Time flowed within the massive hull of the Macragge's Honour, seemingly imbued with the cold, constant speed characteristic of steel. Day after day, week after week, three months quietly turned on the standard calendar.
For the Second Squad, these three months were exceptionally 'peaceful'.
There were no alarms for emergency deployments, no bloody close-quarters combat from boarding actions, no xenos uprisings requiring airborne suppression, and even border patrol missions became routine and uneventful. Their lives had fallen into an almost fixed cycle: high-intensity but uninspired training, meticulous maintenance of weapons and equipment, aimless chatter in the lounge, and… swallowing nutrient paste that even Chapter Master Marius Calgar would shake his head at—amazingly elastic and always smelling of disinfectant.
In the training ground next to the hangar, the roar of Bolters and the snarl of Chainswords temporarily ceased. The core members of the Second Squad—Sergeant Golden, Gaius, Dorian, and Luna—were sitting on metal benches in the lounge area, taking a short break. Dorian placed his prized eagle-faced helmet aside, steam rising from his head. He picked up a tube of grey-green nutrient paste, squeezed it into his mouth, chewed twice (though there wasn't much to chew), and made a disgusted face.
"Ugh! I've been eating this stuff for over eight years, and the damn taste hasn't changed!" he grumbled, swallowing hard, feeling the viscous paste slide down his throat. "And isn't it a bit too peaceful lately? I'm practically bored out of my mind! Even the greenskin brats, who love to cause trouble, have quieted down? This isn't normal!"
Sergeant Golden calmly ate his share of nutrient paste. Compared to Dorian's agitation, he appeared much more composed: "Peace is a good thing, Dorian. It means stable borders, fewer brothers dying in battle. Do you wish for war every day?"
"What's wrong with war?" Dorian's eyes widened. "War is what Astartes are meant to do! Stuck on a ship eating this garbage every day, my bones are going to rust!" He waved his thick arm. "If you ask me, there can't be true peace in this universe! Unless…"
He suddenly stood up, as if struck by a brilliant idea, his voice rising by eight octaves: "Unless we take the initiative! Wipe out all those damn xenos! Starting with those mysterious, pretentious Eldar! And those clanking skeleton Necrons! Then crush all those disgusting Tyranids and those noisy greenskins! Finally! Let those grim-faced, secretive Grey Knights figure out a way to charge into the Warp and wipe out the lairs of those four evil Chaos Gods! Then the entire universe will be peaceful! That's what I call true peace!"
The more he spoke, the more excited he became, as if he could already see the magnificent sight of the Imperial armies sweeping across the cosmos, completely purifying everything.
Gaius, who was wiping his 'Hawkeye' sniper rifle nearby, didn't even look up, calmly interrupting Dorian's unrealistic fantasy: "A beautiful vision, Dorian. Provided you can first find all the xenos' strongholds, and the Imperium has enough forces to fight on multiple fronts simultaneously, and… the Grey Knights first figure out how to safely delve deep into the Warp and 'eliminate' Chaos Gods, who are essentially conceptual entities. By the way, following your order, how do you plan to deal with 'those mysterious Eldar'? Don't forget, Eiras is still on board."
Dorian was momentarily choked by Gaius's calm series of rebuttals, especially the last sentence, which made him subconsciously shrink his neck and mumble, "…Eiras… Eiras is different… she's… well… one of us…"
Sergeant Golden sighed, tossing his empty nutrient paste tube into the recycling chute, and mused, "If only it were as simple as Dorian says. Unfortunately, the reality is that just the Tyranids and Chaos forces, these two main threats, have already left the Imperium exhausted and gravely wounded. We also have to constantly guard against harassment and opportunistic attacks from other xenos races. Peace… has always been fleeting and fragile."
Just as they were discussing the state of the universe and the current peace, a light figure, like a little rabbit, bounced over. It was Eiras. She had just finished a round of data entry, a relaxed smile still on her face, and naturally squeezed into the empty spot next to Dorian, even though Dorian's massive body almost filled the entire bench.
"Sergeant Golden! Lord Gaius! Lord Dorian! Lady Luna!" She called out each name, then, with a hint of excitement at discovering something new, said, "When I just came back from the upper data deck, I saw the Grey Knights!"
"Grey Knights?" Dorian's attention was immediately captured. "Those shiny silver guys? Where did you see them? Have they finally decided to crawl out of whatever corner they were hiding in?"
Eiras gestured: "Just over by Observation Corridor Seven, near the B-12 viewport. There were three of them, just standing there, motionless, looking out the viewport… I wonder what they were looking at… Stardust?" She tilted her head, looking a bit confused. The Grey Knights' behavior always seemed a bit incomprehensible to her.
Golden and Gaius also became interested. The Grey Knights' movements were always secretive; their active appearance in such a semi-public area was rare.
"Three people? Any distinguishing features?" Gaius asked, habitually collecting details.
Eiras tried to recall: "They all wore that silver-grey, very ornate-looking armor… Each one wore a helmet that looked like… well… an eagle's beak (eagle-faced helmet). As for weapons… one of them had a long, faintly glowing halberd (Nemesis Force Halberd), another had a really big, heavy-looking hammer (Nemesis Daemon Hammer), and the third had a sword, whose blade also seemed to glow, but not with a solid light (Nemesis Force Sword)…"
As Eiras described them, Dorian, Golden, and Gaius's expressions all became a bit subtle.
This configuration… sounded a little familiar?
Eagle-beak helmet… Force Halberd… Daemon Hammer… Nemesis Force Sword…
Dorian frowned, rubbing his rough stubble on his chin. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh with a loud thwack.
"Damn it! Isn't that Moreno and those three guys?!"
His shout startled Eiras.
Sergeant Golden and Gaius also instantly remembered. That's right! It was the first squad of Grey Knights who came to monitor Gaius, and later fought alongside them (or rather, mainly monitored Gaius) against the Tyranids on Catonia! Captain Moreno, who used a Nemesis Force Halberd; Valerius, who used a heavy Nemesis Daemon Hammer; and Kaldor, who used a Nemesis Force Sword. All three of them were injured in that battle and subsequently withdrew from the Macragge's Honour to recuperate.
"So it's those three again…" Golden mused, "They're back after recovering from their injuries? That's quite… a coincidence."
Gaius's gaze flickered slightly. Grey Knight squad rotations usually had no pattern, but it was uncommon for the same squad to be assigned to a monitoring mission again. This stirred an indescribably subtle feeling within him; the scene of the three of them cornering Gaius in the corridor was still vivid.
Dorian pouted: "Hmph, they got beaten by a big bug and scurried away, and now they're back stealthily? It's been months, hasn't it? I haven't seen a single Grey Knight, I thought they'd been replaced! They sure hide well!"
After all that had happened, Dorian now knew not to actively provoke the Grey Knights. Those guys were impervious to reason, and their combat power was abnormal; there was absolutely no benefit in angering them. He grumbled a few more words, and his attention quickly shifted away from the Grey Knights themselves.
