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Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers
Behemoth IV was a world covered from pole to pole in ice and snow. The initial scans from The Mortis Sword showed that even the single great ocean was covered with floating icebergs and iced over the closer to the poles you got.
The Stormbird landed in a small clearing as per the instructions given to them. Anteaus looked around him and turned to watch his master coming down the ramp.
Having fought alongside the giant for years both pre-emperor and as the first captain he had learnt to read his masters moods. The Primarch was on edge, he was looking all around him and by the narrow slit his eyes had taken and the stiffness off his jaw, he was not happy about this, not happy at all.
He turned to the second captain Demetrius and shook his head a little
“How dare they summon us like second rate citizens”
Demetrius could understand his friends’ choler. Since receiving the Wolf Kings summons their beloved master had been more then a little bit hacked off.
He looked around for any sign of the Space Wolves but as yet could not see them, mind you that was not to say they weren’t there they just hadn’t deigned to make an appearance yet.
Demetrius had heard all about the Space Wolves and not all of it was good.
Of all the Leigons commanded by the Emperors sons the Space Wolves were known to be the most savage and it was said that when the Emperor unleashed the wolves then there was no turning back.
There were those that said the Wolf King himself was unstable but what a warrior he was and if what his Praetorian brother Konan had said about the legendary Leman Russ was true then Demetrius couldn’t wait to meet the man.
He thought it apt that they should be summoned here even if the summons was not quite to their liking. If what he heard about Fenris was anything to go by then this seemed to be the perfect spot.
“My Lord” Seranus bowed his head drawing the second captains attention back to the present. “How long must we wait?”
“As long as we must” Lucian replied evenly and heaved an irritated sigh and moved away from his sons.
He was as irritated as his sons felt. The mere thought of a summons by anyone caused his hackles to rise up. The only man who dared summon him was his father but even he was more diplomatic about how he went about things.
He lowered his head for a moment then narrowed his dark eyes and raised his head.
“You can come forward now Russ, I know you are there, I can smell you”
The Praetorian looked up a their masters words in time to see four warriors armoured in the grey armour of the Space Wolves and their visages were as feral and ferocious as their namesakes but none were more ferocious then that of their mighty leader.
Leman Russ was known by many names, the most famous being The Wolf King but he was also known by other names such as The Great Wolf, The Wolf Lord of Fenris, the Feral One, the Foebane and the Slayer of Greenskins and these were just the politer ones but as Demetrius and his Praetorian brothers saw the towering being that was the Primarch of the Space Wolves he knew that none of them even came close to the description of the master of the Wolves.
Lucian watched his brother come closer and held his head high. If Lucian captured everything about his world its own savagery and beauty merged into one powerful master then Russ was everything that made Fenris magnificent and savage.
He was the power and the violence of the Space Wolves brought to its violent potential. A Black furred wolf pelt shouldered his massive shoulders and fetishes adorned his wolf stamped breastplate and hung about his neck.
His armour was the grey of the wolves homeworlds skies and by his side strode two massive wolves, one was silver and the other was as dark as an Edonian night.
The Praetorian felt their skins prickle just being in the close proximity of the Lord of Wolves and such was the way with being in the presence of a Primarch they felt their stomachs cramp.
His sons moved to one knee as one bowing their heads in fealty to the Wolf Lord Lucian glowered at the Space Wolves that accompanied their master and as one they knelt before him.
His sons had shown respect and the wolves would do the same thing.
Leman ran his gaze over his brother Primarch as if he were sizing up a potential meal.
He smiled a little but even the smile was a chilling invitation seeing as the fangs that sat there could very probably rip the throat from a griffon in Lucians opinion but then he had heard of the Cainos Helix, the gift that gave a Space Wolf his fangs.
“Greetings little brother”
Russ spoke and when he spoke it was with all the contained violence of a wolf attack.
“Way I have been told brother, we are the same age” he nodded to the Space Wolves who got to their feet followed by the Praetorian.
“That maybe so brother” Russ kept his tone jovial “but I have yet to see for myself what you have about you”
Lucian shook his head “I have had enough of being tested by my brothers, my battle record and that of my sons speaks for itself”
Russ nodded “I have heard of your battle honours Spartan and I meant no disrespect especially from one that counts Angron as his closest brother.” He spread his arms wide as if he was about to hug the man. “Do you know what happened when I met our father?”
Lucien had heard the tale. Horus told it to him and he had said how when their father had descended to Fenris Leman had challenged him to three feats.
Story telling. “Those sons of Fenris love a good tale” Horus had laughed. Beer drinking and eating and Leman had won both but when it came to the third, an arm wrestling competition the Emperor had won that and Russ swore fealty to him.
“I’ve heard the tales king of wolves” He concurred.
Russ turned to one of his captains and rested a great paw on his shoulder “Bjorn bring the ale”
The great wolf bowed once and with his other brothers began to bring kegs of ale towards the clearing where the Stormbird sat.
