Title: The Iron Warriors: The Ultramarines Encounter and the Tale of Barabas Dantioch
Greetings, fellow Warhammer 40k enthusiasts! Welcome back to our multi-part series delving into the grim darkness of the far future. In today’s installment, we’re taking a closer look at a particularly fascinating chapter in the life of the Iron Warriors’ Warsmith Barabas Dantioch.
As our tale begins, a sudden appearance of the Ultramarines’ Thunderhawks on the horizon stirs the anticipation. What could the beloved sons of Guilliman be doing on this remote end of the galaxy? The answer is yet to unfold, but it is clear, the 20th Legion’s ships are indeed preparing for an unexpected meeting with their ‘cousins’.
Meanwhile, the tale of one Iron Warrior, Barabas Dantioch, begins to unravel. Once a rising star in the ranks of the Trident, a single failure forever tarnished his glorious career path. Commanding the 51st Expeditionary Fleet, Dantioch met his downfall in a battle against the xenos in the Vullen Straits. The xenos’ temporal field wreaked havoc, transforming once robust legionnaires into dust and their weapons into rusty wreckage.
Dantioch, however, managed to escape, but the battle left him a shell of his former self. Upon his return, the once-great Warsmith found himself facing the Primarch’s wrath. Criticizing the campaign and even daring to question the Emperor’s planning led to his demotion and the erasure of his name from all Legion records. The once-esteemed Terminator armor, a symbol of status, was passed on to the ambitious Barbon Fulk.
Despite this upheaval, Dantioch maintained his loyalty to the Emperor, and he was given a new mission: bring the small world of Damantin into compliance and construct a fortress upon it. This world was a backwater planet, known for its acidic atmosphere and asteroid field. But Dantioch, being a true Iron Warrior, executed the order and built Shardhen Hold, a gem of engineering fortification, a testament to his unbroken spirit and unmatched skills.
The plot thickens as Taro Nicodemus, a Tetra of Ultramar, arrives on Damantin and delivers the shocking news: Perturabo and the Iron Warriors have turned traitor. Barabas, however, refuses to believe and remains steadfast in his loyalty to the Emperor.
The arrival of the 14th Grand Battalion’s flagship, led by Warith Idris Kenle, intensifies the tension. Kenle, accompanied by the Adeptus Mechanicus Grag and Captain Hrabal Sarapis of the Sons of Horus, demands Dantioch’s surrender. Yet, the old Warsmith, steadfast in his loyalty, refuses to betray the Emperor, defending his stronghold for a full 365 days.
The siege might have continued even longer, if not for the arrival of the traitors’ Titans. In a desperate move, Dantioch collapses the fortress and teleports onto the enemy’s flagship, taking control and making a daring journey to Ultramar.
The tale then takes us to the planet Sto, where Dantioch aids the Ultramarines in deciphering an ancient xenos device. Here, he meets Captain Alexis Polu of the Imperial Fists, and together they uncover the device’s capabilities. However, the Night Lords discover this secret, leading to Dantioch’s final heroic act of self-sacrifice to prevent them from seizing the device.
In death, Dantioch received the honor he was denied in life. He was laid to rest with full honors, his funeral pyre lit by none other than Guilliman himself.
Yet, the tale leaves us with a lingering question. What will be the fate of Marcus Nador, another Iron Warrior, awakened by the blood of Alpha Legionnaires? Will he follow Dantioch’s path, or will he carve his own way into the annals of history? Only time will tell, as the 13th Black Crusade has just begun, and the galaxy trembles at the mere mention of his name.
In our next installment, we will explore the enigmatic fortress built around one of Perturabo’s fallen bodyguards. Until then, may the Emperor protect you in your journeys through the grim darkness of the far future!
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