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Whenever Philosir is around... something cool happens.

Great installments ice. I've never been much for DE but running with the witches is very cool. You did a really nice job with that.

“And what is to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek The Emperor unencumbered? Only then will you drink from the river of silence and shall you indeed sing.” Mortifex recited as he watched.

High upon the battlements of the Mountainbreaker he spoke loudly as if giving a sermon to the rain. The heavy down power hammered against his armor cleansing the filth and dirt revealing the white of his Star Phantom livery.

He stood on the railing of the vast machine. He did not think upon the words as he spoke but simply allowed them to flow. He knew the humans around him were nervous. He knew that the battle was approaching. He knew that the procession of vehicles and people was not moving fast enough. He knew that dark beings watched from the jungle before him.

And he knew, he could do little but watch.

There position was where the ruins and the jungle met. Behind the Mountainbreaker was a large gaping maw that tore into the side of the shattered spire. Vehicles and people were streaming into the safety of the vault deep within, but as far he could see, more were still approaching. The clan warriors and military vehicles had formed a perimeter with the large armored Mountainbreaker at its peak. The river of civilians was then breaking through the perimeter to pass along both sides of the behemoth.

Lightning crackled and thunder boomed. In at that moment of brightness Mortifex saw the first acts of aggression. Vehicles were expertly immobilized along the procession stopping the entire column. Dark Eldar darted forward to pollute the river of civilians. People were murdered and slain, but more were captured and taken away to never be seen again.

Mortifex thanked the Emperor as the thunder continued. Only the heightened senses of an astartes would be able to hear the screams that were quickly filling the jungle ahead of them.

He paused and changed his cant, “only in death does duty end,” he whispered and grabbed the rifle on his back. The grav gun hummed and sang as it went through its powering sequence. He peered down at the ground where most of his squad were waiting. They had seen it too and were preparing to hold the point of the perimeter.

“But Emperor, do not let my duty end today. I still have books to read,” Mortifex leapt off the edge of the Mountainbreaker to lead his squad into battle.

Thumbs-up baby!

Thanks Gitsplitta! I'm hoping to add more over the holiday. I geek like im finally on the home stretch with this book. You may not feel it yet but in my head things are picking up.

Sorry for the late post here, you know a really support your writing efforts and it is remiss of me not to comment

So I love the small section on the wyches, I liked the inter-clan rivalry between them as well as knowing their place, marines are hard to kill and wont yield as much pain and suffering, however the squishy humans are the opposite, very cool passage.

I have to agree with Gits, when ever the mysterious Philo is on the page you know some really cool and intricate things are going down, a master crafter las pistol wont do much against a marine, but again against a squishy human is the opposite!

And finally I get excited when morti is on scene as well as my all time favorite* Micus should be soon behind


*bias as I painted that mini

Indeed! Micus will return soon. It will be amazing.

The battle around the city gate started as a handful of intense skirmishes. The Ice Angels led the charge while the city guard and clansmen held the wall, windows, and rooftops, in support. A handful of skimmers along with their dark eldar passengers were dealt with quickly, but it was not long before the next group attacked.

Captain Razzik noticed that each wave seemed to be made up of different groups of xenos. Black and yellow armored warriors were first, then a group of purple robed screaming slaves being led by weird multiarmed Eldar. Tormented beasts being whipped by slavers and then another batch of black armored warriors with red feathers in their cloaks.

In turn they were defeated. The vehicles were being pushed by a chimera to help create a gauntlet for the xenos to run through. By the time Razzik’s second squad of assault marines arrived he had also acquired several hundred human soldiers along with a handful of open topped tanks. The local channels were screaming for support but Razzik held his gate and waited. Having a strong rallying point was drawing up the locals and creating a defensible position.

He knew it would draw in the aggressors as well. Sergeant Tock-Phonixi was giving commands to a guardsmen with a vox unit. He was laying out a second line of defense two blocks back. Support vehicles were bringing in supplies before retreating to clean the roads of unnecessary vehicles and debris. Razzik knew what Tock-Phonixi was working towards and he agreed.

Captain Razzik took another look at the nonastartes around him. The people of Mortimon Secondus were big, unnaturally big. Their blades were long and thin with a slight curve. They each carried autoguns but they were built bigger than the standard issue. He had witnessed the larger rounds rip through the Dark Eldar with surprising efficiency. The heavy slugs punched through armor and even the buildings in the warrens below them were being shredded by the fire. In fact, they were more often hitting buildings than the enemy.

In close combat however their strength was a huge boon. In one particular rush of crazed attackers, the call to cease fire and meet at arms was called. Razzik and three of his brothers soon found an entire unit of guardsman at their sides who were holding much better than the average imperial unit.

Tock-Phonixi was speaking with a newcomer when the next attack arrived. A multitude of screaming engines pierced the light rain. The men on the wall began to fire. Razzik and his assault marines did the same once they closed on the range. Three score of eldar on hoverboards came racing through the streets and over the wall. They attacked and sped by. They were lightning fast and in their midst within seconds. A few seconds more and they were behind their flanks doing all manner of aerial acrobatics before coming back around.

Shots filled the air in both directions when a huge wave of xenos on foot burst from the warrens. Further away raiders floated up above the buildings laying fire support. In its midst a heavy armored tantalus floated up. Its twin hulls and large triangular sail were ominous in the dark rain. Its vicious weapons prepared to create more openings in their wall. A new scream came from further down the wall. A swarm of venoms and jetbikes were moving to flank.

