The Slaaneshi Witch's unsettling figure, a blend of ultimate charm and absolute evil, glided as if through frozen time, gracefully bypassing Luna, who stood rigid, and Captain Taras, who maintained his defensive stance. Her gaze, filled with satisfaction from the previous two 'delicacies' and anticipation for a new 'flavor,' landed on the largest, most powerful physique: Declan Catonia, and his Saturnine Pattern Terminator Armour, a veritable mobile fortress.
Dorian was frozen in the midst of a furious roar, his massive Power Fist clenched, his Bolter seemingly about to unleash fire at any moment. His entire being exuded a primal and ferocious combat aura. Even motionless, he was like a rampaging behemoth instantly frozen.
The Witch's gaze lingered with interest on the prominent laurel wreath adorning his eagle-faced helmet, then shifted to Gaius, who lay fallen, the Sword Master, and the still 'enduring' Luna and Captain Taras.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk… Weak mortals… Daring to intrude into my garden…" She murmured languidly and mockingly, her voice piercing through time and echoing in the silent cavern. "And wearing pretty little hats… It seems you are the 'excellent' toys…"
"What a pity… No matter how excellent… Today, all of you… will remain here… to become my most beautiful collection…" She smiled eerily, as if already seeing these powerful warriors gradually decay in her domain, transforming into aesthetically terrifying decorations.
She floated before Dorian, extending her incredibly slender hands. Gently, even with a hint of 'tenderness,' she cupped Dorian's massive, eagle-faced helmeted head. With a slight pressure, she straightened his head, which had been slightly askew from his roar, aligning his eye lenses with her own gaze.
The vertical third eye in the center of her forehead, shifting with nebulae and the colors of desire, once again flickered with deep light, attempting to probe the depths of this violent soul.
She saw… a savage world named 'Skullcrusher,' occupied by pirates and exiles. The environment was harsh, and the law of the jungle was the only rule. A boy, much taller and stronger than his peers, barefoot and in tattered clothes, struggled for survival every day. He fought with wild dogs for moldy food, battled older desperadoes for a clean sleeping corner, using stones, teeth, anything he could. His childhood was filled with the most primitive, naked violence and slaughter; blood and scars were his most familiar companions.
"Oh?" The Witch let out a slight hum of surprise. "A beast rolling in blood and fire… truly… a past full of power…"
She could clearly feel that the underlying essence of Dorian's soul was filled with wild violence, a craving for battle, and a profound acceptance of the law of the jungle. This pure and extreme quality usually attracted the attention of Khorne—the Blood God.
"Quite to the Blood God's taste…" The Witch's tone carried a hint of disdain for Khorne. "But… today, this soul, full of power and fury… is mine…"
She believed that everyone, no matter how strong or brave their exterior, must harbor shadows of fear within. Even this seemingly reckless brute, who appeared to only know how to charge forward, must have his weaknesses. Perhaps, a fear of losing power? A fear of being belittled? Or… a fear of loneliness?
She would unearth this fear, amplify it, make him sink, and let that raging power transform into the sweetest cries of agony in despair.
Her hand, which had been 'cupping' Dorian's helmet, suddenly transformed! Her five fingers tightened like claws, not in a physical grasp, but a psychic confinement! Her other hand rose high, and a chilling, pink-purple twisted psychic energy condensed in her palm. Then, she pressed it down fiercely, as if to drive a nail into the deepest part of his soul, onto the forehead of Dorian's helmet!
A more turbulent, more venomous torrent of psychic energy instantly surged into Dorian's consciousness!
She began to weave nightmares, attempting to find and ignite his deepest fears… In the illusion Dorian was forcibly dragged into… he was not alone. He was fighting alongside his squad—Sanks Squad, and Taras Squad! The enemies were a surging tide of Chaos cultists and daemons! They were incredibly brave, tearing through enemy lines like a hot knife through butter! Dorian charged at the forefront, his Power Fist turning enemies into pulp with every swing, his Bolter roaring incessantly! He felt invincible; he was the center of the battlefield, the most reliable bulwark for his brothers!
However, during one charge, he glimpsed a small group of enemies attempting to flank them! According to tactics, he should have held the line and waited for his teammates to coordinate. But in that moment, the desire for slaughter and the urge to prove himself overwhelmed everything!
"Haha! Scum! Don't think you can run!" He laughed wildly, completely disregarding Golden's warnings over the comms and Gaius's sniper cover, breaking away from the formation alone, charging like an unbridled bull towards that group of enemies!
His furious assault instantly annihilated that group of enemies. He turned proudly, expecting to receive his brothers' praise.
But the moment he turned, the sight that greeted him instantly froze his blood!
Because of his reckless departure, a momentary gap appeared in the formation! In that instant, a long-hidden Chaos Astartes, armed with a meltagun, seized the opportunity! A searing beam of light accurately shot into the gap in the formation!
It was aimed directly at—Gaius, who was providing full fire support for his teammates and had no time to dodge!
"No!!!" Dorian roared in terror in the illusion, wanting to rush back, but found himself too far away, unable to make it in time!
Splat!
The meltagun beam directly hit Gaius's chest plate! The sturdy artificer Power Armor was like paper before the melta weapon, instantly melted through! Gaius's body stiffened abruptly. He looked down in disbelief at the huge, still-melting hole in his chest, then slowly, weakly, fell backward… The light behind his eye lenses rapidly dimmed.
"Gaius!!" Dorian let out a heart-wrenching roar.
But it wasn't over yet!
Because of the sudden fall of the main sniper, the pressure on the flank surged! Luna tried to fill the void but was entangled by more enemies! A malicious psychic lightning bolt bypassed her defenses and struck her!
Lieutenant Golden, to cover the fallen Gaius and the wounded Luna, stepped forward, exposing himself to concentrated enemy fire… The scenes in the illusion flashed like the cruelest slideshow! All because of his one foolish, reckless, self-important charge! Leading to his brothers falling one by one before him! Luna… Golden… Even Taras Squad, who came to reinforce, suffered casualties!
Finally, only he remained on the entire battlefield, standing alone amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, surrounded by the cold gazes and mocking laughter of the enemies. And the bodies of his brothers lay at his feet, each face bearing incomprehension, disappointment, and… the pain of dying because of him.
"No… It wasn't me… I didn't do it!" Dorian shrieked wildly in the illusion, struggling, but the endless guilt and self-reproach tightened around him like the heaviest shackles, dragging him into the abyss of despair. He had always known he was reckless and impulsive, he had always tried to control it, but his deepest fear was that one day, because of this flaw, he would cause the death of the brothers he cared about most!
The Witch precisely seized upon this point and magnified it infinitely, turning it into the most fatal blow to shatter Dorian's mental defenses!
In reality.
The Slaaneshi Witch felt with satisfaction the extremely violent soul tremor emanating from the massive body beneath her palm. It was not fear, but a deeper, ultimate pain called 'remorse' and 'self-reproach.'
She elegantly withdrew her hand, as if she had just completed a exquisite work of art.
The moment her fingers left—
Dorian's mountain-like, stable Saturnine Terminator body suddenly, violently trembled! The roar, frozen in time, seemed to finally break free, transforming into a muffled whimper of extreme pain, suppressing endless regret!
Then, his massive body, losing all support, fell straight back with immense weight, like a giant tree being felled!
Boom!!!
The heavy Terminator Armor crashed onto the fungus-covered ground with a deafening thud, making the entire frozen cavern seem to tremble slightly! The splashing slime and dust seemed to float in slow motion.
He lay there, motionless, only the faint, faulty hum of the armor's servo-systems from the sudden impact. His will had been utterly shattered by the terrifying illusion, triggered by his greatest weakness, which depicted the death of all his brothers.
