Things had been quiet lately. There had been little activity from the Vandis insurgency, and Angel Gate was as good as secured. Unfortunately for Sergeant Major Merrick's squad of Daredevils, that meant boredom. They were still in a state of war so going out into the city was off limits. That in itself nearly broke the squad apart. Without an enemy to fight or local women to pick up, the squad dropped back into the cycle that Sergeant Wadden Hurst hated so much. The squad argued, slept, ate, kept watch, and argued more.

"All I'm asking is why can't Space Marines ride bears?" whined Vornas. "I'm sure you could find some big-ass bears somewhere. Even the Space Wolves ride wolves, so why can't there be bears?"

Remer put his hand to his forehead. "Because that's ridiculous. What is the practical application in that?"

"I'll tell you the practical applications." Said Vornas with a very serious expression, oblivious to the rest of the squad staring at him. "You're a heretic. You hear Astartes are coming after you. Naturally, you gak yourself. Then the Astartes come after you while riding bears. Even if you manage to escape that typhoon of bolt rounds and mammalian death, you are never going to mess with the Space Bears again."

"It's amazing." Said Hurst to Merrick. "He doesn't understand how idiotic the argument is."

"I'm amazed that Remer is still arguing back." Merrick replied. He shifted a bit from where he sat on the rockcrete ground, before turning to adjust one of the sandbags in the low barricade behind him. Satisfied that it was going to be more comfortable, he leaned back again and rested his hands behind his head. It was easy, their new posting. Being at the foot of Angel Gate had its perks, some of which had been completely overlooked by the squad. For one thing, the powering mechanisms provided a nearby heat source, as they were constantly venting to keep the systems from overloading. Not only that, Angel Gate was one of the first stops for the regimental food distributors. With little to no hostile contact, this was a prime posting, even if the squad did need to sleep outside.

11:00 came, and exactly on schedule, Commissar Connor arrived to inspect the Gate. She had been doing this for some time now. Her wound was still troubling her slightly, and under Uther's orders she was not allowed to go on any combat patrols. She had argued with him, saying that he had no authority over a Commissar, but Captain Uther was stubborn if he was anything, and she begrudgingly agreed.

She walked with a slight stiffness in her chest, carefully stepping over resting guardsmen and fallen sandbags as she made her way to Merrick and Hurst. Her hair had grown a bit during her time at the hospital, and despite her self-discipline, she had yet to cut it. The brown strands were just becoming visible out from under her tight cap, though she seemed to be doing her best to hide them.

"Morning, Commissar." Said Merrick as he climbed to his feet. "I trust the troops are in order."

"Filthy, Sergeant Major. And lazy, I might add." She was smiling. Elle Connor had the kind of smile that made you think twice about whether she was actually happy or just plain menacing. While she and Merrick had an understanding, she was no more lenient on his squad.

"Right well, all contact with Vandis' men has ceased in the past few days, and Angel Forge is as good as secured with the Gate here. Not to mention the Astartes are in orbit."

Connor's smile broke for a split-second before returning. "Indeed. I guess everything is in order then."

"As a matter of fact Commissar, do you know why the Astartes are here? Weren't they supposed to investigate Aurelia?"

"I wasn't told why they returned, only that they did. Perhaps they have decided to help eradicate the Vandis dogs."

"Vandis dogs?" Merrick said with a puzzled expression.

"Yes, dogs. The group we are fighting is the 1st Vandis Hounds, ergo dogs." She seemed puzzled, as if it was obvious that Merrick should get the fresh nickname for their foe.

He shrugged. "I didn't even know the bastards had distinctions. How many men did he have anyway?"

Her face tightened as she replied. "Annual reports stated about a thousand, but we have killed almost half that number, and we estimate there are over a thousand more still at large. He must have been hiding a large force."

"Damn traitor." Merrick spat. "How was he able to hide a frakking army?"

"However he's doing it," replied Connor, "he's also able to provide precise targets for them."

Merrick stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You don't think that there could be a mole. Wouldn't have to be Guard, even the Governor's staff has access to records like that."

Connor's expression didn't change. "It's a possibility. As for now though, the Imperial Guard is a reactive force. Vandis attacks and we respond. There is nothing else we can do. If you'll excuse me, Sergeant Major, I have more troops to inspect. I've wasted far too much time here."

Merrick nodded slightly as she turned and walked away. It was just like her to switch from talkative to formal. He suspected it was the ingrained Commissar training wrestling with her own nature, though he suspected that her own personality complimented the training she was provided at the schola. He looked at Hurst, who hadn't said a single word despite standing right next to him.

"What's the matter Waddy?" he asked.

"It's Wadden, and nothing. I was just thinking about what you two were saying." To Merrick, Hurst still seemed a bit out of it. He was looking up at the sky, almost lost in his thoughts.

"If you think of anything useful, let me know." Replied Merrick. He sat down again, scratching his head. The men were still arguing about bears. What the hell was a bear anyway? He wondered. Where had the 85th fought while he was in the 203rd?

"Hey, miss?" called Remer as Commissar Connor passed the site of the argument. "Could Space Marines ride bears?"

