Leman Russ led his army forward, soon arriving beneath the crumbling city walls. He could see no soldiers stationed atop them, and the city gates were blocked by rubble mixed with corpses.
To allow the Warhound Titans to enter as well, Leman Russ ordered his forces to blast down an entire section of the wall. When he stepped into the city and saw the horrific scene before him, his hands clenched into fists.
Every building in sight had collapsed or burned down. The streets were covered with dying people who were barely distinguishable from corpses. The stench of decay and despair drifted through the entire city, even forming an ominous mist. With his superhuman senses, he could even detect cages filled with humans set up in the heart of the city.
How many tortured humans were there? One million? Two million?
"This was all done by sorcerers! They have desecrated the human form and its purity. They are provoking us!" a Space Wolf growled, and his opinion was immediately echoed by the other battle-brothers.
Leman Russ darkened his expression and suppressed his fury, forcing himself to consider the matter with a clear mind.
"This city looks like the site of some damned sorcerous ritual. It may even be aimed at our forces. How are the Rune Priests doing? Can they cleanse this corruption?"
"My lord, the Rune Priests are still exceedingly weak. They cannot draw any power from Fenris! The enemy must be using sorcery to sever our connection to Fenris."
It was not that the connection had been severed. We were simply in a world without the Warp.
Leman Russ thought to himself. He had only asked about the Rune Priests in passing and had not expected them to be of any use.
"Prepare the flamers. Burn everything you