“We have the ale, your sons can make the campsite and we brother will hunt the food.” Russ announced and then handed his weapons over to Bjorn, “weapons free” the feral smile split his mouth in two.
Lucian turned to Nikoli “Built the site Nikki and the fire”
“Yes my lord”
Lucian lowered his bolter and Leman stopped him, he took the bolter and turned it over in his hands, inspecting it. He met the Spartans steel gaze.
“Did you work this?”
“It was given to me, a gift from Konrad the last time I saw him”
Leman nodded slightly, he had never known Curze give anyone anything but obviously he had a great affection for the man before him.
The bolter was black, made of obsidian with the detail picked out in Adamantium. There was a small plaque the writing minute but to one like Russ he could read it as well as if it were a book.
To my dearest brother, forge the stars in your name and make the darkness and the light your allies, Nostramo and Eden will be twinned as their kings are…walk well brother and know I walk with you. C
He handed it back to the Spartan and said nothing. There was something to be said for a man that counts the Night Haunter as such a close brother he would receive a rare emotional opening from the one that walked alone.
Lucian handed his bolter to Nikoli and undid his scabbard. When Leman saw the Mortis Sword his eyes sparked more interest and as a man that counted martial prowess and prowess with a sword more befitting of a warrior he knew beauty when he saw it.
“May I?”
His wolves looked at their master in shock for a moment, the Russ never asked anything like that. Lucian was a little wary at first and hesitated.
Russ cursed himself; he heard what had happened between the Spartan and the Lion and what the Lion had demanded.
“Spartan, I promise I am not going to ask for your sword as a trophy, the man is an ass I am a wolf, wolves have more honour then ass’s”
Lucian smiled despite himself and relaxed, allowing the Wolf to take the blade.
Leman nodded in approval and ran a hand down the blade gently as if he were caressing a lover. He admired the way the blue ran into the black and the power that was contained in the blade. The hilt itself caught his attention, a hilt of gold with a griffon’s head as the pillion.
He handed it back and stepped back waiting. Lucian handed his sword to Anteaus who took it with all the honour it was due and as Russ observed he noticed the first captain took his Primarchs sword with all the reverence of a holy icon.
He supposed it must be if the tales he had heard were true. He stood before the assembled inner circles.
“My brother and I are going to go hunting, you boys, settle down and get to know each other, there is no feat of arms just good old fashioned eating, drinking and tale spinning”
And with that the two giants strode away.
“This,” Seranus muttered to Tanis “should prove interesting”
The two Primarchs walked deep into the forest in a companionable silence. They strode like two giants of war going enjoying the calm before the storm.
Such was the life of the Primarchs that rarely did they get to enjoy the uniqueness of each world they conquered. More often then not they were too busy conquering and subduing the world to make it more acceptable for the emperor.
Lucian cast a sideways glance at his brother mulling over what he had learnt about the wolf.
He was the emperors’ last weapon, if the World Eaters and the Night Lords brought death and destruction at the emperors command then the Space Wolves were the emperors’ violence unsheathed.
There were those that said the Lunar Wolves were the most savage and having warred alongside them once or twice he could well believe it.
But he had seen the aftermath of the Space Wolves compliance initiatives. The worlds they conquered and illuminated were left in no doubt who the new master was.
They had their own psykers called stormseers but they did not trust those that utilised all forms of witchery indeed the talismans and fetishes that hung around Russ neck hair and armour seemed to smack of superstition and it appeared that Russ was superstitious.
That was probably why there was so much apathy between the wolves and the Thousand Sons. The former not trusting an entire legion made up of witches and warlocks as they saw it, the latter just not rising to the bait.
Then again Fenris was a world where man had to fight against not only his enemy of the two-legged variety but the elements too.
A world dominated by ice and snow and all manners of beasts that seemed to explode from the pages of a mythical tome or two. Beasts that would rip you in two or drag you down into the icy depths, no wonder the Space Wolves were pragmatic and took no shit from anyone.
If they survived their youth then anything was possible. It never ceased to amaze him that the brothers he had met so far were all products of their cradle world.
Well all except Horus he was raised alongside the emperor but as Abaddon had explained to Anteaus, his lord deliberately spoke in C’thonian and affected the harsh accents to make his sons more at ease around him.
Lucian stretched a little and worked his shoulders to ease the aches from his previous battles. Russ glanced over at him and stopped before a large ocean.
“Well?” Lucian asked.
“Watch and learn little one”
Without another word the Primarch of the Space Wolves waded out into the freezing waters. Waters that would kill a mere mortal was nothing but a minor irritation to one raised on a ice world.
Lucian found a rocky pile and sat himself down waiting until the Wolf was gone from view.
He didn’t know how long he was sitting there, the waters were quite calm and he had not seen the wolf king for some time and was about to go in after him when the giant rose from the water roaring as dragged what looked like a shark up with him,
The beast was huge, easily as tall as the Primarch that was grappling with it.
Its teeth snapped as it fought to break free and return to the depths from whence it came. Lucian was almost certain that Leman was going to loose a limb or something as those teeth looked sharp enough to bite through ceramite as well as flesh and bone.
