Grota Rar strode down the brazen and ornate corridors, walking with a sense of confidence and power that being in the same room as Xefoer denied him. Two slave servitors wheeled past, making involuntary greetings to the broad shouldered Gaur - Commander, who merely walked past, his heavily scarred chin high up. Behind him the dim lights flickered, illuminating the corridor like a violent storm.

Hurriedly, a crimson armoured Blood Pact soldier ran up, his Grotesque mask grinning, contrasting against the expression of worry his scarred lidless eyes suggested.

'Magister. The blessing has been given to the soldiers. They are prepared to attack on your command.' The Pacter bowed and Grota Rar put his burnt and ritually scarred hand on the soldiers' shoulder.

'My child, this is most pleasing. Prepare the others onboard the other ships of the Fleet. Make sure the World Eaters are unaware of our plans.'

Background update

Xefoer stood at the helm of the bridge, gazing towards the cloud-covered blue planet the ship was orbiting. He noted an orbital defence station, abandoned, the Blood Pact having cleared out all the Imperial forces. He imagined moving his armoured fist around the station, and slowly crushed his fist around it. As if by perfect chance, the station detonated, creaing a bright explosion filling the deck with a warm yellow glow. Beneath his armoured helm, the infamous Lord smiled, his scarred flesh cracking. Behind him, Grota Rar walked, approaching him and raising a cough as to catch Xefoers attention.

'Lord, the Blood Pact are on ship. Needless to say we are not happy about it, mind.' he nervously glanced around; apart from the servitors on deck controlling the ship, it was just him and Xefoer, who was still staring into the ruins and debris of the destroyed station.

'Look at the scanners, Rar. The Imperial Fists appear to be heading towards our position. A large amount of them, in fact. I ordered our fleet off planetside for this reason. I knew the pathetic Imperials would send a call, and I knew Dorn's lapdogs would answer it. In truth I counted on it.'

Lord Xefoer slowly turned to around, walking towards the helmsmans' throne. Picking up a discarded piece of servitor, he examined the rotting bones, decaying flesh and rusting metal. Encraved in it's greyish skin were several marks of the Ruinious powers, the eight pointed star, and other indescribable marks. He moved it onto the throne, and as he placed it down, the bones shattered into a dusty mess on the chair.

'Our time is short, and oh so brittle.' Xefoer exclaimed, picking up the still intact skull of the decayed servitor. Crushing it beneath his armoured fist, he extended his lightning claws as the matter seeped through his fingers. As if performing an ancient piece of theatre onstage, he lifted his hand into the air and tipped the remaining dust out.

'Grota. Our conversations are always ones of intellect, are they not? I grow weary of morons, who seem to inhabit this galaxy. Who kill, like an Ork, just for pleasure and fun. We don't kill to please ourselves, that is not what our God wills. We kill for Him. A glory lost today, is a glory gained...when my plan will complete, the rivers of the Auris system will run red with glorious blood, and their shall be mountains of skulls. Pray tell, is this not desirable?'

An update of sorts...

Well, here's another update for you. An army shot, the only things missing is about twenty more Pacters, and five Raptors. I won't include the broken and beaten up Predator, mind - although I may put that in for repairs.

And another update! The first unit of Iron Warriors, Squad Kronus is complete. Took about fourteen hours, in total.

'By Khorne, Xefoer. Your intrudence in this affair is welcome, yes, but Urlock Guar will not be happy with your interference in this operation. We've sacrificed enough, both literally and metaphorically to this operation to have it changed so quickly.' Rar spoke anxiously, trying to raise his voice, but not too much to anger the towering World Eaters lord, who stood clutching the heads of several guardsmen, examining each. His helmet had four protruding tusks, and animal like-jaw at the main vent. His eyes were a yellow glow, contrasting against the deep red of his armour.

'Grota Rar, we are all Khornes servants. His will is above all over matters, even those concerned by Urlock Gaur, a man I respect very much, even more so were he one of my battle-brothers. The artefact you have discovered is of great importance to my Legion, and I intervened on both our behalfs. You do not have the offensive capacity to carry on such a campaign, and in all honesty, nor do I'. The huge World Eater strode to the bridge, his two power-armoured bodyguard staying put, both intimidating the normally fearless Magister.

'You see, my loyal servant, Khorne decrees that we both work together. Are we not followers to His will, and the cracks in the Dam of Blood which will break? The artefact, it is priceless to my master. And as you know, he is not to be denied. If he deems it nessecary, he will intervene. Of course, such an occurence will require a suitable...sacrifice. Fitting, to stand in the shadow of the Great One, the Lord of my Legion himself?'. Rar raised his voice, as a little child would when speaking up in class. 'But Xefoer, Gaur asks that this be a Blood Pact operation...' he spoke, his voice declining in fear. Lord Xefeor turned, facing the cowering officer. His lightning claws hummed to life, cracks of energy shivering around the rusting blades.

