Part 3 - Durin Iv

Swirling madness assaulted the psyker’s senses, the warps power coursing through his veins. Quickly he constructed a mental shield, clearing his thoughts as the first of what would be many daemons probed the edge of his mind. But as suddenly as it had came the daemon vanished. Everything was peaceful for a moment, the warps power growing steadily in him. Then from nowhere a black cloud punctured his mind, throwing his conscious thought into turmoil, before crushing every last spec of resistance. A gasp of fear never left the psyker’s mouth. Solaris watched the astronavigator collapse to the ground in surreal amazement, as his mind was destroyed. Seconds later the cause became apparent, a black shroud puncturing his formidable shield and went for the kill, attacking his mind. Solaris reacted quickly dropping out of the warp and restrained his powers, shutting off his psychic hood. As he did this he fell from his meditation position a metre above the ground onto the tiles, shattering them, before gingerly picking himself up, his massive blue camouflaged power armour humming in the silent room. Thirty other psykers were scattered all over the floor, their minds destroyed. They had all been crushed by the black cloud, and if the cause was what Solaris thought, they were probably better off then the survivors. The devourer was coming. Solaris scanned out form the Chapel-Barracks at the second company assembled in front of him. 100 Marines. That would be enough to take an entire sector in normal conditions. They would be lucky to survive the Tyranids however. The second company had been tasked with retrieving the geneseed and holding it against all costs against the Tyranids. Solaris activated his communications array. ‘Marines, we have been charged with evacuating the chapter’s geneseed. We leave in half an hour, ready your weapons and collect as many rounds as you can. We are soon leaving.’ He shut it off quickly and turned to the Captain of the second company, wielding a gleaming sword – crackling with unreal energy and a drum magazine bolter. Captain Causen. ‘How do you propose we protect the geneseed? We can’t hold off for ever against the Tyranids and we can’t use warpspace. What options do we have?’ he asked. ‘I will address them when the time comes,’ Solaris replied, deep in thought, ‘Now we must move out. Prepare the Rhinos’ With a crash the Rhino entered the clearing, to behold a tremendous bunker, 8 heavy bolter emplacements covering the front arc. Laser defences stood magnificently on top, guarding against the sky. The undergrowth had doubled size since they set out from the barracks and was still growing – the first sign of a Tyranid assault. More biomass for harvesting. It also had another use however; it would prevent the station from being defended effectively. Solaris turned to Causen, his scarred cheek glowing in the blue hue from the controls. ‘Would you happen to have any pyro-bombs?’ he asked, a grim smile playing across his face. ‘I think we could spare a few…’ a humoured reply snapped back. 10 minutes later Solaris sat within the control room watching the forest burn away, leaving a barren, lifeless plateau in its wake. Spot fires burned brightly against the black

charcoal, the flames flickering gleefully in the wind. He turned to the tactical-map of the

station and scanned it for any easily defendable positions.

The station was divided into four levels, the middle two split into two halves. One other factor that interested Solaris however was the fact that there were two Shadow Guard companies on station. They would be very useful if everything worked out as planned. However the sheer size of the station took him by surprise, each level having at least a kilometre of ground space, with several side rooms and facilities for anything. The perfect set up to defend against large numbers. However no-one had stood against the Tyranids in the past. It would have to do. He turned to the communications officer sitting at the nearby desk and addressed him. ‘Officer Revues, can you activate a satellite link to Chapter Master Orion?’ ‘Yes, sir,’ came the quick, crisp, military disciplined reply. After several seconds, Solaris communications array burst to life. ‘Solaris. I take it you have reached the bunker safely?’ Orion’s growl of a voice burst over the line. ‘Yes sir. Have you prepared the polar fortress for the defence?’ ‘Yes, it is ready and every avenue has been accounted for – except for when we run out of ammunition. Do you think you can hold the Tyranids off?’ ‘If it can be done anywhere it is here. However, I think we too will run out of ammunition. I have however assessed a few methods for saving the geneseed. I could shunt it into the earth – protecting it from them – or find a way to launch it into space with a homing beacon.’ ‘Both sound risky – I would rather another approach.’ ‘I am still working on it,’ Solaris replied, deep in thought. He had managed to perform something amazing with his psychic powers once, but it had almost cost him his life. He could only consider it if all other options had been exhausted. ‘Well good luck,’ Orion ventured. ‘What are you talking about? I make my own luck.’ Solaris replied, defiantly.

Orion shook his head, smirking. It would be a shame that they wouldn’t die fighting side by side. But one thing was for sure – they would die. He turned on the platform and addressed the 100 Marines from the first and third companies in front of him. ‘The Tyranids approach! And we will stand against them, for our homeworld. For the honour of our Chapter! They will come in the millions, and we will take a life with every bolt we fire. Then, when every bolt casing has been emptied we will smash them into the earth until none remain. We will show the Tyranids that we do not fear!’ A great roar of approval met his ears. They would be with him to the end. Solaris disconnected his comms, a smile crossing his lips. ‘Commander Ford, your Guardsmen will cover the east wing, prepare for them at level 2, and stock as much ammunition as you can. I will send Marines to assist you.’ Quickly he probed the warp, for the shadow which had hung there earlier. It had ceased to exist, passed over them like a wavefront. This could mean only one thing. The devourer would be upon them shortly. The Tyranids needed to lift the shadow for their hive mind to work uncorrupted. It was not however a wave front, but the eye of the storm. There was less time left than he had expected. Quickly he pushed into the warp further and drew its power, looking into the feature. A creature stormed down the grey, seamless corridor, its black and purple chitinous armour shining malignantly, clashing with its bone white teeth. An organically shaped device had grown out of the end of its hand. Suddenly it let out a hiss, as it saw its prey at the end of the corridor; a hulking figure crouched with a strange device in its arms. A flash of bright light erupted from the device and the creature collapsed; half of its reptilian torso missing. The battle had begun. ‘Fire!’ Solaris called out and the four marines surrounding him braced themselves before jamming down the triggers on their heavy bolters. A hailstorm of bolts left the weapons muzzles, kicking back in recoil, but the superhumans held their guns steady. The Tyranids paid for each inch of ground gained, blood running slick across the floor. But they were gaining ground, inch by inch as the corpses piled high. Then one of the bolters jammed, a shell failing to enter the chamber. The steady rhythm fell out of time. The reptiles took the chance given to them, charging forward with renewed vigour. They gained ground quickly now, and it would take only seconds for the position to become compromised. Solaris drew on the warp, probing the inside of the bolter with air particles. Quickly he met resistance and used the same force to dislodge the blockage, causing the bolter to spring back to life. A cataclysmic roar echoed in the distance, shaking the grenades on his belt. 'Not good...' Solaris muttered, as the steady, rather than rapid advance began again, the shrieks of wounded Tyranids drowning out his voice. Something hadn't liked him using the warp. Something big. He smiled, time to cause some havoc. So he tapped into the warp again, drawing a ball of flames from nothing. His shields crackled from the heat as the inferno grew, becoming brighter. The blue paint blistered and blackened bubbling in the heat as his visor adjusted to compensate for the brightness. But nothing challenged his reign over the warp energy, the daemons held back by the shadow. Soon it would be too large to sustain.