Captain Razzik gauged the timing of it all before spitting commands.

“Squad Salandria hold here. Squad Arshaka jump the wall.” Using his HUD he targeted the tantalus. It needed to be removed from the equation.

Razzik and ten assault marines blasted over the wall but only enough to clear it and get into cover. They landed amongst enemies but jumped again before they could react. Chainswords sliced, grenades ripped through flesh. Several jumps later and they were under the heavier floating death platforms.

A pulse of subatomic matter destroyed two Ice Angels to his left while a third was taken out mid air by a well placed shot from the deck of a raider. One marine landed amongst some warriors and did not jump out in time. When they had covered the necessary ground Razzik only had six marines left. The twin hulled tantalus had sped up to try and dodge the assault but the Ice Angels knew their craft. They launched from several directions at once and soon the deck of the vehicle held Razzik and six Ice Angels.

“WHERE TOO?” Sergeant Ramagi shouted after punching an Eldar right off the vehicle. He had then taken the controls. Razzik smiled at the idea before taking cover from incoming fire. The vehicle slew to starboard and raced towards a ravager that was now shooting at them. Ramagi did not bother dodging the fire, he charged right through it. The larger tantalus was plunged into the Ravager and they both erupted with black chemical fires.

Razzik and his angels were jumping towards a courtyard in the warrens when it happened. A pair of inferno pistols melted the head of a pain engine that was floating down the street.

“Let’s get back to the gate. Stay together,” with a quick glance at his HUD they ran off. This time they kept their feet on the ground. Razzik slammed into Eldar along the way using his bulk and speed as his ally. His powerfist crushed some and chainswords behind him finished the others.

They turned a corner just in time to see the wall along with most of the gate go up in a massive explosion. The explosion was followed by four others. Razzik could hardly make out the engine sounds of departing bombers.

Icons from squad Salandria flicked out. In one awful moment he had lost eight men in that squad. A ninth went out shortly there after.

He tried to find the last member, Brother Klivvik but he could not locate him in his system. “Klivvik, where are you?”

There was no response but Razzik finally located his icon. He was on this side of the wall and moving. Razzik changed his direction and his squad followed. He turned into a street to see that thirty dark eldar warriors were running past their side street.

Razzik leaned forward and used his jump pack to fly across the street fist first. He screamed as he tore a bloody path through his enemies. His squad followed close behind doing the same. Frag grenades detonated behind them as they moved on.

He landed back on his feet and jumped over the next building. With this many enemies he had to keep moving. Passing over the roof he saw just how many Eldar were still crossing the Warrens. There were hundreds. They were crawling over every roof. Vehicles were hovering amongst them, many were picking up captured humans. He could see people caught in dangling spiked chains. Woman and children were tied to the hulls of several of them. That was when he saw him.

The limp form of Klivvik was being pulled up in a chain to a raider. Dark Eldar were crying in triumph.

Anger flared inside Razzik but he responded by plotting his next few moves. His angels did likewise. They spread out across the roof right after landing and sprinted towards their brother.

Klivvik reached the side of the vehicle and was being pulled over the railing. Four Eldar were holding him and cackling at one another when Sergeant Ramagi bowled them over with his body. Razzik let gravity pull him towards the ground as he landed on one of the fallen Eldar. He crushed the pelvis of the xenos who screamed in pain, Razzik then used the bottom edge of his storm shield to sever his head from his body. When he looked around him, the deck was clear of living eldar. Rain was washing the blood off the vehicle and spilling out into the Warrens below.

One of the squad got the raider moving while Razzik checked on the fallen brother with Ramagi. A few seconds passed when Klivvik suddenly shot up.

“What happened,” he asked groggily, “where’s my,” he looked around as the jolt of stims leveled out and he realized his squad was gone.

He nodded his head in thanks to Ramagi who was kneeling over him. Klivvik assessed his weaponry before attempting to stand. Ramagi motioned for him to stay seated for a moment. Klivviks jump pack was damaged beyond repair a button press and it separated from his armor. His blade and pistol were missing as well but his plasmagun was still maglocked to his back.

The rain began to lighten up as gunfire peppered their hull. They were moving up and over the wall when a vehicle, Razzik could not tell what, hit their main thruster. Their raider pitched to one side but made it over the wall with its momentum before speeding towards the side of a building. Sergeant Ramagi and another Angel grabbed Klivvik before they all leapt off the ship.

Men were falling back all around them. Smoking Eldar vehicles and human corpses were all around them as they landed. Razzik could see the fall back position. He motioned to get his angels there. The guard were in disarray and he knew the mere sight of a space marine would give many of them the resolve they needed to get back into the fight.

“Why? Why would they bomb their own? The courtyard was overrun with Eldar,” a guardsman was mumbling to himself and walking in circles. “I don’t understand,” he continued. He absentmindedly rubbed his head and looked at the blood on his hand.

Razzik moved passed him but slowed down. The sight of the arriving Ice Angels stopped the mumbling and the confused man moved to follow.

Others did likewise as they arrived. The second line of defense was around a red building. A multitiered parking structure was on their side of the building. Razzik could see vehicles on every floor some of which were military ones. Men and woman held the area around it while a pair of leman russes sat by the entrance. Their battle cannons fired at the oncoming eldar that were now rushing over the bombed out gate and wall.

