Prologue: Operation Sacrosanct
Bellicose winds rasp across the scoured plains, leaving sidewinding bands of crimson sand to cover up the crumpled forms strewn across the barren plateau. Here and there, atop the rising crests of shifting dunes and dotted in the shaded gullies lie the remnants of war left to rest beneath the roiling ash grey skies. Iridescent teal battleplate lies splintered and gouged while blood soaks into billowing red cloaks caught in the breeze. Even the wispy pillars of oily black smoke are stolen away in the wind's mournful dirge as time swiftly shrouds the evidence of carnage.
But deep below ground, the harsh staccato roar of death continues.
A harsh blurt of binaric machine code precedes the thunderous crack. Whirling chunks of twisted scrap metal skitters across the polished rockrete floor as the lumbering red giant rounds on its assailants lurking in the shadows.
Harsh red emergency lights strobe the narrow hall, glinting off pocked stanchions and momentarily revealing ghosting shapes darting between metal ribbing. The red monstrosity twists its bulk and sets its stance wider with a hiss of pneumatic pumps. Its shoulder mounted cannon belches rounds in the narrow corridor, illuminating the world in stark monochrome as sparks shower off the support stanchions lining the walls. An errant shot catches one concealed figure, casually tearing off a limb.
With a grunt of pain, the figure ducks back into cover as more muted footsteps echo in the sullen darkness between the barking cannon bursts.
"Effrit two-one, Effrit two-nine register, copy."
The hazy rasp of the cypher encoded vox net gives off a fleeting echo. The figure drops his bolt carbine into his lap before expertly snagging a round krak grenade from his belt. He reaches for the pin with an absent limb before realizing his action. There's a sharp cackle as he stares at the bloody stump that had been severed below the elbow, ending in ragged meat and shattered flecks of ceramite. The limb was gone, but the wound had already clotted. A quick flick of his thumb looses the grenade pin before he blindly tosses the explosive towards the hulking behemoth guarding the end of the corridor.
The bone shaking rapport sends rippling shockwaves through the ground as the mechanical monster reels, a fresh gaping wound in the round sensor dome further mocking its parody of a human form stretched beyond any natural dimension.
The guardian castellax recovers with a shriek of protesting servo motors as it steadies itself. Its roving sensor lenses flick back and forth in telescopic sockets, the delicate mechanisms exposed to the world through the shattered dome.
Through the blistering storm of shot and shell, a wraith passes all but unnoticed. A glimmering spark of light is all that remains after the phantom avoids the strobe light, stalks through a curling tendril of smoke, and disappears among the mangled mass of plasteel beams. The castellax's fire slackens and after a moment, abruptly halts.
The aberration slinks forward, closing the distance in the dark. Far too late, the infrared spectrum lens reveals the hazy figure that hurtles through the gloom hitherto unseen. A warning peel echoes from the castellax's external amps as it swivels its cannon to bear on the ghostly foe, but the first blade stroke had already ripped into the tempered metal skin and sliced through tangled bundles of data cords.
Tall and broad beyond its kin, a falsehood shroud peels back across its shoulder to reveal lustrous black scaled armour. It flashes a pale broadsword dancing with eldritch sparks.
The blade nearly sweeps across the castellax's midriff, bisecting the monstrosity at the waist.
Had the automaton been truly alive, its guts would have spilled out. But, devoid of such concerns, it merely tries to keep itself upright and bring up its one remaining claw to catch the intruder. The hip servos promptly fail as it pitches ungainly in an awkward mechanical stagger.
The slightest opening was more than enough as the broadsword plunges deep into the gaping wound and straight through the neural core at the heart of the construct. With a dying garble of scrap code, the castellax collapses on its side, its thunderous fall echoing in the enclosure well after it had settled.
