“I have no words to explain how great it is to see your legion here, Commander Akurei. The 617th are my own. I lead nineteen others also” Lupus answered warmly.
Akurei seemed unaffected by the truth of his response, as if there was nothing revealing about it. Perhaps there had been fleets arriving all the time, with various men and women declaring who they were in command of.
“You’re the commander now, then? I know who leads the 617th and you are not him” she replied, bereft of any of her former patience. Yet she seemed innocent enough, if a little curt.
Lupus laughed at her misunderstanding. “No, I am not” he told her.
Her composure cracked at his informality. She seemed visibly irate at his reaction, as if he was purposefully disrespecting her position. He could have laughed at the irony, but he chose not to.
“Explain yourself before I deem your fleet as deceivers and agents of the Great Enemy” she bit. There was no hint of bluff or facade on her face, only a soul that had grown tired of pretend allies and false promises.
Sabre stepped into view so that she could see his image projected on her own holo-table. When she saw him, her eyes seemed to light up in recognition. “You would know me, Akurei. I am Sabre, Commander of the 617th. He,” the legionnaire gestured towards Lupus, “is an Apostle. He is the Lion, old friend”.
To her credit, Akurei seemed phased and bashful for only a moment, taking a step back as if beaten by her own naivety. She regained her presence quickly, however, and addressed Lupus directly as Sabre left her view again.
“Forgive me, my Lord Apostle. I did not know…the Great Enemy has given us enough reason to be suspicious, even of our allies” she said.
Lupus smiled reassuringly at her, faintly amused by the exchange between the two legionnaires.
“There is nothing to forgive, Akurei” he answered. She nodded at him, her resolve genuinely returned through his words. “Can you tell me something?” he asked her.
“Anything, my Lord” she replied, kneeling in obeisance.
“Where are my brethren, Commander? Why do you confront me in their stead?”
“They are on Hydron below, my Lord”.
His heart jumped at the validation of their presence here. “Thank you, Akurei. Continue your duties” he replied. She saluted him in the same way that his own legion did. As she stood her image blinked away and they were left on their own again, as if she had never been projected into the Luminon’s PTH.
Lupus turned to Sabre with a curious look. Five years ago when they had received word from a legion scouting the Aurora Sector, they had reported this planet barren of life and consumed by storms. Had they been deceived, or simply mistaken?
“Bring our fleet into formation with the 77th” Lupus ordered. “Then prepare my Stormfalcon. We’re going to the surface”.
LUPUS HAD DEIGNED it appropriate for only him and his most senior command echelon, Sabre and Olympus, to go with him to the planet below. The world was full of ocean, the expansive could-have-been landmass covered in rich blue water that gave little indication of anything else. On the entirety of the surface sat only two islands; one was large in its own right, but the second was a continent that, even from a great distance, revealed itself to be a sprawling mega fortress floating effortlessly on the sea.
“Hydron, my Lord. Would any other name befit it?” Sabre had asked him on their descent.
As their Stormfalcon approached the mighty stronghold a pair of Voidhawks from an unfamiliar legion flanked it on either side. It was clear that they were there as a safeguard to the massive castle’s inhabitants, though it was clear that it had more than enough defences of its own without the need for air superiority. For reasons that Lupus felt all too sure of, whichever Apostle claimed this world as their home was suspicious of them.
The air was denser near the surface of the planet and the transport rocked fiercely as it fought against the resistance to reach the continental bastion. The pilot confirmed that the Stormfalcon had been scanned by the defences on the walls, the guns seemingly satisfied that they were friendly, their barrels lowering in deactivation. The escort Voidhawks veered off, their job complete. As they sped away, Lupus notice grey stripes running along their flanks. He knew it was a sign of another Apostle, but which one?
The Stormfalcon swooped over the first wall of the fortress, several metres thick of obsidian rock, before weaving its way through mountain ranges, turret towers and dozens of barricades, each more formidable than those before them. They were not always in the simple form of walls either.
