|3rd POV|
It begins with the higher-ups deploying two Imperial Guard companies and five PDF companies—each with three hundred personnel—to a massive, abandoned factory designated as the safest location in Tertium Hive. Their mission was to secure it and use it as a forward base against the heretics and the rebels.
They fortify the facility, turning it into a small fortress against heretics and rebels. But everything changes when an explosion rips through one section of the factory—triggered by a heretic hidden among the PDF.
From that moment, chaos reigns. The heretics launch a massive assault.
Two thousand one hundred loyal soldiers stand against more than ten thousand charging cultists. If that were all, they might have held and even won. They have Imperial Guards among them, after all. But the heretics brought something else—something that made victory, or even survival, nearly impossible.
They brought Daemon into the field. Not only that, they also bring corrupted Ogryns and Pox Hounds to reinforce the cultists, making the situation even worse.
Everything changes again when unexpected reinforcements burst through when the thick stone wall that blocks the factory area and the tunnel leading to the hangar open up.
The first wave consists of hundreds of flying drones, unleashing coordinated torrents of laser fire, metal slugs, and bullets—cutting down heretics in wide swaths.
Next comes a wave of vehicles: bicycles, Tauros buggies, and even a Heavy APC, all firing their mounted weapons as they roll into the factory.
The final wave consists of five hundred armed fighters. Most carry Autoguns, but that is more than enough against the heretic horde. There are also Ogryn carrying heavy shields and holding a giant mace, leading the charges with the rest of the Ogryn holding heavy stubber and ripper guns in their hands.
Taro, the PDF Commander for this deployment, fires his hellgun and shouts.
"Hold the line! Reinforcements are here! Hold the line!"
He slices a charging heretic in two with his power sword, then fires on a Pox Hound leaping at him. He glances at his lieutenant.
"Take our Centaur and block that frakking hole! We can't let more heretics into our fortifications! We need to close the hole in the inner wall!"
"Yes, sir!"
"You!" He points at a random PDF soldier. "Lead a squad and guide the reinforcements into our base. We need them here!"
"Yes, sir!"
The other captains eye him with concern, but comply—Taro is the ranking commander now. The Commissar is dead. The Imperial Guard officer is dead. That makes him the highest-ranking individual in the army. If Taro's decision is wrong, they will all pay for it.
Fortunately for them, Taro's gamble pays off.
The reinforcements smash into the heretics as they try to breach the factory. Five Ogryn lead the charge, wielding massive shields and maces. Every swing scatters blood across the battlefield.
Behind them, a Centaur utility vehicle—armored and jury-rigged—rams itself into the breach, blocking the entry. The Heavy Stubber on top sprays nonstop fire, reducing heretics into a mass of gore.
Taro lifts his vox unit.
"All units at the outer wall, fall back to the inner wall!"
PDF troopers and Guardsmen retreat while drones provide covering fire. Kael's troops take the inner wall to provide covering fire for the PDF troopers and Guardsmen.
"Sir!"
Taro turns to see the squad he sent out returning—with a very familiar face along with him.
"They're here, sir!"
"Return to your squad, soldier."
"Yes!"
Taro steps forward and says.
"It's good to see you again, Kael."
"You too, Captain Taro. Though I'd prefer we meet somewhere other than a battlefield."
"It's Commander now, actually. And I agree—but the galaxy doesn't care."
"Congratulations on the promotion. So—what's your plan?"
Taro looks over the battlefield. Reinforcements and loyal soldiers have pushed the remaining heretics away from the inner wall. But in the distance, a Beast of Nurgle slowly crawls toward them. It releases a disturbing sound, akin to laughter. In his mind, the Daemon is laughing at their suffering. It makes him sick and angry.
"Can you handle the daemon, Kael? Your white flame should hurt them, right? Can it kill them?"
"I don't know. I'll try, but don't get your hopes up."
"That's all I can ask."
Kael nods and raises a hand. A wave of white fire bursts from his fingers. Several soldiers shout in alarm, ready to shoot Kael for betraying them—until they realize the flame washes over them harmlessly.
The heretics, however, scream in agony as the fire touches them. Their souls are purified—sent into the warp instead of to Nurgle. Kael does not know this, but his [Banishing Fire] allows the dead to rest rather than be claimed by corruption and feed Nurgle.
Sadly, as this battle is watched by Nurgle, he immediately notices this and roars in anger.