The Tyranids were stunned for a second, not expecting such a light. The hive mind however urged them on, charging up the corridor at an increasing speed. Quickly he hurled the fire ball down the corridor, which expanded in the rich oxygen. It engulfed everything in an inferno of warp energy. As the haze cleared nothing but charred remains were revealed in its wake, charcoaled ichor now covering the floor. Nothing stirred throughout the 100m long corridor. Nothing was left to stir. Suddenly, another bone shaking roar echoed throughout the corridor before a swarm of upright reptiles entered. Each of the eight foot tall, chitinous reptilians charged forwards, all four limbs posed threateningly. The heavy bolters began to blaze away again, the shells detonating on their armour, bringing the beasts down. But the Warriors waded through the lethal haze and quickly advanced on the five Space Marines. Within seconds they had closed to within range. ‘Swords!’ Solaris yelled, hefting his sword-staff into the air. Blue fire coursed along its length, sparking in the air. A force weapon, linked psychically with Solaris. It was capable of filling the victim’s body with warp energy – with deadly consequences. Simultaneously the other four Marines drew chainswords and bolt pistols. Then in the half a second before the Tyranids struck, Solaris tapped into the warp, heightening his senses. He leapt out of the Marines at an unimaginable speed, his blade embedding itself in the first Warrior’s chest plate, throwing it to the ground. As he recovered the blade swung in a circular arc, the heads of two more Warriors falling to the floor. He continued his fluid motion swiping out at the next warrior, which succeeded in blocking him with one of its blades. It roared in savage fury for a second before a great arc of lightning exited Solaris’s hand, slaying the beast. The remainder Warriors approached more carefully, methodically, trying to flank him in the narrow corridor. Their caution was rewarded with a bolter shell in the skull each, fired by the vanguard Marines. Suddenly the crowd of remaining Warriors charged towards the exit and the endlessly milling throng outside the fortress. It seemed the hive had taken a new strategy. A second later, this plan became all too apparent. A huge reptilian the size of a tank, with four blades each the size of a battle cannon entered the corridor. Its skull was long and reptilian, sharp teeth protruding from its open mouth, and its acidic saliva dropped to the floor, sizzling on the metal. It stood ominously, silhouetted in the light for a moment before leaping forward at an incredible speed. ‘Charges!’ Solaris called out, taking a defensive pose with his blade out, readied like a war pike. But the charge ended suddenly. The entire middle portion of the corridor collapsed, blocking the entrance. Solaris turned back to the Marines and signalled to regroup. A circle etched on a metal floor, strange runes highlighted along its edges. A chanting voice filled his ears. ‘Mois retas raqem ies. Mois retas raqem ies.’ Solaris’s eyes widened. It was an ancient dialect, one of which he had once known. The meaning slipped through his fingers however, like grains of sand falling through a grate. The voice was familiar – he had heard it before. It could have been anyone – or anything. Quickly he probed the warp again. The Tyranids would be through in only minutes. But they would be facing more Marines this time. Many more.

Solaris stood, waiting. The Tyranids would be upon them within a minute. The room provided the perfect place to slaughter the xenos. Big and square with doorways on opposite ends. They would rush out of the door, into the crosshairs of over 30 bolters, in addition to the original four heavy bolters. Nothing but the strongest of creatures could wade through that amount of fire. Seconds later a ripple coursed through the warp followed by the sound of scattering rubble. Something big had broken through the rubble – and it would probably tear through the Guardsmen lines. Solaris made his decision, leaping from the safety of the gun line. ‘Solaris! What are you doing?’ ‘Saving our brothers!’ He replied, before entering the doorway and rounding the next corner. A huge beast like the one before was waiting for him, and immediately a huge talon slammed into the wall near his skull. The thing must have been 10 feet tall, struggling to fit in the corridor. Solaris drew his swordstaff, ramming it into the creature’s chitinous chest, the blade sinking into the rock-hard material. The creature, a Carnifex, stared back into his eyes with a surreal intelligence and pulled backwards. The blade was torn from his grip, before it scythed forward with one of its talons. Solaris ducked the blow, as it slammed into the wall behind him with a resounding thud, and while in an alert state of awareness, leapt onto the beast’s shoulder. He drew a bolt pistol with his free hand, a quick succession of blasts assured. They did nothing but enrage the beast, detonating uselessly on its shell. It flailed wildly at Solaris, before bucking him off. Solaris hit the ground hard, before sliding between the beast’s legs, letting off yet more shells into its abdomen, failing to cause any lasting injury. It fulfilled its purpose however, the beast stepping backwards which revealed Solaris’s staff within arms length which he grasped, sending a current of warp energy through Carnifex’s body. This over powered its mind, crushing any mental resistance which was offered and the Carnifex collapsed to the ground, limp. Quickly Solaris retrieved his blade, and turned towards the oncoming horde, realising his folly. A Gaunt was already soaring through the air towards him. It detonated, spraying purple ichor over his battle scarred armour. Solaris quickly spun again, spotting Causen in the distance, bolt pistol raised, still smoking from its previous shot. ‘Nice theatrics, now if you wouldn’t mind returning to the relative safety of our gun line.’ Causen stated, his bolt pistol bucking again. ‘Sure…’ Solaris snapped back, leaping along the corridor his usual witty remark having fled his mind. Solaris rounded the corner and back through the doorway, the rhythmic beat of Gaunts scurrying behind him intensifying. ‘Hit the ground!’ Causen called out, and Solaris leapt forward, flattening himself to the ground. The amassed bolters blazed to life as one, the rounds tearing down the emerging Gaunts in a flurry of bolts. Quickly, Solaris picked himself up and drew his bolt pistol, crouching at the front of the gun-line. He waited, the Marines more than a match for the number of Gaunts that could fit through the doorway in a second. Numbers meant nothing in a tight space… except when you ran out of ammunition. Quickly the bodies piled up, creating makeshift barricades. The gun-line began to move back as the Tyranids were protected more from the bolts. But it would not assist for long. Suddenly, the tide of Gaunts became a tide of Warriors, which continued to wade through the bolter fire – taking considerably more shells to bring down. Solaris scanned the enemy force his bolt pistol on single shot, placing shell after shell into the xenos heads, guided by his enhanced warp senses. But

