A gasp of pain brought Akhom back into consciousness his sense dull to his surroundings. All he could remember was Sergeant Zeal, a battle brother of the Sable Swords chapter hurling himself at the Lictor who had him pinned before instating he make a tactical withdraw, yet Akhoms withdraw had not been easy for he had failed to notice the large crevice that had opened in the floor, it was one of the factors that lead to his current situation. Lying on his back separated from Echo Squad.

He checked the chrono readout on his helmet’s internal display to see how long he had been out but the string of digits was nonsense. Either the mark four had been damaged in his fall or something else was interfering with its systems. Judging by his surroundings, he suspected the latter. Where he might have expected to find the same metal bulkhead as on the deck above, here the material the ship was constructed from had been coated in flesh. The walls pulsed as if an unseen heart were pumping blood through them and the floor beneath his feet felt tongue-like, spongy and coated in thick, clear fluid. Experimentally, he tried to move his left arm but a sharp pain told him that he would need the ministrations of one of the Death-watches’ Apothecaries before that would be possible. The Lictors claws had severed through muscle and tendon, as deep down as the bone.

Using his other arm, he hauled himself to his feet and raised Angels Mercy, the master crafted combi-weapon slung at his back. He aimed at the ceiling but in place of the hole he had fallen through a huge scab was in its place, pus leaking from its edges. With another grunt of pain Akhom propped himself against the wall raising his right arm to the vox bead upon the side of his helmet before opening an open vox-link.

“Thi... this is Brother Apothecary Akhom, Echo squad lead.” Akhom had to force each other word, each slayable from his lips, his body in total shock from his wounds. “I have been cut off from the rest of Echo, my situation is dire medical aid is required. I repeat I have been cut off from Echo squad and require medical aid.”

Only static greeted Akhom as he repeated his open vox call twice more, grunting in frustration Akhom winced again in pain as he began to hobble down the corridor, using the wall to support his weight, Angels Mercy aimed squarely ahead. Each step was took more effort than any of Akhom’s two centuries of service, fighting off both the pain each step caused his body to be wracked with the need to enter a state of suspended animation so that his wounds might heal. But Akhom knew that to do so was to doom him to die here, at the mercy of the Tyranids.

His attention was removed from that of his wounds by a burst of static across his vox, not the rhythmic static he had grown accustomed to, but instead that of another trying to establish a link. His right hand upon the vox bead in an instant Akhom rapidly combs threw every vox frequency only picking up fragments, yet in the back of his mind Akhom knew the sender of the Vox call was close.

“This is... tech mar... Lorcan of ... on Hands... ective complete sus... avy causalities.” the vox is momentarily filled with the sound of a high energy weapon spooling up to fire. “Request ... iate support tra... ocation now.” A series of co-ordinates appear within Akhom’s HUD marking the location of tech marine Lorcan and his current location.

Scanning both sets of co-ordinates Akhom realised Lorcan was but a single level below him and only four hundred metres ahead. Blink clicking the vox link Akhom opened a channel to respond, his voiced filled with hope and pride that he is not alone.

“Brother Lorcan this is Apothecary Akhom.” Akhom desperately replied hoping Lorcan would hear his return vox. “I am en route to assist. I repeat I am en route to assist.” With new found determination Akhom stride forth baring the pain of his shattered leg, his mind set on one goal to reach the tech marine and get off this accursed space hulk.

A solemn mood hung over four Astartes as they continued forward towards their objective, none of them had truly come to terms with what they had been forced to do, abandon their Brother captain. Onward they press Xavier leading his heavy flamer primed and ready for whatever the Tyranids would throw at them.

“I swear upon the Honour of my Primarch I shall avenge the Brother-Captain.” His word cause his brother to stop and turn to face him, they were shocked to hear such words from Khordel of all people.

“Khordel are you alright?” Xavier snapped, unable to believe Khordel meant those words. “What do you owe to the memory of Elyas?”

“He saved my life.” Khordel’s voice was little more than a whisper.

“We all owe Elyas in some manner Khordel.” Kestyr responded putting a hand on Khordel’s pualdron to reassure his Brother-Chaplin that he was not alone in the grief he felt for the loss of Elyas.

