The Hammer and the Rings

by AzureSpider

I know this has been done before, but nevertheless, here is a Halo/Warhammer 40k Fusion Fic. The Covenant pledge themselves to the Four Powers, and humanity and the Eldar enter a tense and uneasy alliance to stop them, waging war throughout the galaxy. Rated T for obvious reasons, may be rated M later. Expect creative liberties with the mythos. DISCONTINUED.

4. Corbulo Part II

Chapter 3: Corbulo Part II

All of the members of Hastati Squad were still too dumbstruck by what they had just witnessed to respond to the steel-gray armored man with wings. Seeing this, he shook his head and muttered something about "apes" before turning to the sea blue armored figure.

"Endewan, inform the others that we have six survivors"

"Endewan" nodded and put his hand to his helmet, speaking in a language that Hastati Squad did not understand. After a while, the conversation ceased and all of the armored figures turned to face Hastati Squad.

"What's going on?" Dimah demanded. "Who are you people?"

"Why do you have wings?" Sullivan asked. "I didn't think angels existed...or wore armor"

"How did you find us?" Lasky asked.

"A distress beacon" the steel-gray armored one said bluntly. "You six are the only survivors we reached in time"

"In the school?" Sullivan asked.

The man shook his head. "On the planet"

"Oh my G-d..." Dimah whispered.

"I suggest you apes arm yourselves with whatever passes for weapons amongst your kind. We've got fifteen minutes to get to the evacuation point."

"The...weapons racks are locked, and we can't open them"

The man shook his head before motioning for Endewan. Without a word, Endewan used his bladed polearm to slash the locker door to pieces. Wasting no time, the members of Hastati Squad all armed themselves and got into their suits of armor, which was camouflage colored and not as good as the armor worn by actual Space Marines. It was still better than wearing a dress uniform though.

The steel-gray armored man then turned to Endewan. "Keep them alive Endewan. I must return to the other Swooping Hawks. We'll do what we can to keep the aerial forces of the Covenant and the Lord of Change off your backs before meeting back up with you at the rendezvous point.

Endewan nodded, and then the steel-gray armored figure and his winged cohorts took flight and flew out through the hole in the ceiling that they'd made. Endewan then turned to Hastati Squad. "Stay close to me apes. I'm your best chance of surviving this"

No sooner did Endewan finish his sentence did he lead Hastati Squad out of the training room armory, all of them taking up formation as they did. Endewan and Orenski led, with Lasky and Chen on the left, and Silva and Dimah on the right. Sullivan watched the rear. They walked for only a short while though before Endewan held up his hand as an indication to halt.

"Stay quiet" Endewan said. "Do not leave no matter what you hear outside or I will kill you myself."

Endewan was all set to walk off as he finished his sentence but Lasky called out to him: "What are you?"

Endewan turned to Lasky and said simply: "I am an Eldar. While your race was mastering fire, we were mastering the stars. We our your superiors, and now your saviors. Never forget this." And then Endewan walked off. As he disappeared, Silva, Dimah, and Sullivan all sat down to rest.

"What the hell is going on?" Sullivan breathed. "We're following some...armored alien, angel...thing" he finished lamely. As he did he turned to check the back. "And who knows if he's even coming back?"

"He will. He's gotta come back. I believe him."

"Really?" Silva asked. "You believe in the..."thing" that views us all as inferior to him and threatened to kill us if we left this room? Wonderful."

As Silva said this, Sullivan could see Dimah tensing up again, wrapping her arms around herself and nervously looking over her shoulder periodically. He walked over to her.

"You OK?" Sullivan asked. Dimah shook her head "no".

"Come on Dimah, keep it together. You're going to be all right. I promise"

Dimah made a faint smile. "Thanks Sullivan"

Off in the distance, the faint noise of what sounded like something falling to the floor and screams could be heard by the members of Hastati, getting their attention. Then there was silence before the sounds of heavy footsteps got louder and louder. Then out of the shadows came the sea blue armored form of Endewan.

"Who among you is the best shot?" Endewan asked.

"…you probably" Sullivan replied bluntly.

"Yes I know that primitive, I mean who is the best shot among you?"

