Holmgang - A Vlka Fenryka Saga

[Bongfu]

Index

Blood Claw

Part I - Below

Part II

 

 

 

Blood Claw

Part I:

 

The sounds of battle were muffled inside the ceramite enclosed Land Raider, even to Goddvar's heightened hearing. The pack was clustered in the dimly lit interior around the black clad Freki Bloodpack. The old Wolf Priest was weaving himself between each warrior, smearing blood from his belt bound vial on the chest plate of the pack's armor. Raerek, who finished triple checking his flamer, beat a fist to his chest moments before the priest slapped his blood soaked hand against the double wolf on his chest. The stench of blood permeated Goddvar's nostrils, while his keen sense of smell told him the blood was only a few hours old. It was probably from some beast sacrificed in the belly of strike cruiser before they deployed. As initiates, this would be their first battle in the mighty Astartes, but none of them were by any means unprepared. Each of Goddvar's pack mates where once mighty warriors of their past life. They had died heroes and ascended to godhood. As Russ intended, they fought the eternal war that waged across the galaxy, until their Primarch returned to fight alongside them in the final battle.

 

The priest approached Goddvar. The young warrior pounded his fist against his chest and bellowed out, "Honor brother Bloodpack!" The Wolf Priest's face went from stoic to a frown.

 

"You know I dislike that name, pup." The force of the priest's fist against Goddvar's chest almost sent him on his ass. The old warrior grinned afterwards, his canines bared in an almost bestial manner. "When you die today, I will make sure your gear goes to a more respectful initiate."

 

"Let us hope you can keep up then old wolf!" The air tasted of blood and its coppery tinge. Freki wheeled about and pushed his way through the crowded crew compartments to the front again. The Land Raider rumbled and shook as it continued on through the wasteland towards their objective. All that Goddvar knew was that some Imperial commander had turned his back on the Allfather. Their task was to take a rebel command post, which up until the arrival on the Astartes, had remained untouchable by the loyalist on this world.

 

Goddvar took his place to the left of Raerek. Behind them was the hulking Bornir, who even by Astartes standards was an intimidating size. The normally docile giant was now snarling with the scent of blood in the air, anticipating the coming battle. Their pack leader, Skon, eyed his warriors with a scrupulous stare. His ascension to the head of the pack was due in no small part to the perfection he demanded in himself and his skill in combat. A warrior without peer... or at least until I challenge him, Thought Goddvar.

 

The Land Raider began to noticeably slow. The sudden crack of the hurricane pattern bolters and assault cannons told them they were close to their target. Goddvar could make out the distinct ping of enemy fire bouncing off the thick hull. Freki Bloodpack finished his silenced discussion with Skon and turned to the rest of the Space Wolves gathered at the raised ramp. "Warriors of Fenris hear me!" He paused as he raised the vial of blood and emptied it onto the plating underneath him. Its fast thickening contents assault the senses of every Space Marine in the cramped compartment. Almost instantly Goddvar could smell the stench of excitement. The old priest continued, "You have been given the honor of finishing this war in a single blow. You will be swift and merciless to the foes of the Allfather. You are all sons of Russ and if you should find yourself in an empty field of snow. Fear not! For you are on the way to see the Allfather and you are already dead!" The pack howled a dreadful cry. They were ready for battle and ready to die.

 

************

 

The ramp hit the muddy surface of the embankment with a barely noticeable thud. The pack was already bounding through the meager defensive emplacements set up to stop normal men. Razorwire clung feebly against Goddvar's right leg. Over head autocannons and autoguns spat out rounds at their position. However, human reflexes couldn't target the grey blurs that were the advancing Astartes.

 

Skon let out a loud snarl as he singled for their first and final charge over the large hill which had been giving them cover. Goddvar revved his chainaxe and started over the hill, but not before Igar shoved him to the side, taking the lead. Goddvar's temper flared and he chased Igar over the hill just in time to see his helmet explode in a shower of red mist when one of the autocannons found its mark. The site of their comrade falling enraged the pack even more and they pushed onwards. Raerek stopped at one of the small firing holes in the wall of the ferrocrete bunker. He pumped the promethium fueled flames directly inside. Flames erupted out other windows, drowning out the gasping screams inside in a roar of combusting air. Goddvar saw Bornir tearing a man's head off with his bare hands as the traitors around him ran in terror.