If it were anyone else they might have just let the beast be, satisfied they had shown it who was the master, but by the expression on the mighty warrior kings face he was thoroughly enjoying this wrestling match, man against beast, no quarter given and none asked.
But the great king had enough of the bout and with a wrench of a powerful arm snapped the beasts’ head clean off.
The waters turned crimson with the beasts’ blood pooling around the Primarch like some crown of victory. He grinned a feral grin and Lucian shuddered despite himself.
He dropped the carcass into the water and waded out to join his brother. He breathed harshly and sat beside his brother watching as the carrion birds flocked to the feast that had unexpectedly come their way.
“Now that was a battle” He beamed.
“Yes, that fish had you totally outmanned” Lucian murmured, “I thought you were catching dinner”
Russ arched a busy eyebrow “no brother, you are catching dinner I was…”
“Showing off” Lucian finished.
Russ snorted a little and got to his feet, Lucian rose with him and together they walked towards the mountains.
Anteaus sat around the makeshift camp and stared into the flames of the fire. His mind wandered to battles he had fought beside his lord and he was pleased that he had a plethora of tales to tell the wolves, before and after the coming of the emperor.
Which is exactly what he did when they all joined him and demanded tales of old.
Demetrius rested a gauntlet on his shoulder and said “What about the battle with the Black Guard?”
Anteaus nodded eagerly and recited a tale of the civil war, one that had lasted for six days and night and ended with the notorious black guard, the assassins of the tyrant coming to extinction.
Spurred on by the tale of old the rest of the Praetorian told tales of their own personal battles. Nikoli reencountered the tale of their meeting with the Dark Angels which the wolves enjoyed, the thought that the sons of the lion were defeated through their arrogance sat well with the wolves and when they heard how Lucian and Lion had come to blows they almost howled in delight.
It was Seranus who told the tale of fighting alongside not only the Ultimate Warrior but also the emperor and the Custodian Guard against the human loving eldar.
The wolves nodded solemnly, like any band of warriors they valued martial prowess and the sacrifice of both companies to not only protect their masters and the all father but to further keep the Imperium safe from its numerous enemies.
The Praetorian did not fail to notice how the wolves eyed Tanis.
“Tell me warlock” Bjorn sat forward “why keep your face shrouded?”
Anteaus narrowed his eyes Tanis was his battle brother and he was not about to allow him to be ridiculed by superstitious fools but Davinus shook his head.
Tanis looked skyward and saw the encroaching night; with a sigh he removed his helmet to reveal features as pale as the moon in the sky.
Like all the Spartan guard he took a likeness to his master due to the gene seed effects. His hair was almost bone white but his eyes, the Space Wolves shifted as they saw such intense silver eyes looking back at them and through them as if he could read their very soul, which in effect he probably could.
Tanis was a man of few words but his silence spoke volumes and he turned his attention away from the group to the direction tat their masters had walked off in and the ghost of a smile played across his pale lips.
“Nikoli” He quietly called
“Yes my brother?”
“Why don’t you tell the tale of how our lord managed to find food for the village of Heracles when famine took hold of them, the year after our queens death”
Nikoli cocked his head a little and then nodded and began his tale.
“The Village of Heracles was one of the most affluent villages near the Grescia mountains, it sat on a natural spring so it was also said to have haling properties, that alone brought the sick and infirm to its doors and the holy order never turned anyone away.
One year however the harvest failed, luckily they had plenty of storage but for the next three years the harvest failed and the people cried out to Mortari believing they had dune something to anger him.
Maybe they hadn’t paid enough tribute, maybe they had a curse placed upon them, whatever the reason for three years the crops failed and Heracles was brought to the brink of starvation.
When they sent a messenger to the palace Lucian went alone. It was a year after our beloved queen had died ad he wanted something to occupy his mind so, he said he would go alone and what happened will be recaptured through all time…”
Lucian saw the bear before Leman did and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
The intention was quite clear and when Russ saw the size of the beast his mouth almost wet in anticipation of the fight to come but he had challenged his brother so sitting himself on a fallen trunk he made a gesture with his hand that said carry on and got himself comfortable.
“Lucian walked in the forest for days keeping downwind so as not to frighten away food sources and when he came upon a clearing he saw the great bear of the mountains.
This she bear was a legend in her self, responsible for many killings of farm stock and people who had strayed too far into her territory.
She was the size of a Primarch and her teeth and claws as sharp as the teeth of the wolves around me now, no beast could fell her and no man could best her but Lucian knew that the amount of meat on her would aid the village until the rains came again….”
Lucian stayed downwind of the beast and as Russ watched he had to admit the Spartan was playing the hunter, if the bear caught a faint smell the Primarch would seemingly vanish from view and the bear would pay it no heed.
He moved slowly like a great predator of old, despite his sheer bulk he move like the ghost on the wind until he was alongside the beast.
