Across the vast expanse, a white-yellow mist rose from the ground, streaming and accumulating in the dense cloud layer that touched the earth.
On a planet rooted in agriculture, abundant rain meant fertile soil and a bountiful year ahead.
Yet, the toxic atmosphere of Barbarus dictated that these raindrops bore rich chemical components. While these might not be friendly to humans, they nourished the crops of Barbarus.
No farmer had not prayed for a good harvest. Oh, Earth, grant us this handful of grain!
Centuries of pleas sent ripples through the ether. The gods turned their gaze but overlooked the masses.
The first raindrop, bearing the Rain Father's blessings, landed on Calas's wingtip. The muddy droplet slid along the intricate patterns of the butterfly-like wing, seeping into the pale, blood-red cracks.
A seed once caressed by a benevolent father would, under the guidance of the gods, break its shell and become a butterfly.
Perhaps it wasn't time yet. A seed's growth required patience. But the cog of fate, jammed in the gears of destiny, disrupted nature's rhythm.
Let a storm rage, a thunderclap sound, to awaken all that slept!
A dirge, thunderous and startling, exploded. Torrential rain obscured the sky and horizon.
"Maintain formation, three to the front!"
Hades's shout pierced the rain's din. Communication channels buzzed, voices indecipHerillable.
As far as the eye could see, the bone-white armor of the Death Guard gleamed in the dim night, the battalion still on the move.
On the perimeter, unique creatures of Barbarus began assaulting their ranks, their aggression heightened by the acidic rain.
Amidst the rain, a faint psionic glow flickered.
Hundreds of Pus Hounds raced across the wasteland, while Pus Hawks circled above. They emerged from the downpour, as if every predator of Barbarus had converged.
A scene reminiscent of Barbarus's end times, death revealed itself from the rain.
Any onlooker would likely fall to their knees in terror.
Yet—
Gunfire shattered the rainy night, flames tearing through the darkness.
The Death Guard aimed their scythes and guns silently at the shrieking prey.
Enemy blood mixed with rain, flesh and mud melding in the mire.
This time, Mortarion and Hades brought only Barbarus-born Death Guard.
From the day they swore allegiance to Mortarion, from the day they only had rudimentary gas masks, they had battled these Barbarus beasts.
In those days, their tactics were suicidal. Those chosen by the enemy would draw fire, making every encounter a farewell.
But now, enemy bodies shattered under their scythes. Every bullet claimed a life.
Beasts that once took whole rebel squads to kill became insignificant before their augmented bodies, precise power armor, and advanced weaponry.
They would become the new Reapers of Barbarus.
Hades noticed, somewhat exasperatedly, that the frontline squads would occasionally fall back to the inner circle, not for rest, but to let eager comrades engage the enemy.
But it was in line with military tactics. Hades held his tongue, focusing on maintaining formation and marching speed.
Mortarion's voice rang out, "So, Barbarus was always connected?"
"I believe so," Hades murmured.
Barbarus had always had a mysterious link with Nurgle. It was the original stage, the beginning of a destined fate.
Yet now, fate tried to revert to its preordained track.
The army soon entered mountainous terrain. The thickening poisonous mist intensified, but their power armor filtered it.
The narrow, treacherous mountain path wasn't fit for a large force. Thus, Hades and Mortarion left two hundred Death Guard and five Untouchables to guard the mountain's entrance, preventing wasteland beasts from ascending.
It turned out to be a wise decision.
With the remaining forces, Hades and Mortarion climbed.
Leading with the Death Shrouds, Hades and Mortarion were always at the forefront. As the torrential rain continued, the familiar yet distant scenery awakened memories.
This was where they were bombarded.
Instinctively, Hades became vigilant. But this time, the danger came from below.
The rain-soaked ground became a quagmire, pulling them down. Their armor's sleek feet were gripped by the mud.
Lightning struck.
Alien lords of varying sizes emerged from the muck.
Psionic waves emanated from them, their eyes blank, devoid of will.
Examining closely, Hades was certain almost all the alien lords from Barbarus were present. But, surprisingly, Necare was absent.
"I never realized they were just another puppet," Mortarion's voice echoed from behind his mask. Those alien lords, who once oppressed the Barbarus people, using human corpses to create puppets, were merely slaves to a higher power.
He raised his scythe, Silence. Its chainsaw blade roared, chains at the scythe's end rustling.
"Just some old foes to kill again," he declared.
The Death Guard's gunfire was the only reply.
Psionic waves rippled between the lords. While Mortarion relied on memories to defeat stronger aliens, Hades directed squads guarding the Untouchables, carefully suppressing the alien lords' psionic waves.
