Prologue

Rain, when that happens you should hear the sound of water fell from the sky. And you did, you also heard the sound of water splash to the ground or the sound of water falling into the puddle of mud that is being created by the rain. But this time, that was not just the only thing that Alex heard. This time he also heard the sound of gasping breath from him and his squadmates who appeared because they were forced to run as hard as they could and the sound of commissar barking his command like "CHARGE” or “FOR THE EMPEROR” or “GLORY FOR THE FIRST MAN TO DIE”.

It's fine, really, I mean if you are part of the Imperial Guard this kind of thing is pretty normal. I mean this is part of the job, to serve the Imperium is the highest honor a man can get. Everyone wants that, considering what the Imperium has done to you it's a normal thing to do even if my mom does not fully agree. I hope no one knows or heard that, she is just a little worried okay not losing faith. But this time I also heard another sound, the sounds that I will never forget, the sounds that will be part of my entire life. And now I understand where that worry came from.

It all starts when the damned traitor and their curse beliefs fleets make landfall on my homeworld and quickly take one of the three continents. The Imperial Guard and the Planetary Defense Force (or PDF) that have been stationed there quickly try to stop them from gaining another land, they succeed - barely - stopping the enemy from taking the second continent. When the general starts his offensive plan to retake the planet, it fails, miserably, which makes the enemy almost take the second continent, fortunately, it didn't happen, and now the second continent becomes the staging ground for the two forces to claim the ruler of this world.

While I’m not a strategic nor I was there but I know, from the whisper at least, that the reason why it fails was that the enemy has made a heavy fortification along their border that is almost impregnable. So, the general with his smart brain in his head has an idea and his idea was to ask for more reinforcement so they can be thrown to the meat grinder and break the defense line, hooray. But this time, not just any reinforcement, oh no, this time he calls the “Death Korps of Krieg” and who the F*ck are they? Seriously who are they? I mean, I admit that I’m not the smartest person nor the most knowledgeable in this galaxy okay.

As a guardsman you don't need to know everything in this galaxy just enough to live another day, I'm pretty sure you don't want to know everything in this galaxy for various reasons. But come on what kind of name is that? I mean who pick this name? they are supposed to be our saviors, the cavalry that saves the day, can they at least pick a name that is more … you know … uplifting.

… you know what the name is not important, what important is that they are reinforcement and according to Lucas, our little geek, the Krieg excelled in the trench and siege warfare so they are perfect reinforcement and also because they came to help and as part of the Astra Militarum we should get along just fine, or so I thought. I was one of the parts of regiments that's take part in the welcoming party when their dropships start to make a landing.

And boy what a way to make scenes, when the Devourer-class dropship land and open its hangars the first man that came out, pretty sure he’s the leader, wearing … a unique uniform like a black trench jacket and a … full gas mask, why? Anyway, the man shakes his hand with the general and starts talking to him and then talking to his adjutant, after that we see the look of our reinforcements when they start to disembark from the ship. Their uniforms are the same as their leader, they marched down perfectly and their aura screams cold and elite, hopefully, this is just because of their uniforms. I was wrong, they are cold, elite, and scary.

Our regiment was given order tomorrow when the first light dawn we will be the first one on the charge with the Krieg regiments leading the charge. So, some of us try to be nice considering we are gone fight together in this battle, I mean technically we are comrades in arms right, wrong. Those guys are cold as a dead man, every attempt to talk with them is only answered by a short talk, a nod, a grunt, or just a silent stare. Some of our men get offended and there is almost a fight, luckily there is Krieg commissar nearby and everything calms down.

To be fair those guys are just a little anxious about the next battle and honestly, I can see a lot of interesting like the Krieg attitude that cold and professional but I see some of them almost try to escalate things by picking their gun, never see someone really triggers happy to kill someone from a different regiment, I mean some people in PDF are an asshole but generally, we are fine. Also, this is the first time I see a commissar persuade someone, I mean really, they can do that? I thought screaming orders and increase morals, threatening, is the only part of their job or maybe the Krieg commissar is just deference.

The other thing I notice is the fact that the Krieg regiment is really good at digging a trench. I mean it, our regiment gets an order to help them prepare the defense line so they will make the trench and we will make the sandbags. When we finish making the sandbags the Krieg has finished their trench, far enough to protect you from the enemy artillery, and they even manage to make protections for our mortars and artillery's unit. Heck, they even managed to put some Leman Russ in a position that makes them easily defended but also easy enough to make them move to attack the enemy. I mean how can you dig so fast in this muddy terrain with only a shovel.

So, I guess what Lucas says about them being excellent in trench and siege warfare is maybe a little understatement. The night came and the general allows us to make some fire so we can rest and prepare for tomorrow's attack. My squad and I sit around the bonfire that we make, we talk, eat, play some games, make a joke. Our sergeant says that he got a recommendation to become a training officer, I say “I pity to those new rookies” which gets me a smack in the head and a burst of laughter from my comrades. And our friend little Lucas says he going to propose to his girlfriend, that cheeky bastard. We keep talking, you know try to keep the morale high.

