114 replies to this topic

[Black Orange]

Author's Note
This story I've been playing around with for awhile now and I think I've finally got most of the ground work fleshed out... Try to keep an open mind.

The main character is a Space Wolf from an alternate universe that finds herself thrown into our 40k universe. The setting is a couple of millennia ahead of the current time line. Both the Space Wolves and the Inquisition learn of her existence and send independent search parties to locate the Valkyrie. I know that a female character portrayed as a Space Wolf might not sit right with some but I ask you to give it a chance and see where it goes... I think it will be very interesting. I have always found strong female characters to be epic and have wanted to write some fiction centered around one. There is no romance - it is a dark tale indeed.

That's all for now.

G

Edited by Black Orange, 13 August 2012 - 02:25 AM.

[Gyson_Vore]

Sounds like an interesting premise... it would also be nice to see more female characters, I find it a little odd that in the 41st milennium when every citizen has to contribute to the fight for survival, there are not more stories (or even guard models) for the ladies.

[Russ Brother 92]

I must say as I'm still reading your BA successor piece [which is an absolutely epic master-piece] Mr Orange, I really can't wait to read what you come up with [if you like the idea of a Valkyrie then talk to Mrs. MaveriK - she has sharper claws than any in the Fang] and hope that it shall be soon.

[DeathKnight2000]

*jumps up wildly* Oh I'm excited for this one.

[Black Orange]

Thanks guys !! I'm looking forward to getting started.

G

[Black Orange]

Prologue
A stiff breeze blew across the mirrored pond's surface casting the slightest ripples in its soft wake. The dome which enclosed the shallow body of water had cracked along the top, caving in and revealing a pale sinister moon up above. The giant pearly orb seemed to float within the dark clouds as the satellite's reflected light beamed down upon the pond. Wolf tracks covered the shore around the white sandy beaches but no beasts were to be seen. Up from the water rose the Valkyrie plated in dull grey armor. The avatar of a crimson headed wolf had been carefully etched into her left shoulderpad and the single eye shone like a smoldering chunk of burning coal. The warrior reached down and drew forth her dueling swords from their burnished steel scabbards. One blade was much shorter than the other and was built to deflect the enemy's blows. The other blade was long and double edged with a series of razor sharp fractal teeth. The Valkyrie whispered an ancient ward and the long sword blazed to life casting an eerie green glow upon the water. The blade cried out to the night with a life of its own then she silenced it with another whisper. She stood as tall as a normal Marine but was slender and commanded a frame twisting with tight sinew. The Valkyrie's face was alabaster white without a single blemish and her long white hair was tied back in a braided tail that ran behind her armor. She was born an albino upon some other world and her eyes blazed bright red just like that of the avatar. The warrior whistled and then waited. Slowly one by one a pack of four large black wolves erupted from the brush surrounding the pond and made their towards the closest beach.

[Russ Brother 92]

very nice intro I look forward to more haha

[Black Orange]

The Valkyrie waded through the knee deep water holding her pair of swords at either side. The wolves watched silently as their master made her towards them. Their dark fur rippled under the moonlight like polished ebony. The largest wolf suddenly jumped into the pond as the beast began to howl. Silent forms erupted from the cold black water surrounding the Valkyrie on all sides. The xenos were covered in thick plates of hardened bony carapace and long sharp talons hung from their twin sets of double jointed arms. Spiny tendrils swung from their closed maws twisting about like a nest of serpents. One of the Yrmgarl genestealers was larger than the rest and the Broodlord stood directly before her. Its black eyes shone darkly under the moonlight glistening with unbridled hate as it gazed at the warrior. She felt the hypnotic power of the Broodlord probing her mind, willing her into a state of blissful abandonment then the alpha wolf hit the creature in the back knocking it aside. The Valkyrie quickly shook her head as she felt the hypnotic gaze of the genestealer subside. The rest of the brood was silently crashing through the cold water rapidly closing the distance. Up came the long blazing sword and with one sweep the two closest Yrmgarl genestealers were lopped in twain. She raised her short sword to fend off a hard blow from another xenos then twisted it about driving the blunted weapon through the beast's bony skull. The Valkyrie spun about using the long sword to keep the rest at arm's length. There was the pitiful sound of a wailing howl as the Broodlord rose back up and drove its sharp talons into the gut of the alpha wolf. The large genestealer shifted away as the rended body of the black wolf sank beneath the surface of the pond.