the horde continued to gain ground on them and the gun line continued to move back taking an enormous toll on the enemy. ‘Sergeant Garrous, how is your defence proceeding?’ Causens voice spoke over the command frequency ‘The Guard have a circular gun line set up, and held the Gaunts back effectively, but we have been relying on heavy weapons since the Warriors began to push us back.’ ‘Estimated casualties, Garrous?’ ‘40 Guardsmen lost to the Gaunts, I think it was the fleshborers…’ A shout echoed in the background before Garrous spoke rapidly into his comms. ‘Causen, a Carnifex just hit our front line. I have to break communications.’ Solaris looked up just as another tank-like reptilian entered the room, straightening up to its full height. Its two predominant limbs hefted mighty claws, quite capable of crushing a tank, and the bottom two once again were huge blade shaped talons. It let out an earsplitting screech before charging at the line of Shadow Hunters. It reached them at an amazing speed, backhanding the first Marine, cracking its adamantine chest plate and hurling it into the wall. The Marines retaliated – drawing knifes and leapt at the beast, slashing at its carapace. The Carnifex ignored the assault, lashing out at three of the marines with three different limbs, puncturing armour, flesh and bone. Their attack was hopeless. Solaris struck out with the warp, knocking the marines away from the beast while drawing his blade. ‘Retreat into the next room Marines!’ Causen’s voice boomed over the intercom. Solaris lashed out with the blade, slicing clean through one of the creature’s limbs, a huge claw clattering to the floor. It screamed in pain, its tail whipping around at an amazing speed, hurling Solaris through the air and into the wall with a resounding thud. His swordstaff clattered to the ground and his vision blurred, as he felt the cut in his stomach clotting immediately. But in seconds the Carnifex was bearing down on him, talons raised, poised for the kill. Solaris drew all the power he could muster and sent a concussive shockwave at the beast, which shrugged it off. The blade came down quickly. Solaris drew his terminal breath. Causen watched the Carnifex plough into his men and called for a retreat as Solaris charged at it, his blade glowing blue. Gaunts took this chance to swarm into the room, dramatically out numbering the Marines. What followed was a blur, the beast claw dropping to the floor and Solaris flying through the air into the wall. He didn’t stand back up. Causen watched the Carnifex stalking forward and made his decision, activating his paired lightning claws which began to crackle with surreal energy and charged forward, two of his bodyguard keeping by his side. He cut straight through a Gaunt and leapt into the air, ploughing a claw into the creatures remaining claw. It howled, spinning lashing out at him with its free talon as Causen dislodged his claw and slipped it off, drawing a large object from his belt. At this point Causens bodyguard drew their relic blades and lashed out at the beast, the crackling swords slicing thick cuts in the Carnifex’s carapace, aggravating it more. It turned away from Causen, which gave him the opening to leap at the creature, embedding his lightning claw into its upper back. Quickly he dragged himself further up its back and hung down over its merciless, hungry eyes. It reeled back quickly as he lodged the large object in its mouth and leapt off its back. A second later the beast detonated in a fiery inferno, leaving nothing but a singed shell. Quickly he moved over to Solaris, lifting him onto his feet and helped him towards the door, where the Marines were holding off. Only 100 Gaunts stood between them and safety.

Solaris watched as Causen duelled the Carnifex, showing his exceptional battle skill. As he saw the meltabomb enter its mouth he activated his heat gel layer, protecting him from the 1000 degree plus firestorm. Then quickly Causen moved over and helped Solaris to his feet. One leg was broken and at least three ribs, he decided as the pain from walking took its toll. Then the gravity of their situation took hold, a swarm of Gaunts remained between them and the safety of the corridor. There was but one option. Solaris tapped into the warp, using all his focus to ignore the pain and raised his hand. A familiar power crackled into existence; a lightning storm of unprecedented power leaping from his fingertips. Solaris fainted at this last exhaustion and fell limp in Causen’s arms. The Gaunts in their path were fried, and the rest held back, basic instinct taking over. The hive mind would regain control soon. Quickly they entered the corridor and sealed the door locking the reptiles out – for the time being. ‘Apothecary!’ Causen called out as he dragged Solaris up the corridor. A white marine emerged from the distance quickly lying Solaris down and injected a series of drugs into his system. Quickly he removed the chest and thigh plates, drawing larger needles form his pack and inserted them into Solaris’s bones, activating the dormant polymer embedded in the marrow, fixing the fracture immediately. After a brief moment he cleaned Solaris’s chest wound and did the same with the ribs. ‘Barricade the door, otherwise it won’t hold long against our guests.’ Causen called out while standing by Solaris’s side. A marine in black power armour, strode forward, ominously silent, bolter blazing. Skulls glared cheerlessly from its armour, white bones displayed instead of the normal trim. This was no Space Marine under the Emperors light. Blue flames danced around its feet, almost gleefully, as if they were waiting for something. A well worn symbol was barely visible on its left shoulder pad.

Solaris sat bolt upright feeling no pain in his chest or leg anymore. As his vision returned and he discovered he was sitting in a store room of some kind, crates stacked to the roof. He drew a knife from his belt and cut a chunk of wood out of the nearest, a small shell falling into his hands. It was a bolter shell of some form – but unlike any he had seen before. He dug the knife into the tip to discover a green liquid encased in it. Test rounds, and what a better time to test them? Solaris scooped out a handful and deposited them in his ammunition pouch, before locating an empty clip and loading 10 rounds into it. Causen rounded the corner and turned to face him. ‘Nice to see you’re up.’ Causen stated, handing him his swordstaff.

