Ragnar frowned as he looked on the icons on the hololith, it wasn't a great position to drop down on, but the Honorable Brother landed here, be it his hatred for Chaos or an opportunity to take out a massive player in the siege; this was simply a problematic area for Astartes, for Guardsmen it was perfect, but most of the overhangs clip their helmets, overall it was claustrophobic.
"Jarl" he looked behind him, both the Iron and Wolf priest approached him, both seemingly carrying a revelation that simply didn't make sense.
"Speak, I see the weight you carry and it concerns me" a silence hung in the air with a pregnant pause before the Iron Priest spoke up first.
The Iron priest held no fur cloak, but rather several mechanical arms on his back, he was in total control of the company's weaponry.
"Agnar Wolfbreaker - the Blackshield - we recovered, has… a detailed history" Ragnar nodded, it was clear to him as well, a Space Wolf sent to the Deathwatch, a dishonor.
"What of his crime?" Ragnar asked.
The Wolf priest spoke up first "he denounced the Allfathers' godhood" Ragnar's jaw clenched noticeably, it was heresy, heresy so high that anyone even merciful would've killed him.
"Why was he sent to the Deathwatch rather than killed?" Curiosity came over him over his small fury.
"His pack leader recommended it, sighting that Agnar may have doubts but his combat potential is that equal to that of a honor guard" the Iron priest held out his hand which held a data slate in it.
Ragnar took it and started to read over it "but a greater concern has… appeared regarding our dishonored Brother"
Ragnar met the Wolf priests' eyes as he spoke "pict feeds show… impossibility" Ragnar found his eyes narrowing.
"What type of impossibility?" Ragnar asked, yet he had a feeling of unease creep into his body.
"His body is normal, operating within normal levels of an Astartes' however… his actions show otherwise" the Iron Priest spoke.
"Explain"
"The Blackshield survived the same Bloodthirster twice, not once. Before he lead a small squad of guardsmen, they fell due to chaos and he fought the Bloodthirster within a normal Astartes range" the Wolf Priest spoke up first.
"However" the Wolf Priest walked over to the Hololith and pulled up a shaking pict feed "Agnar fell within a chapel devoted to the Allfather, and presumably died there"
"Died?" Ragnar's tone held scrutiny; it wouldn't be the first time wolves fell to chaos.
"He appeared to start to glow with…" the Wolf priest hesitated "he appeared to start to glow with the Allfather's light - pay attention to the armors' cracks, they glow" the Iron Priest zoomed in, seemingly taken over the hololith.
The pict feed showed the dishonored brother slowly getting up, as he struggled to even stand, yet, through his damaged armor a faint glow of a golden light came through, as if it was the sun beams coming through a trees' canopy.
"…Wolf Priest… is… is it possible our dishonored brother is…" Ragnar's words seemingly forced the words out, yet the words eventually died into his throat.
"…I do not know Jarl… if it is possible that our Dishonored Brother is blessed… then…" even the Wolf Priests' words died even though he seemed to be out of words.
Ragnar's eyes hardened "who knows?"
The Iron Priest spoke up "no one but everyone in this room does" he looked towards his honored guard then to the serfs.
Ragnar came to a conclusion "this doesn't come out of this room, bring this to the Great Wolf himself, he'll be the only one to cast judgement"
"What do the ecclesiarchy, especially the Inquisition?" The Iron Wolf asked.
"They do not know, they will not, this is ours even if he is dishonored - he is of Russ' blood; therefore he is under our domain, if they wish to fight us on this then they will fight" Ragnar spoke with narrowed eyes.
Both priests nodded as Ragnar took a breath after his command "what of…" Ragnar paused it was highly challenging to call the brother dishonored after the revelation so he needed a new label for him.
"What of the Blackshields' condition and… psychologically?" He only said this because of curiosity.
"Acceptable except for… a massive problem… the Deathwatch armor will not come off" the Wolf Priests' tone was extremely grim.
"I'm sorry?" Ragnar prided himself in his stoic expression and tone, it was rare he was surprised let alone with shock; armor rarely malfunctions, it takes exceptional force to break it, as such a massive failure of its mechanics would be notable.
The Iron Priest hissed "I believe that the armor has… either malfunction or it has been fused with him"
"…the Allfather blessed him and took from him?" Ragnar simplified it.
