Hello everyone,


This is a story I've been working on for a little while now, so I hope you enjoy it. It is a more detailed story of the events of Fort Fernis on Vantir, and is really action packed. I'm going to post it in three or four segments just to make it easier to read, so you guys don't have to read an entire story at once.

Anywho, here comes the first part:

Kiss of Redemption

Major Jake Russel looked in astonishment and fear at the events unfolding below him. He stood upon the high battlements of Fort Fernis, a grand Imperial Stronghold which was used as an armed weapons factory on the planet of Vantir. It was the strongest, largest and greatest of the fortress's on the jungle planet, the other three located upon the sides of dormant volcanoes to the north and west.

For the past month Vantir had been under a daemonic incursion, and besieged by the Word Bearers Chaos Space Marines. They had struck hard and fast to cripple the planets defence force, and had burnt and corrupted the lush jungles with the forces of Chaos. Now daemons roamed the planet like a heinous disease, and the Word Bearers had brought their strength and attention to the planets final strong holds where they would murder and silence the final resistance.

They had blown apart the walls of the fortress with the horrific might of the Defilers, and now Major Russel watched as daemons and traitors poured into the courtyard below him. They slaughtered the men on the outer wall within seconds, their terrified and pain filled screams music to the blood lusting daemons of Khorn that had come in the first wave. But with death decay soon follows, and now the vile servants of Nurgle spread about causing sickness and rot where ever they went. Nurglings attempted to climb the second wall to Russel's position, and were barely held at bay by the guns of the defenders.

Russel ordered the Heavy Bolters be concentrated on the daemons now looking for entrance to the inner sanctum of the battlements, while the las-cannons attempted to keep the Defilers from entering the fortress and breaking apart the second wall themselves. Russel was usually a calm and passive man, but fear and hatred gripped him at the very site of the daemons, and he knew that his company was doomed.



Suddenly however the unexplained happened. The sky was dark overhead, and a mist lay in the fortress making it hard to target the enemies bellow, but an enemy shell flew from the blackness and hit the thick battlements bellow where Major Russel stood with a thunderous boom. He felt the ground under him shift, and he tried to leap out of the way as a section of the wall began to collapse, but he was not fast enough. He threw his arms in the air as he began to fall with the crumbling rubble, but instead of tumbling to his doom something strong gripped his wrist.

Russel was yanked upwards and tossed back onto a solid part of the battlements. He turned his head to see a lithe figure clad entirely in black armour and a dark red cloak, standing on the edge of the ruined wall. By his side was a long thin sword, and a cruel hooked blade was attached to his wrist. The figure turned its concealed head to show a ghoulish helmet that made Russel shiver, its cold black eyes conceiving him for only a moment before looking away again. The figure then leaped from the wall and into the carnage that began to unfold bellow.

"Eldar!" The Major heard a soldier from far off cry.

"Do not change targets!" Russel screamed getting to his feet. "Keep your weapons on the traitors! Destroy them!"

The Major then looked over the edge of the wall again to see more of the dark figures suddenly clash with the daemons, and an epic battle began.

To Be Continued.....

I like, I like...

I was probably too preoccupied actually focusing on the story, but I didn't notice any spelling mistakes; you're doing well Cal! :D

lol, possably has something to do with the fact that I ran it through a spell check on another forum. :P

I'm glad you like the story. Its, in my opinion, one of the best war stories I've ever written. I hope you guys will all really like it as well. There are about 5 parts of it in all, and I'll post them each daily. So the next part will be posted in about a day from now.

Cheers,

The only issue that I have with this story of your's Cal is that there is no Major Jiles :D

I knew someone would pick that out. If you read the report in the 'Morag-Kith topic however, you will see that Major Jiles was at Fort Lava, not Fort Fernis. Thus he can't be in two places at once.

I still think the figure is an Autarch....

Righteo, heres the next instalment. Enjoy!

Kiss of Redemption:II

Kiss of Redemption: II


The daemons began to spill into the second courtyard, climbing up and over the rubble with little struggle. The daemons of Khorn were again the first to come, closely followed by the Plague Bearers and a wave of Nurglings. The guardsmen swiveled their guns to try and fire at the daemons and stem the tide of heinous beasts and monsters, but the fate of the soldiers was now inevitable it seemed.

