Got a Friend in You

Time does not matter in the realm of Alicia Vendrandar. It has no name. No need for such a grand title. All it needs to be known is home. A home to call her own, a home for her son. Her own Primarch. Now, a Legionless Primarch. The legion Duraeus had was wiped out. Subtly tainted by the crow-like fingers of the Lord of Change.

Now, in a form indescribable, she molds her son into something more. Somehow, the Lord of Change managed to plant her son into a world similar to the one she created for him. Safety was the first thing to consider with all her actions. Safety for her son. But she failed at that. Thought to be safe, she took his soul to be molded. Body to be reforged– his current one riddled with limitations.

It matters not. She's awake, fully recovered. So much more– not only recovered– increased in strength to a higher multitude. A being not to reckon with.

But, even so, there are some rules in place with beings such as her. Especially dealing with outside existences. The main reason her awakening to what she is now being so rough is due to her inexperienced recklessness. The walls of a universe are more fragile than people think. If not precise, such walls are hard to repair.

Luckily, the warp somehow already had a small crack leading to her original nothingness. But her impatient young self rushed the process. She herself reached in with no care. Duraeus was acquired, but the cost was the invitation of unsavory likes. She had enough common sense to see what may have come if not immediately repaired. But the rough patch up was only temporary, which led to the whole DDoSing act she herself did to the warp being. That led her to sleep and recover. Which leads to now.

Stronger than ever, she molds her son. On Earth, she gave birth to him… but the blood there was only a dream. Duraeus wasn't actually blood related… until this point. That was something she didn't like. To call Dureaus her son when they're not related. Nothing against none-blooded relations between children and their step-parents, but she was greedy in that aspect. The future she saw from just glancing at his baby self, she then knew she wanted better for him.

But, even with her powers, the limits of mortality are harder to break for a fledgling higher power. So, it'll all be up to him to break it. To ascend.

The molding process didn't take long. Duraeus was left in a drone-like state. Not knowing who, what, where he even was. A simple side effect. The benefits outweigh the negatives– although the negatives themselves are simple to fix– Alicia wouldn't have done this if it weren't.

First was the soul. The soul was incubated, tempered in steel and heat. He needed to be strong in mind and soul for the body Alicia prepared for him. Using her essence, the experience of the normal people of the simulated world, as well as manifesting the difficulties and triumph of the heroes and villains of various medias into him. She knew Duraeus had become something more. Despite the physical appearance– he was a boy in her eyes. Now… more than a man. In the process, his soul– once a pale white– now a steely dark gray with sparks of gold.

A little more… finished. Floating before her was his soul. As soon as she got the go ahead, she ripped his mortal flesh apart and gathered the inner him. Slowly, gentle as a mother, she held him. His soul, tempered with the acts of both normal and exotic experiences, was the perfect weight. Not too light– innocence wasn't forsaken; like an American civilian, his innocence had a unexpecting bite for whomever crossed him. Not too heavy– a necessary evil dwells within him, something that was never there before. Now, it awaits, buying its time when it is needed.

Neither good nor evil, Duraeus was straightforwardly himself anew. 

Satisfied, Alicia smiled. Not only was his soul strengthened for the everyday life he'll now have, but the mark she had on him was altered. Altered to that of a religious sense. She doesn't need faith, but having to invade other realms herself brings forth a complication that entire universes can't fix once present. She'll need a herald. She'll need… a Primarch. No actual plan yet, only a goal. The goal being to shove a stick so far up the Lord of Change's ass, even Slaanesh will blush. If she were to gain hold of different realms in the meantime, not sweat off her back.

Next, the process of gaining a body. It needed to be special. She doesn't want a thunder warrior moment, having the body deteriorate due to being unable to handle the might of themselves. No, he needs to be strong, fast– agility like no other. Handsome too, a mother needs her handsome boy.

She got to work. Glancing at the floating soul of her son next to her, he fingers never stopped weaving. Weaving something far beyond the sculpting of Greek Gods. A proper Primarch, not the twink-ish body Tzeentch gave him. Tall, just like his brothers at about 10 feet exactly (no armor). Just shy of his big bro Vulkan– bless his soul. Physique bigger than his previous fuckboy self. Bulky– not slender. Defined– not mildly toned. Rippling– oozing masculinity. A proper Primarch. Skin looking soft yet as hard as iron. Hearts like that of the Wartsila RT-flex96C in power. Lungs as greedy as the word itself. Anti-body so strong not even Papa Nurgle's love could infect him. Born anew, haven't mentioned the added things his mother gave him. Looking closely, his skin shined like looking at the scale of a dragon. His eyes already had the vertical slit, but the blue was dull. Now, he had the same vibrant blue his mother has– as if the entire galaxy was being those eyes. Then, the added spice… the reproductive system of the body works.

If there's one thing the fake Alicia did right was the wanting of grandchildren.

Other things were added like the inability for his DNA to be deciphered and copied. His blood cells were like little space marines, the white blood cells like custodes. Any acts of containment will be met with blood shed… among blood shed (how the fuck does that work?). All digressions aside, a third heart pumped within him. This was all scale, spikes, and bone. Nothing like that of his other two. Each pump was like that of a roar, the blood that circulates from within a burning ember of devotion… of pride.