His thoughts were always so erratic. Since he couldn't provoke the Grey Knights, then…
His gaze involuntarily drifted into the distance, his eyes began to glow, and dangerous thoughts started brewing in his mind again: "…Speaking of which… those Blood Ravens are so wild, they can even get their hands on Honor Guard equipment like the eagle-faced helmet… So in their armory… would they also have Grey Knight helmets? Even a decommissioned one would be fine! That silver-grey eagle-beak helmet would definitely look more imposing than this blue one! More rare!"
Once this thought arose, it grew wildly in his mind like a vine.
His low murmur did not escape Sergeant Golden's ears. Golden's face instantly darkened, and the veins on his forehead, which had only recently subsided, threatened to bulge again.
"Dec! Lan!" Golden's voice was almost squeezed through his teeth, filled with a strong warning, "Have you not had enough time in the brig?! Is this all you think about all day?! The Blood Ravens having Grey Knight helmets? Why don't you guess if their armory has your brain?! Do you believe me if I say that if you dare to have such a thought again, I'll 'stretch your muscles' right now and 'clear your head' for you?!"
Dorian flinched, shrinking his neck, and quickly waved his hands: "Hey, hey! Sergeant, don't get excited! I just said it casually, just casually! I wouldn't actually dare to ask!" He sounded submissive, but his darting eyes clearly indicated he was still plotting.
He now spent his days wandering the ship wearing that Ultramarines Honor Guard's eagle-faced helmet, and the Chapter Master naturally noticed. However, the Chapter Master did not say much about it, only privately telling Gorden that while Dorian's behavior was erratic and showy, his loyalty and courage were impeccable, and he had no ill intentions. As long as he didn't go too far, he could do as he pleased. This slightly increased Gorden's tolerance for Dorian's helmet—but only slightly.
But a Grey Knights' helmet? That was an entirely different matter! That represented one of the Inquisition's most core and impenetrable secret forces! If Dorian really dared to show off a Grey Knights' helmet, Gorden wouldn't even need to act. Moreno's squad would immediately 'purify' him and that helmet, leaving not even a speck, with their power halberds, daemonhammers, and force swords, under the charges of 'desecrating the sacred' and 'prying into secrets'!
Dorian seemed to realize the immense risks involved, and he gave an embarrassed laugh, temporarily pushing that extremely suicidal thought back into his mind.
But everyone knew that, given his personality, this thought would never simply vanish; it would only lie dormant in some corner, waiting for its next opportunity to resurface.
The peaceful days continued, but the reappearance of the Grey Knights' old shadow, and Dorian's perpetually restless heart, seemed to foreshadow unpredictable undercurrents beneath this calm.
Observation Gallery Seven, by viewport B-12.
Three silver-armored giants stood like statues, their cold eagle-faced helmets facing the massive reinforced glass window, beyond which flowed the eternal star sea and slowly swirling nebular dust. They were silent, as if merged with the ship's metal structure. Only the faint psychic glow emanating from their armor and the low hum of their power weapon cores proved their living existence.
This was not a strategic location, merely a scenic viewing area on the ship's upper deck with a wide vista. Choosing to remain here seemed more like… contemplation.
Finally, it was Valerius who broke the deadly silence, his voice, transmitted through his helmet's processor, carrying a metallic, heavy quality:
"Ninety-three standard days. Target Gaius has shown no abnormal activity whatsoever. Psychic readings are stable, with no signs of Chaos corruption. I have not even sensed the faintest echo of the Lord of Change's supposed whispers from him."
He turned his head slightly, the white eye lenses of his eagle-faced helmet looking at Squad Leader Moreno: "Captain. Is it possible… that the Lord of Change has indeed given up its attention on him? The destruction of Commorragh, Vect's distant flight, perhaps severed their connection?"
Squad Leader Moreno did not answer immediately. He continued to gaze at the deep void beyond the viewport, as if he could discern some answer from that ancient darkness. After a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice archaic and cold, devoid of any emotional fluctuation:
"Valerius, your observations are correct, but your conclusion is too hasty. We face the Lord of Change, the master of guile and deception. To it, seventy years are but a flick of the finger; seven years of peace may merely be a disguise and prelude to a deeper conspiracy."
His tone grew more solemn: "The greatest folly is to believe that one has achieved victory, or even temporary tranquility, in a chess game against the Lord of Change. Beneath a calm sea, the most deadly undercurrents often breed. Our duty is to be vigilant for the seemingly 'impossible' possibilities."
Kaldor, who had been silently observing, felt the faint glow of his force sword fluctuate slightly with his thoughts. He interjected, his voice relatively lower than the other two: "Squad Leader Moreno is absolutely right. However, we must also not forget the lesson of our last attempt at 'forced purification' on this vessel."
The word "lesson" made the silence of the three Grey Knights even heavier.
They clearly remembered that several years ago, also aboard the Macragge's Honour, in a corridor leading to the mess hall, the three of them had attempted to corner Gaius, preparing to use Grey Knights' authority to forcibly take him away for 'in-depth scrutiny' and even 'preemptive purification.' They believed it was a necessary act to fulfill their duty and eliminate a potential threat.
However, their actions almost instantly provoked the most intense reaction from the Ultramarines. Just as conflict was about to erupt, three Grey Knights Terminators—Angerthas, Hoss, and Kazatoki, known for his stubbornness and adherence to tradition—suddenly appeared as if they had anticipated it, forcefully stopping their actions.
Immediately afterward, Chapter Master Marius Calgar personally arrived at the scene. Chapter Master Calgar's anger pressed down on the corridor like a tangible force; he even directly mobilized the 1st Company to suppress the situation. He unceremoniously pointed out that on his ship, to use force against a highly decorated battle-brother with no evidence of defection, without his permission, was a tremendous insult and provocation to the Ultramarines Chapter, and a severe violation of the principle of Chapter autonomy advocated by the Astartes Codex.
That confrontation was tense, the atmosphere stretched to its breaking point. Ultimately, under the mediation and pressure of the three Grey Knights Terminators, Moreno's squad had no choice but to back down. Although this incident was not made public, it greatly worsened the relationship between the Grey Knights and the Ultramarines, and also led to Moreno's squad receiving a reprimand within the Chapter. This was the "lesson" they had to remember—on this ship, any forced measures against Gaius would inevitably lead to unpredictable and extremely serious consequences.
"Forced measures are no longer a viable option," Squad Leader Moreno finally admitted, his tone betraying no emotion. "Our surveillance must be more… covert and patient. We wait, we observe, until the hidden darkness reveals itself, or… is proven to have never existed."
Just then, Kaldor seemed to recall something and spoke again, his tone carrying a rare, almost perplexed quality: "Speaking of anomalies on this vessel… Captain, Valerius. During my recent activities within the ship, I have repeatedly sensed and witnessed a peculiar entity."
Moreno's and Valerius's helmets turned slightly towards him.