Lupus was in awe of how complex the fortress appeared to be. Besides its constructed features, it turned the tenacious nature of the continent’s landmass to its advantage; fields of razorstone, jungles that seemed too impossible to navigate and false oases to snare any assailant, all complementing the artistry of the artificial defences perfectly. For an enemy to assail it was simply impossible. It was beyond anything that Lupus had ever seen or imagined and he could instantly appreciate why the first meeting of the Apostles was being held here. To him, there was nowhere safer in all the Empire.
After fourteen minutes of flying over the seemingly everlasting series of ramparts, the pilot finally reported that they were about to land. Lupus had seen the keep of the vast castle approaching and felt a tremor of hope and warmth at the momentous occasion. The keep straddled the top of a steep hill, its massive structure giving its defenders an overview of the entire continent. Lupus would never believe that any army could ever reach this far in, but even if they did, this last stage would be their final undoing.
“Take us up” he ordered, standing inside the cockpit for the expansive view it offered.
“Climbing, my Lord” the pilot replied.
It was a sharp rise to the crest of the keep, but upon reaching the summit, they were all surprised to see that within its fierce walls were eloquent courtyards whose floors were made of a pure white marble and where intermittent gardens of natural beauty belied the ugliness of the island. There were dedicated spaces reserved for landing craft to leave the ground untarnished and Lupus was glad for them; it would not do to allow the small paradise trapped at the centre of a nightmare to go to spoil.
From some distance away, he saw a large gatehouse stand proudly in the centre of the last curtain wall. As the Stormfalcon circled the structure he noticed a pair of huge doors on all four of its black stony sides. Given its location and the size of it, he could only guess that it served to guard the final entrance to an underground cave or hollow. On the surface, everything was military. But what was a bastion this massive made to defend, if not a population?
The transport finally touched down softly on one of the designated landing pads. The ramp lowered slowly and Lupus was the first to exit, followed cautiously by Sabre and Olympus on his flanks. He chose not to take form; he wished to see his brethren for the first time with his human eyes.
They faced the southern doors of the gatehouse, the pilot had announced upon landing. As they were winched open, he stood side-by-side with the legionnaires - the friends - that he’d fought with for ten years. Despite the bonds he’d forged with them, nothing could compare with the connections he already felt for the other Apostles.
A group of legionnaires appeared through the doors, grey markings on their armour similar to those on the escort Voidhawks marking them out as belonging to a different Apostle. During the Purge Crusades, the 617th had come across many legions, but it was clear to him that each Apostle would only ever have one true legion completely dedicated to them. The others, numerous as they were, could be commanded by any of the Chosen.
Behind the legionnaires garbed in black and grey, a figured that towered over them marched out to meet Lupus and his own. The man, for his gait betrayed that part of his identity, was dressed in armour that was more intricately woven and elegant than his Guardian peers. His shoulder pads were tinted with jade and his chest plates dotted with emeralds. He wore a helmet that resembled
a sneering sea serpent with its jaws open wide, rows of fang-like teeth ready to render the flesh from its prey.
A confused wave of emotion washed over Lupus as he realised the man wasn’t a legionary commander, as Olympus had sneered at his side, but an Apostle. He’d been slow to recognise his kin, but now that he finally paid attention to the clues and his knowledge of the Chosen forms, he was amazed to behold one of his lost brothers.
“Hydra…” he whispered with a smile as the Apostle drew nearer.
“WELCOME TO HYDRON,” the impressively armoured man announced. He seemed to be eyeing Lupus up as he spoke, gauging his character with penetrating eyes. “I am Hydra, Apostle of the 375th Astral Titans Legion. It is good to have you here, brother”. So, he already knew that Lupus was an Apostle and not just another legionary officer.
