The sky was black with regular bursts of orange from the explosions overhead; the sound was thunderous, followed by the empty cries of death. Two gun ships circled above battling from the sky, each with large oversized laser cannon's blasting away. With each shot they fired they smashed through the half standing buildings, tearing the fleeing people apart. Tanks crashed their way through the rubble, gunning down anything that moved, leaving no trail of mercy in their wake. Soldiers, attired in dark blue ceramite armour with patterns of lightening pasted to their legs and wearing bat wings atop of their helmets, stormed the streets. They laughed aloud, whilst killing the women and children within their grasp, who were fleeing for safety.

Syakotus stood at the cliffs edge, looking through his binoculars across the long narrow rusty grey bridge; he saw the last of the Imperial citizens fleeing from the onslaught. Many of them ran covered in flames, screaming out in agonising pain. Their screams echoed throughout, whilst the laughing of the tormenting Night Lords dampened out their mere cry's for a merciful death.

From were he stood, he saw that all whom ran had more than a terrified look of fear. He could smell the charred flesh that drifted over with the grisly winds, flapping the front strands of his neatly tied hair. Overhead the roar of the attacking gunship engines was deafening, the explosions were like watching a cabaret of fireworks.

"Lieutenant can your men hold position?" he asked, lowering his binoculars.

"Yes. But I'm not sure they can suppress the traitors for long."

Commissar Fenerson, a short stumpy man who stood akin to Syakotus covered in his long black trench coat down to his feet, turned to the Cadian Lieutenant, looking him square on with a slight smile to his pale and old face.

"They will not have to. Just long enough to get some of those civilians across the bridge."

"Forgive me for asking." The lieutenant paused, shaking with his nerves. Reels of sweat rolled from the back of his neck, even though he had to ask the question, but knowing he wouldn't want to hear the answer. "How long is long enough?"

Commissar Fenerson looked down at the nervous Lieutenant and smiled. "When they're all dead, of course, Lieutenant Tyde."

The lieutenant broke into a cold sweat from those words, feeling for the loss of his men. Syakotus put his crimson right hand on Tyde's shoulder. "If it eases your conscience, their deaths shall not be forgotten."

Tyde looked up into the eyes of Captain Syakotus then back at the raging battle across the bridge, and finally down to his men defending the fleeing civilians. "It does not."

Behind Syakotus stood Chaplain Quornas, attired in his black ceramite armour with stains of dried blood and soot across his chest plate, holding his Crozius tightly, watching the attacking gun ships launch their missiles into the escaping civilians.

He closed his eyes to say a prayer to the Emperor for their deaths.

"Can we suppress them long enough?" he asked, looking at Syakotus, who merely gave him a blank expressionless stare. The silence of his Captain answered all of his questions.

Grailin, the Company's Chief Librarian, watched from behind both men as a flurry of rockets exploded, flinging its targets upwards with the explosion.

"May the Emperor have mercy upon their poor souls," he said, softly.

Both Syakotus and Quornas turned to face him. A half smile crossed Syakotus' face. "I'm sure the Emperor will have mercy for all his people."

Grailin stood firm. His armour was coloured in a light blue, yet his hands were coloured crimson like that of the Chapter. Looming over his head was his psychic hood, with wires running into the back of his shaven bald head.

Without warning, a stray rocket flew into the cliff side from below Syakotus' feet, shaking the ground with a blast of bright yellow sparks from the rock face. Quornas stepped back, grabbing his Captain's hand to stop him from falling to the thrashing waves banging against the rocks below, then pulled him back.

"They're getting closer," Quornas said, levelling his footing.

Syakotus looked back to the far entrance of the bridge, watching the Cadians fight for their lives endlessly, yet the fight was not in their favour. The Knight Lords and cultists out numbered them greatly.

"They will not hold out much longer," Syakotus said, lowering his binoculars in gesture to Fenerson to look for himself.

The Commissar took the binoculars from Syakotus' hand to see the massacre for himself.

"It will have to be you and your Marines that storm across the bridge and take the fight within the city. Our only option is to destroy Volcane. You must try, at least until the reinforcements arrive," he said, removing his cap to stroke his neat grey kemp hair, "while I will remain here and ensure the safety of the civilians," he finished. Syakotus looked down at the Commissar with a disgruntled look pressed upon his face.