The Untouchables, dispersed among the alien horde, calmed the raging sub-space ripples and strengthened the barriers between sub-space and the physical world.
Surrounded by Untouchables, an alien's psionic glow dimmed instantly, allowing the Death Guard to strike.
Monitoring his helmet's data, Hades easily beheaded an alien lord. Its dazed head spun in the air, splattering the mud with droplets of blood.
The sub-space disturbance here was intense, exacerbated by the psionically-active alien lords. The life-signs from the Untouchables' armor were concerning, with some even losing consciousness.
Hades frowned. While Untouchables were naturally suppressive to sub-space entities, if the latter's strength was sufficient, it could inversely pressure the Untouchables.
The good news was the current Death Guard could handle these alien lords. Even though more kept emerging from the mire, their overwhelming numbers and superior equipment ensured victory.
"They're trying to delay us," Mortarion's voice crackled through the comms.
Mortarion then aimed at an alien body he'd just sliced with Silence. Its flesh seemed to want to reassemble.
"Bang!"
The Alien Pistol, Abyss Lamp, fired after charging, its bluish-purple flash evident.
Hades swung his weapon, Censure, bisecting an alien. It didn't move after falling.
After analyzing the battlefield, Hades realized there were fewer emerging bodies compared to their kills. The number of lords was decreasing.
But to completely clear them would take time.
"Continue upward?"
"Yes."
After leaving enough Death Guard behind, they ascended with a select few and the Death Shrouds.
And this time, none lagged behind due to the poison.
Hades held his breath instinctively.
Poisonous clouds swirled atop the mountain. The downpour had ceased here, with a vast cavity formed amidst the thick clouds.
A foot-deep, tranquil rainwater covered the mountaintop.
In that place, where they once
battled the alien Necare, a bloated figure stood.
Its vibrant yet decaying colors shimmered dimly. Gigantic butterfly-like wings spread from Calas Typhon's back, and on his pale, swollen face, intricate moss-like patterns crawled.
No other enemies. No expected ambush. He hovered, toes touching the water—
Smiling.
"I made it here, Mortarion. I did it," Calas Typhon mused, seemingly speaking to Mortarion.
Hades raised his Incinerator, ready to fire—
Mortarion stopped him.
"What?!"
"15 seconds."
Hades took a deep breath, suppressing his rage. He signaled the Death Guard to scatter and take advantageous positions.
He could grant them 15 seconds to contemplate life.
Mortarion nodded.
"Calas, why?"
Mortarion's voice wavered. Why had he betrayed them?
Only standing here, seeing Calas Typhon's fallen form, did Mortarion's last sliver of hope shatter.
Why the betrayal?
Had Calas been seduced by the chaos of sub-space, descending into the abyss? The status quo was shattered, friends became enemies. Why?
Mortarion remembered the frank Calas of yesteryears. When had he changed?
Calas Typhon chuckled, "Weakness is the original sin."
He continued, "You aren't truly weak. You've never understood."
Hades's ferocious bullet barrage was the only response.
Mortarion hesitated momentarily, but quickly surged forward, scythe raised towards his former ally. As he charged, bullets from Hades narrowly skimmed past him, directly targeting Calas Typhon.
"—Clang—"
Calas Typhon, surprisingly, deflected the powerful onslaught from the Primarch with his scythe! Strange yellow-green psionic lightning danced around his weapon. Realizing Calas Typhon's potential use of psychic power, Mortarion immediately withdrew his scythe, refraining from a head-on clash.
"We've both witnessed unspeakable horrors. Why did you choose to fall?" Mortarion rasped.
"In this world, there is no true freedom, Mortarion. War will consume us all in the end," Calas Typhon retorted, his gaze implying they were blind to the abyss they'd fallen into.
"Allying with a tyrant who cares not for the individual will only lead to annihilation."
"I'd rather serve a benevolent father, who'd grant us a peaceful end." He hinted at an entity that would not accept Hades, only choosing some.
"Mortarion, I believe you aren't swayed by mere appearances. The kind-hearted Mortarion would understand."
"Bullshit!"
Seeing Mortarion retreat, Hades, who had been providing cover fire, lunged at Calas Typhon, locking them in combat.
"If you're forced to be a dog, stop barking!"
Upon hearing this, Mortarion looked at Hades incredulously. Had he ever uttered such words?
Hades, however, continued his frenzied attempt to break through Calas Typhon's scythe defense. From his meticulously crafted backpack, the Meltagun targeted Calas Typhon's face. Yet, each shot was thwarted by a faint psychic barrier surrounding Calas Typhon.
