Chapter 7: Sub Umbra Victoria
Date: 007 M30
Operation Parameters: Crusade
Current Imperial Forces: 16,050,000 Est Troops
Current Enemy Forces: 85,790,000,000 Est Troops
Casualties:
Imperial Forces: 4,219,000 Est Troops
Enemy Forces: 191,010,000,000 Est Troops
Location: Hive City Hades ,Ullanor-prime , Ullanor Sector
It was a bloody affair, yet that was the inevitable outcome of a siege.
Legionares from the shadow foxes and luna wolves pushed into the outer perimeter of the hive, each meter paved in blood. Yet the greenskins were tenacious even with such casualties piling up for them.
Entire mobs of boys rushed the lines of astartes, forcing the legionares in brutal and vicious close combat engagements, while jump pack infantry and ork rocket boys were in vicious dogfights above the hives industrial buildings.
Deep within the hive entrance were the terminators of the first company of the shadow foxes and the first chapter of the Luna wolves, each one showing their worth by the sheer bodies of orks that lay before their feet.
Leading the luna wolves was a mountain of a man, his sheer physique dwarfed those of his fellow brothers, his hair was tied in a single elongated knot as his face bore a striking resemblance to his gene father.
Ezekyle Abbadon strut forward, pushing his first company into the heart of the ork infested hive city, along with Sabaku No Garra, whose sand swallowed orks whole, staining it in ork blood.
The first companies of both legions pushed into the belly of the hive city, which opened up to a massive central atrium within the hive itself. Endless floors rose towards the sky as a darkness settled within the confined spire.
"Stay vigilant brothers. The orks would not let us breach this place so easily" Abbadon said, his twin boltgun readied while he looks vigilantly around the darkness. A booming voice echoed in the massive chamber
"I smell 'umiez, ta fink yer would all have 'da nerve ta try an' take our home from us. Dat was yer furst mistake"
"The only mistake we made was letting a filthy race such as yours a chance to live. Greenskin" Garra yelled, his hammer crackling with lightning arcs.
"An' know ya reakon ya kan jus kome ta ma house an' fink ya own da place?!" The room rumbled at the intensity of the voice.
"Shore up, maintain your ranks. The beast could be anywhere"
A rumbling echoed through the hive, the two companies of astartes, a thousand strong each walked through, each step a carefully placed one as both companies kept their focus to a razor edge.
One of the Terminators, one of these a luna wolf, was suddenly yanked from his corridor while his squad and their shadow fox brothers opened fire through the sudden gap that appeared.
"Report!" Garra said through the communicator "Do we have a visual"
"Negative captain. We do not have a visua..." The communicator was greeted by static as the sound of bolter fire echoed through the hive.
"We need to get to open ground!" Abbadon bellowed as he pointed to an opening leading to the hive decks. Both squadrons barreled through the corridor as the sound of bolter fire and rumbling became louder. Until the squads saw the true scale of what they were facing.
It was an ork, yet it's size was something none of them had ever visualized, it had used one of it's arms to reach into the hive and pluck out a company veteran from it's point, like an animal picking fruit. Even as the legionnaire struggled and fought their way out of the death grip of the beast, it was all for naught as they were smashed into the side of the hive, killed in a single, brutal display of violence.
The beast, satisfied with it's latest kill, turned it's massive head towards the command squadron as it's massive red eyes looked at the squad with a true deep seeded blood lust.
"SCATTER!" Was the call from Garra, as bolter rounds were unleashed by both companies.
The rounds bounced harmlessly of the ork, it's explosive reactive rounds merely giving the creature superficial wounds. In response, the ork pulled an object out from the darkness, this being a choppa the size of an entire floor of the hive.
It heaved the gargantuan axe with a single hand as the crude guillotine came crashing down into a section of the hive, ripping through entire sections as squads scrambled to escape the collapse..
"It's too late ta run now 'umiez. I kan smell me some blood, an' i feel really hungry for 'da 'umie flesh right about now"
"Captain, how do we fight this thing?"
"Simple" Abbadon said, unsheathing his power sword, "Pin the beast and cut off it's head"
"Consider it done Captain" the lieutenant of his company said as the luna wolves flanked the massive beast.
