In the 41st Millenium, there is only WAR. Numerous factions fight for dominance in a galaxy completely consumed by War. The Imperium of Man, the shield of Humanity, faces threats from Xenos of all shapes and sizes. The Space Marines stand as a formidable defense against the Xeno threats across the stars. Tiberius Maximus is one of them. His journey started off just like other Space Marines, but he was different. He was a Primaris Space Marine of the Phoenix Fighters Chapter. His Chapter became his home, his family. Every brother he fought beside knew his name as he became figure amongst the Chapter. But he is only a Lieutenant of the Phoenix Fighters. He's been through many battles, fought many Xenos, been to many planets and he survived through all of it. Of course, with battle scars. But these scars only made him more threatening to face.
Right now, Tiberius was with a few Squads of Space Marines and Captain Gaius Salvator, the Captain of 2nd Company. This group was moving into long forgotten ruins of some kind of Ancient Facility. As they moved down the corridor Tiberius scanned the walls for anything to jump out at them while Gaius led them through the hallway. Gaius held a Heavy Bolt Rifle in a neutral position while he marched ahead of the Space Marines. They eventually reach a large door that had intricate designs on it. Gaius looked at the wall before moving closer. He then gently placed his hand against the metal of the door. Tiberius stops scanning the walls and looked at Gaius. He then looked at the large door.
"There must be some way to open this door." Tiberius said. "If it is a door."
"Perhaps we could blast it open." Quintus suggested.
Quintus is relatively new to the Company and the most eager for battle. Gaius looked around after he removed his hand from the door. He then saw what looked like a terminal. Tiberius followed his gaze and walked over to it. Once he reached it, he lowered his bolter and hovered his hand over the terminal, trying to figure out how to use the damn thing. Then a holographic button appears. Tiberius looked at Gaius who nods before raising his Heavy Bolt Rifle and aiming it at the door. The other Space Marines do the same. Tiberius pressed the holographic button, and an unlocking sound was heard. Tiberius then aimed his Stalker Bolt Rifle at the door before it slowly opens. Dust and small debris falling off the door. As it opened, Gaius trained his weapon on the opening.
Once the door fully opened, Gaius led his brothers into the chamber, but cautiously. Once they all got inside, the lights came on and showed the large chamber was a circle in shape with a pedestal in the middle and an artifact floated above the pedestal. The artifact was an Orb and had blue designs on it. They slowly approach the artifact as it lets out a hum of noise. The chamber was still and quiet, besides the footsteps of the Adeptus Astartes of the Phoenix Fighters Chapter. They're bright orange and black armor illuminated by the blue lights above. They reach the orb, and Gaius gave it a quick look before Tiberius stepped closer and stood beside him.
"Do you know what it is?" Tiberius asks.
"No." Gaius answers. "But it's Xeno in origin."
"Do we destroy it?" Quintus asks, turning to them.
Gaius grabs his Bolt Pistol and aims it at the orb. But as he pulled the trigger and the bolt flew out of the barrel, the bolt stopped midair shocking Gaius. The bolt was then vaporized before a shockwave of blue energy erupted from the orb launching everyone back. Tiberius gets off the ground and looked at the orb that now crackled with blue energy. Putting his Stalker Bolt Rifle away, he pulls out his Power Sword and charged the orb.
"Brother, wait!" Gaius ordered.
Tiberius ran at the orb before he swung his Power Sword and tried to destroy the orb. His weapon slowed down and was frozen in position. He couldn't even move, not an inch of movement followed once he was frozen in place.
"By the Flame." Tiberius said, stunned by this.
Gaius and the others finally get to their feet and were about to approach Tiberius, but another shockwave erupted and knocked them back. But Gaius remained on his feet. Oddly enough, Tiberius didn't budge, fearing he was going to be vaporized like his bolt was, Gaius rushed to Tiberius's side. Putting his heavy Bolt Rifle away, he grabbed Tiberius and tried to move him.
"Brother? Can you move?" Gaius asks while trying to move him.
"No, brother." Tiberius answered. "I. Cannot. Move."
Gaius kept trying and trying, he was eventually getting frustrated.
"Great Embers!" Gaius said in frustration as he stopped trying to move Tiberius.
Quintus rushed over after he got back up onto his feet and grabbed Tiberius.
"Together, brother!" Quintus said.
Gaius then grabbed Tiberius and both he and Quintus pulled with all their might. But he wouldn't budge. They then heard the large door shut causing Gaius and Quintus to stop and look at it. The other Space marines turned to the door.
"Did it just close on its own?" One of the Space Marines asked.
Suddenly, the ceiling opened up in several areas as metal beings fell from these openings. They were tall, about as tall as a Primaris Space Marine, they had a gun like weapon on one arm and an energy blade on the other arm.
"Xenos!"
Then, Bolts started flying as the Phoenix Fighters began to attack this new Xeno type. The Xenos open fired upon the Space Marines. Quintus and the others quickly engaged them while Gaius hesitated. He then looked at Tiberius.
