soldiers some support. 

He finally strode through the mass of fighting warriors. In a clearing in the field stood Azulanthis, his sword dripping gore and his armor bloody.

"So, whelp. You seek to challenge me?! Me, of all the warriors here!?"

Altair nodded.

Azulanthis sighed. He motioned for his warriors to form a perfect circle around them, a fighting ring. 

"You know not the schemes I have seen. I will forge a new order! A new Empire where all will rule, not bow to the Corpse-Emperor of Man! He has had his time...now, it's our turn."

Altair nodded sadly. "We cannot interfere with the mortal realm. Yet you refuse to let this go."

"You would have us all be reduced to dust! Lost and forgotten in the Warp! I cannot compel you, my primogenitor.. and you will not join me."

"And you will not give up this scheme." Altair pointed out.

Azulanthis shrugged. "Then it seems we are at an impass..."

Altair drew Ristvak'baen with a harsh rasp. "No. We are at an end."

He charged Azulanthis. The demon bent backwards, Ristvak'baen passing less then a centimeter above his helmet. Altair drew back as Azulanthis' howling blade split the air. Their swords locked together. Altair tugged.

Azulanthis laughed maniacally and spit an acidic globule into Altair's eye. He drew back, trying to clear his vision. Hie flesh burned in a line across his right eye, from his eyebrow to his cheek, but he managed to wipe his eye clear. Azulanthis' sword whipped at his neck. He barely managed to parry. The demon brought up his polished claw, kicking Altair's legs out from under him and whipping the sword into the ground just as Altair dodged. Altair had a sudden, and terrifying, realization. _He could not win this fight_. Azulanthis was stronger, faster, and more heavily armored then he was. What was his strength?

_Use it wisely._ 

Blue flame erupted down Ristvak'baen's blade. Altair surged forward, glorious energy soaring through his outstreched arm. The sword put a nick six inches deep into Azulanthis' blade, swung free, and put a gash the length of Altair's arm into the demon's leg. Azulanthis howled in rage and pain. He picked Altair up and dashed him against the ground. 

Altair blacked out for a moment, and when he looked up, Azulanthis was standing over him, a blazing gun held in one armored fist. He pointed it at Altair's skull.

"Only human." he said, spitting the words.

Reyzak came charging headlong into the circle, and lopped Azulanthis' hand off at the wrist. The demon screeched in agony and swung around. Altair looked Reyzak in the eye. The old demon winked at him, the fell to his knees. Azulanthis swng his sword through the demon's robes, slicing him in half at the waist. Altair screamed a wordless cry of vengeance and hatred, and threw Ristvak'baen with all his strength.

Azulanthis turned just as the blade left Altair's fingers. Like Thor's Hammer, it sliced through the air to cut a perfect line into Azulanthis' neck.

The demon smiled. Altair shuddered. The attack had done nothing. 

Then Azulanthis' smile faltered, the light left his eyes, and his head seperated from his body with a wet _thwack_. The demons looked at their leader's body, looked at each other, the screamed in torment as one by one they lost the ability to remain in reality.

Altair retrieved his sword from a pile of ash, the last remains of one of Azulanthis' warriors, and knelt over Reyzak's body. The demon's breath came in short, ragged gasps.

"Altair, child. You must promise me..take the Daemonicum to Cadia...activate the beacon..you must promise.."

Altair nodded. "I..promise."

Reyzak closed his eyes. "Then it is time..."

And with a final breath, Reyzak, last Scion of the Daemonicum, was no more.


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## Axe

What a battle that was. I love the play-by-play combat scenes. Terrific! k:


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## angels of fire

Awesome battle but Reyzak is dead. Nooooooo:cray::cray::cray:


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## Dirge Eterna

The astute among you who read _The Emperor Protects_ and _Only in Death_ know that I kill off a major character every now and then. Thin out the story. Make room for new, awesome characters I can kill off in the next one.

Next part tomorrow! (Wow! This one went fast, only four more chapters!)
-Dirge


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## Dirge Eterna

Just going to update this a bit. I didn't have any more to post after that last chapter, been writing up the last part and the next story, _Chronicles of Deimos_, the fourth of five I'm going to write on Altair (and don't forget the Lictor. Not done with him yet either...). I've already got the next line of stories planned out.

-Dirge


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## Dirge Eterna

TOMB OF STONE

Altair watched sadly as they took Reyzak's body away. The demon's armor was loose, and a small amulet fell from it, hitting the blood-saturated earth with a _splash_.