"Chyler is." Lasky said resolutely. Silva nodded in agreement. "I am good, but April Orenski here is our sergeant..."

Ignoring them, Endewan turned to Lasky. "You boy, can you drive any kind of vehicle among your people?"

"Uh...yeah. Sure" Lasky said, though the tone in his voice was filled with uncertainty. Nevertheless, Endewan seemed satisfied with this answer.

"Good, because I have procured a vehicle from the now deceased head of this academy. Its crude, but it will suffice. We are headed for it now. The females who are apparently your best shooters will be on the left and right, and the driver will be in the center. Be warned: the area is infested with both Covenant and monstrosities who are also in the service of the Four Powers, so I'd advise staying close to me."

Upon exiting the building, the surviving half-dozen members of Hastati Squad fell in step behind the Eldar Warrior who was now leading them out. To their surprise, there was no enemy force out to shoot at them, nor was there any sound of gunfire. Just deathly silence.

And then they saw it.

Littering the ground like leaves in a forest where the bodies of all of Hastati's fellow cadets, teachers, and the blue armored Space Marines who had died trying to protect them all. Even the legendary ODSTs had perished, with the now decapitated body of one mere inches away from where Hastati and Endewan were. His severed head, still in its helmet, was just a few feet away from the body. In all the once proud Corbulo Military Academy had been reduced to a graveyard and the site of a ruthless and sadistic massacre. It was nauseating for the members of Hastati Squad to see.

"Come on everyone, keep up" Orenski ordered.

"Where...where did they all go?" Sullivan asked.

Out of the darkness a bullet shot through the air and grazed Sullivan's leg. But such was the power of the bullet that the "graze" had caused blood to spurt out of Sullivan's leg. Sullivan cried out in pain and agony before falling over. Endewan rushed to his side and protected the fallen cadet from continued gunfire coming out of the darkness.

"Get down!" Endewan roared. Needing no other incentive, the other members of Hastai Squad hit the dirt as Endewan traded fire with the enemy shooters. "Get to the vehicle!" Endewan shouted. "I shall draw their fire!"

Survival instinct kicked and the members of Hastati Squad bolted, with Orenski taking position. "Lasky, go!"

Lasky nodded and ran as fast as he could go, with Chen coming with him to provide covering fire for Lasky. Finally, through the night shroud Lasky saw what he was looking for: a UNSC Warthog, the quintessential UNSC land vehicle.

"Go Lasky!" Chen shouted. "I will cover you!"

Lasky nodded and reached into the waiting jeep. As he did, he felt his hands touch cold skin. Panicking, Lasky could see that it was none other than General Black himself. Forcing down the rising bile in his throat, Lasky pulled Black's body out of the driver's seat.

Meanwhile, Chen continued to fire his Assault Rifle out at the darkness as a means of keeping whatever was there at bay. As he continued to shoot though, his glasses became skewed by the chaos of all the gunfire, and then a shot that narrowly missed him caused him to stumble. Forcing himself back up, Chen hurriedly fixed his glasses in place in time to see what it was that had been shooting at them all this whole time. They were the same black armored humanoids that killed Vickers, and now that Chen was vulnerable they were charging him. Much like Vickers before him, Chen never stood a chance. One of the black titans with a full-face covering helmet adorned with what resembled the horns of a gazelle produced a large ugly-looking sword and drove it into Chen's chest. He was killed instantly.

"CHEN!" Lasky shouted. Turning to him, the black armored figure aimed his sword at him. Suddenly the spikes around the main blade began to whir violently, and Lasky realized to his horror that the sword doubled as a chainsaw.

"You UNSC scum are no sport" the black armored man spat. "Pity. I was hoping for more of a fight. But it looks like we are now much too powerful for you fascists..."

The black armored man advanced as his two cohorts crowded around him to watch him butcher Lasky. But then several projectiles resembling shuriken ripped through the air and hit one of them in the back. He staggered for a moment before falling over dead. The other whipped around, and was mercilessly run through by what Lasky recognized as Endewan's bladed polearm. As the black titan collapsed with a resounding thud, Endewan spun around and confronted the one with the chainsaw sword, who readied his weapon menacingly.

