-XLVIII-
"Come closer, colonel." said Ioras without turning.
Space marine guard blocking Ibrahim's path moved aside and the colonel moved closer.
"So this is what it was all about." gasped Ibrahim seeing the vista before him.
"I'm sorry that your men had to be used with such secrecy." apologized Ioras.
He had his helmet off and Ibrahim had a good look at him in open light.
"You look just like a man, a mighty man I might add." he commented.
Ioras' mind turned for a second, he wasn't expecting casual talk in such an important moment. He was preoccupied with everything else.
"We are made in His image." he replied casually.
"I'm sure, but you all are not cut from the same stone."
Ioras looked at him blankly not sure what it meant.
"You were saying before?" prompted Ibrahim realising the dumbness of the Space Marine.
In subjects of war Space Marines were the masterclass, in subjects of simple human relations however they were unmitigated disasters.
"The Spahkii Captain..." said Ioras almost sneering the words.
"...told you about the tomb. It is true that this place is our real objective and not the Orks." confessed Ioras.
Ibrahim nodded in affirmation of this thing he already suspected as a possibility. Space Marines coming out of the blue and taking command of guardsmen on a meaningless attack was fishy to begin with.
"Is it true that there are riches inside?" asked Ibrahim couldn't be able to stop himself from asking.
Ioras looked at him "No. There is nothing but heresy and betrayel inside that foul place."
"Enemies?" asked Ibrahim.
"Probably not, otherwise the Orks would wipe them out already." reflected Ioras.
"It is funny that the real monsters come from within us and not from some dank tomb."
Ioras was not much for philosophy so he ignored it.
"You and your men must turn back to the Hive." he said.
"And you will investigate this tomb?"
"Yes. It is our duty." said Ioras.
"Just as it was ours to bring you here."
Ioras nodded "Your men did admirably. You must be proud of such a devoted regiment."
"We aren't the best there is but we get it done." replied Ibrahim standing more upright.
"Your Captain is in a sour mood from all the casualties." said Ioras.
"He is young, forgive his failures. He is a man of the people and it weights heavily on him."
"You misunderstood me. I was commending his passion for the men."
"I hope that he will make it through to succeed me someday, yet I still linger." said Ibrahim with a sad voice.
"Do you wish for death?" asked Ioras puzzled, human expectations were alien to him.
"A timely death in the service of Him is all I ask."
"So death is your reward." Ioras reflected.
"It is."
Ibrahim stood to a laxed version of attention.
"Naphtali 62nd will return beyond the Red River as you ordered, lord." he said.
"Go safe, colonel." Ioras said.
"Emperor Protects." Ibrahim said and left.
After the old men with his veteran on his tail disappeared, Julius and Horatus approached.
"So this is it. We arrived." said Julius.
The black structure was excavated to allow a larger entrance. Orks had built entire walls and towers around the entrance, they also painted purple/blue graffiti on the walls.
"What will we find in there?" asked Horatus.
"It's not the interrior that worry me." said Julius.
Horatus angled in head in question.
"Did we really broke through the entire Ork force on this world with a ragtag group of Guardsmen?" asked Julius.
"I had my suspicions." said Horatus trying to look more clever than he is.
"We broke through a major force but I would not count it as the real power." said Ioras.
"Orks would never let us take this gate if it were the only one. They need the portal to bring in reinforcements." said Julius.
"So there are more Orks somewhere?" asked Horatus, Julius wasn't able to tell if it was a shocked expression or an enthusiastic one.
"I assume so." he replied.
Horatus didn't reply but his chainsword revved once without him realising that he was gunning it.
"Maybe they are inside the tomb." said Ioras.
"That's a possibility but why did not joined in on the fight?" asked Julius.
"They might not have communications with the outside. Orks have crude technologies." said Ioras.
"Then we are in for a treat." said Horatus.
"Hilaa!"
Hilaa turned to see Chava walking towards her.
"What is it?" asked Hilaa with a completely rude expression.
"Easy. I'm not here for a fight." Chava said opening her hands to the side.
Both women did not liked each other at all. Chava was a fundamentalist fanatic of the Imperial Cult and followed it's tenets in the strictest fashion possible. Hilaa had faith but she kept it in her heart and believed that the mighty Emperor would grant His subjects a modicum of freedom. What kind of a god would disown their own just because of some foul speech, right?
Chava made the sign of the aquila but Hilaa didn't return it.
"Get to the point." she said annoyed.
"Charming as ever, I see." Chava said.
"I'm not the one who spread rumors behind people." Hilaa said.
"I never-" began Chava defensively but Hilaa cut her midsentence.
"Well what's this about?" she pushed the conversation to a quick conclusion.
"There is something..." Chava said her gaze falling to the ground.
"What?"
"Something happened." Chava said calmly, looking her in the eye.
Hilaa was getting impatient with all this bush roaming.
"Spit it."
"Lieutenant Zeevka, he..."
"No." Hilaa gasped, balling her hands into fists. Her nails bit into her palm and her flesh turned white at the fingers.
"He is gone." Chava said in a single exhausting breath, as if the mere knowledge sapped her strength.
"How?" Hilaa looked away from Chava as if she was the cause of all this.
"He died in combat."
Hilaa had grabbed her aquila amulet with a bone white fist and started mumbling something under her breath.
"I-"
"Shut up." Chava was about to say something but Hilaa snapped at her.
Hilaa turned away from her still holding her amulet.
"You-" she said.
Chava looked at her, she was expecting something of a bonding speech.
"You must have got quite the satisfaction." sneered Hilaa without looking.
Chava was shocked, she froze in place, her heart pumping from anger.
"I-" she only managed to let out.
"It was you who hated that we were close, you must have quite the joy in your corrupted heart of yours."
Hilaa heard a footstep and turned, she was combat-trained and knew how to dodge clumsy attacks but Chava caught her completely by suprise.
Her fist smashed into Hilaa's lip and blew it open. Hilaa landed on her butt, dazed.
"You-you monstrous b- b-." said Chava.
"Say it you himlit." said Hilaa daring her to swear.
"You are a vile woman." Chava said composing herself as best as she can.
"At least I am a woman, I did my duty to my homeworld before shipping off to Emperor knows where."
Chava's face had turned red from shame and anger.
"I brought a son to the Naphtali but you are still a virgin."
"Shut up!" Chava roared at her.
"You are so selfish that you put that piece of meat of yours before your own world." Hilaa pressed.
Chava jumped on her but Hilaa seen this one coming.
She grabbed her collar and slammed Chava onto the ground.
Hilaa was on her feet in the second and Chava was still squirming moaning in pain.
"It's tough when you aren't looking at your opponent through a tank-visor, isn't it?" mocked Hilaa.
She was thinking of kicking her in the belly but then she realised the girl was weeping on the ground in a fetal position.
Hilaa just realised how young the girl was. Probably the same age as her son.
"I just wanted to-" Chava sobbed without looking.
"I just wanted to tell you. It was all."
Hilaa felt guilty.
"I'm-" she only said.
