The capital was taken into tight encirclement. The forces of Astartes and Auxilia would bombard the city with all guns for a week. And then would be a night raid of Space Marines on defense nodes softened by shelling which at dawn would be supported by forces of Auxilia.
It seemed that soon the capital would fall and it would be possible to finish with bringing to Compliance the Dolian sector. But something was wrong. Intuition, premonition or simply military experience spoke to me about danger. Only without understanding from where. Had the Dolians hidden some heavy forces like tanks or even Titans in the city? Were they ready to use biological or chemical weapons flooding the streets with dangerous filth? Or wanted to turn the capital and everything around it to ash by exploding power generators?
But this was accounted for in planning. Orbital scanning did not reveal iron monsters like Titans. Special units with Tech-priests would be sent during the night raid for capture and control of important infrastructure objects, from generators ending with water supply. And still the feeling was that somewhere nearby is a minefield or you are being held in a sniper's sights.
Because of this I began to think that I had combat burnout or psychosis. But besides me our psykers also felt uneasy. They too at times began to look around and prepare for battle. The thought came that perhaps this is influence of psykers, perhaps something is happening in the warp and it affects them and then transmits to others. Only besides me and them no one showed strange behavior.
"Decided. Need to speak with him frankly. Will warn Rork just in case, let our overseers over psykers be ready." - typed a short message and went to the psyker tent.
Having reached the tent and pulling aside the flap I entered inside and immediately felt a light cold. In the center sat the psykers, Aray and Kamil, with crossed knees. Aray was not tall, by Astartes standards, a stocky man with hair the color of salt and pepper. His face resembled people from the Far North of my past world, only had more severe features. It seemed that first his face was sculpted from snow and then water was added turning its lower part into an ice mask. Kamil was taller and had standard Astartes build. But his face and head were covered with scars and tattoos which created a strange pattern resembling either a spiderweb or a Dreamcatcher.
Around them shone small crystals of ice. My arrival made them return from trance.
"Grand-Captain. We greet you. How can we help you?" - Kamil greeted me first and Aray offered to sit next to them.
"Will not weave verbal lace. Do you feel this?" - sitting next to them asked a direct question.
"Yes. Feeling of danger. The unknown. Like a predator is hiding nearby and only waiting for the moment." - Aray answered and began looking at places where there were shadows.
"You also noticed this?" - nodding at Kamil's question I looked where he did.
Even if I did not notice anything hiding in the shadows the feeling of danger did not let go.
"Is this definitely not warp influence? Maybe some storm or tempest in the distance caused a wave and now it has caught up with us?"
"No. The void is still cold. But the earth is not. We feel that the threat will come not from the warp but also not from simple mortals with whom we will fight in the city. The danger it is strange. Alien. Unknown. Its nature is completely incomprehensible to us. And now we are trying to break through the veil of the unknown with our powers but all we could see is a shadow from which emanates blood, pain and pleasure." - Kamil began fingering a rosary of bones and metal.
"We are trying to break through but each time the shadow turns into deep darkness. As if someone controls it and does not want to let us see what is hidden in it. Or something else. Too many unknown factors." - he continued and Aray only nodded agreeing with each phrase.
"Damn. There seem to be answers but from them only more questions. Thank you for your help but if you manage to learn something else then inform me immediately." - stood up and was about to leave but was stopped by Aray's question.
"Grand-captain. Why did you assign overseers to us? Are we not Space Marines like all our other brothers?"
I sighed. I had been expecting this for a long time and now was the best time to set everything in its place.
"Thank Callaghan and what he did with Ursh. It is not you yourselves that worry me but the powers to which you appeal. I have no special trust in the warp. The warp is mighty and does not submit to logic and strict control. Who knows, perhaps having drawn too much from it you will lose yourselves and become mere puppets or gates for some monster. You must understand this. If the irreparable happens then they at least will allow you to die as Space Marines, preserving your souls and oaths before the Imperium and the Emperor." - my words were harsh and caused slight dismay in the eyes of Aray and Kamil and only when I spoke about souls and oath did they relax and even allow themselves slight smiles.
"Thank you grand-captain. Thank you for seeing us as brothers." - they made slight bows and I left to myself.
The whole evening I sat without knowing peace. Intuition, experience, psykers. They all spoke about danger and only the latter said that we must be careful with shadows.