He accepted it before replying. ‘You know me, I never slow down,’ he replied slyly. ‘Yeah, well you are going to have to break that rule. The only reason you are standing is the amount of drugs we pumped into you.’ Solaris pushed past Causen drawing his pistol and loaded in the new clip. ‘How long until the door is breached?’ he asked, walking into a considerably larger chamber, configured as a weapons testing room. ‘Can’t you just rest for a minute?’ Solaris gave him a quick glance silencing the retaliation, ‘5 minutes, give or take.’ ‘How many casualties have we taken?’ ’15 Marines were overrun – holding them off for us.’ ‘Ahh.’ A crash broke the relative silence as the door was breached. Solaris sighed. ‘No rest for the weary… I thought you said 5 minutes.’ ‘Give or take,’ he said, smiling. Solaris rounded the corner to a rampaging Warrior and levelled the bolt pistol at its head. The bolter bucked and the round exploded on impact with the skull, the green substance rapidly eating through its carapace. It collapsed to the ground, headless. ‘Nice.’ he muttered, aiming the gun at the next unfortunate warrior. It collapsed to the ground a second later, many more following its death. But not enough guns could be brought to bear on the corridor, and the Marines were forced back into another gun line. Solaris stood slightly in front of the line waiting for the next Carnifex. The hive mind had sent one to break the line every time they were stalemated so far, and there was no reason for this to change. Then ominously, the flow of reptiles halted. ‘Causen,’ a Marines voice began over the comms, ‘There is something large in the corridor…’

Solaris smirked, just as he predicted. ‘Marines, move back and re-establish the gun line,’ Causen replied, stepping forward and activating his lightning claws. ‘We’ll take it together.’ he voiced to Solaris. A daemon leapt from the shadows, its hellblade cutting through the first guardsmen. Horns protruded from its red skull, a mocking smile crossing its face. It brought the blade around in a slashing motion, felling three more guardsmen. The blood flowed from their bodies and the beast roared in laughter. Blood for the blood god. ‘Fire!’ Causen’s voice yelled over the radio as Solaris turned around. A huge beast stood, rising above the doorway, much taller than a Carnifex and it carried an aura of power. It wielded a tremendous sword in one hand and a whip in the other, backed up by two talons, large enough to crush a tank. Suddenly the Marine’s bolters sprang to life firing entire clips into the new threat. A shimmering energy field leapt up around it, and the bolts detonated in thin air, not even marking the beast. Then it turned to face Solaris, its eyes alive with intelligence. A hive tyrant. One of the only beasts here with its own mind. It bared its bone-white teeth, advancing with bone rattling thumps towards Solaris, who moved into a defensive position, his force weapon bared over his head. ‘Bring it.’ The beast leapt forward with amazing speed, bringing its sword down with force enough to annihilate a tank. But Solaris swung his staff across, diverting the blow while bringing his pistol to bear. It bucked, as a shell detonated on the beast’s chest, not leaving a scratch. But it did gain a reaction. The whip lashed out from nowhere relieving Solaris of the gun while it lunged with one of its talons. Solaris hit the ground, ducking under the blow before sweeping his staff up, cutting through the fleshy tissue on the creatures arm. It screeched in anger bringing its sword down hard, as Solaris rolled to the side, the blade creating a sizeable crater in the floor, before sweeping across with his blade. It halted on the creature’s shin, a shockwave spreading up its leg. Solaris was stunned; the blade should have cut straight through. The moment of hesitation was all the beast needed, one of its talons ploughing into his calve. Solaris’s muscles contracted, tearing the wound right down his leg, flesh being torn out in jagged clumps. The wound clotted instantly due to his superhuman blood the near lethal amount of platelets working their magic. This did not however assist the pain and his entire lower body felt as if it was on fire. The creature forced its way into his mind now that he was in agony. Quickly Solaris cleared his thoughts, constructing a mental block. The power of the hive mind knocked aside the barrier effortlessly before readying for the kill. It was not prepared to face what followed however. Solaris struck back with unprecedented ferocity, knocking the mind back. Quickly he reverted to reality, charging his blade with an enormous amount of power. He lashed out towards its chest, the blade embedding itself into the beast’s carapace, but the warp energy dissipated. The Hive Tyrant had incredible warp resistance. The breach in the skin was space enough to force into its mind and he took the advantage, pushing a full assault. Its mind recoiled before retaliating, but Solaris kept pushing, crushing every spec of resistance. Then there was nothing left. The mind had been cut off from the hive. Solaris returned to his own body and the unimaginable pain it felt, drawing a needle from his belt and injecting it into his calve muscle. The pain dulled slowly and he hefted himself to his feet, retrieving his pistol in the process.

‘Solaris, can’t you even stay out of trouble for a minute?’ ‘A minute? I think I managed an hour earlier… when I was knocked out.’ ‘You have to remember that the only reason you are still standing is the drugs pumping throughout your system.’ ‘I know that, but how could have you killed that without me?’ ‘I don’t even know how you killed it, but try not to inject yourself any more. We don’t want you overdosing on the drugs.’ Solaris managed a brief smirk before, collapsing, his vision blurring to blackness. A power armoured figure stood atop a huge podium, its black armour glittering with golden trim. A pitch black blade hung at its belt, alongside a fearsome array of other items. The most prominent feature however was the vertical scar running down its right cheek. A scar left by a weapon long gone.

Arizon! Solaris sat bolt upright the image of the chaos lord still residing in the back of his mind. It had been 50 years since he had last set eyes on that face and he had hoped to never see it again. Quickly his vision and hearing returned to normal, the sound of battle becoming all too obvious. Quickly Solaris lifted himself to his feet and moved out of the side room. They were now in the second level and had lost the first two rooms. He must have been out for a while. He entered a huge room and exited through the western door, moving into a small room which linked two corridors. Only 12 marines remained, guns blazing at the oncoming horde, they would not hold them back for long. ‘Causen, we cannot hold them off for much longer!’ ‘You’re awake! Sorry, I thought that that might win me this state the obvious competition. Care to offer any more blatantly obvious information?’ a more than annoyed voice called back. ‘We are going to retrieve the gene seed now!’

