The Immortal Host

Warcry: Varies between Companies

Founding: First Founding

Successors Of: Jade Lions

Successor Chapters: N/A

Number: 2nd

Primarch: Sumeresh

Strength: Estimated between 110,000 and 160,000 at the height of the Great Crusade

Legion Master: Vizier Vahid Khorram-Din

Homeworld: Terra (Originally), Sivinar

Fortress Monastery: N/A

Allegiance: Imperium of Man

Colours: Varied between rank and company, base dark beige

Status: Subjectum Extinctus

### Their Journey

#### Terra

After the Achaemenid Empire swore its allegiance to the rising Imperium of Man the once Emperor Orchamus pledged his massive army to the Imperium in the beginning as the Treaty of Sek-Amrak decreed. Though Orchamus continued to govern his people, hearing of the Immortals' deeds as they went, he also began a new campaign to increase the opinion of the Imperial forces who were now stationing themselves in Pershah. As the years of the Unification Wars dragged on, a close friendship grew between the Emperor of Man and Orchamus, the now Lord of Great Pershah. The two would communicate from across the planet as the Emperor campaigned, many times simply talking of texts the pair would recommend to each other, though on some occasions the two would debate philosophy and the meaning of all things.

While Orchamus ruled from the Golden Citadel his armies marched in tandem, and sometimes even ahead of the Thunder Warriors. War after war, battle after battle, the Bronze Hosts and Immortals helped to break down the filthy tribes and so-called “civilisations”. From Maurya to the Nord-Afrik Conclaves the armies never ceased their marching, their endless campaigning angered the Thunder Warriors who were meant to be the best foot soldiers on Terra. Though not all hated the Pershahan troops for the Custodians, the Emperor’s finest warriors to that point felt differently. They appreciated the Immortals especially, for they too loved not only the fight but also the pursuit of greater knowledge of arts and history.

Lion Marshal of the Immortals and Bronze Hosts, Vahid Khorram-din, led his men across the vast expanses of Terra with pride. He was the Last King of Babylonia and seventh son of Orchamus, a mighty figure who commanded respect and power with the sway of a mere finger. The Marshal of the Lion Armies was a man feared by barbarian and mutant forces alike for he gave no quarter to his enemies, though many times his tactics were undermined by his right hand man, Elorahim Coelur. Coelur was the Last King of the Armania and sought to help mutant civilians that would be caught out for he hoped to cure them. On the other side of Vahid was Omar Aziz, Last Son of the Great Road and King of the Immortal Pass. Omar held no strong opinions other than those that placed his men in the thick of the fight, while he didn’t believe he could cure the mutants, he could see that some were just as innocent as the average civilian.

Though war had enveloped the world, life on the homefront of Great Pershah was business as usual. As Orchamus wandered his great halls he would often find himself speaking with the Emperor, whether by vox, hologram or mind. Often they’d find themselves locked in matches of chess and other mind games. When the two weren’t challenging each other to games of intellect they’d speak of philosophy, the universe and the true meaning of life. For decades these intellectual giants would communicate as true friends, sometimes even sharing life stories in which Orchamus would learn pieces of history not recorded in the Historic District of his home.

Sadly all men must feel the pain of time in their own right. During one of their many psychic meetings Orchamus became nauseous and collapsed in his personal garden. Within seconds the Custodian Guard who had been tasked with defending the palace stormed the room and brought the unconscious man to his chambers with immediate aid being applied as the royal doctors began working. Mithras, the Custodian who came to Orchamus’ aid, stayed by his side the entire time as he went in and out of consciousness until the Emperor himself relieved him of his watch.

A week later the friends would meet for a final time in the Golden Citadel. Here Orchamus would express his happiness in knowing a man so knowledgeable as the Emperor, wishing he could’ve seen the stars united at his side. The Emperor for his part stayed and talked with the frail old man, speaking of history and arts. For an entire night they spoke of it all, but by morning the Emperor looked upon his dear friend who now lay motionless before him. The Emperor deemed the glorious man worthy of something great and ordered for Mithras to be placed at his tomb to watch over it until he was recalled. Mithras would take up the position with honour as he marched to the great door with the final procession of nobles and Immortals.

