Chapter 28: Let Me Try It First!
"Kill! For Russ and the Allfather!"
"KILL!"
Warriors from both sides clashed in brutal close-quarters combat. The Space Wolves, relying on superior discipline and weapon mastery, fought desperate battles with the heavily augmented World Eaters. Every collision rang with sharp metal-on-metal impacts, sparks erupting to illuminate faces twisted by battle-fury. The air thickened with the metallic scent of spilled blood.
"My lord, should we not join the battle?" Sarpedon asked anxiously.
Francis watched the melee with calculating eyes. "What's the rush? Are the preparations I requested complete?"
Seeing Sarpedon's nod, Francis continued: "Haven't you noticed how the Space Wolves draw ever closer to Angron? Watch a while longer, then we swoop in to rescue the wolves."
"But Primarch Leman Russ appears to be gaining advantage. Why do you predict his defeat, my lord?"
"You understand tactics but fail to understand the human heart." Francis shook his head knowingly. "Leman Russ restrains himself, so he will falter soon enough."
Just as predicted, the Space Wolves proved unwilling to become fully engaged with the World Eaters, while their opponents, once battle-fury seized them, fought as maddened individuals without coordination. Soon, organized Space Wolf kill-teams temporarily gained the upper hand.
With a violent collision, Angron's chainaxe met Leman Russ's great axe mid-air, erupting in a deafening roar.
The impact proved so tremendous that even Angron lost his grip, his weapon spun away into the distance.
"I'll still defeat you weaponless!"
Leman Russ roared and cast aside his own weapon.
Instantly, Angron transformed into something beyond rage. His muscles swelled with fury, and every punch and kick contained power sufficient to shatter stone.
"ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!"
He lunged forward like a living avalanche, trying to crush Leman Russ beneath his bulk.
However, Russ flexibly evaded the assault and delivered a devastating counterpunch to Angron's face.
The two primarchs became locked in brutal combat. Every collision generated sounds like thunder, and each clash seemed to tear the very air apart.
Just as Leman Russ straddled Angron, preparing for decisive victory, he noticed the Space Wolves Legion watching nearby. Something occurred to him, and he hesitated, held back his final blow.
Angron immediately reversed their positions. With crimson eyes blazing, the Red Angel began hammering him mercilessly.
Bang, bang, bang~
"Cough, Angron, you've lost," Leman Russ spat blood while gazing at his brother with grim satisfaction. "You're surrounded by us. Your World Eaters care nothing for your fate, that's why you became encircled. You are defeated! Now return with me!"
However, Angron remained blinded by the Nails' fury, showing no mercy as he continued his brutal assault.
Not far away, Francis observed the battle while addressing the Soul Drinkers.
"Do you see this lesson? When warriors fight, they inevitably become consumed by bloodlust. Therefore, even with blood-brothers, you must first beat them into submission before attempting reason."
The Soul Drinkers, arranged in perfect formation, produced small tactical notebooks and diligently recorded their Primarch's wisdom.
"Very well, the moment for intervention has arrived. Otherwise, Leman Russ cannot endure much longer. Execute the plan. Soul Drinkers Legion, attack!"
As Francis's command rang out, the Soul Drinkers began their advance.
Support struts extended from Francis's bio-armor, and every Navigator's Eye across its surface blazed with otherworldly light.
Buzz, buzz, buzz~
Just as Angron's fist descended toward Leman Russ, a brilliant white beam lanced across the battlefield, leaving glassy furrows in the ground. Several World Eaters found their weapons cleanly severed, the cuts so precise they felt no pain.
BANG!
Angron was blasted backward. Though the weapon's power seemed insufficient to truly harm a primarch, it left scorched marks across his armor.
Leman Russ looked up at Francis in bewilderment.
"No gratitude required, Sixth Brother. Simply remember, you owe me two favours!" Francis sprinted toward the recovering Angron.
As dust settled, Angron roared: "MAGNUS! You accursed wretch, never relent!"
Just as Angron prepared to renew combat with Leman Russ, Francis emerged from the settling debris.
Francis locked his legs around Angron's torso from behind, then seized the Butcher's Nails protruding from his brother's skull and wrenched with all his superhuman might.
"AHHHHHHH!"
An agonized roar erupted from Angron's throat as he gripped Francis's hands desperately and crashed about in blind fury.
CRASH! He smashed through a mountainside, pulverizing stone to powder.
"Still can't... subdue you!" Francis spat blood. Though the armour on his arms had been completely mangled by Angron's grip, fragments even piercing his flesh, Francis maintained his hold.
"LET GO! AHHHHHHH!"
Angron experienced excruciating torment, feeling as though his brain was being torn apart. He even heard the sickening sound of metal separating from flesh and bone, and he continued smashing into his surroundings until Leman Russ joined the struggle.
"I'll restrain his hands, but do not kill him! He remains our brother!"
Leman Russ forcibly pried open Angron's hands, pulling them securely before himself.
Deprived of his arms' use, Angron could only attack with his legs, but Russ evaded every desperate strike.
As time passed, Angron's voice grew progressively weaker, his struggles more feeble, until he finally lost consciousness.
"Finally..." Francis dared release his grip, arms covered in blood, uncertain which belonged to him and which to Angron.
"His condition has become critically dangerous," Leman Russ said, studying Angron's unconscious form. "Will he truly survive if this continues?"
Francis remained silent for a long moment. "If this continues, Angron might not survive until the Great Crusade's conclusion."
"Does not Father possess a solution?"
Russ asked with desperate hope.
Francis could only shrug. "If He possessed a cure but withheld treatment, would that not show favoritism? Therefore, He also lacks solutions. With the Imperium's current technology, no remedy exists."
Hearing this assessment, Leman Russ fixed Francis with burning intensity, making him shift uncomfortably.
"What... why do you look at me like that?"
Francis swallowed nervously and retreated a step.
Unexpectedly, Leman Russ advanced instead. "You specified 'current Imperial technology.' So can those heretical techniques you possess prove effective?"
Francis studied his brother's intense gaze, then the bloodied Angron on the ground. Drawing a deep breath, he spoke with utmost seriousness:
"Now... permit me to taste Angron first."
"..."
Leman Russ stared at him in stunned silence.
[End of Chapter]
Another day, another chapter.