Suddenly Vornas was oblivious to the conversation, staring off into the distance. Kippler had discovered an incredibly interesting piece of rockcrete. Alek, on the other hand, stared on with a mixture of awe and dread. Connor turned and stared at Remer with thin eyes.

"Are you mocking me private?" she asked. She pursed her lips and stepped forward, looking down on him.

"Not at all." Replied Remer, smiling brightly. He shrugged his shoulders and spread his arms out. "Just wanted to hear your opinion, is all."

"Fighting or not, Private Remer, we are technically on duty. You should refrain from speaking with such informal language. While it is highly flattering, I am "ma'am" or "Commissar", not "miss". If I hear anything else from you, I'll have you shot. Is that understood?"

He saluted, not a little too quickly. "Of course miss! I won't forget!"

Her eyebrow twitched, but she decided to drop it. As she turned to leave, he spoke again. "By the way Commissar, how did you remember my name?"

"It's my job to understand and know all of you." Then she smiled, possibly for real. "Besides, you are part of the most effective squad in the company."

She was gone before Remer could say anything else. He spun around, looking at the faces of the squad around him. Vornas didn't know what to make of it, while Alek and Kippler's faces were too blank to decipher.

"She didn't even answer the question." Remer breathed.

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The northwest area of the Angel Forge area was mostly deserted. Made up of winding alleys and smaller warehouses and storerooms, it was declared indefensible and ignored by the Imperial Guard. In a cramped basement under a paint storage center, a group of fugitives huddled. Twelve men crouched in the bare room, weapons lying at their feet. They were waiting for a sign that they were assured would come, a sign that would turn the tide in the war against the Oppressors. Each man wore a hodgepodge of uniform and civilian clothes, all daubed in the marks of Chaos. They were Vandis' men. In small cells they had fought a terror campaign against the Imperials, but no longer. They would now rise up in force. These twelve were the advance group. They had spent two days reaching this location, avoiding dozens of Imperial Guard patrols. They needed to secure the site for the Arrival. Outside of Angel Gate, the ruins of Angel Spire were swarming with Vandis' men. They would provide a suitable distraction for the lapdogs of the False-Emperor, until the Ruinous Powers would provide the saviors that Lord Vandis promised.

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Corporal James Cost was one of the men assigned to protect the warehouses that had once been owned by House Vandis. Less than a mile outside of Angel Gate, the traitor lord had hoarded dozens of priceless relics from the Blood Ravens chapter of Space Marines. Though the Astartes had already claimed them, the warehouse was still home to hundreds of other items. Even in a year, the Administratum had only managed to sift through about half of it. Cost and the squad had been forced to deal with looters before. Both human brigands and remnant ork looters had cause to break in, and after numerous attacks, the squad guarding the warehouse was reinforced. Now a full platoon of forty men guarded it. While some believed it was a colossal waste of resources, the Administratum had not found the time to relocate any of the items yet, and who was Cost to argue with that?

It was easy work for the most part, and the occasional attack kept the job from being boring. Two days ago, Guardsman Horan had procured a tarot deck from Emperor knows where. Cards had become their new vice. Cost wasn't particularly good, and had already lost almost fifty thrones to Horan. Now he was resolved to win them back. He looked over his hand subtly. Two primarchs, and an Astartes. Furtively, he glanced around the circle of guardsmen. Lerr and the Kowlski brothers had already folded, leaving only Horan and himself.

"Well, I suppose I'll raise," said the Guardsman. Cost squinted his eyes as Horan dropped a few more thrones onto the pile in front of him. Horan was grinning and his blue eyes had a predatory look to them. But he had been known to bluff before.

"I'll call you." Cost said. He was sure to keep his voice steady and his expression blank. There was no better liar in the squad than he, and he was adept at reading expressions. Horan had made a fatal mistake, trying to fool him.

"Fine then." Replied Horan, still wearing that grin. "Show what you have then."

"You'll regret it." Said Cost. He slammed his cards down on the ground. A bit overdramatic, he thought, but theatrics were all part of the game. The crowd rumbled with conversation as they saw his cards. Horan's grin had vacated his face, and a slight frown had appeared.

"I can't say I've ever regretted anything." He replied as he turned his cards over. The moment they became visible, his smile returned in force. Two Primarchs an Emperor. He was able to match the pair that Cost had, and possessed the high card. Cost groaned as Horan scooped up the pile. The guardsman laughed as he pocketed the money, before falling backwards. At first the crowd thought it was a joke, but the sight of arterial blood streaming from his throat was unmistakable.

"Gunfire!" shouted one of the men. As they dived into cover, another man fell, shot in the chest. Cost scooped up his long las, and dropped into cover behind a piece of shattered rockcrete. To the southeast, he could see dozens of muzzle flashes opening up from the upper levels of a ruined building. The guardsmen began returning fire at the assailants, but the enemy was too well entrenched.

Cost looked down the scope of his long las, and settled the crosshairs over a body. They were Vandis heretics he realized. This was much worse than looters. He pulled the trigger and watched the body fall out of sight. Next to him, Lerr was killed by a stray auto round. It pierced his throat and severed his spinal cord.

