Blood Strike

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

The Sanguinor dove from the black sky driving his glaive into the single eye of the greater daemon. The unholy beast gave a blood curdling scream then threw off the golden Angel. The Sanguinor rolled upon the ground absorbing the mighty blow then rose up again casting his aura upon the undead. His death mask was askew and tears of blood burned. Abel lead his retinue into the very heart of the daemonic core. The ground quaked as the battle began again. "Destroy the Daemons!" shouted the Blood Saint. Cygnus lurched forward crushing the undead horde in his magneficant wake of death. Thunderhammers rained down blows of oblivion. "Destroy them all!" shouted Abel. "The Crimson Gail is within our reach!"

[Captain Abel]

Do like :) keep p the good work squire :)

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Thanks bro.

 

:angry:

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The Sanguinor flew high, so high that the Angel disappeared into the inky blackness up above. Abel continued to steadily pressure the advance. There came a high pitched sonic whistle as the Angel swept back down again just flying over the top of the daemons. The Sanguinor then came to a sudden stop landing upon another hill higher than all the rest. He thrust his sword deep into a granite stone. "Daemon Burn..."

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Again the Angel's golden armor shone so bright it cast silvered rays into the horde of undead as they lumbered towards him like moths blindly drawn to lamp. The closest burst into flame and the fire began to quickly spread from one daemon to the next. The burning grew intense and soon a great conflagration laid waste to everything in it's path. Abel motioned to his veterans and they broke into a stiff run leaving the horrid scene behind as they quickly made their way towards the shining hovel just beyond the rising plains of the warp field. They had no time to look back as each long stride carried them towards their goal. The Blood Saint could just make out the shimmering shape of the Crimson Grail. "Hurry!" he shouted over the roar of the flame.

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Abel lead his retinue across the open ground towards the hovel. Lava seeped from the thin cracks in the scorched earth seething with fire. The undead had been drawn away crazed by the burning conflaguration. The Grail shone as bright as the Angel's armor casting a holy spot upon the warped earth. Polished rubies encrusted with runes filled the golden chalice and tight spirals of silver threads wrapped around the stem. The Blood Saint said a quick prayer then bent upon his right knee reaching into the press lifting the Grail from it's resting place. "Caine I entrust you with this most sublime artifact. You must take this holy relic back to real space and return it to it's rightful place. The honor of our every chapter now rests in your hands." Abel stood back up and carefully handed back over the chalice to the Flesh Tearer. "My men and I have unfinished business that must be attended to before we can leave this hell. As long as one of brothers remains we must find them and help them. That is a fundamental tenet of the Blood Saints and it cannot be ever broken. That is why I choose you to accompany us upon this grand quest. That said I am entrusting one of our most venerated brothers to accompany you back to the realm of real space. Our Chaplain, the Void Walker, will guard you and the Crimson Grail."

 

Abel lifted his gauntlets up and his veterans stood beside him in prayer. The Chaplain stepped out from the darkness to stand beside the Flesh Tearer. "We must now return to the spot to whence we came to be here." said the Void Walker. His voice was heavy with an age of long hard death. It sounded like a whisper upon the cold wind. "Follow me."

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[AngelOfDeathXIII]

I say Exterminatus.. I'm only on the second page and they already encounterd: Orks, Dark Eldar and Nurgle cultists... Great story though!

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

The Chaplain lead Caine through a maze of death. The Flesh Tearer listened to the moaning and lamenting of the undead from beyond the great fire. The lava had become more active spilling from large rents in the ground. Often the two Marines had to leap from one barren spot to another to cross the wide avenues of flowing lava. It bubbled and hissed. Caine could almost make out strange garbled voices stemming from the warp. The heat was intense, blistering the sheen on their boots. Slowly and carefully they worked way beyond the maze.

 

"You know that it is even more dangerous to carry the chalice than remain here. It will not be an easy journey back to real space." said the Void Walker over the shared comm link. The Chaplain's voice was harsh and static crackled in the subtransient background. "There are many who are quite fervent that the holy relic does not return to our hands. You will be severely tested and death awaits us at every corner. Take nothing for granted and keep your mind sharply focused. You've seen firsthand what lays in wait for those whom are lacking."

 

Caine remembered the sight of his dead disfigured battle brothers. The memory was still quite painful. The Flesh Tearer pushed the memory back down griping the chalice tightly around the stem. "It's said you are a mute. To be honest I'm probably more surprised by the sound of your voice than anything else I've experienced here so far."