“Look! Over there!” Several cries screamed between the gunfire.

Razzik assumed they were speaking about him and his angels but he noticed that they were pointing to the warrens. When they reached the defensive position he saw the tracer fire shooting up into the sky. Their must have been two dozen rows of light flickering into the sky. Anti air fire was blazing in short bursts. He watched as two separate vehicles fell from the sky, one went into a building the other careened into the jungle.

The rush of Dark Eldar soon slowed. The position was held, but Razzik did not let the guard or clansmen rest. He found several men of rank and bellowed orders. Ramagi and his men went forward to the bombed out gate trying to find other survivors. Debris was moved and the position was further fortified. They had no idea when the next attack would arrive.

Holy moly that was action packed, not a moment to breathe, such damage and carnage.

I LOVE IT!

Thanks Knightley. Carnage and damage is certainly only the beginning!

Slowly, the thunderous booms of metal banging against metal grew in volume. Finally, the last massive door shuddered. The ancient mechanism within the door was being worked. Tek’Ar and Kai stood in the vast chamber watching. They had made their way down through the maze of elevators and shafts. The trip had been in relative silence.

Kai was impressed at the lack of sound the bulky armored astartes made. The sounds of footfalls within the dimly lit halls were usually Kai’s. The sniffles and coughs were also his. The space marine was substantially bigger then he was, Tek’Ar carried an array of weapons, and gear, yet he felt as if he was walking alone had he not been able to see the marine in front of him. Kai found himself marveling at the astartes. His mind wandered to the old stories and tales he had heard of these super soldiers but they did not do any justice.

When they finally arrived in the banner filled chamber, he did not notice Omicron Eighty Eight hovering around the stone statues. He failed to see the newly lowered ceiling cannons nor did he realize that they were forced to walk around several raised battlements.

When the doors sighed and finally fell forward, Kai stopped thinking about the marine next to him and looked up and marveled. He had only ever seen knights in stone statues and ancient texts. One had not walked on Mortimon Secondus in his lifetime or that of anyone he knew. When the metallic figure stepped forward and out of the vault, he was shocked with the majesty of the warmachine.

The moment did not last long before Tek’Ar burst into raucous laughter. He slapped his knee as Omicron Eighty Eight floated closer.

“Why are you laughing?” Kai asked disapprovingly.

He pointed at the knight. “Vlivaledew Djamaur,” he chuckled, “a pink knight?” he shook his head before looking at Kai.

Kai looked puzzled, black, red, and pink were often associated with the ancient house of Oshiashi. He watched the amusement depart Tek’Ar’s expression.

“Do you know what Vlivaledew Djamaur means?” Tek’Ar asked.

Before he could think about attempting to translate from the ancient version of high gothic Omicron interrupted.

“The daughter of royalty who vanquished enemies of the people,” she smoothly said.

Tek’Ar gave her a side glance, “I was going to say the Princess of Death.” He gave her a blank stare, “yeah, I am going to stick with Princess of Death.” He pointed up at the knight that seemed to be testing its stance and testing its own poise.

“Vlivaledew Djamaur was the most advanced war machine we had made, the alloys within her faulds is…..” she continued as Tek’Ar looked over at Kai.

“Skirt, she is wearing a skirt.” Tek’Ar whispered.

Omicron Eighty Eight stopped mid sentence and scoffed. “I am merely trying to explain that your mockery is disrespectful and unnecessary. When you see her in action you will wish there were more pink skirted knights in the Imperium. I assure you!”

She then floated up in be at eye level with the knight. Tek’Ar grinned at Kai and looked up at the knight before a sudden conversation whipped out of his vox. Tek’Ar stepped aside to discuss.

Kai stood alone staring at the black and pink machine. He took a deep breath and looked at the artistry on every armored panel. He admired the craftsmanship. Every time he altered his sight he found more amazing details.

His eyes kept wandering the form of Vlivaledew Djamaur but his mind left the machine. He thought back to the stories of when entire households of these machines marched to war across the landscape of his planet. What scale those battles would have been left him speechless.

He continued to stare as more machines woke up around the room. Stone covered servitors began to line up in defensive formations. Hovering shield servitors lowered from their ceiling compartments. When Vlivaledew Djamaur finished her preparation, an entire host of other machines went with. None were as big or as imposing but nevertheless Kai was amazed, excited, and most importantly, afraid.

Levity, not often you get it within a 40k setting such as this, with DE at the gates. I do like the absurdity, lets see this pink skirt wearing knight take some names!!

The men and women were lined up around the ruins. Small teams of the largest were helping to move metal and debris into a better defensive wall. Civilian vehicles shuffled around trying to get in the gaping tunnel that bore into the ruined spire. Mortifex heard it as a distant white noise. His mind was organizing the sounds but he never once turned back. He kept his unwavering gaze forward.

Brothers Xerin and Saddicus were to his left. Brothers Deklyn and Olivero were to his right. Tek’Ar was still down below but on his way. Micus and Bonamire were nowhere to be found.
The surge of Dark Eldar began to turn towards the defended position as the remaining convoy vehicles deeper in the jungle were torn apart and the people taken or slaughtered. Mortifex saw what appeared to be three separate cabals at work. Purple clad warriors carrying heavier weapons alongside the dancing wyches. Black and dark green warriors that blended in well with the jungle were zooming around on hoverboards and a collection of larger hovering vehicles. The last was a dirty yellow group that brought a gibbering hoard of wracks and tortured animals and beasts.

