In the mid-air, humanity used the sky as a canvas, painting a masterpiece named "Sacrifice" with their blood and lives.
One by one, the Hel's Angel flight wings spiraled down, crashing amidst the crisscrossing death rays. They traded their lives to cover the retreat of the main force. By the time the last fighter fell, they had paid with dozens of Vikings to secure the destruction of two Necron Doom Scythes.
With this, the elites Alexei had spent three years training on Sotha were entirely wiped out. He knew that no sacrifice was too great to be accepted in the face of survival, but... he let out a long, deep breath, offering his highest silent tribute to those fallen warriors. At the very least, he would ensure their families never wanted for anything in the future.
He opened his eyes, pulling his thoughts back to the present. The enemy's fighters would soon catch up again. As he struggled to find a solution, the Doom Scythes pursuing the floating human buildings suddenly found themselves engaged by a new foe.
As the visuals on the screen cleared, Alexei realized that Tyranid aerial units had caught up. The two Xenos races began to tear into each other without distinction.
While the Doom Scythes' death rays could easily sweep through Tyranid swarms, the sheer density of the Hive Mind's "black cloud" of organisms trapped the few Necron craft in a desperate melee.
Seizing the opportunity, Alexei immediately ordered all buildings to accelerate their evacuation. This was their best chance!
Only after they had left the Tyranids and Necrons far behind did Alexei finally breathe a sigh of relief.
After traveling a considerable distance through the air, they chose a plain to make landfall. Once the local Tyranid stragglers were cleared, they began to construct a new defensive line. As long as they were not entirely wiped out, hope remained.
Alexei watched the swarms of busy SCVs. Perhaps due to the Necron presence, the Tyranids—despite knowing they were here—had not launched a large-scale assault. "It seems they're still at each other's throats," he murmured. Their retreat had been the right call.
However, he was uncertain of the next step. This world was likely a lost cause, caught between the Great Devourer and the undying Necrons...
While lost in thought, a pillar of energy erupting into the sky from the direction of the Pharos Mountains jolted him awake. "Is that the Pharos Beacon?! Wasn't that thing broken ages ago?"
Damnation. The last time that thing lit up, it had drawn the Tyranids from outside the galaxy. If it was active again, it risked drawing the full weight of the Hive Fleet to their location.
If the main Hive Ships of Fleet Kraken were truly lured here by that signal, it would be the end for him.
Realizing that his presence might have altered the outcome of this Tyranid invasion, Alexei's expression shifted rapidly as he calculated his options.
"No, I have to go pull the batteries out of the Pharos right now." Alexei stopped his ruminating. He had originally intended to wait for the next wave of reinforcements and hold off the Tyranids before searching for the C'tan shards.
But given the current situation, he might not last that long. Even if reinforcements arrived soon, the Necrons' combat power was too exaggerated—constant true damage and infinite resurrection. Moreover, he estimated this wasn't just a minor tomb; it was a dynasty tasked with guarding a structure as important as the Pharos.
The sheer number of Necron Warriors was enough of a headache, let alone their terrifying vehicles.
With that settled, Alexei immediately summoned Torquill.
He spoke solemnly to the towering warrior. "I need you to take me to the Pharos Beacon. That place is our only hope of breaking this deadlock."
Torquill didn't speak; he simply looked at the Governor. He remembered the loyalists who had just given their lives to cover their escape, and the mortals who refused to back down even before horrific aliens. Their loyalty was beyond question.
"Fine. I will take you," Torquill nodded.
Alexei gave Torquill a respectful salute. "Thank you." He handed over the defense of the base to Brand and went to prepare for the mission.
"Just these few?" Torquill asked Alexei, standing before a Medivac with a few 1st Company veterans.
"Yes. Any more would draw too much enemy attention," said Alexei, now clad in power armor and gripping a power sword.
This small group was enough. With their combat prowess, as long as they didn't stumble into an enemy army, they could handle anything else.
Torquill said no more. He led the Astartes onto the Medivac. Alexei followed immediately, entering the cockpit. He would pilot the craft to the Pharos himself.
With the roar of the engines, the group departed the base.
---
Alexei gripped the controls tightly, his eyes fixed on the shadows of the distant mountains. The Medivac flew fast and low to avoid wandering Tyranid Gargoyles and Spore Mines.
In the hold, Torquill and the veterans were performing final checks.
"Twenty minutes to the Pharos range," Alexei said calmly over the comms. "Because of the Necron awakening, there will likely be a heavy Xenos presence guarding the Beacon."
Torquill nodded, tightening his grip on his sword hilt. "Do not worry. We will carve the path forward for you."
Suddenly, several shrieks erupted in the air as a swarm of Gargoyles descended upon them. Alexei shouted, "Heads up! We've been spotted. Hold on!"
Alexei shoved the controls, performing a series of emergency evasions. He roared again, "Brace yourselves! We're going in for a crash landing!"
The Astartes remained silent, standing firm and gripping the internal restraints.
With a thunderous crash, the Medivac made violent contact with the earth. Massive inertia skidded the transport a long distance, burying half the fuselage in the soil.
Fortunately, no one aboard was a mere mortal. The group quickly scrambled out of the wreckage. The six Astartes and Alexei were largely unharmed.
Alexei glanced at the looming silhouette of the Pharos Beacon in the distance. "Looks like we're walking the rest of the way."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the distant shrieks of Tyranid swarms echoed back.
Without hesitation, Torquill's chainsword roared to life. His left hand began barking with bolt pistol fire at the incoming swarm.
Alexei said nothing more. He simply snapped his visor shut. The power sword's disruption field flared to life as he, alongside the three Bladeguard Veterans, charged into the Tyranid tide.
In an instant, blood rained down. Against this squad, the Tyranid swarm—composed of Warriors and various fodder—was little more than moving sandbags. In a short while, every creature blocking their path was cleared.
Torquill slammed a fresh magazine into his bolt pistol, looking at Alexei with a trace of surprise. "It seems I underestimated your personal strength."
Alexei didn't answer. He simply wiped a smudge of Xenos blood from his visor and looked toward the mountain range where the shrieks were rising in symphony. "Let's move. This path is going to be a hard one."