Loyalty is its own Reward (A Traitor Legion Chapter Master Quest)

The True Believer

"I know how this looks, but I genuinely want you to know that I take no joy in your punishment."

The Jolly Traveller was one of the innumerable Pilgrim Vessels, those vessels which specialised in carrying that most pious of cargo, the great masses of pious faithful who sought to travel across the Imperium to great sites of religious import. From the most backwater shrine worlds to the Throneworld of Holy Terra itself. Once the vessels halls were filled with the chanting of the faithful and the quiet contemplations of those who revered the Emperor above all others.

Now, it was filled with the gut wrenching screams of the dying and those who wished to be dead.

The captain of this vessel was one known as Quirinus Novalis, he was once a tall man, a man of gentle countenance and voice. A leader of the pious and a true believer in the Emperor who took satisfaction from his lifes work of moving pilgrims too and from as his father had before him and his before him and so and so and so. Now, he could barely be recognised as human. He was now a limbless, skinless, mouthless thing, fused to the back wall of the office he once governed the ship from. Incapable of any kind of movement but very aware of everything, eyes permanently open and every sense enhanced by a cocktail of drugs coursing through his veins so that he may truly comprehend the agony and horror of his situation.

"You see, my father taught us and our brothers that we are to take no satisfaction in our work, it simply a necessary act. My brothers, cursed as they be, ignored his wishes but I cannot, will not, do the same."

Quirinus starred at the mad giant of metal before him, mutilated as so to physically be unable to close his eyes, a huge figure in dark blue armour, draped in all manners of horrors and depraved decoration. The figures helm was removed, revealing a deathly pale face which was hideously scarred yet bore a solemn expression reminiscent of a kindly judge. His eyes were pitch black and they seemed to stare into the unfortunate captains soul.

"For I am a loyal son, my first memory was of him you know, I was an underhive rat born under his wise rule. I was but a mortal child when I saw him, flaying the father of my birth and broadcasting it to every home, at the time I was confused and frightened, but I would soon learn that my father, my true father, was a great man. I would become one of his sons, join him as he journeyed across the stars, and I would be moulded into an icon of judgement."

The demon in an angels flesh slowly walked towards his subject and despite all he had gone through Quirinus was struck with unimaginable terror.

"And you are being judged, do not mistake me, you are judged for a life time of sins. Crimes against your fathers, crimes against mankind, crimes against reason and crimes against your Emperor. Though you are ignorant of it that does not absolve you, you are guilty of holding of superstitions, of believing in the divine. In clear violation of the Imperial Truth and on blessed yet unworthy Nostromo, there is only one punishment, unyielding and unimaginable pain."

If Quirinus could, he would weep, he would beg, he would have even decried the Emperor. But he could not, his captor had made sure of that.

"Take heart however, my friend, for the Emperor would likely take great joy in your punishment. Just as he would to see the fate awaiting my degenerate kin and the fools who prance to the whims of mere extradimensional xenos they call Gods." The giant allowed himself a small smile at those words.

They had struck without warning, an ancient vessel of ramshackle make, they had no time to prepare as they were being boarded. The meagre guards and militias fell before the might of hardened pirates and this monster. Now the Jolly Traveller belong to this madman.

"You know my friend, time is a strange thing, especially with how the Immaterial plays tricks with it. I was gone for what felt like a few months, and I arrive several millennia in the future, and what do I find? My Primarch already dead, a dying beast of an Imperium, which has clung onto superstition and delusion. You bear the sins of your fathers, of ten millennia, and I will root it out."

The Giant began to pace, his ebony eyes alive with madness, before he began to speak again.

"I am Ebron Krall, loyal son of the Night Haunter, son of the Nostromo darkness. Last of my brothers who disappeared abroad the Long Silence. They balked under my rule, balked under my adherence to my father, balked at my faith. But they are dead, and I have a new crew now, my Sin Eaters. We will flay the galaxy, we will tear down the Imperial beast and we will cleanse the Galaxy of its sin. For we are its judgement." The Giant was shouting now, so loud as to almost drown out the screams, he had meant every word of what he said.

"This sinful ship is now mine, we will put to far greater use than you or any other like you has ever done, we are to help tear down this decaying beast. Die knowing that your death brings me no joy, but that what you are shall serve a greater purpose.""

With that, the Giants fist struck with unimaginable force, caving in his victims head in barely an instant. Bringing the captain of The Jolly Fellows months long suffering to a merciful end.

En-Slovokh Dynasty

"My Lord, Tomb World's scanners detected organics attempting to settle on the ground above" said Cryptek Tohokh, while looking at his Lord, Lord Hautekh of En-Slovokh Dynasty, who was sitting on his throne

"Humans. They will never learn, that there are places, where they will only find doom. They will be eradicated to the last, just like all their previous 'Explorators' and 'Settlers'. This is only way that I know, to silence voices in my head, telling me to devour their flesh and wear their skin." Responded Lord Hautekh, while looking at his misshapen left arm, with slight fear in his voice.

Flayer Virus already infected half of his body, and similar portion of his mind. He knew that some day, even his strong-willed mind will falter, and will be completely consumed by madness.

He stopped thinking about that, and focused his will on Tomb itself, and his loyal army within. After just his just one thought, countless army of Warriors, Immortals and Canoptek Constructs was mustered, and vanished onto World above, to anihilate all intruders, to give their Lord longer time before the inevitable happens. Only ones to don't move from their post, were Hautekh's Lychguard Praetorians, after all they have only one duty: protecting their Lord

----

Oblivious T'au and their Gue'vesa servants thought that they will be just colonising a Dead World, that Imperium abandoned after expending all of its resources.

Sudden appearance of Necrons suprised the explorers, especially that they didn't expect this planet to be inhabitated in any way.

Will-be settlers were all dead just a hour after they finished landing on prepared "deployment zone".

---

"Scanners stopped detecting any life signs. How much your voices are quieter, my Lord?" said Cryptek Tohokh, with care in his voice. After all, he and Hautekh were best friends, in time long ago, when they were both Necrontyr

"Less than I would like. After each purge, voices are quieter again, but slighty louder that before. We must expand Containment Zone to nearby systems. Oh, irony, that in times from before Great Sleep, we would do this to enslave organic beings, not to eradicate." Responded Lord Hautekh, before having moment of nostalgia.

En-Slovokh Dynasty had finest Mind-shackle Scarabs among all of their fellow Dynasties, which they used to be able to field armies of Mind-shackled Battle-Slaves during both War in Heaven, and time afterwards, before Great Sleep. Now, all of them will forever lie unused.