Chapter 48, The Crumbling Mountain
Lord Wolfen
Holding my head, I tried to keep my mind from getting too warped by whatever they used on the enemy side. Thankfully, there were plenty of sub commanders to control the Valkyries and get them in position, and the Fenrisian Guard soon trailed in, supporting the efforts to hold this valley and secure the flank.
So all I needed to do was try and recover and regroup.
My life and identity had become complicated, after all, she used to be a he. Having memories of my first love, my former wife, and my kids popping in right about now was troublesome, to say the least. Especially considering I hadn't actually visited them since I had returned to the civilized world. Showing my family what I had become, well, the thought was painful to me, for them to see me in this form, I was simply a failure. I aimed to be a Space Marine, one of the Emperor's finest, and a proud soldier destined to fight next to kings, and be immortalized in tales for eons to come. Instead, I was this, a lesser duplicate of our king, a mere daughter, a byproduct. Though I was allowed to fight and try to reclaim the honor I had lost, I could never truly have what had been taken from me.
Of course, I really should not be complaining. After all, a good portion of the formerly male, now female, Valkyries had a similar story to mine. Most had been men of honor who served in one military form or another before joining the Wolves of Fenris, and all had pretty much had families, either to fulfill the minimal requirements or because they had lived their lives to the fullest.
Some Valkyries kept in contact with their former wives, some still kept up the relationship, even though it was strained.
So it was not out of the question that I could reach out to my former life and try to get back into it. But it just did not feel like I should do that, especially considering that memories of my first life were not the only things bumping around in there.
No, I didn't talk about it to the other Valkyries. I probably was one of the weirder aberrations to be created from a failure in our Primarch's gene-seed. I did not just have her looks; I had her memories, some without context, well, quite a lot without context. But I remembered fighting the great demon wolf in the mountains, gathering the wolves under my banner to defeat it, as well as things that I was sure had happened after my transformation, like the hatred of the Dark Eldar and a statue of a woman singing.
Most likely, I was somewhat psychically connected to the Wolf Primarch in a way that most were not, or perhaps I was just more open to the Wolf Primarch than everyone else was.
Either way, it made me feel different, strange, even among the other misfits in the legion.
That was one reason why I chose to refer to her as "Mother" instead of "King" or "my Primarch." Yes, I knew that some Space Marine Legions referred to their Primarchs as their fathers, but when you literally have portions of their memories inside you, shaping how you see the world, it felt more like a familial bond than what most Primarchs shared with their Space Marines.
That being said, days like today are the ones I wish I did not share so many connections with Mother. I could feel Mother's cold fury and hatred radiating from the raging storm above.. Obviously, the psychic potential I had was due to her, which was why I was sitting here muttering in pain over whatever psychic attack was affecting the 11th Legion, instead of taking part in the combat to kill off these monsters as quickly as possible.
"How are you doing down there, Lassie?" Hearing a voice, I turned and saw the leader of the 11th Legion, Master Shakuni, looking to be in better shape than the Marine that I had originally met upon arriving over these mountains.
"Could be better," I said, looking past him at the battlefield. The number of enemies that were originally entangled with his forces seemed to have gone down quite a bit. We had arrived just in time, though, as apparently a good portion of the 11th's legion had some sort of psychic connection. So, when one was hit with a massive headache via psychic powers, well, half of it had as well, bringing their manpower reserves pretty far down and taking away their ability to defend themselves successfully.
"Any idea what happened?" I asked as the Legion Commander took a seat next to me. Shaking his head, he replied, "The 11th Legion has had a few encounters with the psychic bioform variants that the Rangdan are using in their battles. They must have known that we were more susceptible to psychic disturbances than most legions."
It made some sense, though that would imply that the Rangdan had better intelligence gathering than we suspected.
"Do we have any idea what they were using to cause that psychic disturbance?" I asked, a bit worried. Considering what could be the cause of that disturbance, it could be dangerous for everyone.
Commander Shakuni shook his head, seeming more disconcerted than anything, before saying, "A few marines have reported getting bad dreams when they were recovering, but otherwise, we have no idea what the plan or purpose of that attack was, beyond probably trying to take down our ability to fight as evenly as we have been."
Bad dreams, well, that was never good. I held onto the staff tighter as I got up, shaking my head. I tried to figure out how best to ask the question I needed to ask, but finally settled on being as blunt as possible. "Why is your legion more susceptible to psychic attacks?"
The Legion Master looked at me before shrugging and saying, "It's one of our quirks. We're not as psychically gifted as the Thousand Sons under Primarch Magnus, but we do have some ability, mainly in controlling the warp we come across and destroying parts of it. As a result, many of us have the ability to speak to each other over long distances, allowing us to work together even without radio communication."
That sounded odd. Then again, I didn't want to delve too deeply into warp abilities. I had learned the runes, knew how to use them, and could even cast a few major spells without physically touching the item of my interest, thanks to the staff in my hands. But I had never shown or seen any psychic speaking abilities among the priesthoods, both those within the Space Marine Legions and the original ones that had existed on Fenris for generations upon generations.
As far as I knew, that was not something that happened. But I guess I didn't know everything. I'm still going to learn more about the ways of the warp, though. I had good teachers, but there was always a possibility that they didn't know anything about these psychic speaking abilities either. After all, we used runes, while most other Legions used different methods that seemed more ambitious and less safe.
Shaking my head, I said, "Interesting. How goes the fighting, though, now that everything has been stabilized?"
