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Hermannus,
290th Lunar Cycle in this the year of our most benevolent Emperor……

Chaplain Darain sat motionless in the Thunderhawk as it screamed down on to the planets surface; he could see the vapour trails of his brothers’ transports cutting the same vector through the atmosphere on their descent. He prayed to take his mind off the drop but also to steel himself for what was about to happen. This was the final act of the Dark Angels on this blasted planet. The incursion that had started over five Terran Months ago had all culminated in this last push. Chaplain Darain was to meet his brother marines’ and build up momentum to reclaim what the enemies of the lion had taken from the chapter. That was all that was needed of him. As the Dark Angels descended Darain lifted his head from his prayers and readied himself for touch down.

The landing skids groaned under the weight of the troopship as it hit the ground with a fast burn landing. Without hesitation the old chaplain and his accompanying tactical squad silently disembarked. Squad Zaziel followed their spiritual leader off the landing platform towards the Dark Angels’ last fortification on the half destroyed planet.

‘Brother Darain, back so soon?’ Commented a low voice on the Chaplains entry to the command bunker.

‘Brother Librarian Gabriel, it honours me that you have decided to stay with us in our final act on this Emperor forsaken planet, but for what reason is the mystery’

‘The chance to purge the enemies of the Emperor and the Lion is all I ask’ commented Gabriel as he engaged Darain in a hardy forearm grip that had replaced a common handshake in the days of the first great crusade.

The bunker was being emptied by mindless servitors as the two heros of the chapter discussed the task at hand. The force options left at their disposal were tight but adequate. The command centre was being systematically disassembled because the Dark Angels were pulling away from this planet, leaving it to the warring Xenos that infested the warzone. Their orders were to finish the mission that brother Sergeants Gravian and Castiel had started but given their lives for. It was a great loss to the third battle company as the veteran sergeants had been highly honoured in the chapter. Gravian had been watched by the Inner Circle for a considerable amount of time. He was to be elevated to the ranks of the Deathwing on his return to the Chapter after the Hermannus campaign. It pained Darain to lose such a worthy Brother, but knew his comrade and friend was safe and protected by the Lion in his second life, waiting for the final battle and the return of their Primarch.

‘We have three full tactical squads, and a full scout squad armed for infiltration and support, the third company have also assigned some heavy weapons in the form of a devastator squad and a Vindicator, blessed as the ‘Lions Fury’ reported Darain as they stood and discussed resources while observing a tactical holomap projected into the middle of the bunkers command room. The holo projector was the last piece of tech left in the bunker, giving the impression that the time for military action was on them. Gabriel still had two dreadnoughts, Brother Ezikael and Brother Job, as well as the only transports left from the initial assault. A rhino and a Razorback would serve them well, ‘lets just hope the machine spirits have been appeased as the fighting on the planet had been relentless.’





With the remainder of Sergeant Cael’s assault squad, only numbering half their starting strength and a lone ravenwing landspeeder christened ‘Raptor Raven’ the marines had their force. Despite being made up of the lucky survivors of the conflict, Darain thanked the Emperor and the Lion for the blessings of his battle brothers.


The two marines turned from the holo map and moved towards the thick ceramite door of the bunker. As they left the projector, a servitor removed it in an instant as to emphasise the fact that this is truly the last chance for the Dark Angels to put the ghosts on Hermannus to rest. Gabriel smiled to himself as he issued the orders to stand ready to the assembled force through his helmet comms.

‘All units report in, we fight for the Lion once more’

Darain turned to Gabriel as the heavy doors opened, the first of Hermannus’ early dawn light creeping over the horizon and through the ever widening door way. Dust and sand started swirling as if in protest against what this battle force was about to do,

‘Gabriel, this is the end game for this planet, and it is by the Emperor’s grace that there are so many of his foes on it. It is almost like the planet knows what is going to happen. We have only a limited time to get done what we have come here to do. The retrieval of the remains of our battle brothers is of the utmost importance, as I believe they found what they came to Investigate. The highest orders of our chapter have tasked us with this duty, and they have issued just one more edict regarding Hermannus.’

‘Does this mean that we are going to leave this planet to its own torturous devices’ replied Gabriel.

‘Aye brother, if there is anything left of it.’