While life on the homefront was relatively normal for the Pershahans, their military saw its most action since the Age of Strife. The bulk of the military was made up of the Bronze Hosts, a mixed force of highly motorised artillery and infantry that could rapidly deploy to any front to patch up gaps or hold an enemy force at bay. The Immortals were something higher, something better than the average man. They were the best of the best that were both recruited from the Bronze Hosts but also those that would be trained specially from birth. The Immortals were elite mountaineer heavy infantry capable of withstanding the worst conditions with the gear that had been crafted specifically to face the worst.

The campaigns seen by the Pershahan forces were some of the worst, whether they’d been voluntary, necessary or forced upon by their allies in the Thunder Warriors. From first contact with the Imperium to the Battle of Ararat, the Pershahans fought gallantly in service to the Imperium of Man. Fighting in conditions that would kill any normal human in seconds with the help of gear made in the foundries of O-Armana, the Pershahans became renowned for their actions across Terra.

##### The Grudge War; Europan Campaign

While on campaign in the West heading for the Old Atlan Sea the Imperium would meet the Europans. The Europans were savages, savages who the Pershahans deeply hated, and at their heart was Hive Ru’oma and the Citadel known as the Vatikan. While the Thunder Warriors pledged to the fight, as the Lion Armies beset themselves upon Ru’oma the Thunder Warriors chose to “tactically withdraw” to begin scouting the lands of Albyon to the North. Not one to back down from a fight that was destined to be, Vahid sent out the call to his forces besieging the fortresses of Miln and Vehnichi ordering them to take the forts with speed and prepare for a brutal battle.

As the siegeworks were set up around the hive both Elorahim and Omar deployed themselves personally to Miln and Vehnichi respectively. In Miln it took less than two weeks upon Elorahim’s arrival for the walls to fall and the garrison to give in. In Vehnichi things were not as well off however, as Omar deployed his men he found that the Europan forces had rapidly expanded outside of the fortress and dug in deep with trenches that had bunkers built encircling the entire mile wide fort. Seeing the fight wouldn’t be easy he sent out a request for reinforcements to Miln, this request and its messenger would never arrive at the taken fort.

After three weeks of brutal attacks on his line Omar found himself cursing the name of Elorahim. Without even a response he had caused the battle, no, the siege, to be drawn out longer than the tacticians had anticipated by an entire week. With clenched fists Omar rallied the men and prepared for a daring assault that would take the fort in mere hours. Taking note of the troops, Omar divided them up; on the right would be the 12th, 16th, 17th and 21st Bronze Companies while in the centre would be the 25th, 26th, 35th and 42nd Bronze Companies and to the left would be the 50th, 51st, 52nd and 53rd Bronze Companies. The centre would be supported by the legendary 4th Immortal Company composed of troops from the Indkush led by Dalir Jahanshah, while the left and right would be supported by the 300th, 321st, 322nd and 325th Mobile Artillery Companies.

Troops were allocated to their positions along their trenches and makeshift bunkers during the day, most being hidden within the dugouts to hide the increased numbers from the Europans. As the moon over Terra took the sky and darkness washed over the land Omar sent out a single message, “Feast, Djinn.” As the message was received by the line officers a silent call was sent out and the force made its move.

Silent through the night they crept over no-man's land ready for a stray Europan to see even a single one of them. Though that call never came as they reached the forward trench and found it to be completely empty. As the troops began to spread themselves out they soon found the mangled bodies of the Europans strewn everywhere within the trenches. On the far right of the assault the officer of 12th Company, Sada Abed, ordered his men to a halt as mutants began to appear from the dugouts and assault them as they moved up the line.

Engaged in a deadly melee, the 12th would take extensive defensive positions, using the dead Europans as both cover and a way of pushing the beasts back. Abed pulled his forces close to the wall and ordered a runner back to one of the other companies in search of help. As the runner made his way down Abed ran the opposite way, keeping the men up and fighting as the mutants continued piling out. Within minutes the dugout entry ways were clogged shut yet it did not stop the mutants as they clawed through the fallen and out only to take the place of the dead.

