The Catachan 23rd

[Valin Darkblade]

Crystals of frost crept along the barrel of the long rifle, the lens of the sights began to frost in the sudden chill. Time slowed around Harid as he drew a bead on the head of the Eldar leader. He had watched the entire battle between the two skilled warriors with indifference until the Space Marine had fallen. A voice continued to echo in his mind as the fight played out. "release me." Harid drew a long slow breath squeezing the trigger at the natural pause in his breathing.

 

The round exited the barrel of the rifle with an explosion akin to a sonic boom, lighting flew along the trail of the bullet, a clear display to any who saw it. The round struck the Eldar in the head piercing through his eye lens, lightning enveloped his head as the round entered. The Autarach slumped to the ground his head vanished from the body as it slumped forward. The Space Marine flew backwards as the round struck the eruption of physic energy throwing him several feet. Harid watch him from the scope of his rifle before laying the rifle down.

 

Donovan caught the flash of physic energy flash across the battle field, he slammed the butt of his rifle into the gut of a Avenger whirling his head around to catch sight of Harid. He was laying Suko's long rifle down and drawing out his blades. The air seemed to shimmer around Harid, even as far away as he was Donovan could smell the putrid stench of warp. He slashed his knife up into the armpit of the avenger twisting it, the Avenger slumped to the ground in its death throes. He raced toward Harid trying to catch him as he sprinted across the battle field diving into the enemy.

 

Suddenly a massive shock-wave sent Donovan flat onto his back tossing him like a rag doll into the dirt. The air filled with the sounds of a massive explosion, Donovan clutched his hands to his ears as he rolled over looking toward the source. Figures lay scattered across the ground picking themselves up as his eyes lighted on the source of the explosion. One of the mighty Dreadnaughts was a inferno of flames. The Avatar had cleaved a mighty gash into the mighty war machine rupturing the power plant. Donovan cursed as he thought of the mighty warrior inside, his anger began to rise the blood pounding inside his ears.

 

They were outnumbered against a creature borne of the void, even with the mighty Astartes they were falling back. Donovan watched as the Space Marines began to consolidate their lines. He roared out commands the last of his men falling back to his position as they could. If they were going to die they would die as Catachans in the heart of the enemy.....

[Valin Darkblade]

Darius reeled backwards his arm coming up instinctively to cover his face as the psychic blast took the Autarch’s head off its shoulders. The force of the attack sent his auto senses into disarray scrambling the display feed. His mind raced as he thought of the attack, no pyskers fought along side the Raven Guard and he had never once heard of a Catachan with abilities. He was thankful for the intervention, had who ever it was not interceded he would be dead.

 

Suddenly the battlefield rocked with the force of a new explosion. The force of the second explosion threw him backwards sending him skirting through the dirt. His helmet lenses were cracked, the auto senses in disarray, he released his right lightning claw and reached up to tear the helmet from his head.

 

He tossed the helmet before pushing his body up and rising to a knee, his breathing was shallow and ragged. He gritted his teeth as he took the lighting claw back in hand and pushed his body . He could feel his anatomy trying to stitch itself back together but the trauma was to great. It took but a moment for another dose of stimulants to course through his body as his system reacted to his needs.

 

He swept his eyes across the battlefield knowing the second explosion could only mean one of the Dreadnaughts had fallen. Every Raven Guard was locked in a deadly dance across the length of the battlefield, out of the corner of his eye he saw the Catachan forces rally and return to the fray. Finally his eyes alighted on the source of the explosion, Captain Atlas’s Dreadnaught was a mound of slag the once proud Dreadnaught severed by the Eldar Avatar. Armor plates and the massive claw were blown off and laying several meters away.

 

Darius could feel his rage building as he watched the Avatar stand over the slain Captain seemingly gloating over the kill as it scanned for a new challenge. Only one thought crept into Darius’s mind, Destroy the Abomination. With an effort superb even to the standards of the Astartes Darius began to run across the battlefield toward the Avatar. Electricity sparked off the lightning claws as he pushed every spare bit of power into them.

 

Eldar fell as he spun and ducked bringing his claws up into them in a killing blow that spilt their entrails upon the ground or punched through the neck severing the head. Rounds struck his armor but he paid no head to them trusting that his armor would hold. He twisted as he saw another round streak toward him but he was a fraction to slow. He grit his teeth and roared again as the round was grazed across his left temple ripping his ear off. Blood flowed for a brief moment before his body sealed the wound

 

The Avatar loomed in his sight as he drew closer he could feel the heat of the flames that licked across its body. Darius roared a challenge as he launched his body upward. He ignited the jump pack at the peak of his carrying his body to the top of what remained of Captain Atlas’s Dreadnaught.

 

He stood atop the shattered Dreadnaught wreathed in its dying flames for a moment as he looked into the face of his opponent. Darius shifted his weight launching off his right leg toward the fell creature the jump pack carrying him like a speeding bullet. He waited till the last moment before pushing every ounce of power his armor could spare into his lightning claws.

