Khorne's Adorable Daemon

What remained of the crew had to be saved, ironically, by the chaos marines who only managed to catch up to their daemons while the tiny beasts were obsessing over the slaughter and eating up the aftermath. Pinkie especially seemed insatiable in her bloodlust but Tyranus managed to calm her.

The ship shuddered as Dreadclaw assault pods attached to the hull releasing more Black Legion marines into the depths of the conquered ship. Tyranus followed at the tail end of his group heading to the nearest incursion to commandeer the Dreadclaw to return to the Warmaster’s vessel.

He turned his head and spotted a massive Aquila daubed on the bulkhead with black paint. His rage grew at seeing the symbol of the Imperium. He squeezed the handle of his axe causing the teeth to spin and slammed the blade into the bulkhead. The metal screamed and sent sparks flying into the air as he dragged it back and forth across the paint sending the symbol of hope into oblivion. The World Eater could feel the mark of Khorne upon his cheek heat up as he defaced the Empire’s most holy symbol.

His work finished Tyranus turned to join his newly found comrades. None of them commented on his actions as they had all been too distracted to see the Aquila sitting there begging to be broken.

They came upon two black armored marines standing outside of the torn bulkhead defending the egress into the ship in case they needed to make swift departure.

“Go to your brothers.” Abaddon commanded as he stepped up into the assault pod.

“Aye lord!” the two echoed simultaneously and stormed off to find something to kill. They were to be disappointed.

The pod sealed itself, like a steel rose closing its petals and detached from the ship. The servitor pilot blurted and screeched machine code as it piloted the pod back through the void heading for the Black Legion ship.

The daemons whirled about the cramped interior blathering to one another like old friends. Tyranus watched as Pinkie Pie began dancing about with the two Slaaneshi daemons that were scantily clad singing her ridiculous song again. The marines however seemed tenser than ever looking across the compartment menacingly. The only helmeted individuals were Tyranus and Brukar. The only other marine capable of wearing a helmet was the Dark Apostle who’s only deformity were the runes of the Book of Lorgar scribed into his flesh.

Tyranus was no stranger to brothers harming themselves for the Blood God but some of these marines were so deformed as to have their faces and minds nearly demolished. It disgusted the berserker some to know that he shared common cause with these marines who knew nothing of pure slaughter. The only way to truly appease the gods was to kill and kill many for them and even then the other three were so useless, a mutated sorcerer, a laughing rotten slime ball and a hedonistic psychopath who rewarded by punishing. These were Tyranus’s comrades in the battle against the false Emperor and some hadn’t even stood with him underneath the walls of the great palace. He sneered mentally at them all no matter how his daemon felt she was his servant and would do as he said.

The Dreadclaw landed in the bay of the Black Legion ship and the marines disembarked with their daemons in tow. Abaddon lead the group back to the chamber with the now smashed hololith in it.

“Brothers,” the Warmaster growled as he flexed his father’s hand, gears whirring and clicking. “After seeing what our little helpers are capable of, I would like to now reopen the issue of a truce for discussion.”

Around the chamber there were several grunts of agreement as the chaos marines all decided to put their differences aside for a moment after having seen what they had at their command it caused one to rethink their position. There wasn’t a man in that room who wasn’t sizing up the equally giant armored psychopath next to him and his daemon in kind thinking on the best way to kill their brother in arms.

The Despoiler seemed somewhat surprised at the complacent attitude that his guests had adopted in working together where less than an hour ago they were readying their weapons to tear into each other.

“Excellent friends,” Abaddon commented. He waved his hand over the hololith which managed to come to life slowly as sparks began to shoot from the damaged inflicted by the World Eater and Plague marine.

“I’ve a plan that I need you all and all of the forces you bring.” Abaddon continued, the hololith shifting to display a planet that was rather densely populated. “After having seen your daemons in action and working together, how do you feel about fighting Imperials?” The lord of Black Legion asked. Brukar set his open hand upon the edge of the display looking at the planet that was displayed.

“I know this world.” He said. “Marauders.” He growls through his helmet. Abaddon nods.

“The sons of the Khan, these however do not have such an affinity for bikes but they are still skilled swordsman.” Abaddon struck a pose similar to Brukar’s by setting his hand upon the hololith causing the image to distort for a second.

Tyranus’s curiosity gets the better of him.

“So this is your plan Despoiler? We attack these marines in their home?” Tyranus steps forward menacingly.

“Yes berserker, much like your assault upon a gene-seed facility that went so well I too require the progenitor glands so I may extend my forces. Is that so hard to comprehend?”

“There is a difference fool. I attacked a facility that was only guarded by the Mechanicum and their weak forces.”

“Were you not attacked by the Imperials whom the facility belonged to?”

“Aye but they were brushed aside easily enough. And the fact remains that this is a fortress monastery that is heavily defended and has been for centuries and not to mention filled with a thousand marines with their home advantage and the vehicle and air support to make this difficult at least.”

The room was silent as the chaos marines were all somewhat stunned by a World Eater who was worried about tactical advantage. Tyranus was no fool when it came to tactics he just knew how to overwhelm an enemy by putting an axe into its head.

“I refuse to commit my brothers to a fight where we will find few skulls and our own blood will spill faster than the enemies.”

Abaddon did not react to the World Eater’s statement but the tension in the air was thick enough to be cut with a knife. The daemons had stopped their frolicking about and had returned to their master’s sides. Pinkie had actually hid herself behind one of Tyranus’s spikes that protruded from his shoulder trying to avoid her master’s growing fury.

“I understand your concern brother, but I have a plan.” Abaddon said narrowing his eyes at Tyranus.

