NationStates Jolt Archive

On Halsia a legendary tale of the Lord of Halsia, Xander Darkthrope exists. It was in his youth that he had finally decided to scour his domain for the Hammer of Halsia a mighty warhammer of legendary proportions said to be able to destroy the fiends of Chaos with ease. In the high mountains of the Halsian Plateau a mighty temple of pre-Imperial origins rests undisturbed it is here that Xander's legendary transformation begins……….

Xander was meditating in his chambers when his first Captain Hethis entered with silence. It was known that any warrior of the Seismic Fists Legion could speak at any time with the Lord of Halsia as was custom among the people of the world and Xander himself liked it and would not interfere with this world’s ancient traditions. Xander nodded with a quiet calmness to him, “Yes, Hethis old friend? I assume you are here about the matter of my quest???” Xander then felt the quiet rocky calmness of Getis the Captain of the 8th Company more affectionately known as the Juggernauts. Their form was much like that of their primarch covered entirely in ceramite-like bone plates and eyes as white as the bone on their bodies. He smiled looking kindly at them, “You two cannot sway me on this matter I will go to the Jagannātha in search of the Hammer. And I will be going alone.”

He knew of course that they would object this was no matter to make light of however Xander himself and gone hand to hand with a Bloodthirster of Khorne and lived to tell the tale. Gripping his mighty sword Mortifer in his left hand and easily sheathed it in the harness on his back. Even in his scale male armor of brown and green he towered over his two captains their considerable bulk which dwarfed even ‘normal’ Astartes. His strong dark features were covered up by his dark hair which hung on his face as sweat dripped from his forehead. He smiled casually as he walked past his two captains gesturing for them to follow. Getis was next to speak, “My lord we think you should at least take an honor guard with you. The Halsian Plateau is a dangerous place even for one such as yourself my Lord. The mighty Brimstone and Agate Dragons roam those mountains lest not forget the mighty Hercos Lions. And you say you only wish to enter with your blade?”

Xander smiled again and a hearty laugh boomed from his chest, “If you couldn’t tell by my trophy room I have killed great creatures and enemies with this ‘blade’. You need not worry yourselves old friends I can handle this on my own despite your eagerness to do battle by my side.” As he continued his face grew more serious, “The legend says that the true wielder will be the one warrior strong enough to best the Jagannātha with only blade in hand. I intend to accomplish this task with my blade in hand and if it is my time to die then I guess I will have no other choice.” Stepping forward into the teleporter Xander smiled, “Don’t worry I’ll be fine just make sure they teleport me as close as possible to the coordinates I provided.” Simultaneously the two astartes nodded and as the smell of ozone filled the air the Primarch disappeared the loud hum of the machine fading as it completed it’s task.

Much of the Halsian Plateau was covered by an impregnable EM field which hid most of it from the view of surveyors and sensors. More importantly it prevented every mode of electronic transportation from reaching it. The great Dragon and Hercos riders being the fastest way to maneuver within it’s confines however Xander had chosen to do this endeavor alone to find the Jagannātha and defeat the mighty challenges it held.

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For days Xander trekked through the cold and frozen wastelands of the Halsian Plateau here gravity became stronger the further he marched into the mountains and it were it not for the fact that he was a primarch he surely would have been fatigued enough to stop by now. Lending his great strength to his cause he shouldered on through the howling winds and desolate plains for weeks he marched upwards towards the fabled place of the Jagannātha and yet he still did not tire having to fight the mighty Hercos Lions and the deadly Ice Dragons of the North till at last he located the Valley of Eternity..........

As Xander stepped through the mighty portal which would allow him access to the legendary Valley of Eternity his eyes swelled with tears at the beautiful site before him. Looking around the valley he noticed the beautiful tropical jungles and architecture from an ancient pre-imperial civilization and slowly the thought occurred to him as to why people who had created such art and such beauty had been eliminated from this planet by the Imperium's Crusades. However thinking back on it the Dratherians had discovered this world abandoned and had as such colonized it. Some of the architecture reminded him momentarily of the eldar craftworlds but he quickly dismissed that thought as he saw yet more beautiful things long and ancient past.

He had heard stories told from the Emperor that long ago an ancient civilization called the Old Ones had ruled much of the universe till an ancient enemy from the Warp had come to kill and enslave those psychic masters of the universe. Smiling he ran off into the mighty jungles like a child but he knew this was the first of the tests the Jagannātha would present to him the Forest of Bliss. Here many warriors had wasted away surrounded by what they believed to be their dreams come true. Many had become Kings here many had their dreams come true but it was merely a lie. Here captured daemons of the Dark Prince fed off the souls of those trapped here by the illusions of the forest. Xander continued on through the forest when a torrent of psychic energy swept him up into a bright future.

After his vision adjusted to his new surroundings he realized he was sitting in a circle of eighteen thrones oriented towards a large golden throne with an impressive armored figure in gold filigree and with perfect features seated in it. It was the Emperor. And around him sat his brother primarchs all watching as the final bit of the galaxy fell under Imperial control. They were in the Emperor’s Battle Barge and he saw faces of brothers long dead. Corax, Vulkan, Sanguinus, Ferrus Manus, Rogal Dorn, and many others. Watching he heard the Emperor speak as he had before when his consciousness had briefly occupied an avatar created by Inquisitor Mercer and his heart swelled with boundless joy. He watched as his fellow brothers laughed and celebrated as their ancient Crusade had at long last completed itself. He laughed and rejoiced with his brothers as they crushed the last spot of Ork resistance in the system. And as this happened and his joy seemed to peak a sudden realization hit him and he tried to shake off the daemonic spell but he was too deeply ensnared in it’s grip and as he began to hear the whispers of the daemons the indomitable will of the Lord of Halsia broke the spell. As the daemons closed in to feed off of him he quickly drew Mortifer and sliced daemonettes in twain with a single swing turning he crushed the head of another one in a gray gooey mess with a powerful punch. Still they continued to close and with powerful blows he destroyed enemy after enemy till he was the only one left standing. As he left he shook the gooey mass off now he would have to face the next test the Swamp of Despair.