A Grimdark Time

[Sovereign]

@Sovereign


@NecroKnight

A Grimdark Time



​

The 41st century is a time of unspeakable horrors, of foes on all sides bathed in human blood and thirsty for more; it is the 11th hour of the Imperium of Man. The Emperor remains on the Golden Throne of Terra, his life force dwindling with every passing day and no heir to carry his legacy into the future, no paragon to carry his banner into the abyss. The Tyranid Hive fleets force their tendrils ever deeper into the heart of the galaxy, the Orks continue their rampaging Waaagh's through known space costing world after valuable world. Chaos, renewed in their thirst for conquest of the material galaxy have reinvigorated their Black Crusades against the false-emperor.


The Inquisition and the Grey Knights wage war against the forces of Chaos with great valor and vigor, but without hope --without a new piece on the board, humanity is doomed to fight and eventually fail. Without intervention, humanity will die.

​

When the answer to their desperate prayers came into being, the Order Hereticus and their Grey Knights did not immediately recognize it. A Star Child, much like the Emperor himself slipped into the universe as any other child did, and grew like any other child until the day his horrendous power began to manifest itself. A potent psyker and intellectual genius, by his teenage years the Star Child had master much of what ordinary men could only hope to achieve before they died of old age. Words of his deeds spread, and the Inquisition found him.


Fast forward to his maturity, the Star Child --known now by his name as Argus Delayinder-- has proven beyond the shadow of any doubt that he beyond the scope of mortal man. His ability to combat Chaos and win the hearts and minds by force of will or blade echo a tune eerily reminiscent to the Emperor himself. The more devout of the Inquisition believe that the Emperor's final message alluded to a soul like Argus to take his place. But this new Star Child did not share the Emperor's... penchant for divinity.


In fact, perhaps that was the point? Argus did not share his hatred for xenos --in fact he'd divined quite clearly the fates of every race in the event that they stood alone. Eldar, Tau, Human, destroyed by one of the major galactic enemies. The Tyranids absorbed the Orks, and Chaos battled endlessly with the Tyranids until biomass ran dry. Alone, there was no hope. So perhaps the solution, was not to stand alone --to face down the howling dark as stubborn and proud.


Argus did not desire to stand regal and ornamented as an increasing number of Inquisition started to recognize his divinely inspired authority. He preferred to stand and fight and dress like the rank and file. He wore the armor of the Grey Knights, and led them into battle against the forces of Chaos whenever they started to encroach. In truth, Argus bided his time, waited for the inevitable notice of Farseeing eyes to catch a glimpse of his psychic presence. Maybe then, on those terms he could forge something new --something powerful on which to base the foundation of galactic salvation. Not just for humanity, but for all the worthy, all the steadfast, all the just, all the repentant.

​

The time for change is nigh. The old Emperor failed, his image twisted into corrupted divinity. Argus was determined not to make the same mistake --whatever the cost. Civil war would come with his actions, but he stood ready to face it with the most elite the Imperium had to offer.

 

[NecroKnight]

Eldar Farseer Ammanel of Craftworld Uthera - knew that the time of the end was coming. She knew it from the moment her Craftworld, Utheral was consumed by the wrath of the Tyranid. All their psyhic might, and against creatures of pure rage and hunger they were powerless.


They could do nothing, but watch as a mighty Hive Fleet descended upon their home - the Imperium barely could splinter a Hive Fleet. One Eldar ship against an entire Hive Fleet was a mockery of which even the Laughing God Cecograth wouldn't even find funny. They defended with everything they could, yet it wasn't enough - they fought with their greatest might; but their were doomed to fail.


A few were allowed to escape, gathering as many Infinity Stones as possible - and retreated to the Webway; she held that Way open as long as possible. Battling the Tyranids as they came through - but even she was destinied to fail. At the last moment, as the final door was breached - she was hurled into the Webway. At that moment, she knew her Craftworld was lost.


She wandered the Webway, lost and alone. As the others had escaped - she walked endless ways for an unknown time. The pain of losing all, yet being unable to even end her own anguish - in by facing a greater end than death. As thus, her road let into the very heart and entrance to the Black Library of Chaos. Having been let in her sorrowed time by the Harlequins to the greatest base of knowledge against Chaos.


And like all curious ones, she was allowed access and she learned. The greatest powers any living Eldar could wield in their lifetime - and also a dark prophecy. Her Craftworld was the first; as the Human Imperium would fall - so would the gates that held back Chaos, Tyranids, Orks and Necrons. Their way was death against a foe which was just too powerful to defeat.


...only one hope remained, and it was as dangerous and unbelieving as the last. The Imperium of Man would fall - it would be needed, yet if a new seed could be planted it would fan the flames of retribution and crush any whom would stand against its light. But this Empire couldn't stand alone; they would need others - lead by a man of light and fire, that was equal to the greater Emperor once.


...she heard of one, such as that - whom was starting to walk among man. As such - the way was clear; the Harlequins of the Laughing God joined her on her journey - as the final dance was about to begin, and they would join the stage for their perfomance.


...she understood, why only they knew about this sanctuary. Only a truly god a madness and hilarity could stomach the irony - of your survival and existence depending on the race you considered a simple animal, mongrel and yourself being above them.