"Not that" The Wolf Priest spoke up "it seems as if something is fundamentally wrong with his body - not chaos tainted but rather Warp tainted"
Ragnar's eyes snapped to the Priest already shouting that he explain this and the Wolf Priest only pulled up a hololith that showed the physical outline of Agnar.
"Over half of his body shows complete fusion with his armor, and… his armor shows signs of auto repair much like that of the Necrons, something else to note is that the armor simply ignores that of the warp" the Wolf Priest gave his conclusion.
"And how'd you come to this conclusion?" Ragnar asked.
"I have my secrets" the Iron Priest spoke up and Ragnar turned to him, the Priest was sent to mars to learn the teachings of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and he was more than willing to gloss over it.
"Be clear with me you two, is he blessed, and if he isn't is he corrupted" Ragnar asked as he pulled up a hololith showing the surroundings and the enemy positions.
"We believe he is, however we have requested a squad of Sisters from the Order of the Argent Shroud, three battle sisters and one Sister Superior - Sister Superior Jeanne will arrive in a Warp travel of a day" the Iron Priest spoke as Ragnar found himself rubbing his head.
"The Sisters?… how'd you even managed that?" Ragnar felt like he received two revelations at once.
The Wolf Priest spoke up with a small amount of a laugh "Sister Superior Jeanne owed me a favor after she faltered in her faith on an assault a few years ago, so was dispatched quickly, most likely due to our… reluctance to deal with them."
"Aye, this will draw eyes from the political side" The Iron Priest chuckled a bit.
"My orders cross over to them, when they get here make them swear an oath to not return to speak of this" Ragnar spoke.
"That might be impossible their… zealousness borders on insanity, instead we could minimize it" the Iron Priest spoke up.
"Or" the Wolf Priest spoke before anyone else could "we lean into it - think about it, an Astartes let alone one of our chapters blessed by the Allfather; that's be a political lean that even the High Lords couldn't ignore"
Ragnar turned to him "are you suggesting that we used the potential that our… potentially blessed brother to be used politically?"
"Yes"
Ragnar blinked once at the quick answer but he could understand it in its entirety "…we shall continue on with this later, or turn it over to the Great Wolf with our ideas, until then we have an assault to plan and a planet to defend."
Both Priests nodded as they both decided to silently come up with small suggestions to do with the brother.
———————————
"You are alive" a Wolf Priest stared down at me not even taking off his helmet.
"Yes" I didn't even know what else to say, I just… couldn't feel any connection to anyone here let alone a brother of mine.
"Do you believe you can still fight?" I nodded as I got up from a table that I was examined on, I was apparently on a Battle Barge, more specifically in the medicaid room.
My feet hit the ground as I rose to my full height and strangely I was a head over my brothers' height, and my once broken bones were completely healed.
"You will get a bolter of your choice, equipment, then…" he eyed my armor which had refused to come off, which I hope I could write off as a malfunction that can be fixed.
"Then get you repainted, Jarl Ragnar has given his orders, he'll take complete command over you - temporarily - until the Great Wolf decides what to do with you" the Wolf priest gestured to follow him which I did.
The walls were massive, each one nearly quadrupled my height and the ceiling disappeared into the darkness of the universe. The walls held prayers and the smell of old incense that could only be described as snow.
"You are unprecedented" the Wolf Priest spoke up "by all accounts of the laws of the universe you should be dead, and we'd be singing of your battle with the Daemon back on the Fangs after this Armageddon War." The Wolf Priest spoke as he led me through meters of hallways.
"I… only thought I was normal" I spoke honestly.
"I do not know if you lie" the Priest spoke quickly almost immediately after I finished my sentence " here's what I do know, something happened in that chapel, and you will tell me as I lead you"
I blinked, once, then twice, and then cruelly the emptiness fulfilled me once again "I do not know myself" I spoke honestly "all I know is… I feel… empty"
"Empty?" The Wolf Priest stared at me "how so?"
"It's like hunger but all over, like my bones were replaced by just… air or something; it feels as if something inside me has been removed and replaced with something I cannot be put into words" I rambled on with what I was feeling.
The Priest didn't say anything for multiple footsteps before he spoke once again "long ago, before I became a wolf of the Allfather there was a saga"
I blinked not expecting this "it resembles yours so far 'fall once before the Allfather then rise in his image' but most do that already, then they deviate. I do not know if you will deviate from the rest of the saga or you will continue on it"
"And if I do deviate?" I asked slightly concerned.
"Then I hope it isn't to Chaos or we'll put you down like the traitor you are" the response was quick and ruthless.
