Avishai Ben-Zion

"Death from the sky!"

- Captain Avishai Ben-Zion, Tarradin Campaign

Avishai Ben-Zion is a Captain of the 3rd Company (Sayeret Lehavah) for the Storm Zealots Space Marine chapter. He is well known for his short temper, logical thinking like the Iron Hands Astartes, experts in hit and run tactics, deep hatred of the Dark Eldar Corsairs, and experts in swordsmanship, mastering from the Astartes Combat Knife to Power Great swords. He was selected alongside 6 other aspirants from the small Oasis town of Beth Sahin.

History
According to the Imperial records of Jeras, Avishai is a first born from the Jerasian tribe of Naftal, a tribe experts for their resistance to desert environment and experts in close combat. Little is known from his past except that he is working as an Imperial propaganda broadcaster,as well as a young father of twins. Some records tell that he is involved in a stabbing incident where he stab a robber with the robber's knife, killing him, He was recruited to the Storm Zealots following a Dark Eldar small raid across the town of Beth Sahin where his family and siblings were slaughtered by the sadistic wyches and reavers. When a squad of the Storm Zealot came to aid the local Jerasian, the 19 year old Avishai decide to board their Stormravens and willingly recruited to become the Adeptus Astartes, swear for eternal vengeance against the Dark Eldar.

During his life as a Neophyte, Avishai prove to be an excellent swordsman, agile, fast and deadly at the same time. He is later transferred to the 7th Company where he met Michael Zachariah, Arden Rosenberg and Berric Saltiel, a soon to be captain and chaplain of the Storm Zealot. Prove to be more agile in melee rather than ranged combat, Avishai was given a chainsword and a bolt pistol instead of a grav cannon upon his next combat on planet Gassar in which turn up to be a disaster. After the disaster, suffering a toxic burn to his right arm and right chin, Avishai was transferred to the 3rd Company. He is known to deplete 120 training servitors in just a day earning him a commendation to be transferred to the 3rd Company under leadership and guidance of Captain Jeremiah Chaim, a figure Avishai yearn to learn and respect.

8 years prior to the death of his captain and mentor, Avishai is a sergeant of the 3rd Company 1st Assault Marines still wielding a chainsword and a grav pistol, he ventured alongside his company to a forge world of Arthimissa Prime. It was on this forgeworld that he and his men successfully preventing a heretic sorcerer from summoning hordes of daemons through the warp gates. Upon his deeds he is rewarded with a two pieces of black and reddish shard in which forged into a power sword that he named "Stormfire".

He is promoted to the rank of Captain during the Dark Eldar Raids on Jeras that occurs in 994.M41. The death of Captain Jeremiah Chaim cause him further hatred to the Eldar race. It was Captain Avishai who destroy the Dark Eldar Flagship that now lie half-buried beneath the sands of the Great Western Desert. He led his company on many worlds such as New Mectra, New Shilla, Dargosa and the infamous Tarradin Campaign slaying and destroy every xeno and heretics in their path.

Aside from involving in many wars and campaigns, he is often involved in an errant mission in a series of hunting and slaying corsair leaders be it Man or Xeno. His hatred of the Eldar race nearly blinds him as he and his commandos infiltrate and strike deep into the Eldar flagship in pursue of Corsair Prince Nikharion the Ruthless. Through the help of Farseer Erandys he learn the location of a warp gate that led him to the Dark Eldar Corsairs and within a week and suffering moderate casualties, he return to Jeras, carrying with him the head of the Corsair Prince and his glaive as a trophy for the chapter.

His reputation of destroying 3 minor Kabals earned him the title "Kabal Slayer". The name Avishai able to spark fear among the Drukhari, echoing the dark city of Commoragh. He will never rest nor cease to stop until all planets in the Eastern Fringe is secured of the Dark Eldar raids.

Personality
"What is worse than a xeno? A xeno pirate! and the worst of them all were the Drukharis! Enslaving our kind and torturing them disgust me!"