"Heh heh heh heh…" The Witch let out a pleased and satisfied chuckle, as if watching a magnificent play come to an end. "Truly… deeply moving brotherhood… The sound of it breaking is exceptionally sweet…"
She had easily 'dealt with' three; now, only the last three toys remained.
Her graceful and dangerous figure once again lightly turned towards the next target—the Captain of Taras Squad, who still stood like an unyielding reef, holding his Storm Shield high and gripping his Power Sword.
His Iron Halo still emitted a faint glow of energy, standing out conspicuously in this frozen time and space.
"Then… steadfast warrior…" The Slaaneshi Witch's voice held a hint of playful anticipation, "What treasures lie hidden within your heart? Let me… thoroughly excavate them…"
She slowly floated towards the two Sword Masters. The hunt was nearing its end.
On the bridge of the Macragge's Honour, the atmosphere was as heavy as frozen ice. On the massive tactical star chart, the area representing the northern rift of Planet Austin was highlighted. Two tiny light points, yet carrying countless hopes, almost overlapped, static at a location less than a kilometer from the Warp portal coordinates. An exceptionally long time had passed.
Chapter Master Marius Calgar, First Company Captain Cassius, and Lieutenant Golden stood like three blue statues before the star chart, their gazes fixed on the two stagnant light points. Every second of silence was like a heavy hammer striking their hearts.
"Still no contact?" Chapter Master Calgar's voice was low, carrying a hint of imperceptible anxiety.
Lieutenant Golden once again called out gravely into the communicator: "Sanx, Taras, this is the Macragge's Honour, respond if you read! Repeat, Sanx, Taras, report your status!"
Within the communication channel, there was still only that unsettling dead silence, mixed with the whispers of evil energy and sharp noise. There was no response, not even the sound of combat or a brief distress signal. It was as if the two elite squads, along with their advanced equipment and powerful Astartes, had been silently swallowed by that dense shadow.
"The signal is completely blocked, Chapter Master," Golden put down the communicator, his voice dry, "The intensity far exceeds normal Warp interference… it's like… some kind of powerful domain force."
Captain Cassius's face was ashen, the muscles on his weathered face taut: "They wouldn't stay put for this long without reason. They must have encountered extremely powerful resistance… or even…" He didn't finish, but everyone understood the possibility—to instantly prevent two First Company spearhead squads from even sending a distress signal, it could only be an existence terrifying beyond conventional understanding.
Chapter Master Calgar took a deep breath, a flicker of resolve in his eyes. He could not stand by and watch his best Astartes simply vanish. "Order the other assault squads to prepare for immediate orbital drop! Once signal loss is confirmed or a distress signal is received, forcibly drop into the area! No matter what, we must find out what's happening in there and attempt to rendezvous with Sanx and Taras!"
"Yes! Chapter Master!" A communications officer immediately saluted and departed.
Lieutenant Golden's heart sank. Forcibly dropping into an interference zone of that intensity was tantamount to sending more Astartes to their doom. But he knew it was the only option. He could only stare fixedly at the tactical star chart, praying that the two light points would move again, praying that his brothers could create a miracle.
Meanwhile, deep within the solidified cavern, the Slaaneshi Witch's "collection" journey continued.
After easily "dealing" with Taras Squad's leader—that veteran's heart was filled with deep self-reproach for failing to protect his subordinates and betraying the Chapter's trust, a sense of responsibility that, under the Witch's twisting, became the nightmare that crushed him—the only ones left standing were Tech-Sergeant Luna Aisa and the last Sword Master.
The Witch's gaze, a mix of pleasure and cruelty, finally fell upon this special "guest."
Luna maintained her previous posture, her Bolter slightly raised, her body slightly angled, as if preparing to face a threat from a certain direction. Her movements were calm and professional; even when frozen in time, they exuded the composure and precision characteristic of a Tech-Sergeant.
"Oh… a rare warrior indeed…" The Slaaneshi Witch floated slowly before Luna, as if admiring a work of art about to be completed. She always had an extra measure of "curiosity" for female Astartes, wanting to know what sustained them in this realm full of violence and death.
She didn't immediately act, but instead scrutinized Luna's Power Armor with interest, her gaze sweeping over the tool attachments and modified interfaces. "A skilled hand that tinkers with machines… I wonder if your inner self also has an interesting structure, like a precise instrument?"
She once again raised the hand imbued with terrifying psychic power and gently pointed it at Luna's forehead. The third eye on her forehead glowed faintly, attempting to repeat the process, peering into Luna's memories, searching for the cracks in her mind.
She saw fragments of memories… cold mechanical workshops, the smell of oil, various complex parts and circuits… a little girl, not playing like other children, but diligently disassembling and reassembling an ancient servo-skull… the incomprehension and even repulsion in the eyes of her peers… only cold machinery could bring understanding and order… passing rigorous selections, becoming a Tech-Sergeant apprentice… countless days and nights spent with data-slates, welding torches, and Power Armor… understanding the logic of machines, maintaining their operation, which was much simpler than understanding complex human hearts… fighting alongside her comrades in Sanks Squad… Dorian's reckless but reliable back, Gaius's calm and precise support, Lieutenant Golden's steady command… a tacit understanding and trust that needed few words… they entrusted their backs to her, and she ensured their weapons and armor were always in optimal condition… and Ailas… the little one she almost considered a sister… from clumsy to self-reliant… they spent countless hours together in the hangar… These memories were clear and orderly, like data meticulously categorized and archived. There was care, responsibility, focus, but it seemed… to lack that extreme, easily exploitable, intense emotional fluctuation. Her mind seemed protected by a layer of calm logic and strong self-discipline, like a highly precise machine, difficult to find an obvious breakthrough.
The Slaaneshi Witch frowned slightly, seemingly finding it a bit "boring." She disliked such "calm" souls; destroying them lacked "artistic flair."
"Truly… a tough nut to crack…" she murmured, a hint of impatience in her tone, "It seems… a more direct approach is needed…"
She decided not to slowly search for weaknesses anymore, but instead prepared to violently tear open this calm shell with more powerful psychic energy, forcibly injecting illusions of fear and despair! Her hand rose again, and stronger psychic energy began to gather… However, just as she focused all her attention on Luna, enjoying the pleasure of toying with her last "toy"… she completely failed to notice… not far behind her, Gaius, who should have been utterly submerged in endless regret and pain for having caused the death of all his brothers, lying motionless on the ground… his curled body stopped its subtle twitching.
An extreme coldness, an anger that transcended pain and despair, like an icy current from the abyss, re-coalesced within the ruins of his almost shattered soul!
Lieutenant Golden's entrustment… Dorian's always boisterous but incredibly reliable back… Luna's silent but always consistent support… Ailas's worried smile… the Chapter Master's expectations when bestowing the championship… the Primarch's trust when gifting the sword… and… that Slaaneshi Witch! That evil fiend who wantonly played with their memories, trampled their honor, and imposed the deepest fears upon them!
"In the Emperor's name…" A silent oath burned in his heart, like quenched steel, "This vengeance… shall be exacted!!"
His powerful willpower and the remnant of the Emperor's might, deeply rooted in the core of his soul, which had helped him fight Tzeentch, actually enabled him to forcibly break free from some of the lingering after-effects of the Slaaneshi Witch's psychic attack, struggling… to regain consciousness from that state of collapse!
His movements were slow and subtle, like the most patient hunter. He didn't immediately spring up, but first controlled all his vital signs and emotional fluctuations, even using techniques taught by Tech-Sergeants to temporarily reduce the operating noise of his Power Armor's servo-systems.
Then, he very slowly, inch by inch, raised his head.
He saw the alluring figure, her back to him, focused on Luna.
He also saw his comrades fallen around him—Dorian's massive body, Captain Taras and his squad members, and the other Sword Master… boundless rage, compressed into the purest killing intent under his cold will.
His hand, silently and steadily, gripped the hilt of the Power Sword named "unyielding will," personally bestowed by Guilliman, at his waist.
