A/N: This is my first story, so I'm still learning things. Now, let's begin. For the Tau'va.


Ch. 1 Exitus


Onyx adjusted the sights on his Exitus rifle, watching as the crosshair centered on the target's point of entry. His target was walking, the crunching of undergrowth broadcasting her position. The tree Onyx was using as a nest was at the edge of a small clearing, the tree line only a few meters from a cliff. In the center of the clearing, a singular gray headstone stood at the cliff's edge. The target exited the brush, her course taking her straight to the headstone. Was she… talking to it? Onyx took a breath, the filtered air smelling of sweat. A hand went rifling for a Kraken penetrator round, giving the author time to describe him. His mask completely covered his face, serving as a reminder that his mission was not yet complete. From the neck down he was completely clothed in synskin, some rigging adorning his torso and a basic exo-suit covering his chest / upper body. As it reached his waist, the rigging gave way to plates of plasteel protecting his legs. A cameleoline synthweave cloak graced his shoulders, reaching down to his feet when he walked. Onyx's long fingers found the shell and he raised it to his eyes so as to admire it. The shell was one-foot stem to stern, rocket-propelled, tipped with adamantium, and had a mass-reactive explosive charge. The blast from a single Kraken penetrator was enough to tear a massive hole in a dreadnought. Onyx tapped the shell, the chamber of his Exitus rifle eagerly accepting the holy ammunition. He trained his sights on the target again, the girl still talking to the grave. Honestly, she could have at least made her prayers shorter. He would let the girl finish praying. Onyx was an assassin of the holiest temple. None had seen his face, for his mask was a part of him and his mission. And none had ever escaped him.

The target stood, saying her final words to whoever was buried here. Onyx put his eye to the scope, the crosshair centered on her chest. He took a deep breath to steady himself as his finger grazed the trigger. He quickly prayed to his rifle's machine spirit. Onyx pulled the trigger. His enhanced senses let him watch as the Kraken penetrator sailed through the air, its course true. He watched as the round came within a few feet of her. Something happened. The target simply blurred out of the way, her speed rivaling that of the incoming round. The Kraken penetrator thudded into the ground, the resulting explosion throwing the target off her feet. Onyx smashed a button on his wrist, his synskin camouflaging to hide his position. He slid another round into his rifle and sighted again. He found his target and centered the crosshair on her. His finger graced the trigger again. As the smoke from his previous shot cleared, his view of the target was unobstructed. Is that a scythe? The pommel of the weapon erupted, a bullet pinging off the tree behind him. It's also a gun. Great. His left hand slid into a pocket by his waist, the object inside latching onto his hand. Mechanisms whirred as the object glided over his hand. The process ended as the object smoothed itself out, taking the shape of a gauntlet as it spread up his arm. His neuro-gauntlet left his side, returning to his rifle. Just as he did so, the target spun her scythe around, planting the pommel behind her. Before you could say "What in the Emperor's name?", she was flying straight at him. She appeared to be using some form of exaggerated recoil.

The target blasted past him, clearly mistaking his position. The air whined as her scythe cut it. The blade passed through the offending tree, not slowing at all. Onyx made no noise as he dropped to the ground, timing his fall so the crunch of undergrowth was swallowed by a vicious slice. The target also dropped, turning slowly as she searched for him. As she turned away, Onyx tapped his wrist and began walking. He walked straight to her, bending down and picking up a rock as he did so. He threw the rock exactly opposite him, the target whirling around at the noise. Onyx smiled. Heretic, meet your end. He tapped the target's shoulder, the girl (again) whirling around. A high keening tore itself from his throat, the target's eyes growing as wide as saucers. Liquid adrenaline pumped into his bloodstream. He grabbed the target by her collar with his right hand, lifting her high off her feet. Again, a keening screech tore away from his throat as he tore the scythe from her grip, casting it aside. He tightened his grip on her collar, his gauntleted left arm rising from his side. Onyx plunged his neuro-gauntlet into the target's stomach.

The gauntlet should have sunk into her stomach, injecting copious amounts of a deadly neurotoxin into her bloodstream, killing her slowly and painfully. Instead, it bounced off. A devilish scream erupted from behind his mask as he stabbed her again and again. Each time, the deadly talons came within an inch of the target's skin and deflected. Suddenly, Onyx heard a noise. Someone was running. His masked face turned to the noise, seeing a very yellow girl charging at him shouting something about rubies. His mask's filters dimmed his view to compensate. Onyx smiled, thinking of his friends in the Adeptus Mechanicus. As the blonde neared, he took one step off to the side, pivoting on his heel. A punch flew past his shoulder and his friends in the priesthood of Mars made themselves known. As the fist began to withdraw two mechadendrites snaked out from the confines of his cloak and wrapped themselves around the offending appendage. They yanked, pulling the blonde off balance as more wrapped themselves around her limbs and neck. All together, they lifted. The result: both young girls immobilized, suspended over the shadowy figure of Onyx. As Onyx's fingers tightened on the target's collar, he felt something snap. The loudest screech yet blasted out of his mask, echoing in the crisp morning air. As his hand shot forward, his ears warned him of yet another danger. He sighed, a few mechadendrites loosening themselves from the yellow one's throat and wrapped tightly around the target. They wrapped so tight the target was cocooned on his back. Freed, his right hand fell to his rigging, long fingers grasping at a small device. Onyx pivoted on the balls of his feet, turning to face this new threat. At the same time, his right arm tossed the device. The small, grenade-like device expanded mid-air, three triangular protrusions facing the girl who was next. A spear, thrown at his leg, sang as it rebounded off a plasteel plate. The red girl's eyes widened as the device attached itself to her shoulder. The webbing grenade unfolded, uncountable ropes encircling her completely. Crushed together, her legs failed to support her and she crashed to the ground. Onyx turned, mechadendrites sweeping up a crimson scythe, and began walking back to the cliff. As he reached the edge his mechadendrites hurled the yellow one off the edge, sending her gauntlets down separately, as their machine spirits cackled with laughter. He unwound his catch, dangling her over the abyss. Onyx screeched, victory evident in the tone. His neuro-gauntlet came back, preparing to end his mission. He cried out, "Fear me, for I am your Apocalypse!" His talons shot forward.

Just as they were about to enter, he heard the red girl, the one he had trapped, say something muffled. His target may not have heard it, but his enhanced hearing picked it up with ease. "Ruby!" His neuro-gauntlet's deadly talons stopped just inches from the target's skin. Slowly, as realization dawned, he placed the girl back on the ground, keeping a firm grip on her arms. Casually tossing the scythe on the ground next to her, he leaped backward off the cliff. His modified valkyrie decloaked, catching him inside the cockpit as he fell. Explaining this is going to be… interesting.


A/N: So, what do you think? Please leave a review to help me along. On another note entirely, I have a large stockpile of these written, so all you have to do is wait. Until next time, for the Tau'va.

Signed, Shas'O'Vior'la'Ka'dak'e of the Tau'cea