It was ready, both body and soul, all that was needed was the initiation from Alicia. Something that doesn't need to be mentioned as her hands excitedly pushed the two together.

As the two met, the color full void around her went quiet. Quieter than the silence already there.

—Ph–Ping!

A flashbang of pure white. Alicia had her ears ringing, but she didn't know that. Actually she knew, but it didn't affect her. Sound was but a thing, a theory if she wills it. But no, her attention was on the boy… man before her.

Floating in his birthday suit, Duraeus was born again. As the light subsided, a new light shone. Blue like sapphire, his eyes were slowly revealed. His hair white as hers. He slowly came to it. His eyes scanned the back of his hands– slowly turned them around. Bigger than before. Making a fist– squeezing with all his might– stronger than before. His shoulders, chest, stomach, third leg, thighs, calves, feet, he checked as much as he could with his own eyes. He couldn't believe it. He was completely rebuilt like Orion Pax. Only, without the pure of heart.

His eyes met his mothers'.

"Mom," he greeted, "I can finally say that with your blood running through my veins. It's… kinda nice."

Alicia gave a motherly smirk, "Happy Birthday!"

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They celebrated in their own little way. Played games like the old times. Safe to say Alicia was a certified King main. Video games, board games, simply enjoying whatever scenery Alicia provided, like standing on top of Mt. Fuji.

Then some testing was done, a request from Duraeus. Wanting to test his abilities, he tried to do some feats he read online. Like… seeing if he can withstand the stomping of a warhound Titan. A truly badass moment in 40k history… one of many.

Alicia agreed… a little too eagerly. Something Duraeus was suspicious about. He found out real quick why.

—Worororororopp!

Looking up from the grassy plains used as a testing ground.

"A FUCKING REAVER TITAN! WHY MOM! ARHG!"

Alicia covers a smirk with her hand. A little prank never hurt anyone…

*The prank in question…*

Duraeus couldn't spout retorts or call her names as he was brought to a knee. His hands up, back slightly bent forward, arms shaking in resistance. His oversized civilian clothes of simple tennis shoes, a t-shirt, and jeans dirtied by the dirt sprouting up in the air from the sudden crash of his body. His breathing was irregular, his mind was blank.

–Ba-dump

But he felt something on his chest–

–Ba-dump

Something dormant–

–Ba-dump

Something primal

Alicia heard every pump of the third heart. Each pump of the heart sends an elated ecstasy. Her smile widened like that of a yandere.

"Awaken my son, Awaken MY PRIMARCH–"

Briefly closing his eyes, he connected with it. Then, opening his eyes he found himself in a dark room. A single light above him. Looking around, he wasn't alone. He felt himself… and him of a primal breed.

Duraeus stopped looking around. He naturally has night vision, but something about this darkness was creepy. He couldn't see within… but he felt as if it could see him.

Suddenly, a rattle. No, more like the shuffling of a chain. Adding on, a rumbling of something big. Each breath was a mighty roar. Then, Duraeus finally saw a silhouette of something beyond the darkness. Make no mistake, he didn't get accustomed, it let him see a glimpse of itself.

"T̶̨̖̻̻̅̀̂͑̀ò̸̭̥̪͓̤̎̃o̸̼̞̺̠̙̔́̌̿ ̸̡͕̲̈́͗͆̄͠s̸̖̳͖͝ờ̵̰̗̔̊ọ̶̾̍͘n̸̡̺͔̥̜̽̕͘͠"

One second, a guttural voice. He saw it too. A beautiful yet raw looking gold light. It was an eye, a single eye as large as a warlord titan. A reptilian vertical slit. For that one second, he saw the look on its eye. It looked… proud.

Opening his eyes on the outside, he was still in a precarious state. A surge of annoyance, he used his legs. Slowly, he not only resisted being crushed, he pushed up with even greater force the reaver titan could manage.

From the distance, Alicia felt a difference from her boy. One that got a… positive response from her? Violent eyes, creepy smile, one side of her face with a hand as she tilts her head slightly. A red blush– yeah… positive… maybe.

Looking from her sightline, she was staring at his eyes. Unknowingly to him, his blue eyes turned gold; gold similar to the one he saw. As he sweated, as he gained inch after inch, the gold– at first hazy– became purer. Like an overturned car, his body in overclock, he yelled out—

"WRAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Coincidentally, his eyes turned a perfect gold with vibrant vigor as he gave it his all for the last push. The ground couldn't handle it. It cracked and waned underneath his legs as he pushed down. But, it was enough– more than enough. As the last of his fingertips released contact with the base of the foot of the reaver titan, the titan in question lost balance; ended up falling on its ass. Yet before the crash, Alicia made it disappear.

Duraeus, expecting the crash, looked over to see nothing but the grass and the now beautiful sky filled with glitter-like stars. His body was steaming, looking as if he alone could induce global warming. He side eyed his mother, can't believe she pulled that shit on him. Exhaling out his mouth, visible vapors exited out. With it were his golden eyes slowly returning sapphire.

"I'll— pay you back… mom…" Duraeus playfully threatened in between breaths.

She laughs it off, "Whenever you'd like dear, but, I think that was enough fun," her tone turned malicious, "let's get you your gifts– my gifts– TRUE gifts."

Setting off, the two got prepared. They've got a bird to fry.