Knight of Ashes - The Lady of Miracles: Over the following solar days, the Exiles and their retinue made their way to the lands of House Pegasson. They encountered several small bands of Orks, and slew them without hindering their progress. When they finally reached Pass Khabyn, they witnessed a scene of desolation.Behind a forest of robust evergreens, Orks swarmed the pass, firing at a thin line of barricades. Several hundred Orks charged up the slope, swarming over one of their Stompas. To cope with the difficult terrain, the Stompa had been outfitted with a pair of gigantic tracks, a feature most vehicles in the Ork horde shared, as a host of captured Imperial tanks, Warbuggyz and Trukkz were heading for the upper pass.A single House Pegasson Knight had been defending it, but was now pinned to the rocky walls of the looming mountains, its limbs and body transfixed by long spears of metal. The Mekboyz were already swarming over it and fighting over the most interesting parts of the powerful Imperial war machine.Coming up on the Orks' rear, the Exiles stopped just long enough to formulate a battle plan before launching themselves at the enemy. Their main target was the Stompa, as the launch tubes mounted upon its right shoulder clearly indicating the origin of the projectiles that had destroyed the Pegasson Knight. As the first projectiles hit its rear, the Stompa labouriously turned, the rearmost squadrons and bands of Orks following suit, only too glad to face a worthy enemy.As the killing began, the Vox came alive as a captain of the Pegasson Defence Militia, Adrastapol's PDF, tried to contact the Exiles. The officer explained that the pass was marked for collapse, and House Pegasson intended to bury the Orks and their war engines under gigatons of rubble by blowing Demolition Charges set into the mountains' flanks. The Knight of Ashes quickly altered his plan. They would immobilize the Stompa and break through the Orks' line to reach the Imperials before the pass collapsed.As the Stompa continued its ponderous turn, its Supa-gatler began to spin, readying to fire. As soon as the Orks lined up a target, it unleashed its fire, shredding several Tauroxes of Gesmund's Vesserines and a few Sacristan Walkers. The Supa-gatler's shells began to churn up the ground before hitting the Void, Sire Ranulf Vo-Geiss having foolishly charged ahead and left the protection offered by the lance's overlapping Ion Shields. Several shots punctured its hull, wounding the pilot as well as damaging his Knight.Cursing his fellow Freeblade's battlelust, the Knight of Ashes fought his way through the Ork horde, killing foes with shots from his Knight's Thermal Cannon and his heavy tread. Crimson Death stunned the Stompa with a first shot from its Positron Driver, giving its fellow Exiles time to wound the larger walker.Luk ordered Lady Kastarada to cover the stricken Void while Sword of Heroes and Duty Unending closed with their chosen foe. Crimson Death fired again, its second shot causing a chain of explosions in the Stompa's right weapon arm. As the Stompa's Mega-Choppa roared to life, Lady Ekhatarina blew its right track to pieces while the Knight of Ashes charged ahead. Nimbly side-stepping the Stompa's slow blow, Luk Kar Chimaeros blew the Ork walker's head apart, silencing the beast once and for all.With the Stompa disabled, the Exiles successfully crossed the enemy lines before the charges detonated and the entire pass was choked by tons of snow, earth and rocks. With some difficulty, Sire Ranulf was extracted from Void’s cockpit, his chest bloody and his left legs barely clinging to the rest of his body. As the Sacristans rushed him into a heated medicae-pod, the Knight of Ashes went to meet with the officer commanding the pass' defenders.Despite the officer's misgivings and lack of trust in the Knight of Ashes' true identity, the Exiles were swiftly granted passage to the heartlands of the Pegasson demesne and its mighty fortress, the Eyrie. True to her word, the militia captain had voxed ahead and made preparations so the lone lance of Knights could pass the outer defences unhindered, but she had made clear that the Exiles would not be permitted to enter the Eyrie while mounted.Leaving their steeds behind and donning their Rebreathers to compensate for the thin mountain air, the Exiles progressed on foot and were welcomed by one of Luk's old acquaintances, Lady Eleanat Dar Pegasson. Heartened by the display of affection and respect only two warriors who had fought in the same war can display, the Knight of Ashes and his small entourage where swiftly brought before the ruler of House Pegasson, Marchioness Lauret Tan Pegasson, the Lady of Miracles.Where Lady Eleanat's kind words had kindled hope, Luk's optimism quickly turned to ash in the face of the frigid welcome he received in the Marchioness' throne room. While few Knights and courtiers had been able to gather on such short notice, several of the present Knights were vocal about their distrust for the last scion of House Chimaeros.Although there were those like Lady Eleanat who defended Luk's honour and his actions, Luk's detractors nearly gained the upper hand and only his repeated mention of the authority of the High King allowed Luk to speak. His message delivered, the Marchioness bid him to convene at a later time during which she would pray for guidance.Three solar hours later, Lady Eleanat came to visit the Knight of Ashes in the luxuriously furnished room the Exiles had been quartered in. She brought good tidings, for not only would the wounded Sire Ranulf live but the Marchioness had agreed to personally accompany him on his mission. No less than 48 Imperial Knights and the entirety of the Pegassine air force would follow the Knight of Ashes into the lands of House Minotos.