Heresy

This is an introduction for a massive Apocalypse game a friend and I plan to have on the January meet of the local wargaming club. Thought it would be appropriate to have here.

Pedro Kantor watched the hologram on his tactical desk with mild interest, surrounded by his advisors. A ruined cityscape was layed out across the hologram, buildings which had suffered the wrath of one too many orbital bombardments. He watched intently as a single Shadow Blade on screen drew his spear staff, facing a mighty daemon.

Solaris drew his sword staff and stood with it in ready stance, watching the great daemon of Khorne stride forward. It grinned a wicked smile, drawing a smaller battle axe from its belt, its great bronze armour rattling with the motion. Quickly he pushed his mind into the warp, flooding himself with its power, before standing motionless facing his foe.

Pedro felt his Chief Librarian stir beside him as Solaris closed his eyes, and turned quickly to face him, addressing him quickly.
‘Chief, what presence do you feel?’
‘It was relatively calm in the warp before Solaris entered,’ he replied in a trance like voice.
‘Yes, and what is occurring now?’
‘His presence is like an almighty glowing light, and daemons have flooded towards him. However his defences are strong, nigh impenetrable I would say. He is well rehearsed in this art.’
‘You are withholding something Chief?’
‘There is something strange about this though. The incursion of this world has been led by Khorne, the blood god, but these are not Khornate daemons surrounding Solaris. Their matter is impenetrable. I cannot determine what they are…’
‘What does this mean?’
‘I do not know.’

Solaris leapt forward, his blade glowing in an eerie blue light as he lashed out at the monster, his blade meeting the resistance of a mighty axe. Quickly he switched styles, lashing around with the blunt end of the weapon, digging it into the Bloodthirster’s armour. It roared in fury, swinging its battle axe to meet with his head. He ducked the blow, before pressing his open palm to the Bloodthirster’s broad chest, and unleashed a powerful warp shockwave, throwing both of the combatants apart.

Pedro watched the assault on screen in awe at the warriors skill in combat. He was a true warrior mage, a Space Marine to be truly feared. And yet something was still out of place. He turned back to his Chief Librarian.
‘What are you observing in the warp?’
‘It’s weird, the Khornate daemons have flocked to this area, but have not approached Solaris’s position, the dark presences do not appear to be hostile, rather protecting him from the others. It seems as though Solaris has some kind of protector. A set of powerful minds watching over him.’
‘What do you think it is?’
‘I cannot tell…’

Solaris hit the ground and pumped his legs, throwing himself forward at the daemon, his blade poised to strike. Its axe met him mid attack, digging a great gouge in his thigh plate as he lunged, his blade sinking into the daemons immaterial chest, its matter dissipating in a flare of flames. Quickly he continued the manoeuvre, bringing the staff end of the weapon into the beasts head, lamming it into the ground. Then with one last moment he punched his fist into its chest and unleashed a storm of warp energy, destroying what was left of the daemon.

‘He is a formidable warrior… I have seen Tigarius in combat, and Solaris is certainly strong enough to rival, if not triumph over him...’
‘Master, the warp is breaking apart. The daemons are breaking into reality. They want Solaris’s skull for Khorne’s throne, all of the daemons are bent upon his destruction.’
Quickly Pedro turned back to the hologram, watching as Bloodletter’s and Juggernauts materialised from nothing, encircling Solaris, who merely lowered himself to the ground, and sat, drawing on his power.

Solaris felt them before he could see them, the warp-reality barrier broke apart in pillars of flames, as the Khornate warriors rushed through encircling him. He smirked, lowering himself to the ground, as more and more of the beasts appeared drawing their blades in cries of BLOOD. Then he watched as five black cloaked figures materialised in a circle around him, arms raised in threatening poses.
One of the Bloodletters spoke out of the crowd.
‘So you have brought the change with you? So be it, we will crush you underneath our blades, and war will engulf the warp once more.’

Pedro watched the black cloaked figures emerge, surrounding Solaris and was suddenly uneasy.
‘What are they?’ he asked his Librarian, his hand moving to the Power Fist hanging at his belt.
‘I am currently probing their figures, but they are certainly present in the warp, not minds from our own dimension if they can take a corporeal shape.’
‘I want a company with its attachments ready to drop now, this is getting out of hand, and I want to know what those things are!’
‘Yes sir,’ a nearby captain replied, drawing his relic blade.
‘Master, I cannot determine anything further about them, they have strong barriers around their minds…wait…there was something. A flash of thought, constantly changing…. It cannot be. Their minds feel like Tzeentch. But, Solaris, he is pure; I have entered his mind examined every thought. It cannot be so…’
‘Then you were deceived,’ he returned, turning to his fleet master.
‘Bombard that position, unleash the entire salvo. I want that traitor utterly destroyed.’