[Black Orange]

A talon ripped through an outer layer of the grey plated armor as a genestealer moved in from behind the Valkyrie for a sneak attack. The warrior growled as she spun in place showing her long sharp pair of fangs. The long sword came down with blinding speed chopping the Yrmgarl in half then the severed sides toppled over as she burst through the water moving towards higher ground. There was an ancient fountain in the center of the pond that had been ravaged by time. Toppled parts of broken statues littered the inner circle. She leapt up from the freezing water and landed on top of a huge spout that no longer functioned. The clouds had closed in obscuring the moon and all was pitch black within the dome. Sniffing at the cold air the Valkyrie sensed the remainder of the brood closing in upon her. Only the green glow of her long sword lit the night casting a long emeralded shadow of her armored form along the still rippling water. Quickly she sheathed her short sword and grabbed her grey helm hanging from the utility belt and pushed it on over her head. It had been cast in the likeness of a wolf's head and long steel fangs descended from the lower jaw plate. The Valkyrie enabled its auto senses and watched as tiny blips began to appear before her eyes revealing the true location of the approaching brood. She grabbed the pistol grip single handedly on the combi bolter flipping the strap off her shoulder. The gun blazed to life as the miniature rockets fired into the void exploding as they plowed through the closest enemy blowing them asunder in great chunks of visceral. A mist of spent carapace showered the pond as the wounded Yrmgarl exploded. There were still six red blips left by her count, the remainder of the brood was skirting around to her rear side searching for a weak point to launch another assault. There came another long howl and the Valkyrie could hear her wolves growling across the water. Suddenly she jumped off the fountain rapid firing the combi bolter as she charged straight back to the shore. The evil Broodlord had split off from its posse to engage the wolves. She could see the three of them tearing at the hulking monster as it showered them with its long uncurling talons. One of the wolves leapt up catching the neck of the Broodlord with its massive jaws. The huge genestealer lowered its bony chin and drove a set of razor tipped claws deep between the ribs of the wolf puncturing its heart with one strong push. Immediately the wolf fell off the beast and died at its clawed feet. Pulling the second trigger slowly the Valkyrie carefully aimed the lower barrel of the melta blasting the Broodlord in its bony head while still on the charge. The upper body of the monster was instantly vaporized and it's smoking torso keeled over toppling upon the shore. No sooner was the creature slain then she heard the rest of the brood splashing through the pond. The pair of remaining black wolves darted into the breach leaping up to renew the attack. The Valkyrie threw her combi bolter aside gripping the long hard hilt of the long sword with both gauntlets. Brandishing the weapon like an axe the blade looped around in a figure eight chopping the arms off the closest enemy. The Yrmgarl descended upon her and the two wolves instinctively sensing the close of battle. She felt the Wulfen inside her howling with rage and then she was blinded by the hunger within.

Edited by Black Orange, 13 April 2012 - 09:14 PM.

[Russ Brother 92]

I'm sure many have said this before but DAMN you are one classy writer haha - it gets the blood pumping, brilliant so far.

Edited by Russ Brother 92, 13 April 2012 - 11:03 PM.

[Black Orange]

The Valkyrie felt her normal senses begin to return as the etheric red mist slowly dispersed clearing her vision. She looked down to see the beach was covered with dead genestealers and the rended bodies of her wolves. All was dead. Sadness began to fill her mind replacing the Berzerker rage. A single tear rolled from the corner of her eye as she removed her helm and knelt down upon the fine sand. The Valkyrie bit her lip and pushed away the emotion. There came the sound of a little yip. Slowly she rose and followed the sound. Just beyond the shore was a patch of brush and from there eminated the tiny bark. Carefully the warrior pulled aside the bush and looked down. Hidden underneath was a small white wolf cub. It looked up at her and yipped again while wagging its furry tail. The Valkyrie reached down to lift up the pup as it's hind legs jigged around. She held it close to her face and felt its wet warm breath upon her cheek. "Oh!!" she said.

