Khârn the Born Again ( Khârn SI one shot)

[Blue burrowing critter]

Year 899.M30


Kharn stared at the planet before him, a less than worthless rock in his opinion, one that had well earned a thousand deaths by exterminatus and then some, he was all too aware that it was perhaps unfair to condemn an entire planet for the crimes of a few.


But in this case he simply couldn't find it in himself to care, no matter how much he knew he should.


Nuceria deserved to burn for what it had done to his Primarch and the fate of him and his brothers, he did not shudder in fear or give any other sign of weakness remembering what he would become…


The Betrayer, he would never be.


Kharn scoffed, he hated reminiscing, it always brought up deeper memories better left forgotten, memories before he was a Space Marine, before he was Kharn.


Unpleasantly happy memories of what it was like not to be a weapon of war, of never having to worry or fight for his life.


Of a life 28 millennia ago in another world entirely.


"Fucking high riders", he spoke into the empty hallway, one of many aboard the vessel, but this one was rarely used and out of the way.


The words felt right, if only because he knew what was waiting for him on the planet below, the Emperor was finalizing the treaty of compliance with the ruler of the largest city on the planet.


Kharn had been looking for something else entirely, Desh' ea Ridge.


And he'd found it, hopefully in time.


He spared one last glance at the world, and then he turned and marched towards the drop pod he'd prepared.


'I wonder if this is the day I die' it wasn't a new thought he'd had about what he was about to do, it was disobeying a direct order from the Emperor himself, he paid no mind to the possibility of dying in the battle, that was what he was…


Everything he was now was designed for battle, the nearly perfect warrior second only to say, the Custodes themselves, dying in battle wasn't just expected, it was inevitable for him and all his brothers.

To make no mention of the likely inadequate forces of the high riders in achieving such a feat.


No, what bothered him was after the fact, when he was likely dragged before the Emperor and made to answer for it.


Would the Emperor learn all he knew, killing him to keep the knowledge secret and use it against the chaos gods in the event he didn't simply already know everything that was going to happen?


He was a warrior, and dying on his knees over possibilities and theoreticals in a future he was working to unmake wasn't how he wanted to go out in this life, awfully boring that.


And a plethora of other possible punishments for this, the major ones being the possibility that his brothers might be punished alongside him, he trusted his own company the most and only they were in on what I was doing.


Not because I didn't trust the rest of my brothers, but because one company was hard enough to quietly move by itself, and the drop pods and…


It's a lot for an attack that was against the Emperor's direct word on even their own captain's "hunch."



As I entered the deployment bay I looked upon my battle Brothers, all of them joining me in this treason, I nodded to all of them as I passed and took my place in the lead pod, ready to be sent hurtling at 12'000 Km towards what would either make or break the Imperium.



My fist was tight around my chain axe and plasma pistol as I settled in for the ride, what may very well be my last ride, I sat contemplating what was to come…



~~~~



He sat and contemplated his "Father's" words, he scoffed at the very idea, no.


He would stay and fight and die with his brothers and sisters, he would die free, not wearing prettier chains of lies, if his father would not fight beside him, he was not worthy to be called such.


They would die free and defiant, spitting in the face of the high riders to the very end, not as slaves, but as warriors, as brothers and sisters all.


Around him they cheered and brawled and savoured this last meal, 'tomorrow' he nodded to himself.


"Tomorrow we fight!" He roared, and their answer was a thousand fold, he smiled, a true smile as he looked upon them, this was what it meant to be Free.



He looked towards the horizon as night approached, soon they would rest and then the High Riders would meet them in battle.



The Nails pulsed, sensing the battle to come most likely, he could see the rising dust of the High Riders marching armies.



Then, he squinted at the sky, he almost looked away, thinking nothing of it after a moment, but there were small stars falling towards the earth, growing slowly bigger as they got closer, heading towards the High Riders army.



The others noticed as well, looking towards the valley in confusion.



Then he saw the first star hit the ground right on top of the High Riders army, and then he grabbed his axe and rallied his warriors around him, nobody would fight their battle for them.




~~~~




As I stepped out of the drop pod, my brothers following behind me, I stared at a sprawled man on the sand before me, coughing and sputtering, screaming at the soldiers around him.


Crossing the meager distance in a breath I lift the man into the air by the neck.


"Where is Angron?" I growled as he squirmed, his terrified eyes flicked around settling towards the mountains in the distance just a second longer.


Nodding imperceptibly I snap his neck and throw the corpse towards the nearest soldier, my brothers have already begun the battle, painting the sand Red with blood.


It would be unbecoming of me not to join them.


The next few hours or minutes turn into a blur of blood, murder and gore as we rip and tear our way through the army of the Nucerian High Riders.


My brother's and I don't stop when we're joined by thousands of gladiators, our hearts swelling when Angron, our gene-father joins us, sadly there's no time to enjoy it as the High Riders just continue pouring forth towards us.



I'm back to back with Angron during a small lull in the fighting when he asks who we are, "We are your sons, my lord! Our blades are yours, from this day 'till our last."



He laughed, it's better than I expected really!



By the end, soaked in gore and genuinely tired and surrounded by thousands upon thousands of dead bodies, those fools who are too stupid or insane to run.




This is where the story of our legion truly begins.

 

[Psyckosama]