These pieces are part of an ongoing story. You could see them as chapters in an epic collection of stories by a number of authors, all moderators on the Bolter and Chainsword forum. These result from an online tournament called the Arena of Death, in which contestants submit a character for one of two sides. These character 'fight' each other, based on dice rolls by the judging moderators. Based on these battles and their outcomes, fluff stories are written for each battle as well as background stories for the ongoing campaign. I had been planning to participate, when I was asked to become a moderator, excluding me from participation in the campaign. The below story 'A Matter of Pride' was written as background for my character, Veteran Sergeant Ludovicus  Beyaert. In order for my writing to be not completely in vain, I decided to, together with the other fluff writers for the campaign, to let him appear in the campaign storyline as a Non Player Character. However, he now has such an amount of fluff written about him, and I have so many ideas to pursue, I will add more instalments as his story develops...

	Fearing the worst, the Fiery Lions began a desperate search for their wayward brethren, undoubtedly knowing there could only be one outcome to the situation, when they were contacted by the Legio Bolter and Chainsword. The Legio, having suffered grievous losses during the last Black Crusade, was requesting the chapter to send them one or more marines to bolster their ranks. Traditionally however, the Fiery Lions had never detached marines to the Legio, save for a handful of extraordinary occasssions.
	Veteran Brother Marine Ludovicus Beyaert knelt down and, holding his bolter and chainsword loosely in his gauntleted hands, he lowered his head and calmly listened for any signs of the enemy. Just like he had done on hundreds of battlefields, in his long service with the Fiery Lions chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. The din of battle had been growing stronger again for the last couple of minutes and he knew he was nearing the end of this hunt.
	Looking at me, you would not know that at one time, this mortal coil held a noble spirit, a shining paladin of humanity’s greatest hope. Needless to say it’s gone now. Yet, before this pallid flesh turned into the hideous and terrible form you now see before you, I was once a loyal and pious member of the proud Adeptus Astartes. A hero, even among my peers, I was regarded highly and according to many, on my way to the top. Yes; how the mighty have fallen.
	Dust slowly descended from the low ceiling, catching the pale and weak light of the emergency lights, disappearing in the distance. He was near. Every fibre in his body was aware of it and nothing would stop him now, so close to his elusive quarry. There was no doubt in Beyaert’s mind that the traitor had heard the brief but fierce combat in this narrow corridor. He was facing an opponent not only driven by hate and despair, but also aware of his presence, the Corsair guarding this part of the base, in his feeble attempt at resistance, had seen to that at least.
	Altering its course, the torpedo angled away from the surface of the asteroid and gave a short, powerful burst with its escape jets. Beyaert, now looking straight down on the surface of the asteroid suddenly spied the power armoured figure he had seen moving around the torpedoes, entering the one on the far right, which he had intended to investigate. There was something familiar about this marine. But before he could discern who it was, billowing dust clouds thrown up by the torpedo’s engines made him loose sight of the other craft altogether.