Siege of Æsce - Landfall part 3

As the Astartes searched, careful to not trigger any of the servitors or other hidden surprises, Yuan moved to the pillar. Isaac and Erland close behind. Yuan Kept track of all his brothers, ready to intervene if any more servitors awoke. He rechecked the map of the building in case he had misremembered and it did show the route they needed to take. Yet still he only saw the word training room in bold letters over an empty space. It annoyed him quite a bit that they got a floor plan from the Consuls but with a few rooms and hallways missing besides a title to indicate their existence. Might just be another thing the Crows did. Or Galvarian disliked this room so much it was removed from the floor plan, Yuan couldn’t tell. Yet still, within a few moments observations were reported.

“Passage found, left side. Oddly disguised, seems like a wall of mist.” “Same on the east side, could have been better hidden.” On both sides the Astartes took defensive positions as they commented on the odd construction. Ready to toss grenades at any Crow that might dare show themselves on their tactical display.

 “Understood.” Yuan responded as he stepped into the faint light of the pillar, investigating it. It was just a glowing pillar as far as he could tell. Of greater interest were the servitors that surrounded it. Each of the nine seemed to be stitched together of different xenos fought over the course of the great crusade. Yuan recognised a few tell tail parts here and there. Cybernetics of Jorgal incorporated into arms and legs, Laer biotics, and even what looked like a Megarachnid.

“If tales from the palatine Wings are to be believed, those eight legged monstrosities could slice through ceremite as though it was but iron.” Isaac noted with disgust at such a vile twisting of the human form.

“These were definitely not meant for mere recruits to fight. Even the long-time veterans here would struggle or even fail to beat them.” Erland remarked biterly. “It is quite the menagerie.”

“You would know best, seeing how one of them almost made you as crippled as our dear Strain Master.” One of their brothers commented, causing some snickering. Yuan ignored the jab at both him and Erland, just continuing his observations.

“Which begs the question, who trained here? And more importantly, with what. Those rusted antiques on the wall definitely wouldn’t even scratch them, let alone block their strikes. Even if those Megarachnid blades look dulled, they would still cut through anything stashed here.”

“Did your visor break again, brother?” Isaac joked. “Each of them is covered with signs of solid slug and las damage. No idea why they didn’t just use a firing range.”

Isaac was right. The things were covered with partially repaired impact zones and scorch marks. On closer inspection, or at least as close as one could come without entering the ring, Yuan spotted traces of damage from weapons he did not recognize.

“I think we may have just found where Galvarian used his legion’s supplies. Some of it at least.” Yuan noted. “These are definitely lass weapon marks, yet I know no such weapon that could melt armour like that.”

“There are las drills used to dig tunnels that leave similar marks. But...” Erland trailed off.

“Those don’t melt armour like that.” Isaac finished.

“So we need to prepare for experimental las weaponry, delightful.” Yuan finished.

As the three pondered what else the Crows might be hiding that they needed to prepare for, a final report came in over the vox. “Third passage to the north. Similarly hidden.”

Assuming there were straight hallways beyond each door  Yuan could make a good guess where in the building each would lead. As far as he could tell the Northern one should be the quickest to their objective, so.

“Split in three. I will take the north with Isaac, Erland, and the five already there. Split further as needed.” Yuan ordered as he moved around the pillar. Here he stopped for a second to observe a control panel of sorts, most likely to control the servitors. Yet it only displayed text in a local tongue he did not speak, so he simply left it alone and moved to the Northern exit.

As Yuan neared it he understood why he did not immediately spot these exits. The mist blended in perfectly with the wall and dissipated nearly completely upon hitting the ground. All this effort made Yuan wonder as he stepped through the mist, just how much effort Galvarian had put into making his legion hide all this tradition and culture from any who might see them on the battlefield? It made them so much more like Astartes then they always seemed. A pity they had to be loyal to one who sees them all as no more than tools.

On the other side of the mist it was like they again stepped onto a battlefield. The sounds of battle once more become loud enough to drown out everything else. The walls too turned from being marked with ancient weapons to just bland hallways just wide enough for two Astartes to walk side by side. A light and air vent every few metres were the only things to break the monotony of grey ferrocrete. With no indication of any life on his tactical display, Yuan started a cautious sprint to an intersection further ahead.

“Like the Crows were only allowed one room containing culture.” Erland remarked as he came through the doorway and entered formation next to Yuan. “Especially given how it wasn’t on the floor plan.”

“Knowing Galvarian it was either already built with no reason to demolish it or exactly as you say.” Isaac deadpanned as he followed his brothers through the hallway.

“Nothing spotted, we follow the known route down towards our objective.” Yuan ordered as he continued his sprint while joining in on the banter. He just couldn’t help himself. “And just how well do you know our dear uncle Gal?”

“Well enough to know the phrase ‘dear uncle Gal’ refers to severe material mismanagement.”

