Editing The Birth of Xenobane (section)

==The Terror of Xenobane==
The Terror of Xenobane

The Forge of Souls was collectively interested in Xenobane's accomplishments for the prejudice-fueled monolithic monster had successfully tested himself in the unholy eyes of his Neverborn brethren. However, in both instances it was noted by various warpsmiths that the beast relied heavily on stealth tactics against multiple opposing and waning sides rather than a conflict proper. The abominable machination would be sent into a real conflict with a useful target: The Ry-Vius. A craftworld that purposefully intervenes in the plans of chaos, but unlike most this particular one had its population mostly comprised of Wraithguards, Wraithblades, and Wraithlords. Normally it would be nigh-impossible for denizens of the Immaterium to execute an invasion, but the Ry-Vius was only barely able to stave off a massive ork pirate raid, leaving much of the craftworld's hull damaged and close to a warp storm.

The Forge always wanted a large supply of wraithbone and a chance to end this craftworld's constant meddling with their affairs for millennia. Xenobane would be called to action, aiding him were four different battalions. The most notable were his fellow empyrean kin composed entirely of daemonic beasts and steeds with no master. Nearly all Soul Grinders originate from lesser and greater daemons and often leave their more animalistic brethren so a host of these abandoned hellbeasts were formed into a host known as the Wild Fangs. The second was a regiment of Night Lords that became convinced to worship Chaos Undivided. The third was a regiment of the Iron Legion that helped construct Xenobane. The fourth and final was the thrice-cursed warband expelled by Abaddon known as the Wolves of Horus who wore their late primarch's cursed symbol and remained loyal to Chaos Undivided.

The abhorrent forces were assembled, members of the Word Bearers conducted rituals and sacrifices to send them screaming into the Warp and out onto the Ry-Vius in hopes of acquiring intense amounts of wraithbone. The heretics agreed to this assignment only in return for a massive assault on a planet many Chaos Space Marines have been wanting to conquer for over a millennium. A psychic-induced bolt of lightning carried this army into the warp storm of the material world and struck inside of a massive gash in the craftworld left behind by the Greenskins only recently. In mere seconds the Asuryani became aware of the raid that was beginning to take place.

The Wraithguards and Wraithblades quickly swarmed the scene, psychic blasts and blades clashed with the hordes of Chaos Daemons charging into them. The few Rangers and Guardians aiding their mechanical lords found themselves easily taken down from the jaws of Flesh Hounds and embers of Flamers to the caustic burns of Beasts of Nurgle and the poison barbs of Fiends. The Juggernauts, Screamers, Steeds of Slaanesh, and Rot Flies had an intellectual advantage over their more beastly fellow daemons as they quickly encircled the first wave of wraiths and out flanked them. One by one spirit stones were destroyed by the Neverborn, sending their souls to Slaanesh's palace. The Chaos Space Marines moved out, Xenobane slashed through walls with his Shining Impact, aiming for what he believed was the highest concentration of targets.

The craftworld inhabitants kept fighting for their survival as D-Cannons, Vibro Cannons, and Shadow Weavers had now entered the battlefield with Wraithlords commanding the various rangers at the helm. Warp-blasts howled through the air, aiming for the daemon host first with massive success as their ethereal bodies had very little defense. The heretics quickly returned fire, although none brought vehicles almost the entire Iron Warriors squad was armed with heavy weapons.

The Wolves of Horus followed Xenobane as the Soul Grinder had begun rampaging through a hanger filled with unmanned tanks. A Dire Avenger lead squads of Fire Dragons, Howling Banshees, and Striking Scorpions to strike the walking terror down. However, the hate-filled daemon launched the Goliath Buster to instantly take down the Dire Avenger and raise the level of fear in the area. One use of the Damned Magma leveled the forces in front of him followed by a Star Strike to terminate what little remained of the opposition. Vyper Squads arrived seconds later only to be greeted by a barrage of the Holocaust Erupter to slay them before they could fire upon him. The Wolves of Horus shot down the few that managed to survive.

The Night Lords found themselves surrounded by Crimson Hunters, Warp Spiders, Swooping Hawks, and Wraithfighters led by a Shining Spear. Both sides traded blows with one another with neither being able to call reinforcements for help. Once the Iron Warriors had taken down the heavy support they moved forward toward the Infinity Circuit with the intent of destroying it. More wraith-based troops were summoned, holding the worshipers of the Great Enemy at bay for minutes at a time. It was at this point that Xenobane released a horrific bellow heard throughout the craftworld that unnerved friend and foe alike.

The gestalt hell-machine charged relentlessly, soon coming across the Far Seer that commanded the Ry-Vius and the twenty Dark Reapers that protected him. They charged, but Xenobane was only interested in their destruction. One by one he unleashed every weapon in hist arsenal upon them, both sides exchanging blows, but the champion of the Forge of Souls failed to relent at any point. The wraithbone weaponry damaged him, nearly hindered him, but Xenobane's hatred quickly took down every one of his Eldar foes. The Far Seer was quickly taken down with a single vertical strike of the Shining Impact.

This blow was psychically felt throughout the craftworld, engulfing their minds in dread as their blood ran cold. The Night Lords used this opportunity to quickly overcome their enemies at the cost of having a high body count. The Iron Warriors and Wolves of Horus began to make their way toward the Infinity Circuit once the wraiths had been taken down and their spirit stones destroyed. However, an Avatar of Khaine was guarding it and one by one slaughtered the squads of heretics until only the Night Lords had remained. Xenobane easily located and mercilessly charged toward the Avatar as he crashed through entire walls just to get to him. Both of these monsters clashed swords. The cuts, the chops, the stabs, the incisions, the blunts, back and forth the titanic brutes exerted their seemingly infinite hatred toward one another. If not for the Goliath Buster's wrist shield the Avatar may have had Xenobane's head as a trophy as his wounds from the Dark Reapers made it harder to take more blows. The Night Lords attempted to aid the Soul Grinder by shooting the Avatar of Khaine's knees to throw him off balance. This plan, despite its crud nature, was effective enough for the Shining Impact to impale the Avatar through the head and tear it apart with immense warp lightning.

Xenobane, battered and not in its prime, still murderously charged toward the Infinity Circuit to exterminate the Eldar with genocidal intent. The few remaining Night Lords stared in awe and in a dreadful disbelief of the enduring hatred such a being had knowing full well it could not harvest a single soul. The heretics summoned more daemons to aid in the conquest of the ancient ship, most that came through were Slaaneshi for the obvious prizes that awaited them. In the course of a single Terran day the Ry-Vius was fully expunged of Aeldari life and its material structure was transported into the Warp via the warp storm it was dangerously close to.

The Forge of Souls celebrated the arrival of the Ry-Vius with Chaos Daemons of all varieties witnessing an immense amount of wraithbone now being in their possession. The bodies of the deceased marines, at least the few that were still in one piece, were possessed by the foul Empyrean entities to morph into Possessed for future combat while the wraithbone was melted down via warp fire. Xenobane used this opportunity to cover his own warpsword in the melted wraithbone, enhancing it in case of a future conflict. The remaining Night Lords returned to their company, preparing for the Thirteenth Black Crusade, while the Iron Warriors and Wolves of Horus were disappointed at their losses. It was at this point that the three legions held their end of the bargain and demanded that the Forge aid them in a new conquest. That conquest was the Armory World known as Metal Key. Xenobane was willing to aid the heretics knowing that the planet had a unique interest for him as well. The Soul Grinder's metal-like teeth clenched and his eyes lit with an unholy surge waiting to slay once more.