Altair picked up the trinket. He turned it over in his hand, noting the large ruby dominating the center of it. A small golden ring kept the jewel surrounded, and a small golden chain extended from the top of the ring. Altair looked at the demons carefully laying Reyzak's body onto a stretcher, and started to move towards them, charm in hand.

_It's yours_

"Excuse me?"

_While you were out during the voyage here, Reyzak told me a great many things, some of which I will not reveal to you until you are ready. That is Asmodiel's Heart. It belonged to Reyzak's father, after which is named. It carries many charms and enchantments. Reyzak told me to inform you of this upon his death._

"Sad it had to end this way."

_None the less. You know what must be done._

Two days later, they burned the majority of the dead. Reclaimed Apothecaries moved from tent to tent, treating the wounded, while Daemonicum Healers and Chirugens used warp abilities to mend wounds. 

Altair stood alone atop the hill he had observed the battle from, a large stone block before him. The surface was pitted and cracked, and a statue stood behind it. To Altair's eye, the statue seemed to be unwilling to follow a single shape, constantly shifting and moving. Somehow, the Daemonicum's War Totem had been untouched in all the madness in the fight for Terra. Vrael and Uraj had brought it from the field to place it over Reyzak's tomb. 

Altair reached out to touch the worn stone of the tomb. It's surface turned blue at his touch. He felt a tear roll down his cheek, he wiped it away. Altair turned from the tomb, warring with his emotions. _Stormreaver_ sat heavily on her dampers a mile away, engines slowly powering up. Along with Asmodiel's Heart, the venerable ship had been Altair's inheiritance from Reyzak. Already, the demons were aboard, as well as the Reclaimed. The marines Fredric had brought with him resided in specially constructed Warp Chambers, that would protect them from the madness the ship attracted in the Warp.

[Shipmaster, the _Stormreaver_'s war spirit is prepared for liftoff.]

Altair nodded to himself. He opened the comm to the ship.

[Very well. Tell Vrael to power up the engines. I'll only be a moment.]

Altair rose to his full height, and removed his helmet. He placed it on the tomb, and replaced it with Reyzak's golden-edged helm. His horns curved out from under it, creating the impression the helm was part of his skull rather than a piece of armor. 

He picked up Ristvak'baen and walked slowly down the hill, approaching the ship.


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## Dirge Eterna

INHERITANCE

Altair paced back and forth along the bridge of _Stormreaver_, his armored claws making a harsh _rasp_ on the decking.

"Shipmaster, we are approaching the coordinates you provided. Launch teams are assembled, and the drop troops await your order."

"Very well, inform Fredric and Vrael I will attend them shortly."

"Aye aye, Shipmaster."

He nodded to the demon before the drop console, noting the green lights across the panel. Altair moved to the rings in the floor before the command chair, and activated the portal.

He appeared a dozen feet from the drop-pod. Vrael and a dozen heavily armed Shock Troopers waited for him. Vrael held up a bundle of equipment. 

"Shipmaster. Warpsight optics, standard tactical vest, and this is a new one," he said.

He held up a vast, blocky rifle.

"C-10 Impaler. Just came up from Procurement. Thought you might like a test fire."

He indicated the straw dummy at the end of the hall.

Altair nodded his thanks, then took the Impaler, and in one swift motion, turned, and fired.

A blue bolt of pure Warp energy arced down the corridor, and hit the dummy. It blasted into a dozen blazing fragments, starting small bonfires on the floor as the burning chunks smacked into the floor. 

Altair looked, half horrified and half in awe. 

"Nice choice, my friend."

Vrael nodded, gesturing with his own rifle. "It's a nice piece of kit, to be sure, boss."

He walked down the gangplank, hooves clinking quietly as he stepped into the pod. His squad cocked their weapons, and followed him.

Ten minutes later, Altair's drop pod smashed into the Cadian soil, throwing up mud and rocks. 

Vrael was first down the ramp, his Impaler in one clawed fist. 

"Spread out. They're no telling what's taken up refuge here since Cadia fell."

Altair noted the other pods touching down close by. A Soulgrinder exited a pod a half-klick from their squad. Vrael put his claw to his ear, as if listening. 

"Altair. Fredric and the Reclaimed report they've touched down two klicks north of our position, over that ridge. They've approached the Pylon. So far we're not recieving any contacts."

Altair nodded, pulling his black cloak tighter around his armor. The surface of Cadia had become a blasted wasteland after Abaddon had decided to simply bomb the planet into submission from orbit. The fleet that had destroyed the planet was still in orbit, in around fifty thousand pieces, Vrael had told him. Cadia was a dead world, full of rotting cities and dust. However, 5,810 black monoliths still stood without a single scratch on their surface. 