"An Aeldari female," Kaldor continued, each word clear and cold. "Young in appearance, approximately nineteen years of age, dressed in Imperial Tech-Sergeant' uniform, frequently active in the armory, engine room, and the 7th Company's living quarters. She interacts frequently with the Ultramarines; their relationship… seems quite harmonious."
Even the ice-hearted Grey Knights couldn't help but feel a touch of absurdity when this was mentioned. An xenos, especially an Aeldari, known for their cunning and deceit, appearing so openly and harmoniously in the core areas of a major Imperial warship, working and living alongside the Emperor's Angels?
Kaldor's next words only intensified this sense of absurdity: "What puzzles me most is that I once witnessed this Aeldari female engaging in combat practice with an Ultramarines Astartes not wearing power armor, outside a training ground. Her movements were agile, and she even threw the Astartes to the ground several times, then proceeded to violently beat him. And the other Ultramarines watching… not only did not intervene, but instead burst into laughter, and some even applauded…"
A training ground? An Aeldari wrestling an Astartes? Laughter? Applause?
This description plunged Moreno and Valerius into deeper silence. This had completely exceeded their definition of "normal." If it hadn't come from Kaldor, known for his absolute calm and honesty, they would have almost believed it to be some Warp-induced hallucination.
"...Does Chapter Master Calgar know of this?" Valerius couldn't help but ask, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Her presence here must be tacitly approved, or even explicitly sanctioned, by the Chapter Master," Squad Leader Moreno calmly analyzed, even though this matter also challenged his common sense. "The Ultramarines… especially the Sons of Macragge, are known for their pragmatism and relatively… 'flexible' stance. Perhaps this Aeldari has some special value."
He paused, his eagle-faced helmet once again turning towards the starry sky beyond the viewport, and concluded: "However, this is an internal matter of the Ultramarines, not within our purview. Our focus is solely on Gaius. The existence of this Aeldari, however bizarre, need not be heeded as long as it is not linked to Chaos and does not interfere with our mission."
His words reset the tone of the discussion. The Grey Knights' mission was pure and extreme; anything unrelated to daemons and Chaos could be considered background noise and ignored—no matter how incredible that noise sounded.
The three silver-armored giants fell silent once more, like three cold statues, continuing their vigil. Beyond the viewport, the stars still flowed silently, and the deep cosmos remained indifferent to the myriad strange phenomena occurring within the ship, simply waiting to see if, and when, the hidden undercurrents would truly rise.
In the cold void, the Macragge's Honour, like a startled behemoth, adjusted its massive hull.
The main thruster array at its stern spewed dazzling blue flames, propelling it off its original patrol route and into the depths of the distant starry sea.
Piercing battle alarms echoed through every corridor, and red warning lights cast an ominous hue upon the cold steel.
It was not within Ultramar, but a distant industrial world named "Mona Lisa," that was crying out in despair.
Intelligence, like a cold dagger, pierced the hearts of every warrior of the 7th Company: Necron invasion, the green flash of Gauss weapons reaping lives.
More unsettling was the vague indication that the forces of Tzeentch might also be lurking like a cancerous growth in the shadows of this planet, intending to profit from the struggle between the Necrons and the Imperium.
The local Planetary Defense Forces suffered heavy losses, their valiant resistance proving largely ineffective.
The Salamanders Chapter, renowned for its resilience and benevolence, had already dispatched a company to provide support, but the information returning was equally grim—the Necrons were not only vast in number but had also deployed some unknown barrier on the planet's surface, hindering communication and reinforcements, and seemingly, an endless stream of forces was pouring into real space through it.
The distress signals grew more urgent, more desperate with each transmission.
The 7th Company answered the call.
There was no hesitation, no delay.
The duty of the Ultramarines was to protect humanity, no matter where it might be.
Inside the armory, the atmosphere was solemn and efficient.
Bolter rounds were pressed into magazines, chainswords were fueled with high-energy propellant, and the power armor's servo-systems hummed softly during final self-checks.
Everyone knew what terrifying enemy they were about to face.
Necrons, these immortal metal undead, whose Gauss weapons could directly decompose matter to an atomic level, were equally lethal to Astartes; once struck, survival was almost impossible, making even a glorious return to the embrace of the Emperor after a heroic sacrifice a luxury.
The Second Squad was fully assembled.
Sergeant Golden quickly checked the equipment of each team member, his face stern.
Dorian forcefully donned his eagle-faced helmet, patted his chest plate with a clang, and muttered about showing those "iron-clad skeletons" a thing or two.
Gaius silently calibrated his "Eagle Eye" sniper rifle, his gaze as sharp as ever.
Luna, meanwhile, had already connected to the squad's data-link, the light from her bionic eye flickering slightly as she processed the latest battlefield information from company headquarters.
"Lina, Eiras," Sergeant Golden turned to the two mortal Tech-Sergeant, his tone unyielding, "This mission is too dangerous; you will remain on the Macragge's Honour.
Ensure our home is intact when we return."
A flicker of worry crossed Lina's face, but she knew this was not the time for stubbornness, and nodded firmly: "Yes! Sergeant! Please be careful!"
Eiras's green eyes were also filled with apprehension, and she quietly added: "My Lords... please return safely."
There was no time for further goodbyes.
The 7th Company boarded their strike cruiser, the "Steadfast Will."
The ship's engines roared, tearing through the veil of real space, and plunged into the kaleidoscopic, turbulent Warp lanes.
Perhaps by the Emperor's grace, or perhaps because the distress signal from "Mona Lisa" contained some powerful will, the Warp journey was unusually smooth, taking only three standard hours for the "Steadfast Will" to burst forth from the Warp, revealing the war-torn planet before everyone's eyes.
The planet "Mona Lisa," once known for its vast industrial scale and resolute people, now resembled a dying giant.
The immense industrial urban areas, which should have been brightly lit, were now covered by vast expanses of darkness and constantly flashing explosions.
An eerie energy barrier, emitting a ghostly green glow like an inverted bowl, enveloped a large area, interfering with scans and communications.
The images transmitted back by the reconnaissance craft released from the "Steadfast Will" were chilling: countless Necron warriors, gleaming with metallic coldness, moving stiffly yet with incredible efficiency, advanced like a tide through the urban ruins, their green Gauss rays like the scythe of death, mercilessly cutting down all life.
Occasionally, Salamanders warriors, clad in dark green power armor adorned with dragon motifs, could be seen fighting valiantly, but they were clearly fragmented and surrounded, each fighting their own isolated battle.
"All company, attention!" Captain Cassius's voice came through the comms channel, steady and resolute, "Deploy to the surface in squad formations!
Prioritize finding and supporting our Salamanders brothers!
Protect surviving civilians as much as possible!
For the Emperor and the Primarch!"
"For Macragge!" a roar echoed through the comms channel.