Cost aimed and fired again, killing another heretic. He saw a mass of men advancing through cover on their position, while the heretics in the building laid down suppressive fire. Cost ducked as a heavy stubber opened up on his position. He rolled to the right, and aimed his rifle from behind a tank trap. He aimed the long las at the man on the heavy stubber, and pulled the trigger. After confirming the man's death, he adjusted his aim down, and fired again to destroy the weapon.

"Keep firing men!" shouted the lieutenant. "Kowlski, get that plasma gun online! And I want the heavy bolter ready in thirty seconds, or you can apologize to the Emperor yourselves!"

Kowlski knelt down next to Cost and opened up with the bulky plasma weapon. The purple balls of magnetized plasma flew straight into the Vandis heretics advancing through cover. The shots melted rockcrete and vaporized any bodies hit. As the heretics went to ground, the ones in the abandoned buildings increased their fire, trying to suppress the weapon. Cost would have none of it. He used their boldness to his advantage, and shot six dead in a minute.

Soon the heavy bolter was prepared and the high caliber bolts began tearing up the higher levels of the abandoned buildings. The already weakened rockcrete was destroyed entirely and one of the buildings collapsed under its own weight. Gunfire ceased as the wreckage threw a large volume of dust into the air. Cost panned his scope around, trying to penetrate the grey haze that had engulfed the warehouse area. The grit scratched his throat and he coughed, but suppressed it quickly. As he looked through the scope, something caught his eye. The dust began to clear, and in its place was a roiling mass of impossible colors.

Cost looked up from his scope with a pale face. An indescribable vortex stood in front of the warehouses. The guardsmen stared in awe, slowly stepped away from out it out of instinctual fear. The warp rift expanded, reaching out with purple tendrils towards the guardsmen. Before they could react, they were surrounded by the otherworldly glow. Then a mass of Vandis soldiers appeared out of thin air, less than twenty yards from the terrified guardsmen. A sudden realization passed over Cost. This was a warp portal, allowing Vandis' men to move across Meridian at their leisure. The traitors were only seconds away when the guardsmen began firing. It was far too late. They were overwhelmed by the mob, and were stabbed, clawed and bitten to death before they could even kill an equal number of the heretics. Cost was the first to die, run through by a bayonet before he could even empty his first charge pack.

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Strike Cruiser Retribution and her escorts hung in low orbit over Meridian. The Litany of Fury and the rest of the 3rd Company's ships had proceeded to Calderis to insure the safety of its townships, as well as embark on a training mission for some scouts recently promoted. Captain Angelos was wary. If the Vandis heretics reached Aurelia, they could have secretly dropped anywhere in the subsector. Calderis was the second most populous planet, and it needed to be secured.

Aramus sat in the command chair on the bridge, speaking with Apothecary Harkon, who stood next to the raised dais. Were Aramus not so confident, he would admit that he felt sorely out of place in this seat. Gordian, Emperor rest his soul, had served admirably as the Commander of the Armageddon, and even without him, the seat should have gone to Martellus. But Martellus was dead, his thunderhawk downed during the battle of Typhon, leaving Aramus alone to command the ship.

"Have we received any word from the Governor since we arrived?" he asked.

"No Commander." Replied Harkon. He had taken it upon himself to act as the intelligence officer for the 4th Company, though with Jonah Orion aboard he would not have the job for long. "However, we received coordinates from the Administratum concerning recent attacks from the Vandis heretics, as well as probable locations for hidden cells. We should use Cyrus and Ariston's squads to investigate these locations. A few heretics will give us no trouble."

"I should hope not." Replied Aramus. He was in full power armor, as was the Apothecary. In the two days after the incident on Aurelia, the 4th Company had remained in combat alert. There was no telling when an enemy could strike. Jonah Orion's report from the Fortress-Monastery had been disturbing as well. It seemed clear to Aramus that the warp still tainted Aurelia. He was wary to return to the Fortress-Monastery without significant force. He had fought the forces of Chaos before, and he did not underestimate their power.

The final piece of the troubling puzzle was Thaddeus' report concerning the contact with the Eldar. Two marines had been wounded and none of the xenos had been slain. Though Brother Augustine was certain that there had been webway gates, none were ever discovered, leaving the means of the Eldar's arrival and disappearance a mystery. Their purpose was also unknown. The year before, the Eldar had come to fight against the Hive Fleet, for a purpose still unknown to the Blood Ravens. Why had they come now? Certainly the Vandis heretics were not enough of a threat to provoke the might of the Eldar?

Harkon was in the midst of asking if he should give the drop order when the Comm Officer stood, saying that there was an urgent transmission coming from the officer of the Governor.

"Understood officer, you may open the link on the main projector." Said Aramus. "Harkon, call the Sergeants to the bridge."

Minutes later, the Sergeants of the 4th Company were arrayed around Aramus, in various states of battle dress. With the push of a button, the image of Elena Derosa flickered to life on the bridge projector. Dark bags were beginning to form under her eyes and the skin was taut around her jaw. Being a Governor was hard work after all.

"Commander, it is good to see you again." She began. Her voice was smooth, and did not reflect the exhaustion that was beginning to become apparent on her face.