 

Goddvar howled as he spotted his first victim. From the looks of him, he had the remains of a NCO's uniform in the PDF. His skin was white, almost grey, and his eyes burned red as he raised his bolt pistol to meet Goddvar's charge. Too late, Goddvar sent a bolt round into the man's chest, causing his upper torso to erupt in a volcano of blood and flesh bits. One! Goddvar counted in his head. The next kill was all the more satisfying as a traitor guardsmen tried to spear him from the back with a bayonet. The blade broke against the ceramite plating. Goddvar laughed as his chainaxe cleaved the dumbfounded renegade in two. Two! He leapt over a ferrocrete barrier only to land on the reinforcements meant to drive them off. The satisfying crunch of bones singled two more kills as the two ton Goddvar startled the enemy squad. With the wolfish grin that is so signature of the Vlka Fenryka, Goddvar lashed out with chainaxe and bolt pistol, killing the other eight men in mere seconds. Twelve by Russ!

 

His celebration was cut short with the noise of a massive explosion to his left as a battlecannon just missed his position. The enemy Leman Russ spat out bolter rounds from its hull mounted heavy bolter, as its commander shouted orders from the top of its turret to the men below. He didn't give them time to reload before he sprinted head on. Autoguns and bolter fire licked at his feet as the mighty Astartes charged furiously into the defensive line. He was a mere ten meters from the already retreating guardsmen when a black armored figure appeared from behind the Leman Russ' turret. It's bolt pistol exploded the upper torso of the commander as the free hand dropped a bundle of krak grenades into the open hatch before leaping away from the hull. In seconds the Leman Russ shot flames from its openings and soon black smoke billowed out from fresh new holes in its armor. Goddvar cursed under his breath as the old priest cut down the last of the traitors who were falling back.

 

"How are you going to meet your death when you move so slowly, pup?" Freki slid a fresh magazine into his bolt pistol's receiver.

 

Goddvar simply cursed under his breath and moved past the old priest. I will show the old warrior, the universe will tremble in fear when faced with Goddvar! With another leap over a barrier Goddvar came face to face with Raerek. The two warriors nearly started fighting as they startled one another.

 

Raerek reared back his lips, "Twenty-eight so far."

 

Goddvar cringed, "Twelve, more if you count the kills that Bloodpack stole from me."

 

Raerek laughed, "Cannot count them brother if you do not kill them, guess who gets to serve us tonight at the dinner table." His armored finger pressed against Goddvar's chest.

 

"Remove your finger before I remove your hand, Rek." Goddvar hissed.

 

Raerek pointed his finger away from his chest and towards an open blast door. "Skon, Bornir, and some others disappeared into their just a moment ago. I think we should follow."

 

The two moved into the gloom, their sight adjusting almost instantly to the low light emitted from the emergency torches that lined the wall. They both smelled something that raised the hair on the back of their neck. Blood, but not just any blood, wolf blood. Their pace turned into a sprint down the tightening ferrocrete hallway. Rounding three corners they spotted a grey armored figure slouching under a large blood splatter on the wall behind him. It was Arnskar the Black, named for his dark complexion, typical of the southern islanders on Fenris. He was still alive, but holding his hand over a gushing wound in his chest.

 

He caught their gaze, "Just missed me first heart," he chuckled painfully as blood ran down his chin from his lips.

 

"What happen brother and where is Skon?" Raerek knelt down to inspect his other wounds.

 

Arnskar coughed up more blood before weakly speaking again, "They came out of the shadows before retreating back into them. "

 

"Who Arnskar? Who came out of the shadows?" Raerek leaned closer.

 

Arnskar was fading, his superior body was slowly shutting down due to the wounds he received. In his final breath he muttered, "The betrayers..." Arnskar ceased.

[Phalanx Warder]

A nice read and well wrote, I will be following this thread!

[Aqui]

I like ^_^

 

One comment though. I'd have thought the use of a Leman Russ Tank by traitors, would have made the warriors even angrier than normal. If I was a Son of Russ, it'd certainly tick me off! ;)

[Bongfu]

I like ^_^

 

One comment though. I'd have thought the use of a Leman Russ Tank by traitors, would have made the warriors even angrier than normal. If I was a Son of Russ, it'd certainly tick me off! ;)

 

Good point, I may have to go back and edit that.

 

Part II will be inbound later tonight I am hoping. I am editing it now.

[Bongfu]

Part II

 

Arnskar was off to see the Allfather. Watching one of his pack mates die was a bittersweet moment for Goddvar. One less warrior to get in his way on the path to glory, but one less brother to share mjod with back in the hall. Goddvar grabbed Arnskar's bolt pistol and Raerek loaded up on spare grenades. They vowed to avenge his death.

 

Goddvar and Raerek stalked down the battle worn corridors that served as the underground complex to the rebels. Goddvar only stopped when he caught the scent of his pack mates in the distance and heard the distinct clack of bolter fire. Their pace quickened as the scent turned from anger to the smell of fear, their armored boots thundering loudly against the metallic floor.