Chava got up slowly still crying, she wiped her tears with a balled fist like a child with one hand.
"Save it." she said and left holding her shoulder.
Hilaa looked on as she left, she wanted to call out and apologize but something kept her frozen in place.
If there ever was a time to shatter her faith then it was times like these. When people broke even further apart when they should be welding together. Their own vices grinding virtues to dust.
"We are leaving." said Ibrahim.
Aaron just nodded. Ibrahim knew the young Captain's thoughts bit by bit, it was a magical gift given by old age.
"Can't get the martyrs out of your head, eh?" asked Ibrahim.
"Yes." answered Aaron simply, his mood was worse than before.
"I know you are feeling bad right now, but we would probably get wiped out sitting in those trenches. Lions or Echnisians didn't care one bit if we died out or not."
"And the Spears did?" asked Aaron looking at the old commander.
"They cared for their own mission to the Emperor, others cared for their own earthly interests."
"And the people we lost?"
"It is our duty, son."
"To die?"
"To die." said Ibrahim.
Aaron had no reply to give. Then a second later he thought of something to say.
"For the Emperor." he said as if to himself.
"For the Emperor." replied Ibrahim back.
Malik came in.
"I spoke with that commando bunch, Spahkii."
Ibrahim looked at him inquisitively.
"They are obviously lying about something but I don't know what."
"Good job, Colonel. I'm glad you are here to inform us of these things." said Ibrahim sarcastically.
"Glad to be of service." replied Malik sarcastically back, he wasn't offended one bit.
"This man is iron-built." thought Ibrahim to himself.
Malik was in his mid-twenties, almost the same age as Aaron but he was more mature in some grim way. He had an uncaring attitude about him. One would easily mistake it for nihilistic view or a rich-spoiled-kid type of "I don't care about anything" personality. He did cared about certain things and those things were strictly practical. No crying over what can't be changed or how one should stride to be a better man by virtue alone. He lacked a certain care for other's lives and maybe even to his own. He had a cold and scary view of reality and acceptance of fate. Things happened because they must and we bow before the great design for we are powerless to change it. That, Ibrahim knew was the most dangerous kind of people out there. Even the blind fanatics of the Ecclesiarchy is easier to defeat. But a cold calculating predator was the apex in the human hierarchy.
Every leader worth his salt was one such, otherwise failure followed and thus ruin.
"I think we ought to leave." said Malik, throwing a bait.
Ibrahim knew what was coming.
"We are." he said, biting it.
"Then we must stick together, if more Orks show up we need manpower." said Malik, realising his parasitic ways for survival.
Ibrahim did not liked it, this man had left them before and he would do it again.
Despite the 'victory' they won today, they were not friends. And Malik's disregard for the decimation of his fleeing comrades were terrifying. He even looked more relaxed after the harsh 'discipline' exacted by the Commissar on the routed Balharethi. And with a thought that sent shivered through Ibrahim, maybe even satisfied.
Ibrahim wasn't going to turn down more men in the force but he also expected Balharethi to flee in the first sign of trouble, he would be taking precautions against that.
"Aye, we should." he said.
Black capped Commissar walked in.
"This is a glorious day for the Emperor, is it not?" he said with a broad smile. However his eyes were not smiling.
As always the two young boy Aidaites were behind him in combat gear.
"A victorious day indeed." replied Ibrahim.
"I will commend your men for medals when we get back." said Commissar Gus.
"That is much appreciated, Commissar." said Ibrahim.
"So..." prompted Malik.
Both men turned to him.
"When do we leave?" he asked.
"As quickly as possible." replied Gus.
"And the Spahkii?"
Gus stood silent for a moment. There was something he was hiding.
"Well?" prompted Malik, it wasn't easy to push around a Commissar for answer.
Ibrahim wasn't sure as if he was to be impressed by his boldness or mock him for his stupidity.
"They-" said Gus.
"They disappeared."
"What? What?" asked Malik twice.
Gus was ashamed to admit, someone breaking discipline while a Commissar was on board was bad but Commissar being unable to bring the penaliers to justice was worse.
"They are gone. Vanished." he confessed.
The maw of the black stone made tomb was inviting. It has a peace about it's inner darkness. The night had closed in but the tomb's own darkness was more pressing than the absence of sun.
Black stone of the tomb was cut in squarish shapes with a giant black opening in the middle. There were no doors or gates that are built to the archway.
"That's odd." said Julius.
"What?" asked Ioras.
"There are no gates."
"Maybe they removed it." suggested Horatus.
"It doesn't look like the stone is chipped." observed Achagon, he had discarded the camo-netting and stood in his full chapter colors.
"Gates were never built in the first place." said Julius.
"So? How does that change anything?" asked Horatus irritated with this pointless observations.
"Whoever built this had no care for intruders." said Julius.
"That spells doom for anyone who enters, I assume." said Achagon.
Ioras moved forwards into the archway, walking beside dumps of Ork junk sprawled around.
When he arrived the archway he realised the clear distinction between the dampness of the tomb and the outside. There was a chilling feeling of statism seeping from the inside.
His skin shivered and for a moment he felt as if he would struck immobile for an eternity if he would enter the tomb.
His mind blotted out the doubts and filled them with determination.
"There is nothing we fear." he said then ordered the squad to come forwards with a swing of his bolter.
Lion Warriors accompanied the squad and Ioras was sure that if the Lions were to turn on them they could dispatch the broken squad.
Imperial Guard forces had started their return journey an hour ago and their leaving trail of dust had already dissipated.
Ioras put a step inside and despite everything the tomb did not suck him in like he imagined it would.
They disappeared inside the black archway.
Inside it was as dark as it gets.
"Scan ahead." said Ioras.
Iulius took out his auspex, the green-glow of the tool was barely visible despite it was in his hands.
"No signal, this place is damping the scanner." said Iulius.
"That can't be good." commented Julius as Iulius was tapping on the scanner with some irrational instinct to make it work.
"Night-sights on." ordered Ioras and the Marine eyelids lit green. It was as if the tomb's walls eat the light even though the setting sun was behind them with the entire archway open wide.
"That didn't improve nothing." commented Iulius.
The night-sight of the Astarte helmet would reveal a good chunk out of the darkness but the shadows inside the dark hallways stood alive as if they were mocking the poor Imperial technology.
"State of the art they said." joked Julius.
"Mechanicus always lies, don't they?" asked Iulius. Julius wasn't sure if he was joking or being serious.
"Damned robots." cursed Horatus.
"Does your men always complain like this when they are not fighting?" asked Renon walking beside Ioras. He did not had his helmet as it was broken by Julius back at the bunker. Still he walked beside Ioras like the dark did not bother him at all.
"Usually." replied Ioras noticing Renon's ease.
"How come you aren't fazed by the dark?" he asked.
Renon tapped his nose holding the bolter in the other hand "Lion senses." he said.
"You have mutations?" asked Ioras.
He heard Grilleo groan behind them, offended by the accusation.
"Blessings." replied Renon.
"So you can see in the dark?"
