Xaphuris

"If you continue to shame the Dark Gods, I will not suffer you to live. Draw your sword and perhaps you might find salvation in death."

- Xaphuris, to the Chaos Lord Nazrath the Tormentor (deceased) Known by many names amongst the forces of Chaos, Xaphuris was once a proud Coryphaus of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion, fighting against the Imperium in the name of both Lorgar and the Ruinous Powers. But, he eventually became disgusted by how many weaklings and cowards clung to the Dark Gods, leeching of their power for their own self-absorbed ends. Thus he slew his own Dark Apostle and embarked on a personal crusade; to cull the weak from the forces of Chaos, so that the Imperium might finally fall to Chaos once it is rid of all its unworthy followers. Xaphuris now leads the Dark Covenant, a Chaos Warband formed of not only Word Bearers, but the devout from various Traitor Legions and Renegade Chapters, his loyal followers in his never-ending quest.

The Holy War
Born on the Feudal Word of Colchis, Xaphuris was the only child born to a pair of Covenant Priests, the descendants of a long line of Colchisian clergymen and women. While his parents had originally intended for their son to follow them into priesthood, fate it seemed had other ideas. Xaphuris was only eight standard years old when the Colchisian Wars of Faith began, as the Primarch Lorgar began to convert the Old Faith of Cochis into the worship of the prophesied "One God". Nearly half the Covenant turned on Lorgar in the process, including Xaphuris' parents, who took up arms against the so-called "heretics" known as the Godsworn.

Thus Xaphuris was trained to be warrior from the tender age of nine, learning how shoot a gun, how to wield a sword, and most importantly how to kill his fellow man. By his tenth birthday, he had done exactly that, gunning down a Godsworn soldier who threatened to kill his parents, only to watch as they died in the fires of an ill-timed artillery strike. Lost, confused, and alone, Xaphuris aimlessly wandered the ruins of his hometown, running into a patrol a Godsworn through pure accident. Zealous though they were, the soldiers could not bring themselves to harm a child, and thus brought Xaphuris to their base camp to see what was to be done about him. It was there that Xaphuris met Lorgar in person, and the sheer sight of the Primarch caused Xaphruis to drop to his knees in fealty, swearing himself to the Godsworn right then and there. While somewhat baffled by the boy's sudden change of heart, the Godsworn took him in nonetheless, always having use for new converts.

From their Xaphuris was retained by the Godsworn as a sort of errand boy. He'd deliver messages, clean weaponry, and perform other menial tasks in and around their basecamps. During that time Xaphuris learned much about warfare, taking a particular interest in military strategy and tactics. Sometimes he'd beg to be made a full soldier, demonstrating his ability to fight to his superiors, but he was always turned down, being told that the battlefield was no place for a child. That cycle of demonstration and refusal would continue until eventually Xaphuris decided he would take his dilemma up with the man himself. Fourteen years old, he strode into the command tent and right up to Lorgar himself, demanding that he fight alongside his fellow Godsworn. To his surprise, Lorgar actually humored his request, admiring the adolescent's boldness. With the Primarch’s approval, Xaphuris fought in the final assault of the Colchisian capital of Vharadesh, much to his joy.

A few weeks afterwards, Xaphuris knelt in the presence of the "One God" as the Emperor of Mankind was reunited with Lorgar, his lost son. All of Colchis rejoiced at the coming of their new deity, and yet Xaphuris felt strangely... empty. Caught up in the exhalation of battle, he had almost forgotten that by aiding the Godsworn, he had dishonored his entire bloodline by turning against the Old Faith, the faith that his family had served for generations. Had he done the right thing by joining Lorgar's crusade? Was he doing the right thing by accepting this "God-Emperor" into his heart and soul? Those questions troubled him even after being accepted into the newly-formed Word Bearers Legion, having been put forward by Lorgar himself as a potential recruit.

Bearer of the Word
"Forward into the breach brothers! The will of the Lorgar guides us and by Terra, I would see it done!"