Unexpectedly however several dark figures stirred in the shadows, and without warning many dark, agile warriors sprung from where ever they had come from and clashed with the daemons. They brandished elegant weapons, and attacked with such ferocity and skill that the beasts of the warp were stopped in their tracks. For a second it looked as if the daemons would break and be forced to flee, but they did not for fear was beyond such hideous beings. They were forced back but as the surprise ebbed they renewed their assault and counter attacked their assailants.



Major Russel watched from his vantage point upon the edges of the break in his fortress. He watched as more of the Eldar warriors sprung out of the night mist and attacked the besieging daemons, their skill and speed awe inspiring. The Major watched as they danced about their opponents swinging their weapons in wide graceful arcs dropping an enemy at a time. Their movements were enchanting and Russel almost felt the urge to jump down and join the fray, but then common sense returned to him and he realised once more where he was.

"Keep your weapons trained on the men outside the second wall!" Major Russel bellowed. "The Eldar have the gap covered, so thin out the tide!"

"But sir, if they pass the second deffence we're all doomed!" A paniced private screamed.

"Have faith!" Russel retorted. "The Emperor protects, and the Eldar are at our sides. They will not easily let these daemons pass!"

The weapons of the guard were returned once more to firing outside of their battlement, the bullets from the heavy bolters and stubbers ploughing into the daemonic ranks. They made no obvious difference in the amount of opponents that made it to the gap, but the Eldar held strong until all the guns had been brought back around. When the Major was satisfied that everyone was firing where they should be, he bellowed his next order.

"Focus on them massing at the entrance to the first deffence! We'll keep them at bay there as best we can to stop many of them reaching the second deffence!" He said. "I want all Las-cannons keeping back those defilers! If they get in here we're all dead!"

No sooner had the ordered been issued when a bright arc of las fire brightenend the darkness for a second and impact on the closest defiler. The monstrous construction was blown to pieces with a tremendous explosion, and an unearthly screech of rage as the daemon was banished back to the warp. A cheer went up amongst the guardsmen.



The fighting began to grow fiercer amongst the skirmish between the Eldar and the horrors the Word Bearers had conjured. Neither side was willing to give ground and for the Eldar the blood toll was beginning to rise more and more steadily. But their resolve only strengthened, and they fought on fierce and defiant against the daemons. Some of the guardsmen noticed their numbers thinning and panicked, firing their lasguns like maniacs before being brought back into line by their commanding officers.

Indeed at one point it looked as if the Eldar line would break, but again without warning another large group of the enigmatic warriors adding to their numbers. Once more the daemons were beaten back, but then the truly extraordinary happened. Another figure stormed from the darkness and joined the Eldar ranks, an awesome construct towring over 20 feet tall yet with an equally slender build as the rest of its kin. In one of its powerful fists it held a long ornate curved sword that easily topped ten feet, and a large gun rested on its shoulder. The guardsmen were agape at its appearance, and the daemons howled in rage and despair as it approached them.

The Wraith Lord plunged itself into the heart of the massacre in the gap, brandishing its massive weapon and slicing apart scores of daemons in seconds. The bestial creatures tried to withdraw in horror, but were unable to flee back into the push of their reinforcements. Instead large groups of them screamed in rage as their bodies seemed to implode on themselves and they were sucked back into the warp. They were only replaced by more daemons, but it had given the Eldar time to manoeuvre their troops, and now with the Wraith Lord at their side they had the advantage.



Major Jake Russel had watched the insanity of the violence bellow with a mixture of shock, awe and dread. The appearance of the Wraith Lord had made many men panic, and the Major had to order his men to hold their ground and not change targets. He did not wish to make a second enemy.

"Sir!" A private called. "Look!"

Major Russel turned his attention back to the continuous flood of daemons that continued to entered the remains of the first deffence. Despair and fatigue began to weigh on his body as he thought there would be no end to the fowl daemons. Still more and more came and the artillery would eventually run out of ammunitions to fire. Panic also followed when the defilers began to come closer to the Fortress walls, the daemon engines flailing their massive limbs in frustration and desire to get into combat. T make matters worse the Word Bearers themselves were once again returning to the fight, and this time they were bringing with them heavy weapons. Already many men had fallen to enemy heavy bolter and missile launcher fire. It looked hopeless, and Fort Fernis was doomed to fall.

