Death before Dishonor
Chapter 3
"Commander, we're up against a lot more Thousand Sons than Iron Warriors now." Svencin said, "They're getting ready to throw everything at us." Vladimir nodded. He walked over to the other four commanders. "Brace for a full attack on our lines." He said, "They're gonna throw everything at us." A bright light lit up the morning sky, they were coming. "Prepare all weapons! Open fire once they get into range!" A wave of blue and gold surged forward from the forest, too numerous to count from the command post at the top of the cathedral. "Oh shit." muttered Andrew as the Thousand Sons charged forward. The Chaos got closer and closer until, "Open fire!" the ground shook as every Imperial weapon released a hail of death. Andrew trained his sights on a sergeant; he fired three shots at him, "Man, vhy von't zey die!" Halle looked up, "They're Thousand Sons, they can soak up a lot of firepower." Soon the guardsmen heard the order they prayed they wouldn't hear, "Fix bayonets! Prepare to repel borders!" Alexie looked over at the trench line, "Tell everyone to pull back, pull them back!" As the Thousand Sons reached the parapet, the guardsmen heard the signal to retreat. Halle grabbed Andrew and slung him around her back; he had been knocked out when a bolter round struck his helmet. As she dropped Andrew in a nearby building, she turned and cracked a few shots at the on coming tide; she took a bullet to the head, Andrew woke up and saw Halle bleeding on the street and he dragged her through the door. He examined the wound, 'She'll survive if I get her to the field hospital, quick!' He waved down a retreating Chimera, it stopped. The commander opened the hatch and yelled, "Get in here, Dammit! We're sitting duc-" The transport exploded in a huge fireball as a Chaos rocket hit it squarely in the side armor, all who were aboard were dead, Svencin and Terra were among them. "Shit, I need azziztance!" He crudely bandaged her head in hopes that he could carry her to safety, he looked around and decided the second floor of the building would do for now.
Andrew could here constant heavy and small arms fire outside; he peeked through a crack in the boarded window, they were holding off the Chaos at the intersection between the masonae district and glasswork district well, but how long would they last? He tried the vox-line again, "Field command, Vi am trapped along vith my fellow gaurdzman." All he heard was static, "Iz zer anyvone out zer!" There was no response. 'I'm going to have to risk traveling on the roofs.' Before the chaos attack, the Imperial forces had cunningly placed wooden boards on the roofs of buildings to perform as makeshift bridges. He slung her around his shoulders and with one arm pulled out his faithful bolt pistol. He began to cross the first bridge when Halle woke up, "Uhhh, how long have I been out?" she asked. When the first bridge was clear he leaned her against the wall, "A vew hourz, can you ztand?" Halle nodded; she pulled out her two bolt pistols and smiled, "Let's go." They walked through the quiet building, it was too quiet. As they rounded the corner they came face to face with three Thousand Sons. The two yelled their battle cries as they emptied their full magazines; the chaos didn't fall. Andrew rolled a frag grenade at them and ducked for cover, Halle followed suit. The grenade exploded and cleared the hallway. "Ve better get going, zomebody probably heard zat!" they stopped at the bottom of the stairs, Andrew signaled to a weakened wall. He stuck a satchel charge, "Ve have not time to run through the streets." He said as he primed the charge, "The Imperial command pozt zshould be past zis vall."
A guardsman ran to, Conantra, the commander of the masonae gazed at the data-slate given to him, "Damn, we don't have enough guardsmen to hold the off for long and it's the same news every where else." He gave the slate back, "It looks like I have to make do with what I've got." All of a sudden one of the walls beside him exploded, the nearest guardsman was thrown into Conantra. "What the hell is going on here!" he yelled in frustration. Halle and Andrew stumbled through the hole in the wall, Andrew had just been hit by a bolter round in the arm, and Halle was hit in her shoulder. They were both shot as the Thousand Sons found them priming the charge. The medics soon began their work on their wounds. The guardsman ran to Conantra again; this time with a message tube, Conantra took it as the last Thousand Son on the other side was killed. "Rally up and head to the center of the city, our commanders want to speak with us." The cleared out of the building and filed into awaiting chimera transports.
Alexie stood on top of a Grypphone pattern Vanquisher with his power sword in the air, "The Emperor calls for one last effort brothers and sisters, we may be greatly outnumbered, but if you keep the faith we may win this day!" Halle and Andrew heard some muffled sobbing and crying in the background. "Many of you know that you will not see the light of day again and you leave families behind, but we need now more than ever, remember Death comes before Dishonor!" Alexie yelled out a battle cry and the others joined in forming a chorus of chants, "For Ravenor! For Veddolania! For Cadia! For Typhun! For Valhalla!" They formed in ranks of infantry in plain view of the chaos army. "Zee you in the next vorld Halle." Andrew said as he embraced her, Halle pecked his cheek, "Same, Andrew." Tears began to roll down their face as they tightly embraced, for they knew it was probably their last. "Andrew held her face in his cupped hands, and kissed her on the lips, "I'll miss you, you taught me a lot." Halle stifled her sob, "You taught me the true meaning of faith, friendship, duty, honor, and love." Alexie, Vladimir, Anatoly, Qin, and Stratsen raised their power swords, and yelled the final battle cry. "For Ravenor! For Veddolania! For Cadia! For Typhun! For Valhalla!" As they charged many of them were mowed down by heavy bolter and bolter fire. Lascannons tore them apart and auto cannons stopped them dead in their tracks. None were seen to have reached the Chaos lines. It was a sacrifice that would be remembered for millenniums.