Chaos

“Take COVER!”

“BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!”

The chaos space marine roar throughout the fort. Some of the man that heard and act on my order find safety on the nearest cover, others not so lucky. Using his heavy bolter, he tear down a group of guardsmen to pieces spraying their body through the courtyard.

“RETURN FIRE!”

On my order, every Krieg and guardsmen start to fire their gun some even throw their grenades. Even with the intense fire he got, the chaos marine keep firing his gun killing more man in the process.

“HAHAHA, SKULL FOR THE SKULL TRONE!”

Some of the bullet hit one of the fuel tanks, creating an explosion which killed several nearby people.

“For the love of the Emperor, KEEP FIRING!” says one of the commissars.

After several minutes of intense fire, the chaos marine finally collapse and the fort become silent.

I stand up, try to assess the situations. From the looks of it, we have lost at least 30 to 40 men against the chaos marine. His shot also destroys my chainsword.

I sigh, goddammit why I always lose this thing. I throw the chainsword to the ground.

I find my Watchmaster and start walking towards her. She crouched, holding the body of the grenadier that drench in his own pool of blood. I get closer and realized that the man had lost his left hand from his shoulder and have a hole in his stomach. The man moves his head and look at me. I crouched down beside him. Even without a word I know he want to say something so I move my head closer. But because of the respirator I can’t heard him clearly so I move my hand and start to remove his mask. What behind the mask is the face of man in his 30s, with his brown eyes and a pale face. The man coughs some blood and try to speak again. I close my ear to his mouth, try to listen his word.

“… I … can’t … fight …”

With just those words I understand what it means. I give a nod to the man and take out my knife.

“In Life, War.”

I began to speak.

“In Death, Peace.”

I put my knife above his neck.

“In Life, Shame.”

I stabbed his neck with my knife. His eyes wide open and become unfocused for a moment. And then it starts to loss its light.

“In Death, Atonement.”

The man is now death.

I pull out my knife and close his eyes. The Watchmaster now lay his cold body to the ground. I can see some of Guardsman that see what I’m doing start to make some fuss only to get angry yell from the commissar because they not doing their job while the other Krieg start moving the bodies. I stand up and take his lasgun from his hand which he still holds. I look at the Grenadier that stand next to me. I give him a nod and he give me a nod back understanding what I mean. He and one of his friends start to take anything that salvageable from the man that I just give "blessings of the Emperor's Peace" before carrying his body to the side where they put another body. I clean up my knife from any blood before putting it back to it sheath. I then give another order to the Watchmaster.

“Watchmaster.”

“Sir!” she said

“Bring some men. We going to check the main keep and tell the others company to secure the surrounding fort.”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Also, let’s ask some of our green men here to accompany us.”

“Understood.”

She said before she starts carrying her order.

I sigh, I hope this not getting any worst

A Vox Operator walk toward me.

“Sir!”

I turn around to face him.

“Sir, Colonel Scott wants to know our progress.”

“Tell them we have taken the fort and now we are in the process of securing it, also tell him we encounter a Chaos Space Marine and possibly will encounter more.”

“Yes, Sir!” he said before sending that information to the HQ.

“Sir!”

I turn to see Watchmaster come back with some men.

“Watchmaster, I see you have gathered some man.”

“Yes sir, this is Commissar Thouless and Sergeant Malta, their squad volunteered to help us.”

Commissar Thouless is a man in his mid-20s. He has lighter blue eyes and a blonde hair. His height is as same as me and he is wearing the typical commissar uniform with its bright red color.

Talk about painting target on your back. I thought.

Sergeant Malta is a man in his late 30s. He has scar in his right face that he wears with proud. He has a darker skin compared to the commissar with brown eyes and a bald head. He wearing standard guardsman uniform, with its green color. His squad is full with man and woman from different age, from the one that as old as the sergeant to the youngest that look like she still in her early 20s.

“It will be our honor sir.” The Commissar said.

I give him a nod and say, “is your man ready Sergeant Malta?”

“Yes, Sir! They just awaiting your orders!”

I give him a nod, “let’s go!”

““Yes, Sir!””

We start entering the main keep, upon entering we see this place covers in spray of blood and chaos sigil. We first split our forces to two, with the Krieg Squad going up stairs while Commissar Thouless and Sergeant Malta squad will check the underground. There’s a lot sign of battle all offer the place with blood sprayed on the wall, some broken doors and furniture, a few empty shell and magazines here and there and a few makeshift defenses. The previous defender must be making a last stand in this place before they get overrun by the chaos forces. We didn’t find any enemy through the floors but we also didn’t find any body which makes this place eerily quiet. After we sure this place was clear we go to the downstair hopping that our friends find something more useful.

We find Sergeant Malta awaiting us on the hallway.

“Sergeant.”

“Sir!”

“Anything to be report Sergeant?”

“Yes, Sir! Although there is evidence there is some kind of fight happen there, we don’t find any bodies. We also find that only a quarter of supply still remains and there is one of the rooms that sealed from inside. I’m afraid we can’t open it unless we use some explosive.”