"Governor, we were just planning to deploy to the locations the Administratum advised us of. What a pleasant surprise."

"Those locations can wait, I'm afraid." She said. Aramus smiled. Of course they could. There was no reason she would contact them if there was not an immediate crisis.

"What has happened?" said Thaddeus. The Assault Sergeant was in his power armor, and the Alexian blade was sheathed at his side. Aramus suspected he had been in the practice cages.

"The Vandis heretics have struck Angel Spire in force." Derosa replied. "They have hit multiple Imperial Guard positions outside of Angel Gate, and have wiped them out completely. Worse, our scanners have gone dark around Angel Forge. Something is interfering with the machinery. We fear the worst."

"Commander," Said Tarkus, "Angel Forge is a valuable asset. If there is any risk that it could fall, we must deploy."

"There must be more to it." Said Avitus. "Those Guardsmen fought with us on Typhon correct? If so, they are not as weak as I had once imagined. Even a thousand of the Vandis scum could be dealt with by them."

"Yes." Replied Derosa, "I fear something is very wrong. The 85th Vendoland is no pushover. If they are losing positions this quickly, the Vandis troops must outnumber them greatly, or have some other trick up their sleeve."

Aramus thought for a moment. "We will deploy in force. Borian, Mercutio, and Magnus will remain aboard the Retribution for now. The rest will join me in deploying. I would have Captain Thule come as well. Where are the majority of the heretics consolidated?"

"Most of them are about a mile outside of Angel Gate. However, we have no contact with any of the forces on the inside. Shouldn't you deploy marines there Commander?"

"No. Not yet at least." He said. "Blood Ravens do not act without knowledge. We will not perform a blind drop. After defeating the heretics outside of Angel Gate, we will make our way to the Forge on foot. If more marines are required, they can drop then."

"How soon can you deploy Commander?" asked Derosa.

"Within the next few hours. We must believe in the Emperor, and in those guardsmen inside the Forge. They will do their duty, of that I am sure."

With a curt nod, Derosa cut the link. Then Aramus stood and said, "Prepare your squads Brothers. Knowledge is power, guard it well."

As the Sergeants made to leave, Aramus reached out and stopped Endymion. He also noted that Cyrus and Ariston were waiting in the corner of the bridge. He made it a point to speak with them after finishing his business with Endymion.

"Can I help you Commander?" asked Endymion. He was wearing his power armor already, though he was weaponless save for his bolt pistol. The red adamantine mantle flowed behind his back, and his armor was encrusted with gold. As expected from Thule's former second in command. His bald head bore two silver service studs, each signifying fifty years of service as a Sergeant, and his multiple scars were a testament to his bravery.

"Yes." Said Aramus. "You are Angelos' man now, Sergeant Endymion. I do not feel that I have the authority to command you. Do you plan to deploy with us?"

"Captain Thule was my old Commander, and I may be presumptuous in saying this, but I believe you to be his successor. I will follow your command."

"I see." Replied Aramus. He nodded, satisfied at the answer, and not only because he was praised. "I will have you remain aboard the Retribution then. I must ask as well, why did you remain behind and not Sergeant Corallis?"

Endymion smiled broadly. "Corallis is Captain Angelos' confidant, and the good Captain wanted someone to keep an eye on you anyway."

"Does he not trust me?" laughed Aramus.

"He does, but there is no denying that the 4th Company is dreadfully under strength." He lowered his voice, "And between us, Captain Angelos believes that something else is afoot in the subsector. He wants the 4th Company to be ready to deal with anything."

"Very well. I will be happy to accept your aid." He clapped Endymion on the pauldrons, "But do not steal all the glory. My Astartes and I would not appreciate it."

"I would not dream it Commander. I have had my share of glory in this life." With a slight wave, Endymion left to prepare his squads. If the Commander was in trouble, they needed to be ready to deploy at any time.

"Commander, a word with you." Said Cyrus. The scout stepped forward, Ariston at his side.

"Speak, Sergeant." Replied Aramus.

"We request to stay aboard the Armageddon. I would like to look over the reports gleaned from the Administratum, and Ariston would be useful assistance."

"That is acceptable." Said Aramus. "Your eyes for the subtleties of war are better than most. I will leave it to you then."

"Thank you Commander. Ariston and I will get to work immediately."

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Nikephoros knelt in the armory, examining his weapons prior to the combat drop. After the skirmish on Aurelia, he dared not tell his battle brothers about the bolter he had found. He did not want to lie, but when asked he said that it was a relic found there. There would be no reason to suspect he was lying. It tore at his conscience however. As he rubbed machine oil on the receiver, he swore to speak with Chaplain Automemos after the battle. He or Codicier Orion would certainly know what to do about the weapon. He was not one to speculate, but the return of his destroyed bolter could not be anything good.

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On the other side of the armory, Nathaniel Augustine prepared his battered armor for the coming fight. He ran his gauntleted hands over the scarred ceramite of his helmet. The right side was charred black, and torn by shrapnel from the explosion that shattered his jump pack. It had been easily replaced, unlike the systems of his helmet. The vox was dead, and the autosenses badly damaged. The artificers aboard the Retribution had worked on it during the whole voyage from Aurelia, and had managed to get it environmentally sealed at least. He quietly donned it, sealing the gorget with careful hands.