"You are Space Marines. If I am correct it is your duty to die protecting the people of the Imperium," Fenerson said, using each of his words cautiously.

"It concerns me that you are willing to waste the lives of my Marines so easily for your personal safety," Syakotus said, grimacing at the Commissar.

"Why should it bother you? We will all die at some point and if fate picks you and your marines today then so be it. We are all here to die for our Emperor are we not?" retorted Fenerson.

Syakotus fed a wired chamber connected to his pack into his storm bolter, strapping it to his wrist and cocking the chamber back with a cling. "It bothers me that you are so willing to give our lives to the Emperor's name above your own, Commissar," Syakotus said, as he walked off down the hill to the bridge.

Tyde looked at the Commissar as the Captain walked off.

Quornas tapped Grailin on the shoulder and both men followed their Captain down the grassy hill towards the bridge.

"What if they fail?" he asked.

The Commissar smiled. "Then it will be your turn to give your life in the name of our god Emperor."

Smoke rolled across the bridge like a thick layer of fog. At the foot, the explosions were exceptionally loud with more of a ringing echo. The ground raged like an earthquake from the impact of cannon fire.

"Captain," Sergeant Xaros called, stepping from the smoke to greet Syakotus.

Xaros' helmet had a deep crack embedded into the visor, his dark ceramite armour was stained with thick black charcoal.

Watching Librarian Grailin and Chaplain Quornas follow his Captain, he nodded at them in acknowledgement while clenching his bolter tightly to his chest. Retaining his stance he stood still before his Captain, as did the rest of the ten man squad Xaros.

"Get your men into the Rhino, Xaros, we're going to cross the bridge into Volcane."

Syakotus unsheathed his Power Sword from the scabbard on his back. Tactical squad Korde, followed by assault squad Gevedin, approached his side waiting for orders.

"You ride with Korde. Gevedin, mount up your men follow our rears," he ordered.

Another explosion rocked the ground, this time with a heavier impact at the far entrance to the bridge. The Crimson Fists watched as the defending Cadians were flung high into the air.

"Tyde's Men," Syakotus muttered. Raising his sword high above his head, he flicked the switch; across the handle and the sword there was a low hum, before the blade began turning slightly red.

Behind him on the battered road the Rhinos started roaring as the drivers revved up the engines.

"Quornas, remain here. Make sure the Commissar doesn't betray us."

"Do you think he will?"

"He is a coward, and all cowards have the taint of betrayal."

"Good luck Captain Syakotus." Quornas finished stepping back from the Rhinos.

"Grailin I need you to return to the Forge hand and get us some reinforcements."

Grailin bowed his head in acknowledgement. "As far as I know the Salamanders are the closest to our position," he explained, stepping back.

"It matters not whom is closest. As long as they can fire a gun they will do."

"Understood," Grailin replied.

"Crimson Fists, saddle up!" Syakotus bellowed, stepping up inside the bulky armour plated lead Rhino.

Mounted atop was Grissom, his crimson fingers clutching the mounted storm bolter.

Korde stepped in behind Syakotus, watching as the defending Cadians at the far entrance began to lose more ground as they were cut down by more bursts of gun fire.

"C'mon, get your arses in. Now!" he bellowed at his squad, giving them a stern glare as they stepped in one by one.

The lead Rhino spat out a burst of black fumes the moment it revved up with a release of heavy smoke from its aft engines, then stormed across the entrance onto the bridge. The eleven man crew felt the wrenching of their stomachs while they jerked backwards in their seats, gripping their bolters tightly.

Grissom clenched his fingers around the trigger of his mounted storm bolter, with his eyes trained on any sign of their oncoming adversaries, as the Rhino sped up across the smoke filled bridge. Behind him another three of the company's Rhinos followed in hot pursuit.

Suddenly, without any warning, gun fire came at them from the approaching entrance. `Bolter fire danced off the front of the Rhino in wisps of dancing sparks the moment it hit the armour, creating a scent of burning metal filling up the air.

Grissom squeezed his finger on the storm bolter, trying to hit anything he could see. The bolt shells thumped out from both barrels, streaking across the bridge.

The Rhinos closed in on the far entrance, to be greeted by several Chaos space marines: Night lords.