Dozens of Thunderhawk Gunships and Stormraven Gunships, like a swarm of bees leaving their hive, roared out of the "Steadfast Will"'s hangar, trailing scorching exhaust flames, and charged fearlessly towards the planet shrouded in death.
The Second Squad's Thunderhawk Gunship was piloted personally by Tech-Sergeant Luna, who calmly manipulated the controls, evading the sporadic but effective anti-air fire from the ground.
Outside the viewport, the fragmented silhouette of the city flashed by, with thick smoke and explosions rising and falling.
"Estimated arrival at designated landing zone Z-7 in two minutes," Luna reported calmly.
However, the Necron anti-air fire was far more accurate and lethal than anticipated.
Just as the Thunderhawk Gunship lowered its altitude, preparing to find a suitable point of insertion, a ghostly green Gauss ray, like a silent viper, shot out from a twisted, ruined high-rise below!
It was terrifyingly precise, completely without warning, and instantly struck the Thunderhawk Gunship's rear engine!
There was no explosion, no flames.
The section hit by the ray seemed to be erased by an invisible eraser, instantly decomposing and vanishing!
The entire Thunderhawk Gunship shuddered violently, its power instantly lost, and the alarm shrieked!
"We've been hit! Power loss!" Luna's voice was still calm, but her words were rapid as she desperately tried to control the plummeting, out-of-control gunship.
"Hold on!" Sergeant Golden roared.
The heavy gunship, like a kite with its string cut, tumbled and wailed as it rapidly fell towards the ground.
The violent jolting and spinning made everyone feel disoriented.
Boom—!!!
A deafening crash, accompanied by the terrifying sound of tearing metal and collapsing masonry.
The Thunderhawk Gunship finally slammed violently into the interior of a grand but half-ruined church building, shattering stained-glass windows, crushing pews, and plowing a deep furrow in the floor of the church's center before finally coming to a halt, its wreckage emitting sizzling electrical sparks and thick smoke.
The cabin was a mess.
"Report status!" Sergeant Golden was the first to break free from his restraints; his power armor had provided the best protection during the impact, suffering only minor scratches.
"I'm fine!" Dorian's voice came from behind a pile of twisted metal.
He pushed away the wreckage on top of him and stood up, his Terminator armor clanking, his eagle-faced helmet still firmly on his head.
"Gaius?" Gorden called out.
"...Minor injury, I'm fine," Gaius's voice came from the smoke.
He clutched one arm, his power armor's shoulder plate slightly deformed, but it didn't seem to impede his movement.
"Luna!" Gorden's heart sank.
He remembered Luna in the pilot's seat, and the safety restraints for the pilot's seat seemed to have malfunctioned during the previous violent maneuvers...
They quickly found Luna amidst the twisted wreckage of the cockpit.
She hadn't been secured in her seat; the immense impact had thrown her forward, slamming her into the control panel.
Now she was half-leaning against the shattered dashboard, with a clear dent on her power armor's chest plate, and a crack on one side of her helmet's visor, from which a trickle of blood seeped, running down her freckled, now incredibly pale face—this was the first time they had seen a wound on Luna's face.
The light from her bionic eye was extremely faint, flickering intermittently.
Gaius quickly moved to check her condition.
"Multiple fractures... possible internal organ damage... concussion..." Gaius made a rapid assessment, his voice heavy, "She's incapacitated, Sergeant."
Sergeant Golden slammed a fist against the nearby bulkhead, producing a muffled thud.
A major asset, and a crucial Tech-Sergeant at that, lost before the mission even truly began!
"We can't stay here; the crash was too loud and will quickly attract enemies," Gorden forced himself to calm down and made a swift decision, "Gaius, you're in charge of looking after Luna.
Dorian, clear the way! Let's get out of this ruin!"
Dorian roared, swinging his Thunder Hammer, smashing aside the obstructing church pews and collapsed plaster statues.
Gorden and Gaius helped the almost immobile Luna, painstakingly leaving the still-smoking Thunderhawk wreckage.
They found themselves in the dilapidated main hall of the church.
Several large holes marred the towering dome, through which the sky, stained dark red by smoke, was visible.
A shattered statue of the Emperor lay toppled on its side, its face covered in dust.
Gorden quickly checked the tactical map, his face growing even grimmer: "We're too far off the designated landing zone... almost on the other side of the battlefield.
It's almost impossible to rendezvous with the main company as originally planned."
In the distance, the distinctive hum of Gauss weapons, explosions, and the clattering sound of metal joints moving grew clearer, approaching the church.
"Damn it, those iron-boned bastards are closing in!" Dorian growled, tightening his grip on his Thunder Hammer.
"We can't fight them head-on; with Luna, we must move, find cover or a defensive position," Gorden ordered, "Gaius, alternate watch with me; Dorian, watch ahead!"
The squad began to move at a slow but steady pace, along the broken corridors of the church towards the rear.
Gaius supported Luna, one hand gripping his bolter pistol.
Gorden and Dorian, one in front and one behind, scanned every shadow and window vigilantly.
The light inside the church was dim, provided only by the eerie sky-light filtering through the holes and the distant flashes of explosions.
The air was thick with dust, gunpowder smoke, and a strange... metallic decay smell.
They advanced cautiously, each step crunching on gravel and broken glass, making faint sounds.
Gorden's senses were heightened to the extreme, his power armor's sensors scanning the surroundings.
However, they did not notice that high above, in the shadow of a broken niche that once held a statue of a saint, a slender figure, shimmering with a dull metallic luster, stood silently.
It was like a ghost, entirely composed of a dim living metal, with faint eerie green glows emanating from its joints.
Its arms had elongated and transformed, merging into a long, slender weapon that emitted an ominous energy—a Gauss Flayer.
Its expressionless metal face, with a pair of cold green optical sensors, like the most precise aiming scopes, had firmly locked onto the slow-moving blue figure below.
The sensors subtly adjusted, filtering out irrelevant interference, and finally, the crosshairs steadily settled on the head of the sniper—Gaius—who was supporting an injured person and thus moving slightly slower.
No breath, no heartbeat, no killing intent, not even energy fluctuations.
The Necron Deathmark sniper was like the most patient hunter, waiting for the optimal moment, ready to silently erase a life with the next Gauss ray.
A fatal crisis had quietly arrived.
Inside the church ruins, the light was dim, and dust slowly floated in the eerie light beams that pierced through the holes.
Second Squad moved with difficulty, each step unusually heavy, not only because of the rubble underfoot but also due to the burden of the injured Luna and the omnipresent threat of death.
In the shadow of the high niche, the metal death god remained silent.
Its Gauss Flayer's muzzle adjusted imperceptibly, an eerie green energy silently gathering deep within the barrel, the aiming reticle firmly fixed on Gaius's head, which was slightly lowered as he supported his companion.
There was no premonition, no fluctuation of killing intent, only absolute cold calculation and execution.
Whoosh—!
A slender yet deadly eerie green ray, like a venomous snake striking, instantly tore through the air, silently shooting towards Gaius's back of the head!
