Kieries, the Heartless

This page details people, events, and organisations from the /tg/ Heresy, a fan re-working of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. See the /tg/ Heresy Timeline and Galaxy pages for more information on the Alternate Universe.

"From now on, you get my empty eye and cold heart, the closed fist and all the hatred I can muster. I do this for your benefit, the void will be far less kind."

-Kieries, the Heartless, at Ku Harai, upon his appointment

The man called Eakionlir, or Heartless, is the most loyal and fervent supporter the Void King has. Kieries joined the imperial fleet as soon as he had come of age, seeing little to sate his natural love of combat in the old empire. Though he had only served for a few years at the time of the fall, Kieries has already begun to distinguish himself as a skilled combatant. When Ku'Motsk's fleet was set adrift, he was among those who helped the admiral maintain order in the ensuing chaos. As the fleet began raiding worlds, Kieries would further distinguish himself and move up the ranks.

The man would earn his name during the assault on the world Dynar II, which housed a gunpowder-level civilization. The humans who inhabited the planet were no match for the Eldar in a straight fight, but their largest kingdom was inside a nigh-unassailable fortress. As the war council addressed the best way to deal with the situation, Kieres stepped forward and claimed he could break the siege himself. Though his advisers derided the young warrior, Ku'Motsk saw something in the boy. The commander allowed Kieres one day to do his work. When the deadline arrived, Ku'Motsk's advisers made their comments, but then the massive stone gate of the fortress began to lower. Out walked Kieres, nothing but silence in his wake. As the force ran into the city, they were met with nothing. Guards were dead at their posts, people lay peacefully in their beds with cut throats, and Kieries was holding the still-crowned head of the king in his hand.

Ku'Motsk took to the soldier, and in little time Kieries was the commander's most trusted lieutenant. The Eldar called Heartless enforced his superior's peace harshly, any who stood against Ku'Motsk would face Kieries. When the fleet rediscovered their lost kin in the webway and was absorbed by House Nakhar, Kieries would become Ku'Motsk's 1st Officer. Kieries detested the webway more than any under Ku'Motsk, he had almost no contact with those outside of his original fleet if he could avoid it. He was openly defiant toward those he saw ill-fit to lead, which included nearly every one of his superior officers besides Ku'Motsk. He held particular contempt for the admiral, Otelhar, who he saw as a coward and sneak. When Ku'Motsk made his play for control of House Nakhar, Kieries was instrumental to his success.

While the admiral had sent his commander off on a prolonged and intentionally pointless mission, Kieries remained behind. He prepared the men for what was to come, carefully weeding out the few who would stand for Otelhar, and organizing their ranks for the upcoming rebellion. He even arranged the terms of Ku'Motsk's betrothal to the heiress of Uris, a much more difficult act than the coup according to Kieries. When the time had come to take power, it was the one called Heartless who gave the first order. Kieries was given command of the 1st Division of the fleet as a reward for his loyalty, and has remained at its head ever since.

During the conquest of the planet Waken, which would eventually become known as Ku Harai, Kieries led his Heartless Brigade into fierce hand-to-hand combat against the planet's elite. His men devastated their opponents and broke into the enemy camp. Their officers surrendered and begged to be sparred, but Kieries showed no such mercy and cut them down. He and his men had completed their mission, the enemy command had been broken and their base secured, but something was wrong. The base was far too sparsely manned for a place that important. Kieries called out for a retreat, but it was too late. A firestorm erupted from within the ceramite building that had formerly housed the officers, he and many of his men were caught in the blast.

The captain awoke suddenly, in tremendous pain, with a number of tall figures standing over him. He lashed out against them so furiously that he fell from his bed. As he crashed to the ground, he realized he only had his left leg. His left hand was missing too. He turned to face his supposed captors, the Eldar battle medics who saved his life, and commanded they make him whole again. The surgeon from among them stepped forward, he told the frantic captain that he would have to wait and recover. Kieries propelled himself forward with his remaining hand, wrapping his body around the man, and pulled out a knife. He commanded the surgeon to do as he said, to refuse again would mean the loss of his hands.

Hours later, the captain stepped out of the recovery room on a gleaming, chrome leg. He inspected his new hand, it was the finest combat prosthetic available and incorporated an in-built pistol as well as retractable, razor-sharp talons. Kieries smiled as he looked at his new toy, his predatory grin giving the impression of a hungry wolf. With that, he put his armor on and drew his sword. Less than a day after his near-death, the man called Heartless rejoined the fray with gusto. He killed nearly twice as many that day as he had the previous one.

The battle was won shortly thereafter, and Kieries stood proudly alongside his lord during the victory proceedings as Ku'Motsk began the first part of the Harai Kenn. The empire had been created, and in time Kieries would become known as the Sovereign's executioner. The man called Heartless would be given command of the most difficult planets and harshest war zones in the empire, where his cruel style of leadership was most effective. A century of combat has honed his skill to legendary levels, he moves through war zones with casual fluidity. In battle, he assaults in a dazing array of strikes and slashes with his cybernetic talon and elongated klaive, the Sovereign's Justice.