Ch.1: The First Battle of Mt. Shatterer (Part One)

"A rot has seeped into the soil of Mt Shatterer. A rot that be torn straight from the very rocks of the earth. It is our Holy duty, to be the Emperors tools for extracting these disgusting heretical weeds. Iron Father Airgid, I pass on this holy duty to aid our brothers in the extermination  of the hereteks that have fouled this land. But do not loosen your guard, we still do not know the nature of what has bought the exorcists to Krillion.

Heed my words as master of the Anvil of retribution, and the head of it's Iron Council. The wise and ancient Meirgear Seanair knows of victory and of defeat.

The Flesh is Weak."

****

The chamber was dark and barely lit by the small candle and dim light from Xaphan’s eyes. A servitor hurriedly walked in clutching a small scorched box.
“Patrol party x-04 have acquired this item during an excavation party near the mountain. We suffered casualties but none of any significance"

Xaphan blinked and the light in his eyes went out. He turned and began gesturing with his hand. Small wisps of black began forming into a vague humanoid shape before vanishing inside the artifact the servitor still clutched.

It clicked then opened revealing its contents to Xaphan. He laughed then snatched the artifact with a crazed eagerness.

The servitor spoke once again “we have begun bolstering the walls and deploying artillery around the excavation site. We cannot deploy tanks or bulky equipment but our troops have it well guarded. Priest Keldrak has also begun crafting his new poison weapon for the battles we are expecting soon"

“Leave me! Tell Keldrak to get his weapon ready at once and tell our troops to send an exploration team deeper into the excavation. There’s something within that I need" Xaphan laughed and the light returned in his eyes.

The servitor left

The black mist formed again and became a snarling face.

“Do not let me down Xaphan! The Pandemica needs the artifact within this mountain and if you fail you will spend an eternity in pain. The price of failure is high but the rewards you will receive if successful are beyond imagination!”

Xaphan held the artifact up and it began glowing red and burning with an intense heat. His hand scorched and blackened but he showed no sign of pain. Seconds later the artifact was gone leaving nothing but a wisp of smoke. The scorching on his hand flaked and cracked before falling off leaving no sign of the burning that just happened.

“Do not let me down Xaphan"

“I will not fail in my task Kazneus" replied Xaphan as the black mist vanished. He put his hands up to his head and could feel something. Something new.

It had begun and now he must now proceed despite the risks.

Krillion will fall

****

The Thunderhank shook as it made it's way though the upper atmosphere it's engines the only sound in the still air as it made it's toward the drop site, the engines changing in pitch has they neared the mountain below, the smoke from the gapping wound atop it's summit raising to engulf the descending Thunderhank in a dark embrace.

The inside of the Thunderhank was bathed in a soft red glow from the lights that ran the length of the walkway, the only sound was the low chanting coming from the battle brothers gathered there as they prepared themselves for the battle that lay ahead. Silas's Vox-feed barked into life " Captain Silas, we have visual on the landing site" the feed filled with static for a moment before cleaning again "Readings show enemy forces closing readying to engage with Meirgears's forces." "Maintain course and engage evasive manoeuvres" Silas replied before turn on his Vox amplifier and addressed his battle brothers.

"Brothers" Silas's voice echoed round the inside of the Thunderhank raising above the noise of the engines " We may be few, and our enemies many. Yet so long as there remains one of us still fighting, one who still rages in the name of justice and truth, then by the Emperor, the galaxy shall yet know hope. For centuries we have fought and  have seen the darkness in our galaxy,  we have seen the vileness of the alien and the heresy of the mutant. we have witnessed the sin of possession, we have seen all the evil that the galaxy harbours, and we have slain all whose presence defiles the Emperor. We have fought what we must fight, and we have slain what we must slay. Let the Emperor judge the righteousness of our deeds, we shall never rest while a single renegade draws breath. Let them fear our names. For we are the angels of death." 

"We are the Angels of Death" came the reply.