Mini Hammer

Cadia Stands

A whole fourteen rounds had gone into the world eaters on my dining table, taking out dreadnoughts to juggernauts. Each kill bore a hole in the mass of crimson horned helmeted Astartes, to be filled with the purple gold ivory plated Emperors truth marines. With their chapter master alive and at the head slaying lesser beings left and right with his halberd the enemy was cut down to the last man, even Seritia had killed a few herself with her sacred power sword. The coalition of sisters and marines drove the world eaters to the edge of the table cutting them down if they attacked or retreated, there was no mercy for the traitor and weak in the eyes of warhammer forty thousand denizens. 

When there was only a handful left pressed against the edge the fighting stopped for a moment as the survivors faced their judgment at the hands of their fellow brothers, the only leader stood missing an arm and had a broken combat knife in hand. Bolter holes were littered across his crimson armor and his helmet lost a horn. 

Soon Chapter master Angelus stepped forward as his brothers parted to give way for him, he stood with his pristine armor shining in the kitchen light with halberd in hand. He stared down the world eaters silently issuing a challenge to any who would take it, for just moments time felt like it stopped.

"Ten thousand years.. Ten thousand years of hate and war, of murder and death, of suffering and betrayal. Ten thousand years of being against the man who made you who you are.. And for what?" Angelus spoke calmly and rationally as he addressed the traitors in front of him.

No one spoke as now had an answer, seeing this Angelus continued.

"Promises of power? Of freedom? Glory? To serve a higher power? Ten thousand years of non stop slaughter and for what? You had everything already when you served our true leader of mankind and you did what? You spat on his dream." Angelus's accusations grew with more fervor as he pointed his left hand at the traitors.

"All he wanted was peace for his people in a galaxy full of hate and disparities for our kind, you were his bulwark against the void of damnation the galaxy had with its parasitic xenos. Yet here you are dieing for a warp parasite that cares nothing for you, for your efforts or victories. He doesn't even care if you are all cut down to the last man and yet you still fight for it like mad men." Angelus had waved his hand to the side as if asking what was the point of it all.

"Even now you stand on the literal edge of annihilation for a purpose that has no reward, while our very Emperor that has risen from the golden throne he has been entombed on for ten thousand years stands before you! Smiting down your engines of war and daemon abominations with his rightful judgment for your betrayal!" Angelus roared at the world eaters that all looked at me.

They all bore their sight into me as I stood in the door frame, the battle for the china cabinet was coming to its end as the loyalists rounded up the death guard in one final stand near the chair below the edge of where the world eaters stood. They heard what angelus said and had stopped to listen to his charismatic speech, the loyalist stood ready in a firing line surrounding the death guard plague marines.

"Now after all this time of destroying his very efforts what do you say to the Emperor who made you?" Angelus now points in my direction as he directed his point home.

Silence filled the room, the world eaters and death guard looked down for a moment. Doubt had wormed its way into their hearts for a second time, and it was seen in their actions.

Except for one, the leader of the world eaters. He stared me down hard and then looked at Angelus slowly cocking his head to the side. He then points at me with his only hand and utters a dry laugh.

"You ignorant loyal dogs think that this giant is the false god you so desperately revere? Has the ten thousand years of decay that has eaten at the heart of our so called glorious empire finally decayed your minds? Are you so desperate to have validation for your unending sacrifices to an uncaring corps on a golden throne? You dare question us about our cause and its rewards while you stand knowing nothing of the truth." His response ended in manic laughter of a man who lost his mind.