In the quiet corners of Calth, an aged soldier named Person had made a home for himself. The faded ink on his skin, the weather-worn lasgun mounted on the wall, and the stalwart presence of Graft, a former Army loader servitor who referred to Person exclusively as ‘Trooper’, were the only remnants of his military past. To the rest of the world, he was just Old Pious, a retiree living out his twilight years in peace.
But peace was a luxury that was soon stripped away when the 17th Legion of Space Marines, the Word Bearers, launched an assault on the Ultramarines during the Horus Heresy. The chilling impact of orbital debris was a grim reminder of his last campaign on the planet Christopher. In these trying times, Person sought solace in his faith. After uttering a prayer to his deity, he slipped into unconsciousness.
In his dreamlike state, Person was visited by an old comrade, John Grammaticus. Despite his attempts to avoid the conversation and continue with his mundane routine, Grammaticus was forced to remind him of their shared past – of battles fought at the Anatol Hive and the Pan-Pacific Empire on Terra, lifetimes ago. He revealed that Person was one of the few remaining Perpetuals and had a crucial role to play in the ongoing war.
Grammaticus informed him that without their intervention, the Emperor would lose the war, and humanity would follow suit. He pleaded with Person to leave Calth via the Immaterium Step and retrieve a certain artifact. When asked where to go, Grammaticus simply promised to guide him.
Suddenly, Person found himself aboard an eerie, unnatural warship orbiting a burning Terra. A slain Angel lay on the floor, and standing nearby was his killer. Horrified, Person lifted his symbol of Catholic faith and denounced the evil before him. The murderer took a step forward but halted, seemingly drawn to an object in Person’s hand. A golden light flooded the room, a light Person recognized as familiar but tainted.
When he awoke, Person decided to flee Calth. With the help of several survivors, he managed to procure a ritual dagger from a Chaos Cultist, which he believed to be the item Grammaticus had mentioned. Together with his group of survivors – Graft, Dogen, Crank, Bale, Rain, Habit, Zes, and Cat – they left Calth, navigating through Warp gates using sorcerous techniques and the artefact Person had found.
For the next six years, the group, led by Person, wandered through space and time in pursuit of Terra. They endured constant threats from Word Bearers, Alpha Legion Legionnaires, demons, and assassins from the Cabal.
On the planet Andreo, they found themselves stuck for two years after the end of the Iron Man Uprising. Here, Person was confronted by Grammaticus once again, who pleaded with him to turn back. But Person saw through the ruse, slaying the shapeshifter impostor from the Alpha Legion with his dagger. With no other option, Person led his group through the cosmic void left by the Iron Men.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally arrived on Terra. But instead of a welcoming sight, they found themselves in the Hati Anakia Hive region, a nightmarish landscape transformed into a horrifying ‘Garden of Dreams’ by the Emperor’s Children. Civilians seeking refuge were ensnared by warp-spawned tendrils, their dreams harvested by the Emperor’s Children.
Despite the harrowing journey and the horrors that awaited them on Terra, Person and his group of survivors pressed on, driven by their shared goal and the promise made to an old friend. Their tale is a stark reminder that even in the darkest times, faith, hope, and camarity can light the way.
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