Hydra put his hands to his helm, removing it slowly before grinning at Lupus. He was as happy to see his brother as the latter was to see him and he had no wish to keep it a secret. His short cropped brown hair and azure eyes gave him a charm that was hard not to be entranced by, but it was the shape of his voice, the sound of his words, that was truly capturing.
Lupus bowed his head in respect. “I cannot reciprocate enough, Hydra. I am the Lion, Apostle of the 617th Legion, but they go by no other name” he replied before stepping forward and embracing his Chosen sibling. It felt like he was holding a family member that he hadn’t seen in years; in part, that was the truth.
Letting Hydra go, he noticed the Hydra’s own command echelon looking at him with uncertainty. Perhaps the other Apostles had not greeted each other so casually, but Lupus was above such trivial norms.
“I presume this world is your own?” he asked.
“It is mine and my legion’s” Hydra answered, emphasising the mutual ownership. “I own nothing that I do not share with the 375th. Without them, none of this would have been possible”. Opening his arms wide, he gestured to the fortress they were in.
Lupus smiled. “It is an impressive home, brother. Perhaps, on our way to the others, you could tell me more about it?”
Hydra smirked. “Why, am I not enough for you? What makes you presume there are others?”
Lupus knew he was being teased, but in a way that only great friends or brothers would. “I fear instead, brother, that you are too much…let us calm my surprise and elation by bathing in the feelings wholeheartedly” he said.
Hydra laughed at his response. “Oh, excellent choice of lyrics! I can tell you and I are going to get on fluently. Come, then” he turned to the gatehouse. “They’re all waiting for us below”.
Lupus bit the bait, knowing already that Hydra was one to pick his words carefully. “All of us present?” Lupus asked earnestly.
Hydra’s lips seemed to curl in amusement at the inevitable question. “All that can be” he said.
The implication didn’t escape Lupus and he felt part of him sag in disappointment that the gathering wasn’t complete. “Something tells me you’re not going to explain that part. Am I right, brother?”
“Sometimes things are better learnt with one’s eyes than one’s ears”. After giving him only that, Hydra began walking back the way he came. His commanders followed him without pause, but Lupus was faster and already at his brother’s side. Sabre and Olympus followed, keeping behind in close proximity to the 375th.
“We’ve been waiting a long time to see you, I can tell you that” Hydra declared, talking again just as Lupus thought he had resigned their walk to silence. The four legionnaires gave the Apostles room to speak to one another, sensitive to the fact they had a lot to talk about.
Hydra led Lupus through the gatehouse and into the waiting dark. In the centre was a large hole, a winding staircase descending into the depths of the fortress island. The gloomy interior of the space was foreboding, a final warning to anyone daring to delve underground.
“My legionnaires refer to my home – this stronghold, as you would no doubt see it – as the Hydra’s House” his brother laughed softly. “A vain title that I do not proclaim myself, I assure you. It seems they wanted to honour me with it, though I wonder if it inflates their pride too much” he mused aloud. The blank expressions on the 375th behind them gave nothing away in reaction to the suggestion.
Lupus was curious to hear such reservation from Hydra. The fortress was mighty indeed and perhaps one could naturally learn vanity from it, but no level of pride in it was unjustified. As they descended into the levels below, he wondered about the origins of the Apostle that walked at his side where none ever had.
“I do not think it wrong to take pride in your home, brother” he reassured Hydra, placing an encouraging hand on his shoulder. They continued down the stairs, the wide steps allowing them to be alongside each other, before he decided to try and satiate his curiosity.
“Forgive my ignorance Hydra, but how did you come to be here? The legions under my command scanned this world not many years ago and found nothing, yet you have built this continental bastion as if it were child’s play in such a short time”.
Hydra stopped as they reached the bottom floor. His legion commanders kept their distance. Sabre and Olympus did the same, sharing glances of apprehension about their Apostle’s brother.
“Your legions were deceived” Hydra told him bluntly, “By us, no less”. Sorrow and regret were written across his face, but Lupus couldn’t help feeling hurt and betrayed. He didn’t understand.
