Well, it's been a long time since I've updated this. I'm sorry to have kept you guys waiting. But I've had a lot to sort out with my life not to mention this site has not been accepting the documents I upload, so I've had to get that sorted. Anyway, I'll be writing several more chapters detailing the exploits of the Claymores and the Blood Ravens. But take heed, this story will be nearing its end soon.
Other than that, however; rejoice, my readers! This story is back in business!
Enjoy!
The former number 22's suspension of disbelief had been tested greatly over the course of the past few months. She had been on the run from the Organisation she had been sworn to all her life, she had fought the most deadly Awakened Beings including the Silver Eyed King in the North and lived to tell the tale. And she met a group of zealous, blood-painted angels of death from the heavens hoping to indoctrinate more to their cause.
Yet what stood before her eyes had completely blown all preconceptions out of the water.
A hulking, twenty-five foot war machine, it's right arm ending in an assault cannon that was belching out bolts of fire and steel at the wave of Word Bearers before it, the infantry disintegrating into splashes of blood like the churning sea.
"I have come to destroy you, heretics", boomed the Dreadnought, as it stomped across the charred ground, blasting away at the hurricane of Chaos Marines that dared to get in range of its assault cannon.
Helen's mind went blank at the absurd power and relentlessness of Davian Thule. It was clear no matter what she had been through at this point, there was still something that was going to surprise her.
"You guys are just full of surprises, aren't you?!" She shouted to Tarkus over the constant hail of bolter fire.
"Don't waste time gaping!" Tarkus barked as he laid suppressive fire from the demolished gates. "We need to pull back into the city!"
"You don't say!"
At that, Diomedes, who had been covering fire up upon the ramparts, looked down to see Clare and Helen slowly being overwhelmed by a tidal wave of Greenskin Nobs and Chaos Space Marines; the two groups had gotten caught up in the heat of battle and began engaging each other, leaving the Claymores stuck in the crossfire, exhausted from their combined attack on the Bloodthirster. For better or worse, the Asarakam had regrouped and had continued to batter away at the Xeno invaders, but they were slowly being overwhelmed. Three had already been slain by the Bloodthirster prior and it was only a matter of time before the rest crumbled before the assault.
Firing up his Jump Pack, the former Honor Guard launched himself back into the fray, sending the dogpile of brutes flying as the two blond warriors scrambled to the relative safety of the gates.
"Just finished setting up my last charge!" Cynthia cried out at Cyrus. "We need to get inside or we're all dead!"
"Captain! The charges are nearly ready, we can seal the gate and buy the city time to regroup!" Cyrus shouted over his voxcom as he fired his shotgun at a group of Sluggas bullrushing their rendezvous point.
"Understood" Diomedes replied urgently. "Everyone, fall back behind the gates. We must detonate the charges and seal the entrance!"
Even amidst this cacophony of war, their comrades didn't need to be told twice. Tarkus, Thule, Miria and Deneve took to the frontlines, relaying cover fire and a flurry of bladework to keep any stray heretic at bay as they quickly fell back. Amidst this last line of defence, the remaining members sprinted under the ruined gateway, clear of any ostentatious threat for the merest of moments before Cyrus sounded a warning.
"Detonating charges!"
With everyone past the entrance, a cluster of thunderous explosions broke out from the walls surrounding the exposed opening, leading to a massive avalanche of stone. Under Cyrus' meticulous instruction, he and Cynthia had placed the charges at key shatterpoints within the ramparts, ensuring the rockfall would completely block the entrance but not compromise the rest of the wall and get the city defenders caught in the crossfire.
Under the tall, sweeping ramparts, the group took a moment to catch their breath.
"Hopefully, that should buy us some time" breathed Clare as she struggled to contain her residual Yoki aura.
"The Orks will be launching Roks to bombard the city with fire or transport soldiers" Tarkus replied grimly. "The Word Bearers, on the other hand will launch Drop Pods to insert their troops behind the city's defences, if they don't summon demons to attack it from within.
"Well, good to know we've still got our work cut out for us" Helen chirped, attempting to find some humour in their dire circumstances. She then turned to the Venerable Dreadnought she was gawking at not five minutes ago. "At least we've got this metal giant on our side now. This shouldn't be too much of a hassle".