The lead Rhino swerved, smashing its way through the dead Imperial Guards' barricades, skidding off the bridge into two of the Night Lords, instantly crushing them under its huge tracks. The clanging of the Rhino screeched, with flying sparks, grinding to a sudden halt, rocking its crew from the sudden stop.

Syakotus stood from his seat, clenching his power sword. "Lower the ramp, we're going out."

Korde stood behind, grabbing his bolter plasma combi-weapon from the gun rack. Bullet shells echoed through the Rhino as they slammed against the outer hull with a clatter, rocking it side to side, forcing the marines to stumble.

Korde clenched his Thunder Hammer tightly as he swiped it from were he sat.

Grissom kept his finger on the trigger, killing another before receiving a killing shot to his head followed by his upper torso, his body slumping forwards. The back ramp of the Rhino opened up with eleven Crimson Fists charging out, led by Syakotus.

Gun fire came from within the smoke filled burning city of Volcane, killing the first two Crimson Fists instantly.

"Get to cover," bellowed Syakotus, dodging bolter fire, ducking down behind the half destroyed tower that stood before them.

The Crimson Fists dashed to the smashed tower and its half broken wall for cover. Korde crept up besides Syakotus.

"Your orders, Captain?" he asked.

Without warning, the streaking sound of a rocket swept past their heads. The blast exploded besides them with a deafening sound, the explosion tossed the bricks of the tower in the air and across the battered street, along with Syakotus and Korde. The shock from the explosion slammed them hard against the cracked pavement.

Covered in dust and bruised from the impact, Syakotus pulled himself up. Levelling off, he raised his power sword high in the air.

"Charge!"

The thirty Crimson Fists leapt forward in a frenzied charge, led by Syakotus.

Korde, clenching his Thunder Hammer tightly whilst swinging it gently, vibrating with its power field, into two approaching Cultists, killing them both instantly from the sheer strength of his swing.

The Veteran Sergeant jumped up and down, swinging his Thunder Hammer from side to side, knocking adversary after adversary down in pools of blood. None could match his prowess for the sheer speed of his actions, swinging one second then parrying the next, yet without breaking a sweat.

Frieh, Judson, Moref and Phanus went down on one knee with bolters poised forwards, pulsing their fingers across the triggers then letting round after round pump from the barrels of their guns into cultist after cultist.

Behind them, stood in steadfast positions with bolters poised forwards were Linnix, Horton, Niven and Damson, also pumping round after round, into the oncoming mob.

The whole of squad Gevedin fought as one, slashing their chain swords into the flesh of the weak armoured Cultists. The blood from their victims spilled out across the broken roads and onto their armour, staining the dark blue ceramite with lashes of it.

Xaros and his squad kept close to Syakotus, firing round after round at the remaining Cultists who dared get close enough to them.

Leaping over a pile of bricks and gravel, Syakotus jumped into several Chaos Cultists, swinging his power sword about violently, cutting them open. The blood from his fallen victims sprayed across his bare face and the chest plate of his armour.

One cultist crept up behind him with a las pistol aimed at the back of his head, but was not quick enough with the trigger. At the sound of crunching feet over the broken gravel, he turned to see the face of Kordes Thunder Hammer smashed his skull open.

Syakotus spun around quickly to retaliate, yet he stood down as quickly, seeing Korde stood over the corpse, holding his Thunder Hammer in one hand and his bolter-plasma combi in the other.

"Good work, Sergeant. You may have saved my life."

Syakotus stepped atop of the broken bricks to survey the area for himself. He admired the sight of his three squads, standing over their dead victims. The city was all smashed apart from the incursion of Night Lords, and those heretics who followed the banner of Chaos.

Syakotus looked on at the city as it lay in ruins of rubble. He sniffed up the stench of death, the stench of Chaos. Every direction he looked there were smashed buildings, many of which remained covered in flames, burning high. The destruction from the large thunderous lascannons had levelled most of the streets, leaving a very few buildings still standing and only a few no higher than three stories in height. Syakotus climbed up higher on the broken rubble. Jumping on to a half standing wall, laced with blast holes, he noticed the city's cathedral still standing and almost un-scathed from the massacre. Jumping down from the wall, he looked down at Korde.

"Is it me, or was that just a little too easy old friend?" he mused.

"Maybe the Night Lords retreated at the sight of us, Captain," said Phanus, with a slight chuckle, holding his flamer from squad Korde and stepping between his Sergeant and Captain.