 

"There is a time to speak. In my mind there is mostly time to remain silent. There is truly little worth saying that hasn't already been said. Most often I have nothing to say and little to add. I let my actions speak for me." said the Void Walker. "If you survive with your mind still intact after all this is over and done then you can regale your brothers with tales of my speech. There are only a handful that can say that indeed. With me at your side you have a chance, slim as that might be. Abel saw something in you that caught his eye so I have engaged his request." The Void Walker then killed the comm link and walked into a dark fog of burning ash.

[Tabgoi]

Nice story so far. I have been waiting to read until you got a bit down, and it was worth the wait. Can't wait for you to add some more.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

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The two made their way over a steep hill climbing over the rocky exterior as huge chunks of dried magma broke loose rolling back down to the bottom. The Chaplain reached the top of the hill first standing beside a broken spike of rusted ore poking through the fractured stone. He reached down to help Caine up. Looking back the veteran could see the awful devastation left behind by the raging fire storm. There was no sign of the Blood Saints or venerable brother Cygnus. The height of the burning flames hid the battle that continued within. Giant forks of molten lava spilled up from the vast array of broken craters circling around the burning battlefield. Soon all within would be engulfed.

 

Caine then looked down at the other side of the hill. The sweeping valley was barren of any daemon. All was still and silence filled the air. He could see that a narrow winding trail switched back and forth through the steepness of the tiered cliff. Just beyond the edge of the trail's lower terminus there laid a small gate which swung back and forth in the wind. The Chaplain started down the path having holstered his Crozius Arcanum in a wire loop fastened on the side of his utility belt. The Void Walker took each step one at a time and precisely placed each downward step. His armor took a ghostly sheen, almost like a chameleon effect as his image faded away until all that was left was but a faint shadow. Caine could hear the crunching of the Chaplain's boots and followed behind in due diligence. If anyone were to look up at the cliff all they would have seen was a lone Marine trying not to tumble down with the chalice clutched tight to his chest plate and his large stormshield thrown over his back.

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Finally Caine reached the bottom of the cliff. He could hear the sound of the Void Walker as the Chaplain moved along but other than that his bodyguard had vanished from sight. The gate stood a few paces away and still it swung back and forth in the wind. "It has been tainted." said the Chaplain over the comm link. "We have no choice though but to use it. Caine felt a tug on one of his arms. "I've got a tight grip on you." said the Void Walker. "We cannot become separated as we journey through the warp back to real space." There came the sound of a sharp click and Caine could sense something had coupled to his armor. "It's a maglock I've fastened to your hip. Should I lose my grip or need both hands to fight there is a short cable of hardened plasteel connected between us now. I'm telling you since you'll need to know. Never lose your grip on the Crimson Grail and make sure our bond is never broken. You'll be lost forever without me in the warp and you won't last long at all." The old Chaplain yanked on the cable hard testing it. Caine almost fell over then righted himself. "I will go first through the gate. Follow right behind me. As my rear boot is stepping through your first must enter the portal." Suddenly the black armor materialized. The skull mask was frowning and Caine could make out a row of ancient service studs bolted across the top. Each stud was pressed with some rune, they all looked quite wicked. The ruby red lenses dimmed for a brief moment. The Flesh Tearer could feel the hard gaze of the Void Walker burning into his very soul. "Don't let Abel down. He has given you a great honor and the gift of potential. Keep focused and always do just as I tell you." The lenses turned back to bright crimson then the Chaplain turned to face the portal. "Here we go now."