"Give them support where you can" Garra said to his marines as they took up support positions along with their luna wolves comrades.
"Captain Garra, if you would be so kind as to pin this beast down. I would like to have a few words with it" Abbadon said as his power sword crackled to life, it's arks of electricity iodizing the air.
Date: 007 M30
Operation Parameters: Crusade
Current Imperial Forces: 16,042,000 Est Troops
Current Enemy Forces: 85,790,000,000 Est Troops
Casualties:
Imperial Forces: 4,227,000 Est Troops
Enemy Forces: 191,010,000,000 Est Troops
Location: The Savage Plains ,Ullanor-secundus , Ullanor Sector
A lone pod slammed into the ground, this one was deep within enemy lines, far from any Imperial or Elementian forces.
A tide of orks, noticing the cloud of dust rushed towards the lone pod's location, howling and hooting about fighting this 'umie' as they would call humans.
The door of the pod hissed as the air rushed into the once sealed pod, a hand, slender and petite, gripped the door as the figure moved out from the pod.
The person was female, wearing an oddly out of place white trimmed blouse with a green and black dress, her orange hair cascading down past her shoulders as a pink bow tied off larger parts of her hair in the back.
Her eyes shone with an unnatural green, like the lens of a camera, while she was gazing towards the incoming horde of orks with a rather cheery smile.
As the horde of orks came running, they were halted and confused as the human gave them a single wave with one of her hands.
"Salutations! I am Penny Polentina! A pleasure to meet you all" the girl Penny said as she gave a heartfelt smile, confusing the orks even more.
"Wot 'da heck iz go'n on?"
"Wot iz dis 'umie doing?"
"Should we fight 'er? i am so konfused"
"Unfortunately for you all, you have been deemed enemies of humanity. And it is with my condolences that you all have to unfortunately die today" Penny said, clasping her hands together with her smile in full display.
By now the orks were beyond confused, yet a couple, these being the bigger orks started laughing at what they had just heard.
"Ha hahaha. Ya fink we're jus gunna give up an' die? HA! Alright Boyz, lets showz dis 'umie wot it means ta fight 'da orks!"
The two orks gave out a bellowed warcry as they whipped the orks into a frenzy, while Penny's face went from a smile to a frown.
"So be it then"
The first ork didn't know what happened before he was split in half, as a ring of blades floated in the air, the girl Penny waved her arms as the blades took their place around her, her eyes blazing with a focused fury.
The girl glided through the horde, effortlessly dissecting orks by the hundreds as her blades slashed and tore through the ork lines. The mobs of orks engaged her in brutal close combat, but even with their strength and speed the girl dodged each blow and deflected each strike in a beautiful display of deadly acrobatics.
Eventually the orks started to panic as nothing they did could touch this human, and as some orks decided to run away, they were stopped when a frozen chill from out of nowhere, in a desert wasteland of all places, spanned massive walls of solid ice.
Penny Polendina looked at those orks that tried to flee her judgment, her eyes burning with a fierce fire of green as she cut down those too foolish or brave to still fight her.
Pinning those orks on her blades and hoisting them towards her, the orks could do nothing but plea and beg while they were cut down with no mercy.
With every ork that fell before her Penny felt a small part of a massive burden fell from her shoulders, and that in the middle of this massacre, she clasped her hands upon a simple trinket of the Imperial Aquila that hanged upon her neck. A token of what she was given by someone whom acknowledge her for what she was.
"Abomination"
This was the thought that crossed through the Mechanicus forces as they looked upon the sight that befell them.
The fighting on remnant had been going for months now, and the enemy had struck with a ferocity and trickery that forced imperial and Elementian forces all over remnant. One such place was Mantle, where the floating city of atlas lays on top of the shell of a city underneath.
Imperial forces were fighting in the confines of the city walls, while grim forces from the grim queen fought the enemy in battle lines, those loyal to the queen herself attacked from within.
One of these scenario's made atlas vulnerable to falling upon mantle, which would cause untold amounts of chaos and death which would make the war all the much harder.
