Avowed Oath

If you have read my Army Fluff https://greyknights.forumotion.com/archives-f3/my-army-fluff-t182.htm then you will have a pretty good idea where this story will be going.

I will add the latest part in future posts.

Hope you enjoy and all C&C welcome, but take into an account I am bellow amateur in the writing world.

Full Story So Far Here


Grand Master Abner sat alone in his chamber aboard the Pillar of Light, staring at the data-slate he had just received. The Pillar of Light was the strike cruiser upon which he had been given command and from which, together with his Grey Knight strike force, he had led a highly successful crusade around the Eye of Terror purging the Imperium of the instruments of Chaos. The strike force under his command had become experts at small force surgical insertions into the area of operations, normally with the specific mission to curtail the cultist actions and eliminate the influential leaders and daemons. As such single squads and small forces were regularly deployed by the strike cruiser, sometimes to multiple planets within a system. The current report which he held in is hand was most interesting indeed for it showed that Benedictus, an Inquisitor who had gone rogue sometime ago had been tracked to a planet called Batavia, not far from his current position. Placing the slate down and continuing his maintenance rituals Abner mulled over the information he had learnt, finishing the last of the rituals Abner knelt whispering a prayer to his equipments machine spirit and then to the Emperor before rising from and adorning his armour. As he left his chamber he sent a telepathic signal to his senior Brother-Captains and Justicars informing them to gather in the briefing chamber. By the time he reached the briefing room all those required had gathered. Each marine stood in his own personal alcove encircling the room, with their individual heraldry above the opening to the small recess. Behind each occupant was the heraldry of every Grey Knight that had taken his place of duty within that particular post.

“My thanks for your prompt arrival brothers” Abner said as he strode across the room to his personal niche. “The Ordo Malleus has informed me that one of their rogue Inquisitors, Inquisitor Benedictus has appeared in our current sector and they have respectfully appealed to us to aid them in capturing this refuse of humanity and return him to the Ordo’s Inquisitors, who will then judge this scum.” By virtue of his esteemed rank Abner was entrusted, without consulting his brethren back home on Titan, with the task of choosing whether to accept the Ordo Malleus’ request but should he consider the task not important enough to necessitate the use of the Emperors finest then he would refuse such request. “With this filth creating cults worshipping Tzeentch and summoning daemons, I have deemed our intervention necessary, we will comply with the Ordo Malleus’ appeal and seek out this Beneditctus” continued Abner spitting out the name with disgust, “but from what I have gain knowledge of I consider him irredeemable, but that is not for me to decide.” At that Abner left the chamber nodding to his second in command and Brother-Captain of his personal retinue, Taurian, who once Abner had left continued the briefing detailing, the plans for the coming operation.

Taurian had advised Justicar Azreal and Justicar Uzziel, both leading squads of five men, that they would be deployed via Thunderhawk, to the planets surface where they would proceed to locate the dark traitor. Once located, they would activate their homers and Abner with his retinue would personally teleport down conducting the incarceration of Benedictus. Operational command once on the surface was Azreal’s honour being the eldest of the two Justicars. Azreal and Uzziel prior to their recruitment had been born brothers, there was only a few years between them in age and had been recruited at the same time, although neither remembered anything after undergoing the process which transformed them into a Grey Knight.

“Looks like another simple snatch and grab Azreal,” Uzziel commented as the Justicars made their way back to their squads’ cell block.

“You should know as well as I Uzziel that where the tainted hand of Chaos is involved nothing is ever simple” replied Azreal already contemplating which members of his 9 man squad would be best suited to accompany him on this operation, as ever he wished he could take them all as the strengths and attributes of each individual combined formed a squad of immense strength, versatility and faith.

“Indeed” smiled Uzziel, “I guess you are already thinking who to take with you.”

“You know me well, and although you mock me with your comments, be honest with yourself, are you not doing the same” Azreal replied grinning.

Uzziel laughed clapping his gauntlet on Azreal’s shoulder guard “I would not have known you were thinking it had I not been assessing my own squad.”

“Well until after morning prayer” laughed Azreal before they departed to rejoin their squads and settle into their cots for the regulatory four hour rest period.

“May the Emperor be with you” Uzziel said bowing his head.

“And with you” replied Azreal mirroring Uzziel’s action.

After four hours rest the Grey Knights gathered in their squads for morning prayer and contemplation, unlike most chapters the Grey Knights were not led by a Chaplain and did not meet within a Chapel for morning prayer, instead the spiritual health was the responsibility shared among the individual squads, with one member, normally but not always the Justicar, leading the squad in prayers, cleansing their spirit. As such the squads would gather in their cell block, a bare room with ten cots, ten armour stands and an Oratory and spend an hour repeating their oaths of loyalty to the Chapter and the Emperor.

The Grey Knights continued their physical, psychological training and religious routines while the Pillar of Light ripped through the fabric of space within the immaterium making her way to Batavia.