The Beacons, as the Daemonicum called them, were built nearly ten thousand years before humanity even reached their moon. The first Council of Deimos decreed the stable route from the Warp would prove useful to their fleets. It was abandoned after the Imperium took Cadia, and turned it into a fortress. 

Altair's armored claws clicked against the polished black floor of the Beacon Prime. Almost imperceptible to men, the Pylon was black. So completely black that the light around it was bent around it, creating a rip in the very sky with it's majesty.

He approached the flat, black altar sat squarely in the center of the structure, Vrael's Shock Troopers fanning out around the entrance. Asmodiel's Heart began to glow softly under his armor. He pulled the gem off, noticing a perfect indentation in the substance of the altar. He placed the amulet in the groove, completing the fine web of golden wire arcing around the altar's sides and top. A greenish glow built around the gem, finally releasing the energy it had been created for.

A silent explosion of green energy shook from the temple, flashing across the planet even as the crew watched from _Stormreaver_ in high orbit. Thousands of green waves radiated from each of the pylons, until the planet glowed with Null energy. 

Khalis watched in awe from the bridge as Cadia rang with psychic energy. He looked in awe at the sensor readouts from the nose of _Stormreaver_

"Shiplord! We're losing warp contacts fast! One diklick! Two deklicks! Five deklicks! The Portal is opneing!"

A massive gate appeared before the ship, almost twenty times the length of _Stormreaver_ in diameter. Altair's contact icon flashed on the scanner.

A crash resonated through the ship as twenty shuttles landed in the hangers. 

"Khalis, engines all ahead full! The Portal to Deimos is only going to stay open for thirteen minutes!"

Khalis grabbed the throttle, and without pausing for a one-liner, pushed it all the way forward, and watched as _Stormreaver_ obeyed it's master's wishes, lurching to full burn and disappearing into the Warp.


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## Dirge Eterna

HELLDIVERS

Altair took a pair of binocs from Vrael. He peered through the goggles, noting the smudge where the Daemonicum's city once stood. A pair of white demons stood, sifting through the ash. One picked up a bone, and motioned for the other.

Vrael edged his Impaler over the crest of the hill, and looked through the gently glowing sight.

"I have a shot."

"Wait. We don't know who they are."

Altair stood up, and silently strode down the decline, until he was ten feet from the demons. 

"And you are?"

The demon closest to him reached for a sword. The second grabbed his hand. 

"We are servants of Lord Damias, the First chancellor of the Daemonica Court. Your leader is to present himself to Lord Damias as soon as possible."

The demon pulled a fat scroll from it's belt and lobbed it at Altair. He caught it. 

Altair's eyes skimmed over the paper, and he looked at Vrael.

"We go. Prepare the _Stormreaver_"

Vrael nodded.

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

An hour later, a black cathedral came into view from the _Stormreaver_'s viewscreen. As they got closer it became apparent the fortress was vast, easily as large as a Space Hulk, and made of the same material as Cadia's Pylons.

_Stormreaver_ found it's way inside the hangers of the base. As Altair, Machira, Uraj, Khalis, and Vrael walked down the ramp, a huge demon clad in marble armor was waiting for them. 

"You would be Lord Damias?" asked Altair, looking the demon in the eye.

"I have that honor, yes."

Altair and his party followed Damias down long corridors, past banner-lined hallways. Altair noted snipers in the rafters and blank-faced demons with larger versions of the Impalers fused to their forearms. Damias noticed his gaze. 

"We must be prepared. The Daemonicum is not the most revered force in Deimos."

Damias sat down at a long obsidian table. Other demons were already seated. Altair saw a lithe, feminine demon surrounded by obviously Slaaneshi demons. A red monster had a cohort of similar creatures. An unhealthy-looking demon sat nearly swamped in Nurglings. A black demon sat with it's arms folded over it's bare chest. A white demon like the ones Altair had seen earlier sat beside the black creature.

Finally, the demon next to Altair was completely covered in a black robe, the edge tattered and frayed. It's eyes shone from a shadow covering it's face. 

Altair took his seat at the far end of the table from Damias. The demon stood up and drew his sword, stabbing it into the globe set into the table. The other demons followed his lead. Altair stabbed Ristvak'baen into the stone. The globe crisped to ash around the blade, but the sword remained firmly embedded in the rock.

"My fellow demon lords, I hereby convene the thirteenth Daemonica Council. Please present your symbols."

Altair looked at Machira in panic. She shrugged.