Through unforeseen events, the fall of atlas was prevented by atlas personnel, yet one of the most significant moments was the mantle of the winter maiden, one of the incarnations of pure chakra energy, had passed on to another host.
This was the person that the Imperial forces along with remnant and Elementian forces had witnessed as a young girl killed the horde of grim with an incredible show of ice.
Penny Polendina was worried about her father Pietro, since his condition left him confined in his hover chair she took it upon herself to being mantle's protector, even before the Imperial and Elementian forces set foot on atlas, she stood as a beacon for the people of mantle, as they declared her their champion and defender.
Yet when the last maiden of winter, Fria had given her this power, she had felt more whole than any moment in her existence. It was hard for her to express this as her computer mind could not process these new feeling. Yet looking at the Imperial forces, she could see that hatred greeted her from some of those faces, mainly from those whom looked more machine than man. Her mind could not seem to compute this as she tried to respond in the only way she knew how.
"Salutations fellow comrades. I am Penny. It is nice to meet.."
"How dare you speak to us abomination!" One of the senior Magos yelled out as his weapon was raised towards Penny.
"Please. We do not need to have any conflicts arouse as there is much greater things that require our attention" Penny said as she raised her hands in a non threatening posture.
She did not expect a flash of unbridled pain as a massive axe impaled through her chest, her vision showing that same person screaming at her as she tried to compute what was happening.
She was on the ground, screaming in pain as the man grabbed her face and proceeded to rip off half of her synthetic skin, showing the machine parts that composed her face, her eye being the only 'human' feature of her non fleshed part.
"You are an affront to all I stand for, Man of Iron" The magos said as he aims his weapon at Penny, this being a volkite blaster.
"To let you live is to accept destruction. Your death will ensure that we remain pure. A soulless abomination is not allowed to live"
"PENNY!"
Pietro Polendina came out from his home to see his daughter struck to the ground, this person from the Imperials trying to kill her for no reason.
"What are you doing to my daughter!?"
"This abomination was your creation?" The Magos said as he drew another weapon, this one a miniature stubber on one of his many appendages towards Pietro, who looked at the Magos with anger.
"Look man, I do not know who you are, but why would you try and harm a man's daughter?"
"Papa?"
"It's ok Penny, Papa is here"
"Papa, I'm scared"
"You dare create such a creature and then call it your own?! You will die heretec for this affront to our god"
"But first. This abomination will be PURGED"
The Volkite whined as the Magos weapon gathered it's power into a more concentrated blast, Penny looked at the weapon as she was thinking about what she had done wrong. Fluid started to flow from her eyes, as she started to understand the grim scenario that she was to die.
It happened in an instant. One second a sudden crack and a flash of light blinded the group, and then the next showed an armored, golden figure that pushed the volkite of the Magos away from Penny. Her vision cleared from the sudden dazzle to see a giant of a man in golden armour standing before her.
She could not see his face but could feel a powerful aura from the individual.
She would describe this as a raging fire, yet instead of burning it provided her with warmth and security. The figure turned around as she could see his face, a figure sculpted to be more than man, with his long, flawless black hair with his piercing eyes.
She could see that his eyes peered into hers, and in that moment she felt a vulnerability that she had never felt before, as though this man was looking past her machine origin and could see her soul for what is was.
"My Omnissiah, why would you stop your servant from destroying this Man of iron?"
The Emperor looked upon the magos, as he looked down from his lord's sight, unworthy of gazing upon his most holy lords image.
"I have fought against the Men of iron. I have seen the soulless machines kill countless allies and destroy the very Empire humanity had strive to form during those dark times. They were unfeeling, remorseless machines whom would only see us as numbers upon a calculated inevitability"
As this, the Emperor laid his hand upon Penny's face, as he wiped the tears from her eyes, while looking upon her.
"Yet I only see a scared little girl here. She is not one of those abominations, rather she is one whom was given the gift of life, of purpose. And it is not my decision or anyone else wherever she lives or dies. Rather that is only for her to control."
Penny could not hold it anymore as she hugged her savior, flesh tears flowing from her eyes as she wailed with both joy and healing. All the while the Emperor held her tenderly, giving her emotional support to one whom was trapped in a state of uncertainty, of one whom questioned her existence.