“Aye Kestyr is right Khordel.” Yngvar interjected his voice not filled with deportment nor sorrow but pride and righteous fury. “I suspect our Brother-Captain has not perished, I still owe him a mark after our last honour duel!”

His statement roused a chuckle from each Astartes present, a return to the familiar mood they had long held under their Brother-Captains command.

“Thank you Yngvar.” Khordel gently slammed his right fist into Yngvar’s left pauldron in a friendly gesture.

Yngvar nodded once in response to Khordel’s thank before jerking his head once to signal them to keep moving towards the objective. Moving back into formation the four Astartes continued their advanced upon the heart of the Tyranids nest within the space hulk, filled with new found determination they would cleanse it. Even if they had to forfeit their own lives.

They stared at the being before them; mute awe washed over each them for no pony present had ever bore witness to such a sight. Clad in armour as black as the night’s sky itself, save for two locations, his left arm was a beautiful silver and the right pauldron which bore a deep green colour and a winged dagger icon. His winged helmet was what kept their attention for it was something they associated with high rank.

“Numerabo vos in gladio, et indica mihi nomen Caesarum in quaestiones” the words from his mouth bit harshly at their ears, for it was an old language to them one that now only the royal pony sisters spoke.

Luna’s eyes widened in shock and joy for to hear the elegant language of her farther, spoken once more it brought back emotions long since lost to her. Yet then the words spoken struck her hard, a lump formed in the back of her throat as her stomach twisted the stark realisation that one of her father’s ‘Angels’ would willingly end not only her life but those of the Elements of Harmony if he did not receive the answer he wanted.

With one fluid motion Luna dropped to one knee her head low, a simple act of submission but one that would show to the Astartes before her she sought no conflict, glancing sideways at the six ponies that had followed her Luna spoke in a hush tone. “Girls, you need to kneel.”

Slowly one by one they followed Luna’s example, bending one knee and dropping into a low kneel though they each wore a different express. While Twilight and Rarity had expressions on wonder upon their faces, Twilights for all this strange being could teach her about the universe and that which lay outside the confines of Equis, Rarities was for the possibilities of new styles and fashion trends she could set by mimicking the colour scheme before her. both Rainbow and Applejack bore looks of distain, AJ for the fact she could not see the face of the being before her so his intentions were hidden to her, Rainbow was merely disgusted by the fact she was forced to kneel before someone that was not one of the princesses. Pinkie held her normal cheerful express having not realised that this might not be the best time to try to make a new friend. Fluttershy was terrified cowering behind her hair trying not to make eye contact.

Luna gulped, her lips dry and cracked from fear, a fear that the next words she was about to speak could be those that condemned not only her but the Elements of Harmony to death. Hoping that this was one of the more reasonable of her Father’s angels Luna began to speak.

“Filia sum Luna in hoc situ linguae sum.” Her words were slow and deliberate with extra care taken to ensure they were pronounced correctly. Luna stole a glance of the armoured figure before them, its posture did not change it still stood proud and tall.

The figure let out a chuckle, the sword it once had pointed squarely at Luna and the Elements of Harmony slowly lowered, returned to the scabbard it must have come from. The figure then drew a rectangular box with an angled wedge jutting from the underside, it held the box loosely in its hands, once again began to speak.

“Omne bonum, si non dicere et loqui, etiam in pa I. Maximum: arma interpretabor.”

Luna’s eyes widened in realisation that she had not gotten them killed, quite the opposite had happened, her Father’s angel had chuckled at her slow and deliberate words and was now giving her and the Elements a chance to speak, so that he might learn their language to make it easier on them.

“Ego sum frater dux Elyas.” The figure spoke before it gestured for them to speak and with a single fluid movement of its neck it gestured for them to rise.

Slowly Luna rose first her lips still dry the figure, whom had identified himself as Elyas, for his stature still posed as a large intimidating force. With a gentle shake of her head Luna cleared the thoughts of him turning into a force of destruction from her mind before she began to speak.

“I am Princess Luna reagent of the Moon and co-ruler of Equestria.” She swung her left arm out wide gesturing to each of the Element bearers in turn. “These six girls are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. They are Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie...”

Before she could finish Pinkie had surged forward and somehow managed to launch herself up onto Elyas’s chest, her face pressed up against his helmet, peering into his eye lenses as she began to ramble.