And then Russel saw something fly overhead that made his heart stop. It had only been a shadow that passed quickly and then disappeared again, but for some reason it had filled Major Jake Russel with such dread he felt like jumping from his position and fleeing for his life. Evidently this feeling had also spread amongst his men, as they began to look even more unsteady and frightened than they has thus far. The Major saw the shadow pass again out of the corner of his eye, and as he turned to look he heard a scream from one of his men behind him.

"What the he-" The voice had said closely followed by a chilling screech. The Major turned his head again and his blood turned to ice as he looked upon Gushnuke, Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers, and Daemon Prince of Chaos.

To be Continued...

I'm really enjoying this series Cal, keep up the good work.

Just a couple of little points:
Paragraph 3, line 5: You've, written "an enemy at a time", btu I think it should be changed to "one enemy at a time", as at the moment it sounds slightly odd.
End of Paragraph 10: I do beliee a Commissr with a Bolt Pistol would be more fitting than Senior Officers.
Paragraph 15, line 7: You need to add an "o" to your "T".
Paragraph 17: I do believe that you have only just narrowly avoided a large number of copyrights here...

interesting cal so wheres the rest of it?

Glad your enjoying it Lictenstein! :D

And at Arrow, heres the next instalment:

Kiss of Redemption:III

The Daemon Prince towered over seven feet tall, its huge bulk covered in stretched grey skin. In some places its skin broke where the muscle had become so large it could no longer be contained, and bulged a vile red. Mounted on its back were
two massive leathery wings that were still open to show an impressive wingspan. From its chest grew two extra limbs that were now coiled at its side, but ended in long deadly scythes waiting to be used. Its taloned feet dug into the concrete of the high wall, and clenched within one of its great fists was a a cruel mace. The weapon had once been a Crozius Arcane, sacred weapons of the Chaplains, but now had been augmented and twisted by the vile powers of Chaos. In the Daemon's other hand was an imperial guardsmen, held by its broken neck.

Its face however, was an image of pure horror, so twisted by mutations that it was impossible to think this creature was once remotely human. Its flat pig-like nose had flared slits for nostrils, while its beady red eyes were overshadowed by a low brow and scaly bald scalp. A crown of short horns grew out of its forhead and ringed its entire head. It had no visible ears, only small round holes at the base of its skull. Its mouth was festering and disgusting, filled with crooked and broken teeth, and a long worm-like tongue.

The guardsmen shouted at the Daemon Prince's sudden appearance, some trying to flee but tumbled over each other and fell from the battlements to plummet to their deaths. Others attempted firing their las-guns at the daemon, but to little affect. The las-bolts did not even pierce its skin, and it smiled at the panic now playing on the guardsmens faces. Gushnuke raised its mighty mace, felling a score of men in one swipe before his scythed arms shot forward and pierced two more. Tossing them from the battlements with a flick of his limbs, the Daemon Prince looked about for more opponents.

Major Jake Russel shouted out in panic for the heavy bolters to be brought around to fire at Gushnuke. Rounds of bolter fire tore at the Daemon Prince, who was forced to take flight again in dismay, and so dived into the fray at the gap in the second defencive wall.

Russel watch it go, and heaved a slight sigh of relief. But it was short lived when the wall rocked again from another impact. The defilers were beginning to come closer.



Gushnuke dived into the fighting amongst the Eldar and daemons. Brandishing its fell weapon he attempted to kill as many of the slender warriors as were in range, but most darted aside leaving it to claim only few victims. Screeching in rage Gushnuke charged again with more fury than before. How dare they intrude here! it thought in anger.

Again the Eldar avoided the daemon's fierce assault, though some were to slow to dodge his scything blades and were thrown aside like rag dolls. Slowly the elegant warriors lost ground, and the daemons came a step closer to surpassing the second deffence.

The Wraith Lord itself came forth to challenge the Daemon Prince, readying its long curved blade. The daemon prince smiled in glee as it charged its new adversary , smashing at the wraithbone of the Lord's body with its mace. The Wraith Lord tried to strike back, but missed as Gushnuke took flight once more. The Daemon Prince rose above its enemy, delivering a crippling blow that smashed large shards from the Wraith Lord's head. Its scything arms then shot forward to penetrate through the Lord's wrists, attempting to pull the construct into the air. Such a thing was impossible though, and the Wraith Lord pulled down with its arms forcing Gushnuke out of the air. The Daemon Prince dug its talons into the head of the Wraith Lord, then once more raised its mace with both arms and struck the Wraith Lord with a tremendous crack.

