Ferrus Manus: The Strongest of Them All? – Part 9

In the grim darkness of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, there are tales of brotherhood and betrayal that transcend time itself. These stories, whispered in the hallowed halls of Space Marine fortresses and etched into the annals of Imperial history, serve as a haunting reminder of the price of loyalty and the cost of treachery. One such tale is the tragic story of Ferrus Manus, the Primarch of the Iron Hands, and his fateful encounter with Fulgrim, his brother and once-loyal ally turned traitor.

The tale begins with Ferrus, bearing the physical and mental scars of Fulgrim’s betrayal, secluding himself in his quarters for two weeks. The blow from Fulgrim, now known as The Phoenician, had disfigured Ferrus and left an indelible mark on his once-stoic visage. Despite his personal anguish, Ferrus dutifully complied with the order to face the traitors on the bloodstained fields of Istvan 5, backed by the formidable forces of the Salamanders and the Raven Guard.

As the father of the Iron Hands, Ferrus directed Vulcan’s Legion to the left flank while Korax took the right. The Gorgon himself, leading a force of elite Terminators known as Morlocks, launched a fierce attack on the central positions. The Loyalists outnumbered the Servants of Chaos, but Horus, ever cunning, had anticipated their landing site and the slaughter began before all the Loyalists even set foot on the planet.

Despite the heavy losses, Ferrus, consumed by rage, charged the traitors, followed by the Tenth Legion in one of the most epic battles of that period. Ferrus Manus, armed with his silver fists and the Flaming Sword, fought with a terrifying ferocity, each blow spelling death for a traitor. Yet, he refused to use his sword, seeing it not as a weapon, but as an instrument of execution intended for only one enemy – Fulgrim.

Despite the grim state of the battle, Ferrus could not shake off his duty as a commander. However, his unquenchable rage and desire to end his long friendship with Fulgrim pushed him to the edge of sanity. He saw the betrayal unfolding around him and understood the irreversible change it would bring to the Imperium.

Finally, the fateful confrontation between Ferrus and Fulgrim came. The Primarch of the Iron Hands unsheathed his Fireblade, while The Phoenician drew the Forge Breaker. The battle was fierce, and hatred fueled their blows. Fulgrim, possessed by a monstrous strength, struck Ferrus down, piercing his chest with the silver blade and brought him to his knees.

In a sudden realization of his wrongdoing, Fulgrim tried to discard his cursed weapon, but his body no longer obeyed. Moments before Ferrus could grasp his own sword, Fulgrim dealt the fatal blow, decapitating his brother. A powerful energy burst forth from Ferrus’s body, forcing The Phoenician to drop his blade and stagger back, saved only by the demon dwelling within him.

Ferrus Manus, the Gorgon, died on Istvan 5 at the hand of his closest brother. The Iron Hands, shocked and demoralized, barely escaped the traitor’s trap and left the planet, their spirit shattered. The Tenth Legion had lost a significant part of its contingent, depriving it of a critical role in the ensuing War for the Imperium.

Fulgrim, now a traitor, delivered the head of Ferrus Manus to Horus as a chilling proof of his victory. Horus lamented that had Ferrus been on his side, the rebellion would have proceeded much more smoothly. In the aftermath of the Heresy, the head of the Gorgon found its way to the Iron Hands, traded by Roboute Guilliman in exchange for their acceptance of the Codex Astartes.

Today, the skull of Ferrus Manus rests on an altar in a large relic hidden within the Citadel of the Eye of Medusa, a place buried under shifting lithosphere plates. A grim reminder of a once-proud Primarch, a symbol of the cost of betrayal, and a testament to the eternal duty of the Iron Hands.

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