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XX

Target dispatched.

Unencrypted XXth legion vox transmission, unknown legion asset

The ruins were silent. Deceptively so. Hive Mankorn had been the target of intense Zone Mortalis engagements between combined forces of the Dark Angels and White Scars, as well as the Iron Warriors and the Alpha Legion. Gruesome close range engagements, which particularly suited the traitors, had continued for nearly two standard weeks until IV^th legion artillery had leveled the city. Now, isolated warbands prowled through the ashes and ruins; the dust still choked the skies.

Geront and his rag-tag squad of I^st and V^th legionaries moved silently through cover, always scanning the surrounding for potential enemies. With the familiar weights of sword and bolt pistol in his hands, he instructed his squad with short vox-clicks. Silence had to be maintained. The Hydra was everywhere. He knew that.

Aim

The Dark Angel cast his gaze towards the hive's monolithic remains that peeked through the dust and clawed at the pale sky. Nothing moved there, at least nothing his suit's sensory array could make out.

Inhale

Geront led his men across an open field through use of gesticulative battle-cant. The plaza must have been some sort of market place, judging by the carts and smashed crates. Such open spaces always made his gut clench with cold paranoia. It was here that they were fully vulnerable. Still, they crossed the plaza unmolested.

Exhale

Geront turned to the White Scar demi-sergeant in order to delegate further instructions. Earlier they had spotted a former supply site from a higher up vantage point. Maybe they could find some help or ressources there.

Click

The White Scar's head imploded in a mist of gore and fatty brain tissue. Whatever projectile had hit him had travelled further and shattered the knee of a Dark Angel.

"Cover! Go for cover!" Geront immediately bellowed. From behind a ferrocrete block he watched in grim disgust as the unknown sniper executed his fallen brother.

Aim

"Kira, report! Report!" Geront spied over his cover multiple times, but the dust made it almost impossible to tell from where exactly the bullet had come from. The west side of the plaza probably, judging by the blood spray of the two corpses.

Inhale

"Kira, Emperor damn you, what is the auspex reading?!" Geront's twin hearts were beating hard. The enemy did not take pot-shots, did not try his hand at lucky hits. This was a being of precisest calculations.

"The dust is blocking it, sergeant!" The White Scar yelled over the vox "I cannot say how many enemies there are! Oh wait, maybe this.... Got it!"

Exhale

"Well, what is it?!" The Dark Angel shot a couple of times into the dust, hoping to either land a very lucky hit or simply rouse the enemy from their hiding spot.

"One, it's only one!" Kira exclaimed as he fumbled with the auspex "But he is flitting all over the pla-"

Click

Kira fell to the ground, chest ruptured and hearts scattered in shreds across the floor. Another shot split the auspex just before it hit the ground.

"Feth!" Geront cursed as he retreated through the dust, looking for Beyl and Aaron, his remaining two brethren.

Aim

"Battle-Brothers, to me! Beyl, Aaron!" Geront bellowed as he reloaded his pistol. The cursed dust clung to everything and made most of his armour's sophisticated targeting systems useless. Damned Iron Warriors and their phosphex shells. At this rate, he'd probably die long before he would find his brethren.

Inhale

"This is sergeant Geront of the Dark Angels; I recquire immediate reinforcement from all loyal forces present in my vicinity!" He knew that nobody would hear him. They hadn't met anyone on days; they might as well have been abandoned in these ruins. Yet still, he had to hope.

Exhale

Geront stumbled upon two figures crouching in the dust. With raised weapons he approached them, before he recognized the familiar insignia of his legion, his brethren. Both were slumped against the wall with two narrow holes above their hearts. He hadn't even heard their deaths.

By accident, Geront turned around as the wind picked up and cleared some of the dingy dust. Across the plaza, far and above from where he stood, he could make out the faint glare of deep-crimson lenses.

Click

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Hey folks. Well, it has been a while again, hasn't it. It's been a bit up and down for me, so I couldn't really devote much time to this blog, sorry about that. I think that from now on, I will mostly post my Inquisimunda stuff here, as I do not really have a place for that yet. I am in a bit of a hurry right now, so expect another update post sometime soon!

Anyhow, big reveal about that fella above comming soon. Stay tuned!