The Legion Master turned to look at the battlefield. The enemy appeared to be mostly dead, with just a few pockets of resistance that needed to be cleared. The bioforms had been destroyed by our Tanya Russ's either by their powerful cannons or flamers. Plasma had also done some damage to the enemy. There were a few Russ tanks disgorging ice onto the enemy, leaving macabre sculptures that needed to be shattered. The Rang had withdrawn as it became clear that their advantage had been eliminated. They had taken many casualties on their side, so they had pulled back into the mountains, using hidden doorways and grates to escape. However, those who had tried to go further up the mountains had been shot for their trouble. There were a few snipers here and there keeping an eye out for anyone trying to leave the lines. Most likely, we had defeated the enemy in this encounter, but it was always good to ask the Space Marine for his thoughts on the matter, even if his thoughts were probably no different than my own.
Looking out over the field, he said, "I believe we've won this. The enemy is retreating, and we will soon have our armor up and functioning to begin our push out and try to link up with the 2nd. From what I hear, they've been having a bit of trouble on their own front, some sort of well-coordinated defense."
I nodded, understanding. "I know. That was the last thing we needed. Damned jamming equipment. It's screwing us all up. We can't get ourselves organized properly to deal with the threats."
"That's what you have such equipment for," he nodded before adding, "Though thankfully, we were able to defeat it with the proper use of runners. Though there does seem to be a bit of an issue," he said, looking up at the sky.
Following his gaze, I quickly noticed explosions up there, indicating that some sort of fighting was going on. That probably explained why we weren't getting as much air cover as we had at the start of the campaign.
"That's never good," I said with a shake of my head before adding, "Do you think it's going to be a major problem, or will the fleet handle it?"
The Space Marine nodded before saying, "They should handle it. It's their job, and we have our own jobs to do."
Turning to face me, he said, "Are you ready to get moving again? We have soldiers to muster and enemies to crush."
I nodded and gave a bow, replying, "More than ready to get moving again."
"Wonderful," he said, turning to head back towards his men. He only stopped to add, "By the way, if you have any bad dreams or anything like that, let me know. We have no idea what that warpcraft was, and I would rather not find out later that it was some sort of summoning ritual. This valley seems to have been an ancient religious site dedicated to a moon goddess or something. And when it comes to areas that can summon creatures from the warp, they tend to show up around places like this."
My eyes blinked before nodding. "Of course, I will let you know if I experience anything like that." Internally, though, I was more interested in the implications of what he said. Were these warp entities he mentioned related to the ancient practices of the ancestors of this world?
That was an interesting possibility. If true, it would mean that the ancient beings these creatures worshiped were somewhat like the All Father, or were there differences? Perhaps I should do some investigation into the matter when I have the chance. Not necessarily on this planet, but on the differences between certain warp-based entities and the ancient gods that made up myths on many planets.
Maybe there was some sort of connection. I tried to stifle that intriguing thought, but it was obviously coming from the side of me that had integrated well with Mother's thoughts. Why else would I be interested in something that was not of a warrior nature? Her memories made it quite clear that she was interested in things other than fighting, though she did enjoy it from what I gathered.
Shaking my head, I started to move towards a nearby group of Valkyries to get them moving so we could link up with the 2nd Legion. I might also detach some troops to burn out the remnants of this ancient temple for good measure. However, as I was walking by, I stopped at one particularly interesting piece of mural work.
There were quite a few murals on the sides of large pillars sticking out of the ground, with many engravings that I didn't understand. Most had been rendered into dust due to the constant fighting in this area, with rounds firing loosely into anything over 3 ft tall. However, this one appeared to have survived the combat damage quite well, and that's what caused me to tilt my head in confusion.
On the side of the pillar was an emblem of a wolf. Not the side view that was similar to the Wolves of Fenris, but a frontal view of a wolf with a half moon clenched between its teeth, very similar to the Luna Wolves' symbol. There were differences, though. At some point, the eyes of this emblem had been painted red with some sort of running material, and it had run down the sides of the wolf's facial structure, giving it an appearance as if it was bleeding from the eyes. It was rather dark imagery.
It was strange how something so similar to the Luna Wolves' symbol could be found on this planet. There were a few other alterations—the moon and its jaws seemed to be cracked a bit. Though this could have been from an errant shot damaging the pillar. It was interesting, but not something I could understand since it was all written in the language of the Rangdan. I couldn't identify most of it; all I could see was symbology.
Stepping to the other side of the pillar, I wondered if there was anything else on it that might give me more insight. My brain was simply curious about why they had such a similar symbol and what they had been up to and what that psychic attack meant.
However, surveying the whole area, I saw that the other sides of the pillar hadn't weathered the combat well. Most of it had been destroyed, with only a few symbols here or there that looked vaguely familiar, but nothing I could identify. Shaking my head, I returned to the side that bore the symbol of the altered Luna Wolves. Giving a shrug, I took a picture with my helmet's camera. I may not know what this is about, but perhaps Mother would, or perhaps I would find some other interesting information while we explored these ruins of the Rangdan Empire. I could explain this later. Either way, I had to focus and started walking towards the rest of the Valkyries. We had a war to fight, after all.
Tanya Russ
Here they come again...
Shaking my head, I wondered how many more charges they were going to try. We've been at this for nearly 12 hours, it felt like. My situation hadn't changed; they kept pushing, we kept killing, and there was no give on our side.
The only difference now was that I'm pretty sure they were out of ammo.
A few times I'd popped my head up to look at what was going on. I've seen the Rang soldiers scavenging the dead for ammunition and preparing for another charge.
Obviously, things were not going well for them. As for us, we're not exactly much better. Our own ammunition reserves were still quite substantial, but after hours and hours of corpses being thrown at us, they were starting to look a little bit slimmer than they had been when this had started.
