Adeptus Astartes Legio Magi Cani Inferni -Hell Hounds-

The Hell Hounds is a name steeped in a long and heroic history. They have fought wars across the entire Imperium for ten thousand years, facing nearly everything the Galaxy has to throw at the bastions of man. This Chapter is known for its honourable and stalwart defence of the Imperium, refusing much like their Progenitor Chapter, the Dark Angels, to ever give Imperial Ground to the enemies of man and for appearing at many vital and crucial campaigns such as the siege of Vandire's Palace and every Black Crusade to date.

History
The Chapter known in modern times as the Hell Hounds trace their origins back to the 7th Chapter of the 1st Legio Astartes, who, under the command of one Verenheim Asterif, led the 77th expeditionary fleet of the Great Crusade during the 31st millennia. It was during this era when the curious twin worlds of Kardon and Nodrak were discovered. These planets were still living as though it were the Golden Age of Technology, possessing wonders of math and science rarely seen even inside the Emperor’s Imperium. However there was a single, noted exception: the AI controlled robot defenders had malfunctioned. No longer did they perform their guardian role, but instead usurped their human creators and took up the mantle as cold, unfeeling overlords.

The Mechanicum were eager to acquire the untold wealth of knowledge hidden upon these worlds,and thus the 1st Legion began their invasion in earnest. The war against the Overlords lasted a Terran year at the end of which the Legion Recon Squads inside the 7th Chapter played such a crucial role that Verenheim dubbed them The Hell Hounds, after Kardon’s dominant predator and his own Knightly Order of old Caliban. After the worlds were brought to compliance the Mechanicum discovered many STCs and other technological marvels. However, disagreement between Verenheim and the Mechanicum brought the two factions to blows. Why is not known, lost to sands of time, but they had done significant enough damage to their view of each other that the 7th Chapter and the Adepts of Mars have stayed non-allies since. A short time later, the Heresy began. The 7th Chapter relinked with the Lion and followed  him into war against the Night Lords. Following the events of the heresy, the Dark Angels returned to their world of origin, only to be met with yet more treachery. Having witnessed the destruction of his home Verenheim was furious, at the traitors, at the Primarch, and himself. He vowed to destroy each of these traitors, to make each of them pay for their sins. Thusly he was chosen to found one of the twelve Unforgiven, he named them the Hell Hounds and took them too his last conquests, Kardon and Nodrak, where they began to construct their fortress monasteries. Post Heresy the Hell Hounds Chapter have participated in many campaigns and wars, while they are not codex complaint in structure, they still revere its teachings of spirit and tactics. In fact they are so non-codex in forces that they have been brought under question by many including the Inquistion, for their employment of what could be called Auxilia. However their companies are scattered and always at war making questioning difficult as well as proving their loyalty unending, thus deterring questioners. Because of their constant warring the Hell Hounds are always short on men, added onto by their willingness to always take point in a battle and their stubborn refusal to ever give ground to their enemies.

Kardon and Nodrak
The twin home worlds of the Hell Hounds share a Sister orbit with each other, the larger of the two, Kardon is a very varied world. From deserts to jungles, to forests, most importantly among it’s biomes is it’s great and mighty plains. Here can be found the largest of the marvelous cities that dot the world. The city, known as Garenharver is a mighty bastion of a Cobalt hue, crafted long ago with the wonders of the Golden Age of Humanity. At its center lies the primaryFortress Monastery of the Hell Hounds,The Cobalt Citadel, converted from what was the city’s control center, where the Overlords once control the lives and actions of the human populace. Living upon the these plains are primarily the large hounds from which the Hell Hounds take both name and Icon, as well as their prey, the enormous tusked beasts with thick, leathery red skin known as Otexons. The average Otexon is over 30 meters long and 7 meters tall, with a low head and mighty tusks made for digging up the roots they feast upon as well as defense. Whilst normally extremely peaceful in habit, the mere scent of a Hound will send them into mad fits, whereby they will then form a protective phalanx for the young and weak. To counter their sheer size the Hounds have learned to hunt by concentrating attacks on one beast until it is wounded sufficiently, then retreating, returning hours or even days later when the beast has been weakened by its wounds and the resulting infections to allow it to be taken down. This is extremely similar to tactics employed by the Dark Angel Legion Seeker Squads of the 7th Chapter during their war against the machines of the Overlords, thus earning them the title.

The second world, Nodrack is much smaller, and is mostly covered in ocean, Rocky canyons and it’s lush purple jungles, The primary animals of this world is the Starack, a great herbivorous bird that can change its plumage colour at whim to please it’s mates. It is here, where the secondary fortress monastery lies, in the great canyon of songs, it is here where an aspirant will take their final tests in the harsh jungles. Deep in Nodrack’s jungles can be found ancient ruins that predate even the settlements of Kardon, these ruins, likely alien in origin, are scattered about the jungle and seem to have been basis of the machine armies of the Overlords. Ancient automa in a similar fashion as the Overlord’s constructions, wander the jungles around these ruins, warding away the beasts and anything else that dares to trespass with their odd projectile weapons that fire needles of  perfectly shaped crystal that, although deadly to lightly armoured men and beasts, is ineffective against anything better than mesh armour.

Recruitment
Every year on Kardon, Apothecaries are sent out to the schools of all the cities on Kardon to conduct genetic testing of all the children age 12 and older, those found compatible will be taken to the Cobalt Citadel where they will continue their education as well as start the necessary training and augmentation to become an Astartes warrior. The trials employed by the Hell Hounds are as dictated in the Codex Astartes, they learn to survive in all habitats afforded to them by Kardon and Nodrak, how to use all weapons in their arsenal, the maintenance of their weapons and Powered Armour. Then comes the finale trail, which entails the Aspirants of around 15-17 being taken as a squad into the deep jungles of Nodrak, where they must act together to bypass or overcome the ancient Guardians and make their way to the alien ruins. Here they must prove their mettle by delving deep into the ancient passageways, avoiding traps such as needle turrets, false floors and many other oddities. At the end, should they make it, they will be rewarded each with a helmet and a blade of cobalt, if deemed worthy of it some may be awarded a helmet bearing the cobalt laurels of a  corporal.

Once they have complete their training and received the Black Carapace implant,they will spend 1 Terran year in either the 11th or 12th companies, fighting alongside the Auxiliary forces, once their carapace is grown they are sent to a Battle Company, by this time they will have been assigned as a Apothecary in training, a communications operator, a special weapons or Heavy Weapons operator, or a leader, they will begin in tactical squads, those who show exceptional skill with heavy weapons will be sent to the devastator squads, those skilled in special weapons may also be sent or if they are brash and hot headed enough, the assault squads, a unit reserved only the most proficient short range killers in the company. A marine who has shown an aptitude for stealth and silent warfare will be sent to the 10th the Ravenwing, where they will form the Chapter’s reconnaissance element. Marines who show no immediate aptitude towards a speciality will be sent to as a gunner to one of the many vehicles of the Chapter, where they will serve alongside the Chapter’s dedicated pilots and operators.

