Title: Unseen Struggles: The Trials of the Raven Guard
Greetings, fellow Warhammer 40,000 lore enthusiasts! Today, we continue our multi-part series with an intense focus on a subset of the Warhammer universe – the Raven Guard and the trials they faced on the war-torn planet of Istvan.
The scene begins with a fierce encounter between Aelon and his traitorous brother, a violent clash that ended with Aelon breaking his brother’s nose with a swift headbutt. Yet the struggle was far from over. The Primarch of the Raven Guard, Korax, locked in combat with his brother, was interrupted by the treacherous Conrad Kur. The two battled intensely, their identical lightning claws sparking off each other, until Korax managed to break free and flee the battlefield. This retreat, however, was met with the haunting laughter of Conrad K, echoing across the war zone.
The pressure from the forces of Horus was mounting, forcing the remaining loyalists into a harrowing retreat. The Raven Guard, led by their fearless Primarch, risked everything in a daring escape attempt. But fate wasn’t on their side, as their Thunderhawks were shot down immediately after takeoff, crash-landing on the outskirts of the Urol Plateau. Desperate to survive, the remaining Space Marines and their Primarch hid amongst the high hills, staging relentless raids on the Iron Warriors squads.
Korax, a leader burdened with the responsibility of his fallen sons, ventured alone into the battlefield, scouring for the bodies of his lost warriors. His efforts were in vain, and after 98 grueling days, the depleted Raven Guard was overtaken by the World Eaters and their crazed Primarch, Angron.
Just as hope seemed lost, salvation arrived in the form of their own fleet. Captain Bran Nev, appointed by the Primarch as the head of Deliverance, orchestrated a daring rescue mission. The Raven Guard Space Marines rushed to the landing hatches, but Korax lingered. The Primarch was torn between his duty to his surviving sons and the honor of his fallen warriors. From a force of 880,000 Space Marines, less than 3,000 had survived the ordeal.
Korax, both physically wounded and emotionally scarred, chose to endure his pain as a testament to his spiritual suffering. Ravaged by defeat yet fueled by revenge, he maintained his rationality and made the painful decision to retreat, regenerate his forces, and continue the fight.
The journey back to Terra was fraught with chaos. The Raven Guard had to navigate through a massive fleet of chaos ships blocking their path. In a daring move, Korax himself took the helm of the battle barge Avenger. His skill at the helm allowed them to pass unnoticed, and in a final act of defiance, Korax maneuvered the Avenger in a way that dragged a Word Bearer strike cruiser into the warp, demolishing it in the process.
Upon arriving in the Solar System, the Raven Guard was met with suspicion and delay, despite Korax’s courteous interactions with the Imperial forces. Even as they reached Terra, the delays persisted, as Malador, the…
Stay tuned for the next installment in this gripping series, as we delve deeper into the trials and tribulations of the Raven Guard.
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