 

As the sounds of bolter fire intensified, the pair could make out howls and shouts. Some sounded like war cries, while others mullings of pain. The two Astartes moved effortlessly through the dimly lit hallway, vaulting over obstacles with ease, as adrenaline pumped through their body at in human levels. As they sprinted they checked their ammunition, grenades, and power pack in their chain weapons. Witchsplitter, Goddvar's chainaxe, hummed almost happily in his armored grip. The chainaxe was an unusual weapon of choice for a new recruit. Legend says, the relic of the Vlka Fenryka's past, it chooses the warrior who will wield it in battle. He could almost feel the machine spirit inside, he felt its desires. He understood all too well what that feeling was. It was a thirst for battle. A final glance between them ended with a nod and then they were around another corner facing a horrid scene.

 

The pack huddled against the sparse cover at the base of an upward ramp. He spotted Skon attending to Odir who's left arm was missing from the elbow down. Bornir fired with dual bolt pistols towards a sight that made Goddvar's blood boil. Traitor Astartes, the arch traitor, and as his infused mind recalled information crammed into him at his creation, they were the Alpha legion.

 

Within seconds of coming to this head, Raerek charged forward with a fearsome growl, Goddvar was at his heels firing wildly into the mass of cultist and traitor marines at the top of the ramp. One bolt round caught a rebel guardsman in the shoulder, spraying shards of bone and gore on the Alpha legionnaire behind him before he slumped to the ground and proceeded to slid down the ramp on his own ooze.

 

"Thirteen!" Goddvar shouted not caring if anyone heard him or not. He squeezed off more rounds towards the enemy before rolling into cover next to Skon. He studied Odir intently. His super human body had already stopped the bleeding and sealed the wound. However, even Astartes suffered from the loss of a limb. If he survived, he would be gifted by the Iron Priest with a new, mechanical arm, so that he can continue to serve the chapter. Skon tried to keep the warrior down as Odir tried to rise.

 

"Stay down damn you, you will only get yourself killed, Odir, " Skon snarled.

 

Goddvar had a different plan. He grabbed Odir under the left shoulder pad and hefted him up onto the ferrocrete barrier that served as their already fading cover and slapped a bolt pistol into his remaining hand. "You can't die if you are hiding like a woman!"

 

Odir grinned back at Goddvar, in his deep voice that was typical of the mountain men on Fenris he added, " By Russ, good thing I have a spare."

 

Skon scowled as he spun Goddvar around with a powerful grip. "You will never do that again, Crow!" His canines were showing in a growling expression as he called Goddvar by his old tribe's name.

 

Goddvar said nothing, he knew what he had to do next. All his many months of trials and training, Skon had outshone him. Goddvar wanted to prove he was the best in the pack and worthy to lead them to future glories. He would write his name across the galaxy in the blood of the enemies of the Allfather and Russ. Starting here.

 

Goddvar whirled around from Skon and leapt with his powerful legs over the cover protecting them. He let out a mighty howl and charged straight up the ramp at the enemies, dodging bolter and autogun fire. Not much room. Thought Goddvar as he did his best to avoid the all to lethal bolt rounds. Within seconds the pack behind him had raced forward in a fury of renewed excitement. Heedless of their personal safety they went into a berserker charge. Raerek sprinted to Goddvar's side, gushing out torrents of flames ahead of them. Two cultist were caught in the blast and rolled screaming down the ramp. Goddvar's jump carried him over one of them, through the dissipating fire cloud, and onto the landing above. To his amazement the Alpha legionnaires were falling back into a widening room which appeared to be some sort of warehouse.

 

Without thinking, his instincts took him diving for cover as he spotted a heavy bolter open fire on his position. Bolt rounds traced the ceiling millimeters from where he just was a moment ago. The rest of the pack piled into cover around the bulkhead that served the warehouse room. One of the Blood Claws, Logar, pointed out across the large room with a wide eyed stare. Glancing around the open blast door, Goddvar caught a glimpse of madness. There in the far eastern corner was a heretical ritual being performed. Slaves were being tossed into some kind of swirling vortex of violet tinted energy. All while out of a similar storm, came a fresh new wave of Alpha Legionnaires.

 

"Sorcery!" Cursed Thjard as he made a sign for aversion against magic across his chest.

 

Eyeing Skon, Goddvar knew he must act quickly before he took the glory from him. Witchsplitter screamed to life with a whine of its motor. The chainblade flicked still wet gore in every direction. Every fiber in his body tightened in anticipation. For he had little chance to make it through that door, but he knew that a glorious death awaited him. Just before he surged forward, a powerful hand pulled him backwards. Goddvar was face to face with Freki Bloodpack, the old Wolf Priest whom, up until now, had all but disappeared.

 

"Do not be a fool pup, you will get your chance to die soon enough. " Freki's voice was harsh and purposeful. His black clad hand pointed towards the reforming line of Alpha Legionnaires. In that instance, the powerful energy portal surged to life and spewed forth hideously gruesome creatures. Their long black horns gleamed as brightly as their molten swords. Goddvar sensed everyone's shock. Even the old priest had a scent of uncertainty about him.