A squat demon nudged Altair's side with a wooden bowl. Altair noticed a pile of gems similar to Asmodiel's Heart in it. He hesitantly took off the amulet and dropped it into the bowl. Damias nodded. 

"Well then. Altair, as the newest Daemonica lord, and successor to Reyzak, you have the position of Demon Lord of the Segmenta Obscurus. Now, I would like to know how you came by this position."

For the next hour, Altair recounted his journey all the way from his first meeting with Azulanthis on Substance, nearly two hundred years before.

As he finished, a demon ran into the room, obviously panicked. 

He whispered something in Damias' ear. 

The demon lord stood up. "My brothers and sisters, our presence is no longer a secret. Ready every vessel. We go to battle."

The demons let loose a savage cheer, pulling swords and axes from the table and running to the hangers.

Ten minutes later, a call came in.

[All Daemonica ships. This is Imperial Expeditionary Force 001 of the New Imperium. Fight, and all of you will die. Surrender, and most of you will die.]

Altair turned to Uraj at the helm.

"I thought the Emperor was on our side!"

"Apparently not." said the smith.


----------



## Luciferi

Man!

I found this story by chance less than an hour ago.

It's incredible!

Should write a full length book or better yet a series of books in my opinion :biggrin:


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## Dirge Eterna

Thanks! Always like feedback with my stories. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FINEST HOUR

_Everto Justica_ was the largest ship Altair had ever been in command of. It dwarfed the _Stormreaver_, secure in the holds below. Damias had given command of the venerable cruiser to him as a token as much as a weapon for the battle to come. Altair's own crew had been supplemented by the skeleton crew left aboard it during peacetime.

Seeing as peacetime barely qualified as a time in Deimos, Altair considered himself lucky.

The ship was gunmetal grey, never having been painted by the shipyards at Rann. It was nearly two miles long in the beam, and sported enough weapondry to destroy _Stormreaver_ in a quarter-volley. A vast Warp Cannon dominated the prow. 

Altair looked down at the ship from the bridge near the stern. Compared to _Stormreaver_'s few crewmen, the _Everto Justica_' bridge was a scene of barely contained anarchy. 

"Shipmaster! Torpedoes have a lock!"

"Guidance systems running at ninety percent!"

"Broadside batteries ready to fire!"

"_Iridensence_ slowing to engagement speed!"

"Yarakiel squadron forming up at point zero-two-niner."

Altair sat in the command chair, noting with some satisfaction it had holes cut through it, for his wings and tail. He gestured at the weapons station.

"Are all the weapons green?"

The demon nodded. "Aye, all guns reporting one hundred percent."

The sensors demon turned. "We have multiple contacts closing with the fleet."

Altair's comm chirped.

[All vessels, this is Lord Damias of the _Umbra Penitus_. The enemy thinks he has won. He can taste his victory. Already he gloats, and dances atop our bodies. All ships! Raise the colors! Engage at will! For Daemonica, and Justice unending!]

A demon looked to Altair.

"Raise the colors." he said.

A minute later, a black flag ran up the comms spire above the bridge. A white cross with a jagged red symbol through it adorned the flag.

Altair's sensor officer turned again. "Shipmaster! Enemy contacts approaching torpedo range!"

The weapons officer snarled.

"Fire at will, all guns."

_Everto Justica_ lurched as the building-sized Nova torpedoes exited their tubes, streaking towards the first Imperial ship.

"Warp cannon prepared to fire. All hands, brace for firing."

Altair gripped the command seat's armrests.

The ship lurched backwards a dozen miles, as a massive blast of blinding blue-purple light arced to a Retribution-class cruiser, and ignited it.

The ship flashed, then burned so quickly by the time Altair looked again, it was only a charred shell, blue flames licking it's metal bones.

The fleets rapidly closed, firing torpedoes and lances until they closed so far that the broadside guns could turn to fire.

[Shipmaster! Port side gunnery decks have a lock]

Altair activated his comm. [Port broadsides, fire at will!]

Red lasers dueled with purple voidcannon as the two ships fought each other bitterly. The weapons demon turned to face Altair.

"Shipmaster, the torpedo tubes are reloaded. We have a target."

Altair nodded. "By all means."

The demon nodded. "Aye, Shipmaster."

Altair looked at the projection set into a table. The green icons of his torpedoes acred toward the red icons of three Cobra Interceptors. The first dodged by a mile, a hair's breadth in space combat. The second also turned, avoiding the first three torpedoes. The third was hit by two, ripping it in half. The fourth torpedo caught the second Cobra in the stern, blasting it's engines into scrap and plasma.