Chapter Beliefs
The Hell Hounds hold very dear the ideals of the old Imperium, from the time when the Emperor walked amongst them, retaining what they can of the Emperor's noble ideals despite some of the ruth having lost to the sands of time. But nevertheless they continue to preserve knowledge and use what they know, this giving them a distaste for organizations and individuals who would sully or impede the function, security, or power of the Imperium. Because of their strong attitude towards the old ways, they take all parts of the Astartes oath very seriously and are often found quoting it during their common disagreements with other Chapters and other Imperial Forces, most importantly, they uphold the part of the oath where upon it states that it is the duty of the Astartes to defend humanity, above all else, no matter the cost. Following in their mandate to protect the Imperium, the Astartes of the Hell Hounds have become somewhat obsessed with the idea of protecting the average person of the Imperium, this fits in with their inborn stubbornness of never retreating, like all Sons of the Lion. This has caused incidents whereby whole detachments of the Hell Hounds have stood in defense of Imperial Cities either until they were relieved, or they were cut down to the last brother.

Another aspect of the Hell Hounds reverence for the past and the old Imperium, is their obesssion with maintaining all knowledge they can, as soon after the Horus Heresy, they witnessed many things become lost or ideals corrupted due to the long passage of time and failure of communication across the Imperium.

The Hunt and the Inner Circle
The Hell Hounds, like all Unforgiven, are sworn to hunt down and bring to justice those of the Legion who fell from the Emperor’s Light ten Millennia ago. However, their execution of this differs from their parent Legion, for the Hell Hounds’ great sense of pride and honour forbid them from abandoning the field and their allies in the manner that their brothers are infamous for. This overwhelming sense of honour has caused the Hell Hounds to be effectively excluded from Legion dealings, for they would never agree to the treacherous ways in which their brothers keep the dark secret. Unlike the rest of the Legion, the Hell Hounds do not maintain an inner circle, as the chapter disdains lies and secrets, for they have damaged the Imperium and the Astartes as a whole from their point of view.

Relations
Priesthood of Terra:The Hell Hounds do not bother themselves much with the deals of the Priesthood, although they are wary of their actions, the Hell Hounds were one of many chapters involved in stopping Vandire's reign of terror and they will not soon forget the age of Apostasy.

Adeptus Sororitas: Despite misgivings the Hell Hounds may have towards the Priesthood as a whole, they maintain good relations with the Sororitas as fellow Imperial Forces who seek to preserve the ways of the Imperium, even allowing them to recruit the faithful of Kardon who wish to join them and maintaining an office for an Order of the Dialogus who assist the Hell Hounds in the preservation and maintaining of their grand Library.

Adeptus Mechanicus, Tech Priests of Mars: They maintain extremely negative relations with the Adeptus of Mars which date back to the Crusade, even to the point where they avoid each other and the Hell Hounds are forced to seek alternative methods for their equipment needs. However the Hell Hounds are not beyond taking equipment from Mechanicus supply points.

Dark Angels: The Hell Hounds keep close ties to their parent Legion, but not as close as the Hell Hounds believe, for the extreme value they place on honour and duty has caused the other Unforgiven to keep them in the dark on many of their dealings, lest the Hell Hounds become enraged and begin hostilities. For even when we consider that they could easily win such a conflict, the 1st Legion would not wish to risk another schism in their ranks.

Inquisition: While the validity of the Inquisitions existence is still in question by many Hell Hounds, they are forced into dealing with them regardless. The chapter maintains its distance from them largely, making only a few deals with a select number of Inquisitors who are deemed to be loyal and stalwart, often ones who utilize greatly the vast sums of knowledge present in the Cobalt Citadels Library. One such of these dealings involved a serf of the Hell Hounds becoming an Inquisitorial Acolyte, and eventually a full Inquisitor, who is expected like the other Inquisitors in the Hell Hound's confidence to provide them with information regarding any notable knowledge that can be preserved as well as exposing the dealings of any elements within the Holy Ordos who would seek to bring harm to the Imperium of Man.

Imperial Navy: The 7th Chapter maintained good ties to the loyal men and women of the Imperial navy and the Hell Hounds have retained this tradition. Ever since their formation into a Chapter of their own, the Hell Hounds have kept what is essentially an Auxilary Force of Imperial Navy ships, mostly ones they had with them as the 77th Expedition but some new ones the Navy provides to the Battlefleet. These ships are not counted among the Hell Hound's official forces, as they are indeed Imperial Navy vessels merely attached to the Hell Hounds' fighting forces.

Combat Doctrine
The Hell Hounds first soften up their target with precises artillery and orbital strikes, then begin an all out assault, with a heavily mechanized spear head force leading the way, mainly consisting of the fast moving Assault Squads in their Storm Ravens and Tacticals in their Razorbacks as well as Predators and Vindicators, supported still by artillery as well as overwhelming fire from devastator squads and large numbers of support vehicles. Once within a short distance the spearhead force begin moving like a turtle formation, but with overlapping fields of fire and rapid response from the Assault Squads. The Hell Hounds much prefer ranged weaponry over melee, believing in overwhelming their enemies with mass fields of fire, destroying anything and everything before it has a chance to react or return fire, as well favounring heavy amount of protection at the costs of speed and precision. The mixing of these elements is shown best in their Assault Squads, one of their key elements, who prefer to carry Breacher Shields and automatic and/or devastating ranged weapons, jumping in rapidly and gunning things down while also being protected from return fire by their shields.

The Cobalt Manual: Given to all graduates of Kardon's academies, and used a reference by its forces, this relatively small book is bound by a folding blue, metal cover and its pages are coated in thin, clear plastic to protect them. Said pages contain a wealth of information, mostly compiled from the Codex Astartes and Tactica Imperialis with homewritten texts, written in a cut to the chase manner to maximise what the Hell Hound's Liberians call its PTI (Page to Information) score. This manual is designed to serve as a training manual and reference guide for Soldiers of Kardon (Or anyone in the Imperium, really), reminding them and teaching them tactics, strategy, leadership and operations of equipment.

Iconography
Colours of icons:

The Hell Hounds use gunmetal or steel for devices choosen merely for aesthetic or design, and cobalt for any devices that bear some specific meaning to the individual, such as marksmen badges or campaign sigils.

Helmet types:

Cobalt Laurels: Worn by Corporals

Hound shaped Maximus Helm: Worn by Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains, Lieutenant Commanders and Imperial Commanders

Banners:

The leader of each fireteam typically carries a back banner in the heraldry of the squad, and offiers and figures of note in command squads often have their own banners. These banners have a hinge to allow them to be folded down, and were adopted by the Chapter some time in the the 35 Millenium after a purticularly grizzly campaign at the end of which the locals of the world the Hell Hounds were fighting for gifted them a series of back banners to honour their service.

Robes;

The Hell Hounds, like all I Legion Chapters, make use of ceremonial robes, in most Chapters this is to denote levels of initiation in the Inner Circle. However in the case of the Hell Hounds, they only wear their robes on parade and when stationed on guard duty at the Cobalt citadel, and rather than wearing single colours, their robes are patchworks of cloth, sew together and added onto constantly, each little strip bearing embroidery, denoting a specific deed in the Marine's service, such as presence at a battle, felling of a  foe, service with certain organizations or under certain officers. This can result in some long time veterans and Officers having long and vast robes, depicting hundreds of campaigns and stories.

Special Equipment
Melius Pattern Razorback:

A Campaign improvisation of the standard Razorback by the Hell Hounds, the Melius pattern counters the space issue created by the adding of the heavy weapon systems by adding more material onto the back if the vehicle, giving the extra space required to carry a full squad. This vehicle, because of it’s effectiveness has become a staple of Hell Hounds whom continue to simply modify the Razorbacks they acquire.

Raeda Pattern Speeder:

An extreme modification of the Dark Vengeance Pattern Land Speeder, the Raeda mounts a Multilaser and a Lascannon, as well as a mounted Missile Launcher, and with an extended back and covered crew compartments, carries 10 Astartes with light gear such as a Ravenwing Veteran Recon Squad.