"We're surrounded in a strange city by thousands of xenos and traitors, Helen" Diomedes retorted. "We cannot hope to repel them with a handful of warriors and one Dreadnought".
"We've just split our force in half and sent the others on a glorified reconnaissance mission" Deneve replied, her expression firm. "Wouldn't your friend in the sky be able to provide support?".
"We could contact Martellus and have the Retribution drop additional squads to reinforce our position as well as bomb these xenos from orbit" Tarkus suggested. "If we take back Monet, we can better establish a foothold with which to launch a proper counter attack".
Before they could continue, an officer dressed in bronze armor ran to them, his caution worn from the adrenaline of battle and the absurd hostility of the city's attackers.
"You there!" He called out as the Blood Ravens and Claymores turned to address him. "You fight these beasts, and you have sealed our main gate. Are you here to aid us?"
Diomedes took charge of the conversation. "We have come to this continent, seeking to resolve the war plaguing your lands. And in doing so, crush the heretical filth on your doorstep. We must speak with your superiors so that we may effectively counter this threat".
"O-of course" stammered the officer. "We'll take any help we can get at this point. Our general will be commanding from the upper levels. But we must hurry before…"
A massive explosion shook the ground as everyone snapped to the eastern wall as an all-too familiar battle cry sent the Blood Ravens' fighting instincts into overdrive.
"WAAGHHH!"
A horde of Ork Warboyz carrying Choppas and Sluggas came barrelling through a breach in the wall, cutting through the terrified knights stationed on the battlements. Leading them, a hulking Ork Nob, bellowing like the unholy offspring of an enraged bear and a psychotic drunk, the Greenskins poured through the hole as if they were rot seeping into a festering wound.
"Defensive position!" Tarkus shouted, as he and his brothers huddled up, the Claymores following suit, before laying down suppressive fire on the incoming horde.
Without a word, Thule opened fire with his Assault Cannon, the deafening bolts tearing through the aliens with ease. The Orks, undeterred charged forward, mad with bloodlust and oblivious to self-preservation only to find heavy blades, belonging to both Claymore and Space Marine cutting through any who got too close.
"We cannot delay!" Diomedes shouted as he eviscerated three Boyz with his claws. "We must get to the upper levels and get to the general! If he dies, our mission becomes that much more difficult!"
"We cannot leave this filth unattended!" Cyrus snapped back, firing in between the enemy ranks for maximum effect. "We must push back the Orks and quell the heretics before we can continue".
"Cyrus is right!" shot Deneve as she brandished her dual swords against the Ork Nob who had shrugged off their gunfire and waded right into melee. "If we can't contain these things, the city will fall and we won't be able to stop them".
As Deneve parried the Greater Ork's Smasha with her off-hand and severed his right hand; the pain further exacerbating his battle rage, Diomedes cut the Nob's rampage short with a great blow from his Power Fist right into the Ork's reinforced skull. Dazed from the hit, the Nob stumbled as Diomedes clambered onto his back, before thumping his claws into the Nob's cranium before leaping off with a flourish, smashing his fist into the beast's face, sending a burst of scarlet onto the ruined stone.
The first wave had been defeated. Miria, Diomedes, Raki and Clare held back to discuss their next course of action whilst Tarkus, Thule, Helen, Deneve and Cynthia took defensive positions alongside Monet soldiers to stymy the continuous hordes that came through. Fortunately, the Word Bearers and Freebootas had attacked with their own agendas in mind, thus they indiscriminately targeted each other as well as Monet. Coupled with the Asarakam plundering the fields and the defender's interference, the collective siege was disjointed and unorganised.
"As we are behind friendly lines and hold conflicting objectives, we should split into groups in order to achieve victory", said Miria to the others.
"I agree" replied Clare. "We don't have the manpower to repel a full-out assault. We'd have to take advantage of these creatures' conflicting interests and have them fight each other whilst we finish them off".
