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Lukas fought bravely, if only desperately, as he ran as best he could down the massive hall, they all did. But it wasn’t enough. The chatter of bolter fire wasn’t far behind them and the pings as they hit and exploded off the polished marble floor and pillars was too close for comfort. Lukas spun around and fired a few more bolter shots down the hall. He hit nothing, but then again he never intended to.
The cloaks of the royal guard fluttered behind them as they ran all out after the remaining four Space Wolves, utterly uncaring of any potential return fire. Their mission was clear, destroy the invaders. Lukas spun back around to see were he was going just as a bolter grazed Baerik’s knee bringing him instantly to the ground. The remaining five stopped to return fire as Lukas attended the man.
Stretching out his hand, Lukas made to help him up but stopped when Bearik spoke, “Save yourself, Captain, I’m no good to you now. I’ll slow them down. Run!”
Lukas knew he was right, there was no sense in arguing. “May the Emperor guide your aim”. With a salute and a quick wave the three remaining marines spun around and made off.
Lukas listened intently as the bolter fire rose to crescendo. He dared not look over his shoulder. In a moment the guns were silent before starting up to attempt to bring the escaping men down. Baerik was a brave warrior, and his last moments were testament to that. Lukas thought to vow revenge, but thought better of it. Despite what he told himself, death upon this planet would be their shared fate.
It was his fault, the though haunted the back of his mind, and he found it easy to quash it but only in this the heat of battle. NO. It was not his fault, it was theirs. It was theirs for their rigid adherence to an archaic religion of a false gods. If it weren’t for that there would be no need for them to have brought the wrath of the Space Wolves to bear. If it weren’t for that… no one need have died, least of all his brethren.
The light at the end of the hall, the door to the main courtyard, was but a hundred meters away. Lukas couldn’t be sure that this was wholly a blessing as there were sure to be scores of armed guards that would make short work of them. Their only hope of rescue was beyond the range of the jammers, if they could get that far, and the guards behind them were gaining quickly. But the decision was made for them.
Lukas slid to a halt and his men did likewise as they beheld before them a momentary burst of hope. The translucent form a teleporting unit filled Lukas with overwhelming joy only for a instant as he though for sure he was being rescued. But as the shapes finished translating and stood to their full height, the five marines felt desperation’s cold hand grip their hearts.
The five men before them were not Space Wolves, but neither did they appear as the red cloaked Royal Guard. Their black armor glistened in the dusky light and they hafted massive halberds. Brining dual barreled storm bolters to bear they immediately made to charge the three Space Wolves. The Space Marines returned fire as a bolter exploded in the face of one and grazed the shoulder of another.
The black clad warriors leapt forward with amazing speed to engage the remaining Space Wolves, and the battle became a whirling blur of metal. With one swift motion Lukas brought up his chain sword at just the instant before halberd would meet torso. The marine to Lukas’ right lacked such luck as the shining blade cleft him in half in an instant. The clang of metal on metal was brief as the black armored soldiers finished off the marines. In one powerful stroke Lukas found himself disarmed, and in another instant tumbled to the ground as his left leg was sliced off.
Sliding backwards on the ground Lukas lifted his bolter and pointed it at the nearest man and slowly pulled the trigger. CLICK! The magazine empty, Lukas tossed the useless weapon aside and stared the warriors straight in the eyes as they slowly approached.
One of the warriors lowered his halberd and carefully put the tip on the chest off the eagle adorning Lukas’ armor, right in front of his heart. With a slow twisting motion the warrior ground a small divot in the golden eagle. Lukas grabbed the weapon to stop the motion and defiantly glared at the warrior.
The warrior pressed a little harder, “In the name of His Holiness the Pope… Die!” And with a powerful thrust the spear tipped halberd pierced Lukas armor, sternum, heart and spine, and he defied no more.
I was just inspired to write the short bit of a larger story as I am from time to time. Not sure if I'll continue. Let me know what you think of it so far though. Enjoy!
On a final note, I have nothing agains the Space Wolves, they just fit the bill for the attitude I needed.
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