Power Armour

Aquila Power Armour with the noted difference of all suits have Corvus or Maximus knees and all Helmets are either Corvus or a heavily modified Maximus built in the shape of a Hound’s head. These suits also posses retractable monomolecular claws from the fingers.

Chapter Relics
10 suits of Tartaros Armour

Unknown number of Cataphractii suits

80+ suits of Indomitus armour

2 Storm Eagles

1 Legion Fellblade, modified so much due to parts requirements that now strongly resembles an Imperial Guard Baneblade

Several Plasma Blasters

At least one Conversion Beamer

The Absolver: Grand Master Aldric the Reformer of the Hell Hounds wields The Absolver a power blade forged of psychically attuned crystal during the Great Crusade for Commander Verenheim of the Dark Angels, founder of the Hell Hounds Chapter of Astartes.

Vetus Pattern Hover tank:

The Vetus Pattern Hover Tank is one of the oldest Imperial designs, having been issued to the First Legion as their earliest armoured support, and the Hell Hounds maintaining a small handful of them. This light tank sports a lascannon and and a havoc Missile Launcher, It makes up for its light armament is sheer speed and maneuverability, dodging in and out of of cover and the enemy, devastating armour and infantry alike.

Auxulia
The Kardon PDF/Auxilia trace their Unit names, insignia and traditions back both to the Imperial Army Units who were a part of the 7th Expeditionary Fleet and the local militaries of Kardon before the Imperium came. The Auxilia is the term for units of the PDF who have volunteered to follow their Space Marine countrymen into battle amongst the stars. The Auxilia also include in their ranks those Hell Hounds serfs who can still function on a battlefield and Astartes aspirants who have completed their training and await he growth of their Black Carapce to advance into a Battle Company as well as the veteran sergeants who train those aspirants. The duty of the Auxilia in the Hell Hounds order of battle is act as the rearguard, securing assets, civilians and locations that the Astartes have already cleared or do not have the resources or numbers. to claim themselves. This includes protecting, directing, overseeing and keeping orderly civilian populations whilst the Astartes are out of reach battling away the foes that would seek to destroy the citizens of the Imperium. In terms of their military training, the Auxilia are trained in the same fashion as their Space Marine fellows, excluding of course the components of the training that are based around Astartes augmentation.

Known Kardon Auxilia Regiments:

26th Saturnyne

30th Armegeddon

1st Kardon

Organization
The Hell Hounds and their Auxilia follow a standardized but unique organization structure, with minor differences between the two to accommodate slight differences how they're deployed. The most notable difference being the Marine Chapter does not maintain standardized Battalion HQ units and the most senior Company leader holds the rank of Lieutenant Commander rather than there being a 5th officer with such a rank, as the companies are expected to largely go across the Galaxy as independent bodies while the Auxilia Battalions are expected to deploy as such.

Things labeled inside parathesis are notes for differences in the Space Marine version of the formation.

Ranks:
 * Commander (Grand Master)
 * Lieutenant Commander
 * Captain
 * Lieutenant
 * Colour Sergeant - Title given to a Veteran Sergeant in a staff position
 * Sergeant
 * Corporal
 * Trooper

Chapter:
 * Chapter headquarters staff under a Commander (Grand Master)
 * 1st Battalion
 * Headquarters staff under a Lieutenant Commander (Null)
 * 1st Battle Company under a Captain (Lieutenant-Commander)
 * 2nd Battle Company under a Captain
 * 3rd Battle Company under a Captain
 * 4th Battle Company under a Captain
 * 2nd Battalion
 * Headquarters staff under a Lieutenant Commander (Null)
 * 5th Battle Company under a Captain (Lieutenant-Commander)
 * 6th Battle Company under a Captain
 * 7th Battle Company under a Captain
 * 8th Battle Company under a Captain
 * 3rd Battalion
 * Headquarters staff under a Lieutenant Commander (Null)
 * 9th Battle Company under a Captain (Lieutenant-Commander)
 * 10th Battle Company under a Captain
 * 11th Battle Company under a Captain
 * 12th Battle Company under a Captain
 * 4th Battalion
 * Headquarters staff under a Lieutenant Commander (Null)
 * 13th Veteran Grenadier Company under a Captain (Lieutenant-Commander)
 * 14th Veteran Recon Company under a Captain
 * 15th Support Specialist Company under a Captain
 * 16th Support Specialist Company a Captain

Battle Company: 1st Platoon
 * 1 Command Squad under a Captain mounted in a Razorback(Land Raider)
 * 1 Recon vehicle Platoon
 * 1 Tank Platoon
 * 1 Specialist tank Platoon
 * 1 Air support Platoon
 * Command Squad under a Lieutenant mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Devastator Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Assault Squad Mounted in a Valkyrie

2nd Platoon
 * Command Squad under a Lieutenant mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Devastator Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Assault Squad Mounted in a Valkyrie

3rd Platoon
 * Command Squad under a Lieutenant mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Devastator Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Assault Squad Mounted in a Valkyrie

4th Platoon
 * Command Squad under a Lieutenant mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Tactical Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Devastator Squad mounted in a Razorback
 * Assault Squad Mounted in a Valkyrie

Command Squad:
 * Officer
 * Colour Sergeant
 * 2 Apothecaries
 * Master of Signals
 * Senior Technician (Tech Marine)
 * Banner Bearer
 * Company Champion
 * Chaplain
 * Librarian

Tactical Squad:
 * Sergeant
 * Corporal
 * 2 Support weapon troopers
 * 2 signals riflemen
 * 2 medic riflemen
 * 2 special weapons troopers

Auxilia Devastator Squad:
 * Signals-Sergeant
 * Signals-Corporal
 * 2 medic riflemen - Also weapon assistants
 * 6 weapons crewman
 * 4 crew served heavy weapons

Marine Devastator Squad:
 * Signals-Sergeant
 * Signals-Corporal
 * 2 medic riflemen
 * 6 Heavy Weapon Troopers

Assault Squad:
 * Jump Sergeant
 * Jump Corporal
 * 4 Jump Weapons operators
 * 2 Jump Medic Riflemen
 * 2 Jump Signals Riflemen

Grand Master's Honour Guard:
 * Grand Master with Relic Plasma Blaster and The Absolver
 * 2 Honour Guard Marines with Plasma Blasters and Power Weapons
 * Honour Guard Marine with Plasma Blaster and Power Weapon and Chapter Standard
 * Honour Guard Marine with Plasma Cannon and Power Weapon
 * Chapter Champion
 * Master of the Apothecarium
 * Master of the Forges
 * Master of the Reclusairy
 * Master of the Librarius
 * Relic Land Raider with Crew of 2 Marines

Recon Vehicle Platoon:
 * 2 Landspeeder Squadrons of 4 Landspeeders
 * 4 Sentinel/walker squads each of 4 Walkers

Tank platoon:
 * 1 Tank Command Squadron of 4 Tanks
 * 3 Tank Squadrons of 4 tanks
 * 1 Baneblade
 * 1 Tank Destroyer Squadron of 4 Tank Destroyers

Specialist tank platoon:
 * 1 Command and electronic warfare Squadron of 4 Vehicles
 * 2 Artillery Squadrons of 4 Vehicles
 * 2 Anti Air Squadrons of 4 Vehicles
 * 1 Recovery Vehicle Squadron of 4 Vehicles

air support platoon platoon:
 * 4 Stormhawk Squadrons of 4 craft
 * 2 Vulture Squadrons of 4 craft

Chapter Fleet:
 * Desolater Class Battleship Silva Bestia
 * Infernus Class Heavy Cruiser Elgonsen's Vengeance - 2nd Company
 * Strike Cruiser Kardon's Wrath - 4th Company
 * Avenger Class Grandcruiser Unstoppable Righteousness - 5th Company
 * Hades Class Heavy Cruiser Corrector - 8th Company
 * Strike Cruiser The Sentinel of Time - 9th Company
 * Retribution Class Battlecruiser The Fringe Stalker - 10th Company
 * 14-ish Frigates and Destroyers.

