Legion of Shadow, The Shadow Fox

by Angel.of.Dawn

Original Idea from Akatsuki Leader13 A sector of the galaxy has been re discovered by the Imperium of man, it's secret; a new energy source. From these planets a primarch of a forgotten legion will be re-discovered, a new sector will join the Imperium during the great crusade, and the Imperium will change from it, for better or for worse, none can say.

7. Chapter 6: Faith And Fury

Chapter 6: Faith and duty

---

Sensei... hang on!

…...

…...

Sanguinius! Help us!

…...

…...

Priority injured. Prepare the ship for a critical patient. And have the tech priest ready a dreadnought unit.

…...

…...

Kakashi

Kakashi!

KAKASHI!

---

"Lord Kakashi?"

The massive figure of Kakashi had pummeled his ork target into a sludge of blood and organs. Yet the repeated uttering of his name brought him out from his flashback.

"Yes. Do you require my assistance young one?"

"I was merely seeing if you were okay my lord. You were spaced out for ten minutes while destroying that ork"

"I was... reminiscing of things. My past sometimes returns me to a much more simpler time"

"Of course my lord. Our forces are advancing upon the ork stronghold. What do you wish us to do?"

"Have our units form into strike teams, prioritize the orks infrastructure in our assault. Once we destroy their means of counterattacking, we strike them a killing blow"

"Yes my lord. It shall be done"

Kakashi gave a small nod of acknowledgment, yet his mind started to wonder again at moments in his life that he would say are his moments of regret.

He regretted not being able to save the one he cared for, he regretted not being able to save his friend twice and he regretted not being able to do anything as his master performed the ultimate sacrifice to endure his legacy lives on.

Yet being entombed into a sarcophagus, unable to die and only being sent to fight for the glory of the Imperium and Elementia was not once one of those mistakes.

To be given a second chance to guide the future generations of these planets to him is not a mistake, but a gift to be used to the fullest of his ability.

In a way, Kakashi was given redemption for his past mistakes through this entombment. And he was not going to waste it this time.

---

Date: 470 M23

Operation Parameters: Incursion

Current Location: The Incursion Gate, Salacor Implus ,Teraria, Elementia Sector

WARNING: INCURSION EVENT

---

Crackling energy fluctuated from the massive gate. Yet the Imperial and Elementians had finally arrived to this final destination. Guillimans forces were at their breaking points, as even their best soldiers had suffered from the fast paced push into the heart of the enemy.

Thousands of injured were being tended in the medical tents of the auxiliary forces, forces that just the previous day thought they would not live to see tomorrow, yet here they were.

Naruto had suffered from chakra exhaustion. A result of him holding up his forces injuries and giving all of their forces the strength to push through to the gate. Yet there were others that could not be saved.

Team seven had been with a somber aura, knowing that Kakashi was in such a critical condition. Sanguinius and the Blood angels had arrived just as the swarm was about to overrun the Elementians, his legion broke the aliens and sent them to oblivion.

Sanguinius had seen the state that Naruto's master was in, and in those moments acted without hesitation. He managed to get one of his thunderhawk gunships to land in the battle zone and carry the crippled and wounded man towards his flagship, where he had given the order to his apothecaries and tech marines to try and save the mans life.

He had heard nothing yet from his crew but knew that Kakashi was in good hands.

Walking through the tents, Naruto and Sanguinius approached the largest tent of the camp.

Entering it they could see dozens of medical personnel surrounding a single figure in the room, Medical equipment and IV lines littered the bed area as the person was in an induced sleep.

And standing next to him, were ten Custodians, along with Constantine Valdor.

"How is he?" Naruto said, as he took a seat within the main area of the medical tent.

"The medical personal say that he is lucky to have survived. Not only was his arm and leg suffering from severe acid burns, but there was also a severely potent toxin eating at his organs. They do not know if he will be able to recover from such extensive injuries"

Naruto looked forward, seeing the sleeping face of his father, his hands were shaking as they clenched white.

"I did this... If I had only stayed the course"

"Naruto!"

He looked up, seeing the face of his brother looking at him with a look of acceptance.

"If you had not returned, then many more would have died. Remember that"

"It would have been better had they died so my lord would still be standing" Valdor said as he looked at Naruto,a crossed look on his face.

"Valdor! We all knew what would happen when we pushed this far. We all knew the risk of this mission. You cannot fault Naruto for one action that he did" Sanguinius said as he heard this from the captain general.

"No" Naruto said, standing up towards Valdor "He is right"

Naruto looked at the Emperor, even now he was breathing heavily under an oxygen mask, his face running a heavy sweat.

"What I did was a foolish thing. And I accept it. So if you have a problem with me Valdor, then please. Take out your frustration on me, but do not make me regret saving those whom I chose to save"

That was the signal that made Valdor snap. A vicious hay maker struck Naruto on his right temple. Staggering the man, Valdor then delivered a series of hay makers towards Naruto, all the while screaming out in frustration.

Naruto did nothing, he merely had taken the blows and stood his ground. Everyone in the tent could do nothing but watch as the General of the Emperor's bodyguard proceeded to beat the crap out of one of his sons.

Sanguinius wanted to do something, but could not move as he could see that Naruto was not defending himself. Instead his brother chose to not do anything as Valdor continued to pummel him.

Ten Minutes later, Valdor had to take a break from the constant beating he gave Naruto, while Naruto, a bloodied face and swollen eyes did not look away during the whole time Valdor poured his frustration and anger into Naruto.

"Leave." Valdor said as he regained his breath "Before I start again"

Naruto gave him a nod of acknowledgment as he walked out from the medical tent, ignoring the concerned looks he was given by others in the camp.

Valdor, walked towards his lord and sat next to him. His face still set in anger, yet hidden with a face of cold steel.

Valdor would remember this day until the day he no longer lives, for this day has been one nightmare that he never would have thought will happen.

All the while the Emperor was in the bed, a heavy sweat and the sound of heavy breathing coming from his mask.

---

"The gate must be closed from the other side, we will need a team to go into the gate, find the source of the aliens ability to keep the gate open and destroy it"

This is what was being discussed within the gathering area of the defense camp situated before the gate, hundreds of Elementians and Imperials were gathered to hear from the voice vox what was being discussed about the incursion gate.

"So you are saying" one of the Elementians said, using his chakra to project his voice. "That we will need a team to go into a gate that has never been fully understood, to a place where we have no idea what to expect. And find a thing that we have no idea what it is or what it looks like and just come back through the gate while fighting an enemy that we have no idea how many there will be?"

"Yes. That is the gist of it"

A silence permeated through the area, the lack of sound clearly becoming deafening for all the forces here. It was broken by someone's comment.

"A hundred thousand sperm... and you were the fastest?"

A round of chuckles gave the men and women brief moment of respite from the grim scenario painted upon them.

"All things aside. We need volunteers. Anyone want to risk their lives?"

A pause was all that happened as someone walked forward.

This was a giant of a man, his armour fully encompassing his form as his body was enclosed into the armour, his helmet had been removed to show a well grizzled face, yet still showing an angelic look that defined whom he served.

"I. Senior Sargent Lathanius, volunteer for this mission"

Ten other giants walked from the crowd, they too wearing the same armour as Lathanius.

"We, Squad Lathanius, volunteer for this mission"

They all looked at the squad of armored Astartes, the original speaker then looked at the Elementians and Terrarians.

"What about you guys?"

Two Terrarians, brothers by the looks of their faces, stood up together.

"Welp. I guess there aren't many volunteers aye Cyril ?"

"Nah I don't guess so Malcom"

"I guess it would make sense, what with all the danger and stuff"

"And the fact that they probably just don't want to die YOU WANKERS!"

This silenced the crowd, as they heard the first brother scream out the last part.

"AYE. WHAT'S BLOODY WRONG WITH YA'LL"

"We're In" the two brothers said as they each gave a nod.

A few seconds of silence happened before someone else from terraria stood up.

"I will Volunteer. I lost my cousin Valner to this swarm. I will deliver vengeance against those that killed him"

A team from Remnant and Elementia stood up

"Team CYAN will volunteer for this mission" the remnant team said, a look of acceptance upon their faces.

"We five will volunteer for this mission. Yaguchi Misao,Sada Yoshido,Suto Yukio,Aikawa and Fukui Rumiko" the team from Elementia said

"We thank you all for your service. Let it be known that Terraria will never forget this. You will all be welcomed as friends to this world"

This is what the person operating the vox said, as the rest of the forces readied the defenses of the gate. The twenty two volunteers were ushered into the armory tents and outfitted with the best armaments the camp had to offer, all so that they can complete what is needed from them.

Their armour was painted black, to symbolize a time of sacrifice and mourning, their right shoulders were given to each individual to customize how they saw fit, while on the left shoulder the symbol of the Aquila and the shield, symbols of the Imperium and Elementians working together as one, prevailed.

