# The Epitaph of the Void Skulls



## Farseer Ulthris (Sep 6, 2008)

The red sun of sub-sector Alaris set the evening sky of the 7th planet on fire that day, and Consul Artemis Gentenus exulted in it. To this unknown soul, the beauty of the local star, Arcturus was the only wonderful thing in his life. To him it was merely needs must, the Emperor's work 'depended' on his job. For all Gentenus cared for, his files could be burned and it would not make a single difference. He looked down upon the city, it's normally dull white buildings were set a radiant flame as the sun set. Suddenly the Administratum building rocked and an explosion tore a hole in his office wall. The universe spun around Gentenus and as his vision cleared, he looked in horror at the inhumanly tall figures that walked through the hole in the wall. They were Astartes, the Emperor's Angels of death, but these were no loyal Space Marines. Their armour was covered in unholy runes and their helmets bare the horns that appeared on Daemons in a mortal's nightmare. The last thing Consul Artemis Gentinus heard was the howling scream of chainblades and the traitor's soul-shattering war cry "Blood for the Blood God!" and his world grew black.

Chief Librarian Valerius of the Pure Spirits joined the chant with his battle brothers. Soon battle will be waged against the traitors who turned their backs on the Emperor's light. The Drop pod rocked against the atmosphere of Alaris VII, it was nearly time. Valerius looked at the Terminator Squad he accompanied, Sergeant Nexu, acknowledged him. "Hail Chief Librarian, what destruction do you have in mind against our traitorous brethren?" "Why Nexu, I plan on turning the foul residue they worship against them, my mind will tear their souls appart and my staff will run red with their blood". The Terminators howled in salute to Valerius' testimony. The drop pod crashed onto Alraunis VII's surface, "It seems the traitors will get their just desserts" exclaimed the Terminator-Sergeant. Valerius looked to the bloodstained hills, what he saw was shocking, even for a holy Astartes. There were bodies impaled on cruelly barbed spikes and flayed skins spread between poles, the vacant expressions still left a hint of anguish and despair. The barking of Bolter fire attracted the Chief Librarian's attention and he charged. Valerius suddenly stopped and to his right he laid his first sight on the traitors, their Red and green armour gleeming in the blood-red sunset. A chorus of war cries lept from their tainted lips and the traitors charged. The Chief Librarian let loose his awe-inspiring powers against the foe. Warp bolt and Warp fire purified the Heretic's flesh. One of the Berzerker's came close and Valerius ducked his axe blow and countered with swift strike through the Traitor's skull. The screaming of chainblades alerted his presence to another Heretic behind him. With a swift gesture, a sword of pure light out of his hand and burned the traitor's soul to cinders. Dark clouds of tainted yellow began to glide over the battlefield and purple lightning struck the sky...

The ruins of Altair city continued to burn, the black smoke grew high into the atmosphere like the souls of the wicked meeting their final judgement. At the the outskirts of the city, stood a figure in Terminator armour, his long black hair blew in the wind, tied in two locks, his name is Garik, Chapter Master of the Pure Spirits. "Chapter Master, our assault is opening the gates, we will end this soon". He looked up to the sky, a bad omen as far as the Heretics were concerned. Garik was then voxed by Chief Librarian Valerius, who told him that the enemy was carrying out a ritual of the Chaos Gods. "Acknowledged Chief Librarian, all Battle Brothers be vigilant of Daemons as you make your way throughout the city, and Chaplain Tantalus unleash the Death companies".

The streets of Altair were running red with blood. The skinless corpses of men and young boys littered the streets. Bodies of women were burnt in the street. The walls themselves were covered in flayed hides and were red with blood. The Chaos Lord, Draukhar stood in St Ignatious' square as he witnessed the ritual come to fruition. The Cultist's chants echoed thr a oughout the ruined city. Each Cultist was adorned with the hides of his first kill, some wore them like a second skin, some stretched the mouths over their skulls, all of which were hiding their horribly maimed faces. "The Blood God smiles upon us brothers! He demands blood, he demands skulls and your devotion the slaughter! What would make a more fitting gift then loyalist scum brethren who cling to that rotten corpse, like babes to their mother's breasts! Soon they will despise the true traitor and our Lord's thirst shall be appeased! Let the blood rain from the sky!!!. The sound of bolt fire sounded nearby and Draukhar saw white and blue Terminator and Power armour. It seems the Blood God will get his tribute much sooner. 