Without any command from Mortifex the Mountainbreaker began to open fire into the jungle around the chaotic mass of people and xenos. The others all followed suite. Trees were torn apart by the heavier fire while smaller vegetation was torn through and laid low. Mortifex saw a group of humans break through the turmoil and run towards them. They were huge armored men and women carrying long hafted blades and curved swords. An aquatic looking clawed crustacean adorned their orange livery. A trio in the middle carried whirling multi-barreled guns.

Mortifex watched as the heavy weapons took turns moving and stopping, each laying down fire for the others. They moved with precision and practice. A shout from behind him made him turn around, the leader of Clan Batterhorn was pointing to the moving forces right.

A horde of ape like monsters were bounding at them. Plates were screwed into their flesh. Vials and tubes covered their muscular hunched forms. A squad of dark eldar handlers whipped at them from hoverboards.
Mortifex ran forward with his squad behind him. With their superior speed they should be able to arrive the same moment the two forces met. Mortifex was in the lead but only for a moment as the faster Celestial Unicorn ran past him. Saddicus was singing in his high pitched whine to Sanguinius right behind him. Deklyn and Xerin stayed closer to Mortifex as they ran.

The twin blades of Olivero were first to draw blood. The orange and red figure dove and rolled, slashed and stabbed. He was a tornado of death amongst the bulky beasts. Mortifex and Deklyn fired at the whip driving dark eldar. Mortifex’s grav gun took out one hoverboard after another. The tumbling eldar were soon being pulverized by their own beasts.

The human clansmen fought the beasts that reached them but otherwise kept running at the command of a barrel chested woman in the center of their formation. Mortifex saw one the clansmen underestimate the beasts strength as his arm was ripped off. The man froze in horror giving the beast the time it needed to crush in the poor clansman’s skull.

The beast did not get any further though as Olivero appeared behind him driving both sabres into the back of its neck severing its head from its body. The quick space marine danced away to his next target before the body hit the ground.

“Fall back and cover,” Mortifex commanded when the last of the small pack was past. Xerin was at his side with his tall shield. Deklyn was near as well using his bolter at add some much needed longer range to the group. Olivero made one last kill before sprinting back.

When they got back to their line, the defenders had slowed down their fire. Other than the occasional loose beast, the attack seemed to have halted. The woman from the group came over to say something to Mortifex. She was as tall as he was and her arms were as big as his armored arms. She opened her mouth to speak when he held up his hand.

“Save your words, prepare your men to defend that position,” he said while pointing to a weaker spot along the ruined line. She closed her mouth and to his surprise, nodded and jogged that direction.
He briefly watched her go. He had often wondered how the people of this planet had come to grow to be so big. It was unnatural. He thought back to the hundreds of books he had read about the planet. He pondered the history of the planet, the ork invasion, the imperial reports about other xenos species that had had small incursions over the centuries. Maybe it was the planet itself or maybe it was something to do with the mechanicum that were constantly taking the locals and turning them into servitors for the great Imperial War Machine.

His thoughts were quickly interrupted as the shriek of engines turned into a blaring cacophony. A force of reavers came rushing down the road high up in the trees. Blasters and heat lance fire pelted the ground around him and the hull of the Mountainbreaker. He dove to the side as the scores of vehicles flew over their position and past them.
They dove low to the ground slashing at people with pole arms and vicious hooks or barbed blades.

Mortifex jumped up expecting another pass when the drizzling rain stopped. The constant shuffling and rumble of rain smashing into leaves died down with it. The rumble of engines from the Mountainbreaker and other Imperial forces seemed to quite in response.

A high pitched whistling came next. “INCOMING!” Mortifex shouted. He knew that the others would not hear that sound register. People dove for cover wherever it could be found, but for many it did not matter.
Explosions erupted in the jungle, around their position, and on the ruined spire itself. People were maimed and tossed aside. Mortifex watched as one explosion landed amongst a crowd of people. To his surprise many of them survived, but they were in extreme pain. The sounds of suffering and pain floated up. Cries for medical help quickly followed.

Skimming the canopy came a dark shape, like a storm cloud limping over the top of the trees. The real storm clouds were blowing past leaving a wide platform that ever so slowly approached.

Mortifex shouted some commands to the humans around him as he saw a sense of dread come over the other defenders. His squad spread out and slowly backed up hoping to motivate the humans that seemed frozen with fear.
Morning must have arrived sometime during all of the fighting in the rain and the dim early light was outlining the terrible form that approached. Silent ground facing cannons hung beneath the small town sized platform along with gantries and walkways. The platform was pierced by engines that kept it aloft along with jagged tears where countless dark eldar looked down.

The shadow of the platform crept over their position when a new kind of screaming began. Out of the jagged tears in the platform people were being discarded like unwanted trash. The severely wounded and the elderly that had already been captured were being used one last time. Their screaming forms tumbled through the air and landed with sickening thuds in the mud, on the ruins, the tanks, and the defenders. One particular form caught his attention and he watched as a child tumbled through the air, crying and screaming along the way. The child had a abdomen wound that would have likely killed him in a few hours. For the briefest moment he met the child’s eyes. Then the form collided with a thick tree branch and fell out of his view.

