Ok this is my first Fanfic so please go easy on me.
Disclaimer, the only thing belonging to me are the Armengarian 1st and its characters the rest is not my own, it belongs to Games workshop.
Prologue: We Die Alone
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Pacing down the length of the courtyard, she could see the troops mustering their mounts ready to ride at a moments notice. Turning with one last backwards glance at her troops she enters the mansion her commanders commandeered for this campaign. The arrogant fools, who saw the guard as nothing more than cannon fodder, were sat on a balcony overlooking her troops when she arrived.
"Ah so glad you could join us 'Knight'-captain, I suppose then you have received my orders?" Cringing almost visibly at the sound of his voice, she nodded "ready to ride when you command General"
Turning back to his caffeine, he waved his hand dismissively. "Get going then". Walking into the yard again she looked around taking in her troops, all five hundred of them each to a man armed with the standard issue Elysian pattern assault rifle, sword and an Armengarian Lance. Armoured plates strapped to each thigh, calf and both parts of each arm and the chest. Quickly mounting up she led troops out of the gate towards the front lines where the orcs pressed home their victory at this moment.
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Scrambling away from the firing step the trooper ducked as crude bolters fired over his head as the orcs swarmed over their trenches, picking up a lasrifle he turned and fired several searing shots down the length of the trench at some approaching orcs. He clipped two sending them sprawling into the mud, the satisfaction of the act quickly faded as he noticed the rest of them closing with increasing speed.
Bracing himself for a painful death, he quickly drew his bayonet discarding the now empty rifle, ready to meet his fate with a blade in hand. Bringing the blade up into the skull of the first orc to reach him, he quickly moved back further, into the open before noticing he had left the trench completely. Hearing a slight rumble, he dreaded to think how many orcs would be needed to make that much noise before a small burst of static filled his ear "…ack! Fall back!... Cavalry Inco..."
Seeing the other remaining troopers falling back he quickly followed as fast as his exhausted frame would let him, slipping on a patch of mud he started to pick himself up when a shadow fell across him, turning he found himself facing and orc, its axe upraised to end him. Closing his eyes in resignation he awaited his end starting to wondering what was causing the ground to shake when he heard the orc take a step back…wait... and orc retreating? Opening his eyes again he looked around in wonder at the sound of over a thousand voices mixing together in a battle cry over the top the rumble their mounts.
The cavalry clashed with the advancing orc horde head on in a thicket of lances and other close combat weapons with first blood to the lances, breaking the front ranks and flowing into the gaps then the combat was joined.
Bringing her charger round Knight-captain Ariel Saraphie dropped the lance as it drove into the skull of an orc, drawing her sword from its sheath on her back she turned cleaving the skull of another orc unfortunate enough to get close to her all the time watching the mounted troopers around her seeing them in action after so long was a glorious sight; the light shining of their armour, the plumes on the helmets fleeing with the speed of the mounts and rising and falling of blades each thick with xenos blood. This is what battle should be, let the footsloggers have their trenches and the commanders their cushy bunkers. out here was the real war, turning herm ind back to the battle she turned bringing her blade up to meet a descending choppa before kicking out at the offending orcs face with her boot being rewarded by a crunch from its nose. A thunder of an automatic weapon brought her attention snapping around as she caught sight of several of her troopers and their mounts come apart in a show of blood and of unmentionables.
"Reform, reform the lines!" Turning her Charger so its pranced alongside the others who had heard her command. "looks like we have done our job boys, now... the general has give orders we are to hold the orcs at all costs, so lets give the bastards hell!"
For Armengar and the Emperor! Kicking her Chargers forwards she didn't care if they followed or not, none of them would be getting back from this alive, the general was a cruel and twisted man damn him to hell. they would hold this field for as long as they still drew breath not for the general but for the troopers fleeing back across the plain. He train of thoughts was abruptly interrupted by another burst of fire and a sharp pain in her shoulder and a feeling like she was slammed into from behind, it took her a few moments to realise she had been hit in the shoulder, her armour had taken most of the blow but it was bleeding and she was loosing feeling. turning to a nearby trooper who had also been dismounted she shouted over the din of battle "get back to the headquarters, tell them we cant hold them much longer we are too few now go!" Drawing the rifle off her back she kneeled placing it against her uninjured shoulder, smiling at the feel of the gun she sighted on the closest orc before preceding to scatter what little brain matter it had across the battle field with the high powered rounds. firing at any target in range she quickly emptied her clip, reaching for another she felt a shadow fall across her back she flung herself to one side, fast but not fast enough as she found when she felt something embed itself in her back pushing her face down into the mud. As her vision swam her last thoughts were of her home and the city she had left behind.