The giant Eldar warrior crashed to the ground with a heavy boom, Gushnuke standing over its shattered remains and bellowing in triumph. It folded its extra limbs by its side, and then ordered the daemons of the warp forward. The Eldar now looked as if they would flee, their numbers dwindling against the mass of beasts and daemons. All looked lost when Gushnuke took flight again, and dived amongst the remaining Eldar. Many fled, while others stood their ground.

Just as the Daemon Prince readied himself to attack, another hero emerged from amongst the Eldar ranks. It was then, that the Dark Apostle Gushnuke looked upon his death.

To Be Continued...

Damn you Cal! I want to read the last one now!
In all of that, there was only one minor fault, and that was:
Paragraph one, line 7: I do believe that in the 41st millenium we use rocrete (or is it spelt rockrete?), not concrete.

Other than that minor little indescretion, I'm greatly impressed. :)

verry good cal, i like your description of the eldar warrior who grabbed the major

Thanks guys! :)

I'll post the next one up later tonight unless something stops me from getting to my computer. And Lictenstein, there are two 'epsiodes' left to go, just to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thanks, Cal

Hi Guys,

Sorry this took so long, but that last one took my quite some time to write. This is the second last, and I hope you really enjoy it!

Kiss of Redemption: IV



The remaining defilers lumbered closer to the second defence, their guns still blazing inaccurately as they came. One had now clambered over the ruins of the first defence, and was walking almost directly under Major Jake Russel's position. He had ordered that all lascannons be fired at the daemon engines, hoping to blast them apart before they came to close. But each shot had failed to so much as slow the machines, and Russel was now losing gunners to the traitor marines heavy weapons.

The wall shook as another shell impacted into its side, spraying shrapnel and debris on those bellow. The defence still held firm for the moment, though it could not last many more explosions. Russel could now barely hear the sound of his own shouting, let alone his mens cries and screams, and he knew many of his orders would not be filled out. It was impossibly for anything to be audible over the sound of the constant blasts and gunfire.

"Sir!" Came the seemingly distant voice of a senior officer, who stood right beside Russel. "The Basilisks are finally ready! Their awaiting your orders!"

about fraggin' time!' The Major thought as he reached for his vox. Turning to looking down, he watched three basilisks enter the courtyard behind the wall. Their impressive Earthshaker cannons brought a grim smile to Russel's face, knowing full well what they were capable of.

"Fire at will when ready!" Russel shouted into his vox. "I want you to blow those damned traitors back to the hell they came from!"

When the Earthshakers opened fire the ground shook violently, and the guardsmen ducked instinctively jamming their fingers into their ears. The shells were lobbed well above the wall, then came screaming back to earth before they shattered amongst the traitors ranks with a thunderous bang. Russel glimpsed over the edges of the battlement as a score of Word Bearers was vaporized instantly, and the legs of the closest defiler were ripped of with the sound of screeching metal. Daemons still swarming past the first deffence were crushed under flying debris, and more of the traitors were buried alive or sliced apart by the flying shrapnel.

Major Russel looked almost admiringly at the destruction of the first shelling, as did the rest of his men as they climbed to their feet and retook their firing positions. Russel then signaled for the next round of shells to be fired when ready.



Gushnuke roared at its newest enemy in anger, enraged that the Eldar stood with such defiance and authority.

The Eldar was tall and undoubtedly strong, his flexible black armour visible from under a deep red cloak that fastened upon his shoulders. In his right hand was a long thin sword with a dazzling silver blade, and fastened to his forarm was a vile looking curved hook. On his other arm was attached the flat barrel of a light gun that could also act as a weapon in close combat. His helmet's face was blank of all expression, though split into two facets. From one eye fell black tears, while the from the other came an intricate yet sharp edged pattern. It was a ghoulish mask to look upon, its meaning deeper and more important than anything of human creation.

