//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: A thousand redemptions for a thousand dead sons. // by ThatRarityIsaSpy //------------------------------// "If I am going to given this in layman's terms, The Thousand Sons have decided they want to be a thorn in our sides once again?" "Ach, and here was silly ol' me thinking those wee lassies would have learned something by now." "Magnus the red is intent all destroying us all. Do not underestimate him or his legion." The Emperor said. "With all due respect sah... Why are you asking us of all people? You probably could send Draigo and his lackeys to blast those gits into thin glue... Ah... Bloody hell, why don't you snap your fingers and send those buckoes back to hell? No one likes calling us in because.... well" [Long list of things blown up and ordinances used. Including but not limited to: A "borrowed" cyclonic torpedo, Capital weaponry, An civilized world's storage of nuclear energy and a jar of peanut butter.] "I could... But consider this your ways of paying the administratum back for the few dozen times you turned their assets into scrap metal. Besides... I have more pressing matters to attend to. Both Fraken and Tavish couldn't tell whether or not that was a good thing. On one hand, it could mean that The Emperor didn't take the Thousand Sons seriously because they weren't much of a threat which was plausible.... But what if that for all the threat a Daemon Primarch and his legion posed to The Imperium, they were only the least of their worries? "So." Cypher said as The Emperor paused to think about something. "I hope you and your merry men are all ready. Be warned... You may all not be so merry when this is all over. That is of course, you choose to take this task." "Wait right there boyo... We have a choice in this?" "He would never make anyone do something they didn't want to, especially if it may be hazardous to their well-being. I, of course have yet to add a Primarch to my list of kills." "Enough Cypher." The Emperor said as he broke out of his thought. "Your decision?" "Optional or not, consider this done my liege." Fraken said. "We will depart on your order." "Not so fast my friend, I would like to prepare you for your quest." "Prepare us?" "One does not simply defeat a corrupt Primarch and a wicked army without support." "Fraken. This is a friend of mine. Meet Spike." The Emperor said as he waved at hand toward the lizard that stood about five feet tall. "Spike." The Space Wolf said as he reached out to shake hands with the dragon. "Pardon me for asking, but aren't you a bit.... Umm..." "I can easily grow large enough to snap a Titan in two if you so desire." The deep growl of the dragon rumbled. Something was a bit odd about being threatened by something that only went up to your waist. "My apologies, I meant no offense Spike. My name is Fraken and I am honored to meet a dragon." "Yeah...yeah..." Spike said moodily. "Pleased to meet you too Fraken. My temperament has changed for the worse in light of recent events. A death in the family. "I am sorry to hear that. It may surprise you, but I've had to go through that before as well." "Sounds interesting." "A long and sad story. I will speak of it later once we find ourselves the time. Now then... Who are you supposed to be?" "Your navigator." The Emperor said as he gestured at the unicorn. "She is a mute. Stargazer." "A beautiful and meaningful name. Nice to meet you too." The unicorn bowed her head slightly and nodded to acknowledge her new acquaintance. "My lord... If I may ask one thing, why do I need a a navigator?" "Sub-sector Elysium. Once a beautiful set of jewels in their tranquil crown of space. Now a breeding ground for vermin. The Thousand Sons. Approximately half the sub-sector has fallen to the foul sword of chaos. Many more lives will be lost if we do not hurry. As we can expect, the Thousand Sons have put up warp storms around the sector, preventing any entry and no webway portals are within the sector under our control. The cowards seek to attack targets that may not fight back so easily. However, we know not the intentions of Magnus the red, but we have confirmed reports of him being in the sub-sector. Our mission is to destroy him and his legion. Using the miracles of The Emperor, we have devised a plan to get a fleet in. Any unnecessary loss of life has been deemed unacceptable. Exterminatus will be forbidden until we have confirmed that 100% of the population have been killed or corrupted. Until then, liberation forces will battle the legion across the sub-sector while a strike group will personally strike and kill Magnus. You are warned. Magnus the red is both a cunning and powerful foe. Engaging him in single combat is suicide under any and all circumstances." "Now listen up buckoes! We are that bloody strike group! And you know what? I say that I'll personally