Locusts

[Hasoroth]

"Incoming!"

In an instant the soldiers who had been lying idly around their campfires sprung to action, searching for any cover they could find, a foxhole, a trench, a crater from a previous artillery barrage, anything. Nervously they began to check their rifles, a reassuring action as much as it was a preparatory one. None of the soldiers could remember how long they had held this miserable section of frost laden forest but they did remember that rolling artillery strikes presaged yet another massed assault of their screaming, fur clad foe.

Moments passed. The shrieks of incoming shells had terminated in silence instead of the anticipated barbarous explosions and painful cries for medics and mothers. Unwilling to press their luck but filled with curiosity the soldiers slowly left their safe havens and approached the direction the shells should have impacted. Had the entire artillery barrage been comprised of duds? Was this some foul new chemical weapon?

Whatever it was the shells were enormous.

Smoking softly in the snow, massive blade winged objects were entrenched deeply in a pool of flash steamed mud. Dull red warning lights reluctantly gloomed, illuminating the curious mass of soldiery that had begun to surround the object.

The officer was confused. These "shells" were massive, in his experience the enemy possessed no field piece capable of lobbing a projectile of that size. Perhaps a super heavy could have fired such a monstrous thing but the rebels were hill-folk, uncultured and unlearned. Surely this was not their work. Had the officer and his men been fired upon by their own artillery reserves?

Unbidden one of the men reached out gingerly to touch the surface of the object.

"No don't!" hissed the officer but it was too late. It seemed to him that his world slowed down as the soldiers gloved hand brushed against the objects pitted metal hide.

Silence. The soldier withdrew his hand and let out a sigh of relief. Whatever this thing that had fallen from the sky was it seemed safe. Conversation returned as the mingled throng of men began to laugh at their own fear with the humors of those that have narrowly escaped death.

A premature judgement.

With an explosive pop previously hidden frag projectors reared with fury and detonated. A comprehensive ring of shrapnel, razor wire and ball bearings erupted from the drop pod scything down the doomed Guardsmen in pools of gore. Similar scenes played out across the frozen battlefield, punctuated by the dull roar of explosions and the anguished cries of the maimed and the dying.

Hushed and wary snowfall began to return to the forest, gently coating the bodies of the felled Guardsmen with a funeral shroud of white powder. A dull groan disrupted the tragic scene as heavy pneumatic growls emanated from the drop pods which had begun to disgorge their cargo.

The tramp of heavy boots echoed forlornly as giant after giant strode purposely from their cradle, taking up defensive positions amidst the bodies and debris. In contrast to the serenely white snowflakes that floated to the ground these new monstrous figures were coated in a fierce snarling crimson. Painfully contorted runes wriggled and leapt across their armor and a cloud seemed to swirl amongst their horned helms, whispering of the horrors these warriors portended.

Word Bearers.

[Dosjetka]

That was terrific :lol: You strike the right balance detail-wise. But when you put "Locusts" as a title, I must admit I was expecting something quite different.

 

I'm looking forward to the next installment!

 

Ludovic

[BlueWaterDragon]

OOO shiny!

[Andrew J]

That is a very good intro! I cant wait for the rest!