Mortifex had seen this kind of psychological attack and knew what profound affect it would have on the humans around him. He also knew that he had to get these people out from under the platform. He ran to get to higher ground on a defend wall to his left, he gave orders, and did his best to get people moving, then the hissing began.

Amongst the falling bodies, gas canisters were letting out a fog of toxins that were billowing out over their defenses. Mortifex found himself with his four space marines, surrounded by the coughing, crying, and the dying.

BRUTAL!

Holy moly that was awesome, you've really captured the way I believe DE would wage a physiological war. Intense read.

Thanks Knightley for both comments. I felt like doing something a little off and amusing with the knight and Tek'Ar especially with all of the fighting and death everyone else is surrounded by. The attack on Mortifex was a lot of fun to think about and envision. That is only going to get better. I can not wait for you to read the next one!

That attack by the DE, you really managed to capture their cruelty. Well done brother, well done!

Thanks bro. I am glad you approved.

Btw, are you going to Adepticon this year?

The next wave of attacks was nothing like Mortifex had expected. While he pushed people back and threw the canisters into the jungle, the lingering cloud of toxins swirled in the air and began to change color. Purples and reds, oranges and yellows, the colors mingled and seemed to chase one another.

An old soldier was sobbing while kneeling on the ground. His gun was in his lap. Next to him were two women that were splayed on the ground unconscious. The deformed body of an elderly man lay not far away partially submerged from his fall from above. The sounds of the crying and dying still lingered but as the gases took affect, more and more of them began to settle down. An eerie silence crept over the muddy ruins.
Mortifex’s senses began to tingle. He drew his bolt pistol. He heard his marines do the same but he could no longer see them. He only knew their location by the sounds they made as they drew weapons. They then fell silent, waiting.

The laughing began as a chuckle in the distance. First from the left then another from a different side. He quietly moved to the sobbing soldier and hoisted him up. The soldier blinked and was startled at the sight of the marine he had been standing by nearly all night. The man grabbed his weapon, Mortifex shook his head and pointed to the women. The man slung his weapon and picked one of them up. He stumbled towards the rear of the Mountainbreaker.
The cackles continued. The sounds of rustling leaves and footfalls echoed around the fog. The subtle sounds of swinging chains and distant hover engines lingered above them. The whistle of a blade tumbling through the air was the first true attack. It was surprisingly fast but Mortifex deflected it out of the air. Another came, then a third. Mortifex could not make out his attackers but he held his ground. Shapes were coming towards him and he pointed his bolt pistol and fired. The first form fell back out of view.

“DON’T SHOOT!” a shout came from another form. As the figure came into view Mortifex saw a human with chained arms and legs walking through the fog. His eyes widened as he realized what he had just shot.
The next weapon to fire was not one of his. A shard of some hissing metal took him in the shoulder but did not penetrate his armor. Behind the humans, further in the fog were the Dark Eldar. The first of the chained humans was sobbing. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He kept saying.

When Mortifex reached for him to free his bonds, the man was jerked back to the ground. Faster than he imagined, the human was pulled back into the fog out of sight. Screaming the whole way.
Other weapons fire began to pick up. Xenos weapons fired into their positions where defenders held ground. Sounds of struggles erupted in various places even behind him. Sounds of frustration from his marines soon followed.
Mortifex stepped back next to the woman on the ground. She was beginning to stir. He realized that the gases was already beginning to wear off.
“Tighten up,” he spoke into his vox. “We need to buy these people time.”
A collection of forms approached once again and the moment they were discernible they broke into a sprint. A group of wyches with jagged pole arms came bounding at him. Mortifex took out two with precise head shots while drawing out his combat blade.

They attacked and kept him at bay but he parried and feigned the first two attacks while firing back at them. One back flipped away and was impaled by the powered sword of Xerin that walked out of the fog towards them. The Sons of Ouroborus marine shield bashed another as they changed their focus. That short reprieve was all Mortifex needed to take out the other two wyches.
He heard a click from his bolt pistol, notifying him he had loaded his last bullet in the magazine. He heard more swords clashing and then the heavier bark of Deklyns bolter. A louder cackling approached and a wall of Dark Eldar came through the fog. Mingled within them were human slaves. Chained and bound. The laughing Eldar spat some command and scores of pistols and rifles were raised.
A shiver tickled his spine and it was followed by a cool breeze. The fog in front of him was pushed aside the moment the Eldar fired. Mortifex did not blink but instead lowered his weapon as the bullets embedded themselves deep into a clear wall of ice that now stood between the two groups.

Confusion over took the Dark Eldar, right as black armored marines materialized before them and attacked. Mortifex surveyed the scene as the marines silently went about their work. They were incredible fast. Impossibly fast. Everyone of them used a power sword and a combat blade that stabbed and sliced. They zipped in and out of the formation sometimes seeming to disappear out of thin air to reappear elsewhere. Wisps of cold energy seemed to linger in the air where they moved.

When the last of the Dark Eldar fell over, the marines cut chains and ushered them towards the Mountainbreaker. An archway within the ice wall appeared and everyone moved through. The recently freed were crying with joy and fear. Defenders came up to help them.