Valerius saw the Chaos Lord and his foul retinue. The growing sphere of warp energy looked unstable. He saw the Daemons within trying break through the barriers between reality and the Realm of Chaos. The Librarian fired his bolt pistol and hit the grotesque Cultists in a spray of blood. Too late did Valerius realise that the Cultists were keeping the rift stable and it began to expand like a malevolent tumour. Then suddenly the rift exploded and engulfed the entire city. 

Brother Arkas of the assault squad leaped through the sky into the din of Heretics. His chainsword roaring and cutting through tainted flesh and his bolt pistol delivering the Emperor's justice to his betrayers. Just as the squad cleared the area a dark light shone throughout the city. Arkas' mind was filled with images of blood shed and Daemons pillaging mortal worlds. He began to feel a rage never felt by a son of Sanguinius, not even by the Death Company members who are going through the Black Rage. A name came into his skull, "Khorne". Arkas tried to resist these dark thoughts but they were strong. His rage emerged and he was no longer Arkas. "I...am...the...Blood..God!!!!. 

Images of horror revealed themselves into Valerius' mind. Images of darkness and Chaos wreaked havoc in the universe. He saw a flayed skin lying on the floor in Imperial Guard flak armour, it began to glow and levitated on a gust of ethereal wind. The empty lips began to move and a warped tone emerged from within. "Chief Librarian Valerius I have been waiting for you". His mind reeled at the implication of the current event, "Where am I Abomination?" The flayed hide laughed an inhuman tone "In the domain of the Lord of Change my mortal friend, you don't think My master would not have found a better opportunity wreak Chaos and he sees great potential in your chapter." Valerius' rightous anger boiled to the surface at the thought of this Heretical abomination asking him to join them "Never!!!" He replied "Never will I fall to darkness Warp Spawn, never will I owe my service to Tzeentch!" The Guardsman flesh laughed again "why Psyker, you have no choice. Your warriors with conflict in their heart have already yielded to savage Khorne, It was agreed between my master and the beast that your Chapter will be shared. After all, to that brute blood is blood". The Chief Librarian's mind reeled with implications, had this all been planned from the start? Had the Pure Spirits always been puppits to the Chaos Gods? The Skin smiled "Many who have yielded to Khorne are your crazed brethren, those who have succumbed to your precious Sanguinius' touch now no longer think of themselves as that effete mortal, now they are Khorne incarnate with each passing moment they will slake their thirsts for death with the chosen of the Lord of Change leading them to wonderful slaughter. But the question is Valerius will you be leading or let this place consume you." The Librarian began to feel comfortable in the fiends presence, he realised right at this moment his desire for knowledge could be quenched and that feeling of needing a purpose could disposed of. Valerius smiled "Very well then I accept". The entity smiled sinisterly "How good of you to accept Librarian, my master has prepared a gift for you to replace that pathetic old Terminator armour, after all he enjoys a conflicted nature". Valerius turned to see a shimmering suit of terminator armour, it's horns blazed with Warp fire and eyes glowed a deep red. Beside the armour lay a staff, it's red form glowed an unearthly blood colour, it's head was the skull of a Bloodletter and from its twisted form leaked blood like an open wound. "A little gift from the Blood god" exclaimed the Guardsman skin. Suddenly a bright flash enveloped the room. 