"Strike a blow against me and you shall die" Endewan warned. The black armored brute didn't listen. With a shout of "For the Four Powers!" he went at Endewan. There was a silvery blur as blades cut through the air.

The black armored man's helmeted head bounced as it hit the ground, the gazelle horns severed at the stumps. The now decapitated body twisted and its legs buckled before collapsing.

Lasky just stared at the sight in shock. This was twice now that this Eldar had saved his life. And he'd done it effortlessly.

Endewan turned to him. "Still think they're just overtaxed farmers boy?" Endewan asked. Lasky was caught off-guard by this, and Endewan continued: "I have read your mind Thomas Lasky. Seen your thoughts, your memories, your past. All of it is an open book to a psychic such as myself. And I judge you to be a coward. You have not the spine to fight for your people against an enemy that seeks to destroy it. An enemy that has now wholly and willingly given themselves to the depravations of the Four Powers, enemies my people have been fighting against since before your race knew how to walk upright. Of all of your squad who I am protecting, you disappoint me the most"

Lasky said nothing in response to this, instead brooding over what Endewan had said. He'd heard some of it before, but other things were new information to him. The Four Powers and the Eldar were both forms of alien life, and he and the rest of his race were now caught in the crossfire of their eons long war. Truth be told Lasky found it all just a bit humbling, to have become privy to something that was much, much greater than himself. Too bad it was another war.

Lasky's attentions turned to the arrival of Orenski, Dmah, and Silva, with the latter carrying Sullivan along, with blood still coming out of his leg.

"He's been shot" Silva said with a gasp as she continued to haul him along.

"Yes, by a bolter pistol" Endewan observed. "He is lucky that it was a grazing shot. A direct hit would have obliterated his entire leg. I shall see what I can do to heal it"

Silva nodded and Endewan took Sullivan from her, applying treatment to the large gash in Sullivan's leg. Meanwhile, Orenski and Dimah's eyes fell upon the bodies of General Black and Junjie Chen.

"You will be missed General" Orenski said sadly. "You too Chen"

It was about then when Lasky managed to get the Warthog running. Silva and Orenski were the first to get on, with the former getting into the passenger seat. Orenski took the turret after getting Sullivan and Dimah into the back of the warthog.

"You're going to be OK Sullivan" Dimah said. Lasky turned to Endewan: "Where are you going to get in?" Lasky asked.

"Nowhere" Endewan said bluntly. "Don't worry. I move faster on my own. Now drive the damned vehicle and get you and your squad out of here!"

Lasky nodded and floored it. The Warthog's engines roared to life as the vehicle went zooming forward, with the membes of Hastati Squad getting knocked around as Lasky awkwardly tried to keep from overturning the warthog.

"Drive straight Lasky!" Orenski ordered.

"It's harder than it looks!" Lasky protested.

"You're doing fine" Silva assured him. "Just keep it steady!"

"Bear right" Endewan shouted as he continued to sprint after Hastati. "There's an exit right ahead"

Lasky did as he was told, driving the warthog down the directed path. As he did, one of the small aliens from before ran forward and turned to see Hastati's warthog driving towards them. The creature let out a yelp as the Warthog's front collided with the creature's body. The impact sent it hurtling into the air before it landed a good couple yards away.

"Faster ape!" Endewan shouted. "Four minutes to the evacuation spot. We have to get off the planet before the Covenant finishes glassing it!"

As Lasky nodded and pressed his foot down harder on the pedal, blue bolts of energy suddenly peppered the hood of the Warthog. Panicking, Lasky looked up and saw several of the aliens in sky blue armor with pink stripes he had seen earlier flying in on jetpacks, their weapons aimed at Hastati's warthog.

Endewan snarled a curse Lasky did not understand. "Elites, followers of Tzeentch from the looks of them. Keep your heads down and pray the Swooping Hawks show up!" As Endewan said this, he drew his shuriken pistol and fired out at the Elites. They halted their flight towards the speeding warthog and pulled back to dodge Endewan's gunfire. Not to be dissuaded, Endewan took aim at one of the Elite's jetpacks, the shuriken pistol round tearing through it and causing the Elite to spiral out of control before the jetpack exploded, frying the Elite's energy shields and scorching his armor, as well as condemning him to a messy death. As he fell, Endewan continued to fire out at the other Elites, who managed to fly out of the way of all of his shots.