Penny had changed from that moment. Her existence had been acknowledged and understood by someone. And through that she had been given conviction.
The Emperor had given her that aquila and told her that she can be anything she wanted to be, that she alone could grasp anything if she gave it her absolute all to the task needed.
In that moment she professed before the Emperor, kneeling before her savior that she will do anything for the one whom acknowledged her as just Penny, and that she would spend eternity serving him.
The Emperor along with the Imperial forces were surprised by this, chief among them were his custodes, whom could see the very same devotion to their lord that they showed radiating from this girl.
Not one to look down upon an opportunity, the Emperor brought her along with him, seeing potential in this girl.
Penny had proven herself not only completely loyal to the Emperor, even going as far as striking down anyone whom would even touch him. But also proved to be a valuable asset for the Emperor to enforce his policies or to take out potential threats to the safety of the Imperium.
Where the custodes would be too noticeable and his silent sisters unfit for the scenario, Penny fulfilled these roles beautifully, sometimes going above what was needed and shifting the very tide of wars that the Imperium was fighting against any whom would be to call themselves enemies of humanity.
The majority of the mechanicum was still hostile to her as she is but a machine, yet they could not go against the word of their Omnisiah for it violates one of their sacred laws. Yet some whom were more open minded and deemed more radical by their brethren saw Penny as what the Emperor could see, a machine with a soul.
To them Penny personified the truest belief of their religion, going so far as to say that Penny is the final step for the cult mechanicum to become one with their machine god.
Some even started to call her by a title:
Anima ex machina
The soul from the machine.
"Targets eliminated. What is my next mission command?" Penny said, covered in red as the wasteland around her was washed in a sea of blood,tens of thousands of bodies of dead greenskins littering around her.
"Priority commanders have been identified by Imperial forces, you are to eliminate all targets. None must survive when the final blow to the orks is delivered. Acknowledge"
"Acknowledged command. As my Emperor wills it, so shall it be done"
a great bang reverberated across the land as a figure shot up into the heavens, a trail of flame lighting up the sky. Penny was given her targets, and she will make sure all of them are silenced.
The sound of gunfire and the screech of parting metal reverberated within the hive as the first companies of the luna wolves and Shadow foxes fought tooth and nail with the gargantuan ork, entire firing vectors and constant mobility around the hive made the battle fierce and bloody, with squads unleashing a hail of bolter fire and other esoteric weapons into the massive beast.
In response, the beast parted more of the hive with it's crude chopper, resulting in the loss of dozens of astartes, some fighting even while death embraced them, while others died in a collapse of twisted rockcrete and metal, their fury being snuffed out so violently.
Garra and Abbadon lead their respective companies, providing angles of attack and securing safe zones for the injured or to attend the dead, they both worked in tandem with each other, one showing his prowess as a commander of some of the bloodiest battle in his legion's history, while the other showed his incredible logistic and defensive strategies taught to him by the fires of war and it's teachers.
A massive part of the hive collapsed onto the hive levels, smashing apart entire sections of the hive while the squads within the danger zone moved with absolute haste, on another sector of the hive entire firing squads laid down suppressing fire while their heavy weaponry was brought to bear against the best.
This was all happening at once, while the ork in question was cackling in laughter, it's red eyes seeing the astartes that were fighting it as mere ants to be squashed.
"Iz dis all yer have 'umiez? all uv dis iz supposed ta hurt?! DIS IS NOTHIN! noth'n i say. An' yer will all die ere, wit' no wun ta help yer all. For all uv yer are now 'da kill uv sky killer, biggest ork 'der eva was!"
The ork rampaged through the hive, ripping apart entire sections and cutting down those out of it's reach, more and more the hive became more of an arena of death, as more pieces of the hive fell onto it's floor reverberating with the sounds of battle and death.
"Captain Garra" Said Abbadon on his vox, "How long until the beast is pinned"
"Not too long Captain Abbadon. Gathering what I need takes time, but you will get your chance to strike soon enough"
The ork started to rub his eyes, a gnawing itch that it seemed not to be able to scratch irritated him, it was feeling this for a while but only know did he realize it was becoming unbearable to keep his eyes open. In response to this itch it rampaged more, destroying more of the hive as the itch became more irritating.
