Chapter Text
He had been planning this mission for YEARS and it had taken MONTHS to enact it.
The few members of his little band counted on him. They believed in him. He was the key to the whole operation. Everything was now left up to him.
Yet here he was, throwing it all away.
He crouched as he listened to the exchange.
“How old is he now?” One of the emperors children asked, an emissary of the mad apothecary, Fabius Bile.
“Barely nine,” a word bearer said. “He’s been in the process for three years. Due to his youth and size it has been slow. Others like him died quickly.”
Another son of Fulgrim studied the boy, “And you’re sure no one will miss him or try to attack us?”
The word bearer nodded, “The Night Haunter gave him to us personally. Told the boy right to his face that he didn’t care for him or want him. He’s only been awoken to have surgeries and heal. He’s very emotional and prone to tears. A sweet kid. Too soft right now though.”
“A Night Lord?” The Emperor’s children scoffed. “Sweet and soft?”
“He was not given the conditioning that Night Lords regularly did with their neophytes,” the word bearer replied. “First few surgeries were experiments within his chapter. We’ve had him for the rest.”
The boy they spoke of just stood there, crying and trembling, refusing to look up or let go of the word bearers tunic.
Corvus bristled. They spoke of him as if he wasn’t there. As if the boy couldn’t understand what they said.
Pale skin, black hair, fully black eyes. He would have guessed him to be from his home planet were it not for the sharp teeth and warp mutated ears.
Yet when he first saw him he couldn’t decide if he looked more like him or his brother Konrad. He knew he wasn’t the only one to notice that had they received the same upbringing they’d have been starkly similar.
This boy, he looked like them had they been raised on good worlds with devoting parents. An anomaly on Nostramo.
The first emperors child stepped forward, “Let me see him.”
The word bearer shoved the boy forward.
His shirt was too big for him and hung off his shoulder. The scars from geneseed surgeries were stark against his skin.
He trembled as the emperors child lifted his chin and inspected him. He moved his arms and poked at his flesh
The Astartes hummed, “Yes, Master Bile will have use of him. Help him to further his experiments. Load him into the cryochamber, we leave in four standard hours.”
The boy let out a sob and ran back to the Word Bearer.
He cried and begged, “No! Don’t send me away! I’ll be good! I can! I promise! Please! Becton! I don’t want to go with them! Please! Just let me stay!”
Corvus’s two hearts pounded. He had to wait. There’d be too much crossfire.
The word bearer spun the boy around, “We don’t want you anymore. You’re going with them. Now come on.”
The boy let out a sob as he was shoved towards the cryochamber.
He was strapped down and before the sedative took effect he choked out, “Don’t send me away… don’t abandon me… please… keep… me…”
Corvus’s hearts swelled as he felt along with the boy those exact feelings. Remembering being so small and terrified. Begging Father to save him and his brothers.
The boy cried till he was unconcious. The chamber sealed and he was in stasis. Frozen tears covered his cheeks.
The emperors children envoy left and others went to continue their duties. It was just one word bearer, Becton, left in the room.
Corvus dropped down and slit his throat.
He hit the controls on the cryochamber to reverse it. Waking someone took longer than freezing.
His hands itched with anticipation. Then the first boom came. His explosives were going off. He was supposed to be off the ship by now.
“Come on, come on,” he hissed.
There was yelling and shouting.
“The Raven Lord!” A voice shouted.
He spun around and shot the astartes in the head. More explosions went off, closer than before.
He didn’t have time!
It was risky and dangerous but slammed his fist into the cryochamber. An alert went off as mist hissed out. He tore the restraints and pulled the boy in his arms. He was frozen stiff.
Corvus whirled around and leapt upward to the vent he had entered.
There was no time for stealth as he clambered through.
Bullets began reigning from below.
He threw himself on his back to protect the boy and slid himself forward. He hissed as his armor was dented. He slid himself to where the airlock vent was.
He slammed into it and flew out into the warp.
In an arch he furled his wings back towards the land mass.
He rolled his landing then dove into the thicket, running deeper and deeper into the shifting forest.
He leapt over a ravine and then hid in a glade just beyond.
The boy was still freezing and unconscious. He held him close to his chest and began rubbing his arms, back, and legs. Friction caused heat. He needed to warm him up.
He ended up closing his beak around his head and breathing hot air into him.
He shoved him into his chest and wrapped his feather around him, blowing more hot air into him as he stood. They needed to keep moving.
Blood trickled from the boys mouth. Hope filled Corvus. That meant there was movement within. His heart was beating and not all was frozen.
Slowly, the boy’s chest rose and then fell. Relief rested on Corvus’ shoulders. They needed to find his warriors.