- Xaphuris, during the Melkeji Salvation

Years into the Great Crusade, Xaphuris still had no answer for himself. By that time he had already become a full Space Marine of the XVII Legion, posted as a member of the 5th Company within the Chapter of the Osseous Throne. Quickly establishing himself as a tier above the rest, Xaphuris slowly but steadily made his way through the ranks, rising to the rank of Sergeant in just ten years. Due to his upbringing, Xaphuris established himself as far more martial minded than his colleagues, and unlike many Word Bearers at the time, he did not secretly worship the Emperor of Mankind as a God. Make no mistake, he was a loyal and devoted warrior, but his decision to deny the Old Faith of Colchis still haunted him, and thus he whispered the same prayers and chanted the same rites, but in his heart he still questioned whether it was right to worship the so-called "God-Emperor".

Fearing what the repercussions of this belief might be, Xaphuris separated himself from his fellow Legionaries in order to hide his secret, becoming aloof and distant. As a result, Xaphuris may have had some admirers during his ascent through the ranks, but never any friends. While it certainly was a lonesome existence, it did help in one respect, he never grew too attached the Space Marines under his command, and thus could efficiently lead them. In fact, his skills as a leader became quite apparent during that time Chapter Master Badis Kar, leader of the Osseous Throne, personally promoted him to the rank of Captain, placing Xaphuris in charge of the Chapter's 5th Company.

From there Xaphuris' reputation only grew. He became known as a master strategist and a charismatic leader, his oratory skills able to inspire even during the most hopeless of campaigns. Not many expected this from him, as until then his fellow Word Bearers had seen Xaphuris as an extremely competent Sergeant, but little else. Truth be told, not even Xaphuris himself was aware of his talent for leadership, but with each victory in battle his confidence only grew further. Xaphuris also earned many honors during his time as Captain. He was awarded an Iron Halo at the Battle of Stronsmark, where his ardent battle-planning crushed the Eldar that had plagued the planet for so many generations. He earned the right to wear holy Terminator Armor after he saved the life of a Chapter Master Deinos on the techno-barbaric world of Sixty-Three Nineteen. Xaphuris was even named the official Coryphaus of Chapter Master Kar, serving under his direct command as chief strategist and sub-commander of the Osseous Throne.

But the rise always comes before the fall, and the fall was forthcoming as the Chapter of the Osseus Throne was called upon to fight alongside it's brethren on the planet Khur. During the battle, Xaphuris fought alongside such infamous figures such as Kor Phaeron and Erebus as the Word Bearers conquered the Khur's capital city of Monarchia, and from the ashes raised a glittering paradise of devotion and worship of the God-Emperor. Looking upon the newly-created "Perfect City", Xaphruis couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt. Once again memories of his parents and his upbringing amongst preachers of the Colchisian Covenant haunted him, but he pushed his guilt away, telling himself that Lorgar believed in the Emperor's godhood then he should believe as well. His genefather couldn't possibly be wrong, could he?

The Seeds of Heresy
Years after the conquest of Khur, the entire Word Bearers Legion was summoned to Monarchia at the behest of the Emperor himself. He watched as the Ultramarines raze the Perfect City to the ground, and felt the psychic might of the Master of Mankind as he and the rest of the Legion were forced to bow before him. The Emperor rebuked the Word Bearers, Primarch and all, saying that they had failed both him and humanity by spreading this "false worship" in his name. Then he departed, leaving an entire Legion of Space Marines shell-shocked, their universe crumbling around them. Like the rest of his battle-brothers, Xaphuris was dazed, shocked, humiliated, but he felt ashamed for a very different reason. He had been right all along, his faith the Emperor as a deity had been misplaced and deep down he had known it. He had shamed his bloodline, fought and bled in the name of a man who punished their worship of him, and for what? No answer was forthcoming, and so Xaphuris collapsed into a deep melancholy, much like his Primarch.

From there the Word Bearers continued in their conquests, but Xaphuris' heart was no longer in it. What was the point? What were he and his brothers fighting for anymore? Even their own Primarch had seemingly abandoned them out of shame, going out into the greater galaxy alongside the Serrated Sun Chapter. All seemed hopeless.

