A bitter battle

As always, William was the first out of the assault pod. His Bolter unleashed a torrent of fire, sweeping away the surrounding Khorne Cultists.

Khorne was one of the four great dark gods of the Warp and held the largest domain there. Khorne fed on war and chaos; the reflections of realspace warfare, slaughter, fear, and turmoil in the Warp were the source of that power. Every worshipper was brutal and bloodthirsty.

Khorne's ultimate ambition was to turn the entire galaxy into a realm of endless war and strife. That power would blanket the galaxy, greatly weakening the other three Chaos gods, especially Slaanesh, who embodied pleasure and the hunger for power. Khorne would become the Warp's only god.

Those pitiful worshippers had been tormented by the whispers of the Warp until they lost all reason.

They smeared blood over their entire bodies.

They saw battle and slaughter as the purpose of their existence.

They accepted Khorne's blessings from the Warp and became less than human. Twin horns sprouted from their heads, their skin turned red and grew harder, and the most devout even grew black tails. In a sense, the mutations of the Warp made them look increasingly like their god.

Their faith was to fight to the death.

Unfortunately for them, they were mortals.

The Space Marines of Squad Three swiftly slaughtered the surrounding Khorne Cultists. To the Astartes, their fighting strength amounted to little more than that of oversized ants.

"Push forward. Zerelo, guide us." The Fifth Company warrior who had joined Squad Three carried a portable Auspex on his back. Even machinery aboard a Warp-corrupted ship could not be trusted. The Warp could make machines sprout flesh and conceal daemons in food. Space Marines had to remain vigilant at all times.

"Go straight to the end. There are stairs behind the door. Charge up."

Khorne Cultists emerged from unknown corners all around them, but they could not halt the Astartes' advance. They carried all manner of weapons, some even wielding Plasma Cannons and Melta Cannons capable of threatening Astartes, but their movements were too slow in the Space Marines' eyes-especially those of the sons of Jaghatai Khan, renowned for their keen senses. These blood-smeared cultists went to meet their master amid blood and flame.

The ten-man squad swiftly crushed the guards in front of the stairs and kicked open the stairwell door.

Savage gunfire instantly engulfed William at the front. Deputy squad leader Kshevich grabbed him and hauled him back.

William's armour was now riddled with impact craters. Another second in there might have shattered his Power Armour and left him full of holes.

"A stripped-down Vulcan Quad Heavy Bolter. Smoke grenades!"

Smoke swiftly billowed through the stairwell. Evan immediately switched his tactical lenses to AxA Ray Mode.

The gunfire in the stairwell stopped. Seizing the opening, Evan slipped sideways through the doorway and annihilated the autocannon with an overcharged Plasma Pistol shot. He led the charge, with Kshevich and Shi Zhengxiang following behind.

Beyond the stairwell lay a hall, now packed with defensive emplacements of every kind. Evan and Kshevich split left and right, swiftly hacking the Khorne Cultists on either side into mincemeat. The enemy's guns promptly opened fire.

The rest of the squad could not raise their heads. Evan immediately used a Melta Bomb to blast through the pillar serving as cover in front of him. The alloy support pillar collapsed across the stairwell entrance, and the following Space Marines swiftly used it as cover to return fire.

"Eight shots, eight headshots. Nine shots, nine headshots. Looking good." Gajie handled his Bolter with ease. Even with a different weapon, he was still the best marksman.

Evan did not fire. His Bolter was specifically equipped to deal with Chaos Space Marines. Instead, he used his Power Sword to cover the squad's flank, cutting down every Khorne Cultist who tried to circle behind them or charge headlong into their position.

Shi Zhengxiang cleared the enemy machine-gun emplacement ahead with a single overcharged plasma shot. Before enemies from other positions could fill the gap, he charged forward with his Power Axe. The Astartes swiftly provided covering fire, while a Fifth Company warrior charged alongside him.

Two Space Marines had broken into a position held by mortals. There could only be one outcome.

The mortals' crawling pace looked like slow motion to the Astartes. A few axe strokes put them out of their misery.