But the last straw was the report about the disappearance of one of the reconnaissance patrols.
"Rork, what do we know about the disappearance? Signs of battle? Weapons? Blood? Corpses?"
"I don't know Buri. There was a short firefight, there are bolter casings and fragments of an unknown crystal. Blood samples were already taken for analysis. And the attack itself was a planned ambush not a random skirmish. But besides a couple of landing traces of unknown technology nothing was found."
"Understood. Return immediately. And the rest of the patrols and reconnaissance teams will be reinforced." - having given all necessary orders I began to think.
Unknown enemy. Has good camouflage and mobility. But judging by the fact that they failed to act easily and cleanly they do not know the peculiarities of Space Marines. Hmm.
A couple more hours passed before I received the results of the preliminary analysis of the attackers' blood. And they turned out to be xenos more precisely eldar. But it was noted that there was some abnormality or unusual mutation in their DNA when compared with the database.
"Damn it! Have these Dolians really teamed up with eldar." - had to recall all methods of counter-sabotage warfare and countering guerrilla tactics.
During the formation of the Astartes we were given knowledge about xenos. Their traits, features and preferences in tactics and strategy. Eldar preferred highly mobile combat and use of high-tech weapons with well-developed camouflage. An unpleasant combo.
I began giving orders about mining and setting up additional control and observation points. And we managed to do everything. Almost.
When I was looking at the map at the new configuration of our defenses and changes to the plan of assault on the capital taking into account eldar interference my intuition began screaming about danger. Then came urgent messages from the psykers that the feeling of blood from the shadows had become incredibly strong.
"Sound the alarm. The enemy is close." - the feeling of paranoia and danger made me give the order.
And then sharply draw my sword and block the attack from behind.
"Your animal instincts are worthy of praise, mon-keigh. But you are still an animal. And will die like one." - whispered the shadow that had taken the form of an eldar but with coal-black skin covered in runes that absorbed light and emitted darkness.
The next second the command bunker erupted into battle. From the shadows emerged several more eldar emitting darkness and attacked the nearest enemies. Several vox operators, ordinary humans, did not even have time to rise from their seats before their heads flew up. My guards reacted with delay. Bolters became useless due to the eldar closing the distance. Space Marines drew knives and decided to tie up the enemy in combat until reinforcements arrived.
My opponent turned out to be a skilled fencer with many years of experience. My attacks were either met with a hard block or parried but most often he simply dodged them. He did not fight but danced but this dance was a dance of death. Every step, attack or dodge became the beginning of a new movement. My armor became covered with chips and notches until I managed to break the distance and my eyebrow was decorated with a cut.
The xenos stopped and like a gourmet savored the aroma of my blood on his blade. And he liked it because he exploded with a storm of attacks. And I had no choice but to respond with my own flurry of attacks.
But he was good. Unbelievably good, he managed to cover my armor with a whole network of chips and notches and my unprotected head was decorated with several more cuts. And I only managed to cut off part of the fabric of his rags.
"I hear your heart beating. And this music is beautiful. So much life. So much strength. So much pride. I don't want to share this music with anyone, even with other Mandrakes. So I will tear out your heart and take it for myself." - even his muffled whisper could not hide the feeling of excitement burning inside the xenos.
"What you took for music is the ringing of bells, funeral bells for your soul xenos!" - I answered and crossed blades with him.
"Your crude words spewed from an ugly animal throat have ruined the beautiful song. As if my ears heard not beautiful strings but the grinding of glass, it hurts. And you will answer for this pain that you brought me!" - his eyes began to glow with poisonous green fire as if a forge had ignited inside.
Now his attacks became less refined and more powerful and cruel. The notches on my armor became deeper and now he aimed not only at the head but tried to hit other vulnerable spots, thighs, knees, joints.
And he managed to break through my defense. Too wide a swing on my part allowed him to deliver a quick thrust to the armpit practically impaling me like a butterfly on a pin.
A hoarse cry of pain escaped my clenched lips. The arm went numb and obeyed with difficulty. And the xenos rejoiced, his eyes burned with even greater excitement. He drew a long thin dagger from behind his back and prepared to strike at the head aiming at the ear or temple. The moment of apotheosis had come for him as a hunter.
But he was mistaken. An ordinary human might not have endured all the pain that I experienced. Only I was a Space Marine and we were created to oppose aliens and monsters like him. The arm obeyed poorly but still could function which allowed me to intercept his dagger. Releasing the chainsword from my other hand I pressed the eldar to me.