His thumb gently pushed off the safety.
Hum… an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible sound of an energy field activating. The Power Sword's disruptive field was engaged, and the air around the blade began to subtly Warp, but the glow was cleverly obscured by his body and arm.
Like a specter returned from hell, he used every ounce of his willpower to suppress his body's trembling and soul's stinging, and with the precision and control unique to a sniper, step by step, silently, he walked towards the unsuspecting Slaaneshi Witch, who was tormenting his last comrade.
The blade of vengeance was already drawn.
The shadow of death quietly enveloped the hunter from behind.
Gaius's sword, infused with all his will and fury, struck like a venomous snake in the night—silent, swift, and deadly!
The 'unyielding will' Power Sword, bestowed by Guilliman, blazed with a pure energy field, aimed directly at the Slaaneshi Witch's unguarded back!
This strike was swift and precise!
It contained all of Gaius's strength, clawed from the depths of despair, and his resolute determination to avenge his comrades!
He had absolute confidence that even if he couldn't instantly kill this terrifying monster, he would certainly cripple her!
However, just as the sword tip was about to touch her ornate and blasphemous robes—
A sudden anomaly occurred!
The scene before Gaius's eyes violently twisted and rippled like water!
The figure of the Slaaneshi Witch instantly blurred and deformed!
The next second, his sword's target had inexplicably become—Luna!
Not Luna the calm and steady Tech-Sergeant, clad in Power Armor and gene-enhanced. But... a Luna who appeared younger, more fragile, and untouched by any gene-modifications!
She wore the simple robes of a Tech-Sergeant apprentice, her figure slightly slender, appearing even more petite without the support of Power Armor.
Her neat short hair remained, her cheeks dotted with a few familiar freckles, and her bright, wide eyes were now filled with terror, helplessness, and tears, staring in disbelief at Gaius's incoming Power Sword, burning with lethal energy!
The sword tip, trembling violently, stopped abruptly just one centimeter from her chest!
The high temperature of the decomposition field even caused the fabric of her robe to slightly scorch and curl.
"Ka... Gaius?" the 'Luna' in the illusion uttered in a trembling, tearful voice, filled with fear and confusion, "Why... why are you trying to kill me?"
Gaius's heart felt as if it had been gripped by an icy hand!
He abruptly retracted his Power Sword, staggered back a step, and looked around in bewildered apprehension!
What shocked him even more was—the surrounding environment had completely changed!
It was no longer the demonic cavern filled with pink mist, strange crystals, and Titan wreckage.
Dorian's fallen form, the bodies of the Taras Squad members, and even the real, frozen Luna... all had vanished!
He seemed to be in a hazy, constantly shifting realm of light and shadow, with only fragmented memories and whispers swirling around him, and this crying, unaugmented 'Luna' before him was the only clear presence.
"Where... is this?" Gaius's voice was hoarse.
He clutched his Power Sword tightly, on extreme alert, but his gaze could not leave the incredibly real 'Luna'.
She was so similar... apart from the youthful innocence and fragility of someone who hadn't undergone Astartes augmentation, the 'Luna' before him was almost identical to the Luna in his memories!
Especially those eyes...
"Wuwuwu..." The 'Luna' before him didn't answer his question, but suddenly knelt to the ground, covering her face with her hands, letting out desperate and sorrowful sobs.
Tears continuously streamed from between her fingers.
"It's over... everything is over..." She raised her tear-filled face, her voice filled with endless sorrow and resentment, "My home... was utterly destroyed by those xenos... and Chaos...
Mom and Dad... everyone... everyone was killed... wuwuwu..."
She recounted tragic experiences, distorted recreations based on Luna's true past.
Then, her tone suddenly became agitated and sharp, full of accusation: "Where is the Imperium?!
Where is the Emperor?!
Where are those high and mighty lords and generals?!
They don't care about whether we live or die!
They only levy taxes, only send us to our deaths!
This Imperium is rotten to the core!
Completely corrupt!
It's not worth protecting at all!"
Her gaze fixed on Gaius, her voice carrying an enchanting, seductive power: "Gaius... don't you understand?
Everything we fight for... is a lie!
The one sitting on the Golden Throne is not a god at all!
Just a dying Corpse-Emperor!
A false emperor who sustains his existence with countless lives!
Why should we still fight for him?!
Why should we sacrifice everything for this damned Imperium?!"
"Give up, Gaius... put down your weapon... come with me, let's leave this place... we'll find a place without war, without oppression..." She cried, extending her arms towards Gaius, trembling and pleading... an unguarded gesture seeking comfort and an embrace.
"Look at me... I just want to live... I just don't want to lose anyone else... Gaius... hold me... okay?"
Her tear-streaked face, her tragically real experiences, her sharp yet seemingly logical accusations against the Imperium, and finally, her completely open, dependent posture... the powerful impact of all this instantly shook Gaius's mind violently!
He looked at that incredibly familiar face, now filled with fragility and despair, listened to words that struck at the dark underbelly of the Imperium, especially the phrase "don't want to lose anyone else," which almost pierced the softest corner of his heart.
His arm trembled slightly, the Power Sword he gripped seeming to weigh a thousand pounds.
For a moment, he even felt a flicker of confusion and wavering—perhaps... what she said... had a grain of truth?
Perhaps... abandoning this endless battle could truly... No!!!
Just as his will was almost eroded by this meticulously woven illusion and seduction!
A louder, more resolute voice exploded in the depths of his soul!
Those were countless oaths!
The fallen figures of his comrades!
The expectant gaze of his Primarch!
The pride and duty of being an Ultramarines Space Marines!
"No!" Gaius bit his tongue sharply, the intense pain instantly clearing his mind considerably.
His eyes once again became as sharp as blades, "You are not Luna!"
He roared, raising his Power Sword again, its tip pointing at the crying 'girl'!
"Luna is a loyal Imperial warrior! An intrepid Tech-Sergeant! She may be silent, but she would never utter such treacherous words! She may have experienced pain, but she would never beg an enemy for mercy! Her strength comes from upholding her duty, not from cowardly evasion!"
His voice grew louder and more resolute, each word like a hammer blow, shattering the surrounding illusion: "You are nothing but a pathetic imitation! A phantom exploiting others' memories and suffering!"
The 'Luna' seemed to be startled by his roar, her crying abruptly ceasing.
She remained kneeling, head tilted back, tears still on her face, but her eyes had become somewhat complex, seemingly mixed with a hint of surprise and... admiration?
But she didn't give up; instead, she looked at Gaius even more plaintively, her outstretched arms still not withdrawn, her voice becoming even more mournful and moving: "Gaius... are you really... so heartless?
Won't you even give me... a hug?
I'm just... too scared..."
That gaze, that posture, could melt even the hardest steel.
Gaius closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes again, all hesitation, wavering, and pity had vanished, leaving only a cold, Macragge-ice-like resolve!
"In the name of Roboute Guilliman!" he let out a soul-shaking roar, no longer looking at the face that disturbed his mind.
His 'unyielding will' Power Sword, imbued with unwavering faith and power, thrust forward—striking out!
Pfft!
The sensation of the Power Sword piercing flesh without resistance came!
But there was no scream, no blood.
Gaius opened his eyes and saw the 'Luna' before him dissipating like smoke.
On her formerly mournful face, there now appeared an extremely bizarre, twisted smile, a mix of pain and pleasure, and her eyes were filled with mockery and... a hint of genuine admiration.
"Hehehe... truly... astonishing willpower..." Her voice began to distort and become unrecognizable, no longer Luna's tone, "As expected of... a warrior personally honored by Guilliman... to be able to break free from... my most skilled disguise..."
Before she finished speaking, her figure completely vanished without a trace.
At the same time, the hazy illusory space around them also shattered and dispersed like a broken mirror!