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Caine heard the sudden howl of a mad gale as he stepped through to the other side following right behind the Void Walker. He immediately lost his sense of up and down, it felt as if he was spinning wildly in space. The Flesh Tearer kept a tight grip on the chalice as he felt the tug on the link between the two Marines. Something hard and very sharp knocked into his back side and he felt his stormshield split in half then it fell away. The cable jerked him about as he pulled his glaive free from it's scabbard. "Fight!" shouted the Void Walker as the Chaplain's power fist activated, glowing with a wreath of electric blue as hot sparks shot off it's pointed fingertips. Caine looked about to see they were surrounded by a small Kabal of dark eldar Wyches. Their leader was a slender female wearing a skintight suit of black leather and carried a pair of long barbed blades. Her hair was dyed bright green and tied up on top of her head with sharp razor wire. Her cadre of Wyches were all female as well and wore dark masks hiding their elongated faces. Pieces of bone and bits of broken blades hung from their pointed ears. All the Wyches were armed with long spears and some carried shardnets. An usually tall Wyche stood beside their leader casting about a long whip of many monofilament wires. The weapon had a long reach and had cut his shield apart just like a piece of rusted scrap metal. "They have redirected our re entry into their ethereal labyrinth, the webway." shouted the Chaplain as he charged straight into the Wyches smashing them with his giant fist. Caine parried with his glaive as a pair of nets were cast over them. The Void Walker caught one of the nets with his power fist and shrugged, sending the Wyche on the other end crashing into the other. "Fight!"

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

The Wyche with the cat of nine tails struck at the Chaplain raking his black armor with the glowing tendrils of energy. Pieces of armor flaked off as the razored wire scorched into the battle suit. The Void Walker let our an ear splitting warcry then spun about crashing the Flesh Tearer into the Wyches. They tumbled about and quickly regrouped as the Chaplain caught one with his power fist and crushed the Wyche to death. Caine got to his knees and stuck his glaive deep into the tall warrior sparring with the whip. Fresh blood spilt from her mouth as she toppled over. The Succubus suddenly decided to join the fray somersaulting into place beside the Chaplain and drove one her pointed daggers into his side. Knocking her back with a hard punch from his Crozius Arcanum the Void Walker made some quick space between the two then counter punched with his power fist. The Succubus darted aside with blinding speed easily avoiding the blow and then stuck her other dagger into the Chaplain's neck. The tip sank in a bit then the Void Walker twisted his head, catching the nook of the blade with the bottom of his skull helmet snapping it in half. Hot dark blood welled up from his wound and poured down the side of his armor. The Succubus leapt up into the air retreating as more of her retinue poured in to continue the fight. Another shardnet floated down ensnaring the Chaplain's power fist. Caine then saw that the Succubus was eyeing him as she drew another dagger from her waist belt to replace the broken one. The metal shard was still caught in the Void Walker's neck. "It's coated in poison." she said in mangled Gothic.

[Tabgoi]

Woot, 4 updates in one day! And now we have some Dark Eldar trying to get at the chalice. Keep it coming.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Caine bit the tips of fangs into his tongue and let the blood run down the back of throat. The Void Walker had become sluggish in his movement and felt like dead weight on his end of the short tether. "Blut und Ehre!" suddenly shouted the Chaplain as he pulled all the pins on his fragmentation grenades casting them into the Wyches. Each grenade exploded one after another spraying the Wyches in an intense metal storm. The Succubus wisely darted further back as her retinue was ripped apart by the series of mighty explosion. "Quite devious for such a lowly monkeigh." she laughed revealing her sharpened teeth. Her blades shone in the warp like a pair of matched gemstones, the serrated edges glinted like burning embers. The Void Walker then collapsed, falling upon the open ground. The Flesh Tearer pulled upon the tether with all his might lifting the Chaplain back to his feet. "Don't you go and leave me alone here now you mean old bastard!" shouted Caine. "Fight!"

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The Void Walker grunted then grabbed at the maglock unfastening the tether. "I will only hold you down now. The Wyche needs no more advantage." The Chaplain then kneeled back down muttering a prayer under his breath. Charging straight in the Succubus danced about lashing out with well timed blows as her daggers pricked Caine's armor in a dozen places. The Wyche was looking for a weak point in his armor to penetrate. Looping his glaive around in a steady figure eight pattern Caine was finally able to drive back the Succubus keeping the Void Walker behind him. The Wyche darted from side to side but the Flesh Tearer turned about on one heel deflecting her quick blows. They sparred on. Caine's defense was perfect but he could not generate any attack on his own and slowly over the course of the savage fight the muscles in his arms began to burn then felt like heavy lead. The Succubus continued to press her attack, striking faster and faster. Caine held his glaive out in a defensive position moving the long blade from side to side, conserving his remaining energy. Suddenly the dark eldar flipped up into the air spinning over the Marine while tucked into a tight summersault. She landed behind ready to deliver the killing blow then she cried out cursing hotly in her own tongue. The Void Walker had managed to stick out his leg tripping up the Wyche. The Chaplain caught hold of one of her ankles pulling her down off her feet. He climbed on top of her chest pinning down her arms with his armored knees and gripped her by the throat with his free gauntlet. Caine watched in silence as the Void Walker strangled her. The Wyche's face grew red and her tongue poked out from her mouth swollen in pain. There came the sound of her death rattle as the Chaplain snapped her neck in twain. Her once haughty face fell blemished with intense pain to the side as her skull hung at a strange angle. Her hands spasmed dropping the daggers to either side. Snarling with cold rage the Void Walker stood back up. The Chaplain then reached up and pulled the barbed shard from his neck. The bleeding had stopped and he cracked his neck, snapping his spine back into place. He tossed the shard aside then turned to look at Caine. The Flesh Tearer took a hold of the maglock and re attached it to his armor. There was the sound of a hard snap as the lock coupled back in place. "A poisoned blade..." muttered the Chaplain. "Heh."