Rubbing what was out of it's eyes, the ork could see a sparkling substance in it's hand, it's coarseness and brown like colour giving him pause for confusion
"Iz dis...sand?"
It was sudden, a tidal wave of sand descended upon the beast, it's cry of surprise the only thing it could say as the wave of sand pinned the beast on it's back. The sand then went from a fluid almost liquid like nature into something of hardened adamantium, where even the strength of the ork could not budge it from it's impromptu prison.
From above, the ork looked like it was entombed in sand, it's shape hardened to that of an iron maiden, it's head and neck being the only thing that was exposed from the beast. It gave out grunts as it tried to break free from this sand, but to no avail.
"Now Abbadon!" Garra said, a look of absolute concentration on his face "Strike the beast while he is pinned!"
Ezekyle Abbadon leaped from the floor of the hive he was on, his roar a bellowing cry of fury and hate as he readied his blade.
With a herculean effort, he struck true into the throat of the beast, his blade rippling with unbound power as he savagely hacked at the throat.
Sky killa cried in pain and gurgled blood as Abbadon slowly hack the head of the beast off, it's death cries filled with blood as Abbadon sliced through it's head, finally ending the siege.
A roar of triumph reverberated through the hive as a blood soaked Ezekyle roared in victory over the dead corpse of the gargantuan ork. With this victory the hive's lower levels were secured for the Imperials, as the next set of plans were going into motion.
"'der 'as been no word from 'da bottom levels boss"
Urlakk Urg had a look of frustration upon his scarred face as his orks told him this news. His hands were gripping into his impromptu throne as the thought of Sky Killa, one of the few orks that had his respect was killed by the umies.
"Boss... 'da Boyz have been dink'n dat we should maybe leave dis place. Yer know ta fight again annuver day"
"So yer mean run away?"
The Nob who said this was panicking as Urg readied his massive claw, it's power field crackling the very air.
"No no no... not like 'dat boss, it's more uv a tactical plan ta get 'da 'umiez off our backs, jus until we kan kome back wit' more Boyz"
"So yer saying, 'dat i. Urlakk urg. Baddest warboss dat eva graced dis wretched hellhole uv a galaxy. Jus leave it all behind?"
Urlakk Urg gripped the Nob that said such words to him, as it was being strangled by his massive claw. In a show of strength he smashed the unfortunate Nob into the hard floor of his chamber, it's blood and guts exploding across the room. While Urg's eyes shined with a red haze of rage.
"Do ya lot fink I'z stupid or something? i am warlord uv dese worlds, lord uv da biggest WAAAGH! dis side uv da galaxy. I wont jus run away 'cos some backwater, puny 'umiez 'oo kame ta ma house an' shat on ma lawn an' fink dey own ma loot iz gonna make me move a gork dam inch!"
The massive adamantium doors to Urg's chamber exploded outwards into the foyer of the chamber. A massive plume of smoke and dust rushed into the room as the sounds of thundering footsteps echoed through the room.
Urg watched from his throne as Armoured terminators, these ones bearing an armor of pure black with a red shoulder plate, a single,unblinking eye upon the crest of the shoulder of these mighty warriors greeted the orks as they opened fire upon the orks around the foyer. The Justaerin of the lunar wolves have arrived from the lower level. In front, leading the charge, was Ezekyle Abbadon, fresh from his slaying of the monster Sky killa.
Behind them, were a squad of warriors, these being distinct from their Justaerin brother, from the first company of the Shadow foxes these warriors came from, yet they were not in the standard Terminator armour that is custom to their status.
Instead, these warriors were within an armour that looked nothing like the massive hulking terminator armours of the astartes legions. This Armour was thin, almost non existent, yet it's size was a complete deception.
Dragon like scales covered the torso and limbs of the warriors, each scale forged from a combination of plasteel, Ceramite and Adamantium, a combination so unique and specific that is could only be forged within the replication forges of Terraria. Each section of their body was covered in these scales, yet there were wide area's where the astartes themselves had far greater mobility than their standard brethren. The most noticeable area's being the joints of the Armour and the area's in between the different plates.