The End of Days, a Hell Hounds Short Story:
Fire raged, and the night sky was choked with smoke. The Imperial World of Cerduis V burned like a match, as the forces of the Plague Father ravaged it’s inhabitants. All across the city, the Daemons and servants of Nurgle brought plague and death, only for the dead to rise and attack their former friends, family and colleagues. The PDF was unable to hold their own against the masses of the undead, much less the unholy beings of the warp, it all seemed hopeless, until the Astartes arrived. Clad in black armour adorned with silver, red and cobalt, the Hell Hounds Second Company tore into the foe like a hot knife through butter. For over 2 days these sons of the Lion pushed back the foe, however, their defences were starting to fail. In their aggressive push to save every citizen they could, they had spread themselves far too thin and were in desperate need of resupply. At the front lines, battling the forefront of the Death Guard elite Terminators, stood the Command Squad, holding aloft the banner in defiance to the Plague Lord’s claim on this world. Captain Garled stood at the front of it all, hacking down zombies and Plagued Traitors alike with his Eldar gifted Chainblade and scorching scores of foes with his combi melta.The Captain’s vox chimed, it was the PDF Genenal. He spoke in a respectful but hurried tone; ‘’My lord, might I suggest we fall back? We have evacuated everyone from this area and the beasts are pushing quite hard on the eastern flank.’’

The Captain snarled as he bashed in the faceplate of a traitor Astartes before blasting it’s head off with his melter. ‘’Retreat General!? The sons of the Lion never give ground to the enemies of the Imperium, and especially not with so much to lose! We’ve come this far and I don’t intend to give up now!’’ With that he leapt forward, gunning down a plague riddled cultist and slashing off the head of a Plague Bearer before diving behind a burning Chimera. Garled leapt forwards again,  ducking behind a ruined barricade as Death Guard autocannon fire raked the defense line, once the fire passed, he hopped over the rubble and sprinted inside a burnt out hab building. The Captain was soon followed by the Company Champion and the Corporal of 2nd Tactical using their jumpacks. To the left, a trio of Death Guard Terminators clad in rotting Cataphractii pattern Tactical Dreadnought armour and armed with deadly plague bearing scythes broke through the barricades, sending its PDF and Astartes defenders scattering for cover. From above, like a lightning bolt from the God Emperor himself, came the Assault Squad. Wielding Bolters, flamers, meltas, Breacher Shields and mighty warcries of ‘’DEATH FROM ABOVE!’’ they smashed into the Traitor elites. One of their number was caught in the caught by one of the Traitor’s scythes, the Terminator lifted the Hell Hound off the ground with the weapon, and brought him close as he chuckled a long, hearty laugh. His victory was short lived however as the Assault Squad turned their of Melta rifles on the Death Guard, turning him into a bubbling pile of dirty slag. With their brother dead the advance was broken and the remaining Terminators began to step back to regroup but were gunned down by the newly reinspired PDF and the Astartes. Elsewhere on the world, brother Arkemis, corporal of the 1st Tactical along with his Fireteam lead a group of scarred and scared civilians through the alleyways of the industrial sector. ‘’How much farther to the camp?’’ Arkemis looked back to his Auspex operator as he said this. ‘’Another Kilometer, brother’’ came the reply from Brother Rark. The Corporal shook his head and called a halt, he was soon approach by Brother Karun; ‘’Brother Corporal, these citizens cannot go on much longer.’’ Arkemis checked his boltgun ‘’I understand that, but we’re so close.’’ Karun replied; ‘’We need to have a proper rest, or they’ll start dying.’’

‘’They can rest all they’d like once we get them to the camp-’’ Karun cut off the Corporal; ‘’They’ll never make it to the camp, damn it!’’ Arkemis looked at his brother squarely. ‘’Would you rather I abandoned them here to be attacked then!? I am of the same mind as you on this Karun but there’s simply no other choice!’’ Karun sighed and stepped away to return to his guarding of the civilians. Just as Arkemis turned to order the march go on, he heard a scream. Bringing his weapon up and running forwards, he identified the threat at once; A small horde of plague zombies surged out of a nearby building. Arkemis began to bark orders; ‘’Karun, I need fire support, Rark lead the civilians out of here, Zypher take point for them, Kel, cover the rear!’’ As the squad followed their commands, all sound was drowned out by the repeating firing of Karun’s Heavy Bolter as it mowed down the plague beasts. Just as he went to turn back to group Arkemis heard a by now familiar buzzing noise; A Plague Drone of Nurgle swept overhead, going straight for the fleeing group. Arkemis opened fire but his boltshells did little. ‘’Zypher, Six O’clock!’’ Hearing his leader’s cry, Zypher turned around and saw the monstricity He took aim with his well kept Plasma rifle and took a moment before firing a superheated burst of plasma liken to a small sun into the flying Daemon Engine, striking the connections between its body and right rotor, blowing them apart and sending the Drone careening away into a far off building. Once out onto the main road the group was met with two sights; On the right, tracked cargo hauler, miraclely still in one piece, and on the left, a sudden explosion soon followed by a Death Guard Vindicator and a contingent of Plague Marines. Arkemis reacted quickly, turning to a battered and weaponless PDF trooper in their group; ‘’Trooper, can you drive a tracked vehicle?’’