Sighing I said, leaning against the edge of the trench. Wolf Lord Ogvai Ogvai Helmschrot of the 3rd Great Company came into view. He was looking a little bit more disheveled than some of the Marines around him and had lost his helmet somewhere, but it didn't matter much to him. He was one of those who found ways to ignore my orders on helmets.
With his excuse being that as a commander he wasn't meant to be at the front, and needed to be recognizable in the midlines giving orders to the troops under him, furthermore if he was in the frontlines the great bush of hair and beard he had would help troops identify him and rally towards him.
On one hand, he was telling the truth on both aspects of why he may not need a helmet. On the other hand, it was absolutely stupid. A sniper would blow his brains out at one point, but if that happened, well, hopefully his replacement would remember to keep his helmet on as a warning.
Giving him a wave, a bullet pinging off my glove caused me to lower my hands, annoyed that I was a little bit too tall in this area of trenching. He nodded his head and approached me before saying, "My Primarch, the enemy has launched another assault."
"I can tell," I said with a shake of my head as an artillery blast landed up the hill a bit. "What's the situation with their assault? Is it falling apart? Getting desperate? What are they doing?"
"Desperate, my king. Very desperate. Several banners have been located coming down the hillside across from us. The rest of the Marines are rallying to us."
"Wonderful," I said, raising an eyebrow. "It's been a while since we heard anything from the rest of the army, which means either they had to deal with something holding them up or they waited until they had something else handled. Either way, if they are now pushing towards us, that's a good sign. We have a chance, and a chance is all I need to pull this."
I thought about getting up, but instead, I just grabbed my sword, Mjalnar, which was lying on the ground, and started cleaning it the best I could.
"How long until they arrive?" I asked. He gave a shrug before saying, "I think we can expect them to hit us within an hour, and our lines to be rejoined by then. The enemy has used up their reserves in this attack. I think they really thought that they could overwhelm us."
It's uncertain whether they really thought they could overwhelm us or if they were just convinced that we needed to be removed. Perhaps they were simply worried about the blizzard I had created and assumed there was some sort of ritual involved. I wasn't casting a ritual, I was just extremely angry and hadn't turned off the suit's ability to produce sub zero conditions .
After all, mountain and snow fighting was the home of the veteran Wolves. This gave us an advantage and in turn gave them a disadvantage. I hoped, otherwise we wouldn't survive the siege.
Shaking my head, I started to get up when Lord Helmschrot added, "By the way, the men have returned from the assault into the tunnels of the enemy."
"Wonderful," I said, getting up. "Take me to them. I need a full report." He nodded and led the way deeper into the trench lines and into the core of the hand-carved structure.
We passed several corners and turns before we arrived at four men who were drinking lots of water and trying to rehydrate. By the looks of it, their armor was bloody, though I don't think it was their blood. The coloration was wrong. One of them was wearing a rather interesting blue fur hat, similar to the fur the Rang had, not to mention it had a foxtail falling down the back.
Should I make a deal about wearing the skin of our enemies or do furries not count? That was a hard question, and one I don't think I was going to get into. I'd rather let him enjoy his new hat than make him feel bad about it. So, I looked at the four and said, "Which one of you is the leader? I've been expecting a report on what has happened."
The one with the fox fur hat stood up and gave a salute before saying, "I am, my king."
Chuckling, I said, "Of course you are. Well then, Crockett, why don't you explain to me what you discovered in the tunnels and if you found any evidence of their technology blocking our communications equipment?"
The newly named Marine blinked at me several times before saying, "Thank you, my Lord, for the new name." I was a bit confused for a moment before I figured it out.
Many Sea People didn't have a last name, usually just a clan name. Some members of those Sea People eventually got a non-clan name, a second name usually given to them by their Lords. They would use that as an opportune moment to start their own clan. I guess my reference to an American had been taken as a sign that I had given him a name. Looking at his armor, I realized he was nothing but a private, so most likely the sergeant in charge of the actual unit had fallen in combat, and I had just given him permission to take on the full rank of Sergeant with that random name. It was a small mistake, but nothing that would harm the legion, so I let it pass.
Clearing his throat, he said, "We dove deep into the tunnels, my king. Cleared out as much of the enemy as we could, killed a few of their wizards hiding in the structure as well. We had located a room with their communication equipment. There was just one problem—it was behind a very heavy door that we could not break through, even though we tried. And the enemy is reforming, ready to attack us again. We thought it best to withdraw and return to you for more orders."
I was about to say something along the lines of rounding up three more squads and giving it another go when the man sitting next to him, a marine with a wolf cloak over his shoulder, coughed and elbowed the newly named Crockett.
"That was until we remembered something we found on our way to the room," Crockett continued. Reaching into his satchel, he pulled out a detonator and offered it to me. "We have placed charges on what appears to be an ammunition dump not too far away from the communication room. We weren't sure if we should detonate it or not. We don't know what it could do, but it could destroy the enemy's communication-blocking equipment. At the very least, we thought you should have the honor, my king."
I smiled at that and stepped forward, clapping Crockett on the shoulder. "Good job, Crockett. Whatever promotion you're due for, make sure to tell them I'm approving it," I said, taking the detonator from his hand. Turning to the man who had elbowed him, I said, "I assume you were also responsible?"
The man nodded, cleaning his rather large knife as he said, "Saw the explosives on the way in, reminded him on the way out."
"Why not?" I said to Crockett. "Keep your friend here close to your side. You'll need him." Before I stepped away and looked at the mountain, clicking the detonator.
