The drums of war echo throughout the cosmos, a symphony of pain and despair, punctuated by the harsh staccato of gunfire. War, to humanity, is a brutal dance between life and death, a merciless ballet that begins and ends at the whim of those with power. In the maelstrom of conflict, indecision is death’s embrace and survival demands swift obedience and the shedding of sentiment. Compassion and humanity, seemingly luxuries only afforded in times of peace, are cast aside.
Yet, amidst the chaos, a beacon of hope emerged. A champion who dared to believe that mercy was not a casualty of war, but a weapon against it. A warrior who knew that the truest strength lay in extending a hand to the defenseless. This is the story of Vulkan, a noble demigod who understood the heart of humanity.
Vulkan’s journey began in the Ultima Segmentum, on the unforgiving planet of Nocturne. The Imperial Archives mark Nocturne as a feudal world of death, where high radiation, deadly climate, and rampant volcanic activity hampered the growth of civilization. However, these harsh circumstances were but a fraction of the trials faced by Nocturne’s denizens.
Every 15 standard years, Nocturne and its moon, Prometheus, drew dangerously close, their gravitational forces threatening to rip each other apart. This cataclysmic event, known as the Time of Trials, triggered tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes that would reshape the planet’s landscape and claim hundreds of thousands of lives. The subsequent years of darkness and famine would only add to this grim toll.
As if the trials of nature were not enough, the Dark Eldar turned Nocturne into a breeding ground for their bloodthirsty games, abducting the helpless populace. The most horrifying aspect of these raids was the resignation of the people, who, accustomed to constant nightmares, hid away rather than fight.
However, in the midst of the Time of Trials, a savior arrived. A bright flash in the volcanic sky marked the arrival of a Primarch. Discovered by a blacksmith named N’bel, the infant Primarch was initially mistaken for a deity or a devil. N’bel’s fears were allayed by the child’s cry, a reminder of his humanity. Despite the fiery crater that marked his arrival, the child was unharmed, his cry not one of pain, but loneliness.
N’bel took the child in, named him Vulkan, and raised him as his own son. Vulkan grew astonishingly fast, achieving physical maturity in just three years. But it wasn’t just his strength that was remarkable, but also his intellect and wisdom. The culture of mutual aid on Nocturne, along with N’bel’s nurturing, fostered in Vulkan a unique characteristic – the ability to value the life of the weakest.
Four years after his arrival, N’bel revealed to Vulkan the secret of his birth. He led Vulkan to the hidden incubation capsule, buried not far from the forge. N’bel had hoped that the truth would answer the questions that plagued Vulkan, the evident differences between him and the people of Nocturne. As the ageing blacksmith led his mighty son to the hidden capsule, he felt a sense of relief knowing that Vulkan would no longer have to shoulder his questions in solitude.
Thus began the journey of Vulkan, a beacon of hope amidst the chaos, a champion who dared to believe in the power of mercy amidst the brutality of war. His story is a testament to the belief that true strength lies not in the ability to destroy, but in the ability to protect. That even in the face of overwhelming odds, compassion and humanity are not luxuries, but necessities.
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