The trooper scratched his head ‘’I think I migh-’’ Arkemis cut him off; ‘’Good enough, get that hauler operational, everyone else, get in the back and seal the door! Kel, Rark, the Camp isn’t too far from her and the road should be clear, stay with them and get there. Zypher, Karun, you’re with me.’’ The Marines reacted quickly, giving simple replies of ‘’Acknowledged!’’ and setting about their tasks, the Vindicator fired a shell but it’s rotten targeting computers caused it to miss completely. While the civilians boarded the Hauler, Arkemis and his men used their jumpacks to leap up to the upper levels of a building, grabbing hold of the decorations to pull themselves to the top and raining fire down on the approaching traitors, distracting them from the now fleeing Cargo Hauler. The Vindicator fired into their position but by then they had leapt unto another building and before it could fire again Zypher fired an overcharged plasma shot into its engine block, detonating the corrupted machine and taking out it’s infantry support along with it. ‘’Well done Brother’’ Arkemis slapped Zypher on the shoulder, who merely nodded and attended to the cooling rites of his beloved weapon. Arkemis pointed into the distance; ‘’We have to get to the front lines now, with the civilians soon to be out of our hands we must assist the Captain in holding the city center.’’ Zypher replied; ‘’We should regroup with Sergeant Sheroh before rejoining the main force.’’ Arkemis nodded and turned away, leading the squad down into the streets. Lieutenant Emrich of the Kardon Auxilia stood with his squad behind the barricades of the civilian refugee camp, watching the road. A few minutes earlier a Cargo Hauler bearing a group of civilians and a pair of Hell Hounds had come through and were expecting to be followed, so the troopers were on alert. Emrich stood there for a good two hours before finally another trooper came to relieve him, Trooper Christina, who took the position without a word. Emrich turned and went inside the gates of the camp, once past the secondary wall, he was inside the camp, where scared and weary civilians huddled around chemical fires or assisted the Auxilia and PDF in some way such as maintenance. Although he couldn’t see the faces of his fellow Kardon Auxilia behind their gasmask-style helmets, he knew they too were worn and tired. Tired of this war which they had been fighting for the better part of a Terran year. And it wasn’t an ordinary battle like they were used to, the enemy here was different; They refused to die and even when they did, noxious clouds of chemicals would escape their bodies and poison their defeaters, and they employed monsters from the warp who spread disease and plague with such ease that even their protective gear barely helped. He looked to his left over to the shield generator complex, the only thing keeping them alive. It was casting a shield over the camp, and was set for max intensity, blocking even the air from coming in. People who wanted inside had to be sent through a special airlock which also vigorously cleaned them to prevent disease from getting inside. Because of the shield, they also had a complex of air recyclers to keep it livable inside the shield dome. Emrich looked around for the Marines who had come through recently, wondering what was happening out there. He saw a Hell Hounds Medic and a Hell Hounds Signals trooper standing around the crowd of civilians they had recently brought through. He approached them and spoke; ‘’May I have a word?’’ Both of the Astartes looked at him, their MKVI Corvus helmets giving them a menacing glare. But Emrich was not afraid, he had served alongside these Astartes for the last 7 years of his life and knew many of them well. Kel, the medic, nodded to Rark and went over to Emrich. She removed her helmet, revealing her stern face and bald head, she fixed her dark brown eyes on the trooper and spoke; ‘’What do you need Lieutenant?’’ Lieutenant Emrich looked around nervously before replying; ‘’Well, I’d like to know anything you can tell me about what’s happening out there, The Captain hasn’t been able to contact us so we’ve been in the dark for the most part.’’ She shook her head ‘’Me and my brothers have been separated for quite some time, we got cut off when the traitor advance broke the secondary defense lines about a week ago.’’

‘’I see.’’ Emrich removed his helmet ‘’I’ll report to my commanders, tell them we have no news’’

‘’Rark did hear something on the vox about our forces pushing forwards but we’ve seen nothing.’’

Emrich nodded and gave the Terran Salute to Kel, who returned it before Emrich marched away to the headquarters. On the front lines, a large speedercraft zoomed over the heads of the entrenched defenders. It was painted in urban camouflage and bearing the badge of the Hell Hounds. It went to the North-East, around the sides of the advancing Death Guard lines, then darted straight east, inside their territory. After several kilometers it came to a halt above a seven story administrative complex, its back ramp opening and disgorging ten Hell Hound Astartes clad in camo cloaks and their armour painted in the same grey, white and black digitalized camouflage. Half of them, including the Sergeant carried highpowered Longlas Rifles plugged into their powerpacks, the other half carried bolters and targeting arrays. These were the Ravenwing Tenth Company reconnaissance Squads, the Chapter elite, equal in experience and skill to the Deathwing First Company. They moved in twos, each sniper accompanied by a spotter. Sergeant Leithier and his Spotter; Kennzeichen, took the the lead, firing their jumppacks to get onto the next building. The squad's transport Speeder kept nearby, ready to provide support. Leithier took a position on his third building, Brother Kennzeichen looked around before pointing; “There it is Sergeant, the Traitor reinforcement lts.” What he pointed to was a Belskar Pattern Stormbird, rusted and covered in rot, as befit a vehicle of the XIV Legion.

Below it marched the infantry and ground vehicles of the Death Guard,  and beside it flew other noxious aircraft, all on their way to continue the assault on the city.

Kennzeichen marked the Stormbird with his Targeting Array, getting ready to call in the strike when suddenly his Corvus armoured head and upper body exploded, splattering all over and on the Sergeant. Leithier looked around in shock, and spotted Kennzeichen's killer; a lone Plague Drone, preparing to fire once more. The Sergeant dived behind cover just in time to dodged the next bolt of noxious ammunition, then swung his Longlas around the edge of the wall, aimed, and fired, the superheated beam of pure concentrated light burned into the filth riddled machine, tearing and melting it until it combusted and burned, crashing down below. Leithier breathed a slight sigh of relief, but his mood turned dark when he heard it; Buzzing, like thousands of insects, several more Plague Drones swarmed around his postition. They began to rain fire on him, as well as some seeking out the other Recon teams. Bolter and las fire rained out from the Recon team’s positions, several of the drones went down, only to be replaced by more. And that wasn't the extent of the horrors sent against them. Plague Bearer Daemons, carried aloft by great Plague Flies, descended upon the buildings, forcing the remaining Veterans to engage them in desperate melee. Sergeant Leithier fired his jumppack and leapt across to a building where the remaining squad members had gathered. As he was midflight, he saw the Transport Speeder engaged in a dogfight with the Plague Flies, only to be struck from behind by a Plague riddled Helldrake, trailing disease in its wake. Its claws rended the Speeder apart, crushing its remnants and dropping them like discarded trash. Leithier landed amidst several daemons, drawing his Powersword and slicing all three of them in half through the waist, then rushing over behind cover with his squad. “We're almost too late, we need to get a lock on that wretched machine!” Sister Urien nodded

“Give me some cover.” Leithier looked to the rest of the Veterans “Acknowledged! Leithier Squad, supressing fire!” The Sergeant's orders were carried out quickly, the remaining Veterans opening fire to keep the Plague Drones away as Sister Urien ran up to the top floor and pointed her targeting array at the distant Stormbird. The green 'Target aquired’ indicator shone, transmitting the constant position of the Death Guard craft back to the Orbiting Strike Cruiser ‘Elgonsen’s Vengeance’. Moments later, the targeting was on the ground, still being clutched by Urien's severed hand as she fought back with her poweraxe against the Plague Bearer who had removed her hand. She cleaved through the Beast's face, carving into two pieces before she was gunned down by pestilent Autocannon rounds from a buzzing Plague Drone. Finally, the Death Guard turned their corrupted Basilisk Artillery guns upon the Hell Hounds Veterans, blasting the building apart and the Recon Squad with it. Moments after, a bright beam of blue light streaked from the heavens, disintegrating the vile Stormbird along with its flight escort and dozens of armoured vehicles below it. The Lance strike was followed by a barrage of missiles that obliterated the remaining Death Guard advance. With their main forces destroyed, including their Sorcerers who held open the great Warp Portals that they marched from, their foothold on the world collapsed. The portals snapped shut, and the toxins that filled the air dissipated, when the smoke finally cleared, the Hell Hounds forces took tally of the dead, and saw ti the livinf. All told 46 Astartes, 3000 some local PDF and 34 Kardon Auxilia fell in defense of Cerduis V, and over a million civilians were killed by the attack and following plagues. On the Third day since the end of the Battle, the Sororitas Force from the Order of the Resolute Heart that been en route finally arrived, but nonetheless assisted the Hell Hounds in bringing order back to the terrified world.

