-A dark day indeed.- he said as he watched the planet below from the observation deck of his ship.

He was a tall and hard man as any other astartes. From his looks you couldn’t tell his age, which was over sixty. He had blond hair , blue eyes and was slightly bearded showing that he was neglecting his personal hygiene, more precise he didn’t have the time nor did he cared for it, He was wearing bloody red power armor of the Blood Ravens decorated with golden stripes on his shoulder pads and chest signifying his high rank amongst his astartes brethren. On his hip was his trusted plasma gun and on his back a golden power sword that he received as a gift from his old man.

-From ashes we come, to ashes we return- me mumbled while watching through the reinforced window.

The planet he was watching was once a beautiful hive world, if any hive world can be called that, and one of the most important places in the imperium of man, if not the most important one. As he watched the warp fires ( places where warp enters, at the call of heretics and their rituals) dot the planet, consume it and slowly try to push it into the warp. Tears of blood flowed through his eyes for he hal lost the ability to cry a long time ago. While crying he had a childlike outburst, like a child that just can't get anything right. In a way that rage calmed him. He thought about all he had lost and will lose thanks to the warp, to the crushed chaos gods. Oh he hated them, he hated them dearly, for it was all their fault, they were to blame. His men behind him had been lost for words and didn’t know how to even try to comfort him, for they had seen him like this only once, the moment he said goodbye to his mother, forever. But , he was not the only one in despair, for all his men had been down on this day, no joking, no funny remarks that had been present even in the toughest and worst of situations could be found , for this was the day of judgment, the day of execution, of Exterminatus.

All options available had been taken into consideration and careful analysis to try and avoid this fate, but to no avail, so it was concluded that no matter what they do, they won’t be able to kill all the heretics before the planet falls into the accursed warp, which was in two days. All chapter masters have agreed that it would be better to burn the planet to ashes than let it enter the warp, fall into the hands of the chaos gods and become their trophy, which would haunt mankind for all eternity. If that planet was lost to the warp then all hope would be lost,for now, for ever. The trigger of the dreadful act was given to the the command of the Ravenlord, who was now crying blood.

-Have all astartes left the surface?- he asked with a solemn voice.

-Yes my lord. We are waiting for the last of the untainted imperial guard and nobility to leave orbit before we begin.- answered the imperial officer, captain of the Retribution and the reclaimed space hulk, now classified as dreadnought class ship, Judgment of Carrion.

-What about my fathers remains, have they been properly secured?-

-Yes my lord.-nervousness could be sensed in the imperials voice- The Remains have been stored deep in the ship and secured in the Obelisk.-

-Good. You are dismissed captain. Now everyone leave this deck. I will come to the bridge shortly.- he glanced and saw everyone leaving.

After the last person left he murmured- when I’m ready.-

As everyone left he fell to his knees, as even his power armor could not hold his weight, which was immense thanks to his psychic powers equaling the weight to the one on his human heart for who could destroy his homeworld with a calm heart. Of all atrocities he had committed in the name of the empire, in the name of survival he was not a monster, as are those of the treacherous Chaos.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

“How did it come to this?” he wondered, but of course he knew. It started with his fathers death, and the corruption of the high lords. The rebellion he lead against the corrupt lords didn’t help either. The Inquisition failed to noticed the corruption of it’s core, but of course who could notice himself becoming corrupt. Can the hand notice corruption of the head? Those events culminated in the corruption of more than ninety percent of the hive world's populace. If one had watched he would have noticed that the warp had gone quiet in it’s efforts to speed up the vile it spread. All signs were there, but alas no one saw them.

“If only I had known.” his head leaned on the glass, tears of blood dripping on the floor.

-Don’t worry father, for we will reclaim what is lost, rebuild it and make it worthy of your heritage.- he said while his voice turned from a voice filled with sadness and despair to a voice filled with burning determination.

As minutes and hours passed by, which to him seemed like seconds he stood up and slowly started to walk towards the lift. Before he entered he looked one more time.

-For the Emperor.- he entered.

The ride to the bridge was the longest ride of his life.

Entering the bridge all eyes were upon him.

-Borna, just give the order, you don’t have to do it personally- said an grey haired astartes, one of the most trusted and honorable Blood Ravens- I know how painful it is to lose a homeworld, and how much it hurts to personally pull the trigger. At least spare yourself of that pain. I’ve seen men lose themselves in pain from much less. Please -

-Thank you for your concern brother Angelos but as you held responsibility for your homeworld so do I hold for mine.- He looked at the screen that showed the planet.- This dreadful act is my duty, and my will.

-Connect me to the fleet- he ordered the attendants.

-You’re connected sir.-

- Astartes, Imperial navy and guard, members of the Inquisition and all brave citizens of the Imperium this is commander Borna Ravenlord of the Blood Ravens speaking.- he made a long pause.- As you know the act of Exterminatus is upon us. Although this act is vicious and vile it pains me to say that it is our best option, certainly better than allowing this world to be consumed by Chaos and used as a trophy to it’s gods. It’s destruction will hurt us badly, but what is destroyed can be rebuilt. This planet was , no it still is the pride of The Imperium, our most precious world, our Homeworld, our Throneworld.AND I KNOW THAT I WOULD RATHER SEE IT BURN THEN HAND IT OVER TO THOSE TREACHEROUS DIRTY BASTARDS OF CHAOS AND HERETICS. ALTHOUGH WE LOSE OUR HEART ON THIS DAY WE SHALL DO IT IN OUR OWN WAY AND SPIT IN THE FACE OF CHAOS. TODAY MARKS THE DAY OF ENTERING OUR DARKEST HOUR, OUR NIGHTFALL, BUT WE WILL ENDURE AND GROW STRONGER IN OUR UNITY FOR WE ARE MANKIND. THOSE CHAOS BASTARDS CAN GO FUCK THEMSELVES FOR ALL WE CARE.-he looked at his brothers on the bridge and yelled - FOR THE EMPEROR.- as he slammed the fire button.

It has begun.

THE EXTERMINATUS OF TERRA HAS BEGUN.

__________________________________________________________________

AN: So this is the prologue of the story I'm planing to write. It will tell about how he got to this point. I gave my self a lot of space to work with since he is more than 60 years old, so more than 40 years ot time span with which I can work with.

THIS ONE IS IMPROTANT: I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TELL MY OPINION SO I CAN MAKE MY SELF BETTER; MAKE THE STORY MORE INTERESTING AND EXCITING.

Oh yea, this is all fiction, nothing is real, if u see an astartes outside give him cookies.