Fulminata- A Warhammer 40,000 Story

Fallen

Cicero was pulled back to consciousness as the Power Sword was pulled from his gut. He gasped with pain, and rolled to instinctively protect his belly. That led him to roll right off the marble slab, crashing hard to the floor.

Kaeso had been hiding behind those better than him even then. Hiding behind the legendary Ignatius, interred in his powerful Dreadnought form. He cursed the Chapter Master he followed for so long. He cursed himself for following that coward for so long. Cicero's hateful eyes fell upon Kaeso.

Kaeso had taken off his helmet, and set it on the marble slab. In his hands, he held Cicero's helmet, studying the black mask.

"I thought you were the greatest among us." Kaeso spoke. "I thought you were worthy to lead the 1st. I thought I could trust you enough to wear the Black Mask."

Kaeso grabbed the helmet by the inside, snapping the Black mask out of Kaeso's helmet. With a crack, that great honor that Cicero had been granted was taken away. Kaeso tossed it to the side.

"You were never worthy to wear the mask. I was the fool for granting it to you."

Cicero looked to Anius for help. He was still tied up in combat with Gladio, the two were matched. Kaeso saw the same.

"I'll come back for you later."

Kaeso stalked towards Anius. The pair broke from each other, Anius nervously glancing at the two. He knew he wouldn't be able to win against Kaeso, even alone.

"Gladio," Kaeso commanded. "Take what remains of Titus. His gene-seed should only be used for the most promising of Aspirants."

Gladio nodded. He still held Cicero's power sword. He grabbed the top section of Titus, and began dragging him away.

Cicero's plans were falling apart. He would die here, his plans wasted. The Chapter would waste away in the warp all because Kaeso refused to step up. If only...

A glint shined in his eye. A faint one, something on the floor. He glanced at it.

His Bolt pistol. It was covered in Titus's blood.

Cicero crawled towards the pistol. He grabbed in with his shaking hands.

Cicero aimed it. An easy shot against an unprotected target. The same fate that had been dealt to two of his old brothers. He pulled the trigger.

It made its mark. There was never a doubt that Cicero would hit what he was aiming for.

It was never a doubt that a marksman like Cicero would make his shot. The 1st captain could never be found lacking in his martial prowess, and even with his body ruined as it was, he was still a better shot than at least half the chapter.

The shot made its mark.

Gladio crossed the threshold out of the Court of Thunder. He held the remains of Titus on his back. The blood of Titus was staining his arms a deep red.

In the hallway was another body, leaned up against the wall. It was Theos. A cough escaped from the vox-mic of the lieutenant.

"We win?"

Gladio could hear the grin in Theos's speech. Being close to death never failed to give a Fulminata some humor.

A shot rang out, echoing out of the Court. The harsh thump of a Bolter, but with a thinner crack. A Bolt pistol, Gladio immediately identified. It was followed immediately by a wet impact. The same sound Gladio had heard thousands of time in his tenure as the 2nd Captain. The sound of a round making impact in exposed flesh.

Kaeso's limbs went limp first. His fist clenched the Power Sword for a moment, holding it tight before it tumbled out of his grasp. The Chapter Master fell to his knees, then fell prone. His organs pumped a few more times, trying fruitlessly to save their host. They pumped, pumped, pumped, then stopped. They fell still, as Astartes blood leaked out onto the cold floor. His gene-seed became ripe, ready to be harvested and replanted into a new aspirant.

Gladio only saw his Chapter Master fall to his knees before he started moving again. He had picked up the dying Theos from the floor, pulling him up to his feet.

"I'm not leaving you." Gladio whispered through the Vox. Theos's coughs of pain were the only reply.

And so Theos set down the hallway, bearing two of his dead and dying comrades, leaving the third in the Court of Thunder.

The Chapter Master was dead. Kaeso was dead, a close friend for decades of fighting was dead. The man who had led to chapter for centuries and who had personally promoted Gladio to 2nd Captain. A man he trusted with his life. Dead.

Gladio longed to go back and avenge his Chapter Master. But the Chapter mattered more. He had to gear them for all-out war. He doubted Theos would be so bold if he was acting alone. At least the entire 1st Company would be at his side. Others would certainly follow Cicero.

War would be coming to the Fulminata Guard. Not the kind of war that they had ever fought before. The kind that would rip the Chapter in two, the kind that had sundered the Imperium millennia ago.

And the burden fell upon Gladio. He was next in the line of command, being the 2nd Captain. He prayed that Antimos's plan would still work. He prayed that they could escape the Warp before Cicero's heresy destroyed them all.

Even with the weight of one and half Astartes on him, Gladio still kept a quick pace. Though he had never risen to the illustrious ranks of the 1st Company, being the 2nd Captain was not a pity post.

Gladio was one of the best the Chapter had. He would not fail it today. His mind raced at the speed that only an Astartes' mind could race. Apothecarion first, so Titus's gene-seed could be harvested and Theos can hopefully be saved. Librarium, so begin Antimos's plan, then the engines so finalize it.

It's decided then. He took a deep breath, and trudged forward.