The HUD activated, blurry and flickering. After a few moments, Augustine decided it was more trouble than it was worth, and shut down all but the most basic functions. Now all that remained was the white outline of the FoF identifier. He panned his head around the armory, ensuring that this basic function was working. Sure enough, the armored bodies of his brothers were marked with a blue outline, signaling a friendly.

He left the helmet on, seeing Thaddeus pace down the line of assault marines. Almost as one, they stood from their lockers, sheathing their weapons and attaching the final magazines and grenades to their armor. Bandoliers were too cumbersome for Astartes hands, and almost all ammunition was attached directly to the power armor by way of magnetic clamps.

The walk to the drop pod bay was silent. There was nothing to discuss. There were heretics on the planet below, staining it with their very existence, and it was the sacred duty of the Adeptus Astartes here to purge it utterly. Standing in the tall ceilinged room, Augustine could see that Commander Aramus was taking no risks with this drop. The entire Company could be found here. Some, like his squad and Tarkus', were standing near the drop pod conveyer belt, ready to strap themselves in before the large capsule was sealed into a launch port. Augustine glanced over Tarkus' squad, looking for Lyon and Nikephoros. His Brother Lyon stood quietly off to one side of the squad, listening to Tarkus give final instructions about the mission at hand. As a tactical marine, he needed to be ready to adapt for anything. Tarkus' planning sessions lasted longer than any Sergeant's, save for Cyrus'. Augustine's eyes next fell on Nikephoros. The pale marine was currently helmetless, and tapped his fingers anxiously on his bolter. Was it not destroyed on Typhon though? Augustine remembered that weapon well when he had last spoken with the Pale Monster in the armory, and his memory was perfect. This new weapon had a dark mark on its barrel, and knowing Nikephoros' weapon cleaning habits, this meant the mark was most likely permanent. Augustine put it from his mind as his eyes lazily passed over the rest of the room.

On the far side, the reserve squads waited. With them was Sergeant Endymion, the auxiliary from the 3rd Company. Unlike the relatively simple armor of the 4th Company Sergeants, Endymion's armor was a work of art, marked with gold lettering and emblems that signified valor in combat. He had won six iron halos and an exemplary marksman award. In contrast, Tarkus had only one iron halo medal, awarded after the battle of Thur'Abis plateau on Kronus. Endymion sat with his thunder hammer across his lap, speaking quietly with Sergeant Magnus. The 4th Company's assault sergeant was showing off his power fist, laughing boisterously at the quiet words of Endymion.

Near Aramus, several unusual figures stood. Apothecary Harkon was rechecking the contents of his narthecium. It was odd for him to deploy. As the chief apothecary of the 4th Company, he was expected to remain aboard the Strike Cruiser. However, he had no apprentice, and without one he was the only marine qualified to remove the gene-seed from the fallen. Next to him was Codicier Orion. In his right hand was a long staff, capped with the double headed eagle that was so emblematic of the Imperium. It glowed with an unearthly light, and seemed to break up darkness that Augustine did not even notice. His armor was encrusted with purity seals and was a deep blue, in contrast with the red armor of his brothers. The only identifying mark on the librarian was the raven on his shoulder. Chaplain Automemos was ready for battle as well. The elderly chaplain was magnificent. His black, bone inlaid armor was the very incarnation of terror, and the badge of his office, the Crozius Arcanum, glowed ruby in his right hand. Finally, the great form of Davian Thule, silent and dreadful in his squat dreadnought sarcophagus, stood ponderously near a specialized drop pod. He was outfitted with an assault cannon, and his close combat arm had a heavy flamer attached. He was an inspiring sight, and the brutal deaths he caused were always something to behold.

Augustine broke his gaze and returned his attention to Thaddeus. He had already put on his helmet and stood at the door of the drop pod.

"Brothers, this planet means much to me." he said. There was a certain softness in his voice that Augustine could not identify. "I do not wish to see my old home overrun by madmen and heretics. I do not wish to see its people suffer. The citizens of Meridian should not have to live in constant fear of violent death and invasion. That is why we exist, is it not? We are Space Marines, the bulwark against the terror. We can protect them all. I swear that I will, by the Great Father and the Emperor. Do you so swear?"

Augustine stepped forward, clenching his right fist tightly. "If that is your order Sergeant, we will heed it. These vile traitors will rue the day they drew the wrath of the Blood Ravens."

"Augustine has become quite the orator." Said Hypion with a wave of the hand. "Where did you learn that skill brother?"

"A passing moment of inspiration, Brother Hypion. I will leave the blandishments to you from now on."

Saul raised his voice as the laughter subsided, "Levity aside, our brother speaks true. Let us leave none of these traitors alive. After all, they are only mortal."

