Black Templars: Heroes of the Eternal Crusade – Part 8

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. But every war starts somewhere, and the seeds of the bloody conflict that would tear the Imperium asunder were sown on the red sands of Mars. Here, in the throes of the Horus Heresy, a tale of loyalty, betrayal, and the cost of duty unfolds. We join the Imperial Fists, led by the steadfast First Captain Sigismund, as they embark on a mission that will test their mettle and their loyalty to the Emperor.

Sigismund was a son of the Primarch Rogal Dorn, a warrior bred to serve the Imperium, his existence given meaning through his duty. Yet his loyalty was called into question when he revealed to his gene-father his reasons for returning to Terra. Truths imparted by the remembrancer Euphrati Keela had shaken him to his core, revealing a future that Dorn refused to accept. His trust in his son shattered, Dorn disowned Sigismund, a harsh punishment that left the First Captain to bear the weight of his shame alone.

Yet Sigismund was not to be undone. His duty to the Emperor remained unbroken, and he pledged that he would not fail in his mission to Mars. As the Schism of Mars erupted, the Imperial Fists were tasked with securing the forges of Mars, critical to the production of Astartes armor and weapons. Their primary targets? The forges of Mundus Occulum and Mondus Gamma.

Their initial landing at Mondus Occulum was met with relief as the Fabricator Locom Kain, a loyalist to the Emperor, welcomed them. Here, Sigismund’s companies secured vast quantities of munitions and nearly 12,000 suits of Mark IV power armor, much-needed supplies in the war against the traitor forces. But time was not on their side. Enemy forces were closing in, and the traitor legions were on the move.

Meanwhile, Captain Cadas and his Jovian regiments faced a life-and-death struggle at Mondus Gamma. Outnumbered and under heavy fire, they were forced to retreat to their landing fields, but not before securing the forge’s armor and ammunition silos. Every gain was a victory, however small, in the face of the traitor forces.

Back at Mondus Occulum, the situation was growing desperate. A traitor force was advancing, including infantry, armor, skitarii, and two Titan Legions. Sigismund faced a choice: seek vengeance against the Emperor’s enemies or adhere to his orders and secure the forge’s essential supplies. He chose duty over vengeance, a decision that would ultimately set the stage for the battles to come.

As the fires of conflict raged, the forges of Mundus Occulum and Mondus Gamma were ablaze, a grim reminder of the cost of war. The Imperial Fists had secured the forges, but at great cost. Their struggle against the traitor forces was far from over, and the fate of the Imperium hung in the balance. As Sigismund looked upon the burning forges, he knew one thing: he would not fail in his duty to the Emperor, no matter the cost.

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