"I doubt that Phanus, that is merely wishful thinking." Syakotus returned, turning to face Korde again. "Take your squad to the cathedral. Try to hold the position if you can, it would serve us well as a command centre. I suspect that they are doing the same, plus we may need somewhere to fall back to."

"Aye, Captain." replied the veteran Sergeant, as his squad followed him off into the smoke filled city.

"Gevedin, take your assault squad and fall back to the bridge. The traitorous scum must not be allowed to leave Volcane, no matter the cost."

Xaros gazed upon the Night Lords' Thunderhawks "What of them, Captain?"

"It will have to be that excuse for a human, Commissar Fenersons', problem. I have no doubt that he will not hesitate to use his basilisk artillery to gun them down from these smoke filled skies."

Fenerson watched from the cliffs edge through his binoculars. The Crimson Fists spread out from the bridge's entrance.

"You should watch them, Tyde, you may learn a thing or two from their tactics," he said, taunting the Lieutenant.

Tyde said nothing to retaliate, he just clenched his las pistol tightly in his hand, reminding himself that the Commissar was his ally and not his enemy.

"Tyde, order your Leman Russ cannons to shoot those Thunderhawks down," the Commissar said, pointing at the fact they were heading towards them.

"Sergeant Masson, open fire at our oncoming adversaries," he voxed to the tank Sergeant.

Suddenly the sound of cannon fire rocked the ground in heavy quakes as the Leman Russ tanks opened fire at the Night Lords' oncoming Thunderhawks.

Dark smoke consumed the sky with a burst of yellow, followed by the sound of a thunderous crackle as one of the Thunderhawks combusted across the sky.

Both the Commissar and Tyde watched in horror as Raptors emerged from the black smoke of the fallen Thunderhawk.

"Destroy the other before it reaches us, Sergeant," Tyde voxed quickly.

Watching the cannons of the Leman Russ's destroy the second Thunderhawk, then watching more Raptors disembark the burning craft, he felt his stomach clench with anxiety at the mere thought of those abominable creatures. Yet to his relief they seemed to turn about, back to the city of Volcane.

Syakotus turned his head back to the bridge at the sight of the destruction of the two Night Lords' Thunderhawks. He raised his sword in cheer with his brothers to be cut of by what can only be described as a high pitched screeching from above.

Necus bellowed "Raptors!" as a plasma blast from above took his life.

Syakotus held his arm upwards towards them. Clenching his fist tight, pushing on the trigger in his palm, he let out a burst of auto fire from the storm bolter strapped to his wrist.

Sergeants Xaros, Cuoson and Drakes held their bolters upwards as the Raptors pounced on them from above with barely any warning. Cuoson tried to hit his oncoming attacker but lacked the speed of his adversary as it landed forward of him, slamming the butt of it's chain axe at his face and thus was knocked to the floor from were he stood.

"Cuoson are you ok?" bellowed Drakes. He was trying to get to him for aid but was cut from his legs with his upper torso flung violently forwards across the road side in the attempt. One of the attacking Raptors had swooped down low at him, slicing through his legs with its power sword. With a gush of blood spilling out across the floor, the Raptor held his power sword over Drakes mortally wounded body to plunge down into his spine, but was cut open by heavy bolter fire from across the road were Icyus stood. Xaros looked across, training his bolter forwards, and lunged forward of Drakes, but was blocked by another Raptor taking a swing at him with both of its lightening claws. He jumped over the fallen Drakes, swinging his chain sword into the Raptor, cutting into its vile armour and splashing black blood across the front of his helmet. Yet another swooped in behind him, mimicking his actions. Xaros had no choice but to face his newer adversary, hoping he had wounded the other enough for it to stay down long enough to slay the newer.

Yet his luck had run out. Three more Raptors swooped in upon him, cutting into his chest deep enough to slice the ceramite of his armour and slice through his mortal flesh. Xaros dropped to his knees, feeling the pain consume his body, dropping his bolter to the ground. Defying gravity with one hand, holding himself up, the Raptor cut through the back of his neck whilst screeching out loudly in a chuckle at his pain. Moments later, his head slipped away from his upper torso.

Cuoson watched in horror as the blood of Xaros' remains dashed across the Raptors and the ground beneath him.

Drakes rolled over in excruciating pain from the loss of both his legs, clenching his bolter and firing on full auto at the butchering Raptors, also giving Cuoson's time to stagger up.