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Merrick calmly fired his hellgun at the encroaching heretics. His squad had leapt over their sandbag defenses and was taking cover with their backs to Angel Gate. The defenders of the Forge area had been scattered by a lightning attack that came from nowhere. Merrick and Seamus' squads were the only ones that held their ground. The majority had simply pulled back, leaving the sixteen guardsmen stranded. After letting off a burst from his weapon, he scanned the area. The Dogs, as Connor had called them, were not packing any heavy weapons, so the grenadiers were safe for the time being.

"You have a count?" Merrick said to Kippler after pulling his head behind the sandbag wall.

"About forty." The marksman replied. "More are coming from the west though."

"The west?" Merrick said incredulously. The marksman nodded as if the answer was obvious.

"The west." He confirmed. After firing a single shot from his long las, he turned back to the Sergeant Major.

"You know Kippler, I'm starting to think this damn gate isn't doing any good at all."

'What gave you that idea sir?" Kippler asked, "The tyranids, the orks, the Eldar, or these bastards?"

"Very funny." Said Merrick as he opened up on a group of Dogs trying to advance. He shot two dead, and the others weren't too keen on approaching any more. Then Merrick dropped to his belly, and crawled to Alek's position behind a x shaped tank trap. The boy was firing his hellgun slowly and deliberately. Despite the inferior numbers, the guardsmen had the advantage. With their grenade launchers and heavier armor, they were able to deal massive damage to the poorly equipped heretics.

"Alek, lad, can you get Uther on the vox?" he nudged the boy over a foot, and began firing from behind the same tank trap. He loaded a grenade in his under barrel launcher and carefully aimed at a group of heretics in cover about fifty yards to the southeast. He fired, and the grenade arced out, hitting a mass of rockcrete in front of them. Merrick cursed and dropped flat as a hail of rounds pelted the tank trap in retribution. With a squeal, Alek hit the ground hard, struck by a round in the chest.

"Lad, you hurt?" Merrick shouted. He checked him over quickly. Alek was alright. The round had struck his heavy chest armor and been deflected. Merrick helped the boy up and made sure he was ok.

"I'm fine sir. Just a bit startled." He sat down, his back against the tank trap. The fire was starting to divert to other locations. Merrick smirked as Remer fired a krak grenade at the location Merrick had just fired at. Unlike his frag grenade, Remer's krak completely demolished the rockcrete barrier and killed the group huddling behind it.

"Get some, Vandis scum!" the Daredevil shouted. He fired another grenade at a brace of men setting up a heavy stubber, and laughed as their limbs were blown into the air.

"Don't get cocky Lenham!" laughed Vornas. The bulky grenadier began firing his own launcher, killing even more Vandis hostiles. Merrick cursed though. Kippler was right. The numbers of the enemy were increasing dramatically. There were at least fifty coming, maybe more.

"Alek," he said, slapping the boy on the helmet. "Can you get Captain Uther on the vox?"

"I tried Sergeant Major," he replied, "The long range vox seems to be down."

"Why the hell is that?"

He shrugged, "Emperor knows, some sort of distortion has it."

"Keep trying. I'll leave it to you."

Merrick rolled on his side to Wadden Hurst. He had a look of annoyance on his aristocratic face, and his cheek was bleeding from where a shard of rockcrete had cut it.

"Waddy, how is your microbead working?"

"Wadden, and its fine." He replied.

"Alright, it's a stretch, but I want you to try something for me."

"Shoot," said Hurst. He stopped firing and went prone to better listen to Merrick.

Merrick spoke quickly. It was a long plan and they didn't have much time. "Alright, long vox is down, and we need to regroup with the main company. See if you can contact another squad on the microbead, we are gonna relay a message to Uther squad by squad. They are going to need to come relieve us here. Any more of these dogs show up and we'll be pinned down."

Hurst nodded. It was a long shot, but it could work. "I'll do my best Sergeant Major. What if it doesn't work?"

"Always preparing for the worst eh?" laughed Merrick. "If it doesn't work, I guess we'll have to kill every last one of them and find the good Captain ourselves."

"Works for me." Replied Hurst.

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Outside of Angel Gate, the Vandis heretics didn't know what hit them. One moment they were stripping the bodies of fallen guardsmen and the next they were under attack from almost every direction. Space Marines armed with bolt pistols and chainswords tore into their flanks and those that fled were only cut down by bolter fire from other marines. The few left dropped to their knees in a panic where they were calmly dispatched.

The drop pods had landed widely spread in the ruined warehouse district outside Angel Gate. The massed heretics were easy prey for the deployed Astartes, and the marines gathered as soon as the landing zone was clear.

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The sky is dark today. That was the first thought that ran through Ocella Lyon's head after the gunfire stopped. The air was filled with dirt, and a hot wind blew between the ruins of the warehouse district. It was only when Lyon looked up that he remembered that they were not under the sun at all. The sky above was a hurricane of dirt and debris, swirling and ever changing. It dimmed the lights from the roof high above, and was the cause of the odd climate. Lyon had never seen its like before.

"Sergeant Tarkus, above us." He said, pointing at the odd storm.

Tarkus looked up at the sky, and slowly breathed out. "Warpcraft. I would not mistake it."

