The Angel's Demons

Prologue

Honour. Glory. Remembrance. The three very things he craved all waiting for him beyond the cities’ gates. This was the last stronghold of the Emperor’s enemies. They, the Immortals – His IX Regiment, plus their brothers of the War Hound and The First Regiments had been task to destroy it. The battle lines had been drawn and now, by the end of the day, the Emperor would truly be master of Earth. The Warlord Draghsei had withdraw once the Ursh Empire had been annihilated only months before.

To show his warriors that he was watching them, the Emperor has sent along a contingent of his custodians to fight beside them. Bombardment cannons from the rear of their force signalled the start of the battle. The fortresses’ shields absorbed the impact of the few thousand shells, but soon the old technology failed and the shells began to fall on brick, mortar and flesh. It was as the screams of the dying began to ring out across the valley that they, the Emperor’s finest charged.

He reached the wall inside thirty seconds, his warriors behind him, glory ahead of him. He fired his pistol; men fell to the floor dead. Some of the lucky ones received lighter fates; however, they were gutted with blades as soon as the Emperor’s forces overtook them. Once the IX regiment entered the fortress the real bloodletting began. The proto-astartes spared no one, the rage and anger of the past months was being vented onto the populace of this one final stronghold. The astartes killed and killed and killed. There was no honour to be found on the streets of the fort, just death and the murder of innocents.

The Custodians watched in shock horror. It was said that astartes felt no fear. This was no fear, it was disgust at the actions of the Emperor’s so called angels; his most pure warriors. But here, they betrayed their purity for the sake of their hate. As the astartes slaughtered their way through the streets of the fortress the blood began to flow as streams down the streets. They worked their way up to the fortresses’ central temple, a place of worship. It was ironic; here and now, amidst all this horrific bloodletting, the Emperor’s words would become true. Humanity would be free once the last altar fell upon the last priest. Humanity would become truly secular.

A unit of ten astartes hammered down the doors of the church. Their guns let fire into the holy place. The floor became corrupted by the blood of innocents. More and more men of faith died until only one remained; the one sat atop the throne at the back of the building – Warlord Draghsei. Amongst his people he was the Anointed, the mouthpiece of the true deity. He said as much, screaming curse after curse at the astartes. Not that they cared the Emperor, the pure and true Master of Mankind had taught them how the galaxy was a place of reason and science, not one filled with miracles and misplaced faith.

The leading astartes moved toward him. Such was the Warlord’s faith; he accepted his death with open arms. As the Immortal drew his blade and plunged it through his chest. He did not move, he did not scream; he just prayed. “Earth belongs to the Emperor,” stated the astartes. The com link crackled. “The Emperor is recalling all of the regiments to his palace. He has a new mission for us. Your orders, Master Raldoron?”

Chapter 1

The Great Crusade had begun. The astartes regiments had been let loose upon the galaxy; conquering in the Emperor’s name. Mars had been brought into line; they had sworn fealty almost immediately after the Emperor’s conquest of Terra, as it was now known. Now the Astartes had been tasked with freeing the rest of the Sol System; the 18th, 5th, 8th and 17th Regiments had moved on Jupiter; the 2nd, 13th, 15th, 7th and 19th Regiments had been tasked to Saturn; the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 10th, 11th and 20th Regiments to Uranus and the 9th, 12th, 16th, 1st and 14th had been ordered to Neptune. Already the Immortals had arrived, aboard the Battle Barge Eternia and were awaiting the arrival of their brethren. The traces of humanity that were upon Neptune had been enslaved by a vile alien race known as the Khurash. The Emperor had charged the Immortals and their fellow regiments to free the planet and bring the final planet in the Sol System into the growing Imperium.

“Hail, brothers of the Immortals Regiment. This is Commander Khârn of the War Hounds. We are minutes from Neptune, and the rest of our brethren are not far behind.” Raldoron acknowledged the Khârn, the tension increasing within his body; battle was not far off; only their brothers of the First, the Dusk Raiders and the Luna Wolves were keeping it at bay.

Within the hour all five of the regiments were present, their flotilla formed ready to attack. Aboard the Eternia the various regimental commanders had meet to discuss battle plans. It had been decided that the Immortals would assault the prison camps and free the human prisoners that were captive there. The regiments boarded their Stormbird transports and prepared for war. Every brother focused his mind to the task at hand, bolters were being checked over again and again, ensuring that they would not fail during the heat of combat.

Nice! So you're going Blood Angels, yeah ? Where did I hear that name before, "Raldoron" ?

Yeah, this will be a chronicle of the Blood Angels. Raldoron is Sanguinius' Chapter Master in Horus Rising.

Nice start there, Fulgrim.
More please and soon! :D

Added the start of Chapter 1, enjoy.