Two of the Raptors fell in an array of bolter shells splitting into their flesh, whilst the third swooped over to Drakes, slamming its cursed chain sword in to his spine and pinning him down.

Syakotus dashed over to Cuoson.

"Come, brother, they are lost. We need to fall back or we will join them in death," he said, grabbing hold of Cuoson's blood stained shoulder using his strength to yank him back from the blood frenzied Raptors.

Len Ruo gripped his flamer, releasing a heavy burst of flames into the Raptors, killing one in his attack. Without warning, five more dropped behind him; three with lightening claws and two with chain axes. Len Ruo spun again, quick enough with his flamer, hitting the first to stab at him with hot flames. It fell forwards, screeching like a hungry newborn child.

Icyus jumped the other at Len Ruo's side, armed with his heavy bolter.

"Die, incarnations of the abyss," he muttered as his finger squeezed the trigger, killing all the Raptors forward of them. One by one they fell to their deaths, their flesh pulled apart by the onslaught of bolter shells. Black blood consumed the ground about them.

Two more Raptors dropped down from the smoke filled skies, firing plasma blasts at Icyus's feet, only adding to his frenzied rage. Again he let loose another round of heavy gun fire at them, cutting them both open.

The first was ripped apart, screeching for breath as it was blown back against the smashed walls, of the dirt ridden buildings, then the other dropped to its death in screaming agony. Syakotus flung himself into the remaining three, taking them by surprise. Slicing his power sword in mad fury, he decapitated their heads, leaving a mess of blood and guts across the broken street.

Cuoson's stood at his side, reloading another bolter clip, looking in anticipation for more to come.

"I think we won this round, brothers." Syakotus said, addressing the remaining Crimson Fists.

"Captain, there are more." Icyus grumbled, spinning round and clenching his heavy bolter with pride.

Hatal and Radeka went down on one knee with their bolters trained forwards, aiming towards the oncoming Cultists rushing towards them. With the crack of gun fire, the Cultists began shooting their auto guns at Syakotus and the Crimson Fists, the bullets merely bounced off their armour.

"Open fire, shoot those bastards down!" bellowed Syakotus, with the sudden wind echoing his voice.

Hatal and Radeka opened fire on full auto, their bolter shells flung into the Cultists creating a shower of raining blood with the Cultists being ripped to pieces. Within moments they'd all fallen to their deaths.

Syakotus walked forwards, taking a look at the shadows from the distance of the half standing buildings.

Suddenly, with less then a seconds warning, the dark sky was lit up in an array of red and yellow streaks of flames, giving Syakotus chance to see that they were no bolts of fire. Gaping, his eyes wide open, he saw the closer the screeching arrows were rockets before he had the chance to warn the others. The road that they all stood on collapse in on itself, dragging them down with the blast, toppling down below, only to be crush by the nearby unstable buildings crashing down onto them.

Then one last explosion shot upwards with a large burst of ash clouds, dropping back down like snow, covering the immediate area into a large vapour cloud. The explosion also burst some of the nearby gas pipes, forcing a new and even bigger explosion. The remaining Cultists in the area were blown to pieces, or killed by the circularised explosions being carried further with the sudden blast winds. Those Cultists that remained unscathed by the destruction suffocated to their deaths, chocking in agonising pain.

The interior of the cathedral was surrounded in a blanket of darkness and shadows. The ceilings were high ranging, lofty and appeared to touch the heavens, which were held up by magnificent old oak wooden beams going across the walls to arch into the great grey granite pillars. Thrusting out of the stone ground, giving a magnificent strong appearance to the structure, it was a majestic sight to the eye.

In each corner were white marble pillars, two rising up to the lofty ceiling, around them and spiralling upwards were carved ivory into the marble. Sat atop of each pillar were carvings of white angels, all kneeling with splendorous wings arching around them, almost encasing them, as if the angels where mourning. They had their heads dipped down and in each hand, clasped before them, were the hilts of swords, laid out in front of them.

The windows were coloured pieces of glass put together to form angels, the rays of what little light there was shone through them in long beams of yellow down to the marble floors. Dust could be seen dancing through the air, silently, almost motionless.