Gushnuke dashed at its opponent with frightening speed, swinging its horrid mace right at the Eldar's chest. But to its own astonishment it missed as the Eldar warrior leapt backwards before jumping to the side. The Eldar bounced off of a vertical rockface before flying straight at Gushnuke and making a slashing attack with his katana. The assault had come so suddenly the Daemon Prince had not had time to move at all, and before he realised what was happening the Eldar was coming back again and left his quarry with a deep gash in its chest. Rich red fluid spilled from the wound, and Gushnuke had felt its soul being pulled from its body as the blade had cut through its grey skin. But now the Daemon Prince was prepared for the ensuing assault, and was ready when the Eldar came back for another attack.

Their two weapons met with a surprising clap of thunder, the chaotic essence of Gushnuke's defiled crozius clashing with the spirit encased within the Eldar's katana. Gushnuke and its enemy were immediately engulfed in a horrific and lethal melee, neither yielding to their opponent. The Daemon Prince's attacks were harsh and powerful, his mace leaving deep wounds in the concrete he struck. His movements were fast and aggressive, yet cumbersome and vulgar to witness. The Eldar however moved with precision and grace, swept away in the dance of death. His strokes fell like a brush on canvas, each as meaningful and deliberate as the last.

The two combatants swirled and twisted around each other, Gushnuke's massive hand grabbing hold of the Eldar's chest and tossing him against a jagged ruin. The Eldar hit hard, the rocks ripping his cloak but failing to pierce his armour. The Daemon Prince fell upon his victim, but was too slow and left a great hole in the rock where its mace fell. The Eldar twisted out of the way, then thrust backwards with his sword piercing deep into Gushnuke's abdomen. The daemon screeched in pain, but was stopped when he was backhanded in the face with the Eldar's powerblade.

The daemon took flight to escape another sweeping stroke of the Eldar's blades. He flew high overhead, fury burning through his body like an inferno and energizing his every limb. Yet it made him rash and clumsy, and such things he could ill afford when fighting such an opponent.

Waiting only a second to regain himself, Gushnuke raised his mace and dived again.

To Be Continued...

Argghhh, it cap'n Cook! :lol:

Very nice, hope you've got time to post the last instalment tonight...

Hi Guys,

Lictenstein you've seen the model the character is based on, so you know its not a captains hook. <_< Its actually a powerblade, but as the conversion turned out it looked really hooked and nasty.

Anywho heres the final very long instalment. Enjoy!

Kiss of Redemption

Major Jake Russel looked over the scene before him with a mixture of awe, and horror. The shelling from the Basilisk had once more given the guardsmen the upper hand, allowing them to fire over the edge of the battlements without fear of being shot back as their enemies fled for cover. The wounded and dead lie amongst the rock and concrete of the broken fortress, most the corpses chard or scattered in bloody lumps of gore and armour. Many guardsmen had been killed from long ranged enemy weaponry, and they could no longer mass the amount of crushing fire power which they had before. But Russel was a good leader, and was able to coordinate what guns he had left to where they were needed most.

"Sir!" Cried a Senior Officer into Russel's ear. "Their fleeing past the first deffence! I think their massing for a counter attack"

The Officer was right, and Russel could see the traitor marines fleeing out of site behind the first shattered wall. He could see another press of newly summoned daemons begin clambering through the rock and ruin towards the gap in the second deffence, and here they would once again attempt to overwhelm the Eldar deffenders. Without the artillery to thin the tide Russel became concerned about how much longer
the Eldar could hold.

The daemons of Khorn and Nurgle had played their part in smashing open the fortress's walls, but now the Chaos were employing more cunning tactics to try and enter the fortress. Their audacity was enough to make the Major want to spit in their inhuman faces, with his bolt pistol that is.

The seductive forms of the daemonettes of Slaanesh had now danced through the first defence, and were making their way majestically to to the gap. Many guardsmen lowered their weapons and gazed at their luring figures with blank looks of attraction on their faces, and the Major was filled with such rage that he ordered anyone who laid down their weapons to be executed immediately. The horrors and flamers of Tzeench could now also be seen moving towards the second defence, their twisted and repulsive forms hideous, and yet somewhat confusing to look upon. They hurled ethereal energies in all directions in an attempt to bring further guardsmen off of the wall, but luckily the high battlements prevented them from succeeding to well.

