Path of Bronze

[Evz]

Cassius wandered the overgrown stone halls of the fortress. It was silent outside, night had fallen of the feudal world of J'tonal XI and the front-line was far off. The Ultramarines scout crept quietly along the stone floor carpeted by thick, emerald-green moss. He was to take one corridor, reach the opposite end and meet up with his sergeant, who took the corridor opposite. 

 

His Lyman's Ear picked up a sickly wet pop. It stopped him in his tracks. Cassius slithered through the shadows until he came to the end chamber, it was slick with blood. Against the far, vine-choked wall was sergeant Leo. Leo was dead. Cassius took another step, clutching his bolter tighter. He stepped over a crimson chainaxe, the head still smoking from a bolt that blasted a hole clean through it. Then he turned to see the World Eater above him, in the shadows. The monster took a step forwards, grabbing Leo's head it twisted and pulled the head and spinal column out of the corpse. The World Eater growled, pulling an axe from a loop on its belt. This axe was native to the planet, though to a mortal it would be a two handed greataxe. To the Astartes, it was but a handaxe. It swung before Cassius could aim and bit into the boltgun. Tearing it free the berzerker swung again, Cassius drew his knife and picked up an ancient vine-wrapped shield to block the blow. He forced it back.

 

The berzerker reared again and Cassius drew his pistol and fired twice. Once at the beast's helmet, and the other at the hand. The World Eater grunted, stepped back jerkily. It pulled off its helmet, revealing a scarred, bloodied red-tinged face, the bolt shattered the lens and damaged the eye. A single horn protruded from the shaven skull just before the Butcher's Nails. It growled again, canines frothing. It picked up the axe with its shattered hand and charged lightning-fast. Cassius had no time to react. The creature was smashing into him repetitively with the axehead. Blood soaked the moss.

[Bjorn Firewalker]

A good start, but as I noted, it's a start. I doubt I'll be the only one to demand details on the importance of the planet the Space Marines are fighting on- what reason the World Eaters have for being there, besides a simple and unsatisfying "Blood and skulls!"- and personal information on this individual World Eater. Is he native to the planet the Marines are fighting on, and the World Eaters are forcing the planet's inhabitants to serve it as slaves, serfs, and future Chaos Space Marines?