"Better than what those helmets provide. But not much."
"And what's ahead?"
"More of this hallway." replied Renon with a bored voice.
"How long does this thing goes?" asked Horatus, he was getting impatient as they walked without end.
"Can't tell it'-wait." said Renon, he rose his bolter upwards as he stood and listened intently.
"Orks." he said through teeth.
Space Marines slowed down, keeping their footfalls as silent as possible. It wasn't easy as adamantium boots scraped on the perfectly cut black marble floor.
They came upon an opening and could see a huge division before them. There were dozens of gigantic black stone bridges criss-crossing each other and in the middle was a massive one. The space itself was immensely huge and defied logic that such a giant empty volume to exist underground. They had see gigantic Imperial fortresses and cathedrals but where those structures went skyward this tomb went earthward.
Beneath the bridges there was no floor to be seen.
"It must be a very deep drop." observed Achagon.
"Look at that." pointed Julius at the main bridge.
After their initial shock, their collective gaze moved to where Julius was pointing at and saw the real danger.
Hundreds of Orks were marching on the main bridge. They were singing some crude and ugly song as they marched happily towards an exit that was miles away. There was an opening at where the main bridge had lead to. They had thousands of lamps pointing everywhere to pierce the darkness.
"That must be the main gate." said Ioras.
"There are too many Orks." said Renon.
Despite the opening ahead, light seeped in only a fraction and did not let the gloom dissipate. The tomb was built somehow as if to keep the dark in and the light out.
"So what's our target?" asked Julius.
Ioras turned to Renon "You been here before?"
"No." answered Renon.
Ioras looked at the other Lion Warriors and got negative head shakes.
"Question still stands." noticed Julius.
"First things first, we must learn the source of this infestation." said Ioras.
"That's easy." said Achagon nodding towards where the Ork horde was coming from with the barrel of his sniper rifle.
Hundreds of armed Ork were coming from the same archway that led into yet another dark chamber.
"Than that's our target." said Ioras as he looked around for a way into the chamber.
Sadly he found no pathways or walkways other than the seemingly random designed bridges. Bridges were not connecting with other and were built in a mathematical perfection rather than any thought for human movement. Luckily the Ork horde only needed one path and that was outside where WAAAGH! was happening.
Usually a place this big would need of stairways, catwalks or other connecting platforms but the tomb as it name suggested had only one main artery that leads into the bowels of it. The rest of the bridges were tin and led from one part to another directly. Their thin and rail-less construct was as if they were used by someone(or something) that is not bipedal.
"How did Echnisians get around this place?" asked Julius.
There were some broken pieces of Imperial equipment but most of the leftover lamps and railings were looted by the Orks.
"Those look Imperial." Renon pointed at some broken shape of a scrap metal that was once a lifter-sentinel.
"How do we get past these greenskins?" asked Horatus.
"There." pointed Achagon to something.
"I don't see anything there." Horatus squinted.
There really wasn't anything there except the shadow of the endless chasm.
"There, can't you see it?" Achagon asked irrirated for their ability to not register what was so clear to him.
Ioras looked at where he was pointing to for seconds until he could make out some vague shaped hanging in the air.
"There is something."
"It's a bridge." explained Achagon as if the entire thing was visible to the others.
"Where is it?" asked Horatus almost angry.
"There, see that ridge line? Follow it till you reach it." described Achagon.
"It's hidden in the shadows." said Julius finally managing to see the black bridge.
The black bridge was almost as if it was melded into the shadowy underbelly of the tomb. Only the faintest glimmer of light caused by the Ork light assortments made it visible.
Julius realized that even Lion's acute senses it was Achagon's uncanny sight that sighted the bridge.
"Who built this place?" asked Renon in amazement.
Ioras shook his helmet.
"Whoever it is, they didn't want anyone to trespass their tomb." reflected Achagon.
"At least there are no traps or anything." said Horatus.
"For now." replied Achagon.
"Imperial scavengers must have already trip them so we are in luck." said Julius.
"And the Orks" added Horatus.
"That bridge would allow us to pass in a single line." said Ioras turning back to subject.
"If the Orks detect us, then we would be easy targets." he added.
"There is no end to the greenskins." said Horatus looking angrily at the army marching before them.
"We can't wait. We need to move now." rushed Renon.
"I agree, we move, silently as possible." agreed Ioras.
The stone beside them was somewhat jagged but there were no hand-holds so their descend into the black bridge was not possible.
"How do we get down there?" asked Julius looking down into the blackness.
"There are holes in here." said Grilleo finding a hole in one of the corners.
"How did you find this?" asked Julius, the hole was hiding in the shadows.
"I almost fell into it." answered Grilleo with a shameful but honest voice.
"Great. Now we can-" said Ioras but cut his praises short as he saw the hole for himself.
Hole itself was wide to allow a marine to enter inside but it was circular and did not contain any sort of ladder known to humankind. It was scraped and given a rib-like shape that resembled a human intestine.
"That wasn't built to carry anything humanoid." reflected Julius.
"It looks perfect to be a climbing surface for an insectoid or clawed creature." said Ioras moving his hand into the ribbed surface.
"This is a tomb isn't it? Where they bury dead?" asked Horatus as he felt himself stupid.
"I guess." answered Achagon unsure.
"Then why build ladders onto it?" Horatus asked.
None of them had any answers.
"Spread your hands and legs, grab these ribs and descend downwards." said Ioras.
He turned to look at the marine group.
"Any volunteers?" he asked mockingly.
"Move aside, Spear." said Grilleo proudly and put himself into the hole. He had one hand broken but he used it anyway.
They watched the Lion Warriors descend into the darkness and disappear. The descend was horribly noisy as each time the armor struck a rib it made a loud scraping noise.
With a rattling sound Grilleo disappeared and even the rattling sound ceased as he descended.
Ioras was second and then the rest followed.
The Ork horde heard the noises and started shouting. They sent out search parties to find the source of the noises. Many of those patrols would get lost in the maze of tunnels and never see daylight again for the rest of their lives.
"Report." said Ioras.
"All accounted for." answered Horatus checking the marines around him.
Renon said likewise.
"This way." led Achagon and they followed the marine through the darkness in close formation. Luckily the marine sight, enchanted by the visors of their helmets allowed some vague shapes in the unnatural darkness.
Soon they found themselves looking into the near-invisible shape of the bridge.
"Careful now." said Ioras as Achagon took the first steps.
Ork horde was left above them and their lights proved little help down here.
Ioras would turn on his operating lambs fitted onto his backpack but he could not risk getting spotted.
"One slip and we are done." said Renon.
Achagon moved step by step and they traversed the bridge. It looked like as if they were walking on thin air.
Every solid step he took made Julius content, he forced himself to fix his gaze towards the marines before him. Looking down could have ruinous results.
They passed beneath the main bridge and moved into the deep bowels of the tomb.
"Here we are." said Achagon stepping onto the safety of yet another tunnel.
"That was unpleasent." commented Horatus.
"Do not have fear, Spear. We are here if you need a shoulder to cry on." said Grilleo.