‘Not if we can’t halt the Tyranids.’ ‘Consider it done,’ Solaris called back, moving slowly forward, testing his wounded limit. He raised his hand, and lightning bolts erupted from his fingertips, frying the oncoming horde. That would buy them a few seconds. Another marine quickly sealed the door and they barricaded it. Solaris fused it with the surrounding wall and created a weak warp barrier. That may have bought them a minute. ‘Let’s go!’ Causen called out, turning on his heel. They set off down the corridor at run and entered the massive chamber, navigating around the craters which had been used previously for training. Soon they reached the end and entered another corridor which stretched into the distance. Suddenly something pierced into his skull, rending his thoughts apart. He gasped out in agony, collapsing to his knees and grasped his skull. The pain was unimaginable. Whatever was causing it was immensely powerful. He cleared his thoughts and the pain subsided, retreating to the back of his skull. His vision slowly cleared to the other marines standing around him, alert and ready. ‘Something powerful is here. More powerful than anything we have encountered yet…’ ‘Then let’s hope we don’t have to face it in combat. Have we got a way out yet?’ ‘I’m still thinking.’ ‘Well, we are running out of time.’ Then he looked upon the situation with a new clarity, and everything fell into place. Emperors tears, not now… ‘East wing, are you receiving? This is Librarian Solaris calling, what is your situation?’ Static washed over the radio waves. Causen looked in surprise at Solaris, a glint of fear crossing his eyes. ‘The geneseed is compromised then, and this is all in vain.’ ‘Not if I am correct in my suspicions. There may still be a chance.’ The summoning circle, Bloodletter and Arizon, the chaos lord. They all pointed to one thing. ‘So Solaris, I believe that is what you call yourself now. You really are here. I was beginning to think we were wrong.’ a deep, rasping voice crashed over the radio. Solaris stopped, standing up straighter. His worst fears were realised. ‘Walter, for what reason what may I owe your acquaintance?’ ‘Don’t use that name. That was a long time in the past. As for the reason, to claim your life and that of everything else in this station,’ his voice was unmistakeably angry. ‘So the Tyranids were just an error in the plan?’ ‘Naturally, but they will not prevent me from taking your life.’ ‘We will see Walter.’ Solaris cut the communications and turned to Causen. ‘We need to get that geneseed now!’ Causen turned and began to run in one fluid motion, the rest of the marines quickly following. Solaris followed at the rear, bolt pistol raised. They quickly descended to the third level and entered a chamber of unprecedented length. A squad of chaos marines were fanned out at the other end of the room, forming a gun-line like the Shadow Hunters had been using against the Tyranids. Quickly Solaris tapped into the warp, feeding its power into his leg muscles and launched himself forward at the speed of a jaguar. The chaos marines didn’t know what hit them, as Solaris crossed the 500m stretch of room in 5 seconds, decapitating the first with a well calculated blow. They drew chainswords from their backs – and lunged at Solaris as one. He parried three blows while lashing out

with his other hand, bolt pistol blazing, rending the heads off three other marines. Quickly he drew more into the warps power, enhancing his senses and felled three more marines in one strike. He turned menacingly to the one which remained arm outstretched. His pistol however was back at his side. The marine raised its bolter defiantly as lighting leapt from Solaris’s fingertips, hurling the marine backwards into the side wall. He lowered his hand and crouched into a defensive position as the other marines reached his side. This was what he had been trained for. Facing the elite of the elite. Suddenly flames danced from the corridor and blood ran thick along the floor, spreading out from the door. Reality was being torn apart. The daemons were here. Bloodletters poured from the doorway, their hellblades poised to strike, glowing a violent red. Bolters blazed to life felling three of the Khornate warriors which dissipated into nothingness before they reached the marines. Solaris leapt forward dangerously, his blade swiping into the closest of the daemons as they clashed into the line. They were ferocious to meet in combat, their blade skills honed through millennia of fighting and blades cutting as easily through their armour as it would flesh and bone. Solaris swung around, bringing his blade to meet that of one of the beasts. They clashed with a resounding thud before Solaris lashed out with his left arm, a blade of ice materialising from nowhere before cutting through its neck. The Bloodletter turned into flames and vanished, banished to the warp. Within seconds only Solaris, Causen and one other marine remained, parrying blow after blow from the beasts. They would die fighting against 10 Bloodletters after facing thousands of Tyranids to get there. As Solaris parried another blow he felt a projectile soar past his ear, plunging into the head of the nearest daemon. Each and every single daemon dissipated into the warp, and Solaris’s hyper-alert senses heard 12 bolter casings clatter to the floor. He turned, blade lowered to their saviours. They had appeared from nowhere, 10 black clad marines, almost ghostly visages. Skulls stared down from their armour, bones used as trim. Solaris spotted a small, worn symbol on one left shoulder pad, a hawk, comprised of flames. The Fire Hawks, better known as the Legion of the Damned. It was then he noticed the blue fireballs circling around their feet, a testimony to their past. He nodded, before turning back towards the door. The Legion would follow if they felt it appropriate. Black mist swept forward underneath his feet and reformed at the door, the Legion taking the lead. Whether this was through a warp-related power or something more sinister Solaris didn’t know. These were not normal marines, nothing form under the Emperors light. They stormed into the corridor and rounded the corner, guns blazing. Solaris followed in the wake of their destruction, not having to place a shot. Everything fell before the Legion, marine corpses littered the floor, and the daemons even fled before the ghostly apparitions. Some tried to retaliate, readying their bolters, but the gestures were futile. They were dead before the guns were even shouldered. The Legion did not miss a step. They charged down the corridor towards the command room and entered, guns blazing, every bolt taking a life. Then it became ghostly quiet. Nothing else was alive. ‘Nice,’ Solaris muttered, entering the control centre, taking in all of the bodies that littered the floor. The Legion took up defensive positions around the door. Nothing would enter while they existed. Nothing would dare to. Solaris moved over to the holo-map. The door they had barricaded was still holding. It mustn’t have faced a Carnifex yet… Quickly he scanned the eastern wing. The chaos warriors were still defending the second level in the north eastern chamber, not having lost much ground to them at all. Then he saw it. A small room which branched off the main corridor in the second level. A room purpose built for