[Black Orange]

PART ONE - THE GREAT HUNT

Onboard the Space Wolf Battle Cruiser Rune Fang...

Captain Lukas sat at the helm of the command center watching the huge skyboard. The Captain had a long red beard that hung down to almost his waist in tight braids and his eyes were bright green shining like polished emeralds. He wore a suit of jet black tactical dreadnaught armor with many sparkling runes cast into its outer surface. One side of his face was covered in a series of wild tattoos. His long fangs jutted out from his lips and one was capped in gold filagree. The screen displayed a vast asteroid storm churning it's way through open space. "Pan in on section 4A1." A servitor made an adjustment to its control panel punching in the new coordinates. The skyboard zoomed in revealing bits of non-organic debris drifting within the storm. A chunk of crafted ore that looked similar to a dorsal fin was revealed as the servitor deftly panned the screen.

"I think this is what we are looking for Captain." said the Iron Priest standing behind Lukas. "Our scanners cannot identify the material left behind by the crash but our readings indicate this was most likely some type of space craft. We are not registering any life forms."

"Bulvar tell me where is the closest world from here that can sustain human life." said Lukas to the Iron Priest.

Bulvar stepped over to the control panel pushing aside the servitor. The Iron Priest was covered from head to toe in a full suit of black runic armor and wore his helmet. He reached down with his augmented arm and punched a set of blinking runes. The screen went black for a moment then fuzzed out. Slowly the image of a star system took shape and was revealed. "This is sector M-1. The fourth planet from the star is identified by our computer banks as once being the home of an ancient eldar clan. They were overrun and annihilated by a Tyranid tendril over 1,000 years ago. Sector M-1 is very close by and I don't think that's a coincidence either."

"Good work Bulvar. Set a course for sector M-1."

[Black Orange]

The Rune Fang is in orbit around the fourth planet in sector M-1. A pack of Wolf Scouts are sent down to the surface as an advance search party.

Carefully the Wolf Scouts left the drop pod after having set meltabombs to detonate the craft should it be boarded by another party. Quickly they set off at a brisk pace running through a mountain stream towards the valley below. "This planet is crawling with Tyranids." said the Wolf Guard Ronin into his microbead. Ronin and his pack had their armor decorated in a webbed camouflage pattern to mimic the surroundings and had coated themselves with a special chemical compound to cover their smell. "I'm guessing the Colossus tendril was drawn here by the psychic residue left behind by the Exodites. We must keep on the move and avoid any engagement. Once we have located the quarry we will send a signal back to the ship."

The towering mountains loomed high in the early dawn air casting their shadows down upon the valley below. Lightning storms drifted over the peaks and thunder split the air. Rubble cascaded down through the ravines filling the air with the crash of rocking boulders. An explosion rocked the ground and the stream surged knocking the scouts about. "Don't look back!" order Ronin. "Keep moving forward."

[Russ Brother 92]

Daym, I want to know who or what they hunt!

[Black Orange]

You'll soon find out .

G

[skoll]

you could easily explain it by having the character come from an alternate universe where all astartes are female and the sisters of battle are the brotherhood of battle

[Russ Brother 92]

you could easily explain it by having the character come from an alternate universe where all astartes are female and the sisters of battle are the brotherhood of battle

don't take this the wrong way brother - but surely it would be better to let the Skjald tell the tale and criticise later?

[Black Orange]

I don't reveal much as it would spoil the story. I think the little background I have provided will suffice for now.



G

[Black Orange]

skoll one thing I wanted to say is that when it comes to writing I love the power of the imagination and to me this is a strength over other medias such as film. I would rather focus on the characters and the conflict and let your mind fill in the details I leave out. The Valkyrie could have easily come from a universe such as you described. I want to portray a character that is much like an actual Valkyrie from the Norse legends. I think there is a possible niche for such a character.

