Lucius the Eternal



In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, Lucius the Eternal is the champion of the Chaos god Slaanesh. Lucius is also known as The Soulthief, Fulgrim's Champion, and the Scion of Chemos.

During the Great Crusade
At first, Lucius was just another Marine in the Emperor's Children Legion. However, he soon distinguished himself with his skill at martial combat. During the latter years of the Great Crusade he was a captain under the command of Lord Commander Eidolon. His skill with a blade was unmatched, and took pride at being the best swordsman in the Legion - it was believed that Eidolon himself sparred with him for practice. During the battle for the planet 140-20, which became known as "Murder" after the Blood Angels described it as such, Lucius and his friend Saul Tarvitz led a group of Eidolon's troops in a foolhardy assault on the planet's surface; Lucius had taken to wielding a limb-blade from one of the "megarachnids" that lived on the planet as a sword, and was chastised by Eidolon for using it - for it was xenos first and foremost. After being rescued by the Luna Wolves, Lucius began to tire of the constant mockery - he was said to look more like a boy than a warrior - and thus, began carving ritual scars into his face to denote his fallen enemies. Some believed that it was an expression of piety to the Emperor and the Imperium - they were only half right. It was an expression of piety to be sure - but to an insidious deity: the Dark Prince, Slaanesh.

The Horus Heresy and After
Eidolon, along with Lucius and Tarvitz, were deployed to the surface of Istvaan III to supposedly put down an insurrection. The truth proved to be far worse: The Warmaster Horus, who was preparing his great campaign against the Emperor, was purging his Legions of elements that would likely stand against him. Upon their victory against the Istvaanian rebels, Horus ordered the planet virus-bombed. Along with loyalists from the World Eaters and Sons of Horus Legions, Tarvitz and Lucius survived the virus-bombing - and the eventual firestorm caused by the Warmaster's fleet.

But Lucius was not content with hiding in bunkers and cowering before his enemy. Confronted by the Chaplain Charmosian and defeating him, Lucius used the helm-vox from the Chaplain's bloodstained helmet to contact Eidolon. He promised to deliver Tarvitz - and the Imperial position - to the Warmaster's forces in exchange for rejoining the Legion. Tempted by such an offer, Eidolon accepted, and the attack began in earnest. As the Traitor Legions prepared to redeploy, Lucius and Eidolon joined with the Warmaster's forces - just as Horus ordered the loyalist position bombarded from orbit, killing every last survivor on the surface.

Lucius eventually rose to the rank of Lord Commander, and continued to hone and better his skills with a blade after the Emperor's Children began to worship Slaanesh. Fulgrim organised gladiatorial games on their home planet whenever the Legion was unable to vent its need for the pleasure of the kill on other worlds, and Lucius was undefeated in these, an unstoppable force, until he fought Lord Commander Cyrius. Lucius was killed by Cyrius, and his death was an experience of such transcendent pleasure that Slaanesh himself took notice: he could not let such a promising Marine and servant slip away. In the following days, Cyrius began to change: lines began to appear over his skin and his hair started to fall out. Within days, Lucius had returned to the world of the living, and all that remained of Cyrius was a screaming face in the warped artificier armour Lucius wore, trapped within Lucius's armour in screaming agony for all eternity. Since then, this has happened many times: so long as his killer takes even the tiniest moment of enthusiasm, pleasure or satisfaction from besting Lucius, they will begin to change, both agonisingly slowly and horrifically painfully, into him, and become just another screaming face, an immortal memory in the armour that Lucius is clad in.

Lucius is armed with a daemon-infested whip, as well as an ornate sabre. His armour, powered by the thousands of souls now trapped in it, offers him unnatural protection. Lucius is inspired by challenges in combat - against worthy foes he fights like a man possessed (which he is), but against unskilled rabble he can barely muster the enthusiasm to swing his blade.

The Fall of Medusa V
Lucius was finally created in model form for the Fall of Medusa V worldwide campaign in the summer of 2006. Lucius was mentioned as being in several locations, including Hive Edethor and Hive Hydra, but nothing substantial.