There were many things that could happen, many, many things. For one, it might not do anything. The enemy could have found the explosives and simply dealt with them. Or they might not have found them, but the layers of rock between us and them, and possibly the signal jamming from the signal jammers, could prevent it from working.
Today, though, luck seemed to be on our side. Either that or the boys had strung up a rope of copper all the way from the ammunition room to the entrance, so the signal would not have to rely on wireless and use hard lines at some point.
Either way, the mountain moved.
The ground all around us shifted as an explosion took place somewhere deep in its heart. After a few seconds, I wondered how bad it could be, and then the mountain collapsed.
Not just a collapse, but three more, exactly at the main point of the mountain. The towering pieces of rock fell over onto the side as it imploded, taking the main mountain's point down into the structure.
By some luck, the separate second point that we were on did not seem to have the same fate in store. Oh sure, the trenches became less stretched and more like mounds. The soil seemed to move quite a bit, but it was still relatively in the same position as it had been. From a low second hill next to the point of the mountain, it was now a low second hill to a large second hill as the mountaintop collapsed, sending shards of snow, rock, and all kinds of debris down the mountain towards the enemies all around us.
It was glorious in one aspect to reshape a mountain with nothing but a click of a button. Technology at its finest, granted this had not been the intended purpose of those explosives, but it sure seemed to have done the job.
Many Marines were forced to their knees during the blast, as well as the Rang that had been charging our lines. I managed to stay on my feet and stood at full height to get a better look around and assess the position of the enemy. I was left with a rather wide smile at first.
The enemy, which had been surrounding us completely, now had two of their lines shredded by debris from the collapsing mountain, falling to the left and right of our mountain hill and causing landslides into their own lines. The only thing still attacking us was the line directly coming up the hill from the east. Granted there had been losses I could see my men have been injured as debris had fallen on the trenches sealing them up or killing them not to mention I think I saw an area where the mountain had split right through a trench which meant probably a few men had fallen into a chasm, I didn't like this, yes this use of explosives may have been necessary but to accidentally injure my own men pissed me off a bit. All that time and investment had gone down the drain with their loss, hopefully it was not too many.
Anyways from the east, our own men were coming, meaning they were now surrounded and hindered by debris on every side. They would not be able to escape.
Turning to Lord Helmschrot, I gritted out, "Ready the men for a charge. Now's the time to link up with the rest of the army."
Lord Helmschrot nodded and ran off to his own command staff as I turned to the gentlemen who had given us this victory.
"Your stories will go down in history, gentlemen."
As I started walking away, heading towards where I had left my spear to get ready for the counterattack. We would have to launch against the enemy in a few moments, forcing them off the mountain and into the valley below where they could be slaughtered by fire from both sides. But as I did, I tried to get in contact with everyone I could, and I found that the boards were lighting up green. Communications seemed to be restored for a good distance. First things first, I needed to contact the Gloriana in orbit.
"Captain Tetanus, do you mind telling me what's going on up there?"
There was a pause before Captain Tetanus of the Hrafnkel came back, saying, "Primarch Russ, nothing much. Just a rabble of enemy ships sent to try and prevent our destruction of this world. They've also deployed several landing ships across the planet that have bypassed our fleet. That seems to be their main goal—resupplying their own assets. It seems to have pissed them off, Primarch Russ."
With a smile in my voice, I replied, "Of course, I've pissed them off. I've caused a bit of a horrendous mess of their defensive plans. Is there anything else I should know about the situation that you have information on?"
"That's all the information I have available, other captains might know something I don't, but the only thing I can reference is that the majority of the Fenrisian Guard and Valkyries have now landed. Most of the Space Marines are on the planet, but there are a few supply units and armored personnel that haven't made it down. Their original craft meant to bring them down got destroyed during re-entry from the anti-aircraft fire."
"Don't fret, sooner or later the Imperial Army will be landing troops as well. Both at the airfield to the south of your position and as reinforcement to the Second, who have been ambushed while invading a city to the southwest of your position."
"What about the 11th?" I asked, and I received a sigh from the other end of the line. "The 11th has a good portion of Valkyries and Fenrisian Guard with them. They're directly west of you, as you probably already know. They landed on some religious site or something and are cleaning it out. There's a hell of a fight going on there, but they should be able to break free and join the 2nd soon enough."
"Hmm, well then, I think we had a rough start, but we still have a chance, don't you think?" I replied.
"Of course, my Primarch. We'll be able to bring our guns to bear. If you need any bombardment support, just let us know."
I smiled at the offer before saying, externally, the only thing he could hear, "No, I think we'll be able to handle it. This situation is for the Space Marines to handle, and we'll cut out the Rangdan from their world with our own two hands."
"Good luck then, Primarch Russ. And if you need anything, don't be afraid to call. I'm sure you'll be receiving calls from the other Primarchs soon enough."
"No doubt, no doubt," I said before ending the call. "Who should I call next? The 2nd, the 1st, or the 11th? Or should I make contact with the rest of my Legion? Probably the 6th. Work with them to ensure we finish this little fight off before I see how I can be of help to the other units." Looking up, I saw that the storm was still raging. The snow was falling, covering the bloody field of corpses white with snow.
Hopefully, the storm ends soon. I'd hate to think I had accidentally caused a bit of an ecological problem as well as killing my own men for this stupidity. Well first things first I should try and contact the commanders of the Great Companies that were near the edges of the mountain side that collapsed nearly on top of them.
Tapping my wrist armor I said "Wolf Lord Varald Helsdawn" but there was no response I had to check but they were not transmitting out, damn looks like I lost a good commander in that action hopefully he was just severely injured and buried and not actually dead.