Gaius found himself back in the eerie cavern!
The pink mist slowly flowed again, the colossal Titan wreckage still stood, Dorian and the Taras Squad members' fallen bodies reappeared in their original positions, and the real Luna remained frozen nearby, maintaining her previous posture.
And not far in front of him, the air twisted, and the Slaaneshi Witch's figure reformed and reappeared!
But this time, she was no longer in the extremely beautiful or handsome human form that changed according to the observer's desires.
She revealed her true face!
Her figure was still tall, but her proportions had become more eerily inhuman, her skin a smooth, pearlescent pallor, yet subtly revealing purplish-red vascular patterns beneath.
Her facial features blended extreme beauty and ugliness, showing both feminine softness and masculine ruggedness, making her gender impossible to define.
In her narrow, upturned eyes, her pupils were vertical slits like a reptile's, gleaming with an evil pinkish-purple light.
And on her forehead, it was no longer just the upright third eye, but two curved, sharp, black goat-like demon horns had grown out!
Her long hair had transformed into countless wriggling, tiny energy tendrils, swaying behind her.
Her fingers became even more slender, her nails sharp as blades, glinting with a cold light.
This was the typical form of a high-ranking Slaaneshi Demon!
It combined beauty and terror, male and female characteristics, embodying the ultimate sensory stimulation and depravity!
She stared at Gaius with her androgynous, inhuman eyes, and her voice became extremely bizarre, as if spoken simultaneously by a seductive female voice and a magnetic male voice, overlapping, filled with sacrilegious echoes:
"Son of Guilliman… indeed… not to be underestimated…"
"But the game… has only just begun to get interesting…"
As the Slaaneshi Witch revealed her true demonic form, both beautiful and terrifying, neither male nor female, the suffocatingly powerful psychic field that had forcefully solidified time suddenly vanished like a popped bubble!
The flow of time instantly returned to normal!
The pink mist slowly began to flow again, the crystal light resumed flickering, and suspended dust gently fell.
And the warriors, trapped in their respective nightmares, suddenly broke free from that endless mental torment!
"Ugh ah!"
"Hoo—!"
Dorian, Taras, and the other two veteran Sword Masters almost simultaneously let out pained and suppressed groans, struggling to sit or kneel up from the ground, gasping violently as if they had just been pulled back to reality from drowning.
Beneath their helmets, their faces were pale, drenched in cold sweat, and their eyes still held lingering fear and pain.
Although the physical damage was minor, the mental trauma was incredibly deep.
Luna also snapped back to her senses.
She shook her head, quickly checked herself and her surroundings, and immediately saw Gaius standing with his sword, on high alert, and the bizarrely shaped demon not far away, emanating monstrous evil energy!
She instantly understood what had happened and immediately raised her Bolter, her cold eyes filled with vigilance and killing intent.
"Damn it! What the hell was that just now?!"
Dorian was the first to roar, shaking his massive Power Fist, seemingly wanting to dispel the terrible images of his fallen brothers from his mind, then he touched his helmet, as if to confirm his head was still on his neck.
When he saw that Gaius and Luna seemed unharmed, and the members of Taras Squad were also struggling to stand, a surge of relief from surviving a disaster and even more furious rage instantly welled up!
"Damn demon!"
Dorian's roar was like thunder, almost drowning out the sudden roar of his right-hand Storm Bolter!
Da da da da da —!!!
The searing Bolter rounds, like an angry torrent, instantly sprayed towards the Slaaneshi Witch!
The battle erupted again!
But this time, the Ultramarines were prepared!
The Slaaneshi Witch let out a shriek mixed with annoyance and pleasure, her figure moving like a phantom, easily dodging most of Dorian's barrage.
The few Bolter rounds that did hit her were deflected or weakened by a layer of pinkish-purple psychic shield surrounding her.
She didn't seem eager to launch another powerful psychic attack, but instead spoke with her overlapping, seductive voice, the sound directly echoing in everyone's minds:
"Heh heh heh… be angry… struggle… your emotions… truly are the best seasoning…"
Her gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Gaius, her tone becoming even more cryptic: "However… are you truly sure… you want to be my enemy? I serve… Lord Fulgrim, you know…"
This name, like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, sent a shock through the hearts of all the Ultramarines!
Fulgrim!
The Primarch of the Emperor's Children, now a Daemon Prince of Slaanesh, ascended and corrupted!
Primarch Guilliman's… brother!
The Witch's voice was filled with malicious amusement: "Lord Fulgrim… and your Roboute Guilliman… are blood-related brothers, you know… if you strike me… aren't you afraid… of displeasing Guilliman? Perhaps… he might actually be looking forward… to reuniting with his brother?"
These venomous words attempted to use the blood ties between the Primarchs to shake their unyielding will, planting seeds of doubt and hesitation in their hearts!
"Bullshit!"
Dorian's angry curse immediately exploded, the roar of his Storm Bolter never stopping for a moment, "Who among us is brothers with you daemonic bastards!
The Primarch would rather personally slaughter that fallen traitor!
I'll smash your head first!"
"For the Emperor! Slay the heretic!"
Taras's voice, though still tinged with weakness, was incredibly firm!
The Iron Halo lit up again!
He and the other two veteran Sword Masters, enduring their mental discomfort, once again formed a battle formation, like three sharp swords, attacking the Witch from the flank!
Gaius said nothing, but his actions were the best answer!
His "Eagle Eye" sniper rifle once again fired precise single shots, each aiming at the Witch's movement trajectory nodes or the weak points of her psychic shield!
Luna quickly replaced Dorian's drum magazine, while simultaneously using her Bolter to suppress the Witch's possible escape routes.
The six Ultramarines, though just having endured a psychic storm and feeling physically and mentally exhausted, found their will even more solidified through this ordeal!
They no longer gave the Witch a chance to calmly cast spells, dragging her into intense close-quarters combat with their synchronized teamwork and powerful firepower!
The Witch's figure wove through the bullet storm and sword light like a dance, her psychic lightning and enthralling aura constantly interfering with the warriors.
But with the previous lesson learned, everyone kept their minds firm, supported each other, and were no longer easily broken through individually!
"Ignorant Ultramarines! Stubborn fools!"
The Witch seemed enraged by this tenacious resistance, her voice becoming sharp and piercing!
In a brief moment between dodging Gaius's sniper shot and Dorian's barrage, Taras caught a tiny flaw in her movements!
He lunged forward, his Storm Shield shrugging off a psychic blast, and the master-crafted Power Sword in his hand traced a perfect arc, aiming directly for the Witch's neck!
The Witch shrieked, abruptly tilting her head back, while simultaneously raising an arm to block!
Splat—!
The disintigration field violently collided with the powerful demonic protective psychic energy!
Although it failed to sever her head, Taras's sword strike, concentrated with all his strength and experience, actually managed to forcefully sever her raised, slender, inhuman arm at the shoulder!
"Ah!!!"
This time, the Witch let out a truly painful shriek, mixed with fury and disbelief!
No blood flowed from the severed arm; instead, large gouts of pinkish-purple, energy-like chaotic substance erupted!
The intense pain of the injury and the shock and anger that these "mortals" could actually harm her instantly overwhelmed her desire to toy with her prey!
"You… just you wait!"
She shrieked venomously, and with her remaining hand, she violently waved, releasing a thick, impenetrable pink mist with strong hallucinogenic effects, instantly enveloping the entire area!
At the same time, her figure, like a wounded viper, rapidly retreated, merging into the darkness deep within the cavern, actually fleeing in disarray!
"Don't think you can run!"
Dorian roared, trying to pursue, but the dense illusionary mist severely interfered with his vision and sensors, and the Bolter rounds fired were like stones sinking into the sea.
"Don't chase! Watch out for ambushes!"
Taras immediately stopped him.
