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{{AlphaLegionPortal}}
'''Arkos the Faithless''', also known as the '''Scion of Alpharius''' is a [[Chaos Lord]] of the [[Alpha Legion]] and leader of [[the Faithless]], an Alpha Legion warband. He and his warriors were based on the [[battle barge]] ''[[Anarchy's Heart]]''.{{Fn|3d}}

Arkos played a major role in the [[Vraks|Siege of Vraks]], where he became a powerful ally of renegade cardinal [[Xaphan]].{{Fn|1}}{{Fn|2}}{{Fn|3}} At the end of the conflict, he was captured by the [[Unforgiven]] and his warband is now believed to have been destroyed.{{Fn|3c}}

==History==
Originally a [[Space Marine Captain|captain]] of the Alpha Legion, Arkos turned traitor along with the rest of the legion during the [[Horus Heresy]] and fought alongside his [[primarch]] [[Alpharius]] against the forces loyal to the [[Emperor of Mankind|Emperor]].{{Fn|1d}}{{Fn|3d}}

After the defeat of [[Horus]], Arkos and his warband fled into the [[Eye of Terror]] where they continued their legion's own war against the [[Imperium]]. From his personal battle barge, the ''Anarchy's Heart'', they began a campaign of raiding Imperial shipping lanes and instigating [[Chaos Cults|cultist]] activity in the [[sector]]s close to the Eye.{{Fn|1d}}{{Fn|3d}}

In some daring missions his men have masqueraded themselves as imperial Space Marines by donning loyalist armour patterns.{{Fn|1c}} Usually they would act in small units of saboteurs and commandos behind enemy lines. Arkos himself would rarely take action where he didn't have a tactical advantage, preferring his servants to do the fighting.{{Fn|1d}}{{Fn|3d}}

In mid-[[M33]], Arkos led a series of attacks against Imperial words in the vicinity of the [[Mordant Zone]], eventually drawing thousands of [[Space Marine]]s into the warzone. However when the loyalist Astartes arrive, they only found a string of dead worlds in their wake. Attempts to pursue Arkos meet with disaster, as [[Warp Storm]]s throw vessels off course or consume them entirely.{{Fn|4}}

==The Siege of Vraks==
===Arrival at Vraks===
Disguised as loyalist space marines, Arkos and his warband were able to land at the Imperial Starport, infiltrate the [[Death Korps of Krieg|Krieg]] battle lines and cross no-mans land to reach the enemy side. Under the guise of launching an attack they made for the Citadel and presented themselves to Cardinal Xaphan pledging the aid and support of the [[Gods of Chaos|Chaos Gods]].{{Fn|1a}}

Arkos went on to provide valuable tactical experience to the [[Vraksian Renegade Militia|Vraksian renegade command]] while his veteran Alpha legion troops were able to both raid and disrupt behind the Imperial front lines along with providing expert training for the militia.{{Fn|1a}}

He had made pacts with other Chaos forces beforehand and hoped to make siege the first of many uprisings in the [[Scarus Sector]].{{Fn|1a}} As the conflict progressed the traitors began to readorn themselves with symbols of [[Chaos Undivided]].{{Fn|1c}}

===The battle for Vraks star port===
Suspecting Arkos and his men of possessing information about the [[Fallen]], [[Space Marine Grand Master|Supreme Grand Master]] [[Azrael]] led half his Chapter to capture and interrogate as many Traitor Legionnaires as possible.{{Fn|1b}}

The Alpha Legion and the [[Dark Angels]] clashed in the battle of Vraks star port. The traitors lured the loyalists into a trap, using militia men as bait and managed to kill the Dark Angels [[Standard Bearer]]. Arkos personally faced Azrael who tried to protect the [[Space Marine Standards#Sacred standard|sacred standard]]. Chanting a litany to his Gods, Arkos gained the upper hand in the duel. Only the intervention of [[Interrogator-Chaplain]] [[Belphegor]], who smashed Arkos to the ground prevented him from delivering the killing blow.{{Fn|1b}}