This team already was being called by a name by those whom watched, to see those that would risk themselves against the alien horrors to ensure the protection of not only this world, but all worlds of humanity, to ensure death does not come for humanity this day:

The deathwatch

---

"Communication line confirmed"

"Vital monitors online. Vitals are stable"

"Status of Charge payloads are stable and in operation. Specialized Dust cartridge is stable"

This is what was being heard in the main command tent as the rest of the forces barricaded the incursion gate. A direct line feed from the armour of the twenty two fighters was re routed into the system network of command. Each person had a live camera feed and a readout of their vitals along with a communication line.

"This is Strike team Varcas, ready to proceed"

"Copy that strike team, we just need to proceed with a few more checks before you all can go into the gate"

"Why the bloody holdup?" Cyril said, a look of frustration on his face as he changed his camera over to his face "It's not like were gonna die in the first thirty seconds or something"

"Keep talking like that captain Cyril and were gonna have a few words when you get back"

"Aww Mira. I didn't know you cared about me"

"I don't... Just... just stay put until we give you the go ahead"

"Copy that good looking"

The one called Mira just blushed in embarrassment as others were looking at her in the command tent. Sanguinius and Naruto were looking at the monitors, each with a look of concentration on their faces.

Eventually, after the various checks. The team started to walk towards the gate. Before they were going to cross over, Malcom was trying to pivot himself in his armour.

"What they hell are you doing?" Cyril said, as the others looked at him in confusion, while the Astartes looked on with a calm, stern look.

"I'm trying to kiss my ass goodbye"

The others could only sigh as the group proceeded to walk into the gate.

Otherworldly. That was what the team would describe walking through the viscous, almost alive substance of the gate. Immediately the auto lights on their armors activated as the room was covered in darkness.

The place they had arrived looked completely alien, the floors, walls and ceiling were made of organic flesh that pulsed, the colour purple being prevalent all around, while veins of white lined the walls with an unnatural glow.

They could feel something under the fleshy floor that moved around their feet, they could hear the sounds of something in the distance, which sounded much like a heartbeat. Parts of the walls shiver and pulse as a bio luminescent liquid traveled through the while flesh of the walls.

"Command" Commander Lathanius said, a hint of caution in his voice "Do you read command?"

"We can hear you squad Varcas. We are receiving video feed from your readers..."

"This place... It's like nothing we've ever seen before." Commander Lathanius said

"Understood. Use caution squad. We don't know what you will be expecting."

"Understood, team we are moving on"

The group walked through the massive chamber, weapons at the ready and their sights on anything that would move, the room still pulsed with it's otherworldly alien feel as the group approached what seemed to be a wall of flesh that looked much more distinct than other parts of the room.

"Control, we seem to have encountered something that resembles a door, analyzing"

Data cogitators within the Imperial group scanned the wall, while Elementian, Remnant and Terraria forces data scanners were being used by the command center to get a precise picture and composition samples were being taken by the automated units within their armored suits.

"Understood, the data suggest that the flesh like substance is a membrane that acts as a blast door that compartmentalizes the area you are in. Recommend you find a way to get through the membrane to advance"

"Understood" Commander Lathanius said, "Tyron"

One of the Terminators from Squad Lathanius, this one using a twin boltgun in one hand with a power fist with a breaching chainsword on the gauntlet walked towards commander Lathanius.

"Yes Seargent"

"Ready your chainfist, cut through this membrane for us to advance"

"Understood"

Revving up his breaching chainsword, Tyron held the revving blade towards the weakest part of the wall, after a few seconds of resistance the breaching saw cut through the flesh like substance, but not before a roar echoed through the room.

"What was that?" Cyril said

"I do not know" Lathanius said, the group were looking around the room a Tyron continued to cut through the substance, a purple ichor started to spill from the cut that his breaching chainsword made as he continued to rev it's engine.

"Squad Varcas, eyes up. Tyron, how much longer"

"Hard to say sergeant" Tyron said as he could feel the blade start to hook into the flesh "This flesh is proving to be a problem for my breaching saw."

"Continue to push through Tyron, we will cover you"

The group continued to monitor the room, while Tyron slowly hacked through the wall of flesh, yet there was an unnatural silence that permeated through the room. The entire squad was on full alert.

---

Within the Emperor's medical tent, dozens of Imperial and Elementian doctors were performing test and administering aid to the master of mankind, all under the watch of Valdor and his companions.

A magos biologis noticed a strange pattern on the Emperor's monitoring systems, as though his brain was fully awakened. Seeing this as merely a glitch in the system he continued to monitor his lord. But the pattern didn't seem to go away, if anything his brain activity seemed to become stronger.

Soon the room was ablaze with the sound of a single scream, and in an instant, pandemonium ensued.

The Emperor suddenly lifted from his bed, a scream from his lips as his eyes glowed an unnatural hue of purple. The first medic didn't have any time before he felt the full brunt of a psychic attack to his body, lightning crackling across his flesh as he screamed along with his Emperor.

Immediately, the companions sprung into action. They held each limb of their sire down as lightning wracked across their armour. Their faces were etched with a pure struggle as they tried to desperately hold their liege down from causing anymore harm. Already dozens of field medics had fled the room as the growing thunderstorm in the tent started to strike anyone and anything in the room.

Valdor was shouting at his Emperor, trying desperately to restrain and control his lord. He was holding down his lord emperor from his shoulders, desperately trying to speak reason into his master.

All the while, the Emperor gave out screams of pain, along with two words

"THEY KNOW!"

---

Squad Varcas was on full alert, the room had started to become unnaturally quiet, the only sound coming from Tyron's breaching saw.

Cyril was looking around his vector, when he could feel a slick substance on his shoulder, looking at the substance in question he could see it was dripping from the ceiling of the room, it's clear, opaque colour made him even more alert. Lifting the light on his weapon, a custom modified dust firing man held volley gun upwards, he could see black eyes looking at him from the face of a genestealer alien.

"CONTACT!"

An alien roar was what the team heard as the room started to flood with genestealers and smaller gaunts. The sudden onslaught of enemies almost catching the team off guard.

"Form up, Squad Varcas form ranks!"

The sounds of gunfire ringed loud through the room as the team formed up in a tight formation around Tyron, whom could hear the swarm coming.

"Suppress and clear!"

"Yes Commander!"

Yaguchi and Sado unleashed swaths of flame to suppress the horde, all the while the team formed overlapping fire ranks for when the two fell back towards the door.

"Cyril, Malcom! Supressing Fire!"

"On it! / Yes Sir!"

The brothers charged their volley guns, the duo ripping into the horde with precise volleys of Laser fire. While squad Lathanius prepare their twin boltguns for the main horde.

"Squad Lathanius, Overwatch fire!"

"Yes Commander!"

Eight of the ten man squad of Tactical dreadnought armored astartes opened fire into the coming horde,

dozens of micro reactive rounds impacting on the soft chitin of the alien and exploding from their deadly payloads.

Yet the room was being overrun by the horde of aliens, already the walls themselves started spewing the aliens into the chamber, the tide kept swelling.

Lathanius could only grunt in frustration, already the chamber had too many enemies for them to fight, with numbers like these they would run out of ammunition and firepower long before the horde could be destroyed. Yet the door proved to be too much for standard breaching gear to penetrate in time.

"Tyron!"

"Aye Seargent!"

"Ready a melta charge, we are leaving now!"

"Understood seargent!. Planting the charge!"

Tyron took an intricate device from the gravity belt of his armour, it was a simple looking device, much like an over sized grenade, yet it's size belied it's power.

Tyron smashed the device into the cut hole he had made in the wall of flesh, pulling the handle and twisting it, he smashed the handle back into the device.

Instantly, the device glowed an ominous red, a sequence of light flickers showing some form of countdown.

"Stand Clear!"

Tyron said as the group moved to the side of the device, the squad of terminators forming a shield wall to the Elementian's as they were not fitted with armour that could handle high powered shock waves.

In three seconds the device activated, as an explosion of heat and sound rushed through the chamber, stunning the horde for a moment.

The door had been blasted clean open, it's still red glowing sides showing the destructive power of the device.

"Move!"

Squad Varcas wasted no time in running through the blasted wall of flesh, two terminators from squad Lathanius were positioned as the rearguard for the squad.

"Covering Fire!"

The two terminators held the door with zeal and fury, the hammering of their twin boltguns screaming as dozens of aliens fell before their feet.

Yet when the last of the strike team had cleared the door, an unholy roar echoed through the chamber as a wall of flesh slammed closed where the breach had happened, trapping the other two squad members on the other side.

"Lorenthius!, Oberon!"

"Seargent!" A crackling reply came from the vox chatter "We are being overruned!"

"Command, We need immediate evac teleport for Lorenthius and Oberon. I repeat, requesting emergency evac teleport for Lorenthius and Oberon!"