He gripped his Power Sword, which was still dripping chaotic energy, watching the direction the Witch had disappeared with vigilance, breathing heavily.
That last sword strike had almost exhausted most of his remaining strength.
The pink mist slowly dissipated, and a temporary calm returned to the cavern, leaving only the heavy breathing of the warriors and the hum of their power armor servo systems.
They had succeeded!
They had jointly repelled an extremely powerful Slaaneshi Witch, even severing one of her arms!
This was undoubtedly a glorious victory!
The relief of surviving a disaster and the joy of victory began to well up in their hearts.
Dorian spat fiercely: "Pah! Some Witch, she's uglier than me!"
Luna immediately began to check on her comrades, confirming that they were primarily mentally traumatized, with no major physical injuries.
Gaius, however, maintained his sniping posture, vigilantly scanning the surrounding darkness, still feeling a sense of unease.
However, none of them noticed… just above the cavern, behind those huge, phosphorescent purple crystals, and in the deeper shadowy rock crevices… at some unknown point, countless figures had silently filled the space!
These were dozens, even hundreds, of Chaos Space Mariness, clad in various Chaos warband insignia, their armor inscribed with blasphemous runes!
They were like silent reapers, their cold visors peering through the gaps in the crystals, staring intently at the six Ultramarines below, who had just undergone a fierce battle and were in a brief moment of relaxation.
Their Bolters, Plasma Guns, Melta Guns… the safeties on all their weapons had already been silently disengaged, and their muzzles slightly adjusted, firmly locked onto their respective targets.
With just one signal, a deadly rain of bullets would pour down from all directions, utterly transforming this area into a death trap.
The hunters in the dark had long since laid their trap, waiting for the prey's most unguarded moment.
After a brief respite, the members of both squads quickly forced themselves to recover from mental trauma and physical exhaustion.
The Astartes' resilient will and bio-enhanced bodies came into play at this moment.
They checked their equipment, replenished ammunition, and helped their fallen comrades to their feet.
Luna tried to activate the communicator again: "Sanx calling Macragge's Honour, we encountered and repelled a high-ranking Slaaneshi Witch, several squad members are mentally traumatized, requesting instructions... Repeat, requesting instructions and battlefield updates..."
However, the only response she received was still that unsettling static noise, mixed with the whispers of Warp energy.
Powerful Warp interference acted like an invisible shroud, completely isolating this area from the outside world.
"Still no good." Luna shook her head, her voice grave, "The source of the interference is likely the Warp Gate itself; we can't contact the fleet without shutting it down."
"Then we continue the mission!" Taras Squad Leader's voice, though still tinged with fatigue, was exceptionally firm.
He flexed his right arm, which had just severed the Witch's arm, and his Power Sword hummed lowly once more.
"We have no retreat, only advance, to complete our mission!"
Dorian heavily thumped his thick chest plate, producing a clang: "Exactly! To hell with whatever Daemons, if they dare block our way, smash them all! I want to see what's hidden behind that damned gate!"
Gaius nodded silently, reloaded a full magazine into his "Hawkeye" Sniper Rifle, and his sharp gaze swept towards the deep passage ahead.
Luna also adjusted her Bolter to optimal firing status.
Without further words, the six warriors reformed their battle formation.
This time, they were more cautious, more vigilant, following the final coordinates provided by Macragge's Honour, advancing deeper into the cavern, towards the direction emanating the most intense evil aura.
The further they went, the more bizarre and uncomfortable the environment became.
The Chaos aura permeating the air was no longer a singular Slaaneshi sweet scent, but a tangled mixture of multiple Dark Gods' powers!
Slaanesh's nauseatingly, overly sweet scent attempted to stir their nerves; Nurgle's rotten, moldy, plague-ridden stench permeated every crevice; Khorne's pure scent of rust and blood stimulated the desire for slaughter...
Several distinct yet equally blasphemous odors mingled, forming a terrifying atmosphere capable of driving mortals instantly insane or causing them to vomit to death.
Even the Astartes' powerful biological systems and the advanced filtration systems of their helmets could not completely block this inherent Warp corruption, only barely weakening it to a tolerable level.
The warriors felt waves of inexplicable irritation, nausea, and impulses, having to constantly guard their minds to resist this pervasive mental pollution.
"Emperor above..." a Sword Veteran from Taras Squad couldn't help but curse under his breath, "This place truly is... stinks like a Nurgle's garden!"
According to the coordinates, they were only a final, continuously descending spiral ramp away from the Warp Gate, a linear distance of less than five hundred meters.
However, the terrifying pressure emanating from ahead, solid as a wall and mixed with the characteristics of multiple Dark Gods, clearly told them—this last short stretch of road was by no means easy, and every step could lead into a death trap.
But they were fearless.
Sanx and Taras, the Ultramarines First Company's spearhead, had no retreat in their lexicon.
The mission must be completed, at all costs.
They advanced cautiously, the fungal carpet beneath their feet growing thicker and stickier, even seeming to subtly writhe as if alive.
The surrounding rock walls were no longer hard stone, but presented a bizarre, semi-molten, constantly shifting state, like a twisted combination of living flesh and inorganic matter.
Suddenly, the scene ahead made them stop again.
The space there seemed extremely unstable, and time appeared to be caught in a chaotic cycle of stillness and acceleration.
The surrounding rock walls visibly crumbled and disintegrated, then rapidly re-formed as if in reverse, but the re-formed shapes were even more twisted and grotesque, covered in unworldly spikes, eyeballs, and mouths!
The scene was dazzling and defied normal understanding.
Even more alarming, on the ground and the rock walls on both sides, they saw numerous traces of different factions of Daemons clashing!
Khorne Bloodletter brass fragments were mixed with Slaanesh Daemonettes' pearly white remains; the pus left by exploding Nurglings corroded the blue energy crystals of Tzeentch Horrors...
Clearly, even though they belonged to Chaos, Daemons from different Dark Gods frequently erupted into fierce conflicts in this place so close to the Warp Gate, vying for energy or simply out of pure hatred.
This was like a Chaos frontline, a battlefield simultaneously corrupted by all Dark Gods' powers yet constantly warring amongst themselves.
And at the end of this extremely unstable area, a multicolored, constantly shifting energy vortex, emitting a blinding light, was clearly visible!
The light was so intense, so chaotic, as if all the colors in the world were violently mixed together, yet repelling and tearing at each other, emitting heart-stopping energy fluctuations!
There, was their objective—the core of the Warp Gate!
However, a strong sense of being watched poured over all the warriors like ice water.
They could clearly feel countless pairs of malicious, greedy, hungry eyes staring intently at them from the darkness, their gazes scraping against their armor like a tangible force.
They quickly raised their weapons and aimed in all directions, their tactical visors and sensors scanning at full power, but apart from the constantly crumbling and reforming bizarre rock walls and Daemon remains, they found nothing!
This unseen threat was far more chilling than facing powerful Daemons head-on.
"Careful... something's hiding..." Gaius warned in a low voice, his sniper rifle slowly moving, trying to catch any subtle anomaly.
But they didn't know that the threat didn't come from the darkness on the same level as them, but from... above.
Dozens of meters above their heads, in the shadows of the rock wall's folds, covered in deformed crystals and writhing flesh, several Chaos Space Marines snipers, clad in dark camouflage cloaks and with secret Chaos symbols branded on their armor, had been lurking like dormant scorpions for an unknown duration.
Their long-barreled Las Snipers or extended Bolter Snipers had already silently extended their muzzles from the shadows, resting steadily on the rocks.
In their scopes, blessed by Warp energy, the crosshairs had firmly locked onto the cautiously advancing blue squad below.
In the comms channel, a cold, hoarse voice spoke, with the cruelty of a cat playing with a mouse:
"Aim for the Terminator first."