“HI!MynameisPinkiePieyourenamesElyasright?Doyoulikecupcakes?OOH!whataboutcakeandparties!dDoyouliekthose?Whatisspacelike?doyouhavesaceparties?!” As Pinkie continued to asking Elyas asinine questions it did not take long for Pinkies ramblings to devolve to the point where her friends and the Princess could no longer make out what she was saying.

To his credit Elyas did not react to Pinkie’s physical defying movement, or the fact she was latched tightly onto his chest plate even as she made every attempt to view his face. He merely stood their impassive and unmoving, he continued to wait as Pinkie slowly but surely began to ebb in her constant rambling coming to an end of some fantastical and clearly made up story that had no bearing on the situation.

“Aaaaaaand that how Equestria was made!” Pinkie finished with utter certainty in her voice smiling brightly at Elyas. “Any questions?”

Shaking his head once Elyas moved his right hand up gripping Pinkie Pie around the waste, causing her it illicit a ‘EEP’ of surprise, as he pulled her off of his chest plate gently placing her on the ground in front of him. Now in a low crouch Elyas was close to their height.

“You talk too much pink Abhuman.” His voice filtered out threw his helmets speaker grill sounding cold and metallic it bit harsh against their eardrums, for it was a voice of one who had seen untold tragedies all their life.

Elyas turned his gave from Pinkie Pie rising back to his full height, the withering gaze of his helmets eye lenses now resting squarely upon Princess Luna once more. Luna gulped the pressure of Elyas’s gaze slowly getting to her again; he was so different yet so similar it almost felt like she was staring at the visage for one of her older siblings whom though she had never met had stood with her father so long ago.

“You identified yourself as Princess Luna correct?” Luna nodded once in response to Elyas, her voice caught in her throat.

Elyas snorted once at her silence caring not for the look of disgust this garnered from Rainbow Dash, he merely paid her no heed, she was a mortal and still a child, this made her no threat.

“You will explain to me why this world is so important to the God-Emperor.”

Luna coughed once to clear her throat, before she began to tell the story of how she was connected to her father.

Lorcan gritted his teeth as he rolled to the side of the Tyranid warriors rending claw, it was here he saw to chance for the warrior had over extended his strike leaving it open to a counter strike. With a growl of satisfaction from his biotic larynxes Lorcan aimed the Archeotech pistol, named Istvaan’s Memory, directly at the warrior chest before squeezing the trigger.

The Tyranid warrior let out a horrific wail of pain as a beam of thermal energy lanced form the end pistol slamming into its carapace. Flailing in agony the Tyranid stumbled backwards its carapace unmarked by the thermal beam, yet on the inside its internal flesh was ablaze roasting the beast from the inside.

“Only three remaining.” Lorcan growled casting his gaze around the mess hall he and his brothers had found themselves in upon the completion of their objective to retrieve a small tithe of gene-seed the auspex array had located within the remains of an old Astartes strike cruiser, dating back to the great crusade.

But to secure such valued and pure gene-seed had not been without cost, and Lorcan had paid that cost dearly. Around him lay the dismembered and brutalised corpses of Lima squad, four brothers Lorcan had commanded and blamed himself for their deaths. He hated himself for it, wishing he had replaced his emotions with cybernetics long ago.

Turning his power axe around in his left hand Lorcan slammed his right elbow into the gapping maw of a charging Warrior, sending the beast reeling to the ground. Taking this chance Lorcan thrust the axe down into the Warriors chest, splitting the beast down the centre spilling its vile innards across the deck. Wrenching his axe free of the now dead Tyranid Lorcan failed to notice as a second one barrelled into his side, sending him sprawling across the ground, his weapons knocked form his grasp.

His teeth gritted Lorcan let out a final defiant growl not ready to accept his death at the hands of such vile beasts, if he was to die it would be with honour and taking these insidious invaders from beyond the galaxies edge with him.

It came without warning the burst of static with Lorcan’s vox-bead a call from a battle-brother that yet lived an alley from one of the other squads deployed was within proximity to aid him.

“Brother Lorcan! Keep your head down!” the voice was unmistakable; it was that of Apothecary Akhom. Lorcan silently cursed under his breath.