evacuation, equipped with an escape pod. Causen stepped beside Solaris checking the map, and quickly located the same room Solaris had. His eyes lit up in hope. They could still make it. At that moment everything went wrong. A hole opened into the warp, Daemonettes pouring into the room from nowhere. Solaris grabbed Thyth, the only remaining marine by the collar and hurled him backwards across the room while drawing his blade, felling the first daemon in one motion. The Legion reanimated, bolters blazing as the pleasureobsessed daemons hit their lines, claws scything through their armour. Solaris lashed out once more with his blade before turning on his tail and charged down the main corridor towards the gene-room. ‘Solaris, take your time, the daemonettes are gone. The Legion tore them apart. Only two casualties were taken,’ Causens voice rang over the radio. A hole tore through the space-time continuum, a Bloodletter ploughing it’s hellblade through Causen’s chest. Solaris screamed out in anger. ‘Duck!’ Solaris called out, drawing his pistol and fired a shell at where Causen’s head had been. At that instant a hole tore through reality, a Bloodletter stepping from the gaping void, right into the path of the bolt, which continued, separating its head from its shoulders. Solaris span around typing a code into the door, which slid open with a hiss. He quickly rushed inside, punching another code into a machine in the centre of the room. A rather large canister was ejected from the machine, which Solaris promptly picked up and clipped to his belt. Making sure it was secure, he charged down the corridor, drawing his swordstaff. Blue flames leapt down its length, and he leapt the last 20m into the control room. His blade ran straight through the first Bloodletter, which dissipated into nothing, droplets of blood dripping to the ground. Solaris span, bringing his blade up to block the next blow. It never came, a Legion bolt tearing its chest in two and detonated, spraying warp essence across the room. Suddenly the chamber warped, defying the rules of relativity, and blood began to drip from the roof as a huge beast tore its way into reality. It was 10ft tall, with blood red skin and wielded a mighty battle axe. Its face was indescribably ugly, tusks jutting out from its mouth, resembling a bull. A bloodthirster, the greater daemon of Khorne. It roared in savage fury and charged at Solaris, centuries of blade art behind its belt. The axe came down hard, which Solaris knocked to the side, already predicting the next blow. Each bloodthirster had its own unique fighting style, but they were all derived from essentially the same art. Hit the enemy hard, fast and repetitively until it died. The blade used its momentum to launch into another attack, twirling up in a fast sweep. Solaris blocked it with his hilt and swept his own blade around, just missing the beast’s throat. It leapt back, surprised in the change of strategy, before drawing a whip from its belt. Another predictable move. It swung the blade hard, which Solaris diverted with a simple parry before lashing out with the whip. Solaris leapt to the side, drawing his pistol in his free hand. He jammed down the trigger, bolt after bolt impacting with the daemon. They were little more than an annoyance however and the daemon leapt forward in another attack. The blade came down in the same motion as before, but diverted at the last second, slicing into his upper arm. Solaris’s muscles contracted and his blade clattered to the floor as pain tore through the serenity of his mind. It was a stupid mistake, which he had made before – something he should not have forgot. The beast roared in triumph, raising its axe

for the killing blow while Solaris dug into the warp. The blade swung down quickly, just as lightning leapt from Solaris’s hands, shocking the bloodthirster. Its axe cluttered to the ground and Solaris leapt to his feet, a blade of ice materialising in his hand. As the creature regained its balance, Solaris struck out at its legs and it stumbled forward, collapsing onto its knees, still stunned from the incredible voltage which had entered its system. He drew a knife from his belt and plunged it into the creatures shoulder. Ignoring the pain in his right arm, he used the leverage to leap onto the daemons back. Then he rammed the blade through its skull, destroying its corporeal form, which dissolved into blood – spreading thickly across the floor. Banished to the warp until its power manifested again. Solaris turned to see the last of the bloodletters fall backwards, no head evidently attached to its body. Five of the Legion remained, standing, once again like statues. Causen picked himself up from his knees and Thyth lowered his chainsword. They had a long way to go. Fighting through all of the chaos forces to reach the pod was not an option. But there was an alternative, something Solaris had achieved once before. It had almost cost him his life. A pain tore into Solaris’s mind, throwing his thoughts into turmoil. They were coming again. Solaris watched as the first daemonettes rounded the corner, almost gracefully, before it dissolved into nothing, a shell piercing straight through its torso. The shells were so potent that Solaris wondered if they had been ‘borrowed’ from the Daemonhunters. Not one had passed through the daemons yet. The only thought about it for a second however, before making up is mind. ‘Causen, Thyth. Come here now, hold onto my belt and don’t open your eyes. It would be better not to see where we are going,’ Solaris ordered them his voice wavering in concentration. The marines were by his side within seconds and took a firm hold on his belt. He slipped into a trance, drawing the warps power, siphoning it into his body. He quickly scribed a rune in the air, releasing the power and tore a hole through reality, into warpspace. Then, without hesitation he stepped in, taking a small piece of reality with him. The sheer chaos of the warp tore at his mind, which struggled to make sense of the raw emotion that was now reality. Blood poured from the sky, raining down as water while streams of souls swarmed underfoot. The trees burned, spitting noxious fumes into the air. His mind screamed out in agony as the nothingness tore at his limbs, throwing his sane thoughts into turmoil. Quickly he drew into the very power which was so near to killing him and tore a tunnel back to reality, stepping straight back through. He hit the metallic floor hard and fell to his knees his mind swirling in madness. Insane thoughts tore at the edge of his mind, blurring reality. A dark figure stepped up to him. Arizon.

‘ So, the mighty Solaris is on his knees before me, flanked by his two mightiest comrades. I expected more. How did you get here?’ the silence was definite, as Solaris’s mind struggled to comprehend the language, less understand it. ‘You must have entered the warp… and then tore a hole back to reality. It was a very dangerous plan, and because of it you have lost. Solaris, or should I say…’ A clarity came to Solaris’s mind at that instant and he lashed out with the warp, knocking Arizon backwards before he leapt to his feet, the warps energy throbbing through his veins like only once before. His blade leapt through the air into his hands, shining with a blinding energy. Arizon stood to his feet and the daemons formed a semi-circle with the northern wall around them. ‘Face it Solaris. You are outnumbered one hundred to one, and even if you do survive us, you have to contend with the limitless Tyranids. You have lost.’ ‘You should know one thing about me, Walter. I never lose.’ The last line was spoken with confidence, breaking the chaos lord’s smile. ‘You will be destroyed.’ ‘Who ever said we were alone?’ ‘No-one else survived, and even if they did, they have no hope of reaching you.’ ‘That is where you are wrong my old friend.’ At that moment a black mist materialised in the air and formed pylons along the perimeter of the semi-circle. Quickly they solidified into the five remaining Legion, their guns shouldered, each covering a portion of the semi-circle. Arizon’s grimace lifted, warping into a smile. ‘You are still impossibly outnumbered. Even with the help of the legion…’ ‘I would prefer this was between you and me anyway. A chance for us to settle our old debts,’ Solaris smartly replied, crouching into a defensive position, with the blade poised to strike over his head.

