The passage was thick with a suffocating mixture of blood, Ozone, burned flesh, and leaking lubricant.
The roar of Bolters, the howl of Chainswords, the shriek of clashing Power Weapons, dying screams, battle cries, and curses...
All these sounds mingled, echoing and colliding within this steel tomb, playing a symphony of destruction.
Layers of blood and fragments of entrails spattered the walls. Shattered armour and mutilated corpses littered the floor, some belonging to traitors, others to loyal warriors who had died bravely in battle.
Every breath burned with an acrid sting. Every step threatened to land on slippery debris.
But the battle continued.
For the Word Bearers, this battle meant far more than eliminating the enemies before them.
The shadow of the Rangdan Xenocides and the Second Legion's shameful betrayal were branded deep into every Word Bearers Warriors' soul.
They had fought side by side. They had trusted one another. They had shared glory...
Yet the betrayal had been so complete, so hideous. Siding with xenos, turning their weapons on their brothers, even striking at Primarch Lorgar...
It desecrated their oath to the Emperor, betrayed the principles of humanity, and trampled the honour of the Word Bearers.
This shame had to be cleansed with blood and fire.
With the blood of traitors and Rangdan Xenos, until not a trace of a single oathbreaker remained in the galaxy.
This was more than an order, more than a duty. It was an obsession branded into their genes, a conviction rooted deep in every Word Bearer's soul.
To that end, they fought alongside the Dark Angels, Space Wolves, War Hounds, and Night Lords. The iron fists of five Legions struck together, sworn to burn this stain from the annals of the Imperium.
Until the last traitor was annihilated, until the last ashes of