To break the serenity of this scene, hung in chains around the calves and chest were the human remains - what was left of them. They had been stripped of all their skin. All were unrecognisable, their innards coming out and dripping blood from every inch. A brutal and torturous act from the Night Lords, now left for all to see as mere trophies.

From the far exits stood two Night Lord Chaos Space Marines, motionless and poised ready for any intruder, clenching their bolters. They were unmoving, yet their eyes seemed be looking everywhere.

Forward of them were rows and rows of benches made of black volcanic rock - shiny yet dull, rather plain in appearance yet a spectacle to look on none the less - all leading up to the lectern at the head of the cathedral.

Stood at the stand, reading the preacher's book of ancient knowledge, was Lord Cravex of the Night Lords. Adorned in dark blue ceramite armour with a metallic glow, almost looking black in places from the dark shadows, lightening was pasted down his leg armour with a slight metallic glow. His skin was whiter than white, almost as white and hard looking as the marble angels faces. His eyes were black, like two black beads where a mans eyes would be, yet shinning with a depth that could go on for an eternity. His teeth where long, pointy, razor sharp, looking needles, and badly stained dark red. On occasion his long and pronged fork tongue would lick his lips.

Upon his chest he boasted a bone coloured skull with giant bat wings sprouting from each side, it looked rather too majestic for an individual of his calibre. Hung loosely across his large, arrogant chest were his rusty chains attached to one long diagonal chain across his chest, they vanished in swaggers around his back. He wore them around his waist also, and they hung down over one leg like a curtain. Upon his back he carried a large demonic sword, sheathed and covered by one huge and impressive murky grey, giant rat fur cloak, joined at the front of his chest by the front paws, clenched together with a blood stained ruby red clasp. Upon his shoulder he wore a carved face, screeching out in fear, whilst his other carried the Night Lords' symbol.

Stood by his side was Pertude, attired in all black, an unusual black. Adorned about him he wore a long, black, heavy cloak, thick and not worn, yet old in places. He had, adorning his head, a skull cap of black with two prongs braised at either side. Half way up they branched off and curved inwards.

Lexor entered the cathedral hall, walking with a strong purpose to his stance, stopping abruptly before Cravex, who looked up at him from his book.

"My lord, Space Marines have entered the city."

"Have the raptors disembark from the thunderhawks?" came the calm response. Lexor stepped back slightly.

"My lord, I would, if not for the fact they have all been slaughtered by the Space Marines," he said, lowering his tone. Cravex looked like he was about to shoot the messenger.

"So, the Salamanders have returned."

"No, my lord, another chapter," Lexor answered.

Cravex turned his full attention to him. "How many?"

Again Lexor stepped back. "I cannot answer that," he paused, before resuming. "Am I to hunt them down?"

"No," came the steadfast reply.

"May I ask why?"

Cravex replaced the book he was reading back on the lectern, face open. "Because they will come to us," he responded.

It was this moment that Pertude stepped closer to Cravex, holding his motion, gripping his fingers tightly around his psychic staff. He tilted his head at Cravex's ear to speak. "Perhaps we should take our leave of this city and advance across the bridge to slaughter all opposition before it grows in numbers," he saidm with an almost silent pitch to his tone.

Cravex slowly turned his head to gaze upon Pertude

"What opposition? A mere handful of Imperial Guards? What match will they be to me; I personally took this city from the Salamanders and five hundred of those Imperial Guards," Cravex said, raising his tone to echo through the hall. "We will take our leave of this place when I decide," he finished, his tone still raised.

Pertude moved closer to Cravex motionlessly, as if gliding. "Do you forget that if we are to follow Abaddon's plan then the sooner we leave this place, the sooner we can meet up with the Word Bearers and double in numbers. If we stay here we will become vulnerable."

Cravex turned his full attention to Pertude, who backed off slightly.

"You are over confident. This will be your downfall unless you keep with Abaddon's plan. Remember, you pledged your allegiance to follow Abaddon's banner. Surely you dare not doubt Abaddon the Despoiler," Pertude said, directing the words at Cravex with a daring, raised tone.

Cravex danced his fingers over his holstered plasma pistol, until now hidden under the chains and asked: "Just remind me again, why you are here?"

Pertude stepped back with caution from the angered manner in Cravex's tone, his eyes fixed on Cravex's hand movements.

"Abaddon wishes it," he replied.

"I will not be taunted by your poisoned tongue, nor will I be spied upon by my so-called ally. So I ask you one last time, why you are here?"