In the face of Hades's Null Zone, Calas Typhon's bloated form, wrapped in psychic energy, and his psychic shield seemed frail. But the key was to bypass the defensive scythe!
Infused with the curse of Nurgle, Calas Typhon's strength was immense, causing Hades's arm to go numb from the impact.
Sensing Hades's intentions, Mortarion swung his scythe from the side—
Splash!
Calas Typhon flapped his wings, soaring into the sky. As his colorful yet dim wings fluttered, the swirling toxic clouds began to gather around him, with chaotic psychic energy sparking brightly.
"I'm saddened that you never understood, Hades."
From his aerial vantage point, he looked down condescendingly.
"You're shortsighted, Hades. Always fixated on what's right in front of you and never looking at the bigger picture."
"Whenever Mortarion and I pondered our existence and our thoughts, you'd always unwillingly depart."
As Hades glared at the ascending figure, he thought, "Why is it always flying enemies?!" Gunshots rang out, but Calas Typhon effortlessly evaded the Death Guard's fire.
"You're so focused on your own narrative, unable to see the grander tale."
Hades looked to Mortarion. The chain on Mortarion's scythe, Silence, was clearly not long enough.
Turning back to Calas Typhon, Hades realized he was waiting for the clouds to gather for his next attack. Opening a private communication channel, he quickly discussed a plan with Mortarion.
Mortarion nodded in agreement.
Hades started to retreat.
Calas Typhon watched him, puzzled. Feeling the power accumulating from the rain and clouds, he knew they didn't have much time. Apart from Mortarion, he planned to finish off the rest.
However—
Mortarion thrust his scythe, Silence, into the ground. Hades, who had just retreated, suddenly charged towards Mortarion!
Using both hands, the Primarch formed a step, launching Hades into the air.
"Shortsighted? You're the blind one!"
Using the momentum Mortarion provided, Hades bolted towards Calas Typhon, trying to strike with his weapon, Censure.
Calas Typhon was momentarily stunned, then chuckled, "You're always so naive."
He evaded Hades's assault with ease. As Hades began to fall, pulled down by gravity, he still tried to land a hit. Bullets were shot in Calas Typhon's direction, but to no avail.
"Really?"
Along with Hades's voice, a gigantic scythe reached Calas Typhon's position—
Mortarion had hurled Silence!
Hades's form had concealed the approaching scythe!
Calas Typhon, who had been focused on Hades, was struck by the massive scythe. The cold blade deeply tore open his power armor, spilling his innards.
Hades, who had fallen, grabbed the chain attached to the scythe's end, using his strength to pull Calas Typhon down from the sky.
Struggling against Hades's force, Calas Typhon tried to escape. But Mortarion's masterful technique ensured that Silence was firmly lodged in Calas Typhon's flesh and bone, making escape impossible.
The gathered clouds began to dissipate, as if acknowledging the inevitable. Outside the mountain, the pouring rain started to lighten.
The two descended rapidly.
"Splash!"
Water dispersed.
Hades pinned Calas Typhon down, using his Null Zone to suppress him, ready to end his life with Censure.
"Spare me."
A moment of clarity shone in Calas Typhon's murky eyes. He struggled, trying to speak further, to plead. But the fluid rising in his throat choked his words.
Hades hesitated for a moment.
Then, with determination, he strangled Calas Typhon's throat with his free hand.
The Null Zone flowed from Hades, naturally extending its reach upon sensing a soul. Calas Typhon's soul trembled, trying to flee.
A mix of dark green and small patches of white formed Calas Typhon's soul. The blasphemous aura emanated from the dark green sparks.
With great effort, Hades began to consume portions of Calas Typhon's soul. This was the first time he'd actively tried to consume a "human's" soul, making him uncomfortable.
Calas Typhon's soul shrieked and tried to flee, but was quickly surrounded by the encroaching Null Zone.
Sweat dripped from Hades as he found it extremely challenging to control the Null Zone externally. He felt as exhausted as if he'd run around the equator of Barbarus.
Soon, Calas Typhon's screams subsided. He lay there, barely alive.
Hades released his grip, staring silently at Calas Typhon.
The signs of Nurgle's curse vanished. Calas Typhon looked as lifeless as a corpse. Even if left untouched, he wouldn't survive for long due to the gaping wound from Silence.
Hades was confident that even if he killed Calas Typhon now, the curse wouldn't activate.
His soul was now but a small fragment, with Hades having consumed all its tainted portions.
Could a person survive with most of their soul missing? Hades wasn't sure.
Mortarion approached, silently lifting Calas Typhon. The once vibrant wings detached from Calas Typhon's back.
"We need to descend the mountain," Mortarion said.
Exhausted and drained, Hades had no energy left to retort.