Chapter Two:

New chaos

I had no idea what was happening; I died unexpectedly, and awoke in the body of a Space Marine, Imperial Guard soldier during a devastating war against the Tyranids on a hostile planet. I have no idea just who I was or why I was here. All I had was a rifle in my hands and the expectation that I knew what to do with it. However, as soon as I joined the fray against this alien species, it became certain that I had no clue what was going on. I had no idea how to fight, where to go, or who to trust.

The other guards tried their best to point me in the right direction, but every battle seemed like a dance with death; bullets were flying, explosions deafening, and the screaming of my fellow soldiers was too much to bear. During our failed attempts to stop the Xenos menace, we would hear horrific and savage hissing coming from the direction of the enemy. Needless to say, it wasn't too encouraging.

I fumbled with my weapon, panicking and trembling as I followed my comrades into the heart of battle. I could feel my heart about to explode out of my chest, and I could barely keep my finger steady enough to pull the trigger. Every time I shot, I missed with flying colors, and I was beginning to worry that I would be the cause of us all getting slaughtered.

I was evidently doing a terrible job at joining this fight, and it was then that I heard an all too familiar voice call out in the chaos; it was John, a Cadian soldier who had taken me under his wing. He told me to stay put and keep shooting, and foolishly, he leaped into the enemy's territory in order to save me.

Sadly, before he could make it back to my position, a Tyranid creature pounced upon him and tore him apart until there was nothing left. Everything around me had erupted in pandemonium, and witnessing my friend's death shook me to my core.

John had given me the courage and guidance I had needed to survive in this environment and I felt angry, distraught, and incredibly guilty all at once. I wanted to avenge his death and end this war, but I wasn't sure I was brave enough to do so.

After that terrifying battle I see what seems to be a commander yelling at us to get back to the base and retreat,so I follow the crowd and run to the bunker as fast as my worn boots and cramped ankles can take me,and when I get there I take in the sight of the dilapidated bunker, what remained of civilization on this hostile planet. I saw the fear in the eyes of the few people left, and whispered amongst themselves. I looked down the line of men and women, all in various forms of muddy armor with heavy rifles on their shoulders. I feel my heart racing with my realization that I am one of them, and the realization was made more emphatic when the sergeant shouted that we all suit up and move to the wall.

I realize with horror that I have died, and suddenly woke up in the form of an Imperial Guard soldier on the brink of war against these terrifying bug monsters.

My sergeant barks orders to the few of us left. 'Man the wall, and get ready for incoming.' My fellow soldiers rush to fulfill his orders and I can't help but feel a wave of pity course through me. It was a war none of us asked for, and one that I can only assume would be over in minutes rather than hours.

The grinding sound of Tyranid ships screaming overhead hits my ears and I brace myself for what's to come. In the seconds before the battle I am about to participate in, I catch sight of the moon's light casting an eerie glow across the battlefield and I can't help but feel a chill of dread.

The battle quickly descends into a chaotic and bloody mess. The Tyranids are relentless in their attack, swarming us like angry hornets. We fight hard and desperately, but in spite of our best efforts, there are too many.

My sergeant orders us to retreat and fall back to the walls, but our weakened force is no match for the Tyranids' superior numbers, and we are quickly overrun. I see my fellow soldiers fall around me, mowed down by a never ending onslaught of claws and teeth. Time slows and I am left standing there, face-to-face with death in its most horrifying form.

Suddenly, I feel a wave of energy course through me and I turn and run. Somehow, I am unscathed in the midst of the chaos and horror unfolding around me. I don't stop running until I reach the safety of the wall, and the first thing I do is to fall to the ground and weep.

Hours later, I find myself in a daze, sitting atop the wall, surveying the destruction left in the wake of the battle. I sit here, hands shaking, and tears streaming down my face as I process everything I have seen.

I wonder how I stay here, locked in a single form, unable to satisfy what I feel is a deep calling from within. I don't understand why I am here, and each time I try to make sense of it, my mind goes blank.

As I lean against the wall and look upon the moon, I feel an unmistakable sense of longing for something greater than this life I have been placed into.

A quiet voice speaks to me in my head, and I feel a definite calming sensation wash over me. 'It is time for you to go, Chase. The journey is only beginning...

I stand up and start walking, knowing that my journey awaits me. With a newfound sense of purpose and a will to succeed, I know that I will find what I am looking for.

And with that, I march forward into the unknown.