Furies flew overhead like vultures, swooping down in packs to pluck the guardsmen from the battlements and drop them from great heights. Sometimes they would simply rip the soldiers limb from limb with their large clawlike hands, spraying blood and gore in every direction. They were hastily becoming a problem and Russel was forced to order his men to open fire upon them.

It was evident from the guardsmens failing amount of artillery that victory would soon be impossible. The Eldar could not possibly hold against the masses of daemons that poured into the fortress without the support of the guard, and when they were overwhelmed all would be lost.

Major Jake Russel watched a shell from the final remaining defiler fly over the wall and crash amongst the Basilisks, blowing one entirely apart while another had its earthshaker ripped off by the force of the blast. Major Russel's heart sank even lower.



Gushnuke took flight, its powerful wings thusting downwards carrying its mighty form into the air. It hovered above the gap in the wall, and watched as the daemonettes and Eldar warriors clashed amongst the rubble below. The dark warriors were unphased by the daemonettes alluring forms, and fought with the same fervor as they had before, much to Gushnuke's annoyance.

The Daemon Prince itself was now even uglier than it had been before, a deep gash cutting from the ridge of its nose around through its right cheek and ending just behind where its ears should have been. Its face was covered in red blood, and how it was still alive was obviously a work of the powers of Chaos. Its other limbs were battered and bruised, covered in its own blood and the blood of its victims, and fluid flowed richly from a wound in its gut.

It watched as its former quarry danced about its beloved daemonettes and cut them down almost easily. Their numbers were not as great as the blood letters had been, and thus they held off despite the less numerous Eldar. The horrors of Tzeench were also now entering the gap, and hurled fire in every direction incinerating anything they marked. The Eldar did not give in easily, but it was inevitable that they were to be overwhelmed unless something drastic soon happened. Gushnuke was pleased, despite their interference.

Unexpectedly an Eldar warrior turned after cutting down another daemon, and fired his weapon up at the Daemon Prince. Razor disks whizzed up through the air and sliced through Gushnuke's right wing and leg, causing it to screech in pain. Gushnuke dropped from the air and landed
amongst the ruin with a mighty crash, then raised its cruel mace and crushed the Eldar warrior under it with a sickening crunch. It then turned and its extra limbs shot forward from its side, the scything ends slicing apart two more of the lithe warriors.

Gushnuke laughed at the slaughter, none who approached it surviving. It slaughtered numerous amounts of the warriors within seconds, blood spraying its body and the rubble around it. Soon the rock was drenched with red fluid, and Gushnuke's blood frenzy only worsened. The next Eldar that tried to attack it darted aside from its mace, but was pierced through the chest by its scythes. The Daemon Prince held his victim on the end of its blade, and then pulled the Eldar in and bit into his neck. Blood spilled from his arteries, and Gushnuke drank deeply until his victim was bled white. It then released the limp body,
and searched for a new opponent.

It found one within seconds, when it spotted the Eldar leader once more. It roared in bloodlust and ran at its opponent with its wings outstretched, Gushunke's massive form bearing down on the Eldar leader. But the agile warrior darted aside when he saw Gushnuke coming, and the Daemon Prince swung at naught but air.

'Flee slave of Chaos.' A voice spoke to Gushnuke. But it was not a sound that might have been heard through the ears, or even the vibration of air that noise was. It was a presence within the Daemon Prince's own head, like a thought that had entered his mind, but was not made by his own conscious.

Flee slave of Chaos,' The voice spoke again. 'I realise what your price of failure is, as I know you do. The destruction of the mind and torture of the
soul.'

Gushnuke spotted the Eldar leader again, and this time it sent its extra limbs slicing through the air at him. The Eldar dodged the first limb easily, and cut the scythe from the end of it with a flick of his wrist. The second scythe was also cut off before it marked its target, and Gushnuke once again felt a pulling of its soul when the Eldar's thin katana touched its skin.

The Daemon Prince screamed in rage at his ruined limbs, the sound deafening and unbearable for human ears. But the Eldar stood firm, his slender form standing proudly in front of Gushnuke with his sword in hand.

'Do not be afraid Lucius,' Gushnuke had not heard his human name in centuries, and started at the thought of it. 'You will not suffer the torment of failure, nor shall you fear the true pain of death. I will redeem you.'