Then Lorgar returned from his pilgrimage, bearing the Words of a very different kind of faith. He told his Legion that he had gone into the Eye of Terror, and he had seen true gods, deities that were worthy of their devotion. With the revealing of the "Primordial Truth", Xaphuris fell to his knees in shock, for he recognized these gods as the same that he and his family once worshiped. His gods were real! With that pronouncement, Xaphuris wholeheartedly fell into the service of Chaos, seeing this as his chance to redeem himself in the eyes of his childhood deities. No longer would he be troubled by theological qualms, no longer would he question his faith. Xaphuris belonged to the Gods of Chaos, and no other would command his devotion again.

Against the Ultramarines
"A thousand Ultramarines fell to me at Calth, cursing the name Xaphuris. Now you to shall scream my name!"

- Xaphuris, facing off against the Ultramarines during the Shadow Crusade

By the time the Horus Heresy began, Xaphuris and his Legion had already prepared the ground for war. Aboard the monstrous battleship Furious Abyss, Xaphruis and the Chapter of the Osseus Throne struck against the proud Ultramarines, determined to gain vengeance for the Razing of Monarchia and their humiliation on Khur. Appointed Coryphaus of his Chapter once more, Xaphuris spearheaded the assault on Calth alongside First Captain Kor Phaeron, commanding on the battlefield itself. While the first assaults on Calth were minor victories at best, Xaphuris’ true triumph came of a massacre where neither he nor any of the Word Bearers under his command fired a single shot.

Xaphuris wanted to strike a massive blow against the Ultramarines, something they would not forget, and what better way to do that to use their own ideals against them? Sending a message to the enemy front, Xaphuris told the Ultramarines that he was tired of the pointless bloodshed, and that all he requested was an honorable duel. He struck a deal with the Ultramarine Captain Atreus, commander of the 46th Company (whom had been a particular thorn in the Word Bearer's side since the beginning of the Battle of Calth), telling him to meet at the downed Strike Cruiser Wrath of Colchis where the two would fight one-on-one like warriors. If Atreus won, then Xaphuris' men would surrender unconditionally. Fearing a trap but knowing the offer was too good a chance to turn down, Atreus agreed, but his Company came with him in case of deception. Little did he know, that was exactly what Xaphuris was counting on.

When the Ultramarines did arrive at the wreckage of the Wrath, all they found was a small group of Word Bearers that fired upon the Ultramarines on sight before ducking into the ruins. His honor offended, Atreus and his Company gave chase, oblivious to the fact that they were being led into a trap. Unbeknownst to them Xaphuris and the bulk of his forces, now safe behind the lines, had planted proximity charges on the downed Strike Cruiser's still-active Warp Drive beforehand. When the Ultramarines walked ran into the ruins, they unknowingly set off the charges’ timers. Just before detonation, Xaphuris sent one last vox-message to Captain Atreus, taunting him by revealing just how easily they had played into his hands. Then the Warp Drive detonated, the resulting explosion vaporizing everything within a mile of the wreck, even Xaphuris' own battle-brothers who had offered up their lives to be bait for the overzealous Ultramarines.

The Battle of Terra
Much to his regret, Xaphuris was never present for the slaughter that was the Drop Site Massacre of Isstavan V, but he and his entire Chapter were amongst the first Word Bearers to lay siege to the Imperial Palace. Fighting with a fervor matched only by the most passionate of zealots, Xaphuris abandoned his role as commander so that he might experience the battle firsthand, laughing with joy as the Palace's walls crumbled before the advance of the Warmaster's forces. He and his chosen warriors fought through waves of loyalists with the words of the Book of Lorgar upon their lips, driven ever forwards by their faith in the Dark Gods.

But with the death of Warmaster Horus, the Traitor's advanced crumbled, and thus Xaphuris was forced to retreat alongside the remainder of his forces. As the fleet set course for the Eye of Terror, Xaphuris gazed back at where Terra serenely floated in the void, swearing that one day he would return to finish what the Traitor Legions had started.

(MORE TO COME)