Its fur was as white as the landscape around it, thick enough to keep it warm but not too tick to restrict its movements. This was a juvenile, not yet and adult but old enough to make its own way into the world without the need for a mothers protection.
Lucian watched the bear for a moment or two thinking how beautiful he looked and made a mental apology for the act he was going to perform.
“That she bear knew he was there though and as he made to jump on her she turned at the last moment and brought her claws to bear, if he had not turned at the last moment she would have disembowelled him, aye she was a clever one this beast and she had bloodied the High King and his respect for her went up a notch or two.
She did not run she did not make to flee, she stood her ground and as he made to move again she attacked again but this time he was ready for the claws and dodged them bringing the mighty Mortis Sword down and cut the ends of her paws so tat the claws fell onto the grass and the howl…oh it was said the howl of pain was said to cause children running to the comforting arms of their mothers and fathers, weeping in fear.
The High King was in battle and his enemy was a creature created by the gods not some tyrant with sword and dagger but a natural predator and he was enjoying the battle immensely….”
He moved to slightly higher ground, putting him directly above the bear and moved on his haunches along the edge of the small lip, then when he was sure the bear was oblivious to his being there he launched himself onto the air and landed on the bears back like some rodeo star from an ancient time.
Russ got to his feet as his brother wrestled with the beast cheering him on in roars of affirmation.
This was what Leman Russ, the king of wolves wanted to see. This is the spirit he had wanted to find in his brother Primarch and he got everything he wanted and more.
“The battle between my master and the she bear lasted for more then an hour, maybe two but she as tiring and my master was not although, he said to me that he was beginning to wonder if e had the reserves of strength to carry on any longer.
He rode her back like a man on a steed taming it to be mans friend but she would not be tamed, nor would she bow down to anyone and she fought for every inch of her life.
My lord took her head between his arms and with several attempts at wrenching her head, for she thrashed about and he was caught by her powerful jaws on more then one occasion, with a grunt of inhuman effort he broke her neck and fell from her, her body thudded to the ground beside him and my master felt sorrow.
Not for the fact that he had killed the great she bear for it was nessercery until the storms came once more, but for the fact that his world would never known another like her.
It was true, there are great bears on Eden and they all are ferocious and untameable and they are probably her descendants but none, not one of them were like her, six weeks later the rains came and my master rejoiced for no one would need to suffer like that again”
Lucian dug his knees into the beasts’ flanks as it roared with anger at the intruder on its back, Lucian recalled another fight with another bear long ago and through gritted teeth taunted into the bear’s ear.
“You are brave bear very brave, I can smell the victory upon your fur but you are not Basala, the great she bear of Heracles, you are not in her league and you never will be”
He broke the bear’s neck with considerably more ease then when he had done it all those decades ago, and with a grunt he lifted the carcass onto his shoulders and walked over to where his brother stood laughing a great belly laugh.
Russ clapped his hands on Lucians shoulders “Come brother, our sons shall hear of this”
They made their way back to the campsite when they got back to the landing site the Astartes were cheering both men the wolves showing fealty to the Spartan and the Praetorian the same to the wolf.
Bjorn spoke quietly to his master briefly recanting the tale of the she bear that had given the Spartan a run for his money.
As Lucian and his sons prepared the meat then roasted it on a huge spit Leman put a great flagon of Fenris ale in his hand.
“Each of us have several names, you know mine and Magnus has several as does Lorgar and others. You told me Angron christened you Spartan for what? Defeating him in the gladiatorial ring?”
“I did not defeat him and he did not defeat me,” Lucian corrected.
“Ah forgive me brother, it is very few who battle Angron to a draw.” Russ rubbed his jaw “then take this nickname with you, for Bjorn has told me of the tale your sons spoke whilst you were catching dinner. To other legions you are the Spartan, to my sons you are the Bear King, for only a king can defeat a queen” Lucian nodded a little his head inclined in respect “now raise the tankards and drink to the Bear King”
“The Wolf King” Lucian intoned and clinked his tankard against Russ’s.
Sometime later the two Primarchs sat aside from the raucous noise of their sons tale telling and beer chugging contest.
Russ looked to the skies of the ice world and heaved a sigh.
“We will be warring again brother, for each world that comes into compliance willingly there are others that will not, too long have they been away from the cradle and loving arms of the Emperor”
“Then we shall bring them back brother slowly but surely we will bring them back”
Russ smiled despite himself “And when the sons of Russ war I will war knowing that the Bear King will aid should I require it”
“If he brings more of this throat stripper ale I might” Lucian replied with the faint teasing glint in his eyes.
Russ laughed and for the rest of the night they talked as brothers and a bond began to develop between them. Savage he may seem, but Russ was more then a warrior, he was war incarnate and he did as their father willed and yet he would do nothing that stained his honour and it was an honour of ancient times, of aeons past and for that Lucian could respect him.
When they parted there was none of the unease that had been there when they first met and later in his chambers he looked down at the old wounds from the She Bear and chuckled to him self.
The wolf was abroad in the stars and the bear was right behind him.