Meanwhile, more of the small aliens with the breather masks and pink breastplates came out of the shadows and ran towards Hastati Squad's Warthog, along with lanky limbed abominations with pink skin, multiple arms, long blue tongues, and wicked grins. The things seemed to be gibbering and giggling, as if the coming battle was a great jest to them.

Spinning the Warthog's turret around to confront them, Orenski opened fire on both the short aliens and the pink horrors, cutting down several in a merciless torrent of bullets that tore some of the pink horrors to pieces. But this did not seem to dissuade the others at all, and they continues to sprint towards the Warthog with inane gibbering coming out of their misshapen mouths the whole time.

Endewan shot one of the pink horrors in the face with his shuriken pistol, felling it instantly. "Controlled bursts!" he shouted. "Do not spray!"

Nodding, Silva and Dimah opened fire with their Assault Rifles as instructed, aiming for the pink horrors that continued to surge towards them.

"Lasky, Two o'clock!" Orenski shouted.

Lasky saw the pink crystalline projectiles coming in time to dodge out of the way, leaning near the passenger seat to avoid them. He shouted to Silva: "Chyler, cover me!"

Nodding, Silva stood up from her seat and fired out controlled bursts at the short little aliens who were shooting at them from a distance, hitting one and causing the others to panic and flee. As this happened, the aliens on jetpacks flew in for another go, raining blue bolts of energy down on Hastati's Warthog. A warning indicator flashed up on the Warthog's dashboard to indicate that it couldn't take much more punishment.

Then several shuriken pistol rounds tore through the air and one of the flying aliens was cut down. Looking up, Hastati and Endewan saw the Swooping Hawks fly in, shuriken pistols blazing. Two more of the flying aliens were shot dead, while the rest pulled back further and further to avoid the volley of throwing star bullets.

"Praise Khaine!" Endewan shouted. "Bahharoth and the Swooping Hawks have come!"

Indeed, the Swooping Hawks continued to push the flying aliens back more and more. Rocketing forward, Bahharoth drew his twin swords and made a sweeping "x" slash with them, decapitating one of the flying aliens and causing his now headless body to spiral out of control on its jetpack before collapsing. Other flying aliens were also cut down by Bahharoth's blades. Soon, all of the Covenant forces in both the air and on the ground were dead, with the small ones who had not died having long since fled into the darkness.

"I think we're clear" Orenski said.

"Agreed" Endewan said. "I'm going to send a telepathic message to Bahharoth, tell him and his Swooping Hawks to keep covering us while the fleet tracks our position for evac"

"Nice job by the way" Lasky said to Silva. She smiled. "Thanks"

But the victory was a short-lived one, as it was about then that one last pink horror burst out of the shadows and right into the Warthog, which promptly flattened it. Startled, Lasky stopped the Warthog, jerking everyone in it forward and causing Sullivan's bandaged leg to cry out in pain.

"Everyone okay?" Orenski asked.

Endewan finally caught up fully with the Warthog and after pausing for a few moments to catch his breath went over to Lasky and checked his wound.

"I'll apply some painkillers. Then I'll give you another injection of the fluid. That should allow you to walk."

As Endewan did this, Dimah stayed at Sullivan's side and tried to comfort him while Lasky tried in vain to start up the Warthog again.

"Come on, come on! Come on!"

Orenski scanned the forest surrounding Hastati squad. The sound of a tree branch being stepped on could be heard but no Covenant could be seen.

"Bahharoth, what do you and the Swooping Hawks see?" Endewan asked the Phoenix Lord telepathically.

"Nothing from up here Endewan" Bahharoth replied. "But I'd stay on your toes all the same"

Endewan nodded and then went back to tending to Sullivan's leg injury, Sullivan groaning softly as Endewan did what he could for him. Then, as the gibbering shrieks of the pink horrors began to fill the air, Silva said weakly: "Guys…I…I've been hit…"

Lasky stopped his attempts to get the Warthog started up again and turned to Silva, seeing that indeed she had been shot, with blood coming out of the side of her stomach.

"...Tom..." she said weakly.

"Shit…" Lasky turned to Orenski: "Do we have any biofoam?"