This strike was too fast to react to, and precise to the point of despair.
In the Necrons' kill records, this was already a destined demise.
However, just as the Gauss ray was about to touch Gaius's power armor helmet—
Buzz!
An invisible yet incredibly powerful energy field suddenly appeared around Gaius!
The energy manifested as an eerie and unpredictable violet color, like boiling aether, or like countless twisted runes and eyes appearing and disappearing in an instant!
The Gauss ray shot into this energy field, but instead of disintegrating matter as usual, it seemed to hit an incredibly tough psychic wall.
The energy was violently deflected and neutralized, finally erupting into a dazzling purplish-green energy ripple that splashed outwards, corroding several sizzling small pits into the nearby wall!
Gaius was startled by this sudden impact and the strange noise behind him, turning sharply, only to see the lingering eerie energy afterglow in the air and the corrosive marks on the wall, as well as the fleeting metallic figure high above.
He didn't even fully understand what had happened, but a warrior's instinct instantly made his hair stand on end!
"Enemy attack!!!" he roared hoarsely, simultaneously pushing Luna behind a pile of collapsed pews.
Almost at the same moment, the cold logic core of the Deathmark sniper high above had reached an analytical conclusion.
Target not eliminated.
Interference source: Strong Warp energy signature detected, energy pattern analysis… 98.7% match… confirmed as Chaos energy, suspected origin… Tzeentch's domain.
Necron technology might not be able to precisely distinguish between Aeldari gods and Chaos Gods' power characteristics, but it could identify their Chaos essence.
Without any hesitation, or even a hint of "surprise" emotion, the Deathmark's second Gauss ray had already fired!
This time, its target shifted slightly, aiming directly at Luna, who had just been pushed away by Gaius and fallen to the ground!
But it was this brief delay caused by the first blocked attack, and Gaius's warning shout, that gave Second Squad precious reaction time!
"Damn iron skeletons!" Dorian's roar thundered!
His massive Terminator body erupted with astonishing speed, lunging out from behind a broken stone pillar, the modified heavy bolter in his hands letting out a deafening roar!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Massive bolter rounds poured like a storm onto the niche high above!
Although bolter rounds were unlikely to cause fatal damage to the Deathmark's living metal, the immense kinetic impact and continuous explosions effectively disrupted its aiming and firing rhythm!
The second Gauss ray grazed Luna's body and hit the ground, silently vaporizing a slab of stone!
"Sergeant! Take them and go! I'll cover!" Dorian roared while firing wildly, bolter casings raining from the side of his gun, clanking.
Sergeant Gorden did not hesitate.
"Gaius! Take Luna! Follow me!" he growled, his power sword already unsheathed, warily pointing in the direction other enemies might appear, while rapidly retreating.
Gaius quickly picked up the almost immobile Luna, closely following Gorden, using the remaining pillars, crumbling walls, and broken pews in the church as cover, moving quickly deeper into the church.
Dorian's heavy bolter fire temporarily suppressed the Deathmark sniper, buying them valuable time to withdraw.
Seeing the target about to leave its effective firing range, the Deathmark ignored Dorian's harassing fire, and a third Gauss ray once again aimed at Gaius's moving back!
But Dorian had been keeping a close eye on the figure high above out of the corner of his eye, and seeing this, he abruptly turned his gun, a burst of bolter rounds accurately shooting towards the Deathmark's gun barrel and sensors!
Although it caused no damage, the impact and flash of the explosion once again successfully interfered with the Deathmark's precision.
The Gauss ray grazed Gaius's shoulder plate and hit the wall beside him, instantly melting a large hole!
"Bastard! Look at your Grandpa Dorian!" Dorian cursed while firing, attracting the Deathmark's attention.
Gorden and Gaius took the opportunity to turn into a side aisle, temporarily escaping the Deathmark's direct line of sight.
Seeing this, Dorian knew he couldn't linger.
He emptied a drum of his heavy bolter, slung the hot gun body onto his back, and roared, "I'm not playing with you anymore, tin skull!" before turning and sprinting madly in the direction his teammates had retreated!
Just as he turned and charged out, another Gauss ray arrived silently, almost grazing the edge of his Terminator armor's shoulder, instantly disintegrating a decorative eagle emblem on his shoulder plate!
It was a hair's breadth away!
Dorian broke out in a cold sweat, charging forward without looking back, simultaneously grabbing a frag grenade from his belt and throwing it forcefully towards the general direction of the Deathmark behind him without looking!
The Deathmark sniper had just fully recovered from Dorian's suppressive fire, and its cold sensors immediately detected the incoming grenade.
It didn't even move, the Gauss Flayer's muzzle subtly adjusting.
Whoosh!
A slender green light precisely hit the grenade in mid-air.
No explosion, no shrapnel.
The grenade, in mid-flight, was completely disintegrated into its most basic atoms, vanishing without a trace.
And with this negligible delay, Dorian, like a startled rhinoceros, clanked and crashed into the shadows of the side aisle, disappearing from view.
The Deathmark sniper silently leaped from the niche, landing on the rubble-strewn ground without a sound.
Its green optical sensors scanned the empty side aisle entrance, then looked at the direction Gaius and the others had disappeared and Dorian's escape path.
Its cold logic core began calculating tracking priority…
Gorden and Gaius, with Luna, navigated through the church's labyrinthine corridors and broken rooms for a long time, until they confirmed there were no immediate pursuers.
Only then did they cautiously push open a relatively intact oak door and enter a room that looked like a small prayer chapel.
This room seemed to have fortunately avoided the most direct impact; although the walls also had cracks and were covered in dust, the structure was still largely intact, and the windows were half-covered by thick velvet curtains, providing a relatively secluded space.
In the center of the room was a small Emperor's shrine, its candles long extinguished.
They gently laid Luna flat on the ground.
Gaius quickly checked her condition, his expression still grave: "Life signs stable, but no signs of waking.
Multiple fractures, internal bleeding might still be ongoing… We need medical equipment and an Apothecary, Sergeant."
Gorden's face was grim as he looked around: "We won't find those things here."
He walked to the door, warily listening for sounds outside.
"Those Necrons… especially that sniper, they won't let us go.
This isn't safe, we can't stay long."
Gaius nodded, leaning against the wall, carefully recalling the perilous moment just now.
"Sergeant… that ray just now… I seem to…" He tried to describe the strange violet energy that had saved his life, but couldn't accurately articulate it, even wondering if it was his own hallucination or some kind of stress reaction.
Gorden interrupted him, his tone serious: "Whatever it was, we survived.
Now the most important thing is to find a way to stay alive and contact the Company or other brothers.
Luna needs treatment, and we…" He glanced at the energy readings on his power sword, "…need to find a more fortified position, or… fight our way out."
Silence temporarily fell in the prayer chapel, broken only by the faint distant sound of artillery fire and Luna's weak breathing.
They were like wounded beasts trapped in a metal jungle, and the hunter's cold footsteps were perhaps slowly drawing closer.