"We must delegate these objectives", agreed Diomedes, the urgency of the situation stifling his pride. "One group must head to the upper levels, find the general and organise a proper counterattack; perhaps even put those creatures to better use", He gestured to the Asarakam, dwindling ever more to the marauding hordes.
"I can head up top", Raki piped, "I'm not really much use out here against monsters like these and I need to work on my diplomacy skills anyway".
"I am the leader of this squad" Diomedes replied solemnly. "Honor demands I fight here with my brothers and destroy these scum. However, I must consider our duty first; to negotiate with this government and ensure the survival of the Chapter by converting new initiates and eliminate the foul presence that lingers here".
"There's no dishonour in fulfilling our original mission and foregoing a pointless battle". Clare replied. "I can accompany Raki, but we need you to explain your purpose here. If not, it'll be more complicated for you to secure this land. It was the whole reason we came out here to begin with".
Diomedes gazed at the Claymore in rumination. By the norms of the Codex, the fact that he had even been acknowledging these Abhumans would be controversial at best, heretical at worst. The Blood Ravens' loyalty had been called into question ever since the Third Aurelian Crusade ended. But the Claymores' dedication to their cause had not wavered as of yet, and distrust and fear was hardly a reaction they were unused to.
As Cyrus had said aboard the Retribution, these Claymores had their uses, but their true potential would be dependent on their submission to the Imperium. For the enemies of Man had found their way to their world and would have no intention of leaving it unmolested.
It was time to swallow his pride and continue with his true mission. In service to the Emperor and the Chapter.
"Very well". Diomedes responded, subdued. His relent did not go unnoticed by Miria. "I shall accompany you to this city's commander and we shall ensure they live to fight another day. But we will need to organise our own attack pattern. Miria, take Tarkus and Cynthia through the upper levels. You must have this city's forces regroup by destroying these raiders!"
"Understood". Was all the former Number 6 responded with as she charged back into the fray with her ghostly speed. "Tarkus, Cynthia, with me!" And the three warriors tore through the Ork horde.
Diomedes turned to Cyrus, "Cyrus, you and the others must spearhead the counterattack! Break their siege. I will have Martellus lend support from the air!"
Cyrus acknowledged the order without a word as he turned to the remaining warriors, "Helen, co-ordinate your attacks with Deneve on the center of the Mob towards the ramparts. Me and Captain Thule will cover you!"
Helen grinned as she sprinted with her comrade. "You got it, let's rip em up, Deneve!"
Diomedes then turned to the city officer, "You must take us to your commander, only by organising a proper counter-attack to these heretics will this city be saved".
Given the dire straits they were in, the officer needed little convincing, "He is sealed within the top spire, attempting to organise us from the war room. We must hurry but I'm afraid that our walls may fall to their siege engines before long"
In response, Diomedes raised Martellus on the vox channel. "Martellus, we need your aid. An Ork Warband and the Word Bearers are assaulting the city of Monet. We need you to make a bombing run to thin out their ranks. Have the Retribution track your Thunderhawk's trajectory and then launch Drop Pods into the heart of the enemy siege. We must ensure these heretics burn!"
"Understood, Captain", the loyal Techmarine rumbled over the static. "Our forces are finite and I have dispatched half the 4th Company to Rabona to assist the remaining Claymores. I can dispatch several squads and Tarantula Turrets to aid you, but I will need cover fire lest their anti-air forces trace me and repeat my incident on Typhon".
"Have three squads deploy behind the city's wall" Diomedes replied, "I will have Cyrus and his retinue destroy their artillery"
"Of course, Captain"
Switching channels, Diomedes hailed Cyrus, "Cyrus, you and Davian must focus your fire upon their primary anti-air artillery and siege weapons. It will allow Martellus to summon reinforcements and fire support more efficiently".
"I will have Helen and Deneve crush their spotters and their support teams", came the blunt reply.
At last, Diomedes turned to Clare, Raki and the officer. "Let us make for the war room", he said, as the four broke into a sprint to the upper echelons of the ruined city.
Well, not exactly how I wanted to end this chapter, but I'm under a lot of pressure at the moment and probably will edit this along the way at some point. As always, please leave constructive criticism and let me know how you're finding this story. Until next time, hopefully!