The Liberation of Thall

The Liberation of Thall was an Imperial castigation campaign conducted by the Dawn Stalkers Space Marine Chapter alongside their Progenitors - the Crimson Fists as well as several Astra Militarum Regiments of the 'Thallian Rifles', in defence of the Imperial Thall system from invading forces of the blood-maddened World Eaters Traitor Legion.

Background
Thall was a system known for its output of both food and valiant guardsman, commonly dubbed 'The Thallian Rifles'. This would soon cease, however, for during the 38th millennium the entire system would come under assault by Khornate demons supported by the ever bloodthirsty World Eaters Legion. When the call for help was sounded, the Crimson Fists chapter was the first to answer. They knew, however, that the only two companies they had available would not be enough to assist the system, and called upon their sons, the Dawn Stalkers to supplement their numbers.

A full three companies, the 3rd, 4th and 8th and Chapter Master Paltanor Kerazanov responded to the call and set out to meet their father chapter with all due haste. Upon arriving at the system, but one planet was left with anything worth saving, Thall itself, which was already burning by the time the fleet had entered orbit. Surprisingly, no spaceborne enemies were present, thus allowing the Dawn Stalkers and Crimson Fists to quickly enter the atmosphere through Thunderhawk insertion and assist the defending forces where help was most needed.

The battle plan suggested by Crimson Fist Commanders would see the 2 Crimson Fist companies and the 4th engage the daemonic forces already planetside head on. The 3rd and 8th were to pull rear-echelon duties, evacuating civilians, providing support to embattled forces and securing positions of vital importance. Paltanor Kerazanov approved of these plans, and saw to it he would lead the actions of the 3rd and 8th companies, while the captain of the Crimson Fists 5th would lead the assault force. Things were moving relatively smoothly for the rear-echelon force, and several thousand civilians were able to make it off world without bearing witness to chaos in any form, thus sparing them an Inquisitor's bolt pistol.

However, five days after the extraction had begun a howling was heard above the head, one akin to that of a Drop Pod. Seeing the source as Dreaclaws belonging to the World Eaters, the Dawn Stalkers rear force quickly formed a line barring the World Eaters from the civilians, seeking to prolong them long enough for as many humans to escape as possible. Luckily for them, the World Eaters had landed on the other side of the city the Dawn Stalkers were in, and would have to breach the defences made by the local guardsman and fortified further by the Dawn Stalkers. That luck would run short, however, for the World Eaters were not going to simply line up to get shot, some even jumped from flying Dreadclaws when passing over the defensive positions, landing with sickening thuds upon the loyalist Astartes.

Once they had amassed, a chorus of unholy screams arose in the facing direction of the Dawn Stalkers trenches, followed a mere moment later by a red wave of 300 World Eaters charging headlong towards the defensive line. As bolt rounds flew and Astartes died on both sides, Paltanor Kerazanov stood strong at the direct centre of the combat, directing his Marines to hold strong and fight hard. When the World Eaters crashed upon the line, all noise save howling bolters and growling chain-axes was drowned out, with the screams of rage becoming but a dull background sound. Nearby civilians cluttered to enter the transports, fearful of what may come to them should the line break. And break it did, for the left side was eviscerated in minutes, and all of the Blood Gods sociopaths poured through the gap, charging the panicked civilians with the desire to spill blood encompassing their every sense.

Horrified, the Dawn Stalkers watched on as the civilians were ripped to pieces, turned to spray by chain axes, dissected and eviscerated with the only cries audible that of the World Eaters, joyful glee evident from their harsh laughter. This sight sent the remaining Dawn Stalkers into a rage, beyond anything they had felt before, they snapped so to say. It was in this rage they lunged forth, Chapter Master and all headlong into the World Eaters, shouting bitter curses and screams so vile that their throats bloodied. With knives and fists, they grappled, stabbed, ripped and killed all those within grasp.

Of the few civilian survivors, who would later meet the sad fate of an Inquisitor's sword, some would state that they had no idea who was the enemy and who was their Astartes saviours, for blood covered them all red and their screams were indistinguishable bouts of unnatural rage too akin to each other to identify. Of the 188 Astartes who partook in the rear-echelon duties, only 32 would survive, coming out of their blind rage they would find with broken hearts their Chapter Master, laying still beside the corpse of a Bloodthirster and a dozen World Eaters.

Of the remaining 32 was the Apothecaries attached to the two companies and the Chaplain of the 8th, who began to investigate as to why they had all became blind with fury after the fallen were addressed. It found that a second effect had developed with their gene-seed as part of The Burden. They named this effect 'The Sword', for they sought not to protect as the later named 'Shield' does, but instead the Astarte becomes compelled to slaughter in a ballistic fury any who dare cross their path, only just retaining enough self-control to avoid harming humans and allies.