Orenski shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry Lasky…"

"It's nothing" Silva said, "just a scratch, I'll live…"

"There is blood coming out of your stomach!" Lasky said. "You're not fine!"

"Wait!" Dimah shouted, getting everyone's attention. "There should be a med-kit in the Warthog. We can use that"

Wasting no time, Lasky punched open the compartments of the Warthog and sure enough, found a can of bio-foam along with other parts of a first aid kit. Grabbing the can, Lasky got to work applying bio-foam to Silva's injury, breathing a sigh of relief when Silva's breathing became less stertorous.

"Thank G-d…"

"Good job Dimah" Orenski said proudly. "I'll be rescinding that court martial recommendation once we get off this damned planet"

But the relief of the group was short lived as off in the distance, the shrieking of the pink horrors ceased and the sounds of footsteps rapidly moving away from Hastati could be heard.

"They're retreating." Orenski said. "Why would they do that now?"

"Because we're being hunted" Endewan replied bluntly. "Keep moving north. You'll see your ticket out of here. Run as fast as you can and do not stop for anything, including me"

Nodding, Lasky, Orenski, Silva, and Dimah all clambered out of the Warthog, with Dimah and Orenski helping pull Sullivan to his feet.

"Can you walk?" Dimah asked.

Sullivan nodded. "Yeah, I'll try" he wheezed.

A strange glow that was equal parts green, blue, and amethyst filtered through the trees, catching everyone's attention.

"What was that?" Dimah asked.

"Nothing good" Endewan said bluntly. "You all need to get out of here now. The evac point is close by…"

Endewan was interrupted when the source of the multi-colored glow burst out of the trees, knocking two over as it lumbered towards Hastati Squad.

"Holy shit!" Sullivan shouted in terror.

"Oh my G-d…" Silva whispered.

The alien was massive, and when it straightened up it completely and utterly dwarfed Endewan in size. It was covered in sky blue colored armor with random pink stripes just like the flying aliens from before, only this thing was easily over twice the size of those aliens. Over one arm it wore a massive steel-gray colored shield and in place of its other hand was what looked like a cannon, which seemed to glow faintly, with what looked almost like faint embers of blue and green burning dimly in the cannon's barrel. Finally, in the few exposed parts of the creature were patches of orange colored flesh that seemed to be almost moving, writhing as if it were a colony of small worm-like creatures…

"Fly you fools!" Endewan shouted at Hastati Squad, who promptly took off through the forest as a second one of the brutish things burst through the trees as well. Sullivan began to limp as the group continued to run.

"Sully, you still with us?" Dimah asked as she and Orenski continued to help him along.

"Yeah..." Sullivan wheezed.

"Hang in there Cadet" Orenski said. "I've lost too much of my squad already to let you die on me now"

Hastati's attentions turned to Endewan, who ran up to them, his sea blue armor now scorched and burned in several places. The crest on his helmet was also now mostly gone.

"I'm sorry" he said panting "...but I need your ammo. It took everything I had just to injure those damn things"

"We don't have anything left except for stun rounds" Orenski replied.

Stepping forward, Lasky pulled a frag grenade from his belt and handed it to the Eldar.

"…well I suppose its something" Eldrad conceded before saying: "Thank you. Now keep moving. Those behemoths are still out there. Hunters we call them"

Nodding, the members of Hastati sprinted through the forest. As they did, a torrent of fire that was equal parts green, blue, and amethyst tore through the forest, incinerating everything in its path and creating a multi-colored glow that would have been a beautiful sight if not for the lethality it represented.

"Keep moving!" Endewan shouted. "Those are eldritch flames. They'll burn you to nothing if they so much as touch you. Not even bones will remain"

Endewan sent out a telepathic signal to Bahharoth: "My lord, we need more time. You must continue to give us support…"

Then a massive form hit the ground and the situation became monumentally worse.