Gushnuke dived at the Eldar with his mace raised, but again failed to hit his mark. The Eldar dodged to the side, and so Gushnuke swung back with a mighty fist, hitting the its opponent finally and sending him to the ground. Gushnuke then raised its mace a final time to deal the killing blow to his opponent, but it was a blow that would never come.

Gushnuke's lower arm was severed with a flash of bright silver, and the defiled Crozius dropped to the ground with a resounding clatter. The Eldar was on his feet in a heart beat, and punched his hooked wrist deep into Gushnuke's chest cavity. With a twist of the wicked blade, Gushnuke's primary heart was cut out and fell into the Eldar's hand, who held it up like a trophy.

Still the Daemon Prince lived, but now upon its knees at the mercy of its dissector. Blood pooled thickly in his throat, and its limbs grew heavy and hard to lift. Its eyes fogged, and slowly its soul began to decent into the warp where it would be tortured for all eternity. The fallen Daemon Prince knew the price of failure, and its wail of despair could be heard by its masters like the call of a thirsting child.

Suddenly however, just before Gushnuke's body died completely, the Eldar thrust his sword into the chest of the Daemon Prince. The bright blade shone a brighter silver than ever before, and it lit the battlements for a few moments as if it was day. Gushnuke's soul was brought back from the warp, and the Daemon Prince looked upon the dazzling form of his opponent. No longer did he seem like a morbid enemy, but now like a blessed saviour. Gushnuke saw his true face, a face of both sorrow and anger in equal measure, and his shackles of slavery were broken. Another moment passed, and Gushnuke's soul was destroyed forever.



Major Jake Russel watched in amazement as the Daemons of Chaos screamed and writhed as if in agony. He had watched the Eldar leader slay the Daemon Prince, a feet he had thought to be impossible, and now the other heinous creatures of the warp had begun to go into a frenzy. They thrashed about wildly, their already sickly forms seeming to change shape before the Major's very eyes. They screeched out in a horrible chorus as they sustained the changes, and Russel couldn't bear to watch any more than he couldn't bear to look away.

He would never quite know how to describe it, but it was as if the daemons forms were growing smaller, or being crushed. Like they were imploding upon themselves, or their physically bodies were collapsing. Eventually when there was scarcely anything left of them, they seemed to burst into a small tear between the material realm and the warp. Moments later when they gap sealed itself, they were gone.

In this fashion the entire mass of daemons was destroyed. Even the defiler was swiping insanely at anything that came int range of its massive limbs, and then went still like it was no longer being powered. The traitor marines fled from the fortress, over the ruins of the first defence and back the way they had come. Russel ordered that all ranged weaponry be used to kill any of the fleeing marines,though he knew most of them would get away. They were to far to fire with everything, and Russel did not have much heavy artillery left. The lone Basilisk was to imprecise to hit the scattering targets, and the Major did not wish to waist its precious ammunition.

The guardsmen cheered as the the last of the daemons disappeared back into the folds of the warp, and the traitors fled from Fort Fernis. Some fired their guns into the air, while others simply collapsed in the shock of what they had witnessed. Those who had been apart of units almost entirely wiped out were pale faced and red eyed, their dead comrades lying about them. The battlements were overflowing in places with blood, and the gap in the second wall was so filled with dead bodies that they carpetted the broken rock. Blood pooled everywhere, and Russel could see the few remaining Eldar regrouping just inside the gap.

Major Jake Russel did not entirely know what to do then. He was to afraid to approach the enigmatic warriors, but felt foolish not thanking them.

"Sir?" Asked the senior officer, nodding at the Eldar.

"Leave them." Russel ordered, much to his officers reply. "We owe them that much."


The End

That was by far the best piece of writing of your's Cal that I have ever read. Very nice prelude to what I'll be facing on the basttlefield in a short while (hopefully)

Thanks Lictenstein! :D

Keep your eyes pealed for perhaps a 'sequel' to this concerning the Necrons and the Space Marines, where the Morag-Kith once more help out. No iron clad promises though.

Also check out the Morag-Kith post some time soon for some extra fluff on the mysterious Eldar leader to destroyed Gushnuke's soul.

Cheers, Cal

yes that was damn good, i enjoyed that story immensly.

all action from woe to go just what i like.