stick me thumb that git's good eye and hang on till he's DEAD... I promise to let you sorry bunch of losers help." As one could probably expect, he was met with boos and howls and the occasional piece of trash that got flung at him. Boasts soon filled the room. "I will kill Magnus. Watch me brothers." "We'll get to watch you FAIL you miserable wreck! Watch me and you'll see how it's done." "Ha! You think you can fight? Only I posses the skill to slay a Primarch!" "Keep dreaming children. I will slay that vile monster with my bare hands." "You all forget yourselves brothers." Fraken said as the room finally settled down. "I am the hunter here. Magnus is my prey. He belongs to me. I am certain we all know why. Do I have your words of honor as men that I will get first try against him?" Grumbles rang through the room yet everyone grudgingly agreed. Their leader after all held a long vendetta against the Primarch of the Thousand Sons. "Remind me again. Our agreement was for my service, you would not touch any of these men, women and children. How come that they die, by the hundreds each day, not at the hands of things like aging and disease but at the hands of cruel masters and murderers?" Magnus the Red chuckled nastily. "You seem to forget a few things. I agreed not to hurt anyone dear and precious to you. Like that blind and useless skinflint you seem to care for so much? The frail child of a dead friend? Or your own mother? Everyone else will not receive things such as my mercy." "They are all precious... Their lives... Their souls... You kill them like they are nothing. Where is the shame of a powerful one preying upon those who may not defend themselves?" "Like that of the False Emperor I know you "secretly" still swear allegiance to? Like the citizens of Prospero he slaughtered without mercy or discrimination? Like the sons he massacred that were still loyal to him?" "Are you as intent as dragging his name in the mud as you are with your acts of evil?" "Do not dare to lecture me whelp. Allow me to remind you that you belong to me." "You are wrong Daemon. I will always be free in my mind and my heart. There is nothing you can do to stop that." "It will soon. I will tear your mind and your hearts out. You have no idea how much I will enjoy killing you when the time comes. Allow me to also remind you that as powerful as you are, you are nothing compared to me. You killed Draco with your bare hands? I could have done that in my sleep. You can tear this ship apart by waving a hand? I can destroy the entire planet below with a thought. Now leave. Continue cherishing those pitiful mortals. When their time comes, it will only add to your sorrow. Continue to listen to your good intentions and vitreous conscience. You will reap no fruit from it." "Kertus... What happened?" Sophia asked as she tended to the old woman in bed. She watched as Kertus took off his helmet, his eyes beginning to adopt a strange glow. "Nothing." The astartes spat out as he clenched his fist. His eyes glowed an angry white. "Kertus... Please..." Sophia said as she walked over to the astartes, not seeming to care that he could potentially break her in half just by glaring at her. "Damn him... Damn all of them! I hope they all die and burn in hell!" Sophia jumped back as Kertus flipped the table, punching the floor with his fist in senseless rage. The young woman slid back to the bed containing Kertus' mother, who had begun to watch her son finally let out his anger. "Enjoy yourself while you still can Magnus. I will dance on your grave one day." "Kertus... What did he do?" "More souls damned. What for? So he can grow more powerful. More evil." Kertus breathed as his temper quickly faded. "Sophia... Forgive me for my temperament." "No need to be sorry. We should all be sorry that we're putting you through all of this." "It's not your fault. It is of two people. Magnus and myself. I am too weak to stop his madness." "Kertus...." "I will grow stronger... When I do... I will watch him suffer.... I will see him grieve... I will see him weep bitter tears... I will break him... And when that is all done. When he has suffered like how they have suffered. Like how we have suffered.... I will drive my staff through his eye." "Vengeance will not ease the pain of anyone." Kertus' mother said as she rose from her bed. "Only your comfort can. And knowing my son still has hope.... That's all the comfort I need." "Revenge is not for the sake of the living mother." Kertus said as he took his bedlam staff... Listening to it's attempts of tempting him. "It's for the sake of the dead. I cannot allow them to sleep restlessly knowing that justice had not been served. One day... The Emperor will grant them, will grant me, will grant us the justice we deserve. And the day I drive my staff through his eye will be the day justice is given. For the living and for the dead."