Corrin blinked. "He's coming around!" Someone said happily. He looked around. He lay on a small stretcher. From his surroundings, he assumed he was in the hull of an F-64 Warrior Tank. Johnson sat beside him in another stretcher. He had obviously awakened before Corrin. The tank shook.
"Boys, glad to see you up and about! Sleeping on the job?" It was Captain Mirez. Corrin shook his head, both to say no and to clear it.
"Sir, we…" Johnson replied.
"Don't apologize. Now quit talking and get out there to fight!" He made a mock frown "…unless you're too hurt?" He smiled.
"No sir!" Johnson replied. Johnson leapt up and offered his hand to Corrin. Dazedly, Corrin reached out and took it. His friend pulled him up. Captain Mirez handed them their rifles. No rest in war. The exit ramp of the Warrior opened. Corrin rushed out.
"See you on the other side," he muttered to Johnson with a grin. It was like crossing between worlds. The relative calm and quiet tank was traded for a hectic, deafening battlefield. A soldier rushed in beside Corrin, only to be cut down by a stream of bolt fire. They were in the city. Buildings exploded and turned to ruin around him.
Several Imperial Soldiers rushed from around a tower. Corrin brought his rifle to bear and loosed a round upon the line. Three fell, blood gushing from their chests. More Mericans joined him. They moved as one, a behemoth of death.
"We must flee so we can serve another day!" An Imperial bellowed.
Corrin laughed. If anything, they were pious in their faith. They could find a way to use it in any situation. "We're pushing 'um back!" He bellowed. He was proud. Maybe, just maybe, they could win the day. The radio exploded to life.
What the hell is this thing? It's tearing us apart++
We can't hurt it, we can't kill it!++
It's taking all of us! Reinforcement required!++
The group froze. Corrin looked across at Johnson with a questioning look. Johnson shrugged and pressed his radio. There was a rumble. The ground slightly shook. A massive figure began to materialize out of the smoke. "Open fire!" Captain Mirez yelled. Slug shells bounced off the huge form.
The smoke completely cleared. An enormous man stood there, undeterred by the endless stream of fire dropping from his armor, useless. His chest and arms were covered in humongous armor plates. His head was concealed with a helmet. A plume shot from the top, blood red. In his hand, he clutched a massive bolt gun, the size of the one from the trench.
The warrior raised his bolt gun. A boom shot through Corrin's ears. The man beside him exploded in a storm of blood. Corrin was soaked in liquid death. The group fell into all out panic. Corrin rushed across the street to a ruined house. Some fell to the ground, attempting to hide in the rubble, many mimicked Corrin.
Johnson patted his back as he ran past and joined Corrin behind the Hab-lock. Bolts exploded with the force of Artillery. Blood covered the ground. A man was emitting his intestines and gore gushed from his stomach. The huge monster stood with a completely blank face, firing, killing.
"Keep the stream of fire, something will kill this thing…!" Mirez screamed right before a bolt shot covered him in rubble from a towering building.
The man began to charge forward. "Go for the legs!" Corrin wailed, staring at the hard, leather plating on the knees. It was their only chance. Bullets shot through the legs and blood began to seep from small holes. The man charged on, brushing the wounds off like scratches. More death. The warrior suddenly halted in his tracks.
The bolt fire stopped. Everyone was still. The huge warrior opened his mouth. "I am the Emperor's fury. Honor him and you will be spared. Renounce him…and you will die…" The man raised the limp body of a soldier from the ground and dropped him into the sharp rubble.
Johnson looked at Corrin hopefully. Corrin smiled and nodded. Johnson walked forward and leaned around the building. "We have come to a conclusion!" He yelled mournfully at the warrior. The massive man smiled. Johnson stuck up his middle finger. A look of pure hatred shot across the man's face.
Corrin mouthed a warning, but no words came out. The man's bolt gun swung upwards. The wall in front of Johnson exploded. His tangled form flew several feet backwards and onto the rocks below.
Corrin felt fury burning inside him. He turned to the medic beside him and gave him an angry gaze. The medic nodded and rushed to Johnson's side. Corrin's breathing increased in pace and size. He gripped his slug rifle harder. "Then you will feel his fury like your friend!" The man roared to the group. "For the Emperor!"
"Frak the Emperor!" Corrin screamed. His face was red in anger. He shot from behind the building and bolted across the field. Bolts flew around him, barely missing. He lunged out of the way of one and reset his direction immediately.
He was almost upon the man. The man raised his arms, ready to strike. Corrin was angry, he wasn't stupid. The arms whisked downwards. Corrin dove to the right while grabbing a fragmentation grenade. He hurled the tiny ball towards the massive being. There was a roar and flames engulfed the figure. Smoke rose around him.
Corrin landed on the hard pavement. The smog cleared. The man was kneeled on the ground. He looked up slowly. His helmet was cracked, revealing a blue eye. Blood streamed from his temple across his face. He sat there for a moment, then simply rolled into the rubble.
Corrin stood and looked around the street. About four men remained, counting himself and the medic. He coughed as blood dripped from his mouth. He would live. He had to see Johnson.
The medic stood over Johnson. Corrin jogged over to the two, a look of worry on his face. He sighed happily. Johnson's chest was moving slowly up and down. He looked across his friend's face. He moved his head back in confusion. The medic looked up and nodded understandingly.
Johnson's mouth lay wide open. His eyes were a murky, white color. "He's in shock." The medic stated flatly, breaking the silence. "The eyes, I don't know. Probably a side effect. He's got an exit wound right below his heart."
Corrin frowned. "Don't worry, he'll live." The medic smiled. "He won't be able to get back into combat for a while though." Corrin nodded and turned away. He couldn't speak. This was war. War was hell.