Blood on Ice, a Horus Heresy tale:
Commander Verenheim Asterif, commanding officer of the I Legion's 7th Chapter, stood on the bridge of his command vessel the Desolater-Class Battleship ‘SIlva Bestia’. He watched the viewscreen as his Expeditionary Fleet moved closer to the rendezvous point where he would meet the main Dark Angel Fleet who were already en route after their target. He pondered this moment. It had been over thirty Terran Years since he had seen the Primarch Lynn Elgonsen, the Lion of Caliban and he didn't know where to begin with all this: the execution of a third his fleet's crew; the conquest of Kardon, the world of ancient technology and sentient machines; the battle they'd fought against the Mechanicus there, or perhaps the fact that he'd been called by his Legion to fight their Brothers of the VIII? All in all, he didn't really care; Although he was curious to see what would come of all the recent conundrums, the outcome didn’t truly matter. Beside him, Lieutenant Commanders Wilhelm and Wrendel strode up, their plumed helmets under their arms. Wrendel spoke first;

‘’Commander Verenheim, there is ... a problem amongst the men.’’

Verenheim spoke without even looking at his officers;

‘’And that is?’’

Wrendel and Wilhelm looked to each other before Wilhelm spoke;

‘’They are not confident in our objective. Many feel that we would be in error to battle our Brothers, and to be honest sir, Wrendel and I agree’’ Wrendel nodded. Verenheim turned finally to face them, staring them down through the red lenses of his black and red plumed Maximus helm as he pondered how to phrase his next words;

‘’Then, I take pride that you are my soldiers. It is indeed a strange order and for all we know a trap. But, we will meet whatever awaits us head on. If the Primarch wants us to battle the Night Lords, he’ll need a damned good explanation. Tell the men, the Knights of Caliban will not march against our comrades without due cause.’’ The two Lieutenant Commanders nodded to themselves and marched away off the bridge,

Verenheim meanwhile, expressionlessly turned back to his view screen, thinking to himself; ‘’Well, what are you playing at, Lion?”.

The 77th Expeditionary Fleet moved into the system, before them was the the rest of the Dark Angel Legion’s flotilla, in motion and coming towards them. Verenheim ordered the Expedition Forces to hold just out from the main fleet and directed that an encrypted hail be sent. It read:

‘’Verenheim reporting by the Primarch’s will. What was my Order?’’

The main force returned the hail in the same encryption, it read;

‘’Order of the Hell Hound, Commander Verenheim Asterif.’’ Verenheim turned to the Captain of the ’Silva Bestia’ and said;

‘’Have a Thunderhawk readied and notify my Command Squad to report there.’’

Captain Ulis nodded and relayed the orders to his crew as Verenheim strode calmly off the bridge, his winged sword and Hound’s face emblazoned Cloak trailing behind him.

Down in the vast Hangar bay, nine Astartes in the black, red and silver powered plate of the Legio Magi or, Dark Angels, stood around the transport, holding the weapons and gear of the Chapter command squad, including the Chapter Banner. Verenheim acknowledged them with only a nod as he strode aboard the waiting Thunderhawk. They followed, by now completely used to the dour demeanour of their Commander. The ramp shut, bathing the ten Marines in the red light of the Thunderhawk’s secondary lighting systems. Verenheim readied his weapons, with his command Squad reluctantly following suite, shuffling uncomfortably. The Ssuad plasma cannon operator, Sister Otserhild, looked to the Commander and spoke; ‘’Sir, we’re going to meet with our comrades, our genefather, other Knights. Are you truly sure this is necessary?’’

Verenheim did not even face her as he replied;

‘’Prepare for everything, and you’ll never be caught off guard.’’ Osterhild used her right arm to make the Terran Salute and turned back to her weapon as the Thunderhawk lurched and shook from its liftoff. The Flight to the ‘’Invincible Reason’’, the Gloriana class Flagship of the Dark Angel’s fleet, was short and uneventful, with the Commander’s Thunderhawk landing in its main port hangar bay. Verenheim’s command squad marched down the fore ramp of the Thunderhawk, before them stood Primarch Lynn Elgonsen, the Lion of Caliban, clad in his large, heavily engraved metallic black powered plate, rimmed by steely-silver etchings and red markings, including that of his Legion’s symbol; the red winged sword pointing downwards. The nearly ten foot beast of a man that was the Lion, flanked by his own command and bodyguard retinue. He removed his winged helmet, revealing his long golden hair and his grim, strong features. Verenheim did not return this gesture, only making the Terran Salute of the fist over the heart before speaking; ‘’I have come as ordered, Primarch.’’ The Lion’s facial expression did not change from its sullen, grim looks even as he spoke in his low, stern voice; ‘’Commander, unconcerned as ever. Your arrival is quite timely, we are soon to meet with the Spacewolves and continue our pursuit. But first, I must brief you on the situation at hand, as you are no doubt dubious about your given orders.’’ Verenheim made no motion, nor did he reply. The Lion watched as the Command Squad shuffled awkwardly, waiting for their leader to do something, anything. Elgonsen continued, breaking the grim silence that had befallen the hangar; “I will be brief. Civil war has struck our Imperium. Warmaster Horus has marshalled against our father and his lands with exactly half the Legio Astartes and their Primarchs under his banner. He seeks to bring ruin to all we've fought for. A lot has happened in your absence and as of communications we received 3 weeks ago, Terra is under siege. But we cannot hope to reach them in time and we have immediate matters to attend to. The Night Lords have gone on a rampage, butchering and maiming world after world in their treacherous madness. We must defend our worlds, and if possible strike the VIII from the war.” Verenheim stared at his Superior officer for a few moments, then finally replied; ‘’Acknowledged Sir.’’ He then turned and as his Command Squad parted, walked up the ramp of the Thunderhawk without another word. Back on the ‘’Silva Bestia’’  Verenheim’s return was greeted by Lieutenant Commander Willhelm and several other Dark Angel Officers, troopers and even a mass of Imperial Army soldiers and Navy Crewmen. Willhelm watched the Commander step out of the transport and fix his gaze upon him. Willhelm spoke first; ‘’Well sir? What’s the word?’’ Vereheim hesitated for a moment as he stared down his men. Then, he slowly replied; ‘’We march for war. I will speak to the Chapter as a whole shortly, but we fight for the Emperor.’’ Eight Days, nine hours, twelve minutes and fifty six seconds later, the ‘’SIlva Bestia’’ translated out of the Warp above the world of Forodwaith, accompanied by the nine Cruisers and twenty seven Frigates and similarly small vessels that comprised the 77th Expeditionary Fleet. They circled the world, establishing an Orbit and scanning the surface. On the bridge, Verenheim looked to his Ship Captain. ‘’Give me the intel on this world again.’’

Captain Ulis looked up from his control screen to the Commander. ‘’It’s a rather cold world, average surface temperature is -2.2 degrees. There is a singular settlement on the world, as it was recently colonized.’’ Vereneheim stared at his own viewscreen as the data poured in. ‘’And what of the Night Lords?’’