---

The command tent was scrambling, already dozens of people were trying to get the two out while orders were being given.

"Magos! Activate the teleport array!"

"Activating... No effect, troubleshooting... activating, no effect"

"The teleporting array is not working! There's something that is hampering the teleport matrix! It's coming from within the gate!"

"Get them out of there!" Sanguinius yelled out as he watched his sons still fight with their backs towards the alien horde. Already he could see that their vital signs were starting to fail as dozens of aliens were chewing through their armour.

"Command!... Lord Sanguinus... please... help us"

Already Lorenthius had succumbed to the tide of aliens as his flesh was being ripped from his armour, the sounds of a man screaming while being eaten alive was being played as the camera was still showing a live feed of what was happening.

Oberon could only watch as he saw his battle brother being eaten alive in front of him, grim in the knowledge that he will share his fate.

"If I am to die this day. Then I die with Honour! Glory to the Imperium! Glory to Humanity!"

The command tent could only watch as they saw a man die to the tide of aliens, with his bolter ringing loud even as his body was consumed by teeth and claw.

Sanguinius had to watch two of his sons die and could not do anything about it.

He hated it.

---

"Another wall!"

"Open fire! Push through!"

The sounds of twin bolter fire ringed through the corridor as the wall of flesh on the end of the hallway was pummeled with reactive detonating rounds, the sheer volume of rounds detonating blasted a hole into the wall, large enough for the strike team to rush on through the door before it slammed down on any stranglers.

The strike team kept pushing through, having no idea where they were heading while the distant echoes of the horde closed in.

The now eight man squad of terminators along with their Elementian counterparts continued their rushed haste through the labyrinth of the unknown, ever vigilant of the horrors that could be waiting around the next corner.

A few close calls were made when the way was cut off by impenetrable walls of flesh, while others contained entire swarms of genestealers, forcing the team to fight tooth and nail to survive.

Finally, the group blasted a wall of flesh that opened into a chamber. This one was like the other chambers that they had encountered, however large parts of the walls were aligned with strange tube like membranes that pulsed with a soft purple glow.

"Control. Can you read us?" Lathanius said, looking around the room with his suit light illuminating the strange chamber.

"Copy squad Varcas" the signal came in, a bit of static was present, but not enough to disrupt the signal "We are receiving video feed now. Analyzing the data"

"Squad, we are setting watch here. Check your vectors and perform roster rotations"

"Aye Captain"

The group settled into a relatively stable holding within the chamber, while Lathanius was walking around the room, collecting samples and analyzing the chamber with his specialized auspex scanner.

"I hope they got out" Yaguchi said as the group huddled together in the room.

"I'm sure they made it. Of that I have no doubt" Malcom said as the group tried to cope with a grim prospect.

"I wonder what our parents are doing? Probably out at the restaurant they like going to at the moonlight district" Cyril said as his brother gave a nod of acknowledgment.

"What of your kin Theodosius? What do you reckon they're doing back on Baal Primus?"

"I have not talked to them in years, but if I remember it would be the harvest season soon. So I imagine they would be picking their crops from their tribal farm"

"Do you ever miss them?"

"I... sometimes. I know that my duty now is to the Imperium and I will gladly serve as long as it takes. But when this crusade ends and we are not needed for war anymore. I will return home, maybe even settle down and sire a son"

"Ain't that the dream aye?"

"Aye. Indeed it is"

Malcom looked at Kareem, whom was holding a pendant of the sentinels while giving uttering a small prayer under his lips.

"Kareem... why do you think a trinket will help you here in this mess?"

Kareem looked at Malcom, a look of calmness and acceptance as he placed the pendant back into his armour pocket.

"I am only asking that the Sentinels give us good fortune on this mission. A little prayer has not harmed anyone"

"But you do know that praying to someone whom isn't here ain't going to save you when those xeno's are gonna rip into your flesh"

"It is never about being saved Malcom that I pray"

At this Kareem looked at Malcom with a soft smile.

"It is in prayer that others may find the strength to go on when all hope is lost"

"Bah" Malcom said, waving off Kareem's words "The day that I would pray to someone is the day that something truly amazing would happen that I would never forget. Until then, I reckon my strengths will have to do"

Lathanius scanned the room and found an anomaly, the energy readings were pointing towards a central location, Further scans from his specialized auspex reveals that there was a centralized room in which this energy reading was coming from.

"Command. Do you copy?"

"Light static across the channel commander. But we can still hear you"

"Sending data on an energy anomaly. Request analyst of this data"

"Understood. Standby"

Twenty minutes passed by, the team during that time had been on full alert for every second. Dozens of times they heard the sounds of beast and other things. Some making the team even more tense than normal.

"Commander. You copy?"

"Reading you Command" Lathanius said

"Analysis is complete on the data, what you scanned has the same frequency emissions as the incursion gate. Whatever is keeping the gate open, that is where you will find it. Recommend you search and destroy"

"Understood command. Lathanius out"

Lathanius stood from his kneeling position, his terminator armour winding up as the giant of a man looked upon his squad, a smirk on his face

"Squad Varcas. We have found our objective, let us finish this and return home"

"Yes sir" the squad said as they made their way to the flesh door.

"Readying a charge. I have a feeling that they will know our location when this goes off commander" Tyron said as he planted the charge

"Then ready your weapons. We will have to fight our way to our quarry. But know this, we will not fail"

"Aye Commander"

And so when the melta charge exploded, melting a hole through the wall of flesh, squad Varcas charged once more into the nightmare.

---

It was pure chaos in the medical tent of the Emperor, lightning cracked upon everything in the room as Constantine and his companion brothers tried to hold down their master. The Emperor himself was screaming as purple lightning flashed across his body, wracking his bed and his bodyguards armour with the power of his psychic might rampaging out of control.

Already a dozen medical personnel were dead, their bodies charred and boiled, the smell of burning flesh and an alien ichor permeated through the air as the Emperor started to leak out a foul liquid from his eyes, it's purple colour and unnatural state being of grave concern to his Custodians.

"My Lord! Stop this madness!"

"THEY COME FOR US! THEY COME FOR US ALL!"

Constantine was desperate. Already he could feel his strength leaving him as the lightning from his master wracked his body with spasms. Already one of his Companions had fallen from the pain, his body being consumed by the living lightning as his body continued to spasm on the ground, his life long passed.

He can see that if something wasn't done soon, then he would join his companion in the afterlife while his Emperor rampaged across his army, destroying everyone that has fought to keep this planet safe.

Even the thought of doing something he would never consider was becoming more convincing due to the desperation the scenario presented him. But such a thing would go against everything he was created for, and to do such a thing would be worst than death itself.

He was thinking that the scenario was so grim. He would have to give his master an act of mercy.

However, before he could even begin to draw his Misericordia to do the deed. The Tent was opened as a team of shinobi entered the room. They used their chakra to shield themselves from the lightning as one of them tried to reach the Emperor.

This female was blonde hair, with a distinct pair of blue eyes, she struggled as the Emperor screamed, each step becoming harder for her to get any closer.

Just when she was to be blown away from the Emperor's psychic might, Constantine grabbed her arm as she was being dragged. Planting his feet to the floor, Constantine used his strength to pull her to his master, a look of desperation upon his face.

The female nodded at Constantine and with but a single touch the room fell silent once more.

The Emperor's eyes had dulled, already the power that was flowing through him had stopped in it's tracks. Arcs of lightning still crossed over his body, but it looks as though what the female had done stopped the chaos that had consumed the room.

"Lady Ino!"

Looking at the female, whom was Ino Yamanaka, one could see that she was struggling with something, her breathing had become ragged as her forehead built up a great sweat. Her eyes were becoming more unfocused as something was draining her strength.

"Something... powerful is trying to destroy his mind" Ino said as she panted. "His psyche is being attacked and it's taking all my concentration to make sure it doesn't do anymore damage"

"Is there something we can do?" Constantine said, his mind thinking of countless scenarios being played before him.

"I can... link your minds... with his... You will need to fight... this enemy... from within"

"How can we do that"

"A hand... on my shoulder... I will do the rest... but please... .hurry... I can only give you so much time"

"Very well" Constantine said as he and his companions placed their hands on Ino's shoulders.

"Be warned... whatever you do in there... can have repercussions... out here"

"Understood"

Constantine and the Companions would only blink once before their whole world faded before them.

And emerge within a realm they would never have imagined

---

"Swarm Converging on the right flank!"

"Furian! Overwatch fire!"

The roar of bolter fire rang through the corridor as a swarm of hormagaunts rushed the right side of Squad Varcas, Team CYAN was proving covering fire on the left flank while the brothers Malcom and Cyril along with Kareem were giving Tyron time to rip open the door. All the while Lathanius was looking at his Auspex scanner.