Behemoth IV was a world covered from pole to pole in ice and snow. The initial scans from The Mortis Sword showed that even the single great ocean was covered with floating icebergs and iced over the closer to the poles you got.
The Stormbird landed in a small clearing as per the instructions given to them. Anteaus looked around him and turned to watch his master coming down the ramp.
Having fought alongside the giant for years both pre-emperor and as the first captain he had learnt to read his masters moods. The Primarch was on edge, he was looking all around him and by the narrow slit his eyes had taken and the stiffness off his jaw, he was not happy about this, not happy at all.
He turned to the second captain Demetrius and shook his head a little
“How dare they summon us like second rate citizens”
Demetrius could understand his friends’ choler. Since receiving the Wolf Kings summons their beloved master had been more then a little bit hacked off.
He looked around for any sign of the Space Wolves but as yet could not see them, mind you that was not to say they weren’t there they just hadn’t deigned to make an appearance yet.
Demetrius had heard all about the Space Wolves and not all of it was good.
Of all the Leigons commanded by the Emperors sons the Space Wolves were known to be the most savage and it was said that when the Emperor unleashed the wolves then there was no turning back.
There were those that said the Wolf King himself was unstable but what a warrior he was and if what his Praetorian brother Konan had said about the legendary Leman Russ was true then Demetrius couldn’t wait to meet the man.
He thought it apt that they should be summoned here even if the summons was not quite to their liking. If what he heard about Fenris was anything to go by then this seemed to be the perfect spot.
“My Lord” Seranus bowed his head drawing the second captains attention back to the present. “How long must we wait?”
“As long as we must” Lucian replied evenly and heaved an irritated sigh and moved away from his sons.
He was as irritated as his sons felt. The mere thought of a summons by anyone caused his hackles to rise up. The only man who dared summon him was his father but even he was more diplomatic about how he went about things.
He lowered his head for a moment then narrowed his dark eyes and raised his head.
“You can come forward now Russ, I know you are there, I can smell you”
The Praetorian looked up a their masters words in time to see four warriors armoured in the grey armour of the Space Wolves and their visages were as feral and ferocious as their namesakes but none were more ferocious then that of their mighty leader.
Leman Russ was known by many names, the most famous being The Wolf King but he was also known by other names such as The Great Wolf, The Wolf Lord of Fenris, the Feral One, the Foebane and the Slayer of Greenskins and these were just the politer ones but as Demetrius and his Praetorian brothers saw the towering being that was the Primarch of the Space Wolves he knew that none of them even came close to the description of the master of the Wolves.
Lucian watched his brother come closer and held his head high. If Lucian captured everything about his world its own savagery and beauty merged into one powerful master then Russ was everything that made Fenris magnificent and savage.
He was the power and the violence of the Space Wolves brought to its violent potential. A Black furred wolf pelt shouldered his massive shoulders and fetishes adorned his wolf stamped breastplate and hung about his neck.
His armour was the grey of the wolves homeworlds skies and by his side strode two massive wolves, one was silver and the other was as dark as an Edonian night.
The Praetorian felt their skins prickle just being in the close proximity of the Lord of Wolves and such was the way with being in the presence of a Primarch they felt their stomachs cramp.
His sons moved to one knee as one bowing their heads in fealty to the Wolf Lord Lucian glowered at the Space Wolves that accompanied their master and as one they knelt before him.
His sons had shown respect and the wolves would do the same thing.
Leman ran his gaze over his brother Primarch as if he were sizing up a potential meal.
He smiled a little but even the smile was a chilling invitation seeing as the fangs that sat there could very probably rip the throat from a griffon in Lucians opinion but then he had heard of the Cainos Helix, the gift that gave a Space Wolf his fangs.
“Greetings little brother”
Russ spoke and when he spoke it was with all the contained violence of a wolf attack.
“Way I have been told brother, we are the same age” he nodded to the Space Wolves who got to their feet followed by the Praetorian.
“That maybe so brother” Russ kept his tone jovial “but I have yet to see for myself what you have about you”
Lucian shook his head “I have had enough of being tested by my brothers, my battle record and that of my sons speaks for itself”
Russ nodded “I have heard of your battle honours Spartan and I meant no disrespect especially from one that counts Angron as his closest brother.” He spread his arms wide as if he was about to hug the man. “Do you know what happened when I met our father?”
Lucien had heard the tale. Horus told it to him and he had said how when their father had descended to Fenris Leman had challenged him to three feats.
Story telling. “Those sons of Fenris love a good tale” Horus had laughed. Beer drinking and eating and Leman had won both but when it came to the third, an arm wrestling competition the Emperor had won that and Russ swore fealty to him.
“I’ve heard the tales king of wolves” He concurred.
Russ turned to one of his captains and rested a great paw on his shoulder “Bjorn bring the ale”
The great wolf bowed once and with his other brothers began to bring kegs of ale towards the clearing where the Stormbird sat.
