Within the passage, the shriek of energy weapons, the roar of bolt rounds, and the clash and tearing of metal wove together into a symphony of destruction.
The warriors of the Word Bearers held behind makeshift fortifications, laying down a dense web of fire to stem the assault surging toward them like a black tide.
Hercules stood slightly ahead of the battle line, his towering, superhuman frame casting an enormous shadow in the flickering firelight.
Facing real combat on this scale for the first time, the stirring in his heart that Brother Skranchi's guidance had helped him suppress had now transformed entirely into boiling battle lust and an almost ecstatic excitement.
He longed to prove himself, to validate the worth of his strength through his enemies' destruction.
He glanced down at the longsword clenched in his hand, the humming Power Weapon Company Captain Menoetius had given him.
The ghostly blue arcs of its Disruption Field danced along the blade, thirsting for xenos blood.
"For the Emperor! For the Word Bearers!"
Hercules unleashed the battle cry he had held back for so long, then kicked off hard. His enormous body erupted into a burst of speed astonishing for his size as he abandoned the relative safety of the battle line and hurtled like a giant arrow loosed from a bow toward the nearest pack of "Hound" Constructs!
His sword rose, then fell!
Hum!
Shhk!
With the distinctive hum of its Disruption Field, the Power Sword sliced effortlessly into the body of a Construct lunging at a battle-brother on the flank.
Where the blade passed, the Disruption Field instantly broke down the black metal. The entire body split in two, its remains twitching on the floor before collapsing into useless fragments.
Hercules's charge immediately drew the enemy's attention.
They seemed to possess