"Genestealers coming in from the front!"

"Covering fire! Get Clear!"

The brothers opened up towards the corridor, the sound of their rotor Volley guns screaming as the horde was being suppressed, yet for every enemy they destroyed ten more would take their place.

This was the scenario that Squad Varcas has faced for the past three hours, already their ammo supply and medical supplies were running dangerously short, to make matters more grim they had already lost Morlaeo and Rafael when they were cut off from a rogue swarm of hormagaunts and genestealers.

Rafael went out first when the swarm ripped into his armour, he died while activating a Fragmentation grenade, killing him and part of the swarm along with him. While Rafael suffered a worse fate by having his body torn apart by a pack of genestealers, their claws ripping into his flesh while he was screaming at Squad Varcas to run.

"Commander!, This wall is too much for the breaching blade,we will need another charge!" Tyrion said as his blade was screeching, the mechanism clearly jammed from all the excess gore that coated the blade and it's parts.

"Squad! Is there anymore charges left!"

"We have no more Charges Commander!" Carmine from Team CYAN said as she delivered a dust round into a rushing gaunt.

"I only have two more demolition charges!" Cyril said as he looked at Lathanius "Are we close to the target?!"

"Scanner reads the target is past this wall!"

"Cyril, where is the charge!" Tyron said, his bolter ringing out as he made his way to Cyril

"In My right Pocket! On my Pack!"

Though the sounds of gunfire, Tyron did not hear what Cyril had said

"Which Pocket!"

"My RIGHT ONE!"

"YOU HAVE TWO POCKETS!"

"BOTTOM ONE, BOTTOM ONE!"

Tyron grabbed the charge, this one a compacted dust charge set to a fuse timer. Taking care to place it in the crevice his breaching saw had done, he lit the fuse.

"BREACHING. STAND CLEAR!"

The Door was blasted apart as the volatile dust crystals ripped a hole through the wall of flesh. Yet a roar was heard as a wall of flesh was sliding down the hole, the room of flesh trying to seal a breach to a place that it deemed important.

"NO!"

Tyron acted without hesitation, rushing the wall of flesh his terminator armour groaned as the wall tried to crush him. Yet with a grunt of force he managed to push the wall back up so all of the squad can run through the hole.

"Go!"

The Squad wasted no time as they rushed through the door, each unit being supported by over watch fire from the three terrarians. It was the two brothers whom were last, as their volley guns roared.

"Tyron! It's your turn now!"

"No sergeant. I... Cannot go any further"

"Bullshit! Your coming with us! Your not dying on my watch"

"It is too late for me" Tyron said as his armour was starting to fail, he was forced to a knee as the weight of the wall of flesh started to push him down. "Do what you must to save your world... Go you two, do not hesitate to do what must be done!"

The two brothers could not do anything as they watched a battle brother be crushed by the flesh wall. The brothers gave a brief salute to a fallen brother.

"Farewell... friend"

---

The two brothers rushed towards the rest of Squad Varcas as they run into a massive chamber.

The chamber could fit an entire vehicle squadron with plenty of room to spare, it's walls were glowing with a unnatural purple light as the room was illuminated by biological luminescence. And within this room a single object gave the squad pause.

It was a crystallized structure of what seemed to be a heart, it pulsed with a light that even the squad could not gaze at for too long, connected to this heart were what looked like veins which connected to a massive capillary which extended down from the ceiling of the massive room. The Squad could see that energy was being siphoned from the heart as it's pulses of light rushed into the veins, lighting up the room in a eerie blue pale light along with the purple luminescence of the room.

"This seems to be what we were looking for"

Lathanius could see that his auspex was giving him set energy readings that were consistent with the tactical data that command had given him would be their primary objective.

"Cyril, Malcom. Ready the dust charge on this... thing"

"On it sir" the brothers said as they unloaded their last charge. Yet as the brother were preparing the final charge a booming voice etched itself into the minds of the squad.

It's voice was unnatural, like a thousand voices molded together to say a single word, yet it's tone would be described as motherly if one were to pinpoint it's main intent.

"filthy cockroaches have made their way to our heart. What a pathetic bunch of cockroaches. Do they not see they are not welcome here?"

"Commander?"

"Guns ready. We are not alone in this place"

The squad went into a tight formation, their guns at the ready as they gazed out into the massive room.

"Filthy Cockroaches. They do not realize what tasty meal they will be for us. Yes Tasty indeed"

"Show yourself Xeno! You stand before a son of the Imperium!"

"So loud. These cockroaches do not show respect to us. Yet they think they can threaten us?"

An unnatural cackle ringed through the squads minds as they had their weapons on a swivel, the squad scanning the area for the alien.

Lathanius payed careful attention to his Auspex, it was giving him a reading of a massive biological target which was creeping through the shadows of the room, yet whatever the thing was it was giving him danger threat levels that far exceeded anything they have encountered so far.

"Perhaps the cockroaches will provide a good play? Yes bored we were, much fun with our food"

"Your idle threats do not scare me alien. For I am astartes, a son of Sanguinius and a soldier of my Emperor. I will never fear you"

"Emperor... ahh yes yes. That fine cockroach, oh his mind is so delectable. I can feel him trying to fight us. But he is but a cockroach. And he will be so delicious. Delicious morsel for us he will be"

"Commander. Perhaps this Xeno is the one whom orchestrated the injuries to our Emperor?"

"Then if it is, we shall deliver justice upon it's wretched corpse"

"You think you can kill us? Silly Cockroach, silly silly cockroach. WE SHALL SHOW YOU HOW WRONG YOU ARE"

In an instant, the room was consumed in darkness. Squad Varcas's light systems activated as they continued to sweep the room.

A scream of pain was all that was heard as the squad pointed their light to the source

"Furian!"

a massive tail pierced Furian, his chest had been caved in as the terminator was ripped into the darkness. The sounds of crushing and tearing was heard around the room as the squad tried to find the source.

"Tasty cockroach. Such fine morsels for me to feast on. Must have more. MUST CONSUME MORE"

Sada, being the youngest of the squad had a look of fear in his eyes as he looked around the darkness. A shake was seeping into his hands as he had just witnessed someone being snatched in front of him without any warning.

"Sada"

He looked at the one whom placed his armored hand on his shoulder. It was Theodosius. He looked at Sada as he gave him a re assuring hand.

"Have no fear Sada. We will get through this"

Sada took a breath as his shaking stopped, he gave a nod of agreement to Theodosius. Yet in that moment a look of terror crossed his face.

Theodosius paused for a second, noticing that Sada was looking past his shoulder into the darkness. He slowly edged for his twin boltgun as he could feel a breath touch his plate, a slight hissing sound happening as the adamantium of his shoulder pad was being dissolved by some form of organic acid.

Within a brief second, Theodosius whipped out his twin boltgun as he pulled the trigger at the target behind him. The flash and sound of boltgun fire echoing through the chamber as an inhuman scream pierced the room.

The light revealed their target. A monstrosity that dwarfed even the alien tyrants that they had encountered on Terraria. This creature had a head whose jaw unhinged either side of it's sleek alien head. It's body was massive yet was fashioned to be much like a genestealers body. Armored shell plates protected it's belly and what looked to be a pouch was nestled within it's gut area, sleek yet muscular legs gave the creature extreme strength for leaping as it's hands carried claws the size of an astartes.

A massive tail with a pointed end completed the look of the creature, the size of which made it massive in such a confined space.

"DIE!"

Theodosius wasted no time as bolter rounds tried to pierce the hide of the creature, yet the reactive rounds could not even penetrate the armored plates that protected it's flesh. It leaped onto the ceiling as it used it's claws to scuttle across the roof of the room.

"Squad open fire!"

Squad Varcas poured volley after volley into the creature, yet either through the rounds not being able to penetrate it's hide to it leaping with incredible speed to some of their more powerful heavy weapons. The creature was proving to be a foe that they could not kill.

"Nasty cockroaches. Try to hurt us? Only cockroaches. Tasty tasty cockroaches. I will have ANOTHER"

The group barely had any time before Amaranth from team CYAN was pulled from the squad, Squad Varcas tried everything they could but the creature merely shrugged off their firepower while the creature opened it's unhinged jaw and started to eat Amaranth alive, the squad fought harder as they could hear Amaranth screaming as his body was cut in two by the beast fangs. And as they could hear his screams die out, the beast was chewing at his body as though it was a snack.

" YOU BASTARD!" Carmine screamed as she pulled out her specialized dust weapon. This one being a heavy caliber machine gun that fired hardened fire dust rounds. The rounds hit the creature and the surrounding area as it was lit ablaze with the power of fire dust. The creature gave out a startled scream as a few rounds found their mark under the links of armored chitin.

It burns! Why does it burn?! Nasty cockroaches... We will go for you next filthy cockroach!