"I won't fall" I spoke but I think both of us knew it was only reaffirming me.
"Here, enter the armory, get your weapons and I will bring you down to the surface… and we'll see your nature through the war."
I swallowed and I walked in, there was a corridor of candles on both sides and an overpowering sense of incense; I walked through it and in the middle of the room was that of a dial and there was a serf who was more machine than man.
As I walked forwards I noticed multiple other serfs around the walls praying to multiple weapons that hung to the walls, both ranged and melee.
"Honored Angel, what blessed weaponry do you require?" The serf spoke before my feet touched the dial that rose a foot above the ground.
"One that works" I spoke after a few heartbeats of silence and the serf stared at me like I spoke heresy.
"One that works?" I nodded at his question.
"I am not picky, as long as it works it'll do" I spoke and left it in his hands giving him the freedom of choice mainly because I can't remember the names of the ranged weaponry.
The serf stayed silent for a moment before he waved a few other serfs closer to him as they debated what they heard no doubt attempting to decide what to arm me with, eventually that stopped and they dispersed.
The original serf came forth only stopping five paces away from me, his mechanical eyes analyzing me and my now somehow fixed armor, he then took a step back and nodded.
"A blessed Powersword, made in the depths of mars" he declared, not in an announcing voice but in one that only held the reverence for the great smithmanship that the sword brought.
I looked down at the sword; its blade was that of gleaming black that didn't even reflect my visage, the only thing that it promised was death as the power field crackled with a power that was barely restrained.
I grasped the handle and pulled it out of the serfs' hands, it felt like a feather or rather lighter than that, it felt as light as a snowflake, I placed it on my hip feeling it maglocked to my right hip ready at a moment's notice for violence.
"Now, for ranged; a Heavy Bolt pistol" he gestured to my left and I turned, a serf, ones whose body was more mechanical than that of flesh approached with reverence, the bolt pistol looked massive in his hand.
The pistol was wrapped in a prayer seal that was lined in gold, the magazine was that of a double drum mag, the skull of a saint was on both sides of the pistol.
I took it without ceremony and maglocked it to my left hip, its weight felt more than comfortable at my side as I felt the backpack on my back open up as Serfs filled it with ammo.
"And finally a Heavy Bolter" I turned to the Serf in the middle of the room as six serfs brought in a downright massive weapon in, it was simply enormous, no other way to describe it, the magazine alone was the size of a child; the weapon itself was that of a teenager in size, its massive size would only bolster the punishment it'll bring.
I exhaled softly as I picked it up, unlike before this time I actually felt a little weight, unlike the snowflake of the Powersword or the lightweight of the heavy bolt pistol I actually felt like I picked up a good stick.
More ammo was brought out and dumped into both the pouches but as well as my backpack, I saw smaller objects enter my back pack. Corpse starch, protein paste, weapon cleaning kits, and even a small tent.
Was this normal?
"You are now prepared m'lord" the central Serf spoke up.
"…I am no one's lord" I only said this due to the sheer alien the word sounds to me.
Exiting the armory I found the Wolf Priest waiting for me, as soon as I exited the room I felt his gaze studying me and the weapons I was given.
"Follow" he spoke after a moment or two of silence and just like he said I followed in his footsteps.
"Tell me Blackshield, what did you think when fighting the Greater Daemon?" The Wolf Priest asked me.
I took a moment to think, since coming into this cursed universe I hadn't had the privilege to feel anything other than either anger or nothing, in all honesty it felt like nothing.
"Nothing, I just acted" I spoke honestly, it was less thinking, less feeling and just moving based on instinct and what was right in the moment.
"…then continue to feel nothing so that you may survive to see the Great Wolf's judgement" the Wolf Priest spoke as he led me through the winding labyrinth of the Battle Barge.
"Shouldn't I feel something?" I asked him, I didn't want to be rendered to just that of an Inquisitors' level of emotion.
"Perhaps, but… if your emotions are in turmoil then you should find something to anchor yourself - most choose the Allfather, others choose their craft, fewer choose that of confidants." The Wolf Priest spoke as he mulled over my words.
"If you only feel nothing, however… I would suggest you get your soul screened, but you or not that of null, so I myself do not know other than what I mentioned" the Wolf Priest continued on as we broke left and entered a room that housed the smell of fermenting paint.
"You will be repainted here, but I have come to the realization that the pain simply would not dry in time for your combat" that made sense, they simply wouldn't accept a non combatant in this situation.