Only a quarter of supply still remains, this number is probably coming from what is left from the previous defender. Minus what is left after being use by the chaos army to fight against us. That last room though, I don’t like it. I thought

“Hmm, I see. Watchmaster!”

“Sir!” She answered.

“Bring some Engineers they probably know how to fix our problems.” I said.

“Understood.” She gives me a nod and start to walk away.

“Now then, lead the way Sergeant.”

“Yes, Sir. This way.”

We follow him to the underground; this place has a few rooms that once used as an armory is now have spray of blood and chaos sigil all over the wall. We follow through a hallway that led us to the last room. When we arrive, I can see Commissar Thouless, Sergeant Malta squad waiting us in front of the blast door.

“Sir!” the Commissar address me.

“Commissar Thouless, is there anything notable to be report?”

“Other than what you can see, and the fact that this place is empty, no Sir.”

“I see, my adjutant will come back with some Engineers to fix our little problem.”

“Understood.”

And now we wait for the back up to come. We wait in silence, but I can feel some curious eyes directed towards us. Or more specifically toward me.

“what is it, Trooper?” I ask the young woman.

“Ah, emm … no, Sir. I’m just, em … a little …”

“Curious?” I interject her.

The woman from the look of it still in her early 20s. with brown eyes and short black hair.

I can see the Commissar start to look angry and her squad team just sigh, knowing this going to happen.

“WHY YOU …”

The Commissar begins but I raise my hand to stop him.

“What’s your name, Trooper”

“Silca, Private Silca, Sir!” she said, there was a hint of fear and uncertainty in her voice

“Private Silca, I understand how you feel. After all, if suddenly I get reinforcement from somewhere that I don’t know, I probably will get a little curious too.” I said with a smile, even though she can’t see it because the mask.

“Emm, well, I mean, I have met some Guardsman from another world but I never see Guardsman that look so, emm …”

“Different?” I said.

“… Unique …” she said timidly.

“Oh, God.” “Why you always like this?” “Just stop.” “Do you really want us get killed.” her squad mate started make a face palm and she start to fill more agitated.

My squad also started to grumbled, but my glance was enough to make them silent.

“Hahaha, don’t worry there is reason why we look like this.” I said.

“Reason?”

“Yes, a reason. Do you want to know…?” I ask.

She thought for a second before give me a little nod.

“Well, and the reason is that …” I was going to explain when suddenly, I can hear a footstep coming closer.

“It looks like we running out of time.” I said. While signaling my squad to be ready.

“I little advice, Private Silca,” I said in serious tone. “Just be more careful when you talk to any of us. My comrades are not as nice as I am, and always be careful.” I said.

“After all, curiosity killed the cat” I said in lower voice.

She gives me a nod while her face become a little pale.

After giving her some advice, I can see Watchmaster came with two Engineers, they bring all the tool to open this door.

“Sir!” she addresses me.

“Watchmaster. I see you have brought us some of our specialize.”

“Yes sir!” she said.

“Now gentlemen,” I said while looking at the two Krieg Engineers.

“Can you fix our problem?” I said while pointing at the blast door behind me.

The two engineers look at the blast door and then look at me. The two engineers give me a nod.

“Excellent, now let’s give these two men some space to do their job.”

““Yes, Sir!””

We get back to a safety distance, while the engineers put some melta charges to the door. After they finish set up the charges on the door, they give me the detonator.

“Rights, after the door open, we gone charge. We don’t know what’s behind that door so prepare for the worst, understood!” I said.

““Yes, Sir!”” says the guardsman while the Krieg just silently nod.

I give them a few chances for the troops start to check their lasgun while the engineers prepare their shotgun.

“Ready?” I said gaining their attention.

“3 … 2 … 1 … Fire in the hole!” I push the button.

The charges explode, destroying the door and creating a cloud of dust.

“GO!” I shout.

We charge to the door. The dust still not settle so we can’t see anything behind it. After passing through the door, we can finally see what inside the room. And we see is something that beyond man can imagine. A wide space with blood, human tissue and chaos sigil decorated every single inch of this place. In the middle of the room a monument that looks like some kind of a joke for a tree, created from the bodies of man and woman that twisted and tangled to each other. And what’s more is that some of them are still alive screaming in agony, some calling the name of their love one or chants a prayer to God Emperor but most of them just pleadings for the pain to stop. Surroundings this monument of abomination is a group of people wearing a cloak that I presumably as chaos sorceress. Their body also twist and turn beyond what human body should be able.

Some of the guardsman that can’t comprehend what they see almost faint other just throw up even one or two of my squad take a little step back after seeing this nightmares scene.

One of the cloaked figures with a staff in his hand that still retain his “Normal” look slowly turn his body around towards us. He sees us and began to laugh maniacally.

“HeheHehEhehe …, well, well, well, look what we have here?” he began.

“A followers of corps worshiper. Are you all came to join us, hmm?” he said in mocking tone.

We all aimed our guns at him.

“I see, that’s to bad.” He said in sad tone.

“well whatever, after all, I can still use your dead body.” He smiles from ear to ear.

“COME AT ME, HUMANS”