He tried to break free but I held him too tightly. And then I turned his intercepted hand with the dagger so that it was pointing at his eye. The pain from the enemy's sword in my armpit intensified as he tried to pull it out. But this did not stop me and with a sharp jerk I impaled his head on his own dagger. The steel pierced the eye, bone and reached the brain.
The xenos shuddered a couple of times and his mouth opened as if not believing what had happened. And then his body went limp and I threw him off leaving the sword sticking out. At the same time looking around I drew my bolt pistol and saw that my guards were barely holding back the xenos. One of the Space Marines was lying down and with his hands was trying to stop blood loss from a cut on his neck. And the others were trying to engage in combat but knives were losing to swords in reach and all they could do was grit their teeth and hold the defense.
The roar of the bolt pistol turned the tide. Not all xenos had time to react, two died getting holes in their chests the size of a large fist, one had his arm torn off and another tried to defend himself with a sword and the bolt though it did not reach his body the fragments seriously lacerated his body. The Space Marines taking advantage of the moment pounced on the xenos. They like pack predators attacked in pairs and trios trying to take out the most dangerous.
The eldar were not ready for this and they wanted to flee but my fighters were already engaged with them in close combat and I did not give them the opportunity to increase distance by firing from bolt pistols. Unfortunately the magazine had limited capacity and when only one xenos remained my bolt pistol could only click dryly. The eldar took advantage of this and angrily shouting something in his language began wrapping himself in a shroud of shadows and rushed to flee.
A sharp light like a grenade explosion illuminated the command bunker and blinking I saw the enemy's body twitching in death throes. A quick glance toward the bunker entrance and I saw Kamil standing with his palm outstretched and more Space Marines coming behind him.
"Grand-captain! We are under attack by xenos. Brother Aray is currently holding off the enemy attack with the remaining forces." - hearing his report I reached for my helmet.
"All report!" - and then before me stood a picture of what was happening outside.
The xenos attacked from several directions and managed to inflict damage on Imperial forces. But it could have been worse. In some defense sectors they met stiff resistance and immediately stopped the attack leaving piles of destroyed equipment and crowds of mutants and slaves. In other places it was worse and we had to retreat. The main thing was that the defense was not broken.
Rork managed to maintain control over the Auxilia forces and while I was busy defending my life in the bunker, organized the defense and prepared for a full-scale counterattack. Anti-aircraft under cover of tanks and Space Marines cleared the sky of strange aircraft in the form of disks or manta rays as well as winged enemies.
This allowed us to regroup in the right places and send reinforcements to others. We could have ground down more forces and struck with heavy equipment driving the final nail into the coffin of enemy forces. But the xenos played their last trump card aiming to turn the tide of battle. In the sky dark green like poison portals lit up from which heavy skimmers began to fly out. They quickly descended and headed in our direction. Their shots turned out to be incredibly accurate, tanks and APCs received serious damage or were destroyed.
"MLRS! Fire at transmitted coordinates." - I had been saving and hiding the Smerchs for the assault on the capital to make things unpleasant for the Dolians and burn their defense nodes but the situation forced me to use them now.
From hidden shelters the Smerchs emerged and a few seconds later dozens and hundreds of rockets streaked upward. High-explosive and incendiary warheads roared to meet the enemy. The eldar noticed this and decided it was artillery working. With certain grace their skimmers began changing trajectory. Only this did not help them. The salvo was massive and the rockets like fiery rain fell down.
A huge cloud of fire and explosions covered the enemy forces. For a brief moment it seemed like the first rays of approaching dawn.
The enemies were confused after the salvo and the huge series of bright explosions behind them. The perfect moment came for the planned counterattack and Rork did not fail.
The roar and cannonade of shots with redoubled force filled the battlefield. Tanks and APCs went on the attack and Space Marines and ordinary infantry provided them support. Mortars and heavy bolters fired their ammunition at the limit of possibility.
The xenos did not expect such resistance from those whom they contemptuously considered animals and mockingly called mon-keigh. They came for the thrill and fun of one-sided slaughter and the opportunity to loot and capture. Not for death.
They began to retreat. But I wanted more, to make them not just retreat but flee.
