"So, what have you discovered?"
Dantioch immediately inquired over the vox-link. He trusted this partner, with whom he had fought shoulder-to-shoulder ten thousand years ago. Although they belonged to different Legions and carried the blood of different genetic fathers, their mutual understanding had never wavered.
"Dan, you have to see this for yourself."
Pollux raised his hand, marking the sight before him on the tactical auspex built into his helmet. Dantioch moved toward the signal source, vaulting over several grey, barren obstacles until a scene came into view.
Having studied the relevant data beforehand, Dantioch recognized it at a glance.
—It was the wreckage of the T'au.
Across the desolate landscape, various patterns of battlesuit wreckage lay broken and scattered. Components, T'au weaponry, and various drones were strewn about. The marks on the debris seemed to have been washed by long years, and shriveled, skeletal corpses lay in the dust like insignificant trash, merging with the earth.
Dantioch's brow furrowed. He had heard Lord Adam explain the characteristics of this xenos race. The T'au's soul projection in the Warp was extremely weak, giving them a stronger resistance to Warp corruption than humans.
But now...
Dantioch looked down, carefully examining the marks on the T'au corpses. The edges of charred wounds showed unnaturally twisted textures, and some bones even displayed blasphemous growths and mutations. This was clearly the result of Warp energy erosion and corruption.
"It seems the degree of Warp corruption on this planet is far more severe than I imagined."
After quickly ordering all battle-brothers via the vox to check if the anti-psychic runes on their armor were functioning correctly, Dantioch issued his next command.
"Now, everyone immediately begin searching the vicinity for these T'au corpses and continue the search forward along the trail!"
This decision proved to be extremely correct. Before long, a very conspicuous landmark entered their vision.
A massive, magnificent temple stood atop a high ridge, appearing as if it had endured countless eons. Pitch-black rock formed the main body of the temple, carved with eerie runes and various hexagram symbols that sent chills down one's spine. More importantly, data analysis showed eight massive pillars within the temple that would take several men to encircle—perfectly matching Lord Adam's vague description.
"It seems we have found our objective," Dantioch said somberly.
"Searching the surrounding area."
The scouts in the team immediately released servo-skulls. The small mechanical constructs hummed as they flew into the sky, beginning a rapid scan of a one-kilometer radius south of the temple, searching for the signal of a Dark Talon shuttle.
However... just as the Iron Warriors thought they were about to complete the mission smoothly, an anomaly occurred.
"Is it... raining?"
Pitter-patter raindrops fell from a sky devoid of any cloud cover, appearing out of nowhere and enveloping everything in sight. The rain wasn't heavy, yet it carried an eerie sensation. According to the shipboard auspex scans, there wasn't even water on this planet—where was this mysterious rain coming from?
Dantioch held out an armored palm. The droplets fell upon it, their texture revealing a viscous, crimson hue. In an instant, a flash of phantom imagery crossed his eyes.
His genetically enhanced Lyman's ears seemed to hear the crackling of flames, and even through the sealed tactical helmet, his nose caught a faint scent of blood. A coarse sensation brushed across his skin, as if sharp, tough blades were lightly passing over him, causing the Warsmith to shiver.
Dantioch reacted instantly. He looked up at the temple, which appeared increasingly sinister under the blood rain, and commanded:
"Everyone prepare, we have an emergency!"
"All Raptors equipped with jump packs—that is, the Night Lords—form a squad immediately and detach from the main force to find that Dark Talon shuttle from the Dark Angels!"
"The rest of you, follow my orders and organize. We are forming a defensive line to buy time for their operation!"
"Prepare for battle!"
At the eighth minute and eighth second after Dantioch issued the order, a burst of bloody light exploded above the temple. With a sharp sound like a blade slicing through a thin sheet, the already fragile veil between reality and the Warp was torn asunder, and a thick blood mist surged out.
Shadowy silhouettes appeared before the ready Astartes, becoming clearer as the distance closed.
The Daemons had arrived.
On this cursed land, these horrific beings—referred to by the T'au as the "Beasts of Moloch"—emerged from the Sea of Souls to launch a new round of slaughter for the god they worshipped. Even the expeditionary force led by the legendary T'au Commander Farsight had met disaster here, with three Ethereals perishing in this terrible conflict.
"Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!"
Accompanying this classic, frenzied battle cry, the Daemons of Khorne launched their charge. They were frenzied beasts, synonyms for terror, horrific creations of the Warp. Their appearance matched the classic demonic imagery passed down in human civilization: long black horns, cloven hooves, crimson skin, hideous faces filled with sharp teeth, and clad in brass-colored armor.
Their terrifying visage alone was enough to cause any mortal witness to suffer a mental breakdown or stand frozen while being slaughtered. But for the opponents they faced now...
Heh, don't make the Astartes veterans laugh.
Never mind the Horus Heresy era; even as members of the Legion of the Damned who had personally experienced the Great War in the Warp, they had already seen battles a billion times more shocking than this.
