Furiously trying to free himself he cast a quick glance around to assess the situation. He could see Zehnith making a getaway on her jetbike. Her charmed life seemed to persist he noted sourly as all four of her companions were torn off their bikes by terminator firepower. She seemed to be holding an artifact in one hand as she deftly avoided all incoming fire and made for the tree line. It looked like this battle was over! He needed to activate his webway portal. It was then that he noticed a number of things. He could no longer feel his left leg. The whine and bark of splinter rifles and dark lances was dwindling. A large squad of terminators was cleaving its way through his warriors. His webway portal device lay next to Ishtrak, shattered in a million pieces. "I am Deathwing" I am your nemesis" roared Interrogator-Chaplain Raphael as battle lust over came him. Clad in mighty terminator armour and protected by the emperor-blessed rosarius he led his honour guard through the last ring of the Dark Eldar warriors. The crozius arcanum in his right arm crackled with vengeful energy as he swung it in wide arcs, splitting, decapitating and flaying the alien scum. By his side his honour guard smashed their way through by sheer force of weight crackling lightning claws complimenting the crozius while thunder hammers pulped anything that stood in their way. The occasional whoosh of the heavy flamer was accompanied by inhuman screams of agony as the aliens were scorched. "We are the Emperor's Wrath!" Thundered Raphael as he furiously led the final charge amidst a hail of bolter shells and splinter shards. Blazing storm bolters blasted apart the delicate anatomy of the eldar. Shimmering power gloves crushed eldar armour and bodies alike! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Archon finally pushed the body of his dead incubi off him. Things were happening too fast. He realised he was bleeding. His left leg useless. With a flick of his wrist he activated his reservoir of combat drugs. He felt the rejuvenation as the elixirs coursed through his veins. Another deft flick and a malevolent looking weapon was in his hand. An agoniser! A weapon that could disable the strongest of foe with sudden severe infliction of pain. It had served him well in the past, and now he needed it most. Then a shadow fell over him. "I am Deathwing! " The terminator's voice boomed, amplified by the voice projectors in that ancient suit of armour. The Archon's eyes fell to the terminator's arms. The Crozius arcanum, swirling with electrical blue energy. The other held a vicious, gleaming weapon. He had not seen this weapon in the past. With death starring him in the face, he still could not take his eyes off the weapon that was as vicious and beautiful as a wyche. For the first time, he felt fear. He, who relished the fear and torment of others was now afraid. But in a maligned way he also enjoyed the pungent smell of his own fear. His momentary introspection was cut short rudely as the chaplain swung his crozius, neatly separating Siltak hand from the rest of his body. The hand and the agoniser that was held in it came to rest a few meters away. The chaplain's follow up swing brought the other weapon in to contact with Siltak's chest. The searing pain, and his own soulless scream, as the Blades of Reason struck him across the chest were lost in the din of the dying battle. It was agony that he had never tasted before. The malevolent archon enjoyed and suffered the exquisite pain caused by the chaplains' weapon. Such was the twisted mind of a depraved Dark Eldar. The Archon's last memories were of bone white armoured terminators overrunning his command. It was then that it dawned "This was a trap, but for whom? "Then all was darkness as Raphael's ceramite boot came to rest on the archon's head, crushing his miserable life out of him. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Three cowled figures stood motionless on a rise within the woods. They had witness the Dark Eldar attack, the death of the scouts and the carnage of the Deathwing assault. They watched impassively and on a curt command melted in to the jungle. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Zehnith was ecstatic. The thrill and rush of battle was amplified by the near death experience at the hands of the Deathwing. Her escape and the knowledge of Archon Siltak's certain demise brought a wry smile to her face. The price was high. All the wyches of her group were dead. But she had the artifact and Siltak was out of her way. She raised the artifact in her right arm as a gesture of defiance and victory, as she slowed the jetbike to weave through the trees. She felt a small thud and it took her a moment to realise the truth. Where a moment ago her hand was holding the artifact was replaced by a bloodied stump. Her hand and the artifact were missing. She opened her mouth to scream in anger and look for her attacker as she increased her speed. The scream was muffled as her head melted in a ball of super heated plasma, the dull thud of the exploding jet bike signaling her death agony. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * One of the cowled figures sheathed his chainsword before prying the artifact loose from Zehnith's severed hand. The leader of the three cowled figures was an impressively tall man. The face hidden by the cowl and the body covered by a monk's robe similar to the other two. He was holstering a smoking plasma pistol. "It was a well laid trap, but they baited the wrong prey" His companion said "You were right. They knew! They were waiting for us! "Atleast we got what we came for" said the first man, handing the artifact to the leader. "Where to next" "The emperor moves in mysterious ways" The leader spoke very slowly "We must leave for Kraxus Prime" The wind blew gently, as the three turned away. The billowing robes revealing black power armour beneath it. A broken sword hung at his waist "Show us the path and we will" One of them whispered to their leader ".follow you to eternity Cypher!" THE END |
THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTER... By ( Shadow Guard ) |
FABLES OF THE UNFORGIVEN |