Just as the ten-man squad finished clearing the enemy and prepared to advance toward the power room ahead, a massive explosion erupted in front of them. A blue-green blast of ionized wind swept over the Astartes, briefly disrupting even their helmet communications.

"Bzzzt... bzzzt... repeat, Squad Seven has completed the destruction of the power systems. Everyone, attack the bridge." Fourth Company Captain Zhanke's voice reached every helmet amid fierce fighting and interference.

The squad swiftly took another route, but a series of iron doors had descended across the passage ahead. Shi Zhengxiang tried his Plasma Pistol, only to leave a glowing red mark in the middle of the door. The whispers of Chaos echoed through the ship. Even this Warp-corrupted steel could sprout flesh, though fortunately, the vessel did not seem to have spent very long in the Warp. It appeared to have been seized from the Imperium.

"High-density alloy doors. Use Melta Bombs."

The Astartes in the middle of the squad swiftly moved up to plant the bombs. Evan stood behind them, ready to fire at any moment. No one knew what waited beyond the iron door. Perhaps Chaos Astartes.

The blast swiftly tore a large hole in the door. Glowing streams of molten metal dripped continuously from its edges.

There was nothing ahead except another iron door.

An Astartes from Squad Three swiftly charged through the hole.

Suddenly, heavy Chaos gunfire erupted from both sides. The unfortunate warrior's legs were shot off in an instant, then his head was blown apart despite the protection of his pauldrons.

"Bolters! Chaos Astartes!"

Two grenades were thrown through the doorway.

The Astartes at the front swiftly withdrew, while Evan, farther back, had already turned sideways.

Evan glanced at his right pauldron. Beneath it was the Baina Robe the people of Atris had given him. Despite the Servitor's strenuous objections, Evan had hidden it there. The people will stand with me. He turned sideways, presenting his right pauldron to the front.

Anyone familiar with Space Marines knew that their most common firing stance was a side-on half-kneel with both hands on the weapon. This allowed their sturdy pauldrons to shield their heads effectively, while a two-handed grip kept their guns steadier.

At the instant the grenades exploded, Evan pressed his Plasma Pistol's overcharge firing stud and pulled his Bolter's trigger simultaneously.

Two Chaos warriors charged out with the explosion, but before they could aim at Evan, an overcharged plasma shot struck the left Astartes' pauldron and hurled him away, his fate unknown. The Astartes on the right had his helmet pierced by Vengeance Bolts and Kraken Penetrators.

On the battlefield, everything changed in an instant. Attack became defence, and advantage became disadvantage in a heartbeat.

Evan did not stop firing. He put ten bolts into the Chaos warrior whose fate remained uncertain, only stopping once his upper body had been blown apart.

The enemy blocked the hole with a sheet of metal torn from somewhere.

Then armour-piercing bolts whistled through the metal from behind it.

The Astartes who had withdrawn swiftly returned fire. Evan fired as he retreated. Neither side could see the other, so they might as well all shoot blind.

After his unfortunate pauldron deflected three bolts and took two more head-on, Evan made it back into cover.

The gunfire opposite them stopped as well. Three different types of smoke grenades were thrown out. Even Astartes tactical lenses needed time to adjust their optics.

The experienced William reacted immediately. "Start firing in two seconds. Shi Zhengxiang, Kshevich, activate your melee weapons. Get ready."

Before those two seconds had passed, a battle cry rang through the corridor, and Evan opened fire.

"Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!"

A corpse flew out, absorbing most of Evan's and Gajie's shots. It was the Chaos Space Marine who had been shot through the head earlier. Several World Eaters Astartes followed behind it.

The World Eaters had originally been the twelfth of the twenty founding Legions, with Angron as their Primarch. That deranged gladiator had implanted the Butcher's Nails in the heads of every warrior in his Legion. These devices affected their brains, vastly increasing their combat prowess while making them bloodthirsty and brutal. Slaughtering cities and entire worlds was a pleasure to them. After turning to Khorne, they became even more savage, fighting their own comrades to the death when they had nothing else to do.

