Alexis Polux - Trial of the Twins: Like his future primarch, Alexis Polux was raised on the frigid Ice World of Inwit in the Inwit Cluster by a tribal ice-caste native to the ice-hives of that world. Shortly after the rediscovery of Primarch Rogal Dorn by the Emperor of Mankind during the early years of the Great Crusade, Alexis and his twin brother Helias Polux underwent the rigorous Trials as aspirants to become Space Marines of the Imperial Fists Legion.As part of the Trials they had to cross the "Splintered Lands," the night-soaked side of Inwit which had never seen the sun. The Splintered Lands were a place where the cold is as constant as the night. The warriors of the ice caste normally only ventured there in metal-plated environmental suits, but those who wished to join the VII Legion had to cross that desolate place in rotting pelts and rags. It was a test, a journey through a midnight realm of agony, forcing the potential candidates to endure harsh weather, frostbite and the dangerous indigenous wildlife that stalked those frozen lands.During the Polux brothers' journey, Alexis was gravely wounded when one of his calves was punctured clean through by the razor sharp claws of an unidentified six-legged beast. Though he escaped the initial attack, he became separated from his twin. Alexis trailed red across the ice-dunes, trying to shut out the incessant pain, and trying to ignore the numbness so that he could keep moving. He felt that he would fail as the bone-numbing cold sapped his will to live, leaving the beast that continued to stalk him with what was left.Somehow, despite the deplorable weather conditions, Helias managed to locate his erstwhile brother and helped him to his feet. Helias offered Alexis words of encouragement, despite suffering from the severe frostbite on his own hands which left them swollen and black with frozen blood. Alexis felt that despite their close genetic bond, they were twins in all ways except one; Helias was stronger than him, both physically and mentally. Alexis felt he would not have made it even this far without his twin. But Helias refused to let his brother give up hope.Unfortunately fate intervened once again in a most unexpected fashion as the six-legged creature finally found its missing prey. The twins were effectively trapped, their backs towards a large crevasse and the creature in front of them. As the creature attempted to pounce on the wounded Alexis, he managed to dive to the side, but was too slow. The beast's jaws closed on his trailing left arm. It turned as it landed, dragging Alexis across the ice. Teeth tore through flesh, causing joints to pop and sending searing pain up Alexis' ravaged arm. The beast then slammed Alexis back to the ground, releasing his arm, and placed a clawed paw on his chest. Ribs cracked, and needle-sharp claws touched Alexis' skin.Helias yelled, distracting the creature, his back towards the crevasse, his body poised, his arms spread like a wrestler. The beast coiled on its six legs and pounced towards Helias, its jaws wide. Moving at the last instant, Helias pivoted as his arms came up and gripped the beast's neck. He then turned and the beast's momentum spun it through the air towards the waiting crevasse. The beast managed to gain purchase by fastening to Helias' leg with its long hooked claws as they both tumbled together into the crevasse.Despite his own agony, Alexis launched himself towards the crevasse and just barely reached his brother in time to grab him as he fell. The weight of him pulled Alexis off his feet. The beast's claws came free and it vanished into the crevasse. Hanging from his brother's hand, Alexis attempted to grip a ridge in the ice with his good arm as he held his brother in place with his other, badly mauled appendage. Alexis' arm was a lacerated ruin, the flesh punctured and chewed in the beast's jaws, and Helias' weight pulled the wounds open.Despite his grievous injuries Alexis attempted to pull his brother up from the threshold of the black abyss below, but he was unable to lift him. Locking eyes for an instant, understanding quickly dawned on Alexis; Helias knew that his twin's grip had already broken. It was his hand locked around Alexis' that was holding him from falling into the black void below. Looking into his eyes, Helias made the fateful decision for them both and opened his hand, falling to his death. This tragic event deeply affected Alexis Polux and would continue to plague him for the rest of his life. But Polux survived the Trials and was accepted into the ranks of the Imperial Fists.