This realm of Nocturne, in the Ultima Segmentum, was documented in the Imperial Archives as a place fraught with peril, burdened by intense radiation, a lethal climate, and relentless volcanic activity.
But these threats paled in comparison to the greater peril that the people of Nocturn faced. Every 15 years, the orbits of Nocturn and its colossal moon, Prometheus, drew perilously close, creating gravitational forces capable of tearing them apart. These intervals were known as times of trial, marked by catastrophic tidal waves, simultaneous volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes that reshaped the very land.
Historically, such disasters had claimed the lives of countless individuals. Moreover, the years of darkness and crop failures that followed added to the toll. Mockingly, the Dark Eldar, a Xenos species, transformed Nocturn into a grizzly playground for their cruel games.
The most horrifying aspect of their raids was that the locals, numbed by constant fear, did not resist but instead built shelters, quietly hiding as their kin were taken.
Yet, prophecy foretold the arrival of a saviour.
.
During one destructive cycle, a brilliant flash appeared against the backdrop of ash and fire, marking the arrival of a strange technological pod. The pod was discovered by a blacksmith named N'bel. He approached the pod and, after making sure that it wasn't anything like the Dark Eldar would create, opened it and found a small infant inside it. Seeing the infant sparked hope in the weary man's heart. Something that he hadn't thought possible anymore.
Initially perceiving the infant as either a miracle or a punishment, N'bel's fears faded upon hearing the child's cries. He assumed the baby was hurt, given the flaming crater left by the crash, but quickly realised the child was unharmed. His cries were not from pain, but rather from a profound longing for connection.
Thus began this Primarch's story, destined to become a champion for the defenceless in a world ravaged by turmoil. He would stand as a beacon of hope, reminding all that even in the darkest times, compassion and strength could flourish.
Determined to raise the extraordinary child as his own, N'bel decided to conceal the capsule that had brought the infant to him, hiding it in his yard. He resolved to reveal the truth of his origins only when the child was mature enough to grasp the significance.
In homage to an ancient deity, he named the boy Vulkan and welcomed him into his home, teaching him the skills of blacksmithing and weapon crafting.
In an astonishing display of growth, the child matured rapidly, reaching his full height in just 3 years, towering far above all other humans on Nocturne. Young Vulkan exceeded every native of Nocturn in strength and displayed a remarkable intellect and wisdom that distinguished him from others. Well, apart from his large stature and bulging muscles, that was.
The culture of cooperation present among the planet's inhabitants, coupled with the love and guidance of his father, fostered in the young Primarch a deep respect for the lives of the most vulnerable. This would prove to be most important and shape the Primarch and those who carried his name into the most compassionate legion.
4 years after the pod's arrival, N'bel sensed it was time to reveal Vulkan's true origins. Recognising that the stark contrast between his son and the rest of the population weighed heavily on his heart, he chose a quiet evening to share the truth. He guided Vulkan to the hidden capsule, which lay a short distance from the forge in a specially excavated cellar, carefully concealed beneath a broken anvil for safety.
As Vulcan assisted his ageing father in opening the entrance, he hesitated, refraining from stepping into the hidden place that held the truth of his extraterrestrial beginnings.
"What's wrong, my son? Are you worried?" N'bel asked.
"A little," the large and powerful son revealed.
This caused the older man to chuckle very lightly, amused to hear his extraordinary son, who was stronger and smarter than anyone else, say that. He gently touched his son's massive arm and looked at him.
"You have nothing to worry about. Come, it is important to know oneself. Whatever happens later, we shall see when we get there."
The two stepped into the hidden cave, where the pod remained, just like N'bel had placed it 4 years before. The father observed his son as he looked at the pod with interest and professional judgment, just like N'bel had done back then. Vulkan touched the pod gently, making sure not to damage it, as he was well aware of his strength.
He eventually found the mechanism, and as if following his will, it opened and revealed the space within.
"You arrived in that," N'bel said after a moment of silence. "You fell from the sky in a ball of fire, and I wasn't sure what it was. Imagine my surprise when I not only found an infant inside, but that it was unharmed as well."
"Do you know where I came from?" Vulkan asked.
"I do not. But I don't particularly care either. You are my son, and that won't change, no matter the starting point of this pod. It led you here, and that's all I need to know."
In stark contrast to N'bel's worries, the young Primarch showed no signs of distress about his origins. He was interested in the origins of his birth and the pod, but that was it. He viewed Nocturn as his true home and cherished the old blacksmith who had taught him the ways of hunting and craftsmanship.
Much like a father would, all else felt inconsequential.
"I think—"
A loud explosion stopped their discussion. In the moment of their heartfelt talk, the planet fell under attack from the Drukhari, leaving no room for warmth.
"Drukhari! Come, Vulkan!" N'bel said.