At this moment, all Astartes showed no fear. Watching the demonic tide surging toward them like a flood, they remained mountain-still. Even though the Khornate Daemons had launched a surprise attack, leaving the Astartes very little time to construct a position, this was nothing to Dantioch. During the Horus Heresy at Saden Fortress, he had held out against the combined assault of over ten thousand Astartes of the Iron Warriors 13th Grand Battalion and Emperor-class Titans with only a hundred Astartes and mortal auxiliaries.
This small amount of time was more than enough for him to complete a reliable defensive setup.
And so it was.
The lead Bloodletters hissed with excitement, their enchanted Hellblades glowing with an ominous heat, sharp enough to easily slice through ceramite. Their cloven hooves thundered across the dark earth, each strike leaving a scorched mark that seemed ignited by blood.
One particularly massive Bloodletter suddenly lowered its hideous head in confusion. Why is the fire beneath my hooves so much brighter than usual?
The next moment, a deafening explosion swallowed its question. The minefield, meticulously calculated and planted by the Warsmith along the charge path, detonated instantly! A wall of death composed of shrapnel and flame slammed into the crimson tide, and the violent shockwave hurled dozens of Bloodletters—completely dominated by their killing impulse—into the air. Their mangled bodies were purified in the flames, banishing them directly back to the Warp.
The momentum of the charge faltered, and a brief moment of chaos appeared in the Khornate vanguard.
From a temporary command post on a small hill, Dantioch personally held the banner and observed the battlefield, calmly witnessing this expected scene. Without pause, his instructions were transmitted clearly to every combat unit via the vox:
"Suppressive fire, commence."
Hum—!
Fixed Onager weapon platforms deployed on the left and right flanks of the arc-shaped position activated instantly. A second later, the exhaust of shrapnel missiles and the glowing muzzles of autocannons spat fire simultaneously. The lethal barrage, like two crossing scythes of death, cut into the daemon horde confused by the minefield.
Flesh flew, and fragments scattered. Amidst this dense storm of firepower, large swathes of Bloodletters and Flesh Hounds fell continuously.
However, within this sustained suppressive fire, some tougher, more hideous figures began to stand out. Scarred and battered, they stepped out of the smoke and dust of the explosions, braving the metal-tearing storm. Their forms became increasingly frenzied and terrifying as they bathed in the blood of their own kind.
—Those were Bloodbeasts of Khorne.
These horrific Chaos Spawns, transformed by the blessings of Khorne's chaotic power, possessed melee destructive force and vitality far exceeding their ordinary kin. They let out earth-shaking roars of pain, ignoring the shrapnel embedded in their bodies, and used their massive frames and brute strength to carve several smoking, spark-filled safe paths through the minefield!
"Regroup! Follow the Bloodbeasts! Crush them!"
A roar filled with brutal intent echoed from the demonic ranks. It was a well-known fact that among the Warp daemons of the four Dark Gods, those under Khorne placed the most emphasis on war discipline and formations. Fighting them was often not like fighting scattered demons, but like facing a frenzied yet orderly army.
But this, too, was within Dantioch's expectations.
At the front lines, amidst the interplay of light and shadow from the dark sky and eerie blood rain, a line of steel had been silently forged. Time was limited, and the Astartes could not dig a complete trench system, but true Iron Warriors always had their ways.
Battle-brothers equipped with the thickest Saturnine-pattern Terminator armor stood firm. The heavy storm shields in their hands were locked edge-to-edge, forming a seamless metal wall. Long bolter barrels extended steadily from the pre-cut firing slits in the shields. Cold gazes locked through viewports onto the reshaped daemon tide surging along the path opened by the Bloodbeasts.
"Reiterating combat tactics."
Warsmith Annouurdi's calm voice sounded in every Iron Warrior's vox channel, drowning out the distant roars of the daemons and the thunder of their own firepower. "To deal with these lunatics who crave melee combat, let them get close before we strike."
"Iron Within."
Finally, he said somberly.
"Iron Without!"
All Iron Warriors responded with a low battle cry.
"Eight hundred meters."
Everyone held their breath, locking their sights onto the sprinting figures.
"Five hundred meters."
The hideous, twisted faces of the Blood God's servants were now clearly visible, saliva and blood spraying from between their sharp teeth.
"Three hundred meters."
"Fire."
Annouurdi's command was concise and powerful.
Bang bang bang bang—!!
The Khornate vanguard, which had been acting triumphant thinking they had broken through the firepower net, was instantly torn apart by an even more precise direct-fire barrage! The damage-reduction characteristics of Khornate daemons against ranged attacks seemed fragile under the Iron Warriors' textbook-perfect alternating fire and firepower distribution.