As the runner from the 12th arrived to the secondary trench he found both the 16th and 17th engaged in a similar situation. Seeing no help would be here he ran on to find the 21st, while running he looked up to see the rockets of the artillery racing across the sky towards the fort. Upon finding the 21st in relative peace as they searched the dugouts he ran to find their commander. After a minute of searching he found Commander Saro Shafi and explained the plight of the other companies.

Shafi instantly called up his men and ordered them to immediately reinforce the other companies. Having six soldiers split into two groups of three, he ordered them down the line to tell the other companies of the situation as well. As Shafi and his men made it to the 16th and 17th they immediately put themselves into the thick of fighting. The runner made his way back to the 12th and found them in dire straits. He was forced to cut himself a path through the fallen mutants who were now seen to be streaming out the holes they’d dug through the trench walls.

Upon finding his commander the runner proclaimed the situation and was ordered back into the fray proper. With minutes passing and the mutants still coming Abed had almost begun to lose hope as he saw his men start to fall. As one of the faster beasts had begun to leap onto the commander faster than anything it fell at his feet in two pieces. The men stopped firing as the enemy were torn apart in mere seconds. As the slaughter stopped the soldiers knelt in honour, for before them stood one of their greatest allies, a soldier of the Adeptus Custodes.

As the soldiers were beckoned to stand Abed approached the Custode, and requested to know what he was doing here. The golden giant refused an answer but said that the soldiers were no longer required to take the fort as it was now under control. Abed was confused but let that die down, turning he told the men to take up the fallen and prepare a convoy for them, as was custom to the Pershahans. The Custode followed them as they made their way back to the line, where it would be revealed that three other Custodes had arrived as well, along with the legendary Constantin Valdor.

Valdor came with orders from the Emperor himself meant for Omar. He was meant to reform his force and head South to engage in the Siege of Ru’oma with the rest of the Lion Army groups. Omar, knowing the extreme weight of such orders wasted not even a second, leaving Valdor where he stood as he took to commanding the officers to load the men onto transports and to ready them for another long siege. Valdor ordered a single Custode to follow the dead convoy back to Pershah, though no reports would ever come back on the bodies arriving.

After a day of rapid travel South the 2nd Army found themselves in the meat of a particularly brutal siege. The 1st and 3rd had pushed into the city with support of the Custodes that had been sent to deliver the Emperor’s orders. With the 2nd and the Custodes back Vahid personally visited his companions who were pushing forward to plug in the gaps around the hive. Vahid greeted Valdor personally with a greeting the two had become accustomed to with each other.

Upon greeting Omar however, Vahid was met with instant questioning as to where Elorahim was. Vahid took a minute to calm the heated general down, explaining that Elorahim was resting in a hospital behind the lines after sustaining wounds in the fighting in the Colfortan District. Omar explained the situation that had taken place back in Vehnichi and wished for swift punishment to be wrought upon his counterpart. Vahid told Omar that no action would be taken as no wrongdoing had taken place on Elorahim’s part. This obviously infuriated Omar, though before he could express it Valdor beckoned him to silence.

Omar stayed his words immediately and listened as the massive being in the corner of the ruined hall spoke. Valdor explained that a commando force from the Northern Wastes has intercepted all messages between the three army groups. This had been why the Custodes had been deployed and why the Thunder Warriors were now legitimately taking to the North. Omar hung his head in shame as he realised he’d let his emotions run high instead of thinking things out. Vahid placed a hand on Omar’s shoulder and reassured him that it was understandable, but that now was not the time to mope about and pout.