"YOU WILL DIE YOU BITCH! I'M GONNA MAKE SURE OF IT!"

"Concentate on it's legs! Cut off it's means of movement!" Lathanius bellowed out at he took aim at the much less armored legs of the creature. The squad wasted no time in shooting for the creatures legs. Yet it seemed that the creature was being more aggressive than before as it leaped from one side of the room to the other, while it's tail shot across to impale others in the squad.

"Incoming!"

"Don't let it pin you down. Keep mobile!"

Aikawa and Fukui were laying down suppressing fire upon the creature as the squad re-consolidated to a more defensible position. The duo were in a more defensible position of the room when they both felt a rumble, looking below their feet they could see a part of the floor part away as the creatures tail caught the duo by surprise.

The pair were pinned down to the floor as the tail impaled Aikawa above Fukui, their bodies were pinned to the ground as the pair tried to struggle. The creature started to stalk slowly towards the pair as squad varcas tried to shoot at the tail that held the duo.

"Brother?"

"Fukui. Look at me" Aikawa said, looking at his panicked sister as the creature made it's way towards him.

"I'm scared brother."

under the sounds of bolter fire and heavy ordinance, Fukui had tears running down her face as a look of fear etched itself onto the girl.

"Fukui. Look at me, it's gonna be okay"

Even when the creature made it's way towards him, Aikawa did not show a single ounce or fear. Instead a look of resolve was upon his face, as though he has accepted his fate.

"Big brother?"

"It's gonna be okay, know that big brother loves you okay Fukui? Know that big brother loves you.. alwa..."

Aikawa gave out a pained scream as the alien ripped into his spine, the creature ripping apart the shinobi as it ate him piece by bloody piece.

Fukui looked on in horror as she screamed in both anger and sadness, while the creature gave out a bellowing victory at the meal it had claimed.

Fukui tried to struggle, but the tail had her well pinned under it's weight, and her vision was starting to blur as she could feel the tail crushing her.

The creature started to make it's way towards Fukui, yet it paused when it noticed another had blocked it's path.

This one was another terminator, yet instead of a standard fist and twin boltgun, the astartes carried a Thunder hammer and a storm shield.

"Your fight is with me xeno!"

The creature gave out a scream as it leaped into the astartes, bracing himself for the charge the astartes parried the rushing charge from the creature as it used it's shield to parry.

Using this momentum gained the astartes gave a mighty swing of the thunder hammer, it's Electrified face striking the creature in it's front hind leg, collapsing the leg in a single, mighty blow.

The creature gave out a pained scream as it pulled it's tail from Fukui, a moan of pain coming from the girl as the alien tried to use the tail to pin down the astartes.

"Invithios!"

Lathanius along with Sada,Suto and Carmine rushed towards Fukui as they tried to apply emergency aid to the badly wounded girl. Invithios parried both the massive claws of the beast along with it's tail as he applied broad swings, aiming for the creature's mobility.

"Feel the might of the Emperor's finest! DIE!"

Invithios managed to hit the creature again on it's injured hind leg, crushing the appendage into a bloody paste. The creature gave out a scream as it used it's arms to leap into the astartes, whom struggled as he tried to hold back the trashing creature and it's weight from his storm shield.

"Orart! Purge this alien in fire!"

The final terminator of Squad lathanius held a massive weapon in it's right hand, the weapon itself contained a small pilot light of fire as Orart held the weapon out towards the aliens back while Invithios was holding back the beast.

"Burn in Righteous fire!"

The weapon ignited the room in a bright light as a river of fire coated the alien, it shrieked as the fire became too much for the creature. It scuttled towards the shadows as it's body burned.

"IT BURNS, IT BURNS US! MY CHILDREN! YOUR MOTHER DEMANDS THESE COCKROACHES FLESH! FEAST UPON THEM!"

A rumble within the room made the group go on high alert as a part of the room started to open up, from these holes came a small creature. It's size being too small to be a hormagaunt or termagaunt. It gave a child like cry as it started to slowly craw towards the squad on it's tail.

"What is that thing?" Lathanius said as he steadied his storm bolter to aim at the creature.

"That... is a ripper" Malcom said as he readied his weapon "Insignificant by itself. But dangerous in numbers. Get that Flamer ready cause were gonna need some serious firepower"

as soon as Malcom finished the room exploded as countless rippers flooded the room from these birthing cannals at the other side. Squad Varcas tactically withdrew to consolidate their groups together as Sada and Sudo along with Orart covered the swarm in fire. Rounds were being emptied into the swarm yet their numbers just continued to surge as the squad was being overwhelmed.

"YAGUCHI!"

Carmine yelled as Yaguchi was isolated as the swarm surrounded her, she cried out in pain as hundreds of teeth ripped into her armour, tearing both the armour and her flesh as they burrowed into her body and ate her apart from the inside.

"We cannot hold out much longer commander!" Theodosius said as his twin boltgun roared as the reactive rounds ripped into the swarm

"Damnit, We are soo close. Are we to be denied vengeance?"

"No Commander." Orart said as he reloaded the promethium canister of his heavy flamer.

"I will give you the chance to finish this. Sada, Sudo. Let us go"

The other two gave a grim nod as they knew they would not come away from this. Yet they understood that to endure is one of the tenets of a shinobi.

One who endures.

The three pushed towards the swarm, flame washing apart the aliens as the three man crew showed no fear, even as the tide of aliens rushed them they walked into position among the birthing canals. With a final utter of goodbye, Orath ignited the ground he was standing on as a swath of flame covered the area. Sada and Suto focused their chakra to become nothing but fire, giving out focused yells of concentration as their bodies started to rupture from their own volatile chakra.

The room was ablaze with light as the birthing canals were cleansed in fire, the stream of volatile chakra and promethium exterminating the aliens to obliteration, none of the creatures survived the flame that consumed them all.

"MY CHILDREN! YOU FILTHY ROACHES! WE WILL RIP YOU ALL TO PIECES FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!"

"Then come beast" Lathanius said as he unsheathed a blade that crackled with lightning "Show me what passes for fury among your misbegotten kind"

The beast landed upon the group, it's wounded leg hanging uselessly as it raised itself above the group. A pair of Scythe talons popped out from it's back as the beast swung with one of it's massive claws, Invithios rushed in front of the talon as his shield took the brunt of the impact, the wargear ripping out of his grip as the force proved too much for it's magnetic clamp.

The beast came in with it's second claw as Invithios took the full brunt of the attack, it's sharpened claws ripping a massive chunk of his armour. His body hit the ground hard as blood started to pool on the floor, a low groan coming from the superhuman.

"Yasna! Help out Invithos!" Malcom shouted out as he and his brother Cyril unleashed their volley guns, pushing the beast away from finishing their comrade.

Kareem, whom this point had managed to flank the beast readied a blade of hardened chakra metal coated in a layer of fire dust as he stealthy approached the monster.

"Sentinels, guide this strike. Seek vengeance for those whom have fallen"

Uttering this small prayer, Kareem rushed the wall the beast was pushed into as he used his momentum to scale above the beast, leaping across when it's tail tried to impale him.

With a bellowing war cry, Kareen struck his blade true, piercing the beast in it's spine as it gave out a strangled cry.

"IT BURNS! IT BURNS!"

"Kareem!" Theodosius yelled out as the beast's Tail Impaled Kareem from behind. His cries being heard as he was thrown across the room hard.

He collided with the wall at a thunderous speed as the impact shattered his body, collapsing in a heap as blood pooled from his wound.

Kareem breathed his last breath as his cousin's blade now was impaled into the beast.

The Effect was rather severe as the blade started to produce an unbearable heat for the monster, as it's strangled cries were being heard, feeling the most excruciating pain it could imagine coursing through it's spine.

The beast rampaged across the room, no longer was it being subtle but rather flailing wildly in hoping to take out one of it's enemies. Yet Lathanius stood in front of the beast in a single moment of defiance as he readied his power sword.

In a swift cut, the beast was stopped cold as it's front hind legs were sliced clean off from the beast, it could do nothing as it's body twitched from the pain flowing through it's veins.

Lathanius could only look at the beast in disgust and hatred, two thirds of his squad were dead, along with five others whom followed them through the jaws of hell, while this beast was merely a vessel for a consciousness that defied convention. Merely one in an endless horde of horrors.

"What a wretched abomination" he said as the beast was looking at him with those soulless black eyes.