The cold crosshairs, like the gaze of death, slowly and precisely settled on the helmet of the largest, most conspicuous Saturnine Pattern Terminator Armour at the very front of the squad—Declan Catonia.
A finger gently rested on the trigger.
Deadly danger had arrived, and it was at that critical moment!
Gaius's honed sniper's intuition, and his almost instinctive perception of danger, allowed him to catch the minuscule fluctuations of murderous intent and the subtle signs of energy gathering just before the Chaos sniper above pulled the trigger!
No time to think, no time to warn!
"Dorian!!" Gaius roared, almost putting his entire being into it, throwing his body like a cannonball, slamming violently into the massive Saturnine Terminator beside him!
Dorian stumbled from the sudden impact, his massive body staggering a step sideways!
Just as his body veered from its original position—
Whoosh—!!!
An incredibly powerful armor-piercing Bolter round, with a shrill whistle, flew past almost grazing the edge of Dorian's shoulder plate, which bore the First Company's white insignia!
The scorching airflow even left a clear burn mark on the heavy armor!
Bang!!!
The armor-piercing Bolter round slammed violently into a bizarre rock wall, which was constantly reforming, not far behind them, instantly shattering it into smithereens, with rocks and viscous fluid splattering everywhere!
If Gaius had been a split second late, if Dorian hadn't been knocked away, the consequences of that armor-piercing Bolter round, aimed precisely at the head, would have been unimaginable! Even with the protective power of Terminator Armor, it was highly likely to have been directly pierced!
"Damn it!" Dorian broke out in a cold sweat, followed by towering rage. "Which bastard fired that sneak shot?!"
"Enemy attack! High ground! Take cover!" Captain Taras's roar sounded simultaneously! He instantly activated the Iron Halo on his power pack, and that energy shield unfurled again, barely covering the core area of the squad!
Almost at the same time, Bolter rounds, laser beams, and even plasma streams from various dark corners above the cavern poured down like a torrential storm! They slammed fiercely onto the Iron Halo's energy shield, stirring up dense energy ripples!
Dorian also roared, activating the energy shield generator installed beneath his shoulder guard. A smaller, arc-shaped shield appeared in front of him, helping Captain Taras bear the frontal fire pressure!
"Luna! Distract them! Gaius! Find those snipers!" Captain Taras's voice, under the immense firepower, sounded somewhat distorted amidst the roar of the Bolters.
Luna immediately raised her Bolter, firing suppressive shots in the directions of the densest firepower, attempting to disrupt the enemy's aim. Gaius, like a leopard, rolled behind a relatively sturdy rock. His "Eagle Eye" sniper rifle was quickly set up, his gaze, like a hawk, sweeping over the shadows of the high rock walls.
However, these Chaos Space Marines were extremely cunning! They were all highly experienced veterans who knew the greatest threat posed by snipers. They didn't stay in one position to shoot but constantly shifted positions rapidly among the complex rock folds, crystal clusters, and fleshy growths, firing one shot and moving, never getting greedy. Coupled with the strange ambient light and strong energy interference, it made it difficult for Gaius to pinpoint their exact locations in a short time!
"Can't find a fixed target! They're constantly moving!" Gaius growled in frustration, only able to fire deterrent shots into the shadows where enemies might be, relying on his instincts.
"Energy shield strength is rapidly decreasing! It won't last much longer!" Captain Taras's voice was grim as he watched the violent ripples constantly appearing on the Iron Halo shield.
When it rains, it pours!
Just as they were pinned down by the high-ground firepower, unable to move, five Black Legion Chaos Space Marines, clad in black and gold power armor, with blasphemous runes carved into their armor, suddenly burst out from the strange, constantly collapsing and reshaping passages on both sides of the cavern!
They let out insane, blasphemous roars mixed with prayers to the Dark Gods, brandishing roaring chainaxes, power swords, and mauls, like bloodthirsty wolves, pouncing on the Ultramarines who were pinned down! They clearly intended to annihilate them in one fell swoop!
With long-range fire suppression from above and madly charging close-combat enemies from the sides, the situation instantly became precarious!
A look of grim determination flashed in Captain Taras's eyes! He made a judgment in an instant!
"Sanx!" he roared in the direction of Gaius and the other two, his voice cutting through the explosions and the roar of chainswords. "We'll hold off these bastards! You three carry out the mission! Destroy that damned Warp Gate! That's an order!"
Before his words faded, he and two other Sword Veterans, who had just recovered from the psychic shock, unhesitatingly disengaged from the relative protection of the energy shield!
"For the Emperor! For Guilliman!" Captain Taras let out an earth-shattering battle cry and charged forward to meet the oncoming Black Legion traitors! The other two Sword Veterans followed closely, their jump packs igniting instantly, providing a brief burst of speed!
"Captain!" Dorian exclaimed, wanting to follow, but Gaius grabbed him!
"Execute the order!" Gaius's voice was cold and urgent. He saw Captain Taras forcefully throw the remaining melta bombs they were carrying before his charge!
Luna quickly stepped forward, narrowly catching the heavy and dangerous bombs.
No time for hesitation, no time for goodbybyes!
"Go!" Gaius growled, hanging a melta bomb on his waist, sniper rifle in hand. "Dorian! Break through the front! Luna, follow!"
"Damn it! You bastards! Just you wait!" Dorian cursed, channeling all his rage into forward momentum! His massive Terminator body suddenly stood up, pushing the energy shield's output to maximum. Like a moving fortress, he endured the firepower pouring down from above, launching a death charge towards the multicolored glow of the Warp Gate ahead!
Gaius and Luna followed closely, using Dorian and the surrounding terrain for cover, desperately rushing forward!
The Chaos snipers and firing positions above clearly realized their intention, instantly shifting most of their firepower from Taras Squad, pouring it madly onto the charging Sanx trio!
Bolter rounds and energy beams hammered Dorian's energy shield and heavy armor like hail. The shield's light flickered violently, threatening to overload and collapse at any moment! Shrapnel and fragments flew everywhere!
Behind them, Taras Squad, now free from the high-ground fire interference, clashed fiercely with the five Black Legion Chaos Space Marines, engaging in a desperate melee!
Captain Taras fought like a god of war. Facing a Black Legion warrior who roared and swung a chainaxe, he calmly and precisely blocked the roaring teeth with his Storm Shield. His master-crafted power sword, like a venomous snake striking, lunged directly at the enemy's exposed neck! But another traitor, wielding a massive maul, slammed into him from the flank!
The Captain suddenly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the heavy blow that could have crushed power armor. The maul, carrying a foul wind, grazed his chest plate! At the same time, he used the momentum to deliver a fierce kick to the side-rear of the maul-wielding traitor's knee joint!
The traitor clearly hadn't expected Captain Taras to make such a precise counterattack under such a siege. His center of gravity instantly shifted, and he stumbled forward!
And the first traitor, wielding the chainaxe, roared and attacked again! Captain Taras immediately turned, his Storm Shield again firmly blocking the chainaxe. The immense impact made his arm numb! But using that force, the power sword in his other hand, as if alive, plunged out through a gap in the enemy's attack!
Thwack!
The power sword accurately pierced the Black Legion warrior's chest, sinking in to the hilt! The traitor's movements suddenly stiffened, and the roar of the chainaxe abruptly ceased.
Captain Taras mercilessly pulled out his power sword, bringing with it a gush of foul blood. Without even looking at the falling enemy, he sharply turned!
The maul-wielding traitor, who had just been unbalanced by his kick and was trying to regain his footing, hadn't even had time to raise his weapon when he saw a cold flash of sword light rapidly enlarging before his eyes!
Swish!
The master-crafted power sword, with the shriek of its disruption field, cleanly severed his head! The head, wearing a twisted helmet, spun and rolled to the ground, and the headless body, gushing blood, fell heavily.
In the blink of an eye, Captain Taras, with his exquisite combat skills and calm judgment, had cut down two powerful enemies!