Arizon took a step forward, drawing his blade from its sheath. It was as black as the night sky, but constantly shifting. Pure evil. He raised the blade in two hands before bringing it down. Solaris re-directed the blow, lashing out with his hilt. Arizon stepped backwards before launching into a flurry of slashes, each effectively parried before taking a step back. Solaris drew upon the warps power, heightening his senses before lunging out, his blade carving a path straight towards his head, but at the last time he twisted it, changing the direction of the blow. Arizon parried it sloppily, leaving a brief opening in his defence. Solaris took full advantage of it, slamming his hilt into the lord’s chest, knocking him back. Then, in the brief moment it gave him, Solaris brought the other end of the blade around, tearing a huge gash up Arizon’s blade arm. He roared out in anger, slashing wildly with his arm to no avail. Solaris leapt out of reach and drew more of the warps power, heightening his reflexes. ‘It is over Arizon, your arm is mangled,’ he called out, there is no escape. ‘So strike me down, channel your warp energy into me, and then you will die.’ Solaris accepted the invite ramming his blade hard into the lord’s undefended chest, forcing every last drip of power into its body. He had made the mistake of using too little before… Arizon collapsed to the ground, nothing more than a corpse. ‘Now that’s finished…’ Solaris remarked, turning back to Causen. But he did not finish the statement, as the ground shook with warp energy, the very foundations of the chamber shuddering. Solaris turned towards the corpse, which began to bubble, the limbs expanding, as it rose into the air. It formed a huge humanoid shape, the warp essence refining, great muscles bulging from pure emotion and huge horns expanding from its almost beast-shaped head. The black blade rose into the air too, doubling in size – sizzling of nothingness. Solaris took a step back, readying his swordstaff. Then it stopped growing, and everything solidified. It stood, hunched forward, head lowered before it looked up malice shown clearly on his face. Then it laughed, a deep resounding noise, taunting Solaris. ‘Thankyou for providing me with the energy to perform the transformation. You have made me a daemon prince,’ its voice boomed, not totally human. ‘And I will destroy you again,’ Solaris snapped back, lowering his blade over his head. ‘You do not stand a chance against me.’ ‘We’ll see…’ The daemon prince, Arizon leapt forward at an amazing speed, bringing the blade down hard. Solaris leapt to the side, slicing out with his own blade which was parried instantly. Arizon lunged forward, before launching into a series of blows, each knocking Solaris more off balance. Solaris tapped into his warp power, throwing a bolt of lighting at Arizon, who shrugged it off, only halting for a second. Then he continued forward, Solaris continually blocking blow after blow before lunging out with a surprise slash, only to watch it glance off the daemonic armour on the prince’s shin. Then suddenly he was backed against the wall, blocking each blow less and less effectively, before Arizon halted. He raised his blade above his head two handed, and it sucked the light form the air, its black nothingness growing in influence before he lunged, bringing it crashing down. Solaris raised his blade to block the blow, putting his weight behind it, and they clashed together with a metallic clink. Then it snapped, clean in two, Solaris’s prized weapon, his one remaining link to his past and erupted in a flash of bright light. He dropped it in disbelief and the daemon prince grabbed him by the shoulders, pinning him to the wall. ‘You will be destroyed!’ he yelled, drawing one hand back into a fist.

Solaris resisted, his armour heating from the warp energy he was channelling through it, and a shockwave erupted from this chest. But the daemon prince held firm and his fist powered forward, directed at Solaris’s head. A fist caught it, materialised from nowhere. A black fist, glowing with blue fire. The Legion. Arizon yelled out in anger lunging at the Legion, but his blade passed straight through its torso. It leapt forward, dematerialising, before rematerialising on his shoulder, a bolt exploding on Arizon’s head, and dissipating back into the mist before he could retaliate. The others on the perimeter began to blaze away at the crowd of daemons, felling beast after beast, their clips never emptying. Solaris picked himself of the ground, picking up a hellblade from the ground and strode purposefully towards Causen and Thyth. He span, blocking a blow from a Bloodletter before it burst into flame, a bolt through the skull. The Legion were taking their toll to the last. Arizon roared in fury, his blade cutting into the side of another one of the Legion as the others were forced back and cut down by the horde. Black armoured bodies littered the floor. The last remaining Legion leapt at the daemon prince. ‘Causen, Thyth. We are leaving now!’ he yelled out, gesturing towards the sea of daemons milling before them. ‘Through there?’ Causen replied, turning away from the sea for a second. ‘Yes, just get close to me!’ ‘This isn’t another of your crazy schemes that is going to get us killed is it?’ ‘No, this is one of my crazy schemes that may just save our life! Now come here!’ Thyth moved towards him first, too quickly. Solaris watched as a Bloodletter leapt from nowhere, its sword plunging straight through Thyth’s torso and ripping a hole through his chest. Solaris leapt forward, catching him as he fell; while lightning leapt from his other hand, incinerating the unlucky daemon. Quickly, dragging Thyth he moved towards the exit passageway. His blade was held out threateningly, while he formed a null zone, destabilising the daemons forms. Causen was beside him in seconds. ‘Leave me. I am no more use to you…’ Thyth spoke quietly, the fight not quite having left him. ‘I will get you out of here.’ ‘You will not escape dragging me!’ ‘I am not leaving you!’ Thyth responded, in kind, his dagger digging into Solaris’s left wrist. Solaris dropped him immediately taking a step back. ‘Leave me! I can hold them off for as long as possible.’ At that moment Arizon noticed them near the doorway and moved suddenly to their position, cutting down the last of the legion along the way. ‘Solaris!’ He yelled out in fury, ‘You will not escape from me again!’ ‘I will hold him off, now fly!’ ‘You will forever be remembered my brother,’ Solaris said softly. At that last word he turned, and sprinted down the corridor, Causen by his side. Thyth raised his bolter, levelling it at Arizon’s head as the beast advanced, firing shell after shell into his skull. For his part one actually scratched the lord’s cheek before the lord trod him into the ground, crushing the Marine’s adamantine chest plate into the plasteel. He died, fighting to the last. Solaris drew on the power of the warp, constructing an orb of energy around himself and Causen as they ran, ploughing through line upon line of Daemon. Arizon had made quick

