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(A/N: Chapter 130 will soon be on Patreon!)
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— Terra —
After finally being given permission to participate in the combat theatres, as well as receiving the men and resources provided by the Emperor and Malcador, Connor had already led his siblings and their forces to several theatres of war.
Whether it was on Terra, putting down overambitious and foolish nobles amassing forces against the Emperor under the false pretext of loyalty, or in the current campaigns to gain total control of the Sol System, the Grey Wardens had been steadily crushing every opposition they encountered.
(Reminder: For those who don't remember, Malcador gave them a Charter signed by both him and the Emperor, giving the 2nd Legion authority to take Imperial Army regiments, even those of the Solar Auxilia, as well as request aid from other Legions without Administratum oversight.)
The Grey Wardens had each of these forces crushed in the same manner.
Like Connor, many of them were happy to finally be allowed to do battle in the name of the Emperor, Humanity, and their gene-father.
Not to mention that, in each battle, Connor tried to lead his forces not only to crush the enemy but also to do so in ways that wouldn't cause more harm down the line.
For example, preserving important infrastructure, assassinating hostile figures of interest, capturing high-level targets, and preserving human life were some of the priorities the Grey Wardens took into consideration.
In short, Connor was thinking long-term in every battle as well.
This not only endeared the Wardens to the common people but also to the officers and commanders, as they found that working with the Grey Wardens was not only much easier but also far more productive.
Malcador himself was very pleased with the way Connor was leading his siblings, the Imperial Army, and Solar Auxilia personnel, especially since it led to far fewer headaches for him to deal with compared to "others."
Specifically, the First Legion.
The First Legion was the prototype of the Astartes Legions. They were also the first ones, after the inception of the Astartes Project, to participate in the final period of the Unification Wars on Terra.
They were the ones who fought alongside the great Thunder Warriors before their tragic demise in their last campaign at Mount Ararat, where those brave and heroic warriors were wiped out by the last remnants of the Techno-Barbarians.
(A/N: I know what happened to the Thunder Warriors... Others don't.)
They had earned the merits that justified their pride and position, but that did not mean most people liked them.
And even that was an understatement!
During the Unification Wars and the short period afterward, they were used to destroy and crush stubborn foes, resistance movements, and rebellions, leaving destruction in their wake.
The problem was that they mostly kept it up afterward as well!
Whenever they were deployed by the Emperor, while they finished their objectives, they also left destruction and carnage in their wake.
Something that the people working with them—from officials and commanders to administrators and even Malcador—found frustrating at best and headache-inducing at worst.
And that wasn't even considering their arrogant and dismissive attitude toward most other Imperial personnel.
Hell, they looked down on even the other Legiones Astartes.
Since they came first and were the template from which the other Legions were created, they considered themselves the senior standard by which all the other Legions were measured.
Not to mention, they were trusted with advanced technology by the Emperor and were entrusted with some of his most secretive missions.
This fostered a quiet, haughty disdain for the younger Legions, viewing them as unrefined or ignorant of the First Legion's absolute "burden."
Hector Thrane, their Legion Master, was even called the Emperor's left hand, which, as you can imagine, gave the blasted man an even greater ego boost.
And then...
The 2nd Legion happened.
And it was like the metaphorical carpet had been pulled out from underneath their feet.
An entirely different breed of Astartes that stood almost completely apart from their brother Legions.
If the First Legion was called the Prototype, then the 2nd was one of the Emperor's visions of what he wanted not only the Astartes but humanity itself to become.
Despite being the smallest Legion in numbers, they were highly favored by both the Emperor and Malcador, to the point that before they were finally allowed to participate in combat, they were almost always within the Inner Palace or could be seen around the Emperor or Malcador themselves.
Not just that, despite their small numbers, each of the five Hosts of the Grey Wardens had contributed to the newborn Imperium of Man.
From Solomon building an actual framework for training and managing Psykers that would hopefully become a proper institution as the years went by,
to Raphael refining the Imperium's medical and biological practices and discovering dozens of cures and treatments for different diseases and ailments,
or even Jeanne, who helped calm and raise the morale of the masses with her powers while also soothing the gene-flaws within some of the other Legions, such as the IX and XV.
This was all before they were allowed to take part in the fighting, which meant that, aside from their earlier contributions, they were now also gaining efficient victories for the Imperium.
