Raid

(Renaming Chapter Masters into Grand Masters since the term is more interesting than just Chapter Master. The groups will still be known as Chapters though. Also added auxiliary chapter.)

Dozens of Grey Knights gathered in the basement of their base, few of them knowing why they had been called. All they knew was that their various chapter masters had called for them to join them.

The 200 members of the Grey Knights entered the large room they did not realize that they had under their base and were surprised to see Baldur and the 10 Grand Masters present. Black runes covered the walls, floor, and roof, making the room seem haunting which was a funny thing since they actually made that room one of the safest on Feluc. 

The men looked at their leaders in surprise but quickly got into lines, standing by their chapter numbers from side to side and from most to least experienced. 

Baldur nodded when he saw his men get into their positions so fast. And when he saw that they were all armed, he knew that they were truly his son. 

"Good afternoon, my sons. You have been called here for a test. A test against something that the rest of our brothers fear. That they do not even dare to speak the name of.

We are going to be the sword and shield against the beings of chaos. And to do so, we must prepare to battle them. Prepare for battle!" Baldur ordered his sons

The men were confused but they did as they were told and got into a standard formation. Those with shields and most skilled in melee to the front, followed by riflemen with terminators mixed throughout. None had brought heavy weapons or snipers as they were not prepared for such a battle but they had at least brought their standard weapons. 

The Grand Masters were very deliberate in who they called for. These were the best of their legions who had no psychic powers. They knew that many of the Psykers would gain attention more than the normal members since they would be able to perform more visual acts with their abilities. 

Because of that, they wanted to summon the best of their Chapters to show off just how capable the normal members of the 2nd Legion were, with just the blessing of their Primarch's Gene-Seed. 

Baldur saw that they were all ready so he began to process. Baldur's eyes began to glow, switching between red, blue, green, and pink. A giant portal appeared on the wall opposite where the Grey Knights were looking.

Just looking at the portal was something draining. Mental images of pained individuals and cursed creatures flashed through their minds. Besides the mental attack, the room was silent. 

Then a single head poked out of the portal. It was red with a beastial appearance, its large fangs not even fitting within its mouth. The snout made it look like a hog mixed with a dog. It let out a few grunts as it appeared. 

The Grey Knights looked at it in uncertainty, not sure that this was what Baldur wanted them to fight. 

Soon after it stuck its head out, the creature pulled back inside of the portal. And silence reigned once again. And it all ended, just as fast. 

A swarm of creatures flew out of the portal and toward the Grey Knights. 

"Fire!" someone yelled, causing those armed with bolters and autocannons to unleash hell onto the demons. Those who stood at the front were in the most dangerous position, as the creatures charged straight at them before flying higher into the air to try and pick off the Grey Knights, one by one. 

Baldur allowed hundreds of those creatures to enter before finally shutting the portal, lest something larger and more dangerous come out. But just as it was about to close, a single creature emerged. 

A lesser daemon still but not at the level of those that the Grey Knights were fighting. It was similar to the one that the Grand Masters had seen Baldur battling before but it was so different. Taller, more muscular. But more importantly, intelligent. 

All the other Daemons that had come through were barely more than mindless beasts, driven on but nothing but instinct. But the creature that came through the portal last was very different. 

It was not simply smart for an animal. It was not simply as smart as a human. This was a general who had led his men into thousands of battles and won each and every one of them. 

With its entrance, it was as if the entire world had stopped. The furies began to retreat, flying around the new Daemon in the form of a spiraling tornado that would allow nothing to injure it. 

The Grey Knights did not stop. They unleashed hell on the creature, not stopping even as the furies blocked their every shot. 

As the creature rushed ahead, the Furies who were normally cowardly and fled at any chance they could get had chicken blood injected into them as they defended their new leader with no fear of death. 

The Grey Knights at the front felt something primal come over them. Their blood began to rush through their bodies and they felt the world slow as their senses were pushed to their limits. It was neither fear nor rage. It was defiance. 

Their bodies' natural response to the bloodthirst that the creature was trying to impose on them was simple defiance. The knights charged into the storm, meeting the daemon with their full fury. 

Although normally greater than a single Astartes, the Daemon was unable to bear the might of several Grey Knights. Not only were they unaffected by its aura which would usually cause chaos amongst enemy ranks, but they had actually become a more united force. 

The Knights did not fight as multiple individuals in a close group but more as a single mind with multiple bodies. Each one covered for the other while attacking in a manner that made it impossible to find an opening. 

The Grey Knights that were fighting the daemon up close as well as the ones firing from afar, all acted in unity. This was exactly why Baldur wanted the Emperor to change the training methods of the 2nd Legion.

He based them off the knights of Feluc, operating in small squads that operated with one another, slowly building more and more until the entire Legion was simply a giant squad. 

Baldur looked on as the Herald of Khorne was beheaded and impaled by several weapons, the creature collapsing to the floor before disappearing as its soul was sent back to the Warp.

The Furies that were flying around had almost all been killed with the few that remained being nothing more than target practice. 

Baldur and the Grand Masters nodded as the group of Grey Knights completed the raid without any casualties. While many had injuries from the creatures' claws and a few were cut by the hellblade, none of their lives were in danger.

Luckily, they only faced the weakest of daemons and a single Herald of Khorne, instead of many of the more standard lesser daemons or daemonic beasts. Or even worse, a Greater Daemon. 

"Congratulations, my sons!" Baldur congratulated his sons, feeling pride as their Primarch. "I shall consult with the Grand Masters on which of you they felt performed the best. For the top 5 shall receive the honor of being my Honour Guards. To be my Paladins!"

The Astartes were shocked. They knew that they were some of the best members of the Grey Knights when it came to combat but they had never expected this to be a test to see who would be able to become one of the Honour Guard members. 

Many of them started to question whether they performed up to their normal standards or had surpassed their other rivals in order to defeat them to join the Paladins.

Baldur truly didn't want an Honour Guard but the Grand Masters were forcing it on him. It was not just a matter of protection but also prestige.

The other 2 Primarchs also had Honour Guards that acted as not only the Primarch's guardians but also their champions in the case of honor duels, advisors for when the Primarch sought it out, and agents who performed the will of their Primarch or passed on his messages if he was unavailable. 

So the 12 Grand Masters had pretty much forced Baldur to accept an Honour Guard, half being Psykers that would be chosen at a later date while the other half would be made up of the best warriors.