Two hundred indigo-clad figures advanced swiftly through the shell-battered city of Mondus Occulam.
They raised their bolt pistols, unleashing a storm of fire, blowing the automata blocking their path to pieces.
Crackle.
Beams of blue light lanced out, striking the Alphas.
Bang!
Charred bodies fell.
Not a single Alpha slowed. They fired in unison.
The barrage tore a hole through the Vorax-class automata. No Alpha sought revenge.
They had to complete the mission.
The Legate's constant harassment had successfully lured Lucius away from the data-temple.
Now, they only needed to strike the temple, kill the defenders, and secure the data.
Blue runes flickered on their tactical displays. Their transhuman vision could already see the grand temple.
A string of crimson runes flashed.
Around the temple, purple-gold armor materialized.
"Emperor's Children!" the Alpha exclaimed.
Bolters roared. A hail of fire felled a dozen Alphas.
"Traitors, Lord Lucius knew of your schemes all along." Thorason sneered.
One by one, the indigo runes on the Alphas' tactical displays winked out. The Legate, barely holding his own against the swift blades, grew more frantic.
"You-"
"Your scheme has been exposed." Lucius knew that by placing Thorason to guard the data-temple, he had thwarted the Alpha infiltration, fulfilling the Black Emperor's divine command.
"You should die with your men, Alpharius." Lucius swept his right arm, his blade crashing against the power spear.
He stepped lightly, thrusting his left blade into the Alpha Legate's abdomen.
He withdrew his blade, looking up.
Yellow gunships roared down, landing on the pad ahead.
'Imperial Fists?'
Lucius walked forward, watching the landing gear deploy. A warrior in yellow Terminator armor strode down the ramp.
He had deep golden hair, and eyes like sapphires.
A scar ran from his right eye down to his jaw, marring an otherwise noble face, like those common among the Emperor's Children.
He was broader and more heavily built than the other Terminators, at least a head taller than the tallest among them.
He wore the Palatine Aquila, a mark of honor from the Emperor, signifying that this non-Emperor's Child had fought beside Him and earned His approval.
'Sigismund.'
Lucius's eyes lit up as he stared at the First Captain and First Sword of the Imperial Fists.
'A worthy opponent. Certainly better than Loken or Erebus.'
Lucius stepped forward. "Sigismund, what brings you here?"
"I am here on the Regent's and the Praetorian of Terra's orders, to secure the assets of Mondus Occulam." Sigismund stared at the Emperor's Child.
"Lucius, your father has betrayed the Imperium."
"Iacton Qruze should have told you my position." Lucius said, calmly.
"You are not to be trusted." Sigismund's hand moved to his sword hilt.
"I care not for you or your father's trust." Lucius said.
"I fight for Lord Nareth."
"Lord Nareth?" Sigismund frowned.
"He will trust you."
Lucius's eyes sharpened. "Of course. I am his flawless blade!"
"Don't get in my way." Sigismund warned, then turned to leave.
"Sigismund, you are too late." Lucius's voice stopped him.
"I have already secured the data assets. The new armor is already on us."
"But there are some Mark IV suits and other weapons we couldn't carry. The weapons we can't take, you can have."
Sigismund spun, roaring, "You take me for a scavenger?!"
Lucius shrugged. "Suit yourself. You don't have to take them."
"You should be grateful you're not too late. Otherwise, they would have been ash."
"I will leave nothing for the rebels."
He walked past Sigismund, his head held high.
Sigismund stared at the Emperor's Child in his new power armor as he passed. He clenched his sword hilt.
"One more thing: Tycho Brahe's munitions depots have nearly thirty-eight billion tons of ordnance." Lucius said, his voice drifting back.
"If you want them, get there as soon as you can."
Sigismund slowly released his sword hilt. He opened his comm channel, ordering his two companies.
"By squads. Move out now."
"Load everything you can find onto the transports."
"The Imperium needs them."
Lucius activated his jump pack, soaring over the forge shops, still running on their inertial systems.
He opened his comm channel, calling to the Nasicae pilot of the Queen of Claws.
"Land beside the forge temple. Prepare for extraction."
"As you command, Lord Lucius."
As the call ended, the grand forge temple came into view.
Bang!
The blue flame of his jump pack dissipated over the plaza.
He strode forward, charging into the forge temple, coming directly to Kane.
"Fabricator General, come with me now."
"No!" Zagreus Kane refused outright.
"I will never abandon my forge. I will not flee sacred Mars."
"Your forge is already lost." Lucius shouted.
"Alive, you will have it all again."
"Your forge. Your Mars. Lord Nareth will help you."
"Lord Nareth?" Kane pressed. "He will help me?"
"He will help you." Lucius said, reaching out, pulling Kane along.
As they ran from the forge temple, a Thunderhawk roared down.
Kane looked at the ornate, purple-gold gunship, its hull covered in dense script.
His memory buffers identified it as Chemosian script.
He was pulled aboard the Queen of Claws by Lucius.
Kane shook off Lucius's hand, pressing himself to the viewport, looking out at his forge-city through the narrow window.
The Legio Mortis strode forward, smashing through the walls, spitting out crimson beams.
The destructive beam struck a twelve-story building. Black smoke billowed. Flames engulfed the entire forge shop.
Debris, wreathed in flame, rained down.
Castellum and Decimator-class automata launched suicidal attacks. Their fire was futile against the Titans' void shields, and they were blown to pieces.
A mushroom cloud rose. Kane watched a toppling Warlord Titan consumed by the flames.
"I ordered melta bombs placed in the reactor furnaces."
"The Titans that destroyed your forge will be punished by its explosion."
Kane nodded, watching the rising pillars of smoke below.
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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