"We know no fear, Lion. But you would do well to remember that it was your Chapter who failed in this place." said Horatus turning to Grilleo.
"We don't need this." said Ioras sighing.
"Agreed, keep the small talk for the return trip." supported Renon.
Grilleo nudged Horatus' shoulderpad with his as he walked past him "This ain't over."
"Sure it isn't." replied Horatus following the squad.
After half an hour of walk the tunnels became lit with a purplish light, there was also a division to the monoline tunnel.
"I can see clearly." said Julius.
"Good for you." taunted Horatus.
"Where is it coming from?" asked Ioras looking into the division of tunnels.
Three tunnels all looked the same and had the same light despite leading to different directions.
"This isn't normal." reflected Renon.
"Nothing in this warped place is." growled Grilleo.
"Which way?" asked Ioras to Achagon.
Achagon shook his head.
"Does it matter?" asked Horatus.
"It does, if we don't want to encounter an entire Ork army." replied Julius snidely returning the taunt.
"This way." pointed Renon.
"Why?" asked Ioras confused, to him all the tunnels looked the same.
"The air moves faster there. Must be leading to a wider space than the other two." replied Renon.
"Hmm." Ioras reacted neutrally, Lions were an asset to the mission after all he thought.
They moved into the tunnel and reached at a wide hallway as Renon predicted.
"Good nose." commented Julius.
Renon nodded in return.
The purple haze had grown stronger in the room and they could see clearly.
Achagon had already reached a ledge and was peering down.
"No Orks." he reported.
"I can still hear them." warned Renon.
They moved above the hall, the balcony-ledge had rows of dark green crystals at the walls.
"Come look at these." said Renon pointing at the crystals.
Julius looked at the near-opaque green crystal. It took him a while to realize the skeletal figure inside.
"Something is in there." he said not sure if to be alarmed or not.
"Never seen anything like it." said Renon, he looked at Ioras "You?".
Ioras shook his head "Not in my service, no."
Julius hovered his hand on the crystal and waited for a second before placing on it. He didn't know what kept him, was he expecting it to strike back? He ran his hand over the crystal.
"It's perfectly smooth." he gasped as his metalic gauntlet traversed on the green crystal without resistance.
"Did we come here to wonder at the long dead Xenos or are we to find this gate?" asked Horatus, his patience was water on desert.
Julius pulled out his hand, he still couldn't shake the feeling of a lively pull as he touched the crystal. Of course any interaction between him and the crystal was impossible because of the gauntlet. He dismissed it as an instinct.
"F...low me...found...way int...he...ain hall." voxed Achagon, he had already scouted ahead but his vox transmission was filled with crackling distortion.
"Vox is dying too." said Horatus needlessly.
They passed into the main hallway through the ledge that moved several meters off the main ground.
"Look at that." said Horatus in amazement.
Before them was a giant hall triple the size of the one they arrived from. The main hall had black square shaped pillars supporting the entire weight of the land above them.
These columns alone supported the entire mass of land so that the main bridge was able to float without the need for any columns. With Imperial technology this feat alone was impossible to accomplish.
At the back of the main hall was a duo of black stone gates with a tank sized cut on it.
"So that's how the Echnisians get deeper into the tomb." reflected Ioras. Looters had cut into the gate with melta tools and from this gap poured out the Orks.
"At least we know where we are supposed to go." said Julius.
"How are we to get in?" asked Achagon, seeing no way in other than the gap.
"What in the-" they heard Iulius said.
Auspex on his belt came alive and was chiming with distortion. A second later their helmet displays went dark and their helmet vox chimed with the same distortion.
They had to remove their helmets in order to see and Iulius removed the power packs of the auspex to stop the sound. There came a loud noise from inside the gap resembling screaming.
"What is happening?" asked Julius.
Orks came pouring out from the gap, each pushing each other while they squeezed into the small gap that could only allow a dozen Orks at best.
"They're attacking!" said Horatus alarmed he aimed his bolter down to the Orks.
Ioras put his hand on the sight "No, look."
Horatus realised the Orks were running scared. They were toppling each other and just trying to get as far away from the what's behind the doors as possible.
After a few minutes the gap was cleared of Ork presence.
"Now is our chance." said Ioras leading the group downwards. They repelled down from one of the circular ladders they used before and came to the gap.
"Get ready for anything." said Ioras cocking his bolter.
"Always." growled Horatus.
The doors before them was massive and they appeared to be cut from a single stone. The massive pillars was flanking them and stood upright like soldiers in attention. The ever-present gloom of the tomb made any visual hints redundant and they weren't able to see into the gap. But as they approached several Orks came out as the one's before.
"Drop them." ordered Ioras.
Controlled bolter fire filled the hall. Renon dropped one Ork and Grilleo fired his bolter with one hand. He missed his shots but Julius was there to correct his mistake. Achagon fired once without the scope and toppled an Ork. Iulius and Rexus held their fire as the Orks did not required heavy weapons to dispatch.
Ioras first shot the one coming at him in the face then turned his bolter on the one to the right and blow his knee off. Ork toppled on his face and got killed by Deciaci's fire.
"Clear." reported Julius.
None of them needed to reload, not spending much ammo anyway on the few Orks.
"Alpha Protocol, engage." ordered Ioras and Space Marines moved towards the gap in unity.
Lion Warriors and Spears never fought together in such a controlled operation before but the basic Codex Astartes Protocols allowed them to move harmoniously.
They passed into the gap a wide room appeared before them. They stood in amazement of the sight before them. A huge swirling warp gate danced before their eyes. From purple to blue colors shifted and changed inside it. A warp gate standing on the planet like a docile animal. It grew and shrung randomly as if it was testing the reality and it's limits.
"This is..." gasped Julius.
"It's heresy is what it is." said Horatus.
"Agreed, how do we destroy it?" asked Grilleo.
They just realised the carnage before the gate. Dozens of dismembered Ork bodies lay around and grot orderlies moved around with brooms in their hands, trying to clean the mess.
"What happened here?" asked Iulius.
"Probably a teleport accident." reflected Ioras seeing how the corpses were cut apart so cleanly.
The grot orderlies realised the group of Astartes standing in the doorway. At first they looked at the marines blankly, not registering the reality of enemy forces being able to reach so deep into the tomb. Then they squeled and ran off into all directions, throwing the blood soaked brooms up into the air. This commotion alerted the nearby Ork guards.
"Kill the Orks, clean this room." said Ioras and he opened fire.
One of the Ork guards was shot in mid air and landed on his shoulder. Another charged ahead with choppa in hand but Renon blew him apart with several shots. The Ork ran a few steps more and then realising his own death, toppled on his chest.
Two more Ork guards ran them but Iulius fired a burst that drop the duo.
As their comrades was failing to stop the intrusion one particular Ork with a bionic eye saw the hopelessness of the situation and tried to get away from the fight.
Ioras spotted him and he had fought against the Orks enough to know what he was "Achagon, disable that Mek." he ordered pointing at the fleeing Ork.