But it wasn't only this.
Unlike the other Legions, it was common knowledge that the Grey Wardens never looked down on baseline humans and, more than once, actively helped them.
Also, unlike the other Transhuman Astartes, the Grey Wardens did not invoke any Transhuman Dread within normal humans.
If anything, many mortals who had the honor of meeting the Wardens mentioned that whenever they were around them, they felt their negative emotions dissipating and experienced a strange sense of internal empowerment.
And yes, this meant that the 2nd Legion had a very cordial and positive relationship with baseline humans, and vice versa.
If you ever asked someone on Terra who they would rather work with between the 1st and 2nd Legions, the vast majority would choose the 2nd Legion without hesitation.
It also helped that, unlike Hector Thrane, people much preferred working under Connor.
The Legion Master of the Grey Wardens had quite the reputation for being a capable leader, warrior, and tactician.
But as many people discovered after spending some time with him, if you looked past his handsome, stoic visage, the man was actually a very reliable, empathetic, and humble leader.
Despite having such favor with both the Emperor and the Sigillite, the contributions of his Legion, the respect and admiration of mortals, and the Imperial victories achieved under his command, Connor never let any of it twist into hubris.
Hell, he barely let his pride show, considering everything he did simply his duty to the Emperor and Humanity.
That didn't stop his siblings and his friends among the mortals, Astartes, and Custodes—mainly Shield-Captain Kaythan—from pushing him to acknowledge his achievements and take pride in them.
The two Legions were already mostly opposites of each other, and adding everything else to the equation caused undeniable friction between the 1st and 2nd.
The First Legion saw the Grey Wardens as replacements, considering how the Emperor was already treating them. Not to mention, the adoration people afforded the Grey Wardens insulted the First Legion as well.
To them, it was a blatant dismissal of their own silent "burdens" in favor of their cousins.
The Grey Wardens themselves honestly didn't care about the First Legion's opinion, or anyone else's for that matter, regarding this topic.
They were content to continue carrying out their duties and responsibilities for the sake of Mankind.
Sadly, the First Legion did not share their view, and this led to quite a few "challenges" that, most of the time, did not end well for the First.
While the Grey Wardens didn't necessarily care about the First Legion's opinions, that didn't mean they would tolerate any slight against their Legion's honor.
Not to mention, the attitude of the First Legion was such that it infuriated even the mild-mannered 5th Host led by Jeanne.
Let it not be said that, despite their patience and tolerance, they were incapable of being just as petty as any other human being.
In fact, there had recently been an incident.
It is not uncommon for different Legions to get together when they aren't on missions or deployed by the Emperor, and while different activities would be undertaken depending on the Legions involved, the most common activity among the Astartes was sparring.
It acted as a way for them to keep their skills sharp against different Astartes with different fighting styles.
It was also a good form of stress relief and a simple way for an Astartes to show off their skills, thereby increasing the reputation of their respective Legion.
The Grey Wardens had participated in quite a few gatherings like this. Connor and his siblings had repeatedly defeated their opponents, earning grumbles but also respect for their martial prowess.
But at the most recent gathering, surprisingly enough, it was Connor who had been particularly displeased.
The reason was because of a recent campaign.
The ruling nobles of the city of Callum, in the southern reaches of Terra, had been discovered to be feeding intelligence and resources to other parties on Terra that were not pleased with the Emperor or his reforms following the Unification of Terra.
They had also been secretly shoring up their defenses and amassing troops beyond what was permitted by the Sigillite's decree.
After reviewing the records of the city, Connor found that not only was Callum one of the larger cities on Terra that had remained mostly intact despite the Age of Strife and the Unification Wars, but it was also a prime trading hub.
Its location also made it an ideal outpost for garrisons, as well as a viable springboard for defensive operations against potential invasions from the south.
Seeing this, Connor dismissed all plans for a lengthy siege.
In his view, Callum would be much better served by being properly brought under the Imperial fold, but this time under the leadership of a loyal house.
Alternatively, one of the current ruling house's youngest members could be taken in as a ward by a proven loyal house, ensuring that when they eventually took up their position, the city and its territories would be firmly under Imperial control.
To accomplish this, Connor devised a plan in which the loyalist forces would attempt a siege, but in actuality, it would be a feint.