Lion El'Jonson
The wave of the undead, or rather, parasitic creatures, crested the blue hill between our target and my line's position. They marched in a slow and monotonous pace, seemingly unfazed by the artillery landing among them, killing scores. Calling them "casualties" wouldn't be accurate, as they simply pulled themselves back together and resumed walking.
These slow-moving creatures presented several challenges. Being infestations of bodies, they were difficult to kill completely. Artillery and long-range attacks were ineffective. Oddly enough, the best way was to engage them at close distance and cut them limb from limb. That method would inflict significant damage, but it also put us within their preferred attack range.
Hence, even though close range was the most effective, we continued to engage them from a distance. My men unleashed their bolters, plasma weapons, and volkite into the creatures. The volkite proved to be the most preferred weapon, given its high success rate. Even if it didn't incinerate the creature, it would sever limbs, which were harder for them to reattach.
However, they made a valiant effort. Some of the creatures used their severed limbs as flesh clubs, with the limbs wriggling and grasping about as they were whipped because, well, the limbs were still alive.
These monstrosities needed to be destroyed, but it was a daunting task with the number of enemies pouring over the hills. We fired everything we had, but I doubted we could eliminate them all. Part of the problem was not knowing where they were coming from. There was a town not far down the road that the enemy wanted to protect, that much was clear. There were reports from earlier runners that the 2nd Legion had encountered their own problems, suggesting they might be sacrificing their own species to these monsters in order to gain an advantage.
However, even considering that, it seemed excessive. My best guess was that some of the landing ships we spotted were actually enemy vessels, depositing resources that were now being used against us. It posed a problem in the sense that we now had an additional front to fight on, but it aligned more closely with the type of enemy we were prepared to face.
The enemy clearly saw this planet as important; otherwise, they wouldn't risk sending troops through our own fleet's blockade. What we had accomplished here was finding something so valuable that they were willing to commit everything to it, which had proven challenging for us in the past.
Bringing it on, the enemy had kept their mercenaries and troops for special attacks, primarily employing bioforms. They often turned planets into charnel houses, filled with flesh and wax, leaving the bioforms to overrun the area, forcing us to clear them out before advancing. The fact that they were diverting their resources here instead of extracting them to build up elsewhere indicated that this was an all-or-nothing campaign. Either we would emerge victorious, or they would. And I was certain of one thing—we would win. We held the high ground, the mountains, and as we pushed into the valleys below, it was apparent that, at least for now, they had nothing that could halt our progress, only slow us down.
However, these creatures were indeed slowing us down. If the enemy had any plans to protect the town we were attacking, perhaps by constructing a fortified line, these creatures would buy them the time they needed.
Shaking my head, I pondered how we would break through when fate intervened.
With a thunderous boom that resonated from somewhere over the horizon, I turned to see one of the higher points in the mountain range collapse out of sight. Moments later, radio communication throughout the entire line began picking up. Not from my men panicking, but from their ability to communicate over longer distances. While they had been able to pass short-distance communication relatively freely, speaking in the clear, these newfound long distances necessitated a return to professionalism. Long-distance communication meant something else entirely. Touching the side of my helm, I asked my Gloriana the Invincible Reason to dispatch an air wing, or perhaps several, to drop charges on the enemy—large explosives capable of disrupting their forces and allowing us to advance.
I didn't have to wait long before receiving an immediate "yes, sir" from air traffic control. They also inquired if I desired any orbital bombardment on the location.
It was tempting, I must admit. However, I did not want to risk accidentally hitting my own men or the incoming fighters. Things are already going to be dangerous enough for the fighters with the continuing weather disaster going on behind me making it harder for them to do their job. They'll have plenty of turbulence I imagine. So, I simply replied, "No, the fighters will suffice."
Gazing out over the battlefield, I didn't have to wait long. After only 20 minutes, the fighters descended almost unsteadily with the amount of air buffering them from the violent storm winds, before dropping their charges into the enemy formation. For good measure, they unleashed a barrage from their cannons and guns, reducing the monstrosities to a gory mess. Even if they attempted to rebuild themselves, this onslaught continued for a solid 10 to 15 minutes before the fighters withdrew, leaving behind an empty field.
Turning back towards the mountain, I activated the vox once more and asked Luther, "How's the airfield?" I had left him in charge, along with a portion of the troops, to handle the potential counter-assault that had been planned. I had hoped he would be able to handle it, and now that I had communications restored, I was determined to find out.
I didn't have to wait long as Luther came on the line, saying, "The airfield is still ours. They gave it a good go, sent everything they could at us, but as soon as the mountain fell, they withdrew. I think they're pulling back to their hiding holes. I believe we might have pulled this off, and the landing may face less resistance from now on."
"That's hopeful," I said with a nod, though I shook my head, clearing that notion from my mind. We must assume that they will continue to contest us. "Have you had any contact with Russ?"
"No, my brother. She has not reached out to me. However, a few runners who are still with us received communication and are returning to their lines, so she's obviously doing something."
"Hmm, well, she'll contact us when she's ready," I said, not pleased with the lone wolf mentality. We needed to work together to achieve a successful landing. As far as I knew, both the 2nd and the 11th Legions had already moved on to their next objectives, and we were pushing forward with ours. The only Legion falling behind was the 6th Legion, but they were a special case as their objective had to do with an unexpected landing. Nonetheless, they needed to join the battle. I required a secured flank, and without that securing force, my line was vulnerable. Hopefully, nothing would breach it, but if something did manage to penetrate our backlines, it would be problematic.