 

The lighting claws crackled and sparked with energy as Darius came down on the Avatar with the force of an artillery round. They shredded through the armored metal that made up the creatures body along the shoulders digging in deep. . The creature roared in pain as energy surged from the gauntlets into its foul body. The sound was deafening even to the superhuman physiology of an Astarte’s. Darius could feel his ears beginning to rupture despite the enhanced physical make up of his body.

 

Flames licked over his body as he starred into the eyes of this abomination roaring his own cry of defiance. Darius could feel the skin of his face start to cook, the stench of his own hair burning caught in his nose. He brought his knees up leveraging them against the chest of the Avatar as he forced his lighting claws downward. The screech of rending metal rang clear in his ears as the power of his claws tore the abomination open.

 

Darius roared in pain as the Avatar reached up grabbing him by the waist, he could feel the flames engulfing his armor as the creature began to squeeze. His vision began to darken as he heard his armor begin to buckle under the pressure his bones straining not to break. He thrust his knees against the abominations chest slashing with one claw opening a gash across its face as he adjusted all power to his jump pack. The engines roared to life screaming as he pushed them to the limits against the Avatars grip. Darius drove his right claw into the beasts elbow, the Avatar roared releasing its grip just enough.

 

Darius launched backwards from the creature his left shoulder striking the burning hull of Captain Atlas’s dreadnaught. He hit the ground hard as he bounced away from the dreadnaught, he leapt to his feet raising his claws in time to block the downward swinging of the Avatar’s flaming sword. The creature drove him to his knees with the force of the blow. He could hear the servos in his armor protesting as he pushed back rising first to one foot then the other.

 

He twisted as he rose to his feet driving the blade into the ground, freeing his right claw Darius drove it into the joint of the Avatars wrist. The claw punctured clean through the joint causing the creature to release its grip on the flaming sword. Darius twisted the claw as he drew it out severing much of the joint.

 

The Avatar roared swiping at Darius, Darius rolled with the blow as it struck his shoulder Pauldron . He heard the plastisteel buckle under the impact, his shoulder popping out of the socket. He drove it hard into ground as he rolled away grunting as it slid back into place. He launched himself again at the beast this time catching the Avatar on the back.

 

He dug a claw into the creature as it howled in pain holding on as he sunk his left claw in time and again. The Avatar thrashed trying to unseat him to no avail. He slashed the claw across the Avatar’s neck slicing it open as the creature tried to grab at him. Suddenly the sounds of an auto cannon broke through the creatures roar. Darius clung to the Avatar as it reeled under the onslaught of rounds striking its chest and Darius tearing at its throat.

 

The Avatar began to sway rocking under the rounds striking it, Darius let out a gasp as he felt the searing pain pass through his body. He drove the claw through the beasts neck ripping it out as he began to fall backwards. Darius struck the ground his hands coming up involuntary to the gapping wound in his chest piece. A single shot had made it through the Avatars armor and body. He could swear he had heard chimes as he struck the ground.

 

Was impossible though, they were on a great battlefield all he could hear was the constant sounds of battle, the discharge of weapons. He laid back on the ground his sight growing dim as he gazed up into the sky………….

[Leonaides]

Too many bits to copy/paste in there but you refer to the Avatar as having flesh, repeated references to ichor, noted as greenish black... Avatars are metal, their flesh is metal, the closest you'll get to blood is molten metal... Its not an Ork, you know. Re-word all those bits please?

[Valin Darkblade]

Kalin rose to his feet scanning the battlefield. The massive explosion had knocked nearly every warrior on both sides flat as the shockwave rippled outward. He brought his hand up smacking the side of his helmet to jostle the vox embedded in it. Static continued for a moment before he could pick up clear comms chatter. The displays on his internal reads were dark for four of his men, the others were in various conditions. He keyed one word over the vox channel to his squad, “Rally”

 

He could see his men around him as he sprinted into the reforming Eldar lines. His objective was the team of Farseers working to destroy the barrier around the temple. He swung a back hand blow with his power fist, the power fist crackled with released energy as it met resistance caving in the chest of an Eldar warrior. He brought his bolt pistol up firing one round off, the mass reactive shell hit another piercing it in the stomach. The round exploded inside the Eldar tearing his body apart at the middle.

 

Kalin pressed onward the batter catching in the wind above his head snapping as the breeze caught it. He knew the banner would draw his squad to him no matter where he was on the battlefield. He continued lashing out with his power fist at any who came to close, his bolt pistol spitting death with every shot fired. His eyes remained locked on his objective as he fought on. He could hear the Marines gathering around him slowly a path opening before them as they rained down death.

 

One hundred meters, the tactical gauge clicked off each step Kalin took toward his objective. Then it happened, a bright flash of light caused the filters on his suit to adjust to protect him. Kalin swore as the spots cleared and he could see the Eldar racing toward the temple. The shimmering shield had vanished removed by the Eldar, Kalin had been briefed by Darius and knew the value of their mission. With a mighty roar amplified by his power armors vox systems he took flight…..

 

 

 

*A teaser toward the finale. What fate awaits the valiant Raven Guard? What secret lies at the heart of the temple? Would you like to know?*