//------------------------------//
// Skarsend the Scourger's Sacrifice 
// Story: PonyHammer 40,000: Magic of War | Dark March 
// by Dragon Heart 
//------------------------------//

	The Blood Phoenixes had surpassed all random warbands that stood in their way, and eventually reached the great Warp Portal. Once it was destroyed, Discord's reign on Cronus would cease. However, Skarsend was still willing to invite them to join their forces.

"Come Siblings!" He exclaimed, "Let us welcome you home!"

"You stopped being our Siblings when you betrayed the Empress, filth!" Goliath shouted.

"Brotherhood is not lessened when one Sibling is foolish, Captain." said Skarsend. "You can still be forgiven."

The Blood Phoenixes unleashed their holy fury upon Skarsend's bastion and razed most of their wicked structures to the ground. Goliath ordered an Orbital Bombardment upon the portal itself, and completely destroyed the massive doorway to the Warp. The portal started releasing violent explosions, and the Pony Marines withdrew from the area. Captain Nule reached the top of the hill, but turned to see Skarsend in the distance, along with a Daemon Prince.

Skarsend looked around in disbelief. "They reject the Word of Discord, my Lord. The faithful here are not strong enough..."

"It is a poor shepherd who blames his flock, Apostle." The daemon bellowed as the portal continued to collapse around him. "This failure is yours and yours alone!"

Skarsend's face, though covered by a horned helmet, grew wide with terror, and he started shooting at the Daemon Prince. "No! I will not go back to the Basilica of Torments again!"

"Fear not, Apostle." The daemon said as it casted its evil magic upon the trembling Discord Lord. "The Basilica is reserved for those who may redeem themselves."

Skarsend fell to his knees as sheer pain gripped his soul. "No... no..." Skarsend ascended into the air and the daemon grinned sinisterly.

"You will have no such chance." And Skarsend was torn to pieces, banished back to his prison to be forever tortured.


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The Blood Phoenixes assault on the black temples of the Sombrio Peninsula replayed the tragic battles of the Horsus Heresy. Once again, Pony Marine fought Pony Marine, one side holding true to the Empress's light, the other fallen into darkest heresy. The Blood Phoenixes faced this battle with zeal, anxious to bring down those who had betrayed all they stood for.

In the end, the Blood Phoenixes weathered the assault of daemons and traitors alike, closing the Warp Gate that was feeding the heretical army and bringing down the fiendish Dark Apostle who led it. As for the desecrated temples and foul shrines that dotted the landscape, the Unicorns of the Chapter cataloged and recorded all their contents. They then undertook the safe transport of these dark artifacts to their Librarium, where they could be safely destroyed.