"But I'll save that complaint for another time. For now, Luther, as soon as you have secured the airfield, lead an expedition to hunt down the enemy, find the holes they crawled into, and destroy them. Then you may join us on the front line."
"It will be done, brother," Luther affirmed before the vox shut down. My gaze shifted back to the rise. With the enemy eliminated, it was well within our capabilities to push forward. Well, "dead" was a strained word when it came to these biological monsters created for one purpose only—to kill the enemies of the Imperium. They seemed to have no qualms about defying death.
Nodding to myself, I swiftly issued an order. My men were to advance at a slow and steady pace, utilizing their volkite, flamers and plasma weapons to eliminate these creatures or crush them beneath the tank treads. We needed to keep moving. Every moment spent on defense here was a moment the enemy had to fortify their positions. The sooner we made contact with their defensive line, the sooner we would capture the city.
Time was of the essence. It was our duty to conquer these creatures and eliminate the threat to the Imperium, and I would not shirk my duty.
Stepping forward, I began to walk as my men dug themselves out of the cover they had used, moving forward. I would position myself in the third or second line, although I preferred to be at the frontlines. However, orders from higher authorities dictated that we prioritize our safety, as wasting the life of a Primarch would be a great loss for the Imperium.
Advancing at a steady pace, I soon found myself stepping through the remnants of the battle line. I shook my head at the losses suffered here. Even with some distance between us and the enemy, they still found ways to harm us, whether by using weapons they had seized from their masters or by hurling forth the dead and dying.
Granted, their attempts had not affected my force significantly as we pushed forward, but a 5% loss was still a 5% loss, especially considering our limited resources. Luther was right; once this campaign concluded, we would need to dedicate considerable time to rebuilding. I might have to step back and refrain from being at the forefront. With any luck, I would establish myself as a prime candidate for legion command when the time came. It was obvious that Father would eventually have to step away, as was expected.
Father's calling was not as a great warrior. Yes, he was skilled, but he delegated the fighting to those who excelled in it. He was a scientist, a man of culture. He engaged in combat because it was necessary. Once the Imperium was mostly secure, he would likely allow us to continue fighting until we were certain the Imperium was fully safe. At that point, we would be encouraged to explore new career paths. Personally, I pondered the idea of pursuing poetry, but I was uncertain about my own abilities in that realm. I believed I might be somewhat decent, but I had never recited my poetry aloud, let alone shared it with others.
I wished I had some assurance regarding what I would pursue once this was over. My brother Nobunaga certainly had his interests. Dorn, obviously, was planning to become an engineer, much like Perturabo. While Fulgrim would most likely become a diplomat of some kind with a fondness for art.
Of course, I had also heard about some of the others and their inclinations. For instance, the leader of the Blood Angels, a Primarch I had yet to meet, was evidently a skilled artist based on the stonework I had witnessed on the statue they brought to the Imperial Palace during my visit decades ago. It was likely that they would engage in artistic pursuits. In fact, I had heard intriguing stories about the Blood Angels. They had been described by some of my men as nothing more than bloodthirsty revenants. However, since they discovered their Primarch, the narrative seemed to have changed. I kept hearing tales of remarkable artwork and advancements in civilization stemming from their ranks.
Most likely, their Primarch was doing them a favor, much like how Tanya had done the Wolves of Fenris a favor. She transformed them from a loosely organized group lacking control into a focused organization with a clear goal and vision. Although I might not appreciate how they executed certain aspects of their work, I couldn't deny its effectiveness.
My focus was interrupted as one of these creatures rose from the ground, obviously pretending to be dead, and attempted to attack me. It thrashed out with its whip-like limb, but I easily slashed it away with a swift sidestep. I swiftly brought my sword down on its shoulder, cutting through its waist and cleaving it in half. It fell, and with my free hand, I grabbed a weapon from my side—a plasma pistol specifically for dealing with these types of creatures. I fired a shot into its main body, incinerating it. Shaking my head, I scanned the nearby area to ensure there were no other creatures hiding among the dead—at least none that I could see.
Refocusing on the men in front of me, I resumed walking. I saw them beginning to crest the hill, their banners flowing proudly and defiantly in the wind. We moved further away from our landing zone, drawing closer to the enemy's lines. The absence of incoming artillery fire was a good sign. As we reached the top of the hill, I noticed no shots being fired from their lines either, so we had some time before encountering the enemy.
Taking a momentary pause, I covered the next few yards and reached the top of the hill. I looked down at what lay before my men. Beyond another set of hills, I could just barely see the ocean—the destination we were moving towards. I also caught a glimpse of naval vessels, ancient constructs armed with heavy guns, appearing ready to fire upon us.
That could pose a problem, I thought, observing a train yard further along the coast. Trains were arriving and departing at an alarming rate, seemingly in a frantic hurry. They narrowly avoided collisions with their counterparts. Their purpose remained unclear—perhaps the transportation of resources, manpower, or equipment. It was likely a vital artery that the enemy hoped to defend. I would need to assign troops to destroy the rail yard and disrupt their plans.
"Lion El'Jonson" a voice from my communication equipment spoke, the familiar voice of my sister.
Smiling, I tapped my communication device and replied, "Sister, I was wondering when I would hear your voice again. I assume you've managed to extract yourself from that unfortunate landing zone?"
"Yes we've managed to make it out. We've secured the mountain and we're clearing up the enemy remnants. I'm calculating our losses—looks like we've sustained 10-17%, but we're still operational. I'm preparing my men to move out and join forces with you. What's the situation ahead of you?"