Why him? Why did it have to be the Lamenter who had come to his aid? Surely he was not destined to survive the Tyranid warrior to fall victim to the curse of fighting alongside a Lamenter. But he had little time to process such thoughts for within a mere second of his vox-hail the ceiling above Lorcan imploded, a shot from Akhom’s combi-grav weapon had torn the ceiling asunder, showing both Lorcan and the surviving Tyranids in debris.

No time to register what had happened the Tyranid warriors were caught unaware as a withering hail of mass reactive rounds was unleashed from above, each round that made contact with the Tyranids blew large chunks of their exoskeleton armour rupturing spilling sickly coloured ichor cross the deck.

With the Tyranids now lying upon the deck twitching in the violent spasms of death Akhom dropped from the whole above, a grunt of pain escaped his lips for the shattered bones of his leg had yet to heal. Propping himself against the wall Akhom dumped the empty clip from his combi-bolter sliding a fresh clip into place with the grace, only a son of Sanguinius could muster for such a mundane act, he turned to face Lorcan.

“Are you alright brother?” Akhom’s words were ragged his mind still fighting to halt his bay form entering a hibernation cycle to recuperate.

“Your shots could have been better placed cousin.” Lorcan remarked, an air of bitterness slipping into his voice as he stood, collecting his weapons in the process. “But otherwise I am unharmed.”

“Good.” Akhom sighed his back still pressed against the wall. “We need to move, to the extraction point.”

Lorcan snorted in disgust, disagreeing with the notion of retreat. Akhom turned to face Lorcan, squaring up to him, even with his shattered leg and broken arm Akhom still cut an imposing image.

“You disagree brother?”

“In principal your plan to fall back is sound.” Lorcan threw a glance down the right side of the corridor. “But judging by the organic Xenos growth littering the walls we are close to the nest, and we are still alive. I don’t think Captain Elyas and his squad made it to the nest.”

“You imply too much Lorcan!” Akhom all but spat jabbing a finger in Lorcan’s direction. “The Brother-captain entered in the most densely infested section, of course he’d not have reached the nest yet!”

“Irrelevant!” Lorcan rounded fixing him with a disapproving glare. “My chrono display is showing we only have a few Terrain standard hours before this hulk begins transit back into real space. If the heart of this Tyranid swarm is not extinguished before then the Imperium will fall!”

“Then what do you propose we do Brother! Throw our lives away assaulting the nest!” Akhom returned Lorcan’s glare with one of his own. “Is your chapter so warped in their teachings that you seek to mimic your Primarchs foolish actions from the Hersey! I certa....” Before Akhom could finish Lorcan had slammed his right fist into his face, dropping Akhom to the deck.

“HOW DARE YOU!” Lorcan roared Akhom’s statement having killed the last remnants of Lorcan’s compassion and ties of kinship to his fellow Astartes one battle to late “The Iron-father died a noble death! He stood as the first to oppose the arch traitors! And you dare sully his sacrifice by implying it was foolish!” Lorcan slammed his left leg into Akhom’s stomach, winding him. “Were it not for the fact you are the only one capable of extracting the gene-seed of my fallen squad I would strike you down!”

Lorcan bent down grabbing Akhom be his good arm dragging him to his feet, their helmets now level. Akhom grimaced briefly at the forcefulness Lorcan pulled him up but kept quite knowing he had picked at a scab still raw for all Iron Hands and their successor chapters.

“Extract their gene-seeds and get ready to move.” Lorcan turned from Akhom facing down the right corridor. “We are moving into the nest’s heart and this is not up for discussion.”

Yngvar snorted glaring at the pulsating obstruction before him and his brothers, it was all that lay between them and the heart of the Tyranid infestation a thin pussy membrane across the hallway. He knew not what lay beyond all he knew was that it must die even at the cost of their lives, glancing either side Yngvar saw his three surviving brothers likewise stood ready to enter this final charge together.

“Brothers!” Yngvar began his voice horse and unsteady for though he knew this was to be their last charge together and his body had accepted that his mind had not. “It has been my honour to fight alongside you all these years. Beyond this blockage lies our goal, the heart of the swarm and it must be purged.” He paused gripping his bolt pistol and chain sword tightly, having mag-locked his bolter to his back for its ammunition had run dry on their approach to the nest, much like Ketsyr’s bolter and Xavier’s heavy flamer.