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

They walked along the path within the webway. Skulls of eldar were nailed into stone edifices and broken bits of ivory colored wraithbone were scattered upon the trail. Caine had sheathed his glaive and he the chalice with both of his gauntlets. The Chaplain has begun to fade from sight again. Even switching over to the infrared spectrum for viewing the Flesh Tearer only saw a trace of movement flickering occasionally. They came to an intersection along the path and a great emerald tree span up into the void. It's trunk was wider than a landraider and from it's many limbs hung long spiraling webs of bright green leaves. The hard ground became soft and their heavy boots sank into the moist soil. Caine felt his spirit lift.

 

"This is a timbre of life. Very few remain. It cojoins with a vast multitude of realities all tied together through it's deep roots. It is a sanctuary here within. We can take a moment of respite and gather our thoughts." said the Void Walker as he lifted up his helmet revealing his scarred face. His body had solidified again.

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"I have heard the rumors about your chapter." said Caine. "It is very small such as mine and heavy in veterans. What I have seen confirms the stories. I could have never imagined much of what I have seen."

 

The Chaplain sat upon a stump contemplating in silence. He looked as if he were at peace for once. A shower of leaves began to fall scattering upon the ground. Each leaf had a unique pattern all it's own and they were all bright green shimmering with vivid color and detail. They peeled like bells chiming in the astral wind as they collided into each other. The Void Walker reached out with his gauntlet and let a leaf land upon his outstretched palm, it was shaped like a crescent moon. He stood back up slowly, handing the leaf over to Caine. "Keep it as a reminder."

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Caine put the leaf in a pouch attached to his utility belt. It sparkled within the darkness as he pulled the draw string tight again. He looked up and saw that as the higher the tree stood the farther out it's massive limbs reached; they created a vast canopy that extended beyond the range of his sight.

 

"We can use the ancient timbre to return to our point in real space where we began this journey into the warp." said the Void Walker. "If we look hard enough there's one limb up above that leads there. All we have to do now is find."

 

"I don't understand." said the Flesh Tearer. "I would like to learn though if you are willing to instruct me."

 

"My chapter, the Blood Saints, possess a higher than normal ratio of psykers when compared to others. This was one of the goals set out by our first Chapter Master, Imrik, and he was very successful. You may not be aware that races such as the eldar use psychic constructs to manipulate the warp through the use of their wraithbone which is crystalline in nature. The Space Wolves learned how to use their runes to a very similar effect. By separating themselves from direct contact with the warp they are safer from the perils it can bring. They memorize a specific set of spells that they practice casting over and over again until they are completely mastered. This is another form of protection from the perils of the warp. On the other hand they are quite limited in what they can affect, they cannot improvise so to speak. The Blood Saints are at the opposite end of the spectrum and we willingly embrace the raw power of the warp. Of course there is much more danger but the application of power is significantly greater and it opens hidden doorways that remain unseen by others. Every Blood Saint is nascent and fit with a psychic aura. That is the main reason why we are so few. A direct benefit is that we are free from the dark rage. Certainly it is still there trapped within us just like all the rest but we can voluntarily resist. Our Primarch Sanguinius, hallowed be his name, was one of the most psychically gifted of his brothers. There are direct ties to both the Grey Knights and the Adeptus Custodes. Of all the other successor chapters yours is the most opposite to ours and I find that quite ironic seeing how this has all played out so far for it's your task to find the limb above that will lead us back to where we need to be."

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