Ulis looked to one of his crewman before replying. ‘’We’re detecting traces of Warp Engines being used recently here. We’ve just missed them.’’ The Commander stroked the snout of his helm, looking to Ulis. ‘’And have the populace responded to our hails?’’ The there was a sharp pause in the room until is was broken by an ensign operating the Vox systems. ‘’No Sir, no they haven’t’’

The Astartes nodded and turned back to his viewscreen. ‘’Then, we some investigating to do. Relay my orders to the officers. The 3rd and 10th Companies along with a Tactical Dreadnought squad from the 1st and a reconnaissance unit from the 6th, are to make ready and await further orders. And tell the 345th to have two Battalions ready.’’ With his orders sent, Verenheim walked off the bridge, boarding a lift to the Hangar bay. On his way down, he was accompanied by a squad of half dressed troopers from the 3rd Battalion of the 345th Imperial Army Regiment. They chattered, ignoring the two meter tall officer behind them beyond giving the initial salute of the Aquila. The non-Astartes members of the 77th were afraid still of the Super Soldiers amongst them ever since the incident three months ago when Dark Angel Marines rounded up and summarily executed around a third of the total Non-Legion personnel of the Fleet for the crime of Worship. They had been found guilty of Praising and worshipping the Emperor of Mankind as a Godly entity. Worship of Gods was a crime in the Emperor’s Imperium, and His Angel’s judgement was utterly equitable. Once the lift reached the hangar, the troopers filed out to their ready stations, while Verennheim strodes across the vast bay over to where Dark Angels were rushing to ready their gear, board and load their vehicles aboard the Stormbirds, Thunderhawks and Stormbirds that were awaiting their launch orders. Verneheim’s Command Squad, Garter Squad along with WIllhem’s Command Squad, Thistle Squad, and 3rd Company’s Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought, were boarding Verenheim’s command Thunderhawk. They saluted him as he passed by them, going onto pass by the Transport Thunderhawk that would land his and Willhelm’s Command Rhinos, and then stopping as he watched Dragonist Squad from 1st Company boarding their Storm Eagle, clad in the heavy Cataphractii Pattern Tactical Dreadnought Armour. He then turned around to survey the hangar, watching Black Swan Recon Squad from 6th Company painting their armour in digital snow patterns, Wrendel readying her own Command Squad, Crescent Squad with their flightpacks as they would be deploying with the 10th Company, an assault Company of flightpack wearing Marines and speeders. On the other end of the vast room the Imperial Army troopers were boarding their own Stormbirds and Thunderhawks; their Carapace already repainted in the digital snow patterns and their high power lasguns dulled black. Satisfied that all was underway as it should be, Verenheim crossed back over to Garter Squad, his cloak flowing in the blow of the Thunderhawk’s idling engines as he walked up the ramp and took his place at the command station at the far end. He watched the hologram of the world below, zooming in to study the layout of the settlement as the last of the preparations were made and the aircraft of the 77th Expeditionary Fleet were hurled from their hangars by magnetic catapults, the craft speeding towards Forodwaith, the icy hell that awaited them. A Hologram of Wrendel appeared beside Verenheim as Willhelm joined him at the station. Verenheim looked at both his senior officers before speaking: ‘’We’ll land outside the city here. Wrendel, you will land Speeders here, on an angle towards us, and then stay in the air to provide air cover and drop your assault Marines when needed, your Recon Squad meanwhile will be with me and 1st Platoon of the 3rd Company and Venerable Sister Meja. Willhelm, you and the other two platoons of 2rd will move to the west of our landing, establishing a perimeter along the long end of the city. The Terminators will stay in the air, so we can deploy them in the hottest spot.’’ There was silence until the vox trooper in Thistle Squad asked a question; ‘’Sir, what do you expect down there?’’

There was a notable pause as Willhelm looked to his Vox Officer, and then to Verenheim who was still thinking on how to phrase his answer. He looked away as he spoke; ‘’I cannot be untruthful. I expect that our enemy will be waiting for us. I know the VIII, they wait in ambush, attacking when they enemy is most vulnerable. They knew we’d have to investigate the lack of Vox response, and will be expecting a small force. They’ll likely assume we’d send Forces piecemeal until finally simply deploying enmass at which point they’ll lead us on a several year wild beast chase. I intend to counter that.’’ The men in the Thunderhawk nodded and everything fell silent again, this time lasting until they felt the shake of the transport hitting the ground and the shouts of the Pilot, ordering them out of the ship. The twenty Astartes and the Dreadnought did not need any encouragement as they dashed out the craft, spreading out weapons raised. Verenheim, despite being so far in the  back, was the first whos adamantium boots touched the thick snow as he sprinted forwards, Tigrus Pattern bolter raised as he swung it back and forth to survey his surroundings. Around the command squads, the other Astartes and army troopers were landing, he heard several Marines from Livonia Tactical lamenting how their black armour contrasted against the snow before being reassured by Sergeant Hermann that they wouldn’t be here long enough for it to matter. Verenheim was pleased to see that he had a wide tactical view of the land,  but the feeling quickly passed as he surveyed further. He saw that from the west, a blizzard was rapidly blowing towards them and would cover them soon. The aircraft lifted off, going on station above them while Verenheim lead his elements of Astartes and Army Troopers forward, ordering Black Swans Squad ahead to scout the city while Lieutenant Command Wilhelm split off with his elements. Verenheim kept a sharp eye out, watching for anything out of the ordinary. Thirty minutes later, Black Swan voxed in: the Sergeant was audibly upset;

‘’Sirs….We’ve...We’ve found the populace. You’ll want to see this.’’

Verenheim’s blood ran colder than the snow. The Sergeant of Black Swan, Amadeus, was a veteran of over a hundred campaigns and had been a part of the 7th Chapter for longer than even Verenheim. The Commander dashed forwards, Garter and Livonia Squads close in tow, Ermine Tactical and Sun Devastator Support staying slow to provide cover. Verenheim entered the edge of the city and at once spotted the Recon Squad, and the source of their discomfort:

From the buildings hung and scattered on the streets were the mangled, maimed, ripped up and tortured bodies of the civilian populace of Forodwaith. This wasn’t a suppression, this was a sadistic extermination. Every man, woman and child on this icy landscape had been killed in some of the most violent ways even these hardened veterans had ever witnessed. The blood coated the icy surfaces of the roads and buildings, staining the snow and ice bright red. When the four squads following Verenheim caught up with him, they were equally speechless as he was, looking around at the massacre in pure shock. The Astartes and Troopers were chilled to the bone, and it wasn’t the cold that got them. The sights were so vile that Verenheim even heard an Army trooper vomiting inside his Carapace mask.

Verenheim’s vox chimed, it was Willhelm:

‘’Sir….’’

Verenheim could only muster a short reply;

‘’....I know.’’ One of the men in Livonia knelt down beside the body of a young boy whose face was no longer identifiable, stammering to speak; ‘’Could this have…..Could this truly be the work of our brothers? Why would the Night Lords do this? This isn’t just or honourable….This is nothing like them.’’ The Commander looked to the speaker, Brother Diechich, then said in a low tone:

‘’This isn’t the work of Astartes, this is the work of monsters and traitors. Forgot that they ever were your Brothers and Sisters. Now, they are no better than a deranged, monstrous beast that must be put down without mercy.’’

Soon, the blizzard rolled over, obscuring everyone’s vision and washing away the horrors in a wave of thick white snow that melted as it made contact with the armour of the Astartes. The army troopers grouped around them for an anchor point as their powerful backpack reactors acted as beacons on the trooper’s infravision. Verenheim was just about to give orders when suddenly the Sergeant of Sun Squad began shouting on the Vox;

‘’Commander! Contacts on the Auspex! Six o’clock!’’ Verenheim rushed through his ranks to the back where Snn Squad was, barking orders as he ran: ‘’All units! Be alert, the enemy’s behind us, keep a watch on all fronts, who knows where else they are.’’