After an hour of fighting, _Everto Justica_ was hurt. Her broadside batteries had taken so many shots Altair had closed off the portside decks, after evacuating all the gunners. Her main Warp Cannon was offline, after a lucky hit took out it's warp conduits. The torpedoes had run out of ammunition, their crews had reported over twenty kills. 

The Imperial fleet was shattered. The last flagship, a massive, golden Emperor class, was surrounded by a few smoldering escorts. Altair noted one so badly damaged it would never make it out of Deimos.

[Imperial cruiser. Lord Damias has granted you a chance to surrender. Your fleet is destroyed. Your crews are dying. Repent and be granted mercy. Refuse and die.]

[Godless filth! The God-Emperor's new Imperium will crush all in it's path! You will all die!]

A screen to Altair's right suddenly spiked.

"What's that?"

"Energy readings..." said a demon, looking at the screen with fear.

The Emperor-class exploded into a thousand blazing pieces, destroying it's escorts along with itself.

The defense officer spoke into the comm.

"Brace for debris." as though it happened every day.

Altair followed the burning ship until it was caught in Deimos' atmosphere, and plummeted to the planet's surface.


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## Dirge Eterna

LAST CHAPTER!!! Look for _Chronicles of Deimos_ to start on Tuesday or so.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

EREBUS

_Everto Justica_ limped through the debris field surrounding Deimos, her hull bleeding smoke from a dozen holes. Dozens of luckless crewmen had been caught in the blast when the Emperor-class had detonated it's drives. Altair knew his vessel was lucky. More than one Daemonica ship had been destroyed entirely in the blast.

Altair made his way down to the medical bays, greeting singed gunners and oily tech-adepts. His medicae (Altair thought it ironic he himself was a medicae, and having command thrust upon him seemed odd.) was named Iridea. 

When he walked in, Iridea was wrist-deep in a knocked-out broadside gunner. Her tight white robes clashed wonderfully with her dark grey skin and green eyes, much like Altair's own. He swallowed before entering.

"So, how bad is it?"

Iridea chuckled, indicating the medbay. "Could be worse, could be better. Only double-digit deaths so far, I'm not expecting many more. Most of the crew here are stable, more or less. Anybody who died, died before they got here."

Altair nodded. The demon on the table's eyes fluttered open. 

"Uh...Shipmaster. My crew..they-uh. My crew...where are they?"

Iridea looked at Altair with a painful gaze. the demon didn't notice.

Altair nodded imperceptibly to Iridea. 

"They're fine. Get some rest, you'll need it." He said.

The demon nodded, and passed out again on the table.

Iridea sighed and finished stiching the demon's innards back together. She removed her gloves. "It never gets any easier. This is what command is all about."

Altair shook his head. "No, command is about your crew, or squad, or company. Your followers."

Iridea smiled. Altair swallowed again. "Well, then you've already passed your first test. The crews are practically celebrating your name. Last time _Everto Justica_ was called out the 15th Black Crusade blew Cadia apart...they're praying a similar fate won't await them in real space."

Altair looked her in the eye. "That will have to wait, I'm afraid. Damias is taking the war to the southern isles, we're staying in Deimos for the moment, at least until we take Luna's warp gates and can move our forces easier."

"Well, at least you can stay for a while then."

Iridea had a curious look in her eyes.

Altair noticed it.

"My quarters are downstairs, right next to the mess." she said.

Altair smiled. "Can I buy you a drink?"

She looked at the floor, then at the medbay. "I'd like that."

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

Altair's quarters were two levels above Iridea's. At the time, no one was near the room, so only the black sword standing on it's point in the corner witnessed the dramatic scene.

A small splotch of ink appeared on the tapestry hung on the wall. Seconds later, it spread into a line of spiked black letters. 

_Lukas Altair, I know of your enemy. I know his weaknesses, and I know you will need my help. I have seen the future, and it is black with hatred and death. The prophecy at Valhalla was correct. You will need me, and you will need me soon. Look for the black shade at the Rock of Lost Souls. I wish you luck, for you will need it._

Ristvak'baen memorized the note as the ink faded and finally, disappeared from the tapestry, leaving it alone again.


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## Master Andael

good as always


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## angels of fire

I wonder if the writing was from the lictor, I hope so as I kinda liked that guy.


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## Dirge Eterna

Oh, then you'll enjoy the next story I think. As I said before, the Lictor is very, _very_ important to both sides, but you won't know why until the bitter end.

(Unfortunate, as I already know the end! Muhahahahaha!)

See you next time!
-Dirge


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## Ordo Xeno Commander

amazing, simply amazing work dirge. i always enjoy your work.


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