Instead, a soft glowing blue light emanated from these area's as thought a field of energy held the pieces together, interlocking the armour around the user and connecting to a central power source connected from the back of the astartes themselves. Seals of almost mystical design lined the armored plates, their forms glowing the same blue.
Face mask adorned these astartes, each one given different shapes, some of animals and some of other, more mystical creatures, these were connected to the chest plate by the same energy being emitted from the other parts of their bodies.
These were the Honour guard of the legion, the greatest warriors from it's ranks, given the honour of serving Naruto wherever he is present. The ones whom carry the honour of the legion upon their shoulders.
The Meiyo Guard.
To each of them they were gifted the first armour of it's kind, an armour that blends energy and matter into a harmonious suit, a symbol of a homeland's pride and a call to progress among a stagnant galaxy.
The mk 1 Ghost plate pattern Terminator Armour.
Built upon the frame of the terminator class armour, the pattern itself uses a combination of a miniaturized dust reactor from Remnant along with engraved sealing runes from Elementia and combines these with a unique scale production that could only be created by the advanced matter replicators of Terraria. A combination of each planets unique specialty to forge an armor that is the first of it's kind.
These warriors to the orks looked like ghost, their blue energy making them strike a primal fear in the creatures. As they advanced upon the horde with blades that echoed with a blue flame, much like the colour of their armor, these blades sliced through the enemy with no problems, parting metal and flesh as easy as water being parted by the wind.
The Meiyo guard and the Justaerin pushed into the chamber, their fights against the orks brutal and quick. While in the back Naruto and Horus advanced upon Urg, whom was still sitting upon his throne.
"Your rein ends here greenskin" Horus declares, bringing his talon to bear against the ork warlord.
The ork ripped a part of his throne as he stood above the two primarchs, his eyes filled with a red rage as crackling green energy echoed upon his body.
With a mighty warcry, the beast rushed the duo.
Naruto and Horus side stepped to either side of the warlord, their strikes quick and precise, while the ork himself raged wildly, swinging his mighty arms and ripping apart anything in his way.
The brothers weaved through Urg's strikes, the duo striking at the ork in precise attacks of opportunity while Urg continues his rampage, his mind not even noticing his body starting to fall apart.
Naruto strafed along Urg's side, narrowly missing a power claw swing as he marked a part of his armour, a glowing circle of seals glowed brightly on Urg as an explosion ripped a chunk of his side. The blow was followed by Horus grasping the chunk of useless Armour on Urg. Using this Horus used this opportunity to direct blows into the ork with his Talon.
His blows ripped chunks of armour from Urg, making the ork start to struggle while Naruto held his other side down. Chakra flourished from his body as he held down the ork while his brother continued his assault.
All around them the fighting was bloody and brutal, the heart of the hive spire became a bloodbath.
Meiyo guard and Justaerin fought side by side as orks by the dozens were cut down or crushed under the might of astartes strength.
Urlakk Urg raged, yet his strength was leaving him, for each second the massive ork was feeling the attrition of war, every stab and cut slowing him down ever so slightly.
This all came to term when Naruto manifested a black blade that he used to strike a vulnerable point in Urg's armour, the ork gave a groan of pain as he felt the blade start to eat at not only his flesh but his very soul.
Horus took this moment to hold the ork by the throat with his free hand, and using his talons, drove them into the throat of Urg, making the ork gurgle as blood filled his lungs.
The orks around Urg broke at the sight of their warlord meeting their fate, their fear showing as the Justaerin and Meiyo cut down those still standing.
Urlakk Urg was defeated, his body slowly reducing to dust while his lungs filled with his own blood. Yet even in his final moments of death, the ork laughed at the brothers.
"What's so funny greenskin?" Horus said, his look one of both hatred and disgust.
"Yer jus don't get it 'umie. Dis so kalled empire yer want ta spread ta da galaxy, it's a wasted effort. Soona or later, someone bigga dan yer all will break yer. An yer'll be 'n dis same scene right now, only yer are gonna be on 'da floor"
At this the ork started to laugh histerically, while the two brothers look on as the ork drowned in it's own blood.
