The Carnifexes stomped through the clearing, each step shaking the ground. The battlefield was silent now, save for the occasional scrape of rocks tumbling from shattered formations. Smoke and the sickly stench of burning flesh clung to the air, heavy and cloying.
I scanned the area, the [Las Pistol] still warm in my hand. The last Daemonette had been crushed under a Carnifex claw, its body unrecognizable. For now, we were safe. But safety didn't last long in this dungeon.
"Form up," I said, motioning to the Cadians. The survivors moved into position, weapons at the ready. Their discipline held, but the losses had shaken them. The absence of three of their number was a silent weight.
I glanced at the Carnifexes. They loomed like living mountains, ichor dripping from their claws and fangs. Reliable, but loud. Too loud to stay mobile for long without drawing more attention. We needed a defensible position.
"Scout ahead," I ordered one of the Cadians. "Look for higher ground. Something enclosed."
"Yes, sir." He nodded sharply and disappeared into the haze, las-rifle held low but ready.
I crouched near the others, gesturing for them to hold position.
"We're digging in," I said. "This isn't over."
They didn't need convincing. The tension in the air was enough.
Minutes passed before the scout returned, his expression tight. "Found a spot, sir. Narrow approach, good visibility. Could be fortified."
"Show me." I motioned for the group to follow.
The Carnifexes lumbered behind us, their guttural growls rumbling low like distant thunder. It wasn't far – a natural alcove carved into the jagged landscape, surrounded by towering spires of warped stone. The approach was a single, narrow path, with enough space inside for all of us to set up.
"Perfect," I muttered, stepping inside. The Cadians fanned out, checking corners and securing the perimeter. The Carnifexes positioned themselves at the entrance, their bulk blocking most of the path. Any enemy coming through would have to go through them first.
This was as good as it was going to get.
Time to reinforce.
I opened the System and began summoning. First, the two [Ork Nobz]. They materialized with a crackling hum, towering over the Cadians. Their green-skinned bulk was covered in jagged armor plates, and each wielded a massive Power Klaw that hummed with deadly energy. One of them let out a guttural laugh, flexing the claw with a metallic whine.
"Dis gonna be a fight, eh, boss?" one of them growled.
I ignored the comment and turned back to the System. The next summon brought forth the three [Drukhari Incubi]. They appeared silently, their wickedly curved blades gleaming in the dim light. Their spiked armor caught the glow, and their movements were liquid, unnervingly graceful. One inclined his helmeted head slightly, acknowledging me.
Last, I summoned fifteen more [Cadian Shock Troopers]. They materialized in disciplined formation, their las-rifles already raised. The new arrivals moved seamlessly into position, blending with the existing squad. The narrow space was packed now, but it worked to our advantage. No one could breach this without paying a steep price.
"Alright," I said, addressing them all. "This is our holdout. Anyone comes through, they die. Nobz, you're on melee duty. Incubi, pick off anything that gets too close. Cadians, suppressing fire. Carnifexes stay put – if anything big comes through, you crush it."
"Yes, sir," the Cadians said in unison. The Orks grunted their approval, and the Incubi remained silent, but their blades gleamed in readiness.
I moved to the edge of the alcove, crouching near the Carnifexes. They rumbled softly, their claws twitching. The path ahead was quiet, but the swirling sky above felt like it was watching, waiting.
"We hold," I muttered, gripping the [Las Pistol]. "Let them come."
The first sound was the laughter. High-pitched, twisted, and growing louder. Then came the stomping. Erratic footfalls echoed through the jagged terrain, drawing closer.
I crouched behind a jagged boulder, signaling the others with a quick hand gesture. The Cadians snapped into position, their las-rifles aimed at the narrow path leading to the alcove. The Ork Nobz grunted, flexing their Power Klaws, while the Incubi stood motionless, blades gleaming like predatory fangs. The Carnifexes shifted slightly, claws twitching, ready to crush anything that approached.
"Contact," a Cadian muttered, his voice low.
Figures emerged from the shadows – cultists. Dozens of them. They charged, some wielding chainsaws, others clutching crude, jagged blades. Their eyes were wild, their laughter deafening. Behind them came the Daemonettes, their lithe forms darting between the charging mob. Their claws shimmered, sharp as razors, and their twisted grins gleamed under the flickering light.