“So you know him only from gossip and the odd report. Just like everyone else.”

“And thus enough to make the comment.”

“Still surprised father never cracked down on that.” Erland added. “Bit odd for him to accept a brother’s name as a running joke.”

“Father doesn’t get to criticize our jokes. His are beyond the concept of bad.” Yuan joked.

“Especially when it is true.” Isaac added.

“Come now how bad can Father’s jokes be?”

“Should I enlighten him or will you, Isaac?”

“You are the boss, brother. To you the honour.”

Yuan sighs as he tells the ‘joke’. “Two war bears walk into a town. Noone survived.”

A moment of silence fell where only the background noise of battle and their heavy footfalls accompanied them through empty hallways and stairways.

“Worst part is that uncle Kodiak laughed so hard the ground we stood on started rumbling. I still don’t know if Kodiak laughed with father or at him.” Yuan continued.

“Some things are better...” Isaac trailed off as the sound of more footfalls became audible from the next intersection. Yuan’s tactical display picked up the heat signatures of five Astartes, squad captain in front. They came from further out of the building as far as the floor plans were concerned. No Blight Warden should have caught up with them yet. Still Yuan used his Helmest’s auspex to check on his domain’s position, just in case. Yet it too confirmed that none of his brothers had been able to advance this far. Thus these had to be Crows.

Were they retreating? They certainly didn’t seem to react to his approach. Still at this pace they would reach the intersection before he and his brothers would. Most likely killing them given the lack of cover. Leaving only one option.

“Left side. Dive and fragg. Charge.” He ordered quickly, having decided how to deal with these Crows. The eight Astartes ran as fast as their feet could carry them, Yuan leading by a few metres. Isaac, Erland and another Warden mag-locked their chain swords to their waists and prepared grenades.

As they thundered through the hallway the Crows responded in kind, grasping all too well how much these hallways exposed them. Most likely they were too far into the hallway to go back, or too afraid of getting flanked if they did fall back and hold their ground. Regardless, Yuan and his brothers had overtaken the Crows in their race and would reach the corner less than a second earlier. The four In the back slowed down to remain in cover while the others continued their print.

As Yuan was just about to step around the corner he ducked low to launch himself at the first Crow he saw. The servos in his legs struggled to grind his momentum to a halt, groaning under the strain. The Crow had expected such a reckless manoeuvre, the plasma rifle in his hands was aimed too high to hit the Warden in front of him. The Crow tried to adjust but the one shot he got went wide as Yuan lunged at his throat with *Foeripper*. Instead of hitting Yuan the bolt of plasma went right where his right arm used to be. Searing the wound but otherwise only blowing a gaping hole in the wall behind him. If not for having lost that arm he would have lost his entire torso now.

As the chainsword tore into the Crow’s skull, the three Wardens came around the corner and threw their grenades into the remainder of the Crow squad. The Wardens immediately made a retreat so as to not get hit by the blast. Using the now dead Crow as cover for both the blast and any returning fire. The four used what momentum they had left to dive into the next halfway for cover. It was a perfectly executed maneuver that would have left yuan dead if not for an insurmountable amount of luck. Yet these Crows would not just lay down and accept their death. As is to be expected of Astartes. What was not expected however was that all of them would be armed with plasma guns. Out of spite or out of simple logic that they would die anyway the two able to shoot overcharged their plasma guns fired off a burst of plasma bolts at the retreating Wardens.

One bolt struck the Crow captain in the arm, vaporising it. One flew just wide, turning the jade of Isaac’s backpack a scorched back. Two struck true. Turning a Warden’s torso to ash. What remained of his legs tumbling forward under his momentum. The final shot relieved Erland of his legs, his upper torso flying into cover until it landed and came to a screeching halt. In a way he had been blessed with Yuan’s luck. At least legs were replaceable.

It was all a successful act of spite from the Crows. Each of whom would not survive the detonation of three grenades.

Yuan quickly checked on Erland, hoping he at least still lived.At first sight it was a very clean wound. The plasma sealed everything nicely leading to no blood loss. Given that he still had most of his essential organs he should still live. Whether he was still conscious was a different question. “You still breathing brother?”

“I think I now know how you feel after every mission, Yaun.” Erland said jokingly while groaning from the pain.

“I am not sure he still lives. Maybe you should kick him?” Isaac deadpanned.

“Your sense of humour still surprises me after all these years.” Yuan replied to both.

“I do try.” Erland and Isaac responded in unison.

“Then, as a reward, you may carry him Isaac.” his brother obeyed without retort. Picking up Elrand and letting him put his arms around his neck. What he thought of having to carry one of his brothers was anyone's guess. “Change of plans, brothers. Consuls can wait a bit longer. We’ll make for the elevator in the armoury. With some luck it isn’t sabotaged.”

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