"Thunderhawks. Begin deploying assault troops and pursuing the enemy." - the order was given and from orbit heavy aircraft began rapidly descending.
Small figures became larger and the hum of their engines louder. And then assault troops began jumping out of them whose sudden appearance was like a lightning strike for the retreating xenos. Just before the assault troops landed the Thunderhawks released part of their ammunition thus stunning the xenos and making them easy targets for Space Marines.
Chainswords with the growl of a beast that has reached flesh began tearing apart xenos unprepared to resist. Bolt pistols barked making holes in the backs of fleeing enemies. And those who tried to offer organized resistance or gathered in groups were grenaded before melee slaughter.
Few lucky ones managed to escape from this hell. And all who survived fled toward the capital.
"Rork. We begin the assault on the capital. We have no time. Next time we may face something much worse."
"But we haven't even started regrouping our forces and moving them to needed positions."
"We will work with what we have. I will call orbital support. We need speed and power. Everything that offers strong resistance or slows our pace will be incinerated with bombardment cannons and lance batteries. Begin forming assault groups and armored columns."
Rork calmly accepted my decision after I mentioned orbital support. And I wasn't worried about problems with the Mechanicus over future destruction in the capital. The involvement of xenos in our conflict with the Dolians took everything to another level.
Surgical strikes and other slow options were no longer possible. Every extra day or even hour could play into the hands of the Dolians and xenos. There was even a risk of losing all captured trophies both on the ground and in space.
----a day later------
The capital was burning. Smoke rose in long tongues and showed no signs of weakening only gaining strength becoming larger. Many buildings were destroyed and streets and roads overflowed with both corpses and burning equipment. But there were also whole sectors and blocks that were incinerated leaving behind only dust and craters.
A terrible picture.
And the main culprits of what happened were now being sought in a special underground complex that was the main refuge and secret of the Dolian elite.
The assault and capture of the refuge was not easy. Together with the elite inside were surviving xenos. They were all ready to fight to the last. The most valuable caches were opened, the most dangerous weapons used. But against Astartes this was not enough.
I entered the hall that had become the last stronghold for the Dolians and their allies.
Everywhere were bodies torn apart by bolters or burned by volkite weapons. There were few survivors and among them only a couple knew important information about the xenos. We managed to capture several eldar but getting them to talk would not be as easy as with ordinary humans.
"Speak. What are these xenos? Where are they from?"
The old man threw something at me with contempt.
"Fine. We will work in hard mode. Belen, your turn."
The Apothecary nodded and approached the old man. And then there were screams. Very many screams.
And now before me sat a man broken not only physically and morally.
"Speak." - repeated my words and looked straight into his eyes.
"They...they call themselves Drukhari. But we called them Masters from Beyond the Shadow. They are Eldar who survived the cataclysm that destroyed most of their kind." - the old man spoke while throwing fearful glances at a strange arch made of unusual bone and decorated with bright stones and runes.
"Xenos. Eldar. We know about them. But these are different. Speak!" - grabbed the old man's head and made him stop looking at the arch.
"They have changed! The cataclysm or something they call the Thirsty Bitch made them bloodthirsty monsters who only want to capture, torture and torment. For them screams of agony or moans of pain are like drugs. They live only for this!"
"Bastards. Vile creatures. Must kill them all to the last. But why if you say they love to capture and torture didn't they subjugate Dolian?" - squeezed the old man's skull tighter.
"A deal! We had a deal with them! We gave them part of the population in exchange for peace and rare artifacts or goods! Aaaah! No! Please!"
"Scum!" - only at the last moment managed to regain control and not crush the old man's head.
"Belen. Patch him up and then call the psykers. The Imperium needs to pick his brain and learn everything." - stood up and typed a message for the astropath.
Here were involved previously unknown types of xenos and the Imperium must know everything about them. After all there could be more such gates. Must urgently report to Terra. To Lord Sigillite himself.
Dolian was brought to Compliance. Not as the Mechanicus wanted but a couple of short messages from Terra and Mars silenced them. After all the price of losing part of Dolian's knowledge was much more valuable knowledge about xenos and that much had changed among the sea of stars while humanity gathered its strength on Terra.
DEEPSEEK MADE BS TRANSLATION. I WILL LOOK FOR TIME TO TRANSLATE IT PROPELY AND NOW I AM WORRIER ABOUT PRIOR CHAPTERS
UPDATED