- Captain Avishai Ben-Zion, New Shilla

Avishai is a man of logic and answer only to the most logical and practical questions. He is willing to learn from the best and never cease to stop strifing through perfection in a skill or knowledge he needs. He is well respected and care for his company, but he will do what it takes to make his company effective and efficient. He is a risk taker who willing to take a big risk in order to achieve a sweet victory. Captain Avishai believes in an effective use of Jetpack and Close Combat tactics much to the chapter's different combat tactic. His squad is a proof of additional need of close combat troops.

Avishai is widely known for his short hasty temper and cursing habits that cause him many punishments and charges from the chapter. Chapter record tells that during his time as a Scout Marine and as a battle brother he has been in detention time at least 4 times and even receive a smack in the face with a Crozius Arcanum from Reclusiarch Goren himself. His temper is shown to be much useful in the field where he will use it to slaughter his foes even cleaving through a Talos Pain Engine with ease.

Appearance
Captain Avishai is a native to Jeras and belong to a Jerasian Naftal tribe. Before his ascension as a Space Marine, Avishai was an average person that stood at approximately 1.78 meters tall. He once wore a Mark VII 'Aquila' pattern power armour and always wore a helmet, per standard procedure of the Storm Zealot Chapter. From his earliest deployment he is always wielding a chainsword and a bolt pistol. Avishai never carries a heavy weapon all his life due to his temper and extraordinary swordsmanship. Later on, following his promotion as a sergeant of the 3rd Company 2nd Assault Squad he began to wield a grav gun and carry a jump pack. Shortly before his promotion, Captain Avishai wield a power sword named "Stormfire". After his promotion as Captain and following his success after the Dark Eldar Raids, Captain Avishai now wears a suit of relic artificer armor with a company banner on the top of his armour's backpack and wielding his power sword and a combi-grav. Following his victory in the Dargosa Crusades, Captain Avishai received an ancient relic jetpack, a new decorated helmet and a storm shield. Like most Storm Zealot officers, Avishai only removes his helmet after leaving war zones or hostile territory. Captain Avishai had a toxic burn on his right arm and his right cheek and a scar across his left eye to the forehead. Both of his kneecap has received implants and surgeries by the Chapter Apothecary to improve his speed and durability.

Combat Skill
"Damnit Son! Why can't you shoot straight like you did with your Boltgun! Ben zona, do it again!"

- Sergeant Amir Bar Zuva comemnting 9th Company to Scout Avishai's lack of heavy weapon skill

Through his intense training and battlefield experience, the young captain Avishai is a master of close combat, favoring chainswords, power sword, and power greatsword as his weapon. He possess an average skill in operating boltguns and grav guns but lack a skill of a Storm Zealot marine; operating heavy weapons.

Wargear

 * Stormfire - A near relic Power Sword that  contains a shard of Rogal Dorn's chainsword and a shard from an unknown xeno armor. The power sword is used by Captain Avishai to cleave his way through his foes. After Dargosa Crusade, the sword was reforged into a great sword with a slightly longer grip. It was said that this blade could cleave a dreadnought with ease
 * Storm Shield - Bestowed to him following his promotion to the rank of Captain he often carries it into battle to deflect incoming melee and ranged attacks.
 * Artificer Power Armor - Avishai's master-crafted set of artificer armor was given to him directly from his Chapter Master following his success on slaying Corsair Prince Nikharion the Ruthless. This relic artificer armor provides great protection by absorbing incoming damage as the Captain first charges onto the battlefield, enabling him to land the first blow against his foes. This Power Armor is slightly lighter and more durable than the standard Artificer Armor.
 * Combi Grav - Following his promotion to the rank of Captain, Captain Avishai replace his grav pistol over Combi Grav. Though seldom used, Avishai only fire this gun on heavy armed infantries such as Chaos Terminators, or renegade Bullgryns.
 * Ignis Aguere - A relic solar fueled Jetpack bestow to him by Reclusiarch Solomon Goren following his success at New Mectra. The jetpack possess a hovering device and a stabilizer in which could allow the Captain to stay hovering in the sky for some time before landing a shock assault to his foe.
 * Astartes Mk VIII Helmet - Captain Avishai's Helmet with a golden skull that symbolize his devotion to the Emperor and his deeds in slaying a Dark Eldar Archon. He later earn an Imperial Laurel in the shape of Iron Halo on his helmet after the infamous Battle at New Shilla, symbolize his deeds and act of valor.