"So Codicier Orion says." Aramus arrived next to Tarkus' squad, with the dark skinned librarian at his side. Behind him, Avitus' squad was still pumping rounds into a building thought to be occupied by heretics. Thaddeus' squad was en route. Their drop pod had landed a hundred yards to the east.

"How could mere heretics have done this?" Nikephoros muttered. He turned slowly, looking far and wide. The storm stretched more than a mile in every direction, and possibly covered the entire level in its thick smog.

"They must have enacted some sort of dark ritual." Said Orion. He had a look of apprehension on his wrinkled face, making him look even older than he already did. He gripped his staff tightly. The golden glow of the tip provided a beacon in the typhoon of grit. "Emperor knows what other side affects it could be having."

The marines turned as the ground rumbled. Two hundred yards away, a building collapsed after taking a hit from one of Linus' missiles. Turning from their devastation, Avitus' squad joined up with the group. All that remained was Thaddeus' squad and Captain Thule. After a few moments, they arrived, bounding over collapsed buildings and debris filled streets on their jump packs before landing heavily next to the mass of Astartes.

"Apologies Commander." Said Thaddeus. His armor was dripping with blood, and the Alexian blade was unsheathed and lit. "We ran into a score of heretics. Nothing remains now, they proved less than threatening."

"It is good that you have joined us Thaddeus." Said Aramus. Like always, his head was exposed to the elements, though the iron halo was attached to his armor. It would provide him protection a helmet would not. "Did you find Captain Thule? This storm is causing vox malfunction."

Before Thaddeus could respond, four heretics flew out of a small alleyway behind the group, hitting the ground hard enough to leave massive pools of blood as they skidded to a stop. Moments later, another group of Vandis' men fled out the same alleyway, the ground erupting behind them. Before they could even cross the street they were torn to bloody chunks by a stream of assault cannon rounds.

"I AM DEATH. THERE IS NO ESACPE." The ground shook as the dreadnought emerged behind them. A survivor, having only lost his leg, tried to crawl away. As it passed, the mighty dreadnought lowered its fist to the ground, smearing the heretic into a red paste. Thule trudged over to the waiting marines. "THERE WERE MANY OF THIS SCUM. FEW REMAIN."

"So we can see, Captain Thule." Said Aramus. He inclined his head towards the librarian next to him. "Codicier, what does the warp tell you."

Orion blinked. "The walls between reality and the warp here are thin. The unholy rites the heretics have no doubt committed are tearing the materium to shreds."

"We should destroy these heretics then. If the ritual is allowed to continue, this situation can only get worse."

"I was planning on that from the start." Said Avitus gruffly. "Let us kill all of this filth. Librarian, where is the veil the thinnest?"

"I am surprised you know such a term." Said Orion. "The veil is an idea that requires knowledge of psykana."

"We are Blood Ravens." Said Avitus, not too proudly. "Knowledge is power."

"Indeed it is." Chuckled Orion. "This heresy is strongest to the southeast. A rift has been torn in reality. It would be prudent to investigate, but we should not stray too close."

Aramus nodded and waved the force into motion. He hefted Remembrance and led the way. It felt good in his hands. He had missed the weight of the thunder hammer, and relished using it on more foes.

The bolter was still effective, and fired just as he remembered it. Against the scattered heretics the Astartes fought as they advanced on the distant rift, Nikephoros' weapon felt like it had never left his hands. It had the same kick that he remembered, and reloading it was just as simple as before.

The hostiles encountered seemed to be fleeing as soon as they saw the Blood Ravens. Nikephoros knew how terrifying they must look, but were the forces of Chaos not mindless? Above the shattered roofs around them, he could see a pink glow resonating from the distance. Soon, they moved into a wide, flat area that was once a staging ground for vehicular shipments throughout the Hive. The rusted machinery lay shattered amongst the piles of corpses.

From here, the marines could see the rift directly. It stood twenty feet high and stretched almost the same distance wide. It was translucent, and on the other side the marines could see the warehouse that had housed Vandis' stolen artifacts. The area around the rift was swarming with Vandis heretics. While some saw the Space Marines, they ignored them and continued walking towards the portal. Like a ravenous beast, they disappeared into its depths, and once the last was gone, the rift closed as if it had never been there in the first place.

"What witchery is this?" demanded Avitus. He stepped forward, hefting his heavy bolter in every direction looking for targets. After finding none, he waved his squad forward. The rest of the strike force slowly followed, examining the area. When they reached the fallen warehouse, they beheld the massacre that had taken place there.

"All these guardsmen killed." Muttered Thaddeus sadly.

"They could not handle a few heretics." Scoffed Avitus. "They did not deserve to live."

"They gave their all, and were in over their heads, Avitus. You should respect their sacrifice."

Avitus shook his head and returned to where Aramus and Orion stood. They were discussing their next course of action.

"Commander, I know not how these lowly heretics could create something like this." Orion's apprehension had moved to his voice. Suddenly he stumbled, holding his head. "Gah, the portal. It is opening again, inside Angel Gate!"

"This was a distraction Commander. Somehow the Vandis traitors knew we would come." Said Tarkus.

"We must make all haste," replied Aramus. "They will pay for this."

