On the twentieth day of Christmas, Black Library gave to us…an Imperial Fists short story by Rob Sanders. The Dread Sentinels of Dorn sees Captain Kontrador of 5th Company investigating the unexplained silencing of one of the Imperial Fist-manned star forts on the border of Segmentum Solar. When the fate of the star fort and its garrison becomes clear, as a tyranid hive ship threatens his own vessel, Kontrador realises that far more is at stake than just the lives of him and his warriors.
On the seventeenth day of Christmas, Black Library gave to us…a Horus Heresy short story by Gav Thorpe. A 1000-or-so word micro short, The Value of Fear features the Raven Guard as they fight to quell an Alpha Legion-led rebellion alongside an unlikely ally in the shape of a still-loyal Night Lord. Striking as ever from the shadows, as the mission progresses Sergeant Ashel has cause to question the methodologies of his ally, compared to those of the Raven Guard.
[This short story was originally released as part of the 2014 Black Library Advent Calendar]
On the sixteenth day of Christmas, Black Library gave to us…a Marines Malevolent short story by Nick Kyme. Continuing the thread started in Bitter Salvage (in the Angels of Death anthology), Vengeful Honour sees Ballack and his unloved brothers in the Malevolents embroiled in the fighting on Armageddon. Faced with the prospect of fighting alongside the already antagonised Black Templars, and conscious of his own reduced capabilities, Ballack becomes increasingly aware of his own mortality. When some unwelcome faces appear, things seem to be looking bleak for the Malevolent.
Overlapping slightly with the events of Ahriman: Sorcerer, and following on from several of the other short stories in the series, John French’s Ahriman: Gates of Ruin once more tells a tale of Thousand Sons sorcerer Ctesias. Here the weary daemonologist is looking back from a point far in the future, recalling the part he played in leading Ahriman and his followers out of the Eye of Terror. Ctesias’ knowledge of daemons is put to good use as he seeks the location of the Gates of Ruin, but can a daemon ever really be trusted?
Released on day fourteen of the 2014 Black Library Advent Calendar.
A standalone story, but also the prequel to the novel Legacy of Dorn, Mike Lee’s Crimson Fists short story None More Loyal follows Veteran Sergeant Galleas and his squad as they respond to an Inquisitorial request for aid and lay a trap for an infamous enemy of their chapter. Galleas prepares as well as he can for the coming conflict and the opportunity to exact revenge in the name of lost brothers, but as ever with the Inquisition, things are not quite what they seem.
On the thirteenth day of Christmas, Black Library gave to us…a Shield of Baal short story by L J Goulding. In preparation for events taking place within the Shield of Baal campaign, The Word of the Silent King looks back to an unusual moment in the history of the Blood Angels. As Dante and Tycho lead them in battle against the necrons on Gehenna, a tyranid splinter fleet threatens both forces and leads to an unlikely alliance. Seen through eyes on both sides of the alliance this looks at some of the justifications each had for forming the alliance, and some of its implications.
On the eleventh day of Christmas Black Library gave to us…an Imperial Guard short story by Justin D. Hill. Set on the barren desert world of Besana, Last Step Backwards is a story of the Cadian Shock Troops, and the iconic Ursarkar E. Creed. With their armies retreating against the forces of the Archenemy, a vital route to the heart of the Imperial defences is defended by Cadian Whiteshields, cadet soldiers ill-suited to such a task. The situation looks bleak until the arrival of Creed.
On the tenth day of Christmas Black Library gave to us…a Horus Heresy short story by Matthew Farrer. With Vorax, Farrer continues his look at all things technological, after his contributions to the Sabbat Worlds/Sabbat Crusade anthologies. This takes place on the Ring of Iron, a Mechanicum facility orbiting Mars, during the Imperial Fists’ blockade of the red planet. An adept of the Dark Mechanicum hunts loyalists through the Ring, unaware that he himself has become prey for something lurking in the shadows.
On the ninth day of Christmas Black Library gave to us…a Flesh Tearers short story by Andy Smillie. A Son’s Burden follows Captain Temel as he leads a force of Scouts on a mission behind the Archenemy lines, while Chapter Master Seth and his closest advisors wait impatiently to attack. Outmatched by the Traitor marines they face, the Scouts are forced to rely on stealth instead of brute force, duty to the mission and to their brothers overriding their desire for blood.
On the eighth day of Christmas Black Library gave to us…no less than six Blood Angels short stories. With contributions from veteran authors (Dan Abnett and James Swallow), well-established names (Chris Wraight and David Annandale) and relative newcomers (Ray Harrison and Mark Clapham), between them these six 1000-or-so word stories illustrate various facets of this noble but flawed chapter, only really scratching the surface but hinting at what lies beneath.