It had all taken place in less than five seconds. The inhumanly tall figure stalks past the fallen monster that shot winking sparks reflected by a rapidly expanding pool of stinking amnion. It approaches the flashing red wall panel next to a sealed plasteel blast door, careful to avoid the spreading slick. The figure cocks its head to the side, fingers dancing across the access pad which swiftly changes from blinking red to solid green. Atmosphere rushes from the room in a reedy gasp as the door slides upward, revealing a faint glitter deep within the abyssal darkness.
The wounded transhuman warrior hefts himself to his feet, sliding his back against the wall for support.
"Effrit actual, Effrit two-nine reports condition compromised."
The phantom figure doesn't slow, but quirks its head as it disappears inside.
"Confirm. Bring up the Chronos asset."
Dramatis Personae
Individuals listed by company and relative rank as of the events in medias res, after the events of Horus Rising and midway through False Gods.
Spoilers to both works below:
Equestrians:
Celestia- Princess of the Day, co-ruler of Equestria
Luna- Princess of the Night, co-ruler of Equestria
Twilight Sparkle- Princess of Friendship
Starlight Glimmer- Pupil of Twilight Sparkle
Northling Barnyard- Doctor, University of Canterlot Medical department
Moondancer- Graduate Student, University of Canterlot Thaumatological department
Sunset Shimmer- Former pupil of the Equestrian crown
Trixie Lulamoon-Stage performer
Legiones Astartes:
XVI legion: Sons of Horus
Horus Lupercal- Primarch of the 16th Legion, Warmaster of the Great Crusade
Genetically crafted 'son' of the Master of Mankind. "First among equals" of the primarchs. Mortally wounded by the poisoned Anatheme blade during the assault on the moon of Davin.
Maloghurst "The Twisted"- Equerry to the Warmaster and senior diplomat
Timmult Vaddon- Chief Apothecary
Recovered Horus on the moon of Davin, currently in possession of the Anatheme blade for the purposes of study.
Ezekyle Abaddon- First Captain, 1st company
Member of the Warmaster's Mourneval advisory council. Most senior commander under Horus Lupercal, and leader of the Warmaster's Justarian guard. Member of the Warrior Lodge.
Kalus Ekaddon- Catulan Reaver Captain, 1st company
Tarik Torgaddon- Captain, 2nd company
Member of the Warmaster's Mourneval advisory council. Accompanied Garviel Loken in the recovery of the Anatheme blade. Member of the Warrior Lodge.
Horus Aximand "Little Horus"- Captain, 5th company
Member of the Warmaster's Mourneval advisory council. Member of the Warrior Lodge.
Yade Durso- Lieutenant, 5th company
Serghar Targost- Captain, 7th company
Official speaker and leader of the Warrior Lodge.
Garviel Loken- Captain, 10th company
Member of the Warmaster's Mourneval advisory council. Recovered the poisoned Anatheme blade.
Nero Vipus- Sergeant, 10th company
Luc Sedirae- Captain, 13th company
Warrior Lodge's gatekeeper.
Tybalt Marr "The Either"- Captain, 18th company
Accompanied Garviel Loken in the recovery of the Anatheme blade.
Verelum Moy "The Or"- Captain, 19th company
Slain by Eugen Temba during the assault on the moon of Davin.
XVII legion: Word Bearers
Erebus- First Chaplain of the 17th legion
Spiritual leader and founder of the Warrior Lodge, current guest of the 16th legion. Stole the Kinebrech Anatheme blade and corrupted Eugen Temba.
Kal Balakar- Captain, 94th company
XX Legion: Alpha Legion
Alpharius- Twin- Primarch of the 20th legion
Alpharius Omegon- Master of the Effrit, Twin-Primarch of the 20th legion
Non-Astartes
Hektor Varvarus- Commander of the 63rd expedition fleet
Ing Mae Sing- Chief Astropath, 63rd expedition fleet
Eugen Temba- Former Governor of Davin
Corrupted, then persuaded to assassinate Horus Lupercal on the moon of Davin with the Anethame blade.
Ashkub- Davinite Delphos High Priestess
Sabinius "Strider"- Asset of the 20th legion
Young dream strider mystic of the Manataxii tribe.