The marines turned and ran south towards the Forge area. They encountered no resistance, but as they approached they saw a glow emanating from the distance, behind Angel Gate.
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The battle was on their side for a while. Merrick's gambit had been a success, and the scattered remains of the 4th grenadier's company had been partially consolidated through the use of their microbeads. After a few minutes of fierce fighting, the Vandis dogs had been pushed west by a flanking maneuver led by Captain Uther. The 4th Company now completely held the east side of the Forge area, as well as the southern section containing the Forge itself.

Merrick hugged the ground as his squad broke from cover near the Gate. They ran with Seamus' squad to the raised wall that bordered the east side of the central street. Uther's remnant provided suppressive fire, unloading thousands of rounds on the Dogs' defenses. As he reached cover, Merrick threw himself down next to the Captain himself.

"Glad you got the message, Captain." He said. He got up into a crouch and began firing his weapon. The push was highly effective, and it looked like the guardsmen would be able to advance west soon. The heretics would be trapped and crushed.

Uther laughed, firing his bolt pistol periodically. "It was Connor who heard it. Glad she did too. I'd hate to lose you Merrick."

"I'd hate to die."

Uther smiled as one of his bolt rounds struck home. "In truth, your little trick probably saved the Company. I'll be sure to put you in for a commendation after this."

"Not a chance. My men did it all, sir." Merrick didn't want medals. He'd be happy just as long as his squad made it out in one piece. "Where is the Commissar anyway?"

"She's leading a small squad, searching the eastern section of the Forge area for stragglers. We need all the men we can get Even the hundred and forty I found won't be able to fully purge the Vandis dogs."

Merrick was about to reply that he did fine with sixteen when something caught his eye. In the center of the road, a spark of electricity lashed out, rippling across fallen lampposts and pieces of broken plasteel. The gunfire stopped on both sides of the street as the rockcrete cracked. At the center of the road, an area of warped space was emerging. A sphere of blue lightning and darkness opened into a wide mass of purple miasma.

"Warp portal!" shouted Uther. Around him, the soldiers of the 4th Grenadiers Company were turning white with fear. Their hands trembled as they aimed their weapons at the expanding area of warpspace. Soon, figures began to emerge from the darkness. Hundreds of Vandis' men appeared out of nowhere, charging at the Guard line. They leapt up over the raised divider, engaging the guardsmen in close combat. The grenadiers fired their weapons at point-blank range, throwing dozens of the heretics back to lie dead on the street. Though dozens died, the heretics began to gain the advantage. While normally a Vandis soldier would be no match for an Imperial Guardsman, much less a grenadier, the men of the 4th Company were deeply disturbed by the sight of the portal, and their combat skills suffered.

Merrick shot down a Vandis dog with a rusty saber and then slammed the muzzle of his weapon into the chest of the next bastard to climb the lip of the wall. He didn't even need a bayonet on the hellgun. The man fell dead, his sternum. The sound of bolterfire drew Merrick's attention. Uther was gunning down the traitors left and right. Then he was out, just as two of the Dogs leapt at him, weapons raised. A guardsman nearby shot one and by that time the Captain had his chainsword out. It impaled the heretic in the top left of his chest and with a kick, Uther sent him down to join the other dead below.

Another wave of heretics crashed into the Guard line. Three men near Uther were gunned down by point blank autofire. The Captain himself was only saved by his refractor field. As the heretic reloaded, he took a long las shot to the head, losing it in an explosion of gore. Merrick gave quick thumbs up to Kippler before turning his weapon on the nearest Vandis Dog. The guardsmen began to gain the advantage. Their fear began to subside, and the heretics found themselves being pushed back across the road. Some found cover with their comrades on the west side. The majority were shot in the back as they attempted to withdraw, and the grenades fired from the many launchers peppered the remainder with deadly shrapnel.

Merrick began to laugh as he fired. "Is this all you have, you bastards?" He shouted at them as he killed. They had probably risked everything on this attack, and it was failing utterly. For every guardsman killed, there were probably ten dead heretics. But Merrick's laugh grew cold in his throat as the portal flared again. Inhuman figures emerged, the likes of which were all too familiar to Merrick. His face paled as the first emerged from the obscuring miasma.

It was a mockery of the blessed form of the Adeptus Astartes. The thing that had emerged from the portal eight feet of red power armor. It was a red like the color of a festering scab, trimmed with silver and inlaid with bone and other devilish markings. He was helmetless, and showed off an ash grey face that was lined with scars and burns. A Chaos Space Marine, an enemy that Merrick had only heard stories about had arrived. Had the Vandis dogs been working towards this?

Fear gripped him as more began to emerge from the portal. Another in the same red armor emerged to stand next to the first. This new one wore a twin pronged helmet and carried a staff that seemed to resonate with the same energy that made up the portal. After the two, twenty more emerged gathered around the one in red. Their armor was black, and marked with a red eye on the pauldron. Save for the crackling of the portal, all was silent. The guardsmen were stiff with fear, and the Vandis dogs in awe. This silence broke with the harsh laughter of the black armored chaos marines. Its grating noise rose into a frenzy of shouts and cries that centered on a single phrase.

"We are returned."