The impact of the thing that hit the earth sent out a massive ring of blue-colored fire that the members of Hastati were nearly caught in before they managed to take cover. Then, standing up amidst the blue inferno was a terrifying sight to behold. The creature was a tall and gaunt bird-like creature with lanky limbs. Each of its feet ended in three clawed toes, and his fingers were talons. It had large blackish-blue colored bird wings, and its head was like a cross between a vulture and a dragon, with a long, ugly crooked black beak, small sharp teeth, and a long tongue. It adorned its head with a golden helm and wore white robes over its torso with a golden belt that had a sapphire in its center. In its talons it held a long staff that was turquioise and gold and topped with a symbol that vaguely resembled a flame with a sapphire "eye" in the center.

"What…what is that?"

"The worst thing that could come our way" Endewan said grimly. "It is the greatest of Tzeentch's servants. It is a Lord of Change."

Endewan turned to the members of Hastati Squad: "I shouldn't be doing this, but I will engage this abomination for as long as I can. In the meantime you all must get to the evac point as fast as you can"

Lasky held out a hand and grabbed Endewan's arm: "Let me help you"

"Lasky, no!" Silva shouted horrified.

"You won't be able to do it alone" Lasky said resolutely. "I can help you"

"I seriously doubt that" Endewan said. He sent out a telepathic signal to Bahharoth: "My lord, things just went from bad to worse…"

"I know Endewan, I can see it from here. I'm coming"

Endewan nodded and turned to the members of Hastati Squad: "Lord Bahharoth and his Swooping Hawks are on their way. You need to go. NOW!"

But as Endewan shouted this, the Lord of Change finally located the group's position and shot a blue and indigo-colored blast of fire at them. The group moved in time just as the blue fireball collided with the trees they had been hiding behind. The fireball left nothing behind but a piece of charred earth.

"Run!" Endewan shouted before turning around and drawing his bladed polearm in one hand and his shuriken pistol in the other.

"Come to me hellspawn. I will send you back to your master"

Taking notice of the Eldar, the Lord of Change let out a squawk of anger before firing out another blast of blue and indigo-colored fire at Endewan. He rolled out of the way of the fires and shot at the Lord of Change a few times with his shuriken pistol. The Lord of Change conjured up a protective bubble of energy that the shuriken bounced off of harmlessly. The Lord of Change then shot out another blast of eldritch fire at Endewan, who once again rolled out of the way of the fireball.

As Endewan rose to his feet, he could see the two Hunters from before lumbering towards him, their armor still badly damaged from Endewan's last fight with them.

So this is how I am to die… Endewan thought grimly. So be it. I won't die on my knees.

"For the Bloody Handed!" Endewan roared as The Lord of Change shot out a torrent of indigo-colored fire at him, followed swiftly by blasts of eldritch fire from the two Hunters. Dodging all of the flames as they incinerated entire chunks of the forest, Endewan kept moving as he tried to get close enough to the two hunters to finish what he had started.

Then a voice tore through the air: "AXIOS!"

Sprinting through the trees came Lasky, waving his arms to get the attention of the Hunters and their Daemon master. The first to spot him was the Lord of Change, who squawked in anger and fired out another blast of eldritch flame at him. The blast impacted behind Lasky, which sent him tumbling face-first into the dirt. Managing to force himself up in time, Lasky backpedaled through the woods. The Lord of Change was all set to incinerate him but fire from Endewan's shuriken pistol returned its attention to the Eldar. As it flew towards him on its wings it extended its free hand towards the direction Lasky was running to and ordered the Hunters to pursue him. The alien behemoths obeyed and trudged after Lasky. Holstering his shuriken pistol and priming the frag grenade Lasky had given him, Endewan ran towards the Hunters, one of whom spun around in time to strike him with his shield-arm. The impact knocked Endewan to the ground and ruined his helmet, prompting Endewan to tear it off.

As Endewan did this, he looked out and saw the Hunters unleash torrents of eldritch flames from their arm cannons, both aimed at Lasky. There was a fiery explosion of green, blue and amethyst as the flames collided with the mess of trees and foliage in their path, reducing both to ash.

"LASKY!" Silva shouted.

Running forward, Endewan climbed onto one of the Hunter's shield arms, disrupting the behemoth's aim. Before the Hunter could react, Endewan shoved the primed frag grenade into a patch of the Hunter's exposed orange flesh. Then he leaped off. The Hunters both turned to face him, but neither ever got to fire a shot.

