Motor vechiles roared dejectedly in defeat, streaming in relative safety past the massed ranks of a second complex of entrechments. Interspersed between the hulking masses of Panzer IV tanks road German model half tracks, packed to the rim with freezing, utterly shattered soldiers. Horses bathed the air in gaseous breaths, snorting in defiance to bitter cold and incessant physical hardship. Hundreds of men shuffled on either side of the road way, lacking transportation and forced to walk on foot for dozens of kilometers, slowly freezing in the harsh winter chill. Bodies and vehicle carcasses lay strewn on the both sides of the road, gutted by heavy weapons fire, blown into several fragments, or frozen solid, glued onto the earth as if unwilling to leave the mother nature's embrace.
Several hundred meters to the right of the sourly congested road stood a dark copse of trees, often to be found in the expansive plains of eastern Russia. Formed into a roughly rectangular shape, the mass of foliage extended over three kilometers on the flank of the path, bearing silent testament to the drama unfolding upon its borders. The trees, in and of themselves, appeared lifeless, the beautiful morass of colors of spring and summer having fallen to the deprivations of a chill winter. Nothing shifted to the rythme of falling feet, or the brush of flesh against a loose tree limb. Only tangled shrubbery existed in abundance, providing dense and regular obstacles for any willing to walk within the forest's borders. Crouched behind one such obstruction, a single figure armoured in a dark red thoughtfully surveyed the depressing scene passing before his eyes.
Binoculars raised, the Blood Raven's Scout Sergeant carefully observed and recorded the technology utilized by the retreating figures to his fore. Of exceptional low class compared to the equipment carried and worn around the Scout's body, many vechiles presented large vulnerabilities, vulnerabilities the Space Marines were willing to exploit should the situation arise. The Scout's piercing gaze settled over the figures sprawled around the perimeter of the road, tossed haphazardly to the side and abandoned as worthless scrap.
"Or flesh", the scout sneered, disgusted that such 'warriors' could abandon the bodies of their battle brothers with such ease and nonchalance.
"Months of combat have desensitized their feelings regarding the proper treatment of the deceased, brother", Xavier responded, reading through Scout Sergeant Tursks' thoughts, "Of course, the thought of fighting alongside such cowards would ease my conscience if I were to dispose of their bodies"
Tursk nodded his agreement.Mankind had thankfully progressed from the sensitive and vulnerable nature of its spirit thathad existed during the time he was now stuck within. A singleImperialGuard divisionhad the effective strength to sweepboth armies from the field, even were they armed with the measlyweapons available atthis time. Shifting his attention away from the despicable scene, Turskinquired of Scout Heinrick, "Brother, have you finished recording through the pict feed. Time is of the essence."
A momentary pause, before Heinrick beeped his consent. Relieved to finally turn his gaze away from the cowards to his front, Tursk broadcast to his entire squadron, "Brothers, fall onto my position. We will continue onwards to objective C, our extraction point...Are there any questions, concerns, thoughts?"
As the Blood Raven Scout Marines began easing through the undergrowth, a ruffling was to be heard not fifty yards to the point Marine's fore. Crouching into cover and signaling the rest of the squad to perform likewise, Brother Rafael attempted to peer through the dense growth arrayed in his path. Shifting forward in a mockery of stealth, a platoon sized formation of Soviet soldiers came into Rafaels sight, their object to wait in ambush and slaughter any unwary German soldiers to passthe stark forest. A terse message passed through every Scout's micro bead, and the Scout Marine squad attempted to slither away from the oncoming soldiers, Tursk reminding each of their orders to avoid blood shed if at all possible. Fifty meters later, Scout Xavier had enough time to register a maxim gun pointed in his general direction, before vaulting onto the earth and narrowly avoiding a wild burst of ammuntion. An ambush, and cleverly crafted. But how could they have known?
Unable to escape from the weapon's sight, Xavier's bolter roared and thrusted the two gunners into the air, and head and torso exploding as ripe melons thrown against a brick wall. The rest of the Scout Marine squad engaged, a second Russian platoon having waited patiently for an enemy formation to stumble into its path. Actingwithouthesitation, the two Soviet machinegunners splayed across the snow had fired upon a Scout Marine of the Blood Ravens, forcing upon themselves an engagement that was bound to annihilate their entire platoon. The two were not to be held responsible for inattentiveness, however, as the recent engagements against the German army had frazzled their nerves,and gave them an acute awareness of their surroundings.
"SSSPACE MARINES, AAAATTACK!", Tursk roared, "Run through them and continue onwards, we are at risk of encirclement"
Several dozen yards to the rear of the Scout Marines the first platoon to have been spotted was crashing through the foliage, intent on joining the battle in support of their comrades. Hesitation was an unknown concept within a Space Marine's mind, and all dashed willingly forward into the entrenched foe at their fore. Charging forward as if on wings of fire, Tursk burst into a knot of three Russian soldiers, faces upturned in horror at the revving chainsword held within the Scout Marine's fist. Two slashs disembowed one and tore through the necks of two more, splattering and melting the pure snow in freshly spilt blood.
As the Scout Marine Squad burst through the Russian soldiers, a figure hallowed in white apparated into the midst of the battle. Rafael howled in triumph as his chainsword decapitated the Soviet platoon's leader, only to recoil in shock at the figure to his fore. Raising an a massively muscular arm into the sky, a blinding aura eminated from a energetic orb held within the figure's hand. Lashing outwards, tendrils closed around the throats of all men present, Marine and Russian alike, and lifted them from the earth. Thrashing in the throes of suffocations, Rafael espied a massive and astoundingly beautfiulhuman figure wreathing within the ball of energy raging at his feet. The Emperor.
"FATHERRRR...NOOO!", Rafael gasped, before falling into unconsciousness.