Prologue pt. 1:
“I see you have come to visit me once more, Shade of the Lion.” Vecdid said, looking towards the shadow creature in the corner of his chambers. “I wonder, what omen is it that you bring me this time?” The creature did not reply. Vecdid leaned forward on his throne, right elbow on the armrest, his chin tucked into his hand. He observed the shadow creature. It was small in stature and seemed to absorb all light. Its outline, shaking like fire. An aura of dread surrounded it, and Vecdid did not understand its existence. “Silence once again?” The creature stood, its silhouette shaking. It began to move effortlessly along the perimeter of the chamber, as though it was gliding. Vecdid followed it with his eyes. It stopped before a shadow cast by his terminator plate. It moved closer to the armor and appeared to take interest in it, even laying a hand on it for a moment. The shaking silhouette turned and faced Vecdid. A voice spoke out as though it was 3 whispers, each heard both in mind and in body.
“What is the price of your duty?” Vecdid was surprised. In the 6 times the shadow had visited him, this was the first time it had spoken to him.
“What is my duty, Shade of the Lion?
“Loyalty, but to whom is your loyalty, Master of the Legion?” Vecdid stood quickly. He balled his mechanical arm and raised it towards the shadow creature. Blood vessels began to swell across his body, the vascularity appearing like poorly healed scars. His two hearts beating faster, his temper quickly leaving him.
“To the Emperor of Mankind!” Vecdid asserted. “To the gene progenitor and to the Legion! To whom is – “
“The Legion,” hissed the whispers, cutting Vecdid off mid-sentence, “which legion?” The creature stepped into the shadow and faded from existence. Vecdid stood alone. He looked at his terminator armor and took a few paces towards it. It was an ornate suit of cataphractii plate passed to every Master of the Legion. No Master had ever been slain while wearing that suit into battle. The Armor of Liamane. Tall and heavy, its armor plates the color of stone. The left shoulder, colored red, a crux terminatus resting on it. Brown leather tassels hung from it. Adorning the ends of each tassel, a winged sword, made of bronze. The right shoulder, colored black, the sigil of the Legion of the Iron Lion resting on it. Brown leather tassels as well, each adorned with a silver 12-point cog. Bronze trim adorned the edges of the armor, polished to a mirror finish. On the right knee, a silver and bronze checkered pattern, and hanging from the back, a black cloak, to symbolize his ascension from Cohort Ferrum. On It, the Sigil of the Master of the Legion. On the chest, rested the Imperial Aquila, the feathers alternating in bronze and silver, and a scroll reading the Legions motto, “Honor the Legion”, in the clutches of the eagle.
“Honor the Legion.” whispered Vecdid as he ran his fingers across the scroll, “Which legion?” Vecdid faced about and walked towards the doorway of his chambers. With a hiss, the doors opened, and the two Legion Guard posted at the entrance raised their spears and slowly lowered the blades to just above the ground, in salute. Vecdid returned the salute.
“Brothers,” Vecdid said, “Find the Grand Arbiter and the High Oracle. I must see them at once”
“Yes, Lord Vecdid” said the two astartes. Both spears were simultaneously raised and returned to the carry position. “Honor the Legion.”
“Honor the Legion, brothers.”
Edited by jbaeza94, 22 July 2019 - 11:48 AM.