“We have the ale, your sons can make the campsite and we brother will hunt the food.” Russ announced and then handed his weapons over to Bjorn, “weapons free” the feral smile split his mouth in two.
Lucian turned to Nikoli “Built the site Nikki and the fire”
“Yes my lord”
Lucian lowered his bolter and Leman stopped him, he took the bolter and turned it over in his hands, inspecting it. He met the Spartans steel gaze.
“Did you work this?”
“It was given to me, a gift from Konrad the last time I saw him”
Leman nodded slightly, he had never known Curze give anyone anything but obviously he had a great affection for the man before him.
The bolter was black, made of obsidian with the detail picked out in Adamantium. There was a small plaque the writing minute but to one like Russ he could read it as well as if it were a book.
To my dearest brother, forge the stars in your name and make the darkness and the light your allies, Nostramo and Eden will be twinned as their kings are…walk well brother and know I walk with you. C
He handed it back to the Spartan and said nothing. There was something to be said for a man that counts the Night Haunter as such a close brother he would receive a rare emotional opening from the one that walked alone.
Lucian handed his bolter to Nikoli and undid his scabbard. When Leman saw the Mortis Sword his eyes sparked more interest and as a man that counted martial prowess and prowess with a sword more befitting of a warrior he knew beauty when he saw it.
“May I?”
His wolves looked at their master in shock for a moment, the Russ never asked anything like that. Lucian was a little wary at first and hesitated.
Russ cursed himself; he heard what had happened between the Spartan and the Lion and what the Lion had demanded.
“Spartan, I promise I am not going to ask for your sword as a trophy, the man is an ass I am a wolf, wolves have more honour then ass’s”
Lucian smiled despite himself and relaxed, allowing the Wolf to take the blade.
Leman nodded in approval and ran a hand down the blade gently as if he were caressing a lover. He admired the way the blue ran into the black and the power that was contained in the blade. The hilt itself caught his attention, a hilt of gold with a griffon’s head as the pillion.
He handed it back and stepped back waiting. Lucian handed his sword to Anteaus who took it with all the honour it was due and as Russ observed he noticed the first captain took his Primarchs sword with all the reverence of a holy icon.
He supposed it must be if the tales he had heard were true. He stood before the assembled inner circles.
“My brother and I are going to go hunting, you boys, settle down and get to know each other, there is no feat of arms just good old fashioned eating, drinking and tale spinning”
And with that the two giants strode away.
“This,” Seranus muttered to Tanis “should prove interesting”
The two Primarchs walked deep into the forest in a companionable silence. They strode like two giants of war going enjoying the calm before the storm.
Such was the life of the Primarchs that rarely did they get to enjoy the uniqueness of each world they conquered. More often then not they were too busy conquering and subduing the world to make it more acceptable for the emperor.
Lucian cast a sideways glance at his brother mulling over what he had learnt about the wolf.
He was the emperors’ last weapon, if the World Eaters and the Night Lords brought death and destruction at the emperors command then the Space Wolves were the emperors’ violence unsheathed.
There were those that said the Lunar Wolves were the most savage and having warred alongside them once or twice he could well believe it.
But he had seen the aftermath of the Space Wolves compliance initiatives. The worlds they conquered and illuminated were left in no doubt who the new master was.
They had their own psykers called stormseers but they did not trust those that utilised all forms of witchery indeed the talismans and fetishes that hung around Russ neck hair and armour seemed to smack of superstition and it appeared that Russ was superstitious.
That was probably why there was so much apathy between the wolves and the Thousand Sons. The former not trusting an entire legion made up of witches and warlocks as they saw it, the latter just not rising to the bait.
Then again Fenris was a world where man had to fight against not only his enemy of the two-legged variety but the elements too.
A world dominated by ice and snow and all manners of beasts that seemed to explode from the pages of a mythical tome or two. Beasts that would rip you in two or drag you down into the icy depths, no wonder the Space Wolves were pragmatic and took no shit from anyone.
If they survived their youth then anything was possible. It never ceased to amaze him that the brothers he had met so far were all products of their cradle world.
Well all except Horus he was raised alongside the emperor but as Abaddon had explained to Anteaus, his lord deliberately spoke in C’thonian and affected the harsh accents to make his sons more at ease around him.
Lucian stretched a little and worked his shoulders to ease the aches from his previous battles. Russ glanced over at him and stopped before a large ocean.
“Well?” Lucian asked.
“Watch and learn little one”
Without another word the Primarch of the Space Wolves waded out into the freezing waters. Waters that would kill a mere mortal was nothing but a minor irritation to one raised on a ice world.
Lucian found a rocky pile and sat himself down waiting until the Wolf was gone from view.
He didn’t know how long he was sitting there, the waters were quite calm and he had not seen the wolf king for some time and was about to go in after him when the giant rose from the water roaring as dragged what looked like a shark up with him,
The beast was huge, easily as tall as the Primarch that was grappling with it.
Its teeth snapped as it fought to break free and return to the depths from whence it came. Lucian was almost certain that Leman was going to loose a limb or something as those teeth looked sharp enough to bite through ceramite as well as flesh and bone.