G

[Black Orange]

Ronin ran hard following the presighted path beamed down from the battle cruiser through his bionic eye. His squad followed closely as they splashed through the ice cold mountain stream. The rock underneath the quick flowing water was slick like oil but their boot soles dug into the cracks. The pack leader could feel the adrenal surging into his bloodstream like hot ichor and he pushed himself to run harder. The air was thin at the high elevation - Ronin breathed hard pulling in the vacuous oxygen. Up ahead he saw a low lying bank of dark fog filling the valley below. The stream began to flow faster and grew more steeped. Soon they would be up to their waists in rushing water. Something large moving quickly caught his eye and he could just make out the shape of a white wolf running beside them along the slippery bank. The beast had caught them by surprise and it growled as it sprinted past them. The wolf slipped into the fog and vanished almost as soon as it had come.

Ronin held up a gloved fist giving the command to halt. The Wolf Scouts all stopped beside him and they stepped out from the stream onto the rocky bank. They had pushed hard and had covered at least several kilometers from the landing site. Ronin breathed hard placing his hands upon his knees as he sucked in the cold air. The fog was just in front of them now. Slowly he scanned the area ahead sniffing at the air. The presighted path lead into the thick mist then disappeared several meters ahead. His leggings were soaked and the mountain water began to freeze casting a web of frost upon his pants. "We have to move more cautiously now. There's no telling what's ahead."

"Look back there!" said of the Wolf Scouts pointing behind them. A huge mass of gaunts was pouring down the mountain following in their wake.

"Damn." said Ronin.

Edited by Black Orange, 20 April 2012 - 03:26 AM.

[Black Orange]

Ronin pulled his bolter loose from the strap. He flexed his fingers as the intricately jeweled little skulls cracked upon the knuckles of his gloves. The Wolf Guard waited a moment for transmission from the battle cruiser but his up link remained silent. There was the rustling sound of the horde pressing closer as the mass of gaunts leapt down the mountain towards them. "We must head into the fog and wait for our reserves. A needless death proves nothing. Follow me!" Together as one they rolled into the cloud dispersing away from the approaching enemy.

The sound of thunder filled the valley as a series of drop pods crashed into the rocky earth blasting the ground with a powerful seismic tremor knocking about the closest aliens. The drop pod hatches exploded out crashing into the mass of the invading hive. Wolf Guard terminators draped in tarnished black armor stepped out from the pods firing their weapons into the seething horde. Bulvar flexed his muscles as his armored claws erupted from his huge fists. "Form around me my Sons of Russ! We shall make them feel the pain and teach the Hive Mind yet another lesson in the many errors of their confounded ways."

Edited by Black Orange, 22 April 2012 - 04:44 AM.

[Black Orange]

Ronin took one last glance back to watch as the Wolf Lord Bulvar and his terminator Wolf Guard engaged the enemy. A literal sea of gaunts was crashing down from the mountain like a living tsunami. Several of the Wolf Guard were busy limbering their heavy flamers as the first wave of xenos reached the drop site. Stormbolters fired in unison blasting apart the closing gaunts and cyclone missile launchers rained down fragmentation grenades bursting apart amidst the teeming horde. Ronin could hear Bulvar laughing gruffly as he waded into the breach smashing apart the seething tide in a wake of death.

"We must go now!" said one of the Wolf Scouts. "Lord Bulvar is buying us precious time with his stand. He and his Wolf Guard are all that hold back the swarm. Soon the aliens will sweep around."

Ronin turned back to the fog and stepped inside the freezing mists. He felt a dreadful sense of foreboding and swallowed it down. Slowly he began to run again following the traced path. "This way!" he shouted above the raging din of battle. "Follow me."

[Black Orange]

The mist was ice cold and the Wolf Scouts' breath turned to hoar frost as they followed their Wolf Guard through the blinding fog. Soon they all had long beards of shiny ice hanging from their chins. They moved quickly stepping deftly over broken stone and gittering chunks of ice. Ronin tapped at his bionic eye, the superimposed path beamed down from the battle cruiser had blinked out. There came a growl and the Wolf Scouts could make out the figure of the huge wolf they had seen earlier. It howled once then turned away from them racing back up along the steep bank of the mountainside. Ronin decided to follow the beast tracing a path through the deep fog by following its paw prints.