The Pillar of Light came to rest at high anchor around Batavia geosynchronising her orbit with the planet so she sat above the Imperial missionary station, situated on the surface before launching a thunderhawk and monitoring its progress.

“The thunderhawk has now entered the planets atmosphere heading 113 magnetic, 130 polar” informed the monotonous voice of the one of the crew.

“Warp energy spike picked up in the southern hemisphere, on thunderhawk’s trajectory” interrupted the crew member monitoring the survey readings.

“Forgive my intrusion Grand Master but we have seen these types of reading before” Advised Brother-Captain Taurian, “And then they indicated the early stages of a ritual to summon a Daemon from the warp.”

“Indeed” mused Abner “and judging by the levels we are looking at a powerful Daemon, we must act swiftly. Comms open a channel to Justicar Azreal.”

“Communications relay with thunderhawk has been severed, Grand Master”

“What about teleport?”

“Negative, Grand Master, the warp energy is blocking our targeter”

“Hmmm, keep trying and let me know as soon as you have lock, and Taurian gather my retinue we will be teleporting immediately the lock has been established.”

“As you wish Grand Master” replied Taurian, issuing the orders telepathically to his squad as he turned on his heel and left the bridge.

“For now they are on their own, may the Emperor guide them.” Abner said closing his eyes and saying a prayer.

The Thunderhawk broke the planets atmosphere and could tell where they should be going without using their instruments by the mounting black storm clouds above their target. The pilot gunned the engines breaking through a section of the forming cloud which had not become too dense to break through.

“Pillar of Light” Azreal paused “I repeat, Pillar of Light this is Justicar Azreal, over”

An electronic hiss came through the communications unit, Azreal thought for a second before addressing his fellow Grey Knights “This cursed warp energy is blocking our communications, if the Pillar of Light is having the same issues I would speculate they will be unable to acquire a teleport lock, hence we will not know how long it will be before Grand Master Abner will be able to join us.” The pilot reached down a flicking a switch he turned on the red light in the troop compartment signalling to the two squads that they were soon going to be above the drop zone, Azreal opened a private channel to Uzziel “Gather your men and have them prepare, we will soon be at the DZ,” he then turned to his squad and lowered himself to one knee, forming a cirlcle the rest of Squad Azreal followed their Justicars actions, once they were all in position, Azreal began, ” I am the hammer…..”

“Justicar,” came the pilot’s voice over a private channel, “We have visual on the DZ we will continue to provide you supporting fire while you secure the missionary station.” The light changing from red to amber and the two Justicars prepared their squads to disembark.

The pilot brought the thunderhawk in low and fast lowering its front access in the final hundred metres. The increased resistance and drop in aerodynamics rapidly slowing the craft down enough to enable the pilot to bring her round in a hundred and eighty degree turn pivoting on the nose above the courtyard four twin-linked heavy bolters and twin-linked lascannons scanning for targets. As soon as the craft was level the pilot flicked the amber light to green, signalling the Grey Knights to disembark.

Dust and small debris blew up all around the two squads as they sprinted out onto the surface, with the thunderhawk’s under belly hovering metres above the ground. Both squads moved forward to the nearest cover and took up defensive positions, making sure they were out of the way of the thunderhawk’s jet wash as it lifted from the ground.

“Thunderhawk, this is Justicar Azreal you are clear for dust off, over”

“Copy that Justicar Azreal, thunderhawk out and good hunting” replied the pilot as he took the Thunderhawk up, “may the Emperor protect.”

The dust began to settle and an air of calm fell as the thunderhawk climbed higher to begin its holding pattern. Azreal began studying the perimeter and not spotting any immediate threats he proceeded to issue his orders.

“Uzziel take your squad and secure the parapet while I check the chapel”

“Copy”

The two squads moved from cover each going their separate ways.

“That’s the entrance” Azreal said pointing to a door with the Aquila on, “Brother Mordred check it out.”

“Copy,” Mordred replied increasing his pace and pulling away from the squad to check the doorway and foyer. A minute later his voice crackled in Azreal’s ear “looks clear Justicar.”

Azreal signalled his squad to proceed and with storm bolters raised they entered the foyer moving down the main corridor.

“Chapel in view Justicar” announced Mordred

TO BE CONTINUED.............

Latest addition to the story

“Chapel in view Justicar” announced Mordred. On that report Azreal moved up covering the distance in
seconds and joining Mordred, even with out their helmets the Grey Knights with their enhanced senses would have been able to smell the stench of burnt flesh and with their silver hexagrammic and pentagrammic purity wards under their skins fireing to life, glowing brighter with every step they took towards the chapel, they knew daemons were near.

“Justicar daemons”

“Aye Mordred, I feel them also and judging by the smell I reckon Horrors” Azreal replied signalling to the rest of the squad to form up on him “Squad Azreal lambda formation.”

“Cultist” Yelled Balan over the squad frequency, the first of Squad Uzziel to see the horde charging towards the missionary station from his position on the parapet.

