Old Enemies - False Hope Crusade!

"Hurry my brothers, the markers are close" The sorcerers felt the dark and murky voice of Lord Moros in the back of their minds. The treads of their rhino's were caked in the blue dust of the 4th planet in the Possiah system, Gallum. And close behind them the methodical gears of the giant Defilers pounded the sand-like rocks in their paths into clouds of blue dust It was on this long forgotten planet only three days earlier that Moros lead his fellowship to victory over a Blood Angels scouting party.

Moros felt a ripple in the warp once again, instantly his thoughts shifted to his memories from his long campaign in the Bellean sector. The fights with the cursed Disciples of Caliban weighed heavily upon him. His master Ahirman was so close to securing his objective in that sector but the unrelenting Dark Angels drove them out of the region. It would not be long until the rest of the renegades came to join Moros here at Possiah.

Cato broke through Moros' thoughts with a frantic delight. "Yes, Cato, I see it now. Brothers! disembark and scour the area for the library's location!" shouted Moros. The transports arrived in the ancient ruined buildings of a long dead Eldar outpost. The blue dust covered the buildings in deep drifts. The former majesty of the buildings was not lost on Moros as he scanned the area attempting to find the source of the disturbance in the warp. This could finally be what they have been searching for, information on how to enter the Black Library.

Moros paused, in that instant everything seemed to stand still. He could feel everything around him with heightnend senses. The shining blue and gold armor of the rubric marines glistened in the light of the dual suns. The almost constantly howling wind of Gallus seemed to stop with a sense of coming dread. The clouds parted with sudden fury and the thrusters of a Thunderhawk bearing the markings of Ahriman. The ship touched down and the boarding ramp lowered, Ahriman walked with speed and purpose, shrouded in malcontent.

Ahriman gestures to Moros for him to follow and swiftly walks past him. Moros speeds up to match his pace, "My master, how goes the conflict in the Bellean?".

"The cursed dogs of Caliban have driven us from the sector. They are most troublesome, but I am confident that you have not let the opportunity here go to waste. I read your report of your victory over the Sons of Sanguinious. It was a most pleasing." said Ahriman. The wisdom and experience of all the centuries of war could be heard on his voice.

Ahriman stopped in his tracks, he peered through the blue sands as if he caught a glimpse of something elusive in the shadows. "Plans have changed, heed the tides of the great ocean. I am sending you back to the Veracity to await further orders. I have foreseen many events unfolding here in the False Hope Sector that will need your intervention. As for now, you must go. The fools from Caliban are coming and you must not engage them yet."

"At once my master." Moros' cloak flew around him as he turned. Everything within him wanted to stay and fight his most hated enemy, but to question Ahriman was to throw ones life away.

Ahriman began preparations for the coming battle. The Disciples of Caliban would soon be upon them. He lifted the spells on the defilers and took up battle formations. As the Suns began to set the coming battle would be quick and violent.

The Black and green tanks of the Disciples of Caliban pulled into the edges of the ruined Eldar outpost. Instantly a piercing light impacted the front of one of their predators and it exploded. The barrage of lascannon fire from the renegade's land raider and defilers pelted the Dark Angels. Their venerable dreadnoughts leg was blown clean off and the hulking metal form limped to the ground. White hot shrapnel from the exploding predator flew into a building housing some tactical marines. The sergeant dove to shield his battle brothers from the incoming blast and was shredded to pieces, his lascannon damaged beyond repair.

Ahriman and his fellow sorcerers opened the hatches of their rhino's and unleashed the power of the warp upon another dreadnought. It's armor was torn and mutated, but it still lumbered on! Even Ahriman was impressed with the amount of punishment that the venerable dreadnought was able to take.

But just as he readied the final blow from his channeled powers he felt a backlash in his mind! "Your time has come heretic!" The raging voice of the chief librarian of the Disciples of Caliban tore into Ahriman's thoughts and stayed his power. His Psychic Hood was glowing white, surging with latent energies.

"What is this? A fledgling puppy of the betrayer? I see you still cling to your relics from the corpse king for your power." Retorted Ahriman. Brother-Librarian Nicholas boastful words resonated in the depths of Ahriman, "I have come for the fallen... you will answer for your crimes or die foul sorcerer!"

"Nicholas... your arrogance knows no limits. You will pay for your pride." Ahriman's words brought the brother-librarian to his knees and the carnage of the battlefield seemed to melt away. The light of explosions, mussel flashes, and lascannon fire gave way to the brightness of the souls of the astartes. Ahriman could feel the calming embrace of the warp and could see the soul of Nicholas flickering even from inside the armored Rhino. The Librarian was hit with a force he only felt in his deepest nightmares. When he regain his sight he could see the glowing form of Ahriman, wielding the Black Staff, standing over him. "Here, in this place, you and I shall determine the true outcome of this battle. Prepare yourself." The words were distorted as they flowed gracefully through the utter silence of the warp.

There was only Ahriman and Nicholas now, a duel of will.

Nicholas was the first to strike he was caught unaware by this foreign place, a dark place only seen in his dreams. With all his might he struck at Ahriman with his mighty blade. Ahriman swept him aside with little effort, "Come now, is that all the betrayer muster?." Nicholas summoned all his will from deep within him and lashed out in the fury that only an astartes can fathom. Ahriman was taken by surprise by this and the ensuing melee was not nearly so lop sided. Infact, the Libarian proved to be quite the match for Ahriman in martial prowess. Every soul on the battlefield lived or died with every strike of the mighty duel.

The battle raged on, the Terminators of Caliban lead by Master Adso took the center of the field. Sehkmet Terminators poured out of the golden clad chaos land raider supported by monstrous defilers to engage and destroy the Dark Angels. The melee as fierce, lightning claws tore through the ensorcelled armor of the thousand sons with a hiss of green energy being released. The defilers cackled with dark laughter and screams as they tore appendages and cracked bone. Even the mighty Terminator armor was not enough to save them from the onslaught. Sorcerer Qoheleth of the second fellowship summoned the powers of the warp to strike down the stalwart Terminator Captain Adso down. Qoheleth artfully parried the claws of Adso as they tore through his chest guard leaving a deep tear. In one fluid motion he raised his force staff for the killing blow...

something was wrong, the power of the warp was sapped from him!

Ahriman reeled as he was struck with a pommel strike from Nicholas. As his senses returned he sought to end this conflict, "This is enough whelp, I tire of this." barked Ahriman. In a flash of light Ahriman had Nicholas by the throat. Ahriman brought their eyes level, "A mighty display, it is a shame your talent will be wasted..." Nicholas' light began to fade and just then Ahriman dropped him in stunned disbelief, "NO, it cannot be!" shouted Ahriman. The tides of the great ocean began to ripple with an ever changing rainbow of colors. A warp daemon of immense power roared with a power that all the astartes felt deep within their souls. Instantly the booming sounds of bolter fire and screams of carnage filled the air again.

Ahriman and Nicholas returned to their corporeal bodies. Ahriman's rageful shouts could be heard across the battlefield as he lept from his rhino in search of Nicholas. Nicholas was clutching his chest in agony as he leaned against the wall of the decaying Library.

The duel cost Ahriman the field, he underestimated the strength of Librarian Nicholas. The diversion was enough to allow the Disciples of Caliban to make off with the Eldar artifacts.

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Hey guys thanks for reading! If you're still reading at this point I'll take it that you liked it!

My friend Brother C. and I have been doing a little narrative battle reporting with our 40k matches. We played a really close match last thursday which this is based off of.

He tells the battle from his perspective in the previous post.

It was a great game and I honestly think that I am having more fun with the narratives than the actual games! Let us know what you think!