However, the remaining three Black Legion warriors had already surrounded him, their attacks even more frenzied and coordinated! The other two Sword Veterans were also entangled with enemies, sword light and blasphemous weapons clashing wildly, sparks flying everywhere!
Captain Taras knew they might not leave here alive. But his gaze remained firm, his power sword remained steady.
They had to buy Sanx Squad enough time!
And at this moment, Dorian, Gaius, and Luna, enduring a hail of bullets, were pushing forward, step by step, difficult but resolute, towards the ominous glowing core of the Warp Gate! Each step could be their last.
Gaius, Dorian, and Luna, enduring the sniper fire from above and the immense pressure of the chaotic energy ahead, launched their final charge towards the Warp Gate, which glowed with chaotic light, following the bloody path torn open by Taras Squad with their lives.
However, the closer they got to the core of this reality-distorting phenomenon, the more they felt an indescribable and eerie resistance. It wasn't a physical obstruction, but rather... the flow of time itself was becoming abnormal!
At first, they only felt their steps were heavy and their movements slightly sluggish. But soon, this abnormal sensation became extremely obvious. They looked back and saw that not far behind them, the three members of Taras Squad, who were fiercely battling Black Legion warriors, moved as if in slow motion!
The trajectory of the Power Sword swung by Sergeant Taras was clearly visible, yet it moved as slowly as if wielded underwater; the Sword Veteran using a jump pack was elongated in his ascent, as if suspended in mid-air; and the sparks from another Sword Veteran's chain axe colliding with an enemy's also flew slowly, as if frozen in time.
Even the sporadic Bolter rounds fired at them from above seemed to be hindered by an invisible, viscous medium. The trajectories of the warheads were visible to the naked eye, moving at an anxiously slow pace, as if they would stop at any moment!
"Time... it's slowing down!" Luna exclaimed in horror, her voice, transmitted through the comms, also carried a strange, drawn-out quality.
"It's the Warp Gate's influence!" Gaius immediately understood the reason. Such a powerful convergence point of Warp energy distorted not only space but also the fundamental laws of time! They were entering an area where the spatio-temporal structure was extremely unstable!
This difference in the flow of time brought immense trouble. Their own movements also became extremely slow; every raised leg, every lifted Bolter, seemed to require immense effort, fighting against that invisible spatio-temporal viscosity. And the enemies above, being slightly further from the Warp Gate, might be less affected. Although their attacks appeared slow, they were still steadily closing in!
Even more terrifying, the lesser daemons pouncing from the shadows on the flanks seemed completely unaffected by this temporal stagnation! They maintained their normal speed, roaring as they charged towards the three slow-moving Astartes!
"Damn it! This cursed place!" Dorian roared, as he struggled to raise his storm Bolter, the action of pulling the trigger becoming incredibly difficult, and the fired bullets flew slowly as if stuck in mud. He had to rely more on his Power Fist, laboriously swatting away or parrying the charging daemons in slow motion.
Every step was as heavy as a thousand pounds, every movement consumed their energy. The Warp Gate, so close, seemed to be separated by an invisible, viscous swamp, making every step arduous.
But they did not give up! The opportunity created by Taras Squad could not be wasted! The mission must be completed!
Gritting their teeth, the three of them, relying on the Astartes' superhuman physique and iron will, slowly, like salmon swimming upstream, painstakingly approached the core of the glowing light.
Finally, they broke through the most viscous area and arrived directly in front of the Warp Gate, which glowed with shifting, multicolored hues and emitted terrifying energy fluctuations! Inside the gate were swirling chaotic color blocks and countless wailing spectral souls, as if it connected to the deepest nightmares of the universe.
Here, their own movements had slowed to the extreme, almost like statues. Even rotating their eyeballs felt incredibly difficult.
"Luna... the bomb!" Gaius, using all his strength, squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, his voice elongated and strangely distorted.
Luna's situation was equally dire. She laboriously, inch by inch, moved her arm, trying to retrieve the heavy melta bomb from her waist harness. Her movements were agonizingly slow, each bend of her fingers seemingly fighting against the resistance of the entire world.
From above, in the darkness, a pair of cold eyes watched them intently. Seeing Luna take out the melta bomb, a cruel glint flashed in those eyes. A dark purple beam, already charged with chaotic energy, silently shot out from the shadows!
This beam seemed, to some extent, immune to the temporal stagnation, or rather, it was itself a part of the distorted spatio-temporal energy! Although its speed was also somewhat slower than normal, compared to the almost static movements of Gaius and the other two, it was still as fast as lightning!
"Luna! Look out!" Both Gaius and Dorian saw the deadly beam, but their own bodies were utterly unable to react effectively. They could only watch as the beam, like the fingertip of Death, slowly and steadily... shot towards Luna, who was laboriously preparing to throw the bomb!
Pfft—!
There was no deafening explosion, only a subtle, teeth-grinding sound of energy eroding and dissolving matter.
Luna's body jolted violently! She struggled to look down and saw the chaotic beam had precisely struck her power pack on her back!
The next moment, something terrifying happened!
Her power pack, along with most of the back armor covering it, and the rear halves of both shoulder pads, instantly vaporized and evaporated under the chaotic beam's irradiation, like ice and snow under the sun! Revealing the severely scorched skin beneath!
"Ugh—ah—!" Luna let out an extremely painful groan, distorted and elongated by time! The immense trauma and energy impact instantly robbed her of most of her strength, her knees buckled, and she fell heavily to the ground!
Her consciousness, like a candle in the wind, rapidly blurred and dispersed. Her vision began to darken, and her hearing gradually faded. She could feel life rapidly ebbing from the massive wound.
'Am I... going to die...?' This thought flashed through her Vague consciousness.
But in the last second before her consciousness completely plunged into darkness, a rigorous instinct stemming from her role as a Tech-Sergeant, and an paramount sense of responsibility for the mission, made her use every ounce of her remaining strength to hurl the activated melta bomb, which was radiating intense heat, towards Gaius, who was closest to her and struggling to rush to her aid, with her very last thought!
The movement was small, but it exhausted everything she had.
After the melta bomb left her hand, Luna's body completely lost its support and she collapsed forward onto the ground, motionless. Only the charred wound still faintly emitted smoke, testifying to the horror of that fatal blow.
"Luna!!!" Gaius and Dorian's roars were elongated, filled with endless grief and despair!
Gaius watched Luna fall, and watched the melta bomb, which carried their last hope, fly towards him in a slow but steady trajectory. He struggled to reach out and finally caught it firmly before it hit the ground!
The bomb felt heavy in his hand, and the activation indicator light flashed a dangerous red, reminding him that time was running out!
However, just as he caught the bomb and was about to use all his strength to throw it towards the nearby Warp Gate—
In the darkness above, the chaotic beam lit up again! And this time, the condensed energy was even greater, the beam thicker! Clearly, the hidden enemy was determined to prevent them from destroying the Warp Gate at any cost!
The beam's target was Gaius, who had just caught the bomb!
"Gaius! Look out!" Dorian's roar erupted! He saw the deadly beam shooting out again, and Gaius was facing away from it, completely focused on throwing the bomb!
Without any hesitation! Without even a moment to think! Dorian's massive body, severely affected by the temporal stagnation, erupted with unimaginable strength and speed at that moment! He lunged forward, using his back to solidly block between Gaius and the thick chaotic beam!
Pfft—!!!
The same dissolving sound rang out again! Only this time, it happened on Dorian's heavy Saturnine Pattern Terminator Armour!
The beam precisely struck his right back plate! That thick armor, strong enough to withstand heavy artillery bombardment, was equally vulnerable before this terrifying beam condensed with chaotic evil energy! It was instantly vaporized, leaving a huge hole that revealed the severely scorched, torn skin and muscle beneath!