During that time, Connor, along with other members of the First Host of the Grey Wardens, would infiltrate the city and investigate potential points of entry.
Once their investigation was complete, they would send details such as troop rotations, weak points, and supply routes to the loyalist forces outside while assassinating at least most of the traitor leaders.
The loyalist forces would then punch through the defenses using the information provided about the city's weak points.
To increase the chances of success, even though they were already high, Connor requested the assistance of his good friend and fellow Legion Master, Cassian Vaughn of the XVIII Legion, also known as the Dragon Warriors.
Cassian was more than happy to lend his support to his friend, doubly so when he heard the plan, which would put the mortal humans in the least amount of danger possible.
And thus, Connor and Cassian led their forces south toward the city of Callum.
Sadly, they weren't the first to arrive.
The First Legion had gotten there first, and by the time Connor and Cassian arrived, the fighting was already over—if it could even be called that!
At least half of the city had been destroyed and decimated, reduced to burning ruins, and nearly the entire population had been killed. Their ruling nobles had also been executed, having been deemed "accomplices" and traitors.
The First Legion, by all accounts, was proud of their work, which they saw as fast and efficient.
For them, an example had to be made of Callum to demonstrate to others the fate that awaited traitors.
Connor was flabbergasted.
And enraged.
Didn't these fools realize that, by doing this, they had inadvertently reinforced the very same narrative the traitors had used against the Imperium!?
Not to mention, their actions had destroyed a prime location that could have provided multiple benefits to the burgeoning Imperium—all in the name of making an example!
But as furious as he was over the unnecessary loss of life, Connor still had his wits about him.
He had to stop Cassian from attacking Hector Thrane in a rage after he saw the countless dead humans who had never needed to die for a campaign that could have ended with far less bloodshed and far greater benefits.
Due to the primary objective being the crushing of the traitors in Callum, Malcador couldn't exactly punish the First Legion, since they had technically accomplished that objective, even if he would have very much preferred Connor's plan.
The Sigillite himself had been growing increasingly frustrated with the First Legion and blamed his old friend for allowing them to develop their current oversized egos.
— Back to the Present —
In the recent Legion gathering, unlike the previous times, Connor deliberately entered the fight first, but without his Power Armour and with only his power sword, its power field deactivated.
Connor would then utterly humiliate the First Legion by challenging its greatest warriors and defeating them either one by one or in groups.
The final match was Connor against Hector Thrane himself, who wore Tactical Dreadnought Armour, otherwise known as Terminator Armour.
But even then, Connor did not wear his own armour or even activate the molecular disruption field on his blade.
Instead, he made full use of his skill with a sword and the other specialty of the 1st Host of the Grey Wardens.
Speed.
Even without using his tactile telekinesis, Connor was almost nothing more than a blur to most of the Astartes watching the match. He ran circles around Hector, targeting the weak points of his otherwise formidable armour, such as the joints and neck.
In the end, Connor was able to jam the joints of both legs and one of the arms, damage the flexible neck seals, and destroy the helmet's optical lenses, forcing Hector to his knees.
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Connor narrowed his eyes as he stabbed his sword into the ground and approached Hector, who used the undamaged arm of his armour to pry off his helmet.
Only to see a fist rapidly closing in!
Connor punched him so hard that his body flew back to the edge of the makeshift arena, accompanied by a shattered nose and a concussion.
Connor scoffed as the First Legion legionaries quickly picked up their Legion Master and carried him away.
Connor gave them a stern look while his siblings and the other Legion Astartes cheered.
Whether it was out of respect for Connor's skill, happiness at seeing the First Legion being brought down a peg, or simply the joy of seeing that arrogant arse Hector getting his face caved in, the crowd was thoroughly entertained.
"Hahahaha, brother, you just fucking made my day!" Raphael laughed along with his siblings as they gave their eldest brother approving looks.
"My friend, thank you. It warms my heart that, in some small way, you have gotten justice for the innocents killed that day." Cassian patted his friend on the back with a booming laugh.
"I won't lie. It was very cathartic seeing that bastard Hector getting knocked down from his pedestal." Ishidur Ossuros, the Legion Master of the IX Legion, said with a stoic look.