Before he reached Sun’s position, they had already opened fire, as had their Rhino, firing its lascannon and multilaser into the blizzard at heat signatures. He came up beside one of Sun’s plasma cannon operators, who had set their weapon to sustained and was firing rapid bursts of plasma bolts into the iced landscape. He looked through his own infra vision and noticed something odd. The heat signatures were there, certainly, but they weren’t moving, except when hit directly in which they either moved oddly, as though they were mist, or stopped existing altogether. Before he had anymore time to think, he heard the rest of his men opening fire, bolts and las beams zipping through the blizzard. Vox reports were pouring in from all his officers and squad leaders about these sudden heat signatures. Then he heard screams; They enemy had finally returned fire, striking down several army troopers and hitting Dark Angels. He looked out again and saw something odd; For but a moment he saw a heat sign, followed by a sudden flare on the infra vision and then shots struck nearby him. On a hunch, Commander Verenheim opened fire on the position where he saw the flash, and saw a heat sign momentarily, as though it was moving. He fired his bolter again, its bark drowned out by the sound of the blizzard howling around him. But this time he had followed where the heat sign had moved to and his shots struck something, as a full heat signature of a man shaped objected was revealed for a moment, but then was partially obscured as though it was trying to hide under a blanket. Garter Squad’s sensor operator rushed up beside Verenheim speaking quickly:

‘’Commander, they’re all over us. But according to the auspex, they’re on top of us, and sometimes the signs disappear.’’

Vereneheim took this all in, needing only a few moments to add it all up, in this short time a Dark Angel was impaled on a powersword by a foe who was gone before his comrades could respond. Verenheim meanwhile began to give orders to every listening Imperial in the force; ‘’The heat signatures are distractions, ignore the Auspexes, they’re jammed! They’re using some sort of technology to hide themselves, watch for their muzzle flashes and target those!’’

This order was quickly followed by every soldier on the ground and soon, their foes began to fall and the enemy fire lessened. It was turning in their favour in other ways too as the blizzard began to move away from them. Verenheim smiled at his luck and opened a Vox line to Wrendel and the Aircraft above as he at the time time ordered his own units to regroup.

As his units began to group around him, taking cover and firing still at anything that removed, Verenheim reloaded his bolter and waited. Soon, the ground began to explode as the gunships overhead rained fire around both his and WIllhelm’s postitions, soon after, enemy fired died completely as speeder bikes and landspeeders from the 10th zoomed down the mountain across the area. They were the first to actually see the traitors, as they encountered Night Lord Tanks and artillery hidden in dug in positions. Multi meltas and lascannons made short work of them as 10th’s Assault Marines lead by Wrendel began to fall from the sky down onto the Night Lord’s foxeholes, butchering the VIII in close combat as they came at individuals in groups. Verenheim, now with a clear view, surveyed the area. His command Squad was chattering and planning with one of 3rd Company’s Lieutenants. Verenheim stepped forwards to help lift a piece of broken building off a severely wounded Army Trooper, while still watching for what he wanted. Wrendel was engaged in melee combat with a Night Lord sniper who had drawn a serrated combat blade and parried her initial attack. She struck again, this time outmaneuvering the traitor and cleaving through his Maximus helmet, but before she could move again, a blow knocked her off her feet. Wrendel looked up and saw a Night Lord officer who had come at her with a power maul, swinging to strike again at her prone form. She rolled to the side and fire her Flightpack’s guidance thrusters, lifting herself up into a strike with her poweraxe which sliced into the Son of Konrad’s arm. Before he could respond, she lifted her bolter and fired a burst into him, blowing his head off in a splatter of gore and midnight blue adamantium shards. She turned just in time to see Verenheim land beside her, having used his jumppack to leapfrog up to her. He was followed by Livonia who had used their airtime to reload their weapons. The Commander faced Wrendel, giving an approving nod to her and then jumping off again, once more followed by Livonia Tactical. Verenheim fell in amist a group of Night Lords trying to defend their foxhole, he drew his powersword, the Absolver; a blade forged of light blue crystal and wreathed in a silver power field, and sliced through both the Midnight Clad traitors. He ran onwards, drawing his plasma blaster in his other hand and firing a burst of purple plasma into another Night Lord, incerating him. Verenheim had found what he was looking for; The Night Lord Command structure. He dashed towards it, rushing in and out of cover, Livonia advancing behind him, providing him a screen of fire to keep the enemy down while he sprinted up the hill. At the lip of the dugout, he met with a Night Lord trooper who drew a powersword on him. Verenheim didn’t even consider the traitor as he struck the blade with the Absolver, shattering the foe’s powersword and then twisting his own blade to slice off the opponent's hand, which fell down the hill and at Sergeant Hermann’s feet before he simply jerk his sword up and cut the Night Lord in half. He continued on, now coming to face this Company of Night Lord’s Champion, their bladesmaster. He was a short man for an Astartes and carried a long handled Powersword which he swung at Verenheim with expert skill. Verenheim, sidestepped and dodged, but wasn’t fast enough as the Champion struck again, this time catching Verenheim in the helm snout and the chest, scratching his Aquila as he was spun down to the ground, on his knees. The Champion bellowed a cackling laugh and moved to making the finishing blow but not before the Commander spun around on his knees, bisecting the Champion at his waist. The foe fell, Verenheim taking a moment to notice the changes that had taken over the Night Lords; the lightning on their armour was no longer paint but rather pulsed with life, and they bore skull like visages on their helms and great bat wings crested them. He looked away in disgust at what had become of his brothers and saw an Night Lord Officer with flayed skin stretched across his Iron Pattern Helm about to fire at him. Verenheim reached for his plasma blaster but he knew he wouldn’t be fast enough, but was pleasantly surprised when he looked back, plasma blaster raised, to find that the officer had been shot dead in the faceplate by a member of Livonia Tactical who had come over the lip of the dugout and drew his bolt pistol just in time. This victory had no time to be celebrated because just as the corporal of Livonia rushed to help Verenheim up, a great burst of energy threw them all off their feet. Verenheim looked up and saw a great portal of swirling prismatic energies had opened up on the top of the hill, knocking aside the Dark Angels as the remaining Night Lords rushed through. Verenheim leapt to his feet, firing his weapon at the fleeing foes, but quickly ducked as a Night Lord Heavy Weapons team suppressed his position, covering the remaining dozen or so Night Lords before running into the portal themselves. It shut with a great force, leaving the snow around it melted and the smell of ozone in the air. The troopers of Livonia looked to Verenheim and Sergeant Hermann spoke for them;

‘’Sir...What just happened? How could they have opened a Warp Gateway on the surface?’’

Verenheim looked to them, staring at them for a moment and then looking back to the portal site as he spoke; ‘’I do not have the answer to that, but they have changed, in ways foul and obscene.’’

It had been ten Terran days since the battle on Fodorwaith. Verenheim strode the halls of the ‘’Silva Bestia’’, still pondering the odd and vile things he had witnessed. For although Verenheim was unconcerned with what life brought him, not having answers still bothered him greatly. A voice spoke to him from the shadows of the hall, it was that of Willhelm; ‘’S-s-sir… H-haave yo-u-you a mo-m-ment..?’’ Willhelm’s speech had been impaired after brain injuries he suffered after he had been struck by Artillery while trying to rescue a position of his Devastators and army troopers. The Apothecaries were unsure if they could mend him. Verenheim nodded to his officer, who continued; ‘’W-w-we h-have re-re-reci-iev-ed-ed comm-comm-communications f-f-from the m-main fl-eet-t-t.’’ Willhelm rolled his eyes and handed Verenheim a dataslate which had encrypted orders from the Lion. Verenheim nodded once more, gave the Terran salute to Willhelm, who returned it, and then walked away, leaving Verenheim alone once more. Verenheim read his orders, which were to go aid the Spacewolves in relieving a world under siege by the Night Lords. Verenheim muttered to himself in the dark; ‘’And so it continues.’’