Uzzel turned as several las shots flew past his head raising his storm bolter and unleashing its explosive bolts, which ripped through the enemy’s flesh, exploding inside them and sending mangles bits of mutated flesh and limbs in all directions. Trueno the most recent member to Uzziel’s squad let off several rounds as shots slammed into him, his Aegis Armour doing its duty in protecting its occupant, one of his bolt passing through a cultist chest, leaving an exit wound twice the size of the entry but not exploding until it hit the forehead of the cultist behind leaving its decapitated corpse to stumble five more paces before collapsing to the ground.

Uzziel unloaded into an on rushing group as they attempted to charge through the complexes entrance while opening a channel private channel.

“Azreal, over”

There was a pause before Uzziel heard the distinctive yet sweet sound of storm bolter fire in his ear and Azreal’s voice, “Uzziel”

“Brother the missionary is under attack.”

“Sit rep Uzziel.”

“Appears to be mutated humanoids of various design, we are keeping them back for now but their numbers continue to come and I fear they may breach the perimeter, judging by the taters of cloth upon their bodies I would guess they were once the servants to this missionary”

Uzziel looking over his cover saw the horde break through the entrance and one of the lead cultists pealing off to his left as another charged straight at him, letting off a few rounds into the on-rusher leaving only its knees and lower legs standing, Uzziel turned to deal with the flanker, but his rounds slammed into ground and rocks sending debris flying as the flanker disappeared behind cover.

“Hold them off, we will provide support once we have cleared the internal complex.” Replied Azreal

Uzziel knelt behind cover as the volleys of fire whizzed over his head. Pinned in he looked around; Aniel and Jael were un-loading into cultist charging the west wall. Balan was also beginning to get pinned down as the Cultists numbers became overwhelming gaining ground as more were pushing into the courtyard; Uzziel threw himself out of cover and charged into their path. In a single movement he had broken their ranks and gotten among their numbers swinging his sword, slicing one cultist in half and decapitating the next, their bodies adding to the pile growing about his feet.

By now most of Squad Uzziel were in intense close combat fights, bringing down several cultists with each swing of their halberds while continuing to unleash a torrents of fire from their storm bolters.

Uzziel heard a chilling hiss from behind, turning he saw towering over him a mutated humanoid, its skin stretched and looking like it was made for a body half its size. Uzziel raised his storm bolter but before it could be brought up to this new danger the transformed creature slammed a clenched claw the size of marine’s powerfist into Uzziel’s helmet. Uzziel fell to the ground, shaking off the affects of the blow. Looking up he saw the humanoid reach out for Uzziel pulling him off his feet and tossing him aside like a doll.

Uzziel’s body flew through the air before crashing into one of the four walls surrounding the courtyard, collapsing to the hard flooring, his helmet fall off. Feeling his body ache all over, he could hear the footsteps of the beast rapidly approaching, Uzziel opened his eyes seeing its giant hand picking up a piece of debris from the ground beside Uzziel and slammed it into dazed Justicar’s face, Uzziel heard the bone snap and knew his nose had broken before the blood began to pour, his body released hormones to deal with the pain while his adrenal glands unloaded more epinephrine into his blood, feeling it boost the supply of oxygen and glucose to his brain and muscles Uzziel pulled himself to his feet, still clutching his sword his gauntlet tightening around its grip he swung low to high as got to his feet all in one fluid motion slicing through the beasts legs. Crying out in pain and anger as it was unable to maintain balance the beast collapsed. Laying there thrashing around, like a beetle on its back unable to get up, as Uzziel raised his Storm Bolter firing a single shot into the centre of its putrid face, the body fell limp, the black fluid flowing from its body like a river, Uzziel picked up his helmet from the floor placing it back on and continued the defence of the missionary.

Azreal returned to the surface surveying the scene which presented itself, it looked different to when he had entered the complex, now more resembling the carnage he just witnessed inside the chapel he had just purified.

TO BE CONTINUED.............

Made a few small changes names etc and sorted a few bits out like the brothers not knowing due to mind wiping will provide the next part soon and it contains the first engagement.

Also 14 views and no comments either it really is that bad or it is too long.

Or we are stunned by it. I am waiting for the next part of the story.

Looks good, and you don't seem to have any trouble with representing the Grey Knights, unlike me. There are a few spelling issues but I don't really mind. Are you using word or just writing it out onto the posting thingy?

Next part added and has the first contact, although I may add to this bit.

Please note I will have to add each addition to a new post due to post size being too big

Snowfire that is a possibility and one I do hope it could be but doubt.

BC Validi my only trouble at them moment is trying to get the balance right with their personality, need to give them some but not too much.

Yeah I have an issue with spelling, I am better with numbers and logic than words but this week will copy all this to a word document go through it and tidy it up and like I said may expand on it.

Aww. Cut off right in the middle of an action scene like an old Saturday afternoon cliffhanger action flick. Shaping up nicely Spartan. Keep up the good work.

Don'y worry, all storys are like that, loads of people read and have a look but can't think of anything to say, Don't worry, your writing is brilliant.