Brother-Herald Aulius Claudius of the Ultramarine Legion, Herald of Macragge.
Space Marines are engineered to be warrior-gods, striding across battlefields fighting the enemies of mankind.
It is rare for them to fall in battle and rarer still for them to suffer wounds that their superhuman immune system can not deal with.
Brother Claudius is one such example however.
Born on Ultramar and inducted into the Ultramarines as with many other Space Marines, Aulius Claudius fought as part of the Third company across the Imperium against a variety of foes. He has slain Orks during the war for Armageddon, crushed heretics on Doton and slain traitor marines on Boros Minor, rising through the ranks of the Ultramarines with unfaltering loyalty and valour. It was during Hive Fleet Behemoths' advance on Ultramar that disaster struck Brother Claudius. As a Veteran of the First Company, Claudius was present and stood firm as the Tyranids landed on Macragge. The fighting for the Ultramarine Homeworld was intense, planetary defense forces and Ultramarines butchering thousands of alien creatures. It was at Cold Steel Ridge where the Hive Mind let loose the Swarmlord to attack Marneus Calgar, Ultramarine Chapter Master.
While many Ultramarines were killed or left maimed protecting their Master, Claudius was sole survivor of two squads of Veterans that held off a swarm of genestealers outflanking the defenders. In slaying the Broodlord Claudius suffered massive wounds, left torn and broken in the snow. Thankfully he was recovered and extracted along with the remaining troops. It took the medicae and apothecaries days to stabilise him and further weeks to fit the mass of bionic replacements for hiss tortured form. The wounds were so grievous that it was agreed that he would be unable to take part in any further combat. With Hive Fleet Behemoth beaten and cleansed from the system, Lord Macragge decided that Claudius would fill a role left empty by the Ultramarines horrific casualties; Herald.
With the Ultramarines providing an example of how the Space Marines operate, the Heralds travel the local sectors, providing the Ultramarines and their planetary agents opportunity to discuss matters at hand and ensure purity in local forces. Claudius has taken to his role with difficulty; as a Warrior, his learned direct approach to things has made negotiation and politics a complete change of mindset. But he has adapted well and now carries his Ultramar Blade, a holy relic, with pride and has a clear focus on his duties, reminding The People the Astartes are never far...