"You think you have won Cockroach? You have won nothing. For WE have given nothing. WE will consume you all, even now we come to you. Your precious leader being the light to a feast we will enjoy"

"Your idle threats will not go unpunished Xeno!" Lathanius said as he readied his blade

"Threat? You think of this as a threat? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

"This is not a threat cockroach. This is what will be. WE HAVE CONSUMED COUNTLESS OTHERS. Others whom would overshadow your fledgling empire we have consumed. THE STARS ARE OURS TO FEED. And your worlds will just be another to fall to us"

"Then come Xeno. Bring your hordes and horrors. We will stop your taint from spreading no more. And when your pathetic race is broken, it's beast all slain to the last and your hive mind shattered. Know that it was the Imperium, with our mighty Emperor that laid your kind to oblivion. This I swear"

with these final words uttered, Lathanius drove his power sword into the head of the beast, silencing the creature as it gave out a final cry. However in it's last act of death, the beast impaled the shoulder of Lathanius with it's tail, making the sergeant give out a grunt of pain as he cut the tail from the beast.

"Commander? Are you okay?" Malcom said as Lathanius took to a knee.

"I..."

"Everyone stay alert. I am readying the Time Dust cartridge"

Cyril was being overly careful as he revealed a tiny cartridge, no more than the size of a single bullet. Yet the look of concentration on his face belayed the severity of the item.

To a more casual person this would look like any other normal standard ammunition, but to those that know of this weapon it is a destroyer of planets.

A specialized cartridge of dust, this being so rare from Remnant's stockpile that only a handful of it even exist in all of the universe. It's colour was a black that did not reflect any light source, in fact it seemed that light was being drawn to it and consumed like a moth to a flame.

This dust cartridge contained one of the only few samples of time dust, a potent chakra that can change the fundamental principles of time in a area. This miracle dust was discovered by accident, yet proved to be so potentially miraculous and devastating that massive amounts of resources were spent on studying and detailing what it can do.

What they have discovered is that only a small amount is needed to create what is known as a 'singularity' a hole in time so powerful that it can unravel the fundamental fabric of the universe, leaving nothing behind.

Some speculated that if enough time dust was gathered then the entire universe could be reset through a careful application of energy. Creating a chain reaction that could 'reset' everything.

Yet no one had the audacity or was stupid enough to test this theory for fear of wiping out all existence.

Now Squad Varcas was readying this dust to deal a catastrophic blow to this enemy. One that would hopefully stall them from reaching their galaxy within the next five to Ten thousand years at least.

The others of Squad Varcas were tending to Commander Lathanius as Cyril was preparing the final touches to the explosive.

"Commander. Your vital signs are dropping. Are you okay?"

"I... Something... I feel a pain"

"Give me my ray scanner!" Yasna said as she urged Malcom to give him her bag, fishing out said item she started a deep scan of Lathanius. Looking a bit shocked as the device fell from her hand she gave out a started gasp.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?"

"He... there is a ripper in his body. It's burrowed itself into his chest. It is killing him"

"Crap!" Cyril said as he was working on the explosive.

"What's wrong?" Carmine said as Cyril had a look of frustration on his face

"The bloody time detonator got damaged during the fight. I can't use it"

"You got any other detonator?"

"Yea... But it's a dead mans switch"

"I... will stay then" Lathanius said as he walked towards Cyril

"But commander. We could still try and"

"It will not matter. This beast has burrowed itself beyond my ribcage. Even now it is consuming me from the inside. It is only a matter of time before I die. And I will dictate how I shall die"

"Very well commander. We understand"

Lathanius was given the device, a heartbeat monitor that hocked onto his neck where his pulse is.

"That will activate when it doesn't detect a heartbeat anymore. So you will just have to survive as long as you can"

"Understood" Lathanius said to Cyril. He handed his auspex to Malcom as he pointed towards a pair of fleshy tubes that were near the crystal.

"Those tubes are connected to the nervous system of this beast ship. When you destroy them the path towards the portal should open for you all"

"And open every single path for the aliens to get to you"

"Do not worry for me squad" Lathanius said "I will refuse to die until you are all back on terraria's soil"

"Thank you commander. It has been an honour serving with you"

"The Honour... is mine"

Theodosius, along with Yaguchi and Navajo lifted Invithios, their strength and his terminator suit providing them the means to carry the injured astartes. Carmine,Yasna, Malcom and Cyril were going to be acting as the offensive push and rearguard for the squad.

The squad readied themselves as Cyril sliced into the nerve with Lathanius's sword.

The room quaked as an inhuman roar was heard all around. As it was happening the flesh walls that obstructed the squad opened up, the door to the room revealing a small horde of gaunts.

The squad opened fire into the horde, pushing away from the room as Lathanius gave them one last nod. The last thing the squad seeing was him slicing through a horde of aliens.

---

"Hold this line!"

The forces around the incursion gate were being hammered by an enemy that was desperate. Tens of thousands of aliens rushed the forces as hundreds of fighters held back the tide of desperate aliens.

The Swarmlord lead the forces of the alien as it used it's massive numbers to hammer the enemy into oblivion, while trying to reclaim the gate.

Elementian forces along with Imperial ones, majority of these being warriors from the blood angels legion and Elementian shinobi formed the main battle lines against the aliens,while remnants forces provided auxiliary forces as Terrarian forces, these being the jaeger companies, were made into disruption parties that acted as hit and run kill teams that struck at the aliens gestation pools and birthing chambers that littered the effected areas surrounding the gate.

For a while these strategies worked, but brought upon the Imperial forces many more problems, as with each gestation pool or birthing chamber destroyed, the enemy would swell their numbers on their remaining resources, making each run progressively harder to succeed.

Eventually these proved too much and the jaeger forces were pulled back to act as long range disruption against the majority of the swarm that the battle line forces could not focus upon.

Sanguinius was at the forefront, with Naruto providing either medical or morale support to those forces that were stretched to breaking point. The winged son of the Emperor was a fierce warrior in battle, cleaving through aliens big and small as though they were wheat against his sword.

The swarmlord already see's him as a pillar for the forces and so has been sending tyrants to kill him. Yet these foes would fail against him, their bodies hacked and broken against his bloodied armour.

"Come aliens. Is this all you can muster? Where was that confidence from before?!" Sanguinius bellowed out as the horde was being hammered by the might of the blood angels and Elementians.

Already the battle lines were being held back by the might of these astartes, while the chakra abilities of the shinobi were either used to cause mass destruction to the swarm or was used strategically to funnel the aliens into kill zones, making the swarms massive numbers account for nothing.

By this point hundreds of aliens were falling every second, and so the hive mind started to resort to desperate measures.

An inhuman roar echoed through what was once a flat land, now transformed into a valley, as the skies parted to a massive figure.

"By the sentinels, I thought I would hope to never see one again" one of the terrarian infantrymen said as he had settled into a panic.

"What is that thing?" An astartes commander had asked the shaken terrarian.

"The dragon has come back... HARRIDEN!"

The massive creature gave out a bellowing cry as a swarm of darkness blotted out the skies above the forces. Hundreds of gargoyles, these being winged versions of the gaunt had flooded the skies as they started to sweep down into the forces below.

Anti air fire was pummeling these foes yet there were too many for them to handle, these creatures started to dive into the lines, ripping apart whole squads that could do nothing but cry out as their flesh and bones were ripped to pieces.

Even the Astartes of the blood angels were not immune to this, yet they had the only means to combat this enemy head on, as assault teams engaged in deadly fights in the skies. Thunderhawk gunships opened fire against the foe as entire flyer squadrons were desperately fighting against the ravenous horde.

Sanguinius saw this happening and gave out a frustrated bellow, knowing that this was a diversion to pull him away from the main battle lines. He could see that if that massive alien was not dealt with then the forces holding the gate would crumble.

Shown with no other option, Sanguinius spread apart his wings and took to the skies, his target being the dragon monstrosity that was causing all this chaos.

Swiftly reaching speeds that were reaching past mark 2, Sanguinius drew his sword and engaged with the hulking monstrosity.

The beast itself had massive talons upon the bottom of it's body and multiple weapons that shot concentrated blast of acid within Sanguinius's direction. Yet the Primarch of the blood angels was no mere rookie to aerial combat, for he represented a true angel of death.

Giving slight adjustments to his wings, he applied masterful jink maneuvers that allowed his rather small profile space to place him in the weak spots of the beast. This proved fruitful as his sword carved out the multiple weapons the beast was using on both himself and the ground personnel that were fighting.

In response, multiple hive tyrants, these being one's with wings of leather flesh ascended to engage the primarch in mortal combat, the majority of these with flesh tearing devouring weaponry and a single crystallized sword with a fleshy barbed whip extension.

Yet Sanguinius was an unstoppable force, for every hive tyrant that faced him would either miss him entirely, only to be cut down by his blade, or they would lose sight of him to only fall to the same fate as those before them.

Sanguinius had disabled the beast's main method of destroying the troops, but he would not put it above the swarm to use the beast in a last ditch attempt to crush everyone under it's weight. So he set to resolve that.

Flying above the body of the beast. Sanguinius landed upon it's hardened shell, in a moment of clarity Sanguinius sat upon it's fleshy surface and took a pose of concentration.