Several World Eaters in ancient Mark III Power Armour charged out with Chainswords in hand.

Shi Zhengxiang and a Fourth Company veteran swiftly attacked from either side, but Shi Zhengxiang's Power Axe was actually caught by the enemy's Chainsword. Another World Eater charged in from the flank, engaged the Fourth Company veteran, and sent him flying with a single blow.

Evan seized the opening and blasted the following Chaos warriors back into the passage with an overcharged plasma shot.

"For the Brass Throne!" A faint red glow flickered along the Chainsword of the World Eater with two horns on his head. Several blue helmets hung from his back. One stroke severed the Fourth Company veteran's Power Sword, and the second cut straight into his chest. Before the enemy could deliver a third, Deputy Squad Leader Kshevich swiftly intercepted him, wielding his silver Power Sword like a storm petrel amid a tempest.

Squad Leader William also drew his Chainsword and swiftly went to support Shi Zhengxiang.

Khorne Cultists appeared behind them as well. Gajie and a Fourth Company veteran went to hold the two rear passages.

"Reloading!" Evan shouted over the communications channel. Two Fifth Company Astartes swiftly took his place.

A powerful barrage suddenly erupted from the passage. Furious at having been stopped earlier, the World Eaters raised their Bolters and blazed away. One Fifth Company warrior was caught by a shot to the head. Zerelo immediately returned fire in that direction, and a body fell amid the smoke. It was the warrior Evan had blasted away earlier. Although Zerelo's bolts had missed his head, his almost unarmoured chest could not withstand their violent explosions.

An iron plate riddled with bullet holes flew out of the passage, hurtling straight toward Zerelo. As the Fifth Company warrior ducked to avoid it, a World Eater rushed out and knocked him flying.

"Zerelo, help Kshevich. I'll handle this one."

Evan drew his "twin-linked" guns and unleashed a wild barrage. His opponent swiftly dodged, rolling toward the fight between William and another World Eater. Evan dared not fire again for fear of hitting an ally.

The silver Power Sword bared its fangs in Evan's hand.

The World Eater in piecemeal Mark III Power Armour regarded Evan with contempt. "Hah. A Primaris Astartes. A wet-behind-the-ears brat."

The World Eaters had betrayed the Imperium and embraced Chaos during the Horus Heresy ten thousand years ago. Despite ten millennia of warfare, many veterans from that time still survived. They also continually cultivated new recruits from their gene-seed in the Warp, but these recruits started out weak and struggled to survive in Khorne's Legions.

Judging by the way he spoke, this warrior was clearly one of those ten-thousand-year veterans.

To these Legion veterans who had fought for ten millennia, Primaris Space Marines who had existed for less than a century were indeed like newborn infants.

"I'll be the end of your ten thousand years of war, scum."

"Young man, don't get too cocky." Red light shone from the World Eater's Chainsword. Khorne's blessing made their attacks immensely powerful. Like the Orks, the World Eaters could control highly aggressive psychic energy and channel it into their weapons.

"What good is youth without a little arrogance? You shameless old traitor, without loyalty or honour-take my blade!"

Evan swung his Power Sword in a full arc, smashing it against the enemy's Chainsword.

A Primaris Astartes' strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Space Marine, and for a moment, he proved a match for the Khorne-empowered World Eater. Evan raised a leg and kicked. His opponent tried to block with his free hand, but Evan was taller, which meant... longer legs (cue the smug face). The kick sent his opponent stumbling back.

Evan pressed his advantage, swiftly advancing to attack. One step forward brought Azure Dragon Emerges from the Water. The World Eater refused to engage and hastily retreated. Evan followed with Swallow Skims the Water, forcing him back again.

Seeing this, Evan immediately taunted him. "Still backing away? You're a disgrace to the World Eaters—a Khorne Cultist too scared to fight."

The World Eater's temper flared, and he lashed out with a horizontal slash. Evan dipped and turned, roaring, "Spread Wings and Bow the Head!" His blade pointed straight at the World Eater's heart.