When Valerius opened his eyes, he was back on Alaris VII. He looked on his body and saw the Armour of Tzeentch had replaced his Terminator armour and the Staff of Blood had replaced his old force staff. His eyes looked upon Draukhar and he laughed an unholy laugh and said "the Dark gods have no more need for you!". The Chaos lord growled, "I have served the gods for many millenia and yet you, a worthless cur have their favour!" Draukhar roared and charged at Valerius. The Sorcerer raised his staff to block Draukhar's strike and a clash of unholy metal rang throughout the square. The Chaos lord rose his second axe and tried to cleave Valerius' head off. Valerius quickly ducked the strike and unleashed a bolt of Tzeentchian fire at the lord of Khorne. The blast hit Draukhar hard and knocked him back a fair distance. The Chaos lord roared again, with twin axes poised to kill. Valerius laughed again "just look at you Draukhar, a simple-minded brute like you would never truly gain the favour of the Dark Gods. Unlike you, the Lord of Change and the Blood God have plans for me and my brothers. Face it Draukhar, you are merely a tool for the Gods aims". Draukar let out a savage howl, his words ringing with rage "You wretched bastard, the Blood God favors me, I bear his mark and I shall live to carry out his holy slaughters". The Chaos lord charged once more, with twin axes raised in the air. Valerius fired warp bolt after warp bolt at Draukhar but he just kept coming. The Sorcerer swiftly dodged the Khornate Champion's clumsy strikes. The ringing of every blow and the sound of searing warp energy echoed throughout the city. 

The Pure Spirits were still locked in a vicious melee, berzerker fought berzerker, with neither side yielding. The remaining sane officers guided their crazed brethren against the foe with a new faith in the Ruinous powers. Nexu and his band of Tzeentchian Terminators were still engaging their foes, his storm bolter firing the blessed inferno shells of their patron. "To Victory in the name of the Lord of Change and the Blood God" he cried. An enemy Berzerker leapt onto the Terminator Champion and knocked him to the floor. The Foe pressed his bolt pistol into Nexu's face but before it could be fired, his head was crushed by the Terminator's power claw. Nexu looked to the square and saw the duel between Valerius and Whoreson Draukhar. All he and the rest could do was to keep the enemy occupied whilst the Sorcerer finishes his duel.

The battle between Sorcerer and Champion continued. Both warriors sustained wounds but they were merely ignored. One due to mystic intervention and other through sheer rage. Valerius and Draukhar were forced into a weapon lock and one pushed against the other. Draukhar saw his chance and landed a powerful kick into Valerius' stomach, which knocked the Sorcerer on his back. Draukhar laughed in glee "So much for your favour with the Dark Gods, cur. Soon all your wretched acolytes will beg for their lives". The Champion of Khorne raised his twin axes, ready to strike the killing blow. Valerius turned his head towards Draukhar and raised his hand. He chanted incantations and a bladed tentacle of energy flew out of his hand and impaled the Champion through his stomach. The Champion gasped in horror at his stomach as the Sorcerer pulled back the tentacle and Valerius laughed in arrogance and pity "Now who is the wretched bastard then, Draukhar". With a swift strike the champions head rolled on the floor and was picked up with Valerius' psionics and he held the head up high and screamed an Unholy cacophany of triumph and his fellow Marines roared with him. 

High in orbit above Alaris VII, the newly-renamed battle-barge, the _Bleeding Corpse_ made its next voyage into the Warp. Valerius looked over his warriors. The Blood rage was upon most of them while those who followed Tzeentch guided them. He looked upon the gibbering madman that was Chapter Master Garik and put him out of his misery. The Sorcerer turned and addressed the Chapter. "Brothers, we are gathered in this holy hall to bear witness to a new beginning. The Pure Spirits are dead, now we are the Void Skulls, free from an uncaring Emperor and now our patrons look at us with approval. We must shed blood and appease our scholarly natures!. No longer are we the Corpses lapdogs, now we have a bigger role to play in this universe! And our next target is the pathetic world of Baxantium!"


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## Farseer Ulthris (Sep 6, 2008)

Finished feel free to give me comments and tips for improvement.


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