Inside the dilapidated small prayer room, the air was so heavy it felt like it could drip.
Luna's faint breathing was the only sign that time was still passing.
Gorden and Gaius stood against the wall, their power armor's servo-systems humming at minimum power, but their senses were heightened to the extreme, catching any unusual movement from outside.
Heavy, deliberately muffled footsteps came from down the corridor, growing closer.
It was Dorian.
His massive Terminator body squeezed into the prayer room doorway, his gaze under the eagle-faced helmet sweeping over the situation, and he rumbled in a low voice, "It's quiet outside for now, but I don't think that sniper has gone far; it's definitely sniffing us out nearby!"
Gorden nodded, his face grim.
"It's a professional hunter; it won't give up injured prey easily.
Luna is too dangerous here, and we can't just keep taking hits."
He made a quick decision, "We have to find a way to counterattack, or at least draw it away."
His gaze fell on the unconscious Luna, then swept over the relatively enclosed room.
"Dorian, help.
We'll hide Luna somewhere more concealed."
The three carefully lifted Luna and moved her to a smaller storage room at the very back of the prayer room, where discarded sacred artifacts were piled.
They covered her tightly with several thick, dusty velvet cloths and old tapestries, leaving only a tiny ventilation opening.
"Brother, bear with us here for a bit," Dorian whispered to the unconscious Luna, gently closing the broken wooden door of the storeroom, leaving just a crack.
After all this, the three quickly exchanged glances.
No words were needed; years of fighting side-by-side had forged an unspoken understanding.
They dispersed like ghosts, using the remaining furniture, pillars, and shadows within the prayer room to find their optimal ambush positions.
Dorian's massive body was hidden in the vast shadow behind the Emperor's altar, Gorden silently slipped into an alcove where scriptures were kept, while Gaius, as if merging with the environment, quietly retreated and disappeared into the darkness of the side corridor entrance they had come from; his "Hawkeye" sniper rifle needed distance and a clear line of sight.
Now, all that remained was to wait.
Time passed by second by second, each one an agony.
The sounds of the distant battlefield seemed to be cut off; only dust slowly drifted in the beams of light filtering through the curtain gaps.
It was coming.
A footsteps so light, almost imperceptible to the ear, like a cat's paw landing, echoed in the corridor outside the prayer room.
It moved very slowly, very cautiously, with an inhuman patience and precision.
Click… click…
Those were the subtle sounds of metal joints moving, exceptionally clear in the dead silence.
Inside the prayer room, Gorden and Dorian held their breath, gripping their weapons.
The footsteps stopped at the prayer room door.
The oak door was silently pushed open to a wider crack.
A slender figure, gleaming with a dull metallic sheen, slid in like a phantom.
It was the Deathmark sniper.
Its cold green optical sensors slowly swept across the entire prayer room.
Its gaze passed over the altar's shadow where Dorian was hidden, swept over the alcove where Gorden was lurking, and even paused for a fraction of a second on the half-closed storeroom door.
But it seemed to detect no anomaly, or perhaps deemed it not worthy of priority attention.
Its primary targets were the combat-capable Ultramarines.
It slowly turned, seemingly intending to search other areas.
Just as it took two steps, its back to the altar's shadow!
"For the Emperor!!!"
Dorian's roar exploded!
His massive Terminator body lunged out of the shadows, the Thunder Hammer in his hand carrying immense force, tearing through the air, and with the power to split mountains, it slammed viciously towards the Deathmark's back!
This strike was as fast as lightning, unstoppable!
Dorian was absolutely confident that even a main battle tank would be flattened into a metal pancake by this hammer blow!
However, just as the Thunder Hammer was about to strike home—
The Deathmark didn't even fully turn!
It merely raised its free metal arm, and a complex device on its arm instantly glowed with an eerie green light!
Hum!
A green energy portal, just wide enough for one person and irregularly pulsating, instantly opened behind it!
The destructive energy carried by the Thunder Hammer slammed into the portal, like a mud ox entering the sea, without stirring the slightest ripple!
And the Deathmark's figure, at the moment the portal appeared, retreated as if sucked in, disappearing directly into the green ripples!
Dorian's seemingly certain strike completely missed, and the immense inertia made him stumble, almost falling.
He stared in shock at the rapidly disappearing portal, his mind blank: "Damn it… where… where did that thing go?!"
In the extremely short time he was momentarily stunned, about ten meters above and to his side, on a half-collapsed elevated platform where an organ once stood, the green portal flickered again!
The Deathmark's figure stepped out, completely unharmed!
Its Gauss Flayer rifle was already raised, and its cold muzzle instantly locked onto Dorian, who was below and temporarily off balance due to inertia!
Eerie green energy began to gather at the muzzle again!
Dorian inwardly cursed, instinctively reaching for the Heavy Bolter on his back, but he knew it was too late!
The enemy's speed and bizarre abilities far exceeded his imagination!
Just at this critical moment!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bolter fire from the alcove direction suddenly erupted!
Sergeant Golden had been waiting for his chance!
Three precise bursts, not aimed at the Deathmark's sturdy body, but directly at the metal wrist joint of its gun-wielding arm!
Bolter rounds impacted the living metal, creating three small sparks and dents.
Although they didn't cause severe damage, the immense kinetic shock and sudden interference successfully caused the Deathmark's aim to momentarily shift!
Whoosh!
The gauss beam almost grazed Dorian's eagle-faced helmet, instantly disintegrating a stone statue behind him into nothingness!
"Dorian! Now!" Gorden roared, continuing to fire to draw the Deathmark's attention.
These precious fractions of a second were enough!
Dorian finally seized the opportunity to counterattack!
He leveled the massive Heavy Bolter, and without even needing precise aim, he pulled the trigger, firing at the figure on the elevated platform!
"Die! You damned xeno!!!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Heavy Bolter rounds, like the angry hammers of a thunder god, roared towards the platform!
A massive explosion instantly engulfed the area!
However, just as the first Bolter round was about to hit its target—
The eerie green short-range portal once again opened in front of the Deathmark!
All the Bolter rounds aimed at it, without exception, shot into the portal and vanished!
The sound of explosions faintly echoed from the other side of the portal, detonating somewhere unknown.
The portal flashed and vanished, and the Deathmark's figure once again disappeared into the smoke of the platform.
"Damn it!" Dorian cursed angrily, hastily redirecting his muzzle, back to back with Gorden, nervously scanning every corner of the prayer room, "Sergeant! Where the hell did this ghost go?!"
Gorden's heart was also heavy.
This elusive ability was too difficult to deal with.
They were fighting a ghost.
Suddenly! Without warning!
Above and to their side, from the shadows of a ceiling beam where a large chandelier once hung, now only a twisted iron chain remained, an eerie green beam silently shot out!
Its target was Sergeant Golden, who was nervously searching!
A deadly sense of crisis washed over him like ice water!