Achagon did not made a sound and instead dropped on one knee and placed his elbow on his knee, resting the sniper.
It took him a moment to scope the Ork and it looked like the Ork as going to get away before Achagon's shot. But the result was different. Achagon's shot blew the Ork's leg from the groin and Mek fell flat among the Ork corpses and pieces of machinery.
Horatus sprinted at the Mek and kicked the slugga off his hands as he was pulling it. Slugga jumped off the ground and clattered away.
"Zog you, marine!" shouted Mek but Horatus kicked his guts.
"Don't kill it." came Ioras, behind him Julius was finishing off another Ork guard.
"Why? What he has to tell us?" asked Horatus.
Ioras looked at him, Horatus got the message and move aside pointing his bolter at the Ork.
Behind them the warp gate was swirling wildly.
"So, Ork. How do we stop this gate from functioning?" he asked.
"Take dem boyz of yerz and zog da..." began the Mek.
Ioras stepped on his hand and broke two fingers under his massive boot.
"Aarrg!" cried the Mek.
"Try again." Ioras said.
"Youz neva gonna stop dem swirly-tellyporta."
"Why not?" asked Ioras stepping down more.
Ork groaned in pain and kept talking through his teeth.
"Youz hafta get in to da swirly-fing." said Ork.
"What about those machinery, don't they keep the gate open?" asked Julius nodding at the mish-mash of machines around the warp-gate.
"Bah, deyz jus keepin da fing unda control. Wi'out dem da swirling-fing would do amazement."
"Amazement?" asked Ioras.
"Dem random fings, you know." said Mek.
"I don't" replied Ioras.
"Blow up n stuff, ya zoggin stoopid marine." said Mek trying to get up.
Ioras didn't reply, instead he took out his bolt pistol and shot the Mek in the head.
"That'll be all." he said as the Ork's corpse slumped back.
"So, what's the plan?" asked Horatus.
Ioras looked at the machinery around the gate. It was really a mix of interracial engineering. First off there was the two pylons which were made from the same material as the tomb. Whether the pylons generated the warp-gate was unclear. Then there were several amplifiers built onto the pylons, which were clearly Imperial design. Skulls and hard mesh of wires dotted the surface of the amplifiers. Last of all, Orks had welded and hammered on several metallic dishes and antennas onto the Imperial machinery.
Ioras had no idea what this chaos of machines was and how they worked. But if the Orks had the need to add onto the already disfunctioning machine, then there should be some wisdom on it.
Orks were crude beasts but they had a nick for getting things work and Ioras was wise enough to work with it.
"Maybe we can shut those machines off, there should be safety protocols." said Julius.
"We should frag the thing and move on." said Horatus.
"No, the Mek told of disaster if the machines went down." said Ioras.
"And we believe this green monster?" asked Horatus looking at the dead Mek in contempt.
"They somehow got the machine working for all this time." reflected Ioras.
"I still don't trust them." groaned Horatus.
"What he said was clear, the gate can only be closed from the inside." said Renon wanting to finish the debate as quickly as possible.
"That seems like the only safe way, we can't risk catastrophe." said Ioras.
"Then one of us needs to go in and shut it off." said Renon.
"We need to make sure it never turns on ever again." said Iulius.
"Here is what we do." said Ioras, they all gathered around him.
"I will take several Krak grenades and enter this portal and blow out whatever is on the other side."
"You?" asked Renon.
"Yes. This mission is my responsibility." replied Ioras looking at the Lion.
"What if you mishap and you die? There needs to be several of us entering the portal. If one fails the others can accomplish the objective." said Renon.
"That's more reasonable." reflected Iulius.
"So, I will be leading..." began Ioras.
"You aren't going anywhere." cut in Horatus.
Ioras looked at him angrily.
"Codex Astartes states that the Commander should always be on hand and protected from needless harm." said Horatus.
"I am not to sit aside..." objected Ioras.
"Let not those who lead you fall to ruin, for the only path for an headless eagle is to plunge." quoted Horatus from Codex Astartes.
"He is right, I should be the one." said Julius.
"You? You were nothing but trouble in this mission." said Ioras.
"I know, lord. But I can redeem myself, I can do this."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Who would sent in? Horatus would charge in at the first sign of combat. Iulius would be too slow if there were any need to run."
"Hey! I wouldn't-" said Horatus.
Ioras looked uncertain but Renon cut in.
"We could go in there, we have the numbers." he suggested.
"No, I want Spears in there."
"You don't trust us?" asked Renon accusingly.
"Trust is a hard thing to earn, Lion." Ioras replied.
"We fought all this way with you, you can't ju-" growled Grilleo but Renon silenced him raising a hand.
"Have it your way, Spear." he said to Ioras.
"Okay Julius, take Deciaci and Herean into the portal." said Ioras.
"Why am I not going in?" asked Horatus, angry.
"I need you here in case things progress. We don't know how long closing of this portal is going to take and the Orks would sure to be back once they realise something is amiss." explained Ioras.
Need for his combat abilities was a good cause for Horatus, even though it might not be the whole truth. Ioras didn't wanted to lose two sergeants if things go south.
"I won't fail you." said Julius as they broke the circle.
"Don't fail the Chapter." said Ioras, reminding Julius what was really mattered.
Julius nodded.
"Deciaci, Herean. Let's do this." he said leading the duo into the swirling mass of clouds.
"Lock on your helmets." warned Iulius and they put them on.
They disappeared inside the portal as Ioras looked on.
"Emperor guide your path." he murmured.
Inside the portal was the swirling realm of chaos. It was like a segment of the madness, a more controlled insanity. Mankind was no stranger to the currents of the warp. And despite it's difficulty, teleportation through the warp was used throughout the Imperium. Julius felt the currents wash over him, like a desert wind they felt hot over his skin.
He needed to remind himself that he is wearing a sealed suit of armour and no material wind could touch his skin.
"Let's move." he said leading Deciaci and Herean forward.
Deciaci had four krak grenades gathered from the squad and Herean had the frags on his belt.
They weren't able to see much despite a dark purple and bright red mixture of gaseous phenomenon around them. It felt wrong to look at them so they kept their gazed looking into the dark inviting blackness ahead. The portal created a safe haven of circling warp currents. If the portal had failed the winds of chaos would be free to rip at their flesh and rape at their souls.
"This place is sickening." said Deciaci, bile rising up to his mouth.
He made to release his helmet clamps but Herean stopped him.
"Don't. We don't know how contagious this place is."
"Contagious? There is no virus outbreak here." said Deciaci.
"Warp corrupts, keep the helmet on." warned Herean with a serious voice.
"He is right, do not remove your helmet." agreed Julius.
"Fine." said Deciaci leaving the helmet in place.
It wasn't long before they started hearing voices.
"You hear that?" asked Deciaci aiming down with his bolter.
There were distant shouting and Julius saw several shapes ahead. It looks like there were combat happening ahead but it was mixed with the hazy clouds of the warp.
"Orks." said Herean.
"No, I hear human voices." said Deciaci.