As Omar departed the hall for the fight, Valdor and Vahid sat across from each other on some rubble. The two sat in silence for a moment as the sound of violent clashing in the distance entered their minds clearly again. Vahid looked up to his golden counterpart in the Custodes and asked plainly what had truthfully happened to cast the ire of the Imperial Court to the West while the crushing of Dume and his empire was in full swing. Valdor explained that no mere incursions were coming from the North, these attacks and raids were perpetrated by the iced covens and dark masses of Skandi and the Maulland Sen Confederacy. Vahid let out a sigh as he stood, nodding in silence, with nothing left to ask he left for his men and the fight once more.

Valdor would ensure victory here as he and his few Custodes remained in the city. Within a week the walls of the last citadel within the city would fall as rockets and hardened soldiers washed over its expanse with vicious zeal. As the Vatikan fell beneath the black and gold tide above, in the long forgotten depths of the citadel a small detachment led by Valdor and the three generals would uncover an almost endless hall of artefacts from humanity's long lost history. As the men fanned out across the hall in search of any possible enemies that may be hiding away the four great leaders stood together, looking upon a particularly interesting row of artefacts.

***An excerpt from Ayrum’s “Terran Campaigns, Volume III: The Grudge War”***

*Valdor stood and watched the three men as they looked upon the objects before them. Elorahim was the first forward, taking up the gilded sepulchre that was in the case before them, “Bloody heavy.”*

*“Must be an ancient weapon.” Omar remarked as he stepped to be beside Elorahim.*

*“Two handed mace would be effective against most armour, so possibly.” Elorahim said in response as he swung it about a bit.*

*Vahid stepped forward and gently touched what looked to be a silver deathmask. As his fingers glided gently along the detailing he looked over to Omar and Elorahim who were stumbling over to the other displays, “Say, there’s bones over here.” Elorahim said as he bent over with the sepulchre on his shoulder.*

*Omar looked over and found an ancient tome encased in a large clear box, “Old tome, looks like it could be his story?”*

*“Maybe, could be his mask over there.”*

*“And that his weapon.” Omar said, gesturing to the sepulchre.*

*Vahid stepped away from the displays and walked over to Valdor who was sitting atop a pile of ruins. Sitting on a fallen column he looked up to his golden friend, “Constantin.”*

*“Yes?”*

*“When the city is suppressed we’ll bring in another squad and begin the moving of all artefacts to the Historical District.”*

*“No.”*

*“No?”*

*“These artefacts are deemed as disposable, by the Emperor’s will they shall be laid in fire and burned to nothing.”*

*“What? Why are these relics so feared?” He stood and took a defensive stance against Valdor, “What things could they have possibly done in the past, what have they done that even the mighty and most glorious Emperor of Man could not bear to keep in his wondrous reliquary that we have given unto him?”*

*“You know not of what you speak Vahid, those items have dammed untold trillions to death.” Valdor said as he sat up on the rubble, “They deserve to be destroyed.”*

*“That’s a ridiculous claim, by that standard the lot of us should be taken by fire and flame as well.” Vahid let out a sigh as he looked back to see Omar and Elorahim still theorising the artefacts stories, “What is the true history of this place and its owners, Constantin?”*

*“This palace of decadence was once owned by the Catherik, it was one of their supposed holy cities but was more a treasure trove than anything. From here wars of vile proportion were launched across the globe with extreme prejudice. Their religion was one of the most violent this planet had been cursed to hold.”*

*“And you believe my people would fall to that? We have not known the scathing touch of religion for centuries, Valdor. We have lived by his truth for years, and before that? A strong atheistic technocracy followed by all our tribes and kingdoms. We care not for cults and religion, we care only for history and advancement in life.”*

*“Would you bring this argument before the Emperor?”*

*“I would walk the wastes with but a simple knife for ten years if it meant these artefacts were displayed.”*

*“I often forget how zealous your people are for such things.” Valdor sighed, “I’ll decide the fate of the artefacts after the entire vault has been secured.”*

*Vahid bowed, “I thank you, Constantin.”*

##### The Desolation of Skandi; Dire North Campaign

By now the Lion Armies were battered bloody by their continuous campaigning. It had been ten long and gruelling years since any had last seen their homes. Many forgot when they’d even left for that first campaign into Europa, but many had the fresh scars of their last campaign through Danz in Gran Prus. It was the last techno-barbarian enclave they’d fight on their own as by now the Eastern Fronts had all collapsed and the Imperium was here in full strength now.