"Hold on brother, I'll figure something out." Gaius said before he pulled out his Heavy Bolt Rifle.
Gaius took aim and unloaded bolts at the Xenos before him but more kept pouring into the room. Gaius took down two of them before a third one seemingly teleported closer to him. He quickly switched to his Power sword and blocked the Xeno's energy blade. Gaius then pulled out his bolt pistol and shoots another Xeno dead before he aimed it at the Xeno who's blade he was blocking and shot them in the stomach area. The Xenos are vaporized upon their deaths, and it surprises Gaius, but he dwells on it no longer. He reloads his bolt pistol and fires upon advancing Xenos.
Quintus shoots down a Xeno before turning to another that swung its energy blade. Quintus dodged it and saw the Xeno's face open up to reveal a glowing skull underneath as it seemingly roared at him. He wasted no time and blasted the Xeno to it died. Two Xenos flanked Quintus and grabbed his arms and pulled them towards them making Quintus drop his bolt rifle. A third Xeno teleported in front of him and raised its energy blade.
"Quintus!" Gaius called out.
Thankfully a Space marine punched the third Xeno in the face before two other Phoenix Fighter Astartes blast the other two till they die. Tiberius slowly notices he is slowly but surely regaining control of his body. So, he tried to push his Power sword into the orb. As it inched closer and closer, the Orb shocked Tiberius with energy causing him to yell out in pain before he powered through. Through sheer will power alone, Tiberius breaks the Orbs hold on him and thrusts his sword into the orb. He then grabbed the orb and ripped his sword out of it before going to crush it with his bare hands. But the Orb wasn't done and launched another shockwave that sent Tiberius back a few feet. The others were also knocked around by the shockwave. Tiberius quickly rose and pulled out his Heavy Bolt Pistol and fired upon it four times. All four bolts hit the Orb and caused the Orb to crack as a blue light leaked through the cracks.
Gaius watched as the Xenos around them were all vaporized. So, he rushed over to Tiberius.
"Are you alright, Brother?" Gaius asked.
Tiberius nods to his Captain. Then the room began shaking as the orb began to shake and vibrate wildly as more cracks appear on its shell. The large door they used to get inside opened and Gaius saw their opportunity.
"Everyone, fall back!" Gaius ordered.
The Space marines all rushed to the exit with Gaius and Tiberius being the last two. But before Tiberius could leave the orb launched a tendril of blue energy at him. The tendril wrapped around him and held him back. Another tendril shot at him and wrapped around his body. Quintus turned and saw this.
"Brother!"
He ran back to help Tiberius, but an energy barrier suddenly appeared in the doorway and blocked him. Quintus punched the barrier in desperation before Gaius gets an idea that he's not sure if it will work.
"Take it down!" Gaius ordered as he aimed his Heavy Bolt Rifle.
Gaius, Quintus and the Phoenix Fighters Space marines all open fire at the barrier. Tiberius meanwhile was fighting against the pull of these energy tendrils. Grabbing his power sword, he turned around and slashed at one of the tendrils and did cut it. But the tendril just reformed shortly after. The orb then cracked for the last time before it exploded into dozens of pieces. But when it exploded, a vortex opened up in its place. The swirling portal pulled things closer to it towards itself. Tiberius was no exception. Tiberius tried to fight against the pull of the vortex, but he couldn't. Gaius saw this and his eyes widened, realizing what was happening.
"Hold on, brother!" Gaius called out while he and the others kept firing upon the barrier desperately trying to break it.
Tiberius soon lost his footing and was harshly pulled into the vortex and his figure vanished from sight.
"NO!"
The vortex like portal then closed before the entire facility around them began shaking. Gaius looked around and heard muffled explosions.
"We need to go, now!" Gaius said. "Everyone, make haste!"
The Phoenix Fighters all make a run for the exit. It takes them a while, but as they ran the facility around them began to collapse. Thankfully they managed to reach the exit and get outside before the facility begins to explode. The Space marines board their Thunderhawks and the pilots make haste as they noticed the facility was about to blow. The pilots just barely got out of dodge as the Facility exploded. Quintus sat in silence as did the others. They just lost a brother today, one whom they respected. But little did they know, Tiberius wasn't dead.
[Unknown Location]
Tiberius came to and opened his eyes. He quickly realized he wasn't in that facility anymore because he could see a bright blue sky. He feels a light pain coursing through his body, but he paid it no mind. He sits up from the ground and pushed himself up onto his feet before he looked around. He was in a forest area but there were some buildings around him. Not many, but some to indicate this was a Human world. He then spots his weapons on the ground, so he picks them up and puts them away before grabbing his Stalker Bolt Rifle and checking the magazine. Afterwards he put the mag back into the bolter. He looked around some more and saw a large construct in the distance that looked like a communication dish. At least, that's what he theorized. With nowhere else to really go, he decided to make that his new destination. So, he begins his march to the Communication dish.