Shouting a move's name before attacking really did feel amazing. (Don't believe it? Could you resist shouting when you threw down four twos or a pair of jokers in Fight the Landlord?)

That move frightened the World Eater into an ungainly roll to escape.

What kind of fighting style was this? It was downright uncanny.

Evan would have said that if he had not slept so soundly on course-registration day at university, the basketball elective would not have filled up, leaving him with the miserable college experience of being reassigned to Tai Chi Sword for physical education.

I practised my Tai Chi Sword seriously, you know. I even got an A.

While Evan used this World Eater to brush up on his Chen-Style Tai Chi Sword, 49 Forms, Kshevich and Zerelo were locked in a bitter struggle. Kshevich's swordsmanship was exquisite, and Zerelo was a veteran of countless battles, but their opponent's blows were so heavy and powerful that neither could get close.

Kshevich suspected that their opponent might be a captain or a great company champion.

The great companies of these ancient Legions were not the hundred-Astartes companies common in the present-day Imperium. They followed the old Legion structure, with roughly a thousand warriors in each great company.

Even two Astartes with a century of combat experience could gain no advantage over these veterans of the traitor Legions from ten thousand years ago.

Zerelo had tried several times to take the enemy's head, only to have his blows blocked by those enormous horns. Finally, Kshevich seized an opening and severed one horn with a leaping slash.

Left with only one horn, the enemy flew into a rage and charged recklessly at the deputy squad leader, looking ready to ram him like a bull and impale Kshevich on his remaining horn.

Bang! A bolt blew apart the embattled World Eater's left knee. An advantage? Wearing Mark VIII Power Armour was an advantage. The ancient Mark III Power Armour placed little emphasis on knee protection and had no separate knee plates.

Zerelo swiftly slashed, but despite having his leg blasted off, the worshipper of Khorne still burned with endless fighting spirit. His Chainsword was shrouded in crimson psychic power from Khorne. A backhand stroke shattered Zerelo's Power Sword along with his little finger. Kshevich immediately seized the opening and struck the elbow of the enemy's sword arm, severing it completely.

The badly wounded World Eater still tried to drive his iron fist into Kshevich's head. Bang! Another bolt struck. In the end, that iron fist proved no stronger than a bolt round, and flesh and shattered bone exploded across the floor.

Kshevich finished the World Eater, who had fought to the very end, with a single thrust.

As for the sneaky bastard taking potshots from the sidelines, you were the only one in the squad confident enough to fire into a point-blank melee, weren't you, Gajie?

Gajie had already turned his muzzle toward William and Shi Zhengxiang's opponent.

Evan's swordplay looked flashy, but the World Eater could do nothing against it. Every attack carrying terrifying destructive force was somehow redirected, while Evan's strikes invariably targeted either his heart or his head. He dared not fail to dodge.

Then Evan used Nezha Probes the Sea to attack his lower body. Seeing his chance, the World Eater decided to sacrifice everything below the waist and trade injury for a kill. He raised his Chainsword and swung at Evan.

With a crack, the helmet was cleaved open without the slightest doubt. Blood and unidentified grey-white matter splattered across the floor.

Kshevich twirled his Power Sword and returned it to his waist.

Evan raised a thumb, giving Kshevich's exquisite cleaving technique his approval.

William helped Shi Zhengxiang back, then administered emergency treatment to Zerelo's finger. Shi Zhengxiang was not in good shape either; his leg seemed to have been injured.

Three dead and two lightly wounded on their side, six enemies killed.

The last Astartes, who had gone to clear enemies from the rear passage, returned.

"Shi Zhengxiang, Zerelo, Charles, you three hold here. Stop any Khorne Cultists coming after us."

Zerelo handed his portable Auspex to Kshevich. They would establish a makeshift position here, buying time for the others to seize the heavy cruiser's command room.

Evan retrieved his guns and continued onward with William, Gajie, and Kshevich.

If nothing unexpected happened, the enemy's command room would be at the top of the enormous staircase beyond the passage ahead.