“Mortifex,” a voice boomed. He turned and looked up into the face of a terminator. His armor was dark blue unlike the other marines. His eyes were solid orbs of ice and his voice was of absolute authority. “Get everyone in the Spire, organize the defense of this entrance. We will hold them here while you do.”

Without waiting for a response he held up his double headed force axe and a cold wintry gail blew across the ruins. The fog was pushed aside and the cold seemed to waken everyone from their stupor. “EVERYONE INSIDE, NOW!” He shouted.

Mortifex found himself moving right past a squad of Ice Angel Terminators, that stayed near the librarian. He glanced back to see the ice wall become a battlement. The cold twenty foot wall steamed against the hot jungle air. He was then past the Mountainbreaker and nearly to the metal strewn spire entrance when the murder platform above them began to once again rain death, this time, they were bullets and bombs.

Ohhhhh Such and Epic Installment.

LOVE your description of the Ice Angel Terminator Librarian. That's just fantastic brother.

Yes! I'll be back at adepticon

Loved the last series of entries Ice. Very well done.

He ran through the halls. People, even astartes, scattered before him. He had to see this with his own optic units. He had to understand. How could this have happened? The landing was rough but within tolerable limits. The Vault had sustained structural damage but nothing that had crippled any other system.

The questions compounded within his mental facilities but he kept returning to the same thought. His mind was repeating the same message.

“We must evacuate the Vault,”

Chaplain Gonatzu had sent it three hundred and fifty seven seconds ago. “The frozen core is losing stability and time is limited,” was his second sentence.

In response Techmarine Philosir ran. All of his gyro systems were aiding him along with the traction control and tilt modifiers. He ran on walls, vaulted over civilians, and even used his thundershield to roll over a cargo container from the Alabaster Reflection.

When at last he crossed the last large room he met the stern look of Chaplain Gonatzu. The solid black armored Chaplain wore his skull helmet and spoke with a pair of Ice Angels. Upon seeing Philosir he broke his conversation with a wave and motioned Philosir to follow.

Lights were flashing all around the room. The frozen room seemed to be leaking steam and a fog was rolling around everything. Tech Priests and scores of servitors were working all around the room at a variety of tasks.
Philosir, not wanting to burden himself with speech, loudly blurted out binary commands to the room. Responses were immediate. Tech Priests added in their binary thoughts and suggestions. Within seconds an entire conversation had occured, decisions had been made, and Philosir was recalculating every strategic element around the crashed fortress.
Chaplain Gonatzu hefted his crozius and pointed the blunt weapon to one of the White that was coming out of thaw. Behind him several white dreadnoughts were belching smoke while sarcophagi were being loaded.
“I have alre…” he began when Philosir cut him off.

“I agree and you are wise in your decision. I will alert the Captain and suggest our next move.” Philosir impetuously interrupted.
Gontazu changed his stance in near surprise then regarded paused. “Are the Priests correct?”

Philosir turned to leave, “Yes, we do not have enough information to even attempt to fix the archeotech within the frozen core. That device predates our chapter and was said to have been a gift to Sanguineous himself. In fact it would most likely worsen our situation if we did anything other then leave. The Priests have done well to vent and attempt to slow the progress but we have to move everyone out before you can release the White. All of which must be done before the core overloads and freezes everyone in the ship to death.”

Chaplain Gonatzu grasped the wrist of the departing Philosir, “perhaps the Emperor wanted this. Could we use this to perhaps take out some xenos with it?”

Philosir froze in place. His mind and processors worked as fast as they ever had, ideas exploded in his thoughts while ratios and probabilities worked out tables to maximize results while minimizing resources lost. He slowly looked back at Gonatzu. The chaplain furrowed his brow at the techmarine but Philosir had a gleam in his eyes that Gonatzu could not help but grin at.

A bizarre monotone hissing sound left the techmarines grill. The closest thing to a laugh he had. Binary blurts exploded from him as he departed with haste. A private conversation request came across his HUD, the topic, “INSTANT FREEZE DEATH TRAP”

Well thats a spanner in the works, lets see how their trap works

Yassssssss

INSTANT FREEZE DEATH TRAP

Indeed. I think you will all greatly enjoy how that turns out.

Early morning light was breaking the jungle tops and highlighting the tops of the buildings around the war torn city. Captain Razzik watched the guardsmen and clansmen reorganize and fortify around the blasted gate. Word of Mechanicum reinforcements had rushed up and he had taken the opportunity to send some of the guard to other needed areas in the city. The dark sleek shapes overhead had greatly subsided due to the arrival of the Mechanicum.
A lull in the battle was something these people needed, but reports from around the city did not seem promising. Ice Angel air support was returning to help flush out some of the heavier defended still held by xenos forces but it seemed the majority of the enemy had fallen back into the jungle. They had taken a lot of people with them.

Far off in the distance, platforms could be seen breaching the atmosphere. A near endless train of ships were coming down from space while a smaller train was taking prisoners back. The real fighting would come later that day or evening. Razzik prayed for their souls and for those that still remained to fight.

A contingent of Mechanicum hovered over the ruined warrens and over the cratered remains of the gate. Captain Razzik moved forward to meet them. The six members of Squad Arshaka were not far from his left with Brother Klivvik of squad Salandria. An Ice Angel thunderhawk was lowering into the street not far away.