He actually looked far better thanks to the actions of the 5th Host in calming and soothing his Legion's genetic flaw, the Red Thirst. This had mellowed out the Revenant Legion considerably and made them very loyal and thankful to the Grey Wardens.
"Your skill with a blade is truly something else, Connor." Thrallas, Legion Master of the III Legion, said with genuine respect for his martial skill.
Connor nodded to some of his friends and allies as he noticed someone was missing.
"Where's Lhorke? He and his brethren rarely ever miss such gatherings. And speaking of which, I don't see a few others either."
Thrallas shook his head.
"Lhorke and his battle-brothers were sent to Luna for a mission, but from what I heard, it was either nothing serious or didn't actually require that much effort."
"Haha, he's already going to be upset about the fact that he missed the fights, not to mention the fact that he missed the chance to challenge you." Cassian said with an amused smile.
The Legion Master of the XII Legion, the War Hounds, was quite the fighter even by Astartes standards and had fought against Connor a great many times.
Even if he never won, he was never one to stay down, and honestly saw each of the spars as valuable experience that could further improve his own skills as a warrior.
Connor had great respect for him.
"As for the others, you know as well as I do that Ahriman is most likely with Solomon as usual. The man almost worships the ground your brother walks on."
Ishidur rolled his eyes, earning wry smiles from the others, since it was common knowledge how much respect the XV Legion Master had for the Warden Commander of the 3rd Host.
"Speaking of which, I'm surprised Fabius isn't with you, Raphael." Thrallas said as he looked at Raphael.
The Chief Apothecary of the 3rd Legion had an almost equal amount of respect for the Warden Commander of the 4th Host.
"Yes and no. Fabius is with the rest of the 4th Host, as they were looking into a certain genetic mutation that had been quite prevalent in the northern parts of Terra." Raphael shrugged.
Just then, a familiar Custodes walked up to them, and Raphael suddenly smirked.
"Hey, Kitty Kat!"
"THAT IS WORSE THAN WHAT I'M NORMALLY CALLED!" Kaythan, as expected, lost his composure as soon as that particular "button" was pressed.
"Yeah, my bad. Guess you actually don't mind me calling you Kitten, huh?"
"NO, I DO!"
Thrallas and Cassian coughed hard to hide their amusement and mirth, while even Ishidur cracked a smirk at the byplay between Kaythan and Raphael.
"Kay, did you need something from me?" Connor interjected, attempting to save his banana bud from further emotional damage.
Raphael smirked but didn't say anything more, silently relenting. Even with his helmet on, it was obvious that Kaythan blinked before remembering why he was there.
"Nothing much. I just met with Minerva on the way, and she asked me to get you to her."
Connor nodded as he bade the others farewell and followed Kaythan in relative silence before eventually breaking it.
"She blackmailed you, didn't she?"
"I am an elite Shield-Captain of the Legio Custodes! We don't get blackmailed." Kaythan said with great pride and dignity, while Connor merely gave him a slightly pitying look.
"That bad?"
".....Yes."
And just like that, the pride and dignity disappeared, leaving him with a tone that sounded like he was close to tears.
"I'll talk to her and get her to leave you alone—!!!"
Connor said before suddenly freezing.
His pupils dilated as he saw a giant of a man standing further along the hallway.
The stranger wore white armour with golden accents, featuring a stylized phoenix motif, along with a purple cape.
He stood there, looking at Connor with a curious but kind expression.
But as soon as Connor blinked, he was gone.
"Connor!?"
Connor snapped out of it as he felt Kaythan shaking him.
"Are you alright? You just froze like a statue just now."
"I... I'm fine."
But Connor's tone suggested that even he didn't believe his own words.
At that moment, however, his mind was focused entirely on what he had just seen and the sensation he had felt throughout his very being.
He had only experienced that sensation once before.
It was when he was undergoing his ascension to become the first Grey Warden.
That flaming silhouette.
But how!?
A Primarch being found was no small matter, and even the Emperor couldn't keep such an event hidden for long.
Yet Connor knew what he had seen.
And he knew what he had felt.
"Are you sure? If you want, I'm sure Minerva wouldn't mind—"
"No, no, it's okay." Connor waved him off as he centered himself. "Let's just go meet her, and afterward, I might as well retire for the day."
Kaythan looked as if he wanted to argue but ultimately relented. He nodded, though he kept an eye on Connor in case he had another "episode."
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