Gazing at the enemy, I responded, "Good. They're preparing for our attack, but they don't seem to have any new surprises for us. Progress may slow down, but I believe we should be able to seize the city by tomorrow nightfall at the latest."
"Let's try to make it even faster. I'll send over the majority of my Russ's. They should provide ample support for your vehicles."
I chuckled at that. I had seen the Tanya Russ tank, and although I wasn't impressed, I thought the Predator was more useful. It was nice to have such a large target for the enemy to shoot at. Not to mention, from what I understood, they were a lot easier and cheaper to build than the Predator. Sending them into the fight first would serve us well.
Nodding, I replied over the vox, "Your tanks will be most welcome. We need to secure our northern flank. Once you're in position, we'll launch an assault on the rail lines that will be just on the border of where your men will take up position. If you wish to contribute some men to that operation, feel free to do so."
There was a brief pause before Tanya responded, "I would love to. My men will be there as soon as we can get everything loaded up. Lots of things are out of order, but we'll figure it out when this is over. Tanya Russ out. See you in a bit, sister."
I smiled, feeling more at ease knowing that I would soon have another Primarch and their legion by my side. It would be better to face this situation with their support, that was for sure. However, I couldn't help but wonder how the 2nd Legion was handling their situation. They were fighting in a generally eastward direction with only the 11th Legion at their back. I wondered what challenges they were facing and how Nobunaga was handling being alone.
Nobunaga
A bioform charged at me, its pincers pinching and its arm-like blades attempting to slash me, doing its best to eviscerate me.
Fortunately, I had been watching its movements, waiting for the charge. As it came towards me, I swiftly brought down my blade, slicing it in half and sending its shards clattering to either side of me. I turned to ensure it wasn't somehow pulling itself back together. You can never be sure, although that was a common issue with the Slaugth bioforms. However, this one simply gurgled, twitched, and then died, leaving nothing but a pile of guts and blood on the ground. It would slow down the troops around me who were trying to maneuver into a better position.
The siege of the city had gone from a disaster to regular field training. Yes, they had dropped several skyscrapers on our lines, but we had simply redistributed our forces to the left and right of the blocked streets and built up additional lines on either side, preventing the enemy from breaking through. Those who had been cut off were now protected on both flanks.
It had been a strategic miracle, but we pulled it off. Now, the enemy was sending in more bioforms, obviously attempting to slow us down or kill us, probably both.
However, they were doing a terrible job of stopping us. At this point, all we had to do was keep pushing forward, and that's what we did. Before us lay the final target of this expedition—a governmental or religious building, judging by its appearance. It was a large dome-like structure, somewhat reminiscent of the Terran Imperium Administration buildings back on Terra, although not as angular or gothic.
Shaking my head, I slashed at another creature and led the way, with my Marines and tanks guarding my sides. We pushed up the steps of this austere building, meant for something important, cutting and burning our way through the enemy ranks. Tanks fired at anything above us that moved, but they didn't want to risk hitting me. As we approached, we found impromptu barricades set up in layers in front of the building, obviously attempting to prevent our entry. However, it wouldn't work. I simply cut and slashed my way through, mostly using my blade to sever anything that stood in my way. Before long, I had reached the front doors, smashing through them simply by walking, not caring what stood in my path.
It appears I was correct as I entered an atrium, but this seemed to be a political building. If it were religious, I'm sure I would have entered the main hall, but no, this appeared to be some sort of governmental structure. Portraits of the fox-like Rangda adorned the walls as one would expect. I nodded to several Marines, and they began lighting the portraits on fire with their flamers. We could not let anything of this species survive, not with the monstrosities they had created. It was best to remove them and all evidence of their existence.
Continuing forward, I smashed through the next set of doors into a vast amphitheater with hundreds of seats surrounding a central stage. It was mostly empty, with only a few enemy soldiers lingering. The only one who remained at the center was a fox Rangda with darker fur, almost red, wearing a black cloak. Its facial features were mostly obscured, but as it looked up at us, only its snout and ears, which poked through the cloak's top, were visible.
On one hand, I thought I should probably shoot it. On the other hand, a brave individual who stood up to a Primarch in such a way deserved at least a little respect. Moving forward, I wanted to find out why they were willing to confront me. Were they a foolish politician who thought they could demand peace, or were they just a military lackey or janitor trying to appear more important than they were?
Regardless, I began walking down the central ramp until I reached the main area in front of the creature. Of course, anyone of their stature would be quite outclassed, having to look up at a Primarch on the dais. However, being a Primarch myself and one of the taller ones, I admitted I stood a good foot above its head, looking down at it.
"So, are you here to negotiate the surrender of your species?" I said, sliding my sword into place on my side, waiting to hear its response.
It took a few moments before speaking. "Human monstrosity, why have you come to our world? Why do you seek to destroy our people? What purpose brought your kind here that you would risk the damnation of the human species?"
I tilted my head, confused. "Can't you speak unless in rhetoric? We are here to conquer you because you attacked us. You deployed biological weapons that have no place in this era, remnants of the long night. They must be destroyed. And you, what do you mean to damn the human species Xeno"
"Ba, a monstrosity and a fool we our people are the true humanity not you. You have come here to attack the true legacy of humanity, its people and our chosen warriors for the simple reason that we would use them in our own defense, disgusting."
"You attacked first!" I said, raising my finger and pointing at him. "Your species assaulted our garrisons on the world of Advex-Mors, and now you pretend as if we are the aggressors, and what foolishness you are not human, you don't even look nothing like a human."