In the ruins of the once great spaceport of Old Badern the bulk of the Imperial command met for a conference to plan the first major combined offensive. The city had been chosen as it was closest to the front while also being far enough away to be safe for such an event. Commanders from all army formations attended along with the main leaders of the Thunder Warriors and Custodes, but the true pinnacle came from the organiser, the Emperor himself.

For the first time in many of these young men's lives they were able to see the man who had been able to rally so many millions under one banner. Many of those same young men collapsed as the Emperor appeared before the congregation but were quickly resuscitated by the comrades. For the next three days plans would be drawn up for the push against the last enemies of the Imperium that lie North of the equator. In a powerful speech that lasted for more than six hours the Emperor laid out the plans for not only the coming invasion, but also for the Unification Wars as a whole going forward.

After the conference ended all forces were positioned for hundreds of miles around the border of Great Skandi. After a week of preparing everything required for this great campaign was ready and in place. With but a single word it began, millions of men and machines washed over the mountains and basins, slaughtering all who stood against them. On the Southernmost front were the Pershahans, the Immortals clad in their black and gold, the bronze Hosts in their tribal colours and their great officers shining bright in their silver armour with multicoloured cloth about them showing their achievements.

As their artillery bombarded the dens of the Northmen the infantry burned any village or pocket of resistance they found, as the Emperor decreed, none were to be spared. With fire and an unforgiving zeal the Lion Armies ripped through even the strongest of forts and complexes as they went along on their warpath. To their right were the Thunder Warriors, with their thousand strong ranks and modified bodies burying the black masses beneath their bloodthirsty might and inhuman willpower. On their left were the Custodes and their Emperor himself, their golden ranks melting the witches and their thralls with ease.

While the Battle of Maulland-Sen was the killing blow for the Dark Brotherhood in the North it would be the Battle of Morlesk which would be the death blow of the Thunder Warriors. As the Thunder Warriors, Auxilla, Custodes and Emperor prepared to face the Priest-King in battle at Maulland-Sen the Lion Armies and two other formations were tasked with destroying the complex around the black pits of Morlesk. In support of the Lion Armies were the Outland Road Warriors of Oseania and the Great Expanse Tribes of Merica. These supporting forces had joined the Emperor's retinue during the Decimation of the Pan-Pacific and the Subjugation of Merica respectively and voluntarily.

Though the battle was at first normal and easy as most had been during the campaign, it was found that this would soon rapidly change as the second line of bunkers were taken by the Mericans. As the men began to push onward they found their paths blocked by horrid mutants seeping foul smelling pus of sorts in some areas, though in others some were rendered blue from the cold, red as blood with hulking muscles or moving in extremely unnatural way with long tongues and wholly blacked out eyes. With no hesitation they opened fire, though they found that an abnormal amount of rounds were needed to fell the mutants. Minutes after first contact the troops were beginning to be pushed back until the timely arrival of the Immortals and Outland Shock Forces.

With support now plugging in holes that had been torn into their original line the combined forces once more began to push forward. Though resilient, the mutants were now put on their heels as the rage and zeal of the attackers came out in full strength against them. After hours of brutal fighting the second complex was finally taken. One last trench and bunker line remained before the black pits would be in view of them, but all knew it would be an abysmal slog after facing the mutant forces beforehand. With this knowledge a squad of runners from the Outlanders was chosen to reach the Emperor or Valdor and petition them to send troops in order to aid them in their assault.

Day after day the Imperials held, casting the mutants aside with every possible weapon available within their lines. After almost five days of fighting it was found that the ammo stores had been reduced to only just enough for a final volley across the line. It was decided that the three commanding marshals of the three separate formations would meet in a central bunker and discuss their plans as of now.

