The Dreadnought's bundles of electrofibres and magna-coils whirred menacingly as it towered over its foes, limbs shifting to make sure movement was optimal. Its left arm hefted a twin-linked heavy bolter, and its right consisted of a Power Fist with four inwardly facing fingers, which it clacked together as if testing the weapon.
Eliphas hesitated for a split-second. Even the fearless Traitor Astartes must balk when confronted with a machine over twice as tall as them and many times wider, toting weaponry that would shred them to pieces at any range. "Retreat!" he yelled, prompting the heretics under his command to fall back again. The Havoc manning the Autocannon disobeyed, instead firing wildly, the shells detonating harmlessly against the thick ceramite and adamantium plates. The Dreadnought retaliated with a hail of bolts. A few of the projectiles impacted and exploded within the sandbags, but the majority hit either the Autocannon or the Havoc, pulverising both into twisted forms of metal and flesh. This gave enough time for the Black Legionnaires to back into a more covered position where the heavy bolter wouldn't give them so much trouble.
The Dreadnought laughed humourlessly. "Heretics, I... am here to end you. I am Davian Thule... conqueror of Kronus... and you are but chaff... before the scythe. Sending you back to your misbegotten false idols will be a pleasure," he uttered slowly and purposefully.
Eliphas' eyes widened in surprise. This Dreadnought had lead the Blood Ravens on Kronus? Priority number one, then. "Focus fire on the Dreadnought!" he ordered, hoping that at least one would get through and injure the metal beast. No such luck. The bolts were laughed off as though they were mere raindrops, the Dreadnought beginning its inexorable march forwards, each booming footstep heralding doom for the traitors.
Attached to the Power Fist was an underslung Heavy Flamer. The burning promethium flowed over and around cover, negating their advantage and coating them in the blazing substance, charring their armour even blacker and cooking them inside their suits, or leaving them barely alive with the joints of the Power Armour fused together. Any Marines flushed out of cover by the flamer were cut down in a torrent of bolter fire.
Soon, there were nine Black Legionnaires left. Eliphas, Kazgrim, the Sorcerer and six ordinary Black Legionnaires lucky enough to avoid the onslaught. "Fall back to the vox-caster," Eliphas spat. "This battle is nearly lost."
"Lost because of you, incompetent."
Eliphas turned slowly. "Repeat that, Kazgrim."
Kazgrim didn't bother, instead bringing the power sword overhead to cleave Eliphas in two. Eliphas sidestepped the blow, swinging the roaring chainaxe in an arc that cut through Kazgrim's head, leaving the Noise Champion truncated in his gaudily ornate armour. Eliphas slung the fallen Slaaneshi's power sword onto his back. Eight left.
"I said fall back," Eliphas snarled. His charges retreated obediently, lest they lie cloven along with Kazgrim. They scurried out of line of sight of Thule. A sudden sense of rage overcame Eliphas. Thule had taken Kronus from him, denying him the favour of the Dark Gods. Now he was cowering again, afraid of his foe? Disgusting. Eliphas dropped the bolt pistol, wielding the power sword instead.
blood blood blood blood blood
Eliphas charged out of cover, unheeding of the wall of bolts that all seemed to miss him. He did not question it, rushing towards the Dreadnought.
blood blood blood
Ducking under the power fist, Eliphas saw his opening and took it, the chainaxe scoring a deep gash into the broad armour. The power sword stabbed, rending a hole in the centre of the metal sarcophagus, managing to score a hit on the grievously wounded Astartes inside.
BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD
Screaming in berserk fury, the chainaxe and power sword came down again and again, sawing through great chunks of ceramite to viciously butcher the half-carcass within. The wild swinging of the Power Fist did not ever reach Eliphas, and he was already too close to blast with the bolters or flamer. Just a few more seconds and he would be through.
A plasma bolt flew by his face, searing it enough to hurt the former Word Bearer. This snapped Eliphas out of his martial trance. He saw that the remaining Blood Ravens had grown bold enough to step out of cover and finally support their brother. He could not take all of them at once. Realising that, he retreated again, flinging the chainaxe at Thule so the vicious blade embedded deep into the armour. The damage to the Dreadnought was extensive enough that it could not move its legs, and the traitor was out of his line of sight.
Eliphas regrouped with his charges, and they began to walk backwards, firing at the Blood Ravens who were in pursuit. The more experienced ones took cover yet again, but a hot-headed inexperienced battle-brother continued his charge, yelling irritating corpse-venerating chants. Eliphas strode slowly forward to meet him and stabbed him in the gut with the power sword, the disruptive field surrounding the blade punching through the armour and body of the Marine as though they were completely insubstantial. The Blood Raven's strength left his limbs and he collapsed against Eliphas, who slid the blade up, eviscerating the Marine from navel to sternum. He withdrew the blade scornfully, letting the body fall. "You are found wanting," he said to them as he walked away, leaving the remainders of the traitors to cover him. "So good to see you again, Blood Ravens. I remember well our sparring on Kronus."
Eliphas' final trick was revealed. A black Hellclaw fell from the sky, disgorging a Chaos Dreadnought directly behind the loyalist Marines, forcing them to turn around and engage it, letting Eliphas and his group escape. "Tell Captain Thule that his old friend Eliphas is anxious to see him again," he called back to them, one last taunt before escape. Speaking of which...
"Now, psyker. Get us out of here."
The Sorcerer opened one man-sized portal through the Warp, only enough for one to get through.
"All of us, you dolt!"
The Sorcerer laughed mockingly. "I'm sorry, Eliphas, but I must follow orders," he said sombrely. "My orders were to return to Araghast alone, and I'm afraid your purpose has been served. My suggestion? Scurry ba-"
His scornful words were interrupted by Eliphas kicking him squarely in the chest, toppling him into a dark chasm, his last words a scream of terror. Holding the portal open with his own psychic strength, Eliphas walked through it and closed it behind him, abandoning the last of the Black Legion to be mopped up.
He appeared on a desolate, icy world. The cold air caused discomfort to even an Astartes, and for an instant Eliphas regretted not wearing a helmet. In the air was unmistakably the unspoken promise and unnatural stench of Chaos. Eliphas had never experienced such a strong Chaos taint, not even when he was near his Primarch, Lorgar. Towering over him was Lord Araghast, evidently surprised that Eliphas had returned instead of his pet Sorcerer.
"Where is Halagar?" demanded Araghast.
"He fell in the fray. Most unfortunate. I also regret to inform you that all the forces you sent to hold Angel Forge have been wiped out by the Blood Ravens, which I'm assuming was the plan."
Araghast, as was his habit, regarded Eliphas closely. "You are more shrewd than I thought, Word Bearer," he said. "Yes, they were to die. An expendable distraction to draw the Blood Ravens' attention away from the main attack here on Aurelia. They will arrive, but too late to stop what is to come. In time, they shall all fall before Chaos, whether as servants or as corpses."
All of them. Including Thule. Especially Thule.
Eliphas smirked grimly. "I look forward to it, my Lord."
A/N: Thanks for reading. Suggestions/corrections/criticisms are welcome.
Now that we've hit a little 'blind spot' for Chaos, do you have any suggestions what antics Eliphas should get up to? I have a few ideas, but anything else would be appreciated.
Maybe Thule will fare better in his next battle against Eliphas. Who knows?