"So instead I need you to choose"
I blinked twice "choose?"
"The color of your cloak, we cannot paint you but instead we will grant you a cloak to let the brothers know that you are a part of us" I nodded once at the declaration accepting the pragmatic approach of it.
"Grey then" I spoke before I could truly give him my personal favorite color.
"A grey cloak? Do you take me for a fool? You will get red" the Wolf priest seemed to chuckle a bit.
"…why'd give me a choice?" I asked slightly annoyed.
"Because" he stayed silent as he waved a hand and multiple Serfs came forwards with a brand new red cloak that seemed to be more of a blanket than that of a cloak.
"Because…?" I asked him to continue on.
He didn't respond, instead he positioned himself behind me and ripped my cloak off, coming off easier than expected and not even pulling me back.
Then without a warning nor ceremony he clasped it on me and it was exactly what I thought, less than a cloak and more of a blanket, a foot was trailing on the ground and it was bulky. My arms that were by my side shielded my arms from whatever the eye could see.
"A little too big… but it seems to fit" the Wolf Priest nodded to himself.
"Now, with everything ready you will prove yourself once again" he declared and I blinked.
"You uh, never answered the reason you gave me the illusion of choice" I spoke, and only after I said it I realized how… unspace marine it was.
"Because choice isn't available to anyone, let alone us; something new blood like you need to learn before your first century" he spoke as he gestured for me to follow and I did.
"You know my age?" I asked.
"You're forty, born 404, M41 on the home world of Fenris, taken in as an infant due to your family voluntarily giving you up upon your birth, you were never named until you finished your first surgery calling you by '4' was annoying." He started my entire history.
"You only gained the moniker 'Wolfbreaker' due to you breaking a Thunderwolf's back over your knee during your trek back to the Fang after you drank from the Cup of Wulfen" The Wolf Priest spoke as he turned to him.
"I know of you because I have chosen you" he didn't say anything else.
For a heartbeat nothing was said before I spoke up "chosen me for what?"
"To join my squad, they are new and fresh Blood Claws fresh from that of the trail of Fenris" I swallowed a bit, new wolves are hungry for both blood and glory.
How did I know this?
"I am Wolf Priest Ivarr, I lead a small squad of four selected wolves, you are my fifth, you shall always hold the flank, nothing more nothing else" he spoke, and I realized it fully, this man was technically my sergeant.
"So your…" I trailed off for a beat "my pack leader?" I settled on it.
"Yes, and do not disappoint me" he nodded as he started to walk once again after him.
"The new blood are fresh, eager, I need you and your… nothingness to reel them back in when I cannot, I do not know if I will be forced to divert my attention and whatnot, as such with your age and your service in the Deathwatch, you will be a uniqueness that will simply hold them when I cannot"
I nodded at his words then I blinked once "then… What rank am I?"
The Pack Leader slowly turned to me "no rank, the Great Wolf has yet to decide what is to be done with you, the campaign has taken most of his attention" I nodded.
"So what do we do now?" I asked.
"Meet with the pack, land down, and kill" Ivarr spoke simply with confidence that only showed a glimpse of his ability to merely believe that this war will only be a footnote in his own saga.
We took a left which opened up to that of an elevator, going down I couldn't help but think that this felt a little fast and that this just didn't seem right.
"Hive Hades will be our dropping zone, at no point should you get any more than fifty meters away from any brother, we are a pack, so you must protect your pack" I nodded memories that we deep down broke through my psyche and I barely remembered the Space Wolves formations.
"I understand" I nodded at his words.
Ivarr didn't respond to me as the elevator stopped and opened up to a massive hanger where even more Astartes were coordinating around Thunderhawks with a few Dreadnaughts standing by.
Ivarr led me down a rampart and down to a Thunderhawk with three more Space Wolves waiting there, each of them unhelmeted; they were all blond and had their hairs braided in various places, they had no beards yet bore a few scars on their faces.
On their backs were various colors of fur cloaks, they held a various amount of battle gear, however they all had Lightning Claws and it was clear to me that I was to be the heavy gunner in the squad.
"This is your new brother, Agnar" Ivvar spoke plainly as he walked forwards as the now opening doors of the Thunderhawk.
I only got nods, they were probably too excited to think about anything else other than bloodshed, I quickly followed Ivarr as the rest of the Space Wolves followed me, and before I knew it the Thunderhawk was taking off.