If it were anyone else they might have just let the beast be, satisfied they had shown it who was the master, but by the expression on the mighty warrior kings face he was thoroughly enjoying this wrestling match, man against beast, no quarter given and none asked.
But the great king had enough of the bout and with a wrench of a powerful arm snapped the beasts’ head clean off.
The waters turned crimson with the beasts’ blood pooling around the Primarch like some crown of victory. He grinned a feral grin and Lucian shuddered despite himself.
He dropped the carcass into the water and waded out to join his brother. He breathed harshly and sat beside his brother watching as the carrion birds flocked to the feast that had unexpectedly come their way.
“Now that was a battle” He beamed.
“Yes, that fish had you totally outmanned” Lucian murmured, “I thought you were catching dinner”
Russ arched a busy eyebrow “no brother, you are catching dinner I was…”
“Showing off” Lucian finished.
Russ snorted a little and got to his feet, Lucian rose with him and together they walked towards the mountains.
Anteaus sat around the makeshift camp and stared into the flames of the fire. His mind wandered to battles he had fought beside his lord and he was pleased that he had a plethora of tales to tell the wolves, before and after the coming of the emperor.
Which is exactly what he did when they all joined him and demanded tales of old.
Demetrius rested a gauntlet on his shoulder and said “What about the battle with the Black Guard?”
Anteaus nodded eagerly and recited a tale of the civil war, one that had lasted for six days and night and ended with the notorious black guard, the assassins of the tyrant coming to extinction.
Spurred on by the tale of old the rest of the Praetorian told tales of their own personal battles. Nikoli reencountered the tale of their meeting with the Dark Angels which the wolves enjoyed, the thought that the sons of the lion were defeated through their arrogance sat well with the wolves and when they heard how Lucian and Lion had come to blows they almost howled in delight.
It was Seranus who told the tale of fighting alongside not only the Ultimate Warrior but also the emperor and the Custodian Guard against the human loving eldar.
The wolves nodded solemnly, like any band of warriors they valued martial prowess and the sacrifice of both companies to not only protect their masters and the all father but to further keep the Imperium safe from its numerous enemies.
The Praetorian did not fail to notice how the wolves eyed Tanis.
“Tell me warlock” Bjorn sat forward “why keep your face shrouded?”
Anteaus narrowed his eyes Tanis was his battle brother and he was not about to allow him to be ridiculed by superstitious fools but Davinus shook his head.
Tanis looked skyward and saw the encroaching night; with a sigh he removed his helmet to reveal features as pale as the moon in the sky.
Like all the Spartan guard he took a likeness to his master due to the gene seed effects. His hair was almost bone white but his eyes, the Space Wolves shifted as they saw such intense silver eyes looking back at them and through them as if he could read their very soul, which in effect he probably could.
Tanis was a man of few words but his silence spoke volumes and he turned his attention away from the group to the direction tat their masters had walked off in and the ghost of a smile played across his pale lips.
“Nikoli” He quietly called
“Yes my brother?”
“Why don’t you tell the tale of how our lord managed to find food for the village of Heracles when famine took hold of them, the year after our queens death”
Nikoli cocked his head a little and then nodded and began his tale.
“The Village of Heracles was one of the most affluent villages near the Grescia mountains, it sat on a natural spring so it was also said to have haling properties, that alone brought the sick and infirm to its doors and the holy order never turned anyone away.
One year however the harvest failed, luckily they had plenty of storage but for the next three years the harvest failed and the people cried out to Mortari believing they had dune something to anger him.
Maybe they hadn’t paid enough tribute, maybe they had a curse placed upon them, whatever the reason for three years the crops failed and Heracles was brought to the brink of starvation.
When they sent a messenger to the palace Lucian went alone. It was a year after our beloved queen had died ad he wanted something to occupy his mind so, he said he would go alone and what happened will be recaptured through all time…”
Lucian saw the bear before Leman did and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
The intention was quite clear and when Russ saw the size of the beast his mouth almost wet in anticipation of the fight to come but he had challenged his brother so sitting himself on a fallen trunk he made a gesture with his hand that said carry on and got himself comfortable.
“Lucian walked in the forest for days keeping downwind so as not to frighten away food sources and when he came upon a clearing he saw the great bear of the mountains.
This she bear was a legend in her self, responsible for many killings of farm stock and people who had strayed too far into her territory.
She was the size of a Primarch and her teeth and claws as sharp as the teeth of the wolves around me now, no beast could fell her and no man could best her but Lucian knew that the amount of meat on her would aid the village until the rains came again….”
Lucian stayed downwind of the beast and as Russ watched he had to admit the Spartan was playing the hunter, if the bear caught a faint smell the Primarch would seemingly vanish from view and the bear would pay it no heed.
He moved slowly like a great predator of old, despite his sheer bulk he move like the ghost on the wind until he was alongside the beast.