Julius knew the voices was a bad omen but he couldn't help but want to hear more.
"...it is clearly the case..." he heard a middle aged man voice say casually.
"I don't want to..." a child's voice now.
"...eat, must eat more, must eat more..." came a growling inhuman voice.
"we need to move into the, wait! There is something..." said a voice as if realising of Julius' eavesdropping and then cut abruptly.
"Zag na gatha..." a throaty alien-voice growled.
"...shan da kyn aganahta..." came another alien voice.
Julius was listening intently to the barrage of sounds. It felt so good hearing all these voices, as if his mind was filled with other consciousnesses, there was so much to know about others, so much to hear and know.
"Come, Julius, join us." said a soothing and lovely voice.
"It can all be over, just accept us into your heart so that we can make it all right."
"Yes, it can be over. I see now." said Julius without even realising.
"Leave your meaningless responsibilities, leave your needless duties, they do not need to be such burden on your shoulders anymore."
"I just need to..." mumbled Julius, he wanted the soothing voice to wash over his mind again.
"Let us in so that we can heal you, just let go of everything, let go of your false Emperor."
Julius snapped back to himself as he heard the last bit. He let go of his human life to become an Astartes. He let go of his freedom by joining the Chapter's service. He let go of his future to become a weapon of war. But he would never ever gave up on his Emperor.
"No." he almost growled to the voices and felt them retreat into hiding.
He turned to see the other marines had also stopped and listening as if mesmerized.
"Don't listen to the sounds!" he shouted.
Deciaci and Herean didn't respond.
He shook the marines to bring them to their senses.
"Snap out of it."
"It was so..." said Deciaci as if drunk.
"I'm...I'm..." said Herean holding his head as if ashamed of his involvement with the voices.
"We move, now!" roared Julius hitting Deciaci in the chest to get full awake and moving.
Soon the shapes ahead cleared and they could see the figures. They were Orks and they were fighting something.
"What are they doing?" Deciaci asked.
"No idea." replied Julius.
Orks were enveloped in the clouds and they were fighting wildly against enemies that none of the Space Marines was able to spot.
"They're mad." concluded Herean.
Orks were swinging and chopping at the purple clouds, some even fired their shootas into the meaningless clouds. They were locked into combat desperately.
"Look, they are stuck." pointed Julius at where the Orks were.
Some Orks apparently strayed from the safe path and stuck in the currents of the warp, the protective cylinder of the portal distorted the chaos energies and created a sort of limbo that does not really get far from the portal itself, they were unable to pass onto the oblivion of the warp or return back into the safety of the gate. They were stuck in their own minds, fighting enemies of their own design for an eternity.
Space Marines moved unopposed and the Orks did not even seem to notice them, being preoccupied with their intense combat against nothingness.
"I see something up ahead." said Julius.
"An opening." said Deciaci almost happy.
Several Orks appeared at the end of the portal, their hazy outlines becoming detailed bodies as they passed into the portal.
"They're coming." said Julius and opened fire.
Herean and Deciaci followed his example and cut down several Orks as they entered the portal.
"Frag them." ordered Julius and Herean lobbed a frag grenade to the mouth of the portal. He readied another in the blink.
Frag passed outside the portal and exploded there. The hazy explosion and dying Orks could be seen like it was an aquarium from inside the portal.
Herean lobbed another one to make sure.
They stormed outside the portal passing through the curtain of shifting warp energies and emerged out.
The first thing Julius did was to fire his bolter, killing two surviving Orks.
Herean fired on full auto cutting down three Orks and Deciaci cleared the left by snapping two Orks with precise shooting.
As their spent casings hit the ground, they were on the move.
"Deciaci, blow those generators." Julius said pointing at a crackling circular things that produced too many sparks.
Deciaci threw one Krak grenade right into the middle of two.
Explosion blew outwards breaking the outer protective metal mesh and spraying copper wiring all over the place.
One of the spinning part with three brass colored spheres atop the Ork tellyporta came to a halt.
Orks had realised the incursion and filled the tellyporta chamber. Several shoota boys took positions on the catwalks up ahead and started firing.
A round glanced off Julius' shoulderpad, he returned the favor by killing a shoota boy. He then turned his bolter around and burst fired into a charging Ork boy, blowing open his lungs. Ork dropped backwards.
Herean fired another full auto on two Orks, wounding them. One of the Orks got up from his leg wound but the Other had lost his eyes and was dazed badly.
As Herean reloaded Julius took a precision shot and dropped the rising Ork. He fired again to finish off the half blinded Ork.
"Conserve your ammo." he warned Herean.
"Yes, lord." replied Herean slamming a fresh one, he cock the bolter viciously.
They heard another explosion behind them and knew that Deciaci had stopped another generator.
"Armed the last one, get in to the portal!" shouted Deciaci as he ran back at the swirling mouth of the portal.
"Inside." ordered Julius as he and Herean moved back slowly, still firing at the oncoming Orks.
One round glanced off Herean's eyebrow, he stopped firing for a second and Julius covered his ground by firing a full burst spreading it around to cause havoc on the advancing Orks.
They turned and entered the portal, they werent able tosee the explosion but it's effects were clear as the swirling cloth of the warp collapsed behind them. Closing on the Ork side, protective line between the Ork tellyporta and the warp gate was unmade and the safe haven of the portal started to lose ground against the onslaught of the warp energies.
"Run!" shouted Julius as they already sprinted towards the other end.
The stuck Orks was also enveloped by the destructive warp enegies as their limbo collapsed and gave way to the warp. They would be eaten by the denizens of the warp within minutes and the same fate awaited the Spears if they did not leave the portal quickly enough.
They sprinted towards the end of the portal. Despite their enhanced physiology the run was a difficult one. The warp was too eager to conquer the land it lost and consume the safe haven of the portal once again. A flood of chaos as in bulbing clouds of red fire was on their heels.
"Quickly! Reach the end! Or we are consumed!" said Julius.
"I see it!" said Deciaci as he spotted their salvation.
A piece of the cloud broke free from the chaos and lunged at Deciaci. It was a monster, it's tongue slapped all over Deciaci's armour and his teeth scraped against it's armour. Deciaci punched the thing away from himself but another one came to being out of nowhere and grabbed the marine.
The daemon-thing overpowered Deciaci and forced him towards the swirling chaos energies.
The thought of losing another marine under his charge threw Julius' mind into frenzy.
"Not again! Not again!" he roared and jumped onto the daemon-thing. His mass broke the hold on Deciaci but he and the monster was now embraced in a deadly grip.
Deciaci aimed his boltgun but the brawl made it impossible to tell where Julius started and the monster began.
"Go!" prompted Herean, pulling at Deciaci's shoulderpad.
"Julius." Deciaci managed to say before he complied with Herean's pull.
The swirling chaos energies were so close now and Julius was almost inside them.
Deciaci saw Julius headbutt the monster thing and broke their contact. They ran at the end of this nightmare with all their will.
"They're coming, Lord Ioras." said Rexus standing near the cut out doorway.
