#third legion

It's Marine Meat Monday and here he is!

And I'm even canon-compliant:

Abdemon bowed his head. White hair, bound in short, thick braids, was pulled back from his dark face in a tight bundle, giving him a hawk-like aspect. Fulgrim fancied there was something of him in Abdemon’s aspect, though the officer would never be handsome. He doubted Abdemon cared. ‘My apologies, my lord. I shall endeavour to curtail such foolishness in the future.’ Fulgrim heard the smile in the words, though Abdemon’s face was as still as the onyx it seemed to have been carved from. ‘And now you compound your insolence with bald-faced lies,’ Fulgrim said. He laid the edge of his hand against the side of Abdemon’s neck. Gently, only gently, but in warning all the same. He felt Abdemon’s pulse jump, in sudden disquiet. Not fear though, which pleased him. His sons – the true sons of the Emperor – were above fear.

Apothecary Herik Stymphalos

He always loved birds and he gave himself wings.

One of the most intrigueing side-characters of the Third Legion. And yes, he's named after the mythological birds.

He looked down at the feathered amethyst helm he held. It had belonged to Herik Stymphalos. A brother of the Third. Herik had always been strange, and had only got worse after Terra. He’d spent the entirety of the siege trying to reshape mortal prisoners into avians for reasons he had never cared to articulate. Perhaps he’d just liked birds.

Reynolds, Josh. Manflayer (Fabius Bile: Warhammer 40,000 Book 3) (S.130). Kindle-Version.

When he’d departed the Consortium, Herik had been overseeing one of Fabius’ smaller boltholes in return for being left alone to play with his pets.

Reynolds, Josh. Manflayer (Fabius Bile: Warhammer 40,000 Book 3) (S.130). Kindle-Version.

Panting the boy stood over the dismembered body of his foe, he could barely hear the cheering over the sound of blood rushing in his ears but he smiled. The thrill of a close fight was unmatched and this one had been close, for a moment at least.

Suddenly the cheering was overturned by furious hollering. Lucius' head snapped up, trying to calm his breathing and clearing his vision. The followers of the champion he had just unceremoniously taken apart, were enraged by the death of their leader. Pushing past the masses they begun making their way towards Lucuis, the guards who were trying to stop them were cut down brutally as at least a dozen men jumped into the arena.

Lucius straightend himself, his muscles burned after the day of fighting and especially after this last one, but as if he'd let them have at him without a proper fight.

He went through his hair as they surrounded him, a mocking smile on his face.

"You're challenging me!? I guess you liked the performance so much you just need to experience it firsthand do you?" he raised his rapier, the tremor that went through his exhausted arm was not notecible to the angry masses, but one had noticed, one who had watched him since his first fight today. The man, hidden in the shadows, gripped the handle of his sword, but neither drew it, nor stepped out the shadows yet, rather letting the scene unfold.

The Arena was in disorder, half of the audience crying out in shock and outrage while the other half cheered on the new entertainment.

Lucius dodged two crude blows without much difficulty, trying to get to a more advantageous position. His speed was his greatest strength, but it was deminishing rapidly and as unskilled the croons were, they noticed him slowing down too, getting more aggressive with their attacks. Lucius saw the blow aimed at his head coming, trying to evade, he knew it wouldn't be enough. Angrily he raised his sword, finishing the slice that would end his last victim.

He couldn't see the blow that severed the arm with the oncoming club, having it fly past Lucuis and smashing into another man. The struggle had become a massacre, Lucius and the others barley able to keep up with the flash of royal purple and gold which moved through the remaining men of the dead champion.

Now the adrenaline was kicking in again and Lucius struggled as he felt someone grab him, trying to stab the person that held him. The air escaped his lungs in a huff as he was dropped an unexpected long distance to the ground. He hid his shock and confusion behind a scowl as he scrambled off the ground, bringing some distance between him and the giant. He stood up straight, trying to make himself as big as possible as he took in the massive Warrior before him.

"Who are you?" he demanded having his rapier raised again, very well aware that if the giant wanted to hurt him he could not do anything to stop it, but that didn't mean he would not make it as hard as possible for the other.

As the expression on the giants transformed into an amsued grin and a chuckle excaped him, Lucius took a moment to look at his opponent properly. Of course he knew what the giant was, even the plebs would recognize an Astartes, a son of the Phoenix who in turn was the son of the Emperor, beloved by all.

Lucius had never greatly cared for politics or the art of war at large, he wanted to fight and he wanted to be the best at it. But still, he had never seen one in the flesh, they were more imposing than he had imagined.

"Sergeant Saradar Tyrion and... put that stick down Lucius," Lucius' eyes were drawn back to the slim, surprisingly handsome face for an appearently seasoned Warrior, to which the decorations on his armour and the scar on his right cheek gave testament to. Eyes with a purple hue looked down at him and Lucius huffed. He felt insulted, for both the comment and that the Astartes had gotten him out of the prickly situation. Still, he lowered his rapier, his muscles thanking him for it and he couldn't help but feel honored that the other knew his name.

"I could have managed those few untrained goons. But your assistance is appreciated nonetheless," Lucuis took some time to inspect himself for any wounds, only a few bruises, but he could taste blood, a tear on the inside of his lip, but on the outside there was nothing. Perhaps a scar would remain, but only on the inside, it would not be visible to others and only he would know it was there. That fact calmed him and the fact that there was no other injury made his chest bloom with pride which was quickly diminished by the still amused Astartes who looked at him with an unsettling but, to Lucius, familiar look. A sharply evaluating one.

"Of course, you could have,"

Lucius wrinkled his nose at the expecting silence that followed, the Astartes was expecting him to make the next move, one that would most probably determine the rest of his life.

This was just another kind of fight, another duel, another dance. He shifted his weight, adjusting his ruffled clothes and stared into those somewhat abnormal eyes. The exhaustion of the day was past him now and Lucuis knew what he wanted.

What he had wanted since the first time he saw two people in a duel, what he had done since he was a little boy who beat his first opponent. He wanted to become better, fight better, all techniques the old sword masters could teach him on Chemos, he had mastered already. But just earlier, when he had been barley able to even see the strokes that the Astartes had made, he saw something near perfection and he wanted that, but better.

"So tell me then, where did you learn to fight like that?" he asked as he raised his eyebrows, smiling inwardly the other let out a chuckle in a mix of disbelief and amusement of the audacity and guts this boy had. Though he stilled a moment later, two armored fingers going to his ear as he seemed to listen to something, before he turned and started walking away. Thrown off, Lucuis made a step to follow him before he stopped. Had he failed in some way? No, impossible! So he called out,

"You didn't answer my question!" The Sergeant glanced over his shoulder,

"And you won't receive one if you keep standing there,"

Lucius jogged after him with a huff, were all the Astartes so infuriating? But he knew, as the sounds of the city and the arena became distant that he was destined for greater things, he would learn and train, he would become the best and one day surpass the Sergeant.