Gorden, after all, was a seasoned Sergeant, battle-hardened, and his combat intuition far exceeded that of ordinary men!
He didn't even have time to see where the attack came from; purely by instinct, he violently kicked Dorian's leg armor beside him, while simultaneously throwing himself backward with all his might!
"Get down!"
Dorian stumbled from the kick.
And that gauss beam, it passed almost grazing the top of Gorden's backward-arching chest plate!
Although it didn't hit directly, the energy field at the edge of the beam, which disintegrated all matter, lightly grazed his left shoulder plate!
Hiss—
Like a hot knife through butter, the blue shoulder plate on Gorden's left shoulder, adorned with the Ultramarines insignia, instantly turned into a wisp of extremely fine metallic dust upon contact with the gauss beam's energy, scattering into the air!
The servo-systems and power conduits beneath the shoulder plate were exposed, sparking and sizzling!
Gorden fell heavily to the ground, ignoring the sharp pain in his shoulder and the system alarms, and rolled behind the altar for cover.
Dorian also scrambled for cover.
Still shaken, both quickly raised their weapons and aimed at the ceiling beam where the attack had originated—it was empty, only a swaying iron chain remained.
The Deathmark had vanished again.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Dorian looked at Gorden's missing shoulder plate, both shocked and furious, "Where in the hell is this bastard?!"
This feeling of being toyed with was maddening!
They had powerful firepower, yet couldn't even touch a hair on the enemy!
Just as they were highly tense, searching everywhere for the ghostly enemy—
Another anomaly occurred!
This time, the attack came from a direction they absolutely did not expect—the ground!
In the center of the prayer room, beneath the cracked floor tiles that Dorian's Thunder Hammer had struck, without warning, another eerie green portal suddenly opened!
The Deathmark's slender metal body, as if rising from water, silently emerged halfway!
Its Gauss Flayer muzzle, almost from below, was aimed at Dorian, who stood nearby in that area, holding his Heavy Bolter!
Whoosh!
The beam shot out!
The target was not Dorian's body, but the Heavy Bolter in his hand!
Dorian had no time to react!
He only felt his hand lighten, then watched his beloved, immensely powerful Heavy Bolter, from muzzle to drum, instantly collapse and disintegrate before his eyes like a sandcastle, turning into a cloud of scattered metallic dust, leaving only a hot grip in his hand…
His weapon was destroyed!
Dorian was stunned instantly.
And the Deathmark slowly rose completely from the floor portal, its cold green optical sensors sweeping over the dumbfounded Dorian and the shocked Gorden, who had just peered out from behind the altar.
Its expressionless metal face seemed to convey a cold, mocking intent.
These two powerful Astartes warriors appeared so clumsy and helpless before its bizarre abilities.
Like a cat toying with a mouse, it raised its Gauss Flayer again.
Eerie green energy began to gather, and this time, its precise scope steadily locked onto the conspicuous eagle-faced helmet of the Ultramarines Honor Guard on Dorian's head.
It was going to end this game.
Dorian looked at the deadly muzzle, with only a rifle grip left in his hand, a chill running down his spine to his head.
Gorden's eyes were bloodshot, wanting to rush out, but the distance was too great; there wasn't enough time!
The Deathmark's metal finger slowly pulled the trigger…
Just at this final, life-or-death moment!
Bang—!!!
A distinctly different, crisp, and extremely penetrating Bolter shot, like the tolling of death's bell, suddenly erupted from the deep darkness of the prayer room's side corridor entrance!
This shot was timed to perfection!
It was precisely in the instant before the Deathmark, with its attention completely focused on Dorian, was about to pull the trigger!
A specially modified Bolter round, with a massive charge, traversed dozens of meters with astonishing precision, violently shattered the Deathmark's cold green optical sensor on its head, tore through the intricate metal structures beneath it, and finally exploded with a thunderous roar inside its skull!
Boom!
The Necrons's entire head snapped backward like a smashed watermelon, sending countless metallic fragments, internal wiring, and glowing green energy fluid splattering everywhere! Its tall body was thrown backward a few steps by the immense impact, its Gauss Blaster drooping powerlessly, its beam striking the ceiling at an angle and melting a large hole.
It swayed for a moment, then crashed to the cold flagstone floor, its limbs twitching a few times before the green light in its eyes completely extinguished, turning it into a pile of literal scrap metal.
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!
From the shadows of the side corridor, Gaius slowly emerged, his "Hawkeye" sniper rifle still emitting a faint wisp of smoke. His eyes were cold and sharp, like a true hawk. He had been lurking in the darkness, like the most patient hunter, suppressing the urge to strike, silently observing the patterns of the Necrons's eerie teleportation ability and its momentary weaknesses, waiting for that one chance to deliver a killing blow!
"Dorian!" Dorian cried out in a mix of surprise and joy, dropping the grip of his rifle.
Sergeant Golden also rushed out from behind cover, quickly walking to Gaius's side and patting his shoulder heavily, everything understood without words. He glanced at the Necrons's head-shattered remains on the ground, a lingering fear in his heart.
"Quick! No time to waste!" Gaius quickly put away his sniper rifle, his voice urgent. "The gunfire and explosion just now will surely attract more enemies! We must leave here immediately!"
The three of them didn't hesitate, rushing into the storage room and carefully lifting the still unconscious Luna.
"Hold on, brother, we're taking you with us," Dorian whispered, his movements exceptionally swift.
They burst out of the prayer room, quickly retreating along the complex corridors deeper into the cathedral, or rather, to a more secluded area. Behind them, the distant clatter of more metallic joints and the distinct hum of Gauss weapons could already be faintly heard, rapidly approaching.
A thrilling hunt and counter-hunt had temporarily ended, but on this death-shrouded planet, danger was never far. Their escape had only just begun.
Carrying the unconscious Luna, the three remaining members of Second Squad moved swiftly through the shadows of the dilapidated cathedral. Gaius scouted ahead, his "Hawkeye" sniper rifle always ready to fire, while Gorden and Dorian flanked Luna, vigilant, scanning every corner where an enemy might hide.
The smell of gunpowder and metallic dust in the air seemed to undergo a subtle change, beginning to mix with an indescribable, instinctively repulsive sweet and putrid odor. At first, it was faint, but as they delved deeper, the smell grew stronger, like the foul stench of rotting flesh mixed with spoiled milk and suppurating wounds.
"What's that smell? It's awful!" Dorian grumbled, his eagle-faced helmet's filtration system seemingly unable to completely block out the strange odor.
Sergeant Golden's brow furrowed; his experience gave him an even worse premonition. He tried to contact the Unyielding Will or any friendly unit that might receive a signal via the squad's communication channel.
"This is Sergeant Gorden of 7th Company, 2nd Squad, requesting communication! We have encountered elite Necrons units, and a Tech-Sergeant is severely wounded, urgently requiring medical assistance! Repeat, requesting communication!"
Only piercing static noise and a distorted wailing, as if from deep space, came through his earpiece.
