Vigilus, Polar Glaciers.
Markus, clad in Mark III Power Armour, led a team for the first time as a Chaplain.
Internal oxygen supply ensured smooth breathing; temperature regulators shielded them from the cold.
Hearing the sound of wings slicing through the air, Markus immediately barked over the comm-channel.
"They're here. Prepare for the hunt."
He raised his arm, lifting the arc projector.
The mantises that appeared were similar in size to ordinary humans.
The difference lay in their bulbous abdomens, each bearing two large mouths, with an additional mouth at the tail.
'Mutated mantis monstrosities?'
Markus wondered briefly, then issued the order.
"Attack!"
The Shadows of Order pulled their triggers. Brilliant arcs of electricity filled the cavern.
Screeching shrieks erupted. The mantis monstrosities' bodies grew blacker from the electricity, but they did not fall.
Their leathery wings displayed purplish-red patterns, raised like sails.
"Increase output! Level Four!"
Markus commanded. The arc projectors, designed based on Yugar technology and continuously refined during hunts, could now adjust power output based on target resilience with a single switch.
The Shadows of Order turned dials. Energy cells flashed yellow runes, then turned green.
The electrical arcs grew brighter, slashing through the dark cavern like lightning, striking the mantis monstrosities.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
One after another, mantises dropped to the ground.
Markus opened a channel, ordering the follow-up team to transport the mantises his father required.
Ending the call, the team advanced. The passage widened, as if entering a great dome.
Stone columns thrust downwards from above, suspended over their heads.
The "Sleepless" from Mordian looked up.
Possessing exceptional vision in darkness, the "Sleepless" immediately saw the black mantises clinging to the stone columns.
He shouted a warning over the comm-channel.
"Mantises! Above!"
Markus immediately ordered, "Combat formation! Mutual cover!"
The Shadows of Order instantly formed groups of three, back-to-back, raising their weapons.
With an ear-splitting shriek, countless black shadows swarmed down from above, scythe-like serrated hooks slashing.
The Shadows of Order calmly pulled their triggers. Those selected for the guard were elites from each Chapter; every shot hit its mark.
One after another, black forms crashed to the ground, yet the air remained thick with shadows.
Endless Calamity Mantises screeched, their abdominal mouths gaping, disgusting mucus spattering down.
Mucus struck personal energy shields, sizzling sharply.
The Shadows of Order smelled an exceptionally pungent stench, simultaneously thinking:
'The mucus from the Calamity Mantises' mouths is highly corrosive.'
A "Bard" suddenly began singing, his voice clear, resonating through the comm-channel.
The Shadows of Order felt strength surge within, as if freshly rested, unburdened by the march and battle.
Their arm movements, their trigger pulls, grew slightly faster.
Thump-thump-thump...
Calamity Mantises fell faster, piling layer upon layer within the cavern.
In Markus's vision, the black shadows noticeably thinned.
At that moment, a sharp shriek echoed. A massive form, comparable in size to an Astartes, leaped down from above.
With a crackling sound, it evaded several electrical arcs.
The "Sleepless's" eyes grew profound. His spiritual intuition sharpened in the darkness. He suddenly pulled the trigger.
The electrical arc shot out, not aiming at the Calamity Mantis, seemingly missing.
The next instant, the arc struck the leathery wing as if the mantis had flown into it.
Sizzle!
The massive Calamity Mantis spun downwards, crashing.
The "Monster" suddenly shouted over the comm-channel, "It's faking! It's not out!"
Markus immediately drew his Crozius Arcanum.
Though newly introduced to the Astartes Legions, the Crozius Arcanum already had many forms.
It was typically crafted as a scepter or maul, topped with the Imperial Aquila or a winged skull symbolizing the Emperor's sacrifice for humanity.
Some Chaplains used special decorations; the Salamanders resembled artisan hammers more closely.
The Shadows of Order Chaplains adorned their scepters with spread wings, symbolizing their gene-father's golden wings.
Markus strode forward, simultaneously increasing the Crozius Arcanum's energy field intensity. The diving Calamity Mantis was clearly a mutated lifeform, stronger than its kin.
Chanting a hymn, he charged swiftly towards the black shadow.
The Calamity Mantis swung its pair of scythes, slashing down fiercely.
With a loud crack, the mantis's twin scythes struck the personal energy shield.
Its bulbous abdomen curled, three gaping mouths biting forward, blocked by the energy shield, mucus splattering.
Markus's body swayed. Warning runes flashed on his helm.
The mutated Calamity Mantis's slash and bite had drained 74% of the personal energy shield's power.
The "Bard" knew he couldn't withstand another strike. Relying on his enhanced post-ascension physique, he weathered the impact.
The "Bard" swung the Crozius Arcanum, smashing it onto the mutated Calamity Mantis's head.
Blue light crackled. The carapace sizzled. Stars swam in the mantis's eyes.
Its raised scythes went limp, dropping to the ground.
"It's really out this time."
The approaching "Sleepless" carefully examined it, firing a supplemental shot. The mutated mantis's body twitched instinctively.
While the Chaplain led the hunt for Calamity Mantises, Nareth was flying towards a newly discovered ruin.
The "Archaeologist" and "Mystery Pryer" had discovered a crumbling ruin northeast of the one excavated by House Agamemnus.
After receiving the report and noting a broken statue within the new ruin, Nareth decided to investigate personally.
Nelson, piloted the Aquila Lander towards the target.
The black Aquila Lander smoothly navigated away from the Vhulian Swirl, flying over the dusty wasteland towards the objective.
Dust storms laden with chemical waste billowed upwards. Smaller than the Vhulian Swirl, they were more common in the vast wastelands between hives.
The "Machine" set the augurs to maximum power, mentally charting the fastest, safest route.
The black Aquila elegantly weaved through the dust storms, not a grain of sand touching its hull.
The best pilots on Vigilus, whether of aircraft or transport vehicles, would marvel.
The Aquila Lander's landing gear deployed, touching down steadily. Dust blew away in calculated directions, leaving the pristine fuselage untouched.
Nareth stepped onto the wasteland.
Any unprotected human crossing the wastes between hives would die swiftly, but for him and the Shadows of Order, it posed little danger.
The Shadows of Order had established a cordon, isolating a two-kilometer radius around the ruin.
"Father."
Nareth nodded slightly. "Lead the way."
Following the Shadows of Order member, he reached the entrance, descending via cable to a depth of 1.3 kilometers underground.
The "Archaeologist" had already excavated its general outline. Nareth passed through a stone archway, gazing at the broken statue.
The statue's lower half remained only a thick right leg.
The upper half retained part of a muscular chest connected to a severed left arm, with a tattered bat-wing covering the left shoulder.
The head was reduced to a ferocious, gaping maw.
Nareth looked at the fragmented images on the crumbling walls. He saw patterns similar to the earlier murals: tiny black figures in worship.
Suddenly, his pupils constricted. He walked to the right, examining the mural's edges.
He saw mantis after mantis, identifying them as Calamity Mantises by the mouths on their abdomens and tails.
'Could the Calamity Mantises be connected to the being worshipped by the ancient race depicted in the statue and murals?'
After inspecting the area, Nareth returned before the statue.
He gazed at it. Countless lines flashed through his mind. He thought silently:
'Though difficult, I can indeed reconstruct it.'
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu