The flat grey of the machine was broken here and there with rust spots indicating where it had oxidized either during entry or just over the years.
“That thing must be more than 300 years old, it is older than the Imperium,” Ker-Hatar said over the vox, “Truly we face barbarians if they are willing to travel in such junk. I almost relish fighting against such savages.”
There were a few nods of accent in the squad before Sen-Tamen’s voice came over the vox, “Barbarians, they may be, savages they may be, but do not despise your enemies. Remember: these men had the courage to travel to our world in such a device. Their drive was so strong to get here that they were even willing to come down in that.”
Savage was an appropriate word to be bandied about. The Space Wolves line had been pushed back in places when the Thousand Sons had managed to organize a defense. In some places waves of psychic energy had rolled over the Imperial forces. In others, knowledge of the local area had allowed the Sons to lead the Wolves into dead end ambushes.
There had not been much fighting in the Funerary Complex of Apophis. The great tomb itself had some blast marks on it, an area of the floor had been damaged by a single drop pod that landed there and the reflecting pool was choking with ash. That was just as well, it would have only reflected ash as it came down from the burning going on everywhere.
Before Ker-Hatar had the chance to acknowledge his Captain’s point, Sen-Tamen’s voice came over the vox again, “Here they come, but they are coming from behind us.”
The small force whirled around to face the enemy as the Sons of Russ tromped over the same ground the Thousand Sons had just crossed.
Bolter fire streaked across the open area as Astartes warriors advanced on one another.
Among the grey armoured suits could be seen streaks of gold. The Adeptus Cusodes joined the fight as well.
Sen-Tamen sent liquid fire among his enemies, but the stream of energy did nothing. Then he saw why, Null Maidens were among the enemy ranks as well.
The Sisters broke to their right to go around a mastaba to attempt to outflank the Thousand Sons.
As the two forces advanced towards each other over the reflecting pool marine after marine dropped with mortal wounds torn through their bodies and the ash-grey waters of the pool slowly turned red.
As the marines ripped each other away, the Terminators fired on the advancing Adeptus Custodes and then rushed forward to meet their charge. The two sides smashed and slashed each other, gold streaks moving faster than mortal eyes could follow, as three glaives punched through the ceramite armour the last of the Terminators fell, blood pouring out of the holes, the damage overcoming any chance of the warrior’s coagualtory system being able to stem the flow of the life sustaining fluid.
Turning the custodies saw the last of the Sisters of Silence being cut down by last few marines. They let out a roar and charged towards the three remaining Thousand Sons. The astartes looked up at the massive golden armoured warriors bearing down on them. They stood no chance, but they stood their ground and fired. One bolter round smashed straight into the face of the lead Custode and he joined in on making a pink sludge in the reflecting pool.
Before he splashed into the water, though, his companions were among the enemy. A leg and hand were send flying with the first two swings of the power glaives, the marines barely had any time to reach before each glaive made a second pass and the marines that had been two pieces, then four, were now six.
The two armoured giants looked around. The last of the Thousand Sons was drawing back firing his heavy bolter wildly behind him as he went.
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April 28, 2024, 08:43:13 PM