'My dear friend. I have served millenia in His service. I have personally been the end to millions of these pathetic humans. I was at the Eternity Gate when Horus breached the Palace. I was on the ship when the Great Traitor was destroyed. I witnessed Sanquinius break the back of the greatest Bloodthirster to have ever lived. And what we are planning here...is a reccurence of these events. Abbadon, the prophesised reincarnation of Horus the Fallen has ordered the forces to collect a number of...items for his cause.'

'But...Lord, you said this was of concern to Angron?' Rar claimed in a scared manner, clearly disturbed by the two massive berserkers on either side of him. Xefoer sighed, and walked towards the Officer, who cowarded like a dog in front of the Lord. He then kneeled to eye level with Grota.

'If only you could comprehend what this means for our forces, Rar. This artefact will put Angron back into realspace. He has been trapped in warptime for a very long time, and has grown impatient at Abbadons' pathetic attacks on Imperial Space. Abbadon is misguided, and far too blinded by his anger to manage to coordinate an effective attack. And as of yet...the Black Legion have yet to attack this planet. And I have plans for this system, of my own.' the Lord growled, standing back up.

'Soon, three will collide, iron upon steel. But to lure this Storm of Iron, one must...prepare. Order your troops off the Planet, Rar. I have done the same.'

'Erm...why?' the Blood Pact officer spoke up, disheartened by the World Eater's change of thought.

'Because I have a plan, one which will turn this war in our favour.'

..and now for something completely different.

Iron Within, Iron Without. 

Well, what would a Chaos blog be without some traitor legionnaires, of my favourite Legion (tied with World Eaters of course), Iron Warriors. I've got twenty five of these to paint, along with sketches of a conversion I'm planning for my Lord, Warsmith Haryda. But before I get to said legionnaires, some backstory. 

      The Blood Pact, led by Grota Rar, one of Magister Urlock Gaur's top lieutenants; invaded the planet known as Auris VIII during the Thirteenth Black Crusade, to secure a pre-imperial artefact buried there. Before long a ardous campaign erupted between Imperial Planetery defence forces and the Pact. Before long, Lord Xefeor of the World Eaters stumbled across the vessels of the Blood Pact, under command of Warfleet Master Regter Trauz. He immediatly stepped in, and stepped aboard the flagship of Trauz's fleet, the Sacriligious Scorn. He enquired as to what was happening, and as the shipmaster was about to inform him, Grota Rar stepped on deck. Informing the infamous Lord of their actions on the planet, a hidden communication was sent and a large number of World Eaters arrived. 

The World Eaters immediatly assaulted the capitals via Dreadclaw assault pods, causing havoc amongst the ill-prepared loyalist forces. However, for all their weaknesses, the Imperials held fast, and slowly the battles across the surface become slow advances, and eventually a war of attrition as the heavy bombardment of the Imperial regiment the 325th Cadian took its toll.

Lord Xefeor, feeling his assault troops were ill-suited for said combat, left planetside, boarding their ships. The Blood Pact Gaur-Commander accused him of cowardice, and Lord Xefoer, surprisingly calm, simply said to the Commander that he should do the same. Rar promptly apologised for the insult after a notable 'offering' was given. 

The World Eaters and Pact, left the planet, confusing the Imperials, who knew they were still in orbit. This gave them a chance to call for reinforcements. Lord Xefoer knew this, and this was his trump card. Deployed in this sector was a company of Imperial Fists, masters of siege warfare. In fact, the fleet was close enough to not have to use warp travel to arrive.

Xefeor ordered his vessels to hide behind a nearby moon, Auris Beta I as the Imperial Fleet arrived. Despatching drop-pods and thunderhawk transporters with pre-fabricated defences to the planet, a strong defensive position was set up. Xefoer also expected this, in fact, he was counting on it. Within five days; another traitor fleet had arrived. Warsmith Crotus of the Iron Warriors, with a full one hundred battle - hardened legionnaires arrived. As if seeing the Imperial Fists position as a challenge, they promptly assaulted with such fury and resolve that Xefoer regarded them worthy of Khorne himself, and smiled.

This was his plan. By predicting the arrival of the Imperial Fists, Xefoer had created a distraction, and unleashed his berserkers. At the strongpoints of the Imperial Fists positions, hundreds of bloodthirsty World Eaters arrived, causing instant havoc. The World Eaters Lord arrived with his Chosen, and personally attacked the Imperial command HQ, consisiting of the PDF force and Space Marine advisors. Crotus, noting the arrival of the World Eaters as nothing short of suspicious, called for Xefoer to show himself, and promptly was greeted with the heads of the entire command staff of the Auris Defence Force. They exhanged an unrecorded conversation, and the Iron Warriors remained on planet, still engaged with the Imperial Fists, while Xefoer advanced to the site of the artefact, where a team of Blood Pact arrived.

And that's the background for now, on to some pictures. What follows is four Iron Warriors, and Lord Xefoer himself.