Astral Claws

My name is Cassius.

Once, I had a glorious name—a recruit of the Astral Claws.

Our Chapter is glorious.

We were ordered to guard one of the most dangerous and hellish places in the Milky Way, the Maelstrom.

Back then, we still had allies, like our brothers in the Lamenters.

To this day, I still feel an inexplicable sense of guilt towards my brothers who inherited the noble qualities of the Primarch Sanguinius.

Because of our rebellion, they unknowingly joined us in betraying the Emperor.

Those were such an adorably innocent bunch...

The moment they realized they were on the rebel side, they ceased their attack.

Yes! It just stopped there!

The Minotaurs Chapter, completely subservient to the High Lords of Terra, pounded their faces with heavy Power Fist and slashed their bodies with Chainsword!

That was a certain death situation; the glory of the Chapter would be reduced to ashes, and the brothers in battle would become cold remains, but all they did was offer explanations!

He explained while backing away!

Later, those ruthless minotaur scum actually stopped attacking.

Even the ruthless ones couldn't bring themselves to harm these adorable creatures.

It was precisely because of this persistence that they became a Chapter that was later pardoned after its rebellion...

Perhaps if Astral Claws had chosen to end the rebellion back then, we would still be loyal.

But I don't think it was our fault.

The fault lies with that Imperium, corrupt to the core!

It is those bureaucrats who sit in the Tower of Terra and stain their scepters with the blood of our brothers!

Our Chapter Master, Lord Huron, he just... just wanted to give us, the abandoned warriors, a real home.

A kingdom that will not be sacrificed for no reason, a kingdom that belongs to the Space Marines.

I know, I know everything.

At this moment, it descended from the sky like a god, commanding the blue ocean to crush us.

That majestic being, clad in golden-blue armor, wearing Laurel Crown, and wielding a greatsword engulfed in burning golden flames!

Robert Guilliman, King of Ultramar —he is the Gene-Father.

How ironic.

The same blood flows in my veins as those incredibly powerful blue-armored warriors standing before him.

I should have stood with them, fighting for humanity, for the Emperor, and for him.

I should have basked in his gaze, wielded my sword for him, and won glory for him.

But... there's no chance anymore.

We are traitors.

From Cadia, and even earlier, from the moment we followed Lord Huron in raising the banner of rebellion, we have carried this indelible mark.

Traitors deserve to die, and traitors deserve to live!

But I refuse to be like these Chaos dregs around me, running away in fear and howling in despair!

At least... at least let my death have some meaning.

My hands were trembling (it was shameful, but I couldn't control myself).

He pulled out a badge carefully wrapped in cloth and treasured for hundreds of years from his pocket— the Astral Claws's old badge from before the rebellion.

There was no Chaos Eight-Pointed Star, no blasphemous symbols, only a sharp claw tightly gripping the stars, symbolizing the vow we once upheld.

I slammed it down hard onto my already worn and mottled shoulder armor, which was covered with Chaos runes.

The old blasphemous mark was covered in one corner.

Just you wait, Gene-Father.

Look at me.

I do not seek forgiveness, nor do I seek approval.

I only ask that your gaze fall upon me, your unworthy son, for even a moment.

I only want you to know that even the smallest, most polluted branch of your blood once had... a heroic flame!

"For--!!!"

I will carry all my regrets, resentment, pride, and the deep-seated, never-extinguished longing for "father" within me.

It transformed into a heart-wrenching roar, drowning out all the noise of the battlefield!

I, Cassius, former Astral Claws warrior, head towards the most dazzling golden-blue figure at the very center of that blue ocean.

I launched the last and only charge of my life against the Gene-Father!

Nearby, several Slaanesh devotees, covered in amethysts and disgusting decorations, were trembling with fear.

Watching a blue-armored "tin can" man crush their companion, armor and all, into scrap metal with his bare hands.

They couldn't comprehend Cassius's madness.

"Is he crazy? That guy is charging forward?"

"He's dead... no, we're all probably dead..."

Their fears are valid.

An Ultramarines crashed into them like a meteorite; before the dust had settled, he was already moving.

No Bolter were used; it was just the most direct and brutal form of boxing!

"Bang! Crack!"

"Pfft!"

One punch, and the meticulously crafted Power Sword bent!

With another punch, the Slaanesh warrior's seemingly magnificent breastplate, along with the flesh behind it, caved in and shattered!

The Ultramarines grabbed the broken blade and stabbed it into another enemy's throat.

Ceramite armor? It's no different from paper in front of his fists and the weapons he grabs at random!

"For glory and courage!"

The Ultramarines roared, like a tiger among sheep, leaving behind only shattered armor and flying limbs in its wake.

Chaos Space Marines?

They were more like a flock of frightened lambs, crying and screaming, wanting nothing more than to get as far away from these blue Ynnead as possible.

A Khorne Berserkers was thrown by the immense force and crashed heavily onto a piece of wreckage.

He clung tightly to his remaining arm, the axe that the Blood God had once "glimpsed," which was now his only solace.

Thick blood gushed from his severed limbs, yet he felt no pain, only endless anger and... a gradually spreading, chilling despair.

"Blood God! Great Blood God!"

He roared with his last breath, his voice hoarse from his ruptured lungs:

"I gave you everything! I fought to the last moment! Please... answer me! Tell me how... to kill these monsters!!"

His prayers were sorrowful and fervent.

He only wanted to end it in battle, rather than helplessly waiting for death like this.

"Your posture..."

A cold voice rang out above his head.

The Ultramarines, who had just cleared out the surrounding enemies, was now standing in front of him, looking down at him.

"It makes me feel disgusted."

The Ultramarines's voice was filled with undisguised disgust:

"Although it makes me uncomfortable to say this, the way you knelt and prayed is somewhat like, only somewhat like, certain loyal and steadfast brothers of the Chapter."

His gaze suddenly sharpened like a knife. "But how dare you imitate them?! How dare you be worthy?!"

The moment you chose to betray humanity and embrace Chaos, you relinquished your right to pray as a 'human'! You are nothing but a monster in human skin!

"Go to hell! Go to the Emperor and atone for your sins that you can never fully redeem!"

Before the words were even finished, the Ultramarines's hands had already gripped the Khorne Berserkers's head and shoulders, his muscles bulging, and his Smart Atoms power erupting!