They had encountered heavy resistance upon their approach in the form of the Hive Guard, large armoured beasts rumoured to be produced from the biomass of Astartes, it had disgusted them to no end that the Emperors gifts to them had been broken down and perverted by these Xenos to create such horrific killing machines. Yngvar had taken now small amount of spiteful glee in putting down such abominations in the name of the Emperor and Wolf King, he likewise had expected his Brothers to have felt the same emotions.

“Though we likely charge to our deaths. We do so with pride! I know our Primarchs, the Emperor and Our Brother-Captain are with us in spirit!” Yngvar thumbed the trigger of his chainsword bringing it up to full speed and pointed the weapon squarely at the membrane blocking their path. “Let us charge together Brothers!” with his final words Yngvar howled and charge forward barrelling into the membrane, tearing it apart.

With their entry made Yngvar and his Brothers charged into the morbid opening of the Tyranid nest, all four having made peace with their fate and ready to perform the duties expected of them.

Elyas had seated himself upon a toppled pillar lying in the murky quagmire of the swamp, listening intently as Luna regaled her tale of the Emperor and his connection to her. This tale had soon evolved in Luna speaking of her down fall and subsequent redemption with the aid of the six adhumans, or rather ponies as they wished to be known, that were with her. slowly but surely Luna finished her tale and waited for Elyas to respond, but he did not for several long minutes Elyas remained completely still his mind processing the information Luna had either intentionally or unintentionally revealed with her tale.

Her story coincides with events of imperial history. Elyas thought keeping his gaze fixed upon Luna her arrival matches up with when imperial historians suspect the Primarchs were scattered, but it’s her mention of becoming this Nightmare Moon which vexes me. The time frame falls perfectly in line with the World Engine threat and the subsequent destruction of the Astral Knights. If she is their gene-sire then I must know.

“Tell me Princess.” Elyas spoke as he slowly rose from the pillar his withering gaze still fixed upon Luna. “Does the phrase Protect The Nights Children mean anything to you?”

Luna’s gasped in shock, tears forming in the corner of her eyes, the mention of the only thing she had been able to gift to her sons, being spoken to her after so long tugged upon her heart strings. Pulling long repressed emotions to the surface, it was something she was deeply grateful for. Slowly she nodded once as she bit her bottom lip tears still threatening to spill forth from her eyes.

“I suspected as much.” Elyas smiled warmly behind his helmet. Her reaction had confirmed it, she was one of the Emperors children and gene-sire to a chapter honoured by fourteen brother chapters for their heroic sacrifice during on of the Imperiums darkest hours.

It was at this moment clarity came to Elyas, he was the gene son of the first Primarch the Lion and this small being before him was a younger sibling of his gene father. One whom the Emperor had kept apart from the Imperium, one whom he had not sought out in order to protect, he knew what had had to do it was something both the Emperor required and his Primarch would respect.

Slowly Elyas walked up to Luna stopping directly in front of her and with deliberate care he bent to one knee, his head lowered before her.

“I may not be one of your sons, one of your Astral Knights.” At the mention of their chapter name Luna flinched the memory of their demise still in her mind. “But I swear upon my Primarch Lion El’Johnson and the Emperor that I shall protect your world from all threats, until i fall in battle or you no longer require my protection.”

With his oath finished Elyas rose to his full height once more looking down at Luna whom had a small smile gracing her lips, as did the six Elements of Harmony.

“I feel this forest is not safe, with Necrons present I suggest we fall back to an area more defensible.” Elyas threw sideways glances around the area checking for any Necron presence. “I shall accompany you to such a destination.”

With a single nod Luna motion for them to leave slowly walking back along the path that she and the Elements taken into the Forest, a small bounce in her step as she lead the way.

Author's Note

Finally this chapter is done, and jesus it was a pain to write what with the computed issues and what not. But it feels good to finally finish this chapter

It was meant to be a straight 12,000 word chapter but with my pc have a mild case of death and me having to rewrite to thing I've decided to break it into parts.

Also as always please point out mistakes since I still don't have an editor how knows anything about 40k.