"Hold," I hissed, waiting until they were halfway down the path.
The first cultist screamed as he lunged forward, chainsaw raised high.
"Fire!" I barked.
The Cadians unleashed a volley of crimson beams. The las-rifles cut through the front ranks, dropping cultists mid-step. Smoke curled from charred flesh as bodies crumpled to the ground. The Daemonettes leaped over the falling cultists, moving faster than the beams could track. They twisted through the air, claws flashing.
"Incubi, engage!" I snapped.
The Drukhari moved in unison, silent as shadows. Their blades met the first wave of Daemonettes with a metallic hiss, slicing through limbs and torsos. Sparks flew as claws clashed against their spiked armor, but the Incubi's precision was unmatched.
A Daemonette slipped past, lunging toward a Cadian. Its claws were inches from his throat when a Nob swung its Power Klaw in a devastating arc. The crackling energy field tore through the Daemonette, splitting it in two. The Ork bellowed a laugh, stepping over the twitching halves.
"More coming!" a Cadian called, reloading his rifle.
I turned my attention back to the path. The cultists weren't stopping. They poured in from all sides, climbing over the bodies of their fallen. The Daemonettes moved among them, faster and more lethal than before.
One of the Carnifexes roared, its claws smashing into the narrow walls of the path. The impact sent chunks of rock crashing down, crushing several cultists beneath the rubble. Another Carnifex lunged forward, swiping its scythe-like claws through the crowd. The strike sent bodies flying, their screams cut short.
I raised my [Las Pistol] and fired at a cultist charging with a serrated axe. The beam hit him square in the chest, and he collapsed in a heap. Another cultist scrambled over his body, swinging wildly, only to be gunned down by a Cadian.
"Push them back!" I shouted, stepping closer to the line. My shots found their marks, each beam taking down a cultist or clipping a Daemonette's leg, slowing them enough for the Incubi to finish them off.
A Daemonette vaulted over a rampaging Carnifex and darted toward the alcove. Its claws slashed through the air, aiming for the nearest Nob. The Ork grinned, blocking the strike with his armored forearm before slamming the Power Klaw into its chest. The Daemonette let out a high-pitched shriek as the energy field tore through its body.
The battle raged on, the path clogged with bodies and blood. The cultists' laughter grew shrill, desperate, as their numbers dwindled. The Daemonettes pressed harder, their claws slicing through the gaps in the Cadian formation. One soldier fell, his throat torn open, his rifle clattering to the ground. Another was thrown back, his chestplate shredded.
"Hold the line!" I yelled, firing at a Daemonette leaping toward me. The shot burned through its torso, and it crumpled to the ground, twitching.
The Carnifexes roared again, their massive frames crushing everything in their path. One of them grabbed a cultist in its claws, lifting him high before snapping him in half with a sickening crunch. The blood sprayed across the rocks, painting them red.
The cultists broke first. Their screams of laughter turned to cries of terror as they turned and ran, scrambling over the bodies of their comrades. The Daemonettes hissed and screeched, their movements faltering. One by one, they fell under the relentless assault. The last of them lunged toward an Incubus, its claws raised high. The Drukhari sidestepped the attack, driving its blade through the creature's throat in a single, fluid motion.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
The air was thick with the smell of blood and burning flesh. The ground was littered with bodies, their twisted forms piled high at the entrance to the alcove. The Carnifexes stood like towering sentinels, their claws dripping with ichor. The Orks grunted, stepping over the corpses, their Power Klaws crackling with residual energy.
I lowered the [Las Pistol], my breathing steadying. The Cadians began reloading their weapons, their movements precise and mechanical.
"Status report," I said, my voice sharp.
"Three down, sir," one of the Cadians replied, motioning toward the fallen soldiers. None of the Orks, Drukhari, and Carnifexes had died, fortunately.
I clenched my jaw. "Move the bodies."
"Yes, sir."
As the soldiers began their grim task, I glanced at the horizon. The swirling sky seemed darker now, more oppressive. This wasn't over. More would come. And when they did, we'd be ready.