***An excerpt from Ayrum’s “Terran Campaigns, Volume IX: The Desolation of Skandi”***

*The table was set, alcohol and food sat neatly arrayed around the setting at each chair where the men would take their seats. Turning to face the two entrances, Vahid waited for his counterparts to enter for their meeting.*

*“Gentlemen.” Vahid said as Generals Jek Telson of the Road Warriors and Mol’let’wek of the Great Tribes entered the underground section of the bunker complex.*

*Mol’let’wek put his fist into his cupped hand, “It is good to see you once more, Lord of the Lions.”*

*“Let’s cut it men, we know what’s goin on.” Telson said as he sat down at the table before the three.*

*The other two sat down as well, Vahid chuckling a bit under his breath as he looked down before composing himself once more. Looking up he took a breath, “Right to it then. We’re damn near out of ammunition, all of us.”*

*“My men can’t get anymore, our tires are shot and the fuels all but gone. We’re done to naught but casings and our melee kits.” Telson said as he took a look at the food before him.*

*Mol’let’mek leaned in and looked at his aswell before sitting straight up once more, “My men, fear that we may soon be overrun by the mutants. We see their witchfire at night, hear their incantations before crafting new mutants, we all fear the hour they choose to strike.”*

*Vahid shook his head, “Even my Immortals fear the coming days.”*

*“My men should’ve reported back by now.” Telson said, interrupting Vahid, “Something had to have happened to them on the way.”*

*“I fear you may be right.” Vahid sighed as he rubbed his eyes, “I fear support may not come.”*

*“Shall we fall back and await reinforcements?” Mol’let’mek asked, looking back and forth between the two men.*

*“And make our dead mens sacrifices all for nothing?” Telson angrily said.*

*Vahid put up a hand, “Calm brother, it is a valid possibility.” He sighed once more, “I know not when the reinforcements shall arrive, or if they ever shall, but I know that one way or another we must act.”*

*There was silence. None of them wanted to acknowledge that any further ideas brought forward would bring shame or death upon them and their men. Telson broke the deafening silence after almost three minutes of nothing, “We signed up to fight, and if need be, die for the Emperor. For the Imperium and man. If we run now, won’t we be breaking our bond? Our oath?”*

*Vahid nodded slowly as Mol’let’mek clasped his hands together and brought his forehead against them and spoke, “If we should strike, we should do it sooner, not later. Our brothers and sisters await us in whatever we find after death.”*

*Vahid grabbed a hold of the wine bottle before him, “Let us feast and drink, one last time together my brothers. Then we shall spend our final moments of peace amongst our brothers and sisters before the storm. One last day brothers,” he raised the bottle, “to one last day!”*

*Telson and Mol’let’mek raised their bottles and brought them against Vahid’s, “To one last day!” They shouted aloud.*

For the next three hours the three men would joyfully regale each other with tales of their past battles and adventures. Once the food and alcohol were gone the men parted ways, giving hardy farewells and wishes of luck to one another, promising to meet each other again someday. For the next two hours the men planned with their officers and spent time with their soldiers. But as Luna in the far distance began to slip away on the horizon they knew it was time.

***An excerpt from Jahved’s “Sacred History of the Host, Volume I: Terra”***

*It was almost dawn, we could see the great moon falling down beyond the horizon when suddenly General Khorram-din came out of his bunker. He looked sickly, as if he’d just found out that the Historical District had burned down to naught but a spec of ash. He brought us, the officers that is, together and told us what was to happen in an hour. A charge. A charge across the whole line right into the witchfire and mutants.*

*Of course we didn’t believe him, why would we have? We were supposed to be the smart ones, the formation that never did anything out of regulation or foolish. Yet here we were, preparing to launch ourselves headlong into certain death. Some of us laughed, some looked at him as if it were a cruel joke and others grasped their hearts. He said it again, this time no man laughed, no man thought it were a joke now.*

*We wanted to protest, me and Abed, but it would’ve been no use for the Lion Marshal held power over us all. We sat there, awestruck and in disbelief as he told us the plan in full. We were to charge and the second we were noticed the final volley was to be sent forth before we crashed against them. Suicide. Suicide is what we thought, no, what we knew it was.*