Khornate Furies attempting to dive from the sky were accurately detonated by whirlwind missiles launched by Tyrant Siege Terminators. Massive Bloodbeasts were melted through their cores by the plasma cannons of Saturnine-pattern Dreadnoughts before they could even approach the shield wall. And the Bloodcrushers riding Juggernauts of Khorne in a desperate charge found their wild impact couldn't shake the storm shield wall even slightly, only to be turned into scattered charcoal and ash by thrown melta bombs.
The rain of bullets poured down; the shield wall stood like a cliff. The line held firm.
Of course, while such a result was acceptable to the Iron Warriors, it could never satisfy the servants of the Blood God. As they continued to slaughter the Khornate daemons, the enemy leader, unable to endure the scene any longer, finally stepped into battle.
A colossal demonic form manifested, enveloped by a terrifying crimson shockwave that swept across the field. It was a monster with bone wings unfurled, clad in heavy bone armor decorated with skulls. The curved crimson horns on either side of its head resembled a crown, its appearance hideous and terrifying. It held a massive axe like a door in each hand, its eyes churning with the endless killing intent of a sea of blood.
—It was a Bloodthirster.
"Roar!!!"
It let out a frenzied roar filled with joy. The desire for slaughter in its heart was so intense that the Bloodthirster excitedly swung its massive axes, crushing several Bloodletters beside it who couldn't dodge in time into meat paste, just to barely suppress that restless urge.
The Blood God never cared from whence the blood flowed, and He always highly appreciated the skulls collected by warriors. Among them, Astartes skulls were the best sacrifices for the Blood God.
This nameless Bloodthirster spread its wings and instantly broke through the air, moving so fast it left a trail of afterimages, like a bright red meteor streaking across the battlefield, crushing every obstacle in its path. In an instant, the Bloodthirster charged to the front of the Iron Warriors' line, its eyes fanatical.
Almost at the same moment, under the Warsmith's command, nearly all available firepower suddenly shifted, attempting to intercept this horrific Greater Daemon. Although the lethal barrage left numerous scars on the Greater Daemon's bone armor, it only slightly slowed its advance, failing to stop the devastating swing.
With an earth-shaking roar, the massive axes swung down!
Boom!
The previously solid line was instantly torn open, and several Iron Warriors were sprayed with blood, their bodies thrown back violently as their remains hit the ground. However, in a sense, this was not death. Having been summoned anew by Adam, they were, in fact, no different from the Khornate daemons before them. They were all Warp lifeforms, nearly impossible to truly destroy. Such a result was merely their souls returning to the Throne, awaiting the next summons. From this perspective, this sudden battle could be considered fair.
Just as the Bloodthirster was about to run amok among the crowd, a thick power fist slammed heavily into its abdomen, causing it to reel, a massive wound appearing on its belly. It swung back, forcing the attacker away with a giant axe, its crimson eyes reflecting a massive iron body—a Contemptor Dreadnought from the Great Crusade era.
"I am your opponent, foul thing!"
The ancient warrior Kragan's cursing was merciless. The assault cannon equipped on the machine instantly spat tongues of fire, spraying across the demonic body like rain. Shells nearly the size of a forearm struck the demonic form, and blood erupted, soaking the ground.
The Bloodthirster wanted to brave the fire and pounce on this damned fellow, to dismantle the iron coffin and offer the pilot's skull to the Blood God.
And then...
Squeltch.
A scythe-like sharp blade protruded from the Greater Daemon's chest, causing it to stumble, nearly unable to stand.
—This was the attack of Garro, Captain of the Death Guard 7th Company, as ruthless and sharp as he had been ten thousand years ago when he dueled his own Primarch, Mortarion.
Subsequently, a psychic power from a founding Grand Master of the Grey Knights enveloped and overwhelmed the Bloodthirster. Everyone around immediately seized this god-given opportunity. One after another, the heroes of the Great Crusade who had already made their names during the Horus Heresy gathered with ill intent.
Bolters, volkite chargers, plasma cannons, melta weapons, and various exquisite martial skills passed down from the home worlds of each Legion—every one of them had its strengths, and every move hid a secret killing strike. They began to land continuously on this Khornate Greater Daemon, which had been underestimated and lured into charging the line alone in a fit of rage.
There was no suspense. Under the continuous output, the Bloodthirster gave a grief-stricken roar, its massive body falling heavily. How could it be otherwise? Facing such a ganging-up lineup, let alone an unnamed Bloodthirster, even Khorne's chosen Khârn would have to lose a layer of skin to get away.
Seeing this little interlude with the Bloodthirster come to a complete end, Dantioch breathed a small sigh of relief.
At the same time, he received good news.
—The Night Lords squad sent to scout ahead had successfully found the Dark Talon shuttle.
"This part is finally settled," Dantioch thought to himself.
He didn't even spare a glance at the daemons, who were becoming increasingly disorganized after the Bloodthirster's death and were being hunted down by the Iron Warriors. He began to plan his next move. After all, what was a mere Bloodthirster? Next, he was about to face a direct confrontation with a legendary minor Warp god.
He had to plan this carefully.