"An' when 'dat happens. When yer stink'n empire iz noth'n but rubble an' ruin. I'z gonna be smil'n."
"That is enough from you greenskin. Time to face judgement"
Horus grabbed the dying ork and with a mighty heave, smashed the ork through the spire glass leading to the outside, the last thing to be heard was the scream of Urg while his body flew into the ground below.
Naruto and Horus looked at each other. All the while radio chatter was heard about the ork's final rout upon the world and in the system.
The battle of Ullanor had been won.
Date: 007 M30
Operation Parameters: Crusade
Current Imperial Forces: 15,850,000 Est Troops
Current Enemy Forces: 42,000,000,000 Est Troops
Casualties:
Imperial Forces: 4,411,000 Est Troops
Enemy Forces: 234,800,000,000 Est Troops
Enemy Moral broken, Enemy high command destroyed. Reports confirmed: Complete rout of all orkish forces in the sector.
Sector Victory: Beginning Cleansing protocols
Naruto stood before one of many fields among Ullanor Prime, the bodies of astartes and Orks littered the landscape, many of them wearing his heraldry. He took to a knee as he looked upon those whom sacrificed everything for this victory.
To others, this would be an impressive victory, for the amount of casualties were minimal at best from a logistical point.
Yet Naruto did not see it that way, he looks upon this field with a somber look, knowing that by his word he had sent these men and women, many of whom were his friends and comrades, to die.
Grabing a fist full of soil from this alien world, many parts of it tainted with blood, he contemplated whose blood tainted this soil. From his own comrades or from his enemies he did not know, he was so far into his own thoughts that he did not notice someone walking to his side until the rumble of footsteps stopped next to him.
"Your thoughts are as clear as day Naruto. Know that your friends knew the cost that this war will take from them."
"But is it worth them not being here anymore Kakashi?" Naruto said, standing up and looking at his sensei, whom was standing next to him.
"The burden of a leader is that you must make the hardest decisions of all of us. Knowing that you might not see them again"
"Many of our brothers and sisters I have personally met and befriended. In all my time guiding the legion I did not see myself as above them. But as one of them, to see them here, dead before me. When I could have done something, anything."
"Even with the greatest plan laid out before you. Even when the enemy can be killed without a single drop of blood from your friends. You cannot guarantee that the risk of war will not take them away from us. This is total war Naruto, we cannot control this, only reduce the cost of it."
"Well I hate it. I hate this senseless death. I hate everything about war"
"That is good. To hate war means you understand that it is only necessary because it means more death to others if the burden of war is not carried"
"Doesn't mean I enjoy this. Would rather all of us be able to settle upon our worlds and come together in understanding"
"Spoken like a pupil of Jiraiya. Remember this conviction Naruto. It will serve you well in the times ahead, the good and ill"
"Naruto!"
Running towards the duo was Hinata, her face giving a gentle smile towards Naruto as she leaped into his arms. Naruto by instinct caught her, despite her wearing an entire suit of power armour Naruto didn't batter an eye as he held her close to him, his face coming towards her in a gentle kiss which turned into a gentle embrace by the two.
Kakashi gave a slight slouch of acknowledgment before walking away from the duo, his footsteps echoing across the land as he tended to those of the living.
Naruto and Hinata parted from their embrace to look at the landscape, their hands entwined together as they saw all the death around them.
"Father said that this land will be flattened, and a massive triumph will be built here as a show of defiance against the orks"
"What do you think Naruto?"
"I want to make sure those who died here will never be forgotten, that their sacrifice meant something. I want to make sure that all those whom call the Imperium or Elementia home can look towards something and see that there were some of us who gave their everything to make sure we all stayed safe"
"If anyone can do this" Hinata said as she looked towards Naruto, a smiling look on her face "It's you Naruto. You always make the Impossible happen"
"Will you help me Hinata? Can you get the names of all the roster list and tags from all the soldiers that died here please?"
"For you Naruto" Hinata said as she started to walk away from him "I will make it happen"
Naruto smiled, sometimes he had to wonder how such a kind warmhearted girl fell for a guy like him.