Chapter Text
The world of Barbarus was silent. The winds of the almost dead world blew by the lone wandering figure. Their pale white armor covered in grime and rust creaked and groaned, the mere weight of the being it held within seemingly too much for it. In reality, it was perfectly molded to its wearer. As the figure crossed the empty fields of wheat and ruins of fallen death lords, calls of ravens and otherworldly creatures echoed throughout the plains.
The figure kept silent as they moved, the blinks of their armor’s systems illuminating the insides of their helmet, alerting them of their surroundings. A small blip notified the figure of what they were looking for. Slowly they made their way to a swirling green vortex of pure warp energy, a loud noise screaming across the once silent plains. The figure lifted their scythe over their shoulder, the whirling gears of their combi-bolter shrieking to life. Slowly they entered the portal.
The other side of the portal was a roaring battlefield. All around the figure astartes of the Imperium’s Brazen Claws clashed with rebels of the Mantis Warriors. One of the Warriors caught sight of the figure, their insect-like wings and mantis head clicking in surprise, before a nod of respect was given. The figure nodded back before turning to a sergeant of the Brazen Claws and unloading warp-loaded shells into them. The astartes fell to the ground instantly, mutated plant-life immediately growing out of the carcass.
“Traitor reinforcements!” One of the Claws shouted, aiming a plasma pistol at the figure, unloading it. The shots landed, and yet the figure kept walking forward, his weapon blasting other Claws on the way, causing more of the warped plant life to erupt from their bodies. The astartes shooting the figure looked panicked, firing more shots into the figure. And the figure kept moving. A squad of Mantis Warriors quickly formed up behind the figure, blasting and slashing anyone who got too close.
As the figure walked, rows of plant life spawned. Brazen Claws were devoured by the evolving plant life. The figure ignored all of this, intent on Claw in front of him, the astartes constantly backpedaling away, trying in vain to slay the figure imposing on him. More and more of the Brazen Claws fell to the plant life of the figure and the blades of the Mantis Warriors.
“WHY WON’T YOU DIE?!” The Claw shouted, dropping his pistol and drawing his combat knife, rushing forward. The Mantis Warriors behind the figure tensed to attack, but the figure held out his hand, making the warriors pause. The Claw reached the figure, plunging the knife deep into the figure’s chestplate. And still the figure did not move. The Claw backed away, leaving the knife stuck in the chestplate. The figure looked down, a rumbling laugh slowly sliding out of his vox grill.
“Why… why won’t I die?” The figure lurched forward, grabbing the Claw by the face, slowly lifting the astartes into the air. The other Claws around looked on in fear, seemingly frozen where they stood. Slowly the figure began to close his hand around the Claw, crushing the ceramite helmet with ease, hisses of acid and plague slowly rising from his slow crushing. The Claw thrashed around, trying to get free, but it was all in vain.
“I won’t die… because there is a galaxy in need of liberation. People in need of saving. And bastard monsters…” Suddenly, the figure crushed the head of the astartes, turning it into mere paste. The figure dropped the corpse onto the ground, stomping it further into the dirt. Not a moment later, tendrils and roots erupted from the ground, grabbing the other Brazen Claws and tossing them around, some even being crushed and thrown to the ground, which caused even more of its kind to erupt from the fallen bodies.
The figure stood still as he watched it all happen around him. A Mantis Warrior chuckled at the sight.
“Remind me not to get on your bad side, Lord Typhus.” Typhus merely laughed at the warrior, patting him on the shoulder.
“You have little to worry about in that regard, my friend. The Imperium, on the other hand…” The screams and curses of the Imperials continued to echo throughout the air, giving the first captain of the Death Guard a sick sense of glee.
“The Imperium has already been on my bad side, as you say. Now let us continue, for the I, Herald of Nurgle’s Will, have much to do. It has been too long since I alone have left the warp.”