Chapter 2: The Oncoming Storm
Baal Secundus, the moon of the planet Baal, was a wasteland. The moon of Baal used to be a paradise. A world filled with resources and people. It is now a shell of its former self. A wasteland that was made by their species.
In the skies of Baalfora, hundreds of vessels hovered in the sky. Hundreds of vessels, hundreds of Space Marines. They were all headed to the Arx Angelicum, a fortress, a monastery, and the home of the Blood Angels. Hundreds of ships landed in the vast deserts near the Arx. There, hundreds upon hundreds of successor chapter Marines walked out of their ships and into the Arx.
Dante had never seen such a large number of vessels in the sky. Being one of the oldest chapter masters in the Imperium, it was a sight to see. There are approximately twenty thousand blood angels in Baal Secundus. There are nearly twenty thousand defenders. Many of them had never even been to the sacred Baal before. Even if some of them were quick to be marked foreign by others, their gene-seed was of Sanguinius', their father. His lineage.
Though, as grand as it might be, there were too many transports coming together. Dante remained unemotional as many sons of Sanguinius arrived and others began preparing more walls and defenses for the battles to come.
As Dante remained on the great wall of the Arx, Arx Murus, a servitor, arrived by his side.
"Commander Dante, we have received word from another chapter."
"Which of the Sanguinary Brotherhood?" Dante asked through his golden mask that resembled the face of their father, Sanguinnius. His golden armor was nearly identical to that of the elite Sanguinary Guard.
"Not one. Different." This confused Dante. Who would send a chapter to help the Blood Angels? This is Baal, not Ultramar, not Deliverance, Chogoris, or Nocturne.
"Who? Ultramarine successors? Raven Guard? Space Wolves?"
"Salamander Successors. The Fireborn Destroyers." The Fireborn Destroyers was a new chapter that only formed two or three hundred years ago. They were new and made to counter the Tyranid fleets. It was a surprise. He would welcome it. But he would think of the others' opinions and think differently. From the warp, another Chapter Fleet arrived. It was surely the Fireborn Destroyers.
Though, unlike normal Salamanders, they were aggressive and have been known to exterminate their enemies to a crisp by flamer, bolter, and ships.
Mephiston, Chief Librarian of the Blood Angels, entered through an armored door; behind him was the Master of Astropaths, Jerron Leeter.
"How goes the mustering, my lord?" Mephiston spoke with a dry and whispery voice, his close resemblance to the great Sanguinius contrasting with his hoarse voice.
"It goes well. Our brothers are swift in their arrival. That is a given though, for what is to come. Time is running out, the devourer nears."
"Twenty-Seven chapters have arrived, my lord." Leeter spoke with respect and honor. "Many more are coming to aid us in this fight."
"Truly, the sons of the Great Angel follow in his footsteps," Mephiston said with a small grin.
"There is also one Salamanders Successor Chapter," Dante told them.
"Yes, indeed," said Leeter. "Although it was a surprise to hear, they're sending every company they have to aid us in battle."
"The sons of Vulkan aid us in this fight to come." Mephiston looked up at one of the battle barges.
"Nearly twenty-five thousand sons of Sanguinius are coming, and one thousand Salamanders," Dante grimaced. "Can we defeat this threat even if we have all of these numbers?"
"What kind of question is that, my lord?" Mephiston asked his Chapter Master.
"A question that only has two answers: we live or we die." Inside the helmet, Dante smiled, knowing that death was nearing him. "Then I shall die fighting with all of you. Any news from Cadia?"
"Nothing, my lord. Chaos has run rampant in those parts of the Diamor system. We have heard nothing," Mephiston informed him.
"Are we sure they are still alive?"
"Yes, I am sure." Mephiston spoke with certainty in his voice. He was a psyker—a very powerful one. His might was known throughout the Imperium.
"That is helpful to know the least," Dante recomposed himself. "Anything else?"
"Yes, we have scouted the entire Baal sector, from Primus to Secundus. We have figured out the best places and learned about the disruptions in our communication. The Shadow of the Warp nears." Mephiston grimaced.
"Even if it nears, many chapters are on our side. In the sky and the ground. All of them, at your command. It is as if you, Commander Dante, are Sanguinius himself. And the Legion of the Blood Angels has returned," Leeter praised.
"Not enough," Dante whispered. "All these men, yet I fear it isn't enough."
"Though it is a sight, is it not?" Mephiston spoke optimistically. Both of them knew of the possible outcomes of this battle to come. Both of them knew to fear the worst. The Great Devourer has killed many and destroyed hundreds of worlds already. Who was to say they weren't the next ones to go?
"Even if we knew our fate to come, which would most likely be death," Dante faced Mephiston. "Would we run away?"
Mephiston scoffed at such a question.
"We are the sons of Sanguinius, my lord. In our blood and our souls, Sanguinius is always with us, all of us. By his blood, we were made." Mephiston spoke with a pained voice, a voice of struggle, pain, and agony, yet hope kindled in his voice as well as certainty. "And in his blood, he does not run away."
Dante nodded. "By his blood, he is within all of us. And we will need his strength now, more than ever. We might need the strength of Vulkan as well."