The Plague God feels his expected souls disappearing—and he is furious. The Beasts of Nurgle become erratic. Their playful, happy-go-lucky nature twists into rage as Nurgle feeds them his anger. All three turn toward Kael with hatred.
They begin thrashing wildly, killing everything in their path. The cultists can no longer control them. Some attempt to activate control devices, but Eli Barthos raises her hand.
"No. Let them be. Our Grandfather commands them Himself."
She watches from afar with a manic grin. She wants to witness His full power. Her God's gaze is now fully here, and it makes her ecstatic.
The three Beasts of Nurgle crawl forward, releasing waves of green miasma, empowering the infected and killing anyone without Grandfather's blessing.
Kael and Taro both recognize the shift.
"Hannah! Take half our troops to the wall! Focus fire on those things! Kian! Take the rest—clean up the heretics!"
Kael barks orders, and his people obey instantly. He orders Canto to redirect all drones toward the Beasts. He releases a wave of white fire that erupts from him, weakening the daemon slightly and purifying the groaners, pox walkers, and even the mutated Ogryn, turning them into ashes.
"Get heavy weapons on the Beasts!" Taro barks orders when he sees Kael move his troops. "Infantry! Man the walls and hit the heretics! We must kill those things before they reach the inner wall!"
Missiles, plasma bolts, laser fire, and bullets erupt from the factory. One Beast screams as the white flame eats at its resilience, making it vulnerable to the barrage.
The heavy stubber overheats and glows red. Several Autoguns melt from constant firing. Even the plasma gun gets overcharged from the constant firing and needs the troop to throw it at the horde, creating a massive explosion that kills a lot of the horde.
Kael grits his teeth as he feels his energy get depleted at a fast pace. He decides to condense the white flame into a massive spear. He hurls it at the weakened Beast, piercing its hide. The spear detonates, engulfing the daemon in white fire. It shrieks and collapses into ash within minutes.
But there is no time to celebrate.
The second Beast reaches the inner wall. It slams its bulk into the structure. Flesh, ooze, and corrosive slime spill from its body, dissolving the wall and killing everyone stationed there.
Kael turns to Taro.
"We need to retreat! We built fortifications on the way here—use them to slow the Beasts down. We'll fight from our base."
Kael releases a white flame to eat all the miasma that spreads from the beast and prevents it from killing more humans nearby.
Taro nods and orders a withdrawal. Soldiers pile into vehicles. Kael and his forces help stabilize the retreat. One by one, the defenders pull back. Kael remains behind long enough to conjure a massive wall of flame and stone, blocking the heretics' advance.
Taro ensures all heavy weapons and ammunition are loaded alongside all the weapons they can bring with them. He orders his men to leave behind a "gift" for the heretics. It is a special device, he learn from a veteran guard.
Eli Barthos destroys Kael's temporary wall with a psychic blast and orders her forces to pursue.
"Move! We are the last ones out!" Taro shouts, pulling Kael into the Jeep.
Kael unleashes another wave of white fire as they depart. Taro pulls out a frag grenade, throws it behind them, then mans the Heavy Stubber while a soldier feeds ammunition.
"Take this!"
The stubber roars as he mows down Pox Hounds, chasing them. Once they've gained distance, Taro pulls out a remote and presses it. A second later, a massive explosion shakes the entire tunnel.
A wave of blue fire rushes toward them—Kael conjures multiple layers of barriers to block it.
"What was that?!"
"Overcharged plasma packs and several modified Melta Bombs. It'll buy us time."
The Jeep races through the tunnel. Taro spots charges planted along the walls.
"These are—"
"Yes. The fortifications I mentioned. They'll collapse the tunnel behind us and buy even more time."
They reach the abandoned hangar. Kael seals the tunnel entrance with a thick wall. The convoy drives across the barren ground and eventually arrives at a fortress.
Taro takes in the sight: heavy weapons mounted along the walls, personnel manning firing positions, drones patrolling overhead. It resembles a fully equipped Imperial Guard fortress—only cleaner, and the sight of the drones makes it seem like the Mechanicus is helping them.
When they drive through the gate, they dismount.
"We hold here," Kael says. "All weapons are at your disposal. This will be our final stand."
Taro nods and orders his troops to reinforce the defenses. Sanctuary residents assist them, providing food and water to restore morale.
Thirty minutes.
That is how long it takes for the heretic army to break free of the hangar and march toward the fortress. Engines roar as Tauros and bicycles enter the kill zone of the makeshift turrets.
"Here they come!"
The final battle begins—one that will decide the fate of the entire planet.
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