“I would have you reveal the nature of the trick, lest I doubt your honour” he demanded.
Placing a hand now on his shoulder, Hydra looked him directly in the eye.
“I was here on this world long before your forces came here. At first, there was no-one else, so I had to learn who and what I was alone – much like you, I suspect. It was hard, but eventually I came to accept my nature, as monstrous as it is” when his brother admitted this, Lupus was shocked at the self-disgust. The Apostles were saviours; the Phantoms were the real beasts. “In time, the others found me. It was Seraphim at first from his cradle in heaven, then two of our sister Apostles from a place they still deign to keep secret. It was the four of us for what felt like an age. Together, we built this fortress as a bastion to forever deny the Great Enemy access to Her birthplace. It was not only you we hid from, brother, but everyone. We could only reveal ourselves when the House was complete”.
The revelations were almost too much for Lupus to bear, but he had to know more; he had to comprehend the deception that his own kin brought upon him.
“Whose birthplace do you speak of? Another Apostle’s?” he questioned, intent on getting through the elusive answers.
Hydra sighed, as though a heavy weight of duty rested on his shoulders. Had the others decided that he should be the one to tell Lupus everything? Why did he seem so pained to do it himself? Perhaps they truly did care for him, despite the magnitude of the lie they had fooled him with.
“Come with me” Hydra said.
The floor they were on was made of the same obsidian that the walls on the island were fashioned from. The corridor they walked into from the staircase forked into three equally large hallways. Each was spacious enough to fit a Warhound tank down without even scratching the sides, but from its decoration it was clear that the central lane was more important than the other two. Hydra led Lupus down the polished black path, the darkness pierced by torches fixed to the wall.
The hallway was dotted intermittently with spiralling banners that bore the numbers and insignia of various legions. Hydra explained that these were the Guardians that were stationed with him and the other three Apostles during the construction of the fortress. Whatever his brother Apostle said about pride, it was clear to Lupus that he felt it on some level.
The corridor began to narrow, purposefully forming a choke point. When they came to the archway at its end there were dozens of alcoves with defensive turrets nested inside. They looked like the portable AGG-IIs that the legions carried on the field, but larger and mo
re powerful. Lupus resolved to question Sabre about the weaponry at a later time.
The archway opened up to an enormous chamber that seemed to sink like a perfectly round bowl into the floor. The room was as circular as its crater in the centre, with columns supporting the roof all the way around its circumference, but there was nothing in terms of any other masonry. Instead, in the middle, there was a sight that Lupus could barely believe his eyes were showing him.
Before them all sat an enormous orb of brilliant blue light. It seemed to be alive with energy shifting around inside and patterns forming, breaking and resolving again within the giant ball. Its glow covered the entirety of the chamber and even with his enhanced eyes, Lupus found it hard to stare at it for long.
“What…is that?” he asked with a mixture of awe and confusion in his voice.
“That, brother, is the Gate to Apollia, birthplace of the Auranair Vermillion”.
Lupus was dumbstruck by those words. They made no sense and yet he knew they must be true. The Gate told him so. The scene before him was evidence enough that the Hydra was not trying to fool him. He could sense the energy of the light as if its fluctuating force was calling to him, urging him to transcend from this place to another.
“Birthplace?” Sabre asked, finally jeopardising the established convention to challenge the term he knew his own Apostle was still curious about.
Hydra turned to regard the commander, apparently relieved that the legionnaire had the courage to voice himself so unusually. The latter suddenly realised he had spoken out of turn, that the 375th obviously had a different relationship with their Apostle than he did with the Lion, and that he had no choice but to explain his question.
“The Auranair came to this dimension, this galaxy as the humans phrase it, through the effects of the Hollow Bomb She detonated on Colossi. She existed long before we brought the war here” he said.
Hydra smiled at the legionnaire for knowing less about the Guardians’ creator than he did.
The Deian War: Vermillion's Apostles Page 21