The Lord Commander's Two Words Provoked the Word Bearers into Abandoning Their Advantage

Vespasian, Lord Commander of the Emperor's Children, stared ahead as green mist spread through Foundry No. 4 of Cavor Sarta.

Not long ago, he had still been a Hunter. Now, he watched the ground at the edge of the mist.

Twisted vines sprawled and intertwined, churning through the black muddy earth like giant pythons.

Callion Zaven, captain of the Honor Guard, came to his side. "My lord, the 14th Company has assembled."

"The Poison Vine Warband of the Word Bearers has constructed defenses using sorcery." Through Detailed Observation, he had obtained part of the information, but it was not enough to launch an attack.

He waved forward. "Recon squad!"

A squad of Emperor's Children stepped out from the ranks, forming an equilateral triangular formation as they advanced to scout ahead.

The captain's right foot stepped onto the black mud, and the sole of his boot immediately sank. As he took another step forward, he felt something tugging at his ankle.

He drew a combat knife from his waist with his left hand, bent down, and slashed.

As the alloy blade spun, the vines burst apart, releasing a faint green mist.

The squad continued forward, vines coiling around the Emperor's Children's ornate armor one after another.

The Emperor's Children kept swinging their combat knives, and severed vines drifted in the wind.

The dense mist churned and swirled, staining their eyepieces a ghostly green.

One Emperor's Child raised his right arm and rubbed his gauntlet against his eyepiece.

Boom! Boom!

A dense barrage came screaming in. The Emperor's Children moved while raising their guns to return fire.

The veteran Hunter Vespasian stared ahead. The Emperor's Children's speed had been swallowed by the mire.

Though the poisonous gas could not poison superhuman Astartes, the mist had stolen their sharp sight.

Using the poisonous