Sergeant Ramagi jogged over to stand next to him as the bulky hovering transport lowered down ahead of them. A trio of child like servitors flitted out from the top while a gray robbed figure came out the front behind a pair of armored servitors. The servitors were bigger then a space marine and each of their arms had been replaced with double barreled heavy bolters. Belts connected to drums on their backs. Their dead eyes were unblinking within heavy helms.
The gray robbed figure stepped forward and bowed at the waist, the motion reminded Razzik of a well oiled ramp swinging down and back up again.

“Greetings Captain, I am Nulliphant Syke of the Ordos Mechanicum,” the figure recited and continued before Razzik interrupted with a gesture. Another servitor was carrying an armored body from the hover vehicle.
Nulliphant paused and turned to follow his gaze. “Ah, straight to business I see. I should have concluded that speaking with an astartes would be without conversational introductions. We found these remains in the jungle on our way here. We defeated those that assaulted him but we were too late to resuscitate or prevent his death. Is he one of yours?”

“No,” Razzik began, “but he is an ally. Thank you for bringing him. We will take him with us.” He turned his gaze to the ranks of servitors coming up from the warrens. There were very few vehicles but the servitors themselves carried a massive array of weapons. One unit had long barreled autoguns attached to their backs and pointing up to the sky. Their legs had been replaced with a tripod like stand that granted them better stability while they shot into the air.
The overly large eyes of the tech priest slowly blinked. One eye at a time, then he spoke again. “Where are you going?”

“With your aid, the city can withstand the next wave while we try to get more survivors out to the safety of the Spire,” Razzik responded.
“You have not answered my question Captain,” the priest quipped.

Razzik raised an unseen eye brow. Facial expressions would not warrant much help when having a conversation but he could not help but pause. After a moment he began “we are heading to our own position outside the city at the base of the Spire. Lend your forces to the city defense while we continue to get people out.”

“What safety do you think there will be in those ruins?” He shook his head and to Razzik’s surprise, only his head moved. No part of his shoulders or upper body even twitched. The flying servitors dipped and danced with agitation. “No, you should stay here and bring all of your allies here as well. The city would last substantially longer with your full aid.”

Captain Razzik and Nulliphant Syke stared at one another for a moment. Neither spoke or moved. Two of squad Arshaka came and picked up the broken body of Brother Bonamire. They took him over to the Ice Angel thunderhawk.
“Your suggestion is noted Nulliphant,” Razzik turned and walked away. Sergeant Ramagi walked by his side.

Nulliphant did not respond. He watched as the handful of Ice Angels got into their thunderhawk and flew away. Several other small craft flew alongside it. Without any audible order, he commanded his servitors into positions at several key points around the city. He boarded his transport once again. Once they started moving again he pulled out the small xenos communication device, “my lord, the astartes are heading to the Spire. They are not cooperating as planned.”

PLOT TWIST, holy moly!

PLOT TWIST

The deluge of fire from the floating platform screamed with anger as it fell upon the Ice Angel position. Mortifex and his squad had gotten inside some of the ancient infrastructure of a Spire Gate to witness the attack. The Mountainbreaker was slowly backing up towards the entrance like a rolling rock face, it trundled backwards over corpses and smaller vehicles without slowing. Deklyn and Saddicus were organizing the fire from a trio of tanks that could support the Ice Angels but they were several hundred yards away from the ice wall and they could only fire around one side of the moving Mountainbreaker.

The weapons fire from above ceased and it signaled the next advance. Mortifex could not see the attack but he could hear it. Instead he focused on what needed to be done. The civilian vehicles were now out of sight down the winding road within the mountainous ruins of the Spire. Military transports and tanks were moving back to another position. Mortifex needed to organize the stage first defense within the wide gaping remains of the gate. Once the Mountainbreaker was in position they would hold for the Ice Angels then fall back one intersection at a time making the Dark Eldar pay for every section of debris filled tunnel. The massive vehicle was too large to make it all the way to the elevator but they would move it in until it could not move any further.

A sudden high pitched wave of war cries came from the battlefield. Mortifex turned with grav gun pulled to his shoulder. A wall of Dark Eldar were spilling out of a gap in the ruins to his right. They were in between the Mountainbreaker and the safety of the thick gate walls. Humans around him fired and the tanks adjusted their aim before adding their heavier fire.

Mortifex fired three times before the enemy was upon him. The Celestial Unicorn and Xerin were side by side, to his left, holding them back while Deklyn and Saddicus fought to get to their sides. The human soldiers had little cover except for their vehicles to hide next too. The Mountainbreaker continued to backup and the Dark Eldar attacked the doors and placed charges all around its rear flank.

Mortifex could do nothing but watch over the din of the assault as the charges took out several rear doors and one portion of the lumbering behemoths tracks. It ground to a halt and the Dark Eldar were swarming inside. The weight of the assault was pushing his men back. They could not get to the Mountainbreaker to aid them. Frustration tore at Mortifex as he thought of alternatives all while fighting a swirling close combat melee. Olivero lunged forward as a taller Dark Eldar figure stepped up, his tall headdress was topped with human skulls and long tufts of black hair.

A whip unfurled from the dark eldar’s hand and before it had even finished he was lashing it at Olivero. The whip coiled around Olivero’s wrist and the strange whip began to tear through his ceramite power armor. Olivero lunged forward but was intercepted by two other dark eldar that attacked with their own wicked blades. The Celestial Unicorn parried their attacks and sliced the throat of one while the other sliced long gouges in his armored shoulder.