"...the last dance of the Eldar has begun..." spoke Ammanel, as she listened to the final calm of the place - before she walked out of this mad-library.

 

[Sovereign]

Epsilon Arcturus quaked beneath the thunderous might of Imperial combat, a world fully gripped by the pull of Light versus Chaos. The banner of the Grey Knights flew high and proud above the Imperial formation as the Ordo Hereticus brought its full weight to bear against the forces of Chaos blackening the skies above Arcturus. To sacrifice the world offered little tactical value, a Black Crusade was upon them and unless they broke the enemy here they'd soon press into more tactically valuable worlds. Argus saw this, could feel it in his very bones. This Crusade need die there and then. His comrades fought with unparalleled vigor, the Inquisition came to see and understand the power seeded in the Star Child as even did the Grey Knights themselves. To follow Argus was not heresy, it was the will of the Emperor --even if others may not yet agree.


The Imperium should have been losing, should have faltered beneath the weight of so many coming to bear on so few. But the Adeptus Astartes did not buckle, nor did the Imperial Guard attached to the Ordo Hereticus. They held strong against the unceasing waves of Chaos-tainted horrors. The Chaos Marines felt a chill in their bones the likes of which many old legionnaires remembered. It felt like the Battle for Terra; it felt like the death of Horus. It felt as if the Emperor's blade pressed hotly to their thoughts, as if the dead god-emperor himself had risen from his throne to stand against them. The feeling unnerved the miscreants and cretin of Chaos, and the very air itself boiled with warped unease. The forces of Chaos, despite their single-minded resolve to continue, grew anxious.


On the frontline, a Grey Knight flanked by an escort of 1st Company Terminators took the fight to his foes. Clever use of tactics and terrain won him many encounters to date, and this looked to be another victory notch in his belt. The storm bolter mounted on his gauntlet barked and the massive slugs sawed a Chaos Marine in two; the massive rounds punctured and pockmarked the armor a split second before exploding violently, rending flesh and bone from the host in smoking curls of armor-shrapnel. The forces of Chaos died as they lived: vile and ugly. Argus did not hold his position, he promised his comrades an advance without delay --and so he continued.


Glittering arcs of his Force Glaive cut bloody swaths through the Chaos taint, and the marines howled as they died. The force of Argus' mind and psychic capacity practically melted them when the force weapon passed through. The Star Child jerked as if struck by a shadowy sledgehammer, his shield flaring angrily. His head cocked toward the Chaos Sorcerer who'd deigned to cast at him. His hand shot out and the Sorcerer was arrested by invisible hands.


"Chaos taint! You will never cast again! Evolution is a blessing of Mankind, not the corrupted amalgam of twisted intent!" Argus curled his fingers and the black-violet armor of the sorcerer began to buckle, blood trickled thickly from the joints of the armor. He howled and gagged as the armor constricted him. "Die where you stand!" The Star Child clenched his fist and the armor crumpled like an empty can under the weight of a boulder. A sickening crunch-squish sound erupted to accompany the geyser of blood and gore the spouted forcefully out of the armor's crushed remains.


"Forward my brothers, we own this day! Now claim the field!"

 

[NecroKnight]

As the fight continued and the Chaos Space Marines began to loose ground; all save for the Servants of Khorne would have the drop of fear - sneak into their mortal' souls. For while the Khornates were too gone in their bloodlust to care, if they were victories or dead; the rest with any reason left in their skull, would know that this would be the time they would be destroyed. And with maybe some luck, enabled by their patron god to be revived - unlikely given the aura one of those Grey Knights gave off.


...albeit, one Chaos God was remarkably watching this event unfold; and the agent it sent forward, would shake even a regular Space Marine to its core.

The warp opened in the sky, and one daemon soon came out of it - landing suprisingly gently onto the midst of the Chaos ranks. That halted, their slow crawl backwards. To a Chaos Warhost - seeing one of these men or non-men now lead on the field, would turn any Chaos campaign into a bloody slaughter against anybody whom they were up against. Standing to almost half the height of a Titan - one that beheld only admiration among the Noise Marines; distaint amongst the other servants of Chaos. And full hatred against the Space Marines of the Emperor.


For standing against them was one former Primarch, once considered the most perfect - now a perfection of Chaos; Fulgrim of the Emperor' Children. This would be a battle, that would shake the very foundation of the planet.


"Servants of the Corpse-Emperor, your end has come. Prepare to die in the most painf-AAH!"


All went silent at that moment, as the Chaos servants looked in shock and silence - as a Primarch, a Daemon Prince; was struck by a lightning from the sky. Something that would do nothing, but maybe 'tickle' a powerful servant such as this - but against Fulgrim, it knocked the traitor onto his back. Standing to the side, overlooking a hill - was a single figure, an Eldar.


"To the servants of the Chaos Gods, only death awaits. And that was a gift from the Eldar, traitor human!" spoke Ammanel, her voice carrying over the battlefield. She struck her battle-spear against the ground once - and an army of Harlequins appeared next to her, ready for war and conquest.


"Make peace with your Chaos Gods....cause you shall receive no mercy!" she added, before the entire Eldar warhost, charged forward. Appearing only as an ocean of blue whisps, that were aimed at the Chaos forces.

 

[NecroKnight]

@Sovereign