work of Thyth, and was now in pursuit. The shield was weakening with every blow. He rounded a corner to the left, now charging up the far eastern corridor. Another chamber was ahead. As they burst into the chamber his shield failed. Cabinets were cast to the ground being used as improvised cover, las-weapons sprawled across the floor. The imperial armoury. He picked up a laspistol from the ground, holstering it before spearing his hellblade through the first Chaos Space Marines torso. Causen leapfrogged ahead of him, charging through a pack of the traitors, dropping a meltabomb at their feet. He didn’t stop to observe the consequences. Solaris followed, forming a layer of dense air around himself while leaping over one of the barricades to the surprise of an unsuspecting Marine. In theory it would cause bolts to detonate before it reached him, rending them useless. He would rather not test that. With a roar of anger, Arizon signified he had entered the room and Solaris picked up the pace, weaving through the strategically placed Chaos Space Marines. Then he saw the front, a wave of Tyranids leaping out from the doorway. They had to make it through the corridor, which stretched 700 metres to the other end of the complex. That hadn’t stopped him before. He caught Causen, who had hesitated, before leaping head on into the horde, summoning his powers. A great flame erupted from his palm, clearing the corridor ahead of them while they charged forward, readying his blade. He leapt through the air, feeling the sickening crunch of Tyranid bodies cracking beneath him as another roar echoed behind him. Causen followed suit, leaping onto the mass and they continued as if leaping from stone to stone across a river. With considerably worse consequences for failure. Then he slipped, falling into the masses of Gaunts. Solaris turned, seeing Arizon entering the other end of the corridor and made his choice. A shockwave kicked out from his blade, throwing the Gaunts to the ground and off Causen. Solaris rushed to his side, lifting him to his feet and while running back towards the Gaunt line. He dug a needle into Causens injection port and helped him move faster, another flame incinerating the corridor ahead of him. Another Carnifex rounded the corner, its talons were held menacingly by its side. ‘Causen, I need you to help me.’ ‘You’re not going to do what I think you are going to. Are you?’ ‘We’re going to jump it.’ ‘You crazy shl’t. Why do you always jump?’ ‘Look behind us.’ Causen stole a glance over his shoulder with twenty metres to go, to see Arizon bearing down on them. ‘Ok…’ ‘Now!’ Solaris cut him off, pumping his legs. They leapt into the air, soaring straight over the unintelligent beast, and hit the ground at a run. It didn’t turn, not bothering to concern itself with them. Something much larger – and therefore more of a threat – was still approaching. Solaris ploughed through ten metres of Gaunts before entering the next chamber. He kicked out a shockwave, pushing the Tyranids back while turning sharply to his left and entered a small side room in the corner. Causen continued into the escape pod and booted it up, entering details into the computer. ‘A minute Solaris,’ Causen called form the pod, typing rapidly into the computer. Solaris drew the bolt pistol from his belt, and loosed a shot, killing the first Tyranid as it rounded the corner. He continued to blast away as sounds of the two beasts duelling echoed in the distance. ‘Thirty seconds…’ Causen called out, still preoccupied.

A screech rang out from the next chamber before the Carnifex slammed into the wall perpendicular to the doorway, dead. Then Arizon rounded the corner, ichor dripping off his sword, a testament to his most recent kill. Solaris leapt forward, his hellblade swivelling into a complex pattern of blows. The lord struck back, savage fury glinting in his eyes and caught Solaris off balance, forcing him rapidly back into the chamber. Solaris blocked each blow with desperation, parrying with years’ worth of experience. ‘Fifteen seconds,’ Causen called out more desperately. Solaris tapped into the warp, kicking out a shockwave before tearing a hole in reality in front of Arizon. The daemon prince roared in frustration before leaping straight over, and landing on Solaris’s side, cutting off all chance of escape. ‘Ten seconds.’ Solaris lashed out, channelling force energy into his muscles and struck Arizon hard, knocking him into the rifts pull. He reached out, grabbing Solaris’s leg in one last gesture of hatred. Solaris was going down with him. ‘Five seconds.’ Solaris’s grip slipped, and he was dragged back, reeling towards the rift. Arizon stared at him with malice in his eyes, and Solaris dug his hellblade into the plasteel. ‘Solaris! We have to leave now!’ Then he turned and saw Solaris, left to his fate. ‘Leave me!’ Solaris said, throwing the geneseed to Causen, ‘I can look after myself.’ ‘But...’ ‘Go!’ Solaris ordered, a look of concentration falling over his face. Causen secured the geneseed, and hesitated for a second before hitting the launch button. The rockets kicked in immediately thrusting the pod into the sky at an astronomical speed. Solaris was dead, but the mission was completed. Too many heroes had been lost to the Tyranids; something had to be done about it. Causen felt gravity slip away and detached his belt, plugging in co-ordinates for a short range jump. Solaris watched as the door closed, channelling all of the power into his arms, before drawing the laspistol in his left hand. As the engine ignited he enhanced his sensors, slowing time and fired one shot with the Guard laser weapon. The laser impacted with Arizon’s left eye and he let go of Solaris, and was dragged into the warp, the resulting lack of pressure launched Solaris forward and with a well timed contraction, he launched himself out of range of the rift and into the pod shaft. Quickly he summoned a shield around himself and leapt up the shaft activating a magnetic grappling hook on his wrist, attaching himself to the craft. It would be a bumpy ride. A thumping noise sounded on the hull and Causen looked out the view port to see an all familiar helmet staring back at him. He quickly released the hatch, decompressing the cabin. ‘You’re alive?’ ‘What, did you think that some daemon was going to kill me?’ ‘You’re lucky to be alive!’ ‘What do you mean lucky? I make my own luck.’ They would be picked up in a week and immediately counter attack this splinter fleet of Leviathan. They would have their revenge.