*He told us to spend time with our men, make sure they were all well fed and rested up. Told us to make sure they were ready for their last run. Truthfully I don’t recall when exactly I saw him next, that hour felt like three years. He got up on one of the boxes we once used to carry ammo around in and started speaking. It helped to drown out the war chants of the Mericans and metal banging of the Road Warriors.*

*“In a week it’ll have been eleven years to the day since we last left the Jade District. I know not a day since then where we weren’t at the thick of it on the front. Damn well know I wouldn’t have it any other way either. Gentlemen I’ll keep it straight and simple, we are alone now. Something has happened in the North and we know not what, other than no support is coming.”*

*He took a pause but continued his speech shortly after.*

*“These mutants and vile witches are trapped here by us, but everyone knows that should they attack, we will not hold again. If we do not hold men, then this fell horde shall strike out and run a raid upon our allies, wherever they may be. For that we must steal ourselves away for this last strike, this last ride into the heart of the dead old world for a new, brighter future!*

*I ask you all to follow me, follow your comrades in arms into the great new dawn that awaits us over that hill. It may be death at its peak, but tell me, what is better than dying for his truth, for glorious humanity! That is right, you cannot! Raise your weapons and heads my sons and daughters, brother and sisters! For we ride on the golden winds of Great Pershah, over the top, and for the Emperor!”*

The time had come and the Imperials resumed their attack. The first over from the Pershahan’s was Dalir Jahanshah, her gleaming Spear of the Ind shining brightly even in the darkness. All across the front the advance started as Mericans and Road Warriors ascended into the field as well. For a solid three minutes there was but silence across the land, it seemed as if the whole of the universe had gone deaf. Without warning those vile mutants and witches arose from their complex, their numbers seemingly doubled since their last attack.

Everything stopped for a moment as if time ended and those two forces appeared to stare each other down to the bone. Then it happened, a single shot rang out from the Pershahan line. After that all hell broke loose as the mutants launched into a horrible sprint supported by their sick brood mothers. All at once a single, enormous volley was launched into the countering mutant force. Though their lines had been slightly thinned out by this, it didn’t stop the whole lot of them as they continued on their death strike.

Vahid braced himself for the coming shock as he cast his sidearm aside, raising his mighty blade forged in the foundries of Damashk as he did. As he took a breath and assumed a defensive stance his eyes were sealed shut as an almost blinding light covered the field. After being brought to his knees for a moment he opened his eyes to see a most unbelievable yet welcome sight before him, it was the Emperor, he had come to save them. In the distance on a hill came a thunderous roar as Custodes flooded over it and bound across the wastes towards the battle.

Many fell back in tears as the Emperor’s mere presence caused a majority of the mutants and witches to perish on the spot. Vahid felt tears well up in his eyes as he saw the great giant before him rend the foe apart on his own as he made for the pits himself. He began to stand using his sword as a crutch before a familiar Custodian appeared before him. Looking up he saw Valdor beckon him to remain still, he assured the marshal that all was in the hands of the Custodes and Emperor now. Their fight here was over, and they had won.

After the battle Vahid approached Valdor as he stood watch over the barren wastes where once beautiful fjords had been. The man had but one question for his golden counterpart, what had taken them so long? Valdor had known that it would be asked in time and didn’t turn to face him as he answered. He told of how after their battle against the Priest-King the Thunder Warriors took to pillaging, even after being told to reform and prepare for a march on the pits they continued their bloody and brutal ways. Sickened and tired of it, the Custodes simply left the fools to the dire northern wastes as the Emperor had instructed.

Vahid searched in his mind for a response but was stopped as Valdor continued. He went on to explain the new plan, of a new force to take to the stars. One that would slowly replace the violent horde that were the Thunder Warriors over time. He didn’t say their names, but he told of how they would be led by the mightiest warriors the universe would ever know, the Emperor’s own sons. Vahid wondered what these warriors would look and act like but kept those questions to himself, for he knew that he would find the answers himself.

### What Lies Without

*Archives Incomplete....*

-D