"Julius and the others still need more time." warned Iulius steadying his bolter on a piece of debris.
"I know, we will do everything we can make sure they come back safely." said Ioras.
He pointed the marines to firing positions so that the incoming Ork onslaught would pay dearly for coming back.
"Give them hell." ordered Ioras and the squad firing on the coming Orks.
Iulius started firing his heavy bolter, dropping three Orks in one burst.
"Any sign of Julius?" asked Renon firing on the Orks.
"I can't see them." answered Ioras.
Rexus fired a flaming column enveloping four Orks in the fiery death.
"Hold!" ordered Ioras as more Orks apperared the outer gate.
Orks had realised the distruption at the warp gate and meant to retake it from the Space Marines.
"More of them." warned Rexus as kicked one Ork that was half-burned by his heavy flamer.
"Fire!" ordered Ioras and bolter fire took the breach.
Horatus was wielding his chainsword in one hand and his bolt pistol in the other. He shot an Ork in the face and stabbed at the other, cutting his chest muscled till the pain took hold of the Ork and dropped him.
Ork was convulsing on the ground from his torn muscles and Horatus ended his suffering by planting an explosive bolt round in his thick skull.
"Die Orks." he said as the bolt round splattered brains all over the black floor.
As they were fighting the Orks, Herean broke through the haze of the portal and dropped onto the ground.
"Herean has arrived!" informed Achagon as he took a snapshot at the Orks, grievously wounding one.
Ioras grabbed Herean's chestplate "Where is the others?" he asked.
Before Herean could answer Deciaci spurted out of the portal and grabbed a column at the side to keep himself upright.
Ioras looked at the portal, expecting Julius to break through it. But Julius was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is Julius?" asked Ioras?
Herean shook a head.
"He was right behind me." panted Deciaci.
"Where is he?" Ioras asked again.
Horatus was killing another Orks, slashing the roaring chainsword across the thing's head. Blood covered the Ork's face and a bolt round entered his gut's as another marine shoot at it.
Renon burst killed another Ork and cleared the breech for a moment before more Orks arrived.
Gate was almost closing, the swirling purple energy clouds became smaller with every passing second.
Ioras looked at the gate helplessly, he was going to lose a Marine to this mission after all. One subject of the Emperor lost to chaos.
Julius broke through the small gate that barely contained his mass. His hand came in first and Ioras grabbed it, pulling hard.
Marine's body broke through the closing gate and at the last minute all of Julius was on the real world.
Julius and Ioras fell onto the ground next to Herean.
"I thought..." said Ioras.
"There was something in there..." panted Julius hard. "I couldn't let it drag one of us down." he said."
Ioras slapped his chestplate "You did good, Sergeant." he said.
"I'm no sergeant, no more." Julius reminded him.
They got up as the gate closed before them. The chaos energies dissipated and the swirling mass of clouds disappeared before their eyes.
"We did it." said Deciaci.
"And we leave now. Plant Kraks on the gate." said Ioras.
Herean was up and he planted several Krak grenades on the portal construction.
They didn't waited for the bombs to go off and was on the move before them.
As they scaled the alien ladders up onto the ledge, Orks were already filling up the room. Incoming Orks were confused as what the commotion was, dead Orks were sprawled around and none of the orderly grots or the Meks were around. Kraks exploded and took the portal down for good. Orks would never be able to repair it and the warp gate between Echtesia and the unknown Ork world would forever stay closed.
Squad moved atop the ledge and went back the way they came in.
"This place is becoming familiar." joked Horatus as the passed along the corridors.
"It would stay alien for me forever." said Grilleo.
They crossed back the railless bridge and back into the maze of tunnels.
"I'm glad that we are leaving this place, eh Julius?" asked Horatus smiling.
Julius did not reply.
"Julius?" prompted Horatus.
"What?"
"I said..."
"Keep moving." said Ioras.
Orks were rampaging around the main bridge, now that their precious gate was closed and no reinforcements were coming to help them.
They traced the tunnels back at the exit and saw sunlight at the end of the black tunnels.
"We are out." informed Iulius leading the front.
Just as they were out, lasfire started landing around them.
"Take cover!" said Iulius and started firing at the fire points he deduced. Rest of the squad broke to cover, hiding behind the alien statues and Ork made scrap piles.
"Enemies." Horatus growled.
"Those are laser fire. Imperials are firing at us." said Renon.
Ioras opened up his ally channel "Cease fire, We are Space Marines of the Emperor." he voxed.
A snide voice came back over the vox "Oh Lord Ioras, we already know."
"Jeliha." growled Ioras.
"Aye aye Captain. Loud and clear." mocked Jeliah of the Spahkii as laser fire landed around the Spears.
Ioras's gaze snapped as Renon, as his thought were filled with betrayal. Now that the Spahkii revealed their hand he was expecting Lions to turn on them too.
Renon realised the gaze and shook his head in reply "We are not traitors. They do not follow my orders." he voxed.
"How can I trust you, Lion?" asked Ioras keeping boltgun towards Renon.
"They are firing on us too." replied Renon.
A rocket flew ahead and blew nearby, throwing black tomb rock over the place.
"See?"
"Alright, but I expect you too fight." said Ioras.
In reply Renon rose over the cover and shot at the Spahkii stormtrooper position.
Sphakii were positioned at the high ground where the had the clear advantage of sight and aim. Hellgun lasfire rained on Spear position. Stormtroopers knew that the Space Marines were in a bad position and meant to keep it that way. They also knew that given the chance, Space Marines would excel in close combat over their unenhanced brethren. It was risk they weren't willing to take.
Julius took two snapshots at the stormtroopers hitting rock and nothing more. Beside him Iulius rained heavy bolter fire on the Spahkii position, killing one of their numbers.
Rexus was too far way to engage with his heavy flamer but he took out his bolt pistol took some shots the Sphakii in defiance.
"Jeliha, you do realised what you are doing, right?" asked Ioras over the vox.
"And what is that?" came in Jeliha's snide voice.
"You are firing upon Emperor's marines. It is punishable by death." Ioras replied.
"Don't you worry, blue boy. We get our orders from on high." Jeliha replied.
"This is treason." snapped Ioras.
"No, they are orders." said Jeliha cutting the line.
"Orders? From whom?" wondered Ioras snapping a look at the Lion Warriors.
"We need to push, we are pinned here." said Iulius snapping several shoots at the incoming las-barrage.
A thought snapped at Ioras mind "They had a sniper with them, Achagon find her and kill her." ordered Ioras.
Achagon peered towards the oncoming fire, then he broke his gaze and peered deep into the crevices and other small firing points on the high ground. He spotted a shining scope lens but the enemy sniper was on him already.
Henrietta's shot blew onto his scope and burned the attachment. Achagon did not winced from the incoming fire and kept his aim as it was. Then he took the shot.
Bolt round blew into Henrietta's rifle and exploded half the barrel away.
"Got her." Achagon reported.
"Good job." commented Ioras firing from the hip at the Spahkii positions.