The primarch rarely used this method, as he hated the feeling of wrongness he would unleash upon himself. Yet in this moment he see's this as a necessary evil.

Focusing on himself, he grasped the hidden power coursing through his veins, in his own words he described it as a feeling of unending and overwhelming hunger.

He grasped at the safeguards he had placed in his mind and slowly one by one lowered them.

The result was quite dramatic.

Where Sanguinius before showed a noble son of the emperor, this part of him showed something sinister. His wings which were of purest white were being tinted red and black by the pure chaotic energy coursing through him.

His skin, which was a pristine tone, became noticeably pale against even the great sunlight that illuminated the battlefield.

His eyes, one a noble brown, were the colour of crimson as from his mount two fangs sprouted past his lips.

And in his mind an overwhelming desire to feast on blood rampaged.

Drawing his sword, which was now glowing in a chaotic red, he dug the blade into the beast, all the way to the hilt.

The beast gave out a massive cry as it felt something foul enter it's body, but could do nothing against it, even when the beast started to thrash about in pain.

Sanguinius enjoyed it's misery as it's blue ichor flowed from the wound, tempted by how it taste Sanguinius dipped his finger into the ichor and took a single sip.

His mind was flooded by the sheer exotic taste of the fluid, not something he neither hates nor likes.

Running his blade through the beast as he slowly walked up the great beast spine, Sanguinius whistled a creepy tune as the blade of pure chaotic energy was hacking the beast apart.

The harriden could do nothing but roar in pain as it's body was being slowly ripped by chaotic energy.

All the while Sanguinius ran his free hand into it's blue ichor, savoring every drop he would eat.

---

Squad Varcas pushed far back into the hell pit. Each tally of fallen aliens marking their destination back home.

Malcom lead the group through the push back to the gate, each step being recalled through the use of the auspex Lathanius gave him, the device showing a detailed map of what they had already traveled through.

"How much farther Malcolm?" Cyril said from the rear, as another horde of gaunts were shot to pieces by his volley gun.

"Hard to say... even though this tracked our progress, it has some inconsistencies with the path"

The group continued on, passing through countless rooms, some familiar and some foreign.

After what seemed like hours, or was it minutes. Malcom had a lock on the gate room.

"The Gate room is just ahead. Just past this corridor"

The group heard a roar as the room rumbled, as a horde of aliens rushed behind the group.

"COVERING FIRE!"

The group tactically fell back through the corridor, fields of volley fire holding back the horde as the group slowly fell towards the end.

"Go! I'll cover you" Cyril said as he stood as the rearguard, his volley gun running hot as he skillfully shot down scores of aliens.

The group had successfully crossed into the room, as Malcom came back for his brother.

"Lets go Cyril!"

Another roar, this one more powerful, shouted across the environment. The brothers could feel the room rumbling, as though something was awakening.

Cyril refused to look at his brother, his volley gun red hot, cooling down from it's extended use.

"Cyril! Come on you stubborn bastard!"

"Malcom" Cyril said, as he slowly turned around. Malcom was confused as droplets of tears appeared in his brothers eyes.

"Tell ma and pa. I'm sorry I couldn't make it home"

A wall of flesh slammed between the brothers, trapping Cyril on the other side as Malcom slammed his fist on a almost translucent wall.

"Cyril! Why did you do this man. Don't do this Cyril... CYRIL!" Malcom screamed as tears flooded his eyes, the rest of squad Varcas dragged him away from the wall as Malcom tried to struggle, crying out for his brother whom was standing with his back against the wall on the other side.

Cyril gave a tired sigh, tears now flowing freely from his eyes. Another roar sounded through the corridor as he readied his volley gun, it's power cells once more straining.

"I'm Sorry... little bro"

---

Lathanius had never felt such a pain before.

His body felt a never ending pain as the last of the aliens fell to his broken sword. The room filled with the bodies of countless aliens.

Through his sheer willpower and resilience, a trait of his astartes blood. He had denied death it's embrace for what seemed to be an eternity, yet even his body, which was beyond human, could not endure anymore.

His body fell backwards, unable to hold itself up while his terminator armour impacted with the fleshy floor.

Lathanius felt as though he couldn't breathe, and so using his sword at full power, it's power field crackling, he sliced his terminator armour open.

Showing his flesh a bulb emerged on his chest. Each time bringing him indescribable pain, when finally his flesh parted and the culprit was revealed.

A ripper, much like the others that swarmed them before, it gave out a crying moan as it was covered in Lathanius's blood.

With his throat filling with his fluids, he tilted his head, looking at this abomination.

"You filthy alien scum."

With a cough of blood from his mouth, Lathanius stared in hatred at this alien.

"You will never succeed, Mankind has endured worst than this. Know that your reckoning is coming. And we will never rest until your pathetic kind is obliterated from this existence."

"This... I... Swear"

And so Lathanius, Sargent of the 12th company of the blood reapers chapter, Legionnaire of the Blood angels, breathed his last.

The Alien gave out a crying moan as the Detonator gave out a high pitched whine on his neck.

Darkness consumed the chamber.

---

"It's right there!"

"Hurry!"

Malcom had a look of pure relief as the rest of squad Varcas could see the rippling glow of the incursion gate. Their footsteps were hurrying along as the though of returning home was among the minds of everyone.

The squad stumbled as the ship rumbled, regaining their stance they looked on in panic as the gate started to to flicker and fade, leaving behind a wall of flesh in it's place.

"No NO NO!"

Malcom rushed towards the wall in which the gate once was, hitting the wall in both desperation and frustration. While squad Varcas had a somber look upon their faces as the reality hit home.

"Please let this not be happening! Come on you stupid piece of crap. OPEN!"

Malcom slid down the wall of flesh as he still tried to push and punch through the now solid wall, he was on his knees as he started to pound the ground in frustration.

"DAMMIT!"

Theodosius laid his brother Invithios upon the fleshy walls of the chamber, while the rest of squad Varcas was either crying at the fact they would be dying here or giving moments of compassion to those whom were crying. Their faces set in melancholy as they tried to be strong for the rest.

"That means" Theodosius said with a tone of sadness, "That commander Lathanius"

The room was silent at that revelation.

The astartes tilted their heads in a bow of respect, while Yaguchi and Carmine were holding on to Fukui whom was crying, both at the loss of her brother but also at the fact that she would not be seeing home.

"So that's it then" Malcom said, the anger and frustration leaving him "We're not going home"

A distant roar shattered the silence as the rumble of feet echoed through the chamber. Most of Squad Varcas had started to gather together, holding on to each other in what might be their final moments.

"If these alien scum think I'm just going to sit down and die" Malcom said as he readied his volley gun, it' power cells coming to life.

"Then I'll just die standing"

Malcom stood in front of the single corridor, while Theodisius stood beside him, his storm bolter loaded with a fresh magazine.

"We will die standing... brother"

Malcom gave the Astartes a nod, a small smile on his weathered face

"Well said... brother"

Malcom, in these moments before the storm. Uttered a though.

I don't believe much in miracles, and I ain't a man that clings on to faith. But I just want to say that if anyone can help us in this moment. Even a little, It would mean everything to me.

The horde of red eyes flooded down the corridor towards squad Varcas.

They were met with fire and fury.

---

The situation on Terraria changed in an instant.

The forces holding the gate were in a state of panic as the incursion gate's entrance, the one thing that the forces were defending, was starting to flicker. It's membrane starting to fade away.

High command within the camp was scrambling, trying to do everything in their power to try and revive the gate's entrance. From trying to jump start the gate again by feeding it power to finding some means of forcing the gate to hold.

"Someone please tell me we have something to keep this gate going?!" One of the high command officers said over the vox channels within the camp.

"We're trying sir! But nothing is having any effect!"

This was also made much more difficult as the enemy was becoming more and more desperate. It's biggest weapon, the dragon had been sundered from the sky, crashing into the alien menace below. Yet this wasn't without a cost, for Sanguinius was removed from the battle from injuries, the primarch being tended to by the field medics within the camp.

Naruto was tasked with holding the perimeter defenses, a task he took to heart as the majority of the area was being defended by his own army of multi-shadow clones, in which the enemy was driven back multiple times.

The enemy this time resorted to desperation tactics. Every ounce of resources they had being used to feed a suicidal force. Shock troops were replaced with highly volatile variants, these ones forcing groups to fall back to more defensible positions, giving away precious ground.

The enemy forsake the use of variety with their big hitters, mainly the variants on Carnifexes and tyrants, and instead resorted to mass production of a single dedicated unit. These ones being the all assault variant of the carnifex and the simple close combat version of the tyrant.

The Imperial and Elementian lines, bolstered by Naruto's numbers. Stood their ground. Each wave of enemies being held back by their sheer tenacity, yet the morale of these men and women started to waiver when even they could see the great gate start to flicker.