When the battle died down, Arkos and his surviving followers had escaped, leaving the star port to the loyalists, who continued to demolish and [[Booby Traps|booby trap]] it. Not only had The Dark Angels taken heavy losses, but where forced to leave without any Alpha Legion captives.{{Fn|1b}}

===The forces of Chaos on Vraks===
In 822.[[M41]], almost ten years after the siege had begun, Arkos summoned his [[Sorcerer]]s to call their allies to Vraks. They released a powerful psychic signal through the [[warp]] which attracted all manners of Chaos forces. The orbital defences which had been neglected in recent years were easily overcome and allowed the forces of Chaos to make planetfall.{{Fn|2a}}{{Fn|2b}}

Many of the newly arrived Chaos forces took direct command of the front lines, reducing Xaphan to a symbolic leader. What little influence was left was exercised by Arkos himself.{{Fn|2c}}{{Fn|3d}}

When [[Zhufor|Zhufor the Impaler]], rose to power during the siege, Arkos betrayed Xaphan, allowing Zhufor to capture the renegade Cardinal in his palace.{{Fn|3a}}

===The end of the Faithless===
The Alpha Legion kept fighting for the rest of the siege, with Zhufor being the dominating power on Vraks. When the battle turned in favour of the Imperium due to the arrival of the [[Ordo Malleus]] and other Space Marines, they were one of the last lines of defence within the citadel. The loyalists that came after them were the Marines from the [[Angels of Absolution]] Chapter, a successor of the Dark Angels who had arrived at the behest of Grand Master Azrael. They were led by Master [[Yafnir]] and accompanied by Belphegor of the Dark Angels. The Chapter's battle barge ''[[Liberatorii Delictum]]'' destroyed the ''Anarchy's Heart'', robbing Arkos and his men of their chance to escape.{{Fn|3b}}

Trapped behind their own defences, the Faithless made their last stand against the [[Unforgiven]]. In the final battle Arkos managed to kill Yafnir, but was taken out by Belphegor. He, along with 14 other Alpha Legionnaires were taken captive by the Unforgiven, the rest of his warband is assumed to have been destroyed.{{Fn|3b}}{{Fn|3c}}

==Abilities and Weapons==
Alpharius' gene-seed is strong in Arkos, making him an inspiring leader. He is a skilled tactician, able to orchestrate his schemes and operations from his battle barge. After his fall to Chaos, he allowed himself to be [[Possessed (Chaos Space Marines)|possessed]] by [[daemon]]s. It was due to his great mental fortitude that he managed to survive this condition.{{Fn|3d}}

During the Siege of Vraks, Arkos wore an ancient [[power armour]], decorated with blasphemous runes and the eight-pointed star of Chaos.{{Fn|1b}} He was armed with a [[Combi-Melta]] and a [[Dark Blade]] [[Daemon weapon]], the latter being a gift by the Dark Gods for his loyalty and service.{{Fn|3d}}

== Sources ==
*{{Endn|1}}: [[Imperial Armour Volume Five - The Siege of Vraks - Part One]]
**{{Endn|1a}}: p.&nbsp;47
**{{Endn|1b}}: pp.&nbsp;54–58
**{{Endn|1c}}: p.&nbsp;160
**{{Endn|1d}}: p.&nbsp;178
*{{Endn|2}}: [[Imperial Armour Volume Six - The Siege of Vraks - Part Two]]
**{{Endn|2a}}: p.&nbsp;6
**{{Endn|2b}}: p.&nbsp;26
**{{Endn|2c}}: p.&nbsp;36
*{{Endn|3}}: [[Imperial Armour Volume Seven - The Siege of Vraks - Part Three]]
**{{Endn|3a}}: p.&nbsp;18
**{{Endn|3b}}: pp.&nbsp;79, 82, 84, 88, 198
**{{Endn|3c}}: p.&nbsp;140
**{{Endn|3d}}: p.&nbsp;199
*{{Endn|4}}: [[Imperial Armour Volume Thirteen - War Machines of the Lost and the Damned]] pg. 21
[[Category:Characters (Alpha Legion)]]