“The dead make poor allies Despoiler.” Tyranus sneered at the Black Legion leader but did not speak further.

Abaddon moved his fingers over the controls and the hololith moved to highlight the fortress monastery.

“My intelligence tells me that a large portion of the Marauder’s forces are away fighting my forces along the Crusade front leaving behind only a few companies including their scouts.” Abaddon smiled as he mentioned the scouts showing his black, pointed teeth. “I’m going to send in a drop pod with our daemons first dropping it in the plains that surround the fortress. The daemons will exit the pod and make their way into the fortress where they will then spread death and terror.”

Tyranus watched the hololith as a tiny drop pod fell from an imaginary ship to strike the planet, when it landed several arrows representing the daemons as they made their way across the open space around the monastery.

Pinkie came out from behind the spike and leaned forward looking at the display.

“What does it mean?” she whispered in Tyranus’s ear.

“It means you’ll get to eat people.” Tyranus explained to her. Pinkie giggled excitedly and gnashed her teeth. Tyranus could hear the clink as steel met steel in her creepy smile.

“What are we going to be doing while our daemons scamper about unsupervised?” Kamtain asked crossing his arms across his chest. “We cannot just leave them in the open unsupported.”

“We will be descending not long after they enter the fortress.” Abaddon tapped a few more keys. The display zoomed out and showed drop pods and Thunderhawks descending from orbit. “We’re going to assault the fortress and only the automated systems should give us any troubles the living should already be taken care of.” Abaddon looked about at the tiny daemons and smiled again.

Tyranus didn’t trust the Warmaster. Evidently neither did most of the marines in the room.

“What of us Despoiler? What do we receive as payment?” Wortham said drawing his hammer menacingly.

“A share of the chapter’s geneseed,” Abaddon said turning his gaze. “Is that not a fair price for your time brother?” Wortham replaced his hammer without another word.

“Then let us descend upon them.” Brukar commented his massive armor whirring and cycling as he turned to leave the chamber.

“Leave your companion here Thousand Son.” Abaddon commanded. Brukar stopped. Tyranus could hear Brukar whisper to his daemon for a few seconds. Twilight remained silent as she jumped down from her master’s armor and trotted her way to the hololith. She then lifted herself from the floor using her warpcraft and placed herself upon the hololith. “All of you.” Abaddon said looking around the chamber at the marines.

Pinkie poked Tyranus in the cheek. Tyranus turned to his daemon.

“Do I have to stay with him master? I don’t like him very much.” Pinkie said giving Abaddon a sidelong glance. “Can I eat him?” she asked.

“No Pinkie you may not eat him.” Tyranus told the daemon. “Listen to him but don’t trust him.” Pinkie nodded up at Tyranus.

“Alright master,” she said as she slid from Tyranus’s armor and leapt up to the hololith to join the other daemons. Tyranus turned and stepped from the chamber. He did not like the idea of leaving his daemon behind as much as he didn’t enjoy having daemons around but he had enjoyed his time with Pinkie Pie. Tyranus was escorted through the bowels of the Black Legion ship. Tyranus walked through the landing bay back up into a Thunderhawk gunship.

Tyranus watched the ramp close up and got the feeling that he would never get to see that little daemon again.

Pinkie Pie sat atop the hololith looking up at Abaddon. The Despoiler was messing with the controls and the display continued to move. Around her sat the other daemons all quietly staring up at Abaddon. Tyranus had told her not to trust Abaddon or any of the other daemons and she didn’t. They had been fun to be around but that was about it. They were all too concerned with other things like spells and talking all sorts of things that got in the way of eating people and soaking in blood.

“Attention.” Abaddon commanded the daemons. Pinkie was pulled from her thoughts as the Black Legionnaire spoke. “You may unique little daemons but you are still daemons, which means you are less than nothing when compared to the likes of me.” Abaddon said. “You are expendable even if you are useful,” he glared down at the group of daemons. “You will listen to my every command as if it were coming from the gods themselves, do you understand?” the Despoiler hissed through his teeth. Pinkie didn’t nod or respond. She just sat there wishing she could bound over and dig through his eye and see what a brain that was chosen by the gods tastes like. “Answer me!” Abaddon commanded. There was a tiny chorus of yeses.

“Yes.” Pinkie answered as she felt waves of warp energy come off of the Warmaster. He was indeed powerful, powerful enough to kill all of the daemons in this room but Pinkie knew that Tyranus could kill him if it really came down to it. She trusted her master, he was chosen of Khorne after all, who else could she trust?

“Now you’re going to come with me and you’re going to do what I say or I will send you back to the warp where you came from.” Abaddon threatened.

The marine stepped back from the hololith and made his way to the door. A clatter of hooves hit the deck as the daemons hopped down to follow him. Abaddon stepped from the chamber and turned, leading the daemons to a drop pod.

Pinkie followed directly behind the two Slaaneshi daemons, Octavia and Vinyl, hoping that something interesting would happen or someone would pop up that she could eat instead of having to listen to this big, black meanie.

Abaddon stopped at a large door that opened up on a drop pod.

“Get in.” Abaddon ordered. The daemons hopped in one by one. Pinkie jumped up in and was surprised by the tiny compartment. There were several seats around and some straps but nothing interesting and there was no one to eat either. She crawled under one of the seats and sat down unhappily.

The other daemons were somewhat more curious and began to explore their surroundings. Carrot Top had crawled her way up to the top of the pod where the heavy bolter sat. She put a hoof up to the metal and let some rot begin to spread to the gun. The gun began to melt away and she smiled sadistically as she watched the liquefied steel drip down onto the deck of the pod.

The corruption shot up the gun and moved to the ceiling and began to burn the plating away slowly.