"Ugh—!" Dorian let out a howl more pained than Luna's, like a wounded beast!
The immense impact made him stumble forward a few steps, nearly falling, but with sheer willpower, he braced himself with his Power Fist, refusing to go down!
With his mountain-like body, he formed the last barrier for Sergeant Karl!
"Dorian!!" Sergeant Karl's eyes were bloodshot!
He looked at Dorian, who was shielding him, with smoke rising and a smell of scorching from his back, and his heart twisted in pain!
He knew there was no time for sorrow, no time for hesitation!
The opportunity Dorian and Tech-Sergeant Luna had bought him could not be wasted!
He spun around abruptly, facing the Warp Gate, which was radiating chaotic light and was now within reach, and with all his strength, mobilizing every inch of muscle, every ounce of will, he hurled the Meltabomb in his hand fiercely towards the swirling core of chaos within the gate!
His movement was still slow, but it encapsulated all his hope and determination!
However… that thick beam of chaos light, after piercing Dorian's body and weakening in power, did not completely dissipate.
It still carried residual, deadly energy, shooting towards Sergeant Karl's back!
Its speed, after all, was faster than Sergeant Karl, who was struggling to throw in the time-stasis field!
Just as the Meltabomb left his hand, arcing slowly towards the Warp Gate—
Pfft!
A third sound of dissolution rang out!
The residual energy of the chaos beam struck Sergeant Karl's back!
Although it wasn't a direct hit, the terrifying corrosive energy instantly pierced his Power Armor, severely damaging his internal organs!
Sergeant Karl suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his body collapsing softly forward like a broken straw… In the last moment before his consciousness plunged into darkness, his blurred vision saw the Meltabomb, carrying everyone's hope, still flying slowly in the air, seemingly a desperate distance away from the twisted Warp Gate core… Everything seemed to fall into a desperate darkness.
The mission had failed—this was Sergeant Karl's last clear thought before his consciousness sank into endless darkness, filled with boundless regret, unwillingness, and guilt towards his comrades.
The three members of Sanks Squad, along with the Meltabomb that failed to reach its target, collapsed together just a hair's breadth from victory, their fates unknown.
Behind them, the interception, bought with lives, had long since ended.
The three Sword Veterans of Taras Squad, facing Black Legion warriors far outnumbering them and ferociously brutal, despite their exceptional skills and seamless coordination, were ultimately overwhelmed.
They fought until the last moment, their Power Swords broken, Storm Shields shattered, Iron Halos extinguished, finally dying in battle, upholding the supreme honor of First Company Veterans.
Their sacrifice, tragic and heroic, did not lead to ultimate success.
And the Meltabomb, thrown with all of Sergeant Karl's might, did not fly into the Warp Gate core as hoped.
In that extreme time-stasis field and with Sergeant Karl severely wounded, it only flew a very short distance before seeming to fall into invisible amber, slowing down more and more, eventually almost freezing in mid-air, a desperate distance from the swirling vortex of chaos.
The flickering red light seemed like a final mockery of their efforts.
Sergeant Karl didn't even know what terrible weapon or entity the devastatingly powerful and precise chaos beam, emanating from the shadows above, came from.
Was it a powerful chaos sorcerer? Or a heavy sniper weapon blessed by Warp energy? Or some demonic construct they had never seen before?
This question, along with the bitterness of failure, engulfed his gradually fading consciousness.
He didn't know how much time had passed; it felt like a century, yet also just an instant.
A faint glimmer of light and blurred sounds, as if from deep underwater, struggled to penetrate the heavy darkness.
Sergeant Karl felt an extreme weakness, as if all the bones had been drawn from his body, and every muscle ached and was powerless.
He tried to move a finger but found himself unable to complete even such a simple action.
His heavy eyelids seemed glued together, and with immense effort, he managed to tremble open a narrow slit.
His blurred vision gradually focused.
What came into view was the familiar ceiling of the medical bay, with its soft light, and the faint glow and ticking sounds of various precision medical instruments.
The air was filled with the smell of disinfectant and nutrient solution.
He… was alive? On the Macragge's Honour?
He struggled to move his eyeballs, seeing himself covered in various life-sustaining tubes, sensors, and IV drips.
An Apothecary, dressed in a white robe and wearing complex bionic eyes, stood by the bed, looking down and recording vital signs on a data-slate.
"You're awake." The Apothecary seemed to notice his movement, looked up, and said in that unique voice, a blend of mechanical synthesis and human intonation, "How do you feel, Sergeant Karl?"
Sergeant Karl opened his mouth, his throat as dry as sandpaper, only able to produce some hoarse gasps.
The Apothecary picked up a water cup nearby and carefully helped him moisten his lips and throat with a thin tube.
"You… I…" Sergeant Karl's voice was still weak, but he could finally form coherent syllables, "Tech-Sergeant Luna… Dorian… them…"
He was most concerned about the safety of his comrades.
The Apothecary was silent for a moment, the light of his bionic eye flickering slightly, as if organizing his words: "You have been in a coma for seven standard days.
Lieutenant Golden personally led an elite squad of Guards and Sword Masters, under the full fire cover of Fourth Company and Fifth Company, risking their lives to break into the depths of the rift and bring all three of you… back."
The Apothecary's words were concise, but Sergeant Karl could imagine what a perilous rescue operation it must have been.
In that environment, penetrating deep into the heart of a daemon nest, Lieutenant Golden and those Veterans had taken immense risks to rescue them.
"How… are they?" Sergeant Karl pressed anxiously, his heart in his throat.
"Tech-Sergeant Luna is critically injured, with a large area of tissue vaporized on her back, multiple vital organs damaged, and severe destruction of mechanical implants.
She is currently in a deep coma, relying on life support… her condition is very unstable." The Apothecary's tone was devoid of any emotion, merely stating facts, "Sergeant Dorian… is also severely wounded, with trauma to his right back penetrating his chest cavity and lung damage, but… his vitality is exceptionally strong, and he has passed the most dangerous stage.
He is still in a coma, but his vital signs are stabilizing."
Hearing that Dorian was alive, Sergeant Karl breathed a slight sigh of relief, but Tech-Sergeant Luna's condition made his heart sink.
And Taras Squad… the Apothecary didn't mention them, the outcome was self-evident.
A tremendous sense of powerlessness and guilt surged into his heart.
He remembered his oath to Lieutenant Golden—"In the name of the Emperor! I shall complete the mission and do everything in my power to lead my team back safely!"
He had broken his word.
The mission failed, Tech-Sergeant Luna was dying, Dorian was severely wounded, Taras Squad was annihilated… He hadn't been able to lead anyone back safely; instead, his brothers had dragged him back from the edge of hell with their lives and blood.
A son of Guilliman had broken his word… This thought, like a poisonous thorn, pierced deep into his heart.
He closed his eyes, gasping in pain.
The Apothecary seemed to understand his feelings and said nothing more, merely silently adjusting the infusion rate.
After a while, the Apothecary spoke again, informing him of the outside situation with a grave tone: "The battle for Austin Star… is still ongoing, and it has worsened."
"You failed to destroy the Warp Gate, leading to the descent of more daemons, including two Greater Daemon-level horrors, onto the surface.
All Chapters have suffered heavy casualties, and the defensive lines are constantly being compressed."
"Chapter Master has already determined that conventional means cannot salvage the situation.
He has sent the highest level distress call to the Grey Knights Chapter."
Sergeant Karl's heart tightened abruptly.
The Grey Knights Chapter… this meant… The Apothecary's voice carried a cold sense of finality: "The Grey Knights' purge fleet is about to arrive.
They will execute an Exterminatus-level complete purification of Austin Star."
The Grey Knights were coming.
This planet, along with the loyalists still fighting on it and countless daemons, was about to turn into cosmic dust.
And their mission, for which they had paid such a heavy price, ultimately resulted in such an outcome.