The dead Cadians vanished in flashes of light, their bodies dissolving into energy before disappearing completely. A notification from the System blinked in my vision.
[Units Lost: 3 Cadian Shock Troopers. They will be unavailable for 24 hours.]
I clenched my fists, glancing at the others still standing. The remaining Cadians reloaded in silence, their movements methodical. The Incubi were already cleaning their blades, their spiked armor splattered with gore. The Nobz stood to the side, grunting and inspecting their Power Klaws. The Carnifexes loomed over the battlefield, ichor dripping from their massive claws. They stood still, waiting, breathing heavily through their monstrous frames.
"Stay sharp," I said.
"Yes, sir," a Cadian replied.
We didn't have long to wait. The air shifted again, growing heavy with that sickly sweet scent. Faint laughter echoed from the distance, mixed with guttural growls. A second wave was coming, larger than the first.
I glanced at the System, hesitating for only a second. The [Exocrene] was a last resort. It wasn't built for these tight spaces. But without it, we wouldn't hold.
"Summoning [Exocrene]," I muttered.
In a blinding flash, the massive Tyranid artillery beast materialized. Its bulbous body rippled with alien muscle, its bio-plasma cannon glowing faintly as it hummed to life. The ground shook under its weight, the stones beneath it cracking.
The laughter grew louder, closer. Shadows moved across the jagged rocks, shapes forming in the gloom. Cultists poured out first, screaming incoherently, their chainsaws roaring. Behind them came the Daemonettes, faster and more numerous than before, their claws glinting like deadly razors.
"Hold the line!" I barked, raising my [Las Pistol]. "Carnifexes forward!"
The Carnifexes roared and charged, their massive frames crashing into the cultists. The first wave crumpled under their claws, bodies torn apart like paper. But the Daemonettes slipped through the gaps, darting toward the line.
"Fire!" I shouted.
The Cadians fired in unison, their las-rifles cutting through the unarmored foes. Each shot found its mark, dropping cultists and Daemonettes alike. The Incubi darted forward, their swords slicing cleanly through limbs and torsos, but the sheer number of enemies began to overwhelm us.
A Daemonette lunged at a Nob, its claws slashing at his arm. The Ork bellowed in rage, smashing it aside with his Klaw, but more swarmed him. A second Nob roared, cleaving through the enemies with wide arcs of his crackling weapon.
"Exocrene, target the backline!" I commanded.
The bio-plasma cannon hummed louder, its organic mechanisms charging with energy. A moment later, it fired. The shot was a searing sphere of green energy, massive and blinding. It roared through the air, slamming into the center of the enemy horde.
The impact was catastrophic. Cultists and Daemonettes were vaporized instantly, their screams cut off as the blast engulfed them. The explosion rippled outward, obliterating everything in its path. Rocks shattered, bodies disintegrated, and the jagged terrain warped under the heat.
The narrow path that had funneled the enemies into our kill-zone disappeared, replaced by a massive crater. The rocks that had formed the chokepoint were reduced to rubble, leaving a wide, open expanse.
I cursed under my breath.
The remaining enemies hesitated, their momentum broken. The few that survived the blast turned and fled, their laughter now replaced by panicked cries. The field fell silent again, save for the faint hum of the Exocrene's cannon cooling.
"Damage assessment," I said, my voice sharp.
"Two more shock troopers down, sir," one soldier reported, gesturing to the spots where their comrades had fallen.
The System chimed again.
[Units Lost: 2 Cadian Shock Troopers. Unavailable for 24 hours.]
I ran a hand through my hair, the weight of the fight settling in. This wasn't sustainable. I needed a better plan. Before I could think further, the System flashed another notification.
[Dungeon Boss Revealed: Thalessis the Pain Mistress, Keeper of Secrets.]
[Boss Summoning in: 1 Hour. Use this time to prepare.]
I exhaled slowly, my eyes narrowing at the message. A Keeper of Secrets. If it was anything like the Great Unclean One, then I was in for the fight of my life.
"One hour," I muttered, turning to my forces. "We hold here. Regroup and fortify. This isn't over."
AN: Chapter 30 is out on (Pat)reon!