The air grew thin as they raced up the mountain. They were all breathing deeply and felt the sharp pain of the brutal climb stabbing inside their lungs. The large wolf moved like a ghost over the sharp rise never stopping to rest. Ronin locked onto its image using his bionic eye to follow the racing beast. The ground below was rocky and covered in slick black ice... There were no paw prints left to guide them anymore. The sharp din of battle had ebbed away and the only sound left was the cold wind cutting at them like an icy razor.

On and on they followed the white wolf until finally the fog began to break. Ronin stopped to catch his breath. Before the Wolf Scouts they saw a twisting path had been cut into the stone. Up ahead the mountain broke into a level plateau. "We have left the steppes below." said the Wolf Guard as he sucked at the frigid air. They all panted hard and one of the Scouts had broken open a canteen full of warm liquid broth. They shared the drink as they rubbed their gloved hands against their chests. "We follow this path and see where it takes us. Surely the white wolf is an omen." The Wolf Scouts all nodded their heads. Ronin could feel a bit of warmth returning to his face as he brushed off the icy beard of hoar frost. "Let's go."

[Black Orange]

The hidden path had been cut into the bottom of a rocky crevasse. Whoever had constructed path was very meticulous. There were steps carved into the hard rock and simple runes had been deeply embellished into the stone. The path was much easier to follow as it twisted back and forth with sharp cutbacks leading towards the high plateau. The Wolf Scouts were shielded from the mountain wind deep inside the chasm. The Wolf Scout named Kayla had broken out a short torch and it's feeble warmth was more welcome than the dim light it cast down upon the steep steps. Some sections of the path the steps were quite broad and two Scouts could stand side by side. At other points the walls of the deep crevasse were tight and they had to squeeze through in single file one by one. The sun had passed over now and deep dark shadows had begun to paint the rocky walls. The shadows shifted about like dark phantoms. Their eyes had easily adjusted due to their acute senses. Some of the Wolf Scouts wore googles to further enhance their vision. Ronin lead the pack up the steps relying up his bionic implant to see in the dark.

When they had first approached the terminus of the path the high mountain plateau had looked to be no more than a few hours up ahead. Now embarked upon the ever winding path they could no longer see their immediate goal and the better part of the day had long passed. It had been some sort of optical illusion casting the image of the high flat plain much closer than it really was and the Wolf Scouts had all come to realize they still had at least the better part of a day march still ahead. The pack came to a broad opening and there was a tiny shrine off to one side that had been cut into the rocky face of the crevasse wall. There was a mural depicting a litter of four large black wolves surrounding a warrior clad in a suit of grey armor. The warrior wore a helmet fashioned in the head of a large wolf with long brass fangs erupting from the lower jaw plate and carried a pair of swords. One sword was almost as long as the warrior stood and the other was so short it was barely more than the length of a combat blade. A long pale grey wolf skin mantle descended from the back. Talismans covered with rare flashing gemstone hung from a silver chain around the Warrior's neck and they seem to twinkle in the dim air. "I believe this is who we seek my brothers." said the Wolf Guard Ronin. "A long departed and forgotten brother from our chapter's lost company." he whispered. They all eyed the mural carefully taking in all the rich detail.

Edited by Black Orange, 30 April 2012 - 03:34 AM.

[Black Orange]

"Look over here." said Kayla. The young Wolf Scout pointed below the tattered mural. Severed skulls from genestealers had been nailed into the rocky wall with long brass spikes and sharp rock shards punctured the eye sockets. "What do you make of that?" he asked Ronin.

"We know this planet was home to an ancient eldar Exodite clan that was overrun by a Tyranid Hive Fleet, Colossus I believe it was. While the aliens did not strip this world bare as they most often do its evident there are still much more than plenty of them left inhabiting niches here such as this mountain range. I came to learn that the genestealer broods often act as a vanguard to a coming invasion. My guess is our lost brother must have wandered upon such a brood and vanquished them in battle. More than likely this little temple pays tribute to the feat. There are few and far between who could claim such a boast in single combat versus such a brood."