"Signal is heavily jammed... or rather, cut off by something," Gorden said grimly, trying to adjust the frequency again, but the result was the same. He even tried to activate the power armor's built-in emergency beacon, which was theoretically very difficult to completely block, but the indicator light only flickered faintly a few times before going out completely, as if all signals were swallowed by the eerie green barrier above this area and some deeper darkness. "Cannot contact the Unyielding Will, even the emergency beacon is out."
Unable to call for help, it meant they could only rely on themselves. And Luna's injuries couldn't wait.
They continued forward, inevitably encountering a few patrols of Necrons Warriors along the way. These rigid yet efficient skeletal soldiers, clad in dull metallic armor, wielded Gauss weapons that glowed with an eerie green light. They were much easier to deal with than the elusive Necrons sniper; although Gauss weapons were still deadly, they lacked tactical flexibility.
"Clear them out! Move through quickly!" Gorden ordered.
Although Dorian had lost his heavy Bolter, he still had a spare Bolter Pistol and that indestructible Thunder Hammer. He roared and charged forward, swinging his Thunder Hammer, directly smashing a Necrons Warrior into splattering metallic fragments! His Bolter Pistol fired repeatedly; although it was difficult to deliver a killing blow, the powerful kinetic energy was enough to knock back or even shatter the joints of these metallic skeletons.
Gaius, meanwhile, was like a precise grim reaper; every time his "Hawkeye" sniper rifle fired, a Necrons Warrior's head or chest energy core was accurately shattered, instantly collapsing to the ground as scrap metal.
Gorden fired his Bolter in short bursts with one hand, while supporting Luna with the other, cutting down approaching enemies one by one.
Soon, this patrol of Necronss was cleared. But they dared not linger, continuing to move deeper into the city, towards the direction of the most intense artillery fire, hoping to find the main force of 7th Company or their Salamanders brothers who were fighting hard.
However, the closer they got to the combat zone, the more intense the stench in the air became, almost to the point of suffocation. It wasn't just the smell of decay, but also a sick, blasphemous aura of defiled life.
As they carefully rounded a large, shell-cratered intersection, the sight before them and the suffocating stench that assaulted them caused even the battle-hardened Astartes to feel a strong physiological discomfort!
At the other end of the street, a chaotic and bizarre battle was raging! On one side were several Necrons Destroyers and a small squad of Necrons Warriors, green Gauss beams constantly flashing. And their opponents…
Dorian took one look, and his stomach churned, almost making him vomit all the nutrient paste he had eaten into his eagle-faced helmet!
"Emperor above! What… what the hell is that?!" he cried out, his voice filled with disgust and shock.
It was a… monster that barely retained a humanoid, or rather, Astartes, shape. Its body was abnormally tall and bloated; what should have been solemn power armor was now dilapidated, covered in a thick, foul, encrusted shell that constantly dripped viscous yellowish-green pus. The armor's seams were stretched open, from which festering, multi-colored, sausage-like organs and constantly wriggling, pale white maggots surged forth! Its abdomen was hugely distended, as if stuffed with putrefied entrails, and through the cracked armor plates, something could even be seen squirming within.
One of its arms was disproportionately thick, holding an enormous, blood-stained and rusted Plague Flail, from whose hammerhead foul-smelling slime constantly dripped; the other arm was completely mutated, transforming into a huge, fleshy tentacle with a tooth-filled maw at its tip, constantly lashing about, spewing out copious amounts of nauseating yellow smoke.
Most terrifying was its head. The helmet had long since fused with its flesh, or rather, been completely burst open by the swollen flesh. Its "face" was a mass of decaying flesh, constantly oozing pus and mucus, covered in festering sores and constantly opening and closing mouths from which black drool flowed. Several large, fly-like compound eyes protruded from the rotten flesh, glinting with mad and malicious light. It had no nose, replaced instead by a black, constantly twitching breathing hole, each breath expelling large plumes of diseased, foul air. Its entire body was enveloped in a visible, sickly yellowish-green miasma, and where it stepped, even steel hissed and was rapidly corroded and rusted!
In a corner of its dilapidated armor, a symbol, covered in filth but barely discernible, was still visible—a decaying winged skull! The Death Guard Legion!
This was a Nurgle Plague Marine! A perfect creation of the Grandfather's "blessings"!
At this moment, this blasphemous monster let out a gurgling, almost drowning-like, bizarre laugh, swinging its Plague Flail, smashing an unsuspecting Necrons Warrior into smithereens with one blow, the splattering metallic fragments instantly covered in rust and mold! Its mutated tentacle arm lashed out at a Destroyer, the spewed yellow smoke rapidly corroding the Necrons's living metal, making a sizzling sound.
However, the Necrons had no fear, no disgust, no soul to corrupt. They merely coldly executed their directive to destroy all life. Several Gauss beams simultaneously struck the Plague Marine's bloated body!
Hiss—!
Large chunks of rotting flesh and pus were instantly disintegrated and vaporized! Even the wriggling maggots and twisted entrails within could be seen! But what was horrifying was that the massive wound was almost instantly filled by more surging, even more foul and disgusting flesh and mucus! Nurgle's blessings granted it a terrifying, almost immortal vitality!
But the disintegrating effect of the Gauss beams was continuous. Not far behind this Plague Marine, a foul remnant lay on the ground, already completely disintegrated by Gauss weapons, with only a few edges still being constantly eroded—that was clearly another of its companions, who ultimately couldn't withstand the Necrons's firepower and was completely "purified."
The battle before them was bizarre and cruel: on one side, constantly disintegrating the opponent's flesh, yet hindered by the opponent's infinitely regenerating, foul body; on the other, attacking frantically, relying on the Chaos God's blessings to endure the disintegration effect, attempting to destroy these lifeless metallic constructs with plague and physical force.
Gorden, Gaius, and Dorian all froze at the intersection, stunned by this unimaginably horrifying sight. Even having experienced countless battles, facing various xenos and Chaos enemies, witnessing such a direct manifestation of Nurgle's corruption still filled them with a deep, soul-deep revulsion and chilling dread.
"Death Guard… Nurgle's bastards…" Gorden squeezed the words through his teeth, his voice trembling slightly with extreme anger and disgust. He now understood why communications were cut off; it wasn't just the Necrons's barrier, but likely also the Warp's distortion and pollution by Chaos forces!
Dorian suppressed the urge to vomit, growling, "Damn it! We're completely screwed now! Iron skeletons in front, and these unkillable rotten things behind! Comms are down, no reinforcements, and Luna needs saving…"
Gaius's expression was also incredibly grim; he gripped his sniper rifle tightly, his gaze quickly sweeping over the battlefield and the surrounding environment. The situation was indeed terrible. They were not only deep in a Necrons encirclement, but now also confirmed the presence of Nurgle's forces; both were extremely difficult enemies. And they themselves had expended a great deal of ammunition, one was severely wounded, and they were completely cut off from the main force.
A true dead end.