But not them, they even not bother to make a fire, always check their gear twice, thrice, always make sure their gear on the top shape, always on the lookout, always on patrol, not bothering to rest, I can only see one or two of them sleep or eat but the majority of them is always on high alert ready for everything that might come. After what happened this afternoon no one is even bothered to get close to one of them. The night came and go, an hour before the sunrise, we were already in trenches. There is one thing you can hear and that is the sound of your heartbeat that seemingly becomes one with the sound of the mortar and the artillery that keep spiting their projectile into the sky to destroy or at least softening enemy defenses position.

Some of the men try to lighten the mood by making a joke only to get an angry response from the commissar, I see our Krieg friends just standing ready awaiting order not even slightly care for what happened. If I being honest, I'm a little scared, I mean this is my first proper battle. Our sergeant assures me that it will be okay. A few minutes before the order come in, it suddenly starts to rain. The general will not stop the offensive plan just because of a little rain, so we have gone fight with poor visibility. No one complaint unless you want a commissar to give a bullet in your head. We start to take a position in trenches, take one step to stair so it makes us easy to climb up to the no man’s land.

The artillery will give us support until we get close to the enemy position, and will only stop when we have close enough to take them on our own. And we wait, that few seconds fill forever. And then the order came, even before the commissar starts to scream "CHARGE" or “FOR THE EMPEROR” or “GLORY FOR THE FIRST MAN TO DIE” the Krieg have started to climb and charge to the enemy. They became the spearhead of our attack forces. But that dammed enemy, even when they are being bombarded by our mortar and artillery they start to shoot back.

Their infantry starts to shoot back from their trench with their Lasgun and mortar, and now there is a new sound in the air. The sound of rain, the screaming of war cry from my comrade, the sound of energy beams whistling, the sound of an explosion from mortar and artillery shell hitting the ground both from friends and foe, the scream of pain that came from my comrades before they hit the ground. But amidst all of that, there is one that somehow against all the common sense and it was the Krieg’s.

They march with no sound nor fear. They did not make a battle cry and when one of them gets shot they do not make a sound. and as long they can fight, they will keep fight. When their comrade fall, they will not look, when a squad of them get taken by a mortar they will not flinch. Finally, I reach to the other trench relief suddenly comes to me. I jump to it taking protection that came from the trench.

"We made it."

“Lucas, we made it.”

I look around to try to find my friends. A sense of dread came to me. I look back out from the trench to the no man’s land I came from and realize what happened. I see my sergeant and my squadmate, or what is left, thorn into pieces because of a mortar strike. I see Lucas laying on the ground unmoving.

“LUCAS!” I scream.

I try to climb out of the trench and try to help him when suddenly I feel a hand grab my shoulder. I look with anger to see who try to stop me and realized it was a commissar who stops me.

"Where do you think you going to go, Guardsman!" he says with anger.

"I try to safe my friend, sir!" I say looking at my friend.

“Leave him, He's Dead!"

“But …”

"HE'S DEAD, GUARDSMAN!"

“I … I …” The reality suddenly hit me, Lucas and all my squad has died.

“Face the reality, Guardsman!”

“Or …” his words were interrupted when suddenly a traitor soldier with his armor full of insignia of chaos gods leap out and attack him. He tries to attack him with his Chainsword but he fails and the traitor soldier shoot and blow the head of the commissar.

When all that was happening, I was still in shock and stumble on a dead body I fell backward sitting on my butt. When I realize what just happen the traitor walk and stands in front of me. He stops and looks down on me with his Lasgun pointing at me. He smiles and suddenly I feel fear, fear of Death. A rumble of thunder came out, and from it lighting form a shadow from above us. It was a shadow of man, no, it was a Krieg. The Krieg jump into the trench and kick the traitor's head. The traitor falls backward with a scream of pain, he tries to get up and shoot the Krieg but the Krieg shoots him first with his Laspistol killing the traitor. I was at loss, not know what to do. The Krieg turn around and stare at me. He doesn't speak any words but I know what he meant; he wants me to redeem myself. He turns around takes a step on the leader up in trenches and takes a peek out to the battlefield. Another Krieg came in, some of them have skull facemasks.

"Sir!" said one of them.

Even if the sound is muffled because of the mask, there is a hint of femininity on it.

“Watchmaster.” He speaks.

He steps down and takes the Chainsword which use belongs to the commissar.

“You see that.” He says while pointing to heavy entrenchment with Heavy Bolter on it.

“Yes, Sir!” she says.

“I don’t like it.”

“We will take care of it, Sir!”

“Good, I will take care of the far right."

“Yes, Sir! You heard him, move out!”

They start to climb out the trenches and run to their target, I get up and start to follow the man that was their leader. He just gives me a side glance and keeps running to the target. luckily the enemy is focused on destroying another squad so they don't realize we are coming to them. The Krieg start takes shot with his Laspistol and me with my Lasgun. The sudden attack catches them off guard. The Krieg jump in and kill everyone close enough with his Chainsword. When it is over what is left is a pool of blood.

“… Still alive, huh …” he sighs and says in low voice. But somehow, I can still hear.

"Yes, Sir!" I answered, even though I feel it was not for me.

He then gets out from tranches and stands up in the small pile of rubble and body. He then trusting his Chainsword up to the sky, then swing it to the front pointing to the enemy fort. He doesn’t need to say a word because everyone knows what it means. A roar of war cry can be heard and every Krieg and Guardsman charge to the fort.

And here I am looking at him in awe and respect, I send my prayer to the Holy Emperor for He had sent Death in the form of man and He will kill every enemy of the Imperium

Schultz_von

edited version