Cravex gripped the handle of his holstered plasma pistol. Pertude stepped back further and gripped his psychic staff ever more tightly.

"Because Abaddon requests my presence at your side to merely assist you."

Cravex drew his plasma pistol swiftly from its holster and pointed it directly at Pertude's glaring face. Without warning, Cravex clenched his finger over the trigger, releasing a beam of hot plasma. The beam smashed into Pertude's face, killing him instantly.

"Wrong answer."

Pertude's lifeless body fell back on to the stone and marble floor, his face all melted and charred, with the lingering smell of burnt meat from the smoke now rising.Cravex's glare told Lexor not to ask anymore questions.

"Remove this scum from my sight."

Lexor bowed then gave a hand gesture to the guards that stood by the door that he'd entered through. Both came over and each took a firm hold of one of Pertude's still warm hands and began dragging him out. Cravex re-holstered his smoking plasma pistol.

 

Korde and his squad had finally reached the end of their journey to the gates outside the cathedral. They glanced out over the cemetery, their colours were almost invisible to the backdrop of darkness. Phanus peered past the locked gates and past the gravestones. They were carved from every stone known to man, some new, some covered in moss and ivy, others decaying, cracked or even with bolter blasts smashed into them. Not even a holy place was sacred in death.

Phanus could see the cathedral entrance with two Night Lords on sentry duty, clenching heavy stubbers. Korde stepped over to him, looking for himself, to survey the area. It was heavy with old, gnarled trees, their boughs and leaves rustling and creaking in the almost silent breeze that crept upon them.

The main ground approaching the entrance was covered with a mass of gravestones. The closer they got to the entrance doors, the more unkempt they were; ivy, weather and intervention had caused some to vanish, sink, slump, or fall completely over.

Above the two large wood stained entrance doors was a clock tower, dominant and strong in its height. A Night Lord armed with a plasma gun overlooked the cemetery from inside; he would be an inconvenience when their first goal, the main entrance.

"OK, brothers, we know that once we crack the lock on this gate they will be alerted to our presence. But what they don't realise is that they out number us. Greatly."

"So what's the plan?" Phanus interrupted.

Korde glanced at Phanus with a rather annoyed expression fixed on his face.

"As I was saying, we will hide this fact by branching into five squads of two. We shall use grave markers as our cover." came back Korde, still surveying the Night Lord and some others, barely in sight on the cathedral roof.

Judson slowly advanced towards Korde, cocking his bolter for action. "Sarge, some back up may be an advantage."

Korde glanced into the reds of his helmet's eye viewers, gripping the communicator strapped to his belt. He held it up to his mouth.

"Captain."

No response was returned to him.

"Captain…"

Again no response.

Frieh closed in to Korde "Perhaps that explosion was the death of our Captain," he said.

"Maybe," replied Korde.

"Do you still want to take the cathedral?" Frieh added.

"If on the chance Captain Syakotus is dead, then I am in command and I say we follow his last orders. He is, or was, our Captain, therefore it is our duty to obey his orders," Korde explained.

Korde put the comm to his mouth again. "Gevedin."

The com crackled slightly.

"Gevedin here. That you, Korde?" Came Gevedin's response.

"What's your situation?" Korde asked.

"No resistance what so ever."

"Good, we need your help at the cemetery. I'm not sure where Captain Syakotus is or if he's even alive. All contact with him has been lost. My squad and I are at the cathedral's gates but from the look of this place we are greatly out numbered."

"What do you need from me, Korde?"

"Can you mount your men in the Rhinos and give us some assistance in taking this place out?" Korde asked.

"Consider it done, old friend. Start your attack, we should be with you shortly," Gevedin finished.

"Thank you," finished Korde, replacing his comm back on his waist.

"Frieh, open the gates," ordered Korde.

Unhooking his knife from his waist, Frieh jolted it into the lock sealing the tall gothic designed gates. He slowly wedged the blade through the key hole of the lock and twisted it about for around two minutes.

With a clang that rocked the gate, causing an echo across the cemetery, the lock broke, snapping the blade off the knife handle and dropping to the ground. Judson eased his shoulder gently against the tall gates, pushing them open, clenching his fingers around his bolter's handle. Korde slid past him, holding his combi with both hands.

"We're in. Remember, stick to the plan."