The ensuing explosion was nothing short of spectacular. Pieces of the Hunter's orange worm-like flesh went flying in all directions along with the charred and burnt pieces of the Hunter's armor. Writhing orange worms splattered against Endewan's face and armor both but he didn't care. It was worth it just to see the Hunter felled in such a fashion.

For a moment the other Hunter was left stunned by the death of its comrade. Then with a roar, the Hunter ran at Endewan in a fury. Rolling out of the way as the Hunter brought its shield arm down, Endewan plunged his bladed polearm into a portion of exposed orange flesh and twisted as he stabbed the creature. The Hunter roared in pain before Endewan yanked the polearm out, causing orange-colored blood to spurt out from the wound. Ducking under the injured Hunter's clumsy swing, Endewan ran up the Hunter's back and with a roar of: "Death to the Four Powers!" plunged his polearm into the exposed flesh on the Hunter's already damaged back. The Hunter groaned in pain and flailed about for a moment before collapsing dead.

Squawking in rage, the Lord of Change shot out an amethyst-colored bolt of lightning at Endewan. The lightning collided with both the dead Hunter and Endewan, knocking him off the Hunter's back and causing ripples of agonizing pain to surge through his entire body. Endewan howled in pain and rage, his skin feeling like it was melting and his limbs unable to move.

The Lord of Change flew over to Endewan, its staff raised in one hand as in its other it conjured up a swirling ball of electricity and black smoke.

Endewan spat at it. "Burn forever Daemon filth" And then, with what strength he had left, grabbed his bladed polearm and swung it at the Lord of Change's legs, chopping off one of the abomination's feet.

The Lord of Change howled in pain as black blood spurted out of the stump, turning into pink colored embers as it collided with the earth. Such was the toxic nature of a Daemon's blood.

Flying up on its wings, the Lord of Change aimed its staff at Endewan, who rolled to avoid the blue fireball it shot out. Drawing his sword from his scabbard as he did, Endewan held both melee weapons menacingly before leaping at the Lord of Change. His sword and polearm's steel met the Lord of Change's staff with a resounding clang, with the Eldar Dire Avenger and servant of Tzeentch trading blow after blow in a struggle neither seemed to be able to win.

Then at last, from above, came the steel-gray form of Bahharoth, who with a roar, plunged both of his swords into the Lord of Change's back. The Daemon Lord let out a shrill cry of agony before Bahharoth pulled his two swords out and flew backwards. The Lord of Change flailed about, continuing to shriek in pain, before finally dropping its staff and then exploding in a bright blue explosion of energy. All that remained afterwards were feathers and faint dying pink embers.

As Bahharoth landed along with the rest of his Swooping Hawks, the Phoenix Lord helped Endewan to his feet.

"You have done well Endewan" Bahharoth said.

"Thank you my lord. But I did not do it alone."

"Lasky!" the voices of Silva, Orenski, Sullivan, and Dimah shouted. "Where's Lasky?"

Turning, Endewan helped the surviving Hastati Squad members try and find Lasky. Eventually, past a mess of charred, blackened ash that had once been vegetation, Silva found Lasky, his armor scorched and his legs missing.

"Oh my G-d…"

Tears streaming down her face, Silva ran to Lasky's side. He smiled weakly as he looked at her. "Chyler…"

"Hang in there Lasky, please" Silva pleaded. "Help will come, you just have to hold on…"

Lasky shook his head. "I can't do that Chyler. I'm sorry…"

"Don't leave me…" Silva pleaded.

"Finish this fight" Lasky said. "Promise me you'll finish this for the both of us…"

Silva nodded before whispering in a pained voice: "I love you"

"I love you too…"

And then, right before the darkness took him and he passed on to whatever world there was beyond the grave, Thomas Lasky smiled.

He was a soldier after all.

Author's Note: Wow. How am I ever going to follow up on something that awesome? Well, I'll try. Next chapter will be a lot less action packed as the Eldar and humanity have a more formal first meeting.

I hope the Lord of Change didn't come off as too "weak". I tried to make him dangerous without him killing everyone without batting an eye. In any event, this will not be the last time a Lord of Change shows up. Not by a long shot.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter. There's more to come, don't worry. Much more. Hopefully it can be as good as this was…