Gordian IV, Haldalan Foothills twenty kilometers south of the planetary capital. Painbringer Bernd stepped out of Outpost 0.
The Alphas had infiltrated the Gordian System months ago.
The Gordian League consisted of humans and dozens of xenos races. The Alphas had easily found cracks in the League and infiltrated numerous planets.
He climbed the steep lead-gray mountain peak and gazed toward the capital to the north.
Pillars of fire tore through the gray-green hue cast by the Gordian star. The Shadow of Order had launched its landing operation five days ago.
A Lernaean Terminator under Bernd's command walked to his side, the emerald Hydra emblem on his chest gleaming.
His green eyepieces stared at the black-armored warriors emerging from the black Vostonian Rhinos at the edge of the mountains.
"The explosions in the city are beginning to die down. Their vanguard has started spreading into the surrounding areas."
"It's time to move." Bernd drew his Volkite Gun and shouted to the Lernaean Terminators in his squad.
Bernd activated the Seeker Rune. The Lernaean Terminators pounced toward their first target along the mountain path through the fog.
The instant the enemy entered his field of vision, Bernd raised his Meltagun and saw the commander in black Tartaros-pattern Terminator armor turn to look at him.
Bernd pulled the trigger, and a blazing stream of fire surged forth, sweeping toward the Shadow of Order.
The black-armored warriors vanished into thin air. Neither the tactical display nor his enhanced eyes could catch any trace of them.
Bernd swept his surroundings warily. Black phantoms abruptly emerged from the stream of flames before him.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
A "Magician" clad in Mark IV Power Armor flashed into view.
He raised an arm and flung out a string of grenades.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Streams of molten flame