"We have more firepower, they can't keep this up." said Renon.
Julius took another shot blowing a Spahkii's head into red dust.
"Die." he grinned.
"I thought you loved these guardsmen soldiers." said Horatus.
"Not when they are firing at me." Julius replied.
"There is hope for you yet, brother." said Horatus snapping several bolt rounds towards the stormtroopers.
"You like killing them don't you." asked Julius.
"Ha! Good one, brother. But I'm not falling for that. I won't let you report me to the Chaplain for your enjoyment." said Horatus.
"No, I mean it." said Julius blowing another human head like a soap bubble.
Horatus looked sideways at him, part of him was amazed how accurate Julius was at this distance.
"I don't take particular pleasure in killing them, no." he replied.
"That's a pity." replied Julius, he missed this time but managed to blow off two fingers off a stormtroopers.
Humans were fragile, even minor wounds forced them out of combat. For Space Marines it was different. An arm, a leg was no big deal but there were even heroic reports that Space Marines managing to delay their death so that they can see their mission through.
Julius couldn't help but smile as he took the next shot. He killed Orks and mutants all his life for he was a Space Marine. But he was starting to grow a taste for shooting people too. A new found taste.
"My hand! My hand!" shouted trooper Estim as he cluthed his bleeding hand and screaming at the top of his lungs.
Beside him, trooper Laface was lying head, headless.
"Can his ass." said sergeant Stephenson of the 2nd Spahkii squad.
"It hurts, it hurts so much!" kept shouting Estim.
Trooper Antionette crouched and slapped a morf-injector into his leg then hovered her hand in front of his mouth, holding something between two fingers.
"Open up." she said.
Estim looked at her hand for a second gritting his teeth, trying to comprehend what it was in her hand while coping with the pain.
Then he opened his mouth, with the opening she shoved in her fingers in there quite ungently, then planted the factorized obscura tablet under his tongue.
"Whatever you do, don't bite and don't swallow." she warned.
He looked uncertain but when the stinging taste of the obscure struck he felt refreshed. The pain of his hand was completely gone. Morf-injections would ease the pain but the illegal factorized obscura tablet took immediate effect. It was almost like magic.
Estim felt so good, in fact so good that he grabbed his rifle back and snapped several shots using his wounded hand. Having two less fingers didn't change much, all he had to do was to use his arm as a stabilizer.
Antionette went back to her shooting but Achagon fired back and her chest split in two. There was no airborne blood, she only slumped onto the ground with a split chest like the meat in the butcher shop and stayed still with a growing redness on her torn shirt.
Carapace armour failed to stop the massive calibre bolt round from penetrating.
Estim looked at her butchered corpse and ducked into cover. He wasn't sure if she was dead or was just faking it. He decided she must be faking it. He shrugged at her silly joke and fired again. He could see the Space Marines clearly, they were so blue. So blue that they were almost the only thing he could see. The blue was so bright that all the other colors were dimmed. Blue and sometimes zipping yellow streaks.
"So blue." he murmured to himself.
He realised his balance was off and he toppled over Antionette's corpse. He looked at her face for a minute.
"Ahhh, come on, get up." he said slapping her in the face. Her blank staring face did not change expression and kept staring at the sky.
"What are you staring at?" Estim asked looking up at the sky where she was looking.
"Fucking cunt." he said rising up. He put his weight on the three fingered hand and fall flat on his face.
He decided sitting was a better idea and did that instead. Then he realised he was sitting in the cover with two stormtrooper corpses and no Stephenson. He had bailed.
"That son of a..." he was about to swore but bolter fire rained around him.
He ducked beside Antionette but struck his chin on a rock. He felt something splinter in his mouth and then he felt several tiny things being swallowed down his throat.
"Oh, fuck me. Why did you even gave this thing to me, Antionette?" he asked her.
He then slapped her again on the face "Wake up. I'm not buying it." he said.
A second time he failed to get up and fell beside her. He decided that laying down would be better this time. He turned her head and looked at Antionette's empty looking face.
"Are you dead? Aah, it doesn't matter. I am." he said closing his eyes.
Several minutes later he would be dead from an obscure overdose.
"Emperor's bones. That wipe of an Ork." swore Jeliha as bolter fire fell around him.
"He ran." said Zenum snapping two rounds at the Marine position.
In reply Heavy Bolter splintered his cover into dust, he rolled away from the destruction and grabbed another cover.
"That damn, Stephenson ran!" he shouted this time in anger.
"I will deal with his cowardly ass once we get back to Woraktum." said Jeliha taking a precision shot at Ioras.
Henrietta had lost her long-las sniper but still had it strapped to her back in hope of repairing it.
"Drop that broken thing." said Jeliha.
"Nu-uh." she replied firing her sidearm hellpistol at the marines, she was barely in effective range.
"It's dead weight." Jeliha pressed.
"It's my gun!" she shouted.
"Whatever." Jeliha said firing a burst.
Bruskia was beside them loading his missile launcher. He lifted the heavy weapon on his shoulder and aimed towards the marine position.
With a backward burst, rocket flew towards the Space Marines but missed them and instead blew up a piece of cover, forcing two marines to relocate inside the tomb.
A precise bolter round zipped towards the Spahkii and struck Bruskia in the chest. Luckily Bruskia was not wearing a protective carapace vest so the round just went through him exiting on the back.
Bruskia fell, dropping the launcher violently.
"Delivery is hit!" shouted Zenum racing beside the fallen comrade.
He landed on his knees beside Bruskia and tried to look at his wound. He saw the huge gap in his chest, the round went right through him but it punctured one of his lungs. It would be filling with blood as his heart raced under the pain and anxiety.
"How bad?" Bruskia asked, rising up.
Zenum was shocked that Bruskia was able to sit in such a condition, anyone else would be paralysed by pain.
"Not bad, not bad. Just a graze." he lied.
"Good, then hand me that launcher." Bruskia said as his hand patted onto the ground looking for a missile.
"No, we don't need it. We are leaving." Zenum lied.
"We are?" asked Bruskia his eyes looking as if drugged.
"We are. We won." comforted Zenum falsely, putting a hand on the big guy's shoulder.
"Oh good. That's good." said Bruskia.
"We won't make it." said Jeliha coming beside them.
Zenum snapped an angry look at him.
"This ambush went sideways. Mission aborted. We make for the hive." said Jeliha grabbing his gear.
"I'll be there shortly." said Zenum.
"We won't wait longer than a minute." warned Jeliha as he left.
"Wipe." swore Zenum as he disappeared. The bolter fire sounds were ceasing as the marines advanced onto their position.
Second squad was wiped out and Bruskia was mortally wounded.
Nurmol and Henrietta had already left with Jeliha.
"I need some rest." mumbled Bruskia his head lolling up and down.
"Rest all you want, delivery. We are going home." said Zenum.
"Home?" asked Bruskia as if not being able to recall such a place, then his mouth twitched into a smile "Yes, home." he said closing his eyes.
Zenum left the stormtrooper there and followed in Jeliha's trail.