Mortifex kicked the nearest eldar down and with one hand leveled his gravgun. He squeezed the trigger and the conical helmet of the whip wielding eldar crushed in on itself. The eye lens burst and ichor shot out, twin streams of brain matter spraying the backs of the eldar in front of him.

Olivero attacked with renewed vigor, “it was mine Zhufri!” the unicorn snarled. Mortifex could not help but smile, Olivero only uses his last name when he is really angry. He thought about responding but the battle took an eerie turn.

A wave of nausea passed over him. He felt as if he was about to fall over. His sense of balance was way off for a fraction of a moment. Mortifex noticed that everyone else was having the same problem. Dark Eldar and humans alike were dropping weapons and falling over. He steadied himself with both arms out when he saw a black door way in the center of the xenos horde. Black armored astartes were darting out with powerswords. They sprinted through the gate out of both sides. A terminator stomped out of one side with an ancient reaper autocannon. It fired a continuous staccato that eviscerated the Dark Eldar. Another terminator stepped out the other side with a chainfist that took wide swinging arcs through multiple eldar at a time.

Finally Voxxik stepped through, his head and upper body thrummed with power. Within seconds the vertigo had passed and sixty eldar were dead. A new Ice Wall formed between the rear of the Mountainbreaker and the entrance. The huge clan leader Gorehzingus burst through the rear of the vehicle. He held a dead Dark Eldar in each massive hand. He threw them aside like a child discarding toys.

“The Mountainbreaker is,” he began with a shout.

“Crippled, yes I know. Get everyone into the tunnel.” Voxxik demanded without raising his voice.

Gorehzingus took a look around and bellowed an order into his vox unit. A stream of clan guard and vehicle crew ran out. Civilian survivors also followed. The Mountainbreakers large rear ramp lowered down to let everyone out even faster. Gear was grabbed and weapons were pulled out. A modified chimera rolled down the rear ramp, it was taller than the typical model. Mortifex assumed it was to carry the larger than average humans of this world. He noticed the auto cannons mounted out of the rear compartment instead of the typical lasguns.

The black doorway suddenly closed with a snap, a white marine with a jump pack exited a moment before. A double bladed axe sizzled in his hands and his sweeping gaze appeared to assess everything and everyone with one meticulous pass. He wore ornate armor covered with trinkets and devices. Mortifex spotted the narthecium on his upper arm. All of the marine was splattered with gore and blood.

Mortifex looked around at the other Ice Angels who were already moving towards the gap in the ruins. Dark Eldar were still coming and now assaulting the ice wall or trying to scale it. The terminators were handling them as they leapt or vaulted over the semi transparent barrier.

Several massive explosions rocked the Mountainbreaker from the top and front. The few remaining cannons on the vehicle had fallen silent. Mortifex began to fall back again as the last of the crew departed the vehicle. Now everyone was falling back. The two units of Ice Angels with power swords sheathed them with some unheard command and they pulled out bolters. They fell back in a jagged line with the terminators spread out among them. Voxxik held the center and they quickly fell back as the low thrum of anti grav approached. From the platform above them all, a host of vehicles was being released. The next assault force was approaching and the marines did not have any heavy weapons outside of the autocannon and an assault cannon. The heavier tanks were rolling backwards trying to hide their hulls from whatever was approaching. Gorehzingus and his survivors were already behind the wall of ceramite clad marines.

All of them fell back into the shelter of the broken Spire gate. The heavy thick walls of the gate still stood but all around them were ruins and rubble hidden deep under thick vines and vegetation.

Mortifex slowed his withdrawal and realized the Dark Eldar were hesitating. The vehicles should have hovered into view but they were still unseen now that he was further into the tunnel. No more Eldar were running through the gap. A damn of corpses had filled that path. The ice wall was quickly melting as Voxxik no longer fed it power to keep it in existence. In the humid heat of the morning massive chunks were cracking and sliding off onto the trampled earth.

Thunder boomed in the distance and that made Mortifex pause. The thunder did not stop but instead grew. Other tones joined in with it creating a low rumble like a diseased choir warming up with throat exercises.

A form fell from out of the air and landed with a heavy thud. A horrific amalgamation of machine and flesh stood hunched over. Mechanical claws, each bigger than a marine, dug into the earth from its top most pair of limbs. Countless other arms snapped and whirled and twitched. The monstrosity was twice or even three times the height of any dreadnought. When it stood Mortifex could see that its entire chest and abdomen were filled with the tortured faces of people and xenos all wired together in glass tombs. There had to be scores of beings within each cavity.

Then a second one dropped and a third next to it. Four more arrived behind them.

DAMN SON.

Really enjoyed that installment. The expert and smooth performance of the Ice Angels Veterans was very well crafted. Definitely gave the impression smooth perfection.

Oh wow, you weren't kidding I had no idea that was coming!

Also small spelling mistake

"but they were a sevearl hundred yards away"

Thank you for the spot Knightley. I'm glad you guys liked that part. I have been enjoying this section of the book quite a bit. It is nice to finally get to some real fighting after so much time with sneaking and talking etc. You need both in a book to make it good but I felt like I had been saving a lot of this good stuff for the end.

Is it just me or does it feel like FOREVER ago when I was writing about Inushi and Nefas? I miss those guys.