Chapter 3 Part 5

Chapter 3: On Death's ground

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Part 5

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Imperial lines

Pavonian Heartlands

In a hindsight, charging the Ork Nobs right besides the Emperor's Own Adeptus Astartes, when I only had a carapace armour for protection and a chainsword as a weapon, wasn't my brightest idea. I reached that profound revelation after the teeth of my blade got stuck in the spine of a huge Xeno who nevertheless managed to backhand me tearing my cheek and cracking teeth. I suddenly found myself on the ground with aforementioned Ork dragging himself my way on legs that no longer worked. The greenskin roared at me displaying an impressive array of a very large teeth.

A huge blocky shape choose that moment to fly overhead and strafe the whole area with all kinds of weapons – which it seemed were stuck on every surface of the bomber. Streams of heavy bolter fire, lanscannons and missiles splashed over the Nobs and more importantly, tore the brute coming my way to great many bloody chunks that rained all over me.

A small voice in the back of my head shook in terror wondering the fuck was I doing out here… while the rest of me got into gear and I went to see if my sword had survived the aerial attack. Say what you will about the training I got in the Schola and later, the Inquisition sponsored academy, it ensured I didn't freeze up even when my courage was doing its best to fail.

Another Nob came my way – this one was armoured from head to toe and carried an odd mix between an axe and Warhammer taller than me and likely heavier. When it saw me, the Ork roared a challenge and ran at me raising the weapon for overhead strike. My heart did its best to jump out of my chest even as I clawed at my connection with the Immaterium and drew as much power as I could. The Ork was almost at me when I spread my arms and unleashed the energy at the towering brute. Purple lighting flashed between my hands and flew outwards in a condensed arc. The flash was intense enough that it blinded me and the next thing I knew something struck my left shoulder with enough strength to bring me to my knee.

The pain that hit next was almost an afterthought. The geyser of blood spraying from my mangled shoulder where the Ork's axe had struck was something else too. At least the bastard was dead – he was on his knees and missed both his arms below the elbow as well as his head above the chin.

I had to be in shock – that explained why I wasn't screaming my lungs out… and I was still bleeding. Perhaps I should be doing something about it while I still could…

"Emperor have mercy..." I muttered and drew more power from the Immaterium. My brain protested and I felt a trickle of blood leaking from my nose but ignored it. Lighting cracked around the fingers of my right hand and I pressed it at the gushing wound.

All I knew then was pain and I was sure I screamed louder than the fucking Orks. Thankfully, I lasted long enough to cauterise my wound and more or less release the Warp in a controlled manner before blacking out.

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A swing from his power weapon turned the head of a particularly ugly Ork into mush. Anteas didn't bother to pull out his hammer out of the Xeno's torso before channelling energy into it and unleashing a blast wave that blew the alien into chunks before slamming into a group of its friends and threw them off their feet. That manoeuvre bought him enough time to draw more power from the Warp and just as the other three Orks got up, he let it go at the middle one. The Nob had one moment to see death coming before the Librarian's attack hit and blew up its torso as if it had swallowed a grenade. The explosion was potent enough to mangle the other two Nobs and before they could recover, Anteas was at them. He smashed aside the crude axe the closer one carried, breaking its arm in the process then reversed the direction of his swing and tore off the lower jaw of the Xeno. Despite the battle going around, the Space Marine could clearly hear the Ork's neck crack from the strike. He nevertheless slammed his power hammer in the side of the Nob's head shattering its skull. That gave him just enough time to turn around and meet the attack of the last Xeno who had recovered from the explosion – at least as much as it could with its left arm mangled enough to show bone on multiple places. That didn't stop it from screaming its defiance of all that was Holy and wildly swing its sword with its other hand.

Anteas parried a crude slash took a step back and poked the Ork's torso with his power hammer channelling energy from the Immaterium into the weapon all the while. The Warp energy released on contact further enhancing the power of the strike. The Ork's crude armour caved in and the Librarian head the satisfying sound of shattering ribs.

Not that such an injury was enough to put down the maddened Ork. It brushed the hammer aside with its mangled hand, all the while screaming in pain and fury, not to mention throwing blood everywhere along with thick spit, and did its best to skewer Anteas. The Space Marine sidestepped the thrust took a step forward and headbutted the Xeno before pushing it away with the hilt of his Warhammer. That was enough to slow down the wounded Ork and before it could manage another credible attack, the Librarian struck true. The head of his Warhammer caught the Nob in the side, just below the shoulder and caved in armour, flesh and bone alike before tearing its way clear through the chest and throwing the Ork away.

With the enemy crippled and down for the time being, Anteas looked around for more immediate threats. What he saw filled him with pride. What few Orks were still on their legs were busy engaging his brothers with the rest trying to run around as the Guard armoured reserve scythed them down. That was good. With the Ork Boss gone, hopefully for good and his Nobs – the largest and strongest in the horde, along with most of said horde, dead, the Ork threat on the planet should be contained for the time being. While the Orks were far from gone, much less for good, after this defeat, they would be of no consequence until the Imperial forces could deal with the other, more pressing threats.

Anteas finished the crippled Ork and by the time that was done, the last few remaining enemies found themselves surrounded by the Terminators who made a short work of the despicable Xenos.

"We did the Emperor's work today, Brothers!" Anteas proclaimed. "You did well, Inquisitor..." The Librarian paused. Where was the Inquisitor? He looked around and it didn't take him long to find the man's crumpled form. "We need a medic at my location, ASAP! The Inquisitor is down!"