And to make this a more volatile scenario, the situation in the Emperor's personal medical tent had fallen silent.

"STAND YOUR GROUND. DO NOT FALTER!" Naruto bellowed out as he impaled a tyrant with a truth seeking blade.

He stood before the group, becoming a pillar in which others looked up to, to many on the battlefield he exemplified a true commander of war in these moments, a testament to the primarchs and of the roles that they hold within the Imperium.

Their casualties were many, but for every soldier pulled back from the front, they were replaced by one of the nearly endless clones of the primarch, each one becoming legendary in this war of attrition.

A handful of Custodes stood their ground next to Naruto, seeing him as the one figure the swarm would want to take out. It was to their shame that they had let their own Emperor be struck low by the enemy in their moment of weakness, they will not let them do the same to his son.

The horde of Naruto's pushed the line of aliens back, each inch of ground paved by the blood of countless aliens. The swarm realized that they were being pushed back by an enemy just as tenacious as them, and so doubled their efforts to try and aim for the head.

A subtle rumble was felt under Naruto's feet. But rather than be caught flat footed, Naruto leaped away just as the ground burst, a massive Mawloc tearing through the ground, it's mouth open.

In response, the custodes around Naruto turned in an instant and impaled the beast, their guardian spears going clean through the mawloc as it roared in frustration and pain. Naruto responded by forming a Rasengan within his hand, throwing the sphere of pure destructive energy into the aliens gullet, destroying the beast in an explosion of ichor and gore.

Naruto floated above the hole the beast came through, his form bathed in a golden cloak, as a roar of countless beast came from it's depths. In response, Naruto willed one of his truth seeking orbs into the darkness, and not more than one second later the battlefield rumbled as a massive explosion annihilated anything underground. The result of the orb going volatile.

The effect also translated above as the ground fractured and cracked under the enemy, the very tunnels they used against the Imperials and Elementians used against them. Whole swaths of ground gave way as the aliens above were being swallowed whole, their cries of hatred being silenced under the tide of earth.

"Commander Naruto! Something is happening with the gate!"

Naruto looked towards the gate, seeing it's flickering membrane pulsed with a golden light, Naruto could see that the pulses were getting stronger, breathing life once more into the gate itself.

And in the shadow of the gate, he could see a figure of golden light.

Naruto smiled.

"COME, WARRIORS OF THE IMPERIUM, WARRIORS OF ELEMENTIA. VICTORY IS AT HAND! CHARGE!"

---

Malcom was an optimist.

Even when the situation is at it's lowest point, Malcom would find a positive in any scenario.

Yet this scenario, there was no positive.

Only death to greet them all.

Theodosius was gravely wounded, struck by a lucky hit from a termagant weapon, while Carmine,Yasna,Yaguchi and Fukui were in a solemn mood, with Fukui crying in the shoulder of Carmine. They were tending to the two astartes, trying to keep the duo comfortable.

Malcom was standing before the corridor that the alien horde came through, but now he stood alone.

His volley gun whined in protest, it's barrel red hot from it's continued use.

Another roar echoed through the corridor, another horde of aliens tearing towards the room.

Malcom steadied his aim, with precise burst cut down the horde meticulously.

"Come on you alien scum! If I am going to die, then I will die STANDING!"

Another horde strides towards the group, and again Malcom stood his ground. Ripping into the horde with his volley gun.

As the last of the aliens were cut down, his gun finally gave a crying moan before the weapon ceased to function.

A final horde, this one slowly stalking towards Malcom and the group, took a more cautious approach, Malcom dropped his weapon to the fleshy floor as he pulled out his combat knife, yet even with such odd staked against him he stood strong.

His hand was shaking, the prolonged use of his volley gun sapped his strength, yet he still held his knife with a firm grip.

The first of the gaunts leaped towards him, yet Malcom gave a quick strafe as his knife slashed across the beast chest, laying the beast to the ground as another leaped towards him.

With carefully applied strikes, Malcom cut down the first ten of the aliens, each one laying on the floor with their chest cut wide open. Yet these ten were enough for the fighter to be absolutely tired, with his knife arm hanging limp from it's weight, and his lungs screaming for air. Malcom was at his absolute last leg.

Yet as more of the gaunts came rushing into the room, Malcom gave a bellow of defiance.

A flash of golden light illuminated the room, blinding all those within.

Malcom shielded his eyes as the blinding light caught him by surprise, and when the glare faded from his sight, he fell to his knees as a single tear trickled from his eye.

The Emperor of mankind, Master of humanity. Walked past Malcom, his sword bathed in fire as his eyes shined with a brilliant golden aura, a single swing of his blade sent forth a conflagration of golden flame, swallowing the corridor in a golden inferno.

Ten Custodians walked along with the master of mankind, each one of them grabbing on to one of the survivors of the mission, giving but a slight bow to their lord before returning through the gate.

Malcom was the last to be given aid, he was given a hand by the Emperor himself. Malcom had tears flow from his eyes, speechless at such an act. While the Emperor gave him a gentle smile, his golden eyes providing Malcom with something that he thought was lost.

He was given hope.

---

Date: 007 M30

Operation Parameters: Crusade

Current Imperial Forces: 17,320,000 Est Troops

Current Enemy Forces: 87,790,000,000 Est Troops

Casualties:

Imperial Forces: 2,949,000 Est Troops

Enemy Forces: 189,010,000,000 Est Troops

Location: The Savage Plains ,Ullanor-secundus , Ullanor Sector

---

"ODST squadron Alpha. Report to launch bays. ETA to destination in 5 minutes"

The Elementian Orbital Drop Shock troops, or ODST. Veterans whom served In the Elementian Auxiliary for years, the finest warriors whom were trained to fight in the most hopeless of fights and emerge victorious.

These men and women were picked from the fighters of the Elementian core for their talents and their tenacity. Each one of them is taught in the arts of war and trained to their peak performance, they are given lessons to unlock their full potential and to be something greater than their origins.

Each one can stand either alone or together as a unstoppable fighting force.

And they were given the task of taking one of the most heavily defended parts of the sector, to strike a killing blow into the very mechanical heart of the ork empire.

Their destination was code-named 'The savage plains' a vast conglomerate of manufacturing hab blocks, where the majority of the ork war machines were being produced by the plethora of Ork mechs and gretching slaves.

While the Legio astartes were dealing blows to the mind and heart of the ork empire, it is the ODST whom will deal a blow towards it's body.

The fleet ships raced towards their deployment zones, each one a carefully selected area in which their forces can cause the most damage to the ork war machine, a small detail that was glazed over however, was the fact that the deployment zones were some of the most heavily defended parts in all of the sector.

Yet these men and women were more than just the brute force of a hammer that were the auxilia, nor the precise scalpel like destruction of the astartes.

They were the tip of a sword, able to deliver a telling blow with unflinching accuracy and a tenacity that was legendary.

The commander of squad alpha stood before his squadron, one hundred fighters all standing at attention during the mission briefing.

"I'll keep this simple, we are to eliminate these priority targets, here,here and here"

The commander pointed towards specified destinations on the hollow board, each part of the hollow board zooming into the ork structures, showing every piece of tactical data that would be needed for the coming mission.

"Air support will be offline until the main anti air units are disabled, here and here"

Again the commander pointed towards specified parts of ork territory, this time towards massive orbital cannons which were looted from previous colony weaponry.

"Does anyone have any questions?"

The room was silent, the only sound was the mild humming of the massive ship engines.

"Right, you all have your orders. Lets get this done"

"SIR YES SIR!"

The squadron walked towards their loading bays, each one of them placed in a specialized single occupant drop pod, this was intentional as giving the enemy too many targets to count would give them the tactical edge they need to make it planet side.

The commander was strapped into his seat, his safety harness fastened tight as to prevent him from moving about, a single hand in a wave, the universal signal for asking if he is ready was given to him, he replied with his thumb up as the drop pod was sealed and prepped to be launched.

"This is Commander Malcom Ollanius to all ODST crews. You all know your objectives. May the Emperor be with us this day"

The Pods rained down upon the planet like a hail of rain, within the rumbling and shaking of his pod, Malcom Ollanius held onto an Aquila that he carved himself from a simple piece of wood, all the while under his breath he uttered a small prayer

O holy Emperor

Master of Mankind

He who protects the innocent, he who provides for the weak

Grant me absolution of what is asked of me

So that I may serve mankind in your image

Grant me strength for what is needed of me

So that I may fight for mankind as you do

With faith as my shield, with fury as my torch

Deliver us from the darkness, and into the light of reason

In your name and in the name of your sons

In spiriitus Sanctum

Amen

---

Boy this took a while..

This was one of those chapters where I knew where I wanted to end up at in the end, but getting to that destination was the hard part.

Well in any case that is another chapter for the book gods, and it's one more step in the beginning of a long journey.

Until Next time