Solaris watched as his guardians began to blaze away at the Khornate warriors as a wise voice, as sweet as honey entered his mind.
‘The Lord of Change sends his compliments Chief Librarian Solaris,’ Spoke the daemon of Tzeentch, Solaris’s title spoken in a mocking laugh.
‘I return his compliments, but I wonder why does he send his guard of change to defend me, almighty daemon?’ he returned in a level voice.
‘Why else would the Lord send us, but to offer you the power of Tzeentch? You know the power that you could wield if you join us. The guard are here so we can talk, in relative peace,’ the daemon returned, its voice becoming increasingly enticing.
‘Your master knows full-well that I will not be swayed by his gifts; I have more strength in my brotherhood than I have through him. My friends make me more powerful than Tzeentch ever could.’
‘Are you insulting the Lords power? Do you not understand how powerful you could be?’ the daemon returned, a spark of anger igniting its voice.
‘No I am merely commenting in my faith of my brothers and the Emperor. I have wielded your power, and it cost me more than I gained. Your masters offer has been rejected, now be away with you, and let me fight my own war.’
‘So be it! You will perish here this day, and if you do not you will in another field of battle. You will be destroyed,’ it foretold with one great mocking laugh.
Suddenly his guardians vanished in a flash and the Bloodletters reached him, their blades drawn, glittering red in the eerie light. He drew on the warp, this time more carefully, before sending out a shockwave of energy, blasting the closer daemons off their feet. Quickly he drew his staff and lashed out with ruthless efficiency, taking a life with each blow he made. Then he saw the fiery orbs falling from the sky.

‘The Tzeentch presence is gone my lord, and Solaris remains unchanged.’ The librarian called out with a quick yell to his battle worn Master.
‘So he was not being possessed by Tzeentch, but has been on their side all along.’ The inquisition will be called once we destroy Solaris, and the entire Shadow Blades chapter will be investigated for traces of taint. We will destroy everyone who stands in our way.’
‘But what if it was not as it seemed, there must be another option. He was clean, I viewed his thoughts yesterday. Surely you know how the Chaos gods talk to us, tempt us with their power?
‘Were you able to see his childhood?’
‘It was veiled, very cloudy and unclear…Why?’
‘Because he was hiding it from you. We are going to destroy him, whether you like it or not.’

Solaris quickly considered his options while sparring with the Bloodletters, in a fluid series of motions with his sword-staff. And as he did so, the missiles fell closer and closer to the planet’s surface. Tapping into the warp he summoned a raging inferno, bright blue flames spiralling out from around his figure, incinerating the Bloodletters that attempted to assault him. As the fire crackled around him Solaris built up his power once again, forming a blue orb around himself, before laying layer upon layer of protection upon it. Quickly he let the inferno die down, as he continued to fuel his shield, placing more and more power into it. Then the first missile hit the ground, lighting with the power of a star, reducing the landscape to rubble.

Pedro watched as the missiles impacted, exploding in great pillars of flame and destruction.
‘Will he survive the bombardment?’ he asked his Chief Librarian, his Power Fist glinting in the low light.
‘I do not think anyone is capable of surviving an entire bombardment, and his presence has been erased from the warp.’
‘You think there is more to tell?’ Pedro asked, an angered tone in his voice.
‘ He was doing something with the warp before they impacted that I have never seen before. I do not know how or why he was manipulating the energy, but he was.’
‘Then he is alive, and we launch the attack.’
Pedro turned away, activating his communications channel.
‘Crimson Fists, we are launching a strike against this traitor Solaris, and any Shadow Blades that oppose us. Launch the assault now!’

As Solaris felt the last missile blast fade away he let his shield disintegrate, and landed roughly on his feet, using his swordstaff as support.
‘Causen, I just became the target of an orbital bombardment from the Crimson Fists strike cruiser. Can you get Pedro on the line and see what is up?’ Solaris spoke into his mike, the earth around him marked, and dug out in great gouges.
There was a minutes silence over the communications before Causen’s even voice replied over the channel.
‘Every attempt to hail Pedro has been met with static. It is almost as if he is ignoring or jamming me.’
Solaris turned back to the sky, still resting heavily on his staff, to see the first of many teardrop sized objects punching holes through the clouds. A second later they were followed by the mighty roars of Thunderhawk Dropships, and the descent of a great Gravity Chute. A Titan had been dispatched. The Crimson Fists had come for a purge.
‘Causen, keep trying to establish contact, and mobilise the Shadow Company. The Crimson Fists have dropped an entire battle company of Marines. Oh, and I would suggest calling upon ‘Dark Blade,’ they have a Warhound.
‘Are you insane Solaris, this would be seen as heresy!’
‘Then it is not our heresy, they are approaching my position, ETA ten minutes.’
A deep, controlled voice interrupted their chatter.
‘Causen, you will lower your arms, and undergo an inquisitorial investigation. Your psyker has been marked as a heretic, and if you proceed to defend him then you will be eradicated.’
‘Pedro, I will not have this assault on my chapter’s honour go unanswered. Call off the assault, and let us discuss this like Space Marines.’
‘I am not a worshipper of Chaos, Pedro. You know that all are tempted by the dark gods. They have just taken a particular interest in me due to my… abilities. This is not the fight that we should be putting our effort into. There is a great threat…’
‘Silence heretic! Your chapter shall be expunged from this world. Prepare to be destroyed.’
There was a moments silence before Causen spoke again, over an open airway.
‘Thanatos, ready the Shadow Company. The masters and I shall drop to support you, and Dark Blade has undergone mobilisation. This means war.’