 

"Maleficarum..." Freki's voice trailed off into a chant in high gothic, the language spoken in the Dark Age. One second later, the priest was bolting into the warehouse, fire erupting from the heretic's cover. Bolt shells and plasma blast ricocheted off his conversion field producing blinding flashes of light. The daemons charged forward, barreling towards Freki.

 

This was his moment to shine. Goddvar raced to Freki, not stopping until he right in the path of one of the charging warp beast. Its sinister sword came up to crash down on Goddvar's head, but he was too fast. A slight step to the side sent the beast almost doubling over with its momentum. Goddvar made him pay for the mistake by burying Witchsplitter in the back of its head. The daemon burst into a shower of blood. It smelled fouler than anything Goddvar had smelled before.

 

The rest of the pack was in the melee now, growls and snarls could be heard over the hisses and curses of the charging cultist. Following them were the Alpha Legionnaires, who would soon find out that it is unwise to charge the Vlka Fenryka. All around him, the sounds of battle were drowned out only by his own blood thirsty thoughts. Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen.. Twenty! He counted in his head as he tore through the meager force of cultist. Witchsplitter found its mark on several traitor marines as well, splitting heads, rending opening chest, and cleaving limbs from broken bodies. Blood and gore splashed all over Goddvar, from head to toe. The more he fought, the easier it became for him to just keep going. Something deep inside him began to creep its way out. Like an internal engine that existed solely for war. He had been bred for this, no, born for this! He was an Astartes and he knew only one thing. He knew war.

 

Bornir was choking a cultist in one hand and punching through the chest of a daemon with the other. He then threw the cultist into a charging Alpha Legionnaire, stunning him before Bornir was leaping on top of him. The two grappled briefly, Bornir drove his combat knife into his foes head through the soft tissue under his chin. The traitor convulsed for a few seconds then laid motionless. As Bornir rose, one of the maleficarum appeared behind him, sword raised.

 

"Bornir!" Goddvar shouted as he instinctively catapulted his axe through the air. With perfect aim and speed, the relic chainaxe hit home square in the back of the daemon. The daemon dropped its sword and screamed into the air. Bornir, regaining his composure, wheeled around and sent fist and knife in a flurry of powerful blows into the creature's chest. It too exploded into a fountain of blood as it died.

 

"I owe you. "The soft spoken Bornir said as he tossed the axe back to Goddvar.

 

Goddvar shook his head and lunged back into the fight. Freki, Skon, Kori and were contending with the last Alpha Legionnaires who had backed themselves into a corner. Like caged animals the legionnaires charged forward. The first one to strike was Kori with his bolt pistol. The round nailed its target in the left shoulder, which was followed up with a chainsword driven into the traitors chest. Skon, with calculated ease, dodge the initial attacks from his foe. He waited for an opening and struck like lightning, driving his powersword under the left arm and out the right side of its neck. The slick black blood boiled off the crackling energy field surrounding the power weapon.

 

The old priest struggled against his better equipped foe. The chaos champion assaulted Freki with two crackling powerswords. Their short blades gave him speed and agility versus the Wolf Priest's battle hardened fighting style. The priest dodged, ducked, and rolled away from the onslaught. For what seemed like an eternity, the Alpha Legionnaire drove him back, while his pack mates contended with the daemons still pouring through the portal.

 

Goddvar rushed to help Freki, but a daemon's sudden appearance in his path stopped him. Witchsplitter once more whined to life and bit deep into the beast's sternum. Both hands ensured it severed the top half of the daemon off. Finishing it off, another appeared in his way. Goddvar disposed of it too. To his right he saw Ingil get gutted by three daemons overwhelming him and winced as he saw Odir surrounded, his one good hand still fingering the trigger of his bolt pistol.

 

Nothing else mattered except Goddvar's need to kill. The force inside him that he felt before once again gave him strength. His super human senses sharpened and suddenly time seemed to slow down. In that same moment, he heard a cry of pain. A sharp spin to his left and he caught a view of the tragedy. One blade stuck through the chest of Freki Bloodpack and the champion brought back his other blade for the finishing blow. In the next instant, Freki's head was severed from his body. The bloody lump of bone and flesh clattered across the ground, leaving a blood soaked trail. The Alpha Legion champion ripped out his other blade from the corpse and with a powerful kick, sent it reeling backwards.

 

The best and most experienced of them had just fallen almost effortlessly to this foul champion of all that is chaos. Goddvar's temper flared, his canines flashed a fierce snarl, and he lost control as he and Witchsplitter recklessly charged into the battle. As he charged he cried out in an unintelligible blabber that frightened even the champion. The beast was released.