Grasping his son's large hand, N'bel urged Vulkan to seek safety, but the Primarch refused to flee.
"What are you doing?" N'bel asked.
"You told me about the Dark Eldar, father. I know about their vile acts and the sins against my home and our people. And I am unwilling to turn my back on them when I have the strength to do something about it."
"Fi-fight?! Vulkan, please listen to me! It's not safe, you could die!" N'bel said frantically.
Vulkan looked at his father with a gentle smile and shook his head.
"If I can save a single one of our brothers and sisters, it would have been worth it. But I shall not die, father."
With powerful steps, Vulkan walked through their forge and picked up two massive hammers, one for each hand. He gave his father a confident and assuring nod and then boldly stepped forward to confront the invaders.
.
Living on Nocturne was hard for all the humans. They had to deal with catastrophic tidal waves, simultaneous volcanic eruptions, earthquakes that reshaped the very land and the Drukhari, the Dark Eldar who saw the planet as their hunting ground.
Karesh was born in this world 24 years ago and felt the weight of such an existence. And it disgusted him. All his life, he felt like he didn't belong there, like it was not right to just have to accept the Dark Eldar raids, and he had to be held back by his parents multiple times. For they knew, if the Dark Eldar caught him, he would either die a painful death, or be captured, brought back to Commorragh and then put through the worst of tortures and pains, only to then have his soul sucked out of him and then die.
And then, his parents died, leaving Karesh alone in the world. With their death, he vowed to do something about the Drukhari, the next time they arrived, no matter the consequences.
That was roughly the time that a strange object fell from the sky and crashed on Nocturne. Karesh didn't know what came of it; all he knew was that a few months later, N'bel, a friend of his father, introduced Karesh to a young boy by the name Vulkan.
The two immediately hit it off. There was something about the other that both seemed to recognise. Both were natural-born warriors. They became the closest friends, brothers in all but blood and spent a lot of time together.
Initially, Karesh was the one dominating their little sparring sessions and their time in the forge. But a year later, Vulkan was already competing and even outdoing Karesh in some areas. And after two years, it was no longer a competition, let alone the two years after that. Vulkan grew to ridiculous heights and stature. He towered over Karesh, and during their friendly bouts, he won each time, with less and less difficulty.
Vulkan grew a bit apprehensive and held back a lot, fearing that his larger stature and the constant losses would demoralise Karesh and maybe even make him jealous or despise him. But that didn't happen. Quite the contrary, in fact. Karesh came to see their sparring sessions as an opportunity to grow stronger and adapt their fighting style.
Their competitions in the forge were similar, with Vulkan seemingly having a divine hand when it came to the craft. But Karesh never grew depressed or displeased with anything, seeing his brother as a like-minded individual who would surely stand by his side, should another raid come to pass.
And now, 4 years after Vulkan's arrival on Nocturne, the time had come.
.
Karesh stepped out of the secret passages and hiding places, striding forward, towards the attackers' yells and laughter. And as he walked, he was met by the towering figure of his brother, Vulkan.
"Out of the way, brother. I have business to attend to."
"What are you doing here, brother?" Vulkan asked.
"I think we both know the answer to that question, Vulkan. I will never again watch as these aliens defile our world, our home. I'd rather DIE than do nothing."
Vulkan saw the fire in his brother's eyes and, after a very brief contemplation, nodded. After his father, N'bel, he trusted no one more than Karesh. So they faced the arriving hordes of Drukhari with nothing but hammers.
The people of Nocturne referred to the Dark Eldar as twilight spectres, imbuing them with a supernatural air of terror. The speed and brutality, combined with their strange, vicious dance, made the Dark Eldar seem invincible. But Vulkan would prove that they were not.
With decisive, powerful blows, Vulcan quickly proved that these 'phantoms' were merely flesh and blood, susceptible to damage like any mortal being. He fought the Drukhari, using both his hammers and, when they were stuck in the body of a Dark Eldar, tearing them apart with his bare hands, freeing those who had been captured already.
The Dark Eldar were caught most off guard by the towering giant that moved swiftly and was capable of smashing them to bloody pulps with a single swing of his hammers or his fists. They, who schemed and plotted against each other and the entire galaxy, were caught off guard, having chosen to arrive at the most inopportune times.
Vulkan's 'audacity' would inspire others, including N'bel, to muster the courage to defend their homeworld alongside him. They picked up their arms and the weapons they created in the forges, roaring battlecries and rushing forward. Vulkan single-handedly killed over a hundred of the Drukhari, only feeling a surge of fear when one of the Drukhari Witches nearly struck down his father.
The battle was fierce, bloody and brutal, but the men and women of Nocturne emerged victorious, repelling the darkest of filth for the first time in their known history.
Vulkan had proven that the Drukhari weren't invincible and that fighting back was indeed the best course of action. But Vulkan was not the only one who proved something that day. So did Karesh.