Editing Tournament of Blades (section)

== An oath disregarded, a blade drawn==
Klaus was shocked, a rare feeling for a Primarch such as he. The treasonous words were still rotten in his ears, what had he heard? "Death to the False Emperor?" That could not be - but his god-like focus refined through years of warfare broke him from the scant moments of paralysis.

The explosions of bolt shells were everywhere, screams of shock growing louder. Confusion everywhere. Klaus focused.

The Arena was under attack. The Warmaster must be protected, and the antagonists of this fiasco punished.

Klaus could have sworn he had heard slanderous words against the Emperor, but that was not possible. Was it?

All of this in an instant, within seconds Klaus was on the Warmaster, moving him to the rear - eager to get him to a Transport shuttle and out of this madness. Resolute in his decision, he would evacuate the Warmaster, then he would sort out whatever treasonous actions were unfolding in the arena. The Silver Spears, he was sure it was the Silver Spears.

His train of thought was broken suddenly, the Warmaster was resisting his aid? Klaus turned to his Brother about to rebuke his actions - Warmaster he may be, but he was also the Voice of the Emperor, his protection was paramount.

"You still don't get it, do you Klaus? Oh ever the honorable knight," [[REDACTED]] shook Klaus's hand off his shoulder, Klaus returned it to the pommel of his blade where it had been seated previously. "And a fool," [[REDACTED]] continued, but then Klaus heard it, that shrieking whistle he had heard countless times before, He heard one of his household knights shout, the voice audible even through the crack of gunfire, "INCOMING!" and then chaos erupted.

Shells rang from the stands and Klaus was bombarded with shattered rock. Bolter fire was erupting from all around in confusion. He saw his own men, some firing wildly into the Storm bringers, others scrambling for whatever cover they could find. Many of them lay dying in the sand. Klaus closed his eyes for a moment, his long dark hair flowing slightly in the wind. Then he looked, he saw Adrian's unarmored form face down missing three limbs, and Gerhart was taking bolter fire from twenty or so of the Eyes, "What is the meaning of this?" He questioned, the words could be cut through with a knife. Klaus was no idiot, yet he could scarce believe what was happening. [[REDACTED]] smiled and turned to face Klaus at last, "Join me, Brother," Klaus felt distaste at that last word, "Join me in glory, You are no mindless conqueror, No simple general. You were born to lead, And once the Emperor lies dead we who bask in  the glory of the Dark Gods will be so much more than that false idol could ever be." 

Klaus clenched his hands and his teeth at those words. ''I swear to serve you well and not bring dishonor to your name, and i return i swear you shall always have a meal at my table, a seat by my heart and that i shan't ask you to dishonor yourself in my service,'' that was the oath they had sworn to each other, the same he had sworn to Dietrich so long ago, and the Emperor after that. "Brother, you call me a fool, yet you ask me to dishonor myself by betraying my liege, if you knew not what i would answer then you are the biggest fool i have ever met," those were the last words he would speak to [[REDACTED]] as brothers. The Eyes of the Warmaster tightened their fingers on their triggers and in a blur of movement Klaus had taken a step back and kicked [[REDACTED]] down into the arena. In a swift, smooth motion he drew his sword and buried it in the nearest Eye, And decapitated the one next to that him, "KNIGHTS EXEMPLAR! FOR THE EMPEROR!" he shouted as he jumped off the podium, sword gripped in both hands and pointing down towards [[REDACTED]].

With that Klaus had announced his allegiance for all to hear. His sons echoed his warcry and gained new spirits, quickly throwing themselves against the Eyes. Their superior skills as single combatants showing, as Klaus plummeted down, his sword squarely pointed at [[REDACTED]], he shouted "DEATH TO TRAITORS!" [[REDACTED]] rolled away at the last moment, the tip of Klaus's sword driving itself into the sand. The Eyes were quick to respond and soon the hollow pings of bolter fire rung in his ears. Most of the lethal shells were stopped by the void shields of his Catapract pattern terminator armor, though a few penetrated to score his venerable armor. [[REDACTED]] backed away into the press of Eyes around Klaus, disappearing among them. They numbered over a dozen, wielding chain axes and swords, Power spears and mauls. Klaus did not care if they numbered ten or a hundred, no marine would keep him in his righteous fury.

As usual when his blood was pumping,  Klaus was hard to keep track of. In the next moment he was standing with one of those 'champions' impaled on his sword, lifted high into the sky. He threw him off and cut the one coming to assail him in twain. ''No more grace than children with clubs'' thought Klaus with disdain as he buried his blade through the eye socket of one more, turning his blade in the wound and cleaving through the skull to cut another pair of Eyes in two. The remaining eight seemed more wary now, having gone on the defensive. This did not dissuade Klaus from his course of action, And as another barrage of bolts exploded around him he charged forwards. He made swift work of the remaining men, scattered limbs and bodies littering the area around him, The sand red with blood, He turned his head towards [[REDACTED]] "Too craven to face me alone? to fight me as a warrior should!"

Finally [[REDACTED]] came forth Swinging his power maul in a wide arc. ''No more a swordmaster than his children'' Klaus thought as he swiftly ducked under the strike and did his own halfspin, slashing his sword from the lower left to upper right chest of [[REDACTED]]. Klaus did not relent for a moment, as he stepped back from his halfspin he quickly lunged forwards to drive his blade through [[REDACTED]]. The Warmaster ducked back just in time and the beautiful power sword struck sparks across the black surface of [[REDACTED]]'s armor. 

Klaus did not give [[REDACTED]] a moment of rest, too furious to see the coming blow. The power maul struck him in the shoulder, the force of it knocking him onto his knees and his blade out of his hands. He rolled across the sand to a dead marine and gripped the spear it had carried. Putting some distance between himself and [[REDACTED]], his eyes darted up and down the Warmaster's armored frame,his eyes keeping watch to divine intent from the slight of movements. He stepped forwards and made a few cautionary lunges with the spear to keep [[REDACTED]] busy as he closed in. Klaus barely ducked another blow as he got too close, and returned it with a stab in the chest. It connected and he forced his body forwards driving the tip deeper as he forced [[REDACTED]] to his knees. "Why?!" He demanded, Obviously in relation to the chaos around them. The warmaster simply smiled, white dust and blood staining his black face.

Klaus turned around, seeing brother fighting brother was... astounding. The exits were blocked by the Eyes of the Warmaster. He saw Gerhart dead, Three silver spears including milvious dead around. The body of his second in command Adrian Feldt had been trampled, unrecognizable save for the fact he wore Klaus's sigil on his robe. Detlef's armor had been torn apart by a thousand bolter impacts. As he surveyed the stands , he counted hundreds of his own men dead or dying amongst the carnage.  Klaus fell to his knees and ran his palm over his face. He hoped this was just some nightmare, but he knew thatit was not. The coming days would be trying. There would be no rest, there would be no peace. There would be only war. 

Klaus spoke, "Surrender, ((REDACTED)), I am a man of honour and oaths. I will give you a swift death, and your legionaries shall receive the same." He wearily got up to his feet and turned around, Seeing no trace of the Warmaster. Cursing under his breath, he went over to his blade and retrieved it before joining his men in the stands. It would be a long battle yet.