Its fur was as white as the landscape around it, thick enough to keep it warm but not too tick to restrict its movements. This was a juvenile, not yet and adult but old enough to make its own way into the world without the need for a mothers protection.
Lucian watched the bear for a moment or two thinking how beautiful he looked and made a mental apology for the act he was going to perform.
“That she bear knew he was there though and as he made to jump on her she turned at the last moment and brought her claws to bear, if he had not turned at the last moment she would have disembowelled him, aye she was a clever one this beast and she had bloodied the High King and his respect for her went up a notch or two.
She did not run she did not make to flee, she stood her ground and as he made to move again she attacked again but this time he was ready for the claws and dodged them bringing the mighty Mortis Sword down and cut the ends of her paws so tat the claws fell onto the grass and the howl…oh it was said the howl of pain was said to cause children running to the comforting arms of their mothers and fathers, weeping in fear.
The High King was in battle and his enemy was a creature created by the gods not some tyrant with sword and dagger but a natural predator and he was enjoying the battle immensely….”
He moved to slightly higher ground, putting him directly above the bear and moved on his haunches along the edge of the small lip, then when he was sure the bear was oblivious to his being there he launched himself onto the air and landed on the bears back like some rodeo star from an ancient time.
Russ got to his feet as his brother wrestled with the beast cheering him on in roars of affirmation.
This was what Leman Russ, the king of wolves wanted to see. This is the spirit he had wanted to find in his brother Primarch and he got everything he wanted and more.
“The battle between my master and the she bear lasted for more then an hour, maybe two but she as tiring and my master was not although, he said to me that he was beginning to wonder if e had the reserves of strength to carry on any longer.
He rode her back like a man on a steed taming it to be mans friend but she would not be tamed, nor would she bow down to anyone and she fought for every inch of her life.
My lord took her head between his arms and with several attempts at wrenching her head, for she thrashed about and he was caught by her powerful jaws on more then one occasion, with a grunt of inhuman effort he broke her neck and fell from her, her body thudded to the ground beside him and my master felt sorrow.
Not for the fact that he had killed the great she bear for it was nessercery until the storms came once more, but for the fact that his world would never known another like her.
It was true, there are great bears on Eden and they all are ferocious and untameable and they are probably her descendants but none, not one of them were like her, six weeks later the rains came and my master rejoiced for no one would need to suffer like that again”
Lucian dug his knees into the beasts’ flanks as it roared with anger at the intruder on its back, Lucian recalled another fight with another bear long ago and through gritted teeth taunted into the bear’s ear.
“You are brave bear very brave, I can smell the victory upon your fur but you are not Basala, the great she bear of Heracles, you are not in her league and you never will be”
He broke the bear’s neck with considerably more ease then when he had done it all those decades ago, and with a grunt he lifted the carcass onto his shoulders and walked over to where his brother stood laughing a great belly laugh.
Russ clapped his hands on Lucians shoulders “Come brother, our sons shall hear of this”
They made their way back to the campsite when they got back to the landing site the Astartes were cheering both men the wolves showing fealty to the Spartan and the Praetorian the same to the wolf.
Bjorn spoke quietly to his master briefly recanting the tale of the she bear that had given the Spartan a run for his money.
As Lucian and his sons prepared the meat then roasted it on a huge spit Leman put a great flagon of Fenris ale in his hand.
“Each of us have several names, you know mine and Magnus has several as does Lorgar and others. You told me Angron christened you Spartan for what? Defeating him in the gladiatorial ring?”
“I did not defeat him and he did not defeat me,” Lucian corrected.
“Ah forgive me brother, it is very few who battle Angron to a draw.” Russ rubbed his jaw “then take this nickname with you, for Bjorn has told me of the tale your sons spoke whilst you were catching dinner. To other legions you are the Spartan, to my sons you are the Bear King, for only a king can defeat a queen” Lucian nodded a little his head inclined in respect “now raise the tankards and drink to the Bear King”
“The Wolf King” Lucian intoned and clinked his tankard against Russ’s.
Sometime later the two Primarchs sat aside from the raucous noise of their sons tale telling and beer chugging contest.
Russ looked to the skies of the ice world and heaved a sigh.
“We will be warring again brother, for each world that comes into compliance willingly there are others that will not, too long have they been away from the cradle and loving arms of the Emperor”
“Then we shall bring them back brother slowly but surely we will bring them back”
Russ smiled despite himself “And when the sons of Russ war I will war knowing that the Bear King will aid should I require it”
“If he brings more of this throat stripper ale I might” Lucian replied with the faint teasing glint in his eyes.
Russ laughed and for the rest of the night they talked as brothers and a bond began to develop between them. Savage he may seem, but Russ was more then a warrior, he was war incarnate and he did as their father willed and yet he would do nothing that stained his honour and it was an honour of ancient times, of aeons past and for that Lucian could respect him.
When they parted there was none of the unease that had been there when they first met and later in his chambers he looked down at the old wounds from the She Bear and chuckled to him self.
The wolf was abroad in the stars and the bear was right behind him.