"Hah! Your species assaulted our planets, on Rangda the world you assume we came from. You think we don't meet the genetic standard to be considered human." The creature snickered before saying, "Like you would meet that standard to be considered human, standing 12 feet tall and possessing more internal space than external weapons."
"I am designed to be the pinnacle of humanity," I said with a smile. "I am Nobunaga, the second son of the Emperor and one of the greatest fighters in the Imperium. Do not pretend that I am some monstrosity unleashed on your worlds, as you have unleashed your own monstrosities on ours. I am simply the consequence brought about by your actions."
"You are nothing but a monster empowered by warp energies that your false Emperor barely understands in his futile attempt to subvert the natural order and destroy Chaos. A task that is impossible. There is no way to destroy Chaos; there is only finding your own place within its system."
"Madness, I am who I am, the great reincarnation of humanities hero Oda Nobunaga, not some warp charged entity from beyond the material realm." Hoisting my blade up I considered striking down the creature for this slander, but I calmed myself after all this creature seems like quite an intelligent and leading member of its society and taking it prisoner could end this war quickly if done correctly.
"You are nothing but a minor God of the Immaterium shoved into a human form to serve the whims of a creature that intends to see itself supplant the current order: a fifth dark God, an Emperor of Order to oversee the other four."
"The Emperor does not want to be more than the Emperor of Mankind."
"Oh if he truly wanted to be the Emperor of Mankind then why does he make mockeries of mankind with his monsters he unleashes on the battlefield."
"Hold your tongue, my men are as human as anyone else!"
"Your men are a perversion of humanity."
"Says the creature that abandoned the form of humanity."
"We abandoned the form not the human experience unlike you, you who have abandoned the human experience and think of nothing but the form. Of course you're only a stopgap, a temporary tool to help your false Emperor till he reaches something better for his plan for humanity. To be ruled by ever present order underneath a Dark King."
"Who is this Dark King you are talking about?" I asked, unsure of whom he spoke of. But the creature simply sighed and reached into its cloak, pulling out a strange object. It was an odd mechanical device made of gold and bronze that seemed to be clicking as he held it up in his hands. It wasn't a mere watch; it possessed a power that I could feel radiating from it. As the creature's cloak raised again, I noticed that its eyes were now entirely golden and glowing, reminiscent of the Emperor's, but somehow different.
"Perhaps it will be you, either way I will not allow a monstrosity like you to exist on this plane, not when you would destroy the House of Democracy. I am the Senate, and everything within the Senate bows to my will." He smashed the golden object onto the dais in front of him, causing everything to explode as untapped energy surged from the device. The wave of power obliterated the room, and I managed to shield my face with my arm as I watched everything vanish in a flash of white light.
For a while, confusion and a ringing in my ears overwhelmed me. I wasn't sure what had just occurred. But after some time, I began to regain my senses.
I was still alive. Pulling myself up, I realized a few other things. Most of my armor had been destroyed; evidently, the wave of energy hadn't completely eradicated everything it touched. Looking around, I saw that only a few of my Marines had survived as well. Some near the entrance were struggling to emerge from the ground, having been blasted into a basement area beneath the steps when the wave hit.
Raising my hand to my eye, I discovered that my vision in one eye was impaired, possibly permanently damaged by the blinding flash of white light. Though if I had indeed lost an eye, so be it. It was better to lose an eye than to lose my life. Coughing, with dust in my lungs, I surveyed the scene, trying to make sense of what had just happened. It was evident that the Senate, as the creature had referred to itself, had exploded. Obviously, the creature had set off explosions within the facility. However, as I looked at the vaporized central desk, I couldn't help but wonder if the object he used was meant to trigger it or if it was merely a dramatic flourish.
As for the dais, the item, and the creature, I didn't have any answers. Shaking off the debris, I cautiously walked over, mindful of not stepping on any sharp remnants of glass from the shattered skylight above. The dais was gone, and if the creature had been destroyed along with it, there was no trace left. However, there was still one item remaining. Kneeling down, I picked up the strange gold and bronze object, which made me raise an eyebrow as I recognized some of the inscriptions.
There were indications of numbers, calculations, and such along the edges, written in Fenrisian runes, if I were to make an estimation. It was peculiar. Flipping it over, I noticed the distorted handprint of the creature that had been incinerated when it slammed the item against the ground. Obviously, this thing stored power to some extent and had unleashed it by smashing it. Was I holding a live bomb or a dead one? I no longer heard the clicking sound I had heard before, and I didn't feel that power, so whatever it was, it had ceased to function. Assuming it was nothing more than a collector's item, I shrugged and put it in a central pocket to deal with later. Perhaps Tanya would recognize the inscriptions.
"My Lord, my Lord, are you okay?" a Marine slid down the destroyed ramp, coming to a rest next to me. He flicked some debris off my shoulder, and I wondered where I would find a new set of tailored Astartes armor. Shaking my head, I replied, "No, but I'm alive, and that's what matters. Have Nishi Mimino prepare some garments for me and bring them down. I'm going to need something more suitable to wear when I meet my sister than this destroyed armor."
"Of course, my Lord," the Marine said, giving a salute before turning and running back up the ramp.
Shaking my head, I looked at the ground around me, pondering the purpose of the destruction. Was it merely to deny us access to this structure, or was it an attempt on my life? It had failed in one of those aspects, that was for sure.
Writers note:oh hey next chapter and we get to see why it bad thing to let warp shingains continues, why never trust poltisction, as well learning more about theses people, and there… efforts. As well evdiances of something once thought lost. I sure nothing awful will come from this campaign in future.
Please comment, review, and generally enjoy yourselves…
Edited by: L, John Mandrage, Golden, y1
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